From the people behind the successful restaurants Cue Modern Barbecue, NamNam, Burger Bar, 8 Cuts Burger Blends, and Phat Pho come two new dining spots: Q-Daddy and Manam Express. Yes, the Moment Group was struck with a new concept yet again -- this time extending their superb dishes to the food court scene. Q-Daddy and Manam Express try to offer the Cue and Namnam experience in a more affordable set up, while trying to bring the same quality of fare to the hungry mall crowd.
I got invited to visit Q-Daddy and Manam Express in Trinoma a few weeks back, and as curious as I was with new concepts like these, I went ahead to check them out. Admittedly, as somebody whose crowd tolerance is nearly nonexistent, I avoid the mall as much as possible. I especially hate it whenever a new blockbuster movie has just gotten out—the place is just too packed! So when the invite came along with—guess what??—two movie tickets, I seriously considered not going!
(Incidentally, my sister mentioned she wanted to watch Godzilla, so I immediate sent Q-Daddy a confirmation. Hahaha!)
Q-Daddy and Manam Express sit next to each other in the Trinoma Food Court, alongside other restaurants like Pepper Lunch. While Q-Daddy offers barbecued dishes inspired from Cue, Manam Express serves up Filipino comfort food similar to NamNam. As I looked at the dishes on display, I was torn between getting the steak or the bagnet. In the end, my memory of an awesome dinner at Cue won me over and led me to go for a Steak Slab Set from Q-Daddy.
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| Q-Daddy rice selections and side dishes |
I thought I could force my sister to order from Manam, but the photo of the ribs from Q-Daddy’s menu lured her into the same destination I went to, haha!
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| Vegetable sides and rice selections from Manam Express |
A humbler version of Cue, Q-Daddy offers delicious barbecue sets, utilizing the same make-your-own concept they have in Burger Bar and 8 Cuts Burger Blends. Choose from 5 premium meat cuts: pork belly, beef belly, chopped chicken, ribs, and steak slab; then pair it with your preferred Q-Daddy signature sauce—pick one from Maple Pepper BBQ, Q-Daddy House BBQ, Rootbeer and Whiskey BBQ, Chili BBQ, and Mushroom Gravy. A selection of rice—beefy garlic, bacon, chorizo—is also available.
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| Q-Daddy's menu |
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| Manam Express' menu |
The Grilled Steak Slab Combo was an excellent choice. Tender cuts of beef, paired with mushroom gravy, a side of vegetables, and a mountain of bacon rice! The meat was a little dry but was soft to the bite. The portions were so big that by the time I had finished half of what was on my plate, I was beginning to feel asphyxiated. LOL!
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| Grilled Steak Slab Combo, P245 |
On the other hand, my sister enjoyed her Q-Daddy BBQ Ribs Combo—Q-Daddy’s Ribs with a beefy garlic rice and the House BBQ sauce. I was informed that the ribs they serve at Q-Daddy are the same as the ones in Cue. Indeed, it was equally delicious—but I would’ve preferred getting the dry-rubbed variant instead of this one glazed with sauce. Or maybe we should’ve picked the Rootbeer and Whiskey BBQ sauce instead?
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| Q-Daddy BBQ Ribs Combo, P285 |
There was so much rice on our table, I was surprised no one from the nearby table attempted to scoop some. Hahaha!
I was planning to buy some desserts from Manam afterwards, but my tummy was close to exploding. After that rather heavy lunch, I dozed off halfway through the movie.
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| Look! They're holding a promo! |
When you’re in the mall, hungry after hours of browsing and shopping, and looking for a quick but satisfying meal, running to the eternally-packed Jollibee or McDonald’s may sometimes not be the fastest choice. Instead try to dig into some real food from the selections available at the food court—real food meaning rice and a real ulam. You’re probably already tired of the PhP80 pancit-and-ulam sets you usually eat in food courts, but luckily Q-Daddy and Manam have arrived to give you some fresh options and to satisfy your barbecue and Filipino food cravings. Indeed, Q-Daddy and Manam are slightly pricier than nearby establishments but they truly elevate the food court experience.
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Q-Daddy (and Manam Express)
Quezon City
2/F, Trinoma Food Court, Trinoma, North Ave. cor. Mindanao Ave., Quezon City
(02) 804-1646
Makati City
Food Choices, Glorietta 4, Glorietta Complex, Makati City
Operating Hours: Mon-Thu: 11:00am – 9:00pm; Fri-Sun: 11:00am – 10:00pm
Facebook: QDaddyPH and ManamExpress
Budget: PhP150-PhP250/head
Where is your favorite spot for a quick barbecue fix?
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