Second Sip: Cha Tuk Chak

Poblacion grew from being a sketchy neighborhood to one of the busiest foodie districts in town. As home to innovative dining concepts and some of the hippiest bars, Poblacion came in a bit late with food parks. We've noticed the boom of these al fresco dining spots and it seems that it is now reaching its sunset phase. But one food park tries to prove us otherwise--Pobstacion. And our first stop in this industrial food spot... Cha Tuk Chak.

Hello, Cha Tuk Chak.

I've tried Cha Tuk Chak before at the Gourmand Market last year but I found its Nom Yen (PHP120 | PHP135) drink too milky and blah. I thought it was great as many pick this flavor. It turns out to be just for the gram.

Flower Boy: Colors of Thailand in Manila

One of the stalls that opened early at The Grid is Tankchop XL which is now named as Flower Boy. Offering ginormous pork chop rice and picturesque Pad Thai, this stall experienced a lot of hiccups on its first few months of operations. Thankfully, it managed to get the groove of moving plates fast after some time. 

Hello, Flower Boy. 

Flower Boy is one of the first stalls you'll see if you circle The Grid clockwise. Located at stall #2, this kiosk specializes in Thai local fare and one of its signature dishes is its Pad Thai. 

First Bite: Muang Thai

I love Thai cuisine but it was my recent trip to Thailand that made me appreciate it in a whole new level. With its scrumptious and colorful food everywhere, I was tempted to go on a food crawl every day during my 2 week visit. Thankfully, we have a handful of reliable Thai restaurants in Manila to satisfy our Pad Thai, Tom Yum and Satay cravings. One establishment stood the test of time and has been delighting foodies for over two decades. 

Hello, Muang Thai. 

Tucked inside Teachers Village, Muang Thai has been serving scrumptious Thai dishes since 1996. Fast forward to 2018, it now has a new look but continues to offer classics that would tickle anyone's taste buds. 

When in Thailand: Krabi Island (Day 4 and 5)

Time sure flies fast when you're on a vacation. It felt like days went by as quick as a blink of an eye. Before we even realized it, we were about to leave Krabi and we were just not ready yet. But we tried to maximize our last full day with another island tour and checking out one of the highly rated restaurants in the island. 

Day 4 and 5 at Krabi Island

We decided to spend our last full day at Krabi checking out 4 Islands which is the tour recommended for those who prefer snorkeling over relaxing by the shore. 

When in Thailand: Krabi Island (Day 2)

Don't you just love it when you don't have to rush in the morning? We had such start on our second day at Krabi Island. We headed out of our first hotel, Holiday Inn Express past noon and moved to another resort which is just a few steps away. 

Day 2 at Krabi Island

We decided to try Aonang Buri Resort which belongs to a group that also manages Buri Tara Resort and Blue Sotel. 

When in Thailand: Krabi Island (Day 1)

This 2018 has been a busy year for both R and I. Most, if not all, of our trips were work related. Though we get to manage to get a few days as "vacation", it was far from enough to be considered a relaxing trip. But this time around, we decided to extend our Thailand trip for 9 more days for us to visit Krabi. 

Hello, Krabi!

This island is the less popular counterpart of Phuket. A home to beautiful and unique limestone karsts with some ideal for rock climbing, Krabi is the perfect alternative for those who want a relaxing vacation. 

First Bite: Just Thai

It's hard not to fall in love with Thai cuisine. With dishes like Pad Thai, Tom Kha Gai, Pad Krapow Moo Saap, Gaeng Keow Wan Kai and refreshing Thai Milk Tea, it is a tough battle not to like this Asian cuisine. And so, when the lovely gals of The Foodie Station invited me to savor some of Just Thai's dishes, I quickly said yes and cleared my schedule for a fanTHAIstic day. (Okay, that was a lame pun but it was really fantastic and let me tell you why.) 
 
Hello, Just Thai.

First Sip: Black Canyon

I have been hearing that there’s a café in McKinley that offers one of the best milk teas in the metro. Since R and I were already in the area, we decided to head to the popular café to try some of its talked about drinks. 

Hello, Black Canyon!

Black Canyon is located along the strip of restaurants in Tuscany so it is easy to spot this cafe. 

It had simple no frills interiors and the counter was the first thing you’ll see once you step inside. You may opt to order in front or have one of the wait staff approach you. 

I went with the bestseller Cha Thai Yen (PHP120) while R ordered Matcha Green Tea Glacier Frappe (PHP180). We also ordered a bowl of Taro Balls in Coconut Cream (PHP78) as dessert. (We just had lunch at Nihonkai Tsukiji when we dropped by this shop.)

While waiting, R and I took advantage of the free wifi and charged our phones while we catch some Pokemon. 

Our bowl of taro balls was served in less than 10 minutes and it made me realize why it was cheap. The bowl used was small and if you have a  big appetite, you could eat this in two mouthfuls. Taste-wise, it wasn’t that impressive. 

It had a faint taste of taro and the coconut cream didn’t help much. I was also slightly disappointed as I was picturing something like bilo-bilo or rice balls. It was my bad though to expect such from taro balls which was more mushy than sticky. 

Now in Manila: Thai Original BBQ

I am a big fan of Thai Original BBQ and I couldn’t contain my excitement when I found out that they opened a branch here in Manila. It has been over two years since I indulged in its famous chicken bbq and I’m so glad that it won’t turn into three years as I managed to convince my friends to hold our Christmas get together at the newest restaurant in Fort Strip. 

Hello, Thai Original BBQ!

It is hard to miss Thai Original BBQ as its prime corner location facing 5th Avenue and Central Square is very easy to spot. 

I was warmly greeted by its front host wearing traditional Thai outfit and ushered me inside. 

The interiors of its Manila branch is not quite the same as its Los Angeles’ restaurants as it lacked fresh orchids. I do understand though that such tabletop could cost a fortune.

I was so happy that they kept most, if not all, of the dishes offered by its US counterpart. Of course we had to go with the bestsellers Gaiyang Dinner (PHP530) and BBQ Spare Ribs Dinner (PHP580). We also ordered Fried Calamari (PHP280), Yum Pla Dook Foo (PHP380), Tom Yum Goong (PHP380) and Pad Thai (PHP380). For our drinks, we all went with Thai Milk Iced Tea (PHP140) except for M who tried Iced Coffee (PHP140).

First Bite: COCA

A message from P never fails to make me smile like that creepy cat from Alice in Wonderland. It was an invite for COCA, a Thai restaurant under the same group as Mango Tree. I immediately typed "YES!" faster than my next heartbeat.  And after a week of waiting, I finally found myself in front of Mango Tree's baby sister. 

Hello, COCA! 

I had an impression that this place is a seafood restaurant as its ads before kept on highlighting its humongous crab dish. I'm a fan of crabs but I absolutely hate removing its shell just to get to the delectable white meat. And so, I shunned the idea of dining here… till I got a COCA gift certificate from looloo. And my plan to visit was moved earlier thanks to looloo and COCA’s generous invite. 

I guess all of us were excited to indulge in a Thai feast as everyone was already in SM Aura before 7 pm. I thought I’d be able to get back my early bird title but some were already around as early as 5 pm! 

Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted by shades of browns and maroons which somehow reminded me of Mango Tree. It still exudes a fancy feel but it was more casual with its brighter lighting. 

C, A and I were the last ones to arrive and appetizers were already on the table. 

We first sampled the Salmon Grapow Cups (PHP180) which confused us if we were indeed munching on salmon. The color and texture were different from the salmon I know. 

The salmon bits of this one were tougher and quite close to ground beef. However, if you try to slowly enjoy the filling, you’d get the salmon flavor. It was just a bit too salty so make sure you eat it with the cup. 

I enjoyed the Roast Duck Salad (PHP380) more than the first appetizer because of its interesting play of flavors and textures. The crunchy skin and cucumber strips went well with the watermelon chunks and duck meat. It had a light taste and was refreshing at the same time! I had to get two to three servings of this one. 

First Bite: Hey Handsome

Hey Handsome has been receiving praises from notable influencers from the foodie community for a month now. Actually, just knowing that the minds behind this concept are the ones who brought Your Local already convinced me that I have to visit this place ASAP. I really respect these young talents as they are not afraid of the insanely crazy restaurant industry we have now. And to use unconventional raw ingredients such as keluak,a big poisonous fruit found in Indonesia, among others, proves how passionate they are in their craft and in bringing new flavors to Manila. The restaurant was scheduled to open last Friday but since the owners want to make sure that everything is perfect, they had to delay the opening and moved it to August 17 instead. (Thank you, Charlie Paw for the heads up!) And finally, Hey Handsome is open!!!

Hello, Hey Handsome!

I was greeted by lovely interiors that reminded me of Your Local, only brighter and more Instagram friendly (given the abundance of light). The modern mixed with industrial feel, high stools and white and green tiles turn every corner of this restaurant perfect for shoots. 

I guess Nicco Santos, one of the owners, head chef and a photographer himself, considered how foodies love to take snapshots of food and restaurant interiors. 

The restaurant aims to infuse more “real” Asian flavors such as Peranakan, Thai and Malaysian. Though some of the ingredients are sourced in other Asian countries for more authentic flavors, some are sourced locally. I honestly could not really tell which ones are authentic tasting or not. As long as the dish tastes good, I’m a-okay with it! 

I have read several positive reviews about the Beetroot Paneer (PHP480), Nam Tok (PHP580), Bebek Penyet (PHP680) and Nasi Lemak (PHP645). I decided to go with last one knowing that is considered as a complete meal in Malaysia and Singapore.

Quite unfamiliar with the dishes, I did a quick research and found out that Nasi Lemak is usually composed of meat, salted peanuts, coconut rice, hardboiled egg and dilis. But it is wrong to expect “usual” when dining at Chef Nicco’s restaurant. Instead of serving nasi lemak (coconut rice) with meat, Hey Handsome paired it with sea bass otah infused with spices that is wrapped and grilled in banana leaves served with sambal, pickled soft boiled egg and peanut brittle with dilis.

Gastro Park Kapitolyo Find #1: El Phante

Last Saturday was a crazy food fest. I scheduled to meet my friends for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Kapitolyo as I realized that I have to start visiting the new ones before it starts to become unmanageable. I was so giddy on my way to Kapitolyo but it instantly disappeared when I couldn’t find Kitchen Diaries Café. There were two location pins, one from Waze and another from Instagram. I went to both and circled both areas like Sisa looking for her kids and I just could not find it. Worn out and sweaty, I decided to give the café a call and… apparently, there was a change in management and they have to close down the café indefinitely. It pissed me off! They could have at least announced it or something! Aaargh. Anyway, I made sure that lunch will be awesome as I planned it to be at…

Gastro Park!

This place is the StrEat version of Kapitolyo. Similar to the Maginhawa branch, this small compound houses several small food establishments offering different cuisines. And on top of my list is El Phante which got good rating in looloo.

I was excited to hand the coupons I got from Metro Deal where PHP200 worth of food will be just PHP99. But I failed to take note that the coupons are only valid from Sundays to Thursdays. It was not a big deal since it was my mistake and prices are wallet-friendly.

I then ordered the bestseller Chili Beef Basil Soft Taco (PHP140). Don’t be deceived by the name of the dish. It was just mildly spiced or so what the server claims.

It took roughly 10 minutes for our order to be served and it was… small. What do you expect from PHP140? I was pleased though that despite the small size of the soft taco, there was a generous serving of ground beef.

First Bite: Wild Ginger

I feel terrible when I pay for a dish I find “meh” or worse… “blargh”. I had that sentiment last Friday when I had lunch at a ramen place in Rockwell. The broth had a very odd taste and the appetizer we ordered was too salty. It’ll take me a long while before I decide to visit that place again. The only perk I got from the lunch was when my colleague mentioned a list of restaurants I have to try. One of the restaurants she mentioned was Wild Ginger.

Hello, Wild Ginger!

I always pass by this restaurant and it never really made me curious as I only see a few people eat here. But since my colleague mentioned that this quaint restaurant serves good food, I had to give it a try.

R was indecisive that night so I ordered for the both of us: Pad Thai (PHP245), Thai Green Chicken Curry (PHP285), and Asian Tomato Soup (PHP135). I also got a glass of cold Calamansi juice (PHP75).

I was a bit iffy to order the tomato soup as it mentioned “spices from the East Indies” but I assumed that it wouldn’t be spicy. WRONG. It was so spicy that it made me cough and tear up. People who love spicy dishes would like this though.

Restaurant Discovery: Tosca

A few Fridays ago, I felt like I was transported to another place at a blink of an eye (fine, with the help of a motorized vehicle). Anyway, it was like entering a huge Thai spa with walls ornamented with gold…paint. I thought it was just me till R told me the same thing. Don’t judge me but it was my first time to enter Dusit Thani and I wasn’t expecting the place to look like it.

Hello, Dusit Thani!

The place was pretty different from the hotels I’ve been to. It has a very strong Asian feel to it. We actually went there for an event at Tosca (one of the restaurants inside the hotel) but since I fell in love with the food they served, I just have to share it!

 

First served was the tuna crudo with grilled artichoke in lemon infused olive oil. It was quite like sashimi only it was tangy with the help of the lemon. The artichoke added a bit more texture to the dish as well. It was a nice light dish to start lunch. (It made me crave for salmon sashimi.)

Nav Modern Thai Cuisine Revisited!

For some reason, I had this strong craving for vodka last Saturday. I thought that I hit jackpot when I saw several bottles of chocolate vodka in our pantry only to discover that it was long overdue to be thrown out. Since I was too lazy to go down, I decided to read a book instead. Yes, that did kill my craving… not. So come Sunday, when my friends and I decided to have dinner at Nav, I asked them if we could order at least one drink… and we did. [Note: I am not an alcoholic. I just needed a drink that weekend.]

Hello again NAV!

Nothing seemed to have changed since I last visited the restaurant way back July 2011. It still has the predominant green walls and the quirky clock which I now know came from Dimensione. The menu is still the same as well.

We decided to order the following dishes: Son-In-Law Eggs (PHP180), Shrimp rolls (PHP250), Crisped Catfish with Green Mangoes (PHP245), NAV’s Pad Thai (PHP280), and some NAV Kickers—Phuket (PHP220) for A, Bangkok (PHP220) for L, and Patpong (PHP220) for me.

 

First served was the Son-In-Law Eggs, hard boiled eggs in tamarind sauce. It sure was good. The soft eggs (ironic since it’s “hard” boiled eggs but anyway) went really well with the sauce.

My First Bite: Jatujak

After a fun pamper me day that fattened our wallets… with receipts, my friend and I decided to have a not-so-heavy dinner as we were still digesting the food we ate from Mesa.

 

We were planning to eat at this Persian restaurant along Mega Strip but we got lazy after doing a quick grocery. We then decided to eat at Jatujak instead as it passed my one and only requirement: must be a restaurant I have never been to before. It was odd though as I am a frequent diner of Pho Hoa. I guess I have really not been fond of Thai food before. 

 

The place was quite small but you can’t deny the Thai ambiance with the purple motif of the restaurant. Service was also quick. The waiter gave us a menu as soon as we sat down. Perhaps, it was because we sat near where the owner was busy computing the day’s sales figures.

L.A. Food Find Favorite: Thai Chicken Barbeque

My aunt picked us up at the Glendale Galleria after a brief shopping spree and decided to bring us to this Thai restaurant that specializes in grilled chicken.

Hungry and cold, we got so excited after hearing the word chicken. 

The place was like a diner and it made me smile like crazy for somehow, I got to check one off my list.

First thing I noticed when we sat down was the pretty flowers. It somehow made me forget I was hungry for a minute or so.