Get Your Seafood on at Ka Lui Restaurant in PalawanTwo succulent grilled shrimps basted in a tangy orange sauce atop seasoned vegetables is only one of the many famous items on Ka Lui’s seafood menu. Other items include blue marlin, shrimp halabos, eel and stingray in coco cream, fresh vegetables, and tropical fruits with a variety of presentations that will not bore a restless toddler. 10 minutes from Puerto Princesa airport, Palawan, Ka Lui Restaurant is located at 369 Rizal Avenue. Considered the most popular seafood restaurant in Palawan if not the entire Philippines, the menu boasts only seafood, fruits and vegetable items. In fact, Ka Lui attracts international visitors from around the globe. It is a regular spot for Palawan based artists, journalists as well as VIP guests. Situated on a busy street in Puerto Princesa, Ka Lui’s wooden sign and bamboo entrance doors is the gateway to a serene dining experience. Its bahay-kubo exterior features tropical bamboo and wood designs demonstrating its Hawaiian/filipino motif. Past the doors is a cozy outdoor garden and waiting area with wooden benches that seemed to belong in a garden magazine. Sculpted tropical plant displays, capiz lamps, a small fountain and palm trees all integrate together to form a welcoming and intimate ambience in this courtyard. This nipa hut restaurant is a spacious open concept structure allowing the breeze to naturally flow throughout. Rare orchids, hanging seashells, wooden mask decors and wind chimes decorate the interior as well as native weave baskets, oil paintings and filipino jars adorning top shelves. Bananas, cantelopes, watermelons, papayas and plantains are presented on wooden shelves in various corners. The furniture is a bucolic laid back theme with some seats made of abaca sand sacks. Visitors can choose to sit on regular wooden tables or sit on oversize floor cushions to experience Japanese style dining on short tables. Guests are also required to take off and leave footwear in cubicles before being guided to their table. This is understandable as it represents respect in asian countries, not to mention protection for the glistening bamboo flooring throughout the entire restaurant. There are a few well kept mini garden areas laid throughout the restaurant. A small art gallery boasting oil paintings on the wall is at the back of the restaurant along with polished wooden benches. Various eclectic artwork by local artists are also laid on the ground for visitors to purchase. To further emphasize the artsy environment, there is entertainment during certain nights with local artists playing native Palawan instruments such as the bamboo flute and bamboo harp. Ka Lui’s menu displaying only seafood, fresh vegetables and fruits make it an attractive option for healthy eaters...with the bonus of great prices! But healthy does not necessarily mean bland. Visitors can choose tasty seafood entrees such as tuna, fish cordon bleu, shrimps or blue marlin for 180 PHP ($3.75 US) average. Side orders include exotic items such as eel or stingray in coco cream for 150 PHP ($3.15 US). The sizzling seafood sisig (170 PHP) is a must-have with squid served on a hot sizzling pan topped with red peppers and melted cheese. The KaLui Special of the Day for two serves fish steak, prawns, veggies, fried fish with pineapple sauce, rice and starters...all for 395 PHP! For 50 PHP, fruit shakes are also a priority drink as diners get a choice between mango, pineapple, papaya, watermelon, jackfruit and buko (coconut). To top off the native dining experience, complimentary dessert is served with sliced fruits topped with brown sugar presented in half of a coconut shell.
With delicious quality exotic dishes at an economical price along with the unique native ambience, it is normal for Ka Lui to have a waiting line on a weekend night. It is best to make reservations (048) 433- 2580 to avoid a long wait. They are open for lunch 11 am to 2pm and 6-11 pm for dinner. The restaurant is closed on Sundays. Lunch is a great time to go for those that want to experience a more casual outing. It is best to go in the evening to experience its intimate, incandescent lighting.
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Boracay,Philippines: Taste Foods from Around the Globe in just 3.5 KMUnderneath the afternoon sun, the walkway strip is buzzing with tourists and locals. An area called White beach, the west coast of Boracay Island, Philippines is a hot spot for tourists to flock to. Lined with palm trees, the 3.5 km pedestrian-only sand walkway serves as a barrier between the white-sand beach and local businesses. Tourists can stroll on the sand walkway and pass scores of hotels, vendors, boutique shops and open-air gourmet restaurants. Eating out, being one of my favourite activities as a vacationer, makes searching for places to eat a fun outing. Restaurants in this area are brimming with creative international menus giving brave diners an opportunity to taste dishes from around the globe. The exotic aromas of a Mexican cuisine followed by a seafood eatery can entice travellers to try it all. With various types of cuisines lining the lane, tourists are sure to fill their food cravings whether it be Italian, Japanese, Filipino, Mexican only to name a few. To add to your dining experience, ambiences also vary from modern and sleek to casual tropical, to romantic and intimate or classic and sophisticated. Staff are very apt in taking the extra step in making every guest feel at home and comfortable. The variety of dishes are sure to satisfy families with children, couples and lone travellers that have specific preferences. For those that like to mix alcohol with their vacation, between 4-8 pm, restaurant bars have their happy hour serving certain cocktails and beers at half price. Drinks range from 40 Php (1 US dollar) to 200 Php (5 US dollars). Many choose to hop from one place to another to try different drinks or experience a different environment. Being steps away from each other, drinking and driving is definitely not a concern! Most restaurants serve distilled ice cubes so it is rather gentle on the sensitive stomachs. Some restaurants serve complimentary breakfast buffets depending on which hotel you are staying in. For instance, if you stay at the Boracay Regency hotel, you are entitled to complimentary breakfast buffets next door. Once seated, staff will just dot down your room number to confirm your stay there. In the evening, dinner on the strip starts around 6 pm where food items generally range from 100 Php (2 US) to 600 Php (11 US) Many restaurants, especially those on hotel property also serve dinner beach buffets for 350 Php (they take only cash). It is not required to be a hotel guest to enter beach buffets. You can simply walk around and pick your moment’s craving. Food items in the buffet range from: Asian cuisine such as stir-fry noodles, sweet and sour fish or Mediterranean chicken dishes to delicious French dessert crepes. For seafood lovers, there is also a seafood buffet where you can pick from a selection of fresh fish, lobsters, crabs and have them cook it right in front of you! No appointment is needed to reserve a table on the beach or in the restaurants. With so many along the strip, lineups are unusual however peak dinner hours usually occur between 7-9 pm. Also, be sure to carry cash as many diners do not take debit or credit card. There are a few currency exchange offices open during the day along the strip as well. Bon appetite! How To Get There:
The common route to get to Boracay Island, take a flight from Philippines’ capital Manila. There are a few airlines you can take. Most common, take Cebu Pacific or Philippines Airlines to either Kalibo or Caticlan airport. Flight is about an hour and costs on average 3000 Pesos (around 100 US dollars). From Kalibo airport, you take a 2 hour drive to Caticlan Jetty Port where you will then take a 20 min motorized outrigger boat ride to Boracay. From Caticlan airport, it is a 5 min drive to Caticlan Jetty Port and then a 20 min boat ride. The journey is part of the fun! Travelling Tip: When travelling to Boracay from Manila, keep an eye on who exactly helps you with luggage in between transfers so you don’t end up overpaying personnel that did not assist you. 60 Php per person is ample. 2/18/2019 The American influence on Manila’s fast food eateries while maintaining their distanceRead NowThe American influence on Manila’s fast food eateries while maintaining their distance The first time going to my home country, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But within the first day of arriving, my first observation was the influence North America had on Philippines’ local eatery businesses. Known for its cultural and exotic dishes, Metro Manila is surprisingly dense with popular American fast food chains. The golden arches of McDonald’s stand tall in the busy street amongst people, stray dogs, stores, automobiles and tricycles. Looking out the car window, we pass yet another yellow and red ‘M’ sign. For a moment, I thought it was the same one from 5 minutes ago but that couldn’t be. On this side of the globe, it is common to see struggling vendors on the street with a booming MacDonald’s just next door. Similarly, Starbucks has a loyal crowd, almost as if it has become somewhat of a culture in itself. Several Friday and Saturday nights my cousins would ask if I wanted to go to Starbucks. I would reply ‘Sure, I can grab a cafe latte’ not realizing when they ask me to accompany them to Starbucks it means to hang out there for the evening. Needless to say, I came to observe many middle-upper class locals as well as tourists see it as a hot hangout spot rather than a quick stop-through for coffee. It is common especially on a weekend night for Starbucks to have every table filled and have a lineup at the cash register. In fact, most of the Starbucks and MacDonald’s locations close past midnight in Metro Manila. With the influence of the west taking its hold in the Philippines, I see the green and white Starbucks sign as well as the red and yellow Mcdonald’s in similar building designs as their counterparts in North America. Yet there are varying differences. Menu prices for both are lower in comparison to North America but still considered relatively high for locals. Prices at MacDonald’s range from 50 Php (1.03 US) for individual items to 350 Php (7.22 US) for family combo meals. They have even taken the liberty to add items made popular to meet the filipino culture...white rice, fried chicken and of course pancit (traditional filipino noodle dish) Coffees, cappucinos and cafe lattes at Starbucks range from 100 Php (2.05 US) to 250 Php (5.16 US). While tourists are surely smiling at the prices, I look around wondering if locals are smiling for the same reason. Perhaps there is another underlying factor involved....one of social difference. After experiencing all kinds of cuisines in different environments throughout Philippines, an interesting difference to note is the subliminal label of eating at an American fast food chain in Manila. Through conversation with my cousins from abroad, it is considered a delicacy, almost gourmet as compared to going to the local market. Going to a Starbucks and Mcdonald’s is almost on par as going to a restaurant. It would not only be much cheaper going to the crowded market down the street but the amount you pay would feed a lot more people. In North America, it is considered rather economical to go to either Starbucks or Mcdonalds as compared to eating out at a restaurant. Is the influence of Starbucks and MacDonald’s geared towards a certain class in Manila vs North America? That question really reached forefront for me when I saw filipino armed security officials at every Starbucks and Mcdonalds’ entrance doors. Guns in their side holster, hats in perfect position on their heads, shoes polished, these women and men are the first to come in contact with as they open the doors for you. In North America, I would think an armed guard at a fast food place would deem that location unsafe, having been victim to an incidence and attracting the wrong crowd. But in Manila, perhaps that is not the case but rather a preventative measure or barrier to seclude certain ‘classes.’ Do the presence of armed security in Manila fast food eateries underly a different message perhaps favoring the business of tourists and upper-class locals? It is obvious that the American influence on fast food eateries 6563 miles away (distance between western point of Canada to Philippines) involves a difference in societal and economic standards. What they represent in the west may be different than in the east in terms of the audience it attracts. As much as I see the influence of Starbucks and Mcdonald’s expanding, I cannot deny that there is also a reciprocal influence. With the simple addition of items such as rice on menus, it must mean that the American fast food chains are open to integrating with Asian cuisine. It may never happen in North America but what remains true is that American fast food chains such as Starbucks and MacDonald’s will continue to maintain and grow their popularity in Metro Manila. Bolero Restaurant: A Mexican Influence In The Heart Of The PhilippinesThe soft latin music, the smell of chicken and baked cheese, the light blue and yellow interior colours...it’s all too much to simply ignore. The large bright yellow and red sign that read Happy Hour 2 pm - 7 pm is also too enticing. Located in the heart of White Beach, Boracay Island in the Philippines, Bolero restaurant exudes an inviting, casual atmosphere. The staff being very friendly and warm-hearted, makes you feel right at home. The bar--fully stocked with every conceivable type of liquor--sits at the center of the restaurant, adorned with a bowl of fresh lemons and pineapples. One side of the bar faces the interior of the restaurant area, while the other gazes outside onto a row of wooden bar stools as well as the walkway and beach area. Facing South China sea, Bolero welcomes the natural breeze coming in off the water. A row of swings sit in front of the exterior bar stools, adding to the playful design of the restaurant. Sitting atop the polished bamboo tables, table cloths depict bright yellow and blue circle patterns. The menu as well as the green, blue, and yellow walls give the restaurant its cheerful, fun-loving authentic Mexican ambience. The ceiling is lined with bamboo sticks that led my eyes to a string of fake red peppers hanging over the bar area. Historical portraits of Mexican figures adorn the interior, firmly establishing the cultural inspiration. Mexican dishes on the menu include quesadillas and burritos, but Western favourites are also on offer, such as pancakes, pastas, and sandwiches, with items under 400 Php ($8.25 US). Main courses generally range between 300 - 380 Php. Try the Three Taco Platter for 350 Php, with its zesty seasonings and guacamole on the side that's to die for. The frozen margaritas are the drinks to remember here, as they are made with fresh fruit rimmed with salt and guaranteed to pucker your lips. Naturally you can't forget the shots of gold Tequila and the famous local Tanquay rum to see you off. Sidebar:
Bolero restaurant is located in between boat station 3 and the tourist center. The common route to get to Boracay, take a flight from Manila. There are a few airlines you can take. Most common, take Cebu Pacific or Philippines Airlines to either Kalibo or Caticlan airport. Flight is about an hour and costs on average 3000 Php (around 100 dollars US). From Kalibo airport, you take a 2 hour drive to Caticlan Jetty Port where you will then take a 20 min motorized outrigger boat ride to Boracay. From Caticlan airport, it is a 5 min drive to Caticlan Jetty Port and a 20 min boat ride. Enjoy An Afternoon Of Solitude And Sweets At Bakers HillThe aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries hit my senses immediately as I enter Bakers Hill. Local bread, brownies, sweet sponge cake, hopiang (traditional filipino pastries with fillings), chocolate droplets cost between 14 PHP and 100 PHP ($0.29- $2.08 US). Pastry boxes can be beautifully wrapped for gift purposes as well. A few minutes of picking up bakery goods can easily turn out to be a couple hours of wandering the mini wonderland park that is adjacent to the property free of charge. The major attraction on sight is the zen garden that exhibit various designs from tropical plants and stone formations. Food vendors and a restaurant called Bakers Kitchen are also on sight for visitors to enjoy. A simple trip to this bakery makes for the perfect outing for families and for local school field trips. In fact, Bakers Hill is part of the Puerto Princesa city tour and is located at Mitra’s Road, Brgy.Sta. Monica. Past the bakery building towards the garden are statues of disney character cartoons such as Snow White, Bugs Bunny and Donald Duck. These presentations are great for picture taking and are attractive to children. Visitors then walk on stone pathways leading into the Japanese-style garden with carefully designed earth elements displaying circle patterns made of dark grey and white stones. Trimmed exotic plants align walkways, some in the shape of circles, others shaped as a winding, twisted cylinder. Pink, purple and white flowers hang from tree leaves and sprout from plants. Various types of plants sit atop dark brown clay pots, while others are held by rock boulders adding to their zen presentation. In one area of the garden, hand-picked flat rocks in shades of grey compose the ground foundation. Talking blue and yellow parrots perch on their wooden swing in a cage for visitors to view. Black and purple peacocks also strut confidently in their cages. For entertainment, a cartoon-themed playground is within the park for children to enjoy. There are also wooden tables used for gaming. For those who want to feast on food, tables are also set up in the eating area. Throughout the garden are smooth carved benches, perfect for sitting and enjoying a conversation with someone or just sitting alone in tranquility. Towards the end of the garden is a small man-made pond made of cement with rocks embedded in it. Near the edge sits a golden statue of a Buddha cross legged on a rock with coins at his feet. Throwing coins in this pond is considered lucky. Not too far from the pond is a bamboo circular walkway winding upwards, a perfect spot to catch a view of the distant landscape and horizon. A wooden bridge composed of small but sturdy intertwining cylinder tree trunks give an authentic feel to the garden. The small dinosaur area boast mini rolling hills completely covered with thick grass. A miniature Tyrannosaurus Rex are amongst the statues. To expand on the garden, landscapers are harvesting the ground to lay more flat stones before adding more animated statues.
Upon entering the grounds or before leaving, the owners house catches the attention of many onlookers. As part of the park’s presentation, the owner sure gives as much attention and maintenance. Four stories tall, the exterior show modern square beige finishings. Brick in light brown line the side of the house with large windows overlooking the entire park. A dark wooden ganaba sit on the front, a much larger double decker gabana in the back as well as another back porch as part of the second level. If that isn't enough of outdoor space, this house also has a rooftop! A visit to Bakers Hill is worth the trip even if its just for the brownies! Which Tea Suits You?With so many choices in teas, how can you tell which suits or benefits you most? There are so many different names under each major category of teas to choose from.
Here are brief explanations and some benefits on the major categories of teas: Herbal Herbal tea is basically fresh herbs that are soaked in hot water. This gives off its medicinal properties. Herbs can include mint, ginger, or jasmine acai. There are many names under this category but some of the popular ones are Acai tea, Blackberry tea, Chamomile tea. Ginger tea, Peppermint tea. Benefits common to this category are weight loss, detoxification, re-energizer, healing just to name a few. Green The potent anti-oxidant polyphenols found in green tea have tremendous benefits. It does not go through oxidation and fermentation as black tea. Studies show green tea lowers risk of cancer; lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure; reduce hypertension; inhibit Streptococcus mutans, a major bacteria involved with decay; posses anti-bacterial properties; enhances growth of beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract; and inhibits flu virus. White White tea comes from the uncured, unprocessed and unfermented leaves of the camellia sinensis plant. It is the only tea that is not oxidized or fermented. Since it is dried fast, it traps anti-oxidants in the leaves. It has less caffeine than green tea. Benefits include: prevention of heart ailments; reduce cholesterol and blood sugar; lower blood pressure; attack free radicals; strengthen bones; and protects skin. Black Black tea comes next to green tea. It is pretty much green but its leaves are drier (gives it the black look). It goes through full oxidation and fermentation. Benefits include: prevents clogging of arteries and poor arterial functioning; inhibits cancer growth; suppresses Cox-2 gene that triggers inflammation; neutralize germs that can cause infections. Black tea has the same amount of anti-oxidants as green tea. Roobois Roobois teas contains no additives, preservatives or caffeine and is low on tannin (inhibits absorption of iron and protein in the body). Benefits include: potent anti-oxidants that green tea does not have; sooths the central nervous system; relieves stomach cramps, indigestion, nausea and skin irritations; supplements calcium, manganese, magnesium, and zinc. Oolong Oolong (also called Wu long) tea also come from the camellia sinensis plant. The degree of its oxidation and fermentation process is between green tea and black tea. Benefits include: reduces cholesterol, assist in burning fat; can treat digestive disorders; strengthens the immune system; and promote bone strength. Everything you need to know about teas can be found here: Tea BenefitsTea Benefits are discussed at TeaBenefits.com. This site is your comprehensive online guide to the healthy attributes of tea and herbal infusions. Coffee Or Tea?Whether it be Starbucks, Second Cup, or Tim Horton’s, morning rush hour line ups are very common. More than likely, there are more coffee drinkers than there are tea lovers. But which one poses more health risks or benefits? Here are some of the pros and cons of drinking either coffee or tea.
Benefits of black coffee (based on an intake of 4-5 cups/day):
http://www.coffeedetective.com/coffee-benefits.html Benefits of tea:
http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/top-10-health-benefits-drinking-tea.html Disadvantages of coffee:
Disadvantages of tea:
While studies show the health benefits and risks of coffee seem to balance, in the long run, consuming tea seems to contribute more positively to your health. Experience One Of Palawan’s Oceanfront Jewels At Badjao Seafront RestaurantShaking hands with Puerto Princesa’s city mayor drew many customers’ heads to turn. The popular seafood restaurant is a regular place to dine for Mayor Edward S. Hagedorn who advocates the preservation of Palawan’s beautiful natural environment. In fact, Puerto Princesa is a city with a track record in environmental management, where nature is carefully reserved and modern development is kept in moderation. Badjao Seafront restaurant is located at Abueg Road, and sits right on top of water supported by cement stilts.
The entry way has a tropical and authentic design with wooden face sculptures hanging, two carved totem poles and a water fountain to welcome you in. To get to the front lobby area, visitors walk on a wooden bridge walkway surrounded by trees and atop shallow water. In the lobby area, multi-coloured yellow, blue, red curtains drape the Badjeo Seafront restaurant sign. Intricately carved wooden totem poles are also on both sides of this set of doors. On the walls are framed credentials of the restaurant such as “the only place in Puerto Princesa visited by HRH Prince Andrew, Duke of York.” When you enter the main dining area, all tables have a panoramic view of the ocean, hills and trees. It seems so surreal. The breeze naturally flows in as there are no windows but rather roll down bamboo shades. All throughout the restaurant as well as the washrooms are tropical zen displays resembling a spa clinic. Weave baskets, dark wood vases and hanging interior lamp shades are common in this restaurant. The bar boasts a glassware rack holding martini, beer and cocktail glasses. Interweaving straw and soft wood material is also part of the bar design. Just to the right, stairs lead to the second floor enclosed private room that can overlook the dining area. Private functions are usually held here. Waiters busily do their tasks wearing white loose shirts, casual black pants and sandals to represent Badjao’s authenticity. The menu primarily consists of seafood items with appetizers averaging 140 PHP ($2.89 US). Entrees range between 135 to 200 PHP ($2.79 - 4.15 US) and drinks range between 45-60 PHP ($0.93 -1.25 US). Red and white wine by the glass is 125 PHP ($2.58 US) which goes quite well with whole grilled fish blanketed in sweet and sour sauce topped with vegetables. A side order of large tomatoes are presented as a flower to decorate the dish. Seafood items such as shrimps, lobster, squid and crabs can be cooked in different ways according to the guest’s preference. Steamed, butter garlic, fried, grilled, tempura or spicy are few of the chef’s favourites. This Filipino-style seafood restaurant is ideal for family casual outings during the day with a more romantic ambience at night. Badjao Seafront is not in the main strip but off the beaten track so it best to expect a longer traveling time. For lunch or dinner reservations, the contact number is (048) 433-9912. Bon appetit! I’ve been searching for the best deep dish pizzas in the Greater Toronto Area and so far, research has pointed to only 2 spots that seemed to get the reviews. Double D’s and Mickey’s Pizza. Based on their websites, I was kind of leaning towards Mickey’s being the winner.
I tried Double D’s awhile back and although they have a limited variety, their tomato sauce and cheese kicks ass. Their crust also isn’t thick in the middle which I didn’t mind. Cost, I think, was twenty something dollars for 1 pizza. I’ve been waiting to try Mickey’s until I can actually take the time to drive out there. So today was the day. It wasn't bad. The crust was thick in the middle but it had a bland taste to it. (I admit, I love the grease in Pizza Hut’s crust) The tomato sauce and cheese was mediocre. I got the chicken Hawaiian pizza and the mediterranean pizza. Both ended up being a whopping $58. Despite the variety of toppings Mickey’s has to offer, I preferred the taste of Double D’s. Luckily for those new to the city, there are a couple locations downtown and just outside of downtown. Who would have thought to put bitters in alcoholic beverages? Typically bitters usually frequent healthy food store shelves. But not in this west Toronto bar that I stumbled upon. It wasn’t a flashy place from the outside, but their music got me hopping inside.
I was quite impressed with Miss Things’ cocktail menu. With names like ‘Maggie Made Me Do It,’ and ‘Becky With The Good Hair' I wondered what effect these drinks would have. Not to mention coconut bitters, orange bitters, spiced bitters are just a few of the ingredients in some of their cocktails. For those not familiar with bitters, it has several benefits including: digestive health, helps with upset stomachs and nausea, sugar cravings, blood sugar levels and more. However, when mixed with alcoholic beverages, perhaps its effects won’t be the same. Who knows. I’m trying it anyways. In any case, bar manager and beverage consultant Robin James Wynne sure does think outside the box when creating this menu. In fact, he had such an in-depth knowledge of rum. His stories of traveling abroad was pretty fascinating. For those looking for a bar that touts Hawaiian culture with the DJ booth even dressed up as a tiki hut, head over to Toronto’s west side on queen street just west of Dufferin. They have different music themes every Saturday. The night I went was disco night so I definitely couldn’t just walk by without taking a look. |
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