Manila Food Trip

Bon Bon Cinnabon

2012-03-19T22:56:00.000+08:00

*tulo laway*

He says...

Just look at the photo above...

...

Seriously LOOK at it!

It tastes even better than it looks.

He rates: 4.5 of 5. Because it's just bread (racist!!)

She say...

Cinnabon rolls are yummy on its own. Add in some buttercream frosting, top it with roasted pecans, and drizzle it with caramel... heaven indeed! Been coming back for more. Really goes well with a warm coffee. So yummy indeed! Another diet-wrecker... lol!

She rates: 5/5

Worst. Donut. Ever.

2012-03-18T09:45:00.001+08:00

Yummy...?

J.Co is a coffee and donut shop you can find at the mega strip at megamall.

He says...

Oh where do I begin? Right off the bat let me tell you: Worst. Donut. Ever.
I'll tell you why.

Sin #1: Almonds on donuts. They dont mix.. at all!
Sin #2: Cheese on donut. Bloody tastes like ensaymada!
Sin #3: Nutella on donuts. I can buy my own nutella and bread, thank you very much!
Sin #4: Nuts on donuts that tastes like the cheap nuts being sold at bus stations in our province. Only worse.
Sin #5: Green Tea flavor on donuts. What the heck were you thinking?!
And Sin #6 worst sin of all: it's in the same price range as Krispy Kreme and Go Nuts!

While eating the donuts, I was just wondering if it was a 6-year old who came up with those flavors.

I can't believe donuts could taste so horrible.. and I've already tasted those cheap bread-pretending-to-be-a-donut.

Regrets. I have them.

He rates: 1 of 5. Just because I was hungry.

She says...

Horribly sad this binge day was! Never thougt I'd waste more than 600 calories of my daily allowance just for this crappy thing. Really so expensive for a lame tasting doughnuts.

Indeed looks can be deceiving! They all looked so yummy, colorful... so mouth watery but there's nothing more to it.Just an eye candy.

What have I done to deserver this?!

Oh yes, they've got such fancy names too...
1.Tiramisu- more like coffee powder sprinkled over milky glaze
2.Mr.Green Tea- not a hint of tea, almonds just don't blend in, really just bread with sticky sweet
3.Jacky Chunk- more like peanut brittle...duh!
4. Choconuttzy- nutella filled bread...just that, nothing more. BREAD!If I wanted bread, I'd drop by BreadTalk instead.
5. Don Mochino- Another nutella variant, just now, it's glazed over the bread and whipped cream as filling
6.Alcapone-their "most wanted" is jut the saddest.I love almonds but it just doesn't make this bread even slightly special.
7.J Club Cheese- worst ensymada variant ever!

And the drinks... iced thai tea and iced green tea, they're just the worst drinks ever concocted. I don't like my drinks too sweet, but I don't like it like it bland either!

Never going back to this forsaken place!

She rates: 1 of 5

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Cabalen: Pigging Out - Pinoy Way

2011-09-16T09:13:00.000+08:00

We're sort of on a diet, if you call "eating whatever you like now and don't eat anything later" a diet, so despite having a food blog, we almost never go to buffets. They are the temptress that challenges our will. Resisting the urge to eat more is oftentimes futile and giving in is the only way to ease the heavy psychological burden it entails.

This time though, I was curious as to how this buffet-style Filipino restaurant, Cabalen, is faring since I last I there, maybe 7 years ago, so I ~~forced~~ pleaded Anne to eat there after our weekend French lesson. I was curious for two things: 1) Has the taste changed since I last ate there, and 2) Has my taste changed since I last ate there. That was last week but I just succeeded ~~bargaining~~ this week and so off we went into this obesity-encouraging Filipino restaurant.

As this is a buffet, we didn't really have any set meals since we just got a plate and filled it with whatever we liked that's on display.

He says...

I have this gut feeling that Filipino restaurants or any other Filipino establishments degrade in taste and quality as time goes by probably because of the whole "ningas kugon" thing. I was a but surprised because the taste wasn't as horrible as I thought it would be. In fact, it was tres bien (very good in French; Shut up, I'm just practicing!). They had most (if not all, I can't tell since there are so many!) of my favorite foods like longaniza, tocino, crablets and many more and they all tasted as good as the best ones I've tasted in my life. Note that we had this meal on a half-empty/half-full (pessimistic/optimistic?) stomach. Hunger and fullness more often than not skews our taste in food.

Possessed while Eating. DO NOT DISTURB.

One bad thing I can say about the whole experience, though, is their iced tea. It was horrible. I don't know if it was watered down or they were intentionally trying to kill us with bad taste.

He rates: Food 4.5/5; Iced Tea 0.5/5

She says...

I'm really not fond of buffets. I always end up getting a tummy ache. Often times I throw up due to too much ingested food. This time though, not sure if I moderated my consumption 'coz I did have 3 platefuls plus a glass of halo-halo for dessert, but Cabalen day was a no throwing up day for me. Sure my tummy did ache a while and I felt so horrible (and guilty) after that lunch but I really did enjoy the crablets and the other dishes there. They were cooked in a classic Filipino way, no fancy dishes with elaborate presentation, just good Filipino food.

I was disappointed though of the kare-kare. It just didn't have a balance of slightly sweet and creamy pea-nutty dish I had always look forwarded to each time I see one served (even in our hospital cafeteria).

Apart from that, the fondue was tasty as usual, although they didn't have plenty of treats for the fondue, just marshmallow and a few variety of fruit slices.

Over-all, the lunch experience was pleasant.

She rates: 4/5

Too Hungry for an Eel

2011-09-14T10:00:00.000+08:00

It was one humid afternoon, when my sister and I was in the Pedro Gil area, we were really famished since it was around three in the afternoon and we hadn’t had our lunch yet. I guess we were having a hypoglycemic surge already. So we went to Robinson’s to look for a place to eat.

I wasn’t quite familiar with the place so she suggested that we eat at UCC. She had already eaten there and said that the food was great. So we looked at the menu and ordered.

I chose the Unagi Rice paired with lemonade while she, on the other hand, went for Omurice and got a cocoa float on the side. Food was served, all the while I thought that Unagi was beef, and lo, to my surprise, it wasn’t, to my dismay it was fish, I wasn’t pleased with the odor and was quite nauseated when I smelled it.

My sister saw me and asked me to try her food, and I liked the taste, so we decided to swap our orders. Thank heavens for that! Good grief if she hadn’t agreed, I wouldn’t have the stomach to swallow the whole dish.

The Unagi Rice didn’t quite suite my taste buds and my olfactory for that matter. I know, for an expensive dish such as that, I should have been delighted with it, but sad to say it’s not the price that matters but the taste which is of prime importance.

For the Omurice, well for me, from the taste down to the presentation, it was superb. I would recommend it to my friends. The rice and fish was cleanly wrapped inside the omelet which was quite deceiving. All the while I thought it was just a simple omelet but then, the presentation gave it a touch of mystery, which is quite important. The rice and fish were well cooked and the mixture of the flavoring was pleasing.

As for the drinks, well for the lemonade, it was quite sour; it lacked sweetness, which is important for sweet-toothed people like me, but if you prefer the sour taste then I am pretty sure you’ll love their lemonade.

As for the cocoa float, it was not what I expected it to be. After all, its price was soaring high. I thought that it was presented more elegantly but then it lacked the wow factor which can be expressed through presentation. As for the taste, well it lacked the sweetness and the richness of cocoa mixed with the ice cream. I wanted it to be creamier though, that’s the reason why it’s called a float because you want it to be creamier and better to the taste, isn’t it?

Hanna rates...

2/5 Unagi rice; 4.5/5 Omurice; 3/5 lemonade; 3/5 cocoa float

Anne's Laboratory: Choco Oatmeal Bars

2011-09-12T10:51:00.000+08:00

I've been attempting to perfect this recipe which I got from my mom several months ago but it was only yesterday when I have finally gotten exactly what I wanted. I've always been struggling finding the perfect temperature since I have been using an electric oven.

For this recipe here are the things that you will need:

3 cups oatmeal

2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour with 1/2 tsp salt and 1tsp baking soda

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

2 tsps vanilla

1 can condensed milk

1 1/2 cup cocoa

1 cup chopped nuts

Procedure:
1. Stir together the oatmeal, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda.

2. Cream butter in an electric mixer while slowly adding the sugar.

3. Beat in the eggs.

4. Add in the oatmeal and flour mixture to the butter. Mix well to form a dough.

5. Line pan with wax paper and place half of the dough in the pan.

6. Heat condensed milk in the double boiler.

7. Add in the cocoa.

8. Add in the nuts.

9. Line dough with 3/4 of the chocolate mixture.

10. Place the remaining dough into the pan, carefully lining it over the chocolate mixture.

11. Top dough with remaining chocolate mixture.

12. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit over 25-30 minutes.

Anne's Laboratory: Classic Fudge Brownies

2011-09-06T10:07:00.001+08:00

I love brownies. These ultimately chocolatey dessert especially when topped with vanilla ice cream always makes my heart swell. I like brownies when they're soft and gooey, fudgilicious.

I've been trying to perfect how to make these delectable treats and perhaps I have finally found the way how. I used several recipes and combined them to something that made sense to me. Lol. (I pick and choose the ingredients which are readily available and substitute the rest that aren't.)

For this recipe, here are the things that you will need:

1 cup butter

1 cup cocoa

2 tsps vanilla

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour with 1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

5 eggs

1 cup nuts ( I chose cashew since a friend of mine got me these)

Procedure:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Melt butter. Add in the cocoa and vanilla. Set aside.

3. Beat eggs and sugar. Add in the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix well.

4. Fold chocolate into the mixture.

5. Add nuts.

6. Place in a 9x9 greased pan. Top with nuts.

7. Bake for 10-15 minutes.

Bedazzling Dinner

2011-09-05T09:50:00.015+08:00

My co-workers have been inviting me to have dinner at a place that bears name that's truly intriguing, Gayuma ni Maria. I was never able to join them but I did tell him about it and had him oblige to soon check out the place.

We were on our way home from a unit viewing when we decided to finally have dinner there at Gayuma ni Maria. Indeed it's a resto that's truly tough to locate. Apart from the not so visible sign age from afar, the resto is located in a village lined with houses and this too appears like one. That night we hadn't found our way.

Today, we decided to have lunch there instead since the resto does open at around 10am however a meeting came up that we had to forgo. Good thing though was that we were able to find the place. The biggest landmark there is the SaveMore shop in the corner. If you're coming from EDSA, you would need to turn right at the SaveMore shop. Once you see the Sr. Pedro Lechon Manok stall, you're already close by. When you see a pink house, congratulations! You have finally found Gayuma ni Maria.

Since we had missed out on our opportunity to have lunch there, we decided to drop by for an early dinner treat. Finally, we were able to dine here.

The resto is not really grand looking. The lights are dimmed. I find the curtains dividing the tables that lines that side of the resto really cute. Indeed fit for a date night. The pink walls perhaps was chosen to give that love potion aura as their name suggest. Caution though, this is not a child-friendly place for that nice Sunday family lunch despite the truly chocolatey menu. A corner is lined with articles... toys, costumes, and the like to help you express your sexuality.

Tuliro, a nacho salad

Moving on, we had a an intriguing nachos, "Tuliro;" a chocolate-covered dory called, "Once you get black, you'll never come back" and an order of 'Rack Me Baby" with mashed potatoes on the side. We just had bottomless glasses of Royal for our drinks. Despite the interesting dessert line-up, our tummies could no longer accommodate them.

Choco-coated dory with rice and taro fries siding

She says....

'Tuliro' was a really yummy nacho salad. It minded me of fresh garden and fruit salad with natural yogurt dressing plus a twist of cheesiness and the crispy nacho toppings. It was really yummy!

'Once you get black, you'll never come back, was a really nice and unique dish. The fish was coated with chocolate (not the oozing type) as though the batter was made of chocolate. It had a nice caramel-ish sauce. A serving of this dish was actually too much for us both.

The 'Rack me baby' was comme ci, comme Ça. Not sure if we were just so full or it was just really as ordinary as it can be.

Overall dining experience was pleasant. It was quiet, not much people there, maybe because it was still early when we ate there (around 5pm).

She rates: 4.5/5 Tuliro; 4/5 Once You get black, you'll never come back; 3/5 Rack me baby.

Rack me baby (back ribs) with bar-be-que sauce

He says...

I never thought that a hippie-looking place would produce foods with wonderful tastes. The Nachos, despite looking like any old nachos you order every week, has something very different in its taste. I think it had some fruits in it which could account for the weird but pleasant taste.

The chocolate covered fish was also good but I could barely taste the chocolate. The fish in it was fresh and the cream included gave it a more juice taste.

The ribs was also very good. It had some spike in its taste that sent some alert signals in my brain. The meat was very soft (almost as soft as Rak's) and the sauce was just right.

Although, I may not have enjoyed the meal the way I should because I *may* have eaten a lot.

He rates: 5/5 for all 3.

What would I give up for an Asus ML Series 229H LED Monitor?

2011-09-04T17:16:00.005+08:00

I rarely add a product as a fan page on my facebook account but just recently I've become of fan of Asus due entirely to how much I love their Asus Transformer TF101. I'm also the type to buy an item that I often regret later but this is NOT one of them.

Mine!!!

Anyway, I recently (as in today as of this writing) saw a contest they posted on their fan page. It said "What would you give up for an Asus Monitor?" and I thought what indeed would I give up. Despite regretting a lot of purchases I've made, I usually dispose of the things I dislike so all the things I now have are the ones that I like.
I thought a long time (say, 30 minutes) of what I would give up for their gorgeous monitor and then I saw this:

Took me 30 minutes to realize I was eating this

That is the Choco Oatmeal Bar that Anne made (for those interested, a separate entry will be posted on the Hot-To-Make-This). It IS as delicious as it looks. In fact, this is all that's left from 32 bars. And it was just made last night.

And a few moments earlier, we just had the most delicious dinner (again, courtesy of Anne's cooking skills). It was a Very Veggie Rissotto (de facto name since it's her own recipe) and it was heavenly. I have never enjoyed rice on it's own before, much less with a whole bunch of vegetables in it, but this meal can be eaten without any viand. Here's a picture for your drooling pleasure:

Mashed potatoes? No! Vege-Rice!

So the question again comes to mind, what would I give up for an Asus Monitor?

THIS!

Chocolatey Breakfast

2011-08-24T09:22:00.000+08:00

His sister got him a sans rival came from Aristocrat. She said she left it at the fridge but all we saw was a box of chocolate cake... Or so we thought.

She is a fan of chocolate cake and anything chocolate so she was more excited to dig in. We sliced the cake and to our surprise it was indeed a chocolate-coated sans rival.

She says...
I loved every bite. I was feeling unwell that day and that different twist from the usually boring butter coated sans rival and the the overwhelmingly decadent chocolate cake was the perfect boost to the roughly-textured layers of moistened crackers. I really just can't get enough.

She rates: 5/5

Another Coffee Partner?

2011-08-23T09:04:00.008+08:00

I've been longing to once again taste my favorite oreo cheesecake from Starbucks when my friends decided that we meet at Starbucks Megastrip tonight. On my way here, I said to myself, finally, am going to have a bite of my favorite treat. When i ordered at the counter, the barista initially repeated my order of oreo cheesecake and suggested that i try out their new offering, the triple chocolate cheesecake. He said that it offers an even chocolatier experience. I conceded abd changed my order. Along with it, I got my usual caramel macchiato despite the fact that i was initially tempted to try out their hazelnut frapuccino but I guess my palate tonight wasn't as adventurous.

Food ordered: Triple Chocolate Fudge Cheesecake with Caramel Macchiato
Location: Starbucks, Megastrip, SM Megamall
Cost: P120 slice of triple chocolate fudge cheesecake; P155 grande caramel macchiato

She says...
The caramel macchiato has remained constantly balanced. It just have the right amount of creaminess and sweetness that makes this coffee truly a bittersweet symphony. I have always liked this brew.
The triple chocolate fudge cheesecake on tge other hand was indeed chocolatey. It had brownie bits and mini kisses as toppings while cocoa was indeed discernable in the cheesecake base. The crust was still similar to that of the oreo cheesecake but since everything was chocolate, it didn't really give an added zing to the treat. I don't think this new offering trumps my regular oreo cheesecake. The latter just has this nice blend of sweet chocolatey topping, a really creamy cake and a choco bonus crust. Indeed no more second helping for me.

She rates: 5/5 caramel macchiato; 3/5 triple chocolate fudge cheesecake

Stranded in the Airport

2011-08-22T14:00:00.011+08:00

Airports are probably the most boring place to be. Whether you're waiting for your flight or awaiting for someone, it just isn't the most comfortable place to be. Good thing there are a few restos that line the terminals that despite the over-priceds goodies and treats, give you a better and more comfy place to ease the waiting experience.

Today, we were at the NAIA terminal 3. We were waiting for someone and had noted that their flights all got delayed. Thus we decided to lounge at one of the restos there: Le Bistro. It's a coffee, pastry and sandwich shop that also offers some pasta. We just had our lunch before heading here so we just got coffee and a slice of cake.

He as usual, opted for a cold, Iced Mocha, while she had her usual hot cappuccino. We also tried out their cappuccino almond cake slice.

Food Ordered: Iced Mocha for him, Hot Cappuccino for her, a slice of cappuccino almond cake

Location: Le Bistro, NAIA 3

Cost: P119 iced mocha; P99 cappuccino; P135 cappuccino almond cake

She says...

I think this is truly an ideal place to lounge when you're waiting at the terminal. The place is quiet, the seats are comfy, and they have free wifi.

The coffee I had was alright. The cinnamon powder gave the cappuccino a nice twist. Otherwise it would have been simply brewed coffee with a bit of milk and sugar.

As for the cappuccino almond cake, it was unexpectedly moist. I liked it. I guess it exceeded my expectation. It looked dry but the butter perhaps made this cake soft and moist. The icing was butter based as well. It had just the right amount of sweetness, while the almond slices gave this cake a slightly crispy texture. I did find it weird though that their was a faint taste of rhum in this cake.

She rates: 3/5 coffee; 3.5/5 cake

Reminiscing Malaysia

2011-08-19T09:37:00.004+08:00

spicy version of Nasi Lemak's char kuey teow

Coupons is perhaps the latest craze that hit the Philippine market. It is where you get to enjoy perhaps the best deals in town. A few weeks ago he stumbled on this interesting deal, a half-price deal on a voucher in Nasi Lemak. It's a restaurant located in the east lane of the minotaur-friendly Robinsons Galleria. I personally found the name of the resto very interesting because it bore the name of the dish we stumbled upon while waiting for our return flight at the airport in Malaysia. When I ordered nasi lemak, I actually didn't have any idea what it was. I just saw the label "wraps" so I thought it was a sandwich. When we finally settled in the airport, after all the check-in procedures, voila! It turned out that nasi lemak is a dish that's got rice with sweet satay sauce, anchovies, pickled papaya, salted egg, and bagoong (shrimp paste). We were then non-rice eaters but we pretty much enjoyed the dish.

Going back to Nasi Lemak restaurant in Robinson's Galleria, we ordered the Nasi Lemak set, his all-time favorite char kuey teow, and milo dinosaur for the drinks.

Nasi Lemak's nasi lemak set

Food Ordered: Nasi Lemak set, Char Kuey Teow, Milo Dinosaur

Location: Nasi Lemak Restaurant, East Lane, Robinson's Galleria

Cost: Nasi Lemak set P260, Char Kuey Teow P220, Milo Dinosaur P118

Milo Dinosaur...
baka kasi mukha siyang brontosaurus

She says...

I really enjoyed the char kuey teow here. It had just the right blend of sweetness, spiciness, and yumminess. The noodles was firm. It was not a very oily dish. Compared to the char kuey teow in other restos, I liked this one the most. This one reminded me of the char kuey teow we had in Genting Highlands in Malaysia. He really liked the dish so when we got home, we've been shopping around several asian cuisine restos just to get a taste of the char kuey teow. This perhaps for me is the "one."

The nasi lemak set on the other hand was alright. The satay sauce was sweet and creamy. It had the essentials to make the dish a true nasi lemak such as the peanuts, anchovies, pickled papaya and shrimp paste although instead of the small sardine fish, they served a bigger fried fish and along with it a grilled chicken. The grilled chicken was very dry. The fish was unremarkable. The rice was sweet and creamy. It was perhaps a great dish but it just really didn't measure up.

Our drinks, the milo dinosaur was very delicious. It reminded me of the free milo served during sportsfest in my elementary days... The extra milo powder toppings was remarkably nice. I used to do that when I prepare my iced-cold glass of milo.

She rates: 3.5/5 Nasi Lemak; 5/5 Char Kuey Teow; 4/5 Milo Dinosaur

found another resto with char kuey teow on their menu!

He says...

Char Kuey Teow!!!!!

That pretty much sums up my feelings about this whole dinner. I first had the pleasure of having this fine meal when we were in Genting Highlands in Malaysia where we ordered 3 big plates of this dish. I ate two and a half of them. The Char Kuey Teow here is even more delicious than in Genting so I enjoyed myself even more.

When we ate the Nasi Lemak at the Airport in Malaysia, I disliked it because it was weird looking and weird tasting so I gave it to Anne and ended up eating round two at a popular international fastfood restaurant with a clown for a mascot. The Nasi Lemak here though was a different story, it was surprisingly good! It is no wonder they named this restaurant as such. The rice mixed with the satay sauce and peanuts and anchovies was freaking awesome! Of the two dishes, this was the more delicious one, the other dish just one ups this because I loved it in Malaysia and I have much love for char kuey teow.

The milo dinosaur was... meh. It was a stupid finish to such a wonderful meal. Maybe we should have stuck with some coffee or maybe water.

He rates: 5/5 for the meal. 1/5 for the milo

Malaysian-Thai Dinner on a Banana Leaf

2011-08-15T11:28:00.002+08:00

no plates... just banana leaves!

It was already about closing time when I reached Trinoma. Shops were already closing I didn't get there soon enough to find a pair of shoes that I was supposed to wear to a wedding the following day, thus we decided to just get something to eat. Since most of the shops inside were already closing, we headed to the fourth level where most restos and food bars are located. We scouted the area and saw Banana Leaf. I remember eating there one lunch about years ago. It was where we celebrated his graduation day. I remember that the food tasted great but we haven't been able to return to any of its branches since.

Pad Thai-Banana Leaf style tastes more like char kuey chow


at first I thought it was all shreds... Wok Fried Black Curry Lamb

Food Ordered: Wok Fried Black Curry Lamb and Pad Thai-Banana Leaf Style; Iced Malaysian Tarik and Iced Milk Tea Hong Kong Style for the drinks

Location: Banana Leaf, Trinoma

Cost: P238 Black Curry Lamb; P188 Pad Thai; drinks P68 each

while waiting

She says...

The food here tastes great. The wok fried black curry lamb (what a really lengthy name for a dish!) is really flavorful. It is mildly spicy that makes it really acceptable for those people who wants their food spiced but not flaming hot. The shreds that coated the lamb, presumably grated coconut added a pleasant texture to the dish. The pad thai noodles banana leaf style ('coz they also have a pad thai-thai style) tasted more like the char kuey chow we had in Genting Highlands in Malaysia. The flat rice noodles was cooked just enough so that it ain't sloppy. Soy sauce was predominant in this dish while the bean sprouts added a juicy, crunchy texture. Eating them all in a banana leaf makes dining here extraordinary and pleasant. The Malaysia Tarik complemented the dishes that we had. It has that sweet creamy taste resembling a caramel toffee.

She rates: 4/5 Wok Fried Black Curry Lamb; 3.5/5 Pad Thai-Banana Leaf Style; 3.5/5 Malaysia Tarik


taller tarik, stouter HK style iced milk teas

He says...

I've always liked Banana Leaf restaurant since the first time I ate there some years back. This visit is very special because we probably ordered their best foods yet!

The Pad Thai noodles reminded mo my favorite noodles back when I went to Malaysia, only tastier. This noodle had mo ingredients than before.

The lamb dish was excellent! It had a spicy flavor which I favor (rhyme!). Too bad we were a bit full then or I would have eaten them all there.

He rates: 5/5 for everything!

Street Food Frenzy

2011-08-14T20:56:00.002+08:00

standing in line waiting for my treat...

We've always noted people flocking extraordinarily around a food stall in Cubao MRT. After a few times that we've been passing by it, we decided to give it a try. The food stall's name is "tusok," and their specialty, fried innards from chicken intestine (isaw) to pork innards (mag wheels) and so much more.

Food ordered: Fried Isaw

Location: Tusok Food stall, Cubao MRT station

Cost: P25 per 4 pieces

She says...
Fried isaw in this stall is really yummy. It's got a nice blend of sweetness and saltiness along with the chewy texture of the chicken intestine makes this a truly perfect yet inexpensive treat for a hungry Juan. I really love this treat that I can't wait to drop by this stall the next time we alight from Cubao MRT.

She rates: 4.5/5

He says...
I'm not a fan of fried intestines or isaw but when you're busy you just have to make do and if you happened to be in Cubao MRT, this is probably the best choice. Like all isaw it has the slimey texture of innards that I dislike. Good thing there's vinegar to cover it all up.
He rates: 2/5 (not hungry) 3.5/5 (when hungry)

An Afternoon Tea Party

2011-08-06T11:46:00.000+08:00

a cup of hot Moroccan Mint Tea Latte

It's been raining hard all day, but despite that, we had to do a lot of errands that involved travelling from end to end across cities. To start with, we had a scheduled client appointment that very morning which got eventually cancelled due to "Typhoon Kabayan." Afterwards, we had to process are license renewal at PRC. Even though it was raining hard, we decided to go to PRC since we felt that the lines won't be long this time. (Most of the time, when you get there at 8am, the waiting line is tremendously long!) Indeed we were right. In just an hour, we both finished the renewal process despite having to go to and from across the street for the needed photocopy and paste.

We then headed to Trinoma as I needed to attend a meeting with my partners. since we got there early, we decided to sip some tea. (At least that's what I thought.) Anyway, we headed to Coffee Bean and I ordered a regular-sized vanilla tea latte and a Moroccan mint latte along with a chocolate chip cookie. I thought he wanted it hot since it's been cold all day only to find out he wanted the iced tea variant. He couldn't do anything though thus he just had to make do and wait for the cup of hot tea to cool down.

a cup of hot Vanilla Tea Latte

Location: Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Trinoma, Quezon City

Food Ordered: Vanilla Tea Latte, Moroccan Mint Latte, Chocolate Chip Cookie

alost forgot to take a photo of the cookie!

She says...

I always like hot tea.I find them really calming. I especially like sipping on hot tea after a really heavy meal. But I usually drink tea with just sugar or honey added. This is the first time I've actually tried drinking a tea latte. Since moroccan mint is my favorite tea variant, I opted to drink that one although I did try to taste the vanilla tea latte. The moroccan mint had a bolder and richer taste. I like it better thatn the vanilla tea latte since the latter was more milky in taste. The chocolate chip cookie on the other hand was nice. It wasn't oily and it just had the right texture, not too soft, not too hard either. The sweetness was also mild. I liked it.

She rates... 3.5/5 Vanila Tea latte, 4/5 Moroccan Mint Latte, 4/5 Chocolate Chip Cookies

in a really serious "work more" (DO NOT DISTURB)

Beyond Manila: Baguio Treats

2011-08-05T09:12:00.001+08:00

Baguio's dynamic duo

Baguio has always been known for great tasting vegetables, strawberries and the famous ube (yam) jam from Good Shepherd. It's been a while since we've lasted tasted it so what remains is a faint memory of the creaminess and sweetness of their ube jam, until recently when his mom just got home from Baguio and brought home these delightful treats... jars of Good Shepherd ube jam and walnut wheat bread from Baguio Town and Country Club.

yummy yams...

She says....

The ube jam still tastes delicious, very creamy and rich with the right amount of sweetness. The consistency has not changed, still that same pasty consistency that you can eat it as is or spread it over some bread. I prefer roping it on bread.

The walnut wheat bread was not so tasty on its own. It had a rough texture owning to pure wheat, which makes this fiber-rich that's truly perfect for all dieters and health buffs. Topping it with the ube jam is a different story. This crusty bread is truly a perfect match for the mildly sweetened ube jam. Together, it was truly a perfect snack... Or a dieter's lunch! Two sliced of bread was really heavy on the tummy, you need not gobble more.

She rates:4.5/5 Ube jam, 4/5 Walnut Wheat bread

Hawaiian Mid-afternoon Snack-out

2011-08-03T10:09:00.003+08:00

doesn't look like a resto from afar...

We were out to meet someone at UP Ayala Techno-Hub when we spotted this interestingly blue colored store that lie amidst all the different restos that forms a semi circle food hub. From afar, it didn't look anything like a resto. Compared to the rest of the food shoppes in the area, this one looked surprisingly lonely.... Had it not been for the poster with an ice cream on it, one would really think that it was an outlet store selling surfing gears.

Anyhow, we went inside and saw that it was indeed quiet. Just one man was seated in one of it's tables. We proceeded to order at the counter. It's like a fast-food chain, you place your order, pay at the counter, then after a while, your name will be called to pick up the goodies from the counter. We tried out their "best seller" wipe out burger and had cheese added to it. We also tried out their phat fries, which notably had fatter potato slices compared to most fries. For our drinks, she had a north shore pine iced tea, while he had the regular lemon iced tea.

burger to wipe out your hunger, 1/3lb beef patty!

Location: Hawaii's North Shore, UP-Ayala Techno-Hub
Food Ordered and Cost: Wipe Out Burger 1/3 lb patty-P165, add-on Cheddar Cheese-P15, Phat Fries-P60, North Shore Pine Tea (regular)-P60, Lemon Tea (large)-P50
Total Cost:P350

dining on a surfboard!

She says...

I like the ambiance of the place. They play soft but not sleepy kind of music. The surf board tables were really cute! As for the burger, it was really juicy. The patty was soft and tender. It was not like some other burger which have very rubbery and rigid patties. I also like the dressing that they placed on the burger, it had an adequate mix of sweetness, sourness, and yumminess. I also like how they sliced up the veggie into bits and pieces as it's often annoying when the lettuce just comes off when you bite off a burger.

The fries on the other hand was alright. It was not so crunchy but it wasn't flabby either. But like any other fries, it felt really fat-loaded.

The pine tea was interesting. It was not your usually iced tea. It had a hint of raspberry and a bit minty, just a little. Most importantly, it just had the right amount of sweetness.

Oh, I also received a freebie, a vanilla ice cream twirl since our bill had exceeded P180. Despite the rainy and cold weather, I enjoyed it so much. It actually had nothing fancy on it. It was just plain vanilla ice cream, but sometimes simple flavors, as long as they are full, can really make our palates happy.

She rates: 3.5/5 Wipe Out Burger, 3.5/5 Phat Fries, 4/5 Pine Tea, 4/5 Vanilla Iced Cream

pine or lemon?

phat or fat?

He says....

When I first saw their sign, I thought "What the heck? Hawaiian theme is sooo late 80s!" I went inside expecting some native-ish decor and hawaiian shirts and skirts but I was surprised that by Hawaiian they actually meant surfboards. They had surfboards for table.

Fancy.

This is a new food shop so we ordered their best selling stuff which is the burger. Amusing thing about their burger is that aside from the typical burger ingredients, you can add ingredients to them depending on your taste. We added cheese.

There were a few customers in the place so I expected their food to suck. They didn't. The burger, although not as dense and thick as the other burgers of its price range, was very delicious.

We also had their phat fries. They're thickly cut fries served with tomato. We ordered two. It was that good.

I don't know why there were so few people there. Maybe because it was raining really hard that day.

He rates...

4/5

A Really Confusing Dinner

2011-08-01T10:19:00.007+08:00

this place I think, used to be a car repair shop

ChickBoy is not a boy who has a lot of chicks (girls) or neither is it a half boy and half chick (again, girl). This is actually the name of the restaurant. They rode on the name's loaded meaning to probably try to jump start their business' notoriety and therefore it's popularity.

We've been passing by this restaurant for quite sometime now since it's very close to our home. We just never really got to going in because of 1) the parking is always full, 2) restaurants that use puns are usually cheap and disgusting, and 3) the restaurant was formerly a car repair shop (if I remember correctly). This time we got a parking (sort of) and I was feeling curious.

Their specialties are chicken (Chick) and pig or baboy (Boy) in Filipino but they also have seafoods and vegetables. This restaurant also offers liquor which suggests that this is a sort of hangout place for drinkers on a Friday night.

For this visit we tried their Lechon meal, calamares fritos, eggplant and, the ever present, iced tea.

not so 'fatty' lechon bits

Location: ChickBoy, Timog Ave., Quezon City

Food Ordered and Cost: Lechon Meal P99, Calamares Fritos P150,

Eggplant P25, Iced Tea (bottomless) P35

He says...

side-street calamares tastes even better :(

I was a bit panicked when ordering because there was so many food and Anne was already pressuring me to pick an order so I ended up choosing the calamares fritos. The calameres itself was cooked well and the quality of the squid was excellent because it didn't feel like I was eating rubber but calamares is usually complimented by its sauce. This wasn't. We were given mayonnaise for dip. It's disgusting.

The lechon on the other hand was great! It tasted like it came from a freshly roasted pig unlike most grilled or roasted pork meat I've tasted so far. It was well matched by the sauce -- a semi-sticky mix of I-don't-know-what-but-I-like-it. It's the best lechon I've tasted ever and I regret not ordering two of this.

I did't taste the eggplant because it didn't look inviting so only Anne ate it (also because it was her order). The iced tea was very regular and no different from the ones you can make at home with ready to mix iced tea.

He rates: 5/5 lechon; 2/5 calamares; 3/5 iced tea.

he says this tastes like 'sock soup', I beg to disagree

She says...

I like how fast they served the orders. It was really amazing. If you're so hungry I guess this is the place for you. Apart from that I think they do offer unlimited rice (something which we didn't avail as "we're on a diet").

As for the food we ordered, the lechon was really yummy. I like how flavorful the roasted pork meat tasted. It also had an easy to chew-on consistency which is a major plus factor. I initially thought I would need a vinegar-garlic-salt combo for the dip but then when I tried out their sticky and clear looking sauce, it was perfect! It had the right amount of vinegar and condiments that truly made the lechon even more yummy.

pure sugar iced tea, no need for dessert!

The other food we ordered we really disappointing though. The calamari was soft, crunch and easy to chew but it merely tasted like fried flour. Even with the mayo siding, the taste did not improve.

The eggplant with bagoong on the side was alright. I looked boiled but it appeared oily. They didn't use fresh eggplant. I know this because the eggplant's texture was really rubbery.... really awful.

The free soup on the other hand was tasty. It was just a simple meat broth that reminded me of the soup my mom prepares when I'm sick.

Lastly, I really don't like their iced tea. It's so sweet. It had too much sugar in it.

She rates: 5/5 lechon, 2/5 eggplant , 1/5 calamari, 2.5/5 iced tea

Alain's Exploits: The Tea Republic

2011-07-30T13:13:00.002+08:00

Waiting is a tedious task. It's unproductive and mind-numbingly boring. I've never been a fan of waiting (just ask Anne) so when I went to an interview, I went very early. I was presented with the problem of how to ease my mind while waiting for the set schedule. Then just like a lightbulb lighting up in old cartoons, I was presented with a counter-action plan of my own: Eat!

I was quite lucky since I was waiting at the Enterprise Bldg Tower 2 in Makati, which is home to several cafes and restos. I spotted The Tea Republic, a place I rarely go to.

*Looks at lower right* Perfect!

The place itself is cozy. The lighting and the decor matches the furnitures, the wall and the floor. The chairs are comfortable and the place is airconditioned. There is WiFi if you have a WiFi capable device (smartphones, tablets, netbooks, notebooks, etc). If you're waiting for your date, this place will be your Nirvana.

Classy Almost.. foreign.

This was early in the morning (around 8AM) so I opted for their breakfast sets. Being in Makati, which is probably the biggest business center in the Philippines and where a lot of foreigners are, I tried some of the American Breakfast meal. It is made up of waffles, bacon and egg. I partnered that with iced tea (not American but still foreign).


If you weren't hungry before, you're hungry now.

It's no wonder this combo is very popular in the US and in many restaurants pretending to be from the US. The combination itself is excellent. The sweet sweet fat from the bacon compliments the egg's taste and coupled with the oil absorbing properties of the waffles, you enjoy the trio with no problem.

This is probably also because the bacon and waffles they used were of top quality. I'm a fan of bacon and I'm not afraid to admit it. Anne doesn't like me liking it but I do and I know when a bacon is very good or very cheap. The waffles had a slightly sweet taste which you can enhance with the honey, although, overdosing it with honey is not recommended because it will taste weird (I tried it).

A close up: Are you hungry now?

I have to say this is the best American breakfast I've tasted EVER.

Ratings:

Place: 4.5/5

Food: 5/5

Drink: 4/5

Anne's Laboratory: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

2011-07-30T09:28:00.003+08:00

my first batch of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies!

I love chocolate chips in cookies but not really a fan of chocolate chip cookies due to their very floury feel on the mouth. I also love oatmeal cookies but I don't like raisins in them, thus I had this idea of making my very own version of chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. Also, oatmeal cookies makes me feel less guilty because of the rich fiber content oatmeal is known to have. Also, the chocolate chips in oatmeal makes it less grainy and more yummy!

Here's what you'll need:

1 cup butter or margarine (it is said that margarine has lesser fat content than butter so I chose the latter)
11/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups oatmeal
11/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips

Tools:

Mixer
Mixing bowls
Measuring cups and spoons
Rubber spatula
Cookie sheet is preferred but a baking pan will do
Wax paper
Oven
Oven thermometer

Here's how to do it...

all-set and ready for the pan

Make sure your butter or margarine is soft enough for your mixer to handle. Don't melt the butter, it'll give your cookies the horrible and sloppy consistency. What I usually do is take the butter or margarine out of the fridge an hour before I start baking.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, that is, 204.4 degrees Celsius.

Place the softened butter or margarine in a mixing bowl, add in the sugar. Using the mixer, beat the sugar and butter or margarine until creamy. That'll take you about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Vanilla extract is really potent. Just a small amount and it'll make your mixture very aromatic.

Anyway, set aside this mixture and get another bowl. In the second bowl, combine the oats, flour, salt, and baking soda. Make sure you stir them evenly. Add this mixture to the earlier creamed mixture and beat until the mixture has been well mixed. Add in the chocolate chips and mix to distribute them evenly.

they need enough room to grow and flatten out

Line the cookie sheet with wax paper if you're using aluminium pans/ cookie sheets. Then drop a spoonful of the mixture into the pan. Make sure you give them enough room for it to spread or else you'll end up with a pan-sized cookie instead of having bite-sized pieces. When you're done placing the the mixture, spoonful each, into the pan, you're now ready to bake them.

If you prefer chewy cookies, bake them for 8-9 minutes. For crispy cookies, bake them for 10-11 minutes.

Once they're done, take them out from the oven and leave them to cool for 1-2 minutes then take them out and place them in a wire rack to further cool them down. Store in a tightly sealed container or serve them out to your family and friends an enjoy this really nice afternoon treat.

chewy cookie variant

Have a great day!

Ante-dinner Pancit Lucban Affair

2011-07-28T09:27:00.015+08:00

a take-out food from Buddy's

Dieting is really tough when people around you tempts you with food you surely can't refuse. Yesterday, his mom brought home a box of Buddy's Pancit Lucban! Yes, indeed! It was in a box, like all other take-out food. No longer fo they serve them in bulky bilaos thus sparing them from too much foil and banana leaves!

We used to eat at Buddy's located in the open-air food plaza in Market!Market! when we visit the condo in BGC but I think it was only last year when they had opened a branch along Timog. We'd usually eat the pancit with a dozen on longganisa. Anyway, last night, we just had the pancit.

a hearty serving of pancit Lucban

Location: @home, take-out food from Buddy's

Food Ordered: Pancit Lucban

Cost: not sure

She says...

chomping on another spoonful of pancit!

This pancit from Buddy's is quite yummy. It really carries a different taste as compared to the usual pancit Canton or bihon that's traditionally served every birthday "for long life. Indeed Filipinos have such a number of beliefs and pamahiin. Going back to Buddy's pancit Lucban, it was tasty. The meat in it had bigger slices compared to the usual bits and pieces noted in commonly served pancit. It also had plenty of vegetables in it. It was really flavorful but quite oily at the same time. The pack came with vinegar and adding the vinegar into the pancit lessens the oily, greasy feeling on the palate. I really like this noodle treat. It's really something worth considering when planning the menu for my next birthday.

She rates:4/5

He says...

Buddy's restaurant has really great food and one of their specialty is the Pancit Lucban -- a noodle-type food with lots of toppings. This pancit has a lot of toppings and also varied in types. There are different vegetables and meat in it.

The oil and other seasoning give this food a very strong flavor. It's so strong that even old person can probably taste them. If you're on a diet. This is not for you. The oil in this thing is so thick that the box it came with is soaked in it.

However, as delicious as this is, this is still not the best pancit out there.

He rates: 4.5/5

Arabian Night Food Fest (Part3)

2011-07-27T08:15:00.004+08:00

is that a Jordanian flag?

Eating at Shawarma Snack house perhaps wouldn't be complete without getting to taste their shawarma. Thus, as finale to this 3 part series, we shall be scrutinizing the food where this resto has been named after... shawarma.They serve 2 variants, the chicken and the beef... but we tried out the beef.

beef-filled pita wrap

Location: Shawarma Snack House

Food Ordered: Beef Shawarma

Cost: about P100

She says...

beef pita wrap

This was truly a beef shawarma! I could taste the beef, although it was not well roasted. More of like boiled beef. It was soft in consistency. Quite flavorful but not really intense. There weren't much other filling, just a few onion slices but I couldn't really discern if there were cabbage added into it. Had it not been for the garlic and chili sauces, this would have been a plain-tasting dish. Although, it did taste better than your regular food stall shawarma.

She rates: 4/5

He says...

I hate unground beef because they're usually very hard to chew. This shawarma has this and plenty of it (more than most shawarma makers care to give). Surprisingly it wasn't that difficult to eat. After eating this food item, I finally accepted the fact that this restaurant prepares its food way better than the other restaurants. Now if it only had some salted fries in it and it would be perfect. Yes, there is such a food item as Shawarma with Fries. I've tasted it before.

He rates: 4.5/5

Arabian Nights Food Fest (Part2)

2011-07-26T13:44:00.004+08:00

Falafel @Shawarma Snack Center

Another food on the menu that we tried at Shawarma Snack Center was their Humus with Pita Bread and their falafel. It was a year ago when, after that trip to Kuala Lumpur, we had been hooked into trying out food of middle eastern cuisine and the search for the best tasting humus.

plateful of humus variants and falafel balls

Location: Shawarma Snack House

Food Ordered: Humus and Falafel with Pita Bread

Cost: around P200 each

She says....

This perhaps was the best tasting humus. We got to try out 3 humus variations in this restaurant and I was overwhelmed at how tasty they were. It just had the right amount of spice and olive oil that blended perfectly right to the slightly rough texture of grounded chickpeas. Eating it with the pita bread and adding in their special garlic and chili sauces made this dish something to go crazy for. It was just so so yummy!

The falafel on the other was weird looking. Dark brown in color with the shape of a flattened ball with a hard crust (maybe this was deep fried), but with a really soft and mushy center. I believe this is made of ground vegetables and potatoes and rolled into a ball. Together with the yogurt dip, this was truly a meal worth the second helping.

"I will consume thee!!!! Nomnomnom" - Alain

She rates: humus 5/5, falafel 5/5

He says...

When I first heard about Humus (from the move You Don't Mess With The Zohan by Adam Sandler) it sounded like some pasty stuff middle easterners just like to put on their food. Kinda like rice for us Pinoys. Since it was portrayed comically, I never had an inkling to even try it but after actually trying it out, we actually liked it.

We've tasted humus across different Middle Eastern restaurants but this restaurant has the best one. They carry three flavors and all are excellent.

The falafel was different. It was my sister's suggestion. She said it was good but she was wrong. She totally under-rated it. It was very good. It's the first time I've eaten it yet I've already fallen in-love with it. Just so yummy!

He rates: 5/5

Arabian Nights Food Fest (Part1)

2011-07-25T13:17:00.005+08:00

an evening outside the streets of Salas

After a fun-filled night watching the wonderful act of Cirque Du Soleil's Varekai which was really awesome and totally worth it for the price we paid for the entrance, we headed to Manila's hidden gastronomic gems. This time it was the Shawarma Snack House located in Salas Street, near Mabini Street, Ermita, Manila.

You see, there are two Shawarma Snack Houses located on both sides of the street. The one on the right side was the open, canteen-type shawarma station which offers basically beef and chicken shawarma variants, either served on plate or in a pita wrap. They offer a cheaper version of the menu which are served on the left side of the street, their Shawarma Snack House restaurant.

We headed to their restaurant which really offered an authentic middle eastern ambiance. In their menu, apart from food, they also offered sheesha on a hooka or water pipe with several different herbs you can smoke on. We didn't try them out though.

Anyway, we tried a few of their wide range menu of food whose names we had difficulty pronouncing. Among those were the Felafel or the deep fried vegetable pastry with a yogurt dip, their beef shawarma, humus with pita, and their beef keema.

beef keema @Shawarma Snack Center

Location: Shawarma Snack Center

Food Ordered: Beef Keema

Cost: approximately P250 per order, couldn't recall the exact price

She says...

thickest pita we've encountered!

The beef keema was very tasty. It was slightly oily and was quite spicy. We ate it along side with the pita bread and it was really perfect. For an appetizer, it was quite heavy on the tummy. Adding their special garlic sauce, on of the best I've ever tasted, and a drop of chili sauce, made the keema even yummier.

She rates: 5/5

He says...

I've liked Mediterranean food since the first time I've tasted it but this Keema is really a different class on its own. It still retains the aroma and texture present in other Mediterranean foods but it has a distinct flavor of its own.

The beef used here is grounded well. It is very soft and has a strong aroma and taste. Partnering it with pita bread and you got yourself a full meal.

He rates: 5/5

Beyond Manila: Bacolod's Napoleones

2011-07-23T12:45:00.002+08:00

Sweet things... yumm...

Today, we'll take a breather from the many foods we get to eat here in Manila and we'll be checking out this special treat we received as pasalubong from the city of smiles, Bacolod City, the napoleones. It is a type of puffed pastry with custard filling and glazed with sweet sugar on top. Truly a treat from our country's sugar capital!

She says...

I Liked how this little square shaped treat tastes. I'm an avid fan of sweets but this one truly gives you different levels of sweetness that just makes my mouth water each time I recall how this one tasted.he custard filling was really soft and creamy. The pastry itself was a bit rubbery from the perhaps supposedly crunchy texture, perhaps because this treat had rode an airplane just to get into our palates. Anyhow, the different textures and tastes was truly in harmony with each other. I can't wait to dig in on the second batch lying around in the fridge.Yikes! Another diet day ruined....

She rates: 5/5

I'm ~~not~~ on a diet. not.

He says...

Almost everyone loves sweets. They can induce bliss in all of us (some more than others).

I also love sweets. I pretty much eat at least one sweet food every week. The sweeter the food, the better. The moment the food touches your tongue, you immediately know how sweet it gonna be.

Not so with this particular brand of Napoleones. Although it is covered in white frosty icing, you won't be able to tell how sweet it us when you bite it. Yes, it tastes sweet but not that sweet. It tastes more like just bread. You chew on and you realize that the food is getting sweeter in your mouth and then BOOM! You get to experience its full sweetness. It's a weird sensation since most sweets are only as good as the first bite.

You can actually hear the explosion in your head

He rates: 5/5