Sugarleaf Organic Market and Cafe

 

Health is Wealth as they say. Sometimes we let a lot of junk inside our body. Too much fatty food. Most of them are processed. Too much sugar and salt.. We all know that everything too much is bad for our body. We need something to cleanse it. Something to even it out. Something to get rid of this unnecessary toxins that we feed inside. We need something healthy. And this cafe offers everything healthy. Welcome to Sugarleaf. One of the few Vegan and Vegetarian cafes you will ever find in the Metro. Lets reminisce their delicious food!  

These are Crabsticks and Mango Wraps. Its more of like sushi if you look at it. I forgot what is the green veggie inside. I think its some kind of a cabbage, arugula or something. Im not really sure. Then there were crabsticks and mango inside. Best with their home made dip which i think are made with probiotics which are very good to your body. Their Crabsticks and Mango wraps are one of the their best sellers. This is the one you must order if you happen to dine here. 

I also tasted their Organic Soya Chia Strawberry smoothie. It is packed with vitamins and minerals that will boost your body's immune system. Of course its strawberry and its one of my favorite fruits. This is really refreshing and very healthy! 

This one is called  the Jello's Coco-Kefir Ice Cream. Again, this is not your usual ice cream. This is very healthy. It is also packed with vitamins and minerals. This ice cream actually tastes like Yakult! Imagine yakult in an ice cream. you can actually taste its healthy goodnes in there since it has live microorganisms and probiotics which is good for the body.  It has this coconuty taste since it uses cocosugar instead of the ordinary white sugar which they say is bleached, and un-natural.  Its really good.  I love it. 

Now these cookies are one hell of a treat. These are so delicious! These are Organic Oat, Sultana and Nut Cookies. I am actually addicted with oatmeal since im doin my serious fight to weight loss and im starting eating oatmeal for snacks. I usually buy oatmeal cookies and some milk as my morning breakfast every time i pass by Family Mart at the MRT station. This one is no ordinary oatmeal cookies and i would love to have these ones for a change.  

Sugarleaf is definitely one of my favorite cafes right now because they serve healthy and organic food. Give your body a healthy treat by trying some of Sugarleaf's best tasting dishes! This is the place to be for all of you Vegans, vegetarians and to all those health buffs out there! Sugarleaf is located at the corner of Buendia and Paseo de Roxas street. It's inside the Medicard Building. You wont miss it. Its just right off the curve! I actually love the view of the busy streets of Paseo corner Buendia from the inside.  I really enjoyed my visit here. Im sure i'l drop by again sometime if i had the chance. Many thanks to their friendly staff. They have been very helpful.  It's been a pleasure working with you guys. Thank you! Being healthy is a choice. If healthy food is not your thing, try visiting sugarleaf and im sure you will think twice! Another great food adventure! #youlovemyjob #goodeats

Beef Shack BBQ and Ribs

For the past few days i have been scouring the streets of Tomas Morato for some great and affordable food. I came across this place called  G-Strip, just beside Guilley's Bar over at Tomas Morato just near ABS-CBN (in front of Gerry's Grill). And there are a number of food joints there to choose from. And one of them is called "The Beef Shack". G-Strip used to be Guilley's parking lot and they converted it into a huge food place. Its like a big food court where different food kiosks are lined up. Personally, i love grilled food. Steaks and barbecues are kinda my thing and when i saw this place called Beef Shack, i was really intrigued. I  tried their delicious Grilled Beef Short Ribs and man that was really delicious. You can easily peel off the meat like crazy. Its so soft and tender. When you put it inside your mouth, an instant burst of flavor will just hit you! Its really good i swear. It kinda melts inside your mouth as you chew it gently. 

Beef Shack launched a deal at Ensogo for their ribs and I actually bought a voucher because I really want to enjoy this delicious ribs once again. Original price is P450 per plate but when you buy the voucher thru ensogo you'l have it for only P289! (See ensogo link here.)Thats a great value! A big bang for your buck! I wanna share this with my friends. Try it! im sure you will love it as well! 

Beef shack also serves one of the most delicious roast beef. Perfect with their one of a kind mashed potatoes. The sauce is just perfect! It has this little sweetness that I really love. The meat is really tender and soft. You can easily slice it without any effort :) I enjoyed having this one as well! Instead of having it with mashed potatoes and you wanna go traditional with rice, that would be better only if you have an extra cup! Because im pretty sure - mapapakanin ka sa sarap! (you'll have more rice coz its really good).

Beef shack also serve delicious burgers! I love this one right here. I think its a half pounder burger ( pls correct me if im wrong) and it has veggies, and two kinds of cheese - melted cheese and cream cheese! I never seen that combination on a burger before! It's fattening and i dont care! It's really good! They also serve it with these delicious fries. I love it!

Beef Shack is just one of the joints who serve good food over at G-Strip. Theres a lot more actually! So if you're into a rush for something good to eat, you might wanna consider dropping by near Guilleys and satisfy your cravings! Many thanks to Alf for the food! Sobrang sarap ng chibog nyo dyan! Thanks also to Sec for helping me with my strobes! 

Green Pigs Kitchen

There are a lot of great restaurants near the area of Timog Ave, Tomas Morato. But there's this place that seems really special to me. Humbly situated at Scout Torillo street, Green Pigs Kitchen is one of those starting restaurants that surprisingly gave a great impact on my taste buds. Food there is just delicious.  Just like this crispy salmon... Its so delicious. You will definitely enjoy the added crunch as you taste the rock salt right between those slices. Its really good. 

I can't remember when was the last time that I ate callos.  I really don't remember. After eating this one, it will definitely leave a mark in my memory how good this was. Ms. Elfil, one of the owners, told me that it was slow cooked in order for the sauce to thicken and have that distinct and delicious flavor. I love this so much. 

One of the most ordered, or shall I say, the favorite dish to have here in Green Pigs Kitchen is their Ribs. Its heaven. Practically a taste of heaven. It's so soft... Its so tender. It's simply delicious to the nth level! Best served with their very own mashed potatoes and mixed veggies. It's so good. This is the one to order... definitely a must. 

Also had the chance to taste their delicious pork belly. What i like about this one is that, it has less fat and more of the meat. The sauce is just perfect! The sweetness is right on the money!

This is their pumpkin soup. And this is probably the best pumpkin soup i ever tasted. Its rich, it's kinda thick and it smells really good. Always ask for a bowl (or a deep plate) before starting your main course. I love it. Im sure you'l love it too. 

And for dessert, they have a lot of great ones to choose from. We'll start with this Buko Pandan over here. It's really good... It has a lot of coconut meat and the gulaman, or jello is just perfect! I enjoyed eating this one. I really do! 

They have the best brownies I ever tasted! What i love this is its a little crunchy on the top and its just the way i love my brownie. And this baby is crowned with a delicious vanilla ice cream. Its sinfully good...

They also have a wide selection of cupcakes. This red velvet cupcake looks really delicious. Although i didnt had the chance to taste this one but im sure its definitely delicious. The next time i come back here, i'll definitely grab one of these. 

This is the Soft Caramel Apple Filling Croissant. This is such a delightful treat! The croissant is soft and crunchy! The Apple filling and its sauce is really good! This dessert is just perfect after that hearty meal. I actually want to have it for a snack along with coffee or hot choco. :)

I really love the place. The lush ambient light flooded the whole store. The beautiful chandeliers added a really nice vantage point.  Place is really nice and clean.I also love the drapery. 

Green Pigs Kitchen is not only a restaurant, its also a gift shop. You can see a lot of interesting things like these amazing tea cup set. You might see something you like if you drop by here. :)

 I saw this really nice quote hung on the wall and it just says it all... Those are probably the three things that one must do to achieve happiness in life. Live. Love. Laugh. Live your life to the fullest! Love hard! and Laugh out loud! 

I would like to thank Mam Hazel and Mam Elfil for letting me enjoy their really delicious food. I was really full that day! Its a feast and I had it all by myself! I would love to go back there someday. Im actually planning to bring my  brother and his wife there who's coming from Hong Kong this end of the month. Im sure they will enjoy the food there. So guys if you love good and healthy food, visit Green Pigs Kitchen over at Sct. Torillo over at Timog. Im sure you will love it!  

Yaku Japanese Grill

If you're hungry and craving for some japanese food, theres this place over at The Podium in Ortigas I highly recommend. Yaku is one of the best Japanese restaurant that has probably the best Salmon sashimi i ever tasted! Its sooo good. Its soft and tender. You can tell that the fish is really fresh! 

Their sizzling seafood platter is also one of the best! It's a mix of seafood goodness ! Shrimps, pusit, and some clams all mixed together and cooked in this sizzling hotplate. Its really delicious! Definitely one of my favorites! I also love their fried rice! Its so good, you can eat it on its own! 

They also have this BBQ platter which has different kinds of grilled japanese favorites. There are actually names on each of those but unfortunately im too hungry to remember. One of them is quail eggs grilled.. some porb bbqs, and i think the one on the farmost right is some kind of a fish you can only have in japanese restaurants.. it's so delicious! It kinda made me feel im in Tokyo! 

Now for dessert, they have this freshly carved apples and oranges! The chef who made these has one serious skill with the paring knife! Looks really good. I like the swans actually.. that one in the middle. Its really something! 

Even the interior is fabulous. You can see the true feel of a japanese restaurant all over the place. Furniture, the paintings, the lamps, the kitchenwares.. its a remarkable japanese experience out here. This is a great place to bring your date, your family or your barkadas if you wish to have something japanese in mind.. Im sure you will love your dining experience here. So if you have time and if you happen to drop by at Podium, you might want to go to Yaku and taste their finest japanese dishes. Even their "dilis" as their appetizer tastes delicious! I also love their tea. :) 

I wanna thank Sir Arthur and his staff for enlighting us with their delicious dishes. They were so accommodating and very hospitable! Thanks guys!  Also to Pawie of Ensogo, thank you for helping me with the photoshoot. Till next time.  

Vanity Beauty Bar

 You may find it weird that im posting a salon into a blog that is flooding with food posts. Well, this blog actually caters to everything including hairsprays and nail polish. Haha. Well actually. The main reason is that, Vanity Beauty Bar houses one of the best Red Velvet Cheesecake I ever tasted. Not only that, they also serve TWG teas that will definitely make your tensed, stressed and abused body into absolute bliss.

Interior design is very good! This area over here is where your nails are done. You can throw in a nail spa party if you wish! Chairs are really comfy. You can say that this place is really "sosyal". So nice that magazines held their photoshoots here right after the models had their hair taken care off. I actually had the privilege to meet the photographers and staff of Mega Magazine. 

 What i like about this red velvet cheesecake is that, its not too sweet. And its kinda creamy. Even the... What do you call that thing on top of a cupcake? Icing? Whip? Whatever it is, its really good! Love to lick the hell out of that cupcake.

The tea is just perfect.  It soothes...it calms you down. I am not really exagerating or whatever but i really do like it! These past few days i have been addicted into drinking green tea. ( i read in an article that green tea is actually a fat burner just like honey, oats, green chillie, apples... Yeah.. I wanna lose weight) 

So there goes my morning. I had a good cup of tea, a really nice red velvet cupcake and met some very talented people. What a way to start my day. I want to give thanks to the staff of Vanity Beauty Bar, they were very hospitable inspite of the haggardness of the mall guards. To Ms Anja of Mega magazine for her tips on food styling. Also to the photographers and crew of Mega, sorry guys to bother you on your shoot. And to KC of Ensogo. Its quite an experience. Im gonna be back for more cupcakes! Vanity Beauty bar is located at the 3rd floor of Il Terrazo Mall over at Timog Avenue in Quezon City.

Joe's Meatshack

 

This is my first time to eat at the busy streets of kapitolyo in pasig. You will see a lot of establishments lined up and its quite hard to choose coz theres so many. But one thing's for sure, if you consider Joe's Meatshack, you wont regret it. Their food there is simply delicious. One of my favorites is their Fries topped with pork strips and smothered with melted cheese...its so good. that picture on top makes me really hungry right now. 

Another favorite treat are the Buffalo wings. I had a lot of these actually. Its really delicious. I so love the coating of the chicken. Well, i like it not super spicy unlike the others. This is just perfect. Dunk it in to its white sauce and its like you had an orgasm or something. its so good.. u'l be closing your eyes munching your food. 

this is perfect with beer! well, as much as i wanted to drink beer, i cant coz im still working and i dont wanna goof up my shots. maybe some other time when work is not around. i'd probably order a bowl of these all by myself. :) 

Another favorite dish of mine is their pork steak in thick caramel sauce. Man this is the bomb. You can taste the caramel exploding inside your mouth. I love it. Its sweet, but not that much. It compliments the dip and i do believe thats something of a pineapple puree dip. Its good! I love this dish. 

They also serve some fish and chips. I love their fries so much its kinda addicting! Their dory is just perfect. Nice and soft. Tender in the inside. A dash of lemon and a little dip really does it well. Order this if you can. One of my favorites.  

I like the interior of this place because its really spacious. Space is relatively important to me because it gives me a sense of freedom. Freedom to eat my food at ease. Lights are dim. The sounds are kickin in real good (they sell loudbasstards here)... good place to hang out and chill.

I'm gonna leave you with this really nice quote written on the wall as you enter the place. Good Friends, Good Food, Good Times. Its actually those are the things that matter in life. Things that will make you happy and feel alive. At the end of the day, you will revive silly moments and cherish it all together with laughs, ,maybe with a couple bottle of beers and some good food. Sometimes you just got to live with things that matter and just brush all the negativity and hatred aside. 

Many thanks to Sec and Aaron for bringing me here. For the ride. Thank you. To the staff of Joe's Meatshack, thank you po! Your  food is one hell of a treat! Thank you! 

White Moon Bar, Manila Ocean Park

Pick your poison! If i have to give a caption to this photo, that would be it. One of my favorite photos that i ever made. The lighting set-up is really simple actually. Just one strobe diffused by a small snap-on mini softbox on top of the drinks. Ok enough work, lets drink!

They serve delicious meals like their grilled pusit! Its finger licking, extra-rice adding, beer-matching good! Superb!

 Their nachos are delicious as well! One of the best.  Love the taste of the beef and that oozing cheese all over is simply delicious! 

 The White Moon Bar Restaurant over at Manila Ocean Park is one of those places that you'd love to go to if you want to dine al fresco style.  What a great place! The staff were so nice and friendly. I would love to go back here someday...

Close Encounters with Sharks and Stingrays

 

I never imagined swimming with sharks and stingrays. It's quite impossible and a dream actually unless i became a total madman and go deep sea diving, and go nuts swimming with these predators of the sea. Good thing Manila Ocean Park offers that experience and you dont have to go deep sea diving  and put yourself in a cage! You can have your close encounter with sharks and stingrays with minutes away from the metro! I am one of those, along with my officemates, who we're lucky enough to experience this bucket list kind of an experience that surely i wont forget! 

Here we are inside a huge pool where sharks and stingrays are swimming. You can actually feel the stingrays play with your feet and sniff your legs! Its quite an experience. The stingrays are safe. Thats the 1st question that I asked upon briefing if the stingrays are safe and wont go steve irwin on us. Steve Irwin, that crazy guy who loves to have close encounters with different kinds of animals was unfortunately killed by a stingray when the barb on their tails struck him real bad. Good thing those barbs are removed from the stingrays swimming around us.  

This is actually my first time to hold a live stingray. Stingrays or "Pa-ge" in local dialect is a local delicacy. Usually they are captured and cooked with coconut milk! And actually it tastes really good. When i held them in my hand, i felt sorry for all those times that i ate one their kinds... It gave me the thought that stingrays are friends, not food.  

they are very friendly. they swim around you. play with you. I never knew they were so gentle.. and slimey! I even gave this one a kiss! I never even dreamed of kissing a stingray! That was really something coz that dude is lookin at me straight in the eye and im waiting for it to freak out any moment. Good thing he was very still :D

That was quite an experience for me. Too bad they didnt let me bring my GoPro with me and capture some videos. Its kinda their company policy to leave all cameras behind. Before i went home, i had the chance to have a photo-op with the shark and stingray handlers. I believe they have the best jobs in the world! This experience is one for the keeps. I would like to give thanks to the travel team, to sir jojo  and the managers and most specially to the management of Manila Ocean Park for the great photos and the wonderful, unforgettable experience every one of us had.

Golden Waffles

 

First of all, i would like to thank Doc Iris for giving me this privilege to photograph her delicious waffles! Im actually making her marketing materials for her upcoming waffle place called Golden Waffles. She made a lot of waffles that day. Some of them are quite new to my eyes. This Biscoff Stuffed waffle is one of the favorites!

She also serves Blueberry waffles, strawberry filled waffles, Nutella stuffed waffles... some banana peanut butter waffles  and a whole lot more! All of these are really delicious!!!! 

Since im a sucker for strawberries, this one right here is a sure winner! 

 and of course, the blueberry waffles are one of my favorites as well. They also have the blueberry and cream cheese waffles that is actually my personal favorite! You should try it sometime! Im sure you will love it as well! 
I wanna thank again Doc Iris for having me. Im really excited for her restaurant that will open really soon. Watch out for it!