John's Kitchen

Featured Resto:

Food Sampled:

Focaccia Bread with butter, cheese, sun-dried tomato, pesto balsamic 

                                                         (complimentary)

Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken Strips & Poached Egg

Entrees - all are served with choice of Rice, Mashed Potatoes or Homemade Fries and choice of Mix Vegetable Salad, Buttered Vegetables, Onion Rings, Grilled Tomatoes & Mushroom

Surf & Turf - Prime Rib with Grilled Shrimp & Mussels with Garlic Sauce

Rump Steak - Grilled Rump Steak Fillet

Lechon Baka / Roast Beef (1/4)

Norwegian Salmon Fillet

Yellow Fin Tuna Steak

Caramelized Pear with Walnuts

Fresh Lemonade

Notes:

• located at Timog Silangan, Angeles City
• al fresco dining / garden
• best Caesar salad tasted; the grilled chicken & poached egg define/gave the salad a distinct taste
• lechon baka is scrumptious
• caramelized pear is refreshingly sweet
• lemonade is freshly squeezed with a hint of mint
• over-all the food is good
• service crew are very attentive to guests
• place is clean; cozy ambiance
• delightful dining experience

Mom & Tina's Bakery Cafe

Featured Resto:

Food Sampled:

Paella Valenciana

Fettuccine All' Amatriciana

Chicken Spinach Lasagna

Smoked Salmon & Capers

Fettuccine Carbonara

French Apple Pie Tart

Carrot Muffin

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Cafe Americano

Cafe Latte (Decaf)

Hot Chocolate

Notes:

• located at Perea cor Dela Rosa Sts., Makati City
• homey ambiance cafeteria
• among the pasta, the chicken spinach lasagna stood out in terms of taste 
• paella valenciana is good 
• the french apple tart is superb with its crunchy crust, moist & well flavored apple-cinnamon filling & crispy toppings
• the carrot cake is delicious but it's a bit dry
• coffee goes well with the desserts
• hot chocolate is perfectly thick & bitterly sweet
• staffs are friendly & very accommodating 
• enjoyed eating

The Spa

Fancying a royal treatment? 

The SPA is the place to be as it offers luxury pampering & rejuvenation. With its wide array of whole body & wellness treatments and variety of massages & packages, you can definitely find one that best suits you.

At their branch at Rockwell, only Suites & Villas are available so you can expect a very spacious room all to yourself. Inside the room, you can either choose to have a Jacuzzi Bubble Bath or a Steam Bath plus a shower. Toiletries such as shampoo/conditioner, body wash, lotion, powder, cotton buds and brush, hair dryer, bathrobes, towels, disposable undies and shower caps are also provided. Allotted time for the use of these wet areas is 15 minutes.

We tried the Aromatherapy Massage (use of fragrant oil) with choices of either Shiatsu (finger pressure & stretching techniques), Swedish (flowing strokes) or Combination. Duration for this massage is 60 or 90 minutes. 

Their best seller is the Traditional Hilot (touch therapy) which uses virgin coconut oil and banana leaves. Duration for this massage is 75 minutes.

After a relaxing retreat, we treated ourselves to a hearty snack at Rustan's Supermarket at Rockwell's basement. 

Mixed fruit slices & SOLA Teas

Subs, Sandwiches & freshly cooked Pastas 

Tiger's Grill

Featured Resto:

Food Sampled:

Pumpkin Soup

Grilled Porterhouse Steak - served with mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables

                                                                                    & gravy

Iced Tea

Notes:

• located at Bagumbayan, Angeles City, Pampanga (inside a subdivision & quite difficult to find)
• casual dining / open air
• large serving size steak cooked just right ( a well-done steak retains its juiciness)
• cheapest best tasting steak
• will definitely be back for more

Bioessence Spa

Bioessence offers a variety of spa & skin pampering services from head to toe. They also specializes in slimming treatments. 

For this occasion I tried their Full Body Massage (Swedish) with Turkish Sauna. The treatment started with an option to take a shower. Afterwards I was assisted to the Turkish Sauna. The sauna is conveniently located inside & in the privacy of the couples room which we availed. I was asked to sit inside a wooden box where only my head was out. Then an automatic switch was turned on that emitted hot steam which lasted for 10 minutes. The purpose of the sauna is to remove toxins from the body. A glass of water was served after the session to replenish the lost water from sweat.

Then I was asked to lie facing down on the bed for a full body massage. It lasted for an hour covering every part of the body. We were given a Swedish massage. It was relaxing though we weren't given an option to which type of massage do we prefer. 

Hot tea was served after.

The price for the massage was very reasonable. The service was satisfactory. We tried the branch in Waltermart - Pampanga. It is situated near the activity center and unfortunately there was a singing contest taking place at that time and it was heard inside the spa room so it was not very soothing. Luckily the contest ended halfway. I also noted that there were no tissues & toiletries available in the room. Overall I may want to go back if I want instant relief from muscle pains & to detoxify (I like the Turkish sauna) on a low budget, or if I want to try the other services offered.

Bistro Ravioli

Featured Resto:

Food Sampled:

Sausage Ragu Pasta

Diablo Wings

Spinach and Feta Cheese Ravioli in Pasta Sauce

Red Iced Tea

Notes:

• located at Glorietta 3, Makati City
• casual dining
• food is delicious, very tasty, has rich flavor
• pasta are freshly made 
• can watch chefs cooking behind a glass window
• place is a little cramped for its many patrons
• orders may take a while to be served during peak hours
• reasonably priced
• highly recommended

Top of the Citi by Chef Jessie

Featured Resto:

Food Sampled:

Buffet Dinner Set

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Mango & Parma Ham Salad

US Grilled Duck & Norwegian Salmon with Broiled Broccoli, Cauliflower & Asparagus with Mashed Potatoes

Brownies

Chocolate - Coffee Crunch Souffle

Princess Carmen

Brewed Coffee

Notes:

• located at the top floor of Citibank Bldg. at Paseo de Roxas, Makati City
• fine-dining restaurant 
• ambiance is romantic on candlelight but can also be suitable for business meetings
• 360 view of Makati Skyline
• food is serve per course
• food is good while desserts are excellent
• souffles are must-try
• princess carmen sansrival is superb, with loads of pistachio nuts, crunchy meringue, soft creamy filling and right amount of sweetness

Cafe Balooga

Featured Resto:

Food Sampled:

Tamor Vegan Parollio - thin crust pizza to roll w/ alfaalfa

Monster Balooga Burger - 1/4 kilo of pure beef patty burger with fries

Cookie Monster Mocha Shake

Cafe Latte

Notes:

• located at Harbor Point Mall, Subic Bay, Philippines
• still on a dry run
• well decorated cabin bar inspired interior
• food taste good; creative & unusual though not unique
• hot coffees still need refinement
• reasonably priced
• many foreigner followings
• overall service & dining experience is satisfying