Aboy's Restaurant

After our stop at Pendy's, we headed to Aboy's Restaurant which is located near the old airport in Bacolod.

The glass counter on the far right area of the photo is where they keep seafood, pork and chicken which are cooked upon ordering.  The covered pots is where the cooked dishes are and you can simply choose a dish and have it brought to your table.

This place can hold large groups of families and tourists.  Their air conditioning works pretty well too.

Aboy's is very Filipino in terms of design aesthetics.  The tables and chairs are made of wood and the framed items depict different sculptures that has significance to the Philippine culture (i.e. religion, festivals, etc.)

For the washing stations, they used 3 spherical water jars made of baked clay or terra cotta.

 

For me, this place serves the best grilled dishes in town.  Here's what we ordered....

Ensaladang talong with tomatoes and salted egg

Squid fat - my mom's favorite!  (110% cholesterol)

Grilled blue marlin - my favorite!

 Grilled scallops - another family favorite!

 The Sinamak is Bacolod's very own vinegar concoction. 

 *A must try for those who love spicy condiments

We ordered a few more dishes (steamed fish, pork liempo and buttered shrimps) but in my haste to try everything, I wasn't able to take pictures.

For the drinks, we had fresh buko juice and sago't gulaman.

It was definitely a filling meal.  Our bill amounted to PhP2,000++ for 5 adults and 2 kids.  It was quite reasonable considering the quantity of food we ordered including 10 cups of rice, drinks for everyone plus ice cream for the kids.

----------------------------------

ABOY'S RESTAURANT

Golden Field Commercial Complex, Bacolod City, 

Negros Occidental, Philippines, 6100
Email: aboysrestaurant@aboysrestaurant.com

-----------------------------------

Pendy's at Lacson Street, Bacolod City

I was in my hometown Bacolod City last month.

It was a fun visit marked with lots of eating which is a favorite family bonding activity.

Here's my son comfortably waiting at the arrivals area for our luggage.

Since the airport was transferred to Silay City years ago, arriving in Bacolod has been a relaxing experience.  

When I was in college, there was no tube connecting the plane to the arrivals area so passengers had to go down the airplane steps and walk about thirty meters (more or less!) to the arrival area which was not air conditioned.  

In its new home, the airport is well maintained and the arrivals area is air conditioned which is such a haven in the sweltering heat.

We arrived past 10 in the morning so lunch was a couple of hours away.  I requested that we drop by Pendy's at Lacson Street for my favorite treat when in town, the Fresh Lumpia Ubod.

The fresh lumpia is one treat that I always look forward to when in Bacolod.  I have never found this in Manila.  It is a type of Filipino spring roll which is primarily made of garlic paste, sugar and the main ingredient which is heart of palm or "ubod".

Pendy's sells delicacies from different parts of the city and it also has a restaurant which serves yummy dishes.  They are well known for their pastries namely the prune cake, napoleones, senorita and half moon cake.

These are photos of the delicacies they sell.  The goodies are sourced within Bacolod as well as from the neighboring towns and cities.

My mom and I bought our usual goodies which includes fresh lumpia ubod, lengua de gato, half moon cake, senorita and Bailon's crunchy piaya.

I will definitely be back for their cheeseburger, spaghetti and spareribs!

Mango Tree Bistro

I love Thai food.  When we lived in London, we frequently went to this place called Thai Rice.  They had the best salads and curries in our area.

There are only a few restaurants serving Thai food so I looked forward to eating at Mango Tree Bistro.  We chose to dine at their Greenbelt 5 branch.

We reserved a table for 7:30 in the evening.  I arrived early and was seated right away.  They had indoor and outdoor seating.   It was a slow night since only two tables were occupied.

We ordered a variety of appetizers, main dishes and desserts.

Fried Spring Roll

This appetizer is a mainstay in any Thai menu.  Their version is quite good with the sweet chili dressing.

*Thod Mun Goong (Php 280.00)*

Between the spring roll and shrimp cake, I prefer their version of the spring roll.

Catfish salad

I loved the crispiness of the catfish in contrast to the green mango's sour lime dressing.

Shrimp Pomelo Salad

The pomelo used in the salad was a bit dry but the shrimp was cooked just right.

Khaopad Tom Yum Goong

This Tom Yum stir-fried rice with prawns adds a different twist.  You get a taste of Tom Yum soup in every bite. 

*Gai Tha Krai Yang (PhP 280.00)*

The grilled chicken skewered in lemongrass was well cooked and moist.  You can taste the different blend of spices in each bite.  This dish is one of their specialities and I definitely agree.

When we asked for the dessert menu, the server gave us this iPad from where we could order.  Apparently they only have one iPad for the diners to use.

Khao Niew Mamuang

The mangoes were really good but I found the rice to be a bit dry and not as sticky as you would get in the streets of Bangkok.

Tub Tim Grob

This red ruby chestnut immersed in coconut milk and crushed ice is a good ending to a filling Thai meal.

To have a good dining experience, it is best to set aside Php 500.00 - Php 750.00 per person.

*All photos courtesy of MPW Cu.

**We weren't able to capture the price of each dish.  Please use the recommended budget as a guide.

------------------------------

Mango Tree Bistro

  

a) Ground Level, Greenbelt 5 

    Ayala Center, Makati City

   

b) TriNoma, Level 3

Slice High St

After a filling lunch at Relik, we decided to head over to the newest addition to Bonifacio High Street.

We went inside Slice, a new cafe located beside Jamba Juice.

Since they are on soft opening, the selection was limited to sandwiches, salads and pastries.  Only one table was occupied at that time and we were seated right away.

The cafe was painted in a white and beige palette which was quite easy on the eyes.  

Chairs were upholstered in white and an attractive shade of green.  For me, the best part was the high ceiling which showcased the modern Filipino pendant lights made of steel and capiz.

We chose to sit at the corner with two striped wing chairs.

While waiting, we took photos of the muffin display and the grab and go chiller.

The muffins and coffee arrived in no time at all.  The coffee was presented in a small butcher block with complimentary mini oatmeal cookies.  The cookies were delicious!  If you like crunchy oatmeal cookies with a touch of chocolate then this is the one for you.

The brown platter was a complimentary sampler from Slice.  It consists of plain brownies, walnut brownies and dates & nuts.  I particularly like the dates & nuts slices.

The muffins did not disappoint.

The Choco Yema Muffin tasted really good.  The combination of chocolate and yema which is the local version of caramel could definitely cure anyone's sweet fix.

*Choco Yema Muffin (Php 60.00)*

I especially loved the Cirtrus Burst Muffin.  They used a generous amount of orange juice and orange zest in making the muffin that you could taste it in every bite.  Definitely not for those who dislike the tanginess of oranges.

*Citrus Burst Muffin (PhP 70.00)*

Overall, the muffins were good.  We even bought some to take home.  They will be serving more dishes in the coming weeks and we definitely look forward to tasting them.

--------------------------------------

Slice High Street

Bonifacio High Street

Taguig