SAGING REPABLIK (You don't need to be a monkey to dine)

Word is Saging Repablik is the new place to dine. When it opened last week, my facebook  timeline was full of pictures that I got curious about the place. I only saw a few images about the menu and I got more interested with the interior.

Yesterday I went there together with my buddy Myk and checked out the area (parang foreman lang.)
Located at the old Sunburst right in front of Kangaroo Coffee shop. (location below)

Saging Repablik stands proud like an edifice unbreakable despite its intentional lack of finishing paint and lights encased in geometrically designed metals. It felt like a fusion of Blu Gre's Butingtings and an upscale Kasagingan. The two floor area could accomodate plenty of customers (cant tell the exact number) with chairs and tables in different heights and design. I am not fond of the waiters uniform which was all black, it adds up to the monochromatic feel of the building. Dim the lights and it could pass as a bar.

View outside 

If they don't improve the quality of their bananas, I suggest do not create your own

Gigingka overload - Banana Cakes

the waitstaff were nice and accommodating

stairway to second floor

pasalubong area: designs are reminiscent of team manila

French in the City (Au Francais)

Social media has greatly influenced humanity in our global community. We have the netizens who painstakingly observe the events transpiring over the world wide web. Take for example being tagged by your facebook friends of their whereabouts, recent activities and my favorite, food. 

I made a commitment to seriously count my calorie intake and get with my fitness. However there are times that my commitment is broken take for example last night when my good friend, Jayson Joyce tagged me of an exotic sounding entree only upon perusal that it was from a newly opened French restaurant. 

And so together with my best bud, Michael, our curiosity led us to this quiet and cozy place called Au Francais (pronounced as Oh-Fron-say, which I had trouble saying) located at F. Torres street, cor. Pardo Tavera st, just after Phoenix Gas Station. Dress inappropriately in shorts, we were greeted by the welcoming owners, Bonjour! which took me some time to process and replied: “hello”. Due to the ongoing typhoon, there were only two customers around. We were directed to our dining area and seated comfortably. The place was filled with French posters and to add up to the ambiance, foreign songs are aired which brought back old movie memories, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and so much more. Because of our supposedly commitment to fitness, we only ordered a few entrée and a salad. And since the Europeans enjoy alcohol, we tried a serving of their Mojito – minty and with a hint of alcohol.

Classic Mojito

Our food started with food compliments – Liver Spread which gave me a morbid recollection of my medical school days and from watching Hannibal. 

Get some liver into it

Then came our salad, Tomato and Avocado which surprisingly the vegetable bits came in crunchy and the cucumber tasted well.

The Tomato and Avocado Salad

Diner for Two please!

Eating is one of my favorite past times which to the envy of my friends and detractors because despite of my voracious appetite I do not bloat easily. Well, only my belly does thinking I'm having a benign case of parasitic infection. One glorious afternoon, I passed by Torres street and noticed a new store on my way to the conference. There wasn't too much publicity regarding this food stall or rather I didn't hear any publicity at all. So this afternoon from a 24 hour duty and after some hours sleep, I have decided to invade such newbie.

California Diner gives you the dust, literally since its beside the road. It gives you a 1960's vibe like those in movies. With old school house rock music blaring on their radio, think about Grease. It reminds me though of those mystery movies of roadside inns where truckers and commoners stop over to satiate their growling gastric juices. It's a small area and gives you a relaxing feel (as long as you turn your back to the road so that people wont notice you.)