Saturday, April 30, 2016

Sbarro’s Stuffed Pizza: Sbarro’s @ SM City Naga

Sbarro’s Stuffed Pizza 
Sbarro’s @ SM City Naga

We love pizza and we are fotrunate as some
of the best pizza chains are already here in 
Naga City, so we never run out of choices. 

 

Shakeys is known for its classic thin crust
pizza and nobody does it better than them.


Pizza Hut for the stuffed crust pizza where
diners could choose between cheese or sausage.


Yellow Cab is known for it’s huge New York
style pizza with abundantly generous toppings.


But nothing really beats Sbarro’s Stuffed Pizza,
as it is a combination of the that best that the three
(Shakeys, Pizza Hut and Yellow Cab) had to offer.


Stuffed not just at the crust’s edge
but between two thin pizza crust,



…not just sausage or cheese but an array
of delightful veggies and various cold cuts,


…and topped with a variety of creamy sauces,



…then served hot and ready to eat.

 

This must be what pizza in heaven tastes like.

Read on the links below for related posts:

Sbarro's, SM City Naga
Sbarro SM City Naga: Italian Perfection
Sbarro's Naga: Anatomy of Delicious Italian Lunch

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Flavours Gastronomica:Glorious Salmon Festival

Flavours Gastronomica 
Glorious Salmon Festival 

No, there is no bona fide salmon festival
happening in one of our favorite restaurants-

 

…it just so happen that my family loves salmon,
and there is no other place in Naga City where
one could find a horde of delicious salmon dishes
to choose from but in Flavours Gastronomica.




My wife’s Buttered Herbs Salmon was so delicious.
The salmon was perfectly cooked, it was served fresh
and hot, overflowing with tasty juices oozing with rich
heady herbs and with a delightfully buttery aftertaste.



The Grilled Salmon with Garlic and Herbs
that my daughter ordered was also perfectly grilled,
overflowing with tasty juices, richly flavored with
aromatic herbs and pungently spiked with garlic.


I had a Baked Salmon Crusted Pesto, and this is
one of my favorite salmon dishes in this restaurant.
Just like the first two salmon dishes, this one was also
very juicy and the pesto that crusted at the top of the fish
was made more flavorful by a layer of parmesan cheese.


Rosemary and Thyme Porkchop is my son’s
all time favorite meat dish in this restaurant so
he ordered it again. The  mouth-watering two
huge slabs of pork chop was very tender and had
the sharp and minty hint and of herbs and spices.

 

The Beef and Mushroom Lasagna that we ordered
to be shared as a side dish was very tasty and filling.
One would never go wrong ordering any of the various
pasta dishes in this restaurant as in my own experience,
they probably serve some of the best tasting pasta in town.



For juicy, flavorful and varied salmon dishes, no
one does it better than Flavors Gastronomica.

 

There’s a virtual daily salmon festival out there,

Read on the links below for related posts:

Saturday, April 23, 2016

IHOP Mall of Asia: Good Food, Horrible Plating

IHOP Mall of Asia
Good Food, Horrible PLating 

My family was supposed to dine at the Tasting Room for our
noche buena during our stay at the Crown Towers, Manila- 



…when my sister in- laws’ big family together with my   
mother- in  law  dropped by for a visit, so we decided
 to dine at the   IHOP at the nearby Mall of Asia.



IHOP is one of our favorite restaurants and we never
fail to dine here wherever we’re in the US and I have
blogged about IHOP Anaheim branch near Disneyland,


^^^IHOP Anaheim

…and this is the first time that
we’re trying a local franchise.



We decided to order dishes not found in
their US stores and only offered locally.



 

We started French Fries and Cheese Fingers 
for our appetizers and both were perfectly fried
it was crispy outside, moist inside and very tasty.

 

My son had a Classic Pork Tocino, an all day breakfast
fare and it tasted just like any other Pinoy tocinos,  sweet
ang tangy. Nothing really special to rave and crave about.

 

My daughter’s Bacon Mac and Cheese Pasta 
didn’t look appetizing as it was served in a bowl
carelessly covered with a piece garlic bread, but
aside for the sloppy presentation it was delicious.

 

The Grilled Cheese Sandwich that my
wife ordered was also very delicious.

 

I ordered Tilapia Florentine and just like the pasta,
it  didn’t look good enough to eat as the fish was served 
mangled and macerated. It was otherwise very delicious. 

 

IHOP MOA being an international fast food chain
should train their restaurant crew for proper food
plating to make to make them attractive and pleasing
and be at par with the rest of its branches in the world. 

 Read on the link below for related post:

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Edsa Shangri- La Tower Wing: Lower Floor Rooms, 2016 Update

Edsa Shangri- La Tower Wing 
Lower Floor Rooms, 2016 Update

I have recently blogged about Edsa Shangrila’s


…and also reviewed the more exclusive
Horizon Club Rooms at the garden wing.



It was in August 2013 when I reviewed this


EDSA Shangri - La was listed as one of the best
hotels in the world by prestigious Conde Nast,


…and it is always a joy to stay here I don’t mind booking 
even on their (standard) premier rooms,  as  they are 
always comfortably spacious compared to other hotels 
of the same star rating, standard and category.

 

We lately returned to Edsa Shangri- La
and booked on the lower floor rooms,

 

…and the previously tired looking corridor,

^^^2013

…was transformed into cheery brand new hallway. 

      

When we got into our room at the 5th floor,


…we were in for a pleasant surprise.

Stay

In 2013, their rooms have contemporary design of dark
wood motif with Asian touch, that had two comfortable
huge double beds good enough for a family of four.

^^^2013

This time, the room still had the contemporary Asian
touch but with a lighter shades green and yellow motif,


...that had a view of the booming Ortigas Center.

 

 

Our room this time had a huge King sized bed.


…and what used to be lounge chair,

^^^2013

…was replaced by a comfy sofa.

 

The old glass topped wrought iron side table,

 
^^^2013

…was upgraded to wooden table with a glass
topped see- through utensil/food compartment






 Its old dark wood working desk,

^^^2013

…was replaced by a lighter, leopard print topped table,


…provided with various electrical outlets
that most international guests would need.


The huge hardwood framed vanity mirror,

^^^2013

…was replaced by an artwork.


What used to be vintage analogue TV
placed in a bulky wooden console,

^^^2013

…was upgraded to a huge and modern
wall-  mounted flat screen LCD TV,




…and what used to be a hardwood type
multi compartmentalized mini bar,

^^^2013

…was changed into a marble topped console,

 

 

…and the mini refrigerator was well stocked.

 

 

The vanity mirrors by the working table
and at the minibar were removed,

 
^^^2013



…and retained the whole body vanity
mirror by the toilet entrance.


The bathroom was also totally renovated-
from deeper shades of granite and hardwood,

^^^2013

… was changed to a jovial
and lighter shades of marble.


It lavished with luxurious toiletries
that Shangri-La in known for.

 

 


It had a huge closet with useful
guest amenities was retained.


Connectivity was not a problem as just like
in the past there are three telephone landlines,
in the room. The first one on the desk,


…second by the bedside,


…and third at the toilet.


There is also a free Wi Fi and broadband connections.

 

This newly renovated tower wing's lower floor suite 
 room is exactly identical with the upper floor suites.

Stray

The hotel is located between two major malls,
the gigantic SM Mega Mall on one side,
 


 
… and the Edsa Shagri- La Mall  on the other
side, where the hotel has its own private access.  

 



It is also a few minutes ride away from S&R Shaw.
my family's favorite supermarket destination.

 

There is really no need to go out of the
hotel as it was built as a resort hotel
right in the middle of an urban jungle.


It had a fabulous garden where one can
have a leisurely walk, or just laze around
admiring the tropical greenery around you.




The hotel had several in house shops- so there
is really no need to hit the nearby malls to shop





Play

The EDSA Shangri La has a beautiful pool, 

 

 

…and a mini water park,

 








… amidst the amazingly vast greenery in the middle
of  the busiest and chaotic district of urban Manila.




The hotel also has a well equipped
gym that guests can use for free.

 

The hotel is also known for its Chi Spa
where guests can avail of their numerous
health and beauty therapeutic regimens,

…or just have a relaxing massage.

 

Feast

Despite of countless of dining options at the nearby
Shangri- La Mall and SM Mega Mall, there is really
no need to go out of the hotel as EDSA Shangri- La
has an excellent in house restaurant called Heat. 

 

The restaurant had a wonderful spread
of international dishes on their buffet,





The hotel also have several excellent
restaurants at the mezzanine level.



There is also a wide choice of delicious
dishes in the in- room dining menu.   

 

 -0-0-0-0-0

I first stayed Edsa Shangri- La in 1994, as single,
young, man and had been returning to this hotel every
year this time with family for more than two decades,


…and it remained as beautiful as the
very first time I set foot on this hotel.


I am a loyal client and I look forward to staying in
this wonderful hotel in the years to come, hopefully
with my future grandchildren, when I grow old.