December 2010 - Certified Foodies

Emohruo Beach Restobar in Saud Beach, Pagudpud

One of our main destinations during our 5-day North Luzon getaway last week was the beautiful and relaxing beaches of Pagudpud in Ilocos. I’ve been wanting to go there for years now, especially after I saw photos of my brother Ken with his friends during their Pagudpud trip.

We stayed at the Saud Beach Resort hotel because there weren’t too many people staying there so we can enjoy the beach mostly all on our own. They’re one of the more expensive hotels in Pagudpud. Since we were only staying for a day, I thought screw my budget and let’s stay at the lovely Saud Beach Resort. We only paid Php 4,356 for a room good for 5, and I thought that’s already a good deal considering how lovely their resort is. Their resort seemed more relaxing than the other ones next to them.

Anyway, when we finally checked in, it was almost lunch time (they allowed us to check in earlier since there weren’t too many people staying at the resort). Ken said we should check out the other restaurants in the area. So, we immediately headed out to the other restos on the other side of Saud beach. It was a long walk so imagine how hungry we were when we finally arrived at the area where the restaurants in Saud beach were lined up.

Among all the menus we saw, my brother and I liked Emohruo Beach Restobar‘sof Evangeline Resort the best. And, the prices were also very affordable. All I can tell you now is the long walk was so worth it!

Emohruo is actually “Our Home” spelled backwards. Cool, eh? I love the whole vibe at their restobar. People dine al fresco and the rustic design of their area just complements the whole feel of dining near the beach.

Though the sun was really up and shining brightly, we didn’t feel uncomfortable because the wind was cool and fresh. Ahhhhâ€¦ I so miss it! That’s why I so love the photos I took while we were at Emohruo. It reminds me of how relaxing the resort was.

Emohruo Beach Restobar has a wide range of dishes on their menu, mostly Asian dishes with their own twists. They all sounded really good that I wanted to order one of everything! 😀

Everyone with me – my mother, my bro, our aunt Zeny and Beth (my mom’s best friend) – were all supportive of our food blog so we all agreed to order different beverages. 😀

First up, my Banana Mocha Shake (Php 98.00), marked as one of the favorites on their menu. I love, love, love Mocha flavored anything, but I didn’t completely enjoy this one. I guess it’s because of the banana. But, it was still really good and Ken enjoyed it. I guess I was expecting the mocha flavor to be stronger than the banana.

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Pasalubong Ideas from Baguio – The Good, The Bad

First of all, I hope you all had a MERRY CHRISTMAS! Have a Blessed New Year everyone! 🙂

If you’ve been following my other blogs, especially my personal blog Just Another Pixel, you’d know that I just got home from a 5-day Luzon vacation. We’ve dined and bought a lot of goodies or pasalubong from our 4 destinations (yes, 4 destinations in 5 days! :D) and I’ll be writing about them in the coming days so make sure you keep posted for that.

To start, let me show you some of the goodies we brought home with us from Baguio. Some were really good and worth giving away; the rest, ugh. Read on for my Baguio pasalubong recommendations.

The Bad 🙁

Lina’s Chewy Milky Balls are too milky for me in a not so good way. The texture is also weird that I didn’t even finish one piece. Ken also didn’t like it at all. It tasted more of coconut (unpleasantly), even the texture or the chewiness.

Lina’s Chewy Choco Balls may look yummy in that photo, but they weren’t good at all. Well, at least for me. Again, just like the milky balls, the texture is way too weird and I barely tasted any chocolate. I think itâ€™s just food coloring. 😐

I actually bought 2 variants of Jamber’s Lengua de Gato – chocolate and strawberry-flavored. I had high hopes that they’ll be good, but they were a big disappointment. First, they weren’t even crunchy. They were too soft and chewy. I want my lengua de gato a li’l crunchy, just like the ones from Pines Maid.

(The Good after the jump!)

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Wai Ying Fast Food in Binondo, Manila

I am a big fan of Chinese food and I love dimsum A LOT. But, my desire to roam the streets of Binondo in Manila to taste the most authentic Chinese cooking/cuisines was heightened the night my mother brought home the best dimsum soup and siomai I’ve ever tasted.

I’ve asked a couple of my friends who are familiar with the Chinese restaurants in Binondo because my mom forgot the name of the restaurant. When my mom and I were at Divisoria last November, we decided to head over to Binondo and she’ll just try to remember where it was located.

After almost an hour of looking for the restaurant, the pedicab driver finally led us to Wai Ying Fast Food. As soon as my mother saw the front of this Chinese food joint, she immediately exclaimed we’re at the right place. Finally, I thought. I was already hungry. 😀

Wai Ying Fast Food is a two-storey restaurant at Buenavidez Street in Binondo, right across Manila Chinatown Hotel. Wai Ying has been around for over a decade and they are very popular in Chinatown.

At the very entrance, you’d see ducks and chickens being roasted by the window. They have a mini kitchen at the entrance so you can actually see them preparing food.

If you want a relaxing dining experience, you might not completely enjoy at Wai Ying’s. They’re just a small Chinese fast food restaurant. So, if you’re planning on bringing friends along with you, prepare to wait for tables or head on upstairs for more tables.

Anyway, as soon as we were handed the menu, it was funny to see my mother ordering away. 😛 So, we ended up with around seven (7) different dimsum dishes and other plates of Chinese food. 😀

First, we ordered 2 cold Lemon Tea (Php 50). It was really refreshing, especially after what we went through looking for Wai Ying all over Binondo (sorry, I can’t get over it :D). The lemon slices and the genuine taste of tea made it one of my fave iced lemon teas.

Oh, by the way, while I was taking photos of the menu, the guy who was waiting on our table approached me and gave me a copy of their menu. Nice, eh? They’ve got very accommodating staff, even during that very busy lunch hour.

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KFC Double Down Sandwich. Yes, I’m Guilty!

After weeks of craving for KFC Double Down sandwich, I finally got to try it! I’ve tried ordering at one of their branches a few days after they launched this new item on their menu and as early as 1pm, the KFC branches were usually out of KFC Double Down sandwiches.

I honestly think it was a marketing strategy by KFC to viral market their new product. And, I can tell you it worked ’cause I think the Double Down was one of the most talked about new fast food products since it was launched. It was like they were playing hard-to-get, increasing the curiosity and eagerness of people to finally get to try it.

Anyway, when I called for delivery, it was around 5pm and the agent on the other line told me they are now required to offer their KFC Double Down sandwiches. I guess that means the hype has finally died down. OR, their viral marketing has already ended. What do you think? Hehehe.

About KFC’s Double Down, if you haven’t seen the commercial or poster yet, it’s the “shamelessly meaty” and sinful new sandwich by KFC. It’s filled with bacon, cheese and mayonnaise, sandwiched between two KFC chicken fillets. If that’s not meaty for you yet, you’re crazy!! *LOL*

I’ve read about people saying it was too salty for them so I decided to order Garden Salad (Php 49.50) along with it. I ordered two, one for my parents to share, the other for me and my bro.

I ordered a total of 4 KFC Double Down sandwiches, each cost Php 110.00.

At first, I thought KFC Double Down wasn’t salty. I was enjoying it a lot. It’s really good, especially because of the KFC chicken fillets. I love KFC’s chicken!

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Very Easy Homemade Quesadilla with Salsa Recipe

I am a big fan of Mexican food. I remember back in college, my friend and I would usually have lunch at this small Mexican food joint near our school in Quezon City. I forgot the name of the place (I’ll update this post when I remember /Â Update: The name of the place is Miggy’s! Thanks to my college lunch buddy Garet for remembering) , but I so love their Churros and Quesadilla.

The owner makes a really mean salsa that complements their chicken quesadilla. I never forgot how it tasted. And since then, I was always open for an any-day meal at any Mexican restaurant I can find.

I’ve already tried Mexicali and Taco Bell. But, I’m going to try them again just so I can write something fresh about them. I remember Taco Bell’s Quesadilla and salsa being too bland for my taste, especially when I compare it to that Mexican joint I used to frequent in college.

A few weeks ago, I was really craving for some Mexican food and I wanted to try to make quesadillas at home. So, we scoured the Landmark supermarket in Trinoma to find the ingredients I need. Unfortunately, though, not all that I wanted were available but I made sure that the salsa ingredients were complete. For me, that’s the most important part of the whole quesadilla experience – the slightly bitter-sweet and spicy flavors of the salsa mixed with the bit of saltiness of the chicken and the cheese in the quesadilla.

Here’s my own recipe of the chicken quesadilla. It’s so simple, anyone can make it at home. I’m proud to say that I got the right flavors on my salsa that my brother and I forgot all about our limits. It was THAT goodâ€¦ well, for us. And I know you’re going to enjoy this, too.

Some may prefer guacamole or sour cream for their quesadilla. I love salsa though, but I’m going to try these other dips/sauces next time.

For the salsa, you can take out the cumin or garlic powder if you’re making this for your kids since they might not like these strong flavors.Â You can also click site here if you’d like to read reviews of the best quesadilla makers if you want to get a more authentic quesadilla look and feel.

Chicken Quesadilla and Salsa Recipe

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Time-Saving Techniques for Foodies Out There

You might say I’m watching too much Hell’s Kitchen nowadays, but ever since I started cooking again, I realized how preparation for cooking or prepping is one important factor in the whole cooking process. The faster you prepare your ingredients, the faster and fresher the result would be. So, I decided to share these videos.

I actually discovered these videos years ago when they weren’t revealed yet as part of Sprint’s viral marketing campaign, when they were still on Waitless.org (the URL will redirect you to Sprint’s website).

We’ve posted before about how you can make homemade ice cream using a plastic bag and these:Â salt, ice, and the ingredients for your chosen ice cream flavor. Now, fancy these:

I haven’t tried this one yet, but it looks easy. Some may argue that the potato would be cold. But, I don’t think 5 seconds in that pool of ice would affect the inside of the potato. Only the potato skin’s affected, that’s why it’s easier to peel or remove it. I’m going to try this next time I see potatoes in our ref.

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Jollibee Champion Meal Ad is a Hoax!

I just heard from a friend on Facebook that she overheard someone trying to order the rumored Jollibee Champion Meal, supposedly Jollibee’s competing new product against KFC’s Double Down, which I haven’t tried yet, by the way.

When I first saw this ad, I literally laughed out loud. I’m like, “Are they serious?!” I checked Jollibee’s Facebook page and I saw no announcement whatsoever about this new product. So, I knew it was fake. But, apparently, a couple of people thought it was true.

Well, it if was true, I’d be one of the first people to try it. I love Jollibee’s chicken! But, I didn’t like that the patties were mostly made of chicken skin. Hahaha.

Anyway, here are posts from Jollibee’s Facebook page and Twitter account announcing that the Jollibee Champion Meal ad is a hoax:

It was a pretty cool hoax though. Whoever made the ad was crazyâ€¦ in a good way. Hahaha. Or is this Jollibee’s viral marketing coming into play? I guess we’ll never know, right? Hehehe. A lot of people are requesting Jollibee to make this Jollibee Champion Meal a reality. Not sure if they’ll take heed. ^_^

For the Love of Jollibee…

GT: Eating Out in SM Mall of Asia

It’s simply amazing how many new restaurants and food places are opening up almost every week here in the Metro. There are so many of them to visit and so many new dishes to try. And I’m so glad we have a food blog to write about our foodie adventures.

One of the many places I love going back to is SM Mall of Asia. When I first went there, I was amazed by the number of food choices available to me. Like, seriously! There are about a hundred of food places there so anyone, whatever cravings you might have, you can be satisfied with the wide variety of restaurants/food establishments in MOA.

I remember enjoying just sitting at the Esplanade or MOA’s boardwalk area. There are a lot of restaurants there, too, including a small seafood market known as their own version of Dampa – Taste Asia. I haven’t dined there yet, but I’ve seen the place so I’m really looking forward to enjoying lunch with family or friends there really soon. If you want to know the wide choices of food and Asian cuisines available at Taste Asia, check out the post at Our Awesome Planet (right photo, credits to Anton).

I also love staying at the al fresco dining and hangout areas just outside the Hypermarket. I used to just stay there and watch people walk by, checking out what everyone’s wearing. Some on their flip flops, others in their formal or high-heeled shoes. Some look like fashion models strutting their stuff down that walk like they’re on an actual runway. It’s fun to watch seeing different kinds of fashion choices by people – some in petite clothing, really fashionable clothes; others, wearing scarves at noon time! It’s one of my habits actually. Just looking at how other people dress up. I think I was supposed to be a fashion designer, but I ended up designing blogs instead. *LOL* And that’s what I love about MOA. You can wear anything you want without feeling conscious.

Anyway, going back to the food establishments in SM Mall of Asia, here are some of those that I’ve already tried and have already written about here:

Continue reading GT: Eating Out in SM Mall of Asia

I Miss A&W Root Beer and Float, too!

I remember, everytime we go to SM North Edsa in Quezon City, I never miss going to the A&W store at the Annex. Their root beer float is the best I’ve had and I so love their root beer, too.

Too bad that all the A&W stores here in the Philippines closed 6 years ago, in 2004. I so miss their root beer and their float, served in their heavy mugs, topped with vanilla ice cream scoops that complements A&W’s root beer so well.

Okay, I may be a li’l exaggerating here, but A&W root beer is the BEST I’ve tried. Well, I’ve only tried 4 brands of root beer – Mug, A&W, Zest-o and this other brand we bought from a duty-free shop in Subic, I forgot the name. And if you love root beer, too, you’d completely agree with me that A&W is THE best in making them.

It’s been years since I last had a taste of A&W’s root beer. I tried to make my own root beer float at home using Zest-o’s root beer and my favorite vanilla ice cream, but the taste is just not the same. Even the fizz and the froth were different.

So, I was really glad when I found these A&W root beer in cans the last time we were at SM Hypermarket in Mall of Asia. I was too excited to have a taste of their root beer again that I put one can in the freezer so it’ll be ice-cold quickly.

And, when I pop-opened the can, the aroma of A&W’s root beer brought back sweet memories when I used to dine at their old store in SM. I really missed those times when I used to meet my friends (or boyfriend) in SM. It’s like whenever I’m near any A&W store, I can’t help but crave for a mug-full of their root beer float.

The A&W root beer in cans though aren’t as good as the ones they had in their stores, coming out of their taps in their serving area. It was different. But, still, I’m just happy I can still enjoy my favorite root beer.

I remember a couple of my fellow foodie bloggers talking about A&W and why they closed their stores here in the Philippines. Some said they weren’t able to catch on to the Filipinos’ taste. But, I think we’re more mature now as a nation to appreciate A&W’s food. Just look at all the food bloggers and foodies out there who are now into trying out different things. I know a lot of us miss A&W’s root beer. I just wish they’ll open stores here again.

For now, I’m just going to enjoy my A&W root beer in cans. â™¥â™¥â™¥

For the Love of Root Beerâ€¦

Our entry this week for:

Image credit for A&W Root Beer float: Allenooi