For those who normally read En Route, one of the cuisines rarely featured by this time of posting would be of the Korean kind. The closest thing ever to it would be a report on the invasion of Bon Chon of Manila and an effort to replicate it with a recipe for Korean fried chicken. And so one night, with a friend who craves for Korean food after her numerous…

Valentine’s Day this 2014 (un)conveniently falls on a Friday, which is also a payday for most of the working class. And so if you want to dive into the rest of humanity that feels compelled to celebrate on this day and get stuck in a sea of vehicular traffic, be our guest. What we propose, though, is maybe you can celebrate it in advance, or afterwards when all the frenzy…

If you get to step into the Marina Bay Sands shops in Singapore, the prestige and exclusivity just fills the air the moment you open those huge glass doors. It really is for the more discerning and aspirational market. Part of such attractions are not just the boutique clothing and accessory shops. Discerning culinary havens are part of it too, so the demand is satisfied by celebrity chefs like Wolfgang…

  Let’s be real. When people talk about the idea of wine drinking in the Philippines, there is just a minority who will find it an appealing opportunity for an enriching social experience. Wine is still, for the most part, a psychological barrier to entry for most that think that wine is only reserved for those affluent few who can afford the perceived high price tag. People should realize, though,…

When people first hear the term “hotel restaurant”, there are a few words that pop out: Exquisite Extensive Extravagant Exclusive Expensive After all, the very hotels that come into mind would be those like The Peninsula, Sofitel, Banyan Tree, or Shangri-La. So the restaurants that are associated with it such as Escolta, Spiral, Senju, Red, or even the Champagne Room of Manila Hotel carry with it heft price tags for its…

UPDATE: New items that you can try in Dillingers 1903 (Including a big-ass Tomahawk Steak)   Dillingers in Greenbelt Makati has actually gained some popularity from the foodie and yuppie scene in Manila for quite some time already, with everyone raving about its sophisticated ambiance and authentic buffalo wings. But other than that, no one else has made a compelling reason to merit a visit. Then recently, one tip about how…

Shopping in Mongkok stressing you out? Here are some practical tips that might help.

There are a few places that become a mainstay for people. Something like a default place to go to if nothing special or unique comes to mind. Here at En Route, there are quite a few: Dinelli in Burgos Circle Fort Bonifacio for great sausages, cheese, wine, and free wi-fi Yabu: House of Katsu for unbelievably delicious pork katsu at value for money prices Chatime. The official milk tea of…

  Now here’s another burger joint from America, but it’s not from any of the other famous brands or franchises out there. Still, the place seems to be the official stopover of travelers heading from California to Las Vegas, and vice-versa. Of all the places in the quaint town of Baker, California, this is where the hungry road-goers plan their trips for a lunch on the road. And with jet…

Admittedly, after doing some research on the average rate of comfortable but value for money hotels in Dumaguete City, Go Hotels was not one of the priorities on the list given it seemed too over-commercialized a choice. This was also after hearing some not too commendable stories on the build quality and comfort of stay of some friends from abroad in the Go Hotels in Mandaluyong City. Still, after agreeing…

As of July 6, 2012, it was discovered that this place has closed. With the Katipunan Extension in the White Plains area officially becoming a legal light commercial zone, the first few establishments with low barriers to entry to put up shop here would be food places. And given that there is an abundance of it, it becomes a challenge now to be different. So one had an interesting concept:…

The Metro Manila food scene seems to be bustling lately with more options and cuisines to suit more sophisticated taste buds. What is also great is that these are now more accessible both in location and price, not limiting it only to the more affluent members of the society. This seems more pronounced with the appreciation for wines and tapas in that more restaurants carry a respectable line or wine…

One fine day, it seemed like a good idea to try some comfort food from Bistro Better, only to find out they changed their menu into something completely different. Looks like market forces have forced it to change its approach. So for now, gone are the cream dory meas and tasty hams in buns. Read here about En Route’s visit to Bistro Better Luckily, pizza is also considered comfort food,…

Diner meets Ice Cream Shop in the bigger and better Mr. Jones in Greenbelt 5.

  Not much Mexican cuisine can really be found in the Philippines, even in the Metro Manila area. From the years that have gone, the most that people will see of it is just a subset in a menu (mostly variations nachos and tacos like those in T.G.I. Friday’s) or the fastfood and food stall offerings you see in some malls. However, none of them seems to give quite a…

From the moment you step in, you know you are in some place that is truly special. And it is a place that creates a state of mind that wishes you do not have to leave. These statements alone is enough to describe what it’s like to be inside Misibis Bay. Misibis Bay is tucked in the Cagraray Island of Albay in the Philippine’s Bicol region. It has only been…

Here’s an introductory video created by Troy Monsod to give everyone a glimpse of what to expect in Midnight Mercato in the Fort Bonifacio Global City, Philippines. To see more of his video creations or if you want to avail of his video coverage and production services, visit his Facebook page here or if you want to learn about how to win slots to his currently free Photography, video and…

AS OF JULY 2, 2012, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT SING HAINANESE CHICKEN HOUSE IN SHANGRI-LA MALL IS ALREADY CLOSED.  PLEASE CHECK THEIR NEW LOCATION AT THE PODIUM MALL. I like to try different kinds of food.  I find the different colors and flavors interesting.  I once heard someone call another person boring because she kept ordering Hainanese chicken rice.  It kind of stuck so given a choice between that and…

There is no better comfort food for me than pizza.  While I have not gone out on a formal quest for the best pizza in town, I think I have come across what is the best pizza for me, by far. The brand’s slogan is “Better Ingredients.  Better Pizza.” We ordered a thin crust of the Super Papa which, has an assortment of meats, mushrooms, onions, green peppers and olives….

We all know that when it comes to the food business, if you don’t get the food right the first time, you’re basically setting yourself up for ruin.  On the flip-side, if you hit gold with a recipe and let a customer base know about it soon enough, you can definitely make it.  And last. Take the example of Johanna’s Grille.  What started out as a very small shack has…

JJ’s is like a complex near the Tagbilaran bay.  It offers accommodations, food, and venues for functions. We were in search for something new to try during our stay in Tagbilaran and we stumbled upon this on the internet.  Fresh seafood?  Why not? The smell of the sea as we drew nearer helped us confirm that the place must really offer fresh seafood. The restaurant is called Mandarin Restaurant, offering…

June 26, 2010 (Saturday) There are many things that are iconic about UP.  We have the colleges themselves which are historical landmarks on their own, the different statues that are scattered all over the campus, the Oblation, the UP Ikot and Toki jeeps, and I even miss the giant trees that serve as a canopy all around the Academic Oval.  And of course, let’s not forget the various food establishments…