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Cafe Juanita, Kapitolyo: A (Lovingly Biased) Deep Dive Into My Favorite Filipino Comfort Food Haunt
Let’s get the disclaimer out of the way first, because I believe in truth in advertising: I am not an objective narrator here. Cafe Juanita is my favorite restaurant in Kapitolyo, full stop, and I have been going back so often that the servers no longer bother asking if it’s my first time. So if this review reads a little starry-eyed in places, that’s why. I’m not a food critic parachuting in for one meal and a hot take — I’m a regular, and regulars are, by definition, a little bit in love with the place they keep returning to. That said, “biased” doesn’t mean “blind.” I’ve had enough meals…
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El Mesón de Gonzalo: Is Salamanca’s Most Talked-About Restaurant Worth the Hype?
Kamusta, kumain ka na? Before I ever set foot in Salamanca, I did what every self-respecting food-obsessed traveler does the week before a trip: I opened Google, typed “best restaurant Salamanca Spain,” and started scrolling. One name kept surfacing again and again, tucked into “best of” lists and Michelin Guide roundups alike — El Mesón de Gonzalo. A restaurant that’s been feeding this city since 1947, sitting practically on top of the Plaza Mayor, and carrying a listing in the Michelin Guide to boot. That last part is worth being precise about: El Mesón de Gonzalo isn’t a Michelin-starred restaurant, but it is one of the relatively small number of…
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Genki Sushi in Bonifacio Stopover, Taguig City – One of the Best Sushi Places in the Metro
Hey there, have you eaten yet? Ready to embark on a delicious journey with me? Well, hold onto your chopsticks because we’re diving into the world of Genki Sushi at Bonifacio Stopover in Taguig City. Trust me, this place is like finding a shiny treasure chest full of sushi delights.
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Ooma – SM Megamall, Mandaluyong: A Comprehensive Review
Although I typically avoid fusion cuisine, as it often disappoints, I occasionally find exceptions worth trying. Generally, I prefer authentic local dishes over fusion creations. I recalled visiting Ooma before the pandemic and enjoying their Scallop and Tuna Aburi Maki, which prompted me to revisit and try it again.
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Cafe Ilang-Ilang at Manila Hotel: A Comprehensive Review
I’ll say this upfront so you know exactly who’s talking to you: I’ve eaten my way through most of the eat-all-you-can buffets in Metro Manila. Vikings, Spiral, Circles, the works — I’ve done the buffet crawl so you don’t have to gamble your Saturday appetite on a bad one. And honestly? Nothing beats Cafe Ilang-Ilang. I’m also not writing this after one lucky lunch. I’ve celebrated birthdays here with my entire extended family (the kind where lolo brings his own tsinelas bag “just in case”), toasted a promotion over the Seafood Night spread, and dragged balikbayan cousins here straight from the airport because I wanted their first Manila meal to…
