Zaifu

Our malling afternoon at the Power Plant in the Rockwell compound turned out to be fun-filled but tiring episode for the family.  So many stores, so little time!  Andie was hungry, and she was starting to throw her usual tantrums.  The dinner decision was hard to make--a critical mistake and she wouldn't be happy. 

It's lucky we found a table tucked at the rear portion of Zaifu located at the basement level of the mall.  Last time I ate there was when the store was newly opened, and I was happy to find that the interiors were well kept.  The place was full!

We had spicy tuna salad, cheese and salmon roll, more salmon sashimi, a dragon roll, gyoza, gyudon, ramen, yakiniku, and unagi.  We were hungry, and I must admit, we wolfed everything down in a jiffy.  

Food was tasty.  Served hot.  Sashimi was fresh.  Prices were reasonable, nothing fancy. Casual Japanese dining at its best.  I guess this is why the restaurant is one of the most sought after places in Power Plant's basement level.  With a spend of around P500 to P600 per person, you can certainly have a feast.  Bento boxes and teishoku sets are available if you are on a budget.  Not bad at all...

Bon Banh Mi

Vicky's office gang introduced her to banh mi (Saigon style sandwiches).  Bon Banh Mi along Mayapis St. in Makati is one of their favorites, and she made it a point to bring us there last weekend.  The bread is crispy, and the filling has authentic Vietnamese flavor.  We took a roast beef sandwich and a traditional pork sandwich, and found that we had tummy space for an order of spring rolls.  You don't spend much, each order is just about P100 on the average.

Airwolf

If I recall right, I first saw Jan Michael Vincent in the 1973 Walt Disney movie "The World's Greatest Athlete," where he played Nanu, the white boy raised in the African jungles who becomes, of course, the world's greatest athlete (yes, it is a Tarzan rip-off).  The actor would later become famous for his role as the cello-playing helicopter pilot Stringfellow Hawke in Airwolf, which ran in the mid-eighties.  Me and my friends loved watching the series not so much for the action or the plot, but rather for the sheer beauty of the Bell helicopter in motion.  We wanted to have one each for ourselves!

Chicken Rice

I was about to come home to Manila without even trying a plate of the famed chicken rice.  I just had to squeeze in an order at Changi Airport even though I was running behind schedule.  The counter is open 24/7 so I was sure I'd get my chance to enjoy the dish.  Tiring run though; my flight was boarding at the farthest gate of Terminal 2, and I had to take a train between terminals.  All for a simple plate of chicken rice...

Llao Llao

We came across the Llao Llao frozen yogurt stand in Bugis Junction.  This Spanish yogurt has just the right tartness level, with enough kick to make you close your eyes, but without making you wince from cheek-shock.  Absolutely yummy!

Evervess

I've been a fan of ginger ale for the longest time.  I came across a can of  Evervess at the Changi Airport, which I understand is a brand under the Pepsi Company.  It is smooth and light, with no distinct ginger pinch as it slides down your throat.  A tad sweeter than other ginger ales on the market.

Poulet

Our host brought us to Bugis Junction, and its seems that downtown Singapore has changed a lot over the past 20 years.  I remember there was a time that a visit to Singapore was really just to see Jurong Bird Park and to do some shopping along Orchard Road.  That was then; today, the whole downtown area is teeming with department stores and restaurants, and amidst all the new developments, alley shopping is somehow still thriving.  We went to have an early dinner at a mall-based restaurant called Poulet, which you can guess, had fantastic chicken roasts done in the traditional French style!