The beauty of having a blog is that you can pretty much write about anything you want. People have found several functions for their cyber-journals- self-promotion, creative outlet, marketing tool, and- although nobody would ever admit it- a virtual playground for the narcissistic and self-indulgent.
Lately I have been busy with other things, and my blog- which is my sole artistic outlet for the past couple of years- is left un-updated for almost a month. But now, I think it is time to use my blog for another purpose- to brazenly promote our new baby- No. 38 Sports Lounge & Grill.
This project is a joint venture among my sisters, our cousin and I (with the support of our husbands and parents, of course). People ask: What are four girls doing putting up a sports bar? For some strange reason, this concept came naturally to us. Growing up, we have always enjoyed and appreciated sports, getting a thrill from watching pure athleticism at work and from the excitement and frenzy that it brings about. We love how a sports bar is comfortable and accessible, a place where people can be themselves and not have to worry about wearing collared shirts or having their hair blown-out. Most of all, it’s the kind of place where we can entertain and be entertained, just like in our old home (the number of which was No. 38, hence the bar’s name) where we had fun parties and get-togethers with friends and family.
And, of course, this is a place which we can proudly say has good food. Ask any of our friends and they would surely talk about the food we used to serve in our house. Of course, we would cower in shame if No. 38 Sports Lounge & Grill’s food would pale in comparison.
For appetizers, the popular ones are-
Awesome Nachos- Crispy tortilla chips covered in generous dollops of three cheeses, pesto, aioli, salsa, jalapeno peppers and chili con carne. This is probably our most popular bar food so far, getting rave reviews from all those who have tried it.
Fried Chicken Wings or Chicken Crispers (boneless chicken thigh strips)- lightly covered in a garlic rub and deep-fried, then dipped in one of three sauces: Sweet Teriyaki, Southern Barbecue, or Original Buffalo-Style (Classic, Insane or Please, Stop the Pain!).
Beer-battered Onion Rings- Crispy on the outside, soft and juicy on the inside, served with our house aioli.
Mom’s Fish Fry- Parmesan-crusted strips of Cream Dory, fried until crispy and served with either house aioli or marinara sauce.
Spinach & Artichoke Dip- A creamy mixture of cheese, chopped spinach and artichoke. A party favorite at the original No. 38, served with toasted bread.
Disco Fries- A Tri-State diner cult classic- potato wedges smothered in gravy and melted cheese.
Our dinner entrees are sure to satisfy even the largest of appetites. We take our food seriously, so when we decided on having a predominantly American menu, we made sure that both flavor and size are truly American. Aside from diner staples and pub food, we also included a few of our own recipes. We (and our guests) love-
Chicken Tenders- Beer-battered strips of chicken breast, deep-fried, and served with potato wedges.
Aussie Rib-eye Steak- 300 grams Australian Rib-eye Steak, grilled to your liking and served with mashed potatoes, potato wedges or rice pilaf.
Belly Belly- Baked pork belly with our signature barbecue glaze, served with either mashed potatoes or rice pilaf. Tender and rich goodness that melts in your mouth!
Pasta Carbonara- Penne pasta coated in a cream and egg yolk sauce, one of our favorite comfort foods!
Classic Shepherd’s Pie- Ground beef and green peas simmered in exotic spices, then topped with creamy mashed potatoes.
Sloppy Dawg- Beef hotdogs topped with chili con carne, jalapenos and three cheeses.
Fortunately, we have been getting good reviews from our guests about the food. While we are still getting our sea legs, we decided to open for dinner first. But now, with the steady demand from Makati’s office crowd, we will soon be opening our doors for lunch. We are thinking of serving 3-course lunch specials, which will be within the P300 price range.
So, come and visit us sometime and we’ll make sure you feel right at home. Have some drinks, relax, watch a game, munch on some tasty morsels… You can pretty much do whatever you want (within the bounds of reason). Just like the original No. 38, it is a place to have fun and enjoy each other’s company. The only difference is- this time around- everybody’s invited.
No. 38 Sports Lounge & Grill
114A Jupiter St.
Bel-Air 2, Makati City
Tel. no. (632) 5191806
