Without rival indeed

I was to go to the Sto. Domingo Church area last Saturday, specifically to Hi-Precision for dental x-ray, so I researched about foodie places to try there. Among the restaurants I read about, one that is said to offer the best sans rival this side of the metro caught my attention because of the diversity of the menu and pocket-friendly prices. Of course, I love sans rival, too! Thus, t'was hello, Betty's just before going to church. Even outside, I was impressed by this restaurant. The colors of the building - a combination of dark indigo and periwinkle  - breathed of quiet charm and elegance. Once inside, I found out the whole edifice belonged to Betty's as they have function rooms in the second and third floors. The ground floor, which has simple but elegant interiors with sunny colors that contrast with the exterior's, is for walk-in diners. Meanwhile, scanning the menu made me have second, third and fourth thoughts. Haha! I saw many interesting items on the list and it was tough choosing between the Korean Beef Steak and a squid and veggie rice meal which the server said comes in a bento box. After much contemplation, I chose the Korean Beef Steak. My two kids who I tagged along found it easier to decide. These were what we had:

Sans Rival, P48 per slice. 

Bacon and Mushroom Pizza, P68.

Chicken Pesto Pasta with bottomless iced tea, P98.

Korean Beef Steak, P98.

Tapa rice meal, P108. 

Brewed Coffee, P42.

Inside the ground floor dining area.

I was excited for my order, the Korean Beef Steak but I was disappointed at my first spoonful. It was okay, but I wasn't too happy with a sweet beef steak, being used to the Pinoy-style "bistek". Trying out my son's tapa, I wasn't too happy, either. In my humble opinion, the beef strips were too small and as lacking in flavor as they were in color. My daughter's chicken pesto was good, however, and would even be better, I thought, if no cream was put into the sauce. Meanwhile, the Bacon and Mushroom Pizza put the pizzazz in our afternoon meals. This one really impressed me taste-wise and price-wise. It was thin, flavorful, came in six slices and believe it or not, only P68! Can others beat that, I wonder. But then, I had to reserve some "oohhs" and "ahhs" for the house specialty - the sans rival! The reviews I read were right. It's so delicious that even my seven-year-old son who is a hearty but picky eater loved it. This dessert rightfully made Betty's famous. How come it's only now that I heard of this restaurant? Well, it's never too late as long as I make up for the lost time. Hehe. I plan to be back to try a lot of other dishes at Betty's. And before I forget (well, I already did. Hehe), coffee's good here, too - another reason to love Betty's! By the way, this resto is tucked away in the bowels of the Sta. Mesa Heights district in Quezon City at the back of Sto. Domingo Church. Specifically, it's right at the corner of Biak-na-bato and Cuenco Streets. See you there!