First Bite: Little Bear Diner

After several months of planning for another Kapitolyo invasion, I finally managed to set foot again to the well-loved foodie haven. I was very excited when my mom told me that there are a bunch of new restaurants in the area. However, most of the new restaurants I was eying were still closed when I visited. I was saving this adorable diner for my Kapitolyo food trip with some of my favorite girls; but I ran out of options and ended up going anyway. It sure made me feel like Goldilocks though. 

Hello, Little Bear Diner.

It was quite hard to find this place as its signage could be easily blocked by a parked car. It is located in between a water refilling station and Poco Deli. We were lucky though to be able to score the parking space near the quaint restaurant. 

We were greeted by an adorable dining set up with cute framed artwork. The second floor is equally adorable with its wall full of small stuffed bears and other charming decors. 

Foodie Alert: Noche Dine in the Dark Manila

It is absolutely fascinating how social media changed our dining habits. Back when phones are bigger than the remote control, we start the meal with a prayer. These days, we start with a flatlay. Just 5 years ago, we choose our meals based on taste; now, we choose base on appearance. We have been so concerned with how dishes look and if it'll generate a lot of likes or regrams. We take so many shots that we get used to cold food and lukewarm drinks. And in the age of digitalization, most of us simply have lost the ability to enjoy food the right way. And this is one of the issues Dine in the Dark aims to address. 

Hello, Dine in the Dark! 

I was so thrilled when P messaged one weekend informing C and I that we will be the looloo representatives for Noche Dine in the Dark's VIP Preview. I have been eying to try it out with R ever since I saw its teaser. Though I've tried dining in the dark before, I know that it'll be a totally different experience when you're with different company. 

Days before the preview, C and I had to choose among fish, meat, vegetarian and chef's surprise for our 3-course meal. We both chose chef's surprise because it sounds exciting!

And finally, it was 10.05.16!

Noche is located at the 4th floor of A.Venue Suites Hotel and before entering the dark realm, one had to proceed to the holding area where diners will be briefed. 

While waiting for everyone, several braille cards were given and we tried to learn how to read using it. I actually enjoyed memorizing each letter and I plan to master it soon. It was also a very engaging way to introduce us to the world of the visually impaired.  

Latest Pho Restaurant in Manila: Annam Noodle Bar

I have been dying to visit Annam since it opened last July 6. I was already planning to go but a terribly bruised leg and very uncooperative tummy made me stay at home. I tried to visit again countless times but each attempt was a failure. It would be either we were too full to enjoy another meal or Mother Nature suddenly wanted to create a scene. And after SEVEN failed attempts to visit, I finally got to visit Annam Noodle Bar on a Sunday for lunch.

Hello, Annam Noodle Bar! 

This is newest pho restaurants in Manila and it is a franchise under the Namnam group. 

 

We were charmed by the beautiful interiors of the restaurant with its beautiful bright red lights and eye catching pho and banh mi signs. The restaurant is huge and gave an illusion of an even bigger space with its wide mirrors at the side of the restaurant. Annam also has bar stools for those who like to be isolated from the crowd. 

There were not a lot of diners when we went so we were easily assisted to a nearby vacant table. 

Thrilled to finally be here, I giddily ordered Pho Australian Beef Combination (PHP350) and Sautéed Lemongrass, Pork and Cream Cheese (PHP250). R's parents went with Pho Australian Beef Steak Slices (PHP320), Caramelized 5-Spice Pork Belly (PHP230) and Vegetarian Southern Rolls (PHP170). For drinks, R went with Lychee Pandan Iced Tea (PHP150) while I ordered Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk (PHP120). 

Service was impressive. Our pho bowls were served in less than 5 minutes while the banh mi buns, rolls and drinks were served a few minutes after. 

I attacked the roll first as R was still busy slurping down our shared bowl. The spring roll had a faint herb taste and it could easily fall on the bland side if you are the type who loves bold and rich flavors. 

Second Bite: Hey Handsome

I was lucky enough to sample some of Hey Handsome’s dishes on its first day of operations thanks to Charlie Paw. A single bite of its Nasi Lemak convinced me that this place will surely delight foodies craving for Perakanan dishes. And just when I was about to wobble my way out, I was asked by the amazing restauranteur to visit again the following week and bring some foodies with me to sample the other dishes. I giddily invited my favorite foodies and they quickly said yes. 

Hello again, Hey Handsome!

We were supposed to come here for lunch but since Hey Handsome is still testing the waters, they switched from "lunch only" service to "dinner only” service. I’m sure you’re wondering why a talked about restaurant would only focus on lunch or dinner. I had the same question in mind but Charlie said that it is because of their kitchen’s limited capacity. They are still working on their commissary and once it is set, they could manage to hold lunch and dinner services. For now, we have to settle with either lunch or dinner. (Make sure you check their Instagram account to make sure when they’re open.)

Hey Handsome has two seatings for dinner, one at 6 pm and another at 8:30 pm. Since most of us are getting old, we went with 6 pm. However, the insane traffic made us start at 7 pm.

To start off, we ordered some drinks. 

Some of us tried Magic Milk (PHP180) and loved the slight tangy taste from yuzu yogurt and passionfruit. Surprisingly, they said that it was not spicy at all. I had the impression that it is because of the thai chili. I got Cherry Pop (PHP150) since it looked so pretty. It tasted great too! I was worried that it would have a strong taste of cherry (which I hate) but the lemonade flavor overpowered the red fruit’s taste. My drink also had a very faint taste of rosemary. R on the other hand went with Donkey Punch (PHP130) and liked the refreshing combination of lengkuas (or galangal), lemongrass, passionfruit and elderflower. I still find Donkey Punch spicy though. 

Festa del Vino Stop #1: Sauceria

I am no wine connoisseur but I am always fascinated by the elegance this drink adds to any meal. I normally have a glass or two of red wine whenever I indulge in a succulent piece of steak. But McKinley Hill’s Festa del Vino (Wine Festival) exposed me to other pairings and I loved it!

Hello, McKinley Hill!

This bustling area of Taguig is another gem waiting to be explored by foodies. With its numerous establishments offering mouthwatering dishes, you’ll never run out of options. I have to admit though, I am stuck with Nihonkai Tsukiji whenever I visit this place. But thanks to Megaworld Lifestlyle Malls team, I got to explore the other lovely restaurants around the area. 

Our first Festa del Vino food crawl stop was Sauceria, a quaint restaurant that serves comfort dishes such as chicken wings, sandwiches and pizza. During my visit, I was able to try its Char Siu or Roast Pork Pizza (PHP405) along with a glass of Barefoot Merlot’s Dark Berries. We were also given some pork and chicken skewers in classic and chipotle sauces.

The wine served to us came from California and I actually liked that it had light tones of berries and that it wasn’t very strong. It was odd though that I let out some sweat beads while gulping down my share of wine. Then again, it could be because the place was packed with bloggers trying to capture a nice shot of the wine and food served.

I enjoyed the flavorful char siu pizza which went really well with the wine we sampled. It was a beautiful blend of sweet mangoes and salty roast pork. 

First Bite: Vera's Place

Visiting Pearl Drive brings back memories as I have spent 5 years of my life there. No, I was not a homeless Ortigas girl; my alma mater is along that street. I would remember visiting Food Channel, Starbucks and Hotshots across my university. I have witnessed several restaurants come and go and shed a few tears when my favorites were among those that had to go. And fast forward to present, there are now more buildings and food choices around and one of which is located in Pearl Place called “Vera’s Place”.

Hello, Vera’s Place. 

To be honest, I was originally planning to eat at this Japanese restaurant along San Miguel Avenue but we had to change plans after seeing the prices of sashimi, sushi and wagyu. We headed back to Pearl Plaza with gloomy faces to match the grumpy weather. But the inviting homey Filipino restaurant adjacent to Where’s Marcel captured our interest. 

There were no customers when we arrived and we could not help feel iffy dining here. Then again, the weather was not exactly pleasant for people to go out so we assumed that it was because it was such a lazy Saturday night. 

Vera’s Place offers pocket friendly Filipino fare and we decided to go with solo servings of Gising-Gising (PHP135), Lechon Kawali (PHP250) and Kare-Kare (PHP300). Solo servings are inclusive of one cup of plain rice per viand. You could also order a sharing size portion of kare-kare for PHP550. 

Service was quick and our orders were served all at the same time. Presentation-wise, it was like the ones you’d expect from home. It was simple and zero frills. 

Gising-Gising had a nice combination of coconut milk and pork flavors. It was also a bit spicy making it slightly addicting. It also made me finish my cup of rice. I liked the winged beans too as it was not too hard nor too soft. 

First Bite: Shaburi

After our fun dice game at R's place with his family, his siblings teased Uncle R, the chongwan winner, to treat the whole family (and I) to dinner at Buta+Wagyu. Unfortunately, the SM Aura Sale and traffic made us change plans. Eventually, we decided to try this new Japanese shabu-shabu place in Uptown Mall instead. 

Hello, Shaburi! 

Since we were a party of nine, R's sister H, took the initiative to place reservation so that we are guaranteed a table to fit everyone. The place though seems to be doing very well on its first two weeks as the earliest reservation slot was 8 pm. We just took the slot and had light snacks so that we won't turn hangry. 

We got to the place a few minutes before 8pm as R's family is strict with time. However, it seemed that Shaburi doesn't share the same value. There was no table available for us and we were told that it'll be available after half an hour. WHAT THE HECK?!? So what is the point of reserving a table if we have to wait outside the restaurant basking in humid Manila air and wait for half an hour for our table to be ready? 

We approached the front host and told her that we do not find waiting half an hour acceptable and that they should also respect the customers' time as we did with theirs by taking the effort to be there by 8 pm. Dazed, she told us that our table was being prepared. She told us that at 8:10 pm. 

As I grew even more impatient and hangry, I approached the front host again seven minutes later and found out that the table they were preparing for us was imaginary. The area supposedly reserved for us was still being occupied by other diners and it didn’t look like they will be done anytime soon. In short, she did a terrible blunder, lie to upset customers. 

When in Seoul: Visit Hello Cat!

I have an intense love for furry animals. I just love to pet dogs, cats, and any adorable animals I could get my hands on. My dream is to be able to hug the following: bears, tigers, lions and wolves. Since my dream could kill me, I’ll settle with being surrounded by adorable cats for now. But the cat cafés in Manila were a bit far from my area and I hate to say this… the cats are not that cute for me to brave the traffic. And so I kept delaying my trip to the nearest cat café and ended up visiting Hello Cat! in Hongdae, Seoul, South Korea instead. 

Meow*, Hello Cat!

My sister and I were supposed to head to another cat café that seems more adorable with its chic interiors. But the tourist information center failed us and we ended up visiting a smaller cat café which is located on the third floor of a building with a bingsu place on the second floor. 

Since it was drizzling that afternoon, my sister and I didn’t bother to look for the other cat café anymore even if we have some discount vouchers for it. 

We were greeted by a black cat signage on the wall heading to the front door of the café. Once we got in, we were instructed to remove our shoes and wear the slippers provided by the café. We were also instructed to sanitize our hands before entering the cat zone. 

Once inside, we settled our bill (KW8,000 per person) and ordered a drink each. We both got hot chocolate as we were really cold from the pre-winter breeze. 

While waiting for our drinks and after putting our stuff inside the lockers under the seats, we ogled over the adorable cats. Some were grouchy while some were just mesmerized by the raindrops on the window or taking a cat nap. 

Since we were not allowed to lift the cats, we decided to buy a cat treat for KW2,000. It was worth it! 

When In Coron: Maquinit Hot Springs

I am not a beach person. I even have a love < hate relationship with the sun. I remember that my nose used to bleed every time I get too exposed to the sun’s harsh rays. Yes, I was a sensitive kid back then. So when R invited me to go to Coron with him and his friends who I do not know then, I wasn’t really thrilled. But I changed my mind when I saw Coron’s beauty.

Hello, Coron!

We were in Coron for 3 days and 2 nights and R’s friend who is based in Coron did all the arrangements for us. We had a tour guide during our whole stay and all we had to do is ride the van, tricycle or boat and follow him.

 

On our first day, we kept it light and went to Maquinit Hot Springs.

I would have not thought of Coron having hot springs as the first few things that come to mind whenever I hear Coron are rock formations, corals, snorkeling, beaches and giraffes. (Okay, giraffes seem a bit out of place but there is a place in Coron where you could feed them!)

 

We got to the hot springs a bit past 4 p.m.. We were supposed to be there earlier after our supposed Mount Tapyas climb. But thanks to the ever reliable Cebu Pacific, we were behind schedule by a couple of hours. We opted to delay the hike till our last day in the island.

First Bite: Nicandro Lutong Bahay

I usually avoid Filipino restaurants when I eat out as I could easily cook most of my favorite Filipino dishes at home. However, whenever I crave for dishes that painstakingly take time to prepare like bulalo and kare-kare, I’d eat out. Honestly, I have not heard of Nicandro Lutong Bahay as it doesn’t seem to be active in social media. I only came to be acquainted with this cozy Filipino restaurant tucked along the famous Lilac Street during a Marikina food crawl sponsored by Zomato and ABS-CBN. And I was not prepared to taste something different.

Hello, Nicandro Lutong Bahay. 

The first thing I noticed was its tables adorned with machuca designed laminate. It was the perfect flat lay background! 

As we wait for our food, we were served with two types of beverages, House Blend Iced Tea (PHP80) and Fresh Sugarcane Juice (PHP95, glass | PHP185, bottle). I got sugarcane and I wasn’t too happy with it. It tasted off and I just could not pinpoint what was wrong with it.

Love at First Bite: Canton Road

I have been wanting to visit Canton Road ever since I saw its panda bun stuffed with salted egg yolk. It was a powerful combination of two things I love and I couldn’t help nag R about it. However, our weekend schedules were uncooperative and we couldn’t find the time to drop by this new Chinese restaurant in Shangri-La at the Fort. And while I was weeping with sadness, I got an invite from the lovely gals of Zomato to feast on some of Canton Road’s spectacular dishes. Woohoo!

Hello, Canton Road. 

I have never been to the hotel and residential side of Shangri-La at the Fort so everything looked so new to me. But as expected from a notable establishment, the hotel lobby was majestic and every single staff member was courteous and assisted me to Canton Road.

As I walk closer to Canton Road, I was greeted by beautiful interiors in dark hues and touches of gold. The place screams Asian elegance.