Is FRNK Milk Bar More Than Just A Pretty Shop?

Instagrammable. That word has been the focus of most food and drink establishments and sadly, fail to deliver what's really important... taste. This is the reason why I often avoid pretty food and colorful drinks. I'm always scared of getting duped by its beautiful appearance and leave my taste buds miserable. But when most of my friends say that this new hipster drink brand offers nothing but goodness, I just have to give in to try FRNK Milk Bar. 

Hello, FRNK Milk Bar. 

FRNK Milk Bar is one of celebrity Isabelle Daza's business ventures. And just like all the other brands she's involved with, FRNK is a beauty in all aspects of marketing. All of FRNK's drinks are worthy to be part of anyone's Instagram with its sleek presentation. 

When in Fukuoka: Enjoy Cherry Blossoms at Nishi Park

One of the things I look forward to when visiting Japan is to bask in the beauty of cherry blossoms. Unfortunately, the forecast schedule for the blooms was incorrect and we were there a bit too early. But thanks to Instagram's hashtags and geotags, I was able to discover Nishi Park. 

Hello, Nishi Park!

Nishi Park is just one bus ride away from my AirBnB so it was so convenient for me to visit this massive area. The ride though is a bit costly at 230 Yen per way. 

When in Japan: Fukuoka City Zoological Garden

Zoos always seem to become part of our trips. Planned or unplanned, it never fails to be a fun adventure for us. And when we were running out of places to visit in Fukuoka City, R and I decided that it's time to pay Fukuoka City Zoological Garden a visit. 

Hello, Fukuoka City Zoological Garden.

We skipped visiting the Fukuoka Zoo last time as we opted to go for Uminonakamichi Seaside Park instead which also has a small zoo and huge garden.

When in Japan: Asahi Brewery Tour

Japan is definitely a breath of fresh air. With its clean roads, orderly towns, reliable transportation system, magnificent views and scrumptious food, it is impossible not to enjoy one's vacation in the land of the rising sun. And on my second time in Fukuoka, R and I decided to visit more places and experience more things at this trade hub. And one of our stops is the Asahi Brewery in Hakata. 

Hello, Asahi Brewery!

Asahi is one of the leading beverage brands in Japan and currently holds the biggest chunk of the beer market with 38% (followed by Kirin Beer with 35% and Suntory with 15%). It may not be common knowledge but Asahi also has several brands under its umbrella such as whisky, soft drinks and even food. 

McDonald's Philippines Launches The Flavors of Japan

McDonald's Philippines just launched something new that would bring Japan's Sakura Festival to our shores. And it is delicious! 

Hello, McDonald's!

I was lucky to be invited to the sneak preview of McDonald's latest offering-- The Flavors of Japan last February 26 and I had a blast indulging in these new products.

Cruising Around: Star Cruises Superstar Virgo

To travel around the world is every wanderlust's dream. It is always fun to see new places and experience different cultures. But one thing I absolutely hate when traveling is going through airport security. It's a pain to queue and to keep having your bag screened for security, especially when you have a laptop in your luggage. Thankfully, Star Cruises occasionally dock in Manila which gives us an opportunity to travel to different parts of Asia without having to deal with airport mayhem. And the best part... no luggage weight restrictions!

Hello, Star Cruises Superstar Virgo!

Star Cruises Superstar Virgo was back in Manila last March and with Taiwan and Japan as its destinations, R and I figured that we give this cruise another try. We boarded this cruise ship back in 2015 where its port was in Hong Kong with Sanya, China and Ha Long Bay, Vietnam as its destinations. Though our experience then was mediocre to terrible, we gave it another shot after hearing that some of R's relatives booked as well. 

An Unexpected Love: Ramen Nagi's Crab King

I love ramen but most of my friends know that Ramen Nagi is not in my top 5 list. I didn’t exactly had a smooth start with the never-empty-ramen-shop’s Black King, hailed as the emperor of rich taste. It overwhelmed my taste buds which prefer delicate flavors. Hence, I avoided Ramen Nagi for years and only began to warm up again when I tasted its limited flavors, Veggie King and Cheesy Tomato King. But it was this store’s latest creation that convinced me why Ramen Nagi is definitely not just hype. 

Hello, Ramen Nagi. 

Fast food has always been our staple meal whenever we’re at the airport. With only 30 minutes to spare, we stick with the two redheads. But last Saturday, we tried something different and went with Ramen Nagi. 

When in Japan: Ichiran (Best Ramen Ever)

Why do we always love the things bad for us? I am not talking about drugs or anything illegal. One of my addictions is ramen. The sodium in a bowl gloomy weather must have is one of my top 5 favorite dishes and a trip to Japan is nothing without indulging in a bowl or two. And so when R and I spotted a ramen shop with a long queue outside, we just have to line up and find out why locals (and tourists) line up for it. 

Hello, Ichiran!

I have read about Ichiran online and all articles say that it is one of the best ramen joints in Japan. Knowing this made me so excited to order a bowl. I asked R to share a bowl with me since I wasn’t that hungry but he was; so we decided to go with one bowl each. And it was a good thing we did as sharing was not allowed. 

Before entering the dining area, we had to line up to place our order from the ramen vending machine. There was only one type of ramen with a handful of add ons to choose from. You could also adjust the richness of the broth based on your preference. I went with no spice with a lot of spring onions, a bit garlicky, firm noodles and with rich broth. R went with the same but with mild spice. A bowl cost about JYP800-1000. The machine also takes our payment in return of food stubs which we have to give the servers inside. 

I was surprised that the dining area inside was the Japanese individual dining booth type. I have been dying to dine in one for the longest time! (No wonder sharing was not allowed.) R and I managed to get seats beside each other. Yay! <3

While waiting for our ramen, our shelled tamago (egg) was served. We were still dazed from the experience that we didn’t think of removing the shell while waiting. 

Our ramen arrived next and it came in a rectangular ceramic bowl with lid. Upon lifting the lid, the ramen looked very simple yet unexplainably mouthwatering. 

When in Japan: Visit Owl Family Hakata

My recent Japan trip was a dream come true. I have been dying to visit Japan for the longest time and it finally happened this year. And nothing would have been more perfect than being there during the time when cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Obviously, I went crazy over the cherry blossoms and dragged R towards every sakura tree I spotted. It was expected as I have always wanted to see those beautiful trees in real life. But I would have never known that I would also go crazy over… owls. 

Hello, Owl Family Hakata!

The Owl café was an accidental discovery and it happened when R and I were trying to find our way to visit this temple near Hakata Station in Fukuoka, Japan. 

After struggling to ask the locals for directions with my survival Nihonggo, we found ourselves walking along this sad looking shopping district. That was when we spotted a bunch of foreigners in front of this quaint café. Curious, we stopped and check the place out. And to our surprise, we saw several owls inside!

Owls of different sizes were all lounging around the small establishment. We were so fascinated by it that we thought of joining the group of tourists outside. But there is a limit with the number of customers who could go inside. Also, we wanted to wait for R’s friend to join us. 

We headed back to the place after a couple of hours and there were still a handful of people waiting outside for the next batch. We got scared that we might not be accommodated as the ones ahead of us made reservations. But we managed to get in. Yay!

We were first ushered to the second floor of the cafe where we were given instructions on how to handle the owls. It was a bit of a challenge as the server was speaking 95% Japanese and 5% English. We only understood the essentials through body language. 

Thankfully, they also have some reading materials in English for us which also explain the same things the staff was trying to convey. 

Before heading down, we placed our orders which were inclusive in our JPY1,000 per person café fee. R and I got hot chocolate while R’s friend, M, got coffee. 

Giddy to mingle with the owls, we didn’t drink our beverages right away. Also, the second floor was a bit too cramped to stay put.

We were given a quick rundown of the names of the owls but the one that got stuck to me is Sumomo, the adorable small owl with eyes that could melt the coldest heart. 

First BIte: Uma Uma!

After getting a few sips from my Aphrodisiac drink from Horse's Mouth, I moved to Uma Uma's bright dining area for some yummy treats. 

The interiors of this area is different from Horse's Mouth. It was a lot warmer and brighter. They made use of lighter colored wood and it had a stronger Japanese vibe to it.

After a few minutes, A arrived and we ordered the Uma Uma Ramen (PHP360) and One-Bite Gyoza (PHP140). A also asked for House Tea but he was informed that there is a PHP35 charge per glass. 

While waiting, A mentioned that he's curious with "Hakata-Style." I told him that it must be referring to the area in Fukuoka called Hakata. Perhaps it originated there. Not really sure as I'm just after the food and I don't really care where the food comes from or what cooking style was used as long as it's good food! *uncultured foodie*

Japanese Love: Green Tea Mochi

I have pretty much established in my previous blog entries years back that I just love anything Japanese. I fell in love with the Japanese culture during the Akazukin Chacha days and I’ve been hooked ever since. From Card Captor Sakura to Rurouni Kenshin, Slam Dunk to Grave of the Fireflies, and even The Ring, I just can’t get it out of my system. I then fell in love with its cuisine—tempura, sushi, sashimi, teppan, ramen, okonomiyaki, mochi and a lot more! I still remember the first time I had a bite of real Japanese mochi. It was heaven and there was no turning back. I need more of that. I have to go back… even if it’s just Narita Airport.

Back when planking was the coolest thing to do. (2011)

I’m lucky that I know a handful of people who travel a lot. I then get to satisfy my craving for food that I could not get here in Manila. Last month, I had an intense craving for beef jerky and ended up bugging 6 people to buy me packs of the yummy Bee Cheng Hiang beef jerky.

 

Earlier this month, I had an intense craving for Japanese mochi. But every time I buy locally, I end up being disappointed as I have not found any that comes close to the one I bought from Narita. So when my boss mentioned that she’ll visit Japan, it gave me hope.

KitKat gone Japanese

I love Japan. Anime. Kawaii fashion. Oh-so-yummy food. And… KitKat in Green Tea, Melon, and Strawberry flavors???

 

As a certified Japanese wannabe, the highlight of my 3 week vacation in US was not my stay in L.A. or Florida but my Narita stopover. I had so much fun planking, running around, laughing, and panic buying.

I bought some Japanese ice cream (duo flavor in a cone), a clock (yes, I’m an impulse buyer), several key chains screaming “I Love Japan” and so much more. 

While buying practically everything I find appealing, I noticed a pile of KitKat boxes in different colors. Green Tea? Strawberry? Melon? *Happiness.

Japanese 101: Oishii aisukurimu!

I just had the best chiffon bread (so far) this morning and I’d love to buy some more of it but the problem was… I bought it in JAPAN. Yes, I am still not over my very short stop at Narita Airport and I realized that I have not posted anything Japan-related yet and it made me remember the oh so good ice cream I had while waiting for my flight back to my one and only love… Manila. 

For some reason, it was EXTREMELY warm inside the Narita Airport. Perhaps my long-sleeved top meant for the fall season and the fact that I was speed walking while frantically looking for Uniqlo were partly at fault. Anyway, I was turning into a walking tomato and that made me decide to go back to Gate # I forgot and pout till my mouth hurts as I found out that the Uniqlo store was nowhere near where I was.