For Filipinos, the beloved pancit canton is a universal dish that can be enjoyed anytime and anywhere. Whether as a hearty meal or a fun midday merienda, it’s hard to beat this satisfying dish's comfort. This is what Payless offers with its Xtra Big and Sakto Pancit Canton products, as well as its other instant noodles products.

This year, we celebrated the 14th Ultimate Taste Test. I am glad to be invited again as a food critic to this event. The entries were all very impressive. I appreciate everyone's creativity with the new dishes they came up with, their passion for coming up with their products, and their exemplary skills in making artisanal food.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are coming near, and XO46's private dining is a must-try for the upcoming holidays or any special moment with family and friends.

After being a quarantine hotel for almost two years during the pandemic, U Hotels finally reopens for leisure stay. Recently, I visited them for a quick staycation while I was in Poblacion.

Because of the pandemic, I have yearned to travel again as I miss eating food from different places and cultures. Thank goodness, I have learned about James & Daughters. They serve comfort food from around the globe that you'll surely enjoy. 

As we enter the phase of the "new normal," people opt to have their meals delivered and they do not only order for themselves, but also for their family. 

Quarantine has brought us to discover new brands that are selling online. Recently, I came across this brand which was recommended by my friend, Chef Ollie Isidro.

Before the pandemic started, Robin and I were still able to travel and celebrate our anniversary in Baguio City, Philippines. When we talk about Baguio, one of their must-tries is a unique strawberry dish. Recently, we learned about a new trend which is the strawberry champorado. It is available in Le Monet Hotel, located in Camp John Hay. We decided to make a reservation and have our breakfast there. 

Recently, I visited Ormoc for my medical-related work and our client brought us to Sutuwaki for early dinner. I was told that this was one of the known restaurants here. 

Saturday brunch with The Kain Tulog Gang (The KTG) has brought us to Rustic Mornings by Isabelo in Marikina City. I have always heard about this place whenever my friends would talk about Marikina, but it's the first time that I get to try this out. 

The ambiance is very homey and it does give that "rustic" vibe. It's very calming like you just got up from a good sleep, in your pajamas and have an amazing breakfast in the patio. Rustic Mornings by Isabelo is located on 11 Isabelo Mendoza Street, San Roque, Marikina City. 

Sharing the dishes my friends and I ordered at Rustic Mornings: 

Choco Nutella and Vanilla Speculoos Milkshake. Glad that they have flavors like these. These are bestsellers for kids and kids-at-heart.

Iced Cappuccino. I ordered an iced cappuccino with a request for whipped cream on top. (Fun fact about me: I only drink iced beverages for breakfast, even my coffee). It had the right amount of coffee and milk in it.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip. The Isabelo Garden, Rustic Mornings' predecessor, started from this amazing dish. A must-try! Rustic Mornings used to be the old home of Chef Portia, and she told us how she would experiment on cooking then call her mom to try them out. This dish is where it all began. 

Rustic Mushroom Soup. Rich in flavor and creamy. Has complimentary bread on the side. 

French Fries. Some finger food while waiting for the other dishes. Comes with two dips.

Acal Smoothie Bowl. Filled with antioxidants. This smoothie bowl is actually heavy on the stomach. I love the unsoaked chia seeds. This dish just feels very clean and healthy to me.

Three Mushrooms 3-Egg Cheese Omelet with Salad. Served with 2 slices of French baguette, herbed butter, and jam. The additional salad is optional.

Lox Toast Bar. Made of bagel, topped with cream cheese, salmon, capers, and lemon zest. I love the salmon, which is the highlight of this dish. The salad is refreshing and light. 

Half Plain, Half Churros Waffles. A combination of their crispy plain waffles and waffle churros. Something to order when you can't decide what flavor to choose. Both are good but I prefer the churros better. 

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes. These thick fluffy pancakes are just amazing. I like the taste, the texture, and the blueberries. The butter is also homemade and good.

French Toast Tower with Grilled Peaches. This French toast must be eaten immediately upon serving, otherwise, the bread changes. 

Breakfast Platters. There are a lot of breakfast platters to choose from. Best shared with family and friends. 

Tinapa Burrito. Tinapa sounds boring to me until I've had this burrito. I love the saltiness that blends well with the rice and the contrast of flavor with the sauce. This is really good and I recommend this as a must-try!

Dee Heirloom Spaghetti. Generous sauce that's on the tangy side--western style. Pasta is al dente. Also good.

Beef Tapa. A classic Filipino breakfast favorite. The scrambled eggs are nicely done. Beef tapa is good.

Grilled Salmon Fillet Rice Bowl. Juicy salmon fillet. 

Beef Ribs. It reminds me of mechado.

Chicken Fricassee. Reminds me of chicken pastel. 

Real Blueberry and Lemon Cheesecake. Chef Portia made this cake all from fresh ingredients. Real blueberries that go well with the cream cheese. The citrus taste coming from the lemon gives the cake a refreshing feel after every bite. 

Party Trays were also taken home by the gang. These are ideal for family gatherings or parties. You may contact Chef Portia at portiabaluyut@me.com.

Breakfast Baskets are also available. Now, you can cook their fluffy pancakes at home. 

The KTG mandatory groupie. Definitely coming back here again with my family and friends.

During The KTG's weekend staycation in Pampanga at the Best Western Bendix Hotel, we dined at Ruben for dinner and brunch and our experience with their dishes and cocktails was amazing.

Ruben is a cafe, restaurant, and bar located at the ground floor of Best Western Bendix Hotel in San Fernando, Pampanga. It is inspired by its namesake, Ruben Patawaran and his endless love for travel, food, and good company.

Upon entering Ruben, while it is festive and ornate, you still experience a warm homey feeling. You would easily want to bring friends and family with you so you may share this unique Ruben experience.

Ruben aims to deliver the best specialty coffee and cocktail experience through quality and fresh ingredients. It is your comfy nook from morning 'til noon--read a book, hold a meeting or have a boozy brunch with your friends. At night, they turn work hours into happy hours with signature dishes and cocktails from around the world that will have you saying, "Salut!" for the rest of the night. 

Here are the dishes that we tried (I already combined the dishes that we had for brunch and dinner):

Soup

Creamy Spanish-Style Garlic Soup. Creamy and garlicky soup broth. It's so good but there is something about this dish that makes it mysterious. It tastes like it has shrimp broth in it. 

Arugula and French Cheese Salad. Arugula leaves with French cream cheese, cherry tomatoes drizzled with pesto dressing. I don't usually put salads as part of my top picks/favorites for a resto; this one is an exemption. It's really good. The pesto dressing is underneath. Don't forget to mix it well. 

Doña Dita Salad. Prosciutto, French cream cheese and grilled chicken tossed with seasonal greens and cherry tomatoes with a citrus vinaigrette dressing. Doña Dita's favorite. I love prosciutto. I like the mix of flavors and textures in this salad as well as the citrus vinaigrette. It's a good balance.

The Best Nachos in Town. Nachos with cheese, beef chunks, salsa, jalapeños, and garlic cream sauce. Topped with melted mozzarella. 

Fried Spanish Sardines. Spanish sardines breaded and deep fried to a golden crisp. This is one innovative dish, I would say. Breaded sardines. Cool! 

Mojito-Style Ceviche. Fresh tuna chunks with lime juice, cilantro, and mint. Mixed in a shaker, tableside. It's like a margarita ceviche. Nice. 

Calamares. Light and crispy squid with 2 dips: garlic cream and marinara. 

Seafood Paella. Paella topped with shrimps, mussels, squid, and clams. This paella is overflowing with seafood. Yum!

Ruben 6-Hour Beef Caldereta. A Ruben signature dish. Ruben's take on the caldereta with 6-hour braised beef ribs, red wine, and tomatoes. Tender beef and rich in flavor. 

Sizzling Crispy Pork Belly Adobo. Slow roasted pork belly with Ruben's adobo sauce, deep-fried potatoes with garlic and tomato confit. Topped with salted egg. Their version of adobo is good. The pork belly is tender and the salted egg also complements the adobo well.  

Lechon Pork Belly with Truffle Lechon Sauce. Roasted crispy pork belly with a special truffle lechon sauce. This one is really crispy. Also classy because of the truffle lechon sauce. It's amazing!

Sizzling Corned Beef Sinigang. A twist on a Filipino classic. A deconstructed sinigang dish with corned beef brisket and gravy garlic confit. The first time that I tried sizzling sinigang was at Locavore. The dish itself is good but the idea of calling it sinigang makes me look for the sour taste that isn't garlicky. 

Salmon Fillet with Beurre Blanc. Pan-seared salmon fillet with creamy butter sauce on top of mashed potatoes, spinach and French beans. I love the texture of this one. I'm not a fan of cooked salmon but this one got me. It's tender and buttery--like it melts in your mouth. It's good.

Ruben Cheeseburger. An all-beef burger with lettuce, tomato, cheddar and crisp shoestring potatoes in a buttery brioche bun. Served with French fries. Sating and good. 

Cuban Sandwich. The Classic Cuban Sandwich. A freshly pressed baguette stuffed with roasted pork, forest ham, mustard, pickles and oozing cheese. Served with tostones. I love this one. Tastes good. 

Mac and 6-Cheese. Includes mozzarella, cheddar, gouda, edam, parmesan, and white cheese.

Aligue Pasta. 100% Aligue cooked in coconut milk, cilantro, and lime topped with half a river prawn. This is my favorite pick among the pastas served. Careful though, you might have an increased blood pressure.

Creamy Chicken and Chorizo Pasta. Grilled chicken breasts and chorizo in a cream sauce. 

Signature Caldereta Pasta. Ruben's beef caldereta served pasta-style.

Signature Cocktails

For Mikko's Girl: Bourbon whiskey, ginger, basil, lemon, honey, red wine. Joe Malone: Gin, lemon, Violette syrup, egg white, soda water. Ode to Ruben: Scotch whiskey, coffee-infused vermouth, orange bitters, sugar. Dixie Dust: White rum, coconut rum, lime, pineapple syrup, pandan. I had the Dixie Dust and it tastes great. You can call it "traydor" because I barely noticed the alcohol in it. The drink looks like it has pixie dust--glittery. The pearls also burst in your mouth. Kinda cool.

Coffee. We had this for breakfast. You can have either iced or hot. Both tastes great.