The new Rodic's Diner on Visayas Ave.

Ask any University of the Philippines-Diliman student if he/she knows about Rodic's Diner and you won't get "no" for an answer. This Pinoy resto is iconic at UP and has already branched out to a few areas in the metro. It was the Maginhawa St. 
store that I got to visit about three years ago. 

Last October, Rodic's also opened a branch along Visayas Ave., where I go to work, 
and of course, I've visited a number of times. My youngest 
child also came with me one time. 

Rodic's is famous for its "tapsilog" but I was surprised to find out it serves good palabok, beef mami and paksiw na lechon as well.

These are what we've had:

Tapsilog
As I mentioned, this is the dish Rodic's is well known for. But truth to tell, I'm 
not a big fan of their version of this all-day brekkie fare but you know, 
taste is a very subjective thing. 

 Palabok

I wasn't expecting much from Rodic's palabok but this was surprisingly good and the serving was huge. I only wished they offered something to pair this with like puto, perhaps, or even fried lumpiang toge or shanghai.

Beef Mami
The taste of this noodle soup dish very much reminded me of beef pares. 
But I love beef pares so this was alright with me. My craving 
for a hot bowl of soup was satisfied. 

Lechon Paksiw
I was on some kind of a "lechon roll" when I had this. I had Zubuchon the day before and was still on that lechon high and thus ecstatic to find this at Rodic's. I was glad not to be disappointed because this lechon paksiw was delish, with the perfect 
balance of sweet and sour. The meat wasn't exactly tender 
but that was forgivable. 

Different viands displayed turo-turo style

Menu

Pica-pica foodstuff such as nuts, chicharon and biscocho for sale. 
Souvenir items are available too! 

Interiors

I love how bright, airy and clean this store is.

UP life mural

Rodic's Diner at #47 Visayas Ave., Barangay Vasra in Diliman, QC

Rodic's Diner is the perfect place for those who have big appetites but are watching their budget. If you're famished, you'd get satisfied by the huge servings and good cooking, of course. I'm excited to try their other dishes such as 
dinuguan and kare-kare so see you there, folks! 
Happy eating!

Chachago: New tea place to love on Visayas Ave.

Visayas Ave. in Diliman, Quezon City, is my second home, being my work place. This is a long stretch of road dotted by many foodie places which my co-workers 
and I go to during our lunch or afternoon breaks. 
This year, not only new restaurants have been added to our list of favorite places, but also milk tea shops (There are so many of them nowadays!) . Recently, Chachago, said to be a franchise from Taiwan, opened its doors, and I wasted no time before
trying it. I love that they have snacks too, to munch on while I'm having my tea. 

My instant favorites:

California Mix Fruit Tea (L), P140.

Imagine having pineapple, orange, lemon, apple and calamansi all in one cup of tea! That's a lot of flavors for your drink! 

Needless to say (but I'm saying it anyway. Haha!), this fruit tea is bursting with flavors that you'd surely love. I did..a lot! I'd surely keep coming back 
to Chachago for this delicious and refreshing fruit tea.

Chicken Chops, P130.

This is another thing to love at Chachago. Crunchy, flavorful, bite-sized chicken that will keep you munching down to the last bit. So good!

California Mix and Chicken Chops
A match made in heaven! 

For the life of me, I can't remember what this was but I had this one time and didn't enjoy it much because the tea taste was too strong for me. It's not Chachago's 
fault, though. I asked for a no-sugar drink, 
that's why it was a little too bitter.

Some of their best-selling flavors to choose from 

Inside Chachago

Chachago at #45, Visayas Ave., Diliman, Quezon City.

Aside from their Visayas Ave. store, Chachago can also be found in other areas in Metro Manila. Just yesterday, I saw their kiosk at Fisher Mall, also in Quezon City. 
If you're growing tired of the milk tea you're usually having, 
try this newcomer for a refreshing change. 
Cheers!

Meat Fair 2019

Weird as I am, there's this event near our office on Visayas Ave. in Quezon City, that ushers in my personal Christmas Season: The Meat Fair of the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). It is held annually, every third week of October. For me, it's very festive: lots of cold cuts, canned goods and ready-made viands to buy at much lower prices than in groceries, eat to your hearts' desire (free tastes, left and right, can you imagine?) and freebies to score. After the week-long event comes Undas when we get to be together with relatives and then time to put out the Christmas tree. 
That's why..get it? Tee-hee. 
This year, however, Meat Fair was held a week earlier because of the African Swine Fever (ASF) scare. The government wants to assure people that it's okay to eat pork as long as you buy it from reputable stores that are regularly inspected by the NMIS. As always, my officemates and I had fun visiting the booths and sampling the products, especially the new ones, buying lots of breakfast and "baon" fares and getting freebies such as condiments and kitchenware.
Here are some scenes from this year's Meat Fair:

Free tastes!

Lapid barbecue is humongous at P50.

Big crunch!

My favorite hotdogs!

Not everything is meat, though. There's also "bibingka" for sale!

Do you know now why my co-workers and I love going to the Meat Fair? It's a fiesta for carnivores! Us moms also love the give-aways. This year, I got a free bottle of soy sauce and a pouch of menudo sauce. But last year, I had a beautiful red apron! My office friend received a grander free gift on the first day of the Meat Fair last Monday: a medium-sized ceramic baking dish and a Lock & Lock-type plastic container. 
She had a big purchase of pasta sauces, that's why. 
Well, till the next edition of our favorite event, the Meat Fair, in 2020!

Starbucks opens new branch in QC

Going to work hadn't exactly been something to look forward to in the mornings..Well, until Starbucks opened a new branch in our office neighborhood! My co-workers and I were filled with excitement the moment we learned a new store would be opening very near our building and more so when it actually flung its doors open last week. We wasted no time and went there at once to buy afternoon perk-me-ups. 

We were very impressed about how huge, spacious and elegant was this new Starbucks branch! Floor-to-ceiling glass walls, wood panels, high ceiling, ambiant lighting -- everything worked well to give the interiors a modern, 
chic and homey look and feel. 

But for me, what sets this branch apart is how friendly the crew are. They are welcoming, helpful, warm and cheerful. I must admit that I wasn't really a Starbucks fan but I recently became one. I still don't know much about their food and drinks, but the crew member at the counter was patient in helping me make a choice, as I explained that I wanted a drink that's fancy without being sweet. That could be a bit of a challenge, I know. Haha! Anyway, my choices during the last two occasions 
I was at this new branch were:

Thanksgiving Sandwich and Cappuccino

Cream Cheese Donut

Iced hibiscus tea with pomegranate pearls

In and around Starbucks-Visayas Ave. 

Starbucks on Visayas Ave. corner Road 10 in Barangay Vasra, Quezon City 

Starbucks is a much-welcome addition to the list of foodie places on Visayas Ave. For us who go to work here, it has made our every day a bit more exciting! Imagine going to Starbucks instead of the boring cafeteria for the lunch or afternoon break. A great stress-buster, that's what it is! I'll have more of you, 
Starbucks-Visayas Ave., and you, more of me!