A few years ago, when I was still working in Makati, I would find myself in the SM to Greenbelt area often. Most nights, my work day would end with dinner and drinks with officemates at one of the restaurants there - and probably 8/10 times, the officemate that I would be with was Jaze.
I met Jaze when I first started working at a digital advertising agency in 2017, and we immediately became close friends. We'd eat out a lot, tell stupid stories over drinks until we were tipsy (or drunk), and take the shuttle home together. It became such a routine to start and end work with her, and she eventually became more like a sister to me than a person I worked with. When I left in December 2019, as with all work relationships, we started talking less and less - but when I got the chance to join an agency again in April 2022, I was determined to bring her onboard as a part of my team. She's been with me since July 2022, and things immediately went back to the way it was before - as if no time had passed at all.
Last Friday, we got the chance to come back to one of our most nostalgic spots - 8Cuts, and then Barcino - but this time with the third (and youngest) member of our team, Wesley.
We started off at 8Cuts, obviously, because 1) the first order of the hangout was to get some greasy food in our bellies, and 2) Wesley had never tried a beergarita in his life - and we just weren't okay with that fact. We chose to sit outside because the weather was really cool and comfortable, and we finally got around to ordering amidst so many delicious choices.
For Wesley: The Basic (P393) - 1/4 lb. Cheeseburger or 1/4 lb. Meathead, Skinny Fries or Onion Rings or Chick Poppers, Iced Tea
For Jaze: The Party Animal (P443) - Cheeseburger Slider, Party Spaghetti, Chick Poppers (Salt & Pepper), Skinny Fries or Onion Rings or Chick Poppers, Iced Tea
For Ina: The Overloaded Bomb (P423) - Burger Bomb, House Rice, Sunny Side-Down Egg, Skinny Fries or Onion Rings or Chick Poppers, Iced Tea - The the cheese in the burger patty was perfectly melted and the beef was so rich, the cheese sauce on the side was just the right amount of salty to elevate each bite (they have sauce options), the rice with the egg was the ultimate umami, and having each bite with a bit of skinny fries was just the way to go. A no-fail meal always.
P.S. Both the skinny fries and onion rings at 8Cuts are amazing. I do have to say though, as a person who doesn't really eat onions, 8Cuts' onion rings are the friggin BOMB - so this definitely says something 💣
Truffle Honey Wings 1/2 Dozen (P290) - I'm a garlic parmesan girl usually, but Jaze & Wesley wanted this - and because it's truffle, I was 100% down to try it. I was pleasantly surprised at how tangy but sweet the honey was, while being slightly garlicky/earthy on that truffle flavor. This might actually be my new favorite flavor now, as the sauce was super balanced and fully coating the wings without affecting the crunch at all.
Frozen Lemonade Margarita (P185) - I went for this first, thinking that I'd be able to order a beergarita or two (or three) in the next couple of hours - unfortunately though, they ran out of margarita mix by 6pm and I ended up not getting the drink that I went to 8Cuts for. Still, the frozen margarita was really good - it wasn't too sweet and was the ideal drink to have on that cool night. Side note though, it melts pretty fast - so you can either chug it and have a brain freeze, or you drink it in it's liquid form. Your choice!
Frozen Beergarita (P255) - Basically a Heineken beer served upside down, in a mug that's already half-filled with a frozen margarita; hence, a beergarita. I've had friends try this and love it, while some felt there was too much going on in one drink - personally, I like it and think the two work well together. It's definitely worth trying at least once in your life!
Once we had finished our food, we decided we needed to move somewhere else - we weren't ready to finish the night without more drinks (boo to the margarita mix) and some dessert. After searching Google for a couple of minutes trying to choose where we were going to go, we ultimately just walked a couple of steps to Barcino and again sat outside because we couldn't get enough of the cool air.
One of my favorite things about Barcino is the complimentary bread that they give - 6 small pieces of perfectly toasted bread, olive oil, and a small bowl of salsa. It's such a simple snack that I don't really think about making at home because it's basic - but we loved it so much and were so bitin after the complimentary one, that we just had to order another and actually pay for it. No regrets though, because it went with the sangria so well. In fact, I enjoyed it much more than I did the actual dessert we got, and I regret not ordering some for take out.
Toasted Bread with Olive Oil and Salsa (P110) - No words. I could literally eat just this at Barcino, and enjoy it immensely with an entire pitcher of sangria.
Sangria Bliss and Sangria Rosado (P1,599 for 2 pitchers) - If I'm not mistaken, these two are part of Barcino's new "summer" flavors, and I would 100% choose to have either of these drinks on a hot summer day at the beach. They were both really refreshing (Bliss uses a white wine, while Rosado uses a rosé) and on the slightly sweet but citrusy side - which is always my preference vs. the deeper flavors of a red wine sangria. They also had very generous amounts of fruits in each pitcher - a mix of strawberry, watermelon, and apple slices - which were extremely fun to snack on in between sips.
Churros con Chocolate (P290) - Around ten short pieces of churros, with a little tub of melted chocolate. Honestly, I enjoyed this dish for what it was, but I didn't find anything particularly special about it. I will say though that I was happy about the fact that the chocolate wasn't sweet - it bordered more on bitter, which makes me think they used dark chocolate. The churros themselves were also crunchy on the outside, and tender on the inside as they should be.
After all the food and drinks, stories exchanged about love and life and traumas of our past, dance moves shared while seated on high stools, and having a laugh about finding a celebrity lookalike in one of the Barcino waiters - we decided it was time to go home. We went our separate ways relatively early (before 9PM), but despite the fact that it was a short meetup and dinner, I still had a really great time with them.
I consider these two to be my babies - because I only recently got the opportunity to lead my own team at work, and these two are the first ones I've had the pleasure of handling. They're amazing accounts people, trusted friends, and now life confidants - and I feel lucky knowing that this is one of the first of many many meals we will share in the coming years. 🫶🏻
8Cuts Burgers - Greenbelt 2, Esperanza St, Makati, Metro Manila
Barcino - Greenbelt 2, Esperanza St, Makati, Metro Manila