Herb Republic

Le Chink treated us out to a nice lunch in Los Banos, Laguna--definitely not student fare--at the Herb Republic. 

What I liked best was the stir fried spinach (P185). 

The tarragon iced tea was refreshing (P69). We also had a pot of the hot tea version (P65) which is better for sharing and stretching your budget. The basil pesto pasta (P190) was quite yummy.

The mushroom tempura (P175) was a bit bland but you do have the dipping sauce. However, we preferred the sauce on the spinach dish. Nice texture though.

  

Finally, the medium garlic basil chicken (P234)... yummy, tender and juicy. 

Dessert in the form of a cheesecake had been calling but there was no space or time left as the King of the Privateers was going to get married and we planned to witness the grand occasion.  

High End, Low End

Le Chink treated me to some yummy ramen at Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen in the new wing of Shangrila Plaza Mall in Mandaluyong. High end noodles do cost a pretty penny at around P330 per bowl. We split it, though I ate more of it. Thanks, Le Chink! 

When you go to dine there, the server will ask whether you want your ramen hard, soft or medium. Le Chink ordered hard (while I quietly kept my trepidation to myself... surprisingly, I liked it. My guess is they're easier to handle with chopsticks).

I believe we ordered the tonkatsu. Its flavor had a certain oriental sweetness that I enjoyed, especially in the marinated eggs. We also had some spring rolls which had a tangy flavor... sort of like lemongrass and vinaigrette, which contrasted well with the ramen.

But when you're on a budget and generous friends are away... then eat at 30/40/50 Rice & Noodle House. This is a newly opened little store across Amira's (which is on the corner of SVD Road, Tagaytay). A noodle dish here costs P30! 

Since I was hungry, I ordered the tapsilog instead. P49 only. They offer free bulalo soup. The iced tea tasted a little too artificial to me but the place is nice (red tables, black stools, red throw pillows on brown varnished benches), the prices are affordable, and the food is okay (the rice was a little dry but I liked the tapa). Overall, good value for your money. Plus, the staff are attentive. At the end of the meal, I was offered free mint/menthol candy too! May God bless their entrepreneurial venture.  

Rogate Cafe

The Rogate Cafe is a religious store and coffee shop in one. While waiting for your order, you can look over the items for sale--inspirational mugs and shirts, priestly vestments, liturgical items and cute statues of saints are on display.

Coffee is around P130. 

I ordered the salmon turnover which cost P76. The crust was a little too toasted for my taste but the filling was quite nice.

You can choose between dining inside where it's cooler due to the air-conditioning or hanging out in the lovely garden. 

You can find Rogate Cafe on the right side of Aguinaldo Highway enroute to Tagaytay. 

Turon

A Chinese twist on turon at Oriang--won ton wrapper instead of lumpia... yummy! Try it at Market! Market!

I don't have a picture but another turon dish I really like is at Tootsie's. If you're up in Tagaytay, try this tasty treat with ube and langka. 

Superbowl favorites

 Steamed Lapu Lapu fish fillet with garlic...

Seafood chopsuey...

Beef with brocolli

Suman at Sampaloc Lake

San Pablo boasts of seven lakes. This is Sampaloc Lake with a circumference of 3.7 kms.

 

 Cafe Lago has a beautiful view outside...

and inside...

Folk artsy knick knacks are sprinkled around the cafe.

The reason to go to Cafe Lago... P65 suman (2 pieces). Yum-yum!

Liliw!

Liliw is really for shoes, sandals and slippers... 

D is for dulce...

Dulce de leche cheesecake at Arabela in Liliw, Laguna... yummy!

I'm turning Japanese!

Japanese is one of our family favorites. Normally, Cubao is out of our territory but  after listening to an Easter recollection by Cardinal Tagle last April, we tried one of the restaurants at the Coliseum Circle.* This is Sachi/ Rasa. 

What is Japanese dining without delectable salmon sashimi? 

I don't understand why I heard so much negative feedback on broccoli when watching Western children's shows growing up. It's just sooo good! Maybe the oyster sauce is the trick...

Again, another classic favorite. Tempura. Need I say more?

This is one of the items from Rasa. Hainanese chicken. Reminds me of my favorite ex who will probably say he cooks it better. Still, no bitter aftertaste there... just makes my tummy happy. The beauty of dining at Sachi is you can order items from Rasa. I'm not sure though if this applies to all other restaurants or if they're sister companies. 

Another family favorite... unagi. Wow! The only thing left to say is... burp!

After a feast to feed your soul thanks to Cardinal Tagle, table fellowship with the family to feed the tummy is surely yet another blessing to be grateful for. Thank you, Lord!

*Was actually thinking twice on whether to recommend Araneta Coliseum since I still remember how they breached their contract with our community, the Light of Jesus Family, for a Kerygma conference a few years back. I wouldn't recommend it as a venue ever again for our K-Con but an occasional meal together at one of their tenants' restaurants after listening to Tagle... well, forgiveness has to start somewhere, right?

P.S. Our dining experience was made more pleasant by our attentive server, Joseph. =)

Coconut!

Yummy ice cream in young coconut shell at RVM... an exclusive treat that's not for sale... except maybe if it's a special retreat? I'm just glad to be counted among RVM's inner circle and privy to this cool sweet treat. 

My long-time favorite coconut treat is the one from Fruitas (P59). It's a combo of mixed fruits done halo halo style in a coconut shell. Halo halo is a Filipino dessert with various sweets like beans, red monggo, kaong, ube and macapuno over crushed ice and milk. This is especially good during these hot summer months. 

For something you can only get in Tagaytay... find your way to Little Souls Convent and look to your left. The little tent across the lovely rows of lettuce is where you can get coconut cream pie, the original--not the one stolen by a former employee and being sold in another place nearby.  Please support the original source! You can text 0922 868 0317 for advanced orders or simply to check if there's still some left. 

Coconut cream pie is like your sophisticated buko pie. Try it, you'll probably like it. Goes nicely with the coffee.  

Special treat

Italianni's Ceasar salad. Almost P700. Quite pricey, but yummy. Save for special occasions like your mother's birthday ;-)

Matabungkay

Never really been on a balsa before until last Wednesday. My toes really enjoyed walking on the water, so to speak. Tiny creatures lived in the bamboo raft's nooks and crannies. 

When the day was done, it's back to the pine trees and flowers of Tagaytay. Life is good.

Sour + sour + sour = great soup!

Tasted a delicious sinigang last Monday at Pig Out in Sta. Rosa, Laguna. It's a tri-flavored sinigang with sampaloc (tamarind), kamias and guava. The soup is slightly thicker than most sinigang soups I've tried and the flavors are strong and savory.

Three-Fold Yumminess!

Just a mere week after my first visit, we were back with friends at Casetta del Divino Zelo. Our companions were already regular customers and recommended the lemon cake and coffee granita.

At P15 a slice, what more could you ask for? You get a yummy cake, help out a single mother in crisis and it's light on the budget. Three-fold yumminess!
 

I thought I liked the buko shake but this coffee granita (P50) is my new favorite drink here. Extra thick with just the right strength of flavor, you beat the summer heat while doing a good deed. Yay!

 I love coffee shake!

Our compliments to the chef!

Yummy Day with Le Chink

One of the blessings I can count in my life is having the nicest ex-boyfriend a girl can have. Let's call him "Le Chink." From time to time, he will take me out and treat me to good food, sometimes a movie or maybe dessert. Last Saturday, it was all three. 

Dinner began with a broccoli chowder soup. This was my penultimate favorite dish of the night. Best consumed while hot!

Next came a platter with drunken calamari, onion rings, chicken and veggies.  The calamari was on the bland side; the onion rings were okay; and the chicken was a bit dry. But the salad at the center of the plate refreshed and cleansed the palate--I saved a portion of that for my last bite.

Finally, the main course--salmon marinated in miso. Slightly too salty for my taste but the rice was lovely and reminded me of Japanese rice. The carrots were nice and sweet.

All in all, a good dinner. You can get these dishes at Wicked Kitchen.

After dinner, we watched G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation. I'm glad my sister told me about Channing Tatum--it took the sting out during the movie. Also, I had some questions afterwards, such as: how could the US President still be president after the stunt Zartan just pulled? And what about Snowstorm? (Le Chink answers: he's neutral evil. Ah, that helps explain it.) Rating: two and a half stars out of five.

On a side note, I tremendously enjoyed the movie It Takes a Man and a Woman featuring John Lloyd and Sarah Geronimo. There were many kilig and funny moments. Rating: Four and a half stars. If you have to choose between G.I. Joe and this movie, go see It Takes... better value for your money.

Now back to the yummy day with Le Chink. It was topped off by dessert!!!

The P72 tiramisu cup by Bread Talk was a yummy, yummy way to end the day. I liked the dark chocolate on top (too bad the "Bread Talk" label was plain chocolate) but Le Chink found the flavor too strong. So he ate more of the cake at the bottom while I took more of the upper half. Choco bliss!

Organic Beauty

Ilog Maria is one of my favorite organic products. I became sold when I started using their shampoo maybe about nine years ago. My white hairs were only beginning to show back then. One day, while combing, a hair fell out. That would have been a mundane thing except it was black at the root and white at the tip. Yup, the white hair became black again. Not sure anymore how soon it had happened after I started using it but there it was.

Of course, even the best organic products can't stop the ticking of time, but I'd like to think it's helped keep the white hairs at bay. 

The liniment in the picture is enjoyed by my father. 

Try a virtual or actual visit. You might find a product you'll like tremendously.

Only in Silang

Summertime! I have half of Saturdays off during the summer break, so I take advantage of the time and visit Ilog Maria to buy liniment for my Tatay and a few products for myself.

I make a new discovery... Italian food served in a little hut across the farm run by a few nuns... Casetta del Divino Zelo (my guess is that it means "Little House of the Divine Zeal").

I was initially intrigued by the P35 fresh buko shake advertised at Ilog Maria, especially since I walked to the farm from the highway under the noonday sun. But the pizza looked promising. Sadly, a little too expensive (P250) for a solo diner like me. Maybe there'll be a next time with friends!

I think the Sister at the counter realized my predicament and immediately suggested the pasta. Definitely more affordable at P75. The marinara cost more but... must... remember... our... budget. This food foray was already a splurge!

But if we are going to splurge, we might as well do it for a worthy cause. We not only fill our tummy, we might be helping someone out as well. Win-win!

The ambiance is cozy and relaxing. There are two little huts nearby if you want more privacy.

The food is good and the serving size is generous. I split it to save the other half for later (to make the most of my budget splurge), although this results in a smaller portion that might not satisfy if you're ravenous. 

The buko shake was refreshing! I think I might have to make this one a habit whenever I get the chance to drop by Ilog Maria (which is roughly twice a year).

This little nook of a store has been open for only a year. Why not visit? They're open on Wednesdays and weekends.