Jollibee in Lipa City

There are five Jollibee branches in Lipa City: city center, hospital area,  inside SM, inside Robinson's mall, and the latest is next to star tollway.

This is the Filipino counterpart  for McDonalds. It is actually not that  bad.

I particularly like the 1 piece burger steak with rice. It is about 350 calories.  This is the only  meal I would think of buying.  Just like any fast food chain,  Jollibee  is not a healthy choice.  Gravy, fried chicken and chips,  sugary sundae ice cream,  white bread are killers if eaten daily. It is a cheap  alternative and a harmless meal twice a month.

There are no vegetable dishes at Jollibee.  It's  targeted towards kids and their parents.  The restaurant is a place where kids can be noisy and have fun with family.

They are also famous for jolly kiddie parties.

So if you are visiting the Philippines why not try them. Spend about $10 and you can feed a family of four!

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Lipa City

I visited CBTL - Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf Cafe in Lipa City yesterday.
There were 4 of us and we spent Php 735 or about $20 - still cheap by western standards however I think quite pricey already for regular salaries of Pinoys.

The chai latte was a stunner - Php 125 - a small cup. That's about $3 only.
I ordered a mocha latte, small size - Php 110 - $2.50 I think (all quoted in AUD).

Cakes were around Php 125 to Php 140 so around $3 to $3.50 per slice.

In terms of taste, the mocha latte was not exceptional... though I can sense more flavor in it compared to the regular mocha latte I get from Starbucks in Lipa.  The cakes were nice but everyone knows cakes are never healthy. Still to their credit, it's good and I think better than the pastries in Starbucks in Lipa or in Cafe de Lipa by a mile.

The biggest problem in this place even if it offers free wifi is the glaring sun. Hot Philippine weather and hot glaring gray skies hurt my eyes! This makes this coffee shop unappealing to me as I prefer something which is cosy. That being said, I think this place though is design more for casual business meetings instead of peer hangout or pocket book readers.

Will I come back? Well  maybe... with a few conditions:
1. If I have to pay for their coffee, I really would like to have a more relaxing atmosphere. A few in-house plants, fresh flowers would be nice.
2. Some shade and more relaxing music will help.


Perhaps next time, if I don't have a choice, I would order their meals... eggs benedict and some pasta. :-)



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My less than $3 Starbucks Coffe

The only Starbucks in my known world which sells $3 for a regularly sized cafe mocha drink for less than $3. This is exactly Php 125 in Lipa City, Batangas, no whipped cream, non fat milk.

Is it a bargain? Not really. While it is relatively cheaper than the $4 mocha drinks I have in other countries for regular cafes, this drink is quite expensive in the Philippine setting.

However, there isn't much choice of boutique and cozy coffee shops especially in provincial areas in the Philippines.


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The Farm at San Benito, Lipa City, Philippines

Located in Lipa City, The Farm at San Benito, is a SPA and medical wellness venue - supposedly for people with certain ailments.

I visited The Farm with family and I'd like to share my experiences.

All services and food have 22% tax on top of the quote prices online. So a day's tour - spa and massage included - is around Php 4800 + 22% tax. 10% VAT and 12% city tax.

The meals are incredibly small and includes common Filipino cuisine which can be made for 10% of the price.

The venue is very humid, lots of ants on the table and in our experience, the rice is not properly washed that tiny stones are included in the meal. Not an issue if you have strong teeth. But it's a reminder not to bite too hard.

The place is clean and nicely landscaped, a notch about landscapes seen in Tagaytay spas. Having a walk around the place is pleasant.

I'm not saying the prices of food and services are too much. In fact, it's quite average considering the western prices.

There are a good # of customers when we visited. They are all talking loud enough to be heard. Topics involve weight loss, money, business - common topics in Snobsville.

There were notable people who made me smile during my visit:
1. The little girl (perhaps daughter of one of the workers) who just came home from school. She was carrying her back pack when she said good afternoon to me. That was pretty authentic.
2. The western manager - I don't know her position. I can't identify her accent. She could very well be European / Italian descent. She was friendly. She greeted me and I briefly told her I am having a good day.
3. Some staff who genuinely smile.

Will you really lose weight with The Farm weight loss programmes?

I think that people can definitely loose weight using their programme and considering the portions of food served. A tiny scoop of rice! However, I will argue, if you stay home and barely eat for 7 days, I will guarantee you will lose weight. Just view the photos of the food portions on this article. That's the correct portion you should eat per meal and you'll lose weight - guaranteed. Since you want to stay nourished, it would be good to choose fruits and vegies over junk food. With this suggestion, you do not need to pay $180 or Php 7000++ per day.

The reception area provides free wifi. So you can probably have Php180 cup of coffee and use their wifi.

So what is The Farm good for?

The Farm is good for business meetings in Lipa City if you want to create a great impression to a potential business partner.

Will I go back to The Farm? Yes, when there is a need.




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Joey Pepperoni

If this place is trying to compete with Pizza Hut or Shakeys, they are doing a decent job. :-)

Food is cheap and same level quality as the bigger brands.

These photos were taken at SM Lipa City.

The only disadvantage they have is that there are bigger brands that advertise more.

Do I go back? Well no. I prefer Yellowcab in Philippines pizza!

However, if there isn't any choice and I am left with any 3 - Shakeys, Pizza Hut, Joey Pepperoni, I don't mind any of the 3.

A plus for Joey - they got a Gelato!

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Cafe Ysabel, Lipa City

This is such an underutilized cafe. It's a pity. The place can be improved. The place attempts to be a cafe but it is not cosy at all. The furniture are wrong. The ceiling is too high. In short, the interior is all the over the place. You get confused if you are inside a lounge, a cafe, restaurant or going to watch a band or if you're in a canteen, or if you're in a hotel lobby due to the ultra large chandelier.

The waiters are trying their best to be attentive to the customers. That's much appreciated... then again, I don't know if they were very service oriented because we were the *only* customers.

The food and drinks seem very cheap though. I only had a coffee so I can't vouch for the taste of the meals.

Would I go back? Probably not... that ambience isn't just what I expect.

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SM Supermarket, Philippines

For those who don't know, SM is the biggest, most successful mall in the Philippines. It's expanding overseas as well.

This photo is taken inside the SM mall, rural Philippines, the parking area is packed. There's so many people it's not funny.

There are about 91 million people in the Philippines. This means that malls like SM are raking it! Retail sales are soaring, financed by the billions going to the Filipino families from OFWs.



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Coffee Shops, Cafes in Lipa City Batangas

Mobile business people like myself crave for cafes anywhere we go. Visiting Lipa City, you can see an interesting trend - development of different cafes. If you don't know yet, popular coffee shop chain, Starbucks, already has a branch here. Like other Starbucks around the world, it has a standard interior decor -- flourishing with its memorabilia, sugary unhealthy sweets and glaring mermaid logo. Unlike most Starbucks shops in the Asia Pacific region, Starbucks Lipa has free internet - unlimited. I just discovered that today and I am glad I have a decent place to visit in Lipa. The other cafes like Cafe de Lipa has now lost one of their competitive advantages - free wifi is now in Starbucks Lipa... Bear in mind though that I also appreciate that unique and authentic coffee of Cafe de Lipa but for practicality's sake, I think I would be able to stay longer in Starbucks because its toilet doesn't smell as much as Cafe de Lipa's :-( 

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Best Halo Halo?

 

Hands down. This is the BEST halo halo I have ever had in my entire life (Razon's is now my ex favorite). I can not really eat lots of sweets. This tiny bit of cold desert is perfect! 

Php 65 / small halo (there are bigger versions)

Mixed ingredients:

1.fresh mint leaves - garnish on top

2.tiny leche flan

3. corn

4. nata

5. langka

6. ube

7. pinipig

8. milk and fine ice

I literally smiled after a very satisfying desert :)

So nice that I found this at Casa Rap, San Jose, Batangas.

I wasn't a fan of the Lomi that I ordered after but I absolutely would vouch for this halo halo.

So 3 days after I had this treat, I decided to take more people to Casa Rap - we ordered the halo-halo.

We patiently and happily waited. There are more people on a Saturday.
The waiter arrived and I was disappointed.
The halo-halo looked 30% smaller and melted. I didn't have my mint garnish and no more leche flan. Instead the topping was a little 1/2 teaspoon of oreo ice cream which I found weird.

I didn't appreciate being experimented on ... I talked to the lady that it changed. She didn't hear anything I guess so I had to repeat my comment. She walked away. I don't know if she ignored me or just couldn't understand.

We still ate it but felt really stuffed and dizzy after. We ordered the 'mini' version.
So I talked to the cashier ... I said it's not good that they are not consistent. We came there for the experience of the halo-halo... the cashier said - it depends on who makes it... So I guess we were just lucky last time.
The 2nd time we had this halo halo is a total waste of money.
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Cafe de Lipa, Lipa City, Batangas

This is how Cafe de Lipa looks inside. As you can see, I work here when I am in the Philippines.

Cafe de Lipa is located very near Robinsons Lipa City. Even if Lipa already has a Starbucks... I still prefer Cafe de Lipa branch near Robinsons for the following reasons:

1. The internet connection is fast... Management knows their competitive advantage. When many people turn up to work (with wifi), they increased the internet capacity.

2. The menu has good selection of coffee concoctions. I love the Pacman Drink - cliche name but I love the taste. I think it's kapeng barako with mocha which is strong and chocolatey but no sugar is added.  The food though is disappointing... they can improve on the food (in terms of selection) but I only need a good cup of coffee so I am happy. Plus, the price is way more reasonable than the sugar and fat loaded Starbucks. Sorry Starbucks, but having been to real and authentic cafes, I think I would only visit Starbucks if I do NOT want coffee and want to have a sugar treat.

3. The toilet is a screaming requirement since I spend more than 2 hrs in the cafe. Their toilet is not as clean as I would like (in comparison with the western cafes I visit) but their toilet is bearable and comparatively better and cleaner than regular places and fast food stores in Philippines.

They do have big tiles which is my weird requirement.

I think Cafe de Lipa is one of the nicest places / cafe businesses ever invented by the local people here in Lipa. So congratulations! Job well done and I will always visit.

 Address: 032 San Carlos Drive, Mataasnalupa, Lipa City - 4217

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Gerry's Grill

I know Gerry's Grill might be quite popular with young professionals. I see a lot of them. Recently, they put up a franchise at Emerald Ave, Ortigas Center. It's got quite a nice interior. Only thing I don't like about it is the very unpleasant smell outside... from exhaust and sewage I think...

Anyway, the place has free WIFI so I am happy. The food is priced ok. Reasonable. They provide fruit shakes and grilled tuna so I can eat healthy.

Then there's another Gerry's Grill in SM Lipa City. It's almost the same as the one in Ortigas but unfortunately, this one in Lipa is a bit dirty... I don't appreciate at all the messy bathrooms. Also, they seem to have messy setup, quite dirty setting even inside a mall. For some reason, I feel that the cutlery and the plates aren't washed well. The food is of course still reasonably priced.

Mind you, there are very few healthy choices in Gerry's Grill. That's because Filipinos really love fatty and sweet foods...

So you have to be picky... because Gerry's Grill offers lots of Filipino favorites that are definitely going to shorten your life expectancy. If you are easily tempted with lechon kawali, halo halo, sisig... then please, for your own sake, eat salad at home (and no dressing please!)

Cafe de Lipa, Lipa City

This is probably the cheapest cafe I have ever seen in my life. They even serve coke for Php25, same price as Ministop would charge me. This place has wifi and allows laptop users to use their power unlike other shops who would want to cover their sockets with tape so people can't use the electricity. Recently, I have been seeing a lot of people having their meetings here. It's quite refreshing there's a small shop like this in Lipa. The bathroom is really kept clean as well. I'd recommend you visit it.

Tokyo Tokyo, Robinsons Mall, Lipa City

I visited Tokyo Tokyo again for the lack of choices. I ordered one of the safest meals of all time: Yakisoba. I got it 15 mins after I ordered. It was incredibly salty that despite my hunger, I didn't eat it. It was too oily as well with lots of pork. Such a disappointment.

Tokyo Tokyo, Robinsons Galleria, Lipa City, Batangas

Tokyo tokyo... This is probably the most decent restaurant in Robinsons. The rest of the restaurants there are all either fatty or junk.

1. Food Quality, Taste, Packaging - I hated the Kamikaze Fireball that I ordered. It's made of pork and it's not tender pork. So I give them a 2.
2. Value for Money - Well to be fair, I think my order was just Php 79. I got nice vegetable side dish and unlimited rice. This goes 2 as well as even if I paid only Php 79, I would have gotten a better meal from Binalot.
3. Premises, Amenities - They have quite clean location, no bathroom though. So 2.
4. Customer Service - Outright 1. They did not take my order . They forgot my order and just gave me iced tea. They thought I canceled my order when I just canceled one of two kamikaze dishes. So I had to wait 5 more minutes after waiting about 5 to 8 minutes already. I won't go back to Tokyo Tokyo Robinsons, Lipa City for a while, perhaps about 6 to 8 months. And I will go back only when all other restaurants in the area are closed.

Karate Kid, SM Lipa City, Batangas

I have a very interesting, melodramatic story about this restaurant.

1. Food Quality, Taste, Packaging - The yakisoba I ordered was nice and it had a lot of vegetables.
2. Value for Money - I paid good price for my yakisoba, less than Php 100. It was a generous serving. So food quality and value is reasonable, they get 3.5
3. Premises, Amenities - They do not have bathroom, they have small restaurant but it's clean and decent. So I give them a 3.
4. Customer Service - This is the problem. The cashier, who is also the waiter, who is also the cleaner, tried to keep our Php 20 change. We didn't raise up the issue right away because we were waiting for him to give us Php back. But he carried on his task. Then we raised the issue that he needs to give us Php 20... he said he doesn't have change. We told him that he should not do that and should just tell us if he doesn't have change. He said he was sorry. It was a bad experience. So we looked for the manager who was sitting at the back of the restaurant, I am not sure what she is doing but she wasn't even helping the guy at the counter take orders when there were people coming. I think I give him restaurant 0 for customer service and attempted fraud...

I'd go back though, but only if that cashier is no longer there...