Tenka Shabu-shabu (Glorietta)

I was quite hesitant in posting this since I was not able to take ample amount of photos to do justice for the meal that we had in Tenka. But my family has dined here for several times already without me #dormerproblems and my brother-in-law couldn't stop talking about his visits here, so i got excites when I finally was able to convince my mother to eat here.

Buffet of appetizers such as Kimchi, cucumbers, mushrooms, and Kani Salad. The Kani salad was the balance I needed in my shabu-shabu.

Every person gets to choose one ala carte (sashimi, maki, tempura, gyoza) for their meal. I choose the Salmon sashimi which was fresh! The tempura was good perfectly cooked.

The base soup. We choose Satay and Japanese Pork Knee soup. I personally like the Satay better since the pork knee soup was a little bit too bland. Tip: put some peanut butter on your satay!

So here's the part I no longer was able to take photos due to some reasons like 1. I'm so hungry 2. The plates came one by one 3. The plates were placed too far away from me and I was cramped in the middle. So to make up for it, I took photos of the menu!! What I like about Tenka's unli shabu-shabu is their wide array of meats (pork, chicken, beef, lamb), vegetables, noodles, seafood (oysters, shrimps) and much more! I ordered several plates thinking that the serving are small. Boy I was wrong, the serving size was more than the pictures on the menu. So I ended up returning some of the plates I ordered. Tip: get the crab roe balls and mozarella balls!

Of course, no meal is finished without desserts. What I love from their ice cream selection is that they offer different flavors like Green tea and Pistachio. They also serve fresh fruits and some made desserts like fruit cocktails and cheesecake. The cheesecake was good since its not your usual cream cheese-cheesecakes in ordinary buffets. I even had the manager get me another plate even after the buffet closed already! Says something about their service, right? 

Visit Tenka in Glorietta. Take the escalator near Heaven and Eggs.

Jeepney (Maginhawa St)

Few days before my classes started, I tagged along with my cousin to pick my niece from her dorm which was located a minute away from Maginhawa! That trip made me jealous that UST has no Maginhawa street to eat our way at. 

My cousin have always wanted to dine at Jeepney but since line queues were too long they opt to eat else where. I guess i'm their lucky charm since we're able to get a seat in just a few minutes. Hehehe

They had 'Sungka' for us to play with while waiting for our food. My mother with her game face on!

Pinakbet (P130). The serving was big. But what I liked the most was that the veggies were crunchy to eat.

Pork Sisig (P190). Good but not the best sisig for me since I like mine crispy and spicy. 

Boodle fight "Ayala" (P780) good for 2-4pax includes 4 cups of plain/bagoong/garlic rice, inihaw na Liempo, crispy shrimps, inihaw na Bangus, ensaladang talong with BLT, and ice tea.

The boodle fight set is actually sufficient for a group of four hungry people. Filipino food always tastes the same for me so its the quality of the ingredients and technique that will matter the most. The liempo was soft and juicy, the crispy shrimps can be eaten whole, and the Bangus had no 'lasang lupa' feels. 

Hole in the Wall: Bad bird, Posporo, and Scout's Honor

Ever since Century City Mall opened its doors, everyone went crazy for Hole in the Wall. Its an upscale food court that serves different cuisines from Filipino, Chinese, Latin, to Middle Eastern. Hole in the Wall is not only about the good food but also the ambiance is very homey with its wooden ornaments. Instragram-able indeed! 

On to the food, my first stop was Bad Bird's Corn and coleslaw plate (P330 + service charge). This is probably the most famous establishment and it is rated as one of the top restaurants in the Metro now. They take pride with their umami-licious fried chicken which was very tender. The salad was normal but the corn was unique because they added Kewpie, Cheese, and Bonito flakes that made it taste like Japanese food. Their chicken also comes in safe, spicy and chemical. I got the spicy, and it was not as hot I expected. I wonder how the chemical would taste like though. 

Posporo Rice Plate (P260 + service charge). Posporo is a fusion of Filipino and Latin American food. I guess this is a first, right? I tried it, and it did not disappoint. I choose their bestseller meat Sarsi Adobo Carnitas. I picked it because it was marinated with orange juice, cinnamon, and Sarsi Rootbeer which really intrigued me. The platter includes Kesong Puti ensalada, baked bens, and onion Atsara. Definitely a must try!

Another popular establishment is Scout's Honor, where you can make your own cookie. I got their premium cookie Nutella (P90+service charge). I personally think that their cookies are overrated since I was not impressed at all. Maybe i'll try to craft my own next time, and I will let you know if I change my mind about this place.

As you can see the prices are quite steep but its worth it because of three reasons: 1. the food serving is big (really filling) 2. even though they add 12 or 6% service charge- their service was really prompt. my water was refilled instantly. 3. Lastly, and most importantly, the food was gastronomic!

Empowering Women

I believe that we are not in war against society but a battle with ourselves. It is how we act that reflects us as a person and in return is perceived by others. If we show respect to ourselves, then people will respect you back. If you act with dignity, then people will look up to you. If you act with confidence, then people will see you as a stong woman. We are our person.

As the saying goes 'A great hero comes with great allies' (well okay i tweaked it a little bit hehe), even if we start our change within ourselves, we need others to help us.

With that being said, Coca-Cola started its 5by20 campaign where they envision 5 million women to become microentrepreneurs to allow them to provide for the needs and dreams of their family.

The program will provide trainings and resources for women. Help me spread the word by reading more about this campaign here. Dont worry no sign ups to be done.

**The gown was designed and made by my fashion designer sister

By 2020, we will not only see empowered women and their families but a stronger economy too. Well, at least that's what we hope.