Category: Food Trip


Hotel Celeste: A Pleasant Staycation

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Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Food Trip, Travel, travels — 6 Comments
January 25, 2012

 

If you are a sucker for hotel pleasures, you can forget the ***** prime hotels and check out the boutique hotels in and around the city. We have tried the 5 star hotels on those occasions when we wanted to celebrate. But this is the first time we tried a boutique hotel.  And we’re not even celebrating any special occasion.  The fact that it is just a few blocks away from home made us feel like we were on a “staycation” with absolutely nothing on the agenda but to enjoy a lovely room and savor “dining in” .

 

 

HOTEL CELESTE. Pasay Road Corner Makati Avenue.

 

 

Hotel Celeste is right at the corner of Pasay Road (now Arnaiz Road)  and Makati Avenue near one of the entrance gates to San Lorenzo Village. The lobby is small, but not cramped. First off, I noticed how well-appointed the interiors are. From the lobby is the hotel’s dining outlet – Celi’s – where the decor adds much to one’s dining experience. Dined there at least twice and found the food superb without burning a hole in my pocket! Those raring to discover new dating venues, this is it.

 

 

Celi

They even have set meals for P550-650 per pax which includes appetizer, soup or salad, entree, dessert.


Impress your date!

 

 

I am told that the owner of Hotel Celeste personally supervised the interior decor of this boutique hotel. The furniture are all custom-built to her tastes. Her passion, her taste, her class is all over the place. The Lobby. The Bistro. Each of the lovely rooms. So elegant, without being stuffy.  

 

 

Suite 407

No 2 Rooms Are The Same. I should know, as we checked most rooms before deciding on one.

Now........this bath tub looks pretty neat!

 

 

No two rooms are the same. The attention to details is very evident.  From the lamps, the chandeliers, the bedlinen, the appointments, even the bath tubs.   I wouldn’t mind spending a weekend here!

 

 

Hotel Celeste.  The new dating venue. Lovely. Charmingly Quiet. Romantic. Classy.

 

 

This is not a sponsored blog. Just ramblings from a satisfied customer. 🙂

 

 

Such attention to details!

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Food Porn in Bangkok

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Filed under: Asian Holidays, Food Trip, Travel, travels — 10 Comments
January 19, 2012

Following a week in Bhutan, we chose to spend 3 nights in Bangkok. Stubborn us, we were hoping to visit Ayutthaya. No luck. After the floods, we decided against it and instead concentrated on this lively city. And its food 😉

I can't get enough of this mango salad!

Served at Novotel's Airport Hotel.

I’ve been to Bangkok several times in the past when I was still working. I have been to Ayutthaya myself, not too long ago. But my friend is visiting for the first time and she longed to see the old capital. Perhaps another time. After Bhutan, we were just too happy (and tired?) to be with old friends to relax and indulge ourselves. And how we did! On our way to Bhutan, we slept a night at Novotel Airport Hotel as we needed to be up early for the next day’s flight to Shangrila. Homeward bound, we broke our journey with 3 nights at the Pullman Hotel where we found our Manila travel buddies waiting for us.

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With good old and not so old friends 😉

Reunited with Old Friends, Meeting New Ones

Our couple-friends and a niece with her 3 friends from Manila joined up with us in Bangkok. An ex-secretary now based in Bangkok hooked up with us too. The ex-sec I haven’t seen in over 20 years! Happy to see her after all this time. And very proud of her too!

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Hot Pot Dinner With Fellow TravelBloggers Peter and Mari

It was also a chance to meet up with fellow bloggers Peter and Mari from my TravelBlog community. Peter and I are both Moderators in TravelBlog and feel we’re “old friends” after reading so much into our lives and the adventures we blogged about.

Those Thais Truly Excel in Food Presentation, don't they?

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The Fish Is A Pretense At Eating Healthy 😉

Food Pornography

What a party. Which makes dining such serious business for this group. After all, Bhutanese cuisine pales miserably in comparison with Thai food. Well, come to think of it, I never complained about food in Bhutan — perhaps I even found it insignificant to deserve any mention — and that’s saying a lot coming from me. Looking back, my friend and I survived on mountain rice, Emma datse (chilis cooked with cheese, very spicy!) and momos or dumplings with cabbage and cheese fillings. I surprised myself (and my friend) when I ordered a burger and pasta at our hotel on the eve of our departure from Bhutan. You can guess what happened to that plate of spaghetti, right?

Bhutan's Momos or Dumplings Filled with Cabbage and Cheese Dipped in Chili Sauce! We survived on these!

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Having convinced ourselves that we were “starved” in Bhutan, we looked at every Thai dish on the table as our well-deserved reward. Let the photos speak for themselves. But really, more than that, this last leg of my recent rip was a celebration of friendship.

You may also want to check out our visit of the famous Oriental Hotel by the banks of the Chao Phraya River where we tried Pierce Brosnan’s favorite Thaijito. Just click on this link.

Never Say NO to Desserts. Wherever. Whatever. No Regrets.

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They Call it Thai-Jito. A favorite drink of Pierce Brosnan. Only at Oriental Hotel.

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Eating Around Ho Chi Minh (Saigon)

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Filed under: Asian Holidays, Food Trip, Travel, travels — 14 Comments
November 17, 2011

Just have to write a separate blog about this. Food is most certainly part of the adventure and guided by Filipino expats living in Ho Chi Minh, we found a few dining places worth visiting.

 

Be W.A.R.N.E.D.

 

Nha Hang Ngon

Our first lunch in Ho Chi Minh was in Nha Hang Ngon. Coming in cold, we were initially struck by the prices quoted in thousands. You see, US$1 here is equivalent to at least 20,000 Dong. Our expat friends suggested we drop the 3 zeroes and multiply by 2 to get the peso equivalent. So that means 100,000 Dong is approximately 200 pesos. Hmmm, that’s pretty neat.

 

Lunch at Nha Hang Ngon (Ngon means delicious)

Now going back to the menu in this place, we were pleasantly surprised to find that the prices are in fact very reasonable for a place oozing with local ambience, food so fresh and resto crew smiling 24/7. Nha Hang Ngon (“ngon” means delicious) has a quaint architecture and the periphery of the building is lined with foodstuff from appetizers to soups to mint-flavored dishes, to various barbecued meats and vietnamese rolls to desserts. It was a chore to choose from among the foods on display. Our version of “turo-turo” (point – point) where a diner does the mandatory circling of all food stalls and orders which ones should be served on their table.

 

Turo-Turo, Vietnamese Style. More Veggies, Less Meat.

The Refinery

Fine dining in Ho Chi Minh? Try The Refinery. It is the former headquarters of an opium factory which now houses a French Bistro, a Frenchy Bar and a Vietnamese outlet serving fusion cuisine. We tried the latter. Hoa Tuc is also a Saigon Cooking School much like we have CCA back in Manila. The red motif all over the place is very Frenchy, but the portions are not. No way we’d get small Frenchy portions with our Vietnamese dinner here.

 

Formerly an Opium Refinery in Saigon. Say what?

Want some cooking lessons? Then eat what you cook!

 

We left the ordering to my friend’s expat daughter and her friends. And what a selection! We enjoyed our sugarcane drink, our minty soup which tastes a bit like its Thai equivalent, the variety of barbecued meat, the fish in some savory sauce, the birthday noodles (3 of us were birthday celebrants), the crispy floured squid in tamarind sauce, the many vegetables, and the decadent , moist chocolate cake! If that dinner won’t energize you for a few rounds of walking, I don’t know what will.

 

Dinner at Hoa Tuc @The Refinery

Pho 2000

Naturally, we were also drawn to try this chain noodle house — rare in that it benefits from a Presidential endorsement. Ex-President Bill Clintonn once tried this Pho 2000 noodle house and raved about its Pho. No wonder his photos hang on all its walls. We tried the seafood pho, the beef pho, the chicken curry with baguette, their equivalent of the halo-halo (with fresh fruits rather than ours which are cooked in sugar syrup) , their coffee. The one we tried was at the corner of BenThanh Market.

 

Found one near Ben Thanh Market!

Ben Thanh Market

Yeah, right. This is a market where the shopper in you gets resurrected. While shopping for our Vietnamese coffee, cinnamon slippers and dried jackfruit slices, we found a few stalls serving desserts. Easy to grab one of those rice cakes, but we found the cold desserts most refreshing. Fresh fruits like cubed granada, papaya, watermelon were mixed in with gelatine and ice shavings — just right to make one forget all that heat and humidity inside this crowded shoppers’ paradise. We didn’t hesitate to claim a stool and partake of these sweet desserts to refresh ourselves. Besides, all that walking and shopping drained us of all energy.

 

It's Halo Halo without the syrup. Just plain fresh fruits, milk & ice!

 

Also, don’t forget to buy the fruits. Either have them as your dessert, or have them for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I kid you not. Fresh custard apples (Atis) so solid you can just peel off the moon crater-y skin and eat the fruit like an apple. Or the macopas, and the mangoes. There were also big-sized chicos and tiny apples (manzanitas) which we enjoyed.

 

Grab a pack and go!

 

 Food Courts At The Malls

Then there are the food courts to be found in the Malls. If you wish to have a quick fix in an airconditioned place, check out the food courts in the malls. I tried one of their hot pots, in an effort to stay “healthy”, but really, I soon discovered that it is easy to eat healthy here in Vietnam. Their food is more veggies than meat. And all that mint must explain why I didn’t meet any local with an unpleasant body aroma. Drenched in sweat in a hot, humid market, or exposed to the sun while scootering or biking around the city, I was expecting some body scent to alert me of sweaty bodies. Can’t explain it, and neither can I explain why I didn’t find too many flies in the wet market where I found seafood on display. Must be the hygiene or level of sanitation. Or all that mint. Tempts me to use my mint breath fresheners all over my body!

You may also want to check out my blog on Ho Chi Minh……..

 

And do try that beer too!

Vietnamese Coffee Rocks! (They have weasel and squirrel coffee beans too!)

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Atis with Every Meal. Eat Them Like An Apple (Without The Skin)

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Typical Banh Mi (as in Panini?) Vendor

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Two Views of Taal Volcano and the Lake

Filed under: Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 9 Comments
October 8, 2011

Our family took advantage of this promo package offered by Club Balai Isabel last August. We fell in love with the place. The kids loved it. And the adults too. So when my friend asked me for a one-day itinerary to entertain a group of friends, it was a no-brainer to head back to this magical place.

Taal Volcano and Lake from the Pantalan @Club Balai Isabel, Talisay, Batangas

It makes for a wonderful day trip if one were to introduce the Philippines to foreign and balikbayan friends. Not too far from Manila, and a day well-spent viewing Taal Lake and Volcano from the shore (Talisay, Batangas) and from the ridge (Tagaytay City, Cavite). This is our one-day itinerary:

Mabini Shrine in Barrio Talaga, Tanauan, Batangas

On Our Way By 8am

Not bad. You don’t have to wake up extra early for this day trip. By 8 am, we were driving along SLEX , connecting to STAR Highway and out Tanauan Exit. All that in slightly more than an hour. As you exit out of STAR Tollway towards Tanauan, take the right turn towards Talisay. Along the way, you’d fine Mabini Shrine. This sprawling property houses the Shrine honoring the Sublime Paralytic, Apolinario Mabini. I have earlier visited this Shrine and dedicated a blog to the Brains of the Philippine Revolution back in the 19th century. This second visit cum stopover on our way to Club Balai Isabel took just 20 minutes max. Just a little bit of history for our Norwegian friend in the group.

Club Balai Isabel

Just In Time For Lunch @Club Balai Isabel

From Mabini Shrine, we took the lone road towards Talisay. It did not take very long to reach Club Balai Isabel. This resort complex offers much by way of activity to day trippers and weekend travelers. The more adventurous may even come much earlier to try the boat ride across the lake and trekking towards the volcano crater. The resort can make all these arrangements for you.

There was time before lunch to check out the chapel inside the resort. The 3 swimming pools. The Pantalan. From the clubhouse, we enjoyed an amazing view of Taal Volcano and Taal Lake. You can grab a bench by the shore or at the cute-sy Pantalan and feel the breeze while viewing fishermen out to harvest the famous “tawilis” from Taal Lake. If they get lucky, maybe there’s even Maliputo for lunch. We walked the lakeshore from the Pantalan towards the Marina near the Chapel and the bigger pool.

Club Balai Isabel

On our way back to the Clubhouse, we passed the Butterfly Garden, the Dr. Fish Massage area, the Spa, the Tennis Court, and the lovely villas , each of which has a splendid view of the smallest active volcano in the whole world. The view is enough to rev up our appetite. The stroll was a good exercise to take away the guilt from the sumptuous food to be had from the buffet table. The very accommodating crew of Club Balai Isabel makes for a very enjoyable stay in the resort. As I said, this is my 2nd visit. The last time, we stayed overnight. From the reservations to the waiter, to the gracious lady chef, to the store clerk, we were warmly received like old friends. I couldn’t resist shooting out an email to the Management just to mention this. The service orientation and culture of friendliness and courtesy are awesome.

This is not a paid advertisement. Or do they say advertorial these days? I am a paying client who had the pleasure of discovering Filipino hospitality and quality service from Club Balai Isabel, and I wish to share this with my friends who read my blogs.

Taal Volcano and Lake From Tagaytay Ridge

Zigzag Up Via Ligaya Drive Towards the Ridge

After Club Balai Isabel, we took a left turn and in no time found Ligaya Drive. From here, try looking up to where you’re headed. You are leaving the shores of Taal Lake to get up to Tagaytay Ridge to view Taal Volcano a second time , this time from above. It can get you a bit disoriented. Two views of the lake and volcano in a day? And between these 2 viewpoints is this zigzag drive passing ritzy villages and mansions with rooms with a view. I think it is just a 7 kilometer drive but it would seem like a longer drive as you are climbing up with ravines on your right. 🙂

Up on the ridge, you have several choices on how best to spend the rest of the day. Oh, I’d never grow tired of Tagaytay. If you plan to stay way beyond sunset, there is a number of bistros with prices ranging from budget-friendly to extravagant. Check out some of these travel guides. If you want something really fancy, then dine at Antonio’s. You may burn a hole in your pocket, but if you are in a celebratory mood and can afford it, why not?

Fried Halo Halo or Turon?

Taal Vista Lodge

In our case, we chose Taal Vista Lodge. They have one of the best views, if not the best, from the Ridge and a restaurant which offers many choices on how to eat Filipino delicacies. They also have a lunch buffet, if you choose to do this itinerary in reverse.

Taal Vista Lodge

Some of us had our halo-halo the traditional way (cold, with ice shavings) or fried! Make no mistake about it, but fried halo halo it was! And then there’s the traditional turon topped with ice cream. Or turon with leche flan filling. Imagine that!

Lunch Buffet @Taal Vista Lodge

If you choose not to dine in Taal Vista’s restaurant, please do remember that the parking ticket is P100 per hour. Not bad if you just wanted to breathe in the air and savor the view from there. It is free if you have your parking ticket stamped in the restaurant.

Taal Vista Lodge

So there. If your foreign guests or balikbayans are hankering for day trips outside of Manila, here’s one itinerary for you. More itineraries to come! So, don’t forget to subscribe to this site to get updates. You may also find me on Facebook (Lifeisacelebration) where I post all my blogs from this site and from TravelBlog. See ya!

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Back in Taal, Batangas (So Soon?)

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Filed under: Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 16 Comments
October 6, 2011

I have just been to Taal, Batangas. Visited the Basilica of St. Martin de Tours, the Caysasay Shrine, the Sacred Well of Sta. Lucia, the Villavicencio Houses, Leon Apacible Museum, the Agoncillo Heritage Houses and Museums. You may have already read my blogs about the heirloom houses and the churches. Gorged on Tapang Taal and Panucha. But the prospect of eating home-cooked Tulingan and Adobong Dilaw beckons. And a visit to earlier-missed Villa Tortuga makes this next visit sooner than expected.

We almost dined here!

Inside Villa Tortuga

Home-Cooked Tulingan and Adobong Dilaw

The last time we visited, we dined in Taal Bistro. We considered lunch in full Filipiniana regalia in Villa Tortuga this time around. But my friend Alice has a cousin in Taal waiting to serve us a breakfast of Tapang Taal, Longganiza and Pancit. It didn’t stop there.

Sinaing na Tulingan

Adobong Dilaw

Home-cooked Tulingan (matched with bagoong made of tulingan innards – a first time! yummy) and Adobong Dilaw was scheduled for lunch. How can you resist that? (Thank you, Alice). It was all we could think about as we passed a number of heritage houses along Agoncillo Street. Just off the Villavicencio and Goco Houses , and right along the street leading to Taal Basilica, we had our lunch of Batangas delicacies. We only stopped eating these local dishes when we were served Turon. Hmmm, you can say we stopped eating to eat again and have our desserts – if there ever is such a thing. 🙂

Stairway to History

Villa Tortuga

Alice arranged this visit at the Villa Tortuga. Lovely house. And alas, I found a truly good tour guide in Taal, Batangas. Well, I met him in my earlier visit but he guided us only in a couple of heritage houses then. This time around, Rochie guided us around Villa Tortuga and even took our photos! His assistant Adrian is just as competent without saying much. Adrian knew just where to have us pose, arrange the folds of our skirts here and there, pin our baro’t saya wherever, and snap our pictures. Oh, we had a blast.

How hard can it be taking ur own photo dressed like this?

And here are ur LOLAS. Donya Victorina? Maria Clara? Sisa? No, don't answer that.

While I have already written about the heritage houses of Taal, Batangas (check out http://www.travelblog.org/Asia/Philippines/Batangas/Taal/blog-652149.html ) as well as the religious sites here, this experience deserves a separate blog. Our photos will tempt you to brand us either as Donya Victorinas, older versions of Maria Clara and Leonor Rivera, or a Sisa looking for her sons. Whatever. Eat your heart out. We had a blast!

Looking for her Ibarra. Or Crispin. 🙂

Thank you ladies, for a wonderful time. It may not be the best of time to visit and have fun, but we really had a hilarious day trip, didn’t we?

Those planning day trips not too far from Manila, try this. If you like, call Villa Tortuga : 7250819, 7254562 or 0917-8246900 for lunch and Taal tour. It’s actually easy to do, but you need to arrange to visit some heritage houses. Otherwise, you just admire them from outside.

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Binondo Wok With The Kids

Filed under: Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — Leave a comment
September 15, 2011

Siomai. Fried Siopao. Tea Eggs. Champoy. Lumpia. Hao Flakes. Hopia. Adults can easily be swayed to join you in this trip with the prospect of eating all these stuff, but how about the kids? Does Chinatown have the same appeal to them?

I started off with Chinatown being the oldest Chinatown in the whole world. Like the “Sangleys” or Chinoys of pre-Hispanic era living in the area now known as Intramuros. Then the Spaniards came, and the Sangleys were driven out of the Walled City to live across the Pasig River. Or how about the Binondo Church being where our very first Saint Lorenzo Ruiz served as altar boy? We started off with a visit to this Church and Mamu just had to have this trivia drilled into their heads. 😉

Inside Binondo Church Where San Lorenzo Ruiz Served As Altar Boy

From Binondo Church, we stepped out and got ready for our walk. But not without pointing out the area (Masangkay) towards all those dilapidated ancestral houses where Rizal’s parents lived after having been evicted from their home in Calamba, Laguna. With that, I promised to stop with my history lessons. Three historical tidbits enough for this morning. Enough.

Dumplings from Dong Bei @Yuchengco Street off Ongpin

This is a food trip. And that’s a promise. First order of the day is to show the ‘elves’ that there are dumplings other than the ones from Hen Lin. 🙂

Siomai at P80 for 10 pieces?

We were a few minutes too early, and had to wait for Dong Bei @Yunchengco Street off Ongpin St. to open at 10am. Hungry for our taste of Chinese food, we watched and waited. Those dumplings didn’t let us down 🙂

Tried this myself, good buy for P35!

From Yuchengco Street, we trooped back to Ongpin Street where we passed this grocery store with frozen delights upfront for the elves not to miss. Korean ice cream, woo hoo! It wasn’t so hot this morning, but those ice cream sandwiches must have “cooled” them enough for the “wok”. The elves are happy.

Fried Siopao

Tea Eggs & Siopao

Turning left from Ongpin Street towards Benavidez, we found this corner restaurant selling fried siopao and more! No tea eggs for the little ones, but we went inside to check out what’s on offer for the P150-P200 lunch sets. 3-for-one means choosing 3 viands from the “turo-turo” spread, and your cuppa of rice. Not bad.

Happy to Find Happy, Delicious Kitchen!

3 viands for P150. 4 viands for P180. Simple enough.

Errr, which ones?

Walking some more, we found this bakery shop. You wouldn’t think this bakeshop is not somewhere in Makati.

Baked Goodies from Chinatown

Then the must-stop pasalubong shop: Eng Bee Tin. Found a 2-bite siopao here, which Martin proudly claims he can turn into a one-bite siopao. Cute-sy.

One bite or Two-Bite Siopao?

We also passed some structures which have historical significance. Sadly, a major repair job is in order.

Residence of Higino Francisco

And this was a place where Noli Me Tangere was safekept?

Isn’t it awful? The authorities should do something about this. Higino Francisco is a revolutionary patriot who even plotted to rescue Dr. Rizal in the Bagumbayan execution. He was dissuaded of course, but for his friendship and patriotism, Jose Rizal gifted him with the original manuscript of Noli Me Tangere. Our national hero then thought that the manuscript would fetch a price later, but Higino chose to return the manuscript to Teodora Alonzo, the mother of our hero. Admirable. He died in 1921. But between you and me, who has heard of Higino Francisco?

Don

Now, that really gets me all mad!!!!

(Also check out an earlier blog on Chinatown. Just click on this link)

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Have you heard of Asao of Cavite City?

Filed under: Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 4 Comments

No, it is not a barrio in Cavite City.   It is a “hole in the wall”  that is better than a carinderia but at slightly higher than carinderia prices.  Don’t we just love that combination? 

It’s been awhile since I last visited Cavite City.  The new coastal highway made travel such a bliss.  In under an hour, more like 40 minutes, we were there.  We drove along the coast and watched the Manila Skyline fade as we reached our destination. The view would have been perfect, passing Island Cove in Binakayan and fisherfolks on bancas fishing their luck from the Bay. Until you pass shanties, and more shanties, lining the coast.  Somehow I get this feeling that shanty towns will sprout here and there along this coastal highway and block what would otherwise be a perfect place to view sunrise or sunset.


Upon arrival, as always,  there is the problem of where to eat without banging the door of some relative in this city across Manila Bay. It is also just as well that Asao is hard to miss as it is located right along the Main Road of Cavite City just before the Ladislao Diwa Elementary School.

Asao has no pretentions.  Just 5 or 6 small tables.  A menu which has passed so many hands and direly in need of replacement.  The laminated piece of paper lists some of our favorites, like some of the foodstuff we grew up with. Pancit Puso is your typical pancit but topped with chicharon, kilawing puso (yes, vinegary) and “kulao” which is what they call the “tokwa’t baboy” .  They also have Pancit Palabok — so cheap for the same price of P50 a plate. 

Pancit Puso: Pancit with Kilawing Puso Topping!

Kulao is like "Tokwa't Baboy" but better!!!

We thought we’d take out a couple of meals.  When the bill came, we were pleasantly surprised.  It was sooo cheap. With 4 of us dining there, and takeouts for 2 meals,  we paid like only P100 per pax. (Good thing we didn’t order any soup, which for some reason is priced at P120 a bowl!)

 

Pancit Palabok for P50? How can you go wrong?

A Bad Shot of Lechon Paksiw (but trust me, it tastes really good)

Now, this is my kind of restaurant.  Nowhere else can I find my Pancit Puso but here in Cavite City’s few eateries.  No way you’d go wrong with P50 an order of this Caviteno pancit puso in Asao.  Or the Pancit Palabok.  One of us ordered the Binalot which is rice with adobo wrapped in banana leaf.  Not bad he says. Now, you know where to eat if you happen to be in this area. 

The Flip (and pricier?) Side of the Laminated Menu


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Sulyap Cafe in San Pablo City, Laguna

Filed under: Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 5 Comments
September 4, 2011

Art Gallery.  Old House for the night.  Good food. 

You may think that San Pablo City is way too far to have dinner.  On a good day, or a good night,  it is not.  More so if you have lined up activities for the day and planned to unwind and indulge yourself come dinnertime on your way back to Manila.  It would also be a good excuse to have a few winks after dinner on that 2 hour drive home.  Yes, just 2 hours. Give or take fifteen minutes or so. 

That, in fact, is the idea behind the Viajes del Sol.  The only problem with this Southern Luzon Travel Itinerary is that one is presented with too many dining choices that it is sheer agony having to choose from among these off-the-beaten path cafes and inspiring artists’ studios.

In San Pablo City alone,  it is a chore to decide where to dine.  If you only had a day, you need to decide beforehand if you wish to dine with a lakeside view, visit a sculptor’s workshop, a nature sanctuary, an organic farm, or an art gallery.  And that’s only in San Pablo City.  The final choice is Sulyap Cafe, where a visit is best timed around dusk when the “bahay na bato” is lighted up and turns magical.   The structure was originally from Tiaong, Quezon and transferred to this one-hectare property in San Pablo City where another structure houses an antique shop from lamps to beds to trunks to chairs. The dining areas actually involve 2 structures: one is good for big groups where one finds a sumptuous buffet spread, the other cozier as in superb dating place. 😉

Right across the restaurant but still within the one-hectare compound is Casa Obando. Newly-opened. Newly-minted Bed & Breakfast place, following the same “bahay na bato” theme.  I would love to stay a night here sometime soon. 

Magical , isn’t it?  And there’s the antique shop too, if you care to do some serious shopping.  Do notice the “burda” (laces) and “espejo” (stained glass) used extensively in the interior decor. 

I “lost” myself in this antique shop, just checking out the antique rocking chairs , until I realized I was the only left inside the shop cum art gallery.   I knew I was alone even before I looked around. Creepy. 

So tell me, who wants to book a room here?  Or a table? Er….have I talked about the food yet?

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Where and What To Eat In Ilocos?

Filed under: Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 6 Comments
September 3, 2011

From Laoag City to Vigan and back, we remember our wonderful dining experiences in these 4 restos. If there was more time, I’m sure we would have tried other dining places in between those yummy bagnet, longganiza and empanadas. So. Let’s not beat around the bush. Whenever the subject is food, no one should be kept waiting.

Vigan Empanada

Herencia Cafe

Best dining location ever.  Pick a table by the window and enjoy a panoramic view of the Paoay Church in all its majesty. It rained while we were cruising in a van from the airport thru a couple of touristy sites before sitting down for a proper lunch here.  A late lunch, but no one was complaining.  

This is the home, the birthplace of the famous Pinakbet Pizza.  Pinakbet as in that very Ilocano dish which found its way to almost every Filipino family’s dinner table.  Pizza as in that most famous export of Italy, along with spaghetti.  And it was such a treat to be able to taste the authentic Ilocano dishes such as Bagnet, Poqui Poqui, Dinengdeng and Crispy Dinuguan. 

Herencia Cafe : Right Across Paoay Church

Herencia Cafe: Home of Pinakbet Pizza

Bagnet, Kilawin, Pinakbet Pizza, Poqui Poqui, Dinengdeng, Crispy Dinuguan

La Preciosa @Laoag City

Our van driver wanted to bring us here on our very first day.  Perhaps he felt an authentic Ilocano meal here would have made a fine introduction to Ilocos Norte.  He wasn’t wrong.  Even if we actually “ended” our trip with a meal here on our last day.  

The restaurant has a bakeshop right beside it.  Which is fine if we have grown “tired” of Ilocano cuisine. Not so though.  We have not outgrown our taste for Dinengdeng and Crispy Dinuguan which they call Crispy Dinardaraan here.  

La Preciosa

But we were not prepared for Warek Warek.  No Ilocano has ever introduced me to this local dish of pig’s meat and entrails (tongue, liver, intestines) parboiled with calamansi, grilled, sliced, served with the juice of more calamansi and seasoned with salt and pepper. Having tried it, I was convinced we should not order any more dish involving innards. So no Higadu for us. But don’t miss the chance to try it when you get here.  Along with the Inabraw, Insarabasab, and Duyduy.

Cafe Leona

No one goes to Vigan without a “proper stroll” along Calle Crisologo.   You can do it during the day, but we strongly recommend you don’t miss it at night.  It had just rained when we got here, and the rainwashed cobble-stoned paths glistened as the lights from colonial-inspired lamp posts reflected on the water.   At the end of Calle Crisologo is Cafe Leona.  I didn’t mean to stop here for a meal except for my usual late afternoon brew.  Thought it would be a good place to sit out while the rest of the family explore.  By the time they were back, they were famished and ready for an early dinner. 

Cafe Leona. Along Calle Crisologo, Vigan

Cafe Leona’s menu is as confused as my current state while there, minding my 2 “elves” while their parents and aunts camwhore outside.  Thinking the best thing to do was to submit to Fusion Cuisine,  that was exactly what we did.  I wasn’t too happy with my Pasta with Longganiza, but the kids were happy with theirs.  Guess this place provides a “good break” while our stomach enzymes were still busily digesting our Ilocano breakfast and lunch. 

Kusina Felecitas / Cafe Uno @ Grandpa’s Inn

Grandpa

In Vigan, we would have been quite content with the empanadas filled with Vigan longganiza, egg and papaya.  But in Kusina Felecitas in Grandpa’s Inn,  we found this rare Malaga fish on its Menu, prepared in sour broth as with any other sinigang dish,  but soured with the local santol fruit!   We also indulged in the famous Vigan longganiza, the usual accompaniment of Poqui Poqui and Dinengdeng,  and the Kulintipay Shells.   These shells are actually the very same capiz shells you see framed in the sliding windows of Grandpa’s Inn.  I have not seen them for ages, much less, ate them.  Well, we were in luck in Vigan!  

Sinigang na Malaga Sa Santol

Among all the dining places we have tried, this one’s our favorite in terms of ambience. The restaurant looks more like an art gallery. The paintings hanging on the walls cover all the way to the Inn’s coffee shop aptly called Cafe Uno. Next time we are in Vigan, we would most certainly check in at this lovely Grandpa’s Inn. 

 

Kulintipay Shells

More? Read my TravelBlog post. 

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Vieux Chalet in Antipolo: A Worthy Detour

Filed under: Don't Skip Manila!, Food Trip, Philippine Travels, Travel, travels — 4 Comments
August 10, 2011

Going to Antipolo?  Filipinos have this tradition of visiting the Antipolo Church especially right before a major trip.  Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage is a national shrine.  A pilgrimage site for every O.F.W. just before leaving the homeland.  

So, how about a nice detour?  A Swiss Chalet in Antipolo? What do you know………..

Antipolo Church

Inside the Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage Church in Antipolo

This dining place is owned by the family of Susan Hassig, a Filipina married to Tony Hassig, a Swiss national. In operation for more than 2 decades now, I remember many breakfasts and early dinners here.  Solo.  At the time,  I was still working and branch visits are my daily fare.  On way to or from Tanay and other parts of Rizal,  I would drive out early to enjoy a peaceful breakfast here.  Or drop by before driving home for a panoramic and illuminated view of the city.  Each visit,  the waiter would ask me if I want the table for two in some corner with a view of the mountains.  Perfect view while sipping a good cup of brew. Invariably, my answer is “I want the table, but I’m eating alone”.   This exchange between the waiter and myself must have caught the attention of the owner such that when the same fellow asked me for the nth time,  the owner loudly said “The lady enjoys dining  ALONE”.  A wink there, and that ends the discussion. 🙂

Inside Vieux Chalet

Since I quit my job,  I have not been to Vieux Chalet.  But I certainly have fond memories of my breakfasts and early dinners there and the tranquility offered by the mountain vistas. You may think this  petty or trivial,  but this place fries my eggs exactly the way I want it…….NOT so in many breakfast places I have tried.  Nor can I forget the raclette or pate de foie. The only problem with eating alone in this place is that I never got to order the Cheese Fondue as I have no one to share it with.  So with the pizza.  😦  

But I digress. This time around,  I found myself back in this lovely Swiss Chalet mid-afternoon of a weekday.  It wasn’t a busy hour.  I found the place almost exactly the way I remembered it.  Even the shade of brown of its tables and chairs is the same familiar shade.  De ja vu.

It Was Sooo Good I Forgot What It Was Called!

I was surprised to learn that they now run Wellness Sessions.  Well, not actually surprised.  The place and the vista is perfect for just this kind of activity.  It has to be arranged though, as with any parties, retreats or family reunions you may plan to hold in this place. As for me, I’d be quite content to spend a quiet afternoon here, sipping my coffee and enjoying my mid-afternoon delights:  D.E.S.S.E.R.T.S !  

Susan and her daughters run the place now.   If you want to dine here, or to ask for directions on how to get here, call Vieux Chalet, 697-0396 or 344-5056  or Susan Hassig’s cellphone, 0917-856-5175. Do make those reservations as the place has quite a limited space.  I’d say just a dozen tables and of course, the ones with a view of the city lights are premium tables.  Don’t do it the way I did,  go with company. Many dishes are best shared, like the salads, pizzas and sausage and cheese platters. Getting there is quite challenging, but Susan offers these driving directions:

If you’re coming from Ortigas Center, you can take Ortigas Avenue going up to Antipolo. Ortigas Ave. Extension (from Robinson’s Galleria) ends at the fork marked by an island across from Ynares Center, with statues of the Filipinos of olden days. 

Please take the left branch of the  fork. Soon you’ll see on your left a gas station, USA88. Turn left there and keep driving on and then keep right when the road forks once more. Drive down this road and you will see the arch with names of several resorts. Go through the arch and drive down keeping left until you reach Purok Sampaguita gate, which is always half-closed. Go in and keep moving on the road toturn right uphill at the second corner. You’ll then see Vieux Chalet directional arrows and signs along the way.

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