silver chopstix

There is a new restaurant in town, it’s a fusion of Japanese and Korean cuisine. They specialize in rice bowls and sushi. We tried it upon the recommendation of a friend. You order on the counter and they deliver your food at your table. We tried the Edo bowls. I had the protein bowl which is fresh salmon, tuna, avocado and cucumber over sushi rice. Serving is pretty decent, I just wish that they have some sauce mixed in with the fish like poke bowls and cutback on the amount…read more

My sisters brought me to Tim Ho Wan-BGC during my visit to Manila last Summer. This is a Michelin star dim sum restaurant from Hong Kong which has numerous locations across Asia, Australia and now have their first New York City location which opened December 2016. I haven’t tried their restaurant in East Village since I have heard waiting times there is horrendous and the food does not really compare to the ones they serve in Asia. My experience in their BGC location in Manila was great however. Their menu…read more

I just learned about this restaurant while searching for places to eat in East Village. This is a franchise based in Japan and is known as a “standing restaurant”, meaning they don’t have chairs and customers stand while having their meal. It makes for a unique dining experience as you get to interact more with other patrons and gives you a more communal vibe. However, they now offer limited seating for those who prefer to dine that way. There is a system in eating at this restaurant, First you go…read more

During a mini vacation in New York City, we explored DUMBO which is short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. This is a quaint neighborhood in the Brooklyn borough. We planned to have brunch in the area and were there early. To kill time, we had coffee first at One Girl Cookie and took a stroll at the most instagrammable street in Brooklyn, Washington St. which has the magnificent view of Manhattan Bridge. We chose Atrium Dumbo as our lunch spot mainly because it is highly rated and does…read more

Mary Grace Cafe is hands down my favorite restaurant in Manila. I am a fan of their cheese rolls and ensaimada since this has always been the treat my family would bring everytime they would come to visit me here in the Northeast. Mary Grace started out as a home business selling her famous ensaimadas which eventually grew and expanded into cafes. This was my first time to ever try out their restaurant though this is a regular go to place of my family. The restaurant is very cozy and…read more

Nadai Fujisoba is a Japanese franchise that specializes in soba and udon. They opened their first restaurant in Shibuya in 1966 and then opened their first international location in Taiwan in 2014. They have further expanded and has made their their way to the Philippines in 2015 and currently has 5 branches in the country. I got to eat at their SM Aura location during my short trip to the Philippines. We were there for lunch with my sisters, nephews and niece. I was excited to try out this restaurant…read more

My family are such foodies, they know what is new and the best places to eat. My sister took us to Tuan Tuan, the first Chinese Brasserie in the Philippines. They serve Hong Kong style comfort food with a French flair. We already had a big lunch and was looking for a place to have dessert and this place just fits the bill. The restaurant features The Dessert Kitchen which has an extensive selection of decadent and gorgeous treats. My nephews and niece chose these parfaits. Mango Fever is ice…read more

Fely J’s Kitchen is part of the LJC group of restaurants. Our family has been a long time fan of their their flagship restaurant Cafe Adriatico (known for it’s Spanish cuisine) and Bistro Remedios (known for serving chic Filipino fare) in Malate as long as I can remember. Fely J’s is a restaurant dedicated to the the memory of Felicidad de Jesus-Cruz, mother of the late restaurateur Larry J. Cruz (LJC). It features Fely J’s recipes she picked up in her travels. It not only serves Filipino food but other…read more

Sarsa Kitchen + Bar is in my list of the top three places to eat and visit during my trip back to the Philippines. My family had lunch there to celebrate my dad’s 77th birthday. After attending a short service at UCM we just walked a few steps to the restaurant which is located on the same street in Legaspi Village, Makati. I have heard many great things about this restaurant and was really excited to try out their food. They serve modern Filipino food with a twist. Meaning they…read more

Pollo Tropical is a fast food chain that started in Miami, Florida. It specializes in Caribbean cuisine and is known for its flame grilled marinated chicken, beans and rice. They opened a location is New Jersey sometime in 2009 and our family fell in love with its food. It’s our go to restaurant on lazy weekends. Sadly they closed down in 2012. When we went to Florida for a short vacation over the holidays we made it a point to visit a location. It was actually our first stop. We…read more