Top 5 Things I'm Loving Now - May 1, 2012

If you’re an avid visitor of spot.ph, an entertainment and lifestyle website, you would be familiar with this format. In fact, I watch out for it every week. It’s a Top 10 list with random things that the writer is loving at the moment. It may be neat gadget, a yummy drink or popsicle find from their nearest 7Eleven or a cool event that’s happening in the metro. It’s as random as can be. That’s the format I’m trying to incorporate in this blog.



So here’s my very first Top 5 Things I’m Loving at the Moment. I really wanted to write about 10 initially. But in order to have more updates, I though I’d resort to 5...for now. ;-)


Number 5: Southern Blend Iced Tea from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

 For their tea of the day, I had the choice between the Southern Blend and Vanilla Ceylon. I was going to get the latter but it’s a good thing that I decided to ask the cashier what the Southern Blend exactly is. The cashier was going to enumerate it. But when he first said the taste of flower petals, I was already sold. I didn’t bother to hear the rest. I love Jasmine tea and Chrysanthemum. This shouldn’t be far off, I thought. Well, it isn’t. The drink is nice and refreshing. Just the right amount of sweetness and it goes down very smoothly. If you’re not a fan of tea because you don’t like the tannin aftertaste, that won’t be a problem for this drink. It’s not too noticeable. If you’ve been to Memphis, this drink is exactly like their Sweet Tea there. Really yummy!


The drink only costs P95 for the regular size. Pair it with the Triple Decker Cheesecake at P135 a slice like I did and you should be off to an indulgent and well-deserved afternoon treat!


Number 4: SM Bonus Liquid Floor Wax




Sorry the bottle looks icky. You can tell it's being used a lot! ;-)

 You probably don’t know this about me. But I’m really OC or anal when it comes to cleaning the house. Naturally, there are particular cleaning products that I lean towards that do the job as it should. Often, I have the mindset that the more expensive it is, the better it cleans. After discovering SM Bonus’ liquid floor wax, I was proven wrong. I always went for Pledge. It does fine but SM Bonus’ liquid wax does it better.


The purchase was an “accident.” Working for BDO, my husband was given Sodexo GCs after Christmas. Our only option for grocery shopping was SM Hypermart. And since SM, for obvious reasons, is loyal to their own SM bonus brand, they wiped out the other competition. That is precisely the reason why they don’t sell brands like Colgate, Pledge, and the like. Needing liquid wax badly at that time for my OC weekend cleaning, I was ‘stuck’ with the SM Bonus brand. And I’m glad I was. The SM Bonus liquid wax really does make the floor so shiny! I could almost see my reflection our wooden floor! It stays shiny longer too than Pledge. I can’t remember the exact price but I’m pretty sure it’s at least P20 cheaper than Pledge?


Number 3: “Decorate: 1000 Professional Ideas Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home” book



Source: http://www.thetomkatstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DECORATE-book1.jpg



I’m always fond of going to bookstores when I need to kill time. My recent find is “Decorate” by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick at the National Bookstore in the PowerPlant Mall. I’m sure this book is available in other stores and branches.


I say that this is one of the things that I’m loving at the moment because the book is truly inspiring! Upon skimming the whole book, it made me want immediately run home and redecorate! The book is loaded with pictures for inspiration and their design sense is almost Ikea-ish. The rooms they feature look lived-in and not like model homes (which often do not have televisions!) I mean, really, do you know anyone who doesn’t have a television or two at home??!?? They feature modern homes that still look homey. There are bits and splashes of colour everywhere and most of all, all the homes have character! These are not intimidating homes though. You can easily be inspired by the pictures to make tiny changes in your home that are inexpensive but will draw a lot of impact.


The book retails at P1,545. Decorate away! ;-)


Number 2: Ink eMagazines at http://www.ink-live.com/

I found out about this website from another blog that I frequent. It was one of the links that he included in his entry to forward us to an article that he wrote. Anyway, I became giddy as I explored the website. What a gem! And it’s all free! All you have to do is register, really.


In a nutshell, this is a website that allows free access to airline magazines. When you fly with Cebu Pacific, they have the Smile magazine right? Well, this is available here – back issues included! To top it all off, other magazines like TimeOut Singapore, Thomas Cook’s Travel, Jetstar, Air Macau, Holland Herald and 45 others! Upon registering, just make sure to click on “Update Profile” on the top right corner, then “Select Magazines” so you can add the magazines that you wish to have access to. Such excellent travel resource! In particular, I love reading those destination blurbs in the Smile magazine near the end. Each domestic and international destination that Cebu Pacific flies to has a little section. The contributor is a local of that place and they talk about their most favorite secret breakfast place, bar, best food recommendation, and the like. This is sooooo helpful if you’re the assigned itinerary creator in your trip like I am. ;-)


Although you can access this as well in any mobile device like your iPad, just a note that you really need a fast connection to access this. Otherwise, it’s easy to get frustrated. I wish that they would allow downloading of their issues straight from the website into the iBook or something. This way, you can access them and read them even when you’re offline or even if your wifi is slow.


Number 1: Golden Euphoria Cake from Maitre Chocolatier

When looking at any restaurant menu, it’s very rare to find the actual food serving looking better than it is in the picture. Especially when it comes to dessert.

Well, Maitre Chocolatier really did impress! Not only is their food better looking than their pictures but the cake that we had was truly amazing! I’m talking about their Golden Euphoria –Ferrero Hazelnut Cake. The name alone begs for high expectations already. And the ohhh the pictures! The actual dessert? Real orgasmic. ;-) Hahaha! The texture mixes smooth and crunchy really well. Chocolate is everywhere in different levels of sweetness and texture. Meant to be savored one tiny though indulgent bite at a time and definitely NOT meant for sharing! Trust me on this or else a fight might ensue! ;-) Hahaha! This one definitely made my list of Top 5 dessert of all time.

A slice of the Golden Euphoria costs P218. I’m trying to remember but I think we had to pay extra for VAT and Service Charge. Maitre Chocolatier is along Jupiter Street Extension in Makati. Coming from Makati Avenue, go to the Jupiter part heading to the MRT. It’s near the Starbuck’s there. Enjoy your orgasm! Oooops, I meant dessert! ;-) LOL

Like Visiting Grandma's House

When you ask people for a list of restaurants that exemplify Filipino cuisine, the places that are repeatedly mentioned include Fely J's, Abe, Sentro, and Cafe Juanita. I've eaten at Fely J's and Abe and enjoyed my meals there each time. I have yet to try Sentro. But as for Cafe Juanita, I finally had a chance to dine there over the weekend. Cafe Juanita also has a branch in Pasig, but we opted to go to the Burgos Circle branch in Taguig. So much has been written about Cafe Juanita in blogs, magazines, and newspapers. It was even recommended in the book, "Manila By Day." They were all rave reviews. Needless to say, we had really high expectations of the place. So in the end, were we disappointed? Read on and find out...;-)

My husband and I were very hungry so we ordered quite a feast. Here's what we had:

Juanita's Caesar Salad (we asked them to hold the croutons) PhP 275

Gambas Ala Jillo PhP 237

Two-Way Pork Adobo Ribs PhP 495

Yang Chow Fried Rice PhP 187

Sticky Toffee Pudding PhP127

And here are my general impressions:

1.) Ambience -- "Kitschy" is the most appropriate adjective to describe the decor and feel of the place. We've got feathers, antiques, embroidered linen, floral everything, and even some Christmas decor (in July!) It seems as if you're just visiting your Grandma's place. There's a ton of knick knacks in such a small place. But you know what? I really liked it. The place has character and the fact that it's like anyone's Grandma's house make it truly endearing. ;-)

2.) The place is a bit small. If you're one who gets claustrophobic, request for a table on the second floor instead. Or a table by the window with a view. We went on a Sunday and there were a number of people there. We sat on the first floor -- the table that's next to the bar and cashier. It wasn't a very good spot because first off, it was a little dark in the area. The place could really use better lighting, altogether. The spaces between other tables and chairs were quite small too. It seemed as if anyone could easily eavesdrop on your conversation.

3.) Service -- The waiters were very attentive. They fill up your glass with water without even requesting it. We didn't have to wait too long for our food too. In fact, I don't think we waited more than five minutes before the first dish arrived. I also appreciated how the food arrived in the type of meal course. For instance, the salad arrived before the main dish and the rice arrived together with our viands. Perfect! The waiters were trained very well! ;-)

4.) Caesar Salad -- Nothing spectacular, really. I think they scrimped on the dressing. The lettuce was nice and crispy though. At PhP 275, I think it was too expensive. The pricing is a bit strange, actually. How can their Caesar Salad be priced higher than their Gambas? If you're dining here, you can definitely skip this one.

5.) Gambas ala Jillo -- This one was served with mushrooms and about 8-10 pcs of shrimps. It was very scrumptious, alright. Definitely something that I would order again. You can tell that the shrimps were fresh and although it burst with flavor, the sauce wasn't overpowering. Two thumbs up! ;-)

6.) Yang Chow Fried Rice -- Ooooh, they were quite generous with the shrimps! And I loved how the fried rice isn't greasy at all. Their Yang Chow is tasty enough that you can eat it on its own and mild enough in flavor that you can eat with a viand too. The only down side is that for all the dishes that we ordered, portions are quite small. Realistically, they're enough to satisfy two people or one person with a hearty appetite!

7.) Two-Way Pork Adobo -- The main thing that this dish has going for it is the fact that the meat is very very tender. It melts in your mouth and you can cut it in smaller portions without the use of a knife! All you'll need to do is just poke it with your fork and there goes the smaller portions! ;-) It's the most tender Adobo that I've ever had in my life. But sad to say, it wasn't the best-tasting adobo I've ever had in my life though. I think my mother-in-law's Adobo is better. And in terms of flavor, I think even my Adobo could compete?!?? ;-) I think what the Adobo needs is more garlic. We need more of that zing. The flavor is too mild.

8.) Sticky Toffee Pudding -- I'm only going to say this once and you better listen well. Do not, I repeat do NOT leave Cafe Juanita without ordering this dessert! ;-) Oh my. I think I'm in love! ;-) It's a simple equation: Moist pudding + warm and sticky toffee + cold Vanilla ice cream = pure heaven! I loved the mixture between hot and cold. The pudding wasn't too sweet but when you bring them all together in your mouth -- all the flavors and textures -- WOW! Just a suggestion. If you're dining at Cafe Juanita with somebody else, don't bother offering to share it. No matter how full you get, you WILL be able to finish a whole serving on your own. Tell your friend to order his own! ;-) Hahaha!

In a word, I would describe Cafe Juanita as very homey. Their food has that homecooked "feel." Everything, it seems, is cooked with simple ingredients but done quite well. We were there on a Sunday afternoon. And it was just like we were visiting Grandma's house and feasting on Grandma's cooking. The true definition of "Comfort Food." Definitely an experience that we will revisit in the very very near future! ;-)

Note: I only used a camera phone to take the pictures. Sorry they're dark and blurry. Check out these other links for pictures of the location and their menu

OUR AWESOME PLANET

FOODIE BUDGET TRAVELER

CAFE JUANITA

Unit WS-2 Burgos Circle

Forbestown Center, Fort Bonifacio

Taguig City

For Reservations: 403-1952

Hawker Heaven and a Beauty Find at Resorts World Manila

Resorts World Manila is beginning to be my new favorite place. Never mind the fact that finding an available parking spot can be a nightmare in itself. Last Saturday evening, we had planned to go there for a nightcap. But seeing that there's no available parking in any of the 2 outdoor parking lots and of that one connected to Newport, we had to turn back, make a change of plan, and head to BGC instead.


Tonight was no different, actually. Parking is still a nightmare. But we toughed it out this time. We lined up at the parking lot across Marriott and waited until people left and parking spaces cleared out. When we got there, we were the 6th car in line. Thank God that two of the cars ahead of us backed out. We were fourth in line now and in total, we still had to wait 20 minutes. They really have to do something about this parking issue.


Well, enough of my ranting. ;-) Once we got inside Newport, everything had been forgotten. We were starving and we decided to have dinner at the Old Penang Restaurant to satisfy my craving for hawker fare. You can find the Old Penang Restaurant on the 4th floor of Newport. It's right across McDonald's and it's on the same floor as the cinemas.


There's nothing fancy about the restaurant's decor. There's little space between the tables and the chairs really aren't that comfortable. You're sitting on stools, actually. They're wooden and there's nothing to rest your back on. Except for the framed black and white pictures of old Malaysia, there's really no other decor in the place. It just has the bare essentials.

When we entered the restaurant, a waiter promptly greeted us and led us to a table. Within one short minute, the menus were quickly handed out, utensils were laid out, and the waiter was able to help us make our choices. We asked about their bestsellers and the waiter, without skipping a beat, said that it was their Char Kway Teow and Roasted Chicken that topped the list. Looking around, it seemed that these were the same things that the other patrons ordered. And they looked sumptious! We trusted the waiter and ordered these along with an extra cup of Chicken Rice (the Roasted Chicken only came with 1 cup of rice) and Iced Teh Tarik to drink.

After five minutes, the first to arrive were our beverages. I took a sip of the Iced Teh Tarik (PhP85) and it did taste authentic. It wasn't too sweet that it completely masked the tea. It was just right. But for PhP85 per glass, I found it priced a little too steep. I wish they had made the serving much larger or they could bring the price down a bit. After all, a third of the glass is really just ice anyway.

A couple of minutes later, the Hainanese Roasted Chicken Set (PhP245) plus our extra Hainanese Rice (PhP50) were served. We were also served a tiny bowl of condiments for the chicken. Mixed in there already is the minced ginger, chili sauce, and soy sauce. So what did we think of their Hainanese Roasted Chicken Set? First off, we were quite impressed with the serving size. The chicken is good for 2-3 people! The meat is not as tender as the ones at Wee Nam Kee but I think Old Penang's version is definitely much tastier. The skin is soft and bursting with flavor! As for the Chicken Rice, I've had better but all in all, it's really not bad. That's just me being picky though. ;-) Altogether, we were impressed. A mere ten minutes away from where we live, we will definitely be back at Old Penang to satisfy a Hainanese chicken craving!

Oh, but we're not done with the meal yet! Just as we were enjoying our Hainanese Chicken, the Char Kway Teow (PhP220) arrived just a couple of minutes after. It was piping hot and had all the toppings that a Char Kway Teow should have. It had enough scrambled eggs, a couple of large shrimps, bean sprouts, onions, chorizo, and a few greens. The other Char Kway Teows that I've had here in Manila often ended up being too greasy. The one at Old Penang, thankfully, was not. The noodles are as gooey and "slimy" as they should be but I wish they had put in more bean sprouts. I like how the texture of the noodles juxtapose with the crunch of the bean sprouts. As for the taste, I'm sure it could be better but it's close enough to how I've had it in Singapore. It hits the spot just right. ;-)

The food at the Old Penang is a definite two thumbs up. But what's even more remarkable is the service. We were really impressed! Their waiters and staff are not only quick on their feet but they're quite attentive too. We had asked for the bill already and the waitress had started clearing our table. Even then, I was surprised that she came back to hand me a cold glass of water. It's like she read my mind. I had a glass of the Teh Tarik and was feeling a bit thirsty. And without needing to ask, the glass of cold water was served. Another waiter was in charge with processing our credit card payment. Jojo and I were in the middle of our conversation when the receipt and credit card were handed back to us in one of those leather booklets. After Jojo signed the bill, the waiter took the time to remove the credit card and receipt from the booklet and personally handed it back to Jojo. I guess he was thinking that we might forget to take it out of the leather booklet so he took the initiative to hand it back. It's these small gestures that really count. We were really pleased with the service at Old Penang. They really go out of their way to please their customers. This is one of the reasons why you'll definitely see us back there. To boot, the food is great and the prices -- for the most part, are reasonable too. It's the perfect place for a satisfying meal that is sure to transport you to Hawker Heaven! I can't wait to try the other items on their menu on our subsequent visits! ;-)

This is completely off topic but apart from Old Penang, I'd also like to share a shopping find that I discovered at one of the shops in Newport. On a recent visit a few weeks back, we bought a couple of the PhP65 face masks that we found at The Face Shop just for kicks When we got home, we immediately tried it after I was able to successfully convince Jojo to put on the face mask as well. ;-) After all, I didn't want to be only "silly-looking" one. Jojo had to be silly-looking WITH me. ;-) Well, you know what? We liked the results. Jojo commented that the face mask gave his face a certain glow. ;-) It made our skin a bit more firmer too. Because of that, Jojo and I excitedly went to The Face Shop at Newport to buy more and try the other masks as well. I didn't know which one to pick since all the other masks looked quite interesting. There's a Mung Bean face mask, cereal, lemon, and so many other variants. They also have a special promo which I just have to share. If you buy five of any combination from the Jasmine and Fennel variant, Geranium and Everlasting Flower, and/or Tea Tree and Bergamot, you can get a free Oil Pore Minimizer Sampler Set. Each of the mask sheets cost PhP95. Buy five of these for a total of PhP475 and you get the sample set too. The sampler set consists of 30 ml Controlling Toner with Powder, 30 ml Controlling Emulsion, and 5 ml Controlling Essence -- all aiming to minimize pores. I have yet to try it to see how effective it is. But so far, The Face Shop hasn't failed me. I've tried their nail polishes too and I like how they stay on without chipping. My skin is very sensitive and their mask sheets hasn't caused my skin to break out. That's a good sign. I have a feeling their Pore Minimizer Sample Set might just be as effective too. I couldn't pass up a great deal. Five mask sheets and a sample set for only PhP475. What a steal! There's still more on stock. Hurry on in to Newport's The Face Shop to catch the deal too! ;-)

Pizza from my Childhood

As a major cheese lover, naturally, I enjoy pizzas with loads of cheese! It can be pizza with 'authentic' and imported cheeses. Or it can simply be the processed type that you find in local groceries here in Manila. For me, cheese is cheese. As to which one I prefer, it really depends on the day and my mood. ;-)

For the real deal when it comes to cheeses, we often go to hotel buffets for those. Or for pizzas with loads of mozarella, we either head to Yellow Cab or Brooklyn Pizza. But when I'm craving for processed cheese (you better believe it! ;-), we often head to our trusted Lot'sAPizza stall. Their pizzas remind me of the ones that I used to eat as snacks in our cafeteria when I studied in La Salle. I was only in that school until Grade 4 but nonetheless, I still had a lot of fond memories there. And it's these type of pizzas that bring back those many memories with my childhood friends, which, thanks to Facebook, I still keep in touch with up now! ;-) If you grew up in the Philippines, I think you know which type of pizza I'm talking about. They're the pizzas with thin and super soft crusts -- almost like bread, actually. It comes with processed ham to go with the processed cheese and sweet tomato sauce. ;-) Yes, it goes against everything that a pizza should be right? ;-) More than anything, it's catered to the Filipino palate that hates anything bland and subtle when it comes to flavors. For most of you, you might even feel a bit grossed out if you're not used to this type of cuisine. I'm not always fond of these flavors. I still opt for subtle flavors. But for my guilty pleasure, these type of pizzas are my go-to ones for comfort food. I just loooove them! ;-)

Well, for years, we've been going to Lot'sAPizza for these type of pizzas. We've been finding though that each time we order, the cheese keeps getting sparser and sparser! Even if we pay to add extra cheese, it's still not as cheesy as it used to be.

So you can imagine how excited my husband and I got when we came across this great find at Cash & Carry. Not only is the location convenient to us since it's in Makati, but the pizza is SOOOO much better than Lot'sAPizza's! Have a look at the family size Ham and Cheese Pizza that we ordered below. ;-)

It's from a stall called Patricia's Pizza on the ground floor of Cash & Carry. You'll find it outside the grocery store -- on the opposite side of National Bookstore. You'll find it on your way to the washroom.

That's how we found the stall, actually. On our way to the washroom, we got curious because there was a whole line up on this stall. And poor thing, there was only one guy acting as cashier and cook! Or should I say 'pizza heater'? ;-) The pizzas were all ready in their boxes and just had to be heated up. But don't be turned off by that. It seems that the turnover is quick. I'm sure the pizzas were freshly baked.

Anyway, would you believe that we got that whole thing for only 110 pesos??!?? And it's soooo good! The cheese oozes and when you grab a slice you can see strings of cheese resisting. ;-) The crust is a little thick yet soft and chewy. The sauce, on the other hand, just has the right hint of sweetness. Not overpowering at all. Best of all, they don't scrimp on the toppings. There's enough ham and the cheese is just all over! ;-) It was a family size pizza but believe it or not, Jojo and I finished it between the two of us. I had 3 slices and Jojo had the rest. (Sorry for 'outing' you hon!) ;-) We practically inhaled the whole thing in the car on our way to my in-laws. The whole thing was gone just right before we got to Pasay. ;-)

Why not give it a try and if you grew up in the Philippines, be transported to your childhood like I was? ;-) Who would have guessed how, many years later, the distinct smell and taste of school cafeteria food can give us comfort and a smile on our faces? ;-)

Curious yet? ;-) Check out the pizza box below to locate the nearest Patricia's Pizza outlet. ;-)

IMAGE SOURCE:

Lot'sAPizza picture = http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/ss332/dwindle18/IMG_0362.jpg

Finding the Puto Bumbong of my Dreams! ;-)

As you can probably already tell from the title of this post, puto bumbong is my most favorite Filipino dessert ever! I don't think it's because of the fact that it's a dessert associated with Christmas and therefore, have to wait in anticipation all year before I can have it. It's not that. It's because it's just soooo damn good! I like how the butter/margarine, muscovado sugar, and grated fresh coconut go so well with the soft and gooey sweetness of the puto bumbong itself. It's just heavenly! ;-)

Being a big fan of puto bumbong, naturally, I've had them in so many different places. I've tasted the food court-type puto bumbong, from a stall near the churches I went to after Christmas mass, to the fancy type in restaurants, and finally, even the ones that you can find in public markets. Out of all these, the one that impressed me the most is one that Jojo's sister, Del, buys us from Sta. Clara de Montefalco after Sunday masses during the Christmas season. This church is in Pasay City -- near the intersection of Pasay Road and Burgos Street. She gets them for the outstanding price of....20 pesos!!! And that comes with two long pieces of puto bumbong and all the accompaniment that goes with it.

I didn't think the puto bumbong there could possibly be outdone since it's really already very very good! It's smooth and with just with the right amount of gooey sweetness as it is. Well, you know what? It has been outdone and I'll tell you exactly where I found THE best puto bumbong in Metro Manila!

The answer? It's at Benny's at Rustan's Makati. It's across Glorietta 5 and right in front of Rustan's grocery store. One order comes with fine muscovado sugar, freshly grated coconut, and 2 pieces of the smoothest, chewiest, and yummiest puto bumbong ever!!! Most puto bumbong sellers use margarine as a topping but the puto bumbong at Benny's is a little more sinful and 'decadent.' They use butter! Woohoo! ;-) Combine all of these perfect little details and there you have it -- a perfect Puto Bumbong by my standards! ;-)

The price is a little steep in comparison to those sold near churches or inside public markets. One order at Benny's costs 60 pesos. Yes, that's 200% more than the usual but trust me when I say it's oh-so-worth it! ;-)

If you order it for take-out, it only costs 60 pesos. But if you choose to sit down and eat the puto bumbong inside Benny's, you'll have to pay additional for service charge. It's not a lot. For one order, you'll end up having to pay 66 pesos just like I did. It's still not bad.

I'm not sure if they'll be offering puto bumbong all year or it's only available for the holiday season. Either way, hurry on in and try out my most favorite puto bumbong in the metro. And if still, you find one that can outdo this one, PLEASE leave me a note and let me know where. Frankly, I don't think the puto bumbong at Benny's can be outdone. But this is one time when I would really like to be proven wrong...;-)

My Current Addiction

If you know me or are a follower of this blog, you're probably thinking that this is another shopping entry. ;-) Yes, I AM addicted to shopping too. But no, this is not a shopping entry. It revolves around my second love, actually. And that is: eating! ;-)

In particular, I'll be talking about some of my favorite grocery store-bought snacks. When my husband and I watch a movie at home, our go-to snack is Ruffles Cheddar and Sour Cream. The chips are not only very crunchy but the combination of the sour cream and cheddar (lots of it!) is just perfect! We don't even need a dip to go with it. Actually, eating it with dip is not a very good idea since the chips alone seem "sinful" as it is. The dip will just be piling the calories some more.

When we have a hankering for chips with dip, we go for the cheese or sour cream-flavored Piattos. It's a local brand and it tastes very light. It goes really well with a homemade dip. Just buy some sour cream (we go for Nestle), chop some garlic, mix it together, and let it cool. Take it out of the fridge after a few minutes and there you have it! Just remember to gargle with mouthwash or at least, pop in some breath mints after eating this. Pity the people around you who will have to stand your dragon breath if you don't! ;-)

Here in Asia, seafood-flavored chips is a big deal. Give it a chance. They're really not bad. Our favorite is Okeji Tempura Chips. The chips are light and airy with a mild crunch. There are bursts of flavor everywhere and because it seems like a light snack, it would be easy to eat it mindlessly. You're watching a movie, you have a large bag in front of you and before you know it, you've actually finished more than half of it on your own! ;-) That's probably why they only sell large bags of Okeji. I haven't seen any grocery store sell them in small bags...

Although I don't get to have it very often, another favorite of mine are Ikea's Dill-flavored chips. I only get to buy these when we're out of the country since it's not available here. The flavor of the chips certainly wakes up your taste buds. It's a unique taste, actually. I imagine not everyone will like it. But if you enjoy eating salt n' vinegar-flavored chips, this should become a favorite. It's sour and salty combined really well. I love it!

Just recently, Jojo and I found two new faves. That's actually an understatement. More aptly, they should be called our current addiction! ;-) One of them is called Red Rock Deli Chips. We discovered it by chance. We were at Rustan's grocery and there was a stall that offered us a free taste of the different variants. The flavors that are available here are Honey Soy Chicken,
Sea Salt, Lime and Black Pepper, and the one that we liked the most -- Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream. We got to try the others and none of them were bad. In fact, a close second favorite would be Lime and Black Pepper. ;-) We only needed to buy one bag though so we chose to get Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream -- the flavor that the the two of us unanimously voted as our number one choice! ;-) I found out that Red Rock Deli also makes chips with the Tzatziki flavor. Wow! This might potentially bump off Sweet Chilli and Sour Cream as my number one! It's too bad that it's not available here yet. Just gotta wait! In the meantime, we'll be stocking up on our new favorite chips which brags that they have "authentic seasonings, no artificial flavors, and colours or preservatives." How great is that! ;-)

Another healthy snack that I discovered was actually introduced to me by a co-worker. My friend Yazmin, being a mother of five, always has a bag full of snacks wherever she goes. ;-) She's one who likes to try new things at the grocery too. One time, she shared with me a new find. They're rice crackers so at first, I wasn't interested. I'm not really fond of rice crackers. When she offered it again and convinced me that I would like it, I decided to give it a chance. They're called One One Hot Chilli-Flavor Rice Crackers by Monde. It says in the package that it has no cholesterol and that it's baked which translates to a healthier snack. One bag comes with 10 small packs of rice crackers with two pieces in each bag. I wondered why they had to be wrapped individually like that. I was thinking what a waste it was of plastic. But when I took the first bite, I understood why. Man, these rice crackers are VERY crunchy! Oooooh and the flavor, wow! There's a burst of flavor from the first bite to the last! I absolutely loved it! Now to be honest with you, of course it does not compare with Ruffles chips. But for a much healthier alternative, it will do. It has the flavor, it has the crunch, what else do you need? ;-) I imagine that in the future, they'll have variants of this in other flavors. Hopefully they come up with a cheese-flavored one! ;-)

Planning for a movie night at home? You might want to try one of my favorites above. You might end up liking it. In the mean time, 3 more days till the weekend! ;-)

SOURCES:

http://www.fritolay.com/assets/images/blue/RUFFLES_Cheddar_Sour_Cream.gif

http://www.philamfood.com/images/P/4800016671500.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55sw01pgJfHUqdLjcdVcRgx5IR3mvaoRRZh7KJORG8p1jSGpHByqIYeQz0xwqymnZLuLaC2Q7K7mb9tXkuhSd_yS08nQHTnuWZBRE7-F6r-V1FkT5wX_vDtuCYAC_i7dMTsfP3LczaTL3/s400/21062008394.jpg

http://www.pinoygoods.net/img/p/121-167-large.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNPukBbb-OdQswi4PZnZkWABE3fPZblz5KFNaL9iBhXhVoIMjSoUZoCCXy4mgOleFqcKnmuN4NN0mLWWujT538DXSjJuZEftJbSfAL24zvrq2yCk7MenXoFBI4aLQyKSyGUE7KiWkYbs8/s400/IMG_0650s.jpg

http://www.mondenissin.com/images/products/large/monde/monde_products/one_one_rice_crackers.jpg

Top 10 Comfort Foods that I Miss in Calgary, Canada

In the spirit of Canada Day (July 1st), I'd like to share with you a list of all the food that I miss from Canada and in Calgary, in particular. As you may or may not know, I grew up in Calgary and just moved to the Philippines right after I graduated university. I've been in the Philippines for 6 years now and I've only been back in Calgary twice since then! But during my visits there or when I have relatives from Canada that come over to Manila, I never fail to ask them to bring me the items below for pasalubong. Manila is known to be pretty diverse and offers a good collection of international food items at grocery stores, delis, and restaurants. But sadly, none of the items below are available in Manila. Or if they do have them here, they just pale in comparison that I don't even bother to get them. Well, if you happen to be going on a trip to Canada or know people from there who will be coming over for a visit, you might want to jot down the list below. Trust me, you're in it for a treat! This is the best of what Canada has to offer. For all of us who are not going to Canada anytime soon, let's just pray, cross our fingers and hope that these are on their way to Manila soon! ;-)

1o.) Donairs

I just found out that this is a Canadian creation. From its Turkish roots, it's been given a twist. It's kind of like a shawarma or gyro, but not. ;-) The pita is toasted, added with cheese, beef or chicken, fresh tomatoes and onions. But instead of sprinkling it with a tzatziki dip, the donair has a much sweeter sauce. From my research, they say that the donair sauce is a mixture of condensed milk, vinegar, and sugar. It's really a very very yummy combination! Our go-to places for donairs in Calgary are My Donair and Uncle Moe's Donairs and Falafels.

9.) Safeway's Whole Roasted Chicken

Safeway is a grocery store that's not only available in Canada. It's also available in the United States although I don't think it's as famous there as it is in Canada. Also, for those that have tried Safeway's Roasted Chicken, you might say that our own S&R, Kenny Roger's, or even Baliwag Chicken is better. But there are days when I just crave for Safeway's type of chicken. It's peppery, very tender, light, and subtle in its flavor. I remember passing through Safeway with my family for an instant lunch during lazy and very wintery Sundays after mass in Calgary. We'd take the roasted chicken home and eat it with rice. Oftentimes, we'd dip the chicken in our concoction of soy sauce and melted butter for extra flavor. It reminds me of that warm, fuzzy feeling of being surrounded by family. And the chicken is great to boot! I haven't had anything as tender as Safeway's roasted chicken. ;-)

8.) Perogies and Sour Cream

Perogies are actually a Polish staple. But because Canada is so multicultural, perogies had long been introduced to the country through its large Polish population. Now, perogies are so common that you can order them in restaurants or buy them frozen at grocery stores! They come in so many delightful flavors and they're very easy to make. When you buy them frozen, they look like a cross between large Asian dumplings and Mexican empanadas. The difference is that the dough is not as soft as dumplings and they're not as thick and hard as empanadas either. Perogies come in so many different flavors and combinations of the following: cheese, potatoes, spinach, cabbage, sauerkraut, and meat. To cook them, you have a choice of boiling them to get that soft and gooey texture or by frying them in butter. How I usually cook mine is by boiling them so it's healthier. Then, after I drain them, I immediately put a bit of butter on top to let it melt. You may choose to put bacon bits on top too. I put a generous amount of sour cream on everything and there you go! But if you're health-conscious, you can eat it plain and still enjoy them.

I've been on the lookout for perogies here in Manila and I haven't found them yet. Earle's and Santi's Deli don't have them either. Although I have yet to check S & R for them. One of my students said that they're available there in bulk.

7.) Coffee and 'Timbits' at Tim Horton's

Krispy Kreme lasted only 2 odd years in Calgary before it decided to close down. Tim Horton's, on the other hand, must have been around even before I was born! And I think Tim Horton's is there to stay. Just like maple syrup, Tim Horton's is one of those things that people associate Canada to. Dunkin' Donuts can be found anywhere in the world but would you believe that we don't have that in Calgary??!?? Well, I think it's because Tim Horton's might have "monopolized" the coffee and donut industry in Canada. But you won't hear any complaints from me. ;-)

Tim Horton's has one of the best coffee I've ever tasted. It's brewed but it's not too strong. There's no weird aftertaste too. And it hits the spot perfectly, especially during harsh, cold, and "slushy" winters in Calgary. ;-) The coffee goes so well with what we call "Timbits." You know, I've gotten so used to calling those little donuts 'timbits' that I call them that when I order from Gonuts or Dunkin or Krispy Kreme. And I only realize that after I get that strange look from the cashier. ;-) They're aptly named don't you think? ;-) Anyway, Tim Horton's Timbits are soft (though not too too soft like Krispy Kreme), not too sweet, and they perfectly complement the coffee. There's no sugar rush or ick feeling after downing them both. What's more, when you order coffee at Tim Horton's, they've got this contest called "Rrrrrrroll up the rim to win!" ;-) You can get cash prizes and freebies if you're in luck. ;-)

On a side note, I love Tim Horton's coffee so much that we served them during our wedding rehearsal a year and a half ago. I got my sister to buy them for me before coming here to visit. As part of our gift set, we also gave away cans of brewed coffee to our principal sponsors during the wedding. They all loved it and were raving about the coffee too! ;-)

6.) Vietnamese Subs

I have been to Vietnam. But you know what the weird thing is? Although I've tried the authentic banh mi (Vietnamese sub), I still prefer the ones sold at Vietnamese stores in Calgary! I suppose those are authentic too because coming from a Vietnamese store, they were made by Vietnamese people too right? ;-) In Calgary, I know that we get these Vietnamese subs either in a store near Chinatown or one near this Asian grocery store in Forest Lawn. I actually prefer the latter. Ohhhh, just thinking about it makes my mouth water. First, they lather butter on a crusty baguette. Then you can choose between beef or chicken satay or vegetarian. After that, they put shredded carrots, cucumber, sliced onions, cilantro, and even cheese! The toppings are quite tasty. They seemed to have been marinated in something. Oh and when you bite into it, wow! There's that burst of flavor from the satay. Everything just goes so well together! The baguettes are crispy and crusty on the outside and as you bite in more, the actual 'meat' of the bread is soft as it's complemented by the butter, then you get to the vegetables, and finally, at the bottom, the generous serving of oh-so-flavorful meat! YUM! Hmmm. I wonder why they don't make it that good in Ho Chi Minh. The ones I had there were too bland. If you're going to Canada and in Calgary, in particular, please do yourself a favor and don't miss having a Vietnamese sub. In fact, don't miss eating at a Vietnamese restaurant altogether! Take your pick at the Vietnamese restaurants along 17th Ave in the Southeast. You can order with your eyes closed and everything will still be great! ;-)

5.) Swiss Chalet

It's been AGES since I've eaten at Swiss Chalet that I think I've honestly forgotten how everything tastes there. But I know I love it. I totally remember loving everything they serve there. I remember we'd often order their chicken dinners. They come with rotisserie chicken, bread rolls, and a choice of side dish (fries, mashed potatoes, baked potato, coleslaw, buttered corn, garden salad, Greek salad, or poutine). The side dishes are good but I remember that it's really the chicken that's to-die-for. The meat is tender and tasty and the sauce! Oh, it's something else, I tell you. It's not at all like gravy. It's not as thick and clumpy. The chalet sauce that goes with the chicken is sweet, peppery, and as a twist, might even have a bit of tomato sauce mixed in there. The sauce is a really nice and pleasant surprise. It goes so well with the chicken and it's different from the other chicken dips that we're used to. In fact, I think that Swiss Chalet's sauce has become very popular that a lot of people have been trying to replicate it. I found a number of these recipes online. I might give one of them a try these coming days. Now all I'm missing is the Swiss Chalet chicken! ;-)

4.) Taco Bell's Fries Supreme

This is also another Canadian "thing." Just like how it is only the McDonald's in the Philippines that serve spaghettis, it's only the Canadian Taco Bells that serve Fries Supreme. And it's such a shame too! In my opinion, fries are so much better than hard nachos. It goes much better with the seasoned ground beef, sour cream, chives, tomatoes, and gooey cheese than nachos ever could! It's bad enough that the two Taco Bells in the Philippines are at Gateway Mall (Pasig City) and Trinoma Mall (Quezon City)! They're both far from where I live (Taguig City) so I really only get to eat Taco Bell maybe just once a year!

Being a cheese lover, Taco Bell's Fries Supreme is a recurring craving that I haven't satisfied for the longest time. And I'll have to go back to Canada for a visit just so I can have this again. Siiiigh. Hmmm. Maybe it IS time now for another visit! ;-)

3.) Cheesecake Cafe

There's a lot of Cheesecake Cafes all over the world. I think we even have one here in Manila. But I'm talking about the franchise that's only available in Calgary, Lethbridge, and Edmonton. Cheesecake Cafe is known in Calgary for their huuuuuge servings. I guess it's kinda like the Calgarian version of TGI Friday's. They have the same offerings except at Cheesecake Cafe, the whole highlight of each visit is, obviously, the cheesecake. ;-) When eating there, I remember we would get either Mocha Kahlua or the Turtle Cheesecake. We get one slice and I'm not exaggerating when I say that one slice is good for 5 or 6 people. And we're not talking 5 or 6 Anorexics either. ;-)

Their cheesecakes are thick and creamy at the same time. It's packed and when you eat it, you really have to savor it as you "unfold" each layer in your mouth. Let it swirl around and take your time. The cheesecake is rich but it's not too sweet. I haven't had cheesecake that can rival the one at Cheesecake Cafe. And they have a huge selection of cheesecakes to suit anyone and everyone. Aside from Mocha Kahlua and Turtle, you can also choose from Callebaut Chocolate, Lemon Raspberry Swirl, Cheesequake, Key Lime, Rolo, and Oreo. You can even ask to add any of the following toppings to the classic cheesecake: Sour Cherry, Raspberry, Blueberry, Callebaut Milk Chocolate, Callebaut Milk Chocolate and Caramel, Strawberry, and/or Four Berry. Hungry yet? ;-)

2.) Tiki Ming

Tiki Ming, a Chinese fast food restaurant, has been around for the longest time too. As young as Grade 7, I remember my friends and I heading to Tiki Ming at the TD Square food court for our Friday "binge." ;-) And while I was going to University, Chinese fast food at Tiki Ming was something that I quickly associated with as a reward for hard work. ;-) Well, let's face it. I don't think there's anything healthy about eating it. Their set meals come with Chinese fried rice and a choice of two viands. I'd often go with Sweet and Sour Pork or Ginger Beef and pair it with Mixed Vegetables. Everything is a bit greasy and it might even have MSG mixed into it. But what the hey. It's soooo delicious! Sinful but soooo good! The meat is very flavourful and saucy. The fried rice can be a meal on its own too. And the vegetables are crunchy and everything is served in generous portions. All this goodness in one big plate plopped together. ;-) I often feel guilty eating it afterwards but I do get over it very quickly. Eating Chinese fast food is a guilty pleasure--especially the way Tiki Ming does it. But it's ALL worth it, trust me. ;-)

1.) Cookies By George

I'm a big dessert lover. And believe me when I say that nothing, absolutely NOTHING compares to the way Cookies By George makes their cookies. Not only do they have such interesting flavours, but the cookie itself, wow! I've died and gone heaven after each bite! The flavors range from the typical: Classic Chocolate Chunk, Milk Chocolate, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin, and Peanut Butter to the creative: Reverse Almond Chocolate Chunk, Cappuccino Chocolate Chunk, M&Ms, Macadamia Chocolate and Macaroon Chocolate! My most favorite is the Cappuccino one. I can eat this forever and never tire of it! Where do I start? Cookies By George does not lie when they say "Chocolate Chunk." They're huge! And these chunks are all over the cookie. The cookies have the perfect 'chewy-ness' too! They're not too soft that they break apart while you're holding it. It's a little crispy on the outside but when you bite into it, you'll get into gooey layers inside it. The Cappuccino Cookie has chunks of white chocolate and the coffee taste is subtle. Not overpowering but not too too subtle that you'll doubt whether it IS a coffee-flavored cookie. Their cookies are large and thick and buttery. You know that they don't scrimp on the ingredients. And they're all high quality ingredients too from the chocolates to everything else! I LOVE it! How I wish I could bring Cookies By George to Manila. Famous Amos and Mrs. Fields' would go bankrupt! ;-)

Whenever I have family coming to Manila to visit, Cookies By George is my number one request. They can forget my MAC lipstick, Gap perfume, or La Senza bra and underwear sets. Just DON'T forget Cookies By George, PLEEEEASE!!! ;-) Hahaha! My sister is coming over in September and until then, I guess I have to wait three months before I can have Cookies By George again. I'm patiently counting down the days...;-)

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Photo Sources:
http://www.medicinehatmedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/samirs_donair.jpg http://sammitt.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/roasted-chicken.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3459/3176309386_da0e4f7a49.jpg http://movershakerbirthdaycakebaker.blogs.com/generation_exhausted/coffee_and_timbits.JPG https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggEaQVfyNSDVOjcirtyRnMR3oQeSI2rpDRNyzsjCOQAL_gSVqxQZlGUNREOlgE1FwjxglYzkV9BvWS-LlyBAruoUQhR-UtxUzHpKnyOAZ3L3kcmGvLYb8qLt-A7mzbYgjbAw5ZOeL9PKQ/s640/banhmi.JPG
http://www.cheesecakecafe.ca/images/main-pics3.jpg
http://smartcanucks.ca/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/swiss-chalet-chicken.jpg http://brianpmichael.com/images/Design/Thumbs/TacoBell_FriesSupreme_v.2.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3605/3355204524_349a078a0c.jpg http://vanfoodies.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/p1000631.jpg

Yogurts in Disguise

I must be one of the very few who just caught on to the yogurt craze here in Manila. It took me a while because I never was into yogurts to begin with. In fact, I hated it. I'm not fond of it's tart and sour taste. For me, it's neither dessert nor appetizer. It doesn't satisfy dessert cravings and it's a little too sour to start a meal with. I couldn't stomach it as a snack either. I feel like that sour taste needs to be accompanied with something else. In a nutshell, I was never really a fan of yogurts and I was so close to not giving it a chance at all. For me, yogurts are only good when used in Mediterranean cuisine for their sauces and dressings.

That is, until I came across a couple of yogurt places in Manila that have yogurts that well, don't taste like yogurt at all! ;-) They taste like ice cream or sorbet! They taste really good and they carry with them the list of benefits below too:
- boosts the immune system,
- reduces blood pressure,
- decreases the risks of certain cancers,
- aids in digestion,
- provides calcium, Vitamin B, etc.,
- AND most of all, yogurts have much lesser calories and sugar than ice cream!

We get the best of both worlds here. So if that's the case, I wonder, why have ice cream still? Just like what I will do from now on, I'll just visit one of these two places which have yogurts in disguise! ;-) Yogurts that taste like ice cream without the calories! Yay! ;-)

1.) Golden Spoon in Magallanes

WHAT I ORDERED: Cake Batter yogurt topped with cookie dough (Php 105 - mini cup plus one topping)
PRICES: Mini (Php 85), Small (Php 155), Large (Php 220), Quart (Php 499); Toppings (Php 20 each)
MY THOUGHTS: Their yogurts taste SO MUCH like ice cream that I just had to ask the server about it very suspiciously: "Are you sure this is yogurt??!??" ;-) Hahaha! Well, it is! And my face might have lit up so much that's why the server gave me this huge grin. ;-) The thickness, the creaminess, the texture and the taste --- it's all ice cream, I'm telling you! ;-) The only difference must be that their yogurts are not as sweet as ice cream and they're light. You don't get the same "ick" feeling after having two scoops of sinful ice cream. You still get your fill though. And it definitely satisfies the craving. The cookie dough was an excellent topping. It was chewy and really went well with the cake batter flavor! I'm willing to explore other yogurt places. But for now, I get the feeling that this is the best non-yogurt tasting yogurt place in the country! They have such interesting flavors too. For my next visit, I plan to have the Island Coconut yogurt (small instead of mini this time!) topped with English Toffee. Yum! ;-)

2.) Tutti Frutti at Glorietta 4

WHAT I ORDERED: A mix of coffee and chocolate yogurt topped with mochi balls and almonds (7 oz in total for Php 140)
PRICES: PhP 20 for every ounce (includes all yogurts and toppings)
MY THOUGHTS: The texture of their yogurt is between ice cream and sorbet. It's not completely as thick and creamy as ice cream but it's not as soft and watery as sorbet either. It's an in-betweenie. In comparison to Golden Spoon, their yogurts are a bit sweeter. I liked the fact that they have mochi balls as a choice for a topping though. Golden Spoon doesn't have that. Tutti Frutti has a lot more choices of fruit toppings too.

For me, I think that Tutti Frutti is a nice alternative if you're in the Glorietta area. You see, they only have Golden Spoon in Greenhills and Paseo de Magallanes. Tutti Frutti's yogurts are also light in "sorbet"-kind of way. Creamy enough but not as close to ice cream as Golden Spoon is. The good thing about Tutti Frutti is that it's self-serve. You can manage your portions and you're not bound by fixed cup sizes. It's like being a kid in a candy store. You can mix all the yogurt flavors if you want and put bits of all the different toppings too! It's really a whole lot of fun! ;-)

My Favorite Things: Kenny Rogers' Grilled Four-Cheese Sandwich

As you may already be aware, I LOVE cheese! Just as much as I love shopping, cheese is the other thing that leaves my day on a high note regardless of how awful it's been. Or if I'm not feeling particularly awful, cheese is just my go-to for comfort food. In short, cheese is my "happy" food! ;-)

Whenever that craving for cheese kicks in, automatically, it's Kenny Rogers Roasters that come to mind. Or if I can afford it, from some swanky hotel's cheese plate at their buffet. Usually though, my choices are pasta at Sbarro, pizza at Yellow Cab, Pizza Hut, or Greenwich, or the Ham and Cheese Sandwich at Pancake House. These are the restos at Market, Market which I usually pass through after work. These places all have good cheeses but I'm usually feeling guilty after eating at any of these restos. Do you know how many calories there are in a serving of pasta at Sbarro's??!?? Find out for yourself HERE. That's 700 calories for a plate of their Baked Ziti. The rest are just as sinful, I'm sure.

Anyway, I get my cheese fill at Kenny Rogers when I order their Grilled Four-Cheese Sandwich. It costs PhP 105 on its own. But I often order it with their Lite Iced Tea and crispy Fries at only PhP 135 in total. It's a perfectly light meal with that ultimate cheese goodness! I absolutely love it! In fact, to maximize that cheese "kick," I take out the top bread slice and eat it open-faced. YUM! And that's without the guilt! It is, after all, served on a whole-wheat panini with nothing but the four gooey cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Monterey Jack). The fries that accompany it are crispy and not too too greasy. Frankly, I like the fries at Kenny Rogers better than McDonald's. As for their lite iced tea, it's obviously sugar-free. Not too sweet but it has a bit of an aftertaste. From the Splenda maybe? Well, if you're not fond of sugar-free drinks, you can always opt to get one of their smoothies. I think these start at PhP 90 each.

PHOTO CREDITS
http://www.virginmedia.com/images/cheese_mites430x300.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/mongit/For%20My%20Blog/September%202007/Kenny%20Rogers/IMG_3855.jpg

Top 10 Experiences to be had in Kuala Lumpur (Part 1)

Flying with Cebu Pacific, my husband and I arrived at our hotel in Kuala Lumpur at around 2 am on the 21st of April. We left for Manila at midnight going into the 25th. So really, we had, give or take, 4 full days to enjoy the city. Among our trips in Asia, I would have to say that this is the shortest trip that we've ever had. We're usually used to exploring a new city for at least five full days. But due to work and other commitments, we had to make do with the four days we had allotted at KL.

We did have an itinerary for this trip but I can't help but feel like we really haven't seen everything that there is to see in KL. There were at least five other places that I wanted to visit but didn't have the time to. I'll share this list in another blog entry.

Among all the places that we have been to though, let me share with you my Top 10 experiences in KL. I'll be dividing this into 2 entries because I'll be adding tips and suggestions too to help you maximize each experience. I imagine it will be quite lengthy so please bear with me.

Jojo and I had a grand time in Kuala Lumpur, overall. And here are the experiences I enjoyed the most: ;-)

10.) Tickle your tastebuds with Nando's Chicken.

I know for a fact that if this was my husband's list, he would actually place this experience as his #1 and most favorite! I'm telling you, eversince we got back, my husband has craved for their food non-stop! He says that our local Max's Chicken, Savory, Andok's, and Kenny Rogers has got nothing on the way the Nando's franchise does their chicken. Yes it's a bit "unpatriotic." But I don't want to be a hypocrite. I actually think I'll have to agree on this one. ;-)

As you know, on our trips, we have made it a rule not to eat more than once at the same restaurant. We broke that rule when we ate at Pho 2000 in HCMC though. And this time in KL, we broke it again. We ate at Nando's Chicken twice. If we were there longer, I think Jojo would have begged me to eat there the third, fourth and fifth time too! ;-)

Nando's makes their chicken peri-peri style. That is, roasted first, then placed in a spit-fire oven while marinated and combined with bird's eye chilli, spices, and a mixture of sauces. The chicken has a very full flavor. There is a bit of spiciness to it to give you that pleasant zing. The chicken is very tender and every bit of it is tasty. You would think that the marinade would not likely reach the inner white meat. But it does and it's just a burst of flavor for every bite! ;-)

Aside from chicken, Nando's also serves various salads, burgers, wraps, and even pasta. But when we were there on two occasions, we only went for their peri-peri chicken combos. That is, a quarter peri-peri style chicken with 2 sidelines of your choice. You can choose your chicken to be lemon and herb, mild/even hot, or going all out with VERY hot. Being a sissy, I went with the lemon and herb one, accompanied with Fresco salad and Meditteranean rice. (RM 14.95/PhP210) Jojo got mild/even hot chicken along with Mediterranean rice as well (it was the only choice for the rice) and Peri cob. We found our "sideline" orders to be okay. They weren't too bad. Kenny Roger's side dishes are a bit tastier but they're not bad at all. If anything, it just reminds us that the peri-peri chicken is the real "star" here. ;-) My lemon and herb chicken had a tiny bit of zing. Just hints of spicyness. Jojo's mild hot one was a bit stronger. But it's not too too spicy that you'll have to reach for a glass of water. It's all bearable and the less tastier sidelines complemented it well, I thought.

For our second time around, Jojo went for the 1/2 chicken with two sidelines. (RM 23.90/PhP335) He knew that it was going to be the last time for a very long time that he'll have Nando's chicken again so he decided to have a feast with this one. ;-) And man, did he ever! His sidelines consisted of TWO cups of Meditteranean rice. And nothing else. ;-) I got the mild hot one this time (quarter chicken) but changed one of my sideline to their Peri chips with creamy peri dip. I thought this was an even more perfect combination than the last time. I absolutely loved their peri chips (fries) with that creamy dip! And choosing to go with mild hot this time went better with the sauces, I thought. There are four sauces on each table that you can pile on to your chicken to give it even more flavor. I can't remember what they are but having tried them all, I liked the Garlic peri-peri best to go with the mild hot chicken. Verrrry yummy.

It's important to note that Nando's Chicken is not a franchise that's exclusive only to Malaysia. Yes, it's pretty popular there. But Nando's is scattered everywhere. They have it in Australia, Canada, the United States, and even as far as Namibia and Fiji! Maybe we'll have it soon here in the Philippines! ;-) Anyway, we had our Nando's chicken at the basement of Pavilion Mall and somewhere near Petaling Street in Chinatown. You can have a look at where else you can find Nando's Chicken HERE. The Malaysian menu can be found HERE too.

9.) Go souvenir shopping and fulfill your Chinese food craving at Petaling Street.

One word to describe Petaling Street would be "vibrant." It's not that huge of a place. Maybe six blocks altogether? But there's a lot happening given that you visit the area in the evening. Merchants start setting up their stalls at 5 pm. There's hawker fare here and restaurants that extend to the street! It's a place to just unwind and cool off with a beer or something.

And if knock-offs are your thing, there's a lot of imitation bags, clothes, shoes, watches, and what-have-you. There are a few knock-offs there that we won't be able to find at Greenhills. For instance, they had imitation Onitsuka Tiger shoes there. Petaling Street is also the best place to go for souvenirs. Kuala Lumpur shirts go for RM 3 (PhP 42.10). The miniature Petronas Towers made of pewter cost around RM 15 (PhP 210). Most of the prices of these souvenirs are fixed. You won't have to haggle since all the stalls sell them for the same price.

From the itinerary that I made, I listed two places that I wanted to go to along Petaling Street. One is Hartz Chicken Restaurant -- famous for their buffet and the other, Purple Cane Teahouse -- famous for their tea selection and tea sets, of course. We started looking for them but we were just too tired so we gave up after an hour. And after seeing another Nando's Chicken Restaurant there, my husband had decided that we were going to stop looking and eat there instead. ;-) If you go to Petaling Street, you might want to check out these two places. I've come across this website found HERE that raved about Purple Cane Tea House. The Pinoy Exchange and Female Network forums also talked and raved about Hartz Chicken Buffet. It might be worth a try to enjoy your visit in Petaling Street even more. ;-)

8.) Get a foot massage along Jalan Bukit Bintang while being part of all the action.

Jalan Bukit Bintang is a very busy street. Across from our hotel and also to the left and right of it are rows and rows of these massage places. They do it "Shenzhen-style" -- like the ones you'll find in Lowu Mall. They've got a whole line of these reclined massage chairs from the entrance (an open glass door) down to the back of the shop. Since the door is open, you can see what's going on in the sidewalk and the street in front of you while you get your massage. We sat near the front door and with the whole lot of people on the sidewalk, it felt like we had an audience! ;-) See the three men just standing there? ;-)

After a full day of walking and shopping, we totally needed a foot massage. It wasn't hard to choose which one to go with for the massage. We just looked at the one with the most number of people and off we went! ;-) On that Thursday night, we went with Bao Jian Reflexology -- conveniently located right across our hotel! Feeling a bit awkward to have a full body massage with all these people around us, we only went for the 60-minute foot reflexology (RM 50/PhP 703). Compared to the massage places here in Manila, it is very pricey. But during the time we were there, we completely needed it and the experience was just priceless. Jalan Bukit Bintang was abuzz with activity. You get a good sense of their culture by just watching them and taking in all the sights and sounds of this busy street. It was the perfect time and place to be to see all of these. Oh and I'd have to say, the massage was spectacular too! Jeff was my massage therapist and he was gentle with my feet. He applied the right amount of pressure for me. Jojo said that at first, the massage was a bit too hard. He didn't say a word. And after a few minutes, everything just started to feel wonderful! I guess he had a lot of knots and what-not that needed to be smoothened out. In the end, we were both very happy campers! ;-)

7.) Spend half the day shopping at Ikea for all your home needs!

On our trips to Singapore and Hongkong, we never fail to visit Ikea. I absolutely love this store! We have bits and pieces of Ikea products at Mobler, Dimensione, and other stores here in Manila. But nothing beats going to the real Ikea store -- and the biggest one in Asia, at that!

The Ikea store in KL is in the Petaling Jaya area. It is a bit far from the Golden Triangle but trust me, it will be worth your time. Because after you go to Ikea, you can just cross the street to go to The Curve. It's a shopping complex kind of similar to our Eastwood Mall.

Anyway, here's how to get there from the Bukit Bintang station on KL monorail:
1.) Get off at Bukit Nanas on the KL monorail (2 stops away from Bukit Bintang).
2.) Transfer to the Putra line at the Bukit Nanas station. To transfer to this train, you actually have to leave the station. Go down the stairs into the sidewalk and walk west (go straight on your left). It's about a 3-minute walk. Go up the walkway to cross to the other side. You'll find the Putra train when you go down the escalators further ahead.
3.) Get on the Putra train going to Kelana Jaya. It's about 11 stops away and roughly, a 45-minute ride.
4.) Get off at the Kelana Jaya station and go on the walkway to cross the street. There's a bus terminal there. Wait for the free shuttle going to IKANO Power Center. It arrives at set times: 9 am, 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. The trip will be 5-10 minutes and the shuttle will drop you off right in front of Ikea.

You can take the shuttle going back to the station when you're done. You'll find the shuttle in the same area where you get off. Just make sure you're there at least 5 minutes before the scheduled time as it gets really packed. The bus leaves from Ikea at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm, and 6:30 pm.

Now that that's out of the way, I'm excited to share with you all of my purchases at Ikea. But since there's a whole lot of it, I thought I'd devote a whole entry on our shopping finds in KL alone! ;-) I'm sorry for this but I give you my word that I'll have that entry up within the week! ;-)

So what shouldn't you miss while in Ikea? Ooooh, where do I start? ;-) I absolutely LOVE the lamps and chandeliers in Ikea. Really, if only it would be easy to transport it, I would have gotten three of the lamp shades below for our dining area. My favorite among the lot is the one with the street scene of Hongkong (?) on the fabric. They have the coolest bedsheets too that are way cheaper than the ones that are sold at SM's Our Home. If you have kids or a number of children to buy presents for, you'll love the collection of toys, cool hampers, and lamps. They're all very playful, pretty, and sooo unique! We don't have a store or anything close to it that sells similar items. Everything in Ikea is beautiful and I'm sure it would be nearly impossible to NOT buy a whole cartload of stuff. If you're not one of self-control, avoid Ikea at all costs! ;-)

I have to mention that Ikea also has its own restaurant/cafeteria. We didn't have it when we were there. But I know for a fact that their Swedish Meatballs should not be missed. They also have these hazelnut and dark chocolate bars that will serve as excellent pasalubong. They're very creamy and just addictive!

In this complex, you shouldn't miss going across the street to The Curve. They have a large Padini Store (or VNC as it's known here) that sells their shoes 40% less than the ones here in Manila. I'm not sure if they have it everyday but when we were there on a Saturday, there was also a row of tiangge stalls in front of the restaurants. They mostly sold accessories, clothes, and a few other knick knacks. There are a number of neat restaurants in this shopping complex too. Such is this beautiful English-garden type restaurant seen in the picture below. They have bookstores here, more clothing stores, a grocery store, gadget stalls, and many others. With so much to see (and buy!) here, it would be wise to put aside at least 5 hours exploring this area. ;-)

6.) Brave the 272 steps leading up to the Batu Caves with a few "furry" friends.

If you're going to Genting Highlands, I think it would be wise to plan your trip to Batu Caves on the same day too. Putra Gombak is one of the terminals (also a train station) where you can catch a bus that takes you to Genting. That same terminal is also just ten minutes away from the Batu Caves. In this case, I think it would be much more convenient to take a taxi to the Batu Caves. Now it's important to note that a lot of these taxi drivers prefer not to use their meters. They usually try to arrange something with you so they can charge more. Just make sure that you're only paying RM 10-15 per way otherwise you're being ripped off.

The buses that go to Genting are on a schedule. We just made sure to allot about an hour and a half at the Batu Caves. That already includes the 20-25 minute total travel time. An hour at the Batu Caves should be enough. At least, that's enough time to get up the 272 steps, walk around the cave, take pictures, buy some souvenirs, and get down the steps to look for a taxi back. There is an Art Gallery and a small Museum Cave which we didn't have time to visit though. If you want to see these, you might want to allot an extra 40 minutes.

So why is visiting the Batu Caves a memorable experience for me? Well, first off, it's a very spiritual and sacred place. You get a sense of that when you get inside the cave. It's very interesting to see the rituals done by the Hindus while in prayer. You can tell that they're very deeply-rooted. And being near the mountains, on a limestone cave and 100 metres above ground also adds to that whole sense of mysticism.

There are lots of photo ops to be had here. Make sure you have your camera ready because you're going to get THIS close to a few furry friends while going up and down those steps. ;-) We didn't see it happen when we were there, but these monkeys are very playful and tend to sneakily "steal" things from tourists they say. ;-)

At the foot of the steps, there's a whole lot of pigeons too. They all settle on the pavement for a while and fly off together in huge flocks. Just be careful you're not pooped on, but otherwise, I think this will make an interesting photo-op. ;-)

NANDO'S CHICKEN
-Lot 1.29.04, Pavilion KL, Bukit Bintang
- No. 123, Jalan Sultan (Chinatown)

BAO JIAN REFLEXOLOGY
64 Jalan Bukit Bintang

CHINATOWN
Petaling Street, KL

IKEA
No. 2 Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara
47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Darul Ehsan

BATU CAVES
Sri Subramaniam Temple, KL