The Island Explorer

Oh My Khan is another top drawer in the City of Pines, Baguio. It is located near Cafe by the Ruins and the City Hall. I think there's no big sign, because at first, I couldn't find the place. They told me it was a hit among locals, so, off I go to sample their Mongolian fare. The interior is not impressive, though they tried to put a lot of Mongolian elements, like this glass panel. I was wondering if the owner ran out of Mongolian ideas, and decided to put in Chinese stuff instead. Of course, to us in Manila, a Mongolian Buffet is not new. Mongolian Stop in Galleria Food Court is a good choice for first timers, while the one at Sweet Inspirations in Katipunan Ave has already been deemed a classic. It's hard to tell what buffet is good, since most taste the same given the same sauces. I think the difference lies in the quality of ingredients used. The ingredients of the Mongolian Buffet in Oh My Khan are no doubt fresh. Of course! This is Baguio. The vegetables were pumped

When in Cebu, I try to eat in as many restos as possible. For some reason, this is the restaurant that I always go back to, probably because it's the safest and I'm always in Ayala. Idea Italia is located on the ground floor of Ayala Center Cebu, just near Oh! George, another nice place. They have a simple Italian menu. Their pastas are mostly of the normal stuff. Below is the Arrabiata. I'm not a fan of their pizzas, but it's not bad. I just have tasted a lot of better ones (just tasted one of the best in Davao). But, I am raving about my pasta dish, the pungent Gorgonzola. It was done perfectly, and I mean it. It had a right blend of pungency in the cheese, saltiness and creaminess. And the pasta was aldente. I had the pasta changed to linguini, instead of penne. That may have brought out the flavor more. So, when in Cebu, come to Idea Italia. Have a nice meal with a nice glass of wine in a convenient location.

Next stop in MOTY: the city of Zamboanga. When one thinks of Zamboanga, you imagine the colorful vintas and the uneasy peace situation. When I first visited Zambo, I thought all these vintas would line up the harbor or the coastal areas. It turns out that these are only seen during the Hermosa Festival. And about the uneasy peace situation? Yes, there were military all around, but Zambo looks like any ordinary peaceful city, surprisingly clean and organized. We stayed at the Lantaka Hotel, already a landmark in Zambo. It has undergone a much needed renovation, so the restaurant area looked new and modern already. It was a great place for breakfast. They had one of the best bacon and eggs I have tasted (so crisp). New rooms are being constructed and the old ones, renovated. It is a relaxing hotel as it is situated beside the sea, with a small beach (not swimmable) and just beside the ferry. It has a pool with cabanas around it. Again, we visited 3 nominees for the Microentrepreneur of t

It's the time of the year again, and despite the overload of work and seemingly impossible schedule, I still find my way i Isabela in the Cagayan Valley. An eight hour drive up north is one of the longest I've ever had, but taking the bus proved to be convenient. We took a Victory Liner bus in Kamias, Cubao and embarked through Bulacan, the endless Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, finally hitting Isabela. I was in the province in search of the Microentrepreneur of the Year, a yearly award given by Citi, the Bangko Sentral, and the Microfinance Council of the Philippines. We had to interview 3 nominees in the province. We stayed in the Cauayan, which is a sleepy city an hour away from the capital, Santiago. There was nothing of interest in Cauayan, so the highlight of the trip was interviewing these nominees. One couple made chicharon for a living, the other a former soldier who is now making puto and kutsinta, and the last one, a mother who had several agricultural businesses in her

For some reason, I feel at home when I dine at Icings in SM Hypermart in Pasig (Tiendesittas). So when Icing opened a new store in Tomas Morato, I was happy. The place was bright and airy, and bigger. It was a good place for a conversation with friends over coffee, tea and cakes. The shop in Morato expanded their menu to offer breakfast, lunch and dinner. I have yet to try their new offerings. I have been a fan of their sandwiches. So if you're in the area, drop by Icings. It's located along a street off Tomas Morato (sorry for the directions), but there was a sign that guided me. That's how I found it. Sugarfree Ube Mango Cake White Velvet (white chocolate coffee concoction) Spanish Tsokolate

When Jason and Mich told me that there was this new resto in Greenhills, I immediately asked if it was good there. I think I have been on a bad restaurant streak these weeks, and I just couldn't find anything new and worthy of true praise these days. So, off we drove to Greenhills, trying to find the newest kid on the block, Cucina Gayuma. Not to be mistaken for the now closed Gayuma Restaurant in Katipunan, Cucina Gayuma is located just after the intersection of Santolan and Ortigas in Greenhills. You wouldn't miss it, going to Gilmore. Parking is a problem since it's in a row of shops situated in front of a very busy road. Ok. When I saw the sign and got a peak of the inside, I must admit I became hesitant. It was those types of restaurants that was in a wrong place, with a bad taste for design. The place was small, but had two floors. There was a function going on upstairs, and there were other big groups dining downstairs with us. So it was pretty packed and that was im