Worried about having guests for dinner? Thinking of what delicious food to serve that would also be economical to serve? Thinking of having food delivered or eating out? Hold one’s horses! Here’s a favorite Philippine cuisine that is super tangy and super cost-effective---yet is a common native dish in classy restaurants. And here’s the best part, the bonus. This Philippine cuisine can be served with some hot supplements to really work out sweat in its devourer.
Introducing the Philippine cuisine “Tinola.” It is not only delicious and inexpensive; it is also a healthy balanced food for your guests and family. This Philippine cuisine can be cooked with various main ingredients: chicken, milkfish, shellfish, or even edible, cultured frogs. But in most cases chicken is used in this native dish, especially the native chicken. So for a kilo of chicken, one needs an average size ginger, onions, native “sili” (chili) leaves, a small green papaya, eight garlic pieces, about four cups of water, and some 4 spoons of fish sauce (“patis”) to taste.
Cooking this Philippine cuisine is quick and easy. Just sauté chicken in right amount of cooking oil with sliced ginger, garlic and onions. Make sure the spices (especially the ginger) turn light brown first before joining in the chicken pieces---and the fish sauce. After a minute of sautéing, pour in water and sliced papaya and boil until everything is tender. Finally, put in the “sili” leaves, simmer for another minute, and there we have it. Now here’s to give it some delectable kick: serve hot with a separate fish sauce with ground raw “sili” in a small saucer.
A really old style of cooking this native dish is using a live chicken. After slaughtering, the chicken's blood is mixed with raw rice and put in the pot when everything is tender.
Now, if native chicken is used, the cooking gets yummier flavors. But more time will be devoted to tenderize the chicken flesh. Native chicken are often tough (so get younger ones). But they’re also known for bringing out pungent chicken flavor.
So we use the same procedure with sautéing and all, but when water is poured with the papaya, more time is needed to simmer everything. Hold the “sili” leaves awhile. When the flesh gets tender enough (How do you know it’s tender? Sample it) the leaves go in next. Simmer a minute and serve.
Tinola has been a Filipino solution to affordable but classy and tasty native dish. This Philippine cuisine easily impresses guests of any nationality with regards to taste, aroma, appeal, and balance.
Leyte is one of the best attractions in the Philippines mainly because of the beaches with clean waters and fine sand. There are many great diving areas in Leyte as well. Leyte's local government plays an active part in promoting tourism for the province. Leyte is filled with many businesses like restaurants. There are many nice restaurants in Leyter offering different kinds of dishes that allows tourists and locals to have a good place to eat good food and get together.
1. Chito’s Chow Bar and Restaurant - This is the Leyte
restaurant popular for good Chinese cuisine. This restaurant
was established in the city of Ormoc. It is one of the favorite restaurants of the locals. They also offer some American dishes as well as well loved Filipino dishes. Some of their best sellers are seafood soup and dishes with noodles. The price of the dish can range from forty five pesos up to one hundred fifty pesos. This is one of the cheaper restaurants in Leyte. They also serve in huge portions. The whole restaurant is actually small and the design is simple. It has a laid back ambience which relaxes guests. This is situated in the superdome of Ormoc. You may inquire at 63-53-55-3520.
2. Giuseppe’s Ristorante Italiano-Filipino - This is a restaurant serving Filipino and Italian dishes. They serve cuisines in the authentic way. They use different ingredients to come up with the best taste that will match the Italian taste. Thier best sellers are pizzas, pastas, meats and seafood as well as salads for appetizers. They also serve some American dishes. Their top selling dish is the Pizza Napoletania, Arrostomisto. The Arrostomisto is one big platter with potatoes that have been mashed and different meats. The cost of a pasta dish starts at one hundred seventy five pesos. The smaller platters begin at one hundred twenty five pesos. They also serve gourment dishes. The whole restaurant has a modern appeal. It is situated at 173 Avenida Street in Tacloban. You can ask for a resevation by calling 63-53-321-49-10.
3. Ocho Seafood and Grill - This is a restaurant popular
for their seafood dishes. The guests should buy the raw fish
or any seafood in any stall before the restaurant. The restaurant
will then cook it for them. The cost of the dish will depend on the
recipe of the dish you order. It is situated at Senator Enage Street in the town 54 in the inner part of Tacloban. You may call them at 63-53-325-4171.
4. Rafael’s Farm and Garden Restaurant - This restaurant has a
refreshing ambience. Guests also love the beautiful landscape. It is inside a lagoon where there are many small waterfalls as well as small ponds. The experience in this restaurant is quite unique because it combines the great japanese ambience and the rural Filipino life. The food are all priced fairly. A full meal with some drinks can cost a person for less than two hundred fifty pesos. Some dishes can be served ala carte and the price ranges from eighty pesos up to one hundred fifty pesos. This restaurant is situated in the Pagsulhugon town in Leyte. You can ask for a booking
at 63-53-325-0729.
5. Calle Zaragosa - Many loyal patrons call this restaurant
as the Calle Z. It has become Leyte's famous places to hang out.
The restaurant has a good ambinece where gatherings can happen. Most
of the dishes they serve are popular comfort meals. It is often
packed at night. They also have an al-fresco section. Their
best seller are the grilled foods. The costs of a meal is seventy five pesos. You may visit this restaurant in Tacloban at 39 Independencia Street.
6. Sunzibar - This is the restaurant that offers Leyte residents
and ttourists delicious Mexican dishes. You can order their best selling burritos, nachos and tortialls. They offer a cozy atmosphere. Some dishes costs eighty pesos.The price of a complete
meal begins at one hundred fifteen pesos. It is situated in Tacloban at Burgos Street. You can call them at 63-53-523-4565.
Where are the best eateries in Baguio City? A good Baguio tour always involves a good and delightful chow. So here is a Baguio Restaurant guide.
Most fast food chains in Baguio are along the busy Session Road and simpler but recommendable eateries are on its inner streets and alleys. Popular fast food stores like Jollibee, KFC, Greenwich, Chowking, McDonalds, and Sizzling are located on Session Road. So at breakfast or lunch time, this Baguio restaurant guide recommends being in the vicinity of Session Road for quick dinner access.
However, other restaurants are also located elsewhere in Baguio offering unique dishes and service. When looking for special eateries other than fast food eateries, then try Bliss Café on Gibraltar Road for fresh vegetarian dishes, the famous Café By the Ruins on Otek Street (near Baguio City Hall) for ethnic Baguio cuisines, and Eve’s Garden on Lamtang Road for unique preparations of fresh lettuce dishes. What this Baguio restaurant guide recommends is try various restaurants for different meals.
Say, visit John Hay early in the morning and have breakfast at Little John’s for tasty American breakfast choices and then try its special Chocolate Fondue topped with fresh strawberries, marshmallows, and bananas. Then proceed to Burnham Park and Baguio City market and later have lunch at O’Mai Khan along Otek Street for some Mongolian dishes, especially barbecue. As a slight digression, this Baguio restaurant guide suggests roaming nearby Rizal Park after a meaty lunch to let all those barbecued dishes properly digest in the tummy.
Next, in the early afternoon, walk leisurely up Session Road for window shopping or an actual shopping extravaganza, checking all the shops and “ukay-ukay” stalls. This would be a tiring adventure so drop by posh Pizza Riccio on upper Session Road and grab a bite of their mouth-watering lasagna and pizzas. This is located in the Baden Powell Inn. Or try Pizza Volante on Session Road and sample its 14-inch pizza.
Later in the evening, return to the hotel for a quick shower and fresh clothes and then go back to the city proper for a good supper at Rose Bowl, which is along Harrison Road near Session Road. This Baguio restaurant guide thinks a cold night in Baguio City is better enjoyed with a hearty supper. So enjoy real Chinese dishes cooked in this pioneer Chinese restaurant which practically grew up with the city.
There are many good Baguio restaurants and many more ways to enjoy them. The foremost Baguio restaurant guide or advice is enjoy as many of them as possible.
One of the newest cities in the Philippines, Quezon City is a vibrant, modern city hosting diverse business establishments, major government offices, and parks and tourist destinations. Yet this bustling city was once a vast and quiet rice field interspersed with hills and forests, looking close to something one found in nearby provinces. What “big bang” event made it into the pulsating, modern city it now is?
Not like old cities of the country rich in history, Quezon City was a sleeping giant north east of historical Manila. Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, out to carve a niche in history for himself, sought to build a new, modern city in his name. Once an immense 160 square kilometer private estate, it was primed and groomed by Quezon in 1937 as the next capital of the Philippines. Finally in 1947 the land was named after him and became the capital city of the country until 1976.
The real estate sector developed prime lands like Sta. Mesa Heights (or La Loma), Diliman, and some parts of New Manila. Much later development was in what are now the Project Areas in Quezon City; Projects 2and 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8. Most people ask what happened to project 5? The local joke is that Projects 2 and 3 equal to 5.
When people started buying properties in the city, the business establishments followed. Quezon Avenue (a major link to Manila), having been newly opened, connected with other interior roads. These smaller road networks accessed remote areas in Quezon City for development. Soon other subdivisions sprouted and more establishments popped up. The government put up offices in Diliman. More people transferred to the Promise Land. Housing projects in Quezon City were raffled to government employees. Soon, TV networks like ABS CBN 2, GMA 7, and RPN 9 scrambled for huge slices. And soon a modern city was rising from the gravels of rice paddies, overtaking other metro cities, until it reached status as a premier city of the metropolis and the country.
Quezon City’s progress from being a farm estate to a modern city is symbolic of its people. Original city residents also have a knack for growing grand from humble beginnings. Most of them are residents of other countries and rent out their properties here. And like the big bang that birthed Quezon City---Quezon’s dream of the next capital city---city residents also start with big dreams and end up with their fulfillment.
Known as a second class city, Legazpi is perfectly situated between two islands and is easily accessible via train or by sea. The Diocese of Legazpi has its seat in this city and among the known tourist spots are the Mayon Volcano and the San Miguel Island Reserve, but at the end of the day it really boils down to having a safe and cozy Legazpi hotel to go home to.
Hotel Venezia has excellent reviews and many have praised its excellent customer service. Hotel Venezia is western inspired and from the outside it looks like a typical row of townhouses that one might find in Europe. Inside the doors of Legazpi hotel however is a modern reception area where the front desk team will greet one with a warm smile and will take care of everything one might need including airport transfers. Speaking of airport transfers, Hotel Venezia is only 2 minutes away from the airport although it is not within the city center but inside a subdivision. When it comes to facilities, Hotel Venezia does not have a gym or a pool but what they may lack in terms of activities within the hotel they more than make up for with the excellent food they serve at their restaurant and the many complimentary items they give away. Room rates at this Legazpi hotel start at US$ 90 per room and each room and each room can accommodate up to 2 people.
If however one places an emphasis on facilities, then Costa Palmera Resort deserves a look into. Unlike Hotel Venezia which is somewhat basic, Costa Palmera Resort is located on an expansive property and can serve not just as lodging but as an events venue since they have conference centers perfect for parties or weddings. Dubbed both the businessman and vacationer’s heaven, this Legazpi hotel has two swimming pools, and a videoke bar. When it comes to the rooms at Costa Palmera Resort, they are very cozy, have its own private bathroom, cable television and a phone and designed in a modern manner. Room rates at Costa Palmera Resort start at Php 2,500 per head per night. Since this Legazpi hotel is close to the sea, they also offer a variety of water sports that their guests can enjoy.
Hotel Venezia and Costa Palmera Resort are just among the two hotels in Legazpi that offer that warm hospitality to their guests. Taking full advantage of the natural beauty of Legazpi, one can say that the Legazpi hotels here are at an advantage.
One of the popular wrecks in Philippines visited by diving enthusiasts is the Black Island Wreck. The Malajon Island, one of the islands in the Calamianes group of Islands, is also known as Black Island because of its black rocks.
Coron, Busuanga Island and the Calamianes Islands (site of Black Island) are collectively known in the Philippines as the Calamianes group of Islands. They are the northern islands of Palawan. Busuanga Island, the main island of the Calamianes group of Islands, is about an hour and 20 minutes by air from Manila, Philippines.
Busuanga Island is in between the Sulu Sea and South China Sea. The most spectacular nature scenes of the Philippines are found on Busuanga Island. Here you'll find underwater and land caves, huge limestone cliffs, jungles, rivers, hot springs, and mangrove swamps.
On September 24, 1944, Busuanga Island became a witness of World War II. The US Navy conducted an aerial bombardment of Japanese support vessels and cargo in the waters of this island. A number of shipwrecks were kept secret in the waters of this island. Busuanga Island now has become a sanctuary of the diverse species of marine life that make these wrecks their home.
The wreck lies right off the Black Island beach, right in front of a stranded ship at shore. Malajon Island is on the west side of Busuanga Island. Getting there will require a three to five hour boat ride. You can spend the night in the small resorts in the area while diving in Black Island Wreck and other wrecks along the way.
The Black Island Wreck is a small converted tanker designed to carry specific fuels. These fuels were placed in isolated tanks to replenish the fuel supply of the land-based depots. These tankers were from the Japanese Imperial Army.
The Black Island Wreck is a great dive site for wreck diving novices because of the shallow depth. The wreck's depth starts at 21. 32 meters is the deepest point with a 20 meter visibility The dive site is also perfect for undersea photographers and night divers. The wreck has plenty of fish who make their home in it.
There is also a huge diversity of marine life on the Black Island Wreck. You can find large scorpionfish as well as lionfish on this site. You'll be fascinated by the schools of batfish, trumpetfish, and sweepers that share their habitat. Emperor angelfish and six-banded angelfish are also live around the Black Island Wreck. Sponges, hydroids, and crinoids are also found here.
You will have a beautiful dive experience in the clear waters of Black Island Wreck near Busuanga Island.
Tacloban City, being a favorite tourist destination in the Philippines, has become home to many restaurants serving different cuisines. Although Tacloban City is known for its beaches and nearby diving sites, tourists should never hesitate to drop by Tacloban’s famous restaurants. This Tacloban Restaurant Guide will help you in navigating your way along Tacloban’s streets and find the restaurant suitable for your tastes.
Ayo Café
Ayo Café serves international cuisine with its extensive menu selections from the Philippine, Japanese, Italian, American and Spanish cuisines. This cozy and relaxing coffee shop in Tacloban is frequented by both locals and tourists, with its delectable menu selections made for pleasing the most discriminating taste buds. Dishes recommended by patrons are the Spanish-style bangus (fish drizzled with homemade Spanish sauce served with rice) and orange ribs. Pasta dishes at the Ayo Café are good enough for sharing, with a price range of 115 to 125 pesos. This local hangout is also an ideal setting during breakfast time, with its omelets, waffles and coffee. Ayo Café is located at No. 5 JCO Arcade Compound in the Apitong Road, with a telephone number of 63-53-325-4461.
Ocho Seafood Grill
Since this Tacloban Restaurant Guide is dedicated to show you the local treats in the city, then we recommend Ocho Seafood Grill for those who want exotic and clean, yet affordable dishes. Guests are greeted with a wet seafood market where they get to pick out the raw seafood that will be cooked inside the restaurant’s kitchen. The service is charged cording to the quantity of the raw seafood and the type of cooking desired because of the labor and ingredients involved. Nevertheless, guests are assured that the food will arrive on time, and that their scrumptious meal involves only the freshest ingredients. With prices starting at 75 pesos per kilo of seafood, Ocho Grill is one of the most popular seafood restaurants in the Philippines, and therefore ensures an affordable and pleasant dining experience. The restaurant is located at Sen. Enage Street, and interested parties may call 63-53-325-4171 for reservations.
Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant
Truly, the Italian food craze has spread all throughout the Philippines as nearly two decades ago, one could only see those types of restaurants in Manila. So for those craving the favorite Italian cuisine during their stay, this Tacloban Restaurant Guide suggests that they should head on to Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant, a known hangout in the area. Nevertheless, Giuseppe’s status as a favorite fine-dining restaurant in Tacloban has been there for more than ten years, with its array of pizza, pasta and salads at reasonable prices. Specialties include the Ravioli Pepper Pesto at 240 pesos and the Tenderloin ala Sorrentino at 340 pesos. Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant is located at 173 Avenida Veteranos, and can be contacted through 63-53-321-4910.
Sunzibar
This Mexican restaurant chosen by this Tacloban Restaurant Guide has been frequented by both locals and tourists because of their delectable array of nachos, burritos, sopas and ensalada. Indeed, Sunzibar is one of the few Mexican restaurants in the Philippines that serve Mexican food at affordable prices. Among the favorites are the Toastadas, which is an open-faced taco and the Tortilla Wedges, a set of deep-fired torilla wedges served with your own choice of sauce. Prices at Sunzibar ranges from 70 to 150 pesos, although most dishes are good enough for sharing. Sunzibar is located at Burgos Street it Tacloban City, with a telephone number of 63-53-523-4565 for reservations.
Café Urbana
Indeed, this Tacloban Restaurant Guide is dedicated to find you the exotic, yet tourist-friendly restaurants in the area. The Café Urbana is one of the few restaurants in the Philippines that serve a fusion of Filipino and French cuisine. This exotic restaurant serves delectable fusion dishes, such as the Baked Fish Marinara and the Pork Chop with Tarragon Barbeque Sauce, at less than 200 pesos per meal. This is also an ideal dessert place, given its extensive cake selections and their delectable French Gateau au Chocolat, a flourless chocolate cake. Café Urbana is located at Santo Nino Street.
Calle Zaragosa
Another selected hangout by this Tacoban Restaurant Guide is the Calle Zaragosa, otherwise known as Calle Z to locals. This well-loved restaurant serves native Filipino dishes at very affordable prices. Nevertheless, Calle Z is a sanitary, pleasant restaurant where locals bring their foreigner friends and relatives to have a taste of modern Filipino food. Prices at Calle Zaragosa start at 75 pesos, with almost all dishes served with rice. Calle Z is located at Independencia Street, with a telephone number of 53-53-325-8582.
Science says dreams are mind plays of the conscious and the subconscious that occur during sleep. They may also occur while awake, too---what they call day dreaming. But Philippine myths on dreams say otherwise. Dreams are more than what they seem to be.
Philippine myth number one is that dreams are actually soul and spirit travels---much like transcendental travels. The sleep gets too deep that body, soul and spirit separate. The body stays in bed but the soul and spirit escape to frolic in some distant dreamland. Dreams are somewhat similar to the real world, except that they are in exaggerated terms---like running can be either too fast as to fly, or too slow as to be in super slow motion.
The Philippine myth also avers that some dreams are travels in the real world. The soul and spirit escape the body and roam around the house or vicinity or a far away but real place. This explains why, says this Philippine myth, lots of people feel they have been in a place they have actually never visited before. The place was visited before in soul and spirit, but only visited now physically.
A Philippine myth on dreams says they are for extraordinary or supernatural communication. It’s a “cyberspace” where one connects through a dreamland “Internet” to talk “online” with someone from another dimension or “website.” Hence, in dreams we talk to animals, strange creatures, odd fellows, dead relatives, cars, the president of the Republic, talking shoes or food, and other mystical beings---not very unlike the real Internet. In dreams, every word is a message other beings from another dimension want to put across to us.
Another Philippine myth says dreams are realities and the real world is actually a dream. So dreaming is actually waking up. And when wide awake, it’s actually a dream. Another myth is that dreams are warnings or hints of the future. So when dreaming of numbers, they’re hints for winning a number gambling game. When dreaming of a car crash, that’s a warning of an impending accident.
Philippine myths on dreams teach that dreams can direct us to a safe future if heeded. They also counsel that dreams give alternatives in life---one may be poor in real life but can be rich in dreams, and vice versa.
Dreams may be a product of mental elements playing tricks on the imagination, but they can be so real to a people with records of unlucky vicissitudes seeking refuge in Philippine myths on dreams.
The city of Legazpi in the province of Albay is well-known as the site where Mayon Volcano, the most perfect cone in the world, is located. Rizal Street, its lone thoroughfare, connects it to the Albay district which is the commercial center. This Legazpi Travel Guide provides a glimpse of tourism in this part of the Philippines.
There are few tourist attractions in Legazpi but one place that demands a visit is the Cagsawa Ruins, the remains of a church that was buried during Mayon Volcano’s eruption in 1814. It is recommended that tourists visit the place at dawn before vendors and hawkers arrive and clouds block the view of the volcano. To reach the site, one would have to take a jeepney going to Guinobatan.
The Cagsawa National Museum provides exhibits about Mayon Volcano as well as other Philippine volcanoes. The museum operates from 8:00 – 11:30 am & 1:00 – 4:30 pm from Mondays to Saturdays. Kapuntukan Hill likewise provides a god view of Mayon Volcano. Victory Village, located behind the fish market, is an old bamboo village built on stilts.
Legazpi Travel Guide likewise provides an overview of the various modes of transportation available in the city. Legazpi Airport is located Washington Drive, 3 kilometers northwest from the heart of the city. There are various bus terminals found in the city as well. The BLTB bus company has a terminal on Penaranda Street. The station of JB Bicol Express is found in Mabini Street while Philtranco has its station in Imperial Street.
The Tourist Information Office, located at the Third Floor of RCBC Building in Rizal Street, arranges Mayon climbs. They arrange transportation, guides, and equipments for interested individuals. There are several banks on Quezon Avenue where tourists can change their cash.
According to Legazpi Travel Guide, there are affordable accommodations in the city as well. The Legazpi Tourist Inn is the most popular accommodation venue. It is found on Lapu Lapu Street across the post office. The room rates at Legazpi Tourist Inn ranges from $10 - $15.
Another venue where tourists can stay is the Casablanca Hotel in Penaranda Street. At $15 - $20, all rooms in the hotel have double air-conditioning. There are some rooms that has a balcony. The coffee shop is open twenty four hours.
For those who are looking for a good dining venue, this Legazpi Travel Guide recommends the Old Albay Café of Hotel Victoria. It is a popular venue for conducting meetings. The place serves standard breakfast, Filipino dishes, sandwiches and snacks.
Paayahayan Beer Garden serves fresh seafood and a bottle of San Miguel Beer for PHP 15 per bottle. For vegetarians, the Waway Restaurant is the best place to go. It likewise serves local delicacies like Bicol Express.
This Legazpi Travel Guide provides travelers with helpful information in order to have a worthwhile vacation in Legazpi.
Makati is center of commerce, trade and economy in Manila and probably the entire Philippines. Makati has the most stylish, most expensive and newest places in the entire Philippines and it is the only city where you can get all the designer labels that you need. Part of stylish living in the Philippines is also stylish sleeping and where else can you sleep in than a luxury hotel in Makati? We will introduce the best hotels with this Makati Hotel Guide to you so that you will never settle for less in Makati, Philippines.
The most popular hotel in the Philippines is also the most popular hotel in the Makati Hotel Guide, namely the Makati Shangri-La Manila. The Makati Shangri-La Manila is a five star hotel that has the best service, more than 600 rooms and many amenities such as clubs, malls and spas. This hotel is located right in the middle of Makati, Philippines and the average room price ranges at around $230.
The next hotel in our Makati Hotel Guide is the Renaissance Makati Hotel. This hotel once again reflects world class in the Philippines. This place is located along the Greenbelt shopping mall which is known for its designer labels in the Philippines. The Renaissance Makati Hotel has a total of 598 available rooms and the service is fast and good. The average room rate for this hotel is $150 and the hotel has several amenities including a pool and business area.
The Makati Hotel Guide continues with the City Garden Hotel Makati. This smaller hotel has a total of 160 rooms and the service is very good and friendly. This hotel is perfect for travelling young people who like to stay in places for a short while. You can make use of the fitness rooms or simply marvel at the sight from your bedroom window out towards the entire Makati City. Makati is the upscale district in the Philippines and the City Garden Hotel Makati reflects exactly that. The average room rate is $75 and this is a great price for its value.
The last location of the Makati Hotel Guide in the Philippines is the Oxford Suites Makati Hotel. They have a total of 232 rooms and this hotel has great views from the rooms. Although it is located in the red light district of the Philippines, it still is a good business hotel to stay in. With an average price of $65 per night you cannot complain much.
The Makati Hotel Guide concludes here, but do not hesitate to venture out to find more hotels in Makati, Philippines that you can stay in.