I made sure Mr. Jones was on my list of restaurants to visit during a recent trip to Manila. Friends raved about their beef tapa, burgers, and milkshakes. They sang praises for the truffled mac n’cheese and challah french toast and I would drool every time someone posted a photo online. I knew I had to go.

Fortunately we had friends who were fanatics and knew the menu well. Unfortunately, we each only had one digestive system so we couldn’t order everything I wanted to try.

The evening began with a Banana Cream Pie Milkshake which reminded me of a liquified Magnolia Banana Pudding. Not too sweet and made with love. I was too eager to consume it that it didn’t live long enough for a photo, but there was more in Mr. Jones’ arsenal to cover.

Tapa and Garlic Overload

The main reason I made sure to go to Mr. Jones was for their famous Tapa and Garlic overload, a fancy take on the Filipino breakfast tapsilog, a combination of air-dried beef, fried rice, and sunny-side eggs. Usually considered a budget meal, Mr. Jones’ take on it is 2-4 times more costly than its fast food counterpart, and not because of the restaurant’s venue and ambiance. Mr. Jones makes their tapa from Yakiniku cut US Ribcap Beef, and the result is the most generous serving of beef you’ll ever have on a breakfast plate, and could quite possibly be the most tender pieces of meat you’ll ever have in the Philippines. You get what you pay for. Continue reading →