When I'm feeling virtuous diet-wise, I go for Plato Wraps. Plato wraps are panini-like sandwiches…read morethat are refreshingly free from grease and other additives, making them just a little bit healthier than your run of the mill burger or pizza. To order your own sandwich, you start by choosing the bread. There are three options: white, whole wheat and pesto. I almost always go for pesto though I know whole wheat is probably better, but then again, there are limits to my dietary conscientiousness. Then you choose the filling: tuna, ham and cheese, or chunky chicken salad are what I mostly get. They add the filling and throw in some slices of cucumber for added crunch (this costs extra). Then the whole thing is grilled so that it turns warm and nicely toasted. For people wanting to cut out meat altogether, or just wanting to add more vegetables to their diet, they do have a very veggie filling that is mostly cucumber and lettuce tossed in some salad (?) dressing.

Plato Wraps is another one of those food stall eats you can find in just about every mall in the…read morecity. But unlike most of the others, this one serves food that isn't automatically 'junk' food. Wraps! Yay! It's not just your usual deep fried munchies and completely non-nourishing tummy fillers. But okay, let's be real, it's not like this is actually thaaat healthy... it's just a healthiER option, haha. No grease! The wraps come in 3 different kinds: plain, pesto, and whole wheat. They grill that to get the ribbed texture and to heat it up, then you pick the filling you want. The chicken or the tuna in this olive oil mix are good. It's cool 'cause these are like sandwich spreads you can just prepare yourself at home. The ingredients are real stuff, not processed and pre-packaged. Good alternative to the fried dumplings, MSG-filled noodle soups, etc. Haha!

Our dearest Tender Juicy Hotdog definitely deserves a spot amongst the first ones to be on Yelp…read more It's everyone's favourite hotdog -okay, most if not all AND it tastes really good too. Whenever I'm having breakfast at someone else's house, it'd be a treat for me if they have TJ hotdogs because that's what my yaya used to cook for me for breakfast when I was little with Tamis Anghang Ketchup on the side. Though nostalgia isn't the only reason why I like it, I like it because it is tender and it is juicy! I also like the bite sized ones. HOWEVER, TJ hotdogs always tastes better when you buy it from these stands, makes me cray! Like it has more flavour and it's like biting into the juiciness every single time, it even smells better! I love buying TJ hotdog buns at fairs or parks, anywhere that they have it. Tender Juicy fan right here!

Binatog. This merienda of shredded white corn mixed with fresh grated coconut, sugar and salt used…read moreto be sold by vendors walking around villages and announcing their goodies. Now, it has leveled up into a kiosk located inside malls and has transformed into Mr. Binatog. This transformation has not meant a diminishment of its refreshing, chewy taste. I like that Mr. Binatog patterns after the street-peddled binatog in using Tagalog or white native corn. Eating binatog is way easier than eating corn on the cob. I know, I know... eating corn fresh from the cob has its own excitement, but, having had braces for around five years, I realized that eating shredded corn using a spoon can less fussy. Also, binatog is more fun to eat than plain corn on the cob because it has other ingredients. A touch of grated coconut with sugar and salt enhances the taste and texture of the food, making the binatog more refreshing and enjoyable to chew.

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.

I'm a big believer in snacking. We always have food of some sort at home, and I think it's healthy…read moreto eat and keep your metabolism going every three hours. Though I've only just recently learned to stop eating after dinner at eight pm, it's been working well for me so far. That said, it can be a difficult thing sometimes to find something that's nutritious and good to eat so I try a lot of things sometimes when I'm in a mall or on the go someplace, and thus I got to try Plato Wraps. It's actually a pretty simple idea behind their food--just a press-toasted tortilla folded in half with some form of savory filling inside it. It's basically a sandwich with a "twist," I guess? It's not ingenious at all, but on the whole, it's pretty okay. I have a dislike of mayo, though I can take it when it's a sandwich spread, and the ones they use with their fillings are good enough to take away from that mayo taste.I think the major thing going for them health-wise is that they actually include a little veg into their small meal, which I think is great enough, and they actually have a completely veggie option too.

Plato Wraps has such as strange name because they don't actually serve wraps. They serve cheap but…read moregood panini. For P60, you can get one that is filled with some savory things like ham & cheese or chunky chicken. They come in two sizes: medium and big. The panini itself is thin but holds up well to the amount of filling they put. I like that it becomes crisp when they heat it up. They say they bake their own wraps, so that must be why these don't taste like the commercial ones you'd find in a supermarket. Their wraps are available in regular, pesto or wheat. Get wheat if you want the healthier option. It's great for a quick snack that's pretty easy to eat. I just hope they come out with new and more exciting flavors because they already have the good base panini, they just need to really make a big push for innovation to get more customers to try the food. Maybe introduce some Mexican flavors with pulled pork or add another vegetarian option with roasted eggplant? The day they come out with edgier flavors, I'd be one of the first in line to try it.

I've had a lot of really good liempo in the last couple of years, but none of them as good as Mr…read more Liempo's version. They marinate it in some strong stuff so every bite is very tasty. The meat itself is tender and gives to bites easily so there's no struggle when you just want to relish really good pork pieces. What I really love about their liempo is how crazy crunchy they make the skin and how the fat melts in your mouth -- all without the taste of charred meat. Their lechon liempo is succulent and divine. It has the taste of lovely Cebu lechon with the feel of an Ilocos bagnet -- in the world of grilled pork that is really about as good as it gets. Don't forget to ask for their dipping sauce (vinegar with sugar, red peppers and onions.) It hits a home run every time!

Ok, ok. Mr. Liempo is part of a chain of charcoal broiled pork and chicken that can be found all…read moreover the metropolis. So what makes this one located at Russia street near corner Saudi Arabia, Better Living Subdivision, Paranaque City? There's even one located a few blocks away along the main thoroughfare of Dona Soledad Avenue. But here's the thing. My family loves liempo. And we've tried the other Mr. Liempo, as well as several other brands found in our neck of the woods. Believe it or not, there is a difference in taste. I know there isn't supposed to be. The whole point of having a chain of any food stall is the standardization of taste. But this isn't necessarily true. So we order from Mr. Liempo once a week on the average, either the whole chicken at P195 or a rack of liempo at P170. The place prides itself in being "Awarded as Most Trusted and Best Liempo of the Year 2012, 2013 and 2014." Fine with me, but they don't mention who gave them the award. Mr. Liempo also advertises itself as "bellyciously delicious!" I will not contest their claim. All I can say is that we will keep on buying Mr. Liempo on a regular basis for as long as we live in Better Living Subdivision. I give it the rare 5 stars.

Agno is the ultimate place in Taft for the budget-conscious student. Well, it's not exactly as…read morecheap as people say it used to be, but Agno is still the home of quick, cheap and satisfying meals around DLSU. Agno is basically just a group of food stalls and vendors, most of which are priced at under P100. Basically, if you're trying to pick where to have lunch, Agno will almost always come up in the conversation. The thing I like most about Agno is the sheer variety of food. All under the same roof are various chicken meals, sandwhiches, noodles, donuts, beef, pork belly, and basically anything else you can think of prepared in a quick, cheap manner. After a little while, most students end up getting a favorite store or a favorite meal to get in Agno, be it Ate Rica's Bacsilog, or Rosemary Chicken at good munch. Of course, being what it is, I don't really like eating at Agno itself. It's normally very hot, kind of dirty, and so packed that it's just overall very uncomfortable eating there. But the nature of the food allows you to just bring it around anywhere, so you could eat back at your condo, on the way to your next class, or on a bench inside school. Agno and its various stalls are a must-try for anyone in DLSU.

Hearing the name 'Agno' brings back so many good times from college. Agno understood that college…read morelife meant that place where you can find solitude during hell week, somewhere not too far, but close enough as to hear the bell ring signaling the start of the next class. Agno also meant affordable meals great for the student-budget. Agno meant seeing your favorite people who you never see anymore or drinking an iced cold C2 yellow to combat the summer heat. Agno is a place of santuary that I will always love going back to. While the street does look a lot more clean and organized these days, I would still prefer the semi-chaotic and tight street of Agno during my days as a college student. What can I say, I'm the kind of person who sees serenity amidst chaos.

I make it a goal to stop by Potato Corner every time I go to the mall. It is so flavorful, crispy,…read moreand so yummy. Highly recommend snacking on these tasty fries!

Everybody has their own favorite thing to snack on. If I am not binging on chocolates and sweets, I…read moream most likely eating Potato Corner french fries. Never has there been a day that I was not happy after eating a bowl full of cheese flavored fries and having that last bit of satisfaction licking off the cheese residues from my fingers. It is THAT good. I love that the fries they serve you are never just sitting there waiting. They are always fried right when you order so it may take about 5-8 minutes for you to get your order, and I promise you, it's worth the wait. They have a number of flavors that you can mix and match within your order. I'm salivating just thinking about it right now. Ugh, totally worth all the calories though!