Filipino fare at Café Via Mare

I always pass by Café Via Mare in Greenbelt 1 and the one in Landmark on my way home.  But I never had the chance to dine there. Seriously, I never knew what I was missing until I  discovered the joy of eating Filipino comfort food at Via Mare. First off, Erick had a Php2000 gift certifcate for Via Mare as a sort of reward or incentive he got from one of his projects. Greatness..

 

Café Via Mare prides itself as the café restaurant that serves traditional Filipino merienda fare in a very cosmopolitan setting. It was one of the very first establishments that led to the development of Manila's café scene. Not only it is famous for its merienda selection like bibingka and puto bumbong, but also for its favorite Filipino dishes.

We knew we won’t be able to consume all the 2k GC in one dining so we made like 2-3 visits to Via Mare. Let me share with you what dishes are a must-try.

If you’re in the mood to try some seafood, think no further and try their Adobong Pusit. This dish is an instant hit for me. I’ve always loved eating squid –  it may be grilled, stuffed, or served in a pasta. The baby squid meat was so tender and the adobo taste reminded me of how we cook our Adobong Pusit back home in Bicol.

Crispy binagoongan and pinakbet was Erick’s top pick. I'm really not a fan of pork binagoongan. Yes, I  crave for bagoong (shrimp paste) always but not when it's cooked with pork. But the bagoong blended well with the pork bellies and the pinakbet is something not to be missed.

Since I first tried Bagnet in Ilocos, I can’t help but look for bagnet dishes here in Manila. Via Mare’s version of Ilocos Bagnet is almost good as the one served in Ilocos. They reinvented it by making it as Ensaladang Bagnet. The crispy roasted pork tasted good with tomatoes and shallots in calamansi and bagoong dressing.

We tried Sinigang na Karne. It's one of the recommended dishes and had the right taste of tamarind broth. My favorite sinigang is from Sentro 1771 but Via Mare’s is also a good alternative. Plus, they have generous servings of meat in your sinigang. What’s not to like about that?

We also ordered the all-time Filipino favorite Kare-kare. Erick was not quite keen on ordering it but I insisted. Haha.. Let’s just say we loved it from the oxtripe, vegetables, peanut sauce, and bagoong alamang. The meat was tenderly cooked and the vegetables were fresh and cooked. I am a peanut butter person so I definitely love any dish with a peanut sauce or butte but the kare-kare was all good not just because of the peanut sauce.

For side dish, we ordered Fresh Lumpiang Ubod. Well, I didnt like it that much because I’ve bitten a garlic thinking it was ubod. They give you chopped garlic to complement the taste of lumpia but according to my 'very-forgetful boyfriend' I was the one who scooped the garlic and didn’t spread it evenly on the lumpia. I don’t remember doing that. Haha. But I see a few tables ordering it and Erick approved of it so it must be good. 

We also tried the Kalkag Rice which is basically fried rice with tiny dried shrimps. I must say it’s already a meal on itself. The serving size is for 2-3 persons.

And now for my favorite part of the meal.... desserts!

I was in for a dessert treat at Via Mare. The mais con yelo we ordered was one of the best iced desserts. Well, making a mais con yelo is no-brainer but Via Mare’s version was very creamy and the shaved iced was very thin making it very enjoyable to eat. It literally melts in your mouth.

We got curious with their summer shooters which is a dessert sampler including mais con yelo, sago’t gulaman, and guinomis so we went ahead and ordered it. Of the three, I like best mais con yelo and then guinumis which is sago or tapioca peals with milk and crushed ice  then topped with pinipig. I found the sago’t gulaman too sweet for my taste.

We wouldn’t miss to order their puto bumbong. It’s holiday season and where else can you order a good puto bumbong when you’re right in the smack of Makati. The puto bumbong tasted liked the one I usually buy right beside our home. Filipino desserts are  really no like no other!

Overall, I was very satisfied with our Via Mare dining experience especially with the taste of their food and the quality of the service. It will be no wonder if I'm back soon. I'm one happy eater :)

Hydrotherapy massage at Ace Water Spa

Last weekend, instead of joining the mad crowd trooping out of Manila we decided to spend it the long weekend at home. These past few weeks have been really scorching hot, well except for some days. One of the best ways to escape the heat is to spend in the water and combine it with a good massage.

I purchased two vouchers (Php299/each) from Ace Water Spa for a 4-hour hydrotherapy massage via CashCashPinoy. Regular rates are Php550/adult and Php250/kid. We called up Ace Water Spa's reservations a few days ahead and they confirmed that we can just come to the spa any day we want,there was no need to reserve slots. So last weekend, with the unbearable Saturday heat, we thought it was time to visit Ace Water Spa.

Ace Water Spa follows the European concept of therapeutic spa that utilizes ultrasonic jet system that massages specific areas of the body and when combined with heat, it removes oils,fats, and other non-essential materials from the skin. This results to slimming and good blood circulation. This type of massage is is also more commonly called as hydrotherapy massage.

We arrived in their Banawe branch around 4pm on a Saturday. At the reception, we were given stubs for our lockers. As I entered the locker room, the attendant requested for my slippers to be taken off and provided me my locker key.

The locker room consisted of shower cubicles, lockers, toilets, and changing rooms. It was clean and very well-maintained. I did not see any spot of untidyness but I just didn't like stepping on a wet rubber-matted floor. But other than that, the locker room was spotless. Two thumbs up for Ace Water Spa on cleanliness!

I immediately changed into swimming clothes and met Erick outside the waiting area. I must say that fitted swimwear must be worn during the hydrotherapy massage. It would be better if a one-piece swimsuit will be used. I am guilty of this. I brought my 2-piece string bikini thinking that it was just okay but I felt awkward. Good thing, I bought an extra tight-fitting swimwear. For males, fitted swimwear like swimming trunks or cycling shorts are required. Boardshorts are not allowed.

The water spa was big enough but since it was a long weekend, the spa was crowded. It seems that everyone was there to beat the summer heat that afternoon. I also like the fact that cameras of any kind are not allowed in this establishment because this is a spa and not a resort.

There are five main areas in the spa which you can use: kids area, lapping pool, hydrotherapy massage area, hot herbal pools, and sauna and steam rooms.

The kids area was a treat for both kids and those young at heart. There are a number of water activities to choose from. I especially loved the Lazy River where you can just enjoy floating in the current using a floating mat.And oh there was also the Bucket Splash where you can pull the bucket from above using a rope and cold water will be splashed to you.

The lapping pool was for spa-goers who would love to take a swim in the pool. The pool was divided into two: fun swimming area and non-stop area. As the name suggests, when you decide to swim in the non-stop area you should be aware that there are other people swimming behind you, thus you have to continue swimming until you reach the other end. The whole pool is just 4 feet deep so you wouldn’t worry about getting drowned.

On the other hand, the hydrotherapy massage area is one huge and spacious pool with more than 20 unique and automated ultrasonic massage system. It is equipped with therapeutic aquatic jets for you to relax and target those tired muscles.  The massages can be categorized into soft, moderate, and hard massages. I personally liked the bubble bed where you can lay down comfortably and feel the bubbles massage your back, buttocks, and feet. I also had a great massage time in the chest and waist jet chairs. In the waist massage, the water pressure vibrated and massaged my tummy and waist. I felt like losing a few inches after. What you can do is alternately use the aquatic jets to target specific parts of your body such as the tummy, chest, back, and leg areas. Although the place was packed, we were able to maximize the aquatic jets since the other spa-goers were all courteously taking turns in using the water equipments. Plus points for this! Also since this is spa and not a resort, the people are not so much rowdy..well except for the kids.

The hot herbal pools are my top favorite in the spa mainly because the pools are scented with natural herbs. In this area, there are separate sections for men and women which is just actually just adjacent to each other. There are three pools in each area: mint pool at 32 degrees, jasmine pool at 36 degrees and the hottest of them all- the lavender pool at 40 degrees. Persons with high blood pressure are not advised to soak in the hot pools for it may trigger their blood pressure to rise. There are steel neckrest/side handles in the pool where you can rest your neck and head to balance your body’s temperature.

To fully maximize the benefits of the aromatic herbal pool and prevent you from exhaustion, you can alternately dip in the hot pool and in the cold pool. I did this so I can endure staying in the hot pool. If you are the type who easily gets cold, dipping in the cold pool once or twice would cause your feet to freeze and feel numb. I can only bear plunging once on it and then I run to the hot herbal pool to defy the coldness. It’d also help if you hydrate especially when you already feel parched. After all, there’s a free flowing potable water in the area.

Lastly, there are also steam and sauna rooms separate for men and women. But when we were there, only one steam and one sauna rooms are open. That means sharing the rooms with the opposite gender which wasn’t bad at all if you want to spend it with your friends. We spent five minutes in the steam room since I am not really comfortable with the steam getting into my eyes. I was wearing contact lenses. And I find it really hard breathing in the steam room, the air was just so thick. But if you have colds, the steam would help clear your lungs and air passage. We stayed in the sauna room for 15 minutes and just waited for the hour glass to finish the time.
By this time, we spent a good three hours already. Believe it or not, we felt exhausted and sleepy from all the aquatic jet massages and dipping in the hot herbal pools. We decided to have a quick nap in their rest area. Feeling recharged, we went to the lapping pool and swam for a few minutes.

The Lazy River was really my favorite so we went back there once more and just laid on our backs in the floating mats as the current gently pushes us.

After that, we decided it was time to shower and change clothes. It took me around 40 minutes to shower and dress up. Ace Water Spa’s locker rooms also have free lotion, hair gel, and cotton buds. They even have free plastic bag for your wet clothes.

The hydrotherapy massage was good, relaxing, and fun. It really felt like getting a real massage from a therapist. My legs and tummy areas were firmer. My back and shoulder areas felt relieved. It’s really like stepping out from a spa! Plus having fun in the water!

Ace Water Spa is my new discovery. I know i know, they have been here for quite sometime with two branches already – Pasig and QC. I am definitely coming back! And just to let you know that I had a really good hydrotherapy massage at Ace. I had a nice sleep and woke up feeling refreshed and energized.



Hydrotherapy massage, you will keep me coming back at Ace.

Spa bonding session at Tocarre Spa, Antel Spa Suites

I promised my bestfriend Yana that I would treat her to a relaxing massage when she comes from Dubai for her 2-week vacation. I’ve been hearing good reviews of Tocarre Spa so I decided that we’d probably have our spa bonding there. But as luck was on my side, I spotted a deal for Tocarre Spa from Deal Dozen. 

The deal included a relaxing 60-min massage plus foot ritual and delicacies at Toccare Spa plus use of spa amenities like sauna, jacuzzi, and steam room  for only Php699. The original value of the spa package is Php1790. So I didn't think twice to buy two vouchers for me and my bff. 

Fast forward to our spa bonding…

My bestfriend and I decided to use it the day after we had our La Union and Baguio trip since knew that we were gonna be tired and need some relaxing after our 3-day trip. I called up a week ago for our preferred date and schedule which is at 10pm. 

Earlier that night, we met with first our high school friends and we had dinner at Greenbelt 3. After our dinner, we waited for a cab to bring us to the spa but it was raining hard that night and everyone’s just all waiting for a cab. I texted them that we were on our way already just to ensure we don't lose our reservation. 

Tocarre Spa is located in the fourth floor of Antel Spa Suites in Makati Avenue. It is just beside A.Venue Suites. Tocarre prides itself as the spa having personalized treatment from the massage oil to the music, themed rooms, complimentary beverages and all.

We arrived in the spa just in time for our appointment. We then presented our vouchers and was asked to choose a scent for our massage oil and music. I chose lavender while Yana chose peppermint. We agreed that we both wanted classical music to listen to while we were having our massage. We were offered an upgrade to VIP room with additional Php250 charge but we declined since we noticed there aren’t any customers at that time, only us.

We were ushered to the ladies locker room and we changed into our robes. We took a quick shower and Yana and I met at the jacuzzi area.

Ladies locker room

I love that we were the only ones in the spa at that time. We get to maximize the amenities. We stayed at the jacuzzi for about 20 miniutes and had chit-chats about each other's lives. We used to live together in the same apartment and had our pajama talks before bedtime. We'd talk about our work, boys, love life, dreams, and other girly stuff. Nowadays, we only get to send messages thru Facebook and YM. In the middle of our conversation, a kind attendant offered us cold water. 

Dipping in the warm jacuzzi was very relaxing as it was been raining hard outside. After that, we slipped into the sauna room. I always loved staying in the sauna room especially after a good workout in the gym. So getting in the sauna was a treat for me. I poured some water into the hot volcanic stone to increase the temperature in the sauna room. I love that their sauna room looks well-maintained and clean. We stayed there for 20 minutes I guess and then we transferred to the steam room which was just next door. If I love staying in the sauna room, the steam room is my least favorite. Because the steam always dries my contact lenses. Plus I feel scared, you never know who’s hiding in the steam. Hehe

Photo taken from Tocarre Spa's website

We took another shower and then we’re ready for our classic massage finally!

In the massage room, there were around 4-5 beds but we were the only clients at that time. I was really looking forward to the massage since my body is screaming of tiredness and ache from surfing in La Union and the bus travel we took. My therapist put a good hard pressure especially on my upper back. I kinda twitched when she pressed my upper back but I didn’t not complain although she asked me if the she's using the right pressure. I felt that my back has lots of “lamig” that’s why she kept on kneading it.  During the massage, I dozed off for a couple of minutes until the therapist told me to change my position. For me the best part of the massage was when the therapist massaged  my calves. I always feel strain in those part of my legs and the massage actually relieved my tired leg muscles. After the massage, I felt I had just waken up from a good sleep.

After our massage, we were led to the foot massage area where there are comfy couches and an LCD TV. We had our foot paraffin where our feet were dipped in a hot water. A wax was formed in our feet and they were wrapped in a clear plastic bag. 

Photo taken from Tocarre Spa's website

As we waited for our  feet's cooling time, our snacks were served. They served us iced tea, empanada, and  an ensaymada. I wasn’t feeling hungry so I just munched the empanada. I like the fact that Tocarre Spa actually serve snacks after the massage. 

At 12 midnight, our spa session ended. Overall, I was satisfied with the services and the massage I had at Tocarre Spa. The attendants and therapists are courteous and see to it that you are well taken cared of. I especially loved their amenities which you can use – jacuzzi, steam and sauna rooms. The spa is not that big compared to those I’ve gone to but it just means that you have more privacy since lesser clients are being accomodated. Just one thing I noticed, they didn’t have any music in the common areas like the reception and foot massage sections. It’d be nice if they set the mood of the spa all throughout the place – not just in the massage rooms.

I will probably come back next time to try their other massage offerings like the half-day spa experience :)

Two thumbs up for Tocarre Spa!

Seasons Buffet at the Manila Pavilion Hotel

So finally, we were able to use our Ensogo vouchers for Seasons buffet at the Manila Pavilion. The deal was good for a lunch or dinner buffet for two and inclusive of unlimited fruit juices or iced tea.

Calling for reservations was easy breezy. We decided to go for dinner last night. And here’s our experience.

Ambiance

The entrance to the hotel restaurant wasn’t elegant nor grand but it was classy and intimate. Seasons Restaurant is near the hotel lobby and very easy to locate from the hotel entrance.

Seasons Resturant

We reserved our seats at 6pm and we were there promptly. We were ushered to a small private room where there are about ten small tables. Plus points for the ambiance!

Private dining room

Food

Seasons buffet’s wide array of international cuisine was such a gastronomic treat. They have four live buffet stations featuring appetizers, noodles, grill, and desserts. There are also stations for the main courses, meat, seafood, sushi, and a lot more.

For appetizers..

Cheese, bread, spring rolls, and salad

On the plate..

Shrimp overload -- tempura, shrimp salad, shrimp maki

Craving for pizza and pasta? Let the chef create your own pasta..

Pizza, pasta, and calzone

We had carbonara with bacon, shrimp, squid, and parmesan on top.

Pasta lovin'

For the main courses, you’ll never run out of options.

Pork, chicken, and meat viands

For meatarians, you’ll find pleasure in Season’s buffet meat selection. This is one my fave stations in the buffet : )

I personally loved the roasted lamb. I wish I came back for more of this. It was so tender and heavenly!

Oh my lamb!

The Australian beef was firm and well-roasted.

Aussie beef

Who can't say no to lechon? Although I was feeling very full when they served lechon in the buffet table, I just couldn’t ignore it.  This is the smallest lechon I’ve ever seen but one of the the crunchiest and tastiest. 

Baby lechon

There was also roasted duck which can be served with the meat only or wrapped in a spring roll wrapper. You can choose which one you prefer. We had the one in wrapper but quite honestly I missed the taste of the duck because of bland taste of the wrapper or possibly because of its small serving.

Roasted duck

The grilling station was one of the live stations where diners flocked. There are shrimp, squid, barbecue, pork, lamb, beef, chicken, and tuna. You can ask the chefs to grill them for you.

For grilling

On our plates...

Beef bbq and grilled squid and shrimp

Well quite honestly, I didn’t find the barbecue appetizing. It has a strong taste like it was over-marinated.

You can also find dimsum and sushi and tables.

Dimsum and sushi galore

This big tuna sashimi was one of the main attractions of the buffet. 

Tuna sashimi

And for desserts, be prepared to taste all of these.

Desserts galore

I noticed that most of their desserts are “kakanin” which was yummy also. But they improvised some, for example, you will find an ube halaya cake cut into slices but there also ube bite-sized sprinkled with sweets on top. I didn’t find truffles or chocolates or a choco fondue though. 

You can also ask the chefs to create your own version of crepe! You can choose from peach, mango, apple and strawberry with ice cream on top. 

Peach-mango-apple crepe with chocolate ice cream

Service

One thing I noticed with their staff is that they are really attentive to your needs and very courteous. From the time that we were ushered to our seats and during our dining time, we were treated very well. They refilled our drinks on time and made sure we had new plates every time we need one.

The chefs in the live cooking stations were also swift in providing our orders. If not, they made sure that the food is delivered to our tables.

Two thumbs up for the exceptional service!

Overall dining experience

Season buffet's international food selection was wide and impressive although there are some dishes which can be improved as I cited. I hope they put the names of the dishes served. Some of them didn’t have names, there were just illustrations of pork, chicken, beef signifying the viand. But our overall dining experience in Seasons was great. 

We had a great time at the Seasons, obviously!

Dining is a wonderful experience when you're with your loved one