I discovered CO/OP by chance one evening while Waze led me through the innards of Mandaluyong and San Juan in order to sidestep a gridlock in EDSA. It was the impossibly cool aesthetic that drew me in, something I had come to expect in well-scrubbed BGC or Makati but not in a secluded residential area in San Juan. Inside, it’s all warehouse-style industrial chic with exposed beams, studio track lights and brick walls. The space is shared by a cafe and a gift shop selling gnome sculptures, mushroom lamps, animal head wall decors and other curios that my hipster friends will surely love. And the food? In the next post. #cntraveler #itsmorefuninthephilippines #manila #igers #foodandwine #food52

Kafe Batwan's Madrid Fusion Super Batchoy

There has been a buzz around @kafebatwan’s Madrid Fusion super batchoy so I had to go and try it. I must say it is deserving of all the hype. It has the flavors that sate and soothe, starting with the stock that has been burbling for 12 hours. Its beautifully rendered umami-ness came with a thick slice of grilled kurobuta charsiu, a bed of nicely chewy egg noodles, a lovely soft-boiled egg sliced in half showing a slightly runny yolk, and generous helpings of toasted garlic, scallions and tuna skin. I love @chefjayps’s take on Negrense cooking. It is an enticing invitation to really experience Philippine cuisine one island at a time. #food52 #foodandwine #itsmorefuninthephilippines #cntraveler #igers

Address Joya Lofts, Rockwell, Makati
Phone 632-6255166

Eating our way through Singapore

When my friend Badette and I went on a quick trip to Singapore recently, we had two things on our agenda: to meet with friends we hadn’t seen for a long time and to sample as much food as we can within the time allotted.



Badette is based in San Francisco where she works as a banquet chef at Starwood’s W Hotel. It was her first visit to Singapore. I, meantime, was a frequent visitor and had been to most of the sights, so I was glad that Badette wasn’t interested in visiting Universal Studios, Sentosa and the zoo.





We stayed at another Starwood property, St. Regis, which was classically Old World and tastefully furnished. Our Lady Astor room was fitted out with two extremely comfortable double beds (with plenty of pillows) and plush window seats. It was 56 square meters of elegance. Our marble bath had a tub with a view and its own glassed-in TV. I was disappointed when Badette found an open packet of Fererro Rocher chocolates with one piece missing at our mini-bar but the butler immediately set everything in order. Service was exemplary, from the doormen to the restaurant waitstaff to the concierge.

The hotel is located on Tanglin Road, and was just a building away from Orchard and a very short walk from Ion where we did most of our shopping.

Here are the highlights of our Singapore trip:

1. Reconnecting with old friends



Topping my list is meeting up with my cousin Maureen and dear friend Doyts. The last time I saw Mau was when I visited Singapore with the family to celebrate my dad’s 70^th birthday, which was almost three years ago. We had a laughter-filled chat over Chatterbox’s Hainanese chicken rice.



We also got to have brunch with Doyts who has been based in Singapore for 8 years but whom I’ve never had the chance to reconnect with in previous visits. She was her usual hyper hysterical self and we had our usual guffaws and belly-laughs while monitoring the Pacquiao-Mayweather fight over social media. We were joined by Doyts’s husband Paolo, their son (and my godson) Marco and newly born daughter Sabine.

2. Lunch at No Signboard

We wanted to eat at Makansutra in Esplanade but opening time was at 5 p.m., too close to dinner, which we had booked at W Hotel Sentosa’s The Kitchen Table. While walking around Esplanade, I
spotted No Signboard and instantly decided to stop by for lunch.



We wanted crabs for sure and we found a set menu for two that included specialties such as white pepper crabs, crispy squid, cereal prawns and mango tapioca at S$250 thereabouts. We went for
it.