Something old and two things new from McDonald's! :)

Yeah. I'm a McDo girl. :)

I'm sure you've heard, but in case you haven't.. TWISTER FRIES IS BACK!!! :D

I saw the announcement via Facebook last week, so of course I ordered right away :D

They're as good as I remember them to be <3 although it comes in a weirdly shaped box that tend to let the fries spill, and also, it doesn't fit in my fries holder :| Still, twister fries make me happy :D 

Anyhoo, these past few weeks, I was also pleasantly surprised to find out two things new from McDonald's.

The first is the McChicken Muffin. I found out about this one morning when I went for a drive-thru breakfast before my hearing. It substitutes a chicken patty for the usual sausage. It's less salty and I guess, is a healthier option since it's made of chicken, a lean meat. 

The chicken patty is juicy and tasty. I hope Mcdonald's keeps this in their breakfast menu. I just adore their muffin, and it's nice to have options. :)

I also recently installed the McDonald's app. It's free, and as you can see below, it lets you find nearby stores, know about promos, and you can even use it to have food delivered :)

I tried using this app to have food delivered, and it took some time before they could respond, to the point that I eventually decided to just call the hotline. Nevertheless, it's a pretty nice app for McDonald's lovers :)

Be happy! <3

Missy

Swagat Indian Cuisine

One night, my office mate and I were working late, and we decided to take a break by having a good dinner. This happened at around 9:00 p.m. already, so most of the restaurants in the area were already closed. I wanted to eat in a non-fast food place. We decided to walk along Rada and look for that Japanese restau I thought I saw that one time, but we didn't find it. We did, however, find this:

It looked promising. Also, I haven't eaten Indian food in a while, so we went in.

I haven't been to India before, but this restaurant really seemed authentic. In fact, a couple of Indian people were dining there at that time. :D

The decorations were homey. Indian music was playing, and a TV was installed inside, which was set on an Indian channel. 

I ordered the Fish Biryani (Php180.00), and requested that they make it extra spicy.

The dish did not disappoint! It was indeed, extra spicy! But aside from the heat, I could also taste the other herbs and spices infused in the rice, which was cooked just right - not too dry.

I had to dig in to find the fish. I was pleasantly surprised to find large chunks of it. The fish was seasoned perfectly, and was moist and flaky :)

Fish chunks

Biryani rice

For my drink, I opted for the Strawberry Lassi (Php60.00), which is juice and yogurt mixed together. Taking yogurt helps balance out the acids in my tummy when I eat uber spicy food :)

I love strawberries and yogurt, and honestly, I was not completely delighted by this drink. :| I did appreciate, though, that it did not have much sugar, but maybe they could have been a wee bit more generous with the yogurt?

Nevertheless, me and my officemate had a pleasant time in this pocket-India place. A bit of a warning, though, the place is not that well-ventilated, so you will end up smelling like your food afterwards. I didn't mind this at all though :D


Be happy!

<3 Missy

Cecil's Cafe

Last weekend, I met with one of my best friends, and she asked me to take her to this small cafe near AUP that she heard served awesome lumpiang sariwa. So off we went!

Since we live in a village near the Paseo/Nuvali area, it took us about under 30 minutes to get there. Going to Tagaytay, the compound where Cecil's was is to the right, and you can see it before you reach AUP. I thought it was great that the place had a decent parking space, since it's along the highway. :)

Even from the outside, I could tell that the place was cozy. The wooden sign against the big glass windows and the warm lighting inside made me feel like I was coming home. I'd imagine that this sight would be a treat for those tired travelers who are looking for a good meal.

Restaurant sign

The place is kind of small. It had about ten tables inside. A bit more, and the place would have been cramped. At this point I was thankful that this place is still undiscovered. I loved how the place was decorated. It was cozy but not shabby, and oh so dainty! But not too dainty, I suppose, since my best friend's boyfriend also liked it :D

Interiors

Dainty decors

I could just imagine myself driving up to here on a lazy Saturday with a good book, then order coffee and just read all day :)

My view from where I was seated, and my uber pretty bff. :)

There is also a small display by the counter. They sell cooking , baking, and dining ware. I still haven't gone around to exploring cooking and baking (but I will!!!), but it's good to take note.

Stuff for sale.

Cecil's Cafe has a great menu. It's the kind of menu that will make you come back, because it's so diverse, and yet the items all come together! Check it out:

They also have specials that aren't in the menu. They're written on the board by the counter. The prices are restaurant prices, but in my honest opinion, they are reasonable. Serving time took about 10-15 minutes.

I ordered the Baked Tuna Pasta (Php190.00). I was surprised at how big the serving was. It's enough for two hungry people, or three people. :)) I shared the dish with my two companions, and I still got full!

Baked Tuna Pasta

The dish had a creamy sauce, and a generous sprinkling of parmesan cheese, which made it even richer. It had a bit of tomato in it, I think, and also bell peppers, and of course, a generous amount of tuna. The sauce was not just a sauce to me, it felt more like an ulam, and it really got me full. The pasta itself was just good. It had a firm texture, but I thought it could have used more salt. It's a tasty and filling dish, and definitely worth its price, but not exactly my favorite.

Chunky ulam sauce.

The Green Patio's Fresh Xiamen Lumpia (Php65.00) is what this Cafe is known for, and with good reason. My best friend ordered it, and was very happy! It'e included in the appetizer menu, but it's big enough to be a main dish. She shared it with me and her boyfriend, and we were all pretty satisfied. It's siksik with bamboo shoots and carrots and i think, lettuce,and also nuts and herbs and the combination of it all results into this tasty and (relatively) healthy delight. It's tasty enough without the sauce, but the sauce is also a must-try. It definitely has some peanuts in it, and its sweetness perfectly compliments the lumpia. :)

Fresh lumpia goodness :)

I had to have some!

My friend's boyfriend ordered the Green Patio's Pork Cua Pao (Php95.00), and remarked that it was super sulit. It was served in a wooden steam basket and was obviously freshly steamed. It took a while thoug before it was served. I had a bite of it and it was like a very special asado siopao. The bun was soft and a little sweet, and the pork was tender and was just the right amount. I don't know what exactly was sprinkled on it, but that gave it that extra kick to make it special. :) 

Green Patio's Pork Cua Pao

We had such a good time that we decided to stay for dessert. We all ordered the brazo de mercedes (Php60.00). This was another hit for me. Again, generous serving, and also, this is the brazo that I knew as a child! It had a firm and fluffy, almost marshmallow-y outer layer, and the filling was just so rich and had that egg flavor I always look for. It didn't have too much sugar, but it was sweet enough. It was just perfect for me. I have to tell my kuya  about this. (Yes, I am that excited about it.)

Brazo de Mercedes

I paired my dessert with coffee because I have coffee blood and I run on caffeine. Their Fresh Brewed Coffee (Php65.00) was just okay, though. It was decent enough.

Cecil's Cafe is located at CVI Bldg., ATI Complex, Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Rd. Sitio Muson, Brgy. Puting Kahoy, Silang, Cavite.

They are open from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., from Tuesday to Sunday.

Ambience	5
Service	3
Taste	4.5
Price	4.5
Overall	4.25

Be happy! <3

Missy

Bahay Haraya Spa & Healing

Okay so this is a super late post because I got caught up with my Japan trip, and all the deadline-chasing that went before it :)) (Will post about Japan soon!!!)

I have recently moved to Maginhawa so I was supper happy when I found out that two of my friends, Cathy and JC (who are a power couple), put up a spa along it! It was a Sunday when I decided to go there and get rid of all the aches in my body..

BAHAY HARAYA SPA  AND HEALING is the name of their spa. It's conveniently located along Maginhawa, in the compound behind BPI Family, the one near Holy Family School. Their store hours are from 12 nn - 12 mn every day! :D

The pretty proprietress

I came at exactly 12 nn, and I was happy to see that my friend Cathy was in there. The spa has a small and cozy reception area, and relaxing Filipino music was playing in the background. The whole place had a cozy, ethnic feel to it :) The attendants were also very courteous, but NOT too chatty (I apologize but I really don't like the super chatty ones because they prevent me from completely being relaxed, hehe).

Massage oils and salts

It was nice that their oils and salts were displayed at the reception so I could choose which one I liked best :D Plus points for the quirky names! Guess which oil I chose? 

I wasn't able to take a picture of it, but I was given a small form. I was asked to disclose if I had any health condition, and to indicate which my problem areas were.

After a while, I was asked to go inside and was given a foot soak. :) The water was had just the right temperature. My foot ache started melting away as I got a mini-foot rub :D

Massage area

I had to go upstairs to reach the massage area. I noticed that there were two rooms, so I guess men and women had separate ones. There is no private room, but the curtains are thick enough to give a person enough privacy :)

The beds and pillows were clean. However, they do not have a separate dressing area. 

The area had soft lighting and again, that cozy ethnic feel. 

I chose the 1 hour Ginhawang Maharlika (hilot) massage. It costs Php350 for an hour and Php500 for one and a half hours. Aside from the hilot, they also offer Haplos ni Makiling (Swedish) and Kalayaang Malyari (Thai). You can view their full list of services at https://www.facebook.com/bahayharaya

It's  a teeny bit more expensive than other spas (the cheapest I know of costs 250 per hour) but I think the price is still reasonable, considering the whole experience of it. My therapist was very attentive. She made sure that I was comfortable, and asked if she was applying the right amount of pressure, and if the room temperature was just right. Her massage technique was a bit different from what I'm used to, but it was effective! I felt like sleeping after the massage, and my body aches were all gone :)

I really can't describe the massage completely, but I can say that it's super worth a try! I'm going back there soon :)

You can follow Bahay Haraya through the following social media:

Congratulations, Cathy and JC! <3

Be happy! <3

Missy

Shi Lin at Alabang Town Center

Hoo! I can't believe it's been two weeks since I last posted something! Been crazy busy with life but I was able to visit some interesting places that I will be sharing with you guys soon ;) But for now, let me tell you about last Sunday, which was basically my first rest day since what seemed like forever :))

My mom wanted to watch Transformers (I don't want to talk about that, but fine, the robot dinosaurs were cool) and so we did in Alabang Town Center ("ATC") last Sunday afternoon. The movie was long, in that when we got in, the sun was up and then after it was night already! :)) And we were pretty hungry..

So we strolled a bit in the mall, looking for a place to eat, and we ended up in the relatively new wing in ATC, and this Chinese restaurant caught my fancy:

Photo courtesy of Ensogo Philippines. 

Seeing the place made me thing of warm soup and soup belly and so I asked my mom if we could eat there. I was too hungry to take a picture of the nice place. :D I'm not even sure if the picture I grabbed is the one in ATC, but the place looked like that. You can see the kitchen when you enter the place through a glass window. The chairs were comfy and felt so posh.The restaurant was also not too crowded, looked and felt clean, and was bright and welcoming. I especially liked the lanterns that hung on the ceiling. Also, oriental music was playing in the background. :) We took a seat by the couch on the side.

The waiters there were not as attentive, because when we got there, there were only a few people inside, and they were a lot of them, but I had to wave m hand animatedly for a couple of seconds before I could catch the attention of one of them :)) They were, however, very courteous. Also, I liked how they served their food with flare! :D You's have to go there to experience it yourself. Let's just say the way they served the food we ordered reminded me of Cooking Master Boy :D

We ordered the shrimp and Pork Shao Mai (Php188.00) and Braised Beef Noodles (Php278.00). I also ordered an Iced Taiwan Milk Tea (Php188.00). 

They served the milk tea first, and I was delightfully surprised that it came in a pot :D. IT was poured in the glass for me. I'd say this was a bargain because for Php188.00, I was able to have two glasses of milk tea. And it was good! It tasted like the one I had when I visited Hong Kong. It tasted authentic, and not at all like the instant kind. The tea flavor was very strong, and had the right amount of sweet in it. It was also a bit creamy, but it was light enough to be an accompanying drink to a meal.

Iced Taiwan Milk Tea

We had the noodles split into two, so my mom and I were surprised that we still got two big bowls. This was definitely my favorite dish. :) I love love loved its broth! It was super tasty, and not just salty. The beef flavor was in the broth and it had an umami taste that will just keep you wanting more of it. It was very light, and not greasy at all. It also had a bit of spice in it, which I loved. The noodles were thick and a bit chewy, which is just the way I like it. The vegetables in it were fresh and still crunchy. The beef was tender and tasty too. The single flaw of it was that the beef was a bit grainy, but it was no biggie for me. I also like that it was served to us int just the right temperature; hot, but not scalding. 

Braised Beef Noodles

This is ma struggling to transfer her noodles to the small bowl, because she thought she couldn't finish the whole thing. She did.

They served the Pork Shao Mai last and I have to say, it took some time for them to serve it. I got why when the waiter opened the wooden basket thingy to reveal what was inside:

Pork Shao Mai. Pretty!

So apparently Shi Lin is known primarily for its Xiao Long Bao, or soup dumplings. I had no idea because yeah, I live under a rock! Haha. Anyway these darlings are meat WITH SOUP wrapped in a rice sheet. The one we ordered had ground pork and a steamed shrimp on top. So pretty to look at, I almost did not want to eat it. How they put soup in a dumpling, I don't know. Must be hard. So maybe that's why it took some time to prepare it. :))

It was nice that they had instructions on how to eat one :D

How to eat a soup dumpling

My mom says dumplings are supposed to look like coin sacks. How true?

Ground pork inside.

I tried to follow the instructions on the card, but napagod ako, and I ended up just eating 'em in one big bite. Classy, I know :)) 

I was amused by the soup dumpling concept, but the dumpling itself was just okay for me. The shrimp was well-cooked, the wrapping was smooth and firm and tasty, but I was not too sold on the ground pork filling. It was too grainy and needed a bit more seasoning in my opinion. Maybe it would have tasted better with sauce, but I like dumplings that are tasty enough without sauce. Still, it was an experience, and the dumplings were very filling. Me and ma were actually surprised we got super busog because we actually didn't order a lot. Ma noted however that we were not kadiri busog, meaning, feeling full and  a bit sick. She says it's because the food wasn't greasy, so I guess that's good.

I wanted to order dessert but I was too full. Maybe next time. Those red bean buns look yummy..

Dessert Menu

You can find Shi Lin at the ground floor in Alabang Town Center's new wing. :)

Ambience	5
Service	4
Taste	4
Price	4
Overall	4.25