BBX
2/F Glorietta 2, Palm Drive, Makati City
Open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
(SPOT.ph) One wouldn’t automatically think that the sleek, cartoonish look of BBX would house such a pleasantly diverse menu, ranging from rice meals to sandwiches to cake rolls. Long story short, it’s everything you love about Bad Bird, but simpler—more approachable, as it were.
The general vibe is a lot more rapid-fire than that of its predecessor; BBX seems to fall somewhere between a casual sit-down restaurant and the kind of place where you can grab your usual order and go. After a good look at the menu, you might be slightly tempted to do both.
We’ll start you off easy: The Fried Chicken Plate (P179) has the same crunchy-umami goodness of the familiar fowl you already know and love, with a side of gravy that actually mellows out the flavor, almost binding it seamlessly with the rice.
The sandwiches are, for lack of a better word, dope. LEA (P159) is more than a terribly underrated Toto song (fight us)—it could just be a simple longganisa sandwich, but it’s more than that as well. It’s more smoky than sweet, heightened by a mild atchara, and made just a tad richer with a fried egg. The bread somehow reminds you of your childhood morning pan de sal, so it’s got a hint of nostalgia to it. The Ruben(P289), on the other hand, is a generous helping of corned beef, cheese and pickled onions, served on toasted sourdough, because the people at BBX clearly know how to live.
In contrast, the Crispy Fish Sandwich (P245) is fresh and light yet still savory and satisfying. If you weren’t into fish fillet sandwiches before, this might bring you over to our side. The slaw and dressing don’t mask or get in the way of other flavors, but the bread is buttered inside-out—a subtle reminder that this sandwich isn’t meant to replace diet and exercise.
But you can definitely work the Pineapple Dragonfruit Huskies (P119/each) into a healthier routine, and that’s something! They’re no chore to eat, either—taken cold, the sweetness of the dragon fruit makes what should feel like creamier oatmeal even more of a treat. It’s almost like ice cream for the extremely well-behaved, and to be frank, we’re not complaining. If you’re looking for “real” dessert, though, the BBCakes (P125/slice) are there to satisfy your sweet tooth. Our favorites are the Ube and Strawberries & Cream roulades, both perfectly dense and hefty.
They say the apple never falls too far from the tree, and in this case, it’s absolutely true. Finger crossed they open more branches (closer to us, ahem) soon!
Photos by Jilson Tiu
