First Bite: Plaza Brew

It sucks to be in such a gorgeous city yet not know where to eat. I tried to look online but there are not a lot of sites that offer restaurant suggestions. And since we wanted to maximize our day and not waste it looking for a place to have lunch, R and I settled with the café beside The Plaza.

Hello, Plaza Brew!

This café was still in its soft opening when we visited. Aside from the other table near the counter, we were the only diners during lunch. I’m not sure if locals find the place intimidating given that it is right beside a hotel or if they are not adventurous enough to try a new restaurant. 

R wasn’t really hungry then but I was so I ordered Beef Kebab (with an option of buttered rice or pita bread PHP220, add PHP20 for iced tea or orange juice) and Green Tea Latte (PHP120, over ice).

While waiting, R took advantage of the complementary wi-fi. I, on the other hand, went crazy with some of the nifty displays of the cafe

Service was quick and our drinks were served in less than 10 minutes. My plate of kebab was served a couple of minutes later. 

When in Bataan: Bataan World War II Museum

While researching for things to do in Balanga, Bataan, R spotted a review on the Bataan World War II Museum which is just a few blocks away from The Plaza Hotel. R’s interest in World War II grew ever since we visited Corregidor last December 2015. And after watching all the documentary and series focused on WWII, we both became even more fascinated with the bravery and perseverance of the soldiers and made us thankful for being alive during this time of relative peace. And since we had nothing else better to do, we decided to drop by the small museum. 

Hello, Bataan World War II Museum.

It is quite easy to miss this small museum as it is located behind Balanga Elementary School compound which is being renovated. At first, we thought that the museum was closed given that we dropped by on a Sunday afternoon. Luckily, it was open. 

When in Bataan: Stregato Gelateria

It’s quite frustrating to be in a lovely city yet not know where to eat. I checked a bunch of sites but most of the establishments in the area have zero reviews. I remember though that a close friend of mine recently went to Bataan and took a photo of herself with a charming swing. I quickly checked if it has reviews in looloo; and it has an overall rating of four stars. Since it is just beside our hotel, we decided to drop by. 

Hello, Stregato Gelateria! 

The quaint dessert shop is located at the ground floor of Galeria Victoria Mall and it was a good thing that I asked The Plaza Hotel’s doorman for directions as we would have missed it and walked 15 minutes away as directed by Google Maps based on the pin in looloo. 

Entering the restaurant could be a bit unpleasant as kids selling garlands would tap and force you to buy. One kid even asked me to treat her a scoop of gelato. Though it is sad to see kids trying to earn money to survive, it could also be annoying to some customers who just want a nice meal, poke-free.

The showcase freezer of gelato is the first thing you’ll see once you set foot inside the charming restaurant. But since R and I were famished, we didn’t bother to check it and looked for the menu instead. After spotting some savory dishes, we headed to the second floor and took the table with a swing couch. After a while, we moved as the table is too small for dinner. 

We decided to go with Mushroom Soup (PHP97), Loaded Potato Skins (PHP145, add PHP10 for additional sour cream dip), Grilled Salmon (PHP185) and Eight-Hour Roast Beef (PHP220). For drinks, we went with Gelato Shake (PHP130) and Frozen Iced Tea (PHP85). I went down again as they have this pay as you order policy.

After placing our orders, I was informed that they were out of roast beef. I then changed it to pork belly but they were out of pork as well. I could sense that R was frustrated as he wanted to eat either beef or pork. Eventually, he settled with Pan Fried Herbed Chicken with Gravy (PHP178). 

Service was fast and our drinks were served after 5 minutes. 

When in Bataan: The Plaza Hotel

I love being surrounded by fascinating (and old) architecture. I have been eying Vigan for the longest time but the long drive to the "blast from the past" scenic cobblestone road isn’t too appealing, especially to R. We then considered going to Bataan instead to check out some old infrastructures in the area. Luckily, The Plaza Hotel had a promo in Deal Grocer and we quickly nabbed it before it gets sold out. Soon, we found ourselves on our way to the historic place that marked the perseverance and bravery of Filipinos. 

Hello, The Plaza Hotel.

We were a bit iffy turning to the small road leading to the hotel. We thought that the well-established hotel is located in a sinister looking place. But to our delight, it is a pretty good location. It is sandwiched in between Balanga Public Library and Galeria Victoria Mall. It is also across the historical Balanga Cathedral which was once used as an artillery emplacement during the Japanese invasion. 

Parking could be hellish as The Plaza Hotel does not have its own parking area. You have no choice but to park in front which is shared with the other establishments nearby. We were fortunate to get one though in front of the hotel.

Weekend Getaway: Anvaya Cove

I still remember the first time I went to the beach. It was hot and I could hardly see anything as the sun was burning my eyes and sunglasses do not help as the rays manage to squeeze in the gaps. It wasn’t exactly what I call fun but it wasn’t bad as well. I remember the fine sand against my feet and the lovely afternoon breeze. But since my family and friends are not really into going to the beach, I became a city girl. But lately, I grew fond of the beach. It started with the wonderful Coron and now with… Anvaya.

Hello, Anvaya Cove!

Okay, the weather wasn’t exactly pleasant when we arrived as it was drizzling. And since the red flag was up, it meant we could not enjoy the beach. We enjoyed the shore and pool instead.

We also fed some ducks! (And the mosquitoes had a buffet too.)

That night, we decided to have dinner at the golf club since our consumables are only applicable there and the sports club.

R and I arrived first and decided to order the following: Classic Nachos (PHP235), Chicken Wing (PHP255), Pork Sisig (PHP185), Mongo with with Lechon Kawali (PHP135), Grilled Tuna Steak (PHP275), and Chicken Tenders (PHP165).

We also had some drinks which were refreshing.

First served was the Classic Nachos and it was a great appetizer. The crunchy corn tortilla chips topped with ground beef, sour cream and cheese defined “comfort food’.

Next served was the plate of chicken wings which were spicy. It also had a bit of after taste. It’s probably from the bird’s eye pepper sauce. I munched on the side veggies and cilantro mayo dip instead.