Destinations
Pipino (Vegetarian Food by Pino): Creative vegetarian chow
Vegetarian resto Pipino may have started as just the little sister (or bother) or Pino Restaurant, but it has become a must-visit for green lovers. Visit to see why.
“We know how hard it is to be a vegetarian in this country, and we believe that you should be able to go into a restaurant and not have to worry about unwanted meat in your dishes.” Here is this venue then that serves “convenient and deliciously satisfying meals for all vegetarians and veggie-lovers.” Because this resto “takes your favorite Filipino fare and turns them into creative dishes… to bring you a vegetarian restaurant that bridges healthy and delicious.”
That, in not so many words, is the spiel given by Pipino – which is actually somewhat of an offshoot of the restaurant Pino. Remember when every Jollibee branch in the Philippines used to have a (smaller) branch of Greenwich attached to it? Well, if Pino is Jollibee, then Pipino is its Greenwich. When Pipino was opened in April 2011, it almost seemed as an afterthought since it was only a six-item line of Pino’s menu. Eventually, though, this place has grown into a resto of its own. And it is largely because, yes, of that spiel of theirs, which they – fortunate for health buffs – somewhat fulfills.
Pipino’s venues are… in a word, nice, albeit small. Small because they only form parts of the bigger Pino; though nice, nonetheless, because – while nothing fancy can be seen here – they easily bring to mind small town cafés. Wooden tables with wooden benches? Check. Blackboards with the day’s offerings written for surveying? Check. Young (and friendly) waiters/waitresses (like they’re working their way to school)? Check. Heck, there’s even a bulletin board in the branch in Quezon City – in case you’d like to post or get info on those who post stuff there. No wonder that the yuppies, celebrities, fashion models (arguably diet conscious), bohemian, et cetera frequent the place…
All the same, the venue (for all its niceness) wouldn’t matter much if the food isn’t good.
And Pipino delivers on its promise somehow.
They have – for the lack of a more dramatic word – “common” offerings that can be found in most other restos. For soup (P45), there’s the Cream of Pumpkin, Cabbage Noodle Soup, Cilantro Soup, Tomato Soup, among others. They’re okay, though not too memorable for me – unlike Le Bistro’s Minestrone Soup with Malunggay Pesto, or even (now this isn’t that healthy, though it’s definitely good) Yellow Cab’s Tomato Cream Soup.
But starting with the starters and beyond, the dining starts to become… an experience.
Must-try starters, for me, include: Tofu Satay (with peanut sauce, P165) that may as well be called “yum balls”; and the Raw Dip Platter (miso malunggay pesto, aioli and carrot dips with vegetable sticks and pita bread, P195) that has something for just about everyone (even the non-vegetarian, but curious enough).
For entrée, try Banana Polenta (with asparagus salad and dried tomato confit, P220), which effectively merges the banana’s sweet mush with the dried tomatoes prune-y flavor; Squash Risotto (with toasted pumpkin seeds and fresh ginger, P125), which is filling without being nakakasawa (feeling like you’ve had too much); and Vegetable Curry (with couscous and tofu chips, P195), which has just enough tang so that that after-meal taste curry tends to leave in the mouth isn’t apparent. And then there’s the Watermelon Steak (with taro miso mash, string beans and pickled mushrooms, P220), which tasted just as I remembered steak to taste like (when I used to stuff myself with steak in the past) – succulent somehow, and juicy (thanks to the watermelon’s juices), too, so that “mouth-watering” gets new meaning/becomes literal.
Other offerings include: Portobello Inasal (with red beet purée, ensaladang talong and brown rice, P260), and Stuffed Dried Tomatoes (with brown rice, mushroom salpicao and orange leek salad, P225).
Sandwiches tried included: Black Bean Burger (with lettuce and mango salsa on whole wheat bun, served with sweet potato fries and aioli, P155), and Tofu and Garlic Mushrooms (with aioli on whole wheat bread, P155).
Ditto, for pasta/noodles: Cheese-less Vegan Lasagna (with eggplant, zucchini and silken tofu ricotta, P120), Veggie Tempura with Udon (with soy mirin, P145), and Creamy Pesto (with wasabi onion rings, P165).
End the meal with the Choco Cake (dairy- and egg-free, P80 per slice), Cupcakes (green tea, vanilla cinnamon or red velvet, P50 apiece) and Muffins (choc chip, P30; coconut, P20; choco-banana, P20; and blueberry, P30), or – my must-try – Homemade Ice Cream by Pipino (P35 to P45 per serving, with flavors including fresh lemon, oreo, coconut, dark chocolate, an vanilla graham).
Turning vegetarian is indeed hard(er) because of the lack of places to dine as a greens-lover. And while not everything in Pipino works for my taste buds, it sure makes going green easy and… yes, tasty. Drop by and discover for yourself.
Pipino is open daily – from 11.00AM to 12.00MN from Monday to Saturday, and from 11.00AM to 10.00PM on Sundays. For reservations, catering, advanced orders for pick-ups, and bulk deliveries, call (+63 2) 4411773, or email pipinovegetarian@gmail.com.
For those who’d rather have stuff in front of their doors, Pipino delivers; call (+63 2) 2121212.
Else, head to its restos. In Quezon City, head to 39 Malingap Street, Teachers Village; while in Makati City, drop by #38 Jupiter Street (corner Planet Street).
For more info, visit http://www.pipinovegetarian.com/.
Destinations
Going Chinese in Pulilan, Bulacan
Craving for #chinesefood in #Bulacan? We tried the offerings of Lee Foo Panciteria #Pulilan, and we’re on the fence here (yes if no choice, no if you can go elsewhere).
We happened to be in Pulilan in Bulacan, and I had pancit craving. As if on cue, we passed by Lee Foo Panciteria Pulilan, which – after we Google-checked – is supposedly one of the more frequently-visited Chinese restos in these parts of the province, so… of course we checked.
@outragemag Craving for #chinesefood in #Bulacan? We tried the offerings of Lee Foo Panciteria #Pulilan ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine
Una, this place is really, REALLY easy to find. Located along the Pulilan Regional Road in Barangay Cut-cot in Pulilan, this is right in the middle of the municipality.
Ikalawa, the resto is actually divided into three parts: one side is for those with reservations, another part is for walk-in diners, and another part is for events. If/when the resto isn’t full, only the main part (middle one) is kept open.
No, this isn’t some fancy resto. More like an airconditioned karinderya, complete with wooden tables and plastic chairs. Look-wise, it wasn’t dirty naman when we were there, so that’s a plus.
Ikatlo, the workers were friendly naman… and they moved fast – e.g. while waiting for our orders, we were given must-check peanuts, and since we finished what we got fast, our waitress was more than happy to accommodate us.
Ika-apat, now… how was the food?
The house specialty, the Lee Foo Chicken (₱265 for half, ₱495 for whole), looked like fried chicken with ketchup. Okay… the breading was okay since it didn’t overpower the meat. The chicken, too, was properly cooked, and it wasn’t dry. But it was tasteless overall; so the ketchup taste is what stays with you.
The Pancit Canton Bihon (₱255) had thin pancit noodles, almost as thin as the bihon. It didn’t have lots of sahog; instead, you’d notice the extenders (like kikiam, and so on). I like good pancit, I swear… but this isn’t one of them, sorry.
The weirdly-wrapped Hakaw (₱155) was small, so it was bitin.
And then there’s the Siomai Steam (₱155), which was, in a word, weird. The size was good, similar to those ₱10 siomais. But the way this was prepared was weird for us – e.g. like the meat was overwatered, and having a hard time staying solid, so that it was smudgy, and disintegrated in the mouth even without chewing. I suppose that, at least, it wasn’t disgusting taste-wise.
Lee Foo Panciteria Pulilan is, we believe, popular. Like President in Chinatown, or a branch of David’s in some mall. To each his or her own nga naman. But for us, we’re off to look for other Chinese restos na muna as we head out in search of more lafangan venues.
Lee Foo Panciteria Pulilan is located at 159 Barangay Cut-cot, Pulilan, 3005 Bulacan Province. For more information, contact 0925 800 0168, or email leefoopanciteria@yahoo.com.
Travel
Treacherous beauty: Hiking at South Stack Lighthouse in Wales
#Lighthouse fever in #Holyhead, #anglesey via the #SouthStackLighthouse, as checked during this #LGBT trip to #Wales.
Yes, tech has made many lighthouses redundant. Not that they’re no longer relevant. But navigation-wise, we know we have more advanced solutions. Which, perhaps not surprisingly, led to the reconfiguration of many of them.
In Holyhead, Anglesey in Wales, introducing the South Stack Lighthouse.
@outragemag #Lighthouse fever in #Holyhead, #anglesey via the #SouthStackLighthouse, as checked during this #LGBT trip to #Wales ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine
Una, you’d need a ride to be there. Some use private cars, as we did; others join tours; and others cycle to the place.
Ikalawa, what’s there?
The lighthouse itself is located on a small, rocky island off Holyhead. From afar, it looks like someone’s grand home; mansion-like. Accessible siya after you descend down 400 steep steps.
What will you see while there?
- the former lighthouse engine room
- the top of the lighthouse
- South Stack is also home to breeding seabirds including guillemots, razorbills and puffins
Here’s an FYI: seasonal lang siya bukas.
This is a must-check for lighthouse lovers, of course. Historic, it was built in 1809 by Trinity House from the design of Daniel Alexander. 91-foot tall, it used to allow safe passage for ships on the Dublin–Holyhead–Liverpool sea route.
Another FYI: It is allegedly haunted, and has been visited by a team from “Most Haunted”.
The area housing the lighthouse is, itself, worth checking. There are trails for hikers or joggers or cyclists; though the same could be enjoyed by those who are there only to look for good shots.
Check when you’re in the area… even if you just pass by. Nice siya, promise.
But off we go for more LGBTQIA+ rampa…
Travel
Enjoying nature via trail hiking in Wales
Enjoying nature via #trail #hiking at #Snowdonia #SnowdoniaSlateTrail during one #LGBT visit in #Gwynedd, #Wales.
When in Bangor, you’d be told often that among the best things to do is to hike. And among the must-check is the Snowdonia Slate Trail, which links the old slate-quarrying communities of Eryri/Snowdonia.
So… ayan na nga, even without the right outfit for hiking, but ayaw ma-miss ang chance to check the area, off we went.
@outragemag Enjoying nature via #trail #hiking at #Snowdonia #SnowdoniaSlateTrail during one #LGBT visit in #Gwynedd, #Wales ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine
Una, the circular route starts near Bangor/Porth Penrhyn. And you need a car or whatever to get to the starting point.
Ikalawa, the trail isn’t just for hiking. It’s also for biking or walking dogs. So you’d be sharing the 133-kilometer long trail with others.
Ikatlo, what’s there?
Mountains built by remnants from quarry sites, to start.
So… Gwynedd used to be known for slate quarrying, and among the biggest players is Penrhyn Quarry which is near Gwynedd, part of The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Now… with slate quarrying, around 75% of extracted material are inferior in quality, called overburden, and so becoming mineral waste. Here, they’re now mountains.
But the trail also shows views typically associated with Wales – e.g. rolling hills that go on forever, rock fences, sheep farms, canals with flowing water… and more.
Usually, sa matatag, people hike the Snowdonia Slate Trail for up to seven days, passing through Bethesda, Llanberis, and so on. But for others… it’s but an opportunity to commune with nature, in a way, while taking those must-have shots.
But we’re off for more LGBTQIA+ discoveries…
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