When in HK, eat local: Ending my 3-year fantasy at The Peak Lookout

Jake and I celebrated our seventh anniversary in Hong Kong last September. I've been meaning to write about the restaurants we've tried and new places we've seen in our go-to happy place but first, I just HAVE to share how I finally got to eat at The Peak Lookout!

Ever since I first saw that rustic straight-out-of-a-fairy tale structure three years ago, I have been constantly obsessing over the place. I even bought a magnet as pasalubong for Jake to remind him that HE HAS TO TAKE ME ON A DATE THERE. When we went for our sixth anniversary last year (yes, we know no other place but HK), the date didn't happen and I was left with another year of desperation.

On our last day for this year's trip, we finally managed to head up to The Peak to fulfill my cheesy dream. I skipped like a happy little fool from the terminal and crossed the road towards the facade to finally end my 3-year obsession.

I was like a child who finally saw Santa's workshop -- just gazing at my surroundings, soaking it all in. Three years of waiting to see the inside of a place can do that, I guess.

We went after lunch at around 3pm so we were lucky to have tables of our choice. Since I've been obsessively Googling the place (and emailing the very nice and patient concierge), I knew exactly where to sit - outside, at the corner nook with a view of the sea. 

And x marks the spot. I have no words to describe how perfect our view was, and how that moment felt so magical for me. You know how Alice (in the original movie) kept trying to squeeze herself into that tiny doorway with a view of the rose garden? This was exactly the same feeling. The Peak Lookout was my rose garden and I finally managed to enter it!

Since we were there for merienda, we only ordered desserts and lattes. I have to say, even if we didn't order from the lunch menu, the service was still impeccable and we were treated like we ordered a full-course meal. You'd expect a snooty vibe from such a nice place but the staff were all nice and friendly.

For our cakes, Jake ordered his usual New York cheesecake while I had the chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream and honeycomb. Consistent with all reviews I've read, the menu was pricey but then again -- you're paying for the ambiance and the view.  

This was sheer perfection, though.

I am definitely coming back! I'd love to see the whole place lit up at night. Must be extra romantic!

Can you imagine this garden all lit up with fairy lights? The Peak Lookout is definitely a must-try when in Hong Kong. You'd be hard-pressed to find a restaurant with a better ambiance and view for a romantic date!

Reservations are recommended, especially for peak hours:
The Peak Lookout
121 Peak Road, The Peak
Hong Kong
(take The Peak Tram or the minibus from Central)
info@peaklookout.com.hk

When in Boracay, eat local: Zuzuni's Mati Chocolate Sin

I've passed by Zuzuni so many times whenever I'm in Boracay but never bothered to check the place out. Located in Station 2 near Havaianas, this place has always caught my eye mostly because of the all white facade and bright interiors plus the promise of authentic Greek food.

Jake and I finally checked the place out last May to try their desserts. I always associate Greek desserts with flour-less chocolate cakes and Zuzuni's Mati Chocolate Sin was no exception. Lo and behold: 

They bake the cake upon ordering and you get this warm, straight from the oven, rich Valrhona cake served with Vanilla ice cream. Valrhona chocolate is my favorite kind on a cake and I loved the richness of this dish. Priced at P250 for a personal-sized cake, I felt it could have been a bit bigger for sharing. Offhand, it was a bit gooey on the inside and I had hoped for a smoother feel but this is a must-try for any chocolate lover on the island.

Since it was mid-afternoon on a hot, summer day, I was itching for a cold latte. They recommended their namesake cappuccino, the Zuzuni Freddo Cappuccino (at only Php 90!) which was a Mediterranean specialty. Basically, it's sweetened, chilled espresso topped with frothy milk. I loved the rich dark golden brown color and it was strong enough to keep me going for the rest of the day (and night). 

Desserts and coffee by the beach always make me a happy girl! Also, just found out that the restaurant is part of the Zuzuni Boutique hotel, which can be pretty cool if they also have Greek-inspired rooms ala Manos Greek Taverna Hotel in Tagaytay. Check out their website below!

Zuzuni
Station 1, Boracay
+63 36 288 4477

The best red velvet at Cupcake Lab

I'm a big cupcake fan. Just browse through my mobile and Instagram uploads and you'll see countless cupcake shots from Sonja's. Recently, Jake and I tried Cupcake Lab at Podium when friends gushed about the red velvet cupcake. Since Sonja makes a crappy red velvet, we decided to give it a try.

Of course WE LOVED IT. It was the best red velvet cupcake I've tried so far. What makes it perfect is the moistness where you can taste the cocoa blending nicely with the sour cream and the not-too-sweet frosting. We also ordered the chocolate chip cupcake (they ran out of the Fererro!) and also loved it. 

In fact, we loved the red velvet cupcake so much that we decided to surprise my mom with a red velvet cake from Cupcake Lab for her birthday. I found out through their Facebook page that they also accept cake orders. Nothing says happy birthday better than a huge cake of red velvety goodness!

We ordered the 8-inch round cake for Php 1200. You have to order a day before and can arrange to pick the cake up at Podium. In our case, they delivered it to Jake's house for free since we needed to pick it up at Podium at 3pm and they can only deliver at 5pm.

I'm already craving red velvet cupcakes! Price-wise, it's worth the 70 bucks for the regular cupcake. I think it's better to order the mini cupcakes at Php 25 each since some people might find it nakaka-umay to eat one whole cupcake. Me, I'd prefer the whole cake! I think we finally found a dessert alternative to Sebastian's when at Podium!

Cupcake Lab

2nd level, Podium

For orders:

+632-4002296

09184451749

When in Baguio, eat local: The best strawberry shortcake at Vizco's

I'm a sucker for cakes. When I'm feeling particularly peckish, I become a sucker for strawberry shortcakes. I always order Dulcelin's strawberry shortcake whenever I find myself in Parvati. Mary Grace's strawberry shortcake is another regular favorite. I also made an effort to require my officemates to surprise me with one during my birthday (WHICH THEY FAILED TO ORDER). 

When we were in strawberry-filled Baguio, I researched on where I can get the best strawberry shortcake. All blogs pointed to Vizco's on Session Road. I went out of my way to call ahead and reserve three cakes (YES, THREE!) and dragged my companions all the way to the shop. I bought two as pasalubongs--you just need an air-conditioned vehicle to maintain the cake's freshness, and we bought one for our secretary's birthday.

Needless to say, I'm still dreaming about Vizco's strawberry shortcake to this day. Aside from the heapfuls of giant strawberries on top and in between layers, the cake was soft and creamy and wasn't too sweet. It had the right amount of flavor and sweetness without the umay factor. And did I mention that it was cheap? An 8-inch cake only costs Php 610 and the 6-inch size costs Php 375. Hands down, one of the best cakes I've had! You can't beat fresh ingredients!

Vizco's isn't hard to find along Session Road. It's right beside Don Henrico's and you won't miss their colorful yellow and green sign. It's a no-frills restaurant which also serves meals all day. We ate breakfast there on our last day and I really enjoyed their tapsilog. Fresh strawberry shortcakes were also on display for dine-ins. I noticed a lot of locals eating there so I guess they're already a well-known institution.

If you want to bring one home, it's best to call ahead to make sure you get a fresh one upon pick-up since they sold out quickly. I ordered my two cakes a day ahead and made sure that they gave me a freshly made batch when I picked up the cakes on the morning of our departure. The staff was very nice and accommodating. They also have other cakes on display but I was on a strawberry shortcake mission so I ignored those. They always display strawberry shortcakes when you'd rather dine-in and there's no need to reserve ahead.

In light of my Vizco's withdrawal, I'm very tempted to order Mrs. Yulo's famous strawberry shortcake and go all the way to Forbes just to get my cake fix. OR just head back to Baguio, at the very least. This is one place you shouldn't miss on a trip to the City of Pines!

Vizco's Restaurant and Cake Shop

8GF Puso ng Baguio Bldg. Session Road

(beside Don Henrico's)

+639175790962

+639209642407

Buon appetito at Bellini's

Inside Cubao Expo is a charming restaurant that transports you to the land of pizzas, piazzas, and all things dreamy and romantic. I first heard about Bellini's from bloggers who raved about the authentic pizzas and pastas from Cubao's "best-kept secret." Friends would mention that they want to visit where John Lloyd shot his movie but I can never really relate, having never seen any of his flicks. Since I only visited Cubao Expo once during my college days, I was dying to go back and check out the vintage shops and finally eat at Bellini's.

It's tucked in the corner at the end of Cubao Expo and immediately, you'll notice the frescoes and intricately painted walls and 3D installations depicting scenes from Italy. I noticed most of the theme revolved around Pisa, but I forgot to ask Roberto Bellini where he hailed exactly from Italia. Maybe next time :-)

Speaking of Roberto Bellini (who obviously owns the place), he used to be a paparazzo and traveled here to cover the EDSA Revolution and that's where he met his wife, Luisa. We first saw him intently watching the news, which was Italian, and he turned around and greeted us with a warm smile and that Italian playboy-ish heartiness. He chatted with us from time to time and I would always love how he made my lola laugh with his jokes and stories.

Here are the pastas and pizzas we ordered, recommended mostly by our waiter. The menu is mostly in Italian and some of these dishes weren't listed yet, so we were pleasantly surprised with each item.

We started off with some freshly baked focaccia bread with an olive oil, parmesan, and black vinegar dip. Yum!

My mom loved these complimentary bread sticks so much that she asked for some to take home.

Since we were having a hard time choosing from the wide range of pasta, our waiter suggested we try the trio best-seller platter: we had the Spaghetti al Cartoccio--an olive oil based seafood creation that we all loved, the lasagna with meatsauce and eggplant that rivals my love for Cafe 1771's vegetable lasagna, and finally, my favorite--the Pasta Panna Prusciutto Funghi made of mushroom sauce, truffle oil, and Prosicutto ham. I cannot imagine how such simple ingredients made these dishes unforgettable.

For the pizza, our waiter suggested Roberto's latest creation which was not yet on the menu: the Garibaldina pizza. It was love at first bite! Fresh arugula, two kinds of cheese, and heaps of bacon and shrimp all in one perfectly thin crust pizza.

Because we're salmon lovers, we ordered the Al Salmone pizza and it was pure heaven. Imagine strips of smoked salmon covering an entire thin crust. I kept wishing they paired it with bleu cheese but the flavor was rich enough on its own. This is definitely an acquired taste if you're not fond of salmon.

When Roberto spotted me and my sister gazing at the cakes, he suggested that we try his orange cake if "we wanted something new". True enough, the huge slice of cake made me want to hug the old man. It was yummy! It's the perfect blend between zesty and sweet and the crust of the caramelized oranges were a refreshing change from the usual chocolate cakes. My lola was so hooked she bought a whole cake to take home. We can't wait to try his famous chocolate Obama cake next time we're there.

In between courses, my sister and I took the opportunity to take photos of the masterpieces on the walls. I can imagine the amount of passion and hard work they put into recreating scenes from Italy onto the walls and ceilings. Even the tiny details and the pop of 3D installations here and there will amaze you.

The area where we sat with one wall showcasing the wine collection.

A mini leaning tower of Pisa!!! So precious.

Life in Venice with a 3D bridge. This was our backdrop while dining.

After our meal, we were given complimentary sweet wine to top it all off. Now, it's time to learn some basic Italian and head back here to properly make the necessary Italian expressions while eating!

Singapore-lah Day 4

Ah, yes. The "Indonesia" day. We were originally scheduled to head to Indonesia's Bintan island for our official beach day but we were too tired from all the walking around and sightseeing for the past three days and decided we'll just check out the beaches Sentosa has to offer. We spent the entire morning and afternoon checking out Marina Bay Sands, the Helix, and Chinatown.

I never thought I'd see a dog in Singapore! I kept looking around for dogs and cats on the streets--this chalks it up to a total of two dog sightings during my entire stay. I only saw one stray cat sitting primly under a bus stop on our way home from Sentosa.

At the Marina Bay shops, it had a nice little pool where you can ride a gondola in circles. It's nothing compared to The Venetian's gondola ride with the soprano singers in Macau, but hey.

We all got free tans courtesy of all the walking we had to do from Marina Bay to the place where you can hail a cab. It was nice walking through the helix bridge, though. Such a bummer that the Merlion statue's under construction when we were there.

I absolutely loved Singapore's version of Chinatown--all the buildings were painted in bright colors and this was the only part of Singapore where there's traffic jam and double parking everywhere. We had a nice lunch of garlic prawns, peppered spare ribs, and chicken at a local restaurant.

Shopped some more at Cotton on at Vivo City and had a nerdy fun time at the National Geographic Store.

And finally, the "beach"!!! I have no idea why decided to name it Palawan Beach as it has NOTHING to do with the beauty of our own Palawan. At best, the sand was creamy and fine and the pink lounge chairs were a hoot but murky, bubbly, dirty water and a narrow shore does not make up a beach, in my opinion. Although it was relaxing sitting there until 7pm with the sun still out, and we even managed to do a couple of jump shots.

 

On our way back, the others shopped some more at Vivo City while I went ahead (yes I'm so proud to commute by myself!!!) to meet Jake at Orchard Road for a  late night Ben & Jerry's date. It was just right beside his hotel. The waitress managed to mess up our order and gave me a brownie ala mode instead of my double cookie euphoria--it was just as yummy, though. Nothing beats my chocolate therapy and Jake's chocolate chip cookie dough combination. Perfect Singapore desserts date <3