Zark's Burger

When it comes to great burgers at an affordable price, Zark's is the first thing that comes to my mind. I religiously pay Zark's a visit mostly during payday as it became my regular comfort food. The name of the burgers in Zark's menu are categorized into two: The Minor League and The Major League. They used well striking and quite catchy names that I myself find it humorous that includes: Strikeout, Homerun, Tapout, Three-Pointer, King James, Stonecold, Tombstone and so on. But what made me laugh so hard is the Floyd Chicken Burger. I said to myself, if the inspiration of this burger is the badass Floyd Mayweather, then it serves him well. 

The waiter told me that they have this challenge - finished the Tombstone or Jawbreaker Burger in just 10 minutes and it's free, well I am not interested in the challenge even if it is free, I am not a competitive eater so I'd rather savor what I'm eating.

I usually order Mushroom Garlic Rice Meal along with my favorite Zark's Ultimate Burger. It is filled with cheese sauce, sauteed mushrooms and bacon. Back then (about 7years ago) , their burgers were not that good when I had my first Zark's experience in their first resto in Taft. I could still recall their beef patty which breaks easily, also the buns that they used were just like any buns sold in local bakeries. Today, it's a little bit different, the patties are more crunchy yet tender, same with their buns that has improved greatly. Zark's ultimate burger is my classic favorite which is richly garnished with bacon strips that are haft cooked or caramelized, it is much better if it's crunchy. 

I also ordered the Three-Pointer burger, it uses three kinds of cheese: mozzarella, cheddar and cheese sauce which is worth it for its price. As a burger lover, whenever I am in Zark's all  can I think of is to munch on the mouth-watering meal everytime it is served right in front of me. 

Three-Pointer Burger

    

Mushroom Garlic Rice Meal

The "Tombstone" challenge 

Rating: 

7 out 10

Entablado Cafe

Whenever you are in Los Banos, Laguna then Entablado is one of the most recommended places to dine and have a sip of coffee. Though the place is a little bit small which can only accommodate between 20-25 people at a time, but then again it has a nice ambiance and still cozy at its own right.

The must-try among their menus are their "TinaPizza" and "TunaPasta", which is richly garnished with 'Tinapa" (smoke fish) and melted cheese something that you don't see every day. And of course, their other specialties include Coffee brews from Kalinga and Dark Choco Mint Frappe.

Prices are affordable, making it a favorite "meeting place" for some students to study and hang out while enjoying a cup of coffee and listening to acoustic performers. Sometimes it's none other than Ebe Dancel of Sugarfree who performs in the "Entablado" (center stage) and also owns the place. 

Tuna Pizza and Tuna Pasta

I had sore eyes that time

Kalinga Coffee

Ebe Dancel of Sugarfree

Location: Ground Floor, Vega Center Los Banos, Laguna (beside UP Gate)

Aling Taleng's Halo-Halo

One of the most sought after "Halo-Halo" in Pagsanjan and even in the whole Laguna, Aling Taleng's Halo-Halo has been in the business since 1933. 

Unique as it seems, instead of using "leche plan" and "ice cream" as their topping, they use sweetened "kundol" instead. They also use other ingredients such as white and red beans, macapuno, ube halaya (purple yum), and some preserved fruits mixed in crushed ice and of course with a generous mix of evaporated milk which made it popular among locals and foreign tourists alike.

They also serve various Filipino dishes like "Puto Bumbong" as their other specialty. Their short orders for lunch and dinner are a little bit pricey with little amount of serving and no distinct taste to make it special. I can recommend them for "Halo-Halo", but for the other food on their menu, that is a different story.

On the otherhand, the place is a little bit cozy with dim lighting. The ambiance is nostalgic because of the paintings and pictures that are displayed on the wall. 

Address: 169 General Luna Street, Pagsanjan

Ciudad Elmina Restaurant

As a travel and food blogger, I always look for restos that are worth visiting. I have the following set of criteria that I used before it can be featured in my blog such as Ambiance, Food, Price and in some case Uniqueness. I heard about Ciudad Elmina Fishing Village when it was featured by the defunct KrisTv show several years ago. It was unique and worth visiting, so I did some researched and since my wife is from Pangasinan, we visited this resto last December 2017 when we went for a Christmas vacation together with her family.

Ciudad Elmina resto sits right in the middle of the fish farm where the fish they serve come from. It is not just a restaurant but a recreational place where one can enjoy activities like boating and fishing where you can have them cooked/grilled for you.

The whole place has 21 rooms, 3 villas, 1 conference room that could accommodate 40 people, a gazebo that can be used for meetings, several floating Nipa Huts that can accommodate 10 people each. A garden plazuela complete with its own gazebo and an open old house suited for big parties and events. Then, there is the main dining room which can accommodate up to 120 people where live acoustic music is played during dinner, the interior design is pretty unique where fishing nets and fishing tools are decorated at the ceiling to suit the fisherman’s theme. And during dinner, night lights surround the farm which gives it a romantic ambiance.

They serve the usual "lutong bahay" menus on their lists which specializes in Seafood Salo-salo or the Boodle Fight. Since I am not really a fan of "lutong bahay" I just let my wife order anything that she likes, I prefer American and Italian foods =).

Location: Al Fernandez Road, Bacayao Norte, 2400 Dagupan City, Pangasinan (from the main road you still have to walk 300 meters to reach the place).

Black and Brew

Located in Vega Center at Los Banos beside UP Gate, Black and Brew is a small cafe which serves breakfast meals all day. According to my friends, they serve one of the best tasting locally brewed "Kapeng Barako" in town with the strong bitter taste to kick-start your day. 

Since I am not a fan of hot coffee, I ordered Iced Machiatto teamed up with their famous Cheesy Mushroom Omelette which insanely tastes good. It was filled with the cheesy goodness of melted cheese for that creamy taste that stays in your mouth. I also had a combo meal consists of Tuna Sandwich and All-Meat Pasta but it just tastes like the usual but it was definitely a great value for its price because of the generous serving. Then for dessert, I tried their Matcha Cheesecake which I had for haft the price because it was nearing its expiration date but nonetheless, it still tastes great.

The place is small and simple yet they serve one of the best value meals suited for your budget. Thus, it has become a favorite hang out among students who looks for a quiet place to study and at the same time enjoy the rich goodness of coffee and other house specialties like Tuna Alfredo and Cheesy Omelette.

Cheesy Mushroom Omelette w/ Embutido slice

Pasta and Sandwich Combo

Matcha Cheesecake

Iced Machiatto

Location: 2F Vega Center, Los Banos, Laguna

Villa Escudero Plantation & Resort

Villa Escudero is a hacienda and a coconut plantation located in the province of Laguna (San Pablo) and Quezon (Dolores and Tiaong) which is approximately is 800 hectares. Established in 1872 by Don Plácido Escudero and his wife, Doña Claudia Marasigan, it was originally a sugarcane plantation but the crop was converted to coconut in the early 1900s. Villa Escudero was also the first to build the country’s first working hydroelectric plant known as Labasin Dam that supplies their coconut factory and the Escudero Plantation house that was built in 1929. In 1981, it opened its doors to the public as a resort which offers village tours, museum tour, native food and of course accommodations. It is also known worldwide as a focal point that let visitors experience Philippine culture through cultural presentations and history that is set in a beautiful rural setting.

Exactly last year of October, we visited Villa Escudero through the tickets we ordered online. The tour starts with a Carabao cart ride which takes the visitors to the resort area which is surrounded by park-like setting while being serenaded by classic Filipino songs while playing Banduria and Guitar. Then there is also the famous Waterfall Restaurant which offers a unique al fresco restaurant where the dining tables are situated below the spillway of the hydroelectric dam also known as Labasin waterfalls. This is definitely a unique experience where diners enjoy their lunch while their feet are dipped in the flowing cold water.

Other attractions also include an authentic live cultural dance show which features folk dance like Banga Dance and Singkil to name a few which were choreographed by the National Artist Ramon Obusan. Another must visit is the museum that contains the private collections of the family from their local travels and from around the world.  The assorted collections includes some religious artifacts, Chinese porcelain, antique furniture, ethnic clothing, relics from the Second World War, clothes of Philippine presidents, butterfly collections, and even Jose Rizal's letters in his slumbook. And lastly, one can also try water rafting with either kayak or even native bamboo rafts to take a tour of the lake.

Waterfall Restuarant

Carabao Kart ride

Labasin Waterfalls

Native dishes

Labasin Lake

May muscles pa ako dito haha

Outside the museum

Ancestral House

How to Get There:

1. Ride a bus bound to Lucena and alight in Villa Escudero at Km. 91

2. Before you intend to visit their resort it is important to make a reservation through their website http://villaescudero.com/ for more details.