Xoho Café: A Funky Treasure in Tel Aviv

Posted on March 22, 2016 by heavenliner

One of the many beauties of travelling in a foreign land without a set and pre-arranged tour package is that you got to explore and discover treasures of the city that you visit.

Case in point was the first breakfast me and my sister had here in Tel Aviv. Armed only with a google map, a dash of courage and heaps of appetite, we walked through the city streets of Tel Aviv to get to Xoho Café, the ranked number one recommended breakfast café in Tel Aviv by Tripadvisor.

Discovering Xoho Café was a bliss. As soon as we entered the café we were barged with a laid back yet cool and hip ambiance and deco. And from the funky interiors itself, it looks like the owner is someone who is so young, vibrant and creative I stopped wondering why this establishment was ranked number one by Tripadvisor.

thank goodness we arrived early, people were queuing up when we left the cafe

nice…

lata!

a collage of the super funky toilet

My beautiful first impression of Xoho Café was even substantiated by the divine dishes that me and my sister ordered. When I asked the young server what to recommend, she simply stated that the Juanito Burrito was something not to miss in their café. My sister on the other hand settled for the delectable Sunny Side Up served with a bunch of toast, labaneh, olive oil and zaatar. The food was fantastic!

heavenly, juanito burrito!

yum!

xoho cafe experience!

Upon stepping out of Xoho Café with the smile on my face, I can simply say that this café is a perfect combination of good food and funky design. Thank goodness to Tripadvisor, google map and our heaps of appetite, we discovered a treasure called Xoho Café.

Mapapa-shalom ka sa sarap!

Banana Choco Lava Cake by Lorenzo’s Way Greenbelt

Posted on July 18, 2015 by heavenliner

When dining out, I always consider the dessert as the main course. I admit, I love dessert and I have the biggest sweet tooth ever!

You may not know it yet, but if you happen to be in the Greenbelt area in Makati City Philippines, one superb dessert can be found at Lorenzo’s Way. And I strongly suggest discovering what you might have been missing! It’s called Banana Choco Lava Cake.

It is the type of dessert that would not overwhelm on the first bite. It has just the right amount of sweetness. It’s a warm, moist chocolate cake that would make you feel like it just came out of the oven surrounded by a creamy sauce topped with thin slices of caramelized bananas!

it’s insanely delicious!

It’s the type that would make you crave for more every time you have a bite. This dessert is so unbelievably yummy!

Mapapamura ka sa sarap!

A Sumptuous Okazu Experience

Posted on October 31, 2014 by heavenliner

There is one plain and simple food establishment in Osaka that my family has dined at. It is so plain and simple that we actually failed to inquire with their very few and quiet staff on what the name of their intimate restaurant was.

Sorry if I cannot read exquisite Japanese kanji but this is how it looks from their façade…

the facade of my sumptuous okazu experience. will somebody read that lighted sign for me…

What is so striking about this place is that it obviously does not seem to cater to tourists. As we have observed me and Nengkoy were the only tourist guests inside while the rest of the dining folks were the uncomplicated locals of the city.

Uncomplicated meaning the unfussy office workers and blue-collared souls that keeps the economy of Osaka running. They are the austere Osakans who seem to have simply gone hungry and decided to grab a delicious meal prior to heading back to their respective homes. They are the type who seem too tired to prepare their dinner and instead settled for a low-cost yet sumptuous Japanese meal.

happy nengkoy (feeling like a local) with denden

Another strikingly divine about this restaurant is their food. It features dishes that are not the mainstream and well-known Japanese cuisine yet considered classic. These are the diverse varieties of Okazu. If the Philippines got ulam (viand), Japan has Okazu. The side dishes of Japan that are usually accompanied with rice. But since Okazu are commonly small in portions, these are comparable to tapas or the small dishes of Spain.

okazu!

yum!

no conveyor belt machine… an old and reliable self service japanese eatery

I particularly like the fact that each dish are served in small portions. This makes the customer enjoy, explore and savor varying dishes in one seating as if having a grand feast yet still very desirable for it will not result to gaining too much weight.

It is so obvious that preparing these beautiful dishes at home would take so much time, skill and effort. Thus, it is not surprising that regular Osakans would rather flock these types of modest yet charming eateries.

Karinderyang sosyal… Daming ulam…

Pablo Cheese Tart Got a Bright Spot Light

Posted on October 15, 2014 by heavenliner

Osaka is known all over Japan as having the best gastronomic courses and culinary entities. Thus, it is not farfetched that the best cheese tart in that part of the planet originated in Osaka. I am talking about the luscious cheese tart from Pablo.

Falling on queue at Pablo’s take-away shop to purchase the famous cheese tart has been part of my last three visits in Japan.

nengkoy while on a long queue at pablo take-away store last spring of 2014

where magic happens…

Served in large spherical portions good for sharing, my theory why this cheese tart has gone so admired and popular is because its flavor and texture is never overpowering to the taste. Unlike the usual cheese tarts when consumed in large amounts would result to nauseatingly cloying feeling, Pablo’s version is subtle, light and delicate to the palate.

Pablo store has gone so swell, I was amazed to learn that they have progressed from a take-away store into a casual dine-in shop serving various drink concoctions, pastries, cakes and desserts. These pastry diner shops also became a hit, it has started to mushroom around Japan.

spherical pieces of heaven!

what a luscious selection!

During my recent October 2014 visit, I told my dear nephew and nieces (based in Osaka) that I and Nengkoy would not miss the opportunity to dine in one of the Pablo shops before going back to Manila.

However, our first venture at Pablo’s Shishaibashi branch was a failure because there were no seats available and we have to fall on a long line of patrons waiting for their turn to be given those precious table. Me and my mother settled on buying the premium version of the cheese tart and have it devoured at my nephew and nieces’ house.

new dine-in pablo branch in shinsaibashi

Our second try was a success! After accomplishing a long walking tour of the majestic Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, we agreed to have a snack before going back to Osaka. We were glad to find out that a Pablo dine-in branch has just opened in Himeji.

Pablo in Himeji was a true winner. Aside from the good food and drinks we had, I specifically loved the restaurant’s beautiful interiors! The aesthetic elements of the shop were remarkably trendy, cool and stylish!

welcome to himeji branch!

super nice…

glad to have discovered this branch in himeji…

cozy corner…

happy…

With the light enchanting flavors of their appetizing dishes combined with modish designs of the interiors, it would not be a surprise if Pablo would cross ocean borders and establish its shops at other places around the world.

Aysimplilabit…

Ramen Zundo Ya: The Best Ramen Ever

Posted on October 7, 2014 by heavenliner

One great test to determine if a restaurant and its dishes are truly superb is through the guests’ impression on his or her return visit. It is very common for a restaurant to receive raving reviews on the first engagement. But almost often, guest becomes disillusioned on their return because they realize that their ordered food – which they totally enjoyed during their pilot visit – was nothing but a fluke or a strike of luck. In Tagalog, tsamba!

But with my recent visit and return to Ramen Zundouya located at Shisaibashi in Osaka, I can definitely say that this joint serves the best ramen in the universe.

ramen zundouya shinsaibashi branch

During my first visit (click: HERE to read my previous post), me and my family were easily led inside and was given a table with such a breeze. However, on our return, we already have to queue among the long line of patrons waiting for their turn to be assigned with a table. We were actually listed 13^th among those who enlisted to dine that afternoon.

quiet japanese folks waiting their turn. no pinoy on queue yet, pinoys has yet to discover this savory treasure

While waiting and drooling on line, my personal claim that this indeed is the best ramen house was actually an understatement. To prove a point, I in fact noticed one big poster on the wall announcing that they have mushroomed around Japan. To further prove my point, Ramen Zundouya’s flavor will soon invade America. It is because a Ramen Zundouya shop is due to open a branch along 10^th Street in New York next year!

soon to open in new york! (i will definitely try it when i get there)

To check the consistency of this restaurant, I again ordered for the same dish I had during my first visit, the Zenbu-nose Ramen. When the bowl was served in front of me, I was absolutely surprised because the presentation and the arrangements of all ingredients placed in the massive porcelain was still impeccably beautiful.

And when I had my first sip of the broth/soup, nothing actually changed! Nothing changed because the world seemed to stop for a moment for me to savor the paradise-like flavor of Zenbu-nose Ramen. This matchless concoction was without a doubt an invigorating assault in all of the senses!

zenbu-nose ramen
(my tastebuds had a blast!)

Walang kaduda-duda, ang tindi ng sarap!

Kick Cancer’s Ass

Posted on October 1, 2014 by heavenliner

Cancer (not the horoscope but the ailment) in which ever form, type, category or origin it is has gained the reputation of being a deadly and dreaded disease. It has claimed a considerable percentage of the human population. This disease is so deadly, it does not only attack the physical being, it also plagues the human emotion as well as drain a family’s bank account. Cancer nowadays is so prevalent everybody seem to know someone who had or have it.

Because of this, people in groups – may it be a foundation, an organization or a company – has come up with noble and novel ideas on how to help those affected. Case in point are the two ongoing projects situated at two ends of the planet. Their strategies may vary but their aim is the same. To kick cancer’s ass.

One is located in Manila, particularly the LJC Restaurants’ ‘Good to Dine’ promo. It is a strategy that lets you donate to the needy yet at the same time let you enjoy a penchant palatal experience. It is because for every ordered special dish included in the campaign, the patron gets to donate ten (10) pesos of his payment to the Philippine General Hospital’s Cancer Institute.

The campaign will run until the end of the year (2014) and the accumulated fund will be used to finance treatments of cancer patients. So when you plan to dine in a restaurant, might as well settle for these restaurants and order for these items…

order na!
(photo grabbed from ljc restaurants webpage)

The other is located in New York. That is Hoda Kotb’s (host of The Today Show) direct-to-the-point fundraising and donation campaign. Usually quirky Hoda and her group tickle viewers’ sentiments and emotion by letting them watch and listen to a beautiful mashed up songs of two of pop superstars Sara Bareilles’ ‘Brave‘ and Cindy Lauper’s ‘True Colors‘.

Indeed, the song and the music video touches the heart. It will make you realize that you haven’t seen what a true character of ‘brave’ is until you’ve seen kids kick cancer’s ass.

All proceeds of Hoda’s campaign will go to grants for pediatric cancer research via the American Cancer Society. Click HERE if you wish to donate.

Kip dis gowing… Doneyt doneyt ang peg!

A Savory Ramen Experience at Ramen Zundo Ya

Posted on April 19, 2014 by heavenliner

Flavors were exploding in my mouth and my taste buds were giving a standing ovation shouting, “Bravo!”

These are the general feelings when I had the first bite and first sip of the ramen I tasted at Ramen Zundouya Restaurant located in Shinsaibashi, Osaka. Since I can’t read kanji, I selected the dish with the biggest photo. Since it was the biggest picture in the menu as well as the most expensive one, I supposed that Zenbo-no Ramen is this restaurant’s specialty.

the actual dish looks better than the one on the menu

True enough, my selection was impeccably right. The Zenbo-no ramen came with freshly cut negi, some absolutely melt-in-your-mouth pork slices, slips of nori, a full soft boiled egg and a good sized serving of “curly” noodles. Generous amount of garlic cloves are provided on the table which can be freshly crushed using a unique garlic press. But what is so heavenly about this dish is the magic broth that the restaurant uses. The rich savory broth flavor simply bursts in your mouth!

The feelings induced by this perfect ramen were excellently joyful and heavenly. For a moment, I forgot my name and thought that I was having an elated out of body experience. Zembo-no Ramen in so rich and explosively delicious my taste buds thanked me!

super yummy!!!

distinctive interior design

i love those “troso” as dining seats

waiting area outside of the restaurant was me and nengkoy's venue for our blog header's photo

waiting area outside is the venue of this blog’s header photo

Ramen Zundouya’s website indicates that their first aim is to “captivate the customer with each ramen dish”. This aim absolutely hit me. Never in my restaurant-dining experience was I so impressed with the dish that I personally asked to meet the restaurant’s chef. I was so captivated that I asked for his name and even topped it by asking for a photo with him. I could not resist to thank him for such an awesome masterpiece.

with chef endou

This unmatched ramen experience was simply outstanding!

Mapapa-jusko ka sa sarap!

Abandoning My Propriety at Boiling Crab

Posted on March 16, 2014 by heavenliner

boiling crab at koreatown, los angeles

Every time I am out of the Philippines, I always make it a point to be a good representation of my country. I’m behaved and I always bring with me tons of manners. I follow the rules, I smile a lot, I am a little friendlier and I am more cultured than the usual. Dining etiquette and favourable table manners are always taken into great consideration.

But I totally transgressed from all of these when I and my travel buddies Karen, Joesel & Denton dined at Boiling Crab located at Koreatown along Wilshire Boulevard in L.A., USA. I guess having to wait for available seats for close to two hours would make any sane, well-educated and refined person reasonably unsophisticated when it comes to table manners.

True enough, when the waitress tied a disposable bib around my neck, I knew that we are on for some messy type of meal. No plates were served but instead wax paper that covers the whole table was placed in front of us. And when the food was served contained in transparent plastic bags, I was ready to embrace the mess, abandon my propriety and satisfy my glutinous depravity.

the whirlwind of digging, squeezing, cracking and twisting is about to begin…

ready for some messy yet heavenly type of meal…

Realizing that I can abandon the basic dining manners for that moment, I simply ditched the plastic spoon and fork that was handed to me and instead dug on the food with my bare hands. The plastic bags placed on our table contained the most sumptuous and legendary buttered shrimps cooked in chopped garlic that I have tasted in a long while. The zingy spicy sauce was the best when it is poured over a hot mountain of rice and juicy buttered corn on cob.

re-living the fantastic experience

our glorious mess

I don’t know if it is just the Filipino in me, but I guess food becomes more splendid, yummy and delectable when eaten using the bare hands. But then again, the food served in Boiling Crab seem so enchanting we actually returned and queued again for more than two hours after a couple of nights to re-live the same joyous scrumptious experience we had the first time. The second time we dined definitely did not disappoint us.

Sarap…

A Cute Café For Overgrown Children

Posted on October 9, 2013 by heavenliner

It was one café in Bangkok that I promised myself to write about when I get back to Manila. However, it has been more than a week already but the only description that I could think about this café is that it’s cute. That’s it.

I know “cute” is not an appropriate adjective to describe a café, a restaurant or any dining place. But that’s the persistent thought that lingers inside my crazy shell. And ironically, nothing else would crop out of mind to further describe it.

mr. jones orphanage

the cute view from my seat. i wanted to bring home those toy soldiers

though i still fit in, their cool looking seats were a little tight and narrow

creative cafe concept

The place is called Mr. Jones Orphanage, a cute café whose theme was like a toy workshop adorned with adorable stuffed toys, miniature toy soldiers, a train track and giant wooden wheel-parts of a wristwatch.

At first glance when we passed through this adorable café, I thought it was a toy store. But when we passed through again after shopping (inside Siam Center), we were like overgrown kids who could no longer resist to settle our big asses on the available seats.

Their menu was a dessert lover’s paradise. They have wide selection of cakes, fruit pies, milk shakes and cookies. I ordered a slice of orange cake plus a cup of cappuccino. The cake was okay though I tasted better versions of it. Nevertheless the cappuccino was superb.

a slice of orange cake

nice looking cup with a superb cappuccino

a cute message on my cup

Overall, being at Mr. Jones Orphanage was a cute dining experience.

Di lang pambata, pang-damulag din!

Why Nigh Tagaytay?

Posted on September 8, 2013 by heavenliner

It’s an easeful short voyage out of jungle Manila. I don’t have to purchase plane tickets. And most of all I love the snuggly weather.

overlooking the taal lake

i love their lunch buffet

I and a few members of my family did a short getaway to cool breezy Tagaytay. We were supposed to stay overnight but after a sumptuous buffet lunch at Bags of Beans Café & Restaurant that filled us to our respective alimentary rims… everybody agreed that the money to be spent in a luxurious hotel would be more appropriate to buy miscellany of foodstuffs that can be brought back to Manila.

That is the beauty of charming Tagaytay. Being so near Manila, you can actually return anytime that you may want or back out from it if your nutty erratic and eclectic judgment wished so.

After lunch we stepped into the coffee shop portion of Bag Of Beans and purchase us bag loads of freshly baked (and still hot) loaves of raisin bread, a box of their special and very popular blueberry cheesecake and packs of buttered biscochos.

nengkoy and her loots!!!

Of course our family’s usual trip to Tagaytay will not be complete without going to Mahogany Market to purchase the most famous and freshest local beef of the province. The purchases done by Nengkoy is sooo plenty it felt like she bought one whole cow in that meat market!

is it just me??? but there seem some eerie atmosphere inside this church…

Before proceeding with more purchases, my elder sister demanded that we pass by Tierra De Maria Heaven of Meditation and Enrichment. Though very small for a church, it homes the majestic 50-foot image of Mother Mary. Surprisingly the small room with low ceiling is filled with devotees and the walls with statues and statuettes of various saints as well as testimonies of Mother Mary’s holy intercessions. Before I start melting and devotees start exorcism upon me, I demanded that we leave the holy place.

We then head to Rowena’s, one of those famous pasalubong-stop-over-stores in Tagaytay. I can hardly determine the single English translation for the Filipino word “pasalubong”. It is because this Filipino norm and convention of buying take home presents and giveaways is so Filipino.

pasalubong overload!!! inside rowena’s store…

Will definitely be back to scenic Tagaytay…

Nabusog… Tinamad… Umuwi…

Nengkoy

ruminations & travesties of the favorite yet naughty son of Nengkoy

Tag Archives: restaurant