Victoria Peak: A Scenic Vantage Point of Hong Kong's Modern Skyline

A must visit when you're in Hong Kong, Victoria Peak is the most scenic vantage point to appreciate the city's modern skyline and see the beautiful chaos below while you're peacefully up The Peak. Not only is the trip to Victoria Peak a scenic one, it is also historical as you get to ride The Peak Tram - a great way for you to experience, one of Hong Kong's oldest transportation modes.

Ratings:
Attractions: 5/5, great view of Hong Kong's modern skyline especially at night
Food: 3/5, we had a decent dinner at Hong Kong Day restaurant in The Peak Galleria but food wasn't our priority during our visit at Victoria Peak
Prices: 4/5, affordable price for a round trip on the Peak Tram with Sky Terrace 428 - HKD 83.00

Directions to Victoria Peak
Our Victoria Peak Tour was our second stop on our Day 1 of our Hong Kong trip. We came from Ocean Park HK before heading to The Peak so here are the directions from Ocean Park HK to Victoria Peak:

- from Ocean Park ride Ocean Park bus 629
- get off at Admiralty Station - this is the normal stop when going to The Peak Tram because this is the closest train station to it.
- Walk to The Peak Tram (note: Peak Tram Lower Terminus is
at Garden Road near St John's Cathedral

The Peak Tram

We wanted to see the night lights from The Peak so we decided the tour there to be the last item for our Day 1. Because of the spectacular view of Hong Kong skyline at night, most people also choose to go there at night, so The Peak Tram Lower Terminus was very crowded when we arrived.

heavy crowd waiting to board the Peak Tram for a night view

We lined up to get return tickets with the Sky Terrace 428 tour. Get your HKD 83 ready for this. After getting our tickets, we queued up at the end of a very long and twisting line of people. Our waiting was made pleasurable by the old tram models, equipment and photographs that are on display in the station. We got more than enough time to read the history and take pictures.

When the tram finally arrived, it was like a celebrity. Tourists took out their cameras and snapped photos of the tram.

The arrival of The Peak Tram

There were not enough seats to accommodate everyone so you have to make sure that you still have energy to stand for the whole journey. Standing up is no problem at all though because you get to have a better view of the mountainside, the Victoria Harbor, and the night lights as you make your way up the mountain.


It took us around 20 minutes to reach the top and when we stepped out to The Peak Galleria. We just took quick pictures at the wax statues at the entrance of Madame Tussauds because we didn't really plan on visiting the museum. After our quick photo session, we felt our stomachs are already growling having spent the first part of our day in Ocean Park. So, we looked for a place to eat at The Peak Galleria and we found Hong Kong Day.

Hong Kong Day Restaurant
Before going up to the Sky Terrace, we had dinner at Hong Kong Day restaurant in The Peak Galleria.

We ordered Wanton Noodle in  Soup (HKD 25), Fried Rice with Minced Meat and Pan-Fried Egg in Black Bean and Chili Sauce (HKD 36), and Stir-Fried Pork with Rice and Vegetables (HKD 36). The food is decent and the ambiance is good. We wanted to take a break from fast foods having eaten at a fast food in Ocean Park HK.

Wanton Noodle Soup

Stir-Fried Rice with Meat and Vegetables

Fried Rice with Minced Meat and Black Beans in Chili Sauce

Sky Terrace 428

After dinner, we now headed up to the main attraction at the Sky Terrace 428 to admire the Hong Kong skyline from above.They handed out headphones for an audio historical tour of The Peak and it really helped a lot for us to understand the past and present of this place.

The main attraction from this altitude is the lights from below

It really was a breathtaking experience as you marvel at the numerous buildings and lights from below,. The Victoria Harbor, with its waters separating the modern land masses, looks like a peaceful eye of the storm, in the midst of the technological chaos that's happening in the city.

Tips for Wandering Peasants

• if you want to follow our itinerary, you can go to Victoria Peak at night to see the amazing lights of the Hong Kong skyline. You just have to find a place to go in the morning and afternoon - like Ocean Park, which would take you almost all morning and most of the afternoons to explore.
• if you're going at night, you might as well go queue up as early as 4 or 5 pm to avoid the crowd.
• I really recommend going here at night. It feels so calm here during night time and the illuminations from below are a sight to see!
• going here in the morning might save you the hassle of the large crowd at The Peak Tram.

Location





Useful Links and Info
The Peak website
The Peak tickets and rates

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Mango Tree Bistro: Terrific Thai Food at Trinoma

If you're in Trinoma and got a sudden craving for Thai food, go to Mango Tree Bistro for a delectable experience. Thai foods have always been my favorite ever since I first tasted Khao Kluk Kapi - fried rice with shrimp paste, meat, spices and green mango. It was just an explosion of flavor and it instantly became one of my favorite foods.

Ratings:
Food:  5/5, the taste is very authentic
Prices: 4/5, reasonable prices for dishes that are good for sharing
Place: 5/5, the place is very spacious and stylish

The Food
We got a large order of Khaopad Gai (Php 380). It is made up of stir-fried rice, with chicken, tomatoes, cucumber and lemongrass. We really liked this and we're surprised that the serving size is more than enough for us. In fact, I think four people could share a large order of this dish. Squeezing a lime over it and adding condiments such as chili powder and fish sauce makes it taste even more like an authentic Thai food.

Khaopad Gai (Php 380) - large order for sharing by 3-4 persons

Of course, our dinner at a Thai restaurant won't be complete without Thailand's most popular street food - Pad Thai. So, we ordered Mango Tree Bistro's Phad Thai Goong (Php 420) - stir-fried rice noodles with prawns, tofu, eggs, peanuts, chili and bean sprouts. This is surprisingly good and the flavor is very rich because of the sauce. I liked the way it was presented - with the eggs scrambled in a mesh over the noodles, and the peanuts and bean sprouts on the sides. It tastes so good that the two of us wolfed down an order that was supposed to be shared by three or four persons.

Phad Thai Goong (Php 420) - for sharing by 3-4 persons

The Place

Located near the entrance at Trinoma Garden Restaurants, Mango Tree Bistro is quite spacious. It is dark-themed with black couches, tables and chairs, and stylish lighting.

With this kind of space, you can have your lunch meetings here. When we came in for dinner, they were playing jazz music which I really liked. In fact, there's a song that caught my attention - a bossa nova version of Guns n' Roses' Patience by Sixth Finger.

The staff are also attentive. We got our order within ten minutes upon ordering. This place is really cozy and is good for quiet and relaxing dinners.

Tips for Wandering Peasants

• an order can usually be shared by two to three persons if you're not big of an eater.
• their Pad Thai is really good!
• I heard their sticky Mango sticky rice - Khao Niew Ma Muang (Php 250) is really good. Maybe this is why the restaurant is named after this fruit after all.

Location
Mango Tree Bistro TriNoma
3/F Trinoma Mall, EDSA cor. North Ave. Quezon City

Trinoma Branch is near the entrance at Trinoma Garden Restaurants which at the corner of North and Mindanao Avenues.
Other Branches:
Mango Tree The Fort
7th Avenue, Bonifacio High Street Central, Global City, Taguig

Mango Tree Bistro Greenbelt
Ground Floor, Greenbelt 5, Makati City

Useful Links and Info
Mango Tree Bistro PH website
Menu from Official Website 
Menu with prices from zomato.com

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Roadhouse Manila Bay: Good Food and The Blues at Mall of Asia

If you're like me who enjoys blues music, good food, and a pint of beer, then there's a place you can go to enjoy all three all at once - Roadhouse Manila Bay. This bar is a biker enthusiast's haven with their big bikes parked and on display outside the restaurant. But don't be scared, you won't be seeing big bearded, tattooed, bandana-wearing men inside, only good food and good music.

Ratings:
Food: 5/5, food and drinks are great.
Prices: 3/5, prices are kinda steep for my kind but the serving amount justifies it.
Place: 5/5, cool wall decorations, autographed guitars, and posters of rock icons along with good music for a perfect setting for rock and blues music.
Service: 4/5, although the place was crowded every time we visit, we did not have any qualms with the service.

The Food
We always order their Bacon Mushroom Burger (Php 350), draft beer (22 oz - Php 195), Mojito (Php 205) or Margarita (Php 280).

The Bacon Mushroom Burger, aside from the juicy burger, bacon and mushroom, has thick cut fries and salad on the sides. Downing these down with your favorite beer or cocktails while listening to the beat of live blues music is a perfect way to unwind.

Their Happy Hour Promo is at 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM everyday. It's a buy one take one on SMB Draft Beer or a bucket of beer for only Php 360 (regular price for a bucket is Phph 595).

The Place

Roadhouse Manila Bay is located in the bay area of Mall of Asia where you can perfectly view the iconic Manila Bay sunset. The restaurant is set up as music bar with a small stage on one corner of the room. On the walls are cool decorations, autographed guitars, and posters of rock icons. Some of my favorites are the signed guitars by Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd, and the posters of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jimi Hendrix.

The bands start performing at around 8:30 PM. My favorite performer here is the Bleu Rascal and they usually perform on Friday nights. They play covers of classic blues songs but they also have their original compositions which are just as good as the classics. The guitar skills of the lead guitarist and vocalist is excellent. They actually won top prize at the Cotai Jazz and Blues Festival Competition in Macau.

Watch them below perform the classic Johnny B Goode:


Tips for Wandering Peasants

• Happy Hour Promo is at 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM everyday. It's a buy one take one on SMB Draft Beer or a bucket of beer for only Php 360 (regular price for a bucket is Phph 595).
• If you're after the bands, they start performing at 8:30 PM
• Roadhouse is located in the part of Mall of Asia where you can perfectly view the iconic Manila Bay sunset.

Location


Useful Links and Info
Roadhouse Manila Bay website
Band schedule
Menu from zomato.com

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Juju Eats: A Delicious Way To Eat Your Greens

Who said healthy foods are boring? Well, that's a thing of the past now because nowadays, most people are health-conscious and the food industry has adapted to our needs that eating salads has now become interesting. Juju Eats is one of the best restaurants in Metro Manila dedicated to serving healthy, delicious food.

Ratings:
Food: 5/5, healthy and delicious food. Lots of options on the menu.
Prices: 4/5, whole order is kinda steep, but they server half orders if you're on a tight budget.
Place: 5/5, their branch at Rockwell Business Center in Ortigas is very neat, spacious and well-lighted

The Food
My favorite here is the Crispy Catfish Wrap (Php165). It is a salad made from crispy catfish, basil, green mango, cilantro, cashew nuts, green papaya, red onion, balsamic dressing enclosed in your choice of wrap - regular or whole wheat (for additional of Php 10). I opt to go with the wrap because I would like to add some carbohydrates in my diet, but if you want to cut on the carbs, you can order half the salad, which is around Php 135-190. A whole order of salad (no wrap) ranges from Php 205-355. I like my food spicy so I was really glad to see two kinds of hot sauce (Sriracha and Tabasco) in this restaurant.

Crispy Catfish Wrap - Php 165

Sriracha vs. Tabasco

Of course, a meal won't be complete without dessert. We ordered Mango Chia Pudding. This dessert is also healthy, mainly because of the Chia seeds which are fiber-rich. In addition to the Chia seeds, Mango Chia Pudding also has fresh mango, coconut milk and sugar.

Mango Chia Pudding

What's great about a salad bar is that you can customize your meal. You can pick your own ingredients. Just follow the 5 simple steps they have on their menu: Size + Base + Freebies + Extras + Dressing.

The Place

Their branch in Rockwell Business Center is really spacious, and well-lighted. The place is also clean and spotless. Aside from the food they serve from their menu, they also have a fridge where you can purchase healthy juices - Juju Cleanse, desserts, and salads in a cup.

Tips for Wandering Peasants

•  a half order of salad will do the job especially if you're on a diet, which is why you would want to be here right? To cut on the calories.
• if you don't like vegetables, this place might make you change your mind. They have a wide selection of tasty veggies on their menu.

Location
There are several branches of Juju Eats in Metro Manila which you can see here.
The branch we visited is in Rockwell Business Center in Ortigas Avenue, beside the The Medical City.



Useful Links and Info
Juju Eats Website
Check out the wide variety of options on their menu
Menu (with prices) from zomato.com

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Burzillian Nation: Monster Burger in Sta. Rosa Laguna

With tight competition among burger joints in Metro Manila, you wouldn't think about going to a province to enjoy a good, affordable burger. Amid the line of car wash/repair shops and other automotive services in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, there's an obscure but good burger place. The restaurant is aptly named Burzillian Nation because it is quite known for its giant, sinful burgers.

Ratings:
Food: 4/5, generous serving, great taste.
Place: 3/5, if you're not familiar with the area, you might miss it. It's near an auto shop, and emission testing center but the restaurant itself is homey and looks to be a fine place to a hangout with friends.
Prices: 5/5, very affordable prices given the generous serving
Service: 4/5, it wasn't crowded when we went so we got good service

The Food
The most popular burger here is, of course, the Giant Burzilla Burger (Php 450). It is so big that it can be shared by four people. We were not that hungry when we went here so we just asked the waiter that aside from the Giant Burzilla Burger , what their bestsellers are. In the end, we ordered CBM Deluxe (Php 150), Hellboy Jerome (Php 150), Fresh Fries (Php 75), and a pitcher of House Blended Red Tea (Php 85).

CBM Deluxe (Cheese Bacon Mushroom) is overflowing with bacon bits, mushrooms, vegetables, and of course, a thick burger patty. The bun is large and has a texture of pandesal. The Hellboy Jerome burger, on the other hand is their spicy kind. It has the same thick burger patty, chili con carne, and jalapeno. Because of the loose meat like bacon and chili con carne, both burgers are sloppy but in a good way, and they come with potato strings for sides. The burgers are great overall because of its great taste, affordability and big serving.

CBM Deluxe

Hellboy Jerome burger

The Fresh Fries are cut larger than the usual ones. It came in a creative pot-like container and with a dip.

Fresh Fries

House Blended Red Tea

There are also a lot of other dishes they server. They have pasta, wraps, rice meals, sausages, and salads. I have already set my sights on the Pan-Seared Bulalo in our next visit.

UPDATE - Nov 2015:

We've now tried Pan-Seared Bulalo and it was heaven. This could be the reason why we would keep on visiting this place in the future. The beef is tender and what I liked most about it is the gravy. The gravy tastes like the steak sauce that comes with the sizzling plates in mall food courts but is thicker and richer. I also liked the sides of minced carrots, green peas and corn kernels.

Pan-seared Bulalo

We also tried Burzillian Nation Bacon and Egg Burger. It is topped with a sunny side up which would be a messy way to eat it but in a good way. 

Bacon and Egg Burger

The Place
Despite the colorful banner along the road, people who are not familiar with the area might have a hard time locating this restaurant because the area it is in is lined with automotive shops.

The restaurant itself looks bare maybe because it is still fairly new. What I liked is the menu drawn with colored chalks on a blackboard.

Tips for Wandering Peasants

• starve yourself before going here so you can try their Giant Burzilla burger
• check out the Location section below for directions on how to locate the place

Location

Here's a detailed directions to this place for those who are not familiar with Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
1. From South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), take Sta. Rosa Exit
2. Take Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay Road going to Paseo de Sta. Rosa. Go straight down this road and you will see McDonald's on your side of the road, and Petron on the other side.
3. Drive straight until you see Hyundai Sta. Rosa on the other side of the road. Burzillian Nation is directly in front of this.


Useful Links and Info
Facebook page
Menu

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Kanto Freestyle Breakfast: All Day, All Night Breakfast

Our foodie adventures recently have been about breakfasts. There's just something about the early morning meals that we love. The smell of coffee, or freshly baked bread, the aroma of rice being fried with garlic and butter, and the cool fresh breeze that we get only around breakfast time are just some of the things I love about this meal. Well, with that, we went on an early morning trip to Kanto Freestyle Breakfast at Eastwood, Libis.

Ratings:
Food: 4/5, tasty breakfasts that will surely perk you up.
Prices: 5/5, very affordable prices.
Place: 4/5, the Kapitolyo branch has a nicer ambiance, but the Eastwood branch has better parking spaces
Service: 4/5, prompt service, attentive staff.

The Food
This restaurant is called Kanto Freestyle Breakfast for a reason. You may pick which food item you would want to be in your meal, just like the other breakfast restaurants in the Metro Manila do today. All of these freestyle options are both very affordable and delicious, by the way.

What we ordered though was from their Kanto Boy Breakfast selection - New Zealand Tapa (Php 115), and Crispy Corned Beef (Php 99)

We're actually not sure if the beef tapa is really from New Zealand, but one thing we're sure of is that we loved it. Along with the beef tapa from New Zealand are two eggs, garlic rice and tomato pesto. I really liked their tomato pesto. It gives an Italian twist to this very Filipino tapsilog. The beef on the other hand is tender and tasty. The serving size in Kapitolyo branch though looks bigger than the Eastwood branch.

New Zealand Beef Tapa

The Crispy Corned Beef, on the other hand, was not as we expected. What we had in mind was corned beef with some crispy meat or potato. It turned it out that Crispy Corned Beef is a meal of three balled up breaded corned beef, two eggs and garlic rice. Its very affordable price of Php 99 is just reasonable.

Crispy Corned Beef

They also did a pretty good job with their Mocha Frappe-eh (Php 65). Seeing "Smile"on your morning cup will help lift your spirits up.

Mocha Frappe-eh

The Place

The Eastwood branch is located along Eulogio Rodriguez Jr Ave in the building called Intrepid Plaza. There's nothing special about the place but we liked the colorful paintings and motivational posters hanging on the walls.

I think the area is kinda small but I don't have any qualms with it because the waiters could immediately attend to us.

On the other hand, the Kapitolyo branch is more homey, well, because it is literally located inside the residential compound of the owner (we presume). I liked the Kapitolyo branch better, not just because it was more homey, but because we also experienced bigger servings of food there.

Tips for The Wandering Peasants

• the prices of the food items in Freestyle Breakfast selection are very affordable. Try all of them in one meal :)
• The Kapitolyo Branch has better ambiance but parking space is kinda hard to find. The Eastwood Branch is easier to access since it is just along the highway (C5). 
• I heard they are open 24/7, so, eat breakfast at midnight if you like.

Location
Eastwood Branch


Kapitolyo Branch:

Useful Links and Info

Facebook
Kapitolyo Branch menu (from zomato.com)
Eastwood Branch menu (photos below):

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The Breakfast Table: Celebrating The Most Important Meal of the Day at Maginhawa Street

In a hunt for a restaurant in Maginhawa for an early breakfast, we turned up at The Breakfast Table at the corner of Maginhawa and Makadios Streets. Certainly, like what their menu says, breakfast is the most important meal of the day so we were really expecting to have a good one here.

Ratings:
Food: 3/5, average, a little more serving would be better.
Place: 4/5, lovely place with blue and white theme which feels like a Greek resto.
Prices: 2/5, for me, the serving size does not justify the somewhat high prices of the food. We've tried better breakfast for a cheaper price.
Service: 2/5, unnecessary long waiting time to clean table up, or deliver the bill. I'm sure the waiters just woke up on the wrong side of their beds that day. ;)

The Food
They have their "build your own" breakfast in which you can choose what food item you would want to include in your order. The food is priced individually and for me, this seems like a good alternative to the usual meal packages.

photo from zomato.com

However, due to my craving for adobo and fish that day, we ordered the Adobo Omurice and the Sardine Omurice along with Papa Diddi's Hot Chocolate.

Adobo Omurice consists of toasted adobo chuncks and adobo rice enclosed in an omelette made with two eggs. It also has a small salad on the sides. What I liked about it are the adobo chunks in the adobo rice, they are kinda tiny though. This for a price of Php 175.00

Adobo Omurice

The Sardine Omurice on the other hand, has Spanish sardines and mildly spicy rice in an omelette made up of two eggs, plus a petite salad on the sides. It tastes decent but I find it not worthy for its price - Php 165.00.

Sardine Omurice

What I liked best though, is their Papa Diddi's Hot Chocolate. It is so rich because it is made from tsokolate de cagayan as indicated on their menu. Its thick and rich chocolate flavor is perfect for any breakfast meal. Good value for the money for this one for just Php 60.00.

Hot chocolate

Next time we visit, we'll try to build our own breakfast meal.. and by the way, they serve Australian grass-fed beef here. :)

The Place

Their color scheme of blue and white reminds me of a Greek restaurant. The interior really looks neat and the decors are nice. There are bottles on the wall, a shovel converted into a lamp shade, hanging plants, and their high ceiling makes the place feel less cramped.

We arrived for an early breakfast so there are still several parking spaces left on the building, but from what I heard, or experienced in Maginhawa, parking could be a problem during peak hours.

The table setting is quite nice. Their place mats are made from torn jeans and the pockets are used to hold the utensils.

Tips For Wandering Peasants

•  It seems that the best way to experience this restaurant is to make your own breakfast. This way, you can really choose what you want to include in your meal.
• If you're a late riser but loves breakfasts, just go here, they serve breakfast all day long.

Location

189 Maginhawa St. cor. Makadios St., Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, Philippines


Useful Links and Info
Facebook Page
Menu (from zomato.com)
Contact number (from their Facebook page): +63 2 433 3597

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