Hello Again

I just noticed that it has been a decade since my last post here. I remember I switched to Wordpress and was really serious about blogging back then. My friend who hosted my blog forgot to pay her hosting so everything was fried. I got tired of tryting to recover it so this is what's left, the pre-wordpress posts.

There were rumors that I took my talents to YouTube and became a vlogger. No, I did not switch to vlogging nor went to PBB. 😂

Oh, wow. Blogger now has an emoji.

So, am I back to blogging regularly? Has life been too boring for me that I decided to come back? No. Life has been good actually, especially since we are encouraged to have social distancing. Aaah, it's bliss!

This is not a comeback announcement like your favorite KPOP artist.

Come to think of it, I never made a 'goodbye' post here. Will this be it? Who knows?

See ya later.

- J

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Cydelicious Lechon Manok

Home-cooked meals are always guaranteed treats. For each one of us, our mother's or grandmother's recipe is the best in the world. This is because we grow up together with the flavors of the food at home. Home-cooked food is so good that you'd wish the microwave had a 'Stealth Mode' so your relatives won't know you sneaked out in the middle of the night to get some midnight grub from the dinner's leftover.

Families always have a secret ingredient or a secret way in cooking stuff. Just like the flavors of Cydelicious Lechon Manok. A marinade sauce made and kept secret by the family, the stuff is so good that people actually bribed them off to make claims of this well-kept culinary treasure. Luckily, the family decided to venture into business and use the epic sauce to make one of the best and unique lechon manok in town.

Classic Cydelicious Lechon Manok

Injecting the secret marinade sauce into the chicken, it holds the flavor all over the meat. The classic and original style Cydelicious lechon manok is internally marinated and roasted to perfection. The meat is so tender and I love how succulent the chicken is and the juices of the chicken is just an outburst of rich flavor.

For lovers of spices, Cydelicious also offers Spicy Lechon Manok which is just like the classic lechon manok but this time, it delivers the spice like a freak train.

Lechon Manok Stuffed with Sisig

Cydelicious Lechon Manok does not offer just that. What is unique with this lechon place is they also offer their Boneless Lechon Manok Stuffed with Sisig. Before you scratch your head like a chicken, the sisig is not being stuffed raw. To make sure that the sisig flavor does not fade away to the meat, its first cooked using the marinate sauce and then stuffed inside the boneless chicken. Once the boneless chicken is closed, it is then roasted to perfection. Works like magic how the flavor of the lechon manok stays and so does the sisig's texture and consistency like it was not stuffed inside.

Lechon Manok Stuffed with Flavored Rice

Like family reunions, Cydelicious Lechon Manok have another surprise - and no, it's not an announcement that you are adopted, the surprise is that they do not just offer the sisig lechon manok, but also offer Boneless Lechon Manok Stuffed with Flavored Rice! This version is a personal favorite. I love how the flavor of the rice and the natural juice of the chicken sip into the rice. It gives you that Paella texture and at the same time a smoky flavor from the grill. I love the spices used, not too strong and very well balanced flavor from the chicken, rice and the marinate sauce.

Cydelicious Lechon Manok is a perfect example on how to get into business. Being resourceful and being innovative will always sum up into something great. And because Cydelicious never sell leftovers from yesterday's lechon, it is guaranteed fresh and juicy every time you get to experience it.

Home-cooked meals using a family's culinary secrets are always comparable to food for the gods, and that it never fails to slow our appetites... appetites that gods might have envied.

Cydelicious Lechon Manok is located at Banilad (right side of Gaisano Country Mall), Cebu City. Price range of their lechon manok is at P160 - P250 only. For inquiries and bulk orders, you may contact them at 512-3913 or 0923-535-6994.

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All pictures are taken by Roui Faelnar. For more of his photography, you may check his site at http://RouiFaelnar.com

Special thanks to Vanessa Balleras

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Sprockets Cafe

Being healthy is the new thing right now. Gone are the cigarette-smoking models and the epic meal eaters. The new generation is busy building up their muscles while the others decided to log off from Facebook and run, hoping to be the super fun run athletes.

As much as possible, we want our food healthy. Gone are the times when a balanced diet means holding 2 brownies on each hand. As much as we can, we all move away from fast food outlets as we all know that their menu is like destiny: it too, will shape our ends. So when you stand up and the table moves, you know it is time to go on a diet.

It is rare to find a place that caters healthy food and at the same time, not pull out the goodness of the food. One of those places is Sprockets Cafe.

Sprockets Cafe offers a wide array of milk teas. It is a place where art and food collide. Located in somewhere free from the city's noise pollution, it is a great hub for art enthusiasts and people who just want to chill and relax.

Taro Milk Tea

Jasmine Green Tea

Their Taro Milk Tea is very Southeast Asia. The flavor of the taro outshines the milk just enough and not to dominate the flavor of the entire drink. I like how natural the taste is. They also have the Jasmine Green Milk Tea that gives you that calm feeling when you are cushioned on a fluffy pillow. I love how the flavor of the Jasmine Green Tea holds on with the milk. Most green milk tea drinks have the tendency to overpower one flavor. But this one has a very good union with the milk. It would also be great to compliment this drink with any sinkers to give the drink more texture.

Honeydew Milk Tea

We all have favorites. Mine would be the Honeydew Milk Tea with Aloe Vera sinkers at 25% sweetness. This drink blew my mind away. I love how the natural sweetness of the tea and the milk's creamy taste plays in your mouth. It gives you that really light feeling, that feeling when you go home to a Victoria's Secret Angel. The aloe vera sinkers also provides great texture and it helps hold the taste altogether.

Macho Nachos

(Not actual plating)

Philly Cheese Steak

(Not actual plating)

Sprockets Cafe does not just offer drinks. As great as their baristas, the cafe also has great chefs for serious food lovers. Their Macho Nachos is to die for. I am a sucker for a blast of cheese on my nachos but this one is special. The taste of the beef is so good, it beats me down to submission. One of their sandwiches, the Philly Cheese Steak is ruthless when it comes to flavor. The strong spices on the steak caught me by surprise. It is like thyme and rosemary combined with the steak. I love it. The fresh bread also have a distinguished taste that makes this sandwich a cracker jack.

Vegetable Pizza

(Not actual plating)

Sprockets Cafe shows that there are no boundaries to good food as they also offer pizzas. Their Chili Con Carne Pizza is basically the real stuff on the pizza dough. The herbs are there, the cheese and of course, beans! I like how they make the natural flavors come out for each main ingredient. If you just can't bare to eat meat, you can always opt for their Vegetable Pizza. I love how they play with the aroma of the olive oil that also helps push out the flavors of the vegetables. It has mushrooms, carrots, onions and basically, the whole garden.

You also would want to try their Spaghetti with Meatballs. I offended Sprockets Cafe when I showed less interested with their spaghetti. The taste of their spaghetti just proved that they are not just playing with their menu. The sauce is made out of pure labor mixing it with fresh tomatoes. I love how the aroma gave me that romantic feeling. The meatball as well is packed with lean meat. One of the best spaghetti I have ever tried and could be the best spaghetti that is offered by cafes.

Fettu Pasta in Pesto Cream

(not actual plating)

If your self-esteem stumbled down like the Philippine market when you weigh yourself, their Fettu Pasta in Pesto Cream will help you gain the self confidence of a shirtless Derek Ramsey. The pesto cream is amazing. The pasta is al dente, the sauce is just right and the flavor is so delicious, it will remind you of all the good things in life. It just gives justice to everything.

Staying healthy does not have to be gruesome. Instead of grabbing processed food, you can be artsy by making your own food or if that is too tiring and just not have enough skill to cook, Sprockets Cafe will give you a healthy choice with a mix of art.

As for me, I keep on losing weight... but it keeps finding me.

Sprockets Cafe is located at J. Block Building, Apitong St. Corner Escario St., Cebu City. Their milk teas ranges from P80 - P105 and sinkers at P20. Food is at P120 - P150. Like them at http://Facebook.com/sprocketscafe

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All pictures are taken by Roui Faelnar. For more of his photography, you may check his site at http://rouifaelnar.com

Special thanks to Vanessa Balleras.

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Spaghetti Factory

Going on a vacation is what we always want. Heck, we even wish we do not have to work and just have the money for it. It always reminds you of something nice. Just by hearing the word 'vacation' is an instant relief. A thought of something very nice and nothing could go wrong with the world. It is an activity that is all about the positive side of life. The only negative thing about it is the money.

Vacation comes also with good food. Who among you here would want to eat instant noodles or even a canned sardines on vacation? Not unless if we do not have a choice. But if we do, as much as possible, it should be a grand meal. Like problems, diet is the last thing you will think when you're out on a cruise or riding a plane to go to a paradise of some sort.

However, not all people can have it grand. So if you do not have the money or time to experience the comforts of having a vacation at least comfort yourself with good food. This is where the Spaghetti Factory steps in.

Pasta Directory

Vacation is freedom from work and from life's drama. To give you the feeling of freedom and practice it, Spaghetti Factory gives the freedom of choice on what pasta you'd want for your order. Their pasta directory is filled with different options. From the good old spaghetti to the twisted fusilli, Spaghetti Factory provides enough varieties for you to choose from.

Carbonara

One of their bestsellers is the Carbonara. Mixed with ham, bacon, cream, with a sprinkle of parsley and topped with basil, their version is not just a conventional Carbonara. The thickness and the creaminess of the sauce is rich. The way the creaminess and the taste of the it stays in your lips leave you thinking about your first kiss: soft, exciting and long-lasting.

Red Seafood Pasta

Another favorite in Spaghetti Factory is the Red Seafood Pasta. Mixed with shrimp, squid, mussels, clam, tomato red sauce and parmesan cheese, this dish have a little bit of everything that it reminds me of Noah's Ark. The mixture of flavors is very intense. What I love about it is that it is not too sour and the flavors are well-balanced. Not to forget the good texture that the pasta provides with all the meat and sauce. Having this will take you to some island with white sand on a sunny day.

Spinach Dip

My personal preference though is their Spinach Dip. Served with pieces of crunchy garlic bread, the dip is composed of blended spinach with spices and herbs and topped with mozzarella cheese. The dip is baked to perfection as the mozzarella melts just like how an ice popsicle melts at the beach. Below the mozzarella is the creamy mashed/blended spinach which really taste beyond awesome. Together with the garlic bread, this dish makes one eat his greens.

Four Cheese Ravioli

If you want something new and something interesting, Spaghetti Factory's Four Cheese Ravioli is as interesting as the Piolo-KC breakup. Imagine ravioli - filled with 4 different kinds of cheese which is romana, ricotta, mozzarella, cheddar and splashed with cream sauce. What's inside is a piece of immortality in cheese form. I love the hint of sweetness in its sauce as it plays with the cheese mix inside your mouth. The dish is light, which makes it very comforting.

Panna Cotta

Creme Brulee

For desserts, the Panna Cotta is a classic Italian dessert which is made by simmering milk, cream, sugar and gelatin. The Spaghetti Factory's version is a fruit Panna Cotta which is topped with blueberry and has a plush of strawberry and blended mango below it. Imagine Italian leche flan, only fruity. Another Italian dessert is their Creme Brulee. Its very light as the cream is a bit bland and the spotlight revolves around the natural taste of the carmelized sugar on top. This is a good way to refresh the taste buds from the strong flavors of the main dish.

Spaghetti Factory knows too well that if we are not on vacation, we are planning for a party. For parties, Spaghetti Factory also delivers selected bestsellers on their menu and will pack it for you. However, please bear in mind that they only deliver party and family-size dishes. From October 1, 2010 to January 30, 2012, the Spaghetti Factory is running a Loyalty Festival promotion which you can take part of by collecting 8 stamps to get a Spaghetti Factory tumbler. Great deal, huh?

Each one of us deserves a good vacation. But not all of us are given the privilege of having enough money to sustain one. For that, we can always dine at a great restaurant that offers a foreign style and gives you the same blissful feeling, just like the Spaghetti Factory makes it happen.

But if you are lucky enough, go and visit Hawaii. It's got everything you need. Sand for the children, sun for the wife and sharks for the mother-in-law.

Spaghetti Factory is located at 3rd level, Ayala Center Cebu. Their prices ranges from P130 - P180. For take-out and delivery orders, call 238-5301 (for convenience, order a day before or 5 hours before) For prices and menu of delivery party boxes, go to http://spagdelivery.com

Visit their website at http://spaghettifactory.com.ph

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All pictures are taken by Roui Faelnar. For more of his photography, you may visit his site at http://rouifaelnar.com

Special thanks to Vanessa Balleras for the review of the article.

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SM Mater Chef's Supersized Cook-off

Photo by: Maria Caridad Satorre of http://travelwithblacksheep.blogspot.com/

A truly pinoy Christmas is never complete until you've walked home on a frigid morning after dawn mass and stopped to sample a warm bibingka from a small stall by the road. Naturally, with Christmas being so close, SM Hypermarket chooses to cap their quarter-long Master Chefs extravaganza with a celebration of one of the most iconic of holiday treats, the bibingka. And where better to do it than in the home of the biggest bibingka in the world, Mandaue City, Cebu.

Known as the source of the best bibingka in the country, Mandaue City is also the home of many ingenious bakers who have taken delicacy and given it a delicious twist. But one thing stays the same - all Mandaue bibingka are cooked in the classic "inurno" style.

Last November 18, 2011, SM Hypermarket kicked off the holidays in Cebu by holding a festival for bibingka makers and lovers of the treat. Its Supersized competition paid tribute to the many variants of the basic recipe and challenged chefs from all over to create the tastiest bibingka, and to serve up as many plates of it as they can.

At the end of the day, two groups were declared as winners. The best Tasting and Most Number of Plates Served Category winners each received P25,000 worth of SM gift certificates and a plaque of recognition from SM Hypermarket.

Alang-Alang group won the Best Tasting Bibingka with a staggering rate of 93.33%. The Largest Bibingka Serving was given to Mandauehanon group for serving a total of 391 pieces of bibingka.

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