”Patience is the
secret to good food.” - Gail Simmons
Facebook ads are really something. The algorithm is so
accurate, you would think they are following everyone around. Why am I talking
about Facebook marketing even though this is a blog about food? Well, this
latest entry is actually related to the way Facebook sent an ad my way. While
looking for a restaurant on Facebook, an ad about a place offering hamburger
steak in Mabolo suddenly came my way. It piqued my interest so much that I
decided to visit the place.
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| Wakaba Station |
This post is actually about my fourth visit to the
place. The first time I went there, it wasn’t able to find it since it did not
have any sign back then (I later found that the place is closed on Sundays,
which was the day I tried looking for it). On my second visit, I did not take
any pictures of the place. My third visit was quite early and the place was
still closed. But on my fourth visit, I was able to take pictures of the food I
ordered at the
Wakaba Station.
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| Wakaba Station |
Wakaba Station
When you think about hole-in-the-wall places, Wakaba Station
fits to a tee. As I mentioned above, I wasn’t able to find the place when I
first went looking for it. Unlike many hole-in-the-wall places I’ve been to, the
place looked like the ground floor of someone’s house. But places like these actually
offer good food. And that is the reason people visit these places. You can
easily see the menu board since it is positioned at the entrance. The order
taker/cashier is also sitting close to the entrance. They have five tables in the
dining area. Each table can fit four or five people. Judging from the look of
the place, it may have been the living room, dining room, and kitchen of the
owner of the house. It is also ventilated by the electric fans at the place.
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| Wakaba Station Dining Area |
For those bringing cars, it may be advisable to park it at
SM City Cebu and walk to the place. Their parking area is limited to roadside
parking. But I’m not really sure if traffic enforcers will allow this. Anyway,
walking from the mall is a good exercise for anyone wanting to eat good food. Wakaba
Station is open from 5:00 PM to 12:00 AM from Monday to Thursday and 5:00 PM to
1:00 AM on Friday and Saturday. The place is closed on Sundays.
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| Wakaba Station Dining Area |
Food
The two times I was able to eat at the place, I ordered
their hamburger steak since this was what piqued my interest in the first place.
From a person who grew up loving the hamburger steak of Orange Brutus, I still
liked the hamburger steak offering of Wakaba Station. But the place also offers
other items on their menu. Their bestsellers are their Two-Piece Pork Chop
(Mommy Betsy), Breaded Pork Chop, and Lechon Kawali. For chicken lovers, the
place offers unlimited chicken wings. Shrimp lovers can try their Spicy Buttered
Shrimp and Buttered Garlic Shrimp. If you are a silog fan, you may want to
check out their Longganisa, Bangus, Spam, and Tocino (all are served with rice
and egg). For sizzling dish lovers, the Sisig, Pork Chop with Gravy, and Burger
Steak will be your obvious choices. These are also served with rice and egg.
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| Hamburger Steak at Wakaba Station |
Whenever I eat, I try to order soup as much as possible. On
my two visits, I ordered their Crab and Corn Soup, which was unlike the one you
can buy at the supermarket since it had real crab and corn. Wakaba Station also
offers Egg and Corn Soup as well as Cream of Mushroom Soup. Their menu board
also shows some new items they are offering, including the Pork Chop with Cream
Sauce (Kyla a la Cream Sauce), Kyle’s Chicken, Ysh Teriyaki Chicken Wings,
Spicy BBQ Chicken Wings, and Pork Chop a la Pobre.
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| Crab and Corn Soup |
Wakaba Station also offers Group or Bundle meals for groups
of two, three, and four people. These bundles are ideal for people looking to
eat at the place with family and friends. The place also offers party packs in
case you want to order in bulk.
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| Hamburger Steak and Crab and Corn Soup |
Price
The prices of their menu items are quite affordable. Their
Pork offerings are between PhP95 for the Bread Pork Chop and PhP125 for the Pork
Chop a la Pobre. The Chicken Wings are priced at PhP95 while the silog meals
cost from PhP60 for the Longganisa up to PhP95 for the Spam. They also offer two
budget meals priced at PhP50 each (served with egg and rice). Shrimp items are
priced at PhP95 each while their soups cost PhP55 each.
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| Wakaba Station Menu Board |
The sizzler menu items are priced at PhP95 for the Pork Chop
with Gravy and PhP105 for the Sisig and Hamburger Steak. Bundle meals are
priced at PhP199, PhP299, and PhP399 for the two-person, three-person, and
four-person bundles, respectively. On the other hand, their party packs are
priced between PhP150 for the eight-piece chicken pack and PhP600 for the Baked
Zitti with White Sauce. Soft drinks cost PhP15 each while their shakes are
priced at PhP50 each. They also offer an iced tea pitcher at PhP35. For
unlimited chicken wing fans, their unlimited chicken wings are priced at PhP249
per person.
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| Rules For Unlimited Chicken Wings |
Location
The Wakaba Station is located along C. Mina Street in
Mabolo. It is the street right beside St. Joseph Patriarch Parish. The place is
a few meters away from Mabolo Royal Hotel.
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| Priority Number |
Getting to the Wakaba
Station
If you are coming from SM City Cebu, good for you since it’s
only a short walk away from the mall. You can walk towards Mabolo Parish Church
and once you reach the church turn left until you reach Mabolo Royal Hotel is
located. Turn right at C. Mina Street and follow it for several meters. Wakaba
Station is on the left side of the road. On the other hand, if you are coming
from Ayala Center Cebu, get on a jeepney headed for SM City Cebu. Tell the
driver to let you off at the street right before Mabolo Parish Church (C.
Borces Street). Follow the street until you reach the point where it intersects
with C. Mina Street. Turn left until you reach Wakaba Station.
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| Want Some? |
Wakaba Station is not your run-of-the-mill place since they
offer items that are not usually offered in other restaurants at a reasonable
price. In fact, I noticed they come up with new items to add to their menu every
so often. If you are looking for a hole-in-the-wall place offering a variety of
food items at a reasonable price in the middle of the city, then Wakaba Station
is the place to go.
P.S. Wakaba Station
is also now available through Grab Food.
