Top 10 Oldest Restaurants

According to Yahoo! News published last 03 September 2010, the top 10 oldest restaurants that we would like to bring our Rafa one day include:

10. SAVORY (1950) 201 Escolta Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila with various branches Tel. no. 243-0336 Open from 9 a.m. to 12 midnight daily

9. LITTLE QUIAPO (1949) 90 Malakas St. Brgy. Piñahan, Quezon City Tel. no. 922-4131 Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

8. MAX’S (1945) Roxas Boulevard, Baclaran, Parañaque, Manila with various branches Tel. no. 832-1991 Open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

7. ONGPIN MANOSA RESTAURANT CO. (1940) 926 Ongpin Street, Binondo, Manila Open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Saturday, closes earlier on Sundays

6. BOY CHING WOO (1939) 103 BCW Building, J. Rodriguez Street, Caloocan City Tel. no. 287-1430 Open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

5. ARISTOCRAT (1936) 432 San Andres St. cor. Roxas Blvd., Malate Tel nos. 524-7671 to 80 loc. 225 or 230 Open 24 hours daily

4. RAMON LEE’S PANCITERIA (1929) 540 Ronquillo Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. no. 733-0642 Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Saturday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday

3. MA MON LUK (1920) Quezon Boulevard, Manila Open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily

2. AMBOS MUNDOS (1888) 750 Florentino Torres Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila Tel. no. 734-1160 Open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily

1. NEW TOHO FOOD CENTER (1888) 422 Tomas Pinpin Street, Binondo, Manila Open 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., Monday to Saturday and 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday

Among all, Cecile and I have eaten at Max's Restaurant and Aristocrat, often with our own parents. Rafa has tasted Max's Fried Chicken, while their chicken sisig is a favorite!

Complaint for Pizza Hut Greenbelt

Below is a copy of a complaint for Pizza Hut Greenbelt which is NOT a baby-friendly restaurant!

Store: Glorietta IV Branch
Date: 01 August 2010
OR# 4751

Primary Complaint: Poor customer service

Ten Specific Complaints
1. When we entered the outlet and being led to our table, close to the cashier, one of the crew (lady in black) was obstructing my way to take my seat. She knew that we were moving towards that table and should have given way first prior talking to another crew in the place.

2. We asked to be transferred to another table, closer to an aircon as that first table assignment was a hot spot. Note that we had a 13 month old baby. We were transferred with ease to a table, closer to an aircon and a cashier.

3. When my wife was asking for extra napkins, we were with-in striking distance from the cashier, where the cashier (Carmelita Pineda) and crew members. One of your female crew members motioned to another crew member to give us extra table napkins. Note that she was near our table and it wouldn't take one minute to come to our table and give us extra napkins.

4. When we were paying our bills, I just handed over the bill with 500 pesos to the cashier (forgot her name). She put aside the plastic plate with the bill and money which I placed on the counter. This plate fall off the counter and into the adding machine (?). Her action and body language seem to imply get away from here. She could have easily said, "Could you give me a couple of minute while I finish my transaction?"

5. By this time, we had lost our cool and verbalized our frustration. I asked for the manager and the cashier referred me to Ms. Pineda, who is actually NOT a manager but a cashier.

6. I asked Ms. Pineda to give me names and contact details of the store manager. She was NOT focused on her task as she wrote these info in another receipt, which was NOT our own receipt and she re-wrote it in another sheet of paper.

7. Minutes had passed before Mr. Romel Canonigo had come to us! I explained in frustration the poor service and slow reaction towards our complaints.

8. My wife had already walked out with our baby and the stroller. She later informed me that nobody offered assistance by opening the door for her.

9. Try calling the number of the outlet at 5560511 as indicated by Ms. Pineda and see fast you would get an answer. Have been trying to call that number to reiterate my complaint but that phone is never answered.

10. We also requested for a high chair for our 13 month old baby but was informed there was NO high-chair. Then, later Mr. Canonigo informed us that they had a baby stool available. We were NOT informed that an alternative was available. Isn't a high chair a "must" for restaurants? We have eaten at Max's and even Shakey's in Greenbelt and they have high chairs available.

Note that in two other previous dining occasions in this outlet, we had suffered poor customer service. On one occasion there was a hair strand in our pizza. We complained and they just replaced the pizza.

This is very frustrating and am considering filing a formal complaint with the Consumer Welfare Desk and/or the Department of Trade and Industry.

Would appreciate your immediate investigation of the matter.

Discovering Boracay's Beauty

It was going to be a most memorable birthday weekend for dad as we all went to Boracay. Yes, it was part business but could still squeeze in some important quality time with our son Rafael. Above photo shows Cecile embracing Rafael reallly tight as the cool breeze hits the shores of Boracay.

Mommy Meya and Minnie also flew in to Boracay for this weekend. It was also their first time to enjoy the fine white sands of Boracay, but most of all, spend many rare moments as Rafael takes his first steps in the beach.



Photo shows Gil holding Rafael who wants to run around the beach,



Photo shows Cecile protecting Rafael from the strong winds the hit the shores of Boracay.

Dad's Boracay birthday weekend

It was a really blessing to have shared my birthday with my loving Chief and blessed bundle of joy, Rafael in Boracay.

Plus, my own loving mom and sister, Minnie, who came home for a vacation from Edmonton, Canada, were also around and sharing these steps of parenthood with us. While they checked in at the hotel, besides our hotel, since I was on a media trip, they were really just a few steps across. And with the fine Boracay sand, walking to their hotel was not a problem. More of a leisurely walk.

Below is a photo myself with mom.





Photos of us waiting at Caticlan airport for our flight back to Manila.





The only experience that I missed on this birthday weekend is sharing the same flight with Chief and Rafael. Minnie says Rafael was behaved on his first airplane ride, but on the return flight, he was a little edgy.



There will future airplane rides with Chief and Rafael. Maybe, to Singapore? Hong Kong? Or even the States?

Steps around Boracay

It is was our second trip to Boracay, since 2001. Yes, it has been nearly 10 years since we stayed at the Pearl of the Pacific Resort. We were still both living and working in Saigon and we decided to make a short visit to Boracay during our Christmas vacation. Most expats we met in Vietnam had been talking about the beauty of Boracay and surprised that we hadn;t experienced it. So, we decided we take steps around Boracay. That was in 2001.

Fast-forward 2010. these steps would take us with our son, Rafael and Mom Meya and Minnie to Boracay.

Here a video of Rafael enjoying the fine, white sands of Boracay. Minnie and Cecile closely keep up with his running along the beach!



And it was a most memorable way to celebrate dad's birthday... in Boracay with family!

First Time with Minnie

My sister, Minnie, had been working in Edmonton, Canada for nearly five years.

By 2005, when we were returning home from Vietnam, my youngest sister was packing her bags to explore work and life in Canada.

This was going to be her third foreign trip. She visited us in Vietnam around the summer of 2005 and even got to meet up with Patrick Velez, our cousins based in the East Coast. We had also travelled to HK that year with mom. It was our first trip together as a family.

Last month, my sister had come home and for the first time, she would meet Rafael! Am sure Rafael felt the love and affection when Minnie first hugged him. I, too, was all smiles to see the immediate connection between my son and my sister.

And for the first time, we would all go duty-free shopping. You could see the smile and excitement in Rafael as he kept Miguel busy running after him at the lobby, while Minnie was filling up her registration form.



Maybe, Rafael was saying, “What are you guys getting for me. I have been sitting here in this push-cart for so long and haven’t really gotten anything for myself.” Baby Crocs?



But I guess, Rafael was amazed just the sight of the bright packaging of candies and chocolates around him. Plus, seeing the M and M mascot. And the Disney-inspired merchandising items, from bags to pillows.

He would point endlessly at these items, probably wondering, what’s for him? Well, that would be all the love and affection that our family can share!

First Haircut

I don’t remember when I had my first haircut. But for our son, Rafael, his first-ever haircut is a milestone that will forever be etched in our lives and in blogosphere. His first hair-cut was last July 25, 2010. And it was at Rustan’s. We had asked our friends where there was a good barber for babies. He definitely couldn’t go with me at Bruno’s Greenbelt.


Amazingly, Rafael was behaved during his first haircut. He sat quietly at the car-inspired barber’s seat while watching one of his favorite cartoons. Dora. There were a couple of other kids and they seemed behaved too. But they didn't look like neophytes in this barber shop.

At the walls, there were poster of various kids with different hair styles. Guess, we were both conservative that day and didn’t want to experiment on any styles. Maybe, when he turns two? Or three?

Chief and I were also experiencing a first as we watched the barber slowly and carefully trim our son’s hair. There were moments of a few close calls, specially, as his “bangs” were being trimmed.

But I guess that is all part of our steps of parenthood. Being nervous and excited for Rafael’s first haircut!