Bang for the Buck, Buffet Restaurants

Filipinos are such great food lovers that Buffet Restaurants are such a treat to us.  Since buffet restos are the typical eat-all-you can type of serving dishes, people flock in these places to experiences the variety of Filipino food offered.  The Kamayan Restaurant, offers a Filipino tradition of eating buffet style which highlights different specialties of various regions in the country.

Eating buffet style is also a value for your money.  You can enjoy tasting and eating almost all the dishes that you love, repeatedly, even in large portions without any additional cost.  You go home fully satisfied and happy all at the same time, that you get to eat new and exciting recipes.  If you are quite adventurous and a traveler, out-of-town restaurants like the My Pot located in Antipolo wherin you pay a measly P100 only for an eat-all-you can experience. 

More classy restaurants like Saisaki and Cabalen offers exotic and delicably tasty buffets.  Some have choices ranging from Chinese cuisine, Japanese and even European.  The real advantage of these buffets aside from the choices of different dishes and the price is the quick service.  Sometimes we do not have the luxury of time waiting for the food to be cooked and served. This is just convenient especially to busy people who are always in a hurry.

At other times, ambience also play an important role in buffet restaurants, it can affect one’s appetite. There are people who want magnificent dining even though the place is a buffet restaurant. In addition, there are also people who concentrate more on the variety of Filipino foods rather than the ambience.  Whichever way it is these restaurants definitely should have the best of the two worlds, meaning good food and good place.

So if you are looking for the best variety of Filipino foods around, you may ask your friends for those places you have not gone yet, or even check the internet.  Buffet restaurants are also good for bonding with the family, since you tend to enjoy sharing and discussing the flavors of these dishes.   Good places are packed with a customer which means fine foods are being served there.  But beware.  Some restaurants offer very low quality of food, and you might be caught unaware.  You can find buffet restaurants who may offer simpler Filipino foods yet quality is not sacrificed.  It is alright to choose from simpler foods as long as they taste delicious as they should be. 

Look at the Food Selection

Let us say for example that you have found a great buffet restaurant with a nice luxurious ambiance and good traffic.  Now, your search will be meaningless if they have low quality food selection.  For this reason, you should also take a look at their food selection, too.  Fortunately, there are buffet restaurants in the Internet that can help you narrow down your search.  Customers who have dined at the buffet restaurants provide testimonials not only about the place but most especially about the food selection as well.  This way, you will get your money’s worth when you visit the place.  Remember, the more food choices offered in the buffet restaurant, the better.

Baguio, the Summer Capital of the Philippines

Hurry to the city of pines and summer Capital of the Philipines, Baguio City! Travel packages offered by Asia Light and Wow Philippines Travel Agency ranges from P3000 to P6000 which includes tours around the city. It is a favorite summer destination to escape the heat of the sun.

The Mansion is the summer residence of the Philippine’s President, one of the most photographed places. The entrance gate is said to be the replica of the Buckingham Palace in London. Inside the Mansion is a museum housing memorabilia of former presidents. Philippine marines are manning the guardhouse at the vicinity of the entry gate.

Mines View Park on travel package is a big must. The observation deck of the park offers a breathtaking and panoramic view of the valley and mountains of Benguet. It is also where you can be treated to a spectacular view of Benguet’s abandoned gold and copper mines and the beautiful contours of the Cordillera mountain region.  Gone were the boys in Igorot costume by the cliff.

Ideal for picnic and macro photography is the Panagbenga Park with a lot of flowers, plants, totem poles and butterflies. Visit the butterfly sanctuary.

Included on a travel package is Camp John Hay, a must-visit with charm of its pine tree-lined roads, beautiful landscaping, quaint cottages and wide open. Drop by their Liberty Park, Bell Amphitheater, Igorot Garden and Cemetery of Negativism. Enjoy at the camp’s leisure facilities of non-stop fun through paintball, rappelling, mini golf, children’s playground and eco-trail hiking.

Visit Tam Awan Village, nestled on a steep side of the mountain was built with native huts with the purpose of showing how a local villages looks like. Traditional authentic huts upland recreates a typical ethnic Ifugao village.

Travel packages include accommodation at Hotel Veniz, perfect for budget travelers because of its central location to almost everywhere. Try Golden Pine at the heart of the city with luxurious suites and elegant superior. Another is The Manor, not only distinguished by its impressive architecture and cozy interiors, but also blessed with an environment. It provides a magnificent view of the Cordillera mountain range. Here, one can literally open windows to cool, fresh air.

Complete the Baguio experience with a souvenir photo with the famous lion’s head along Kennon Road, an undisputed landmark. Bring home “sundot kulangot” the most popular pasalubong from Baguio. It is a sweet packed in small round thin shells, eaten by using a stick in scooping it. Another is the peanut brittle, crispy and chunky caramelized sugar with peanuts. And strawberries you picked at the Strawberry Farm in the nearby La Trinidad Valley.

Where to Buy Beer in Manila

Local Beer and Where to Buy Them

Beer is considered as one of the most frenzied alcoholic beverages in the Philippines. In fact, the country is the 23rd largest beer market in the world. On average, a Filipino would drink 20 liters of beer each year.

Looking for a local beer in the Philippines can be as easy as buying your favorite soda. There are two major breweries in the country—Asia Brewery and San Miguel Corporation, which produces San Miguel Pale Pilsen, one of the most popular local beers in the Philippines. Here are some places where you can get your favorite beer:

Local Grocery Stores

Local grocery stores can provide a good selection of alcoholic beverages in the Philippines. If you don’t know which brand of beer to buy, it helps to ask the people around you. You are sure to get a good answer from any Filipino you meet.  It is easy to find a local grocery store anywhere in the Philippines, especially if you are within Metro Manila or other major cities in the country. Even if you are in a far-flung area, local beers can be bought from small retail stores.

Pubs/Bars/Clubs

If you want to enjoy a good beer during the night, going to a bar or club is your best bet. In fact, many bars provide a wide selection of local beers. However, they may come at a higher price as compared to the ones you can find in local grocery stores.

Specialty Beer Stores

Although rare and a little harder to find, there are specialty beer stores that offer a decent selection of alcoholic beverages in the Philippines. What’s great about them is that not only can you find local beers but imported beers as well.

Check out this craft beer pub.

Restaurants

Although not all restaurants in the Philippines serve beer, there are many that do. Your choices may be limited, but this depends on the kind of restaurant you are in. If you happen to visit one, ask the restaurant personnel if they serve beer to their customers and order to your heart’s desire.

 

Budget Hotels in Quezon City, Metro Manila. Philippines

Quezon City is one of the most dynamic areas of Metropolitan Manila, and is a melting pot of people from all walks of life. There are hundreds of artsy shops, quaint restaurants, hole-in-the-wall establishments, and quirky cafes that add character to Quezon City. The city is named after former Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon, and it was even the Philippine’s capital during the years 1946 to 1972.

More travelers are discovering the numerous attractions that Quezon City has to offer, and the growth of budget hotels has risen dramatically. Experiencing the eclectic, indie vibe of the city doesn’t have to hurt your wallet; read on below to see some recommended budget hotels.

1.       The Orange Place Hotel, located at 26 Kamias Road has standard, fan rooms, family rooms, and budget queen rooms for travelers visiting alone or with companions. The rooms are equipped with basic amenities and have wooden furniture, while the hotel has a restaurant serving affordable local fare.

2.       Dangay Suites Apartment at 99-A Dangay Street in Project 7, has rooms which can be rented out daily or monthly. The compound has two buildings with 3 storeys each, housing 15 homey apartments. What originally started out as monthly rentals for local families, Dangay Suites transformed into a transient home catering to local and international travelers in 2009. There are daily and monthly rates for occupancies ranging from 1 to 8 persons, and room amenities at Dangay include utilities, water, cable television, private bathroom, and air-conditioning.

3.       Sir Williams Hotel is also a home alternative to budget hotels in Quezon City. It’s located at 39 Timog Avenue, just a 5 minute walk from shops and restaurants in the area. Sir Williams offers 7 types of rooms, from basic standard rooms to a one bedroom suite to accommodate travelers looking for cheap hotels. Each room features a 21 inch flat screen television, air conditioner, hair dryer, and telephone.

4.       Mariposa Budget Hotel in Cubao is one of the hotels in the Mariposa group that are known for offering quality budget accommodation in Manila. It is conveniently located within the Araneta Commercial Center, and offers guests a choice between Mega and Deluxe rooms. Each  air-conditioned room comes with LCD television, private bath, hot and cold shower.

5.       Stonehouse Bed and Breakfast at 1315 E. Rodriguez Avenue is a charming accommodation option in Quezon City. Guests can choose from 9 different room types, each of which is equipped with private bath, air conditioning, wireless internet access, and cable television. Daily newspapers are also available for guests who want to read up on the latest local news at Stonehouse. The hotel is also equipped with a business center, jazz bar, and restaurant, making Stonehouse Bed and Breakfast one of the top choices for budget accommodation in Quezon City.

Bars and Clubs in Ortigas Center, Pasig

For those who are looking for the best places to unwind and just get a conversation over a cold bottle of beer, there are plenty of bars and clubs in the Philippines. Ortigas is one of the most urbanized areas in Manila. This is a place for commerce and business where various people are on the look for after-work fun and rendezvous with friends and booze.

There are a lot of clubs which are worth trying while you are in Ortigas.  These clubs can provide the best beers and drinks alongside the perfect ambience for a relaxing moment with your friends and peers. Here are some of the best places to unwind which are dubbed to be included in the list of the best bars and clubs in the Philippines:

Ortigas has the very urbanized City Golf Plaza Compound which has all the best resto, clubs and bars in the area. The Barcino is a nifty place for people who would want to eat Spanish dishes and wines. One can find the best liquors such as white and red wine to pair up with a sumptuous meal.
Another place to visit for the best experience of food and drinks is the Locale Gastrobar. This food establishment can serve gourmet dishes to satisfy their guests. The best food stuff which is being served here would include nachos, truffle pizza and foie gras burger. Another addition to this wide array of food is a bottle of good beer and concoction of drinks to enjoy. 

If one would want a real night fun, The Reserve is one club to reckon. This is just located across the Locale Gastrobar and Barcino. This is a nice place to relax with a drink. The Reserve is a liquor lounge which gets too crowded during the weekend when a lot of patrons and guests would flock to enjoy the music and excellent customer service. Make a reservation before going to the bar to ensure a nifty spot for the night.

For those who would want to enjoy the booze in Ortigas, Bugsy’s Bar & Bistro is a top pick. A lot of the guests going to this night spot would adore the drinks and food. Fish and chips go well with beer and that is one of the most satisfying treat to have while at Bugsy’s. It is their yummy buffalo wings which are perfect pair for a bottle of beer with lots of fun.

Borough is one of the best bars and clubs in the Philippines located at Ortigas. This bar is located at the Podium Mall which provides the best New York style food with the best cold beer in town. The place is quite small which cannot cater all the patrons who flock during the weekend.

Metrowalk is a haven for bar hoppers with the premeiere bars and clubs in the Philippines. This is place where a lot of bars and clubs are found. There are Club Phi Restobar, Aruba Bar and Restaurant and Decades Bar alongside Elbow Room and Dencio’s Bar.

Food and Beverage Services in Manila

Filipinos are known worldwide for their love for good food and fun occasions.  Parties are all over town every now and then like birthdays, debuts, weddings, anniversary celebrations, and even fiestas.  These special occasions are never ignored by Filipinos, thus certain preparations are being made to ensure thorough enjoyment by all.  Putting up scrumptious dishes is always the top priority of the host.  Ensuring that all guests will have their fill and satisfied with the delicious foods is very vital when throwing a party.

Thus, a lot of food and beverage services in Manila are now out in the market.  Catering businesses are proliferating in the metro to answer the growing demand in supplying foods and beverages for those who badly need their expertise and assistance.  They continue to evolve to keep up with the constant demand of the clienteles.  Innovative ideas are being offered to liven up the party, with huge selection of dishes available to suit everyone’s palates. Whatever your event is, maybe it be just a simple gathering or a grand occasion, there’s certainly a nice caterer to fill in your needs for an awesome party.
That is why a lot of business-oriented people are venturing into this industry.  Starting a catering business however is not as easy as it may look. One has to invest not only his money, but also his time and overwhelming skills in cooking and dealing with customers.
The very fundamental factor one has to consider before starting in this field is having reliable and efficient catering equipment and supplies.  Being knowledgeable of the best suppliers in the metro is also a must.  It is but elementary to arm yourself with the bests if you want your business to succeed.  The type of occasion you want to assist is very important in choosing your catering equipment.  Always pick materials that can serve both formal and informal events to spare you of additional expenses, and you will be able to meet the strains of your customers as well. The must-haves of a catering business include dinner wares, silverwares, glass wares, serving plates, serving trays, cake stands, champagne fountains, chocolate fountains, banquet carts, table skirts, and food warmers.  Have a complete set of cooking utensils and equipment at the same time for a more reliable cooking facility such as a whole set of butchery cutlery, pots and pans, appliances for steaming, broiling or grilling, and storing.  Another vital requirement in the catering industry is having a dependable means of transportation.  Some guests may require you to cater in distant venues; thereby your automobile should ensure safety for your materials.
Establishing a good working relationship with your personnel and suppliers is also the key factor to make your business thrive longer.  Having skilled and efficient staff plays a significant part in your success.  This is one of the secrets of most of the successful food and beverage services in Manila along with quality and excellent service.

Fruits are one of the healthiest and most natural food sources we have so it is to no surprise the juices are a good way to go when choosing a drink. A beverages list in the Philippines may contain a lot of alcoholic beverages but surely, there are also as many juice options in there. As a tropical country, the juice bars and restaurants in the Philippines are able to offer fruit shakes and juices that may not be readily or consistently available in other countries, and for a very reasonable price. Mango and banana are two of the most popular flavors but options like dragon fruit, carrot-mango, and coconut are also available. If you are looking for non-alcoholic beverages, then juice bars are your best bet for delicious drinks to quench your thirst.

 If you have no time to look around yourself, here is a beverages list that does not contain any alcoholic beverages in the Philippines. This list consists of one hundred percent non-alcoholic beverages and is a good read for health buffs and foodies alike.

 Fruit Magic has a wide range of options in their menu. From Blueberry Burst to Green Mango, you can have your pick of berries, tropical, fruits, and even vegetables. It is easy to stay fit with fruit magic because the company and its employees take it upon themselves to promote a healthy lifestyle and advocate a healthy way of living for everyone. Fruit Magic is known for it’s juices but the juice bar takes it a step further and offers healthy food that can help everyone steer clear from unhealthy fast food chains.  It has over seventy branches in and outside Metro Manila, including ones ten SM Supermalls (Mall of Asia, Southmall, Megamall, SM City Cebu, etc.), three Robinsons malls (Galleria, Robinson’s Place Pioneer), and nine Ayala malls (Glorietta 4, Market!Market, TriNoma, Ayala Center Cebu, etc.)

Big Chill is another well-known juice bar in the Philippines. Present in countless branches in the Philippines including Glorietta, Shangri-la, Subic Harbour Point, Robinson’s Galleria, Eastwood, Greenhills, and Alabang Town Center, you are ensured to have a taste of their refreshing beverages. You can even opt to have special add-ons to your drink like vitamin C and Whey powder.

 The newest out of the three, Jamba Juice, a juice bar hailing from California was brought to the Philippines in 2011 and revitalized the Filipinos’ craze for fruit juices. The juice bar that consists of six different types of beverages and food on their menu including classic smoothies, all fruit smoothies, creamy smoothies, steel cut oatmeal, fresh squeezed juice, fruit & yogurt parfait, and California flatbreads & wraps brings the much loved California juice bar experience to the Philippines. You can visit Jamba Juice at Robinson’s Place Manila, Robinson’s Magnolia, SM Megamall, SM City North EDSA, SM Mall of Asia, Alabang Town Center, and Bonifacio High Street. 

 

Other takes on Juice Bars?  Mochasoya

Juice bar listings

 

Do Your Travelling Pants Have Shallow Pockets? 10 Things To Do In Downtown Manila

Pumping up your get-up-and-go feet around the neighborhood of Manila having a quality time with family and friends with a budget travel is a big plus. Go the extra mile with these suggestions.

 

1.     Explore Intramuros and witness the preservation of our cultural heritage inside the 64-hectare stones which withstood wars and successive waves of colonial invaders. Visit Fort Santiago and see the WW2 underground tunnels, the final footsteps of Rizal embedded in bronze, and the museum that exhibits Philippine History. Have a heavenly break at San Agustin Church or the Manila Cathedral. Experience a kalesa ride along  the streets of Intramuros and a lunch at nearby colonial-style villas.

 

2.     Mix and mix a “halo-halo”.  This favorite Pinoy merienda best fits our sunny weather, mostly in demand during summer. Halo-halo is a mouth-watering and refreshing creation of shaved ice, evaporated milk, mixed up with sweetened beans, sliced bananas, nata de coco, sago, gulaman, leche flan, ube and yema. Don't forget to top it off with a scoop of ice cream with a wafer stick.

 

3.     At the SM Mall of Asia By the Bay, a cross breed of nature and modern city, experience a bird’s eye view of the great sunset of the Manila Bay. On hand is a budget travel because new attractions will surely draw crowds with their zipline, amusement park, The Road Train; and featuring the MOA Eye that gives a view of the bay area inside air-conditioned gondolas with see-through windows. It also highlights pyromusical fireworks. Live bands and restaurant bars are scattered by the bay.

 

4.     Movie marathon at SM Cinema Movie Fiesta for only P25. Watch movies dating back around 6 months to 2 years from their showing.

 

5.     A family get-together is worth the while at the the hustle and bustle of Luneta. Apart from its grassy expanse and the Rizal Monument, it features a planetarium, fountains, children’s playground, Chinese Garden, Orchidarium, Butterfly Pavilion, and an amphitheatre.

 

6.     Star City! Have a roller coaster ride at Star Flyer and experience a throbbing yet wonderful stomach pain at Surf Dance, Wild River, Viking, etc. Newest attractions include the Star Frisbee and the Giant Wheel. Be scared to death by the horror houses, be frozen at Winter Fun Land, and be amazed by circus shows. Play amusement games of all sorts, and win prizes.

 

7.     168 Mall is the home of Filipino shoppers and paradise of wholesalers. P1000 of budget travel will bring you a newest fashion trend from top to bottom plus a bag and accessories. Rows of stalls, bargains, local bazaars, it just offers “everything under the sun”.

 

8.     Street food! Turon, mangga with bagoong, isaw, kwek-kwek, fish ball, squid ball, calamares, balut, etc. is what a Manilenyo would crave for every 4PM. The luscious and delectable taste of hepatitis B completes our appetite with the mouth-watering sago’t gulaman.

 

9.     Physical fitness? Breathe fresh air in a forest inside the city at the UP Diliman Campus. Walk, jog, run and bike around the oval, Sunken Garden and the UP Oblation, avoiding the temptation of the Ikot-Toki as you roam around the vicinity. After, taste their best-seller grilled isaw to complete your UP trip.

 

10.   After UP, why not try UST? The 400-year-old oldest university in Asia has 4 National Cultural Treasures: The Main Building, Arch of the Centuries, Central Seminary, and Grandstand. Other landmarks include the bronze statue Quattromondial, Quadricentennial Square, Benavides Park, and the Rosarium, a peaceful rosary garden.

 

For more ideas check out this travel guide.