food reviews Archives - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Nov152011 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Review: Grilled steak and other dishes at Roadhouse Cafe

Bukidnon, Food, Malaybalay City, Mindanaoan Update, Opinion, Religion, Reviews

A few days ago,I accompanied a congressman-friend of mine as he made the rounds around his jurisdiction. It has been quite a while since I've done that --- you know, accompany a politician as he attends events, speak to his constituents, deliver speeches, meet key people etc. I sort of miss it, truth be told. But I digress. What I want to share with you all today are some food shots I took and a small review about Roadhouse Cafe. Forgive the lousy texture of the photos as I merely used a digital camera for these. As you guys know, I'm more comfortable sharing food photos taken with my trusty DSLR. Anyways, Roadhouse Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants in Mindanao. My favorite dishes in Roadhouse Cafe include their baby back ribs and their pumpkin soup. I even wrote a review about ...

Nov92011 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

The sweet surprise

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews

I love, love, LOVE chocolates, pastries, sweets and cakes. I have a major, certified sweet tooth. I think I can't last an entire week without eating anything sweet - in fact, I just ate an entire pack of meringue before writing this post! (IKR) So I make it a point to either stock up on sweets or I regularly buy from friends or from my favorite pastry shops. Right before my Public Relations and Blogging speaking engagement in Cagayan de Oro City a few days ago, I chanced upon food photos taken by a fellow blogger, Shailini. She also happens to be an amazing cook/baker! I was practically drooling over these: I think I left comments on most of the photos she posted (I think I wanted to order everything!). Anyways, fast forward after my speaking engagement, you could just imag...

Jun42011 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Singapore Chronicles: Singapore hawker food at Maxwell Center

Blogging, Features, Food, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Singapore, Tourism, Travel

One of the things that I absolutely MUST do whenever I travel domestic or abroad is try the local cuisine. By local cuisine I mean street food, food sold in hawker centers or food courts or food that look "unique" --- basically food usually eaten by locals during regular days. As much as possible, this Mindanao blogger doesn't eat at fastfood chains. I do this because it makes me appreciate that country's culture, people, tradition and food better. Besides, hawker centers in Singapore are still the undisputed sources of delicious authentic Singapore food! Before I proceed with this post about the Singapore hawker center my mom and I went to during our February 2011 mother-daughter Valentine's Day trip abroad, you might want to read these blog posts to learn more about our Singapore - Ma...

Nov132010 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Tsim Sha Tsui Ayala Terraces

Cebu City, Commentary, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Opinion, Photos, Reviews

No, this time it's not the Tsim Sha Tsui district found in Hongkong (which I miss but will soon be in again come March 2011! Well, that's another post :D) We're talking about the Tsim Sha Tsui restaurant found at The Terraces, Ayala Center Cebu. Tsim Sha Tsui serves, quite obviously, Chinese cuisine. This Cebu restaurant is also known for their Dimsum Conveyor Buffet (an eat-all-you-can thingie for about P350.00 per head). Tsim Sha Tsui (pronounced as sim-shya-tswoy, according to Hongkies or Hongkong locals) is found at the second level of the Ayala Mall Cebu The Terraces. Anyways, on my first day in Cebu City, my brother and I had lunch at TST. And you know what this means. Food shots! The Hakao / Ha Kao / Hakaw or shrimp dumplings were juicy and delicious! (more…)

Oct242010 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Golden Cowrie restaurant at Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro

Cagayan de Oro City, Features, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews

Finally had the chance to treat my mom and brothers to the newly opened Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant located at the Rosario Arcade, Limketkai Center, Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao. This Golden Cowrie CDO branch is a franchise and the first outside Cebu, where Golden Cowrie started in 1982. I'm actually a regular customer at the original Golden Cowrie restaurant along Salinas Drive, Lahug, Cebu City (just a few blocks away from Waterfront Lahug) and I often bring my PR clients there for meetings or small press conferences. In fact, a few weeks before the May 2010 elections, I organized mini press briefings there for three senatorial candidates (all of whom were my clients --- I provided public relations, events, media and marketing services to them). Anyways, going back to the Gold...

Sep182010 by Mindanaoan Irene4 Comments

Bacolod: Calea for the best desserts!

Bacolod City, Features, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Recipes, Reviews, Visayas

I was told that one's Bacolod City escapade will never be complete without visiting Calea, a famous homegrown cake shop...and it was easy to understand why. Calea Bacolod produces the best cakes, pastries and desserts this side of the world. Calea is Bacolod's answer to Manila's cake shops and bakeries but with better choices and lesser prices. This Mindanao blogger's recent trip to the Visayas was made sweeter when my friends and I stopped by Calea (the branch along Lacson Street, just a few blocks away from Sorrento Piazza, where my friends and I had a sumptuous dinner at Pepe's Grill!). This Calea branch is supposedly the first ever. These days, this cake shop has two other branches - one at Robinson's Place and another one at East Block. And just in case you're wondering about the h...

Sep142010 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Bacolod: Pepe’s Grill | Where to eat in Bacolod

Bacolod City, Features, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Negros Occidental, Reviews, Tourism, Travel, Visayas

So to continue my kuwento about my great big Negros Occidental adventure with three amazing friends, we had dinner at Pepe's Grill, known to be one of Bacolod City's finest restaurants. Located at Sorrento Piazza along Lacson Street (the main thoroughfare in Bacolod City), Pepe's Grill is almost always packed. Lucky for us, there was a spare table good for the four of us when we arrived! A lot of yuppies go to Pepe's Grill for dinner before heading off to a bar for a night of booze and dancing with friends. Families and barkadas also go to Pepe's Grill for weekend lunches and dinners. In fact, when we arrived, there were several parents enjoying meals with their kids. So judging by the many satisfied customers, one can surmise that this Bacolod restaurant is doing something right! Oh...

Aug272010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Cebu: Big breakfast at Ilaputi, Asiatown IT Park

Food, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Visayas

My brother, who runs the uber famous Philippine-based tennis blog, Tennis Guru, has been raving about this 24-hour place at Asiatown IT Park, Cebu City called ilaputi. He regularly eats breakfast at this Cebu restaurant and eventually, he has managed to convince a lot of his friends to try ilaputi Cebu as well. Well, since I'm in the Queen City of the South for a few days, I decided to ask him to take me there as well. So on a bright and sunny Thursday morning, we visited ilaputi's Asiatown IT Park branch and ordered ilaputi's "Big Breakfast." I was not disappointed. Not at all. Ilaputi Cebu Asian and fusion restaurant's big breakfast was a real treat - yummy chorizo, bacon with garlic fried rice, two (!) eggs and marinated pork with rich sauce. The delicious meal was served on a ...

Feb82010 by Mindanaoan Irene7 Comments

Mindanao eats: Mooon Cafe in Robinson’s Cagayan de Oro

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Consumer, Features, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Musings, Northern Mindanao, Personal, Reviews, Society, Style, Tourism

Mexican themed restaurant Mooon Cafe is one of my favorite eating places in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao. Apart from the yummy food, the prices are reasonable and the ambience is pretty laid back. Whenever there's a chance, I also see to it that I bring my mom and brothers to the said restaurant in CDO and we all share fun, family bonding over hearty meals at Mooon Cafe CDO. Mooon Cafe (yes, it has three "O's"!) Cagayan de Oro branch, located at the first floor of Robinsons CDO, is the establishment's first franchised branch outside of Cebu City where they have outlets in I.T. Park and Ayala Terraces, among others. What I usually order (and what I can therefore recommend to all of you) are: for starters - quesadilla uno, campesinos (see the photo in this entry - these are good!), ca...

Oct22009 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Roadhouse Cafe Baby Back Ribs and Pumpkin Soup

Bukidnon, Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Commentary, Consumer, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Photos, Reviews, Tourism

I, Mindanaoan, was finally able to "introduce" my mom to the renowned Roadhouse Cafe baby back ribs. I say renowned because a lot of foodies and food experts have already given their thumbs up on the baby back ribs served at Roadhouse Cafe. Roadhouse Cafe serves Asian and Western cuisine. Its first and original branch can be found along Sayre Highway (national highway), Valencia City, Bukidnon, Mindanao. It now has a second branch at SM City Cagayan de Oro. Cagayan de Oro is roughly 2 and a half hours away from Valencia City. Reasonably priced, Roadhouse Cafe's baby back ribs tastes a bit sweet and tangy. The meat is very tender and definitely what you can call "fall off the bone"! As you can see from these photos, you're given extra sauce and a few slices of cucumber. The rice is se...