Marikeño

finding the hidden korean place

2011-07-08T00:06:00.003+08:00

the hidden korean place is run by two young individuals both sharing the same passions and dreams. they're just amateur cooks that never studied the art of cooking. all they know was that they both loved to cook and eat. sharing the same interest, they've decided to open up a small business where guests can taste authentic home style korean food.

the place's actually a house that was turned into a food place. It was the peace and silence that they loved mostly about it. why HIDDEN? it's basically because the place is hidden beneath the mango trees. some might find if hard to find the place without a sketch so make sure you ask for them to email you a sketch of their location. Here are just some of the food on their menu. read more...

bibimbab 비빔밥 (p200)
it comes from the korean words bibim (비빔) which means "MIX" and bab (밥) which means "RICE". this is one of the most famous korean dishes to foreigners because of its slightly spicy and sweet taste. colorful vegetables enhances its full taste. comes with side dishes. (photo's above this post)

bulgoki 불고기 (p250 beef/p200 pork)
Specially marinated barbequed sirloin beef seasoned with soy sauce, shiitake mushroom, sesame oil and some more spices. a pure joy one's palate. comes with rice and side dishes.

jjajangbab 자장밥 p200
don't let its appearance fool you. this is our jjajang rice, also called the black rice, topped with chopped cucumber, with black bean sauce, potato and some meat. a heavy meal for a very heavy eater. comes with side dishes.

kalbi 갈비 (p250 beef/p200 pork)
chunks of marinated beef rib, seasoned with soy sauce, garlic and sugar. made very spicy with hot pepper paste and powder. very tasty and full of surprises. comes with rice and side dishes.

odeng soup 오댕국 (p70)
boiled fish soup is a very simple dish, with flat boiled fish that tastes similar to filipinos' fish balls and seaweed. a little salty yet full of flavor. a perfect soup on a cold rainy night.

biyaheng pinoy for blogger's choice awards

2010-12-03T12:31:00.006+08:00

we're so proud to say that our other blog, biyaheng pinoy is currently nominated in the bloggers' choice category at the 2010 philippine blog awards. we've worked so hard to get this far and it was all truly worth it. promoting filipino destinations, food, music, etc. has always been our main goal. so far, we've been succeeding. we just hope that you will support us by voting us. you must have your own blog in order to vote. your blog must be established at least three (3) months from today with minimum of 10 posts.

to vote us, please go to this link and read the complete mechanics. please read it well. you do not want your vote go to waste. you must register at the philippine blog awards website in order for you to leave a comment. deadline of voting will be until december 2010 at 11:59pm. we hope that we will get your full support by encouraging your blogger friends to vote us, and hopefully, bring us to the finals.

marikina's pride; cafe lidia

2010-09-26T20:27:00.027+08:00

lydia, entrepreneur, never had imagined that she would be getting herself into food business. she used to manage an old shoe factory business, leading over 180 workers. hard to admit, shoemaking's a dying industry in marikina city. most of the small-time shoemakers in the city had stopped making them. not to add the skyrocketing prices of shoe materials they imported from china.

being this very positive and determined person, lydia decided to venture on food business. she believed that when a door shuts, a window opens. having zero-knowledge on how she would manage it, she sought advice from her friend, nelson tolentino. on september 8, 2009, cafe lidia opened its doors to the public. she only had 10 staffs. but it wasn't the ending yet. it was just the start of this great story.

only two week right after their opening, typhoon ketsana (also known as ondoy) made landfall to metro manila on september 26, 2009. a month's worth of rainfall in a single day washed away homes and flooded large areas of manila, pasig, and marikina. hundreds of people were killed and missing, thousands were left with no homes. it was the worst rainfall ever recorded in the history of metro manila. however, this didn't deteriorate lydia's spirits. instead, she faced all her problems with great courage and determination, she decided not to draw back. cafe lidia underwent an immediate facelift and soon attracted many hungry people of marikina. it became a perfect place for meeting people. it's where friends and families meet to talk and vent their sad stories on the recent event. lydia quickly noticed that more and more people were leaving her restaurant feeling better and relieved. only a year after their grand launching, cafe lidia has established its reputation as one of the best and top-rated restaurants in the city of marikina. here are the foods we've tried during our visit: read more...

buffalo wings (p150) tender chicken wings flavored with their very special barbecue sauce, cooked until bright red. it also comes with its special tartar sauce. it is so affordable yet tastes so good.

pasta ala lidia (p135) is their house special. it has anchovies, olives, capers, tuna, and fresh tomatoes in olive oil. very delicious and sumptuous. quite a large serving of 200 grams. if you love shrimps, don't miss their spaghetti gamberini (p160), an unpretentious pasta dish, served with mushrooms, garlic oil, and shrimps. it also comes with garlic bread. simplicity at its finest. highly recommended.

pizza madam (p230) is a 12" thin crust pizza topped only with the freshest and best ingredients like cheese, pepperoni, ham, olives, bell pepper, and onion. baked until crust is deliciously crisp. good for 2 to 3 persons. pizza mama (p205) is an all-vegetable pizza, with bell pepper, sliced mushrooms, onion, eggplant, pineapple, and zucchini. don't forget to also try their house pizza special (p220) 12" thin crust pizza topped with pepperoni, ham, bacon, mushroom, onion, bell pepper, and pineapple.

grilled pork belly (p195) is a new entrée recently introduced from cafe lidia's kitchen, flavored with their own special barbecue sauce, java rice, carrots and green beans. the pork was terribly tender and tasty; quite satisfying.

lydia's fish and chips (p160) is a buttered deep-fried creamy dory fish, served with thick potato wedges and tartar sauce. whoever sees and tastes it will swirl in excitement and delight. share this light snack with a friend or family.

cafe lidia is one of my most favorite restaurants and cafés in marikina city. their coffees and cakes are served with the biggest smiles. aside from their excellent menu, they also give speedy services by their very friendly staffs. the interior is quite cozy and comfortable, with lighting so easy to the eyes. free wi-fi service is also given to all you facebook fanatics. bon appétit everyone.

we would like thank the following people for making this feature possible: doña lydia, mr. nelson tolentino (publicist and adviser), ms. grace malabonga (manager), and to the entire staff (waiters, waitresses, chefs, cooks, assistants, security, maintainance, etc.) of cafe lidia. more power to you. visit them at #64 calderon street, calumpang marikina city; 647-7606; cafe_lidia@yahoo.com.ph.

thirty foods to eat in marikina city (part 1)

2010-08-31T14:25:00.011+08:00

marikina city, the shoe capital of the philippines is very popular for its shoe industry, clean streets, and orderly residents. but do you know that marikina city is also a good place to eat? if you're from this city or living somewhere around the area, make sure you check our list as we take you to a grand food tour in search of the 30 foods to eat in marikina city. we had to look for restaurants, bars, grills, cafes, canteens, and even turo-turos within the city just to find very affordable meals or dishes that you will surely like with prices up to php100 only. anything that will exceed the suggested price range will not be included on our list. we've decided to divide this feature in 3 parts. we hope you will find the food that you've been longing for.

jojie's barbeque pork barbeque (p12) is sold daily along marcos cruz corner v. santos street, sto nino. i really like its simplicity. no tables, no chairs, just your good 'ol barbeque. special marinade gives extraordinary taste to their barbeque. try also their balun-balunan (p9), isaw (p7), and special tenga (P10). opens daily at 4pm. jojie's barbeque has been running for more than 10 years already and is quite popular in sto nino. direction: from cubao, simply ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village, calumpang, or parang fortune. as soon as you cross the bridge of marikina, get off and look for marcos cruz street. it's near the tricycle terminal to malanday.

casa feliz cake vida verde tea (p86) is a refreshing green tea with crispy pistachio wafer, topped with fresh seasonal fruits like kiwi or strawberry. with chef jv in charged of their menu, no one can go wrong. they also offer pastas, pizzas, quesadillas , and other pastries. a big surprise tucked in the very quiet concepcion dos district. visit them at 95 rainbow st., hacienda heights, concepcion dos, marikina city. email them at casafelizcakesnpastries@gmail.com with number 933-6653. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village. get off at lilac street. take a short walk pass a local public school and look for rainbow street. click here for their map.

mama chit's cheeseburger (p85) is very tasty and juicy. it's a good place to hangout with friends and family. their place has a very stylish all-american theme with a mini slot machine, old posters of famous icons like elvis presley and marilyn monroe, and other coca cola pharapernalia. they're also famous for their giant hamburgers, sandwiches, wraps and cold drinks. you may visit them at #234 jp rizal st, san roque; 646-8547, 0923-4230729. you may email them at chits_coffeehouse@yahoo.com. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang. get off at a gasoline station right after passing san roque church. read more...

marikeños fried chicken (p45) is just new yet is fast becoming popular because of its reasonable price and phenomenal taste. side dishes like mashed potatoes, coleslaw, and mac and cheese are only p20. burgers, hot wings, and pastas are also available. all you can eat chicken promo for only p169 available daily. dining tables are now set for your eating pleasure. check their website for their party packages. they're located at #52 lilac st., concepcion dos; 407-4217. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village. get off at lilac street. take a short walk pass a local public school and look for their orange and yellow store. you will never miss them.

dee coffee house nachos (p100) is quite a standout. it can be served to 2-3 persons, big enough to be shared with friends and family. they've been around since 1960's. foods that they serve are mostly italian and mexican inspired specially prepared by mickey. one of their best sellers is their famous "coffee house" hamburger with chips (p60). place is perfect for a small meeting. come see them at #280 jp rizal st, san roque; 646-8549, 0917-9130009. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang. get off at a gasoline station right after passing san roque church. you will easily find them because of their green and brown signage.

pan de amerikana waknatoy (p35) is one of the very reasons why pan de amerikana is so popular. it is a marikina dish, a must-try. of course, they are marikina city's most famous pandesal. they also serve everlasting (p120), like embutido but placed in a llanera, thus resulting its shape. it is good for 3-4 persons, a perfect palaman to their giant pandesal. come see them at #92 gen. ordonez st, concepcion dos; 475-2398. visit their official website for more info. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village. get off at the old baytree place and take a 2-minute walk along gen. ordonez street. click here for their location map.

cafe arabiscato pata-tim (p60) is an affordable lunch meal served with rice. it is an oriental food with pork pata, mushroom and mixed vegetables. they also offer breakfast meals, appetizers, grills, pastas, noodles, and others. arabiscato is a granite stone made in italy, said its owner, mrs. marilyn tiangco. popular live bands perform during weekend nights like imago, 6cyclemind, callalily, and sandwich. catch them at #48 lilac st., hacienda heights, concepcion dos; 475-0854, cafearabiscato@yahoo.com. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village. get off at lilac street. take a 3-minute walk pass a local public school. look for their big sign.

locupleto cafe ham and cheese (p75) is served with chips and drinks. very affordable. if you're searching for something light yet delicious and satisfying, make sure you try this one. house specials include pastas, cakes, pastries, chicken cordon bleu, fish fillets, chicken patty in teriyaki sauce, and salisbury steak in mushroom gravy. visit their shop along toyota avenue; 386-2994, locupletocafe@yahoo.com. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village or parang. get off at the marikina sports center and take a short walk to toyota street. note: store will be closed on august 15 for renovation. reopening will be announced.

cafe lidia chocolate paradise (p85) is a very thick dark chocolate layers of sponge cake with a little hint of coffee and caramel, a perfect ending to a perfect meal. they're easily becoming the crown of calumpang. their huge menu is filled with salads, steaks, pastas, desserts, etc. rave reviews of their foods are now scattered all over the internet. best-sellers are their steaks, 12 inch pizzas, buffalo wings, seafood pastas, and their sandwiches served with french fries. location is at # 64 calderon st; 647-7606, cafe_lidia@yahoo.com.ph. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang and get off along calderon street. very easy to find.

bacolod chicken parilla inasal chicken (p80) is their house specialty, tasty and oozing with juiciness. i could not count how many times i've eaten here. personal favorites include spare ribs, sizzling pork sisig, inasal pak-pak, and the black sambo. they are becoming marikina heights' hidden gem. lightings and interiors are quite impressive and the staffs are friendly and courteous. visit them at circle mall extension, marikina heights; 381-1199. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village or parang molave. get off at meralco marikina branch, then ride a tricycle to bacolod chicken parilla near circle mall.

read part 2 of this article...
read part 3 of this article...

thirty foods to eat in marikina city (part 2)

2010-08-21T00:40:00.001+08:00

thank you to all of you for your overwhelming response to this feature. we never thought that a lot of you would be interested to this. we're so happy that you like it. please email us your comments and recommendations so we can check other food places in this city. we 've also been featuring all these foods in our facebook fan page. you may click here to follow us, so you may participate in our discussions. we will wait for you. without further ado, we're featuring 10 more food places as part of our feature, thirty foods to eat in marikina city. we hope that you will support these establishments as you support our website. click here to read the first part of this feature. note: please watch out for our first marikina food tour.

lunchbox beef tapa (p35) is the conventional type (fried beef, (rice and egg), but what's special about this place is that their foods are super affordable. they also serve sandwiches (ham and cheese, ham and egg, chicken sandwich, tuna and egg, club sandwiches), ice shakes, and pastas. hot noodles are also available. try their double dutch ice shake for only p10. carbonara is only p20 an order. lunchbox is located along shoe avenue, infront of the municial hall, near the entrance of tambay kay lim. call them at 0917-9329042. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang. get off at w paz street, sta elena, and take 5 minute walk to the municipal hall.

sweet maddie's avenue adobong pusit (p75) is served with rice and soup; very tasty. i could not remember the last time i've enjoyed my squid. it is both tender and a little sweet. delightful. you should also try their fresh lumpia, for just P35. it has bean sprouts and drizzled with sweet slighty salty sauce with peanuts. they're located at #42 general ordonez, marikina heights, right across pan de amerikana; 466-2789, 0910-5426857, 0917-5905816; you may email them at sweetmaddiesplace@yahoo.com. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village. get off at the old baytree place and take a 2-minute walk along gen. ordonez street.

johnny's fried chicken lumpiang shanghai (p40) is served with hot fried rice and drinks. i think it is safe to say that "the fried of marikina" is marikina's pioneer in chicken business. their chicken served hot and crispy, that is why a lot of people enjoy eating it. quarter chicken is only P81. aside from their famous chicken, they also serve camaron rebosado, chopsuey guisado, sandwiches, and breakfast meals. they're located at w paz st, sta. elena; 682-0553. other branches are in manggahan pasig, riverbank mall, and antipolo city. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang. get off at w paz street, sta elena, and take a minute walk. read more...

kaypee indian restaurant chole bhature (p100) is a robust meal, something new and exciting. it is a meal mainly consists of bhatoora, classic fried bread with yoghurt, dipped in chole, a slightly sweet spicy sauce with chick pea or garbanzo bean, filled with several herbs and spices, to make it more flavorful. the aroma and taste were both pleasant and unforgettable. also try chicken biryari (p150), a spicy chicken breast buried over original indian basmati rice seasoned with herbs and spices, and rose lassi (p60). #14a gil fernando ave.; 0905-226-3535. direction: from cubao, ride a jeep or a bus going to montalban. get off at gil fernando avenue.

macky's eatery tokwa't baboy (p28) is made up of small crunchy liempo bits, tokwa, and sweet sour sauce to add its finishing touch. other specialties are their famous goto, spaghetti, pancit palabok, cheeseburger, chili burger, chili dog, halo-halo, and ginataan na bilo-bilo. macky's is one of the most famous snack places in marikina city. they're open mondays to saturdays, 630am-630pm. they also have their 2nd branch in concepcion uno. #244 jp rizal, sta elena, near san roque church; 584-5684. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang. before approaching san roque church, get off along jp rizal street. it's right along the road.

qizia cafe bacon and cheese with pesto and tomatoes sandwich (p75) has a pleasant pesto smell prepared with fresh veggies and crispy bacon. bread, toasted just right. served with chips. perfectly enjoyed with their strawberry smoothie. also try their pastas (arrabiatta, carbonara, bolognese, amatriciana, beef pesto, anchovies and tuna, tuna pesto, fettuccine alfredo, spicy shrimp, creamy cheese, seafood pasta, and more). they're located along katipunan avenue, concepcion dos; 489-0760. direction: take an sss village fx or jeep. get off at katipunan avenue corner rainbow street, and take a 5-minute walk to sds hospital.

bite resto bar cheesy sushi (p75) is another must-try in marikina. tired of your usual sushi? not challenging enough? sushi fans would surely love this. don't miss to try their tokwa at tuna (p100), crunchy and healthy. just add some wasabi, soy sauce, and calamansi to put extra kick to it. bite resto bar is also a good place for meetings with friends and families. they have live bands playing music from the 50's, 60's and the 70's. they also play songs from the beatles. opens daily 4:30pm. #90 gil fernando ave.; 682-8603. direction: from cubao, ride a jeep or a bus going to san mateo or montalban. get off at gil fernando avenue corner mount vernon street.

lovellitos inasal pak-pak (p65) is probably one of the tastiest chickens in marikina. their pak-pak meal consists of 2-pc chicken wing and garlic rice for only P65. Iced tea is only P15. other specialties are paesang dalag, pusit lumot, liempo, crispy pata, special bulalo, pata tim, tuna belly, tuna panga, hipon, dalag, and crispy hito. they also serve gambas, mongolian barbeque, steamed pla-pla., and flaming chicken. opens 10am-10pm mon-sun. #378 de guangco st. near san roque church; 382-3808, 348-5470. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang. get off at the san roque church (our lady of the abandon church). they're right infront of cafe kapitan.

pap's diner beef salpicao (p60) is a festive treat of tender meat mixed with garlic, mushroom, young corn, onions, green chili and red bell pepper, splattered with special sauce, and served on a sizzling plate, served with rice and drinks. highly recommended. you should also try their sizzling kare kare. i know most of you haven't tried that yet. you may also request them to make your food spicy, hot, or mild. visit this hot food spot at #39 bayan-bayanan, concepcion uno; 572-7918, 542-7841. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village or parang molave. get off along bayan bayan avenue in concepcion uno near ucpb bank. they're near a gasoline station.

oggo and jullz grill oj'z chicken wings (p80) is specially prepared by chef wendell, fried tender chicken wings coated with special barbeque sauce, oozing with juiciness. it's the chicken with a different twist. its presentation's very impressive. also available, oj'z red iced tea (p35). cool and super refreshing iced drink. their interior's quite nice and the place is airconditioned. perfect for simple lunch date and meeting. also try their banapple. it is their special dessert. direction: ride an fx or a jeep going to parang lamuan. get off along jp rizal corner sampaguita street. #727 jp rizal st, lamuan; 227-6869.

read part 1 of this article...
read part 3 of this article...

thirty foods to eat in marikina city (part 3)

2010-08-14T04:37:00.010+08:00

doing this comprehensive list of 30 most affordable foods in marikina city was something we have never imagined doing. it was no easy task. we never thought that it would be possible for us to visit all of them. we were skeptic at first but because of our determination and the persuasive powers of our readers, we were able to pull it off. the result was so great and overwhelming. so before we give you the last part of our list, let me also inform you all that we are currently planning on organizing a food tour in marikina city. our aim is to promote the city's food industry and to help boost its tourism. we hope that you will support this event. please regularly check our invitation for more updates and information. it's an open invitation.

again, we would like to thank our avid readers for giving us your suggestions. we also thank the following food establishments for helping us accomplish this enormous feat: 3 bears restaurant, bacolod chicken parilla, bite resto bar, boy yoghurt, boyong's buffet, cafe arabiscato, cafe lidia, casa feliz cakes, dee coffee house, estela's goto, johnny's fried chicken, jojie's barbeque, kaypee indian restaurant, krung thai, locupleto cafe, lovellitos chicken inasal, lunchbox, luyong's restaurant, macky's eatery, mama chit's, marikeños fried chicken, mexiquina's bar and restaurant, oggo and jullz grill, pan de amerikana, pap's diner, pic a pie bakeshop, pot-ling, qizia cafe, red paint bar, and sweet maddies avenue. let's all supporting these wonderful entrepreneurs. i dedicate this article to my loving grandmother.

pot-ling pancit luglog (p15) is one of their best sellers in this carinderia style place in parang. they're quite popular in their area because of their delicious food but super affordable. kare-kare with rice and soup is just p35. they serve other lutong bahay like tinolang manok, lechong paksiw, sisig, mechadong baka, and more. they also have mami noodles and other meriendas. their location is at #32 ml quezon street; 0920-8396533. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to parang. get off at the ngi public market and look for their small carinderia store along ml quezon street, near a 7-11 convenient store.

mexiquina's bar and restaurant crispy tawilis (p70) is a perfect spicy pulutan garnished with onions and hot chilis. also try their amazing buffalo wings (p150), while you drink booze, and listen to their cool music. opens daily at 5pm. they're located along ming ramos street, sta elena. tell them you've read about them in biyaheng pinoy. mexiquina's bar and restaurant is the hottest bar place in the city of marikina. they just had their grand opening a few weeks ago. directions: from cubao, simply ride a jeep going to calumpang. get off at s. dela paz street and take a 3-minute walk down to the riverside, all the way to ming ramos street.

boy yogurt frozen yogurt (p40) with fresh bananas, topped with dried mango bits and graham. just add P5 for additional toppings like rice crispies, oreo, choco chips, dried fruits, etc. special fruit toppings are also available (lychees, peaches, cherry) for only P10. rainy days are here to stay yet it's still not too late to have this cold hearty treat. they also offer ice cream crepe for a sweet tooth like me. they're located at #115 a mabini street, san roque; 646-7428. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang. get off at the san roque church. look for a. mabini street right across the church. you will find their signage and a small window. read more...

estela's goto special goto (p20) is a very popular goto in marikina city since 1973. estela died in 2006 and her store was managed by her eldest son ever since. their goto was not oily and i love the garlicky taste of it. truly marikina. make sure you visit them. personal favorites are saba con yelo (p10), lumpiang ubod (p25), and tokwa't baboy (p20). opens daily from 8am-7pm. located at #21 villalon street, sto nino; 0918-5515156. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang. once you cross the marikina bridge, get off at villalon street, first corner from the bridge. it's a secret place that pure marikenos should know.

boyong's buffet everlasting (p30/slice) is always present during marikina family events and occassions, thus explains its name. they're celebrating their 12th year in business. they're quite popular in sta. elena, san roque, and calumpang areas; that's why they were featured one time in a local magazine. must try their pastas, waknatoy (p40), burgers, and korean barbeque (p40). they also offer catering services. visit them mondays to saturdays 6am to 5pm at #13 e dela paz st, san roque; 682-0403, 682-5615. direction: ride a jeep going to calumpang and get off at china trust bank along jp rizal street, corner e. dela paz street.

3 bears restaurant papa bear's sisig (p99) is a lechon kawali placed on a sizzling plate, with special gravy that only they can offer. skin was very crunchy; meat so tender and juicy. sinful yet highly recommended for all you sizzling lovers. we also recommend their longsilog ala vigan (p49), sided with their authentic ilocano vinegar, and fish and fries (p89). it's breaded creamy dory fish, deep fried, served with fries. they're located at #8 saint mary avenue, provident village; 369-8430. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village, calumpang, or parang fortune. get off at provident village and take a 2-minute walk along saint mary avenue.

pic a pie bakeshop ensaimada (p17) is both a perfect snack and dessert to all ages. make sure you visit them early in the morning because they run out of them quickly. they're also famous for their sansrival and very affordable silvanas (p11), sweet sinful layers of buttercream, coated with devilish cookie crumbs, and sprinkled with peanuts. sweet temptation.. they've moved to their newer location at #4k e. jacinto street, sto nino; 906-8565, 515-0053. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village, or parang fortune, and get off along sumulong highway, near the marikina sports complex. just ask directions to get to e. jacinto street.

red paint bar sizzling scramble (p90) is egg omelet mixed with sliced onions and hotdogs, placed neatly on a sizzling plate. enjoy this while drinking beer and listening to cool music or while playing billard. their crispy tenga (p125) is highly recommended. it is pig ear strips, covered with flour and deep fried until brown and crispy. very good pulutan. cucumber side dish serves as a perfect garnish; enchances the taste of the dish. they're located at #114 a. bonifacio avenue, tanong; 482-1672. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to calumpang, sss village, or parang fortune. just get off along a. bonifacio avenue, right infront of the loyola memorial park.

krung thai fried rice (p99) is mixed with shrimps, onion, and other fresh veggies, perfectly complimented with egg, cucumber and calamansi. this place is perfect for adventurous food lovers like me. i've also had my best thai tea (39) here, very creamy and refreshing. sooo sooo good. . tom yam (p150) is good for 2 persons. overflowing with hot spicy goodness and taste of fresh seafoods, like tuna, shrimp, and squid. enhanced with mushroom, tomatoes, and onion. visit them at marcos cruz st. corner wc paz, sta elena; 646-4041. direction: catch a calumpang jeep. get off along jp rizal street corner wc paz street, sta elena. it's right next to johnny's fried chicken.

luyong restaurant miki bihon with lechon (p160/3 persons) is loaded with fresh veggies and juicy lechon kawali chunks. they've been around since 1974 and is the most popular restaurant in marikina city. they're proud to say that their cooking style is purely cantonese that hasn't been changed or altered for the past 36 years. trivia: they got the store's name from the owner's father. also try their sweet and sour pork (p150), and lumpia shanghai (p150). they're located along shoe avenue, sto nino; 941-4872, 942-0740. direction: ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village or parang fortune. you will find them along shoe avenue in sto nino.

read part 1 of this article...

read part 2 of this article...

casa feliz

2010-06-04T04:07:00.006+08:00

a sweet place in marikina by vena samson

chef jv of casa feliz is the brain of their pastry and menu list. he finished his course on culinary arts at the university of cebu. his favorite chef's anthony bourdain of the travel program called "no reservation." though he became popular in this restaurant, being praised for his creations, he's generous enough to even extend his assistance by also being a waiter that served the meals to the customer's table. in spite of this, he didn't want his face to be the first image to get recognized in their restaurant. he wanted it to be known without needing his name to be associated to it. after our great meal at casa feliz, we could say that whether you're a spanish or a filipino, it is guaranteed that a visit to this place would be a happy eating experience.

chef jv started off with the star of the house, a slice of their famous "vida verde tea" or the green tea pistachio sans rival cake. he said that he's inspired by his friend that once said "eat desserts first". though he didn't elaborate it that much, personally, i thought it meant that the best things should not be kept waiting. with just the right amount of texture and sweetness on the icing, crunchiness of pistachio nuts, and the slight chewiness when you bite the layers of its crust, this is truly a mouth-watering dessert. and not just all that. atop of it were fresh slices of kiwi fruit, a seasonal and imported fruit that proved that it's their masterpiece. their pistachio nuts were supplied by a known company in the country. it's best served during breakfast and it's perfectly matched with a cup of hot espresso or cappuccino. read more...

bacolod chicken parilla

2010-03-11T17:10:00.009+08:00

bacolod: just a smile away by vena samson

“papano mangyayari yun?” (how could that happen?). of course, this can’t really happen. but from a food enthusiast’s point of view, eating at bacolod chicken parilla is already as good as visiting a bacolodnon household. it’s because they serve a wide variety of their native dishes and grilled concoctions (“parilla” is a spanish word for barbeque grill; “parilya” is our derived tagalog word which we thought could be the origin of their name). all the staffs are visayans (except for one), therefore you can expect and experience bacolod's trademark service.

this is the second branch of bacolod chicken parilla, owned by some young bacolod entrepreneurs. their main branch is located along scout reyes in quezon city. the restaurant is just one tricycle ride away from barangay concepcion, marikina. however, if you are coming from outside the city, all you have to do is find a jeepney or fx going to marikina, particularly sss village. drop by concepcion or meralco, then ride a tricycle from there. the restaurant has a minimalist interior set-up as of today, but we were informed that improvements are already being conceptualized, concentrating on wall decorations and characterized interior lightings. as to the exterior, especially during night time, the place is so vibrant, because its lighting effects are perfectly matching with the warmth of the surrounding community. talking about their food, we are priviledged to pick and taste some of their offered menu and the result was quite promising. read more...

meet vena

2010-02-26T01:21:00.017+08:00

meet vena, a very good friend, a smart licensed architect, a perfect mom for her cute kid, and also a full-blooded marikeño.

vena would make a great correspondent for this travel blog because of her witty humor, strong-willed, and adventurous personality. a successful career woman in her own right, she is currently working in one of the best management companies in the country. we pretty much share the same things: she likes to eat a lot and would definitely eat anything as long as it's not icky looking. she's also good in mingling with people from all walks of life and has been awarded with hundreds of friends and associates everywhere.

so let's all welcome her as she will be the future face of biyaheng pinoy and marikeno. get ready to join her as she takes you on an unpredictable journey to the beautiful and joyful place she calls home. the photo posted above was taken during a photo-walk along the river bend on january 2010 with vena and her kid, van. you may email her at vena@biyahengpinoy.com for your questions and suggestions.

thou shalt not steal

2010-02-11T10:38:00.000+08:00

i was browsing the internet this afternoon when i saw the article "85% of marikina businesses resume operations" at the official marikina goverment website. i thought it was a short yet interesting subject. very good news indeed. but wait. hmmm, something doesn't seem right. i moved my eyes closer to my monitor and i was devastatingly surprised to see this. what is my photo doing in this website???

i should be honored, right? i should be jumping for joy to know that a goverment website like the official marikina website would use a small-time blog's photo and post it on their page. i should be running and screaming inside my room for getting noticed.

NOT. i am not honored, i am not jumping for joy, and i am not running and screaming inside my room for that. because i feel that i was robbed, disrespected, belittled, and awfully betrayed by some big-time web developers that cannot come up with his own photos. some of you might think that it was not really a big deal because they never took out my name on that photo, but it was. they never bothered to email me and ask for my consent. they never even bothered to mention the photographer's name or the blog where they took that photo from.

i already wrote to them right after seeing the photo. i just hope that the moderators of the said website would read this and write me an explanation on their take on this matter. this post is dedicated to all the photographers who have been robbed and disrespected.

updates:

february 18, 2010: i visited the office of the mayor to present my complaint letter. i also presented a copy of the same letter to councilor donn favis, the head of the marikina management information systems. i will continue my fight no matter what.

march 23, 2010: finally, i've received a formal apology letter from a mr. ramil nafarrette, one of the web developers of the said website. although, i still didn't feel comfortable reading about his opinion on fair use of copyrighted materials, which i thought was PURE CRAP because this was all about disrespect, i thought that his words were somehow sincere and apologetic. may this occurrence serve as a lesson to every artist out there to be vigilant and protective with your creations. don't let anyone step on you, and always put up a good fight when they try to hurt you.

pan de amerikana

2010-01-04T12:13:00.005+08:00

No, this place is not a theme park or some kind of a hidden garden. This place is called Pan de Amerikana, situated along Gen. Ordonez St. Concepcion, Marikina City.

Being a big pandesal fan, I've decided to visit this charming place right in my city. Me and my family came a little late, and it was starting to get dark. They close at 6pm and we were lucky to get in at 5:45pm. Their dining area was huge and we saw lots of weird looking things around us. It made me feel like we're in a fairy tale. Unlike other restaurants, this place is great for kids. They have a hammock for resting, a hanging bridge, and also a giant chess board.

Their Pandesal Amerikano tasted really good and it compliments their other dishes like Waknatoy and Everlasting. I just found them a little too sweet, same with their red iced tea. Maybe we'll try some of their other food next time but they shouldn't be sweet.

the day that i want to forget

2009-10-12T00:00:00.007+08:00

notice: this is the blogger's journal on the recent devastation of typhoon ondoy (ketsana) on september 26-27 2009. though based on actual event, some of the people's names, locations, and places were changed to protect their identities.

5am. it was just a typical saturday morning. the noise that my stomach's making woke me up and so i decided to get up and check the fridge. there was nothing but cold water. it was pouring rain since last night. "i need to eat something hot," i told myself. i got out of my room and headed to my parents' house next door and knocked. it was already bright outside though the skies were still murky from the dark heavy clouds. my mom was already up. "what are we having for breakfast? i'm starving," i said. "we haven't bought anything yet," she replied. so i gave her a hundred pesos and asked her to buy things for soup. "soup is nice on a rainy morning," i told myself.

7am. my mom was starting to prepare the soup, when my little cousins came to visit with their mom, maring. they live in this small house only a few meters away from ours. i told them about this one movie that i saw online called earth and how much i would want to show it to them. it's really a good film documentary about animals in different continents and how the climate change messed up their lives to a very noticeable degree. really an eye-opening film. i turned on the computer and watched the movie online. it was really a good and fun morning. we were watching a good film while eating a bowl of hot creamy soup.

9am. rain continued to pour and checking my facebook account was getting kind of boring. i was actually expecting that there would be a power interruption today. there was nothing much to do. i checked my phone and got a message from floyd, asking me how we were. i said we're doing fine, and replied to him and asked him how they were. i've waited for an answer but he didn't reply.

marikina city: a bikable city

2009-03-03T11:43:00.011+08:00

it was only twenty years ago when i was trying to learn to ride my first bike. during that time, it was quite hard to learn it. the roads were either too narrow, too muddy, or too rough, it wasn't safe, and there were motor vehicles everywhere.

just recently, i realized that our city isn't like that anymore. because now, we can freely run, play, and ride our bikes right along the river. sidewalks were cleared and bicycle lanes were alloted to most streets in marikina. fifty-two kilometers of bikeways were constructed within the city to date.

apo hiking society

2008-12-16T02:43:00.009+08:00

danny, boboy, and jim, also known to everyone as the apo hiking society will be this year's featured artist at the marikina year-ender concert, that will be held at the riverbank amphitheater, on december 30th. it is a yearly free concert sponsored by the marikina goverment headed by the hon. mayor lourdes fernando.

program starts at 7pm and the feature show starts at around 9pm. it is rumored that at least 25,000 people will attend this event the free concert which will be concluded with a grand fireworks display. thanks to mr. sammy samaniego for all these info.

marikeno guestbook

2008-02-09T05:41:00.006+08:00

i have decided to make a blog guestbook so you, viewers can tell me how you like the blog and what needs to be done to improve it. if you think that your message has nothing to do with a certain post topic, then maybe it would perfectly fit my blog guestbook. please feel free to sign in my guestbook. thank you to those who will leave their messages. keep on supporting my marikeno blog.

rehiyon rehiyon festival 2007

2007-12-10T19:47:00.014+08:00

marikina has just celebrated its 11th cityhood anniversary on the 8th of december. as part of the celebration, they made rehiyon rehiyon festival 2007 even bigger and better. it was my first time to witness the event and i was so surprised that it was so impressed with what i've seen. watch the video to find that out for yourself.

update on rehiyon rehiyon

2007-12-04T16:36:00.005+08:00

rehiyon rehiyon festival is an annual celebration held on the 8th of december. this year would be a bigger and better celebration as marikina is now on its 11th cityhood year. everyone is invited to join in this festive occasion.

city mayor maria lourdes carlos fernando describes rehiyon rehiyon as a reflection of our oneness and belief. different cultures, different regions, all united in marikina city.

parade will start from different parts of brgy. barangka and riverbanks mall at 7am, and will proceed to bonifacio avenue. it will pass through sumulong highway, brgy. sto. nino, and straight to the marikina sports complex for the program proper.

IMPORTANT: please be informed that the street dancing / parade will be moved from 3pm-6pm, to 7am-10am. then followed by the program proper / competition from 6pm-9pm, to 10am-1pm. for more information, please call phone number 6473123.

mega touch massage

2007-12-01T13:00:00.008+08:00

arnel, 37 years old, from antipolo city, comes to marikina to work at mega touch massage. he has been working as a masseur for 5 years. in this photo, you will see him massaging cesar, a tax consultant and a licensed real estate broker, visiting from cainta, rizal.

mang adring is another employee at mega touch and i've been availing of his massage service for almost 6 months now. he also offers home service within marikina city and other nearby areas. you can contact mang adring for massage rates and other inquiries at +63-921-6049410.

mega touch is located at the main entrance of marikina sports complex, infront of mcdonald's.

welcome to the land of transformers

2007-11-24T06:25:00.003+08:00

this is just one of the forty robots that you will see in the city. this is part of the christmas festival with the transformers as its theme. thanks to the welders of the engineering department of marikina city that created them out of scrap metals. it was just conceptualized in september and was transformed into a reality a month after. nestor nierva, works as a welder and he never thought that he could make anything like it. he just soon realized that he has an artistic side in him.

the robots can be seen at the marikina bridge, cityhood park, marikina sports complex, and freedom park.

transformers of marikina city

2007-11-23T05:47:00.004+08:00

transformers is the theme for this year's marikina christmas festival. it launched on november 23rd. marikina's seven-week christmas festival celebrates the transformation of the once-backwater community into one of the most competitive and multi-awarded cities in the philippines. on december 1st, the christmas display entries of the city's 16 barangays will be unveiled along the stretch of the riverpark. at stake are cash prizes.

above, is a picture of the actual transformer guys. they visit all the barangays in the city and they give out flyers to the marikenos to inform them about the city's future events.

in addition, “tiangge sa ilog” is now open at the marikina riverpark. about 700 tiangge stalls offer a wide range of products, including the city’s signature goods: shoes and other footwear.

marikina christmas festival 2007

2007-11-23T05:32:00.002+08:00

this is a copy of the marikina christmas festival flyer handed out both to the locals and the visitors. schedules may change without prior notice. for more information, please call the public information office at telephone number 6466451.

marikorea monument

2007-11-23T04:39:00.002+08:00

the marikorea monument is the philippines' first structure honoring the 7,000 filipino soldiers who helped defend south korea in the bloody korean war in the early 1950's. measuring about 26 feet tall, the monument is crowned by an eternal flame atop a granite pylon.

the marikorea monument can be found within the evolution park in marikina heights. click here to know to how get there.

a shoe that is a store

2007-11-21T22:08:00.004+08:00

at first, i thought this is just another attraction that our city mayor has come up with. the second time i saw it, it has a window, a person sitting inside of it, and some panindas. it took me a while before the image registered in my mind and realized that it was actually a sari-sari store. i really like the concept of putting a convenient store inside a shoe. it is very original. this shoe relocates every once in a while. it was first sitting next to the shoe museum, which in my opinion is the perfect place for it to be in. it was relocated to the museo marikina along shoe avenue.

concepcion market

2007-10-16T16:51:00.004+08:00

in 2005, concepcion public market was chosen as one of the winners of the department of agriculture's search for "huwarang palengke: mura na, malinis pa," public market category. president gloria macapagal arroyo and the department of agriculture secretary arthur yap gave certicates of recognition and half a million pesos worth of grant. concepcion public market is located along bayan-bayanan avenue.

kapitan moy

2007-09-23T09:00:00.004+08:00

sentrong pangkultura ng marikina is a two-century-old building, once owned by don laureano "kapitan moy" guevara, recognized as the father of marikina's shoe industry. the first pair of shoes in marikina was designed and made here in 1887. popularly known as kapitan moy building, it houses two restaurants, a function room, and a ballroom.

kapitan moy building is located right infront of the san roque church, along jp rizal st., bgy. san roque.

cinemalaya festival 2007

2007-09-23T07:48:00.002+08:00

click on the image above or click here to get more infomation on film schedules.

evolution park

2007-09-23T07:03:00.004+08:00

the evolution park is a lush landscaped haven. the dairy-farm theme, complete with 18 life-size replicas of cows, pays homage to the beginnings of the evolution park as the then-only grazing farm in the city.

to get to the evolution park, you can ride a jeep with a tierra monte signage and get off at the c&p mall, also know as s'mall. you can also ride a jeep or an fx going to sss village. get off at meralco, corner of molave street, ride a tricycle located right next to jollibee and get off at the c&p mall.

tiangge sa marikina river park

2007-09-02T13:52:00.004+08:00

this photo was taken december of last year. tiangge sa marikina river park is being held usually during the first week of november and runs until the second week of january of the following year.

you will find great food, affordable items, and nice people in this annual event. people from all over the city find time especially during the weekends to visit the park. other attractions are musical shows, and baranggay exhibits. you will also see the floating shoe, and other christmas decors right in the middle of the river.

i will update this post for those who are interested in renting a stall in tiangge sa marikina river park. i will look for the number and person to contact if ever you are interested. please remind me if ever i forget about it.

a simple smile is the best smile

2007-08-28T01:35:00.007+08:00

i remember watching uncle bob lucky 7 club when i was little and each week they would pick the best smile among their kids audience and its audience would show their sweeest smiles to the camera. this is my new feature in this site and i will call it the smile pictures where marikenos show their best smiles.

this is the best smile that i've seen so far since i've started marikeno blog. i saw this tumana kid when i was taking pictures of the river during the recent typhoon. i will post more smile pictures in this blog. hope you will like this.

gazebo in the city

2007-08-19T06:23:00.004+08:00

gazebo is just one of the best features that the riverpark offers. it is right infront of the riverbend, also facing riverbank's amphitheater. the gazebo is my most favorite thing in marikina and it is the one of the best things to see in the city. i just hope that the city mayor will make more projects like this.

marikina citizens' factbook

2007-08-16T14:32:00.003+08:00

"i encourage everyone to use - and treasure - the marikina citizens' factbook. it will come in handy, especially when you need to avail of city goverment services. be assured that such services will be delivered promptly, courteously, and professionally - marikenos deserve nothing less." - ma. lourdes c. fernando / city mayor

"this factbook is indeed an invaluable reference marikenos should use to the fullest. it is a concrete reminder of the city goverment's unwavering concern for their welfare." - marion s. andres, m.d. / city vice mayor

"this factbook is yet another proof of the city goverment's commitment toward transparency and disclosure of relevant information to our people. the people's right to know and be informed about the workings of the city goverment is definitely well served." - del r. de guzman / congressman

bluewave mall

2007-08-15T11:56:00.003+08:00

marquinton mall a.k.a. bluewave mall is the newest mall in the city of marikina. it can be found right in the heart of the city.

it is a great place to eat especially with your friends and family. famous classy establishments and also fine-dining restaurants like super bowl of china, jollibee, kentucky fried chicken, starbuck's coffee, shakey's, pancake house, gerry's grill, tapa king, and kitaro are just some of the choices. whether you're in the mood for japanese, chinese, european, american, or filipino, you can have everything in bluewave mall. four state-of-the-art cinemas can be found on the top floor where you can eat and watch a movie.

bluewave mall truly has gone a long way since its opening on 2005. it has opened another branch this year and it's just right across the street. this time it has robinson's supermarket, so locals can easily buy food and things for their family, right within the vicinity of marikina.

sumulong highway cor. a. tuazon st.

the amphitheater

2007-08-13T14:48:00.002+08:00

the amphitheater is mostly visited by families, friends, and couples, on weekdays. it is located right infront of the riverbank mall, bgy. barangka. a favorite spot for music concerts, cultural shows, sports, and other family activities. it faces the city river, and the other city favorite, the gazebo.

nangka elementary school

2007-08-13T13:58:00.002+08:00

students of nangka elementary school are back to school once more. it was a cloudy morning and there was nothing much to do in school but to catch up with the lessons which they have missed. they've got a rough week ahead of them, hoping that they can keep up with their teachers.

to get to nangka elementary school, you can take a bus, a jeep, or an fx bound to either sandigan, san mateo, or montalban. get off the vehicle before it reaches the bridge connecting bgy. nangka and bgy. banaba, san mateo, rizal.

how to get to marikina city

2007-08-13T01:26:00.003+08:00

if you're coming from north super highway: just ride a bus bound to either baclaran, ayala, or alabang. look for buses with "cubao-ibabaw" signs. tell the driver to drop you off to aurora cubao. you can also ride the mrt. just get a pass for cubao/araneta station and ask where aurora blvd. is. along aurora blvd. look for fx's or jeeps going to either calumpang, parang-fortune, or sss village. they will all take you to marikina landmarks riverbank mall, riverpark, marikina city proper, sports complex, and the newly built marquinton mall aka blue wave mall.
you can also ride either a montalban jeep or san mateo bus, but they will not pass by riverbank mall and riverpark. they will both take the marcos highway-a tuazon route, leading you to other landmark like sta. lucia east mall. they will also take you to marquiton/blue wave mall.

if you're coming from south super highway: just ride a bus bound to either monumento, fairview, novaliches, or sm north. look for buses with "cubao-ibabaw" signs. tell the driver to drop you off to aurora cubao. you can also ride the mrt. just get a pass for cubao/araneta station and ask where aurora blvd. is. along aurora blvd. look for fx's or jeeps going to either calumpang, parang-fortune, or sss village. they will all take you to marikina landmarks like riverbank mall, riverpark, marikina city proper, sports complex, and the newly built marquinton mall aka blue wave mall.

you can also ride either a montalban jeep or san mateo bus, but they will not pass by riverbank mall and riverpark. they will both take the marcos highway-a tuazon route, leading you to other landmark like sta. lucia east mall. they will also take you to marquiton/blue wave mall.

if you're coming from manila: marikina city is now very accessible for people coming from manila, especially now that lrt2's construction has been completed. you can take the lrt2 and get a pass for either cubao/araneta or katipunan stations. from any of the two, look for fx's or jeeps going to either calumpang, parang-fortune, or sss village. they will all take you to marikina landmarks like riverbank mall, riverpark, marikina city proper, sports complex, and the newly built marquinton mall aka blue wave mall.

mrt (north/south)-cubao station: php14.00lrt2 recto-katipunan station: php16.00lrt2 recto-cubao: php14.00fx cubao-marikina city proper: php20.00jeep cubao-marikina city proper: php12.00montalban jeep cubao-marikina city proper: php16.00

note: fare might change without prior notice. these are the current rates as of 08/13/2007.

the shoe museum

2007-08-12T19:10:00.003+08:00

established in 1998, the shoe museum showcases about 800 pairs of shoes that once belonged to former philippine first lady imelda marcos, and also more from other famous and prominent people that have molded our history. the building where the museum now stands used to be an arsenal (storage room for arms and military equipment) during the spanish period. it was also the detention cell for general macario sakay, one of the leaders of the katipunan. after world war ii, the prominent tuazon family used the building as a rice mill.

the shoe museum is located along jose p rizal st., bgy. san roque. it is open from mondays to fridays, from 8am 'til 5pm, with phone number 4309735. entrance fee is php20.

by the window

2007-08-12T02:40:00.003+08:00

an old woman from bgy. sta. elena was talking to herself by the window. she sounded like she was arguing with someone, whoever that is.

estela's goto

2007-08-10T15:38:00.004+08:00

you are not from marikina if you haven't tried estela's goto, located at #478 villalon street, sto. nino.

their goto is the best one that i've had so far and it only costs p15 per order. you should also try their fried lumpia, fresh lumpia na hubad, and also tokwa't baboy. you will have a full stomach for only p50 or less.

goodbye chedeng, goodbye dodong

2007-08-09T18:37:00.002+08:00

people of tumana are still busy moving on with their lives after chedeng has left the country, while dodong is still currently spotted in batanes area.

this photo was taken in tumana river. a man was trying to catch fish, taking advantage while the water current in the river was still strong. this gave him the chance to get a good catch for today.

chedeng and dodong had killed two, while 53,000 people were affected.

cityhood park

2007-08-06T19:08:00.004+08:00

you will find this monument when you are passing by the city's sports park. this is called the cityhood park, and it symbolizes the continuing saga of the marikenos; the struggles and triumphs of their forebears, their newfound dynamism in transforming their community, and their resolve to create a stronger future.

this park is highlighted by a 12-meter concrete monument, featuring a gigantic, left-handed clock and the twelve windows from which hang carillon or italian bells that chime nationalistic music.

(shoe avenue, bgy. sto nino)

world of butterflies

2007-08-06T18:33:00.002+08:00

the world of butterflies has improved a lot since it first opened on the 25th of july, 2004. it is the home to hundreds of butterflies of different species. this place highly is recommended to school children, families, and even the not-so-young at heart. visit them at champagnat st, cor. general ordonez st, bgy. marikina heights; 9413747

welcome to marikeno blog

2007-08-06T17:36:00.003+08:00

welcome to marikeno blog. this blog is based on the marikina citizens' factbook, released in 2007. inspired by its photographs and informative content, the owner of this blog decided to make an adaptation of the book and turn it into a blog. photos and videos used in this blog were taken by himself, and some of the articles written were from that same book.

if you know someone from marikina that is interesting, or if you know a beautiful house or a nice garden within the city, or maybe if you think you should be featured in this blog, please let us know. feel free to leave your comments and suggestions by clicking on the "comment" link located under this post.

and if you are into photography, videography, writing, poetry, painting, anything artistic, that you think will contribute to this blog site, you can become a marikeno correspondent in your own baranggay. you can take pictures, shoot videos, and create a painting about marikina and have them featured in this blog site. just email us a letter explaining why you want to join us and please also send us your resume at ask.wencelangeles@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as possible. please support marikeno blog.