a bite of brownie

Chop Chop

We decided to visit this place after taking notice of the shop in the far corner of the vicinity, near the washrooms. It looks neglected at a glance and the lights were dim, as if they were still closed. There was only one person stationed outside who later ushered us in once we made known ouR intent to visit their premises.

The restaurant isn't what you'd expect if you're looking for a fancy experience with your date. Instead, the place looks exactly like it was taken from Singapore's hawker stall. In fact, that's exactly what they were going for.

Eager to sink our teeth into what they offer, we ordered most of the best sellers for our dinner. A platter of sambal fried rice, chili crab meat, beef rendang, katong laksa, sambal stingray, and hainanese chicken.

The food arrived in waves in the span of ten to fifteen minutes, starting with their katong laksa. It tasted better than Ulli's although i think it needs a bit more tartness to cut through the richness of the coconut milk. Their beef rendang is perfectly seasoned thoroughly.

To end the meal, we ordered iced kachang, which is their version of the local halo halo with coconut milk and pandan extracts.




Chop Chop
The Gallery

Verdict:
A: 3/5

I think that they should ask their customers if they wanted spicy or non spicy flavors. I expected singaporean food to be spicy but we were served mildly spiced food. Most orders are expensive. I'm glad that their stingray tastes okay. I'm surprised they know their sauces well.

We visited this restaurant after remembering that Grand Convention  Center has once again opened its door to the locals after its very busy renovation that lasted for a few months. The new place had a contemporary new look updated to the times, with several lighting fixtures and a spacious parking lot.



We arrived here just in time before the throng of families arrived to dine at this place. Our timely arrival got us a comfortable couch seat facing most of the tables and a strategic view of the buffet arrangement by the northeast. They had a wide variety of dishes ranging from European, Chinese, and Japanese.



Compelled to sample each dish available at the present, it took me several trips to finally collect a tiny bit of each dish but giving particular attention to the sashimi bar where they serve thick tuna and salmon slices for those who requested.


I could definitely say that i was impressed by their Chinese fare as they had very exquisite tastes that were definitely true to their origins. Their dimsum were top notch, and so were their noodles that used traditional Asian herbs for spice. Alas, delicious their grub maybe, their international food were below the bar as most of them were too dry or over sauced. The desserts were also below average and tasted too sweet and tasted artificial.



Grand Majestic
Grand Convention Center, Archbishop Reyes



Verdict:
A: 3/5

i think the food was half exceptional, as there were several dishes of Chinese origin available for their guests. The price is a little too high for my tastes, and there are other restaurants that are value for money compared to this restaurant. I think the people who eat here are the loyal patrons of old coming from rich Chinese families who transact business at this place.

Tajimaya 168 Ramen House is situated in the vicinity where several establishments of the Abaca Group of Companies are located. Sitting between Maya and A Cafe, this restaurant is comfortably nestled at the corner of Crossroads strip, the only one that offers patrons a chance to partake in their all-you-can-eat deal. For 450 bucks, each patron could eat as much squid ball, shrimp, beef and pork slices, chicken, and pork sausages.

We went there with my sister's friend, who was craving for some late night Japanese food. The place was packed and hectic. We had to wait for a few minutes to get seated. I still wonder if the place was really that good with the amount of people dining at this hub.

Anyhow, the ambiance is pleasant enough and we had our own booth to eat in, instead of an open table like many other restaurants that offer all you can eat deals. It was comforting to be given our own privacy.

All in all, our dining experience was okay. The service was so-so too. The price was a little too expensive though, and I can say a few restaurants that are reasonably cheaper than this.



Tajimaya 168 Ramen House
Crossroads, Banilad



Verdict:

A: 2.5/5

Pricey. I guess we didn't order the dishes they specialize in? 

after picking up a package from the post office, i took a look at available food restos next door and found this place but I was a few minutes early. three other parties were also waiting for the restaurant to open so i thought this must be a good sign that this resto is good. I checked the other stores close by. there's Starbucks and nothing bundt cakes. I stepped in the latter and I was greeted with a friendly crew saying if I would be interested in trying their raspberry chiffon cake. it was delicious and not so sweet so I thought I can't leave that bakery without getting something. my eyes were set on buying the chocolate-chocolate chip bundtlet. I asked the cashier what's their best seller and guess what? it's the same as my choice!

I proceeded back to pho wagon and by the time I came back, they turned the closed sign to open. their daily special is grilled pork or chicken sandwich with chips and Thai iced tea. I asked the waitress if I could change the sandwich to meat with rice. she thinks no so I opted to get the special combo pho, an unexpected order from me since I don't like noodles or pasta. surprisingly, I enjoyed it! the broth was tasty. the rice noodles were perfectly cooked, not over cooked nor soggy. special combo pho has steak, well-done flank, brisket, tendon and tripe. I like best the latter three. small order was still too much for much. I wasn't able to finish the noodles but drank all the soup.

there are not many options for rice plates though. this place seemed popular considering almost 10 parties came within thirty minutes after the resto opened.

the chocolate-chocolate chip bundlet was delicious! the sweetness was just right, not so sweet and not so bland.

Verdict for Pho Wagon: 3/5 (-2 for few rice plate options)
Verdict for Nothing Bundt Cakes: 4/5 (it's a little expensive)

Pho Wagon
1712 Meridian Ave
San Jose, CA 95125

Nothing Bundt Cakes
1702 Meridian Avenue Suite B.
San Jose, CA 95125

One afternoon while waiting for the LBC package bound for delivery to our place, I got a call from my sister, who wanted me to come over to Ayala to eat lunch with her and our mom. They gave me instructions to head quickly to Chika-an, which I did, and hurried to the rendezvous point.

I arrived at the restaurant after all the food were delivered to our table. The place was packed! Of course! It's lunch time and it's hearts day! I've seen several people traveling to and fro with flowers and chocolates and gifts and balloons and little things they'll give to their significant partners on the way.The flower shops were also bustling with people on a single file line, waiting for their turn for some delicate blooms as a present.

Ah, love!

I entered the packed establishment and saw my family's table filled with several dishes of food. There was Chicharong Bulaklak, Pochero Steak, Banana Heart salad, Kinilaw na Isda, Bam-i, Bikol Express, Crispy Pata, Gizzard BBQ, Chicken Relleno, Baked Scallops, Crab Relleno; all of which I sampled individually. The Chicharong bulaklak was good enough, though not the best. The Pochero steak was a little gamey and the crispy pata had crispy skin but the meat was tough to chew. I'll have to give them props for their crab relleno (they used real crab meat for this). The baked scallops was also okay, though not the best and the Bicol Express like it had too much coconut milk. The Chicken relleno and the Kinilaw was a great order though. I had a good enough experience here though, plus we ordered a nice serving of leche flan and turon. My mom had a cup of Pinipig with genuine Latik or coconut sweets.




Chika-An Ayala
3rd floor Ayala Center Cebu



Verdict:
A: 2.5/5 Could be a little bit better, in my opinion. I think Hukad is a better choice for me.

One drizzling evening, my siblings and I decided head back to David's steakhouse for our dinner, but much to our dismay we found it locked down permanently. After several disappointed moments and careful recalculation of plans, we then decided to scour the uncharted corners of E-Bloc for a new dining experience. Lo and behold, Everything Yummy located beside Charlie Chicken saved our dinner plans.

It was a quaint place, spacious and homey with ample amount of chairs for the its patrons. We were greeted by the servers and had the doors opened for us upon our arrival. Interestingly, the menu was composed of only a few items in stock, not to mention a whole page for sardines.

But it didn't disheartened us, no. We ordered a leg quarter of chicken inasal, a plate of home made burger, a set of adobo called adobomb, and a large plate of ribs.

The flavors were intense and very flavorful, totally different from my expectations of this restaurant. The burger steak was made of meat and bread. The leg quarter was cooked just right, juicy inside but crisp on the outside. Their adobo tasted like it was slow cooked and very tender. The meat managed to absorb most of the flavor of the sauce. The ribs that we had were fall off the bone.