2. 121 Grille and Bar Allegro
2284 Pasong Tamo Extension, 2nd Floor, Allegro Center, Makati City - Across Dasmarinas Village Lumbang Gate
Tel. nos. 856-0529 or 386-9224
Drinkeoke Thursdays happens every Thursday from 9:30 p.m. to 1 a.m.

If you consider yourself a Rockeoke orphan (a former regular at Mag:Net High Street's Rockeoke), you can now seek refuge in Pasong Tamo Extension on those cold and lonely Thursday Nights. The energy is electric when you can channel your inner rock star with a powerful band like Nino Alejandro and The Force (NATF) to back you up. NATF may be a glam rock band, but they've added karaoke favorites from U2, Madonna, and even Katy Perry to their song list just for you.

When it comes to food, they've got the old favorites from their flagship branch on Leviste Street Salcedo Village. There's Beef Salpicao (P199, solo and P756, barkada size) and Pork or Bangus Sisig (P149, solo and P566, barkada size). They've also got Beer Below Zero (San Miguel Beer Pale Pilsen or Light at P54), as well as Jagermeister shots (P50 per shot) to put you into that drunken stupor that takes your stage performance to another level.

Drinkeoke tip: If your eyesight is less than perfect, bring those specs as you'll be reading the lyrics from a song catalog. You can also check out 121's Facebook page and study the Drinkeoke song list in case you want to practice at home for your big number.

1. CenterStage Family KTV & Resto Bar
2/F CTTM Square, Timog Avenue corner Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City with various branches
Tel. nos. 926-6440, 926-8365, 920-7754, or 239-0071
Open from 3 p.m. to 4 a.m., Monday to Wednesday; 3 p.m. to 5 a.m., Thursday to Saturday; and 3 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday

My first giddy, satisfying CenterStage experience was during the opening of their Jupiter Street branch in Makati (formerly IO KTV) upon invitation of singer/actress/KTV entrepreneur Karylle Tatlonghari. I later found out that it was actually the second branch of the CenterStage chain. The flagship spot is the one on Timog Avenue corner Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City.

Their Timog branch offers a slew of delights for every KTV enthusiast. Aside from their 19 exclusive, individually-themed party rooms, they have an al fresco veranda area with full band facilities, best enjoyed on Fridays when they have their version of Rockeoke (where everyone can sing their favorite tunes to a live band) from 9 p.m. onwards. CenterStage takes pride in being "more than just a KTV place." You can opt to watch movies from their library as well, play billiards, darts, video and board games, poker, and even mahjong. There's even free Wi-Fi if you prefer to surf the Net while your companions sing their hearts out.

CenterStage has also become a popular venue for meetings and special events. Book their Sala room and you'll see why. For P1,450 an hour and a minimum consumable amount of P15,000, you can host up to 50 people in a spacious, well-appointed room with its own bar and buffet setup. Order their Ultimate CenterStage Nachos (P320), Baked Oysters Rockefeller (P250), Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice (P395), or their Salpicao with Roasted Garlic (P350). They have their staple selection of burgers and pizzas, as well as a Mey Lin Pot & Noodle House menu if you're in the mood for noodles and dimsum.

And for those who require alcohol with their singing, CenterStage offers Beer Below Zero (buy five, get one free or buy eight, get three free) plus a wide assortment of classic cocktails and liquors to choose from. So whether you end up singing something from their 75,000-strong repertoire or not, this colorful, versatile venue promises all kinds of happy for their customers. Check out the CenterStage website for their generous promos (Sing All You Want at P249 per head, Sunday Family Day, Boys Night Out, Ladies Night, and Barkada Nights). And for P199, you can get an audio souvenir of your crazy belt-out night. You can record up to 10 songs on CD!

Photographs by Kate Torralba and courtesy of 121.