Once upon a time, when I was still just starting out at my current job, I encountered that…read moreoh-so-painful dilemma of looking for a place to eat. I've done the "Jollibee all day, every day" thing, and while yummy, it is not healthy; my midsection grew thicker as my wallet grew thinner. I resolved that it will be different this time. Thankfully, there is a small restaurant beside my building, called Jai 'n' Jio. While I never actually got curious about the name past speculating that the owners must be Jai and Jio, the quality of food served is definitely something worth investigating. Open from 8:00 AM, this place corners the market for the whole compound, and is more than open to serving people curious enough to see a place that, in their own words, is "where cooking is an art, and eating is a pleasure". It's a bold claim, perhaps, but I think their words are what drives their constant delivery of good, affordable eats for people who are simply too tired of fast food joints. This place gets good marks for offering my diet some much-needed variety for when I don't leave the office.

Mini Stop is my all-time favorite convenience store. This place literally has everything--food,…read moretoiletries, magazines. The best thing that I really like about Mini Stop that (for me) makes it better than other convenience stores out there, like Family Mart and 7/11, is their food. I know Family Mart and 7/11 also sells food, but the ones in Mini Stop just appeal to the Filipino taste buds. My personal favorite is their Uncle John's Fried Chicken. For me, their chicken tastes just like Chicken Joy (from Jollibee). It has a very crunchy Chicken skin that I could not get enough of. The chicken meat is also tender, juicy, and flavorful. I also like their deep-fried pork wanton and sharks fin. I know that their sharks fin is not legit, but I don't really care as long as it tastes good. These meals would be perfect with rice. Mini Stop has everything for people that are always on the go.

For three years now, my sister has been bugging me for us to try the panciteria near our apartment…read more Non-pancit-lover that I am, though, I keep foregoing it. Finally, today gave us a reason to go there and buy. Since we had a despedida for a relative who was flying back to the US, we opted to buy pancit for our mini celebration. We ordered one small bilao each of Pancit Canton and Pancit Palabok, which are surprisingly affordable at Php 240 each, good for four persons. Their recipe is quite tasty, and they're generous with the ingredients. The service was also friendly and on time (we requested delivery). Pansit Pinoy is great for celebrations or gatherings, big and small.

For those of delicate stomachs or who aren't used to the Filipino eating habits, street food in the…read morecountry may be a bit hard to swallow. However, there are various small stalls and fast food chains, and even convenience stores that manage to provide a "sanitized" version of local delicacies to the more discerning gut. One of them is Potdog. With a selection ranging from squid balls, shark fin siomai, crab meat on a stick, and other street delicacies, Potdog allows one to have a taste of the local Filipino dishes of the masses in the comfort of a shopping mall rather than in the streets with the cars and the jeeps and other modes of transportation giving one a feeling of caution that one shouldn't eat food there. Naturally, this isn't to say that the culture of the Filipinos is "dirty"; no, that is just how we manage to eat our meals in the busy life of the city, but this is to highlight that for those foreigners or young Filipinos who want to sample such delicacies without leaving for the streets also have the alternative to have them served in a more sterile manner, a trend which is growing in various shops and stores all over the country. So try Potdog if you feel your stomach is too sensitive for the real thing; it's cheap and clean and certainly makes you feel like you're part of the street culture.

Tuwing nadadaan kami ng kaibigan kong mahilig sa street food sa Potdog, hindi pwedeng hindi kami…read morehihinto at hindi siya bibili. Ganoon na lang siguro siya naaakit sa dami ng pagpipiliang 'tusok-tusok' na mas susyal ng kaunti sa karaniwang fishballs, siomai, at kikiam sa kalsada. Idagdag mo pa ang iba't-ibang klase ng sauce na pwedeng sawsawan. Hindi lang siguro ang kaibigan ko, pero karamihan sa ating mga Pilipino ay nakahiligan na ang ganitong klase ng pagkain lalo na sa kalsada. Tiyak na Potdog ang isa sa mga unang papasok sa isip na kainan kung nagahahanap ng street food sa loob ng mall. Bukod sa mga 'tusok-tusok' ay mayroon na rin mga rice meals (siomai rice) dito na nagkakahalagang P50.00 hanggang P80.00 kada order, yung iba ay may drinks na rin. Mayroon na rin mga snack pack tulad ng cirspy squid at potato wedges kaya siguradong mapapatambay at mapapafoodtrip ka talaga dito.

After so many years of trying to stop by whenever I'm in the Philippines, I finally made it--and it…read morewas so worth it. The fresh lumpia, my all-time favorite, did not disappoint. I even brought home childhood favorites: almond cake, peanut cake, champoy, and a coconut drink. Truly happy that DEC has kept its quality through the years

This is always my go to place to buy my Chinese snacks and pastries, breads, lumpia, siomai, almond…read morejelly, black gulaman, ... Everything is yummy. I wish you have a big branch in Makati.

Currently dining here. Waiting for my receipt. A cockroach crawled across my table. I called the…read moreattention of our server. He moved us to another table where a stray cat awaited our lovely company (pictured for reference). I couldn't get myself to finish my meal. I asked for my bill. I kindly asked if I could get a discount for the inconvenience. They declined. Hence the horrible review. I wouldn't recommend dining here. I'm currently visiting from out of country. If this was in the states, I could easily have this place shut down if I wanted to raise hell but that's not me. I still tipped the poor server. I know he's making an honest living. I just want people to be aware of my experience.

For one of my closest friend's birthday dinner, we decided to eat in Conti's Bakeshop and…read moreRestaurant in Robinsons Magnolia. The moment we walked inside, the friendly service crew greeted us warmly and immediately looked for a table that could accommodate all of us (there were 9 of us). I ordered their Beef Flakes, which comes with slices of tomatoes, egg salad, and garlic rice. I also ordered their soup of the day, which was Mussel soup. The Mussel soup tasted really good; it was creamy and flavorful, but not too "malansa". Their Beef Flakes were also exceptional. The slices of tomatoes and egg salad went perfectly with the whole dish. For me, the best thing about this place is their quick serving time. It only took the service crew 15 minutes to prepare our dishes, despite the number of customers present during that time. This place gets a perfect score from me.

Next time, ayusin nyu Naman! Nakaka bullshit!! Nag pa received Ako Ng cake at bayad na binigay ko…read moreYung number & name ko Wala man lang nag Inform na temporary closed Yung store. Nang makuha sana Ng maaga. Di man lang tumawag! Or txt nang makuha Yung cake. First time kung mag order nga cake sa inyu ganyan pa Yung service nnyu. Naka pastil nlng don sa glass nnyu na " Yung may pick up na cake sa Mang inasal nalang nyu Kunin" walang exact location saang Mang inasal! Ano kayu? First birthday Ng baby ko ta's ganyan lang Pala Yung service nnyu! Nakaka dismaya, nag Sabi sana kayu Ng maaga Ng sa ibang brach Ako nag pa reserved!

Goldilocks is a local brand. It mainly deals in bake goods, though some of their establishments…read morealso double as restaurants. Goldilocks has been around even before I was born. When I was in elementary, the food I used to bring to school would often include brownies from Goldilocks. When there's a birthday, there's a very good chance that the cake came from Goldilocks. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Goldilocks is basically a household name and with good reason. Goldilocks is known for the quality of their bakes goods and their affordable prices. If you have a decent sized budget and you want something of good quality then going for Goldilocks can never be a mistake. They sell cake slices, which is what I often buy nowadays. They come in a wide variety of flavors but my favorite is and always has been the butter cake. There's just something so good and simple about its flavor that keeps me coming back for more.

This Starbucks is at Terminal 1 International departures. I always hit it since it will be my last…read moreStarbucks coffee in the Manila Philippines on my way home. it could be a little busy sometimes and they do run out of good stuff to eat, but I never got a bad coffee order here after 9 trips.

As a coffee lover this branch of starbucks at the naia is very convenient. Like having a coffee…read morebefore or after your flight. And the best part is I love coffees and pastries at the starbucks. Food and services also was a 10/10.