Manila Food Finds!

Twitter and Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:04:00 PDT

You guys can follow me on twitter @markcabuloy and facebook Mark Adriatico Cabuloy. :)

Send me in your secret hang out food spots and let's feature it here. We're always on the hunt for good eats around the metro!

Keep in touch for more updates!

Thanks,
Mark

Jay-j's Inasal Fail #2

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:01:00 PDT

We just had dinner here at Jay-j's Inasal in Metrowalk, Ortigas. We usually head out around this area after work since this is just walking distance from our office. This is also my third time trying out this particular resto.

What ticked me off:
1. The waiter gave two menus. There were five of us. I asked for an extra so we can all order together. He said "Sir hintayin nyo nalang (sir just wait for it)", referring to the menu my friend is looking at.
2. Five of us ordered separate meals. Two arrived after a while. The next three arrived after a long wait. My order (chicken inasal, pecho [breast]) was not even cooked thoroughly, with the wing part very rubbery.
3. 30 pesos for one order of plain rice.
4. Very poor service. To think it was Monday night where there are several tables occupied, it took us hailing and asking 4 waiters for our extra rice to come.
5. Expensive compared to Mang Inasal and Chic-boy, both offering unlimited rice.

Real deal Persian Eats at Mister Kabab

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 07:06:00 PDT

The more popular branch of Mister Kabab (also bigger, and open 24/7) is located at West Ave., QC. Fortunately, they have a branch near our office at Pearl Plaza in Ortigas.

We usually drop by this place during lunch hours and after work. The place is pretty big and even during meal hours it's not that crowded.

Usual patrons are from the nearby University of Asia and the Pacific and offices. I really love it here. Food is great, price is right, staff are commendable and sometimes they have promos. They also have this dessert stall inside so you don't even have to go out for you with sweet tooth.

We were actually surprised with our last visit. The waitress informed us that if we reach 300 bucks there's gonna be free apple pie. And boy the apple pie was good.

We ordered our favorite, keema. Top picks include ox brain, lamb kebab and keema with eggplant. Special mention goes to their yogurt shake. Warning though that their ox brain serving comes in big chunks (which I love) unlike other persian places I've tried.

Their long-grained rice is served with butter on top, pita bread warm and lightly burnt on the right places, garlic sauce not runny. They also serve hefty servings.

I would say that their prices are competetive and well worth it.

I always look forward to visiting this place. Heck, we're presently here at Metrowalk thinking where to grab dinner and we're really considering Mister Kebab.

Serenitea [tea series]

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:38:00 PDT

Had a go at Serenitea at Eastwood. I can say that I'm adequately good at judging out milk tea places since we've been frequenting a lot of em these past few months.

Budget-wise this is on the high-end spectrum of the milk tea market. Nowadays, the trend is to customize your drink on the sweetness level, add-on (may it be pearls, pudding, aloe vera, etc.). I may be a bit biased with my usual milk tea fix on this but I personally find the drinks here a little too overrated, doesn't really stand out from the rest, and with the price you pay you can have a drink which I think is much more worth it.

Over all, I would go back here if 1. I' m in the area and I badly need a milk tea fix. 2. I don't care about the price. 3. My hot date really wanted it there.

One Year Plus

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 12:15:00 PST

Guys, it's been a hectic year for me.

To sum it all up, I:

Graduated, passed the boards, worked and now going through the process of being licensed with my profession abroad.

In the spirit of the Holiday Seasons, and since it's the time of the year for Gift Giving, I hope this nice link will be of great use to you.

Surpise Link

I recently just learned about it and now I'm constantly awaiting what the next great deal is. May this serve as my gift to you, hoping that you may also give gifts to your family, friends and loved ones.

Happy Holidays to everyone!

Pagsanjan Bangkero Festival 2009

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:45:00 PDT

The Pagsanjan Bangkero Festival would be held on March 31 to April 4, 2009. Pagsanjan is a town located on the southern part of Laguna right after the province's capital, Sta. Cruz, when travelling from Manila. This is a place very special to me since this is where we spend most of our summers when we were little children. We spent the weekend there and I just found out that the festival would be held this week, if I knew sooner I could've posted it earlier.

For more info on the town's history see the wiki page here.

Here's the schedule of activities if you would like to visit and grace the events.

Day 1 - March 31

6:00 am - Marathon Assembly
7:00 am - Marathon (Labanan ng Takbuhan)
8:00 am - Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe
9:00 am - Street Dancing Assembly at the Plaza
10:00 am - Opening Progam and Street Dance Exhibition (Yugyugan sa Plaza)
12 noon - Lunch time at the Municipal Government Building
1:30 pm - Cookfest (Lutung Pagsanjan Pagkain Festival) and Pagsanjan Original Delicacies
8:00 pm - Search for Lakan and Binibining Pagsanjan 2009

Day 2 - April 1

7:30 am - Brass Band Parade
6:30 pm - Bayanihan Philippines National Dance Company (Cultural dance show @ the Plaza)
8:00 pm - Modern dance contest (Paligsahan sa sayawan)

Day 3 - April 2

8:00 am - Drum and Lyre Band Showdown
6:30 pm - Douglas Nierras Powerdance Inc (Contemporary dance show @ the Plaza)
8:00 pm - BANDigmaan (Battle of the Bands)

Day 4 - April 3

7:00 am - Brass Band Parade
8:00 am - Boat Racing Elimination (Karera ng mga Bangka)
- Free medical and dental mission @ the plaza
6:30 pm - Shirley Halili Cruz Ballet Dance Company
8:00 pm - Search for Lakan and Binibining Pagsanjan 2009 (Coronation Night)

Day 5 - April 4

8:00 am - Final Judging of:
Best Gantungan (boat garage) and Best Bantilan (picnic sheds)
9:00 am - Program at the town plaza
12 noon - Lunch time
1:00 pm - Boat Racing Final Showdown
3:00 pm - Fluvial Parade Competition
6:00 pm - San Miguel Beer Night and Awarding or Prizes
8:00 pm - Search for Ginoong Bangkero 2009 and Fireworks

There's a lot of places to visit here in Pagsanjan like the Pagsanjan Falls where the biggest fun is the boat travel going to the falls itself. From Pagsanjan you can visit Caliraya Lake and Lucban, Quezon where you can find the makers of Pancit Habhab (Pancit Lucban) and Lucban Longganisa or go shop for a new barong at the next town after Pagsanjan which is Lumban.

Here's a post detailing our weekend here which includes great food finds found in this town.

Weekend at Pagsanjan, Laguna.

Weekend at Pagsanjan, Laguna

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:53:00 PDT

We spent the weekend at Pagsanjan, Laguna where my dad hailed from. This is where our ancestral house is found and where I spent most of my childhood summers together with my brothers. Fond memories float in the back of my head whenever we visit - playing at fields, fishing by the river, learning how to swim. One thing that I look forward to whenever we go visit is the different and tasty treats we find there. I also apply the same thing whenever we travel or visit some far-off towns or provinces. For me, you’ve never really gone there unless you tried the local delicacies and what other food secrets the place has to offer.

Here are some food finds I’d like to share with you which you can easily find here in Pagsanjan.

First is one of my favorite childhood snacks. This is called “minaneng kamoteng kahoy” or simply “minane.” This is kamoteng kahoy (cassava) sliced into cubes and fried just like french fries. After frying it’s lightly seasoned with salt and it’s good to go. Unlike french fries where you dip it in ketchup, you sprinkle “minane” with some vinegar. This snack is perfect to munch up while strolling around the Plaza and the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Summer is never really complete without Halo-halo. When you’re stuck in a hole and you just came out, you’ll immediately know it’s summer when you see halo-halo stands around every corner. One place to visit in Pagsanjan for awesome halo-halo is Aling Taleng’s. It’s located on the first street on the right after passing the bridge if you’re from the Town Hall or Munisipyo, you won’t miss it.

The place has a cozy and earthy feel to it. I asked the waiter what else they have aside from the famous halo-halo and she answered pancit and cheeseburger. They sell it a wee bit high for a small town at 50 bucks each considering other halo-halo joints around that sells theirs for around 20-30 bucks, but I tell you, it’s well worth it. Aling Taleng’s halo-halo doesn’t look and taste cheap like the ones we’re used to. It’s also not so sweet as not to overpower the various ingredients in it. Try it out for yourself to experience halo-halo that’s been made the same way since 1933.

A favorite dish in this town is “tulingan” or mackarel tuna as described in this marketmanila link (click here) called “sinaing na tulingan.” This is slow cooked tulingan with seasonings, kamias, and a little amount of pork fat. The flavor of the seasonings seep deep within the meat of the fish. You’ll also notice the bones to be soft thus making it edible (like canned sardines). This dish is very tasty and can either be served as it is or lightly fried to concentrate the flavor and the juices.

Some other food finds worth mentioning includes “Bibingkang Bugok” and “Snowball.” I warn you that “Bibingkang Bugok” is not for everyone. This is rotting duck eggs mixed with flour and seasonings cooked like bibingka. Yes you can even mistake it for the real bibingka which we are all used to but upon approaching it, you’ll notice that distinct foul stench (for most it smells foul, yet for me I find it appetizing). Unfortunately, during the weekend we we’re not able to chance upon the lady going around the town to sell these yummy treats. “Snowball” is shaved ice with syrup made up of from a concoction of brown sugar and pandan leaves with sago. Another perfect cheap treat for summer.

A big thanks to our readers

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 06:47:00 PDT

I'd like to share a feat or should we say a milestone that ManilaFoodFinds got recently. Well for most you guys out there this must be something very trivial, but for us here in ManilaFoodFinds it's something to celebrate about. I just found out that our blog got a PageRank 2 from google.

A big thanks goes to our readers. We very much appreciate your comments, e-mails and invitations. This is what motivates us to do better with our endeavor of bringing you good reviews on where to dine-out and have a great foodxperience.

It's also the first anniversary of ManilaFoodFinds! Our first post was made February 25, 2008. It seemed like only yesterday when I clicked my first Publish Post button.

Keep the comments and e-mails coming guys. We really love to hear from you - either if it's a rant, a rave, a thought, or what not - however small a gesture it is, it really does make our day.

Krispy Kreme doughnut + coffee = free

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:23:00 PDT

I love Krispy Kreme.

Way before the Krispy Kreme fever came here in the Philippines, I always make it a point to ask my relatives who visits from the US to bring a box or two for pasalubong. Even day-old Krispy Kreme doughnuts from states tasted helluva lot better than fresh ones offered locally. A local competitor was making great raves during that time and for most people, that was the next best thing.

Fast forward a few years, several Krispy Kreme stores started popping out, sharing to the Filipinos their own take on what doughnuts is all about, and we're greatly thankful for that. The local competitor is still there yet personnaly, either their doughnuts doesn't taste as good as before when they're just starting out or it taste just the same as before and we have simply compared it to something new.

Last week I received a newsletter from Krispy Kreme promoting their new line of doughnuts. They're also treating us a cup of their Signature Coffee and a Krispy Kreme Chocolate Glazed Doughnut. Simply fill out the form on the link below so you can treat yourself, your friends and everyone! We claimed ours last night at their branch in Mall of Asia after a dinner at Pho Hao and it served as a perfect dessert.

Claim your treat here:
www.chocolatekarnival.com

Enjoy!

A friendly reminder to dampa-goers...

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 09:44:00 PDT

A post was made by alfred1311 of tipidpc.com complaining about over-charging at a paluto restaurant at the Baywalk of Mall of Asia. The said establishment is called Aling Marsha's. Paluto restaurants are very popular nowadays where you get to pick and choose for yourself the ingredients for the dish you want cooked direct from the market or talipapa. This way you are sure that the fish and/or meat used in the dish is very fresh, including other ingredients. Usual rates are 150-200 pesos of cooking charge for every kilo of meat/fish.

Here's the link of the tipidpc.com thread: click me

We are also victims of this same modus on two separate accounts. One was at a popular paluto at Macapagal and the other one at a paluto at MOA. On some of these restos the waiters offer to buy the ingredients for you. A big no-no because the waiter may add 10-20 bucks per kilo on the actual cost of the ingredient or this same waiter may be a suki and ask the tindera to alter the receipt. I also heard that once in the kitchen they switch the ingredients you bought with their own stock. One funny thing I read sometime ago is that one time a group went there and bought a kilo of chicken wings and asked it to be cooked, once served they noticed there is this one piece of leg. Chili legs! Haha.

Personally, we shy away from these kind of establishments. Yes the ingredients may be fresh and is hand picked by you yet the premium is too high a price. 150 pesos per kilo is plainly not justified in my book. Yes I'm cheap, yet in this instance I don't consider myself to be cheap but practical. I'd rather go to Gerry's or Dencio's. Dishes from these restos can down you 150-200 bucks an order.

Here's a few reminders to make your experience in these restos worthwile:

1. Buy ingredients yourself. Don't let the waiter do this for you.
2. Before entering the establishment, ask how much is the rate for having your food cooked. Also ask for discounts, they usually give 10-20% discount on the cooking charge.
3. Once cooked and served, check the amount of meat you have on the dishes. If you're OC count the number of shrimp's in that sinigang or tempura.
4. Check the bill thoroughly. Add up everything yourself and check for additional charges like service charge and tax. Don't hesitate to bring out your calculator or phone when you have to.

Tres Pares Fastfood

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 07:44:00 PDT

We make it a point that whenever we go to our cousins’ place at Cainta, we travel late at night since the traffic in that area is horrendous especially at peak hours. Last night, we went there to drop-off our mom who manages some business which the family put up there. We still haven’t had dinner and I was not in the mood for some usual fast food so we went to this place called Tres Pares Fastfood which I know we can pass-by. I have been to this place a few times already and I always order the Pares which comes with a serving of garlic fried rice. For those who don’t know, it’s like beef stew with a rather sweet, thick sauce. I do compare it to Chowking’s Braised Beef which is also one of my favorites when I eat there. The beef is so tender, it needs little mastication once the meat lands in your mouth.

We also ordered Tapsilog (you can’t go wrong with tapsi), thin slices of fried marinated beef with fried egg with garlic fried rice. All orders come with free soup. The soup however in this instance tasted a bit funny and we all didn’t touch it after one or two spoonfuls.

I have tried better tapsilog from other resto / fast food which for me is better than the one’s offered here. Clearly their specialty is the Pares which I really do recommend when you find yourself along Amang Rodriguez Ave. starving late at night and need a quick fix.

Vibang's Food Delights' @ BF Resort Las Pinas

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 08:28:00 PDT

Nothing beats a good ol home cooked meal. This is what Vibang’s Food Delights’ is known for around our side of the town. It’s conveniently located smack in the middle of BF Resort Village here in Las Pinas City along Abel Nosce Street near STI Elementary School. They offer a wide variety of different dishes, desserts, pasalubongs and drinks. From the humble adobo to the complicated kare-kare, you name it they have it. Once in a while they also serve california maki which is reasonably priced and I make it a point to order or take-out some when we visit. Barbecue’s, inihaw na liempo, bangus, tilapia, talong and soup dishes like bulalo, sinigang, sinampalukang manok and tinola - you’ll have a frenzy choosing what you want. Everything looks and smells extremely delicious so take a grip of yourself not to over order.

There is a also a fruit shake stand so you can order your favorite fruit shake. Want a four season shake? No problem. They can mix you up to 4 fruits for your shake! There’s always lots of fruits to choose from and the owner of the fruit shake stand is very accommodating.

The establishment is reminiscent of a beach kubo. The faint whiff of barbecue smoke makes it a little more appetizing to eat and ups the ambience a bit. There are lots of tables for customers, however this place can easily be jam packed during lunch time. You can park on the side of the road but it can be quite a walk when there are lots of diners. Also, don’t forget to lock your vehicle and bring your valuables with you. I heard there was one incident where a customer’s car was broken into and some stuff were taken.

This time we ordered gindara steak, halaan soup, kinilaw na tanigue, inihaw na liempo and talong (with bagoong) and ginatan na tilapia (which was just cooked and still piping hot). Everything tasted delish with particular applause to the gindara steak. There is also free soup and you can choose from what soup dish they have that day. Halfway through the meal our drinks were served which included watermelon, strawberry and melon shakes and saging con yelo.

We really love going to this place every now and then and with the variety of dishes they serve, you can pick a different one every time you visit. I highly recommend this place.

They're closed on mondays by the way.

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 08:16:00 PST

Happy new year food lovers!

A new year means new food adventures and finds!

Thanks for all the readers out there.

^_^

Puhnene's @ Moonwalk Village, Las Pinas

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 09:38:00 PDT

Let me introduce you to one of my favorite quick and cheap food go to's in the dead of the night.

Puhnenes's at Moonwalk Village (in front of the Nature Church) has been around as long as I can remember. During our "Counterstrike days" we frequent the place after a long bout of "shooting and terrorizing."

Puhnene's Tapsi-Goto ATbp. is not for the light eaters I warn you!

As you can see on the Menu, everything is real cheap, and as you will see on the pics, they offer hefty servings.

This is the famous Goto served with a generous amount of lugaw. This 22 peso dish will satisfy your hunger! I didn't even finish my bowl. The meat is very tender but still with a bit of bite to it. Some like it with lots of pepper. I like it just the way it is.

The "Tapsilog" here in Puhnene's is the must try dish. Again, not for the light eaters. Here the dish is looking for a guy who can have a good with lots of rice and an extra if need be. The tender and juicy beef tapa fried which has a slight crunch outside and tender all through out. It is semi-sweet and when goes real well with spiced vinegar. The fried rice that comes with it is a huge serving too and is heaping from the cup when served.

Try out Puhnene's at Moonwalk Village (fronting Nature Church) after a tiring gimmick or a heavy breakfast. It's open 24 hours which makes it all the better.

N-LO'S @ BF Homes Paranaque

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 21:32:00 PST

Scour the entire Aguirre Street at BF Homes yet you wont find a place packed as N-LO'S is. This new hangout place located at BF is still rocking when we arrived at 2:00 A.M. one gimmick night.
Not packed with your daily dose of chicks and gals though... This is the place where you can spot the hottest chicks in their fashionably neck-breaking outfits. Literally you will count the ol' plain uns. Where the hot chicks are, us boys follow!

You won't miss this when you drive around the area. It's the place where you can see lots of cars parked even some blocks away.

Like Central BBQ Boy Grill (click here for review), N-LO'S serve their own mix of signature cocktails. We had their bestseller which is the "911" (need help? lol). Not much of a kick for the seasoned drinkers but a good side drink for a cold SMB. Priced at 195 bucks per pitcher (1.5 ml).

Onto the food which you've been waiting for. This "Street Food Platter" didn't impress us. Several fishballs, squidballs and kikiams with plain vinegar as a dip for 100 bucks. I know, I should've asked what is included in the platter. Was expecting some isaw, kwek-kwek or something like that.

The "Kesong Puti Pizza" is a winner. Thin crust pizza with light marinara sauce and goat cheese topped with some dried basil. This would be better though if they used fresh basil rather than the dried ones. Still, for 200 bucks, would you complain?

The deal breaker was the "Balut a la Pobre" which is pictured below. If you love our very own balut, you would love this one. The balut was deshelled and was cooked in this sweet, spicy and salty concoction of a sauce and wonderfully placed in a sizzling plate. Served smoking hot and yummy! The sauce by itself merits an applause. Priced at 90 bucks.

Lastly we had the "Squid Sisig" topped with an egg. Just the way I like it, the squid was cooked right so as to be soft, not tough, but with some chewiness in it. Aside from the usual onions, garlic and ginger, I like how they added some mayonnaise that gives a creamy flavor that blends the ingredients altogether. The egg, placed raw at the top, cooks from the heat of the sizzling plate and again add some more creaminess and soft texture to the dish. Best served with a drizzle of calamansi and a few swish of hot sauce. Priced at 130 bucks.

Try it out and have an adventure of your own at N-LO's. A real convenient place to hang out right in the middle of the village. Searching for some drinking spree? Some fun? Or just want to "eye" some hot girls? Look no further! N-LO's is the place for you!

BF Homes Paranaque Map

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:04:00 PST

Here's a map of Paranaque and BF Homes for those of you not familiar with the area.

Take note of the several exits so pick the most convenient route. The guards sometimes require you to surrender an ID once you enter. A cool trick is to wave at the gate guard before he flags you down. Works like a charm and makes you wonder if you're a Jedi. ^_^

http://www.bfhomes.net/paranaque_map.htm

Tapsi Plus Tipid Treats

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 12:13:00 PST

There's tons of food establishments in the busy main streets of BF Homes Paranaque and I made myself a mental note to frequently scour the area for more food finds.

This time after driving around looking for something cheap and quick, our eyes got blinded by the brightness of the signage: "TAPSI PLUS" along President's Avenue. The place would really catch your attention with the bright colors of the interiors. The establishment is open air but the cool breeze of the night air is good enough for me.

By the way there are a few roads leading to this treasure trove of food places in the middle of BF Homes (click here for link). I mainly use the approach from Toyota Alabang but if I would be coming from SLEX, I would exit at Sucat then turn left at President's Ave.

There are short orders to choose from and a buffet-like area where you can pick your favorite pinoy dishes which they have for the day. Prices of the food are affordable and service is quick.

I got the Paresilog (beef pares, fried rice, fried egg) priced at 49 pesos. Notice the heart shaped egg, cute, the serving of pares too! I think I counted around 4 pieces of beef there. The taste is ok but I prefer the sauce of the pares to be thicker than what they have here. I also noticed that the pares is too oily.

We also had Maki priced at 42 pesos. Thick noodles sauteed in the right amount of sauce and flavoring. The toppings are worth noting too that included sliced kikiam, fishballs, shredded chicken and vegetables. Tastes good and the serving size is enough for two people. Perfect for a side dish.

April had the Super Tapsilog priced at 65 pesos. There's a regular Tapsilog selling for 42 pesos and after asking the waitress she told us the only difference is the amount of tapa. Still, the Super Tapsilog's serving of tapa was not that plentiful.

Prices:
Super Tapsilog - 65 pesos
Maki - 42 pesos
Paresilog - 49 pesos
Total - 156 pesos

Manila food finds' Scoreboard:

Overall Taste/Flavor -7/10
Place - 6.5/10
Value for Money - 7/10

Juzam's thoughts:

Cheap and affordable quick meals right in the middle of the village. A good place to eat for ending the night after gimmicks when you're hungry again. Too bad though that the serving sizes of the viands are too little, but the taste made up for it.

Best Dish:
Maki - at 42 bucks, lots of toppings and big serving - a clear winner

Worst Dish:
Paresilog - 4 pieces of beef, oily

Call 906-0525 for deliveries.

Godly Cupcakes by Sonja @ Serendra, Bonifacio Global City

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:27:00 PST

Now let me warn you that the Sonja's Cupcakes featured here is a sinful indulgence and probably addictive. These little cupcakes are so good! That's the only word I can think of to describe it at this moment. Haha. Once you enter the place you'll notice the 60's theme which would remind you of your old Grandma's kitchen. The little pieces of decor like the old radio and weighing scale provided a classy touch to the already well designed interior.

The colorful little devils looks so nice arranged in files.

To wash off that pungent taste in my mouth from our dinner (click here for link) I had a strong chocolate dessert. April had a mocha flavored one.

Sonja's Choco Cream Pie is made up of crushed oreo as the crust, luscious chocolate cream as the filling and is topped with a blob of tasty whipped cream sprinkled with oreo bits. Does that sound great or what?

This cupcake made me reformat my thoughts about those dry, tough and breadlike cupcakes. The chocolate cream filling is so soft and is accented by the texture of the oreo crust. The whipped cream is sweet and is a dessert in itself!

April had the Mocha Motion with the basic cupcake as the base topped with mocha cream and sprinkled with choco bits. The slight bitterness from the choco bits acted as a buffer for the very sweet mocha cream. The cupcake base is soft, juicy and oh so delish. Who ever Sonja is, kudos to you!

Prices:
Choco Cream Pie - 98
Mocha Motion - 58
Total - 156 (+ 12% VAT)

Manilafoodfinds' Scoreboard:

Overall Taste/Flavor -9/10
Place - 8/10
Value for Money - 3/10

Juzam's thoughts:

Yes it's an amazing cupcake. It's the best cupcake I ever had. BUT I think it's overpriced. A little cupcake for 98 bucks? Still, with the best, you pay a premium.

For more info on other flavors check out OurAwesomePlanet (click here for link)

Authentic Indian Cuisine by AUM New Bombay @ The Columns, Makati

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:07:00 PST

Moving on with satisfying our desires for some of that unique Asian taste, we tried New Bombay located at the G/F Columns Tower I, Malugay St., Makati City.

Upon entering the place you will feel suddenly warped to India with the perfectly themed interiors plus the owner who himself is an Indian. Then there's a couple of Indian dining at the next table. A good indication of the authenticity of the the food served here. The paintings gave the place that homey feel combined with the chandeliers and the intricately designed chairs.

The smoked glass windows separates the dining area with the kitchen and gives you an idea how the chef prepares the meal. A sudden burst of fire inside the kitchen nearly shook me off my seat for once there. After some minutes of deliberation, we ordered their two of their special drinks, a curry dish, a chicken dish and some Indian bread.
Let's start with the Flavored Lassi Yogurt which comes in strawberry, buko pandan, mango, ube and rose variants. We got the Rose flavored yogurt (pink one) that has that fine sourness draped in sweet and cool yogurt. The rose flavor tastes as much as the rose flower does smell (really) and gave much truth that the sense of smell acts as an amplifier to the sense of taste. A must try when you go here.

This next drink however didn't conform to my liking. I know the ingredients of this drink is clearly written in the menu but they did take it literally. It's indicated in the menu that the Chaas Butter Milk has coriander, cumin, ginger and chili. I can't complain since they didn't indicate it didn't have sugar in it! Hehe. The owner said that it's a very popular drink in India. The guy at the other table had his in about three sips from the straw. Well, as the ingredients point it out, it taste exactly like that. Some sourness and milk taste with the added pungent taste from the coriander and cumin. It was not hot though as what the owner had warned me. I suggest you put this off for your second or third visit. It's an acquired taste for sure. And I was hoping for the Buttermilk from Harry Potter. (LOL)

On to the main dishes...

The Roomali Special made with thin white flour bread is perfect for our next two dishes. The softness and hints of crunchiness adds texture while the buttery taste makes it a step ahead from regular rotti. It's a bit oily though so heads up for dieters and alike.

Can't eat in an Indian resto without trying their curry! We had the Mutton Curry (lamb) and honestly, I was really not impressed. I was expecting more of a twist to it but I reckon they sided more with the authenticity bit. Another thing was that I thought the dish was going to be a bit hot but it was not. A great curry dish nonetheless.

With our last dish, we ordered the Chicken Malai Masala. It's boneless chicken sauteed in masala and gravy and some grated cheese on top. This was an excellent offering, didn't taste a bit Indian to me but more like an American dish from Friday's. The chicken was cut rightly enough for easy pickings, the gravy was yummy and the cheese added a little salty touch to it. Another must try.

After dinner we had dessert at Cupcakes by Sonja (click here for link).

Here's the prices of our orders:

Chicken Masala - 175
Mutton Curry - 155
Roomali Special - 80
Flavored Lassi Yogurt - 65
Chaas Butter Milk - 55

Total - 550

Manilafoodfinds' Scorecard:

Overall Taste/Flavor - 7.5/10
Place - 8.5/10
Value for Money - 5/10

Juzam's thoughts:

A good place for an Indian treat. Prices are wee bit on the high side for us, but that's expected for a resto with this caliber and their location - right smack in the corner of Ayala and Buendia. Serving size is good in relation to its price. Not a bad meal. Will try out more of what they have some other time.

Best Dish:
Chicken Malai Masala

Worst Dish:
Chaas Butter Milk - an acquired taste, not sweet!

They do have another branch at Glorietta Food Choices, 3/F, G4 Glorietta, Makati.

An Okay Dinner @ Hap Chan Tea House

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 12:30:00 PST

Tonight, eager for more Chinese cuisine, we had a go at Hap Chan Tea House which is located along Real St, Pamplona, Las Pinas which is very near our place.

Hap Chan serves your favorite Chinese treats like dimsum, noodles, stir fried noodles, congee, an assortment of roasted meats and a lot more!

Along with other Chinese restaurants, Hap Chan serves complimentary hot tea.

The meal starts with the arrival of the Radish Cake served with some hoisin sauce. This texture of the dish is comparable to cassava cake and the taste is quite bland until dipped in the hoisin sauce.

There's also a little surprise inside with the addition of a little piece of meat.

Didn't get to order chicken feet the last time we dined in a Chinese restaurant so I got Hap Chan's Chicken Feet with Tausi Sauce. This dish literally melts in your mouth (except the bones of course)! The gelatinous skin and meat falls of from the bone with a delicate tap of the fork. The sauce really made its way into the epicenter of the meat which has some spicyness and sweetness to it.

The Spare Ribs with Tausi Sauce was pretty bland for my taste again and the meat, if it was meant this way, was not that tender.

The Beijing Dumpling Noodles is another so-so dish. The dumplings appears to be big but its mainly due to the illusion provided by the wanton wrapper. The meat or the filling inside it was very tiny. The noodles are ok but the soup was horrible and was too salty probably because it was already 11:30 P.M. and the broth was boiling all day, or probably not.

Next dish we had was the Beef Brisket Noodles. The beef was so soft and can easily be cut with your chopsticks, very tender and was a treat to chew, just the way I like it. The noodles was just right same as the previous dish but again the soup was too salty.

The star of the dinner was the Almond Jelly which was served with crushed ice and a piece of cherry that gave color to the otherwise all white dessert. The almond jelly has just the right amount of flavoring and sweetness to it. This offering can serve as a dessert or can double as a drink, upon the diners discretion.

Here's the prices of our orders:

Tea - free
Radish Cake - 58.00 Pesos
Chicken Feet with Tausi Sauce - 58.00 Pesos
Spareribs with Tausi Sauce - 58.00 Pesos
Bejing Dumpling Noodles - 58.00 Pesos
Beef Brisket Noodles - 58.00 Pesos
Almond Jelly - 50.00 Pesos

Total - 340.00 Pesos

Manilafoodfinds' Scorecard:

Overall Taste/Flavor - 5/10
Place - 8.5/10
Value for Money - 5/10

Juzam's thoughts:

Comparing the same line of dishes with our trip to Binondo (click here) in terms of taste and value, the winner is clear. We'll try other dishes on our next trip here.

Worst dish/es:
Both the noodles, too salty.

Best dish:
Almond Jelly

Hap Chan Tea House official website (click here)

Have my post improved? Let me know! Feel free to leave suggestions and tips on how to improve my blog. ^_^

3rd World Pyro Olympics 2008 - Here I come!

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 11:06:00 PST

Heads up for everyone!

Just reminding all of you that the biggest show in the sky will be held every Saturday night on the month of April! The 3rd World Pyro Olympics will showcase the best pyrotechnic display each participating country has to offer. The competitors for this year are China, Germany, Japan, Canada, Italy, Venezuela, France, Korea and Australia. The Philippines will act as the host once more and will not be competing.

Wouldn't it be such a blast to dine and wine under the sparks and lights?

Check the official website for the complete schedule and for further updates.

See you there!

If it's a secret place, we probably don't know it (yet)!

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 07:08:00 PST

And since a new week starts...

If you have any suggestions on secret places to eat here in the south (Alabang, Paranaque, Las Pinas) kindly let us know. We'll eat there and feature it here! We'll also give you all the credit you rightly deserve!

Thanks in advance! ^_^

Seafood Ecstasy @ Taste of Asia, Mall of Asia

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 06:25:00 PST

On to seafoods!

I really don't get it why some people don't like the taste of seafood. I do understand if you're allergic to it though. I have this cousin that whenever we go to the province he brings Spam and Vienna Sausage so he would have something to eat knowing that our relatives would serve us seafood there (which I love, sorry Cuz).

After the movies the bunch of us were really starving! Good that Taste of Asia is conveniently located at the side entrance of Mall of Asia in Pasay City (Hypermarket side)

What's better than to enjoy a sumptuous seafood meal with the family, right? Heavy eaters as we are, we got some Pancit Canton, Halaan (clam) Soup, Buttered Shrimps with Garlic and Sweet and Spicy Crabs. The Pancit Canton is so-so. The Halaan Soup offered a salty and bitter (in a good way) taste mainly because of the malunggay leaves with hints of garlic and ginger.

The Crabs taste good enough with a bit of sweetness in its meat. It's also packed with aligue (crab fat) which we enjoyed a lot. Crabs here in Manila is nothing compared to ones in far away provinces. The real star of the dish is the sauce. The sweet and spicy sauce provided a boost in the crabs flavor without overpowering the delicate meat. With the addition of garlic and butter, this dish is a winner.

What's a seafood meal without shrimps? The shrimps size is perfect for my picking. I don't like real small and real big shrimps (sugpo). Let me explain. Shrimps that are too small are hard to de-shell while the flavor on big shrimps are somewhat less or mellow. In addition, big shrimps have less surface area for the sauce (in this case butter and garlic) to stick to. That's just me though. A perfect dip with this is spiced vinegar with calamansi (lime) to bring out the sweetness and unique seafood taste!

2nd Trip to Wan Chai @ Binondo

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 05:55:00 PST

In less than a week, the craving for another go with some Binondo treats starts to set in. Since it's late at night we decided to skip the hunting part and go back to Waichan (click here for the previous post with this resto) where we enjoyed a particularly hefty meal.

We loved their dimsums and we're off to try out more of what the place has to offer. The last time we visited, we ordered a shrimp trifecta and we left the place all full and satisfied.

First up, we ordered the Beef Hofan. It comes with a sort of flat noodles (as pictured above) and lots of beef garnished with some bean sprouts. This dish has that distinct smoky and woodsy flavor. The smell of this dish will make your mouth water in seconds!

As we are getting comfortable with the place we dared to try out other dishes. The next dish is their version of Goto (the meat you find in the all-popular goto or arozcaldo dish). Imagine the chicken feet dish most Chinese resto offers and replace it with goto. It's cooked very well and the meat is so tender, it melts in your mouth. It tasted a bit sweet with hints of soy sauce and has this gelatinous texture to it. Loved it from the very first bite.

We then ordered another dumpling dish which I don't know what its called (help me please!). There's this food cart kase which I approached to see all the delectable steaming dumplings. I just picked it out thought it was shrimp dumpling like the one we ordered before. It turned out to be different. It still has shrimp but with added minced veggies.

Our third offering this evening is the Fried Dumplings. Again this dish has minced pork, shrimp and veggies as its filling . The dumplings are fried so watch out it's steaming hot! This was served with rice wine vinegar which when tasted made the whole thing burst out with a mixture of flavors.

This Binondo food find is a must try. Fantastic value for money. All this for roughly 230 Pesos (discounts after 9:00 P.M. remember?). Flavors are great, great place and a great Chinese food experience altogether.

Wan Chai is located along Benavidez Street, Binondo, Manila.

Big, Big Meals @ Italianni's

noreply@blogger.com (juzam) — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 00:55:00 PST

I featured a similar review with Yellow Cab where we ordered pizza and pasta on my previous post (click here). Let's try what Italianni's have for us!

Italianni's, as what the name connotes, serves Italian (or Italian inspired?) dishes. One thing that sets Italianni's apart is its generous servings with every dish. As with all branches, the ambiance lends a homey and pub feel with its lush and old-wood designed interiors.

We ordered Spaghetti and Meatballs and Classic Pizza, a two-punch combo for an Italian resto. The meatballs are so huge! The pasta dish itself will have you full in no time. The proportion of sauce and pasta is just right, not runny and not too dry.

The BIG pizza is another story in itself. There's Italian sausage, there's mushroom and peppers, there's mozarella and Romano cheeses - a classic indeed. I like how the crust is chewy in the inside and crunchy on the outside. The toppings on this one is also in the generous side.

Have a slice of Italy with Italianni's!

Italianni's website click here

Complete menu provided my munchpunch click here