HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Hello there dear readers, we just would like to touch base with you. :) We are so sorry for the irregularity of posts this month. Like everyone else, we've been extremely busy this holiday season and creating a blog post couldn't even find a slot on our schedule. Boo hoo!

The Marikina Food Trip blog is just a year old but it has received overwhelming support over the last few months. (Check out our Fan Page on Facebook too!) So this coming year, we promise to give you more food, more photos, and more fun. Watch out for it.

For now, we wish everyone a happy holiday season and a blessed 2012!!! :)

Marikina, aking hirang.

Roni

Even More Reasons to Love QIZIA CAFE

Every Marikenyo or Marikenya has probably visited this place at least once, and perhaps the people of Antipolo too. (I was told they have a branch in that area.) After all, who can resist good food, good prices and good service?

We were at Qizia Cafe again some weeks ago for our beloved Tita Amy's birthday celebration! I was really excited for this thanksgiving and for the opportunity to take lots of food photos since we were a big group. (More people = more food).

Some of us ordered dishes that I already sampled in our previous visits:

 SPICY SHRIMP PASTA

 GRILLED CHICKEN PIZZA

QIZIA'S SPECIAL PIZZA

Everything looking yummy so far? Of course. Now folks, here are photos of dishes that I tried for the first time. All of them were de-li-cious!

 CREAMY CHEESE PASTA. Creamy and cheesy! Yum!

 STIR FRIED BEEF WITH MUSHROOMS

 GRILLED CHICKEN WITH BUTTERED VEGGIES

My new favorite: CRISPY PORK BELLY WITH MANGO SALSA. So tasty.

Ren-ren (my bayaw's cousin) and I had an Iced Tea drinking contest. She beat me 7 glasses to 4, haha!

HAPPY PEOPLE AS USUAL! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TITA AMY! (She's the lovely lady second from the left)

Convinced? They're open from 9 AM to 1 AM so if you're hungry you have quite a big window to drop by Qizia Cafe. I still wasn't able to try their infamous cheese sticks though. Next time Qizia, next time. :)


QIZIA CAFE
SDS Medical Center Compound, Katipunan Ext. cor Pio del Pilar St. Concepcion II

Marikina City, Metro Manila

Tel. No.: (02) 489-0760
Munching Budget per person: starts at 100 PhP

Marikina, aking hirang.

Roni

MAKABAYAN GOTO TAPSI

All I could remember about that night was the fatigue.

The whole family was really tired because of our 'activity' which we finished by midnight. Of course, it was too late when we realized we were hungry and almost all food places were closed.

Well, save a few. Like Makabayan Goto Tapsi!!! (We could all hear the Hallelujah chorus when we saw the sign "Open 24 Hours".) Our lives are saved! Anyway, what better fuel to feed your weary body than goto, right? Nothing beats warm rice porridge on a cold, fourth-quarter-of-the-year night.

We thought they only sold goto and its reliable sidekick tokwa't baboy. But we were wrong. They had a whole lot on their menu including silog meals and sizzling plates. They also have personal favorites such as okoy and saba con yelo.

We ordered the Kabayan Goto (35 PhP), which has all the best ingredients in the world: beef, isaw (pig intestine) and twalya (tripe). It was really flavorful, so perfect for hungry troops like us.

Want some? :)

Hello world: meet goto's ever reliable side kick - tokwa't baboy! (28 Php)

Half of the hungry troop ordered tapsilog (60 PhP) and according to them, Makabayan's "Kabayan Tapsi" is delicious, with lots of sauce (I can't say 'saucy', looked it up and it specifically means a totally different thing, hehe)

There's also puto available! Yey!

The good food served in Makabayan lifted off our stress and made us all guapos and guapas again. (Ruel, you are as always the most candid in the photo.)

And oh, I would like to revise my first statement: All I could remember about that night was the fatigue, and the comfort that hot food and an awesome family can provide.


MAKABAYAN GOTO TAPSI
Along J.P. Rizal Street, Lamuan, Malanday, Marikina City, Philippines
Near South Supermarket and Roosevelt College Lamuan
Open 24 hours daily
Munching Budget per person: starts at 12 PhP

Marikina, aking hirang.

Roni

MOONLEAF TEA SHOP

I miss high school. I miss waking up each morning excited to see my crush. I miss my teachers (both favorites and terrors). I miss worrying ONLY about homeworks and projects, not taxes. I miss hanging out with friends after school almost every day - now I see them once a year, if I'm lucky. I miss the pasaway days when we passed around notes that meant nothing to adults but for us meant the world.

Moonleaf Tea Shop gives you that "high school" or "college" feel. You step inside their shop and you instantly feel like a student. OLOPSC students in Marikina are soooooo lucky to have Moonleaf right across their campus. Need an instant upper? They just cross the street. Hmph.

The mother branch in UP Teacher's village is way bigger, but when you talk about their unique brews, space size doesn't really matter. ;)

There's a student lounge at the 2nd floor. I'll take a look next time, promise.

A photo of their menu. Looks quite simple, right? For patrons, I am sure they can place their order in seconds. For first timers like us, it took us a good 20 minutes (*hears gasps*) before we finally picked out our mixes. I chose the Caramel Milk Tea, and sisters chose the limited edition Yoghurt Milk Tea. I wanted to try the Wintermelon, but I would like to try Spartea's version first.

Flavorful. Affordable. Big sizes. Just like how we want our milk teas to be.

I am sure you've noticed, the place is flooded with post its and artwork. While waiting for our orders, we took a good look around the shop and amused ourselves with the writings on the wall. You can see people's hearts posted on the boards. We love it!

 Moonleaf brings out the artist in you. :)

See the note "Pogi Ako"? If you know the post-it author please tell him he got featured here, hehe!!

Our favorite: the interactive post-it. Haha! It reads "Broken hearted? Drink Moonleaf!!", and then somebody writes "Yea right" on it. Haha!

For high quiz scores, chatting about your crush or even broken hearts, visit Moonleaf Marikina. Look for the green leaf. :)

MOONLEAF TEA SHOP
#25 Gen. Ordonez St., Concepcion, Marikina City, Philippines
In front of OLOPSC
For commuters, take the SSS Jeepney or FX, they pass in front of OLOPSC.
Opens daily from 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Tel. No.: (02) 508-9371
Visit their website here / Their Facebook page here.
Munching Budget per person: starts at 45 PhP

Marikina, aking hirang.

Roni