DARAKs KITCHEN: BEING OUT OF THE ORDINARY CUISINE

By: Krystel Vianzon

Are you a food-lover who loves to explore and try new eats? Looking for a place where you can find something out of the usual dining experience? Do you love to eat at a  very instagram-worthy environment? If yes, DARAKs KITCHEN should be a part of your foodtrip escapades!

"A simple dish from ordinary ingredients. Elevated by complicated technique and secret flavors that brings extra-ordinary taste"

The kitchen's tagline says it all. The resto offers a menu which is very Filipino but with a twist. The foods originated as simple Pinoy dishes but turned exceptional through the Master Chef's cooking prowess. Oooops! yes, you read it right, THE MASTER CHEF.


THE MASTER CHEF

The restaurant's owner is Mr. Sonny Boy Tuazon who became part of the Master Chef Philippines. Master Chef PH is the Philippine version of the British competetive reality cooking series. He was known for his darak cookies. D A R A K. You read it right again... Darak or rice bran is commonly fed to pigs or just thrown away but our Master Chef found a way to use the product and turn it into delish cookies. 

Click the link below to know more about his winning cookies 😂

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dN_mXBTgxrs

Darak cookies are now offered in Daraks Kitchen! Give it a try! Don't worry, they're completety edible and yummy! 😊

Mr. Sonny Boy aka "Darak King" became a part of the said contest from November 12, 2012 to February 9, 2013. 

ABOUT THE PLACE

DARAKs KITCHEN is situated in Panilao, Pilar, Bataan (from Espada intersection going to highway after Bataan Christian School and Penelco). The theme of the place was rustic and vintage. I've been there personally and I must say that it's really worth a spot in your feed. You will also enjoy the resto's background music since it is vintage and cozy. Don't forget to take a picture with the hall of frame plus a selfie with the Master Chef. 😊

Daraks Kitchen is open every Tuesday to Sunday from 2:00 pm to 11:00 pm

OUT OF THE ORDINARY CUISINE

Daraks Kitchen serves Pinoy dishes with a twist perfect for your unique taste and unusual cravings. Their best sellers are the Sisig Fries, Cheesy Sardines Sticks and Chicken Ala Darak. They also offer smoothies, frappes, burgers, rice meals and pasta which will surely satisfy what your tummy desires.

Sisig Fries

Monster Frappe

Hotscratch

Cheesy sardines sticks

Kare-kare Maki

Salted-egg chicken ala darak

Ice Cream Burger

Pro Tip: You can play their mini-game the "Tiki Toss" while waiting for your foods to be served and have a chance to win the following:

1 out of 5 shots = 1 darak cookie
3 out of 5 shots = 1 cheesy sardine stick
4 out of 5 shots= 1 sisig fries
Perfect 5 shots = 1 Monster Frappe

In every 300 pesos and above single receipt you have 5 tries to do the game.

Enjoy Playing and Happy Eating 😊

PERSONAL COMMENT

Daraks Kitchen is a perfect place to those who loves food as much as I do. Their menu is somewhat extraordinary and you'll definitely love the ig-worthy interior. My favorite food there is the Cheesy sardines Stick and the Sisig Pasta but everything is a must-try!  

DISCLAIMER: NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. ALL PHOTOS BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, AND ARE ONLY USED FOR VIEWING PURPOSES.

Saverde: A Coffee Central

By: Henry Datay

 According to a recent study, coffee remains to be a “go-to” drink among Filipinos. Who else have not been captivated by the enticing aroma of a cup of coffee? A fraction of people in Bataan are coffee drinkers, and also a fraction of these coffee drinkers are coffee addicts; consuming not just one cup of coffee on an entire day. Can’t think of a place to appease your not-so-humane desire for coffee? Then Saverde is surely a nice place for you!

Overview

Located at Gabon Street, Abucay, Bataan, Saverde Coffee Shop is one of the well-known bistros around the area. It has an indoor and outdoor seating plus a badminton court.  The ambiance is nice and soothing! If you’re from Balanga City, you can reach the place for about 10-15 minutes by a jeepney.

Coffee Swish and Good Foods

Saverde caters a wide variation of coffee choices that people would definitely adore! They have a house blend coffee as well as café Americano, café latte, café mocha, vanilla latte, caramel latte, hazelnut latte, and white café mocha. You can also have iced caramel latte, classic iced café mocha, iced white mocha and iced café latte! They also offer frappes and coolers. I personally have enjoyed their white mocha frappe and I would say that it is really good and worth the price!

Who would not recognize Saverde’s famous Beef Tapa and Butter Milk Toast? I personally love this combo together with Pink ice and they are my all-time favorite among Saverde’s other offers! I also like their carbonara and nachos. They also offer pork as well as chicken tocino, chicken longganisa, pastas, sandwiches, tacos, fries, Caesar salad, banana fritters, chicken in a basket, waffles. They also serve pizza either Hawaiian, cheese, or ham and cheese flavored.

Personal Comment

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly resto to bond with your friends or love ones, then you’re definitely looking for Saverde! With good foods at very affordable prices, this is really a very good place worth visiting. Just don’t forget the Beef Tapa x Butter Milk Toast combo!

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. ALL PHOTOS BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, AND ARE ONLY USED FOR VIEWING PURPOSES.

Marcena: A KTV Locus

     

 
By: Henry Datay       

We, Filipinos are naturally allured with the thought of karaoke, sing-along, and the likes during celebrations and gatherings. Known for a number of historical fascinations, Abucay, Bataan is also a host to several distinguished restaurants and cafés currently emanating with the foodstuffs and gimmicks they offer. One of these prominent restos includes Marcena, a KTV place you should not want to oversight!

Overview

                              


Marcena is situated at Ibayo Street, Abucay, Bataan. It offers both indoor and outdoor seating with separate KTV lounges. The KTV lounges are of nice ambiance, good for groups of up to 10 persons I guess. The atmosphere is so invigorating, perfect for a good day’s bonding. I would personally say that it is a good 10-15 minutes ride from Balanga Common Terminal.

Ornamentation

Located on the second level, Marcena, “where foodies and music lovers meet”, is furnished with a great and outstanding interior design. The place harbors an appealing interior motif; walls stacked with a number of marvelous artworks and knack frames, inspiring citations and excerpts piled on noticeable parts of the abode. As to the accommodation, you can choose between a fully air-conditioned enclosed seating and an open-air table-chair setting. The KTV lounges are of dusky background, organized seamlessly for an epic sing along.

Foods and Singsongs

The KTV Locus has an extensive selection of foods to offer! I really like the strong spicy taste of their beef dynamite as an appetizer. They also have nachos, fries, mojos, chicken wings, sisig and crispy pata. As regards to pasta, I personally recommend their baked macaroni because I really like its delightful taste. Their pasta menu includes Pasta Jenika, Fettucine, Oriental Pasta, Chicken Parmigiana and Pesto Pasta. If you’re longing for rice, Beef Teriyaki Ala Nena will be great! They also cook fried and barbeque chicken as well as adobo shreds, grilled pork belly, Korean barbeque and Herb Crusted Dori. They also have delectably flavored waffles; choco-banana, strawberry, blueberry, and rocky road. For thirst-quenching drinks, you can choose between iced tea, canned soda/juice, hot chocolate, and alcoholic beverages. They also serve mouthwatering milkshakes, teas and lattes here as well as Korean ice creams.

Their karaoke systems are all up to date! Their songbook provides a wide variety of songs, be it old or new, local or foreign. People can really enjoy good music and happy sing along here together with the nice foods they truly love.

Personal Comment

Marcena Resto and KTV lounge is good for people who really love happy karaoke sing along. For me, this is the best KTV pub I’ve ever gone to. With delicious foods, good music, and nice ambiance, Marcena is really one of the best places to go to with relatives and love ones for great bonding. 

         

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. ALL PHOTOS BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, AND ARE ONLY USED FOR VIEWING PURPOSES.

Esquinita Kitchen and Pub: A Happy Place

                          

By: Henry Datay

Home to numerous restaurants, bistros and grills, trivial or immense, the busy streets of Balanga City, Bataan has everything worth trying to offer. Almost everyone in this city is busy during the day, and an exciting night life is what everyone deserves. Looking for a nice place to chill with your friends on a Saturday night out? Then Esquinita Kitchen and Pub is one of the best places for y’all folks!

Overview

                           

Esquinita Kitchen and Pub is located at Magnolia Street, San Jose, Balanga City, Bataan. The spot is only a few minutes ride from the Balanga City’s Plaza Mayor. The place showcases a wide variety of mouth-watering “pulutan”, quality alcoholic beverages, cocktails, and mocktails.  It has a murky but cool interior design, and is a great place to be a little tipsy or go drunk all night long.

Nightlife

Tagged as “A Happy Place”, majority of Esquinita’s patrons are young millenials. Most students gather there after a whole exhausting week of studying to relax and chill. As to the menu, sizzling sisig is a must try! Sometimes when my friends and I go to esquinita for a night out, we order a plate of sizzling sisig and ample amount of rice because their sisig is just so good that it makes us want to eat it not as a pulutan but as a viand (Haha!). Their pork menu includes lechong kawali, chicharong bulaklak, crispy adobo and many more! As to chicken, they offer chicken tempura, spicy-buttered chicken, sizzling chicken, chicken skin, and others. They also have beef and seafood dishes to offer. They also harbor alcoholic ice creams as dessert. Every food there is worth the price! Their cocktails are also so certain but unusually termed - Gapang, Swabe, Tusok, and Basag; a mixture of different alcoholic beverages such as vodka, margarita etc. They also provide good choice of music through mellow acoustic bands or a hype DJ, an excellent way to alleviate a long and tiring day.


                                     

Personal Comment

                     Esquinita Kitchen and Pub is truly a place worth trying for. Their staffs are so kind and welcoming, and the management is so inviting. We frequently go here to get drunk and return home wasted. I would personally recommend this place to all the folks out there who are seeking a very hype and solid night out with their squad. 

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. ALL PHOTOS BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, AND ARE ONLY USED FOR VIEWING PURPOSES. PHOTO CREDITS TO ESQUINITA KITCHEN AND PUB OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE.

Limbagang Pinpin Museum and Heritage Resort: A Historic Domicile

By: Henry Datay
            

            Aside from being agricultural and fishing town, Municipality of Abucay is also a home of numerous historic and significant vestiges of the Spanish, Japanese and American Colonial Era. One of these so called substantial occurrences includes the existence of the “Prince of the Filipino Printers”, Tomas Pinpin, a person flagged by a prestigious place called Limbagang Pinpin Museum and Heritage Resort, dedicated to preserving the history of printing that contains hundreds of uncommon books printed from 16th 18th century.

Overview

   

             Limbagang Pinpin Museum and Heritage Resort is situated at Brgy. 2000, Abucay, Bataan. The place showcases an antiquated museum, a vibrant swimming pool with Jacuzzi, and a fine café which endows sumptuous meals. I’ve been in the place, so I would personally say it will take you at least 8-15 minutes to reach the historic haven if you are commuting/ driving from Balanga City, Bataan.

Brief History 

               According to historians, Tomás Pinpin was born in Barrio Mabatang, Abucay, Bataan, between 1580 and 1585. The exact dates of birth and death as well as his parentage are unknown because in 1646 Dutch looters raided his home town of Abucay and burned the parish records. He is thought to have first come into contact with the printing world around 1608 or 1609, learning from the work of other Christian Chinese printers such as Juan de Vera, Pedro de Vera, and Luis Beltran who had already printed several books for Spanish missionaries. Pinpin is remembered for being the first native Filipino to publish and print a book, "Librong Pagaaralan nang mga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla" in 1610, entirely written by himself in the old Tagalog orthography.

                                                                                                   

                                                                     (source: Wikipedia, Article about Tomas Pinpin)

Museum and Heritage Resort

               
                  Marked as the the “First Philippine Printing Museum dedicated to preserving the history of printing that contains hundreds of rare books printed from 16th C to 18th C”, Limbagang Pinpin Museum exhibits a number of artifacts and remnants that will surely give you the old world feels and chills. The edifice also offers an events place, where people can conduct seminars and celebrate parties, weddings, etc.  With its vivacious private pool and an outdoor Jacuzzi, Casa Gutierrez it is surely a perfect place for relaxing and unwinding.

Limbagang Pinpin Café

         With a wide range of food selections, Limbagang Pinpin Café is definitely a place to let loose someone’s hunger. From starters such as nachos, tacos, fries, Buffalo wings, chips, gambas, burgers and sandwiches, and pastas, up to their rice meals which includes steak, kebab, paella, stroganoff, chicken and fish meals, and their very own Pinpin’s baby back ribs, everyone can enjoy and savor every bite of stuff at a very reasonable price. They also offer several alcoholic beverages, carbonated drinks, and fruit juices. When we went in the café, I ordered Pinpin’s baby back ribs and I would say it is something worth for anyone to break their diets. Don’t forget to order ample amount of extra rice!

 Personal Comment

              Limbagang Pinpin Museum and Heritage Resort is definitely a perfect place for hanging out with friends, relatives, and love ones. The place is extravagantly beautiful and picturesque that everything is almost instagram-able, but above all, the place harbors several fragments of historical pieces that make it a lot more sophisticated and special.

                        

DISCLAIMER: NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. ALL PHOTOS BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS, AND ARE ONLY USED FOR VIEWING PURPOSES. PHOTO CREDITS TO LIMBAGANG PINPIN OFFICIAL FACEBOOK PAGE.