Delicioso! Baja Mexican Cantina

Nachos, tacos, burrito- the mere mention of them makes my stomach rumble. I can’t remember when I started to love Mexican food. All I know is that this cuisine never fails to make me a happy diner.

One Friday night as J and I strolled along Greenbelt, we spotted this Tex-Mex restaurant- Baja Mexican Cantina. Since we are relatively adventurous eaters and are willing to try almost anything, we gave it a shot.

Fast forward to a month later, my college friends and I celebrated my 26^th at the same restaurant. Guess you know the story- J and I loved the food on our first visit so I brought my friends along too.

The first thing I loved about Baja Mexican Cantina is the ambiance. Some people may not like it but I love dim lights in restaurants.  I find it intimate and conducive to conversation. The colorful interiors, wooden tables and chairs and fiesta banners create a relaxed and casual atmosphere. Mexican acoustic music plays on the background and I wonder if the restaurant turns into a festive one during the happy hour- loud music, craft beers and overflowing margarita and mojito. I’d love to experience that!

Moving on, four of us shared these among ourselves:

Nachos Supreme- corn tortilla chips served with sour cream, guacamole, cheese, onion, tomato. P155 for regular. P215 for large (in photo). Add P15 for beef toppings.

Sour cream on nachos is something new to me and I absolutely love the added flavor it brings to the dish.
 

Chicken Quesadilla- marinated chicken with melted cheese in a flour tortilla. P185 for plain cheese quesadilla. Add P25 for chicken bits.

Any quesadilla is good for me as long as the cheese is lusciously gooey and rich. This hits the spot!

 
Super Grande Burrito- chicken, beef, Mexican rice, beans, tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, guacamole and sour cream. P395 for this humongous treat. It is approximately 9 inches long. We had it cut into four. Can you imagine how you'll eat that without slicing it? Haha! 

If you're looking for something to fill your stomach, this one is a good contender. But I will  have to rate the taste as average. I find Army Navy's burrito more savory.

J followed after almost an hour and he has this:

Grilled Boneless Chicken Plato- served with mango salsa, Mexican rice and corn kernel. Must be good because J ordered the same dish on our first visit. I only ate the corn so I cannot give a mark on this. Looks appetizing though. It's only P195. Not bad, right?

We had two orders of nachos and three orders of cheese quesadilla. Starved? Maybe not. I think the food is just great to have another serving. Needless to say, finger food is easier to eat. Agree? Yay, I finally found a place to satisfy my cravings!

Do you have any other Tex-Mex restaurants to recommend? Share them here. :)

Beauty in a Bottle: HHN Sunflower Beauty Oil

Can you imagine what your skin would say if it could talk? Mine would probably be ‘You have neglected me for quite some time now.’ Ok, I'm sorry. Forgive me, will you? I have been very busy and exhausted with work that even the simple regimen of moisturizing becomes a chore. Let me make it up to you.

First step: Drop by Sesou Nature Source and buy a bottle of Human Heart Nature Sunflower Beauty Oil.

Why? I have read a lot of convincing reviews about it. Secondly, it is an all-around beauty product. Let’s see what it can do.

1. Softens and gives you lighter-looking underarms


2. Helps lighten dark under eye circles


3. Helps lighten dark spots and pimple marks


4. Moisturizes under eye area


5. Helps prevent and diminish the appearance of stretch marks


6. Softens feet soles, knees and elbows


7. Removes stubborn makeup


8. Can be used as overall body moisturizer


9. Moisturizes dry hair ends


10. Softens cuticles


11. De-frizzes hair


12. Adds shine to dull hair


13. Helps relieve itching and inflammation caused by insect bites


14. Nourishes and conditions eyelashes


15. Lightens dark lips


16. Soothes skin after shaving


17. Relieves itchy scalp


18. Helps soothe sunburn


19. Smoothens skin from shaving


20. Helps soothe rashes

What is it made of? Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil- naturally rich in vitamins A, C, D and E.

I’ll be honest in saying that I was quite hesitant at first to try the product because it is oil. My fear is that it might clog my pores and cause my skin to break out. I made a quick online search and here’s what I found:

Sunflower oil contains an essential polyunsaturated fatty acid called linoleic acid. 

It is recommended even for acne-prone skin because it actually helps reduce 

the inflammation that surrounds clogged pores. 

It also helps maintain elasticity in the skin and it enables the skin to retain moisture.

My doubts somehow faded away and in the two weeks that I have been using this product, I can say that it is a promising one. I mainly use it as a moisturizer on my face, underarms, elbows and knees before going to bed at night.

I love that:

*** It is very light and non-greasy. It is easily absorbed into the skin.

*** It makes my skin smooth and supple. I wake up every morning with healthy skin! No break outs so far.

*** It is super affordable at P140 (50 ml) if you buy from Sesou Nature Source. If you don’t have the time to go to the mall, you can conveniently purchase it from Human Heart Nature’s online store at P129.75.

I haven’t seen any lightening effects yet but I’ll keep using this for its superb moisturizing properties. I recommended it to my pregnant sister who developed a wicked case of (butt) stretch marks. This is a normal effect of pregnancy but as they always say- there's no harm in trying. We’ll put HHN Sunflower Beauty Oil to a rough test!

Beauty on Its Own: Abe's Farm, Pampanga

As I mentioned on my previous post, I’ll be showing you photos inside Abe’s Farm. Sadly, I was only able to take a few shots outside because of the scorching heat.

One of reasons why I chose Abe’s Farm is because of the lush green gardens. I am very impressed with the well-maintained plants and landscapes. The scenery is undoubtedly refreshing.

Let's now move on with the interiors of the restaurant. I enjoyed taking photos of the unique pieces which adorn the open air dining area. Everything is beautiful in its own way. 

Whew! That was quite a lot! Hope you enjoyed looking at the photos. I'd really like to come back to Abe's Farm. It is very comforting to be there. I'll probably visit again during the late afternoon so that I can tour the place more and try on the duyan. Hihi.

Awesome 26! - Abe's Farm, Pampanga

One of the reasons why I look forward to my birthday is the chance to be with my family and dine out. For my 26th birthday, I decided to take them to Abe's Farm in Magalang (Pampanga). J (my boyfriend) and B's girlfriend N came all the way from Manila to join us for lunch. We are a complete happy family!

Abe's Farm is nestled on the foothills of Mt Arayat. It is part of the LJC Restaurant Chain which includes Cafe Adriatico, Cafe Havana, Bistro Remedios, Larry's Cafe and Bar, Abe, Fely J's Kitchen, Lorenzo's Way and LaMer. It offers overnight accommodations and spa services as well.

I made a reservation beforehand to secure seats for nine. It took us about 45 minutes to an hour from Angeles City to reach Abe's Farm. Since we were already hungry on our way to Magalang, I called to say we were near and instructed them to cook our food.

It was noon when we reached Abe's Farm and imagine how unbearable the heat was. The place is full of greens and trees but it's quite puzzling why these didn't help. Nevertheless, the traditional Filipino set-up is very unique. I love the homey feel of the place. It's like really being away from the city and relaxing in the province. Very peaceful and calming.
 
Here's what we had for lunch:

Binukadkad na Pla-pla with Balo-balo and Mustasa (P395)

Inihaw na Liempo (P295)

Spicy Sisig Pampanga (P175)

Kare-Kare Buntot Baka (P475)

Growing up in a household fond of Kapampanga food, I can say that all the dishes we ate are sumptuous. Very authentic Kapampangan taste. I especially love the binukadkad na pla-pla with balo-balo and mustasa. This dish is very Kapampangan. Many may not like balo-balo for its foul odour but it actually tastes good. It is a must-try if you're visiting Pampanga. (Balo-balo, also known as buro, is fermented rice with fish or freshwater shrimp.)

Each serving is good for sharing between 2-3 persons so dining in Abe's Farm is really recommended if you are in a group since you'll be able to save more and get to try different dishes.

I will cut this post here and make another post about the place itself. Stay tuned! :)

Baguio's Bet: Cafe by the Ruins

The last time I went to Baguio was approximately ten years ago. I was with my family and relatives and I couldn't remember if we ate at any of the restaurants there. So when I had the opportunity to go back this summer I was beyond excited.

We initially planned to eat at 50s Diner but the place was full and no one cared to assist us so we left. Our driver suggested Café by the Ruins and we agreed without second thoughts maybe because we were too hungry to look for another place.

Upon entering the restaurant, I immediately fell in love with the cozy ambiance. Wooden chairs and tables and paintings on the wall create that refreshing and comfortable vibe. The scent of freshly-baked bread made my stomach grumble.

The girls feasted on pasta and strawberry smoothie. Oh my, that smoothie is to die for! It is made of fresh carabao yogurt and real strawberries. Very refreshing at only P120.

Carbonara (P220)

 The boys, on the other hand, opted for a heavier meal. Not surprising at all, right?

Baguio Bagnet (P280)

Beef Ribs Sinigang (P250)

 

I wasn’t aware that Café by the Ruins is a vegetarian-friendly restaurant. Perhaps that explains why the food lacks the depth of flavor. Maybe they don’t use seasonings? They also don’t have soda on the menu.

Cinnamon is one of my favorite bread desserts so I ordered one to finish my meal. Sadly, I didn't like it. My sweet buds weren't happy as well, I guess. It just tasted bread with very little sweetness. How can something so tempting turn out to be distasteful?

Although I was quite disappointed with the food, I will come back for the strawberry smoothie. Have you dine at Café by the Ruins? How did you find the food?