Rebecca Ferguson

Swedish actress Rebeca Ferguson is the real thing.  She's classy and has the skills to do action movies too.  I just watched Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, and enjoyed every minute of her spy role. Watch out for her, she'll knock you out!

Cafe Paraiso

Cafe Paraiso, the main dining facility of Sulo Riviera, has a weekday lunch buffet at just under P800 per person.  You have a simple array of appetizers, some pasta varieties, main dishes (good sampling of beef, pork, chicken and fish viands) and a dessert counter.  The place was packed by 12:30pm, so be sure that you have reservations.

The Sulo Riviera

I haven't been to Sulo Hotel in ages.  In the early nineties, Anita used to be connected there, but it's a shame that I didn't get to visit her at that time when the hotel in its prime years.  In the late seventies, they used to serve the best hamburgers in town; Kong and I would enjoy biting into those succulent patties (especially at the Makati branch).  I remember the bar lounge had a glass wall to the swimming pool, providing an underwater view of the swimmers; it was one of the design highlights that people noticed when they talked about the hotel.  The Quezon City location was just a stone's throw away from the City Hall, so it was pretty much the de facto lounge for politicians and businessmen.  By the time I last went to the place around 2005 or 2006, the place was showing signs of aging, wear and tear.

I had a lunch meeting scheduled there a couple of weeks ago, and I was very much surprised to find out that the hotel has been re-branded to Sulo Riviera.   Not only that, the hotel has been remodeled, renovated and re-energized.  Room sizes are still the same, slightly cramped and a bit dark for me, but acceptable.   The lobby is brighter, and now has a more spacious feel.  The swimming pool is still located in the same area, but the glass window has been taken away.  Parking is available, but can get full when all function rooms are taken.

I understand from the staff that a new group of investors have taken over the shares of the Enriquez family (they used to run D&E restaurant in the fifties).  I think the new group has been able to tweak the hotel properly!

Franco's

Went out malling on a Sunday afternoon with the Callar boys at the Rockwell Power Plant. Monique chose Franco's, we just wandered past and were happy to see that it was easy to get seats.  I like the pizzas--nice thin crust, tasty toppings.  Large enough to share with 3 other people.

We had a good variety--I had batchoy while the kids (okay, young adults) had cheesesteak sandwich, crusted fish and longganiza.  Spent something like P600 per person.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

This is expensive chocolate.  Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has a shop at the basement level of UP Town Center, and we just took a little coated Orange rinds for our dessert.  Good quality though.  Most offerings are in the vicinity of P300 - P400 per 100 grams, double or triple the price of even the high-end pre-packaged brands.

Buffalo's Wings & Things

My meeting at the SM Megamall called for a quick lunch.  I decided to try out Buffalo's Wings & Things, which wasn't so expensive at P200 per head.  Tried the parmesan flavored wings and the garlic wings.  Both were winners!  The dirty rice, however was so little, I came out still hungry (I think that was only around 1/4 cup).

Muang Thai

Ed and Korina arrived from Dumaguete, and Gwammy deemed fit to bring the guests to nearby Muang Thai, just along Malakas St.  We got in just before noon, and took the parking space just in front of the door.  Michaela was able to join us, so we had quite a feast!

We wanted a little bit of everything.  For starters, catfish salad and shrimp cakes.  No soup though. We decided to get right straight to the main dishes--grilled squid, bagoong rice, shredded beef, chicken in pandan leaves, stuffed crabs, steamed lapu-lapu, pad thai, and stir-fried broccoli mushroom.  For sweets, we ordered a trio-- mango with sticky rice, ta koh, and Thai halo-halo.  They have the whole variety of Thai dishes, and the quality seems to have been maintained over the past few years of operation.

You can have a good variety with around P350 per person.  The decor is rich with Thai art pieces and furniture, some of which I understand are for sale.  My only complaint was that the lighting of the restaurant was extremely poor; eating in the dark isn't really my thing.