The Perfect Alibi for a Night Out

You don't need to find an excuse to get a drink or two and bar chows to pair it with. You deserve it after surviving a grueling week at work or simply living in chaotic Manila. And if you do, we have the perfect alibi which is Alibi.

Hello, Alibi.

Alibi is one of the newest speakeasy bars in Tomas Morato. Located in the basement of Geonbae, one could easily miss this new gem in the city.

When in El Nido: The Red Crab Alimango House

After days of swimming, snorkeling and climbing in Apulit and Miniloc, R and I were looking forward to finally relax at Lio, El Nido. Just thinking about lounging on its long shore and enjoying the area's chill vibe made us excited. But another thing made us giddy to spend a few days in this newly developed area... and that was to feast on good seafood.

Hello, The Red Crab Alimango House.

The Red Crab Alimango House opened in Lio Estate just last April and it's one of the best places to dine in the area.

Nono's Launches New Favorites

July was a stressful month for me. I had to learn new things for work and keep up with having new content for my blog. I'd often find myself sleeping so late just so I could have everything done. Now that I'm starting to get the hang of it, there's no better way to reward myself than with good food at Nono's. 

Hello, Nono's.

I used to think that Nono's is just a place for desserts knowing that the person behind this dainty shop is the wonderful Baba Ibazeta-Benedicto of Classic Confections. But I was totally wrong when I got a bite of Nono's Fried Truffle Cheese Wontons. Crunchy and packed with umami, this amazing starter made me smile from ear to ear! And I couldn't help myself from wanting more. My sister also had a Cooking Master Boy moment with Nono's when she had its cheesy Mac N Cheese.

Quality over Quantity: Sariwon Philippines

Manila has turned into one big Koreatown (한인마을) with several Korean barbecue joints opening left and right. There are a lot offering unlimited meat which I find quite tempting. But if I were to decide based on quality, I have a few places I go to and top of my list is Sariwon. 

Hello, Sariwon. 

Sariwon has been around even before the boom of Korean barbecue in Manila. Located at the prime Bonifacio High Street Central, Sariwon became a favorite by professionals in the area and a family destination on weekends. 

When in Boracay: Discovery Shores Boracay

I've been so excited to go back to Boracay after hearing that the island is back in shape. As a place I associate with relaxation and good food, R and I decided to celebrate our anniversary there. And to make things a bit more special, we stayed at Discovery Shores Boracay. 

Hello, Discovery Shores Boracay.

Hailed as one of the best luxury resorts in the island, Discovery Shores Boracay is usually fully booked with local and foreign tourists alike. I can't blame travelers though as this place offers top notch service and its pandan water is something else!

First Bite: Churchill

Capitol Commons has been my go to place whenever I want to have a relaxing shopping spree. With the place barely packed on any day of the week, it was the ideal shopping destination for those who want a break from socializing. However, this place changes at night! It evolves into this party hot spot filled with millennials. So what we thought to be a relaxed get together turned into something more than what titas and titos in us could handle. 

Hello, Churchill. 

Churchill is one of the most recent additions to the Capitol Commons dining and drinking scene. Positioned as a not so hidden speakeasy bar behind Highlands Bistro, R's friends figured that this would be a great place for a mini reunion. 

Love at First Bite: Sabor Bar de Vinos

Novotel Manila Araneta Center has been known as a hotel of choice by many locals and travelers alike. Situated in the bustling part of Quezon City, this hotel is just a few steps away from malls like Gateway Mall and entertainment centers like Kia Theater and Smart Araneta Coliseum. It also serves as a great place for staycations with its impressive amenities. And just recently, Novotel came up with another reason why it is a hotel worth visiting. 

Hello, Sabor Bar de Vinos.

Sabor is Novotel's newest food concept that will delight any food enthusiast. It is a tapas bar that offers ample selection of small Spanish savory dishes perfect to be enjoyed with a glass or two of your favorite wine. 

Night Life: Unlimited Tacos with Unlimited Sangria or Margarita at Encima

Restaurants that offer Do-It-Yourself dishes are brilliant. Guests find it attractive, interactive and never blame the restaurant if it tasted bad as they made it themselves. But there are some places where no matter how bad you messed up, your creation will still be delicious! And such is the case with Encima's DIY Taco Bar. 

Hello again, Encima Roofdeck Restaurant.

To celebrate the Encima's anniversary, they threw a simple and intimate thanksgiving party which also served as the launch of their DIY Taco Bar, Unlimited Margarita or Sangria promo for just PHP499.

Love at First Bite: Alegria Cozinha Moderna & Sangria Bar

I love sangria! It's one of the drinks I simply could not resist when on a night out with friends. And when I found out that there's a new bar in town that not only offers photogenic dishes but various sangrias as well, I got very excited and giddy to visit! 

Hello, Alegria Cozinha Moderna & Sangria Bar.

Located at the fourth floor of Uniqlo store along 7th Avenue, Alegria offers a lovely and relaxing space perfect for night caps after work or a tiring day doing errands. It also has an al fresco area that gives a nice view of surrounding area. 

First Bite: Little Winehaus

Looking for an affordable place to spend your Titas of Manila night can be a bit challenging. With most tapas and wine bars selling their wine and anti pasti at several hundreds per serving, going out for one could definitely hurt the holiday budget. But, what if I tell you that there's a place that could give you and your amigas a lovely Wine and Jamon Serrano night for only PHP540? Intrigued?

Hello, Little Winehaus.

The quaint wine shop located at the two storey restaurant complex along Mother Ignacia and Scout Lozano offers affordable sangrias and tapas perfect for those who want an all-nighter. 

We got a carafe of Sangria (PHP290), Jamon Serrano (PHP250), Hungarian Sausage (PHP180) and Dulong (PHP180) paired with crackers. 

First Bite: City Garden Hotel's Encima Roofdeck Restaurant

Dining in hotels could be intimidating especially for the wallet. But I've noticed that a lot of well-known posh establishments have developed reasonably priced menu for those who are dining on a budget. And one new discovery of mine is Encima Roofdeck Restaurant's Everything Bottomless promo. 

Hello, City Garden Hotel.

City Garden is no new name in the hospitality industry but it was my first time to visit City Garden Hotel. I blame Makati due to crazy traffic and confusing one-way streets. But last weekend, I finally made it!

First Bite: En Tirage

Gone are the days when wine is reserved for fancy or special occasions. With establishments redefining wine drinking and making it casual and less intimidating, more foodies grow to appreciate this drink that is said to be good for the heart. And last Saturday, I decided to swing by this newly opened wine shop in Mandala Park for a glass of my favorite sangria and sample some of its bestsellers.

Hello, En Tirage.

Tucked inside the drinking hot spots of Mandala Park, En Tirage (pronouced as en-ti-haj) has this undeniably chill vibe with its cold interior color scheme and dim lights.

Restaurant Love: Barcino Wine Resto Bar

Barcino has been around for a few years now yet I still remember its launch years back where I was still new with food blogging. I guess it is hard to forget such a fantastic dining experience and being in the awesome company of top foodies and wine connoisseurs. Hence it was such a treat to have my first 2017 date with R at what I consider one of the best tapas restaurants in town. 

Hello, Barcino!

We were warmly greeted by the front hostess upon entering its Forbes Town branch and were quickly ushered to our table near the bar. 

First Bite: Village Tavern

It has been 3 months since my office moved to Fort and till now I hardly explored the area (except the establishments in front of our building). For one, I want to go home before it gets dark. Second, it’s expensive to explore here! But I do treat myself a good meal on certain days when I feel I deserve it. And a few weeks back, I invited E to join me for dinner and we went to…

Village Tavern.

I was first to arrive and the server led me to a corner table (near the al fresco part of the restaurant) and I politely asked her to move me to another table as I noticed that the area had a lot of mosquitoes. I refuse to be the mosquitoes’ dinner. She then led me to the table near the bar and it was a lot better. Soon, E arrived.

Since we got there before 7PM, we managed to score some Happy Hour drinks. I ordered Red Sangria (PHP95 before 7PM, PHP180 regular price) while E went for Long Island Iced Tea (PHP95 before 7PM, PHP155 regular price). We also ordered Roasted Bone Marrow (PHP365) and Black Pizza (PHP550).

The Roasted Bone Marrow was sinful and quite weird too. We put a bit of bone marrow goodness on the sourdough and sprinkled a bit of salt and added the greens that went with the dish. 

It tasted okay but quite far from the bone marrow dish I had from Cue.

Love at First Bite: Rambla

Instagram sure makes me fat. Yes, it does. Every time a foodie friend or a food app account posts a dish, I end up drooling and craving. And there was a time when someone posted a photo of the liquid omelette of Rambla. Yes, LIQUID OMELETTE. Awesome right? I instantly messaged J (one of the T3 members I bug… most of the time) and he agreed. But for some reason, we never visited the place! *cries* But I am blessed as my favorite Dragon Lady was game. And so after antigravity yoga, we dropped by Rambla for lunch.

Hello, Rambla!

The place is pretty dark considering it was just 1 p.m. when we visited. I guess that gives it the cozy date ambiance. (But the place is great for some afternoon chat or mini gatherings as well.)

It took us a bit of time to decide on what to order but finally settled with the following: The “Liquid” Spanish Omelette (PHP125), Black Paella with Salmon Loin Tataki and Baby Carrots (PHP595) and Salmon and Arugula Mini Pizza (PHP245).

The liquid Spanish omelette arrived first and it was heavenly. The slowly and lowly cooked till creamy egg yolks topped with caramelized onions was a foodie treat. 

I also loved the delightful potato foam that somehow reminded me of cheese for some reason (must be the color). I’ll definitely order three glasses of this next time!

The mini pizza was served next and it was also a lovely dish. The thick salmon cut topped with arugula on a thin crust served as a great appetizer (or snack). One order is slightly too small for sharing though.

Gusto Ko Sa Gostoso (Piri-Piri Chicken)

I really find it amusing how the internet reconnects people. Just a few weeks back, I met up with a balikbayan friend I met when I visited San Francisco. I promised that in case he visits Manila, I’ll return the favor and buy him a good meal. I was just not expecting it to be a sudden and unplanned meet up on All Saints’ Day. (I’m quite a planner when it comes to things that involve food.)

Since it was an impromptu dinner on a day that some restaurants were closed, we decided to explore Kapitolyo. My favorite Open Kitchen was closed while Silantro as always, was packed that night.

My other favorite place, Gostoso had a few vacant tables so we decided to settle with the Piri-Piri place.

 

Since it was already a bit late, we decided not to go wild with the order and just went with an order of Piri-Piri Fries (PHP90) and Half and Half of Chicken and Shrimp Skewers (PHP785). I was also in the mood to drink that night so we ordered a carafe of red sangria (PHP370).

First served was the plate of Piri-Piri fries with sour cream dip. It had a tangy flavor that made it addicting. (Fine, I’m biased as I love anything tangy.)

Next served was the red sangria with fruit chunks. J and I munched on the fruits as palate cleanser and dessert. I didn’t get a hint of the wine though.