The Maginhawa Diaries : Gerry's Jeepney
Thursday, July 03, 2014
Moving to Maginhawa wasn't easy for me. Tomas Morato has been my home for 3 years and being surrounded by bars, pubs and restaurants that operate 24/7 isn't actually a bad thing. But whenever I remember all the times I had to feel like a survivor just to get home while battling the rain, moving makes sense all of a sudden.
Looking for a place close to work wasn't easy either. Sometimes I begin to think, why did I decide to work here in the first place if I had to endure all the evilness this place has to offer? Business-wise, Manila is a pool of endless job opportunities and aggressive career growth, but it's not a conducive place for a healthy and productive life--unless you're rich and can actually afford a nice place to live in. I have more to say on the topic but that deserves a separate blog post, back to the topic. Maginhawa is like a more laid-back version of Tomas Morato. There aren't a lot of establishments that are open 24/7 but the selection of places you can go to are eccentric and fascinating. One of which is Gerry's Jeepney.
Jeepney is a quaint restaurant along Maginhawa and Filipino food is their specialty. We wanted to sit outside but they only had 4 tables outside and they were occupied. The place was nice and elaborately decorated but it was relatively small. There were 4 tables inside so all in all it can only seat 8 small groups at a time. Price of the food is reasonable, P100-150/person can get you far.
We were unfamiliar with the rules of Sungka and ended up arguing about the rules until our food came, that kept us busy--not the games. Lol.
For the food we had Pinaputok na Tilapia (P175), CPA - Chicken at Pork Adobo (P175) and Tortang Talong (P70). For drinks, the boyfriend had Pandan Iced Tea which is bottomless and I got a complimentary Pandan Iced Tea, too. Probably to compensate for the long waiting time.
The Tortang Talong tasted okay. Nothing special about the Adobo, too. But I was blown away by the tilapia. I love tilapia and I have eaten several versions of this dish but this one, it's the ultimate bomb. Well, for now, because I haven't tasted anything better. I don't know what the ingredients were inside, aside from tomatoes and onions, but there was this strange yet appetizing flavor that made it the best Pinaputok na Tilapia I've ever tasted--so far.
Overall, it was a nice dining experience sans the waiting part. And before I forget, they have an awesome OPM playlist! While playing Domino, Donna Cruz was singing on the background! Amazing, yes? You can really feel the authenticity of the place. I haven't been back to the place since my first visit, but I'm planning to go back soon. If you want to check the place out, Jeepney is located at #154 Maginhawa St., UP Village, Q.C. If you're coming from PhilCoa, just ride a red tricycle and tell them the exact street number (fare is P18).
Another one down, a whole lot more to go! I've been to Crazy Katsu, Katsu Cafe and The Sweet Spot but I didn't have my camera with me, thus the documentation failure. Since I'm currently unemployed, I have all the time in the world to try them again and maybe this time, document properly so I can share the experience with everyone. Lol. Okay, gotta go. I'm making cake pops out of leftover ingredients tonight. I'll post the recipe if it;s successful! Haha It's Friday tomorrow so good news to everyone who's working. As for me, it's just a normal day--everyday is Friday anyway! Weeeee!
Update : This review was done at Gerry's Jeepney's old location. They have moved to a bigger one since.
Update : This review was done at Gerry's Jeepney's old location. They have moved to a bigger one since.
Gerry's Jeepney
Budget - P100 - P200 / person
02 4356824 | 11AM - 11PM
7-B Maginhawa Street, UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City
Ochi is a twenty-something Corporate Trainer who loves to cook, take photos and videos of her food, eat and travel. On weekends, she's either drunk or snuggling in bed watching her favorite crime drama. 
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