Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Que Pasa: Ay Que Bonita y Deliciosa

Que Pasa 
Ay Que Bonita y Deliciosa 

Que Pasa was built in a former ancestral house,
in front of the Naga Cathedral, and lies under the
shadow of the beautiful Porta Mariae at the historic
Barlin St, wherein they preserved the massive ancient
fence and  the old Hispanic brick arch at the entrance


This was my second time to dine at Que Pasa.


The first one was with some of my colleagues.


I ordered Chicken Barbecue bathed in
Que Pasa sauce, with Baked Mac as a
side dish-  and I fell love the food.


Every nook and every corner of the restaurant 
was beautiful and photogenic and I also loved
 the  street- food type of ordering  concept,


I brought my family few days later and they also loved the 
place and the ambiance as the kids described the place 
like  it was a themed restaurant  in Universal Studios.


I again ordered Chicken Barbecue in Que Pasa sauce, this
 time with  Laing Rice and with Bicol Express as a side dish.
It was also very delicious just like the first time I tasted it.


My son ordered Tuna Barbeque in
Que Pasa Sauce, with Laing as a side dish.
Both the fish and the laing were delicious.


My wife and daughter both ordered Baby Back Ribs Barbeque
both with Que Pasa Sauce. It was a mistake. The sauce did not
go well with the ribs that it made the meat taste unpleasantly sour.
There are other varieties of sauces available and I wish that they
 would give recommendations on what sauce is best for each dish.



They chose Pinangat and Laing for
side  dishes and both were delicious.




The desserts like Buko Pandan, Leche Flan
 and Tri- Leche tasted divine and heavenly




The problem with Que Pasa is their very limited choices on
the menu  and we have already ordered almost everything they
had to offer, and would give us no reason to return anymore.


Well, I guess that’s okay. 


Anyway, we already had our pictures taken in what I believe
as one of the most instagrammable restaurants in the country.

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PS: Que Pasa lately opened another section of the restaurant
called Encanto Bar that offers addutional choices in the menu.
Caldos Naldos is apparently another section that is set to open
and these new additions are some of the reasons why it would
be worhtwhile visit to this beautiful restaurant once again..

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Travel Café, Magsaysay Avenue: The Case of Milk Disappearing Cookie

Travel Café, Magsaysay Avenue 
The Case of Milk Disappearing Cookie 

Cookie milk dunking is becoming as bonding time
for me and my son and it’s a good thing that Naga
is home for numerous awesome coffee shops,





…so we would never run out of places to choose
where our next milk dunking activity would be.


After picking him up from school, he was sweating out
from a post class basketball game with his classmates,


…we dropped by the Travel Café for our
routine cookie milk dunking snack session.


Travel Café is a cool rustic British 
inspired café in Magsaysay Avenue




 located in front of Bob Marlin, 
its popular sister restaurant.


It had a charming London style red
telephone booth door for and entrance,


…and a British flag painted on the table top.


I ordered a Cheese Panini Sandwich
that was served with Potato Chips,


…and I also had a jar of Iced Tea.


My son had a huge Butter Cookie,
and a mug- full of warm fresh milk.


He was excited to dunk a piece of cookie on his milk,


…but the cookie quickly perished and melted like ice on the milk.
My son looked at me with a disappointed “the milk
made the cookie disappear” expression on his face.


The cookie was too thin and porous that it just blended
and vanished  with the  milk and so was his excitement.


Everytime he dips a peice of cookie, it quickly melts
and disappears in the milk. With the cookie gone, 
we decided to take the remaining milk home.


Read the link below for related post:

Starbucks Naga: Milk Dunkin' Cookie Bonding

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Haciendas de Naga Hotel: Best Value for Money Vacation Hotel

Haciendas de Naga Hotel 
Best Value for Money Vacation Hotel


Haciendas de Naga located in upland Carolina makes it
possible for Naguenos to get away from it all, just less than
thirty minutes drive away and without having to leave the city.


That’s exactly what we did during one weekend
when we booked an overnight accommodation
as the kids wanted to swim and their wave pool. 
 

The check in was fast and done at the clubhouse,


…and we were on our way to our rooms in a jiffy.


Stay

The hotel rooms are actually villas inspired by
the old ‘bahay na bato’ designs typical during
the glorious Filipino- Spanish Colonial Era.


It had ‘faux’ tegula roof that is actually
 made of long span metal roofing material,


…a spacious veranda ideal
for reading and relaxing,



…and would have offered a sweeping view
of the water park had they not built the
native cabanas in front of the hotel villas.


Each villa had two bedrooms- a
master’s bedroom with king bed,


…and an adjoining room with two double beds.


Both rooms have identical 
amenities, from the full kitchens



…that had a retractable dining tables,


…refrigerators,




…and flat screen TVs.



Both rooms have identical and luxurious bathrooms,



… with adequate basic toiletries.


Both rooms have closets
and provided with a safe,


…and rubber beach slippers- and this is good as guests
 could  use them even outdoors and  while swimming.


There was no WiFi  and  no land line phone
in room but had an intercom at the bedside.


Being a resort hotel, it would have been great if they have 
villas  with  living and dining  rooms  for an authentic homey 
feel and make it a complete and ultimate vacation home..

Stray

The Haciendas de Naga Hotel is located way up
in Carolina, and upland resort barrio in Naga City,


… located at the foot of Mt. Isarog, and it is difficult
for the guests to move around unless they brought their
cars so this hotel is not ideal for those on business trip.

 

With the presence of the only golf course in Bicol,

…this could also be a potential ideal hotel, for
those traveling on business with leisure, had there
been good WiFi and land line phone connectivity.

This is a hotel meant for rest and recreation, and
for those who wanted to get  away from it all-



…without really getting far as it is less
than 30 minutes drive from Naga City.

Play

Haciendas de Naga Hotel is located right in
front of the first and only wave pool in Bicol, 
 so it was meant for people who wanted to swim
 all day until the water park closes at 10 PM.


Aside from the wave pool, 



...the resort  also have the first 
and only golf course in Bicol,


 
…and there are myriad of activities that
could be done in Haciendas de Naga,


 Source: Haciendas de Naga Web Page

…and at very affordable tariff.



The hotel also had a well equipped gym,




... a sauna and spacious massage area.



Guests on holiday would never run out
of places  to play and stray within the hotel.

Feast

Plated Breakfast @ the Clubhouse

Free plated breakfast is served at the clubhouse,


…nothing really fancy, just a basic,
good traditional Pinoy breakfast fare.



Café Rasta by Bob Marlin

One of the most awesome things in Haciendas de Naga
is having the cool and hip Café Rasta at the clubhouse,  


....an off store of the iconic and extremely
 popular Bob Marlin Restaurant.


It is where one can have a fill
of any of their yummy snacks,


…and have a full meal with their
 ever popular OMG Crispy Pata.


Ranchero’s Sports Bar

Ranchero’s Sports Bar is located
at  the second floor of the clubhouse,


…where guests can relax and play 
various games, like billiards,


…and darts.


Guests can also order cocktails from
 the bar, then relax at the view deck 



...that offers a  panoramic view of downtown Naga City.



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Haciendas de Naga Hotel is an affordable
hotel for families vacationing on a  budget.


The rooms are spacious and clean,
and the beds are comfortable.




It had a perfect location for those who
just wanted to swim ad the wave pool,


…and also located near the other
Haciendas de Naga attractions.


The veranda would have had a spectacular
view of the wave pool had they not built the
native cabanas in front of the hotel villas,

…and I believe that these huts are out of place 
and must be relocated somewhere else.


It would also have been ideal if they
had villas with living rooms to make
it a really comfortable vacation home.


With the golf course few steps away, this could also
be a potential destination for business and leisure
if they had good internet and land line connectivity.

Despite some of the minor flaws, considering all the amenities available, 
the Php 2,500  tariff per day, is worth every cent spent, making this as one
of the best value for money hotels in Naga City and in the Bicol Region.