A Must Try: Just Thai in Molito Alabang

Last April 25, I was at Molito Lifestyle Center in Alabang for the Cool Summer Fest 2016 Press Conference. And next thing I know, I found myself together with blogger friends at Just Thai restaurant just within the area. Thanks to Kathy for the invite (though it was just the first time we personally met). Honestly, I haven't tried Thai food before, so I don't have any idea what it's like. I am a self proclaimed foodie, I love to eat and I like trying out different dishes. So basically that night I'm in for a surprise and I liked it! 

Upon entering Just Thai, first thing I noticed was the exotic ambiance, it somehow gave me the feeling that I'm actually in Thailand (though I actually haven't been there yet). The ceiling was high, main colors was yellow orange and brown, tables and chairs are made of wood, and the place was tastefully and not overly decorated with Thai ornaments. The place isn't that big but it is spacious enough and they also have like 2 tables outside to accommodate more customers. Don't worry though because even though it's outside, it still is very cozy with all the bamboo decorations, the Thai lady statue and a mini pond. 

The food at Just Thai are freshly cooked and prepared so there's going to be a little waiting but I tell you, it's definitely worth the wait. What's good about Just Thai is that you can request for the level of spiciness, Thai spicy, mild, or Filipino spicy. I am okay with spicy food, I find it really appetizing but not all of us in the group are, so we had the food modified into mild spicy to almost not spicy at all. So without further ado, let me show you the sumptuous dish we had. Get ready for some Thai food lovin'!

Tom Kha Gai soup P190.00

Tom Kha Gai soup or Chicken in Coconut Soup. At first, I thought chicken in coconut milk as soup? No way! But hey it's really good! It's soo creamy, sour-y with a small amount of heat. 

Pla Muk Tod P320.00

Pla Muk Tod or Fried Calamari. Calamari is one of my favorite squid dish and Just Thai's version is definitely a thumbs up! It's crispy on the outside and the breading doesn't come off unlike other calamari's I've tried. The squid itself is so succulent and tasty, you can opt not to dip it anymore but for more flavors I suggest you do.

Moo Grob P280.00

Moo Grob or Crunchy Pork Belly. It's tender and very appetizing, dip it for added spice. 

Pad Gaprow Talay P280.00

Moving on with the Main dish. Pad Gaprow Talay or Seafood in Basil. First of all, I love seafood so this is absolutely a treat! Mussels, shrimp, squid, fish fillet in rich creamy coconut milk, it's an explosion of flavors and I really really loved it. Though personally, I'd love to have it with more heat and spiciness. But again that's just me. 

BPlah Meuk Gkratiem Manao P300.00

BPlah Meuk Gkratiem Manao or Squid with garlic and pepper. This is my favorite next to the Seafood in Basil. I am fascinated with how tender the squid is. The combination of the herbs and spices give an excellent flavor. Though again, for me it's best if it's a bit more spicy. 

Gai Tod P220.00

Gai Tod or Thai Fried Chicken. Seasoned and marinated to perfection that the flavor deeply penetrates the chicken meat making it savory and juicy. It is also crispy and just like the calamari the breading isn't that thick so it doesn't separate from the meat. 

 Crab Meat Fried Rice. P220.00

The CrabMeat Fried Rice is visually appealing, loaded with julienned carrots, some herbs, spices and of course the crab which is the star of the dish. You can already eat it on its own. 

 Pad Thai P280.00

Pad Thai is a stir-fried rice noodle dish with eggs, flavored with tamarind pulp, dried shrimp, red chili pepper, served with lime wedges and chopped roast peanuts. It's a popular street-food in Thailand, and I was excited to try it. As usual, just like the other food Pad Thai is flavorful and it was just right for my taste. 

What's a meal without desserts? So let's move along...

Khao Niao Ma Muang P260.00

Khao Niao Ma Muang is a sticky rice topped with thinly sliced ripe mangoes and beautifully formed into a rose flower then sprinkled with sesame seeds. The presentation is just so beautiful that I don't want to ruin it. lol I love sticky rice and I can say that it goes well with the mangoes, don't forget the warm coconut cream!

Tha Kho P140.00

Tha Kho is a coconut pudding wrapped in pandan leaves. With my first bite I immediately thought of Maja blanca, both has corn kernels too. It's really good. 

Tamarind Juice P80.00

As I was looking at the menu for drinks, I was torn between the Lemon Grass Juice and the 

Tamarind Juice. I think I have tasted the Lemon Grass juice before so I chose the Tamarind. It's sweet, sour and surprisingly refreshing. Though I think the flavor is a bit strong to my taste bud, but it's not bad at all. I actually enjoyed it. 

I bet you are already drooling just by looking at the pictures. Yes they all look appealing and definitely tastes good too. With every bite I felt like I'm being taken to Thailand, I learned that Thai dishes aren't simple, I find it really complex. They pay attention to every details by combining different herbs and spices and choosing the right ingredients making sure that the food doesn't just taste good but is also aromatic and presentable.

I really enjoyed my first Thai cuisine experience thanks again Kathy! And because of that, last night, I took my in laws with me at Just Thai in Molito Alabang since we are just near the area. Here's what we ordered, last night.

 Tom Yum P190.00

Tom Yum is one of Thailand's famous soup. It's hot, sour and it has prawns. You can definitely taste the complexity of flavors. Though I'm not a fan of this. 

Gai Ob Bai Toey P290.00

Gai Ob Bai Toey or Pandan wrapped chicken. It's a flavorful boneless chicken which became a hit to the kids and the husband. According to Jaear he liked the orange dipping sauce, it was sweet with just the right amount of spice. 

Pad Talay Prik Pow P280.00

Pad Talay Prik Pow or Seafood in Chili. It's mixed seafood and I guess everyone of us loves seafood so much. It looks so spicy right? But guess what, it's not! So basically I'm the only one who loves spicy food, so we had the all the food's spiciness customized, since there were also kids eating. My in laws liked this one, well we all did.

 Pad Phak Kung Sod P250.00

 Pad Phak Kung Sod or Broccoli flower with Carrots and Shrimps. One thing I noticed is that the Broccoli with beef or shrimp is a staple in our menu every time we eat out so here it is once more but this time it's Thai version. It was good though the shrimp was only like 3 or 4 pieces (bitin) hehe.

Khao Krok Kapi P250.00

 As usual Jaear only ordered the steamed pandan rice. But my in laws and I enjoyed this Khao Krok Kapi or Bagoong Rice. It's savory with contrasting flavors of the sweet and salty shrimp paste, zesty green mangoes, fried eggs and dried small shrimps. It also has chili on the side if you want it to be spicy. 

Last night I ordered the Lemon Grass Juice and I was right, I actually tasted it before! Jaear who's kind of a picky eater didn't really liked it, he said it tastes like medicine. It wasn't that bad but I personally prefer the Tamarind juice.

Another night of Just Thai lovin' this time with my family where I got to taste other dishes. However, just like the first time the the food were customized not to be spicy. I guess I have to eat there alone next time so I can have the food adjusted according to my preference, spiciness wise. Haha! 

Taste authentic Thai cuisine at Just Thai

 Visit them at Molito Lifestyle Center, Alabang

Tel. No. 808-4058

For more details check out their: 

Website: http://www.justthaicuisine.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Just-Thai-194210380589164/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justthaiph/

Kuya J Restaurant Food Review

I want to immediately say that nope you won't see Jericho Rosales in this blog post but you will definitely know whether this restaurant is worth it like "Money well spent worth it" or "I just came here because Jericho Rosales is endorsing it". Last November 14 was an average day for us and then everybody randomly decided to go out just because... Well just because they wanted to. We went to SM Southmall and upon entering there was this sign that my parents couldn't resist to notice. Yes, It was the Kuya J's sign inviting us to try their dishes.

We came there around 5:30PM and it was going to be an early dinner for all of us. I swore to myself that i wasn't going to eat much since i was a bit full from lunch, I even opted in ordering 1 cup of regular rice only but then they ordered Sizzling Gambas, Crispy Pata, Binagoongang Rice and Sinuglaw. I somehow felt a bit challenged since there's no way I'm missing out on any of those dishes.

Orders started coming one by one after 15 minutes which was alright for us since we didn't wait that long.

First up are the shakes. Everyone was like *bakit hindi puno* hahaha! We do like the idea of having it in a mason jar but taste wise there's really nothing else to complain about.

Price: 85.00 pesos each

Then comes the Sinuglaw. Marinated grilled pork belly and fresh Tanigue fish soaked in vinegar. I only ate the grilled pork since i can't tolerate eating raw fish. *Yes I'm also a kill joy with some Chinese, Japanese and Korean Dishes. Thumbs up from me for the grilled pork and another thumps up for the Tanigue fish from my parents and wife. The only down side is the small serving which will definitely make you order at least two of this.

Price: 230 pesos

Sizzling Gambas which happens to be another dish that will leave you hanging. We ended ordering another plate. It definitely have a good combination of heat and flavor. Achievement unlocked: Using heat in a food review like Gordon Ramsey. There's room for improvements though since I feel like they need to add a bit more flavor on the sauce since it taste a little bland after the first few bites.

Price: 295 pesos

Humbinagoongan Rice Platter which again is a case of *bitin* moment. We might have also underestimated our appetite and ended up ordering another serving of this. We love it and the additional pork on top is a bonus. 

Price: 175 pesos

Drum Roll Please! Here comes their  best seller Cripsy Pata (Regular) which is also their Signature Dish. I happened to have gaze upon the other tables and it's funny cause everyone except for the two love birds i saw had this on their table. We love the crispiness of the skin and juiciness inside. You can order a (Family) size one but this one had us full already. We were 4 adults and 3 kids to share and munch over this scrumptious food. 

Price: 490 pesos (Regular) and 695 (Family)

Foodie! The lady on the background is probably thinking : "Why are they taking a selfie holding a Crispy Pata?! That's how good it is hahaha!

The place is so packed full! Do you see that spot with empty chairs? That's where we sat.

But it was immediately filled with new customers.

I do wish that they include the taxes of each dish in their menu already so that people won't be surprised with the estimate that they have in mind. Overall we did have a good time and didn't expect that it only costed us that much to enjoy those sumptuous dishes. Kuya J Restaurant easily became a part of our family's must go to restaurants.

Check out their Facebook and Website for more details.

#KuyaJRestaurant #CrispyPata #Foodie #Teamporeber #TeamporeberEats

~Daddy Poreber

Be Fabulously Fit with Nestlé Fitnesse

Maintaining a healthy and fit body could be a challenge, especially to women who just gave birth. Pregnancy causes a lot of changes to a woman’s body. Some are just temporary but some no matter how unwanted stays, thus putting their self confidence inside the box and I am no exception. I'm a mom of 3 kids with my youngest whom i gave birth 2 years ago. I actually waited for at least a year when my baby has finally established her eating pattern and not just solely depending on my liquid gold. Yes, I breastfed my baby which made me gain more weight because I have to eat healthy including more calories since I am eating for the 2 of us. (excuses excuses haha)

Couldn't find photos of me back then. I guess I used to hate the camera. Haha!

After quite a long hiatus, I finally decided to fulfill my goal of staying fit. But the question is a big HOW?! I don’t like the idea of having to starve myself because I love to eat, nor enrolling in to a gym as I really don’t have the time. It was indeed challenging, but I have to get going. I began with some basic exercises at home but the problem is I have to modify my diet and that’s when I discovered Nestlé Fitnesse.

Nestlé Fitnesse breakfast cereals are made of whole grain, which makes it a healthy choice. Whole grains are unrefined grains that contains all the 3 edible parts- the bran, the germ, and the endosperm providing more protein, more fiber and many important vitamins and minerals. Studies show that eating whole grain foods helps you to maintain your waistline over time, making it a girl's best friend, my best friend for quite a while now. :)

I used to skip breakfast thinking it will help me lose weight but I noticed that skipping breakfast makes me reach for unhealthy snacks around mid morning. Not good right? So I quit skipping breakfast and started filling my bowl with Nestlé Fitnesse cereals, Nestle non-fat milk and some fruits. With many delicious varieties to choose from, breakfast has never been this healthy and delicious!

 I realized that I really don't have to deprive myself with the things I love. All it takes is a balanced diet including Nestlé Fitnesse, active lifestyle, a right mind set and most importantly is to make sure that I'm having fun! Maintaining a healthy and fit body isn't that hard after all. 

I've always been in love with swimming it's one of my favorite sports. Now I can be fabulous while swimming because I can fit to my swim wears already. I can't wait for more beach moments as now I'm bikini ready!

Staying fit should come from within and it will naturally radiate on the outside. Now I can confidently say that I'm a mom of 3 yet I still feel and look Fabulously fit! The title "Mom" is not an excuse for you to neglect your body. Make it as your  motivation to take care of yourself because if you're healthy, you could take more care of your family.

"Do something that your future self will thank you for" - Unknown

To know more about the Nestlé Fitnesse 14 day program for a more fabulous you, visit nestle-fitness.com or check them out on Facebook: Nestlé Fitnesse for more information.

What's your fitness story? Would love to hear them :) 

~Mommy Poreber

Yellow Cab's Pizzarrific Opening at Centennial Road Cavite

I've always been a fan of Yellow Cab though we don't have a branch in my hometown back then. I remember travelling up to 2 hours just to get a taste of their great pizzas, because the nearest branch happens to be in Baguio City. Oh The things I'll do for some good pizza.

Yellow Cab Pizza Co. also has good stuff happening to all people from the South, especially to those who are around Gen. Trias Cavite! 

Yellow Cab's latest branch is located at EPZA-Tejero Bypass Road (Centennial), Brgy. Bacao II, Gen. Trias Cavite, they already had their soft opening last October 31, 2015. 

Menu

And, last November 4 was their Pizzarrefic grand opening which I was invited together with two fellow bloggers and Ms. Irene Layno of Yellow Cab Team. We arrived around 12 noon to a busy store since it was already lunch time. The store isn't that big, I believe it can accomodate up to 30 diners only at a time. But they set up an extension outside to accomodate more, since they also have some opening promotion for diners.

No matter how busy, we were welcomed warmly by the friendly staffs and our needs were attended accordingly. While waiting for our foods to be served, we began with the pizza making activity. The activity was set by 2 batches, 2 bloggers at a time and my 2 fellow bloggers went in first. The other blogger didn't make it to the event so it was just me for the second batch. 

I was a bit nervous at first but eventually enjoyed making my own pizza, the Yellow Cab way! I was taught and assisted by sir Franco to make one of their best seller pizza, the New York's Finest which happens to be one of my favorite. Yey!

The pizza dough was already prepared so we just did the toppings, which are the following:

1. Pizza Sauce

2. Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese 

3. Pepperoni

4. Ham

5.  Bacon

6. Ground Beef 

7. Garlic

8. Onions

9. Red and Green Bell Peppers

10. Mushroom

11. Olives

12. Italian Sausage

13. Mozzarella and Parmesan Cheese

I'm not really sure if I got the spices in the right order but what I do know is that each of them comes in generous amount. Each spices are weighed and are carefully patterned with the goal of covering the entire dough up to the crust with toppings. And, that's what makes their pizza really great compared to other pizzas wherein the toppings are mostly just around the center leaving the edges of the crust empty. Aside from learning I definitely had fun especially on the part where Sir Franco told me to toss the Italian Sausage with feelings, as if I'm mad haha. I wasn't so sure if he was just joking or he really meant it, but I did what he said anyway (lol).

 After filling the crust with toppings, here's what it looked like.

Ready to be baked in the oven for 5 minutes under 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

While waiting, I had a quick lunch, Charlie Chan Chicken Pasta and Hot wings! 

Finally my pizza is done and I get to slice it too!

Ooooh! It looks deliciously gorgeous!

After the pizza making, we got the chance to meet and have a small talk with the owners, Dr. Leonard Lao (wearing blue polo) and Dr. Ismael Mercado (wearing yellow polo) of Divine Grace Medical Center.

Picture with the owners, fellow bloggers and staffs

When asked why they chose to franchise Yellow Cab, Dr. Mercado answered:

"We do believe in the company, and whenever we go to Manila or elsewhere we would always hang around Yellow Cab so we thought why not just bring it here!" 

Now they don't have to go far just to relax and hang out because their store is just very accessible to the hospital where they work. 

The Store opening was indeed a Pizzarrific success, thank you so much for having us!

Visit them now at, EPZA-Tejero Bypass Road (Centennial), Brgy. Bacao II, Gen. Trias Cavite or call them at 416-9999 for delivery. 

~Mommy Poreber

Chinese Food Fest! Part 2 at David's Tea House (Mall of Asia)

Lots of empty seats isn't really a good sign but we thought on giving it a try.

This is the 2nd Chinese Food Review for restaurants that we went to last October. It was our first time to eat here to Celebrate my husband's birthday. The place does look good in all honest opinion but we were wondering why there wasn't much people around. It could be the time which we arrived around 7pm. We ordered some of the usuals that we order in chinese food restaurants.

First was the Spinach soup... My husband immediately commented about how sour it tasted. We thought it was just him but after 2 spoons full we also tasted the sour taste of the soup. We immediately asked to the waiter and got it confirmed that it was already spoiled. They asked us whether we want to change it and my in laws to said to just change it to Nido Soup which was again another mistake. We can probably make tastier soup at home. Appetizers really sets your expectations of what to follow and it gave us a bad impression which pretty much ruined the mood.

Radish Cake (Needs salt, Lots of salt)

Shrimp Siomai was good.(they have a promo of buy 2 take 1 by the way)

Fried rice and Pancit Canton (Definitely need to order these right?) The only dissappointment is the serving size.

Laput Lapu. We like it but there was a bit of disconnect with the waiter. We wanted Steamed Lapu Lapu since it's easier to eat. (ended up accepting it anyway)

We also order shirmp broccolli but to be honest we already lost a bit of appetite to even take pictures and just wanted to get things over with. I'm not sure if we'll ever go back. (Hopefully the second chance we'll give them sometime in the future would be worth it.)

Let's not forget group pictures! Trying to smile and still be thankful for another year of blessings.

~Daddy Poreber

Chinese Food Fest! Part 1 at King Chef Seafood Restaurant (Lucky China Mall)

It's a big coincidence that practically almost all of my family member's birthday are all from September to October and for some reason we always end up eating at different chinese restaurants around Manila. I actually doubted a little on what Lucky China Mall can offer but soon changed after having our eyes and tummy filled with wonderful experiences.

The mall itself actually looks really good like SM like good in terms of construction and ambiance. There are different well known stores of clothes and restaurants included too. We took a quick stroll of the available restaurant until we ended up at King Chef Seafood Restaurant.

Birthday Selfie :)

The place looks pretty good. We stayed on the side cause we don't like people walking around us while eating.

We ordered some food the we normally order at chinese restaurants like the beef broccoli, broccoli soup, birthday canton , siomai, chicken feet and yang chow. We also tried some new dishes which was surprisingly superb like the fish tofu, shirmp balls salad and  the shirmp, crab and fish fillet all tied up together with sotanghon noodles. We normally have a lot of leftovers. I don't know if we were just really hungry this time but everything really tasted good that we only had a very small portion of the birthday canton left. I'd say this is one of our favorite places to eat from now on after just one dine in. It only costed around P 3,500 for 7 adults and 3 kids. I'd say it's "Sulit sa Sarap" Indeed.

Menu and Prices

Note: from 3-5pm and 8-10pm they have a 50% discount on their dimsums.

I forgot the exact name but it's shirmp, crab and fish fillet all tied up together with sotanghon noodles.

Shrimp Siomai

Birthday Canton

 Yang Chow

 Fish Tofu

 Beef Broccoli

 Chicken Feet

Crystal Prawn Balls

Happy Tummy for Everyone

Sansrival Birthday Cake :))

Our first family picture with food on our tables. (most of our eat out pictures have empty plates cause we only remember to take pictures after we already ate hahaha)

Surprised birthday song from the Staffs of King Chef Seafood Restaurant

It was a fantastic surprised birthday celebration made even more special with how good the food and service of their restaurant. It's definitely added into list of must try chinese restaurants. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook.

~Daddy Poreber