Bigby’s is for big groups and bigger appetites

For the foodie with a bigger than average appetite, there is a constant battle waged against small portions. Should I place two orders instead of just one? Should I place an additional order after the first one comes? Such is the perennial dilemma of the hearty eater. Count us happyfoodies in that category.

Happily, there’s no such dilemma at Bigby’s Café and Restaurant. With roots in Cagayan de Oro City, Bigby’s makes its way to Manila, opening its newest branch at the atrium of SM Megamall recently. True to its name, the food we were served came in big, nay, humongous portions. But how does the food taste? Follow us as we navigate our way to the Bigby’s food trip menu.

Mapping out the place

Lagal[og] said: the place is warmly lit and inviting from the outside. It’s not exactly big in terms of floor area but the tables are spaced apart so there’s no jostling your neighboring diner. The knick-knacks and mementoes on the walls – which we learned from co-owner Henrik Yu are from their personal collections as well as their friends — make the place very homey.

Ironwulf said: What really caught my attention regarding the interiors are the boxed ceiling lights made from recycled magazine papers. It looks great and the warm lighting emitted was just right. Next was the variety of eclectic items that seems to have come from different parts of the world, so appropriate with the restaurant’s theme of Travel. Co-owner Henrik Yu said that some of those items were personal family collections and some were from friends. Despite the seemingly compact area, tables and chairs were arranged appropriately.

Going food trippin’

Lagal[og] said: This is one loaded trip. Every serving is huge. On one hand, it’s great news for people with big appetites like me. On the other hand, it’s a nice excuse to share with friends and split the bill among yourselves.

Ironwulf said: The word Bigby’s, according to Henrik actually originated because he and his friendswould usually order big servings. True to its essence, Bigby’s have huge servings best served with friends. But honestly, looking at the menu, the prices are also on the big side. This isn’t for your everyday dining, but for sure, the servings are worth your money especially when shared with friends or loved ones.

Lagal[og] said: We had the Deep Sea Pasta as our first order. The spaghetti noodles are generously drenched with crabfat sauce and laden with garlic shrimps. Very rich, very good. Certainly not for the cholesterol watcher though.

Ironwulf said: Deep Sea Pasta came on a sizzling pan, which I think is a plus on appeal since I don’t see many sizzling pastas. If you are a fan of seafood like me, you would love this. It’s garlicky and the crabfat sauce taste just hangs from each pasta strand which I really like. Best served hot so the sauce would mix in well with the pasta. If you’re out of pasta, the bread served with the dish can be used to scoop out the remaining sauce from the plate.

Ironwulf said: Another seafood dish to try there was the Pescado Ala Fresco, a pan-seared dory layered with pesto and swimming in a pool of onion sauce. Topped with shoe-string potatoes, it’s a unique=looking dish. Dory in itself is already delicious but this one was cooked just right so that the meat was really tender with the onion sauce seeping out. The shoestring potatoes do add an amusing crunchy flavor to it.

Lagal[og] said: I thought the Grilled Rodeo Chops (Grilled Marinated Pork Chop) was a little on the dry side. I like the idea of using cranberry as the sauce, though, as the fruity taste is a nice foil to the taste of the meat.

Ironwulf said: I also think that Grilled Rodeo Chops was too dry, its only salvation was the cranberry sauce. However, their Rack-a-Bye-Ribs here is worth raving for. The sauce was really flavorful and the pork meat was really really tender. It’s a must-order when dining here at Bigby’s.

Surveying the dessert

Lagal[og] said: The Triple Blizzard (Three miniature ice cream confection in choux pastry served with toffee and chocolate sauce) was a real eye candy. It’s quite good and it’s nice tasting vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream in one dessert.

Ironwulf said: I also like the Triple Blizzard since it comes in 3 ice cream flavors and looks so delectable when served. And they do taste good as well. Their Midnight Dream Cake classic will surprise you with its big slice size;  to think there’s an even bigger size variant which is said to be an all time favorite dessert. But I did find this chocolate cake just average in taste. Its only redeeming quality was the serving size.

Lagal[og] said: We saw the diners on the other table order the Titanic Treat and I must say it’s really meant only for monster appetites. Imagine a huge bowl filled with mounds of ice cream, fruits, brownies, chocolate chips, and cookies. At P999, it’s the runaway budget breaker on the dessert menu but the sheer size of the serving has to be seen to be believed.

Bigby’s Café and Restaurant
Atrium Wing, 3 rd level, SM Megamall
Mandaluyong, Manila • Open during mall hours