Breakfast Buffet at Salt Resto in Widus Hotel & Casino

Salt Resto is Widus Hotel's all-day casual dining restaurant. It offers both local and international cuisines and it's open all day, serving buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It features a wide array of Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Italian, American and Filipino dishes. 

We were checked in at Widus Hotel & Casino during the Metro Angeles Food Tour so we were able to enjoy our complimentary breakfast at Salt Resto. We woke up early and excited to see what's in store for us. I personally was satisfied with the food especially their dimsum. I love Chinese food so I ate a lot of siomai for breakfast, hahaha. 

There are a number of food choices but during buffet, I always go for what I want and what I am craving for. So, instead of trying everything they have, I only tried their main dishes and dimsum. I also ate a lot of their crispy bacon. 

For dessert I had a couple of cupcakes and frozen yoghurt. Yes, they have unlimited frozen yoghurt where guests can eat as much as they want.

It was indeed a gastronomically satisfying breakfast and I am looking forward to try it again in the future.

Salt Resto at Widus Hotel

Address: 5400 Manuel A. Roxas Highway, Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga

Operating Hours: 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM

Contact Numbers: +63 (45) 499-1000

Disclaimer: Salt Resto is one of the partner-restaurants of #MetroAngelesFoodTour2014.

Konnichiwa, Japan! Taking it Slow in Tokyo

Tokyo moves like digital clockwork.

Precision it seems, for these 13 million plus souls, is the way of life.

Case in point is the city’s legendary Metro System. Which considering the immense area it covers and the number of people it moves, has earned a reputation for never being late. For the rare times it was late, the metro issued a card that said it was indeed late should the employer wouldn’t believe it.

the hachiko entrance of the JR line at shibuya

I, on the other hand, couldn’t believe my audacity for choosing to arrive in Tokyo on a Monday at lunchtime. With luggage in tow, I was hardly the epitome of accuracy as I floundered in the sea of salary men and women. They moved rather quickly, pretty sure of where to go and what to do next. I, on the other hand, was left staring at the station map, which was as much of a use to me as the schematics of the International Space Station.

I eventually found the way to the platform with the help of Google Maps and managed to get to my friend Jenie – a recent transplant from Singapore - almost two hours after lunchtime. She was hungry – though not hAngry – and very keen for us to get going.  

I had a rather short list to tick in Tokyo in the four days that I was there and it looked a little something like this: 

1.Try the artificially orange chicken at Lawson’s.

finally got my hands on some lawson's chicken nuggets. 

2. Walk from one end to another of Shibuya Crossing at night.

tokyo duo: coni and jenie

when we got to the other side, we found this guy who was singing at the top of his lungs. 

3. Gaze up at the Tokyo Sky Tree. 

it looks like a microphone to me. 

4. Look out to Mt. Fuji from the observation floor of the Metropolitan Building.

mt. fuji is supposed to be out there, somewhere. 

5. Get on the Tokyo Metro DURING rush hour and hopefully get pushed into one of the cars.

when they push you, they do so in white gloves. 

6. Find Gundam in Odaiba.

it was pouring when i got to odaiba but who cares?! it's all lit up!

7. Get up close to Hachiko in Shibuya.

strike a pose, hachiko!

8. Spot a Harajuku fashionista.

i wonder what her inspiration must be. 

this guy, all in white and even his bike

a harajuku summer outfit

9. Get my geek on at Akihabara.

akihabara was everything i imagined it to be and more. 

this one actually managed to reach our shores.

girls of maid cafes at your service. 

10. Enjoy some grub from the Tsukiji Fish Market. 

a number of NOs at tsukiji fish market

got myself a bowl of salmon and some other kind of fish at the nearby food hall. 

for a 1,000 yen, i ate some freshly-made sushi from this guy.

11. Eat as much Japanese rice as I can.

But as life would have it, this city of order has managed to pull several surprises for me.  A couple of which were my birthday dinner with my friend Stephen who was in Tokyo on my birthday, a sumo wrestler sighting in the middle of the night, and witnessing a wedding procession at the Meiji Shrine.

hamming it with some graduates at asakusa

at the meiji shrine, the happy bride and the rather serious groom make their way to the ceremony.

I guess, Parents also bring their kids to the shrine to offer them or ask for some blessing. Look at that proud papa.

birthday dinner with my lovely friend stephen

now, we know what sumo wrestlers have for their midnight snack. 

Samalan Camp and Sea : A Piece of Paradise in Samal

Samalan Camp and Sea is a beach resort located at Barangay San Remigio, Kaputian District, Island Garden City of Samal. It's a 300-meter stretch of white sand beach ideal for beach bumming and swimming. It is a secluded piece of paradise so you'll surely have a good time spending your day or weekend with your friends and family. 

We arrived at Samalan late in the afternoon after our familiarization tour at Tagbaobo Ecoutourism Site. It was almost sunset when we reached the resort. The view of the cove where Samalan is situated is amazing. The long stretch of white sand beach is so enticing that you would want to swim in its clear blue waters. We experience a perfect dusk in the resort. The color of the sky was vivid that you don't need a filter to capture great photos. A scenery worth experiencing, definitely.

An Entertaining Night at Samalan

It was Samalan's soft opening so the management has prepared a program which includes showcasing of Barangay San Remigio's rondalla and folk dancers. We were entertained by the performers while we were having our dinner. It was a night of good food and and a worthwhile entertainment. After the program, we enjoyed gazing at the stars at the beach front. It was indeed an amazing night.

More of Samalan Camp & Sea

I was excited to wake up early and see the sun as it rises, unfortunately the weather wasn't favorable. The sky was covered with clouds so it was a bit of a bummer. I took a couple of shots of the cove and went back to our room and slept again.

We took our breakfast and decided to roam around the resort. Some of us went to the hill to get an overlooking view of the cove while others decided to go boating. 

Spending a weekend at Samalan Camp & Sea was an awesome getaway. I am a beach lover so I had so much fun beach bumming. Watching the blue sky, the clear water, the white sand and listening to the sound of the waves were some of the things I really want in a vacation. I hope to revisit Samalan again, soon.

Samalan Camp & Sea

Address: Brgy San Remigio, Kaputian District, Island Garden City of Samal

Contact No.: 0925 311 1011

Email Address: samalancampandsea@gmail.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/samalancampandsea

Metro Angeles Restaurants : Binulo

Binulo is one of the most frequently visited restaurants in Pampanga. It is popular to both tourists and locals due to its authentic Kapampangan dishes. The restaurant has already been featured in a number of local TV shows like Rated K and Unang Hirit.

The name of the restaurant was derived from the word "Binulo" which is the Aeta's traditional process of cooking food using bamboo culms called "bulo".

During the Metro Angeles Food Tour, we were able to sample some of their best selling Kampampangan dishes. They served us with savory Kapampangan delicacies which we definitely enjoyed. 

Paco Salad (P175.00)

It's made from fresh fiddle head fern with shrimps, salted egg, nuts,  tomatoes, and vinegar-based dressing. It's a refreshing starter. The presence of nuts added texture to the salad.

Shrimp Okoy (P175.00)

Another appetizer served was their famous shrimp okoy. It's made of grated green papaya and shrimps, deep fried, and served with vinegar. It was tasty especially when you dip it in vinegar.

Pangat na Ulang (P378.00)

Pangat sa Ulang is a freshwater prawn in savory sour broth. It is cooked in a bamboo culm and served hot. The unique way of cooking the dish made it more delightful. 

Beef Kare Kare (P485.00)

Binulo's kare kare is made of oxtail, a variety of vegetables, and peanut sauce. It is then served with shrimp paste on the side. I love the consistency of the peanut sauce - it wasn't too thick. 

Sisig (P280.00)

A food trip in Pampanga is not complete without tasting their most popular sisig. Binulo's version is no different from the other sisig I've tasted but it was definitely delicious.

Binukadkad na Hito (P295.00)

It's a deep-fried butterflied catfish served with boiled eggplant, ampalaya (bitter gourd), mustard leaves with buro (fermented rice) on the side. Buro  is an authentic Kapampangan dish and is a must-try when visiting Pampanga. Its taste and and pungent smell may be an issue, so some would not try it. But, when you combine it with the fish and the veggies, it will give you a bursting flavor.

Crispy Binagoongan (P310.00)

It's deep fried pork in shrimp paste. It's one of Binulo's best-selling dishes. This is one of my favorites. The crunchy pork complements well with the saltiness and sweetness of the shrimp paste.

Binulong Nasi (P150.00)

Binulong Nasi is Binulo's trademark recipe. It's cooked rice wrapped in banana leaves. It's not really my favorite but it's worth a try.

Suman with Mango Ice Cream (P175.00)

After sampling all the Kapampangan dishes served to us, we were very excited  to taste their dessert. I'd say, the mango ice cream is a perfect pair of the suman (sticky rice).

Dining at Binulo was like tasting the best of Kapampangan cuisine. It was definitely one of the highlights of the Metro Angeles Food Tour.

Binulo Restaurant

Address: Bldg. 6410-6413 M.A. Roxas Highway, Clark Freeport Zone
Store Hours: Mon to Fri - 11:00 AM - 10:00 PM / Sat and Sun - 11:00 AM - 11:00 PM
Contact Numbers: (045) 499-2238  


Disclaimer: Binulo is one of the partner-establishments of #MetroANgelesFoodTour