Three festivals, one street

It’s that time of year again… street fair season! The notifications began rolling in with schedules and immediately started marking my calendar. I was especially excited ahead of this past weekend because Japan Fes, Philippines Fest, and Dragon Fest were all taking place along Broadway, near Union Square.

The day arrived and I got out of the subway at 8th Street-NYU, which put me immediately at the beginning of Japan Fes!

Last year, I went to Japan Fes and Philippines Fest in Park Slope, where they were also set up next to each other.

The street was filled with the fragrant smells from all the different vendors, offering everything from karaage fried chicken, onigiri, takoyaki, various noodles, among other delicious fare. However, one item caught my eye, the A5 wagyu from J-Spec Wagyu Club.

The line was long but it moved quickly and, once approaching the counter, you see they offer the prized beef as a skewer or sandwich. In addition, they also have their wagyu certification on display to ensure customers are getting the real thing.

I went with the sandwich.

This was incredible! Juicy and tender wagyu slices tucked in a fluffy roll, with all the right toppings and sauces—definitely could have downed a couple of these.

The vendor also sold a housemade yuzu soda.

One of the most refreshing drinks that day! It was reminiscent of grapefruit but without the bitterness.

Made my way through the crowds and saw that familiar flag, I was, now, at Philippines Fest.

The event serves as “a platform for Fil-Ams who want to showcase their work and products in New York City” and, of course, I had to stop by my favorite spot: Boy George Inasal. Everything I’ve had from them has been great!

Last year’s festival, I had the sinugba na liempo—fantastic—then, during the 2023 Philippine Independence Day Parade, which took place in June, I had the chicken inasal—the all-time classic.

Today, especially with a chill in the air, it was time for some batchoy.

This was a hot and fresh soup—perfect for the weather. A delicious broth, lots of sliced pork, noodles, and crunchy chicharon, I was slurping that up while avoiding the crowds and standing on the sidewalk behind the tent.

As I made my way through Philippines Fest, close to the end, I spotted spam musubi and it was from Kabisera, a place I wrote about last July that was serving up some fantastic desserts and baked goods.

They still had some awesome desserts but, first, the musubi.

This was a hefty one, too! Musubi are a godsend—one of the greatest snacks by far! And the classic spam is always a winner!

Now, they were also selling my favorite dessert: maja blanca.

This wasn’t the typical coconut pudding with sweet corn, there was also a layer of ube. Clearly, this was a next level dessert! Now, while writing about it, I need another one!

After getting through two of the three festivals that day, I took a break and grabbed a palate cleanser in the form of a horchata.

This always hits!

The final item on the agenda was Dragon Fest, “an annual outdoor Chinese food and culture festival.”

At this point, I had been munching all afternoon and, despite trying to space out the food, it was all too tempting. Although, one can always use some popcorn chicken.

In this case, it was Bombcorn Chicken.

I ordered it spicy and inadvertently timed it just right. I got there just as they ran out and had to wait—will happily wait for a fresh batch of fried chicken!

These bites were fantastic! I loved the spice powder sprinkled on top and the fact that this was a fresh batch made it even better!

As the day drew to a close, I remembered The Bean had a location along Broadway. I ended the festivities with a free birthday coffee—and even got a “Happy Birthday!” from the barista.

Enjoying Filipino treats from LES to Chinatown

A few years ago, I was still living in the Philippines and on vacation to see friends in New York City, I kept seeing videos on social media about various Filipino restaurants and pop-ups around the city (outside of Queens). Over the years, there have been numerous Filipino restaurants in Lower Manhattan that have come and gone but, at that moment, there was one that I kept seeing consistently: Kabisera.

According to Google, at the time of this writing, their location on Allen Street, between Stanton Street and Rivington Street, is currently flagged as “Temporarily Closed,” but I did have an earlier opportunity to enjoy some delicious food. While I never sat down to a proper meal, they do have a nice variety of treats.

My first time there, I saw they had taho, a traditional snack of silken tofu and sago served in a sugary syrup—the sago wasn’t ready! Instead, I went with bibingka, a baked rice cake, often cooked with coconut milk.

Now, I’m used to the small, hand-held ones, but this arrived on a plate! Perhaps one of the biggest I’ve seen. The best part about this bibinkga, it was soft, warm, and delicious. This was an excellent introduction to the place.

A while later, I was in the neighborhood and decided to give them another try and, this time, they had taho! They offer it in a variety of flavors and I got ube.

This was so good! While this is typically enjoyed as a street food or breakfast, I would consider this one a great dessert—particularly with the added flavor.

However, when it comes to proper desserts, Kabisera also sells one of my favorites: maja blanca.

Often described as a “coconut pudding,” the dish made from coconut milk has a springy texture, with sweet corn scattered within, and topped with dried coconut. I have yet to try a bad maja blanca, this was delicious!

Fast forward a couple years and I’ve left the Philippines and have relocated back to the city. It’s my first visit to the Canal Street Market and I spot Mucho Sarap NYC.

A Filipino taqueria serving up Mexican-inspired tacos with traditional Filipino flavors. Besides sounding amazing, I just got back from the Philippines, how am I saying no to this?

I did their three taco combo and got afritada, longganisa, and nilaga.

The nilaga was comprised of beef short ribs, the afritada had shredded chicken, and the longganisa was made with sweet sausage—they were all amazing selections.

More recently (just last week), I revisited Canal Street Market and saw Kabisera was set up right next to Mucho Sarap NYC and, on that menu, they had one of my favorite Filipino dishes: Bicol express.

Pork served in a spicy coconut sauce, accompanied by adobo rice, and your choice of pickles (I got cucumbers).

Now, I first had Bicol express in the Philippines and, while I never had it in the Bicol region itself, the spice was always hit or miss. Kabisera at Canal Street Market brought that much-desired spice; and it hit hard—just the way I like it!

Combining a bit of the spicy pork, salty bagoong (shrimp paste), and savory adobo rice on a spoon: that is a memorable bite!

I didn’t intend on documenting an evolution of enjoying Filipino delicacies over the years but, between moving from the Philippines to New York City, and savoring more and more of the local Filipino scene, it has been quite the delicious progression.

Jollibee in New York City

After nearly 10 years living in the Philippines, I have been anticipating the chance to try Jollibee in the United States. I previously wrote about how, despite Jollibee being all over Bacolod City, I seldom visited while I was there but there have been enough meals to provide a good basis for comparison; in particular, for their chicken sandwich.

Within the last few months of my time overseas, Jollibee just introduced their chicken sandwich—this came after their American counterparts already offered it on their menus. Already known for their delicious chickenjoy, the sandwiches arrived with a lot of hype (even my Dad, who was never a chicken sandwich person, wanted to try it).

As noted in my earlier blog, “there was a ‘fattier’ quality to the meat” in the Filipino version of the sandwich. Not exactly sure why that is but it was different from similar sandwiches I have tried at fast food restaurants in the U.S.

I had already seen several videos of individuals trying Jollibee for the first time and, aside from learning there was a selection of chicken sandwich options, they all looked so sumptuous.

In the Philippines, there’s only one sandwich. It’s pleasant but just looked like a regular sandwich.

A couple weeks ago, I had movie tickets in Midtown and noticed the theater was only a couple blocks away from Jollibee. Immediately knew this was a prime opportunity to give it a try.

As expected, the place was busy.

After waiting in line for a while, made my way to the cashier and ordered the deluxe spicy chicken sandwich.

First impression: this looked great; miles away from the sandwich I had previously tried. Apart from having a spicy version, unlike the version in the Philippines, this sandwich included lettuce and tomato (my Dad always said a bit of green improved the look of any dish).

This sandwich was delicious. The chicken was crispy, a good kick of spice, and it didn’t taste fatty.

This alone was enough to convince me there would be return visits.

Additionally, I also ordered two pieces of their spicy chickenjoy.

Chickenjoy is some of the best fried chicken one can get in the Philippines and it’s no different in Times Square. Crispy, juicy, spicy—perfection.

Now, of course, I wasn’t leaving without a peach mango pie.

For many who indulge in Jollibee, the peach mango pie is a staple. Putting the McDonald’s apple pie to shame, it’s always so crispy on the outside with a molten hot, sweet, and delicious filling.

On one occasion at a location in Bacolod City, they accidentally served me one of their savory pies. While the tuna pie is fine, it’s pretty disappointing when you were expecting something sweet.

They got it right in NYC.

Between the Philippines and the United States, the fried chicken and the peach mango pie hold up. The same crispy goodness comes through no matter which side of the Pacific Ocean you are on.

However, the chicken sandwich, without a doubt, goes to the US!

The chicken sandwich in the Philippines is fine, but it’s pretty basic (and it usually takes a long time to prepare—the cashier always gave a warning when ordering one). The fact that one has choices on the American menu, then the toppings, there’s no contest.

As mentioned earlier, definitely coming back for more.

The long journey back (Part 1)

I first moved back to my hometown of Bacolod City, located on the island of Negros in the Philippines, in December 2012. It was a combination of my father retiring and choosing to move back home, and a personal decision to seek out a potential career change.

During my time in the “City of Smiles,” I worked as a media consultant, telecommuting with a New Jersey-based law firm for a few years. Afterwards, I was hired by a Bacolod City newspaper as a desk editor, where I remained for five years and eventually promoted to editor-in-chief.

Throughout my time in the country, I constantly encountered new experiences through my professional life, met a variety of people through daily interactions, and—my favorite part—travelled around the region.

In January 2021, I was laid-off as the newspaper was looking to merge operations between their sister publication across the strait. While it was a roundabout way of being let go—they requested a resignation, then, when I said they can terminate my employment, they extended an offer that included a fairly impossible relocation requirement, forcing me to decline—it was the opening signal suggesting it may be the end of my time there.

During my most recent trip back to America, staying in New Mexico and New York between August 2021 and April 2022, it became even more certain a move back was imminent, only the date remained a mystery.

Last week—November 16, 2022—I moved back to the United States.

Beforehand, while tying up some loose ends, I had the chance to have my last Filipino breakfast. Ahead of a stop at the the bank, I dropped by Kuppa, where I had chorizo, eggs, and rice.

One of the most arduous tasks was clearing out the house.

It took several weeks, lots of trips back and forth to my Mother’s home, along with a visit from professional movers. As the days went by, the house began to look more and more empty, meaning moving continued to become more of a reality as time went on.

Another matter to handle was my beloved dog, Bruno.

I’ve had Bruno for a couple years now, he was a gift from a neighbor after his dog had puppies. I’ve had the immense pleasure of watching him grow up and knew it was going to be difficult saying goodbye.

I spoke to my neighbor and he was more than happy to take him back, noting, he has a farmhouse a few towns over and would take him there whenever I was ready.

Obviously, that day was going to be difficult.

The day finally came and I had the last meal in the place I had called home for almost ten years.

With the house practically cleared out—including the contents of the refrigerator—gathered what I could for breakfast. Toast, peanut butter, and coffee worked for the last meal.

Then, it was just one final, parting glance at the house.

Before heading to Bacolod-Silay Airport, stopped by a place I never had the chance to visit and somewhere my Dad randomly said he wanted to have breakfast: Mcdonald’s Forbes Hill at Northill Gateway. It’s a relatively new location, fairly modern, and considering it is a bit out of the way, it’s spacious and not as crowded as a typical McDonald’s.

Now, there are McDonald’s all over the world and, amid a move back to the US, this was a no-brainer, I ordered spaghetti and fried chicken.

Definitely not getting anything like this at McDonald’s in New York City.

Arriving at the airport, said my goodbyes and had a porter bring my bags through entry security and to the check-in desk, which was still closed. He left my bags at the front of the line in order to be ready once it opened up.

About an hour later, the desk opens up and I’m greeted by the agent. While my international carrier allows for two bags with a maximum weight of 23 kilograms (kg), the domestic flight to Manila (even though I paid extra for two check-in bags), they only allowed for 20 kg. So, I was assessed another fee (it wasn’t bad, P672, or around $11.72) and he did add a priority tag onto my bags.

Once checked in and through security, it was a quiet wait until boarding.

The flight arrived in Manila on time.

Once landed, I collected my luggage and made my way to the shuttle stand. The waiting shuttle left without taking anybody and I let the attendant know my flight number and boarding time. After a long wait, the attendant approached me to confirm my itinerary and he tried calling a driver to bring a shuttle around.

It didn’t work.

He explained the next shuttle is scheduled to arrive around 10:00 p.m. My flight was at 11:20 p.m. and I still had to check-in and go through immigration and security. He suggested taking a taxi and he took one of my bags, and helped me grab a taxi to get from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1.

Arriving at T1, got through the initial security check, where I was flagged for a “gadget”—turns out it was my camera, which already had its battery removed. After that hiccup, spotted the line for Korean Air and it was snaking back and forth several times over.

As I walked towards the back of the line, I was approached by an attendant who was handing out CDC forms for passengers headed for the US. Given the line, he asked if I had completed online check-in. I hadn’t but asked if it was still possible. While he wasn’t sure since check-in was underway, he suggested giving it a try. Luckily… it was still possible!

Managed to get through the form, while lugging two weighty suitcases each time the line move forward, and waved him over to see if everything was good. He said it was and proceeded to walk me over to bag drop.

Just like with the shuttle, found somebody willing to provide a helping hand to push through a difficult situation.

After making my way to the terminal, there weren’t many places to grab food. I picked up a couple Gatorades and a bag of gummies from one of the souvenir shops, and went to my gate to await the next stage of this journey.

Lunch at Gracia’s

As of late—along with events of the last couple years—aside from a trip to the United States to get vaccinated, I rarely leave Bacolod City. Running errands or going out to eat can all be accomplished within the city limits. However, with my Mom in town, I do get the opportunity to venture into the next town over, Talisay City.

One day, after running a couple errands, we decided to hit up Gracia’s Ristorante for lunch, which is located near Talisay City Hall. I had seen this place advertised on Facebook before and it looked pretty fancy.

We arrived right after the lunch rush and, thankfully, this place stays open and does not take a mid-afternoon siesta.

There were no other customers at the time and took a seat at one of the long tables. The restaurant has a pretty spacious interior with lots of tables.

Additionally, the dishware was pretty striking.

After being seated, given it was my first visit, there was so much to look at. The place settings were comprised of quite a few dishes, plates, and bowls, which all looked very nice—it looked like it was going to be a splurge.

We were handed three menus: light meals, main entrees, and drinks.

The light menu includes items such as pasta, sandwiches, and salads. I was more in the mood for some classic Filipino dishes and perused the main courses.

However, first, drinks. It was a warm afternoon and had to go with the banana strawberry smoothie.

It was just what I needed. Sweet and refreshing, probably one of the best.

Personally, I love bagnet (or lechon kawali), Ilocano style fried pork belly lined with a nice, crispy skin. Once I saw that on the menu, it was done.

This was good. It probably could’ve used a little more time frying in order for the skin to be a bit crispier but it tasted fine (plus, the gravy it was served in complemented it perfectly).

My Mom ordered the beef salpicao. Described as beef tenderloin cut into cubes and seasoned with special sauce and sauteed with garlic and spanish paprika.

Even though this is a menu item at a lot of restaurants, I rarely order it. This one tasted really good…. it also required an extra helping of rice.

Gracia’s Ristorante has a nice variety of dishes and I definitely want to try more.

Cheesecake-on-a-stick

A few weeks ago, I spotted a kiosk at the local mall selling, what appeared to be, cheesecake on a stick. It clearly piqued my interest and I made plans to visit at some point. Unfortunately, with a number of events happening, I eventually forgot.

However, later, during a visit to the Fountain Grove building, located along Lacson Street, near the Bata Flyover, I saw another promotion for that same cheesecake. The name of the place is Git-Go and, apparently, they have a café on the second floor.

Obviously, the universe was telling me I had to drop by.

The interior is very nice and clean, and they have really comfortable chairs.

Approaching the counter, they have all of the toppings spread across the counter and a menu along the back displaying their varieties of frozen cheesecake. According to their Facebook page, they consider themselves “Bacolod’s original frozen cheesecake-on-a-stick.”

For my first taste, I went for the Oreo C.

A frozen cheesecake topped with chocolate ganache, crushed oreos, and caramel. It was so good. Somehow, being able to pick it up and eating it off a stick made it even better.

In addition to the cheesecake, they also have coffee and frappe. I usually default to vanilla and got the vanilla frappe.

This was a really delicious drink. It was flavorful, rich, and creamy.

I am definitely going back and trying everything else on the menu.

An upscale Filipino breakfast

Back in 2018, I was on vacation in Osaka and, as is usual for me when travelling, went for a morning walk around the neighborhood in search of coffee. Yes, there’s coffee in the hotel room but it’s always nice to find a local spot. Unlike other destinations, such as Hong Kong or Seoul, there was a bit of difficulty finding a coffee shop. Not much of a Starbucks enthusiast but it was almost coming down to that option, and then I saw a UCC café near Kuromon Market.

UCC, or Ueshima Coffee Company, is a Japanese coffee company that operates a farm in Hawaii where they cultivate Kona coffee. They have innovated so many aspects of the industry, which makes their brand especially unique.

Walking into the UCC branch, there was seating to one side but their coffee bar was impressive—it looked like a laboratory, lined with siphon coffee makers.

Given everything that went into making it, as expected, the coffee was rich and flavorful.

Back in Bacolod City, UCC Clockwork, located along Lacson Street, next to the PNB Building, has been around for a couple years now but I only had my first experience there this week.

The interior is very clean and simple with a coffee bar along one side and UCC products all over the place.

The seating area is nice with big, comfortable chairs, along with hooks under the table for bags (those came in handy).

Looking over the menu, they offer both western and Filipino breakfast options; plus, each dish comes with a free cup of coffee.

When the coffee arrived, the server brought an empty cup and saucer, then proceeded to pour piping hot coffee directly from a siphon chamber.

It was good, especially since the options for coffee in the city either come in a sachet or are severely watered down—this is definitely a must for a solid cup of coffee.

In addition to the coffee, I ordered the alkamint, one of their cold pressed juices, comprised of cucumber, orange, apple, lemon, and mint.

The menu item that immediately jumped out at me was their threesome breakfast, which includes three Filipino breakfast classics: corned beef, tocino, and beef tapa.

The dish also comes with garlic rice, eggs, and atchara (Filipino papaya salad).

I had some reservations because, personally, not a fan of corned beef. However, this was really good. The tocino and tapa were also delicious.

UCC Clockwork offers a nice upscale breakfast experience and arguably the best coffee in Bacolod City.

All-American

Over the past couple years, the area just outside the subdivision has undergone some major developments with the construction of a supermarket; coffee shop; home improvement retailer; along with a strip mall including a dental office, dog cafe, bakeshop, restaurant, and local convenience stores. One of the spots is a branch of AllAmerican, a nationwide chain restaurant that serves “American comfort food for every occasion.”

My first time eating there was sort of a last-minute lunch and I tried out their pizza promotion: three 10″ pizzas for P699 (around $12.25). They were a decent size for personal pizzas and the toppings were good. If you’re a fan of thin crust pizza, this is the place.

More recently, while running errands in the area, I decided to stop in for lunch to try the other stuff on their menu. It was just after the noontime rush and the place was pretty empty (just the way I like it).

After looking over the menu, trying to figure out what exactly I was in the mood for, I went with their angus cheeseburger and chicken nibblers. I was really looking forward to trying one of their milkshakes but, unfortunately, they were not available that day.

The subject of disappointing hamburgers in Bacolod City has been a frequent topic on this blog. Primarily, the questionable meat quality, the bun-to-patty ratio, among other issues that make it difficult to find a tasty burger in town. However, this one was pretty good.

Loaded with a good amount toppings and a lot of sauce, it was a good (but messy) hamburger. Also, a pet peeve my Dad always brings up is bad hamburger buns. In this case, AllAmerican’s buns did a good job supporting the burger.

While ordering, the cashier informed me that fries come with the hamburger, which made me think because, at other restaurants in the city, “comes with a side of fries” means—literally—seven to 10 french fries. After some pondering, opted against ordering a separate side and was very pleased with the amount that came with the burger.

I was also intrigued by what they called “nibblers.” Assumed it was something along the lines of chicken nuggets or popcorn chicken.

These were so good!

The chicken was very tasty, the breading was great, and it came with two delicious dipping sauces.

I’m fairly certain an order of nibblers will be a part of every future order from this place.

A new Chinese spot in town

Between two of my favorite restaurants in town (both of which I have previously blogged about), Romantic Baboy and Keeka Poke, sits a new restaurant billing themselves as “a Chinese Restaurant that specializes in Cantonese cuisine.” Located along Buri Road in the Ani Residences strip mall, it took me two visits to Hong-Kee before putting this together.

On the first visit, in order to get a good feel of the menu, I had to order their combo special.

They have a value meal for P150 (around $2.65) that includes your choice of meat (roast pork belly, char siu, soy sauce chicken, or hainanese chicken) and it is served with fried rice, bok choy, soy-braised egg, and buchi (add P50 and you can get a second meat for the meal).

I went with two and got the char siu and roast pork belly.

When it comes to Chinese food, char siu is one of my personal favorites. Their version is a bit on the sweet side but still tasty; the roast pork was excellent, served with very crunchy skin; and the rice was made well.

The value meal makes for a really well-rounded lunch.

On the next visit, I went with one of their meat platters, along with a side of vegetables (rice and kimchi not included).

Having enjoyed their roast pork belly last time, got their “small” portion and it was a hefty serving.

It also came with a zesty dipping sauce.

I must say, I’m always skeptical when it comes to the number of people local restaurants say their meals can serve but Hong-Kee’s servings are definitely more than enough.

The pork was really juicy with a good amount fat, while the skin portion was perfectly crisp. Even better was dipping it in the sauce and it was a good day.

In addition, I also ordered their bokchoy with garlic sauce.

This was a great pairing with the roast pork.

Overall, it was a good experience—tastier than the typical fast-food Chinese available in Bacolod City and better prices than the big Chinese restaurants in town. For me, I especially enjoyed getting a big meat platter and a side of vegetables, it made for really sumptuous meals for a fairly decent price.

The only place that wasn’t crowded

A couple weekends ago, I found myself at one of the local Bacolod City malls. After running some errands and checking off the shopping list, it was time for lunch. Given that it was a weekend, the mall was obnoxiously crowded and, at lunch, nearly every restaurant was packed. Didn’t even bother with the food court; while there are plenty of people occupying tables to eat, there are just as many loitering and taking up a table other customers could use to enjoy their lunch.

After looking into one crowded restaurant after another, there was one place that was nearly empty: Cabalen. I wondered if they were on an afternoon break (siesta) and peeked my head through the door. The seating hostess invited me in and, given it was an all-you-can-eat (AYCE) buffet, she suggested to look over their selection to see if there was any interest. It looked good and I took a seat.

I had been here before, it’s a nationwide chain originating in Quezon City with dishes inspired by Kapampangan cuisine, but I had never seen it this empty. On the first occasion, we were seated right next to the buffet line, so there were people constantly walking right by the table and—it’s the Philippines—most of them would look over and stare at the food on my table.

Why was this place empty?

Did the quality of food decline since the last visit? It wouldn’t be a surprise as that is the direction of most restaurants in Bacolod City, most of the time kept afloat by clientele who eat for nostalgia instead of taste.

Meanwhile, I was still hungry and went up for the first plate.

One of the first items I noticed on the buffet table was the crispy kangkong—literally, one of my favorite things on earth—and, somehow, despite sitting in a basket on a buffet, it was still crispy and tasty.

The crispy pork was also really good, along with their sauteed bittermelon.

While I don’t typically go for rice for an AYCE situation, it’s Filipino food, it’s required.

The second plate was dishes with soup or gravy.

The famous—or infamous—dinuguan (pork blood stew) was good. It wasn’t as sour as I prefer but that’s a matter of taste. They do have a condiment table that includes vinegar and threw some in the bowl.

Probably my favorite Filipino dish is kare-kare. While their kare-kare was good, the ginamos/bagoong/salted fish paste, the primary accompaniment for the dish, was addicting.

While I went back for more pork and crispy kangkong, there was an untouched tray of pinoy spaghetti. Again, while I don’t typically go for pasta at a buffet, this was calling my name.

Honestly, I should have had dessert instead of a third plate because I was so full. However, spotted something out of the corner of my eye on the drinks counter: a coffee maker.

While the other AYCE restaurants at the mall all have coffee machines that spit out various beverages, this is the only place with a standard coffee maker to enjoy some classic brewed coffee.

It was very much appreciated.

In the end, I have no idea why this place remained so empty while every other spot was packed to the brim. The food was good and their prices are more than half of what other AYCE restaurants in the mall charge. Just writing this, I already want to go back!