Super Late Post: Mom and I went on an indulgent lunch at Lolo Dad’s Cafe. Tucked away in Malate, this ancestral-home turned fine dining restaurant comes highly rated and rightfully so.
The Space – not pretentious. Intimate, cozy, well-lit.
Romaine Caesar Salad with Chorizo, Crispy Pancetta and Eight Minute Boiled Egg (Php279) – Crisp lettuce, just the right amount of dressing, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a slice of chorizo and pancetta for meatiness. Perfectly portioned to create a very yummy caesar salad.
Soft Shell Crab Fritters on Gribiche Sauce with Dungeness Crab, Mango and Cucumber Salad (Php378) – I’m a sucker for softshell crab so this dish stood out to me. I decided I must order it immediately. The dish had a lot going on and they give you a pretty generous portion. There is also a crab salad on the plate which was good but kinda rich so it filled me up. I think this dish is meant to share but since I’m matakaw I had to have it all to myself.
Sauteed Jumbo Scallops and Tiger Prawns Baked and Stuffed Tomato Rigatoni Pasta Garlic Cream Sauce
(Php755) – Delicious. Scallops and Prawns cooked to perfection. Rigatoni, al dente. Garlic Cream sauce, light. Flavors, balanced and work well together.
White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries on Passionfruit Chilled Soup and Young Coconut and Lychee Granite (P180) – Passionfruit is quite tangy so the white chocolate panna cotta balances this out by giving it a nice sweetness. We wish we could order the granite on its own it, it’s so good.
Vanilla Cream and Mango Beignets with Spiced Mango marmalade, rose syrup and Parmesan Cheese Ice Cream(P180) – The beignets were the best. I really liked them, they tasted like churros. I could have done without the mango, cream pie thing because they served it to me still frozen so I couldn’t taste nor enjoy it.. The ice cream, I liked but I wasn’t blown away by it.The dish has a lot going on, is quite filling and is very rich. Or maybe I was super full already.
All in all, the meal was great. The place is wonderful, intimate, quiet (because we went during lunch) and comforting. It’s a must try and perfect for those special occasions or any time you want to have a great meal. We’ll be back for sure.
Lolo Dad’s Cafe
899 Pres. Qurino Ave. cor. Leon Guinto St., Malate Manila
Phone Number : (63 2) 522-2941, 524-2295, 526-7151
Cellphone Number : +639228125971
Operating Hours :
Monday : Open from 6:30pm to 10:30pm | Dinner
Tuesday to Saturday : Open from 11:00am to 2:00pm for Lunch | 6:30pm to 10:30pm for Dinner
Sunday : Closed
FINALLY. That is the word to describe this trip. FINALLY.
Ever since I came back from New York, I’ve wanted to hike up to Mt. Pinatubo. While this in itself is cool, Mt. Pinatubo was a stepping stone to my ultimate goal — to swim in a volcano. I don’t know when, why or how I got this”swim in a volcano” goal in my head. But I’ve had this on my bucket list forever because seriously, how cool is it to say “I’ve gone swimming in a volcano.” The fact that I don’t know how to swim doesn’t really matter. I just want to be in the lake, in a volcano.
Now, I can FINALLY say that, not only have I been to Mt. Pinatubo, I have bathed in its murky, hot/cold, green sulfuric lake water. It was an incredible journey. Now I can cross it off my list on this blog entry – My 2012 Travel Goals.
It requires preparation. The guides and blogs I found were helpful but after having done it, I realize that nothing online accurately captures what goes on when you hike up Pinatubo. I will try to make my post on it as comprehensive as possible.
Disclaimer — I have never trekked in my life. I’m not outdoorsy nor in top physical condition. I am just a regular person seeking to change things up and try something new.
Our Tour Operator
I chose http://www.trekkingpinatubo.com/
There were 10 of us in a group so we were able to avail of the P1999/per person rate.
There’s loads of other tour operators online. Make sure to choose wisely. They even have deals on sites like Groupon and Ensogo but be careful about the ones that are too cheap. I think a good average is anywhere from Php2000 – Php2,500. Depending on the inclusions.
((A note on this tour operator “Filipino Travel” : The service is pretty efficient, I did everything via email and over the phone. They book your trip pretty quickly. You pay P6,000 reservation to the company and the balance to the driver. Our driver was Mang Mon and he was really nice. The van is SMALL and quite uncomfortable though. They used a Liteace but for some reason there was hardly any legroom. Even my more petite friends had difficulty with the space. It made the ride unpleasant, it’s not built for long drives or adults. One of my friends said it was a commuter Liteace. Anyway, luckily my group wasn’t that picky and we were all too exhausted and sleepy to really bother.))
Pre-Trek Prep – I arranged the entire thing so my two main concerns were: Attire(footwear and clothing) and Food.
- Food – I assigned a food committee, one person made us all sandwiches. We each brought a big bag of chips to share and at least 1Liter of water each. We ate before we departed Manila (at McDonald’s). Some people snacked on granola bars and chips as we walked. We picnicked at the crater. Don’t bring food that is too rich or salty that will require you to drink too much water or dehydrate you. You have to balance your bladder, thirst and hunger at the same time. Especially since girls don’t have the luxury of peeing just anywhere.
- Attire – The weather will be hot AND cold. November is the perfect time to go because while it was still hot, it was not humid, nor raining. It was cold in the morning (around 6am) and when we started our trek (around 830am) but the temperature quickly heat up plus when you get your adrenaline going on the trek, you warm up pretty fast. Wear comfortable clothing which will allow you to move easily. Our attire (see below) consisted of shirts, exercise tees, leggings, shorts, jogging pants. We wore our swimsuits under our clothes. In short, straightforward, simple and functional attire. Mt. Pinatubo is not the place to show off your fashion sense.
- Footwear – Okay. there was a BIG debate on this. This was my group’s biggest concern. I have to give credit to this blog entry: “What type of shoes to wear to Pinatubo” for giving a comprehensive guide. This helped us a lot but I will add my two cents — the entry says Crocs were the best. Myself and one other person wore Crocs and I have to say, I don’t know if it’s necessarily the best type of shoe to wear. Maybe because I’m not surefooted — I slipped (but thankfully didn’t fall) a couple of times. It’s good because you can get them wet but I lost a lot of traction once they were already wet. My friend who walked in Crocs said the same thing. My friends who wore regular sneakers fared pretty well but had difficulty crossing streams. If you had the water sneakers (the ones you can get wet), those would be the best. None of us had Jesus Slippers (birkenstocks or the like) so I can’t speak to these but I would think these would make you susceptible to cuts and maybe tripping. As for flipflops… um not a good idea. Just, don’t.
(From L-R: Hybrid Land/Water Sneakers, Not so Pretty Feet after Flipflops, Yours Truly’s Crocs)
Things to Bring (apart from food and water)
- Cash in loose change – you will need money for incidentals (drinks, food, shower, tips) and make sure these are in Small bills. P20, 50 and P100. Bring at least P1,000 extra in small bills.
- Sunblock – make sure to reapply constantly throughout the day.
- Camera
- Sunglasses and Cap to shield eyes from the sun. An umbrella could be useful also for this purpose.
- Scarf/Hankerchief to cover mouth from dirt.
- Towel for swimming. Make sure you don’t bring a fluffy towel because those get heavier when they’re wet. You don’t want to be carrying more weight when you descend.
- Tissue, wet wipes, hand sanitizer
- First aid basics – band aids (helpful for blisters and wounds), alcohol. I brought whiteflower which people laughed at me for but it came in handy when a friend of mine was nauseous from the 4×4 ride. I also brought anti-itch cream and allergy medicine, cuz I have sensitive skin.
- Mini Speakers – not a necessity but we brought cuz we played music on the walk and it kept us motivated.
- Mats (banig) to sit on while at the shore. Make sure your banig is compact since you will have to carry it. Luckily you can buy these at the department store for P180. A beach towel will also do. Some tour operators include these materials in their fee. See below for example, one of the members of our group, “sunbathing.”
***PACK LIGHT – whatever you bring you will carry up and down the mountain.
The Big Day:
3:00am – We all gather at McDonald’s Quezon Avenue cor. EDSA. We buy some sandwiches and eat before we depart Manila.
3:30am – We are en route to Capas. Take a nap in the van. You will need your energy.
*On Energy – If you can avoid it, don’t even bother to go out drinking, partying til 2am and then think you can be on the van to Pinatubo at 3:30am. It’s a horrible idea. The lack of sleep, dehydration from the drinking will really take its toll on you on this trek. One of my friends went on a previous trek hung over and he said he had a really rough time. In my group now, someone trekked without any sleep and they were nauseated and dizzy. I had some friends take 12-hour energy shots and while this helped, I don’t know if they crashed after a while. Either way, get rest if you can.
5:40am – Arrive in Capas. Our Driver, Mang Mon, registered us at the Tourism office. There were a lot of guides registering as well. You fill out forms and sign a waiver (of course). We took this opportunity to take a bathroom break. The bathroom charged us P10. We also took the time to slather on the sunscreen and purchase walking sticks for P20.
6:15am – Ride the 4×4 across Crow’s Valley to the Trek Point. Our guide Mang Romy told us stories about our surroundings. It is dangerous to cross during rainy season because the lahar hills erode and the water levels reach very high. If the winds are strong, they cause the sand to collapse as well. It is unsafe so make sure you choose a good time to go. I suggest November to January. Summer months can be too hot.
The views are gorgeous!! It’s the stuff National Geographic shows and postcards are made of. It didn’t feel like the Philippines at all.
Our 4×4 turns into a convertible!
Our guide wearing tsinelas. He trekked in these. Amazing.
7:20am – Begin the 7km trek. We walked fairly slower than the rest since we were unsure of the terrain. This took forever. We were all exhausted.
The umbrella you see is a “sari-sari” store. Drinks are of course sold at highway robbery prices with sodas at P100. They are good sugar sources though if you are desperate. And they’re cold.
We looked like refugees crossing a rocky, sandy desert. The scenes are surreal and beautiful though.
There were a lot of rocks. Lots of rocks. I don’t wanna look at another rock. I wish that I was a more experienced trekker because instead of really admiring the scenes, I kept looking at my path while I walked to make sure I didn’t trip or injure myself on these stupid rocks. Grr.
Streams of gold (iron)
9:12am – Arrive at rest stop, with the 1Km mark. There is a toilet here and a water tank (I think it’s potable) if you need a refill. Backstory – apparently a few years ago this used to be the jump-off point since a “skyway” allowed the 4×4 to drive this distance. However a storm damaged the road making it impassable. So the closest that the jeeps can get are 7km away, hence the long walk.
9:20am – Begin Final Home-stretch trek to the Crater. This is really difficult. It’s a narrow path through streams and large rocks. You have to be really careful.
This sign is a blatant lie because it took us much longer than that.
9:42am – First sighting of the crater!
The big bucket list moment: SWIMMING IN THE CRATER.
Boating to the other side of the lake. This is an optional activity but I recommend it only because it is quieter there and there’s less people. The view is more sweeping. The water is hot and cold and hot and cold. It is very confusing and quite an experience. The sand feels boiling, literally. It’s more “volcanic” in a way.
12:30pm – Begin the journey back. Fewer photos because we just concentrated on making it home since we were all tired. I was still determined to make the most of my trek and took the opportunity to snap shots of myself, my friend Lyndy and my other friend Verne who were the stragglers of the group. I took a quick photo with our guide as well. Our guide walked partially barefoot, partially with tsinelas. He is the reason I came out of this trip uninjured since he helped me navigate some tricky paths (him in tsinelas, me in crocs!) I admire his skills. He’s Aeta as well.
When we reached the end there were lots of 4×4’s waiting to pick up the trekkers still at the crater. We were glad we were one of the first to descend.
Sat in the front and got to witness the driver’s skills in action.
4:00pm – Late lunch (P250 per person) at the Pinatubo Spa Town – Mixed reviews on this food. Some hated it. It’s not going to win any awards but I thought it was a decent spread. Good enough for hungry trekkers. They also allow you to shower for P100. Please note these amenities are optional.
5:00pm – Back to Manila. Slept in the Van. All exhausted. We made it back to Manila around 8:00pm. No traffic but we stopped at a Caltex to have dinner.
Expense Tally: (for the budget conscious trekkers)
Per Person Expenses (Those with * are optional and you can choose to do when you get there)
P1999 for the tour
P350 for the boat*
P250 for the lunch*
P70 for the drinks during lunch*
P100 for the shower*
P150 for the Tip Pot*
Tips (Tip Pot total was Php1500 because we all chipped in P150)
–P300 for the Van Driver, Mang Mon
–P400 for each Pinatubo Guide (we had two guides for our group of 10)
–P100 for the boatman
–We wanted to tip P100 each to the drivers of the 4×4 but they were no longer around.
–We still had money leftover which I redistributed to the group.
Would I do it again? It was an amazing experience but I would say say once is enough 🙂
On a Friday afternoon, Dad and I found ourselves stuck in a meeting and a work-related happy hour. The upside is that it was at Marriott which has a lot of restaurants so I took the opportunity to ask my dad out to dinner (he pays though, of course). If I haven’t already mentioned this before, Dad and I love steak. So the first thing he said was “do they have a steakhouse here?” It turns out, they do and it is oh so good.
After the appropriate amount of socializing, we excused ourselves and headed over to Cru. I must say though that I was in work-mode and not in my usual foodie/blogger mode so my descriptions may be less detailed. Furthermore, I will apologize in advance for these photos. They’re not very clear nor bright since the place was very dim, in a “good for dining, bad for photos” kind of way. Without further ado, here we go.
The dining area. Loved the space, the ambiance, the decor. The lighting is dim, the seats are comfortable, the atmosphere is laid back but you can feel the energy in the room. However, we were seated in a quiet corner which may have made the difference as we didn’t feel the hustle & bustle. The diners are a mix of couples, families, expats/tourists, special-occasioners, etc. The waitstaff are abundant, ensuring that all your needs are satisfied. It’s open-kitchen style so you see your food freshly made. The subtle, unobtrusive fragrance of grilled meats occasionally wafted through the air, making my mouth water.
(sorry blurry)
Bread – He had some fancy description to this bread but I barely paid attention. I just know that the two spreads were garlic herb and blue cheese. Okay, delicious. It’s some freshly baked loaf topped with cheese and is just pure yum. Dad and I had to stop ourselves from eating it because we knew it would fill us up.
CRU Crabcake (P690) – I first had crabcake in a steakhouse in Manhattan called Porterhouse. It was my first time to have crab cake. I fell in love with the dish and it has been my benchmark for crab cake ever since. Since then I’ve had my fare share of crabby patties to know that the test of a true crab cake is in the ratio of real crab meat (expensive) to the fillers (veggies, usually). In short, crappy crabcakes have more fillers than meat. We don’t want that. CRU’s crabcakes were 3 patties densely-packed with lump crab meat (jackpot!). I would give them a gold start for quality, presentation and portion. However, the taste isn’t perfect. I felt it needed a bit more seasoning, I wiped my plate clean of all the sauce they put because I needed something for flavor. I must admit I underestimated this dish but wow they give you a lot. Afterwards, I was really full already.
French Onion Soup – Dad’s order. We were busy catching up (he was in China for a few days) so I forgot to ask him if this was good. He finished it so I guess it was.
Australian Grass Fed Rib Eye 200 grams (Php2,000) – I was choosing between the US Ribeye or the Australian Ribeye. The server said, if you want texture and softness, you go for US. If you want flavor, you go for Australian. Heck, I definitely wanted flavor. I was not disappointed. It was juicy, tender and flavorful. Seasoned just right. I ordered the mushroom sauce but I barely touched it because the steak was good in itself. That’s an indicator of a good steak — when you don’t need any sauces or condiments. Please note, Ribeyes, by nature are quite fatty and are known for the marbling on the meat. Accordingly, there will be a lot of fat on this steak. If you want a leaner cut, then order a different type of steak.
US Porterhouse 200 grams – Dad’s Order. WOW, I would get this next time. It’s difficult to describe, only when you taste steaks side by side do you realize the difference. His was definitely better than mine. It was just as tender but the flavor was really different. The words to describe it escape me. No picture though.. sorry.
Shortly after your steaks are served, someone comes over to offer you typical steak condiments. I highly suggest the dijon mustard with truffle.
Sides – these are REALLY important in a steak dinner. Don’t ask me why, they just are.
My sides: Black Truffle Risotto and Spiced Potato Wedges – I was very full at this point but I was ridiculously happy with my chosen sides. The Potato wedges were great to munch on. The black truffle risotto was a winner though. It was really sinful and undid all my hard work at the gym but it was worth it. Creamy Risotto mixed with black truffle shavings and topped with melted parmesan shavings. If only I weren’t so full, I would have finished this. On the bright side, this is what I’m having for breakfast tomorrow.
Dad’s Sides: Baked Potato and Grilled Portobello Mushrooms – My dad loves baked potatoes. He will order these as long as they are on a menu, especially as a side to a steak. They give you a large potato and generous portions of sour cream, chives and bacon. The mushrooms didn’t look appetizing but my dad finished them all so I guess we shouldn’t judge dishes by the way they look. I didn’t get to taste either so I don’t have any commentary on this but you can’t go wrong with these two classics.
Desserts – I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t have any dessert. It almost broke my heart to decline our server’s offer for dessert. But I couldn’t, I was simply too full. I took a photo of the menu instead. I hear the Chocolate Cake is divine. It’s okay, there’s always next time. I will know better.
The Damage – I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the bill. It might be our most expensive dinner date, ever, especially considering I didn’t have dessert. Then again, we ate like kings.The portions are so huge, honestly you and your date could share and probably cut the cost in half. But since Dad and I are professional eaters, we have to pay the price.
The Verdict – CRU ranks high among my favorite steakhouses. I would definitely want to come back and bring my brother and mom. I think they would enjoy it too. I wish I had endless amounts of money and more importantly, waistline space to dine here more often. It’s a great place to celebrate a special occasion or in our case, just indulge.
However, in the battle for the best steakhouse, The Fireplace is still my #1, followed very very closely by Cru at #2. If we are going to judge based on Sides (yes this is important to me), I would say Cru definitely tops the “Best Steakhouse Sides” category. In the desserts though, Fireplace’s chocolate soup would be tough to beat. I have yet to give Cru’s desserts a shot. That would be another blog entry in itself. So before I make a final choice, I have to try both places out some more. Dad, maybe next Friday? 😀
Not the most attractive photo of me and dad.
Cru Steakhouse
Marriott Hotel, Resorts World
If I could, I would have Baracked the Vote. Get it? “Rock the Vote” Haha.. I can’t take credit for that corniness, I read it somewhere. 🙂 Seriously though, if I could vote in the US Presidential Elections I would have voted for Obama. So I’m really glad and excited about the outcome of the elections.
When he won, President Obama tweeted this photo, with the caption “Four More Years”
I absolutely love it. It’s so touching and the love and joy between them really resonates. The President looks so peaceful and content just to be hugging the First Lady. It makes me kilig, just looking at it. I look forward to seeing more of the Obamas over the next four years. More than being POTUS and FLOTUS, they seem like such amazing people. The love between them is incredible. Someday, I hope to find a love like theirs.
Congratulations Mr. President! While I’m not a citizen of your great country, I celebrate with the US in your victory. Cheers to Four More Years!
It’s become a “thing” for Malls to have weekend food stalls. These are usually homemade start-ups that sell everything from desserts to frozen dimsum. I like going through stalls like these because I get great Christmas gift ideas (I usually give food), I learn about what’s new and last but not the least, I’m able to help small business owners. This is how I discovered the most amazing dark chocolate fudge brownie thingy.
Say the word Chocolate and I’ll usually come running. This is why, without realizing it, I gravitated towards the Chocolate Man. I don’t even know who he was at first but I saw he had an apron with the writing ChocoATBP on it so I walked over to investigate. He was stirring up something in a metal pot. More on that, later.
He was also chatting with some other customer which allowed me to peruse his wares unnoticed. He was selling artisan chocolates (very hipster, very New York) in nice, export-ready packaging. He doesn’t make these, he told me. He was displaying them for a friend, presumably Theo&Philo. Each bar is Php 95 and is 38g (1.3oz).
He recommended I try the Dark Chocolate/Green Mango and Seasalt and the Chocolate/Calamansi. So I purchased a bar of each. Verdict on the taste, to follow.
Each has 110 calories. Of course, that was the first thing I checked.
It’s about the size of an iPod Touch.
Chocolate Man also offered me a sample of the Chocolate Heaven Sinful Incredible Fireworks in Your Mouth Amazing Fudge Brownie Thingy. I might’ve added a few adjectives but that’s only because it was love at first bite. But wait, readers, this isn’t your average every day brownie. First of, it’s bitter. The bitterness hits you right away. To some it will taste burnt, for me, it had a nice smoky, bitter flavor. They make it with dark, local chocolate which explains this. Second, it’s not very sweet. Third, despite the first two points, it is still quite rich. It is, after all, fudge. However, to me it was more of a rich, flourless brownie in texture. I can’t explain it. It is soft and chewy. It would pair well with a big fat scoop of vanilla ice cream.
My mom and I split one block. It is Php 50. It’s not nakakasuya, you can eat an entire bar without realizing it. Good to have with coffee.
There is an orange flavored version which my brother preferred. The hint of orange cuts the bitterness of the dark chocolate. Objectively I will say it’s good. However, since I’m not a fan of fruit flavored chocolate, I passed this one up.
Back to that drink.. he was stirring up some hot chocolate. Again, it’s local chocolate so it’s naturally not as sweet as the international variety. It’s not milk chocolate hence the dark, semi-sweet, mildly bitter taste. It was good but you have to try it with an open mind. It certainly takes some getting used to.
I’m beginning to find that dark chocolate is an acquired taste, especially for the Filipino palette. I think we’re milk chocolate lovers, by default. That said, I’m glad to discover places like Theo&Philo and ChocoATBP who create yummy goodies from locally sourced, all-natural ingredients. By doing so, they are able to support local cacao suppliers and sustain smaller industries.
It just goes to show that, contrary to popular belief, Filipino products can be quite amazing. I mean, come on. That Fudge bar? Calamansi Chocolate? New Yorkers would go crazy for that stuff! Yet we have it here, proudly Filipino made. 🙂
