Seoul: Oriental Room at Namsan Park

Oriental Room

Namsan Park

20-minute walk from

Myeong-dong Station, Exit 4

Daddy is checking out the display of Korean and Chinese dishes.

Upon entry, when you look at your left, you see this tunnel-like interior.

The other side offered a really nice view.

But since we were taking a very early dinner at that time, the afternoon sun 

was glaring in that area so we had to choose the middle aisle.

I've never seen a table setting like this before.  

We get to have our own kettle of chilled Jasmine tea.

I don't know if this is true but somebody told me that every side dish they had was made of 

radish.  They just put different food coloring on them.

This is what my sister ordered.

This is what my dad ordered.

And this is what I ordered.  It's breaded pork on top of a salad and semi-spicy sauce.

It is topped with peppers, onions and celery.

My sister and I finished this dish. 

My dad refused to have his share because he can't finish his own plate.

Taste: 4 stars

Somehow, the food reminded of some other local place here in Manila.

Menu: 4 stars

Everything in the menu looked great.  Everything in it was worth coming back for.

Service: 5 stars

The cook even got out and asked how the food was.

Of course, we said it was great.  

Ambiance: 5 stars

Even without the chic interior, the view outside the window makes any meal great.

San Jacinto Panciteria On A Sunday

You know you're in a Chinese restaurant when you see a small bowl with a ceramic soup spoon.

Classic :)

San Jacinto Panciteria has been along C5 Libis (Across SM Hypermarket)

for more than 15 years already.

And yesterday, we were supposed to go to Pancake House for lunch.

It's a good thing my sister did a quick thinking and thought of one of 

our favorite family restaurants - San Jacinto Panciteria.

Menu 4 Stars 

They didn't have the shrimp salad until now.

Taste: 5 stars!

Gotta try that San Jacinto Chow Mein... the blurry picture below.

Ambiance: 5 stars!

It's a Chinese restaurant but the restaurant is themed country-style.

I don't mind the contrast from the food.  

It's a very homey place.

Service: 5 Stars!

I don't know if this really holds true but every table seemed to have it's own waiter.

(Most pictures are blurry... so sad!  I was carrying my daughter while running around the table to take pictures of the food before people started digging in.)

Garlic Broccoli

Yang Chow (Kanin pa lang, ulam na!)

Everyone's favorite:
Seaweeds

Fish fillet with special Soy Sauce. 

When they say special soy sauce, they really mean it. 

I poured some of it on my rice.  Sarap!

San Jacinto Chow Mein

This is their signature dish.  

I love this (among everything else).

We looked for something cheap and something everyone can enjoy.

Almond Jelly :)

Home Brewed Iced Tea

And you can't dine without safe drinking water.

Household Lunch at Sushiya Megamall

It was my mother's idea that the whole household go out for lunch.  And so, with my sister in charge, she chose Japanese food for the day.

Taste: 3 stars
^^ But their Kani Wasabi Salad can get a 5 stars from me!  I'm going to go back there just for another serving of this one!

Ambiance: 3 stars
^^ The place is a bit dim.  There were not enough lighting.  I'd rather eat where I can see exactly what I'm eating.

Food choices: 3 stars

Service: 4 stars
^^ I was tempted to give it a 2 Stars because the lady manager thinks it's beyond her to help out in serving the customers.  There was a waiter and a waitress who were friendly and dutiful enough to the work though.

I swear by the KANI WASABI SALAD.

We tried Salmon Surprise Maki 

and Dynamite Rolls (No photos).

The Gyudon looks good.

I ordered this Pork Curry Ramen and it's not good at all.

I thought it would taste as the Curry Noodle soup I had in Heat but it was far from it.

Chicken Terriyake for my grandparents.

I wasn't able to take pictures of the Shrimp Tempura and Katsudon but you already know what it looks like.

I don't know but the Katsudon may not be as good as I have expected because one of our househelp had her leftovers to go.  She said it was lacking taste.  Not savory enough for my Ate Rose. Heheh!

Luncheon at Josephine's

As per my dad's request, we ate at Josephine's Tagaytay for Father's Day.

Food: 3 stars

Ambiance: 5 stars

Service: 4 stars

Price: 5 stars

Mutya Ng Cavite

Creamy seafood soup for starters

And the line up started with Kare-Kare

Seafood Paella is relatively good in comparison with the others that I tasted before.

Waaah!  I miss you Crispy Pata!

Fisherman's Basket is a bit of a mess

but the taste was definitely not.

I had Josephine's Freshly Brewed Iced Tea.

I'd have to say Pho Hoa still has the best iced tea.

Sweet Endings:

A cup of Macchiato

Kahlua Sansrival

And that's the latest trip to Josephine's.

Magnolia's Apple Strudel Ice Cream

Yesterday, while I was on my way to our house in Tagaytay, I just had this random thought that I have never tasted apple-flavored ice cream. 

When we reached our home, my parents were not in sight and the helper told us that they were doing some grocery shopping in Robinson's supermarket along the highway.  When they came in a few minutes later, I saw an ice cream container in one of the bags my father was carrying.  

I took a peak and what do you know? It was Apple Strudel ice cream.  

The colors are whimsical just the way I felt when I was eating my bowl of ice cream.

I swear it was really good.  There were apple bits (like the one we get from McDonalds' Apple Pie) and chocolate-covered pretzels.  

Dimsum: Shrimp Siomai

My husband first bought this from his boss's wife a long time ago who lives in our neighborhood.  And ever since, according to him, he hasn't tasted anything better.  He has been gushing about it for a long time and today, I finally am able to take a taste.  He buys it uncooked and frozen. He likes them steamed but, as always, I like them fried and crunchy like everything else.  

Now I know why my husband likes it very much.

All I can taste is shrimp. It's like a big ball of shrimp.

I believe there was no extenders in these. 

And that is what makes them soooo good.

Hubby let me take home the rest of the frozen dimsum's for tomorrow's lunch at work.

Thanks Honey!

Hubby's Nilagang Baka (Beef Casserole)

We had our monthly visit in our apartment.  And my husband had cooked for me and our six-month old Via.  He cooked potatoes with the Nilagang Baka.  When the potatoes were cooked with only iodized salt as the seasoning, he placed it on a separate container, put some soup in it and sealed it for Via's consumption.  After which, he seasoned his spicy Nilagang Baka version for the both of us.

My hubby's Nilaga is one of the best I've tasted.  No bias here.

It wasn't even oily (although you can see the latak on the sides of the pot.  

He took the sebo out while he was boiling to make the beef tender.

And look how fresh the pechay is.