I don't look for the taste of bibingka much, even during Christmas. I've developed a hankering for…read moresapin-sapin and other kakanin sometimes, but since we don't often have bibingka, even during its season, I don't crave it as a holiday treat. But it just so happened that I was going through Starmall this one time and I wanted to get my friends at the clinic a treat. I combed through the disorder of stalls and passersby on the ground floor, and though the Mister Donuts and Muhlach Ensaymada seemed tempting, I opted to try something different and go for the Bibingkinitan. Was I surprised! The bibingka was really good! The bread was soft, flavorful, and rich with all that cheese and butter. I did not expect it at all, since I always found the branding to be a little corny, and again, I'm not much for bibingka, but it's definitely something I would have again.

After going vegan, bibingka is one of the local snacks that I do miss from time to time…read more Bibingkinitan was one of those ~great innovations~ that made bibingka more accessible and appealing to all generations... except that I choose not to consume eggs and dairy. But I was so glad to have been able to try Bibingkinitan's kapeng barako. If you're looking for a decent cup of coffee that's not going to cost you a hundred pesos, theirs are pretty good. Their coffee is a great companion too if you're catching Shang's day-long film festivals and your eyelids need an extra boost. However, I am *still* dreaming of the possibility of vegan bibingka. Please, make it possible!

I'm still on the fence about food courts. They tend to be noisy, crowded, and teeming with funky…read moresmells from all the shops surrounding it, that sometimes you'll emerge smelling like the 478.5 meals offered from every kiosk. Some venues are also greasy and badly designed that it feels like you're eating your last meal on Death Row. On the other hand, they're convenient, cheap, and great for groups with diverse food preferences and budgets. And if you're following a specialized regimen but still wish to eat at the mall, nobody will reprimand you for bringing in your own grub (a bit iffy, manners-wise, but can be easily remedied by purchasing a food item from any of the stores in the area). So despite my general ambivalence about mall food courts, to date this is a notch better than most. The first thing you'll notice is the overall design. It's relatively classier with clean seats and tables, plus plenty of headspace and breathing room. It's clean, as evidenced by the high activity from the custodians and busboys. I'm also sold on the alcove booths that allow for enough privacy between patrons, without suffocating them. The place caters to the upper middle demographic, so rowdy behavior from customers is kept at bay as compared to what you'll find in many other food courts. And of course, there's the food. You'll find a good variety of decent yet reasonably priced offerings here, from health food to one-way tickets to Coronary City. If the kiosks aren't enough, there is also a number of mid-priced restaurants surrounding the area. The food court is also located near the supermarket, where you can find more spots to eat and buy fresh goodies. This way, you're not short of meal options. And during weekends, they hold a food bazaar where you can buy specialty items to eat in situ or take home. Clean tables, decent crowd, and mostly good food. This is one of those food courts that I could have inside my house.

I have a phobia of food courts. I think it's the chaos and grossness of all these scores of people…read moreeating in one place at one time that gives me the heebie-jeebies. And with most food courts being in dim, grimy, heavy-looking basements, it becomes a sadder experience eating in one. But I do love Robinsons Magnolia's food court! It's also in the basement of the mall, right next to the parking garage, but it doesn't feel sad at all--I eat there all the time! For one, it's probably the roominess and bright whiteness around the place. Even with mid-height partitions separating tables and food stalls obscuring the view of the breadth of the court, it doesn't ever feel like cramped or oppressive. They also have great options on food, ranging from Zigla to Adobo Connection to Pepper Lunch to Potato Corner. I do think they need more of a variety still on stalls though. If you hate food courts as much as I do, the one in Magnolia might change your mind (or at least you'll want to eat in this one at least)!

Healthy food gets a bad reputation for being bland and sometimes downright appetizing and for a…read moregood reason, it just tastes like crap. Sure, it's loaded with vitamins and nutrients but if it tastes like cardboard then it completely takes away the joy of eating. Contrary to what most people believe, you don't always have to sacrifice flavor for nutrition and Yin Yang's Chinese Fresh Lumpia shows us how it's done. Its shredded cabbage and carrot, rolled in a soft lumpia wrapper. Inside you would find nuts, nori and seaweed. Topped with a sweet sauce, Yin Yang's lumpia is proof that eating right can actually taste good. Tips: 1. Have one before going to the grocery. This helps you cut down on junk food shopping. 2. Best to buy the lumpia before noon. I find that it tastes better. 3. You can order a box for take-out too.

Next to Globe Lumpia in Binondo, this is #2 in my list for the best lumpiang sariwa in Manila. This…read moreplace offers vegetarian lumpia (also vegan!) and for such simple ingredients, it's incredibly tasty. I just love the seaweed! The first time I tried it, I was actually a bit confused with the taste at it leans more towards nutty and sweet, unlike most lumpias that are mostly garlicky. I did fall in love with it after a few bites, and it's always been a place for me to grab a quick snack at Town. It's located at the food court, which is perfect because I pair this with a fresh fruit smoothie. Perfect afternoon snack! Also, not expensive! Both tummy and wallet are satisfied.

This is the oldest mall in the Philippines and has since gone through many renovations. There are…read moreso many malls in the Philippines compared to America. There's a mall in every city, some cities even have multiple malls. I had the pleasure of going here a couple of times because this mall seems to have everything. There are furniture stores, spas, computer rooms, a movie theater, bowling, bingo, salons, arcades, jewelry stores, restaurants, a DFA office for passports, what do they not have? This place is so big that it feels like a black hole and I've only made a dent in the huge black hole that's the Ali Mall. People watching is fun here. Thought people watching was fun in America? Try doing it here. There's every kind of Filipino at this mall. A difference is that people people watch you too, and they don't hide the fact that they're doing it. Caught someone staring at you? They won't look away even after you caught them.

Ali Mall was built long before Cubao became a popular shopping complex…read more The 3rd level is an all-in-one stop for all the government offices including DFA for Passport Application, LTO, SSS, and Pag-ibig. All the major banks are also found in the same area--BDO, BPI, Chinabank, and Land Bank. Line runs fast and transactions are very convenient.

I will admit, it took me a while to realize what the name of this place actually is. When I finally…read morefigured it out, it turned out to be pretty amusing. Kalborgers. Ha. Anyway. From the get-go, you'd probably think Kalborgers is just another nameless burger stand. But there's one major glaring difference: the price range. While you can get a burger for about 25-30php at Angel's, Kalborger offers their regular burger at 40php, another at 65php and their last at 150php. The difference? SIZE. Their regular burger is probably around the same size as an Angel's burger. The Super at 65php is much larger and the 150php whopper is literally a whopper. It's as big as a paper plate. Like... up to the edge big. You could turn it into a mini-pizza big. That's pretty impressive, if anything. Tastewise though, it isn't anything amazing. It's a typical hamburger with all the trimmings. One good thing though is that it isn't too fried to death like most people do. It's not on the dry side... at least not cardboardy-dry.

Edsa Central is a small commercial building just a few meters away from the corner of Shaw…read moreBoulevard and EDSA. Due to its size, the number of stores is small. There are some well-known brands but most are local stores that are not that famous. And I think that's a good thing. It gives the said brands the chance to carve out their own niche. Without popular brands that normally grab shoppers' attentions, these smaller brands get more than their usual share of attention. The center hall of the ground floor is occupied by a sort of mini-bazaar selling clothes, bags, shoes and even second-hand books. There are also several food outlets that occupy the outer areas of the building. I find that these food outlets get less crowded compared to their counterparts in Greenfield District so these are your better options during lunch or dinner time.

Robinsons Place Mall is a huge lifestyle center, located in the Ermita district of Manila. It's a…read morebit of an oasis; Robinsons Place is very nice, but the area surrounding it is drab by comparison. And it is more than just a "shopping mall". In addition to retail and grocery stores, restaurants, and salons--it has offices for government services! During my stay in Manila, I purchased meals, goods and services here. It was also interesting to people watch; examine products and brands new to me; and compare the price of goods in the PHL, versus back home.

Robinsons Mall in Manila is one huge shopping mall. I believe I counted 7 levels at this shopping…read moreplace. We only had about an hour to explore, and we only saw a tiny fraction of what Robinsons has to offer. Wifey and I only ate food while we were here, and did some walking to burn off some of the calories. Robinson is one very clean mall. The air conditioning works really well which is great to have in the Philippines. Personally, I enjoy visiting shopping malls in the Philippines as compared to in the U.S.A. Robinsons Mall in Manila is a terrific spot to visit, shop, and cool down all at the same time.

I'm a big computer guy. It's important for me to have one and a good one. There was a point in my…read morelife where I would only get out of my room to eat then go back in to either work or play. I've been to Farmer's Plaza on several occasions. You would think that it's just some ordinary back water mall that doesn't have anything significant to offer. Well You'd be wrong. I was once in need of a particular piece for my desktop. Finding an extension cable with a signal booster for my receiver was quite a challenge. I thought I'd probably find one in some big fancy mall. Truth is, I found it somewhere else. I found it here. It just goes to show you that most of the places you'll find here might be modest or don't have a fancy or well established name, but it doesn't mean that you won't be able to find what you're looking for.

I've been to Farmer's Market more than a few times, especially when I find myself transferring from…read moreLRT-2 to MRT-3. That being said, I don't have much experience in exploring the entire mall, save for maybe the two floors I've been to and the outside when I had to get to SM Cubao. I like the thrift store finds you can check out upstairs - they've got some okay shirts if you're not too hung up over top quality clothes, and there's a lot of food to buy on the way to the MRT, like Pizza Hut, Gonuts Donuts, Jollibee, and I usually get something to eat more often than not. The wet market outside is a bit more structured than most wet markets like the one in Pasig Palengke, and the prices are the same. There are a lot of stalls and I find the vendors are rather competitive here. The setup allows for a lot of open air, so it's not as stuffy as other markets. Some stores in the area are air conditioned, even. The dampa is an okay place to eat, too.