Loboc River Cruise

Our trip would not be complete without experiencing the Loboc river cruise on one of the floating restaurants in Bohol. One should experience eating on one of the eat-all-you-can floating restaurants, which would take 45 minutes-1 hour boat ride for Php 250/person.

On this trip, one would be able to appreciate not only the food but also nature. During the ride, you could feel the cool air and see coconut and palm trees on the way to Busay falls and TonTonan falls. There's a short stop near these falls, where there would be a group who would sing for you while you eat.

As for the food, they served Puto and Kutchinta, which I've missed eating for a while.

Kutchinta w/ shredded coconut meat.

Puto (steamed cake made of sticky rice flour)

Grilled tuna fish.

Lechon (roasted pork)

Barbeque.

Dessert (pineapple and watermelon)

We were disappointed upon seeing that there were no shrimps or crabs. Aside from the experience, this is one of the reasons why we took the ride. Perhaps the last storm that hit the country caused the scarcity of such seafoods. But even without these, we were able to relax and rest during the 45 minutes-1 hour duration of the trip and my friend even fell asleep.

So to all those who are planning to take the trip, just relax and enjoy the food.

Panglao

Of all the beaches I've been to, nothing beats Alona Beach in Panglao. It's not only because of the white sand and clear water. The service provided to us by the resort was superb and the foods were great. It might not be as remote as Malapascua and Camotes and there are people checking in everyday, but I would still prefer to take my summer vacation here than in crowded places like Boracay or Puerto Galera. Plus, this is the only place where I experienced a massage that felt so great and relaxing.

We stayed at Alona Tropical Resort and we were very satisfied with how they treated their guests. The staffs were very polite and room service was very efficient.

There were many choices of restaurants including that of the resort's. These are located on the beach and people won't have difficulty finding a place to eat.

We tried the resort's restaurant and ordered my favorite Kinilaw ala sashimi. This was fresh tuna flavored in coconut milk. This would be first in the list when it comes to Kinilaw and second would be at Tong's.

Fried rice.

This meal is good for two persons and would cost around Php 250-300. I know the price might be too much, but I'll pay the same price again even just for the Kinilaw. Food is not the only good thing about this place but also the view.

View from Alona Tropical Restaurant.

Other restaurants on this beach also offer delicious foods. Another one we've tried is the Coco Vida Bar and Restaurant.

 

The tables and chairs are located outside the bar so you'll be able to hear the sound of ocean waves.

Barbeque.

Sizzling Chicken Curry. The vegetables were fresh and the boneless chicken was so tender.

Chicken Cordon Bleu. This took time to prepare and we waited for around 30 minutes or so and was very disappointed on the slow service we received. It would have went well if the waitress advised us of the waiting time. Nevertheless, the meal was delicious.

Fried rice.

Coke w/ rhum and a glass of water.

Foods are priced almost the same as that of Alona Tropical Resort.

Malapascua

Malapascua is another island worth visiting. The trip might be exhausting but you'll get excited upon arriving at the island. Anyone would be able to enjoy and just relax on the beach. The water might not be clear and calm most of the time, but still, no one would want to just stay on the shore.

It is not difficult for someone to look for accommodation upon arrival as there are many bungalows and resorts offering rooms. To be on the safe side, it would be better to make a reservation prior to arrival. Locals would also offer their boats for island hopping and snorkeling usually worth Php 500.

Of course, my first interest was to look for a place or places to eat and hopefully finding one which serves good foods. Surprisingly, I found that though the island is remote, there are many choices of restaurants and most offer a variety of delicious foods on their menu.

Let's start with my least favorite, Ging Ging's Garden.

Don't be surprised if flies swarm around your food and drink as this is an open restaurant. Just take time to shoo away the flies after each bite. Not very hygienic for other people but other restaurants, which serve very good foods have the same problem but this does not stop people to dine in with them.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio. I guess I made a wrong choice on this one. Sure, the dish was spicy but I would have enjoyed this better if they added more olive oil, more salt and pepper and of course cheese.

Spaghetti ala carbonara. I enjoyed this better than the first one BUT I guess they put too much salt. Nevertheless, I would still come back here when given the chance to try out the other foods on their menu.

The price ranges from Php 80-200. Some are already good for two persons.

Next stop: La Isla Bonita.

Tom Ka. I instantly loved this restaurant after having a taste of their Tom Ka (coconut chicken soup). It was just the right blend of flavors for me with the coconut milk and it was not too spicy. This is also good for 2 persons.

Bicol Express. We weren't able to finish this dish because we were so full. Yes, they have big servings. I still liked Tom Ka better. Bicol Express should be spicy but their Tom Ka was more spicy than this. The meat was not that tender as well.

Of course, there was the problem in flies again. If you look closely at the picture, we were able to capture a fly waiting for his turn on the food.(haha!)

Their foods are priced the same as Ging Ging's but their menu consists of international cuisines.

Both Ging Ging's and La Isla Bonita are located at the back of Cocobana Resort.

Another restaurant that we took time to find was La Dolce Vita which serves Italian cuisines. This is located a few steps from White Sands Resort, which is at the end of the beach. We just ate dessert here and was very satisfied.

Of all the restaurants we've been to, this one has the nicest interior with a touch of Italian style. Unlike the other restaurants, La Dolce Vita has a concrete facade.

Banana split.

Penna Cotta (espresso). If you happen to dine here, I recommend this.

If this Island's just an hour away, I'm sure I'll be here every week for the food. To get there, one must take a bus from Danao to go to Daan Bantayan/ Maya. If you are coming from Cebu City, you must go to the Northern Bus Terminal and take the bus from there. There are no air conditioned buses so prepare yourself for the dusts. The bus would take 4-5 hours. Once you reach Maya, you would need to ride a boat to take you to Malapascua. This would take 30-40 minutes. Again, the trip could be exhausting but worth it.

Camotes

One of the islands worth visiting in Cebu is Camotes Island. This is located at the northeast part of Cebu and is a great place to take a vacation due to its remote location.

According to the locals, Camotes got its name from the time the Spaniards first came to the island. The natives were then digging potatoes. The Spaniards asked the name of the island and the natives replied "camotes" thinking that they were asked what they were digging. Indeed, you could see these sweet potatoes on the field aside from the corns, which were just planted in time for the rainy season.

Camotes consists of 4 islands:Pacijan (San Francisco town), (Poro and Tudela towns), Ponson (Pilar town) and Tulang (an island barangay of San Francisco). The most common means of transportation is the habal habal or motorcycle. This is because only two wheeled vehicles could access the narrow roads in the island.

Camotes is famously known for its beaches. One should also not miss a tour on the famous lakes, the Greenlake park and Danao lake, where serenity awaits you for every visit.

There are two resorts, which are very well known in Camotes, San Francisco. The Santiago Bay Garden & Resort  and Mangodlong Rock Resort. For any inquiries and reservation, you may click here.

We stayed at the Santiago Bay Garden & Resort, overlooking the beach. It surprised me on how affordable the foods were. You could order a meal for two for a total of Php 100 or less. The prices are not only reasonable but the foods tasted very good as well.

Sizzling gambas (shrimp) in sweet chili sauce. Although the sauce was not that spicy as I would have liked it to be, the sweetness of the sauce compensated for this.

Sizzling beef. This have the same sweetness as the sizzling gambas and yes somehow it tasted the same but I still liked the way it was cooked since the beef was tender.

Sizzling sisig. I wasn't thrilled with this dish as I prefer it to be crispy but instead most of what I ate were fats. Also, I would have preferred less oil on the food.

Garlic rice.

Fried egg.

Onion rings. This is better than those served in fast foods.

Anyone could go to Camotes from Cebu City port (pier 2) and arrive at the Poro port. From there, you could take a habal habal or motorcyle going to the resort. From the port, you would have a chance to get a view of the sea while on your way to the resort. 

Another Day in the City

On our second time in Cebu city, we were in a hurry to eat so we would not miss the scheduled ferry trip for our next destination. Our friend took us to the nearest restaurant located at Sm City, which has the best fried chicken in town. Sunburst's pride is their traditional way of cooking their chicken. I liked the way it was cooked as it was crispy yet less in flour.

Potato Chicken Salad.

Garlic Rice.

Fried Chicken (breast part) w/ 3 slices of french fries coleslaw and rice. I don't like coleslaw but I changed my mind after trying this.

Buko shake and mango shake. Both are too sweet for me. I could even taste the sugar from my drink.

The prices on their menu are very reasonable. I would recommend this place to others who would visit Cebu.

Another restaurant where I got a chance to eat was at Casa Verde. This is where I tasted the juciest and the biggest baby back ribs.

This is priced at Php 138, which is very reasonable because of it's size. Most of the foods on their menu already include rice. We also ordered Callos, which tasted good as well and would taste much better if they lessen the salt. But I enjoyed my lunch and would eat here again if I happen to go back in Cebu. Casa Verde is located at Ramos St. (near Velez General Hospital) Cebu City.

Foodtrip in Cebu

Cebu city is one of the oldest city in the Philippines but is also one of the most developed in the country. Famous landmarks like Magellan's Cross, Magellan Shrine, Capitol Building and Taoist Temple are visited not only by foreigners but also by other Filipinos. Famous islands like Badian, Bantayan, Malapascua and Camotes are also located in Cebu. These are recommended destinations for those who would like to get away from the city life. The islands are remote and you would be able to witness how simple the life of the locals are. Of course, foods are at its best in Cebu. From seafood to meat and finally dessert, you'll never want to leave the place.

I just had the most wonderful and adventurous vacation here last week. Coming from the city, we were able to go to each island from Camotes, Malapascua and finally Bantayan.

 

Chips sold at the domestic airport. (expensive as expected)

Cakes sold at the airport.

Upon arrival, we met with our friend Sari who took us to an eat-all-you can seafood restaurant – Tong's Grill. The buffet starts at 6:00 pm and we arrived just in time. It's been a long time since I ate oysters and mussels and my favorite, kinilaw.

Grilled oyster and pancit (noodles).

Lechon and vegetables.

Kinilaw (raw fish). This is one of the best kinilaw I've tasted.

Crispy kangkong (water spinach).

Baked tahong (mussels). 

 

Lumpia (spring roll with vegetable filling) and dilis (dried anchovies).

Grilled chicken.

You could get the oysters and mussels from the buffet table but the waiters would also place a plate of these on your table. This would also avoid the shells from taking too much space on your plate. Rice is also included in the buffet and drinks could be ordered before you eat. Fruits are also available for dessert.

A dinner buffet would cost you around 150-200/ head. This is just an estimate since our friend paid for our food and she didn't want us to pay her back. From what I heard, they are usually filled during lunch. Tong's is located across Sarrosa Hotel Mabolo Cebu.

Night came and the streets were still busy especially the area around Ayala Center and Crossroads as these are the popular places where youths hang out to eat, drink and party. We decided to try out a place in Crossroads called After Hours. Orders were made but the cocktails served were not that good and we went home disappointed.

Zombie

Margarita

Martini

Barbecue

When it comes to barbecue, Ineng's barbecue would definitely be my choice. You could buy this for around Php 40 per stick.

Ineng's is located in Market Market, Fiesta Market Section, 26th St. Cor. C5 Bonifacio Global City Taguig, MM. Tel. no:889-5410. Just make sure to come early to avoid waiting in line. They also have a new store in Parksquare.

Crepes at Cafe Breton

Crepe was said to have originated from Britanny, a region in west France, since they couldn't grow enough wheat to make bread because of poor land. This is why crepe is known as a classic French cuisine. Crepe is a Latin word which means "to shrink" and is considered a thin pancake. 

Crepes are usually of two types: sweet crêpes made with wheat flour, and galettes made with buckwheat flour.

Crepes could be eaten at any meal if added with salt. It could be rolled, folded and filled with cheese, tomato, asparagus, ham, eggs, ratatouille, mushrooms, or various meat products.

It could also be served as a dessert. Fillings like ice cream, jam, melted chocolate, dairy or cinammon are added to make a good dessert. Toppings could also be added like sugar, lemon juice, whipped cream or fruits.

A typical French crepe is the Crepe Suzette. This is a crepe with lightly grated orange peel and liqueur, which is subsequently lit using a brandy or cognac. It was interesting to know how this dish was created.

In 1895, an assistant waiter named Henri Charpentier was preparing dessert for the Prince of Wales (King Edward VII) and his friends when accidentally the dish he was preparing caught fire. When he tasted it, he thought that it was the most fascinating, sweet flavors he ever tasted. He called it Crepes Princesse in honor of the prince but the prince requested to change it knowing that a lady is with him at that time. Therefore, the name was changed to Crepe Suzette.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crepe

This is a dessert crepe with whipped cream and strawberry filling and topped with strawberry syrup.

You may follow the basic crepe recipe below:

Ingredients:

1-1/4 cups milk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Cover and blend until smooth.

For dinner crepe, add 1/4 teaspoon of salt. For dessert crepes, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1 teaspoon of sugar instead of salt. You may also add flavors to your crepe by adding 2 tablespoons of chocolate sauce or unsweetened cocoa butter or 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon.

Heat a lightly greased 6- or 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. Pour 2 tablespoons of batter into center of skillet. Lift and tilt skillet to spread batter and coat bottom of pan. Return to heat. Cook for 1 minute or until light brown. Turn with a spatula, and cook second side for 30 seconds.

Slide finished crepes onto paper towels. For filled crepes, spoon filling into center; roll or fold crepe while still in the pan; slide carefully onto plate. Repeat with remaining batter, greasing skillet and stirring batter if needed. Makes about 12 crepes.

There are many varieties of crepes you could make. Whether it is served as a meal or dessert, this is definitely a  fun food to eat. Recipes for filling: Bacon and Eggs , Marsala Chicken Crepes, Omelet Crepes and Salmon and Caviar Crepes. Desserts: Caramel Apple Crepes , Pineapple-Orange Crepes and Fruit and Herb Crepes.

The other type of crepe, which is the galette, is made of buckwheat. Galette is frequently garnished with meat, fish, cheese, salad or similar ingredients. One of the most popular varieties is a galette covered with grated gruyère cheese, a slice of ham and an egg, cooked on the galette. In France, this is known as a galette complète (a complete galette). A hot sausage wrapped in a galette (called a galette-saucisse) and eaten like a hot dog is also becoming more and more popular.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galette 

For the basic galette recipe, you could follow the same recipe for crepe but instead of using baking powder and all-purpose flour, use buckwheat flour. You could make your own filling by adding tomato, cheese, meat, fish or sausage. Click here for a more detailed recipe.

Galette from Cafe Breton

galette w/ sausage and egg

Galette with sausage and egg. This has a tomato and cheese filling.

Café Breton is best known for their mouth-watering crepes, coffee blends and fresh mix of fruit and milk shakes. A must-try would be the Gallette Super Complete with ham, cheese, eggs, onions, tomato and mushroom. You could also make your very own galette and choose the ingredients you would like to garnish it with or use as a filling.

Cafe Breton is located at Greenbelt 3, 1st Level
Ayala Center Makati City, MM. telephone nos:757-4125, 757-4124. For other branches, you may click here.

Trivia Time!

Some facts you might want to know.

Lollipops were named after a race horse Lolly Pop. These were first made in New Haven, Connecticut in 1908 by George Smith.

Calzone means 'trousers' in Italian, but in culinary parlence it refers to what is basically a 'pizza turnover', and is a speciality of Naples.  Like pizza, a calzone can be made small, as for appetizers, or as large as meal for several people. The fillings are the same as used for pizzas.

The first recorded watermelon harvest took place 5,000 years ago in Egypt. Pictures were found in paintings on the walls of ancient buildings. From there, watermelon spread to other countries by merchant ships. Watermelon's official name is Citrullus lanatus of the botanical family Curcurbitacae and it is a vegetable. It is related to cucumbers, pumpkins and squash.

Pepperoni is America’s favorite pizza topping while squid is Japan's favorite. Australians enjoy shrimp and pineapple, as well as barbeque toppings. The French like fresh cream on their toppings and India prefers pickled ginger to be included in their toppings.

Fruitcake originated in ancient Egypt and was considered an essential food for the afterlife. There are those who think that is the only thing they are good for.

Porter house steak originated in the early 19th century, wherein a 'porter house' was a coach stop where travelers could dine on steak and ale. In the U.S. around 1814, a porter house keeper in New York City began to serve this steak, and it gained widespread popularity. One of Mark Twain's favorite meals was pan fried porterhouse steak with mushrooms and peas.

Peanut butter was developed in 1890 by a St. Louis doctor for his patients with bad teeth. People who become hysterical when peanut butter sticks to the roof of their mouth have 'arachibutyrophobia'. Peanut butter's high protein content draws moisture from your mouth. That's why it sticks to the roof of your mouth.

Chef d’ Angelo

Pasta and pizza have been the basic Italian food most famously recognized in the world.

One thing I've learned is that Italians choose their sauce and match it to a specific pasta based on its shape and the way it holds the sauce. I've mentioned the types of pasta and the sauces that would greatly match with it from my previous post.

Italians also placed great importance in cooking with passion. They started the idea of courses. Italian meals would start with antipasti or appertizers followed by primi, which is the pasta, risotto or soup dish and always precedes the first meat or fish dish of the meal. The secondi would  follow and is joined by vegetable dishes known as contorno. It would end with a dessert or what they call as dolce with sweets like tiramisu or fresh fruit or pastry. Basically, Italian cuisine is a combination of vegetables, grains, fruits, meats, cheeses usually seasoned or cooked in olive oil.

Pizza has also been the favorite since it made bread more interesting to eat and looked more appetizing.

Table manners are also important to Italians. Spoons are never used when eating spaghetti (isn't this obvious?) and elbows are kept off the table. Women are also served first.

Chef d' Angelo is a small Italian restaurant located in Glorietta. I wouldn't brag about this restaurant since I've tasted better pizzas and pastas. The place is also small and tends to be too crowdy and noisy by lunch time. It is always quite difficult for me to sit and enjoy my food whenever I dine here.

However, I would have to say that the pictures below taste good. Their pesto with chicken pasta is a must-try as well.

 

Chicken

 

Anyone could make pizza at home. Basic pizza dough making is vey easy and it gives pleasure knowing that you were able to make your own pizza dough.

Pizza Dough

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup warm water (120-130 F)
2 tablespoons vegetable/olive oil

In a medium mixing bowl, add warm water and yeast. Make sure that the yeast is still active. Mix well and add the olive oil, i cup flour and salt. Continue mixing until smooth and gradually stir the remaining flour to make a firm dough. Turn out on lightly floured board and knead 2-3 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Set aside and let it rest for 15 minutes or until the dough had risen.

Tip: Keep yeast in a cool place to keep it active. Fridges is a good place to store this.

For the toppings, you could put any of the desired toppings like mushroom, anchovies, sausage or ham. The most classic kind of pizza would be the Margherita.

You could follow the recipe below:

Topping

• 12 oz. firm, ripe, plum tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic
• 12 fresh basil leaves, slice 6 in thin strips
• 1/2 pound Mozzarella, thinly sliced
• 4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• fresh ground black pepper

Directions

1. Peel, seed and crush the tomatoes. Add sliced basil leaves, garlic, 2 Tbs olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
2. On your baking stone, or pizza pan, form the pizza dough into an 8" circle, turning up the edges just a bit.
3. Spread some of the tomato sauce over the dough.
4. Spread the Mozzarella over the tomatoes.
5. Drizzle each with 1 tbs. olive oil on top
6. Place two basil leaves over the pizza as you take it of the oven.
7. Bake at 450 degrees Farenheit for 15 minutes.

Other pizza recipes.

Italian cuisines are meant to be enjoyed so wherever you eat an Italian food, just take time to eat and finish it.