National Sports Grill

I went home late last Friday night after having dinner with Yen. Because of that, it was terribly hard for me to get up the following morning. Boyet and I were supposed to buy some items for our chocolate candy-making bonding. Instead of Robinson’s Ermita which is our usual destination, we opted to go to Makati to check out Greenbelt, Landmark, SM and Glorietta.

I was already starving when we arrived at Greenbelt around past noon. The place was a bit quiet and not as crowded as the night before. We strolled around Greenbelt 3 in search of a place to have our lunch. Boyet suggested we go to National Sports Grill. I have been to NSG a couple of times before and I have to say that it is a nice place for sports enthusiasts. Boyet was hoping that he’d catch the Brian Viloria fight at NSG but he was dismayed when we found out that they are showing an NBA game. Oh well, it was an NBA game. Boys…

We were greeted by a friendly and pretty waitress. The place was not packed making it easier to catch the staff’s attention.

I couldn’t decide whether to get pasta or hamburger so Boyet convinced me to get both. It turned out to be a very nice decision. ^_^

Chicken Parmesan arrived first. You have the choice of red or white sauce for the pasta. We picked white sauce of course. The penne pasta was cooked al dente which has always been my preference. The combination of flavors of the cheese and garlic was perfect. It was served with two chicken breasts topped with melted cheese and a slice of bread. I enjoyed munching the chicken because it wasn’t oily at all.

Chicken Parmesan Php425

My jaw dropped while the burger was being served. I didn’t know that it was that big! I started eating the fries which was perfectly seasoned. The spicy and salty coating of the fries was really enticing. I was trying to save some room for the remaining order so I just split half of the burger into two. It was one of the best burger I’ve ever tried. I had my burger well-done but there were no signs of charring unlike other restaurants who think that well-done is synonymous with burned. The patty was still moist and flavorful. But the bread stood out as well as the patty. I brought home some of the burger and my mom only ate the bread leaving some of the meat behind. The menu said that they use sourdough parmesan bread. I am not sure what it is but it sure added flavor to the hamburger.

San Francisco Burger Php395

I almost fainted when the Half Mile Chicken was served. I thought it was just a two-piece fried chicken but I might have just mistaken it with another meal. I was so dense not to realize that Half Mile means half chicken. Their fried chicken is crispy on the outside yet juicy and moist on the inside. I liked the salty kick of the breading which matched the mushroom gravy sauce.

Half Mile Chicken Php335

I think it was the longest lunch we’ve had. We really tried to finish the food but we failed. We took home three fourths of the burger and 2 pieces of chicken. Aside from the food, the sporty atmosphere made my date giddy and started talking about basketball while I felt like I was being punished for not understanding a single thing. But I guess he was just trying to over talk so he could burn more calories and eat more food. Hehe!

National Sports Grill
Level 3 Greenbelt 3
Ayala Center, Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St.
Makati City

26 Wishes

It’s another year! I don’t know what is with time but it is surprisingly flying faster. It feels like yesterday when I’d wear my dad’s supporter over my knee-length shorts thinking it was cool. Now, I think it would be quite gross if I put it on again.

I was hoping that this year would be better. Last year was quite a disaster that I even tried not to celebrate my own birthday. But I need to be positive. I’ll only be in my 20’s once and I’ll soon be approaching the late 20’s stage. Argh! What happened?!

Anyway, I don't think it's greedy to have 26 wishes. It's my 26th birthday after all. ^_^

1. I wish to have more readerships (and more advertisements) in this blog.

2. I wish to be less accident-prone. What’s with slipping from the stairs and just recently in the bathroom?

3. I wish I can find more reasons to smile.

4. I wish I can bring smile to more people. More good deeds to come this year!

5. I wish I can learn to be less grumpy and temperamental because wrinkles are starting to show up!


6. I wish I can find time to finish my “20 things to do before I reach 30” list. Somebody promised to teach me how to ride a bicycle so I wish that he still remembers that promise.

7. I wish my family and friends good health.

8. I wish better health for me this year and the years to come. I think I’m a little old for tonsillitis!

9. I wish I can let go of all the frustrations and disappointments that piled up for the last 25 years. I have been feeling each time I wake up in the morning that my heart is slowly being eaten up by negativity.

10. I wish I can learn that real friendships do not end. I felt that I was left behind by some friends. I didn’t realize that the physical detachment does not necessarily mean that the bond we’ve nurtured over the years goes away.


11. I wish I can freely accept that new friendships will come. I have the tendency to hold back from building new relationships when old friends leave. Maybe I just so got used to being with the same people. And as a result, my eyes are shut at how others try to reach out to me.

12. I wish I can spend more time with my friends. Friends, spend more time with me too! Haha!


13. I wish for more places to visit and more restaurants to try.

14. I wish Boyet and I can get back what we lost.


15. I wish Boyet stops acting like a child by starting to eat fruits and vegetables on a regular basis!


16. I wish I can keep on my once a week fruit diet.

17. I wish to have more personal time with God. I have been skipping Sunday masses and I don’t remember the last time I’ve read the bible.

18. I wish my brother will start cleaning his room. It smells really bad.

19. I wish for a new computer for my room so that I won’t need to endure my brother’s stinking room.

20. I wish my mom stops reminding me over and over again that I’m getting older and that I need to be doing the thing that other 20-something women do.

21. I wish my dad minimizes his drinking. He gets really noisy when he’s drunk.

22. I wish they are still and will always be proud of what I have become.


23. I wish for the day that Erlie will finally introduce her boyfriend to us! Not that one!


24. I wish to unleash the child in me. Wohoo!


25. I wish for a clean and honest 2010 election. I wish for a president that does not only lead but also inspires people to do better.

26. I wish that my two-year wish will come true. I have been praying for something for so long but still nothing. If God thinks it is not yet the right time, I still wish He will continue to shower me with patience as I wait for His perfect time. My friend Mei taught me this prayer.

God, I want this but I want your will more. Help me to see what You really want me to do. Help me to recognize it without a doubt. Help me to glorify You always and may my decision bring glory to Your name.

Happy 26th to me!

Thousand Cranes

A get-together two-year in the making finally materialized last Friday. I don’t remember why we kept on postponing and I can’t remember what triggered the meet-up from happening at last. Aside from Erlie and Aubrey, Yen is another close girl pal from college. We became closer when worked with the same company after college. We instantly clicked though we don’t have anything in common. She sings; I quack. She is a graceful dancer; I either slip on the stairs or in the bathroom floor. She left; I stayed behind.

Anyway, I was so surprised when she asked me if it’s okay to have dinner at Thousand Cranes. I haven’t tried shabu-shabu because I don’t like the idea of cooking while eating and the smoke would stick to my clothes. But since it was going to be her treat, I went on to give it a try.

Just so you know, she is the founder of the “Je-get-married-soon” movement. I was lucky though that this was never brought up during our dinner date. There was a lot of catching up to do and her endless juicy stories that we managed to squeeze in between.

The first few minutes were so hilarious. I don’t have the slightest idea of what to order and the cooking paraphernalia got me all confused. Yen wasn’t also very familiar with things so we opted to ask for the waiter’s help. Yen took charge of the shabu-shabu while I mastered the grilling.



I think Yen got the Seafood and Pork shabu-shabu and pork belly. The waiter poured the hot soup from the pot and helped us make the dips. Based from my observation, I’ve seen all tables with corn, noodles, meatballs, crabsticks and vegetables on a plate. So I guess this is standard on all shabu-shabu. We were then served with a plate of thinly-sliced pork and another plate of seafood which all went to the boiling pot.



I was struck when I saw all the fat from the pork belly. Oh well, my palate yearns for the unhealthy stuffs.


It would be so insensitive of me to just eat while Yen does the cooking so I started grilling the pork belly when it arrived on our table. Yen and I agreed that the pork belly was a knockout especially when dipped into the sweet and salty sauce.


I enjoyed my dining experience at Thousand Cranes so I am definitely trying out other shabu-shabu restaurants.

Thousand Cranes
Level 2 Greenbelt 3
Makati City

Cold Feet

I used to have only two pairs of shoes when I was still studying: black shoes and rubber shoes for my P.E. class. So when I go out, I don't have a lot of choices in my hands. This went on until my first few years in the corporate world. But wearing closed black shoes for almost two decades made my feet shout “BORING!” I was scared that they would abandon me and find a new body. So when I went out of my shell and realized that I need to reinvent myself, I started wearing sandals.

I don’t have a shoe fetish. Though this has been an ongoing debate between me and my dad, I refused to give in to his accusation. He always tells me that I am the centipede of the house for having the most number of footwear in the family. But believe me, I only have a few sneakers, flip-flops and the basic black shoes.

Because of this, when Boyet ran out of gift ideas last Christmas, I told him to just give me my second pair of gladiator sandals.

I haven’t worn them yet because our office gets colder each day so I stopped using sandals. I only have one pair of flat shoes so I recently purchased another one. I don’t feel guilty at all because I got it on SALE from Mario D’boro.


LeDonne and Mario D'boro have branches nationwide. I got both from Robinson's Place Ermita.

Shhh! My dad doesn't know that I have them! ^_^

Cafe Mary Grace

After watching Sherlock Holmes last Saturday, I asked Boyet if I could get a cup of coffee because I was so sleepy from watching Friends the night before. We were about to head to Starbucks when I changed my mind and settled for Café Mary Grace. I have been passing the Robinson’s Place branch of Café Mary Grace for quite some time. Identified for their delicious pastries and ensaymada, it’s surprising that I haven’t tried both.

I find the place charming despite the fact that it is small. As soon as we were seated, the waiter promptly greeted us and served us two glasses of cold water. Two things caught my attention. Their tables are stuffed with notes from customers addressed to Mary Grace. Most of which praised her ensaymada. And second was their cute embroidered coasters. Hehe!

Boyet said that he was still full from our lunch at Friday’s so he opted to just have some iced tea. Mary Grace has a variety of iced tea to choose from, most of which sounds a little scary. I bet that was running on Boyet’s mind making him pick the more familiar Apple and Cinnamon Honey Tea. It came first so I tried it way before he could object.

This is a must-try! The combination of the sweetness of honey and the cinnamon’s zest were noticeable. I would have really wanted to sip it until its last drop.

Apple Cinnamon Honey Tea Php75

I am not a big coffee drinker but I needed the caffeine very badly. I only know of one coffee, and that is the instant one. So when I scanned the menu for coffee, I felt like reading a book written in a foreign language. I too went for the obvious: cappuccino. I think I put too much sugar, four teaspoons to be exact. But I enjoyed the bittersweet taste of their cappuccino.

Regular Cappuccino Php84

Mary Grace’s appetizers are served with fresh slices of toasted bread. We got their grilled kesong puti which was really enjoyable. Crunchy toasted bread on the side and a small bowl of kesong puti mixed with oil and lots of garlic. I didn’t mind how my breath would stink after the meal because I really love the taste of anything with garlic.

Grilled Kesong Puti Php123

Cafe Mary Grace
Level 2
Midtown Wing
Robinsons Place Manila

T.G.I. Friday's

I got a T.G.I. Friday’s gift certificate from my office mate Rex for our team’s exchange gifts last Christmas. I remember celebrating my 23rd birthday in Friday’s wherein my dad and Boyet made fun of me by telling the waiter that it was my birthday. They ended up singing Happy Birthday, mispronounced my name and gave me a piece of cake which nobody dared to eat.

I wasn’t really in my best mood yesterday because someone made me wait for an hour. He needs to thank the Broccoli Cheese Soup for cheering me up. The thick, creamy soup with small pieces of broccoli comes with Sky Flakes crackers on the side. I involuntarily closed my eyes on my first sip of the soup because it was really appetizing. Though rich in flavor, the soup is not overpowering.

Broccoli Cheese Soup Php195

Boyet could not decide what to get so I just asked him to get both since I didn’t have anything in mind at that moment. Aside from being pricey, Friday’s is best known for their baby back ribs. Unlike other restaurants that offer speck of meat attached to a big bone, Friday’s make sure that you get what you pay for. The rib was tender and moist not to mention that the flavor of their special barbecue sauce made the difference. It is served with crispy fries on the side.

Baby Back Ribs (Half Slab) Php590

Jack Daniel’s Chicken is made up of savory chicken breasts, corn and your choice of mashed potato or rice. The black spots were bits of pepper which I initially thought were grill marks. Boyet could not handle the heat of the chicken so I ended up eating all of it. The peppery flavor can be toned down by dipping the chicken into the sweet sauce.

Jack Daniel’s Chicken Php365

The watermelon shake was a good choice to calm down my burning tongue.

Watermelon Shake Php165

Bottomless Iced Tea for Boyet Php105

It would have been an almost perfect experience until after we settled our bill. We stayed on our seats for a few minutes to talk when I was distracted by a small cockroach walking along the headboard of the couch where Boyet was seated. I would have wanted to call the attention of one of the staff but they were all busy attending to other customers and the cockroach has already escaped the crime scene. Haha!

T.G.I. Friday's
Ground Level Robinsons Place Manila

Nakaligo ka na ba sa dagat ng basura?

If you are a Filipino, chances are you know what I’m talking about. Having the 2010 election just around the corner, politicians are all up and about making sure that they are being “known”. But this one is probably the newest craze in town. If you watch a nightly soap opera on any channel, it’s impossible not to catch it. I woke up at nine in the morning and was surprised that it is being played. I was more surprised when I heard it on the radio. Just a few nights ago, I heard a group of kids singing this jingle in unison. Ok fine, I am also guilty of this. I took the effort to memorize the lyrics making sure that I catch it every time it gets played on air. When I finally bragged to Boyet that I already know the song by heart, I found out that they were already showing the lyrics at the bottom of the screen. Talk about wasted efforts!

Let me get it straight though. I am not in any way promoting this guy. He still hasn’t won my vote, in fact none of the aspiring presidential candidates has. But I think I will not be voting for this guy, unless he gives me a new house. (Of course I’m kidding! I have principles, you know? But I’ll consider just in case he decides to give me one. Hehe!) But it’s still very early to tell. A lot of things can still happen in the coming months. But given this jingle, I think this guy has a shot! Haha! But let’s not forget that election is not a clean game. His opponents and critics found a way to make fun of him. Oh God, Filipinos are just so creative! I received this email from Boyet and I found myself in the four corners of my office cubicle laughing out loud.


It actually took me minutes to recover. I forwarded it to a few people and was surprised when my office mate Justine replied to my email with this.


Apparently, this is a viral photo on Facebook. I remember that there was a time when my day wasn’t complete without receiving an Erap joke forwarded through SMS. Those were the days when everybody was revolting against his presidency. Despite all the hype and the intensity of emotions from various groups asking him to step down, Pinoy’s sense of humor could never be disregarded. I have to admit that I sort of missed the Erap jokes when he stepped down. It’s happening again. But this time, it's not limited to one guy. Everybody is making fun of everybody.

Flooding on Twitter and SMS:

_____ : Sipag at Tyaga
_____ : Galing at Talino
_____ : Mama at Papa

Hahaha! Onli in da Pilipins! Who said Philippine politics is boring?

Super Bowl of China

I’m back! Things have been really hectic for me this week making it impossible to update my blog. :(

Anyway, my family saved the best for last before we head back to our normal lives in school and in work. Our feet have been too tired from all the Christmas shopping so it was no longer a surprise for me when my mom begged if we could just sit at the mall. After almost an hour of sitting and being idle, we started walking in search of a place for dinner. After debating here and there, we agreed that the place would be Super Bowl. It was hard to convince my mom because she thought that their food is too salty.

We were first served with their complimentary fish crackers. I was so tempted to ask for spicy vinegar and just have it with rice. It was a matter of minutes when we emptied the bowl. The waiter asked if we wanted a refill which of course was very nice gesture.


Minutes later, a big bowl of hot soup was served. I forgot its name but it has minced beef and my favorite quail eggs. Serving was big enough to warm four growling stomachs.


Dining in a Chinese restaurant is never complete without Yang Chow Fried Rice. I like that their Yang Chow is not too oily though this is not the best I’ve tasted.

Yang Chow Fried Rice Php199

We usually get two plates of Yang Chow but I begged off that night and settled for plain rice instead.

There have already been a few occasions that I’ve tried steamed fish fillet with garlic sauce on different restaurants. But I have to say that Super Bowl’s does not taste or smell fishy at all unlike those I’ve had before. I love the flavor and aroma of the garlic and spring onions on top of the fish fillet.

Steamed Fish Fillet with Garlic Php260

The Super Bowl Combination Platter was a hit! The festive arrangement of the food almost satisfied my appetite. The platter is a combination of roasted chicken, siomai, fried wanton, cuttlefish, pork asado, hakao and my favorites: jellyfish and century egg.

Super Bowl Combination Platter Php395

Super Bowl may not be the best Chinese restaurant in terms of their food but I have to say that they are one of the best in customer service. Their staff is attentive to the needs of the customers. I even saw one of them going from one table to another just to check out if they could offer more assistance if deem needed.

Super Bowl of China
Ground floor Midtown Wing
Robinsons Place Ermita, Manila

The Java Man

I have been passing by The Java Man every time I go to The Enterprise Center in Ayala. But it was my first time to try it out last Friday along with my office mates. It took us a while to decide what to order but I was the first one to give mine to the waiter.

The food started to arrive one by one and the smell of the food was really appetizing. But I was so disappointed because my food came last. We had to follow-up thrice before the waiter served it after saying “Thank you for waiting.”

Carbonara with Herbed Fried Chicken (?) Php205

I was expecting for the wait to be worth it. But I was so dismayed with how I allowed them to rob me of Php205. The chicken was bland and floating in oil. The carbonara was as disappointing as the chicken.

I would have given anything at that moment just to get out my seat. I just used my camera phone to take the photo. I usually apologize for taking bad pictures, tell the readers instead to disregard the photos and convince them that the food is delicious. But I think I don’t need to excuse my picture this time. Argh!

Manila Bay

After indulging ourselves with lots of food during the holiday season, my family decided to take away the guilt of overeating and tried to at least shed some of the accumulated fats during the Christmas break. We decided to go jogging Saturday of last week along Roxas Blvd. Our usual start-off point is at the U.S embassy side. I was so used to seeing the water of Manila Bay striking the sea wall so I was so surprised when I noticed that the tide was low. Before I was able to give the bay a glimpse, I already noticed the horrible smell. Here’s why.


It made me wonder whether the tide was just really low or the water was just too scared to go near the shore because of the piles of garbage. The worst part is a lot of people especially children still swim here. It’s just ironic that behind the high-rising establishments along this part of the metro lie the sad truth that we have neglected the Manila Bay.

New Header Picture

I was about to unclog my blog's backlogs (rhyme huh?!) by writing another entry when I saw the magical bulb above my head. I have been planning to change the look of my site but I know that it will be too tiresome and I will definitely run out of patience. So in order to silence my brain’s cravings of having something new in my blog, I decided to put a header picture instead.

My official header picture (until I change my mind sooner or later) ^_^

I know someone who went through all the troubles of having a blog transformation. See Kriska's blog. :)

Mangan

After attending the Sunday mass at Robinson’s Place Ermita, my stomach started begging to be recharged. I asked Boyet if we could try the restaurants along Jorge Bocobo Street for a change but he insisted on trying out Mangan. I have been to Mangan before with my parents and we were not satisfied with their service. But it has been years ago so I was thinking that things might have changed since their RP branch has been there for a while now.

As soon as we entered the place, I smelled disaster brewing. We were not even greeted by a single staff and we just helped ourselves to our seats. The waiter who asked for our orders was also so inattentive. Boyet asked him something and his eyes were focused on another table while talking to another waiter.

After numerous follow-ups and thirty minutes of waiting, the Tinapa Rice and Tidtad were finally served to us. But to my surprise, the rice was cold. I was expecting that it would at least be hot after waiting that long. Oh well, maybe the rice got cold while patiently waiting in the kitchen to be served on our table. Hmp!

Tinapa Rice Php33

I only eat my mom’s dinuguan because I find others’ either too sour or too sweet. As a consolation, Mangan’s Tidtad (Dinuguan) appealed to my taste buds.

Tidtad (Dinuguan) Php90

I was starting to forgive the long wait and the cold rice but as another shocker, we had to wait for another twenty minutes for the rest of the orders to arrive. Almost everybody in the restaurant got restless because of the poor service. I saw one man who had to get up and approach the kitchen to ask for water. Can you imagine that?

Next to arrive was pinakbet. Though their pinakbet is like any other, an array of different vegetables: squash, ampalaya, eggplant, tomato, okra and string beans, I somehow liked how Mangan managed to retain the crisp of the vegetables. The bagoong was also not overpowering which gave way to the sweetness of the fresh vegetables.

Pinakbet Php90

Bangus ala Pobre came last. Boyet initially asked the waiter to describe the dish, but the waiter mumbled the words that only he could understand. So when the dish arrived, I was so perplexed at how hard it must be for the waiter to explain that it is simply bangus topped with garlic sauce.

Bangus ala Pobre Php157

We were seated beside two old women who were obviously pissed off too because the waiter kept on serving them the wrong food. So when it was time for them to settle their bill, one of them unhesitatingly said “You’re food is quite good but your service is really really bad.” I couldn’t help but giggle after she said that to the astounded waitress. At least, she said what I was itching to say.

When I told my mom that we ate at Mangan, her first question was if their service has improved from our last visit. Of course, I gave her a big NO!

Mangan
Level 1 Midtown Wing
Robinsons Place Ermita