Tiffany in Korea: Gobong Samgyetang 고봉삼계탕

Tiffany in Korea: Gobong Samgyetang

Amidst finals month, field work in Nigeria, job-hunting, and various reports for different stuff, I found the time (indulged) to come to Korea to attend my friend's wedding. I also started writing a more personal (random) blog with friends I met in Japan. 

It's only our second day here and already I feel right at home. After arriving at the airport, we headed for information to ask about where to get wifi. It's around 400 PHP a day to rent one and we felt that it would be very convenient (and affordable) to be connected (GOOGLE MAPS YES). 

We headed to Hotel President where I'm sharing a room with my Chinese friend, Xiao Xiao. It was perfect having her with us because apparently, so many Chinese work in Korea and everywhere we've been, she's our point person speaking to the different people (wifi person etc) in Chinese. She was also the only one who looked up good places to go to so when she suggested Gobong Samgyetang for dinner, we all just said LET'S GO! 

The restaurant is near exit 5 of Euljiro Station. Just go to the direction of Starbucks, turn left, see Fridays and it's by your right side.

Samgyetang (Php 590)

They are known for their samgyetang, a soup dish with a whole chicken stuffed with rice. It has different healthy herbs like ginseng. When we told Yuri, our Korean friend, the next day about having samgyetang, she also informed us that it's very nutritious and high in calories (good calories, yay?).

Just ordering samgyetang should be enough for you. We also ordered chijimi, which I thought wasn't good at all and sort of regretted ordering.

Gobong Samgyetang 고봉삼계탕

199-13 Euljiro 2(i)-ga, Jung-gu, Seoul

Fruitti Nutti: Your Healthy Food Choice

by Marielle

Living a healthy lifestyle is almost impossible nowadays, with processed foods abundant and easily available wherever you go. We may not have time to prepare full course meals everyday, but snacking on healthy food always helps. Protein and fiber-rich fruits and nuts are great snack options to keep your diet healthy even when on the go.

Fruitti Nutti is a newly-opened retail store specializing in the supply of U.S.-origin Nuts such as almonds, walnuts, macadamias, pistachios and pecans; Dried Fruits such as blueberries, cranberries, cherries, strawberries, dairy-free & cholesterol free cooking cream and coffee creamer; other food ingredients and specialty fruit and nut mixes. The woman behind this new healthy food stop is Elaine Gatchalian, giving Filipinos a taste of nutritious food options that won't break your budget.

Healthy Food Choices are available in a variety of pack sizes:

- Dried Fruits (Blueberries, Cherries, Cranberries, Dates, Prunes, Raisins, Golden Raisins, Strawberries, etc.)

- Nuts (Unsalted Almonds, Macadamia, Pistachios, Walnuts, Hazelnuts, etc.)

- Specialty Nut and Fruit Mixes

- Other healthy ingredients (Dairy-free, gluten-free coffee creamer, creamer & whipped cream made from Almonds & cashews)

Among a cornucopia of healthy snack foods offered in their store, I was able to try out several dried fruits and nuts that satisfied my taste buds without the unnecessary oils and artificial flavoring. Take a look at these healthy and utterly delicious treats:

Aren't they delightful to look at? All the more to snack on or to add to your meals! These fruits and nuts can be added to your dishes, used as ice cream or yogurt toppings, or eaten plainly. The possibilities are endless!

Fruitti Nutti goodies!

Time to give the junkfood a break. Visit their store located at Unit 7, 8 Jade Bldg., Santolan Rd., Greenhills, San Juan City.

For more information, you can contact Ms. Elaine Gatchalian through these numbers: 975 9689 / 0917 537 2361 or send an email to fruittinutti@gmail.com.

 Happy healthy munching!

Jojiberry

Jojiberry

by Nicole

Looking for organic food? I've got just a place for you!

Jojiberry is a small store located at Crossroad 77 Mother Ignacia Ave. corner Scout Reyes, Quezon City, Philippines. Here in Jojiberry you can buy organic fruits and veggies -  freshly delivered lettuce, potatoes, carrots, turmeric (oooh, I haven't eaten this one yet! Or maybe I have?), ginger, baby arugula, sweet basil, beans, onions, eggplants, squash, tomatoes, papaya. . . etcetera, etcetera. They also sell free range eggs, yogurts, pastas, a lot of healthy snacks like healthy cookies, biscuits, and nuts. They've got tomato sauces in bottles too! I bought one and I finished it in just 2 days ha ha!

The list of the good products you can buy here goes on and on. You can also buy fresh fruit shakes here! I like their blueberry shake! And yes, they use real blueberries not the powdered ones.

What really caught my attention in this store are these chocolates! There are two types of chocolates in the world - the poisonous ones (usually those milk chocolates) and the healthy ones (dark chocolates).  Okay, not all dark chocolates are healthy though. How to know if that dark chocolate is healthy? Look at the percentage of cacao in it - the higher, the healthier. Check this article by Reader's Digest for dark chocolate's health benefits.

These healthy chocolates sold in Jojiberry are made by Theo Philo - proudly Filipino! And why did they catch my attention? Because they've got crazy flavors! Where on earth can you buy a dark chocolate with siling labuyo or green mango and salt?

I bought the one with green mango and salt and I really thought I would throw up because I was thinking that the flavours won't go together BUT I WAS WRONG! The flavours were so interesting! Once you take a bite of it, first you'll taste the chocolate then as it melts in your mouth, you'll then get to taste the mango and lastly the salt! It was so cool! 

Theo Philo Artisan Chocolates
65% Dark Chocolate with Green Mango and Salt
(Php 95.00)

They also have milk chocolates with organic Batangas coffee, calamansi, pili nut and pinipig. How awesome could that get? "By the Philippines, For the Philippines, OF the Philippines"! YEAH! :D

Jojiberry also sells supplements, books about health and many other products for you to check out yourself! Get healthy. Visit Jojiberry! :D

Oh by the way, before I forget, for the chefs/cooks out there who are having a hard time finding saffron, they've got saffron here!

Jojiberry 

Address and Telephone Number

4th Floor Crossroad 77 Mother Ignacia Ave. corner Scout Reyes, Quezon City, Philippines

6974089

Jojiberry in Facebook

Planet Infinity Energy Lounge

Energy Lounge
by Nicole

Looking for a quiet place to chill out while having great food aaand not to mention fast internet connection (wifi)? I know just a place!

Energy Lounge, a small restaurant in Crossroad 77, Mother Ignacia Quezon City, serves a hefty lot of health food that you'll love for sure. Ever since eating here for the first time about three weeks ago, I just can't have enough. Now that I think of it, I've been going here every week! Ha ha! I love this place because it is quiet, it has books and magazines that you can read, a fast FREE wifi AND they serve you great food that nourish your body and definitely not kill you.

Here are some of my favorites:

This is called Spinach Raisin Salad. It is super yummy and eating this is a great way to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease! The freshness of the ingredients, the vinaigrette, the caramelized apples - sweet and with a hint of sourness - the flavors just go perfectly well. A note though, if you're not a fan of blue cheese (just like I do) you might want to have 'em removed.


Spinach Raisin Salad (Php 170)
Mixed greens, baby spinach, mushrooms and caramelized apples topped with bacon and blue cheese and drizzled in berry vinaigrette

And by the way, before I forget, I really like how detailed their menu is. You'll get to read the nutrition facts of every dish. For example this spinach raisin salad has 441 calories (ito palang busog ka na promise!), 5 grams of protein, 104% Vitamin A, 75% Vitamin C etc...

For the soups, they've got interesting ones - valued at Php 70.00 per serving you'll get to choose from milestrone (clear vegetable soup flavored with chicken and bacon), mongo soup, and pumpkin soup which  is the best pumpkin soup I've tasted so far (can't believe it's better than my mom's!). It's not watery and the flavor was so rich! Wasn't able to take a photo of it though.

For the main dish (if you consider it that), they've got these delicious rice bowls among others. They've got 7 types of rice bowls, all served with brown rice, and I have yet to try all of them. So far I've eaten the black bean tofu - which I loved! -, chicken terriyaki - I like that it's not salty -, and the chicken satay which is a total MUST TRY! The best chicken satay I've ever eaten so far! The chicken meat was tender, perfectly cooked, and has super rich flavor.
 

Black Bean Tofu Rice Bowl (Php 110)



Chicken Terriyaki Rice Bowl (Php 110)

For dessert, they've got cakes, muffins (I have yet to try their blueberry muffins!) brownies. . .
The last time, my sister and I tried their cake of the month for February, this red velvet cake. SUPER YUM! Not too sweet, and the frosting, which I believe is a cream cheese frosting (I might be wrong though) is YUMMY!


Cake of the Month: Red Velvet Cake (Php 100)

Last weekend, we tried the NO SUGAR blueberry cheesecake (no picture here T^T, sorry) and boy, how many times have I already said "best"? IT IS THE BEST TASTING BLUEBERRY CHEESECAKE EVER! I love it because it has no sugar! Don't think though that it tasted bland because it did not - it tasted really, really, really, really, really gooood!



One of the awesomest features of Energy Lounge are reading materials. I love that they have plenty of TIME magazines and they've got books too - mostly about health, body building. . . This place is really perfect for chilling out (at least in my preference). The sofas are so comfortable and the tables are big - really conducive for doing homework or whatever paper work while eating ha ha!

Great food, great place - no wonder I keep coming back to this place.


Planet Infinity
Energy Lounge
4/F Crossroad 77 Bldg.
Mother Ignacia ave. corner Sct. Reyes St., Quezon City
Telephone: 332-1922

	mondays to saturdays: 7:00 AM - 0:00 midnight sundays: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Energy Lounge on Facebook