Five Food Stops From Calamba to Los Banos

Haven't been out much lately for food trip but here are some of the must try's once again which adds to my two other posts:

Foodtrip in UPLB
Foodtrip in UPLB 2

We go a bit further away from the campus to the next barangay and to the city of Calamba trying out different dishes some old and some new. Here's a short list of great sources of goodies we have visited so far (since the last post).

1. Casa Bulgogi (Korean Restaurant)

Location: Lopez Avenue, Los Banos. (walking distance from the UPLB gate beside Eat-sumo Teri House)
Korean food! Haven't tasted that for a while now. I really like their sweet, salty dishes which is why it was no surprise that I ordered their bulgogi  dish. Of course, a korean dish will not be complete without kimchi on the side. This restaurant opened only in August and we had a chance to eat during their opening promo period, meaning free iced tea and a complimentary korean hand-made cellphone accessory.

2. Satya Graha

Location: Siving Street , 1460 Lopez Street.

Still in Los Baños and also quite near the campus, this restaurant is not really easy to find. You have to take the road beside the Maquiling Elementary School and walk a bit inside until you reach a vacant lot. It is located at the left side of the dead-end road, opposite a carwash station. I, myself wasn't sure I took the right road until I saw a sign that says "Vegetarian."
True to their sign, they served vegetarian meat-looking dishes. Their famous vegchon was surprisingly tasty but their vegetarian barbecue was delicious. They were both very filling despite their non-meat content. This place is a perfect hide-away or a place for long, undisturbed conversations.

3. Anyummet

Location: Villa del Sol Compound, National Highway, Anos, Los Baños

In the next barangay from Batong Malake is the "Fried of Ilocos." Pronounced as "Anyamet" which is an Ilocano expression, this restaurant boasts of its authentic bagnet and longganisa. And they are not wrong. Their classic bagnet is cooked to crispy perfection. They also have a poqui-poqui (eggplant) version with bagnet and one of my fave dishes kare-kare bagnet. It is a few meters away from the Original Buko Pie pasalubong store. You can't miss it.. should I say, you MUST not miss it.

4.  Cakes by Kat

Location: 2nd Floor SM Calamba

This fourth one is not exactly a restaurant, it is a booth found on the 2nd floor but they sure have really good cakes.  I tried three kinds at once that I wasn't able to take a picture before digging in. I hijacked a photo from their Facebook account below. Their bestsellers are the cheesecakes but so far, I liked the black forest best. Plus, they also sell macaroons. (not the coconut ones in Goldilocks)

5. Christine's Baby Back Ribs

Also found in SM Calamba, they have really tasty baby back ribs not to mention affordable portions. For only P100, you can get a smaller portion of the baby back ribs although they also have a bigger portion at a higher price. The picture below is the smaller portion combo with apple pie.

Healthy Living, Healthy Eating!

UPDATE: They are no longer located at PhilHealth building. According to their facebook page, they will be transferring a few blocks down the road in front of Teachers Camp. :)  (July 7, 2016)

We stumbled upon this restaurant called Live Long along Leonard wood road beside the PhilHealth building and I'm sure glad we did. They had the most delectable smoothies, tastiest pesto and interestingly different kind of wrap. The best thing about the food is that its all made from natural ingredients!

From the condiments and spices like sea salt, coconut sugar, stevia and fruits and vegetables some even coming from their own backyard, the owner makes sure to use as much unprocessed  stuff to create all the food and drinks in their menu.

Knowing the benefits of eating right by using organic food, Tina, opened her restaurant to share her knowledge and her love of delicious but healthy dishes. She was able to create tasty and creative plates and drinks, especially smoothies, blending different things together to make beautiful and appetizing masterpieces, named creatively as well.

Their food can be portioned for sharing but of course, can also be enjoyed solo. The cute cabbage wrap was something new. Chicken chunks wrapped in cabbage leaves like a sushi roll and were steamed nicely, with the cabbage leaves still a bit crispy. The soy sauce blended with chili sauce and a bit of lemon was a great dipping sauce,

I am a recent fan of juicing fruits and vegetables but I have not tried anything with yogurt. It was a real treat to try their apple, pineapple, banana and yogurt smoothie and one I will definitely have again. It was served in a mason jar, good for one, also good for sharing. Let them know, and they'll provide shot glasses.

The pesto, oh the pesto... It may seem just like another ordinary pesto pasta dish but definitely is not. The dish is just bursting with flavor. The amount of olive oil was just right that it didn't overpower the other spices. The noodles were al dente, and they have added a special ingredient which I won't mention but you would have to discover for yourself when you visit the place.

The ambiance is perfect, a little out of the business district and parking space outside.

Overall, a must-try for all health-conscious and even for those who are not. You can visit their fb page here. :)     

Great Food Places in Baguio

Every time I write about food places in Baguio, there's another new one to try out. Here is the third of the posts I have written about the oh-so-yummy places we have tried and won't definitely be the last.

Places along Session Road

1. Luto ni Juan

Location: Ground floor of Prime Hotel, Session Road
From its name, you already can get a feel of what to expect. Litson manok, pancit, liempo and other lutong-bahay. The best thing is you can get plates with mixed chicken and liempo or fish with chicken complete with soup and a bit of vegetables on the side.

2. Oh My Gulay/ Vocas

Location: Top floor of La Azotea building, Upper Session Road
There are a lot of blogs written for this place. Two things I like: Talong Parmigiana and the view of one side of the city.

3. Cake Palace

Location: 4th Floor Porta Vaga Building, Upper Session Road
It was my first time to try lychee flavored tea and the mixed fruit teas. They both had a delightful smell but I liked the lychee better. Plus, they also have the rainbow cake.

4. Calajo 

Location: Upper Session Road, where the Mandarin Restaurant used to be
I first saw this place in La Trinidad, and now have branched out to the city. I was surprised at how nifty they were able to transform the old Mandarin to a hip and modern style. The food? I love their yogurt and their vegetable salad. They also have large servings of bread.

5. Beanstalk

Location: 2nd Floor of the City Center Hotel, Lower Session Road
Convenient location and also the best view to watch the Flower Festival along session road. They serve chicken floss bread which goes well with their brewed coffee. Their cakes were too sweet for my taste though.

6. Pamana/Hawaiian BBQ/ Tsokolateria

Location: Upper Session Road, behind SM Baguio
This place used to be Barrio Fiesta where we usually buy the best Crispy Pata. We tried this new place and glad to find they have "inherited" my mom's favorite delicious dish. Their ambiance really speaks out the restaurant's name as old family pictures in large frames and mirrors hung on walls and ceilings. The motif of black and white for the tables and chairs adds a classic look.

Assumption road. A bit away from Session Road but still walking distance. 

7. Ili-Likha

Location: Assumption road, in front of the Saint Louis Elementary School
A food community built by the same artist who built the Oh My Gulay Restaurant, this place encourages healthy eating with the organic and healthy menus the different food stalls offer. You can easily tell the similarity in ambiance with Oh My Gulay by the built-in art in walls and floors. I was only able to try a few, Lihim ni Maria's fried ice cream and basil sandwich.

Mines View Area. A little further from the Ketchup Community

8. Amare La Cucina

Location: Within Albergo Hotel, a few meters from where they rent the horses
Perfect pizza! So far the best brick-oven pizza I have ever tasted. This place definitely tops my list of great sumptuous thin-crust pizza. Every bite is a delight. Their house blend of Mint iced tea is a must-try. But for the coffee lover, their Capuccino is really smooth. I have been wanting to go to this place because of numerous good reviews and was finally able to. And all I can say is it was all worth the rave.

10 places to visit in Bacolod, Silay, Talisay and Bago

Bacolod City! The city of smiles and known for their yearly Masskara festival. We were astounded by the numerous things Bacolod and the nearby cities in Negros Occidental has to offer as we feasted with our eyes and our stomach. Here's the top 10 places to visit.

1. Hofileña's Museum

Location: Silay City
Entrance fee: Php60-80

One of the heritage houses in Silay, it is the home of Sir Ramon Hofileña, one of the nine children of the late Manuel Severino Hofileña. He is now 81 years old and he was so gracious enough to accommodate us and give us a tour even when it was already past closing time (5:00 pm).

He still remembers a lot, not only about the history of the house but of historical events. As we go from one corner to corner we get a part of a story of how an item like a furniture or antique bust came to be or atleast an experience with that certain object. There are so many things I can write about Sir Mon and his house that I have to create another separate blog. (watch out for it :) ) But yes, do visit his house and prepare to spend atleast a half day if you want a complete version of his stories. We had a limited time due to the fact it was getting late and he looked tired although he was enthusiastic until we left.

2. Balay ni Tana Dicang Museum

Location: Talisay City
Entrance fee: Php40-80

Yet another house to marvel, it wasn't just the furniture or the structure that made it interesting. It was the stories of the past regarding the household which adds more color to the place. For instance, while Tana Dicang was still alive,  her guests were either served with a chocolate drink of thick consistency or thin consistency. Those that she favored were those served with thick consistency which was of course more delicious.

the grand living room

first floor where it used to be garage of carriages, the room at the left is Tana Dicang's sewing room

Tana Dicang was fond of symbols

Her guests were not so-so as one photo reveals. She was seated in between President Manuel Quezon and Vice-president Sergio Osmeña.

Another funny tactic which Tana Dicang did was if she wanted to avoid accommodating guests, she would pass through a secret trapdoor below her bed leading to her sewing room on the first floor.

There's so much past stories in the house, you got to hear and see for yourself.

3. Negros Museum

Location: Bacolod City
Entrance fee: 40-100

Aside from the houses, the Museum also got its own items to showcase. Ranging from the pre-hispanic era to the European, American, Japanese era, there is a mark from every country which arrived at the Negros region. Here I got to know that Negros was named as such because of the Negritos who were the first people the Spaniards came across when they reached the island.

a predominant type of tiles imported from spain, the machuca can be seen in other Museums and old houses too.

A gallery that you must not miss is the toy collection of Mara Montelibano. It is not just any ordinary toy gallery as there are items from all over the world from different points in history. Photographs are prohibited but is really worth visiting.

4. Bacolod City Hall (New Government Center)

Location: Bacolod City

Tired of the old? Here's something new. The newly constructed city hall has a grand water fountain which is best viewed at night when the colorful lights are lit to accentuate the front of the structure.

We visited there in the morning of a Sunday unfortunately, but the caretaker of the fountain was kind enough to turn on the fountain for us to take pictures.

5. Negros Farmers Weekend Market

Location: Bacolod City

This is the best place to taste different cuisine from restaurants and small-scale food business owners mostly using organic ingredients.

We were lucky they had an event earlier so many vendors were present. They only open on weekends though.

6. SM, San Sebastian Church, and BongBong's Delicacies

Location: Bacolod City

I put these three together because of their close proximity from each other. We shopped a bit for souvenirs at BongBongs and found out that piaya was more delicious when hot and freshly made. It was also my first time to try Napoleones and it was sooo delicious although it was overloaded with sugar.

Just across it is the plaza and the San Sebastian Church is a stone throw's away. SM is also a few meters away.

7. Calea Dessert shop

Location: Bacolod City

The most enticing bakeshop I have ever entered! They have imported chocolate cake, cheesecakes, ice cream cakes and pastries such as cream puffs. This place was recommended by a friend who is from Bacolod. We took her advise on getting the chocolate cake and cream puff. They definitely did not disappoint.

We wanted to taste as much as we could so we got a bit of some of their bestsellers. Yum!

8. The Ruins

Location: Talisay City
Entrance fee: 20 - 40

A visit to Negros Occidental is never complete without setting foot in the famous Ruins. Just a few minutes drive from the airport, the Ruins is one place where you'll get an eyeful from the lush well-maintained lawn to the structure itself.

The original fountain was also preserved. Our tour guide named James was hilarious. He delivered the tour with everyone including me laughing our heads off at every stop.

9. Bacolod Inasal at Chicken Deli and Ading's Pala-pala

Location: Bacolod City

We definitely had to taste the original bacolod inasal. It was very much similar to the famous Mang Inasal we have back home but I can tell there was something different but equally delicious.

Ading's Pala-pala is a great place to get seafood. And I mean fresh seafood. They have an area where you choose which seafood you want from those on display and how many kilograms and how do you want it served. They can cook it by grilling, baking, saute or soup. It reminded me of the seafood market we visited in Sabah. We ordered grilled scallops, fish sinigang, grilled salmon and shrimps. Its best to be there before noon to avoid the crowd.

10. OISCA Negros Silk Center

Location: Bago City

The silk center is where you can get to see how silk is made from silk worms. You'll get to see the machines and some manual tedious process to create one of the most expensive fabric.

I have included a map to give an idea on where these places are. There are still other destinations yet to be explored. I can't wait to get back if I have another chance.