Are you in Metro Manila and looking for Chinese restaurants to dine in for the Chinese New Year, or simply craving for some yummy Chinese food? Here are some Chinese restaurants in Kapitolyo Pasig City you can either dine in or have your food delivered from.
Since the Philippines has a significant number of Chinese population since the pre-colonial times, a lot of Chinese cultural heritage are everywhere — from architecture to food to cultural practices. In fact, the Manila Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in the world. Filipinos have incorporated a lot of Chinese cultural elements to our own local culture, and that includes serving the mandatory pancit and lumpiang shanghai on almost every occasion and festivity.
The Chinese New Year is a big occasion for the Philippines, not only for the Chinese but also for Filipinos. A lot of colorful activities always happen at the Manila Chinatown, and having some Chinese-themed food trip is a must for everyone.
A Manila Chinatown Food Trip has been a popular activity for friends and families who want to have a local travel experience in the city, but there is an abundance of Chinese restaurants all over the Metro, and that includes the gastronomic area of Kapitolyo in Pasig City, where you can find a bunch of restaurants in this beautiful neighborhood, including Chinese restaurants.
So without further ado, here are 8 Chinese Restaurants in Kapitolyo Pasig City which you can choose from for your next Chinese dine in or takeaway food trip. I have also included important information about the places. Enjoy!
Chinese Restaurants in Kapitolyo Pasig: Any Other Recommendations?
Feel free to recommend more Chinese restaurants in Kapitolyo Pasig that you know of which should be included in this list! In the meantime, I hope you’ll enjoy some treats this Chinese New Year or any time of the year! 🙂
La Union is a place I’ve been wanting to go to since I started seeing how nice the beach is and how people can enjoy the place by surfing and socializing with other tourists. Finally, last week, I had the chance to go to the Surfing Capital of the North: the town of San Juan. One of the highlights of my trip: dining in at Tipple and Brew La Union!
We arrived at San Juan, La Union around 8PM, and since we left Manila at around 2PM, we are really hungry and looking for some place to eat. The number of restaurants serving different kinds of food can be so overwhelming. We are lucky enough to have the chance to dine at this new restaurant along the MacArthur Highway: Tipple & Brew Resto Bar.
TIPPLE AND BREW LA UNION: The cool counter!
TIPPLE AND BREW LA UNION: The Facade
TIPPLE AND BREW LA UNION: The Chalkboard Welcome Sign
Tipple & Brew Resto Bar is a quaint and nice restaurant in Barangay Urbiztondo, San Juan, La Union. It serves a variety of food and drinks which can surely be enjoyed by the customers.
I love how monochromatic and minimalist the interior of this restaurant is. I can only see shades of brown, gray, black and white. The interior of the restaurant is simple and relaxing.
TIPPLE AND BREW LA UNION: Surfing-themed wall art!
The restaurant has three levels: there is a bar at the ground floor, the second floor is good for groups, and the third floor is where you can find the roofdeck. It also has its own bar.
Tipple & Brew does not only serve finger food which is good with beers, but also many sorts of food from rice meals to burgers. Here are the bestsellers of Tipple & Brew which are worth trying:
THE BEST OF TIPPLE AND BREW LA UNION: Blended Mint
This is so mouthwatering and not that sweet and the mintiness is really present.
Urbiz Tropical (pineapple, guava, banana, and passion fruit)
THE BEST OF TIPPLE AND BREW LA UNION: Urbiz Tropical
This really tasted so tropical and I would love drinking something like this by the beach.
Surfing Banana (wheat beer, 4.2% alcohol)
THE BEST OF TIPPLE AND BREW LA UNION: Surfing Banana
This is a perfect drink for the ladies because it contains less alcohol than the others. This is one of the best beers that I have tasted so far primarily because it’s less bitter.
Tipple & Brew is the place to be if you are looking for unique drinks and not just your usual beers because they serve a huge variety of craft beers. Their finger food is perfect for any drinks for an affordable price. If you are not into drinking and just having a food trip, Tipple & Brew has got you! They have rice meals and many types of food that you can choose from. The ambiance is great and so chill, very right for a barkada hangout!
Before I came to know that Black Canyon Coffee Manila is primarily a Thai restaurant, I have an assumption that it is an American Tex-Mex restaurant because of its cowboy-ish logo and because of its name. It took me actually trying to dine in at this place to find out that it is a Thai restaurant. I never heard about Thailand being a coffee-producing country, so I was intrigued.
Black Canyon Coffee has several branches in Manila, but I was able to dine in at their branch at Ayala Malls the 30th. The location was easy to find. The place is not too big or too small but is very comfortable with the presence of soft couches and minimalist interior decoration.
Inside Black Canyon Coffee
There is also one corner where they display tumblers and rubber cup coasters for sale.
You will have access to the menu of Black Canyon Coffee by the door and you will see that they have a lot of Thai food and drinks to choose from.
Black Canyon Coffee Manila Menu
They also have a variety of yummy chocolate drinks in their menu!
Black Canyon Coffee Manila Menu
They have a lot of caffeine and non-caffeine drinks to choose from. I learned that the coffee served in Black Canyon Coffee came from the agricultural projects under the Thai Royal Patronage. The coffee in this restaurant are indeed locally-grown. Awesome!
They occasionally offer discounts on their cakes. Yay!
Discount on cakes! Yay!
And of course, who would miss sipping some Thai tea?
Since I dined in alone when I went to Black Canyon Coffee, I ordered the following food:
BAGOONG RICE (Php220)
I must say, the bagoong lover in me is very happy with this meal. Bagoong rice is a mandatory order in Thai restaurants and the quality of this meal did not fail my expectations.
PAD THAI (THAI-STYLE FRIED NOODLES WITH PRAWN) (Php285)
To be honest, I was a little shocked by its price, but it has so much prawns and it tastes like a legit Pad Thai served in Thai restaurants. I love Pad Thai and I love this Pad Thai.
THAI ICED TEA (Php130)
I could skip some Thai-grown coffee to taste some Thai tea. Thai tea is my favorite kind of tea and I’m happy that Black Canyon Coffee is serving such drink in a good quality.
The restaurant itself is a nice place to dine in because you will definitely enjoy your meal here. I think the price is a little to high, but I believe they kind of have a standard price here because it’s a franchise. But hey, I could assure that your money will be worth it because the taste of the food and the quality of the ingredients will definitely satisfy your Thai food cravings. Do consider dining in at Black Canyon Coffee when in Manila! Next time I will try their homegrown Thai coffee.
So, I see you are traveling in Brunei or planning to travel to Brunei or a Bruneian local just looking around where to eat. The first question will be: What to eat in Brunei?
The Bruneian Cuisine: A History
Bruneian cuisine is heavily influenced by the cuisines of its neighboring countries, such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, and these neighboring countries got influences from countries such as China and India. Brunei is a predominantly Islamic country, hence there is almost no pork served everywhere and alcohol is prohibited (I heard from a Bruneian friend that in order for you to take in pork and/or alcohol in Brunei, you need to undergo a lot of bureaucratic process. Moreover, if anyone is looking for alcohol, the neighboring cities in Malaysia such as Miri is where people from Brunei would usually go.).
Like the cuisines of its neighboring countries, Bruneian cuisine is mostly spicy. Rice and noodle meals are very common in Brunei food culture, like in most of Asia. Fish is also very common in Brunei food culture since it is a coastal country and fishing is one of the biggest industries here.
Hmmm now I’m curious. What to eat in Brunei? Am I eating mostly Malay-like dishes as Brunei food?
I bet most of you will assume that Bruneian cuisine is heavily Malay-like, but since several Brunei food were passed from generation to generation, there are still a lot of dishes that are authentically Brunei food.
The rise of several restaurants and food stalls serving local and international food is becoming more common in Brunei food culture, especially in Bandar Seri Begawan, but as a traveler, I suggest you give the local food a chance. There is a lot to learn about the culture and history of this tiny country through its food.
What to eat in Brunei?
So, without further ado, I compiled a list of Brunei food that you can try while traveling to Brunei, and I have suggested some restaurants and places on where you can try them. Enjoy!
Beef Rendang
Beef rendang is a slow-cooked beef in lemongrass and coconut sauce. I was able to taste one at Aminah Arif Restaurant and I instantly finished the whole thing. It was delicious! When it comes to what to eat in Brunei, this is number 1 on my list. But don’t worry, you can find beef rendang in many restaurants in Brunei.
Nasi Lemak is a usual Brunei food also present in Indonesia, Singapore, and Malaysia that is made of rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves. On the side, it usually has chicken, egg, anchovies, sambal, and peanuts. Sometimes it is served wrapped with pandan leaf, but in Brunei and Malaysia, you will commonly see it wrapped with brown paper. It is very common in Brunei such as in food stalls and markets, but it is also served in fastfood restaurants, of course, in a little more upscale manner.
When asked what to eat in Brunei, I would not usually point anyone to fastfood chains, but I believe a nasi lemak twist by this Filipino fastfood chain is worth giving a shot.
Ambuyat is a flavorless sago starch that is usually dipped in a sour sauce called cacah and eaten using a bamboo stick called candas. it is considered as one of Brunei’s national dishes. During one of my first trips to Brunei, the first question I asked a friend was “What to eat in Brunei?” A Bruneian friend told me that the proper and the best way to eat ambuyat is to not chew it and just swallow it because this is how you will be able to fully taste the sour dip. I must say, do not leave Brunei without having tried one. You don’t have to like it, but you must try at least.
What to eat in Brunei? Nasi Katok, a Bruneian Cuisine
Nasi (rice) Katok (knock) is another must-try Brunei food (Rice in Kapampangan dialect is also nasi and knock in Tagalog language is also katok. Awesome!). It is sold all over for only BND1 and I personally think this is already a decent meal which is really affordable! (Meanwhile in other cities you won’t be able to get a decent meal for USD1. Sigh.)
One interesting trivia about nasi katok is how it got its name. A Bruneian friend told me that before, people would knock at the nasi seller’s door to place their orders. They just adopted the name nasi katok for the dish eventually. It is composed of rice, fried chicken, and sambal and is usually served wrapped in a brown paper. Careful, though. The sambal could be very spicy.
I think this also needs to be considered a national dish in Brunei. This is something I never miss to eat whenever I’m in Brunei. I am assuming if you ask any non-local who has been to Brunei the question “What to eat in Brunei?”, this might possibly their answer.
Where to get Nasi Katok in Brunei?
What to eat in Brunei? Nasi Katok at Gadong Night Market and other Bruneian Cuisine
GADONG NIGHT MARKET Simpang 37, Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Udang sambal derai bersantan are prawns cooked in chili and coconut milk which is usually served with rice and vegetables. If you are looking for a seafood-based Brunei food, this is something you have to look for. You can also find the same dish in Indonesian cuisine.
Serongeng Padang
Serongeng Padang, a Bruneian Cuisine
Serongeng padang is a fried chicken that is cooked with garlic and served in pandan leaves. This can also be found in Indonesian cuisine.
Tapai is a sweet-sour rice snack that is a popular Brunei food. It is usually made by mixing rice with laru/ragi and sugar. It is usually wrapped in nipah leaves for fermentation before consumption.
I believe we have a Filipino version of this and it’s called “suman”.
This yummy dessert is also known as ABC, and is made of ice with sago pearls, red beans, noodles and grass jelly. It is also widely-popular in Malaysia and Indonesia. (I am intrigued about the noodles part though!)
I think we have the same food in the Philippines called “halo-halo” which is composed of ice and sooooo many other ingredients, which is surprisingly delicious.
Where to Get Ais Batu Campur in Brunei?
H.Y. YUSSOF RESTAURANT with branches in Kiulap, Tutong, and Mata-Mata Kiulap Branch: 2234089. Tutong Branch: 4220715. Mata-Mata Branch: 2454848 https://www.instagram.com/hyyussof.restaurant
Selurut is a steamed rice cake that usually comes in a cone-shaped form when being served because the coconut leaf where it is left to steam is rolled into a cone-shaped wrapper. Selurut is made of rice and sago with salted water and coconut milk.
Keropok udang is a staple snack in the areas of Borneo and Kalimantan, hence it also became part of Bruneian cuisine. They are yellowish-white prawn crackers. It starts as minced prawn and starch then it will be garnished with garlic, salt, and pepper. The exciting part? It will be baked under the sun before it gets fried in oil. Awesome!
Oh, we also have the same dish in the Philippines. It is locally called “kropek”.
You see, I have tasted some kuih in Singapore, but I never knew Brunei food culturehas its own version of kuih. During 2019 year-end holidays, I was able to visit a food fair in Bandar Seri Begawan and had a taste of some kuih. I heard the have kuih bahulu, a sponge cake they serve during Hari Raya and Chinese New Year celebrations. They also have kuih kosui/kaswi which is a rice cake served wth grated coconut.
What fascinated me about this dish is that it is also known as “kuih UFO” because it indeed looks like a UFO! This is another version of kuih wherein rice/corn flour is mixed with coconut milk and molded into a UFO-shaped mold before frying.
Kelupis is rice wrapped in nyirik leaf and then steamed until cooked. I believe provinces in Central and Southern Philippines also have this kind of dish. I also would like to believe that it’s similar to “suman”, a Philippine delicacy.
Pulut panggang is similar to kelupis (made with rice with prawn or beef), but instead of steaming, it is grilled to be cooked. I heard this is very popular in Brunei food culture to the point that you have to place advance orders or wake up early to buy some.
Bamboo chicken is something you can only used to get in Temburong District in Brunei until other places in Brunei started to serve the said dish. This food is a native food to the Iban longhouse communities in Borneo (this is Henry Golding’s ancestry line, right?). As the name suggests, the chicken is stuffed and marinated inside a bamboo and the bamboo will then be placed in a flame.
I was born and raised in the Philippines but I honestly haven’t tried one when I heard this is also very common in my country of origin. However, I believe it is similar to Indonesia’s lontong, the rice cake usually eaten with satay. Ketupat is also a popular food in Brunei which is rice dumplings served in woven palm leaves. It is usually eaten with rendang, peanut sauce, and satay.
Pizza itself is not obviously a Bruneian cuisine, but honey garlic chicken pizza is. It originated from Pizza Hut Brunei as it wants to reflect the Bruneian cuisine culture of combining sweet and savory flavors. Today, a lot of pizza restaurants in Brunei now offer this flavor. So if you’re craving for some pizza in Brunei, you should try this one.
Where to get Honey Garlic Chicken Pizza in Brunei?
This dish. composed of minced beef and spices, is also a good meal option in Brunei. Other food stalls have it served in a brown paper like nasi katok.
Not your ordinary chicken meal! Ayam penyet is my go-to Indonesian dish, but it is also widely available in Brunei. Ayam penyet is fried chicken with spices and usually served with rice and sambal. I like my ayam penyet swimming in sambal sauce!
Where to get Ayam Penyet in Brunei?
What to eat in Brunei? Ayam Penyet at Waroeng Penyet Brunei
Chances are, you may have heard roti as part of the Indian cuisine. You are absolutely right. But since Brunei cuisine is partly influenced by Indian cuisine, here comes roti, or bread. You will find several breakfast restaurants serving different kinds of roti around Brunei. Depending on the type of roti, you can find variations such as roti canai (something I tried in Singapore and Manila!) and roti murtabak. It’s best dipped in a curry. Yum!
It might not look like a typical kind of food when served, but kembayau is an underutilized exotic food that is only found in Borneo, hence popular in Sarawak, Sabah, Kalimantan, and of course, Brunei. A lot of dishes can be made from it, including sup kembayau.
Soto is a popular local Bruneian noodle soup with beef (but sometimes served with chicken), is a must-try! I have tasted many soto ayams in Indonesia, but I have to say I liked soto Brunei better.
My first time eating soto was when a Bruneian friend took me to a Western-ish looking restaurant when I asked him to take me to a restaurant serving local food. He said the soto is good there that’s why. And yes, I eventually agreed with what he was claiming.
Cendol is an iced sweet dessert that is similar to ais batu campur or ABC, except that it is not served with shaved ice, so don’t get confused! 🙂 It is common to most parts of Southeast Asia and comes in different names, but it is more commonly found in Brunei, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
Pajeri nenas is a braised pineapple dish that has Indian roots. It can be made with any fruit of vegetable usually served with rice and curry.
There you have it! I hope this post was able to guide you to the best of local Bruneian cuisine. People usually advice us to try some local delicacies when we travel to other places, right? Now that I have told you where to eat in Brunei, it’s time to eat! Happy eating and traveling!
Traveling to Myanmar? You might want to read this whole thing to guide you for your upcoming trip!
Myanmar has been ‘closed’ to the world during the last 50 years or so and this was a product of several political decisions of its government. It recently just opened its borders to tourists, but only a limited number of spots are accessible for sightseeing. But there is so much authentic beauty to Myanmar.
While it was also colonized by a Western power, it has its separate identity compared to other Southeast Asian countries which were colonized by other Western power. Considered as one of the poorest nations in the world, a huge amount of optimism is seen in Myanmar as it moves forward towards economic and political development.
Traveling to Myanmar: My Experience
I was lucky enough to explore some parts of Myanmar last 2016 and it indeed set a very high expectation to my next travel destinations. I have seen Yangon, Mandalay, and the Ancient Capital of Bagan, and I wish I have seen more (but there’s always a next time, girl!). I have documented some of the spots I was able to visit in the article below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Blt_TUrHRfI/
Needless to say, Anthony Bourdain is every traveler’s spirit animal. Personally, he has inspired me to travel more and learn more about the world. More than the cinematography of his travel TV series, I love the scripts of his every single episode and how he asks the right questions to his interviewees. His very objective and uncensored points of view in so many aspects of life is also admirable.
It was really unfortunate that we lost a great person like him, but to honor his life and how he inspired me to travel braver, I am creating this travel article series tracing his journeys in some of the episodes of his travel series, mixed with some personal anecdotes and perspectives from my own travel experiences.
I wish I was able to see this first episode of Parts Unknown before going to Myanmar so that I was able to follow Tony’s itinerary. 🙁 But since you were able to read this prior to your trip to Myanmar, I was hoping I could help you out with planning your itinerary. Enjoy! 🙂
Walk around the dark but safe streets of Yangon at night
Tony mentioned about blackouts being a regular thing in Yangon given its old (and maybe outdated) power grid system. However, from the looks of it, it may be still safe to walk around at nighttime. This was something I was able to do with my female companions during our last night in Yangon, and let me share a beautiful story.
After dining in at KFC Yangon (the first Western fast food restaurant in Myanmar which opened just recently when we went there in 2016), my female companions and I were stunned by the beauty of Sule Pagoda when we passed by it on our way back to East Hotel, so we tried taking a photo with the Pagoda as the background. However, it was really dark and we can’t really find a good angle to take a nice photo. A man from a random car parked near us turned on its engine and lit his headlight facing us and signaled us to try if the photo looks better now with the light from his car. I think that was a sweet gesture and we thanked him after out mini-photo shoot. However, as he was leaving, he almost hit a pedestrian (because the streets are indeed a little dark, guys) which almost resulted on a fist fight, but thankfully it ended up with an accepted apology from the helpful man.
And btw, here is the photo of mine I was telling you about. I honestly don’t know what the photographer was thinking about this angle, but it was really a struggle taking a nice photo. Not your Instagram-worthy photo, but it was indeed a memorable one.
Have a tea and eat mohinga at Seit Thaing Kya Tea Shop
In the words of Tony, “Morning in Yangon has always been about tea.” (Same, Tony, same.) While there are different kinds of tea around, Myanmar’s is a black Indian-style tea which people would usually add some sweet condensed milk. Depending on your preference, it could be from less sweet to very sweet. Moreover, Tony pointed out that tea shops like this used to be more than just a place to have breakfast but also a ‘secret place’ to discuss the daily news back in the day.
Aside from your morning tea, this tea shop was also the place where Tony tried a mohinga, a rice noodle and fish soup, which is considered as the national dish of Myanmar. While most food served in the country are of Chinese and Indian origin, mohinga is a local thing. It is found both in urban and rural areas in Myanmar.
(I was not able to try any tea shop in Myanmar as far as I can remember, but I was able to buy a lot of Myanmar loose tea which I gave away to some colleagues.)
A country where motorbikes are outlawed? Welcome to Myanmar.
Upon arriving at Yangon, we went straight to buy some essentials at Ocean Supermarket before taking the overnight bus going to Mandalay. I saw some beautiful fridge magnets and did not let them go (haha yes I just arrived and I’m already buying souvenirs). One of the fridge magnets I got was a bus fridge magnet with overflowing people by the door. I was like, “Oh, looks just like Manila” so I got some. Little did I know when I was walking around the streets of Yangon one afternoon that I will witness some buses passing by with people hanging by the door. Not safe, guys. Not safe.
Eat different kinds of salads at Yangon’s Feel Restaurant
Salads are a huge thing in Myanmar (which is healthy, right?) and this is where Tony was able to taste a variety of salads — “pig head salad with kaffir lime leaf, long beans salad with sesame and fish sauce. Penny leaf salad, even this salad of Indian-style samosa”. A typical Myanmar dining experience is where all dishes will be put on the table at the same time because it is about “the interaction between a lot of colors, textures and flavors in one dish”.
Also, you are welcome to be creative about making your own dip with pickles and condiments. (Same with the Philippines! You can customize your own condiment depending on how much of each you prefer. I know someone from college who just love to mix everything. Yes, everything. Eh.)
Btw, Feel Restaurant is very common around Myanmar. I was able to have some snacks one a stop while on a bus from Mandalay going to Bagan. (Apologies for the photo quality, though!)
Tony was able to witness the unique way people in Myanmar summon a waiter in a restaurant: they make a smooching/kissing sound. (In the Philippines, this is also what some men do when they want to ask a jeepney to stop so that they could alight!) Seafood served here is apparently prepared in Rakhine style. The bestseller in this place is prawn curry, where the prawns are caught fresh from the river then cooked and mixed with some yummy tomato curry. Sounds delicious! (Call me a loser, but I only focused on ordering Thai food and rice meals during my stay in Myanmar.
I was surprised with how big their rice serving was! Clearly shows that there is an abundance of rice in this country. Awesome.) Below is the ‘closest thing to Myanmar curry food with salad’ that I was able to eat while traveling there:
Visit Sofaer Building and appreciate other old British colonial buildings
Myanmar was a former British colony, and a lot of old British colonial buildings are still standing, from former businesses to offices to public buildings.
Tony visited the Sofaer Building which was once said to be “the swankest department stores in Rangoon” where people can buy products imported from Europe like liquors and cigarettes. The tiles of the building were said to be imported from Manchester. It has been a subject of debate in Myanmar on whether or not to preserve colonial buildings like these. As of now, Sofaer Building houses restaurants and shops at the ground floor and squatters on the top floors.
Watch some people preparing for the Full Moon Festival at Yangon Port
Tony had a taste of some chicken head/neck and beer while watching the busy scene at Yangon Port as people prepare for the upcoming Full Moon Festival.
Watch the human-powered Ferris wheels spin during the Full Moon Festival street fair
Tony witnessed the festivities at Kason/Kasong Day, or the “Full Moon Day”. He compared the food stalls in Yangon with that of the New York Food Festival. The streets have a happy and lively vibe where they tried crispy little birds. One unique thing that Tony witnessed was the human-powered Ferris wheels which he said was “tempting to try” but obviously looks dangerous. (But I want to try this out someday when I go back!)
https://www.instagram.com/p/-g2sU6hEBc/
Try some Laphet Thoke at Morning Star Tea House
Morning Star Teashop was where Tony tried laphet thoke, or fermented tea leaf salad. Tony does not think making salad out of fermented tea leaves is not a good idea, but he found it fantastic when he tried it.
Eat grilled food while watching an indie rock band at Yangon’s 19th Street
Deemed as a “must-go place” when in Yangon, 19th Street is a lively strip with so many restaurants where you can have some grilled food and beer while watching indie rock bands, which, btw, used to be not a thing in Myanmar. Before, song lyrics have to be screened and the government would ask the bands to censor some parts of their songs or even completely change the songs. Also, the city curfew used to be 11PM, but shops at 19th Street are mostly open until late night.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Tg5blnntH/
Also, this is where Tony said that Creed was “the worst band in the history of the world”. Ouch! But to be fair, in my own opinion, ‘One Last Breath’ is a good song.
Ride the Night Express to Bagan
Tony endured the 10-hour ride of a 600-kilometer journey from Yangon to Bagan in an overnight train which is made from French engines back in the 70s. It was said to have 75 stops and would start at a very slow cruising speed. Eventually it will be a very, very shaky ride as if the train will be derailed anytime.
Buy breakfast from vendors outside while at the train to Bagan
As the daytime breaks and the train is almost there in Bagan, some vendors would approach the train to sell some food. Tony was able to try some samosas and fried fish from the vendors.
He called the random roadside joint he dined in at Bagan “the best restaurant in the country so far”.
Oh, look! I was able to try it also! 🙂 (Well, not the chicken curry, but the Myanmar beer :D)
Visit the Old Ruins of the Ancient Capital of Bagan
Bagan used to be the ancient capital of Myanmar containing so many temples that were built around 250 years ago. This is where you can find people worshiping nats. During Tony’s visit here, he observed that there are not a lot of tourists going here. In fact, “you’re far more likely to bump into a goat than a foreigner”. Moreover, he mentioned that the temple complex looks like “an ode to slave labor”.
The ancient complex of Bagan used to be a habituated area until the government relocated the residents in the 1980s so it purely remains a tourist spot. Tony has been anticipating the ups and downs of the upcoming tourism industry in this area, ranging from kids dropping out of school to sell souvenirs to prostitution.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Btd7SgEnD–/
I have my share of stories of vendors in tourist destinations and markets. Upon opening the doors of our tour van, vendors will suddenly swarm around you and will aggressively try to sell you some stuff when you haven’t even gotten down the vehicle yet. It was intimidating, to be honest. I have my friends getting harassed by some vendors. 🙁
In the market, the kids would first get you with their charm and suddenly would apply thanaka on your face. They will force you to buy the whole container eventually. I mean, it happens everywhere in the world, right? But seeing this as a product of the booming tourism industry in Myanmar is a little frustrating. But to be fair, there are a lot of awesome and respectful vendors. Some of them I had a memorable conversation with.
Towards the end of the show, Tony has been expressing his delight towards the end of a 50-ish year of “nightmare” to a more forward-looking better future for Myanmar.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjmabJWHmIp/
There you have it! We all know that Anthony Bourdain’s main preference when traveling is to try the local food and talking to locals about life in the destinations they are in. Of course, you are always welcome to add and weed out some of the items here to have a more customized travel itinerary. In my opinion, though, I believe the things done by Anthony Bourdain during his travels are worthy of trying out. So, I wish you happy travels and wait for your photos on Instagram? Travel safely!
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Are you planning to explore the beautiful country of Malaysia? Here’s a Borneo Malaysia travel guide for you, which exactly traces the Borneo Episode of the travel show Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown.
Malaysia is one of the beautiful countries in Southeast Asia that I would recommend to explore outside the capital city Kuala Lumpur. Don’t get me wrong, Kuala Lumpur is a beautiful city, but Malaysia is way more than that. At the Malaysian outskirts, you have a lot of beaches, mountains, tea plantations, theme parks, you name it!
Malaysia is composed to two main land masses: the peninsular Malaysia which is attached to mainland Asia, is where the capital city of Kuala Lumpur is located. At the southernmost tip of this part, you will find Singapore. The other part of Malaysia is located in Borneo Island, where Malaysia shares with Brunei and Indonesia. This part is where you can find the states of Sabah and Sarawak.
Anthony Bourdain had a layover at Kuala Lumpur before going to his main destination, Borneo. This Parts Unknown episode is a sequel of his prior visit to the island around ten years ago for another travel series. The theme of his episode focuses more on his trip down memory lane and a reflection of how much he grew as a person since his last trip to Borneo.
TRAVELING TO MALAYSIA: My Experience
One of my first trips around Southeast Asia started with a short trip to Kuala Lumpur with some friends from college. I can write about my Malaysia trip in a separate blog, but I must say that I enjoyed the multicultural gastronomic scene in Malaysia just as how Anthony Bourdain enjoyed restaurant-hopping in Kuala Lumpur for this particular Parts Unknown episode. Just like Bourdain, we had a night market dinner experience at the iconic Jalan Alor and ate some local food.
I am looking forward to explore more of Borneo in my next trips to Malaysia, if given a chance. In the meantime, I am saving every item of this itinerary for later. And I insist, you should, too!
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5. Have an Alcohol-Free Karaoke Session at Kuching Waterfront
BORNEO MALAYSIA TRAVEL GUIDE: Brooke Dockyard at Kuching Waterfront
Anthony Bourdain having an alcohol-free afternoon at a karaoke bar
Locals in Sarawak dancing in a karaoke bar at Kuching
6. Have a Mini-Cruise at Skrang River
Anthony Bourdain on his way to visit Entalau
7. Stop for Lunch and Eat Bamboo Chicken by the River
Bamboo Chicken being cooked
Bamboo Chicken after cooking
SEE ALSO
8. Celebrate Gawai (Harvest Festival) with the Locals
Anthony Boudain being welcomed at Entalau for the Gawai
8.1. Visit a Longhouse at Entalau and get to know the Iban community.
BORNEO MALAYSIA TRAVEL GUIDE: Entalau
BORNEO MALAYSIA TRAVEL GUIDE: A Longhouse in Entalau
BORNEO MALAYSIA TRAVEL GUIDE: Inside a Longhouse in Entalau
8.2. Shoot a pig for Gawai
Anthony Bourdain shooting a pig for Gawai
Anthony Bourdain shooting a pig for Gawai
8.3. Drink Tuak, Langkau, and more booze until you pass out.
Locals having unlimited booze to celebrate Gawai
Locals passing out after drinking so much during Gawai celebration
8.4. Party, go to sleep, wake up, and repeat in the next three days.
Anthony Bourdain drinking different kinds of booze in Gawai
Anthony Bourdain passing out after drinking during Gawai
9. Get inked with a traditional Iban tattoo.
BORNEO MALAYSIA TRAVEL GUIDE: Getting a traditional Iban tattoo
Anthony Bourdain gets inked with a traditional Iban tattoo
BORNEO MALAYSIA TRAVEL GUIDE: An Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown Itinerary
There you have it! We all know that Anthony Bourdain’s main preference when traveling is to try the local food and talking to locals about life in the destinations they are in. Of course, you are always welcome to add and weed out some of the items here to have a more customized travel itinerary. In my opinion, though, I believe the things done by Anthony Bourdain during his travels are worthy of trying out. So, I wish you happy travels and wait for your photos on Instagram? Travel safely!
*If you want to add or update something to this list of halal restaurants in Baguio and perhaps suggest corrections, feel free to shoot me a message at my Instagram (instagram.com/wheressherlyn) or at email address sherlynmaehernandez@gmail.com.
Dubbed as “The Summer Capital of the Philippines”, Baguio City is a popular tourist destination to both Filipinos and foreigners alike because of its cold weather. In fact, during the American occupation, this is where the American military personnel always love to go. Baguio City has a lot to offer in terms of culture, beautiful natural scenery, and nice topography. However, I know for a fact that the Philippines, despite having a significant number of Muslim citizens, lacks a comprehensive information on halal restaurants in Baguio City, was well as in other major cities like Manila and Cebu, among others.
I have many Muslim friends inside and outside the Philippines, and for their benefit (and for every Muslim traveler’s benefit), I did a research and compiled this list of 11 halal restaurants that can be found in Baguio City*. I wish I was able to eat on these restaurants and review them during my stay there. But I can always go back to do it, right? I promise to provide them a detailed review next time.
So, without further ado, let’s proceed to the list of 11 Halal Restaurants in Baguio City:
