Asya Premier Suites - a new discovery in Boracay

During our stay in Boracay, we allotted one day looking for ideal wedding venues or receptions on the island. We had seen Discovery Shores and Shangrila - Boracay at Station 1 the day before, today we are headed for another top wedding venue..... ASYA PREMIER SUITES. It is a high-end resort which boasts of " having all the luxuries of a five-star hotel and the charming intimacy of boutique lodging ".

ASYA PREMIER SUITES is one of the newest 5-star hotels that is located atop a hill overlooking the sea at the southern tip of the island close to Station 3..... far away from the maddening crowd..... but very accessible via a hired tricycle or walking by the White Beach. It has 20 suites ( 4 presidential suites and 16 premier suites ) overlooking the pool.

We took a tricycle from D' Mall to Asya Premier Suites which was approximately 20 minutes -- traveling thru small roads, passing the pier and several barangays... I was beginning to get impatient because of the long ride then suddenly -- we were infront of a gate which had a sign-- Asya Premier Suites... I was a bit apprehensive thinking that they would not allow walk-ins to the area... Iggy, my son told the guard we wanted to eat at PALAY ( that is their main restaurant ).. and to my surprise--  we were allowed to enter.

We entered a grand driveway, a Zen-like fountain greeted us. As we alighted from our tricycle and headed for the reception area... We told them --- we wanted to talk to their F & B manager, because we were looking for a wedding venue site next year. Jaren, their manager, gladly showed us around --- I did not waste any time, took out my camera and started taking photos of the place...

These are photos of the second level of Asya Premier Suites...  looks like a perfect place for what we had in mind... can you imagine having a wedding reception here by the poolside at sunset!!

a view from the Adlaw Bar

My BORACAY Getaway 2011- Nightlife in the Island

The fun in Boracay doesn't end when the sun sets. Boracay nightlife comes alive with many bars and restaurants serving food, drinks and fun until late in the evening.

Boracay never sleeps!! Walk around, for sure you will find a spot you like. Whether you are a romantic, a party animal or the quiet type, there is a place for everyone. Let me suggest some places where you can hang out.

BAMBOO LOUNGE located at Station 1

If you are looking for a great performance from the fire dancers then this is the place to enjoy the entertainment with lots of photo opportunities. Dancing and gyrating to loud music, the fire dancers swirled, threw and caught the " fireballs on a string".

They have a cool lounge style seats that are spread out on the beach where you can chill out. With tiki torches and red lighting, the Bamboo lounge really creates the perfect atmosphere in Boracay.

ZUZUNI is a fine dining restaurant that offers Greek cuisine. It is located at Station 1. Here are some of their dishes that are a MUST TRY when you are in Boracay...

MOUSSAKA - it is a casserole dish made by layering eggplant with a spiced meat filling then topping it off with a creamy bechamel sauce that is baked to golden perfection. It is the Greek's answer to the Italian Lasagna.

SPANAKOPITA - is a rich pie recipe stuffed with spinach, onion,  feta cheese and herbs and wrapped in  crispy filo pastry.

LAMB GYRO is grilled lamb patty seasoned with garlic, rosemary and oregano in pita pocket bread. Served with cucumber yogurt sauce. Zuzuni has other variations --- chicken and beef.

ZUZUNI'S Z BURGER - their charcoal-grilled burger was humongous and it was worth the price. The slab of feta cheese on top of the burger was as huge as the patty itself!! The Z Burger is a meal by itself!!

CHOCOLATE SIN of MATI - This is what Zuzuni is famous for. It is made of Valhrona chocolate cake served with creamy vanilla ice cream on the side. The cake is filled with deliciously warm chocolate syrup. Once you cut through the cake--- the dark chocolate oozes out as you savor the dish. Add a bit of ice cream on top of the cake and the rich chocolatey flavor makes a delicious explosion in your mouth.... just thinking about it makes me want to go back for more!!! This is a MUST TRY!!

So sit back... relax and unwind in Boracay while sipping a glass of wine!!! CHEERS to BORACAY-- to the island that never sleeps!!!

My BORACAY Getaway 2011 ( Part 2 ) DOS MESTIZOS same time a year after

Ever since I discovered and got to love the cuisine of Dos Mestizos, I have made it one of our " MUST TRY ONCE MORE " on my food itinerary this year..... and I was not disappointed!! I love Dos Mestizos!! I wanted to go back and try out their other dishes.  Dos Mestizos might be a bit pricey but the food they serve is worth it ! One thing I liked at Dos Mestizos is all the food I ordered was served to us piping hot and freshly cooked.... and their service was fast!!

Here was what I ordered:

BACALAO ALA VIZCAINA - It is a Spanish-style fish stew which uses salted cod that had been stewed in olive oil, tomatoes and potatoes. This dish is a little salty so I would recommend that you put a little on top of a piece of french bread when you eat it...  Bacalao is a traditional peasant dish in all Spanish speaking countries and is served during Holy Week, Christmas and New Year's Eve.

FABADA ASTURIANA - It is a rich Spanish white bean soup with morcilla ( blood sausage ). This reminded me of my mother-in-law cooking this dish. The beans were very soft  and the taste of the morcilla was very prominent in the broth.  The right way of eating this dish is to drizzle some olive oil and vinegar. This dish is usually served with crusty French bread.

ENSALADA VERDE CON LANGOSTINOS -  the prawns were very fresh!!!

MEJILLONES AL VINO BLANCO - The clams we had were the best!! They were huge and very fresh... my mouth waters just thinking about it.

For dessert -- I opted for the BREAD PUDDING than the usual leche flan..... It was really good!!! The pudding was not sweet and the vanilla sauce was the perfect match for this dish. I made the right choice! It was served warm...and it melts in your mouth!!! A must try ....

Dos Mestizos has the best food on the island!!!! I highly recommend this restaurant!

Venga vamos a comer en Dos Mestizos!!

My BORACAY Getaway 2011 Where to eat in Boracay

There are lots of places to eat in Boracay... I am very sure --- you have your own list of " WHERE TO GO" and " WHAT TO EAT" in the island. I have made my own list of where I wanted to eat and where to have them. Here is the list I have made for you to try when you go to Boracay...

** D' TALIPAPA **

I always make it a point that it is a " MUST " that I have a meal at D'TALIPAPA... Leaving the island without sampling Boracay's delicious seafood would only be half the fun!! The best place to get the freshest catch of the day would be at D' TALIPAPA. We ate at PLATO D' BORACAY - which is located right in front of the market itself. This establishment are run like regular restaurants with only one difference: customers need to bring their own uncooked food.

At the wet market --- you can hand-pick every prawn and mussel.... They usually charge " cooking fee " which is 250pesos/ kilo on your food to be cooked... on vegetables they charge 100/pesos. We decided to have everything I bought grilled over hot charcoal rather than ordering it with sauce. Why should you mask the flavor of the seafood if it is very fresh!!

Here was what we had:

My BORACAY Getaway 2011

Boracay is an awesome tropical island about 55 minutes flight from Manila. Its long white sand beaches rival the best beaches of more popular destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.

There are two main modes of transport around Boracay via tricycles along the main road or by walking along the beaches.

For those wanting just to lounge around and take in some rays, there are beach-front hotels which has  lounge chairs set up just a few steps from the hotel entrances.

Facilities for the usual water sports activities such as wind-surfing, snorkeling, kayaking,  diving and jet-skiing are available for those in search of more active pursuits. The latest water sport in Boracay is stand up paddle-surfing.

TAO YUAN- Looking for the best Hainanese Chicken in Manila

I heard about Tao Yuan and its  reputation from my cousin, Corito, who is another food lover, like me a few months ago but I only had the chance to visit this restaurant only a few nights ago with my son, Iggy and his wife, Cris. There were many people recommending this place, telling me that this place was serving " the best Hainanese Chicken "-- in Manila. The only set back at that time was.... Tao Yuan was located in Malate, which was quite far from where I live. Finally--- Tao Yuan opened its doors on another location which is on the second floor of the Resorts World. That gave me an opportunity to go and try out their famous dish and be the judge!

I have been to a lot of restaurants in Metro Manila serving Hainanese Chicken rice, but sad to say --- all of them failed to impress me. The chicken they served was too dry for my taste,  the onion/ginger sauce was bland, their soy sauce was sweet instead of a bit salty... I was looking for the same taste of the Hainanese Chicken Rice I had with my friend, Edith, at the Marina Mandarin in Singapore... The chicken just melts in your mouth... What really got me hooked to this dish was---- I could eat the white meat!! Yes, there are some people who prefer " dark meat " than " white meat " in chicken and I am one of them. But with the dish that was served to me at Marina Mandarin, I was able to eat the white meat which is the breast of the chicken.. It made me think aloud --- will TAO YUAN be the place where I could taste once again authentic Hainanese Chicken Rice??