A Taste of Buwan: Celebrate Valentine's Day with a Southeast Asian Tasting Menu

Celebrating Valentine's Day differently can be challenging if you've been with your special someone for years. R and I usually take the practical route and celebrate it another day. But there's this new dining concept that would make braving the Manila traffic worth it. And that is Buwan's tasting menu.

Hello, Buwan.

Buwan is the newest dining concept of Chef Julius Neccor and the group behind BOA Kitchen + Socials.

A Taste of Home: Limbaga 77

Being away from home for a month made me miss our local cuisine tenfold. Just thinking about how a single whiff of sinigang would make me drool drives me crazy. And it was an easy decision for us to pick Limbaga 77 for dinner after a long trip abroad. 

Hello, Limbaga 77.

Limbaga 77 is a homey Filipino restaurant tucked inside the semi-residential area of Tomas Morato. It has been one of the highly rated restaurants in the area by Zomato users and it definitely made me excited to try some of its bestsellers. 

Restaurant Love: Sentro 1771

Filipino food always have a special place in my heart and tummy. I'd often find myself craving for bulalo, sinigang or adobo. And one of the best places I know that offers good sinigang is Sentro 1771. But this Filipino restaurant offers more than just Sinigang na Corned Beef.

Hello, Sentro 1771.

It has been a while since I last visited Sentro 1771 and I was glad that the dishes I love are still available and there are a few new items worth checking out. 

Holiday Hacks: Empacho's Party Trays

You know you're in the Philippines when the holiday season lasts for several weeks or at least until all the leftover and lechon are out of the fridge. And for those who still have potluck parties to attend to, there's this gem in Tomas Morato worth checking out.

Hello, Empacho.

Empacho has been a favorite of mine ever since I had a bite of its kare-kareng bagnet. A mouthful of the crispy pork with thick peanut sauce would bring you to heaven. But Empacho has much more in store for us. Party trays!

First Bite: JT's Manukan Grille

Bacolod is one of my favorite cities in the Philippines. It is a foodie paradise with its practically overflowing great restaurants offering superb food at pocket friendly prices. However, I couldn't visit this city of smiles as often as I could or would want to given the demand of what we call "reality" and "adulthood". Thankfully, I found a place that would quickly transport me to my happy place without having to board a plane (or roro). 

Hello, JT's Manukan Grille!

I've always loved chicken inasal even before visiting Bacolod. I enjoy its slightly tangy taste enveloped by this smoked flavor from the grill. But trying the ones from Bacolod made me realize that I was actually missing a lot. The ones I've had before couldn't even compare to the ones from Manukan Country or classics like Aida's or Chicken House. 

When in Bacolod: Aboy's

It was an endless eating spree for me last week when I tagged along R's business trip to Bacolod. I had zero expectations for this trip as I've never been to the City of Smiles. I was even worried that I might get bored as my research on things to do in Bacolod only says The Ruins, Negros Museum and Butterfly Museum. Food-wise, I just wanted to visit Calea. But my friends (and clients) were very excited for me. They gave me a long list of restaurants and highly recommended several dishes for me to try. And I must say, their excitement was contagious! I was so excited just staring at the list they gave me. And on my first day, I visited Aboy's. 
 
Hello, Aboy's.

This Filipino restaurant is one of the highly recommended establishments by my foodie friends and R's dealers. 

Weekend Getaway: Balay Dako by Antonio’s Chef Tony boy Escalante

I am a fan of Chef Antonio “Tony Boy” Escalante. Ever since he took pity on us and fed us steak during our event, I loved him. And when I heard that he has a new restaurant, I just have to visit.

Hello, Balay Dako!

The quaint ancestral looking green house is the new restaurant of Chef Tony Boy. The place is so charming and the view is beautiful. 

The mosquito net ruins it a bit but you could always go to the second floor’s al fresco area for the unobstructed view.

R’s family took the lead in ordering and they ordered a lot! They ordered Laing na Gabi at Tokwa (PHP280), Adobo (PHP435), Calamares Fritos (PHP350), Sizzling Bulalo na Baka (PHP920), Grilled Chicken (PHP320, half), Prawn Salad, Sinuteng Pusit (PHP535), and Turon con Tikoy at Ube (PHP160).  I also ordered Sago’t Gulaman (PHP140). I’m sure I missed a few more orders.

First Bite: Hiyas Modern Filipino Comfort Food

It has been a foodie dream of mine to try all the restaurants in Kapitolyo. But it was difficult as there seem to be a new restaurant that pops out of nowhere every month. A few months back, I was down to my last 5 but now, I think I’m back to 10 or even more! And it gets even more challenging when you’re with people who are not so adventurous with food. But a few weeks back, I was able to convince my family to have a late dinner at Hiyas Modern Filipino Comfort Food.

Hello, Hiyas!

The place screams Filipino with its décor and wall mural. I love it that they have books and board games to keep the diners entertained. I also enjoyed the wait dish—fish balls.

We decided to order the following: Creamy Kalabasa Soup (PHP195), Salmon Sisig (PHP255), Hinuburan na Lumpia (PHP220), Laing (PHP295), Inasal na Manok (PHP195) and Pritong Sorbetes (PHP170).

Service was pretty quick as we were the only diners that time.

My squash soup was creamy and the serving was good for sharing. It was slightly heavy though for an appetizer.