Good food, good friends, great day

A week before my birthday this August, I met with one of my best buddies, who I haven’t seen for over a year. This guy, along with his wife, went through really tough times when he suffered a ruptured aneurysm in 2010 and went under the knife twice. It was only more than two weeks after we met up for my birthday treat that year that I received a text message from my friend's wife that he was in the hospital. The almost two months of hospitalization that followed was agonizing for the couple and the rest of their family and even us in their circle of friends. It is truly by God’s amazing grace that he has completed the travel on the long road to recovery.

Some two weeks ago, my friend’s wife texted me asking if we could meet up at Centris in Quezon City.  And so I jumped at the chance to see them.  At noontime, we were foursome not at Centris, however, but in Trinoma (my favorite mall and hangout place). My friend asked for my lunch venue suggestion and knowing that he hasn’t tried Taco Bell yet, I broached the idea, to which they agreed. By the way, there were four of us because the couple brought along their smart three-year-old kid, my godson. So, Taco Bell it was for lunch and we had:

Fiesta Rice, Seasoned Ground Beef, Fiesta Salsa Salad, and Fiesta Bites with Cheese Sauce, 129.00 (Meal C)

Fiesta Rice, Chunky Pork BBQ, Fiesta Salsa Salad and Churros with Chocolate Dip, 129.00 (Meal A)

My lunch.

Crunchy Taco, P39.

Margarita Slush, P39.

Nachos, P39. Note that they're generous with the cheese dip :-)

I’ve satisfied my Mexican food cravings several times here at Taco Bell and walked away happy on all occasions. Food here is delicious and filling without burning a hole in the pocket. My companions this time liked it at Taco Bell, too.  
 For dessert, my friend’s wife asked me again for a suggestion. Without batting an eyelash, I answered “Dunkin Donuts,” because I have this undying love for their Blueberry Cheese premium donut. But as quickly as I gave that suggestion, my mind changed as I remembered admiring the Black Forest cake donut on display at Mister Donut one time. And so off we went there for coffee and donuts. My friends shunned coffee, though, and opted for the Mango Frostbite. I got a Black Forest, of course, while my friends had  Sansrival and Chocolate Mousse cake donuts plus a choco muffin. My brewed coffee was good! I've always liked it at both Dunkin Donuts and Mister Donut. The cake donuts were quite okay, except that my friend’s wife commented that they were really just like regular donuts just prettified.  I agreed. Yes, nothing spectacular about the cake donuts. Although they're not bad, they were way too sweet that you'd want to stop eating after three forkfuls.

Black Forest cake donut, P45.

Sanrsival, P45.

Chocolate Mousse, P45.

Choco muffin, P26.

Mango Frostbite, P35.

Brewed coffee, P35.

Meanwhile. there were two other things (aside from coffee) I liked about the Mister Donut shop in Trinoma. One is the cozy ambiance and the other, the expanded menu. I was impressed that they now offer a penne pasta dish called Baked Cheese Tomato Penne and a burger steak rice meal. There's also a gourmet sandwich, the Chicken Burger with Chips, which looks yummy on the menu display. Next time, next time...  

My good buddy has a caption for this: "Destruction in consumption!"

Anyway, it was time to go a little shopping after we were done at Mister Donut and not long afterwards, to go home. It was one great day I had with good friends, sharing good laughs and good food. :-)

Back to basics

Donuts on the wall.

My daughter and her beau. Just to show how big those donut pictures at the wall are.

Blueberry cheese premium donut, P35.

The Blueberry Cheese up close.

Strawberry froothie, P70, small

Cafe Mocha Frio, P110, large.

BLT (bacon, lettuce, tomato) Bunwich, P50.

Tuna Salad Croissant, P70.

Brewed Coffee, P35.

That's a lot of blueberry!

Long before J. CO, Krispy Creme and even Mister Donut came here, Dunkin Donuts lorded over the donut lovers' world here in the Philippines. Coming ashore from the US in 1981, Dunkin Donuts, to me and my contemporaries, brings back memories of childhood. In 1984, me and high school barkada would often hang out in an outlet on C.M Recto Ave. My old favorites here were Boston Creme and Black Raspberry. I was already in college around 1987 when I first visited a Dunkin Donuts store in Quiapo, Manila. They were already offering croissants by then and with the Tuna Salad, it was love at first bite. The other croissant choices are Chicken Salad, Bacon, Coleslaw & Tomato and Ham 'n Cheese. I don't remember trying out any of these as Ive always ordered for the Tuna Salad. In recent years, Dunkin Donuts products grew in number and now they've got premium donuts which come in yummy varieties. Last Saturday, me, my daughter and her boyfriend tried one of these, the Blueberry Cheese and we loved it. Yesterday, I bought a Sansribav on my way to work and I loved it too. Next time, I will try the Black Forest premium donut. These days, some people may raise an eyebrow about Dunkin Donuts since J. CO and Krispy Creme are the "in" thing but to me, I'm happy going back to the basics of donut here in the Philippines, as I find comfort not only in my old favorites but in new yummy discoveries as well. :-)