Food Tripping in Tagaytay City

We went on a road trip to Tagaytay one weekend. A road trip which turned out to be a food trip as well. Years back we visited Gourmet Restaurant in KM 52 Aguinaldo Highway Tagaytay City. It has an old-vintage feel with a grand piano on the center of the restaurant. After 3 years, we visited the place and it has transformed into a whole niew modern Greek-inspired restaurant. I must say that I miss the old restaurant which has the "homey" and warm atmosphere as compared to what it is now which is like a one big reception hall.

Well, just to share some photos of the food we ate:

menu

fish and chips

i forgot the exact name of this dish but it was chicken with olive oil and herbs

 After lunch, we proceeded to Cliffhouse in Tagaytay and splurge on a variety of crepes for dessert at Cafe Breton.

I wonder where will be our next food trip this holiday season. Happy Food Tripping everyone! :)

Coron, Palawan - A Flashback

If there's one place I'd go back to, it would be Palawan. I wouldn't get tired of exploring the city, countryside more so, the beaches! I was fortunate enough to go to one of the most popular diving spots in the Philippines: Coron, Palawan.

Coron is a small, quaint town in the northern part of Palawan. When I visited this place way back 2009, I was amazed with the simplicity of life and naturally peaceful surroundings (over- and underwater, that is.).

I would like to share with you some of the photos back then...

Mt. Tapyas

Kawayanan Grill where we ate our lunch

Maquinit Hot Springs - very nice to take a dip

sunset at Mt. Tapyas

sunset view at Mt. Tapyas

Darayonan Lodging House

Prime hotels and beach resorts are located in the farther islands of Coron. Being a thrifty traveler, staying in one of the budget hotels in town was the way to go. At that time, Darayonan Lodge seemed the best option for our accommodation. It's accessible to almost everywhere; and the staff were friendly, too. My friend and I initially booked for a native cottage but, the bamboos were squeaky as we move around the room so, we requested to be transferred to their newly renovated building. The rooms were equipped with an aircon, comfy bed, veranda and heated shower. The upgrade price was fair enough for the price of approximately Php 3000 for 3 days/2 nights stay, for 2 persons.

Corals...no need for goggles!

lunch prepared by boatmen

twin lagoon

You have to fit into that hole to get to the other side.

Palawan natives

At Banul (Banol?) Beach Coron Palawan

Banul Beach, Coron Palawan

Kayangan Lake

This is my favorite spot of all --- the Kayangan Lake. If you are a first timer in Coron, you will surely fall in love with the island as much as I did. And I can't wait to go back! :)

Microtel Inn - Manila: A Review

Since I started attending conventions and conferences held in different parts of the Philippines. I managed to appreciate the good luxurious opportunity of staying in hotels. I have been to Microtel Inn - Mactan, Cebu and it was fairly good except for the overly pricey food. This time, I had the opportunity to stay in Microtel Inn - SM Mall of Asia in Manila. Overall, it was pretty much standard with the other Microtel branches nationwide. The interiors are quite different maybe because it caters to various kind of clients - local and foreign. But, the room and facilities are generally the same for all Microtel Inn branches.

Microtel Inn - SM Mall of Asia Manila branch looks like the pictures I'll share with you below:

standard room for 2 - sunset view Microtel Inn Manila

 When you are on the sunset view of the room, you will get to see this picturesque scenario of the city life..

They have quite a limited space in the lobby. In the evening, part of the hall is converted into a bar. In the morning, it becomes an extension of the buffet area where you can see dining tables. After some time it will go back to the usual waiting area for guests.

What my favorite facility at Microtel Inn - SM Mall of Asia is the roof deck where it has an elegant place to stay with the family and swim in their mini swimming pool and at the same time you get a 360 degree view of the city (well at least the SM Mall of Asia area).

Aside from the dynamic list of facilities, Microtel Inn is quite generous for having potable water and they serve it in a water dispenser and a supply of ice cubes on a clean gigantic bucket.

For a budding hotel in the metro, Microtel Inn - SM Mall of Asia is one place to pamper yourself and get to relax even for a short weekend. The staff, facilities and value for money are very reasonable because you are treated professionally and pampered quite well with their available facilities and efficient employee service. 

Arabela Restaurant in Liliw, Laguna

People usually flock to Liliw, Laguna because the town is known to be a footwear capital where you can buy slipper/sandal bargains. Little did I know that Liliw is a hideaway for this charming restaurant called "Arabela". If you arrive at the place, you will notice that it is just a basement part of a whole house but it was really jam packed with tourists -- local and foreigners. The place was quaint, dainty and the  ambiance was really excellent.

They serve meals which are mostly Italian like pizza and pasta, but they have rice meals with steak and barbecue. Here are some photos I took, mostly are food that we ordered and some pastry displays on the restaurant:

Just a few of their desserts

salad

chicken cordon bleu

blueberry cheesecake

strawberry cheesecake

watermelon shake

mango shake

pasta with seafood and scallops

fettuccine alfredo

Indeed, there's more to Liliw than shoes and slippers. Arabela is the place to dine out after the tiresome footwear shopping. It's definitely one of the coziest place in this part of Laguna. :)

Tamaraw Beach Resort Puerto Galera – A Review

Finally, my long awaited getaway to Puerto Galera pushed through! Thanks to the long weekend break this Halloween season, we were able to set foot at the Tamaraw Beach Resort in Puerto Galera. I thought it was better to stay at Tamaraw Beach rather than White Beach because the latter is known to be a party place and where most people go to. On the other hand, Tamaraw Beach is not so crowded, and the ambiance is just perfect if you want to have a real, quiet relaxation time.

Here are a few things on what I can say about Tamaraw Beach Resort in Puerto Galera:

Location: Tamaraw Beach is easily accessible from Batangas Pier. You can actually buy a ticket to ride a boat that docks directly at Tamaraw Beach Resort.  A more popular alternative is to book a ferry ride going to White Beach then, ride the Tamaraw Beach shuttle (to be arranged with the resort) that will take about 5 – 10 minutes travel time.  In our case, we took a chance and booked tickets that I thought would go directly to Tamaraw Beach (P 300 one-way). But actually, the ferry docked in White Beach first to drop off most of the passengers, and then, there were only 3 of us left who were headed to Tamaraw Beach. Generally speaking, it was a hassle-free ride.

Accommodation: Tamaraw Beach Resort seemed to be expanding because when we arrived, there are construction works on-going. They have this new and modern building which has kitchen facilities for cooking. In our case, we booked the native cottages, which can accommodate up to 3 persons. The bathroom was neat, nothing extravagant, but I liked the hot and cold shower. There were cable tv and air condition. The only problem is that these native cottages are made up of nipa and plywood so, it gets quite hot even with the air conditioner is on, especially at noon time. 

Facilities: Tamaraw Beach Resort has the necessary facilities that you need while you're on vacation.  They have a restaurant and bar from where you can order food. If you just want to chill at the beach, they have available cabanas. If you have children with you, the resort has a playground as well. Everything you typically need is here. In case you need to access your email, wi-fi is only available in the restaurant. Better than no wi-fi at all, right? Please take note that there are power supply interruptions from time to time, which we actually experienced when the cable signal was cut-off. Water sports activities are also available upon request. Overall, the resort facilities cater to almost all age group, whether you're with friends, family, kids, and loved ones. 

Food: Tamaraw Beach resort has a restaurant located on the 2nd floor. Tables are set outside the veranda, so you get to have a magnificent view of the beach. The food was very typical, it can fill your stomach but lacks a particular taste to say that it was"delicious." If you decide to eat here, food costs are around Php 150 – 300 excluding the beverages which cost around Php 30 – 100. Serving time takes about 20 minutes before food is served. You'll need to be patient if you're desperately hungry. The menu was very typical and comparable to that of “lutong bahay,” which was mostly Pinoy dishes. Tamaraw Beach resort has a restaurant located in the 2nd floor. Tables are set outside the veranda so you get to have a magnificent view of the beach. The food was very typical, it can fill your stomach but lacks a certain “zing” for you to say that it was a delicious meal. Meal costs for breakfast, lunch and dinner is around Php 150 – 300 excluding the beverages which cost around Php 30 – 100. You have to wait for 20 minutes or so for the food serving time. It was quite slow if you are desperately hungry. The menu was very typical and comparable to that of “lutong bahay”. Food type was mostly Filipino and American dishes. 

If you're looking for a place to spend some quiet time over the weekend, Tamaraw Beach Resort is definitely the place to be.  It's peaceful and relaxing with the perfect ambiance. This is also probably some of the reasons why foreigners flock to the resort.  If you want to have a taste of the beach party, you can quickly hop on a tricycle just right outside the hotel and go to White Beach. In our next stay, we might actually try a 3D/2N itinerary.

Nevertheless, it was one enjoyable break from the busy work week. Looking forward to our next visit!