Boracay Eats: Caruso at The District

On our last night in Boracay, everyone was too full to eat (thanks to the calamansi muffins and the chori burger and whatever we could stuff our faces with, haha!).  But heck, it was Christmas day and no one wants to go home without having their Christmas dinner.  Besides, it IS the last night at the paradise.  We were offered free dinner at the Astoria, but we had to turn it down when we found out that we had to undergo a 90-minute seminar about their properties (they were selling time shares, I think).  At that time, my list of food and restaurant must trys have also run out so we didn't have a clue where to eat.  Dad suddenly remembered Caruso at The District, where we had a couple of drinks the night before.  He loved the ambiance and suggested we go there.  No one had a better idea, so we went with his.  And what good idea that was!  Here's what we had:



Filetto di maiale alla Piemontese



Pork fillet with mushroom pietmonte style.  Ahhh what tender pork!  I'm not one to usually order pork in restaurants because usually they overcook it and it becomes tough.  And yes, this was not my dish.  But we agreed to share everything (wrong move!  I loved it so much that I almost finished the dish on my own hahaha oops, sorry folks).



Rotolino di funghi porcini dell 'Ossola

Rolled crepe stuffed with porcini mushrooms from pietmonte region.  Crepe?  Porcini mushrooms?  Yes, yes, yes!  You can never go wrong with the combination of these two things (in my opinion, at least) and surely, Caruso did not disappoint.



Gnocchi Caruso



Home made potato pasta with cream, ham and cheese.  This was my order, and Mom said that mine was the least impressive that night.  It was delicious, but nothing compared to the two memorable dishes that night. 

Overall I'd give a whopping 5 out of 5 for Caruso.  It's sad that we didn't get to try more dishes that night but surely, I will be back (or can I just have the chef kidnapped and sent to me here in Manila?  LOL).  And this, ladies and gentlemen, concludes my Boracay Eats posts.  I hope you liked them! 

Caruso is at The District, Station 2, Barangay Balabag, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan, Philippines.

Boracay Eats: Two Seasons' Pizza

People, websites and blogs have been raving about Two Seasons' pizza has been getting raves for quite some time now.  After swimming, we wanted to get something light, and this gave me the perfect excuse to try Two Seasons' much talked about pizza.  It is really as good as everyone's been saying?  Let's see...



Mushroom Pizza



The first thing we noticed about Two Seasons' pizza was the crust.  It came out piping hot, and was almost crumbling to the touch.  Yes, it's THAT thin.  One bite and you'll close your eyes and wonder why it took you this long to try it out.  I find it a bit sour though... I like my tomato sauce on the sweet side (blame it on the Filipino palate) but original pizzas are really supposed to be on the sour side.  Guess they're just sticking to authentic tastes.



Cheese Pizza

Free of any fuss, nothing but cheese and crust.  Now this, is what good pizza is all about.  I still daydream about this pizza, 2 weeks after. 

Overall, Two Seasons' pizza gets a 4.5 out of 5 stars.  Didn't get to try their other food offerings though, but I will, hopefully in the near future.

Two Seasons is at Station 1, Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan

Boracay Eats: Kasbah

On our third day in Boracay, we decided to hang out in Station 1.  Hubby and I planned to ride the ATVs in the afternoon but first we needed to have lunch.  I already had Kasbah on my mind, I just hoped that the rest of the family will go with my plan since they're not keen on trying exotic dishes.  As luck would have it, they said yes when I asked them if they're willing to try Moroccan food!  Yay!

Here's what we had:

Chorba Vegetable Soup

Brother ordered this soup made out of a mix of pureed vegetables.  Hmm.. not a fan, but he seems to have no problem with it.   



Mixed Platter Brochette



We wanted to try a bit of everything so we got the mixed platter.  One each of fish, prawn, beef and chicken.  The fish and chicken were tender, the beef was a bit tough.  Didn't get to try the prawns though...



Seven Vegetable Couscous



It's not everyday that we get to eat couscous, and I like couscous, even with the vegetables!  Haha!



Lamb Tagine



The lamb was tender, perfectly cooked.  Just wish it didn't have that much fat.



Chicken Pastilla



The Chicken Pastilla was a pleasant surprise.  Light pastry filled with spiced chicken and topped with powdered sugar and cinnamon.  The combination seemed off but it gave off an explosion of flavors at first bite.  Everyone kept digging in, and it was gone in seconds.

Overall I'd give Kasbah a 4 out of 5 stars.  And call me ignorant, but upon chatting up the server, we found out that there's already a branch in Fort!  Now we don't have to go all the way to Boracay just to savor Kasbah's Moroccan goodness.

Kasbah is at Boracay, Station One, White Beach Malay, Aklan.

Boracay Eats: Dos Mestizos

Before we flew to Boracay, Hubby has asked his Boracay-based friend to recommend a good restaurant.  His friend told him that Dos Mestizos has one of the best paellas and it's a must try.  So on our second night, we ventured out to Dos Mestizos.  Unlike the usual restaurants which can easily be found in Stations 1 and 2, Dos Mestizos is located in Station 3, and it's not easy to locate either.  We initially thought it was situated near the talipapa (market) so we had the tricycle drop us off there.  It was when the tricycle had already left that we discovered that it was far from the talipapa, so we had to ride another one to get to the restaurant.  The journey didn't end there, as the tricycles were only allowed to get to a certain point, and we were forced to walk some distance just to get to Dos Mestizos.  Whew!  By the time we got there, everyone was tired and probably thinking "this restaurant better be good, or else..."  Haha!  There was even a short moment of panic when the manager told us that they were full.  Good thing there was available space at their deli next door.  No choice but to take whatever seats we're given so deli it is!  Here's what we had: 

Sangria

The Sangria was a complimentary drink.  I found the coupon at one of the Boracay booklets lying around the Fairways and Bluewater welcome center.  Refreshing.

Ensalada Verde

The family opted to have the simplest of the salads, with just mainly the greens.  Not a fan, though the others seem to have no problem with it.  Must be me and my anti-vegetable self. LOL.

Complimentary Bread

Soft bread that can be dipped in either the balsamic-olive oil mixture or pesto.  We finished the pesto dip and asked for seconds.  

Croquettas de Jamon

Potatoes with ham and bechamel.  4 pieces for a party of 5 hungry people.  Wish they'd increase the serving size.

Callos con Garbanzos

Stewed ox tripe with chick peas.  Mmmm... now we're talking!  One of the yummier dishes that night.  

Paella Negra

...and the famous paella that made us troop all the way to Station 3 and beyond.  It was good, but to tell the truth, I've tried better paellas here in Manila.

Lengua Estofada

Braised ox tongue in rich demi glace.  Melts in your mouth but I prefer a creamier version.

Christmas Ham

The unexpected star of the night.  This, in my opinion, was the best dish that night.  Extra thin slices of tender ham and that perfect mix of salty-sweet goodness.  If I'd go back, then I'll go back for this.  Not sure though if this is available all year round or just for the holidays.

Overall I'd rate Dos Mestizos a 3 out of 5 stars.  Maybe some of the dishes were just off that night because they were fully booked?  

Dos Mestizos is at Sitio Manggayad, Station 3 (beside the police station).

Be Thankful for the Little Things

In our lifetime, things may not always go our way.  Some things will disappoint us, while some will go beyond our expectations.  But whatever happens, we should always remember that everything happens for a reason.  I know, I know.  You have heard it a thousand times, but really, it's true.  I myself cannot count how many times I've had a sucky day.  Days where no matter what you do, something always goes wrong.  And whenever you try to fix it, it just blows up in your face.  Like the universe came together and conspired to make your life a living hell.  Something like what happened on the day we flew back from Boracay, just last month.  Flight got delayed, traveled from Caticlan to Kalibo airport, waited 8 hours on the airport, found out dog died, got accidentally hit hard in the head with a laptop bag and burned my fingers. All in one day.  Yes I wanted to scream and shout.  I wanted to curse and kick and go bananas.  And I did.  Well, the cursing part.  You see, nothing is perfect, and it never ever will be.  Life is a spinning wheel, sometimes you're up, sometimes you hit rock bottom.  My point?  We should always appreciate the little things that makes us happy.  Like yesterday.  Yesterday was the birthday of my SIL (sister in law).  (Ach, if you're reading this, belated happy birthday!)  We were supposed to eat in Cyma Shangri-la Plaza, but when we got there, we discovered that the restaurant was closed (they were having a post-Christmas party for their staff).  Suddenly, we were lost; didn't know where to eat.  And time was ticking: it was already 8 o' clock.  We went through numerous restaurants in our heads but nothing seem to fit.  We really had Cyma on our minds, plus, it was one of the family's favorite restaurants.  One minute short of giving up and just going for whatever restaurant that's there, it was then that Hubby was reminded of what I told him earlier: HEAT Edsa Shangri-la Hotel was having a New Year promo. Php799++ lunch from Mondays to Saturdays and Php999++ dinner from Sunday to Wednesday, with a minimum of 5 diners.  It was a Monday and we were 6, it was perfect!  So HEAT it was, and we had a wonderful dinner.  Unplanned, yes, but we ended up enjoying every bit of it.  The most important thing of all, is that the celebrant is happy.  

Second little thing:  I was just browsing through Facebook in the middle of the afternoon when an online contest that RX 93.1 was sponsoring popped up in my feed.  They were giving out tickets to the premiere of the Tom Cruise movie "Jack Reacher".  Simply answer the question "Why do you want the ticket?" and the 10 best answers get a pair of tickets!  My answer?  "Barely saw my husband the past week because of work.  Watching Jack Reacher would be the perfect chance for us to bond and spend quality time together."  Simple, a bit cheesy, but 100% true and straight to the point.   Didn't think much about the contest since I rarely win these things and there were about a hundred entries.  It was when we came home from my SIL's birthday dinner that I remembered and checked Facebook again for updates.  And... I won!  I know, it's not lotto but still, it felt good!  Will definitely savor every minute of that movie later.  

Third little thing:  Have always been a fan of Cecile Van Straten aka Chuvaness, so of course I follow her on Twitter and Instagram.  Yesterday afternoon she posted to Instagram about Tonkichi, a restaurant I've been wanting to try in HongKong.  Being curious, I asked her if it was better than Saboten, the famous tonkatsu place at the foodcourt of the HongKong Airport.  And this is what happened next:

Yes, she replied!  To me!  Ultimate fan girl mode: on.  It was just a simple thing but it meant a lot.  See?  These are the little things that I am talking about.  Always find joy in the little things in life.  Learn to appreciate the little surprises that life brings everyday.  Because in little things, you will find great happiness.  And when I find myself stuck again in one of those nightmare days, I will always look back at this post; look back at the things that made me smile.  And I will know in my heart that there's always a rainbow after the rain, and everything will be alright.  And with that, I leave to you the lyrics to the song "Smile" by Nat King Cole.  

Smile though your heart is aching 

Smile even though it's breaking 

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by 

If you smile through your fear and sorrow 

Smile and maybe tomorrow 

You'll see the sun come shining through for you 

Light up your face with gladness 

Hide every trace of sadness 

Although a tear may be ever so near 

That's the time you must keep on trying 

Smile, what's the use of crying? 

You'll find that life is still worthwhile 

If you just smile 

That's the time you must keep on trying 

Smile, what's the use of crying? 

You'll find that life is still worthwhile 

If you just smile

Boracay Eats: Sanson at the Pearl of the Pacific

My first ever trip to Boracay was 13 long years ago.  That was my first and only trip there prior to the recent  trip we had.  Boracay then was nothing like the Boracay we now know.  Back then it was just the sand and the water.  The place was quiet and serene.  We stayed at the Pearl of the Pacific and one thing that really stuck to me was remembering how my Mom was almost always at the hotel restaurant every afternoon having the bibingka.  In her own words, it was "the best and yummiest bibingka ever.  Nothing compares."  So on this trip, it was mandatory that we pay a visit to the Pearl of the Pacific to have their bibingka we craved for 13 years.  As luck would have it, it appears that the bibingka has been taken off the menu for quite some time now.  The server didn't even know they had it; she claims the only time they served it was during Holy Week.  We were all disappointed.  But since we were already there, we decided to just have our lunch in Sanson.  Here's what we had:



Spring rolls mozzarella



Mozarella pieces wrapped in spring roll sheets and fried to a nice crunchy perfection.



Combination of calamares and fried prawns



It's rare to find a combination of calamares and prawns in one order.  We found it lacking (the prawns were just 3 pieces), but the overall taste was not bad.



Beef ribs



Uh... yup.  That's beef ribs.  We were initially surprised when this dish arrived at our table.  We thought the server got our order wrong and gave us sweet and sour fish instead.  Upon closer inspection, it really was beef ribs!  But sweet and sour beef ribs?  The taste is not something you'd get used to right away.  But the ribs were really tender.



Chicken Kebab



The Chicken Kebab was tender, grilled to perfection. 



Pork Liempo



The pork liempo tasted so-so.  Just like any other pork liempo you would find in other restaurants.  Not much of a fan of the liempo because of the huge chunk of fat included in each piece.



Pancit Canton



Tender noodles with a nice bite.  My only concern was that the vegetables were more than the actual noodles.



Vegetable Curry



The Vegetable Curry was too watery for my taste.  Wish they would have reduced the water and went for a creamier version.

Overall I would rate Sanson a 3out of 5 stars.  It's not bad, but it can improve so much more.

Sanson is at the Pearl of the Pacific, Station 1, Boracay.

Boracay Eats: Aria

A trip to Boracay is never complete without the food.  Being the foodie that I am, I made sure to make the proper research as to where the best restaurants are, so that I won't live in regret about not trying the restaurants that people are raving about.  The list was quite long; I wasn't even sure we could go through half of them, with just 3 days on the island.  But guess what?  I was able to cross everything off my list!  Thank you, dear family, for bearing with my food adventures.  And for bearing with me shooing you away when  you try to touch the food that I haven't photographed yet.  I love you guys :)

That being said, let's get to the first one on the list:  Aria.  For a long time now, Aria would be the first thing that people will say when you ask them for restaurant recommendations.  There was even some sort of a commotion among the food community when news spread that they were opening in Bonifacio High Street Central just over a year ago.  Those who tried the BHS Central branch were disappointed.  Some said it's nothing compared to the Boracay branch.  So I never did attempt to try for the fear of a letdown.  So when we got to Boracay on the first day, the first thing I did was bug everyone to have dinner in Aria.  They gave in!  How did it go?  Read on: 

Aria at night

What we had:

Insalata di uva, lattuga, acciuga e mozzarella (a salad of lettuce, grapes, anchovies and fresh mozzarella tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette dressing)

The salad was nice and crisp.  Though I'd like my balsamic vinaigrette a little sweeter, the mozzarella more than made up for it.  

Tagliatelle con tartufo, asparagi e prosciutto di parma (homemade tagliatelle with white truffle sauce, asparagus and parma ham)

I'm a sucker for anything with truffle/truffle oil, so this one is a no-brainer.  I love how strong the truffle smell is; that just means they didn't scrimp on the truffle oil!  This counts as one of the best truffle pasta I've ever tasted.  Two thumbs up!  

Spaghetti al gorgonzola (spaghetti with a gorgonzola cheese sauce)

The gorgonzola spaghetti is also delicious.  It was just right without the overpowering smell.  But my heart belonged to the truffle pasta the moment it entered my mouth.

Pollo alla cacciatora (bite sized chicken sauteed in an aromatic red wine sauce)

The only meat dish for the night.  The chicken itself was tender, but the taste was just ok, nothing fancy.  

Pizza al Metro (giant trio pizza, any three flavor combinations)

5 people vs. one humongous pizza.  And yes, the 5 people won.  Or is it 3?  Mom and Dad gave up after having a slice of each of the three flavors.  Brother, Hubby and I had to finish the whole thing by ourselves!  

Here are the three flavors we chose:

Mamma mia (tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella, grilled eggplant, param ham and shaved parmesan)

Aria (tomato sauce, mozzarella, parma ham)

Salsiccia (Italian sausage tomato sauce, mozzarella)

I initially wanted to get the 4 cheese pizza, but Dad wasn't a fan of too much cheese, so we got these three.  The verdict?  I would've loved more toppings, but the crust itself is oh so delicious!

Overall Aria gets a 4 out of 5 stars.  The people have spoken; it truly is one of Boracay's gems. 

Aria is at D' Mall Station 2, Boracay.

Fairways & Bluewater

When I found out that we were staying at Fairways & Bluewater for our Boracay trip, I got excited.  Hubby's cousin recently stayed there and we've heard good things about it.  A good hotel is always appreciated; be it a 5-star hotel or not, it really doesn't matter as long as it's clean.  What I didn't expect was this: 

The kitchen

The couch and dining area

Common bathroom

Bedroom

Bedroom (other side)

Master bathroom

Walk-in closet

Ok confession:  Hubby and I actually did not stay at this one bedroom suite.  Mom, Dad and Brother did.  But I really was amazed by the size of their room, it's HUGE!  Plus points for the kitchen and the walk in closet.  I mean, how many hotels can provide you with those, right?  It reminded me of the time when Hubby and I went on our honeymoon in Florida.  We were staying at the Marriott Cypress Harbour and the rooms are very similar.  I love it!  There's a catch though:  Fairways & Bluewater is not located at the beachfront or any of the stations.  It's farther along and the only way to get to the beach is to ride the tricycles or take their free hourly shuttle which can sometimes be full and you'll be forced to wait another hour or just take the tricycle.  Plus points is that when we had breakfast at their clubhouse, the staff are very nice and accommodating.  They will always greet you with a smile, and the servers are also very attentive.  Waters are refilled without the need to ask; plates are also cleaned out the moment you are finished.  Wish some of the servers in the restaurants here in Manila could train with them so that they can be as efficient as the staff in Fairways & Bluewater.  Overall, we were very satisfied with Fairways & Bluewater and would definitely stay there again when we go back to Boracay :)

Fairways & Bluewater is in Newcoast, Boracay.

I'm baaaaaack! --- Boracay at a Glance

Back from Boracay!  Actually... we got back on the 26th.  It was a fun/rainy/tiring trip.  So much things have happened, both good and bad, and I can't wait to share everything with all of you!  Let's start off with the bad, so that we can leave it behind.  Actually, the trip was pretty good, I enjoyed it immensely after being away from Boracay for 13 years.  The only bad thing occurred on the last day, as we were about the leave for Manila.  The island was on typhoon watch; typhoon Quinta was to hit during the afternoon but it was already signal #1 by the time we woke up.  Our flight was scheduled to depart at 1:30PM, but when we got to the Caticlan airport by 10:45AM, we were told that all flights were cancelled and we are to ride the service to go to the Kalibo airport.  1 and a half hours away.  So yes, we took the service and when we got to the Kalibo airport at 12:40PM, we were then told that our plane has not yet arrived and there is still no advise as to when we are to fly.  Nothing to do but wait.  Tick tock, tick tock... 3 hours flew by... then 5... Hundreds (or maybe more than a thousand?) of  people we cramped up into the tiny airport, slowly beginning to become impatient.  By this time we have already eaten all the instant noodles/hotdogs/chocolates/water at the airport snack bar, combed through the airport gift shops and memorized the airport map.  Other flights (SeaAir, Airphil Express) have already left.  Us?  Still no advise and no sign of the Cebu Pacific plane.  On the 7th hour of waiting, there was finally an announcement that our plane will be arriving shortly.  It was a short sigh of relief because after that, Mom got a call that our 8 year old black labrador, Kobe has suddenly passed away.  No sickness whatsoever.  Can this be a sign?  Some people say that when house pets suddenly pass away, it means that they took your place to get you out of harm's way.  It was indeed a sad, sad day.  We finally landed in Manila past 9:00PM.  It was bittersweet.  I guess in life there's always ups and downs.  There is nothing perfect but if we learn how to deal with the bad things, then we will come out as the winner in the end.  

Sorry for the extra long post!  Now on to the good stuff!  Here are a couple shots of our whirlwind trip to Boracay!  Expect a lot more detailed posts ahead!  Enjoy! :) 

1.  Boarding pass to paradise

2.  First glimpse of Boracay

3.  The airport

4.  Shuttle 

5.  At the waiting lounge

6.  First meal in Boracay

7.  Let's volt in!  LOL.  Cute mosquito patches!

8.  Amazing lights at The District

9.  Human statues

10.  Lounging at the Shangri-La Boracay

11.  My sandy feet

12.  Do it yourself Pina Colada
13.  My Real Coffee Calamansi Muffins!

14.  Sand Art

15.  The taste of Chori Burger without bun

16.  ATV

17.  Monitor Lizard at the Aviary

18.  My best baywatch impression LOL

19.  Typhoon Quinta showing prowess

20.  The crowd forming at the Kalibo Airport

Year End Vacation

Off to a much needed year end vacation!  Can you guess where?

If your guess is the beautiful island of Boracay, ding ding ding!  You win!  Win what?  A kiss and a hug from me, of course!  LOL just kidding :)  It's been 13-something long years since I last set foot on this beautiful place.  Always been planning, but never really pushed through with it.  What do you know, this year end trip to Boracay was only planned a few weeks ago!  So excited!  4 whole days of rest, relaxation.  Nothing but me, the sun, sand and the waters.  And the people!  And FOOOOOOOD!!!  The list of restaurants has already been prepared.  Food warriors, go go go!  LOL!  Zero bikini body for me, unless you count the zero literally. 0 = shape of my body :)

If you happen to be around Boracay for the next four days, do say hello if you happen to see me (hopefully I'm not stuffing myself silly around that time, but please, do stop me if I am).

Off we go!  Be back in a few days!