Hilltop

Hilltop is a chicken inasal place 40 kilometers from the city. It is very well-known among UP Miagao students primarily because it serves very delicious and cheap food.

A friend once said,"The standard for cakes is Calea while the standard for chicken inasal is Hilltop."

I remember the first time I ate here. It was indeed tasty and delicious and juicy. However, I am a fan of the pig so I always order Pork Mia whenever I eat here. The Garlic Chicken is equally impressive.

I like it that they have huge servings. It used to cost P50 for a meal. Now, it is P65. Still cheap and fair enough for a delicious, hot meal.

One day, I traveled 40 kms to eat here. I shocked myself and ordered Chicken Mia to relive the first time I ate here and enjoyed the chicken. Yes, my first time was amazing. It blew me. That is why I can still remember it up to this day.

I thought I am fine with my chicken inasal but I ordered half a tub of oysters anyway because you always order it here.

The chicken was still the same - juicy, tasty and delicious. The oysters too were plenty and juicy, tasty and delicious.

Hilltop is a place everyone misses upon leaving UP and a place everyone returns to whenever they can.

Menu. Click to enlarge.Open in new tabs to superenlarge.

Hilltop
Miagao, Iloilo
+639275536182
(033)3153023

Dulcinea

I have always wanted to try their paella but my friends do not really dig stuff like these so it was a blessing one day for my friend to treat me one. :)

There was complimentary soup but it had too much water in it resulting to a thin and bland soup.

Our paella arrived in 15 minutes. It was huge! They claimed it was good for 2 but it was good for 4!  It also had a lot of toppings in it - egg, clams, mussels, shrimps, chicken and pork amidst beans, bell peppers, green peas, lemon and parsley. To add, it had saffron in it making it sweet smelling, tasty and delicious. The paella was very well done. We definitely wiped out the pan!

I will order oxtail casserole, salpicao, lengua estofada, roast porkloin, tuhod y batoc, fritos de la abuela, mejillones al horno and their churros con chocolate on my next visits.

The paella certainly gave me a reason to return amidst the unworthiness of the food I ate on my first visit there.

Menu. Click images to enlarge. Open in new tabs to superenlarge.

Dulcinea
SM City, Mandurriao, Iloilo City
Dulcinea on Facebook 1
Dulcinea on Facebook 2
(033)3297357

Missy Bon Bon

When my friends and I came here to chill, I was still very full so I sat and watched my friends eat gelato. After the food in my stomach was digested a little, I took advantage of the free taste. :D

Shortly before we left, I ordered Biscotto at PhP45. It tasted like Mango Float.

Missy Bon Bon also serves meals.

Missy Bonbon
LimKetKai
Free wifi
Missy Bon Bon Website
Missy Bon Bon on Facebook

Thai Me Up

May 20, 2010

A classmate told me to try Thai Me Up, which is a Thai restaurant. We decided to stop there if we see it but head to LimKetKai anyway if we don't.

Luckily we did. :D But when we paid the fare of PhP5 each, the money-eyeing conductor charged us another PhP5 each which we did anyway because we were famished. We didn't even mind the waitresses in the restaurant as they greet us "Sawasdee" upon our entrance.

We ordered Bagoong Fried Rice, Pork Spare Ribs with Sweet and Spicy Sauce and Sauteed Pork Curry with Kangkong and Crushed Peanuts. We ordered their Bottomless Lemon Grass Iced Tea after we sampled it from a shotglass courtesy of the waiter. :)

The servings were HUGE and I mean really HUGE. I am used to the rice being good for 2-3 people but theirs were good for 5-6! I should have asked before I ordered...

Their rice was good. I like fried rice with toppings on it. In this case, it was scrambled egg, pork and green mango.

Their spare ribs is the best! There was enough meat on it unlike the other restaurants. It was not that spicy and not that sweet. Just the right taste. It wasn't tough too.

Their Pork Curry disappointed me because it was far from what the pictures in their menu cried out. In the picture, there was lots of pork and a few kangkong (water spinach) but in reality, there was a lot of kangkong (and I mean LOTS) and a few pieces of pork. :(

The Lemon Grass Iced Tea, however, was richer compared to some Thai Restaurants.

The waiters and waitresses were attentive enough to refill your glass even before you drowned it. Service was quite fast but maybe because it was because we were the only customers at that time. The manager (I assume) was playing a game like Diner Dash on her laptop 3 tables away from us. There were a lot of interesting Thai decorations, which makes for very good subjects for photography. The restrooms were clean and had a tiny piece of the forest in it (like moss on a rock). There were flies but they can be avoided by having pieces of lit candle on your table. We ordered Chili Choco Lava and Crunchy Chestnut for dessert but we ended cancelling it because
we were really full.

After settling the bill, we boarded a "rela" to an internet cafe because my friend had to print something. Unluckily, the power went out so we boarded a taxi to LimKetKai.

Click here for the menu.

Thai Me Up
Capistrano corner Mabini street
73-THAI (not sure with the area code :D)
Thai Me Up on Facebook

Garden Cafe

This internet and book cafe was once a mansion.

 

As I stepped inside, I saw two foreigners sitting apart and a group of med students discussing something.

I ordered my staple of americano while I went off to search for magazines to read. The selection is plenty not to mention the books.

My americano arrived in a short while. It tasted like americano but what set it apart was that the sugar served with it was in liquid form. I also liked that their cups are huge. :)

After a couple of hours reading, I ordered their only choice of solid food - waffles.

I like it because it was crunchy outside and soft inside. It was also drizzled with chocolate syrup. The only downside, for me, is that it was also sprinkled with sugar. This may be a treat for some but the semi-health buff me frowns upon it. Next time, I find myself in this place, I will still order it sans the sugar. :)

I like the place because it is airy and spacious. I like it because the next table is spaced sufficiently from yours giving ample privacy. 

 Menu. Click to enlarge. Open in new tab to superenlarge.

 

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The last time I was here about three or so months ago, I noticed that they have expanded their menu to include meals from their waffles -only era. I would have wanted to order the Italian Pork Ribs Combo but I was told no combo meal was available. So I turned my attention to the BBQ Short Ribs. The Buttered Poached Chicken with Sour Butter Cream Sauce and the Saffron and Lemon Infused Chicken with White Wine Reduction sounded good too but all these are unavailable. The waiter then explained that their chef left and he was only able to teach some chicken recipes to one staff. I don't like wings and I wasn't in the mood to eat Fried Chicken so I ordered Chicken Pepper Steak.

I was expecting a piece of chicken coated with pepper and then fried or pan-seared but I was proved wrong when my main course arrived after I finished a bowl of soup. The soup, which was instant, was spicy and hot. It was not so thick nor not so thin either.

My main course came in pieces of chicken stacked upon each other and sprinkled with onion, bell pepper and parmesan and drizzled with its own sauce. I was amazed. The chicken was well done. And the sauce seemed garlicky, peppery and oniony. I love the onions but I never liked peppers so I set all of them aside. I enjoyed eating the chicken until I finished it.

As if that wasn't enough, a third plate of salad and fried potatoes arrived. This should have arrived before my main course but it arrived anyway. I was caught offguard and was happier at the thought of more food so I welcomed it joyfully.

The salad was cold and was made of cucumbers and onions. I didn't like the tanginess of the onions. It was too much so I set all of the onions aside. I enjoyed the cucumber though. It was delicious with its dressing.

The fried potatoes was no longer crispy when I ate it but it was delicious with its somekinda sour cream dip drizzled on it.

I was really full and satisfied with the meal. Not to mention the very attentive and courteous waiter. I can't wait to try more of their meals. If only they can find that chef they need...

Menu. Click to enlarge. Open in new tabs to superenlarge.

Garden Cafe
El98 cor , Jaro, Iloilo City
Opening hours:
4PM-11PM Monday-Friday
10AM-11PM Saturday-Sunday and Holidays
(033)3000808

Maki

My friends and I were intent on tasting all on the menu but there are just some things which aren't really attractive to the ears moreso to the tastebuds.

We were to select a soup, sushi or sashimi, appetizer, tempura and teriyaki or yakitori.

My first order was of course tuna sashimi, pork siomai, shrimp tempura and beef yakiniku. I skipped the soups lest I fail my mission of tasting all.

The tuna sashimi was small and not cold. It was disfigured and not really tasty.

The shrimp tempura was fine. The batter is not really thick as it looks. The shrimp inside was soft and tasty.

The beef yakiniku was tough and dry that I really can't appreciate the taste.

 

The pork siomai was also dry and bland aside from its being minute.

I ticked on mango and cheese maki, gyoza, squid tempura and chicken teriyaki on my 2nd checklist. I gave it to the waiter before I finished my first because it takes a while for them to prepare your meal. It is unwise to disrupt your momentum.

The mango and cheese maki was good but the cheese overpowers the small bit of mango in it. My second order of it however proved the first wrong. This one is delicious.

The gyoza was very delicious especially because it was served hot. After a while though, when it has cooled, it doesn't taste as good as when it is hot.

 
The squid tempura shocked me. The batter was thin and the squid was very very soft. I enjoyed the taste and would have wanted to order it one more time had I not been allergic.

The chicken teriyaki was also very well done - succulent tiny cuts of chicken thrown with onion leaves and sesame seeds. Yum.

My third order was ika sashimi, japanese spring rolls, vegetable tempura and beef teriyaki.

The vegetable tempura was all red and green bell peppers. Eew.

The ika or squid sashimi was eew as well. I didn't really dig it but some people might. It was my first time to eat something like this.

The japanese spring rolls weren't really special. Just your ordinary lumpia.

The beef teriyaki disappointed me. It was cold and tough.

By this time, I have eaten all choices in the appetizers and tempuras.

My fourth order was now only composed of sushi or sahimi and teriyaki or yakitori. I chose california maki and chicken yakitori.

The california maki has a lot of mango in it. :)

 
The chicken yakitori looks good but I couldn't remember how it tastes.

My fifth order was crazy maki and pork yakitori.

The crazy maki wasn't crazy.

The pork yakitori looked pale and not delicious. Well, like the chicken yakitori, it didn't leave impressions on me.

My sixth order was pink salmon skin maki. I didn't like it.

I skipped the futo maki, tuna maki, tuna sushi, tamago sushi, kani sushi, tamago sashimi and kani sashimi for reasons forgotten except that the latter 4 do not sound good.

I might go there someday but will just order what I found good - mango and cheese maki, gyoza, squid tempura and chicken teriyaki.

Maki offers bento-all-you can everyday at just P245. You can add P45 for bottomless iced tea.

Menu. Click images to enlarge. Open in new tabs to superenlarge.

Maki
Smallville Complex, BS Aquino Ave, Mandurriao, Iloilo City
Opening hours: 11-3 PM, 5-10:30 PM (untill 11 on Friday and Saturday)
(033)3213885