Pho Hoa Vietnamese Noodle House
2/F Robinsons Place Manila, Pedro Gil cor. Adriatico St., Ermita, Manila, Metro Manila
(02) 567-2126

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My mom wanted to eat at Pho Hoa before going back to Taiwan and we ate there for dinner sometime last December.

Pho Hoa is famous for its noodles which is very good I believe. That time, I wasn’t hungry. I guess we were just eating almost whole day that I didn’t have space anymore in my stomach hahahaha.

Here are what we ordered:

• Fried Rice Paper Roll w/ Lettuce Wrap (Php150)

I LOVE this!!!! You have to order this when you go to this restaurant. I was just enjoying this dish that I forgot to wrap them in lettuce leaves… so I ended up eating the rest with lots of lettuce hehe.

• Pho Bo Kho – Large (Php265)

Beef Stew Noodle Soup.. looks really yummy!!! I’ll try this when I go to Pho Hoa next time.

• Pho Nam, Chin, Gan, Bo Bien – Small (Php200)

This is noodles in soup with the combination of Flank, Brisket, Tendon & Meatball. My mom loved it…

• Coke Light (Php55)

Whenever we order noodles, we are given condiments like the one below. It depends on how we want to incorporate it into our meal. But I don’t usually eat it, I guess I just don’t know the right way to eat vietnamese noodles hehehe.

This is definitely one of the better restaurants out there. I especially love their “san ji tow” (chinese sitaw), best to eat with rice… yummy!

Gerry’s Grill
Banawe St., Quezon City, Metro Manila
(02) 421-1111

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As soon as we get to the airport from Boracay, we were really starving!! This is because PAL express doesn’t serve food nor water in the airplane, maybe it’s because it’s a budget airplane.

Since we were with taiwanese peeps, we will need to bring them to a restaurant that serves filipino food. So the 1st thing that came to mind is Gerry’s Grill.

They loved it a lot, they were very vocal on how they enjoyed the food, etc.
I, on the other hand, has been eating filipino food ever since when so nothing really special for me hehe.

Here are what we ordered:

• Crispy Pata (Php 415)

All-time favorite… I ate the skin yummy!

• Sizzling Kangkong (Php 130)

This tasted good as well..

• Sinigang na Bangus Belly (Php 210)

Honestly, each dish tasted good so we’re all satisfied… this one’s my mom’s favorite.

• Garlic Rice (Php 34)

• Sizzling Sisig (Php 170)

This is another favorite… yummy yummy yummy!

• Inihaw na Pusit – 500g (Php 305)

I just ordered one but the restaurant mistakenly served us 2. We were still able to finish them all so it’s a blessing in disguise.

• Buko Juice (Php 75)

My mom wanted to drink fresh buko juice and good thing this is available at Gerry’s Grill.

• Green & Yellow Mango Shake (Php 75 each)

Max’s Restaurant
3rd Level, Bldg. A, Julia Vargas Avenue, Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

(02) 7-9000

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My mom was really craving for the “sarap to the bones” Max’s chicken. She kept bugging about it the whole day that she wanted to try it. So right after we finish shopping, we went to Max’s Restaurant for dinner.

I’m glad my mom’s happy with her order, at least our trip there is worth it

I am however was not hungry that time and wasn’t in a mood to eat anything, 1 reason is I’m on diet and I felt that I should not gain any more weight hehe. Besides I still prefer KFC chicken over Max’s restaurant though I do agree that Max’s chicken is good as well.

Here are what we ordered:

• Veggie Lumpia Bites (Php81)

I wasn’t hungry but I can’t let my mom eat alone so I ordered this. I don’t think I have the liberty to judge the food coz I wasn’t really in a mood to eat anything that night. I didn’t like it, I only took a small bite and had it wrapped so I can take it home. There was mayonnaise and that, I don’t eat

• Buko Pandan Special (Php53)

My mom ordered this for dessert. I didn’t try it so I don’t know the taste hehe

• Basic Max’s Meal (Php 137)

A combination of 1/4 Max’s Chicken, Plain Rice, Caramel Bar and Softdrink. My mom was smiling when she was eating this so I believe this is delicious. I have ordered this before and was satisfied as well. Definitely something we can recommend if you go to Max’s Restaurant (their chicken meals).

Kohikan
G/F Diamond Hotel, Roxas Blvd corner Dr. J. Quintos St., Manila
(02)528-3000

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I’m not a coffee person but this has become my favorite hangout place. I really missed this especially when it’s Greenhills branch was still open. They closed all of a sudden, I don’t know why coz I believe they’re doing good. I missed it and glad there’s still one branch open here. Their menu is a lil different but I still love it the same.

Here are what we ordered:

• Diamond Ensaymada (Php90)

This is a funny one. We saw this displayed at the counter. We thought that they will just serve it in a plate but was surprised when they put it inside a microwave and it looked so weird! And to all our surprise, it tasted sooooooooooo bad. hahaha

• Sumibi (Php210)

A mixture of their iced coffee w/ vanilla. Looks really good and I believe this tastes good coz I ordered the iced coffee & I liked it very much.

• Matcha (Php230)

Japanese green tea shake. My mom’s friend told us that this is her favorite. I believe her she looked really satisfied with the drink

• Sumibi Iced (Php160)

I love this and I also love how it was presented. The Iced coffee put in a very nice glass with milk & syrup on the side. I enjoyed this order of mine a lot.

• Kohi Jelly (Php210)

My mom ordered this and she seemed to have enjoyed this. I’m not really surprised coz I know Kohikan’s drinks are deliciiiioous! It’s coffee jelly w/ vanilla & whipped cream.

• Sumibi (Php140) & Emerald Mountain (Php190)

They looked the same so I just took 1 picture and will just describe here what the 2 hot drinks are.

• Sumibi is just their signature coffee served hot & strong.
• Emerald Mountain on the other hand is coffee with a lil sour taste.

I will come back if I get a chance, but I’ll make sure I won’t order the ensaymada hahaaha

Sea Palace
1766 A. Mabini St., Malate, Manila
(02) 521-6427

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We went to this place for dinner last January 1, mainly because all the other restaurants are closed that time. I initially thought that this restaurant has its own market wherein we choose live seafoods then ask them to cook (then found out that it’s another restaurant and not Sea Palace).

It’s just a normal restaurant in which we order food and they serve it to us cooked. I would say I didn’t like the service & the food. I was kinda disappointed & decided that I won’t ever go back to this restaurant again unless I don’t have a choice.

Good thing I was with such beautiful people that it didn’t affect me that the service is bad & food isn’t good (except for the suahe w/c tasted good). I enjoyed the company of my mom & her friends so much. We even took a lot of pictures. You can see the pictures here (notice how old their utensils are).

Here are what we ordered:

• Tahong Chili (Php 400)

I didn’t bother trying this. When it was first served to us, my mom’s friend commented that it’s still a lil raw and requested the restaurant staff to cook it a lil more.

• Steamed Suahe (Php 600)

This is the only dish that I loved here. Fresh & Yummy. This was the 1st dish served to us.

• Chicken Wanton Soup (Php 600)

This is ok but not my favorite. Overpriced in my opinion.

• Steamed Lapu Lapu (Php 1,080)

Doesn’t taste and look fresh. Very disappointing dish. Urrgghh.

• Kangkong w/ Chili Bagoong (Php 300)

I didn’t like this as well. I don’t think the ingredients really blend well together.

• Steamed Crab (Php 800)

Nothing special but okay.