ramen – Author Carlo Carrasco

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 101

September 22, 2025September 22, 2025carlocarrasco

Welcome back my readers, YouTube viewers and all others who followed this series of articles focused on YouTube videos worth watching. Have you been searching for something fun or interesting to watch on YouTube? Do you feel bored right now and you crave for something to see on the world’s most popular online video destination?

I recommend you check out the following videos I found.

#1 Rhetorical Thrill’s First Blood Reaction Video – I have seen a lot of movie reaction videos of First Blood on YouTube, and almost all of them were by YouTubers who really never saw the said Rambo movie before. For the newcomers reading this, First Blood was released in 1982 starring Sylvester Stallone at a time when the Vietnam War was still fresh in the minds of many Americans. The film was a crucial success for the production company Carolco and its theme music from Jerry Goldsmith made waves in pop culture easily reminding people about Rambo. Recently I took time out to watch Rhetorical Thrill’s First Blood reaction video which is entertaining to see as her reactions were really catchy. As First Blood is a classic among American action films and films related to the Vietnam War, I encourage you all to watch it entirely first if you have not seen it. Otherwise, enjoy Rhetorical Thrill’s reaction video below.

#2 Silent Hill (1999) Retrospective – I played Silent Hill a lot on PlayStation in 1999. I got far into the game’s story and through the many settings and challenges, but ultimately I never finished it. It was not just unique horror-themed video game. Silent Hill was very atmospheric and its approach on storytelling contributed a lot video gaming as a whole. If you want to discover who were the people responsible for Silent Hill and what the game had to offer, watch the two retrospective videos below.

#3 AI: Artificial Intelligence Revisited – AI (artificial intelligence) is wildly popular with people today for various purposes. Long before AI became a popular digital tool, the themes about artificial intelligence in general was explored by Steven Spielberg in a movie project that previously involved Stanley Kubrick (who died in 1999). That film was AI: Artificial Intelligence directed by Spielberg and released in 2001. I saw the movie on home video but it never engaged me. Of course, that did not stop AI: Artificial Intelligence from being featured in retrospective videos, review videos and movie reactions. To see what Spielberg’s movie is about, watch the selected videos below.

#4 Ashleigh Burton Reacts To The Land Before Time – What can be said about the 1988 animated movie The Land Before Time? It was directed by American animation legend Don Bluth and it involved Steven Spielberg and George Lucas as executive producers. More notably, the movie was about a group of young, talking dinosaurs who go on a series of unexpected events and adventuring which touched a lot of moviegoers back in 1988. That being said, Ashleigh Burton’s reaction video is a must-see.

#5 Ramen In Osaka – It has been almost thirty years since my first and only visit to Osaka in Japan. I had a fun few days of touring Osaka and there was a series of new discoveries I enjoyed there. I just could not remember eating ramen there. As such, I found a video about a certain ramen shop that has been serving customers with delicious meals for at least forty years now. You can learn about how ramen is prepared and what it takes to make delicious ramen that will keep customers coming back for more.

#6 You, Me and the Movies React To Pee-wee’s Big Adventure – What was the directorial debut of Tim Burton? It was in Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, a comedy adventure film starring the late Paul Reubens and released in 1984. Some fans of the film called it a classic of the comedy genre and one of the funniest Hollywood comedies of the 1980s. The film keeps on making viewers laugh or smile, and you can see why by watching the reaction video of You, Me and the Movies below.

#7 The Assassination of Charlie Kirk Exposes The Evil Of The Leftists – I have said it before and will say it again…the Left is so evil and so twisted, it is truly Satanic. I am referring to the woke, the Islamo-Leftists, the liberals, the socialists, the Communists and the more. To put things in perspective, a lot has happened since the assassination of Charlie Kirk who was an American patriot, a true family man, an ally of Israel and a faithful follower of Lord Jesus. His assassination drew cheers and celebration among the Leftists which exposed further the burning evil deep within them. The Leftists are so pathetic, they and their mainstream news media partners-in-crime are LYING to the people about the assassin Tyler Robinson and about the victim Kirk. Even Bethesda – the game publisher behind The Elder Scrolls video game franchise – shamelessly mocked Kirk via social media before deleting its Tweet. Watch and learn from the videos below.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below, share this article to others and also please consider making a donation to support my publishing. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/ and on Instagram athttps://www.instagram.com/authorcarlocarrasco

Do you miss Fukuya Japanese Restaurant?

May 21, 2025May 15, 2025carlocarrasco

On April 30, 2025, Fukuya Japanese Restaurant inside Festival Mall closed down after having its final day of operations which saddened a lot of loyal customers. At 8:41 in morning of that same day, the restaurant announced via social media that they were going to close down which went as follows:

It is with a heavy heart that we are announcing our last day of operations today. We would like to thank our valued customers whom we consider a part of the Fukuya family for your patronage and support since we opened our doors in 1995. We truly cherish the memories we have of you and it is our pleasure to have served you. To our generations of patrons, thank you for your kind words and loyalty to Fukuya. You have made our journey all the more fulfilling. May God bless you all!

*I took this picture on May 1, 2025. This very spot Fukuya previously occupied has since been covered up.*

For the newcomers reading this, Fukuya Japanese Restaurant first opened at SM Southmall in Las Piñas City in the mid-1990s and my first time ever to eat at their place was in 1997. They eventually opened in Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa some years later and lasted there until April 30 this year. Be aware that a change of ownership of Festival Mall took place months ago which might be related to Fukuya’s closure.

Being fond of Japanese food, I can say that the demise of Fukuya Japanese Restaurant is very unfortunate. To be clear, the number of Japanese restaurants and other businesses selling certain types of Japanese food at Festival Mall has increased over the past several years. In fact, there are certain Japanese restaurants there that sold meals at notably higher prices when compared to similar offerings from Fukuya Japanese Restaurant. Clearly Fukuya had a lot of competitors at Festival Mall alone.

More on Fukuya, there are best known for the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki (read my old article by clicking here) which was always served freshly cooked, very flavorful and filling. I had their Okonomiyaki many times and always had a great taste backed with satisfaction. I also tried Okonomiyaki at other Japanese restaurants at Festival Mall but none of them ever came close to what Fukuya had.

Fukuya also served Futo Maki/Futomaki, Yakisoba, ramen, Bento meals, Tempura, sushi, sashimi, Teppanyaki, Udon, Soba and a lot more. They also had value meals to accommodate customers with limited funds.

*Fukuya Japanese Restaurant’s most famous meal is the Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki.*

While the pandemic is over and the Philippine economy is growing, there are still a lot of internal and external economic forces that make operating businesses challenging. As for the rental fees of Festival Mall under the new owner, I heard allegations that the rates went up. Apart from Fukuya, I noticed a local printing and photocopying business there closed down recently, and I used to have documents photocopied there.

Now that Fukuya Japanese Restaurant is gone, customers who are looking for Japanese meals that are affordable will have to look elsewhere. As of this writing, Fukuya has not updated their Facebook page since April 30, 2025. While their FB page is still active, I can only wonder if the business owners could be planning a revival of Fukuya someday. You can visit their FB page by clicking https://www.facebook.com/FukuyaJapaneseRestaurantFestivalMall

*Do you miss this view from inside Fukuya at Festival Mall?*

For those of you reading this, let me ask you – were you fond of eating at Fukuya Japanese Restaurant? Did you enjoy their Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki? How was the quality of the food they served you the last time you ate there? What do you think is the main reason behind the closure of Fukuya Japanese Restaurant?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673

What to watch on YouTube right now – Part 62

March 14, 2025March 10, 2025carlocarrasco

I recommend you check out the following topics and the related videos I found.

#1 VKunia reacts to The Terminator – The first time I ever saw The Terminator was on home video way back in the mid-1980s. I could not forget how the film blended elements of action, detective story, film noir, horror and science fiction together smoothly. Recently I viewed VKunia’s own reaction video about the 1984 movie and it was entertaining to watch as she felt its impact. I encourage you to watch her reaction video.

#2 Oblivion tested across multiple Xbox game consoles – Recently, I started replaying the 2006 fantasy role-playing game (RPG) The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion on my Xbox Series X console via Xbox Game Pass (XGP). But before doing that, I saw YouTuber Ramnexus’ video of Oblivion which he tested on Xbox 360 up to the more modern Xbox consoles. His video is loaded in-depth technical analysis and explanations which I really enjoyed watching.

#3 You, Me and the Movies react to Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – If there was anything odd about Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, it was the fact that it was actually made and released so long after Mad Max: Fury Road’s impact faded away. Directed by George Miller, the 2024 movie starring Anya Taylor-Joy was actually entertaining given its status as a spin-off and prequel, but I never felt any urge to replay it. If you want to discover what the movie is about without having to spend too much of your precious time, I encourage you to watch the reaction video by You, Me and the Movies below.

#4 The struggle of ramen restaurants in Japan – If you have been traveling overseas over the past five years, where you able to visit Japan and eat inside a ramen restaurant? Ramen restaurants there have been struggling with unfavorable economic factors and there is a growing number of them closing down. Watch and learn from the video below.

#5 Oliver Harper examines The Terminator video games – Believe it or not, there were several video games based on The Terminator that got released in the early 1990s. I myself never got to play any of them but thanks to the Internet and YouTubers who had the resources, several videos about the Terminator games have been uploaded on YouTube in the forms of longplays, retro reviews, reactions and more. Oliver Harper’s own video conveniently examines all the Terminator games and it is a fascinating retro gaming viewing experience.

#6 Basic Instinct trivia by Minty Comedic Arts – Remember how controversial Basic Instinct was when it was first released in cinemas in 1992? It was controversial for its intense approach on violence and sexuality under the direction of Paul Verhoeven, and also for the notorious short scene of Sharon Stone crossing her legs. Not only that, mobs of homosexuals protested the film and some of them even harassed people who bought tickets to see it. Recently, Minty Comedic Arts posted a trivia video about Basic Instinct which you should see.

#7 Avalanche examined by GoodBadFlicks – In the history of cinema, the 1970s was the decade that saw a slew of disaster movies from Hollywood studios. It was typical for a Hollywood disaster flick to have a large cast of actors playing different characters who are struggling with the disaster. In 1978, Avalanche was released and it was produced by low budget movie king Roger Corman. As the film was not successful, it became forgotten until GoodBadFlicks made a video about it. It’s a must-see for anyone who loves disaster films and the 1970s.

#8 Ashleigh Burton reacts to X-Men: First Class – Back in 2011, I saw X-Men: First Class inside one of the old and original cinemas of Festival Mall here in the Philippines. The film was entertaining and cleverly done but back then, I did not find the new actors who played Charles Xavier, Magneto and Mystique convincing (note: they proved themselves worthy of their roles in X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014). At the same time, the movie was a soft reboot and a prequel together. Some people really enjoyed while others not so much. Regardless, I encourage you to watch Ashleigh Burton’s X-Men: First Class reaction video below.

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Visit the newly renovated foodcourt at SM Southmall

August 24, 2023August 20, 2023carlocarrasco

If you are looking for a comfortable and really modern indoor place to eat in complete with lots of choices available, then you must visit the newly renovated foodcourt of SM Southmall in Las Piñas City.

Still located at a very particular large area at the 2^nd level of the mall, the highly modernized foodcourt was opened recently and already there were several food businesses that collectively created a great variety of meals, drinks and desserts that should appeal to many people looking for a place to eat while inside Southmall. I personally visited the foodcourt to explore it and look around. Check out the pictures I took and posted below…

*Customers checking out what meals or drinks to choose.*

*The tables and seats are new and comfortable.*

*Small slides for children to enjoy at the other end of the foodcourt.*

*Potato Corner and Kipps at the foodcourt.*

After exploring the whole foodcourt, I decided to buy myself coffee and a doughnut, then I took a seat. As I was consuming what I bought, I noticed a steady stream of customers coming into the foodcourt and several of them looked around to see what appeals to them and what they could afford. The meals offered by different sellers include rice meals, pizza, pasta, ramen, Samgyupsal, sandwiches, chicken wings, soup, bulalo, shawarma, fries and more. As the customers lined up for food, there were parents and kids enjoying their time together at the other end of the foodcourt (by the window).

Before the pandemic, I had meals at the Southmall foodcourt a number of times. With the renovations completed, I can say that the foodcourt today is not only more modern…it has been made more comfortable, more hip and more attractive. The wide variety of meals and drinks available are ideal for anyone who wants to do food trips or have meals with friends or family members together. I would not hesitate to return to the Southmall foodcourt in the near future. If you have not been to the foodcourt, then I encourage you to visit it the next time you go to Southmall.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, what is your reaction to this development? When was the last time you had a meal at SM Southmall’s food court? Does the modernized Southmall foodcourt look attractive to you? Do you see any meals or drinks at the foodcourt that attract your attention?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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Better than Streaming: My first time in two whole years to watch a movie inside the local cinema

March 15, 2022March 14, 2022carlocarrasco

I finally did it! After two years of living with the COVID-19 crisis, I finally returned to the local cinema at Commercenter in Alabang recently where I saw The Batman on the big screen. The day was March 5 (Saturday) and it was a very notable experience for me personally and I can say that the theatrical experience is still better than watching movies via streaming.

To be very clear, it has been months since the cinemas all over Metro Manila reopened and as the months passed by, moviegoers have gradually returned in relation to what films were screened, what the local Alert Levels were and what health protocols were implemented. The reopening of cinemas went a long way since the 1^st quarter of 2021 (for references click here, here, here and here) and the Philippine cinema industry as a whole is trying to recover what was lost over the past two years. At one point, the movie theaters employed over 300,000 employees nationwide.

*On my way to watching The Batman at the cinema with my ticket!*

Going back to my return to the local cinema, I want to make clear that currently the cinemas will only accept people who have been fully vaccinated (meaning two doses of most COVID-19 vaccine brands were injected) which is why vaccination cards/passes are required for verification BEFORE any ticket will be sold. As such, I showed to the theater ticket seller my vaccination card and eventually I was allowed to purchase a ticket for The Batman which was P320 (more than US$6). I should state that it was also there at the Commercenter cinema where I last saw a movie in 2020…just before the first lockdown happened.

More on rules, it has been declared already that food and drinks are prohibited in Commercenter’s cinemas and that moviegoers are to wear their masks on as they watch a movie. Again, the prohibition on food and drinks at the said cinema were in effect when I viewed The Batman on March 5. According to a March 9, 2022 report by the Manila Bulletin, some theaters allowed their moviegoers to have food while watching.

*For transparency, these are the rules for you to see.*

While having no food and drink was a bummer for me as a paying moviegoer, I decided to just let things be and focus strongly on the narrative of The Batman which has a running time of almost three hours! That being said, as the movie went on, I was compelled to really focus on the story, the details and the dialogue (note: I turned my smartphone off as soon as I sat down). I also realized something that movie theaters can instantly provide that streaming apps and the home-based theater cannot – complete privacy and immersion.

In other words, there no distractions from external forces (examples: smartphone updates through the Internet, in-home telephone ringing, a noisy neighbor, someone knocking on the door, the house doorbell ringing, a motorist driving a car with an overly loud sound outside the house, etc.) and as such I experienced this strong engagement in watching the Matt Reeves-directed Batman movie. I also noticed that not only does Colin Farrell looks truly unrecognizable as the new cinematic Penguin, there were two moments I noticed he sounded and spoke like Robert de Niro!

I should also state that there were several other moviegoers who occupied seats on rows behind and in front of me. Clearly the attendance of that very screening was below 50% which only reminds me that the pandemic is still ongoing here in the Philippines. Fortunately, everyone was well behaved and in-theater noise and distractions were non-existent.

After waiting until the very end to see the very short and cryptic end-credits scene, I finally left the cinema satisfied and entertained. I found The Batman a worthy movie to watch on the big screen but to judge its quality and emphasized my observations about it, I would do that in a possible movie review.

*Nothing like looking at what films are being shown before you reach the ticket counter.*

My return to watching a movie in the local cinema was a really interesting experience. It was also my first time in many years to watch a movie on the big screen without consuming any drink or food. Still, I got my money’s worth overall and I really hope that what I paid will keep helping not just Commercenter cinema but the entire movie theater industry to achieve economic recovery with the pandemic still ongoing. The more people who get fully vaccinated, and the more fully vaccinated people who get boosted, the better it will be for movie theaters in terms of qualified moviegoers.

When it comes to spending time inside Commercenter, be aware that the mall has really nice places to enjoy delicious meals before or after you watch a movie at their cinema. You love ramen and Japanese meals, go to Sigekiya Ramen. You want to try Greek cuisine? Visit Akrotiri. You like good food and wine? Visit The Black Pig.

To those of you reading this, if you have the means and if your local cinemas are allowed to operate, I encourage you to buy tickets and watch your desired movie on the big screen inside the cinema. I suggest you stop streaming temporarily and help the movie theaters achieve economic recovery from this pandemic. For The Batman, I say screw HBO Max and HBO Go!

Remember this: Streaming will NEVER match the grandeur and immersion of the cinema! The cinema is always better than streaming. What you pay for movie tickets will help not only the cinema operators and their respective employees, you will also help the local authorities by means of tax collection and keeping the local area in order.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me with a private message. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me on Twitter at @HavenorFantasy as well as on Tumblr at https://carlocarrasco.tumblr.com/

Tasty food at Saibachi Japanese restaurant in Festival Mall, Alabang

February 18, 2022February 16, 2022carlocarrasco

Have you been at Festival Mall in Alabang, Muntinlupa City lately? If you are craving for delicious food at one of the many Japanese restaurants inside Festival Mall, then you should take a look at Saibachi Japanese restaurant (stylized as SAI-BACHI) at the ground floor level just steps away from SM Savemore Supermaket.

In my experience, I’ve been dining at Saibachi in the mall from time to time over the past several years. Their restaurant has limited space (note: they have a counter for orders and payments, and a selection of food at a space by the wall just outside their restaurant), some chairs and their tables are small compared to those in other restaurants there. The current COVID-19 pandemic saw the imposition of limitations on how many customers could be allowed to eat inside restaurants (I’m looking at you – MMDA, Metro Manila Council and IATF). Even so, Saibachi still succeeded in staying in business and keeps on feeding customers with delicious food. Not even the pandemic and government overreach could stop them.

At this point, you must be wondering what food of Saibachi’s do I enjoy eating. Let’s move on!

Miso Soup

For starters, I like their Miso soup which as of this writing costs P55 per single serving (small sized). In terms of taste and ingredients, it is good and satisfying to have. It is also one of the earliest items to be served to me in most of my dine-in visits at Saibachi Alabang through the years.

Futo Maki (Foto Maki according to Saibachi)

Saibachi’s Futo Maki is served with five pieces along with soy sauce and wasabi. Each roll is not as thick compared to what is served in other Japanese restaurants but to Saibachi’s credit, each roll is tasty and their specific selections of ingredients per roll shows precision. The 5-roll set is good enough in terms of taste and content for me personally. Those who crave for greater satisfaction with Futo Maki should consider a second set to order. The Futo Maki set nowadays costs P125 per order.

Fried Rice

Fried rice at Saibachi (P150 per order as of this writing) is pretty tasty on its own. The taste is strong enough, I did not need to add any condiments anymore. Their fried rice has bits of meat, carrots, egg and a few other vegetables. For a single serving, the content is satisfying enough for me dining in. For anyone who craves for greater satisfaction of fried rice, you should consider ordering Saibachi’s fried rice offerings through their delivery and catering services.

Beef Sukiyaki

This one is easily my favorite in Saibachi when dining in. At P220 per order, the Beef Sukiyaki is served by the bowl and it is what others would refer to as the “soupy type Sukiyaki” for it is prepared in soup-style. On face value, the bowl looks small but in reality, it contains a good amount of hot soup, Sotanghon-style noodles, pieces of beef, vegetables and one egg on top. Beef Sukiyaki served in other Japanese restaurants are often large (note: with lots of vegetables and ingredients served fresh apart from the soup) and prepared to feed at least three people. If you want a tasty Beef Sukiyaki for your solo enjoyment with lots of soup, enough ingredients and a strong taste, you will get it at Saibachi! Personally, I consider this as Saibachi’s dine-in special and I highly recommend it.

Chapchae

While they are referred to as a Japanese restaurant, Saibachi also serves non-Japanese food. Anyone who loves Korean-style noodles should order the Chapchae whenever dining in. To begin with, Saibachi’s Chapchae are really prepared to be very tasty and anyone who loves strong flavors will enjoy it. When it comes to content, I find the Chapchae solo-serving (P150 per order as of this writing) to be rather lacking. Any customer who wants more of the very delicious Chapchae should consider ordering another serving or go for the bilao-sized servings (for multiple people to enjoy).

The above-mentioned foods are the ones that I enjoyed collectively when dining inside Saibachi at Festival Mall over the past several years. That being said, I recommend their Miso Soup, Futo Maki, Fried Rice, Chapchae and Beef Sukiyaki to you readers. Apart from serving food for diners, they also serve meals of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Filipino and Thai cuisine through delivery and catering. Going back to my previous dine-in experiences with them, they need to improve on their Beef Ramen which I must say is flawed and not exactly a satisfying ramen experience (note: the beef served had that burned taste and feel, and the noodles served did not look and feel made in store but most likely were sourced from the wholesale market).

*Saibachi’s Beef Ramen needs improving.*

Also, in my opinion, the interior of their restaurant inside Festival Mall needs some improving to be more comfortable for families or groups of friends (five people and more) to enjoy. I understand their restaurant space is limited and they need enough space for the kitchen personnel to work in, but I can see that some improvements could be made on the dining area. When I say improvements, I don’t mean a full renovation which can be very costly.

Ultimately, if you love Japanese food and you want it with the best possible value for your limited budget while visiting Festival Mall, I encourage you to try the food at Saibachi’s restaurant. Go there! They have lots of other food offered and their menu has lots of items for you to select.

*The wide menu at the space by the wall just outside their restaurant. Look at all the choices and prices.*

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Have you dined in at Saibachi inside Festival Mall lately? What meals do you enjoy there the most? Also, have you tried ordering Saibachi’s food through delivery service or through their catering packages? How often do you eat inside their restaurant whenever you visit Festival Mall?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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COVID-19 Crisis: DTI says restaurants in MECQ areas are allowed to have outdoor dining

April 13, 2021April 12, 2021carlocarrasco

In what is clearly a move with economic recovery in mind, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez declared that restaurants (located in places under MECQ or modified enhanced community quarantine status) with outdoor dining services and set-ups are allowed to resume but with certain limitations.

To make things clear, below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) article which was published just yesterday. For greater emphasis, some parts are in bold.

In a text message to reporters Sunday night, Lopez said food establishments with alfresco dining services are only allowed up to 50 percent capacity, with diagonal seating arrangement and acrylic dividers on tables.

He added that indoor dine-in services are still not allowed in areas under MECQ, but food establishments can continue to operate with their take-out and delivery services.

From April 12 to 30, the National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal or the NCR Plus as well as Santiago City in Isabela, and the provinces of Quirino and Abra were also placed under MECQ.

Earlier, the DTI chief said that the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) might be sensitive in allowing indoor dine-in due to the highly contagious new variants of Covid-19.

“The IATF recommended to the President to shift to MECQ after two weeks of ECQ to restore more jobs and livelihood for the people,” Lopez said.

Clearly the local authorities are trying hard to balance themselves between economics and public health as new cases of COVID-19 (China Virus) continue to be counted in very high numbers on a daily basis in recent times. On April 2, the count of infections reached over 15,000.

Going back to the issue of allowing restaurants with outdoor dining (AKA alfresco) within the MECQ areas, it is good news that they are allowed to resume operations. It will still be a challenge for food establishments to attract enough paying customers and make their business’ financial ends meet.

On a personal experience, I love eating ramen and Tsukemen at Sigekiya Ramen in Alabang. I prefer that such meals would be cooked by the restaurant and be served to me at a table at their place. The alternative of taking the cooked ramen out and consume it at home is just not a convincing option for me because ramen is meant to be consumed quickly while it is hot. The alternative of taking home ingredients and noodles, and have them cooked at home does not appeal to me as I prefer Sigekiya’s cooks make the meal I paid for.

*A delicious meal like this one is best to be eaten at the restaurant, even outdoors.*

Also located in Alabang is the local branch of Akrotiri, a really fine restaurant that serves authentic Greek meals that my family and friends enjoyed. They also have meals that, in my opinion, are best consumed at their place and their Alabang branch (Commercenter to be precise) has space for outdoor dining. It was at Akrotiri Alabang where I treated 2019 SEA Games gold medalist Kim Mangrobang to a meal and organized an exclusive interview with her. They really have a fine-looking place. Visit their website at https://akrotiri.ph/

It is important to keep in mind that restaurants around the nation have struggled a lot since the pandemic started last year. These business establishments are also struggling with retaining their respective employees, notably their cooks, the baristas, waiters and waitresses. Remember that the meals and drinks you enjoy would not be the same when the people who prepared them get laid off.

With the DTI’s declaration of allowing food establishments with outdoor dining setups and services to resume, I encourage you my readers to consider supporting these businesses for your food and beverage needs. If you can’t have a meal with the family outdoors, perhaps you can push through with a business meeting with a corporate associate or reunite with your friend or relative with the outdoor setting of a restaurant while adhering to health protocols (wearing face masks, face shields, sanitizing yourselves, etc.).

Now, let’s observe how the mayors, the barangay captains and other local authorities in MECQ areas will react to DTI’s declaration. You also might want to check with the local restaurants and coffee shops if they allow outdoor dining. Consider taking time out to call them or verify on their respective social media channels/accounts to see if outdoor dining is allowed.

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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

My Observations: Sigekiya’s Haruichiban Ramen

February 20, 2021February 19, 2021carlocarrasco

It has been quite some time since I last visited my favorite place for noodles here in Alabang. This is because mainly of the pandemic that started in March 2020 followed by a series of lockdown periods and varied forms of community quarantine. Along the way, I kept focusing on my corporate work and as a result of the social effects the pandemic had on local society, eating outside or having drinks at a coffee shop became much less frequent for me.

Very recently, I revisited Commercenter and, finally, I returned at last to Sigekiya Ramen which is a great place for Japanese meals, especially noodles (note: Sigekiya makes their own fresh noodles which always have nice texture and are always filling). For the newcomers reading this, I previously wrote my opinions about Sigekiya’s other meals like the Gojira Ramen, the Chicken Teriyakidon, the Yokohama Tantanmen, and my personal favorite the Tsukemen.

Other than missing their great tasting food, I returned to the restaurant mainly to try out their latest offering – the Haruichiban Ramen.

*The Haruichiban Ramen with a nice presentation!*

Shortly after taking my seat inside, I ordered one Haruichiban Ramen which was priced at P300 (introductory price) and it was served to me in less than ten minutes time. It came in a regular-sized bowl which was still large in terms of containing all the content. Right from the start, the Haruichiban Ramen was hot and it had a very nice smell.

As this was my first time to have Haruichiban Ramen, I slowly examined it and noticed it had a brown looking soup with Sigekiya-made noodles under it, an entire boiled egg slashed into two, vegetables and a nice serving of pork. Everything was well prepared!

Then I started consuming the soup. It was delicious! To be specific, it had a strong flavor and I felt the taste of garlic. This is no ordinary soup. It’s really something made with careful mixing of ingredients with the goal of giving customers a delicious and unique experience. According to the Sigekiya waitress I talked with, the soup for Haruichiban Ramen has the taste on tonkotsu combined with miso and shoyu. Minced garlic was a key ingredient.

From that point on, I went on to consume the rest.

*The noodles made by Sigekiya are always nice and filling to eat with the rest of the meal!*

Ultimately, I really enjoyed Haruichiban Ramen. In fact, I love it and I would not hesitate to come back for it again in one of my future visits at Sigekiya. Haruichiban Ramen is very delicious and since it has Sigekiya’s own ramen combined with a nice serving of vegetables and the pork serving, it was easily filling. For the P300 I paid, I got great taste and satisfaction in return.

That being said, Sigekiya’s Haruichiban Ramen is highly recommended!

+++++

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

My Observations: Sigekiya Ramen’s Yokohama Tantanmen

April 11, 2019April 11, 2019carlocarrasco

Recently I visited Sigekiya Ramen at Commercenter, Filinvest City, Muntinlupa City and there I tried out their latest ramen called the Tantanmen (full name: Yokohama Tantanmen).

According to the good people of the business, Tantanmen is the newest ramen variant created by their master Mamoru Sugizaki. It comes with a thinner version of Sigekiya’s made-in-store ramen noodles combined with a soup that rich, flavorful and spicy. Also present are some ground meat and a few green vegetables.

IMG_20190408_123248_HDR~2.jpg — *A close look at Sigekiya’s Yokohama Tantanmen.*

From my first experience tasting of the soup, I felt this delicious flavor in my mouth. To my surprise, there was spice that was more tolerable than I expected. Normally I go only for Level 1 spice at Sigekiya Ramen and their Tantanmen’s default spice was at around Level 5. As the spice was tolerable, I kept consuming more of the dish and the thinner noodles was nice change. By the time I finished it, I was really satisfied and I truly enjoyed it.

So would I recommend this new dish of Sigekiya to you? Yes! In fact, I highly recommend it! If you love your ramen to be spicy (note: at Sigekiya, you get to customize the spice level), filling and tasty while at the same time you crave for ground meat, then the Yokohama Tantanmen is for you!

IMG_20190408_123237_HDR~2.jpg — *The Tantanmen from above!*

Sigekiya’s 3rd anniversary

This month of April, Sigekiya Ramen celebrated its 3rd anniversary and I am happy for them that they made it this far attracting loyal customers as Commercenter keeps on establishing itself as a good venue for shopping, dining and movies in the highly competitive commercial zone of Alabang.

I remember Sigekiya Ramen opened on April 6, 2016. Back in those days, I was already tired of eating ramen served by many other Japanese restaurants which bought their noodles wholesale and just cooked and served those. With Sigekiya, I was already interested to find out how good, how tasty and how unique their ramen would be. A day or two after their opening in 2016, I went inside, sat down and ordered their default ramen. Right from the first serving, I enjoyed their soup and made-in-store noodles (which have a rich texture, is thicker and more ideal to chew than other ramen noodles).

Since then I return to them whenever I can afford their meals (which by the way are made with imported ingredients which explain the high prices). I also enjoy ramen again only this time it’s Sigekiya that is my first choice.

I also wrote about their Tsukemen (my favorite!) and the Gojira Ramen.

If you are interested to try Sigekiya Ramen’s offerings, visit them at the ground floor of Commercenter. Inquiries are accepted by phone at 805-0400.

Kudos to Sigekiya Ramen!

Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com

My Observations: Sigekiya’s Gojira Ramen Is A Monster Meal For Your Belly!

March 2, 2019carlocarrasco

Looks can be deceiving. Recently I visited Sigekiya Ramen at Commercenter in Alabang for lunch initially wanting the Tsukemen which I enjoy. As I looked on their menu, I noticed one particular ramen I have not tried before – the Gojira Ramen. It was listed on the menu that it was available on small size but the waiter assured me that it comes with a lot of content.

So I ordered it and after about ten minutes waiting, it was served to me at my table. To my surprise, Gojira Ramen was plentiful and all the space of its small-sized bowl was really full!

IMG_20190128_122032~2.jpg — *A closer look at Gojira Ramen.*

I took a closer look before consuming it. It had two nice servings of meat, lots of fresh vegetables, the soup and the noodles (located underneath). It took me a while to get through it at first alternating between eating the meat, then the noodles, then the vegetables and the soup. As I went on, I enjoyed it more.

More importantly, it filled my stomach. The small-sized bowl was deceiving to the eye but rest assured, the Gojira Ramen is rich with content and flavor. Do I recommend it? Absolutely!

In case you are wondering what Gojira means, read this – Gojira is actually the Japanese name of Godzilla (the cinematic icon from Japanese cinema). The very first Godzilla movie released in Japan in 1954 was titled Gojira.

If you are looking for a monster meal at Sigekiya Ramen, go for their Gojira Ramen. Meat, vegetables and noodles nicely fixed together to satisfy you.

Thank you for reading. If you find this article to be engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. Also my fantasy book The World of Havenor is still available in paperback and e-book format. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco.

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