Restaurant Review: Ketchup Food Community – Baguio City, Philippines

May 17, 2013 by 1 Comment
Canto

My bowl was brimming with hot tom kha gai but the brewing envy inside me bubbled over through my eyes as I threw wanting looks to the other bowls and plates on our table. We were a big group, celebrating the recent success of the 2nd Baguio Blog Conference, where I gave a short talk. The organizers treated the speakers to dinner at Ketchup Food Community, a foodie's haven that I had not tried before. A relatively new dining destination, Ketchup Food Community was established in March 2012. It is actually a cluster of five small restaurants, each offering a different cuisine, perfect for those who want to try a plateful of everything in one seating. Canto is a steakhouse famous for … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Baguio, Benguet, Food, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Restaurant Review: Cafe by the Ruins – Baguio City, Philippines

May 15, 2013 by 1 Comment
The famous strawberry shortcake

My fingers flipped the pages straight to their list of house specialties. One look and I knew I would be having my most expensive lunch in years at this restaurant. The prices were intimidating, almost threatening, and I was just used to the affordable meals of Baguio City's most reputable dining establishments. Still, after a long tug-o-war between the frugal and the piggish sides of myself, I allowed the latter to take over the decision-making. Pinikpikan, bagnet, and strawberry shortcake, please. The long wait allowed me and my friend Mica to take a look at our surroundings. Cafe by the Ruins is smack at the heart of the city but it still manages to create a forest-ish ambiance. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Baguio, Benguet, Food, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Restaurant Review: Manos Greek Taverna, Tagaytay City

May 1, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Inside Manos Greek Taverna

Every time somebody mentions Greek food, the memories of my college days come flooding my brain. In particular, those weekends when I had to travel from the university to Batangas to spend time with family. It's not because I used to love this cuisine. The truth is, I had not had a spoonful of any Aegean dish until probably two years ago. It's just that to get to our side of Batangas, we have to pass through the city of Tagaytay. Back then, whenever we did,  my attention was usually captivated by a small white and blue restaurant along the highway. Since my freshman year in college, I spotted it every Saturday but never had I ever stopped and made an effort to try it. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavite, Food, Philippines, Tagaytay Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

The Kerbside Cuisine of Bangkok, Thailand

April 22, 2013 by 1 Comment
Pork noodle soup. Just okay.

"Would you mind if we have street food for dinner?" My friend Bebs stopped on his tracks and turned 180 to face me. It sounded more like an invitation than a question. "Are you kidding me?" was my response. "Of course not! I'm a sucker for street foods!" And with that, we started our hunt for the food stall that would give me a plateful of the warmest Bangkok welcome. You see, it was my first night in Thailand and I had not eaten anything since my plane landed that afternoon. Thailand probably has the most famous cuisine in Southeast Asia. From spicy soups like Tom Yum to sweet desserts like Mango Sticky Rice, Thailand's popular dishes have made their way to dining tables across … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bangkok, Food, Thailand Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

A Bee-autiful Dining Experience at Bohol Bee Farm – Panglao Island, Philippines

March 13, 2013 by 2 Comments
Honey-glazed chicken meal, P220

We weren't there for the bees. We were there for the food. When we stopped at Bohol Bee Farm on the way to the resort, we knew that given our very hectic itinerary, we only had enough time for lunch. At the back of our minds, however, we still hoped that we could join a bee tour while waiting for our orders to be served. Unfortunately, the latest tour had already started and the next one won't start until a couple of hours later. My siblings and I agreed to just drop the idea and enjoy the rest of what the place has to offer. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Bohol, Food, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Seafood and Stilts at Cao-Oy, Olango Island – Cebu, Philippines

March 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Another restaurant on stilts

We arrived early for dinner. Too early. The sun looked like it had no plans of letting the night take over yet when our boat docked at a floating seafood restaurant off the coast of Olango Island, Cebu. We were supposed to watch the sunset here and have sinful dinner but it seemed like plans needed to be changed at that point. We came from Talima Marine Sanctuary, where our snorkeling time was cut short for two reasons. First, we were kind of disappointed by the site. We just floated aimlessly there looking for anything interesting to see but all that greeted us was a carpet of sea grass with very few fishes swimming around. I had heard many great things about Talima but I guess we … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Beaches and Islands, Cebu, Food, Philippines Tagged With: , , ,

10 Batangueno Dishes You Must Try – Batangas, Philippines

March 8, 2013 by 1 Comment
Tapang Casa Rap

The major crowd drawers in Batangas are its inviting beaches, breathtaking dive sites, and challenging mountains. But one thing that isn't always highlighted enough is its cuisine. Batangas offers a wide, wide selection of gastronomic delights. The province is coastal so expect a lot of seafood, but it also harbors a big lake and rivers, so freshwater fishes are also available. Vast lands have been converted into farms, producing some of the best meats in the country. Batangas beef is known for its high quality. Many roadside stores sell buffalo and goat meat. These rich resources have made Batangueno cuisine so diverse that it is difficult to describe it in just one word. Like in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Batangas, Food, Philippines Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Review: Jonah’s Fruit Shake – Boracay, Aklan, Philippines

February 19, 2013 by 5 Comments
My friends Doyzkie and Mica

I followed them blindly for I had no idea what else Boracay could offer other than the beach and the nightlife. Micaela and Doyzkie, who both had been here before, led the way as we walked under the burning sun. "Where are we going again?" I asked. "We're having some fruit shake," Mica answered. And without any more questions, I just trailed them even though at the back of my mind, I was wondering why we had to amble almost the entire length of the island just for a cup of fruit shake. This must be a hell of a fruit shake. … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Boracay, Food, Philippines Tagged With: , , ,

Restaurant Review: Steamboat Hot Pot at Rosette Café – Cameron Highlands, Malaysia

February 10, 2013 by 1 Comment
Big, big hot pot

The hunger that was tormenting me was starting to burn a hole in my tummy but I was sure I won't be having a meal any time soon. My travel buddy and I stared at the menu for more than five minutes, deciding on what to have for dinner. We arrived at the restaurant to try their steamboat feast but the Western dishes on the menu were making the task difficult. I wanted to try them all but, alas, my digestive system has a very limited capacity. "Not ready?" asked the waitress whose impatience leaked despite a very polite facade. "Not yet," I answered. "Give us five more minutes." And with that, the waitress rushed to the next table. She's the only server on duty at the time. After a … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cameron Highlands, Food, Malaysia Tagged With: , , , , ,

Review: Orkid Ria Seafood Restaurant – Langkawi, Malaysia

January 4, 2013 by 2 Comments
Tiger prawns! Rawr!

"Are you sure?" asked the waiter, who appeared to refuse to take note of our order. "Four tiger prawns? Four?" "Yes, that's right," I confirmed. "So that's 4 tiger prawns, 1 sea bass, 1 chicken satay, and fried rice. Correct?" said the waiter. But before I could say yes, he spoke again. "One serving of chicken satay is equal to 12 sticks. Is it okay?" "No problem." "Alright." The waiter left us utterly confused. It was as if he did not want us to have what we ordered. That confusion, however, would be erased as soon as all the dishes were served. It was just too much. Considering that we were just a party of two, we knew at that moment that we were in for a big, big dining … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Food, Langkawi, Malaysia Tagged With: , , , , ,
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