Oliva Bistro Cafe in Visayas Ave.

A new restaurant has opened in Visayas Ave. Oliva Bistro Cafe is the main attraction of a newly constructed building, apart from a huge Thai massage place on the second floor. According to B’s brother who writes for a blog Tales from the Tummy, Oliva is the brainchild of a hotel lobby chef from Singapore. Evidence of this can be seen in the menu selection encompassing Asian and Western specialties. The wall mural inside the restaurant also depicts this.

Ramen X

B wanted to try out this new restaurant last night. It had been a rainy day and some hot ramen was welcome in my belly.

We checked out the Trinoma branch, which is at the second floor, next to Recipes (outdoor area). I liked the interiors because of the minimalist tables made to look like bamboo. I also liked the anime characters decorating one side of the wall.

The menu seemed simple enough. I chose the Spicy Chikuwa 7 Ramen (P129), described as soy based chikuwa noodle. When I asked the cashier girl what a chikuwa was, she said it’s a seafood roll.

Chikuwa turned out to be the log version of fish ball. At least that’s what it tasted like. I was surprised to find it hollow, since rolls usually meant there’s something inside. Anyhow it’s quite tasty and I liked the chewiness.

The broth had a nice kick. It wasn’t too salty or oily. I didn’t care much for the noodles, which felt thick and tasted too starchy.

B got Yoshi’s Ramen (P159) upon recommendation of the cashier girl. It’s described as soy based pork noodle with pork belly slices. He seemed happy enough although he complained that it lacked taste. I agree. The soup lacked the umami taste that’s so important to the Japanese. We both agreed that Moshi Koshi in Mandaluyong City is better. In case Ramen X improves though, we’ll be happy that there’s finally somebody so near to our place where we can get our ramen fix at less than P160.

When you check it out, make sure not to order the sodas. I ordered a Pepsi Max and for some reason it tasted like carbonated water. They were kind enough to replace it with Red Iced Tea though.

Kashi Good Friends Cereal (Original flavor)

Being a big cereal lover, trying out a new brand/variety is one of life’s little joys for me. This morning, I woke up full of excitement for Kashi’s Good Friends Original Cereal.

Brunch ať Milky and Sunny

My office is in Mandaluyong. Sometimes B would wake up early enough to drive me to work, which meant breakfast together. It frustrated us that there are no decent breakfast places near my office so we end up at McDonald’s or Jollibee.

Reading about Milky & Sunny at http://clickthecity.com excited me. A place that serves pancakes, french toast and even cereals and located just over ať Kapitolyo souded perfect. 

Xtremely Xpresso Cafe

Ideally, weekends are out of town trips and lazy brunches, preferably in some place like Xtremely Xpresso Cafe.

Blue Poppy Restaurant, Victoria BC

One of the best places I saw during our Canada trip is Victoria, the capital of British Columbia and a ferry ride away from Vancouver. Our primary intent on visiting the famous tourist destination is to see the Butchart Gardens, which B wanted to show me ever since went there in 2009. We lunched at the Blue Poppy Restaurant, which is the first thing you will see upon entering the park. This was our experience.

Tim Hortons knows the best way to start your day

When in Canada, it’s impossible not to find oneself inside a Tim Hortons. The coffee and doughnut chain almost has the same significance as the maple leaf to Canada’s identity.