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Author: Rochkirstin Santos-Sioco

  • Review of Carol’s Texan 5 (San Juan, Quezon City)

    Review of Carol’s Texan 5 (San Juan, Quezon City)

    Free and/or discounted meals can buy happiness, at least for adventurous foodies. And that’s exactly how we became happy diners at Carol’s Texan 5. Back story: Recently, Zomato rewarded me with a PHp 500 meal voucher at Carol’s Texan 5 for winning their Write for a Bite Contest. I used the GC for an early dinner with my boyfriend last fortnight.

    Somehow, we have not been keeping up with scenes in San Juan area. This gives us a valid excuse for not hearing about this restaurant at all. Having the address written on the voucher, we navigated through iPhone Maps application and finally reached Carol’s Texan Five after several U-turns. 😛 The off-the-grid location makes it feel like a real find, and I think the level of food being served would cost double if this spot were located in Greenhills Shopping Center or anywhere nearer.

    Review of Carol’s Texan 5 (San Juan, Quezon City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Texas is often associated with the image of the cowboy. Thus Carol’s Texan 5 is decorated aptly with cowboy stuff and colorful Western art. I like the bright ambiance here which makes the place ideal for group celebrations, dates and even client meetings.

    I thought there’s supposed to be a band performing at night because of the area that looked like where a drum set is placed. Later we learned that the perimeter is only for taking pictures and looking at your reflection in the mirror as you wear cowboy hats and pretend you can speak Italian.

    Service: ★★★☆☆

    We were the only customers at that time, yet service was not prompt and a bit below par. There was only one staff behind the counter and it was she who took our orders, served the food, and prepared the bill.

    When asked, she said that peak hours are staggering every day, so she couldn’t be sure when more customers would arrive. That’s doubtful. I mean of course she should know! This explains why I gave few stars for service in this establishment. I wondered how many waiters normally work in busier hours and if they are able to handle customers well.

    Food: ★★★★☆

    It’s an incontrovertible fact that fried foods pair fantastically with other fried foods. 😯 Taking that to proper consideration, we had three dishes which are marked with the “best-seller” sign on the menu: Five Star Fish and Fries (PHp 255), Dynamite Wings (6 pieces for PHp 175) and Calamares (PHp 125) — all fried! 😛

    The Five Star Fish and Fries is a dish that is more popularly known as “fish and chips.” So make no mistake about thinking this is one that features “star fish” as the main ingredient. Texan 5’s fish and chips were not as greasy as other restaurants serve. In fairness, this dish was a tasty break from the norm. The garlic mayonnaise was a great dipping sauce for potato chips as well as the fish fillet. It’s one of those splurge-worthy comfort food that never goes out of style.

    The dynamite wings didn’t taste hot or spicy as we expected; These were regular breaded fried chicken without the frills of any other noteworthy flavor. Potato wedges (French fries) were okay.

    Lastly, the calamares (fried squid rings and coated tentacles) that came with sour cream was appetizing as it was visually appealing. In sum, good food: check!

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Whether you’re six or 60, there’s little denying that comfort food forms a culinary genre that’s near and dear to most of our hearts. Food in this house are, at large, comfort food. While there’s grease and much oil because of the deep fry cooking and thus the 99.5% chance that it could be terrible for your health, it feels so good going down — and don’t you deserve to feel good now and then?

    Carol’s Texan 5 serves good food with affordable and reasonable prices and generous portions. It’s where you can eat your meal anytime during operating hours (see below) without feeling guilty of overspending.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/texan5″ name=”Carol’s Texan 5″ description=”(2F) 713 Jose Abad Santos, Little Baguio, San Juan, Quezon City (You’ll find Tea Monkey in the first floor.)” rev_name=”For inquiries, call (02) 727-3843″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-07-08″ user_review=”15″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Operating hours:
    Sundays to Thursdays: 12nn to 10pm
    Fridays and Saturdays: 12nn to 12mn

  • Review of Galli Village Cafe (Maginhawa Street, Quezon City)

    Review of Galli Village Cafe (Maginhawa Street, Quezon City)

    If you are not convinced of Maginhawa Street’s credentials as a fully realized foodie village, then this cafe I’m featuring in this article will go some way to changing your opinion. Right in the middle of the street, Galli Village Cafe in Quezon City opened just two months ago (since May 2013), clearly targeting passing traffic of food lovers who want to stay in a quiet place whilst enjoying delicious food. This is actually its second branch, while the first one has been open to the public since last year.

    Galli Village Cafe seems to be set up for success as it possesses the crucial combination of Spanish and Filipino-inspired cuisines with the theme of the Mediterranean, ready to pique the taste buds of patrons.

    The business started when husband and wife tandem (the Villongcos) thought of establishing a restaurant where they can eat after church service every weekend. This couple goes to National Shrine of Sacred Heart Church, where nearby restaurants serving decent food are almost nowhere to be found. Thus, in God’s stamp of approval, everything came in proper order and timing. The ground floor of YMCA Hotel across the church had an open space. So like an answered prayer, this spot became perfect fit and hence where the first branch of Galli Cafe now stands.

    Galli Village Cafe has been featured several times on TV shows and popular blogs, but it was only yesterday when I had the chance to dine in its QC branch.

    Review of Galli Village Cafe (Maginhawa Street, Quezon City)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Galli Village Cafe posits itself as a “refreshing dining place from the hustle and bustle of Makati and Quezon City.” At least in its QC branch, I totally vouch for that. Galli is a rustic and cozy restaurant where everyone feels relaxed. The area may be small when compared to regular dine-in restaurants, as it can accommodate only about 25 people. The space is tiny, yes, but it can pose as a perfect place for sharing plates and making some new friends in the process. Also, this can be a plus for dining customers who value intimacy and privacy.

    I find interior design quite alluring as there’s obvious creativity shown throughout this cafe. Since the owners are fond of traveling, they collect souvenirs and take pictures to form the concept of Galli Village Cafe. Bursting with originality, the walls are filled up with framed collages and keepsakes from European, Asian (including the PH) and American countries. The vibrant colors and the upbeat music playing on the background cater to the younger and modern generation whose personalities are more on the chic, artistic and bohemian type.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    Despite the limited number of staff, Galli serves customers responsively both in the indoor and al fresco setting. As guests, we were entertained and satisfied not only with the food but also with the knowledge on their dishes. The staffs were friendly and thoughtful to balance being accommodating while allowing us to engage in a wonderful conversation.

    Galli Village Cafe is not what you can call a “fast food” restaurant because admittedly, waiting time is quite long. To give consideration, this is understandable as they make food upon order and not just heat them few seconds before serving. For cooking their specialty paella, for example, customers must be willing to wait 40 minutes for the food to arrive.

    It’s recommended to call first and order in advance to save time. They also do catering and accept reservations so make sure to find their contact numbers at the end of this post! 😀

    Food: ★★★★★

    We had a great lineup of food that consisted of their specialties and wholesome dishes: Beef Salpicao (PHp 195), Paella Valenciana (good for 4-5; PHp 495), Angus Beef Tapa (PHp 170) and Shrimp Gambas (PHp 195).

    The paella was especially sumptuous, with a very good selection of toppings: chicken, pork, eggs, chorizo and some vegetables. I have the habit of smelling food first before eating every spoonful of it. This one smelled really delicious. 😀 I would raise my two thumbs up also for their shrimp gambas.

    Christine was kind to offer tuna salpicao when she learned two of us bloggers are pescetarians. Tuna Salpicao is not even existing on the menu yet, and together with Grilled Tuna Belly, it will probably be released in the next two months. In addition, she asked the cook staff to bring us Chorizo Rice that complemented the taste of the salpicaos.

    For the drinks, I had Hot Chocolate (PHp 35) which tasted like pure chocolate with a tinge of sweetness, to wash out the astonishingly strong flavors swimming in my buds. Two other bloggers had the Sparkling Lemonade (PHp 39) and Four Seasons (PHp 39). For our desserts, we had Leche Flan that was creamy but not too sweet.

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    Food prices are accessible, considering that the quality is high. Budget per person is less than PHp 300 and you can get fulfillment from this restaurant that not only gives customers a taste of what they can get but is as well given enough of a local touch that people in the city can recognize in terms of taste. One promising thing to note is that things will surely get better, as Galli still is in the process of improving and expanding their menu.

    Boo, it’s too far from home! 😯 There were no regrets though, because I had fun eating and chatting with Christine Arriola-Villongco and the bloggers. I almost felt like carrying my stomach with two hands after pigging out in this cozy resto. Exaggerated much? Yeah, I know. Nyahaha. :mrgreen:

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/GalliVillageCafe” name=”Galli Village Cafe” description=”154 Maginhawa St. Sikatuna Village, Quezon City Open daily, 11AM-10PM” rev_name=” Contact number: (02) 434 6716″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-07-07″ user_review=”17″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Other branch:
    G/F YMCA Hotel, 7 Sacred Heart St San Antonio, Makati
    Open daily, 7AM-8:30PM
    Contact number: 0927 3914655

  • Review of Makan Makan Asian Food Village (Manila Ocean Park)

    Review of Makan Makan Asian Food Village (Manila Ocean Park)

    Tucked away at the second floor of Manila Ocean Park, Makan Makan Asian Food Village deals with super hungry hordes who insanely crave for mixed Asian cuisine, particularly authentic Singaporean, Chinese, Malay, Thai, Indian and Filipino food.

    My family and I found out about this “hawker-style” Singaporean dining place only last weekend coincidentally, when we accompanied my sister for her monthly braces adjustment at Vaxcen Clinic (located at the first floor in the same building). We had just finished with lunch at that time. Still, I was urged to take a bite and grab a quick meal here to know how promising their dishes are.

    Review of Makan Makan Asian Food Village (Manila Ocean Park)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Makan Makan has two entrances: front and back. You can enter from either way and you will see cooks in their own stations right through to the depths of open kitchens, as they showcase showmanship and artistry in cooking and preparing food.

    The concept combines typical Singaporean hawker fare which basically consists of a good mix of standalone pushcarts put together featuring different food options that can make you quite dizzy, especially if you don’t know exactly what you want. If you’ve been to Food Republic or Food Opera in Singapore or Hong Kong, you will get a clearer idea and picture the ambiance of Makan Makan more vividly. Why? They are likely the same, except that this localized version has less overwhelming crowd and fewer food stalls.

    Makan Makan Asian Food Village offers open dining and free seating to guests (not exclusive to stalls where you order your food from). Theme is vintage, invoking a nostalgic kampong atmosphere.

    Service: ★★★★★

    The staff were polite and courteous from beginning to end. Unlike the mentioned food courts in Singapore, here, dining customers order through the waiters after reviewing the menu and not through the staff inside each food stall. This non-self-service arrangement gives Makan Makan Asian Food Village a fully decent and classy restaurant setting.

    Food: ★★★★★

    With so many international food choices on the menu, it was hard for us to decide which ones to order. Finally, we went for my two favorite Singaporean dishes: Laksa (PHp 160) and Char Kway Teow (PHp 175). My mom and my sister didn’t get to taste these before when they came to visit me in Singapore because there were a lot more they sampled. Despite that, they had the inkling and feeling that they won’t like them, especially laksa. :O But of course, that had to change! :mrgreen:

    Let’s start with the Cha Kway Teow. Cooked in sweet and savory soy sauce and oyster sauce, the kway teow was neither too oily nor dry for anyone to dislike. In fact, it was really delicious! Ingredients used were slices of fish cake, squid, lup cheong (chinese sausage), bean sprouts and egg. I think this was a Singapore-style char kway teow, a darker and sweeter version of its Penang rival.

    As for the laksa, the soup and the noodles were superb and flavorsome! The taste of curry and coconut milk with the usual herbs and condiments was very evident, making up for the sour, sweet and spicy concoction. Small prawns, bite-size chicken meat, shredded vegetables and tofu were present in the bowl.

    End result? My mom and sister gave positive feedback on the food. 😀

    It’s confirmed then. Makan Makan’s food flavors are authentic! I’m so glad it’s here in Manila, so I don’t have to travel far to quell my cry to Singapore and Malaysian food once in a while.

    Other must-try dishes are:

    • Wanton Mee (PHp 160) – egg noodles in special sauce with asado
    • Oyster Omelet (PHp 160) – topped with stir fried spring onions and fresh oyster served with chili dip
    • Singaporean Carrot Cake (PHp 160) – stir fried radish cake
    • Hainanese Chicken Rice (PHp 500 for half chicken and PHp 900 for the whole) – poached chicken served with sauces
    • Crispy Cereal Prawns (PHp 550 for 2-3 and PHp 900 for 4-5) – stir fried prawns in butter and cereals
    • Chili Crab (PHp 200 per 100 grams) – stir fried crabs in chili sambal sauce
    • Pepper Crab (PHp 200 per 100 grams) – stir fried crabs in chili pepper sauce
    • Pad Thai Seafood (PHp 190) – stir fried seafood rice noodle with pickled radish, bean curd and special tamarind sauce

    Price for Value: ★★★★☆

    When compared to prices of hawkers in Singapore, prices of food in Makan Makan Asian Food Village – Manila Ocean Park are quite the same. Eating here will cost 1-2 diners around PHp 150 to PHp 300, or around S$4 to S$9. Given that it’s a gastronomic paradise filled with specialties from various regions constituting to a proper foodie destination, the rate is affordable and reasonable. 🙂

    Note: You don’t need to pay for any entrance fees to the Manila Ocean Park shows and theaters to dine inside.

    [schema type=”review” url=”https://www.facebook.com/pages/MakanMakan-Asian-Food-Village-Hotel-H2O-Manila-Ocean-Park/346240985389791″ name=”Makan Makan Asian Food Village Manila Ocean Park” description=”2F Manila Ocean Park (Hotel H2O, Luneta), Sunset Quay, Parade Avenue, Ermita, Manila” rev_name=”Contact number: (02) 567-3512″ author=”Rochkirstin Santos” pubdate=”2013-07-02″ user_review=”18″ min_review=”0″ max_review=”20″ ]

    Opening Hours: 11am – 9pm daily

  • Review of Monea Powerdose Plus Hair Treatment (JTomas Collections)

    Review of Monea Powerdose Plus Hair Treatment (JTomas Collections)

    As I’ve heard, “powerdose conditioning treatment is the most intense hair repair treatment available to salons.” Here in Manila, Philippines, powerdose and hair conditioning treatment services that reinforce and optimize your hair from the inside out usually cost around the average of PHp 500. Some salons base the price on the length of your hair. So if you have long hair like I do (almost reaching the waist), expect to pay more.

    For that, I say, “No, thanks.” I prefer to save tons of cash with purchasing a product I can use at home while I receive the same “treatment.” This post features a hair care product that can do just that: Monea Powerdose Plus Soft and Bouncy (250g) (PHp 250).

    Monea Powerdose Plus Soft and Bouncy Hair Treatment by JTomas Collections is a deep conditioning treatment that you leave on your hair for 10-20 minutes and should be used at least once in two weeks. Apparently, this product has been out in the market in 2012 (available in Landmark, Watsons, Unimart, Cash & Carry, RB Hortaleza, Gaisano Outlets and health and beauty section of supermarkets and department stores nationwide). But since it’s always almost sold out in stores, I have not seen it before until it was shipped to my door last week.

    I tried using it following these instructions, as shown on the label:

    How to Use Monea Powerdose Plus Soft and Bouncy Hair Treatment

    1. Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner during your bath, just like in normal days.
    2. Apply Monea’s Power Dose (Green) Product on your scalp to the ends of your hair.
    3. Gently massage your scalp and leave Monea’s Power Dose (Green) Product for 10-20 minutes.
    4. Rinse it off with water.

    Monea Powerdose Plus Soft and Bouncy: Likes and Dislikes

    Not having straight-as-a-board hair anymore after the digi-perm procedure last February, I don’t have spend time prepping and styling my hair before going out. However, I still have to apply Monea Curl Defining Milk Lotion, or my hair would go unruly and look frizzled.

    Thanks to Monea Powerdose Plus Soft and Bouncy, my hair felt really softer and lighter, and this went on for the rest of the day. The tips didn’t go tangled, even without me using those other hair care products. Another good point is the fragrance, which is like “fruit-forward,” sweet but not too strong.

    What I don’t like about it is that the consistency of the substance. it was not too thick like I expected. I just think that thicker conditioners coat the cuticle of the hair more.

    Wrap Up

    So far I didn’t encounter any irritation on the scalp. So I guess this bottle of Monea can be described as a powerful, rinse-out repair treatment with effective results (not sure if long-lasting).

    Whether you have digi-permed hair like mine, colored, treated or natural hair, you can trick your gorgeous mane to be bouncier and silkier maybe with this powerdose conditioning treatment. 🙂

  • How Zomato Helps Consumers Choose a Restaurant to Eat At

    How Zomato Helps Consumers Choose a Restaurant to Eat At

    Much like people from other nations, Filipinos love to eat. ♡ The problem strikes when one does not know how to prepare and cook food to eat. Well, this is not necessarily a problem because unless this person lives alone, there may be people in the same house who are responsible and able to make food. Otherwise, the last resort is to buy food or dine out in restaurants. The next problem, which is pretty common, if I may add, is not knowing where to eat. In this article, let’s explore how Zomato can help consumers in choosing a restaurant to eat at.

    If you’re living in Metro Manila like me, turn your head around your vicinity and immediately you will see carenderias or “hawkers” and bigger restaurants which offer different menus and food specialties. Hence I think the difficulty is not having none to go to but having too many choices to choose from. Yes?

    How Foodies Help Solve the “Choosing Restaurant” Dilemma

    One of the reasons why I started blogging my experience and reviewing the restaurants and food I’ve tried is to share information and help readers make dine-out decisions.

    As much as I can, I use words very descriptive in nature to make them feel as if they’re there. Of course, pictures aid for visual understanding as well but the core is in the textual content, as I use only iPhone camera to shoot food photos. 😀 If you think these photos are fine, please refer to this post which discusses tips on how to take better photos using smartphone cams. I also provide a food rating system to guide readers and inform them about my standards.

    There are many other foodies like me who sharpen their online pens and write their food and restaurants reviews in their own blogs. But wouldn’t it be more comfortable and convenient for online visitors to judge a restaurant by reading different reviews in one channel and in one page?

    Food Review Applications

    I bet you are already familiar with sites like MunchPunch, Spot.ph, and OpenRice that are seen nowadays as menu search engines for food establishments and must-try dishes guide from appetizers, snacks and main courses to drinks and desserts. There are also location apps such as FoodSpotting and FourSquare which give users (next customers) valuable gems of info about the place instantly. Yup, they make our lives easier!

    In Metro Manila, a new addition to this bunch is Zomato.

    What About Zomato?

    Originating from India, Zomato has been live in Metro Manila, Philippines for four months now. The site features restaurant locations, operating hours, menu, photos, prices of food, contact numbers and restaurant reviews contributed by users. It has a Network feature which lets users follow and be followed by other users. Once you follow User A, for instance, you will receive notifications on User A’s latest activities — favorited restaurants, new ratings and reviews. This gives a thoroughly social experience and the opportunity to foster relationships with a community while savoring delectable cuisines.

    Zomato enables users to search restaurants by those who allow deliveries, dine-out and the type for nightlife. It also enables users to search by address, price, type of cuisine, type of restaurant and more ways that essentially lead to tasty chows! Below the homepage is where it lists the top trending restaurants of the week, and top the contributors of the past three months and of all time (leader board). Check it out to see what I mean.

    Zomato can be used and be viewed using any web browser and its mobile app. The mobile version is compatible to be installed (for free) in Windows Phone, Blackberry, iPhone and any smartphone that runs in Android and Windows 8.

    Rochkirstin on Zomato

    I have signed up on Zomato three weeks ago, and I’m happy to become a “Super Foodie” quickly, after garnering 30 followers and writing 30 reviews. 😀

    Also, I am honored to have Zomato feature many of my reviews so far on its homepage for Metro Manila week by week. 😛 These featured contributions turn into instant entries eligible for the weekly “Write for a Bite Contest,” where Zomato rewards the week’s best restaurant reviews with meal vouchers. I got my prize on my second week of writing. It’s a PHp 500 worth of meal voucher at Carol’s Texan 5. YAY! 😀

    I took a picture holding the voucher and posted it as my profile photo on Zomato. Shortly after, I was invited to meet with their Country Manager and Operations Manager over a dinner. Another yay on this one. ^_^

    Wrap Up

    Zomato is easy to use, and its interface is simple, straightforward and uncluttered. It solves the problem of finding nearby restaurants. Reviews of other people are just an added bonus. There are no fees to explore the website or the mobile app. It is capable of social sharing to share a review to Facebook or Twitter.

    On the other side, another good thing is that owners of restaurants can also benefit as they can now easily read the write-ups and find out whether or not they received a stamp of approval from their dining customers (socially active ones, at least).

    Expect new and improved features on July 10, 2013 as Zomato celebrates its fifth year. On the same day, it will be open to more cities of countries where it’s currently available: Indian, UAE, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, Qatar, South Africa. So I greet them an advanced congratulations now.

    Kudos to the team! I’m excited to see those updates. 😀

  • Review of Bistro Ravioli Italian Restaurant (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Review of Bistro Ravioli Italian Restaurant (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Get an introduction to the vitality of Italian food at this swanky restaurant where creativity and amazing flavors abound. Bistro Ravioli in Robinsons Place, Manila sits at a corner of the Midtown Wing for two years now. But it was only last Sunday night that we took notice of it, while roaming around the mall after watching Man of Steel (a very boring movie, by the way).

    Maintaining their magic at a string of classic pastas, brick oven-baked pizzas and raviolis, Bistro Ravioli is known for their consistency, extremely fresh sauce and cheesy goodness. On the menu, their dishes look impressive but couldn’t be any simpler to make. How about on the taste buds? Read on this review to find out. 🙂

    Review of Bistro Ravioli Italian Restaurant (Robinsons Place, Manila)

    Ambiance: ★★★★☆

    Just like their branches in MOA and Makati, their location inside Robinsons Place features minimalism. The combination of brown, white and green all around their walls, fixtures and lights somehow add to the calming and soothing effect in terms of the ambiance.

    When we first entered, music was very loud. I don’t know if my ears just got numbed to the noise level but the volume softened as we were eating.

    I could see that their designers have very well maximized the space capacity of this restaurant. 10+ tables which can accommodate four diners each and a long table for a big group are fitted in neatly.

    Service: ★★★☆☆

    Bistro Ravioli’s staff assigned to us was attentive and welcoming. Our orders were served quickly, and I don’t know how the food are cooked with that minimal amount of cooking time. I remembered that we had to wait 30-40 minutes before our spinach, eggplant and basil lasagna at home is ready for serving. In stark contrast, Bistro Ravioli makes pasta dishes in just about 10-15 minutes. Unbelievable!

    The waitress was also quick on her feet to refill our glasses with water when she saw them nearly empty.

    One thing that turned my boyfriend off though was that he accidentally left his credit card after paying, and the staff didn’t even manage to chase us to report and return the card. Good thing he noticed that something was missing in his wallet and so we went back to the restaurant to claim it back.

    Food: ★★★★★

    It seemed almost obvious and a requisite to order the house specialty: ravioli. There are five types of raviolis offered, each valued at PHp 245: Salmon Ravioli in Saffron Cream Sauce, Sausage Ravioli in Romesco Sauce, Three-cheese Ravioli and Mushroom Mozzarella and Spinach and Feta Cheese Ravioli in Pesto Sauce.

    We had the Spinach and Feta Cheese Ravioli in Pesto Sauce and found it taste-bud-tingling delicious! This ravioli came with a filling of spinach and feta cheese contrasted with pomodoro sauce and topped with roasted tomatoes and pesto. It had generous amount of fillings, so even if it appeared small, it was enough for two people to share. Finishing my share of this pasta plus drinking water made me feel full. One bite and for a moment, your worries are gone, your fever breaks, and why yes, I’d be happy to try out their other vegetarian-friendly raviolis.

    Then this question left me hanging: What is the difference between lasagna and ravioli? From my research, “A lasagna is a layered dish made with tomato sauce, broad-layered long, flat pasta and various cheeses, while a ravioli is a round or square-shaped “pouch” of pasta with fillings inside.” I hope I made this clear to my readers as well. 😀

    Next we had another best-seller in the house: Diablo Wings (PHp 280) which consisted of buffalo-style chicken wings coated with a spicy barbecue sauce and served with a garlic ranch dressing. It wasn’t fiery spicy as I expected but it was spicy…and sweet. This dish is often categorized merely as an appetizer, but I think it well deserves to be a star this time.

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Prices are bit high, considering the portion of food (serving size) but I still recommend Bistro Ravioli as a great restaurant choice when you’re in the mood to pig out. They possibly can deliver never-ending rounds of every amazing pasta dish available in their limited but varied menu.

    Bistro Ravioli
    2F Midtown Wing, Robinsons Place, Ermita, Manila
    For inquiries, contact 0922 830-9869
    Email: info@bistroravioli.com
    Facebook

    Other Branches:
    2F Glorietta 3, Makati City | 0922 887 8379
    GF SM Mall of Asia, North Arcade, Pasay City | (02) 804 0577 and 0922 8533377
    GF Greenbelt 1, Makati City
    Alpha Land Makati Place

  • On Cameras and the Human Eye: Why Do I Get Red Eyes in Photos?

    On Cameras and the Human Eye: Why Do I Get Red Eyes in Photos?

    “Why do I get red eyes in photos?”
    “How can I prevent red eyes in photos?”

    These are the two questions that we’ll try to answer and discuss in this article.

    Avoiding red eyes in photos

    We’ve all taken great photos—only to look at them later and find that everybody has glowing red eyes. Why does this happen?

    The red glow is what happens when the bright light of a camera flash causes light to reflect off the retina.

    Animals have a reflective layer on their retinas that’s like a mirror in the back of their eyes. For example, if you’re driving at night and a deer suddenly appears in front of you in the road ahead, you can see the reflection of your headlights in the animal’s eyes.

    Humans don’t have this special layer. So when something really bright—like a camera flash—reflects off our retinas, we don’t see a white light, we see red because it is a reflection of the blood vessels in our eyes.

    How can we prevent red eye?

    Hint: Try not using the flash.

    This would mean that there wouldn’t be enough light for the camera, resulting in dark photographs, unless you only take photographs outside in bright daylight or in well-lit rooms where the pupil would be contracted enough to not let as much light through.

    If you have a camera with a detachable flash, you could try holding it away from the lens of the camera, or even point it upwards so that the light bounces off the ceiling, or walls, instead of off the retina.

    Most point-and-shoot cameras don’t have a detachable flash option, though. And while some modern cameras have an option to have a “smarter” flash, these can be expensive and tricky to use if you just want to point the camera and take a picture.

    Use a “red eye reduction mode” on your camera

    Many modern cameras have this feature. It works by making the flash go off twice, very quickly. It goes off once before the actual photo is taken and then again to take the photo. The light of the first flash makes the pupils contract so that less light gets to the retina when the second one goes off.

    This option isn’t available on all cameras though. And even when it is, it’s not very reliable. It only promises to “reduce” red eye, not remove it completely.

    Remove red eye post-production

    Most digital cameras come with software that enables you to remove red eye from photographs after the picture has been taken, or you can use an editing program on your computer. Anywhere that prints digital photos should allow you to look at your photos before printing so that you can edit them that way.

    Smartphones usually have an app that can detect red eye in photographs and remove it and for printed photographs special pens are available that are supposed to be able to remove red eye too. Or you could always scan a paper photograph and edit it that way.

    Wrap Up

    There seems to be a few options for avoiding and removing red eye, but the best way seems to be to not look directly at the camera so that your eyes aren’t looking full on at the lens when the flash goes off. It’s also worth noting that you are more likely to get red eye when you’re drunk.

    Alcohol slows down the body’s reactions, and this includes the speed in which the eyes respond so that your pupils will take longer to react to bright lights. Something to remember at the next party…!

    Nothing in this blog post is to be construed as medical advice, nor is it intended to replace the recommendations of a medical professional. For specific questions, please see your eye care practitioner.

    This article is contributed by Shelley Abrahams, one of CooperVision’s copywriters. She has a passion for photography, particularly portraits. As an employee of CooperVision , she has a keen interest in eye health and the anatomy of the eye.

  • Review of King Chef Seafood Restaurant (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    Review of King Chef Seafood Restaurant (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    Partially because last Sunday was Father’s Day (父亲节) but mostly because this restaurant is awesome, King Chef in Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo was completely packed with people. Still, the queue outside seemed unending. Why not? King Chef’s exterior and interior designs shine exuberance while its dishes give every flare and flavor that one would expect from an upscale and authentic Chinese restaurant.

    Plenty of à la carte selections are available on the menu, but the fun is in the set or packaged offerings for groups which taste all like the good life…like royalty (including the cost). 😛

    Review of King Chef Seafood Restaurant (Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo)

    Ambiance: ★★★★★

    This branch of King Chef in LCM has just celebrated its first anniversary, after opening last June 8, 2012. After one year, the design and ambiance have been kept quite the same. Everything inside spells “class” and everything in terms of theme is coordinated. Walls, chairs and tablecloths are in gold, as well as the teeth of waiters assigned to your table. Ting!

    Nah, I’m just kidding on that last one. 😛

    Since time immemorial, we have been eating out at Chinese restaurants with likely the same menu and ambiance. I can probably say that King Chef has about similar rate of grandiose and bright setting as Gloria Maris, Tao Yan, Crystal Jade and Lugang Cafe — where “fine-dining” and “festive” can be put as common denominators.

    Aside from occupying the “ballroom” dining area, guests can sit inside function rooms by reservation. We took two tables and were accommodated inside the exclusive Princess Yang Kwei-Fei’s (貴妃) room.

    Service: ★★★★☆

    There was no hovering and no rushing patrons to leave so they can fill the next table. While the rest of their service and treatment were great, there was one quibbling thing to point out: waiters at times failed to deliver food in a timely manner. However, I can be considerate to acknowledge their busyness. Indeed, there were so many customers and so many orders coming into and from the kitchen. Eating a full-blown Chinese lauriat lunch combo helped make wait time for the arrival of the next dish tolerable; there were still loads of food left on the lazy Susan anyway.

    Food: ★★★★★

    Large dishes at King Chef take “large” to its very literal sense. Here are dishes we ordered, which were served in this order:

    Yang Chow Fried Rice (Large, PHp 525)

    Kung Pao Chicken (Large, PHp 875)

    Seafood with Spinach Soup (Large, Php 620)

    King Chef Vegetarian Hot Pot (Small, PHp 300)

    Shellmeat Brocolli (Large, PHp 920)
    Cha Misua (Large, PHp 420)

    Steamed Lapu Lapu (Large, PHp 960)

    Fried King Fish in Mango Sauce (Large, PHp 1160)

    Hong Kong Spare Ribs (Large, PHp 750)

    Mango Sago (Complimentary Dessert)

    With dynamite blend of flavors and textures, everything tasted perfectly — though my favorite was hands-down the staple Yang Chow Fried Rice because it is rice and viand in one.

    A beacon of ingenuity, the standout dish had to be the Fried King Fish in Mango Sauce which I’d be glad to get the recipe of. Its glory lies in the textual contrast between the taste of salt and pepper mix and mango. If you can’t imagine that, just take the “more ordinary” steamed lapu-lapu and add sip into mango sago at the same time. Probably that would do justice.

    Additionally, every platter of food was technically immaculate, clever and beautifully presented. Yes, presentation added huge value on creativity while sticking to the essence of traditional Chinese food. We ended up with happy tummies before leaving the place. 😛

    Next time I’d love to try their dim sum delights. King Chef runs a regular promo wherein prices of their dim sum are discounted at about 50 percent every day from 7AM to 9AM, 2PM to 5PM and 9PM to 12AM. These dim sum (or snacks, in Chinese) go beyond the usual pork siomai and shark’s-fin siomai, mind you, but everything!

    Price for Value: ★★★☆☆

    Set in a landmark building, King Chef boasts a fine ambiance and service to match, so high prices aren’t exactly a surprise. A number of my friends are asking me for good restaurant recommendations where they can gather for business meetings and celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions.

    Well, guys, I have shown you the way. The ball, now, is in your court. 😀

    King Chef Seafood Restaurant
    2F Lucky China Town Mall, Binondo, Manila
    For inquiries, contact (02) 720 8594 or (02) 466 5765
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    Operating hours:
    Daily – 11AM to 11PM

    Other branch:
    989 Banawe St., Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
    (02) 410 4919