Seeing Stars: Dakasi (Trinoma)

 

Being a constant labyrinth, I don’t suppose I will ever memorize Trinoma’s tributaries and tenants—despite my infamous boast of being its daily patron. To prove my case, I never knew J.Co was open until I noticed hordes of orange boxes that clouded my peripheral vision with citrus sights. And, our dearly beloved Cibo unexpectedly disappeared, to be replaced by a ribs place. All these happened during my watch, so much for retail omniscience.

Getting lost may have its points too. I stumbled upon the soon-to-open sign of Army Navy (Trinoma Foodcourt—who eats there?), and mindlessly followed the brightly shining Super Mario star that led me to Dakasi. For those new to this strange-sounding store, it is not a cousin to Saizen but more of the striving youngest sibling of Gong Cha and Chatime. Enough with the clues, it’s a milk tea place—more of a stall—that has no other USP than having the Eiffel Tower on its cup. It does not hail from Paris though.

[caption id="attachment_2086" align="aligncenter" width="553"] From High and Guangzhou Post[/caption]

The first time I had a cup of Dakasi, I was verbally struggling in the underground mall in China. This time, everything is in English, and so if I couldn’t get my order right, blame the Eiffel Tower. Oui?

For comparison, it was a necessity that I order the Matcha Brown Rice Milk Tea (which I had in China). Another petty craving was the Yakult Green Tea, which I felt was fitting since all these were in conjunction with Trinoma’s “going green” campaign. Show your love for Mother Earth, bring a big bag. 

In the absence of the language barrier I was finally allowed to utter “25% sweetness” and expect 100% comprehension from the cashier.

It was almost perfect until, “Ma’am you should try that in 100%. You will not enjoy the full taste of the tea if it’s only 25%,” the sugar-loving cashier urged as if I wanted to get into her red bull mode.

She did not know whom she was dealing with though. With my self-made allergy to sugar, if I could have it my way, I’d go for Zero % but of course couldn’t give them the shock treatment on their soft opening. I do have a soft spot for Super Mario.

So I just gave her the look, and a “No.” That’s me being short and sweet, she’ll recover.

 

At 25% sweetness, the Matcha Brown Rice Milk Tea is fairly flavorful and maintains the strong matcha taste (and color). Compared to Chatime and Serenitea counterparts though, it has a creamier texture, but not as silky smooth as Moonleaf (sedimentation occurs to which I have no qualms though). Had I gone for that horrendous 100% sweetness, this would be like sipping melted matcha ice cream. Delicious but will require one hour of carrying groceries with my bare arms. This is Quezon City, no plastic bags allowed.

The Yakult Green Tea is another story—watery and derives the flavor from Yakult which is not exactly the best tasting yogurt on the planet. Going for the 100% sweetness level might not remedy the flavor, and Dakasi ought to incorporate more fruit into this drink. This drink falls below my yogurt-tea drink standards since counterparts from Chatime and Happy Lemon are much more enjoyable and cheaper, and they’ve become part of my honorary to-crave drinks list. The Chatime Yogurt Green Tea, in particular, has that subtle citrus flavor that even at 30% sweetness, can suffice as the perfect dessert.  

Of course that’s just 2 drinks out of their vast menu, and with the Buy 1 Take 1 promo on their soft opening, I’m bound to make this a daily ritual until I become known as the “Lazy Black 25% Sweetness Cat” or more believably, that “annoying and demanding girl”.

 Oh and they offer chocolate pudding as a sinker, so how about that for super?

Dakasi is that middle stall near Marks and Spencer and Healthy Options, and if you get lost still, allow your humility to sink in and consult the concierge. Don’t expect mushrooms to guide you to the end of the level.

Death by Parvati Chocolate

Deprived of chocolate for what seemed like eternity, it was time to wave the white flag of fake fitness and resume the choco-haulic hoarders association.

As always Parvati (Trinoma) was the prime choice, on account of its location and hypnotic freezers—which aren’t entirely chilled—especially the cookie section. I tried to hide there once, so yes, I make a valid witness.

In no mood for cheesecake or the timidity of carrot cake, the orders were down to The Dome and The Decadent Cocosugar Chocolate Cake (Sugar Free). Competing in terms of cocoa intensity and swirly frosting, this mash-up should bash any depth of depression.

[caption id="attachment_2355" align="aligncenter" width="498"] Guess the name: That Orbit, Mega Eclair or Choco Chow[/caption]

The Dome, upon closer look, manages to bear strange similarities with a giant éclair and for the more imaginative, a bowl of dog food. The shimmering frosting and the chocolate chips that adorn the fringe can certainly torment the hungry, though in real life, I’d rather it be classified as a Baby Dome. Or how about The Orb?

Chocolate all over and with that nutella cream at the center, The Dome is what you eat when you are depressed, anorexic or dying of low blood sugar. The first few bites can certainly bring that chocolate bliss that can kill any sweet urge for decades. After the return of the common sense though, there are points to ponder as well: the chocolate cake relies on the cream for that moist effect and without it, remains as a boring block of chiffon.

The chocolate frosting is all right but could do with a bit more cocoa surge, while the chocolate chips are not as value-adding in terms of the taste factor. Thanks to that creamy center, The Dome justifies its compelling name, and with a less appealing core, would just be reduced to That Orb.

[caption id="attachment_2354" align="aligncenter" width="498"] The Chocolate Cake that brings a new meaning to the word Decadent.[/caption]

With a name so long, you’d probably expect an equally lengthy ode to The Decadent Cocosugar Chocolate Cake (Sugar Free), but I’ll spare you the burden of reading and summarize my usually wordy thoughts.

The chocolate cake is stiff, devoid of any form of “moist” or softness, and lacks any form of acceptable flavor despite christening itself as a decadent cake. The swirly icing is a tad too sweet but nothing gratifying. Whether the cake was old or kept in a bin of rice grains, its dehydrated form was certainly thes death of my taste buds.

While The Dome wasn’t exactly Willy Wonka variety, it at least had a shred of palatability to revive my pending death from the Sugar Free Chocolate Cake.

Still, I apologize to the cheesecake; I will never abandon you ever again

More or Lex: Striking Home with Lexter Maravilla

A former spokesperson in Rio for the Filipino homeless and defender for the 2010 Homeless World Cup, Lexter Maravilla has gone global even before he joined Global FC. His globetrotting skills have earned him mastery of the Luzon terrain, but it was the Rio conquest that got him inside “Bahay ni Kuya.” Despite being a late bloomer in the football field, Lexter proves how sipag, tiyaga and his love for bananas got him to skillfully wield a drilling press, gain a spot on the pitch and earn himself a ticket to Brazil.

 

Looking Back at Lucban

With his near makatang (“poetic”) Tagalog, Global FC Defender Lexter Maravilla marveled us with his Balagtas-worthy sentence construction. Born and raised in Lucban, Quezon, center of Southern Luzon and Pahiyas, how could he not daunt us with his mastery of the local lingo?  Speaking to us with words like pakikitungo, nakaraan, nagtatag, and pananaw, now we know what proper Tagalog is!

Lexter earned his degree in welding from the Southern Luzon State University—finally rendering him a protégé blacksmith aside from the local linguist. Too bad we forgot ask him to translate “Metallurgy” to Filipino. That would really make life a lot easier for mankind.

 If you think Lucban is known only for its Longganisa, it is worth knowing that the province happens to be a center not only for gastronomic adventure but for football development as well.

“Kami ang nagtatag ng Quezon United Football Club,” proudly narrates the local hero.

The Quezon United Football Club was founded during Lexter’s time, his status of chairman has yet to be verified, but during the Annual Meeting we will attempt to nominate him as Punong Tagapagsalita ("Official Spokesperson") if the voting majority will hear us. The club is comprised of young boys and girls from the locale who have the passion for football, making Quezon our next favorite province.

 Homeless yet Fear-lex

After college, Lexter worked at Concepcion-Carrier Air Conditioning Company in Cabuyao, Laguna for six months and later worked at Hoya Glass Disk Philippines Inc. in Sta. Rosa, Laguna for eleven months. He eventually cast aside the machinery for volunteer work at Ecoworks Philippines in Polillo Island, Quezon. The NGO covers various areas for development such as feeding and biochemicals but it was the football program that caught Lexter’s goggles-free attention. One thing led to another and with side stories involving Ultra and tubang balayan, the end result was worth the wait: being selected to be a part of the Homeless World Cup (HWC).

 

It is rare to chance upon a member of the Homeless World Cup—Team Philippines, as the group is limited to a selection of only 8 players a year. With quite a tight screening process that involves numerous try-outs (Lex underwent 5 or 6) and unbelievably tough background criteria (if you are not at the very least vulnerably housed or an internally displaced refugee, take a hike) this makes every batch a formidable representation for Team Philippines.

 

HWC aims to alleviate poverty and improve the lives of the Filipino youth by providing a pedestal to boost their potential career in the area of football. It was through the arduous training programs in HWC that Lexter was exposed to the technicalities of football, where formations and strategies do exist, apart from the objective of just scoring a goal.

Here, Lexter didn’t only get the chance to finally know football, he also carved a path to his future.

 

Lexter Maravilla (Defender), along with his brother Mark (Goalkeeper), was one of the chosen few to join Team Philippines in 2010, and that wasn’t the only amazing part of it. Their destination was Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, the venue of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Ole!

 

A World Cup in Brazil signaled the rise of a challenge, but better yet, this symbolized the ascent from poverty, turning to the course to would be a bright future for Lexter. His team might have lost to Brazil, Chile, and Italy, but won against teams like Germany, South Korea, Norway, Argentina and Finland. The Philippines became the champions of their group, ended at 25^th place out of 64 countries and won the Host Cup Trophy (4^th trophy) after beating Norway.

Arriba, Brazil

Of course, we still cannot help the fact that Lexter did get to visit Rio, so that ought to be crossed off his tabo list, next to Capoeira tryouts.

While it is a given that visiting South America would be an exciting adventure, this experience was further enhanced by the company of his team, a smorgasbord of local talent. Bonding as a batch even before they set foot in Brazil, what was formed was not only a group of futboleros but a solid team and a newfound brotherhood. For the members, especially the orphans and less privileged—which are main criteria factors in joining HWC—this experience meant a lot, if not the “world” to them.

 

Despite having met the team for three months only, the values they shared and the hardships they battled brought them closer and made them even stronger.

“Natutunan ko talaga ang pakikitungo, kasi galing sa iba’t ibang lugar sa Pilipinas yung mga kasama ko. may Bisaya, may Tagalog,” describes Lexter of his team.

 

 

Upon their return to Manila, the group was well received by the press—to the point of even invited as guest stars to local show Pinoy Big Brother (PBB).

 

 

This global opportunity led Lexter’s hermano, Mark, to the path of becoming assistant coach to the HWC and later on Head Coach for this year’s Mexico game. Another “Ole!” for the older Maravilla.

 

As for Lexter, it was time to move from being a housemate to a real ‘mate.

Una Kaya!

One of the founders of Kaya Football Club (Kaya FC), Coach Rudy Del Rosario, invited Lexter to try out for Kaya FC. Four members of the HWC were recruited by Kaya in 2010, and Lexter was the lucky defender.

 

 

In January 2012, he attended the try-out for Global FC, acting upon someone’s prudent suggestion. With his skill and meaningful purpose in life, Lexter was, of course, accepted as defender and to this day maintains the same position for the team.

 

Global FC proves to be a welcoming environment to Lexter with the Elhabibs as his new bros, Juani being another kind hermano, and recently acquired Jeffrey Christians as a potential doppelganger. The team’s diverse yet family-like culture offers a quaint new home to Lexter—but whether it’s sweet, Lexter isn’t saying.

Global FC

From observing Kuya Bads and Izo’s sibling schemes to hitting it off with frequent roommate Valentine, Global FC’s hodgepodge of characters can certainly be a handful for someone who started out his football career with the homogenous homeless in Brazil. Lexter, though, loves every moment of it—the unity, crazy moments, the toughness of the training sessions—and considers all these nothing but a blessing, a sign of life’s upliftment.

 

 

Each day brings Lexter closer to his dream of success and financial stability. He values the guidance and experiences gained from practice and continues to improve his skills by training with the HWC whenever he has free time.

“Hindi naman ako mahilig mag-mall. Mas gusto ko pang maglinis ng bahay,” says Lexter when asked about how he spends his free time.

Simple, hard working and a rarity for someone who doesn’t complain about household chores—this makes him the guy no one could ever complain about!

 

When asked about his memorable experiences with Global FC, thoughts of slipping on banana peels or banana eating contests (the guy loves bananas, okay?) came to mind but his was the most enriching answer of all: when Global FC was hailed the champion last season.

That, and how the “good quality training” has bettered his playing performance. Imagine Lexter starting out football at 17 years old, and now at 25 years old, Global FC Defender. This isn’t only a story of mere success and poverty alleviation; Lexter lives up to the Homeless World Cup solution, championing his cause and being a catalyst to change the course of his life.

Less is More

Lexter’s life has not been the most comfortable and neither has his childhood been a walk in the park. During his high school days, he did some construction work and farming at the “bukid” with his grandfather. At a young age he already battled with life’s challenges and emerged as a victor. With his skill and perseverance, he learned football and learned to play it well.

 

Life gave him a chance to put this talent to good use, and this brought him from Pollilo Island to Brazil and today, with Global FC. Lexter doesn’t only exemplify the model of a good player or rags-to-riches story that everyday plagues the media. His past experiences led him to yearn for a better life and he never let every chance get by without trying. A go-getter and self-starter, he never stopped, never let the obstacles hinder his way to success. We have never met anyone with this desire to alleviate his family’s life from poverty, a character so persevering he’s done everything from welding to selling magazines and balut.

 

Lexter serves as an inspiration to the Filipino youth, as he exemplifies the values of the ideal athlete, student and worker. He holds the voice of the underprivileged, and he is the rarity whose voice stands out and is heard all the way from Rio.

Perhaps Lexter can attribute his traditional yet pleasant qualities to his roots—namely parents Luz and Jimmy—who have set the perfect Filipino parental style. Their rural simplicity led to determined and responsible children. The Maravillas prove that despite financial deficiency, a supportive family is all it takes to make life matter. To have that solid foundation is what enabled Lexter, along with equally strong siblings Mark and Joy, to pursue whichever dream they have, anywhere in the globe.

 

Being the local makata that he is, it’s best we leave the conclusion to him. He has all the qualifications being the spokesperson for the homeless in Rio, and well this is his story after all:

Maituturing kong pamilya ang Global FC. Sa pagsali ko sa Global, lubos na nadagdagan ang kaalaman ko sa football. Bukod dito, natutunan ko ring makitungo sa mga manlalaro na nanggaling pa sa iba’t ibang lugar at bansa.

Sa kabuuan, napakarami kong natutunan mula noong naging bahagi ako ng Global, at iyon ang pinaka-importante sa lahat. Sana, champion uli kami sa susunod na taon! - Lexter Maravilla

Lexterpedia

“Hey, Lex!” is not the best way to call out to Lexter unless you’re his bro or have been to Rio. Being the shy guy, it’s best to talk to him about life, football and all the simple things we’ve tried to extract from him. If geek is your middle name, then you might find it easier, if you start a conversation citing friction stud or boring head. If not, then don’t be a bore.

 

 

Follow J.Anne Gonzales on Twitter: @LazyBlack_Cat

 

Follow Miji Gonzales on Twitter: @mijigonzales

 

Go Fish!

This crunchy Dory goes by no English name, so we like to refer to it as the Fish Ice Cream or the Korean Fish. The English Alphabet fails to grace the packaging as well, leaving us with so much imagination as to the ingredient listing or catchy write-up of the Fish Ice Cream. Does it start with "Here fishy, fishy?" Or how about, "Tastes better than Kimchi."

Ah, forget it.

The nutrition facts portion does provide a ray of hope, posting 200 kcal and what seem to be loads of fat percentages. However when compared vis-a-vis fellow grocery chiller item Magnum, the Fish Ice Cream posts a better "health" return, in terms of calories and sugar. That much I can figure out. 

For 200 calories, this is quite a catch for those yearning for a suitable dessert while minimizing the excess load (i.e. sugar, ice cream, Magnum or even frozen yogurt). On top of that, the fish wafer is such a delightful thing to look at, it took me a while to realize that ice cream was melting, it had to be eaten.

This is one of those instances when keeping a photo proves to be handy, although there's also the risk that it would make me hungry.

Inside the fish wafer are vanilla ice cream and adzuki beans to warm that sweet tooth. Don't expect the fish to be that crisp crackling wafer that pops from the package. Science should explain that the moist level of the packaging coupled with its liquid interior will certainly seep into the wafer, creating a softer and chewy feel. 

Still, there's that sweet vanilla fill that the Fish Ice Cream provides, sans the overbearing chocolate or nuts that can get stuck in your teeth. 

At P41 (Landmark Grocery) per fish, there's nothing fishy about this treat, other than being shaped like a fish. 

Go fish!

Mi Piace Trattoria Gourmet

The word Trattoria can be one tricky fellow for those whose Italian vocabulary is limited to panini and gelato. The hypotheses of the weary and trying hard can range from “traitor” to an anagram of “Tori Amos”.  Either answer is obviously more misleading than the previous, which leads to consulting the handy master, Google.

Turns out, Trattoria is simply translated as “little Italian restaurant”. No need for Boggle skills, which I fail miserably at in the first place.

In Manila, there’s this Trattoria Gourmet in Shangri-La Mall, which reflects the proper translation. Only difference is that it engages more in commerce and less in village-people-get-together tavern behavior where take home is common. Sure, in the Philippines take home is just as acceptable when visiting villages, but in Trattoria Gourmet—respectable restaurant and retail business that would like to make a proper living—no take home, containers or spilling alfredo inside well hidden lunch boxes. Let us do our part in preserving cleanliness of our surroundings and not screwing with its real income return.

Trattoria Gourmet serves eat-all-you-can dishes on a daily basis, and that eat-all-you-can salad and soup combo makes a pretty good target for vegetarians, South Beachers and prim old ladies. I would have to fall under the first category.

The Sunday buffet includes that lush salad bar with 6 types of dressings (I remember herb vinaigrette, balsamic vinaigrette, garlic something, low cal italian dressing and 2 more) with quite a spread of of toppings, one visit is never enough.

The ubiquitous Romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, carrot strips, mushrooms, cheese, egg, olives form the spread but there are also the strange visitors (strange since I do not make the habit of placing them on my plate): raisins, corn, green gulaman, turnips, and pineapples (which I had for dessert instead).

 

Ready-to-eat Potato and macaroni salad are also served for the lazy, and there is also that Penne Pesto salad which deserved a scoop every time I visited the salad bar. It was that magnificent that foregoing the actual pasta selection was of no regret to me.

 

 

The soup section offers 2 variants in steaming vessels, even soup haters would have to try at least a teaspoon of their luscious concoctions. The Creamy Asparagus seemed all right, so I moved on to the more enticing catch: Mushroom Soup!

The mushroom soup was clear-brown with grand bits of oyster mushrooms swimming at the bottom. Scoop them out and find yourself in shroom heaven. I had two bowls, enough said.

The soup actually goes well with the house appetizer, which was lovingly prepared and presented, we jsut had to finish the entire display, as courtesy to the host.

Pasta dishes available were the usual favorites for the local folks: Alfredo and Bolognese.

Having passed up the pasta and pizza buffet, it seemed that the Bolognese was the better choice. Meaty and al dente, numerous diners did return for seconds (or thirds), while the alfredo seemed to be its buttery and bland companion.

 

The pizza served included Margherita and Pepperoni. Rather minimalist in toppings and size, the flavor made up for this seeming deficiency. Especially when freshly baked, the pizza still brings in much love from the Italian oven compared to other local counterparts.

[caption id="attachment_2247" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Note: Pizza embellished with pasta bar toppings[/caption]

The Trattoria Gourmet Sunday Buffet was a grand trip to Italian gourmet excellence. There was no need for 10 more dishes or a smorgasbord of items we could not pronounce or better yet, not have the chance to eat.

Minimalism was the key in getting us to enjoy the feast, and not really waste our time wandering and walking into areas of less interest. If all buffet set-ups were this friendly and well stocked up, then everyone would be happy and sipping wine on the side. No tempura banters or fighting over fried rice.

Just wondering how they got to make their pesto that bene.

Other than that slight hitch, Non mi posso lamentare. ("I can't complain.")

Saved by the Bon Chon

The fact remains that almost everyone has probably eaten at Bon Chon Chicken in Manila, so there's a possibility that any reader would hit the close button.

Or try to look at the photos, then close the window.

So, for the sake of novelty and aversion to chicken cliche, let's skip the ambience, service excellence, cleanliness and cluck-cluck chicken goodness and get on with the other menu items.

Bon Chon does serve fares other than chicken, and I'm not just talking about the rice. If rice is your main concern, you're probably better off knocking on Mang Inasal's door.

The Caesar Salad (with extra chicken) came as quite as a surprise with its pepper-studded and thick dressing. It wasn't the watered down, purely mayo magic kind, making this one of the better tasting Caesar Salads for its price range. With only Romaine lettuce and croutons to make up the salad, many will find this a tad too plain - which, on the contrary I found appealing since for the first time, I didn't have to say: No bacon, please.

The Chap Chae's glass noodles were slippery perfection, and I couldn't get enough of this Korean creation. A bit too sweet, I'd prefer it to be more bland and with sesame seeds and chili. However the sweetness level can be waived as this dish is doused with chicken, green and carrots and loads of those lovely glass noodles. Enough as a meal, it still went perfectly with my salad. You'd probably find that combination as rather queer, but then again, I like to include go, grow and glow foods in one meal! 

Balancing 2 Chicken Chops in between what seemed to be an oat bun, the Chicken Sandwich makes one chunky feast, with fries on the side. Between chicken chops with rice or that sandwich bun, the latter seems to be the more attractive option. And there's that dip as well. Don't expect the bun to be French bakery goodness, but all right enough so as not to sidestep the chicken highlight.

Of course the Chicken Chops will always be a staple for the so-so diner.

Bon Chon's frozen yogurt (Korean Yogurt) had to be the fitting finale for this grand meal, but I already had my advance dessert c/o Merry Moo from Mezza Norte. Next time though, that Blueberry Torte ought to be the next buy. Just looking at the poster was torture enough. 

How I ended up in Bon Chon can only be explained by Mezza Norte's seating scheme (which was close to nil) and properly explained in my previous post: Mezza "Messy" Norte. In the dim haze of UP Technohub, Bon Chon's cheery presence seemed to be the guiding light for diners who refused to eat on the floor or steps. 

This is is really one of those rare instances when we can thank the chicken. Saved by the Bon Chon Chicken.

Mezza "Messy" Norte

If you have not heard of UP Technohub, chances are you belong to the lower side of the Metro where Greenhills and BGC are enough sources of entertainment and food splurge. Where words like Commonwealth, Balara or "Winter is coming" make no sense.

There was a time when Mercato was once the distant gourmet-landia, requiring one heck of a road trip with a siding of patience.

Well thank you for finally noticing QC's rather hefty occupancy on the map. And yes, there are a lot of hungry people living in Quezon City with population I-don't-know, but certainly large enough to devour Makati, Mandaluyong and Pasig.

Mezza Norte, the newly established "Mercato" for the northern dwellers, is located at this place called UP Technohub, along Commonwealth. As for proper directions, you're better off with Google Maps, since I bear no tourist navigational perspective, living minutes away from this tent mania.

Pretend you're the persistent type and try to prod me for info, the best I could come up with is: Quezon Circle, right at Commonwealth, U-Turn somewhere, then follow the cars moving slowly and making a right at this hazy joint. Oh yes, mind the weird barriers on the road, meant to trip swerving buses, they can be a pain to the disoriented driver.

Before anyone can beat me to it, I would like to lovingly refer to Mezza Norte as Messy Norte. It's new, perhaps the talk of the nearest schools and villages, so everyone in the nearby vicinity decided to skip market day and have dinner at Messy Norte.

Flocks of cars and ID-wearing blokes came in violent throngs and forbade me from even sitting on a monoblock chair, not even to rest my tired toes. People looked at me as if I was trying to cut them in line (for a roast beef sandwich? please!) and those lucky enough to bag a table gave us bite-me looks - not that i even wanted a bite of any of them, just something sweet!

For being unlucky or jut plain gracious, we failed to find a table in 30 minutes (this was 7pm on a Friday). That rather long waiting period gave us roughly 3 rounds of the place and thus I concluded:

1) No way are we finding a table in this sea of hawks, moms and ID flashing peeps, 2) No way am I eating on the pavement, stairs of Mini Stop, and 3) Time to scout for grub outside Messy Norte. Boo-hoo.

This is how we ended up in Bon Chon, still in UP Technohub, which will be actually my next post, thanks to Messy Norte's seating scheme.

However, I did get what I initially came for, a taste of Merry Moo Ice Cream!

The only place that was free from grief stricken tasters and manned by gracious ladies who patiently waited on our orders. The Earl Grey was divine but put off in the meantime for fear of insomnia bouts. Milo was comfort food material, but I opted for Dark Chocolate, because it matched my already dark mood.

[caption id="attachment_2218" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Sea Salt Caramel and Dark Chocolate[/caption]

The Sea Salt Caramel managed an "oohh" from my brother who was already blinded by the inihaw haze It was on the buttery-caramel smooth side. Next time I shall try that Berry Trifle or Strawberry Shortcake.

Or why not both?

Getting stuck in a spot while walking, these 3-for100 cakes finally got to me, and so to at least buy something to-go from Messy Norte, I decided to give in: Revel Bars, Turtle Cake and Oreo Cake.

For P100 these should be a steal, but if you're looking for Parvati-variety these won't make the cut. However again, for the price, they make quite an extravagant pasalubong.

The secret is not to tell the recipient the price of the cake/s. Just shove it in their face and watch the glow of gratitude.

You're welcome!

Nearly giving in to this hyped up Tuguegarao pancit, that seems to be the Pad Thai of Northern Philippines, the queue was already long, not to mention the waiting period. Oh and we don't have a table.

Too bad.

I spotted 2 Chap Chae Joints (unfortunately they both have pork), Manang's, Bumble Tea, the ever present Mochiko, Mio Gelati, the Roast Beef Lady, that Shabu-Shabu Place, Taclings, Takoyaki, Medchef, etc. Nowhere in sight were (from Mercato) that ravioli place, Panzarotti, Messy Bessy, Human Nature, Anita's cupcakes, Low Cal, dumplings and that place that sold kefir.

Should we return for a take 2, I do wish that Messy Norte would be more organized or would have more tables or just courteous diners.

If not, I could always lend you a comb, er, a hand.