Old Oven Art Cafe (Katipunan Extension)

Before I begin, please note that this was a Valentines promo, and I'm not sure if this will be available in the future. That aside, read on.

Beloved and I celebrated an early Valentines at Old Oven Art Cafe. Honestly, this was done on a whim. Beloved had "liked" their Facebook page because she was interested in their cheesesteak sandwiches. She then saw them advertising this special menu for two starting February 12. Since it included risotto (which Beloved wanted to try) and rib-eye steak (which I wanted), it was pretty much a done deal and we made a reservation, despite knowing this place is a bit inaccessible for commuters like us.

When we got there, I noticed that it's not really as un-commutable as I thought it would be. It was actually in a walkable distance from the Santolan-Katipunan intersection. However, it was a bit hidden, so we almost passed by it while riding a cab.

You have to climb a flight of stairs to get to the actual dining area. The place itself reeks of artsy. It was lit dimly to add to the vibe and they feature artworks made by deaf people. We find our table ready when we got there, and then our candlelit four-course Valentines Dinner for Two (1000 Php) began.

Soul Shop (Crossroad 77, Mother Ignacia)

A couple of days ago, Beloved took me to Soul Shop. This quaint cafe is located at a building called Crossroad 77 at Mother Ignacia street. The real reason we went there was to search for the place that sells chocolate bars with unique flavors. After making the mistake of going on the wrong floor, finding this place, and seeing its relatively cheap prizes, and Beloved being quite hungry, we decided to stop by for a while despite not being on the original agenda.

The place itself, while located on the second floor of the building, was actually surrounded in nature. It features a garden where you can decide to eat, and actually two separate places you can order food. Of course, it still has a small indoor area which reflects the outside, being one of the most peaceful and quiet food place I've been to. Anyway, I've mentioned their prices were relatively cheap and their menu consists of the usual cafe fare of sandwiches and pasta and other finger foods plus a selection of rice toppings. However, I wasn't really hungry. Beloved was. She ordered their Fish Kare Kare (160 Php). As for me, I just ordered their Soul Shop Taco (60 Php). Finally, Beloved also asked for their Iced Green Tea (90 Php).

Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe (Regis Center, Katipunan)

Beloved and I had dinner at Mom and Tina's Bakery Cafe. Located at Beloved's new favorite food and drink street, in the same building of BonChon Chicken and Moshi Moshi, this cafe had a welcoming atmosphere to it when we first passed by. It reminded me of Mary Grace, where we had a wonderful experience. Hoping to get a similar one, we decided to try it out.

The place was packed full, only having a couple of tables free when we entered. This further heightened my expectations of the place. Seeing the prices on their menu items increased it further. Their pastas almost cost 200 Php apiece, and their other menu items, consisting of sandwiches and food you would expect from a cafe, aren't really the most affordable I've seen. Hoping for the best, I ordered their Sirloin Burger (295 Php), which comes in half-pound or quarter-pound versions; I took the larger. Beloved ordered their Lengua con Setas (395 Php). In addition, Beloved also asked for their Iced Mocha (95 Php) and I had their Bottomless Green Iced Tea (70 Php). Finally, since this was a bakery, and I thought it would be waste not to try any of their baked goods, Beloved also ordered their Beehive (65 Php).

Moshi Moshi (Regis Center, Katipunan)

Beloved and I had dinner at Moshi Moshi last night. This Japanese food joint is located beside the BonChon Chicken at Katipunan, at relatively newly-opened Regis Center. Beloved had already researched this place beforehand, and got pretty excited upon learning that this place specializes in donburi, or rice toppings. To be honest, I can't think of a place that specialize in just Japanese rice toppings, though I can think of other non-Japanese exclusive rice topping places. After learning of their prices from their Facebook page, I thought it was pretty affordable, so I had no fear trying this place out.

The first thing that Beloved noticed were the imported KitKat bars that were displayed by the single counter taking orders. After asking how much they were, though, her disappointment was apparent. Nevertheless, their real menu items weren't as expensive, and, in fact, were quite appealing, perhaps to sway in student customers who are the main demographic here. They have your usual katsudon (pork), gyudon (beef), and chicken teriyaki don. In addition to that, you can order extra toppings such as egg, beef, and special mayo which I first thought would be mixed in your bowl. Since I was feeling for shrimp, I decided to have their Tendon (165 Php for the "level-up" size). Beloved had their Katsu Currydon (165 Php) and asked for Kimchi toppings (25 Php). We also got 6 pieces of their Takoyaki (55 Php), which is the most affordable takoyaki we've encountered so far. Finally, our drinks consisted of their Green Tea Shake (75 Php), one for each of us.

Banana Leaf (Trinoma)

Beloved and I had our first 2012 food adventure at Trinoma's Banana Leaf. I've actually eaten at this Thai-Malay restaurant before with a couple of friends, but didn't manage to chronicle that particular time. And since that was a pretty decent experience, we weren't afraid of trying it out, despite knowing little of Thai cuisine. Anyway, this place is sort of special for a couple of things. First, each order is good for two to three people, making this a family-friendly restaurant. Second, their plates are substituted with banana leaves, hence the name, and further making sharing a must. While there were only two of us, we decided that Beloved takes home any leftovers that we expected to have.

I loved what I ordered the last time, so we made sure to get it—their Phad Thai - Banana Leaf Style (188 Php). I also wanted to order the flat bread we had the last time, but I forgot what it's called. And since Beloved found an item that looked very appetizing in the picture, we decided to go for that instead: their Deep Fried Cod Fish with Malayan Seafood Curry (388 Php). We also got their Royal Thai Style Deep Fried Beancurd with Crabmeat (168 Php) because it sounded good to me. Finally, for our drinks, Beloved had their Iced Hong Kong Milk Tea (68 Php) and I ordered their Thai Iced Tea (68 Php), because I know that Beloved would like to be able to taste different kinds of milk tea, especially after our adventure at Sentosa. The servers were a bit surprised we didn't order rice, but I was certain we would have leftovers from what we already ordered.