Receiving money from older relatives....

Filipinos are known to be generous to their families and relatives. Its a big deal for us. In fiestas, Filipinos spend money to let people (relatives, friends, friend of friends and even strangers) eat at their home as thanksgiving for a certain something -- bountiful year, a year full of blessings, etc. Parents and grandparents giving money to their children and grandchildren. Even titos and titas give money to their nieces and nephews.

My question is, when should it stop? Or should it stop?

Back when I was younger, coming home or seeing relatives is a very exciting time. Especially when family who came from a foreign country decides to come home and visit. Its because, everyday we celebrate. We prepare really good food all day, everyday. Its fun because we don't have those on normal days. Gatherings are special occasions in the Filipino household. And then when its time to leave, parents, grandparents, titos and titas starts doling out money to everyone. They call it 'pabaon'.
Back then, its exciting because you have money to spend on things you want or just a huge addition to your savings. I was always excited for that.
But recently, now that I'm 26, not that I'm complaining, every time a relative calls me and hands me money and tells me 'pabaon', i don't feel excited anymore. In my mind i'm like, "What for?", "Why are you giving me money for no reason?", "What do you need from me?". I usually have that mindset, instead of the usual, "YES! Dagdag baon! (Additional allowance)"

I don't know. It doesn't give me the satisfaction I used to have back when I was younger. Every time i get the money it becomes really awkward for me. It makes me feel like a parasite. A person who's waiting for something. Maybe because I'm already 26 and I should be earning my own money instead of waiting for dole outs or giveaways from my relatives. That's why I feel this way. But I'm still a student. Does it make it a valid reason for me to keep on accepting? If it was goods like food, shoes, clothing, or something that's useful, it would have been different. I don't know.

If you want to tell me to just give it back or decline... I kind of tried it once and my relative's face was like questioning me why I don't want to accept it and they kind of felt insulted for some reason. And they kept on insisting me to take it so i take it and after that i dont really question them out loud. I question them inside my head but still accept the money. But I say thank you!

All the money I received today because I'm leaving tomorrow

Lake Danao, Ormoc

Right now, I'm already set for my roadtrip to Vigan. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I am again going on an adventure of a lifetime. This will by far be my longest drive. From Davao to Vigan. And I'm really excited.

But before starting on another adventure, let us first end the previous journey. This is still part of my Ormoc Adventure with my friends a few week ago.

So after experiencing the white sand beach of Canigao Island and the priceless sunset of Matalom, Leyte, we are headed back to the city of Ormoc. It was our third day or was it the fourth day of our adventure? and I was actually thinking of just having the day off since we've been to a lot of places for straight days and I was exhausted.

But my friends wanted to maximize the trip so we were not allowed a day off... YET! So the third day, we were set to go somewhere near, because the last few days we were at hours away places and I was already tired. This time, it was Lake Danao National Park. According to some websites, Lake Danao is a violin or guitar-shaped lake at the nearby mountains of Ormoc. The lake is  about 20 to 30mins away from the city proper.

The purpose of going there was actually just to see the lake. But if only we had time or if we went there earlier that day, we would have explored the park. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is a park. A large forest park according to some articles I've read around the interweb which you can explore and do lots of activities. 

When we got there, we went to this little office for registration. I think there's a 50 pesos registration fee per head (or was it lesser?) and a 150 (or was it more?) pesos fee per hour for the raft that would bring you at the center of the lake or just across.

So we rented a raft and the lady (in the picture), together with her daughter, offered to pull the raft to the center of the lake in exchange for money. I thought it was that easy but it was really tedious coz' I decided to help out because we were paying 150 for an hour and with the rate that they are going, the hour would have gone by yet we still haven't reach the center of the lake. I was already panting after a few pulls on the string. No wonder they were going on such a slow rate.

We decided not to go across nor at the center. We just stayed where we could have a great view of the lake and the sunset. We were absorbing the silence, serenity and beauty of the place. Because it was so quite and so serene, it gives you an eerie feeling like there's something underneath the water that would just grab you if dip your feet in the water and kill you or drown you. Like the Lochness monster could just come out and cause havoc to whomever is there at the lake. Oh and did I mention that the lake is so deep that no diver ever reached the foot of the lake (that's according to R)?

We also took a lot of pictures. I was really grateful we did not have that day off. It was really worth it. But again, if only we had time, we could have gone exploring more of the area and tried more of the other activities. There were some people who were kayaking. Would love to try that next time and kayak back and forth from one end of the lake to another.

After an hour, we headed back to the dock, payed the lady and then started driving back to the city before the nightfall. It was a great day!

"TAPASTEK"

'Tapastek'

Beef Tapa and Bistek Tagalog (or famously known as 'Bistek') are just two of my favorite food to eat.Traditionally, Beef Tapa is a Filipino breakfast best served with sunny side up eggs and garlic rice collectively known as "Tapsilog" But Filipinos, with their love for food, they can have this one breakfast dish any time of the day. Beef Tapa is almost similar to Beef Jerky. Thinly sliced beef cured with salt and dried directly in the sun, though most Filipinos don't do drying because it takes so much time. And then marinated with garlic and soy sauce and then fried to almost a crisp. Bistek on the other hand is beef steak with a Filipino twist. You can search it on google.

We had beef tapa in the fridge and i was craving for bistek. So, I thought, how about mixing them. Besides, bistek is only beef strips cooked in boiling soy sauce mixture with onions and garlic and pepper and brown sugar. And viola! You have Tapastek!

What I did was, since tapa is a little bit firm, I cooked the tapa in oil a little bit until brown on both sides or at least you see some crusts forming. And then I put some water and let it simmer to somehow make the beef tender. Keep adding water until you feel like the meat is tender. You can taste it just to make sure. Then when all the water evaporates, add some more water and then soy sauce and let it boil a little. When it starts boiling turn  the heat to low and add the garlic and the onions. Let it simmer. Add more water if you have to, just a little bit. You can also add a little bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce. You can even add cream to make it creamy. But it's your choice. And finally, to make it sweet, add about a tablespoon of brown sugar. Brown sugar and not white sugar. 

Then you can now start plating. Enjoy!

Martinelli Pizza Deli

What is traveling without food? Food is very essential. In every travel you discover something new. Different places offer different kinds of food. Well some may offer the same kind but could go beyond expectation or fall down with disappointment.

One of Ormoc's gems would be Martinelli Pizza Deli. It was introduced to us by our host, R. According to her, it's one of her favorites and she's happy to share it with us.

Martinelli Menu List
(not my photo)

Actually, we never went to the pizzeria. R just brought 2 pizzas at home for midnight snack. 1 was The Boss All-Meat Fiesta and the other one was something chicken (I think the chicken pineapple) for W because he's Muslim and he can't eat pork. But pizza? You just can't make pizza wait til' midnight so we devoured the pizza during dinner.

The Boss All-Meat Fiesta looked like your typical meat lovers pizza. It had bacon, beef chunks, pork chunks (i think?), pepperoni with lots and lots of cheese. And drizzled with a generous amount of pepper.

The first bite reminded me of Shakey's Belly Buster (minus the olives and the greens) but after some more bites, I realized its more than the belly buster. There's something in there that I couldn't really pinpoint that makes it oh so good. I guess it's a secret something (?) It was really good to be honest. 

The Chicken Pineapple was a little so-so. I did not take interest on that one because I already was making love with the other pizza. But if given the chance again, I guess I could give it a feedback.

What I like about the pizzas was, according to their carton, they use the fresh-iest ingredients from pure Italian olive oil, basil, cheese etc. And their dough is made of whole wheat flour. And when we say whole wheat, we say healthy. I guess the 'healthy lifestyle' fad has reached the world of pizzas!

It's funny that Ormoc being badly hit by the storm Yolanda last year, the deli is still getting so many customers. I guess there's no storm that can harm people's cravings for PIZZA! No storm can beat down a good pizza!

But yeah again, if given the chance again to go to Ormoc, I'd visit the place again and try the other pizzas on their list.

So readers, if you decide to get lost at Ormoc City, don't forget to drop by Martinelli's Pizza Deli. 

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Martinelli Pizza Deli

Osmena Street, Ormoc City

Phone: +53 255 9068

Operating Hours: 2pm - 10pm

Canigao Island, Matalom Leyte

Part of our Ormoc adventure was to go to Canigao Island. Well, the initial plan was at Kalanggaman beach resort but because of budget constraint, we decided to go to Canigao Island. Canigao Island was unknown to me until the day that we went there. The island is near the municipality of Matalom, Leyte.

We made a quick stop at some town for our lunch. We had Chickenjoy from Jollibee and we went straight to Matalom. The whole trip was approximately about 2 hours (R is really a crazy fast driver. Don't follow her example. Hahahaha!) from Ormoc so it really was a long drive. We got to Itum, Matalom, Leyte where we will rent a boat to bring us to the island. It took us a few minutes before we found the boat that will bring us to the island.

To Canigao Island

We had the boat to ourselves on the way to the island. We payed 600 pesos for it. A little bit too much but its bringing you back and forth the island. If there were some other group we could have split the 600 pesos. So either travel with lots of money or travel with lots of buddies. The trip from Itum to Canigao takes around 10 to 15 minutes depending on where you departed. Itum has lots of boats to take you to the island. Some near, well some a little bit farther. So travel time varies.

Arriving at the island, you really can't help but be amazed at how wonderful the beach is. The white sand are so fine. It's like Boracay minus the crowd and the busy community. The island is quiet. There's no security so please be mindful of your belongings. We took turns watching our things. There are some cottages where you can stay. As far as I can remember, I think a cottage costs around 500 pesos. Too expensive so we opted to rent a table and some chairs for a much cheaper price. 

White, Blue and Blu-er!

After setting up, we ate lunch and then we chill. W and F went to explore the island and took pictures of themselves and the beach. R decided to rest. I on the other hand, went to the shore to feel the heat of the sun and coolness of the water. It was wonderful. The water was crystal clear. But there's a lot of rocks, so you better bring your water footwear. The current was strong and the water was deep. It was perfect. 

My Attempt of a Bruce Lee Flying Kick -- FAILED! MISERABLY!

Some R and R on the fine white sand beach

We ended the day with a lot of pictures, a.k.a. the jump shots and the "groufies" (selfie with the group). Bad thing about the island was there was no electricity and the changing room and bathroom seemed like it wasn't cleaned for so long. But the bad things can never outweigh the good things, right?

For those who'd like to know, you can rent tents for overnight use for a certain amount. Just look for it on the internet.

Priceless View -- MAGNIFICO!

Finally, to cap the day, as we traveled back to Itum, Matalom, we saw the most wonderful sunset. As I've said on my instagram, Matalom, Leyte is lucky to have one priceless view every day as the sun sets. It was a wonderful experience. I would love to bring some more friends to this place next time because I also want them to experience the wonderful that is Canigao Island.

Gelatissimo: LIMONCELLO

With the summer heat blazing, I could only think of a few things to cool down. One would be taking a cold bath. Second would definitely be Ice Cream.

Ice cream is everyone's (well, majority) comfort food. There's something in ice cream that make us happy when we're sad, make us even happier when we're happy. It enhances the happy hormones. And its also one of the best things that beat the heat during summer (in our case in the Philippines, the dry season). Right now, I'm feeling the heat and all I could think about is Gelatissimo's Limoncello flavored ice cream.

'Summer in Positano'

image from Google.com

I was strolling along the north wing of SM Cebu when I saw Gelatissimo's ad. And knowing me I'm a sucker for ice cream so even if I don't have enough money or even if i'm not hungry, if it's ice cream then I have to get it by all means necessary. I was intrigued with their 'Summer in Positano' ad plus the idea that you get a free beach ball when you spend a certain amount, skipped the beach ball even though I wanted to get it. I don't have any use for it.

Looking through the glass, they have a wide array of flavors to choose from. Everything was good for me. But what really caught my attention was the LIMONCELLO flavor. I've heard about it (limoncello) from National Geographic People when they featured it on one of the cooking shows. According to the show, Limoncello is an Italian alcoholic beverage made up of one of the most expensive kind of lemon in Italy. The lemon is different from the lemon that we know because the lemon used in Limoncello is sweet with a little sour in it. So I ordered a single scoop of limoncello flavored ice cream.

Gelatissimo's Limoncello Ice Cream
The Real Taste of Italia

I know in my heart and in my mind (even my taste buds know) that this was going to be good. But I wasn't prepared when I took the first bite of the ice cream. It was like 'sex in my mouth' or to exaggerate more, it was like the 'creation of the universe' in my mouth. The first taste was piquant. A combination of sweet and then the lemon zing takes over, you'd want more. Every bite was orgasmic. Each bite would bring you to Italy, enjoying a glass of ice cold lemonade while basking under the sun. It really gives you the summer feel. At this point, I'm imagining eating it again. I consumed the whole thing in 3 to 5 minutes. I really enjoyed the experience.

If you love tangy flavors, well, the 'Summer in Positano' selection is really for you. You'd enjoy it. Go to your nearest Gelatissimo branch now.

Unfortunately, for us Davaoenos, we don't have Gelatissimo. Yet! And I don't know if anyone has actual plans on bringing the brand here so Davaoenos can also enjoy the great flavors this Italian ice cream brand can offer.

For more info, visit Gelatissimo Philippines Website

Buon Appetito!

The Hero Travels to ORMOC CITY, LEYTE

The whole school year has been rough; juggling oneself with school stuff, unending examinations and personal turmoils, one just can get enough of it. Good thing I have friends (new ones for that matter) to deal with it.

So after a stressful semester, it's time to get some fun and adventure. My friends Fab and Wam invited me to join them to visit Rachel's hometown, Ormoc City. I was actually reluctant at first because the only thing on my mind was to get home to Davao fast as soon as the final exams are done. But with their constant pleading, I gave in because I remembered my uncle telling me to just let loose, travel and have fun. Perfect example of a YOLO (You Only Live Once) And I sure made the right decision. Ormoc, sure, was a blast!

According to the 'It's More Fun In The Philippines' website, Ormoc City is a placid and provincial place. Ormoc is a first class city in the province of Leyte, Philippines. It is the economic, cultural, commercial and trasportation hub of western Leyte [wikipedia]. It actually reminded me of my hometown in Agusan. Small but bustling with people. Sadly, Ormoc was one of the cities in Leyte that was devastated by the most powerful typhoon that hit Southeast Asia in 2013, Typhoon Haiyan (locally known as Typhoon Yolanda). So, when you get there, the first thing you'd notice would be the wreckage caused by the typhoon. But you'll be surprised because people went on with their lives and Ormoc is slowly standing up and rebuilding itself.

Welcome to Ormoc! With Fab and Wam

We left Cebu at around 9 am of March 31 at Pier Uno via Weesam Express. We were suppose to leave the previous night via slow boat but because we don't want to stand up for hours we decided to leave the next day and get the fast craft so we'd arrive early. Of course, it was a little expensive than planned but I guess pleasure pays much more. We arrived around 11am to almost 12 noon. The sun was too much you really can feel the summer or Dry season as PAGASA describes it. We were picked up by Rachel's brother and mom at the port and went to their home. Driving around the city, you really can see the devastation Yolanda left. Roofs were gone, some buildings destroyed, windows shattered, but the people looked like they've already moved on. So everything was good.

The first stop was Rachel's home to meet up with her father to say Hi. And then we proceeded to our home for 4 days at her uncle's (I'm not gonna be mentioning some names here as I don't know if it's legal without their consent) wonderful Greek / Victorian inspired abode. It's a big place with a big pool and with its own gym and with all the things from all over the world. The first thing that went into my head when I entered the house was, WOW! The owner of the house has a habit of collecting things from different parts of the world from Japanese, Chinese, Thai, etc. Living there was like living at another country. It was nice!

Then we decided to have lunch at Ormoc's Chinese Restaurant, Fat Choi. I'm not yet sure if its the only Chinese restaurant in the area. The food was good. Can't complain. Then we just spent the whole day back at our temporary shelter, touring, exploring and ogling at the owner's collections from all over the world. It was a nice day!

Enjoying good coffee, new york cheesecake and good company
Photo from Wam & Fab

We capped the night stargazing at Sabin Resort and coffee at Lorenzo's Cafe, preparing ourselves with our Ormoc Adventure the next day. Off to Canigao Island!

Note: I'm not payed to advertise. But if you do visit Ormoc City, you should try the city's best Lechon Manok at Yu's Lechon Manok. Ask for more sauce!

SHRIMPS WITH HERBS AND AROMATICS

For days I've been craving for something with shrimps. I was thinking of making shrimp pasta, but the thought of cooking pasta was making me lazy. I want something simple and something easy. So I thought, why not just fry the shrimp? So boom! It became koko crunch.

I don't want you guys to expect something really crazy with this recipe. Its a simple shrimp dish. No artsy fartsy fancy whatever. I pretty much know that anyone reading my blog would definitely get this dish like a pro. Again, I just made use of all the things I had in my pantry. Got the herbs, the spices and the aromatics.

SHRIMPS INFUSED WITH HERBS AND AROMATICS

INGREDIENTS:

10 Medium Sized Shrimps (or as much as you want; skinned and deveined)

1/2 tsp Salt

1 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper

Paprika

Fresh Basil Leaves; sliced into strips

Rosemary; a stalk and some minced 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Small Onion, minced

Garlic; minced (lots and lots of it if you love them. Plus it flavors the shrimps)

Lots of Lemon Rind (or Orange Rind)

3 tbs Lemon Juice (or Orange Juice)

OPTIONAL ITEMS:

Butter (Unsalted)

PROCEDURE:

1. Get your shrimps from the fridge, thaw them. Once thawed, wash them with cold water. I don't know why cold water. I just thought there's something special with cold water.
2. After washing them, remove the heads of the shrimps, peel the skin and start deveining the shrimp. You can watch videos from youtube how to devein a shrimp.
3. Wash them again and place them on a paper towel to dry. You can pat them dry if you want.
4. After drying, put them in a bowl, season them with salt, paprika, pepper and if you want it spicy, you can actually add pepper flakes or minced chili. Toss them. Then add the fresh basil, minced onion and some olive oil. Then add the minced rosemary and the lemon (or orange) rind. Toss them again. Set aside for 20-30mins. This way, the flavor of the seasoning and the basil with olive oil is infused with the shrimp and the aroma of the rosemary and the lemon rind is intoxicating.
5. Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.
6. Then drop that stalk of rosemary on the oil. Let it sizzle. The oil will then release the flavor and the aroma of that rosemary.
7. Drop everything on the skillet and saute the shrimp 2-3 minutes each side or until the shrimp turns pink on both sides.
8. Before taking them off the pan, pour the lemon (or orange) juice. Let it simmer for about a minute
9. Get them off the pan. Plate them.
10. Take a pic, post it on INSTAGRAM
11. Serve it warm

My shrimps were served with my fried rice but I think its also good with any pasta. Depends on your mood. You can tweak it, play with it. I don't care. The most important thing is you enjoy the food.

I can't guarantee that this dish is perfect. No I don't. I believe that each and everyone of us has different perception of taste. What tastes good for me may not taste good for you and vice versa so I encourage you to experiment, add some ingredients or you can omit some things that you don't like.

Bon Appetit'!

I love food so much. The very reason why i'm big (body size big). I eat a lot. I eat out a lot for that matter. But sometimes, eating out gets a little expensive especially with a tight budget. So what's the next best thing to do? Make your own meal. The DO IT YOURSELF meals from yours truly. Today, my chef spirit has again took over my body and decided to rummage the fridge for leftovers. Thank God, I still have an extra chicken breast. And an orange and honey. So I thought, how about I make an orange sauce for my chicken? It was a very good idea. You never really know the use of what's inside your fridge and your pantry if you don't put them together and experiment.

Below will be the ingredients and the procedure.

CHICKEN BREAST WITH SPICY HONEY ORANGE GLAZE

Ingredients:

1 Skinless Boneless Chicken Breast
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne (or Red Pepper Flakes - depends on how spicy you want it to be)
Paprika
Dried Basil
3 tbsp Oil (Olive Oil, Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil - healthy choices)
1 tbsp Unsalted Butter (or Margarine)

For the sauce:

2-3 tbsp Honey
2-3 tbsp Orange Juice
1/2 tsp  Orange Zest
4 Garlic cloves, minced finely or grated (or depending on how much you like garlic)
Cayenne (or Red Pepper Flakes)
1/2 tsp Salt

Procedure:

1. Prepare the chicken. Run cold water on it, then pat dry with a paper towel. Dry it real good.
2. Slice the chicken 3 times, like having three lines, to cook the chicken through and through later.
3. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and dried basil. Put on the spices generously like a coating and then set aside.
4. Start making the sauce. Combine the minced garlic, honey, orange zest and orange juice in a bowl. Mix thoroughly. You should get that zesty, orange-y smell. If it doesn't smell orange-y yet then add more orange juice if you have to.
5. Add the salt and cayenne (or red pepper flakes) for the added kick. And then set aside.
6. Heat the oil and the butter on a skillet. Just use medium to low heat so as not to burn the oil and the butter.
7. Place the chicken on the skillet. Be careful and use kitchen mittens and an apron because the oil might splash when you put on the chicken (i dried my chicken so i don't know why the oil still splash. got some oil burns on my hand)
8. Pour hot oil over the chicken continuously and cook for 4-5 minutes then flip and do the same thing.
9. Once the chicken is cooked, set aside. Put the chicken on top of the paper towel to take the excess oil off so that it wouldn't be too greasy.
10. Pour the majority of the oil somewhere else, but leave a little for the sauce. If you still want to save the oil, pour it in a jar or a bottle for future use. If not, pour it on the sink or the trash. I don't know if throwing hot oil on the sink would destroy it.
11.  Heat the skillet again, preferably low heat and pour the sauce mixture in it.
    
12. Cook the sauce for at least 1-2 minutes or until bubbles start appearing. Stir continuously until sauce is a little thick but don't burn it. Then turn the heat off
13. Place your chicken in your serving plate and pour the sauce over the top. Pour generously. The sauce will make your chicken flavorful. ;)
14. Garnish your dish with orange slices and parsley or chopped onion chives.
15. Take a picture of it. POST IT ON INSTAGRAM!

Note: Serving is for only one since I usually just cook for myself. If you want to cook it for many, then just tweak on the ingredients. You do the math.

This is just an experiment dish, but for me it really turned out real great. The flavors just jive together. The saltiness of the chicken compliments the citrus-y flavor of the sauce. Plus the garlic and the cayenne gave it the extra kick. What more if I used the red pepper flakes? The food that I cook usually are just experiments. Putting together ingredients I find in the fridge and my pantry. You really don't know unless you try them. Most of my experiments were really restaurant grade dishes. I should know because I love eating out at restaurants. I usually expect the flavor to not jive, but in the end, they do. Sometimes, what I think is mediocre turns out to be really great, more than mediocre.

I'll do more of my DIY meals and post it here and share to you the how to's so you can try it for yourself too and you can judge whether or not its good or if it needs improvement.

Thanks for appreciating! And always remember, ANYONE CAN COOK! ENJOY!

Backyard Burgers

In a few days, I'll be leaving Davao (and won't be back for a long time) and relocate to Cebu to pursue my medical studies. My friend Ven, knew about me leaving so she insisted that we should see each other before I leave. I've been posting burger photos on my instagram lately and she's been asking me to bring some to her house.

So we planned to have dinner at my favorite burger joint in the city, Backyard Burgers. I, too, was craving for burgers and only Backyard Burgers can give me that quick fix to my cravings. I grew up with food (hence, my size) which makes me very particular with taste. I know a good burger when I taste one! Since then, I've never looked  at any other burger joints in the city!

 

Backyard Burgers, originally, was located near SM Davao. The original place was just a typical backyard (hence the name) with some tables and chairs, a grill and a counter. The place was open so it was really hot, especially during sunny days plus the heat from the grill. Fortunately for them, they branched out at the center of the city, so that more people can try their burgers especially those far from Ecoland area. And the original backyard burgers relocated to a new, more comfortable place with a very restaurant feel to it. The place is quaint and cozy. It doesn't look backyard-ish anymore, but I guess with Philippines being a tropical country, backyard dining is.... somehow, uncomfortable... for some!

Signature Burger

This is their Signature Burger. It's has 2 layers of home made 100% Aussie beef patties, 2 cheddar cheese per patty, heirloom tomatoes, curly lettuce, topped with onions, buttered garlic, mushrooms, slices of bacon, Yakniniku beef (I don't know what that is), and sweet ham, drizzled with a home made barbecue sauce in Black Sesame Burger Buns. Its like heart attack on a bun!

The first bite is always the best! You get that taste of pure 100% beef without the taste of those yucky extenders.  Again, I grew up with food and I have this sensitive taste buds. The flavors mix well inside your mouth. The patties are cooked to perfection. You can have it rare, medium rare, medium well, and well done. It's like steak in fancy restaurants. I like mine medium well, with its center to be a little pinkish and it just melts in your mouth.You would really get your money's worth here! At P280, its all worth it! The burger on the photo looks small but tell you, its not a rip off in actual. It's really big and after finishing one signature burger, you're done! It's like having a full meal!

Cheesy Bacon Burger

This next burger is their Cheesy Bacon Burger. This time, it has only one patty. Still 100% pure beef. It has heirloom tomato, lettuce, cheddar cheese, onions but with lots of bacon top, drizzled with their sauce. But honestly, my favorite is their Garshroom Bacon Burger. Unfortunately, they didn't have mushrooms that day, so I opted ordering this one. Its still good though but I really love the mushrooms on top.

They have other bestsellers like the BB Japanese Oishii Burger. I guess its the sauce and the toppings playing here. This one's a little bit spicy because of the wasabi-mayo sauce.

They have the BB Chikiting Trio Burgers. It 3 mini burgers. Fun to look at. Kids will enjoy these!

Last but definitely not the least! Dessert! They don't have that much dessert on their menu. As far as I know, I think this is the only dessert they have. Its their S'Mores Cheesecake. There's a funny here at how I was able to taste it. As we were waiting for our orders, the waitress came to me and offered if I'd like to taste their S'mores cheesecake. She said it like it was for free, so I said yes. I thought, "it's on the house, why would I say no it?" So when she handed me the cheesecake, I enjoyed it as if it was for free. That was what I was thinking. Its free. You love to enjoy something for free. It was good. It was really really good. The taste was really familiar as I'm a big fan of S'Mores, nonetheless, cheesecakes. It was a great combination. It wasn't too sweet. Just the right balance.

When we got our check, I was shocked because they charged us P70 pesos for it! I was like, "Miss akala ko on the house! May bayad pala?!" (Miss, I thought its on the house. I have to pay for it?!) Well, I had no choice. It was already down my esophagus and it was good so.. yeah! Might as well pay for good food.

Backyard Burgers offer a lot more other than their burgers. They have french fries and other fried goodies. For those with tight budgets, don't worry. Backyard Burgers have this yard sale thing going on every other day. Meaning, some items on their menu are on sale and if you're lucky you get discounts. Great deals! You can have your burger as low as P100 only.

Burgers for Kyle, Ven and Miko

Send off Burger Party with Miko (yellow) and Ven (Green). Im gonna miss these guys!

P.S. -- I'm sorry for the quality of the photos. They were taken using my camera phone, Samsung Galaxy Pocket

You can visit BB or call them (for reservations and orders) at:

Backyard Burgers

#88 Quimpo Blvd.

Ecoland Phase 1, Davao City

 (082)295-6935

Backyard Burgers

E. Quirino Avenue,

Ilustre, Davao City

(082)285-1377

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Visit their website: Backyard Burgers

Casa Verde

There were 2 things that first came to my mind when I arrived in Cebu last Sunday. It was to have my fix of Gelatissimo Ice Cream and have another taste of Casa Verde's famous baby back ribs.

The first time I was there was a few years ago, when my uncle brought us there to try the baby back ribs. Back then, I was really a fat boy and the sound of baby back ribs was music to my ears. What shocked me most was the serving size and the price. It was large, good for 2-3 people with large appetites and it is cheaper than it looks. And the taste, it never disappoints. The meat actually melts in your mouth and it tastes so good with its sweet sauce. So every time I'm in Cebu, I must have my dose of Brian's Ribs.

This time, I brought with me my best friend Al and our friend Tani. I've always wanted them to try Casa Verde. Its like, it'd be my honor bringing my friends from Davao to try one of my favorite restaurants in Cebu.

The original Casa Verde is located at Ramos, Cebu near Cebu Institute of Medicine (Velez). They already have branches in IT Park and Ayala Mall. Casa Verde is homegrown so its originally Cebuano. They don't have any other branches outside Cebu. They're monopolizing the restaurant.

Tani. Al. Kyle.

For starters, we had Karlamari. Al made me choose between nachos and calamari, but since i'm a squid guy, go figure. The calamari wasn't as good as expected. I've had calamari before which was way better than what we had in Casa Verde. There's still a lot of room for improvement in taste and in texture and of course the size. Their calamari was more batter than squid.

For main course, Tani had the pork steak, Al had the Dax as suggested by Tito Jacob and I had Brian's Ribs, but of course we shared everything. I've always wanted them to try the ribs, I can't finish it alone.

Brian's Ribs

It's Casa Verde's bestseller. This is the dish I always keep coming back for. Not only is it very affordable, the portion size is good for sharing. So, you really get the value of what you're paying.

The ribs are baked to perfection and is covered by a sweet and tangy sauce which perfectly blend in your taste buds. The meat is so soft, it melts in your mouth. You can't get enough. I can't get enough. Brian's ribs is served with rice (but I think you can choose mashed potato too. Depending on personal preference) and carrots and corn on the side.

The Dax

The Dax is a combination of USDA round steak drizzled with their brown sauce. Served with rice (or mashed potato) and deep fried tempura and veggies on the side. The steak was good but not really of high standards. I asked Al, how would he rate it and he said around 5-6 out of 10. We had the same rating. But nonetheless, it was a good dish. The meat was cooked perfectly (medium well). Its really soft to chew which made it easy to eat.

Pork Steak

A slab of pork chop seasoned with rosemary, salt and pepper. I can do this at home. There's nothing really special about their pork steak, other than the portion size. Its large, good for about 1-2 people, depending on one's appetite. But if it was me, I'd order something else other than the pork steak. It is served with rice and veggies on the side.

Death By Chocolate

And finally, what is a meal without dessert? I actually just found out about this being their bestseller dessert on the internet a few days before I arrived in Cebu. I once had cookies and cream cheesecake back then, but I couldn't find it on their menu now so we settled with this. I was expecting ice cream coated cake, but it wasn't. It's ice cream all over. The taste reminded me of childhood = HERSHEY'S CHOCOLATE SYRUP. It was really commercially chocolaty! It was too sweet for my taste but still good. But for sweet lovers and choco lovers, this is heaven for you. The top is hardened chocolate and center is rocky road ice cream drizzled with what I'm pretty sure about as Hershey's chocolate syrup.

So ladies and gentlemen, if you're in the city, may it be a visit or a stop over or even if you're a resident, put Casa Verde on your list. If you want to enjoy good food at a good place, Casa Verde is the place for you. You'll always get your money's worth. Just a reminder, if you'd visit IT Park and Ayala Branches, make sure you call them first for reservation. They're usually full, especially during weekends.

Here's a quick look at their menu.

You can visit Casa Verde at:

Casa Verde (Main)

#69 Lim Tian Teng St.
Ramos, Cebu City
+63 32 2536472

Casa Verde (IT Park)
A104 The Walk
Asiatown IT Park, Cebu City
+63 32 4123336

Casa Verde (Ayala)

Stall 304, 3rd Level, The Terraces
Ayala Center Cebu,
Cebu Business Park, Cebu City

+63 32 2338885 

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Learn more about them at Casa Verde