Tradisyon Restaurant: Pinoy Comfort Food at Azalea Baguio

You know a Filipino restaurant is good when their food reminds you of your mom’s cooking and you feel right at home. There are but a few restaurants in the country that were able to make us feel that way, and we never really thought we would find one tucked inside Azalea Baguio Tradisyon Restaurant.

Tradisyon Pinoy Comfort Food Restaurant

If you’re looking for good eats in Baguio, you don’t really have to go far, really. One elevator ride from your hotel room in Azalea Baguio is Tradisyon Pinoy Comfort Food Restaurant, where they offer their guests a good mix of all-time Filipino favorites, local Baguio fare, and a few international dishes.

Tradisyon delivers a homey feel with colors and textures similar to that of a bahay kubo. The plush chairs, bright yellow lighting, and intricate wall decor all contribute to that appeal. The restaurant has a seating capacity of 70 persons, which can easily handle the influx of diners during their operating hours.

Breakfast Buffet at Tradisyon Restaurant

Guests staying at Azalea Baguio can fuel up and jump-start their day at the hotel’s daily breakfast buffet that starts from 06:00 to 10:30 in the morning.

They have all kinds of breakfast food you can think of – from breads and pastries to fresh salads or from piping hot arroz caldo to delicious Pinoy delicacies.

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Highway Ribbery Grille: Haven of Criminally Delicious Comfort Food

After a long and exhausting day at work, most people combat stress by stuffing their mouths full of delicious and filling food. We are guilty as charged! My sister and I are big stress eaters, and itâ€™sÂ a crime weâ€™re more than happy to repeatedly commit at restaurants that serve straightforward comfort food like Highway Ribbery Grille in Quezon Cityâ€”the latest brainchild of Chef NiÃ±o Runas, who is the same chef behind El Cangrejo in Tomas Morato.

Highway Ribbery Grille

Highway Ribbery Grille first opened its doors May of 2015 and has become one of the newest and hippest hangout place to hit La Loma, Quezon City. Its industrial-themed interior design, together with the wooden tables and chairs, delivered a rustic yet modern appeal. The restaurant is not air-conditioned, but donâ€™t worry; they have enough cooling fans to keep the area at a tolerable and comfortable temperature. They also have more tables on the second floor, including a rentable function room that can accommodate up to 35 people.

For our refreshments, my Nanay and I ordered two glasses of their House Blend Iced Tea (PHP 125), which arrived ice-cold and had this super refreshing citrusy flavor. Mhel, on the other hand, asked for a bottle of the Belgian craft beer, Brew Kettle (PHP 55), that turned out to be incredibly light and tasty. Highway Ribbery Grille has a limited line-up of alcoholic beverages, since they want the restaurant to become more of a dining joint than an inuman spot. Aside from Brew Kettle, the other beer they offer is San Miguel Light for PHP 50 a bottle.

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Julie’s Biscuits – Baked With Love, From Malaysia to the Philippines

While walking at the grocery last weekend, at the biscuits aisle, I recognized a brand that has been there for quite some time and it was only now that I paid attention to it. I guess I was used to picking the more familiar brands in this aisle. Now that I know more about Julie’s Biscuits – the history of the brand, how they make them, the culture and the people behind the company – it’ll be pretty hard to resist grabbing packs of it to take home whenever I go grocery-shopping. 😀

Contrary to what most Filipinos know, Julie’s Biscuits is not in any way connected to the local bakeshop that bears the same name. Julie’s is a Malaysian brand that has been around since 1981, and they are available globally, in 75 countries to be exact. They have 3 factories in Malaysia where all their products come from. They don’t have factories outside Malaysia because they want to ensure the consistency and quality of their products, starting from the ingredients down to how their biscuits and cookies are made. They have been available here in the Philippines for 4 years now, and so you might already be seeing them at the grocery. Trust me, if you havenâ€™t tried any of their biscuits or cookies yet, youâ€™ve got to!

I was one of the lucky bloggers who were invited to visit Julie’s factory in Melaka, and to experience the culture and the food in Malaysia. I’ll tell you more about our whole Malaysian trip on a separate post, but you can read the highlights as you read on. 🙂

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Azalea Baguio: Your Home in the City of Pines

When you think of summer in the Philippines, you would immediately imagineÂ white sand beaches and crystal blue seas. But did you knowÂ that the place that racks up the most local vacationers every yearâ€”even beating El Nido and Boracayâ€”is actually high up the mountains and boasts of a year-round cool and breezy climate, making it the perfect escape from Manilaâ€™s scorching heat? It is no other than the City of Pines itself, Baguio City! And weâ€™re so elated that we were able to cap off our summer in this lovely city, all thanks to Azalea Baguio!

One wonderful Tuesday in May, top fashion, food, and lifestyle bloggers were all hurled into three different vans for a long, butt-numbing 5-hour drive! Our destination? Azalea Hotels and Residences Baguio! Our mission? To visit the Summer Capital of the Philippines and enjoy one last summer getaway before we officially welcome the rainy season!

Azalea Hotels & Residences Baguio

Azalea Baguio is the first and only 4-star serviced apartment hotel in Baguio City. They have luxury suites that each come complete with their own kitchen, living, and bedroom areas. What I love most about Azalea Baguio is its proximity to the cityâ€™s top tourist attractions BUT, because it is far from the busyness of the city and not located directly along a major road, it is the best place you can book if youâ€™re searching for some peace and quiet.

The front desk welcomes you as you enter the main door into the hotel lobby. Behind it are their incredibly friendly staff who would be more than happy to assist you with your inquiries and requests.

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Club Paradise Resort – A Piece of Paradise in Coron, Palawan

It started a couple of years ago when Ken and I made a pact that on our birthdays, we have to celebrate by traveling some place we’ve never been. Our 2014 birthday celebration was not as spectacular as we wanted so we vowed to make up for it in 2015. And, boy, that we did… in an island paradise in Coron, Palawan – Club Paradise Resort. 🙂

Club Paradise is under The Discovery Leisure Co. (TDLCI) We planned a 4D3N vacation in Coron, but due to unforeseen circumstances – my flight with nanay got cancelled, so we had to fly out early on our supposedly Day 2 – it was cut short by a day. Ken’s flight had no issues so he was there already. Thankfully, our stay in Coron and in Club Paradise made us forget all that happened on Day 1. They gladly made adjustments to our accommodation, and we had an absolutely amazing time. Nanay was particularly amused by the VIP treatment we got from the moment they picked us up until the time they dropped us off the airport to fly back to Manila.

We were picked up from the hotel where Ken stayed on his first day and we were taken to Club Paradise’s own private port where a speed boat is waiting to take us to Dimakya Island. The speed boat ride was exciting, and we had the whole boat to ourselves. They offered us some snacks – bottled water and a sandwich. It’s a 30-minute boat ride, I think. I can’t remember ’cause we were busy taking photos and enjoying the windy ride. 😀

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Feast on Friday Dinner Buffet at Richmonde Hotel Ortigas

Thank God itâ€™s Friday! This expression was coined because Fridays signal the start of the weekendâ€”the time when we can finally take our well-deserved rest from a stressful week at work. What do we do to welcome the weekend? We hang out with our friends and co-workers either going to bars or having dinner at a restaurant. Well, you can hit two birds with one stone at Richmonde Hotel in Ortigas, where you can stuff yourselves full during their Feast on Friday Dinner Buffet at Richmonde CafÃ© and then enjoy a few drinks at The Exchange afterwards.

Feast on Friday Dinner Buffet at Richmonde CafÃ©Â

Spend your Friday evening at Richmonde CafÃ© for their Feast on Friday Dinner Buffet and indulge in a wide array of international dishes, action stations for a la minute cooking, and refreshing drinks available from 6PM to 9PM for only PHP 750 nett per person. On top of that, you also get a 50% discount on wine bottle orders!

Executive Chef, Jesse Factor, together with her team, has prepared a sumptuous buffet spread for their Friday dinner buffet. For starters, you can enjoy a bowl of their piping hot Shrimp Bisque soup or their Vietnamese Shrimp and Pomelo Salad, which a chef will assemble fresh and on-the-spot for you. They also have a platter with a variety of cheese, which I highly recommend that you pair with some wine. A good choice is their Moscato, since it can go with anything from savory items to desserts.

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Taal Vista Hotel Tagaytay: A Relaxing Escape from Manila’s Summer Heat

Aircon on full-blast and electric fans on their maximum speed, yet here we are still soaking wet in a pool of our own sweat. It is days like this that a quick getaway to some place colder like Tagaytay is more than a welcome respite from the scorching heat in Manila. And that is exactly what we did last March when we packed our bags and fled to spend a weekend at one of the oldest and quintessential hotels in Tagaytay City, Taal Vista Hotel.

Taal Vista Hotel, Tagaytay City

From the year it was established in 1939, Taal Vista Hotel has been recognized for having the best vantage point to enjoy a mesmerizing view of the Taal Volcanoâ€”famous for being the worldâ€™s smallest active volcano within a lake, which is within a volcano in the middle of a larger lake. Itâ€™s truly a breathtaking sight that has never failed to amaze foreign and local tourists alike.

The English Tudor Mansion-style hotel perfectly marries timeless architecture and design with modern amenities. The spectacular view of the Taal Lake and the crisp, cool climate of Tagaytay just add to the magical appeal of Taal Vista Hotel, making it the top choice for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of Manila.

Rooms at Taal Vista Hotel

The rooms of Taal Vista Hotel are divided into two areas â€“ the Lake View and the Mountain View wings. The Lake View Wing, the older between the two buildings, boasts of rooms with a gorgeous view of the Taal Lake. Â The Mountain View Wing may not have a view of the lake from its windows, but it makes up for being located closest to the hotelâ€™s amenities like the outdoor swimming pool, gym, playroom, spa, game room, the view deck, and itâ€™s only a short walk away from Taza Fresh Table Restaurant.

We stayed at the Deluxe Queen room in their Lake View Wing. Our room had one single bed and one queen-size bed with clean linens and plush pillows.

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Nadai Fujisoba: No Ramen Here, Just Soba and Udon

Last month, I took my Nanay out to see a movie. We still had an hour to waste before the screening, so we decided to have dinner first. We headed down to the ground floor of SM North EDSA The Block because I remembered a number of restaurants are scheduled to open in February. When we got there, we saw two new Japanese restaurants standing adjacent to each other. It was a tough choice to make, but we ended up choosing Nadai Fujisoba since my Nanay wanted to eat some ramen (or so we thought).

When we were handed the menu, I asked the server what their bestselling flavor of ramen is. She was quick to inform us that they donâ€™t serve ramen and that they only use udon and soba for their noodles. At that point, I still had no idea what she was talking about. It turns out, udon is a thick noodle made from wheat flour, while soba is thin and made using buckwheat. Well, I was extremely glad I learned something new about Japanese cuisine that day.

Nadai Fujisoba is a popular restaurant chain in Japan, which was established in 1966. The Philippines is only the second country they have entered after Taiwan. Now they have five branches in Metro Manila: Bonifacio High Street, Lucky Chinatown Mall, SM Aura Premier, SM Mall of Asia, and SM North EDSA The Block.

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Kuya J Restaurant Names Jericho Rosales as Their New Celebrity Endorser

Kuya J Restaurant, formerly known as â€˜Ang Kan-anan ni Kuya J,â€™ has started as a modest family business in Cebu, which quickly blossomed to becoming the Cebuanoâ€™s favorite restaurant. And now theyâ€™re finally taking over Metro Manila with the help of the new â€˜Blockbuster Bida ni Kuya J,â€™ Mr. Jericho Rosales!

Blockbuster Bida ni Kuya J

When I arrived at Kuya J Restaurant in SM Megamall for their event and saw a standee of Jericho Rosales outside, I initially thought the restaurant was owned by Echo. That assumption was put to rest when our host, Sam Oh, called in Mr. Winglip K. Chang, the President of Kuya J Restaurant, and Chef Sheena Koseki, their Executive Chef, to present us Kuya J Restaurantâ€™s newest celebrity endorser.

Jericho Rosales, Chef Sheena Koseki, and Winglip K. Chang

Putting a face on Kuya J has two main criteria: one, his first name should start with the letter J (obviously hehe); and two, he must be someone people can consider as the â€œkuya ng bayanâ€ for his good track record and his irresistible charm. With those two things in mind, Jericho Rosales was definitely the perfect choice!

Kuya J Restaurant proves that they know the recipe for the next viral TV commercial by putting Jericho Rosales together with some pretty girls, catchy music, and Kuya Jâ€™s mouth-watering dishes! By the time youâ€™re reading this, you might have already seen their new TVC, but if you havenâ€™t, well, you can watch it below:

Kuya J Restaurant

Kuya J Restaurant is definitely one of the fastest rising Filipino restaurants in the country that offers delicious and authentic Filipino food in a simple yet relaxing locale that will surely make you feel right at home!

Their SM Megamall branch has just recently opened in June. And as if their 18 branches in operation are not testament enough on how successful the Kuya J Restaurant is, they surprise us by announcing that they are opening 50 additional stores nationwide before 2015 ends!

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Sushi Master: Authentic Japanese Food in Malabon City

Whenever Mhel and I are badly craving for some quality Japanese food, Malabon City has never been the first place that comes to our minds. But all that has changed when we’ve finally discovered the newly opened Sushi Master right at our hometown.

Sushi Master, which opened June of 2015, stands along what I call the “foodie avenue” of Malabon City, where big-name food businesses like Nanay’s Pancit Malabon and Dolor’s Kakanin are also strategically located. The restaurant is jointly owned by the foodie couple Nolenz Evanglista and Emily Panganiban. Nolenz has worked in Japan for a few years, so he has first-hand knowledge of the flair and flavor of authentic Japanese cuisine.

They have been inviting us to visit their restaurant even before they have first opened their doors. One long weekend in August, we finally gave in to their request, and now we’ll tell you how our dining experience went.

For our drinks, we ordered a glass each of their Iced Tea, Pink Lemonade, and Mango Shake. Their Pink LemonadeÂ (Php 50) has the right balance of sour and sweet that I particularly loved, while the Iced Tea (Php 30) was not too sweet or bland. It was a cold day but it didn’t stop our Nanay from enjoying their perfectly refreshing Mango Shake (Php 75).

I’ve heard only good things about Sushi Master’s GyozaÂ (Php 95) when my friends visited a few weeks earlier, so I was really curious to get a taste of it. The wrapper was a little thicker than most gyozas from other Japanese restaurants, but the filling was one of the most flavorful we’ve had.

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