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