Quickstop Cafe (Magsaysay Ave., Naga City)

Hi everyone!

About two weeks ago, we had a lunch gathering with friends who also happen to be co-workers. Jael initiated the meet-up while Caressa and I decided on where we should eat, which was at Quickstop Cafe, located on the second floor of Quickstop Convenience Store along Magsaysay Avenue, Balatas, Naga City.

It was Caressa’s second visit and she took the photos as I forgot to bring my camera that time.

The cafe looked like a regular cafe with ample seats and nice cool ambience where young people can hang out and probably bring a date.

As with the food, we anticipated that preparation would take some time so since C and I got there ahead of everyone, we texted them to ask what they wanted to eat and ordered for them. This way, they didn’t have to wait too long for the food to be served.

These are some of the food we sampled:

The Buffalo Wings were so good and for the price of a little over a hundred pesos only, there were 6 pieces and it came with garlic mayo dip.

Buffalo Wings

The next was Chicken Teriyaki bowl. Unfortunately, I did not get to try this one but since J had no issues with it, it must be good.

Chicken Teriyaki

This was my order – Special Daing na Bangus. It was fried milkfish with achara (pickled papaya with tomatoes and onion), rice and garlic vinegar for dipping sauce. Although the fish was a little smaller than I expected, it was still filling enough for me. I’d have it again in case I get a craving for fish.

Special Daing na Bangus

Another dish that I really liked was the Chopsuey Rice because it was tasty, you can tell that the vegetables were fresh and cooked just right (not overcooked), plus this one already comes with rice (not in picture). Even the picky eating buntis (expecting mom), Arleyn, liked it.

Chopsuey Rice

We also ordered Beef Tenderloin Tips served on a sizzling plate. I found it was tasty enough but I tended to gravitate more towards their chicken dishes.

Beef Tenderloin Tips

Irene’s order was Chicken in Soy Garlic Sauce. She arrived before her order was served but was pleasantly surprised when her order came out and there were six pieces of chicken cutlets to share. This was also very good.

Chicken in Soy Garlic Sauce

As for dessert, C and I ate a Panacotta before the meals were even served and way before the others arrived since we were famished, but had to wait for the others simply because it was good manners, of course, lol.

Finally, we washed down all that food with a refreshing pitcher of cold Cucumber Lemonade (Php150.00).

Added bonus pics: Caressa was nice enough to lend me some of her pictures of the first time she was at Quickstop Cafe with a friend wherein they had Carbonara and Chocolate Mousse, among others. Posting it here for additional reference of the variety of food that they offer.

If you noticed, I did not put all the prices. It was because their prices were so reasonable that every dish we ordered were just a little over Php100.00 and their desserts in jars costed, more or less, Php50.00. Not too bad at all, right? And oh, we did not order drinks like coffee or tea that time so I have no pics of those yet, but I will try to update you as soon as I can. =)

So, I guess that’s it for now. If I was able to help you guys out in some way through my posts, in keeping you informed or whatever, I’m just glad I could do as much.

Enjoy the rest of the weekend!

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Lucban’s KSarap Resto (Daet, Camarines Norte)

Hello everyone! It’s me again, updating you on what’s hot and what’s worth your time and money if you ever find yourselves in Bicol.

Last week, we took a trip to Jose Panganiban, Camarines Norte and one of our stops was lunch at Lucban’s Ksarap Restaurant, located along Vinzon’s Avenue in Daet, Camarines Norte – just infront of SM Hypermarket.

Mama Pat suggested that we have lunch there as the said resto is best-known in the area in terms of serving good food. The ambiance was not bad either. They even have a machine that produces mist by the entrance to help cool the place from the sweltering heat somehow. They have a pasalubong shop, parking space inside the compound and a koi pond. 

Even though the place was packed when we got there, we were able to secure a spot inside and enjoy a few of their dishes like Sotanghon (Php220.00), Pork Sinigang (P130.00) and Lumpiang Shanghai.

We shared a slice of yummy Blueberry Cheesecake for dessert.

Blueberry Cheesecake (Php 130.00 per slice)

I must say, we enjoyed our stopover. I hope you will too! =)

 

Xentro Mall (Polangui, Albay)

Hi again everyone! Okay, this is going to be very brief. Just need to update on my posting and share with you the new places to go and see in the land of sili and gata– Bicol!

So, if you ever have plans to head south bound and visit the Bicol  provinces, particularly Albay, you would probably be glad to know that you can now stop, shop and eat (or freshen up) at the newly opened Xentro Mall in Polangui. 

This is what we did on our way back home from Sorsogon to Naga City. Yoy was really tired and hungry, and Julienne, she just wanted to go to the mall, period.

First, we needed to use the rest room and on the way, we passed by the lounge.

Then, the rest room was nice and clean and I liked that they have art works hanging on the wall. The cleaning lady was also helpful and friendly.

 

As we were really hungry, we then headed to the food court! This is what it looked like.

I ordered Strawberry and Cream Crepe and brewed coffee from this shop called Waffle and Crepe. I don’t remember how much I paid but I remember that it was just a little over Php100.

Strawberry and Cream Crepe was delicious and has just the right amount of sweetness.

Yoy bought Sisig (spicy pork skin, bits and innards) and rice meal  from I don’t know which shop. He said it costed around Php65.00 and the sisig was not crunchy (soggy) and not that great after all.

Other stuff we ate were kwek-kwek (fried quail eggs in dough) and goto (rice porridge).

After eating and resting at the food court, again we were ready to hit the road. Thanks for travelling with us!  =)

 

 

 

M Plaza (Diversion Road, Triangulo, Naga City)

I have not posted anything in almost four months. I have regrettably been MIA in blogsville for quite some time because… life happened. Lots of shitty stuff happened within those months and TBH, they drained the life out of me. And if it wasn’t for my new-found love (addiction) for K-drama, I would have lost a lot of sleep overthinking stuff which could have ended pretty badly with me wearing a straitjacket. Probably. Haha.

So, life happened to dump its crap on me for a while, but it happens to everybody. And while it was all happening, I kept on keeping on and still lived my life anyway, minding my own business – eating, drinking, going on trips, watching my K-drama and even jogging now. And I guess the better stuff of life involves eating a great deal.

Well, since I’m not one to dwell, let’s talk about M Plaza instead. It is located along Diversion Road in Triangulo, Naga City and a good place to hang out and have a fun time with friends and family because they have restos offering good food and a good ambiance.

I have been there around four times already. The first time was with Caressa, a new co-worker of mine . We tried it for the first time and ate at this resto called Oppa, which is a Korean fusion restaurant. Oppa’s food were reasonably priced. We had Samgyeopsal (Php 270.00) or pork belly that we grilled ourselves and Cheese Teokbokki (Php 130.00) which was spicy rice cakes with gooey cheese on top. Yum!

Cheese Teokbokki

The second time, there was already four of us and we tried the Japanese restaurant near Oppa. Their prices were a little on the high side and the portions were not very much as well, but the dishes we tried were tasty.

We had Naruto Ramen, although the waitress said that three persons can share this one but I’m pretty sure I can finish this bowl alone. The broth was lovely and I especially like the fried pork belly rolls. So good!

Naruto Ramen (Php 310.00)

I always love California Maki, and this one is good!

California Maki

M Plaza is a good place to hang out during a cool breezy evening such as when we had soju and beer.

It is also very kid-friendly as they even have a play ground for kids with swing, see saw, a jungle gym and a go-kart rental.

Photo credit: M Plaza Building Facebook page

 

I guess that’s that for now. Thanks for stopping by! =)

All Day Supermarket is Now Open! (Del Rosario, Naga City)

Good news for the residents of Del Rosario, Naga City, nearby barangays and towns, All Day Supermarket is now open! It is located at Vista Mall, a mall which is still under construction as of this writing. However, the residents of Del Rosario, such as myself, will find it accessible to do their grocery shopping at All Day Supermarket which opened last June 15, 2018 with Alex Gonzaga as the celebrity guest.

I was meaning to post this real time but I was struggling with my own… oh, just got a bit lazy, I guess.

Anyway, we went there during the opening night because we figured there’d be too many people during the day who would wanna go in first. When we arrived, Alex Gonzaga was just being called to the stage, which was situated outside the mall near the entrance. We stayed during her first two song numbers but went inside the supermarket soon after that because we were really far and couldn’t really see anything anyway.

So, there were still a lot of people inside the supermarket.

I have seen all sorts of food items that you would expect from a supermarket – grains and beans, canned items, eggs, milk, fresh produce and a lot more. They even have various kitchen tools, bags, slippers, toys and even underwear.

In the fresh produce section, I got excited to buy some fresh black cherries because I never had fresh cherries before. It doesn’t grow here in the Philippines and we don’t often see it in our grocery stores. It’s kinda expensive though at around Php500 per kilo so I just bought a few pieces just to taste.

They also have other imported fruits such as peaches, strawberries, kiwi fruits, grapes and lychees.

Local fruits that were on display are avocadoes, guyabano, papaya, bananas and coconuts.

What they have that other supermarkets and groceries around here don’t have are these imported ready-to-heat food such as pizza, pasta, risotto, roti and burrito.

Another thing they have that others don’t is this service called “Paluto” where you can buy fresh seafood and meats and have them cooked inside the supermarket. There are tables and chairs there where you can relax and enjoy your meal, much like Dampa style.

The only thing they have to improve on though is the cashier being too slow. People get frustrated while lining up at the cashier because, let me say it again, really slow. Almost not moving.

The All Home, Vista Mall’s appliance and furniture store, is also now open. This store is huge and the employees are friendly.

I think Nagueños and other town folks will definitely like their display of household items, lighting, home decorations, furniture and appliances. The words I can think of to describe their stuff are updated, affordable and plenty of choices.

So, there it is, if you happen to be in the area, you might wanna check this new supermarket out and pretty soon, the Vista Mall will be opening too.

Thanks a lot for reading! Till next time.

 

 

 

 

 

Green Earth Cafe (Naga City)

I have long wanted to feature Green Earth Café in my blog ever since a friend of mine introduced me to the healthy dining experience it offers. The right opportunity presented itself when my aunts and cousins visited from Manila and I thought I’d bring them there for lunch because both my aunts cannot eat just anything anymore. They have limited food choices now that they’re older. They always have to eat healthy.

So, Green Earth Café was the first thing that popped into my head that I know serves healthy food in Naga City and with a really cozy ambience to boot.

The food took a long time to prepare, something that I have not taken into consideration beforehand, knowing that my guests were tired from the long trip. And tired often leads to hungry eventually. On our table was a reminder warning that healthy food preparation may be slow but it is worth it, or something to that effect. The reminder advised that to avoid waiting for a long time, better call or text your order ahead of time. Why did I not know this before?

So, after what seemed like a looong wait, the Nacho with Salsa dip was served. The nacho tasted like it was made from scratch which I like. Everyone liked the salsa dip because it was fresh and laced with mint leaves. My kid liked this dip even though she does not eat veggies unless wrapped in lumpia wrapper and deep fried.

Next that came out was the Tofu with Black Pepper Sauce. This was a good healthy dish and the tofu was homemade.

Then there was the Shiitake Mushroom in Sesame Sauce which I thought was very similar to the dishes you can eat in a Chinese restaurant because of the sesame seeds and sauce. It also had tofu, carrots and young pechay leaves. This might be my new favorite among the dishes we ordered.

We ordered brown rice and they even made an effort to plate the rice with a sprig of mint. This mint eventually went into Nay Henring’s glass of warm water.

We also ordered the Vegan Mushroom Sandwich, also a favorite of mine, but not such a huge hit in our crowd of eight.

The Vegan Pad Thai was the very first dish I tasted at Green Earth Café. Bianca and I went to this café twice. And on the two occasions that I have been there, we ordered this dish, which is good for 3-4 persons. I usually like the noodles but I think they overcooked it a bit because it did not seem as al dente as I remember. And the last time I had this dish from this same café, the peanuts were young, crunchy and fresh and just barely cooked so when you munch into them they give that delightful milky taste. However, this time I forgot to get some peanuts for my plate so I cannot say that they were the same but I liked the crunch of the sprouted mung beans.

We also had the Thai Spring Rolls which was made of sprouted mung beans, grated carrots, nuts and herbs wrapped in lumpia wrapper and served with Thai style peanut sauce.

Note: Not the exact number of spring rolls because lucky fingers got to them first lol

The last order that arrived was the Veggie Spring Rolls which was basically lumpia with sprouted mung beans as the main ingredient. It came with vinegar with chilli and mint, and a side dish of tomato enchilada.

After our meal and while waiting for my aunts and cousins outside, Julienne and I had a good look around.

The daughter took my photo… Good job!

Siling Labuyo… hot!

This cafe is located at 3rd St., Villa Sorabella Subdivision, Concepcion Grande, Naga City. How to find it when you’re driving: take the Maharlika Highway going to Concepcion Grande then look out for the building which houses Banco De Oro (BDO) or Olivan Home Depot, take the right turn (assuming you came from Naga City proper) going to Villa Sorabella Subdivision, just a few houses straight ahead and you’re sure to spot their signage. Its the left turn for vehicles coming from Legazpi City. For commuters: Take the jeepney going to Concepcion and ask the driver to take you to Royal Ann. The building that now houses Olivan Home Depot and BDO used to be the Royal Ann Hotel, and until now, commuters always say Royal Ann instead of BDO so as not to confuse the driver and miss their stop.

Most of the dishes at Green Earth Cafe are priced higher than Php150.00 but with all our orders, our bill only reached up to Php1,300.00+. Good healthy food and good value for money. No wonder the restaurant has a regular following. It’s a must-try for tourists and those of you who want to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

24 High St. (Triangulo, Naga City)

Hi guys! I’m happy to report that this is my third post for the month of April and I think I’ve outdone myself in the posting department. As another blogger friend, Anne, told me just weeks ago, even if I come up with only one post per month, the important thing is to not give up. Thanks a lot for cheering me on Anne! Means a lot! ❤

So, last Monday after office hours, I went out with two of my friends from work, Irene and Arleyn, who took me to this new food barn in Naga City called 24 High St. It was really nice and thoughtful of them to ask me to eat out just because they thought I could use it for my blog. Well, the place is blog worthy anyway, so why not?

Ooops, the drinks are almost gone but where are the burgers???

24 High St., located in Brgy Triangulo,  is easy enough to find and not just because of the classic VW Beetle which was hoisted and placed about 12 feet from the ground as landmark but because it is just at the back of St. Joseph School and very near Bicol Access Health Centrum. However, it is not included in the jeepney route so you will need to take a tricycle to get there (fare is Php8.00 per person).

Inside the food barn are several food stalls selling assorted food and drinks from barbeque, chicken, noodles, coffee, fruit juices, soda, french fries, pasta, sandwiches, burgers, nachos and even lechon belly. There is even a bar that sells beer and other alcoholic beverages.

I ordered from the stall of a coffee shop called Single Ancestry. I was in a less than adventurous mood that time and I already know this shop so I got the Matcha Over Ice which is a sweet green tea milk drink and the Shrimp Pesto Pasta. To be honest, the Matcha Over Ice was delicious but a bit too milky for my taste. I should remember to ask for more green tea and less milk next time.

Matcha Over Ice (Php100.00)

The pasta was delicious as well. They did not scrimp on the pesto sauce and the black olives balanced the nutty flavour of the dish. The only let down maybe was the shrimps being on the small side, and oh, the portion was not a lot. I could eat two servings, and I eat like a bird.

Shrimp Pesto Pasta (Php146.00)

My two companions were just there a few days before and Irene really liked the Hong Kong Style Noodles that she ordered again and the black gulaman drink. I liked this noodle too since I used to have this for lunch or snack when I was still working in Manila. It included two pieces of siomai and crunchy mung bean sprouts topped with sauces (teriyaki, soy sauce, chilli garlic, etc.) that is added according to your taste.

Hong Kong Style Noodles

Black Gulaman

Arleyn had the Watermelon Shake from Single Ancestry, which she said was really refreshing, and the Burger Platter with three small burgers (cute pink buns), nachos and fries. The taste of the food on this platter was satisfying but I think the portion was just enough to feed two people, not three. It’s a shame I do not remember the name of this stall that sold the burgers but I remember clearly that it took them almost an hour to prepare and serve the food. So, service was sluggish.

Watermelon Shake (Php65.00)

The ambience of the place though is really nice. Even though there were a lot of people that time and they were showing something on the big TV screen and playing relaxing music at the same time, we were still able to hear ourselves talking. When night time came, even more people began to arrive, mostly students and yuppies. The atmosphere of the place was warm and friendly. 

Over all, we had a nice time eating, chatting and just spending quality time to talk about everything under the sun (Yes, you can actually hear yourself talk). I hope 24 High St. will continue to grow and improve to become a top foodie destination in Naga City.