LA Diner: A Feast in the East

We were looking for a good place to have dinner with Alvie's Guama in the Antipolo area and we thought to head down to a place we heard had good, affordable food, LA Diner.

You can't miss it.

We've been down this road several times in the past to dine at a ramen place called Tamagoya. I wish we had gone down the street and explored the other establishments sooner. Apparently, this little street has been garnering fame as one with many good restaurants. As someone who lives near the Bicutan area of Paranaque, I must say, I am jealous (Haha).

Heading for the comfy corner booth.

We were greeted by a warm (not literally), lively interior which had an old Hollywood theme. There were bits of memorabilia, including pictures of Marilyn Monroe up on the walls. It was a festive place and that alone was enough to whet my appetite.

Red Iced Tea and Blue Lemonade, P60.00

These were pretty cheap for good bottomless drinks, so we decided to give them a shot. A blue drink for me and a red one for the lady. My blue lemonade had the perfect balance between sour and sweet. . I thoroughly enjoyed sipping my drink throughout the night as she did with hers. We appreciated that the waiters were very attentive with the refills. I don't think my glass was ever emptied!

Buffalo Wings, P185.00

While munching on these, we wondered why they are called buffalo wings. I did not know. I did my homework after and it turns out, it's because this dish grew to popularity in Buffalo, New York. A little trivia for ya. These were decent buffalo wings. I enjoyed them but we were expecting it to be served with blue cheese dip, as the menu indicated, and what came with it was just plain old mayonnaise. Too bad.

Tri-Cheese Pizza (Regular), P170.00. Also available in Large for P275.00.

This thin-crust pizza topped with Mozzarella, Parmesan, and Cheddar was good. I always prefer thick crust pizza but this was surprisingly enjoyable. There was a lot of cheese on it, enough to make it have an almost pungent aroma, but we didn't mind it at all. There is no such thing as too much cheese (words I live by), after all. Due to my companions' limited stomach space, I was happy to have a huge share of this fairly priced pizza.

Spicy Shrimps Linguini, P195.00

This wasn't really that spicy, but I guess the spice was enough to keep things interesting. I liked the texture and taste of this tomato-creamy shrimp pasta. The garlic bread was soft, tasty and moist too.

Chicken Fingers, P165.00

Since we were sharing everything, we picked an entree that was convenient for a group. The chicken was soft and tasty. It was delicious enough to be eaten on its own. The corn & carrots and gravy were both okay. The mashed potatoes could have been much better, though. It tasted different to me and with the texture, it seemed like there were a lot of extenders mixed in. Then again, I was the only one who felt this way so I'll leave you to be the judge. It was in no means inedible and I did eat quite a bit of it, anyway (I'm such a hypocrite).

Verdict:
Buffalo Wings: Average
Tri-Cheese Pizza: Great
Spicy Shrimps Linguini: Good
Chicken Fingers: Good
Blue Lemonade: Great
Red Iced Tea: Good

Does LA stand for Lower Antipolo? Nice one, you guys. Despite a few flaws, we actually really liked this place. They have a vast, interesting selection of delicious and affordable dishes. It is not hard to imagine myself coming back multiple times and trying everything on the menu. Past Tamagoya and LA Diner, it might be a while before we ever venture further down the famed Lilac Street.

Happy with our newly-discovered restaurant.

Love LA Diner? Hate it? Let me know what you think about anything by commenting below, and you can always just tweet me!

- Joaquin

L.A. DINER
257 B. Soliven Ave.
Greenheights Newtown Subdivision,
Antipolo, Rizal
(02) 681 1051
Operating Hours: 11:00 am - 11:00 pm
Facebook: L.A. Diner


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