Fely J.'s Kitchen Review

Last Friday night, we had a family reunion because my mom's cousin came home from Massachusetts. They decided to have dinner at Fely J.'s Kitchen, and there were a lot of food ordered. Here are some photos:

Fely J.'s Kitchen Greenbelt 5

Kamias Crush. I felt woozy and dizzy and sleepy after drinking this, not sure if it has alcohol.

Ginataang Gulay at Hipon. This tastes great. Not too salty. :)

Piniritong Hito. I did not taste this because it was difficult to get a piece.

Chicharon Bulaklak. This I was addicted to. Really crispy and not too salty.

Fely J's Dilis-cious Rice. This really went well with Ginataang Gulay at Hipon.

Binagoongang Baboy. Not too salty either. Sorry I took the picture late.

Lola Ising's Adobo. Lot's of garlic, and it tastes kinda sour, which is what I like in adobo.

Tilapia with Sweet Plum Sauce. I did not taste the sauce because the fish was tasty enough already.

Crispy Patang Bawang. Very garlicky as seen in the photo. Meat was really tender.

We also ordered KKK, their kare-kare. I don't have a photo because I was far from it and I did not also get to taste it.


For dessert, I got their home-made vanilla ice cream. I did not want a heavy dessert because I ate a lot already. :)


For my ratings, 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest:
Food - 10. I really think I'm getting to like Kapampangan food. I love that their food is not too salty.
Ambience - 7.5. It actually felt like the usual mall fast food restaurant maybe because of the clear glass, but they had wooden furniture and their comfort rooms were clean.
Service - 7. Servers were fast but they did not serve our whole table with glasses of water, only those who requested for one.


The overall experience was good though. :)


Fely J.'s Kitchen is a part of The LJC Restaurant Group. It is found at 2/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City.

Clicking LIKE

If you read something happy or good on Facebook, do you click the Like button? I do. How about when you read something tragic, sad or unfortunate? Do you click the Like button too? I don't, and my friends don't either. We find it offensive and thoughtless, as if you were a robot that is designed to click Like on whatever post it reads. But apparently, some (or maybe even a lot) of people do so.

The wife of a very close friend of mine posted in Facebook that she had a miscarriage yesterday, and to my shock, three of her "friends" liked it. My boyfriend and I confronted them, implying that it was insulting to like a post about a miscarriage. Plus it contradicted their intention of condoling with him and his wife. We were expecting them to at least click Unlike, but no:

My nose bled. So what *did* she mean when she clicked Like?

According to Merriam-Webster, to "like" means to feel attraction toward or take pleasure in. So, did this person "take pleasure in" the miscarriage?

Cajun Red Rock Review

Last Friday, we met up with my college barkada and their +1's to have dinner. Since we were late, my friends got to choose the restaurant, and they chose Cajun Red Rock at SM Megamall.

When we reached Cajun Red Rock, my friends were seated outside the actual restaurant, since there were a lot of people because it was Payday Friday. They already had their food but were only starting it, they said that service was slow. They actually encouraged us to order immediately.

I ordered Chicken Marsala (grilled chicken with mushroom sauce), with saffron rice and hash browns for sides. It kinda reminded me of World Chicken, but it tasted better.

My boyfriend ordered Mustard Peppered (grilled chicken with mustard and pepper sauce), with saffron rice and crispy mojos for sides. I liked their mojos, they were really crispy and not sloppy.

For drinks, we had bottomless green iced tea.

We also had a complimentary dessert - chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream on top with chocolate drizzle (okay I just invented that name because I don't know what they call it) - I guess because we were singing happy birthday to one of my friends.

Again, sorry I don't have any photos, we were starving! :)

For my ratings, again 1 to 10, 10 being the highest:

Food - 7

Ambience - 5. There were a lot of people and I did not really get to go inside the actual restaurant.

Service - 8. Although service was kind of slow, the servers were actually kind, approachable, and almost always smiled at the customers.

Cajun Red Rock has three branches according to Munchpunch:

108 NS Amoranto St.

Quezon City, Metro Manila

Philippines

(02) 415-2605

Robinsons Galleria, EDSA cor. Ortigas Ave.

Quezon City, Metro Manila

Philippines

Megastrip B, SM Megamall, EDSA cor. Julia Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center

Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila

Philippines

(02) 638-8387

David Archuleta 2011 Concert Ticket Redemption

***Disclaimer: The content you are about to read is based on my understanding of what happened yesterday. No one from Summit Media that is included in this entry was directly quoted. I am also open for corrections and justifications. Thank you.

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Yesterday was the day we were scheduled to claim our tickets for the David Archuleta concert on Monday. I was expecting it to take a few minutes only. Instead, this happened:

Around 2PM - We reached the office of Summit Media (Robinsons Cybergate Tower 3)

After a few minutes - The guard told us to come back at 5PM for the ticket release. Since Forum Robinsons was literally just around the corner, we decided to stay there to pass the time.

2:30PM - I received a text message from a certain Sheh, who works at Summit Media, telling me to return at 5PM. A little too late for this text, isn't it?

4:30PM - We went back to Summit Media.

5PM - Nobody bothered to inform us about the tickets.

5:30PM - I tried texting Sheh to ask her if the tickets are already there. After a few minutes, she texted back, telling me that the tickets aren't there yet, and that it would be best to get it on Monday. Since I possibly could not make it on Monday, I just waited, thinking that maybe at least this Sheh would inform us personally about the tickets.

6PM - Sheh finally showed her face, and apologized for the delay. She told us that the messenger of ETC is on his way, and will take 20mins to reach Summit Media. She also implied that it was not her fault.

6:20PM - Still no sign of the messenger. No sign of Sheh wanting to talk to us either. We can actually see her cubicle from the lobby, and she didn't even look at us.

Around 7PM - No sign of the messenger. This guy beside my boyfriend is already obviously frustrated. He already raised his voice and even cursed in front of the guard. Sheh still not getting up from her cubicle to talk to us. The guard told us that the messenger was near the office already.

7:30PM - People were getting frustrated by the minute.

8PM  - Finally the messenger appeared. They took a few minutes to receive the tickets, and gave them to us. We boarded the elevator but then we noticed that the tickets were LOWER BOX instead of PATRON. So we went back up.

8:30PM - Ingrid, I guess one of the supervisors, talked to us. She told us that Summit Media is not actually responsible for the incident, since they were told by Solar Entertainment that they would be given PATRON tickets. She said she talked with Solar Entertainment and they said that all tickets were downgraded. Ergo, they could not do anything about it, and will just give our info to Solar Entertainment for them to be able to make it up to us by giving us free stuff. We went home dismayed and tired. I was even late for dinner with my college barkada.

Opinions and Lessons Learned

1. Summit Media should not have held the contest in the first place since the tickets weren't on hand. Also, they shouldn't have scheduled ticket redemption, knowing that they did not have the tickets yet. Or they should have updated us at least through email if the tickets were already there.

2. Sheh of Summit Media should have shouldered her responsibility to talk to us immediately, and not let the guards be her representative. The first time the guard talked to us, I could not help but be insulted because he was not the one we should be talking to, because it was not his job nor responsibility to do so. She should also have updated us continually about the tickets. She also should not have implied that ETC was to blame.

3. Ingrid shouldn't have implied that she was blaming Ovation Productions. She also should have asked us first if we were willing to give our info to Solar Entertainment.

I'm not so sure if I want to join another contest held by them now. Or maybe I should at least ask first if the prizes are already with them. Also, I don't think that Solar Entertainment or Ovation Productions should take the blame, unless they actually put Summit Media in duress to promote the David Archuleta concert immediately.

Nihonbashi Tei Malate Review

There's a new restaurant in Malate. Well, it's not really new but I've only eaten there twice. It's Nihonbashi Tei. Obviously it's a Japanese restaurant.

The first time I ate there was with my office mates. I tried the Katsudon (breaded pork chop rice topping) set meal. This includes the appetizer and dessert - a choice between nata de coco and iced coffee. I chose the latter. Let me tell you, one serving is enough for two people already.

My office mates ordered Tempura and Gyudon set meals. We also ordered the Salmon sashimi. It's to die for. It literally melts in your mouth. By the end of lunch our tummies were already very full.

The day after I was there again, this time with my boyfriend for our monthsary. We ordered A LOT of food - Miso Ramen, Tempura, Salmon sashimi, and Katsu Curry, which we just took home. The Miso Ramen was heavenly, very authentic and different from other Japanese restaurants. The prawns used for the Tempura were huge. Katsu Curry was flavorful and not too spicy for my taste, and I don't like spicy food most of the time. The meat though was a little tough for my sensitive teeth.

Things I don't like about Nihonbashi Tei: they allow smoking in the restaurant, and their toilet is clogged up. Another downside is that most of the patrons are foreigners sans GROs, but hey, we're in Malate.

My ratings (1 to 10, with 10 being the highest):

Ambience - 6.5. I really am not one for smoking. Although I can't smell it, I know I can breathe the smoke in.

Food - 8. I have the feeling that they serve the most authentic Japanese food here in the Philippines, although I have yet to try some of the other Japanese restaurants.

Service - 6.5. Although the servers are diligent in performing their tasks, they can be noisy, talking to each other even though they are at different corners of the restaurant.

Nihonbashi Tei has two branches in the Philippines that I know of:

Malate branch(in front of the Hyatt)

483 Pedro Gil Street, Ermita, Manila, Philippines

Tel: +632-708-2807

Makati branch

806 Arnaiz Ave., Pasay Rd.

Makati City

Tel: +632-818-8893

I hope they put up a website soon. 

Shoulder Pain

My right shoulder, actually the area between my neck and shoulder, suddenly got painful while we were hearing mass earlier. I was not carrying anything, nor was my boyfriend's arm on my shoulder. It feels like the pain is in the joint or the bones. It actually hurts less now but it's still pretty painful when I move it. I sure hope this is just muscle strain.

I tried the Everyday Health Symptom Checker (although this is not to be a substitute for a real doctor). After answering a lot of questions, here is the result:

Looks like I need to see a real doctor after all. But! I'll observe it first if it's still painful in the next few days.

*** Update: Shoulder is no longer painful! Yey!

Prenup at a Cemetery

So there's this outrage on the couple who did a prenup at the Libingan ng mga Bayani. It's irked a lot of people, and personally, I was too, at first - until I saw and compared those photos to the prenup photos of Jay Contreras (vocalist of Kamikaze) and Sarah Abad.

There is this photo wherein the groom is hugging the cross. Let me ask you, what is more desecrating, hugging the cross at a cemetery, or stepping on a tomb? Another photo shows the bride drinking alcohol. What is the difference of it to a photo of the bride and groom smoking cigarettes? Jay is even seen here doing the dirty finger.

My concern is that why didn't the people react to their prenup then like they reacted to the unknown couple's prenup? Some friends of mine agree that they are making a big deal out of it. Is it because it's the Libingan ng mga Bayani? I personally don't think there should be a difference in the peoples' reactions, more so I don't think that there should be a difference in the respect we give to our buried heroes and the buried regular people.

For the photos of Jay Contreras and Sarah Abad, go here.

For the photos of the regular couple, go here.

See for yourself and compare.

David Archuleta Manila 2011 Concert Tickets

So, today I won two tickets, that's without effort, to David Archuleta's concert. FemaleNetwork, through their Facebook page, held the contest. The first 5 people who commented the correct channel bringing David to the Philippines wins two tickets. I'll be selling the tickets to a friend though. :)

I was the 3rd one to answer correctly. Carlo was disqualified because he worked for Entrepreneur.com.PH :)

For info on the concert, call 911-5555 or visit TicketNet.

*** Update: I'll be getting the PATRON tickets this Friday!

Abé. Where Good Friends Dine.

It was my first time to try out Abé restaurant in Trinoma last night. Abé is kapampangan for "friends", hence their tagline.

As we entered the restaurant, I could already feel its homey ambience - low light, wooden furniture - it's as if I entered a huge Filipino vintage house, like the ones in some Philippine provinces.

The servers were also professionals and seemed to have been trained well. They were observant and were not rowdy or noisy. They approached the customers with grace and confidence. Even though the customer has not asked for help yet, they readily offer their services.

We tried out their Pastel de Lengua, Pinakbet and Bamboo Rice. All these were good for 2-3 hungry people already. The Bamboo Rice was actually cooked and served in a fat bamboo stick as long as two-thirds of a regular PC keyboard. You'd need a server to give you more rice if you want more, because it is actually kind of hard to serve yourself. They have this technique of making a tong out of two spoons, which was really amazing.

The prices for such an elegant restaurant would surprise you, since they are not too steep. We paid less than 900Php, which is actually quite cheap if compared to other high-end restaurants in the metro.

Abé is part of the LJC Restaurant Group, which include the following restaurants as well:

- Café Adriatico

- Café Havana

- Lorenzo’s Way

- Fely J's Kitchen

- Larry’s Café & Bar

- Bistro Remedios

- Abe’s Farm

- La Mer Catering

To know more about the LJC Restaurant Group, visit their Facebook page.

Massage at Let's Face It (Trinoma)

It was the first time in years that I had a massage. Since I was on a budget (after shopping for a few shoes and clothes), plus I was near Let's Face It, I decided to try their body massage. Yes, they have body massages - Swedish, Shiatsu, and Combination - but they are more known for their facials.

Anyhoo, since I knew I was stressed, and a wee bit not feeling too well because of my headache, I decided to overcome my shyness (yes, I am shy) and approach the receptionist and asked her how much would a Swedish massage cost. She told me that it depended upon the oil used, and then proceeded to show me a list of prices for each oil.

There were three oils and one cream on the list. Since I was meeting my boyfriend after my massage for dinner, I chose Relaxing Massage Oil because the list said that it had lavender scent. The massage package included a shower before the massage (optional), a drink - iced tea or ginger ale, and of course, the 60-minute Swedish massage.

The receptionist asked me for my choices and also for the body part I want the masseuse to concentrate on. After telling the receptionist that I will have a shower before the massage, have an iced tea afterwards and for the masseuse to concentrate on my back, she told me to sit down and wait. After almost fifteen minutes, the masseuse called me and told me that the shower was ready.

I was first taken to the private massage room so that I could change into a bathrobe. It was a small room with a large mirror beside the massage bed and in the corner was a sink with a candle beside it. It had a peaceful ambiance to it because of the dim light and the candle. The masseuse showed me where I could put my things. Unfortunately, it was only under the bed - there was no locker, which was a bit dismaying, but since I really had to take that shower, I had no choice but to leave the safety of my stuff to luck.

After getting into the bathrobe and putting on the shower cap, I went to the shower room. Again, only one person could use the shower at a time so it was comfortable for me. Their shower was normal, although I kinda liked the shower head because it was huge and it felt like I was under the rain while taking a shower. What dismayed me was the soap in there seemed like it was already used, so I did not use it.

Showering done, I went back into the massage room. Only a few seconds passed before the masseuse knocked and went into the room only after I responded, which was really polite of her. She then instructed me to lie face down on the bed with my robe off, and covered me with a towel, and the massage started. No disposable underwear was handed to me though, so I had to use my own. The room was quite small, that she had a hard time stretching my extremities.

After the massage I was given the iced tea and a hot mini-towel to get the oil off, and was left alone to relax for a while, but since it was a bit cold in the room, and I had somewhere else to go, I left almost immediately.

Overall, I was quite satisfied with the massage, but since I actually could hear the noise from outside, I was not really relaxed. In the numerical sense, ranging from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest:

- Massage = 7.5

- Service = 8

- Ambience = 5.5

- Security = 3

- Temperature = 4 (It was cold)

Tips:

1. BYOS (Bring Your Own Soap), if you want to have a shower before the massage.

2. BYOU (Bring Your Own Undies), if you don't want to be stark naked during the massage.

3. Ask for an extra hot towel. This is because of the hot towel they gave me easily became cold since it was quite cold in the room.

Here's Let's Face It's (that's a lot of apostrophes) website if you're interested.