Anton Explores

Art Circle cafe is one of the more well-known establishments in the University of the Philippines campus in Diliman, Quezon City. It is part of a network of commercial art galleries that provide a platform for up-and-coming artists to showcase their works. This particular branch I believe is the only one that serves food and drinks. Eating out in the UP Diliman area is a bit of a hit or miss. There are definitely a lot of options, especially in nearby Maginhawa Street, but the experience tends to be uneven. So, is Art Circle Cafe a hit or a miss? The interiors, at least, are a big hit. There aren't a lot of venues in Metro Manila where you can dine while surrounded with what seemed to me were outstanding works of art. I'm not an artist, art critic, or even an art enthusiast, but I think it's safe to say that the works featured in the gallery, at least at the time we were there, would look appealing for most people.  We ordered chicken fillet pesto (P295), creamy carbonara (...

Amici has been one of my family's go-to restaurants since my younger years. Now that I have a family of my own, we also have our fair share of memories made in Amici. For instance, the first time that my youngest had ice cream/gelato was in this particular branch back in 2017.  After all these years, not much has changed in the interiors, at least in this branch. Everything looks almost exactly the same as in 2017. They've repainted and added some wall art in one corner, but going there still feels like stepping back in time, and for me that's not a bad thing, actually. I sometimes have a hard time coping with change, and places like Amici, this specific branch in particular, helps me relive some good memories, even for just an hour or so. I think we kind of stopped going as often as we used to starting in late 2018. I noticed a slight dip in the quality of the food, so I started looking for alternatives. However, things changed when the pandemic hit in 2020 as I started cr...

Last week I found myself in Parqal, a new strip mall in Pasay's Aseana business district. I planned to have lunch elsewhere, but the errands were taking longer than expected and I was hungry. There's a Marketplace supermarket that serves relatively cheap and good enough food, but the place was packed and the stuff I wanted to eat had run out. Most of the restaurants in Parqal are expensive, so it's no surprise that people flock to Marketplace to eat.  So I decided to have lunch at Gianetto instead, an upstart Italian-inspired restaurant. Apparently their original branch is in San Juan City, which is near our apartment, yet here I was, sampling their fare 15 kilometers away.  The restaurant occupies quite an expansive space, and the interiors have this attractive dark wood finish. I ordered spinach ravioli (P495) and passion fruit iced tea (P139). The first item that arrived though was the free focaccia bread cubes with balsamic-olive oil dip, a standard starter in many Ital...

Molly's is a small cafe in Quezon City's New Manila neighborhood. I often pass by this cafe on my way to the grocery store or church, but haven't found the time to check it out. One Monday, as I was driving around looking for a spot to hang out or maybe get some work done while waiting for the kids to finish school, I passed by the area and decided right then and there to visit the cafe.  Molly's stands out because there aren't a lot of commercial establishments in this area. You'd typically have to go to nearby Aurora Boulevard for that. Moreover, it just looks nice from outside. It's a wonderful contrast to all the big townhouses surrounding it.  It seats up to 8 people inside and 4 outside. Overall, it's got a very relaxing and neighborly feel, which I really like. I ordered Molly's dark mocha (P195). There wasn't anyone else inside when I arrived, but about 5-10 minutes later the place got packed. My order arrived in a 12 or 14 oz glass, alon...

Yesterday I got a haircut from my usual barber in Tomas Morato. When I'm with the kids we'd usually stop by the nearby Jamba Juice or Krispy Kreme for some snacks, but when I'm alone I typically leave after getting a haircut, but I had some extra time that afternoon, so I decided to check out this small restaurant that was a short walk away. Silverspoon on Scout Gandia reminds me of those small restaurants outside my college campus. The interiors are pretty spartan, with the typical white minimalist color scheme and matching chairs and benches. It seats up to 20 people inside, and 4 in the al fresco area. Considering how small I found the place, I was surprised with the prices on the menu as a single meal with drinks could set you back P400-P800. I was about to find out whether the taste and/or quality of the food could justify the relatively steep price point. It's got pretty good reviews on Google maps, though.  I ordered the mushroom burger (P310) and sago't gula...