Banana Que and Turon - The Favorite Local Snack Among Filipinos

Turon and Banana Que are two of the most favorite "meryenda" (snacks) among Filipinos which is commonly sold by local street vendors and usually available during afternoon.

Banana cues are deep fried ripe bananas (Saba aka Cardava) coated with caramelized brown sugar while it’s cooking. The fried bananas are placed on bamboo sticks for ease of eating. Since they look similar to barbecued meat just by being on a stick, thus, it was named “banana cue”.

"Turon" on the otherhand are also made up of bananas (Saba) which are thinly sprinkled with brown sugar and then rolled in a spring roll wrapper and fried. Other fillings can also be used, including jackfruit.

Rating:

A heavy snack rich in calories and carbs ideal to wake you up during the sleepy afternoon at work.

ISKARGU (Isda, Karne at Gulay)

Iskargu is located along the national highway of Calauan, Laguna beside a ricefield which also gives a nice view of Mt Kalisungan on the background. The name is the amalgamation of "Isda, Karne and Gulay" which is an upgraded eatery "carinderia", where one can choose and point a specific menu of their liking to get their orders (Turo-Turo). They have a wide selection of ready to eat food choices for fish, veggies and meat viands.

Pictures of actors, well known politicians and other local celebrities who once dined in the resto are displayed. Local delicacies, "pasalubongs" and souvenir items are also sold at the display counter. I like the unique ambiance of their restaurant, it is not fancy nor cozy but it is well ventilated and portrays a rural and Filipino setting almost similar to that of "Kamayan" or Isdaan".

Prices are affordable and similar to most local eateries that offers a simplicity in dining experience.

Rating:

7 out 10

Lolo Claro's Restaurant

After our Mt. Palay Palay hiked and Ternate Beach sight seeing we've decided to have a stop over lunch at Lolo Claros Restaurant which is located in Maragondon, Cavite.

They are known for their fried chicken which is comparable to that of Max's restaurant (rumor has it that the owner once worked as a chef in Max).

Ambiance is not that cozy, no air condition, but the whole place is well ventilated. The best part is that our orders did not take too long to arrived,  I ordered their famed fried chicken - not bad, it actually tastes like Max but much affordable. I also ordered "Lumpiang Ubod" - it was great except that the sauce is too sticky, "Halo-Halo" - it was big enough for two, ideal for sharing. 

All in all, it is best value restaurant that you can find in the middle of nowhere, prices are affordable with generous amount of serving. 

Rating:

7 out of 10

Fried Calamares: Pinoy's Newest Street Food Favorite

"Calamares" is a Spanish word for squid.  In recent years, Fried Calamares has emerged as one of the most popular street food in the Philippines along with Fishballs" and "Kikiam". It is the street food version of the Mediterranean's breaded fried squid dish, Calamari. It is usually dipped in breadcrumbs but the local version uses flour and dipped fried until it is golden brown.

Spiced vinegar is the favorite sauce used for Fried Calamares, it gives the crispy squid a spicy yet sour and an after taste of garlic that sticks to the mouth and definitely a not so fresh breathe.

Rating:

6 out 10

(For me, Fried Calamares is actually the best buy among the street foods. Just check the cleanliness of the food handler and the foods that are being served before buying.)

Mr.Choi Kitchen

Considered by some as one of the best restaurant that serves authentic and traditional Chinese food in Metro Manila.

We celebrated the previous Chinese New Year at Mr.Choi's and tried some of their menu. The resto has a clean premises, comfortable ambiance, wide range of chinese food selection and of course, the price is reasonable compared to some resto that we usually visit during the said festivity. The price ranges from affordable to reasonable, in fact they do not even have a service charge billed in the receipt.

We ordered Yang Chang Chow Rice - it tastes good even on it's own and it's not too oily. I also like their chicken lemon - a unique blend of lemon sauce that creates a sweet yet sour taste on the chicken serving. Their seafood roll is also a must try - tender, juicy though a bit sweet, rolled into perfection.

Our orders took a while before it got served, the staff should have at least served our drinks first. They don't have any mounted TV, reading materials or a newspaper to kill the boredom while waiting for your orders to be served. 

Rating:

7 out of 10

Team Dinner at Todd English Food Hall

As part of our Team Engagement activity we had a group dinner at Todd English Food Hall. It was originally from New York with a flagship store in SM Aura, the food hall has a European-inspired culinary stations which offers the finest food and offer a delectable dining experience set in a stylish and convenient atmosphere. 

The  Food Hall is a communal dining space with well-curated stalls or food stations. It is not a buffet, because you can order from one or any of the stations. It is not a food court, because the food is typically handmade, with a cohesive theme which includes: Salad & charcutterie station, Sushi bar station, Raw bar station, Asian station, Flatbread pizza station, Grill & ocean grill station, Wine & tapas bar station, The dessert & bread bar station. 

The ambience is nice, with a dim light setting and well decorated with store's specialty. The food is too expensive if you ask me, good thing our dinner was sponsored by the company. I like their Flat Bread and Food Hall Burger but their Macaron tastes just like a plain merengue and I believed the resto was just received with great hype but nonetheless food is just the usual.

Rating:
7 out of 10

Beef Pares - The Classic Dish for a Tight Budget Pinoy

"Beef Pares" is one of the most popular dish in the local Philippine eatery. It is equivalent to braised beef. “Pares” literary means “pair”  is a combination of braised beef or beef stew as a tasty viand and a bowl of soup. 

It is typically served with garlic fried rice and a bowl of beef broth soup. It is usually a simple fried rice made by stir frying rice and a generous amount of garlic. The soup may include broth from the initial cooking of the meat before the sauce ingredients are added. Additional garlic, ginger and onion may be added to deepen the flavor of the soup.

There is nothing special about the dish but it seems that it is very popular most especially to carinderias and eateries along sidewalks. It think the reason why it is so popular is the affordability and simplicity aside from the good taste of course. It is similar to “tapsilog” where everything you will eat is in a single plate.

Rating:

6 out of 10