On my part, I had dined with the family at Firehouse Pizza twice and the most recent visit was for dinner. Posted below are pictures and descriptions of what we had the last time…
This is the Burrata Salad, easily the most unique thing from Firehouse Pizza’s menu. It is composed of cherry tomatoes, mesclun leaves, Burrata cheese (meant to be opened and spread over the ingredients), Balsamic reduction and olive oil. As of this writing, it was priced at P750.
This is the Antipasti Platter composed of assorted cheese, assorted cold cuts, artichoke, mushroom, olives and vegetable confit. For sharing, this one costs P740.
This is the solo-sized Lasagna Bolognese which costs P360. Composed of minced beef, mozzarella and parmesan, it was cooked well and each bite was tasty and smooth.
The Pepperoni pizza.
The Mushroom pizza.
Like the first time my family dined there, all the food served to us by Firehouse Pizza were well prepared with regards to the cooking of the pizza and pasta, and also the way they ensured the freshness of the ingredients on making the Burrata Salad. There definitely is special attention paid on the quality, taste and presentation. On my part, each bite was tasty. If there was anything lacking, it was their hot plate special of Grilled Tenderloin with Potato Wedges which was out of stock during our last visit. With regards to getting served, the restaurant’s personnel were really attentive and helpful to us as well as the other diners. That being said, I encourage you to visit Firehouse Pizza when you have the chance and the means to do so.
This is what Firehouse Pizza looks like from the outside during night time. It is a corner unit and just walking distance away from Crimson Hotel.
For the newcomers reading this, if you will be traveling to Alabang to have a meal at Firehouse Pizza, be aware that the restaurant is just a short walk away from Crimson Hotel which is also part of the Entrata Urban Complex. You can park your car at the Festival Mall parking lot just outside of Shopwise, or at the multilevel parking facility nearby (bordering Civic Drive).
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
Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from my personal experiences and observations during the Israel pilgrimage tour I joined. Additional information from the official website of the subject business is also used. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.
During the one and only free day I had in my recent tour of Israel, I decided to make use of the extra time to visit the Temple Mount, the Western Wall (note: my return for prayer), the Jewish Quarter, King David’s Tomb and Oskar Schindler’s grave on foot. It was also my plan to have lunch at the popular Mahane Yehuda market.
Coming from the old city of Jerusalem, I marched along Jaffa Street heading towards Mahane Yehuda. However, the accumulated stress of very long walks in the morning caught up with me and I needed a break. It was then I decided to pursue finding a certain Jerusalem joint known for good food, drinks and books which was featured on the YouTube channel of Israel (called Jerusalem’s culture café). That place is Tmol Shilshom and as soon as I saw a sign of it along the very busy Jaffa Street, I made the decision to search for it knowing it was a challenge to do so.
What exactly is Tmol Shilshom? It is described as “the one holy place of Jerusalem that stands above the fray,” quoting Amoz Oz.
According to the official material of theirs, Tmol Shilshom is a Jersualem institution. A café-restaurant and bookstore that was established in 1994 in a century-old building in the Nahalat Shiv’a quarter of the city center. The joint’s name means “yesteryear”, is the title of a classic Hebrew novel by Nobel laureate S.Y. Agnon. Tmol Shilshom was founded as a unique way to combine culture, good food, and a cozy atmosphere, as imagined by the late David Ehrlich who was the business partner of the joint’s owner Dan Goldberg.
For several minutes, I struggled to find Tmol Shilshom going through a few narrow walkways coming from Jaffa Street. I did not have mobile Internet access with me and there was no way Google Maps could help me. I simply paid attention to details of the walkways and the signs that I saw. There was a point when I thought I got lost but I found another sign leading to the place. After some further walk, turns and climbing up some steps, I finally made it to Tmol Shilshom!
My experience inside Tmol Shilshom
As soon as I entered the café-restaurant, I felt this great relief not only from the cold weather outside but also because I found the place’s beautiful interiors very welcoming and cozy instantly. The place’s heater was so good, I took off my trench coat and sat at the nearest table enjoying the instant warmth and comfort.
As it was my plan to have lunch at Mahane Yehuda, I first wanted to try Tmol Shilshom’s coffee. On the table, however, I noticed there was this visual reference about their special drinks offered complete with descriptions and prices (in Shekels) displayed. After some thinking and wanting to try something really unique, I decided to order their Halva Drink which is a vegan beverage composed of date honey, tahini, hot soy milk and shredded Halva. I stated my order to the waiter who passed it on to the counter. The waiter was also helpful in granting me access to their Wi-Fi.
After several minutes of browsing and checking updates online, a pretty blonde served to me my Halva Drink and she said, “Enjoy.”
The Halva Drink is one of the special drinks from Tmol Shilshom and I enjoyed this a lot! You should go for this when you visit!
Just looking at the Halva Drink, I was very impressed with the way it looked and how Tmol Shilshom made it. As a native of the Philippines who had been to local cafés and other cafés in the United States, Canada, Japan and Hong Kong, the drink truly looked one-of-a-kind to me!
After marveling at it, I finally decided to start drinking my Halva Drink. The first sensation of my tongue registered a mild sweetness that was also delightful. Naturally, I wanted more of the enjoyable taste so I continued consuming it. The combination of Halva combined with the other mentioned ingredients made it a pretty engaging and very unique drink experience for me. Whoever prepared the Halva Drink there at Tmol Shilshom deserves admiration and thanks! The same should also go to whoever designed the drink there.
As I enjoyed my drink, I took a break from my smartphone and observed the really nice interiors around me. There was this unique feeling of being at home (note: explanation in the Conclusion section) while also feeling comfortable as a consumer. I have been to many cafés and restaurants in my life but Tmol Shilshom is not only very unique but also a standout.
Lots of books on display. Tmol Shilshom is also a bookstore and if you love literature, you should ask for their recommendations.
It comes to no surprise that the Halva Drink, combined with the warmth, the coziness and fine atmosphere of the interior, relaxed me a lot. The stress and the slight soreness of my feet faded away, and I was ready to move on to Mahane Yehuda for lunch and further exploration. Before leaving, I ordered bottled water (to keep myself hydrated), paid the bill and tipped them.
Conclusion
That’s a cozy looking spot and the decorations around are really nice.
While my stay at Tmol Shilshom lasted less than an hour, my experience there still proved to be memorable with the mentioned factors above. I really enjoyed the place (note: the building was originally residential and it got converted for commercial use) and the minimal interior space was not a problem to me at all. Their workers were very professional, friendly and accommodating. It should be noted that apart being a fine place for dining, reading and working, Tmol Shilshom also established itself as a place for special events and gatherings.
If ever I will get to revisit Jerusalem, I would not hesitate to return to Tmol Shilshom and try out their meals and other offerings. It is truly a very special place of Jerusalem and I encourage you to visit them for your food and beverage interests. I personally thank our Lord for guiding me to find the place.
As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (ESV)
To each of you reading this, I highly recommend visiting Tmol Shilshom when you are in Jerusalem. For your reference, visit their website at https://www.tmol-shilshom.co.il/en/home/ and follow them on Instagram.
Watch out for more Israel 2023 travel pieces here.
Panda Express’ newest branch is located at the corner of the Alabang-Zapote Road and Madrigal Avenue. The said branch is located right beside Jollibee and are part of the Molito Complex. The commercial space occupied by Panda Express Alabang (also referred to as Panda Express Madrigal) was a Chowking branch.
Panda Express in Alabang at the corner of Alabang-Zapote Road and Madrigal Avenue.
For the newcomers reading this, Panda Express started in Glendale, California in the United States in 1983 and expanded worldwide with over two thousand branches. Within South Metro Manila, Panda Express has a branch at Doña Soledad Avenue in Parañaque City and also one at the basement level of SM Southmall in Las Piñas City.
With regards to food, Panda Express’ most notable food is its Orange Chicken (note: chicken nuggets with a unique texture and taste). They also offer Black Pepper Steak, Mongolian Pork, Kung Pao Chicken, Beijing Beef, Broccoli Beef, Eggplant Tofu, Fried Rice, Chow Mein and Mixed Vegetables to name some.
The food for customers’ to choose from inside Panda Express.
If you will be visiting a Panda Express for the first time ever, you will have to adjust yourselves to the restaurant’s use of terms such as entrées and sides when you select the meals you want to eat. Don’t feel intimidated as the restaurant has personnel who will explain things to you and guide you.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? Are you excited to try out the food served by Panda Express now that they have a branch in Alabang? If you are an Alabang resident, do you think Panda Express has what it takes to compete and survive given the fact that the Alabang commercial areas are filled with lots of restaurants already? If you were able to eat at a Panda Express restaurant before, which particular meal did you enjoy the most from them?
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
If you are fond of American Chinese meals with the fast food touch, then you might be interested to know that Panda Express is about to open its Muntinlupa City branch at one of the gasoline stations along the southbound lane of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) on July 1, 2022, according to a report by Malaya.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Malaya news report. Some parts in boldface…
The south area of the metro is attracting some good fortune. Panda Express—the world’s largest American Chinese dining concept—is set to open another store in the south on July 1, with its Shell SLT branch, the first location in Muntinlupa and along the South Luzon expressway.
The new branch will be the 10th Panda Express branch in Metro Manila since it set foot in the country in 2019.
“This back-to-back store openings in the south is all attributable to the heartwarming support that Panda Express has received from Filipino customers since 2019. Guests from Muntinlupa and nearby areas, as well as city travelers heading south can now stop over at our new location to satisfy their craving for savory, wok-cooked American Chinese dishes,” said Ned Bandojo, Business Development Head of Jollibee Group Foreign Franchised Brands.
The Panda Express menu includes a variety of entrées with regional Chinese influences—from its bestselling The Original Orange Chicken, a wok-tossed crispy chicken coated in sweet tangy sauce to other must-try entrees like Broccoli Beef, Savory Shrimp and Black Pepper Steak.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? Are you willing to take the trip south the SLEX just to eat at the Shell gas station branch of Panda Express? When was the last time you ate at an American Chinese restaurant? Do you wish that Panda Express would someday open a new branch within the Alabang area of Muntinlupa?
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
Recently, a special search for the best restaurants in the city was launched by the City Government of Las Piñas which involves the Nutrition Office and the Tourism Office, the Manila Bulletin reported. This ongoing search emphasizes local restaurants, nutrition and even tourism.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas city government launched the search for the five best restaurants in the city that serve the best delicacies that will help promote the city as a culinary destination.
Mayor Imelda Aguilar said the search for the five best restaurants is a project of the Nutrition Office under the leadership of Dr. Julio Javier and the Tourism Office under Paul San Miguel.
Aguilar said the search is also in preparation for the celebration of Nutrition Month in July where the winners will receive special tokens of appreciation from the City Nutrition Office.
She said the Tourism Office will promote the city’s best delicacies to both local and foreign tourists.
She added that the winners will be featured in the city’s official Facebook page and Nutrition Office.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Las Piñas City resident, what is your reaction to this recent development? Is there any particular local restaurant that you had visited time and time again? Did that particular local restaurant consistently produce delicious meals each time you ordered? What kinds of meals do you enjoy whenever you eat in a local restaurant?
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
If you are looking for encouraging news about our country and its struggle to rise up from the COVID-19 crisis, be aware that more than half a million foreign visitors have been counted since the Philippines reopened its borders months ago, according to a recent news report by BusinessWorld.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the BusinessWorld article. Some parts in boldface…
FOREIGN VISITORS have totaled 517,516 as of May 25, since the reopening of borders with minimal quarantine requirements in February, according to the Department of Tourism (DoT).
The DoT said in a statement that the US was the top source of arrivals between Feb. 10 and May 25 with 104,589, followed by South Korea with 28,474 arrivals, and Canada 24,337.
“Australian nationals, British, and Japanese were next on the list with 23,286; 20,846; and 13,373 respectively,” the DoT said.
“Other foreign visitors during the early months of the year include Vietnamese, Singaporeans, Malaysians, Italians, Irish and French,” it added.
On Feb. 10, the Philippines started accepting nationals that do not require visas to enter the country. Since April 1, borders have been opened to all nationals.
“The DoT is looking forward to an uptick in tourist arrivals in the coming weeks following the further easing of entry requirements,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said.
Starting May 30, the DoT said fully vaccinated and boostered inbound foreign visitors will no longer be required to have a pre-departure test for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The looser entry rules are authorized by Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) Resolution No. 168.
However, the DoT said arriving passengers are still encouraged to obtain travel insurance. All types of vaccination certificates, regardless of country of origin, will also be accepted.
“Based on the resolution, the visitor must be at least 18 years old and must have received the primary series of COVID-19 vaccines and at least one booster shot,” the DoT said.
For the newcomers reading this, more tourists from overseas means better opportunities for local businesses to make more money and recover whatever losses they had as a result of lockdowns and quarantine-related business restrictions. Tourism-related businesses like hotels, resorts and connected transportation and food-and-beverage services badly need the spending of foreign visitors.
In relation to this tourism industry development, be aware that there were foreign participants in the recent Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) which was a big sports even that attracted hundreds of participants on May 1 at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. Speaking of the said location, I personally saw lots of hotels, restaurants (note: read my feature articles about Gourmet Garage Subic and Xtremely Xpresso), stores and other leisure facilities that operated as if the country is back in the pre-pandemic days. The more foreign tourists coming in plus the more local tourists engage in holidays, special events and travel in the country, the better it will be for local businesses to recover (plus pay their fees, taxes and keeping their hard-working employees longer) and the nation as a whole. I believe that the Philippines will continue to rise socially and economically from the pandemic.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this tourism-related development? Do you believe the Philippines will be able to attract 2 million foreign tourists by the end of 2022? Do you run a business that catered to foreign tourists?
During my most recent visit at the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, I took the opportunity to revisit key places around as it has been more than two years since my previous visit. On the afternoon of April 30 (just a day before the 2022 Subic Bay International Triathlon happened), I took time out to revisit Xtremely Xpresso Café (social media here, here and here) located at Dewey Street corner Sta. Rita Road.
Xtremely Xpresso Café is more than just a place to enjoy good coffee. It is also a restaurant that sells to its customers a good variety of tasty meals from pizza to pasta, rice meals and others. The very first time I visited the food joint was in the early 2000s. Through the years I had coffee there during my solo visits and there were also times that I was with the family enjoying pizza and their meals. Xtremely Xpresso’s pizzas were always delicious and filling to enjoy with friends or family.
Xtremely Xpresso Subic Bay Freeport branch on the day I returned.
Going back to my April 30 afternoon visit, I easily recognized Xtremely Xpresso upon arrival. What I found interesting was that the place was bustling with customers both indoors (where it is air conditioned) and outdoors as if life was back to normal (note: Alert Level 1 status was in effect on the Subic Bay Freeport Zone back then). I saw some groups of people, couples and individual customers enjoying their meals and drinks on the outdoor area (note: lots of seats and tables with shade) and the simmering heat of the day did not seem to bother them at all.
Then I entered and saw the ever familiar-looking interior. Almost all the seats and tables were filled up by customers who mostly came in groups or pairs. Everywhere I looked, I saw people really enjoying their food and drinks, and having quality time together. As such, I decided to order a drink and dessert and have the waiter serve them to me at a seat outdoors.
I took sat at a place where there was enough shade to protect me from the sun. While the heat was obvious, there were moments I felt some relief in the form of coolness from the occasional wind coming from the sea water several meters away. After about ten minutes waiting, the waiter served to me the cheesecake slice and the Shockwave Xtreme Frappe’ that I ordered.
The cheesecake I ordered at Xtremely Xpresso.
A close look at a portion of the cheesecake.
As I was seated outdoors, I did not want to let the sun and the summer heat ruin the cheesecake so I started consuming it portion by portion. Each bite of it was smooth and in terms of taste, it had a mild sweetness to it. More notably, it tasted like any cheesecake. In terms of content, it is thick and long enough for me. As such, Xtremely Xpresso’s cheesecake slice is good enough.
Xtremely Xpresso’s Shockwave frappe was cold coffee with some chocolate to its taste with a creamy aesthetic. In my experience sipping it moderately, the Shockwave had a moderate sweetness to it and I felt a creamy coffee and chocolate taste. It was during the remaining small amount I sipped when I suddenly felt a sweetened taste. Then the drink ran out. Xtremely Xpresso’s Shockwave is a frappe that is completely different from what other coffee shops here in the Philippines offered. I can say it is a good drink to have at Xtremely Xpresso.
The Shockwave frappe was mildly sweet and had a coffee and chocolate taste.
So my recent visit at Xtremely Xpresso in Subic Bay was good one. I would not hesitate to return there and next time, I would definitely order a meal, a different drink and something else. In my previous dining experiences there with my family, I enjoyed the taste of their Big Ben pizza, the Seafood Pesto pizza, the Creamy Cheese Penne and their Spinach Omelette. All of those and a lot more are still being offered to customers.
While securing an indoor seat and table is challenging, be assured that there are a lot more tables and seats outside. In fact, having breakfast and coffee outdoors is a fresh and comfortable experience as the sun is not too intense in the morning.
For those of you reading this, if you are planning to visit Subic Bay and you want good food and drinks to enjoy, I encourage you to visit Xtremely Xpresso.
Let me end this piece with the following holy scripture…
So then, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you may do, do all for the honor and glory of God.
When I arrived in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone just a day before the 2022 Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) took place, I was very hungry as I left home very early without any breakfast and I was not able to stop at any of the gas stations (and their respective food joints) along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as we took the counter-flow going north.
After settling at a hotel in close proximity to the triathlon venue, I drove to the one restaurant located at the Argonaut Highway-Rizal Highway corner that I’ve been eager to revisit…Gourmet Garage Subic (social media here and here).
The front of Gourmet Garage Subic!
Coming from the parking area of the business establishment, I entered Gourmet Garage Subic through the rear door and immediately I felt this atmosphere of class with classical music being played as I walked on and recognized their fine interior. It was a very welcoming experience and already there were people enjoying their lunch.
As I was pretty hungry and somewhat worn down by the long drive from Metro Manila, I ordered myself a Caesar (their version of Caesar’s salad) to enjoy something fresh. From the restaurant’s Main Event section of the menu, I chose the Lamb Madras Curry.
While waiting for my orders to be served, I took the time relaxing, enjoying the aircon and the continuous music, looked at the products displayed and browsed the web with my smartphone via Wifi. And then just like that, the waitress served me the Caesar which was faster than I expected. Upon seeing the salad placed in front of me, I was impressed with the way it was presented. There was some food art to it visually.
The Caesar of Gourmet Garage.
A closer look.
The Caesar was prepared with really fresh romaine lettuce topped (on a key portion) with Gourmet Garage Subic’s very own dressing mixed with parmesan shavings and bits of bacon. Right from the first bite of the salad (note: I used the fork and knife to cut myself a portion) that had the lettuce and dressing together, I experienced this very flavorful and pleasing taste! It was very delicious, I went on to cut portions of the Caesar and slowly consumed it along with the bits. I really enjoyed the salad as it was prepared by the cook to be flavorful, fresh and very satisfying! Gourmet Garage Subic’s Caesar is easily the best fresh salad I’ve had in a long time!
Just a few minutes after I was done with the salad, the Lamb Madras Curry was served to me. Right from the start, I noticed it was very well presented and the subtle heat I felt from it showed the lamb was newly cooked. I also liked the pleasing smell of the meal.
The Lamb Madras Curry was so nicely prepared and it tasted great!
The Lamb Madras Curry came with basmati rice on the bottom topped with the finely cooked lamb (itself topped with yogurt plus onion pieces and vegetables). On one side was a small tomato with a roasted onion and other onion pieces. The other side had more leaves. The meal was served with two sauces – garlic and chili.
As a first-timer of this particular meal – noted as a Chef’s Recommendation on Gourmet Garage’s menu – I decided to try out a small piece of the lamb without any yogurt on it and I found to be tasty on its own. There is no doubt that the lamb pieces were very finely cooked and the way it was prepared showed that special attention to details was done by the cook.
A piece of lamb by the fork.
I tried another piece of lamb and dipped it on the garlic sauce. The flavor of the said piece was enhanced by the said sauce as I chewed. I can say also say the same about the lamb pieces with yogurt on them. As for the spice level, I can say it is tolerable (pretty mild to be precise) and I never had a problem moving from one bite to another, also consuming the rice (really fragrant) and the vegetables. Along the way, I managed to cut some pieces of lamb placed on the fork along with the vegetable for that meat-and-veggies taste.
The Lamb Madras Curry from the side.
Every bite I had with the Lamb Madras Curry really had great flavor and big satisfaction. It is so great, this is easily the best lamb meal I had in years! Whoever designed the Lamb Madras Curry knew exactly how to ensure great taste, solid satisfaction and freshness (in terms of vegetables prepared and the cooking of the meat)!
Gourmet Garage Subic’s Caesar and Lamb Madras Curry are both highly recommended to all of you who love food! Make sure you try either of them once you visit the restaurant.
Apart from serving meals, drinks and desserts for diners, Gourmet Garage Subic also has a nice selection of imported products for your home consumption. On display for sale were lots of bottles of fine wine, fruit juices, frozen meat, condiments, snacks, pastry and other good products to take home! They also sell fresh bread products.
Looking for a new bottle of wine to buy? So many to choose here!
Bread and pastry offered.
Drinks, snacks, condiments and other nice products on display.
As mentioned in my past article, Gourmet Garage Subic also caters. Through their website, customers can also order Gourmet-in-a-Box (meals by the tray) and Party Trays (varied types of food with parties in mind). There is something that will surely interest you when it comes to good food! That being said, I urge you to check out Gourmet Garage’s website as well as their presence on Instagram and Facebook.
This is a great place to have your picture taken inside Gourmet Garage Subic!
The next time you visit Funtastic Subic Bay, I highly recommend you visit Gourmet Garage Subic at 1143 Argonaut Street (very near the Starbucks Coffee shop there) for very good food with your family, friends or business associates. On my next visit to Subic Bay, I’ll definitely come back to try their other meals.
Let me end this piece with the following holy scripture…
Whether you eat or drink, live your life in a way that glorifies and honors God.
If you are looking for nice place for vacation and you also want to watch a triathlon event live, then you should come to the Subic Bay Freeport Zone where the 2022 edition of the Subic Bay International Triathlon (SUBIT) will be held at on May 1, 2022 (for external references, click here, here, here and here).
For a quick look at who the Philippine Team triathletes are racing and what impact SUBIT had on Philippine triathlon in general, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin sports news report. Some parts in boldface…
The race is actually a tuneup for the PH team going to the biennial meet where it aims to maintain its 1-2 finish in the men’s and women’s division.
Racing in SUBIT are Fer Casares, Kim Remolino, John Chicano, Kim Mangrobang, Raven Alcoseba and Lauren Plaza.
“The SUBIT will be a good tuneup race for our SEAG-bound athletes, especially sa game strategy,” said Triathlon Association President Tom Carrasco.
“SUBIT has been at the forefront of development of Filipino triathletes. I’m proud to say that SUBIT has produced Southeast Asian Games champions and notable Asian Games performers.”
Among the SUBIT products were SEAG winners Chicano, Mangrobang, Nikko Huelgas and (Claire) Adorna, Youth Olympics qualifier Vicky Deldio, Columbia World Games qualifiers Carlo Pedregosa and Mirasol Abad, Birmingham World Games qualifier Casares, and 2018 Asian Games top 10 finisher Kim Kilgroe.
This year’s SUBIT – formally called the NTT AST Subic Bay International Triathlon (SuBIT) 2022 – will have race distances of 1.5 kilometer swim – 40 Km bike – 10 Km run (Standard Distance), 750 M swim – 20 Km bike – 5 Km run (Sprint Distance) and 500 M – 13 Km bike – 2.5 Km run (Super Sprint Distance) which will cover lots of places in the freeport. With regards to schedules, posted below are the details sourced from the event page at RaceYaya.com
Pay close attention to this.
This year’s SUBIT is a joint project of the Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP), the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and I Love Fun-tastic Subic Bay supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), Standard Insurance, FINIS Philippines, Gatorade, Subic Bay Travelers Hotel, POCARI Sweat, and Asian Centre for Insulation Philippines Inc.
Where to enjoy food and drinks in Subic Bay?
Visit Gourmet Garage and Xtremely Xpresso on your next visit to Subic Bay.
Apart from being a sports tourism hot spot, the Subic Bay Freeport Zone also has nice places where you and your family or group of friends can spend time at and enjoy good food and drinks together such as Gourmet Garage Subic (social media here and here) and Xtremely Xpresso Café (social media here and here) to name a few. Personally, I enjoyed the two mentioned places a lot during my past visits. I would suggest you who read this to visit them on your next visit to Subic Bay.
Located at 1143 Argonaut Highway (very near the Starbucks Coffee shop there), Gourmet Garage Subic is one very fine place to dine in with others and their cooks specialize preparing really tasty meals such as the Truffle BBQ Orange Baby Back Ribs, the Grilled Salmon Tamari Quinoa, Grilled Javier’s Burger, Sake-marinated Fish Fillet, the Lamb Madras Curry, Gourmet Garage’s Beef Tapa and their signature pasta the Luglug Spaghettini to name a few. Looking for drinks, snacks, cakes, condiments and bread? They have them too! Their venue also has a fine-looking design. If you have any catering needs, they are willing to serve you.
Over at 1 Dewey Avenue corner Sta. Rita Road in the freeport, Xtremely Xpresso is a café that offers customers really good coffee plus meals that families and friends can enjoy together. For the coffee lovers, they got the Jump-start Espresso, Vienna Coffee, White Mocha and Vietnamese Coffee plus their very own lineup of frappe’s such as the Shockwave, the Coffee Cradle and Ekimocha to name a few. For those looking for hearty meals, they have Baby Back Ribs, Korean Beef Ribs, Salisbury Steak, the Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich, pasta and their Big Ben pizza!
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you excited to visit Subic Bay for the May 1 triathlon event and the local places to enjoy good food? When was the last time you visited Subic Bay?
Since Metro Manila officially shifted into Alert Level 3 this past Saturday, there was indeed an increase of the number of people who visited the restaurants, the shopping malls and other places in the City of Muntinlupa which is the result of the easing of restrictions. What the Manila Bulletin reported, I myself confirm it is true. That being said, the local food and beverage businesses now have a better chance to recover as there are more people of Muntinlupa who got fully vaccinated and the relaxed rules on their operations provided a lot more freedom.
To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
There was an increase in the number of people in restaurants, malls and parks in Muntinlupa on Oct. 16, the first day of the implementation of Alert Level 3 in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) downgraded the alert level in NCR from 4 to 3, which took effect on Oct. 16 and will last on Oct. 31.
Under Alert Level 3, more business establishments and activities are allowed to operate including cinemas.
According to Muntinlupa police chief, Col. Melecio Buslig, because of the downgraded alert level in Muntinlupa, there was an “abrupt increase” in individuals eating in dine-in restaurants and going to malls, parks, and other places of convergence.
He also said there was an increase in public and private vehicles on major thoroughfares, and an increase in the number of commuters in transport terminals.
Heavy traffic was observed from Muntinlupa to Binan, Laguna from Saturday afternoon to evening as more vehicles were on the road.
Shopping malls in Muntinlupa adjusted their operating hours due to the new alert level. SM Center Muntinlupa now operates from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Starmall Alabang announced that until Oct. 31, its mall hours are from 9 a.m. to 8 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every Friday, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Saturday to Sunday.
“Customers aged 18 to 65 years old only are allowed in the mall. Supermarket, drug stores, convenience stores, banks, courier services, money changer & remittance services, ATM centers, hardware & home essentials are open. Restaurants & food establishments are open for al fresco dining at 50% capacity and indoor dining at 30% capacity for fully vaccinated customers only. They are also open for pick-up, takeout and delivery,” it said.
The mall added that “pet shops, book stores, IT shops, toy stores, fashion and retail shops are open. Beauty salons, barber shops, and nail spas are open at 50% capacity if conducted outdoor and at 30% indoor capacity for fully vaccinated customers only. Recreational venues such as arcades, bowling alleys, cinemas, and similar venues are open at 30% capacity for fully vaccinated customers only.”
In relation to the above news report, I can confirm that during my visit at Molito here in Alabang on Saturday I saw more people eating outdoors at a few restaurants I passed by and there was a long line of customers at a certain Japanese restaurant nearby. During my visit at Festival Mall on Sunday (2nd day of Alert Level 3) in the late morning, I noticed the crowd of people was light (note: the mall opened at 11AM) but I noticed more customers flocking to the restaurants and coffee shops than before. For the newcomers reading this, to dine in or seat in a food/beverage joint, you must be fully vaccinated with evidence shown and you must use the StaySafe.ph app for online contact tracing. With a lot more people vaccinated fully (2 doses of vaccines of different brands or with the single dose of the Janssen vaccine) already, there is a huge market of customers for the food/beverage joints to cater to indoors. Alert Level 3 also paves the way for people to worship the Lord at church venues both indoors and outdoors.
Alert Level 3 is still far away from achieving pre-pandemic conditions but it sure is much better not only for businesses but also for the people who have gotten tired of the restrictions of Alert Level 4, the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) and the dreaded enhanced community quarantine (ECQ). Alert Level 3 is a positive development and we should thank our Lord and glorify Him for the breakthrough as it is a crucial step towards normalcy and socio-economic recovery!
Residents of Muntinlupa City who remain unregistered and unvaccinated should make a move to get registered by learning the ways to do it. Those who are prepared (with personal information available) and willing to go through online registration for the free vaccines in Muntinlupa are encouraged to click https://vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac/
Muntinlupa minors may register online through the city’s COVID-19 vaccination registration system at www.vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac and choose category “C – Rest of Population.”
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident, what do you think about this latest local development?
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Author Carlo Carrasco 