Drool-worthy halo-halo and more at Razon's of Guagua

I know, I know.. Manila just chills these days, at times even on a sunny afternoon. Even then, it's no reason not to have halo-halo, specially if it's from Razon's of Guagua. Oh my, my heart melts just thinking of this heavenly cool dessert, which might as well be THE best halo-halo I could ever have in my lifetime. I know that sounds uber cheesy but really, that's how much I love Razon's halo-halo. Never mind that it has only three "halo" (ingredients) - macapuno, sweetened cardava banana (saba) and leche flan. It's the very finely shaved ice and lots (really lots) of milk that make all the difference.  It's smooth and very creamy, almost like ice cream! If you haven't tasted Razon's halo-halo, better do and prove me right in saying that it's heavenly and unforgettable.

Anyway, it's not only halo-halo that you can enjoy at this Pampanga-originated restaurant. There's of course the Kapampangan specialty pork sisig and all-day breakfast fares "tapsilog" ang "tocilog", plus the well-loved pancit luglug that's perfect for merienda cena. At least these are what I've tried at Razon's together with different companions on two occasions recently - one time at Robinson's Magnolia and another at SM San Lazaro. 

These were what we had: 

Halo-Halo, P100.

Pancit Luglug, P95.

Tapsilog, P148.

Sisig with rice, P165.

Tocilog, P140.

Razon's of Guagua at Robinson's Magnolia

I love Razon's and have added it to my list list of go-to places for Pinoy comfort food and of course, halo-halo. Truth be told, I'm not fond of eating this iced dessert and in fact, I rarely eat it and never get to finish a glass (I don't remember, the least to say). But halo-halo at Razon's is irresistible to me and the only one I would crave for. Even if you compare it with the versions of other restaurants that boast of a dozen "halo", Razon's is still the standout for me. My two sisters who went vacationing here in the Philippines from the US and Canada three years ago also went agog over this halo-halo. Well, can't blame 'em!

Be a brekkie gourmand at Kanto Freestyle Breakfast

My friend Chie just gave me the adrenaline rush yesterday with the mere mention of an all-day breakfast restaurant in her neighborhood in Pasig City. So even if I wasn't ready to go out of my comfort zone of Manila to venture into the "unknown" in Pasig (I rarely go there!), I said "yes" to my friend's urging. How could I say no to a craving good friend? Haha! Oh well, I love breakfast whether it's for lunch or dinner. (I hope that doesn't confuse you!) And I love my friend too. (aaww. .missed her and our chikahan). Anyway, I was super curious about this  place which, I understood, was unique, aside from the fact that it serves gourmet breakfast at affordable prices. What more could I ask for? I gotta see this, I thought as we talked over the phone. About three hours later, we were there, at Kanto Freestyle Breakfast in Kapitolyo, Pasig City. It's situated in a residential area, a garage converted into a restaurant. How clever! The owner doesn't have to pay rent. We checked out the menu and were even more impressed: gourmet breakfast at less than P100! After much contemplation (on my side), 

we ordered:  

Crispy Pork Belly, P90.

Vigan Longganisa, P90.

French Toast, P50.

Deep-fried Oreos, P50.

Scramble, P35.

This is taken when we arrived. By the time we left, the place was jam-packed.

Kanto Freestyle Breakfast in Kapitolyo, Pasig City

But while we were impressed by the food presentation and all, the same wasn't very true with some of what we ordered. Chie found out that her Crispy Pork Belly wasn't crispy at all and in fact was undercooked, with a piece still having some blood in it. And while I liked my Vigan longganisa, I think it was a bit undercooked, too. My Ilocos sausages would have been a lot more delish had they come close to a crisp. Well, that's just my personal preference, anyway. As for our desserts, my friend's was yummy. I knew, she shared it with me. Hehe.. Does French Toast come in the dessert category, by the way. Well, even if doesn't, that's how it served us. Haha! The triangular slices of bread were sweet and yummy with the butter-cream on top and a douse of syrup. 
My own dessert, the Deep Fried Oreos, failed to make me happy, though. Chie commented that it seemed they used "old" (used and reused) oil in frying the battered Oreos. There was one saving grace, though..my ice scramble! Oh, didn't you just love that pink, cool dessert that you bought in the streets when you were little? Love..love..love! This time, I was having scramble not in a small, plastic cup but in a "sosy" wine glass! It was beautifully served, topped with marshmallows and candy sprinkles and chocolate syrup. Yummy too! I wish they have a bigger serving because it left me wanting for more. 

Oh, well..I so liked this place in spite of some disappointments. The ambiance is cool (no walls!) and the over-all concept is totally unique. Imagine having gourmet, fine dining-style  breakfast at a price you'll love and at a garage! As for their offers, many look so good in pictures like the eggs Benedict and blueberry pancakes. Do check out their Facebook page. I'm sure many of those are really delicious. Proof was the customers coming in droves just before we left - groups of friends and family. 

I promise to return here soon. Kanto Freestyle, BRB!    

Spotlight on Red Ribbon's palabok

If you ask what's the best palabok for me, I'd say it's a toss between Nathaniel's and Red Ribbon's. I like that they both come with just the right amount of sauce (I shun the too saucy kind), though Red Ribbon's a little dry when you mix it all up. A plus point for Red Ribbon's is that it has more toppings than Nathaniel's version but even then, palabok from both sources is absolutely yummy. 
Anyway, it's been a long while since I last ate at Red Ribbon (two years?) so I jumped at the opportunity to again taste their palabok with my kids last month. We were at the Quezon Ave. branch, stopping over on our way home from the Sidcor Sunday Market. It was lunchtime, and the kids decided to have rice meals while I settled for palabok. What I like at Red Ribbon is that their combo meals come not just with a drink but also with a slice of cake, which makes your lunch or dinner (or merienda, for that matter) complete with dessert. 

Our orders:   

Palabok, P65.

Fried Liempo Meal, P149.

Home-Style Fried Chicken Meal, P165.

Salisbury Steak Meal, P159.

And the cake slices for our sweet endings:

Coffee Crunch with a cup of brewed coffee, P70. I ordered this for myself separately from the palabok. 

Mango 

Chocolate Caramel

Dulce de Leche

Our drinks:

Orange juice for the kiddos, coffee for the mom

My lunch makes for a happy day 

Wow! Fantastic lunch! That's how much I loved Red Ribbon's palabok. The cake and coffee made for a nice ending. The kids enjoyed their food, too, except for the one who had the fried liempo, which, apparently, tasted "ordinary", like it was from the "carenderia". I had one little complaint, too: coffee was served in a plastic mug. Hey, I dislike BPA.  Haha! 

My 10 best foodie finds of 2013

Last week, I wrote about my Top 3 posts for 2013 based on the number of hits or visits by readers. Now I'm sharing with you the Top 10 dishes that I myself loved in my dozens of little foodie trips. The ones I included here were the most memorable to me because they were either exceptionally yummy, unique, or beautifully served. Here they are:

10. Sans rival from Betty's
I discovered Betty's sometime in mid-2013. And I'd say it's one of QC's best-kept secrets, tucked away inside the Sto. Domingo Church area, behind it, to be particular. It's a pretty decent place, where food is surprisingly good at even more surprisingly low prices. They have rice meals, pasta and pizza, the latter being impressively thin and delicious. However, it's the sans rival that's the best seller at Betty's. I tell you, it's sans rival without a rival. Now if that doesn't make myself clear, I don't know what will. Haha! Betty's sans rival is sold by the box but if you dine in, a slice can be ordered for dessert or snack at just P48. Best with brewed coffee! 
   

9. I.I.B.B.'s Pata Bulalo
I.I.B.B. is what you see written outside this restaurant near the UDMC Hospital in Quezon City. Once inside, you'll know what the acronym means: Ihaw-Ihaw, Balot-Balot. They offer Filipino dishes like crispy crablets, pork and chicken barbecue, dinuguan and many others. For me, the standout dish here is their pata bulalo, which to me was unforgettably delicious! The soup was so divine I still dreamt of it days after. Haha! Looks like the slices (or cuts) of pata (pork leg) were simmered for many hours, resulting in the broth being very flavorful. Sadly, I haven't returned to I.I.B.B. and I hope to do so one of these days if only for their pata bulalo. It's P130 per serving, by the way.



8. Banoffee Panna Cotta at Vanilla Cupcake Bakery
What struck me most about this cutesy dessert was obviously its packaging. Truth be told, I can't, to this day, tell you if this banoffee panna cotta is delish because when I ate it at Vanilla Cupcake Bakery in Trinoma Mall, I was suffering from a bad cold and had little (or no) sense of smell and taste. Fortunately, my friend Pammy was with me and because she said my dessert was delicious, I could say it indeed was. Thank God for trustworthy friends. They help me blog. Haha!

7. Le Coeur de France's ham croissant and coffee duo
This pair is perfect for an afternoon snack. A croissant that's flaky with a crisp on the outside and soft with a filling of delicious ham on the inside. And the coffee? Bold and strong! What's even better? Breads at Le Coeur de France come at Buy One, Take One starting 3 pm. What a deal! This promo, however, is not applicable to the croissant and coffee combo which costs around P130. Individually, croissant costs P88 and this is where the Buy One, Take One promo applies. A cup of brewed coffee, on the other hand, is also P88. We often visit Le Coeur de France inside Times Plaza on Taft corner UN Avenue because it's close to our church, the Cathedral of Praise. Talk about food that's heaven-sent. Hehe.



6. Cafe France's sandwich, soup and drink combo
In my lifetime of four decades and five years as of today, I've never had a sandwich as delicious as the one I had at Cafe France. It was what they call the Premiere Clubhouse Sandwich which they also offer (half of an order if you go for the combo) with pumpkin soup and a glass of soda for just P159. I remember the bread as really soft and all the fillings going very well with each other to make the sandwich uber delicious. Paired with pumpkin soup, it was sooo satisfying. Even more, I'm sure, had I washed it all down with a cup of strong brewed coffee. That was my only regret. I didn't have enough time to slowly sip a cup of joe because we would be late for church. I hope to visit Cafe France again at UN Ave. one of these days for a nice and lovely trio of a sandwich, soup and coffee.




5. Nathaniel's palabok
Nathaniel's was one of the best restaurants I discovered last year. There are many things to enjoy here but foremost is their palabok, which, believe me, is to die for! Haha! The first time I tasted it, it struck me as unforgettable, something I just had to have again. So, since around middle of last year, I was at Nathaniel's three or four times just for their palabok (P70 per order). Apart from palabok, I also loved Nathaniel's pancit sotanghon, the burger steak, siomai and buko pandan. They'd make you coming back for more, promise! At least those are the dishes I've tried. And yes, the mini siopao. How my kids love them! As I write this, I tell my daughter: "We haven't had Nathaniel's siopao in a long while." She chides me, saying, "Better not told. I'm suddenly craving." Haha! It's 10 p.m. No way! 

4. Hainanese chicken at Hainanese Delights
This one's lip-smackin' good: tender steamed chicken dipped in grated ginger and chili, and eaten with delicious Hainanese rice. Oh, how I loved this Hainanese chicken. Delicious, healthy ('coz it's not fried) chicken at a nice price. Only P130 per order. Huge serving too, with unlimited Hainanese rice to boot. Sweet!  

3. Rice at Cafe Mary Grace
Yes, rice..at Cafe Mary Grace. No, don't get me wrong. I loved my fried bangus topped with lots of toasted garlic. However, it's the herbed rice that floored me. I'm no expert when it comes to herbs and I can't tell what's added to Cafe Mary Grace's rice but it's completely unique-tasting, not like anything I've had elsewhere. Downright ambrosial. Apart from this, however, I also loved the Carbonara and Mango Bene cake at Cafe Mary Grace. Before 2013 ended, I visited Cafe Mary Grace twice at SM City North Edsa. 

2. Vigan Empanada at Fariñas Ilocos Empanada
The Vigan Empanada was one of the two things that made me an addict last year. For a period, I must not let a week pass without eating one. I was just so happy a branch of Fariñas Ilocos Empanada opened within walking distance from our office. On each visit, I'd order the special empanada (at P50 apiece) that has one egg, one Vigan longganiza and vegetables. Vigan or Ilocos empanada is fried to a crisp and eaten with a pouring of vinegar. Mmmm..delicious!

1. Pancit bihon at Aling Banang
Of all the food I ate for the first time last year and got me hooked, it's definitely the Pancit Bihon at Aling Banang that has not allowed me to forget and move on. Haha! I mean I still crave it almost everyday and thus eat it every so often to this day, about a month and half since I first tasted it. While pancit bihon has long been one of my favorite foods on the face of the earth (since birth. Hehe..) , I'm exceedingly choosy about it. In fact, rarely do I find a delicious plate of it. Even my self-cooked pancit bihon I do not like. Haha! Really, I only rave about pancit bihon made by my mom and Kuya Noli. But that was until I ate pancit bihon at Aling Banang, the carinderia that my friend Pammy and I often visit at lunchtime near our office. It was love at first taste! And what a strong, ardent love it was! Apart from the pancit itself being flavorsome, the fact that it's topped with crispy lechon kawali makes it all the more scrumptious. Quite sinful, yes, but hey, you can always pray after eating. Better still, take your maintenance meds afterwards. Haha! But wait, the taste is not the only thing to love. Aling Banang's pancit bihon comes in a huge serving at just P45 per order. What better offer can you get? Try it to believe, I strongly urge. Haha! There's over a dozen Aling Banang branches metro-wide. Hope you find one near you and try their pancit bihon for yourself. Happy eating!   

This 2014, I'm so looking forward to discovering more yummy dishes to share with you. Cheers!

My Top 3 posts for 2013: Whitemoon Bar, Aling Banang's, Amber

This is my first post for 2014 so however late, let me greet you a Happy New Year. I wish you blessed days and months ahead, with your needs and heart's desires granted by our awesome God. Well, my 2013 was a good one, especially when it comes to this foodie diary. After a year and a half since its inception, The Awesome Grind had over 20,000 visitors at the year's end. I know it was no big feat but it made me very happy, to think that I almost gave up blogging at the start, sad that nobody seemed to read my posts apart from my husband. So to everyone who visits my blog, thank you so much! Mwaah! Truth to tell, I really don't consider myself a true-blue blogger. To me, I'm just a hobbyist. Though I'm a writer and editor by profession, I'm a mere amateur when it comes to photography. Also, I'm no geek and so I've no idea how to "beautify" this blog. Given these reasons, I know I can't be lined up among the "legal" bloggers, and I certainly am just happy there are people like you who read my posts in this blog of sort. Hey, before I move you to tears, let me share with you the Top 3 posts in The Awesome Grind last year, based on the number of hits or visits. 
Here they are:

3. Amber on a Black Saturday  (March 31, 2013)

I had two posts about Amber last year and the first one made it to No. 3. My first visit to Amber was on Good Friday. Lucky for me (and family), their Tomas Morato branch was open. Since then, I'd visited Amber two more times till the year's end, both occasions at their T.M. Kalaw branch. My family loves Amber because of the superb Pinoy food that they serve, at pocket-friendly prices to boot. No wonder this resto is a popular Google search, and the reason it's one of my most-visited posts. Amber is famous for its delicious Pancit Malabon and Pichi-Pichi plus a lot more of our favorite Filipino dishes.

2. Aling Banang's: Over eight decades of glorious carinderia food (July 3, 2013)

Aling Banang's is a carinderia that started inside the San Juan Public Market in the 1930s. After some 80 years, it now has some 14 branches around Metro Manila, though their FB page says only 11 are authentic. It was my husband, who grew up in san Juan, who first brought me to Aling Banang's, boasting about how good their ice cream halo-halo was. You see, this refreshing and sweet dessert at Aling Banang's is unique because it has no ice - only homemade ice cream. Well, they also serve regular halo-halo with ice but it was the ice cream halo-halo that made Aling Banang's famous. Last year, one branch of this carinderia opened just a stone's throw away from our office in Quezon City. Needless to say, I'm always there. Haha! Their pancit bihon is too die for, with the crunchy-skinned lechon kawali on top. For just P45 per serving (which is huge, I never finish it in one sitting), it is such a joy! There was a period before the year ended that I ate pancit bihon at Aling Banang's everyday. Haha! But before I discovered their pancit, I ate lechon kawali with fried rice at every visit. Check out Aling Banang's for some down-to-earth yumminess.

1. Whitemoon Bar: Where sunset tops the menu (February 12, 2013)

We (my two daughters and the eldest's beau) were at Whitemoon Bar February last year. What a bliss to be at this place at the Manila Ocean Park in time for sunset. For lovers of the sea and dusk like me, this bar is pure bliss! You get to eat, drink and just chillax while enjoying nature. No better way to unwind and shake off all the stress at work. We enjoyed their baked mussels, nachos, tacos and carbonara. The spaghetti with meatballs was not so good, though. Prices are steep but the cool ambiance makes up for it.
This 2014, I look forward to more foodie discoveries to share with you, guys. Hope you visit my blog in the weeks ahead. Together, let's enjoy good food and just have a good time. 
God bless!

Cafe Mary Grace: Saving the best for last

This could well be my last post for this year, and I'd say it's about my best foodie find for 2013. Well, I'm really a late bloomer-foodie when it comes to this cafe and bakery that first opened its doors in 2006. Oh well, better late than never, so they say. I'm happy to have finally dined at Cafe Mary Grace last month and for the second time at lunch just yesterday. It was at the SM City North Edsa on both occasions. I fell in love with the food and ambiance at this cafe that I felt the first visit warranted a second. Last month, I was with a long-time-no-see-friend, who gave me a treat (thanks, Louie!). Sadly, I was only able to take pictures of my meal and not my friend's because she'd finished her lunch by the time I arrived (I wasn't late, she was just too early. No kidding! Haha!) I ordered the Classic Carbonara which was sooo delicious. It was saucy, with the right creaminess and with lots of meat (was it ham or bacon, or both, I can't remember). Even the garlic toast that accompanied it was good.The pasta serving was too big for me that I had some of my carbonara taken home. Louie and I shared a slice of Mango Bene cake, which I loved as well, and we both finished everything off with brewed coffee. What a lovely lunch it was, made more unforgettable by stories and laughter shared

 between my friend and I.

Classic Carbonara, P229.

Mango Bene, P130/slice

Americano coffee, P98.

That seemed like a bouquet to me but my friend said those were sea shells. I touched it and went, "oo nga!"

True!

Lovely nook

Meanwhile, my office friend Pammy was my companion at lunch yesterday at Cafe Mary Grace. I went for an all-day breakfast fare this time - Fried Bangus with eggs and rice. For dessert, I ordered their Limone Santi cake and Americano coffee to cap my meal. Pammy, on the other hand, had Pasta Ametriciana with Italian Meatballs, Black Velvet cake and Wild Raspberry Iced Tea. Later on, I told Pam I didn't know there was a pasta dish by the name Ametriciana. Pam said she'd eaten it in Italy. Sosyal! Hehe. Anyway, I loved my fried bangus meal. The boneless milkfish was tender and delicious. I liked too that it was topped with lots of toasted garlic. What I enjoyed to the hilt, though was the rice - it was very aromatic though I'm not sure what herbs it used. Basil, perhaps, and rosemary. It was sooo good! I wish I could make this at home. My Limone Santi dessert was delish as well, a bit sour, thus a welcome change from the usual sweet cake. Again, it was a fine, unforgettable lunch that painted a huge smile on my face. 
(I used the Auto White Balance setting for the following photos, hence, the difference in color. Not sure, though, if it was a good idea.)

Pasta Ametriciana w/ Italian Meatballs, P232.

Fried Bangus with two sunny side up eggs and rice, P217.

Herbed rice. Super love!

Vinegar, sliced green mango and tomato that went with my fried bangus.

Black Velvet cake, P115/ slice

Limone Santi, P110/slice

Americano coffee, P98.

Wild Raspberry Iced Tea, P115.

Cafe Mary Grace has many stores in Metro Manila. Here's a link to their website to help you find a branch near your place: 

http://marygracecafe.com/shops/#