The Island Explorer

Well, since I also write about food in this blog, I am going to sum up the most notable dining experiences I had in the Philippines for this year. As you may notice, I don't call them the best restaurants, since being best is so relative. So, I'm just listing down 8 of the most intriguing, buzz worthy and best tasting. These are the restaurants that created a stir in my frantic search for the best dining experiences. So here goes: 1. Ola Espana (Cebu and Davao) I started with an entry from the South. 2008 was filled with trips to Cebu and Davao, and I just had to savor all the restaurants I could visit in these cities. Ola Espana definitely hit me well, with its coziness and simple yet memorable dishes. Yes, it's a Spanish restaurant, but they serve Italian fare as well. Try the Paella Valenciana and the Lengua. 2. Sala Bistro (Greenbelt 3, Makati City) This is a given. One of my favorite restaurants, Sala, decided to put up a more casual atmosphere to serve up the...

If you've been to the White Island in Camiguin, then the Agutayan Island in Jasaan, which is on the way to Camiguin will be very familiar. Way back in 2006, I came upon a group of friends in Cagayan de Oro who just came from a summer outing in Jasaan. They were talking about this white sand island that had no trees. The name of the island was Agutayan. I quickly searched about the island, and I didn't get much info about it. I've been to Cagayan De Oro since then every year, but managed not to visit Agutayan. Finally in 2008, I was persistent enough to bring a group of 8 for a very short visit to the island. Talk about being impulsive and convincing as well. It was fortunate that our hosts from CDO knew about the island, however, they have never been there. They knew how to get there, so that solves it. From the Puerto Public Market where we were conducting an interview shoot, we rushed to Liyang Beach in Jasaan, at 3PM. The trip took us only 30 minutes. Liyang Beach is whe...

Just a short post here about Cake2Go. I know this is a delayed post on cakes, as the holidays are over, but the Valentine's season is still coming up, so what better way to sweeten up the day but with cakes. Cake2Go is located in the Blue Ridge portion of Katipunan Road. It is on the lane heading towards White Plains. There's a bright red sign so you won't miss it. What I love about the place is the place itself. I admired their interiors, as a recipe was placed in marquee up against the wall. There was one huge freezer with all the cakes they served. A lot of cakes are offered here, and some of them are interesting. We settled though for the classic turtle pie. We also ordered smaller cake versions, so we could taste more of their offerings. I can't remember the stuff we got, but from what I remember, I told people that this was a great alternative to Red Ribbon. Oh, and they do deliver.

As soon as it opened, I was excited to see Hotel Celeste's boutique atmosphere. I have been a fan of boutique hotels, and when abroad, I usually stay in smaller hotels with great ambience and unique character (the definition of boutique). Hotel Celeste may be the first real boutique hotel in Manila, as G is still managed by Waterfront. But this post isn't about Hotel Celeste, as I was only to grace their lobby. This is about the French resto talked about in by both bloggers and chefs. Restaurant Cicou is the newest dining experience at Hotel Celeste. The French menu offers a sufficient variety. I like the way the menu is presented, as they highlight (in bold) the main ingredient of the dish. The ambience is an upscale bistro, though I wasn't too much of a fan of the interiors (I thought they were tacky and cheap in a way if you look in detail or close-up). Anyway, this is about the food, and this is a long overdue post. As soon as we finished ordering, we were offered ...

2008 was a busy year for me at work, but that didn't hinder me from side tripping to several beach and island destinations. Below are the best escapes I've had for the year. 1. Sta. Fe, Bantayan Island, Cebu A rediscovery after my first real beach backpacking experience. Bantayan in Cebu undergoes a lot of development, but the natural beauty of the place still remains vivid in sight. A must visit island experience when in Cebu. 2. Anawangin Cove, Zambales One of the star destinations of 2008, since bloggers and adventurers raved about the secret beach of volcanic ash and stone. Indeed, Anawangin is one of the best discoveries of the year, with a surreal and unique landscape, making you feel miles and miles away from the Philippines, when you are in fact just 3 hours away from Manila. 3. Isla Reta Beach, Talicud Island, Island Garden City of Samal After a visit to Babusanta Beach last year in Talicud, I knew the tiny island off the main island of Samal has mu...