Despedida For Ofie

pasta & pizza

It was a get-together I thought would never happen. Schedules have been very hectic nowadays with my friends that looking for a perfect date to meet up seems like searching a needle in a haystack. With them having different rest days made the effort painstakingly more difficult to  accomplish; and that is finding a date that everyone would agree to or that would fit to their busy work schedules. Since I'm not bounded by any office-related work these days, I didn't mind doing all the so-called 'housework'. I would normally post an invite on Facebook and tag them on it. Right after, they would give me feedback if my proposed dates would work for them or not. I remember posting a total of three invites for them to work on. I initially planned for us to have our get-together at a plush restaurant in Corinthian Hills but later on decided to recommend Cab Cafe, a very casual (more like laid-back) restaurant in Kapitolyo, Pasig that serves good comfort food at reasonable prices.

The Best Project Ever

burger, fries & milkshake

Maginhawa Street in Quezon City is a long stretch lined with food places and restaurants on both sides. Unlike Katipunan Ave., Maginhawa Street is more relax due to the fact that its not in the middle of the highway but inside a village (Teacher's Village). However, when I went to Teacher's Village, I was really looking for Pino restaurant. I thought at first its right along Maginhawa Street. I belatedly realized Pino restaurant is located on Malingap Street, an offshoot branch of Maginhawa Street which served as the main street. To cut the story short, I got lost along the way, I even walked as far as where Delish is located. What only stopped me on my way were barking stray dogs that came out of nowhere. There's two of them. Or is it three? Can't remember anymore. They seem to be in a playful mood and I don't want to mess with any of them. As you can see, I do have fear of dogs. Most especially stray dogs, being chased by them quite a few times during my younger days.

FACE OFF: The Big '3'

drink and desserts @ starbucks coffee

Isn't it nice to try out something different? Whether that would be a new hobby, a new career path, trying out a novel by an author that you've never read before, or a new food recipe that you would like to share to your family. It incite that certain excitement to a rather mundane, monotonous lifestyle. An oil that lubricates the rusty part to one's daily cycle. In that note, I recently visited the bigwigs in the coffeeshop scene in the metro, which I would like to call 'The Big 3', namely Starbucks Coffee, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Seattle's Best Coffee. I tried my very best not to order the usual frappes or ice blended drinks, with the exception if the day was terribly hot and scorching that I have to order something cold (but I steered clear from the usual flavor/variant of the cold drinks that everyone seemed to order, I hope). 

Bizu Bliss (And My Failed Attempt To Get The Heart-Shaped French Gateaux)

fish burger

It was Valentines Day. (Yeah, I know you would say its already March. But, hey! I still remember what transpired on that day loud and clear in my head. So, please spare me some leeway to tell you my story.) My sole purpose on coming to Bizu (Greenhills branch) was to try the Valentine cake offerings of this patisserie namely Romance and Allure. I braced heavy traffic and sweltering heat, holding on to the goodness that awaits and visions of velvety smooth dark chocolate ganache filled with strawberries or the sugar-free gianduja chocolate, hazelnut praline mousse with a twist of Dominique truffle. All assembled on heart shaped cakes as whimsical maybe as one would find in Wonderland, Oz or Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. 

My Love Affair With Reuben & Tryst With Toblerone

reuben sandwich

One rainy evening, I found myself here in Apartment 1B. It would have been perfect if I'm here for a romantic rendezvous. But, no. I'm dining solo tonight. I didn't feel bad, though, because I'm not the only one dining by myself at this cozy restaurant in Salcedo Village.

My Favorites At Jollibee

comforting food at jollibee

My quintessential favorites from Jollibee were the ones that they already phased out, namely the Amazing Aloha and the Cheesy Bacon Mushroom burgers. I remember during my adolescent days that I would always look forward going out to the malls on weekends so I could coax my Nanay for us to eat at Jollibee. And I would always order either the Amazing Aloha or the Cheesy Bacon Mushroom. My fondness memory of Jollibee would be right after my college graduation ceremony in CCP. Me, my Nanay and my Tita immediately went to the nearest Jollibee fastfood store right after the rites so I could have my deluxe graduation meal; which was an Amazing Aloha burger, large fries and large Coke. 

Unbelievably Good Coffee At Lido

wonderful meals at Lido

I first noticed Lido Cocina Tsina when we visited our relatives in Antipolo last Holiday season. We traveled at twilight so the gleaming lights of the restaurant really beckoned to me as we passed their establishment. Even for that one quick moment of seeing the restaurant's facade, I already knew that I would visit this restaurant. That actually did happen on my first (failed) attempt to secure an NBI clearance in Big R Cainta.

The Magnificent Duo

@ sandwicheese

The magnificent duo that I'm referring to would be Banapple and its newest baby, Sandwicheese. When Banapple first posted on their Facebook page about this sandwich place, I got really excited. Especially when they also posted a picture showing Sandwicheese is only right beside Banapple One, I couldn't help but placed a comment of my plan to visit this sandwich place which actually materialized just recently.

Magnum Ice Cream Bar And The Twilight Saga

magnum

Magnum ice cream bars are selling like hotcakes in Manila from the get-go. I first learned about it when food blogger extraordinaire Lori Baltazar posted on her Dessert Comes First's Facebook page a poster advertisement of Magnum ice cream with its three variants: Classic, Almonds and Chocolate Truffle. That post was instantly deluged with comments and likes. Each expressing their utmost excitement with the advent of this much heralded ice cream bar. I, myself, couldn't contain my own excitement that from the moment I went out of the house, I went straight to a convenient store and I bought myself my own Magnum ice cream bar.

Remembering The Good Old Days At Cafe A nd X

cafe a nd x rice dishes

During my good old days with the IMPI account in a BPO company that I worked with located in Cainta, Junction (to those in the know, this is already a give-away to which company I'm referring to) I only visited Cafe A nd X only two or three times. Yes. You read it right. That's the spelling of this carinderia place. The carinderia that I visited the most would be Mang Larry's and his LK (Lechon Kawali). But I do remember liking each visit here, most especially the food. If I remember it right, I first enjoyed the budbod rice here in Cafe A nd X and then to my colleague's (Kervy) restaurant in Taytay, (Gosh! I miss that place so much. If only I know how to get there by myself). 

Good Food, Good Eats

at jamba juice

These are food places I really did enjoyed visiting that I would love to be back some time in the future.

Right after a delectable meal at Sweet Bella Cafe, I felt its still too early for me to go home just yet. So, I decided to look for a place to chill. I do have one place in mind as I set off from the cafe; and that's Jamba Juice. I did had a hard time, though, finding this chic fruit place. Not to mention a lot of perspiration sweating out of my skin as if I'm competing against the people who joined the marathon that took place on the night that I'm there at Bonifacio Global City. I even made some inquiries which proved to be futile. So, I checked the address of Jamba Juice through my phone's browser and decided to wait between 7th Avenue cor 29th Street. And, like an apparition, I saw two people emerging from a walled opening right across R.O.X, each clutching (and sipping) their own Jamba Juice sealed plastic cups.  Oftentimes you heard Oprah speaks about A-HA! Moments. I guessed I just had my own A-HA! moment when I saw those two young adults.