“I want steak” were Mr. B’s exact words. I knew we couldn’t afford a proper steakhouse on an ordinary day, but it was difficult not to yield to his sudden craving. After all, he wasn’t someone who craved a certain food out of the blue. We also didn’t want to head to the cheapest “steak”…
Author: Karen
QC Eats: Cyma Greek Taverna
Admittedly, it had been a while since we last dined at Cyma. Their lamb gyros was my personal favorite, but over the years, their prices just kept climbing (I know, I know, they are not solely to blame; inflation can be felt everywhere). However, it was the switch to a set menu offering (gyros with…
QC Eats: SGD Coffee Bodega
Mr. B and I often get some coffee after our weekend morning walk around the university. Skipping our usual coffee joint, we opted to drop by one of Maginhawa’s coffee shops: SGD Coffee Bodega. It was one of the few places open early in the day; unfortunately most coffee places only open later in the…
Rediscovering QC: UP Diliman
Though I would love to go out and explore new places, the ongoing pandemic has put a tight restraint on that. Even if the restrictions have begun easing up, I still feel apprehensive to travel. With no travel plans in sight, it’s only fitting to do what I could do in the meantime: explore my…
What to Do in Hanoi
To me, Hanoi wasn’t one of those capitals laden with tourist spots and must-see attractions. Initially, I thought that five days were more than enough to visit, with lots of room to relax and just go around town. Unfortunately, one day had to be cut off from our trip as we were to have a…
Hanoi: Exploring the Old Quarter
Hanoi’s Old Quarter was an assault on the senses. The banging of metal from the shop in front of our hotel played loudly along with the roaring motorcycles traversing the streets. Crossing the streets was a feat of its own — giving you a little jolt of adrenaline as you see the myriad of motorcycles…
Eating Our Way in Hanoi
Despite being geographically close to Vietnam, I couldn’t say that our neighbor had such tremendous influence on our cuisine. I didn’t grow up consuming vast amounts of pho or banh mi, much less heard of the other dishes we had tried in its capital city, Hanoi. With the exception of our mutual love for fish…
Hanoi Day 4: Ancient House, Liu Riu and Egg Coffee
Coming from our short visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex, we headed back to our favorite area in Hanoi, the Old Quarter. As a sucker for traditional old houses, I knew early on that I wanted to see the ancient house at 87 Ma May. Hanoi Ancient House A humble facade of dark…
Hanoi Night 3 & Day 4: Cha Ca Thang Long and Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
It was already night time by the time we returned to Hanoi from Ha Long, but it was time to enjoy another local favorite. Cha Ca Thang Long Cha Ca Thang Long was a short ride away from where we were dropped off by the tour bus. Though it was a bit late for dinner,…
Ha Long Bay: A Day Trip with Paradise Cruises
I poured in a lot of hours researching what the best day cruise for Ha Long Bay. I had to juggle a level of service I wanted with a price I was willing to pay, and to make sure that I was going on an itinerary that would let me appreciate the beauty of the…