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Gayuma is a “Lifestyle Restaurant” originally located at Esteban Abada, Xavierville. It was a nice and cozy place. We shot the music video of Matilda’s Iyak ni Maria in Gayuma with Director Sherad Sanchez a couple of years ago. I have not been to Gayuma since after, because the place closed, rumors said that it caught fire that damaged the place.

There’s an empty building in Sikatuna that always got my attention because it looked like it’s going to be something soon. I think it was used as a campaign headquarters last election. And now, some construction seemed to be going on outside. I thought it was going to be a spa but I was pleasantly surprised to see a signage of “Gayuma ni Maria” in the building just last Sunday.

Gayuma Ni Maria, Lifestyle Restaurant in Sikatuna

Curious if it’s the same old Gayuma we knew, we went inside to check out the place. Yes, it was the old Gayuma. With some of its old menu. There’s always comfort in familiarity.

cozy dining place

wall of potion recipes

It is still a cozy place with mix and match furniture pieces and furnishings. A wall of love letters and potion recipes. Lace curtains line up the windows, and an alfresco area with a wall of painted rocks. I like the peacefulness of the place, it’s relaxing and the staff were very accommodating.

wall of painted rocks

Some improvements could be made though. I wish they change the tablecloths, and maybe they can loose the bright pink Chinese lamps in the alfresco area. I also wonder how the alfresco area would look like at night. I hope they have pretty lamps to lit up the place.

alfesco dining

When we were there, Beyonce and Justin Bieber were playing. Maybe they can play something that would enhance the ambiance. How about some mellow world music, or Kundiman perhaps?

crayola for doodling!

A lovely detail was the art-lovin’ happening in the place. There are crayons and manila paper on top of tables, as well as some paintings adorning the walls.

Chinoy in 7th Heaven

yummy avocado shake

Despite some imperfections, we had a lovely dining experience just the same. We had the delicious avocado shake, Chinoy in 7h Heaven (described as “fried chicken obra gently simmered in a concoction of Chinese herbs with a heavenly rice mix”) that has some delicious fries on the side. For dessert, we ordered the Beat Sex Any Day (BSA) cake, the new version of the Better Than Sex cake. We finished up with a cup of Arabica and Robusta coffee mix, with free refill! And we got a 10% discount, a promo for the dry run period.

Gayuma is currently operating on dry run and will fully open on July 28. Come and be in love with Gayuma ni Maria.

Gayuma ni Maria: Now Open!

Gayuma ni Maria is a few meters away from Save More, along V. Luna Extension in Sikatuna. There’s a huge (Acacia?) tree that’s decorated with yellow ribbon (yes, the Aquino branding) lanterns in front of Gayuma.

Brothers Burger Hamburger Day

Who knew that there’s a Hamburger Day? Well now we have a reason to celebrate! :)

The photos in the internet built up my expectations, and it’s good to discover that the Andanita Taj of Tagaytay delivers.

lounge area

It’s small in front, and all that I saw in the photos  is the facade with three lighted domes. But when you enter, it’s a big, cozy place with couches and pillows. Ambient music that’s distinctively Indian, and walls full of illustrations and artworks, plus a closer view of the Taal Lake!

paintings on the wall

Description: Hot and spicy dish with tomatoes with Goa. Heavy use of vinegar and the traditional meat is from Portugese Influence.

It’s really spicy with the chilly powder showing in the dish (those red dots).

Chicken Tandoori (Php 290)

Description: Chicken marinated in yoghurt with freshly ground spices and lemon juice grilled in Tandoor.

I enjoyed this chicken very much because I like all viands with lemon. It’s a bit spicy and can be improved by adding a bit butter to buff up the taste a little. But still, all is good.

Taj of Tagaytay is the name of the restaurant of Andanita Bed and Breakfast Hotel. Check out their website here.

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Tagaytay City

Facade

Souk Kafe is a small lovely restaurant in Robinson’s Dasmariñas Cavite that offers Western and Eastern cuisine. It has a cozy and thematic ambiance, with foreign-language music piping out from the speakers. Because of the numerous shisha pipes on display, I expected Persian food, but to my surprise, their menu is really interesting with servings of Arabic, Indian, Persian, Italian and Spanish food.

Shisha, wines and a mix of cultures

Shisha Pipes and Wines

Braai Mix Salt and Spice

Mana Pizza - Daily Heavenly Bread. 10 inches of blessing for only Php 99!

Seafood Soup (creamy crabmeat soup infused with garam masala) Php 75

Crab Crostini (crab sticks on top of fresh tomato slices topped with cheese then baked)

extra order of salsa

my mango shake's cream melted already

Chicken Sezzane (sesame-coated chicken fillet with slightly spicy sauce served with mixed vigetable sautee as side dish)

Alokozay Iced Tea Php 48

sppon, fork and knife wrapped in decorative napkin

As an annual event to get together during the Christmas season, my high school friends and I had dinner. They are fond of eating out at places that are quite expensive, their favorites are Greenbelt restaurants. This time, my friend, who’s based in Singapore and only comes home every summer and the Yuletide Season, wanted to eat at a Shabu Shabu restaurant, though the last dinner we had when I was in Singapore was in a Hot Pot restaurant.

We tried Healthy Shabu Shabu in SM North, The Block and ordered Beef Tenderloin and Seafood shabu shabu. There were four of us and our bill was almost Php 4,000 (USD 87.19).

Hot Pot Soup

seasoning and spices

sweet corn, pechay Baguio, pechay Tagalog, carrots, mushrooms, yam

tofu, crab sticks, noodles, squid balls, etc.

seafoods - prawns, oysters, salmon, squid, etc.

tenderloin beef

It’s kind of worth the experience and it’s really filling and enjoyable. So for  hearty and healthy food trip, try the Healthy Shabu Shabu.

We came from a client meeting at Rufino Avenue and we’re parked at Mile Long Building. Before going back to the office, we decided to check out a restaurant along the long corridor of the building that caught our attention. We wanted to settle a while in a quiet place to collect our thoughts and organize our notes from the meeting. We saw the interior of the restaurant and it looked cozy. We hesitated first because there seemed to be a few food choices. We decided to finally check out the menu and went inside.

Cashier's Counter

Wall made of Logs

A middle-aged woman warmly greeted us and I greeted her back with hello. She asked if we wanted to check out the menu. And told us to sit in the table near the window where it’s colder, then she turned the air-con on. There were rice toppings, hot plates, appetizers, salads, deserts and others in the food selection. It’s only around 3PM so we ordered corn chips with sour cream and coffee.

Chips with Homemade Sour Cream Dip

I asked if there’s cold coffee and the lady said they don’t have it in the menu but she’d gladly make me one. My companion ordered for cappuccino coffee. After a few minutes, the lady, seemingly frustrated, turned to us and said “The espresso machine wont work! Can I just give you brewed coffee and one iced coffee?” We agreed.

Decorations

We enjoyed our simple corn chips because of the yummy sour cream dip. And when our coffee arrived, the lady said “Here’s your brewed coffee, and iced coffee on the house.” We were a bit shy but did not turn down the offer. She gave us three choices of sugar – muscovado, brown and white. She’s very accommodating and the place was really cozy. It felt like I was in Sagada. And it was like mom’s serving the drinks. The lady is Mrs. Mila Fitz. And the place is called the Hunter’s Restaurant.

Table Setting

Our Table

I highly recommend the place for a cozy quiet relaxation time.

Hunter’s restaurant is open from Monday to Friday at 11 AM to 8 PM, and Saturday at 11 AM to 3 PM. Contact Hunter’s Restaurant through (632) 892-51-66.

Hunter's Toppings

Previous article: Playa Papagayo Beach Inn and Restaurant

The items in the menu were a bit expensive, especially when our waiter told us that the servings were only good for one person. But when we got our food, i must say that it’s actually worth it, and the orders are ok for two people.

Veggie Enchilada - Php 150 (cooked with melted cheese)

Chicken Sauteed with Cashew - Php 280

Plato Mexicano (Platter of java rice, refried beans, enchilada, taco) with Chilli Con Carne

Chili Con Carne - comes with the Plato Mexicano

Seafood Curry - Php 300 (with bacon, raisins, tomato and onion sidings)

We were very satisfied with our food, and so with our waiter — John, a trainee who was doing a great job serving us and apologizing for delays, since the kitchen is far from where we ate. They have an air-conditioned restaurant in front but we chose to ate at the Playa Seaside Restaurant, fronting the beach. I give John, the trainee a high passing grade!

Photos by Amrei Dizon

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If you’re loving frozen yogurt these days because of the rise of yogurt stores, you’re in luck! I had the privilege to meet Frutti Froyo’s owners and managers through its product photoshoot and they gave us a complete freedom to taste test their products. Right after lunch, even before the photoshoot began, they sampled us a lot of the toppings, which I absolutely loved!

Shirley, the owner, prepared two flavors — mango and chocolate.  Amrei, the photographer from Vitalstrats Creative Solutions filled her cup with mango – a light colored creamy yogurt. Of course I tried the chocolate yogurt. And to be honest, it did not disappoint! The mango yogurt was very fruity at the same time creamy. The chocolate yogurt tastes like chocolate ice cream and chocolate drink! For a chocolate lover like me, it did not dissappoint. And it’s still creamy even when melted.

Carl, Shirley’s sister would ask us if anyone wanted yogurt, or would let us eat the toppings that were already shot. Amrei and I would eat toppings non-stop. While Koochie, the stylist, was busy preparing the next item for shoot.

Frutti Froyo will be selling by ounces, so there’s no need to feel bitin with the toppings. The first store is located at the new Petron in Katipunan, beside the La Vista Katipunan Gate. Get your Frutti Froyo yogurt fix starting October 2009!

After a historical day tour at Intramuros, and crossing the street to check out Binondo,  we went to Rizal Avenue (the road where LRT Line 1 is) to go to Harbour Square to have an early dinner. We tried the new Night Kebab Persian Restaurant at the second floor. We got a view of the sunset, the skyline, and well, the spectacular Manila Bay at night.

Night Kebab a newly opened persian restaurant that gives a hip and young vibe. We ordered the following:

Night Kebab Salad - Php100

The salad is good! It’s fresh and the white sauce is creamy.

Vaziri Kebab Php 290

It has a stick of Beef Kebab, and a stick of Chicken Kebab. I liked the yummy chicken better!

Plain Basmati Rice Php 50 – Long-grained rice.

Melon Shake Php 85

Milky! It’s been a long time since I’ve had melon, and good thing this shake was good!

Mango Shake Php 85

We ordered for Motabal or anything with eggplant but unfortunately, they ran out of the dishes with eggplant. But the kind gentleman who helped the waiter get our orders, who turned out to be the owner of the place, said he’d gladly grill us eggplants. So he did, with a bit of presentation. And he only charged us Php 40 for it.

Grilled Eggplant - not on the menu, special request only :)

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Likha Diwa sa Gulod in UP Diliman only serves organic brown rice, vegetables and a few selection of seafoods for people who practice pescetarianism or a diet with only fish and veggies, and dairy and egg products for lacto-ovo vegetarians (I used to be a lacto-ovo vegetarian). Here are some of the food that I had in my last two visits at the restaurant (with prices):

Plain Yogurt Shake Php 60.00

One of my favorites, mini-cheesticks with salsa. The cheesesticks are creamy with a small slice of green jalapeño for a little spice:

Cheesesticks Php 80.00

For meals, one of my favorites is the Vegetarian Kare Kare with organic brown rice and vegetarian bagoong (shrimp paste — but without the shrimp).

Vegetarian Kare Kare Php 100.00

Try also their value meals, every dish comes with calamansi juice and organice brown rice.

Vegetarian Afritada Meal Php 75.00

To see the restaurant’s ambiance, see my previous post: Likha Diwa sa Gulod, UP Diliman. Bon appetit!

For more gastronomic experiences, browse through the other food trips.

cozy place

I have been fond of vegetarian food most of my adult life. When I started working and after graduation, I started eating more veggies, vegetarian and organic food. I even went on eating nothing but those healthy goodness. One of my most favorite vegetarian restaurants was Teri’s in Maginhawa St. in Teacher’s Village. There was a time when I would go to Teri’s and it’s always closed, until it moved out. I really miss their home-made firm tofu bits. Now I don’t know where to find them. I was never able to get the owner’s number though we were acquainted a lot of times. I would die to know where Teri’s is now.

a mini bar

low tables at one side of the cafe

Another vegetarian cafe that I go to is Likha Diwa sa Gulod which serves only brown organic rice and viand made with vegetables, fish, tofu and veggie meat. No real meat out there. They also serve flavored yogurt shakes and desserts. The X-factor for me, of Likha Diwa, is its homey-cozy ambiance that will let diners enjoy their healthy food in peace and quiet. Its got classical house music playing, and a mini pond too.

mini pond with flowing water

To see some of food on their menu, read: Don’t Panic, It’s Organic!

Likha Diwa sa Gulod, UP Diliman
1 Lt. J. Francisco St., Brgy. Krus na Ligas, UP Diliman
Quezon City, Metro Manila
(02) 925-5522

We had lunch at the nearby Filomena’s Restaurant and Bakeshop after touring the Tam-Awan Village. Filomena’s serves a variety of dishes including Korean food, pizza, pasta and of course, Filipino favorites like Kare Kare and Inihaw.

Filomena's Restaurant and Bakeshop, Baguio City

some of our orders - chicken for the kids and chopsuey

It is a cozy place with a thematic interior. There’s a bit of waiting time though. We waited more that 20 minutes for all our food to get served.

inside Filomena's

a pocket garden outside Filomena's

Filomena’s Restaurant and Bakeshop

20 Tacay Rd., Pinsao Proper,
Baguio City, Benguet
Tel: 074-4460170
Fax: 074-4240657

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