VFW Canteen (**1/2 of 4) $$1/2

ANGELES CITY, PHILIPPINES  If you think of the VFW, you probably picture a smoke-filled little clubhouse where ex-military types gather to swap war stories and compare shrapnel scars.  To borrow a phrase, the Angeles City VFW ain’t your daddy’s VFW.  Likewise, calling the VFW canteen a canteen is doing it a disservice.  It’s a full-fledged restaurant with a large, varied menu.

VFW Post 2485is actually the largest overseas VFW post in terms of membership.  On any given day, it’s a beehive of activity, with members gathering for a drink and watching sports in the barroom, playing pool, or picking up mail.  But you’ll also find some unexpected sights:  groups and families of Filipinos enjoying a meal in the dining room.  The VFW’s canteen is not only open to all, it’s prices make it darned popular with expats and Filipinos alike.

As might be expected, the cuisine is American, with a heavy focus on rib-sticking favorites like meatloaf, burgers, lasagna, etc.  Daily specials are particularly good values at 10% or more off, and they usually have two entrees, a soup, and another dish on the specials list, every day.

Try the pork schnitzel or the chicken Cordon Bleu–we recommend them.  For breakfast, the Eggs Benedict dish is tasty.  Avoid the “prime ribs” and any other rib dish.  They’re fatty, bony short ribs that are misnamed on the menu.  Service is prompt and attentive.  The waitresses have, arguably, the best command of English of any restaurant in Angeles.

One of our few beefs with the place is that the pricing can sometimes be odd.  Last we check, a small bowl of chili was P165 ($3.70).  That seems rather excessive for a simple bowl of chili.  Most of the soups tend to fall into this odd pricing scheme, as do the salads.

Expect to pay between P200-300 for an entree with a side of rice or potatos and corn or mixed vegetables.  For the most part, portions are generous, but not overly large.

The VFW Canteen is located in the Clarkview subdivision.  It’s about a block in from Perimeter Road at 381 Santol Street, on the corner of Santol and Pinatubo Streets.  Hours are 7 am to 9 pm, daily. (c) ACEats.com.

CUISINE: American  |  COST:  $$1/2 | RATING: **1/2 (of 4)