Discover places you'll love in the Philippines

Touring around Bataan won’t be meaningful without knowing anything about the fateful events that befell this historical province. We were greeted by a woman who seemed to be the one who’s guarding the museum. She told us to wait for someone who’s, according to her, a survivor of the war and that she will be the one to share stories and experiences about the tragic events of the past. Inside the museum, you will see a diorama of the Death March and other stuff about World War 2. Outside the museum, you will see the Surrender Site Monument. These are all the photos I have left in my phone I can’t find the others I don’t know if I accidentally deleted it. :( This place’s worth a visit and doesn’t cost much. It was nice learning about some of the past historical events after all.

Finally, there's a new milk tea place near my work (aside from Cha Tu Chak)!! Hooray, Macau Imperial Tea! 🤗 I remember the days when people were raving about this all over social media. Lines were crazy on their branches in Fishermall, Lucky Chinatown, and Banawe. I tried one flavor on one of their branches but never had the chance to get back because it was too far away. So, the good news is, they finally here! No more anxious days when I'm craving for milk tea or cold drinks. Today is their grand opening so I had the chance to get the Buy 1 Take 1 offer for their Cream Cheese flavors. I asked for the best sellers and I got the Cream Cheese Oreo Milk Tea and Cream Cheese Cocoa. The Oreo Milk Tea is so creamy! Totoo, best yung taste nia. +20php if you want to add pearl! Hopefully, they have bigger size pa like the one in Coco. For the Cheese Cocoa, as per husband, it tasted like his favorite childhood milk chocolate in bottle. Yun daw iniiwan ng Magnolia sa labas ng bahay. 🤣 Masarap nga, the mixed taste of saltiness and sweetness is really heaven on earth. I loved cream cheese pa naman. Medyo close yung taste nia to one in Happy Lemon. Sayang, I didn't have the chance to get the free tumbler today. It was distributed earlier.

The increase of more health-conscious individuals has enabled Go! Salads to grow from less than 10 stores last year to almost double this 2018. And they just opened their second store in Bonifacio Global City. Eden Food Hall is where they are at, right in front of St. Lukes. Together with them are a lot more options to choose from. Expect familiar stalls and new players here. I was served a tall glass of my favorite, thick and creamy, The Guzzler. It got real bananas, sugar-free peanut butter, spiriluna, greens, soy milk and coco sugar to sweeten it up! For my dose of veggies, I got the Wild Wild West. It was a simple yet gorgeous bowl of greens, and shredded carrots, topped with crunchy bits of buffalo chicken bites in herb ranch dressing. Have you heard of this functional hall yet? If not, they are worth going to. Options, and more options.

Went here after going to the baptism of my inaanak somewhere in QC. Group of friends were looking for a coffee place to check out. Good thing I have the looloo app on my phone. Searched for a nearby coffee shop and saw Jiro Coffee Studio. I then checked the reviews and was impressed by the awesome review photos submitted by looloo reviewers. I showed the photos to my friends and they got excited about visiting as soon as possible! All the nearby street parking slots were occupied so I had to park beside the building (which is also street parking). It’s about a block away from the stairs going to the building’s lobby. Reaching the 2nd floor will show you a wood-centric themed entrance which leads to the coffee shop. The place was well-lit by natural light so taking photos was a breeze. We occupied the communal table in the middle and started taking photos of the place. Very minimalistic I would say. I loved the interiors here and the awesome combination of concrete, wood, and steel. The kitchen and counter looks nice too - a combination of black and grey colors. I got the Not So Flat White while my other friends got the NSFW (cold) and the Keep Calm Dark Choco. They found the dark choco to be a bit bland but my drink was perfect. Definitely NSFW given that it tasted like dark-roasted beans were used. I loved the “smoky” after taste + the generous serving of cinnamon on top. Definitely Php165 well-spent. I’d definitely go back again and take more photos + to try their grilled cheese sandwich!

Visited Tagaytay last weekend for a #LoolooRendezvoos at Sartin! Located at Summit Ridge Tagaytay, this new concept from the people that brought you Fat Daddy's & Josiah's Catering focuses on 3 Filipino cuisines from places close to their hearts - Pampanga, Bacolod and Quezon. Started off with some tomato jam and liver pate with their delicious pandesal! The Chicken Chicharon with was good as well. They also served Longganisa Baos and 2 kinds of isaw. Then the KBL (Kadyos, Baboy at Langka) and Kansi were served. The Kansi was heavenly! It was flavorful and the beef was cooked perfectly. (Not in photos. Hindi na kasya, sadly.) The other one that I liked which unfortunately is not included in this photo set, is the Kilayin Kapampangan - kinda like sisig but with diced pork, liver and heart. And then, the Lechon Ulo ng Baboy was served! This sinful little baby had crunchy skin, served with their homemade thin breads with their salsa. (Mango salsa FTW!) I wasn't able to try the Kare-Kare with the bagoong, but it was good on it's own. Nutty, yummy and the veggies were crunchy. We also got to try their Chicken Inasal. The chicken was flavorful and not dry at all! (Extra rice please?) For dessert, they served Guinomis, Tibok-Tibok and two kinds of ice cream - Kesong Puti and Ube Langka. The Tibok-Tibok, made of carabao's milk, had a slight dayap aftertaste which I liked. And of course, the crowd favorite - The Kesong Puti Ice Cream. It's soooo good! They'll be selling it soon in pints so I am super excited about that! Also got the Sago't Gulaman and had a sip of their Vanilla Pineapple Cooler which were both a little too sweet, but once the ice melted, it was good. Overall, the experience was great. The interiors were beautiful. The food was delicious, homey and are the things I'd crave for every now and then. ( Thank you, Sartin and Roegan T! It was nice to meet you, Pat D and Brie K. And it was nice seeing you guys again, Christina R Jayson J EJ B Sandy P Angela Marie C Russel F.

Admit it we all need that daily caffeine dose. It sometimes hard to start your workday without a cup of coffee. Specially if you're anticipating a very exhausting day, a cup of coffee keeps you awake to bravely finish all your task. We have lots of good coffee out there. One of them is the Coffee Project. What's new on this Coffee Shop is that it step up when it comes to its interiors. Like literally every walls, corners tables you can get that Instagram-worthy shot! The ambiance is very homey and very appealing. Apparently the Coffee Project is owned by All Home. So expect to see the flowers, tables or shelves available at All Homes. A good looking Cafe should have a very good food choices too. They have pastas, pastries and of course coffee. Among their best sellers are the Vietnamese Coffee. Although you can also find other usual coffee variants. What I'm excited about is the relaunching of the Project Pancakes. It comes with 3 delicious flavors Classic, Blueberry and Chocolate Chip. All I can say is that those pancakes are really good! Thick and flavorful. Among the cakes I liked is their Salted Caramel. Although some of my friends who tasted it first time told us that the texture and taste are quite different. Hopefully they can make it consistent. Overall Coffee Project succeeded in bringing the all new coffee shop experience with its grand interiors plua paired with delicious menu that would definitely make you wanna stay longer.

Mews Manila is one of the trendiest place to dine around Makati. This restaurant around Salcedo Village is becoming a trend as Chef Demar Regrasado, a Chef Gordon Ramsay trainee, is considering bringing the First Michelan Star restaurant of the Philippines. On this Looloo rendezvoos, we were offered the best recommendation from Chef Demar’s kitchen. THE RECOMMENDATIONS King Prawns | Php 435 I really love prawns which makes it my number 1 choice to try. It was said to be shared by two but I think it just for one. Braised Pork Belly | Php 520 I love how the pork belly is soft and paired with the ube croquettes. This can really be shared by two. Not sure though if the sauces served on the plate goes well with it. Rolls Royce | Php 590 This reminds me of a popular pizza chain because of the alfalfa and arugula. But the balance of the flavors are great on top of a well-prepared dough. A must-try for first-timers in Mews. THE OPTIONS Wagyu Beef Tartar | Php 565 Japanese-style fushion with poached quail egg. Tuna Nicoise | P450 Sliced pink tuna served with quail eggs, tomatoes, green beans, olives and crisp organic lettuce with classic french dressing Malunggay Soup | P175 Grilled Ceasar’s Salad | P345 Served with soft breaded eggs, garlic croutons, red onions, anchovies and parmesan Angelico | Php 520 Mozarella cheese, chorizo, salami, bacon and mushroom Truffle Risotto | Php 485 Served with crab meat and fresh scallops topped with parmesan cheese Braised Pork Belly | Php 520 12-hr braised pork belly served with braised red cabbage, star anise jus and their signature croquettes. Lava Cake | Php 245 Chocolate cake with molten Belgian chocolate Mango Panna Cotta | Php 245 Cooked cream thickened with gelatin topped with Mango Overall, it was a great dining experience. Although a lot of things should be improve but definitely looking forward to make this restaurant trend more. Jya Mata Ne! - Brie

If you are exploring more of El Nido accommodations, there are some places that are still underrated to every traveler. Since we were too persistent of finding a good beach front place for our last day, we made sure to get the best out of it. Upon tremendous searching, we found this spot and immediately fell in love with. Say hello to Cadlao Resort & Restaurant! Tucked in secluded spot few minutes away from town, Cadlao Resort & Restaurant offers a relaxing and private getaway to every guests. The word Cadlao means “laughter”, a Cuyonin dialect. Everyone will surely fall in love as the resort is facing the majestic Cadlao Island and a great spot to watch the afternoon sunset by the pool. Our Room: We booked the Standard Bungalow which is good for 2 persons. The room has queen size bed, aircon, fan, blower, thermos for cold and hot water, deposit box, and own bathroom. What I loved about our room was the outdoor terrace! It was such a relaxing spot to just stare in the lush garden while having our usual talks. They also provided bathroom essentials such as toothbrush, towels, soap and shampoo in a ceramic container. That’s so eco-friendly considering the amount of trash of mini bottles. They just have to refill every time there are guest checking-in. 🏻‍♂️ Facilities: ▫️Pool Their pools are to die for! They actually have 2 swimming pools but there were no people when we were there. The lovely view of Cadlao Island is what right in front of their swimming pools. We couldn’t help but to take instagram-worthy photos! ▫️Spa We availed the free massage which is included in our booking. It was actually a P2,000 voucher for spa, restaurant meals, or goods in their boutique, but we got the massage because we were so tired all day from our tour. It was an hour of relaxing experience as their spa was so serene while soothing sound was playing onto the background. How I wish we could extend it! ▫️Boutique: Cadlao Resort & Restaurant has their own boutique that sells souvenirs. You can find shirts, swimsuits, and items for pasalubong. I bought keychains but some were rusty, I think because they were displayed for a long time. 🍽 Restaurant: According to the reviews online, Cadlao’s restaurant is one of the best in El Nido. I could attest to that as we had the best meals during our stay. I will make a separate review for their resto as this place deserves to be known. And kudos to their chef, our meals were totally worth it! Friendly Tips: 1. They don’t allow wearing slippers in common areas like reception, boutique, spa, and restaurant for hygienic purpose. They also provide slippers inside the room. 2. They have wifi in some areas but it’s very weak. Even my mobile data was not properly working. 3. Free ride by their tricycle service to and from El Nido town from 7:00am to 10:30pm. 4. Don’t get disappointed while passing the road to the resort because it’s so stiff and there’s a cemetery along the way. 5. Smoking is prohibited in all rooms. 6. Be friendly and nice as their staff were so nice, too. 7. Direct booking is cheaper that booking in other sites. They had promo rates when we availed the room. 8. Good to know that Cadlao Resort installed solar panels to reduce non-renewable energy usage. I couldn’t think of any words to describe but this place is super duper amazing! If you want an accommodation which almost have everything, then this place is perfect for you. How we really wish was we stayed here longer and not just one night, sobrang bitin! Everything was so perfect; the place, our room, the food! You can witness on our photos how we really enjoyed this heaven on Earth.

I just love everything about this place. As soon as you enter this place, you will immediately fall in love with its beautiful interiors. No wonder there was non-stop of coming in and out of customers. Though their servers were busy, service was surprisingly fast. I loved how they also kept refilling our glasses with water even though we never asked them to. As for the food, we ordered Iberian Chicken and Smoked Fish Pasta. The chicken dish was soooo yummy even though it was a bit drowning with olive oil. It was good albeit a bit greasy. The pasta, on the other hand, was equally good as well. I will definitely keep coming back here if only I live nearby. Question though, are we really not allowed to take photos outside the cafe? I was supposed to take a few shots since I loved how the glass cafe looked from the outside, however, the Rockwell guard told me no pictures were allowed. Why not though?

This is only my second Pancake House experience (after the looloo rendezvoos one) but this time it is nearer to where I live. This branch at SM City Taytay is small, and there are extra seats outside to accommodate more customers. It was fairly packed during the time I was there. 🔶 Almondigas (₱127) - I love almondigas; I love to cook this at home but I have not done that these days. I was surprised to discover that Pancake House offers almondigas. Besides, I miss almondigas so I tried it to see if there would be any special ingredients or flavorings added to it. But it turned out to be just like the home-cooked version. A tad too expensive for just a simple everyday meal, and the number of pork meatballs were too measly, although they tasted good naman. It was still a warm and comforting soup. 🔶 Three-Layer Tea (₱75) - It was also the first time I saw this drink on the menu and I was curious about it, so I gave it a go. Maybe it is a new or a limited edition item, since it is not originally included on their menu. I loved the sweet but dark taste of the muscovado sugar. When it was served, the muscovado sugar was settled on the bottom. It was supposed to have a three-layer hue like what the name suggests (and like what I saw on the pictures), but in reality it didn't seem to come out that way. Still, I liked it. Just let the ice melt first to tone down the sweetness. 🔶 Red Velvet Pancake (₱150) - Pancake House carries its name deservedly so. It's infallible when it comes to pancakes -- nice and fluffy, and even a bit creamy in the mouth. The whipped cream added the literal coolness factor. But the chocolate shavings were meh. They looked like dark chocolates but they actually tasted like the usual local chocolates -- a bit too sweet to my liking, and they had a waxy texture (instead of smooth and creamy). The plating looked so pretty though! 🔶 Plain rice (₱40) It took me a bit long to wait for my orders. Good thing the servers were nice. They even asked for my feedback just as I finished my meal and requested for the bill. - it has an 8% service charge (I don't know if that applies to all branches though).

I'm posting this ahead of my other reviews (backlog, gulp) cos the pop up is closing at the end of the month! So if you want to have a taste of sunny side in the metro, better head on over to the south! They're located at Canvas Events Place in Westgate. Decided to have early dinner here after my dental appointment (lol) and we were surprised at the very reasonable prices! We've never tried this place in bora so I'm glad we're able to try it now and it's so near too hehe. Our server was very kind and knowledgeable, she informed us that each Pancake serving has two pieces but you can actually just order half or one piece for just half the price too! So we got a piece of their Bacon and Cheese and a piece of their espresso and caramel. We also got their baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms. Orders arrived in about ten minutes and the pancakes were HUGE! SRSLY! They were both super good I swear the baked eggs were delicious as well and even if they had mushrooms, I didn't mind haha! Definitely going back before they head back to the island! Total bill was ₱714. We weren't able to finish our food so we even had enough to take home! Super sulit imo!

I have never heard of Half Saints before. The only time I knew about it was when I got invited to a dinner. I even had to Google the location of this restaurant, and to my surprise, it's actually just located within Tomas Morato! This place has really nice interiors. From the ceiling, to the light-wood decor, to the concrete walls, to the wooden tables and chairs, and down to its flooring- everything is just nice! Plus I love how the color scheme adds up to the good ambiance that you can only get from most of the third wave coffee shops around the Metro. Perfect for those minimalist people out there- just like me! Now, let's get to the food. I was able to try these out: Great Balls of Fire- spicy risotto balls (hence the name) with mozzarella and shiitake mushroom paired with their housemade marinara sauce. Well, I didn't really find it spicy. I guess I just have high tolerance for spicy food. When serving this dish, have your your camera ready as they would light the blowtorch in front of you. Yes, might as well do it for the gram! haha. I know it looks so cool, but the purpose of this cooking method is to actually make the coating of the balls a crispy one. Not that bad for P250! Arroz Con Pollo- Chicken sofrito paella for P350. I had this for sharing! But take note, if you're a hungry monster, you can cosume this all by yourself! The chicken was really tender! This dish is really flavorful and savory! Although, I find it kind of salty because I had been on a low sodium diet. So for those who prefer less salt in general, let them know beforehand. Maybe they could adjust the saltiness for you. FINALLY! Dessert time! Having a sweet tooth and being a dark chocolate lover that I am, I said yes to their 64% Dark Chocolate Tart! It's priced at P220/slice. Served with some Himalayan salt that complemented the bittersweet taste of the chocolate- and ohmygoooodness! So rich and heavy! I highly recommend this tart if you're a fan of dark chocolates. I promise, I'll be back for this one. Overall, this restaurant did not disappoint. They have nice and attentive staff too! Our water gets refilled every now and then; really a plus for our dining experience. Oh, have I mentioned that they have a bar? Which means, they serve alcoholic beverages for those who would like to dine and drink in comfort. This restaurant is definitely a great find!