You will need a car to get to Masungi Georeserve and it’s a bit of a drive from Manila (thanks to that Manila traffic life), but the view and the experience is all worth it.

You’ll go through a few obstacles but there is an “easy” path for those who want to skip the courses. The obstacles weren’t too difficult to complete, I found them to be a lot of fun. Get ready to walk a lot, squat, and work those calve muscles of yours. Take your time walking through each section and listen to the nature around you. Carry a light back, bring water, and don’t forget your sunscreen and mosquito repellent.

P.S. I highly recommend that you stop by the Silayan Dining Room before your hike if you can.

Before you hit up the Masungi Georeserve, you should come eat at the Silayan Dining Room.

Now this is a view.

Breathtaking.

Blue flower for your iced tea

This restaurant takes this blue flower and adds some local cinnamon to make blue flower housed iced tea.

Blue flower iced tea

So no, there aren’t any food coloring in this drink.

Soup of the day: squash soup

Fresh squash, corn, cherry tomatoes with some local basil heads. They handpick everything every morning, so the ingredients they cook with is very fresh.

Appetizer

Orange flower, which is rich in vitamin C, eggs, cucumber dressing with roots. There were also some dried bananas and sweet potatoes, white cheese, and onion on the side. All flowers were edible. I loved nibbling on these dried foods.

Chicken confit with tomato and forged greens

With local chocolate liver sauce on the side. Yup. I wasn’t a huge fan of this but the chicken was tender and had a nice cilantro kick. There were some bananas under the meat and all the greens were local ingredients.

Double chocolate mango tart

The mango had a bit of a spicy kick thanks to the cayenne powder. The chocolate isn’t your gourmet chocolate, but it went well with the rest of the tart. Oh, and some blue edible flower to top it all.

We weren’t sure what to expect coming to this restaurant, so we were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the meal. They don’t take any walk-in appointment since the staff handpicks all the ingredients they need just for that day.

The view was great, make sure you use mosquito repellent if mosquitos love you (like they annoyingly love me), and sit back and enjoy your meal. 10/10 I would come back here before my hike at Masungi Georeserve. Don’t forget to call ahead to make a reservation if you want a seat though.

Whenever I have time, I love stopping by The Farm at San Benito in the Philippines. It's about a 2 hour drive from Manila, but it's absolutely worth it (click here to read about for my overall experience at The Farm). 

The food is vegan friendly, and I love how light and refreshing everything tastes. I believe if not all, then majority of the ingredients they use is organic, and their chef does a great job in presenting not only an aesthetic food palette but also one that satisfies your stomach. Here are a few photos from our lunch! 

Asian Vegetable Napoleon

They added this mixed nuts - humus like texture - between the vegetables, and topped it off with some pineapple. 

Spicy Tomato Galangal Soup with Cilantro

The soup was a little watery since no dairy product was used to thicken the soup base, and there was a very hint of spiciness. Overall very refreshing. 

"Som Tam" Green Papaya Salad

Been sprouts, tomato, cashew, and some greens! 

Main Course

Thai mushroom cake with galangal, lamb "Isaan" vegetable, and green curry sauce. 

Potato Crust Tofu

The potato curst wrapped the tofu. 

Dessert!

The Farm's raw brownies with mango sorbet on top. 

Someone, please take me back to The Farm at San Benito, Philippines.

The Farm is a wellness/spa retreat and you can either choose to make a day trip here or spend a few nights in their villas. It is a bit of a hike to get here though, it's about a 2 hour drive from Manila. 

Once you enter the gates of The Farm, you'll be greeting by tall coconut trees, birds chirping around you, and a slight cool breeze. The Farm does a great job in controlling how many people are allowed to enter this area at once, so I loved how this place didn't feel like it was overly crowded but rather felt like you almost had the place to yourself. 

Everyday, they have a set of different wellness activities you can participate in. They have everything from yoga, fitness classes, a nutrition class, to cooking class. The Farm also has multiple pools you can relax by, massages, and more. 

If you're looking for an escape from the city, I highly recommend stopping by The Farm for a nice relaxing getaway. 

I've been constantly craving some good Chinese food, so during my quick trip to Manila, my mom took me to Canton Road. It was also a nice excuse to check out the new Shangri-la in and also get my Chinese food cravings fixed.  

I loved the feel of this restaurant. It felt like they were trying to mash history with the 21st century. They were able to reproduce this old rugged feel while keeping it classy and clean. See below for photos! 

If you've been following my blog for a while now or know me personally, you'll know I'm a huge fan of Japanese food and that it's my favorite cuisine, after Korean food, of course. I liked how this place had a bit of a fusion twist. 

Ooma has multiple branched across Manila, so don't forget to check them out. Here are a few dishes we ordered: 

Interior Shot

You have to have at least one interior shot of the restaurant, right? (Just kidding, I only started doing this recently for some of my posts). 

Spicy Tuna Maki

This order is a given whenever I eat out with my Mom -- she loves Tuna! 

Soft Shell Crab Taco-Maki

Okay, this is what I was referring to when I said, "fusion twist." I'm a huge fan of soft shell crab, which is why we went with this dish, but I highly recommend ordering one of the taco-maki's when you're here! 

Gyoza

I usually opt-out of ordering gyoza's whenever I come to a Japanese restaurant because I'd much rather eat the rolls, but I loved this one. They had cheese and a bit of a spicy kick, which was a really nice surprise. 

Salmon Tataki

If you're a fan of salmon as much as I am, then this order is a must! 

Salmon Tartare Aburi Maki

Like I said, I'm a huge Salmon fan, so of course I'm incredibly biased and will say this was amazing. 

This restaurant is no Nobu but they did a pretty good job adding a fusion twist to their menu. Highly recommend for causal dining. 

The last time I was here, I came with my High School batch after graduation. I can't believe it's been that long since I last visited Boracay. I wanted to go somewhere warm and a place I could doze off by the beach, so my family and I decided to visit Boracay for our winter trip. Coming here with family was definitely a lot different than coming with my friends but I still ended up having a lot of fun. See below for photos! 

I actually first visited this restaurant when it was fairly new but that was years ago now. It seems like the popularity for Las Flores spiked over the past few years but I may just feel this way because when I asked my friends for restaurant recommendations, three of them mentioned Las Flores.

See below for a few photos. Enjoy! 

How appetizing do these look?

Fun fact: I got my friend to order for us since she's a lot more fluent in this cuisine and I haven't been here in years! 

Gambas al Ajillo

Spicy garlic fried shrimp in olive oil. I feel like whenever I go to a Spanish tapas-style restaurant, I always end up ordering this type of dish. For this dish specifically, I loved the spicy kick -- it was a nice surprise! 

Croquetas de queso de cabra

Goat cheese croquettes! They're a little hidden in this photo but they're in between the bread and shrimp. To be honest, I'm not a huge goat cheese fan, I actually actively try to avoid them, but the way these were made -- yum!

Trio de Chorizos

Aka assorted chorizos (pork sausage) cooked in white wine and olive oil. I say there were my favorite and the winner for me but I also love sausages, so I'm a little biased. 

My friend and I split 3 dishes and between us. At first, I was a little skeptical on whether this would be enough for us but I was very satisfied and full after the meal. 100% I would go back. 

I've been craving their pork buns, so of course Tim Ho Wan was one of my must go to places during my trip here! 

Tim Ho Wan

It's been almost a year since I was last here, so I couldn't wait to sit down and order my meal! 

Time to study.

I already knew what I wanted to eat, so I actually didn't have to study the menu too much. 

A Must!

Baked Bun with BBQ Pork: These are a must when you come here. You won't be sorry. 

Chicken Feet

I know some people get squirmish with the thought of chicken feet but it's really not that bad!  

Pork Dumpling with Shrimp

A classic. I feel like you can't go wrong with these. 

Spinach Shrimp Dumplings

I wasn't a huge fan of these when I was a kid (I wasn't a fan of the spinach) but I guess you could say my taste buds matured and I probably would order these again. 

Would I ever come back? Oh heck yes, 100%. 

It's crazy to think that the last time I came to Antonio's was about 4 years ago. Oh, how quickly time flies, doesn't? The ambiance of the restaurant is very quaint-nature-inspired and the meal, of course, always being exquisite. See below for photos! 

Entrance.

I love how there's so many trees and plants in this space, it creates a very nice jungle-esque feel. 

What to Eat?

I had a light breakfast so by the time lunch strolled around, I was staving and everything on the menu sounded delightful. 

Time to start!

All entrees comes with a salad, soup, and dessert!  

Organic Greens Salad

Beu d' Auvergne, Peppered Granola, and Raspberry Vinaigrette. I loved the granola addition to the salad! 

Pumpkin Soup

Perfect for the Thanksgiving holiday season. The soup wasn't too creamy, which I loved. 

Pan Seared Akaroa King Salmon

My mom ordered this, so I took a small bite out of her dish and the salmon was extremely fresh. 

Beef Plancha

Cepes and Morel Ragout, Mashed Potato. This beef was so tender when you took a bite, the meat would literally melt in your mouth because of how tender and juicy it was. 

Dessert Platter

Top left to right: Vanilla Panna Cotta with Lime Tapioca and Black Sesame Cheesecake.
Bottom left to right: Dark Beer Ice Cream with Black Rice Krispy and Balsamic Macaroons. 

Exterior Design

This house is absolutely beautiful. 

Post Lunch.

After lunch, we walked around their garden and roamed the area and took some photos of this lovely house. 

Selfie!

:) 

And that concludes my experience at Antonio's. Per usual, the food was excellent and I would go back in a heart beat. If you're ever in Manila and have time to drive up to Tagaytay or you're in the area, I highly recommend stopping by this place. There's a reason why it's so highly raved and talked about! 

I'm always incredibly thankful to be able to stop by home and catch-up with old friends, especially with those who watched me grow and saw me during my awkward prime teenage years -- oh yeah, those were the days. I haven't seen one of my closest friends (first photo below) in nearly two years, yet once we reunited, it felt as if time hadn't escaped us. We were able to pick things up quickly and felt as if nothing changed, except maybe for our now prominent American accent. 

Because majority of my close friends are scattered around the world and we hardly see each other, I've learned to value and cherish the moments and time you share with a friend. It's not easy trying to maintain multiple long distance friendships and I'll admit that it can get exhausting, but when you do keep in touch with those you value and eventually reunite once again, you'll quickly learn that all your effort and time was worth it. It's one of the most rewarding moments of life and one I wouldn't exchange for anything. 

Manila, thank you once again for the great memories; until next time! 

Reunited After 2 Years!

Can't believe I've known this girl since 8th grade. Oh, how time flies. 

#ThreeAmigos Reunite

One by one our friends stopped coming back home, which left us with the #ThreeAmigos 

Catching-up with Old Friends

This is What Home Tastes Like -- Philippines Mango

You haven't tried mango until you've had Philippines Mango. But seriously, just look at this Mango. 

My Favorite Food

Have I mentioned I love Japanese Food? Read about it here. 

Lunch at Tim Ho Wan

The Baked BBQ Pork Bun was so good, I ate here two days in a row. 

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Quesadillas at TGI Friday's

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T.E Half Chicken at Todd English Food Hall

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BiBimBap at Sariwon

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Pad Thai & Fresh Mango Shake at Mango Tree

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Halo-Halo at the Peninsula Hotel

This post is a little late but being the foodie I am, I wanted to write down the few places I went to when I was in Manila, Philippines.  

1. Quesadillas at TGI Fridays: This isn't the most impressive but I always seem to order this whenever I go to TGI's in Manila. I love quesadillas and would honestly eat them all the time if I could, which probably explains why I always order this when I come here. Also, they don't sell quesadillas at TGI Friday's in America. Someone needs to change that. Just saying. 

2. Todd English Food Hall: a fairly new restaurant at the new SM Mall in Fort Bonifacio. They have a wide range of food, which is always fun but also very risky. They had burgers to sushi to roasted chicken dishes. With such a diverse menu, I was skeptical on the taste and quality of food. But once my food came out, I quickly inhaled my food and drooled over my friend's. It's safe to say that I enjoyed my meal here and would come back for more. 

3. BiBimBap at Sariwon: Sariwon is probably one of my favorite Korean restaurants in Manila. The BimBimBap wasn't the best but their Korean BBQ is what this restaurant is good for. My mouth is watering just thinking about their galbi. 

4. Pad Thai & Mango Shake at Mango Tree: This was my first time here. It was a cute restaurant with decent food located in Greenbelt. To be honest, I don't really remember how good the food was. All I remember is feeling overwhelmed by their cluttered menu filled with photos of every possible food you can order. 

5. Halo-Halo at the Peninsula Hotel: I grew up coming here just to eat their Halo-Halo. This is still my favorite place to get desserts and something I always must have before leaving the Philippines. It's always a great way to end my trip. 

That being said, thanks for all the memories, Manila.  
Until next time.