Kebab X is the new kid on the block

Being in Cubao X feels like being in a sepia photograph. But at the corner of the driveway lined with antique furniture shops, shoe stores, art galleries and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, Kebab X looks like a cut-and-paste black-and-white cartoon. The fairly new restaurant serves not-so-usual kebab fare in a spacious grey-tiled square. The walls were filled with drawings of one-eyed creatures by local illustrator Apol Sta. Maria.

You can spot one of the creatures featuring the menu, a simple list of 27 affordable and surprisingly vegetarian-friendly items. Kebab X serves three kinds of spicy soup - pumpkin, broccoli and tomato for 80 pesos. They also have Potato Curry and Stringbean Curry, both at 80 pesos. I was tempted to try the soup, but it was a warm afternoon. Some nights, the place can get pretty full, but it was an odd hour, and we were the only customers. We could see and smell our food being cooked behind the counter, which was guarded by a golden kitty that was waving its paws at us. The waiter set our table with white paper placemats that were really, really tempting to draw on. The one-eyed creature stared up at me from the placemat, ready to dig in with a spoon and fork. Not really feeling too hungry, I had the hummus with pita bread for 100 pesos. The hummus was nicely done - not too thick and not at all soupy. The flavor was great with a generous dash of what looked like chili powder and some cucumber yogurt on the side. The pita bread was strangely sweet, like pan de sal, but it was very filling. There was too much hummus for the pita bread that came with it, so I got an extra order for 20 pesos. It took me quite a while to consume it. If you want something light, don't get the hummus. The Kebab Double is the most expensive item at 150 pesos, and meat-eaters can choose between chicken and beef. They also have the Kebab Single for 100 pesos, and the serving is not bad at all. The kebabs are served with a tomato so succulent that it steals the show. My meat-eating companion took his time eating his Beef Kebab Single, making the fresh, juicy tomato last until the final spoonful. The secret to excellent kebab is the white sauce, he said. According to him, Kebab X's white sauce is tasty and brings out the kebab flavor without overpowering it. I'm not really a fan of white sauce, but I did like the hot sauce. I liked it a lot. In the meantime, my other meat-eating companion was happily attacking his keema. I asked him how it compared to keema in other places, and he said he'd never had keema before, but this keema was really good. His girlfriend reminded him that he had, in fact, had keema before. We agreed that his failure to remember meant that whatever keema he had was unmemorable, and Kebab X keema was therefore the best ever. He told me the beef was really soft, and judging by how fast his food disappeared, it was tasty, too. My mango yogurt shake was a bit pricey at 70 pesos, but it did wonders in the warm afternoon. The place wasn't air-conditioned, and despite the open area, the heat from outside and from the kitchen was pretty intense. The fifty-peso bottomless iced tea could have done the trick, but it was a bit too sweet. Besides, if you drink too much, a trip to the Cubao X restroom will cost you 5 pesos. We were pleasantly full, and the bill was kind to our pockets. I got the feeling we'd be back soon. There's still the soup and pita sandwiches to try. - GMANews.TV Kebab x is open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am to midnight, and on Sunday from 6pm to 11pm at Unit 15A, Cubao Expo. General Romula Avenue, Araneta Center, Cubao. For inquiries, contact 09176638631.