Thursday, August 30, 2018

Earthquake Café:Robinsons Place Naga Al Fresco

Earthquake Café 
Robinsons' Place Naga Al Fresco 

Earthquake Café’s attention-grabbing name fascinates me.
 Whenever I am at Robinsons;’ Place Al Fresco section , I feel 
the café’s ibnt3rresting name was always persuading me to 
come and sit down for an earth shattering dining experience.

 

The repetitive sub- minimal persuasion worked
and my family finally found ourselves dining
in this undeniably conspicuously named café. 

 

Earthquake Café’s is a two level post- earthquake 
disaster themed café,  and we were happy that they 
serve not just pastries and coffee but all full set meals.

 

We love German Bratwurst and this
is one kind of sausage that we indulge
whenever we are in a German restaurant.

 
^^^ Alt Berliner Biersalon, Berlin Germany LINK

 
^^^ Hofbrahaus (Bavarian Restaurant) LINK
 
So, we ordered three of their Bratwurst dishes.
 The first one was a Bratwurst Sausage Meal. 
It was very basic, pan fired sausage served with
a cup of garlic rice, instead of the traditional
potatoes. There was also catsup and mayo dip.
It was a very boring dish as they obviously missed 
sauerkraut, mustard and maybe a piece of pickle. 

 

They tossed in a huge chunk of chicken fillet
on the Bratwurst Chicken Fillet Breakfast 
still no sauerkraut, no mustard and no pickles.
They also replaced the potatoes with garlic rice
that obviously did not go well with the sausage 

 

The Bratwurst Sandwich was just as disappointing.
The sausage was chopped into quarters, flattened like
a spam, served in a sesame sprinkled burger bun, lying
in a bed of coleslaw and bathed with Cheez Whiz.

 

 

They did everything what is wrong in this dish.Ask any purist. 
Tradition dictates that Bratwurst sausages be served on a
 toasted hard roll- not ina hot dog bun and definitely not in a 
burger bun,with butter- not with a disgusting cheese spread,
pickles- not coleslaw, mustard- not ketchup or mayo, and 
course (they forgot) sauerkraut. What is a brat without them? 

 

Nagarlic Tectonic Chicken Quarter Meal  may be the only saving grace 
in this café.The chicken was so unbelievably tender and juicy.The delightful 
garlicky after taste felt so good in your mouth, so delicious  that you can't
 help but keep on eating it non stop as would leave you craving for more.

 

The chicken was so good that it could be eaten alone that we forgot
 that it was served  with one of the most delicious Bicol Express 
dish in town. It finally justified the cupful of rice served with the meal.

 

They also serve superb coffee concoctions. 

 

 

Earthquake Café serves excellent coffee and
roast chicken,  price- wise and taste- wise-

 

…Bratwurst dishes aside.

Saturday, August 25, 2018

The Conrad Manila: Beautiful, Luxurious, Affordable


The Conrad Manila
Beautiful, Luxurious, Affordable 

We were on our way to China and we needed a place to stay 
in Manila for our flight the next day and my family  chose to 
stay  at the Conrad. We arrived very early in the morning,



…check in was a breeze, the people at the front desk 
were courteous and friendly, who informed us that 
our rooms would not be ready until noontime,



…and they offered to let us stay at the executive lounge.

 

Our room was in the executive level and when they
learned that we haven’t had breakfast yet, we were
offered us to partake of the breakfast buffet for free.



That was gracious and we were touched
by their hospitality and extra generosity.

Stay 
The Diplomat Suite 

We were having our snacks at the executive lounge
when the staff told us that our room was ready and
provided us with our keys shortly before noontime.

 

This would be our home in Manila for the next two days
as we apply for a Chinese Visa for our upcoming vacation.

 

Our suite, a The Diplomat Suite  located at the
6th  floor was  very spacious and very beautiful.

 

It had beautiful large living room
executed in natural earth tones.

 



There was a very comfortable huge sofa
which could function as an extra bed,

 

…and a cozy lounge sofa where one can relax
and get comfy while reading or watching TV.

 

There is a huge working and study table,

 

…where there was a tray of
Davao Chocolates sampler.

  

 

There was also a complimentary
Tamaraw stuffed toy for the kids.

 

There is a huge flat screen TV,
with superb audio/video systems.

 

On the room portal is a Minibar,

 

 

…with small fully loaded refrigerator,

 

… and a high end coffee maker.

 

 

The bedroom was also very spacious and
just like the living room it exudes with
understated luxury and timeless elegance.   



It had huge king size bed,

 

…and a built- in window side day bed that could
serve either as a lounge sofa or another extra bed.

 

Just like the living room it also had
a huge wide- screen LCD flat TV
with topnotch audio/video systems.

 

The bedroom had wrap around panoramic windows,

 

...that extends up to the living room. with the 
view hotel’s well manicured gardens.

 

The best feature of this room are the toilet and bath.

 

There was one at by the entrance,
that also serves as a washroom.

 

…and it connected by a spacious walk in closets, to the 
second  toilet and bath that serves as the main bathroom,
and could also be accessed from the bedroom



The walk in closet was well equipped, that had 
extra blankets and pillows, electronic safe,
clothes ironing and pressing equipment,





…and home accessories to make
the guest’s stay more comfortable.



It also had and had a massive area where
we could keep our numerous huge suitcases.

 

The main bathroom was very luxurious
 provided with plush amenities,



…and signature toiletries.



There was a gorgeous bathtub at the rear end,





…lying near a panoramic windows with an awesome
view of the  well manicured verdant roof top garden.

 

It has a topnotch rain shower
and in-shower steam room.  

 

The lavatory also serves as a vanity area.

 

One unique feature of this bathroom that amused 

us no end was the chameleon- like flat screen TV,

 



…camouflaging  as a part of
vanity mirror when turned off.



This room had four landline phones, 
 the first one at study in the living room,



…the second on at the bedside,     

    

the third one of the fist toilet by the living room,

 

…and another one in the main toilet.

 

We were very happy with the very fast
and complimentary Wi Fi connection.

Stray 

Guests would never run out of places to visit,
as The Conrad is located at the Mall of Asia Complex
right above a SMaison, an gorgeous upscale mall,

 

…and also interconnected to the Mall of Asia,
considered one of the biggest malls in Asia. 

 

It made our shopping for a new suitcase  convenient   
as the mall’s Samsonite store was just a walk away.

 

Play 

The Conrad had a fabulous
resort- like swimming pool,

 





...a spa,

 

 

…and a well equipped gym,   

 

 

...that had a view of the  swimming 
pool and other leisure facilities.





Across the hotel is a theme park located
at famed Manila Bay’s seaside boardwalk.

 

Feast 

The Lounge 

The beautiful Lounge at the lobby level is Conrad’s main
in- house restaurant where the buffet breakfast is served.

 

 

My family had a dinner on our first day
here and the restaurant did not disappoint,

 

…as it a  massive buffet of
local and international dishes. 

 

The Executive Lounge 

Our room was at the executive level that had
an exclusive free to the  Executive Lounge.





The Executive Lounge, offers a more intimate
and personalized breakfast buffet and an awesome 
alternative the busier and more chaotic Lounge. 

 

In Room Dining 

We had an early morning flight schedule
so we ordered an in- room breakfast, as
the breakfast buffet was not open at time yet.

 

The food was good and the service was excellent.

 

There are also several excellent upscale in house

restaurants at the Conrad like China Blue,

 

…and BRU an awesome coffee shop. 

 

Being located at the top of SMaison, and connected
 to the SM Mall of Asia, guests would never run out of
 choices to some of the best restaurants in Metro Manila.  

-0-0-0-0-0-0- 

The Conrad Manila is a beautiful hotel in and out.
Owned and managed by Hilton Hotels, equipped with
top notch amenities, it is probably one of he the most  
beautiful hotels in the Phillipines and the world as well.

 

From the stunning portal at the concierge,

 

…to the lobby with a spectacular
view of the famous Manila Bay,

 

…to the well designed spacious suite rooms,





…it is a gorgeous hotel that
offers 5-Star hotel experience,

 

…for families traveling on a budget, looking for a
 well-appointed  yet affordable  accommodation.