Sleek & Svelte: Nokia 701

nokia 701 & HP mini 110 Studio Tord Boontje

Right after my Samsung Corby Pro phone finally bid adieu, I knew that getting a replacement phone is imminent. I still have the LG Lollipop phone however that one also showing signs of its impending demise. So, I finally coaxed my Nanay to allow me to buy a new phone.

I'm hooked on Big Daddy's Chicken Chops

Big Daddy's Chicken Chop

I've always wanted to try Big Daddy's Chicken ever since I saw Jin Perez of Jin Loves To Eat's post about this famous crispy chicken chop from Taiwan. I initially thought their stall is only located in SM Mall Of Asia. However, when I learned that they do have a stall near my place, which is in Greenhills Theatre Mall, it was an understatement if I tell you that I was gleeful about it. I was ecstatic to no avail that on the evening when I learned of its nearer location, I set out plans to go here as soon as my work is done the following day.

Tap Into Your Youth Side w/ TeaTap

teatap welcome cat

Right after my super delicious breakfast meal at Flapjacks, I decided to scout Wilson Street in San Juan to check out this cute tea place called TeaTap my friend Kaz tipped me. She said the place is "super cute and sarap pa ng tea nila." Sharing the same fondness with milk teas as I am, I trust her judgement and decided to check this tea place myself.

Flapjacks: Get Your Breakfast Fix All Day!

flapjacks' american platter

Karen cooked up a surprise for our friend, Erika for her birthday. It was a perfume set, not sure if its a Victoria Secret line or Elizabeth Adler, but it was placed in this lavishly decorated package which my friend Karen is always known for.

Subway: Just My Kind Of Sandwich

subway meal

This post should have preceded my post regarding Yabu: The House Of Katsu however, I really got excited writing for that specific post that I momentarily overlooked my short, but definitely sweet encounter with Subway. I actually had this Subway meal while waiting for my friends to arrive on the day we watched Breaking Dawn: The Twilight Saga at SM Megamall.

Burgoo: A Case Of Hit & Miss

food at burgoo

I haven't been to Burgoo, although I've been raring to dine here for the longest time. What stopping me, though are the feedbacks I received from friends. One said the prices here are exceptionally high, and another friend said the food here tasted quite bland and not that flavorful as compared to Asian cuisine, which she said were common characteristics to a typical American food. I'd say that would depend on the restaurant or food establishment. I've been to some restos that serve really good American dishes, flavors that explodes in your mouth that thinking about them just makes my mouth water. First that comes to my mind would be the Cajun Shrimp & Chicken Pasta and Baby Back Ribs with peppered French Fries (to die for!) I tried in T.G.I. Friday's. Might visit their newly opened flagship store near my area one of these days *wink*.

Yabu Means Labyu (Yabu: The House Of Katsu)

table setting & shot glass sake

I first heard (or read) about Yabu: The House Of Katsu, while perusing Lori Baltazar's Dessert Comes First Facebook fanpage. She posted a picture of the Rosu (porkloin) set she ordered and she further recommended to try the Kurobota set and the Chicken Curry. It was posted a day or two before the grand opening of Yabu at The Atrium in SM Megamall last November 11 this year. I love katsu, so I set about plans (more like a scheme) to dine there in the next coming days.

Michelle GoTo: An In Demand Carinderia Place

yummy bulalo

It was right after a very tedious shift at the office, as I'm shutting off my computer, I asked my friend, Eve, if she would like to join me to visit Michelle GoTo in Rosario, Pasig. She immediately agreed to my invitation. One thing led to another and as I board the bus on my way to Rosario, aside from Eve, I also have my other two friends/batchmates Alex and Renz to join me to check out this popular carinderia place.

My Starbucks Christmas

dessert and pastry

Christmas is in the air. Even people with the spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge can't deny this fact. I especially love the Christmas season among all the other Holidays and special occasion that we celebrate all year round: The glitzy Christmas lights and decor, the different kinds of Christmas trees, midnight Christmas sale at the malls and of course the food. Its all about the food. There are a number of food establishments in the metro who do tweak and tinker their menu a bit exclusively for this Holiday season. And Starbucks Coffee is one of them.

Comfort (Japanese) Food in Teriyaki Boy

table setting

I noticed just recently that I have this certain fondness for Asian food, specifically for Japanese cuisine. I was totally caught by the richness of flavors and the freshness of the food served in Japanese restaurants. And the servings were quite big as well. And Teriyaki Boy is no exception.

Mondo Juice: One Chic Fruit Place

sandwich, cake and smoothie

I guess serendipity paved the way for me to discover this ultimate chic food place in Robinsons Galleria that serves not only delicious fruit juices and shakes but wonderful gourmet sandwiches and cakes as well.

Dome Cafe & Cafeccino By Dome: Luscious Moments

two exceptional cakes

(Note: This is more like a continuation of my previous post. )

Right after our satisfying meal in Cookbook Kitchen, we (Jhen, Darlene & Diselle with two of her office mates) all decided (I might add, with much apprehension) to try out this horror house propped in the middle of Eastwood City Walk. The horror house was inspired by the hit movie Zombadings: Patayin Sa Shokot Si Remington by Jade Castro (who also directed the critically acclaimed Endo and My Big Love), thus the horror house was aptly named Shokot House. 

I Adore Cookbook Kitchen

food at cookbook kitchen

I've always wanted to dine here in Cookbook Kitchen, however, for some reason or another, I was only able to do so just recently. And I really regret I didn't made it sooner, since the food here was just so good. I was greatly satisfied with the dishes we tried here that I'm already considering to have my Christmas meal here (or possibly in their main branch in Socorro Fernandez St. in Mandaluyong).

Rant & Rave: KFC

Kung Pao Chicken and Streewise Spoonfuls

Kentucky Fried Chicken, among the roster of popular fast food chains, is my always to go place if I'm craving for something quote-unquote "fast foody" (read: fried, oily & unhealthy). Not that I'm not mindful if what I'm eating is healthy or not (because I'm not...at least not most of the time). And could you still think of the cholesterol count on a piece of chicken when you're about to bite into it? Teeth crashing into the well seasoned skin and the very tender meat of the chicken. The unhealthiness of the food (in this case, the chicken) became highly irrelevant.

Sebastian's Ice Cream: Blissful Indulgence In Every Spoonful

ice cream and ice cream bar

Ever since I tried the ice cream products here in Sebastian's, I couldn't stop raving about it. It's on top of my ice cream favorites. Personally, Sebastian's is on the same level with international ice cream company such as Haagen Dazs and Ben & Jerry's, in terms of taste and quality. Maybe even better.

A Slice Of San Fo-Philippine Cuisine In Hyphy's

table setting

I've had my eyes on Hyphy's ever since the resto opened a couple of months back. I'm not quite sure why it took me this long to try out this restaurant by Chef Bruce Lim. Maybe because it was so near our office that is why I don't feel the urgency of going there. I usually prefer going by travel to places for my food finds. I'm a masochist that way.

Ingenious Filipino Cuisine At Cafe de Bonifacio

embutido and pasta

I seldom went to Filipino restaurants, either I'm so used to it because my Tita Ling does cook quite good Filipino dishes that going to a Filipino restaurant does not appeal to me that much. Or restaurant that offers international cuisine has more magnetic pull on me that I often overlook Filipino restaurants.

Trick Or Treat At The New Banapple One

Banapple's cakes and coffee

Banapple recently did some make-over on their original store in Katipunan. Also branded as Banapple One (the original store is located in 225 Katipunan since there is another Banapple store in the area, which is near Blue Ridge, also known as Banapple Two), I'm quite curious on what the newly renovated store has to offer, ambiance-wise. So, right after my hefty meal in Tia Maria's Cantina, I decided to walk my way to Banapple One.

Olé! At Tia Maria's Cantina

Tia Maria's Cantina Mexican food

The pangs of loneliness and despair. We all encounter that in one way or another. I am a self-confessed worry ward when it comes to what my future hold. Pessimistic was too harsh of a term. I just worried a lot. Most possibly its just my age doing its reality check on me. Or possibly I'm just too stressed out at work. 

Book Review: Ang Mga Kaibigan Ni Mama Susan by Bob Ong

Ang Mga Kaibigan Ni Mama Susan by Bob Ong

Halloween is fast approaching. And what better way to celebrate the season aside from the usual fare of 'Trick or Treat', costume party and watching a scary movie is to curl up on your bed and read a horror/gothic novel.

FACE OFF: My Favorite Dessert Shops/Cafés

Butterfly & Cake

"Who doesn't want desserts?", one would ask. Actually, quite a few. Famous celebrities such as media person/lifestyle host Daphne Oseña-Paez and Kapamilya actress/tv host Anne Curtis attest that desserts doesn't make them swoon. Daphne said in an interview, (As I recall, this was an interview with Drew Arellano for his now defunct TV show, Balikbayan) even if she sees a marvelously decorated cake, and everyone around her were crooning and cooing by the sight of it, she will be totally unmoved by it (deadma). The revelation regarding Anne not being frazzled by desserts came from Kris Aquino. If my recollection served me right, this was when they were still shooting the teleserye Hiram for ABS-CBN, when Kris revealed Anne's was more into salty food and junk food like potato chips.

Lusso Is Synonymous To Love

Demi-Pound Foie Gras Burger2

Makati has become my "unofficial" playground when it comes to food trip explorations over the past months. It seems every month I see new food finds sprouting out of nowhere in this gargantuan business district. However, I just discovered today, Makati was not as exciting in weekends compared to the very hectic weekdays teeming with yuppies and working professionals.

Better Butter Makes Better Batter @ Butter Diner

Butter Diner-Walled Cartoon Mural2

Its been quite a while since I was last been in Cubao, approximately around a year ago if I'm not mistaken when my friend Karen Anne and I dined in Italianni's in Gateway Mall. I was eyeing to try Gaita Fores' Cafe Bola back then but we ended up dining in this uber-popular (and exorbitantly expensive) Italian resto.

FACE OFF: My Favorite Brand Of Milk Tea

milk tea & sandwich

      The surge of milk tea places in the Philippines was somehow baffling. It became so popular that it almost eclipsed the ever popular Starbucks and its cohorts, replacing their frappes and cappuccinos for hokkaido or matcha milk teas.

McCafé Is Where My Heart Is

mccafe

    
 I'm always enamored with McCafé. There was never a time that I didn't enjoyed their beverages (either hot or cold) or their pastries (both savory and sweet) they offered. So, when I first learned that the newly renovated McDonald's store in Greenhills was finally open, in spite of the impending rain (Quiel, is that you?) I went there just to see how different this store from any other McDonald's store we have in the metro.

Finally Doing It Today!

This is purely accidental. I'm just trying to check this blog link from a certain food blog that I'm perusing, I thought I just need to log in so I could check out this blog. Apparently the blog is already non-existent and I accidentally created a blog under the previous user's URL address. So I decided to get on with it, do some tweaking to make it my own. And here it is. My very own blog!