Happy Foodies

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYs_PUi0YClU1TC8O631r7c0FnZHnr3aFF1ZaHkpNjf8NCtvPT3sYV3LmAaTz-0Jf0wq2Db9Pnj16-Pz5A9yDQwO99meMMDuu95mNB6huxT1bfTXadiwf0CRwuqQNAsRbOl0dnV4XXlvNTsabZkWj04XuC7BQ4Yuik8MhZA-1zR7BK4H0d0MOaE0Uik8o/s640/all-day-exotic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYs_PUi0YClU1TC8O631r7c0FnZHnr3aFF1ZaHkpNjf8NCtvPT3sYV3LmAaTz-0Jf0wq2Db9Pnj16-Pz5A9yDQwO99meMMDuu95mNB6huxT1bfTXadiwf0CRwuqQNAsRbOl0dnV4XXlvNTsabZkWj04XuC7BQ4Yuik8MhZA-1zR7BK4H0d0MOaE0Uik8o/s16000/all-day-exotic.jpg"></a></div><br>The land-locked province of Nueva Vizcaya is agriculturally rich and nature still thriving in this part of Luzon. The land abundant with natural resources is also reflected in their native cuisines. From my recent visit, I wasn't surprised to see a few bugs on their table but these are cooked and ready to eat. Not something I would see every day. If one wants to try these dishes, we visited <strong>All Day Exotic</strong>, a resto-bar offering exotic cuisines in their menu every day.<p></p>

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AolDTn0RODqkMNvdIoa7YeugqB5NGsiBeuBLfNJPbq1nKvVM83v_Ohe6UKdfSEfolhQnjJaVw64j1X_DmkN4V6083mZMZqQyZUhVgNzpTvF3ZwOnKa4W7UDw8eLmFLUnPtDPL1oHMT8Ei4Aq6eJ24Mjm69ZCNUViXQrDRhNYMvgQCvwIWIvkm0sDi4E/s1280/mrs-bakers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8AolDTn0RODqkMNvdIoa7YeugqB5NGsiBeuBLfNJPbq1nKvVM83v_Ohe6UKdfSEfolhQnjJaVw64j1X_DmkN4V6083mZMZqQyZUhVgNzpTvF3ZwOnKa4W7UDw8eLmFLUnPtDPL1oHMT8Ei4Aq6eJ24Mjm69ZCNUViXQrDRhNYMvgQCvwIWIvkm0sDi4E/s16000/mrs-bakers.jpg"></a></div><br>It's always a delight to find good restaurants outside of the metro. <strong>Mrs Baker's</strong> in Nueva Vizcaya is worth a stop when traversing the roads to Tuguegarao or Banaue. This two-story establishment with warm and homey interiors is owned by Chef Jehan Damasco who has competed on international pastry competitions. Established in 2010, Chef Jehan had cooked up a sumptuous menu of local favorites and international flavors that not only Nuvo Vizcayanos rave about but those fortunate visitors enough to have stumbled upon this gem of a resto. We went here twice when we were in Nueva Vizcaya and here's to share some of our favorite dishes.<p></p>

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5nMxIyY1J311YEMrFlKJ-oVSYuoHOx_figSqBvfXMWoi_zubngd2xWRdG4VSGK_RQ5W7BVVqfz2CndYt9CuvHjaxACZLrJZsxJQ4V6HsisuPC5Q99X1Cz6FVyuMzclZ5kgJdIrDf7Y9T0e_jCDM8db5vpteDZw7vQP8SL31klpP0G81B9U_onsh-eLo/s1280/no-diet-in-diet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX5nMxIyY1J311YEMrFlKJ-oVSYuoHOx_figSqBvfXMWoi_zubngd2xWRdG4VSGK_RQ5W7BVVqfz2CndYt9CuvHjaxACZLrJZsxJQ4V6HsisuPC5Q99X1Cz6FVyuMzclZ5kgJdIrDf7Y9T0e_jCDM8db5vpteDZw7vQP8SL31klpP0G81B9U_onsh-eLo/s16000/no-diet-in-diet.jpg"></a></div><br>Daet is the best place to get a good introduction to Bicolano cuisines. Contrary to what many think, Bicol is not all spicy. <strong>Daet</strong> spice scale is tempered down. Being the first Bicol region in the west, the influence from Quezon and Batangas is apparent. For our #DateinDaet tour, we got to binge on some of the local delicacies and modern favorites in between our activities. Here are some of the establishments you should checkout.<p></p>

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJYG74A1V9_WIIKEwA1oTCw2phCHFPlkj4OmqOssficierGE7YVNosGNsl44A5mQcynqb7gG42sED1xMeZetV5wEcG7mlbt6sOU10jee1GrsAcpwbgi0NrQkeZA7v3VzHPGDlKkhQ-M5UFORlmr95V7q_y7g9J5XsPIRJE1HFa8QLdrVOJPJExRsfsPI/s1024/bonbanmhi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="768" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilJYG74A1V9_WIIKEwA1oTCw2phCHFPlkj4OmqOssficierGE7YVNosGNsl44A5mQcynqb7gG42sED1xMeZetV5wEcG7mlbt6sOU10jee1GrsAcpwbgi0NrQkeZA7v3VzHPGDlKkhQ-M5UFORlmr95V7q_y7g9J5XsPIRJE1HFa8QLdrVOJPJExRsfsPI/s16000/bonbanmhi.jpg"></a></div><br>One of life's hidden blessings is living a short walk away from nice eating places.   It doesn't always have to be fancy, swanky places or franchises of big chains.   Personally, we at Happyfoodies are big fans of small establishments, hole-in-the-walls and mom-and-pop operations whose offerings defy their size and relative obscurity.  Stumbling upon <strong>BonBanhmi</strong> along Mayapis in Makati is a good example, a small nondescript shop operated from the house.  If it weren't for the small sign, it's fairly easy to miss.  The giveaway sight is the usual display counter.  For an eating area, it has a converted garage furnished with monobloc tables and chairs.  But if the place is simple, the food is anything but.<p></p>

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiQyTd2aGJX3FNg7MK-EvemFYkUp5gI9k10jpo3lQ9BTCotSgROhJrsiArktMO4X6je78qq0wfbJy_AoguSoaCeWensa4B9Kj9X9zs3h6DlpShPTbnZxB-scj7N9MUn49Ml6nrkk8a-mFnY7MWW1Qo8v0oN1YKc1j53VkkTrxw8k98zApHfdtAovJ6ns/s600/hanumaruken-ramen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifiQyTd2aGJX3FNg7MK-EvemFYkUp5gI9k10jpo3lQ9BTCotSgROhJrsiArktMO4X6je78qq0wfbJy_AoguSoaCeWensa4B9Kj9X9zs3h6DlpShPTbnZxB-scj7N9MUn49Ml6nrkk8a-mFnY7MWW1Qo8v0oN1YKc1j53VkkTrxw8k98zApHfdtAovJ6ns/s16000/hanumaruken-ramen.jpg"></a></div><br>With the ramen craze phenomenally sweeping across the metro, it wouldn't be far for popular Japanese brands would come in like the recent opening (November 2013) of <strong>Hanamaruken Ramen</strong> at the Trinoma's Garden Restaurant. Originally established in 1982 in Osaka Japan, <strong>Hanamaruken Ramen</strong> has about 40 branches in Japan and is highly popular for its slow-braised pork rib-topped <strong>Signature Happiness Ramen</strong> that takes about 20 hours to prepare. Happyfoodies was invited to dine in their first Philippine branch so I along with guest foodie, Jen, happily tried out some of their offerings.<p></p>

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-Hq8duJfZWZWbT6Hbm8TbGCDbtSBggkibRselIYjoOL2GeV_mCt4xaaDtCRNrsMaHURO-qcQsZzdqiInbjzUjLSgq53s6IgIWpvjp8nlaYJ-WC99St_bWK0h8bWWvL3LUs1juDU6NwFvBcB3Laua6GOicZD-ndWVjE-sLjY_u_QfOkNkgF6uIXYlsu0/s600/cocoon-boutique-hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-Hq8duJfZWZWbT6Hbm8TbGCDbtSBggkibRselIYjoOL2GeV_mCt4xaaDtCRNrsMaHURO-qcQsZzdqiInbjzUjLSgq53s6IgIWpvjp8nlaYJ-WC99St_bWK0h8bWWvL3LUs1juDU6NwFvBcB3Laua6GOicZD-ndWVjE-sLjY_u_QfOkNkgF6uIXYlsu0/s16000/cocoon-boutique-hotel.jpg"></a></div><br>It's not every day that you can dine surrounded by the very herb plants that season your food.  But at <strong>Cocoon Boutique Hotel</strong>'s rooftop restaurant, that's what you experience exactly with every meal.  Call it an organic experience but for those old enough to remember, this is what our parents and grandparents used to do way way back when most houses still have backyard gardens and seasoning as well as whole ingredients are plucked from just outside the kitchen, not the nearest supermarket.<p></p>

<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ05IY0r_b1CjQHE3qD33O4lHXOv3bENSIWJhaH7szY9iKk5icZhAd0bynUctW3l56KgY0iDAD_ZvaxeiJgcun80FpnOk6OPgfKrpMTTIafdMS8u-FJK8axc6KGbZSyy_23TknazRH83Ug8OQlOwC8p9e5l0WwdlnMDzTiN1EOi3u9S6W-Se85I8L9slg/s1280/poco-deli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ05IY0r_b1CjQHE3qD33O4lHXOv3bENSIWJhaH7szY9iKk5icZhAd0bynUctW3l56KgY0iDAD_ZvaxeiJgcun80FpnOk6OPgfKrpMTTIafdMS8u-FJK8axc6KGbZSyy_23TknazRH83Ug8OQlOwC8p9e5l0WwdlnMDzTiN1EOi3u9S6W-Se85I8L9slg/s16000/poco-deli.jpg"></a></div><br>I will never look at bacon the same way again. While I love my thin, crisp and crunchy bacon, the savory thick slabs of cooked bacon at <strong>Poco Deli</strong> changed my cholesterol-charged preference. The Bacon Slab (Php 320), coupled with bacon rice (bits of bacon on rice) and sunny side-up egg on top have a really intense flavor that I was at a loss for words to describe it.  It's just pure enjoyment with every bite. I tell you, Poco Deli is a haven for bacon lovers and it is found on this artisan sausage deli in Kapitolyo, Pasig. But the fun doesn't stop there as we tried their other offerings begging to steal your attention.<p></p>