Sunday, 1 June 2014

Resto Review: Masferre Restaurant

On our last night in Sagada, we decided to dine out and bond together with our travel mates with Travel Factor. It was already quite late at night and it was also a Friday - so most of the restaurants were packed. So we chose to dine in Masferre Restaurant. It was also full so they then opened their rooms in their basement to accommodate incoming customers.

They offer American cuisine but we were really disappointed because most of the items that we wanted to order were no longer available. We then decided to just order their Bolognese Spaghetti (Php 170).

It took more than hour for them to start serving us our orders and as they placed our order in front of us - we were stunned. It didn't look anything Bolognese at all! As I started mixing the sauce into the pasta, I didn't find any traces of meat at all. Eating it just added to our disappointment because it was just plain spaghetti sauce from a pouch. It was absolutely not worth its price at all. This one's a definite FLOP.

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Lake Danum at Sagada

Lake Danum is the best place to be for sun set viewing in Sagada. Unfortunately, it was raining when we were there so we didn't have the chance to see the sun.

You can go kayaking or boating while you're there or simply enjoy the cool breeze and serene scenery.

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Resto Review: Tim Ho Wan, SM Megamall

We originally wanted to try out Tim HoWan at Hong Kong but we didn't get the chance while we were there. And since I heard the news that they will be opening a branch here in the Philippines, we then awaited for its opening. Tim HoWan  is really popular so it's no wonder that there will definitely be a long queue to be able to get seated here. You need to be really patient but the wait is not that long because their service is fast but you have to have your whole party present when your name is called to be able to be seated.

As we were seated, we have already decided to order their Big 4 Heavenly Kings: Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (Php 145), Pan Fried Carrot Cake (Php 145), Vermicelli Roll with Pig's Liver (Php 150), and Steamed Egg Cake (Php 85). My husband also ordered several other items on the list he found interesting.

In just 10 minutes or less, our Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (Php 145) was served. It comes in three pieces and my husband immediately went ahead and took a bite not thinking that the stuffing inside was super hot. hehehe The bun was mildly sweet, crunchy on top but soft all over. It reminds me of Coffee Buns. And the filling was just divine, it was sweet and savory and I can definitely understand why this is one of their best seller and why people kept coming back for more of this.

Next came one of my husband's additional orders, their Glutinous Rice with Lotus Leaf (Php 190). The rice was really sticky and tasted like biko and the meat that goes with it was really tender and flavorful. Although not as popular as their pork buns, I would definitely recommend this if you're looking for a rice meal.

The food just kept on coming during the next minutes, I am really impressed with their fast service. I next tasted one of the heavenly kings, their Vermicelli Roll with Pig's Liver (Php 150). It was really hard to take a grip on one of these rolls with chopsticks, I had to fold them to be able to get one. The roll was soft and the pig's liver was bitter as expected but is complemented with vegetables to balance the flavor. This one is just so so for me.

I next tried another of the heavenly kings, their Pan Fried Carrot Cake (Php 145). These carrot cakes are actually made of radish not carrots - carrots are known as white radish in other places thus the name. It also had bits of chorizo. But I don't think I would be ordering this on my next visit, it was quite greasy for me.

We next tried a couple of their steamed dimsum, the Dumpling Teochew Style (Php 120) and the Beef Ball with Beancurd Skin (Php 120). The Dumpling Teochew Style tasted almost the same as their Vermicelli Roll except that it had no Pig's Liver. And their Beef Ball with Beancurd Skin was really meaty and tasty especially when you dip them in their Soy Sauce and mix it with a bit of chili sauce.

And last but not the least, as our dessert we had their Steam Egg Cake (Php 85). It was light and fluffy and tasted buttery. It was a delicious cake indeed.

Our overall experience with Tim HoWan was a delight. All our food were served hot, fast and delicious. We will definitely come back for their Pork Buns. (",)
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Thursday, 29 May 2014

Sexy Chef 5 day Vegetarian Package

I have managed to gain back the weight I once lost and since I don't have time to go to the gym I decided to try to lose weight through dieting.

To start off my diet, I ordered the Sexy Chef's 5 day Vegetarian Package (Php 1,500). My work schedule is very flexible so I can't accomodate deliveries made with breakfast because they are usually way to early for me - this the reason why I opted for the lunch and dinner package for now.

Day 1
Lunch: Meatless Arroz ala Cubana
I love my first day veggie lunch, it was fulfilling and yummy. My meal had a big serving of brown rice and the viand had green peas, carrots, raisin and crush tofu (I think) smothered in tomato sauce. My only complaint for this meal is that the viand's serving was not proportionate to the amount of rice.

Dinner: Vegetarian Tantanmen
It was my first time to encounter the word "Tantanmen", with a bit of googling I found out that it was a noodle soup. I like the idea that they did not mix the soup with the rest of the ingredients when they delivered it. This way noodles won't get soggy when its meal time.
As I reheated my dinner, the soup smelled of peanuts. I can't quite describe how it tasted but for me it was delicious. I just love the fried tofu included in the soup, it was so tasty.

Unfortunately, I can't really count today as my Day 1 because my husband brought me cake then we later on met with his friends and we ate and drank that night.

Day 2
Lunch: Lentil Pasta Bolognese
Awww... no rice for lunch? =(
At least it's pasta and it's in red sauce too (fave). But how can bolognese be meatless? Their bolognese sauce had a huge serving of green peas, carrots and corn plus they also provided Parmesan cheese to go with it. Once again, they separated the sauce from the pasta when delivered. I really appreciate it that my pasta is not soggy when its time for me to eat them.

Dinner: Tofu of the Sea Bunwich
Now I feel like I'm really on a diet because of this bunwich. I don't know why it is called "Tofu of the Sea" because I did not find anything seafood on it. The tofu stuffing was really flavorful - it had a sweet sour taste and had a little crunch too. I'm not sure if it was pickles or cucumber, but I loved it. The downside to this meal is that the bun was so crumbly that it became messy to eat.

Day 3
I am having several visits to the comfort room today. I am not sure if this is because of what I have been eating with Sexy Chef. I'm not even sure if this is detoxing. Anyways, I checked my weighing scale and I believe a pound or two today. Yipee!

Lunch: Veggie Mongolian Rice Bowl
I am so glad that my lunch today has rice! I just had a very long meeting and this meal is definitely what I need to kick off the tensions. My rice meal had pieces of fried tofu, pechay and bits of corn, bell pepper and shredded carrots (I think). I just love the Mongolian flavors it had.

Dinner: Tofu "Egg" Scramble Burrito
Egg? I thought I ordered vegetarian? Surprisingly, the burrito didn't have egg on it but it was actually tofu coated in curry sauce that made it look like it was egg. Cool! It had soft kidney beans, mushrooms, and green bell pepper which added a bit of crunch to it. The burrito may have looked small but it was a fulfilling meal.

Day 4

Lunch: Tofu "Fish Ball" Afritada with Brown Rice
Tofu again?! I never had this much tofu in a week! hahahaha This time the tofu looked like fish balls but has no fish in it. The tofu balls actually had mushrooms and some greens in it (don't know what really). It was yummy and the afritada sauce had just the right savory and sweet taste. Once again, it was another delicious meal for lunch.

To my fellow readers who kept reading till my day 4 because they are interested to know if this diet works, I am very sorry to disappoint you. Once again, I failed to stick to the system. Me and my husband went out tonight to watch a movie and inevitably I had to eat dinner out with him. Sorry guys... I will keep on writing this post till my day 5 just so you know the type of food they deliver but will not be posting any weight change because it won't be realistic and be unfair to Sexy Chef too.

Dinner: Asian-style Vegetarian Spaghetti (No Shrimp)
I ate Sexy Chef's Veggie Spaghetti on the 5th day as my breakfast. It still smells good after heating it but it did not taste as good. It was plain, a bit bland and did not had much on it - just the usual corn, carrots and peas. Such a disappointment =(

Day 5

Today marks my last Sexy Chef meal and since I am at home with my husband, we ate both lunch and dinner servings together over lunch time.

Lunch: Tofu Satay with Peanut Sauce, Brown Rice and Misono Vegetables
Another tofu meal - now why am I not that surprised. hehehe This time around, their tofu were on a stick and were grilled. The Misono vegetables were crunchy and tasty but tasted like it was buttered. I love their peanut sauce, it was sweet and thick almost like peanut butter.

Dinner: Oriental Fruit Salad with Hoisin Vinaigrette
Their salad had fresh mixed greens and several pieces of grapes and little oranges. The oriental sauce was delicious but I should not have put everything on the salad because soon did I realize that it was too much that my salad was swimming in it. hahahah Had a difficult time tossing the salad since the container was small.

The Verdict

Their food was mostly good except for the Asian Spaghetti. They deliver my food before lunch usually from 10AM to 11AM and I love how they were able to change my delivery address on a day notice since I wanted my Friday delivery to be at home. Their packaging may not be eco-friendly because they had several disposable packaging but I really appreciate how they separate their soups and sauces to retain the ingredients freshness.

I recommend the Sexy Chef 5 day packages for all busy people who are looking for healthy lunch and dinner meals and for those who don't mind eating too many tofu in a week. (",)

If you're interested in this program, log on to http://www.thesexychef.ph/. If you do decide to sign up, please do mention that you were referred by me (Jill Ann Lorenzo) as they can give me a rebate if I refer people. :)

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Resto Review: Sagada Lemon Pie House

The Sagada Lemon Pie House is located on the very far end of the main road. It is very well known for their Lemon Pie thus the name and it is said to be the best in Sagada so we wouldn't want to leave without having to taste one.

The interiors of the log house was oh so cozy, you can find really small tables and chairs and really low tables where you'll be sitting Japanese-style. They also have the normal tables and chairs if you're joints are too sore to sit on the floor.

They don't have waiters and waitresses here so you will have to make your order at the counter. When I got their menu, I am amazed at how affordable their food are.

Since it was raining that time, I ordered a hot Mountain Milk Tea (Php 20) while my husband got their Lemon Tea (Php 15). Notice how cheap these are, not to mention their pies also starts at Php30 per slice. So if you are on a tight budget, go to Lemon Pie House!

I so love my Mountain Milk Tea, it was delicious. Their mountain tea here in Sagada is a bit different from the usual tea, it had a ginger-y taste to it that gives just the right kick. Their lemon tea was as delicious as their milk tea. They provide brown sugar for you to be able to adjust to your liking.

They are also known for their Blueberry Pies but unfortunately they ran out so we ordered everything that they had available. hahahaha We ordered a slice each of their Orange (Php 35), Lemon (Php 30) and Egg (Php 30) pie. At first look, you can't actually tell them apart. They all look the same! You just have to taste them to be able to distinguish which is which.

As we take our first bite at the lemon pie, we didn't feel any spark. The crust was ok, the lemon portion was sour and sweet with a gelatin-like consistency, and meringue on top was light and fluffy. Overall, we didn't think that the meringue helped in improving the pie's taste. We were disappointed and believed that the pie was overrated. Same comment goes to the orange pie, it only differed in flavor. But we did loved the egg pie. The egg pie was the clear winner from them three.

Even though we were disappointed, we still highly recommend this place because their drinks and pies are really affordable and ambiance is so country-style home-y that it's all worth the experience.

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