RESTAURANT REVIEW: Plana's Pantry in Mandaluyong

Two months ago, I came across a Reddit post entitled “Hindi dapat ginegatekeep ito” in the subreddit r/PHFoodPorn with a photo of a barbecue rib plate. Tons of upvote and comments hyping the restaurant, Plana’s Pantry. And upon further research, there’s a branch just 10 minutes away from our home!

Today’s the day. Mostly because I got too lazy to cook (typical of me for a Sunday night lmao), and so, here we are.

Plana’s Pantry is a Filipino-Western Restaurant with two branches, one in Mandaluyong and the other in Quezon City. Spoiler alert: My attempt for calorie deficit went out the window.

Hickory BBQ Ribs - Plana's Pantry - Grow Up, Grow Old

I’m a sucker for good, well-prepared meat, so ordering Plana’s Pantry’s best seller, Hickory BBQ Ribs was pretty automatic.

It’s the first time I’ve seen ribs served for less than P400. And not only is that pretty affordable, it’s also pretty good! Tender, flavorful, well-seasoned. It’s also served with their signature basil pesto rice and buttered corn and carrots.

The pesto rice is innovative. It’s not overpowering but you really taste the pesto when you eat it on its own. The buttered corn and carrots weren’t too greasy, which is typical when this is served in other places. Both completment the ribs really well.

Hickory BBQ Ribs (solo plate): P385

Dane and I’s Rating: 4/5

Dane decided to go for their Java Chicken, boneless grilled chicken with a savory sauce. Now, we’re not exactly sure what the dish is really supposed to taste like, but it reminds me of a more salty Chicken Teriyaki. It’s actually good, we just don’t have any point of reference on what it’s supposed to taste like.

Java Chicken (solo plate): P355

Dane and I’s Rating: 3/5

Java Chicken - Plana's Pantry - Grow Up, Grow Old

Pork Sisig - Plana's Pantry - Grow Up, Grow Old

Dane was originally craving for sisig, so we decided to also order that to taste.

Plana’s Pantry’s Sisig is made of mostly pork meat instead of jowl, ears, or face, making it a lot less greasy than your typical sisig. It’s also not spicy. Because of all of that, it tastes a bit less like your typical sisig.

It sated Dane’s sisig craving, but I have a bit of bias since I like my sisig crispy with a good balance of fat and onions, so this felt a bit “healthier” if you get what I mean. Depending on what you’re looking for, this may be perfect for you.

Pork Sisig (good for 2-3): P265

Dane and I’s Rating: 3/5

Plana’s Pantry’s Ice cream is handmade, so it’s definitely pricier than your commercial-bought ones. What I like most about it is the texture. Compared to commercial ice cream that’s supoer smooth and silky, this retained some texture from the fruit in some of the bite. It tasted premium, and it also wasn’t very sweet at all.

Handmade Avocado Ice Cream (one scoop): P85

Dane and I’s Rating: 4/5