"You have to try Ponzo's!" my best friend raved, as we found ourselves one night in Makati, looking for a place to have dinner. Never heard of Ponzo's, so I wanted a more compelling reason why we should dine there. Upon telling me that they have delicious homemade thin crust pizzas (my weakness), I gave the thumbs up and we made our way to Magallanes Village.

"Are you sure it's here?," I asked my friends, as we begin to park right in front of a church. I peered through the car window and saw no bright and bustling pizzeria, nor any lighted sign promising us an unforgettable meal. I followed my friends as they walked inside the St. Alphonsus Mary de Liquori Parish Center. Right then and there, I discovered their little yummy secret.





While waiting for our pizza, we gobbled on their Buffalo Chicken Fingers (P185) and continuously praised its flavors. If I knew that the appetizer was that delicious, I could've skipped the main course altogether.



But good thing I didn't, since I wouldn't have experienced the amazing Pizza Regina (P216).



I dub this the 'breakfast pizza.' Atop a thin crust were longganisa and chorizo bilbao bits, onions and garlic, cheese, bell peppers and mushrooms. At the center, a sunny side up egg! It was incredible for the palate: the runny, smooth texture of the egg contrasting the rougher and saltier meats. Each bite was memorable.

After discovering this affordable Euro-fusion hole in the wall, I decided it needs a second visit (and more) from me. This time around, I got to meet the man behind Ponzo's. No, his name isn't Ponzo -- their resto is named after St. Alphonsus. At the helm of this successful casual eatery is Chef RJ Ungco and his cousin, Joy. I got Chef RJ talking about their cuisine and their offerings.

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Ponzo's
Got the passion for fusion? Try out Ponzo's at Magallanes Village. Chef RJ Ungco tells us about his hole in the wall and their tasty offerings.

Chef RJ let us sample some of their best-selling dishes as well. If you like your thin crust pizzas very cheesy, then Bacon Spinach Pizza (P198) is willing to be your best friend.





What I love about their pizzas (aside from their homemade appeal) is the exact thinness -- enough to hold easily with a hand, and irresistibly crispy just like a cracker. This particular pizza was creamy, and tasted like carbonara. The pizzas of Ponzo's are deceptively light, as they are thin and are not overloaded with heavy toppings. I think I can easily finish off an entire square-shaped pie on my own. In my defense, I think you can, too.



The Paella ala Ponzo's (P445) is the restaurant's version of the classic Paella. The serving is good for sharing (3 to 4 people), and arrived on our table piping hot. They use jasmine rice and the scent of saffron dominates the dish.



Topping the fragrant orange rice are squid, bell peppers, zucchini, onions, chicken, mushrooms, black olives and shrimp. This one's a simple Spanish comfort food made affordable. If you want to tweak things a little and go fusion, they have a Filipino Paella (P445) that incorporates chicken adobo, longganisa and salted egg into the rice dish.

Chef RJ shared another favorite among customers: their Korean Beef Stew (P205). He proudly told us that they have Korean customers who come back for more of this dish. We order one to try out and a slice of the meat is all we needed to understand why it is a crowd favorite. But of course, we did eat more than a slice.





The key to their scrumptious beef stew is slow cooking. It shines through and through, from the luscious dark sauce to the deliciously tender meat. The rich sweet-salty combination one gets from the soy sauce and brown sugar of the dish is gratifying, that you will tend to overeat it with sidings of white rice.



What I first deemed as an unusual location for a restaurant, turns out to be a very convenient and advantageous one. Ten masses are held on Sundays right across Ponzo's. Just a short walking distance is the Asia Pacific College, and Ponzo's offers student-friendly prices and several student meals. Just around their area, countless residents of Magallanes who flock their restaurant if they're in need of a quick and delicious food fix. With the success of their restaurant, who knows? They might just be on the hunt to expand to more locations. But for now, Chef RJ just gave a satisfied smile, and simply told us that everything is the way they would like it to be.