Baguio City: Revisited

After about ten years, we visited Baguio City again this time with our two kids, Geof and Julia last May 3-6, 2009. We want to share this photo diary of our short vacation at Baguio City. We will feature our Baguio experience regarding travel, lodging, food and attractions in future blogs. Watch-out for them in the coming days.

Hooked on the The 39 CLUES

After reading The 39 Clues (Book 1) The Maze of Bones - read the review of Book 1 in this blogsite - Geof, Daddy and I got hooked on the adventure book. Photo: Father and son may not agree on the team to cheer during the UAAP Basketball games between Ateneo and La Salle, but they agree that The 39 Clues is an engaging and exciting book to read.

In these books, Amy and Dan Cahill, and their au pair, Nellie and the other teams (all related to the Cahill's) are in search of 39 clues to become the "richest, most important people in history." The 39 Clues (Book 2) - One False Note brings the readers to Vienna, Austria and Venice, Italy to unravel a clue related to a music composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In The 39 Clues (Book 3) - The Sword Thief , the Cahills track the life of one of the world's most fearsome warriors in Tokyo, Japan and were led to Korea to find the 3rd clue.

The 39 Clues is so popular that they are out of stock in local bookstores. We had to ask our friends to buy a copy of Book 3 in Malaysia during their tour there (and the copy they bought was the last copy in the bookstore in Malaysia - The 39 clues is really popular everywhere).

ROC: A New Resto at UP Diliman

Another restaurant was born at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. ROC restaurant is located at the left side, ground floor of the UP Bahay ng Alumni near the Veteran's Bank just below the second floor branch of Chocolate Kiss, another resto which serves delicious cakes, honey sweetened iced tea and good dishes.

ROC's menu consists of fusion Filipino dishes. We ordered lechon kawali with kangkong and gata sauce, Dory fish wrapped in creamy spinach and garlic chicken fillet. Dishes at ROC's are prepared ala French style, the only difference is the taste and ingredients - their sauce use ingredients like gata and the vegetable side dishes are pumpkins, carrots and green beans. In general, we enjoyed the unique and tasty food we ordered. However, when we tried one of their chocolate cakes, we think the cakes from Chocolate Kiss are better. ROC's was still in its soft opening stage when we went there last April 2009. So expect new recipes and changes in their menu as they recieve feedback from their costumers. We are looking forward to try their other food choices.

J-Drama "Shiroi Kyoto": Power, Politics & Ethics in the Medical Profession

As earlier declared in this blog, we are Japanese drama-addicts. Recently, we followed a very engaging Japanese medical series, "Shiroi Kyoto" or The Great White Tower at DramaCrazy.net. The story revolves around Zaizen Goro, a highly-skilled and ambitious surgeon specializing in cancer-removal, and his alter-ego Dr. Shuji Satomi. Both characters are into cancer treatment - Zaizen is a brilliant surgeon while Satomi is physician devoted to reseach, but their methods, ethics, and goals are poles apart. Yet, typical of an oriental drama, the yin-yang philosophy was the unmistakable undercurrent in the story. Zaizen and Satomi, while very different from each other (Zaizen is a realist while Satomi is an idealist), are drawn to each other like forever-quarreling brothers that have umblical cords that can't be separated.

The plot thickens when Zaizen, driven by ambition, moved mountains to get the professorship position in the Surgery Dept. of the Naniwa Medical School. He used all kinds of tactics and strategies, most of which are ethically questionable, to achive his goal. The story allows the viewers to peak into the politics and power-play of doctors, stripping them of the usual bright-eyed nobility associated with the profession. It also tackled the controversial issue of medical malpractice and how doctors close-ranks to protect their own.

The beauty of the drama is that it was able to develop the context and motivation of each character that one cannot villify a character for his/her action(s). No episode was dull as each draws and engages viewers as the story unfolds. Shiroi Kyoto was awarded as the best drama, best director and best screenplay at the 40th TV Drama Awards 2003 in Japan.

All You Can Eat & Drink at BIGOLI

By accident we discovered Bigoli, an Italian fastfood, while looking for a still open resto one evening at Trinoma, QC (4th Level). It was well lit and has an inviting ambiance (or maybe we were just hungry :-). They repertoire consists of pasta, pizza and soup dishes. We ordered fetuccini with white sauce and a "set-menu" that consists of veggie salad, minestrone soup, and rolled pizza. When our order came, the attendant gave us a twirled bread stick to go with the pasta. We didn't pay much attention to it until, when the breadstick was gone, the attendant approached us again to offer new ones. Yes, they offer unlimited breadsticks when you order a pasta or soup dish! Then there's the drinks - it's a self-service style where they only give you the glass when you order (P50) and you can choose any soda, iced tea, or juice - it's drink 'til you drop, baby!

We were satisfied with the food and price that we visited it again. It was on this visit that we learned about their "great pizza challenge." For P199.00, they challenge you to an all-you-can- eat-pizza for the record. Last time we were there, the holder was a nursing / medical student who consumed 25 slices of pizza (beat that, anyone?)

Their pasta dishes, priced between P150 - P300 (usually for a set), are within the same price range as other pizza-pasta resto, except that Bigoli offers big servings, free bread sticks and unlimited drinks. You really will go home with a filled tummy - we did!

Tasty Cantonese Food at Luk Foo

Chine restos abound in Manila, but Luk Foo Cantonese Kitchen is among our favorites. The food tastes good and the service is great. Our favorite dishes include yang chow rice, wanton soup. spinach soup, pancit canton, Japanese noodles, fish fillet tausi, brocolli with seafood, squid and vegetable cake. The vegetables like brocolli or pechay are alway fresh when served. The shrimps in the vegetable dishes are relatively large and tasty. The service is excellent - the manager, waiter or waitress is always on the look-out to take your order or to provide for your needs. In general, Luk Foo's dishes are better as compared to other Chinese restos we have visited. Price range is from P150 - P300.00. Luk Foo can be found in almost Pure Gold Supermarket establishments like in Commonwealth ave or Araneta ave.

A Relaxing Day at Ace Water Spa

During Holy Week, we usually stay in Manila to avoid the traffic and jampacked resorts. Last Holy Wednesday, our family enjoyed the hydrotherapy massage at ACE Water Spa along Del Monte Ave., Quezon City. Kids, adults and senior citizens will enjoy about 20 different types of hydro massages utilizing aquatic jets aimed to relax and soothe tired and aching muscles at the lower and upper parts of the body, foot, head and buttocks. You can dip in the hot herbally scented pools with varying temperatures (36, 38 and 40 degrees C) for a few minutes and then soak in ice cold water (wow!). There is also a sauna. Kids will enjoy floating around a lazy river using floaters. After four hours of hydrotherapy massage for a fee of P550.00 for adults and P250.00 for kids (less than 4 ft), you will feel rejunevated and relaxed. You will also feel hungry and a good meal is something that you will enjoy looking forward to.

Manila International Auto Show 2009

We visited the Manila International Auto Show 2009 at the World Trade Center last April 4, 2009. We noticed a lot of new cars from China - Foton, Lifan, Peri, Chana Starlight including REVAi's electric car. Subaru, Nissan, Dodge, Chryler, Mercedes-Benz, Hyundai, Mistubishi, BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar, Mazda, Chevrolet, Honda were represented in the show. Toyota cars were missing in this show. There was also a custom classic car competition which features customized and restored vehicles - among them was a VW Beetle limousine. The photographers were busy taking pictures not of the cars but of the pretty and sexy models posing infront of the expensive sedans and automobiles.

Our Survey says ...Pizza Hut, BK, Jollibee, KFC & Max's are Favorites

We conducted a survey recently about fastfoods for "pizza & pasta", "burger & fries" and "chicken." The survey ran for more than two months. Here is the verdict from our readers. You may view the results at the left side of this blog site.

Which "Burger and Fries" fastfood is your favorite? No. 1 Answer: BURGER KING (with 13 votes out of 32 or 40%). McDonald's is 2nd (with 11 votes or 34%). It's really a very stiff competition between the two restos. Jollibee came 3rd with only 5 votes or 15%.

Which "Pizza & Pasta" fastfood is your favorite? No. 1 Answer: PIZZA HUT (with 12 votes out of 31 or 38%). There is a siginificant number of 7 votes for "none of the above" or 22%. There seems to be alternatives to the three choices: Greenwich, Shakey's and Pizza Hut. I thought of possible fastfood alternatives and the list of italian restos includes Yellow Cab, Amici, Old Spaghetti House, California Pizza Kitchen, Chef d'Angelo, Don Henrico's, A Venetto Pizzeria, Sbarro .. the list seems endless. There is a very tough competition in this area.

If you want to eat chicken, where will you go? Top 3 Answers: JOLLIBEE, MAX's and KFC.

The 3 restos were tied with 10 votes out of 22 or 45%. The top 3 restos have their own unique way of serving their fried chicken. Jollibee is wellknown for the crispy chickenjoy and the gravy. KFC, of course, has its own preparation of its original fried chicken (not crispy) but soft and tasty especially when eaten with its gravy. While Max's "sarap to the bones" fried chicken is best eaten with ketchup and worcestershire sauce.

The Relevance of Jose "Pepe" Diokno

You may be wondering what's this post about Jose "Pepe" Diokno, senator, nationalist, public servant, human rights lawyer, educator and scholar doing in this blog? Well, we believe that "Living the Good Life" encompasses ones social, political and economic activities. Our daily living is very much affected by the kind of government and politicians we have. Jose Diokno's speeches and writings which can be found in his book "A Nation for Our Children" are very much relevant in our country's present condition. His words can serve as inspiration to the present generation and admonishment to the current breed of politicians.

When it comes to "living a goodlife", he says: "Why be honest, when it pays to become dishonest? Why fight for others when they won’t fight with you? – or even for themselves? … the answer lies in what life means to you. If life means having a good time, money, fame, power, security – then you don’t need principles; all you need are techniques. On the other hand, if happiness counts more than a good time, respect more than fame, right more than power and peace of soul more than security; if death doesn’t end life but transforms it, then you must be true to yourself and to God …”

Jose Diokno is a peacemaker and a nonviolent freedom fighter. “If resort to violence is natural in man, so are attempts to control it. Man wants to live, but he also wants to live well. Life is not worth living, if he must live under the constant lash of fear. Violence is a part of life, yes. But to tame violence is to civilize life.”

To him, addressing the problems of discontent and insurgency in the country can be found in our fundamental, basic human rights - “Food and freedom, jobs and justice – these are the keys to peace." Sadly, Diokno lamented, many people are not aware of their basic human rights and freedoms much less of ways to enforce them. “If we do not struggle with all that we have and do all that we can to vindicate our rights, we do not only condemn our rights to death; we also condemn our hopes and our dreams, our present, and our children’s future.” Diokno has an alternative view on how to measure development. For him, development means " developing a better people – people with a conscience, people with a heart, people with the guts to stand up and defend their rights."

A Nation for Our Children — a collection of Jose W. Diokno’s essays and speeches on human rights, nationalism, and Philippine sovereignty — was published in 1987 by the Diokno Foundation. http://www.diokno.org/a-nation-for-our-children/. (Maybe it's useful to give our politicians a copy of this book to remind them that nobility lies in genuinely serving the people -not lining their pockets.)

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Jose Diokno: A Nation for our Children from andyoreta.

Our Favorites at Lola Idang's

Kare-kare, pritong tilapia, lumpiang sariwa, pritong hito, pancit canton. These are our all time favorites everytime we go to Lola Idang's, a small restaurant along Visayas Avenue. The kare-kare has a thick yellow-orange peanut paste, with chunks of beef (meat and "twalya" or the intestine linings) , veggies and accompanied by bagoong (shrimp paste). While we wish the veggies are more generous, we couldn't really complain given the very low-price they charge for each serving. The taste is what we're after.

The pritong tilapia and hito are crunchy and tasty, and Geof's (predictable) order. The fresh lumpia is made of "ubod" and topped with thick, brown sauce with peanuts. The pancit canton is also good. They also have pancit-malabon sa bilao for big groups or to-go for those who wish to serve them at home.

They serve their food in plates covered with banana-leaves for that 'homey' feel. The interiors are simple and pleasing, too - the inside wall is covered with drawings ala Larry Alcala's, depicting a regular day along Proj. 6-Visayas Ave, with "Lola Idang's" store at the hub.

In general, we've never been dissapointed with all the food that we order in this resto, making this among our favorites.

The price range of the food at Lola Idang's is from PhP 55 to PhP 200.00 - really affordable by today's standards. With 3 adults and 2 kids, and side orders of shing-a-ling (crispy-fried noodles) and pastillas de leche, my P500 even has a few coins for change.

Lola Idang's is near the Shell Gasoline station and beside the South Star Drug along Visayas Ave.

Adarna, a time-warp with food and history

Slide Album: Adarna Fodd & Culture

We had lunch today at a place called "Adarna - Food and Culture" along Kalayaan Ave., Quezon City - just a short walk from Trellis and opposite Kamay-Kainan.

The walls of the place were designed with wooden window covers, those with a checkered pattern with flat capiz placed in each small square. When we got inside, it was like a mini-museum of everything old. There are old newspapers, old pictures, posters, old money, old home-pieces (like a 100-yr old piano that's still working), a manual flat-iron (where burning charcoal is placed inside for heat), a very old wooden clock that's still working, big glass jars (the same jar containers for the 3-for-5 centavos texas gums and the red bubble gum in the corner sari-sari store of "Mang Inong" when I was 7).

In their function rooms, there was an old black and white TV (the one with the wooden cover and with a dial to change channels), an old phonograph, and a film-projector. There were also pictures of actors and actresses when they were still young - Susan Roces, Vilma Santos, Rogelio dela Rosa, Edgar Mortiz, Nida Blanca, Nora Aunor, Tirso Cruz III, Nestor de Villa .... the experience of looking at all these was like being in a time-warp. It brought me back to my younger years, when I was tugging along my Nanay Ching as she watches her favorite TV shows.

The dining experience. The tables and chairs are solid-wood, those we usually see in old houses, with intricate wood carvings. The table-cloth and the dish used really reminded me of the old house of my lola (bless her soul). The dish were old china and the glass coasters were crochetted.

The food menu - with their description - was reminiscent of the late Doreen Fernandez and her penchance for ascertaining the original recipe and origin of each dish. Adarna offers specialty dishes from different parts of the country, boasting of preparing each dish to its old/original preparation. Some of the food I find interesting are Pancit musiko (Ilocano noodle soup), Sigarillas salad, Lumpia Freska Kabitenya, Pamplina (that allegedly dates back to the Galleon Trade), Tagalog Pochero, Pancit 1913, Pancit Anamita 1930, Pancit Tondo 1800, Kesong puti and Langka fry, Plantanillos con Manga (Pinoy's version of crepe), Felicidad (cold drink of eggs, cream, milk, rhum, vanilla).

We ordered crispy dilis and Tokwa (tofu) rebosado with fresh tomato salsa as appetizers The tokwa was delicious, even my 9-year old son Geof who's not a fan of tofu ate them with gusto. For our entree, we ordered Piassok, a dish of beef chunks "cooked slowly in smoked coconut cream and ten spices until tender." This dish, according to the menu, hails from Sulu. The sauce taste like a mix of curry, coconut, and cumin. It's good, and I bet even better when eaten with beer or wine, as suggested by the chef. Next we had the camaron rebosado. Geof and Julia enjoyed this, but I find this dish a little too common. (Price range of entree is between P160 to P400). The resto also offers Batanes yellow rice which we also tried. The serving is generous (P65 per serving). The plain rice is also cheap (P12/ serving) with a very nice texture - like the rice you buy/ eat when you're in Nueva Ecija or Pampanga - the grains are small and a little sticky.

For our drinks, Geof ordered mango shake and they gave us a very thick and rich shake. When I ordered Barako coffee, it was served in a very elegant and feminine cup and saucer (the attendant corfirmed first who will have the coffee before serving - I guess the dish they use for coffee are gender-specific). Over-all, the dining experience creates a feeling of being a rich or well-off ilustrado of the old days. The ambiance, the food, the dish used, the music - it was like we were brought back in time.

For big groups or functions, Adarna also has rooms that can seat 15-20 (if bigger, the rooms can be 'combined' by removing the divider ). The rate for room use is P5000, all consumable, for 4 hours. We recommend this place especially to those who have balikbayan or foreign visitors , or even to those who, like us, enjoy being reminded of the good-old-days. Adarna - Food and Culture is located at 119 Kalayaan Avenue, Diliman Quezon City. TeleFax (+632) 926 8712 and email adarnafoodandculture@yahoo.com

Mushroomburger's Pancit Canton

Mushroomburger used to be associated only with Tagaytay. Not anymore. It has a branch along West Avenue where you can also buy dried and fresh mushrooms. I am not too hot about their burger, although they are indeed tasty. I am more excited with their pancit canton. Yes, mushroomburger offers pancit canton that's generously topped with different kinds of mushroom!

I served Mushroomburger's pancit canton in a party at home and our visitors enjoyed it. I brought it during our college reunion pot-luck party, and my college classmates (24 years ago, aargh, I'm that ... young ?) also loved the pancit. What makes this pancit different is the generous serving of mushroom on top, and the thick mushroom sauce that blends well with the noodles. It's not expensive too! You can see the price of the pancit canton in the photo above.

Mushroomburger is located near Ersao at West Ave., Quezon City. Free delivery (Tel. 375-1290) is also available.

Toys for Creative Minds

If you want to develop children's creativity, patience and imagination, give them a Lego or MegaBloks. Lego or MegaBloks consist of colorful interlocking plastic bricks, beams, axles and minifigures which can be assembled and connected in many ways to contstruct various types of objects such as vehicles, buildings and even working robots. Anything constructed can then be taken apart again, and the pieces used to make other objects. Lego and MegaBloks pieces are compatible.

My two kids especially my son, Geof enjoy creating objects using Lego and MegaBloks bricks. Geof designed his own Lego twin tower almost similar to the Petronas twin towers with perfect symmetry in design and colors. He creates cars, airplanes and buildings. He usually watches Lego creations in You Tube and gets inspiration from these movies. When inspired, he will diligently and painstakingly assemble the structure from his imagination. My daughter, Julia (4 yrs old), also creates her own cars and structures. Watch this slide show showing some of the kids' creations.

Slide Album: Geof & Julia Play LEGO

Our Favorite Halo-Halo!

The scorching summer heat is here again. It's the best time to eat the Pinoy's favorite dessert - the Halo-Halo. Halo-Halo (Halo means "mix") usually consists of a blend of fruits - banana, camote, beans, macapuno, ube, corn, langka and preserved ingredients like nata de coco, sago, gulaman, ube, kaong, leche flan and ice cream. Shaved ice, milk and sugar complete the delicious halo-halo. There is really no specific ingredient for the halo-halo. You may simply mix any ingredient as you desire. I remember when I was in Japan, my friends and I only used sweet corn and beans in our halo-halo. The secret to a satisfying and delicious halo-halo is not only the mixed ingredients but also the shaved ice. Don't serve ice that hardens like an iceberg - you won't be able to mix the ice with the fillings. We were served once in Tagaytay with this kind of halo-halo and we ended up eating only the fillings and throwing the block of ice (I realized now, I should have thrown the solidified ice to the owner...ooops! Just kidding :-).

Each restaurant concocts its own formula for its halo-halo. In Pampanga, there are three popular halo-halo restos- Razon's of Guagua, Corazon of Angeles City and Kabigting of Arayat. Each of this halo-halo has its own unique taste and special ingredient. (You may read an article about these 3 halo-halos). One of our favorites is Razon's halo-halo. Razon's halo-halo consists only of three basic ingredients - banana (saging na saba), shredded macapuno, and leche plan - mixed with finely shaved ice, evaporated milk, sugar and a tinge of dayap. The mixture is so simple yet it's so tasty - the sweetness is just right. In Pampanga, the halo-halo costs maybe about P50.00 (since my last visit maybe a year ago), however here in Metro Manila, it is P72.00 (at Razon's, Timog Ave., QC). Its price in Metro Manila really has soared high, but at least you don't have to travel to Pampanga to taste the halo-halo. Razon's halo-halo can now be found in several malls like Trinoma and the Mall of Asia.

Our Floating Book Fair Experience

Filipinos really love books and discounts. Despite the scorching heat last Sunday of March 8, 2009, old and young book lovers queued to the Doulos Floating Book Fair 2009 at South Harbor Manila Pier 13.

We arrived a few minutes before 2pm but were not allowed inside the south harbor until 2pm. There were a lot of people outside waiting for the opening, too. At exactly 2pm, we were allowed in. It was realllllly hot and I really pity those who brought their kids but failed to bring an umbrella. The line was long and it took us about 15 to 20 mins under the sun (I can't say enough about the heat but it was really terrible for the kids).

When we finally got on-board, the bookstore was big but was really crowded. The entrance was small, and the aisle between bookshelves were tight. It actualy reminded me of my "rally/ mass action-days" in the 80's - hot, crowded, with everyone sweaty. You cannot spend time to browse books for long because you will be literally pushed forward by the crowd who are just coming in. The price of books? Almost the same as in our regular bookstore - although I think there was a 15% discount that Sunday for some who hold a coupon (how to get the coupon, I have no idea) - that probably explains the crowd, too.

I think our mistake was to go there at 2 pm (too excited!) - it's actually a nice bookstore and just the experience of being in a ship-bookstore is something else, much more if you learn about the history of the ship (it was built in 1914, just 2 years after the Titanic). It has travelled in all corners of the world, and just that idea - that you're in a ship that has visited so many areas, and that you are looking at the same books and in the same ship just as the thousand others from different countries who also visited Doulos - is already monumental. Further, the dedication of the young volunteers from different parts of the world who run Doulos is also something that inspires.

I guess the best time to go to this bookstore is in the evening - then you can really appreciate the ambiance of being in a ship and surrounded by all sorts of books.

We got books for the kids. Geof is eager to watch the CD about MV Doulos history, and Julia has opened all her books. For me and Andy? Our best buy is the "Buy 3 books for P200.00" at a special section of the fair and you get a free Doulos bag. The 3 books we bought were Relic Quest and Ark Fever by Robert Cornuke - these are two story accounts of one man's pursuit of the lost ark of the covenant and Noah's ark. The third book is Jake Thoene's Shaton's Fire, a book about waging war on terror.

The Doulos Book Fair runs in Manila on March 5-31, 2009. Ship Location: Gate 1, South Harbor, Manila Pier 13 (Near Manila Hotel). Learn more about the ship MV Doulos at the website and try the virtual tour.

Ready to (H)EAT Pizza

If you and your kids love pizza, you can instantly prepare the ready-to-heat Jimini pizza. Here is a short review by our our son, Geof:

"Chicago style pizzas are thick crusted medium-sized pizzas with mozzarrella and toppings on it. They come in 3 flavors and they are delicious. My favorite flavor is the one shown in the picture. "

The three flavors are burger joe, superoni (pepperoni) and the dynamic duo (beef & pepperoni). One box has three whole pizzas and costs about P178.00 at Landmark. So each pizza is about p60.00.

Oishii (Delicious) Proposal !

We watched another Japanese food comedy drama – Oishii Proposal. The plot centers on the relationship between Shiraishi Suzuko, a beautiful and strong-minded female chef of a small Italian restaurant in Tokyo and Koide Keisuke, a rich and handsome businessman whose father wants to take-over the restaurant. The movie has wonderful characters who have their own interesting roles to play – the restaurant manager, the sous chef, the waitress, the father, the businessman’s assistant, the rich daughter of a business partner, who is infatuated with Keisuke….everybody contributes to this movie which is full of comedy, romance and conflict.

Will Suzuko sacrifice the restaurant business and her chef job for love? Will Keisuke obey his father’s orders to take-over the restaurant of the lady chef to whom he is falling in love? Will Keisuke marry the rich girl so that their business will prosper or will he choose the lady chef instead? Will Suzuko accept the bribe given by the father so that she cuts-off her relationship with Keisuke? Watch it at http://www.mysoju.com/oishii-proposal/ or http://www.tv-links.cc/asian/oishii-proposal.htm and find out the twist at the final episode. It’s really a tasty (especially if you love Italian food like pasta) and enjoyable movie!

Muang Thai Resto - Thai food at its best

Andy and I went on a date at Muang Thai last February 27. We ordered catfish-mango salad, chicken curry, squid, and tom yum soup. What can I say but their food is absolutely delicious.

First, the catfish salad: We have, thus far, tried catfish salad in at least three restos, but the version of Muang Thai is sumptuously different. It is overflowing with crispy catfish that tops the few strands of semi-ripe mango- the sourness of the mango was just right to complement the saltiness of the fish. Next, the chicken curry - it was rich and spicy and had lots of chicken for a change (unlike in other restos where the chicken strips were very few). We had tom yum soup, but made a mistake of ordering the one without the coconut milk. It was tasty and spicy (whew!) but I would have preferred the one with coconut. And finally, the squid. It was sauteed in garlic, a little soy sauce, and chilli but the preparation was not spicy at all. I like the sauce since it blends well with the squid, and was actually a good alternative to the usual grilled or stuffed squid we are so used to.

Muang Thai Restaurant is located at 138 Malakas St.,, Brgy. Central, Quezon City at the back of McDonald's near QC Hall. Tel. 632) 426-4123 , (632) 927-4305. The price ranges between P200-P300 per dish.

Personalized Mugs

Personalized products like shirts, keychains or mugs are good items to give on special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries. On our 10th wedding anniversary, I ordered these personalized mugs (at one stall called It's Personal! at Trinoma) with the cartoon images of myself, Apple and our two kids, Geof and Julia. These mugs represent our 10 years of happy and memorable relationship with each other and with the kids.

Hand-Pulled Noodles at Pot & Noodles House

Lamian is a type of hand-made or hand-pulled Chinese noodle. The hand-making process involves taking a lump of dough and repeatedly stretching it to produce many strands of thin, long noodle. At Pot & Noodles House (Ground Floor, Food Garden of Trinoma Mall, QC), you can watch how the noodles you order are made. Various flavors of hand-pulled noodles are served here at two types of serving - the snack size and the regular size. Price ranges from P100 to P170.00 We ordered chicken mushroom noodles and Taiwan beef noodles. Definitely hand-pulled noodles taste better than the ordinary noodles - they are soft, thicker and white-colored.

Kaya Toast? Kayang Kaya!

We had lunch with friends at the Old China Town - Kopitiam at Maria Clara St. near Banawe, QC. Old China Town serves Singapore and Malaysian dishes. Well, I am not here to review the main dishes but their Kaya toasts. Kaya toast is a popular snack among Singaporeans and Malaysians. It was my first time to taste a Kaya toast and it was good. My kids loved it also. Essentially, Kaya spread made of coconut, egg and sugar and butter or margarine are spread on two pieces of preferably toasted bread. We had several orders of Kaya toasts that the owner offered to sell their Kaya Spread to us. So each of us took home one bottle of Kaya Spread (P138.00 each). Here is a video of Apple preparing Kaya Toasts at home. The secret to a delicious Kaya Toast is ofcourse the Kaya Spread and the bread (wheat bread when toasted becomes crispy unlike ordinary bread).

Rice Toppings with a Twist at COMBI

Along Maginhawa St., Teacher's Village, Quezon City, in the same building as Friuli Trattoria, is a small "retro" restaurant called Combi. They serve rice toppings with a "twist." Look at the pictures of the pork sisig and beef kalderata rice toppings and the mapo tofu side dish - notice anything different? Yes, the crispy and "twisty" white noodles on top of the main dish. They are there not just for decoration but for added texture and unique taste when eaten with the main dish - it's a "combi"!

The pork sisig was crunchy but a little oily (the crispy noodles somehow balances the taste, removing the oily taste). The beef calderata was tasty and delicious - the rice serving though is modest but a bigger serving will be appreciated especially if the dish is really tasty. The fried mapo tofu was colorful and also good (although a little spice is preferred). They have other dishes in the menu - katsudon , inihaw na liempo, fried siomai, arroz ala cubana, chicken bbq, beef steak, pork bingoongan and chiken fritters. They also serve fried cookies for dessert (although we haven't tried them yet).

The place is frequented by young adults, and indeed the place targets them as costumers. The music, the available magazines, the color-motiff of the place (as well as the plates), are young and hip. Even the price is affordable to students (but not as affordable as the cafeteria food, of course). The price range is between P78 to P89 for a rice topping. They open at lunch time.

Anthony Bourdain eats Pampanga's Sisig

I just watched the popular author and tv host of No Reservations, Anthony Bourdain eating Pampanga's famous "Sisig" at this video from YouTube.

Yes, Bourdain visited the Philippines last year and featured Filipino cuisine including street food in his show, "No Reservations." He actually visited three places - Manila, Pampanga and Cebu. Watch him eat "Tapsilog" for breakfast and then he tried the chicken balls and taho along the busy streets of Manila. The pancit palabok was also featured. In Angeles, Pampanga, Bourdain ate goat meat, sinigang na bangus, chicken liver barbecue, sisig, "Pako" or fern salad, kare-kare and quails. In Cebu, (Go to Bourdain at Cebu) he had high praises for the famous lechon of Cebu. To quote him from his blog "It can now be said that of all the whole roasted pigs I've had all over the world, the slow roasted lechon I had on Cebu was the best." He ranked it number one followed by Bali and Puerto Rico. Wow! At least we're number ONE in something good (not only corruption! ooops! I am just so proud to be a Filipino). Bourdain also visited the dry fish market of Tabo-an, Cebu.

I don't know when this episode will be shown in the cable tv in Manila. Anyway you can watch the show at YouTube c/o mrfhardy's video.

Battle of the Chickens!

Recently, we posted a survey about fastfoods for "pizza & pasta" and "burger & fries." This survey is still on going. Cast your vote.

We are adding another survey. This time on restaurants and fast foods that serve their own special brand of chicken and preparations or combinations - Jollibee's Chickenjoy, KFC's finger lickin good' original recipe, Max's "sarap to bones" fried chicken, McDo's chicken, Shakey's Chick and Chips, Andok's and Baliuag's lechon manok, Kenny Roger's Roasted Chicken, Savory's, Aritocrat's chicken barbecue and the Inasal Chicken Bacolod . The list only inlcudes restos that you will usually find in the big shopping malls. I know there are other restos that serve delicious chicken recipes. But let us limit the list at the moment and focus later on specialty chicken restos.

The survey asks "If you want to eat chicken, where will you go?" In the poll at the right side, you may vote for as many restos you want. So vote now.