Session in Bloom and PNKY Travel Cafe — Panagbenga Date (Part 1)

It’s been a while since we last posted an entry because we were both too busy; Pat with his thesis and me with work. The only time we have now are weekends but we try as much as we can to spend that time together or for rest.

One Sunday, though, we went on a planned date to Baguio since we wanted to take a break from all the stress. It was fitting, too, because it was the last day of Panagbenga, otherwise known as Baguio’s Flower Festival.

Our first stop was, of course, Session in Bloom. During The last week, they close Session Road to make way for stalls of food, accessories, clothes and other knick knacks from all over the Philippines but mostly from Baguio.

We actually took tons of photos but given that this is a food blog, we’re going to stick to just that. Our first food of the day (also known as our guilty pleasure): PROBEN or baticolon (chicken gizzard) dipped in batter and deep fried. Not the healthiest but, meh! 

I forgot the name of the stall where we got these but it wasn’t worth it. The gizzard was so tough and it was quite expensive for street food, too. 

I’ve been looking all over the province for cream puffs but nada! It’s so hard to find them here, so when we saw these I immediately urged Pat to get us some just to taste.

These definitely do not disappoint! It’s unlike most cream puffs I seen because they were  filled with custard to the brim! They were not stingy, at all, despite the 15php price tag. We got them at the Crandberry Bakeshop stall but their tarpaulin says that you can find them at KM 4, La Trinidad, Benguet (contact number: 424-2890).

They also had other pastries and cakes available on their cake stand. They’re too adorable to eat.

At 11am, we decided to have eat since I hadn’t had breakfast yet and it was almost lunch time anyway. I actually stumbled upon this cafe inEricke Tan’s and her Mom’s blogs and I was so anxious to try going there because it looked so interestingGiven that I was holding the camera, of course I had forgotten to take a photo of what the place’s exterior looked like. So I grabbed the first photo that I see in Google Images.

Photo from pinkyparra.com

It was indeed a very lovely, quaint, and homey place found in the midst of Leonard Wood right in front of the White House/Museum (notorious for being a haunted house in some Filipino horror movies). The cafe itself small but can definitely accommodate a lot and right beside it is the PNKY Bed and Breakfast.

I cant help but squeal with delight over their menu, it’s so ingenious! They actually made it look like a scrapbook of all the places that Pynky Magsino and her children have been to. The whole concept was born out of these kids paying homage to their mother.

Lomo photos on the counter.

I went a little click-crazy inside the cafe because the ambiance was just too beautiful to ignore. So, yes, photo spam up ahead.

Their ube is actually famous for being chunky. I’m kicking myself for not getting one.

Inside the cafe, you’ll see luggages in different kinds and sizes which I think is sort of an intended pun since it’s called a travel cafe after all. I heard that they also place the bill inside a mini luggage which we didn’t really get to see because we paid as we ordered.

Outside the cafe (and right in front of the B&B) are trellises with wooden seating decorated ethereally with white tulle and fake flowers.

Pat and I decided to eat on one of the trellises because for some reason, whenever we’re out and it’s not too hot, we always opt for outdoor seating even though we don’t really smoke. Besides, the setting outside looked pretty romantic to us, what with all the trees and the overcast weather.

Overall, there were 3 trellises and one wooden swing. We chose the 3rd one because it had back support (we both have bad backs and postures. LOL).

Their complimentary Tomato Soup. I would say that this actually tastes really nice. I was hesitant to try it because I thought it would taste like Italian tomato sauce (which I don’t like, just saying) but it didn’t. I’m not sure but I think I tasted a hint of cheese in it and who doesn’t like tomato paste and cheese together, huh?? Pat didn’t like it as much, though.

Cafe Latte. I’d hate to say this, but this was a disappointment. 😦 There was really nothing special about this coffee save for the tinee-tiny cookie on the side that immediately crumbled when I mixed it in. I guess it could be a matter of preference but I liked this better when I dumped 4 tablespoons of brown sugar in it.

Chicken Pollo. This was my order and to be honest, I didn’t like it that much. Again, it was a matter of preference because I don’t like sweet entrees. I’m a firm believer of sweets are for desserts ONLY. I mean, I guess it would’ve been nice if there was a contrasting flavor but there wasn’t. It was one note, all sweet. It’s not bad, but it’s not something I would order again. Patrick liked this one, though.

Beef a la Seine. Pat’s order and this time, he was the one who didn’t like it. For me it was okay, however, preferred this over my chicken because the pesto was the contrasting flavor that I was looking for but unfortunately, there wasn’t much of it. Pat and I ended up exchanging food. 

A la Rafael. You know how you see a brownie and right off the bat, you can tell that it’s gonna be dry and flaky? This is what I thought this brownie would be, but man, was I wrong! It was the perfect kind of crunchy on the outside and really really chewy on the inside. I loved it even though there were nuts on it and I hate nuts, I love vanilla ice cream, though!

So far, I would say (and pains me to say this but I have to be honest) that PNKY Travel Cafe is not the place you go to for the food, it’s where you go to if you want to relax after a long day at work,  to hang out with your friends after shopping, or to sit and chat with your boyfriend about future plans. I’m not saying that the food was bad, it wasn’t, really. But it was okay, it lacked a little more pizzazz. We would definitely give it a try again and order different entrees this time, after all, those may be the only problems that we had.

Rating:
Pat’s: 7 out of 10
Bea’s: 7 out of 10 (the brownies saved it for me)

PNKY Travel Cafe can be found in 13 Leonard Wood, 2600 Baguio City, Philippines. Contact number: (074) 442.5965 or 0922.842.5965.

S.O.U.L. Cafe: A Little Taste of the Urban Life in the Province

Hey all! It has been a while since our last food blog but we’ve been really really busy with work so I we had to push this back for a while. But, hey! We’re back now. I actually don’t know how to start this so I’m just gonna go ahead and talk about one of our favorite restaurants, S.O.U.L. Cafe.

Photo of the Facade from pinoygadgetista.blogspot.com

S.O.U.L. stands for Spice of Urban Life. Pat and I had been going to S.O.U.L. Cafe for a while now. In fact, we had one of our first dates there. We try to go at least once a moth so I guess it’s adequate to say that it’s one of our favoriteS. it’s not just because it’s the nearest gourmet restaurant to us (5-minute drive) but because the food actually tastes good!

It’s a quaint little bistro between Shell and Riverview in Udiao, Rosario, La Union, you have to really keep an eye on it because it’s not noticeable as it is small.

One of our favorite things to get from S.O.U.L. is their gourmet burger. The meat is so juicy, smokey and well seasoned. The sauce is the perfect contrast because it’s a little sweet and tangy.

Pat and I love this burger a lot that we always take one home with us whenever we have the chance (as evidenced by the photo above). Oh, and have I mentioned how perfect their fries are? They’re directly comparable to KFC’s bucket of fries, just a little less crunchy.

Garden Salad. I’m actually kinda weirded out about how it’s arranged like this. I guess I’m not used to salad lined up like this. The veggies were really fresh but I didn’t like the aoli dressing that much. They make you choose between garlic aoli and olive oil but I opted for the former.

Best mashed potato award! Well, for me, at least. I prefer a lumpier mash over a smooth, uber-mushy one.

Complimentary Squash Soup. This comes free with heavy meals. I’ve never been able to finish one since we started going to S.O.U.L.. Don’t get me wrong, it does taste good but I just couldn’t get myself to empty my bowl because I don’t want to mess my appetite up.

Pesto Pasta. I love this! The pasta s always cooked al dente and they always put a generous amount of pesto. It’s so pretty to look at, too!

Beef Salpicao with Pasta. This was the first thing I’ve tasted in S.O.U.L. and my favorite of all. This was also the first thing that Pat and I ate together as proven by the first salpicao photo which was taken on our first S.O.U.L. date (wow! That’s a lot of firsts!). The photo quality is pretty bad because it was taken through my old camera phone.

Grilled Lamb Chops. I really don’t want to say this but this is the only entree in S.O.U.L. that I didn’t like probably because it was undercooked and the meat was so hard. There was too much oil, too. I try not to be negative but it’s kinda inevitable that there will always be one thing that isn’t good at a restaurant. But it’s just this one, though!

Grilled Rib Eye Steak. First of all, isn’t the presentation so cute? It tastes as good as it looks, too!

Hunter’s Steak (Top Left). We only tried this once so I don’t really remember how it tastes like.

Osso Bucco. Pat tried this once, too! He likes the bone marrow part a lot. I tasted it and I do remember that it’s quite good, not just as good as the others.

Cream Dory with Ratatouille. I rarely eat fish but I am a huge fan of this one! I can’t quite describe it but it’s definitely one of the food in the menu that you should try when you’re in the cafe.

My favorite drink in the planet, Vanilla Milk Shake! Not particularly one from their restaurant but this one is amazing. I always, ALWAYS, order this one.

Strawberry Shake. I only had this once but the only reason why I did is because I always get Vanilla Shake. If they didn’t have the latter on the menu, I would always order this one.

Strawberry Crepe. I AM DROOLING AS I TYPE THIS RIGHT NOW! It’s the best crepe I’ve tried so far! The syrup, the cream, the strawberries, the crepe…EVERYTHING IS PERFECT! Also, I think they also soak the berries in simple syrup because they’re really really sweet which is unusual here in the Philippines. Normally, strawberries are sour here.

One of the touches that I find commendable in their restaurant are the little quotes that they stick on the food.

Prices range from 150php to 300php.

Rating
Pat’s: 9/10
Bea’s: 9/10

The end result 100% of the time:

If you are on your way to Baguio from the South (or vice versa), you should definitely not miss out on a chance to stop by and get well-cooked gourmet food from S.O.U.L. Cafe.

S.O.U.L. Cafe is located in Udiao, Rosario, La Union between Shell and Riverview. You may contact them at (072) 712-0852.

Bisous,

Todd’s Restaurant (American Food)

As you all know, Bea and I have been on a food adventure, trying every possible restaurant that we haven’t been in yet, specially ones that have different-than-the-usual dishes. This particular restaurant was actually Bea’s discovery as she went online looking for potential date places in Dagupan City.

The first time we went to Todd’s was for a date and a relaxation day for me planned by her. She knew very well that I love American food (I will always be partial to Big Mac, ALWAYS).

During the date, we ordered Nachos and Four-Cheese Pizza for the both of us to share. The nachos were just right but, as you can see from the photo above, it’s a bit heavy for an appetizer, I wish they had smaller servings of it. Bea thinks it fits better as a merienda rather than an appetizer but she really liked it. After all, anything that’s loaded with cheese and beef, Bea is a big fan of. LOL!

The Four-Cheese pizza was good, it was so cheezy (again, above photo reference!) and crispy as it was thin crust. Bea doesn’t like it as much, however, because she thinks that there was a “flour-y aftertaste.”

For main course, Bea ordered Todd’s Superburger. Normally, she’d order a rice or pasta meal for lunch because she believes that any meal without them just isn’t enough, but the poster of the burger outside was just too inviting for her not to try it. When it came to our table, she was happy to see that a ton of fries accompanied her Superburger. In her words the meat was so juicy and tasty that it’s definitely part of her top 10 burgers of all time (probably second to her Quarter Pounder with Cheese).

As for me, I finally had my hands on my first ever Philly Cheese Steak! To be honest, I first tasted it in Greenwich as a pizza flavor and since then, I’ve always wanted to know what an authentic one would taste like. This sandwich from Todd’s did not disappoint, AT ALL! The beef was so tender and it has the right combination of sweetness and savory(ness?). Topping this with loads of cheese, mayonnaise and bell peppers is just perfect, too! The only downside is that the bread was too thick and crunchy, other than that, though, it was perfect!

After a month, I scheduled change oil of our Innova at Toyota Dagupan and had brought along Bea and my sisters with me. We decided to go back to Todd’s since it was a safer choice taking note of the fact that we were with the kids.

My sisters, Trisha and Arri

…and us, of course!

During our 2nd visit I, again, ordered a Philly Cheese Steak and did not regret it. And for the first time, Bea ordered the same food! Well, let me explain, in every date we have, she always chooses to order a different dish from mine for she wanted us to have more choices by tasting each other’s dish. She tasted the Philly Cheese Steak on our first date and really loved it so she opted to get one on this time around.

Arriane ordered their Meaty Lasagna and yes, it does taste as good as it looks! I tried it and liked it since it wasn’t as salty compared to others, also, it wasn’t dominated by the tomato flavor, unlike most lasgnas.

For Trisha, we got Chicken Fingers. It’s actually an appetizer but we ordered an extra cup of rice to go with it to make it a complete meal. We actually did not expect that the serving was THIS BIG! It’s a good thing, though, because Trisha doesn’t eat a lot so there’s more for us to share! The combination of the breading and meat inside was just right, and I loved it how the breading’s flavor did not overpower the meat. Bea liked the mustard-cheese sauce a lot! In her opinion, it went well with the chicken.

As for the ambiance, it is actuallly commendable. There is ample room for seating at the 1st and second floor and it’s well decorated, too! The only negative? It was not really relaxing, they should’ve set the aircon to a cooler temperature, I was all sweating while eating! But, hey! They had parking spaces so we’re all good. LOL!

Rating:
Pat’s: 9/10
Bea’s: 8/10

Todd’s is located in A.B. Fernandez East, 2600 Dagupan City, Dagupan, Philippines. You may contact them at (075) 515 8900.

Definitely a restaurant worth revisiting!

Park & Kim BBQ+Gloria Jean’s Coffee: The 3rd Anniversary Date

On January 21, Pat and I decided to celebrate our 3rd year anniversary. It was originally on the 18th, but we were so busy that we were only able to go out the following Monday (which is actually my day off of work). Since he was going to Dagupan anyway, we decided to just go on a date there.

Park & Kim Korean BBQ

That day, we decided to go to Park & Kim BBQ in Eastgate Plaza for lunch. We had every intention to go before but we always tend to deviate towards Todd’s, the American restaurant right beside it (which we will write about in the future). This time around, we decided that we will FINALLY try Park & Kim BBQ since we hadn’t tried any Korean Food before.

I was pleasantly surprised with how the place looked like. It was quaint, but not too small, especially since there were not a lot of people inside. I find the framed yellow walls with the photos of the food they serve really quirky and attractive (it could be that I’m biased because I’m partial to yellow). The digital photos of Korea were really interesting to me, too!  Pat liked the fact that there wasn’t any music played. He likes to concentrate on his food. LOL! He doesn’t like it when restaurants play loud music, for him, it ruins the whole experience.

Mandatory selfies while waiting for the food. We’re not even slightly apologetic about camwhoring. LOL!

As for the menu, they actually offer a wide array of Korean Food such as Kimchi Soup, Squid Bokkeum (Stir fry), Mool Naengmyon (cold noodles) and Dry Spicy Noodles.

As we wait for our order, they brought us a plate of fried Zucchini and Kimchi. I was so scared to try it at first because I’m not really a big fan of uber spicy food, but I actually loved it because the it was the right kind of spice and tolerable, too! The Kimchi did not have the fishy type of spice wherein the sensation stays on your lips, it was quite fragrant and the heat was evenly spread all throughout the mouth. Furthermore, it perfectly matched the sweetness of the zucchini. I loved it!

Presenting, our entrees! Since Pat and I are first time Korean foodies, we tried the ones we always hear about, Dolsot Bibimbap (mixed rice in a stone pot) and Beef Bulgogi (marinated barbecued beef). The food was actually really good! I must say, however, that I preferred Pat’s over mine. Yes, it was tasty, delicious, even, but I’m not a big fan of sweet viands. I liked how his Bibimbap had a variety of savory flavors with a hint of nutty-ness (considering that I don’t like nuts, that says a lot!). Pat, on the other hand, says he likes my Bulgogi better than his because it’s sweet enough for him to enjoy. Nevertheless, he enjoyed his food, as well. We were thinking of exchanging food but he was already halfway his…Yoko nga, no fair!

The service was okay, as far as I am concerned, the servers were very nice. As for the portions, I have to commend the fact that they’re huge considering the price (it ranges from 170-270php) and we were so full after lunch. Later, we went to Terra Spa (also located inside East Gate Plaza) to get a massage and make space for dessert (THERE SHOULD ALWAYS BE ROOM FOR DESSERT!!!). Quick segue, you MUST visit Terra Spa when you’re in Dagupan, their massages are amazing!

Rating:
Pat’s: 10/10 (man, he really loved this place!)
Bea’s: 8.5/10

Park & Kim is located in Eastgate Plaza, A.B. Fernandez East, Dagupan City, Pangasinan. You can contact them at (075) 513-8800.

Gloria Jean’s

Pat surprised me by bringing me to Gloria Jean’s. I’ve been wanting to get myself a white hot chocolate and upon knowing that they have it, he placed it in our day’s itinerary. He actually planned the whole date!

The first thing I’ve noticed is how well decorated the place it but it was so jam-packed-full of people which defeats the purpose of a coffee shop in my books. The small introvert in me prefers quiet almost deserted coffee shops where you can just sit back study or read a book. Pat was astonished with the fact that they have a parking space and that he can see where he is parked. *Sigh* My boyfriend and his love for his car!

Of course I ordered a Hot White Chocolate and I loved it to bits (so did Pat)! Why wouldn’t I when it’s two of my favorite things in the world combined: White Chocolate and Hot Chocolate. Pat was asking me if I wanted another order but I said no because I thought I was too full. It was only after I finished it up when I realized that I should have said yes. Ugh!

Pat’s Iced White Chocolate Mocha. It’s pretty but don’t be fooled. I think it was so full of ice that it tasted a little…stale (sorry!). He didn’t enjoy it either because he thinks it was too bitter for an Iced drink.

Our Moist Chocolate Cake which lives up to it’s name. It’s so rich, dense and moist and not too sweet, too! This is definitely a must-have.

We bought a small pack of Cheetos in GJ for the ride home because one does not simply pass by a bag of Cheetos and not get it.

Rating:
Pat’s: 8/10
Bea’s: 8/10

Gloria Jean’s is located in Orient Pacific Center, Perez Boulevard, Dagupan City, Pangasinan. You may contact them at (075) 513-8800.

Overall, the food that we had during the day were more than satisfactory and we are looking forward to more food journeys in the future!

Cheers,