Tried their branch in SM Aura and timed my dining adventure at 4pm. Yes, 4 pm! There is no law to have a very, very late lunch or a very, very early dinner in Ramen Nagi, right?

It's rightfully a merienda given the time, but it's simply too filling to be just an in-between meal. What's important though is you beat the crowds at 4pm. More quiet, more relaxed. As eating should be.

Just 4 types of ramen to choose from: king butao (my choice), red king (spicy), green king (fusion? as with pesto?), and black (as in squid inky black!). I need to go back to try the others, but judging by the listed fav ramen houses of resident Japanese here, Ramen Nagi is FOR THE WIN!

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Out with grandchildren, off to a burger joint. But not your run-of-the-mill burger joint, these elves want gourmet burgers! I'm convinced, with their promise to eat tons of healthy salad.

The HOLIDAY SALAD was enjoyed to the last strip of chicken and cabbage. Really yum. The teens loved the strawberry vinaigrette.

We indulged ourselves even more as we partook of the cheesy Four Cheese burger and The Bleu burger, dripping in blue cheese and onion-griddled goodness.

Told the teens that I had guilt bouts with my conscience after eating all that. No salad can compensate for such "unhealthy-ness". 😔

And so, I warn you to eat here at your own peril. Yes, take your children. Try the salads. Enjoy!

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If you've come here just for coffee, you can't go wrong with Toby's Estate's signature GIBRALTAR. Not for the occasional coffee lover. Strong coffee is an acquired taste. The more you love coffee, the stronger you want it.

I may have started right with this strong brew, but it was way past breakfast nor brunch. Lunchtime it was. But brouílle (ends like ratatouille?) is a perfect match as breakfast or brunch item with a glass (not cup) of Gibraltar.

We ordered Pistou and French Onion Soups. A cup of each is quite filling. I could have shared my Pistou which was peppery as Onion Soup was cheesy.

What's lovely with a date with good friends is we can order more dishes to share. You bet I didn't just settle for brouílle but also shared the Patty Melt, Chicken and Salad among the 4 of us.

Our verdict? Or perhaps, my verdict? Patty Melt was good. The brouílle was ordinary as lunch item, but should be ideal for breakfast or day starter. As for the salad and chicken, we enjoyed them but not exactly that memorable.

What saved the day for us? Carmen's Ice Cream! Never fails. :)

Had a balikbayan guest and thought it's a good excuse to ..... sort of indulge. Ahem. Pinoy food unhealthy? All meat dishes, hardly any greens? Think again.

In Mall of Asia, Cafe Adriatico and Abe -- both from the LJC resto chain -- sit side by side on the 2nd floor at the back fronting the bay. You can order from the menus of both restos so you get the best of both 😘

But didn't I say "indulge"? For starters, we had the fiddlehead fern salad or "pako" -- very refreshing. We stopped there. Next few orders, we completely caved in.

The lamb adobo is sooo delish. So with the baby squids. But the real killer is the chicharon bulaklak. Most balikbayans miss this. Ok, I miss it too!

There were just the 2 of us dining. So no chance we'd overindulge. I would have wanted to order more but I'd rather walk out on my feet than crawl. Perhaps I should invite a bigger group next time?

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We planned on someplace else in SM Aura but the long queues were not encouraging. Tried to kill time in Power Mac on the 3rd floor and ended up making a MAJOR purchase. (Those 12 months to pay, zero interest buys really get you) Still, there's a half hour or so more to wait.

Chef Rob owns SHINE and knowing that, we trusted our instincts and ditched dinner in another place. Besides, no lines here and the idea of free UMAMI fries and burger if our bill reaches P2,000 is too good to be true.

Easy browsing the menu. No food titles too complicated. I knew almost every food dish my family would order without asking. Naturally, the beef salpicao, pasta favorites and the breakfast all day starrers found their way to the table.

Each dish tasted homecooked, according to my teens. Plus they sure enjoyed their vanilla shakes. The umami fries weren't a big hit with them but I did like them.

You can call them comfort food, if you like. Especially the breakfast or brunch favorites like longganiza (sausages) and tapa (beef).

For sure, we'd be back. We skipped desserts here as we wanted to try desserts elsewhere. But yes, Chef Rob Pengson got it right here!

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We dined at Romulo Cafe in Jupiter Street in Bel Air Village area, Makati City. The place looks posh, quite sophisticated given its price range.

It's not a flying fish but it sure looks like it's ready to soar. The Tilapia is fried to perfection and who's complaining about this plating? But I love best how the suman con latik is presented. Who would have thought a simple "kakanin" can look this delish!

We ordered the tilapia to go with kare kare and pinakbet. Enjoyed all, including the suman. What's great is you get the ambience and food without burning a hole in your pocket.

And I haven't even started with the history --- surely the eminent Filipino Carlos P. Romulo is proud to have his granddaughter running this cafe!

Btw, we trooped back to Romulo Cafe again to sample more of the Filipino cuisine with a twist. Check this link.

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Right along Yuchengco (formerly Nueva) Street off Ongpin is this hole-in-the-wall listed in Ivan Man Dy's famed Binondo Wok.

I've made my glutton stops here many times. In fact, every time I do my Binondo walk. Kuchay or Kutsay, however it's spelled, tastes best served as either steamed or fried dumplings here in Dong Bei. Just bring your own chopsticks! ;-)

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Hard to tell these days. But I was simply in search of the "oldest restaurant in the Philippines" and found my way here last week.

My blog on another site may merit your attention. Do scroll down to read the comments especially those from a descendant of the Ambos Mundos founder. Here's the link.

Obviously, there's a long, sad story fraught with legal battles, proprietary rights infringement and sadly, sibling/family feuds here.

Moí? I just want to say I miss the gustatory high I remember from childhood when my father would take me to the (real?) Ambos Mundos for my favorite Morisqueta Tostada or Paella Ambos. Check out the link for more photos and details.

This recent visit failed to remind me of that "high" but just the same, I was happy to satisfy my curiosity. Plus there's the challenge of how to get here. Tip? Park your car in Sta. Cruz Church then hail a tricycle!

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Just when I thought most hotel buffets are the same, Spectrum in the newest hotel in Makati surprises! There was a honey and cheese corner complete with live bees. And I kid you not. Look again.

I simply couldn't resist it. Mascarpone with honey sprinkled with pistachio is the bomb! How much more when I tossed in some almonds and chocolate bits.

Salmon. Sushi. Ceviche. Clams. Perfect starters! But I got hooked with the crunchy goodness of the salmon skin and salmon belly sushi. Really good.

There is a deli corner for your Manchego and Tete De Moines fix. Ask for some prosciutto to top your salads if you like. But promise me you won't skip the carving.

The Roast Beef was perfect. But I found the pork pie too salty. I never had the chance to hop over to the desserts station. But I'm a happy diner.

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It's been around. Used to have unforgettable breakfasts here before my branch visits. Superb way to start the day. Thought back then that this Swiss cafe sure knows how to make and serve their sausages and eggs!

But we weren't here for breakfast. Nor for my fav Osso Buco. I could have been tempted to order a raclette and some wine. But 3:30pm is simply too early.

Mango Flambé for snacks? Why not? And don't forget the homemade ice cream flavors. On this visit, it's butternut and the very creamy cream cheese.

Btw, snack time extended till sunset. So how about this sunset shot for a bonus? (Check this link for more details and driving directions)

Bon apetit!

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