September
Makati’s Secret Bicol Comfort Food
We love good food from the French Fine Dining Places to Hole-in-the-Wall restaurants. Our recent quest led us to Makati’s secret place for Bicol comfort food. Top Meal Food Haus specializes on Bicol favorites like the Pork Binagoongan and Bicol Express. It is also popular for its pancit selection which includes Pancit Lucban with Chili. If you like Som’s Thai restaurant in Makati, check out Top Meals Food House within its Makati neighborhood (at the back of Rockwell). There are 5 small tables inside and 2 small tables outside that can sit 2-3 people. You would see native artworks from Sorsogon around the resto and a single ceiling fan to cool the surroundings. This place is a favorite hang-out of Atenistas, Rockwell people and foodies.
A Preview of the Bicol Caravan
Here are some things you can look forward to if you’re going to the Bicol area.
What I like about Top House is that it is not like a carinderia where the food is prepared in the morning and served all day. Most of the dishes are cooked when you order it so that it is served hot and fresh from the kitchen. It is best if Wilson Tan is in the resto because he will be the one to cook for you. Wilson’s specialty is the Pork Binangoongan which is prepared with toasted alamang. The Bicol Express is made with gata and a good mix of fatty and lean meat pork. You can specify if you want your food to be really hot like how they enjoy it in Bicol. The serving plates are small (in proportion with the small tables) but its flavor is enough to compensate for its size.
started Chili Peppers with the vision of having a hip place for sales agents/ transients and the fallen eagles in Ateneo de Naga. After 3 years of successful operation, the other trendy restaurants opened including Coco Leaf, which serves Asian food, and the local coffee house, Bean Bag Coffee. When you eat in Chili Peppers, don’t forget to other their killer food which includes: Baby Back Ribs, Bangus Tail, Squid, and the Sinigang Bicol style with coconut. 1. Photogenic but shy Mt. Mayon. If it is your first time to visit the Bicol region, the view of Mt. Mayon will be breathtaking and awesome. If your intentions are pure according to the local folklore, you should be able to see Mayon clearly. Otherwise, you’ll only be seeing Mayon wrapped around white clouds. Have your cameras ready and take the first opportunity to shoot Mt. Mayon when the clouds are clear. It’s best to visit the Cagsawa ruins duringweekdays when there are no tourists. You can also buy cheap handicrafts in the tiangge and don’t forget to buy mazapan pili. 2. The beautiful Naga. Naga is an ideal place for stop over on road to Donsol, Sorsogon (3 hours from Naga). There are a few places to explore here which includes: a. Basilica Minore, Naga. Home to the miraculous image of the Patroness of Bicolandia, Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia. Thousands of pilgrims flock to this site during the September celebration of the Peñafrancia Fiesta just to visit and venerate the virgin. b. Magsaysay Strip - This is where Malate meets Libis in Naga. One of my colleagues in college in DLSU, Junjee Abela, started the trendy restaurants that you can find in the now famous Magsaysay St. of Naga City. Five years ago, he
3. An enjoyable road trip to Bicol. a. Don’t forget DVDs! Bring a car with TV/DVD installed and bring a lot of DVDs of movies that you have not watched before. The people inside the car won’t be sleeping if they’re engrossed in the movie they’re watching. But if you want your passengers to sleep, play soothing music (Norah Jones, anyone?) to send them off to dreamland. b. Feast on fresh food. This is the time to enjoy the food of the southern provinces of Laguna, Quezon and Bicol region. Here are some potential places to eat: • Palay-Isdaan in Pagbilao, Quezon. Enjoy eating lunch in a hut amidst ostriches, birds, snakes, crocodiles. There are videoke terminals in some of the huts so that you can sing while eating. The Tilapia is very good and you can taste its sweet freshness. • Lita’s Carinderia, Atimonan, Quezon. I have not eaten here but this one is located facing the ocean and boasts of fresh fish and squid. There are alot of people stopping over in this restaurant. • Biggs Diner in Bicol. Eating breakfast here is a must. Not that the food is great, but at least you can say that you have eaten in one of the successful diners concept in the Philippines. Bicol is the only region where Jollibee is not the number one fast food chain because of the strong equity built by Biggs in this region and a wider assortment of food.
The Halo-Halo was a bit different because it had a slimy texture because of the Ube made with gata. In Tiwi Halo-Halo tradition, it was served with cheese sprinkled on top. The Leche Flan tasted like it was sugar free. This one is a matter of preference — I like it because it has its own character, while my wife hates it because it was slimy. Top Meals Food Haus 5994 J.D. Villena St. cor. Mabini St. Poblacion, Makati. The place is beside Estelle Salon.
Thunderbird Roars
Thunderbird Resort is the best resort in the La Union area. It is located in Poro Point Freeport Zone, San Fernando, La Union (about 6 hours away from Manila). This is quite near the La Union airport and abou t 30 minutes away from the popular San Juan Surf Resort (for those interested in surfing). The place created a buzz whe n it opened because it was the first to provide a Santorini-themed resort — ahead of Bellarocca. Unlike Bellarocca, which is located on an island, Thunderbird is part of the La Union mainland and is easily accessible by car. Also, the resort has a decent Med iterranean restaurant called Olives, whic h makes up for its so-so buffe t breakfast. Thunderbird has a swimming pool and a decent beach, good for families that just want to momentarily get away from Manila. Some people go to this resort because of the casin o, which was built ahead of the hotel. I originally thought the casino was inside the resort hotel; fortu nately, it’s in a different building that’s a bit far from the hotel. The huge swimming pool area has a pool bar, a mini waterfall, an infinity pool (at the deep end of the pool), and water polo goals on both sides. It was built with children in mind and reminds me of the swim ming pool in Sofitel (but without the water slides). Thunderbird has a baywalk alon g the rocky shoreline, which leads to the cove with the beach. The beac h area is quite nice--golden sand with a bit of crushed shells and clear blue water. Aidan and Joshua had a fun time playing with the baby wav es. You won’t really have to worry about letting them explore by the beach because it is shallow and gradually slopes down. It is quite a walk from the hote l, though. First, you have to go down to the swimming pool, then walk a few minutes along the bayw alk before
you reach this beach. Swim here first before going to the swim ming pool. You can also rent equipment if you want to jet ski, ride a banca, snorkel, kayak or waterski. The hotel features whitewashed walls and a sky-blue dome. It is elevated, overlooking the swimming pool . I like the geometric-shaped design of the entire resort with its pockets of greens. You have an option to stay on the first floor or on the seco nd floor. The upper floor is more premium because it has a better view of the sea. Make sure to reserve ahead of time . It comes with the basic ame nities: safety deposit box, refrig erator, cable TV with stereo, complimenta ry bottled water, local newspap er, welcome drinks and — best of all — Wi-fi ! Overall, I find Thunderbird to be the
best resort in this northern part
of Luzon. Thunderbird Resorts Poro Point Freeport Zone, San Fernando City, La Union, Phili ppines Email: pororeservations@thun derbird-asia.com Website: www.ThunderBirdR esorts.com/Philippines For Reservations: +63 72 8887777