Pig Out Sessions!

How I Lost Weight During My Singapore Vacation

2018-05-12T18:29:00.001-07:00

No, it's not this ice cream sandwich! Haha, my apologies for the click bait photo. I went to Singapore for Holy Week break, and also to check out the Friend's inspired Central Perk Cafe but dundundun~ totally forgot to do just that, and only remembered when I got back home!!! How frustrating is that? Oh well, I can always go back another time, but I digress, if I still have your attention, click after the jump to find out how I kept my weight at bay.

To make sure my 20k steps daily weren't wasted, I ate the right fuel to provide nutrition for my body. It was tempting to eat fast food 3x a day, but I feared for the consequences and I just don't roll like that anymore. So what was my secret? Nothing fancy, I just made sure to eat protein, veggies, and good grains each and every meal. I also made sure that I was eating just the right portions.

I was also happy that my travel mates were considerate enough to adjust and let me decide where to eat and when to eat. Made my life so much easier.

Some of the things I didn't eat. Mostly anything deep fried, anything greasy, anything way too processed. I focused on whole foods, and I'm glad I did. Would you believe I lost 1lb when I got back home? Hahaha, yes that's totally possible.

It's the first time for me to travel with "excess baggage" going back, and I love it. I'm sorry that this is such a micro blog, but it's not like I'm the most responsible blogger there is! I will try to do better. See you on my next pig out session :)

Your pig out buddy,

Madz

Eating My Way Around Sydney, Australia

2017-11-04T08:42:00.000-07:00

I'll never know what I did right in this lifetime to have been so lucky to fly off to Australia, even if it was for work! My visa application was approved in a breeze, and days flew too quickly, that I almost didn't have enough time to pack and prepare. You know how women bring truckloads of luggage for an overnight trip? Imagine my dilemma of trying to squeeze ~~the world~~ everything into my luggage for a 2-week trip. Regardless of my packing problems, I was supremely looking forward to getting lost, pigging out and falling in love with a whole new experience that is Australia.

I stayed at Novotel Brighton Sydney, which was just by the beach and within walking distance from my office. During my first few days, I wasn't that familiar which restaurants or cafes opened early, so I defaulted to the safest option, the hotel's breakfast buffet. The price is indeed on the steep side, 35.00AUD per person. Good thing that the hotel staff generously informed me that I could always buy discounted vouchers for 25.00AUD, which was great!

I'm a creature of habit, so this spread was almost always my go-to breakfast pick. I start off with some toasted multi-grain bread with butter and jam, mixed cereals with full milk. I liked my eggs either scrambled or in omelette form, with a side of sauteed mushrooms, protein, and hash browns. I always try to load up on kiwi or other local fruits for dessert, since those babies are hella expensive back home.

I fell in love with Blüm Bar. It's this quaint and lovely cafe that opens fairly early, and is just literally about 5 minutes away from my hotel and office. I found myself skipping the hotel breakfast buffet and braving the cold morning to eat breakfast here. Some of my favorites include their full strength, skip the meat, and their sinful hot chocolate. I guess what made me come back regularly aside from the food was the staff hospitality and customer service. They were really friendly and you couldn't help but feel at home.

They literally were so nice, that they even offered me to borrow an umbrella one day when it was lightly drizzling outside. That's Australian hospitality for you.

The Asian in me couldn't pass up the chance to dine in the neighborhood's Japanese restaurant, which was situated right across my office building. They make legit and comforting ramen bowls, I'd also recommend you to try their sushi and sashimi offerings served on a conveyor belt! I only decided to try it on my last night, and regretted doing it only by then, because their grilled scallop sushi is freaking delicious!!! Yes, it definitely deserves 3 exclamation points. It was sweet, melt in your mouth goodness, and simply heaven on earth. The staff are also very prompt, professional and courteous, too.

Aside from my usual go-to places, I was able to try new eats when I went touring during the weekends around Darling Harbour and inside Sydney Opera House. Not included in the pictures was the beef ribs I ate from Pancake on the Rocks, which 10/10 would recommend. It was fall off the bone fantastic. It doesn't even hold a candle to the ribs I had at Hurricane a few nights after.

2 weeks and a few pounds later, I have immensely fallen in love with this city. I wish I could have stayed longer, but there will be a next time! Until then, see you on my next pig out session!

Your pig out buddy,

Madz

These 7 Restaurants Down South Serve Some of the Best Steaks in Metro Manila

2017-05-05T17:39:00.002-07:00

Who would have thought that some of Metro Manila’s best and most diverse steakhouses can be found down south? It’s good news for steak fans out there, who might be tired of the typical cuts and chops usually seen in just about the common steakhouses around the metro. Here's a list of the best steakhouses in the south that would get your mouth watering in an instant.

1. Melo’s Restaurant

Where to find it: It has two branches in the South, one at Precinct 41, Westgate Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa, and another along Burgos Circle in Bonifacio Global City

It’s east meets west in Melo’s Restaurant with its steaks that definitely go beyond boundaries. The family-owned steakhouse offers Japanese Wagyu, American Kobe, and Australian steaks. Its best offerings are the Grade 7 and 8 Ribeye. Once your order is done, you will get to see how the servers slice the beef to your liking.

You can also try their Grade 12 Wagyu Tenderloin and Lobster Tail, dressed with truffle oil and red wine sauce. To widen up your palette, you may pick another Grade 12 Wagyu, this time with foie gras, strawberry zinfandel, and mustard aioli sauce.

2. Bugsy’s Bar and Bistro

Where to find it: There is a branch at Unit 1, Paseo Parkview Tower, San Agustin St. corner Sedeño St., Salcedo Village, Makati and another branch at Forbeswood Building., Forbeswood Road. Fort Bonifacio, Taguig

Named after a Jewish American mobster Bugsy Siegel, Bugsy’s Bar and Bistro delights its people with its aggressive menu. According to Lamudi, this has to be one of the best places for foodies in Salcedo Village. The real deal is with its signature and best-selling Bugsy Siegel, the one-inch thick USDA-certified Angus that weighs 400 grams. It is grilled according to your taste and is served with mashed potatoes and green beans. The steak is given an additional kick with its red wine sauce.

What’s good about this place is the diversity in its menu. So if you’re not really in the mood for a pound of beef, then you may opt to try its chicken, fish, and pork dishes. Or perhaps, you can try its pizzas, burgers, and pasta. You may also see in the menu a range of drinks to complement your meal. Cocktails, martinis, beers? They have it all. Add to that a long list of scotches, liqueurs, tequilas, vodkas, and whiskeys.

3. Meat Depot

Where to find it: This steakhouse is located at 283 Aguirre St., BF Homes, Parañaque City

This is not for those who take comfort in the frills and sophistication of some restaurants. Meat Depot is that kind of steakhouse where you choose your meat, have it cooked, and have it served to you straight from the pan.

They have a selection of imported beef meats, from Wagyu strip loin to US Angus Tomahawk. At Meat Depot, you are free to ask the cook to grill your steak according to your preferred doneness. You also have the choice to dine in their rustic restaurant set up with wooden tables and chairs or go for a take out. If you decided to chomp on your steak in-house, you will be then offered with the classic red wine or white wine.

4. Wolfgang's Steakhouse

Where to find it: This one is in Pasay, on the second level of Newport Mall, Resorts World

Wolfgang’s Steakhouse is the brainchild of Wolfgang Zwiener, who was once a head waiter of a steakhouse in Brooklyn New York. He went from server to owner of more than 10 steakhouses in the United State, Japan, Korea, and here in the Philippines.

This steakhouse imports all its meat from the United States. To make the steak something that can melt in your mouth, it is dry-aged for up to 28 days and cooked rare to medium. To prepare your taste buds for the juiciness of the meat, Wolfgang’s Steakhouse serves delightful appetizers such as Tuna Tartare, Shrimp Cocktails, and their signature Wolfgang salad.

The star of the meal comes in hot platters. The steakhouse has its own signature Old-Fashioned sauce to add a little bit to the already distinguishable flavor profiles.

5. Mamou

Where to find it: You can find this one at the Ground Floor of Serendra in Bonifacio Global City

Planning to have a steak out with your family? This is the perfect place to be. It is ideal for family celebrations, from birthdays to graduations. Its signature Angus Ribeye USDA Prime Grade Steak is to die for. Customers have a choice of two sides for this steak cut. It could be a combination of white or red steak rice, corn pudding, creamed spinach, or baked mashed potatoes.

If you want something to complement the steak, you can try their Lorenzo’s Truffle Cream Pasta dashed with Grana Padano Cheese. You can then end your meal with a serving of the classic New York Cheese Cake or a slice of Pecan Pie topped with whipped cream.

6. Borgo Cafe

Where to find it: This Italian Restaurant is inside Robinsons Place in Las Piñas

Borgo means village in Italian. So expect some homey feels with this restaurant. Although this is not really a steakhouse, it still deserves a spot on this list because of two things. For one, its best-selling Butcher Steak could be one of the cheapest out steaks out there. Served with a side of mashed potatoes and greens, the steak has the right tenderness and explodes with flavor. The steak sauce is a great addition, but the meat itself can leave you speechless.

Another reason why this Italian restaurant deserves more credit it gets is for its Savory Garlic Anchovy Steak laid on a Squid Ink risotto. Steak and anchovies are good old friends, and all the elements of this dish go so well to make your taste buds burst with such diverse flavors from the risotto and the chimichurri.

7. La Cabrera

Where to find it: Look for La Cabrera at the Glorietta Complex in Makati

Taste Argentina with La Cabrera’s charcoal-grilled steak. On its menu are premium steak dishes made from Prime Grade Hereford and Angus Cattle. It is suggested that you start your meal with La Cabrera’s Provoleta Con Jamon Crudo, which loosely translates to grilled Provolone cheese with parma ham, sundried tomatoes, and basil. This is to get your palette ready for heavier dishes like beef strip loin and short ribs combo.

La Cabrera has five Argentinian special cuts: the beef short ribs, skirt steak or entraña, flank steak, 15 days-wet aged grass fed rib eye, and cuadril or picaña steak. You can complement these meaty dishes with varieties of ensaladas available.

Your pig out buddy,

Madz

My First and Last Try with Yummy Diet

2017-02-17T22:56:00.000-08:00

I was fairly happy with Diet Diva for about 2 weeks, until the meals began to feel repetitive, at least for me. So, I figured it was time to try out something new. I've been hearing good things about Yummy Diet from a former office mate, so I thought I'd give it a try. What could go wrong, right? Apparently, almost everything.

I placed my week's order on a Saturday afternoon, and paid via BDO online banking. My order was confirmed and I was excited and looking forward to my work week. I chose their 1200-calorie diet, which was priced at 1,900.00PHP, or about 380.00PHP per day. You would think that it's a steep price, but believe me, I can spend more than that on a day and consume unhealthy food.

Day 1 came, and I was fairly impressed. Delivery was early, which is a big plus for me. It even arrived earlier than I did at the office. Unlike Diet Diva, they provide you with metal utensils which is good for the whole week. They also provide all the coffee, artificial sweeteners and tea sachets in advance.

DAY 1
Breakfast: Yummy Diet's Ham & Cheese Frittata + Coffee
AM Snack: Marshmallow + Hot Tea
Lunch: Twice Cooked Fish Fillet in Roasted Garlic & Smoke Bacon Cream Sauce + Brown Rice
PM Snack: Apple
Dinner: Lebanese Chicken & Potatoes + Brown Rice

DAY 2
Breakfast: Tuna Melt Wrap + Coffee
AM Snack: Banana
Lunch: Garlic Beef Sukiyaki Salpicao with Beans + Brown Rice
PM Snack: Cereal Bar + Hot Tea
Dinner: Chicken Korma + Wheat Crackers

DAY 3

Breakfast: Nut Butter and Blueberry Tea Sandwich, Cheddar & Spinach Scramble + Coffee

AM Snack: Whole Wheat Crackers + Hot Tea

Lunch: Yummy Diet's Baked Fish + Brown Rice

PM Snack: Orange

Dinner: Kung Pao Chicken & Tofu + Brown Rice

DAY 4

Breakfast: Bistek Tagalog with Baked Eggs + Brown Rice + Coffee

AM Snack: Pear + Hot Tea

Lunch: Yummy Diet's White Truffle Mushroom Carbonara Pasta

PM Snack: Oatmeal

Dinner: Baked Herb & Garlic Chicken Drumsticks with Green Beans + Brown Rice

The reason why I feel so strongly about not trying their service ever again was because they gave me spoiled pasta on my 4th day. I was even in denial that it had gotten bad as I reheated it in the microwave oven during lunch. The smell was so foul, that it stayed inside the oven. I was still in denial as I mixed the pasta sauce and took a bite. YEP, I COULDN'T EAT IT.

What I did instead was eat my dinner, and called Yummy Diet customer service. I was straightforward and asked them what time did they cook the pasta. Not sure if it's true, but of course they said the same day, in the wee hours of the morning. I didn't buy it, because pasta doesn't spoil that fast. It's either the pasta was cooked the previous night and not refrigerated properly, or somehow the container was contaminated.

To be fair, they were at least nice and professional enough to send me a replacement meal. However, it doesn't justify that the incident that happened to me was something acceptable for a consumer. My former office mate who was also on Yummy Diet that week also experienced the exact same thing. Imagine how many spoiled pasta were delivered that day!

DAY 5

Breakfast: Sweet Ham Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette

AM Snack: Fruit flavored Yogurt

Lunch: Tuna Melt Wrap

PM Snack: Orange

Dinner: Tuna Melt Zucchini Boats

You'd think that they were just having an off day, but no, they committed strike 2 on my 5th day with them. Okay, allow me to give you a chronological run through of what happened...

I called them on Wednesday afternoon to inquire if they can change the delivery address for my Friday delivery since I will be taking a leave from work. They said yes and confirmed the delivery address update.
Friday morning came, and I was expecting to get my sleep interrupted since they do deliver really early. No delivery came.
At around 8:00AM - 9:00AM, I was getting pissed so I asked my office mate to check if they accidentally delivered my food to the office. GUESS WHAT? THEY DID.
Immediately after learning this, I called Yummy Diet. They provided me with 2 options, (A) they will try to contact their rider and get my food from the office and deliver it to my home or (B) check with their other riders, if somebody else can deliver food directly to me
I was the one who was checking up on them and making follow up calls
In the end, they couldn't get the food from my office anymore because it was either the rider couldn't be reached, or my office was out of the way
They finally delivered my 5th day meals at around 11:00AM, but it was from the Low Carb High Protein program because they didn't have food left for the 1200-Calorie diet. I agreed to that, because what else can I do?

I don't know if I brought this on myself, but they shouldn't have agreed to a delivery address change if they couldn't cascade it properly. I had errands to do that day, which were postponed because I had to wait for them to deliver. Yes, the food was delicious, but my day and mood were ruined. It was such a hassle, that I ate a few pieces of chocolate to give me some endorphin.

It could have been a start of something great, Yummy Diet. Your food was tastier and more appealing to me, than that from Diet Diva. But that can be easily dismissed because of my horrible experience. No customer deserves what I experienced. I know you've been in the business for so many years now, but you have no right to cause this much inconvenience to anyone. Yummy Diet, please get your act together.

I paused with the diet delivery meals after this, but that doesn't mean I won't try any other vendor again. Do you have any suggestions for reputable diet delivery meal services? Do share them in the comments, I'd like to know! See you on my next pig out session.

Yummy Diet

Contact Number: 0917-889-8660, 0917-889-8601

Email: yummydietph@gmail.com

Website: http://www.yummydiet.ph

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/pg/yummydietph/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yummydiet/

Estimated Budget:

Low Calorie sets:

1200 Calorie Diet-P1900, 1500 Calorie Diet-P2200, 1800 Calorie Diet-P2500

Low Carb sets:

1500 Calorie Diet-P2500, 1800 Calorie Diet-P2800

Payment Methods: BDO or BPI deposit or online transfer

Delivery Schedule:

Option #1: YDBC (Yummy Diet Breakfast Club)

On the day itself delivery to OFFICES in BGC, Eastwood, Libis, Ortigas & Makati. Monday to friday, 6 - 9:30 AM.

Option #2: DAY BEFORE DELIVERY to all other covered areas. Sunday to Thursday, 2 - 9 PM.

(Note that all southern Metro Manila deliveries will incur an additional charge of Php 200 / week.)

Your pig out buddy,

Madz

How I Lost 10lbs. with Diet Diva PH!

2017-01-21T06:35:00.000-08:00

I have always been on a constant battle with my weight. I try to convince myself that it's in my genes, but what kind of dumb reasoning is that? It was time to move and do something, instead of just shrugging it off and letting my weight get the best of me. So this year, I started making healthy choices, and signed up with Diet Diva.

Basically, all I did was reserve my slot and pay online thru BDO for my next week's meals in advance. No fuzz, no hassle and that's why I like it. I get perfectly portioned meals, all within the recommended 1200 calorie daily diet.

So, Day 1. I was totally not prepared for this. First things I observed are that (1) rice is usually just half a cup per meal (2) the meals are just "lightly" seasoned (3) I have been eating waaaaay more than 1200 calories on my usual diet.

Yes, it was a hard adjustment. To keep my hunger at bay, I drowned myself with water. More water = more trips to the loo, but that's okay. That just means I get to flush down toxins faster. Got to keep myself hydrated!

<start rant> I don't have a problem with quality of the meals, but damn, their delivery was late two days in a row. I didn't mind waiting between the declared period of 6:00 to 8:00AM, because that's what they disclose to their customers and I obviously agreed to those terms when I signed up. However, it was so unprofessional for my meals to get delivered as late as 9:30AM. I called their customer hotline, and requested for the status of my delivery several times. Feeling that this might happen again, I took my complaint online. Diet Diva personally apologized, I accepted it, but was wary. My succeeding meals were never delivered late again. For that, thank you. </end rant>

I signed up for Diet Diva for 2 weeks, but only lost weight during the 1st week. I was able to maintain my current weight for the succeeding week though. Why didn't I lose more pounds, you might ask?I think it's a combination of 2 things, (1) Blame it on the quality of meals I had during the weekends (2) I didn't do any form of exercise during this 2-week period.

Still, I am happy that I am not a lost cause. 10lbs is not that bad, right? But, I know that I can do more. So, I'm making an experiment and signed up for a different diet delivery partner for this coming week. Which one? Secret! Hahaha, stay tuned and I'll post an update, soon!

I'll also be incorporating a exercise again into my daily routine. I hope I can stick to it. This year will be all about improving myself, not just so I can look like my old self again, but for my health's sake as well. See you on my next pig out session!

PS. This post is not meant to body shame anyone who loves their full figure, this post is just meant to educate my readers and for me to chronicle my weight loss journey. I know they say to love yo' self, and I feel that I am loving myself by taking care of my health. That's all :)

Diet Diva

Contact Number: 0917-703-DIVA (3482), 434-DIVA (3482)
Website: http://www.dietdiva.ph/
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/pg/dietdivaph/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietdivaph/
Estimated Budget: 1,900.00PHP for 5 days (Monday to Friday)
Payment Methods: BDO deposit only
Business Hours: 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday - Saturday. Office is closed on Sundays.

Note: Payment cut-off every 6:00PM every Saturday. Meal delivery time is around 6:00AM to 8:00AM daily

Your pig out buddy,
Madz

Red 8 at Wynn Palace, Macau 永利澳門渡假村

2016-12-17T19:24:00.001-08:00

Sometimes, it's a good thing to just pack your bags and go somewhere without thorough planning. That's what we did, and we stumbled upon this casual southern Chinese restaurant, right in the heart of the gorgeous Wynn Palace. Don't get intimidated by the gold tables though, their pricing is surprisingly affordable. 😄

Barbecued Pork Spare Ribs with Honey Osmanthus Dressing 98.00MOP or 12.25USD approx. What it lacks in the fall of the bone department, it makes up for it's depth of flavor. The use of osmanthus is genius, as it gives off a wonderful fragrance that's totally addicting.

Mixed vegetables 68.00MOP or 8.50USD approx. Not your typical mixed veggies. I love the addition of lotus root (yes, the one known to trigger trypophobia 😁), as it gives a nice crunch and just elevates this dish to a whole new level.

Roast Crispy Pork Belly 108.00MOP or 13.50USD. It's such a simple dish, but it's the bomb! I specially fell in love with how succulent the meat was, and don't get me started about the crunch squares of skin. Even though this can't beat our local lechon kawali, this is nevertheless a great contender. Yum!

Asparagus 78.00MOP or 9.75USD approx. We actually ordered a few veggie side dishes to balance out the sinful orders, and I'm glad we did. Red 8's veggie game is strong, no overcooked asparagus stalks here.

After lunch, I played a few rounds of casino. LOL! I kid. I don't gamble, and yes, I'm boring like that! We just went around inside Wynn Palace to admire the gorgeous displays and architecture of the place. After that, we headed straight to The Venetian and were awed by its beauty. Is there seriously anything not jaw dropping in Macau? Unfortunately, we were just there for a day trip, which was obviously not enough time to go around, but maybe next time I'll have more time to spare. Where are your favorite eats in Macau? Do let me know, and see you on my next pig out session.

Red 8 Wynn Palace, Macau 永利澳門渡假村

Location: Wynn Palace, Rua Cidade de Sintra, NAPE, Macau, China

Contact Number: (853) 8889 3663

Website: http://www.wynnpalace.com/en/restaurants-n-bars/casual-dining/red-8

Estimated Budget: 100.00MOP and up per person

Payment Methods: Cash, Credit Card

Business Hours: Open 24 hours daily, only adults aged 21 and older are welcome

Your pig out buddy,

Madz

大街餐廳 Main Street Corner Cafe at Hong Kong, Disneyland

2016-12-09T16:05:00.000-08:00

You'd think everything in Disneyland is superb, because it's located in one of the most sought after places for both the young and young at heart. They can even jack up their prices and still be able to justify it. However, there's always an exception to the rule. You do follow where I am getting at, right?

Mediterranean Seafood Spaghetti with Crustacean Sauce 179.00HKD or 23.08USD approx. Oh boy, where do I begin? This pasta variety was one of their recommended menu items, if I recall correctly. Plus, it looked soooo goooood in their menu. It's a sad case of expectation vs. reality. The seafood wasn't at its freshest state, so go ahead and skip this if you ever find yourself inside the same cafe. You've been warned.

French Onion Soup (price unknown). I wasn't able to taste this, so I really can't say if it's good. At least they don't scrimp on the cheese, though! 😃

Napolitano Farmers Tomato Soup 48.00HKD or 6.19USD approx. What you see is what you get, it's nothing to write home about. This at least helped warm us up, as we were drenched from wandering under the rain, all day.

Penne with American Meat Balls and Pesto Cream Sauce 164.00HKD or 21.13USD approx. This could use more pesto flavor into it, as it tasted more like carbonara. Weird, right?

Well, there you go. It's really disappointing how abysmal the food is. It's a good thing that we definitely had a blast in Disneyland, so I'll let this slide. You might be thinking why I still posted this, when all I did was complain. It's simple, I paid for a nice meal that I did not get and I don't want others to experience the same. So.... Where the hell can you get some good grub inside Disneyland? I'm dying to know! See you on my next pig out session.

大街餐廳 Main Street Corner Cafe

Location: Main Street USA, Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong, Lantau Island 大嶼山香港迪士尼樂園美國小鎮大街
Contact Number: +852 3550-3388
Website: https://www.hongkongdisneyland.com/dining/hong-kong-disneyland-park/main-street-corner-cafe/
Estimated Budget: 100.00HKD and above
Payment Methods: Visa, Master, AE, Cash, UnionPay, JCB
Business Hours: Daily 09:00AM-09:00PM (or depends on the opening hour of Disneyland)

Your pig out buddy,
Madz

大廚房 Big Kitchen at Mong Kok, Hong Kong

2016-11-29T20:37:00.000-08:00

Of all the days that it had to rain buckets, it had to be during my much awaited 4-day vacation. 😒 However, that didn't dampen my spirit one bit! After all, it was the perfect moment to enjoy a hot, comforting and hearty bowl of laksa.

Seafood Laksa 58.00HKD or 7.48USD approx. Bursting with seafood goodness, Big Kitchen's laksa selections are literally big enough for sharing. Although we didn't share orders, since this was our first decent meal that night after arriving ~~and getting lost for a good hour, while trying to find our hotel in Mong Kok.~~

Chef's Special Laksa 52.00HKD or 6.70USD approx. Well, basically the same thing as the seafood laksa, sans the crustaceans and its other underwater buddies. Although, let me just take a moment to rave about the broth... pure comfort in a bowl. I was "hangry", irritated, legs were tired from walking majority of the day and drenched in the erratic rain, but this laksa made everything better.

It's amazing how food can have an instant effect on anyone just like that.

Cutlet Shrimp with Soft-Boiled Egg Sizzling Plate. 56.00HKD or 7.22USD. It was a safer choice for some of my companions, but I think it's normal for anyone to look for something familiar that reminds them of home. Big Kitchen's sizzling plates are served with poached egg on top, which elevates the dish to a whole new level.

This is no sponsored post, but I fell in love with Big Kitchen not just because of their yummy food but also from the warm and attentive service we got. There was a bit of language barrier, but nothing that can't be solved with some hand gestures and menu pointing. 😂

Come back for more of my food adventures in Hong Kong, I promise to post them as soon as my schedule permits. Until then, see you on my next pig out session!

大廚房 Big Kitchen

Location: 78 Tung Choi St, Mong Kok, Hong Kong 旺角通菜街78號地下 (2-min walk from Exit D2, Mong Kok MTR Station)

Contact Number: 9368 0348

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/bigkitchen.bigkitchen/

Estimated Budget: 50.00HKD - 100.00HKD

Payment Methods: Cash

Business Hours: Daily 11:30AM - 10:00PM

Your pig out buddy,

Madz

Lunch at The Plantation Bar & Bistro

2016-11-19T09:30:00.000-08:00

What I like about working in Ortigas Center is that it's a gold mine of food adventures, just waiting to be discovered at each and every corner. The only catch is that things change so fast, sometimes within a blink of the eye. Located in what was previously Red Cloud GastroPub, is where The Plantation has firmly planted its roots. *ba dum tss*

My officemates and I made a lunch date soon as our schedules permitted, because that's how we bond. LOL 😂 The Plantation's interiors are light, and easy on the eyes. The bar and TV are definitely plus points for the boys, who kept their eyes glued to the NBA game.

Lechon Kawali 230.00PHP or 4.63USD approx (Solo serving). Naturally, some of my officemates gravitated to what was familiar and comforting. Their lechon kawali does not disappoint in terms of crunch and flavor, and the pakbet is a welcome side to cut through the rich and fatty pork belly goodness.

Herb Crusted Dory 245.00PHP or 4.93USD approx. The Plantation has plenty to offer for vegetarians, like this flavorful dory fillet served with pesto rice and veggies.

Dory Thermidor 245.00PHP or 4.93USD approx. I always think of The SIMS whenever I hear "thermidor", raise of hands if anyone can relate to that 🙋 (is it getting obvious that I'm loving the emoji feature of Blogger?!)

The Plantation's Dory Thermidor is generously served with Hollandaise sauce, and rests on a bed of hot pesto rice with roasted veggies on the side. I love how the Plantation gets me and my undying love for zucchini!

Roasted Shrimp and Seafood Jambalaya 290.00PHP or 5.84USD approx. Big enough for sharing, their jambalaya is quite a tasty treat. This dish alone can fill up any hungry or hangry tummy faster than you can say supercalifragilisticexpialidocious~

Tuscan Pork Belly 240.00PHP or 4.83USD approx. This putok batok and heart stopping dish really wows you with the flavor profile of the meat. Oh, and in case you haven't noticed ... you really can't complain with their generous serving, right?

Their food is great. There's no doubt about that, but there is so much left to improve in their customer service. Attentiveness, speed and a sharp memory will go a long way in elevating any customer's dining experience from mediocre to unforgettable. Having said that, I'd still go back anytime specially since we weren't able to try their booze selection (we we still had to go back to work). Until then, I'll see you on my next pig out session. 🐽

The Plantation Bar & Bistro

Location:

106 C. Palanca St., Legazpi Village, Makati City
Ground Floor, UNIT 4B Robinsons Cyberscape Alpha Bldg Sapphire Road, San Antonio, Pasig City

Contact Number: +63927-687-4153, (02) 501-5727

Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/ThePlantationPH/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ThePlantationPH

Website: http://www.theplantation.ph/

Estimated Budget: 300.00PHP and above per dish

Payment Methods: Cash, Credit Card

Business Hours: Open 24/7

Your pig out buddy,

Madz