There was a time when Mongolian stir-fry was all the rage in Manila. However, years passed and branches of established restaurants such as Kublai's closed down and now, diners are left with few options (especially outside Makati). Cafe Sweet Inspirations is one of the few remaining restaurants in the city that offers a Mongolian buffet that is definitely worth your money. It has the same owners as Mongolian Quickstop, which offers big or small Mongolian bowls for people on a budget.Archive for July 2011
Cafe Sweet Inspirations: A Rare Mongolian Treat
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 § 0
There was a time when Mongolian stir-fry was all the rage in Manila. However, years passed and branches of established restaurants such as Kublai's closed down and now, diners are left with few options (especially outside Makati). Cafe Sweet Inspirations is one of the few remaining restaurants in the city that offers a Mongolian buffet that is definitely worth your money. It has the same owners as Mongolian Quickstop, which offers big or small Mongolian bowls for people on a budget.
Ninyo Fusion Cuisine: QC's Best Kept Secret
Saturday, July 23, 2011 § 0
Behind the bustling streets of Katipunan, we have unearthed one of Quezon City's hidden gems. Going inside the gates of Ninyo Fusion Cuisine, you would forget that you're only a few steps away from one of the busiest streets in the metro. The al fresco area was beautiful and very ideal for dates. The tables outside have linen and beaded curtains that separates it from other tables. Also, the dim lighting and the hanging vines from the trees give the place a romantic vibe. We opted to sit in one of the more secluded corners which explains why my pictures are a little dark and shadowy.
Causeway Seafood Restaurant: A Trip to Dimsum Heaven
Tuesday, July 19, 2011 § 6
A few days ago, I read a horrifying tweet from the Boyfriend saying that he prefers Chowking over any other Chinese restaurants, even the fine dining ones. First thing that came to mind is that I must be doing something wrong. We haven't had the chance to dine in a lot of Chinese restaurants but heck, even Hap Chan has better food than Chowking. So because of that incident, I decided it was finally time to go to Causeway. Ever since college, I've wanted to try their dimsum, but I always thought their food was expensive. Apparently, it wasn't.
Chelsea Market and Cafe: An Aura of Good Food
Friday, July 15, 2011 § 0
Chelsea Market and Cafe is one of our favorite restaurants in Serendra. For reasons that go far beyond their food, we always walk out the cafe beaming with happiness. I simply can't explain it. It may be because of the relaxed ambiance inside, the delectable products on the shelves that are quite pleasing to the eyes, or the friendly staff who we've seen dancing in the parking lot once. But whatever the reason may be, what we really keep coming back for is the food.
Jalapeno Cheddar and Swiss Emmental Fondue (650/serves 4) We usually start our meals at Chelsea with their Focaccia Bread that I keep forgetting to take a picture of. You can ask for extra servings of the bread if you're too hungry to wait for your appetizers, such as this cheese fondue. We actually ordered this on a different occasion (with friends), but I chose to include this here because even though the serving is quite big, it is a great appetizer that can be shared by couples, especially those on double dates. The set contains bread, nachos, green and black olives, and fresh cherry tomatoes - all of which goes really well with the cheese that also contains slices of jalapeno. The cheese is of great quality, but it got cold easily because the fire kept going off.
Jalapeno Cheddar and Swiss Emmental Fondue (650/serves 4) We usually start our meals at Chelsea with their Focaccia Bread that I keep forgetting to take a picture of. You can ask for extra servings of the bread if you're too hungry to wait for your appetizers, such as this cheese fondue. We actually ordered this on a different occasion (with friends), but I chose to include this here because even though the serving is quite big, it is a great appetizer that can be shared by couples, especially those on double dates. The set contains bread, nachos, green and black olives, and fresh cherry tomatoes - all of which goes really well with the cheese that also contains slices of jalapeno. The cheese is of great quality, but it got cold easily because the fire kept going off.
The Obligatory Pancake House Post
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 § 0
Over the years, Boyfriend and I have dined in a variety of restaurants. We've been to infamous hole-in-the-walls, overrated and sometimes underwhelming fancy restaurants, creations by celebrated Filipino chefs and many more. But somehow, it seems to me that he will always go back to his first love, Pancake House. And because of that, I decided to write this.
Blueberry Pancakes (147/2 pcs. and 173/3 pcs) For this particular meal, Boyfriend decided to go with his favorite Blueberry Pancakes. This is one of the two dishes that he always craves for. The other one is Pancake House's Spaghetti with Meat Sauce (surprise!). He finishes this off with the enthusiasm of a little boy. Needless to say, he was very happy with it.
Seoul Barbecue: A Taste of Korea
Thursday, July 7, 2011 § 1
Boyfriend and I were in the Katipunan area the other day when I suddenly had a strong craving for bibimbap. Our favorite Korean restaurant is in Makati Avenue and driving all the way there for dinner wasn't really an option. Then, I remembered this small Korean restaurant that we always see (and ignore) whenever we pass by Libis. Seoul Barbecue surprised us! First thing I noticed when we went inside was that the owners were Korean and there were a lot of Korean customers. That upped my excitement a little because it dawned upon me that we have landed upon an authentic restaurant. And true enough, the food did not disappoint.
We started off with the usual set of banchan or appetizers. Just like most authentic Korean restaurants, each appetizer has its own unique flavors and are equally good. Boyfriend loved the kimchi, I don't like kimchi (at all) so I have no say on this one. My favorite was the Kangnamul, or the bean sprouts, and the anchovies. The sauce of the steamed broccoli was quite spicy but we enjoyed that one as well.
We started off with the usual set of banchan or appetizers. Just like most authentic Korean restaurants, each appetizer has its own unique flavors and are equally good. Boyfriend loved the kimchi, I don't like kimchi (at all) so I have no say on this one. My favorite was the Kangnamul, or the bean sprouts, and the anchovies. The sauce of the steamed broccoli was quite spicy but we enjoyed that one as well.
Chef Laudico's Bistro Filipino: An Awakening of Sorts
Monday, July 4, 2011 § 1
Boyfriend and I had the privilege of dining at Chef Laudico’s Bistro Filipino last Valentines Day. Yes, it was months ago, but I do have notes and doodles about that meal and I could not resist the urge to share them. When we availed of the ala carte brunch buffet for 788/head, we had no idea that we’d be in for such a wonderful gastronomical experience. For me, Bistro Filipino offers one of the best buffets in Manila. Sure, hotel buffets have everything you’d ever want to eat, but in an ala carte buffet such as this one, the food is served to you exactly how the chef envisioned it - plated masterfully, maintaining the integrity of each dish.
We started our journey through Bistro Filipino's menu with their Sinigang Consomme. This made us wish we ordered the Shiitake Mushroom Puree instead because the soup just tasted like a richer and thicker pork sinigang broth. Our salad, however, made up for it's failure. The 3 Kinds of Mango Salad was a delight to the palate! The combination of green, ripe and dried mangoes plus the kesong puti and dijon bagoong vinaigrette gave us the best salad we've ever had. Boyfriend doesn't like salads at all but we were fighting over this like we weren't in a buffet.
L'Entrecôte: French comfort food in Manila
Friday, July 1, 2011 § 0
Comfort food can mean a lot of things to Filipinos. More often than not, it is associated with home cooked meals from our moms. Americans have hamburgers, the English have fish and chips, and the French, as I found out recently, have steak and fries.
L'Entrecote embodies that. They have a very limited menu (steak and frites, lobster and a cheese platter), which is a good sign for me because it means that they have mastered cooking their steak. Boyfriend and I ordered the Menu Geneva (1,190). This menu includes a starter bread, salad, steak and frites, dessert and a glass of wine.
L'Entrecote embodies that. They have a very limited menu (steak and frites, lobster and a cheese platter), which is a good sign for me because it means that they have mastered cooking their steak. Boyfriend and I ordered the Menu Geneva (1,190). This menu includes a starter bread, salad, steak and frites, dessert and a glass of wine.
About Me
- Tables for Couples
- My boyfriend and I have been in a constant search for great new places perfect for dates. In our 6 years together, we've already tried a variety of venues suitable for couples of all ages - from your regular McDonalds, insane yakiniku places, quaint and cozy little restaurants, fine dining, hotel buffets, weekend markets to resorts that go beyond Manila. But we want more. I believe that Manila, and the Philippines as a whole, has a lot of secrets waiting to be discovered. So from here on out, I will share with you our adventures with food, and maybe even life. Itadakimasu.
