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Author: Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco

  • Review of Cajun Red Rock (SM Megamall Megastrip B, Mandaluyong)

    Review of Cajun Red Rock (SM Megamall Megastrip B, Mandaluyong)

    For the record, this post has been a back log for a month already! Whoa. What this implies is that I’m totally not excited to report my review on this restaurant — Cajun Red Rock, in particular. The food simply failed to rock my world.

    If you’re an avid reader of this blog, you probably know by now that I’m not a fan of pasta and all the more, meaty dishes. So when pasta and meat are combined together, I’m like 95% sure that disaster would be gushing right through my door. But since Louie is fond of eating these food, I thought it was okay to give them a try.

    Review of Cajun Red Rock (SM Megamall Megastrip B, Mandaluyong)

    Ambiance: ★★★☆☆

    The first branch of Cajun Red Rock was only a burger joint in Glorietta built in 2000. After receiving positive responses and warm accolade from customers, the owners were inspired to open a restaurant in SM MegaMall from a garage in Retiro.

    Cajun Red Rock is a family restaurant with a New Orleans setup. The walls are decorated with pictures and stuff related to New Orleans. The place seemed casual but what I didn’t like was that everyone can see you eating inside or outside and there’s no sense of privacy.

    The interior design is kept simple — not anything special or unusual, not breathtaking. It’s a restaurant theme that’s not bold but one that you won’t get tired of. It’s not the kind that takes your breath away but one that makes you breathe.

    Service: ★★★☆☆

    Because the restaurant’s interior area is shaped like an L with the counter and most of the servers positioned at the “|” side and not both the “|” and “_” sides, calling servers’ attention was hard for diners like us who were seated at the “_” side. Some waiters were also attending and serving requests of those outside. So it was too tempting to just stand up and walk to them instead of raising a hand till the cows come home. Overall, service was mediocre in this branch.

    Food: ★★☆☆☆

    Louie ordered Cajun Bourbon Ribs (PHp 360) and Creole Chicken Pasta (PHp 250) for us. I can’t remember how he made me say yes to these two.

    While waiting for our orders, we were given a small bowl of popcorn to munch on. The popcorn was bland and it needed pinches of salt badly. It was not a fun starter. I also thought it was not fresh as some flattened between my teeth into a stale, impenetrable pancake.

    Onto our actual orders, first up was the Cajun Bourbon Ribs. Presentation-wise, this signature dish was noteworthy. We saw other customers having the same on their tables. The food was meticulously prepared and done, even reaching to a point where it assuaged some remorse over getting this “carnivorous” plate. Taste-wise, I felt the remorse back. 🙁

    Much force and effort was required to slice through even a small portion of this age-old house tradition grilled back ribs. I didn’t think that it was tender or juicy. The bourbon sauce, on the other hand, was strong and unique. It gave life to the slow simmered ribs that were, to me, not well formed. The saffron rice and the sweet potato mojos tasted fine. They were neither overwhelming nor getting lost in the other flavor.

    Next came Cajun’s Creole Chicken Pasta which was full of tomatoes and red and green bell peppers. Served with crisp chicken strips, this other signature dish had a lick of heavy cream on it. The pasta provided a chewy texture against the smooth sauce with a hit of cheese amid it all. It was not better than any pasta I’ve tried but it was okay.

    Price for Value: ★★☆☆☆

    I hate to say this but honestly I didn’t enjoy eating at Cajun’s Red Rock, as mentioned in the intro. The food was not likeable but maybe I’m really not the best to rate this restaurant or their food after all because my taste buds are pretty different from the majority of people who are used to eating meat.

    Cajun Red Rock was packed with diners that day, and this showed how their food are much appreciated. We’ll see about that in another time when I get to sample their seafood entrees on the menu. For now at least, I give 2/5 stars for what our cash had been worth.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cajun-Red-Rock-Restaurant/172530696092234″ name=”Cajun Red Rock” description=”SM Megamall-Megastrip B, EDSA Wack Wack, Mandaluyong” rev_name=”For inquiries, call (02) 638-8387″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-08-29″ user_review=”10″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Other branches:
    Level 4, Robinsons Galleria, Ortigas, Quezon City
    Contact number: (02) 4709961, +63922 8791315

    108, N.S. Amoranto Street, Santo Domingo, Quezon City
    Contact number: (02) 4152605

  • Review of Chez Karine Bakery (Serendra, BGC, Taguig City)

    Review of Chez Karine Bakery (Serendra, BGC, Taguig City)

    Unlike donuts which are now practically everywhere (think Dunkin’ Donut and Mister Donut hubs), French macarons are, weight by weight, one of the most hard-to-find and expensive food yet people are still going for them! Each piece costs PHp 50++ and you only get to have a max of 3-4 bites until finishing off the entire thin, flavorful meringue cookie sandwiched with some kind of filling.

    So why the macaron craze? Bakeries put so much effort in packaging and designing macarons that these beauties come out as utterly gorgeous and delicious displayed in shops and in boxes. As a result, love on both the visual and palatable elements about these confections has been developed.

    I’ve tried macarons by TWG Tea Salon and Boutique in Greenbelt 5, Makati, Tous Les Jours in Mall of Asia, Pasay and The French Baker before and undoubtedly, I thought TWG macarons are the best! Another contending macaron maker is Chez Karine Bakery, which my friends all over Instagram go gaga over. They promote it with pictures and captions saying that this bakery’s macarons have a chewier bite than other regular crispy French biscuits in Manila.

    Last Saturday, out from lunch with my friends, we decided to continue our girl talk in Chez Karine Bakery located in the same aisle as Fez Gastrobar in Serendra area and find out if Chez Karine’s macarons would seal the deal, break the record and indeed win over my love for TWG’s.

    Aside from macarons, Chez Karine patisserie offers high quality, specialty coffee and tea and other pastries like cakes, royal pudding, panna cotta, cookies and honey toast all inspired by Asian and American flavors with fresh and natural ingredients.

    Review of Chez Karine Bakery (Serendra, BGC, Taguig City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    The space is limited with less than 10 chairs available for the long table across the counter. Everything on display was appetizing, particularly if you have a sweet tooth. Interior design was minimalistic and there were no frills on the backsplash other than the list of prices and items on the menu. Outside, three tables with four chairs each can be occupied by guests who want to chill out and stay longer. But most of Chez Karine’s customers choose to leave after getting boxes of orders here.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Staffs were always inside the counter, so I can’t say more about service on this one. Anyway, I would give an all-star perfect rating as they provided good assistance in suggesting preferences and preparing orders. They were quick on their feet, too, so long lines are manageable.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    Chez Karine’s macarons come in many flavors, each at PHp 50. Since we couldn’t try every one, we chose six we thought were sufficient to represent:

    • Salted Caramel – When asked, the staff said that salted caramel is one of their best-sellers. So without question, we added it to our order and were not disappointed. There’s a tiny hint of salt mixed with caramel resulting to a bittersweet divine taste.
    • Mint Chocolate – With back-to-back fillings of mint and chocolate, this was the one I enjoyed most! Mint and chocolate must be in my blood, so naturally when I put these together I thought they were amazing. 😀
    • Earl Grey – Filled with earl grey milk chocolate ganache, this macaron was among the best we had. It was so good that it should be able to get anyone to come out of hiding.
    • Speculoos – Speculoos was a name that’s quite hard to remember but the taste was really unforgettable. It was buttery and tasted like a vanilla-based gingerbread cookie.
    • Matcha Green Tea – This can be the ultimate macaron that would ruin my diet. I can eat ’em all day! This green tea flavored macaron tasted somewhat like Starbucks’ green tea latte. ♡
    • Maple Bacon – Though it was okay, this was the flavor we all least liked. It tasted like a breakfast of pancakes with maple syrup and bacon.

    All in all, the cookie surface was smooth, without bumps and bubbles (as you can see in the picture below). There were no large air bubbles or irregular empty pockets either. Although the shell of the macaron was thin, it did not easily shatter. The macarons were not as super chewy as expected but just fine. One bite gave way to a tender and moist (not soggy or wet) interior. Eating was clean; the filling did not squish out and didn’t leave any residue on the teeth (yes, I’m concerned and conscious of this because of my braces).

    In terms of flavor, Chez Karine’s macarons were sweet but not to the point where the original flavor is already masked; they didn’t coy sweetness forming a lump in the back of your throat. They were true to whatever the name of the flavor literally spell.

    After gaining fuzzy happiness from eating macarons, we tried the Muscovado Royal Pudding (PHp 100), a soft set custard pudding with dark caramel at the bottom. This royal pudding had a smooth texture, almost the “melt-in-your-mouth” type, but it was just a bit disheartening that the taste was not anything spectacular. If you’re familiar with leche flan, then you’d know exactly how this pudding tastes. Only key takeaway was this cute bottle that can be reused at home! 😀

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    The reason why these are costly may be that they are notoriously difficult to make and to perfect. I understand that there’s a lot of patience required, as well as planning and precision. Almost, the presentation must be as good as the flavor.

    Even so, paying PHp 50 for one macaron is, I think, too much. Same goes for PHp 100 for a tiny jar of pudding of ordinary caliber that doesn’t make enough justice to the price tag. In the end, I wasn’t that convinced that Chez Karine’s macarons are better than TWG Tea’s. I guess I’m still sticking to my first love.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/chezkarinebakery” name=”Chez Karine Bakery” description=”Serendra 2 Loading Bay McKinley Pkwy, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig” rev_name=” For inquiries, call (02) 804 1889″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-08-23″ user_review=”16″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Operating Hours:
    Sunday to Thursday: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm
    Friday to Saturday: 10:00 am to 11:00 pm

  • Adventures in Touring Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol Province

    Adventures in Touring Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol Province

    Planning to visit Bohol or recreate memories while you were there? May this post featuring our adventures in touring Dauis, Panglao Island, Bohol help you. The following enumerates the tourist attractions we have been to during our second and third day of visits in the province. If you’re interested to know about our itinerary on the first day, click here and hopefully you’ll enjoy reading as well. 🙂

    Our 3D2N Bohol Itinerary (Continuation)

    Day 2

    We woke up at 6AM, still tired from the previous day’s lineup of activities but in a good mood. We were ready to conquer the day with healthy outlook starting from the complimentary meal served for breakfast. In the hotel’s restaurant, we had plates of grilled pancakes with maple syrup and butter, bangus, sausages, bacon, eggs, rice, toasted bread, mangoes, bananas, coffee and hot chocolate.

    Two hours later, our tour guide fetched us from Bohol Plaza Resort and our adventure took off with seeing the smallest man in the Philippines. We dropped by the house of Bayoyoy the Dwarfman, a very small old man with very young looks, in Dauis, Panglao. We saw pictures of him and Korina Sanchez posted around his house as his story was featured before in Rated K in ABS-CBN years ago.

    Now at 66 years old, Bayoyoy has been suffering from dwarfism since birth. He is blind and mute. He also has limited range of motion; he can’t walk, fold or stretch his arms and legs because he has no joints. He eats only baby food (soft food) and does not allow touching; else he’ll be disturbed and will act like mad. He habitually moves his head right and left as this is his only exercise. We begged the question, what caused him to carry dwarfism?

    The reason his relatives/care-takers gave was that his parents were third cousins. There may be a problem in blood compatibility thus producing six out of the 15 children that had the same genetic disorder. All others had already passed away; the eldest died at 48 years old in 1988.

    I didn’t see the purpose of their relatives opening their house to tourists except for wanting donations or telling the moral that thou should not be married and/or should not make a child with third cousins.

    Because of this new learning, I became more curious and I found that there’s no cure or treatment to this disease. Administering of any medication would not do any help and the real cause is unknown. Tsk tsk. How unfortunate. I pity Bayoyoy and his other siblings for having average-size parents who didn’t stop producing children when they already know they can cause much suffering to the lives of their offspring with the genetic condition. So much for being a “perfect couple.”

    Looking forward for the “miraculous well” that’s said to cure/heal the sick and also make dreams or prayers come true, we headed to Our Lady of Assumption Church.

    The well is located near the altar of the church, and bottles of water from this well were found at a small kiosk at the back of the church.

    I wondered, why not give some of these bottles to Bayoyoy the Dwarfman regularly so miracles can maybe happen with the whole world standing as witness? 😕 Anyway, they might think it’s not possible and so do I.

    Not so far from the church was Hinagdanan Cave in Bingag, Dauis, Panglao, Bohol. Overall, the entire cave was majestic. It has mystical formations of stalagmites and stalactites, a lagoon where tourists can swim, and nests of swallows on the ceiling. When you intend to go to Hinagdanan Cave, make sure to bring a camera with flash and flashlight and arrange a visit there at daytime because darkness envelops inside and you can’t get proper lighting when you take photos.

    Our fourth destination was the Nova Shell Museum where we met Mr. Quirino Hora, a renowned sea explorer for over 30 years. We saw displays of unusual types of shells in varying sizes as part of his collection. At present, this shell museum showcases one of the biggest shell collections in the world. Because I’m no enthusiast or collector of any kind, I’m not particularly interested in shells. My key takeaway was this wonderful trivia Mr. Hora shared: “Pearls are freak shells.” Pearls are formed as by-products of an adaptive immune system-like function of certain mollusks and natural pearls (round ones without human intervention) are rare.

    The Shell Museum is a must-visit indeed if you’re curious of the beautiful sea life. You can also find teeth of sharks preserved by injecting formaldehyde.

    The last stop that was part of the packaged tour was Bohol Bee Farm. There we learned about the smell, taste, uses and benefits of their different “homegrown” organic herbs and spices such as oregano, dill, peppermint, lemongrass, etc.

    We also had our first-hand experience on weaving raffia and buri as each of us took turns to maneuver their machine set up to create fabric that’s certainly what Bohol is proud of. Aside from curtains and place mats, the end-products shown to us consisted in baskets, wine holder, wall organizer, table runner, bags, slippers, tissue holders, table napkin holder and wall decorations.

    Stepping into the highlight of the Bohol Bee Farm (the bees, what else?), we listened intently to the safety instructions of our guide and introduction to bees. The guide elaborately explained about the life and nature of honeybees including their job and duties of bees (depending on the sex) and answered our burning questions about bees. It was a good interaction we had and a fun learning outside of the classroom. 😀

    He added that it would be better for visitors not to wear floral or citrus scents of perfumes or colognes when getting close to the bees because the smell would only provoke the bees to think that they are flowers and hence start buzzing around their bodies. When visitors attack a bee, other bees would join forces to put the person down. Very dangerous! So once he took out a frame of honeybees from the box where they are being cultured, we were hesitant to go near him even when we already were wearing netted mesh straw hats to protect our heads and face from being bitten accidentally by bees.

    Bohol Bee Farm houses a resort where guests can stay in and a restaurant apart from a shop selling souvenir items and organic food and drinks made from ingredients harvested from the farm. We dined in their restaurant and were left deeply sated with the freshness and harmony of flavors of the food.

    It was hard to order because everything on the menu seemed to be a delight. At last, we agreed on: Cabcab (cassava paste dried and made into taco-like crackers) with pesto and green tomato dips (PHp 190), Organic Garden Salad with Honey Mustard dressing (PHp 190) , Buko Pasta (spaghetti pasta with herbs and tomato sauce mixed with fresh buko) and Vegetarian Pizza (homemade tomato sauce topped with organic veggies). Complimentary appetizer given was Camote Bread with Honey, Mango and Pesto spreads. The bread had a steamy middle, utilitarian in the tastiest way possible. For the beverage, instead of choosing to drink only water, this time I had one of Bee Farm’s specialties: Bee Fi (Camote, Mango and Pineapple drink).

    All were delicious and were of superb quality! With the strange contrast of flavors, I felt like my mouth was tad confused. Each had a distinct taste that fared differently from other food from restaurants we’re used to. I loved the feeling because it meant that I had sampled another totally new combo that my taste buds welcomed and I wish they can’t forget. 😛

    As a side note, service was attentive and prompt, something one should never take for granted.

    After lunch, we went to Bohol’s city proper and checked out BQ (Bohol Quality) Superstore. Although it’s far from SM malls and Ayala malls, this four-storey mall’s grocery store, department store and few independent stalls are enough to cater to the locals’ shopping needs. BQ Superstore also has a food court with limited stalls at the top floor. Cost of a movie ticket sold in cinemas is only PHp 100! Whoa! 😯 That is relatively super cheap as compared to the price here in Manila that starts from PHp 180 for regular 2D films.

    To continue our mall visits, we rode a tricycle to Marcela Discount Store. Why is it called a discount store when prices are not that discounted or lower than expected? Something is wrong with the brand name because it confuses people. :S Mom walked to the market opposite Marcela “Discount Store”: Cogon Public Market. Here, prices of vegetables and fruits are way more expensive than those in Divisoria. The tour guide said that this is because the produce are transported from Cebu.

    For dinner, we bought food from STK (Sugba Tula Kilaw) Foodhaus and Chicken Ati-Atihan (Sinugba at Abdul) near the market. We took the food to our hotel room where we had a modern and fancy form of picnic. 😀

    Day 3

    We had this assumption that we’d be staying in a hotel where there’s a swimming pool. But because we had another layer of assumption—that our schedules would be too packed, we won’t have time to swim anymore. (Also, we can always just swim at home.) With this reason, we did not bring any swimsuit, goggles and extra towels. And this we regretted.

    Bohol Plaza Resort’s swimming pool and jacuzzi were too much to miss out. We could not pass the chance to soak ourselves in the water, so we ended up buying swimming attire and goggles. Wahaha. When sunshine has broken on Day 3, we went for another set of complimentary breakfast at the hotel’s restaurant, rested shortly and then swam on the pool!

    After bathing, we took pictures of the entire resort then proceeded to the dining table once again for lunch. At 1PM, we were sent by the hotel’s van service to Tagbilaran City Airport and waited till departure time.

    ☑ Bohol – Wrap Up of Day 2 and Day 3

    Here are the places we’ve been on those two days:

    1. House of Bayoyoy the Dwarfman
    2. Our Lady of Assumption Church
    3. Hinagdanan Cave
    4. Nova Shell Museum
    5. Bohol Bee Farm
    6. BQ (Bohol Quality) Mall
    7. Marcela Discount Store
    8. Cogon Public Market
    9. Bohol Plaza Resort
    10. Tagbilaran City Airport

    As mentioned in a comment to a fellow blogger, expenses / budget per person was PHp 6,500. This included roundtrip airfare (Manila – Bohol), transfer service, van rental and driver’s fee, entrance fee to all sites, hotel accommodation, breakfast in the hotel and lunch in the river cruise (on Day 1). Price for value was decent.

    Although we’re not funded by super-affluence, we take the time to breathe and embrace life by doing what we love, and one of them is traveling. Working in the office, staying at home, and watching others live their lives should not be the end-all and be-all of our life’s itinerary. The world is an enormous place where we can learn lots of stuff. We can start discovering customs, food, history, people and landscapes within our own country. There’s a copious amount of contrast in all aspects, and let’s realize: Oh, what a charming place we have. 🙂

  • Review of Fez Restaurant and Bar (Serendra, BGC, Taguig City)

    Review of Fez Restaurant and Bar (Serendra, BGC, Taguig City)

    The “rice and chicken” tandem seems to be a default choice for anyone who’s looking for accessible comfort food. Why? You can be stuffed with goodness and you can be full without feeling much guilty out of consuming too much fats and unhealthy ingredients.

    So my girl friends and I stopped on a rainy Saturday at Fez Gastrobar in Serendra Piazza Branch, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig as we’ve planned to have the “rice and chicken” entree offered as promotion at CashCashPinoy: Mum’s Roasted Chicken, a “healthy alternative to the usual fried chicken.”

    Side dishes offered in the advertisement were: rice pilaf, grilled veggies, sautéed marble potatoes, or baby asparagus. The meal is paired with a glass of iced tea. Original price? PHp 440. Discounted price? PHp 190! Definitely, it was a good buy. 😀 If not only for the price, read why else:

    Review of Fez Restaurant and Bar (Serendra, BGC, Taguig City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    Rare is the restaurant where we dine in from start to end and not have any “co-diners” who split the attention of servers to half or maybe more. I’m not sure why there was not a single one customer who dared to eat here when we were in. So it looked like we reserved the entire space for ourselves! 😛

    Ambiance is good on both European-style indoor and outdoor (al fresco) settings. Wooden chairs and tables contributed to the homey, minimalist and clean atmosphere. Background music is Moroccan and so I couldn’t understand a word. Anyway, that’s fine—for as long as the songs were soothing to the ears.

    On the whole, I recommend Fez Restobar as an ideal spot for hanging out with friends, dating for couples and just having casual meals alone. You won’t feel intimidated because the place is quiet, very different from the busy and lively street outside.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Ordering was simple. Since there were no other open tables, we got quick service from the two staff who treated us with a genuine sense of lighthearted pleasure.

    Food: ★★★★★

    Fez Restaurant and Bar’s menu merits considerable exploration, as there seemed a lot of interesting entrees. This is because Moroccan (North African) cuisine is a mix of Mediterranean and Arabic as well. Must-tries are Cous-cous Salad, Roasted Pumpkin Soup, Pita Platter, Crunchy Pork Belly, and Lamb Shank Tagine, among others.

    From the poster, Mum’s Roasted Chicken looked downright tasty. I thought there were supposed to be two side dishes but we were served with only one, and that was sauteed broccoli chopped to bite-size pieces, a solid addition to any grilled food.

    Mum’s Roasted Chicken was better executed than expected. The taste had a little semblance with Kenny Roger Roasters’ roasted chicken but with creamier gravy and more tender texture. Portion was generous, with two pieces of chicken, a cup of java rice, and an unlimited refill of the gravy. After chomping, we all realized that an order is too big to handle alone.

    Nonetheless, we ordered Pita Pockets (PHp 260) only to immerse ourselves with another Moroccan dish a little further. 😀 The Pita Pockets consisted of fresh pita bread packed with chunks of chicken tandoori, tomatoes, caramelized onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and mixed cheese.

    It was a challenge to pause and appreciate each bite as I was overwhelmed with the rich flavor mostly oozing from tomatoes, chicken chunks, and cheese, especially when I added the accompanying sauce. Yummy!

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    The prices of food are just right; the taste is enough to forget about soggy toes and leaky umbrellas. In spite of the scarcity of restaurants offering Moroccan cuisine in the metro, the food here felt familiar. It can leave adventurous foodies a good smile after receiving punches of satisfaction on both the stomach and the senses. We’re looking forward to another dine-in here on warmer days! 😀

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/FezGastroBar” name=”Fez Restobar (Moroccan Grub You’ll Love)” description=”1C07A Serendra Commercial Strip, 26th St. Bonifacio Global City, Taguig” rev_name=”For inquiries, call (02) 9011840 / +63916 2504532″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-08-19″ user_review=”19″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • End of Ramadan 2013: A Trip to Bohol with Family – Central Visayas

    End of Ramadan 2013: A Trip to Bohol with Family – Central Visayas

    After the 1.5-hour flight via Zest Air from Manila, we landed in the 10th largest island in the Philippines: Bohol. This was the first time that we have traveled without me even bothering to know about the itinerary. I was really so occupied with work that I hardly had the time to get fine impressions on our travel plan. 😛

    My only idea on Bohol was that it’s the home of chocolate hills and tarsiers. Haha. I can’t remember tackling about this province during social studies or history classes in elementary. Poor memory? Pardon me, please. 😀 Now I bring more information about this “paradise” in the Philippines as we got to the tourist attractions Bohol offers up close and personal. Old churches, wonderful caves, native Filipino food and the wild? GAME ON!

    Our 3D2N Bohol Itinerary

    Day 1

    We arrived at the Tagbilaran City Airport at 9AM and were welcomed by our tour guide who quickly drove us to the first destination: Blood Compact Shrine in Barangay Bool, Tagbilaran City (the city capital).

    Having the Sandugo (translation: one blood) or Blood Compact Shrine monument on the background, we had our pictures taken and we viewed the magnificent Bohol Sea behind. This landmark was worth visiting because you don’t have to pay anything to enter! With only gas and time as investments, you can witness the masterpiece of the Boholano sculptor and National Artist for Sculpture, Napoleon Abueva: bronze statues of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, Rajah Sikatuna and several other witnesses.

    The Sandugo was the first treaty of friendship between the Spaniards and Filipinos. It was a blood compact between the Spanish explorer Miguel López de Legazpi and Datu Sikatuna, the chieftain of Bohol, on March 16, 1565, to seal their friendship as part of the tribal tradition.

    The second destination of our Bohol Countryside Tour was the Baclayon Church, the second oldest stone church in the Philippines. It was established in 1595 by the Jesuits and completed by the Augustinians and the Recollects when the Jesuits were expelled from the Philippines in 1768. Our driver/tourist guide mentioned that the cement of the walls inside were made from egg whites. It’s incredible how the walls are still extraordinarily strong!

    Next, we had a close encounter with Prony, the Python Snake, the world’s largest living snake in captivity, in Bohol Python and Wildlife Park, a mini zoo – along with rare animals such as: the Malay civet cat, the Philippine mongoose, a flying lemur, Brahminy Kite, Green Heron, hornbill, crakes, rails and a few orioles.

    Marimar, one of Prony’s caretakers, divulged that the python snake is fed with 60 kilograms of live pigs every day. It was brought to Bohol 17 years ago measuring five feet in length and five kilograms in weight. Now, it measures 28 feet, weighs over 300 kilograms. NEWS: The giant python died just last August 14, 2013 with cause still unknown.

    Upon exit, we saw a snack bar selling unique flavors of ice cream. Black Forest Hut serves food with a European touch and without the help of artificial food colors and ingredients. Mom was tempted to try so we ordered one scoop each of Spicy Chocolate, Green Apple, Carrot and Malunggay (Moringa) ice cream on a crispy malunggay container. There remained a smile on my face as I recall the crunch of the malunggay crust. The flavors had an assortment of deliciousness, hence by law of deductive reasoning, the synergies all ended up good!

    We also bought a homemade vegetarian pizza and a vegetarian burger which did not consist of gluten or veggie meat but authentic vegetable ingredients such as carrots, malunggay, onions, celery, tomatoes and potatoes. For vegetarians, these stuff are a no-brainer and always be a crowd-pleaser. 😀

    With growling stomachs, we went to Loay River Cruise: Rio Verde Floating Resto for lunch, as recommended by our driver, instead of going to Loboc River Cruise and Luncheon. Price per head is PHp 392 (Regular Buffet) and PHp 500 (High-end Buffet).

    This was inclusive of the unique experience to dine in a buffet setup while listening to a singer sing and play guitar live and having the cool breeze brush against your face as the boat cruises down the river surrounded by tall coconut trees and banana trees for an hour. The musician was really entertaining as he sang English, Filipino, Chinese and Korean songs! Whoa. Talk about talent. 😀

    The lunch buffet consisted of crabs, shrimps, pork barbecue, sweet and sour fish fillet, fried chicken, vegetable dishes, pancit canton, clams soup, langka and rice with a choice of bottled water, Sprite and Coke for drinks. Desserts were fresh fruits and Filipino native sweet delicacies. Everything was good, but I heard the foreigners (Koreans and Chinese) who were in the same boat say that they were not much satisfied.

    The boat stopped by an island where we took pictures with authentic Ati-Tribe who live along the Loay River. Hand-made bracelets and necklaces and mini bow and arrows were also sold.

    After lunch, we visited the Tarsier Conservation Area where we learned more about the world’s smallest primate, the tarsiers! Tourists are allowed to take pictures of the tarsiers but not with camera flash. Because tarsiers are nocturnal, we didn’t see most of them in action at stark daylight. Nonetheless, we saw how they turn their heads 180 degrees like owls. 😯

    En route to Chocolate Hills, we passed by the Man-made Forest in the municipalities of Bilar and Loboc. With mahogany trees planted in the 1960s by the Boholanos, this forest makes up to a beautiful scenery that appears like those in romantic Koreanovelas!

    Moving on, we climbed up 214 steps leading to the observation deck where a seemingly border-less landscape abound featuring over 1200 individuals mounds collectively known as the Chocolate Hills. They were truly an awesome sight. 😀

    Another “outbound educational tour” was our trip to Simply Butterfly Conservation Center located in Bilar, Bohol, about 41 kilometers from Tagbilaran City. This was where we’ve known about the different stages of the life of a butterfly (cocoon, pupa, caterpillar, butterfly) and different types of butterflies (female, male, half male, half female).

    Our last stop before proceeding to the hotel to check in was the Sipatan Hanging Bridge. At about 5PM, I already felt sleepy because we woke up at 5AM that day to catch the early morning flight.

    The two hanging bridges in the Municipality of Sevilla, Bohol made me feel super awake. How? I was the last in our group to step onto the bridge. In the middle of our crossing, a kid suddenly came rushing behind me. He was jumping all the way. As a result, the hanging bridge made of bamboos and ropes kept on bouncing up and down! 😐

    Anxious and nervous, my adrenaline increased four fold. With jiggling knees, I concentrated to keep my balance while walking to the end almost sidewards like a crab. 🙄 If I were the confrontational type, I would have scolded the twisted kid and I could have told him to stop being mischievous for goodness’ sake — while his parents were just behind him also laughing. 👿 GRRRR.

    We met Mang Peping, the Buko (Coconut) King of Bohol, upon reaching the end of the first bridge. He offered us to watch a performance of him peeling the coconut using his teeth fast in exchange of PHp 100. We declined because we knew we can already just watch a YouTube video of him doing that. Here’s a sample. I waited for the kid to finish crossing the second bridge back first before us, to make sure that we survive without being sweaty and too shaky.

    Then, we were brought to Bohol Plaza Resort for dinner and hotel accommodation (also part of the packaged tour). It was top-notch, with terraces from the top floor overlooking like the whole of Bohol! The structure and layout of the hotel was quite unique, because all the bedrooms are in the 1st floor, including a bar and a swimming pool, while the functional rooms that can be reserved and used for any gathering are in the 2nd and 3rd floors and the main lobby and main dining areas are in the fourth floor.

    ☑ Bohol – Wrap Up of Day 1

    Alright, it’s time to wrap Day 1 up. Here’s the list of places we came across on our first day:

    1. Blood Compact Shrine
    2. Baclayon Church
    3. Bohol Python and Wildlife Park
    4. Rio Verde Floating Resto
    5. Tarsier Conservation Area
    6. Man-made Forest
    7. Chocolate Hills
    8. Simply Butterfly Conservation Center
    9. Sipatan Hanging Bridge
    10. Bohol Plaza Resort

    We’ve played a part of tourists yet again in our own country in another domestic destination. Traveling as a family is never the same as traveling with friends. This experience provided a great opportunity for us to spend quality time together away from hectic schedules that tie up our everyday lives.

    What happened on Day 2 and Day 3?

  • Super Busy August in the Cards

    The initial damp breaths of August have exhaled and here we are.

    We’re back to braving floods and heavy rains to go to work. Lots of road policies have been institutionalized by the new mayor of Manila. So commuters riding buses must start their morning routines earlier than usual, as they would not anymore hop onto buses they normally ride – those overloading buses that tend to crowd the narrow lanes of the city. Rather, they must take other modes of transportation and hence pay more or go to the proper bus terminals in Manila following the city ordinance that was implemented last July 23, 2013.

    I’m positively affected by this though. 😀 Now, I only have bicycles, motorcycles, jeepneys and taxis to hate as they hinder my lane swiftly without prior signals.

    Moving on, life has been very colorful from the last week of July to present. Each day starts out like a blank white canvas. And as the day progresses, work creeps up and I would have crappy, miserable and insanely-awful stress levels.

    My workstation is where I hang up my personal and “jovial” self next to my blazer and trudge off to get things done. Deadlines have been harder to beat, as responsibilities pile over. I have been busier than ever, running five ongoing projects at the same time. Meetings and emails force me even further as they require spicing up my train of thoughts to let ideas erupt and hopefully provide a sane response to situations upfront.

    Where’s the humor? Where’s the peace? They’re quite hard to find. There has been so much noise going on. Mentally and physically, I feel drained. Being stressed does not feel like breaking an arm or being diagnosed with some deadly disease, but still…

    From any angle though, each canvas is completed full of light at the end of each day. I let it dry and hang it on a mantle. I scratch my head and say…

    My, my. What a beautiful piece.

    All good things, wrapped up into this little life of mine, and I am thankful.

  • Review of Hainanese Delights (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Review of Hainanese Delights (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Almost no matter where you are on the globe, you’ll find some sort of “chicken and rice” dish. Singaporeans perform their version with delicious justice. After all, chicken rice as a Singaporean staple is hands down one of the most popular food in Asia. One reason could be that it’s just soothing—exactly what you should order when you want to take a break from the usual fiery dishes. Almost every chicken rice I’ve ever sampled in their local hawkers was good. I have also come across a vegetarian chicken rice made from veggie meat which was equally good.

    In the Philippines, one casual joint serving Hainanese chicken rice is Hainanese Delights. This fast food chain has several branches now all over the country. Hainanese Delights was opened by Chinese owners who already have other successful chains of restaurants under their belt. This time around, they have established Hainanese Delights which specializes in Singaporean cuisine. To invite more Pinoy foodies, they have this all-you-can-eat rice scheme offered to diners (just like Tokyo Tokyo, Mang Inasal, etc.) because Filipinos are known to love eating unlimited rice. ♥

    After watching Monsters University on a Sunday, Louie and I passed by Hainanese Delights in Robinsons Place, Manila and decided to give their signature dish, chicken rice, a try and see if it matches the authenticity of the “original” Hainanese flavor as expected from its name.

    Review of Hainanese Delights (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Simple and straightforward, the ambiance here is very fast-food-restaurant-like. With nice contrasting colors, the tables are black and the chairs are white. This branch has spacious area (both indoor and outdoor). Inside got minimalistic designs with pictures of food all on the walls. Spotlights on the ceiling made the place extra classy and quite elegant. Generally, it’s a good venue for hangouts with a bunch of friends.

    Service: ★★★★★

    Paying before you eat is a thing at Hainanese Delights. You can either sit down and be handed a copy of their menu before ordering and paying at the counter or proceed directly to the counter. In either way, wait staff would serve food on trays promptly and courteously.

    Food: ★★★☆☆

    When compared to the authentic chicken rice from Singapore (or Malaysia), Hainanese Delights’ chicken rice (PHp 130) is not very close. It tasted like ordinary steamed white chicken that was not too dry but rather supple and delicate.

    The chicken pieces were not really seasoned well so you have to put a lot of ginger purée, dark soy sauce and chili sauce for it to taste strong enough and for your buds to accept and realize that it’s chicken rice you’re eating.

    Of course, the “chicken rice” dish would not be complete when there’s no chicken rice which typically is cooked from the flavorful stock made from the oily fat of the chicken. Hainanese Delights’ rice, on the contrary, was not aptly gratifying; it failed to be a beautiful accompaniment to the chicken. In my humble opinion, I thought it was only spiced with salt and colored with light yellow to appear like the usual serving of chicken rice. Hmph. 🙁 The texture though was lovely as each grain was easily separated.

    In addition to the supposedly “highlight” of our dinner, we had the [EAT THE HEAT] Spicy Fried Squid (PHp 190) that tasted decent. It was salty and spicy so we put lots of vinegar to enhance the taste even more. I could say it was worthy of our calories and thus made the night! 😀

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    A plate of chicken with rice, in average, costs S$3-4 in Singapore. So in conversion, the price is likely the same here. Basing on the prices alone, food in this restaurant are affordable. Budget per person is less than PHp 200.

    Note: If you’re expecting to find authentic tastes then resorting to other restaurants like Wee Nam Kee, Makan Makan and Old Penang for chicken rice may most probably be a better idea.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/HainaneseDelightsPhilippines” name=”Hainanese Delights” description=”G/F Robinsons Place Manila, Padre Faura corner M. Adriatico Streets, Ermita, City of Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines” rev_name=” For inquiries, call (02) 5255583″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-08-05″ user_review=”16″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

  • Review of Super Duck Modern Tea 超級達可時尚茶飲 (Ortigas, Pasig City)

    Review of Super Duck Modern Tea 超級達可時尚茶飲 (Ortigas, Pasig City)

    For days when you need a simultaneous pick-me-up, a cool-me-down or a chill-me-out, Super Duck Modern Tea is a tea shop that would best claim your sanity back.

    I actually had to attend two consecutive events last Saturday, but I later chose to stay in Super Duck because I suspect I’d be arriving very late at the second destination. I felt sorry but glad at the same time for I had a pretty good time drinking and learning about teas from owners of Super Duck: Steve, Dennis, Ellen and Olivia.

    A totally fabulous modern take on tea…

    In 2011, the first and only branch of Super Duck in Metro Manila, Philippines has been brought within reach to Filipinos and most especially to those who are near Robinsons Galleria. The brand is originally from 鹿港 Lukang, Taiwan. Super Duck Modern Tea Shop’s fresh approach to tea appeals more to those who are into drinking healthy tea stuff. Showcasing only the best, this cafe serves more than 50 different flavors of teas brewed with loose tea leaves and key ingredients imported from Taiwan that had soothing aroma.

    The response has already been outstanding ever since, and it’s not hard to see why. Not only does Super Duck provide customers with a funky, modern tea lounge experience, but it also delivers on innovation, quality and taste — quite different from the usual milk tea and coffee shops that penetrate the local market.

    Review of Super Duck Modern Tea 超級達可時尚茶飲 (Ortigas, Pasig City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    Super Duck is a casual restaurant where you can put your bags down, sip a specialty tea, have a meal and relax. Customers can stay in the air-conditioned area or the outside area. Seats are limited to about 20.

    Serenity is embraced all throughout the space, with a muted green color scheme combined with white. The decor is clean and modern without having pretensions. Attention to detail is evident, from the Super Duck dolls, Chinese figurines that bring luck, and tea bags and leaves inside small containers on the counter.

    Service: ★★★★★

    What I like most about Super Duck is that customers are not being rushed. Why do I say so? Nice and friendly, staff are more than willing to make sure that customers get the most definite order they want to get.

    Here, customers are asked what level of sugar, level of ice, size of the drink, and whether they want large or small straws to sip drinks from and whether they want the drink hot or hold as all these would affect their experience and judgment of the taste of the “mighty beverage,” aside from the sinkers: pearls (big/small), perilla seeds, fig jelly, coco jelly (marinated with pineapple juice), aloe vera, grass jelly, pudding, coffee jelly and beans (red/green).

    The menu is posted on the wall, just beside the counter, and a list of sassed-up “best-sellers” is on the counter itself to aid customers in making up their minds and selecting from the long list of drinks available. If you’re still not sure which to buy, Super Duck staffs allow free tastes of the drinks for you to come out truly satisfied!

    It’s also worth mentioning that the team of Super Duck is in constant research and development of new items that would click after receiving accolades and suggestions from people. Their menu is still expanding, in adherence to providing the best quality stylish tea that can be enjoyed alone or with companions.

    Food/Drinks: ★★★★★

    So, what did we slurp? For the taste-testing event, we sampled almost every drink they have on the menu! We kicked off with their five classic Super Duck teas 原味好茶: (1) Ceylon Black Tea, (2) Jasmine Green Tea, (3) White or Clear Tea, (4) Oolong Tea and (5) Tie Guan Yin Tea.

    These can be ordered as they are (either hot or cold) or as bases of the other succeeding flavors as follows: (1) Black Fruit Chestnut Tea, (2) Golden Oolong Tea, (3) Standard Pearl Milk Tea (4) Classic Tea with Pearl, (5) Blend of Black and Green Tea, (6) Clear Tea with Coffee Jelly, (7) Te Guan Yin Tea with Coco Jelly, and (9) Longgan Red Dates Fruit Tea.

    Drinks that are not tea-based are: (1) Hot Coffee – from 2-in-1 coffee powder from Taiwan, available in mild, regular and strong taste with one tablespoon of sugar, (2) Mango Milk Smoothie – mango concentrate and condensed milk, and (3) Mixed Fruit Juice – refreshing orange, calamansi, grape fruit, passion fruit and lemon with sliced apples.

    Moving on, we also gave the following a whirl and we were not disappointed: (1) Mixed Oolong Three Jelly – grass jelly, coco jelly, red bean and nata containing standard sugar, (2) Longgan Honey Green Tea – first Super Duck drink tasted by Steve, (3) Rose Petal with Lemon, (4) Peach Green Tea (5) Orange Grapefruit with perilla – good for digestion, (6) Rossel Fig Jelly with Plum – taste like kiam-moy, good for lowering high blood and cholesterol, (7) Strawberry Yakult – strawberry jam (not syrup flavoring) plus Yakult, (8) Lychee Tea – the newest addition clear tea-based with lychee jelly, (9) Almond milk with pudding,(10) Heineken Green Tea – with real Heineken beer (half can for a large cup), (11) Roasted Macha – homemade brown rice and black beans with grass jelly, (12) Chocolate Nai Kai – chocolate “milk cover” with rock salt and cream cheese, and (13) French Rose – green tea with French rose and non-dairy milk.

    Finally, the pièce de résistance: the Quackers, namely: (1) Vegetarian Nuggets, (2) Tofu Bites with Pepper and Basil Seasoning, (3) Tofu Bites – taste like tofu with fish balls, dash of salt and pepper (Dips are plum and catsup but for purposes of tasting, we were not advised to eat with any condiments.), (4) Vegetarian Fish and Fries – vegetarian codfish and Belgian fries and (5) Shrooms – fried bite-size mushrooms.

    I could dedicate this whole review to these vegetarian delights but I won’t. 😀 Safe to say, if there was only one reason to visit Super Duck for its uniqueness, these, my friends, would be it. I’ve grown up with these veggie meat so eating them made me feel at home. I’m sure my family would love them, too. ♥

    Bits of Trivia:

    • Super Duck uses fructose (high quality sweetness) and not refined white sugar.
    • Super Duck serves both fresh milk (with roasted and creamy taste) and non-dairy for those who are lactose-intolerant.
    • Super Duck has the biggest pearls in the Philippines with the diameter of 2.5mm, while the smallest they have is 1.5mm.
    • Big pearls are cooked in an hour, while small ones are cooked in 25 minutes. So staff has to arrive in the store an hour earlier opening time to get prepared. Super Duck cooks pearls about four times in a day.
    • Super Duck maintains a strict quality check form storage until handing each drink to their customers. They dispose unused tea every day.

    Price for Value: ★★★★★

    When what I need peaceful, calming, almost spa-like environment without any chatter or clatter, Super Duck fits the bill. Prices are agreeable. 😀

    I would wholeheartedly recommend an afternoon visit to the Super Duck Modern Tea to witness and experience its charming style and ambiance enhanced by the help of friendly staff yet again. For those of you that might prefer to start your day off with more of a swing, try any of their teas with unusual names and don’t just stick with the classic Wintermelon Milk Tea every time. 😛 Peruse the menu for yourselves here and I encourage you to take full advantage:

    [schema type=”review” name=”Super Duck Modern Tea 超級達可時尚茶飲 (Ortigas, Pasig City)” description=”Unit 111 A and B, AIC BURGUNDY Empire Tower, Garnet Street, corner ADB avenue, Ortigas, Pasig” rev_name=”Contact numbers: (02) 5702292 / 0917 8910697 / 0933 7203188 or email superduckphil@gmail.com” author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-07-31″ user_review=”20″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Operating Hours:
    Mon – Fri: 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
    Sat: 2:00 pm – 11:00 pm
    Sun: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm