Hiyas, a Modern Filipino Comfort Food

Last October 17, 2014, I was luckily invited for a foodie meetup courtesy of Zomato. Zomato was created to help people find and connect with great places to eat around them. It's kinda like a social networking website for foodies.

Zomato helps you:

- find the best restaurants nearby
- provide you detailed restaurant info and thousands of scanned menus
- discover restaurants according to your mood
- follow foodies for trusted reviews
- create personal food diary
- share your gastronomic journey with your friends 

The foodie meetup was for Hiyas Modern Filipino Comfort Food owned by best friends since elementary Emir Bernabe and Francis Maneja.

from left to right: Francis Maneja & Emir Bernabe (aka Jericho Rosales)

It's always great to try new dishes and I think that Hiyas will give you not just new but quirky dishes too. Hiyas serves obviously Filipino food  but with a TWIST! It's quite similar to M*** Filipino Moderne but with a better presentation and a delightful taste. 

Let's start with: 

Boneless Adidas - MUST TRY (Php 215)

Eating chicken feet has never been better until now. Deboned Adidas cooked with mushrooms topped on deep fried rice paper.

- if you are not a fan of adidas also known as chicken feet or adobong paa ng manok well try this one, you'll gonna love it, it's tasty like pork sisig.

Pigar Pigar - MUST TRY (Php 185)

Hiyas version of Pangasinan's delicious street food. Sauteed tender beef with caramelized onions and wilted cabbage with krispy chips.

Crispy Bicol Express - MUST TRY (Php 345) 

Bicol's pride! Crunchy pork belly merged with coconut milk and shrimp paste.

- this is amazingly delicious! Crunchy! creamy and not too spicy for my taste buds.

Sinampalukang Lechon Manok - MUST TRY (Php 485)

Half chicken roasted with lemon grass and herbs boiled into tamarind stock. The combination of it's savory soup and tasty and juicy chicken meat makes this dish impeccable!

- It was indeed impeccable!Tender chicken meat. Tasty soup. Balanced sourness.

Busog na Busog na Pusit - MUST TRY (Php 255)

Vigan Longganisa, cheese, onions and tomatoes all stuffed inside a squid's empty belly.

- the combination of what's inside the squid's belly is perfect! and the squid's meat is tender.

Suahe Sisig sa Aligue (Php 295)

Pealed chopped shrimp + Crab fat

Salmon Sisig (Php 255)
Transforming Filipino's traditional comfort food to salmon's delightful taste. Sauteed salmon and potato topped with creamy sauce.

Beef Belly Kare-Kare (Php 485)

Stewed beef belly and ox tripe in rich peanut sauce and coconut milk.

En-Salad-a - MUST TRY (Php 255)

The complex array of flavors makes this salad enticing and irresistible.

- can't get enough of Hiyas En-salad-a. The combination of the eggplant, tomatoes, onions, salted egg and the dressing is totally delicious!

Stuffed Talong (Php 255)

Eggplant stuffed with ground pork

- tasty but a bit itchy inside the mouth.

For desserts:

Chocnut Turon - BEST SELLER (Php 185)

Turon with chocnut, vanilla ice cream and muscuvado caramel dip.

- YES! it is indeed a best seller!

Pritong Sorbetes - MUST TRY (Php 170)

Fried until golden brown ice cream with ube caramel.

Hiyas' interior design is pretty impressive because they maintained the Filipino style with a modern design. It is not that spacious, it has a seating capacity of 33 but perfect for a fine or casual dining with family. 

Meet the foodie bloggers:

The Zomato PH Team (from left to right Karl,  Ms. Dee, Kevin & Ms. Elaine)

My dining experience rating:

Food: 4/5 

Service: 4/5

Value for Money: 3/5
Place (Ambiance): 4/5

Location:

Hiyas Modern Filipino Comfort Food

D-Strip Building, 20 United Street 

Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Contact #: 09175161153, 09266619853

Facebook Page: Hiyas

Instragram: @hiyas_restaurant

Experience Magnum Manila

Who doesn't love ice cream? NO ONE! LOL! I think everybody loves ice cream, ayt?!. But if you are not a fan try to visit Magnum Manila, it might change your mind.

Magnum Manila is a pop-up delight store featuring the Make your own Magnum dessert bar. It is a pop-up store because it will be only open for a year. Magnum Manila store is the only store that offers flavorful dishes created by Chef Him Uy de Baron and an amazing signature desserts by Chef Miko Aspiras.

In trying out a new restaurant, it is best to ask for the MUST TRY and BEST SELLERS.

and this is what we had..

Cookie Dough Skillet (Php 250)
Warm chocolate chip cookie dough topped with two vanilla Magnum bars, dark chocolate and chopped pecans.

Death by Chocolate (Php 250)
Deep dark chocolate lava cake and chocolate truffle Magnum topped with brownie pieces and chocolate crispearls.

Rainbow Dream (Php 250)
White chocolate covered vanilla Magnum bar covered in dreamy rainbow cake crumble, on a moist slice of cream cheese rainbow cake.

It's a bit pricey but it's worth it. The ambiance is perfect and will surely be back and try their delightful dishes.

me, messin' around while waiting for our orders

Location:

Magnum Manila

5/F Sky Park, SM Aura Premier

McKinley Parkway corner 26th St.

Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Operating Hours: 10.00am to 10.oopm

Website: http://www.magnum.com.ph/magnummanila/

Best Prime Lens

Most of the photos in this blog was taken using 35mm. I've been using Nikkor 35mm 1.8g prime lens for my Nikon D3200 for almost 2 years now and I don't regret buying it because it gives an amazing photo quality and a great bokeh shot. Another thing that I like most is, it's perfect in low light. 

Sample shots using 35m: 8 Cuts Burger Blends Experience
                                      Lola Bar + Cafe
                                      Breakfast @ Juanita

As of now, I can't compare it to 50mm because I haven't use one yet but according to kai, using 35mm is better than the 50mm because:  35mm is handy, can shoot in a smaller place, it provides a better landscape and bokeh shot. 

Watch Kai of digitalrev and learn the difference in using 35mm and 50mm.

Ferrari Collection

8 Cuts Burger Blends Experience

A new and a must-try burger restaurant! 8 Cuts Burger Blends. According to 8 Cuts Burger Blends, the name "8 Cuts" refers to the eight cuts of beef used in the 5 custom blends: chuck, rib eye, short rib, sirloin, brisket, hanger, flank and ox tail. All patties are made in-house from 100% pure U.S. beef.

I think we all know that if we want to try something new to eat we automatically the best seller, right? and yes! we tried Onion Rings, Four Cheese and The Double Cheese Burger and a refreshing house blend iced tea. 

Promotional Stuff

Onion Rings P65

Four Cheese (Single Patty P245 Double Patty P345.00)
- Parmesan-crusted quarter-pounder Beef Bomb Blend patty of chuck and short rib, yellow cheddar, aged gruyere, mozzarella, arugula, garlic aioli all on a Sesame Seed Bun

The Double Cheeseburger P285
- The house blend all-beef double patty on freshly cut toppings of lollo rossa greens, American cheddar, sliced tomatoes, onions, your choice of sauce no. 3 or no. 4 all on a sesame seed bun

If you are planning to dine at 8 Cuts don't forget to bring extra patience because of the long lines or maybe you can try to be early. 

I would have to say that this is one of my favorite burger restaurant aside from Charlie's Grind and Grill.

8 Cuts Burger Blends Branches:
- SM Megamall, Fashion Hall
- UP Town Center, Katipunan Ave
- Trinoma, North Ave.

Kate Upton's Freezing Bikini Pictorial at the Antarctica

2014 Year End Party (Late Upload)

Don Garcia on Vimeo.

A 2014 year end party celebration at Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila Sunset Bar

Lola Cafe + Bar

Beef Salpicao (P280)
- Beef tenderloin cubes, sauteed with olive oil and garlic

Kare-Kare (P350)
- Beef brisket, tripe, veggies, peanut sauce

Pumpkin Soup (P90)
- Topped with bacon 

Banoffee Pie (P150)
- Graham crust with banana, custard cream and a dash of chocolate 

Lola Cafe + Bar is located at 99 Sct. Lozano St., (near Max’s Restaurant) Quezon City, Philippines 
Contact #: (02) 501-2620. 
Open Tuesday to Sunday

For complete menu: Lola Cafe + Bar Menu