It’s been a very long time since I last visited Market! Market!, and I had already forgotten what it looked like. The invitation I received from Ace of The Old Spaghetti House and Ross of Wazzup Pilipinas couldn’t have come at a better time — coincidentally around the same period when Ramon Bautista gained unwarranted attention for his shrimp pun.
Anyway, the invite was for The Shrimp Shack restaurant at Market! Market!, and my fellow bloggers and I were about to try some real shrimps — ready to be tasted!
Shrimp Shack Starters
We started with the Shrimp Popcorn (₱195) — a combination of breaded shrimp and popcorn. While it looked great in photos, the taste didn’t quite leave a lasting impression.
Meanwhile, I really enjoyed the Tomato-Cheese Fondue (₱145) — it gave me that delightful foodgasm moment. Blame the cheese! On the other hand, the Hawaiian Chicken Salad with Water Chestnuts (₱140) didn’t sit well with me; the ginger flavor was too overpowering.
Shrimp Shack Sandwiches
The Shrimp Po-boy Sandwich (₱185) seemed to lack a certain ingredient — it felt like something was missing. Meanwhile, the US Angus Cheese Burger (₱265) had a patty that could use some improvement. Despite this, I was happy with their thick fries!
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Shrimp Shack Specialties
The buttery Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti (₱220) was delicious! Just a word of caution — the shrimps aren’t fully peeled, so don’t be surprised. After all, the restaurant’s tagline is:
“Suck. Peel. Eat.”
The tender meat of their Pot Roast Beef Belly (₱285) was served with mashed potatoes, but I found the sauce to be a bit bland. On the other hand, the sauce on the US Angus Burger Steak Loco Moco (₱255) was more flavorful, though the patty could be better grounded.
The Soy Glazed Chicken Barbecue (₱155) had a slight teriyaki taste, which I found enjoyable. As for the Macaroni Salad (₱45) — it was just mediocre.
Shrimp Shack Desserts
Surprisingly, their desserts were superb!
The Apple Crisp ala Mode (₱130) arrived sizzling, with crumbles and apple slices topped with vanilla ice cream — a perfect way to cool down the palate. We also had the Butter Mud Pie (₱130) — a tempting, voluminous butter pie topped with chocolate crumbs and drizzled with rich chocolate sauce. God, their desserts are sexy!
Final Thoughts
The Old Spaghetti House and The Shrimp Shack are under the same company, which explains why they share one kitchen. The restaurant’s beach-y vibe, enhanced by the mural and the staff’s Hawaiian polo shirts, adds a relaxed atmosphere.
The staff was friendly and accommodating, and I’d estimate the place can comfortably seat 50-60 people. The serving portions are reasonable for the price.
Personally, I enjoyed the desserts, the Tomato-Cheese Fondue, the Shrimp Scampi Spaghetti, and their well-blended Pineapple Iced Tea!
On a serious note, though, I initially expected them to offer a wider variety of shrimp dishes, given the restaurant’s name. However, they only serve shrimp in two ways — breaded and garlic-flavored. I know they’re still expanding their menu, so this shouldn’t be a big concern.
In the meantime, let’s just suck, peel, and eat! 😊
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Serving: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Taste: 3.5/5
Shrimp Shack Address: G/F Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City
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Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but not swayed to write positive reviews. Photo watermark is named after my old site.
