Modern Filipino Brunch at Sentro 1771

Serendra offers various restaurant choices from fine to casual dining.

That Sunday afternoon we settled at Sentro 1771 to have a cozy and relaxed brunch.

We ordered Tofu ala sisig

A very creamy and healthy appetizer.

Green Mango Salad topped with sweet dilis

The sour mango coupled with the sweet dilis was really good.

Sinigang na Baboy

They let us sip the broth for the sinigang first should we want to adjust the taste according to our preference and when it was served to us, it's just right.

If you're coming from High Street, it's the first restaurant you'll see on the right side. It might look intimidating but you shouldn't be. A budget of P350 per person is enough. You'll enjoy not just the food but the modern Filipino feel as well.

Sentro 1771 is located at Piazza Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, Metro Manila

Oceana lets you Taste the World

Not feeling the Mall ambiance, the crowd and the noise that comes with it?

But needs to be within the vicinity of one.

Well then, Oceana is a good spot to dine.

Situated at the cornermost part of SM Mall of Asia's By the Bay (Near One Esplanade).

A restuarant detached from the main mall that provides a different feel.

Atleast for a while, you'll forget that you're in a nearby shopping center.

It's like being in another place, far from from the hustle and bustle.

It takes you to a gastronomic tour around the world.

Been there a few times for a wedding, to simply check the place, but didn't try to dine, thinking it's pricey.

Yet when we finally did, we were surprise that the food are accordingly priced

Not at all expensive, atleast not as what we've expected.

After settling at our table. we were excited and ready to TASTE THE WORLD.

They served us ONION SOUP, compliments of Oceana.

Then We ordered TASTE OF KYOTO for appetizer

Breaded veggies, chicken yakitori, and sushi.

If you have a small appetite, it can be a meal already, especially with the big cuts of sushi.

Four Seasons Shake

For our main course, We were served TASTING BARCELONA

It's a large plate full of rice mixed with seafood, slices of sausage and pork.

Didn't we just had big bites of SUSHI?

That's when we really proved that they do have large servings,

We had more than what we can take.

A piece of advice.

Their serving per meal on the menu is already good for 3 to 4 persons.

They told us about it before ordering but we still went through on ordering two sets.

If you're just a couple dining, you could order one meal with variations.

Like the Taste of Kyoto. That would cost you a little below P500.

For a group of four, ordering two sets would be enough to satisfy your hunger.

Costing your group only about a thousand. That's P250 per person.

Things I like about Oceana:

The food was great, and again affordable.

Of course, it's CCA.

The table setting and theme of the restaurant.

It's not located inside the mall

It's by the bay, and beside it is a mini park.

The calm setting, you can really have a good conversation.

You can watch while the Teacher Chef and the students prepare your food.

We enjoyed our dinner and loved the place.

Will be trying out next time with a group of friends.

Then maybe go watch a movie at IMAX after.

What to do in Cagayan with less than a thousand

Before even setting foot on the plane and travelling south to Mindanao, I’ve dedicated some time googling about what to do in Cagayan de Oro besides the famous whitewater rafting. We were about to spend 24 hours in the City of Golden Friendship with no idea what the place has in store for us.

But why didn’t we go for the extreme sport? Excluding the activities offered by Kagay from our itinerary was actually part of the plan because aside from the fact that my boyfriend and I didn’t have the luxury of time do it, we allotted 90% of our budget to our Camiguin trip.

So what would two people do in a faraway place with only a grand on hand and the rest of the night to spend? Eat.

I’ve read a lot about a place called Limketkai Center but didn’t know exactly what it was. Apparently it’s a famous local mall – a famous mall that closes a few minutes past 8:00pm. So much for spending the rest of the evening, right? In Makati, 5pm and 8pm are only separated by the sunset The night is young for everyone.But thank God and the Cagayanos for Rosario Strip. It’s a chain of really nice restaurants located right across the East Concourse of the mall that offers al fresco dining. I ‘m a huge fan of al frescos! Anyway, here’s how we spent Php1,000 and generously filled two hungry stomachs.

First stop: Appetizer

Where: Bourbon St. Bistro

What we had: 2 tall glasses of Mojito and chicken quesadilla (not sure if liquor’s valid as appetizer but who cares.)

Chicken Quesadillas

Mojitos!

Verdict: The mojitos were cheap at Php150 for 2. They offer buy 1 take 1 on mojitos from 4pm-6pm, Sundays to Thursdays. We got there at around 5:46pm so we were right on time. The chicken quesadilla tasted like a quesadilla –well it better be- nothing special except for its spice. The guacamole and salsa dip were good. The rest of the food on their menu sounded and looked delicious on the picture but were pretty expensive. Prices range from Php150 – Php700.

Second stop: Entree

Where: Cafe Macumba

What we had: Tuna Belly in Mornay Sauce and Tangigue Steak

Tuna Belly in Mornay Sauce

Tangigue Steak

Verdict: The 2 courses didn’t have any significant difference as regards the taste and the ingredients used besides the species of the fish. I don’t know if it was our fault that we didn’t get 2 totally opposite meals but I guess their name should suggest that they’re not exactly the same. But judging from the pictures, they look like one meal. Price-wise though, Cafe Macumba is way cheaper than Bourbon St.

The place had a relaxed atmosphere – perfect for hanging out with friends and drinking and chatting the night away. But probably not for a romantic date.The bill was less than Php 400.

Last stop: Coffee

Where: Taza Coffee

What we had: Almond Roca Coffee, Cappuccino, Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Verdict: The oatmeal cookies were tougher than 4 pieces of crackers eaten altogether. I had to dip it in my bitter Almond Roca coffee to soften it a bit. The cappuccino was okay and that was sadly the only good thing. Their prices are cheap though, so I’m not sure if that was just what we got for the value we paid for. Plus we only had 3 out of their long line of coffee and pastry selections so I’m not really in the position to give an overall judgment. Maybe if we ordered a slice or two of their cakes and a frappuccino, the coffee experience would have been different.

The place is worth a try, though. 2 cups of coffee and 2 cookies for less than Php200 can’t be that bad.

All in all, I love CDO! The place may be popular for the sport which we weren’t able to do but there’s more to the city than just that. And I’m definitely hoping to go back to Rosario Strip! There’s not a lot of place where you can hangout and taste good food with just a little budget.

Any experience, as long as it’s new, is always worth a try.:)

Have Breakfast at Perfect Loaf Bakery & Cafe

Attending Holy Mass in Holy Rosary Parish Church at 6AM to catch the English session leaves you with a few choices for breakfast afterwards. Not a lot of restaurants and food stalls are open that early.

Fast food chains would be the usual option, but during this visit I didn’t let it happen. Been in Pampanga several times already, and I just have to try something new.

After making rounds and looking for a place, we finally find just the right spot to have our morning meal.

The Perfect Loaf Bakery & Café in Angeles, Pampanga. Just around Nepo Mart and the Holy Angels University.

It has the ambiance that fits the morning chill mood, and that I really like. I enjoy having breakfast with a setting that gives you that good sunshine vibe. When you have that feeling in the morning, it carries on for the rest of the day.

As for the food, you can choose from their Pinoy ‘silog’ favorites or prefer to have American breakfast. Of course, their bakery has lot of bread choices and I must say that it’s all reasonably priced. Price range: Bread starts at 12php to around 60php. Meals are at 80php to 150php.

I had Waffle with Cinnamon and Sausage, I also tried their clubhouse sandwich, enjoyed it both. But not the coffee. It’s not strong enough for me.

I bought cheese breads and ensaymadas for pasalubong. Had a hard time choosing because there are just so many breads and you just want to try everything.

It’s a good breakfast experience. It saved me from eating fast food set meals that day.

The next time I’ll attend mass in Angeles, this would be my to-go place.

Perfect Loaf Bakery & Cafe is located at Teresa Avenue, Nepo Mart Complex, Angeles CityTel No. (045) 888-6625 / (045) 323-4282

NFS