The Foodinista: May 2017

Tali Beachfront Vacation House, Nasugbu Batangas

Thursday, May 18, 2017

Tali Beach

Tali Beach is an exclusive gated community situated along the scenic coves of Nasugbu, Batangas, around a 2½ hour drive from Manila.

Literally just a few steps from the water, our vacation home is set on a tranquil and very private 2,000sqm beachfront property -- one of seven beaches inside Tali. It is a pleasant retreat from usual beach crowds and the hustle and bustle of city life. A 5-minute walk gets you to another beautiful beach (the Tali Main Beach) and a short 3-minute drive brings you to the famous Tali Cliff.

Tali Beach Vacation House

Their simple no-frills house can normally accommodate groups of 10-22 guests; more if our guests will be willing to bring sleeping bags/tents. The house has 4 air-conditioned bedrooms with a sleeping capacity of about 10-12 guests (or 10-14 with kids). Larger groups customarily use the air-conditioned living room as a sleeping area which can sleep another 5-8 guests. Extra foam mattresses, pillows, and linens are provided for. There is a toilet with shower on the 1st floor of the house, a small toilet with shower on the 2nd floor of the house, and a toilet and shower (with no water heater) on a separate building a few steps from the pool.

Amenities include a new infinity swimming pool with kiddie pool, an equipped kitchen (with a two-burner stove, rice cooker, microwave, cookware, utensils), refrigerator, water dispenser, lcd television with digital satellite, drivers' quarter, gazebo, charcoal bbq grill, and a genset.

2nd Floor Villa

Rates
JUNE TO FEBRUARY (excluding premium dates*):
◦ Saturday
P18,000 per night for 1-14 persons
◦ Friday
P14,000 per night for 1-12 persons
◦ Sunday-Thursday
P11,000 per night for 1-10 persons

MARCH TO MAY (excluding premium dates*):
◦ Saturday
P21,000 per night for 1-14 persons
◦ Friday
P18,000 per night for 1-14 persons
◦ Sunday-Thursday
P16,000 per night for 1-14 persons

Additional guests over 14 people are ₱1,000 each per night..

*Premium Dates
2017: Apr 13, 14; Jun 10, 11; Aug 19, 20, 26, 27; Oct 31; Nov 1, 4; Dec 2, 8, 9, 16, 22-25, 29, 30, 31.

Important Notes (From the Website)

Check-in time is no earlier than 2:30pm. Check-out time is no later than 12:00pm. This is strictly enforced to allow for proper cleaning and preparation for incoming guests.
Tentative reservations are held only for 2 days and are then subject to cancellation if not confirmed.
Reservations will only be confirmed upon down payment of 50% of total rental (70% for 2-night reservations). Balance should be settled at least 7 days prior to check-in date. Payments can be made at our Balintawak, Quezon City office or through bank deposit (BDO or BPI).
There are no refunds for cancelled reservations due to reasons including undesirable weather, for no-shows, and for early departures. Rescheduling a confirmed reservation may be possible in the event of a storm signal number 2 or above officially declared in the Nasugbu, Batangas area during the booked date/s.
Rates are for accommodation only; food and drinks are not served nor sold. Items to bring are (i) bath & beach towels, (ii) personal toiletries such as toothbrush, soap, & shampoo, (iii) beach wear & gears, and (iv) food & drinks for your stay.
Effective April 11, 2017, Tali management/security will start collecting a Tourism Ecology Fee of P20 for each visitor entering Tali Beach subdivision. Proceeds will be remitted to the Office of Nasugbu Municipal Treasurer. Exempted from this levy are Persons with Disability, Senior Citizens, and Filipino children 6-years-old and below.
We only have one house for rent. It was originally designed to accommodate our family plus a few friends. The 4 air-conditioned bedrooms can sleep around 10-12 guests (or 10-14 with kids). Larger groups usually use the air-conditioned living room as a sleeping area which can sleep another 5-8 guests. Extra foam mattresses, pillows, and linens are provided for. There is also a non-air-conditioned drivers' quarter which can sleep 2. We do recommend guests over 22 people to bring sleeping bags/tents as not everyone may fit inside the house.
There is a toilet with shower on the 1st floor of the house, a small toilet with shower on the 2nd floor of the house, a toilet and shower with no water heater on a separate building a few steps from the pool & house, plus another small toilet in the drivers' quarter.
Please be aware that from mid-July to November 2017, there will be construction of new rooms & bathrooms in the covered jetski garage area, drivers' quarter, and the rear of the main house. This will not affect the main house, swimming pool, gazebo, and beach area but there will be construction activity inside the property during this time. Major renovation of the main house is planned for 2018. We are not accepting reservations from October 20, 2017 onward at this time.
Our house rules and important reminders can be viewed at: http://bit.ly/talirules.
A sketch map to Tali Beach via Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road can be viewed at: http://bit.ly/talimap.

* All taken from their website

THE EXPERIENCE
I went here for a spontaneous trip with my friends on a weekend. All of us are already working and we haven't seen each other for quite a time already so we decided to go on a quick beach getaway. Batangas is the perfect place to go to because it's just 2 hours away from Manila. We rented Tali Beach for 1 night and we were around 17 pax. The villa is really huge and there's enough space for all of us and I think it can even fit around 20 to 30 pax more. We brought 3 cars with us cause commuting is quite hassle and the community is gated i'm sure they don't allow public transportation inside. The garage is pretty big and can fit 4 to 5 cars.
Check-in time is at 2pm and first thing we did upon arrival is to hit the beach right away!

BEACH
We went for a swim around 3-4pm and the weather was fine. It was low tide so there were a LOT of rocks in the shore that it became hard for us to swim. MAKE SURE TO BRING FLOATERS cause their beach front is not swimmable at all. Even though we are already in the shallow part of the beach there were still a lot of rocks that we kept on walking onto, some of us had tiny scratches and wounds afterwards :(
If it weren't for the floaters we won't be able to enjoy the beach. Good thing we were all fun and crazy so regardless of the situation we were still able to enjoy it, we did some catching up and did random crazy things on the beach. Haha!

VILLA & BEDROOMS
What I really love about this place is the HUGE SPACE. There were 2 bedrooms on the first floor and 2 more on the 2nd floor. The sheets and pillows were just basic nothing fancy, all the rooms were air-conditioned and pretty neat so we didn't have any problems at all.

KITCHEN
We were able to cook and prep our meal neatly, even did some grilling without feeling suffocated cause the dirty kitchen is well ventillated and spacious.
Spending our time preppin' the food altogether was probably one of my favorites.
We really helped each other preppin meals and even used that time to catch up and do chit-chats.
We dined in front of the living room by setting up our own dining area. We did set up mono-block tables and chairs where we ate and grilled our bbqs.

It was a fun vacation overall! I really had a fun time with my barkada. We all felt like we were kids again, free from all the stressors of Manila. If you need a quick weekend getaway, Tali Beach might the perfect vacation house for you!

Bar

Gorda, Uptown Parade (Fil-Mex Cuisine) Review

Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Lechon Tacos

Gorda is a Filipino-Mexican Cuisine Resto-Pub that offers a wide range of comfort food & unique alcoholic beverage situated in Uptown Parade, Taguig. I've never tried Fil-Mex Cuisine before cause i'm not a huge fan of Mexican food but I said YES to this invite when I was invited by EJ (@ilovetoeatph) of Team Kaladkarin cause I knew that this will be another new food-venture for me.

Gorda is a family owned restaurant which took the restaurant's name as a tribute to their Mom.

In Spanish term Gorda means Fat Lady but in urban calling it's like "Bae".

Gorda Uptown Parade

Gorda has a rustic chill urban vibe which makes it a perfect place for lazy late night drinking session with the Barkada. It reminds me of underground bars in New York. I like how they incorporated dark-colored bricked walls & sassy graffiti which gave the place a very cozy feeling. This is also a good pre-game place cause their alcoholic drinks are pretty affordable! It's just beside Valkyrie so this is a good pre-game spot! They also play good music during late hours!

Inside Gorda

Lechon Tacos - Cebu Lechon, Liver Pate, Ensalada (P200)

When someone says Mexican Food I look for Tacos and this Lechon Tacos is the perfect dish that emphasizes the Filipino-Mexican fusion. The chopped Lechon bits went well with other toppings and I liked how the chicharon added a crispy texture making it more enjoyable to eat. I think the Mayo added was too much which can be easily adjusted.

Lechon Tacos

Calamari - Squid Frito, Local Spiced Dust, Homemade Crema, Pinakurat (P380)

I can say this was DEFINITELY MY FAVORITE among all the dish that were served during the night. It's not your ordinary Calamari fried in circles rather presented in chopped form with less flour and breading. I though it was Dori and not a squid at first cause it was freakin' tender it almost melts in the mouth. I liked it better dipped in homemade crema than the pinakurat or spiced vinegar.

MUST TRY FOR ME!

Calamari

Mama's Nachos - Spiced Beef Estofado, Trio Local Keso Sauce, Ensalada, Jalapeno Atchara (P400 Half; P600 Full)

Can you believe that this serving is only HALF? This is the perfect Nacho to share with families & friends. The half serving is already good for 4 to 5 people already and seem to be best to be paired with Beer! Chef Jessica showed us the container for the Full one is and that can be good for 7-8 people already. They didn't scrimp on the ingredients and added freakin' loads of cheese which made it delicious. Loved it! Okay na okay pang pulutan!

Mama's Nachos

Bell Pepper Relleno - Spiced Estofado Black Beans, Corn Inasal, Trio Local Keso Melt (P300)
Now this! I am not a fan of Jalapeno Poppers or anything with Bell Peppers cause they have a very distinct taste that I am not fond of. What makes this great is that the taste and quantity of the Cheese over-powered the Bell-Pepper that it neaturalized the strong bell-pepper taste which made it 'edible' for me. LOL! I surprisingly was able to enjoy it. What a good appetizer by the way!

Bell Pepper Relleno

Tapa Burritto (Deconstruct) - Carne Asado, Huevo, Ensalada, Garlic Cilantro Arroz (P350)

Deconstructed Burrito - FANCY Huh! The serving is big, one bowl is good for 2 people already. I really like how the Tapa tasted, the meat is tender and well-seasoned ; considering i'm a TAPSILOG fan this is a good one! I just hope that the rice will have more cilantro mixed in it to make the 'cilantro rice' more appetizing to eat. I like the rice of the Pollo Inasal Skillet Better than this.

Pollo Inasal Skillet - Mexican Spiced Marinated Chicken Inasal, Cilantro Sinangag, Roasted Pimiento & Onion, Homemade Crema (P450)

I wasn't able to take a photo of this cause I was in a hurry to dig in. LOL. This is a crowd favorite cause it was just simply delicious! The chicken is skewed in a huge stick making it look like a Kebab. I though it was a Kebab at first but it's placed in a huge rectangular shaped plate this can also be good for 2 people already. I LOVE how the savouriness of the chicken went well with the Cilantro Fried Rice, the chicken was so tender too and was cooked perfectly. What a perfect combo! I will definitely go back for this.

Tapa Burrito

Gorda's Avocado Pie - Condensada, Butter Graham Crust, Kalamansi Crema Whip (P250)
Oooh! I've never tried Avocado Pies before so when this came out I got so excited. I love Avocados and I think the custard became too bitter because of the Avocado, I recommend this to be sweetened just a tiny bit more. The Kalamansi Whipped Cream was pretty interesting too that all of us thought it was Lemon Curd cause of how sour it tasted. Good thing its sourness contrasted the sweetness and bitterness of the pie. I am not exactly sure what were the crispy sweet bits on top, it looks like sweetened fried bananas but it sure saved this dessert and added that kick I was looking for.

Avocado Pie

Bar

Horchata Morena - Homemade Roasted Grains, Whiskey, Rum (P320)
Horchata Morena is one of the drinks I will definitely recommend to anyone whether you are a alcoholic drinker or not. Liquido Maestro (@liquidomestro) is behind this genius creation and I must say he made me set my standards higher in defining a 'good' horchata. I've never tried one before and what makes this stand out would be the distinct pandan taste, creamy smooth texture that makes it drinkable. It's a great lady drink for people like me who don't drink often. This is something I will keep coming back for!

Horchata Morena

It was a really fun first with Gorda. The servers were friendly and the customer service is great. The ambiance is perfect, I now have my own version of NY Pub in Taguig Area! <3

Dessert

Iscreamist, Teachers Village

Friday, May 12, 2017

Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream

"If you’re looking for the best, the purpose of life, the fountain of youth, the ark of the covenant, then you’ve come to the wrong place. Don't expect to be blown away, don't expect to be transported to some other dimension, don't expect to experience some sort of spiritual awakening. We underpromise, we don't make ambitious claims of being "the best", and just because we’re not full of ourselves. For us, we believe that food is about making you feel good rather than the chef feeling good. That means, we live to pleasure our clients rather than just to shout,"Hey world! We're the best out there!". We're not superstars. We're happy to remain anonymous. We’re very passionate about what we do. We're pretty committed to serving our clients smooth, tasty and freshly made ice cream - to doing whatever it takes to ensure every client leaves laughing and feeling happy. We may not be the best, but we're happy and grateful for the clients we have supporting us, that makes us "the best" with them."

The Iscreamist

The Iscreamist is a famous unique dessert experience located in Maginhawa. My friends and I were having a food trip in Maginhawa and decided to drop by The Iscreamist for dessert.

We went here on a Saturday around 5pm and didn't expect that there will be long lines!

Long lines reaching the outside of their entrance door (LOL!) because the restaurant is less than 24 sqm it can only accommodate less than 30 people. We only waited for about 20 min which is not bad considering we are 6 in the group.

Liquid Nitrogen is what really makes The Iscreamist a unique dessert experience. They incorporate it to the presentation of their desserts which makes it fun and interesting! Liquid Nitrogen is a nitrogen in liquid state at an extremely low temperature. It's pretty dangerous when it comes contact to the skin, it can burn you so good thing there is precaution everywhere inside the restaurant.

Available Flavours

I ordered their Blueberry Cheescake Ice Cream which is served in a glass cup placed on top of a glass bowl with liquid nitrogen inside - it helps in retaining the cold temperature of the ice cream so it would not melt easily. Loves this! It tasted pretty normal but I find it too pricey for the serving which is around P80+ per scoop. I really like the out of this world presentation which is really the main reasons why people come here!

Blueberry Cheescake

I also tried their best selling Dragon's Breath S'mores for P65 (4pcs.) Their desserts are surprisingly affordable and worth the price. I didn't expect too much from the place since the price is pretty affordable. There's nothing special with the S'more actually except for the texture. They recommend to dip the S'more stick to the Liquid Nitrogen to have to experience the CRISPY & CRUNCHY texture of the biscuit + make use of the smoke effect while munching on it. Twas' a fun experience!

Dragon's Breath S'mores

I recommend this to the young & young at heart. If ever you'll be in Maginhawa Area - you must Drop by at The Iscreamist!

The Iscreamist is available Monday to Sunday from 1:00PM - 10:00PM, last call at 9:45PM. Unfortunately, space is limited and The Iscreamist can only accommodate 15 diners at a time so seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Batangas

Kabayan Beach Resort, Laiya Batangas (Photo Diary)

Tuesday, May 09, 2017

Kabayan Beach Resort (formerly Laplaya Beach Resort) opened in 1996. As with every other endeavor, Kabayan Beach Resort started small. In fact, it was initially just a rest house for the owners who wanted occasional breaks from the hustle and bustle in the metropolis. The serenity of being in the midst of clear blue waters and fine white sand never failed to rejuvenate them. Eventually, they were encouraged to share their place and provide areas where people can recharge and soothe frayed nerves.

Kabayan started by building two small fan cottages and a pavilion. Not long after, demand for more cottages grew not only from private individuals but from corporate clients as well. Now, Kabayan Beach Resort boasts of 19 well-appointed air-conditioned cottages and a multi-purpose hall for social and corporate requirements such as parties, weddings, seminars, and the like.

Kabayan Beach Resort is a pioneer in many ways. They were the very first resort built along the white sand beach of Laiya, San Juan Batangas. When others followed and built fan cottages as well, Kabayan upgraded their cottages and built air-conditioned ones. Soon after, others followed suit. Still, Kabayan managed to come up with services and amenities that are uniquely theirs —a few of which are: KTV rooms, a television set with cable service at the pavilion and in all of the cottages, a chapel with anticipated mass every Saturday, dormitories and a multi-purpose hall for seminars, a beach side bar, and a swimming pool for adults and children. Needless to say, Kabayan Beach Resort constantly strives to establish better standards of products and service—all for the continued satisfaction of their guests.

Kabayan Beach Resort takes pride in the amenities & activities they have made available for guests’ pleasure and enjoyment. One will always find an activity suited to one’s personal style— whether slow and quiet, or action-packed—because Kabayan caters to the varied interests of its guests.

1. Kayak

Paddle away with our kayaks. All kayaks are equipped with life vests for guests safety. Php200/hour

2. Beach Volleyball

Perfect for groups of friends or sports-oriented families. Sweat it out in any of the two volleyball courts set up on the beach. Php30/hour

3. Playground

Parents need not worry about keeping their children busy. Kids will surely have a blast hanging around at the resort playground

4. Billiards

Guests will not miss one of the favorite pastimes in Manila. One may choose to while away the time at Kabayan's pool table. Php100/hour

5. Speed Boat

Php8500/hour maximum of 4 persons

6. Banana Boat

Php300/head for 15 minutes
(maximum of 6 persons)

7. Flying Fish

Php400 / head for 15 minutes (minimun/maximum of 6 persons)

8. Lifeguards

Kabayan Beach Resort employs two professional and certified lifeguards to look out for guests safety while swimming.
The lifeguard tower is likewise equipped with first-aid kits in case of emergencies.

9. Bandwagon

Ride the water on a giant inflatable.
Php400 per head/15mins. Minimum of 5pax.

Facilities

1. Swimming Pool

A specially designed swimming pool for kids and adults alike. Php100/head
Swimming Pool is open from 7am to 10pm.

2. Parking

Parking. That’s never a problem. Kabayan Beach Resort’s parking lot can accommodate as many as 20 buses at one time.

3. Fast Food

Kabayan Beach Resort takes pride in serving the best food along the stretch of Laiya, San Juan Batangas. In fact, guests from nearby resorts sometimes flock to the Kabayan fastfood to take their meals. This is because aside from being clean and great tasting, prices are extremely affordable.

4. El Kapitan Bar

Another first from Kabayan. This open-air bar is situated on the second floor of the building located right in front of the beach. Aside from the very refreshing and cool sea breeze, the bar shows off a magnificent view of the entire stretch of Laiya. El Kapitan may be rented for functions and private parties.

5. Souvenir Shop & Convenience Store

Take home an item or two to remind you of your stay at Kabayan. Should you forget some personal items, the convenience store is well stocked with items ranging from medicines to slippers, clothes, floaties, and many more.

6. Chapel

This is one amenity that is unique to Kabayan Beach Resort. The chapel, set amidst lush greenery and century-old trees, allows for tranquility while guests are praying. Guests may pray the Stations of the Cross during the Lenten season. Anticipated mass is celebrated regularly every Saturday at 7pm.

7. Multipurpose Hall

Another feature that is offered only in Kabayan. A fully air-conditioned multi-purpose hall that is perfect for seminars, team building sessions, retreats, and other big-group activities.
The hall can seat up to 190 persons, theater style. Provided likewise are the following materials and equipment: whiteboard, markers, overhead projector, and sound system. Management also offers the following free of charge: Hot and cold water dispenser with 5-gallon Agua Vida purified water, whole day free flowing coffee, candies, and one welcome streamer. Should there be a need for resource speakers, Kabayan can refer you to an accredited human resource company.
Php1800 /hour

8. Transport Service

Avail of free van service to and fro Kabayan Beach Resort and Laiya Adventure Park