Philippines: Flavors and Food Crawl (2026)

 

Where to go for your next coffee or dine-in experience?

Japan: Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo

Starbucks Reserve Roastery Tokyo

Philippines: Flavors and Food Crawl (2025)

Where to go next in the metro?

Kochi, Japan: Yusuhara Town

 

Less visited by travellers, I first learned about Yusuhara town when it was tagged as having one of the most beautiful libraries in Japan.

Philippines: Flavors and Food Crawl (2023)

Let's continue filling-in our tummy while visiting the old and new places around the city.

Fukuoka, Japan: REC Coffee

Another overlooking cafe in Japan.  Visit REC coffee in 6F Hakata Marui Mall, Hakata station. 

Fukuoka, Japan: FUK Coffee Seaside

I started the airport code coffee shop series, when I first visited the FUK coffee in Haruyoshi, Chuo Ward in 2017. 

Japan: Food Crawl and Coffee Shots in Tokyo

Eat well!

Philippines: The Taste of South (2017)

Another year of tasting classic, fusion and amazing edibles served in the restaurants of the metro!

Las Pinas

Another Story
Cuisine: American Asian

Food: Paella (395ph), Feta Cheese and dried berries (Feta Cheese and dried beriies with a balsamic viniagrette dressing and tossed assprted lettuce salad drizzled with candied walnuts. 295ph for solo serving can already be shared), Roast Pork Belly (Roast Pork Belly with mushroom gravy and applesauce with potato au gratin or buttered rice or mashed potatoes, 495ph)

Personal Preference: 10 out of 10.  The food is tasty.  The sauce used in pork belly, vegetables and salad are in rich flavor.  The ambiance the best!

Location: 2F inside Evia Mall, Daang Hari Road, Almanza Dos, Las Piñas, 1750

South Korea: Incheon: Cafe Valor

Cafe Valor by it's name is a coffee shop, but is actually a furniture display shop.  It is located in Incheon and was used as a setting in the movie The Beauty Inside.

2017 May: Japan: Flavors of Kyushu - Oishii!

Yayoi, Japanese Teishoku Restaurant
Location: 1-22-1F, Nakagofukumachi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka City
Website: http://www.yayoiken.com/en/menu_list/
Personal Preference: 8 out of 10. Quick serving, the food is tasty.  You'll not miss it since it's just nearby the subway exit.
Trip Advisor Review

Philippines: Flavors of Taguig (2016)

Passion by Gerard Dubois [Restaurant Closed] 
Location: Shop C2 of the NetPark, 5th Ave, Taguig
Food: pasta, vegetable salad, cake, macaroons
Menu: http://www.passionbygd.ph/menu.php
Personal Preference: 8 out of 10.  Pastries are for sale after 8 or 9pm.  Wide choice of ice cream and macaroons.

2014 Feb: South Korea: Seoul: Drama Cafes

It’s been two years when I last stepped at Korean peninsula, and with that I have gathered the places I wanted to visit from the dramas and realities I have been watching.  Let’s start with coffee shops I wanted to try.

Café De Chocolate

Food: 9 out of 10

Value: Average

Atmosphere: 9 out of 10

Orders: Orders= White hot chocolate (5,200 KRW = 208 PHP), Real dark hot chocolate (5,800 KRW = 232 PHP), Hotdog (7600 KRW = 304 PHP)

Location: Chungmuro Station Exit 3

Drama: That Winter, The Wind Blows (2013).

Website: https://www.facebook.com/dechocomania, http://www.dechocolatecoffee.cn/

I did not bother to research on which store they used on the drama, but the one I visited is in Chungmuro Station Exit 3.  We got inside still a bit dark, welcomed our orders and but the service strictly started at 9:00am. 

Cozy and offers a lot of magazines and books to read.  They also have a separate room for the smokers.

2013 Aug: Brewing in Manila (Part 2)

Let me continue my piece on Cafes Brewing in Manila. 

Tous Les Jours

History: In 1958, CJ began the milling business as a leading food and service company in Korea.  Since the, CJ has been developing various kinds of flour in top quality.  Tous Le Jours is the bakery of a whole new level from the beginning.  We use the top quality flour from CJ’s leading technology.  It is known to be a neighborhood artisan bakery.  Enjoy various kinds of bread freshly baked from the oven everyday.

Being a fan of Korea, the feeling inside the bakeshop brings back the days during my visit in Seoul, Busan and Jeju.  Reminds me so much of their rival bakeshop Paris Baguette.

2013 Jan: Brewing in Manila

I’m not a coffee lover or should I say coffee is not healthy for my heart.  But with a lot of shops brewing here in the city, should I still not give it a shot?  Coming from three-peat short trips in South Korea in just 10 months, I started to yearn for coffee.  Initially because cafes there are everywhere. 

In 2006, I had a drink with my colleagues in Max Brenner, Greenbelt.  That was the most expensive coffee I ever had, 500php for a cup of white chocolate.  This week (2013) I noticed that it also started brewing in Mall of Asia, but this time with more affordable price.  This is also brewing in other countries such as USA, Australia, Singapore and Israel. http://www.maxbrenner.com/branches.html

Philosophy: Chocolate, more than any other food is integrated in to many aspects of our lives. It is a symbol of contradicting emotions and sensations. On one hand, it is the most romantic gift; on the other hand it is a commodity which is traded on the stock exchange. It is sold like a prestigious piece of jewelry carefully selected from a glass case but also as an addictive snack available at every corner store. It is tasted like a fine wine and licked off of fingers dipped straight in to the bowl. It is sexy, nostalgic, and forever an object of fantasy for children and grownup children. These diverse chocolate associations are the inspiration behind Max Brenner's new chocolate culture. (http://www.maxbrenner.com/about.html)

Across Max Brenner’s location in MOA, is espressamente illy (which is also present in NAIA Terminal 3).  I got familiar with this shop when I saw it from Hong Kong International Airport and Taoyuan International Airport, Taiwan. 

Origin: Francesco Illy founded illycaffè in 1933.  His 1935 invention of the illetta, considered the blueprint for modern espresso machines, revolutionized coffee preparation.  His innovative method of packaging, based on pressurization, enabled illy’s initial exports to Sweden and Holland during the 1940s.  Francesco Illy’s method remains the standard for preserving and enhancing coffee’s freshness during transport and storage.  (http://www.illy.com/wps/wcm/connect/en/company/illycaffe-history)

Last year (2012), after attending an expo in SMX I got surprised when I saw a tarpaulin saying future site of “Caffe Bene”.

Their Story: It all began in April 2008 at Eastern Seoul where Caffe Bene's first-ever store was opened. Founded by Mr. Kim Sun-Kwon, who has been notable for his other successful franchise endeavors. Since then, Caffé Bene has grown to more than 800 stores making it the Largest and Fastest Growing coffee shop chain in Korea.  In fact since it started, almost every other day a Caffé Bene shop is opened – continually even today.  Conquering the Philippines, Filipinos can now rave about the difference of Caffe Bene and get acquainted with so much reasons why the Bene brand has grown this far.

Their Brand: Bene means "good or well". European feels accentuated by Korean touches. Friendly, warm and cozy ambiance. Various menus and great coffee! (http://www.caffebene.com.ph)

City Collection: Kuala Lumpur, MY

Collection: Starbucks Mini Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia Mugs
I must acknowledge that I got this Starbucks Coffee City Mug collection idea from my sister’s friend Alnor when I had a trip with her in Singapore. Although I bought my first official Mug in HK, I’m posting this KL mug first since this is the first city I have visited.
I’m not a total coffee addict but I started to love this collection. The mini mugs costs 350-450php, while the big mug ranges from 450-550php. Aside from the not so cheap price, you also need to be careful in handling this breakable material in your hand-carry luggage, not unless you want to take the risk of placing it in your check-in bag.
I have visited Kuala Lumpur in July 2006 but did not bother to buy a mug. I got this KL and Malaysia mug when I requested my friend Che to buy one pair for me. She used to work in Singapore then, but has a quick trip in Malaysia before visiting Manila. Good thing that I was still able to grab a pair!
Thank you Alnor and Che!