Davaoeños are known food enthusiasts and whenever something new is being introduced in the city, they wouldn’t let the day pass without giving it a try. In the past few years, more and more shopping centers are rising up and it comes along with a lot of restaurants and food stalls.

The ground floor of Abreeza Ayala Mall are being surrounded by a lot of food stalls and one them caught my attention. I know very well that this stall just opened because I haven’t seen it in my almost everyday visit.

Being named as Fatkids Wafels and Frappe, my curious self lead me on giving it a chance. At the back of my mind, I thought they misspelled “Wafel” but according to one of the owners who serves the customers himself, it’s Belgian and they really spelled it that way.

Upon seeing their menu, which is already printed on the walls of their stall, the stingy-me felt a certain happiness because they are very affordable. At 45 pesos, you could already enjoy their wafel and their 75 pesos Frappe tastes like any other international competitors in the vicinity in almost the same size.

They’ve got squared wafels with toppings categorized into two; Savory and Sweet.

I tried the Biryani Wafel from the Savory group and I’m giving it a two thumbs up. I never thought that Biryani can go along well with a waffle crust as I used to eat it with rice.

I hesitated to order one of their frappes because to be honest I’m not fond of drinking cold drinks. However, the owner convinced me to try their Cappuccino Frappe and I amazingly consumed everything. The sweetness is just right with a satisfying streak of the coffee’s bitterness.

I also tried their best selling Overload Wafel from the Sweet group. They clearly don’t experience scarcity of chocolates because it was really overloading realizing its name.

My Fatkids Wafel and Frappe experience was truly amazing and I’m already adding them to my list of favorites. Give them a try too and get to see yourself in their Facebook page one of these days.

Great Waffle Experience At Fatkids Wafels And Frappe is a post from: Patay Gutom

What is really more fun about Lily’s Peanut Butter is its luscious and smooth characteristic. Unlike other Peanut Butter that turns dry and chalky after a while, Lily’s Peanut Butter is consistent with its quality. I guess it is the magic of the time-tested secret family recipe that has been passed from generation to generation.

From a simple home-made brand back in the 1950s, Lily’s Peanut Butter has truly grown.
The seal of excellence that is awarded to every bottle has made it a true global brand for Peanut Butter. Not only Pinoys are queuing up for it , there is also a demand in U.S., Europe, China, Hong Kong, UAE, and Japan. It has truly become the best Peanut Butter in the whole world.

And before I end with the pronouncement that Peanut Butters are more Fun in the Philippines, I would like to add something. Because of its success with Lily’s Peanut Butter, The Newborn Food Products has also introduced a variety of foodstuffs into the market. For those who want a little twist in their peanut butter, they are offering the Choco-Peanut Butter—peanut butter combined with dark semi-sweet chocolate, Crunchy Peanut Butter, and Aroma Peanut Butter. The Lily’s Coco Jam – a coconut based delicacy—is another treat offered by the company.

Oh boy! Talking about this not only makes me crave for some Peanut Butter and Banana sandwhich but it also brought back lots of nostalgia. Like most people, I have a lot of fond childhood memories built around peanut butter, particulary Lily’s Peanut Butter. I guess what they say about Lily’s Peanut Butter home-grown appeal is true. No matter how many local and imported brands I have tried, I always find myself going back to Lily’s –like a lover gone astray returning for his true love’s familiar embrace.

Want to know more about Lily’s Peanut Butter? Check their Facebook page or follow them in Instagram and Twitter! You can also visit their website at www.mylilys.com.

For inquiries you can contact them by sending an e-mail to newbornfoodp@yahoo.com.

Lily’s Peanut Butter: Eating Peanut Butter is more fun in the Philippines! is a post from: Patay Gutom

As always with Racks, the ribs were super tender and effortlessly fell off the bones. It almost melted in my mouth.

Of course, we had to play up our “health nut” side and also ordered Caesar Salad. I easily gobbled this plate thanks largely to the fresh and crisp greens. It was slightly chilled as well, giving my insides some much needed cooling down from the summer heat.

The boyfriend also ordered Chunky Chili, but I was sadly barred from touching this bowl. Why, you ask? Well, women shouldn’t really mess with their boyfriends’ chili bowls. LOL.

What’s your favorite at Racks?

A Happy, Hearty Lunch at Racks is a post from: Patay Gutom

I have never considered trying Cafe Mediterranean‘s pasta dishes until today.

Initially wanting a salad, I found myself mumbling “Pasta Mediterranea” when it came time to tell the waiter which dish I would like.

I’m almost always indecisive and unpredictable like that when it comes to food. The boyfriend even blurted out “akala ko ba salad?” when he heard what I ordered.

The whole scene was pretty funny, actually, but I know my humor doesn’t always translate really well on print so it’s okay if none of you, m’dear readers, laugh.

When my pasta arrived, my nostrils flared up with the menagerie of aromas. It flared up in a good way, that is. As you can see, the dish was bursting with anchovies, eggplants and cheese.

Since I don’t usually eat pasta that isn’t topped with red or white sauce or olive oil, the dish really intrigued me. The anchovies were the first to attack my palate and I was more than happy to eat every piece. I, however, wasn’t really into all the eggplants in the dish. Give me anchovies anytime of the day but eggplant? No, not a big fan.

But the star of this pasta dish were the anchovies. They were the only ones giving some depth to the dish. Even the actual pasta was less than stellar because it was a bit gummy. While I was expecting this to knock me off my seat, it was good enough for me. Thanks to this, I may actually start exploring more of Cafe Med’s pasta lineup.

Quick Eat: Cafe Mediterranean’s Pasta Mediterranea is a post from: Patay Gutom

I don’t think there’s anybody here who doesn’t love Amici. Right?

A favorite of many, I always make it a point to order the Tesori Del Mare pasta whenever I’m here. But one can get tired from having the same dish over and over again, so I went with a dish that sounded and looked good on the menu.

The Tortellini Mortadella looked really good on and off the menu! Swimming in yummy creamy sauce, the six tortellinis are stuffed with Mortadella sausage. I love the simplicity of the flavor, but would have loved if there were more Mortadella sausage stuffing. The bacon, however, made up for it.  I remember telling a friend that the dish tasted “healthy” and “green.” I know it’s a sucky description but that’s that. LOL.

With only six tortellinis, it was easy to finish this plate. Then again, I was left wanting more. In the end, I scooped the remaining cream sauce.

To dine at a pasta and pizza place without ordering pizza is blasphemy in my book. As such, we settled for the Tutta Carne pizza. Topped with Italian sausage, ham, and pepperoni, the pizza was a hit among my friends. I didn’t even get to eat a slice!

Although I forgot to take a picture of our dessert, I’m pretty sure you guys would know of how good Amici’s pistachio gelato is.

Playing Favorites: Amici is a post from: Patay Gutom

Well, I wouldn’t really know since I only tried the chicken here and not the beer. Although I’m pretty sure it’ll be a great combo considering how much I loved the meal I tried at Chicken & Beer, a cozy little restaurant-slash-hangout-place in Burgos Circle.

The place offers a cool, relaxed ambiance. The walls were painted with cool artworks. When we were there, one TV was showing an NBA game while the other had a bunch of K-Pop music videos on the playlist.

We zeroed in on the lunch meals, which were seriously affordable. They were priced from 150 to 170 pesos. Well, on to my very affordable yet superbly filling meal, M05 aka Spicy Chicken Set.

For 165 pesos, this set meal already comes with a drink (of your choice, if I remember correctly). I was floored by the chicken portions and also because of how good it tastes. It’s spicy, smoky and super savory. The boyfriend stole one of my chickens too because he loved how spicy it is. Eventually though, I found myself wiping my nose constantly because of the heat. LOL.

The boyfriend went for the Spicy Chicken Barbecue Set. It’s a lot less exciting than mine and the boyfriend agrees. It’s on the dry side as well.

Above is what a friend of ours ordered–Bento Box A. Although this bento box offers more variety, this is actually cheaper than the two dishes.

Folks, if you’re around the area, do visit this place! The Spicy Chicken Set is highly recommended.

Chicken & Beer: Best Pairing Ever? is a post from: Patay Gutom

Just like what my title suggested, my recent visit to Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe wasn’t my first time. My first experience wasn’t here was pretty disappointing and I had no plans of returning here. The boyfriend, however, thought that we should give it another go.

It was almost closing time when we came in, so the waiters and waitresses kept close while they wait for us to order. I don’t like it when that happens. Can we have a little privacy? I mean, standing two feet away from us (while eyeing us) won’t speed up our decision-making at all.

Anyway, I just wanted something warm and light that evening so I ordered a bowl of Chicken Congee. The presentation was really cute, as it was served in a steel bowl complete with lid! However, when it came time to enjoy it, I was left wanting for more. It was congee, but had no flavor at all. We had to throw in soy sauce and lots of chili to make it more savory to eat.

I  had to give it to them though, because I wasn’t expecting numerous chunks of chicken and squash in it. At least the congee had real chicken?

The boyfriend ordered this plate of Spicy Noodles, which came with dumplings on the side. When it was served, I was turned off by its presentation. It looked a bit disgusting, to be honest. Then again, it must be the ginormous peppering of chili on top of the heap of noodles that’s responsible for that.

Here comes the Pan-Fried Dumplings, the dish we so did not like the first time we were here. To be sure, the boyfriend asked the waiter to tell the cook/chef to make sure it’s really “cooked” before serving to us. However, when it was served it still seemed a bit raw to taste. On top of that, it also had a jelly and gummy consistency.  Now we’re not sure if that’s the way these dumplings are supposed to taste or not.

The first time we were here, the milk tea was our savior. We ordered the Iced Milk Tea, which basically is milk tea served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. It was a good enough thirst quencher.

P.S.

For the Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe first timers, don’t be too surprised when you see their wide and varied menu. They really do have a lot of things in their menu — congee, spaghetti, lasagna, dumplings. Yup, it’s like one crazy mash-up of eastern and western cuisines.

Giving Xin Wang Hong Kong Cafe Another Try is a post from: Patay Gutom

My Thai is definitely one of our go-to restaurants for yummy yet affordable food whenever we’re in Greenbelt. It’s unassuming simplicity, no-fuss presentation, and homey flavors are just some of the factors that made us love their menu. As I’m out of work these days, I trooped to Makati and met up with the boyfriend and some friends.

What would a visit to a Thai restaurant without ordering Chicken Satay? Completely incomplete. I never found dipping this in peanut sauce enjoyable. I enjoy eating this on its own. :p

Spicy Kangkong

I don’t remember what’s this dish called because I bowed out of the whole ordering affair because it can get a little crazy when you have more than two persons deciding. It’s basically kangkong (water spinach) topped with chili peppers. I suppose it’s supposed to have a tinge of kick to it, but it really wasn’t. It served as a good pica-pica with beer though.

Fried Chicken

We also had this whole plate of chicken (again, I forgot the name). It’s your typical fried chicken, with the bonus of crispy skin.

Bagoong Rice

One of our My Thai favorites is the Bagoong Rice. It’s a whole meal on its own because of the medley of green mangoes, nuts, onions, and savory rice. I swear I can eat this on its own. If you ever pass by My Thai, I am compelling you to have this. Although it can be such a hassle to mix ‘em all, it’s worth it.

I’m also not sure if there are other My Thai branches around the metro. Besides Greenbelt, where else have you found My Thai?

Comfort Food at My Thai is a post from: Patay Gutom

If you frequent Alabang Town Center, you would know about Ramen X, a restaurant that is at the most awkward location. It’s at the mall’s new wing, near the new department store. It’s sandwiched by shops that sell surf gear, hiking essentials, shoes, and whatnot, so you would understand why we’re always amused whenever we pass by this restaurant. Then again, there must be a reason behind this. Right?

The mall was 30 minutes shy of closing time so we were happy that Ramen X still accommodated us. Actually, we were the second to the last group of diners at Ramen X. :p The restaurant floor was giving off a serious fastfood vibe. The tables and chairs were all made from wood. Although sitting was far from cozy and comfortable, we did adore the cute anime graphics on the wall (sorry forgot to take pictures :p).

You have to order through the counter, where the menu is pretty straightforward and seriously affordable (our bowls were like 150 pesos each, save for the X Ramen that was close to 200). I’m surprised though that they only had six ramen variants available (three under non-spicy, three spicy) as I was expecting a wider offering. They did have some rice bowls and several appetizers though.

My choice that night was the miso based Oishi Ramen, which was a big-ass bowl, mind you. When it was served, I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it. First things first, I noticed the couple beside us was sharing one bowl. It made me a wee bit embarassed because there I was, wrestling with a bowl of noodles.

B’s choice was the Kimchi Ramen. Obviously, this is because he likes kimchi. A lot. Mine and his were essentially the same save for the kimchi addition. Ours has tender roast pork, half an egg, veggies, etc.. Oishi Ramen is as comforting as beef noodles. Kimchi Ramen offers the same, but with some kick so you don’t doze off. LOL.

Our friend, Dwight, went for the X Ramen. His bowl was nonspicy, but it also had roast beef, veggies, etc. I was particularly envious though that his bowl had dried garlic bits. As for the century egg (?) swimming in the broth, well, my friend could have that. I will not touch that.

We also sampled the Gyoza. It was only selling for 59 pesos per 4 pieces, so it was virtually a bargain. I love gyoza but I think theirs were clumsily made. I’m not sure if being the last two groups dining there had something to do with it. Nevertheless, it tasted fine. They could use a bit more filling though.

There was a plate of kimchi too, but I didn’t try it. :p While Ramen X is far from being a true blue ramen house, their effort is commendable. I think they could use a more exciting menu and better location (in their Alabang Town Center brand, in particular).

We would have left Ramen X with big smiles and happy tummies, but no, their waiters had to ruin it for us. Yes, we know we’re the last customers there. Yes, we know you still have to clear our table (albeit you guys already stacking chairs like crazy while we’re still eating). But no, we don’t get why you have to loudly talk — clearly trying to make yourselves heard — about how much you want to go home already. “Uwing-uwi na kami, umalis na kayo.” – something to that effect. Rude.

Into The Noodle Culture at Ramen X is a post from: Patay Gutom

I don’t do full meals at coffee shops. Well, that would be my typical answer if someone asks me to have lunch or dinner at a coffee shop. Breakfast, of course, is a different story. But the boyfriend and I had no choice when we had to run an errand around lunchtime in Makati.

With virtually every fast food chain filled to the brim with lunch-ers, we just had to choose Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

To be fair though, I will admit that I’ve always been curious about CBTL’s “legitimate” lunch menu. Hence, it wasn’t too terrible that we ended up here.

However, I’ve always hated CBTL’s seriously slow service (what’s up with this?! Every CBTL shop I’ve been too always always ruin my day) so I was pretty annoyed the entire time we were waiting for our food.

While I can complain all day about their sloooow service, the Greek Salad I ordered is something I can talk about in a good way. It is perhaps one of the most colorful salad plates I’ve seen in a while. Even the boyfriend agreed!

The colors really stood out and it looked (and tasted) genuinely fresh. I loved the feta cheese and the tomatoes the most. There were just too many olives! :p

Meanwhile, the boyfriend ordered Roast Chicken and Mushroom Futilli Pasta. When he set the tray on our table, he immediately noticed the seemingly lack of sauce on the pile of pasta.

The boyfriend was already talking about how disappointing it looked, how it won’t fill him up, and whatnot when he discovered that there was sauce at the bottom of the plate.

He did enjoy this pasta dish a lot. The flavor doesn’t punch you in the face, but lets you enjoy its subtle quality. It has a nice aroma too! I, however, couldn’t quite taste the “mushroom.”

Lunchin’ at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is a post from: Patay Gutom