First Bite: Big Ben's Gourmet Imus Longganisa

Big Ben's is one of Imus, Cavite's gems when it comes to longganisa. It has been known for its delectable Original Garlic Adobo Longganisa which is packed with bold flavors along with crowd favorites Garlic Hamunado and Gourmet Bottled Longganisa. But this charmer down south has a lot more to offer.

Hello, Big Ben's Gourmet Imus Longganisa.

Big Ben's has been around for a couple of years now but I haven't had the chance to drop by its Cavite restaurant. And I wouldn't have guessed that my first time to try it was during Manila's lockdown. 

Breakfast at Angels' Kitchen

Angels' Kitchen is one of Greenhills' dining gems. Having been around before all the quirky food trends and social media hypes, this place is known to serve straightforward, no-frills, homey dishes. And we decided to try its breakfast dishes one Wednesday morning.

Hello, Angels' Kitchen.

Bright and clean was my first impression of Angels' Kitchen as soon as I stepped inside the restaurant with its minimalist interiors, paper table covers, and simple silverware.

Foodie Alert: National Breakfast Day at McDonald's

I absolutely hate waking up early in the morning. I stopped being a morning person after quitting my job that required me to report to the office so early in the morning. It was as if my body rebelled and could no longer function before 8 A.M. But I think I'll wake up extra early on Monday because it's National Breakfast Day!

Mark your calendars as March 19 is National Breakfast Day and you know what that means... FREE EGG MCMUFFIN. Oh wait. It's even better now. It's Longgadesal!

First Bite: Cable Car

If you have been partying for the past two decades then Cable Car won't be a stranger to you. Considered as one of the pioneers in the restaurant and bar industry, Cable Car has been around since 1992 satisfying late cravings of night owls and party goers. And to celebrate its 25th year, it prepared a handful of surprises that will delight even the morning foodies and non-drinkers.

Hello, Cable Car.

I always see Cable Car whenever I pass by Fort Strip but for some reason, I found it to be a place for pre-game and post-game drinks and meals. Since I don't really go out late at night to party, I didn't find the place appealing. I had no idea though that Cable Car is more than just beer and small bites. In fact, it is known for its sisig rice. 

When in Baguio: Arca's Yard

Baguio is one of my go-to places when I need to relax, unwind and get fat with strawberries. Thanks to TPLEX, our trip to the land of ube halaya and cold breeze has been cut in half. Since then, I’ve visited Baguio a lot more but I always miss the opportunity to visit Arca’s Yard due to scheduled hibernation. But I finally managed to drop by this picturesque restaurant before bidding farewell to 2016. 

Hello, Arca’s Yard!

This place has been highly recommended by a handful of food apps and reliable foodies. My smile was that of Cheshire Cat (from Alice in Wonderland) when I found out that we’ll have lunch there on New Year’s Eve. Worried that we might not have seats, I sent the place an SMS to reserve us a table for six hungry individuals. 

Kitchen Adventure: Suy Foods' Longganisa and Tocino for Brunch

Those who say “never skip breakfast” are wise. Why skip an awesome meal? I try to squeeze in a bite or two even when I’m at my busiest state because breakfast is love. And when I do have the time to indulge in some sunny side up eggs, sausages and the works, I spoil myself with only the best. I have to admit though, I got used to eating out due to convenience. But last Sunday was a different story. I finally got to spend some time at home. And what better way to spend morning than to whip up your own brunch?

It felt like it has been months since I last cooked my own meal. Due to the crazy ber months, I often find myself dining out to save time (not money). Holding a pan and knife seemed a bit foreign to me till I opened my fridge and saw my Filipino favorites.

First Bite: Coffee Project

I love adorable cafés. I really appreciate it when owners invest time, money or both in designing their coffee shops. And when I saw a few reviews about Coffee Project, I knew that I have to visit this place! 

Hello, Coffee Project! 

The very feminine coffee shop is screaming beautiful in every corner. I just have to take snapshots of the overly yet tastefully decorated ceiling and hallway before placing my order. 

Since we were expecting to visit a lot of restaurants, I opted to share a breakfast rice meal with R. We ordered Garlic Beef Tapa (PHP295) and I ordered a glass of Caphe Sua Da (PHP155) for my drink as I badly needed coffee yesterday. (I only had 4 hours of sleep the night before.) 

After placing our orders (or was it before?), J and I had fun with our mini photoshoot by the corridor towards the quaint washroom of the establishment. This is the perfect spot if you want a new profile picture! 

First served was the Caphe Sua Da. It was served with the condensed milk at the bottom of the glass and the dripped coffee on top of it. There was also a separate glass of ice where you pour the sweetened coffee after. 

It was good though I find it too sweet. It would have been nicer if they put the condensed milk in a separate glass or container so that I could control my drink's sweetness. 

Our food arrived within the acceptable 15 minute mark and first served was Abe's and Jai's deconstructed 3 piece Garlic Longganisa (PHP295 each). It came with two sunny side up eggs, half of a tomato and garlic rice. Surprisingly, they didn't feel that there was not much longganisa for the rice. I guess serving it deconstructed is a nice way to portion your viand well. 

First Bite: Café Viola

R and I always see this quaint looking restaurant whenever we visit Crosswinds for a short weekend getaway. We never bother to stop and check though as the place is always packed with diners. We did try though during Valentine’s and failed as all tables were occupied and the ones that will clear soon were reserved. But we finally got to successfully visit it a few weekends ago.

Hello, Café Vio La! (Yes, there really is a space in between Vio and La.)

The place was quite full at 8 p.m. on a Sunday but we managed to get a table for five.

Famished from swimming, we ordered Pork Crackling (PHP595), Grilled Norwegian Salmon (PHP595), Homemade Chicken Pork Adobo (PHP425), Garlic Longganisa (PHP295) and Garlic Beef Tapa (PHP375). L also ordered a pot of hot Camomile tea (PHP85). 

First served was the pot of tea which tasted like hot lemon water. The tea taste was so mild. 

The Homemade Chicken and Pork Adobo was served next and B who is not a local was looking for the adobo sauce. This one was the type of adobo where the chicken thighs and pork spare ribs are slow-cooked and simmered till dry in its natural juices, vinegar, palm sugar and lots of garlic and spices. I wasn’t able to take a photo of it as B was hungry. 

Second Bite: K&L Café

Summer is here and the intense heat is driving me crazy. I want to walk around especially during food trips but the sun wants to fry an egg on my head. So when J and I went on a White Plains food trip, we try to escape the heat by having saba con yelo (hielo) at Pan de Amerikana (and brewed coffee and pandesal for a sasaw sa kape afternoon treat). And after a bit of cooling down, we were game to visit our last stop… K&L Café.

Hello again, K&L Café.

It has been quite a while since I last visited the adorable K&L Café.

They were busy setting up for a mini gathering when we arrived so we were requested to dine at the second floor.

The second floor is pretty cute too. The wall ornaments and the frosted window with the logo of the shop made the place homey.

After checking the menu, we went with the following: Longganisa Locale (PHP219), Mozz-Ham-rella Sticks (PHP195), and Ultimate Red Velvet Pancakes (PHP295). We also got Strawberry Calamansi (PHP95) and one of their new drinks that I forgot to take note of.

First served were our drinks. I loved J’s drink as it was sweet yet citrusy. Mine, on the other hand, was a bit too sweet and wasn’t much of a thirst quencher.

The mozzarella (with ham) sticks were served next. Served warm, the stretchy mozzarella with bits of ham was a great appetizer. I’m sure cheese-loving kids would love this dish.

7 Wonders of... Longganisa

I’ve heard of this longganisa place for quite a while now. I never tried to visit the place though even though it was just near where I worked and work now (no, I do not have separation issues with locations). But one Facebook announcement finally convinced me to visit this restaurant.

I visited Sonsi around 8PM and it was pretty dark around Madison Square. Armed with my thermos to protect myself (hey, it’s better to be paranoid than… well, unconscious), I asked the guard for help since I am practically blind at night. I was led to the left side of Madison (if you are coming from Pioneer St., you have to go down a bit to reach the place). No wonder it was a bit hard to find.