ECQ Favorite: Matt's Waffles

I'm a big fan of breakfast food. I drool every time I think of good ol' bacon and eggs or garlic rice with bangus. And when I was asked to try some homemade frozen waffles, I quickly said yes. I just didn't expect to be hooked to it!

Hello, Matt's Waffles.

Matt's Waffles is the brainchild of a young kid named Matt who wanted to do something during Manila's lockdown (ECQ). Matt's mom suggested that they make his favorite waffles and open an online shop for it. And it turned out to be a successful venture for the mom and son duo.

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.

First Bite: Ally's All-Day Breakfast

Moms say that breakfast is the important meal of the day. But for us busy bees, we'd be lucky to be munching on a cracker on our way out. I admit, I usually skip breakfast just to get from point A to point B on time. (I blame the intense traffic we have in Manila.) Don't get me wrong. I love breakfast. It's just that I love sleep more and couldn't find the energy to wake up an hour earlier just to cook my morning meal. Thankfully, there are days when my schedule's not as packed and I could enjoy a classic breakfast at a slow pace. And on lazy days, I'd head out for breakfast and one of the spots I've recently discovered is Ally's All-Day Breakfast. 

First Bite: IHOP

I have never tried IHOP here in Manila for two reasons, crowd and bad first impression. I tried IHOP in the US and everything I ordered were too salty or too oily. It made me wonder how this breakfast joint became so popular (even to Filipinos). But I guess there's no avoiding IHOP when P invites you while you're on a Sakura vacation. I immediately replied GAME when she mentioned IHOP. IHOP, we are meant to enjoy each other's company. 

Aaaaaand... I was late. I was trying to avoid Uber surge that morning but I eventually gave in with 1.2 surge as I was really running late. And to make things worse, I didn't know that 9th Avenue (or was it 7th) was closed for an event. Almost everyone was there when I arrived. 

After a few catching up and sharing our food finds, we eventually ordered. 

First served was my Splashberry (PHP175) drink. It was so refreshing and I loved that there were whole strawberries inside!!! Yum! The fizz from the lemon-lime soda and the sweetness of orange juice made this drink the top choice to beat the summer heat! Pricey? Well, did I mention that it was refillable? WE HAVE A WINNER HERE!!! 🏅

We also got to try some of IHOP's LTO (limited time offers) for lunch! We had Southern Fried Chicken (PHP195, one piece | PHP295, two pieces) and IHOP Tacos (PHP125, single | PHP195, double).

First served was the Appetizer Sampler (PHP425) and it was goooood! The sampler comes with giant onion rings, chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks. The mozzarella sticks were a bit on the bland side and lacked the gooeyness great mozzarella sticks have in common. But it was good with the marinara sauce. I liked the chicken tenders more as it was so crunchy on the outside and quite juicy on the inside. It went well with marinara sauce too. The onion rings were great too! I ate 3 rings, I think. I totally ignored the honey mustard sauce as I fell in love with the red dip. 

The Southern Fried Chicken was served next and it was delectable. Simple and straightforward, it's that type of chicken that reminds you of home cooked fried chicken, only better! The skin was so crispy and the meat inside was so juicy. The one we got though had slight red spots which I didn't like. I guess I should request for breast for more white meat. 

The tacos and pretty much everything else were served after. We took advantage of the natural light and scored some nice photos. But it took us long enough for the Banana Hazelnut Crepe (PHP275) to require some retouch. 

Love at First Bite: Diner on 16th

Our impromptu Kapitolyo food trip stop #2 is just a few steps away from Taco Vengo! and it was just perfect as it was drizzling that night. This stop captured my interest after seeing a few photos of its mouthwatering milkshakes and diner inspired interiors online. Yes, I’m talking about Diner on 16^th.

Hello, Diner on 16^th.

The place reminds me of Grease or Hairspray as the interiors have an American diner feel.

Since my sister and I were not so hungry anymore, we opted to order two dishes and one milkshake to share. We got Waffle Florentine (PHP265), Chicken Buffalo Kabob (PHP197) and S’mores Milkshake (PHP134). 

We were informed that the dishes we ordered will take around 15 minutes and since we were still digesting the tacos, we said that we’re willing to wait. (Don’t you just love it when the server tells you how long you’ll wait to set your expectations?)

First served was our milkshake and oohlala… it was overflowing!

Each sip is packed with a lovely milky and chocolatey taste. It wasn’t too sweet or feel like we were having dessert with our meal. I also loved the s’mores on the brim. It was a chewy piece of sweet heaven. 

It’s just a bit messy to enjoy this one as the mason jar was covered with chocolate syrup. Not that I’m complaining.

Waffle Florentine was served next and yowza! For its price, it was bang for the buck! What was served before us was a plate good for sharing. 

First Bite: Unit 27 Apartment Bar + Cafe

It is very interesting how Manila has turned from an Aristocrat-Jollibee-Max’s-McDonald’s foodie scene into one where every corner has a yummy find. At Fort alone, there are a lot of places worth visiting and every month a new one opens. I get so overwhelmed (though mostly, it’s my wallet that gets overwhelmed) just thinking of all the places I could visit. And just yesterday, I visited…

Unit 27 Apartment Bar + Café.

The place is screaming cute and it reminded me of Hole in the Wall with its charming décor.

Since I made my research before going, I found out that Unit 27 Apartment’s bestseller is its Jack Daniel’s Aussie Bacon & Egg (PHP495). It is one of the restaurant’s expensive dishes but since it made me curious, I ordered one and decided to split it into two (one as early dinner and the other half as my lunch the following day). 

The other dishes ordered were the Peanut Butter & Banana Pancake (PHP280), Truffled Fries and Popcorn (PHP350) and House Party Nachos (PHP495).

Coffee Shop Love: Yardstick

My good friends know that one of the things that make me happy is coffee. I get so giddy whenever I'm in a coffee shop. 

My favorite Dragon Lady, T, and I went to Yardstick after having a filling dinner at Your Local. 

I have been here already when I tried the Mayura burger. But since I was in a hurry and was awkwardly alone (I was the only person without a companion for over 30 minutes when I visited) I wasn't able to try their coffee except for the Yard Shake which made my throat itch. 

This time, I tried the White Coffee (PHP140) and a slice of Revel Bar (PHP80).

They served the coffee without any sweetener and T encouraged me to taste it sugar-free and it was... eeek! Okay, I like my coffee sweetened. 

Place I Love: Caffe Bene

I miss Seoul. I even miss the intense walking (or should I call it hiking?) and trekking to the university. I miss the cold breeze. I also miss all those people I met and saw who were so carefree and do not care what others think about them as long as they are having fun. I miss the adventures and misadventures. But I have this feeling that I’ll get to experience that again soon, may it be in Seoul or not.

I was thrilled when T told me that one of our favorite coffee shops in Korea is coming to Manila. Caffe Bene (yes, that’s with two Fs), I have been waiting for you! 

 

When our good friend E went back to Manila, we decided to have a mini reunion and Caffe Bene seemed to be the perfect place to go to.

 

Okay, words can’t explain how giddy I was when I stepped inside. I was taking photos of everything I see. Having fun is an understatement. The interiors, the cute clock, the brick walls, the unfinished look, the wooden stairs… love~~~<3

Central Park Favorite: Wafels & Dinges

I feel so guilty knowing that I haven’t blogged for quite some time. Frannywanny has been telling me to blog as well. And now I am baaaack! Hello again, blogger me! I have a lot of yummy dishes and interesting places to share with you all and first would be something that I went gaga over… Wafels & Dinges.

It was one chilly, wait, really cold Wednesday morning in New York City when we planned to visit Central Park to skate and feel like we were part of the movie Serendipity (only our version was rather clumsy and full of violations—I’ll share that in a bit!). J, our wonderful host, joined us and got excited over this food cart outside Central Park. I’ve heard her rave about this cart days ago so the foodie in me can’t help but drool (in the inside of course!).

Since I wanted to try several toppings, I decided to go for the plain waffle (liège wafel, $5) and got the unlimited dinges (WMD—wafel of massive deliciousness, $2) and chose bananas, strawberries, nutella and belgian chocolate fudge as my toppings. Oh sweet waffle goodness!

Black Day Snacks at Milky Way Tea

I just realized that more often than not, whenever I go out with friends, we usually have at least two stops—one for a real meal and one for just-because-we-want-to-eat-more-even-though-we-are-already-full or more to put it simply, pure gluttony. This entry is the part 2 of the Black Day celebration where I was the only one in black. *pouts*

Hello Milky Way Tea!

 

It took me quite a while to pay this place a visit. But since Black Day is a special day, I just have to visit it with my Dongguk friends (minus one since D has another date *hurt*).