Christmas 2012

I remember being amazed at the moving mannequins when i was a kid. My father would always bring us to Cubao to watch the Christmas Display at COD. Were glad that Greenhills has cintinued the tradition.

Ramen Cool: Happiness in Bowl Part 2

Ramen Cool is one place where you would have to back again and again just to try all the items in their menu.

On my third visit, we got to try the Sukiyaki with the glass noodles and savory sweet broth topped with beef and vegetables.  An egg is added just as the noodle is served.

My advice to diners, the noodle serving is huge and can easily serve two people unless you really have a big appetite.  If you have a partner with you, order individual rice meals and split the noodles into two, or order the fried rice bowl and choose among the selection of viands.  We ordered the friend rice and the Tonkatsu which we also shared consuming a bill of less than 500 for two.  This allows you to try a wider selection every visit.

Ramen Cool is located at the corner of East Capitol Dr. and West Capitol Dr. in Pasig

Here's what we had on our 2nd visit! My recommended combination!

Chicken Teriyaky

Chicken Curry

Kimchi Ramen

Read about our first visit to Ramen Cool:
http://moleinthefoot.blogspot.com/2012/08/ramen-cool-happiness-in-bowl.html

Best Coffee Place 1: 9 Spoons, Bayleaf Hotel

9 Spoons Restaurant at the 9th Floor of Bayleaf Hotel in Intramuros is the best place to have coffee. The 120php Cafe Mocha comes with with a great aerial view of the City of Manila and the surrounding walls of Intramuros!

The Collective: A Collection of Treasures in One Roof

The Collective located along Malugay near Pres. Osmena Highway is literally walking distance from our house.  I always pass by the warehouse complex on my way to Ayala.  It was only when I got invited to an Art exhibit at Vinyl on Vinyl, February of last year, that I was able to explore the treasures hidden behind the modest facade.

Among the artist featured were my friends:
Ren Quinio
https://www.facebook.com/rennell.shimmy

and Mhelen Hassim.

I was surprised that such a place exist within the business district of Makati.  It reminded me so much of Cubao Expo, but the establishments here are totally different, minus the Marikina Shoes as well.
Here, you will find Art Galleries, Design Studios, Furniture and Thrift Shops, Novelty Items, and Restaurants.  It also houses B Club, that serves as venue for musical performances of different genres.

On a separate visit, we got to try Wingman, one of the popular food establishment fronting the main street.  The menu has the staple burgers and fries and very American.  What people go back to are the chicken wings, flavored with different sauces, and heat from their chili variants.  It's a very relaxed place where you can have a bottle or two of Ice Cold Beers complimented with the wings and nobody would get mad at you for being messy.  Actually it's anticipated, they will even give you plastic gloves, since the only way to eat wings is with your hands.

Recently, we went back again, this time to try Caldas Pizza.  They are known for the size of the Pizza that goes as big as 36 inches.  That's the size of a coffee table.  It was so good that its consumed in minutes.

 

The rain was pouring hard while we were eating, and we watched as the flood rises in the street to gutter level.  Thinking that the rain would eventually stop, we treated ourselves to dessert at the establishment beside it. Mochiko.

This was new to me.  It was an ice cream covered with a sticky rice shell that comes in different flavors.

 

The rain did not show any signs of stopping and the water is rising very fast that we decided to end our visit to The Collective and move to our coffee destination.  And yes, as a warning, the street gets flooded during heavy rains so schedule your visit.

Para-paraan Recipes: Whole Wheat Tuna Pesto Pasta

Whole Wheat Tuna Pesto Pasta

Cook 200gms of whole wheat pasta according to package directions, prepare and heat McCormick Pesto Mix according to package directions.  Add a small can of corned tuna.  Mix and serve habang mainit.

Ramen Cool, Happiness in a Bowl

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After spending the entire day at home due to flooding, the morning after provided some hope for us when the gutter deep water subsided.  I felt guilty when two of my staff is already in the office and they live quite a distance from Pasig.   I decided to leave since I still have half of the working day to go.

Plan A was unsuccessful passing by Kamagong St. in San Antonio, Makati.  We went back and took the Osmena Highway to Magallanes and eventually Pioneer in EDSA.  I was at the office by 2:00 PM.  Immediately, I checked some mails, and attended to my pending replies.  Afterwards, I was asked to inspect the head office for leaks and possible hazards.  By 4:00 PM, it was announced that we are allowed to go home.  I thought, might as well drop by the gym since I am on my Day 10 of my diet plan.  EDSA was a breeze until I reached Magallanes where it took us 2 hours to get to the intersection of Arnaiz Ave.  I figured, the water might have risen in Buendia St. causing the traffic, so I decided to turn back, return to EDSA, took the Forbes access to C5.  It was an easy decision since, the gym is only open until 7:00PM and I already wasted 2 hours in traffic when I'm not even halfway on my destination.

Around 6:30, I was back in Pasig.  I was so hungry that when I passed by this brightly lit restaurant that advertises hot noodles in East Capitol, I had to stop.

 The dining area was divided into 2 sections.  The elevated section provides more privacy with each cubicle enclosed in wood and glass partition, and the other half is the general dining area.

I like the interiors.  It's very rare to find restaurants that would go into the details of reflecting the food into the interiors.

First, I love the color scheme, keeping the natural color of wood and yellow as the dominant accent color.  The drop screens in yellow breaks the monotony of the muted grey, black and white ceiling.  The metal split bamboo drop light created patterns on surfaces enhancing the zen minimalist theme.  The yellow accent wall with cartoon Japanese graphics

serves as an introduction to the Japanese playful menu.

I ordered myself the Katsu-Curry Noodles.  The serving was big, matching my big appetite.  The noodle springy and the broth made more flavorful by the curry sauce.  It was a different but pleasant way of eating breaded pork.  Very timely during the rainy weather.

I cant wait to try the other items on their menu.

"My Sabaw Collection" Soups I have Tried From All Over

Tyulah Itum at Vieva Satti Haus in Quezon City

Corned Beef Sinigang from Sentro 1771

Nabiyaki Soba at Suzu Kin, Makati

Chicken Binakol at Pino Bar and Restaurant at Malingap, Teachers Village, Q.C.

Mami, at La Preciosa in Laoag, Ilocos Norte

Chicken Tinola at Igmaan, Seaside Dampa, Macapagal Ave. Roxas Blvd.

Bulalo at Leslie's in Tagaytay

Pork Chop with Noodles at Tasty Dumplings, Chinatown, Binondo