*This restaurant is now closed*
I admit that I did not have great expectations when I was invited to try out Munchtown, located in Promenade 2 in Greenhills. I thought it was just the usual movie snack store, with their not too wonderful food. I wonder if Munchtown will be the same or it will change my mind.
Munchtown is located right beside the new Promenade cinemas. It features a wide ordering area cum open kitchen where you can patiently wait for your orders while sucking in all the smells. They also have a fair number of chairs if you are there just to have a meal. The place is very black heavy, with black tables and chairs with just a peek of orange. All their food are placed in paper boats for easy consumption inside the cinema.
We got a number of fries with toppings starting with the eponymous Munchtown Fries (P195). All their fries start with fresh, never frozen potatoes, that are cut into large pieces. This one had bacon bits, paprika, chili flakes, sour cream and chili con carne. The flavors are bold and in your face and how can you go wrong when you have bacon plus chili. Easily my favorite among all that I tried that day.
Next was the Poutine with BBQ Beef Brisket (P160+60). I was not impressed with the poutine, I felt that there was something lacking. I suggest getting the many other fries options instead.
Black Truffle Fries (P195). Fries tossed in truffle salt and truffle oil and topped with grilled chicken liver. I don’t eat chicken live unless it is in pate form, Irene enjoyed them though. This is their attempt to make a poor man’s foie gras as topping, the taste and sensation might mimic that especially in a darkened cinema.
The Blue Cheese Fries (P195) is a variation of the previous one with blue cheese, tomatoes, bacon bits and chicken liver
The last one we had was the Irish Nachos (P185). It looks like the usual nachos except fries has replaced the chips, hence the Irish in the name. Taste-wise, it is exactly how nachos would taste if had french fries.
The Vongole Pizza (P390) was a beauty, complete with clams inside the shells. It is very simply constructed with just clams, garlic, chili flakes, olive oil and cheese. The clams are laid on top and allowed to open up while cooking, letting all their beautiful juices seep into the crust. The crust achieves a balance of crunchy and chewy and this variant lets it shine.
The Chicken BBQ Pizza (P390) is a new addition to the menu. The toppings felt a little too heavy that it weighed down the crust, although the flavors (smoky and sweet) were spot on.
Pulled Pork Shoulder Burrito (P340) is hefty, with a nice and meaty smoked pork shoulder that’s tender and has deep smoky flavor. You can have your choice of beans, rice and other accoutrements in a giant burrito that we are now very familiar with.
It was at this point that Chef Robby Goco of Cyma, Green Pastures and a host of other restaurants dropped by. We were all surprised to find out that he was a partner in Munchtown. Some of the inspiration for the dishes finally made sense, we seen a some of his previous restaurants reflected in the offerings at Munchtown.
I never liked the burgers from Charlie’s Grind and Grill because they fell apart. The Munchtown burgers are 130grams of Black Angus chuck, short rib and other cuts. They patties are then smeared with mustard before grilling so it gives the beef a more umami flavor. The burgers are available in two options, a Cheeseburger (P240) and a Double Cheeseburger (P390), fries (+P40) and bacon (+P50) are add on options. I tried both and I prefer the cheeseburger, because its more compact and you are not overwhelmed by the sheer amount of beef. The patty is meaty and holds up well owing to the better cuts used, choose the “go muchtown” option so they will caramelized the onions adding a nice sweet flavor to your burger.
The Sliders (P105/1 pc, P350/3pcs, P420/6 pcs. P540/9pcs) are perfect for the kids and those that want a handy bite. It features the same beef patty in a shrunk down size but for me it is even better. Look at how the cheese thoroughly envelopes the patty giving, yum.It’s time for some dawgs or hot dogs to be more exact. I have this eternal fascination with chili dogs, the tons of movies I have watched probably contributed to that. I think I’ve found the one by way of Munchtown’s Chili Dog (P220). It starts with a smoked meat hot dog, topped with a generous layer of their home made chili the smothered with a gooey layer of cheese.
The other hot dog we tasted was the Chicago Dog (P200). It has relish, mustard, onions, tomatoes, a pickle spear, celery salt and those three beautiful banana peppers on top. I actually managed to eat one whole pepper together with the smokee and the bread so it tempered the spiciness.
Other things you can try on the menu are the Fish and Chips (P240), perfect for the Lenten season. They use a flounder fillet so this is a good option especially for those wary of eating dory like us. It comes with 3 sauce options; tartar, malt vinegar and seafood cocktail. Nicely executed with a nice satisfying crunch before you taste the soft fish, with little oiliness.
The other interesting thing on the menu is the French Fried Chicken (P220/breast, P180/leg). The skin is glazed with honey butter to enhance the skins crispiness. Even though it’s the breast part, the meat is still juicy and flavorful with a slight herb taste. It is served with a Bernaise mayonnaise, coleslaw and a piece of biscuit.
Finish off with some of their quirky milkshakes, Oreo Overload (P190/ 16 oz.), Salted Caramel (P190/ 16 oz.) and Peanut Butter (P190/16 oz.). I actually found most of them too sweet for my taste except for the peanut butter which I actually enjoyed more.
I have to wonder how people inside the dark cinema can eat some of Munchtown‘s but they’ll definitely be the envy of their seatmates because of the beautiful smells. If you are one of those envious people, you can remedy that by just texting your order and they will magically be delivered right to your seat. How’s that for service.
Give Munchtown a try and you just might be surprised at how movie house food has been elevated by Chef Robby Goco and his team. I’ll definitely be back for that Chili Dog.
Munchtown
Unit 202 Upper Level, Promenade 2 Greenhills Shopping Center San Juan, Philippines Telephone No.: (02) 565-4291Munchtown Facebook Page
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Me too, great reason to go there and eat first before watching the movie