A Quick Trip to S.E.A. Aquarium and DTF's Xiao Long Bao for Dinner!

We got out as early as 5:00pm from Universal Studios Singapore as the park closed early that day due to a private event to be held that night. 7 hours is just not enough for USS that day as it rained from time to time so some rides were closed for awhile while we’re in line. But at least, we were able to cover all the best rides in the park.

After USS, we headed to S.E.A. Aquarium. By the way, we already bought our tickets online days before through AsiaTravel. They have discounted tickets and bundled tickets that could help you save more. You just have to print the voucher as there are designated areas near the chosen attraction, for claiming of the actual ticket. As for USS and S.E.A. Aquarium, the AsiaTravel booth is located at the basement parking, just take the escalator near the globe.

S.E.A. Aquarium is also located in Sentosa Island, just across the USS globe. Before you get inside, you’ll get to pass an exhibit showcasing some cultural pieces from various countries. I can’t exactly remember what the exhibit is for as we only rushed pass through it.

S.E.A. Aquarium is said to be the biggest one in Asia which houses a large collection of sea creatures, from manta rays and sharks to the smallest colorful sea creatures you’ll love to bits. The whole area was very spacious which probably could accommodate busloads of tourists. But if you don’t like crowds, opt to go here around 5pm as there’s only a reasonable amount of visitors during our time of visit.

Basically, this is a place full of aquariums in various shapes and sizes. There are digital boards available that could give a bit of info regarding the species. I read that there’s also a dolphin show but I guess they have an early time schedule for that. Just check in advance if you’re expecting to see that. And as always, you could take pictures but camera flashes are not allowed.    

The open ocean habitat is, for me, the highlight of S.E.A. Aquarium. A large glass viewing panel is situated in an open space area where you could sit on the floor, perfect time to rest your tired feet.

Honestly, I still prefer Ocean Park in Hong Kong, maybe because of the fact that they have penguins there. Haha! We finished touring the place in 1.5 hours.

How cool is this jellyfish!

Jellyfish is now one of my favorites!

For dinner, we dined at Din Tai Fung which is also just nearby S.E.A. and USS. It was already 8pm and their waiting list is still on the roll. They gave us a number and we waited it to be flashed outside which took us about 30 mins before we got our table. They also have this paper with their menu where you just tick off what you would like to have. We handed this back to them while we are in line so we only waited for about 5 mins for the food to arrive as we got seated.

They also have pictures to help you in choosing.

Hot tea is immediately served once you're in the table just like in other Chinese restaurants. The tea is free but a glass of water is not, they charge SGD .50 for one.  It was a busy Saturday night so you have to put some effort in getting the server's attention when you need something as they are busy taking orders and serving meals. Also, be mindful of what you ordered as they might forget to serve one of it and still be charged after. We are already in the middle of the meal and our shrimp and pork dumpling was still not in our table, so we did a follow up and had it served in less than a minute. Just remind them when it already seems too long.

When in Din Tai Fung, never ever forget to try their famous Xiao Long Bao! If you're like me that can't stand anything hot, poke a small hole first to let some steam off. It was definitely a feast in your mouth, with the tasty soup and meat. Perfect!

Steamed Pork Dumplings

Fried Rice with Shrimp and Eggs - S$12.80

THE Xiao Long Bao (starts at S$8 for 8 pcs.)

Everything was definitely good as expected in a Michelin rated restaurant like Din Tai Fung. Each order arrived fresh and hot. There's also a kitchen window where you can see how they prepare and cook the food which is a perfect proof of freshness.

Crispy Golden Prawn Pancake - S$8

Fried Rice with Pork Chop - S$11.80

For a group of 4, we spent less than SGD 80 all in all for six dishes to share which is just enough to satisfy our hunger. Not bad. Prices are still subject to 10% service charge and 7% GST.

Eating out in CDO: Kagay-anon, RedTail and Panagatan

This will be just a short post regarding three of the places we ate at while we’re at the City of Golden Friendship. Cagayan de Oro’s already a bustling city almost like Manila. I like their Centrio mall with the landscaping in one part of the mall that looks so nice to chill at. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to blog about the famous white water rafting and a lot more fun activities you may do in CDO as I WASN”T ABLE TO TRY ANY OF IT. Yes. I also feel sorry for myself. Tss. I’ll be back, CDO. I shall return.

Well anyway, moving on. Wherever I go, may it be local or abroad, I see to it that I would able to sample out the local fare or go on dine on restaurants which are originally from that place.  So here are 3 restaurants that you might also want to try while in CDO:

1.       Kagay-anon

It is an authentic Filipino restaurant famous in Cagayan de Oro located near Limketkai Center. Kagay-anon basically means someone from Cagayan de Oro. The interior of the restaurant was simple with tables and chairs made of wood. Even their plates are also wooden. The place is spacious enough for big groups and family gathering which they mostly cater to. We ordered Ostrich Salpicao, Crispy Shrimp and another 2 viands that I forgot. As recommended by the server, we tried the Ostrich Salpicao which is very tasty but basically just tastes like a normal meat but still good. I loved the crispy shrimp because of its, uh…  crispiness. Haha! I’m bad with these, sorry. Anyway, Kagay-anon is good for gathering as they offer a lot of choices. Servings are enough with the price which is in the mid-range level. Kind of reminds me of Cabalen. We waited for a bit for our food to be served maybe due to our late arrival, I guess. Well, still it’s worth a try as it’s been recommended by a lot and I even saw it an in-flight magazine on the way to CDO. From the numerous awards I saw in their counter, it seems that they're already an established and very known name in Cagayan so be sure to try out their feast when in CDO.

Limketkai Center, Rosario Crescent, Cagayan de Oro

Contact No.: +63 (88) 856-3688
(8822) 728958/729003

Operating Hours: 9am – 8pm

2.       Red Tail Shrimps and More

We had our lunch here on our 2nd day and just minutes after were seated, groups of people came in filling up the place. Red Tail is located at Papa Jaunito’s Square which is just a walk away from Mallberry Suites hotel. Basically, it’s just like your ordinary seafood restaurant but with a twist. What makes them different from others s on how they serve the food and how they let you eat it. And that is exactly the reason why I loved this restaurant, because of their concept of “kamayan” or eating with your bare hands. Well, not exactly with your bare hands as they also provide you plastic gloves and a bib to prevent food particles in your clothes. They would also line up your table with plastic paper and once your food is served, you may now start your sumptuous meal enjoying it with your bare hands and no one cares if you make a mess.

So on with the food. Those juicy and tasty shrimps are served in a plastic bag submerged in its sauce of your choice that they shake for a bit before serving.  Besides their best selling shrimp (Php335 / lb) in medium redtail style sauce, we also ordered grilled pork belly and Calamari which are all so good, too. You first choose the catch you want (shrimps - Php335/lb, crabs - Php335/lb, local mussels – Php155/lb  or a combination of the three – P395/lb).  Then you choose the flavor (RedTail Style (garlic and butter in a blend of assorted spices), Garlic Butter or Coco Loco) and the level of spiciness (non spicy, mild or spicy) and you’re good to go. If you love shrimps this would be like heaven for you. Definitely a fun dining experience you must try.

Papa Juanito's Square (Limketkai Drive), Cagayan de Oro

Contact No.: 880-3950 / 09178755347

Operating Hours: 11 am – 10 pm

3.       Panagatan

We got to first try this at Centrio Mall but I still suggest you try dining in on their main branch along the main highway at Opol, Misamis Oriental which is on the right side of the road, about 20 mins. from the city. The main branch offers an al fresco dining experience right along the bay. The sea breeze and the view is such a nice treat while enjoying your seafood lunch/dinner.

We ate at the main branch during lunch where a fair group of diners filled the area near the bay. While in Centrio, there’s not much when we visited for dinner on a weekday. Generally, service time on both branch is a bit slow like a minimum of 20-30mins. before food starts to arrive. We ordered a lot that I already couldn’t list everything but the Bouillabaisse soup is the one that stood out the most and also their Bicol Express. The baked scallops and pinakbet was a bit of a miss though, I just expected much more as those are one of my favorites. And also their prawns are acceptable, too,  but I’m still loyal to RedTail on that department. Haha! Anyway, Panagatan is another good choice if you want a variety of Filipino dishes to choose from.

Opol, Misamis Oriental, Mindanao, Philippines

Centrio Mall Branch: 3^rd floor, Centrio Garden

Contact No.: (088) 754 487 / 09228586071

Oprating Hours: 6:30am – 10:30 pm 

If I'd choose between the three, I'll go with RedTail for the juicy shrimps, tasty spicy sauce and fun dining experience. But don't get me wrong, the other two is still worth a try among all the other restaurants in CDO. Even if you ask the locals, they'll most probably recommend any of the three, too. It's just that Ocho Seafood and Grill in Tacloban made my standards in seafood and Filipino cuisine, higher than ever. haha!

Dinner at Dampa

I bet that only a few knows that the first and original Dampa is located at Paranaque and not the ones in Seaside Macapagal. My father also said that there's also one in Baclaran which has been established long before. Basically, "dampa" is a filipino term for "bahay kubo/ nipa huts". I don't know where I get the idea, but I always thought that dampa is like a term for swamp or any body of water. Ahh. Maybe the reason is because   Dampa's are known for seafoods. hehe. Also, the restaurants in Dampa back then is still not air-conditioned unlike now so you get to smell the freshness of the wet market in the area. =] Anyway, the main concept here is you buy your own seafoods/meat fresh from the market and bring it to the restaurant of your choice to get it cooked the way you want it.

Last Thursday night, we had dinner at Dampa in Paranaque to celebrate Papa's birthday. We just went to the nearest one from where we parked while Papa went to the wet market. He already bought a few from the wet market near us before we went there. Prices of seafood here are higher as expected so it would be better if you get to buy beforehand. 

Not much to expect. Shylin II got two fully air-conditioned floors. They got TV and of course a for-rent videoke machine that can never be absent in places like these. hehe. And they also got restrooms in both floors so it won't be a hassle to go down if you're in the second floor. We had ordered 5 dishes and waited for 10- 15 mins. As the food was brought up one by one, we noticed that one of the dishes (Inihaw na Liempo) was not hot. I don't know to them, but it seems like it was cooked earlier. So we just made them re-heat it. But as most says, don't complain much on those serving your food kasi baka kung ano gawin nila sa pagkain niyo pagnainis sila. hehe. But everything went well after that. We were 9 in all, and ordered 3 plates of rice and two 1.5L of softdrinks.

Shrimp Tempura

Calamares

Inihaw na Liempo

Buttered Prawns

Miso soup with fish.

We got 2 servings of each (except the Nilagang "something) and got to take home some after eating. They will wrap it in front of you so you would  be assured on what they're packing in.

It was just okay. Nothing special that made in to my favorite list. Everything tasted how it should be. I googled Shylin and found out that they also have a branch at Macapagal. 1 bowl of rice costs P100 same with a 1.5L of softdrinks. I don't know the exact breakdown of our bill, so I'll just summarize it to give an idea to those interested to dine in there. *after googling again* Sorry, I'm lazy so might as well check this menu I saw in the net. hehe. 2010 pa ang last update but keri na yan. =]

Shylin menu

Barbara's

Last Saturday we finally had the time to use Papa’s MetroDeal voucher to dinner at Barbara’s. It’s a quaint restaurant located along the street of Gen. Luna in Intramuros. We went there earlier than the scheduled time and were entertained by the live soothing music from the grand piano while waiting for them to finish setting up the buffet table. From the entrance, you’ll already be delighted with their wooden staircase and a large elegant mirror hanging in the wall going up to the main hall. Maybe it’s place their so you could check yourself out first before going in. Haha! I was even joking on the way their about how true that it’s a “prestigious” restaurant accorindg to the voucher. But good enough, they are true to their words. The outside area was nice.. I’m such a sucker for early era houses so I appreciated it much. It’s like stepping into a place reminiscent of old world elegance as their site says. The interiors in the dining hall were quite nice too. They got crystal chandeliers hanging on their wooden ceilings. The room was enclosed with wooden walls with some intricate designs. Drapes of cloth were hanged in a decorative way in the sides that adds up to the homey feeling. Just enough for you to feel your in the old Spanish era.

 A couple of minutes after we were seated the buffet table was already set up and we can already start. Some more guests arrived and the hall was already 80% full for that night. Most of the diners were groups of family and also some couples. There were also some foreigners who tried out the place. The food choice for that night were: Seafood pasta in olive oil. Pandan rice, Lumpiang shanghai, Beef caldereta, Roasted chicken, Fish fillet, soup, Sweetened banana sprinkled with sesame, Gelatin and a DIY salad. Just enough for the voucher’s worth. The grand piano was replaced with a live music from the rondalla as the dinner buffet started.

 As the dinner continued, candle-lit glasses were placed on each table, a sign that the show would start in a few minutes. Lights were off after and the spotlights were on facing the stage. After some opening music, the cultural dance show started and a voice over of a short intro about the Spanish colonization in the Philippines were narrated. And their came a series of dances performed. I personally love the period costumes of the girls, very classic and appropriate. The lightings were a bit off for me. No offense meant, but it did looked like those lights on red-district areas. But whatever, I enjoyed watching them. Hehe. The "pandango sa ilaw" part always gets me. The show went for about an hour showcasing a number of cultural dances from different eras. The music was done by the live rondalla all throughout the show. For their final part, an INTENSE tinikling was performed. Oh yes, it was an INTENSE one, the beat went faster and faster. Fun! =] They also called out volunteers from the audience to try out tinikling. The dancers were introduced at the end of the show. They were college students who dances their way out to fund off their school expenses. Donations were gladly given after and guests were invited to do photo ops with the dancers.  The show was unexpectedly entertaining. The performers were all smiles throughout the show and there energy was all out. Not bad. Props to the live rondalla and high-spirited dancers. 

'

 During the photoops, I checked on their buffet table hoping that their salad bowl were already replenished because I didn’t get a chance to try it. But unfortunately, it's not. Though they refilled the other dishes earlier before the cultural show started. I guess they stop refilling the table as soon as the show starts. So as a friendly advice for my fellow foodlovers, arrive early so you could already try more out. Personally, lumpia and the fish fillet were the only good ones I liked. And before the proper show starts, get whatever food you most liked because after the show, you wouldn't be going on another round because you'll already tempted to go home now as everybody does. Excuse my “matakaw-sounding” advice. I love getting the most out of buffets. Hehe. =]

 A hotel in the same compound.

Overall, the dinner buffet with cultural show was a nice experience at Barbara's. The place was nice, I love the ancestral ambience. The service was average. Food was a 'B'. The cultural show was an A+. A nice time to bond with your family. I would recommend it to those who would want to try out a classic dining experience in a old era type of place. And also for those balikbayan families who would want to be reminded of the Filipino culture.

P.S. Flash photography in indoor shows is seriously annoying. Please refrain from using you flashes constantly especially when the lights are out and the spotlight's on the stage. We're not in the red carpet people, minimize that popping flashes. Ok, I'm guilty from it sometimes. But seriously.

P.P.S. Sorry for the lousy pictures that didn't gave justice to the place. The other camera's still in the service center that time. =[

Hanayo

One random day, my friends and I found ourselves standing in front of a Korean resto and *poof* we went in and stuffed ourselves with spicy Korean food to our heart’s content. yea, we are random just like that. chos lang! haha! Anyway, last Thursday after class we decided to eat lunch at a Korean resto near our school because one of my friends haven’t tried it yet. And this would be an opportunity for me to update my almost forgotten blog. hihi. #bloggerproblems




Hanayo is a two-story Korean food house situated at Antonio street which is just a couple of steps away from Dapitan gate of UST. From what I remember, they had been there for more than 2 years already and they are the first (ok, that’s just a rough estimation and gut feel) of their kind in the area. I still even remember how amused I was the first time I’ve tried their fish-shaped vanilla ice cream sandwich back then and how I kept raving about it to my friends. hehe.



We went there a couple of minutes before 12noon and almost all the tables in the first floor are already occupied. We still managed to get a seat though while a copy of their menu is given as soon as you are seated. They will also give your table an order slip where you check on your orders and pay at the counter. Waiting time would be approx. 5 – 10 mins.

Almost of us ordered “Rameon w/Dumpling”. It’s a spicy noodle soup with that distinct hot and spicy taste which reminds me of the intense taste of “Laksa” in SG. The soup is coupled with small servings of kimchi and spicy fish cakes, just like in any other Korean restaurant. Honestly, I think a bowl of Rameon can be shared by two persons (unless you’re that hungry). I haven’t finished it off, but surely I must say I have my two thumbs up on it. The serving size was large enough for its very reasonable price. I’m not an expert in Korean cuisines, but for me the taste is just right for beginners. I love the hot and spicy taste that makes your eyes tear up unknowingly. haha! My friend ordered Omu Rice, which is also good and satisfying according to her. All worth it!



You can help yourself with service water near the counter or you could opt to try out their drinks. Below is a can of Cider (P35).



For desserts, you may choose from their variety of Korean ice cream to wash away the after taste of the food. Group up with your friends to avail of their ongoing promo.



Here’s a shot of their menu. I love how they put on photos of each dish to help you in deciding. I wasn't able to take a shot of everything because the food already arrived.

The place is a good hangout place for those who loves cozy and warm ambience. They have a wide array of dishes to choose from that would surely make you want to go back soon to try ‘em all (that sounded like Pokemon, err). And of course, don’t forget to try their ice creams for dessert! Happy eating! jal meokkesseumnida!