Our Hong Kong - Macau Trip Itinerary 2019

Here's our itinerary for our HK-Macau Tour last August 28-September 1:


Day 1
Dinner at Cafe Coral in Chung King Mansion



Day 2
Breakfast at Tsui Wah in Carnarvon Rd
Ocean Park
Lunch at Lan Fong Yuen in Sheung Wan
Rickshaw Bus



Day 3
Breakfast at Maxim's MX in Shun Tak Centre
Macau Tour
Lunch at Hotel Riviera
Victoria Peak
Dinner at Burger King



Day 4
Cable Car to Ngong Ping
Brunch at Ebeneezer's in Ngong Ping Village
Ngong Ping
Shopping at City Gate
Sky 100
Dinner at Six's Noodles
Crystal Bus



Day 5
Breakfast at Moon Thai in HK Airport

Pares Retiro along P. Tuazon Now on its Soft Opening

Yesterday, we had breakfast in Pares Retiro. It's a newly opened restaurant along P. Tuazon Blvd. that serves Pares, Silog meals, Mami, etc. This is my second time to visit. During our first time eating here, I didn't really liked their Pares. The beef is so tough.

This time, I ordered Sizzling Sisig. Jen ordered Beef Chami(P95) and Tokwa't Baboy(P50) and Ira had Pares(P80).

They served the soup first then it took a while before they served our order especially the Sisig. That's understandable since they are still on soft opening but I got really disappointed when their waiter served the orders and he accidentally spilled the soup on me but didn't even bother saying sorry. He even acted like nothing happened. He didn't even mopped our area even though the soup has spilled on the floor.

The Sisig has some bits of Chicharon and it's good for two but it's not something to crave for. Well, I can describe it as decent considering the price is at P105.

After eating, I asked Jen and Ira for their ratings. They both loved the food there so Jen gave 8 while Ira gave 9. But for me, I will only give them 6.5 even though their meals are cheap because I can get better food and better service for the same price. So, our overall rate for Pares Retiro is 7.8

Pares Retiro is located along P. Tuazon Blvd. corner 17th Street

Sunday Breakfast at Kitchen Diaries Cafe

It's Sunday and I was too lazy to prepare breakfast so Hubby and I decided to just have breakfast somewhere in Kapitolyo so I searched the web and Kitchen Diaries showed up. I've been seeing this place whenever we eat at Kanto Freestyle Breakfast but we never had the chance to try it until today.

They're still on soft opening so they have a very limited breakfast menu but they have a wide choices of cakes and pastires. They suggested we order their bestseller Angus Corned Beef, which we did. For the cakes, we tried their Black Forest and Strawberry Cheesecake.

Angus Corned Beef (Definitely worth a try!)

Black Forest at P75

Strawberry Cheesecake at P125

Capuccino at P85

I think the Black Forest is a bit tough but I loved their Strawberry Cheesecake. While we're eating, we're given free samples of Red Velvet Crinkles, Brownie Brittle and Oreo Cream Cheese Cookies and we liked all of them. We even bought our son Brownie Brittle for take away since he almost want to eat the whole jar (LOL).

Overall, we liked the ambiance, the service and the food and we'll definitely go back soon.

Kitchen Diaries is located at Unit 1E, 1st Corner San Rafael Street, Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Milky and Sunny and Yummy!

After attending the Sunday Mass, one of Hubby's officemate texted him asking if Goto Monster is open but they're closed on Sundays so she asked us for recommendations on where they can have breakfast and we suggested Milky and Sunny in Kapitolyo. It's a few minutes away from home and we haven't eaten yet so Hubby decided to meet them there and have breakfast .

On their menu, I was looking for something different, but all they have are food you can prepare at home so I just went for their Garlic Longganisa. I also tried out their Choco Milky Shake. Hubby ordered Bacon and Spam Pasta plus Banana Shake.

Our orders were served after 15 minutes, and the first thing I noticed is the yellow-orange color of the egg yolk so I assumed they're using high quality eggs. Their Garlic Rice and Garlic Longganisa tasted good too. I was also able to try Hubby's Bacon and Spam Pasta and it's too Cheesy. I can taste the Parmesan and it had a twist of Queso de Bola. It also immediately became my favorite. The only thing I didn't like is the Choco Milky Shake. It's too sweet. I like their food better when compared with Kanto Freestyle maybe because of the quality of the ingredients used.

The place is cozy and kid-friendly. They have books and toys that children can play while waiting for the food to be served or after eating.

Milky and Sunny is located in East Kapitolyo.

Conti's Bakeshop & Restaurant in Katipunan

There are a lot of must-try restaurants along Katipunan Avenue and one of them is Conti's, famous for their Mango Bravo. I've been wanting to try it but I only had the chance last Wednesday. After our shift, we went off to COnti's in Katipunan to have breakfast. It's just a few blocks away from our office.

Once we entered, we're greeted by pastries and cakes from their Take-Out Nook. Just a few steps away is their Dining Area. It has a very relaxing ambiance. We chose the couch near the window but it's just unfortunate that the window didn't have a  good view. You'll only see walls.

We're handed out the menu and we had a hard time deciding what to order. Originally, I only planned to order cakes and some coffee but when I scoured their menu, I suggested we share their group breakfast set and desserts. We ordered their Breakfast Combo D. It's good for 3-4 persons. It is consisted of Hamonado Longganisa, Beef Flakes, Salmon Belly in Olive Oil, Egg Salad, Tomato Slices, Garlic Rice and Atchara and costs P590. For desserts, they have limited to offer that time so we chose Tiramisu Cheesecake, New York Cheesecake, Salted Caramel Cake and Turtle Pie.

Salted Caramel Cake at P95

New York Cheesecake at P145

Tiramisu Cheesecake at P155

Turtlepie at P115

All the food tasted great but their cakes are so sinful. You can't have enough with one slice and their cakes are cheap at P95/slice. It's just unfortunate that we're not able to try their famous Mango Bravo but maybe next time it will be available.

This place is recommended for intimate dining with friends and loved ones.

Tri Mo Shawarma in Lagro

Our whole week has been all about food. Yesterday, our destination was in Tri Mo Shawarma in Lagro. They are open from 3PM-2:30PM and we're lucky that we arrived just before people started to line up. One order of their Beef Shawarma costs P75. Yep it's cheap but it's filled tightly that you'll be full even before you're done eating.

I was also seeing customers bringing in BBQs from Tri Eat but we're not able to try them since we're already full. Next time, I'll try ordering their Sizzling Shawarma.

Here's their updated menu:

Tri Mo Shawarma is located in Bristol St, Novaliches, Quezon City.

Silantro Fil-Mex Cantina in Kapitolyo

It's already 3 in the afternoon and Hubby is still not sleepy so we strolled around our neighborhood to have snacks. Our first choice is Silantro since we just want something light. It's a Fil-Mex Restaurant along East Capitol Street and just right beside Holy Family Parish Church.

View from outside

Here's their menu:

I ordered Lamb Tacos and Nachos. They served our food with three different sauces, Guacamole, Chili and Garlic. The Nachos tasted great and I think it's very cheap because one serving is huge and already good for up to 3 persons.

Nachos at P160

Lamb Tacos at P75/Ligero

The place is just small and we're really lucky that we're done just before customers started lining up. I loved the food and for sure I'm gonna be back soon to take my friends here. Next time I'll try their cocktails.

Lunch at Casa Verde in UP Town Center

For weeks now, my foodie buddies, Ira and I, have been exploring and trying out hole-in-the-wall restaurants in search for delicious food. This morning, just out of nowhere, our office mate and friend Jason asked if we want to have lunch with him in Smokin' Pig and we all agreed but unfortunately, it was closed since it's November 1 so Ira suggested going to Casa Verde in UP Town Center instead.

I checked out their FB page and they'll open by 12NN. By 12:15, Ira, Jen and Jason are already there but they're already on the waiting list. Not so long, Hubby and I arrived and we waited for 30 minutes I guess until we're given seats.

I ordered Brian's Ribs (I was able to try it out during my visit to Cebu) while Hubby ordered Casa Verde Burger and the five of us shared the big Milky Way Shake (P345) which we had a hard time consuming.

Casa Verde Burger at P225

Brian's Ribs at P250

Brian's Ribs is good enough for 2 and it tasted delicious (as usual!). As for the burger, I'd say it's just 3.5/5. The taste of the butter is overwhelming and the patty tastes ordinary. I'm not sure if their Big Bang Burger tastes the same but maybe we'll try it on our next visit.

Ying Ying Tea House - A Must-Visit Restaurant for Authentic Chinese Dishes

It's been a while since I ate authentic Chinese Dishes so when we visited my mom in Manila, I asked her if she could take us to Ying Ying. The place is very nostalgic since our dad used to take us there whenever we just feel like eating Dimsum or Mami.

Not much really changed in Chinatown. It's still the same simple place with old buildings.

At Ying Ying, We ordered Mami and Dimsums. While waiting for the food to be served, we took a sip of their free unlimited hot tea.

Unlimited Hot Tea for free

Wanton Mami

Hakao at P70

Radish Cake at P60

Spare Ribs at P70

Tai Pao (Special Siopao) at P70

Our food was served just a few minutes after we ordered and after having my lips touched the Radish Cake, it was like Heaven. I wish we could frequent the place again. Oh! If only I'm still living in Manila.

Ying Ying Tea House is located in Dasmarinas St. cor Yuchengo St., Binondo, Manila

Puerto Princesa (Part 2) - Honda Bay Tour

Puerto Princesa (Part 1) - DIY City Tour 

After we had our breakfast, our Tour Guide, Kuya Rodel arrived to take us to Sta. Lourdes Wharf, the pick-up and drop-off point for Honda Bay Island Hopping. He agreed to take us there and back to Tres for P500.

Japanese-style Breakfast at Tres

On our way to the port, we dropped by a shop to rent some snorkeling gears (P150/set) and a waterproof camera case (P350). It's a bit pricey compared to those shops on the pier itself but it was explained to us that the gears are being sterilized before they are rented out so I guess it won't harm to shed a few extra bucks for hygiene.

At the wharf, Kuya Rodel assisted us in getting a boat. He gave us a list of what we need to pay. It includes the rental for a small boat (P1300) and Environmental fee (P80/pax)

This is an outdated rate. The entrance fees already increased.Pandan P125, Starfish P50, Pambato Reef P50, LuLi P60

We head off to Pandan Island first. It's my favorite among the other islands we visited. It's called Pandan Island because the Pandan Trees are abundant here.

Pandan Island

Underwater View

I enjoyed this place very much because you can see fishes swimming even in the shallow part of the beach. Fish feeding is also allowed so we brought some bread crumbs while snorkeling.

We didn't brought any packed meal so we spent our lunch here. It's pricey but we don't have any choice. Other islands don't have restos or stores where you can buy food.

Our lunch: BBQ (P20/stick), Steamed Talaba (P300/order), Rice (P20/cup)
Table rental is at P300

Fresh Buko at P25

At 1PM, we head off to Starfish Island. There's not much to see there but it has some cottages where you can take a nap. But who wants to nap on an Island Hopping Tour?

Starfish Island

Next destination is Pambato Reef. This is where the snorkeling gears are needed because you will not see the view underwater without them. I was too afraid to snorkel here since the water they said is about 40m deep but our boatman guided us. He had us hold on to a rope while pulling us around.

Floating cottages in Pambato Reef

Our fourth and final destination was the LuLi Island. It's called LuLi which is short for Lulubog-Lilitaw since the island is not visible during high tide. We're so tired already after arriving on that island so we just rested and waited for the boatman to take us back to the wharf.

The overall experience was great. It's something that is really worth-trying in Palawan