Cheers to the birthday boy at Shinjuku

Shinjuku Japanese Restaurant

Katipunan Extension, Quezon City

***

Happy hour for HubB and Alvin.

Father and son having their

favorite drinks together.

Beer for the HubB and Cold Sake for Alvin.

Happy birthday Alvin!!!

Cheers!!!

Ebi Tempura

Not Yasai Itame, surely tasted as delicious.

HubB doesn't like fried rice, so he got this set 

meal of Chicken Teriyaki, served with clear soup

and plain Japanese rice.

My Chahan

The most tender, sweetest pork loin I've had.

Got this last time we were here.

It reminds me of Christmas. 

Tastes like Christmas to me.

and of course ... Ramen for the birthday boy.

Shinjuku is known for their delicious ramen

***

HubB had the Coffee Jelly topped with Ice Cream

and Alvin had the Red Beans on sweetened crushed ice.

I was too full to have dessert.

Celebrating Two Birthdays & a Bienvenida Lunch at NIU

We were celebrating two birthdays, Jake and Alvin's

24th.  They were born five days apart.

It was also a welcome lunch for my balikbayan

nephew Pocholo and his gorgeous Greek

girlfriend Christina, from Philadelphia.

Last time we dined at NIU, AMEX had a 

promo. That was 50% off. But this time,

Jake paid full.  my CPA nephew treated all

of us to a hearty buffet!!!

The two birthday celebrators ate for free.

***

The different stations ....

***

Now this is the best part of this buffet.

The unlimited drinks!!!

Sodas and Juices

Unlimited Red and White Wines

Unlimited Beer ... local and imported!!!

***

and the desserts!!!

*** 

                                               

My plates... except the beef which belonged

to Alvin!

Took a photo of Pocholo's desserts.

I was too full to have any.

***

Family pics.

***

With my one and only... Happy birthday son!!!

Jake and Alvin

***

Thanks for the treat Jake !!!

Eat Fresh ... at their branch in Banawe

This is my first time to go to Eat Fresh's branch

in Banawe / Maria Clara St. in QC.

It is Alvin's first time to eat inside the cafeteria /

carinderia / restawran ...

I always bring him laksa whenever I go with the girls

and pig out at Eat Fresh.

I needed to buy some green 'thingies' in Dapitan

last Saturday and the HubB was kind enough to

drive for me and Alvin.

That's Japanese street food called ...

Oh dear, I can't seem to remember what it's called.

...

...

...

TAKOYAKI!!!!  memory lapse! took 5 minutes to recall!

***

Now these are the bacon wrapped thingies.

There's sausage, french beans, mushrooms,

wrapped in bacon, served with this 

sweet Japanese sauce.

Basta .... you can just point to the guy who grills

them outside and say how many of these thingies you want.

Oh dear...  it's almost 2 am and I can't seem to focus,

recall, remember.  It's at the tip of my fingertips.

Haha ... not tongue.

***

LAKSA ... the boys' favorite. Too HOT and

extremely spicy for me. Can't even tolerate a single

drop of the soup base.  HubB and Alvin looooved this

A LOT!!!!

Kiddie meal?

Fried Rice with a stick of crab stuffed balls

and Black Gulaman for ME!

As I have repeatedly written... Man can't live by

bread alone.  But I can live with ply lise alone.

heeheehee

Din Tai Fung, Manila

Din Tai Fung, Manila

This was our Queue Number.

1107 given at 3:11 pm

Right after we were done booking our flights

at the Cathay Pacific Airways / Metrobank travel

promo at the G/F SM Mega Fashion Hall,

(which took only about an hour's wait.),

we then went to Din Tai Fung for merienda.

We were seated after 5 minutes.  

A little side kwento ...

The HubB didn't like to come along and I didn't 

want Alvin to drive us to Megamall.

It's a Sunday and there will be no parking available. 

 (like last time we were here!)

So, we took an Uber ride.

It took about 5 minutes for the Uber car to

pick us up at home and 2 minutes to pick us up

in front of the Mega Fashion Hall.

Now, that's just fantastic!

We didn't have to find a parking space,

There was no traffic, kasi Sunday.

No parking fees or valet fees.

Now, who needs a car or a driver?

... when there's Grab or Uber

Three times lucky today!!!

Ordered this appetizer from reading their menu.

In Taipei,  there's an appetizer trolley and you just

point at whatever pleases you.

In Taipei,  they offered me a "bag bin" to place

my inexpensive bag.  Hmmm .... 

I noticed the two tables, beside ours, had those "bag bins".  

Pinoy talaga! Just because I wasn't carrying an LV 

or a Prada, they didn't bring me that "bag bin".

In Taipei,  there were coat covers that are placed over

jackets, suits or coats to protect them from spills

or smelling like food.

In Macau,  one restaurant offered me a "bag chair".

Haha ... I thought those teeny weeny chairs were for

children... pang handbag din pala!

Oh... but I refused those "bag bins" and "bag chairs".

I always keep my bag on my lap, all the time.

Xiao Long Bao, just 5 pieces

Wanton Noodles .... the soup had no taste, no flavor.

Alvin had to pour soy sauce and chili oil.

We were given another 5 pcs of Xiao Long Bao

for FREE.  I think the first 300 diners from 3 to 5 pm

are given free Xiao Long Bao.

Dessert ... Lava Bun

Bun wasn't hot enough. I cut the bun with my chopsticks

and there was "no lava flow".

Alvin paid for our merienda.

Thank you!!!

This was my first time to visit Din Tai Fung in Manila.

I've dined in Taipei and in Bangkok.

Failed to eat in their branch at The Americana at Brand
in Los Angeles..

Maybe, next time.

There will always be a next time!!!