Lunch at the Soul Shop

Lunch at the Soul Shop
by Nicole




Yesterday, Sunday, I was not really in the mood to eat (especially after learning about Narayanan Krishnan - what he's doing hit me big time.)

Tic, toc, tic, toc. . . it was already way past lunch time and so, as a human being, I got hungry. Awesome thing, I was at my favourite place, Crossroad 77! After browsing books and buying one at the bookstore in C77 called the bRoom, I had my lunch at the Soul Shop, one of my favourite places!

It took me a while looking at the menu because I couldn´t decide which one to order since I wanted all of  'em - they've got different types of pasta, rice meals, burgers and sandwiches, vetegarian food, and of course teas and coffee! After so much deliberation in my head, I then ordered the fish kare-kare! :D I haven't eaten this before so I thought, this should be interesting. I ate it with brown rice.

Fish Kare-Kare with brown rice (Php 170)

Boy oh boy oh boy! The fish kare-kare was sooo goood! My reaction after tasting it was like that of Anton Ego, the food critic in Disney's Ratatouille (you know the scene after he had tasted Remy's ratatouille?) I felt like I was teleported to my mom's house and was eating her version of kare-kare! YUUUM! Soul Shop's fish kare-kare is the best food I had since I started working! It's creamy and it's definitely NOT like the usual tasteless or too salty kare-kare. It's one of a kind because it's the first time I've had a fish kare-kare and  the fish was perfectly cooked! I forgot to ask what kind of fish was it though - but I'm pretty sure it was not bangus nor tilapia.

Kare-kare is ALWAYS served with bagoong. I was kind of hesitant at first to put the bagoong with it because I was thinking that it would ruin the taste but I was wrong! The bagoong went perfectly well with the kare-kare. Hands down, I just had one of the best lunch ever! :D By the way, as for the dessert, I didn't order anymore because I was already full.

Next week I'll be coming back to try their pasta! And oh, I will introduce you guys also to the Jojiberry healthy food shop (also in Crossroad 77) where they have raw superfood smoothies! DELICIOUSLY GOOD!

Soul Shop, Crossroad 77

Crossroad 77 Bldg, 77 Mother Ignacia Ave cor Sct Reyes St 

Quezon City, Metro Manila

Philippines

(02) 374-4811     

Su: 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

M, T, W, Th, F, Sa: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

P.S.

Soul Shop is not your ordinary café because they not only serve good and healthy food, they also sell interesting Filipino souvenirs!

Therese in Taiwan: Flavors of Korea 韓國口味

Since I live with my relatives here in Taipei, I don't really have the opportunity to eat at the restaurants around my school because my aunt feeds me. However, because of the recent move, the house is still in disarray so much so that we always have to eat out.

When my girl friends (a Korean and a German) and I were planning on having lunch together, our teacher suggested that my Korean friend take us to this Korean restaurant outside National Chengchi University (the university I'm currently attending).

From the main gate, you turn right and then you'll see Watson's across the street. Keep walking until you see this electronics store (if I remember correctly), and the Korean restaurant will be beside it (on the 2nd floor). Cross the street to get to the restaurant.

They have 2 areas - the main "outer" area and the secondary "inner" area. The former has more or less 9 tables. The latter only has 2 tables, and you get to sit on the floor (on top of pillows of course!) This area is only used when the former is full.



Each person gets an appetizer and unlimited soup for each meal ordered. You could choose from a variety of side dishes. My friends went for the sweet potato and I went for the bean sprouts.

We didn't have to wait long before our orders arrived. My Korean friend and I both got the 소고기 덮밥 (sogogi deopbab), which is a beef rice meal, and my German friend got the vegetarian version of the 돌솥비빔밥 (dolsot bibimbap). Bibimbap is rice topped with vegetables, egg, and beef. This one came without the beef.

소고기 덮밥 (sogogi deopbab) | PhP 180

돌솥비빔밥 (dolsot bibimbap) | PhP 150

I don't know if this is how it's done in other Korean restaurants, but in this one, you add the chili pepper paste yourself. I guess it's so that people who don't like spicy food can regulate the amount of the paste.

We also had the 해물 부침개 (haemul buchimgae), or otherwise known as seafood pancake. We liked how crispy and thin the pancake was, and how big the seafood was.

해물 부침개 (haemul buchimgae) | PhP 180

The second time we went there, my German friend and I ordered the same thing we ordered before, but our Korean friend went for 신라면 (sinlamyeon) because she was craving for noodles. She said that in Korea, this dish is typically served spicy, but that because most Taiwanese aren't accustomed to really spicy food, the level in this dish has been brought down.

신라면 (sinlamyeon) | PhP 135

We like this restaurant so much that we're going back there soon. If you ever get the chance to visit Taipei, or find yourself around the vicinity of National Chengchi University, be sure to try this place out!

Subic: Xtremely Xpresso Cafe

Subic: Xtremely Xpresso Cafe
Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Restaurant review

As a graduate student under the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, one of the requirements for the Geological Hazards class that I'm taking is a trip to Mount Pinatubo. Unfortunately, it was raining that day and they won't let us climb because we were all (mostly) first-time climbers and therefore not experienced enough for that kind of weather. 

As a consolation, we ended up beach hopping and even went to Anawangin Cove. 

It was a windy day. And we made a stopover on the way back.

Xtremely Xpresso Cafe is a casual bistro style restaurant that serves European style breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cafe is known to serve Italy's no. 1 coffee, Lavazza, and is famous for its unique collection of Italian menu.

I ordered Stuffed Pork Chops while most of the others ordered Baby Back Ribs. 

Baby Back Ribs | Php 190

Stuffed Pork Chops | Php 220

You can get either rice or a baked potato.

It's a small and quaint place with good coffee and their serving size is big. Subic is so much cooler than Manila so it's always a thrill going there. 

They have three branches.
Address and phone numbers: 
Subic Branch (Main)
#1 Dewey Avenue cor. Sta. Rita Street, Subic Bay Freeport Zone
Open 6 AM to 12 MN
(047) 252-3681

Clark Branch
G/F The Meeting Place, SM City Clark
Open 10 AM to 12 MN
(045) 499-0314

Angeles Branch
G/F Marquee Civic Park, Marquee Mall
Open 10 AM to 12 MN
(045) 304-0972
info@xtremelyxpresso.com

Tokyo Café Revisited

Tokyo Café Revisited
A review by Nicole

Hello everyone! :)

For my first review here in MF, I wanted and was supposed to introduce you guys to my favourite café somewhere in Mother Ignacia avenue but because I'm a nocturnal ergo I sleep during daytime and was such a slowpoke today, I was not able to catch it open (they close at 7:00PM on Sundays). So. . . I ended up in a different place. Here:

@Level 3 SM Megamall

The huge menu outside

I promised my sisters at home that I'd buy them pizza (was thinking of buying them a Margherita at an Italian restaurant). But on my way there, I saw this huge menu of Tokyo Café and saw that they have pizza as well so I decided to order here instead (just to try something new). I really appreciate those huge menu outside restaurants because they give you ideas beforehand. It's so helpful particularly when you can't decide where to eat. 

The moment I sat down at my table, the staff right away served me a glass of water. I was so pleased because in my past dining experiences, most often times it took a while before I got served with a glass of water.

I ordered the Tokyo white pizza for take out and while waiting, I was munching  on their Tokyo Caesar Salad. Tokyo Café boasts of offering western dishes with "distinct Japanese touch" but I got disappointed because I didn't see nor taste any Japanese factor in their Caesar Salad. I expected that it would be a somehow different kind of salad but it was just an okay salad.  When I got home, my sisters and I all shared the Tokyo White Pizza and it was good. The Tabasco sauce goes really well with it.

Tokyo Caesar Salad (Php 151, US$ 3.15)
Their menu says:  Classic light  mayonnaise piquant dressing over romaine with a Tokyo twist, served with crisp bacon bits, croutons, and parmesan


Tokyo White Pizza (Php 208, US$ 4.83)
Creamy white sauce and mozzarella




I can't really comment much on Tokyo Café's food in general because I have only tried two of their dishes. Now one thing that I really like about this restaurant is their service! Their staff is fast, friendly and attentive. I like the ambiance too - it's not loud and the seats are comfortable. I guess I'd be stopping by again when I've got some paper work to do (I'd like to try their cheesecakes!). And oh, they offer free wi-fi too.

P.S. Just in case you're wondering why I entitled this post as such, it's because MF hasposted a review of Tokyo Café last 2008.

Address and Phone Number

SM Megamall
SM Megamall Bldg. A, ESDA cor Julia Vargas Ave
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
SM The Block
2nd floor, The Block
SM North Edsa 216A-216B
(02) 441 0346
SM Mall of Asia
Ground Floor, South Wing
Main Mall Bldg.,
(02) 556 0517

Purple Oven | Fudge Brownies

Purple Oven | Fudge Brownies
A review by Tiffy

The semester has now ended and I'm happily back in Japan for a long overdue reunion with a bunch of important people back here.

So yeah. The two weeks before my flight to Japan was fraught with sleepless nights (final exams--eep!) and impulsive eating. And it didn't help that mom's friends tend to give her foodstuff like pastries.

It was then that I discovered Purple Oven:

I didn't know it contained brownies until I opened it up.

Really really yummy. Soft and chewy. 

Hands down one of the best brownies I've ever had. And looking at the other reviews online--they really serve one of the best cakes/cookies/etc etc. 

I heard their revel bars are to die for. What would you recommend? 

Address and Phone Number:
63 St. Peter St., Oranbo
Pasig City, Metro Manila 
Philippines 
(02) 631-4221