Meh, these did the job of something to eat before a night of clubbing. I’m not sure where the chips went though. But then again, I didn’t order. My friend did all the ordering in Tagalog which I can’t really speak or understand. I’m such a bad Filipino, lol! 238 PHP
Chelu Bar and Grill, Manila PHILIPPINES
AERA Memorial Museum, Villa Escudero, San Pablo City.
With scrambled eggs, sauteed mushrooms, tomato, fruit, sweet roll, dinner roll. Complimentary
San Francisco (SFO) to Manila (MNL), Philippine Airlines
I’m sure most people wouldn’t think of chicken adobo as a breakfast meal item, but it is, lol! I don’t think there’s much difference in the kinds of foods that Filipinos eat for different meals. I’m all for it!
Street murals, Ayala Blvd, Manila.
With rice, steamed vegetables, carrot and jicama salad, dinner roll, and red wine. Complimentary
Manila (MNL) to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), Philippine Airlines
Meh, this dish wasn’t very good. The chicken curry tasted ok, but I didn’t like the verging-on-slimy texture of it. The carrot and jicama salad was different, and I think it had pieces of ham in it. It was decent. Thank god for free wine on international legs!
Driving from Manila to San Pablo City.
With bacon, hash browns, sauteed mushrooms, tomato, fruit, sweet roll, dinner roll. Complimentary
San Francisco (SFO) to Manila (MNL), Philippine Airlines
Ugh, I was NOT liking this breakfast. The bacon was OK because it’s really hard to mess up bacon, but everything else was a little off. I’ve never been a fan of Asian sausages because of their soft squishy texture so that was already a point off. The eggs weren’t very good either, even by airplane food standards. The sweet rolls was pretty tasty though.
Taal Volcano Island, Tagaytay.
Pho ga. Sliced chicken breast with flat rice noodles, onions, and chives. Served with basil, greens, limes, and habanero peppers. Regular 65,000 VND
Pho 2000, Ho Chi Minh City VIETNAM
This was the first real meal we had in Vietnam and it was pretty good. The broth was delicious and it was SUPER cheap! The place was packed with tourists and locals alike. This is when I realized that we would be served lots of random greens that we wouldn’t recognize, and also that restaurants charge for wet naps. 🙂
Basil, leaf stalks that I’ve never seen before, limes, and habanero peppers.
Ben Thanh Night Market. Watch out for the crazy scooters zipping by while the market is setting up!
With rice, steamed vegetables, macaroni salad, chocolate chip bread, and pound cake. Complimentary
San Francisco (SFO) to Manila (MNL), Philippine Airlines
This was the first time I’d flown Philippine Airlines and I was pretty impressed. I was way back in Economy, but the seats were still comfortable and there was a surprising amount of leg room for the back of the plane. The food was decent too. I don’t eat much Filipino food, but I definitely crave it now and then. I enjoyed that the PAL food was distinctly Filipino. 🙂
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL), Terminal 2.
Chicken enchilada and tamale served with Spanish rice, refried beans, and salad. $12.45
Casa Azteca, Milpitas CA
I usually get the enchilada/chile relleno combination option when it comes to Mexican combos, but for some reason I was craving a tamale. Maybe masa seemed a bit healthier than a deep fried chile stuffed with cheese, but I’m pretty sure they’re both pretty unhealthy overall, lol! Regardless, this was yummy and it hit the spot.
Salad. Not the prettiness salad I’ve had, but I do appreciate that they threw in some beets.
With brown sugar butter and apple cider syrup. $15
Brown Sugar Kitchen, Oakland CA
The most important question for this BSK review: “Is the food worth the wait?” I’m gonna say No. We arrived at 8:30 on a Sunday morning and didn’t get food until 10:15. Living in SF, I’m used to the long waits for brunch but the food has to deliver. BSK fell short.
Everything here was really slow, especially our server. We were seated right after the 2-top next to us at the counter, but our order was taken 10 minutes after theirs. They actually finished their meal before we even received food (very frustrating)! When they’re busy, you can wait up to 30 minutes for waffles. While the waffles are delicious, an extra 30 minutes is excruciating when you’ve been waiting so long already and feeling jittery from all the coffee. The fried chicken was just ok so the waffles definitely carry this dish. I think there’s plenty of great chicken and waffles elsewhere that don’t come with a 2-hour+ wait (and cheaper). This place doesn’t make my cut for a “destination” brunch joint. And there is absolutely nothing else at this location so you have no other options if you come here.
Mimosa. $7.50
Pretty small and weak for the price.
Chicken breast filet deep fried with a crispy batter served with a spicy orange sauce. $10
Makli Chinese Cuisine, San Francisco CA
Mmm, I love deep fried chicken dishes at Chinese restaurants. I know they’re not authentic and they tend to be super greasy and bad for you, but I still crave them. This orange chicken was executed pretty well. The batter was actually crispy (not soggy like most) and not greasy. The orange sauce was tasty, but not very spicy as advertised.
Beauty and the beast mural, SOMA.
Sweet yellow corn crepe stuffed with grilled chicken, black bean spread, tomato, queso fresco, Guasacaca sauce, served with ensalada Caracas and black beans. $15
Pica Pica, San Francisco CA
The cachapa was pretty large and I couldn’t finish it all, but I had fun trying. The corn crepe was interesting – I thought it would be thinner. The grilled chicken was good, but I wish that they had melted the cheese. I think the different house sauces that they have at the table were delicious and ended up dousing the cachapa in them. Noms!
La Chiffonniere statue, 1978, Jean Dubuffet, Justin Herman Plaza.
Pho ga xe phay. Hand pulled chicken in chicken broth with flat noodles. Accompanied by sprouts, lemon, jalapeno, basil, onions and cilantro. Medium $7.75
PPQ Beef Noodle House, San Francisco CA
This place was packed when we ate here and I could see why. The food is pretty good and the prices are great. The service is friendly enough but sometimes a little confused because the large volume of tables constantly turning. It’s all about the broth for me when eating pho, and this place has good broth. The flavor could have been a little deeper, but that’s easily compensated for by adding some spicy condiments. Yum!
Soup add-ons.
Thread agave (Agave filifera, Asparagaceae), West Field Road.
Thick broth cooked with tiny pieces of chicken, corn, egg. Cup $2
Makli Chinese Cuisine, San Francisco CA
This is a standard soup served in most Chinese restaurants. For me, it’s the consistency of the broth that either makes or breaks the soup. Too runny, and it is unsatisfying. Too thick, and it becomes a chore to it. Makli’s soup was just right in terms of consistency. It was also pretty flavorful and nice and warm. I prefer more egg though.
San Francisco Ferry Building Terminal.
Vittle Monster 