Rochkirstin | com

Author: Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco

  • Review of Rambler Oasis Hotel (Tsing Yi, Hong Kong)

    Review of Rambler Oasis Hotel (Tsing Yi, Hong Kong)

    Rambler Oasis Hotel is a chic hotel accommodation in Tsing Yi Road, Hong Kong. It’s a member of the Habour Plaza Hotels and Resorts, which manages eight full-service hotels all over Hong Kong and some parts of mainland China. It’s located near Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) and just about 15 minutes away from Hong Kong Disneyland. Hence, if you are planning to go to Hong Kong just to visit Disneyland, this is a recommended place to stay. Other than that, Rambler Oasis Hotel doesn’t get my stamp of approval. Here’s why.

    Review of Rambler Oasis Hotel (Tsing Yi, Hong Kong)

    Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

    The hotel lobby had a sleek ambiance that contrasts with the laid-back “container port” or “pier” surroundings outside (picture large containers being transported one by one). Up to the elevator area, it’s decorated with simple but rich textures and daring architectural elements that seem to create a cosmopolitan comfort kind of vibe.

    Compared to average hotel room sizes in Hong Kong, the room we got in Rambler Oasis Hotel was pretty okay. We felt satisfied with the electrical plug (for compatibility) given to charge our devices, satellite TV, no-noise air conditioner, electric kettle, hotel slippers, clean bedding and sheets, and clean bathroom complete with toiletries.

    However, we were sad as the hotel didn’t have wi-fi connection for guests in the room; it’s only available in the lobby area (with added fee). Other misses were: (1) the mini refrigerator could only generate little coldness close to none (we thought it stopped working but the hotel staff confirmed it’s normal), (2) the light switches were far from the bed side so we had to stand up to turn off the lights when we go to sleep, (3) the bathroom doors can’t be locked because they’re the sliding type, and (4) we had to go to another hotel building (Rambler Garden Hotel) for breakfast which was about 10 minutes of walking distance away.

    Our room was good for three people, but we sneaked in another headcount-my sister. It was great that two beds were already put side by side so we did not have to arrange them to be so. The bed ensured good nights of sleep for me. There’s no good view of Hong Kong we could see from the hotel room window, but that’s alright as I wasn’t expecting to see that anyway.

    From the 21st floor, we saw how the swimming pool area on the ground floor was beautifully landscaped. Guests can dip into the pool for an additional cost.

    Service: ★★★☆☆

    The hotel’s reception area defies the standard hotel in look and service, offering a personalized approach to guest relations. Its setting had a combination of modernity and urban flavor, with a touch of laid-back hospitality. The staffs were professional and just quick to respond IF you know how to speak their local language, Cantonese. Well, Mandarin also works. Else, you would have to explain your thoughts in English with matching hand actions or common sign languages to help in the two-way communication. There was no one who guided us to our hotel room and no one to carry our bags, yet we ended up fine.

    What got us annoyed mostly was the elevators. The elevator operator was only present once in the many instances we had to use the lift. Elevators were the worst as they were always busy. We readied ourselves to go into battle every time we had to ride the elevator up or down because of the volume of people in the hotel composed largely of Chinese mainlanders who took a 10-hour train ride to Hong Kong. If you plan to stay in Rambler Hotel, be warned that waiting time to get into the elevator at least is 15 minutes. There was a lot of pushing, squeezing and shoving, much like riding the MRT in the Philippines. 😆 Haiyoo.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    As mentioned, the restaurant where breakfast of hotel guests is served is at the Rambler Garden Hotel (ground floor). The restaurant is called Café de Coral, which apparently is like the McDonald’s of Hong Kong but Chinese version.

    It is run by a fast food restaurant group in Hong Kong that owns and operates several fast food chains and restaurants such as The Spaghetti House, Manchu Wok, Oliver’s Super Sandwiches, and Ah Yee Leng Tong.

    With our complimentary breakfast vouchers, we could choose either one of the following: luncheon meat, sausage and ham. All choices are served also with egg and bread and butter spread. For drinks, we could get either hot tea or coffee.

    Food tastes were okay but we had grown tired of eating the same ones for breakfast in three consecutive days. Also, Café de Coral not having food for vegetarians was a let-down. 😐

    To order, we queued up at the ordering counter to have our marked vouchers taken and in return, the counter staff gave us a receipt which we should forward to another ordering counter serving food in trays. Café de Coral is like the epitome of fast food. You order, you pay, and 30 seconds later, you sit down with your meal handed out by staffs who don’t greet you “good morning” and whose faces are those that don’t seem capable of breaking into a smile.

    Wrap Up

    Rambler Oasis Hotel is not a tourist destination in itself and not one that provides guests much pampering, but it’s generally a good hotel if you’re staying in Hong Kong for only a short period and if you have a packaged tour service. If not, then traveling to places may be a hassle. Since the location is away from the city center, you need to take a 20-minute cab ride to go to the prime shopping areas because there’s also no nearby MTR (train) station. (Read the rest of our activities in Hong Kong and two-day trip itinerary here.)

    Note

    We booked at Rambler Oasis Hotel via our travel agency of choice, Happy Sun Travel and Tours, so I don’t know the hotel rates we had availed of. A quick check via their online booking facility suggested the following prices. For your reference, here are the rates for one night of stay: Superior Twin or Double Room – PhP 6,784; Business Double or Twin Room – PhP 7915; and Deluxe King or Twin Room – PhP 9,046.

    [schema type=”review” url=”http://www.ramblerhotels.com/oasis/” name=”Rambler Oasis Hotel” description=”No. 1 Tsing Yi Road, Tsing Yi, Hong Kong, China” rev_name=”For inquiries, call +852 2129 1188″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2014-08-07″ user_review=”9″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”15″ ]

  • Review of Crystal Lotus Restaurant 晶荷轩 (Disneyland Hotel, Hong Kong)

    Review of Crystal Lotus Restaurant 晶荷轩 (Disneyland Hotel, Hong Kong)

    I wasn’t only excited to go to Hong Kong Disneyland for the theme parks’ attractions and rides. Of course, as a foodie, I was over-the-top thrilled for the highlight…and you guessed it right—food! Seeing cute pictures of Disney Character Dim Sum Lunch Set being served at Crystal Lotus Restaurant (Disneyland Hotel, Hong Kong) 大嶼山香港迪士尼樂園酒店 made me want to pack my bag and travel to Hong Kong right away! (Read the rest of our activities in Hong Kong and two-day trip itinerary here.)

    Because the restaurant website states that at least 48 hours of reservation is required to avail of the Disney Character Dim Sum Lunch Set, I took a long-distance call to book for two sets in advance. I knew it was going to be a delightful treat both for our eyes and stomach, and it turned out I wasn’t wrong after all. 😉

    Review of Crystal Lotus Restaurant 晶荷轩 (Disneyland Hotel, Hong Kong)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    We rode the Disney Resort Shuttle Bus (free service) from Hong Kong Disneyland Resort to the Disneyland Hotel. 10 minutes passed and we found ourselves lurking our way to Crystal Lotus Restaurant while directing our gaze to everything beautiful and elegant inside the hotel.

    “True to its name, the décor of Crystal Lotus takes the theme of the majestic lotus.” The chandeliers were magnificent, pretty close to jaw-dropping.

    The wall-to-wall design filled with crystal panels from the outside was stunning. Arranged in Victorian-style but still with Disney touch, the comfy chairs matched with the family-friendly tables well; it was a shame we couldn’t fit them in our suitcases. 😆

    Service: ★★★★★

    I mentioned my name to the restaurant receptionist and she immediately escorted us to our seats. The table was reserved for six of us, and we successfully contained our excitement seeing the menu for the first time (it’s not available online).

    After quick checking, I realized that the Disney Character Dim Sum wasn’t listed on the menu. I had to ask the waiter for it and he reiterated about their policy (that it can only be served to those who have pre-ordered 48 before visiting on Mondays to Fridays). The staff had to validate with the hotel receptionist I talked with about my booking.

    Finally, they confirmed and said that waiting time would be three minutes for the appetizers and the rest of the food on the character dim sum set will be released in half an hour’s time. Good grief. Proper timing was observed and our requests were accommodated with no issue.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    Food items were all so cute that we almost didn’t have the heart to bite into them. If you’re worried that the food is good only in visual presentation but not in taste, fret not. The food quality and standard here are generally at par with any first-rate Chinese restaurant.

    For appetizer, we had Mickey’s Seafood Glutinous Pancake (米奇煎薄饼) which were perfectly browned on the sides, with tender, flurry insides. Shaped in Mickey Mouse face design, these pancakes were extra chewier than regular pancakes and less sweeter, so I suspect a combination of only rice and flour was in play. The twist? Tasting light in flavor, carrots and greens were mixed in the pan and fried until crispy.

    Another appetizer was the Rice Pasta With Shredded Chicken in Sesame Sauce (麻酱鸡丝分皮) which consisted of cold rice noodles, cucumber and lettuce topped with shredded poached chicken and drizzle of sesame sauce. Motivating and sweet, the rice pasta had a good texture cooked just right not to mushy or slimy.

    Next to arrived was my most awaited set: Disney Style Dim Sum! All praise be to the chef who executed the designs; what came out are these bun wonders that are surprisingly good. Even if it took us some time to eat them (because I was taking pictures for like five minutes in different angles), the warmth still permeated until the last bite. We slowly savored the Little Pig Barbecue Pork Bun (蚝汁叉烧猪仔包) and Little Green Men Pork and Vegetable Bun (绿色小人菜肉包).

    The Little Pig Barbecue Pork Bun was filled with sweet barbecued pork (asado), and the Green Three Eyes Alien (character from Toy Story) was filled with vegetables. While I was instantly seduced by how they looked, I thought the fillings were lacking in the quantity department.

    Moving on, we had the Double-boiled Sea Whelk and Stuffed Whole Dried Scallops in Mickey Winter Melon Soup (米奇元贝炖鸡). The chicken broth-based soup featured Mickey’s head which was actually winter melon cut-out, with stuffed dried scallop at the center and and carrot as the ears. The saltiness of the dried scallops imparted a lot of taste in the soup.

    For the Chinese, the winter melon soup is known to increase energy, nourish the heart and tranquilize the mind. It’s definitely tagged as healthy! 🙂

    The Wok-fried Shrimp and Disney Root Vegetables (豉汁芥兰度炒虾球) was one of my favorite in the array of dishes in the set, because I love eating vegetables. Joined by wok-fried fresh king prawns, the kale stems and carrots were crunchy and great with no additional seasoning required.

    We were warned that the Braised de-boned Short Rib in Spicy Sichuan Sauce (彩椒双菌牛柳粒) would be spicy. Yup, it was a little spicy but not to the point when one should drink a glass of water (or maybe tea) to choke it down. The sauce which resembled almost beef soup had strong flavor, and the beef cubes were really tender and juicy.

    Like in traditional Chinese dining, rice came last, just before desserts. The Fried Rice with Crispy Eel and Pickled Vegetables in Golden Nest (金盞脆鱔炒飯) was served with satisfying aroma. I didn’t seem to taste the eel as its taste was disguised as char siew. On the other hand, the pickled vegetables’ crunch and taste were evident and the thin deep-fried crispy wonton skin was so yummy.

    Another batch of food we almost went insane for was the Combo of “Duffy” Steamed Red Bean Puree Bun (迪士尼小熊) and Chilled Dual “Mickey’s” Pudding. Duffy (a Disney bear, not chipmunk)’s inside was filled with not-too-sweet red bean (红豆). Screaming fall, the yellow-orange pudding was composed of pumpkin and almond. The green one—er, I forgot. Sorry! 😛 Anyway, it was also deliciously indulgent.

    My dad is a strict vegetarian/vegan so he could not have anything on the Disney Character Dim Sum Lunch Set except for the dessert. For his main course, he had Si-Chuan Style Tofu with Mushrooms (HK$ 95) from the à la carte menu. The tofu was marinated before frying in the hot wok, and the result was flavorful, soft and chewy tofu with firm exterior. To anyone who likes tofu, I’m sure this is something you can enjoy.

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    We were not hotel room guests so price of the Disney Character Dim Sum Lunch Set was more expensive (HK$ 378), exclusive of service charge (which I recall to be 10% of the bill). Yes, the price is heavy but we had two sets shared by five people and the meal was enough to call lunch. The unique presentation and decorations of food was my main reason not to deter, aside from the hotel dining experience. Oh well, Crystal Lotus Restaurant is a winning Chinese restaurant inside Disneyland Hotel, so there’s nothing more that I can say.

    [schema type=”review” url=”http://park.hongkongdisneyland.com/hkdl/en_US/hotels/latestOverview?name=HotelDiningPage#crystallotus” name=”Crystal Lotus Restaurant 晶荷轩 (Disneyland Hotel, Hong Kong)” description=”Lobby Floor, Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel, Lantau Island, Hong Kong” rev_name=”For inquiries, call +825 3510-6000″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2014-08-05″ user_review=”17″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • 5 Tourist Spots We Have Visited in Hong Kong

    5 Tourist Spots We Have Visited in Hong Kong

    To maximize our overseas trip every time, we make sure that it’s thoroughly planned from the hour of arrival to the minute we bid a pleasant goodbye to the land. And this was how we lived through our very tight Hong Kong tour itinerary in the last week of July 2014. The result? Swollen and very tired feet; nonetheless, happy faces. 😀 This was a trip we booked a year ago, with my family and friends, and was arranged by Happy Sun Travel and Tours, Inc.

    5 Tourist Spots We Have Visited in Hong Kong

    1. Avenue of the Stars

    Two whole days were all we had to cover the prime tourist spots in Hong Kong. Our adventure kicked off at about 8AM last Monday with the first stop: Avenue of the Stars, where the view of the Hong Kong skyline can be immensely seen and appreciated. It’s a great vantage point for those who know several celebrities of Hong Kong. For others like us who are not really familiar with the country’s film industry, seeing the life-size statue of Bruce Lee and the hand prints of Jackie Chan and Jet Li was enough.

    Avenue of the Stars in Hong Kong has a wonderful backdrop (even in broad daylight). Our tour guide just suggested that we go back there, if time allows, to take a quick stroll at night as it’s when all the lights of the skyscrapers are turned on. I’ve seen some pictures of it before and I think it’s similar to the view of tall buildings you see when you’re standing from Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay in Singapore.

    We had lots of photo-ops and the experience might had been better if there were not so many other tourists around (because we had to wait until there’s minimal “extras” in the frame).

    2. Hong Kong Jewellery Shop

    Not far away from Avenue of the Stars, our tour bus driver took us to the Hong Kong Jewellery Shop next. It’s the oldest jewelry store and the most popular one for selling good-quality diamonds and all sorts of jewelry (including rings, bracelets, necklaces, watches, bangles, anklets, etc.) at reasonable prices.

    Before heading on to the store area, we attended a short briefing where we learned about the origins of the products they have—ruby, diamonds, jade, gold, pearls and other colorful rhinestones. The staff showed us famous personalities like Manny Pacquiao and Isko Moreno who have bought the latest of their award-winning feng shui designs that are blessed by the temple and believed to transform luck and produce harmony in life.

    The staff also taught us how to choose which one to buy. When faced with several designs, clap your hand to each piece and bring it to your ear to listen to the sound of the rotating fan in the pendant. The one with the loudest sound, by virtue of feng shui masters’ advice, would be most suitable/best for you.

    Because I’m not as superstitious as most Chinese in my circle, I nonchalantly disregarded the meaning and looked at the “fan” feng shui designs merely as designs of the jewelry pieces, and I did not like them at all. Thus, no matter how hard the staff tried in convincing us to buy (lifetime guarantee and exchangeable), they were not successful. :mrgreen:

    In other case, I got a crystal apple pendant with silver chain necklace for myself and my sister. It’s a classic design also featured by the Hong Kong Jewellery Store. It’s an absolutely gorgeous apple-shaped crystal adorned with a dazzling silver leaf. My childhood friend also bought one so we’ll look like trios when we wear the same necklace at the same time. 😛

    3. Aberdeen Fishing Village

    The Aberdeen Fishing Village is said to be one of the earliest settlements of Chinese people and now it represents the old Hong Kong. With boats abound, we toured this “over-hyped attraction” via a round-trip boat ride called sampan (junk fisherman boat) that cost us HKD 60 per person in less than half an hour.

    I thought we were going somewhere or hopping off and on the boat but after a while, we realized that we were only going around and taking pictures of the old boats and ones under maintenance was the only activity we could do. Too boring. 🙁

    It’s a waste of time to see the rubbish-filled harbor because we’re already used to seeing a similar sight back home (we live close to the Pasig River). Also, it’s a waste of money to ride the sampan because the boats are viewable even from the outside. The tourist guide reminded us to “try to enjoy anyway.”

    There’s a floating restaurant in Aberdeen named Jumbo, which offers food with CRAZY jumbo prices. Our tourist guide told us that three pieces of har gow (shrimp dumplings) cost HKD 50. That’s thrice the price of har gow sold in regular restaurants in downtown Hong Kong!

    4. Hong Kong Ocean Park

    I’ve heard rumors that the Manila Ocean Park is way better now with its modernized and improvised facilities than Hong Kong Ocean Park. With that in my bubble thought, I looked forward to visiting HK to see if it was true. Lo and behold, Manila Ocean Park is nothing compared to the size and attraction centers in Hong Kong Ocean Park! 😆

    This world-class theme park is so large that we have not had the chance to get to every part, watch all shows and try all rides. At least, we had completed the activities we desired to accomplish. We rode the cable car to The Summit, rode the Ocean Express (speedy train) back to The Waterfront, watched the dolphin show, tried one ride (The Rapids), ate at the Old Hong Kong Street food stalls, take pictures everywhere, shopped for souvenir items and spent our remaining time queuing for our turn then actually enjoying the darkest depths of the ocean floor in the Grand Aquarium.

    Our Day 1 packaged tour itinerary ended at 6:30PM. We reached Tsim Sha Tsui after an hour and had dinner at Yuen Kee Restaurant before shopping. Tsim Sha Tsui (or TST) is a shopping haven like the Orchard Road of Singapore or Ginza in Japan.

    5. Hong Kong Disneyland

    Disneyland was the main reason for my excitement, anticipation and eagerness to fly to Hong Kong. It’s a wonderful and magical place with activities for all ages: Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Mainstreet, Toy Story Land, and Grizzly Gulch. Lines for the rides were on average 45-60 minute wait, so we had only tried two rides: Toy Story Land’s Slinky Dog and Grizzly Gulch’s Grizzly mountain mine cars.

    Chinese mainlanders were just about everywhere, estimating to 90% of the crowd. It almost seemed that the place is catered for them. We braved the hot summer sun, stayed patient with poking nuisance of umbrellas and experienced being kids again. My advice is to try and go there in the cooler months and definitely out of holiday time.

    The highlights for me were the Disney characters parade at 3:30PM and the spectacular fireworks show at the end just before the park closed at 9PM. I was so happy that I almost cried seeing my Disney friends. All in all, it was a whole day of fun and pleasure. Indeed, Disneyland brings everyday magic, magic every day! 😛

    (Read about our lunch at Crystal Lotus Restaurant inside Disneyland Hotel here.)

    Wrap Up

    This is the end of my trip report. Two days was nowhere near enough time to see everything that we wanted to in Hong Kong. But as someone else had said, two days is better than nothing. Anyway, we have survived rushing through exploring its main attractions without wasting any of our precious time. We worked out the most efficient ways of getting from one place to another. Hong Kong is a small city yet we barely scratched a large part of its surface. We have to be back someday soon! 🙂

    Have you been to Hong Kong? If yes, which places to eat and tour do you recommend? Feel free to comment down below! 😀

  • Review of Claypot Chicken Rice 瓦煲雞飯 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

    Review of Claypot Chicken Rice 瓦煲雞飯 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

    On the night we reached KL, we were sent straight to Hotel Pudu Plaza. After checking in, we looked for a nearby restaurant that seemed decent for dinner immediately. A lot of hawker restaurants serving local  Malay food were available, however the dishes were just not presented in a way that could easily capture my attention. Finally, we set foot in 瓦煲雞飯 (wa bao ji fan) and decided to try their signature Claypot Chicken Rice, which every table had.

    Review of Claypot Chicken Rice 瓦煲雞飯 (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)

    I glanced over at the menu posted on the wall and learned that it was only a listing of drinks.

    Since they didn’t have a food menu, we had to specifically ask the staff to order. The boss and everyone else were speaking only in Mandarin and Malay. And apparently, they thought I was Japanese so they (including some other customers who heard me) were surprised when I spoke in Chinese. 😛

    We had their signature Claypot Chicken Rice (瓦煲雞飯), Wintermelon Soup (冬瓜湯) and Chinese Stir-fried Lettuce (生菜). While waiting, I observed that it was interesting to see how the rice was being cooked using charcoal fire. Serving time was slow, since cooking rice in a claypot is really a slow process, but the result is worth the effort.

    The claypot rice itself was done well. The bottom and sides developed an excellent crust that soaked up most flavor. However, I found that the claypot rice was dressed with too much black soy sauce and too much oil. Toppings consisted of savory chunks of skin-on, bone-in chicken, Chinese sausage (lap cheong) and mushroom. The chicken was a bit dry but plenty rich. Studded with fatty meat, the lap cheong was tender, sweet and smoky. The serving size was enough for two to share. The taste of 瓦煲雞飯 could get a little monotonous if you’d finish the entire portion alone.

    Bright in color, the Chinese lettuce was good, crispy and fresh. It was a great side dish to the claypot chicken rice.

    Any soup would be comforting for us that night, and we got the ever-nourishing and soothing Wintermelon Soup (also Cantonese in origin). It was cooked with pork bones and velvety cubes of wintermelon. The winter melon’s delicate white flesh had no distinct taste of its own, absorbing only the broth’s flavor.

    Instead of going over the list of drinks all unfamiliar to us, we got the honeydew drink and sour plum juice. Their pictures were posted on the wall and somehow they looked good.

    Light and refreshing, the honeydew juice turned out to taste like a hefty combination of green apple and melon juice. It was way better than the sour plum juice (suan mei, on the right), which was far from heavenly. Ugh, it tasted like salt and plum water (mouth-puckeringly sour) put together. I swear I won’t be salivating over this in a lifetime. It was so bad, but because Louie (the 壞人 that he is) chose the honeydew and inisted that I finish the sour plum one, I had no choice but to drink it. 🙁

    This wasn’t the best meal we had in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In fact, it was the worst. 😛 But for one who loves authentic Malaysian-Cantonese food, it’s a damn solid one. The salty and crusty claypot rice would do justice for your hunger. Considering that we paid RM 20 for everything in this meal, it’s was a reasonably good deal.

  • Review of Ramen Nagi Manila (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

    Review of Ramen Nagi Manila (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

    Hitting the spot in Tokyo as Ramen Nagi and in Hong Kong as Butao, Ramen Nagi Manila was opened in December 2013 by Ramen Master Ikuta Satoshi. Tasting different flavors of ramen is a great deal for ramen lovers in Manila today, and tomorrow could be better.

    Gone are the days when we are much satisfied with cheaply packaged noodles only. With more and more ramen joints, we learn to better appreciate noodles with spring and bounce, tender and luscious toppings and rich flavor of ramen broth. These are three elements that we had happily found in Ramen Nagi Manila, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City, one of the best restaurants serving specialty ramen now in the Philippines.

    Review of Ramen Nagi Manila (SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City)

    Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

    Since we came at the peak of lunch hour, it’s no surprise that the line started forming heavily from the outside. The ambiance of Ramen Nagi at SM MOA was busy and bustling; the setting, very casual. Cramped tables and chairs greeted us as we went in. There were no privacy booths to eat tonkotsu ramen and no other frills to look around except for the pictures of ramen and actual ramen bowls hanged up as accents on the wall behind.

    Service: ★★★★★

    We initially asked for a reservation, however the staff said that they don’t allow reservations when customers are not physically present. This is understandable since the seating capacity is limited. So I suggest you plan an early outing before the small place gets filled up.

    While waiting for two tables inside to be available (to accommodate seven of us), it was nice that they offered us to be seated outdoors and start deciding what to order. Fortunately, wait time didn’t take too long. Staffs were professional and efficient, with tables turning fairly quickly.

    Food: ★★★★★

    G, H and I wanted to sample more ramen flavors than what our stomach could handle and finish in one sitting. Hence, we brought along some members of the family to join in our taste test. Indeed, the more, the merrier! 😀 We finished five variants of Ramen Nagi ramen (distributed to seven small bowls) and shared one short order of gyoza.

    The Way to Order

    Customers are given a sheet of paper to mark for their orders. This is what’s called the Omotenashi style. As first-timers, we were advised to select and follow the Chef’s Recommendation but we didn’t. Instead, we thought about using our right to customize according to our liking. Following the written instruction on the paper, we had encircled varying items for every bowl of ramen to differentiate.

    Here are the choices:

    • Richness of Taste: Light, Normal or Rich
    • Special Sauce: None, Light, Normal, Heavy, Extra Heavy
    • Garlic: None, Light, Normal, Heavy, Extra Heavy
    • Pork: None, Pork Shoulder, Pork Loin or Pork Belly
    • Vegetable: None, Green Onion, or Cabbage
    • Butao Home Made Fire Sauce: Spiciness level 1-10
    • Noodles Texture: Extra Hard, Hard, Normal, Soft, Very Soft
    • Add Ons: Tamago, Pork Shoulder or Pork Belly, Nori (Seaweed), Extra Noodles, Green Onion, Cabbage, Kikurage

    Green King Ramen – Nagi’s fusion of gourmet cultures

    The Green King (Midorio) (PhP 410) could be put as Japanese ramen that’s infused and inspired with Italian cooking as it’s oozing with pesto flavor and topped with Parmesan cheese, basil and olive oil. Love trying fusion food or anything unique? This one’s for you. The broth mixed with pesto is so rich that it can coat your mouth and throat as you slurp on it. Mmmmm…yummy!

    Original King Ramen – Luscious signature tonkotsu pork-broth

    The Original King (Butao) (PhP 390) is probably the most basic and simple-tasting bowl of ramen in Ramen Nagi. If you just want to taste Ramen Nagi’s tonkotsu broth and hakata noodles to its original form, get this. Every element was so well executed—from the rich, savory tonkotsu broth to the bright, fresh toppings. I just wanted to dive in and demolish my share of this ramen variant at once.

    To give it some much needed pep, I suggest that you add on Aji Tamago (PhP 50) like we did. 😉 The soft-boiled eggs were soft on the outside and liquid-y yolk on the inside, just perfect.

    Red King Ramen – The ultimate in savory spiciness

    Next, I’m extraordinarily happy to report that the Red King (Akao) (PhP 410) was actually the best one we’ve tried! With that said, hot and spicy food lovers (myself included) must not skip this flavor when figuring out what to order in Ramen Nagi. With a fireball of miso-minced pork and the hottest cayenne pepper as toppings, the Red King Ramen Akao had a hot, assertive red broth that’s beautifully spiced. Oh, how I wish throat/cough medicine tasted like this! 🙂

    Black King Ramen – Sumptuous jet-black aroma and flavor

    My least favorite was the Black King (Kuroo) (PhP 410), which I’ve heard, is the crowd’s favorite. Nevertheless, I commend the creativity of incorportaing squid (calamari) ink and blackened garlic with tonkotsu broth. The soup’s texture did not suffer flatness but satisfied on that deep, visceral level that any superb ramen should. There was also a little mound of spicy chili mixture we could sense in the blend.

    The Ebi King Ramen (PhP 410) – Limited edition

    Ramen Nagi serves limited editions of ramen occasionally. We had the chance to order one of them: the Ebi King (Ebio). This ramen had a thick prawn bisque broth, nothing that you’d call traditional by any stretch of the imagination. The dried shrimp taste was really evident, with a right balance of saltiness! Was it worth a try? Definitely. This is one of the more unique and delicious things on the menu.

    Ramen Nagi’s sizzling Gyoza Dumplings (PhP 125) were well-steamed, with more vegetables than meat. The fillings were light and juicy. With golden brown bottoms, the crusty skin stayed crisp as it was served. The gyoza wasn’t so remarkable but quite respectable.

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Much had been written about Ramen Nagi Manila’s sumptuous ramen, but knowing about it through blogs and word-of-mouth is never enough. You have to taste the ramen (at least one bowl/one flavor) and get the dining experience yourself.

    Final verdict: At PhP 400+ per bowl, ramen here isn’t cheap but the quality and taste of the ramen were so good, making us want to eat more. (Can you blame us?) 😛 Plus, the serving size is big so a bowl can easily be shared between two or three people. I award Ramen Nagi 4/5 stars for price for value.

    Aside from their branch in SM MOA, Ramen Nagi Manila also has branches in SM Aura, SM North EDSA and Robinsons Magnolia. If you’re far from these places, all I can say is… make the pilgrimage as it’s really worth it! 🙂

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/RamenNagiManila” name=”Ramen Nagi Manila” description=”Ground Floor, South Wing, Mall of Asia Complex (MOA), Pasay City” rev_name=”For inquiries, call (02) 5502394″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2014-07-24″ user_review=”17″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • How I Got Pampered at Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge (Hemady Square, Quezon City)

    How I Got Pampered at Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge (Hemady Square, Quezon City)

    When it comes to beauty, I think it’s safe to assume that we fall firmly in the camp of “one style does not fit all.” After all, a fiery makeup consisting of vibrant-colored cheek stain and a bold, red lipstick could look great on your friend but may make you look like a walking tomato—and vice versa. That’s why I love it when we’re given lots of choices to match up our personal style and call it entirely our own. And we have to put hand and foot care including nail polishes on the list. In this post, let me share how I got pampered at Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge (Hemady Square, Quezon City) yesterday. 🙂

    In a perfect world, most women prefer getting pedicures and manicures with nail polish every two weeks. Why two weeks? I guess it’s usually within this time frame when nails begin to chip off. In real life situations though, most of us end up stretching it. I’d cite my own life story as instance. 🙂

    My visit to nail spa centers and beauty lounge at most happens once in a quarter of a year. For the rest of the time, I just do the same-old DIY manicure and pedicure at home, entering the danger of achieving what I refer to as the “Jurassic Park” status. 😯

    As compared to fingernails, my toe nails are more resilient because they don’t get as much exposure and use. Still, the skin on the toes build up and thicken over time (also, think painful ingrown toenails). Hence, not properly taking good care of them is not the best idea, especially if toes are cooped up in closed-toe shoes (and that’s exactly one of the reasons why I dislike wearing closed-toe shoes).

    I just had the luxury of time to visit Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge along E. Rodriguez in Quezon City. This place has enough arsenal of trendy beauty products plus a bit of classic ones, as arms to services they provide: Hand and Foot Care, Paraffin, Reflexology, Waxing Threading, Manicures and Pedicures, Eyelash Curling and Ironing, Hair Spa Treatment, and Hair Styling.

    I checked Make Me Blush’s operation hours on their Facebook page and learned that they’re open Mondays to Sundays from 10AM to 8PM. Because I wasn’t familiar with the area, I left home early and arrived at 9:30AM. The staff gave me a warm welcome with friendly smiles. They were still cleaning and preparing the setting while anticipating customers in the reception.

    Make Me Blush opened on Chinese Near Year 2014 and it’s thoughtfully maintained every day. The decorations are comforting and eye-candy, with colors that bring out the girly fashionista in you. The rooms for massage, waxing threading, hair styling and treatment and nail spa are uniquely designed and separated, to give a sense of intimacy and privacy while the customer takes her time to nurture her inner self.

    Massage services: Back Massage (PhP 180/30 minutes, PhP 350/60 minutes), Full Body Massage (PhP 380/1 hour), Foot Reflexology (PhP 200/30 minutes, PhP 350/60 minutes)

    Waxing threading services: Eyebrow (PhP 230), Underarms (PhP 350), Upper Lip or Chin (PhP 230), Face (PhP 450), Full Arms (PhP 500), Half Arms (PhP 320), Full Legs (PhP 750), Half Legs (PhP 500), Stomach/ Back/ Chest (PhP 600)

    Paraffin: Hand (PhP 350), Foot (PhP 450), Hand and Foot (PhP 750)

    Hair services: Shampoo and Blowdry (PhP 250), Set Curling/Iron (PhP 430), Color Treatment (PhP 1000/Short, PhP 1500/Medium, PhP 25000/Long), Hair Spa Treatment (PhP 780), Hair and Make-up (PhP 2200/Traditional, PhP 2800/Airbrush)

    Eyelash services: Eyelash Extension (PhP 800), Eyelash Perm (PhP 350)

    Manicure: Plain/Basic (PhP 160), French Manicure (PhP 200), Spa Manicure (PhP 350), Polish Change (PhP 100), Manicure and Hand Paraffin (PhP 490)

    Pedicure: Plain/Basic (PhP 180), French Pedicure (PhP 260), Spa Pedicure (PhP 450), Polish Change (PhP 100), Pedicure and Foot Paraffin (PhP 590), Foot Spa (PhP 300)

    I received the “Love Me or Leave Me” special-offer package. It consisted of manicure, pedicure, and 30-minute foot spa at PhP 590. Before getting the procedure done, the staff asked me if I want anything to drink. Choices were iced tea, hot tea and coffee. I chose coffee and thanked her profusely. It wasn’t’ a damn-good drink but something that kept my hunger at bay during the two-hour nail spa service.

    The leg/foot massage as part of the foot spa was calming and the exfoliation was gentle and good to boot. The staff asked me several times if I was okay with the pressure and the temperature of water. Clearly, she was concerned about the state and feeling of customers. I saw this as a sign of commitment to doing a nice job even in the absence of the owner. Both the manicure and pedicure were decadent in the most wonderful way possible!

    From Make Me Blush Nail Spa’s massive selection of nail polish colors and brands, I picked the Essie Bikini So Teeny for my fingernails. Essie Bikini So Teeny is a soft delicate periwinkle color that’s so lovely. The formula though is quite thin and the manicurist had to apply three coats after the base coat to get the color opaque. And the result (without the top coat):

    For my toenails, I opted for the beige and pink OPIs. The beige OPI polish is, I think, part of the Ballet Soft Shades Collection which had a jelly finish. I love that it has this nice flesh tone that’s almost translucent. The pastel/bubble-gum pink OPI polish was applied as an “accent color” for my fourth toenail. I just had it following the pedicurist’s suggestion. Part of the Nicki Minaj collection, this color appeared to be incredibly sweet, one that has a strong presence on my nails.

    Wrap Up

    In sum, Make Me Blush Nail Spa and Beauty Lounge in Hemady Square is definitely a place where you can relax and get a beauty fix, while spending some “me” time in your rest day. It can easily become your regular nail spot. The ladies did a good job and customer service was great. One thing I liked most was that they were nice and not too chatty, because talking or hearing other people talk loudly is last on my agenda.

    Bottom line, Make Me Blush is a gem. This is a nail spa that you can trust, given the following: great ambiance and upkeep, flexible in booking appointments, accommodating staff, and fair prices. For people who follow a regular mani-pedi routine, having the service at Make Me Blush will be worth a try! You definitely get what you pay for, plus the confidence that they stand behind their work and want you to be happy (showing interest in making customers feel important). I recommend Make Me Blush and will be back for a girls’ day. 😀

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/makemeblush” name=”Make Me Blush” description=”Hemady Square, Unit 303 86 Dona Hemady Street Corner E. Rodriguez Avenue, Quezon City” rev_body=”For inquiries, call (02) 234-9529 or email makemeblushspa@gmail.com” author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2014-07-20″ user_review=”5″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”5″ ]

  • Review of Wee Nam Kee (Glorietta 2, Makati City)

    Review of Wee Nam Kee (Glorietta 2, Makati City)

    Last Saturday, we have sampled Wee Nam Kee’s latest incarnation of dishes this 2014. Wee Nam Kee in the fashionable Glorietta 2 Makati was last among all WNK branches to release the chain’s newest menu of reasonably priced plates of Singaporean-Chinese cuisine. The servings are matched with creative drinks and desserts options, and I really appreciated them all.

    Review of Wee Nam Kee (Glorietta 2, Makati City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    By far, this is the largest Wee Nam Kee branch in the metro, in terms of floor space. Upon entrance, Wee Nam Kee in Glorietta 2 displays bird cages that I found somewhat irrelevant to the theme. Later, I learned that they’re placed there to symbolize chicken and the role is to entice diners to have chicken rice. Did I get that right? Honestly, I wasn’t convinced. 😐

    Moving on, unlike the ambiance of Wee Nam Kee branches in Singapore, Wee Nan Kee branches in the Philippines are designed in a modern European slash Asian fashion. This one in Glorietta 2, for instance, is a stark opposite to the typical gloomy and uninviting hawker-like WNK dining areas in SG.

    Walk to the function room and you’ll see a wall where framed pictures taken in Singapore are hanged. They serve to inform or remind people that it was in Singapore where Wee Nam Kee was first established and gained popularity. Other pictures consisted of SG sites, and one of the most recognizable was the Singapore Flyer. Overall, the great atmosphere makes this branch ideal for a crowd.

    Service: ★★★★★

    This restaurant is not a palace by any means, but the staff did care for diners and acted upon requests and orders quite fast and kindly. They were unobtrusive most of the time yet were readily available to serve customers in a tranquil way.

    Food: ★★★★★

    Before you continue reading down below, note that everything served here was for sharing, so you may assume that the number of dishes we had was at the direction of the Wee Nam Kee’s marketing manager and not because we’ve gone mad. :mrgreen:

    We started with the Crispy Mantou Bread with Condensed Milk (PhP 78), which had such a beautiful golden color with a lovely, firm crust. If you don’t know yet, mantou is a fried but fluffy bun that looks and tastes an awful lot like a doughnut. WNK’s mantou wasn’t airy but soft inside, and I would prefer it to be eaten really hot. Slather it with condensed milk and you have a combo of the best flavors; it could not have been better.

    Another appetizer that landed on our table were the Prawn Paste Chicken Wings (PHP 218). Equally superb, the skin of the chicken had optimal crunchiness with unique flavor of prawn paste and the chicken meat had a burst of salty freshness. An order of this dish will give you six pieces of bite-size heaven.

    Next served almost simultaneously were the nine mains. My favorites have to be the Salted Egg Chinese-style Fried Chicken (PhP 295), Hainanese Chicken Curry Noodles (PhP 225/solo, PhP 368/sharing) and the Wok-fried Chicken with Cashews and Sun-dried Chili (PhP 270).

    I’ve had my fair share of Wee Nam Kee’s Salted Egg Crabs and I had tried also quite a lot of Salted Egg Prawns cooked the Singaporean way when I was still living in Singapore. Hence, pleasure was all mine when Salted Egg Chinese-style Fried Chicken met my palate. Dressed with soft, jelly-like texture of salted egg, the chicken tasted great. Imagine tasting food that’s been battered before frying and the shaved yolk melting in your mouth as it effectively forms a sauce for the dish.

    With alluring fragrance, the Hainanese Chicken Curry Noodles (Wee Nam Kee’s version of laksa) can be put as an iconic culinary treasure of Singapore. It’s made with Hainanese chicken and Thai noodles with curry sauce in a concentrated, creamy and not too spicy laksa broth. Again, I was looking forward to more heat!

    You’ll also not regret ordering the Wok-fried Chicken with Cashews and Sun-dried Chili. Powerfully savory, flavors are here in full force. As it’s packed with spices, the crispy wok-fried chicken is best eaten with plain and steaming white rice.

    While the Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet (PhP 280) was, relative to the others, nothing new as it’s almost customary to see this in other Chinese restaurants’ menu. However, on a positive note, it was also memorably good.

    Stewed Pork Belly with Steamed Buns (PhP 365) are commonly paired as one. The twist here? Every single cut of meat wasn’t thrifty of fat that’s edible, containing much more moist than a chop.

    I came round to think that the unassuming steamed buns made the dish as a whole even more elegant. They sop up the fatty juices of the pork.

    Mmmmm! The glistening plate of Cashew Coffee Spareribs (PhP 298) was by far the most adventurous and unique entree we had that day. I haven’t ever encountered any dish cooked with cashew coffee. It was fortunate that my first time to taste it made an instant good impression. The tender pork ribs had the intensity and clarity of coffee flavor that suggested the spareribs were made in the kitchen by a chef who cares about delighting its guests.

    We were taken aback by how the Butterflied Tilapia with Singapore “Chili Crab” Sauce (PhP 385) was presented. I mean, look at that! The tilapia had crispy skin and the fish meat was simple and hearty. On the average, an order is weighed at 800 grams of seafood. You should not pass up the chance to eat it together with the chili crab sauce. Still, I would want the sauce to be spicier filled with chili and aromatics.

    Then, the carbs. Wee Nam Kee’s Pineapple Fried Rice with Pork Floss (PhP 250) was cooked with mixed veggies, roast pork and shrimps. I thought it’s quite Thai in nature. Regardless, this is a great addition to any meal. To say this was just merely fried rice would be an understatement. With the light, thread-like seasoned dried pork product otherwise known as the pork floss, this rice dish just got a whole lot better.

    Being reasonably copious, the Spicy Sambal Rice Noodles (PhP 295) featured a distinct taste of sambal with a gentle spicy comfort. These springy noodles will make you feel truly full and satisfied. The taste lingered with a rounded, fragrant and transportive bowl that will bring you mentally closer to Singapore. 🙂

    The presentation of the Three Flavor Chocolate Truffle Buchi (White, Dark and Milk Chocolate) (PhP 128) proved the desserts to be a best-selling treat. Predictably tasting good, the three variants of chocolate were so rich, delectable and sinful! This is a must-try in Wee Nam Kee.

    Each of us tried a different drink. I got the Green Tea Vanilla Freeze (PhP 130) because individually, green tea and vanilla are always my go-to flavors. At first slurp, I knew they particularly go well together. These two are the perfect duo! A daub of whipped cream on top added to the drink’s yummy-ness. Will I order it again? Maybe yes, when I have a slot for more calories in my body. For macha lovers out there, this one’s for you. 😛

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    All the food above are worthy of their prices. I hope by now you’ve learned to order dishes other than the great Hainanese Chicken Rice when in Wee Nam Kee.

    Given that Wee Nam Kee has been in the Philippines for merely two years, a generous degree of experimentation and errors is only to be expected. The recipe of these dishes came from the master company in Singapore and I hope that their work will click with Filipinos’ taste. Most certainly for me, each one had exhibited a certain level of proficiency as authentic Singaporean cuisine. I am excited to bring my family along in my next visit. 😛

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/WeeNamKeePH” name=”WEE NAM KEE Hainanese Chicken Rice Philippines” description=”Ground Floor, The New Glorietta 2, Makati City Operating Hours: Monday to Sunday 11.00am to 11.00pm” rev_name=”For inquiries, call +632 478-8477 or +63917 828-5016 or email info.ph@wnk.com.sg” author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2014-07-18″ user_review=”18″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • Review of GoNuts Donuts Choco Cookie Butter and Choco Hazelnut Spreads

    Review of GoNuts Donuts Choco Cookie Butter and Choco Hazelnut Spreads

    Last Tuesday (before Glenda arrived in Metro Manila), I was happy to receive a set of goodies from GoNuts Donuts. To my surprise, instead of donuts, jars of GoNuts Donuts spreads consisted the package. In this review, let me tell you how good (or bad) the Choco Cookie Butter Crunchy Spread and the Choco Hazelnut Spread taste like.

    These spreads aren’t entirely new in GoNuts Donuts stores. They were released in the latter quarter of 2013, if I’m not mistaken. However, for some reason, the spreads haven’t caught my eyes despite the several number of times I pass by their store in SM Mall of Asia.

    Review of GoNuts Choco Butter and Hazelnut Spreads

    Choco Cookie Butter Crunchy Spread (PhP 239 – big; PhP 109 – small)

    The packaging of the spread seem to insist that GoNuts Donuts’ Choco Cookie Butter Crunchy Spread is a delicious alternative to peanut butter. One of the similarities between the two is that you can spread them on toast or cookie. Yup, cookie butter spread on toasted bread (or cookie) would be meta-amazing to resist!

    The GND Choco Cookie Butter Crunchy has this deep, rich, Oreo-like flavor with crisp edges and a chewy center. I felt that there’s an irregular crumb structure with a craggy top, and probably a mix of hidden or miniscule chocolate bits dispersed through in fine threads, all with a nice sweet-and-salty balance. Also, the spread is firm with uniform thickness.

    Choco Hazelnut Creamy Spread (PhP 239 – big; PhP 109 – small)

    Like a cross between chocolate and Nutella, the Choco Hazelnut Creamy Spread is quite loose, almost verging on liquid at the center. The label says it’s not recommend to be refrierated so we kept the jar in room temperature. The texture of the spread was softer and gloppier than the Cookie Butter Crunchy Spread, and I prefer this one more.

    We took the sugar twists and dip one stalk to the jar. Real chocolate flavor smoothly lingered on the tongue. The level of sweetness was just enough for my liking. It’s what I can count on when craving for some comfort food to pacify sugar rush! Oh, it was divine, definitely recommended for chocolate lovers. 😀

    Wrap Up

    To sum up this review, GoNuts Donuts has produced creamy and crunchy spreads that hit all the right notes (at least found by my taste buds). 😀 The question you might ask is: Are they the best choco hazelnut and choco cookie butter spreads in the world? No way. But are they worth your time and budget to try? I certainly think so.

    With these GoNuts Donuts spreads, you can create your own donut recipe or incorporate it in any meal at home so you can tailor it with your taste. Simple, fast and easy. To put it lightly, either one or both can be added to your list of newest addiction. 🙂

    GoNuts Donuts is a donut shop chain based in the Philippines. It is also referred to as “The Manny Pacquiao of the Donut World.” Click here for the list of its stores in Metro Manila.