A Visit to Moonleaf Tea Shop!

With the milk craze still on its high season here in Manila, its no wonder a lot of tea shops have been spurting all over the city. One particular tea shop that friends have been highly recommending is the Moon Leaf Tea Shop, which is conveniently (well, not really for me) located in Quezon City.

Like all other tea shops, Moonleaf also offers the usual milk tea with pearls. I had the Wintermelon Milk Tea (P75) (with less pearls as my preference).

I personally loved it! Very very yummy and definitely hits that milk tea craving. But it was a bit on the sweet side, I'm not sure if they have a sweetness preference scale because they didn't ask me.

Unlike other milk tea shops, they only have one size. The drinks are also a lot cheaper. When I got there, there was a long queue of students waiting to buy their milk teas! The drinks were served quickly but they don't call your name immediately. The branch in Katipunan is only a small kiosk where you order your drink from the outside. Maybe they should keep it air-conditioned because the line gets too long?

So now on my milk tea scale, here are the current players:
1st- Ersao (for being the cheapest and most satisfying, especially when you pair it with their crunchy squid and rice--suuuuhrap!)
2nd- Happy Lemon (really highest for me because I haven't tried any drink of theirs that was bad, well we'll see!)
3rd- Cha Time! (review on this next time when I bring a camera)
4th- Moonleaf
5th- Serenitea (been served by watered down milk tea whenever I order)


I do highly recommend giving this tea shop a visit!


Moonleaf Tea Shop has branches in Esteban Abada Street near Katipunan Ave., and also in Maginhawa Street in the UP Village.

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Chicken Charlie: Gobbling My Way Down to Chicken-y Heaven!

I have found MY chicken place. It is now the only place where I'll get my fix of this kind of double fried chicken dipped in soy sauce or chili sauce. I am definitely coming back to Chicken Charlie again and again and again!

Chicken Charlie is actually a pretty small resto with only 2 locations: there's one in Banaue in Quezon City, and one in San Juan near Wilson.

If you want to get a seat in time for dinner, make sure to get there early! I remember I got here around 6:30 an the place was empty save for 1 customer sitting down. But after only 15 minutes, the people just poured in. You have to queue in line and get your order. We got the 4 drumsticks + 4 wings combo with just the Soy Garlic Sauce.

Just in case you're wondering, the Cheesestick Dynamite is actually sili (with a little bit of cheese) wrapped in lumpia wrapper! A lot of people ordered this.

The chicken takes awhile to cook, because they fry it as soon as you order so its all fresh! While waiting, you can just read the wallpaper around the store! It just makes you hungrier because it describes the food so well. Don't those photos just make you hungry?

By the way they also have free WiFi so you can also amuse yourself using that while waiting for your food.
Then here comes the drinks and the utensils, and they give you a chicken bones bucket!

We also ordered drinks that caught our interest because its actually old school Sarsaparilla!

Kinda expensive at P90 a bottle, it does get you interested, right?
I got myself the Sarsaparilla, which actually tastes like muted down rootbeer!

Boyfriend got the Ginger Beer, which tastes a bit like salabat tea but carbonated. I didn't really like this and love the Sarsaparilla more.

We also ordered Potato Wedges (P45) which are hand-cut potatoes! These are good, but surprisingly the chicken tastes better with good ol' rice!

And...here comes the CHICKEN! Nom nom noooom!!! We got the 4 WINGS + 4 DRUMSTICKS COMBO (P288).

The chicken is just TOO GOOD. I swear the skin is wooooow. Very very crispy but also really flavorful! The meat inside wasn't dry at all, still pretty tender. I have to say that comparing this to Chicken Bonchon, the former is better for me because of the non-dryness inside.

I totally enjoyed my experience eating here, if I get any chicken craving I will definitely be coming back!


Chicken Charlie is located at J. Abad Santos in San Juan City. Its near Ristra's and Serenitea (which I have yet to try!!!). Open from 11am-9pm.

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OMAKASE: Cutesy Japanese Dining!

Is it getting too obvious what my second love is aside from make-up? Its going to be another fat year and I know it!

"Omakase" in Japanese literally means, "It's up to you!", and with so many choices on their menu, you're bound to get dizzy from thinking of what to order.

Japanese food has to be on the top of my favorite food list, so invite me anywhere Japanese-y, I'll be there!

This cute little girl greets you on the entryway!

There are various figurines and wallpaper of their mascot, a kawaii little girl decked in a pink kimono.

This one meets you at the dining area upstairs

We ordered the following dishes, nothing too experimental though.

The Sushi Boat! (P295) 

This was my first time trying the sea urchin (that one nestled in the center looking all gooey). Dip it in soy sauce with wasabi and it was good! I never expected that I would like it because I hate gooey food but I really liked this one.

Kani Salad (P80)

I didn't have the chance to try this one because it was pretty small, good for only 1 person. Looks like ordinary kani salad though.

Salmon Sashimi (P170)

You cannot have too much salmon, I say! Very very good--the fish was silky and just slid down my throat. I can gulp this all down in seconds, seriously.

Beef Teppan (P270)

The beef was very tender but the flavor was just okay for me.

Ebi Tempura (5 pcs for P190)

Tempura for me is the same for most Japanese restaurants, but I'm glad this one used tiger prawns. Ultra crunchy and easy to gobble down.

I remember we also ordered the Oyster Butteryaki (P210), but it seems I forgot to take a photo of it. I liked the oysters, didn't taste raw and very yummy!

Omakase isn't exactly high on my list for Best Japanese Restaurant Ever (the winner still remains with Kamameshi), but the food's good and if you're looking for a Japanese restaurant that's good for the buck, you should go here.

Omakase is located at Greenhills Shopping Center, Ground Level, Connecticut Arcade, Greenhills Shopping Complex in Ortigas Ave., Greenhills.

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Happy Lemon: Keeping Me Happy One Drink at a Time!

I love love love milk tea. I cannot live without that drink no matter what. If there's milk tea on your beverage menu, I most probably would order it. But I like things simple, I'm satisfied already with milk teas that Ersao or Som's serve. But if offered a chance to try other milk teas? I'm always game!

Finally, a much-needed visit to Happy Lemon! My friend and I have been planning this visit for so long and the time finally came!

Happy Lemon is actually a drinks franchise from Hong Kong which serves over 40 varieties of hot and cold tea drinks. Just another milk tea fad? Read on to find out!

Interiors are really cute and fun! The place is brightly lit and their tagline, "Happy Everyday!" is emblazoned everywhere. When went there, the place didn't have that much people and we were able to get our orders quickly.

After ordering from the counter, you're given a number so they can prepare your drink fresh and serve it to you.

As per my friend's recommendation, I tried the Lemon Yakult (P100 for large, P90 for regular). This is definitely a drink for Yakult lovers! When I drank this, memories of my childhood days spent chugging down Yakult and hearing the bell ring from the Yakult peddler came back.

The drink has lemon zest inside, which was kind of a hindrance for me because I didn't know if I should chew them or spit them out (crazy, I know!). But the drink was good--I would definitely order this again when I come back if I don't have an inkling to try another flavor. Also tastes like a slushie Yakult with a hint of sourness that's not too overpowering.

If you're not a big fan of Yakult don't order this one.

My friend, Danny G, ordered the Burnt Caramel Milk Tea with Pearls (P90 for large):

My first sip was..."di ko gets." But eventually on the second sip, I got the taste! Tastes mostly tea-ish and the burnt caramel was a nice touch. Don't expect the drink to be too sweet though!

Pearls are small, sago-sized. I thought there was a good amount already put in. Mix the ingredients around to get the full effect!

And a final photo of us very satisfied with our drinks! We'll be sure to come back and try more drinks soon!

Ending note: I actually reviewed the place because one of my former employees are actually working here. Congrats to Chris Tiu for a new successful business! Try try try Happy Lemon guys, its good!

Parking may be a bit of a hassle in Greenhills during the holiday season, but you can drive by and let your driver idle for awhile because they serve the drinks pretty fast. Also wanted to add that we paid for our drinks and none of these were for free.^^ 

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Som's Noodle House: Thai on a Budget!

Have you guys noticed that my posts have involved food lately? I think its the Christmas season affecting me--there's always this inclination to eat, eat, eat!

Som's Noodle House, serves Thai food at a cheap price! This is located at a walking distance from my house, a few seconds away from Rockwell. Anytime I need hot Thai comfort food, its a go-go to Som's!

A word of advice first though, when going to Som's, do NOT have high expectations. Just think your regular restaurant inside a house. The interiors are pretty simple, chairs and tables that can accommodate a few people outside (with umbrellas) plus more on the inside.

We always get our usuals:

Yellow chicken curry (P102), good for 2-3 persons then we just get rice and that's enough for us!

Thai milk tea (P40) which I do do love because its bottled so you can buy a lot of quantities. Doesn't taste too milky so its good!

Plus a new dish we tried, Spicy Squid (forgot how much this was but costs kinda the same with all the ulams). This was too spicy for me. I think I was only able to eat a few bites. If you can take the heat, its pretty good as well.

And that's it! I swear I'll be posting something about something related to make-up soon! Happy Holidays everyone!!!^^

Som's Noodle House is located at 5921 A. Alger St. Poblacion, Makati. You can reach it by going straight to Kalayaan after Rockwell and turning at the first street. They also serve barbecue at the side you can order with your meal.

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Charlie's Grind & Grill: Comfort Food at It's Fatty Best!

My boyfriend has been telling me to try this burger place called Charlie's for the longest time ever (since its located so near his house), but since I'm not a burger person, I would usually decline.

But on one fateful day I was immensely craving a fatty midnight snack and came across so many blogs heaping praises on the food. Without any hesitation, I called my boyfriend up and headed over to Charlie's!

I was so so happy because they had buffalo wings (most favorite thing to munch on at night) on the menu! They also have an array of burgers, milkshakes, cheese steaks and sandwiches to choose from. They also offer cold American Premium beers! Midnight snack perfect-ness!

I got myself a Chocolate Milkshake (P150) because I was feeling extra fatty that night. Its basically Hershey's chocolate syrup blended with vanilla ice cream. How'd I know? I saw them making it. I had to remove the cherry (I don't eat them) but everything else tasted excellent.

Boyfriend had the Black Angus Burger with Fries which costs P175. Charlie's bestseller and a must-try for anyone who first visits the restaurant.
I found the burger really good, which is a huge deal coming from me, a non-burger person. It was tender and very flavorful. They serve the burger with the top bun to the side.

I had a Half-dozen Buffalo Wings (Hot) for P170. Hot is actually their mildest hot flavor. I'll probably try the next level next time I visit because the spicy factor of this one was pretty mild. They serve it with blue cheese and veggie sticks--thought this was a good idea because the carrots, celery and singkamas offset the spiciness of the chicken.

 

The wings had a lot of meat--so good I was able to finish 5 wings all in all. I think attempting to eat all 6 would've made me too full already. The skin was excellent, it retained its crispyness plus there were no signs of soggy buffalo wings here!

Also got an extra basket of fries (P60). These are 100% hand-cut! Very good but really filling. I had to put in a bit more salt to enjoy them.

This was a definite bang for buck! There's no service charge and the service was good. I haven't experienced the crowd that most share when they eat there, but I will definitely be coming back and trying their cheese steak next time.

Charlie's Grind & Grill is located at 16 East Kapitolyo Drive, Pasig City.

How to get there: Charlie's can be found along the road where Cafe Juanita is located. You need to drive past Cafe Juanita, Three Sisters and Good Burger. You have to park in front of the car wash or have your car washed. :) I'm always having a hard time scheduling a car wash because I felt it's a waste of time. But now I have a good reason to do it -- to enjoy the best burgers in town. (courtesy of OUR AWESOME PLANET)

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Yummy Yummy Chicken BonChon at Ayala Triangle!

Chicken BonChon is actually from South Korea! Coolness!^^

Place was packed--but since this is a fast food, you have to get your own table using your own devious ways! We came into the restaurant for take-out and the line, although it was long--advanced pretty fast. Considering their POS was broken and they were doing everything manually (plus only 1 girl was manning the counter AND following up the orders), we got our order in about 20 minutes.

My only complaint was that they had NOTHING available on the menu except the chicken, rice and a few drinks. Everything else wasn't available for ordering. I was looking forward to trying the Kimchi Coleslaw too!

  Bang for your buck: get the meals or if you're a group get a box of chicken plus rice!

  

We ordered a box of Chicken combo. consisting of both wings and drumsticks with Soy Garlic sauce (P365). BonChon doesn't allow you to mix the flavors in 1 box (I wish they did though) so you have to stick to one kind.

 Smells absolutely heavenly!!!

 Chicken is all ready to be eaten, hurray!!!

I really want to say that I truly enjoyed my BonChon experience, but they were completely lacking in beverages or their side orders that I can't say I've tried it all. But the chicken is yummy, even if its not warm anymore. The skin tastes wonderful and I wish I could've tried it with a hot cup of rice. Ohwell, there's a next time anyway!

Bon Chon Chicken is found at Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City.

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Experincing Wee Nam Kee @ Ayala Triangle Gardens

How was my Wee Nam Kee Manila experience? Read on to find out!

My friends and I arrived at Wee Nam Kee at around 11:50am. Sure enough, there was a line outside the restaurant and we immediately signed up our names and were told that we would have to wait for around 30-45 minutes before we could get a table. We asked if we could already order, but she said we couldn't and they took no reservations.

10 minutes passed. I went back to talk with the girl manning the reception outside and she said we haven't budged in the line and still had to wait another 30 minutes. After 10 minutes more, we come back--there was already pandemonium. Apparently the girl said we were already called and we weren't around so we were bumped down the list. Several other guests were exasperatingly trying to get their name back on the list because they had the same experience as we did. Also, there was a group outside who said they had reserved for 17 people, but they girl replied that someone else had already arrived so they gave their table away! Their orders hadn't even been prepared as well.

All bad things aside, we were finally given a table but it was outside. Since we were rushing, we chose to give in. It was pretty hot because this was already around 1PM!

Anyway we took it all in stride since we were already pretty hungry and not in the mood to argue with anyone and ordered the Roasted Chicken and Steamed Chicken Personal sets, the Cereal Prawns and the Fried Squid. Each table had these condiments for the chicken:

 Chili, soy sauce and garlic

The personal sets:

 Steamed Chicken (found this to be more in quantity than the Roasted Chicken (P168)

 Hainanese rice that goes with it

 Roasted Chicken Personal Set -- I didn't find anything extraordinary with this (P168)

Our verdict was: STEADY. Nothing was extra spectacular about these two, it tasted quite ordinary. I mean I'm no food critic but it just didn't make me go, "Oohhhhh this is so good, I have to come back and eat here again!" Or maybe it was just the heat that didn't make me enjoy much, or the fact that we weren't served the soup that came with the personal sets?

 Cereal Prawns -- was surprised this still has its shell over its coating! The cereal flakes were pretty good, I couldn't stop eating it on its own. (P375 for 4 pcs)

 Honey Crispy Squid  -- tastes like what it looks like. (P230)

 Lime Juice (P50)

I haven't been to Singapore so I haven't experienced the original Wee Nam Kee. I have to say I was a bit disappointed with my experience here but well I have to give props to the price and to consider that they're still a few days into their opening. Hopefully they do something about the service because some of the staff were pretty rude (and confused).

The best Hainanese chicken for me still remains to be found in Tao Yuan Restaurant over at Malate. It is pricier but you get delicious goodness for your money. Am I coming back to eat? Probably not anytime soon.

Wee Nam Kee is found at Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati City; Tel. No. 846-8924. Open from 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily.

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