The Palms Country Club, Alabang, Philippines

It was a Saturday afternoon when the host family brought me to the Palms Country Club to spend the time of the day. 

After I stepped in the Palm Country Club, the first place that I stopped by before going to the bowling alley was the Cafe Asiana. I was introduced to some friends of the host family children. One of the guys' meal ordered just arrived on the table. I was quite impressed when I saw the king prawns on the risotto. Looks so delicious! Too bad, I didn't give it a try although the guy was offering me to try it. Next time, maybe? ;)

King Prawns and Risotto - Php 388

After playing bowling, mini golf and billiard games, we sat at the outdoor pool to feel the afternoon breeze, chit-chat and for sure, also some snacks :)

Pepperoni Medium Pizza - Php 168

Loaded with melting cheese... it's just superb!!!

French Fries, Mayonnaise and Ketchup

Behind: Yellow Mango Juice - Php 125

Front: Green Mango Juice - Php 125

Very refreshing!

The Palms Country Club mineral water bottle.

All prices subjected to government tax  and 10% service charge.

Current Currency: 

1 USD =  Philippines Peso 42.11

1 Philippines Peso = Rp. 225

Location:
The Palms Country Club
1410 Laguna Heights Drive
Filinvest Corporate City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City 1781
The Philippines
Telp: (632) 771. 7171

Disclaimer: The review and opinion expressed here are purely according to my personal taste. There's a possibility that the taste of the food might change later on, which could affect the review and opinion here. I also affirm that no monetary or non-monetary compensation has been received from this restaurant for writing this review.

Jollibee

I believe everyone who has heard or eaten Jollibee, knows that Jollibee is the largest fast food chain in the Philippines. So far, there are about 750 stores in the Philippines and 80 stores outside the Philippines (USA, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei). In the early 1990s, Jollibee opened also a couple of stores in Jakarta but they only lasted for a few years before they closed down. I'm not sure what's the reason but I think probably one of the reasons is because of the high competition with KFC and McDonalds. Still, I do hope that someday, Jollibee will open again in Indonesia because I really like the fried chicken and crisscut fries :)

All Jollibee stores are very crowded during lunch and dinner time.

Chicken Combo Meals included regular soft drink

 1 piece of chicken and rice - Php 79

2 pieces Chicken with rice - Php 129

Perfectly seasoned fried chicken, crispy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside. I noticed that the Filipino love to eat Fried Chicken with gravy. 

1 piece chicken with Spaghetti - Php 105

Jollibee Crisscut Fries Large - Php 51

There are 2 flavors - Zesty cheese and Savory BBQ. I really enjoyed this Crisscut fries.

Regular soft drinks

Sides: 

Creamy Macaroni Soup - Php 33 

Dessert:

Jollibee Peach Mango Pie - Php 24

It tasted quite good, but I prefer McDonalds Apple Pie.

Ice cream with rice crispy and chocolate topping - Php 25.

Current Currency: 

1 USD =  Philippines Peso 42.41

1 Philippines Peso = Rp. 223

Location:
Jollibee

The Mind Museum (Rizal Dr.),
Taguig City, Metro Manila 1634,
Philippines

Disclaimer: The review and opinion expressed here are purely according to my personal taste. There's a possibility that the taste of the food might change later on, which could affect the review and opinion here. I also affirm that no monetary or non-monetary compensation has been received from this restaurant for writing this review.

Mango Float (Mango Graham Refrigerator Cake)

My first activity with the leaders and Filipino staff on our first arrival at the camp was to make the famous Filipino dessert. Not so sure what is the real name since people called it differently. Mango Float? Mango Graham Cake? Mango Refrigerator Cake? Uhmmm.... anyone would enlightened me? 

Ingredients:

Ripe Mangoes

Condensed milk (we used Carnation)

Cream (we used Nestle)

Graham Crackers

 Preparations:

Slice up the mangoes.

 Mix together the cream and condensed milk in a bowl.

Crush the Graham crackers.

Place the Graham crackers crumbs evenly in a pan. 

Pour the mixed cream and condensed milk.

Make sure the sweetened cream mixture cover all the Graham cracker crumbs.

Place the sliced mango on the top. Be generous! ;)

Ready to put in the freezer. It need at least 4 hours in the freezer!

Tadaaaa... the delicious and comforting Filipino dessert!

The girls who made the Mango Float/ Graham Cake :) 

Panaderia Pantoja Bakery

The first bakery shop of Panaderia Pantoja in Tanuan City.

On my arrival in Tanauan City, I was brought to the Panaderia Pantoja Bakery. I learned that Panaderia Pantoja Bakery started in 1950 by the couple named Aurelio and Celinda Pantoja. It's when they inherited a house in Tanauan City, Batangas and found a Pugon (brick oven) in the backyard which inspired Aurelio to start a bakery business. Now after 6 decades, Panaderia Pantoja Bakery is one of the province’s largest bakeries with franchisees and branches in different towns in Batangas, Laguna and Manila.

Panaderia Pantoja’s products are Yeast Breads (Pandesal, Asado Siopao, Hamburger/Hotdog Buns, Breads, etc.), Sweet Dough Breads (Cheese Rolls, Ensaymada, Malolos, Pan de Leche, Pandesiosa, Brownies, Banana cake, etc.), Biscuits (Banana chips, Butter cookies, Garlic sticks, Chicaron, etc.), Cake Rolls (Choco roll, Mango, roll, Mocha roll, Ube roll, Brazo de Mercedes), and specialty Cakes.

The board sign:

The Pandesals (Filipino bread roll) are freshly baked from the Pugon (brick oven) every morning 4. 30 am to 7.30 am

The cakes

Malolos Special Big - Peso 123

Mini Ensaymada - Peso 16

Cheese Rolls

On the top is butter, sugar and grated cheese. Inside the bread is a stick of cheese.

And guess what? My surprise birthday cake was from the Pantoja Bakery. It's very simple but totally delectable! The cake was so soft, light, fluffy and I really like the butter cream on it. I usually avoid  eating butter cream but the butter cream on this cake was so good! Seriously, I hope that I will have my birthday cake from Pantoja Bakery again next year :)

Current currency: 

1 USD = Philippines Peso 41.8

1 Philippines Peso = Rp. 226

Location:
Panaderia Pantoja Bakery (Main store)
A. Mabini Ave., Tanauan City, Batangas
The Philippines
Tel: (043) 778-0953

Disclaimer: The review and opinion expressed here are purely according to my personal taste. There's a possibility that the taste of the food might change later on, which could affect the review and opinion here. I also affirm that no monetary or non-monetary compensation has been received from this restaurant for writing this review.

Food at the Filipino host family

Beside staying at the camp in Tanauan City for 2 weeks, I also stayed for 2 days at a Filipino host family in Alabang, Manila. 

The Filipino home-cooking is not much different than the Indonesian home-cooking. In the Philippines, people also like to eat rice for breakfast.

Day 1 - Breakfast

Rice, Bistek Tagalog, Scrambled egg.

 Bistek Tagalog (Filipino beef steak)

Delicious sliced of tenderloin, onions, garlic, soy sauce and lemon.

Lunch:

Rice, fried fish, Nilaga Baka

Nilaga Baka (Beef stew)

A tasty stew of beef  (shank, neck bone), potato, cabbage, string beans, leeks, corn

Dinner:

Shakey's Pizza 

I like the yummy thin crust pizza from Shakey.

Dessert:

Mango ice cream.

Pastillas de leche

very sweet milk candy. It's made from fresh milk and sugar.

Day 2 - Breakfast:

Garlic rice, Tinaga (smoked fish), Salted eggs, Bistek.

Itlog na Maalat (Salted eggs with tomatoes)

Tanauan City Market, Philippines

During my stay in the Philippines, I had a chance to visit the wet market in Tanuan City, Batangas. The wet market is just the same like the wet market in Jakarta.

Here are some pictures that I managed to capture in the wet market.

Alamang (wet shrimp paste)

Tuyo and Tinapa (Dried/salted fish)

Biko (brown rice cake)

 Sapin - sapin (layered rice cake)

Puto (steamed rice cake)

Banana Cue (Fried banana), Kamote Cue (sweet potato),  

Toron (Filipino Lumpia)

If you are thirsty... you can try Gulaman (gelatin drinks)

Kikiam (Squid balls)

Kare - kare (Philippine stew)

Bread and cake shop

Philippines Mango, 

tasted like Indonesian Mangga Golek.

Corn (white and yellow)

Kwek - kwek (Quail eggs) and Fish balls

Isaw (Intestine skewer)

Weight scale. 

Same as Indonesian, it's also called "Timbangan" in the Tagalog.

Santol

It's tasted like "Manggis" (Mangosteen) but more sour.

I wonder why the Yakult is being sold not cold.

Tricycles.

A full tricycle.