The Healthy Diaries: Chimara

I usually steer away from healthy food as more often than not, it tastes bad for me. I guess I’m just not meant to be a healthy eater as I like fats, sweet stuff and everything actually bad for the body. Though I try to eat those dangerous tummy ticklers moderately, I could feel the oil crawling and flowing through my veins and getting stuck somewhere. I just had to detoxify. And when A of Chimara contacted me to sample their dishes, I quickly said yes.

Hello, Chimara!

Located at the ground floor of U.P. Town Center, I was greeted by a bright green counter which screams “healthy restaurant”. 

I went in and was welcomed by the friendly staff who assisted me in getting the bestsellers. I went with Faux Beef Salpicao with Rice (PHP180) and Tuna Wasabi Aioli Salad (PHP230). For drink, I ordered I am Strong (PHP80, petite).

My drink was served first and it tasted really… healthy. The beetroot gave the drink an earthy taste that might take a while for others to enjoy. The carrot and apple added a bit of sweet taste which made my bright red drink enjoyable. 

I was worried with the Tuna Wasabi Aioli as the word wasabi means spicy. I was assured by the staff though that it is tolerable and that the spicy sauce is served on the side hence giving me full control on how spicy I want my greens to be. 

First Bite: Café Lidia

After 9 hours of eating, we have finally reached the last stop of our Marikina food crawl. And just when we thought we’ll just have a spoonful of each dish, we were spoiled with mouthwatering pasta dishes, pizzas, meats and cakes! And we simply could not say no to those!

Hello, Café Lidia.

Café Lidia is one of the pioneer restaurants in Marikina and has been well-loved by residents and foodies alike. Most have seen this establishment grow from a humble restaurant to a space that could cater to special occasions like weddings and birthday parties. And I was surprised that at almost 9 pm, the place was still packed with diners. 

The place has this Hispanic or Old Manila feel with its brick walls, wooden furniture and lovely pond. 

As we waited for the dishes we were about to sample, I browsed through the menu and was impressed with the number of dishes Café Lidia offers. They have several viands, pasta, pizza and cakes to choose from.

First Bite: Holy Crab!

Part of our Aguirre itinerary is E’s sister’s seafood restaurant. I haven’t been to this place before and it didn’t really make a lot of noise as well hence being out of the looloo radar. But I’m sure glad we stopped by.

Hello, Holy Crab!

The not so new seafood restaurant has the same concept as Boiling Crab in the US and Shrimp Bucket here in Manila. I heard though that Holy Crab was the first one to bring such concept here in Manila. It’s just that the other player was a bit more aggressive in expanding. 

The smell of shelled fish was the first thing I noticed as soon as I stepped inside the restaurant. It reminded me of dampa. It wasn’t funky; but it wasn’t exactly pleasant as well. 

Since we just came from Bamba Bistro, I was a bit hesitant to order a dish for myself so I decided to just share with E and K. 

We ordered Mussels in Garliky-Lime and Salted Eggs Sauce (PHP330), Grilled Tuna Belly (PHP260), and a pitcher of Raspberry Cooler (PHP175). 

Service was fast and first served was our drink which was refreshing but dilluted. 

Mussels were served next and it was a pretty generous serving. One order was definitely good for sharing. 

First Bite: Brad & Pit's Ribshack

Ribs became a crowd favorite ever since the popularity of Rub Ribs, Tomahawk and other ribs place that made the delectable piece of savory meat accessible to people with limited food budget. And with its popularity came other food joints and one of the later players is Brad & Pit’s Ribshack.

Hello, Brad & Pit’s Ribshack!

The place was quite full when we arrived and I was thinking how our big party will fit in the restaurant. As I follow the others roam around the restaurant, we were surprised that there’s another dining area at the back of the restaurant. This area actually serves as a private function area for small parties. 

As we marvel over the vinyl cover displays, plate after plate of delectable dishes were placed on the long dark table. 

Dishes served were the following: Mount Nachos(PHP195), Dynamite Sticks (PHP165), Wings (PHP220, small), Taco Sticks (PHP165), Original Rib Mountain (PHP245, small—good for 2 pax), Cubano (PHP135), Steak Combo (PHP225), Blueberry Cheesecake (PHP145), Brownies ala mode (PHP120), Chocolate Milkshake (PHP135) and Cucumber Shake (PHP95). 

First Bite: Jipan's Salted Egg Croissant

I love anything with salted egg. I went crazy with the salted egg prawns of Din Tai Fung and I fell in love with Stella’s salted egg chips. I also hoard those colored eggs whenever I see it in Greenhills. And when I heard that Jipan sells salted egg croissants, I just have to visit it ASAP.

Hello, Jipan!

I used to frequent its SM Megamall branch when I was younger and go crazy with its chocolate croissants. But this time around, I went with Salted Egg Croissant (PHP125). I also had a bag of Matcha Croissants (PHP180, 10 pieces) to go. 

Love at First Bite: Miguel & Maria

Marikina is one of the foodie havens I have been eying for the longest time. However, every time I plan to visit this foodie wonderland, it gets cancelled. But thanks to Zomato and ABS-CBN, my dream food crawl became a reality and I finally got to visit one of the restaurants I have been dying to visit. 

Hello, Miguel & Maria!

We were greeted by a facade in black and white hues which gave me an impression that the restaurant would have modern interiors. 

I was instantly corrected as soon as I stepped inside. The restaurant has a warm ambiance with its predominantly dark-colored furniture, wooden floors and walls and rustic displays. 

While waiting for the food, I explored the area and was surprised that it’s a pretty spacious restaurant and it could easily sit around 70 to 80 diners. 

After a short wait, Miguel & Maria’s Ultimate Burger (PHP220) was served.

First Bite: Maisen BGC

I was so excited when I found out that my good friend F accepted a job offer near my office. I finally have someone to drag with me for random cravings or sudden desire to burn some cash. (And by cash, I mean less than PHP500.) After two weeks of planning, we finally decided to have lunch one Friday at the newly opened Maisen branch at Shangri-La, Fort.

Hello, Maisen!

I headed straight to the new Japanese restaurant in town as I was expecting a long queue. (Maisen had an opening promo where they offered their 80g katsu for less than PHP100 for its first two days.) Luckily, there were a few seats by the bar so I managed to skip the queue and got a seat for me and my friend. 

As I waited for F, I read the menu highlighting Maisen’s new offerings and was curious with Cold Udon (PHP175). After a few more minutes, I decided to order it and paired it with a glass of Calamansi with Grenadine Iced Tea (PHP100, refillable).

Soon, F arrived and ordered a katsu set which I wasn’t able to take note of as I was too hungry as I skipped breakfast. 

While waiting for our orders, I took a peek of the main dining area of Maisen and was surprised that it was pretty small. I think a max of 40 diners will fit the air conditioned area. 

Bang for the Buck: Baliwag Grill & Restaurant

Whenever I plan of food crawls, I wouldn’t consider Baliwag as one of our stops as its roasted chicken is something I could get anywhere. Hence when Zomato included Baliwag as our first stop in our Marikina food crawl, I was a bit dazed by it. I even considered skipping this stop and head straight to the next one. But I was so glad that I didn’t and let me tell you why. 

Hello, Baliwag Grill & Restaurant!

Thanks to the crazy Saturday traffic, we got to the spacious sit down Baliwag restaurant one hour later than expected. And we were greeted by bad news as soon as we stepped inside, rather, the al fresco dining area. The air conditioned area was closed for an event and we had no choice but to enjoy Manila’s humidity during lunch.

Glasses of service were served within 5 minutes but everything else took way longer than acceptable. Our plates and utensils were given to us after 15 minutes and our food were served one by one after roughly 40 minutes. Some of us even turned hangry already. 

First Bite: Coconut House

I love how Pokemon Go brings me to places. R is not the type who likes to go out and eat but since he is very much into Pokemon Go, we have been going around the city and hanging out in crowded places these past weeks. One of the places we recently frequent is Quezon Memorial Circle which is known to be a hot spot for Pokemon hunting. One of the best spots in the area is Coconut House which has three Pokestops within reach.

Hello, Coconut House!

This restaurant is quite interesting as it is known for incorporating coconut in ALL of its dishes. However, we were still full from our heavy lunch when we opted to hang out outside the restaurant. 

The intense humidity though made me want something cool so I checked out some of Coconut House’s cold treats and decided to get a popsicle. One coconut popsicle only costs PHP8! Talk about cheap thrills! It is also a great blast from the past treat.

Restaurant Love: Single Origin

Breakfast is love. If breakfast is a guy, I’d definitely date him and who knows, marry him as well. There’s something so appealing with breakfast that I simply could not stop having it all day long. And a lot of foodies share the same addiction hence the number of all-day breakfast restaurants around the city. One of my favorites is Single Origin and it surely delighted my tastebuds when I dropped by its second branch a few months ago. 

Hello, Single Origin. 

This was my first time to visit its Rockwell branch which opened last September and I noticed that it is bigger than its BGC branch. 

I was greeted by warm hues of brown, suspended lights and charming flowers on each table. I also spotted a few communal tables which are perfect for large groups or those who do not like feeling alone. 

Promo Alert: Celebrate Friday with Iceberg’s Halo-Halo

Saan ka dadalin ng PHP30 mo?

Sa Icebergs!

The well-loved dessert shop, Icebergs, is celebrating its 30th year this month and to make it festive for everyone, it is offering its delectable and refreshing halo-halo for just PHP30 instead of PHP108!

How awesome is that?!

It is open every Friday (meaning now) until November 25, from opening time to closing time. This promo is valid from opening time to 6 pm. (Fine, I'm a bit late with this news. But hey, you are never too late for sweets!)

You know the drill. It’s FriYAY thanks to Icebergs' halo-halo!

And while you're at it, try some of Icebergs' savory meals like this mouthwatering pasta here! 

See you there! :)

Icebergs is available in these locations: Banawe, Eastwood City Walk 2, Harbour Square (CCP Complex), Katipunan Extension, Metrowalk Complex, Santana Grove, Robinson’s Galleria, SMBY (Mall of Asia), SM City Clark, SM City Fairview, SM City North Edsa, SM City Novaliches, SM City San Fernando, SM Mall of Asia South Wing, TImog Avenue, Tutuban Center Mall and UST.

**Photos used are all from Icebergs.