Back To Paluto: Paluto is Back At All Day Supermarket.

Back To Paluto 
Paluto is Back At All Day Supermarket.

After almost 2 weeks of closure due to an apparent change 
of management, Paluto is back at All Day Supermarket.

So of we went to Vista Mall Naga to dine in our favorite seafood
 restaurant as we missed it so much during the Christmas Season.

Nothing compares the experience of

buying freshest ingredients yourself,

 

…and having them cooked,

 

 

..into delicious dishes-

 

 

…right before your very eyes,

 

 

…and served them steaming hot on your dining table.

 

 

 There is nothing like it in Naga City.

Read the lonkd below for realted posts:

VistaMall Naga Series 1: Gorgeous VistaMall Naga- One Stop Gastronomic Haven
 Vista MallNaga Series 2:  Paluto- Delicious Market Fresh Dishes
 VistaMall Naga Series 3: The Coffee Project- Awesome Coffee, Beautiful Café  
 VistaMall Naga Series 4: Bake My Day- Fresh from the Oven Goodness 
 VistaMall Naga Series 5- Gastroville: Affordable International Cuisine 
Paluto Seafood Galore: The Best Seafood Restaurant in Naga City

Yamcon Kusina’s Home Made Donuts The Most Delicious Donuts in Naga City

Yamcon Kusina’s Home Made Donuts

The Most Delicious Donut in Naga City  

The most delicious donut in Naga City is back!



I featured this donut in this blog in 2014, back
called it as  Naga City’sREAL best kept secret,.



As it was made by a restaurant without a name yet,
and the only signage in the door says “We’re Open”.  
They also seem to cook it secretly as they have no
fixed schedule on when they will bake the donuts
and only call us whenever they are available.  



Baked by a bakery with a secret name, being
prepared on secret schedules, with yummy secret
ingredients, these home made sugar raised donuts
qualifies to the real best kept secret category.

For some unknown reasons, they  stopped baking the donuts for years, 
and we tremendously missed them. But miracles do happen. After four
 years, we got a call that they  wanted to order our much missed donuts.

 .  

We ordered two dozens- with no guar toppings.
Who could say no to a donuts this delicious?



 

The donut’s texture is doughy
yet firm and not sugary sweet.

 

 

….bursting with the delightfully creamy
flavor of milk and egg in every bite.

 

They also finally found a name for their bakery. 

 

Yamcon Kusina is located in Montana Arcade
and we’re as it is right in front of Plaza Medica-

 

…and we could just walk across whenever we crave
for the most delicious homemade donuts in Naga City.  

Read the link below for related post: 

The Most Delicious Home Made Donuts:

 Naga City’s (Real) Best Kept Secret

22 Prime: Affordable Premier Steakhouse

22 Prime
Affordable Premier Steakhouse 

One thing that I commonly share with my daughter

is the love for American food of burgers and steaks.

So when I visited her in Manila where she was having

her internship, we agreed to dine at 22 Prime Steakhouse.

 

It was located at the 22^nd Floor of Discovery Suites,

the hotel where we stayed which I reviewed in this link.

 

It was a beautiful, dimly lighted serene restaurant

with a formal yet no frills business- like ambiance

and staff was attentive, courteous and respectful.

 

They initially served us a complimentary bread basket,

 

 

I had a delicious Seafood Soup in a rich fennel tomato broth,

delightfully tangy lemon kick, and an aromatic basil aftertaste.

It was made more flavorful with herb infused toasted croutons.

 

The Lobster Bisque that my daughter ordered was just as delicious.

With abundant of bits and pieces of poached lobster in a rich, thick

soup, flavored with shellfish oil and tomato, toasted herb croutons.

It was served with freshly baked, light and slightly puffy herb brioche.

 

My daughter had a 200 gms SRF Wagyu Hanger Steak.

She had it cooked well done and still the classic butcher's

steak was still very tender and juicy. It was served with a

herb roasted mushroom sauce, fresh veggies and fat fries.

While I had a USDA New York Striploin, made of 200 gms of grilled 
angus striploin steak. I had it done rare. The strip steak was perfectly 
cooked and beautifully sliced into tender bite size pieces. It was 
so delicious that you would not need  the mushroom steak sauce.

It was also served  a bowl of fresh assorted veggies and fat fries.

I concluded my dinner with a gloriously sweet dessert of

Salted Caramel Cheesecake with cashew Graham crust.

 

While my had a divine Chocolate Goddess, made of sinfully

mouthwatering double chocolate mousse and rich chocolate

layered almond cake and believe it or not bathed with thick

melted dark chocolate with bits and pieces of pistachios.

 

Served with some of the finest red wine,

 

... it was an awesome culinary date with my eldest child.

Colonial Grill’s Caramelado Ice Cream: Masbate’s Pastillas Ice Cream

Colonial Grill’s Caramelado Ice Cream
Masbate’s Pastillas Ice Cream 

Masbate, being the Cattle Capital of the Philippines
it is understandable that milk is their main product

and Pastillas de Leche, a milk curd candy as the most

requested pasalubong item from this island province.

Also called Caramelado, it is a milk curd candy

made with fresh cow’s milk 

 

....and is the inspiration for the new 
ice cream flavor from Colonial Grill,

.....known for its extremely popular Sili Ice Cream.

 

The Carmelado Ice Cream was predominantly milky

with a delightful butterscotch-esque- vanilla aftertaste,

reminiscent of  Mantecado, an all time Pinoy favorite

 

It is so addicting and very delicious and I have a feeling

that this could become a cult classic ice cream flavor

like Italy’s Stracciatella, New Zealand’s Hokey Pokey,

Pinoy’s Dirty Ice Cream or even a Mantecado variant.

Colonial Grill’s Caramelado Ice Cream inspired

by Masbate’s Pastillas de Leche in my opinion

is one of the best tasting ice cream in the world.

Read the links below for related posts:

1st Colonial Grill SM City Naga: Authentic Bicolano Cuisine

1st Colonial Grill: Robinsons’ Place Naga, Al Fresco

1st Colonial Grill, Centro: Showcase of Indigenous Bicolano Dishes 
1st Colonial Grill: ‘Gata’ and ‘Sili’ Overflow
1st Colonial Grill: Classic Homegrown Cuisine

1st Colonial Grill’s ‘Bahay Kubo Salad’ Innovative, Healthy and Delicious 

Novotel Araneta Center: Budget Friendly Luxurious Rooms

Novotel Araneta Center 
Budget Friendly Luxurious Rooms

I had great expectations with Novotel Araneta Center,

when I booked this hotel to spend the holiday with my

daughter as it was the hotel closest to St Luke’s where she

was having an internship and did not  have a holiday break.

We had great experience in our past stays in

other Novotel properties in Kuala Lumpur,

 

…and just few months ago

in Novotel Pudong Shanghai.

We arrived late in the afternoon after a twice

delayed and cancelled fight from Naga City

… the Novotel lobby was spruced up with
 a Christmas Carnival themed decoration,


...it was over- crowded when we checked in,

 

…and we were happy that we were directed

to the less crowded executive lounge to check

in, our room was in the executive level.

We were offered a seat at the lounge and we were offered 
cocktails  and snacks while they were checking us in.

It was a breeze, the people at the lounge were friendly,

an we were on our way to our room at the 21^st  floor.

 

                          This would be our home for the next four days in Manila,                          

I had great expectations with Novotel Araneta Center,

when I booked this hotel was the closest to St Luke’s

so we could visit our daughter who was having her

hospital internship and did not  have a holiday break.

Stay

When I booked for and Executive Room at Booking.com, I specified of 
having  3 adults and 1 child as guests so I wasexpecting at least a bigger, 
but what  we got was a regular room, with 1 queen bed, and extra single bed,

 

was added by the window side.

  

This room would definite not be enough for a family of four,

so I called the front desk and it turned out that their one-

bedrooms are called Executive Suite, not Executive Room.

I requested to move to a bigger room but they were fully booked.

There was nothing that we could do but to accept
 the realization of spending our holiday trapped in 
a cramped room. The room a huge flat screen TV,

 

..a working and reading desk provided with

different type of electric sockets and outlets

that could fit to any gadgets from any country.

The closet spacious and had an 
ironing board, digital electronic safe,

 

…and other amenities for a more

comfortable and homey feel

 

The lounge chair that was originally by the window side

was relocated beside the working desk just below the TV.

 

I had a kettle for a coffee maker at the minibar,

  

 

 

…a small but well stocked refrigerator.

 

It had a beautiful and spacious see thru toilet,

 

…provided with luxurious amenities,

….and sufficient signature toiletries.

 

It had a nice shower area

and did not have a bathtub.

The room had panoramic floor to ceiling windows,

with a nice view of  the vast  Araneta Center.

A room had two land line phones-

the first one on the study table,

 

…and a third one in the toilet.

We were very happy with the very fast

and complimentary Wi Fi connection.

Stray

The Novotel Hotel Araneta Center  is centrally located un Cubao, 
Quezon City, with Araneta Coliseum as a next door neighbor,

…which was perfect as we also came

to watch the Magic on Ice show.

.The Gateway Mall,


  

…Shopwise cand SM Cubao 
are also next door neighbors.

 

Play

Novotel Araneta Center had a resort like amenities,

…with several beautiful outdoor swimming pools,

….amidst a beautifully landscaped garden.

They also have a well equipped Gym,

 

…and a beautiful playroom for toddlers..

 

Feast

Sabor @ Food Exchange Manila

Breakfast Buffet is being served at Food Exchange Manila

A modern and intricately designed restaurant inspired by the

beauty of  eclectic colors of and diversity local food market.

 

It served a wide array of local an international cuisine,

 

…in their massive buffet, day and night.

Indulge

Indulge is a gelato and pastry shop on the ground floor,
that offers a refreshing treat from ur homemade gelato,

…fresh breads, cookies and pastries.

 

Gourmet Bar by Novotel

Gourmet Bar by Novotel is a relaxed lounge bar that serves

a wide array or finger food like  tapas, mozza and bocadillos.

 

Located right at the lobby where one can enjoy freshly

brewed coffee ready to eat, snacks and drinks, or a

refreshing drink at the bar with your own signature mix

Premier Lounge

Our room came with a free access at the Premier Lounge.

Located at the topmost floor of the hotel, it offers a panoramic 
view of Manila's skyline and of the neighboring Metro Manila cities..

Private and exclusive, the privileged guests get to

enjoy all day cocktails, a buffet spread of unique

snacks, finger foods,  pastries and afternoon tea.

The hotel is also of walking distance to

some of the best restaurants in Manila,

 

…so feasting is an easy way of life for Novotel guests.    

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Novotel Araneta Centeris a wonderful and

affordable hotel for those traveling on a budget.

 

It is located at the Araneta Center

just beside the Araneta Coliseum,

 

…a mere few minutes walkfrom the Gateway Mall, 
and some of the major shopping centers in Cubao..

We were initially disappointed of the small room, but later 
enjoyed  it as the was very beautiful, chic, well- designed, 

 

.... with topnotch and luxurious resort - like amenities

…most importantly, the beds are comfortable,

…and offers a decent spread at breakfast buffet.

 

Novotel Araneta Center is a budget hotel the would

give you  comfortable rooms that are clean and fresh,

,,,,in a very central location,

…without having to spend a fortune.