Budget Dates

Cook: Cajun Chicken Pasta

2014-11-29T22:30:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP120
Actual Spend: PhP 120
Quality: 4/5
Service: N/A
Accessibility: 5/5
Fun Factor: 5/5
Overall Experience: 5/5

Highlights

Spicy chicken pasta like no other!
Cheap and easy to prepare

The Experience

One rainy Saturday afternoon, Kirsten and I were thinking of what to have for dinner. We had to make do with the ingredients we have on hand and we found these lying around:

Pasta (about 200grams, uncooked)
Canned Whole Button Mushrooms (small, cut to halves)
McCormick Cajun Mix (half-used)
Garlic (4-5 medium-sized cloves, finely chopped)
Skinless Chicken Breast (about 200grams)
Olive Oil (a few tablespoons)
Assortment of spices and condiments (salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika, Parmesan cheese)

I tried searching for a recipe online but all I found were either cream based or tomato based. We wanted something oil based so we tried experimenting with the stuff we have. You might want to follow these easy steps as well:

Marinate chicken in McCormick Cajun mix. Set aside for a few minutes at least (the longer, the better!)
Cook pasta as instructed in packaging. Drain and set aside.
Sautee garlic in olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Once the garlic turns brown, add the chicken along with the cajun marinade. Add more olive oil if needed.
Once chicken is cooked, add the mushrooms to the mixture. Add spices and condiments to taste.
Add cooked pasta and mix on low fire. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

And yes, our dinner turned out well. :)

Spend Breakdown

Uncooked Pasta (200g)	20
Button Mushrooms (small can)	25
McCormick Cajun Mix	25
Skinless Chicken Breast (200g)	50
Actual Spend	120

How to get there

N/A

Landmarks: N/A
Address:
At your very own home!
Contact Number/s:
N/A
Operating Hours: anytime!

Food: Shawarma Snack Center

2013-06-09T17:23:00.001+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 600
Actual Spend: PhP 525
Quality: 5/5
Service: 3/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Authentic fresh shawarma sandwich at 3 for PhP120
The best kebab in town served with Arabic rice and salad
Falafel: the unexpected but satisfying veggie treat!

The Experience

We have been in Shawarma Snack Center (SSC) several times but yesterday was actually the first time we brought a camera with us. Battery level was low but we were able to squeeze a few more shots.

The best seller in SSC is their regular Beef Shawarma which sells for PhP55 a piece. If one isn't enough, you can get 3 for PhP120!

Unlike the shawarmas in malls, theirs is fresh and authentic. The garlic sauce is equally fresh and tasty. Guaranteed no week-old meat, veggies, and sauce for this one!

We also had a serving of their Beef Kebab, the best we've had so far. The meat is enriched by a variety of spices.

It goes well with pita bread or yellow Arabic rice. They also serve it with some veggies on the side.

While following up our order of extra pita bread, Kirsten somehow mistakenly ordered "falafel". We were surprised to see some deep fried goodies instead of big flat white bread:

Falafel, the unintended order, was suprisingly good! At first, we though we were eating curry meat balls topped with cheesy garlic sauce. We later learned that these small wonders are actually made of peas!

We enjoyed the food at SSC as much as we enjoyed each other's company. Kudos to the falafel! We'll definitely be back here for more mid-east goodies.

Spend Breakdown

Beef Shawarma (promo)	120
Beef Kebab with Rice	300
Falafel	105
Actual Spend	525

How to get there

From LRT1 Pedro Gil Station, walk to Robinson's Place Manila's Pedro Gil Wing entrance.
Find the Robinson's entrance/exit near Burger King. Cross the street and turn right to Salas St.
Walk towards the direction of Manila Bay/Roxas Blvd. until you cross A.Mabini St. (one-way street with jeepneys) and reach Shawarma Snack Center.

Landmarks: Robinsons Place Manila, A.Mabini, Burger King, Middle East placement agencies
Address:
485 Salas St.
Malate, Manila
Philippines
Contact Number/s:
(632) 523-0695
Operating Hours: 12am-12mn (24 hours)

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Trip: Sky Ranch

2013-05-30T22:57:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 150
Actual Spend: PhP 150
Quality: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Accessibility: 2/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

A fresh new destination in Tagaytay
Entrance fee at 50% until 31 May 2013 (PhP50 instead of 100)
Sky Eye: the tallest wheel in the Philippines
Variety of kiddie rides
Gazebos for rent: great for family picnics
Great view of Taal!
Food stalls and other establishments coming soon

The Experience

One Saturday morning, we headed off to Tagaytay for a well-deserved chill-out session. After our sumptuous breakfast at Mushroomburger, we saw this big eye just beside Taal Vista Hotel:

Out of curiosity, we made a quick turn for a closer look. We learned that the big wheel was actually the Sky Eye: the tallest wheel in the Philippines. It is part of SM group's Sky Ranch - the newest major attraction in Tagaytay.

We got in at PhP50 each which is 50% of the regular rate. They will be having this promo until May 31. Parking is a bit expensive though (PhP50) considering the location.

Aside from the Sky Eye, they also have other rides that are a few notches better than your town fiesta perya. They also have food stalls and other establishments but most are yet to open.

Though more like an amusement park than an actual ranch, Sky Ranch also has its share of fences and horses:

Best of all, it has a nice view of Taal. You can enjoy the view in one of their gazebos.

Though the Sky Eye is quite tempting to ride, we just don't think it's worth it at PhP150 each for a few minutes in the air. Maybe we'll try it someday when we have spare cash.

Spend Breakdown

Entrance Fee (for 2 at 50% off)	100
Parking Fee	50
Actual Spend	150

How to get there

From the provincial bus terminals at Cubao (San Agustin, Erjohn & Almark, Golden Dragon), ride a bus going to Nasugbu, Batangas via Tagaytay.
Get off at Sky Ranch just before Taal Vista Hotel.

Landmarks: Taal Vista Hotel, McDonalds
Address:
Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway
Tagaytay City, Cavite
Philippines
Contact Number/s:
(632) 862-7706
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkyRanchTagaytay
Operating Hours: 8am-10pm

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Trip: The Coron Experience

2013-05-19T10:54:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 17000
Actual Spend: PhP 16561
Quality: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Piso fare flights with Cebu Pacific's ATR 72-500 planes
Reasonably priced accommodations at Villa Hermosa
Romantic sunset by Coron Bay
Huge rock formations, a crystal clear lake, and twin lagoons
Maquinit: the Philippines' only salt water hot spring
Fresh seafood at Coron restaurants
Great view of the entire Coron Town from Mount Tapyas
Calauit Island Safari: a taste of Africa in Coron

The Experience

We have come up with this post to summarize our Coron, Palawan adventure. Like our Boracay Experience, it made a great mark in our lives. Feel free to know more on how we got to squeeze our budget of a little over PhP8K per person all-in by reading our individual posts.

Coron Travel	Aircon bus transfer service from NAIA Terminal 3 to the roomy ATR 72-500 plane No-frills flight with Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare Great view of Coron's mountain tops Coron Airport: the most simple and relaxed we've seen so far Aircon van transfer to Coron Town, directly to your hotel Enjoy a nice view of the ranch country: cows, cattle grids, wooden bridges, and more! Read more »
Coron's Villa Hermosa	Reasonably priced spacious air-conditioned rooms in the heart of Coron Town Native and functional room design Rooms with private toilet and bath available Very accommodating owner and staff Second best Coron B&B in tripadvisor.com rankings Read more »
Coron Town	Small, relaxed town with great character Coron marker ala-Hollywood Romantic Coron Sunset by the bay Read more »
Coron Island Hopping	Huge rock formations Crystal-clear Kayangan Lake Fresh seafood for lunch Great snorkeling sites Relaxing swim at Twin Lagoons Read more »
Coron's Maquinit Hot Spring	The only salt water hot spring in the Philippines Superb tri-colored sunset Hot water + cold night = perfect combination! A great way to end a tiring day Read more »
Coron Food Trip	Brutally Buttered Shrimps at Cornelio's Lolo Nonoy's Crispy Crablets and Calamares: definitely worth the wait Fresh Squid Salad and Chili Crabs at Blue Lagoon Cool desserts and free WiFi at Ice Valley Palawan Danggit: marinated, not dried! Read more »
Coron's Mount Tapyas	Very accessible: just a few steps away from the town center 700+ step stairs with strategically located 'stopover' sheds Scenic view of the entire Coron Town at the view deck Great sunrise! Read more »
Coron's Calauit Safari	Experience a taste of Africa in Palawan Wide open space for grazing animals Calamian Deer's recovery from near extinction Giraffes: the island's gentle giants Unlimited zebra stripes Crocodiles, wild boars, porcupines, monkeys, and more! Read more »

We've had a lot of unforgettable experiences during our Coron trip but feeding the Calauit giraffes topped everything, literally!

We'll definitely be back to feed these gentle giants again and explore more of the scenic islands around Coron.

Spend Breakdown

Travel Expenses	3,312
Accommodations	3,000
Town Tour	0
Island Hopping	3,400
Maquinit Hot Spring	600
Food Trip	1,649
Mount Tapyas	0
Calauit Safari	4,600
Actual Spend	16,561

How to get there

From the Busuanga (Coron) Airport, ride a van going to Coron Town. You can save the Google map below in your Android phone to help you locate places in town.

Landmarks: Coron town marker, Mt. Tapyas Cross
Address:
Coron Town, Busuanga Island
Palawan, Philippines

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Trip: Coron's Calauit Safari

2013-05-09T05:33:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 5000
Actual Spend: PhP 4600
Quality: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Accessibility: 1/5
Fun Factor: 5/5
Overall Experience: 5/5

Highlights

Experience a taste of Africa in Palawan
Wide open space for grazing animals
Calamian Deer's recovery from near extinction
Giraffes: the island's gentle giants
Unlimited zebra stripes
Crocodiles, wild boars, porcupines, monkeys, and more!
Update (11/24/2014):Coron Galeri now accepts online booking.

The Experience

For almost a year, we were very excited for one particular tour in our Coron trip: the Calauit Safari.

Calauit Island is a wildlife sanctuary established during the Marcos regime. Animals from Africa were brought to the island alongside endemic species.

The island is paradise, though getting there is close to a polar opposite. We originally wanted to go to Calauit via boat but the wind was quite unpredictable that no boatman dare sail. We instead went by land and endured the bumpy but fun 3-hour "safari" ride.

Nearly half of the roads going to Calauit is still unpaved, with some steep and rocky parts. The roads were so rough that our vehicle accumulated dust almost thick enough to plant on.

We finally got to the tip of Busuanga Island where we had to cross a nearly waveless strait to Calauit Island.

The boat ride across took less than 5-minutes.

Before the tour, we got the chance to take pictures with the Island's Land Rover Defender used for smaller group tours.

But since we were in a large tour group, we boarded their big and powerful safari truck.

We first went to the part where deers were grazing. We learned that the Calamian Deer is a specie endemic ('native') to the Calamian Islands. Decades back, these deers nearly faced extinction. Today, there are hundreds scattered all over Calauit.

We then went to the area where the giraffes were. There, the trees were umbrella shaped due to giraffes doing the pruning.

The giraffes look really goofy. Despite the funny look, we were told that these gentle giants have horns as hard as stone. The horns don't make them look any fiercer though.

The giraffes in Calauit now were all born in the island. The original animals brought in the 1970's are now all gone. This might explain why they are very much at ease with people.

One young giraffe named Tristan can even be hand fed!

We also got to see the giraffes in some of their daily morning routine.

All 22 giraffes there have names. Their handlers identify them by looking at the patterns on their skin the same way they identify zebras by their stripes. I really have no idea how they do it as all the patterns and stripes look all the same to me!

Next to the giraffes are the zebras: the black animal with white stripes (not the other way around).

Unlike the giraffes though, zebras can only be viewed from a safe distance as they tend to kick hard (literally) on perceived threats. They're really not different from your usual wild horse.

The unlimited stripes in zebra flocks are still a great attraction though.

They also have a big fat smiling crocodile in a cage. This guy might be one of the very few predators in the island.

Calauit also has monkeys.

Most monkeys look friendly but this one seems to be in attack mode.

They also have some sample caged animals like porcupines and wild boars. According to our guide, there's a lot more of them out in the open.

We also got to see a camouflage tree from which army uniforms are patterned after.

Our safari ended at around 10am, giving us enough time to get back to a Busuanga town for lunch.

Unlike in our island hopping tour, we were served a much better set this time.

The ride back was still bumpy as expected. We had a side trip at a local falls and were back to Coron town late in the afternoon. Calauit may not be as accessible as your local zoo, but I guess that's how a wildlife sanctuary should be. The long travel was all worth it though. We'll definitely be back here (likely with kids) in the future!

More Calauit Safari pictures can be viewed in our Facebook Page.

Spend Breakdown

Calauit Island Safari (@2300/pax)	4600
Actual Spend	4600

How to get there

From Coron town, take a pre-arranged 4-hour van ride to the tip of Busuanga Island.
Take a quick boat ride to Calauit Island (takes less than 5 minutes).
Note: You can also go to Calauit Island by boat (a bit more expensive option). It is subject to wind conditions though as the waves may get high at times.

Landmarks: boat terminal with blue floaters, almost waveless strait
Address:
Calauit Wildlife Sanctuary
Calauit Island, Palawan
Philippines
Address (Contact):
c/o Coron Galeri
San Agustin St.Coron Town, Palawan
Contact Number/s:
(632) 984-7795
Website: http://www.corongaleri.com.ph/

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Trip: Coron's Mount Tapyas

2013-05-07T21:05:00.002+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 0
Actual Spend: PhP 0
Quality: 3/5
Service: N/A
Accessibility: 4/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

Very accessible: just a few steps away from the town center
700+ step stairs with strategically located 'stopover' sheds
Scenic view of the entire Coron Town at the view deck
Great sunrise!

The Experience

For our last day in Coron, we decided to climb the huge staircase leading to Mount Tapyas View Deck. We woke up early in the morning just in time for sunrise.

Mount Tapyas was just a few steps from town, making it one of the most accessible tourist spots in Coron. Taking the 700+ step stairs wasn't that easy though as our bodies were already battered by our other activities in the past few days.

The view deck provides a scenic view of the entire town of Coron. It is best to climb up early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the scourging heat of the sun.

We preferred to climb in the morning as we can have the place for ourselves and take all the pictures we want:

The tall cross (which illuminates at night) is one of the popular man-made landmarks of Coron Town (next to the Hollywood-style 'CORON' marker).

Going down is a lot easier than going up though, especially if you're racing for breakfast! The hunger and the pain was all worth it though.

Spend Breakdown

Mount Tapyas View Deck	0
Actual Spend	0

How to get there

From San Agustin Street, walk your way up across Coron-Busuanga Road.
Walk up until you see a huge staircase going to the view deck on your left. Climb all 700+ steps to reach the view deck.
Note: There are a few signs that will lead you to Mt. Tapyas. You can also ask the friendly locals for directions.

Landmarks: big stairs, tall bamboo plants, basketball court
Address:
Mt. Tapyas View Deck
Coron Town, PalawanPhilippines
Operating Hours: 12am-12am

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Trip: Coron Food Trip

2013-04-23T23:07:00.001+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 1700
Actual Spend: PhP 1649
Quality: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Accessibility: 4/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

Brutally Buttered Shrimps at Cornelio's
Lolo Nonoy's Crispy Crablets and Calamares: definitely worth the wait
Fresh Squid Salad and Chili Crabs at Blue Lagoon
Cool desserts and free WiFi at Ice Valley
Palawan Danggit: marinated, not dried!

The Experience

Though the range of food choices in Coron are not as wide as that of Boracay, we still found some blog-worthy eats in this small town.

Our first meal in Coron was at Cornelio's Restaurant. We got their prawn set which comes with salad and rice.The prawns were brutally buttered, making it taste really rich. It was a bit overpriced (PhP250/set with two prawns) but at least the prawns were fresh.

Their seafood pancit (PhP110) was a different story though. The noodles had some aftertaste and the "seafood" were chopping board surplus from other dishes. It was such a disaster that we cannot force ourselves to take another bite.

Coron was redeemed though with our second day dinner at Lolo Nonoy's. The place was characteristic of a native Filipino restaurant.

Since I was still in my seafood frenzy mode, we got Crispy Crablets (PhP150) and Calamares (PhP150). It took some time before our order was served, but it was all worth the wait! Both orders were served fresh. Serving size was also a bang for the buck!

A good finisher for this meal were soft drinks in glass bottles. In the age of Coke cans and PET bottles, you just don't see them around that often these days.The San Mig glass they used as tissue holder completed the trio!

The seafood escapade continues with our Blue Lagoon dinner the following day where we were again reunited with the sexy glass Coke bottle

The cucumber-rich Squid Salad (PhP200) we ordered was nothing but fresh! The aligue-filled Chili Crabs (PhP200) were so fresh that you can taste the "sweetness" in its meat.

For dessert, we took a short tricycle ride to Ice Valley (beside Centro Coron). The place was one of the few that had decent WiFi in town. Their ice coolers were nothing close to Boracay's cool sweets but it served its purpose (i.e. free WiFi).

The Basic Halo-halo (Php109) was indeed basic while the Green Tea Halo-halo (PhP130) had almost the same ingredients except for the green tea powder on top.

To finish off our Coron food trip, we headed off to a Chinese Restaurant near the town plaza for breakfast after our tiring Mt. Tapyas climb. The restaurant has rather uncommon Chinese specials in their menu (they even have Xiao Long Bao and Radish Cake!).

But since it was breakfast time we settled for a unique Palawan delicacy: Marinated Danggit!

Unlike the more famous Danggit from Cebu, Palawan's version is marinated and not dried. Despite being marinated, the fish heads were crunchy enough to eat. It's the best breakfast you can get in Coron for PhP70 per plate with rice and veggies.

I left no Danggit bones on my plate, but Coron had indeed made a mark in our hearts.

(Picture taken at Ice Valley, Coron)

Spend Breakdown

Cornelio's Restaurant	375
Lolo Nonoy's Food Station	385
Blue Lagoon	500
Ice Valley	239
Chinese restaurant with no name	150
Actual Spend	1649

How to get there

Just walk around or ride a tricycle around Coron Town. For details on how to get to Coron, you may refer to our Coron Travel post.

Landmarks: Coron Market, Coron Town Plaza, St. Augustine Church
Address:
Coron Town, Busuanga Island
Palawan, Philippines

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Trip: Coron's Maquinit Hot Spring

2013-04-15T01:01:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 600
Actual Spend: PhP 600
Quality: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Accessibility: 2/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

The only salt water hot spring in the Philippines
Superb tri-colored sunset
Hot water + cold night = perfect combination!
A great way to end a tiring day

The Experience

After our Coron Island tour, we took a tricycle to Maquinit Hot Spring: the only salt water hot spring in the Philippines

The ride took a few minutes from Coron Town. We find the standard fare of PhP300 round trip quite reasonable as the red dirt road was a bit steep and rough. It is already inclusive of one hour waiting time.

We got to Maquinit shortly before sunset. We had time to take some snaps of the place.We also got the perfect timing to capture our dream shot:

Unfortunately, we are not the couple in the shot. The camera was just too far beyond the remote's range. We'll be back here some day with someone to take this picture for us.

Even though we were not in our dream shot, we still got some nice sunset pics near the mangroves.

Unlike your usual sunset, the one we saw that day was tri-colored. It definitely added drama to the shots.

When it got too dark to take pictures, we spent the rest of our time there bathing in the hot spring. The hot salt water was perfect for the cold night. It is definitely a great way to end a tiring day!

Spend Breakdown

Tricycle Fare(round trip)	300
Entrance Fee (150/person)	300
Actual Spend	600

How to get there

From Coron Town proper, ride a tricycle going to Maquinit Hot Spring. The ride will take about a few minutes. The tricycle will park outside the hot spring and wait for you. Take note of your tricycle's body number to easily locate it after.

Landmarks: red dirt road, mangroves
Address:
Coron, Busuanga Island
Palawan, Philippines
Operating Hours: 7am-10pm

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Trip: Coron Island Hopping

2013-04-14T17:33:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 3400
Actual Spend: PhP 3400
Quality: 2/5
Service: 1/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

Huge rock formations
Crystal-clear Kayangan Lake
Fresh seafood for lunch
Great snorkeling sites
Relaxing swim at Twin Lagoons

The Experience

Prior to our trip, we booked an island hopping tour and Calauit Safari package with RNOne21 Travel Agency at Ortigas in coordination with Micasa Coron. We ended up re-booking the Calauit tour with another (much more reliable) operator Corong Galeri. Our island hopping tour though did push through.

We left Coron Town in the morning. Our pick up service arrived at our hotel a bit late than the agreed time. When we got to the boat, we joined a group of mostly foreign tourist. There was another Filipino couple though that was with us.

The boat ride was not really the most comfortable as we faced the scourging heat of the sun. We were seated atop the boat's deck/engine cover while the tourists we seated comfortably in the shade. It was a bit disappointing but the great view of the Silvana-like rocky hills made up for it.

Our first destination was Coron Island. Coron Island is different from Coron Town (which is located in Busuanga Island). Coron Island is around 20 minutes away from town by boat and is partially inhabited by the native Tagbanuas.

The first part of the tour was a hike to a high point of the island where you can see the famous view of the Coron rock formations. The hike was tiring but the postcard-worthy view was worth it!

Near the view deck was a small cave which also draws some tourist attention.

After experiencing the great view of Coron rocks, we went down to the other side to get to Kayangan Lake.

Kayangan is a fresh water crystal-clear lake within Coron Island. It's a great place for a cool relaxing swim. The water is so clear that you can see the rocks at the bottom of the lake

After Coron Island, we went to a few other islands to go snorkeling (too bad we don't have an underwater camera). The snorkeling areas in Coron are far bigger than Puerto Princesa's Pambato Reef. The variety of corals and marine life at Pambato is a lot more wider though.

We then went to another island (forgot the name) to have lunch in a kubo attached to one of the big rocks.

Lunch was simple but good. We were expecting more but the fresh grilled fish (matangbaka) and seaweeds (lato/sea grapes) matched the relaxing sea breeze.

We had some grilled pork on the table but it vanished in seconds after one of our companions hoarded most of it.

After lunch, we waded through clear waters at the beach going to our boat.

We went to a few more islands (Twin Peeks, etc.) to snorkel. The waves were getting hard and the sun was shining high so we decided to stay in the boat.

We also hanged out at the beach in CYC Island, though the waves prevented us from bringing a camera (the boat parked far from the shore).

We also went to the famous Twin Lagoons though we failed to take some snaps as we were not willing to risk getting our camera wet. The two lagoons are connected by a hole that goes underwater on high tide. It was a relaxing swim. Now I think it's really high time to invest on a waterproof cam!

Supposedly, Maquinit Hot Spring is part of the tour we paid for. However, the local operator (Micasa Coron) advised us that is not included in their standard tour so we went there on our own. The day was full of disappointments but we still managed to somehow enjoy the experience and of course each other's company.

To sum up, here's a description of the island tour package we got (provided by RNOne21/Micasa). In red are the parts that were not realized:

We do not intend to say bad things of tour operators or any other business but we as bloggers have the responsibility to keep future travelers informed. We would like to think that RNOne21 and Micasa learned their lesson from this as much as we did. They were actually kind enough to give us a reasonable partial refund.

However, we would strongly recommend transacting with another more established tour operator. The best we know is Corong Galeri, just a few steps away from Villa Hermosa which operates a similar (more accurately described) island tour for less than half the price (PhP650/person). Aside from better rates, they also provide great service and good food as we had during our Calauit Safari.

Please don't expect a reply from them through email though as their mailbox gets cramped up and the unstable electricity service in Coron makes it impossible to respond to all inquiries. With this we recommend booking with Corong Galeri as soon as you arrive in Coron Town or via their online booking facility.

Spend Breakdown

Coron Island Hopping (1.7k/pax)	3400
Actual Spend	3400

How to get there

Ride a boat from the boat terminal at Coron Town (near Sea Dive Hotel). If you have a big group and would like to go DIY, you may rent your own boat and choose the islands you want to visit. See above image for the rates.

Landmarks: Coron Island, Busuanga Island, rock formations
Address:
Coron Island, Calamian
Palawan, Philippines

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Trip: Coron Town

2013-04-13T23:27:00.002+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 0
Actual Spend: PhP 0
Quality: 3/5
Service: N/A
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

Small, relaxed town with great character
Coron marker ala-Hollywood
Romantic Coron Sunset by the bay

The Experience

We arrived at Villa Hermosa around five in the afternoon. It was a bit late for a paid tour so we decided to just stroll around town.

Coron is a typical small rural Filipino town. Life seems to be pretty much laid back and relaxed.

It has a few unique scenes though that will really catch your attention. One is the cross at the top of Mt. Tapyas, the highest point in town.

A few hundred meters from the cross is the Coron town marker ala-Hollywood. This reminded me of Gov. Vilma's "brilliant" proposal to have something similar in Taal.

You can also see foreigners roaming around town, even in the public market.

Their public market is like any other. You can buy fish (marinated danggit FTW!), vegetables, meat, and some souvenir items. One good buy is their customized leather key chains which sells for PhP10 each with free name engraving. You can also get 11 pieces for only PhP100.

If you're looking for Palawan's famous cashew nuts though, it would be better to buy from a local dealer than from (tourist-priced) market souvenir shops. One cashew dealer's shop is located a few meters from Centro Coron Restaurant / Ice Valley.

We also got to see their boat terminal. Though we were going on pre-set tours, we took a snap of the boat fare for reference.

We also got a shot of Coron's church. They have two masses on Sunday: 6am and 5pm. We opted to attended the morning mass before our island hopping tour.

Coron town isn't really much of a tourist destination. You need to ride a van, tricycle, or boat from town to reach the more "fun" parts of the Calamian island group.

Still, experiencing the simplicity of the town through a free DIY walking tour is time well spent. The best way to end it is with a romantic sunset by the bay.

Though less colorful (thus much less polluted) than Manila Bay's sunset, Coron Bay provides a more natural presentation of this daily event.

Spend Breakdown

Walking tour of Coron Town	0
Actual Spend	0

How to get there

From the Busuanga (Coron) Airport, ride a van going to Coron Town. You can save the Google map below in your Android phone to help you locate places in town.

Landmarks: Coron town marker, Mt. Tapyas Cross
Address:
Coron Town, Busuanga Island
Palawan, Philippines

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Trip: Coron's Villa Hermosa

2013-03-31T22:44:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 3000
Actual Spend: PhP 3000
Quality: 3/5
Service: 5/5
Accessibility: 5/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Reasonably priced spacious air-conditioned rooms in the heart of Coron Town
Native and functional room design
Rooms with private toilet and bath available
Very accommodating owner and staff
Second best Coron B&B in tripadvisor.com rankings

The Experience

Unlike in Boracay where affordable quality accommodations are readily available, looking for one in Coron, Palawan was quite a challenge for us. After a lot of searching online, we ended up booking a room at Villa Hermosa Bed & Breakfast.

Villa Hermosa has several reasonably-priced spacious room. The place is strategically located in the heart of Coron Town: a few meters away from the public market, restaurants, church, and other establishments. Each room has walls and roofing made of sawali with matching native decors.

Despite the native design, each room has the basic stuff you need: shelves, locker, air conditioner, and a wash basin. You may also opt for a room with a private toilet and bath as we did.

Best of all, the establishment's creative owner and friendly staff were very accommodating. They attend to your needs as much as they can and even provide you tour options. With this much hospitality, they earned one of the top spots in tripadvisor.com's rankings for Coron B&Bs.

We'll definitely be back at Villa Hermosa. We look forward to staying in the nearby earth house (made of compacted soil) that they are currently finishing up.

Spend Breakdown

Accommodation for 2 (1k/night)	3000
Actual Spend	3000

How to get there

From the Busuanga (Coron) Airport, ride a van going to Coron Town.
Ask the driver to drop you off at Villa Hermosa.

Landmarks: Corong Galeri, Cornelio's Restaurant, Salon
Address:
San Agustin St. Barangay Poblacion 2Coron, Palawan, Philippines
Contact Person:
Susan De La Rosa
Contact Number/s:
(63929) 320-4018
Email:
villahermosabnb@yahoo.com
Operating Hours: Check in at 2pm, out at 12nn

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Trip: Coron Travel

2013-03-31T10:10:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 4000
Actual Spend: PhP 3311.68
Quality: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

Aircon bus transfer service from NAIA Terminal 3 to the roomy ATR 72-500 plane
No-frills flight with Cebu Pacific's Piso Fare
Great view of Coron's mountain tops
Coron Airport: the most simple and relaxed we've seen so far
Aircon van transfer to Coron Town, directly to your hotel
Enjoy a nice view of the ranch country: cows, cattle grids, wooden bridges, and more!

The Experience
Just like our Boracay Travel, we got a vacation to Coron, Palawan thanks to a piso fare promo, this time from budget carrier Cebu Pacific.

From the NAIA3 departure area, we were picked up by an air conditioned shuttle bus to the ATR 72-500 turbo prop plane.

The ATR is more roomy compared to PAL/Airphil's Bombardier planes. It also has much more leg room compared to a Cebu Pac configured Airbus.

The staff were strict through in letting in the passengers seated in front first. After doing some research, I learned that such is necessary as the ATR's nose may lift if the plane is not loaded properly (yes, funny but it does happen).

The flight was smooth and less noisy compared to a Bombardier flight. The view we got though was not as spectacular as Boracay, but still gave us a relaxed atmosphere.

Seeing the view from the top, we learned that Coron's landscape is mountainous. The airport in fact is located in a short flat strip of land between these mountains, making it impossible to land larger planes like Boeings and Airbuses.

Busuanga Airport, the gateway to Coron, is the simplest airport we've seen so far. It actually looks more like a bus terminal than an airport.

It has no conveyor belts, no x-ray machines, no airconditioning, and no walk-through metal detectors. This is not a bad thing though as it gives guests a more "relaxed" feel that you would never get in a tense modern airport.

After the manongs handed over our baggage to us at the "baggage counter", we crossed the driveway to get to the transport terminal where we rode an airconditioned van going to Coron Town.

The trip went smoothly, mostly on paved roads. There were occasional cattle grids that keep the cows from roaming out of the area.

There were also bridges made of metal frames and wooden planks. Until then, I haven't seen one in years!

The van dropped us off at our hotel (Villa Hermosa) in Coron Town. It is here where our Coron adventure starts!

Spend Breakdown

Airfare via Cebu Pacific	2711.68
Airport Transfer (150/pax)	600
Actual Spend	3311.68

How to get there

From the Busuanga (Coron) Airport arrival area, cross the driveway to the Transport Terminal.
Ride a van going to Coron Town. Vans depart from the airport after a flight arrives. No need to make prior arrangements.
For return trips to the airport, you may ask you hotel to arrange a transfer service for you. Usually, the vans roam around the town to pick up passengers.

Landmarks: Busuanga Airport, Ranch, Cattle Grid, Coron Town
Address:
Busuanga Airport
Busuanga, Calamian Islands
Palawan, Philippines

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Food: Bangkok Cafe

2013-03-24T21:42:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 600
Actual Spend: PhP 582
Quality: 4/5
Service: 5/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Great-tasting Thai rice toppings in tilted bowls
Very big serving for a "small" Pad Thai
Heart-shaped Sticky Rice with Ripe Mangoes for dessert

The Experience

We originally wanted to try an Italian restaurant at Pearl Drive for our Valentines date.

Unfortunately, the Italian restaurant already closed down. We searched for an alternative place to dine and we found Bangkok Cafe.

Bangkok Cafe serves affordable but great-tasting Thai food, usually in the 200-peso range per dish. We got two of their Thai rice toppings which came in photo-friendly tilted bowls.

Kirsten got their Chili Rice with Basil (Khao Pad Krappao). It was similar to that of Som's but had a more appetizing presentation.

I got their Dried Beef Curry (Khao Panaeng Nua). Their curry was coconut-milk based similar to other Southeast Asian curries. The beef was tender and the flavor was explosive.

We also got a "small" Pad Thai to share. Like in Thai Dara, they were accommodating to take the shrimps out of the dish (goodbye allergens). It is one of the best Pad Thai we've tasted to date.

To finish off, we had their Sticky Rice with Ripe Magoes (Khao Neaw Mamuang). As one of their foreign customers said, they make the best sticky rice! It is similar to the local kakanin, though having much more character. For Valentine's day, they made it extra special by serving it in a heart-shaped form.

Spend Breakdown

Khao Pad Krappao (chili rice)	108
Khao Panaeng Nua (beef curry)	168
Pad Thai (small)	198
Khao Neaw Mamuang (sticky rice)	108
Actual Spend	582

How to get there

From MRT Shaw Boulevard Station, exit to the Shangri-La Plaza connection.
Exit Shangrila-Plaza using the door beside Mercury Drug. Walk towards Lourdes Drive.
Cross San Miguel Ave. and walk until the next intersection. Turn left at Pearl Drive. Walk until you reach Pearl Plaza. Bangkok Cafe is located at the ground floor.

Landmarks: UA&P, Mister Kebab, Dunkin Donuts
Address:
Ground Floor, 8101 Pearl PlazaPearl Drive, Pasig City
Philippines
Contact Number/s:
(632) 638-7036
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bangkok-CafeThai-Restaurant/219722988082932

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Food: Renaissance Cafeteria

2013-03-24T19:07:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 350
Actual Spend: PhP 330
Quality: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

Great price, wide food variety buffet in Marikina

Fresh salads, great kare-kare and menudo, wide set of local desserts!

Relaxed ambiance by the river banks

The Experience

After our wedding prep trip to AFPCOC and Eastwood Chapel, we headed off to the nearby Marikina Riverbanks for lunch. We were supposed to have lunch at SM Marikina but poor navigating skills led us to Renaissance Cafiteria at the back of Riverbanks Mall.

Renaissance Cafiteria offers lunch and dinner buffet for only PhP 150 plus 10% service charge. Unlike other buffets in the same price range, they offer a wide variety of Filipino dishes.

I was amazed how fresh their salads were. It is not very common for a budget buffet like this. Their menudo was also a winner!

Kirsten was enchanted by their kare-kare. It is way better than the kare-kare served in other (far more expensive) Filipino buffets. They also have dimsum and other side dishes.

Their wide set of local desserts, though far from being upscale, completed the sumptuous meal.

The relaxing ambiance by the banks of the Marikina River is an added bonus.

I think they also have an acoustic band play here at night (we saw a small stage with some musical instruments).

If you're up for a cheap but decent buffet treat within the metro, this is definitely the place to be!

Spend Breakdown

Buffet for 2 (150x2)	300
Service Charge (10%)	30
Actual Spend	330

How to get there

From LRT2 Santolan Station, you can cross Marcos Highway and ride a jeep (Cubao signboard) or walk toward SM City Marikina.
Riverbanks Mall is just beside SM City Marikina. Renaissance Cafiteria is at the back part of Riverbanks.

Landmarks: SM City Marikina, Riverbanks Mall, Marikina River, Ice Cream Store Riverbanks
Address:
Renaissance Convention Center, Riverbanks, Marikina
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CafeFloraEAC
Contact Number/s:
(632) 227-9197 / 612-5327 / 385-0072
Operating Hours: 10am-10pm

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Food: Johnny Rockets

2013-03-03T21:40:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 500
Actual Spend: PhP 455.32
Quality: 3/5
Service: 2/5
Accessibility: 4/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

Relaxed American diner feel
Relatively affordable value meals: cheaper than ala carte
Sinful Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich
American-style hamburger with lettuce and tomatoes
Large cut fries!
Update (11/24/2014): Budget combo meals are no longer available.

The ExperienceEastwood was our "home" for quite some time but we have never tried Johnny Rockets even once because it was way out of our date budget. When we heard they have promo combo meals, we thought it's something we wouldn't want to miss.

Johnny Rockets has this not-so-common American diner feel. Service was not that fast but we were served complementary fries for waiting a bit.

Our drinks came quite earlier than our food. They came in the classic sexy coke glass.

Kirsten got a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich. The cheese, beef, and caramelized onions made it really sinful.

I got their original burger combo. It was a bit dry but tolerable. At PhP 219 with fries and drink (compared to their PhP 300+ and up regular priced burgers), I really can't ask for more.

Service was almost tolerable until we asked for our bill. We waited longer than the time we waited for our food to be served. Still, it was good to try something we really never thought of trying. We will probably be back when the have promo combos again.

Spend Breakdown

Philly Teaser Combo	199
Original Combo	219
Service Charge	37.32
Actual Spend	455.32

How to get there

From the Cubao MRT or LRT station, walk your way to Romulo Ave., the street in between Ali Mall and Cubao Expo.
Ride a jeep with the Ever Rosario sign board.
Go off in front of Mercury Drug.
Walk your way until you reach Eastwood Mall. You may also wait for the Eastwood City's free shuttle. Johnny Rockets is at the first floor, just across Stacker's.

Landmarks: Pho Hoa, Somethin Fishy, Bigoli, Stackers, My Thai, Momo
Address:
G/F Eastwood Mall,
E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Bagumbayan,
Libis, Quezon City
Metro Manila, Philippines Contact Number: (632) 470-2117
Operating Hours: 12am - 12am

Food: Big Bowl + Binondo Treats

2013-03-03T00:33:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 300
Actual Spend: PhP 304
Quality: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 5/5
Overall Experience: 5/5

Highlights

Beef Wanton Noodles in a BIG bowl!
Beef Ampalaya that is BIG in size, and BIG in taste!
White Rabbit soft milk candy: a childhood favorite
Weird-looking but great tasting tea boiled egg

The Experience

We have already raved about Binondo food a couple of times but we simply just can't get enough of it!

After a lot of walking at 168 and 999 malls looking for wedding stuff, we were so hungry that we needed something big to eat. Good thing there's Big Bowl Noodles.

Big Bowl noodles is your everyday Binondo noodle house. The feel is pretty much similar to Dong Bei. They specialize in another food type though: noodles and rice meals.

We got a serving of their Beef Wanton Noodles. The serving size lived up to the restaurant's name. The big noodle bowl was filled with a lot of meat, veggies, and good quality noodles packed with big taste.

We also had a service of their Beef Ampalaya Rice. The bitterness of ampalaya was offset by the thick tausi-based sauce. Rice served was the size of a bowl (not your usual rice cup size).

Big Bowl also serves house tea and it's probably one of the best I've tried. Take caution on the glass though. They don't use the usual tea cups.

Aside from our Big Bowl lunch, we also grabbed a few other Chinatown exclusive. A really striking one was this tea-boiled egg from a stall near 999 Mall's food court:

It's just plain egg boiled in tea instead of plain water. The dried leaf concoction was so strong that turned the egg white black. It was insanely good! Never though I'll find much joy in this simple snack.

We also spotted a childhood favorite: White Rabbit candy! This is the original soft creamy and milky one with a plastic-like edible inner wrapper. It's not that easy to find it even in Binondo and it is almost extinct elsewhere. We were happily munching this while walking.

Though we got a relatively high dose of MSG and melamine that day, it was well worth it. We'll still be back for another Binondo episode!

Spend Breakdown

Beef Wanton Noodles	110
Beef Ampalaya Rice	120
White Rabbit Milk Candy (1 pack)	50
Tea Boiled Egg (2 pieces)	24
Actual Spend	304

How to get there

From LRT United Nations Ave. Station, ride a jeep going to Divisoria
Get off before Binondo Church. Turn right to Ongpin. Turn right to Yuchengco St. (first corner, after Eng Bee Tin). Look for Big Bowl Noodles' yellow sign with red font.

Landmarks: Binondo Church, Ongpin St., Divisoria, Manila China Town, Plaza Ruiz, Sincerity Chicken
Address:
517 Nueva (Yuchengco) St., Binondo, Manila
Contact Number/s:
(632) 244-8755 / 244-8644 / 245-7292 / 244-8766
Operating Hours: 10 AM to around 8 PM

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Food: Golden Spoon

2013-02-03T21:31:00.002+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 200
Actual Spend: PhP 199
Quality: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Accessibility: 4/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Fill-all-you can cup: get all the yogurt flavors and toppings you want!
Convenient locations in Makati (Paseo and Ayala Triangle), Eastwood, and Shangri-La Plaza.

The Experience

After dinner at Johnny Rocket's, we went for the escalator to have dessert at Golden Spoon.

We got the best sharing option that they have: the Cupful!

Unlike the other DIY yogurt shops where you weight what you get and pay by the gram, Golden Spoon lets you fill the cup as much as you can and as much as you want! You can get all the flavors and toppings that you want in a single serving.

Definitely a great ending for a great meal!

Spend Breakdown

Cupful	199
Actual Spend	199

How to get there

From the Cubao MRT or LRT station, walk your way to Romulo Ave., the street in front of Ali Mall and Cubao Expo.
Ride a jeep with the Ever Rosario sign board.
Go off in front of Bono Yaki restaurant.

Walk your way until you reach Eastwood Mall. You may also wait for the Eastwood City's free shuttle. Red Mango is at the second floor, veranda area.
Landmarks: Starbucks, Happy Lemon, Sony, McDonald's, Eastwood Mall Cinemas
Address:
4F Eastwood Mall,
E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Bagumbayan,
Libis, Quezon City
Metro Manila, Philippines
Operating Hours: 11am - 10pm

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Food: Hungry Hippo

2013-02-03T20:44:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 250
Actual Spend: PhP 238
Quality: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Accessibility: 2/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Steak 'n with double eggs: not your usual tapsilog!
Cheeseburger large enough to feed a hungry hippo, yet affordable enough to fit our budget.

The Experience

While on our way to Sta.Rosa, Laguna, Kirsten went hungry so we stopped by an equally hungry match: Hungry Hippo!

I've loved Hungry Hippo since the time when still had a branch at Dela Rosa St. Makati. I often had breakfast there with my sister a few years back. I am really happy that we are able to catch them at their Shell SLEX branch.

This hippo shop is famous for its burgers so I had one of my old favorites: their big and juicy cheeseburger! At PhP125, it comes with fries and a drink.

Unlike the mainstream fast food cheeseburgers, theirs are complete with lettuce, cucumber, and tomatoes without having to pay extra.

Kirsten had their Steak 'n Eggs meal:

It's an upscale version of your everyday tapsilog. The generous strips of breakfast steak is served with double yolk eggs and veggies on the side.

The filling breakfast at Hungry Hippo really made our day!

Spend Breakdown

Steak 'n Eggs	113
Cheeseburger Meal	125
Actual Spend	238

How to get there

From Metro Manila, take South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) south bound.
Keep right after Alabang Exit and enter the next Shell Gas Station. Hungry Hippo is at the back of the other food establishments (Jollibee, etc.)

Sorry it is not possible to commute to this Hungry Hippo branch. You can visit their website for the complete list of their branches.

Landmarks: Alabang Exit, Shell Gas Station (Alabang SLEX)
Address:
Shell Service Station SLEX,
Km. 25, Muntinlupa City
Philippines
Website:
http://hungryhippo.com.ph
Operating Hours: 6am-11pm

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Food: New Bombay

2013-01-01T21:35:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 400
Actual Spend: PhP 320
Quality: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Accessibility: 5/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Wide selection of Indian curry (vegetable, chicken, lamb)
Rich tasting dishes
Comes with spiced rice and authentic sauces
Budget combo meals available at Food Choices outlet

The Experience

We always wanted to try Indian food but it is not as readily available as other cuisines. When we learned that there's a New Bombay outlet at Food Choices, we were eager to give it a try.

Similar to the other Food Choices establishments (like Cyma's Go Greek, House of Minis, and TOSH Express), New Bombay has a fancy restaurant counterpart with a branch downstairs. In their food stall, it's all bare basics:

Since I'm allergic to chicken, we got two allergen free meals: vegetarian and non-vegetarian.

The vegetarian curry had a lot of mushrooms and young corn. It doesn't look very appetizing but it is packed with an exploding flavor.

Their lamb curry is also rich in spices. The rich taste eliminates the undesirable lamb aftertaste.

Their value meals come with rice and pita bread. Both carb sources tasted uniquely Indian!

Their sauces complement the dishes well. The green stuff really hits the spot!

The side dishes that came with the meal provided some variety. All meals also come with a glass of iced tea.

Having a taste of Indian cuisine is a whole new experience for us. It may not look as good as other cuisines but the spice-packed bonanza makes up well for it.

Spend Breakdown

Vegetarian Meal	155
Non-Vegetarian Meal	165
Actual Spend	320

How to get there

Get off at MRT Ayala Station.
Walk to Glorietta 4 Food Choices via the MRT-SM Makati link.
Landmarks: Food Choices, Glorietta 4, SM Makati, near Savory and Go Greek
Address:
Food Choices, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center
Makati City, Metro Manila
Philippines
Operating Hours: 11am to 9pm (10pm weekends)

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Food: Everything at Steak

2013-01-01T19:36:00.002+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 600
Actual Spend: PhP 546
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Soft and tasty Rib Eye Steak
Large-cut T-Bone Steak
Great side dishes in big serving size: twice baked potato and white sauce pasta with meatball
Apple Crumble with lots of ice cream on top: bang for the buck!

Update (11/24/2014): Steak meals are now at PhP250 per order.

The Experience

We have been dying to dine at Everything at Steak ever since I learned of its existence from my sister. Finally, we got to try it before the year ends.

We wanted to order lamb chops. I've tried it on another occasion and unlike your usual lamb, it is free from the strong (sometimes unappetizing) smell. Unfortunately, it was not on stock so we settled for T-Bone and Rib Eye steaks.

The steaks did not disappoint. The T-Bone was huge! Also, it tastes way better compared to other budget steaks in the market.

It was my first time to try the Rib Eye cut and I was surprised that it had the best of both worlds: the tastiness of T-Bone and the softness of Tenderloin! It was heaven in a plate!

Aside from the usual rice and rich gravy, their steaks come with your choice of side dish (pasta, salad, and stuff in between). We got a serving of twice baked potato which tasted pretty much like potato salad in a different form.

We also had a serving of white sauce pasta with meatball. The serving size was big enough and the presentation was quite appetizing. It is not the best we've had but it's not bad either.

At an average of PhP200 per set, meals here are definitely a bang for the buck! For our sweet ending we had this:

Their Apple Crumble was a monster! This super-sized sweet tooth fantasy goes for just PhP130. We had a hard time battling with this monster. The hot old fashioned apple pie and vanilla ice cream combo is (next to us) the sweetest duo!

Spend Breakdown

Rib Eye Steak	195
T-Bone Steak	195
Apple Crumble	130
5% Service Charge	26
Actual Spend	546

How to get there

Get off at MRT Santolan-Annapolis station. Walk towards the jeepney terminal at EDSA corner Annapolis St.
Ride a green jeep going to Greenhills Shopping Center. You will see Everything at Steak before reaching Elan Hotel. It is directly at the back of the Greenhills Shopping Center multi-level parking.

Landmarks: Greenhills Shopping Center, Elan Hotel, 7-11
Address:
Annapolis St. Greenhills
San Juan, Metro Manila
Philippines
Contact Number/s:
(632) 726-2386
Operating Hours: 11am to 10pm

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Food: Ultimate Cheesesteak

2012-11-28T08:45:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 200
Actual Spend: PhP 180
Quality: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Relatively affordable cheesy and beefy cheesesteak sandwiches
Popeye's cheesesteak
Free entertainment courtesy of football players in Turf BGC and the BGC Passionfest mobile concert

The Experience
We have always wanted to try having a cheesesteak sandwich but at PhP300 to 700 each, we just think it's not worth it (we'd rather have a sumptuous buffet). So when we saw a Groupon deal for Ultimate Cheesesteak, we grabbed it right away and availed of it on the first day.

Ultimate Cheesesteak has reasonably priced sandwiches prepared fresh right before your eyes. With the Groupon discount, it was bang for the buck. We got two sandwiches: the Ultimate Cheesesteak and Popeye's Hammered Cheesesteak.

Both sandwiches did not disappoint. The Ultimate was more for the cheesesteak purist who wants to stick to the basics: beef, cheese, onions, and more cheese!

The Popeye was for the more health conscious ones. It has some olives (not Popeye's chick) and a good amount of spinach. The artery decloggers complement the beef and the cheese and does no harm on the cheesesteak flavor.

You may also add sides like fries and onion rings. You can also have other add-ons from Mercato's wide range of food stalls.

The free entertainment from the BGC Passionfest truck completed our night. The truck was a full featured stage (with all the pro lights and sounds) with seasoned musicians like Razorback and Basti Artadi (of Wolfgang) performing.

When the truck left, we still had free entertainment courtesy of the football players doing their moves at Turf BGC.

Great food and great entertainments made this Friday night complete!

Spend Breakdown

Ultimate Cheesesteak	150
Popeye's Hammered Cheesesteak	180
Groupon Voucher Discount	(150)
Actual Spend	180

How to get there

From MRT Ayala Avenue Station, walk to the Fort Bus Terminal near Shell Gas Station.
Ride a Fort Bus to Market-Market (East Route).
Get off at MC Home Depot / Starbucks / Turf BGC Football Field. Behind are the Mercato tents.

Landmarks: MC Home Depot, Market-Market Mall, International School, STI Global City, Starbucks Drive Thru, Turf BGC
Address:
Mercato Centrale
Bonifacio Global City
Fort Bonifacio
Taguig City, Philippines

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Trip: PNR Commuter Train

2012-11-25T20:22:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 20
Actual Spend: PhP 20
Quality: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Accessibility: 5/5
Fun Factor: 5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Cheapest and fastest way to get to Alabang: only PhP10 per person from Pasay Road, Makati!
New air-conditioned trains
One really bumpy ride: not for the faint hearted

The Experience
Kirsten and I have planned to ride the Philippine National Railways (PNR) train going to Alabang months back. We finally had time for this adventure so here it is.

PNR is definitely the cheapest way to get to Alabang at PhP10 per person, a lot less compared to the PhP70+ aircon bus fare. Travel time is also a lot faster compared to riding a city bus (especially during rush hour). The stations don't look bad either with some renovations done in recent years.

Unlike MRT and LRT stations, security is not as tight at PNR thus you need to take extra guard on your belongings. Tickets are made of paper unlike the LRT magnetic cards. No stored value cards here, no long lines too! There are no tall foot bridges too: just plain rail tracks to cross!

We learned that PNR uses Electric Multiple Units (EMUs) and Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) for their commuter operations (thanks to my cousin who happens to be a great train fan). EMUs are similar to the ones used by MRT and LRT, though PNR uses a diesel engine to tow the trains due to lack of overhead electricity source. We saw one on the other side (going to Tutuban):

These EMU coaches were donated by Japan a few years back. We were somehow lucky to ride brand new DMU units made by Hyundai in 2009 (don't mind the sleepyhead).

The train was very spacious similar to LRT Line 2 coaches (which I think were made by Hyundai too). Air-conditioning was good and the standard fittings (seats, handrails, etc) were all there. Kudos to the Korean train maker!

The ride was fun though the view was obstructed by steel screens, which (sad to say) were necessary to provide protection for the train's glass windows and the passengers as well. We still got to enjoy the "new" scenery though.

Overall, it was a bang for the buck. But be warned: this train is not for the faint hearted! Though most the trains are relatively new, the tracks aren't! If you plan to ride this train, get ready for a really bumpy ride. A backup supply of motion sickness medication may come in handy.

Spend Breakdown

Train Tickets (for two)	20
Actual Spend	20

How to get there

From MRT Ayala Station, walk towards Parksquare Jeepney Terminal via SM Makati.
Ride a Libertad jeep from the Parksquare Jeepney terminal. Get off at SLEX corner Pasay Road (after Don Bosco and Waltermart Makati)
Walk towards PNR Pasay Road Station.
Note: You can also ride a Mantrade jeep from Greenbelt (passes directly in front of PNR Pasay Road Station) or you can walk to PNR EDSA Station from MRT Magallanes Station.
Landmarks: Waltermart Makati, Don Bosco, Skyway, SLEX
Address:
Pasay Road corner SLEX
Makati City, Philippines
Contact Number:
(632) 319-0045
Operating Hours: First commuter train leaves Tutuban at 6am, last train leaves Biñan at 6pm
Note: First and last commuter trains for the day are non-airconditioned. Train arrives every 30 minutes.

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Food: Trellis

2012-11-19T21:19:00.001+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 300
Actual Spend: PhP 264
Quality: 5/5
Service: 3/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 4/5
Overall Experience: 3/5

Highlights

Unique smoky pork sisig: the dish that made them famous
Relaxing al fresco dining experience
Artery-clogging clear mushroom soup
Rich-tasting kangkong in oyster sauce
Free pitcher of their house blend iced tea (for Groupon customers on Saturdays only)
Turon with ice cream for a happy ending
Ideal place for a get-together with family and friends

Update (11/24/2014): Makati branch is now closed. You may proceed to Kalayaan QC branch (Monday-Saturday) to enjoy their great sisig.

The Experience
Before Gerry's, Dencio's, Giligans, and all other clones... there was Trellis.

Though sisig was originally from Pampanga (near the old rails I think), Trellis is one of the first to make the dish known to us all. Kirsten and I decided to go their original branch: the one that has been there since 1980!

Unlike their Makati branch and the former Taguig branch (which already closed down), their original Kalayaan branch features al fresco dining. The garden and koi pond adds a relaxing element to your meal.

We were first served a pitcher of iced tea. We got a taste of this house-blended delight for free (for Groupon voucher holders on Saturdays only).

It is far better than the usual commercial iced tea in the sisig resto clones.

Up next was their fresh clear mushroom soup. It was far from being healthy: it had lots beef fat floating around. The oil made it very rich tasting though. It is very similar to Mushroomburger Tagaytay's mushroom soup (minus the egg).

And then came the greatest sisig of all time:

Unlike the usual crunchy sisig (which is pretty much diced chicharon), theirs is more on the traditional side. The pork was grilled prior to dicing and sauteing in a sizzling plate thus retaining the smoky flavor.

To balance off with the pork and beef fats, we also had a serving of kangkong in oyster sauce. It was tasty though filled with a good dose of MSG (or something similar).

Their turon with ice cream gave our sumptuous meal a happy ending. Let the pictures speak for itself.

Turon:

Ice Cream:

... and they lived happily ever after!

Overall, Trellis is a great hangout place best enjoyed with family and friends (due to their large serving sizes, it will not be a problem though if you have an appetite like ours). Food is great and service was until we asked for the bill that took forever to arrive! Still, we'll be back here for more!

Spend Breakdown

Fresh Clear Mushroom Soup	145
Pork Sisig	189
Kangkong in Oyster Sauce	65
Plain Rice (2)	40
House Blend Iced Tea	0
Turon with Ice Cream	75
Groupon Voucher Discount	(250)
Actual Spend	264

How to get there

From MRT Quezon Ave. ride a jeep going to UP Diliman, Philcoa, or Fairview.
Get off at PNB Kalayaan Ave. corner Elliptical Road, just across Quezon City Hall (no loading/unloading in front of the City Hall).
Cross Kalayaan Ave. to the City Hall side. Ride a jeep and get off at corner Matalino St. You may also choose to walk to Trellis on a cloudy day (it will take approximately five to ten minutes)

Landmarks: Quezon City Hall, Eunilane Grocery Store
Address:
40 Matalino St. corner Kalayaan Ave.
Quezon City, Philippines
Contact Numbers:
(632) 924-1056 to 57
Operating Hours: 11am to 12mn

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Food: Makati Supermarket Coffee Shop

2012-11-14T21:45:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 300
Actual Spend: PhP 290
Quality: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Accessibility: 4/5
Fun Factor: 3/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Makati Coffee Shop that's not in Makati
Best dinuguan
Top-notch clubhouse sandwich

The Experience

We were supposed to have lunch at Hungry Hippo in SLEX. But our plan changed all of a sudden when I found Ninyo getting ecstatic upon seeing his good ol' favorite restaurant in Alabang Town Center.

Ninyo and his family frequent Makati Supermarket Coffee Shop several years back, on its now defunct Makati branch. So we ordered Ninyo's favorite dishes to satisfy his long lost cravings.

Makati Supermarket Coffee Shop serves the best dinuguan. It is comparable to Kanin Club's Crispy Dinuguan, with less cholesterol (their version here uses pork meat) and half the price.

The clubhouse sandwich is one of Ninyo's favorite at Makati Supermarket Coffee Shop. He loves it so much that he is willing to suffer from an allergic reaction afterwards.

Just look at how thick the chicken slices are.

The serving size is huge! Big enough to make the two of us full.

It was a fun experience having Ninyo relive his cravings, while I discover them for the first time. I'm sure we will be back for more.

Spend Breakdown

Clubhouse	165
Dinuguan w/ Puto	95
Plain Rice	30
Actual Spend	290

How to get there

From any EDSA southbound bus stop, ride a bus going to Alabang
From Alabang/South Station, ride a jeep going to Alabang-Zapote Road. Get off at Alabang Town Center. Makati Supermart Coffee Shop is located at the Service Town wing of Alabang Town Center.

Landmarks: Alabang Town Center, St. Jerome Church, Outback Steakhouse
Address:
Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Contact Number/s:
(632) 850-7687

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Food: Cha Dao

2012-11-12T15:03:00.000+08:00

Date Budget: PhP 200
Actual Spend: PhP 155
Quality: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Accessibility: 3/5
Fun Factor: 5/5
Overall Experience: 4/5

Highlights

Wide variety of tea blends and add-ons
Amazing Red Milk Tea
Sugar Lick Ice Cream with fun flavors

The Experience

Cha Dao has been our favorite chill-out place ever since I moved to Kapitolyo. Their interesting tea blends never fail to perk us up after a long day.

Cha Dao is one of the few tea shops that offer Red Milk Tea. It is very similar to Som's Thai Milk Tea, which we both love.

They also have a wide-range of add-ons. During one of our visits, we had Popping Boba in Peach Mango Yakult Blend. I love how they pop inside my mouth, bursting the juice inside.

Tea for Kristel?

Aside from tea, Cha Dao also offers Sugar Lick Ice Cream, available in super fun flavors. We've already tried Wintermelon Milk Tea, Yakult Sorbet, Frozen Brazo and Salted Caramel and they are all really good! Sugar Lick Ice Cream is available at PhP 65 for one scoop.

Spend Breakdown

Peach Mango Yakult Blend	75
Add-on: Popping Boba	10
Red Milk Tea	60
Add-on: Pearl	10
Actual Spend	155

How to get there

From MRT Boni Station, walk towards Robinson's Forum (Pioneer) Mall.
At the Pioneer St. side of the mall, ride a red tricycle. Tell the driver you are going to United St.
Get off at Pioneer Centre. You can either walk to Cha Dao or ride a green tricycle to West Capitol Drive.

Landmarks: Cafe Juanita, Haru Japanese Restaurant, Petron
Address:
G/F Unit 2 FADI Bldg, 5 West Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig
Contact Number/s:
(632) 738-8719
Operating Hours: 10AM to 11PM (Mon to Sun)

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