BonChon Breakfast Menu

I saw an ad announcing the Breakfast Menu of BonChon one night. I got intrigued by the picture so immediately the day after, I went to oneecom center (Mall of Asia complex) to try it out.

The Breakfast Menu includes the Breakfast Deluxe which has three versions. There's the Breakfast Deluxe with 2 spam slices, rice, 2 half slices of French toast, egg and a cup of coffee or a glass of juice. There's the Breakfast Deluxe with 2 Frankfurters, rice, 2 half slices of French toast, egg and a cup of coffee or a glass of juice. And there's the Breakfast Deluxe Combo where you have a slice of spam and a Franfurter, rice, 2 half slices of French toast, egg and a cup of coffee or a glass of juice. Breakfast Deluxe is priced at P169.

They also offer Breakfast Beef Bulgogi Ricebox and Breakfast Chops Ricebox which I think are the same as their anytime-of-the-day variety but with egg to make it breakfast-sy. Each variety is priced at P135 (P155 if you order coffee or juice).

They also have a variety of French Toast sandwiches (with patty, chops, Franfurter and spam). Prices range from P79 to P149 depending on the add-ons.

That day I ordered the Breakfast Deluxe Combo. I got surprised when my order was served because it only has 1 Frankfurter. I thought there were two based on the picture I saw thenight before. But when I looked at it again, there's really only one Frankfurter. It was just sliced (lengthwise) so it looked like two pieces (or at least to me).

Spam is good. They don't get credit for this though because they did pretty much nothing but slice the spam. The Frankfurter was tasty too but again, credit goes to whoever they got the Frankfurter from. The French  toast, however, is definitely theirs. Unfortunately, I wasn't very impressed by it. I don't know what I was looking for but in my opinion, something is missing. The syrup was too sweet too for my liking.

I wasn't really very satisfied with the meal. But it wasn't really bad also because I like spam. However, I feel the meals were priced too much. Breakfast meals at Jollibee or McDonald's are way more affordable and definitely more filling.

Christmas Gift Ideas

Many of you are now probably thinking of gifts to give your family and friends. I'm sure you've been to different bazaars like NOEL Bazaar at the World Trade Center or those in villages. There are a lot of things to find in bazaars.  Iknow because I've been to NOEL twice this week already. You can buy gifts for as low as P50. But if you want to give unusual gifts, then you have to really squeeze your creative juices to come up with something different.

Last December 2012 and December 2013, I posted blogs giving suggestions for unique gift ideas. You can check them out by clicking the links if you want some help. But I also have some new stuff here for you.

1. JARed. Mason jars are in these days. I'm sure you've thought of giving them as gifts. And I'm sure you've thought of different things to put inside them like cookies, candies, chocolates, etc. But my suggestion is to put cake inside. My cousin said she is thinking of putting no-bake cakes. My idea is to put refrigerator cake. I'm not gonna put here the recipe anymore coz I know most of you know that but my suggestion is about 'designing' the cake. Usually you put fruits in your ref cakes, right? For me, a good way would be to put your 'fillings' in neat layers.  After laying down the graham crackers (this is what is commonly used but I prefer using lady fingers or broas from Quezon) at the bottom and pouring the cream, put a layer of crushed nuts. Then lay down the next layer of crackers and cream then add fruits (canned fruit cocktail is good but I'd prefer dried fruits). Then repeat but this time put brown and white chocolate chips (the one used for ice cream toppings). Then repeat. Oh, but you can add a layer of strawberry jam. The sweet-sour taste would be a nice 'breaker' to the sweetness of the whole treat.

Aside from cake, you can simply put lambanog inside especially if you know the recipient likes to drink alcoholic bevergaes once in a while. There are colored lambanog being sold in large, long neck bottles. I think one bottle would fill two mason jars already.

2. TUBEd. If you are thinking of gifts to a group of people like your staff or friends in your book club or whatever, my suggestion would be to buy test tubes. Yes, the ones you used in your chemistry classes in high school. You can put different stuff inside like the lambanog I mentioned above. Or you can put mixed nuts instead. Just put ribbons and your done.

3. POTted. You can give your friends herbs like mint, oregano, basil, etc. Normally, you can buy in presentable pots so you'll just have to put ribbones and you're fine. But you can also transfer them to nicer pots that you can buy in stores. There are colorful ones actually.

So there. I hope that'll help. 

Tim Ho Wan, Glorietta

I had dinner with a friend last Friday at Tim HoWan in Glorietta. That branch opened Tuesday of last week only. I've been wanting to try Tim HoWan in Megamall but it was too far. I knew from different blogs that lines are long so I wasn't excited with the idea oftravelling far and then lining up after. So when the Glorietta branch opened, I immediately grabbed the chance.

When we arrived, the line was long. The nice thing is, even if you're there but one of your group members is not present, you will not be accommodated. And what's even nicer is line  moves fast -- for small groups, that is. If you're only 2 or 3,  you'll be seated fast. And later that night I understood the reason why. Service is really fast because there are many crew members. On the average, staff to table ratio is 1:4. I asked the waitress assigned to us the average number of customers they have per day. She said she doesn't know but she's sure there are a lot because normally, average staying time of suctomers is just 30 minutes.

We ordered the famous Baked Bun with BBQ Pork or more popularly known as Pork Buns. You'll get 3 pieces of buns per order. We ordered two. Boy, it was really good. It deserves the fame it is enjoying. The pork BBQ is very tasty. It's really worth the wait.....and the price. But what's even better is the bun it self. It is crispy like no other prok bun I've tried before. It's worth P170 only and it's very filling.

We also ordered another famous item on the menu - Rice with Chicken, Sausage and Mushroom. It's rice with topping of chicken, sausage and mushroom. It's placed on an aluminum cup that maintains its temperature. When they serve it,  they'll ask you if you'd want the sauce to be added to the cup -- I suggest you do because the sauce tastes good. The good taste of this meal is surprising since it looks really simple. The color is not really attractive and the ingredients aren't so outstanding or unique but boy, it tastes great. One serving is big enough for two unless you are really, really hungry. But we didn't know this so we actually ordered another rice meal -- the Pork Rib Rice. It's like steamed spareribs with sauce that's also good like the Rice with Chicken, Sausage and Mushrooms. It's spicy and I love it.

Those two meals together with the Pork Buns are very filling. But unfortunately, like what I said above, we didn't know this so we ordered actully even more. We ordered Prawn Dumpling and Spinach Dumpling. The Prawn Dumpling was real. I mean there are real shrimps in the dumplings. I'm telling you these dumplings are good.

Anyway, don't be afraid of the long lines. Try it. It's worth the wait.

 

NOEL Bazaar, Ilocos Empanada, Taiwan Sausage

I was supposed to write this post this morning but I got sidetracked by the news that Dr. Vicki Belo and Hayden Kho are planning to tie the knot. Apparently, Hayden Kho "unintentionally" gave away this news through  Boy Abunda's show. Naturally, media personalities were all agog about it. But when asked by a reporter about it, he declined to give a comment. Dr. Belo on the other hand said they are talking about it but she didn't give details. Anyway, it has nothing to do with this but post but Igot curious so....

So the real post it about the NOEL Bazaar 2014 happening now at the World Trade Center, Pasay City. It will be up to November 30. Anyway, I went there last night (Tuesday). I decided to go there that early because I know that not a lot of people are in a shopping mood already plus its a weekday so I know I'll have plenty of space to move about and enjoy "window shopping". True enough, there aren't a lot of people there. One can really walk freely along the aisles and look carefully at the stuff on sale.

My real purpose wasn't really to look for things to buy. My goal was to check out the food stalls. I had a blast looking at the different food stuff on sale. And I was very happy because there were two stalls selling Ilocos Empanada. I first tried Victoria's because they had more seats available. I had no idea which of the two is better so my only criterion was the availability of seats. I ordered double meat worht P 80. The lady at Victoria's asked me if I was willing to wait for about 5 minutes while they prepare my order. The regular variety is the one that's always available but I likedouble meat so I said I was willing to wait. In my mind, I  like that better because that would mean the empanada would be hot and crispy. When it was given to me, I had the strong urge to bite right away but I ha to control myself coz I new it was really hot. Hmmmm....it wasreally very good. The crust was very crispy. It wasn't very thick which is actually the way I want it. The meat is also delicious - very flavorful. And the vegetables are good as well. Of course any Ilocos Empanada would not be complete with the Sukang Iloko. It made the empanada even more yummy. I really took time to savor the goodness of the empanada. I normally eat fast but that time I took it real slow.

Aside from empanada, I was also looking for the stall that sells Taiwan Sausage. I tasted one some years ago but I didn't find any store that sells the same last year and the year before that. This year I was lucky. There's a store that sells Taiwan Sausages along with Roast Chicken. I ordered one (P 35) right after I ate the empanada. Sorry I couldn't resist. I was really trying to stop myself because I already made a decision that I will have another empanada before I go home that night. But I couldn't. Anyway, good thing I tried the sausage because it was tasty. I asked the guy at the counter if they have the coffee-flavored variety but he said he didn't know any. Well, the one that I tired before had that version. I was hoping I'd be able to sample that again but unfortunately it's not in their menu. But it's fine because at least Taiwan sausage is back.

Then I walked around to look at the goodies available. They are the usual stuff sold in bazaars but I noticed that there are less accessories stores now than before. There are also more stalls selling very affordable clothes like blouses for ladies that go as low as P 50. Then there's the stall that sells shoes for P350 and P300, men's and women's respectively. I've been buying shoes from them in last two years. The one I bought two years ago is an orange pair that I still use up to this day. It was priced at P350 but I was told if I'd buy two pairs, I could get it at P300 a pair. Last year, the tag says P350 also but I got mine at P300. That was on the last week of the NOEL Bazaar and many people were shopping that's why they probably took P50 off. Maybe they got tired of being asked for "tawad". The wekk after that, they were back for the World Christmas Bazaar. They were there again and the price was back at P350. Last night I asked for P50 off but the sales ladies said no. They said if the owner was there he could  probably give me a discount but he wasn't so I paid P350. I got a green pair.

Aside from the green pair of semi-high cut shoes Ialso bought the now-famous wire protector. It's the coiled wire that you coil around your cellphone charger or earphones to protect it. I got 6 protectors for P100. I got them in several colors. It's sad I didn't learn about the wire protector. If I did, I could have prevented the early departure of my Samsung earphone. Lol. It got cut when it got entangle with the zipper of my bag.

Anyway, let's go back to food. Here are the list of food available.
1. There are about three stalls that sell lechon - two of which offer the famous Lechon Cebu (there's Yobob's).
2. There are also several stalls that sell noodles (uncooked). All I think offer a pack for P100 (severals packs inside that hundred peso-pack). All offer "free-taste". Please don't judge me but I tried one.
3. There are sausage stalls too. I think there are 5.
4. Cupcakes and cookies are available in various stalls.
5. There's also one stall that sells packs of sardines and luncheon meat. If you're planning to donate to churches and charitable intitutions, you can buy here because they have some good deals.
6. packed biscuits, instant noodles, bottled condiments, etc.

But wait! Did I tell that I had the intention of eating another Ilocos Empanada? Well, I did. The plan was to go back toVIctoria's again since I liked their empanada anyway. But I felt the need to try the other one too so I could compare. So I also got double meat for the same price. When I ordered,  there was already one available. She got it from the rack where they put it to let the oil drip. It was still hot when the girl gave it to me so I thought it was probably newly prepared. What's nice was it was bigger than the first I tried. But I wasn't really as happy. The crust was not as crispy - it was thicker. The meat was good but the vegetables were overcooked. And when I reached the end (the bottom), it was too oily. It wasn't bad. In fact, if I didn't try the one at Victoria's before, this would have been good. I would have been satisfied. But hands down, Victoria's Ilocos Empanada was better.

I'll be at the NOEL Bazaar again tonight. I'll have that empanada again. Plus there are still several kinds of sausages to try, lol. Entrance is FREE Mondays toWednesdays. I hope it's still true next week.

Cheesecake Melliza

I do not have a sweet tooth. And I consider that as a blessing. Why? I guess because I'm afraid of diabetes. And I know if Ilike something, I can get "addicted" to it. But I do it sweets from time to time. And I crave for desserts once in a while.

One of my go-to places whenever I crave for sweets is Cheesecake Melliza. It is a small cake shop along Kamagong St. in Makati (San Antonio Village). It is near the corner of Pasong Tamo. They serve slices of cake at a reasonable price - less than a hundred per slice.  You can also order whole cakes for parties. It is nice to give as gift because it is not too expensive and not too "fast-foodie" like cakes from the two famous cake shops in Manila.

Check out the yummy cake slices below.

Commune - Where Adobo and Coffee Art Meet

A friend of mine invited me to dinner a few weeks back. She brought me to Commune found at the ground floor of Liberty Plaza, H.V. Dela Costa St. Slacedo Village, Makati City. I was confused when I saw the place because it did not look like a restaurant. It looked more like a cafe than a place to have dinner in. Anyway, once I saw the menu, I discovered that they serve both coffee (and other coffee shop items) and rice meals.

Commune has various meals categorized as All Day Breakfast, Meat & Poultry, Fish and Today's Harvest. The stuff under Meat & Poultry are mostly various versions of adobo. I opted for the Chicken Adobo sa Gata while my friend had the regular Pork Adobo. Both kinds were good but there was nothing really unique or outstanding about it.  And may I add, 2 small pieces of chicken is priced at P190. I think I can make a better Adobo sa Gata at a much cheaper price (sorry! I don't mean to brag).

What's really outstanding about Commune is their coffee art. I know other coffee shops offer cute coffee art but Commune's coffee art is different. They don't make 'flat' artwork. They do 3D coffee art. Amazingly beautiful. I almost did not drink my coffee.

The guy who does these amazing 3D coffee art at Commune.

Belly Bob's Boneless Lechon Belly de Cebu

Eating alone is something I have perfected since college. Given the tight schedule back then, I often had to eat breakfast or lunch by my lonesome. It was difficult at first but I got used to it through time. Now, eating alone in malls is something I actually schedule from time to time. But when I do that, I usually prefer to eat at food courts. You see, in restaurants, people tend to look at you when you don't have companions. They're probably wondering if you're that bad you don't have friends to dine with or probably you got dumped by you're date.

Anyway, oneof my favorites at the SM Mall of Asia food court is Belly Bob's. They serve boneless lechon belly de Cebu. I know a lot of us like lechon Cebu. Many believe, including myself, love the taste of the lechon from the queen city of the south. But access to it is not easy. You either fly down south or you order a whole roastedpig to be delivered at your doorstep. That's too impractical, to say the least. Good thing there is BellyBob's.

Belly Bob's Boneless Lechon Belly de Cebu serve a really tasty lechon belly at  a very affordable price. For less than P 150, you can already have a serving of lechon with a side dish and a cup of rice. They often have a small glass of juice to go with it.

The skin is crispy and the meat is tender and tasty -- the very reason why we love lechon Cebu. It's oily but who cares. That's lechon. It's notreally healthy but once in a while it's nice give in to your cravings. There was even a time I ordered to servings for lunch. But don't worry, I always have my medicine for my hypertension with me. lol

Look at the picture below and see how yummy it is. For this one I had pancit. Sometimes I order sisig as side dish but I don't do it often coz that doubles the cholesterol.

Maginhawa St., Quezon City - The Newest Food Hub

Last Saturday, a Food Festival was held at Maginhawa St., Teacher Village, Quezon City. It was a well publicized event. It was announced that there will be lots of food stalls from different places in addition to the ones that will be put up by the restaurants along Maginhawa St. We all know that  there are quite a number of restaurants along that street and the neighboring streets so people really expected a lot of food stalls to choose from.

I  went to the Food Fest quite late. My friend and I arrived there at 8:15 pm. We were already expecting that a few stalls will have no food to sell because we were like more than 10 hours late. But we were greatly surprised that not just a few stalls were "closed" but actually almost all were. I mean there were a few stalls that were still open but unfortunately lines were really long(because people had no other choice). And add to that, the remaining stalls aren't really the ones you look for in a supposedly grand food festival. I mean you don't go to a food festival to eat Tender Juicy Hotdog on stick. Let me clarify that I have nothing against Tender Juicy Hotdog. It's just that when I go to a food festival, I usually look for food that aren't always readily available or can only be found in restaurants that aren't accessible to me.

The walk was long. According to a press release I read, it was 2.2 km long. Wow, 2.2 km and I didn't find anything to eat. There were popcorn and fish/squidball carts (the ones you see being pushed in the village on a day to day basis) but I didn't pay P200++ on a one way cab ride to eat kikiam. Unfortunately, up to the very end of the road I didn't see a stall I could buy from so I ended up eating a 4 piece 25 peso siomai. All in all, the siomai was like worth P475 - or even higher coz I think the cabbie asked us for a "tip" on our way back to Makati.

Multi-colored popcorn

I'm not really complaining about the whole thing. For one, I know we came late. And I actually enjoyed seeing a lot of people walking in search of something they couldn't find. lol

Anyway, here are pictures of someof the restaurants that line Maginhawa St. These are the restaurants that actually made the place a food hub. These are also the restaurants commonly featured by food bloggers these days. (They were also SROs during the food festivsal).

Burger Project: one of the popular restaurants along Maginhawa St., Quezon City.

Bowl & Brew: they offer Lucban Specialties according to the signage.  This is along V. Luna.

Cafe Quezon: it looked clean and cozy from the outside.

Gerry's Jeepney: interesting concept. They had 2 jeepneys outside that night. I don't know if they're day always.

Bobo's Pizzeria: the place looked inviting (although the name Bobo has a different meaning for us, Filipinos).

Crazy Katsu: katsu  restaurants are "in". I  wonder if they have the same concept (unlimited rice and vegetables) as the other popular katsu places in the Metro.

Jed's Kubo: the place looked welcoming. They have Jed's buko (coconut water) too.

A Taste of Heaven: this is a milkshake store. The line that night was so long I thought it would reach heaven.

Simple Line: one of the many "drinks" (i mean tea, milkshakes, coffee) places in the area.

Billiberk's: ground floor of a house converted into a bar and restaurant (i think).

Barkin Bakes:

Takeiya: if you wanna go Japanese.

Nuezca Cafe: one of the nicest places I saw that night. And "organic" they have for the health conscious.

Roberta: serving Asian cuisine.

Series/Movie Marathon Companions -- Best Food for Marathon Viewing

For the past few weeks I've been reviewing for the International Friends TV Series Quiz Bee. I've started watching the series again to refresh my memory about the characteristics of the 6 lovable characters. I had to watch from Season 1 to know how they've met. I've forgotten the names of Joey's sisters. I've also forgotten the story behind Phoebe's family tree. And I can't remember Rachel's sorrority. Who is Ross Geller's first wife? How about Monica's doctor-lover? Of course I remember Chandler's dad is gay, but when did he come out? Now I'm in Season 8. Almost ready for the Quiz Bee.

Okay. There's no Quiz Bee. I've been watching it just because I want to. It's really funny, you know. And it gives you hope that there are people who can be your really good friends.

Anyway, since I've been doing a lot of viewing marathons, I've decided to list down the best marathon snacks to have. This list is based on my experience with the Friends marathon as well as the Game of Thrones. Oh, and before I forget, also the Suits marathon.

PEANUTS. This is probably the best series marathon companion  one could ever have. It's probably the food version of the wash and wear haircut. What? Don't ask. I also don't know where that came from. Anyway, what I want to say is that after you've opened the pack, you are all set. You can have it straight from the pack or unload everything in a bowl and your good. The best choice of Peanuts for me would be Chedings from Iligan City. It's oven rosted peanuts. Their spicy version is also great. But if you have no way of having Chedings, Growers is still available in supermarkets. And if you really have no time to buy at the supermarket, your friendly neighborhood sari-sari store for sure has peanuts for you. Adobong mani, P10 per scoop. Yeah!

CORNICK. Just like peanuts, cornick is also a wonderful series or movie marathon companion. Another wash and wear food. Yeah! Cornick comes in different flavors so you won't easily get sawa. If you have the chance, I suggest you buy Chichacorn from Vigan. But if it's too far (I know it is), the good old Boy Bawang will come and save the day for you.

While you're at it, you can mix PEANUTS and CORNICK. Heck, you can even throw in some green peas. Remember Sunshine? NO? That's sad.

PIZZA. This is something you can have if you intend to watch during periods that would cover lunch or dinner. It's definitely more filling than PEANUTS, CORNICK and GREEN PEAS combined. But pizza is not wash and wear (yeah, this again). I mean it is messier, right? Plus you have to squeeze hot sauce or sprinkle salt and pepper on top. That would take you a few seconds away from what you're watching. That's unacceptable. But then, it's better than stopping longer to get a full meal. My favorites are Yellow Cab (4 cheese), Shakey's (anything that's thin and without olives), Pizza Hut (bacon cheeseburger) or Patricia's (the cheapest but still delicious - available at Cash and Carry, Makati City).

POPCORN. I'm not really a fan of popcorn but I know many like popcorn while watching movies so I included this. Besides, I also like some popcorn flavors so I might as well mention this. Chef Tony's Popcorn is definitely a good choice. Original Caramel is good but Cheesy Jalapeno is my favorite. You can also have Tater's Popcorn. My favorite flavor is wasabi. It has a very strong wasabi flavor. I warned you. Anyway, Tater's has big  take out packs that's perfect for marathon viewing.

CHIPS. Another wash and wear. I get sawa easily so I have to have different kinds and flavors. Basics for me are Clover Chips (Barbecue) and Nova. If I'm feeling a little bit generous (to myself), I buy a tube of Pringles. I buy at the Cash and Carry. I like the thin chips. Much better than the local version - makapal at matigas. The red tube tops my list.

PRAWN CRACKERS. I like prawn crackers. I remember cooking prawn crackers when I was still in elementary. Besuto. That was the brand I liked. You can have prawn crackers but make sure to cook a lot before you start watching. Put it in a container with lid to keep it crispy. If you don't want to cook, Chowking's Chicharap will do. I actually like Chowking's Chicharap.

That's about it. I know there are still some more but I have to stop now so I could finish Friends soon. You see, Carrie Bradshaw is waiting for me.

Cafe Ilang-Ilang, Mesa, Seasons Cafe and other Buffet Vouchers

I checked group buying sites again this morning to see what's the latest fatured promo.

First up is the buffet at Manila Hotel's Cafe Ilang-Ilang.  I know it's very expensive so my attention was immediately caught when I saw that it's for P999 only. My initial reaction was perhaps this isjust for lunch buffet because dinner buffet is usuallymore expensive. Then I saw the phrase "starts at" right before the price so I knew I was right. Still, I checked out the details and whoa I was just half right. Yes, P999 is for a lunch buffet and it's for a CHILD. Lunch buffet for an adult is P1850. Whew! But you know, Cafe Ilang-Ilang is a really good restaurant. The first time I had lunch buffet was actually at Cafe Ilang-Ilang. My boss brought us there to celebrate something I don't remember. Thef oodwas really good but my most favorite is the soupthat's called Shrimp Bisque. You see, I still remember the name. That's because it was really good.

There's also a deal by Mesa. For P1,140 you get a set meal for four that includes half portion of Boneless Crispy Pata (I think the Crispy Pata in the picture is way larger than what they'll serve), Sinigang na Hipon sa Guava (yes, that's how they call it), Laing 2 ways (what ways?), 12 pieces Baked Scallops (count it! lol), Adobo Flakes Rice, Steamed Okra with Tamarind Bagoong Dipping Sauce (I wonder why they didn't translate bagoong in english the way they did with bayabas and sampalok), Mangga Salad (this too), special dessert (fruit cocktail?) and Bottomless Iced Tea for 4.

Then there's buffet at Seasons Cafe, Manila Pavillon worth P749. The picture shows lechon and for me, that makes the deal really interesting.

At cashcashpinoy.com, you can get a voucher for Mongolian Buffet at Bear's Grill for only P279 (P499 for two). Bear's Grill can be found in Timog Ave., Quezon City.

I didn't see a new deal for a buffet at ensogo.com except for a Viking's Weekday Lunch Buffet for 6 worth P3,249.

But you can check out the Bilao Set Meals of Wan Chai Tea House. I think this is in the Binondo area but I don't know if they do delivery.

Most Reviewed Restaurant in Manila

Yesterday I posted about the Top 10 Fish Tacos in Manila according to spot.ph. Today I saw a post about the 10 Best and Most-Reviewed Restaurants In Manila. And guess what I  discovered. The top spot went to a restaurant I have just recently reviewed. I've also visited Number 3 but I've not posted my review yet.

Anyway, according to insights.looloo.com, Ramen Nagi is the Best and the Most Reviewed Restaurants in Manila. I posted my review about Rame Nagi just last month (click here to view).  According to insights.looloo.com, Ramen Nagi has been reviewed 307 times with an average rating of 4.42.

8 Cuts burger (number 3 on the list) on the other hand has been reviewed 136 times with an average rating of 4.11. The 8 Cuts branch posted in the report is SM Megamall. The one I've visited is at the Power Plant Mall in Makati City.

Group Buying Discounts - Ensogo, Metrodeal, CashCashPinoy

Group buying is very popular these days. Well, it has been for a few years now. I can say you can really find great deals in  group buying sites since I've bought a few vouchers already. But let me make this disclaimer. I have only supported vouchers for food and services. I've never tried vouchers for travels and various products. Anyway, I'll post here some of the latest discount vouchers for eat-all-you-can/buffet meals. I've also included their prices and location. But please check out the actual group buying sites since I only listed the lowest price and it is more often than not just for weekday lunch. Weekend rates and dinner rates are uaually higher.  You can click the names of the sites to see the details.

Ensogo

1. LolaMaria. P325 instead of P480.
2. Dads World Buffet (includes Saisaki and Kamayan).  P569 instead of P688. Glorietta and 3 other branches.
3. Berjaya Hotel Buffet. P349. Makati Ave. coe Educque St., Makati City

CashCashPinoy

1. Sofitel Bbq Buffet. P1,399 instead of P2,700. CCP Complex, Roxas Blvd., Pasay City.
2. Nong Chinoy Buffet. P299 (for 2 persons) instead of P500. Victory Pasay Mall, Pasay City.
3. Sodam Korean Buffet. P299 instead of P449. P. Guevarra St., Little Baguio, San Juan City.

Metrodeal

1. Manila Bay Cruise and Sunset. P345 instead of P650. MOA Ferry Terminal (between Vikings and One Esplanade)
2. Ba-Be-Q (Korean Restaurant). P399 instead of P599.Metrowalk Commercial Complex, Pasig City.
3. Buffet 101. P559 instead of P699. Glorietta and  other branches.
4. Yakimix Prime. P470 instead of P588. Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City.

Apart from these deals for buffet meals, there are also other ala carte and set meals available. Check them out too.

Maple - on the list of Top 10 Fish Tacos in the Metro

I was viewing my facebook timeline this morning and saw this post from www.spot.ph talking about the Top 10 Fish Tacos in Manila. I meediately clicked on the link coz I knew one of the restaurants I reviewed last year would be included on that list. And I was right. Maple Restaurant is indeed included on that list. It's listed as Top 6. Maple Restaurant can be found at LG/F East Wing, Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong and I  also heard they have branches at San Antonio Plaza, Forbes Park, Makati and Commercenter in Alabang. Anyway, if you want to read my review of Maple Restaurant, click here.

The Top 1 on the list is El Chupacabra, Felipe cor. Polaris Streets, Makati City. Of all the pictures included in the post, this one looks really the most interesting. I'm looking forward to trying this taco coz it really  looks delish...well, except for the green stuff on top. But hey, I can ask them not to add teh stuff, right?

Music on Rewind

Last Friday, I went for a night out with some friends from the office. Well, it wasn't really a nightout nighout since I was sure we were just going to have dinner and have a drink or two. We went to a restaurant called Rewind. It's in that complex called The Collective along Mayapis St. in San Antonio Village, Makati City. We see it always when we go to Wingman, another popular bar in that area, but this is our first time to try it out.

When we entered the first thing we noticed was that the placewas hot. It turned out they just turned on the AC a few minutes ago. Anyway, it got cooler after about 15 minutes so there's no problem there.

When I saw the menu, the first thing I noticed is that their food is really affordable. Yeah. It is. I mean for P39 you'll already get  a hamonado and rice on a sizzling plate.  2 piece burger stake, also with a cup rice served hot on a sizzling plate costs just P49. Sisig is at P79. And that's with a cup or rice too.The most expensive on their list is Porterhouse which costs P149. Not bad. T-bone  is at P129.

Well, while the prices  are great, the taste isn't as impressive. They're good. But they're not exceptional. The liempo for example tastes how it's supposed to taste but it has nothing "extra" to get you really excited to come back. The burger steak is also just right.

The other dishes taste better. The tokwa't baboy is good. The tokwa and baboy again taste just fine but the sauce is very good. I was actually tempted to sip the sauce like soup. Well, I gave in. lol

The crispy pata is also worthy of praising. The meat is tender and the skin is crispy. And  the serving is big. Yum.

But it is not the food nor the drinks that  we really enjoyed. It is the music that we liked. Initially, we felt that the place was too noisy and we totally  did not enjoy the music. At some point I decided to call the waitress to ask her to lower the volume just a bit. Instead, she said that maybe we would like to request the music that we would like to hear. So my  friends said something from the 80s and 90s. And just like that we were transported to those two decades that I believe have the best music. Madonna. Cindy Lauper. Ricky Martin. MJ. Spice Girls. Backstreet Boys. MC Hammer. Janet Jackson. Hansons. Boyz II Men.

We really enjoyed the music. We liked the music as if we are on "rewind" that we stayed there for almost 5 hours.

McDonald's twister Fries is Back

So the McDonald's TWISTER FRIES is back. I haven't had the chance to go to McDonald's yet but I'm really excited about it. But have you ever wondered how they twist it? I've sliced potatoes a number of times already and I've never experienced having twisted potato "sticks". Makes me curious, really. 

Ramen Nagi - the Power to Decide

Ramen houses are in these days. There are now quite a number of restaurants specializing in ramen in Metro Manila. Last May, I tried Ramen Nagi in SM Mall of Asia. I've been hearing a lot about it so a friend of mine and I went there to check out what people have been talking about.

We ordered the Original King (Butao) and the Black King (Kuroo). We tried the Original King because it's probably the "classic" or the base of all the other versions. The Black King is I think the most famous so I felt we had to have it too.  The other choices are Red King and Green King.

Once you place your order, you will be asked by the waiter to fill out a form about the different levels of flavors you want to have. You can choose the level of "hotness" of your ramen. The waiter said their "hotness" standard is high so I chose to be in the middle which he said is very hot already. You can also choose the level of garlic to add in your order. You will also be asked if you want pork in your ramen and should you want to, you can choose if you want shoulder or belly part. You also  have the power to decide the tenderness level of the noodles.

There are actually a lot of things they would let you decide on. At first I thought it's going to be perfect since you get to decide pretty much everything. But of course, what's normal for you may not be normal for them or the heavy for you is still light to  them.

Overall, I liked both the Butao and the Kuroo. They were able to follow the things I indicated in the form. However, I felt like I could still have something "hotter" than what I got. Their "hotness" level is not very high afterall (or they did not follow my preference).

The servings, by the way, is big. It's not really big enough for two persons but it is certainly  more than enough for a single regular eater.

You have to prepare at least P800 for a meal for two and that does not include drinks yet.

The Ramen Nagi SM MOA branch is a bit small. You have to wait to be seated if you want to eat inside but there is usually  available space if you prefer al fresco dining.

Uncle Cheffy's and their Uninvited Visitors

I had dinner last Friday at Uncle Cheffy, MOA (Prism Plaza). It was a late dinner because my friend had to go somewhere first. We arrived at around 10 so there weren't many people inside although almost all the tables outside were occupied. There's a band playing so many people in the various restaurants at the Prism Plaza preferred to eat outside. Anyway, I don't know how to describe the experience because I know I liked a lot of things but there was one major downer. Anyway, I'lltry to beas objective as I can with my comments about the food. Let me start first with the Brick-oven Panizza which many said is a must-have. We ordered medium Crazy Bacon and Garlic Panizza. It is served with alfalfa sprouts, arugula and tomato slices. It's a thin pizza that you top with the the things I mentioned. Then you roll it like a burrito. I like how the taste of the cheese and the toppings blend so well. There's really no need for bacon or whatever other toppings they have on the list. Hmmmm. Let me retract that. I love bacon.

Then we had the New England Pot Roast Beef, Garlic Studded Pork Belly Lechon and Mushroom and Brown Rice Pilaf. The New England Pot Roast Beef is a new favorite. The beef is sweet and juicy. The sauce is also good but I didn't need much of it because the beef is already tasty enough. The meat is tender too so wont have trouble eating. It is served on top of carrots and potatoes.

The Garlic Studded Pork Belly Lechon is also good. Well, I love lechon so it is already a given that I will love this. But what I like about Uncle Cheffy's lechon is that you don't need the liver sauce to enjoy it. The meat tastes well probably because it is "garlic studded". The portion they served us I think is well balanced -- it had just enough fats to satisfy the lechon-y taste and just enough skin again to satisfy the crispy-skin craving when usually has whenever lechon is served. I just noticed that the skin is too crispy as if it was fried -- nothing wrong with this except that leachon skin is not supposed to be fried (did I make sense there?). You can order this lechon belly by 100-grams. The minimum order is just 200 grams.

The Brown Rice Pilaf is also good. It is rich in flavor it is almost what I'd call a "stand alone". I think it's a good match for out orders. You probably shouldn't have it if you order something with sauce like their Lengua Salpicao.

Now for the downer. When our order was served I noticed a couple of flies on our table. They're not house flies but the little fruit flies I usually associate with uber ripe bananas. Anyway, I let it pass because they flew away when I shooed them. But the big let down was the cockroach that crawled on our table. It came from the side and didn't go into any of our food but the mere presence of it is really bad. When I called a waitress to tell her about it, she called another lady who's probably in a higher position and could probably explain and handle the situation better. It was that other lady who got a tissue and remove the cockroach. The waitress should have immediately acted to remove the crawling creature. I mean she shouldn't have wasted time to call someone else coz the raoch could have crawled on our food while doing so. Anyway, the second lady asked if it crawled in any of our food but I said no. She stil offered to replace the panizza which I also turned down (which I later on I thought I shouldn't have lol). I was wondering why she offered to replace the panizza and not the others. Maybe because it was the cheapest. Anyway, I asked her why they have cockroaches in their restaurant. She said it has been their problem that's why they had "spraying' or whatever term she said two weeks ago. She said they do it twice a month. I said maybe twice a month is not enough. There. I loved the food but it's sad that the place has unwanted crawling visitors. If they have those things in the dining area I can't imagine what they have in the kitchen thatwe can't see. I'm going to eat again at Uncle Cheffy's for sure but I mayhave to try their other branches.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

It was raining when I got of the bus in Lucena City last Saturday. The bus stopped right across SM City Lucena but the rain was so strong I  didn't dare cross the street even if it was just a short distance. Instead, I stayed outside one store where fortunately a vendor was selling grilled corn. I'm not even sure if that's how it's called but it's really yummy.

I've loved since I was young but Iseldom get to have this now. I remember eating grilled corn  everytime I would go to  Baguio City. There are lots of this in the Mines View Park area.

Anyway, I like it because you can really feel the sweetness of the corn. Since it was not cooked in water, the real flavoris kept in the kernels. No sweet juice I think is lost in the cooking process.

If you get the chance to eat grilled corn, try it. And enjoy it.

New Falvors of Ryu Tantanmen at Ryu ramen and Curry

I've been seeing posts of Ryu Ramen and Curry on their instagram account @ryuramenandcurry. They have new ryu tantanmen flavors like the classic tantanmen (click here for my previous review), gyu tantanmen, yaki buta tantanmen, karaage tantanmen and ebi tantanmen. I'm so curious about this and I'm planning to go there to sample some especially the ebi tantanmen and yaki buta tantanmen. Soon! yes, I hope I can visit Ryu ramen and Curry soon. And this time I hope to see Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid lol

Minute Burger Black Pepper Burger - Buy 1, Take1

Buses coming from Quezon to Manila almost always stop at 7-11 in front of San pablo Colleges Medical Center, San Pablo City, Laguna. This is the time for passengers to stretch or go to the restrooms. This is also  the time for them to buy snacks at the stores below or from the ventors that go up the bus.

A few weeks ago, on my way to Manila,I got the chance to buy from one of the vendors who went up the DLTB bus. I bought from a Minute Burger vendor. Usually, they sell double minute burger but that day they had something new. The vendor said she's selling Black Pepper Burger - buy 1, take 1- for just a little over P 50. It was really affordable - you can call it SULIT. ButI asked the vendor if I can buy only one at half the price coz I thought 2 burgers are way too much. Of course she said no because it really comes in pairs - the box is in fact designed for two burgers.

I'm really glad they have the buy 1,take 1 offer because I really loved it. It was so yummy I finished the two burgers just an hour apart.

Now I'm craving for Minute Burger Black Pepper Burger. I don't know why they're not selling it again on the bus anymore.

Cheding's Toasted Peanuts - Iligan's Pride

Just want to share with you that the other day, I  received a "pasalubong" from Iligan City. A colleague's mom visited her from Iligan and brought some stuff. I was really happy that she brought a pack of Cheding's Toasted Peanuts.

I've loved Cheding's Toasted Peanuts since I was young. My uncle used to live in Iligan City with  my aunt who was from that place. He would always bring us Cheding's everytime he would visit. Come to think of it, I do not remember them bringing any other pasalubong.

Cheding's Toasted Peanut is crunchy. I think it  is oven-toasted. It is toasted just right so it doesn't have burnt taste. The packaging says "No Preservative Added" which makes it good for those who are not into stuff like msg which is  usually added to finger foods.

In just two days I've already finished the whole 250 gram pack. It's really difficult to stop once you've started. It really deserves the tagline Iligan's Pride.

I don't know where you can find it in Manila but if you do see a store selling it, please tell me.

Nestle Fitnesse Clusters - Banana-Nut - Manage Your Weight

I visited a friend a few weeks ago to see my godson. While we were chatting, she served Nestle Fitnesse Cluster (Banana-Nut) for our snacks. We ate it like chips. Yes! No milk. And I loved it. It turned out even my inaanak is crazy over it too.

This week I bought a box for myself thinking that substituting it for my usual snacks would help my weight concerns. I know it's healthy and it's delicious at the same time so it's like a win-win situation. But you what the problem was? I was able to  finish the entire box in just three snack breaks. Arrrggggghhhh.....

Yummy! That's all I can say. If you have discipline, this will probably help you manage your weight. As for me, I'm headed for the supermarket to get another box.

Or two!

7-11 Busog Meals - Affordable Meals

Let me go straight to what this blog post is all about – I am so happy with 7-11s Busog Meals. For as low as P29 you can already have a satisfying meal. I like the Tuna Omelet, Giniling and Sisig. I mean you just get the box you want, bring it to the cashier, pay up and they’ll heat it up for you. Fast and furious. I mean fast and easy. No chopping, cooking, setting and washing required. All for P29. They have other meals too like adobo, pinakbet, spareribs, etc. (but these are the more expensive ones -- but they’re all under P100.). Anyway, the best part is you can eat any of these anytime of the day almost anywhere in the metro. Any questions?   

8 Ways to Cook Adobo Including Adobo sa Puti and Adobo sa Gata

Adobo, be it pork or chicken, is a favorite of Filipinos here in the Philippines or elsewhere. It’s very flavorful that’s why it’s no wonder why we like it. And add to that, it is not very difficult to prepare. The nice thing is that it has also evolved because there are now a lot of versions of the Pinoy Adobo. I will be showing you the basic adobo recipe and then give you some ideas on how this traditional dish has been tweaked to suit varying tastes of Filipinos.

This recipe uses pork but you can use chicken or combination of the two.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo pork, cut in serving pieces
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vinegar, cane or palm preferably
• 4 gloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 2-3 pieces bay leaves
• sugar
• salt

Procedures:

1. In a medium pot, combine pork, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and soy sauce. Let it stand for about 30 minutes to let the pork absorb the flavor (but this part is optional especially if you are in a hurry).
2. Simmer in a low heat until pork is tender (usually around 30 minutes). Add water if necessary.
3.Pour vinegar and simmer for another 10 minutes.

4. Add salt and sugar according to your taste.
5. Remove from heat after you’ve reached the desired sauce thickness.

Variations:

Frying

Some fry the pork or chicken a little after step number 2. It is best to fry it until it start turning brown.

With Pineapple

You may add pineapple juice along with vinegar in step number 4. For this proportion, ½ cup will do. You may then add the pineapple chunks just before you remove it from heat or when you are about to serve it. Pineapple adds an interesting sweet-sour twist to the additional adobo.

With Potatoes

You can add 3 medium sized potatoes to your adobo. Dice it well and add halfway through step 2. Potatoes are added for added nutrition and of course as extenders.

With ginger and onions

Ginger and onions are added for additional flavor. Ginger also helps remove what is known in the Philippines as “lansa” of chicken. I think this style originated in Ilocos.

With Liver spread and crushed peanuts

Add one can of liver spread and ¼ cup of crushed peanuts in step 3. This makes the sauce thicker. It also provides a nice texture to the dish.

Adobo sa Puti/White Adobo

This is a very nice twist to the original adobo. They are essentially the same except for the use of rock salt instead of soy sauce. When I prepare this, I usually do this with the “frying” version. But it is still good even without it.

Adobo sa Gata

Ingredients:

• 1/2 kilo chicken, cut in serving pieces
• 1 ½ cup coconut milk
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 4 gloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 2-3 pieces bay leaves
• salt

Procedures:

1. In a medium pot boil chicken, garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns and vinegar in low heat until chicken is tender (usually around 15 minutes).

2. Add coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat after you’ve reached the desired sauce thickness.