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The Halal Guys, SM NORTH EDSA

This is my new Mediterranean craving and for me it  is now the best. Other  food chains’ tastes are  deteriorating while Halal’s  is shining.  I came to find about this restaurant because my friend Ate Elle invited me here .When I went inside the resto, I found myself watching  their videos and seeing how people from all over the world line-up for their food. I was only able to take one bite of their food because I was really full. BOOM it hit me! I need to go back here again the food is amazing.  

So I did and I came to find that every dish is worth trying for, whether it’s chicken. buffalo wings chicken, beef, or  fish,  falafel, or even their desserts.

The plate seemed simple some yellow rice but it’s not java tomatoes lettuce shreds and tiny pita bread on the side. But I can’t help but tasting and digging for it more and more. 

This is the buffalo hot wings platter. It consists of 4 pieces of chicken wings and the usual platter serving. The buffalo wings tasted great it is spicy, salty just a little sweetness. I love it on how it was drizzled with their signature white garlic sauce which neutralizes that spiciness. The rice itself is already full of taste I can taste a little saltiness and a kick from the peppers. The pita bread helps in neutralizing the spiciness of the chicken. The buffalo wings can be mild or extra hot. This costs 229 pesos.

This is the Chicken & Beef Gyro Combo platter.  This is the best dish to taste both chicken and beef dish.  The chicken is soft and mild in flavor. I love the beef gyro more because it absorbs alot of flavor and blends well with the white garlic sauce. Small platter costs 229 but the regular costs 299.It may seem small but one plate is full of flavor and servings. Even if it is full of flavor it is not nauseating which is what I love about it - I’ll never get tired of  craving for it. 

I have also tasted their dessert Baklava. It like a crunchy thin flakey croissant with sweet small nuts inside. It is small chewy and thin but it is really delicious. I don’t have a picture though.It costs 80 pesos. I have also tried the fish platter it is also delicious with the white garlic sauce but I don’t have a picture. 

This resto deserves to be heard and blogged and the food deserves to be tasted- Really! 

For more information on their branches you can like them on  Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheHalalGuysPhilippines/

* Disclaimer: the prices stated are the prices stated in the menu during the time we ate there. They may increase or decrease depending on the restaurant's discretion.

[nisayumul]

Rumpa Angeles Pampanga

This is the restaurant which is loved by my uncles my aunts and my cousins from both sides of the family. My family experienced dining here when it was still owned by American retired soldiers and the tables were checkered in blue and white colors. Now, Filipinos own it but serving the same good  American dining.

I really really love the pork ribs that they serve. It is rich with tomato sauce and the meat is so tender. The meat is filled with fat which gives it more flavor. It fits perfectly with the mashed potatoes gravy and the steamed vegetables.  It is simple comfy family food.  They have huge servings! One plate of ribs consist of two big slabs of ribs we just separated them into two plates and add on extra mashed potatoes.  This costs 220 pesos. 

Another big seller is their CHILLY WILLY. This is the American Chili con carne soup.It has tomato soup, macaroni pasta, ground meat. Sky flakes are added on the side.  I love how simple and rich the soup is. It is a bit sour and the ground meat just absorbs all that soup.  This costs 105 pesos. 

I was  seven when I tasted this submarine sandwich. There was no SUBWAY in the Philippines at that time  but I loved the Rumpa's submarine. There are these huge baguette slices with cold cuts of ham, cheese tomatoes and lettuce, onions.  It is simple no fancy sauce but I love the dish as comfort food. Sorry,       I was not able to recall the price. 

This is their T-bone steak. It tasted like ordinary T-bone steak and the gravy was very buttery and milky in flavor. This costs 235 Pesos.

Another favorite, is their huge tacos. I love the tacos and how their taco sauce is so rich and pure that fits perfectly with the ground meat and shredded cabbage and cheese. It is a must try. This costs 280 pesos. 

I was not able to  taste their  apple crumble or the rum cake because I was too full. I was however able  to take home those cookies. They are huge oatmeal and raisin cookies. I love them they are soft and chewy and affordable.

* Disclaimer: the prices stated are the prices stated in the menu during the time we ate there. They may increase or decrease depending on the restaurant's discretion. 

This is the only website link I can find for further information :

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rumpa/146378165428080

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Delish Diet  Delivery Service

Diet delivery services have become popular  for students living in the dorm  both busy and usually have no means of preparing food for themselves. They are also good for people who are seeking for healthy diet even for working people. DELISH DIET  is my favorite food delivery service.  The Delish Diet aims to provide consumers  with a food that is healthy , satisfying and has a means of making people slim. My real purpose on the other hand, is to eat  healthy food within my convenience and not worrying about the long line in fast food chains or canteens just to get myself something to eat. Delish diet perfectly served me good and organic food. 

My program was for 1300 calories should have been 1200 calories but I don’t want to faint.  Delish will  first send the menu for the following week that is from monday to friday and you will have the choice of choosing per day basis which costs 340 pesos, or for 3 days 1020 or for 5 days 1070. But each day have 5 dishes - 3 main means and 2 snacks. 

From my experience they deliver the food at 4:30 am and when I wake up I’ll just reheat it in the microwave.  It is  just so convenient. The food is really tasty and scrumptious. I love how they use organic rice and put on vegetables and fruits. I also love their small little snacks.

I could go on and on about each this but it really just best to try ‘em. 

Oh I have to say  this caveat the food is really delicious but the calories are very much counted, so you have to savor the small servings. Remember the goal is to keep you more fit. 

For more information on Delish Diet Delivery you can check their Facebook account : https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009235467336

[nisayumul]

Santouka, Trinoma

I can still remember the first time I went inside this resto it is because my friend  Ate Cielo brought me here. I loved the experience in this resto. First of all  there is an automatic door that will welcome you.  The entire resto looks like a Japanese sushi house. I loved the dining experience and I made sure to it that my family will eat here too. For  me this, is the best  Japanese resto in the North Edsa, that is because I haven’t tried Mendokoro ramen so I’m not yet sure and just to be safe.

The menu basically states the history and the main ingredients of their dishes. It is like reading history and culture of the Japanese.  The founder Hitoshi Hantanaka was  not satisfied in the ramen shop he dined so he made it a point to create a better version of RAMEN from what he had. I am so glad he did, because we get to enjoy  this comfy food whenever we had our cravings.

The sushi in Santouka are all cooked which is different from the traditional sushi featuring raw sea meat. This is contains Pork Tonkatsu and cheese, and their special tonkatsu sauce and sesame seeds. When I took a bite at this sushi it is like fireworks but not in a spicy way. I'm talking about how crunchy the pork Tonkatsu is and how creamy and cheesy the sauce is.  It like all exploding in my mouth. I am also curious about the Tonkatsu sauce being both salty creamy and sweet at the same time and there is also a bit sourness from the rice of the sushi. I love it. Just pop them in your mouth!  This costs 295 pesos. 

PORK TONKATSU I think almost every Japanese restaurant serve Pork Tonkatsu but what I like about their version is the crunchy bread crumbs coating. I also love the sauce because it is very authentic. The Tonkatsu sauce is taken from their jar with sesame seeds   which you have to grate fresh. I love how sour  salty and sweet  is but not too sour the Tonkatsu sauce is while it is being made crunchy by the bread crumbs coating and sesame seeds. This costs 285 pesos.

The EBI FURAI This is  their tempura shrimp. This is a bit different from the typical tempura because they serve it with those crunchy bread crumbs coating and Japanese mayo. But it is still delicious. This costs 285 Pesos.

The Sake FURAI This is the Fried Salmon. I love salmon basically so I will eat any type of cooking involving Salmon. The Salmon cuts here are coated also with crunchy bread crumbs and served with their special dip. I love how crunchy the outside coating and at the same time flakey , soft and smooth the salmon cuts are. Perfect combination. This costs around 295 Pesos.

The Shio Ramen This is the first dish I have tasted here and it is sooo good I really want to come back for more. This is their signature dish. It has pork broth, bamboo shoot,  sea weeds, soft noodles,  Char Siu pork and pickled plum.  I love how creamy and milky and salted  the broth is. The noodles are perfectly soft and chewy absorbing the rare broth. The pork is very thinly sliced and very soft. The pork slice melts in your mouth. The bamboo shoot and sea weeds  are  a bit of gummy and the pickled plum is sour and crunchy. It is the perfect blending of all the diverse flavors.   Regular is 385 pesos and Large 445 Pesos.

Awase -Aji Ramen

This is  the Awase -Aji Ramen or their specialty pork ramen a combination of soy sauce,salt and soybean flavor. This is my parent’s favorite ramen bowl. When I tasted this of course the broth tasted similar to  the Shio Ramen although it has a little difference. The meat here is  saltier and sweeter at the same time. It is more tender. The broth although it has the same creamy texture with Shio ramen it is also more salty and sweet. I still can’t choose if I will prefer the Shio or the Awase- Aji ramen bowl.  This costs  380 pesos. 

The Sea Food Ramen At that time it was a new dish introduced.   The Ramen has the same base broth but  it is spicy. The ingredients are all sea food. It comes with a free Sherbet at that time, again at that time.  I love how they are improving the Ramen by making a seafood version I love their broth so I think any meat will surely blend well with it. Although this is my least favorite Ramen in Santouka. 

I love the Sherbet. It is flavored with Kalamansi. The Sherbet has that smooth shaved ice. It really matters in creating texture in enjoying the dish.  It comes with  a wafer.

The dishes are  a bit pricey but it is really worth dining for.So far  this is the best Ramen and Japanese restaurant I had. I'm really encouraging people to try it. Although I will still continue my food journey and taste for myself AUTHENTIC JAPANESE RAMEN. * Disclaimer: the prices stated are the prices stated in the menu during the time we ate there. They may increase or decrease depending on the restaurant's discretion.

 For more information of their branches you can check their website at https://www.santouka.co.jp/en/menu

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Casa Roces, Malacanang Manila

Casa Roces is one of the famous restaurants blogged by most bloggers. It is very hard to find a restaurant which is   blog-worthy and  caters good food in Manila. I really had to search for it. It is very fortunate that there is such a restaurant near our school in Mendiola. 

The Casa Roces  and the Malacanang Place take me back to the Spanish times. I feel history remaking inside my head I walk and enter the restaurant. There are huge houses and palaces covered in white painting with  Spanish architecture roofs. 

The Casa Roces was really the house of the Chino Roces clan. They are the owners of the Manila Times. Now this place which has been preserved together with its antiques is now a restaurant  and open to the public. 

This is a place wherein people enjoy good food and learn the historical legacy at the same time. However the price is costly and with a 10% service charge. But the valet is free! 

This is an old man sculpture reading the Manila Times magazine. I think this is Chino Roces’ sculpture. 

I simply love this art work inside this small pond. 

The garden part of the restaurant is good for the people who would like to smoke outside or who would like to eat outside. 

I love the door embellishments. The designed is meticulously carved on the door. Beside the door, is the iconic newspaper boy sculpture. 

These are the photos and paintings of some of the historical figures in Philippine history such as President Manuel Quezon.

I love how every room has chandeliers. 

I love how they put together the paintings with the couches to make the customers feel comfortable for making a homely environment. 

The lobby has a Jose Rizal golden sculpture. 

The Casa has a second floor which is both a gallery and an extension of the restaurant. 

I love  the second floor of the Casa. It makes me  feel like I’m in Heneral Luna film or Goryo film. I am visualizing myself  wearing a Maria Clara Filipina costume.  Everything is antique, and vintage. The chairs are perfect carved and preserved. I love how they preserved the house’s legacy. 

All the walking makes me hungry. It is time to eat! 

This is Fettucine with Blue Cheese and  Roasted Mushrooms. I totally love this dish. I have not tasted anything so creamy for a pasta. It is not a carbonara taste-a-like dish, it is better. I thought I will be tasting something sour. But I did not it is creamy, smooth and scrumptious. I thought I will feel the need to seek for meat  but I did not. The serving is also huge for one person. This costs 209 pesos.

This is the Bulalo steak a la Pobre.  This is pan-sea red tender beef shank with fried garlic and home made gravy. This is a variation of the traditional Bulalo stew.  I always love steak and gravy so I guess this dish is alright. However I do not like the cartilage and this dish is filled with cartilage. The cartilage is a bit hard not really crunchy and not really tender.  This costs 385 pesos.

This is the Pescado en Salsa Verde. This is baked fish fillet  served with salsa verde and mashed potatoes. 

This is the Paella Valenciana. This is the classic paella with chicken pork, clams chorizo, shrimp, mussels, green peas, tomatoes and hard boiled  egg. This costs 545 pesos.  I love this dish! It is scrumptious. The flavors of the seafood and rice melts in your mouth. The chorizo is not that strong to ruin the dish. It would be a  very close call   if I compared it with Alba’s Paela valencia. Both of them are delicious. But I like this dish better since there is no hard rice. The rice is so soft and not too sticky. I love it.

For dessert the traditional sago gulaman which costs 80 pesos. 

The junior size double chocolate cake. I love this cake. When I tasted this cake I thought “ Thank God I lived to taste this cake!”.  This is a moist  chocolate cake covered with rich think caramel layer. On the second layer there is a chocolate with nuts slices that covered the entire cake. 

I love how the moist chocolate perfectly blended with the caramel.I  love the chocolate cake because the chocolate because it does not taste like  dark and bitter cake. The caramel tasted  differently from all the other caramel  cakes it is thick viscous  and very sweet.   The chocolate slices are like candy I loved how crunch they are and sweet but not too sweet on their own. 

I love my experience here at Casa Roces. I can’t wait to eat here again after saving my money for a little treat. I also know that bloggers also have a good experience here. I hope you can too! 

[nisayumul]

ZORPAS, Marikina City

Dear readers , I apologize for not blogging much. I was so busy but my adventure for food never stopped. 

For this issue, I will be featuring Zorpas one of the  food chains  at Crave Park food community in Marikina City. 

Marikina city is now being a tourist spot for the four neighboring and competing food communities namely : eat street , truck park , carnival, and, crave park. Each food park is filled with different  food chains showing off different food cultures.  

The Crave park is open everyday from 4pm until 1am in the morning. 

I went to the Crave Park and  tried my friend’s new opened food chain called Zorpas. Zorpas is a Greek word for “ festivity”. This is owned by the Kyriakous which are our family childhood friends.  The Kyriakous are Greek Cyrpiots and my friends Skevie and Phytos Kyriakou are actors and actresses. They decided to put a food chain as their business showcasing the authentic Greek food which come from the Greek people themselves.  

Skevie told me that she worked in Cyprus and used her savings as capital for this resto. She also told me that the ingredients and the procedure are based on family secrets that not even their cooks and workers know. They prepare the food in their home and just fry or bake in their food chain. 

This is my friend Skevie one of the owners and her father as they happily prepare the food.  

I am very excited for the food. I love their food because it fits the student’s budget cravings for  good food and at the same time it is delicious and prepared in large servings. 

This is their Greek nachos. They used green lettuce chips topped with salsa and Greek yogurt. I love how the crunchy chips perfectly blended with the yogurt and salsa. I just wish that there’ll be more cheese either melted cheese or grated cheese because I’m a very cheesy person. This costs 149 pesos.

This  is the traditional Greek salad. I love how refreshing this dish is. I love how the vinaigrette blended with the  feta cheese. I also love the olive and tomatoes blended well with the  lettuce and zucchini.  This costs 99 pesos. 

Sheftalia with pita bread . This is their  best  seller dish. This is Greek sausage grilled with home-baked pita bread and fried potato shreds. The trick in eating this is to get a slice of the  Greek sausage and put on top the potato shreds and dip the pita bread with the Greek yogurt sauce put them all together in your mouth.  You will taste the freshness of the Greek yogurt and the salty crunch of the shredded potatoes with the soft pita bread and sausage. I love the Greek sausage it is soft and  grilled with herbs. The shredded potatoes serve as the salt for the Greek sausage.  The pita bread is soft and chewy and huge because it is home baked by the owners themselves.  The wooden plate adds  us  up to the presentation. This costs  129 pesos.

Chicken Gyro with  pita  bread. This dish consists of fried fillet chicken shreds instead of the Greek sausage. I really am more in favor of the Sheftalia than this  dish but this dish is pretty good too. This costs  149 pesos.

Moussaka is the pasta dish for Greeks. This is like their lasagna. This dish consists of potatoes and eggplants ground beef zucchini and their special cheese anari and halloumi. The anari cheese is specially imported from Cyrpus.  This dish is so creamy and the eggplant blends perfectly with the cheese and the ground beef. I did not recognize the potato the potato is perfectly disguised in the dish.  However I am still looking for salty and a bit spicy flavor to it.    This costs  149. 

I totally love this Greek iced tea. It is so refreshing. I love how the citrus flavor blends well with the  basil and lemon and their special syrup.I can drink this all day especially with this summer heat.  I think when I drink this they were just trying to introduce this for the menu so this drink is a freebie. 

For dessert we have the assorted fruits. 

They made sure that the fruits and well fresh and cold by the time we ate them. Plus points for the ice. 

Loukomades. The Greek doughnuts. This resembles our Filipino Karyoka a piece of dough deep fried with sweet goodness. However the Loukomades contains a secret there is a special syrup right at the middle of the Loukomades. You have to eat the  entire thing in one bite. I love how the syrup the doughnut and the chocolate syrup blends in your mouth.  On the outside there is that crunch but deep inside their is a special melting syrup in your mouth. This cost around 49 pesos  8 pieces.

I hope you try this food stall along with other food stalls at the different food parks and have a wonderful and delicious time. The Kyriakous maybe our family friends but the dishes they serve really taste good.

This food stall has already been featured in TV5 and among other things. For more information and contact you can see the link below: https://www.facebook.com/zorpasgreekfood/

[nisayumul]

Romulo’s Cafe Quezon City

I am deeply in love with this place. I  came to discover this place when our organization decided to have the BAR SEND 0FFS DINNER at this place. I was inlove with the interior design. It looks so sophisticated. The walls have the hanging pictures of Carlos Romulo. There were also articles  written by Carlos Romulo  posted on  the walls.  The owner Sir Gilbert Caras was kind enough to tour me to the entire restaurant.

A little history about Carlos Romulo. He was a national artist, UP President, a general of the Philippine Army founder of the Boy Scouts Philippines and a journalist. He was well known in history. This place takes the customers back in time and  share legacy of history and good food.

There are many people eating and enjoying the dishes served in this restaurant. It is a good thing that  there are many rooms for the customers. However, it is advisable that people make reservations or call the restaurant because this restaurant is always reserved for venues. 

This is where Maja Salvador celebrated her birthday. 

Let us, taste the dishes! 

I love this Filipino Nacho dish as appetizer. These are taro, kamote chips thinly sliced and fried to crisp with tomatoes, onions, melted keso debola, and melted keso puti. I love how healthy the food is and how crispy the chips are they blend together with the cheese dip and tomatoes. I’d eat this all day and forego all the junkfoods in the world.  This costs 105  pesos. 

For the soup I love this Sinigang na salmon. It’s very smooth and creamy. The Salmon just melts in my mouth as I enjoy my soup. 

These are the Bagnet Pinakpet and Ginataang Hipon dishes. 

These are  the roasted chicken dish and the Pancit Puti. 

These are the Kare-kare and Hickory Spareribs Filipino style dishes. 

This is the Flying tilapia dish. 

I am amazed by how they fried the  tilapia in that manner. 

it has three sauces  honey bagoong, soy vinega, and chili garlic. This costs 360 pesos. 

This is Baby Pusit in Garlic which is sauteed with olive oil and garlic. 

This is amazing I cannot taste that it was olive oil I was expecting that it would be sour and nauseating but I was wrong the oil and the garlic are flavorful. The baby pusit are really small but they are full of flavors.  This costs 260 pesos 

This is the BAGNET PINAKBET. this costs 250 pesos. 

This is the Pancit Puti.  

I am really amazed at how flavor this pansit it. I thought it was an undercooked palabok. but really it  is  flavorful. This costs around 185 pesos. 

This is the Kalkag rice. My family  loved this fried rice with small shrimps. This costs around 145 pesos.

Overall I loved the dishes. I love how they put a twist to continental foods by adding a Filipino touch.  I think the price is well justified because it has the same range with Gerry’s grill yet the dishes are flavorful and the restaurant is well decorated. 

I hope you explore this  restaurant and find many more dishes to savor! 

* The price may vary if the restaurant decides to increase the price. but these are the prices when we ate there last month. 

[nisayumul]

Felicidad Mansion

   This is one of the best events place I have ever been in my life.  I am so inlove with the place that I told myself “ Someday I will get married here. I will get the entire Mansion for my wedding”. It is very fortunate that I live a few blocks away from the Mansion. 

                                During my childhood and my father’s childhood this Mansion was known as “ The Haunted House” of Roosevelt because they thought it was just an ancient house with no one living in it. Yet I have talked to  the owners and I later learned that the rumors were all misinterpretations. No one died there and no one is haunting anyone. It was  a beautiful mansion that was preserved and was not open to public for a long time. 

                               The sight of the Mansion gardens is breath taking.  I feel like I am in Europe.     It is very rare to find such a place in Metro Manila that preserved the authenticity of its Venetian architecture. It makes me feel like I am travelling back in time. This is what made me love going back and forth in this place.

                              Stone-engraved chairs and tables in the gardens.  

The function rooms are named from the famous cities in Europe. 

                I simply love the sight of a backyard pool. 

                  It is very rare to find these type of wooden glass doors exiting towards the pool. 

                                              Let us go inside...

                                                                The shinny marble floors are very rare nowadays. It is very classical . Almost all buildings in this generation have tiles. 

Look at the engravings it is hard to find such engravings in any events place.  

                                        The antique chandelier with the golden finish. Look at how elegant the wooden engravings are. These are very hard to find nowadays. It is also hard to preserve such engravings as if it were new. 

                                   The place is filed with such authentic antiques that adds further details to the place.

                    This is what I love about the Mansion there is an inside fountain. I feel like  I am in Greece or in Rome whenever I see this. I wanted to just sit here in the fountain and do all of my philosophical contemplation.   

                      Each and every step of walking in the Mansion is worth it. I love the place so much  that I wanted to live in it.  This place is very rare and stands out among any other events place. The place is really amazing , genuine and lovely.

I have actually told the owners that I will blog about them because I really really loved the place for more info : 

https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=felicidad%20mansion%20events%20place 

2 Baler St., Cor Roosevelt Avenue, Quezon City, Quezon City

[nisayumul]

Dahilayan Adventure Park, Manolo Fortich Bukidnon

This adventure park is very famous because it has the longest dual zipline in Asia.  It is also famous for being featured in A kc- concepcion movie. People all over the Philippines come to Bukidnon just to have the experience of a lifetime.

I think I was so luck and blessed enough to conquer the longest dual zipline in asia and get back home unscathed.   I took the longest dual zipline  with  320 M + 150M MID-ZIP package which costs about 600 pesos. This package composed of 3 rides : the 840  M, the 320 M an the 150 M.  

This is the 840 M longest dual zipline in asia. I guess what I can remember is that we had to take a shuttle service provided by the Dahilayan to be hoisted 4,700 feet above sea level.  I was really really nervous especially I was in a flying superman position. I asked my friend Alfie to join me as I embark of this ride. However his ride went so fast that I was left behind. I could remember I saw the ground and I was praying the entire time. I felt like I was flying I saw the birds, the ray of the sun. I also felt the pine trees.  I got so scared but after surviving that ride I realized that I want to try that ride again. 

This is the 320M+150 M. It is like a joint ride adventure usually good for couples because you can hold hands in this adventure. But it is okay if you are with a friend. This ride is also thrilling but not as scary as the longest zipline. 

Other rides: 

There is the Drop Zone. This is where the adventurers will be hoisted 120Ft above the ground only to be swung back and forth like a pendulum swing. It is scary as hell. I got stressed out looking at the video but if you want to have a daredevil experience it is worth your short. 

They also have the ropes course, the flying lizard, phyton roller zipride, the skytower base jump. Unfortunately we were not given enough time to try all the rides. We had to regroup at 11am to eat lunch and head back to manila. But it was really the adventure of a lifetime good for adventurous youth. I guess surviving those rides and conquering the fear of heights are definitely achievements that one can be proud of. I can’t wait to go back there and try the other rides. 

for more information : 

https://www.dahilayanadventurepark.com/attractions.php

[nisayumul]

4 days in Monasteryo de Transfiguration Bukidnon

                  I came to a realization that my experience in Bukdnon is worth blogging since my travel blogs should also include travel experience that made me in touch with my spiritual side.

                I was so blessed to have this experience of going to a spiritual retreat in Bukidnon Mindanao. A must place for fellow religious devotees.  The Monasteryo de transfiguration is under the Benedictine congregation. The church is amazing. It is as if I’m living in paradise and talking directly to God. 

The church is placed on top of the mountain overlooking the entire view and the vast farmlands of the Benedictine monks. The place is very solemn and quiet. 

           I was also blessed to pray together with the Benedictine monks. I think we were called for prayers at 5am and 5pm. I was able to meditate and think of my spiritual relationship with God. I guess as a traveller, I should not only invest in going to places because of Pop Cuture, but rather invest on journeys that would make us reflect more about ourselves and our spiritual side with the Lord. No amount of money, nor any experience could top that.

note : From what I have observed the Benedictine monks and the nuns are very kind and humorous. They observe strict guidelines when it comes to vespers but after the vespers they crack a lot of jokes.  They are easy to talk to and very approachable. I’m sure they are more than willing to accommodate any one who would like to have a religious journey at this place.

[nisayumul]

KETCHUP FOOD COMMUNITY, BAGUIO CITY

KETCHUP Food Community is a community of five different restaurants.  This is an amazing idea for people may order and enjoy the dishes of five different restaurants at the same time.  There's a  bill board map inside in so you will not get lost. I really want to thank Arni for referring this food community to me.

 These are the different restaurants:

Ranche Norte -serves Filipino food and Filipno exotic food. I haven't tried it though.

Happy Tummy - serves Thai cuisine. I heard the Fried Tilapia is delicious. I saw that it is really huge. Unfortunately I haven't tried it yet. 

Green Pepper- serves gourmet pasta. 

Rumah State - serves Indo -Malaysian dishes

Canto - serves American dishes. 

Luckily for us we were able to try three different restaurants Green Pepper, Rumah State and Canto. 

Canto is known for their ribs and burgers as stated by my friend Arni. One thing to take note in Canto is that their  service needs improvement. I hope they can add more waiters.  I remember  one lady was yelling to the waiter and asking why  their order took so long to be delivered. 

The restaurant created this  ambiance of eating in the garden with lots of flowers where Baguio is known for and  pebbled rocks on the floor. 

This is the blue gulaman. This costs around 20 pesos per glass. I tasted lychee juice it has sago and nata de coco in it. I am really curious why this drink is colored blue. 

The half- slab of ribs. When my friend Arni texted me and told me that this costs 190 pesos I could not believe it. I thought that they would serve miniature rack of ribs. But when  I saw the waiters served this dish to other hungry customers, we ( my family and I ) could not believe it.  The honey bourbon rack of ribs is one of the best ribs I have tasted. I would always come back in Baguio just for that. The salad is also delicious.  There is a little surprise to the salad because it tasted a bit nutty yet it blended with the cheese and tomatoes. Funny thing that the nutty and crunchy taste  is because of the crushed peanut brittle they put in the salad. This dish also comes with either mashed potatoes or rice. 

Arni also recommended that I try their hamburgers.  Ye lettus they are also darn good. This hamburger dish tasted like one of those  wham burgers only less saltier.  The hamburger also has tomato, lettuce, mustard, ketchup like in wham. However the cheese they used is cheddar.  The fries are pretty common but they quite okay I guess.

FROM GREEN PEPPER : 

Green pepper as stated is known for their pasta dishes. 

This is the chicken pesto pasta. I think this costs less than 200 pesos.  I can say that it is a common pesto that restaurants all over the country serve. But what I like about this dish is that the pesto is not too strong. It is flavorful and the grated cheese  complements the pesto. 

FROM 

We requested that the chicken be separated from the pasta. It still  tasted good. I am usually not a fan of chicken breast because it's not usually flavorful. But Green Pepper made the white meat tender, juicy, savory and flavorful.

FROM RUMAH STATE

`This is called laksa.  This is a popular dish in Singapore. It is made up of noodles coconut milk, hard boiled , egg ,shrimps, some squid or fishballs, tofu, herbs, togue. One thing to take note is that laksa is very creamy, yet spicy. We ( my family and I) love laksa so much.  Their laksa is a bit mild which is good because kids can also enjoy the dish.  This is  unlike the other laksas I have tasted which  are very strong and not enjoyable to kids.

There are still lots to try in the Ketchup Community and I will always come back for more. I will always give you updates too :)

For more information :

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ketchup-The-Food-Community/188561991243684

[nisayumul]

SAGE, MILITARY CUT -OFF BAGUIO CITY

Chhristmas is just right around the corner , or at least a few days away. We ( my family and I) usually spend most of our  Christmas holidays in Baguio because of it's cold climate.  It's  one of the closest thing to having a white Christmas.  Fortunately , I have found another restaurant for people who would like to go to Baguio this holiday. Actually, this restaurant was referred to me by my friend Arni.  

SAGE , in Philosophy this means " a wise person" . This is a new resto cafe established by  Engineer William Sy and his family. I really had no idea that  Engineer greeted my father, and that my father has lots of friends in Baguio City.  

I think I can describe Sage as the "Mary Grace of Baguio". One thing you'll love about Sage is their interior design , creating this illusion that you  are in your grandmother's house.  In terms of service, I can say that Sage like Mary Grace  give a good service. 

Their water is always served with Oranges, and Lemons and mint to create that refreshing feeling. 

Shrimp pomelo with Thai dressing. I  think this is new in their menu. I love the vinaigrette and sesame seeds blends with the pomelo , lettuce and cucumber  to create that nutty after taste. I also loved  the shrimps. They perfectly blend in the dish. I think we ordered two of these salad dishes. 

Shrimp in Pesto, according to the menu this costs around 180 pesos.  I love this pesto dish. I think this is different from the pesto dishes in metro manila where metro pestos are always served with green pasta and lots of cheese. This Pesto dish is very light yet flavorful. The fettucini is very soft . The basil is not really strong but blends perfectly with the pasta and the shrimps.  I remember when we are this dish we could not stop asking for more that we had to order three Shrimp in Pesto pasta.  

Shakes cost 80 pesos. 

Lemon Grass Tea costs 80 pesos. It is usually served hot but the waiter suggested that it is better 

Another cool thing about this place is their all day breakfast menu. This is their  Bagus Ala Pobre dish which costs 120 pesos.

Thisis the Beef Salpicao dish which costs 140 pesos. I guess the beef was  tender and the marinade was not overempowering. 

Classic Chicken Adobo with Garlic Rice. This costs around 120 pesos. The chicken was tender and well cooked.  The taste of the adobo is one of the usual adobo. I usually want  Adobo cooked in the Kapampangan way but this is also fine.

Barbequed Spareribs this costs 210pesos.  I love the marinade an the tenderness of the pork spareribs. I also loved the salad and the sweet barbeque sauce dip. 

FISH AND CHIPS . This costs 180 pesos.  This is breaded cream dory with tar tar sauce. I loved how they cooked the cream dory crispy on the outside but soft  inside.  I love how the tar tar sauce is not to strong. I loved the salad with their garlic mayo. I usually hate mayo because most mayos are strong but this one is not. I also loved their chips. The chips are so crispy and flavorful. 

I encourage everyone to try Sage . It is really a wise choice. 

For more information check their facebook page : 

https://www.facebook.com/sagebaguio

[nisayumul]

LOLA CORAZON,TALANG-CANDABA PAMPANGA

It's already sembreak and the best get away from the city life you could have ,is to spend your days drenched in a pool, feeling the airy wind, meditating yourself to the calm nature of the provincial life. Unfortunately, for me this is only a memoir for I went to this place during summer. But for my readers, I encourage you to go to Lola Corazon Leisure Farm.

This is the Lola Corazon Leisure Farm.It is a resort, function hall, and a hotel at the same time.  It really seemed quite far from Metro Manila. I really find it amazing that somewhere in Candaba there exists a really grand resort. We came here for an overnight summer company get-away of my mother's company.  It was at night when we arrived so we enjoyed the overnight swim.  The place is really wide and huge.  There are about two wide pools. However I think there's a curfew on swimming the pool. 

There are also lots of cottage huts. I remember we were the only ones in this resort so we had the opportunity of enjoying the accommodations, and recreational areas of this resort.  

I love the creek made inside of this farm. It matches the beautiful view of the stars at night. 

I love the duyan. I could just fall asleep here.  FYI: Beside this duyan are the billards tables. 

This is the wide play field.  My mother's employees used this as their own challenge ground for their games and dance performances.  

I think this resort is almost a perfect place to relax because the commodities are complete. The only problem we had are the rooms. The rooms are only separated by plywoods covered with woven banigs. We kept on hearing the neighbors conversations all through out the entire night. It's like a radio turned on for the entire night. It's a bit hard to sleep. I hope they can do something about that because that's the only problem with this resort.

For inquiries and reservations try clicking the link below: 

http://lolacorazon.com/page.php?page_id=9

[nisayumul]

DAY 3 SAGADA ADVENTURE

For travelers and fellow anthropologist and future travellers, you must take note that the road to Sagada is a perilous road. Thank God with lots of prayer we we're able to arrive safely is and go back to Manila safely.  The road to Sagada is only a one-sided lane that is at the edge of the mountains wherein two opposite cars have to give way.  Sagada is only for people who would like to be adventurous. I really wish that the road to Sagada would  be fixed so that people won't have a hard time going there because it is a tourist attraction.  Enough about ranting... let's go to the real adventure! 

According to bloggers, and adventurous netizens these are the things you should try in Sagada ( not ranked by any order): 

1.Hiking in the Echo Valley 

The journey to Echo valley is really a tough road. You really must be equipped with proper energy,  lots of sleep and water to get through it. You also needed to go through their American War cemetery before you get to Echo valley. It's really a LOONG JOURNEY DOWN. But what is really cool is the acoustics of the echo whenever you shout. Of course other travelers from the other side will also shout back. It's really funny. I remember shouting all of my heartaches to this Echo Valley and releasing all the anger which is really cool. Oh the view of the Echo Valley is really nice. 

2.Visiting the Hanging Coffins 

The Hanging Coffins is located at the end of the Echo Valley. This is where the ancestors place their mummified corpse in order to preserve the corpse. The tour guide told us that they place chairs on the hanging coffins because they believed that the dead will need to sit or to rest from travelling in the after life.  He also told us that it is not anymore practical to carry all the corpse and hang the coffins that's why they have their own cemetery. I think there about 19 coffins. But there's another hanging coffins located at  another mountain. 

3.  Swimming at the Bomod-Ok Falls  

The journey to Bomod-ok falls involves hiking, slippery slope, one-step roads.  But I really love it before you journey down the falls, you will see the wonderful view of the rice terraces. I really loved this experience, and swimming at the falls that is ever so cold! Just imagine you are at the mountains with a very cold temperature of 18-20 degrees celsius and then you would  swim at the falls with ice cold fresh water... Woohoo!!  

4. Eating their Halo -Halo

  I learned about their halo-halo from my social anthropology professor Miss Buenafe. She told us that the halo-halo in Sagada is different from any other halo-halo. True! Their halo-halo has pasta macaroni in it. It has melon and avocado. It even has a stick-o at the top. Oh and the sugar they use is an arnival not the regular table sugar. I encourage every one to try their halo-halo it's soo cool. I think it costs about 25 pesos. 

5. Dining Yogurt House  

Descriptions of the Yogurt House can be read at my previous blogs. 

6. Lemon Pie House 

  One thing you should do whenever yo go to Sagada is to buy their Lemon Pie. I do not think that there's a place in Metro Manila that can serve their Lemon Pie.  Their lemon pie is creamy, and fluffy it has a baked whipped foam at the top with drizzle of caramelized sugar. I would always come back for this. If I could only buy a dozen boxes to have a one year storage for these babies , I would. 

7.  Dining at Salt and Pepper  

This resto is elaborated in my previous blogs. 

8. Eating the Binalog 

Binalog is a  mixture of boiled corn and sugar. You can buy it at the central market. However, it is always sold out. I wasn't able to try it :(

9. Eating the Pinikpikan 

I think most of the restaurants serve this however there is only one place where the Pinikpikan is their specialty. I think it's called Pinikpikan's, and this is owned by a foreigner. The Pinikpikan is a fried chicken dish, but the difference is on the way of slaughtering the chicken.  They usually beat up the chicken until it dies. They say that the more aggregate blood coming out of the chicken's blood vessels the more delicious it gets. I really do not know but I wasn't able to taste that because my family are afraid of tasting it. Boohoo...

10.   White River Rafting  

This is a new adventure offered in Sagada, better ask the tour guide how to sign up for this adventure. It is so new that I wasnt able to try it out... LOLS!

11.  Caving in Sumaguing Cave 

I tried this adventure when I was in first year college with my block mates.  I think this about a 30 minute adventure.  The caves are remarkable. It has a very golden brown color and with different shapes and sizes. What I really like about the Sumaguing Cave is the ice cold water inside the cave. You feel so refreshed even the tiresome caving adventure. 

For what it's worth, Sagada is an adventure of a lifetime. It's better to enjoy it while you're still young! It is an unforgettable, breath-taking experience. 

[nisayumul]

YOGURT HOUSE, SAGADA

I came to know about this place because this is where our professor took us when we had our field work. This Yogurt House is quite famous in the North.Even the people in Baguio, whenever they talk about Sagada. The Yogurt House would always pop into their minds.  Of  course, what is famous is their Yogurt but that's not the only reason why the people love to eat in Yogurt House.  The food is great but expensive. 

  We REALLY REALLY LOVED THIS VEGETARIAN DISH they claimed.  I do not think I have found a similar dish that they prepared. This is like ratatouille pasta. Grilled eggplants. Fettuchini pasta. Fresh tomato/ marinara sauce. And lots of cheese. I remember my sister had to order three of these babies. Because it's just so darn good. But I think this costs around 215 pesos. If I am not mistaken. 

Of course the YOGURT. In order to appreciate this yogurt, you must first be a yogurt lover. People who are not accustomed to real yogurt, would not understand that yogurts are supposed to be sour but creamy.  The good thing in yogurt house is that they had different kinds of yogurts, from strawberry, to banana with berries, banana etc.  You should take note that you had to mix the yogurt and the berries and add a bit of sugar before eating this. It's sort of like a halo-halo. 

This is their breaded pork cooked with butter. I guess the taste is pretty common. The gravy is also common in taste. But the vegetables  were good and fresh especially the mashed potatoes.  This meal is worth 200 pesos and I do not recommend for you to eat this. 

One thing to note about the food in the mountains is that they usually serve organic rice. I think this is a good thing because organic rice is  quite expensive in Metro Manila. This is their beef stir fried dish. I honestly do not know how to explain the weird taste of this dish. It's beef stir fried with red sauce. I really would not recommend this dish. It costs about 215 pesos, I think.

This is our list favorite dish -The Java Chicken.  I think this is a bit of putrid. They cooked this with butter and ginger. It's really weird. But I do love the sauerkraut side dish. I love the root beet mixed with the sauerkraut.   

I guess it would be better if you will eat pasta and yogurt in the Yogurt House because that is their specialty. But I really do not recommend their rice meals. 

[nisayumul]

SALT AND PEPPER, SAGADA

Sagada is a very small community. There's this one street where all the restaurants and the souvenirs can be found.  I would like to reiterate that the food in Sagada is quite expensive. For instance, if you have a family of 6-7 persons you must be prepared to spend atleast 1k everytime you eat out. And usually you eat out since, it is very rare that the hotels allow you to cook your own food.  But there are restaurants that are equitable. One of these is the Salt and Pepper Diner.

I love this quote which reminds me of being a quasi-anthropologist. I guess the people in Sagada are very accustomed to anthropologists and travelers who would go to Sagada for an adventure. The people in Sagada would usually impose that the travellers would adjust to the food and not the other way around.

What is really cool about this place, is that it is located at the second floor of the building. You can see the view of the street and  the Sagada community.

We really love their omelettes. This is their tuna omelette. What we love with their omelettes is the oozing cheddar cheese inside the omelette. It makes the omelette creamier. Unfortunately these are the only photos we have of the Salt and Pepper diner. I think this costs about 120 pesos.  But they also have other dishes American and Filipino. They also sell honey, and other pastries.

If ever you decided to go to Sagada and have an adventure, and wanted to eat an "equitable meal", be sure to check out Salt and Pepper. 

[nisayumul]

ARCHOG INN AND RESTAURANT , BONTOC

Archog is a hotel and restaurant for the people who are traveling from Botoc to Banaue.

 It looks like a simple inn with lots of photos from Bontoc, Sagada, and Banaue. The room there is not expensive I think they charge Php 1400 pesos per night for a room good for 5 people.

 The food there is very Filipino but they also have American cuisine. The serving there is always good for two.  We ordered Sinigang na Baboy, Buttered Shrimp, Seafood Surprise, Salad,  etc. One thing to take note is that the food in the mountains are expensive. Really, I'm not kidding. But most of the food is really delicious. Travelers can relate to the cuisine of the people from the mountains. 

The buttered shrimp is cooked properly. However we ( my family and I) find it a bit  small for a price that is almost worth 200 pesos. 

Ah! The Sinigang. We love their sinigang how the soup is just so creamy and sour. I remember we ordered this dish twice because we just love eating it.

  The salad is like one of those home prepared salad. Only they gave us two different sauces for the salad with parmesian cheese  which is a thousand Island sauce, and an Italian vinegrette. But we ordered for caesar salad. Of course, I cannot complain, since it is hard to find a place to eat which serves good food in Bontoc.  I remember we left this place with happy smiles and big bellies. 

I encourage all the north travellers to try eating here in Bontoc.