Reviews Archives - Mindanaoan - Multi awarded CDO and New York Lifestyle Blog

Feb22011 by Mindanaoan Irene6 Comments

Review: BonChon chicken – fried twice, twice as good

Food, Mindanaoan Update, Recipes, Reviews

During my most recent trip to Manila, three very good friends and I finally had the chance to visit the Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati branch of Bonchon Chicken. Now if you haven't heard of BonChon, this below might give you an idea of what you're supposed to expect: (yes, that's from the New York Times!) BonChon chicken is supposedly one of, if not the best, tasting chicken you can ever taste in your lifetime. And I must say, after that early dinner with friends, I can only agree 110%! Here's why... (more…)

Dec62010 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Review: Red Box Karaoke Ayala Cebu

Beauty, Business, Cebu City, Leisure, Mindanaoan Update, Music, Reviews, Tourism

I finally had the chance to visit the much-talked about Red Box Karaoke located at G101, Garden Level of The Terraces (below Active Zone, just beside the fountain) at the Ayala Center Cebu, Cebu Business Park. I've been hearing a lot of praises about this new Cebu hangout - karaoke place in Cebu so when my Cebu City-based brother finally had one free weekend, we decided to go to Red Box Karaoke Cebu and try their primetime package. The Red Box Ayala Cebu primetime package is available from 7 PM up to 12 midnight. For only P299.00+ per head (P399.00+ on Fridays and Saturdays), you can enjoy TWO FREE drinks (drink choices: iced tea, soda, local beers, mineral water, hot tea and brewed coffee), access to the extensive song library composed of more than 100,000 songs and fully airconditione...

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...

Feb242010 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Review: Highway 21 Hotel in Iloilo City, Visayas

Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

My first night in Iloilo City was spent in Highway 21. Classified as a pension house, I actually thought that this nice place located right in the heart of Iloilo City was more of a hotel. The perfect choice for budget conscious tourists, Highway 21 Iloilo City is located along the busy General Luna Street. Highway 21 is actually right beside the Sarrabia Manor, a well-known hotel in Iloilo. Compared to Sarrabia, though, Highway 21's rates are way cheaper. I stayed at the new wing of Highway 21. The rooms found at the new wing are slightly higher than those found on the annex area but I thought the added expense was worth it. The new wing had an elevator while the annex didn't have one. Plus all the rooms at the new wing had free, fast wireless Internet connection. That was impor...

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...

Jun52009 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Review: Goodnews Traveller’s Inn, Capt. V. Roa Street, Cagayan de Oro City

Business, Cagayan de Oro City, Features, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Photos, Reviews, Tourism, Travel

Here's another Mindanao Hotels review. Goodnews Traveller's Inn is located along Capt. Vicente Roa Street, Cagayan de Oro City, Northern Mindanao, Philippines. It's near the busy Cogon Market and is accessible by public utility vehicles (taxi, jeepney, trisikad and motorela) This lodging house in Cagayan de Oro City is also just a few steps away from the Cagayan de Oro City fire station. Truth be told, Goodnews Travellers Inn was my last...okay, ONLY choice at the time I was in CDO because all of the other hotels in Cagayan de Oro were fully booked. So with my hopes up, I checked in and got a double room. I paid P950.00 for the double airconditioned room. My room was at the third floor, which was a major bummer. Apart from the fact that I'm not a fan of using the stairs (Goodnews Travele...

Feb122009 by Mindanaoan IreneNo Comments

Spend Valentine’s Day at Pepper and Peppers Restaurant Davao City

Consumer, Davao City, Food, Mindanaoan Update, Personal

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, you should already have an idea by now as to where you can bring your loved one for that special, romantic dinner. However, with just so many choices especially in Davao City, Mindanao, deciding where to go can be quite a challenge. Good thing there's Pepper and Peppers Restaurant which promises nothing but exquisite food, exclusive dining and elegant ambiance. Located at The Site, Central Convenience Store Compound, Jacinto Extension corner Mapa Street, Davao City, Pepper and Peppers Restaurant is best known for their killer (and I mean absolutely delish!) Iberian chicken, Chilean shrimp pasta and (my favorite) Sizzling Blackened Chicken. And come Valentine's Day, they've prepared two Valentine Set menus for you to choose from. The "Hopel...

Dec312008 by Mindanaoan Irene3 Comments

Review: Southwinds Hotel Cagayan de Oro City near Centrio Mall

Cagayan de Oro City, Hotels, Mindanaoan Update, Reviews, Travel

Southwinds Hotel is located along Capt. Vicente Roa Street Extension in Cagayan de Oro City, Mindanao, Philippines. It is a hotel known for its very strategic location - Southwinds Hotel is right behind the new Centrio Mall Cagayan de Oro or the Ayala Centrio Mall, it's just a few meters away from Gaisano Mall Cagayan de Oro (walking distance) and a few blocks away from Robinson's Mall Cagayan de Oro and Lim Ket Kai Mall CDO (you can just ride one of the local trisikads or padyaks for 5 pesos per person) It's also in front of the main branch of Graphic All-In-One (a large chain of stores that sells cellular phones, cellphone accessories and the like). Just this week, my mom, brother and I stayed in Southwinds Hotel. It was my second time to stay there, the first one was during a media t...

Dec192008 by Mindanaoan Irene2 Comments

Win a laptop and 5 iPod shuffles! Get $45.00 as well!

Advocacy, Consumer, Contests, Internet, Make Money Online, Mindanaoan Update, Technology

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Nov212008 by Mindanaoan Irene1 Comment

Review: Da Spooftacular Showdown (featuring Jon Santos, John “Sweet” Lapus, Candy Pangilinan and guest Pokwang)

Arts, Entertainment, Humor, Mindanaoan Artists, Mindanaoan Update

It was a chilly Friday night (November 14, 2008) when my mom and I went to watch the ASAP Live-produced and Phillip Lazaro-directed “Da Spooftacular Showdown” comedy show featuring top Filipino comedians Jon Santos, John “Sweet” Lapus, Candy Pangilinan and Pokwang (who was that week’s guest). We arrived at Music Museum, Greenhills two hours early, which was fine since we wanted to have dinner beforehand. We spotted former Pinoy Big Brother Celebrity Edition winner Keanna Reeves, by the way. She, along with a much younger guy, stayed in front of the Starbucks joint near the Music Museum entrance. She looked restless and seemed to know that people around her were staring at her and talking about her. Who wouldn’t be when she was wearing a very sexy attire? It was just really amusing when so...