Firefly Musings

Mesa: Modern Filipino Cuisine

2011-12-18T21:43:00.000-08:00

Had the chance to check out Mesa at GB5 Ayala last weekend after picking up my son from a singing gig. I must say it was one of those spur of the moment decision that we never regretted. My kids have frequented this place before with relatives and loved it but we haven’t gone together as a family. It’s one of those new generation of Filipino restaurants that’s raising the Filipino cuisine to a contemporary and internationally-palatable level. It’s way better than your usual Barrio Fiesta, Kamayan or Cabalen. It serves Filipino favourites but with a modern take on execution and presentation. It’s one of those restaurants you wished existed in LA or Orlando or Toronto where you can take your non-Filipino friends and just be proud of our national cuisine.

Mesa is similar to Tres Cuisine in that both try to modernize the traditional Filipino food as we know it. The difference is, Tres Cuisine is more innovative and applies more fusion techniques to cookimg while Mesa is about modernizing the traditional Filipino favourites by using healthier ingredients like olive oil in its dishes (i.e. baby squid in olive oil) or presenting lechon kawali in small portions, for example. While Mesa uses more grilling and deep-frying, Tres Cuisine uses more diverse cooking and presentation techniques. Needless to say, Mesa food--with all that grilling--is one that goes best with beer! :)

Mesa Resto Pics:

So here at Mesa we got the following that looked interesting to us—baked mussels with cheese for appetizers, laing done in two ways, a platterful of grilled stuff, and bottles of beer.

*Baked Mussels with Cheese:

*Grill Platter:

*Laing Done in 2 Ways:

*Can't miss the plain rice..goes best with all dishes

*Garlic Rice--tasty but a little bit on the oily side

*San Mig Light! :)

*Cerveza Negra--nice!

For dessert we got barako jelly, turon without ice cream, leche flan, and cassava cake. Let's see how they taste..

*Barako Jelly:

*Banana Turon without Ice Cream:

*Leche Flan:

*Warm Cassava Cake with Pinipig on Top:

Okay, the verdict, overall the food was great. Laing done in 2 ways was the best (one way was with coconut milk, the other way was without it). Definitely not mushy, regardless. This is how laing should be done! The better part was the appetizer, a long plate of baked mussel with cheese, my kids' favorite. The platter we got had a little bit of everything we wanted--grilled fish, squid, shrimp, and pork, mussels, chicken and some barbecued pork,. Have complaints about the barbecue though, they're very sweet, I felt like eating candied pork :(. I wish they go easy on the sugar. The grilled squid was just perfect--fresh, succulent, not chewy at all--something you achieve with the right grilling technique and preparation. Shrimps were great and the grilled pork perfectly marinated. Really great with beer.

Desserts were good, my son loved the barako jelly and my daughter liked the leche flan. The cassava cake was served warm--was alright but not quite used to it. The smooth consistency wasn't what I was looking for in a cassava cake though--I guess I prefer the grainier, chewy-ier and al-dente type than what they just served. The turon was so-so, not a fan. I wished the chocolate sauce had more chocolatey taste and not something that seemed like it came straight out of a bottle you got from the grocery store :( .

At any rate, I liked Mesa a lot and would love to take my friends here for a couple of beer. Would love to try other stuff in their menu too.

Mesa has a branch in GB5, Ayala Center Makati.

Vietnamese comfort food @Pho Hoa

2011-12-18T03:30:00.000-08:00

There are only a few kinds of food I consider ‘comfort food’—food that remind me of childhood days, or bring back good memories, or simply food that can transform a very long, tiring, stressful day or weekend into one that’s just one of those days you can laugh about. Making my list are spaghetti, Filipino fare like chicken arroz caldo, tinola, sinampalukang manok, and ginisang monggo, old-fashioned chocolate cake, and apple pie. But recently I realized I often hang out at Pho Hoa, a popular Vietnamese restaurant in Manila and choose the same stuff over and over again—chicken pho, fresh spring rolls, cold vermicelli noodles with spring rolls, grilled prawns and pork with their famous Pho Hoa fried rice, and pomelo salad. Plus I always go back for their fresh lemonade. Simple and clean execution, healthy (less oil and frying, lots of veggies and greens), fresh ingredients, amazing flavours-- just great food in my book.

I love Vietnamese food, not sure if it was an acquired taste, but it’s one of those cuisines I can eat definitely every day. When I was a grad student in Honolulu, one of my friends took me to Chinatown one day and introduced me to the Vietnamese pho. From then on, I was hooked! Every sem break we would just hang out in Chinatown and have lunch at this small Vietnamese place. About 10 years ago, we used to go to this fancy Vietnamese resto in GB3 Ayala but unfortunately it closed about 4 years ago. During my visits to Toronto, we would eat in this small restaurant run by a Vietnamese family near a laundromat while waiting for our laundry to finish. In many ways, Vietnamese food has become one of my favourite cuisines and comfort food.

So one Thursday, when we were supposed to go to a Christmas party, my teen-aged son announced he wasn’t going with us and that he wasn’t feeling well. He looked okay, though so I thought there was some other problem. So I attempted to let him open up about what was stressing him, I took the whole family to Pho Hoa, one of my usual hang-out place where for some reason the chicken pho just makes me feel better every single time. I was wishing it does the same magic trick to my son, who at his age is beginning to accumulate those dreaded ‘teenage angst’.

We checked out their branch in T. Morato, which was conveniently located near our place. The place was reasonably popular with several customers. Luckily we got in early, got good parking and a table. Interiors were clean and well-lit and staff were attentive—really no problem with that. The real bummer was the parking, I guess it’s like that for most establishments along T. Morato. Real killer.

Pho Hoa restaurant interiors and table setting:

These are what we got, the usual favourites—fresh spring rolls, seafood pho, chicken pho, grilled pork and spring rolls. For dessert we got mango crepe with vanilla ice cream. Of course, we didn’t miss the fresh lemonade, an old-time favourite at Pho Hoa.

What we got:

*Fresh basil, sprouts, and some optional lemon for the pho:

*Chicken pho: this is my favorite..I never go to Pho Hoa without getting this soup..has chicken bits, quail eggs, white onion, green onion, fried caramelized onions, fresh green cabbage..add-in the sprouts and fresh basil leaves and it's good to go!

*Seafood pho: has squid balls, fish, shrimp, fresh greens..nice too!

*Fresh spring roll with peanut sauce: this is my all-time favorite appetizer!

*Grilled pork, famous Pho Hoa fried rice, spring rolls: the kids loved this especially when they dip it in the grilled pork in the sweet vinegar sauce that goes with the dish.

*Mango crepe with vanilla ice cream: not a super fan of this dessert. I wished the chocolate sauce tasted more chocolatey, and the vanilla ice cream had more of that vanilla flavor..the mangoes were great though.

*Famous Sriracha hot chilli sauce I find in almost all Vietnamese eating places I've been to.

*Drinks: the tall glass of fresh lemonade is my favorite at Pho Hoa

Funny but after dinner, my son finally talked about why he felt so down. I guess the food did its magic. There’s something about good food that relaxes you and brings down your fronts and confinements. I guess it pays to fill the tummy first. The cliché, ‘the way to a person’s heart is through the stomach’ is never more true here. Good food does make one more receptive and open emotionally and psychologically—relatively speaking, of course.

Pho Hoa is a restaurant that does not need a recommendation. They just serve great, simple, tasteful food. Simple as that. The fact that we always go back to eat here is proof of their consistent and great food offerings, regardless of the branch location. Try other stuff in their menu below.

Pho Hoa has several branches in Manila--T. Morato, SM Megamall, SM North, Ayala Center, in almost all major malls etc. Food prices are reasonable, ranging from about PHP120-350.

Sushi-all-you-can Foodtrip @Sakae Sushi

2011-12-11T17:42:00.000-08:00

I was so intrigued by the sushi-on-conveyor-belt and eat-all-you-can-sushi treat @Sakae Sushi that one weekend, we decided to have lunch there. We just got to try it. Being a relatively new restaurant at the SM Annex, the first impression you get once you enter is the spic-and-span ambience. Minimalist and really clean. From the dining area to the toilet facility, I really have no complaints. Dining area has comfy seating from which you can conveniently reach out towards the sushi conveyor buffet. If you're not interested in the sushi-all-you-can buffet, a different seating area away from the buffet is also available. They have an open sushi kitchen where you can scrutinize or amuse yourself watching how they make sushi with their bare hands (hope their hands are clean though! :D). Their open kitchen is testament to how they are transparent about how orderly and sanitary they make their food. Check out the pics below:

Sakae Sushi Dining Area:

Sushi Open Kitchen:

Interestingly, and I find it quite cute that they have a small corner in the restaurant that displays their various merchandise featuring their distinct frog mascot. Reminds me of kero-keropi but more of a toned-down version. Check out the pic below. Ribbit..ribbit! :)

But wait, I didn't go to Sakae Sushi for that. I was really after the sushi conveyor buffet..and the variety of sushi that's there. Can't wait to try them out. Here's the sushi conveyor buffet, where for the price of PHP399 you can eat all the sushi you want. This comes with miso soup and bottomless hot or cold green tea. If you want to get the sushi separately, they are priced based on the color-code of the plates: blue plate = PHP39, yellow = PHP59, green = PHP79, and red plate = PHP99. I thought the sushi buffet was really affordable.

Sushi Conveyor Buffet:

Some of what I got from the sushi conveyor buffet:

*Tuna boat sushi

*Shrimp roll with sesame seed:

*Wasabiko Gunkan:

*Ebiko Gunkan:

*Fish Sushi:

Other stuff I got from the buffet:
*Crabstick Tempura:

*Fish Teriyaki:

*Fried tofu with teriyaki sauce (?)

Miso Soup and Hot/cold Green Tea (goes with buffet):

Okay, having said all that about ambience, open kitchen, sushi conveyor belt, and a sample of what I got (believe me, I tasted 90% of all sushi served), my verdict is, first off, the sushi variety is limited. If not for the fact that I have such a small stomach and I was truly full after 10 pairs of sushi, I would have tasted all (including all non-sushi types in the buffet) in one sitting. My hubby jokingly complained why he kept on seeing the same stuff all the time. Having lived in Japan for half a year himself, he complained the sushi 'wasn't authentic'. And I do agree. It looks like the sushi was the mass produced, commercialized type (I heard they use machines and robots that makes the sushi in a fully automated process). I was looking for a softer sushi where I can taste a little vinegar in the rice with the different toppings and combinations. They tasted kind of dry actually. There's no doubt the ingredients were fresh but the taste was really boring. Matching them with the shoyu sauce didn't help. I thought the soy-sauce wasn't authentic too and a bit on the salty side. The non-sushi choices in the buffet were salty and seemed to used teriyaki sauce as base for all.

My daughter was saved from this predicament by getting a kiddie meal for herself. Her verdict, she loved it. It was simple and had all the stuff she wanted to eat anyway. Plus, the meal came in a plate in the shape of a frog. She thought it was very cute!

We didn't get to try other stuff in their menu since we were really hooked into the sushi-all-you-can idea this time. Overall I thought the sushi buffet was just ok (altho I think hubby wouldn't want to go back), but I wished they increase the sushi variety in the buffet, make it more tasty and less salty. The buffet price is something I can't complain about though. It's really affordable and recommended if you're seriously considering packing in those carbs for some reason. I would rate this restaurant as an eating place belonging to the same category as Tokyo Tokyo, Yoshinoya, Teryiaki Boy, Sushi-Ya and other fast-food Japanese restaurants in Manila. I guess if you want to fill yourself up cheaply, this is the place to go.

Would love to try other stuff next time though. I thought the menu was interesting and had lots of other choices, which makes me want to go back for a visit. However, this time, no sushi buffet for me please. I think I've just had it. Here's the menu:

Sakae Sushi has a branch in SM Annex, SM North Edsa. Food price range from PHP39-PHP350/dish.

Tres Cuisine: Filipino Old-Time Favorites With A Twist!

2011-11-19T06:25:00.001-08:00

If there's any restaurant/cafe I would love to blog about, it's got to be Tres Cuisine. This place is so unassuming but the food is just great. Tres Cuisine specializes in authentic Filipino-Spanish/Basque dishes..but with an interesting and creative twist! Been here several times but I always go back, something I have never done to Barrio Fiesta or Cabalen--both of which are the more popular restos traditionally offering Filipino cuisine in Manila. I feel most of the dishes I have tried here have become some sort of comfort food for me.

Tres Cuisine has simple interiors, well-lighted, does not have pungent smell of old food, people, fish, etc..and it's clean. It has a small area, can possibly seat only about 30 or less, but it's okay because it looks cozy. Checked out the toilet, not disappointing. If the toilet is clean, somehow it gives me the impression, their kitchen is clean, immaculate and orderly as well. They have a combination of cushioned sofas and wooden chairs, which is both practical and warm (by using wood and cushioned seats). Interior decorations are kept at minimum but used pieces such as colorful vintage capiz windows that remind you of old Filipino houses of the past.

The menu folder looked well-designed. Photos of food and description seemed accurate images of what they served. Funny but in many local restaurants I have been to, in my head I unconsciously match the food photo with what they serve and get disappointed when they (the very appetizing-looking food pics) don't nearly match the food on my table and worse, don't taste appetizing at all. But this restaurant served us food that looked exactly like the ones on their menu photos and this I find comforting because I feel I'm not taken for a fool and I feel the restaurant/cafe is not pretentious and is honest.

Okay, what we got..of course our favorites (again!), Ampalaya Ensalada, Crispy Kare-Kare, Laing and of course the pandan rice. We wanted to try their other flavored rice dishes such as Kalkag Rice, Laing Rice, Lechon Rice, etc but felt those rice will compete with the dishes that we ordered and that would be an overload to the taste buds.

Tres Cuisine has 2 Filipino salads in the menu and we opted to get Ampalaya Ensalada, a salad consisting of thinly-sliced bitter gourd (ampalaya), tomatoes, onions in sweet vinaigrette dressing topped with crispy kalkag (crispy toasted dried small shrimps) I love this salad because my mom makes this when we were younger (I guess until today) but Tres Cuisine just makes it taste great with the kalkag. The combination of the flavors is really fantastic. Simple, healthy, great-tasting.

Ampalaya Ensalada:

We also got Crispy Kare-kare. It's not the usual Filipino kare-kare that I know, it's supposedly a fusion of crispy pata and kare-kare but the effect is fantastic. First off, the kare-kare that I know uses tripe and fatty pork, but this dish uses crispy beef (possibly it's chuck, brisket or flank steak, definitely marbled), crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. I love kare-kare but at home we use lean pork or beef, never tripe (or callos), so I was totally pleased with Crispy Kare-Kare because it didn't have tripe, I heard it's unhealthy.

Crispy Kare-Kare:

What's so nice about this dish (and this is the first time I have seen this) is, the sauce or kare-kare stew is separate from the beef, vegetables (eggplant, string beans, banana bud/blossom or 'puso ng saging', and pechay). Isn't this nice? For once, my kare-kare isn't looking like a halo-halo or hodge-podge of vegetables and meat (that if you overcook the vegetables somehow the dish looks like disgusting yellow mush and goo :D ). By not mixing everything all at once, I get to check out whether the vegetables are not over-cooked and if the other ingredients are actually fresh. Plus I get to put in as little or as much sauce I want depending on how I want it. This is essentially 'deconstructed kare-kare'. Neat!

We also got Laing, a dish consisting of taro leaves simmered in rich creamy milk of young coconut with finger peppers that make it spicy. How spicy, depending on how many finger peppers you put! Hands down, Laing is one of my all-time Filipino favorite dish. But, not just any laing and I know the good laing from the bad because my mom is from Bicol and she can make a mean laing like most Bicolanos. Tres Cuisine's Laing was not so bad, the leaves were tender, nearly mushy (altho I prefer not mushy or overcooked taro leaves sorry) but the sauce was fantastic--not too spicy, not salty and I can taste the sweetness of the young coconut milk in the dish.

The servings are big (for sharing) for the price relative to most restaurants I know where servings have become smaller and smaller each time for the same price.

Laing and Pandan Rice:

Dessert selection was equally great, consisting of old-time Filipino favorites and other modern selections but with a creative twist to them. Take for example, our typical Filipino banana desserts and turon. We tried the Layers of Banana and Cinnamon Toast and the Banana-Ube Turon with the usual brewed coffee and my daughter, who has a sweet tooth, just loved both of them.

Layers of Banana and Cinnamon Toast consists of delicious flambeed bananas and cinnamon melba toast with vanilla ice-cream and creamy butterscotch drizzled with chocolate sauce. My daughter and I loved this, just perfection! Just amazing flavors.

Banana-Ube Turon is deep-fried home-made ube jam and banana wrapped in lumpia wrapper that comes with a special sauce of pureed langka and coconut cream. The combination is just so nice, heavenly! The turon on its own was great anyways but teaming it up with the langka-coconut sauce just makes the flavors burst really nicely in the mouth.

Layers of Banana and Cinnamon Toast:

Banana-Ube Turon:

Brewed Coffee:

The brewed coffee wasn't spectacular or anything. I love coffee and I know what's good coffee from bad but the brewed coffee in Tres Cuisine is something I consider on the mild side, nothing like those that overwhelm the nose. I thought it didn't matter because the coffee is not supposed to compete with my dessert. I'm happy they use brown sugar altho I was disappointed the creamers come in sachets :(

After the meal I thought my family was happy about the food. My daughter who tried the restaurant for the first time actually insisted on lunching on pizza before going to the restaurant and we had this debate for an hour. She was pleasantly surprised and eventually she said she was happy she tried the restaurant. I think the desserts did it.

Checked out the Facebook page for Tres Cuisine and this is what I found on its info/description: 'TRES has the BEST TASTING Filipino and Spanish Dishes in Manila!!' You know what, in my mind, they do. This unassuming, un-hyped restaurant/cafe which probably has just one or two branches serves really great-tasting, flavorful Filipino-Spanish dishes that I have come to love growing up.

There's other stuff in the menu I would like to try in the future like the Pinakbet with Bagnet, Binagoongan Lechon Kawali, Mac and Cheese Afritada, Ginataang Halo-halo, Biko, and Orange Cake (among others!). This, plus there's no question we will always go back to this restaurant because the food here is great. It's high quality, has fresh, natural ingredients, does not compromise the flavors of the food, does not cut corners on the techniques of slow-cooking, grilling and roasting, keeps it simple but comes out really great-tasting.

Tres is located at The Block, SM North. Food price range from PHP55-123 for merienda dishes, PHP99-139 for breakfast items (yes, they serve breakfast from 730-10am!), PHP193-443 for main dishes (with sizes for sharing). No need to break your weekend eat-out budget!

Hype about Hyphy's

2011-10-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Checked out Hyphy's in Ortigas last night to see for myself what the buzz was all about. Besides, who wouldn't be intrigued when this restaurant is said to be the creation of Chef Bruce Lim himself, yes THE Bruce Lim you watch on the Asian Food Network. I guess I want to see for myself whether the food and ambience is really worth trying, and worth returning to. I guess when you're faced with so many restaurant choices in Metro Manila every weekend, it really pays to be discriminating.

First off the AMBIENCE. I would say the ambience was not too welcoming. It doesn't say immediately to you, please come in and be comfortable. Except for the cushioned seats on the side, the chairs are wooden and something I find too utilitarian. I guess the message of that kind of set-up is, just do your business and get out. Believe it or not, that's what we just did. If not for the free wi-fi access, we just couldn't bother staying for a bit longer.

Airconditioning was not too cold nor too hot, so it was really not an issue. Lighting also was not a problem either. Overall, the ambience wants to give the look of a warehouse--bright, airy, spacious, minimalist, industrial, not sure if patterned after the ones in San Francisco, but surely a warehouse--with the unadorned cement wall, partially covered metal scaffolding ceiling, brick wall facade, and utilitarian chairs and floor tiles--one that reminds me of the interiors of Yellow Cab Pizza. Would have preferred if the interiors were made to give the feel of San Francisco, with cable cars, San Francisco bridge, and photos of Fisherman's Wharf, streets of Lombardi, Victorian houses, or something that reminds you of that famous and beautiful city.

Second, the MENU. The menu folder looks ok. But that's superficial. The food selection is what's more important. Being the excited eaters that we were, went thru the entire list and couldn't pick the ones that seemed great to eat based on the photos. So we asked the waiter what the best seller is and he recommended the calamansi tuyo pasta. Since my daughter has allergies to really fishy food, we declined. So my daughter and I just opted for clam chowder on sourdough bread and the SF steak sandwich, after all, we were expecting to get into that San Francisco reminiscing mode. My son, who's not very adventurous, got chicken fingers, while Kiko got molo soup and fish burger sandwich.

Funny but with the varied (almost too many) choices from pancit molo, to spam masubi, to mom's meatloaf, we felt like we were in Via Mare + Reyes Barbecue + TGIFriday's + some fusion resto rolled into one. It was quite confusing.

Third and most importantly, the FOOD itself. Forget the ambience and menu, at the end of the eating experience, it's really the taste of the food that will give the lasting impression and will make us decide to come back. The chicken fingers were just okay, per my teenaged son, but he said it's a little bit salty. I did try it out for myself and it was, and worse, lacking in flavor. I'm very sensitive about the use and re-using of oil in frying and I must say, the chicken fingers and french fries were fried with re-used oil. It didn't taste fresh, sorry to say.

Was so excited to taste the clam chowder on sourdough but was disappointed it didn't measure up to my expectation. The clam chowder was just too thick, nearly pasty, salty, and lacking in flavor and probably used cheap cream fillers. I was looking for that garlicky, buttery, bacon-y taste you find in clam chowders in SF, plus, I'm just not used to carrots in my chowder, celery perhaps but not carrots. The sourdough bread isn't what I expected because not only was it not that fresh, it was not sourdough bread the way I know sourdough bread is supposed to be.

Okay, quite sad about the chowder but the redemption came with the SF Steak Sandwhich. Now this was quite nice and my daughter and I really enjoyed the special mustard sauce, tender beef and fresh greens--altho I guess it won't hurt if the beef was super tender and juicy :)

Drinks were just okay, altho I really liked the house blend iced tea--really one of a kind and quite refreshing. The warm calamansi juice I requested was just right.

SF Steak Sandwich:

Pancit Molo Soup:

Chicken Fingers:

Clam Chowder on Sourdough:

Fish Burger:

Drinks:

Overall, my verdict is, the ambience could improve a bit to make it more comfy and make people want to hang out with friends and family and not just to eat. I guess the longer people hang-out, the more they tend to get more food? The menu is definitely confusing. The food is so-so because for people like us who've been to San Francisco and tasted the real deal, we can't help but compare and the Hyphy SF experience just really fell short of that. I suggest they use really fresh stuff from the oil they use to fry food to the bread they use as shell for the chowder. It's really freshness and quality that create that value customers come back for.

Would be great if they expand the salads menu, put in more seafood fare (like crabs and shrimp dishes) and make it at least nearly representing SF Fisherman's Wharf fare. At the end of the day, the marketing hype + resto concept + food experience must all sort of converge for a unique and pleasant experience. Any incongruence in expectations just won't cut it.

I guess if I score this place, I would rate it at 2 stars out of 5, but then again, it's just our opinion. Believe it or not, me and my family are probably more picky and more discriminating than most people anyway, being well-traveled and more exposed to international cuisine and situations.

So, the final question is, would we go back? Well, given so many restaurant choices in Metro Manila nowadays and because we always want value for our weekend eating-out budget, probably not :(

Hyphy's is located at the G/F of Robinson's Galleria, Ortigas Center. Price range for this restaurant is from PHP150-450 per order.

Gas Remote Control Cars: A Hobby Like No Other

2011-04-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered what gas remote control cars are? These are remote control cars that are collectively referred to as those powered by nitro and gasoline engines. Since nitro remote control cars are powered by engines that use nitro methane, methanol and oil—which are by nature natural gases, they fall under the category of gas remote control cars.

Even though belonging to the larger umbrella of gas-powered remote control cars, with nitro and gasoline as two common ways to fuel remote control cars, technically, they are quite different from each other.

Remote control cars powered by nitro methane are said to be more common than gasoline remote control cars. However, gasoline remote control cars are gaining popularity among car enthusiasts, and for so many reasons.

In terms of speed, nitro remote control cars are said to be much faster than or nearly as fast as gasoline remote control cars. Nitro cars can go as fast as 50-60 mph, sometimes topping the speed of gasoline cars that run from 70-80 mph depending on size of engine and car type. Speed is fast becoming less of an issue now than before.

In general nitro cars are much slimmer and more portable than gasoline remote control cars. Nitro cars can be nearly half the size of gasoline powered cars, ranging between 1/8 to 1/5 scale. Because gasoline powered cars are relatively larger, they cost much more than their smaller nitro counterparts.

In terms of power, gasoline-powered cars have a clear advantage over nitro cars. Gasoline cars due to their sheer size allow them to generate more torque, thereby enabling them to handle more off-road obstacles. The opposite is true for nitro remote control cars.

When it comes to maintenance, gasoline-powered cars are said to likewise have an edge over nitro cars. They are considered easier to keep up in comparison to nitro cars that require a lot of maintenance and regular parts replacement in order to achieve top performance in race competitions. However, changing fuel or refuelling of nitro cars are said to be easier compared to gasoline powered cars wherein you have to add the fuel carefully in proper proportions.

To sum, gas remote control cars are not the same as gasoline remote control cars in the sense that gasoline remote control cars falls under the larger category of gas remote control cars that include both nitro and gasoline powered cars. However, it should be pointed out while nitro and gasoline powered cars are both kinds of gas remote control cars, they posses some stark differences in terms of speed, portability, power, cost, and maintenance. There are also other considerations not discussed here why nitro cars are more economical over the long run over gasoline-powered cars, for example. Safety issues are likewise disregarded in this brief evaluation.

At the end of the day, it will be the hobbyist who will choose based on personal preferences and costs more than anything. His satisfaction and enjoyment over the features and capabilities of both cars should be the primary consideration for purchasing remote control cars and engaging in this unique hobby.

The Pros and Cons to Consider When Starting a Nitro Remote Control Car Hobby

2011-04-16T21:55:00.001-07:00

Among remote control car enthusiasts, gasoline remote control cars have been gaining popularity now, being a more advanced version of remote control cars compared to the simpler ones that work on batteries. More than just complexity considerations over basic remote control cars, gasoline remote control cars do have more advantages than initially thought. However, they also have disadvantages that enthusiasts and hobbyists need to pay attention to.

THE PROS

Speed. One of the best things about gasoline remote control cars is its speed. Nitro remote control cars are said to operate like full-sized fuel vehicles, making use of a two stroke engine rather than an electric motor, allowing the cars to achieve higher top speeds than electric remote control cars. This is why nitro remote control cars are generally faster than electric remote control cars. Nitro remote control cars can go as fast as 50-60 mph, nearly as fast as 1/8 gasoline cars that can run between 70 and 80mph in race competitions. While gasoline remote control cars have more power, gasoline remote control cars achieve higher top end speeds than gasoline remote control cars and most electric remote control cars.

More Run Time. Because nitro remote control cars are powered by fuel that can run for hours depending on size, engine type and car model, nitro remote control cars do not need constant recharging as electric remote control cars do. This allows the cars to maintain top speeds for the most part of competitive races with minimal time only for refuelling.

Economy. Depending on complexity of models, nitro remote control cars are generally more expensive than electric cars. However, gasoline-powered remote control cars surely cost much more than both electric and nitro remote control cars, ranging from $800-$3,000. Further, while nitro, in comparison to gasoline, is said to be more expensive on a gallon-to-gallon basis, nitro is considered a more efficient fuel, allowing a nitro remote control car to run longer with the same amount of fuel.

THE CONS

Maintenance. If you think about getting a nitro remote control car, maintenance could be a primary consideration in your decision as it could be costly over the long run. Maintenance such cleaning of filters and chassis as well as replacement of parts and lubrication, even the nitro motors when necessary can both be frustrating and costly. In addition, nitro remote control cars are said to suffer more easily from mechanical wear and tear than either electric or gasoline remote control cars for the reason that they are most likely subject to be driven for long periods of time at relatively higher speed and greater weight than their counterparts. All this makes nitro remote control cars by nature quite costly to maintain.

All in all, before starting a remote control car hobby, one needs to think about the advantages and disadvantages of the type of car engine that you will use for your remote control car. There are other considerations that go beyond the obsession for originality or winning racing competitions. There are one-time costs, maintenance costs that go on over periods of time, and other costs that may not be initially apparent at purchase such as insurance and other taxes. At the end of the day, a decision should really boil down to one’s personal preferences and budget.

Gasoline RC Cars 101

2011-04-16T21:52:00.000-07:00

Being female, boy toys such as airsoft guns and gas remote control cars never interested me. The only time remote control cars came to my attention was through my brother, a remote control car enthusiast, whose hobby is to assemble model remote control cars from scratch. He would race them with my nephews and collects them for posterity. His eyes would light up whenever we pass by shops in the malls that sell remote control car kits of his favourite sports cars. He would scour through all nook and cranny there is in Quiapo and Hidalgo just to look for remote control car spare parts, components, and accessories. He seemed to be in heaven whenever he would visit shops loaded with remote control car models from Ford, Mustang, Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari to police cars, race cars, and ordinary cars of every make, brand, and model including those from his favourite, Tamiya, displayed in the store. The variations and choices are endless.

So, here begins my interest about this hobby (and for some, a ‘passion’) called remote control cars. What is so interesting about them that make people get hooked? Remote control cars are model cars that are typically controlled from a distance using radio transmitters sending off radio frequency or signals. They are powered depending on the type of car’s engine. Electric cars, for example, are powered by electric motors and rechargeable battery cells. Nitro cars, on the other hand, are fuel-driven models that use small combustion engines fuelled by a special mixture of nitromethane, methanol, and oil. Gasoline remote control cars, as the name would suggest, are large car models that are powered by small gasoline engines that use a mix of oil and gasoline.

Remote control cars come also in different car grades based on complexity of make and design. The most common ones are ‘toy grade’ cars that are pre-assembled. Most of them are electric-type cars powered by electric motors and rechargeable cells. The more complex types are called ‘hobby grade’, that come as either ‘ready-to-run’ cars requiring minimal set-up or as ‘almost ready-to run’ cars that come in disassembled kits that require more customized assembly depending on user preferences for competitive car performance.

Remote control cars also come in different model types depending on suspension. The most common are on-road and off-road models. On-road models generally limited or non-existent suspension and are suitable for smooth surfaces. Off-road models, on the other hand, are built with fully-functional suspensions that can be used on various types of terrain or road conditions.

Indeed the complexity and variety of remote control cars today is the primary factor that makes it so interesting to both novice enthusiasts and veteran hobbyists alike. The wide range of possibilities for customization by model, parts, accessories, and components according to user preferences is enough to make it a creativity-inducing and time-consuming hobby like no other. It takes a lot of creativity, patience, attention to detail, and passion to enjoy this unique hobby. It is no wonder why my brother got so hooked into this. For him, this is the ultimate entertainment.

Learning How to Watermark Photos

2011-04-03T01:55:00.000-07:00

Finally!!! Today I found a very useful software to watermark my photos. For more than two years now since I have taken interest in photography, I haven't found good, free download software that can protect my photos from poachers. Like everyone else, I felt too comfortable posting all my photographs in facebook, until one day, I realized a 'friend' of mine in facebook downloaded some of my photos and published in his own 'album' without my permission. Isn't this weird? I think if you respect your friends, you could at least ask permission, give a brief message about using another person's photographs for something. That should be easy. But then again, some people could choose to do otherwise and be insensitive.

So, I guess to prevent all that from happening, from now on, I will post pics in the internet, whether in facebook, twitter, blogsites, etc with my watermark on them. I think this is the right way to do it, considering it is easy to steal someone's photographs over the internet, publish them as your own, and not acknowledge people.

So here I'm posting sample photos with my watermark on them to signal my new and possibly the correct approach to publishing photos and images anywhere on the net. I realized it wasn't that complicated, a real breeze actually!

Learning how to blog

2011-02-28T08:27:00.000-08:00

Blogging has always interested me, but never got the chance to do it until now. Have always been lazy, too preoccupied, too self-preoccupied, or maybe stuck-up. Not knowing what to blog about, that's also one. Fearing to reveal too much of oneself, that's another. But things have a way of working out, I suppose, for reasons I'm still trying to figure out.

So, here is my first blog, and it's about blogging, the irony. Quite short, quite nonsensical at this point until I get the hang of it. However, quite happy to have taken the first step, a step taken as some sort of leap of faith into an uncertain territory. The only thing I want to be certain about is, this has to be fun, and meaningful, and of course, should give me a chance to blog about things I feel inspired about, or inspired enough to write about. I hope to write about my interests outside of work. Being quite a traveler since my early 20s, I want to document my travels around the Philippines and the world. I want to talk about my hobbies like photography, food/eating-out, gadgets, technology, art, fashion, sports, and books. So, this is my first blog. Hope I enjoy it and hope other readers will enjoy it too! :)