crumb trails

Last week’s night out is the closest thing I could think of of a summer getaway. It’s already the month of May and I haven’t been to any resort (beach, pool or spring). I went to the beach too early (February). My time—or should I say, mine and my officemates’ time—is occupied by the routine at work. Maybe all of us were too busy to notice that summer is slipping away, fast and unnoticed, and the thought of some summer adventure only occurred to us in passing. Haay…

Anyway, on the last day of April, my colleagues/friends at the office decided to push trough with our plan of dining together at Adarna Food & Culture. It was also a farewell dinner for Conrad as it was his last day at the company. That was my third time at Adarna, and like my previous visits, it was again an enjoyable experience. This restaurant really keeps on surprising me and my taste bud.

There were thirteen of us who dined at Adarna. Butch, the waiter assigned to serve us, ushered us to our reserved table near the piano (we really specified that our table be by the piano because we planned to sing some songs after eating). Everybody instantly liked the homey ambiance. We ordered several platters of Batanes yellow rice, dilis, piassok, sigarilyas salad, Adobong Batangas ala Adarna, Pochero, Tapa served with a very interesting dip, and Gising-Gising. It was a delightful dinner; every bite a moment to relish. Personally, I have never imagined that sigarilyas (winged bean) could taste that good. The salad was one of the groups favorite. Piassok was a sure hit, of course—the beef melts in your mouth. This dish is a must-try at Adarna. Everything is a must-try at Adarna!

The Group (from left: Che, Avi , Yme, Chris, Tet, Leng-leng, Gemma & Alan, MJ, Obet, Conrad, Sir Jojo, and Sir Jay) Just finishing our cups of coffee, tea and hot choco. Thanks to Chef Giney for this photo.

Adarna Food & Culture is open until 10:30 in the evening. But we were enjoying the place, the company of each other and the singing that we somehow lost track of time. It was half past eleven when we left; many thanks to Ms. Beth and Chef Giney for allowing us to stay that long.

Here are some more pictures:

Jamming time! Yeah, we weren’t “that ready” for a night of music (`yan may baon talagang songbook )

Havin’ some good time.

Another group photo, taken just before we left Adarna.

You can do away with the usual fast-food fried chicken meal if you’re dining out on a budget. Cavana, a restaurant that specializes in chicken dishes, is a great alternative. You’ll find an array of not just chicken meal but other tasty dishes, too. You’re sure to find something that will suit your taste and within your budget.

Here in the Philippines, Cavana is located at SM Megamall (near Powerbooks). It’s a neat cozy place, with a color scheme that is relaxing; not too fancy to be intimidating. We’ve tried two of their chicken rice meals (hmm… reminds me of the Singaporean film Chicken Rice War — a truly enjoyable rom-com movie ): the honey grilled chicken rice and hainanese chicken rice.

A plate of Honey Grilled Chicken Rice — boneless chicken, grilled and glazed with honey; served with rice (of course) topped with crispy garlic, coleslaw and two kinds of sauces  or sawsawan (soy sauce and chili sauce).

Sumptuous Hainanese Chicken Rice — tender boneless boiled chicken topped with sautéed carrots and cucumber strips; served wit rice (dapat! ), soup, and three kinds of sauces or sawsawan (soy sauce, chili sauce and pounded ginger). The ginger really makes the difference. Personally, I’m curious to know how this dish is prepared. If you have the recipe, share it with me, please.

Check out Cavana’s other selections here.

The first time I visited Avilon Zoo a couple of years back, I really loved the experience!

Yesterday (April 5), together with some friends from work, I spent a whole day at Avilon Zoo for the second time, and boy, I had a wonderful time! As they say, the second time is always sweeter, well in this case, much, much better than the first since a lot of improvement had been done by the administration of the zoological park (and still doing more until now, kudos to them).

Unlike my first visit, our small group didn’t hire a tour guide. Since I’ve been there before, maybe I’ll just be the tour guide (minus the explanation about the animals, of course! ). Avilon Zoo is a seven hectare park and it’s fun to get lost at such a big place when you’re with carefree, good-tempered people. Nobody complained about all the walking, the heat or to those who arrived a little late. All of us just had fun! And I’d like to share just how much fun we had.

Look who loves being cuddled!

This baby tiger doesn’t have a name yet, but it’s been making friends with the visitors. Really cute and cuddly.

Meet Camille and Louie (and the rest of the family! )

These two are the sweetest! And they have manners. They shake the hands of everyone they meet. Louie loves to be cuddled. Look how he clings to “mommy” (peace, señora ).

This summer, going to the beach is not the only thing you can do. Avilon Zoo is an alternative, so put it in your list. It’s less crowded at this time since school term’s over. Besides, it’s very accessible from the metropolis. Avilon Zoo is located in Rodriguez (Montalban), Rizal—thirty to forty-five minutes drive from Quezon City. Or you can take the PUJs/PUVs from Cubao and Philcoa, tell the driver to let you off at Eastwood (subdivision), then ride a tricycle and ask Manong driver to take you to Avilon Zoo.

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