Out for Lunch at Tasty Tucker

We have been doing a lot of lunch-out since we have transferred to our new office last month. Why not? We are now much closer to restaurants and it seems that there always a new restaurant to try.

My friend always passes by at HMR in Pioneer and she notice a new restaurant has just opened. It has been weeks when she started nagging us to eat at Tasty Tucker. One Friday, we give in to her request.

Tasty Tucker seems small in the outside. You'll not missed the place because it just within HMR. They also have rectangular blackboard outside just near their door which has their special menu for the day. We were surprised when we saw how large the place was. Aside from the fact that we thought they only limited variety of foods. They place is also full of paintings.

From breads to pasta to pizza and rice meal they have it! I was thrilled when I saw their cheesecakes. They Blueberry Cheesecake, Lime Pie, Toblerone, Pumpkin Cheesecake, New York and Pastillas De Leche.

Their menu are on a board written using colorful chalks. I have also noticed that they have bilao which means they serve all time Pinoy favorite Pansit.

Below is a slice of pizza that my colleague ordered. They also have stuffed pizza however it was not yet available when we arrived.

Aside from the pizza, we ordered their chicken pesto, pesto chicken sandwich, BLT sandwich, and grilled pork.

Tasty Tucker also offers freshly baked breads, teas and roast coffee. The food at Tasty Tucker are also affordable. It ranges from P100 to P200.

There are other Tasty Tucker branch. You can contact them at 634-0526.

Grilling at Nanbantei of Tokyo

We always find good reason to go out and eat. This time its a farewell treat to a friend who has just resigned from our company. I'm not a fan of Japanese food because I always think of it as sushi and I don't eat raw foods. This changes however when we ate at Nanbantei of Tokyo at Bonifacio High Street.

The Japanese ambiance is very evident. Once you entered the restaurant the waiters will greet you in Japanese. On the table is a bottle of sake and tea. A complimentary Namayasai is served once the customers has seated. Namayasai are fresh vegetable sticks served with signature sauces of Nanabantei. Their sauce is made of soy paste with mixture of other herbs. At first, I didn't like the taste of the vegetable dipped into the sauce however after a while it become very tasteful. 

Nanbantei of Tokyo main dish is Yakitori. Yakitori are grilled and skewered dishes that is very common in Japan. In Japan, Yakitori is grilled chicken however, Nanbantei does not limit its dishes from chicken. Customers will love their variety of grilled dishes. 

We ordered their Best Seller platter to have a little taste of everything. It includes Aspara Maki (asparagus wrapped in bacon), Tebasaki (chicken wings), Pork Garlic Yaki, Shiso Maki, Negima (strips of beef), corn and potato maki. I like most is their Aspara Maki. The bacon blends well with the asparagus.

Yummy Yakitoris

chicken wings and corns

 Aside from the Best Seller platter we ordered a separate set of Negima. These Negima is a combination of chicken meat with leeks.

Negima

 People who cannot eat without rice does not have to worry. Nanbantei have different kind of rice. They have Yaki Meshi which is the Japanese fried rice, Gohan or plain rice and Shitake Rice which is rice with shitake sauce topped with nori strips.

Our meal was not complete without California Makis. Aside from California Maki they also have different sushi and sashimi.

California Maki

Namayasai

For a more healthy way of eating try Nanbantei of Tokyo.

Lunch at Kanin Club

I've heard about Kanin Club from office mates and they are really recommending it. I have not tried Kanin Club for the past years because they don't have a branch near our home. At work their nearest branch is at Ayala Triangle in Makati which is quite difficult to reach because of traffic. Good thing they have opened a branch at The Hub, Greenfield District in Mandaluyong. It's so accessible that I passed by it every night when I go home from work.

As part of a farewell to an officemate who just resigned, we decided to have our lunch at Kanin Club. Fortunately we were able to come in before lunch time. At lunch time the place was already full.

Kanin Club offers ordinary Filipino cuisine with a different twist. It what makes them stand out from other restaurant. When we go out to eat we always want to have something different from what we usually eat. 

Crispy Liempo

For our appetizer we ordered their Crispy Liempo. The pork are cut into thin strips and cooked until it become crispy. The pork was very crunchy. Even our two friends who have braces doesn't experience any difficulty in eating it.

Sinigang na Liempo

We ordered Sinigang na Liempo for our soup. I seldom ordered sinigang because I usually have it every Sunday at home. I have a brother who is fan of sinigang and so my mother would always cook sinigang for lunch every Sunday.

Well, there's nothing much special with their sinigang but I wouldn't say its not good. Their sinigang has a strong sour taste that goes well with plain rice. Its overflowing with vegetables and meat. The pork belly is very tender. 

Aside from plain rice to go along with the Sinigang, eating at Kanin Club will not be complete without trying their special rice. We ordered their Bagoong Rice which is now one of my favorite. Their Bagoong rice is not too salty and the shredded green mangoes compliments the taste of the rice.

For our main course, we had Crispy Pata. We were envious when we saw the table next to ours having Crispy Pata and just the look of it make us want it. The pork is perfectly deep-fried that it is very crunchy.

The Tapa ni Ana is the favorite dish of my friend. Before we reach the place she is already nagging us to have Tapa ni Ana. This dish is the first thing we said to the waiter. Tapa ni Ana has just the right sweet taste. 

Tapa ni Ana

To reduce our guilt feeling, we ordered Chopsuey, adding a healthy dish to our sinful cravings. For veggie lovers their Chopsuey is a must-try. The Chopsuey is not only has pure vegetable but it also has bits of meats and squids.

The dishes at Kanin Club costs at P300 to P500. It's very budget friendly especially if you are eating out as a group.

A Traveler's Notes of La Union

La Union is not very popular as a tourist destination except if you are a surfer. On my three days in La Union I was able to visit some of its best places. It may not be as grandeur or breathtaking like other tourist destinations but I believe these places are worth visiting.

the beach at Thunderbird Poro POint

The most expensive and popular place to visit in La Union is Thunderbird Poro Point Resort. Almost all locals recommends this resort. I was able to have an overnight stay in the place because of their rainy day promo. 

Experience a Santorini like atmosphere and let the place bring your imagination to Greece. Since the place is pricey expect few guests which makes the place more relaxing. 

The resort has a swimming pool, restaurants and cafe, golf course, casino and water activities. They also offer short courses on surfing. You may check my posts A Vacation at Thunderbird Poro Point and Gastronomy at Thunderbird Poro Point

The swimming pool at Thunderbird Poro Point

After experiencing Greece, have a feel of China by visiting Ma-Cho Temple. It's a Taoist temple located in San Fernando, La Union along the National Highway.

The Pagoda

The temple gives a panoramic view of San Fernando City and the San Fernando Bay.

The temple has carved deities, golden emblem of dragons and towering tiers. It also has the Liang Thing Pagoda, a bamboo garden, bell tower and drum tower. The interior of the temple has ancient Chinese decorations.

The Chinese 18 saints are found outside facing the temple patio. 

The temple is open to public and you just have to give donations. Visitors can even offer incense and prayers.

I've written more facts about the Ma-Cho temple on my post The Temple in La Union.

Another place to visit especially for Catholics is the large Jesus Christ image which can also be found in San Fernando City. The statue known as Christ the Redeemer just like the one found in Brazil.

Christ the Redeemer is located in Reservoir Hill. It's a bit difficult to reach the place because tricycle most likely cannot take the uphill climb. Most locals climb the hill during Lenten season after they have visited the church.

The statue stands at 25 feet at the top of Reservoir Hill. It is a gift of former Mayor Jane Ortega to her husband Congressman Victor Ortega.

The place also gives a panoramic view of the City of San Fernando. It also has a view of the mountains and the sea. I just hope that they have a regular maintenance of the place because its very obvious that it is slowly being neglected. The rills are rusty and the lights are already damaged. Even the small statues of the three saints are no longer in good condition.

Since La Union is located near the sea, the province have lots of watchtowers however these towers are no longer used. 

The watchtowers in La Union were built by Spaniards some 400 years ago. It is used as to survey the seas and look for any pirates that may attack the province. Most of the watchtowers are made of adobe and corals which are held strongly together by lime and egg whites.

A famous watchtower in La Union is the Baluarte Watchtower. The Baluarte stands at the Pebble Beach which is found in the town of Luna. The tower is a massive structure on the bay of La Union however now it is in complete disarray. The watchtower is vertically cut into two. Trash can be found everywhere in the watchtower.  The watchtower even needs a support to prevent it from totally collapsing. The locals may not see the beauty and grandeur of the watchtower.

There are many locals whose houses are built just near the watchtower. There are even chickens running on the around the watchtower. Most of the locals are of course fishermen because they are just living near the sea. They also sell glass bottles with colorful pebbles that are found on the shores.

More information on the Baluarte Watchtower can be read on my post The Watchtower of La Union.

Experiencing Sea and Sky in La Union

Thunderbird Resort is an expensive place to stay in La Union. We've stayed only for one night at the resort and decided to transfer to a much affordable hotel. Anyway, we just only need a place to sleep so transferring to another hotel is no big deal. We transferred to Sea and Sky Hotel and Restaurant which is located at the National Highway. It's a very accessible hotel because you can easily get a ride whether its buses, jeeps or tricycle.

The rates of the hotel is very affordable. Their most expensive room will cost P3,250 which is the Executive Suite. The cheapest will only cost P1,075 which is Single Highway View. Our room only cost us P1,500 which is the Double Sea View. They also have a Family room that costs P2,350. You'll just add P200 for an extra person in a room.

The room we have has a T.V. We also have a veranda where you can sit and just stare at the open sea.

The hotel has magnificent view of the sea. Early in the morning, you see the fishermen are unloading their catch. The locals hurriedly approaching the fishermen to check what they have taken home. Laughter of children are heard as they run on the beach and play with the waves. 

The hotel is also a place for seminars and convention. They have view deck, a bar grill and a restaurant. The restaurant gives a panoramic view of the sea. They also have swimming pool for kids and adults.

You may contact Sea and Sky Hotel and Restaurant at the information below:

Phone No (072) 607 5579-81

Fax (072) 242 5582

Website http://www.seaandskyhotel.com

the view deck

at the bar

the swimming pool

the view in the morning

The House of Halo-Halo in La Union

Halo Halo de Iloko is not your ordinary halo-halo house. The artistry and great food of the place makes it a must place to visit in La Union. It was even certified by TripAdvisor.

Located at San Fernando City, Halo Halo de Iloko is very popular because of course of their halo-halo. Aside from halo-halo they offer other Filipino cuisine.

Travelers just need to ask the locals on how to get to the restaurant. For those who are commuting, you can just ride a tricycle and just ask the driver to drop you off at the place. The place can easily be spotted because of its colorful design. The structure of the place is just like an ordinary house.

We went to Halo Halo de Iloko for our lunch. It was our last day in La Union and we really want to savor the remaining hours of our vacation.

Halo Halo de Iloko offer a set meal that already consists of a rice, a viand of your choice and an iced tea. I've ordered their adobong pusit which I might say is very delicious. Unlike, the adobong pusit that is cooked in our house, their adobong pusit tasted like adobong manok or baboy. It has the right taste of sweetness. Their pusit is also soft and tender.

My friend ordered their best seller which is Binagoongang Baboy. Just like the pusit, the pork is tender and is not too much salty. The mangoes even complimented the taste.

Aside from the set meal, we've ordred their Bicol Express which has bits of the famous Ilocos Bagnets. 

Of course, we will not leave the place without trying their halo-halo. Their best seller is the Buko Halo-Halo wherein the ingredients of the halo-halo are placed in the Buko (coconut). Their halo-halo has ice cream, cheese, corn flakes, shredded coconut meat, tapioca pearls, jellies and pastillas. They also use carabao's milk for the halo-halo.

The place is also popular because of their unique designs. Below are some of the stuffs that we saw inside the restaurants.

Halo Halo de Iloko is at #12 Zandueta St. San Fernando City, La Union.

The Watchtower of La Union

Locals in La Union living in the coastline are usually fishermen. Early in the morning you can see them already selling their catch at the beach. It's very amusing to watch the everyday lives of the locals. You get to learn their culture and somehow understand their life.

Since La Union is a province in the sea, the place has some encountered with pirates in the past. Our ancestors built a watchtower in the town of Luna to which is used as a vantage point to look-out for pirates.

From San Fernando, the capital city of La Union, it will take an hour ride to get to Luna. The drop-off point to Luna by jeeps and buses are at the Church. From the church, you may ride a tricycle to bring you to the watchtower. You may ask the tricycle driver to wait for you because tricycle seldom goes to the place.

The watchtower is also known as the Baluarte however the sad thing is the locals are not familiar about the watchtower. We have asked some locals on how we can get to the place and they all said that they don't know about the watchtower. It's only when you get to the town of Luna where locals can give you directions to reach the watchtower.

The watchtower is situated just near the beach. There are also some houses built near the watchtower. It is very evident that the watchtower is a very old structure. Since the watchtower is on a public place, it has been neglected. There are a lot of trashes inside and outside the structure of the watchtower. 

Aside from the watchtower, the beach has beautiful colored pebbles. Locals sell the pebbles in a transparent bottle that cost for P30-50.00. Below are other pictures of the watchtower or Baluarte.