There was this errand for car repairs that needed to be done near the Malugay / Yakal Street area of Makati City to coincide with a lunch break, so it called for a quick, no-frills, comfort food lunch mission. Recently someone suggested to try out Wingman at The Collective. This was a familiar area, too, as Offbeat Cafe and their non-conformist burgers and sandwiches were also found in this hipster…

Stonehenge, it is definitely not overhyped. UNESCO heritage site that is a place of influence for the ancestors of this land. Looking at the stones and imagining just how the multi-ton boulders had to be shipped from its quarry site in Wales boggles the mind.

Power Lunch is often defined as a somewhat high-level business networking / meeting / congregation over an extended lunch period. This lunch period can last somewhere to the tune of three hours, as you build your case or continue your networking engagements in the hopes of achieving results. Some even go all the way until Happy Hour starts (which is really a GREAT excuse for that power lunch session). The…

Well here’s a swipe at the spicy chicken sandwich market. McDonald’s figured that it can get a good share with their more ubiquitous store locations. It says that it is “Chicken Spiced Right”. At first look, the more premium bun and larger size makes it look like the bigger, flashier brother of their Crispy Chicken Sandwich (which, currently, seems to be leading against Jollibee in the cheap chicken sandwich wars)….

Not everyone knows this, but the Dutch were a mighty nation during the colonial period of the world. We are talking Spain, England, France kind of mighty. Heck, they even annexed Cape Town, some parts of Indonesia, and even the edge of the Americas. So you know they come from a proud race whose influence can probably still be felt until now by the presence of some of the largest…

It is great to be a Filipino these days. Something magical has happened ever since a new president has taken the helm (still highly debatable, but you can’t deny statistics). It feels like a long time coming, too. Filipinos are a proud race and are not afraid to show it, but it doesn’t seem as recognized as there just seems to be a perennial glass ceiling that cannot be broken…

No visit to Barcelona will ever be complete without a visit to any of the tapas bars that are scattered along this vibrant region of Spain. It is practically dinner to a lot of the locals, best enjoyed with beers, some refreshing sangria, or a bottle of Cava, the bubbly white wine that proudly comes from this country. Tapas basically started out as a means for customers to cover sherry…

Did you know that bathroom breaks were once a communal activity before Queen Elizabeth I popularized the idea of making it a private moment? So it is in that line that we present some things you may not see if kept private in these bathrooms. If ever you happen to visit these places, check them out! Oh, and apologies if the pictures don’t look as clear as the ones normally…

If you haven’t been to Fort Bonifacio over the past year, you will find that the old Pier One bar has now been replaced by a more permanent looking structure that houses some new goodies that is reviving that side of The Fort Strip. On the higher floors, URBN Bar and Kitchen has been attracting the partygoers looking for the trendiest place. You will see it’s named URBN Bar and…

Ray: I am in Iberico ham heaven. Forget about La Sagrada Familia for a while. Forget about the works of Antoni Gaudi even just for a day. This wall, in itself, is a masterpiece. There are lots of these ‘jamoneria’ around Barcelona, and all of them presenting different kinds of iberico ham. Little did I know that even their curing and breeding methods are of endless varieties. So apparently the…

Lynne: The Dubai airport’s huge! I thought Manila Terminal 1 wasn’t as horrendous as people made it out to be. Maybe cramped, but after this, and recalling Hong Kong, Singapore, and Thailand, it is a tad too small. Walking around the Dubai airport can get tiring and we had to fight the temptation of going for the familiar McDonald’s. (Sorry, McDonald’s. I love you but we didn’t travel this far…

After some reflection over a previous post, it does come out a little too “Negative” for what is normally placed in this blog. And so, with a change of heart, the whole thing will be changed to highlight the food that makes our lives all the better, even for that one second when it meets our taste buds. This actually might be a regular thing here, probably updated on a…

This was given as a gift by a friend who shares the same enthusiasm of the dreams of this blog reaching the shores of France. . Laduree is actually a French brand of luxury pastries, but they are known also for making some of the best macarons in the world. There are outlets already in London, New York, Hong Kong, and other global melting pots. It will not be surprising…

Several raves and write-ups on the quirky, secretive, and fun loving vibe of Umami Hambaagu House have sprung up ever since its opening. This Japanese adaptation of the conventional burger patty has drawn a lot of fans. Some chefs and restaurateurs have even been seen eating here!   Is it the dish and menu selection? Is it the casual and kiddie appeal of the decorations? It probably is both, and…

I have a few staples when it comes to a beach vacation.  I need a beer or any other alcoholic drink in hand, a lounge chair, lots of inactivity, sun, sand, and sea. When it comes to Filipino beaches, we will always give Boracay as an example.  It has long been the top of mind choice for vacation getaways of both locals and foreigners.  For me, it’s the home of…

This was actually a question asked out of humor way before, but somehow seems to have been brewed up again in the brain when someone commented that Filipinos might turn obese in this conversation about the International House of Pancakes (IHOP) opening in the Philippines. Don’t get it wrong. IHOP opening in Manila is probably the best thing since buttermilk was invented. And this is not a jab on any…

2012 has been quite an adventure for us. Adventures such as: An Amazing Race in Corregidor Twilight Zone Bathrooms in Bay Grille Cafe La Union A day trip to Baguio, ending up in Hill Station Finally trying In-N-Out Burger Breathtaking Sumilon Island in Cebu, Whale Shark Watching in Oslob, and a day trip to Dumaguete Exploring Davao Arena Island of Palawan Blind Pig of Makati Hong Kong Street Food and a day…

This is a tribute to a Vietnamese restaurant whose value was overlooked until it has closed, and has morphed into something new somewhere else. Dear Aquaknox: Your grand looking restaurant with high ceilings to match your tasty Vietnamese cuisine will be missed from the streets of Pasay Road in Makati, where you have been replaced by a sushi bar / steak house combo whose goods are yet to be tried…

For those who watch the History Channel (The more subdued yet still highly engaging version of Discovery Channel and National Geographic), one of their main flagship family business/ reality TV/ documentary is Pawn Stars. Here is a quick plot outline based on the Pawn Stars Facebook Page: The Pawn Stars have seen 3-cent nickels, clocks that kill, a historic Revolutionary War bond printed by Paul Revere, sunken treasure from the…

One evening, a friend working as a chef in a Miami resort hotel was back in town, and was asking for a good place to eat. Imagine the pressure since chefs normally have a more distinguished taste. Eventually, it was them who decided to give this place a try. As for the writers here at En Route, any new place is always worth trying. Who knew that a cuisine that…

This is Anthony.     No, not the sandwich. Anthony is the guy who owns the arm behind the sandwich. The sandwich’s name is Buffy, and Anthony is on a mission to slay it. Ever since Chuck’s Deli opened its doors in both its Serendra and Eastwood branch, countless people have taken on the challenge of devouring this monster of a sandwich by Philippine standards in an attempt to gain…

Here’s a nice little nook that some people from the Ateneo/Miriam/UP side of Katipunan would be most familiar with: Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza. There is something different on how a brick-oven, wood fired cooked pizza comes out when used with some fresh and tasty ingredients. Settled on a stone with even heat yet uneven flashes due to the flame, it produces an evenly cooked pizza with hints of charred splotches…