Ultimate Taste Test 2014: The Ultimate Gastronomic Adventure

Last September 27, 2014, my officemates and I joined 900+ foodies at Rockwell Tent for the ultimate food event of the year: Ultimate Taste Test 2014. We had the chance to become food critics for a day and try out a smorgasbord of dishes from 53 home-based food concessionaires and some establishments from Powerplant Mall. The participating establishments were personally handpicked by food blogger Anton Diaz. 

The event is actually the 12th series of the UTT and this is the 4th time it was held at Rockwell Tent. It was hosted by Mr. Spanky Enriquez, a blogger and a certified foodie.

We bought our tickets days before the event. One ticket costs Php 600.00 but we got 1 free ticket because of the Buy-5-Tickets-Get-1 promo. :)

Maginhawa Street Food Trip

 

Maginhawa Street in UP Teacher's Village, QC is a mecca for food junkies. Boyfie and I had been planning a food trip to the so-called "Eat Street" since August; due to our busy schedules, the plan came about a month after. This 3-kilometer street is brimming with restaurants which offer a potpourri of cuisines so it was a big challenge for me to choose which food stores to try. After some research, the 4 restaurants below emerged on top of my list. :)

Brunch: The Breakfast Table

The Breakfast Table is a farm-to-table restaurant which offers breakfast all throughout the day.  "Farm-to-Table" (or farm-to-fork) is a restaurant concept wherein food is locally sourced.

Breakfast at Stacy's

One fine Saturday morning, Cancio and I decided to eat at Stacy's which has long been in my list of restos to try. You see, I'm a sucker for retro diners. ;)

Cebu Escapade (Day 3)

We checked out of Moalboal Backpacker Lodge at 5am and rode a tricycle to Kawasan Falls. We were supposed to ride a bus but the driver misheard our instructions and directly drove us to the falls. 

There were local tour guides waiting when we arrived. Our plan was to trek without a guide since the trail to the falls is easy; since we have our bags with us, we gave in. The trek to the falls took a good 15 minutes. 

We passed by these natural wonders on our way to Kawasan Falls.

Cebu Escapade (Day 2)

We're supposed to wake up in the wee hours of the morning for our Moalboal trip but we were too clingy to part with our beds. Yep, we overslept. My normal OC self would blow a gasket for not sticking religiously to the itinerary but I promised myself that this one would be a vacation, not mere travel. Like they say, travel is getting there, vacation is being there. :)

And so, Day 2 was started with a hearty breakfast from the pension house's affordable menu.

Pancakes and Tosilog for Php75.00 each.

We checked out of Robe's Pension House at  11:00 am  and rode a taxi to Cebu South Bus Terminal where buses headed to Moalboal are.

Bus fare for the four of us is Php 520.00. We considered riding a cab instead but when the boys asked for the fare, the driver said it's fixed at Php 3,500.00 Hilarious, right?

We arrived in Moalboal terminal after 2 1/2 hours and rode a tricycle to Moalboal Backpacker Lodge where we are checked-in. 

Accommodation in Moalboal

We stayed at Moalboal Backpacker Lodge which I came across on Trip Advisor. It's just in front of Panagsama beach and there are a lot of restaurants and diving centers nearby.  The villa with 2 fan rooms costs Php 1,300.00.

Studio Cottage "Blue Gecko" with bathroom, balcony, and chill-out hammock

Cebu Escapade (Day 1)

Last June, our friends Ernest and Ann invited me and my boyfriend to tag along in their pre-wedding vacation in Cebu. Cebu is not actually in my travel bucket list. However, since Ernest proposed to shoulder the expenses, I answered a resounding YES! :) We also did a mini-prenup so I was in charge not just of the itinerary but also of the props and photo shoot concept. Boyfie was the photographer. Yes, it's a 2-man team. If you wanna see how we did it, read on. :)

Day 1

Upon arrival at Mactan Airport, we immediately looked for the white metered taxi stand and queued up. There are two types of metered taxis present at the airport -white and yellow taxis. The flag down rate for a white metered taxi is Php 40.00 while yellow metered taxis start at Php 70.00. You have to cross the street in front of the arrival gate and climb up the stairs to reach the waiting area for the white taxis. Still, the yellow and white metered taxis are way cheaper than the private taxis waiting just outside of the arrival gate. 

It took us 10 minutes before we were able to ride a cab. Our fare was Php 320.00 from the Airport to Robe's Pension House where we are checked-in. 

At the waiting area for white metered taxis

Shoe selfies! :)

Accommodation

I highly recommend Robe's Pension House located in Cebu City. For 2 deluxe rooms, we paid Php 2,400.00 for 2 days and 1 night. It has budget-friendly rates, accommodating staff, clean and cozy rooms, and good location. It's situated in the heart of tourist attractions within Cebu city. They also have strong wi-fi connection. The only downside is that they have no elevator which is a bummer if your room is located on the upper floors. They’re pretty transparent with this minor setback which is reflected in their website. I forgot to take pictures of the rooms but the photos in their website are quite accurate.

Our rooms are located on the 2^nd floor.

Sci-fi Café: Awakening The Geek In Me

Last Friday night, boyfie wanted to test his new camera body and I wanted to eat at someplace unique. We immediately thought of The Sci-Fi Café which was recommended by a friend.

"The Sci-Fi Café is a concept restaurant located at the 4th floor, West Wing of Robinsons Galleria Ortigas Ave. corner EDSA, featuring pop culture reflected in sci-fi, fantasy and other fictional movies through the use of prop replicas, 1/6 scale action figures and movie posters as the overall theme of the restaurant serving American comfort food."

The concept started when the owner, Richard Chua, realized he had a vast toy collection which started in 2002. Majority of the toys on display are imported items from US and Hongkong. Some of them were acquired in Singapore and Australia, but the bulk of them was purchased locally.

We had passed by at this café countless times before but I was under the misconception that this was a toy shop.

Summer 2014 in ILOCOS (Day 3: Vigan)

We woke up late the following day and prepared for our last day in Ilocos. The hotel provided complimentary breakfast which we didn't appreciate since we don't eat corned beef. *Sigh. Downside of being a picky eater.

After a so-so breakfast, we rode a tricycle to the bus terminal with buses headed to Vigan. Travel time is 3 hours and bus fare is Php 80.00 each.

Accommodation

We were checked-in at Balai Mestizo Travelodge. I wouldn't recommend it for an overnight stay. Our room was full of little mosquitoes, the bed reeks of old linen, and the common restroom has no flush, tissue and dipper. It wasn't a big deal for us since we just needed a place to put our stuff in while roaming around Vigan. The family economy room costs Php 1,050.00.

We rode a tricycle for Php 130.00 to get to 6 tourist spot destinations in Vigan: Bantay Church and Bell Tower, Pagburnayan Vigan Pottery and Jar Making, Hidden Garden, Baluarte,  Syquia Mansion, and Calle Crisologo.

Itinerary

1. Bantay Church and Bell Tower. The Bantay Church, also known as St. Augustine Parish Church, was built by Augustinian Friars in 1590 making it one of the oldest churches in Ilocos Sur. It also houses the image of Our Lady of Charity, the Patroness of Ilocandia.

A few meters away from the church is the Bantay Bell Tower. You have to register first before entering the bell tower. There's no entrance fee but donations are accepted. :)

The Bantay Bell Tower was used as a watchtower for invading enemy forces during World Wars I and II because of its strategic location. Thus, the word 'Bantay' which means guard in English.

Summer 2014 in ILOCOS (Day 2: Laoag)

We left Juanita Uddon’s Homestay at 6:50 AM and rode a tricycle to the bus terminal. Coming from Pagudpud, it took us around 2 hours of non-stop drive to reach Laoag city. We paid Php 180.00 for the bus ride.

As soon as we arrived at the terminal, we immediately contacted our tricycle tour guide, Kuya Tots. For Php 700.00, you can already go around the tourist destinations of Laoag city. He served as our tour guide/photographer. You can reach Kuya Tots @ 09183801853.

Accommodation

We reserved a room at Northview Hotel, a budget hotel located in the Northern part of Airport Road which is approximately 1.5 km away from the city proper. We paid Php 1,750.00 for an overnight stay at their Standard Triple Room.

Since check-in time is @ 2:00 pm, we left our bags with the receptionist who willingly placed it in their storage for safekeeping until we return.

The hotel was ok and has an outdoor swimming pool. There are little mosquitoes inside our room, though. 

Itinerary

We had breakfast at Macy’s Diner which offers a wide variety of food from traditional Filipino dishes to American favorites. It's just beside Hotel Tiffany and is near the bus terminal. The place reminded me of 50's diner in Baguio. :)

The retro-themed Macy's diner.

This jukebox plays old American, Filipino, and Ilocano pop songs at Php 5.00/song.

The diner is filled with posters of 50's icons like James Dean and Elvis Presley.

Summer 2014 in ILOCOS (Day 1: Pagudpud)

To kick start our summer, my boyfriend, sister, and I unanimously decided to visit one of the top holiday destinations in the Philippines, the culture-rich but budget-friendly Ilocos. What’s not to love? You can find pristine beaches, 4x4 rides, heritage sites and natural wonders all in one place. 

Ilocos is divided into two independent provinces: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. Pagudpud and Laoag are in Ilocos Norte while Vigan is in Ilocos Sur. We started with Pagudpud since it’s the farthest. The last day is for the nearest which is Vigan.


Bus Ride

We boarded an air-conditioned Florida bus in Espana for Php 700.00 each. We wanted a sleeper/deluxe bus but the trip is scheduled at 10pm.

The trip lasted for almost 11 hrs. and had 3 stopovers: Tarlac, La Union, and Laoag. From the bus terminal in Pagudpud, we rode a tricycle to our accommodation in Saud where cheap homestays can be found.

7:15 PM – Departure from Manila
5:49 AM – Arrival in Pagudpud

We're brimming with excitement for Day 1. :)

Cancio’s Post-bday Celebration at Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort

I didn’t know about Villa Escudero until I came across an article posted online by Bored Panda about the 21 Amazing Hotels To Visit Before You Die. Spellbound by the pictures of the regal waterfall restaurant in Laguna, we decided to celebrate my boyfriend’s 23^rd birthday there.

Villa Escudero Plantations and Resort is a rural getaway located on the border of Tiaong, Quezon and San Pablo City, Laguna. It’s an independent coconut plantation founded in the 1880s by Don Placido Escudero and his wife, Doña Claudia Marasigan. The vast estate was opened to the public as a resort/plantation in 1981. Since then, it has become a prime tourist destination for locals, overseas Filipinos and a wide array of foreign visitors.

Bus Ride

Villa Escudero is a mere two to three hours drive south of Manila. We boarded a Jac Liner bus bound to Lucena at the Pasay Terminal. We paid Php 115.00 each for the fare. 

I wasn’t able to see road signs telling us that we’re approaching Villa E. (Either there are none or I missed them.) The conductor dropped us off right after the Quezon Arch. The gate of the resort is at the left side of the Arch. It’s a long walk from this point to the welcome area so it’s advisable to ride a tricycle which is readily available at the resort gate. We paid Php 50.00 for the ride.

7:25 AM - Departure from Manila

9:45 AM - Arrival at Villa Escudero

Welcome Area

We registered in this huge hallway where we were greeted by traditionally dressed men and women. We paid our balance for the day-tour (We deposited Php 500.00 at BDO five days before the trip.) and we were given tickets for the Carabao cart ride, visit to the AERA Memorial Museum, and buffet lunch at the Labasin Waterfalls. No tickets are required for the cultural show, rafting, access to pool, and use of other amenities.

Tickets for the day tour on weekends costs Php 1,400.00 each.

AERA Memorial Museum

We walked from the welcome area to the AERA Memorial Museum which was founded by Spouses Arsenio and Rosario Escudero. Before going inside, all our belongings (except our phones and money) were surrendered and we were reminded that picture-taking is not allowed inside.

The AERA Memorial Museum is a replica of one of Manila’s most famous churches, the San Agustin Church.

Eat, Walk, Love in the City of Pines

I’m still having the Baguio hangover. My boyfriend, his sister, and I went there last December for a much-needed hiatus. Now that the weather in Metro Manila is surprisingly gelid, I can’t help but remember our 2-day trip to the city of strawberries, flowers, and pine trees. Yeah, we ruminated over the idea of going there on summer to escape the scorching-hot city. But while it may be best to pay it a visit during summer, Baguio is also a favorite destination during Christmas vacation.


Bus Ride

For the bus ride to and from Baguio, we boarded a regular Victory Liner bus at P445.00 per head. We left at 12:00 AM and reached Baguio at 7:00 AM. That’s 7 hours. 2 hours longer than we expected. Put the blame on the countless stops we had during the trip. We had the option of boarding a deluxe bus. But since it’s priced at P750.00, we skipped on the luxury.

Make sure to buy tickets at least a week before the trip. Ticket sales can be crazy during peak season. If you don’t want to bear the brunt of being a chance passenger, just show up with tickets or reservations. ;)


Accommodation

Transient houses are quite popular in Baguio. As soon as you alight from the bus, agents would be offering you places to stay; but at a higher cost since they get a commission.

We stayed at a transient house located in Rainbow Hills Subdivision. The rent costs P250.00 a night per person so we got to pay P1,125.00 for a 2-day, 1-night stay. We’ve even seen a transient house for P180.00 but since we only got to arrange for our accommodation a week before the trip, the place (as expected) was already fully booked.

So if you wanna penny-pinch, reserve weeks before your trip. :)


Itinerary

After an hour of rest, we started our Eat, Walk, Love saga. So here it is: our itinerary for a 2-day, 1-night stay in Baguio.


Day 1 (December 21, 2013; AM)

• Burnham Park
• SM Baguio
• Good Taste Restaurant

                      

We went for a leisurely stroll and basked in the cool morning breeze at Burnham Park.

Next time we visit Burnham Park, I’d take a picnic basket. :)