The Sango Burger store in Shangri-la has been there for the longest time but I haven't actually tried it yet. Dinner prior to my brother's trip back home to Aklan made for the perfect reason to try it; he and I are burger lovers.
Noy was quite disappointed at the slightly expensive price of the burgers. Not that there's anything new about that. =D Check out the menu:
We ordered the bestsellers - Master Burger with Cheese, Teriyaki Burger, Chicken Teriyaki Burger, and Yakiniku Rice Burger. The teriyakis taste great, the master burger was disappointing, but the rice burger made me think twice about not coming back to Sango at all.
As far as this first visit is concerned, I'm making this conclusion to myself that their burger buns need to pack in more bread; same goes for their patties. The meat is there, the flavor is there, but there's just not enough substance to it. At some point I was even reminded of the greasy burgers sold on the streets. The special sauce that went with the master burger tasted like liver spread on tomato sauce to me. Sad, but there. Too much hype on reviews and word of mouth just killed me. I must emphasize though that I'm making these statements just because I think they are overpriced. Had the price been about 50 pesos less it would have been the other way around.
Nevertheless, their rice burger is commendable. It's meaty, it's juicy, flavorful and filling. I wouldn't mind paying 160 pesos or so for this treat.
I would come back also to try their teriyaki on rice. I bet it would be a lot more satisfying on rice than on their buns.
The honey dew melon shake was too sweet, but would be great for kids.
Sango isn't exactly a bad choice if one would really crave for a different-tasting burger. I hope they'd look into customer feedback also so that they'd improve their products so that people would get more value for their money.
Makati regulars might find this a little less exciting but for us who work elsewhere, the Ayala Triangle Garden's Symphony of Parols is truly an exciting treat. The entrance from the Makati Stock Exchange building bedecked by multicolored parols and lights hanging from the trees which create a mysterious curtain-like welcome to revelers. When the show starts and people come inside to have a better look, the magic begins.
After a certain period that we were awed we were able to capture the latter part on video -
but here's a more complete excerpt:
Wasn't that great? You have to be there to truly appreciate it though. It starts at 6 to 8 pm (at 30-minute intervals) every night until December 23rd.
Oh, and there was an orchestra playing when we were there. I'm not sure if that happens everyday, but that would be awesome because they play so well couples couldn't help but snuggle together and sway to the soft vibrant tunes.
We even saw an elderly couple on a date! The lolo was wrapping his arms around lola the entire time, but when we remembered to take a picture he wasn't anymore. I hate arthritis! But don't they look sweet, nevertheless? =)
The Ayala Triangle Gardens also recently has put up an array of restaurants for everyone to enjoy. Collectively called the Restaurants at Ayala Triangle Gardens, there is something for everyone to enjoy from appetizers to desserts, frozen yogurt and of course, coffee. I am excited to see Kanin Club (modern filipino + asian) which I only came to know about in Paseo de Sta Rosa. There will also be a Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf cafe soon so I guess I'll be here quite a lot of times while waiting for Noy to check out of duty. Check out the restaurants here and find out what tickles your fancy most!
And so I've been hearing a lot about how Chicken Bon Chon will change the way Filipinos eat chicken, so we decided to give it a try.
The place was packed at 9 pm, so we were forced to eat al fresco. It's not my favorite thing because I really hate cigarette smoke, but Banapple and Bfast were a lot more packed, so al fresco it was.
I had the wings (they only sell wings and drumsticks), Noy got bulgogi while my brother in law Sat got the drumsticks.
I didn't like the bulgogi much but the chicken! Oh my gosh the chicken. It's light, it's flavorful, it's fantastic. No gravy needed. The sauce is completely new as far as my limitly experienced palate is concerned, but it's definitely a winner. It sticks so well to the chicken but not on your hands. I wiped it off once and there's hardly any stickiness or smell left on my fingers. Now I know why a lot of people always request this as pasalubong from their friends coming from Singapore.
However, we were slightly irritated by the slow service and the feeling that we were being served by a service crew that isn't well-trained to handle various reasonable customer requests. But knowing that it's a flagship store and people just couldn't help but try this world-renowned chicken thus the huge crowd, we have got to just shrug it off. Like Sat said, the chicken made up for the 10 minutes it took them to give him a glass of Royal Tru Orange. After all, we didn't have enough of that delicious chicken so we're definitely coming back for more.
Noy and I were back to the 27th floor of the Diamond Hotel after three years, this time to celebrate a career booster =)
This top floor of the hotel has been converted into a posh events place now aptly called the Constellation. Aside from the spacious hall (formerly the Galaxias Ballroom where our wedding reception was held), which can be divided into five smaller rooms named Aquarius, Gemini, Libra, Sagittarius and Capricorn, the Constellation also boasts of several areas which are a luxurious first in the Philippine hotel industry.
There's Pisces, the culinary studio with an ultra-modern open kitchen perfect for small gatherings.
photo from the Diamond Hotel website
Aries is the open coffee and beverage bar which greets guests at their first step into the 27th floor. I think it's an ideal place to hold pre-dinner cocktails at a wedding reception.
As if these weren't enough, Diamond thought it best to build an executive boardroom for business meetings that require a sweeping view of the metro. Leo is apparently equipped with lavish functional furnishings that's guaranteed to bring out the best out of any meeting attendee.
photo from the Diamond Hotel website
I have quite a few though of the events hall where the PSO Fellowship Night was held. It was at this fellowship night that I got inducted as an affiliate member of the society. While Galaxias was differently grand on its own, this has a cleaner, more monochromatic look which is all the rave now. The interiors had an Asian feel to it, what with rust as the main color and the thatched wood-adorned ceiling.
At the center ceiling of the hall and the corridor outside, there are solidly sweeping structures reminiscent of stars twinkling at a distance.
The idea is deep dark rich, at the same time vibrant and energizing.
They have definitely lived up to the times with modern audio-visual facilities that move at a click of a button. Even the attendants' garb were beautifully revamped. I could not resist posing with this friendly girl who served us drinks. I think her bronze dress is just pretty.
The only thing that didn't change was the fact that the food was still the same superb quality and flavor that guests just love, the same warm gracious service and the spectacular view of Roxas Boulevard and the bay. These photos don't give that justice, but don't take my word for it. Check out the constellation now if you're looking for a perfect venue for that event you are planning.
By the way, did I mention how cool the restrooms were?
I couldn't quite believe this was the same room
but I'm happy about this transformation. My starry romance place just got a whole lot better.
We were just gearing up for the society's 26th Annual Convention when the good news came. It's even quite unexpected because it's been months since I applied for membership, and I'm so happy that I was accepted. It truly is the fruit of that long and hard labor I did with my staff at the 10th midyear.
I, my fellow clinical trial doctor Jam and former CECAP Project Manager Paul were the three inductees for affiliate membership. There were three other fresh medical oncology specialists who were inducted as fellows. It was great to see all members of the board and the PSO Officers line up to congratulate us. It felt good to belong.
The keynote speaker for the annual convention was Mr Tony Meloto, Chair of Gawad Kalinga. He did a very well said speech on the talent, wisdom and greatness of Filipinos. It was inspiring to hear him talk about how much more we could be greater than what we are now, if only we'd fight really hard against corruption and crab mentality. As such, the PSO is planning a huge project with GK, and already I am looking forward to being part of this project. Beyond building houses and painting fences, I am envisioning a bit of pap smear-ing here and there, and some hard core clinical work, too.
This is quite a feat for general practitioners like me. But to quote Mr Tony Meloto, "Despite what’s happening around us, you can look forward to better times ahead if you do justice to your talent and you use it well to build a just and caring society." When your goal is to be of service of others without taint of malice or self-gain, I believe everyone is entitled to a certain niche where this goal may be worked on and channeled to be of real value.
Super thanks to my bosses, Dr Cecilia Llave and Dr Jean Anne Toral for the support and guidance, my hardworking staff, and of course Noy, without whom I won't believe in myself the way I do now.
It was nice going on hiatus. Especially when there's a refreshing new take on the classic burger. At Army Navy, they call it the Bully Boy - three perfectly juicy patties on lettuce, tomatoes & onions between sesame-studded kaisers. If that sounds a little gluttony for you, go ahead with the classic or double patty. No matter how many patties you have, you get the same simple, no fancy frills goodness with every bite. It's so pleasant-tasting you won't imagine they actually eat THAT at the barracks.
If you're tired of the usual tomato sauce-laden burrito then it's a good idea to try one at Army Navy's. They put all the good stuff in that delectable flour tortilla - rice, spanish beans, meat, onions, tomatoes and cilantro - without tomato sauce. Instead, they serve it with salsa on the side, with a slice of lime. This version gives the burrito a zesty twist that's too exciting to pass up on.
Of course, there are onion rings and fries. The slices are thin, crispy and tasty. No the best in town, but delightful nevertheless. Especially when you wash everything down with a huge glass of freshly brewed Libertea. Again, everything is simple - no extra flavors, no weird add-ons. Just plain wholesome ingredients with natural flavors.
Have you noticed the cute names they call their menu items? Aside from Freedom Fries, they also have Starving Sailor and Fearless Fried Chicken. Army Navy dining areas are studded with trivia-filled hangings on the wall that are nice to read while waiting for your order. I am not going to share it here because I'm saving the thrill for you, who probably lives near an Army Navy store so there's no reason for you not to check it out now, what with the unique interiors that's clean and shiny.
Oh and by the way, they're generous on the condiments, so smother on the mayo baby! Don't forget to try some Army Navy sauce to tickle your senses some more. It's the bomb!
