Chowking Drive Thru

I passed by Starbucks Clark in Berthaphil to grab my morning fix of caffeine. Constructions were everywhere! Then I saw it: the very first Chowking drive-thru store to my knowledge. I was curious, so I beelined into the entrance of the driveway and ordered Siopao at the window. According to the guy who took my order, theirs was the 2nd Chowking branch with drive thru in the Philippines. The very first store of that type is in Pangasinan. Wow. The tag line "linuluto" circa 90's completely evolved - that which depicts Chowking food being freshly prepared only upon receipt of every order. I wonder how will this fair in the Philippine market. It's a good idea though. Less unhealthy (?) or not. We can see the trend - everything drive thru by 2035 I guess?

Bonchon Honey Citrus Chicken and Crispy Crepes

I've been a fan on first bite of their Soy Garlic version. My favorite order is their 3-pc thigh box (Small) that costed Php 185 ($ 4.24) before and increased to Php 195 ($ 4.47) now. The spicy version is not too spicy, which suits my taste at times.

Bonchon's newest flavor: Honey Citrus - will delight those who prefer oriental chicken salads with asian vinaigrette dressing. It tastes as sweet as Chowking's orange chicken but as crispy as the classic soy garlic. For me it beats the aforementioned.. Ü

Krispy Kreme Drive Thru in NLEX

I spend most of my time in the province so the Drive-Thru concept of Krispy Kreme is new to me. I'm not exactly sure if this is the first of its kind in the Philippines but it's my first time seeing such version of the famous donut chain. It's in NLEX Petron (northbound), before Starbucks Drive-Thru.

There's nothing new on their menu except for the expanded selection of coffee choices. The cashier know-how and service mimics that of a Starbucks barista but the taste of their food and beverages favor the sweet tooth.

Empire Steak

Ex bf and I decided to have yet another food exploration in Maginhawa St. I was hoping to chance upon a decent steak joint. Our search led us to this establishment...

Outside, the place seemed too small for a great steak.. But it had a uniqueness to it that we decided to give it a try. Heck, we were there for the food ü

The place didn't have its own parking lot, so we had to parallel park on the road itself in front of the establishment. They had 3 small tables taking over the side walk. It was a humid dusk that time so dining al fresco style was not an option. Upon entering, I was impressed with the store layout considering the very small venue they had. Here's a panoramic shot inside:

Don Don Tei

If you're craving for Jap food while you're in SM Clark, try visiting the food court and look for Don Don Tei - sister company of Yufuin, an authentic Jap restaurant in Balibago. Being a major Yufuin fan, I was elated to know such fact ;-)

I grew hungry after going around the mall at about 4:30pm so I decided to have an afternoon snack with ex bf.

Though not on the menu, I asked if they serve sashimi. The cashier confirmed they do but only limited to Tuna and Salmon. For Php 120 ($ 2.74) I got 5 slices. Ü

West Loch Park Hotel in Vigan Ilocos Sur

After the morning drive to Ilocos and the afternoon walk in Calle Crisologo and Baluarte, we drove a bit north to check in at West Loch Park Hotel for a much needed rest. I booked a Deluxe Room through  www.agoda.com. Price was a bit high that time because it was peak season (Holy Week, April 2014) but I think a Deluxe Room should range from Php 4,000 - Php 5,000 ($ 92 - $ 112) on regular days.

Armed with Google Maps, I navigated towards the location and saw an unassuming facade to my left. Parking slots at the hotel front are for about 3-4 cars only. Upon our arrival, all the slots were taken. Mr. security guard was quick to approach us to check if we will be checking in, and he was courteous and fast enough to open the hotel gates and assist us to a vacant slot. Checking in was a breeze, it only took about 3 minutes tops before they gave us the key to our room. Upon entering the room, I was surprised to see a well maintained, clean and modern room.

It's been my usual routine whenever I check in to a hotel to scrutinise the bathroom first before giving my thumbs up. I was not disappointed. The bath tub was really inviting so I gave in to a 45-minute hot tub reward after long hours of driving and walking around town.

Their towels smell great, just like the towels in Shangri-La hotels - I'm not exaggerating :) When I got out, I saw some hawaiian macadamia nuts (a can of Mauna Loa Macadamia Nuts) and a basket of fruits near the complimentary water bottles. Called up front desk to double check if the fruits and nuts were part of the generous compliments. They were indeed free, loved it! :) The room is equipped with wifi too..

Gayuma Ni Maria

I was intrigued by the name. I first discovered it on one of my friends' facebook posts. The place seemed nice, so off I went with my ex bf.. ;-)