Where to Eat in Quezon City: Chinatown's Best Food

We were supposed to eat in Buffet 101 or Vikings but when I called them, fully booked na. So we ended eating here at Chinatown's Best Food, The Buffet Specialist in Banawe, Quezon City.

The busy street of Banawe in Quezon City is known in array of stores selling car parts and accessories. Ngayon, marami ng nagsulputang mga restaurants and tea houses dito. 

I first heard this buffet restaurant while watching Poptalk. They had good reviews. Then i saw it again on Ang Pinaka. Hmmm? Being a buffet lover..... we chose to eat here.

I called the day before to make a reservation. Good thing I did. See the people waiting...

After 5 minutes of waiting, we were given the go signal to go upstairs for the buffet. 

Chinatown's Best Foods has 3 floors. The ground floor is designated for dining customers who wish to order set meals and ala carte.

                                                                                                                                                                                                

The buffet is located at the second floor and the third floor is their function hall for private events and parties.

Unfortunately, picture taking of the buffet is prohibited.

My first round:

They also offer catering services.

We were so busog. Overall, the food is great and for the price, we will surely come back.

The price:

All Day Buffet (Monday to Sunday)

Adult - Php 548.00
4.5 ft and below - Php 298.00
3.5 ft and below - Php 198.00
Senior Citizens - Php 391.43


As of the moment, they do not accept credit card for payment. They also have the birthday celebrant promo. If it's your birthday, just provide a valid ID showing your birthday and you will get yourself a free buffet provided na may kasama kang isang paying adult.

Address
589 Banawe Street,
Corner Don Manuel Street,
Quezon City, 1100 Philippines

Telephone Numbers
+63(2) 7124249
+63(2) 7111444
+63(2) 7408649
+63(2) 7417942

Email
orders@chinatownsbestfood.com
www.chinatownsbestfood.com

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Kapitolyo: Palawan Provincial Capitol

Palawan is my 24th province. Nagpahatid ako sa tricycle driver para lang makapunta sa kapitolyo.

Noong unang panahon, ang pangalan daw ng Palawan ay Calamianes, at Taytay ang capital. More on history of the province here.

Ang sabi ni Kuya Nelson, ang design daw ng building ay halong Catholic at Muslim. Ito ay pinagawa ni dating Speaker Ramon Mitra. Sa kanya nakapangalan ang main building. Ang kasalukuyang gobernador ng Palawan ay anak ng dating speaker. Sila din ang may-ari ng Mitra Ranch.

Like most government offices, walang lunch break ang mga offices dito. Mayroon din silang gym para sa mga employees. Sa capitol compound makikita din ang Palawan museum. Sarado ng napadaan kami kaya hindi kami nakapasok. Maybe next time.

This post is part of the series Kapitolyo.

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Where to Eat in Puerto Princesa City: Badjao Seafront Restaurant

Our friends recommended this seaside restaurant for our lunch. Mura lang daw. They were 6 and they only spent Php 1300.00. Mmmm? Kaya ayun nagpahatid kami sa tricycle sa Badjao para mag lunch. Php 120.00 ang singil sa amin.

You have to walk in a makeshift bridge above the mangroves before reaching the main dining hall.

Sabi nila, kumain daw dito si Prince Andrew, ang Duke of York noong May 19, 2001.

Maaga kaming dumating. 11:30am kaya halos wala pang tao. While waiting for our order to arrive, we enjoyed the view.

After almost 30 minutes, dumating na ang order namin. Hindi namin namalayan na halos puno na ang buong dining hall. Aha! Buti nalang pala at maaga kaming pumunta. Badjao Seafront is open from 11AM-10PM. Kaya if you plan to eat in here, come early. 

Our food:

Iced Tea Php 65.00

Adobong Pusit Php 195.00

Crabs with Coco Milk Php 95.00 per 100 grams (Php 300.00)

 

 

Seafood Platter Php 695.00

Tatlo lang kaming kumain at ang bill namin ay Php 1650.00 kasama na ang 10% service charge. Dalawang platter of rice din ang order namin. Naisip ko, ano kaya ang kinain ng mga kaibigan namin at mura lang ang bill nila? Anyways, super busog kami at sulit naman ang presyo ng kinain namin.

See the evidence:

 Badjao Seafront Restaurant
Abueg Road, Puerto Princesa City, Philippines
(048) 433-9912

 

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Puerto Princesa City: Palawan Special Battalion WW2 Memorial Museum

After visiting Kuyba Almoneca, dinala kami ni Kuya Kent sa museum. Ang akala ko ay sa Palawan museum sa may capitol compound, sa Palawan Special Battalion WW2 Memorial Museum.

The museum is privately own by the Mendoza. Nakakahiya man sabihin, wala akong masyadong alam sa history tungkol sa world war. Sa mga textbooks at sa mga ganitong museum lang ako nagkakaroon ng kamalayan. 

May entrance fee na Php 30.00. 

Maraming mga sinaunnag kagamitan ang matatagpuan sa mga koleksiyon ng pamilya Mendoza.

Para sa mga taong gaya ko na walang gaanong kaalaman sa history ng WW2, Palawan Special Battalion WW2 Museum is a must see when visiting Palawan. Salamat sa mga taong gaya ng pamilya Mendoza na tumutulong sa pag preserve sa bahagi ng kasaysayan.

  Palawan Special Battalion WW2 Museum

Rizal Avenue East, Barangay Banaco-Bancao, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan 5300, Philippines

63 9996562471

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Puerto Princesa City: Kuyba Almoneca Meditation Garden

Our flight is 3:20pm and we still have an half-day to spend... Umalis na ang 7 at kaming 3 nalang ang naiwan. We asked the tricycle driver last night kung saan ba magandang mamasyal. Sinabi ni Kuya Kent na dadalhin niya kami sa Kuyba Almonica, sa may San Jose lang daw yun. Saka sa museum at kapitolyo. He asked for Php300.00 for our tour. We agreed. Tig Php 100.00 lang bayad namin.

Not everone knows this place. This is not included in the usual city tour. After 10 minutes, nakarating na kami. Kaagad kaming sinalubong ng isa sa mga caretaker at pinabasa yung tarpaulin na nakapaskil sa labas bago kami pinapasok.

Matapos ang kaunting briefing ay pinapasok na kami. Bawal daw umubo kapag nandyan si Neil, ang "special big boss" ng Kuyba Almoneca. Unang tingin kamukha siya ni Budoy diba. Naku at inuubo pa naman kami ni JoAnn. Ang hirap pa man ding pigilan ang ubo.

May entrabce fee na Php 50.00. Ang aming guide ay si Ate Celeste. Sabi niya, isa daw ito sa mga lugar na pinupuntahan ng mga candidate sa Miss Earth. Makikita sa mga pictures ang iba't-ibang mga naging bisita ni Neil. 

Kuyba Almeca is private property. At Celeste told us that the couple who  owns this lot bought it for the purpose of mining. But they discovered a cave. Cave with various formations of stalactites and stalagmites. But what makes this cave special is the formation of the Holy Face of Jesus. They also put some statues of saints inside the cave.

Ate Celete also toured us in the whole vicinity. May nadaanan kaming bat cave.

The couple who owns the place are devotee of the Virgin Mary. They installed chapel in honor of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia and Our Lady of Manaoag beacause one of them is from Bicol and the other one is from Pangasinan. Nakalimutan  ko kung sino.

Nakapaikot din sa buong lugar ang stations of the cross. This place is perfect for meditation and retreat. Patok din nyan ito ngayong malapit na ang Holy Week. Sabi ni Ate Celeste ay may Sunday mass na din sa chapel nila. They also accept weddings.

Mayroon ding restaurant sa loob. Hinda siya operational ng pumasyal kami.

Sabi ni Ate Celeste ang Almoneca ay naggaling sa pangalan ng 5 anak ng mag asawa. Allen, Monalisa, Neil, Monica at Almoneca. Tama kaya? Hindi ako makapag concentrate sa mga sinasabi ni Ate Celeste dahil gusto kong umubo. Hindi ko mailabas dahil natatakot ako baka nasa paligid lang si Bosing Neil. Ahem...ehem..ehem.. Ang sakit.

Ng matapos ang aming pag-iikot sa property, palabas na kami at naroon na si Neil sa may reception. Parang naramdaman niya na mayroon siyang bisita ngayon. Kaagad niya kaming pinapirma sa kanyang log-book. Ang mga bisita sa Kuyba Almoneca ay itinuturing na kaibigan ni Neil. Kinuha niya ang cellphone number ko at pina ring mismo sa harap ko to make sure na tama nga ang binigay ko. Hindi din mawawala ang picture. Gusto daw niya may picture sa lahat ng mga bisita niya.

Meet our new friend... Neil

 Kuyba Almoneca Meditation Garden is located at Sitio Masikap, Brgy. San Jose Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
Tel Nos: 048-433-2855/048-433-3177/048-723-0295
www.kuybaalmoneca.com

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