It was a fairly boring afternoon so we (PillowLegs and I) decided to go out and - you guessed it - go food tripping! But then we were stomped. We asked ourselves… what are we going to eat? And where are we going? We didn’t have any particular craving that day… hence, we didn’t know where to go.
The search was on. We went up and down Maginhawa St. in Teacher's Village (home for undiscovered, unique, gastro-orgasmic restaurants) to find out what our ‘tummy-sense’ will tingle for. We saw Japanese-inspired places, burger joints, coffee places but nothing. We didn’t feel anything. But then we made a wrong turn somewhere in Magiting St. and Matimtiman St. when I happen to spot this poster hidden from plain sight (really, it was being covered by a parked car which I happen to be admiring while we were passing by). What did the poster say? “Summer Promo: P199 Pizza All You Can Everyday!”. I stopped the car, stared at the poster and said to myself: “This is it!”. And so, our pizza pig-out adventure began…
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| Location map for Leona Art Restaurant (Courtesy of Google Maps) |
Leona Art Restaurant is a quaint little pizza/chicken/pasta joint that’s almost naturally hidden because the place looks like one of those residential places that are converted to become a restaurant. In fact, I think it actually IS a residential place that had the ground floor converted to a restaurant (but then again, I may be wrong). My point is, if you’re just ‘passing by’, you’re most likely to stay on Maginhawa St. and not notice the hidden jewel that this place is. After all, this is maybe why we consider this as a ‘hole-in-the-wall’ restaurant in the first place. =P
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Inside, they also have this section where they display various pieces of art decorations, accessories, and other stuff that are up for sale. We didn't get much photos of these are we were hungry and were eager to be seated.
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Besides the promo, we decided to try one of the items that they have on the menu. My dearest compatriot (and forever adventure buddy) set her eyes on their 'Mozzarella Chicken' (Php180 - roughly US$4-5). This little baby is sauted with garlic, mushrooms, and tomatoes topped with a generous portion of melted mozzarella cheese. Makes your mouth water by just reading, right? Anyway, this is usually served with rice but we opted to have it with bread instead (they didn't have mashed potatoes available - too bad).
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On to our adventure... As the poster described Leona Art Restaurant has an on-going promo that lets you eat as much pizza as you want (all day, everyday) for a measly Php199 (roughly around US$4-5).
The rules are simple...
(1) The promo is only valid for selected types of pizza only. This includes their famous 'Three Cheese Pizza', 'Pepperoni Pizza', 'Onion & Pesto Pizza', and their 'Hawaiian Pizza'.
(2) The kitchen will choose which type of pizza will be served to you depending on the availability of the ingredients. In my opinion, this makes it exciting. :)
(3) There will be NO sharing (at least, only to people who are not availing the promo), and there should be NO leftovers once the pizza carnage is done. Otherwise, you will be charged DOUBLE.
and the kicker...
(4) Unlike other pizza places that offer the 'all-you-can-eat happiness', the kitchen won't serve you a slice of pizza at a time - not even 2 or 3. They will serve you a whole 10-inch pizza AT A TIME (or at least every time you say "More pizza, please!"). So you better be hungry...
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Right off the bat, they served us with 2 of their thin crusted delights. The famous '3 Cheese Pizza' and their 'Pepperoni Pizza'...
Their '3 Cheese Pizza' has a thin layer of tomato sauce beneath a mix of cheddar, mozzarella, and blue cheese, topped with freshly chopped basil. A beautiful combination that anyone would appreciate. The saltiness of the cheddar goes well with the creaminess of the mozzarella and the texture of the blue cheese. Adding the flavor and aroma of the basil, I can assure you that 1 slice of this cheesy devil won't be enough for anyone.
The 'Pepperoni Pizza' doesn't fall behind the pizza line-up as well. There's a generous amount of thinly sliced pepperoni lain on a bed of tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. The thinly sliced pepperoni is savory, crunchy and not too oily which goes perfectly with the thin crust of the pizza. Interestingly enough, they also added fresh chopped basil leaves to the mix which gave this classic a fun twist. And if you like it spicy, a dash of hot sauce makes every bite of this Italian delight a blast.
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After devouring the pizza duo, we were surprised as to how much we wanted more... So then we said the magic words ("Isang pizza pa, please!") and they introduced us to our 3rd pizza victim - The 'Onion & Pesto Pizza'.
This little baby is a simple cheese pizza topped with red onions and pesto mix (chopped basil and olive oil). Mind you, they used red onions as opposed to the usual white onions that we're accustomed to use in pizzas. So instead of the sweet hint that we get from white onions, you'll be getting a spicier, more flavorful kick out of every slice. What's cool about it is that the pesto mix goes well with the red onions. Every bite gives you a 'herby', sort-of-edgy, and crunchy satisfaction that you won't find in other type of pizza.
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After the 3rd round, we were almost full. This is what Adam Richman (host of Man vs. Food from the Travel Channel) describes as 'hitting the food wall'. We weren't sure if we could finish another plate of pizza. But then we thought, why not? We then entered our 4th pizza round with the classic 'Hawaiian Pizza'...
This sweet baby is a simple cheese pizza topped with cooked ham and pineapple chunks. This one has been dubbed a classic for a reason. The saltiness of the ham dances with the sweetness of the pineapple chunks like a hula dancer on a yellow golden cheesy beach of mozzarella. And as a twist, they also added fresh chopped basil leaves to the mix which completes the whole 'Hawaiian Hula Beach Party' image in your mouth. Aloha!
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| Hawaiian Pizza |
After the pizza filling madness, we emerged victorious. We finished 4 whole pizzas, emptied 4 cans of Dr. Pepper, savoured the 'Mozzarella Chicken', and had a wonderful time talking about (and looking at) the art pieces. Our tummies were happy and most importantly, our pockets were happy too. The only thing we didn't like about the place is how we sometimes needed to stand up and go to the counter to ask for more pizzas or anything else that we needed as the staff tend to be inside the kitchen most of the time. Oh, and they don't have a reasonable parking lot so you have to sharpen your 'ninja car parking skills' to secure your vehicle. Overall, this place is a must try for anyone who loves good pizza, chicken, and/or art. 'Til our next pizza craving adventure! =)
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| Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5 |
Leona Art Restaurant
45 Matimtiman Street, Teacher's Village
Quezon City, Philippines
Phone: +63 2 929 7490
Hours: Mon-Sat 10:00AM - 10:00PM
Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leona-Art-Restaurant/188391141238275
(Date of Visit: July 15, 2013)
Yummyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!! :D
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