Ice Skrambol - Ice Scramble - Ice Crambles

Skrambol - Ice Skrambol - Ice Scramble - Ice Crambles - Ice Crumbles ... whatever you call this popular milky-icy-strawberry cooler, the Skrambol will always have a special place in my heart. 

The Skrambol has been around for ages... well, at least as far as I can remember. Today, you could still get hold of old school Skrambol outside schools, churches, or from your resident ambulant food vendor for 5.00-15.00 pesos per cup (depending on the size). In the good ol' days, Skrambol vendors even use Brown Cow to top it with. Yum yum! The milky-icy strawberry flavored slush is definitely one of my comfort foods... extra powdered milk topping please!

Froya - Frozen Yakult @ Sebastian's Ice Cream

Location: 3rd Floor Center Atrium
Trinoma Mall, EDSA
Quezon City, Philippines
Telephone: (63) - 915 - 2324253
Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/Sebastians.Ice.Cream
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Yakult: a Japanese pro-biotic-like product made by fermenting a mixture of skimmed milk with a special strain of the bacterium Lactobacillus Cassei Shirota, created by Minoro Shirota. 

* Source: Wikepedia.org

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Our family LOOOOOVES Yakult! After hearing of FRO-YA (Frozen Yakult) from one of my foodie acquaintances, we headed to Sebastian's Ice Cream station at Trinoma to try it out for ourselves. For me, the words "Frozen" and "Yakult" together makes the perfect combination, especially since I always freeze my tiny bottles of Yakult, to a slush-like consistency, before drinking it. :-)

 2-scoops of FRO-YA

(Php 150.00)

So what have I to say about FRO-YA? Well, it was... just OK. Yeah, it was good, as frozen yogurt, but not really as Frozen Yakult spot on. It actually tasted like the usual plain and tart frozen yogurt you get from your fave frozen yogurt shops.

Snack Pack, Snack Pack!

As much as I love dining out, I still try my best to limit my food/calorie intake whenever I'm at home or at work. However, we all know that when we try to go on a diet we don't really get that much choices, especially in terms of dessert or yummy filling snacks. Most would just munch on crackers to keep their hunger at bay; but we all have to admit... crackers are quite boring, bland... and a normal serving (around 3 rectangular soda crackers at 120-170 calories) is definitely not filling. Here in the Philippines, diet meals and yummy quick fix diet food are really not that cheap and readily available unlike getting to choose from a wide array of gourmet diet food in America.

Since I've made it a habit to check the Nutrition Facts of most Food Products/Items, I've discovered that the Snack Pack pudding cup makes for a low-calorie yet yummy, filling, and chocolatey treat! At just 120 calories and 30 calories from fat, the Hunt's Snack Pack has got to be my favorite diet treat of all time :-)

Our Fave Goodies @ Good Shepherd, Baguio City

Location: 15 Gibraltar Road,
Baranggay Mines View
2600 Baguio City
Telephone:
Convent (63) - 74 - 4241109 / Center (63) - 74 - 4423865
Website: http://www.goodshepherdsisters.org.ph/baguio 
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Whenever we head to Baguio, I make it a MUST to always get my stash of scrumptious goodies and "pasalubong " from Good Shepherd. I know that there are numerous souvenir shops and stores selling Baguio City goodies and treats, at waaaay cheaper prices too... but my heart really belongs to Good Shepherd :-)

Number ONE on my list would be their oh-so-yummy PEANUT BRITTLE. I just Loooove the sweet and salty goodness of their Peanut Brittle. I have already managed to eat one large plastic jar in one sitting... seriously :-) Good Shepherd's Peanut Brittle may cost more than those being sold for 3-for-100 pesos or 4-for-100 pesos, but once you open the jar, you'll see that your Php 200.00+ pesos is all worth it ;-)

Recipe: Classic Crunchy Tasty Turon (Sweet Banana Fritters)

Our boys' favorite native snack/treat, which is extremely easy  to make at home, would be the Classic Turon (or Sweet Banana Fritters).  They just love Turon so much that they always order them when we eat out (together with Leche Flan) or whenever they see them being sold at street food stalls...  BUT my husband and kids agree that the ones I make are the best ever.

Others make their Turon by sprinkling them with sugar while frying, and some like having their Turon wrapped in Jackfruit... my recipe on the other hand is just pretty simple and basic... makes for a really yummy treat, and can even be served as finger-food dessert that your guests will surely enjoy at your next party!

Yummy 22-inch Pizza @ Xtremely Xpresso - Subic

Location: #1 Dewey Avenue

corner Sta. Rita Street

Subic Bay Freeport Zone, Zambales

Philippines

Telephone: (63) - 47 - 2523681

Website: http://www.xtremelyxpresso.com/

Hours: Daily / 6:00 am - 12:00 mn

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Will you be going to Subic (anytime soon or in the future)? Do you love pizza? Are you a fan of ginormous food servings? If you answered "YES" to all my questions, then the Xtremely Xpresso Cafe in Subic is the place for you to go to satisfy your ginormical pizza cravings!

Check out their Xtreme Big Ben Pizza beside Wowie below! A whopping 22-inches of pure deliciousness! Loaded with pepperoni, sausage, bacon and beef, garlic, onions, peppers, mushrooms, black olives and two kinds of cheese. Whew! Xtremely loaded making it Xtremely yummy!

22-inch Xtreme Big Ben Pizza (Php 729.00)

It was only Wowie & I that day, so we decided on just ordering the Xtreme Big Ben Pizza (which is actually enough for 4-6 hungry people to share) and the Baby Back Ribs. Subic's our favorite place to go to for an easy weekend escapade so we'll order the other tempting dishes the next time ;-)

Baby Back Ribs (Php 190.00)

photo by my husband, Wowie

Halo-Halo Heaven & Palabok @ Teresita R. Razon's - Pampanga

Location: Petron Gasoline Station
North Luzon Expressway (Northbound),
Lakeshore, San Fernando,
Pampanga, Philippines
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Taking the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX)? Then why not make a pit-stop at the Petron Gasoline Station for a light meal or snack of delectable Halo-Halo and Pancit Palabok at Teresita R. Razon's? Mmmmm! This really is the place to get your fill of scrumptiously smooth Halo-Halo.

Take note, this is not the same as the Razon's of Guagua branches you see here in Manila or in Pampanga. They both have the same concept of Halo-Halo and dishes that they offer (such as Palabok)... but... if you pay close attention to the small but important differences, you'll notice that the shaved ice at is much smoother and the leche flan topping has a hint of dayap flavor.

The Cheesecake Factory - Los Angeles, California

Location: 189 The Grove Drive, K-90,
Los Angeles, California USA 90036

Telephone: (323) 634-0511

Website: http://www.cheesecakefactory.com/
Hours:
M-T-W-Th / 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
F-Sat / 11:30 am - 12:30 mn
Sun / 10:00 am - 11:00 pm

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Mmmm... Cheesecake Factory... yum yum!!!

The day before my flight back home, our family friend took us at The Cheesecake Factory at The Grove in Los Angeles for lunch. At first, I was like... ok, this is probably like the Cheesecake Etc we have in the Philippines... but boy, was i wrong!

We got there at around 12:30 pm... I was so hungry as I didn't have any breakfast... so I wasn't really able to take pictures of our lunch 'coz I started eating as soon as the food arrived. Hehe =) Well, despite the fact that the place was packed and the service was not really snappy (since it was a Sunday).... the food was scrumptious! No wonder Tyra Banks loves this place!

There were a lot of choices for food; from appetizers, salads, soups, and sandwiches, to steaks, seafood, pasta, and dessert, everything sounded delicious.

Since I really couldn't make up my mind on what to order, I decided to have the Beer Battered Fish and Chips (described as: Icelandic Cod Hand Battered and Fried Crisp. Served with Cole Slaw, French Fries and Tartar Sauce). My mom on the other hand, just had the Caesar Salad with Chicken and our friend ordered the Grilled Pork Chops (Marinated Center-Cut Chops Served with Housemade Apple Sauce,Mashed Potatoes and Fresh Spinach).

Mongolian Buffet @ Cafe Sweet Inspirations - Katipunan

Location: 311 Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights

Quezon City, Philippines 1108

Telephone: 63-(2)-4334200

Telefax: 63-(2-)9282557

Website: http://www.cafesweet.com/

Sample Menu: http://www.cafesweet.com/menu1.htm
Hours: Daily / 6:00 am - 11:00 pm

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If you're looking for a good old Mongolian Eat-All-You-Can Restaurant, then Cafe Sweet Inspirations is the place to go!

Their Mongolian Rice Bowls are just the way my hubby and I like it... Mmmm... PERFECT =)

My 3rd Bowl...

that's why it's not full to the brim anymore... hahaha :-)