Change is a difficult reality that is inevitable yet people seek it. A good example was the 2016 Philippine Presidential race where huge change was voted by the people. Some on the other hand want a change where they can bring back some of the lost arts. One of them are the people behind 'Talas Manileño' where they seek to bring back the elegance of male Manileño grooming.

Knick-knacks from the passions of the owner of the shop!

The Ambiance

Talas Manileño can be found along the Cubao expo arcade. It is distinct because of its dark blue color with a folding chalk board outside that  proudly reads their services.

The inside is reminiscent of an 80's style apartment complex where wood and cement are used extensively.

The beverage bar at the second floor!

As you enter the ground floor you see the three barber-chairs on the right and the reception desk on the left. The hair was sink and the stair case at the back. On the second floor are two more barber-chairs, a seating area and the beverage bar where they serve your chosen drink along side your chosen service.

Classics are unbeatable!

The Cut and Shave

The Haircut and the shaving services is a step above most because of the owners and the barbers adherence to the classics of simple, elegant cuts, shaves and styles. All the barbers listen to your requests and to your preferences that you will feel at home immediately.

The shave follows their same adherence to the classics. It was slow and meticulous as I could feel the sensation of each strand of hair on my jawline being chipped one by one. It was an amazing feeling knowing that your barber is carefully trimming and massaging your beard.

In fact, the barber themselves will recommend and will teach you tips on how to shave or how to maintain your beard/moustache.

I enjoyed their services quite well and I couldn't help but notice their spray bottles were used from recycled Ginebra Gin bottles! I was so sold by this that I said 'Iyan ang tunay na Manileño!'

'Iyan ang tunay na Manileño!'

The Price

Haircut and wash starts at Php 280.00 but is priced at Php 570.00 together with the shave. Their Signature service, the Manileño is a haircut and wash with your chosen drink which is priced at Php 450.00. While the Talas Batangas is a shave with your chosen beverage priced at Php 470.00

The Conclusion

Talas Manileño is the place to be if you want that classic Filipino grooming made famous by our national heroes like Jose Rizal, Emilio Aguinaldo and the Luna Siblings. They are the best at bringing those classic styles to the modern Manileño and I highly recommend their services!

Do you want to Contact 'Talas Manileño?'

Cubao Expo, 38 Gen. Romulo Ave. Brgy. Socorro, Cubao Quezon City

Contact number: (+63)917 503 1842

Facebook: Talas Manileño Facebook Page

Instagram: @Talasmanilenyo

Operating Hours: 1PM to 9PM

For several years now I have been hearing about beautiful beach sanctuaries several hours from Manila. Anawangin and Nagsasa Coves would always be part of that conversation. So when a friend of mine said they were going on a trip to Nagsasa Cove, I jumped ship!

The view that greeted us!

Manila to San Antonio, Zambales

We were lucky enough to form a group of nine people so we decided to hire a driver and a van. What We got was this wonderful gentleman, driver Noel. His van was a big Toyota Grandia. It was big enough for the nine of us and our luggages and our necessities. 

Our pick-up point was along EDSA-Shaw blvd where we also had our breakfast at a local fast food joint. We left at 7 AM. Ideally, the drive would take two hours if without traffic. 

A sneak peak of what's to come!

Unfortunately, traffic in Manila is nothing new. It took us an hour to get from our pick-up point at Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong City to the Toll gates at NLEX. It took another hour to get through the toll exit booths and to Subic. From Subic it was another hour to get to San Antonio, Zambales. 

It was a long ride. Along the way, most of us were either chatting, sleeping or eating. (What else is new?) 

The hut where we waited for our boat!

San Antonio, Zambales to Nagsasa Cove

San Antonio is an interesting little town. It was obvious that tourism was a major source of income for its local. The many small travel agencies, the number locals trying to sell you local crafts, the plentiful food stalls and the large number of parking lots.

Once we arrived, our guide, met us and lead us to their hut where we would rest as we waited for our boat ride. The quickest way to get to the cove is by Boat. You would have to traverse the mountain range if you were to get to it by land. 

Shakiness!

The boat ride itself is an hour long. At first, the waves would be a cause for concern, but after a while it grows on you. You begin to notice how beautiful the water is when it glistens against the sun and how the mountains and cliffs flaunt their majestic nature. 

As we reached the cove itself, the water began to calm and the view of the pine trees were a sign that we were indeed near.

Timing is everything

Nagsasa Cove Day One

As we near the shore, the engine was turned off and we were drifting towards the shore while our captain guided the boat with the fin controls. The first mate went ahead to the nose of the boat to prepare for anchor drop. After dropping anchor, he guided the nose of the boat to land safely.

Land Ho!

As the boat sat still as it can, we dropped off and the boatmen soon helped with our luggages. They then led us to our camp site and prepared our tents. 

Picnic tables and tents!

After the tents were built, we settled in our own tents and proceeded to do our own thing. Some prepared the meal, some prepared for a swim and I prepared for a photowalk.

Still water Reflections!

It was the afternoon and the low tide began to take effect. From the camp site, I walked while taking my time with capturing pictures at my leisure. I made my way to the river where I passed by various forms of vegetation. Some with thorns and some with none. I made it to the river bed where there were various round stones that gave me a hard time traversing. Eventually I made it to open field where you have a full view of the mountain range.

Beautiful!

I crossed the river and was met with a grassy plane. The grass was were at chest level. Fortunately, there were signs of a path that was worn down by frequent use. I navigated through the path until I reached the pine trees. It wasn't long till I found my way to the camp site on the other side of the cove.

I took continued to take pictures and after two hours of wanderlust I decided to go back to camp.

At the same time, the people who took a dip arrived at the camp to dry up. We were all on time for dinner. The only problem was, there were no lights. We had to eat with just the LED lights from our phones. It was quite the challenge.

After dinner, we gathered around a bonfire that we just lit and played some drinking games while playing a board game. It was crazy fun.

The River Bed!

Nagsasa Cove Day Two

I went to bed at 9.30 PM and awoke at 12.30 AM. I decided to take a walk as I felt too well rested to fall back asleep. When I got out of my tent, I saw the trees right across from me and behind it was the Milky Way. I was breathe taking. I had forgotten how beautiful the stars were and how plentiful they were. From the edge of the ocean in front of me to the mountains behind me, All I could see were stars.

Before Sunrise (Watch the Movie)

There was just something about it. It was so quiet that you could only hear the cold ocean wind hitting the curves of your ear lobes, the ocean waves slamming itself towards the shore and the insects making their mating calls. It was beautiful and it was serene. It was so relaxing.

I wanted to take pictures of the stars but I forgot my tripod. Bring one if you can! The stars are too pretty to miss out on. I then laid down on a picnic table and just stared at the stars until 3.30 AM where I fell asleep.

The sun is about to rise!

I woke up at 5AM and felt so relaxed, relieved and revitalised. I haven't been to the beach in a long time. The serenity of the place did its job. I took a shower right after waking up. It was quite an experience being able to Shower with a faucet and pail again. I changed clothes and saw that the sun was about to rise so I ran to the other side of the cove for another photowalk.

I finished at around 6.30 and breakfast was almost done. We decided to help set the table and we ate.
Most of the food we cooked were bought fresh from the market in Manila. The Travel agency provided ice, gas, stove, coal and utensils.

Watch my shadow break free!

At 9AM everybody was done taking a bath and suiting up. We then headed for the hiking trail where we could see the whole cove. The climb itself was pretty quick. We got to the top in 20 minutes. It was the trek down that was more intense.

We reached the foot of the mountain after a short while and we saw a great spot to swim. It was near the rocks but the mountain was providing a amount of shade that gave the area a cooler swim than the rest of the cove.

We swam until 11 AM and after a quick wash, we ate lunch. After that we started packing and waited for our boat ride to Capones Island.

Near the top!

Capones Island

Capones Island is the island right across the beach where our waiting hut was in San Antonio Village. It took nearly an hour to get there from Nagsasa. The Island itself is beautiful with white sand, clear water and sculpted cliffs. The only thing was we couldn't climb it and reach the light house. 

So after a couple of minutes of taking in the view we left for San Antonio where we had our last time to wash ourselves of the sand and salt water. We took our baths in the travel agency's hut and after suiting up we packed up and got on our van and left for Manila.

Capones Island!

San Antonio, Zambales to Manila

The ride back took three hours which was roughly the same as our trip to San Antonio. We left at 4PM and got to Manila at 8PM because we decided to stop over to have dinner at a McDonald's in Subic. The trip was so relaxing.

Breakdown

Total Php 18,000 for Nine People

Php 2000.00 per head

Php 1000 for Van and Driver

Php 700 for Travel Agency (Boat, Tent, Utilities, Ice, Assistance)

Php 400 for Groceries and Food

The Verdict

What we Liked:

• Several hours away from Manila
• Php 700 Travel Agency fee is a great value!
• The Van was the most expensive part of the trip but at least we were safe and comfortable
• Nagsasa is not the prettiest place but it sure makes up for with Serenity
• Kind locals
• There are sari-sari stores with sodas, junk food, coffee, beer, soap, shampoo and the like

What we ALMOST Liked:

• Can be crowded during peak seasons and there was an area of the cove where most people were. ( We were lucky to be on the side where there were few people)
• Not much to do but Swimming, barbecuing, hiking and exploration
• White sand on top of black sand

Habitual Coffee first began in Ortigas near the Home Depot complex. In 2015, they moved to Chino Roces Avenue in Makati. Each coffee shop has an identity of its own because of the uniqueness of each creative mind behind each concepts. What stood out from my repeated experience from habitual was their skills on the Aeropress.

Those Lines!

The Ambiance

Habitual's design aesthetic is pretty simple combination of textured concrete, black steel and wooden counter tops. It's simple, elegant and charming. I would come by several times just to try the varied seating options.

There is a huge steel column/beam that supports the whole building where the bar/counter is enclosing. It gave it quite a bit of character. On the said beam is the menu where you can find the standard espresso, latte, iced coffee and the like.

Third Place in the World!

It has this health and wellness feel because of the gym behind the coffee shop. You could imagine some of the hardworking people who workout in the morning or the afternoon where they get their caffeine fix. This was made so because of the worn down path leading the doors and then to the gym of the complex.

Let's make it a Habit!

The Coffee, The Beverages and The Service

One of the people behind Habitual Coffee won third place in the World Aero Press Championship several years ago. So when I first tried their Aeropress, I was floored. I've had several Aeropressed brewed coffee before, but after having the one from Habitual, I never wanted any one else to press coffee for me.

There Aeropressed Coffee are one of the best in the country!

There was just something about their hand brew. It was the body and the flavor, I could feel the weight and the fullness of the body of the coffee reaching the back of my mouth up to the area behind my ears. It was beautiful. I only have Aeropressed coffee from them from now on. (There are exceptions though.)

There Lattes, Cortados and their Capuccino are also very good. I tried tasting each one in one day and I do notice the different effects of the volume of milk and foam. The flavor and the characteristics of the beans shine best with less milk! (Or if the milk is high grade it compliments it even more.)

Coffee Float!

They serve most drinks hot or iced. Iced is perfect for the hot summer in manila. It's refreshing with a kick!They also offer coffee with soda water and its quite a different experience. A cold coffee kick with fizz at the end. It's more refreshing than an iced coffee but it's a like it or hate it thing for me.

The baristas of Habitual are an interesting bunch. In my multiple visits, I would always try the coffee of barista that I've never tried before and the great thing is that they maintain production of great coffee but each barista adds a little uniqueness to his her own brew. This was just me being nit picky but I love all their Aeropressed and all their espresso based coffee that I have tried so far.

Latte Love!

 The Price

Their stellar Aeropressed coffee starts at Php 160.00! While their Espressos will set you back Php 120.00. The Cortado and flat white is at Php 140.00 while an Iced white is Php 160.00. The classic latte costs Php 150.00 while their mochas start at Php 160.00.

They also serve a modest selection of tea that ranges from Php 120.00 to Php 150.00. All are priced reasonably and are of premium quality.

Do you want to Contact 'Habitual Specialty Coffee?'

Address: 2135 Chino Roces Avenue, Makati City, Philippines
Telephone number: (02) 833-9556

Instagram: @habitualcoffee

 Operating Hours: Mon-Wed: 8AM to 9PM; Thurs-Sat: 8AM to 11PM; Sun 8AM - 7PM

City life isn't perfect. There are times where after a long week of fast paced productivity, you just want to slow down and take it easy like going to Baguio, to Tagaytay or to the beach. These are hot destinations that are hours away and could be a chore. RED Sandbar aims to bring that relaxing beach vibes to the city! So could Sandbar be the place to be?

Chill at Sandbar!

The Ambiance 

Sandbar isn't particularly huge in terms of real estate but is divided into three sections. The bar, the inner dining area and the al fresco area. The who design philosophy is to resemble a local bar stall that was put up on the beach where you can get some food and drinks while enjoying the ocean breeze.

The beach vibes continue inside!

This is where Sandbar shines. Each little detail reminds us and brings the beach to us. Accents like sand and sea shells, wooden sculptures of lighthouses and boats flock the place to give us that serene feeling of the beach.

For Php 150.00 this serving is too generous!

One caveat I felt was that during the busy hours, the air inside gets dense with the air of deep fried oil. The opening of their huge doors for the al fresco area really helps with this.

The Food

Sandbar offers a variety of All-day breakfast from the classic Silog dishes, Bolognese, Sisig, Sandwiches and Alcoholic beverages!

Let me tell you about that sisig! It fills 90% of the sizzling plate and the pork bits are moist and meaty. I love this because most restaurants serve less portions and with increased fatty bits. The flavor is divine plus that mayonaise on green chili is great way to add more kick to the pork flavor bomb.

90% of the sizzling plate is filled!

Their best selling sandwiches are the Double Decker and the Surfer's sandwich. The double decker is a classic ham, egg, cheese, mayonaise double deck sandwich served with potato chips. The surfer's sandwich is a combination of mayonaise, muscovado fried chicken, cheese and sunny side up egg topped with muscovado! Both are good sandwiches however I wish their choice of chips could be improved.

The Double Decker up close!

The thing about their dishes is that you know that the ingredients are not of the highest possible quality but the food just taste good because of the perfect technique. So their dishes are only limited by their ingredients but are at their best possible state because it has been cooked perfectly.

Muscovado topped egg and chicken!

The Service

The people from  sandbar are an interesting bunch. They have the usual courteous cooks and waiters that are sensitive to your needs. They were willing to answer my questions about each dish and were willing to take feedback.

Though some dishes take longer than the rest, each was presented well and were cooked to perfection.  They are on soft opening so there are things that need refining but I think RED Sandbar will do fine.

Chill out!

The Price

Their dishes start at Php 79.00 and could get up to Php 200.00. At this price point you cannot complain about the ingredients that I mentioned because even though they aren't the best ingredients, they are cooked and presented so well. What Sandbar Offers is the ambiance and the best possible way to cook their dishes.

The Verdict

What We LIKED:

• Ambiance is the beach vibes you have been looking for
• Al fresco Area is great
• Acoustic nights on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
• Dishes are cooked well
• Price is unbeatable

What We Almost LIKED:

• Some ingredients like the Potato Chips could be improved
• During the busier hours, the air inside can get dense with deep fried oil smell

Do you want to Contact 'RED Sandbar?'

Address: Montecruz Plaza, Mercedes Avenue, San Miguel, Pasig City
Telephone number: (0977) 704-6849
Facebook: Red SandBar

Instagram: @redsandbarph

Operating Hours: Mon to Sun 10AM to 12MN

Warren Buffet said that building a reputation takes nearly a lifetime while destroying that reputation just takes five minutes. This is especially true if you became famous for your passion and skills. The expectation is there, and the same can be said for the great chefs of Manila. One of them is Chef Jordy Navarra, and when he announced that he will be introducing a new concept, his fans went crazy. 

Steel, glass and wood

The obligatory Twilight food hold!

The Ambiance 

It is called Toyo or Toyo eatery located at a complex at the edge of Chino Roces avenue. The building itself follows a post modern architecture theme where glass, steel and wood combine with simple but elegant results. 

Inside, Toyo furthers this theme with accents of wood and steel found everywhere. When you enter the establishment you find the kitchen at the end of the room and the beverage bar as these two are the brightest part of the room. The lighting for the client's tables are warm and soft evoking an elegant but relaxed feeling. 

Warm and Soft lighting!

The Food

My good friend from Gourmanila.com was kind enough to join me when we visited. Toyo offers the standard ala carte menu and a set menu. We both chose the Php 1000.00 set menu and though it's the more affordable of choices, it was amazing.

Burnt Kalabaza Soup - Perfection in a bowl! 

The first dish were the Lightly battered Espada with Semi-ripe Guava and Kamias Broth and the burnt Kalabaza (squash) soup with sea urchin and orange kamote (yam). The espada's outer layer was glistening and is crunchy to the bite. The insides were moist and soft while the flavor was light but was lingering in your mouth. The technique is there, and this is good.

The three Espadas!

The Kalabaza (squash) soup however was in a completely different level. As the soup touches your tongue, the flavor of the burnt squash quickly explodes which is then complimented by the strong flavors of the sea urchin. Both were strong and were dancing wonderfully for a while in my mouth. This was where the crispy kamote (yam) flake comes in introduce a sweet flavor and crispy texture that gives a refreshing flavor from the lingering sea urchin and squash flavors. It was perfect from when it touched my tongue to the middle and to the end where the kamote shined!

The leaves, the sauce and the chili compliment the bangus loins and bagus belly so well!

Up next were the Toyo Eatery Three cut pork barbecue with Toyo Eatery Silog and the Grilled Bangus Belly and loin with Toyo Eatery Silog. Both the dishes were moist and tender. The flavor of the pork and the fish were the centerpiece of their respective dishes while the Silog served to compliment the pork and the bagus wonderfully.

Pork Barbecue at its finest!

For dessert we were given the Dulce de Leche Bon-bons with cocoa nibs and seared Cassava cake! The cassava cake was soft in texture and in sweetness and the seared outer part served to add a crispy texture to add another layer of flavor to the filipino classic delicacy. 

Dulce De Leche Bon-bons!

The Dulce de Leche bon-bons were like burnt squash soup. It is on a completely different level. From the first bite where the outer chocolate shines and then serves to temper the even stronger sweetness of the Dulce inside. The dance of those flavors are just magnificent. Afterwards comes the wonderful crunchy cocoa nibs that adds a bitter flavor to balance out all the sweetness in a good way. It also added a crunchy texture to again avoid over staying of the sweet flavor from the chocolate and the dulce. It was perfect.

The Crispy Seared outer part adds a layer of texture to the classic Cassava cake!

The Service

Service is unparalled. As soon as we entered, we were entertained by their energetic crew. Noelle and Jussa were there and they catered to our questions, our requests and our needs. They gave us Tocino bread, and tomato and monggo meringue as we were waiting for the menu and the food that we ordered.  

The appetizers came swiftly within fifteen (15) minutes of our order, and our waiters were kind enough to introduce and elaborate on each dish that came our way.

Tomato, Monggo Meringue!

The Price

I highly recommend to try either the Php 1000.00 per person set menu or the Php 2900.00 per person set menu. Ala carte is fine if you find that you would like an extra dish, but for me, I was full as soon as the dessert was devoured. This price is exclusive of the 10% service charge.

The Verdict

What We LIKED:

• All dishes are unique 
• All dishes are either good or great
• The Bon-bons and the Burnt Kalabaza were perfect
• Ambiance is beautiful
• Staff service is remarkable
• One of the best date places!

What We Almost LIKED:

• The Espada was cooked wonderfully but could be improved in flavor
• There were a lot of mosquito killing lights that caused some distracting sound when mosquitos were killed

Do you want to Contact 'Toyo Eatery?'

Address: The Alley, Karrivin Plaza, 2316 Chino Roces Ave, Makati, 1231 Metro Manila!
Telephone number: (0197) 720-8630
Facebook: Toyo Eatery
Instagram: @toyoeatery
Operating Hours: Tuesdays to Saturdays 6PM to 11:30PM

Quick Dish Review

Charlie's Grind and Grill has become one of our go-to burger place. The price and the quality is just unbeatable, and when we heard they launched new variations of their Wagyu and Black Angus cheese burger, we just had to have it! If you have yet to read our review on this amazing burger joint. You can click here.

All those cheese is melting with its gooey goodness!

Five Cheese Burger

With your choice of beef of either Black Angus or Wagyu, the patty is filled with Mozzarella and topped with gouda, cheddar, blue cheese and cheese sauce that is sandwiched by a brioche bun! Each cheese was proportioned so that no cheese will over power the other but would melt and explode in your mouth along with juicy patty! A win for cheese lovers!

That fried egg and mayo from the Sloppy Burger!

Sloppy Burger

Either a Black Angus or Wagyu beef patty with cheddar slices topped with fried egg, chili con carne, jalapenos, and sour cream. This is the perfect breakfast burger as it has that refreshing taste of eggs and meat that I get when I have bacon and eggs or any silog combination. I can't wait to wake up to this.

Arugula is so good!

Foie Gras Burger

A Black Angus or Wagyu beef patty with scattered foie gras and topped with mayo, gouda cheese, caramelised onions, arugula and tomato on a brioche bun. The flavor of the duck liver is distinct while the mayo, the arugula, the tomato and the cheese temper the strong caramelised onions. With each bite, you want more and more until you run out. You are full but you want more. This burger is that good. I just wish it wasn't that pricey!

What We Liked

• The Foie Gras flavor was well cooked and was intense! Foie Gras lovers will love the twist and the gouda and arugula fighting for your tastes buds' attention!
• Sloppy burger is the best burger for those looking for the breakfast feel! The egg does wonders!
• The Five cheese burger takes the idea of multiple cheeses on pizza into a burger that devastates your mouth with five distinct cheese flavors!

What We Almost Liked

• The Sloppy burger can get extra oily because of the fried egg
• The Foie Gras Burger can get ridiculous in price
• The Five Cheese burger could use something to temper all those cheeses

Do you want to Contact 'Charlie's Grind & Grill?'

Address: G/F Ronac Bldg., Madison St. Greenhills San Juan

Telephone number: (02) 477-5021

Facebook: Charlie's Grind & Grill

Operating Hours: Mon-Sun: 10AM to 12.30AM