Destinations

Trying to be artsy in CDO

If you like the feeling you get when you’re in a Papemelroti branch, then you’d definitely like Chingkeetea. It’s rustic; it’s artsy; it’s hip; it’s… cool. But if your idea of having fun isn’t to sit on chairs whose owners may have long died, then this isn’t the place for you – go somewhere, instead, that’s more generic, like Starbucks or McCafé or CBTL or something.

Published

9 years ago

September 22, 2015

Kiki Tan

Yes, we’ve heard about the so-called “milktea panic” that emerged after at least two people (one was a customer, and the other the owner of the shop where the milktea was bought after he also tried the milktea that the customer said tasted weird) who consumed milktea concoctions died only a few minutes after they consumed the ubiquitous drink. Chingkeetea2 With the bad press milktea got (Heck, even local government units made the rounds and had milktea shops closed!), it almost seemed like it was on the way out.

Alas, the drink’s here to stay – arguably best exemplified by milktea’s continuing appeal in so many places, e.g. in Cagayan de Oro City in Northern Mindanao, where one brand continues to make a mark because of the milktea offerings, largely abetted by a blast-from-the-past, hippy, and even artsy-fartsy appeal of the brand’s branches.

And so welcome to Chingkeetea.

WHAT’S THERE

First – and definitely worth highlighting – Chingkeetea’s major, major appeal is the vibe of its venues. Here, you see everything from the olden times – e.g. ditched desks from public schools, repurposed into retro seats; mismatched furniture pieces that, weirdly, work together; empty bottles of softdrinks and wines serving as decorative pieces; et cetera. The only “new” pieces there are these artworks/drawings atop tables or clipped a la sinampay/laundry, so that they, too, become decorative pieces.

There are some variations – e.g. the branch closer to Xavier University, for instance, is way bigger than the other one located a few blocks away (though on the same street). But the “feel” of the place remains the same, what with all these knickknacks scattered around to give Chingkeetea this “lola’s homey place” appeal.

Of course, it helps that the food isn’t bad (even if it isn’t world-shattering), and – to top that – they’re cheap. Korean ramen, for instance, only sells for P75 a bowl. The drinks aren’t bad either. No, don’t expect kapeng barako, but with the coffees (Java Chip, Butterworth, Mocha, Cappuccino) selling from P70, they suffice. Particularly considering that with Starbucks and CBTL charging double that, this place’s offerings aren’t too bad at all.

And then of course we have the milktea drinks (e.g. wintermelon, strawberry, chocolate, vanilla, taro, honeydew, Oreo, and vanilla), selling from P60. Not as sugary as, say, Zagu; but not watery either. They more than suffice…

WHY GO THERE

It can’t be stated enough – if you want that artsy feel, come over. Here, there’s this sense of being laid back, as if everything isn’t rushed. Great, therefore, if you’re out to catch up with friends on lazy afternoons/dusk…

Not surprisingly, largely because the venues aren’t too far from the city’s biggest university, the crowd tends to be young (and yeah, the owner – nicknamed Chingkee – is still in her 20s) . And they vary, too – from the katkat (literally, “climb”, though locally used to refer to social climbers), to the yuppies, to the government employees, to the comparatively better-off students, and to the LGBT crowd (though most of them cisgender). So if you wanna be with the relatively younger crowd, check this out.

For catching up without having to kick your pockets hard (check the prices mentioned above), this is worth considering, too.

WHY AVOID

This is not to say this place is perfect – no, sir/ma’am, it’s far from that. In fact, there are things that, well, get to me. For one, many of the offerings aren’t always available – I, personally, had to change orders thrice on the first visit, twice on the second visit, and thrice again on the third visit because the ingredients of what I wanted to have weren’t available. A ruder customer would say: “Magsara na lang kayo (Just close shop, will you)!”; but let’s not…

The venues can get full – good for business, but bad for customers (particularly those arriving in groups). It doesn’t help, too, that the branch closest to Xavier University has a non-airconditioned space; meaning, you put up with the humidity or raindrops (depending on the season) when there…

There’s no Internet connection, too. The selling point of the place – as this drawing states – is for people not to get lost virtually when they’re in Chingkeetea, and instead start talking with each other. For a telecommuter like me, the word that comes to mind is “bullcrap”.

And then there are the… religious writings on the walls, showcasing the owner’s religious beliefs, which may not necessarily be shared by everyone visiting the place. If you don’t want other people’s beliefs shoved down your throat, you can choose to ignore; or just don’t visit at all.

IN THE END…

If you like the feeling you get when you’re in a Papemelroti branch, then you’d definitely like Chingkeetea. It’s rustic; it’s artsy; it’s hip; it’s… cool.

But if your idea of having fun isn’t to sit on chairs whose owners may have long died, then this isn’t the place for you – go somewhere, instead, that’s more generic, like Starbucks or McCafé or CBTL or something.

Chingkeetea branches are located along Pabayo/Corrales (near Xavier University).

CHINGKEETEA BRANCH NEAR XAVIER UNIVERSITY

CHINGKEETEA BRANCH AT GRAND CENTRAL

Up Next

Asia to witness highest growth in cranio maxillofacial implants by 2020

Don't Miss

Huawei’s TalkBand B2 is a fitness tracker and a Bluetooth earpiece

Kiki Tan

"If someone asked you about me, about what I do for a living, it's to 'weave words'," says Kiki Tan, who has been a writer "for as long as I care to remember." This one writes about... anything and everything.

Destinations

Craving for smoked meat? We checked Jfred’s Smokehouse for you

Are you searching (or craving) for #smokedmeats? We head to #Cavite to see if the noise about Jfred’s Smokehouse is deserved.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 3, 2025

M.D. dela Cruz Tan

You see their ads often… these restaurants that offer smoked meats that are said to melt in your mouth with goodness. Sa visuals, maaakit ka, as they showcase slices of meat that remain juicy after being processed, and so yeah, maglalaway ka sa akala mo ay yummy.

This is how we discovered Jfred’s Smokehouse in Cavite.

After a visit, ano ang masasabi namin?

@outragemag Takam ka sa #smokedmeat? #LGBTQ food trip to Jfred’s Smokehouse @jfreds.smokehouse in #Bacoor, #Cavite ♬ original sound – Outrage Magazine

Una, the place is easy to find naman, as it’s not too far from malls. Note that this is in Bacoor; meaning, you’d need to allocate time to drive to the place, and extra cash for tolls if you take expressways.

Ikalawa, the actual venue is… okay kahit di full-blast ang aircon. Malinis ang lugar. May maayos na furniture. Proper ang cutlery. Di mausok, so you don’t leave smelling like you sat beside the grillery. And so on.

Ikatlo, attentive naman ang staff. Halimbawa, they can explain the items in the menu; and they’re readily available if you need stuff.

Now… let’s talk about the food.

The Smoked Angus Beef (₱900) was noteworthy for being soft, yes. You won’t even need a knife na when you eat because this is what “melts in your mouth” is like for real. However, this tasted quite bland. So when chewing, you – instead – taste the not necessarily desirable meat fat. Also, for ₱900, you get a small serving.
The Beef Ragu (₱380) was malaman, and was cheesy. But it was also quite sweet. And yes, maliit ang serving.
The Caesar Salad (₱250) was sariwa, and was cheesy. But for ₱250, the serving was quite small din.
The French Fries (₱150) was served warm. But eat fast because mabilis kumunat.

Jfred’s Smokehouse is not a bad place. So if looking for smoked meat while in the area, yep… add this to your list of venues.

And yet this place made us realize that smoked meat is an acquired taste. Hindi lahat makaka-appreciate nito. And so yeah, revisiting isn’t in our calendar pa. So we just search for more lafang venues.

Jfred’s Smokehouse is located at 4930 Molino Blvd., Niog III, Bacoor City, Province of Cavite. Contact them at 0999 929 7624.

Dining Out

Heading to Cavite to try Som Thai Silang Bypass

We go to Silang to check Som Thai Silang Bypass.

Published

1 month ago

February 12, 2025

M.D. dela Cruz Tan

There’s this venue in Silang in Cavite that started referring to itself as “Little Bangkok”. And why not, when – in a compound – there are various Thai-related offerings, helmed by a Thai resto called Som Thai Silang Bypass.

We checked it, and… how was it for us?

@outragemag

Looking for #LGBTQ #thai #cheapeats in #Cavite? We checked Som Thai Silang Bypass to see if it's worth visiting

♬ original sound – outragemag

Una, this place is closer to Tagaytay than it is to Manila. So magbaon ng pasensiya at pera sa biyahe… considering that, yes, you have to allocate more time and monetary allocation for the gas and tolls just to check this place.

Ikalawa, the actual resto isn’t grand; it almost looks like a karinderya in the province. But then again, it reminds me of the micro and small entrepreneurs in rural parts of Thailand, where locals convert their houses into mini-restos for lunch and for dinner. Just don’t expect much when here.

Ikatlo, the service people were nice (e.g. they’d ask you if things are okay), but they were… slow (e.g. I had to approach the teller to pay the bill).

And lastly… the food; how was it for us?

The Som Tam (papaya salad, ₱120 for the solo serving) was – in a word – malansa (fishy). There are different ways to prepare this, with some adding shrimp paste (bagoóng alamáng) or dried shrimps (hibi). But the version of Som Thai Silang Bypass tasted like it used fermented fish (bagoóng isdâ) from Pampanga. Now… if you’re familiar with Pampanga’s bagoong, you’d know what I mean when I say malansa.
The Tom Yum seafood (₱291 for the solo serving) was, at least, malasa (tasty) and contained lots of seafood.
The Pad Thai chicken (₱249 for the solo serving) was… tasteless. This is sorta disappointing because when a Thai resto can’t make a proper Pad Thai, you start to have doubts re authenticity.
The Mango Duo (two pieces of half-cut fresh spring rolls + mango sticky rice + garlic mayo and peanut sauce, ₱265) is a cheaper way to get spring rolls and dessert. Nothing special here, but the mango slices used were really sweet.
The Chicken Satay ((with peanut sauce and vinegar, ₱210) was bland. We were anticipating red curry (or massaman curry) or at least peanutty taste, but neither was noted. Even the peanut sauce did not taste peanutty.
Be warned that the servings here are small – i.e. when they say “solo”, they’re serious in limiting you from sharing.
Be warned, too, that some Thai condiments – e.g. tamarind paste – aren’t available. “Ubos na,” we were told.

If there aren’t other Thai restos in the area, Som Thai Silang Bypass should suffice. But this is Silang, a municipality in the Province of Cavite that has too many restos to count. So yeah… you can try if you want, and considering its limitations. Otherwise, let’s just discover more lafang venues.

Som Thai Silang Bypass is located along Bypass Road, Aguinaldo Highway, Silang, Cavite.

Dining Out

Still trying to find the promise of Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña

#Pizza, #lasagna, #babybackribs aren’t Pinoy staples, and so – as we look for a venue where they’re properly offered – we ended up in Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña in Quezon City.

Published

1 month ago

February 3, 2025

M.D. dela Cruz Tan

Truth: Pizza isn’t a Pinoy staple food. So even if we know that – when properly done – pizza can be really, really good, it can be challenging to find a local venue that knows how to properly make one. Heck, even the supposedly “award-winning” venues in Makati City aren’t that good, truth be told!

@outragemag Looking for #pizza #lasagna, #babybackribs in #QuezonCity? We #LGBTQ ♬ original sound – outragemag

The search for a good slice (or slices, preferably) of pizza led us to Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña, which – seemingly belying its name – is making a name not just because of its lasagna, but also because of its pizzas (with some of them looking mouth-watering in socmed reels, yeah).

So… how did we find Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña?

Una, the place reminded me of small eating venues in non-touristy streets in Paris – e.g. turned picturesque thanks to hundreds of fake flowers that added character to multi-colored decors. So when there, you can’t help but think they have a very specific market in mind – i.e. socmed people.

Ikalawa, the staff were actually nice – e.g. they even provided us (and the guests in another table) with a phone stand for the selfies. And when you make inquiries online, they respond fast, ha.

Now – ikatlo (and lastly) – how was the food?

The Famous Beef Lasagna (₱289) was hefty… for its price. Di tinipid. It was yummy, said Arthur, though a bit sweet for me. But we both agreed that the accompanying garlic bread was really good.
Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña has various 12” types of pizzas to choose from, with the prices ranging from ₱520 to ₱590. To be on the safe side, we just ordered the Primo Pizza (₱590), which paired half of the 4 Cheese Artisan Pizza with half of Pizza de Barcelona (pepperoni and cheese with meat sauce and three kinds of cheese). And that proved to be – this has to be stressed – an intelligent decision. Because while the pizzas looked IG-worthy, and appeared to have lots of sahog, the very first bite wasn’t pizza-like. That’s because the dough used can be likened to pan de sal and not what’s usually used for pizza. It was more similar to the garlic bread served with the lasagna, actually. And for me, that it didn’t even seem well done was also an issue.
The baby back ribs with shrimp aglio olio pasta (₱490) was… okay. Admittedly, the ribs were somewhat dry even if the flesh was soft enough to seemingly peel off the bones. At least the pasta (cooked al dente) was quite good.

Considering the many offerings of Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña, you are bound to find something that will please you if you decide to pay it a visit. That’s good for you… and for this business.

Admittedly, we have misgivings… like those pizza slices that left us with not-too-great memories. But that’s all good, as we continue discovering good lafang places.

Reach Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña HERE.

There are three branches.

Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña P. Noval Manila Branch is right beside UST, and is open from 10:30am to 10pm; parking is available along P. Noval St.

Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña Sta. Mesa Branch is in front of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, and is open from 9:30am to 10pm; parking is available in front of the restaurant.

Las Tres Marias Deliciosa Lasaña QC Branch is located at 27 Roosevelt Ave. corner Gen. Lim St., right beside Fisher Mall, and is open from 11am to 11pm. Parking is available in front of the resto.