Yutaka Izakaya

Across Aurora Boulevard from the UERMMC, you can find Yutaka Izakaya, a quaint Japanese restaurant that serves some of the freshest sashimi in Quezon City.  Prices are very reasonable too--you could spend as low at P250 per person for a bowl of rice toppings, and could go way up to P1,000 per person with Wagyu and lots of sushi.  The staff are well-versed with their menu, and can give good advice on what best to order.  The interiors however could use a new coat of paint, and the lighting seems a bit dim.  Ample parking, but its best to make reservations if you are in a big group--there's a constant stream of people walking in.  

Cajun

Had a fast lunch by my lonesome at Cajun over at the SM Megamall.  I was happy that the food wasn't as spicy as I had feared it would be.  Wasn't cheap though, and you can spend almost P600 per head on an average meal.  I had the combination of ribs and shrimps; nothing spectacular in taste and portioning.  The crew seemed to be busy with the newly-opened dessert buffet which unfortunately, is verboten for me.

Tenya

Cafe 1228

Dinner with our Posh friends brought us to Cafe 1228 at the New World Hotel in Makati, where we splurged our night away with good food and great company!

The seafood display was pretty much the toast of the night--shrimps, rock lobsters and oysters.  Super fresh.  Delicious!

The big problem with buffet dinners is that you can't sleep on a full stomach.  It's very difficult to apply the brakes, though--everything seems so good to eat!

Retro Dance

I was listening to 105.9 DCG Retro FM and I was pleasantly amazed with the music format. Old music was being repackaged and fed to the broad audience, in the style appreciated by the kids of today.  I think my good friend DJ Jimmy Jam and his team are very much on the right track.  It so happens that the station is looking for another DJ, and a competition is ongoing for the empty slot.  I started thinking--if I were the DJ, what songs would make it to my playlist?  If I were to punch a list of instantly recognizable retro dance/energy music, maybe these songs could catch me a following?  Hahaha...

1)     The Sound of Philadelphia (MFSB)
2)     The Hustle (Van McCoy)
3)     El Bimbo (Bimbo Jet)
4)     Ricomambo (Breakfast Club)
5)     High Fidelity (Kids from Fame)
6)     Souvenirs (Voyage)
7)     Nights on Broadway (Bee Gees)
8)     Dancing in Paradise (El Coco)
9)     Fascination (Ritchie Family)
10)   Enough is Enough (Barbra Streisand & Donna Summer)
11)    Come to Me (France Joli)
12)   Jai Ho (Pussy Cat Dolls)
13)   Dancing Queen (Abba)
14)   Native New Yorker (Odyssey)
15)   Love's Theme (Barry White)
16)   September (Earth Wind & Fire)
17)   Papaya (Ursula Dudziak)
18)   Angels (Flora Purim)
19)   Mc Arthur's Park (Donna Summer)
20)   I Can Dream About You (Dan Hartman)
21)   Dirty Old Man (Three Degrees)
22)   Flashdance (Irene Cara)
23)   Harvest for the World (Isley Brothers)
24)   That's the Way I Like It (KC & the Sunshine Band)
25)   You're All I Have (Poussez)
26)   YMCA (Village People)
27)   Heaven Must Have Sent You (Bonnie Pointer)
28)   Rock Your Boat (Hues Corporation)
29)   Zodiac (Roberta Kelly)
30)   Together In Electric Dreams (Giorgio Moroder)
31)    Never Gonna Give You Up (Rick Astley)
32)   Body Rock (Maria Vidal)
33)   Ain't Nothing Gonna Keep Me From You (Teri De Sario)
34)   Rock Your Baby (George McRae)
35)   Billie Jean (Michael Jackson)
36)   We Are Family (Sister Sledge)
37)   Ring My Bell (Anita Ward)
38)   If I Can't Have You (Yvonne Elliman)
39)   Fly Robin Fly (Silver Convention)
40)   Boogie Oogie Oogie (A Taste of Honey)
41)    Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel (Tavares)
42)   Good Times (Chic)
43)   You to Me Are Everything (The Real Thing)
44)   I'm So Excited (The Pointer Sisters)
45)   Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (Cyndi Lauper)
46)   Gloria (Laura Brannigan)
47)   Conga (Gloria Estefan & the Miami Sound Machine)
48)   Bette Davis Eyes (Kim Carnes)
49)   Can't Get You Out of My Head (Kylie Minogue)
50)   I Will Survive (Gloria Gaynor)
51)    Like a Virgin (Madonna)
52)   Take Me Home (Cher)
53)   Let's Get Physical (Olivia Newton John)
54)   City of Angels Overture (Miracles)
55)   I"m Every Woman (Chaka Khan)

What's your playlist like?

Salon de Ning

Village Tavern