First Bite: Vanderlust Bistro + Patisserie

Missing the dishes you've had during your European tour? Or curious what Germany, Italy and Spain have to offer aside from the usual fare you get from other restaurants here in Manila? Look no further as Vanderlust is here to satisfy your tummy's wanderlust desires. 

Hello, Vanderlust Bistro + Patisserie!

Tucked inside one of the small streets of Tomas Morato is this quaint restaurant that became popular for its Schneeball, a traditional German pastry that you smash with a mallet.

Dynamic Duo: Ramen Nagi and Tendon Akimitsu

Ramen Nagi hit Manila like crazy back in 2014. You have to wait in line just to have some of this famous ramen shop's butao. And unlike other restaurants that started with a bang and slowly faded away, Ramen Nagi never lost its charm. With its limited edition ramen flavors and expansions, it holds a special place in the market's hearts (and tummies). Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Ramen Nagi as its ramen flavors are too bold for my liking. But when I was asked to try Veggie Ramen, I have to give it a try as I've never had any. Also, it was hard for me to comprehend how Ramen Nagi married healthy greens and sinful ramen. 

Hello, Ramen Nagi (and Tendon Akimitsu). 

R and I decided to swing by Ayala Malls the 30th, one of Ramen Nagi's newest branches, to try its limited edition ramen. We were warmly greeted by the staff who ushered us to the table near the window for good lighting. 

Gavel & Block Brings Food and Art in one Scrumptious Weekend

I love going to museums and being immersed in historical artifacts and beautiful art pieces. But my crazy food blogging schedule always get in the way. But an event this coming Friday gives me no excuse to skip art appreciation day. 

Toby's Estate Launches New Dishes

I blame Toby's Estate for my Chai Chocolate addiction. It was love at first sip. And just when I thought I couldn't love Toby's Estate even more, this popular coffee shop launched its seasonal savory dishes. 

Hello again, Toby's Estate. 

Love at First Bite: Sharyn's Cansi House

One of the dishes I was excited to try in Bacolod is cansi (or kansi). I've tried it before here in Manila but I was not impressed with its extremely salty taste. Apparently, the taste of real cansi is quite far from the one I had. Hearing that it's supposed to be tangy (thanks to this local produce called batwan) made me excited to give it a second chance. And to avoid disappointment, I went to the best cansi place in town, Sharyn's Cansi House.

Hello, Sharyn's Cansi House. 

This no-frills cansi restaurant is located in what the locals call Shopping Center of Bacolod. 

When in Bacolod: Mimi's Café & Restaurant

I heard that Pendy's in Bacolod is another must visit restaurant in the City of Smiles. With a few dishes in mind, R and I headed to Pendy's for lunch. But Waze brought us to Mimi's by accident. Apparently, Pendy's used to be where Mimi's is now located. Locals say that the owner of Mimi's used to work for Pendy's and things got sour between the two parties hence the split. Mimi's for some reason got the original spot and Pendy's had to move to the lot across the street. And since we were already at Mimi's and got mesmerized by its various delectable pasalubong items, we decided to stay and give it a try. After all, the staff highlighted that Pendy's original chefs now work for Mimi's. 

Hello, Mimi's Café & Restaurant. 

When in Bacolod: Aboy's

It was an endless eating spree for me last week when I tagged along R's business trip to Bacolod. I had zero expectations for this trip as I've never been to the City of Smiles. I was even worried that I might get bored as my research on things to do in Bacolod only says The Ruins, Negros Museum and Butterfly Museum. Food-wise, I just wanted to visit Calea. But my friends (and clients) were very excited for me. They gave me a long list of restaurants and highly recommended several dishes for me to try. And I must say, their excitement was contagious! I was so excited just staring at the list they gave me. And on my first day, I visited Aboy's. 
 
Hello, Aboy's.

This Filipino restaurant is one of the highly recommended establishments by my foodie friends and R's dealers. 

Love at First Bite: The Oriental Spice Gourmet

Cebu has become a foodie destination with awesome local restaurants and cheap finds. One of the restaurants that seem to be off the social media radar is this Asian restaurant that is known by, surprisingly, expats, as one of Cebu's finest gems.

Hello, The Oriental Spice Gourmet.

It is easy to miss this restaurant located along Maximo V. Patalinghug Jr. Avenue as it's huge signage simply says TOSG, the initials of the restaurant. But thanks to Waze, we didn't miss our stop.

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.

Izakaya Sensu Launches New Dishes this 2017

Sukiyaki is one of my favorite Japanese dishes. I always look forward to slurping some of its sweet yet salty broth and munching on some thinly sliced tender beef dipped in egg, crunchy greens, assorted mushrooms and noodles. To date, I could only name a handful of restaurants in Manila that serves great tasting sukiyaki. And I'm glad to have discovered another one.
 
Hello again, Izakaya Sensu.

First Bite: Seared

I've always wanted to visit Seared after seeing some of its mouthwatering photos online. However, my weird schedule was never cooperative and I always find myself being anywhere but Julia Vargas. Thankfully, my schedule last Saturday finally cleared up and I managed to join Always Hungry PH's food crawl's first stop. 

Hello, Seared!