Foodtrip, Inc. Part 3

In continuation of our eating spree we forced our friend, the Board Topnotcher to treat us to dinner at my behest. Of all the restaurants that line Technohub we dined at Kanin Club, where I initially hesitated because I thought they only serve kanin. Pathetic.

The beef steak and the binagoongan were good and it became clear to me why they call themselves Kanin Club. It's because they make you eat rice a lot. Ironically, there's nothing special in it. When I'm very hungry it's all the same to me.

We also set out to try the cakes at Maginhawa in UP Village. The original plan was to try the ice cream frozen by liquid nitrogen (if you worry about toxicity, liquid nitrogen is harmless in this particular) however their small store was already crowded with customers and we can't get in. I tried their Brazo de Mercedes and my friend tried the decadent chocolate cake. Based on our reactions, we did not regret not going for the ice cream. 

The cake shop (I forgot the name, goodness) in Maginhawa was small but neat, has nice, soft lighting and relatively quiet. They have books and boardgames stacked in one corner together with colored pens which you use in case you want to pin a shoutout or message in their wall.

Did I posted something? Of course, I did. I was hoping that the right person might be able to read it but ironically I posted it there because I am sure he won't.

Anyway I have mentioned the delectable halo-halo of Razon's but the conventional halo-halo must be found. We had it at Icebergs at SM North Edsa after watching Dark Shadows which was very, very dark except for Johnny Depp. The movie was overrated because he was there and I swear I wished I watched the Avengers for the second time instead. 

Beside the halo-halo is the fries.

One interesting find in UP Shopping Center: Korean ice cream sandwich. Didn't really try it because I'd rather spend my money on Rodic's tapsilog but my friends say it was great.

On my last dinner date with friends before going back to Dipolog we tried KKK at SM North Edsa. I don't know what message they were trying to deliver but during that time I was as hungry as a Katipunero. There was a battlecry of hunger and as their slogan suggests, a food revolution. 

Indeed, the pinakbet and kaldereta served by waiters dressed as Katipuneros were great. Don't read that wrong. The pinakbet and kaldereta were great, not the waiters dressed as Katipuneros. 

Right now I am looking forward to coming back and be with my friends for another foodtrip. I slunked home with a heavy heart because I haven't tried that famous isaw of Mang Larry! Ha ha.

Foodtrip, Inc. Part 2

Again, my friend, one of the Jessicii met up together with college friends at Greenbelt for dinner. (By the way she earlier asked why I call her one of the Jessicii. The Jessicii is actually a group of people whose names are, obviously, Jessica. They initially comprise of Jessica Soho, Jessica Zafra, Jessica Sanchez, etc. She noted how these Jessica's are excellent in their field and what that implies.) After a deliberation of impeachment trial in magnitude we settled for Italiani's and I immediately observed that even if I apply as dishwasher I would never pass. 

The pizza and pasta were great. Not done yet, to an Italiano. Finally I knew why there is a thing as Pinoy style in such food. What caught my taste instead were the signs painted on the high-end restaurant's walls. My friends asked if I knew their translations. I said I quite do. This one means "In wine there is truth."

The service was great, though. And they have great bread. We didn't try any of their desserts so I made up for it the following day by trying I Heart Froyo at Maginhawa in Quezon City just a ride from U.P. Campus. The original plan was to go out for milk tea, which everyone is dying to drink. In the end, I had banana milk tea from Moonleaf and my friend settled with the froyo. I enjoyed the milk tea but it could have been better if I did away with the black pearls. They're a nuisance. 

The following day we had early dinner at Pizza Hut but I was not able to take pictures because I was too busy delivering pick-up lines to the cute waiter for the sake of fun. Asking if he could take my plate after I was done eating I said, "You can take everything from me."

More to come!

Foodtrip, Inc.

In my short stay in Manila I am almost sure that I cannot stand living in this city for good. The noise, the pollution, the hassle and the heat that makes me wonder whether I am in Earth or in the surface of the sun are enough to convince me that nothing beats life in the province.

But one thing can make me stay. It's the food. There are a lot of food in Manila that are not in the provinces ranging from the apparently delicious to the ones you only buy out of curiosity. 

We went to try J.Co Donuts. I have resolved to try them when I read about Jessica Zafra's review of the donuts. My friend said they have great iced choco and that the best tasting donut is Al Capone. Yes they have unique donut names from stars the likes of Drew Berrymore, Berry Spears, etc. No, the book by Suzanne Collins is not part of the order. 

I have longed to try Wendy's because it was endorsed by Regine Velasquez in the '90s. You remember the high pitched "It's the best time for Wendy's?" By the way the fries were excellent and I thought they're going to drown me in sundae.

We also set out to try Yoshinoya, a Japanese restaurant, obviously. Meals come in bento boxes and they offer desserts like green tea flavored ice cream. All of us except one detested the ice cream. They said it was like eating cold wasabe with cream. I thought I was eating algae.

A friend boasted to me the famous Churros at Dulcinea. While eating I remembered Dulcinea is a character of the film adaptation of Don Quixote. Dulcinea del Toboso was played by Vanessa Williams in the Peter Yates film starring John Lithgow as Don Quixote. 

More to come!

The best kare-kare in town.

 Kare-kare

 Ox tongue

Coffee-oke.

I believe shouting is therapeutic. When all of a sudden the worlds pins you down, and you get to eat dirt from all the distress, shouting at the top of your lungs seems to expel all the stress out. See how Regine does it, with musicality of course. ( And for the record, it's belt, not shout.)

Nasyonalismo at ang Puso mo.

Hindi ko alam kung maituturing bang karumal-dumal na karanasan ang sa ami'y kamakailan lamang na nangyari. 

Halos mag-aalas nwebe na ng gabi ng makumpleto ang aming grupong hayok na hayok na sa pagkain na kahit siguro'y isang buong buhay na manok ay kayang kayang lamunin ng hindi pinapatawad kahit ang bahaging ipinangalan sa isang brand ng sapatos. Dahil nararamdaman namin na kami'y sosyal (affluent kumbaga) noong gabing yaon, napagpasyahan naming huwag munang sugurin ang bulalo sa talipapa at sa halip ay magtungo sa isang sosyal umano na restaurant, ay hindi, cafe and diner pala, odibaaa!!. Sadyang nakaeenganyo ang air con sa panahon ngayong pati ang problema mo sa lovelife ay binabaling sa global warming.

In search of a clean, well-lighted place in hopes of memorizing the ChE code of ethics

We found ourselves hopping from one coffee shop to another, until we finally settled for Aruma. I refused with the idea of  reading at coffee shops at first, thinking that it was not my idea of a clean, well-lighted place. (I suggested Jollibee, if you must ask. Don't laugh. I'm quite serious.) I found out later that I was right. The lights are not as intense as that in the aforementioned fastfood chain. It's relatively dimmer. However the ambience was infinitely more relaxing and that fact beats everything. 

The deliberate misspelling is ingenious. It almost sounds like the repeated syllables of a Lady Gaga song. The place wasn't so large by the way and that actually makes it homely. There are plenty of magazines (Mostly for men. No. Not anatomy magazines for men. Gadgets, tailored suits, etc. They could also pass for men's interests. Duh.)

We settled for the part beside the wall, where we stood to take the picture above.It is because the couch was more comfortable albeit you want to read intently. Also, the table design is interesting. Look.

I wonder if these are real coffee beans. Nevertheless, I never placed my things on top of it for a while. I took time to revel at the artwork. (For a coffee lover, it is.) But of course we never forgot what we came here for. (No, not the code of ethics.) I ordered an Aruma Jelly Frappe and my friend, Madam, bought me a banoffee pie. Banofee is an apocopation of banana and coffee. True enough, there's banana, coffee and of course chocolate in every bite. 

I would dare to say my sweet tooth was overworked. The pie was too sweet I could become hyperglycemic. I was a little disappointed with the frappe. I couldn't taste the coffee distinctly enough. Later, I realized i should have bought the caramel one. The taste of coffee in here was more pronounced.

What about the code of ethics? Well, I perused the photocopy haphazardly. I never got it all absorbed during the Aruma stay. The experience and the company of my friends was overpowering and in a general sense, more important.

I decided that I would go back. But I would never bring school stuff over.