Pamana Restaurant

Since we were not allowed to check-in early at One TagaytayPlace, we went back on the road to search a restaurant for our lunch. Boyps prepared a list that we can try but the group hasn't agreed on anything. Road trip continues until we saw Pamana restaurant. We all suddenly recalled that it was on the list so Je’s hubby immediately parked the car. There were no guests yet but almost all tables were already reserved. We thought that we would not be able to dine here because we didn't have any reservation – actually, we don’t know if reservation is needed. But luckily, one table was allotted for us and the good thing is, we were seated on the top floor of the building breathing the fresh air and viewing the Taal Lake.  
By the way, the interior of the place looked really interesting. It was as if a huge house with nothing but dining sections. The place was surrounded with lots of picture frames and the decors looked old but elegant.
Anyways, after enjoying the cold breeze and picture taking, our orders arrived. First off, we had Taal’s Spicy Tawilis (Php 220). Di ako fan kasi ang lalaki kaya ng tinik neto. K But hey, I tried it and unexpectedly, I liked it because of its crispiness plus it is yummier when dip in vinegar. Di naman ako natinik.
As always, soup dish will always be present in our table because it’s a consistent request from Je’s hubby. Hehe. We ordered Sinigang na Tadyang ng Baka (Php 325). This was super delicious. The acidity was perfect, the soup has a unique texture because it was a bit thick and the meat was really tender. And before the actual dish was served, a staff approached us and asked if the flavor / sourness is okay so they can adjust if needed.
We also got Tinuktok (Php 280) – meat wrapped in taro leaves with coconut milk sauce. This tasted good but I suddenly had itchy throat after having much of it. Sabi ni Je, may makakating taro leaves.
Last but not the least, Je requested to have Inihaw na Bicol express (Php 235) because she finds the name interesting. I thought that this was a dried dish but it wasn’t. It was good though. 
We also ordered a bowl of rice that is already good for sharing.
Something old and cute was placed on top of the table after asking for the bill – a chest. Hihi. The receipt was there and we placed our payment inside the chest and returned it to them. Cuteness overload. J
We all enjoyed the experience. Dining here was indeed great. Food and ambiance were good. Service was really excellent and the staffs were always on sight and ready to grant our request.

After lunch, we headed to the Cliffhouse Tagaytay for some desserts. Bwaha. I treated Je a piece of Mochiko Ice cream. Hehe. I already tried this in Mercato and I still have the same comment. Hihi. 
The Cliffhouse is a good place if you want to have a nice view of the Taal volcano.

Pamana Restaurant
Aguinaldo Highway,
Tagaytay City

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Azalea Restaurant and Buffet Breakfast at One Tagaytay Place

We really had no plans on what to do / where to go for our Tagaytay hotel experience. It was time for dinner and we had no idea where to eat. Upon reaching the reception area, we thought of taking a glimpse of what Azalea Restaurant has to offer. The Mongolian buffet caught our attention but we still looked at their menu list before making a decision. After a short discussion, we all decided to try their Mongolian Buffet.

Mongolian Buffet is not new to me because I love Mongolian Quick Stop restaurant / fast food. The usual ingredients were found in the buffet table – from veggies to meat and seafood, noodles and rice, and different sauces. The buffet includes a glass of Ice Tea and soup. The soup was not creamy and taste bland.  I’m just sad that they didn't have ground peanuts. I usually put lots of it every time I prepare my bowl. Also, they don’t have a list / cheat sheet of sauces that we could put / combine to make our creations delicious.
Veggies: Carrots, red bell peppers, beans, bean sprouts etc.
Sauce: Oyster, Chili Garlic, Teriyaki, Sesame oil and more
Top left: pork, beef, shrimp, squid, oyster, fish balls (other bowls were empty)
So presenting, my "lagay lang ng lagay" dish. Hehe. Mine wasn’t as delicious as Boyps. His was more flavorful while mine was just okay. Haha. I really tried to remember the Sweet n’ Spicy sauce combination but I failed. Hihi
 Mine
Boyps. He had two rounds of this. 

After dinner, we went back to our rooms for another TV marathon. Bwaha. What a LIFE! This was the first ever super relaxed trip I ever had with Je. I hope we can do this more often.. Next year. :p

Our room reservation included a buffet breakfast. Food was quite few and typical. 
The buffet table has salad station,
the bread and cereal section, the main breakfast meal station - scrambled eggs, danggit (dried fish), chicken adobo, tapa, plain and fried rice and desserts station.
Tapa and Chicken
I liked everything except the chicken – taste was too plain and boring. Food was just typical and nothing was outstanding except the bread plus the spread. I also enjoyed my Koko Crunch. Bwaha.

My first staycation was really fun. Sarcastic? No I’m not. I’m really looking forward to have lots of this on my next travel days. One TagaytayPlace gave me comfort, let me unwind and just stay in bed to watch TV and relax.


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One Tagaytay Place
Jerellt and I initially planned of going to Batangas for a beach outing - either Virgin Beach Resort or Palm Beach Resort. Unfortunately, the latter was fully booked and Virgin beach was quite expensive (sa totoo wala kasing pool dun :p) so she just told me to have a Tagaytay get-away instead. Coincidentally, the hotel she wanted us to stay in was the one that I already chose for my own Tagaytay adventure (selfish ako bakit?). I haven't been to Tagaytay via bus and that's all what I wanted to try. Good thing though that I haven't made any reservation yet. Hihi.
Anyway, we went there riding my friend's car (di ko talaga ma try ang commute, sosyal na friend ko ngayon). :p We met past 9 in the morning and reached Tagaytay early before 11am. We haven't had a hard time looking for the place because there were signages along the way plus Boyps printed a map plus Je brought her laptop and downloaded some directions from the internet. Also, the label outside the hotel is quite huge to miss.
One Tagaytay Place is more of a condo-type hotel. We approached the receptionist and ask if they allow early check-in but they weren't. So we just had our lunch first and a quick tour at the Cliff house (on separate post). We were back at the hotel at exactly two in the afternoon and checking in was so easy. We were served with welcome drinks while waiting for our room keys. We were asked to deposit Php 3000 (for the 2 rooms) upon check-in which is reimbursable during check-out.
We booked two separate rooms. Boyps and I had a deluxe twin room while Je reserved a "more sasyal" one bedroom suite. Hihi. Our room has 2 single beds, a cable TV, tables, drawers and cabinet, bathroom with hot and cold shower. The hotel was also equip with a strong Wi-Fi connection. Password is given along with the room card key.
The bed and pillow are so soft, the sheets smells so good, that it gave me a very good night sleep.
We just watched TV all day. Boyps and I went to Je's room just to chat and watch TV again. Bwaha
Complementary bottled water and coffee sachets were also provided by the hotel. We also have refrigerator, a thermos, glasses and cups with saucers.
The bathroom was clean and spacious enough. The hotel has provided free toiletries, bedroom slippers, and hand and body towels.
Our room also has a veranda with a view of a subdivision. Hihi.
The hotel also has a swimming pool that looked so deceiving in Internet pictures. Some just made it look so big but it wasn't! Pede lang magbabad pero di ka makaka swim. The hotel also noted that the pool opens at 9am but there were already people before the indicated time. Some guests were also not wearing proper swim wear that is so unhygienic. On our next day, we had the chance to try their pool since there are fewer people using it. And it became lesser when it started to rain. Hihi.
Overall, I liked the hotel and the experience. The receptionists were nice, the staffs were polite, the room and our bed were so lovely. But here are the things I didn't like: the empty boxes of toothbrush, the smell of cigarette smoke along the hallway plus the super mini swimming pool. Hihi

One Tagaytay Place
445 Tagaytay-Calamba Road
Barrio Sungay West
Tagaytay City
http://www.onetagaytayplace.com/

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iLoveToBake #3: Project #1: Brownies Giveaways
I never had any major project since I opened My Sweets’ Haven. There are friends who trusted me and order items in bulk but mostly were Christmas giveaways, desserts in team gatherings or simply pasalubong to their families. So when someone asked me to create 30 boxes of assorted brownies as giveaway to her son’s christening, I immediately said yes. I know it is few to be called a project but this is the first time that people "outside my comfort zone" are going to eat my treats.
My friends know how shy I am about my craft. I was never confident with what I bake even if there are people saying that my creations actually taste good, kulang lang sa presentation. So here’s how my 1st project looked like:
Blue + Yellow
The cake is from Estrel's 
The blue boxes were quite tall since the size I wanted was not available in the market so to make my brownies look a bit tall, I created brownie-cupcakes. It has S’mores, chocolate, rocky road and choco crispies flavors. I tied the boxes with yellow ribbon to follow the motif and at the same time, to hold the cover from the base without using any tapes.
After a neighbor saw my brownies, she ordered 20+ boxes for a family gathering and another 32 boxes as Christmas gift to friends.
She requested to pack the brownies in gold and tangerine. This time, I was able to use the correct size of the box so I made my brownies back to squares.
Gold + Tangerine
I used gold-colored boxes and decorated it with orange ribbons and tied it using a gold garter with tags.

I had fun doing all these things while still working as a professional – thanks to my work-from-home privilege. Hihi.
I just hope that someday, I could be a supplier to birthday party or to a not-so-huge event. J

Grab some sweets from My Sweets' Haven for a sweeter life. J

Visit My Sweets' Haven on facebook and multiply. Please like my page too. Thanks in advance.


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Midnight Mercato
Boyps and I don’t usually go on a night out. Nine o’clock in the evening is already late for us because we always want to catch the last train of LRT. Hihi. Our usual dinner out is always with friends, like get together / monthly dinner. And whenever we failed to catch the last train, I ended up sleeping in his apartment. So when I told my mother that I will stay at Boyps after the Pyro at MOA, I asked Boyps to make the most out of that night.
I have been to Salcedo weekend market and never to any night markets. So that night, I asked Boyps if we can go to Taguig to try Mercato Centrale.
We rode a cab from Buendia – Taft going to Mercato Centrale in Bonifacio Global City. The place was packed with lots of food trippers like us. There’s a huge area that holds the tables and chairs but it was full and even those monoblocks are occupied.
There were lots of stalls selling a variety of food – from rice with viands, pastas, sausages and bread, soups, appetizers and desserts. Of course, there are also stalls selling drinks like juices and milk teas.
The first stall that caught our attention was Tacklings – mini tacos wrap ala dumpling style. But while we are on queue, I saw a familiar face and I still don't know his name. Hihi
Anyways, we immediately bought a dozen and enjoyed every piece of it. I wish they could add more meat and salsa to make it more flavorful and sulit. J I guess this is the only food we bought that we really enjoyed. The rest that we had were just okay – as in casualan lang.
Boyps got curious with these Potato Croquettes so we bought one. According to the poster, it has bacon and cheese but it wasn’t generous enough. Maxadong nakakabusog at may umay factor pag madami ng nakain.
Every time I see Takoyaki, I always make sure to try it. This one is no different from the others I have tried. It wasn’t bad but not good enough. 
I can’t let that night pass without trying sausages. The price is P150 – buy 1, take 1. But I ask the vendor, what if I only want to buy one, the guy said, “naku pag isa lang Php 75 po”. I find it weird, because I should only be paying P75 and get two sausages. That’s how I understand it. P75 isang sausage, so if buy 1 take 1, P75 lang dapat, free yung isa. :p
Food trip won't be complete without drinks. The juice was okay, the milk tea was super sweet.
This is where I had my first Mochiko experience. I really got curious after seeing it. I bought a lot of mochi when I was in Taiwan and I really loved it. So I got excited after knowing that there’s a mochi filled with ice cream. I bought cookies n cream since the lady said that it is one of their bestseller. The ice cream is really hard after purchased so I had to wait for 2-3 minutes before I take a bite. I enjoyed the experience but I don’t find it yummy. Keri lang, Maxadong mahal para sa P70 tapos ung cookie isa lang, nasa gitna ng ice cream. :p
I'm not sure if the schedule is still the same as shown in my picture below.
Every food market I visit is a good and fun experience. I got to enjoy different foods while still spending less. Masaya may ka share. J I hope my next is Bancheto. J open pa ba yun? =))



Mercato Centrale
30th Avenue and 9th Street
http://www.midnightmercato.com/

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MARU

I've wanted to try this restaurant for months already and that craving level has increased after seeing it being featured in a local TV show (can't remember what) and the host just kept on saying that it was the best Korean restaurant (for her) so far. I've been to Yedang and Kogi Bulgogi already and I can say that I'm really enjoying Korean dishes because of the free appetizers (appetizers pa lang, busog ka na) and Korean paste. Hihi
Upon arriving at the place, I was surprise that it wasn't packed yet. I even thought that I have to wait for a staff to direct us to our seats but I was wrong. Anyone is free to choose where to seat. I asked the staff if we can occupy one of the vacant "korean- style tables" – no chairs, guests will seat on a pillow and gladly, he said yes. Pero nangawit talaga ako dun.
My dear companions were late because of heavy traffic so it was just me and Boyps who took care of the orders.  While waiting for them, we were served with house tea and lots of appetizers - all for free. It was so many that I can only name a few - tofu, spicy anchovies, kimchi, potatoes and five more. Hihi
 Appetizers can be refilled!
As well as this - house tea unlimited!
Just after one of the main dish was served, Je and Boyet arrived! So here's what we have shared for dinner:
Dakdori - Tang (Php 850) is a chicken soup with lots of potatoes. I love the soup but not the chicken. The spiciness of the soup was tolerable and there's really this "hagod-thing" that I like. I would love this dish even more if it was served with noodles than chicken. :p
Boyps says: "I really thought that this is not a soup dish. Usual lang din ung anghang nung sabaw"
Dolsot Bibimbap (Php 350) Bibimbap is a famous Korean dish – Korean rice topped with veggies, sunny side up egg and ground beef.  It was served with Korean paste and another sauce that I don't know. Haha. But it was good! I first find it bland but after adding some paste in it, it became delicious.
Boyps says: "casualan"
We also got two sets of thinly sliced beef with petchay Baguio. We fry it without putting oil. We were wondering why the staff did not drizzle the pan with oil and just immediately place the sliced meat on it. Until we we're halfway and notice a lot of oil is spilling from the pan. Hihi.  Our beef was really tender and flavorful. I tried eating this with the Bibimbap and petchay dipped in their super yummy Korean paste (I'm not sure if it's a soybean paste). Heaven.
Note: If you wanna experience the "cook-it-yourself" food, a minimum of two sets should be ordered, otherwise, your ordered meat will be cooked by their chef and later, served.
Boyps says: kala ko madami yung meat, hindi pala :p
After that sumptuous dinner, we continue chatting at Seattle's Best coffee shop in Taft avenue. I ordered the Heavenly Cheesecake (super sarap but sad to say, this is only available for a limited time) while Boyps had Avocado Milkshake (rich and creamy!).
It was such a fun night even if we are only four. And I'm really looking forward to have more dinner / lunch out / and simple get together with them. Inferness, sarap ng may friend na may car. :p Bwaha

Maru
HK Sun Plaza
Macapagal Ave.
Pasay City

Seattle's Best Coffee
Taft Avenue
Manila
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