March 21st: Another get-together weekend with friends... this time around - we all decided to eat out - as everyone is way too busy for an in-house get together cooking session....
The Place of choice was GUSTO ITALIANO, an Italian restaurant tucked in the Nei Hu district... it is also the place of David's work - and one that we all have been wanting to try for quite a while now after seeing their website, menu, and numerous blogs by Marketchow fueled with beautiful photos of tasty offerings... and the place did not disappoint at all!!! From the clean, nicely lit surroundings, to the attentive staff -- the place is worth a try.
The Food totally lived up to marketchow's photographs and descriptions.... tasty, scrumptious, and what a great selection... for about NT$700 ($20US) per person - you will get an entree of your choice, soup and beverage plus your fill of all-you-can-eat SALAD, BREAD, and delicious desserts... 
Each of our entrees were deliciously prepared and nicely presented... the servings are just the right amount considering you are already getting full from the choices of breads to start with... not to mention the salad bar.. what a variety of fresh veggies to try as well as, some fully prepared starters as salmon, clams, bratwurst sausages, apple veggie salads, etc... I mean, the salad bar alone would have sufficed but one MUST have the entree for the complete dining experience.......
Of course, the best part for me is the all-you-can-eat Dessert offerings... the selection changes as each cake is gobbled up -- so how can I stop.... Bread Pudding, explosion of Chocolate cakes, fruity tarts, etc.... I think, even with the slices of each cake offered that nite, I was still able to eat half of the bread pudding laid out... I could LIVE on these sweets for sure!!!
The only thing sweeter, I must add, is the company of some really good friends... Juliana, Sue, Cecilia & David... till the next time guys.... am already salivating just thinking about it....
More Photos here.
Am missing them already..... got to TASTE a few of these SWEET SNOWMAN TREATs being offered by Krispy Kreme for the Holidays... Guarantee, once you have one Krispy Kreme Doughnut - you cannot stop... soooo addictive....Juliana and I were able to have this Holiday Tasty Treat last month, we each had one, plus another extra FAVE... told you you cannot stop with just one!!!
Of course, my first Krispy Kreme Experience was in the Bay Area a few years back... then each and every visit, we would make sure to stop by there for some DOUGHNUT treats.. deliciously fattening but who cares!!!
Since last year though, branches of this sinful place opened up all over Manila... am sure they know the Filipinos are BIIIG on SWEET THINGS -- I could not be HAPPIER, as am able to have their treats at least once, each and every visit...
Hanging out at TriNoma with Juliana for the day... seeing a movie, shopping, and food -- of course! I wanted to try something I have yet to try before... and at the same time take Juliana to a themed restaurant, someplace I know we both will love -- for it's uniqueness... 5 COWS, was our choice!!!
The NEON colored cow heads on the front of the restaurant was enough to draw us in for lunch... the RUSTIC white decor was an added bonus... minimal, clean, with some cow knick knacks here and there... The service was pretty good,too -- with plentiful attentive staff... Each and everyone beaming with a genuine smile on their faces as they bring us our orders or refill our water glasses...
The food was pretty good, too... for the type of restaurant that it is... my Cheeseburger was tasty and a pretty good size... and Juliana's pasta was not too bad either... nothing to boast about but certainly nothing to complain about, either... just right to satisfy the moment's hunger and taste for something different... and fun!!!
Alas, we were sooo full by the time we finished our main courses -- the servings were plentiful -- no room for their famous desserts!!! Besides we already planned on the KRISPY KREME Snowman Treats... Oh well, it just means I will be heading back there again soon... to get the SWEETS Experience!!!
For Juliana's second nite (Nov. 23rd) in Manila, I wanted her to experience what I have come to love at Barrio Fiesta... not just the GREAT PINOY food, but the whole presentation.... the Filipiniana Decor, the local costumes, and the fun of seeing the waiters and waitresses get into the act and sing songs while serving or in between servings... a REAL TREAT! ALAS, this was not so on this particular nite...
We opted to go to the Barrio Fiesta in Makati Ave... mainly so I can take Juliana around the newly opened A.Venue as well... which is next block to Barrio Fiesta... We met up with my family around 6:30 and were seated for dinner by 7PM.... Right away I noticed there was no entertainment whatsoever -- so I asked??? Was told that, there's some diners that requested they do not sing till after they are done eating and have left...LOLs?? why bother to go to this place then? Half of the FUN is the whole entertainment Experience....
Well, I spoke too soon... as when the entertainment finally came - it left me sooooo disappointed... two musicians who played for about 15 mins before they were joined by one waiter singing... He was good, I will give him that but where are the others? Why is the entertainment soooo SKIMPY??? I was sooopo frustrated and felt BAD as I ahd already mentioned to Juliana how nice & entertaining this place was... Maybe I should have taken her to the one in PASAY or even the one in MEGAMALL, which we have frequented before and always left us satisfied - both our tummies and our eyes & ears.....
In fairness though, the food was still good -- tasty and very authentic... we ordered Kare Kare, Crispy Pata, Adobo, Pinakbet, Bicol Express... a wide variety and considered staple Pinoy dishes... So at least, on that part -- my hunger for the Barrio Fiesta Experience was SATISFIED!!
Saturday - Sept 4th 
Another get together brunch with Juliana... David and I met up with her at this place called LUGAR, a type of Bread Bar that DAVID happened upon online.... I thought the name alone is worth checking out - as LUGAR, in TAGALOG literally translates to Place... so it had a nice ring to it - for me anyway....
The concept is very interesting, different types of freshly baked bread to choose from and all sorts of sauces to dipped them into... one can have PASTA meals, as well, but for the most part the BREAD is what people come here for....
For a lite brunch - it is not a bad choice at all... filling enough especially if you opt for the SET meal... by adding another NT$130 (a little above US$4.00) soup, salad, dessert and coffee will be included.... but if you are on the really HUNGRY side - then I suggest going elsewhere as the portions are not very much...
The Best part of going to this place, for me, was that i got to walk around this neighborhood that I was completely oblivious of... such a cool nice neighborhood with lots of little restaurants running the gamut of fancy to home-style, quaint little shops (one even sells retro furniture) and other specialty shops...
Finally got around to posting these photos on Flickr... have I been that busy???
A Wonderful Dinner Treat by Juliana, at this quaint little themed restaurant - tucked away in the back streets of Chung Hsiao East Rd.. it is actually my second time but Juliana wanted to take DAVID as he missed out on the experience our first trip there.. My first time dining there - I did not have my digi cam with me so I missed out on documenting the experience...t his time out - I came prepared and took a lot of photos..... The business card above is in Chinese... sorry no English translation... and though they may have started out as a vegetarian restaurant - one can actually select from a few meaty meals... whatever is fresh that the chef can get for the day....
It seems that the proprietress/chef Love's and is a BIIIG FAN of Peter Rabbit - hence, the whole restaurant decorated with so much Peter rabbit memorabilia... The restaurant has been around for a few years now... and their clientele has grown so much... through word of mouth... rightly so as the FOOD is really well made - fresh & tasty, beautifully presented, and the set meals nicely priced.
It was such a nice experience.... and one of the BEST KEPT SECRET of Taipei themed dining that is perfect for a fun nite out with friends and/or family........
SATISFIED FOODIES!!!
