Craving for Barbecue at SM Bicutan

Because our household help went for a day off today, we decided to dine out. No more cooking and cleaning the dishes afterwards. Since we are flying to Dumaguete tomorrow, we went to the SM Bicutan Mall to do some last minute shopping for things to bring.

We have seen Reyes Barbecue at the lower ground of the mall for quite some time now, but never actually ate there. It either KFC or Shakey's Pizza which are just beside the barbecue restaurant. This time we gave it a try.

I ordered a two-piece pork barbecue with an extra java rice, while my wife ordered a half liempo.  Our daughter ordered the burger meal. All were served with java rice. Except for my daughter, we also had peanut sauce (unlimited daw) and a small serving of atchara (pickled vegetables).

Our orders took some time before they were delivered with the crew almost always committing errors in serving the the food to the wrong customer. And to think that there were only a few tables that were actually occupied.

The first to arrive was the pitcher of iced tea.

It was a long while before my order came: pork barbecue with the extra java rice with the crew telling us that the only pending order we had was the burger meal. My wife and I looked at each other because obviously two persons on the table do not have their food yet.

After another few minutes, my daughter's order finally arrived: the burger meal served on a sizzling plate that doesn't sizzle:

The crew tried to take the number on our table but reminded her that our orders are not yet complete for my wife doesn't have her food yet.

I told my daughter to be careful because the plate might be hot, to which my daughter replied by touching the hot plate, he he he. Since she was already hungry, we told her to go ahead and eat while we wait for my wife's order to be delivered.

Finally, my wife's order arrived, the liempo:

The primary reason why I wanted to eat here was because of their peanut sauce and java rice, which was what I really craved for. Since Reyes Barbecue was from the Reyes Clan which operated the Aristocrat, I thought that their peanut sauce would be the same. I was disappointed. The sauce was not as thick and less tasty. I didn't even bother to ask for a refill of my peanut sauce. It's a good thing that the table has other condiments which I can use, particularly the spicy vinegar.

The java rice wasn't what I had expected. Again it tasted bland compared to the Aristocrat's java rice. 

The pork barbecue was alright with almost no fat at all which is usually the case when you order this in other barbecue restaurants. The taste of hamburger steak reminded me of the one being served at Jollibee to which my wife agreed. We should have ordered my daughter from that burger restaurant which would have been cheaper, ha ha ha.

The liempo was the only food that I haven't tasted but based on what was left on my wife's plate it was good. Except for the skin, everything was consumed.

Would I return again? Probably not. With the service and the disappointing peanut sauce, which they proudly advertise on their store glass window: "Barbecue. Peanut Sauce, Java Rice. Best way to go!", I would rather go some place else to have my barbecue fix.