When choosing a restaurant, the decision on where to eat is sometimes based on whether you’re just eating a normal meal or you’re celebrating something special. If it’s just a normal meal, you’re probably looking for something delicious but affordable. If you’re looking to celebrate something special, you’re probably looking for great deals for your group, with the taste and ambiance also taken into consideration.
Zari’s Big Plate is one of those restaurants that can be enjoyed on a normal Thursday for lunch with a couple of your friends or on a Saturday night as you celebrate a birthday with your closest friends and family. They offer happiness in every big plate, and I’m still smiling days after that unforgettable meal.
About Zari’s Big Plate
Zari’s Big Plate is owned by Zarina “Zari” Tubig. A registered nurse, she found her passion in the food business that specializes on, well, big plates.
These big plates are also big on flavors, but are relatively small on prices.
Zari’s Big Plate is located in Dayton Food Park (same location as their other restaurant – On Fire Bar and Grill), but it’s really more of a restaurant that happened to be located in a food park. It’s an impressive 2-storey air conditioned restaurant that has a good ambiance fit for special occasions. It even has its own comfort room unlike other food park establishments!
The Group Meals at Zari’s Big Plate
Their claim to fame is their group meals. Are you ready?
Let’s start with the “smallest” one – ZBP 1 or the Big Snack Plate (PHP 750).
This comes with Crispy Fried Chicken, Carbonara, Clubhouse Sandwich, French Fries and a pitcher of iced tea. Their crispy fried chicken is like the fried chicken that you enjoy at home, but way better.
It goes perfectly with their creamy carbonara. The clubhouse sandwich and French fries sort of remind you that this is meant to be a snack, but really, it’s a heavy meal that can fill up 2 to 3 people no matter what time of the day it is.
If you love fried food, try the ZBP 2 or the Big Frito Frito Plate (PHP 1,100).
3 to 5 people get to enjoy Crispy Pork Chop, Crispy Fried Chicken, Crispy Calamares, Onion Rings, Fried Shrimp, French Fries, one bowl of plain rice and a pitcher of iced tea. Everything is so crunchy and good. If with a group, grab the fried shrimp first. It will be gone in no time once your group gets a taste.
More of a fan of grilled food? The ZBP 3 or the Big Ihaw Ihaw Plate is for you (PHP 1,195).
This is something that you’d love to eat on a beach. It’s good for 5 to 8 people and is packed to the edge of the plate with Grilled Bangus, Grilled Shrimp, Grilled Tahong, Grilled Chicken, Pork Barbecue, Grilled Talong with Chopped Tomatoes, Mangoes and Salted Egg, a bowl of plain rice and a pitcher of iced tea. They’re prepared fresh and grilled beautifully.
Go ahead and eat with your hands.
Looking to grab a couple of bottles of beer with your co-workers after a stressful day at work? Try the ZBP 4 or the Big Pica Pica Plate (PHP 1,730).
This is good for 6 to 8 people. It has Crispy Mixed Seafood, Nachos, Cheese Sticks, Chicharon Bulaklak, Crispy Calamares, Onion Rings and French Fries. Of course, it comes served with alcohol. You can choose either a bottle of Novellino Sweet Wine or 2 buckets of San Mig Light, Apple or Pilsen. The only thing missing are great stories shared. They’d probably come few and far between as you’d rather munch on these pica pica.
If you have a big family (or a family with a big appetite), the ZBP 5 or Big Family Plate (PHP 2,685) is for you.
This is good enough for 8 to 10 people. It comes with 1 Whole Crispy Fried Chicken, Pork Sinigang, 2 Pinakbet Tagalog, 2 Sizzling Sisig, 2 Grilled Tilapia, Crispy Crablets, 2 bowls of plain rice and 2 pitchers of iced tea. I love how this has everything – meats, seafood and vegetables. They complement one another really well. Every member of the family will surely have a favorite or two. For the record, I loved the fried chicken, sisig and the crispy crablets.
If there are 10 to 12 people in your group, you MUST get the ZBP 6 or the Best Seller Big Plate (PHP 3,100).
It has Crispy Pata, Kalderetang Kambing, Bulalo, Ensaladang Tagalog, 1 Whole Fried Chicken, Kare Kare, 2 bowls of plain rice and 2 pitchers of iced tea. This is a very special group meal with dishes you’d normally find at an expensive Pinoy restaurant. Here at Zari’s Big Plate, you can enjoy these dishes at any time. Oh, and that Kare Kare! So good!
Fresh Food at Zari’s
We took a glimpse of their kitchen as they were preparing our food and wasn’t really surprised to see fresh ingredients.
Ms. Zari said that they even plant some of the herbs and ingredients that they use. This was very obvious with the group meals that we tried and in the separate dishes that we got to enjoy.
There’s the Buttered Garlic Prawns.
Check out how plump they are. You’d be sucking on these bad boys so you can get all the buttery-garlicky goodness.
We also tried the Bulalo Steak.
The Bulalo itself is meaty and tender. The gravy is divine.
There’s also the Grilled Pusit.
I would have loved more grill marks, but I’m not complaining as it has the perfect texture (not rubbery).
We also tried the Sinigang na Salmon.
You’d be a fan of salmon heads after trying this one.
Check out the Pork Spareribs.
It’s begging to be enjoyed with rice.
In addition to the Pinakbet, we also tried a couple of vegetable dishes. The Gising Gising had us woke.
But the Laing is the star of the vegetable dishes.
They also have noodles and pasta! There’s the Pansit Langlang.
There’s nothing lang about this Pansit Langlang.
We also tried their pasta dishes.
I love their pasta dishes. For a restaurant that mainly serves Pinoy food, they have very good pasta dishes. This is why you have to try their All You Can Eat Pasta Promo.
Every day from 2 PM to 5 PM, enjoy their delectable pasta dishes for only PHP 168 per person. Upgrades are available.
For dessert, we tried their Leche Flan and Halo Halo.
Yes, a heavy meal such as this one deserves their dessert.
Here’s their menu!
Try Zari’s Big Plate Today!
Are you celebrating something special? Maybe someone’s celebrating a birthday or anniversary? Try Zari’s Big Plate today! You’re not celebrating something special? Well, try Zari’s Big Plate anyway and celebrate the fact that you’re enjoying good food!
Contact Details
Address: Dayton Food Park, Ayala Highway, Lipa City
Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday from 10 AM to 11 PM except Friday and Saturday when they’re open until midnight.
Phone Number: 0917 146 7668
- Stressed? A Massage at Acyntia’s Spa should Do the Trick! - April 25, 2022
- Here are More Reasons to Visit Amarah’s Corner Lipa Again - January 22, 2022
- Your Relaxing Staycation or Beautiful Party Awaits at 3 Peaks Resort & Boutique Hotel - January 13, 2022
