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Review of JJ's Dimsum and Restaurant
A budget Chinese in Tagbilaran
Where to have a good meal for reasonable prices in Tagbilaran city? Try the JJ's Dimsum and Restaurant along the Carlos P. Garcia Ave. It's a Chinese style restaurant 5 min walking distance from BQ mall. They have many dishes on the menu and some of them would be suitable for vegetarians. But as always in the Philippines, ask specifically if it's meat in the vegetarian dish you plan to order. I noticed too many times there can be meat in so called vegetarian dishes.
JJ's Dimsum and Restaurant in Tagbilaran city
They have a separate menu for their delicious rice toppings.
Spicy pork steamed rice topping.
Rice toppings
Around lunch time they serve these delicious small rice toppings for just 50 PHP each. There are different toppings with rice beneath. If you are hungry like me, just order two or more and you will be set for the day!
They have a regular menu also
The menu is extensive and you can choose between chicken, beef, pork, fish, vegetables etc all in Chinese style. As the name of the restaurant indicates, they also have a variety of dim sum. For example the Siopao which is common everywhere in the Philippines as street food. Siopao literally means "steamed bun" and is the Philippine version of the Cantonese steamed bun called cha siu bao. Siopao does not require utensils to eat and therefore perfect to be consumed on-the-go.
The main menu
Chicken with cashew nuts and vegetables.
Sometimes it was very quiet here.
Fish with oyster sauce and sautéed mixed vegetables.
Rating:
1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
4 Food
4 Service
5 Value
4 Atmosphere
1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
4 Food
4 Service
5 Value
4 Atmosphere
JJ's Dimsum and Restaurant
135 Carlos P. Garcia Ave, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol, Philippines
Phone: +63 38 411 3306
135 Carlos P. Garcia Ave, Tagbilaran City, 6300 Bohol, Philippines
Phone: +63 38 411 3306
Related links:
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)
Find a house for rent in Panglao
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)
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Review of Charisma Beach Resort
Charisma Beach Resort a good deal
San Juan is in the western side of Siquijor. Many resorts, restaurants, bars and shops are located here in this particular area. Here you will also find Charisma Beach Resort quietly located near the beach. I ended up here, stranded for a couple of days due to the rough weather. The location is very nice less than 50 m from the sea with a nice beach. If you don't want to swim in the sea they have a fairly large swimming pool as an option.
Resto with sea view
It was wonderful to eat my lunch here!
The restaurant is with a nice sea view. They serve a wide variety of meals ranging from breakfast to dinner. My favorite quickly became the Baby Squid Adobo. So, so yummy! The breakfast was also delicious with everything a hungry person can wish for.
My favorite meal, Baby Squid Adobo.
A standard bamboo cottage
Charisma Beach Resort have rooms from 450 PHP up to 2650 PHP. I was lucky to get the Standard Bamboo Cottage, the one and only cottage for just 1000 PHP without breakfast. There was no sea view but still it was a very good deal. The cottage was clean and spacious with a porch facing the pool. However there was no AC in the cottage but for me, that is not a deal breaker. On the contrary I prefer a fan room. I am a believer of adjusting myself to the heat rather than fighting it.
The Standard Bamboo Cottage, located behind the bush.
A fairly large pool good for swimming.
The resto and reception area.
Summary
The location is good. The surroundings around the resort is quiet but still in the area of San Juan so it is near other establishments as restaurants, bars and shops. The room was nice and clean with a bed I can sleep in. No AC, just a fan. Private toilet and shower with cold water. But a private cottage for 1000 PHP and just 100 m from the beach, what could you expect?
The super friendly hotel dog waiting for a snack
Charisma Beach Resort
Solangon, San Juan, Siquijor, Philippines
Phone nr +63 908 861 9689
Rating for the resto:
1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Food
4 Service
4 Value
5 Atmosphere
Rating for the accommodation:
1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Location
4 Sleep Quality
4 Rooms
4 Service
5 Value for the money
4 Cleanliness
Related links:
Review of Joel's Lechon Manok
Siquijor Island, Philippines
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Review of Joel's Lechon Manok
Lechon Manok, roasted chicken
Lechon Manok is Tagalog and the meaning in English is roasted chicken. It is said that the Filipino people consumes more chicken meat than any other meat. I believe that is true because you find Lechon Manok basically everywhere in the Philippines. One of the top 5 chicken franchises in the Philippines is Sr. Pedro which have more than 300 branches scattered allover the country. But I didn't find Sr. Pedro in Siquijor. But if someone knows if there is a Sr. Pedro in Siquijor, please feel free to update me.
Lechon Manok, roasted or grilled chicken.
Stranded at Siquijor
I really didn't mind to be stranded on this wonderful island!
Due to strong winds and rough sea I was stranded in Siquijor for several days more than planned. It was difficult to get updates from the ferry company if they were going to resume the schedule or not. So I decided to stay at the Belleview hotel near the pier and the ticketing office. In that way it was more easy for me to inquire about the schedule. Just across the street of The Bellevue hotel I found Joel's Lechon Manok. Every evening it was a bustling activity outside the place which made me curious. To my humble opinon, if the locals go and eat there, the food must be good!
Juicy with crispy skin...
Joel's Lechon Manok looked small from the outside but was far bigger inside than I expected. The atmosphere was noisy and full of guests. Even though there were many guests in line I didn't need to wait long for my Lechon Manok. And yes... oh my gosh it was so delicious! Juicy with crispy skin and seasoned to perfection with a slight taste of lemon grass. Can it be better? No wonder it was so crowded inside! Even if you stay at San Juan where most of the tourists are staying, it is well worth taking the scooter to come here and enjoy this delicious Lechon Manok.
Rating: 1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
5 Food
4 Service
5 Value
3 Atmosphere
5 Food
4 Service
5 Value
3 Atmosphere
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Review of Mooon Cafe in Cebu
The tasteful Mooon Cafe
I like Mexican food so I am always looking out for Mex restaurants. In Ayala Mall you have the Mooon Cafe. I guess there are many branches of the Mooon Cafe scattered all over, you have for example two branches in Dumaguete where I have been before. This particular branch of Moon Cafe is located at the second level of the Terraces in Ayala Mall. They all share the same design style regarding the decor. The colors are warm and inviting, giving the place a pleasant, welcoming atmosphere.
The restaurant is is located at level 2 The Terraces, Ayala Center.
The interior consists of imaginative ornaments and is painted with warm, beautiful colors.
Nacho Supreme
My favorite dish in Moon Cafe is the Nacho Supreme which is a huge portion of corn tortilla chips, jalapeños, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, minced meat bolognese with melted cheese on top. They also have more regular dishes as well, beef, pork, chicken, soups, salads etc. Everyone will find something for their tastebuds except maybe for the vegetarians and vegans. There are only few vegetarian options, basically some of the salads, deep fried onion rings and pumpkin soup. As always the staff were friendly and helpful. No waiting time for the food and a good working WiFi for those who want to share their food experience on Internet.
The section of the menu for the Mexican dishes.
A huge portion of the Nacho Supreme.
Rating: 1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
4 Food
4 Service
4 Value
5 Atmosphere
The Moon Cafe
Level 2 The Terraces, Ayala Center, Business Park
Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines
Phone: +63 32 417 1701
Related links:
Review of Mooon Cafe in Dumaguete
Review of Siam Thai Cuisine Restaurant in Cebu
Review of Harbour City Restaurant in Cebu
Review of Seafood Island in Ayala mall, Cebu
Review of The Center Suites Hotel in Cebu
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Review of Siam Thai Cuisine Restaurant in Cebu
Siam Thai Cuisine
Cebu city has lot to offer when it comes to restaurants and nightlife. So where to eat in Cebu? A safe card is always to be in Ayala mall for eating and shopping. On the 1:th level of Ayala terrace you can find Siam Thai Cuisine. They serve traditional Thai dishes in a nice environment. My expectations was high since they claim "Authentic Thai cuisine redefined to sophistication".
No khao neeo (sticky rice)
I was looking for the classical Thai green papaya salad (som tam) and together with that I wanted Thai sticky rice (khao neeo). I asked if they had sticky rice and yes they had. But it turned out to be the sweet sticky rice version with coco nut milk (khao neeo mamuang) which you eat like a delicious dessert. But of course not suitable to the green papaya salad. Sorry to say, every Thai restaurant which doesn't have sticky rice (khao neeo) is not considered in my humble opinion as authentic by me.
Spiciness was only moderate
So instead I ordered another classical dish, Thai basil chicken. (pad kra pao gai) I like it spicy so consequently I asked for spicy. I had to wait an unusual long time before I got my food. Other guests who came after me got their food before me. Yes and I asked for spicy, but the spiciness was only moderate. Otherwise the taste was ok but I was not really satisfied overall. The WiFi was good and the CR was clean, at least something to be happy for.
Rating: 1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
3 Food
3 Service
4 Value
5 Atmosphere
I was here in December 2016
3 Food
3 Service
4 Value
5 Atmosphere
I was here in December 2016
Siam Thai Cuisine
1:th Level, Ayala Terrace
Bohol Avenue, Cebu City, 6000
Cebu, Philippines
Phone: +63 32 417 1318
1:th Level, Ayala Terrace
Bohol Avenue, Cebu City, 6000
Cebu, Philippines
Phone: +63 32 417 1318
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Review of 2Story kitchen in Dumaguete, Negros
Another Korean in Dumaguete
The entrance to 2Story kitchen is a little bit anonymous so it took me a couple a weeks before I spotted this place. They serve mainly Korean dishes of different kinds with rice and noodles. But they also have pizzas, burgers, pasta, sandwiches, waffles and more... for example The all day brunch. They also have a complete set of coffee and ice creams. I spent a while drooling over the menu before I ordered the Bibimbap.
A delicious Bibimbap
The Bibimbap was huge with lots of yummy stuff and it was spicy and delicious. Since the portion was good for two persons it was perfect for me alone. The restaurant has two storeys as the name of the place indicates. I did never sit on the upper floor coz it was crowded with people when I was there. I liked the decorations on the wall specially those French wall posters by the entrance. Usually their free WiFi was excellent but not always. My eyesight is good both on long distance and for reading, but the text in menu was unnecessary small. Regardless of what, I can highly recommend their Bibimbap and their All day brunch.
Rating: 1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
4 Food
4 Service
4 Value
4 Atmosphere
I was here several times early 2017
2Storey kitchen
Sta. Catalina Street
Dumaguete, Philippines
Phone: +63 915 645 1995
4 Food
4 Service
4 Value
4 Atmosphere
I was here several times early 2017
2Storey kitchen
Sta. Catalina Street
Dumaguete, Philippines
Phone: +63 915 645 1995
Related links:
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place, Dumaguete
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of San Rival Bistro, Dumaguete
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of Gabby's Bistro, Dumaguete
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete
Visit the Casaroro Falls, Valencia
Visit the Marine Sanctuary in Dauin
Tempura, takoyaki and balut
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place, Dumaguete
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of San Rival Bistro, Dumaguete
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of Gabby's Bistro, Dumaguete
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete
Visit the Casaroro Falls, Valencia
Visit the Marine Sanctuary in Dauin
Tempura, takoyaki and balut
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Tempura, takoyaki and balut, common street food in the Philippines
Tempura is served with different kinds of spicy sauces. Note the plate cover...
You can also buy tempura in the supermarket.
Tasty Filipino tempura
The Filipino reinvented the tempura into an affordable street version of the authentic more expensive Japanese dish made of real seafood or vegetables. The basic Filipino version consist of a batter which is made of water and soft wheat flour, eggs, baking powder, starch, oil, and spices. It's deep-fried in oil and served with different kinds spicy sauces. Tempura is a perfect snack along with a beer or two.
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Takoyaki
Takoyaki or also known as Samurai Balls's originated from Japan but you will often find it as street food in the Philippines. The ingredients are mainly the same as with the tempura. In this version they had mixed vegetables in the batter. You eat them together with spicy sauces. It's really yummy and affordable street food. Just try it and you will see!
Balut
No trip to the Philippines would be complete without eating balut! So what is balut? Balut is very simple: it's a fertilized duck egg, the embryo permitted to develop in the shell from 16 to 25 days, then boiled in the shell. The older the balut, the fuller the embryo's development.
How to eat balut
Sprinkle salt and add vinegar to taste and the feast can begin! Expect to encounter embryonic guts, cartilage, maybe the odd feather as you chew. You'll be expected to eat the duckling first, the rest of the egg afterward.
Summary
Many filipino men think that balut is an aphrodisiac, maybe that's the case I don't know. But undoubtedly it's full of protein, not that much fat and it's definitely more tasty than it looks. Trust me.
Related links:
Review of Fish 153 Korean Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of Mooon Café Robinsons Place, Dumaguete
Review of Sta Teresa Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of San Rival Bistro, Dumaguete
Review of Atong Kamalig Restaurant, Dumaguete
Review of Gabby's Bistro, Dumaguete
Tierra Alta Residential Resort, Dumaguete
Visit the Casaroro Falls, Valencia
Visit the Marine Sanctuary in Dauin
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Review of Seafood Island in Ayala mall, Cebu city
It's a very nice ambience here, airy with plenty of space.
Seafood in Ayala
Where to eat in Cebu? There are many options in this bustling city, the second largest city in the Philippines. You will find many excellent restaurants in Ayala mall and so also you will find Seafood Island on the 4:th floor of the mall. The ambience is nice and airy and one side of the restaurant comes with a view over Cebu Business Park through big windows.
Nice view over Cebu Business Park. But the dark clouds are coming...
Yes, as promised two minutes later the rain was falling heavily.
Lots of yummy stuff
Seafood Island offer a variety of seafood, fish and meat. It took me a while to decide for the Binalot Boracay, a platter with lots of yummy stuff. Grilled shrimps, fish, squids and vegetables served with special rice with shrimp paste. This portion is good for at least two persons but since my appetite is comparable with two normal persons it was good for me.
It took me some time to decide what I wanted to have
I ordered the Binalot Boracay
The food was served on a banana leaf.
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The food was served on a banana leaf but the look of what was on the leaf and what was in the menu was perhaps not exactly. But the food was tasty and the staff was nice and helpful. The restaurant had an excellent WiFi. The big plus with Seafood Island was the airy ambience and the nice view. The food was good but it's a fierce competition among restaurants in this area so next time I will probably try another place.
Summary
Rating: 1-5 where 1 is terrible and 5 is excellent
4 Food
4 Service
4 Value
5 Atmosphere
I was here late December 2016
Seafood Island
Ayala Center 4 th level, Cebu, Cebu Business Park
Cebu City, 6000 Cebu, Philippines
Related links:
Review of Mooon Cafe in Cebu
Review of Siam Thai Cuisine Restaurant in Cebu
Review of Harbour City Restaurant in Cebu
Review of The Center Suites Hotel in Cebu
- Published on
My rental house in Panglao
To rent a house
I get many questions about my living when I am in the Philippines. To find a house for rent is often a good idea if you are staying a longer period at the same place. Either you stay at the same location or have it like a base camp when you are doing trips nearby.
That was what I did when I stayed in Tagbilaran. I rented a house in Songculan Panglao, located just 10 minutes from Tagbilaran by scooter. I think the location was good for me because it was close to Tagbilaran where I had friends but still the house was situated quietly with a nice view over the eastern part of Songculan lake. If I wanted to go to a beach resort I was already on Panglao, just grab the scooter and go there! This company have both houses and apartments for rent. If you are interested you can contact them yourself. They have their office in Tagbilaran city. Phone: (038) 501-9344/411-2435
Unit 3, Seaside Grande
A pool available for the residents
View from my bedroom
Sonculan-Totolan area
The area was nice and quiet with a pool available for those who lived here. The downside was the bad cellphone connection with the SMART company. Most of the time the signal was so poor so it was impossible to make any calls. Same with the mobile data, only late in the evenings you could get a signal sufficient for browsing Facebook or whatever.
The kitchen and living room area
As always I enjoyed to cook my own food.
The rent 25K
The rent for the house was 25 000 PHP and it was fully furnished with everything included even the kitchen utensils were there. The cost for water and electricity was additional.
The master bed room.
The master bath room.
The staircase to the upper floor.
The upper hallway.
The house was big
There were three bedrooms, a living room with kitchen and two toilets both with showers. A nice balcony where you could sit and drink your evening tea.
A very short clip showing the area outside unit 3.
The nice and very talkative fixer guy. He was helpful but sometimes hard to get hold on.
Related links:
My rental apartment in Toril
Where to eat in Tagbilaran?
Review of the Food Court in Island City Mall (Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines)
Bohol and Panglao Islands, Philippines
Isola de Francesco or Virgin Island, Panglao, Philippines
Review of Swiss Zurigo Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bojol Grill Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of A's Chicken Nuggets & Grill Haus (Bohol, Philippines)
The giant Arogo and the smallest primate, what do they have in common?
Review of Panglao Island Nature Resort & Spa (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Henann Resort Alona Beach (Panglao, Philippines)
Review of Shang Palace Seafood Restaurant (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Bo's Coffee (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of The Buzzz Café (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Golden Cowrie (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Staylite Park Bed and Breakfast (Bohol, Philippines)
Review of Arabelle Suites (Bohol, Philippines)
- Published on
Samples of traditional dances in Philippines
I compiled four video clips with samples of traditional dances in Philippines. For the guys, check the number two video, second part of it. It shows how to catch a girl! But in my mind I wonder what a girl would think if I tried that approach on the disco?
Tinikling is a traditional Philippine folk dance
This dance is said to imitate the movement of the tikling birds as they walk between grass stems, run over tree branches, or dodge bamboo traps set by rice farmers. The kids imitate the tikling bird's grace and speed by skillfully maneuvering between large bamboo poles. The name "tinikling" is a reference to birds locally known as tikling, which can be any of a number of rail species.
How to catch a girl
First part of this short video shows men fighting. They have weapons and wear masks. The second part is actually more interesting! It's about a young man courting a girl. He catches her interest and even manage to make her pregnant! So watch and learn guys!
Fire dance in Tagbilaran
I filmed this fire dance at Bohol Cultural Center in Tagbilaran. I don't know if fire dancing is typical for Philippines, probably not. But anyway it's relatively common all over Philippines to experience this.
Fire dance in Davao
This fire dance was filmed in Davao Crocodile Park.
Related links:
My rental apartment in Toril
The Uso-Uso Experience in Davao
The jumping kids of Talikud Island
Review of The Red Parrot Inn (Samal Island, Philippines)
Review of Monclair Suites (Toril, Philippines)
Samal Island (Mindanao, Philippines)
Review of Chow King Restaurant (Davao, Philippines)
My rental apartment in Toril
The Uso-Uso Experience in Davao
The jumping kids of Talikud Island
Review of The Red Parrot Inn (Samal Island, Philippines)
Review of Monclair Suites (Toril, Philippines)
Samal Island (Mindanao, Philippines)
Review of Chow King Restaurant (Davao, Philippines)