One thing about me, is that whenever I find something really, really good ( specially food, ) I rest my comfort zone in it, and always come back for more. Over, and over again.

In the beautiful island of Boracay, which also happens to be one of my favorite places here on Earth ( well, not sure about Mars, Pluto, and Venus ? hahaha! ), I have one, two, three, or four favorite stops.

One of them, is Ghastof, situated very near the D’Mall area.

I mean, what’s not to love about Ghastof?

Just outside, you see trays of meats in marinade. Oh, I love marinades, as they give so much flavor to meat! It’s actually my favorite thing to do in the kitchen - make interesting marinades for salpicao, porkchops, and other kinds of dishes. Just looking at how they are marinaded makes you really excited about the actual dish!

Well, here’s what we had :

Really refreshing frozen iced tea. It’s my official Boracay drink.

Kangkong sauteed in oyster sauce. I was asking for adobong kangkong, but it’s what they have in the menu. Not lacking in flavor, this dish was really good as the kangkong was cooked just right and the saltiness was kept at an optimum, just-right level. This is great to be paired with garlic rice.

Chicken BBQ. With such a hefty serving, we were unable to finish this. The BBQ sauce was really flavorful and strong, that it really stands out! I love this!

But the most special dish of all? Ghastof’s Korean Liempo. Ahhhh. This is the perfect example of a perfectly marinaded dish, grilled to perfection. Tender. Juicy. Insanely yummy. I must admit that I am smitten with this dish, and swear to order this over, and over again, whenever I go back to Boracay.

Of course, I love “sawsawan” ( dippings ), specially if you can make them your own. I love mixing soy sauce, with vinegar, and crushing the chilis to make that perfect dipping for my liempo.

Ghastof is one of those restos in Boracay that you would love to go back, over and over again. Their dishes are superb, and the prices aren’t bad either. Our bill was P 800.00, overall.

Ahhh…Ghastof! I shall be back!

Okay. So I’m not a coffee person, nor am I a muffin person. Hardly.

Coffee makes me palpitate in a nanosecond, while I don’t really like the “packed” feel of muffins - I’d rather have them fluffy like cream puffs.

But well, I heard that there was a really good place in Boracay that serves reaallyy good calamansi muffins.

Calamansi = Philippine lemons. I heart all kinds of lemons. So after our Helmet Diving, my bestbud and I marched to Real Coffee, situated near Starbucks in Boracay, to take a bite and try their famous calamansi muffins. They’re not located at the beachfront, but there is a very visible sign that leads you to it. It’s very near the Astoria resort.

Real Coffee serves breakfast all day. Must be totally heavenly for breakfast lovers out there, but not me. But then, I still tried Real Coffee’s signature Calamansi Muffins, sold for P 45.00

How do I find it? It tastes like lemon squares, only much, much packed in a muffin’s body. Moist, and slightly glazed on top, and soft like a butter cake. I liked it so much, that I bought two boxes as pasalubong to my family and to my friend. All of them loved the Calamansi muffins and downed them in no time.

Angel tells me the coffee was really strong. This would be really be good for those who want brewed, and strong coffee.

Now, I’ve found something that I can bring home whenever I go to Boracay. Definitely something unique, and yummy in Boracay!

It was one of those lazy Saturday nights when my family and I would grab takeout for dinner. Living in the Banawe area where food is abundant, we always have our regular choices ( like Lam Tin, and some Yellow Cab Pizza - mum’s favorite ). But this time, we were craving for serious Binondo food. Growing up in Binondo, I have never actually gotten over moving to Quezon City. My tastebuds belong to Binondo. Oh, those perfect dumplings and those noodle soups that only cost a fraction of the price of any noodle house in the metro!

Anyway, let me share with you an interesting food find. Shanghai Hand Pulled Noodles, located in N.S. Amoranto Street, serves really good noodle soups ( that reminds me so much of Binondo, by the way ) - with the broth tasting both medicinal and spicy, it drives my senses crazy, alongside the hefty serving that I cannot finish one bowl on my own. But then, this is not the special dish of the night.

It’s the lamb dumplings. Lamb dumplings? I actually called Shanghai Hand-Pulled Noodles as my dad wanted to just pick up the food to save time, and I was asking for dumplings. The one who answered the phone and taking my orders asked me, “what kind of dumplings, pork, ku-chai, shrimp, or lamb?” I went, “lamb? how does that taste like?” “It’s one of our bestsellers, ma’am.” “Ok, one of those.” I was sold immediately with my curiosity on how it tasted like!

Well, how did it go? The moment I ate half a dumpling, my eyes widened with curiosity, and interest. It was one helluva unique dumpling! Small, almost unnoticeable pieces of lamb ( just like how siomai is made, cubed into its smallest form ), in such, such strong overpowering flavor! Yes, the flavor was so strong that you need not dip it in any sauce, for that matter! The lamb dumplings earned mixed reactions from my housemates - my mom found the flavor too strong for her taste, while my sisters and I loved it for it tasted really interesting, as we loved flavor!

To sum up, I think that the lamb dumplings deserve a try for those who have adventurous taste buds. It’s either you’ll love this, or hate this. Trying it actually made me feel like I am dining in an exotic Chinese desert ( maybe in Mongolia? hahaha! ). It gave me a “nomadic” dejavu, taste-buds wise ( and is there such? hahaha! maybe there is! ). It tastes very “adventurous” and is nowhere ordinary, take it from me.

Do you dare?

As I am a huge, huge fan of good deals, and coupon-buying, I have stumbled into Deal Grocer’s Ilustrado Deal. I availed it in a heartbeat, as for one, I love Spanish food, and second, I’ve always wanted to dine in the walled city of Intramuros, a place that reminds me so much of our culture, and history. I was actually expecting authentic Spanish cuisine, as Intramuros was actually the “fort” of the Spaniards hundreds of years ago.

For this Spanish food adventure, I have chosen my parents to be my “dates,” or maybe, barge into their supposed Sunday date. We dined in on a Sunday lunch, and the place was not so full that time - to my glee, all the waiters were very attentive, and I didn’t have a problem with service.

Baked bread was served with butter and pate. I neglected taking a photo of it, but it was crunchy, and I loved the pate!

Demitasse of Lobster Bisque. There were only two servings of the soup, so I let my mom and dad have them. But before that, I took a small sip! The soup screamed “seafood!”, as I could not explain how delicious it was. It tasted tomato-ish, but also tasted like the sea. This was just a small, small serving ( with my dad, jokingly calling it an espresso shot x 2 ), but I was getting hungrier by the minute, getting more excited with the next entrees!

Lengua con Setas. This was a sight to behold, and even moreso as I sinked my fork and tried to slice it into two. The lengua was cooked perfectly, as it melts in your mouth! The taste was faint, but not lacking, and the flavor was just right. It did not taste like the regular gravies that you find elsewhere, it tasted 50% faint milky, and 50% broth-y. I ignored the mashed potato as I don’t really eat mashed potatoes.

Paella Ilustrado ( served, Russian style ). In my heart, I will always love paella, wherever it may be, and I appreciate somewhat “wet” paella, and with burnt bottoms of the paellera. This paella was really flavorful, and it was not dry, to my glee! It was a mix of squid, shrimp, and Spanish Chorizo. I love squeezing lime on my paella to give it a citrus kick, and I was successful indeed, in mixing my desired flavor. I would like to take note on how the Spanish chorizo gave that special saltiness to the dish, and the smoked factor really made this dish unforgettable. Though there are no burnt bottoms, I was still happy with this dish. The serving of this dish was really hefty, as we had trouble finishing this, and cajoled each other who should finish this dish. Haha!

As I was the +1 and the coupon was just for two, I needed to order one dish. With my love for exotic dishes, I immediately eyed on Kalderetang Kambing. Oh, no regrets on this one, as my eyes widened the moment I tried one small chunk of this. It was definitely different from all the kalderetang kambing’s I’ve tried in the past, and this tops as the best kalderetang kambing that I’ve ever tasted! Ilustrado definitely added a “sophisticated” taste to this “lutong-bahay” dish, and it had an unexplainable distinct flavor that set it apart from all versions of this dish. I asked the waiter about this, and he was proud to say that it was their bestseller, and it wasn’t “malangsa” ( a fishy or not so pleasant smell or taste associated with kambing ) at all, as it was prepared in advance- with a special marinade prepared a day ahead. Oh, I am definitely coming back for this dish. Consider me smitten!

I was also fortunate enough to see how our mango jubilee was cooked. Mixing syrups here and there, I see fire, and I see mini mango scoops. In the end, they add that to the sampaguita sherbet - a fusion of hot, and cold. The trick is to consume quickly as the syrup is hot and melts the sherbet/ice cream. I was delighted with how fragrant the sampaguita sherbet is, having a mild flavor as well ( I prefer this over over-sweetened vanilla ice cream, to be honest! ) the syrup was very sweet, and the mango was a little bit sour. The fusion of flavors drove me crazy. I love this!

Oh, I just love Spanish food! I believe I’ve found a gem in Ilustrado!

Ilustrado
744 Calle Real del Palacio (Gen. Luna), Intramuros, Manila 2001, Philippines
Telephone: + 63 (2) 527 3674 Fax: + 63 (2) 527 2345

Manosa was a great part of my childhood, as I am Binondo girl, by heart. I grew up living in Ongpin, waking up to the air of warm, delicious, authentic Chinese food, that we never have to cook our own food for everyday if we only wanted to! I have loved Manosa’s ma-ki, which is tender pork in a very sticky brown soup. It might look weird, but it’s really delicious. Well, I’m so glad, that Manosa has opened a branch in Banawe, dubbed as the Chinese food district in Quezon City.

Manosa in Binondo was very famous way back, as even if we moved to Quezon City already, my parents , would from time to time order some take out there whenever they have business in Binondo.

The oyster cake looked a bit dry, but is very tender as you eat it. I love dipping this with ketchup or hot sauce.

The Yang Chow Fried Rice had a very home-cooked feel, that made it to super-comfort food status. Rice with scrambled eggs, and chinese chorizo was very, very nice.

My mom has loved Manosa’s Sweet and Sour Liver for as long as I can remember, and would consider it her sinful eat. Liver cuts fried, and then sauteed with their delicious version of sweet and sour sauce - this dish is a must-eat at Manosa. It’s one of their signature dishes.

My sister ordered Duck Misua. It consists of an herbal soup broth, with duck, and misua. It’s considered to be very healthy to drink this, as I loved the generous serving, and not to mention, great-tasting as well. Healthy food can be delicious, too! Haha.

Last but not the least, is the signature dish of Manosa Restaurant, the Ma-ki. Ma-ki, I’m guessing, is pork loin further tenderized, in sticky brown soup ( oh, it gets hard to explain this! ) The brown color is mainly soy sauce and water, and the stickiness can be traced to the special flour used. The chopped onion leeks further add flavor, and some love adding black vinegar, and hot sauce to the soup for more flavor.

An order of ma-ki is very affordable as it is only 100 pesos, and it can serve 2 people already. If you want egg noodles with your ma-ki, then it comes off as 120 pesos. I would have to give credit to the staff of Manosa to have really good service, as I ordered ma-ki mi ( ma-ki with noodles ), and when they saw that I had not much soup left, they offered to give me a refill. Nice of them!

Overall, I would definitely come back, or order take out from Manosa Restaurant in Banawe. If i had the time, I would definitely choose to dine there with the good service, but take-out would be fine for busy days, as the dishes are affordable there. We were a family of 7, and our bill totaled around 850 pesos, with all our tummies full. Truly, we love Manosa!

Contact Details:
Manosa Noodles Seafoods and Chops
Serenity Heights 815 Banawe St., Quezon City
(02) 386-1625

North Park must be one of my favorite restaurants. Why? Well, I have tons of reasons. First, it’s so darn near my place. Second it closes late - much, much later than the restaurants along the whole strip of Banawe. Restos along Banawe just close early, le sigh. Case and point - one of my favorite restos, Tasty Dumplings closes around 8:30 pm - 9pm. My goodness.

Other reasons actually include why I love North Park as a restaurant. Haha! Well, the prices are affordable here, for the most expensive dish is around 300 bucks already, and the last reason why I love North Park? Yummy, yummy, yummy. Chinese food. Exquisite honest to goodness Chinese food. I have Chinese tastebuds, and I shall forever salivate over, and pig out on Chinese food. Any time of the day. No getting tired of it. Haha!

Anyway, after doing some late shopping, my folks and I crashed in North Park Banawe to eat our dinner, which was coincidentally, my sister Candy’s birthday dinner. Well, let’s see what we had!

The North Park Special Toasted Noodles ( picture above ) are tossed toasted noodles mixed with sauce that end up like pancit canton, only that it is more moist, and the noodles are not as soft. The result is a gratifying, and unique pancit experience. It’s like something crunchy drenched in sauce - eat it while it’s crunchy, or eat it when it softens from the sauce.

The North Park Special Fried Rice with Sauce is the most budget-friendly item in the North Park Menu. Priced at below 200 bucks, it includes a huge serving of fried rice that can be good for 5 people, and the sauce to be served separate from the rice, can be your viand ( I love to call it ulam) already. The sauce has sliced mushrooms, asado strips, fish cakes, and vegetable in there. Truly something that I’d order to fill in my tummy, but I need to be with someone to be able to finish this! Haha!

On with the viands, we had Lechon Macau. The skin was really, really crunchy and the meat was deep fried that it reminded us of the taste of peking duck. I’m not exactly fond of this, but my sisters loved it.

Wok Fried Lapu Lapu Fillet in Superior Sauce is a dish with perfectly fried lapu lapu - not too brown, but just a perfect golden brown, retaining its crunchy batter despite being sauteed in superior sauce. Now, what is superior sauce? I really have no idea. Superior sauce tastes like black vinegar minus the strong flavor - it’s just like a really good brand of soy sauce mixed with vinegar - and the mixture was very light. Earned love from me.

In every meal, one must not forget vegetables. A neutral, but healthy indulgence. We ordered Soft Tofu Stir Fry. The broccoli was just delightful, but I’m just a crazed tofu lover! I am just sad that North Park changed their tofu selection - before, it was silken tofu - so heavenly that once you sink your fork in it, the tofu starts to lose its balance because of its jelly-like texture. Now, it’s not as soft anymore, but still o-kay.

Overall, we went home with our tummies filled, warm, and happy, set to rest for another week ahead of us!

Jonah’s must be the most popular must-go restaurant in Boracay. With its very famous fruit shakes, that were dubbed as “the shakes that made Boracay”, my friends and I make it a point to enjoy their fruit shakes everytime we go there.

As I spent my end-October vacation there with my girlfriends, we immediately headed to Jonah’s the moment we checked in as we were feeling lazy going to DMall at Station 2, and Jonah’s was just within a short walking distance. We ordered, of course, our fruit shakes. I got my usual - ripe mango shake, in all its fresh, and perfect smooth-y glory. Yum. Take a closer look at my mango shake - it’s not the usual mineral bottle take-out container from Jonah’s anymore. I guess they changed it into the normal take-out plastic cups that we use in Manila. I still prefer the mineral bottle container, because it’s spill-proof, unlike this.

For our late lunch at around 4pm, we were simply famished, and ordered really filling food. Check them out.

Beef steak was really delicious. No sour taste here though my friend J was seeking bistek tagalog which had a hint of calamansi. Still very good, with onions that further boosted the flavor.

Sinigang na baboy which was just so sour ( and yes, for me, perfect! ). Only problem with this was the pork was very stiff.

The best viand of the day, hands down, was the bangus sisig. Do you see those green slices of chili? Yes, it was very spicy, and very delicious. Just be a little careful with small traces of fish bone!

Sigh, Jonah’s will always, always give me a reason to love Boracay. Boracay will always have that top place in my heart when it comes to beaches. Only in the Philippines, as they say, do they have beaches with sands as white, and fine, as Boracay, and that incredible shoreline that is just perfect for any beachlover out there.

]]> http://yummyadventures.com/2009/11/yummy-boracay-adventures-jonahs/feed/ http://yummyadventures.com/2009/08/singaporean-yummy-adventures-last-minute-bonding-at-the-east-coast-hawker/ http://yummyadventures.com/2009/08/singaporean-yummy-adventures-last-minute-bonding-at-the-east-coast-hawker/#comments Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:38:10 +0000 Sophie http://yummyadventures.com/?p=322

very yummy duck porridge

Hey guys and girls!

It’s been a month since I’ve returned to Manila for good, and really, the taste of Singaporean food is still haunting me. Amongst my numerous backlogs is an entry about the food at the East Coast Hawker.

As Singapore only has two beaches namely Sentosa and East Coast, East Coast is more of a leisure park that Sinagporeans love to go to to roller skate, ride their bikes, just lounge around and have a picnic, and most of all, enjoy good food.

One of my precious finds in Singapore is Joie, my bestfriend in makeup school. We’re just bout crazy people who love to laugh, joke around, and take life easy, and love good food as well. So when my days in Singapore were nearing an end, she promised to let me experience a gastronomic feast, Singaporean style.

Take note that this is a post-lunch feast. Look at what Joie got me - she must think I am a total pig. Well, I really am, admittedly! Haha! The picture above was her first pick - duck porridge! It was very delicious, the sauce salty and sweet at the same time, with delectable duck, always a favorite of mine!

Next, she just let me sit and leave all the ordering to her. She got me this very unique treat called O-ta. O-ta is somewhat fishy and shrimpy, with dried fish and squid as fillings. It’s very interesting, I think I would have this again when I go back there.

Oh, this is my favorite. I see it as beef hofan but they call it kwey teoh. I think it’s because the noodles are thinner than the really fat and flat hofan noodles. I love kwey teoh when it’s sauteed , a little bit oily, and very very tasty.

I’ve been eating too much la-la ( one kind of clam in Singapore ), so Joie introduced me to another kind of clams - tua thao ( or big head , as they call it ). Fatter, and squishier than the normal! I shall be ordering this next time. The sauce is sweet and spicy, and clams, being popular here in Singapore, converted me into liking them as well!

Well, in a span of an hour, two semi-skinny girls managed to devour and finish everything, would you believe that?

I would definitely recommend tourists, or just foodies to check out the East Coast Hawker for good eat, at a leisurely ambiance. I wasn’t able to take photos of the place because I was just too engrossed with the food! Haha!

]]> http://yummyadventures.com/2009/08/singaporean-yummy-adventures-last-minute-bonding-at-the-east-coast-hawker/feed/ http://yummyadventures.com/2009/06/singaporean-yummy-adventures-peach-blossoms-at-the-marina-mandarin/ http://yummyadventures.com/2009/06/singaporean-yummy-adventures-peach-blossoms-at-the-marina-mandarin/#comments Wed, 24 Jun 2009 09:14:01 +0000 Sophie http://yummyadventures.com/?p=310

When my friends asked me what I’d like to do for my birthday, my answer was simple.

I wanted a luxurious dimsum buffet lunch, and gobble xiao long bao ( steamed dumplings with soup stock inside ). Yes, I am the xiao long bao monster. I love dimsum, and it would be heaven on earth if I could just indulge in such for a day!

I was looking at Cherry Garden because I was told that dimsum buffet there was heaven, and my friends wanted to surprise me with lunch on my birthday. I didn’t even hear my friend mention the place we were going to, to the cab driver. I was guessing Marina Mandarin’s Peach Blossoms as a close second choice of mine, and when I saw that the cab was approaching Marina Mandarin, I rejoiced, ” I knew it! Peach Blossoms at Marina Mandarin!” I think my friends really wanted to surprise me, so they purposely steered away from Cherry Garden. Haha! I’m so not complaining!

Marina Mandarin’s stunning interiors. Simply a must-go if you seek to wine and dine someone there, or just stay in style!

Marina Mandarin is one of the most beautiful hotels in Singapore. The first time I went there, was with my best bud, who stayed in Meritus Mandarin, and because Meritus was under rennovation, including the pool, they provided free shuttle or reimbursable cab fares to Marina Mandarin to be able to swim in their pool. Marina Mandarin’s pool is Singapore’s first chlorine-less swimming pool, and it’s just amazing. I got up from the pool not smelling like chlorine, and the feeling was very nice. No chlorine. Wow.

enter the dragon!!!! oh, I mean Peach Blossoms!

Anyway, Peach Blossoms in Marina Mandarin is reputed to be one of the best dimsum places in Singapore. They have a dimsum lunch buffet that is around 30 sgd ++/pax. Well, I can’t say more ( of course, my usual commentaries, ) but let the pictures do the talking, for now!

Dimsum everywhere. I can get used to this! ooh heaven is a place on Earth! hahaha!

the most delicious ha kaw ( har gao, as Singaporeans call it ) I’ve ever tried in my lifetime ( no kidding ). Very sticky wrapper, with really fresh prawn that it tastes very very succulent!

Siomai ( siew mai ). Simple, tasty, very juicy, but I’m afraid this was overshadowed by the hakaw ( har gao ). Haha!

Xiao Long Bao. My favorite, and most anticipated eat for my birthday. What’s very distinct about Peach Blossoms’ Xiao Long Bao is the soup stock. It’s tastier as compared to xlb’s served in other resto’s. I love it! Delicious!

Dessert. My vote still goes to my home country, Philippines with having the best tasting mangoes on Earth, but the mango pudding and mango sago served in Peach Blossoms were outstanding, in Singaporean standards.

Overall, my friends and I were majorly stuffed after this binge eating spree of ours. What can I say? I was a very, very, very happy birthday girl that day. I got to eat dimsum, with the company of friends who are equally in love with food, as well!

Bliss to my soul, that’s what this is!

]]> http://yummyadventures.com/2009/06/singaporean-yummy-adventures-peach-blossoms-at-the-marina-mandarin/feed/ http://yummyadventures.com/2009/06/singaporean-yummy-adventures-jologs/ http://yummyadventures.com/2009/06/singaporean-yummy-adventures-jologs/#comments Fri, 05 Jun 2009 09:21:23 +0000 Sophie http://yummyadventures.com/?p=301

Imagine this. When you’re in a desert, and you just walk, and walk, and finally find an oasis, with clear sparkling water - what do you do?

Sink your head in it and drown yourself in such luxury, then! Haha!

I didn’t mean to say that Singapore is devoid of such tasteful treats. Singapore, for a Filipino-Chinese like me, is a big, big feast. Hawker centers giving fresh, hot, and smokin` treats, and more upscale restaurant uncompromising anything, giving only the best, Singapore is a foodie’s dream, and you’d better believe me. Spicy food heaven, for those who love spicy food like me, as well!

But then, I begin to miss Filipino food, for I am, after all, Filipino! I miss sisig, kaldereta, sinigang, chicharong bulaklak, that in the midst of very very delicious Singaporean cuisine, I still look for it. So that’s my desert. And guess what - I’ve finally found the perfect oasis, and it’s in Lucky Plaza!

Lucky Plaza is the mall, where if you want to find Filipinos in Singapore, you just need to go there. It’s filled with stalls selling clothes, electronics, souvenirs, goods from the Philippines, and even Filipino food! Jologs is one very famous Filipino restaurant here in Singapore that is frequented by many - by Filipino expats, OFWs, and also Singaporeans looking for good and authentic Filipino eats.

delightful pichi pichi!

One tiring Friday night, me and my friend were just plain hungry for Filipino food. We marched in to Lucky Plaza to look for Jologs as we were unsuccessful in finding it last time, as the stalls were closed by 9pm already. It was 8.30pm, and upon finding Jologs, we were rejoicing as we could finally eat Filipino food! Turns out, they were taking the last orders, and the only available meal was the Tapsilog. Perfect - since I love beef tapa amongst all breakfast dishes ( which I was going to eat for dinner, of course! ) I was also able to get away with ordering tokwa’t baboy, and pichi pichi, which were my favorites in the Philippines.

oh so delicious tokwa’t baboy - tofu and pork in soy sauce and vinegar. I love it !

Winner takes it all - my heavenly Tapsilog. Tap ( beef tapa ), si ( sinangag or garlic rice ), log ( itlog - egg. )

With my tastebuds having an emotional reunion with Filipino food, I sighed in relief as my eyes closed in simple gratification - the beef tapa was just so, so, so good! Way better than Tapa King’s, and the garlic rice perfectly paired with it, together with spicy vinegar. Tokwa’t baboy was just as good, while pichi pichi was just…home! I was half insane as I left the establishment because I sorely missed Filipino food and this was nirvana. And I didn’t even mention that the iced tea served was refillable.

As for the price, it’s not too cheap, nor is it expensive. Just right for a gratifying fare when you begin to look for the food closest to your heart! *smiles*

P.S. Jologs is quite a unique, but very distinct name for a resto, don’t you think? If it it takes someone jologs to eat there, then I’m definitely jologs, and truly Filipino by heart!

Details :
Jologs
304 Orchard Road #04-03 Lucky Plaza
Singapore 238863
Tel. 68875724

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