Punta Fuego Weekend

Lately, I have been stressing at work and putting in long hours. I have been hankering for a quick getaway weekend but stuck on where to go. So when I saw this Metrodeal ad for Punta Fuego, I didn't hesitate and immediately bought the vouchers. 

It's P1599 for 2 Days / 1 Night stay with breakfast and other perks. Club Punta Fuego is an exclusive member only community in Nasugbu, Batangas. A place not normally open to the general public. However, like all discounted deals, there are some catch: 1) You need 4 vouchers to reserve the Casita which is good for 4 person (that means P6,400 total) and 2) You can only use this from Sundays - Thursdays. Nevertheless, I still thought of it as a good deal.

We arrived late Monday afternoon after having a bit trouble finding the place.

nice double infinity pool overlooking the sea

Puffy was taken to the Casita by a golf cart

Casita 4C - Seaside View

The room was very big, clean and nice. Each bed can fit 2 people comfortably but might be a tight squeeze if you add a child/toddler between you. The mattress was thick and very firm with 4 semi-firm pillows for each bed - love that they don't give you the usual 2 skimpy soft pillows that instantly deflates when your head touches it. Strong aircon.

nice alternative to the usual table lamps

small table and chairs

The bathroom was huge with a small pocket garden. No exhaust fan but you can slide the door to let fresh air in. The shower portion can fit at least 20 people (no joke) which I thought was a waste of space. Might have been better to put a tub. Unfortunately, forgot to take a picture. 

However, I did take the most important picture and that was the view from our balcony. Absolutely, perfect. 

could stare at this all day

Punta Fuego did not allow food and drinks to be bought in. However ..... :D

chips and some form of tequila with strawberry cream

My friends and I just relaxed and had a couple of beers which we bought from the room's mini-fridge at P105/can. Knew we should have just stopped at the local mini mart in Nasugbu and bought some waters and beers :P

watching the sun set

Eventhough there were a lot of free things we could have done like go to their beach, watch a movie at their mini theatre, play games in their game room, etc., my friends just decided to stay in our room and relax. So nice to watch the sun set.

For dinner, we went up the hill to their restaurant.

small place

Hamburger for P305 - burger was okay, same with the fries,
bread tasted like something you buy from the local panederia

Grilled Lamp Chops with mashed potatoes and Bearneise sauce  for  P685 -
3 small pieces, nothing really that great but at least lamb didn't taste too gamey

Spinach Canneloni with Cream Sauce for P385 - the cream sauce
was so-so, the spinach was okay, the canneloni was weird since it
tasted like it was disintegrating (old noodle).

Service was really really bad. The Burger came first after 20 minutes, the Lamp Chop 10 minutes later and the Canneloni after 15 more minutes. All in all, it took them 45 minutes to give us all 3 dishes. Since they didn't come out at the same time, the others would look on while one person was eating. The food wasn't that good either. .

Next morning we fared a little better during breakfast. They served it buffet style ensuring that we could eat all at the same time. They had the usual bread, danish, bread with toppings (sardine, corned beef) jams, tapa (very tough), adobong manok, sausage and malasadong scrambled eggs.

After breakfast, explored a bit of the resort.

And back to our Casita for some serious scrabble game.

I like the view and it made concentrating on the game difficult. Still, it was a pleasant way to end the morning. Going back home, we did get lost again because there were a serious lack of signage going back to Tagaytay. Basically, here is the direction going to and from Punta Fuego:

From Tagaytay, go towards Nasugbu town which is about 40 kms away. You will see signs indicating Hamilio coast or Pico de Loro which can guide you on the right direction. Go straight until you reach a rotunda with a Caltex station. Turn right. After a couple of minutes, you reach an intersection with a Shell station. There is a big sign indicating Matabungkay Beach. Turn right and go straight until you reach the Nasugbu town proper. Follow the signs indicating Punta Fuego which is about (a long winding) 6kms away from the town. Don't mistake it from Punta Fuego de Terrazas which has the same developer but is a different place. Punta Fuego is much further down just after Tali Subdivision.

Going back to Manila, just be mindful of the Shell station to turn left. There weren't clear signs and the Shell station was so small that we passed by it and went straight to Calataga town which is about 10-15 kms to the wrong direction.

The final verdict?

The place has become a bit run down. A lot of construction going on which I hope will spruce up the place. Food in the restaurant is very expensive, service was awful and the taste of their dishes were nothing special. Bring lots of snacks and drinks. The room was very nice and the view spectacular. Going there could be a bit of a hassle. Liked that it wasn't too crowded even on a Philippine holiday. Nice place to stay and have a nice cold beer while viewing the sunset. Insist on a seaside view. Any other and it would be a waste of money. If privacy is what you want with nothing much to do except relax, this is a good place. Otherwise it might be better for you to stay elsewhere.

Meat Plus : Carnivores' Best Friend

My visit in Subic would not be complete without going to this very unassuming restaurant, Meat Plus located inside SBMA. Not only can you get steaks at such affordable prices, it is also conveniently located near the duty free shops :D

plenty of tables available on a weekday afternoon

You have the option to pick among the frozen steaks on display and have it cooked by the staff for a fee. Each pack shows the weight and price of the streak.

Or order a steak meal complete with rice and vegetables. 

They do offer combo meals as well.

Desserts and salad options too. 

Since it has been a long time since my last visit, I figured I'd indulge by getting an Angus Steak from the fridge and having it cooked. Mine was about 350 grams which cost P425. With cooking fee, the total cost was P525 which ain't that bad considering how much they charge for a steak in Manila. 

Angus Steak P425 + cooking charge

Rice, vegetables and gravy is free when you order the steak. I asked mine to be cooked medium-well but sadly, it turned out only medium. Since I was hungry, I didn't return this anymore to be recooked. I was kind of disappointed because they didn't even seasoned the steak and it tasted blah. No amount of gravy (which was also blah, btw), salt, A1 steaksauce could make it more appetizing. Maybe it has something to do with being frozen then grilled immediately that changes the taste/texture of the meat. 

Tenderloin Steak Meal - P280

My friend Ana had the Tenderloin Steak Meal which was about 200 grams. When I had a piece, I found it to be really juicy, tender and tasty. The cashier told us they use native meat for this. Had a twinge of regret for paying so much for my own meal.

Bomb - P70

The Bomb is this cup of thinly sliced potatoes with garlic, cheese and milk. A messy potato gratin, if you will. In theory, this sounds really good but execution was a bit off since there was too much milk that the whole thing became watery and too little cheese. 

Burger Meal - P225

The bun is bigger than the burger patty ;p but the fries were great. Didn't taste this one but my co-worker said it was okay. 

Turtle Pie - P120 (not sure about the price)

Just by looking at it my thought was that it wasn't a Turtle Pie since it must have lots of nuts and caramel somewhere between the crust and frozen filling. Nevertheless, it was very good. A cross between chocolate mousse that has been very very chilled and soft ice cream. Yumm!

decorated plates

Right across Freeport Exchange Duty Shop

Final Verdict?

Definitely have a visit to this restaurant whenever you're in Subic. There are still plenty of good things to eat but you might just re-think in ordering steaks from the freezer. The combo meals are good and best of all, affordable. Have some dessert, too! Expect to shell out P250-P300 each.

Meat Plus
Sampson Road
SBMA
Mondays-Sundays
10am-9pm

No reservation required

Cottage Kitchen Cafe: Comfort Food in Pampanga

Whenever my work takes me to Angeles, Pampanga, my co-workers and I always go to Cottage Kitchen to taste some Southern cooking. This time, we weren't sure what we would find since we heard that the original owner, Jim, died and the restaurant was under new management. 

Cottage Kitchen : Cajun Creole Restaurant and Jazz Pub

The restaurant is still at its original location at Don Juico Ave. They renovated the place to make it bigger, put a couple more tables, made it more brighter and attempted to put some privacy between tables by putting some white muslim curtains. Before, it was very dark and you could barely see what you were eating. 

big bright painting of jazz singers are put around the room

Ahhhh ..... nice Corona 

My co-workers ordered Clam Chowder which came in a very big bowl with a couple of Sky Flakes. The chowder had a nice, clean, fresh flavor. The clam taste was not really overpowering. The broth was thick and creamy enough. Plenty of bits and pieces of fish, potatoes, clams and whatnot. Good soup on a cold night.

Clam Chowder P270

The Southern Fish Fried Dinner came with fries and coleslaw. Coleslaw was good -  crispy lettuce/carrots/onions with a tangy/sweet mayonnaise. Fries were hand cut and big. Instead of using the usual Cream Dory, I was informed they used Red Snapper (my friend immediately Googled it and found it was locally known as Maya-Maya). The fish was quite firm and meaty. They used some kind of breadcrumb as opposed to flour. Surprisingly different from the other fish and chips I've tasted.

Southern Fried Fish Dinner - P350

Of course you don't go to Cottage Kitchen without trying their famous Barbecued Ribs. 2 of my co-workers decided to share the Jimmy's Red Hots full order. Each order comes with coleslaw, baked beans, and your choice of french fries, potato salad or rice. I grabbed a piece of barbecued ribs to taste and all I could say was "Hot!!!"

Don't get me wrong .... it was really good; very tender meat with little fat, the smoky flavor and the right sweet/salty/sour combination of the barbecued sauce which does not taste like it came from a bottle. But I already drank my beer, ate some fries and I could still taste how hot it was.

The baked beans was really good as well and the potato salad would have been better with less dressing.

Above is 1/2 order of Jimmy's Red Hot. Full order - P445

 Even though we were full, we decided to try their dessert.

Pecan Pie - P190

 Pecan Pie was a real disappointment. The filling was just not good and the pecan was too stingy.

Apple Pie ala Mode - P160

Apple Pie fared better. Nice crust, apples were cooked enough that it was soft yet firm, Vanilla ice cream was different (we suspect it was Blue Bunny - an ice cream being sold at membership only store S n R). 

blurred image of the barbecues being offered

Final Verdict?

Liked their food. Dishes were great, tasted good and fresh (as opposed to having a dish cooked then frozen for a couple of days). Serving time was not too slow (waited about 10-15 mins). The price is a bit high but the serving is good for two. We had to raise our voices a bit to call a waitress' attention since they were all at the bar. Wish they would have pictures on the menu or even a description so you would know what you're eating. Dessert was a bit of a bust. However, over all, I look forward to eating here again once I'm in town.

Cottage Kitchen Cafe

#582 Don Juico Ave

Angeles, Pampanga

Tel 045-8932599

Zubuchon : Not Everything It's Cracked Up to Be

Last month, I had to fly to Cebu for work. I took the opportunity to try Zubuchon, touted as the "Best pig ... EVER!" by chef/critic Anthony Bourdain.

Lechon, for those who don't know (where have you been, people?) is roasted pig. In the Philippines, it's cooked over an open fire pit and rotated slowly for several hours. Zubuchon lechon, I was told, is bathed in coconut milk and rubbed with different spices such as lemon, thyme, olive oil. No MSG. While roasting, the skin is pricked so the flavor of the rubs penetrate the meat.

Who says pigs can't fly?

There are about 4 outlets of Zubuchon in Cebu. Since we came from Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, it was easier to go near the one at Capitolyo building on Escario Street just beside 7-11 and before McDonalds. It's less than 2km away from the hotel but with traffic it took about 20 minutes. 

Nice, clean and cool restaurant

There were plenty of tables on a Tuesday afternoon. The restaurant was nice, clean and had big floor to ceiling windows on 2 sides. Even though it was located just along a busy street, the bamboo trees outside gave the customers some privacy. 

Some items on display:

Chicharon galore! P100 for 100 grams and P200 for 200 grams

they sold some marmalade as well

looks interesting

At the end of the restaurant is the room where you can see your lechon being chopped up. White, easy to hold boxes are ready for those who want to take some for pasalubong.

Kamias shake P95

My friend Ana insisted that I try their Kamias drink. Despite the fact that I don't like sour drinks, I decided to try one and boy, was I glad I did. Really refreshing, right amount of sweetness and did not have the cringe tingling sourness of the raw kamias fruit. There is some sourness but it was not too much that it overwhelms you. Really, really excellent.

Of course, we were there for the lechon. 

which to choose? 

Aside from the obvious, the waiter couldn't tell us the difference between boneless and with bone-in Zubuchon. I gather it has something to do with "dark meat" vs "white meat"? Nevertheless, only the Boneless Zubuchon was available so that settles that. 

Zubuchon Rice Meal P160

The lechon meat was not as salty as the other ones I tasted in Cebu. The skin was a bit thick but still crunchy and nicely flavored. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past the layer of fat sticking to the skin. It was oily. I couldn't help but compare it to another store selling lechon which is CNT. At CNT, the skin is like really sinfully bad potato chips with little fat. Maybe the fat on Zubuchon lechon has something to do with the pigs coming from non-commercial piggeries?

Mungo with Zubuchon Meat and Chicaron Bits P190

The mungo is good for 2, packs a good flavor and plenty of meat but a bit watery.

Slow Cooked Adobo Rice Meal P110

Nicely caramelized bit of pork. Reminds me of my mom's adobo when she would simmer it low for a couple of hours until all the sauce is cooked out. Unfortunately, it was too much fat that you really couldn't taste the meat itself.

Sylvannas

I couldn't remember how much the Sylvannas were but it was really nice. I like the original one - not too sweet and just the right amount of crunch. The oreo one was also good but the original one was the best. 

rice meals good for 1

The Verdict? 

For the ambiance, cleanliness and variety of the food not to mention excellent Kamias shake, I would go to Zubuchon. For lechon pasalubong? I will still go to good ol' CNT. 

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They have 4 branches throughout Cebu for dine in or just to buy kilos of lechon for pasalubong. However, if you don't have the time to go, they have a small kiosk at the pre-departure lounge of the airport where you can buy pre-packed 1 kilo lechon to take home or eat a simple meal like the one above. They would even pack the meal for you should you want to eat on the plane. Note that the prices at the airport is about 30% more. 

Location: 

Zubuchon Escario

Escario Bldg. Escario St.

Cebu City

Tel #: (032) 583 – 5699

Zubuchon Capitol

Capitol Site, Cebu City

Tel #: (032) 254 – 7342

Zubuchon Mango

Mango Ave. Bldg

Cebu City

Tel #: (032) 239 – 5697