(Chicago) – I love anything Korean nowadays. The food, specifically, fascinates me. Korean food leans a little towards Japanese taste, has the ethnic looks of Chinese, but is distinct generally. It has structure and a dramatic progression; a story on the table. I tried a few Korean restaurants across the country and I can only name very few that I didn’t enjoy. I don’t care anymore whether they are authentic or not. As long as the presentation pleases my eyes and the first bite makes me smile, they get my adulation. This is exactly what I felt the first time I dined in Chosun Ok. The whole experience was more…
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Dimsum Brunch at The Cathay Restaurant
(Singapore) – During my husband’s quick visit (how quick? 18 hours!) here in Singapore, I needed to take him to a restaurant my boss introduced to me during one of our team lunches – The Cathay Restaurant. According to my Singaporean boss, it is a restaurant which served Chinese Cuisine back in the olden days (1950s) but it was eventually closed due to a decline in popularity attributed to competition. At present, it was somehow revived and is still situated at it’s original location – now at level 2, the building was renovated with a cineplex and retail shops. The restaurant has a nostalgic, Chinese restaurant feel. It has illustrations…
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Sola is not Alone
(Chicago) – I heard some good feedbacks from my friends about the food at Sola. When I saw this place available in restaurant.com, I quickly bought a $25 gift certificate for a cheaper price. However, these coupons have a lot of restrictions. For instance, it can only be used during weekdays, excluding Fridays, which is perfect for me; I prefer that. I hate it when my food experience is affected by annoying crowd and long wait times just to get a table. So it is a slow Wednesday summer night, I am off to Sola to validate what I heard through the grapevine. The ambiance is neat and classy. Not…
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Pinoy Ice Cream at Village Creamery
(Chicago) – I live in the city but for many good reasons, I find myself hanging out more in the suburbs. I actually prefer going to the less crowded malls outside the city, rather than in downtown Chicago, where tourists mob the restaurants and stores, and parking is just annoyingly difficult and unreasonably expensive if you plan to get a secure spot. End of ranting, I’m supposed to share my fun, laid-back weekend discovery in Niles, a suburb northwest of the City of Chicago. Here it goes. I was just driving around this area with a friend and we chanced upon a familiar ice cream store in the corner of…
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Super H Mart
(Chicago) – Shopping is my therapy. It doesn’t matter whether I actually buy things or just window shop but most of the time I end up purchasing things I really don’t need. I don’t care. With all the stress I get from work or other personal stuffs, walking around leisurely in malls or supermarkets brings that much-needed relief. That’s why most of my weekends; I drive around with some friends from place to place, check some shops and peruse whatever is on sale.
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Steak Romance at Tango Sur
(Chicago) – If you are looking for something romantic, Tango Sur can be your place. If you want something intimate to spend a night with your close friends and share some great and reasonably-priced steak, you can come to this Argentinean steak house in Southport. The steaks here are not the best in town but they are good enough, absolutely affordable and the cuts are huge. A steak entrée here is big enough to be shared by 2 for the price almost half as that of Morton’s or Ruth Chris’. If you are craving for steak but do not want to drain your wallet, well, you will love Tango Sur.…
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Going Loca for Mallorca
(Cleveland) – I am totally unfamiliar with Cleveland. I googled and found some interesting restaurants to visit but they are either far from the hotel or extremely expensive. Tired from 6-hours drive, I just wanted a familiar, reasonably priced, quick bite to replenish my energy and hopefully, show a good first impression of Cleveland to me. I walked around the hotel area which is located at the Warehouse District and after a few minutes, I was standing in front of a restaurant that serves food I am accustomed to. “Let’s have Spanish tonight.” I excitedly helped my friends to decide on what to eat. Then, we entered the place called, Mallorca.
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Cleveland Rocks
(Cleveland) – When my Chicago friends informed me that they were going to Cleveland for a volleyball tournament, I was not very excited. “What is in Cleveland?” I asked inquisitively. I was more interested in the place, rather than the tournament. Yes, I don’t play the game but I always tag along with my friends as a supporter in disguise. My real agenda was to see what’s around and taste what’s being served in local restaurants.
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Hancock’s Signature Room
(Chicago) – I still can’t get over the feeling of being a tourist in Chicago. After living here for almost 5 years, I still can’t help but go to “touristy” places once in a while, especially when I have visitors. I am as excited as my guests. One time, I brought a visiting friend to see Millennium Park and I was more thrilled than her. We looked at her camera afterwards and guess what; I had more pictures of myself than her. She asked me, “Was it your first time here in this park as well?” And I replied, embarrassed. “This is my 6th time.”
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Nuevo Leon
(Chicago) – The other week I was craving for an authentic Mexican food and the first restaurant that came to mind is Nuevo Leon. I have visited this place many times for the past 8 years and the food never disappoints me. I could go to this place everyday but the only constraint is distance. That night when my craving was intense, I did not realize that there was a thunderstorm heading to Chicago. Nonetheless, my friend and I drove bravely through the wind and rain to check if there’s something “new” with Nuevo Leon.
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Eating Las Vegas
(Las Vegas) – Gambling, Entertainment, Drinking, Fun, and the Food….oh the Food!! That’s what I’d always heard about Las Vegas. In actuality, my experience was a mixed bag when it came to the restaurants. Greatness exists, but some places disappoint.
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Home for Easter! : Mobile Snapshots
(Manila) – As soon as I luckily booked that cheap Singapore Airlines flight (yes, cheaper than my fave budget carriers!) all I can think about is – aside from seeing my family of course – FOOD! Living in a foreign country makes you really excited about gastronomic delights from home sweet home. Plane landed in the afternoon, even if I had my free meal aboard, I kept on thinking, where will my sisters and husband take me for dinner this time? Last time I went home was Christmastime, which means 3 months long without authentic, delicious and mouth-watering Filipino cuisine!
