A Not-So-Popular Kid | Personal Blog

Tim Ho Wan - First Michelin starred restaurant in the Philippines

Tim Ho Wan is now in the Philippines - first Michelin starred restaurant to open up here!

Joining the bandwagon, I together with my college friends, decided to have a single-stop food trip in Tim Ho Wan. Being aware of the ongoing long lines, we decided to be there really early, and hence we arrived 10:40 am.

Tim Ho Wan opens up 12:00 nn, so we needed to wait for more than an hour. Luckily, the waiting time was all worth it, since we were included in the first 100 customers which entailed two things. First, we get a free Baked Bun with Pork BBQ each. Second, we get to be seated as soon as the store opened.

Bearing the Long Queue
Since Tim Ho Wan just recently opened, all the people are too eager to try it out making it hard for you to just dine in conveniently. In other words, you will need to line up in order to be seated, and the waiting time takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Also, you need to take note that management is strictly not allowing any reservations to be done.

The long queue of Tim Ho Wan Restaurant after 4 days of its first opening here in the Philippines

Here's our photo waiting to be seated in Tim Ho Wan:

Happy ~~acting-~~kids waiting in line to get in the Tim Ho Wan Restaurant of SM Megamall

In order to make use of our time, we decided to plan out what to order for this mini food trip while waiting on the line. Hence, I suggest that if you'll be visiting the place, it will be nice to do the picking [of orders] there, so you will have something to do to burn off the time.

The uncomplicated menu of Tim Ho Wan

After more than an hour of lining up, we finally got to be seated, and ask one of the staff to take this mandatory group shot:

Lucky to be included in the first 100 customers of the day here in Tim Ho Wan

The Michelin-Star Quality Food
One of the good reasons why the opening of this restaurant was such a big craze was the Michelin star attached to Tim Ho Wan. This suggests that the quality of the food reached a high-standard criteria and scrutiny. Of course, this made us expect something surprising or new at the least.

Now, let's discover the dishes offered here in this all-hyped-up restaurant by starting with the appetizers!
Baked Buns with Pork BBQ (3 pcs) || P145

Delicate Baked Buns with Pork BBQ - a Tim Ho Wan Bestseller!

Again, since we were included in the first 100 customers of the day (during the Opening Week), we were given a Baked Bun each! All the waiting became so worth it!

Anyway, this was immediately given a few minutes after we were seated, and it was really an incredible treat, perfect to jump start our food exploration!

A closer look of the famous Baked Buns with Pork BBQ of Tim Ho Wan

Served really warm and fresh, the Baked Buns were extremely soft and delicate. Once it touched my lips, it started to crumble and to unload all its sweetness and savory flavors! It was really one-of-a-kind treat I've ever tasted, and I think this is something Tim Ho Wan is truly known for and proud of.

Pan Fried Carrot Cake || P145

The not-so-incredible Pan Fried Carrot Cake but depends on the palate of the foodie

This Pan Fried Carrot Cake was one of my least favorites, perhaps due to the weird after taste that comes after a somewhat bland oily taste. My friend, Troy, on the other hand said it tasted good, and he was able to down 1 serving (i.e. 1 of the 2 squares).

Steamed Egg Cake || P85

Moderately sweet Steamed Egg Cake perfect to stimulate the taste buds

Now, here's something I will consider as an underdog, since at first I didn't consider ordering this one up. Luckily, one of my friends insisted to have this one which we did. Golly, it surely did take us by surprise with its soft & light texture and right level of sweetness that definitely stimulated the palate. The common remark we had with this was "Simple lang naman siya pero nakakaadik" (The taste was just simple but addictive).

Also, there was something with the taste that reminded me of something, and it took me a few minutes to remember it. It was the Egg Roll of Hizon's, but the good thing is, the steamed egg cake is definitely cheaper!

The Steamed Collection
Prawn Dumpling (3 pcs) || P160

The relatively uncommon Prawn Dumpling or known as Hakaw of Tim Ho Wan

A closer look of the Prawn Dumplings

Prawn Dumpling or more commonly known as Hakaw is definitely one of my favorites among the Chinese dimsum series. I just love the way the delicate wrapper embraces the tasty prawns, and once you pop one into your mouth, happiness simply bursts out!

Fortunately, Tim Ho Wan's Prawn Dumpling offers the same goodness, but for me it tasted just like the great ones I've tried before. In other words, I didn't find anything special with it (well, except for the top-notch quality), but friends don't get me wrong because I really loved it! However, when I start comparing it along with its price, it makes me think twice before ordering this again in my next visit. (Yes, there's surely a next visit).

With almost the same happiness I derive, I can definitely settle for the Hakaw of Golden Fortune at only P80 for 4 pieces.

Beef Ball with Beancurd Skin (3 pcs) || P120

Beef Ball with Beancurd Skin of Tim Ho Wan

Beef Ball with Beancurd Skin - a dish of multiple flavors!

If you want to try something new for your palate, you can try having this one! The steamed Beef Ball tasted a bit similar to the usual siomai or any steamed meat (i.e. flavorful beef with a subtle zest of herbs), but what added magic to it was the bed of beancurd skin, marked with subtle sourness, nestling the Beef Balls.

Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (4 pcs) || P150

The tender Pork Dumpling with Shrimp (or commonly termed as Shrimp Siomai) of Tim Ho Wan

What differentiated this Pork Dumpling with Shrimps among those I've tried was the solid tender texture of the meat, signifying that there were no extenders or any of those sheez mixed with the pork. Every bite was momentous! I didn't know that I will find my new favorite siomai here in Tim Ho Wan!

Related Post: Lucky Rainbow's famous and tasty Siomai for only P78

Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce || P120

The Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce of Tim Ho Wan

The Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce - a collection of taste with a subtle kick

Here's something you will enjoy because of the playful kick it can offer - Pork Rib with Black Bean Sauce! Basically, there are two flavors encapsulated in the meat, and those are mild spiciness and adequate soy-saltiness. Most of my friends picked this as one of their most loved dishes here in Tim Ho Wan!

Vermicelli Roll with Pig's Liver || P150

The slightly disappointing Vermicelli Roll with Pig's Liver

Although this is considered to be one of the top 4 best-sellers of Tim Ho Wan, I wasn't able to fully enjoy this one because of the lack of harmony of the flavors. Wrapped in a vermicelli and steamed, the meat together with some pig's liver resulted to a potent awkward taste (followed by an unfamiliar aftertaste). However, I know that for some, this roller-coaster type of taste is considerably delightful!

The Rice Dishes
One of the things I appreciated on the menu of Tim Ho Wan was the intriguing rice dishes!
Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom || P170

Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom of Tim Ho Wan

Pouring the sauce that brought more life to the Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom

Zooming up: Rice with Chicken, Sausage & Mushroom of Tim Ho Wan

In case you only have to choose one among the three rice dishes you may order, I suggest that you go for this one! Most of us declared this to be the best among the three because of its remarkable sweetness and diversity of well-synchronized flavors! Plus, you'll have a generous serving of the sausage, chicken and mushroom!

Glutinous Rice with Lotus Leaf || P190

Glutinous Rice wrapped in a special Lotus Leaf of Tim Ho Wan

Glutinous Rice wrapped in a special Lotus Leaf - authentically Chinese!

Unwrapped Glutinous Rice of Tim Ho Wan

If what you are looking for is adventure instead of abundance of taste, I suggest that you try this Glutinous Rice of Tim Ho Wan! Unleash the Chinese-foodie within you with this authentic ma-chang (this is how it is usually called here by Fil-Chi people). You'll find some blandness in this rice, but you may enjoy the uniqueness of its stickiness. This is usually enjoyed the most when mixed with some ketchup.

Rice with Beef & Fried Egg || P180

The ordinarily tasting Rice with Beef & Fried Egg of Tim Ho Wan

A closer look look of the Rice with Beef & Fried Egg

Among the three, this is the least favorite of the group because of its utter plainness. Well, of course the way it was cooked and presented was fascinating, but the taste was really plain and overall bland, probably because the layer after the egg and the steamed beef was just pure rice with nothing to add some spice to it.

Wait, to share with you, how happy we were, let me share this photo:

One happy kid delighted by the Tim Ho Wan experience!

That's how carefree and happy we felt dining here in Tim Ho Wan! Alright, we are almost done exploring, since we are down to the last part - the dessert!

Mango Pomelo Soup || P80

A sweeter way to end the amazing foodie experience - Mango Pomelo Soup Dessert

The Mango Pomelo Soup was good, but considerably ordinary in my opinion. It featured the traditional mango puree and sago (but this time mixed with pomelo), and then served chilled. However, considering that other Chinese restaurants charge high for this kind of dessert, I believe this is a good bargain already!

Tim Ho Wan - Ratings
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. Ratings pertain to this dining experience alone.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★★
Service ★★★★ (fast but excessively fast)
Price ★★★★ (affordable considering the Michelin star, relatively expensive as opposed to other Chinese restaurants)
Budget needed: at least P300 per person (of at least 4 people) for you to try ample number of dishes

Personally, I think that the hype Tim Ho Wan gets is well-deserved in a sense that there are a few dishes that can only be found here! However, as for the steamed dishes, I believe you can explore the food scene of Binondo, and have the same magnitude of satisfaction. Nevertheless, in an overall perspective, I am definitely suggesting that you try this restaurant! It will definitely be a note-worthy foodie experience!

Tim Ho Wan

Location: SM Mega Trade Hall, SM Megamall, Mandaluyong City
Service Charge: 10% before VAT

Tori Box in Agno Street near DLSU-M Campus

It has been almost four months since I was "released" into the real world from the gates of De La Salle University, and I have to admit, I'm missing the university life - all the semi-carefree life, idle moments and freedom to commit errors (well partly, I'm still living this life as a reviewee but it will soon be over too). However, one of the prominent things I've been missing is the good food around the campus.

Hence, when we were given an opportunity to immerse ourselves in the food scene of DLSU, we celebrated! I've posted about this restaurant before, but this will be about a different branch (although still near DLSU).

The better interior of Tori Box - Agno Street Branch

A Better Branch
There are two Tori Box branches in DLSU campus. The first one is in One Archer's Place, and the other one is here in this location (Agno Street). However, the better branch is the latter due to a brighter interior and wider space.

Related Post: Tori Box in One Archer's Place

Cute toys on the shelves in Tori Box near DLSU

Here another shot of the place for you to have a better grasp of the interior:

Another view of Tori Box's interior in Agno Street

Now, here's a glimpse of what Tori Box can offer. Of course, the famous dish (which is an on-the-go snack) is the Kara-Age Pop!

A glimpse of the menu of Tori Box

The Famous Flavored Chicken
Kara-Age Pop || P65 - P95

Kara-age Pop & Fries Double of Tori Box

The Kara-Age Pop is actually a no-brainer. It's simply small bites of chicken meat deep fried and then seasoned with artificial flavors. However, people just can't resist the temptation of unique blend of flavors (be it artificial). Students just love the excitement of the kiss of flavors in their bite-sized chicken!

For you to assess the amount of serving, I've placed the content on a plate:

Out of the paper bag - Kara-age Pop of Tori Box

For P75, I will say that it was more than good enough! As a snack, the Double Serving is already good for two. Hence, if you are on a tight budget, you may have someone to share with.

On a personal note, eating the Kara-Age Pop was nostalgic! Memories from my college days just poured in. Hence, even if it was unhealthy, I still indulged myself with it.

Anyway, I just want to share the photos actually, and of course share with you this place once more!

A closer glance of the Kara-age Pop Chicken!

Tori Box Restaurant
Agno St. corner Castro St., Manila

The logo of the Ramen Cool Restaurant

The day I was all set for my Vigan Tour was coincidentally the day I discovered a decent place to dine in SM Manila!

Just after attending Feast Manila, my mom, dad and I decided to go for some chow time, and as we me know SM Manila is not a prominent place for food discoveries. However, luckily, my parents spotted something new and decided to go for it - Ramen Cool.

The simple interior of Ramen Cool with Japanese touches

A Little Something about Ramen Cool
Ramen Cool has been operating for more than 2 months already in SM Manila, since it first opened its doors in March 30, 2014. Based on my observation, the restaurant can accommodate more than 40 people, which makes it convenient for you to just drop by and eat.

What I admire in this restaurant was the overflowing simplicity in its interior. It wasn't as cozy as you may want it to be, but it's definitely good enough to just relax and enjoy decent dishes!

The table setting of Ramen Cool in SM Manila - neat and decent!

One of the eye-catching things you'll find here in this restaurant is this:

The eye-catching Japanese Art all in vibrant pink!

Okay, before dropping by this restaurant, we already ate somewhere; as a result, we only ordered a few to munch on. Let's first start with the salad:

Kani Salad || P155

The plain Kani Salad of Ramen Cool in SM Manila

This salad was pretty much basic in terms of the taste, and I did appreciate the generous serving of the kani and the fish egg. However, I didn't find anything special with it, but I didn't find anything bad as well.

Katsudon || P190

The big bowl of Katsudon by Ramen Cool!

If you are really starving, you may want to go for this bowl or any other rice bowl dishes of Ramen Cool. The overall taste and quality are not top-notch, since the Katsudon we had was pretty much just slightly above decent. Well, I think is because I'm a fan of Katsudon with more sauce (wherein the pork is drenched), and this version of Ramen Cool lies on the "drier" side.

Pork Shoyuramen || P170 - Good Buy!

The affordable yet great ramen of Ramen Cool in SM Manila

This soy-sauce-based ramen was something affordable and good. The taste of the soup was uncomplicated with toned soy flavor mixed with flavors coming from the herbs, sesame oil (or something similar), veggies and meat. Also, the pork was really tender, and not too mention had a generous portion (i.e. 4 slices of pork meat). The noodles, on the other hand, were soft but still didn't deprive me of some chewing. For only P170, I will say it's really a good buy!

Related Post:Ajisen Ramen - a ramen with a diverse and rich flavor! (P235 & up)

Ramen Cool - Ratings
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. Ratings pertain to this dining experience alone.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★☆
Service ★★★ (still learning and adapting)
Price ★★★☆
Budget needed: at least P200 per person for 1 solo dish such as a rice bowl or ramen

With the 3 dishes we tried, I would say that the restaurant has some potential in providing good food (although, it was the ramen that really pulled the other 2 up)! I will still explore other items on the menu when I get the chance to, but right now I'm labeling it as "satisfactory".

Friends, I still need your input on this restaurant. Were you able to try this already? What can you recommend?

The Ramen Cool Japanese Restaurant
Location: 4th Floor, SM Manila cor Arroceros & San Marcelino Streets, Manila City
Service Charge: None

The Facade of the new Budget Hotel called Metro Vigan Inn

It was truly a blessing to be invited into a Road Trip to Vigan where I got to visit the province for the first time and of course indulge in a wondrous travel experience! I have to be honest with you; I never imagined that I will be invited into this kind of event, but lo and behold, I did. Of course, that's only possible with the grace from above, and to somehow share that blessing to you, friends, let me document our experience in Vigan by first starting with this post about Metro Vigan Inn.

About the Road Trip to Vigan
This two-day trip was prepared and organized by the management of Metro Vigan Inn, with the purpose of showcasing the newly opened in-house cafe called Metro Vigan Cafe and its line up of Asian Ilocandia Cuisine. We'll get to that on my succeeding blog posts, but for now we will focus on the budget-traveler's hotel.

Metro Vigan Inn in Bayubay Norte, just a few meters away from the heart of Vigan

About Metro Vigan Inn
Located right beside the heart of Vigan, Metro Vigan Inn is a budget friendly hotel perfect for backpacking travelers and both local & foreign tourists! The inn houses, as they claim it, spacious and well-resourced twenty one (21) room accommodations.

Back view of the Metro Vigan Inn Budget Hotel

Published Rates of the Metro Vigan Inn

Room Type	Rate/Room/Night
STANDARD DOUBLE 1 Double Size Bed good for 2 pax	Php 1,300
SUPERIOR DOUBLE 1 Double Size Bed good for 2 pax	Php 1,500
SUPERIOR TWIN 2 Single Size Bed good for 2 pax	Php 1,500
SUPERIOR TRIPLE 3 Single Size Bed good for 3 pax	Php 1,900
DELUXE TWIN 2 Full Size Bed good for 2-4 pax	Php 1,700 for 2 pax +250 per additional person
BACKPACKERS ROOM 3 Double Deck good for 6pax	Php 600 per person

Notes:

All rooms are inclusive of complimentary breakfast
Rates are subject to change without prior notice
Rates are based on the minimum capacity per room, and extra bed/person/breakfast charge will apply.
Peak season surcharge applies
Complimentary accommodation for 2 children aged 10 years and below sharing a bed with parents/adult.
Standard check-in time is 2:00 pm, and check out time is 12:00 nn

AMENITIES

Fully Air-conditioned rooms
Private Toilets and Bath (except for the Backpackers Room)
24-Hour Running Hot and Cold Water
LED Cable TV (slightly larger than the size of a regular desktop monitor)
Unlimited Wi-Fi Internet Connection (decent but not that remarkably fast)
Wide and secured parking space

The nice small pond found inside the inn, of course, with fish swimming around!

Alright, now that you already know quite a number of things about Metro Vigan Inn, let's start exploring the rooms!

The first one will be the Standard Double (Php 1,300) or the Garage Room (good for those traveling with their private cars):

The Garage Room of Metro Vigan Inn

Yeah, I know what you are thinking, and partly you are right. Metro Vigan Inn saw the potential and tehn purchased this property when it was still "what you have in mind". Afterwards, the management started renovating the place, and establishing a new brand.

Fortunately, the management was indeed successful in that feat because I find the Garage room more than decent with a tone of vibrance!

Inside the Garage Room of the Budget-Friendly Hotel

Now, let's take the stairs and visit all the other remaining rooms.

Metro Vigan Inn 's 2nd floor houses the Standard, Superior and Deluxe rooms

Superior Triple || P1900

Metro Vigan Inn's Superior Triple Room

Note: This is the room assigned to me and my new blogger friend Arem of Geejay Travel Log.

Upon entering the room, I was pleased with the sight! Right there and then, I knew that I will have a comfy and great stay here in this inn! And I was right!

As you may notice, the room exudes an air of neatness and comfort. The beds look inviting enough, and were given effort to really have that very welcoming appearance. Frankly, I never had any problems with the bed, and in fact I had one of the best sleeps here for this year (although fatigue and exhaustion were partly the culprits).

The bathroom of the Superior Triple Room

The bathroom wasn't much of an appeal to me (especially that I'm really big fan of amazing bathrooms), but it was more than decent enough! It got some hot water for a relaxing shower, and water pressure is really good. Note, however, that only soaps are provided in the rooms, so don't forget to bring your own toiletries.

Deluxe Twin || P1,700

The Deluxe Twin Room of Metro Vigan Inn

This room is more visually appealing, and looks cozier than the one we stayed. Hence, this is the room that I suggest you choose.

Superior Twin || P1,500

One of the double rooms of Metro Vigan Inn

For non-couple travelers, this is good for you!

Superior Double || P1,500

The Standard or Superior Double Room of Metro Vigan Inn

The Superior Double Room of the Budget Hotel

I will no longer wonder why this one is called Superior Double and the other one is just Standard. You see the vivid difference too, right? And yes, you only need to pay a few hundreds, P200 to be exact, to upgrade your room to this. Anyway, I suggest this room for couple travelers (or to those comfortable to sleep close with another)!

Backpackers Room || P600 per person

The Backpackers Room of Metro Vigan Inn

If you are traveling with a big group, this room will be really ideal for you guys! Each room has 3 double deck beds. Do the math, and you'll get max of 6 people in the room. I'll tell you it's really cozy and comfy, you wouldn't feel like you are just paying P600 for it!

A closer view of the very-inviting beds of the Backpackers Room!

As indicated on the rates above, all the rooms included a complimentary breakfast in the Metro Vigan Cafe! Hence, the price will really be worth it!

I'll be posting here in this blog what you can find here in this cafe, and my-my you will really love the food here!

The in-house cafe/restaurant of Metro Vigan Inn

Metro Vigan Inn - Ratings
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. Of course the ratings are relative and takes into consideration the category of the hotel.
Category: Budget Hotel
Style and Interior ★★★★
Bed (Comfort) ★★★★
Bathroom ★★★
Affordability ★★★★
Budget needed: at least P600 per person per night

What do you think of the place?

There you go! I hope you enjoyed the virtual tour in this humble budget hotel near Vigan. To date, this is the most decent (that maximizes the value of your money) budget hotel I've been to, although I haven't been to a lot yet! Hence, definitely, I urge you to consider this among your top choices for places to stay near Vigan!

Footnote: We were invited to check out the place; hence, our stay was compliments of the management. Although this is the case, I've evaluated the hotel as objective (i.e. bias-free) as possible.

Metro Vigan Inn
Location: Bayubay Norte, San Vicente, Ilocus Sur
Contact Nos.: (077) 674-0448 or (+63917) 824-3800
Website: www.metroviganinn.com

Metro Vigan Cafe - Home of Great Ilocandia Cuisine

As promised from my previous post, I will supplement a separate blog post to cover the newly opened in-house restaurant of the Metro Vigan Inn which is the Metro Vigan Cafe. Since we got to try almost everything on its menu, I will bifurcate them into two posts. Let's now begin with the part 1!

Note: You may check out the budget hotel itself including the rooms by checking out my blog post about it here: Metro Vigan Inn Hotel Overview. Also, just like any other restaurants inside a hotel/inn, non-guests are very much welcome to try the latest offerings of the Metro Vigan Cafe.

Spring Roll Longanisa || P128

Instead of the usual pork wrapped inside the spring roll, Metro Vigan Cafe uses a house-made longanisa to give a new subtle taste [menu description]

The Spring Roll Longanisa, as one of the appetizers, of Metro Vigan Cafe

Although I consider the spring rolls a bit overfried, the resulting taste of the infusion of Vigan longanisa was indeed subtly good. I didn't experience any "Eureka" or something similar with the rolls, but they were considerably delightful.

Poki-Poki || P128

Scrambled egg mixed with eggplant - an affordable appetizer that will definitely condition your appetite

An appetizer with a weird but memorable name - Poki-Poki!

This mushy appetizer of Metro Vigan Cafe was surely something new to my eyes as a foodie, but this is one of those dishes that is not "scary" to try. In fact it looks inviting enough for me.

Now, the taste of this dish was beyond satisfactory especially with the nice texture and combination of spices. It will remind you somehow of a sisig dish and an egg plant dip at the same time. So, yeah, it does stimulate the palate.

Oh, by the way, I just love the bagoong fish sauce! It add more dynamics to the overall taste.

Metro Vigan Pancit Canton || P98 (small) || P168 (medium) || P208 (large) || P298 (xlarge)

a colorful noodle meal with ingredients of vegetable and/or chicken/squid balls that is not only delicious to the eyes, but to the mouth

The signaature Metro Vigan Pancit Canton

This Chinese-style pancit canton of Metro Vigan Cafe surely had a lot in it. Frankly speaking, I found the taste not that exquisite, perhaps due to my heavy exposure to pancit dishes before.

Metro Vigan Chicken || P318 (whole) || P188 (half)

Simplicity is beauty. This original chicken of our will alrady satisfy your starving stomach with its spices.

The Chinese-Style Metro Vigan Chicken of Metro Vigan Cafe

Have you already tried the chicken of Savory? Well, this Metro Vigan Chicken has high semblance with it. The taste leans more on the salty savory side, which is something I enjoy from time to time.

Pinakbet na Bagnet || P198

The Ilocanos' favorite vegetable garnished with crispy bagnet that makes the dish truly good

The Pinakbet na Bagnet of Metro Vigan Cafe

The bagnet added accent to this Pinakbet, which made the entire dish lovable, but on its overall, it was leaning towards the "usual" pinakbet (i.e. bagoong-flavored veggies). However, I can say that it lies on the"good"usual ones.

Sinanglao || P188

Hot and hearty soup poured into flavored boiled pork

Metro Vigan Cafe's Singanglao - a local cuisine

Sadly, we weren't able to have a taste of this dish, but we've heard from other bloggers that it was like a "pinapaitan".

Steamed Malaga || P300

This Classic Ilocano fish is steamed on top of fresh tomatoes, onions and ginger to give a unique taste

Steamed Malaga - a delicious fish dish by Metro Vigan Cafe

This dish became an instant favorite of most bloggers I was with. It was most probably because of the tenderness and fresh quality of the fish. Expect nothing less with this dish which will showcase a sweet and savory sauce bursting with flavors.

Kare-Kareng Bagnet || P258

A Filipino favorite vegetable dish paired with crispy and freshly cooked bagnet

Top pick; Kare-Kareng Bagnet of Metro Vigan Cafe

This special Kare-Kare was interestingly thick and full, but what I found more puzzling and unique was the granulated texture due to ground rice. Moreover, it had a vibrant color that was indeed appetizing to look at. Magnificently, it wasn't how it looked like that was awesome because the taste and the bagnet were pretty much superb too!

I hail this as the best dish ever of Metro Vigan Cafe and potential the best Kare-Kare I've ever tasted to date!

Crispy Pata || P458

Deep fried pig trotters and knuckles that coems with a soy-vinegar dip

The delicious and "nuot sa laman" Crispy Pata

Not all crispy pata are created equal! This one was pretty much tasty on its own which suggests that it was marinated in a special sauce that seeped into the meat fibers. However, just in case you want to level-up the experience, feel free to dip it to the sauce was I believe was "prime quality sukang Ilonggo".

So, there you go! All of these dishes were served for lunch, and we had an overload of great food! Let's put all the blame to the great mind behind the dishes - Chef Raymond Ko.

A Not-So-Popular Kid with Raymond Ko, the chef behind Metro Vigan Cafe

Anyway, this concludes the Part 1 of this Food Review! Tune in for more appetizing dishes of Metro Vigan Cafe! Oh, please do share to us what you think. :)

Metro Vigan Cafe
Location: Bayubay Norte, San Vicente, Ilocus Sur
Contact Nos.: (077) 674-0448 or (+63917) 824-3800
Website: www.metroviganinn.com

Picking up from the part 1 of this post, let me now show you the remaining dishes we were able to indulge on for our Vigan Road Trip!

In case you haven't read it yet, check out the introductory post for this restaurant - Metro Vigan Cafe - an Ilocandia Cuisine Experience (1 of 2)

Sisig Crispy Bagnet || P148

A hearty and tasty appetizer with a twist of crisp and crunch - chopped crispy bagnet with secret spices topped with egg garnish with mayo for creamy and crispy texture!

Great and affordable sisig of Metro Vigan Cafe

This sisig was at the peak of its pure simple goodness! It had some suave taste that was remarkably tasty and creamy. On the other hand, the egg was really subtle to the point that you don't recognize its flavor anymore, but there's no issue with that.

Pinaputok na Tilapia || P158

Stuffed with fresh tomatoes, onions and ginger, this steamed tilapia will surely make the tummy "burst"

The Pinaputok na Tilapia of Metro Vigan Cafe

Tilapia is really something I've grown to love because it is usually served at home, and fortunately, this Pinaputok na Tilapia didn't become a source of any disappointment. I just love how the essence of tomatoes, onions and ginger seeped into the fish meat. The resulting blend was sweet with a subtle sourness. Yes, somehow it reminded me of a sweet and sour fish, but this was definitely better.

Bulalo || P288

Cooked with enough time, patience and spice.

Bulalo - a favorite Filipino dish served here in Metro Vigan Cafe

A closer look of the Bulalo - expect a generous serving of the meat

Although this Bulalo is notably expensive, I didn't find anything extremely special about it. However, if you are craving for some hearty soup, feel free to order this one up!

Related Post:The Famous Bulalo of RSM Restaurant in Tagaytay

Metro Vigan Fried Rice || P98 (small) || P168 (med) || P208 (large)

Metro Vigan Fried Rice that had a semblance with a Chinese-style Fried rice

If you are a fan of Chinese-style fried rice, you will be able to appreciate this one. I, on the other hand, prefer the plain rice, since I wanted to focus on the flavors of the viands themselves.

Crispy Bagnet || P258

A classic Ilocano dish, deep fried pork belly crisp to perfection

Famous Dish of Ilocos - Crispy Bagnet by Metro Vigan Cafe

The source of the ultimate guilty pleasure here in Ilocos, Bagnet!

Now, this is something you should definitely not miss - Crispy Bagnet! After all, you can never claim you've been to Ilocos if you won't be having the famous bagnet! Anyway, this version of Metro Vigan Cafe is something I grew very fond of because of the innate tastiness and of course the added spice to it. It was undoubtedly crunchy, tasty and "guilt-full".

Chopsuey || P168

Believed to be of Chinese origin and one of Filipinos Favorites, this starch chicken dish mixed with greens and meat will surely leave you feeling healthy

Metro Vigan Cafe's own take of the Chopsuey Vegetable Dish

This chopseuy had a lot of twists in terms of preparation. As you may notice, Metro Vigan Cafe adds an egg yolk on top of the chopseuy, which was a first on my books. Then, it lets the vegetables swim in a sauce that has a thicker consistency, which I found rather unusual.

Hito at Talong || P198

Pan fried cat fish and grilled eggplants stewed in smoked coconut milk

Hito at Talong in Coconut-based sauce

If you've eaten laing before, you will generally have an idea of how this dish tastes like. Basically, this Hito at Talong is drenched in a creamy sauce infused with coconut milk, and spiced by some sili (chili pepper).

Note: Be careful of the fish bones.

Kalderetang Pato || P228

House specialty braised duck and tomato stew with secret herbs and spices. Recommended by the house.

Kalderetang Pato - unique dish of Metro Vigan Cafe

If you are looking for something unique and somehow exotic, you should definitely go for this one! The sauce had a peculiar yet intriguing mix of tausi flavor and tomato. Plus, it's made out of duck!

End of the Food Exploration in Metro Vigan Cafe
There you go! We basically tried all the dishes available here in this newly opened restaurant of Metro Vigan Inn. Hopefully, you got an idea of what to order the next time you have an opportunity to drop by this place.

Hmmm, what are the dishes that got your attention? I will love to hear them!

Metro Vigan Cafe
Location: Bayubay Norte, San Vicente, Ilocus Sur
Contact Nos.: (077) 674-0448 or (+63917) 824-3800
Website: www.metroviganinn.com

I've been posting a lot about restaurants, and I decided to have a short break by having something different. Hence, here's a feature of something we may all learn to love - Chizu Cupcakes!

Chizu Cupcakes Philippines- cheese overload!

Chizu Cupcakes - cheese overload!

About Chizu Cupcakes
Baked inside a brick fire charcoal oven, the Chizu Cupcakes are not the usual cupcakes with a heavy frosting on top. They are all made from fine and fresh ingredients less the preservatives commonly used in cupcakes such as baking powder and baking soda.

The people behind the cupcakes assure you of good taste because the recipe was passed down from an earlier generation. Whenever these Chizu cupcakes are served during gatherings, they vanish real fast! Hence, the family realized that they can turn the cupcakes into a family sideline -- eventually the Ledesma family was able to open the online bakeshop 3 months ago (i.e. March 2014).

The Chizu Cupcakes - bite-sized for some quick snack!

The Chizu Cupcakes
Are you ready for some great gastronomic adventure? Here it goes!

Chizu Cupcakes - regular - awesomeness in a couple of bites!

When I first had a bite, I didn't know that I will experience a wave of "love at first bite". By merely looking at it, you won't seem to find anything special with the cupcakes. However, once you start indulging on it, adventure begins to unravel.

Actually, the Chizu Cupcakes remind me of macaroons with the creamy cheese replacing the coconut shavings. Also, there was a striking right balance of sweetness; hence, you won't easily get tired of the taste. On top of all, the melted cheese over the cupcakes was really complementary to the overall flavor resulting to a fantastic dessert or snack experience!

If you want to just have a try of the cupcakes, Chizu Bites are available for you! These are bite-sized version of the cupcake which you will enjoy as a snack!

Chizu Bites for on-the-go snacks!

Additional Notes:
I prefer the Chizu cupcakes chilled because of a more solidified yet creamy texture. Well, I haven't tried it warm yet, but that's because I fell in deep love with the chilled ones! Also, in my opinion, the Chizu Regular has a finer texture.

Price List:
Chizu Regular

Box of 12's Php 350
Box of 6's Php 180
Pack of 3's Php 100

Chizu Bites

Box of 12's Php125
Box of 24's Php250
Box of 36's Php350

What are you waiting for? Grab some bites by contacting the number below. Don't forget to rate the cupcakes as soon as you get to try them!

Chizue Cupcakes
For orders, you may contact 09175066269 or 09334920088
Facebook Page: Chizu Ph
Instagram: http://instagram.com/chizuph
Shelf Life - 10 days

The Mad for Pizza in Il Terrazzo in Quezon City

For a person who loves pizza and pasta, any places that serve these two become interesting enough to be visited. Now, what more if the name of the place has "Pizza" with it? Ah, it becomes more and more interesting! Friends, let me share to you what I'm specifically talking about through this blog post! It's nothing but this restaurant in Il Terrazzo of Tomas Morato called "Mad for Pizza".

A Little Something about Mad for Pizza
Although it can be presumed that Mad for Pizza offers pizza (well, duh, thanks Captain Obvious), it is more than what you have in mind. Yes, the restaurant offers "Toppings all You Want" pizza at only P280, but unlike other places known for something similar, this place also serves other dishes particularly of American and Mexican cuisines.

Mad for Pizza's Interior
The interior has a mix of vibrant red and gray that produces a nostalgic feeling of the diners we see in old movies or comics (i.e. Archie). Although the chairs are innately not comfy, the place and the positiveness of the ambiance compensate well for it.

The interior of Mad for Pizza with accents of Red and Gray

For your convenience, Mad for Pizza made it easier for you to customize the pizza by having something like this:

The Steps in Making your Own Pizza in Mad for Pizza

We'll get to the pizza later, but for now let's talk about the appetizers there!

Appetizers

The House Salad || P158

Instant refresher - the House Salad of Mad for Pizza

This House Salad was highly refreshing with the lightly sweet ranch-like dressing, highlighted by the taste of boiled eggs, peaches and tomatoes.

The Nachos || P178

The Mexican Nachos for a Diverse Flavor

Disco Fries || P188

Don't like Nachos? Well, choose the fries instead!

Both the nachos and fries were almost alike with their potent bean accent with the cheesy and crispy base of either nachos or fries.

Drinks

Bottomless Iced Tea || P108 and Frozen Iced Tea || P88

Hmmm, there are two iced teas to choose from, and it's fairly easy to choose which is good for you. If you want an intense sugar rush, go for the bottomless, but in case you want to try something different and really refreshing, go for the Frozen Iced Tea.

The main difference between the two is that the latter is blended with crushed ice making it really relaxing and refreshing to take a sip.

Salted Caramel Milk Shake || P95

Jumbo Salted Caramel Milk Shake of Mad for Pizza

Most of the bloggers agreed that this is a Work-In-Progress, and the owner confirmed it as well. He is still trying to tweak it to cater to the taste buds of Filipino foodies. I wasn't able to personally take a sip of this drink, but I heard it was excessively sweet.

Pasta and Other Dishes

Beef Stew Pasta || P188

The Beef Stew Pasta of Mad for Pizza

This Beef Stew Pasta was an interesting dish for me because of the vibrant color. However, I had something in mind as to the taste, and when I had a spoonful, I was surprised. I won't say that I didn't like it, but I'll tell you that it was something peculiarly new to me. Yes, the pasta elements were there, but the surprising part was the inclusion of beef stew that eventually altered the taste. The resulting flavor was a strong herby meaty taste.

Amboy "Angus Beef Belly" in Adobo Sauce || P198

Amboy "Angus Beef Belly" in Adobo Sauce

This special Beef belly dish had a noticeable Mexican spice (resembling a bean taste) mixed with the traditional Filipino adobo sauce. Personally, my taste buds are not well-acquainted with this type of herb, and this led to the undermining of my satisfaction from the dish. Don't get me wrong guys, it wasn't bad at all. I just don't prefer dishes with this type of herb and/or taste.

Classic Fish and Chips || P198

The Classic Fish and Chips of Mad for Pizza

The fish had a thick but crispy batter, and the sauce that came with it was sweet and lemony! The resulting blend was really great, but I would appreciate it even better if there would be more sauce served to go with that huge serving of fish (which is really good, by the way)!

Tennessee Pork Spare Ribs || P268

Tennesse Pork Spare Ribs - relatively affordable

The Pork Spare Ribs had a sharp potent herb taste similar to the beef with a striking (but not prolonged) chili sensation matched with sweetness. It may not be suitable for those who dislike strong herb taste. However, if that is not an issue for you. You will surely love it!

Pizzas

The Pizzas here in Mad for Pizza are really good because of less greasiness and the usage of fresh ingredients!

Mad for Pizza - customizable pizzas with unlimited toppings!

There are three Ready to Order pizzas here in Mad for Pizza, just in case you are lazy enough not to make your own.

Anya's Creation || P250

Alfredo sauce, mozarella parmesan, cheddar shrimp, roasted garlic

Anya's Creation - the creamy white-sauce-based shrimp and garlic pizza

This Anya's Creation was totally fantastic with the outpouring of its white garlic shrimp flavors. Yeah, it was simple, but I managed to enjoy it well.

Justin's Favorite || P250

Mozarella, parmesan, cheddar peperoni, bacon, sausage, meatball crumble

Meaty goodness in Justin's Favorite of Mad for Pizza

The Justin's Favorite is good for those who are really into meat!

The taste of this pizza was just balanced which means each ingredient harmonizes with the rest. However, I suggest that you go for the customizable pizza and ask for an all meat. It was way way fantastic!

Andross's Choice || P250

Mozarella, parmesan cheese, feta ham, pineapple

Interesting and refreshing Andross's Choice!

This Andross's Choice was really interesting because of a subtle herb taste that was suspiciously good. Plus, the feta together with the pineapple produced a salty-sweet combination that I found really exciting!

All-Meat Pizza and All-Cheese Pizza || P280
Again, I urge you to grab the opportunity to customize your own pizza. With only P30 to add, you can get a whole lot more of goodness!

All Meat and All Cheese of Mad for Pizza

Create Your Own Pizza - All Meat and All Cheese

The All-Cheese had 9 cheeses on it, namely Mozzarella, Parmesan, romano, Asiago, Cream, Cheddar, Blue, Feta and Provolone! This is why it was really a smashing hit for me! I recommend that you give this one a try! You will surely love it - promise (unless you are not a cheese lover).

The All-Meat had the following: Meatball Crumble, Italian Sausage, Grilled Chicken, Pepperoni, steak Slices, Pharma Ham, Ham and Bacon! This one is a definite Hunger-Buster! Hence, if you want to forget about dieting and all those stuff, go for this one!

Desserts

Bannoffee Cubbler || P88

The Bannoffee Cubbler of Mad for Pizza

I wasn't able to taste this one on its chilled state, so I can't provide you with an "accurate" opinion on this one.

Panna Cota || P88

The Tangy and Sweet Panna Cota

Same goes for this one; however, I was able to sense some good blend of tangy and sweet flavors!

Alright, these were all the dishes and food served to us. Since I am about to wrap this blog post up, do check this one out first to learn more about this restaurant.

Mad for Pizza Social Media Accounts

Share what you think by rating this restaurant using the Star Rating below!

Mad for Pizza - Ratings
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars.
Place ★★★★
Taste (Pizza) ★★★★☆
Taste (Others) ★★★
Service ★★★★
Price ★★★★
Budget needed: at least P350 per person for a pizza and a cold drink!

What do you think of the place?

I have to admit it to you guys, I really enjoyed the pizzas of Mad for Pizza. However, my palate does not jive well with the other dishes, except for the Salad! If you have a huge appetite for Mexican herbs and spices, I bet you will definitely love their dishes here! Hence, with an objective assessment, I believe this makes a fantastic place to visit with the affordable yet amazing dishes!

Footnote: The owner let all the invited bloggers taste the dishes free of charge. This might have some influences with how I perceived the food, but I promise you it would have been unintentional.

Mad for Pizza
Location: 2/F Il Terrazzo Building, 305 Tomas Morato Ave. corner Scout Madriñan St. Quezon City, 1104.

Delivery No.: (02) 3512621

The Buffet International Cuisine in Quezon City

I was invited to check out a relatively new (i.e. operating for more than a year) buffet in Quezon City which has a name that you will never ever think of - The Buffet International Cuisine. Since, I really enjoy a great load of food (for the sake of exploring multiple cuisines and dishes), I decided to go check it out!

Thankfully, I really enjoyed what I had during my buffet experience in this place; hence, I'm going to share with you an extensive post full of photos! In this way, you will have an idea of 75% of what you can find here in The Buffet.

The Place

The Grand and Classy Interior of The Buffet International Cuisine

The Buffet features a classy interior that makes you feel like you are in an expensive restaurant (which isn't the case because in my opinion the prices of the buffet are within reach). The lights are dim, to make you feel cozy and comfy as you enjoy the food offered in the restaurant. In my estimate, the place can accommodate at least a hundred people.

Buffet Prices/Rates

Weekday Lunch || P538

Weekday Dinner || P588

Weekends & Holidays || P688

+5% service charge

Drinks are included except for alcholic ones

Now, shall we begin with the feast?

Note: I've subdivided this blog post into parts, so it will be more convenient for you! Also, I'll let the photos do more of the talking.

The Appetizers and Starters

The Bread Station

The Bread Station of The Buffet in Quezon City

There aren't any wide selection for the cheese, but at least they are offering some. Other buffet places, within the same price range, do not offer anything like this, right?

The Cheese Selection

The limited cheese selection - 3 kinds of cheese

Refresh your taste buds by trying one of these, but why don't you try both?

Tomato Mozzarella Canape and Spring Rolls

Spring Rolls of The Buffet International Cuisine

The Salad Bar

The Salad Corner of The Buffet International Cuisine

For the dressing, you may choose from these three: Thousand Island Dressing, Ranch Dressing and Balsamic Vinaigrette

The Mexican Station - Nachos and Tacos

Do it Your Own Tacos and Nachos here in The Buffet

Go Mexican with the Nachos and Tacos available here in The Buffet! Of course, you have the power to create your own nachos here! Be creative!

The Sushi and Sashimi

Now, let's head to one of my favorite corners in every buffet - The Sushi and Sashimi Section.

Sushi and Sashimi Collection of the The Buffet International Cuisine

Alright, looking at the available sushi, I immediately realized that when comparing them with Yakimix, the selection is a bit narrow. However, dropping the benchmark, we can still say that the selection is fine!

Grilled Salmon Maki || Kani Ten Maki || Futo Maki

The available sushi were as follows: Las Vegas Maki, Grilled Salmon Maki, California Maki, Ebi Ten Maki, Kani Ten Maki, Katsuo Maki, Spicy Crab Maki, Green California Maki and Futo Maki

For the sashimi, they have only the Maguro or Tuna Sashimi, Ika (Squid) Aburi Sashimi and some other ones I forgot to list down. Sadly, they weren't serving any Salmon which is my ultimate favorite when it comes to sashimi. However, I didn't dwell on this anymore because the tuna was really good because of its freshness!

Maguro (Tuna) Sashimi of The Buffet

Now, I know I may have misplaced the Baked Oyster in this category, but I don't know where I should be putting this. Anyway, I really love oyster so much that I got extremely happy to see some here!

Baked Oyster in The Buffet International Cuisine

Awesome treasures of the sea - Baked Oyster

Cooked Dishes

There are some other usual dishes you may try featuring multiple cuisines such as Chinese, Filipino, Singaporean and a few Korean.

Kare-Kare Oxtripe || Seafood Hotpot || Tang Soo Yuk (Sweet and Sour Pork)

Bakme Goreng || Bopis

Tang Soo Yuk (Sweet and Sour Pork) - The Buffet

The Chinese Selection

The Chinese Cuisine starts with the Noodles & Dimsum!

Some of us can't get enough of Chinese food! Hence, The Buffet is granting your wish - Chinese cuisine overload! You may want to get yourself some noodles, or indulge on the dimsum such as the ones below:

Shark's Fin Dumplings

Shark's Fin Dumplings in The Buffet International Cuisine

Steamed Siomai || Quail Egg Siomai || Chicken Feet

Chinese Siomai in The Buffet International Cuisine

Chicken Feet in The Buffet International Cuisine

As a Filipino-Chinese foodie, I can say that I was able to enjoy the dimsum! Unfortunately, The Buffet isn't serving Shrimp Hakaw anymore, but that was just fine because I enjoyed the other ones available.

In case you want something else, you may want to go for some Mongolian rice dishes! You can choose from ready-to-be-made ones, but you can also choose your own ingredients.

Make Your Own Mongolian here in The Buffet

Grilling, Teppanyaki and Yakiniku

One of the numerous reasons why you should try eating here in The Buffet is the Yakiniku & Teppanyaki station!

Yakiniku & Teppanyaki Station of the Buffet

You have a lot of options to choose from; hence, you will really love it here:

Meat Loaf, Sliced Assorted Vegetables, Chicken Bulgogi, Spicy Chicken Bulgogi, Pork Bulgogi, Beef Bulgogi, Pork Mascara w/ BBQ Sauce, Pork Belly Fillet, Milk Fish in Vinegar, Fish Fillet in Lemon Grass, Squid Ballpen BBQ and Squid Curry

What I particularly enjoyed were the Beef Teriyaki, Chicken Teriyaki, Squid Ballpen BBQ and this one:

Have your own Samgyupsal here in The Buffet International Cuisine!

Yes, you can enjoy some unlimited Samgyupsal here as well in The Buffet isn't it exciting?

Steak and Barbecue Station of The Buffet International Cuisine

Now, if you are a barbecue-type of person, The Buffet also has something for you!

Choose from a wide collection to be grilled!

Plus, you may also have some nice serving of steak, in case you are really into some meat!

Grilling the Beef Steak - The Buffet International Cuisine

Cajun Potato of The Buffet International

Cajun Potato to go with the Steak

Pizza and Pasta Station

She cooks with a smile - I love happy persons here in The Buffet

Aside from the Sushi and Sashimi, I also love the Pasta station in every buffet I go to. I find it always interesting how different methods of cooking and ingredients change the flavors of the pasta!

Sauces to choose from: White, Bolognese and Cheesy Meat

Check out what I asked the Nice Ate to cook for me:

The Pasta in The Buffet International Cuisine

Cooked Pasta with vegetable, mushroom and cheesy red sauce!

I have to admit that I totally loved this pasta! It was just full of jubilant flavors that suited my palate.

Oh, by the way, pizza is also available here in The Buffet, albeit only 1 type each refill.

Pizza of The Buffet International Cuisine

Supreme Pizza for those who just can't get enough of pizza

Shabu-Shabu

Here's something new for a Buffet restaurant -Shabu-Shabu! Name another restaurant that offers shabu-shabu in its buffet collection. Personally, I can't think of anything else.

Healthy Shabu-Shabu of The Buffet International Cuisine

Amazingly, there are a lot of ingredients to choose from for your Shabu-Shabu! Best of all, the fun in cooking the Shabu-Shabu is all on you!

Shabu-Shabu Collection - choose whatever you want!

Here's a simple one that I made with some basic ingredients such as lettuce, shrimp, tomato, bola-bola, radish, baby corn, tofu and shrimp ball:

Desserts

At last, we are already here in the last part! It was pretty much exhausting, right? This just means that there are a lot of things you can find here in The Buffet International Cuisine.

Crepe Station of The Buffet International Cuisine

Here in this awesome buffet restaurant, you can ask for your own crepe, although the selection isn't too wide to have a lot to choose from.

Mango Crepe in the making - customize your own!

You can choose between mangoes, banana or blueberry. Of course, you may opt to include everything together, but I doubt if that will taste nice.

Here's most (but not all) the desserts available here in the The Buffet:

Pandan Jelly - The Buffet International Cuisine

Blueberry Cheesecake - The Buffet International Cuisine

Coffee Jelly - The Buffet International Cuisine

Toffee Nut - The Buffet International Cuisine

Chocolate Roll Cake - The Buffet International Cuisine

Maja Mais - The Buffet International Cuisine

Maja Ube - The Buffet International Cuisine

Brownies - The Buffet International Cuisine

The good thing about these is that they do not outsource the desserts, and instead bake them in-house! In this way, we are guaranteed of freshness!

Now, if you still want to craft something until the end, go to the Halo-halo station to create your ultimate shaved-ice dessert!

Make Your Own Halo-Halo for Desserts - The Buffet International Cuisine

Before I end this blog feature, I just want to highlight the Brazo de Mercedes! Sadly, I wasn't able to taste it, but my mom did, and she said it was awesome. For me, I just love Brazo de Mercedes, so just seeing it made me super happy!

Brazo de Mercedes - beautifully made in-house

The Buffet - Ratings
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. Ratings pertain to this dining experience alone.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★★
Variety ★★★★
Service ★★★★☆
Value for Money ★★★★☆
Budget needed: at least P565 per person (service charge included) for weekday lunch

I have to admit it to you, The Buffet International Cuisine is one of those places I've been to that I wish could have been more popular! What I am practically sure of is that this place is better than what Yakimixcan offer! Do share to me what you think by giving it a foodie vote below:

The Buffet International Cuisine
Location: #41 Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Q.C
Contact No.: (02) 351-5536 or 352-4075

Website: http://www.thebuffet.com.ph/

5 Places to Try Before You Leave Taft

Being a student doesn't mean sacrificing your foodie life! There are more than decent places around that you may actually enjoy!

I've documented some of these places here in this DLSU Food Trip guide I made, but it seems like it's beginning to be outdated. Anyway, I created this special post to highlight my 5 most favorite food places around Taft schools.

Note: You can read more about the place by clicking on its name right before the image. Also, feel free to share what you think by liking or disapproving the listed restaurants. Lastly, these 5 favorites are not in any particular order.

1. Bagnet 8065

Bagnet 8065 for Guiltful yet Pleasurable Eating!

Do you approve of this?

It's great to have some "sinful" eating from time to time. After all, it is not that common to find Bagnet dishes elsewhere. We are lucky this one is just near.

Location: Leon Guinto St. Brgy. 727, Malate, Manila
What to order? Bagnet Original or any other Bagnet Dishes (e.g. Kare-Kare, Pakbet, Sisig, etc)

2. Exile on Main St.

The Drunken Dory of Exile on Main St.

Do you approve of this?

Exile on Main St. made my foodie-college life more exciting with its amazing yet affordable dishes! Frankly, I hail this as my best restaurant near DLSU!

Plus, the place is very comfy and somehow "hidden" making you feel temporarily separated from school. Who wouldn't like that, right?

Location: #2428 Leon Guinto St. Brgy. 727, Malate, Manila
What to order? Chicks Shall Fly, Drunken Dory, Longganisa Con Sinta, Torn & Frayed and Y Tu Mama Brownie

3. Crazy Katsu

The Interesting Blend of Flavors - Chicken Katsu of Crazy Katsu

Do you approve of this?

What I particularly love about Crazy Katsu is the uniqueness in some of its dish. Take for example the Chicken Katsu. It comes with a special sauce that is savory and has a little kick!

Location: 1/F One Archers Place, Taft Avenue
What to order? Chicken Katsu, Tonkatsu and/or Pork Ginger

4. Samgyupsalamat

Pork Belly of Samgyupsalamat

Do you approve of this?

I know you are getting tired with the food scene around DLSU, CSB or even St. Scholastica. Hence, you need to drop by this Korean restaurant to break the cycle! Yes, you don't need to go far to satisfy your Samgyupsal cravings!

Location: 911 Kapitan Tikong St. Corner, Leon guinto St. Malate, Manila
What to order? Samgyupsal and other grillables

5. RAP Steaks and Cakes

Steaks at less than P200 in RAP Steaks and Cakes

Do you approve of this?

Steaks for less! Yes, that's what you'll find here in RAP Steaks and Cakes! With less than P200, you can already enjoy a hunger-busting steak! Best of all, you will get to try the tasty gravy of the restaurant - something that made it more famous!

Location: 879 Dagonoy St. Malate, Manila
What to order? Chicken Lollipop, T-Bone or Porterhouse plus the Revel Bar for desserts

Which among the 5 Restaurants is your Top 1?

There you go! I hope you enjoyed the 5 restaurants I've shared in this blog post! Feel free to contest anything on the list by commenting below. If you feel like something else belongs here, or there is something as worthy as these 5, let us know!

Sugi Restaurant in Greenbelt - Japanese Food at its Finest

In celebration of Father's Day, my family decided to dine in one of our favorite Japanese restaurants here in Makati -Sugi! I know you may be intimidated by how the place looks and sounds like, and that may cause you to presume that it is expensive here in Sugi. However, I'll contest that it is not (well, not too much at the least). With proper selection of dishes to order, you may still enjoy dining here Sugi without breaking the budget too much.

Here let me share with you this post, to aid you in knowing what to order in this fine-looking restaurant!

Sugi Interior and Room for Private Celebrations

Japanese Food at Its Finest

Before we actually came into the restaurants, I already planned 75% of what we would order taking into consideration the price of the dishes. In this way, I was able to lessen the bill by 33% as opposed to our last visit.

Kaiware Kani Salad || P250

Radish sprouts and crabmeat with choice of dressing - (we chose Japanese mayo)

Kaiware Kani Salad - something different for a salad!

This Salad featured a unique kind of veggy base which is more on the sprout family rather than the usual leaf one. So, this alone made it really different and refreshing for my taste buds. What added flavor to the salad was the Japanese mayo, which I found highly stimulating together with the kani!

Mini Agedashi Tofu || P170

Fried soft beancurd with sweet vinegared soy sauce

The delicate Mini Agedashi Tofu of Sugi Restaurant

The Mini Agedashi Tofu was really a hit! It was rightly fried leaving the outer part considerably crisp and the inside very much tender and nice. Due to this delicate frying technique, it had a “burst in your mouth sensation”. On top of all, the sauce was really sweet and savory, and distinctly Japanese!

Sanshoki Maki || P340

Sushi roll with tuna, ika (squid) and cucumber - 8 pieces

The amazing Sanshoki Maki of Sugi Restaurant

This Sanshoki Maki was also a considerable first for me because of the blend of raw tuna and squid! I didn't know that both of them when mixed together produce high stimulants for the taste buds!

Chawan Mushi || P135

Steamed egg custard soup served in special Japanese cup

The incredibly smooth Chawan Mushi of Sugi Restaurant

The Chawan Mushi of Sugi can be considered one of the best ones in town! It had a very soupy and soft texture that slides into the tongue. Also, the seafood taste together with the blend of steamed egg created an awesome tandem of harmonized flavor.

Maguro Nattou || P200

Fresh tuna meat with fermented soybeans

The interesting raw tuna dish - Maguro Nattou

The tuna was definitely a first for my sight! It was presented very neatly, and got its tantalizing appeal. You eat this dish by mixing all the ingredients together as you pour some soy sauce. You need to try this one just for the fun of it. Of course, it tasted much like your Tuna Sashimi, but the added dimension and flavour were very much interesting.

Okonomiyaki || P340

Samurai Pizza (Japanese Pizza concoction of cabbage, thin sliced pork, egg, spices and special sauce)

Surprise your taste buds with multidimensional flavors with the Okonomiyaki of Sugi

This Okonomiyaki was one of the finest I had so far with its appropriate "soft yet firm" texture, and its rightly sweet and savory sauce on top.

Ebi Tenpura || P390

All prawn tenpura - 5 pieces

Add caption

I actually don't have an idea why Sugi calls it Tenpura rather than Tempura. Anyway, this tempura dish was cooked delicately with the batter being crunchy and the prawns being fresh and fine! Yup, the result was fantastic! In addition, the sauce that came with it had a well-balanced flavor which went pretty well with the tempura as well as the components of the mixed tempura (below).

Tenpura Moriawase || P320

Assorted tenpura (prawns and vegetables)

The Mixed Tempura or "Tenpura Moriawase"

This mixed tempura included 2 prawns, 1 fish and the rest were veggies such as shitake mushroom, golden mushroom, eggplant and okra. Although the taste was just fine, I would still recommend the Ebi Tenpura over this, considering the price and the satisfaction.

Yakitori Moriawase || P280

Assorted chicken barbecue - 6 types of Chicken

The Yakitori Mariwase was really interesting because of the diversity on the plate. It was like a mixed of street and restaurant food placed together in a single dish, enhanced by a uniformly sweet and tasty sauce. By the way, you have an option whether to just use salt or teriyaki sauce. We opted for the latter, and I suggest you do the same as well.

Beef Teriyaki || P420

Grilled thinly sliced beef tenderloin with Sugi terriyaki sauce

The tastiest Beef Teriyaki in town by Sugi Restaurant

The Beef Teriyaki was at its finest from the taste to the texture! Well, I think the Teriyaki sauce of Sugi did the trick!

Saba Shioyaki || P500

Grilled mackerel, slightly salted

A fish dish with a potent and abundant flavor - Saba Shioyaki

The mackerel was very much fresh and tasty. It was cooked in such a way that the pure potential taste of the mackarel was maximized!

Friendly note: The fish bones were removed, although a very few remained.

A Not-So-Popular Kid in Sugi Restaurant for Father's Day!

Sugi - Ratings
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars.
Place ★★★★☆
Taste ★★★★★
Service ★★★★☆
Price ★★★☆
Budget needed: at least P700 per person (coming in a group of 6) for something like the ones above

Give your own rating to Sugi

I have to admit that I really liked my dining experience here in Sugi, and I believe that's because of the planning we had before coming in to the place. All the dishes were in line with my palate, and the satisfaction I got was at its peak!

The price may be classified as "high", but the awesomeness of the dishes brings justice to the price you'll pay up.

Sugi Japanese Restaurant
Location: Greenbelt 2, Esperanza St., Ayala Center Makati City

Reservation No.: (02) 757-3678 to 79
Store Hours: 11:00 am to 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Genji-M's Timed-Buffet for Unlimited Sushi

Hello there foodie yuppies of Makati! Here's something that may spark up your foodie world, without even breaking your budget too much! Well, Genji-M just recently launched its first-ever Ready Set Go Lunch Promotion which also another fancy term for "Timed Buffet".

What's all about this "Timed Buffet"?
Since most of the yuppies out there are on really on the go (considering the limited lunch time provided), the Unlimited Sushi Buffet may not be that ideal and "sulit" for them. Hence, to address this, Genji-M rolled out an exciting "Timed Buffet".

To read more about the Un-timed Unlimited Sushi and Rolls as well as the Unlimited Sashimi, check out this prior blog post: Unlimited Sushi Buffet for only P499 in Genji-M

The Timed Buffet includes the following

6 Main Dishes (which changes daily) || Salad || Rolls an Maki || One Glass of Iced Tea or House Tea || Miso Soup

Available from Monday to Thursday (11:30 AM to 2:00 PM)

20 minutes for P120 per person

40 minutes for P200 per person

60minutes for P240 per person

10 minutes extension for P50 per person

Here's a sample of the dishes found in the Buffet Table for the Ready Set Go Lunch Promotion:

The Unlimited Salad that you may have in Genji-M's Timed Buffet

Most of the dishes available are of Korean Cuisine. Hence, you may need to take note of that one.

And here are some of the rolls and maki that may be served during the Timed-Buffet. The selection depends upon the day, so let Genji-M surprise you!

Sample Rolls and Maki of Genji-M that can be served on the Timed-Buffet

If in case you have a lot of spare time during lunch, or you want to visit during dinner time, then I suggest you try the Unlimited Sushi and Rolls! There are printable vouchers in the Facebook Page of Genji-M that provide you discount up to P250!

Check out my separate blog post about what you can expect with the Unlimited Buffet here: Genji-M's Unlimited Sushi and Sashimi

Genji-M Unlimited Sushi and Rolls at P499

Sample of the Sushi for the Unlimited Sushi and Rolls at P499

Ala Carte Dishes

If in case you are not a heavy eater, why not check out some of these ala carte dishes you may order here in Genji-M?

Seafood Fried Rice || P100

Seafood Fried Rice for Ala Carte Delights

Chicken Yakitori || P120 for 3 Sticks

The mildly sweet Chicken Yakitori of Genji-M

This Chicken Yakitori will appeal to those who don't like a lot of sauce on the chicken. The way it is cooked enables you to focus on the simple taste of grilled chicken. Of course, the light drizzles of the sauce adds some subtle sweetness to it.

Prawn Teppanyaki || P450

Prawn Teppanyaki - a vegetable dish!

Hmmmm, I wasn't able to give this I try because I was minding all the other dishes as well as the Sushi and Sashimi of Genji-M. Hence, what I can comment on is the price perhaps (which is considerably expensive).

Korean Bulgogi

The Korean Bulgogi of Genji-M in Makati City

This Korean Bulgogi had a very sweet and savory flavor to it that is highly recommended for those with a sweet tooth (i.e. those who appreciate sweet dishes). Upon serving, you may need to continuously stir or turn the beef around to avoid overcooking.

Pork Tonkatsu || P250

The Pork Tonkatsu of Genji-M Japanese and Korean Restaurant

This Pork Tonkatsu, although not very much visually enticing, had a crunchy breading enveloping a relatively thin slice of pork. I wasn't impressed by this dish, but I was not disappointed as well. It was just a little bit in-between.

Ebi Tempura|| P300 for 5 pieces

The crunchy Ebi Tempura for a Japanese indulgence

The Ebi Tempura was great in terms of the frying and the taste! Plus, the sauce that came with it just brought out more goodness to the dish.

Samgyupsal (Pork Belly) || P350 for 200g

Samgyupsal of Genji-M - simple and light!

Although it may be considered bland for others, this Samgyupsal has a light taste letting you focus on the flavor of the pork belly itself. Noticeably, Genji-M uses thicker cuts of pork belly for this dish.

There you go! I hope you found this blog post useful and interesting! Feel free to share a piece of your mind by giving this restaurant a rating and/or commenting below!

Your rating:

Genji-M Restaurant
Location: Kalayaan & Makati Ave. Next to St. Giles Hotel (in front of Metrobank)
Contact No.: (02) 804-2883

Operating Hours:
Monday to Friday 11:00 AM – 10 PM
Saturday and Sunday 11:30 AM – 10 PM

Service Charge: 10%

Sarap with Family (Season 2) in GMA News TV to be aired starting July 2014

Hello there fellow foodie, mommies and cooks! GMA News TV has something up its sleeves, and you'll going to love it! Following the success of the first season, Sarap with Family will soon air its second season featuring new dishes from more CDO products such as the Liver Spread and the SeaQuest Tuna!

About the Show

This show called "Sarap for Family" will be airing its second season somewhere in July 2014. Jennylyn Mercado hosts the show and as well as cooks the dishes for the viewers. The first season featured the creative uses of CDO products such as the Fantastik Tocino, Cheesedog and Ulam Burger. However, in this season, the prime spotlight will be on Seaquest Tuna and Liver Spread (but of course will still feature some other products before)!

In order to somehow vouch for the taste and quality of the food showed in Sarap For Family, we were given the opportunity to try the dishes ourselves. Here are ones we had for food-tasting.

The Caldereta recipe of CDO as featured in the previous episode of the show of Sarap with Family leans more towards the salty version rather than the sweet one. However, what's really attention-grabbing is how potent the taste is coming from the liver spread. It just brings out the right tang of spice from the caldereta.

PS: I still like the sweeter versions of Caldereta rather than the salty ones, but the good thing about it is that you can adjust the recipe to fit your palate

This Gising-Gising made with CDO SeaQuest Tuna is a winner with its spicy-gata flavor! It was awesome how the spiciness of the dish is slightly cushioned by the coconut milk resulting to a fun yet tolerable spiciness!

This Eggplant Firtata is definitely a must-try at home! The recipe just blends well the taste of meat from the Ulam Burger and the veggies! In fact, the taste of the vegetables are somehow concealed making it more appealing for the kids!

My mom tried making this one at home, and it was a smashing hit! I didn't know that Ulam Burger can eventually turn into something that awesome!

This Picadillo is made with a slight twist because instead of the usual ground meat, the recipe suggests meat balls (albeit small ones).

For more recipes from the show just visit this: Sarap with Family CDO Recipes

Interacting with the People behind the Show
It was a first for me to be invited to a set of a cooking show. With this experience, I was able to catch a glimpse of the live "behind the scenes", and of course interact with the celebrities, the producer and all other people behind the show. I've asked them this question.

A Not-So-Popular Kid (Renz Cheng) with Jennylyn Mercado

What can we expect from the show?
Based on the aggregated and summarized responses, what we can generally expect from the cooking show is the unbelievable creativity shown in each recipe. It shows the many alternative uses of simple ingredients we can purchase from the market. Of course, affordability and availability are already given.

Aside from all these, the show will centralize on the "family" side of the cooking (i.e. cooking for the kids and the like).

The bloggers (Sheila, Cheche, Renz, Jonel and Marjorie) together with Jennelyn Mercado and the show's producer

The bloggers (Sheila, Cheche, Renz, Jonel and Marjorie) together with Jennylyn Mercado and the show's producer

Catch Sarap with Family in GMA News TV in July 2014! I'll update you with the time slot soon!

Avida's Food Hunt -- Awesome Food Finds in Taft!

A Kid Who Knows the Taft Food Scene
If you have been closely monitoring my blog, or at least occasionally checking it, you'll notice that a huge chunk of my blog posts centralizes on Taft Avenue, and that's primarily because I studied in a school located there. Hence, when I received an email inviting me to participate in Avida's Food Hunt, I accepted it without any hesitations! Taft Avenue (well, most of it but not all) had been a second home to me, and exploring it would be reminiscent of all the good memories I had there, especially those that have something to do with food.

The Start of the Food Hunt
Of course, the first step for this Food Hunt is the gather all the food hunters (which I'm included to). The chosen headquarter is Avida's Showroom for the Avida Towers Prime Taft near Gil Puyat St. (formerly known as Buendia). This is also the site where a new Avida property will be built, so you may want to watch out for that.

Avida Towers Prime Taft is strategically placed in Taft in such a way that you are only a few minutes away from top universities. Plus, it is also nearest to three major citiy centers, namely Manila's Taft Avenue, Makati's central business district and Pasay's commercial centers!

Anyway, Chef JJ Yulo was the one who led the group for the Food Hunt, while Thomas Torres of DLSU Green Archers was also present to share his Taft Food adventures!

The Avida Food Hunt

The Food Hunt's primary objective is to explore the affordable yet great food places around Taft, which is also to show the robust food scene around the place where the Prime Taft will be soon seen standing.

The Food Hunt agenda has five (5) restaurants on it, and as a teaser here's a quick hint:

The Food Hunt Agenda -- Taft Food Scene Exploration

As seen on the photo, there would be some burgers, sushi, steaks, snacks and desserts! If you are itching about knowing them, well, itch no more because here's the first stop!

1. Black and White Cafeteria

Black and White Cafeteria near Gil Puyat LRT station

The first food stop is just a walk away from Avida Towers Prime Taft. In fact, it is just right beside it and comes with the name Black and White Cafeteria. This humble food place, known for the black and white flooring, assures customers of affordable dishes!

Burger & Bacon Extra Special || P78

Burger and Bacon Extra Special - Black and White Cafeteria

According to the findings of Avida representatives, the must-try dish here in Black and White Cafeteria is the Burger & Bacon Extra Special! Coincidentally, this became the starter dish of the Avida Food Hunt!

Since I don't want you to have failed expectations, let me tell you that the burger isn't something that will bring you to Cloud9; however, it is decent enough to munch on. The taste and appeal of the burger is somehow close to Burger Machine, and the primary difference is the guaranteed freshness of the ingredients.

However, what really caught my attention was the Special Red Iced Tea (P35)!

Black and White's Special Homemade Red Tea

This specially-made iced tea was so refreshing because of the distinct fruit-tea taste, and since the sweetness was really kept at bay, I was able to focus on the goodness of the tea (which according to one of the staff is brewed in-house).

2. Nemoto Japanese Restaurant

Nemoto, the longest-running Japanese Restaurant in Buendia-Pasay

When the next destination was slowly being revealed with the hint of "longest-running Japanese Restaurant around the area", what immediately came into my mind was the Kamameshi House in Zobel Roxas St. However, my guess turned out to be wrong!

It's nothing but the Nemoto Japanese Restaurant along Buendia-Taft, which by the way may still be accessed via walking from the Avida site.

Complimentary Fruits in Nemoto Japanese Restaurant

The great thing about the restaurant, aside from the quaint yet adorable interior filled with manga, hello kitties and other Japanese memorabilia, is the serving of complimentary fruits! Now, you can have a healthy start here in this Japanese restaurant.

Special Mix || P450

3 pieces of Salmon Sushi, 3 pieces of Tuna Sushi and 8 pieces of Maki rolls

Special Mix Sushi and Rolls of Nemoto - wonderful collection!

Although it may seem a bit pricey, the Special Mix was winner for me! The sushi featured a thicker and more generous cut of the fish (i.e. tuna and salmon) which I believe was one of the reasons why the price is considerably high. Plus, there are 8 maki rolls in the mix!

This Special Mix is recommended for 3 people. In this way, you'll be paying P150 each + service charge. Not that bad.

Here's a close up of the salmon sashimi to show you how thick the cuts were for the raw fish meat:

Salmon sushi of Nemoto Japanese Restaurant

Salmon sushi - closer look at the thick slice of the raw fish meat

Here's a photo of Thomas Torres in Nemoto Japanese Restaurant giving a "shoutout" to my friend Mirze Rey!

Thomas Torres of DLSU Green Archers

3. RAP Steaks and Cakes

The new signage of RAP Steaks and Cakes

I got excited when I learned that the third destination would be RAP Steaks and Cakes. As you may know it, I included this to my "5 Restaurants to Visit Before Graduating from Taft Schools" (e.g. DLSU, CSB and St. Scholastica).

RAP Steaks and Cakes interior in Malate, Manila

Also, RAP Steaks and Cakes was the most voted "Top Restaurant in Taft" of the students with 299 (34.09%)votes out of 877 as of June 30, 2014.

RAPs' Large Porterhouse Steak || P190

RAPs Large Porterhouse Steak

Anyway, the Food Hunters were able to really appreciate the steak (which made me real proud, since I get to have some bragging rights about the food scene near our school). However, what they took notice of was the delectable gravy of RAPs! It was definitely droolworthy!

Desserts selection of RAP Steaks and Cakes

Although the Food Hunters weren't able to try some desserts here in RAPs, I would suggest that you go try them out! In my previous blog post back in May 2013 about RAPs Steaks and Cakes, I took note of the revel bar which we found extra good!

4. Agno Food Court

The Snack Attack - P120 food challenge in Agno Food Court

After our stop in RAPs, we went straight to Agno Food Court which is a budget-friendly place to grab some meal or snacks! As part of the Avida Food Hunt Agenda, we were given P120 to spend anywhere we want. This was to show how "powerful" your P120 is when you eat here in Agno.

Anyway, with the budget given, I was able to have some potato balls from Potato Giant (P55), one large fruit shake (P49) and a chocolate bard (P8).

5. Cafe Noriter

The quaint, fancy and adorable place called Noriter Cafe near the Taft Schools

As for the last destination, the Avida team chose Cafe Noriter which is an iconic Korean-inspired cafe near the Taft schools! You will be mesmerized the sight that will unravel, and somehow you'll feel like a kid again because of the outpouring of creativeness in the place!

Massive cuteness in Cafe Noriter in Malate, Manila

Some cute doodle-able box man in Cafe Noriter

Chef JJ Yulo noted that Cafe Noriter is one of the most Instagram-able places you'll find within the area Taft Avenue.

Cafe Noriter is known for the cuteness-overload of the place!

Actually, students within the area claim this to be the finest place of solitude where they can study or sometimes forget all about those stuff and just unwind and bond with friends!

Beautiful Cafe in Manila called Cafe Noriter

Peaceful and considerably romantically cheesy place to hang-out in

Wooden Doll climbing a ladder in Cafe Noriter

The plants in Cafe Noriter grow some photos - incredible!

I'm not so sure about this, but I think you can clip some of your group's photo in one of the "Picture Plants" in Cafe Noriter. If yes, then that's super awesome!

Java Chip Frapuccino of Cafe Noriter

The famous Java Chip Frappuccino of Cafe Noriter

Foodie friends, I have a confession to make. I don't drink coffee (especially the caffeinated ones). Well, I just don't appreciate much the taste much more the effects it may cause on the body. However, I must admit that the aroma is a different story -- I just love the smell of coffee! Weird, right?

Anyway, I'm saying this because I feel like I'm not in the right place to give an opinion about coffee drinks. Hence, let's move forward to the Honey Bread, if you don't mind.

Noriter Toast Honey Bread || P140

Cafe Noriter's delicious Honey Bread

This Honey Bread definitely appealed to my palate with its rightly sweet flavor, plus the dash of cinnamon on top simply tickled my taste buds. Putting it in other words, I found the bread relaxing to munch on!

Alright, so we've reached the end of the Avida Food Hunt, and I hope you enjoyed reading about the places we've been to! Here's the mandatory photo with Thomas Torres and Chef JJ Yulo in Cafe Noriter!

A Not-So-Popular Kid with Thomas Torres and Chef JJ Yulo

End of Avida Food Hunt

Just in case you want to conduct the same food trip that we had, you may want to have this map with you:

The Avida Food Hunt Map for Easier Navigation

If you want to alter the Food Hunt agenda, you may want to check out my DLSU Food Trip page which can aid you in finding food spots to include in your agenda.

Lastly, for more information on Avida Towers Prime Taft you may want to check out the website at www.avidaland.com or the Facebook page at www.fb.com/AvidaLandPH

P1,000 GC For Travel - Metro Vigan Inn!

Hello there amazing people reading this blog! As you may know, I am currently preoccupied reviewing for my board exam this coming July 20, 21, 27 and 28 (Yes, this is just a scheduled post). Hence, I the reason why there weren't much new here. I hope you'll pray for my success in taking the board exam! Anyway, I have here a new blog giveaway for you because I love you guys for all the support!

Unfortunately, the GC can only be availed of in Vigan itself, and hence I encourage only those who have travel plans to Vigan this 2014 (except December since the GC is good only until the end of November) to join the blog giveaway. The GC can be used to both the hotel itself and the in-house restaurant. Here's a preview of the hotel. You may want to check out my post about it by clicking on the name.

Metro Vigan Inn

Metro Vigan Cafe

Join the Blog Giveaway!
My awesome friends, it's really easy to join in this blog giveaway! Just follow the instructions in the Rafflecopter widget below (wait for it to load as you log-in via Facebook), and you are good to go! Be sure to read the Terms and Conditions of this Blog Giveway! Best of luck my fellow foodie friends!

I'm hoping for your continuous support everyone! Thank you very much!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The latest American Cuisine for the month of July in Vikings - SM Megamall

In honor of the upcoming independence day of US, Vikings will be launching a new set of American dishes this July 2014! Concurrently, I was lucky enough to be invited to try some of the dishes before they start invading the buffet tables of Vikings particularly the branch in SM Megamall.

American-Inspired Dishes

For the month of July 2014, every weekend (i.e. Saturday and Sunday), Vikings will be bringing something new on the buffet tables - and those are nothing but interesting American dishes! Hence, weekend dining will be more fantastic here in Vikings, and with the recent slashing down of weekend buffet prices (from P1,088 to {888), you're even more "incentivized" to try them out!

Read my separate post that gives an extensive view of this branch in Mega Fashion Hall here: Eat-All-You Can Buffet in Vikings (SM Megamall)

Extended Menu of American Cuisine on Weekends

Boston-style Clam Chowder Soup

Vikings' Boston-style Clam Chowder Soup - buttery, creamy with abundance of fresh veggies

This starter was incredibly amazing that my appetite got really stimulated! It featured a buttery and velvety taste and texture, enriched with an abundance of fresh carrots, potatoes and other spices! Of course, the taste of the clams was distinct making the entire soup dish so awesome!

Before I proceed let me show to you the photo of the awesome men behind the incredible dishes in Vikings!

Executive Chef and Assistant Chefs in Vikings - SM Megamall Branch

Top to Bottom:

Beef Brisket with Roasted Bell Pepper || New Orleans Seafood Gumbo || Hawaiian Chicken BBQ || Guacamole Salad || Pinwheel Alaskan Homemade Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese Filling

Appetizer and Main Course Samples - Vikings Buffet SM Megamall

Guacamole Salad

Guacamole Salad of Vikings - light and refreshing appetizer!

The Guacamole Salad was notably light and refreshing with buoyant avocado taste mixed with spices! What made this bite-sized dish more enjoyable was the crunchy nacho base providing the dish more character.

Hawaiian Chicken BBQ

Sweet and dynamic flavors in the Hawaiian Chicken BBQ

Although this may look really simple based on the photo above, the Hawaiina Chicken BBQ is a true winner with its sweet and dynamically flavored marinate! The juiciness and the distinct pineapple taste of the meat were truly noteworthy as well the two special sauces that went with the chicken.

Portland Mini Fish Cake with Garlic Aioli

Vikings Portland Mini Fish Cake with Garlic Aioli

Potent fish taste in a flavorful garlic aioli sauce!

For this dish, what I was able to take note of was the distinct fish taste that was rightfully enhanced by the flavors coming from the sauce. It was simple, but suave!

New Orleans Seafood Gumbo

Vikings' American interpretation of Feast from the Sea

This dish brought together three interesting seafood ingredients namely shrimp, mussel and scallop which live up the tagline of Vikings, "Feast from the Sea".

Beef Brisket with Roasted Bell Pepper

Beef Brisket with Roasted Bell Pepper of Vikings

This dish was particularly interesting not entirely because of the taste but more on the "adventure" it gave my mouth. I just found it amusing how the savory beef went well with a thick pastry base. Anyway, the taste resembled that of roast beef, but the pasty added a different layer of flavor.

Pinwheel Alaskan Homemade Smoked Salmon

Vikings' Pinwheel Alaskan Homemade Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese Filling

A Must-Try - Pinwheel Alaskan Homemade Smoked Salmon with Cream Cheese Filling

Now, here's a dish with a stunning WOW-Factor for me! This wonderfully made Pinwheel Alaskan Homemade Smoked Salmon featured a terrific taste of fresh smoked salmon harmonically blended with the mild saltiness and creaminess coming from the cream cheese. Also, with the light and crunchy pastry cradling the salmon was really a perfect match for it! Incredible!

Now, let's proceed with the new American-inspired desserts:

American-inspired desserts of Vikings for the month of July 2014

Alright, we all know that one of the staple desserts in America is apple pie; hence, Vikings is introducing it to us! With its controlled level of sweetness, you are sure to enjoy the pie! However, although this is not entirely a bad thing, the apple pie made it only 3rd place among these 3 new desserts.

What I loved the most was the Key West Key Lime Pie! It just had this tangy and sweet flavor that tickled my palate, and kind of remind me of my childhood days the sensation resembles that of the Nerds candy! The New York Cheesecake, on the other hand, came in second, with its full and thick texture.

Of course, aside from these new collection, you may still enjoy your usual favorites here in Vikings. As a matter of fact, I made sure that I can have a taste of the delectable roasted lamb and grilled beef because both were super awesome!

The delectable steaks and roasted lamb in Vikings

Foodie friends, what are you waiting for! Grab the opportunity to try something new in Vikings this July! Remember, the dishes are only available this month. For more information as well as promos, you may want to check out the Facebook page of Vikings SM Megamall.

Vikings - A Feast from the Sea
Location: 4th Floor, Mega Fashion Hall, Bldg. D, SM Megamall, Julio Vargas cor. EDSA Mandaluyong

Contact No.: (02) 656-3888 / 656-48888 / 656-5888

Service Charge: 5% before VAT

LG's Latest Smart Phone - the dynamic LG G3!

Foodie friends, it's that time again when I blog something different (i.e. not something related to food). I know I seldom post about technology more specifically smart phones; however, I was really intrigued by this new phone of LG. Hence, when I received an invitation to the Grand Launch of LG's latest G3 Smart Phone, I took the opportunity to know about it.

Now, let me share to you the things I've learned about this incredible phone!

The "Best Phone of 2014" - LG G3
LG G3 spearheaded a lot of intuitive and dynamic (yet simple) features, and this made it the best phone of 2014, based on numerous reviews worldwide! At first I was quite hesitant about the claim, but after hearing and seeing all the features of LG G3, I was compelled to agree.

For you to have a basic grasp of the key features, let me share this photo with you:

LG G3 Brochure of Feature and Specifications Overview

In my opinion the striking features of G3 are the following: Laser Auto Focus, Sleek Design, Quad HD Pristine Display, Knock Code, Adjustable Keyboard Display and Camera Technology for both rear and front camera

The LG Girls with the amazing G3 Smart Phone during the Grand Launch held in Endurun, McKinley Hill

While the features were being unraveled and explained, I took some notes. Hence, let me share with you those that I was able to write on my notebook. There are three key areas I'll tell you of namely the Design, Display and Camera.

LG G3 and Its Ergonomic Design
The first thing that you'll first notice is the design of the phone. In fact, when I got a grip of the G3, I fell madly in love. Yeah, you may call it "Love at first Touch".

A Not-So-Popular Kid falling in love with the first touch of the LG G3 Smart Phone!

It was definitely sleek and comfy to hold because of the Floating Arc Design of G3 just made it feel light and convenient. That's the Science behind the ergonomic design! Moreover, the phone has this Metallic Feel although most part of the cover is made of plastic (which explains the light weight).

The LG G3 with the Slim Hard Case

LG G3 and Its Crisp and Crystal Clear Display
One of pioneering feature of LG G3 is its Quad HD Display which is a very first among smart phones! This means that G3 operates in a 538 ppi display or what we may refer to as 1440p. So yeah, you may start forgetting about all the 720p or 1080p!

Now, several techies raised that this may drain the battery fast despite the expanded capacity at 3000mAh. Hence, to address the issue, G3 integrated the 3A (Adaptive) Optimization that adjusts the frame rate, the clocking and the timing control of the phone. With this, G3 may last more than a day for normal to moderately heavy usage.

LG G3 and Its Top-Notch Cameras
The LG development team listened to the demands of its users, and as a result significantly improved the features of its camera. With this, the Laser Auto Focus was revealed making G3 a powerful image-capturing device. This is the first of its kind that enables the camera to focus in just 0.276 seconds producing a more accurate and precise shot. Also, since LG promotes Simple as the new Smart, you may now focus on a subject and capture it simultaneously with just one touch!

Furthermore, we all know that we have entered the Selfie Era; hence, LG further improved its front camera by enlarging the image sensor, and integrating a Palm Signaling to initiate the capturing of your perfect selfie shot!

By the way, LG simultaneously launched the LG G Watch here in the Philippines, which goes perfectly with the LG G3. The great thing about it is that it's water resistant. Plus, unlike other smart watches, LG G Watch works compatibly well with other Android Phones with an OS of 4.3 and above.

The LG G3 works fantastically well with LG G Watch

I know there are a lot of things to share about this latest LG phone, but I've laid down all the basic stuff you need to know. Now, here are the specifications, in case you are into the technical side of the phone.

LG G3 Specifications

Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 80 2.5 GHz Quad-Core Processor
2G/3G/4G (LTE)
Android 4.4.2 Kitkat
3,000 mAh / Removable / Wireless Charging
1W Speaker with Boost AMP
Quad HD IPS Display / 2560 x 1440 pixels / 538 ppi
5.5" (146.3 x 74.6 x 8.95 mm)
13MP Advanced Optical Image Stabilization with Laser Auto Focus and Dual Flash
3GB RAM for 32 GB Internal Memory or 2GB RAM for 16GB Internal Memory
Available in Metallic Black, Silk White, Shine Gold and Burgundy Red

LG G3's Price

P29,990 for the 16GB variant
P33,990 for the 32GB variant

*Both are inclusive of the Quick Circle Cover.

Comparing Samsung's S5 with LG's G3

The grand launch permitted me to explore the features of LG G3, and since I coincidentally got the chance to hold onto an S5 of a friend, I couldn't help but compare the two. At first, I also got thrilled with S5 because there were a lot of features as opposed to its predecessor, S4 (which is the phone I'm currently using). However, when I got the chance to know about LG's G3, I suddenly forgot about S5!

What does S5 have that G3 doesn't?

The main distinction that floats to my mind is that S5 have the water-resistant physical feature while G3 doesn't have something like it. Also, S5 have a feature that boosts the internet speed by combining both Wi-Fi and Mobile Data. I know there are other differences, but these are the things I remembered.

Now, what does G3 have that S5 doesn't?

G3 has this amazing sleek and ergonomic design called the "Floating Arc" which gives the user a good grip of the phone, and honestly this really sparked up my "Love at First Touch". Furthermore, G3 has this Laser Auto Focus which is a first of its kind! Of course, on top of that, G3 is the pioneer phone for a Quad HD display! Similarly, the list can go on, but I'd like to focus on these.

Thrill Factor - LG G3 & S5

The facade of Bag of Beans in Tagaytay City

When I was browsing for some good eats in Tagaytay, I kept on stumbling upon Bag of Beans (BoB). Although this suggests that this restaurant is already too common for a place to pick in Tagaytay, I still made sure that we would drop by the restaurant even just for some desserts. Fortunately, my wish just came true.

And so by the time we got there, I was blown away by both by the beauty and structure of the restaurant. The first floor houses the souvenir store where you can purchase some pasalubong like coffee beans, breads and stuff.

Bag of Bean's first floor housing all your pasalubong (food souvenir) needs

Then the "second floor" which is the restaurant proper can be accessed by going down the stairs. And holy cow, I got surprised by the charm of what stumbled upon me. I have to exaggerate a bit, but it felt like I was in another dimension. Let me share you the view I got:

The amazing view of the "second floor" of Bag of Beans in Tagaytay

Now, let's sidetrack a little as I share this shot with you. Even if you'll say that it is amateurish, you won't prevent me from feeling proud with this shot because of the good light orb effects.

Colorful ceiling lamps in the garden like restaurant proper of Bag of Beans

Here are some more of the photos I took here in Bag of Beans.

The famous coffee shop in Tagaytay called Bag of Beans

I have to admit this -- I really fell in love with the place. It was very serene and lovely with all the furniture design and the suitable environment!

More restaurants to check out in Tagaytay

RSM Lutong Bahay - get a taste of the famous bulalo and catch a breathtaking view of Taal Lake and Volcano here!
Antonio's Breakfast - classy restaurant (with amazing garden) for some great breakfast dishes

Coffee Bar - where all the good stuff begin brewing!

I haven't mention this, but I will now -- Bag of Bans restaurant is considerably huge with a lot of seats available; however, even such is the case, you might still be asked to wait for a while for some space to free up. Fret not because you can go around and be bewildered by the great sights such as this:

Adorable tables and chairs in Bag of Beans of Tagaytay City

Okay, now that we've taken a look at the place, let's go check the sweets out next.

Blueberry Cheesecake || P150

The highly delectable Blueberry Cheesecake of Bag of Beans

This cheese cake had a thick layer of whipped cream, followed by a thinner layer of cream cheese, and ultimately the solid crust. What I admired most about this dessert was its sufficient sweetness. Also, the overall appearance of the cake was mouthwatering.

Apple Pie ala Mode || P155

The sweet apple pie ala mode of Bag of Beans in Tagaytay

This apple pie was sweeter than what I call optimum, but the ice cream really complimented the taste of the pie (albeit making the sweetness more afloat). Also, since the apple filling was warm, it created a great sensation in the mouth (i.e. cold and warm battle).

Note: I recommend this for those with highly prominent sweet tooth.

Black Forest Frappe || P145

A perfect blend of coffee, chocolate, milk and cherry

This Black Forrest drink highlighted a fine coffee taste with a blend of chocolate and bits of cherry. The resulting mix was extremely fine that I personally found not overwhelming. Also, this frappe is a bestseller according to the waiter (who apparently has a same first name as I do).

Iced Caramel Machiatto || P115

An interesting mix of caramel and coffee that will tickle the taste buds

This machiatto had a very nice concoction of caramel and coffee with subtle warmness. The bottom layer contained the warm coffee portion and the upper layer contained the cool caramel drink. My younger brother really enjoyed this machiatto but mentioned that it has an "umay" factor.

Frozen Chocolate || P115

Straight and smooth chocolate goodness - Bag of Beans

Now, if you want something simple and straight to the point, you may want to go for this frozen chocolate. It featured a classic sweet milk chocolate blend. Nothing more and nothing less.

Fresh Watermelon Shake || P125

Fresh Fruit Juice of Watermelon in Bag of Beans

A refreshing watermelon fruit drink in Bag of Beans to beat the summer heat!

Now, in case you don't enjoy coffee, and you are not in a mood for some chocolate. You may want to go for the fresh fruit shakes of Bag of Beans. Of course you won't find anything so special about this drink, but it's definitely refreshing and possibly healthy.

Bag of Beans - Ratings
Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars.
Place ★★★★☆
Taste ★★★★☆
Service ★★★☆ The staff are often all busy serving the customers
Price ★★★★ Competitive enough (as for the drinks and desserts)

Alright! That one practically wraps up our BoB experience. However, one thing still stirs my curiosity, and that's the non-dessert selection of Bag of Beans. Perhaps you have an idea that you want to share with us (e.g. other recommendables here in this resto). I'd be happy to hear them from you!

Bag of Beans
Location: 115 Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City
Service Charge: 10% on price (after VAT)

A Vigan Travel and Food Guide by A Not-So-Popular Kid

If you want to be mesmerized by the Filipino-Spanish hertitage, you have practically two famous places to go. The first one is in Intramuros of Manila City, and the other one is Vigan City of Ilocos Sur. Lately, Vigan is becoming a smashing hit when it comes to local travel; hence, I came up with this blog post to guide you in your travel here in this interesting place.

I tried making this guide as intuitive and concise as possible by adding three sections namely "Places to Visit", "Where to Stay" and "Where to Eat". Each item under the category has a brief summary, but in case you want to know more about the place or restaurant, just click on the images to be redirected to a separate post which will unravel more specific details.

Vigan is a famous city to visit in Ilocos Sur

The ones included here are those that I was able to pay a visit. Two days wasn't enough for me to check out a lot of places, but I've managed to visit a good number of places. Hopefully, you will find this guide helpful in your travel!

Note: Individual posts coming up in the future

Post last updated on 7/03/2014

Places to Visit

Calle Crisologo- the street of Heritage
The main attraction in Vigan is the Calle Crisologo! It's the heart of the well-preserved Spanish-Filipino Heritage in this great city! In the morning, it has a spirit of a market place (wherein you can buy your souvenir shopping). In the night, it becomes quiet and tamed which is perfect for admiring the beautiful structure and design of the Spanish Era vestiges.

The Bell Tower and The Shrine of Our Lady of Charity
If Legazpi has the Cagsawa Ruins, Bantay City (which apparently is strictly not Vigan, but very near to) has the bell tower. The good thing about this tower is that you can climb the stairs inside, and have a view of the beautiful landscape.

Plaza Salcedo - for the dancing fountain
If you haven't witnessed a dancing fountain (i.e. synchronized to the music), then grab the opportunity to watch one here! There are two shows during weekends (7:00 pm and 8:00 pm), and only one during weekdays (7:00 pm). The Plaza Salcedo is usually one of the locals' favorite hanging out place. It can be considered as the Rizal Park of Vigan.

Baluarte - a place for witnessing wildlife
If you want a close encounter with animals, you may want to drop by the Baluarte. You will see there some horses, parrots, deer, ducks, tiger, ostrich and more!

No entrance fees.
Open from Monday to Sunday. 6:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Where to Stay

I'll update this when I get the chance to try some place new.

Metro Vigan Inn - a friendly budget hotel
If you are traveling on a relatively tight budget, you may want to consider this very affordable yet decent place to stay. The rooms are just simple, but they are definitely comfortable for grabbing some rest. Plus, the facilities are great including free Wi-Fi, water heater, TV and cool air-conditioning unit!

Budget needed: at least P600 per person inclusive of breakfast

Where to Eat

Metro Vigan Cafe - in house restaurant of the inn
Try something different with the amazing dishes of Metro Vigan Cafe. They serve the best (as far as I am concerned) Kare-Kare! Plus, all these great dishes come at affordable prices!

What to order: Kare-Kare, Bagnet Sisig, Crispy Bagnet and the fish dishes

The Hidden Garden - beautiful sight and delectable dishes
If you want to have a breather, just make sure you'll visit this place. You will be immersed to the grandeur of nature, and be mesmerized by the landscape design of the place. Plus, you will enjoy some tasty snacks and dishes here in this place.

What to order: Empanada and Bagnet

Señorita Dulce - House of Food
This place serves dual purpose. First one is indulgent dining, and the second one is purchasing food souvenir or pasalubong.

What to order: KBL Pasta with Longganisa Bits, Mikki Special, Bibingka and Cassava

Marsha's Delicacies - favorite food souvenir stop
If there's something really famous for desserts and pasalubongs here in Ilocus Sur (specifically in Bantay which is just a neighboring city), it will be this shop.

In my opinion, this is the equivalent Pendy's Store of Bacolod.

What to order: Bagnet, Sukang Ilonggo, Vigan Longganisa, Royal Bibingka, Cassava

Have a Happy Travel!
There you go! I hope this post will serve a useful purpose for your planned travel here in Vigan or more generally, Ilocos Sur! Do recommend other places here in this awesome place by posting them below!

Just Thai Restaurant in Burgos Circle, Taguig City

Classy and comforting interior of Just Thai in BGC

Just Thai - A Great Place to Try Thai Food

Friends, do you remember the Thai Film called "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"? Well, it may not ring a bell to you, but for me, it marked the birth of my interest to the Thai culture which very much include the cuisine. I even wrote a brief blog post about it back in the early days of my blogging with a kind-of flimsy title "Thai Craze, Music and Etc." Yeah, I was pretty much into the culture of Thailand that time which made me watch other films as well. Up until now (although it may have faded a little already), I still have that spark in my eyes with anything related to the Thai Culture.

A First Try to a Thai Cuisine
This may sound very much ironic and possibly dumb for you after that introduction, but I haven't indulged myself to Thai cuisine until just last week. Well, don't ask me why because I don't know how I would explain that as well. Oh wait, I think I know the reason why. Whenever I suggest to eat in a Thai restaurant, someone in the family will grimace.

Anyway, as I was saying, it was just in the 3rd of July 2014, that I was able to really feast on Thai dishes, and it happened in this great place called Just Thai inBurgos Circle of Taguig City. I was pretty much nervous and excited at the same time but I just put a game face on, and entered the place.

Thai-inspired interior of Just Thai Restaurant in Burgos Circle

Just Thai - A Place with a Dash of Classiness
What I liked upon entering the restaurant was the refreshing blend of Thai elements in its interior mixed with some modern touches. I know some people prefer to be deeply immersed with the culture the restaurant is representing. Honestly, I do too most of the time, but since it would be my first time, I appreciated the light and relatively subtle immersion of Thai ambiance. Anyway, two words that will summarize how the place felt like are classy and homey (yes, both at the same time)!

Alright, now that you got an idea of the place, let's fast forward to the main event - the food and drinks!

Beverages

One of the things Thai Cuisine is famous of would be the drinks, so permit me to dedicated a portion of this blog post for some of the beverages of Just Thai.

Thai Iced Tea || P80

The Refreshingly Good Thai Iced Tea of Just Thai

This incredibly refreshing Thai Iced Tea brought extreme excitement to my palate. Well, I must admit that at first sip, I was baffled and somehow bothered by the weird mix of flavors, but it was actually my fault because I didn't know that you need to stir the drink so that the layer of milk on top can combine with the tea. Still, I suggest that you give a sip to this drink before you stir, so you will have an idea of the authenticity of the Thai tea.
I still believe that the palate needs to adjust especially if it will be your first time to try something like this. Frankly, at first I thought I dislike the drink, but upon minutes of sipping on to it, I slowly began to appreciate the play of flavors!
Recommended for your regular tea time (as a stand alone), for the Tom Kha Gai - "Chicken Soup in Coconut Broth" (very complementary) and for other spicy dishes (to balance 'em out).

Note: According to the manager of Just Thai, the tea used for this drink is genuinely imported from Thailand, which I don't cast a doubt on because it was evidenced by its authentic subtle bitter aftertaste.
Tamarind Juice || P80

The Tamarind Juice will send shivers down your spine with the tangy and sweet taste of the drink

Another top recommended drinks here in Just Thai according to the manager is the Tamarind Juice which I have to agree with, and I have to tell you that the the Tamarind Juice has the potential to rejuvenate and awaken your senses with its incredibly tangy and "nakakakilig" taste!

Recommended for heavier dining experience (just light as opposed to the Iced Tea because of the absence of milk) and for non-spicy dishes.

Soup and Appetizer

Tom Kha Gai - Chicken Soup in Coconut Broth and Lemon Grass || P190 (Good for 3-4 pax)

The amazingly fantastic soup of Just Thai - a true first for my palate!

Although deceivingly unphotogenic, this chicken soup featured a very rich and potent taste with a revitalizing aroma of lemon grass. What I found very much surprising is how the coconut broth didn't taste like the ordinary "gata". In fact, it was just light and complimentary to the overall flavor of the soup! Also, aside from the light creaminess, the dish had a subtle sourness that really added a layer of unique zest!

Note: By the way, all the ingredients settled at the bottom of the bowl, but there's a sufficient serving of chicken and other veggies.

Kuai Tiao Neua || P280

A steaming bowl of stewed beef noodle soup

Stewed Beef Noodle Soup - Just Thai Restaurant

Stewed Beef Noodle Soup - mix of potent flavors highlighted by spiciness!

The first thing that I was able to note about this dish was the aroma of the soup. As you may see in the photo, the soup was filled with several herbs and spices. This explains the aroma as well as the distinct flavor of the dish. You need to note, however, that the soup has a kick from its spiciness. The good thing, though, was the spicy flavor didn't sting, but instead gave an adventure of flavors.

Poh Piah Tod || P260

Crispy and crunchy Thai Spring Rolls. A perfect appetizer to start your Thai meal

Fine Thai Spring Rolls to bridge between Cuisines

The Thai Spring Roll was nicely done with with light and refreshing taste. I would say that I liked it because nothing was too overpowering to steal the scene, plus there was a subtle (more like a hint of) sourness that sparked up my taste buds.

The good thing about this appetizer is that it can serve as a bridge between Filipino cuisine (or even Chinese) and Thai cuisine. This is because of our familiarity with the flavor and appearance of the dish e.g. lumpia). Hence, if it will be your first time to try Thai, be sure to add this one up to ready you!

Main Dishes

Pad Thai || P280 (Good for 2-3 pax)

One of Thailand's national dish of stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, tamarind juice, chili, peanuts, coriander and lime

Just Thai's version of the famous Pad Thai

This Pad Thai was something I admired because of the appropriate level of sweetness. Also, this was the first Pad Thai I tried that had a really diverse flavor. The peanut gave a different dimension while the egg provided more balance to the overall taste.

Bplah Pla Muek Kratiem - Squid with Garlic & Pepper || P300

Tender squid dish by Just Thai in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig

This Squid dish offered a tender texture of squid as the latter swam in a sweet-garlicky sauce. I'll say that the flavor was simple yet suave.

Pla Rad Prik - Crispy Fillet of Fresh Tilapia || P395

The best dish of the day - Crispy Fillet of Fried Tilapia

Alright, we are halfway through my friends, but I need to pause for a while to give honor to this amazing dish that I definitely fell in love with! And this love is different from those that I had before because it was love at first sight (i.e. plated very beautifully) and then love at first bite.

The reason why I hailed this as the best dish of the day is the delicate frying employed to come up with a crispy yet ironically soft fish bites (i.e. fresh and not over-fried causing the fish meat to be tender). Plus, the tamarind sauce (which I heavily suggest that you use) brought a lot of tangy and energetic flavor that really enhanced the majesty of the dish! It's a definite must-try, based on my experience.

Gai Pad Gaprow - Stir-fried Chicken in Basil || P290

Stir-fried Chicken in Basil by Just Thai

This stir-fried chicken was sweet and savory highlighted by a soft peanut flavor that made it unique!

Friends, to tell you the truth, I was thinking of not trying this dish out because of the taste I had in my mind. However, when I actually got to try it, I was surprised! It was entirely different!

Pad Gaprow Talay - Mixed Seafood in Basil || P280

Fine quality meets affordability - Mixed Seafood in Basil

This Mixed Seafood in Basil has been a favorite in this particular branch (since there's another branch in Molito, Alabang), and I understood why when I had a taste of the freshness of the dish! It offered a sour yet mildly sweet & spicy zest that matched well with the lightly creamy sauce. Also, with its price, you are surely a winner!

Khao Krok Kapi - Bagoong Rice || P250

Fried rice with shrimp paste, sweet pork and green mangoes

The famous Thai Bagoong Fried Rice

Up close - Thai Bagoong Fried rice after mixing it up!

This Thai Bagoong Fried rice was something different because of the huge diversity on the plate. There were 6 major flavors found in the dish which are completely in harmony with each other - bagoong, green mango, small shrimps, sweet pork, onions & chili and fried egg. I was able to sense the superb quality and authenticity of the dish!

Khao Niaow Ma Muang - Thai Sticky Rice|| P260

Sweet and fresh mango slices over sticky rice, then smothered with coconut sauce

Thai Sticky Rice with Floral Mango on Top

This Thai Sticky Rice had a semblance with the Chinese Butchi dish, since both are usually served warm and sprinkled with roasted sesame seeds. The difference falls on the sweetness of the sticky rice which was just right, and slowly faded off with the sourness of the mangoes on top, which by the way was designed artistically and beautifully. The Coconut Sauce shouldn't be ignored, but instead be used to further enhance the dessert. Adding that one completely takes away the semblance with your ordinary Butchi.

Tha Kho - Coconut Pudding wrapped in Pandan Leaves || P140

The unbelievably good dessert of Just Thai - Tha Kho!

A closer look of the Tha Kho dessert of Just Thai

Oh my goodness! The Tha Kho was extremely yummy with its wonderful layer of savory coconut pudding on top. Its creaminess went well with the jelly-like base which was infused with pandan flavor and enhanced by corn bits. Foodie friends, you should really try this one! You'll love how playful this dessert is!

Extra: Thai Brewed Coffee

I wasn't able to give the coffee a try because, as I mentioned before, I'm not much of a coffee drinker. Anyway, what I would say on this is that I got amused by the process! Hot water is poured on top,blends with the coffee powder and drips as fresh brewed coffee. Amazing!

Just Thai - Ratings

Note: Unshaded stars are equivalents of half-stars. The ratings apply solely to this dining experience.
Place ★★★★
Taste ★★★★★
Service ★★★★
Price ★★★★
Budget needed: at least P300 per person (coming in a group of 3 or 4) for a drink, soup, rice dish and a main dish

Give your own rating to Just Thai

Just Thai Restaurant really left a positive impression on my in terms of Thai Cuisine, and I think I got hooked! What I love the most about this particular experience is how each dish surprised me by providing a rather different taste as opposed to the concept I had in mind upon sight. As a result, each dish was able to offer something new to me as a foodie!

Note, however, that in order to maximize the appreciation of dishes here in Just Thai, you need to keep an open mind, and let the ideas & flavors flow in!

Just Thai Restaurant
Location: Forbestown Strip (alongside Burgos Circle), Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City

Branch: Molito, Alabang

Reservation No.: (02) 4038718; (02) 519-8135
Store Hours: 11:00 am to 10:00 pm daily

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Places to Visit

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Just Thai Restaurant - Where Good Food Meets Affordability