dekaphobe.com | Food, Travel, and Lifestyle Blog

After years of missing out, I finally got to attend Best Food Forward, held last October 11-12, 2014. Best Food Forward is an annual food fair that features amazing food finds around the metro. :) Here are some the food discoveries (or re-discoveries) I found during the event: 1. Crack Pie by The Red Hot Oven We were told that this dessert was named such because it should be as addictive as crack. And it really is. :P It comes in 5 different flavors: Classic (Php 700), Peanut Butter (Php 750), Pili (Php 850), Coconut (Php 750), and Coffee (Php 750). 2. Peppermint Brownie Ice Cream by Moo-La-La! I rarely liked anything minty on my dessert, but Moo-La-La's Peppermint Brownie was an exception. This new homemade ice cream brand also creates Filipino-inspired flavors, such as the Tibok-Tibok. I would love to try their other flavors soon. A pint is only Php 275 each, and they also cater to parties. :) 3. Voila Jars I onc...

Note: The giveaway has ended. Winner has already been announced.  My anniversary celebration extends til Oktoberfest! I'll be giving away Php 1500 worth of GCs from Brotzeit. I have to Brotzeit numerous times and I have always enjoyed their authentic Bavarian offerings, and of course, the Paulaner beers. Brotzeit it also the perfect place to watch your favorite sports events, while enjoying homemade sausages and their bestseller, the Pork Knuckle, along with a cold glass of beer (or two or more!)

I was invited last October 15, 2014 to witness the launch of the the sub-portal dedicated for the products from the different parts of the archipelago to reach out on a wider market: 1780 by SariSari. These products are carefully sourced from 17 regions, 80 provinces, Sarisari highlights the best that the Philippines has to offer in terms of gastronomy and craftsmanship.  1780 by SariSari puts a modern flair to a variety of Filipino products. Patti Grandidge, owner of handcrafted cupcake store Sweet Patti Cakes, has created a limited edition cupcakes using the organically-grown Dark Chocolate from Kablon Farms. Amina Aranas, a local designer and fashion influencer, collaborated with one of 1780 by SariSari's merchants to craft a bag using native materials which will be sold exclusively on the site. 1780 by SariSari was also joined by Ivan Henares, a traveler and tourism influencer, who discussed his advocacy towards heritage products and sites around the c...

During our stay in Thailand, I realized that we rarely sat down to have a quiet breakfast. One of those rare moments was when we were looking for a place to have coffee before we proceeded to The Jim Thompson House . While walking along the National Stadium area, we found this cute little coffee shop: Wang Mai Cafe .  Located within the National Stadium compound, Wang Mai Cafe is quite straightforward: they only offer coffee and tea drinks -- hot, iced, or frappe. 

As a health food convert, I'm always on the lookout for healthier alternatives to the food I indulge myself with. I was glad to find out about TheBasics . Just a few weeks old, TheBasics intends to make food products from natural ingredients, with no preservatives.  First in their product line is the Original Muscovado Peanut Butter .

As a traveler, I believe that the accommodation is part of the adventure. I have tried staying in a dormitory in Davao , pension house in Iloilo and Bacolod , and an eco-friendly boutique hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia . For my trip to Bangkok, we decided to try this cool website called Airbnb.  Airbnb is a website with accommodation listings around the world. These listings can be entire homes, apartments, hotels, private rooms, and many others.  For Bangkok, we rented a private room for 2 days in the Sathorn area.  Prior to our arrival in Bangkok, we were given specific instructions on how to go to the place by one of our hosts, Jesse. He also gave us his mobile number should we get lost or when we are near his place. 

I've been working in Ortigas for years, and though I have been here for quite a long time, I still haven't been to a lot of hang-out places around this area.  I was glad to chill out last weekend in one of the newest bars and resto in this business district called Descanzo Bar & Resto .  Descanzo, which means "to relax" in Spanish, is located at the heart of Ortigas. Opened last February 2014, the place is open for breakfast to late dinners and drinks.  We were able to try some of their dishes and sample their cocktails as well while listening to live music. :)

Do you have a great-tasting dish or do you have an innovative food concept that you think would sell well in a weekend food market?  Then we invite you to join us for a FREE SEMINAR on HOW TO DEVELOP YOUR BUSINESS FOOD IDEAS during our STARTUP FOOD ENTREPRENEUR WEEKEND on October 25 (Saturday) from 3:00pm to 6:00pm at Mercato Centrale, at the corner of 34th Street and 8th Avenue in Bonifacio Global City.  The half-day seminar will include topics on how to start up and run a food business, identifying food businesses with franchise growth potential, current food market business trends, digital and social media marketing for small food businesses, and the stories of successful food market entrepreneurs. Among the speakers for seminars include Armando Bartolome of GMB, Franchise Developers (whose previous clients are Mang Inasal, Potato Corner and Lots’A Pizza), Anton Diaz and RJ Ledesma of Mercato Centrale, resource speakers from Go Negosyo and Globe MyBusiness ...

We spent the morning of our second day in Bangkok exploring the tourist spots around the city. It was more challenging than our first day because the locations are a little far from each other. Thankfully, strangers who we asked for directions are more than willing to help, proof that Bangkok is not as dangerous as some people thought it was.  The Jim Thompson House From our guesthouse, we took the BTS to National Stadium Station (W1), Silom Line. We took Exit 1 and walked straight to Soi Kasemsan 2, a 5-minute walk brought us to the Jim Thompson House.  The Jim Thompson House was the exact home of American businessman Jim Thompson, who revitalized the Thai silk industry during World War 2. His home now serves as a museum for his antique collections, with a retail store for Thai silk and restaurant.

We devoted a full day to explore the temples and famous landmarks of Bangkok. We figured out that the Grand Palace alone will consume much of time so it was our first priority for the day. The Grand Palace Complex From our guesthouse, we rode the BTS to Saphan Taksin (S6) , Silom Line. Saphan Taksin station is connected to the Sathon pier where we rode the Chao Phraya Express Boat. A one-way ticket for the tourist boat is 40 Baht (Php 54) per person. We got off Ta Chang Pier (N9), which is a few meters away from the entrance gate of the Grand Palace Complex. Note that there is a dress code you should adhere to when entering the Grand Palace Complex. Shorts, short skirts, sleeveless tops, cropped tops, flipflops are not allowed. However, you can borrow clothes for 200 Baht (Php 272) deposit per item.

The wanderlust in me has unleashed once again as I went on a 5-day trip to Thailand. I have visited two cities, Bangkok and Chiang Mai, and I totally loved the whole experience! I couldn't wait to share all the places I have visited, the friends I have gained along the way, and the amazing food I discovered. Before I even planned my trip to Thailand, I have heard most people say that Thailand is much like our country. However, I would like to disagree with this impression because Thailand knows how to treat tourists better than we do (sorry, Philippines, it's true).   Here are some of the things I loved about the Kingdom of Thailand, and the reasons why I'm itching to go back and stay longer.  1. The trains in Bangkok We went to our guesthouse in Bangkok from the airport riding the trains, using the Airport Link to the BTS, and it was so convenient. The people were very disciplined as well. No pushing, no shoving, and lots of space too. The wait...

Aside from being the country’s premier night food market destination, Mercato Centrale has helped give birth to some of the country’s newest and most innovative food concepts.  Popular chains like Manang’s Chicken , Merry Moo Ice Cream, Mochiko, Brasas Latin American Street Food , Spring by Ha-Yuan, Kristina’s Premium Inutak, Baked by Anita, and many more started off as food stalls in Mercato Centrale before they became successful food businesses.   But prior to their multi-million food ventures, many of these entrepreneurs started off as home-based food businesses or just passionate cooks and bakers who had a pioneering food concept, unique style of cooking, or a secret or heirloom recipe that they ‘incubated’ in the Mercato Centrale food market.  Building on its commitment to support food entrepreneurship, Mercato Centrale brings back its much-awaited “Next Big Food Entrepreneur Contest” along with www.ourawesomeplanet.com, Mastercard, Globe My Busines...

Note: This restaurant is already closed.  My friend and I decided to go unwind at a place familiar to me: Uno Lounge. I have first visited this bar more than a year ago , and it was nice that the place hasn't changed much.  Since they offer Happy Hour Appetizers for only Php 99, we ordered Onion Rings and Nachos with Cheese Dip , along with a pitcher of Margarita. Margarita with Nachos

We began our morning at the Marina Resort playing in the Hanging Bridge.  Then we went back to the clubhouse for our breakfast. 

Extremely ecstatic, that was my feeling when I was invited to have a weekend getaway with my college friends at Caliraya  Mountain Lake Resort. We arrived at the resort early Saturday morning, and we were lucky to be greeted with lots of sunshine, refreshments, and  this lovely view from the clubhouse: From the Clubhouse, we couldn't help walking towards the golf course. The vast field was indeed breathtaking.