Food: Pepper Lunch at Robinsons Mall, Ermita Manila

I normally don't write restaurant food reviews. The reason? I always forget to take pictures of our food whenever we eat out. But I resolve to change that and try to document and review as much of our eating adventures as possible.

So lemme start with our lunch last Tuesday at Pepper Lunch in Robinsons Mall Ermita. The first time that we ate here was courtesy of Standard Chartered. We came from my prenatal checkup at UPMC. And since it's already near Robinsons Ermita and I had two P4,000-worth credit card receipts, and not to mention that I needed the exercise then, we gave Pepper Lunch a go. It's free lunch for 2, why wouldn't we?

Anyway, we ordered, or perhaps the more proper term is "claimed", Teriyaki Pepper Chicken with Egg and Beef Teriyaki with Egg (both included in the Standard Chartered promo). We also ordered an additional Pepper Rice while we have one dish served with steamed rice.

As expected, both chicken and beef dishes were great and very flavorful. Served in their patented electromagnetic plates, Pepper Lunch allows customers to cook their meals (the meat part) and enjoy them piping hot. Actually, the cooking process is not really complicated. The plates are served scorching hot (like any other sizzling plate) and all you need to do is turn the meat over to cook them evenly and add some sauce or seasoning to your liking.

Heavy eaters would surely delight in their big serving size, which was very filling, in fact too big for a light eater like me. And because we find both Teriyaki dishes to be flavorful enough, we thought they best go with regular steamed rice rather than their signature pepper rice (also very tasty), so they will kind of balance each other out.

There are relatively few Pepper Lunch branches, and no branch is conveniently located near our place that's why we don't have the chance to eat there often. But last Tuesday, after my last checkup with my Ob-gyne at UPMC, I remembered that I still have 1 credit card receipt left that qualifies for a free Pepper Lunch meal. So off we went again to their branch in Robinsons Ermita. This time, I claimed Beef Pepper Rice for myself (courtesy of Standard Chartered again) and my husband ordered Double Hamburger Steak with Egg plus Pepper Rice.

Like the first time, we had a very satisfying lunch. My Beef Pepper Rice came with thin slices of beef that cooks fast, and steamed rice topped with crushed black pepper, corn kernel and onion springs. Surprisingly, the rice didn't taste spicy despite the generous pepper topping. I didn't add more seasoning to the beef as I find the taste just right.

Don't let the pepper fool you. This isn't spicy at all.

My husband's Double Hamburger Steak came with a thick beef patty, sliced in big, juicy chunks, a serving of bean sprouts, corn kernel and 2 pieces of green beans. I thought it tasted better than what I'm having but it didn't matter 'coz we usually share our food anyway. And like what I told you, I always forget to take pictures of our food, at least before we devour them, so this is what I was able to take of my husband's order.

I guess this proves that the meal is really good.

And the price? I think P215 for the Beef Pepper Rice and P335 for the Double Hamburger Steak is quite reasonable (better if you get them for free, of course, so thanks a lot Standard Chartered). It might seem expensive for just a single meal, but this isn't a fast food joint (although we didn't have to wait too long before our order is served, compared to when you ordered in some popular fast food restaurants during lunch hours) and you're paying for the quality of the meat, hence the quality of the food.

So definitely, even without the Standard Chartered promo, we see ourselves returning and eating at Pepper Lunch again. And I hope often, too.