Food Trip 4: Manang's Chicken Bloggers' Event @ Katipunan

October 15, 2011

After my work last Saturday, I immediately went to Manang's Chicken Katipunan. Honestly, after disembarking at the LRT Katipunan Station, I'm thinking if I will take a jeep or walk to the restaurant. I decided to take the latter, but it's a long walk! (walking is good for the health, haha! I'm a practical person as well)

I arrived there a few minutes before 3PM, so I waited for minutes before some of my fellow bloggers arrive at Manang's.

The Press Kit

Inside The Press Kit

Shortly before 4PM, the program started. The president and CEO of Manang's Chicken, Jill Gerodias- Borja speaks about the history of Manang's Chicken. 

In case you didn't know the beginnings of this successful story, they started selling their old family recipe at Mercato Centrale last December 2010. When people going at Mercato Centrale were very satisfied with the taste of Manang's Chicken, more people are flocking at their stall, and the rest, is history.

President and CEO of Manang's Chicken, Jill Gerodias- Borja

The Highlight of the event was the “Wings Challenge” eating contest. I was one of the three contestants of this challenge, and the other two were girls.Originally, five contestants were invited to join this challenge, but some did not make it to the event. But the contest must go on as planned.

After three minutes, I ate the most number of chicken wings, besting 2 other challengers. So I won a 12-piece chicken wings gift certificate and a Polo shirt (with embroidered logo of Manang's Chicken).

Chicken Wings! Yum Yum!

But the eating was done for me, haha! Manang's Chicken treated us bloggers their food. It includes their signature chicken, double deep fried chicken dipped in secret soy garlic sauce. They also served us their coleslaw, macaroni salad, and their new product, Manang's Chips and Dips, made from potatoes, which is delicious and crispy. You may select either garlic mayo or creamy cheese as dips for the chips.

Manang's Chips and Dips

Manang's Chicken

Coleslaw and Macaroni Salad

While eating, I was able to talk with a couple of bloggers, namely Yna Amores of The Girly Diaries and Jill Bantang of The Food Scout. Jill was also a contestant of the Wings Challenge as well.

As what I had written about Manang's Chicken (see my blog archive), I highly recommend their specialty chicken and you may also try their other products as well.

They're opening some branches before the year ends. They will open one at Taft Ave. Manila, near De La Salle Unversity. They will also open in SM Megamall and SM North Edsa in the coming months as well.

Food Trip 3: JT's Manukan Grille

It's been a while since I ate at JT's Manukan Grille. Usually I ate there along with my friends after our long and addicting game of badminton. Since we're playing badminton in San Juan (near N. Domingo), and the resto is just along Granada St. corner Valencia St., Quezon City (just between Gilmore Ave., QC and Ortigas Ave., San Juan). It's an open restaurant, so expect to smell air from the outside.

JT's Manukan Grille

In case you didn't know, the owner of the restaurant is none other than Joel Torre, the respectable actor in the country, who hails from Bacolod.

Joel Torre, the owner of JT's Manukan Grille

The restaurant is very much different to its popular food chain as far as the "inasal chicken" (or grilled chicken) is concerned. 

Me, while waiting for the chicken inasal.

Their menu

Their chicken breast "inasal" costs P88. It's affordable and I tell you, it's more delicious compared to the popular "inasal" chain. But you will order a separate rice (whether plain or garlic) which is only a single serve one. 

Yum Yum!

Although it may be a bit expensive compared to the popular one, I did not disappoint with the food here. That is why I ate at JT's Manukan Grille thrice already.

Food Trip 2: Manang's Chicken

I have tried the specialty of Manang's Chicken several times, which if of course their own version of fried chicken. I first learned Manang's Chicken when a member of Pinoy Exchange told me that the chicken of Manang's is better than Bon Chon (which I also tasted a few months ago). And so, the rest, is definitely history.

Last week (9-22-2011), during my dinner break from work, I decided to buy at their store in Ortigas Center (it is located at AIC Gold Tower, Garnet Road cor. near F. Ortigas Jr. Road Ortigas Center Pasig City. Contact # 5848848). I bought a 1-piece chicken (which costs P75) and I took the mild sauce. Since I have my camera with me, I decided to take some pics of the chicken I bought.

They should consider paper bags instead of plastic bags.

Packaged in Styrofoam

1 pc. chicken (mild sauce) with rice

Closer look of the chicken

In case you didn't know, the chicken is double deep-fried, dipped with a special sauce (you may choose the original one, mild spicy, or extra spicy) and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Since they are located in Pasig, they should have consider their packaging like box cartons for the food instead of styrofoam, paper bags for take out instead of plastic, and plates, metal spoons and forks for dine-in at their branch. But hopefully they will comply with these, just like other fast foods around the Ortigas Center. 

 

I really love Manang's Chicken! Tasty, delicious, and crispy! I would also recommend their chicken wings as well. "Ang bagong fried chicken ng Pinoy!"

For more info about Manang's Chicken, you may visit their Facebook page: Manang's Chicken. You may also follow them on Twitter: @ManangsChicken

Adventure Trip 1: Malaysia (Day 4)

August 30, 2011

It's our last day in Kuala Lumpur and our flight going back to Manila was scheduled to fly in the afternoon, so we woke up a little late, but at least we left the hotel on time and we had prepared our things to bring along. We were supposed to take a bus at KL Sentral going to LCCT, but our companion decided to take a taxi all the way to the airport since we woke up a bit late, might take a long time at KL Sentral Bus station and arrive at the airport late as well.

I was unable to get the paper of my companion that contains the itinerary of places that we can visit while we were in Kuala Lumpur, well, that include some places we had not visited like Genting Highlands, Batu Caves, and others.

It's quite sad that the day has come to go back to Manila, but who knows one day, we might come back to Kuala Lumpur and even stay even longer and even go to more places (hello Singapore as well?)

To wrap up this amazing trip (for me), Here are the summary, ideas, and tips while you are in Kuala Lumpur and nearby cities and towns: 

- Travel from the airport (we landed at LCCT) to KL Sentral usually takes an hour. There is a network of expressways as you travel along.

- The streets in Kuala Lumpur proper is narrower than the streets in Manila, but they have lots of street signs and confusing street turns. And they have an array of mass transportation around, like the BRT, LRT, Monorail, and the conventional buses.

- If you will take a taxi, make sure you demand the driver to use the meter and not by contract. Based on our companion when flagging down a taxi, it's better to deal with a taxi driver who is Malay rather than those who are Chinese or Indian (just an observation)

- If you love shopping, you will see malls almost side by side (especially in the Bukit Bintang area) and they have a wide variety of choices to choose from. Clothes, shoes, IT products, you name it! Most of the malls in Kuala Lumpur closes at 10PM.

- Since I have no idea what are the local delicacies of Malaysia (when it comes to food), I still would recommend eating at the row of Chinese restaurants also at the Bukit Bintang area. You may choose from the restaurants and Chinese dishes you may want to eat.

- Aside from Batu Caves and Genting Highlands, I would recommend visiting Kuala Lumpur City Centre (where the Petronas Twin Towers and other landmarks within the centre are found), Merdeka Square, KL Tower, etc.

Here are some pictures going to the airport for departure going  back to Manila.

Our home for 4 Days, near the entrance

Plaza Low Yat, it's an IT mall where you can find all the gadgets and its accessories you want to buy.

Sungei Wang Plaza

Berjaya Times Square

SMART Tunnel Entrance (Stormwater Management and Road Tunnel)

Toll Plaza at Putrajaya

Signage to KLIA

Another Toll Plaza

Scenic view of the expressway

Sepang F1 Circuit

Nearing LCCT

Cebu Pacific Banner encouraging tourists to visit Manila

Check-in counter inside the airport

My lunch: McChicken Sandwich, McShaker Fries-BBQ Flavor and Coke

Last pic at the airport before departing to Manila

Ready for take-off

Sunset while inside the airplane and home sweet home Philippines!

Adventure Trip 1: Malaysia (Day 3)

August 29, 2011

While my mom and my sister were still sleeping, my companion and I went to Merdeka Square to see the site and the architectural structures within that area. After waking up at around 8AM, we quickly proceed to the said site and take some pictures. It actually rained on that time, so we brought umbrellas to go there. So we rode the KL Monorail at Bukit Bintang station going to KL Sentral, then after disembarking, we walked a short distance to the LRT station-Kelana Jaya line, and disembark at Masjid Jamek station, and walked a few meters to reach the square. Here are some below pictures.

Inside the monorail

It's me @ KL Sentral Monorail sstation

@ KL Sentral LRT station

Information Board/Kelana Jaya line route

At the platform, and it's raining outside

Architectural structure in Malaysia

Merdeka Square

Marker of Merdeka Square

We actually entered the National Textile Museum building, but I was unable to take some pics and we only had limited time because we will going to Selangor after our photoshoot within Merdeka Square.

National Textile Museum building

After the photoshoot, we accidentally went again to the Central Market and then to Chinatown, and at that time, we decide to eat our breakfast. After eating, we went back to our hotel, buy some food for my mom and my sister, and take a bath while they are eating. Then we are heading to Selangor, particularly at Sunway Lagoon. I really thought that we are going to Batu Caves or even Genting, but instead we went to Selangor. Maybe my sister don't want to go to Batu Caves due to the monkeys. We would love to go to Genting, but it is too far and we only have limited budget left in our pockets. Maybe the next time we will go back to Malaysia.

To get to Sunway Pyramid, we rode the monorail, stop at KL Sentral, ride the LRT Kelana Jaya Line also at KL Sentral, disembark at Kelana Jaya Station, take a cab going to Sunway Lagoon. (http://www.sunway.com.my/pyramid/index.asp)

Look, no driver!

Entrance of Sunway Pyramid Mall

As always, we shopped around the mall to find items, and since it's Malaysia's nationwide sale at that time we were there, the items there are on bargain or with discounts.Then our companion asked us if it is okay to enter the Sunway Lagoon Park. but when we learned that the entrance fee at the park is too expensive for the all park package, even the 3 park package, we begged off. (http://www.sunwaylagoon.com/main.asp)

Sunway Lagoon

Entry fee is too expensive!

So we decide to go back inside the mall and shop around again. We had spent the whole afternoon to roam around the mall to see and buy some items that we will like. Hehe. At around 5:30 PM, we decide to eat at Nando's. Remember my last post that we were unable to eat at Nando's at Bukit Bintang, KL? This time around, we were able to eat at Nando's. Its specialty is their peri-peri chicken which spicesEating will not be complete without rice, hehe. We ordered 4 mild-spicy flavored chicken and a couple of sidings, one of them is rice. It might not be spicy, but I'm satisfied with the taste of the chicken. (http://www.nandos.com/)

Nando's Menu

Mild Spicy Chicken

After eating, we traveled back to Bukit Bintang, and do some last minute shopping before we depart for Manila the next day. We bought the I <3 MY t-shirts, a 16GB Sandisk Memory Card (for me, since its availability in Manila is limited, so I bought it for RM70), even tennis balls for my dad. After the last minute shopping, we went back to our hotel, eat snacks, prepare things for our departure the next day and surfed the net. It's so sad that our short stay in Malaysia will come to an end. Maybe next time, my next stay in Malaysia will be more exciting!

Bukit Bintang @ Night

Good night!