Quick Escape: Camp Netanya

And my sleepless Saturday continues (first was with a friend, supporting her fangirling by accompanying her in buying the precious BigBang tickets) but this time, I went to a lovely place~ Camp Netanya which is a piece of Santorini in Mabini, Batangas.

This will be a photo-diary so I wouldn't blabber much :)

The seashore is rocky but heck, the water is so clear even clearer than the pool.  I deep my feet and the temperature of the water is just right to freshen the sweaty me.

I didn't bother to swim, I'm not in the mood and so I just watched my officemates have the fun in the pool while I'm having fun with the food.  I still take advantage of the pool though my capturing reflection of a portion of Camp Netanya.

Another perspective~the white and blue combo is very lovely and clean to look at, it is calming too.  Since the place is far away from the main roads, it is quiet and relaxing in the camp.  There are no tv or radios in the rooms too and the signal is weak so if you wanted a semi media detox, this place might be the right venue for you.

The cloud formation is just stunning, they are like cotton candies and marshmallows in one.

And of course the Sunset!  Everyone took advantage of the sight and made every position possible for a selfie with the sinking sun, I on the other hand just took a photo of it because it's such a beautiful sight.

CommunePH

It's time to eat again and let me take you to a place I discovered after stalking someone on instagram and because it's just near my of workplace.  I chilled in Commune thrice already and of course I'm gonna share what I eat and gulp.

Photos by the way is from my friend except for the last one which is from turningtop.blogspot.com (check what she ate while in Commune).

Tuna Melt and Bacon Tomato Mozza sandwiches are perfect for slowly filling the tummy while having a laid back chit chat.  My favorite would have to be the Tuna melt as it's not too heavy but not too light too and the pesto, tuna, tomato and cheese on toasted crostini compliments each other~it's a perfect combo.  I'm just okay with the Bacon Tomato Mozza, maybe the bacon and tomato is not the perfect pair.  The sides by the way are good too especially the salad which are random green leaves with some chopped cashew nuts, bits of dried mangos and a dressing that is a bit creamy and has hints of balsamic vinegar.

I also tried the Commune Club which is a triple layer of malunggay wheat bread (mind you, the bread is tasty) with chicken chunks, asparagus, bacon, tomato and lettuce.  This one feels light to eat but filling (unlike with burgers wherein you can feel the grease) chicken is tender and has a little bit of a smokey flavor.  It's hard to eat this one though because the chunks of chicken just keep on falling when I lift my sandwich, maybe Commune should just fillet the chicken for a cleaner eating experience for their customer.  I also tasted a little bit of the Caesar Salad and I have to agree with my friend that it's a bit salty probably because there's just too much salted egg and cheese in just one plate (and the serving is ginormous).

Of course, we have to drink something.  Fresh Orange Juice is a favorite because it's refreshing to drink after a tiring day at the office.  And...

...look how cute these coffee/cocoa art.  I haven't tried any of Commune's coffee (it seems that I go there when caffeine is not needed) and always go for the Hot Chocolate which is just okay: the sweetness is perfect but I wanted it to be more chocolatey and a little bit darker, also the last time I got this it seems it was not well blended and found some chunks of chocolate at the bottom of my mug.  Anyway the latte art make-up for it.  You can request to the barista what art you like but be patient because it takes time, around 20 minutes to make it and it's only available for selected hot drinks.

For dessert, my favorite would have to go to the cups with chocolate sprinkles below (don't know the name) because it's nutty, chocolatey, dense and super moist I wanted to get seconds (or 3 or even 5 more cuppies).  The chocolate cupcake is also good because it's surprisingly moist and not overly sweet.  A bit dissappointed with the apple pie ala mode, it tasted flat or because it was not warm enough when it was served (it nice to have a warm apple pie because it brings out the taste of the cinnamon and apples and if it's a mode, the ice cream will slowly cool down the mouth, well that's my opinion).

photo from turningtop.blogspot.com

Coffees are affordable, other drinks are priced okay, meals is on the pricey side but based on the sandwiches that I tried it's worth it.  It's a chill out place (also love the interior) with a not so overwhelming menu, added with a little cuteness from their coffee and hot cocoa- COMMUNEPH

Ramen Nagi

It's probably because of Naruto and a Japan Feature on TV that I've been into Ramen.  I've only been to a few ramen house/shop/resto and Ramen Nagi is the latest among the list.

I got the basic one which is the Original King Butao- the broth is pork based...I wanted beef but there's none.  Surprisingly I eat every bit of the meat including the fat from this ramen and I like that you have the right to customize how your ramen will be like and next time I'll remember to make the broth light because the normal level is already to thick for me which is not so good when the ramen is already cold and the spicyness at level 3.  The noodles is already premade, I wanted it to be freshly made (like in Naruto) and the ramen is not steaming hot when it was served.  Overall, it was okay but it's the best so far that I tried.

I never failed to order gyozas probably because I know how hard to make them (I made 20 pieces and took me like 2 hours to make them, it was exhausting) and this one is good!  It has the right balance of the vegetables, meat and ginger and it was served in this hot plate so it was still hot when served.  I wished they could have steam it a bit longer and served it with dimsun sauce rather than the oil based one.

My brother ordered King Butao which is really good according to him and it was so cool in my eyes because it's black (but because it's made of squid ink, I didn't bother to taste it since I'm already having allergy).  We also ordered iced tea which is lemony and has a hint of menthol on it which is also really good.

Now I'm craving another bowl of ramen and I also wanted to try udon.  Know any place?  Oh by the way, if you wanted ramen but also wanted a quiet place, Ramen Nagi is not the place for you.

Maginhawa Street: Nuezca Cafe and Sancho Churreria Manila

It's nice to bond with someone especially if there's food.  Even better when the bonding includes the words "food trip".  I met one of my closest college friend to give her the chili garlic oil she ordered from my brother and decided to met in and visit Maginhawa Street.

When I moved to another city, I cook less and less as the day goes by so I badly "needed" home cook meals and the menu of Nuezca Cafe has it.  Even the place feels homey with a mini garden to relax and make muni muni after a meal , my friend and I think that the place is a home converted into a restaurant but never bothered to ask since the staff are super busy (and don't want to stress them more but they are still very accommodating) that day because of a christening in the second floor which we almost gate crashed (we headed straight to the second floor without asking and was surprised with the huge amount of people wasting food~random bubbling just in case you're interested).

On to the food.  We decided to make our experience more Filipino by sharing and ordered Sizzling Bicol Express (my friend's choice) and Pininyahang Manok (my choice, it's been years since the last time I tasted this dish) and we were surprised with the serving which is good for 2 to 4 persons and remembered that we forgot to invite one of our closest college friend *face palm* the food trip could have been more enjoyable if we didn't forgot to invite him (pay less but more types of food sana ahahaha).

My friend fell in love with the pig shaped sizzling plate, another random fact.  We are both into spicy food more than an average Filipino who is more into the sweeter side so even if we are already munching into the chilis, we still wanted this dish to be a bit more spicy.  Also a little more coconut milk would help to make this Bicol Express more wonderful but overall, it's actually good with the right amount of saltiness which contradicts the sweetness of the Pininyahang Manok.

Buttery, creamy and sweet, Pininyahang Manok is what I'm craving for when I feel a little rebellious and sweet at the same time (I'm allergic to chicken and my mom only cooked this dish once).  And with the right amount of sauce, chicken and rice together, it satisfied my craving.

Some facts about Nuezca Cafe that I like:
-They don't use MSG
-Pork and Chicken are organic (we didn't know that when we entered the resto) yet price is still affordable
-And the quote saying "If you want breakfast in bed, sleep in the kitchen"

I forgot the name of this drink...I think it's made of lemongrass and honey but anyway it's "controversial" to us because when we asked one of the waiters as to what are the brownish particles at the bottom of the pitcher, he gave us this surprised and shock look and we we're like "uh oh we are already on our last glass kuya don't frightened us".  Luckily it's just some particles from their organic honey.

We we're so full that instead of taking tricycle, we just walk instead going to our dessert place - Sancho Churreria Manila which is just beside the famous Burger Project.

We ordered cream puff, eclair, hot milk chocolate and of course churros.  Surprisingly the cream puff and eclairs are cheap that I can't help but order even if we just wanted churros.  The Milk Chocolate is really milky and chocolatey~ it's the best that I tasted so far and hope that the next time I visit, they milk dark chocolate version.

And the very reason why I nag my friend to go to Sancho, the churros.  I tasted churros that are too crispy, churros that are too soft, churros that are too sweet and churros that are simply bland even dipped with the chocolate.  This one from Sancho has just the right definition of churros and wanted another serving.

I really wish we didn't forgot to invite our other friend because by the time we went to the next resto to try, we are still so full and don't want to enter anymore.  Will definitely comeback to Maginhawa Street to visit some breakfast place, coffee shop, and an interesting resto that seems like selling gayumas.

∆rya 

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Bought Myself Some Chocolates :P

Roses are red/Violets are blue/Potato Chips and Chocolate/Can be given on Valentine's too!!!

And I would rather get chocolates than roses but I have no special friend to give me some (I'm not ready for that kind of relationship) so heck I'll just buy myself some assortment of chocolates though I always do buy chocolates...but not this much.

If you noticed, the mango chocolate packet is already empty...and the rest are also empty and are all in my belly but still gonna share them to you anyway.

Meiji Macadamia is my favorite probably because of the creaminess and nuttiness of the macadamias and then every piece is covered with milk chocolate, damn that is so good *drools*.  Meiji Black Chocolate would have to second because it makes me think that it's a brain and less sweet so the guilt level is 50% less compared to other kinds of chocolates.  I like specifically those from Meiji because they are creamy unlike others who are more on the coarse side and I can even feel the grits of sugar on some.

If I don't have enough cash but still wanted some nuts and chocolate, I go with Meiji Almond (nope I am not sponsored by Meiji but I wanted to (free chocolates *insert imagination of Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory*!!!!)).  Whole Almond Nuts covered with chocolate which is less sweeter than those from the Macadamia.  An if I wanted some tanginess and a little refreshing flavor then I would go for Meiji Apollo Strawberry (correct me if the name is wrong, those are the only words that I can read in the box, the rest are in japanese).

And because I love different flavors infused in chocolates (like sea salt, mint and pili), I got Lindt Dark Chocolate Chili which seems like a normal chocolate when it touches the tongue but once it reaches the back of my throat, there's this spicy sensation that creeps down until you completely swallow the remains of the chocolate.

At first I thought "Mango Chocolate??? What the ...." but before I can utter bad words in my mind, I remember that there's already strawberry and pineapple chocolate so the idea of chocolate and mango together as a couple is not so bad at all.  And this Philippine Brand Mango Chocolate is great and hope that next time that I'll visit the grocery, I'll get the big box though it's a bit pricey but who cares, it's so good!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone and for all singles out there (I'm raising my hand), Happy Single Awareness Day!

I may not know you but I'm spreading the love...so I Love You x∆rya

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Ramyun Almost Supreme

I think this would be in it's supreme state if I added hard boiled egg, some strips of cabbage and fish cakes(???) that are usually found in ramens (usually in swirls of pink and white) plus chopsticks instead of spoon but this is what I usually do with my ramyun~ more meaty and a bit healthier because of the added vegetables.  I also tried putting cheese before and it's so YUM!

To make this, you just need:
 
The Veggies!
Carrots and spring onions are my go to because they are readily available, colorful and cheap :)

and Chicken Balls
for extra meat and chunks.  Tried fish ball before and it tasted nasty so I always go with chicken.

What I do is just cooked the spicy ramyun according to instruction with the balls included for its taste to blend with the soup.  Add the spring onions and let it simmer for 30 seconds and serve with a grin and watch everyone frantically fan their mouth because of the spicyness but still enjoying the eating eat.

Soup + Spicy = Perfect for chilly weather.  ∆rya

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Arti-Artisan

My first idea is to tell you the last moments of my 2014 which consists of masks, diy rip jeans, membership cards, "charot", last sunset, fireworks and food of course.  But I'll just move on with some of the food particularly the "artisan".

From Wikipedia:

An artisan (from French: artisan, Italian: artigiano) is a skilled craft worker who makes or creates things by hand that may be functional or strictly decorative, for example furniture, decorative arts, sculptures, clothing, jewellery, household items and tools or even mechanical mechanisms such as the handmade clockwork movement of a watchmaker. Artisans practice a craft and may through experience andaptitude reach the expressive levels of an artist.

The adjective "artisanal" is sometimes used in describing hand-processing in what is usually viewed as an industrial process, such as in the phrase artisanal mining. Thus, "artisanal" is sometimes used in marketing and advertising as a buzz word to describe or imply some relation with the crafting of handmade food products, such as bread, beverages or cheese. Many of these have traditionally been handmade, rural or pastoral goods but are also now commonly made on a larger scale with automated mechanization in factories and other industrial areas.

Scarsdale Artisanal Delights
Scarsdale caught my attention when I visited my old neighborhood because of the shop's "scandinavian" vibe.  Aside from that, I noticed that their donuts are bigger than normal, simple unlike others and have flavors that are not "normal" in a Filipino sweet doughnut store.  I only got two for me and my sister's tea time.

I got the maple and glaze variant.  The maple reminds me of the bacon I love (hehehe) it has a bit of a smoky taste to it while the glaze has just the right sweetness to it.  Actually both has just the right sweetness to it but I bet, if my niece and nephews whose already accustomed to super sweet doughnuts or those people who think that frappes in Starbucks has just the right sweetness would say that these are too plain for their liking.  The doughnut itself is pact, firm and a little airy which reminds me of the freshly made doughnuts that I buy in small bakery shops when I was a kid.  Hope that soon I can hang out in one of Scarsdale shop and sip coffee soon.

Team Manila + Theo Philo

Team Manila came out with chocolate with quirky variants and labels like "Bawal and Bitter" which is a milk chocolate and "You'll like this Alat" which is the sea salt variant.  I dont' know if Team Manila itself made these chocolates or if they team up with Theo Philo to make these but anyway from Theo Philo, I got the Milk Chocolate with Pili Nut and Pinipig.

I am sometimes extreme, so I while letting these chocolates melt in my mouth I literally wanted to taste the saltiness of the sea salt and the dizziness effect of the pili nuts.  With the sea salt variant, I guess a little more sea salt is needed to intensify the contrast of the chocolate and salt and for milk chocolate, I wanted it more to be creamy.

For the Theo Philo, maybe it's better if the pili nuts and pinipig would be finely ground (I remember the pili bar I ate before and it was the best) and mix it with the chocolate rather than in chunks that are sometimes just in one side of the bar.  Just suggesting but I'm happy that there are more Philippine made goodies that are starting to circulate, I hope my kababayans would show their support and maybe in the near future, we can export these and help our economy and...okay I'll stop here :)

  

Share your artisan finds.  Arya.

Oh, will just share these two photos as a goodbye to 2014:

 

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Quick Escape: Baguio

A change of scenery once in a while is good to refresh the mind and body.  Tired of work, I took the opportunity to go to another city for a quick escape.  I went to Baguio.

When I started using the food+adventure tag of this blog, my original plan was list all the places I visited, cost I incurred, food and resto where I ate and dined and directions but...it's not happening so I guess my adventure will be sort of like a photo diary and Baguio is known for flowers (and strawberry, ube, cold weather and taxi drivers who give change up to the last peso)!  Below are my favorite shots.

And there's cacti, succulents and beautiful plants too.

I also went to the public market which is the driest and cleanest I've been (ohhh Salcedo Market is an exception by the way) where we (I'm with my sister) bought fresh strawberries and ube and strawberry jam.  I got tempted to buy honey and vegetables too because it's cheap there, but I don't want to bring too much stuff back to Manila aside from the cactus and succulent I bought.

Raisin Bread from Baguio Country Club is the best and the Ube Jam from Good Shepherds is the yummiest.  Not much of a fan of strawberry jam but glad that we bought one that has lots of strawberry chunks on it.

And of course we went to Burnham Park to stroll and look at the colorful bicycle.

We passed by Casa Vallejo and went inside the coffee shop and bookstore adjacent to the hotel.

Casa Vallejo is a historical structure that survived World War II that is now in danger of being erased in the city's map.  It's sad that part of a history will be destroyed (hopefully not) for development.  Yes, it is not wrong to strive for growth and development but removing the charms of the place is like taking my childhood memories away breaking my identity into half.  While my photos above are beautiful with flowers, here's what Baguio look like from SM:

Baguio is now a polluted and disorganized city (in my eyes), the picture above looks like a landfill.  This saddens me since I have fond memories of Baguio when I was a little...the fresh smell of pine trees, the cold breeze, the fog and the clouds just above my head and the picturesque view of the mountains.

I believe it's not yet too late and there are concern citizens that are taking action in order to restore the charm of Baguio.  I'm praying for them.

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Toby's Estate. Coffee Roasters.

I thought that I have a photo of at least the paper "mat" but I must have deleted it after the embarrassing semi loud shuttering sound uttered by my camera phone so I only have the above indicating that I dine at Toby's Estate.

When I first entered the premises of this resto, I felt intimated at the same time amazed and feeling at home because of it's interiors:  communal and hydraulic tables, "Scandinavian designs", industrial but elegant and welcoming lights, succulents and cacti and coffee, sweets and food plus even though the crew is busy, they always flash their smile~ my favorites in one place but I feel out of place because it feels "sosyal" and I'm not hehehe.

I usually just order coffee or tea to go but the other day I got a little lucky (meaning I have excess money to be a little fancy), asked my sister to have a simple dinner date with me and I almost got all over the place and take photos of every corner of the place ahahaha.  Of course I didn't do the last thing I said :P

Let's get to the food!

I'm not a connoisseur, but I love cheese: cheese ice cream, cheese pop corn, extra cheese in my pasta and so on and so forth so it's natural for me to get a Grilled Four Cheese which has ricotta, emmenthal, mozzarela and parmigiano with garlic, thyme and pepper in ciabatta served with homemade potato chips and spicy tomato compote.  The cheeses are mild and the compote is actually not that spicy.  I wanted the ciabatta to be more grilled (as in I wanted the marks of the grill) but overall it's a perfect mate for the pasta we ordered.

Crumbled spanish chorizo with spicy tomato sauce and basil oil, that's Rigatoni.  This is a very flavorful meal, my sister said that it's too flavorful but it's perfect for me especially with the grilled cheese and the Iced Chai Latte that I'm drinking (first picture, and I'm very sorry about the photos~very low quality because of the downgrade of my phone but if you guys know where I can buy a battery for htc desire, let me know.  And I know that my HTC is an old model but it's takes great picture!) which I very much appreciate ever since I learned what it's made of and how it is made.  Main reason why I like going to Toby's for coffee and tea:  they are REAL not "overcoated" with sweetness and flavorings.

Last time I felt heaven with a strawberry cake, now I fell head over heels with Carmen's Ice Cream.

It's melting like a butter in my mouth, slowly making it's way to my taste buds~tinkling then attacking them like a machine gun.  We got the salted caramel and every teaspoon of it tasted and shouting SALTED CARAMEL, I wanted to have a teaspoon fight with my sister and be selfish but she's the one who paid for it.  After the experience, I wanted to try all the flavor's of Carmen's Ice Cream!!!

Will definitely date myself or someone here again :)

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