The enduring Ma Mon Luk

In my five decades and one year of existence, I have only visited the iconic 
mami-and-siopao place Ma Mon Luk in Quiapo once, about seven years ago. So last week, I thought of making a second visit, this time with my friend, who decided to treat me 
for her birthday at the Quezon Ave. branch.

Ma Mon Luk may not ring a bell for millenials but for us Gen X members and older, it is an institution. It is even believed by some food historians that it was the Chinese man named Ma Wen-lu or Ma Mon Luk as he became known in the Philippines after whom "mami" was named (Ma, his name, and "mi", meaning noodles in Chinese). The man migrated to the Philippines from China in 1920 and thereafter opened his first noodle restaurant in Binondo. The Quiapo and Quezon Ave., Quezon City branches 
opened next but for some reasons, the original store closed down 
while the two have remained open to this day.

Anyway, my friend and I came for dinner on Saturday last week. Fortunately, the place wasn't full so we immediately caught the attention of servers. Well, I was there by myself just a few days earlier but had no luck. I waited for about 20 to 30 minutes trying to get noticed by the crew but they were all super busy! I decided to 
just leave and transfer to another restaurant because I was starving! 

Anyway, here's what my friend and I ordered:

Original mami

The broth was quite thick compared to other bowls of mami that I've had elsewhere and looked milky, too. However, it was bland for my taste, but a dash of salt 
and pepper could lend more flavor to the soup.

Bola-bola siopao

This, I loved! It was delish, with a generous amount of pork filling. 
No wonder Ma Mon Luk siopao is well loved by patrons.

Pork rice

My friend and I were surprised when this was served because we were expecting a dish of pork with rice. We thought we were given chopsuey rice by mistake. The server assured us, though, that it was their pork rice. Well, the veggies tasted good, 
although it was essentially chopsuey in both look and taste.

Pork fried noodles

We were expecting a plate of crunchy noodles but these were already drenched in sauce and already soft when it came on the table. Nevertheless, 
the pancit tasted good so my friend and I still enjoyed it.

Menu

Inside Ma Mon Luk along Quezon Ave. in Quezon City

Ma Mon Luk may be really old and quite rundown, with no air conditioning system, but the fact that it still exists decades after decades, attests to the fact that Pinoys love this Chinese restaurant. I know it will still be here for my future grandkids 
to visit, to enjoy good food and a slice of history.

Dessert and coffee at Dolcelatte

Being diabetic, I avoid desserts especially when eating out. But I do give in once in a while, when I have company to share something sweet with. This way, I can have just a small portion and leave the rest to whoever is with me. 
Recently, after my friends and I had a really good lunch at a Korean restaurant and were on our way to the office, we saw Dolcelatte on Quezon Ave. and had a spur of the moment decision to swing by for dessert and coffee. It was my first visit, though I see this nice-looking place daily on my way to work. 
Oh my, it's a diabetic person's nightmare of a place with all those mouthwatering cakes on display! On the other hand, the place is heaven to those who have sweet tooth and don't have to worry about their blood glucose shooting up. I was just glad my good friend was with me, we split a slice of heaven..
in the form of carrot cake :)
Our orders:

Valrhona Crunch, P225.

 Carrot cake, P150.

Blueberry Danish, P68.

Cafe Latte Blended, P150.

Dark Mocha Latte (blended), P175.

Frozen Hot Choco, P195.

Cafe Latte, regular, P125.

Cakes on display

Croughnuts! Dolcelatte was famous for these when they 
were the craze five years ago.

Deli meats for sale.

Inside Dolcelatte

Dolcelatte along Quezon Ave., near EDSA, in Quezon City

We all enjoyed the pastry, cakes and drinks. The carrot cake, which is my favorite, was moist and delicious. I wished I could eat the whole slice! 

But Dolcelatte isn't just about desserts. They have a full menu - from appetizers, soup, salad, to main entrees. They even sell frozen imported deli meats. 
My friends and I had quite a lovely time, though we didn't get to stay long. The place was quiet and cozy, and the crew were friendly and patient with our whims. You know when good friends are together, everyone's "makulit"! We hope to be back soon at Dolcelatte for a full meal and lots of banter and laughter. :)

What's pink and nice for hanging out? Pink Guava!

Pink Guava. It's not a fruit, it's a foodie place. How cute. This was my first thought when I saw Pink Guava for the first time on Quezon Avenue on my way to work maybe two years ago. Last year (or was it 2012?) , my youngest son and I went there but found out they only served an assortment of hot and cold drinks. However, my kid wanted something to eat so out we went. But months later, I was happy to know they had started serving food - pastas, rice meals and cakes. Sadly, I couldn't find an opportunity to eat there...till yesterday. I had business to transact at nearby Insular Life and so had lunch at Pink Guava afterward, together with my daughter. 

These were our orders:   

Pork Sesame Oyster, P119.
My daughter loved this. It's breaded pork poured over with sweet-salty sesame-oyster sauce.

Chix and Chips, P65.
I ate only this and a huge chunk of the cake because I was still feeling full from breakfast. 
Fried bite-sized chicken and potato chips. Great for nibbling!

Almond cake, P115.
We forgot the exact name of this cake and only remembered the first word - almond. Soft and moist and just a bit sweet, making me not too guilty for indulging. Haha!

Cappuccino, 8 oz, P75. It's also available in two bigger sizes.
I loved my coffee! It was very frothy and had just the right kick.

Guava Lychee juice, P120.
My daughter so loved this. Unique was how she described it.

Cute interiors! I love pink..next to purple. 

This is our table and that's my daughter looking so relaxed with her Guava-Lychee drink.

The lamp hanging over our table. Isn't it pretty?

I think this is the one with cinnamon. I regret not having ordered this. Next time!

Or maybe this is the one with cinnamon. Haha! What poor memory I have.

This is Ferrero Rocher cake. I would have loved the cake itself but I dislike Ferrero Rocher 
chocolate that's on top so I didn't go for this.

 This is upstairs, where a function was to be held that afternoon.

Pink Guava is on Quezon Ave in QC. If you're coming from Welcome Rotonda going toward QC Memorial Circle, it's on your right and comes after National Bookstore.

I say this is one place that's perfect for having a nice chat with a friend or even just chillin' out alone . The place has simple but cute and relaxing interiors. The drink menu is quite extensive and impressive. The food menu is simple and contains not quite a lot but I guess there's a good side to it - it saves you from the stress of indecision because it's easier to make a choice. Haha! There's only a few (three or four) pasta dishes and some rice meals plus two pica-pica - Chix. and Chips and Fish and Chips, then the cakes and pastries. But my daughter liked it there so much, I guess, that she was telling me last night she wanted to eat there again. 
Well, hope to see you guys there!

(Note: This place is now closed)