A Burger-filled Boulevard

What makes a great burger? Oftentimes, people say it's all about the patty. Others say it's the cheese that makes it work. Others say it's the sauce that brings it all together. While most burgers have all these, it all boils down to which burger offers the best flavor at the most affordable price. There are already a handful of notable burger places in the Metro. No, we're not talking about Jollibee or McDonald's, or even Burger King. We're talking about unique burger places that serve mouth-watering burgers. One's just along Xavierville Avenue.

If you're the type who wants twists to your burgers, then Boulevard Diner is the perfect place for you. Located within the Katipunan/Loyola Heights area, this burger place has been fulfilling burger cravings since October of 2010. With unique burger concepts, Boulevard Diner has created a big market for die-hard burger fans who are looking for something better than the usual hamburger or cheeseburger. Mind you, these burgers aren't for the faint of heart. Boulevard Diner's burgers are packed with flavors that will surely give you an unforgettable burger dining experience.

Wanna Have a 'Wicked' Meal?

Define 'wicked'. Well, according to the dictionary, 'wicked' is an adjective which denotes evil or mischievousness. This adjective often applies to evil people or entities such as witches and demons. But, if you've been studying your English, the term 'wicked' could also be used as a New England slang to add emphasis to what you're saying. In fact, the word is actually synonymous to 'really' and 'very'. So, if you want to say that the food you're eating is fantastic, but you want to say it in a manner different from how you usually sat it, you could say "That was some wicked food!". Well, with a lot of good food places around the Metro, you might just need to prepare yourself in saying this more often, especially when you eat at a restaurant where the 'wicked' word is not only for the delicious food. It's actually the name of the place.

Just within the the vicinity of the ABS-CBN compound is a food place named Wicked Kitchen. It's not that big a place, but people keep coming back to the place for their delicious dishes. In fact, they have already opened a branch at Katipunan Avenue to cater to more avid customers. Wicked Kitchen is a restaurant that serves delicious food during the day and more of an 'inuman' place during the night. But, the place is most famous for some of their rice meals and their desserts. They have a really diverse menu that would give you a hard time in choosing what to eat. The servings here are also quite large, so you definitely won't have a problem when you want to be really full afterwards. The menu at Wicked Kitchen offers a variety of dishes ranging from delicious Western food to scrumptious Pinoy meals with a Wicked Kitchen twist. As compared to other food places that serve the similar dishes, Wicked Kitchen is more on the affordable side. It offers yummy dishes that you'll surely like at not-so-expensive rates.

The Fro-Yo Pioneer of Katipunan

To people who are frequent around the Katipunan area, one of the difficult things during lunch or snack time is choosing the right food place. Because of the many restaurants in the area (yep, it's still counting hahaha), you'll really have a hard time choosing where to eat. The more difficult thing is finding the right place where they'll serve the right dessert. One by one dessert stores have sprouted all around the Katipunan area, which makes it more difficult for dessert seekers like us. If you haven't seen what Katipunan has to offer for quite some time now, you'll notice that there are new dessert stores such as Cerealicious, I Heart FroYo, and Frutti FroYo (which, by the way, we have already blogged hahaha). Another thing that you'll also notice is that they all offer something similar - Frozen Yogurt. Yep, even Cerealicious has it's own Fro-Yo now. We have said in our previous blog entries that the trend today is being healthy. And for students studying near Katipunan, being healthy is as important as their studies. So, what better way to be healthy than to have a healthy snack or dessert. But, this isn't about Cerealicious' Fro-Yo. Heck, this isn't even about the other two's Fro-Yo's. This time we will feature a Fro-Yo store which started even before the other Fro-Yo stores sprouted at Katipunan.

 
It's just a small place, but you won't regret trying the frozen yogurt of Green Mango Yogurt Ice Cream Bar. Like the other Fro-Yo stores out there, Green Mango's Fro-Yo's are also worth trying because they're really delicious and really affordable. For as low as 55 pesos, you can already have a taste of their delicious and healthy frozen yogurt. Add a bit more and you can already add fresh fruits to make your dessert healthier. Or you may opt to place candies or sprinkles to make it more colorful yet still delicious. Whichever option you choose, you won't miss anything. In fact, you can even mix candies and fruits since you're the one who's going to choose the toppings. You can add up to 3 toppings to your Fro-Yo, and every additional topping would cost you 10 pesos. Whether you have 2, 3, or even 5 toppings it wouldn't matter because the fact of the matter remains that you still have a yummy and healthy dessert in the Fro-Yo itself. By the way, you can also choose between the normal Vanilla flavor or the Green Tea Fro-Yo. We think they even have Ube and Chocolate flavors, but I think they weren't available when we were there.

Here's what we tried:

 Green Mango Fro-Yo in cone, 30 php

Glutton Girl: I actually wanted to try Fro-Yo on a cone, which is why I tried this. I also wanted only a small amount because I was already full from lunch hahaha It's also the same Fro-Yo, only in a cone. The cone used, though, was crunchy and delicious. I usually don't like ice cream cones, but this one was delicious and perfect for the sour frozen yogurt. I wish, however, that they also have the option of placing toppings on the Fro-Yo cone. I know it's a bit difficult, but I think it would be better for me, since I wanted some fruits on my Fro-Yo and I think that it's kind of do-able.

Green Mango Frozen Yogurt in cup, Medium cup - 55 php - no toppings, 70 php - with 3 toppings; Large cup - 75 php - no toppings, 95 - with 3 toppings

Glutton Guy: I always want my ice cream, Fro-Yo or not, to be in a cup. This is because I'm really not a fan of cones. Plus, I think they're messy when you eat them. I chose the medium cup and as for my toppings, I chose choco drops, Koko Crunch, and peach halves. The sweetness of the choco drops and the Koko Crunch complements the sourness of the frozen yogurt. They also add crunch to the Fro-Yo, which is a good thing for me. The peach halves are really fresh and delicious. The bright yellow peaches add color and make it more enticing to eat. For me, it's really good. It's a perfect meal ender. : )

It's always a lovely treat to know that what you eat is delicious and at the same time, healthy. Green Mango offers both of these in their frozen yogurt. So next time you're around the Katipunan area, do stop by Green Mango and give their Fro-Yo a try. You definitely won't go wrong with what they have to offer. Enjoy healthy yogurt treats with a twist at Green Mango!




























Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Green Mango is located at Rosa Alvero corner Esteban Abada streets, Loyola Heights, 
Katipunan, Quezon City. It's beside Fruit Magic and McDonald's.)

Getting Bedazzled Over Banapple

After a satisfying meal, we usually look for something else. It's not that we're that gluttonous (uhhh don't take our names seriously hahaha). It's just that we love food and we usually look for something sweet after a meal. That's common, I mean, there's dessert as the final course of every meal. So, I guess it wouldn't hurt to have a dessert at some food place we could think of.
 

This time, however, the case is different. We came there on a late afternoon, which means it's more of a 'merienda' than a dessert after a meal. Interestingly, since we were near the Katipunan area, a place came into mind. This time we tried the popular Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes. This is one, if not the only one, of those food places where one of its branches can be found on the same street. Probably another one was built to accommodate more customers, since the first one is too small. Once you get inside, you'll feel comfortable because of the ambiance. Although it's a bit noisy (well, there are a lot who eat here) you won't really be annoyed. There are times, though, that you'll have to wait for a table because there are a lot who eat here, especially during lunch and dinner.

Their desserts are very delicious. They're not too sweet, thus not making it overpowering. They also offer meals for lunch and dinner. They have pasta and entrees if ever you really feel that hungry. Plus, the food is affordable, so you won't have to worry regarding the budget issue.




Here's what we got:

Banana Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie, 90 php


Glutton Guy: This was my drink. It was an ultimate thirst quencher and a summer chiller combined in one. You can really taste the peanut butter and the banana. The flavors aren't overpowering, which means the banana flavor, the peanut butter flavor, and the chocolate flavor are well-balanced. It's a very delicious smoothie that I'm sure you'll also love. : )

Cold Milk, 30 php (small), 50 php (large)


Glutton Girl: It's very lovely to have cold milk match your dessert. The milk was just ordinary, nothing special about it. But having it together with your favorite Banapple cake is a bliss. I knew even before I ordered that it would make a good tandem. And heck, it did.

Old-Fashioned Chocolate Cake, 85 php per slice, 730 php (whole)


Glutton Guy: This was Glutton Girl's order. I really love chocolate, but, this cake was kind of hard and dry. It wasn't a favorite of mine. However, I'm not saying it's not good. As I've said, I love chocolate. So, it's a good thing to try it out as well. You might want to have this with cold milk. I think it's better. So, I guess Glutton Girl did a good job pairing the two. : )



Glutton Girl: As Glutton Guy said, this was my order. I love the smooth chocolate on top of the cake and the caramel in the middle. For me it improved the cake since the cake itself was not too delicious. Good thing I ordered milk for a drink. It really made a huge improvement.

Super Caramel Fudge Cake, 85 php per slice, 780 php (whole)


Glutton Guy: This was the vice versa version of the Old-fashioned chocolate cake. This time the caramel is on top and the chocolate (and some more caramel) is on the inside. It's sweeter than the previous chocolate cake, but I liked this one better since the cake is a bit softer and more moist. : )


Glutton Girl: This is also a good one. The caramel blends well with the chocolate, making it more moist and more delicious. The presentation is also nice, making it more yummy. It's also a good tandem with my cold milk hahaha

Santa's Chipper Chocolate Cookie Cheesecake, 95 php per slice, 900 php (whole)


Glutton Guy: This was my order. This is one of their newest cheesecakes so I tried it out. Plus, it looks good on the outside hahahaha I have to tell you, this is one of the best tasting cakes I've tasted. I'm really not a fan of cheesecake, but, this is really good! I just can't get enough of it. Just merely mentioning the cake makes me crave for some. The icing on the top, the cheesecake on the middle, and the chocolate crust on the bottom, it all works. It blends well and it melts in your mouth. It really is worth the price.  : )


Glutton Girl: This is the reason why Banapple keeps on creating good cakes that sell and another reason why people keep coming back to this place. This is one of the best so far (I still love Banoffee more though hahahaha). In fact, it's the best among the three that we ordered. The chocolate chips melt in your mouth together with the icing on top. I can't distinguish the taste of the icing though, but it's very very good. It's a bit pricey, but it's worth it because it's really really good.

True enough, Banapple is a dessert haven for people like us. You'll definitely feel satisfied with their cakes. Even just a slice is really enough to make you come back. And it would be a good idea to get your cakes there, too, for your parties or for gifts. It's also a good place to sit down, chat, and have fun. Katipunan is really a long road full of food choices. You'll definitely have a hard time choosing where to eat. But when it comes to desserts, there's no question that only one stands out among the rest - Banapple.

Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Banapple has 3 branches: 1) 225 Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City, 2) 206 Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City (These two are at opposite sides of the street, meaning, one at the right side if you're coming from Ateneo, the other at the right side if you're coming from Eastwood), 3) 2nd Floor, Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato corner Scout Madrinan, South Triangle, Quezon City (This one is near ABS-CBN))

Customized Fro-Yo???

Well, we did say that we're going to try and visit all the Fro-Yo places that we can visit, right? So, here's another Fro-Yo place for you guys that you'll surely love especially for its uniqueness.It's not your ordinary Fro-Yo place, since in this store, you make your own Fro-Yo.

In Frutti FroYo, your dreams of creating your own masterpiece can come true. There's no limit here. Whatever you want, you can place, thus making it "customized".What do we mean by this? Well, basically, what you have to do is:

1) You choose your Fro-Yo (Whatever flavor you want...You can even choose 2 or 3 flavors in one cup)
2) Fill your cup depending on how much Fro-Yo you want
3) Choose your toppings (Whatever toppings you want and how much of the topping/s you want)
4) Weigh your creation at the counter
5) Pay for your finished product

That's how simple it is in creating your yummy Fro-Yo here.  There won't be anything, or anyone, that's going to stop you. Simply put, you're the boss here.

The place is very cozy and nicely designed.  It's perfect for friends who want to sit down after a long, hot day and have a nice and delicious dessert together. When you look at it, it will be like you're inside a Fro-Yo laboratory, since Fro-Yo machines will be there, ready for you to create your very own frozen yogurt. The place's interior design is also cute, yet a bit "girly". When you sit down, you'll feel more comfortable in talking and sharing your experiences for the day, probably because of the good vibe of the place. Here are some pictures of the place to show you what we mean.

Frutti FroYo offers a lot of flavors to choose from. They have vanilla, chocolate, cantaloupe, and many more. They also have a wide variety of toppings. All of these you can mix and match.

Anyways, here are snapshots of our "lovely" and yummy creations:

Frutti FroYo Frozen Yogurt, 18 php per ounce


Glutton Guy: One of the best Fro-Yo's I've ever tasted. My only problem is the pricing. Since they price their product by the ounce, it's really hard to measure exactly how much you're gonna pay. They just let you fill your cup with Fro-Yo and toppings, without you realizing that you're actually gonna have to pay a lot already. You'll just be surprised at the price when you weigh your Fro-Yo. However, they do make up for their pricing with the taste of the product itself. The Fro-Yo, together with the toppings taste really great. With Fro-Yo this good, there's no wonder why we can't help but fill our cups. : )

Glutton Girl: I love how they have made a lot of flavors out of yogurt. It showed that you can opt not to have the original flavor. Although honestly, in my opinion, I still love the original yogurt flavor. It's tarty flavor is what makes yogurt different and unique. But the concept is very very original. I think kids will love it because of the fact that they get to choose their own yogurt flavors and toppings. But with this freedom comes big responsibility (in terms of paying the price HAHA). It tends to be a lot more expensive than the normal froyo around. I paid 200php for mine, so guys, my tip is just be careful when putting the yogurt and toppings. Don't get carried away by the fun part, because you might just pay big time (like me huhu).


If you're in for "a unique swirling experience", why not try Frutti FroYo's frozen yogurt. It's a treat that you definitely would not want to miss. You'll surely be satisfied with their unique and yummy dessert. What's even better is the fulfillment of eating you own personal creation. Who knows, you might find the "expert Fro-Yo maker" inside of you. We're pretty sure that you'll leave the place with a smile. Heck, even the cup can attest to that hahaha

Rating: Buddhalicious!
(Frutti FroYo is located at the Petron Gas Station at Katipunan, Quezon City. It's at the 2nd floor, above Chowking and the Adidas store.)

Countryside Goodness :)

Looking for awesome Filipino dishes that's light on the budget? Well, we have just the food place for you. If you want really, really good and cheap Pinoy dishes, head to Countryside Restaurant at Katipunan Extension in Quezon City.

Many celebrities have been raving about this underrated food haven, some of which were John Lloyd Cruz, Kim Chiu, and Gerald Anderson. If you drive by this humble-looking place in Katipunan extension, you might not notice it until you see the cars lined up outside. You will go, "What's in this place?". We couldn't blame them though; the place really serves good food!

 Want to know what's good here? Well, here's what we ate:

Pork Barbeque

(Their barbeque is the most popular dish, but they also some exotic but yummy dishes that will definitely make you come back.)

Glutton Guy and Glutton Girl: What else is there to say but "barbeque heaven". No wonder it's their best-seller. Heck, this really is Countryside's pride. It is really good. We can't determine though what marinade they use. Usually, the barbecues we taste are sweet or a bit spicy. But, theirs are just different, in a good way. You juast have to try this. Missing this can make you miss the whole Countryside experience. : )

Igado, 70 php

(Igado is a dish from Pampanga, made of stuff we really don't know. It tastes really good though, despite its ugly appearance.)

Glutton Guy: It tasted wierd, but in a positive way. There's a sour taste in it. Glutton Girl was really promoting this dish. So, we tried it. And I have to say, it wasn't that bad after all. It really tasted good despite the appearance of the dish. You'll just have to order another one since it'll all be gone after a few minutes hahaha : )

Glutton Girl: I love this dish. Wouldn't want to know what it is made of, though. I just love it. Period.

Lechon Kawali

 Glutton Guy: Whenever I see Lechon Kawali on the menu, I just have to order it and taste if it really deserves to be called lechon kawali. Countryside's version is super delicious. The skin is crispy and it is perfectly cooked. Plus, it's worth the price. It's another must-try, guys! : )

Glutton Girl: I loved the lechon kawali. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. It's yummy. :)

All of the food they offer are very affordable and yummy. We couldn't stress enough how good the food this place offers. Try it out for yourselves! No wonder people come back for more. We surely will! (P.S. We're sorry if we didn't place the prices of the bbq and lechon kawali. Unfortunately, we forgot the price. However, we do assure you that it's affordable and worth the price : ) )

Rating: Buddhalicious!

(Countryside Restaurant is located at 228 Katipunan Avenue, Blue Ridge, Quezon City. It's just beside Kopi Roti and near Banapple.)