When Cream and Chili Collide - Lunch at Yellow Cab

Boyet and I once again had an impromptu lunch last week. I always have mixed feelings when we have unplanned dates. My heart jumps out of joy because that means that I get to take away an hour from his very busy schedule. But it also means that I have to use my unreliable cellphone camera in taking pictures. Hehe!

We were supposed to have a quick lunch at Jollibee but the place was jam-packed so we were forced to go somewhere else. In agreement not to have pizza, we decided to just have pasta for lunch at Yellow Cab. Again, sorry for the poor shots. :(

We got used to Yellow Cab’s Charlie Chan and Spaghetti so I suggested we order Chicken Alfredo. I’ve tried it a few times before and I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of eating it. The pasta was cooked al dente. I loved the thickness of the cream and the flavors of the garlic, pepper and olives. Boyet thought it was too overpowering so he didn’t enjoy it as much as I did.

Chicken Alfredo Php215

One of the service crew convinced us to get their Hot Wings. I saw from my peripheral vision how Boyet cringed upon hearing the word “hot”. He really has a low tolerance with spicy foods. The staff might have also seen it so she proposed of making the hot wings a little milder. So as a compromise, two of the four wings were not spicy. We were seated near the windows so I tried so hard to conceal the chicken from the sunlight so I could get a decent shot. But my efforts were unheeded.

Hot Wings Php195

I wasn’t able to restrain myself from chomping the chicken wings until the bones were visible. Boyet thought that his chicken wings were not as tasty as mine. I have to say that his chicken wings were BORING! :p

Yellow Cab Pizza
Level 2 Insular Life Building
Ayala Ave. Cor. Paseo de Roxas
Makati City

Another Try at Joey Pepperoni

I always get a surprise each time I visit Joey Pepperoni. Boyet and I was so delighted when we paid less than what we expected during our first visit because we didn’t know that they slash 50% on pizzas from 2PM – 6PM. The place has become more popular with their pasta-all-you-can and buy-one-take-one pizza offerings. I didn’t know that they now offer these treats the whole day.

My brother suggested we get the Mozzarella sticks. Everybody couldn’t stop munching as soon as it was served on the table. The breading was crunchy and not greasy at all. Each bite gives a surprise from the chewy mozzarella cheese. Dip it with the pomodoro sauce and you’ll surely give your palate a tasty treat.

Mozzarella sticks Php190

We have been consuming pasta dishes for days so my mom said that we should stay away from pasta for once. So she suggested we have some salads instead. First to arrive was the Classic Caesar Salad. The crispy texture of the lettuce and croutons, the salty bacon and the pungent dressing were a hit altogether. It was surely a nice way to start a meal.

Classic Caesar Salad Php110

My mom insisted we get another one but it would be too boring to get another Caesar Salad. So I proposed on trying their Cold Salad. If you’re craving for both pasta and salad, then this is perfect for you. The penne pasta was perfectly coated with the honey mustard dressing and was served on a bed of crispy lettuce. The hard-boiled eggs and refreshing cherry tomatoes were a nice addition to the salad.

Cold Pasta Php150

What I loved about JPP’s pizza is its very thin crust. Because of this, you’ll get all the flavors from the toppings. It wasn’t my first time to try out Pizza Messicana: beef, bacon, cheese, mushroom and special Mexican seasonings. I love putting hot sauce on pizza but there is no need for it if you order Pizza Messicana.

Pizza Messicana Round 12 Regular Price Php345

Meatlovers pizza is a family favorite. We never run out of options when ordering pizzas because meatlovers is always on top of the list. My family seemed to have enjoyed JP’s Tutta Carne more than the Messicana. The toppings of beef, bacon, ham and pepperoni overloaded the thin and crispy crust. We all agreed that the semi-soft yet chewy cheese topping augmented the flavors of the meat.

Tutta Carne Round 12 Regular Price Php345

We paid Php399 instead of Php690 for the two pizzas. Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria is truly the destination for pizza and pasta lovers.

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria
Level 4 Robinsons Place
Malate, Manila, Philippines

Paeng's Midtown Bowl

After our sumptuous lunch at Momo, we decided to play bowling instead of watching a movie. I have been at Paeng's Midtown Bowl a couple of times before both with my family and friends. The place usually holds tournaments which was also the case when we were there. It hasn’t started yet so Boyet and I made an agreement to leave the place before it begins so we would not look too inexperienced. Hehe!

Aside from their friendly staff, I have always been amazed with their high-tech setups. Each lane has a screen that shows the scores and cute animations each time you hit or miss.

I started really well so my competitive spirit spiked up. Wohoo!

But I guessed it was just beginner’s luck. :(

He wasn’t contented beating me at bowling so he asked if we could play billiards. Of course I was more awful with billiards. Actually, I am terrible with any sports that involve balls. Haha!

Though his play was a little rusty, he still got the moves. That’s because he spent most of his college life playing billiards. :p

Paeng's Midtown Bowl
Level 2 Padre Faura Wing
Robinson's Place Manila

The White Hat

I was craving for blueberry cheesecake and ice cream. But my mind said it’s too sinful. And my waistline shouted that I should use my brains more often. So I had this instead.

Regular Yogurt with 2 toppings Php120

I recently tried The White Hat. I need to emphasize on the “I” because Boyet refused to give in after my endless attempts to convince him to try it. He hates yogurt as much as I love it. The White Hat’s Italian yogurt is 98% FAT-FREE! I am just not sure if the same thing applies with their toppings. ^_^

I loved it! I found a new best friend!

The White Hat
Level 4 Midtown Wing
Robinson's Place Manila

A Breeze of Good Deeds #18: I Help Send a Kid to School ^_^

Today is a very special day for me. This day marks the first anniversary of my “A Breeze of Good Deeds” series. I started this because I saw how my words affect the people around me. More often than not, my negative feelings are being passed on to other people. So for a change, I wanted to spread even the littlest positivity left in my body.

Just recently, I did something that I am really proud of. I have been planning to do an outreach project for my 26th birthday. But almost three months later, I still got nothing. I had so many ideas in mind but my busy schedule and lack of budget prevented me from doing so. I know that these are petty excuses so I’ll stop making more. Anyway, God is so good for putting me at the right place last Friday. After having lunch at Glorietta, Boyet and I accompanied my office mate Cric at Park Square as she needed to buy a new cell phone. It was my first time to come there so I was visually exploring the place when a small booth caught my attention. The lady attending the booth was a little preoccupied as she was talking to another lady. But as soon as she saw me eyeing the brochures, she gave me one.

She explained to me what World Vision is and what they do to help the less fortunate kids who are unable to go to school. There was actually no need to convince me because I have long wanting to sponsor a child but I didn’t know how to do it. I asked a few questions of how I could pay the monthly donations and then I immediately signed some forms. I was then asked to pick for a child to sponsor. I am not allowed to divulge her identity but I’d like to share a few details about my “kid”. She is in kindergarten. She has a cute smile even if her front teeth are missing. And the reason that I picked her is because of her favorite subject: Mathematics. :) I was then asked to write my first letter to her. And they told me that I should also expect at least two from her: a Christmas card and her annual progress report. We are also allowed to correspond through World Vision.

I thought that sponsoring a child only entails paying the monthly donation. But there is a lot more to it. I need to follow certain guidelines to protect both the child’s and my welfare. Because of these new responsibilities, I now feel that I have my own child minus the pain of birth delivery. Hehe!

Can you imagine how much it would cost to help bring a child to school? Php600! That amount is less than how other people spend on a coffee drink a week and definitely less than how much we spend dining out. It does not even near how other people splurge on a night out. And yes, it is much cheaper than a pair of Havaianas.

So please pray for my “kid” that she may be able to finish her studies and achieve her dreams even under the most difficult circumstances. Please pray that I may be able to continuously have the means to support her. And I’ll be praying that my friends and readers will also be encouraged to sponsor a child after reading this post. :)

My World Vision Baller

World Vision Development Foundation
389 Quezon Avenue corner West 6th St.
1104 Quezon City, Philippines
Email: wv_phil@wvi.org
Office Numbers: (632)374-7618 up to 28 or fax to (632)374-7660

Momo! Food + Drink

I have been pestering Boyet for quite some time to let us try Momo. But he thought that it was just a “coffee shop”. After months of giving him hints that I really want to try it out, I was able to finally convince him last Saturday. I asked if we could just check out their menu and we’d walk away if they don’t serve rice.

We were greeted by a nice and friendly waitress who led us to our seats. I love the cozy yet trendy interior of Momo. There is no wonder why students flock this place. I think they also have free wi-fi so that's probably another reason. Hehe!

Their huge glass windows give the customers plenty of natural light and also allows them to watch the busy street of Pedro Gil. Well, I was actually snooping on the people passing by and not really minding the street. Hihi!

The waitress told us that their frozen iced tea is a must-try. They serve their iced teas in tall glasses with mints on top. I tried and enjoyed the Strawberry Frozen Iced Tea. The acidic taste of the strawberries complements the sweetness of the tea. Everything from the taste to the coldness was balanced. I also had a sip of what Boyet got which was Lemon Lime. Other flavors are guava, blueberry, dalandan, peach and green mango.

Momo's Own Frozen Iced Tea Php85

They serve complimentary garlic bread with a spread on the side which I think is cheese pimiento. My expectations got higher as I got satisfied with the frozen iced tea and then with the free bread. It was so good that I ended up eating the spread as soon as the garlic bread was gone.

Complimentary Garlic Bread

The Wild Mushroom Cappuccino arrived in a big cup with a piece of garlic bread on the side. It mimics the look of cappuccino because of its white froth. I was about to have my first sip when the waitress approached our table and told us that she forgot to put olive oil in our soup. The olive oil was really a nice addition to the creamy consistency, sweet yet pungent flavor and fragrant aroma of the soup. This is one of the best mushroom soup I’ve ever tasted.

Wild Mushroom Cappuccino Php150

Boyet and I decided to check out first the serving size of their fried chicken before ordering for another dish because the menu says that it is perfect for sharing. Aside from the grilled corn, the chicken has grilled vegetables which obviously were untouched as I am with a date who is so scared of veggies. He liked the chicken though it was just average for me. It’s nice that they use cornflakes as alternative to the usual flour breading which I think absorbs more oil.

Boneless Cornflake Crusted "Country Fried Chicken" Php385

I was saving some room for desserts but I stayed away from it because I already had something on my mind for snacks.

I have high praises for their food and service. And a little creativity goes a long way. The receipt that they gave us when we settled our bill is placed on a cute gold pail.

And we received special treats when we got our change: my favorite Choc-Nut! :)

Momo! Food + Drink
Robinson's Place Manila

JERELLT (1976)

I get two most common questions in my 26 years of existence.

1. What is your name?
2. Where does your name come from?

(But trailing behind recently is the when-are-you-getting-married-question)

Believe me, I get these two questions on first day of school, first meetings and even on job interviews. I always tell them that my name was coined from my mother’s peer group when she was still in high school.

J - oy
E - lena (my mom)
R - ebecca
E - lizabeth
L - uisa
L - oida (my mom is unsure of this one haha)
T - eresita

My name is a gift and a curse. It is a gift because it’s quite unique so there is a very small chance for me to be a victim of mistaken identity. It also breaks the ice on first meetings because the history of my name instantly becomes a topic for discussion.

It is a curse because my name has been misspelled (JERELT, JERRELLT, JERRELT, JERELLTT) and mispronounced (JERALD, JERELIT, JARELD) in every way possible. I even had to return my college diploma for correction. And worst of all, some people have mistaken me for a boy!

But when I entered the corporate world, the next question after the history of my name was: Do you have a nickname? Oh God! I do have a nickname growing up but it would be embarrassing to let everybody know what it is. Boyet used to call me JE as his term of endearment. So instead of the real one, I decided that JE would be my new nickname. I remember Boyet would frown every time he hears someone calling me JE. He later on got used to it.

Every time I tell these horror stories, my dad would usually tease my mom for insisting on giving me that name. He always says that nobody from her friends were even around when I was born. But just recently, one of the two L’s paid my mom a surprise visit. And thank God for Facebook, Tita Luisa shared this photo.

This was JERELLT at Luneta in 1976. Well, my mom wasn’t in the picture which only means that she was already a killjoy at that time. Though I haven’t met any of them personally, it’s so nice to finally put faces behind the names. Cool!

Pasto

I can’t believe that my last blog post was almost two weeks ago. I was quite busy with work and our new computer refused to turn on. And worst of all, Boyet and I got sick. Argh! Anyway, I’m back to regular programming. Hehe!

Despite our busy schedule, Boyet and I try to squeeze in spending some quality time together. I had to work overtime last week and eating at Jollibee for days did not aid my brain cells to recuperate. My feet declined to walk and my stomach could not stop grumbling so we had no other choice but to go to the nearest restaurant. We headed to Paseo Center and decided to have dinner at Pasto. My first time at Pasto was a big booboo. I was with my officemates Yen, Joie and Mei. We placed our orders before 12:00 pm and the food started to arrive after almost an hour of waiting with long intervals in between. I remember how irate we all were after numerous follow-ups to the waiting staffs. But that was years ago and the restaurant was still operating so I assumed that their service has already improved.

We were seated just below the AC vent so we were both chilling. Fortunately, Boyet opted to have soup to start up our meal. Zuppa di Funghi is cream of pureed roasted mushroom soup with garlic bread on the side.

Sorry for the poor shots. I only used my cell phone camera. ^_^

Zuppa di Funghi Php145

With our recent weight gain, Boyet and I made a deal to reduce our food intakes at night. So dinner is definitely not a good time to pig out. We just decided to have one pasta meal each. I got their lasagna which was layered with meat, eggplant, tomato sauce and cream. This pasta dish is a nice way to give your kids who dread eating vegetables because the eggplants were camouflaged under the pasta sheets. I loved the rich cream on top of it but it got a little too intense as I ate more of it.

Lasagna Php265

Being a cream-based pasta addict, Boyet got his favorite Carbonara. Pasto serves their Carbonara using linguine cooked al dente with smoked bacon, mushrooms and a liberal amount of garlic cream sauce. I actually enjoyed this more than my lasagna so I ended up grabbing Boyet’s plate every now and then.

Carbonara Php225

Their food was so-so. But their service has definitely gotten better though I am not sure if it was only because we were the only persons in the restaurant. Hihi! :)

Pasto
Level 3 Paseo Center
8757 Paseo de Roxas cor. Sedeno St., Salcedo Village
Makati City

Shokuji Bar and Restaurant

It was such a stressful week for Boyet and me, both professionally and personally. I haven’t also been feeling well which makes me a little agitated most of the times. So just to take some time off, we mutually agreed to have a quiet dinner last Friday. We were both tired to walk to Greenbelt so I thought of going to a restaurant near our office.

I came to know Shokuji during one of our team-building lunches. It is located in quite a secluded area opposite the busy Ayala Avenue.

We walked into the place and were greeted by a nice waiter. I was quite pleased when I noticed that there were only three customers inside which would give Boyet and me the chance to talk. But I noticed right away that the small place has a partition which divides the room into two. It turns out that a small group reserved it for a private function. And yeah, they were really noisy.

The place has a wide array of food which made it a little hard for us to choose. It was nice though that the waiter was so accommodating in answering all our questions.

Boyet and I shared the Dobin Moshi Soup. It was really hot which soothed my itchy throat. I forgot to give it a little blow for the soup to cool a little so I ended up hurting my tongue. I loved the flavors of the shrimp, fish and the leeks.

Dobin Moshi Soup Php75

I decided to get Philadelphia Roll. The sticky rice was a nice base for the salmon and the cream cheese. The sesame seeds added texture and a nutty flavor to the rolls. It was also noticeable that the Bonito flakes were not fishy unlike other Japanese restaurants use. Boyet told me that I should eat all of them but before I knew it, he has already eaten four rolls.

Philadelphia Roll Php268

Boyet got a cup of Chahan. It was so flavorful from the mixture of ground beef, egg and vegetables. I commend Shokuji because the rice wasn’t oily at all.

Chahan Php65

I decided to get their Shitake Beef Rolls. Juicy shitake mushrooms wrapped in very tender sirloin beef. The combination of the beef and mushroom was perfect. It was served with onion rings on the side. Boyet hates onions so I ended up eating the onion rings while I kept on convincing him that it was sweet and would probably not cause him bad breath. And then he started mumbling about what if he eats onions and then he gets to ride a cab with a beautiful and sexy woman who would later on seduce him. That guy does not have the slightest idea that I would not let that happen even in his dreams!

Shitake Beef Rolls Php325

Boyet made a last minute additional order of Ika Yaki Yakimono. Tender and perfectly-cooked squids topped with a tangy teriyaki sauce. I hate how other restaurants make me pay for eating rubbery squids.

Ika Yaki Yakimono Php210

Shokuji Iced Tea Php52

Boyet got their special lemon tea mix while I opted to have their fresh calamansi juice. You have the option to have your calamansi juice hot, lukewarm or cold.

Calamansi Juice Php70

Shokuji Bar and Restaurant

Ground Floor LPL Center

San Agustin corner Sedeno St.,

Salcedo Village, Makati City

Gerry's Grill

Boyet and I had an impromptu lunch last Monday. He was supposed to have a meeting at their Ayala office so that gave us some time to have lunch together. It wasn’t our first time at Gerry’s Grill and we haven’t been there for quite some time. Their food is great but I have two problems. First, the mixture of smoke and food odors stick to my clothes as what usually happens to restaurants with poor ventilation. And second, their service is really slow.

We checked out the place and saw that it wasn’t crowded. It is expected since restaurants are busier during Fridays and paydays. We took our seats and were then approached by a waiting staff to get our orders. Sorry for the bad shots. It was an unplanned lunch so I only used my camera phone. :)

I badly needed some hot soup to calm my nerves and ease my itchy throat. I would have wanted to try out La Paz Batchoy but I was worried that the serving would be too big for two people so I settled for Nido Soup. The soup was topped with mushrooms, leaks and a splash of sesame oil.

Nido Soup Php65

Boyet was craving for kare-kare so we got one. It came on a big bowl which made me realize that we were not going to finish it. Being one of my favorite dishes, I have to admit that I am a little too critical with this one. Boyet seemed to like it but I think it was too sweet. I could taste that the sweetness was coming from the canned peanut butter.

Kare-Kare with Bagoong Php255

I was in-charge of choosing the appetizer. An appetizer is called such to stimulate someone’s appetite. It is supposed to start the meal but our order came after numerous follow-ups. I wasn’t having fun with the kare-kare so I was hoping that the Coco Fish Fingers would be a treat. Fortunately, I liked it. The fish was coated with the usual breading and coco flakes giving the dish a distinct texture.

Coco Fish Fingers Php145

The fish is tender and it comes well with the special dip. The blend of peppery, salty and garlicky flavors from the dip accentuates the fish.

Gerry's Grill Insular
Mezzanine Level, Insular life Bldg.
Paseo corner Ayala Ave., Makati

Hershey’s Chocolate Ice Cream from Ministop

Summer came earlier than the usual. It’s as if the sun gets more powerful each day as it scorches my skin. Everybody hits the gym to achieve the perfect shape as they flaunt their body on the beach. But for me, it is a perfect excuse to eat ice cream! I don’t care whether it’s FIC or just dirty ice cream as long as it satisfies the cravings of the child in me.

Ministop offers affordable ice cream that quenches my cravings. I recently tried Hershey’s chocolate ice cream for only Php15! :)

Rai Rai Ken Ramen House and Sushi Bar

We were not supposed to go out last Sunday to have my brother’s birthday celebration. He is graduating this March so his tight schedule did not permit it. But he had a last-minute change of heart. It was already late so we just went to Robinson’s Place Manila.

My mom begged off for pizza so she suggested Super Bowl. But since it was my brother’s day, we followed his wish for Japanese food.

We have been passing by Rai Rai Ken for so long but we didn’t have the interest to try it out. We arrived a little before 7 p.m. so the place wasn’t crowded. One trivial thing that caught my attention is that the waiting staff is not familiar with the menu. She wasn’t able to offer us any useful suggestions and she had a hard time answering our inquiries.

My dad asked if they have free soup. They served us four bowls of tasty soup which warmed our stomachs. I badly needed something hot because of my dry and scratchy throat.

Complimentary Soup

Having the appetizing soup for starters made us set our expectations high. When we asked the waitress how big the serving was for the rice, she said that it’s good for 4-5 persons. Being big rice-eaters, my dad got their Yakimeshi Platter and ordered for another cup of extra rice.

It seems like my dad miscalculated it because we weren’t able to finish the platter. It’s either the serving was really big or the Yakimeshi was just unappealing to our palates. My problem is that the top part was really tasty because of the pork toppings. But it got blander as I dug deeper into the rice.

Yakimeshi Platter Php255

My dad suggested we get Yakisoba instead of ramen. Well, that was a bad decision. The noodles were glistening because of too much oil and our lips started to hurt because it was too salty. If there’s one thing nice, it came really well with the tasteless Yakimeshi.

Gomoku Yakisoba (Regular – Php155, Large – Php315)

I was curious with their Salmon Balls so I gave it a try. It came to our table and my eye feasted on it until I found out that it was salmon with bits of potatoes and lots and lots of salt wrapped in a breading. Now I know that my curiosity gets me into trouble. If I die of kidney failure, you know who the culprit is. Haha!

Salmon Balls Php65

We also got Mixed Seafood Furai - squid rings, breaded fish, breaded crabsticks and salmon rolls. My head exploded thinking that we all had to bear the salmon rolls again. I would have appreciated it if the waitress had just given us a heads up that the Mixed Seafood already includes salmon rolls. It was nice though that it wasn’t salty, aside from the salmon rolls of course.

Mixed Seafood Furai Php215

Japanese dining is never complete without maki. We weren’t adventurous that night so we settled for California Maki. Thank God this wasn’t salty so I enjoyed this the most.

California Maki Php145

I told my dad to ask for water but I made a joke saying that I’m scared to ask because they might give me saltwater. After dinner, my dad had the courage to tell the waitress that most of the dishes were salty.

I know I might be too critical with Rai Rai Ken but you have to taste it to believe. I’m just giving them the benefit of the doubt that maybe we got those that were not their specialty. :)

Rai Rai Ken Ramen House and Sushi Bar
Level 4 Robinsons Place Manila