Josephine Restaurant: Before and After

Tagaytay is our go-to/quick vacation spot whenever we feel very stressed and toxic. Last year, Gus and I decided we needed a break from our heavy workloads and a trip out of town was the solution. I was craving for some juicy, crunchy crispy pata and hot bulalo at the same time, so we knew Tagaytay was the place to go.

Based on our quick research, Josephine is the most frequented bulaluhan in Tagaytay City. I know there are more famous bulalo houses in Tagaytay, but given the time that we had, Josephine's was the #1 most recommended by people we knew. So we drove all the way to Tagaytay just to grab a hot bowl of bulalo.

Unfortunately, when we got there, they didn't have bulalo anymore. It was understandable, given that we got there at around 9 PM already, but still disappointing. We decided to order the closest thing to bulalo we could have: Beef Nilaga.

It wasn't bulalo, but their beef nilaga still made the trip worthwhile. The soup was served hot, with generous portions of both beef and vegetables. The serving was big enough for four people to share. Aside from the beef nilaga, we also ordered crispy pata.

Their crispy pata (Crispy Pork Knuckles) was good! The skin was really crisp, and the meat, soft and juicy. It was flavorful inside out. Plus, their soy-vinegar dip was done right, it complemented the pata well. 

So, we might not have gotten what we went there for, but it was still a really good meal. Josephine does live up to its reputation -- excellent Filipino food. We enjoyed our meal so much that we decided to have dinner there again, this time, during our anniversary weekend. For our Josephine Experience Part 2, read ahead. :)

Burger Bar

A few weeks back, one of my good friends mentioned this new burger joint in Makati. She didn't really say anything about it, except that one of our friends ate their a few nights before. Since Gus and I are such foodies, we decided to check out the place. The photos we saw online made our mouths water that they were enough to convince us to go to Greenbelt 2 just to try it out.

If you were one of those people invited at their launch, you probably know which burger joint I'm talking about. Burger Bar. It opened just a couple of weeks back, and I've heard people talk about it already because of their special patties. So what's the fuzz about this place?

Burger Bar boasts of making their own patties, and allowing its customers to customize their burgers by choosing the patty and other toppings they want. It's actually an interesting concept, allowing your diners to choose the kind of beef they want in their burger patty. I grew up making my own burger only by choosing the toppings or add ons I like, but never the patty. That was something new to me.

On the Green Side: Zark's Burgers

This has been a long overdue entry. Last year, I treated the family to one of Manila's most famous burger joints. If you are green-blooded, I'm sure you know which burger joint I'm referring to. This place is famous among the La Salle crowd, though it has won the hearts of people all over the metro because of its exciting, adventurous, and gigantic burgers. This has become a go-to burger joint for those who live around the area, and for those who find themselves in the Manila area.

Zark's is a burger joint along Taft Avenue, which is famous for its mouth-watering, reasonably priced, gigantic burgers. I found out about this place because of my brother, who unfortunately, is green-blooded. He said there was a famous burger place near his school that sold really delicious and big burgers. He has tried this place before but he really wanted us to try it and taste it for ourselves. So, when I got my first bonus from work, I decided to take the family out and try Zark's.

Zark's is a relatively small burger joint on the 2nd floor of Archer's Nook. I say small because the place is definitely small for the volume of people that eat there everyday. Theplace was jam-packed even if it was a Sunday. The place had a diner feel to it. There was a bar, where the drinks and orders were placed; a TV that was set on a sports channel, and booths on the sides. The decor was mostly green -- framed jerseys of famous La Salle players and pictures of satisfied customers on the walls. After waiting to be seated,we were given menus and the journey to picking only one burger started.

Ye Dang Korean BBQ Restaurant

After trying and discovering several authentic Korean restaurants in Manila, the boyfriend and I finally decided to try one of the most talked about Korean restaurants in Manila -- Ye Dang. But we just couldn't find the right time to do so. It was always closed whenever we'd get there since it closes earlier than the restaurants around it. After trying to reach the restaurant before closing time several times, I was finally able to try Ye Dang. Sadly, Gus wasn't available because of work so it was just the family and I.

Taiwanese Invasion: ChickenZilla

I guess by now, you know how much Gus and I love food. A few days ago, we decided to drop by Banchetto Forum after work to eat. We had something in mind already since we've been going to Banchetto for quite some time now. We had regular food stalls we'd go to for certain dishes, but we would still go around at least once, to see if there was anything new. (We usually discover new food spots whenever we're out, or whenever we visit old places.) Like always, something caught our attention. CHICKEN CHOPS.

The first time I tried chicken chops was almost a year ago. I discovered this chicken chop shop inside Theater Mall in Greenhills. I know fried chicken is very common in the Philippines but because of my obsession with Chinovelas and everything Chinese, I was instantly attracted to chicken chops.

What are chicken chops anyway? A chicken chop is a big fillet of chicken, breaded and fried, then peppered with chili and your choice of spice. It's like a big chicken fillet, but instead of gravy, different spices are sprinkled all over the breading to give it flavor. This is apparently a big hit in Taiwan. A common snack that the Taiwanese have everyday, so I was instantly hooked.

 The photo above is NOT mine.

The image is courtesy of this website.

Food for the Skin: Skin Food's Tea Tree Cleansing Foam

Last year, I found out that I could get a privilege card from one of the Korean make-up stores I go to if I  had an accumulated purchase of *censor* Your purchases must be within six months of each other. This card entitles the bearer to a 10% discount and other membership benefits, and considering the price tags on their products, members who get any discount will surely be thankful for it, no matter how small.

Anyway, I only had about two weeks until my big purchases expired so I decided to go on a blind shopping spree. I got two tubes of BB Cream, but I still needed a few more pesos to complete the requirements so I just grabbed the first product I saw on the shelf in front of me -- a facial wash. Not bad considering I could've snatched something I wouldn't be able to use much, like an eyeshadow palette or mascara. 

Introducing Skin Food's Tea Tree Cleansing Foam.

 

B. Wings: The New Buffalo Joint in Town

A few weeks ago, Gus and I discovered this new buffalo place. Actually, it wasn't really a place. It was a stall in the newly opened Manda Centrale near Greenfield District in Mandaluyong. We accidentally discovered the new food bazaar on our way home (since we took the inner route instead of the usual J. Vargas route to EDSA), and decided to stop by since we were already there. As most of you might know through experience, the smell of good food is enough to make anyone hungry or salivate. We ended up craving for some meat. Steak, to be exact.

Once we went in, our craving turned to cravings. We wanted beef, steak, shawarma, Japanese food, soup, and everything else that caught our eye. After a while, Gus decided to get steak and shabu-shabu from two different places. I wanted shawarma but we weren't able to find a stall that sold one so we had to go around one more time to find something for me. We saw this new buffalo wings place the first time we toured the place, but we weren't really interested in it. But the second time we passed by, we just couldn't ignore their staff. They were so nice, we just had to stop and take a look at what they had. 

He offered us one whole chicken wing to taste, while introducing us to their different kinds of wings. Aside from this fellow's very accommodating disposition, the name of their spiciest wing made us even more curious about this new wing place. They called it the "Obama." Out of curiosity, I decided to order that. Unfortunately, the orders got mixed, I think. Instead of the Obama Wings (original name: Barack Opakpak), I was given the Black Mamba.  

Kupo's Pamper-Me-Day: Vanity Fur Mobile Pet Salon

Our dog spent his 1st birthday last 30 December, alone and dirty in the garage, running after every single thing that moves. Since he really enjoys staying dirty, covering himself in dirt after we bathe him, I decided to bring him to a pet salon for his monthly grooming instead of tiring myself only to find him dirty again. Because Kupo, our beloved pet, is a big dog, I couldn't just drag him to the groomers. Fortunately, I discovered this mobile pet salon via a coupon site.

L'oreal: Total Repair 5 Daily Repairing Treatment

I've been having my hair treated since I was a freshman in high school, and I don't really remember what my natural hair texture was. Since I decided not to have my hair straightened last year, I focused on trying to fix it. I wanted to see if it was easier to manage my natural locks than have my hair straightened every year, and use a straightening iron everytime after my natural hair grew back. But of course, once you have your hair treated, you can't avoid damaging it. It may not be noticeable, but trust me, even the shiniest and softest hair maybe already damaged.

Anyway, I used to have hot oil treatments at home but these hot oil treatments were a little messy and complicated. I needed to wrap my hair in a warm towel for 20-30 minutes before rinsing it with cold water. After I heard about new hair product of L'oreal, a hair repair treatment, I decided to try it and see if it could replace the tedious hot oil treatments I did weekly. Here is L'oreal Paris Total Repair 5 Daily Repairing Treatment.

Lucky 88: Beeswax Lipbalm

This is actually an unexpected and short review. I don't normally write about lip balms but this was an exception.

A decade ago, I found out that I was allergic to a certain lip balm brand. I felt like my world crashed because 1) my lips were always dry, and 2) it was the only brand I knew, trusted, and used. To this day, I still don't know why I suddenly became allergic to it after years of use. After that incident, the only lip balm I was able to use was from another brand. Even expensive lip balms didn't work. I'd develop a severe case of windburn after even just one application. Since then, I only stuck with one lip balm. That, or the good ol' petroleum jelly. But all this changed during Christmas. 

My brother bought everyone two gifts for Christmas. A funny/prank gift and a serious one. For my fun gift, he bought me a lip balm. 

Physiogel Intensive Cream

I haven't been able to take care of my skin in the past couple of weeks. There was just so many things to do that I had forgotten to take care of my skin. As a result, my skin went from healthy to dry in just a couple of weeks. My heels were the worst. It was so dry that the only thing missing was an actual crack in my skin. Thankfully, I noticed it in time and decided that I had to get back to my skin care routine no matter how busy I was. Unless I really want to see a crack in the next couple of days.

Since my heel had become so dry already, I knew that tons of lotion and petroleum jelly was the only solution. But, I remember hearing my mom mention one of the products I got from my November BDJ Box. She said something about it being a known skin moisturizer, though she hasn't tried it yet. So I immediately grabbed my box and went through each product, looking for a cream or lotion or anything that was for the skin. That's when I saw the tube of Physiogel.

BDJ Box: Acetone-free Nail Polish Remover from Yuka

This is the first time I'm writing about a product that came from a box. Yes, this is my first BDJ product review. I've been so busy at work, I haven't even blogged about the two boxes I've received so far. But since I have some free time today, I'll finish this post about a new product I find convenient and very useful for us girls.

My November BDJ box came with a new product (since I haven't seen anything like this in the Philippine market yet), Yuka Acetone-Free Nail Polish Remover. The name is already a giveaway as to what the product does, but what makes it different is that it comes in thin, round sheets. Yes! This isn't your usual liquid form nail polish remover. It looks and feels like baby wet ones, but the round tissue-like sheets are "soaked" with the polish remover already, making it convenient for us girls to use it anytime, anywhere. No need to bring cotton balls or cotton sheets along with a bottle, big or small, of your nail polish remover.

BDJ Box 2.0

My second BDJ box arrived a couple of days ago, and I'd have to say, this was better. It had more brands and products compared to the first one, which was, in my opinion, was overflowing with Garnier products (not that I have something against the brand). 

Remember, remember the 1st of December :)

Happy December, everyone! My first December post is dedicated to Vikings SM Marikina for their delicious spread and very accommodating staff. I've been writing about food for some time now and if you read my posts, you'd notice that I'm not only big on the flavor (of the food), but also on the service the restaurant provides.

It was my mom's and boyfriend's birthdays so I was very stressed and nervous about how the whole thing was going to go down. I made reservations three weeks in advance. Their MOA branch was already fully booked a month before, so I had to make sure we got a slot. Thankfully, I was able to get a dinner reservation, and all I had to do was wait for the day.

We arrived at 5:30 in the afternoon, and I was so thankful for having a reservation. There was a very long line of people waiting outside the restaurant already. Since this was a surprise birthday dinner for Gus (my mom knows I'm treating her for her birthday), my family and I went in first. My boyfriend's sister, Gin, helped me distract him while I made sure our table was ready. A waiter led us to our table and made sure we had everything we needed before leaving. Once everything was set, I met Gus and Gin outside and brought them in. I gave them a walking tour of the restaurant, pretending that we were only there to check their buffet selection. When we reached the end of the long, very long buffet table, I told Gus to grab a plate and start eating. 

SURPRISE! We're celebrating your birthday dinner here! :)

The BDJ Box

My first BDJ Box arrived three days after I placed my order. The shipping was pretty fast, considering it was an online purchase with a delivery schedule. At first, I was a bit hesitant with making the purchase because it was something new in the Philippine market, but it was also the reason I gave in. For those of you who aren't familiar with the BDJ Box, it is a samples subscription. Every month, subscribers receive a box of samples ranging from skin care products, cosmetics, and fragrances. Some of them come in small (sample) sizes, others in their regular sizes. 

 

A Big No-No for Balikbayans (and regular Pinoys)

A few days ago, we brought our yaya and driver to Cabalen Trinoma for an early Christmas treat. They are very simple people who don't really indulge so we thought a dinner buffet would surprise them. Since it was just a few weeks before Christmas, we had to wait in line for a while since the place was packed. But for P298 only, we thought this would be worth it.

NOT.

Backlog 1: Adobo Connection

When I was still working in Makati, I discovered this small, literally hole-in-the-wall restaurant behind our office building. It was inside a parking lot along de la Rosa. I got so tired of the usual office cafeteria food so I decided to walk along de la Rosa in hopes of finding other restaurants where I could buy food. And that's when I saw Adobo Connection.

I know this restaurant isn't really unknown. I've seen it in malls before but I've never really bothered to check it out. This time, something caught my attention. They had adobo rice for only P39! I thought it was a good deal so I tried it. Was I surprised! I got a really big serving of delicious adobo rice topped with garlic and sliced scrambled eggs in a microwavable plastic container! Yup, I loved the packaging too. 

And because I really enjoyed the first one, I decided to bring Gus there since I wanted to try a lot of their dishes.

We had their Kuya's Mixed Adobo, which was the traditional salty adobo made of chicken and pork. The portions were good enough for two so we just ordered an extra cup of rice.

Kuya's Mixed Adobo

Taiwanese Fare: Lugang Cafe

A long overdue post on Lugang Cafe, one of the best xiao long bao places in Manila. Okay, biases aside, a really good Taiwanese dining place along Connecticut Avenue.

I heard of Lugang Cafe a year ago. Friends started talking about this new Taiwanese restaurant that served really good xiao long bao. The deal sites were just starting to gain popularity at the same time and I saw a deal on their famous xiao long bao so I decided it was about time for us to try the Lugang Cafe.

The restaurant was beautiful. It had a traditional-modern feel. The outside was made of stone bricks, and the interior was just grand. 

Wake Up! Part 2

Another recent discovery was Tapsilog Avenue along Xavierville Avenue. Two weeks ago, Gus and I went to Ababu for a late night snack (yes, we usually eat rice for snack), and we saw this new tapsilog place beside. Since we went all the way to Katipunan from Ortigas just to eat at Ababu, I decided we could try the tapsilog place another time. And so we finally did!

The place was a little hole-in-the-wall. Nothing special. Tables and benches made of wood, an inside and outside area, a small restroom and don't count on parking. There's only enough space for one car in front of the place. But of course, we didn't go there to see/appreciate the place. We went there to try the food.

The place offered different kinds of silog. -silogs are famous breakfast meals in the Philippines. It's a meal with one kind of meat or processed food product, sinangag (fried rice), and egg (itlog). For P45, you can try the ever famous Filipino breakfast tapsilog -- tapa, sinangag, and itlog. Or if you're not a salty type of person, you can try their tocilog (tocino or cured sweet pork), hotsilog (hotdog), porksilog (porkchop), and all the other silogs you can think of. Yes, all kinds of silogs for P45 only. 

Tapsilog

P45

Wake Up! Part 1

To wake my blog from its unplanned hibernation, I am writing about two new places in one blog entry! I never intended to go on hiatus but I guess I'm not a real writer because I don't always have time to write *sob* So now that I have extra time from work, I will write as much as I can before it runs out. Let's go!

A few months back, Gus showed me this dimsum place in SM North EDSA which he described as "new and interesting." But with all the dimsum houses in Manila, I didn't know what to think of. "Another dimsum house? What's new? We could always go to an authentic Chinese restaurant for dimsum." What was so different and interesting about this one?

To satisfy our curiosity, we decided to have dinner there. It was called Dimsum Break. I was still a bit hesitant about going so all the stereotype images of dimsum houses started popping into my head. But when we got there, I was speechless.

The place did somehow remind you of stereotypical dimsum houses you might have been to in the country -- very simple interiors, rectangular tables, and a noisy ambiance. 

But what really stands out is their concept of "serving" food: