Piadina Italiana

Piadina Italiana in Robinson’s Place Manila may have changed its location but not its reliability in serving yummy yet affordable Italian food. We have tried it many times before and Piadina has not yet disappointed us. We went back a couple of weeks ago for lunch after a quick trip to Cavite in search for a house.

I just went to the restroom for a few minutes and went back with an almost empty bowl of soup. It was the mushroom soup that comes with Boyet’s choice for lunch. It is simply delicious that he actually restrained himself from finishing the creamy soup so I could take its picture and have a sip of it.

Mushroom Soup

Coming with the mushroom soup is pan-fried chicken with herbs and garlic, mushroom rice and vegetables on the side. The chicken is perfectly cooked having crispy skin yet tender and juicy meat. The gravy has very strong flavors but it still went well with the chicken.

Pollo Rosso PHP250

The combination of Spanish chorizo and Italian sausage was a feast for my taste buds. As soon as the plate arrived in my table, I was immediately attracted to its color. There was a hint of spiciness which balanced the taste of the creamy tomato sauce. A dash of Parmesan cheese made it tastier.

Pasta Italspagna PHP230

Piadina Italiana
Level 2 Midtown Wing
Robinsons Place Manila

From Mt. Rainier to Space Needle

Hervi and I haven’t seen each other for nearly a decade. After chatting in the basement until the wee hours of the morning, we decided to sleep for the next day would be my last to witness the beauty of Seattle.

Our destination was Mount Rainier. I first saw it from the plane which made me really excited thinking that it was already snowing in Seattle. I later on found out from my plane seatmate that ice is visible in the mountain even if it’s summer. My last hope of seeing snow suddenly disappeared. :p

It was a long drive. We just stopped for a few minutes to have the lunch Tita prepared (prawns and Filipino-style spaghetti) using the ingredients they bought from the Seafood City! :)

There was endless walking which I really loved given the way I ate for almost three months. Nyaha! It was tiring but worth it. I’ll just let the pictures prove that I enjoyed being close to nature. :)
















Everyone who knew that I was going to Seattle told me that I should ride the Space Needle. I wanted to but it was already getting late. Tito and Tita told me that I should have stayed at least one more day so I could roam around downtown. I really wish I did. :(



I watched the movie Love Happens in HBO a few days ago. The movie’s setting is in Seattle (although Hervi told me that the movie wasn't really shot there) and showed some shots of downtown which I only saw for a few minutes while inside the car. Watching the movie made me remember the things that I failed to do and see in Seattle. :(

Will I ever come back? I hope so! :)

Omakase Comes to Ayala Triangle Gardens

I have heard so many raves about Omakase. Unfortunately, I only know of two cities – Makati and Manila. We don’t have a car and our sense of direction is not that exemplary so Boyet and I make the most out or comfort zones. We could have not tried Omakase if not for the opening of its branch in the Ayala Triangle Gardens.

After trying out Chef Laudico’s Bfast the previous week, our next stop was Omakase. Given that Boyet is not really a fan of Japanese cuisine and that he cannot stand eating anything that has something raw in it, it was a surprise to me that he chose Omakase even if I haven’t told him that I have long been wanting to try it.

Looking from outside, I was expecting us to be on the waiting list. But I was surprised when the lady receptionist escorted us to our seats.

Fried Rice PHP60

Two cups of fried rice were first served to us followed by the Ebi Tempura. The fried rice wasn’t oily. Spring onions, bell peppers and carrots were concealed for picky and non-vegetable eaters like Boyet. The fried rice has just the right flavors so as not to overpower the taste of the other dishes.

I only have one complain with the tempura. I wanted more of it! Nyaha! We were getting enough prawns at every bite unlike other restaurants serving customers with tempura comprising of 70% batter.

Ebi Tempura (3 pcs) PHP175

For those who can’t decide whether to get chicken or beef, then this dish will suit you. Flavorful chicken and beef cubes are served with bean sprouts on the side. Everything on the plate is already good. But putting some sauce on it will definitely make your taste buds jump out of excitement. The chicken is really good although my vote goes to the beef which has a distinct smoky flavor.

Beef and Chicken Teppan PHP285

I didn’t let our visit in Omakase pass without trying their maki. There was a lot to choose from but I settled with the Mt. Fuji Roll. It wasn’t the tuna nor the unagi that made me decide to go for it. It was the cream cheese on top that convinced me. My picture does not look appetizing at all but you just have to take my word that it’s really good. :)

Mt. Fuji Roll PHP270

Omakase Japanese Cuisine
Ayala Triangle Gardens,
Ayala Ave., Makati

Chef Laudico’s BFAST

Christmas in Ayala has never been brighter with all the lights and lanterns along the Ayala Avenue, and both the Symphony of Parols and opening of various restaurants at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. I got really curious upon hearing the news that Amici, Omakase, Momo and Kanin Club would just be a stone’s throw away from our office.

Boyet and I checked out the place two Fridays ago and could not believe the number of people piling up to grab dinner. After looking at all our options, we decided to go to Chef Laudico’s BFAST.

The first thing I noticed was the restaurant’s minimalist interior. I looked at another table and noticed that the plates were plastic which made me scratch my head with disappointment. But upon reading the writings on the wall, I realized that the place is eco-friendly for they use recycled materials for their utensils and furnishings. I’ll give them plus points for that! :)


Nothing beats Filipino breakfast. Our “silogs” have evolved throughout the years. I only grew up knowing tapsilog but we now have longsilog, hotsilog, tosilog and even pakaplog. Filipino breakfast is so versatile making it possible to be enjoyed all day long. If you want to have breakfast at any time of the day, then BFAST is probably the place to be.

I got the BFAST Kalogs. Unfortunately, the Christmas ham was just so-so. I wasn’t sure what came with it but I am thinking it’s kamote (KAmote + itLOGS = KALOGS?). I am not sure either if it is their version of the American hash brown. I enjoyed the first few bites but my jaw started to hurt from chewing after a while. And oh, I am not recommending this dish if you are not heading home right away. Kamote is really deadly. @_@

BFAST Kalogs (Christmas Ham) PHP178

Boyet had the better choice. He got Tapangus which I initially thought was Tapang Bangus. Nyaha!

After he let me try it, I realized that the tapa is Angus beef, thus the reason for the name. I loved the rich flavor of the beef although there were some strips that were rubbery. The vinegar wasn’t impressive too. But since I liked the taste of the tapa, all these things became trivial to me. And before Boyet knew it, my plate was inching towards his side of the table until I finally got hold of his plate. :)

BFAST Silogs (Tapangus) PHP178

Too bad I wasn't up for desserts :(

Chef Laudico’s BFAST
Ayala Triangle Gardens
Ayala Ave., Makati

The Good Earth Tea Room

I don’t usually go out on weekdays. It has been a habit ever since I was a student. But I needed to meet someone on a Thursday night and I was on vacation leave the following day so it was fine to stay up late. After our meeting with our OTD coordinator, Boyet and I met my brother Abes at The Good Earth Tea Room for dinner.

If I am with my brother, siomai will definitely have a place on the table. I like TGETR’s siomai because there is less fat and the soy sauce has the exact blend of sweetness and saltiness.

Siomai PHP85

We also got their Hot and Sour Soup - tofu, mushroom, green peas and egg floating over a thick brown soup. I’ve tried something like this in other Chinese restaurants. They claim it to be a good remedy for colds. But this soup is definitely not for people with sensitive teeth.

Hot and Sour Soup PHP120

Being in the company of two men with big appetite, a small bowl of rice is not enough. We got a large bowl of Yang Chow which was swiped clean in minutes. What’s my verdict? I’ll give it a passing rate. I just think that the fried rice was a bit dry and bland.

Yang Chow Fried Rice (Large) PHP270

I wanted something light that night so I chose to have fish instead of pork or beef. We all agreed to have a serving of Popoy’s Delight. Honestly, I just chose this because I am a fan of the movie One More Chance. Haha! :)

Lying over light soy sauce are fish fillets sandwiched with ham. I have never tried ham with fish so this dish was a revelation.

Popoy's Delight (Small) PHP195

Coming in last was Broccoli with Garlic Sauce. Customers have the option to have oyster sauce instead. Having vegetables with oyster sauce is a bit common so we settled for garlic sauce. The broccoli comes with a kind of mushroom which my dad refers to as tenga ng daga. The tricky part: the taste of the garlic may be evident but there was definitely not enough sauce. The dish should have been called Broccoli with Garlic. Nyaha!

Broccoli with Garlic Sauce (Small) PHP 115

The Good Earth Tea Room
Level 2 Greenbelt 3
Ayala Center, Makati

Closer to Home - Seafood City Supermarket and Jollibee

October 15 - The feeling was surreal. I woke up really early that day despite staying up late to pack my things the night before. I left the hotel before 7:30 am to get to my 9:45 am flight to Seattle. I was really excited to go home but I was also looking forward to my trip to Seattle. I was visiting a family friend whom I haven’t seen for close to a decade.

My Delta flight was a few minutes delayed. And I needed a train ride to get to the baggage claim area at the Seattle airport. I reached the area and I panicked when I couldn’t find my bags. I found all of them after almost half an hour. My next struggle was how to transfer all my bags to the cart. You should have really seen me that day because Wonder Woman would really be embarrassed! :p

I was supposed to meet my best friend Hervi before noon but I got out of the airport by 12:30. It was really weird that I could send her text messages but I wasn't receiving her replies. So I had to text my dad who then told Tito Taka (Hervi’s father) to tell Hervi to pick me up. After another half an hour, I finally saw a familiar face. She drove me to their beautiful house and we had a Filipino lunch. Wohooo!

There was definitely a lot of catching up to do but she needed to go out for a meeting so I took that chance to watch TV and scan all the cable channels. I was really amazed because I got really tired of the 20 channels in our hotel (two of which are not for kids like me). But ironically, I was watching TFC most of the time. With nothing else to do, I decided to take a nap.

I woke up after a few hours as the house begins to sound like a typical Filipino household. I already heard the voice of Tito Taka so I went up from the basement to greet him.

He then drove us to Seafood City, the only place in the US in which I felt closer to home. I saw cars with stickers of the Philippine flag, I heard people speaking in Tagalog and Sharon Cuneta’s face greeted me as we enter the supermarket.

I got used to only eating eggplants and string beans in Minnesota so the sight of our local vegetables at the supermarket was amazing. I saw local brands of shampoos and soaps. And yes, instant pancit canton is everywhere. They even have Tagalog translations in the different supermarket sections.

There was Red Ribbon, Chowking, Tokyo Tokyo and…

Weeeeehhhh!!! Jollibee!

They were worried that I might not like having dinner in Jollibee since I was already going back to the Philippines. I honestly didn’t mind. Jollibee has been a Filipino pride so I wouldn’t let the opportunity pass to try it in the US and see the difference. My verdict? Our Chickenjoy is better but I liked their version of the Jolly Spaghetti more than what we have here.


I really enjoyed my three-month stay in Minnesota but it was overshadowed by this particular experience. I’ve never seen a nation as happy as we are. It made me realize that Filipinos may have tasted the perks of living in a foreign country but there’s still no place like home. That experience actually made me more excited to come back to where I truly belong.

And yes, Jollibee dinner in USA is priceless!

Bigby’s Café and Restaurant

My very reliable maid of honor came with us to a bridal fair even after her 12-hour work shift. There were only a few exhibitors who participated so it just took us a few minutes to scout the place. After doing so, our search for a restaurant began.

I don’t usually go to Megamall so I am not really familiar with the place. We went straight to The Atrium and looked for a restaurant that we haven’t tried before. It wasn’t our first choice but I have to admit that it was a good one. We were escorted inside Bigby’s Café and Restaurant by a nice lady. The cheerful music really complemented the energy of the staff members who were singing and dancing while attending to the customers.

I had the impression that the restaurant is travel-inspired because of the interior and the staff’s uniforms. There was also a large framed glass hanging by the wall which contains a number of key chains from all over the world. I want that for my key chain collection!

Boyet and I decided to treat Erlie for lunch as our way of saying thank you to her. Even if she didn’t have much to say in making choices, her mere presence made everything easier for me. Paging my other not-so-reliable maid of honor! :p

The restaurant allotted almost a whole page in the menu for the beverages making it really hard for me to choose. Erlie wanted strawberry lemonade so I chose to have the same.

Strawberry Lemonade PHP89

If you have been constantly following this blog, then you must have known by now that Boyet loves soups. He got the soup of the day which happened to be corn chowder. The soup has just the right amount of creaminess and the crunchy crouton toppings added texture to it. I actually misheard it for clam chowder so I was whining why I didn’t taste any clams. Hihi! :)

Corn Chowder PHP50

My carnivore fiancé (hmm this is the first time I’m using this) got some pork chops. The waiter mistakenly served him with cranberry sauce but he graciously apologized and replaced it with gravy sauce when we called his attention. It was really funny because he kept on singing while he was bringing back the gravy.

The chops were really tender and perfectly marinated. I am not really a fan of pork chops because the meat tends to become chewy if not sliced and cooked properly. So two thumbs up to Bigby’s!

Grilled Rodeo Chops PHP275

Erlie tried their Grilled Chicken Carbonara. Other restaurants serve me with dry carbonara which is a big waste of my money. I was surprised when I saw Erlie’s plate with the fettuccine pasta topped with bacon bits and big chunks of chicken breast swimming in a creamy white sauce. I really thought that their carbonara would be overpowering but I was surprised it wasn’t. I tried it a few times and I enjoyed the burst of flavors in my palate.

Grilled Chicken Carbonara PHP195

But my choice definitely beat theirs. My salad was a showstopper!

Mandarin Haystack Salad PHP185

I wanted to have something light that’s why I settled to simply have salad for lunch. But I was astounded when a tower was served to me. Greens, tomatoes, oranges, boiled eggs and grilled chicken breast were tossed with their special sesame dressing. All of these were hidden under a stack of crispy noodles and shoestring potatoes. And who said that salads are boring? I can actually munch this while watching my favorite soap opera without knowing that it's healthy. It’s definitely the most innovative way of serving salad.

Bigby’s Café and Restaurant means good food, big servings and nice customer service. I have actually mistaken it for an international restaurant chain. I just visited their website and found out that the place is wholly Filipino-owned. Yeba! ^_^


Bigby’s Café and Restaurant
Level 3 The Atrium
SM Megamall

Walmart, Rainbow and Mall of America

I already blogged about my last day but I forgot to write about my favorite hangout places in Minnesota.

We only had cars on weekends so we needed to hold off our grocery shopping until then. We usually go either to Walmart or Rainbow which are both a few-minute drive away from our hotel.

I usually buy most of my groceries at Walmart. We are always greeted with a smile by an old lady, the same person who bids us goodbye. We were also fortunate to meet a few Filipino sales assistants working in Walmart.


I am really amazed at how strong the consumer rights are in Minnesota. Here in the Philippines, we can only return defective items within a week and you literally have to go through a lot of troubles before you can do so. I tried returning a powder brush in a supermarket and I had to fall in line for almost an hour. I even got side comments from the saleslady telling me that there is nothing wrong with the brush. I told her that the strands keep on falling so I need to remove them from my face each time I put my blush on. She turned her back and gave me a sullen glance before handing me the replacement. In Minnesota, you may return items within a month (some until 90 days) with no questions asked. I had to return a luggage and the customer service assistant gladly gave back my money. And yes, no sullen glances from her.


On the other hand, I go to Rainbow to get water refills and meat supplies. I personally enjoyed shopping at Rainbow because I get to checkout and pay my groceries by myself. You just need to swipe the items and insert payment on the machine. Awesome! Nyaha! :)


Other than the supermarket, our next best hangout place is the nearest (and probably the only one I know) mall in Eagan. We first went to Mall of America on a Sunday night to check something out at Best Buy. We were all perplexed when we saw that most of the shops are already closed by 7 pm. It turns out that the mall closes earlier on Sundays. So to make the most out of our first visit in Mall of America, I took pictures. Weeehh! :)





One of the mall’s attraction is the Nickelodeon Universe, a theme park for kids at the center of the mall.

Oh yeah! I met Spongebob!

Red: Uy si Dora, ang batang lakwatsera!

Being at Mall of America somehow relieved my homesickness since going to the malls have been my family’s bonding activity for a long time. Aside from shopping, there are also a lot of restaurants and other attractions that the mall offers.

I was able to watch The Expendables and Despicable Me at MoA. The theaters only have one guard who collects the tickets. Upon entrance, you have to go the room where the movie of your choice is being shown. So everything is just ruled by honesty policy. :)