Superfood Green Smoothie - Where It's Healthy, All Day, Everyday

I'm no stranger to health scares. With the stress of day-to-day living, your health is always at risk. Having one recently has made me evaluate my lifestyle, particularly what I eat.

When you're on-the-go most days, it's often more convenient to hit a fast food joint and eat a quick, no fuss meal. Is it convenient? Yes. Is it healthy for you? Not always.

This is why I was so stoked when I discovered Superfood Green Smoothie, along Session Road, here in Baguio. 

The place opens as early as 8 in the morning (coz getting a power smoothie before jogging is a thing now) and closes at 9 PM.

Here's what I saw when I entered this "hole-in-the-wall". 

1. LOCATION - located on the left-side of the famous Cathedral stairs (if you're facing that landmark); it's along Session Road. This makes it a 5/5 as far location scoring goes.

2. AMBIANCE - the two-story, no-nonsense place has functional tables and chairs for dine-in customers. No background music to speak of, which isn't a bad thing. The walls are "decorated" with health and nutrition type of posters.

The front of Green Smoothie has a take out counter, ladened with fresh fruits and pots of wheat grass, all to be consumed throughout the day, as smoothies are created.

All in all, I give it a 4/5.

3. MENU - The menu is teeming with smoothies and juices that are tailored for specific health benefits. Lots of vegetarian selections can be found, as well as some with free-range organic chicken, for those who want a heartier bite to their dish. Here's a look at their menu and other offerings:

4. FOOD - I had a healthy breakfast that consisted of these food items:

Diabetic Beverage - ampalaya, celery, cucumber and other healthy ingredients, sugar free

Loved it, so I ended up getting lunch to go, which consisted of these items:

Got this amazing vegetarian burrito bowl and a superfood acai bowl

Enjoyed every bite and sip of all the things I ordered. Felt amazingly good the whole day, which isn't what I feel, after eating a big meal, especially when I eat out. SCORE: 5/5.

5. SERVICE- staff was quick, efficient and knew their products. Giving it a 5/5 once more.

As seen above, I really enjoyed my quiet breakfast and subsequent take-out food from Green Smoothie. It's not the perfect place to chill or hang out with friends, but it will get the job done of feeding you healthy concoctions, pronto! If you want some "me" and "zen" time with healthy food to boot, Green Smoothie is for you. OVERALL SCORE: 4.8 / 5

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better thank ours!!

Mother's Day At The Nook

My reasons for celebrating Mother's Day

Mother's Day 2017 has come and gone, but not the food intel that we gathered that day.
 

Foregoing my usual "slaving over the kitchen stove", Phil and the boys took me to Baguio's The Nook Kitchen and Pub.

Opening it's doors last November, here's what we discovered :

1. LOCATION - Far from the maddening crowd that is the city centre, but close enough that one can walk from town should vehicles be scarce, is The Fern Hotel II. At the bottom-most floor of #90 Upper Military Cut-off (which opens up to an ample spaced parking lot)is The Nook. Seriously accessible be it via car, PUVs or a power walk from Session Road, we give a SCORE of 5/5.

2. AMBIANCE - The place still looks brand spanking new and is somehow both trendy yet cozy at the same time. Maybe it was because we were there as a family, that even a biker's bar might come off cozy (lol); but The Nook is a pretty chill place to go to.

Brightly lit, the sounds just right and the TV screens installed were showing Nat Geo shows, I'd say my boys were engaged with the sights and sounds, right before the food arrived.

Also, there are tables outside, and one that's attached to a swing, if you want to feel the Baguio weather, while dining. Bug lamps are strategically placed around too, so avoiding dengue is a plus in my book. SCORE: 5/5

3. MENU - The menu is simple, yet offers a little bit of everything for everyone. Prices are reasonable, bordering on low, but food quality isn't compromised. Here's what's in it:

4. FOOD - Everyone at out table enjoyed the food. Portions are appropriately sized that we ordered a little bit of everything and shared. Here's what we got and our impressions for that dish:

Chicken Popper Platter:  chicken tenders in garlic parmesan, bbq, buffalo and honey chipotle flavors. Delicious, chicken was juicy and tender and portion was quite big

French fries

Grilled Chicken and Prawn - chicken and veggies were perfectly seasoned and cooked. Prawn was cooked adequately but had a fishy taste. Texture-wise, prawn was fresh but perhaps storage and handling caused it's quality to slightly deteriorate.

Italian Pizza (thin crust) - Italian sausage, bolognese sauce, pepperoni, bell peppers and mozzarella and parmesan cheese on a 14 inch crust. Good flavors,  loaded with meat and cheese, absolutely yummy!

Nook's Platter - chicken lollipop, mini pizza bowls, potato chips and carbonara makes for a perfect combo meal for a healthy eater. Raving over the pizza bowls. It's like fillo pastry, loaded with meat and cheese. Seriously good!

Beef Salpicao - tender and tasty beef, with lots of olives. A bit too tasty as I prefer mine more peppery. Kids enjoyed this dish though

BBQ Pork Ribs - tender, tasty and quite filling, our MAX had this, after consuming most of his Nook's platter!

SCORE: 4/5

Waiter Joemar (hope I got the spelling right) is the most efficient and pleasant waiter  - like, ever!!

5. SERVICE - Ive never seen a more intuitive waitstaff than that of The Nook's. Seriously, these folks are ninjas, stealthily popping up just when you're about to think of ordering or asking for anything, or if you dropped your utensil. Props to the management and the staff for having a well-oiled machine, in their hands. 

Thanks too for my free Mother's day cookies! SCORE: 5/5

That's The Nook Kitchen and Pub in a nutshell. Recommending it for the various reasons mentioned above and probably more. Please, do check out the place. Our overall score for the place: 4.8/5

From TMW, may all your wanderings be better than ours!

Success By The Dozen (And Counting) - Ridgewood Hotel At 12 And Their Let's Eat This Tag-init Menu

starting them young - here with my blogger-in-training, MAX

In the highly competitive world of the hotel industry, it's always a good thing when you make it through your first year and even better when you make it through the next. 

But for the owners, management and staff of Ridgewood Hotel, the journey is even sweeter now that they have reached the 12th year mark.

a home away from home

To celebrate this momentous occasion, TMW was among those who were lucky enough to be invited to their 12th year anniversary dinner and the kick off for their Let's Eat This Tag-Init menu last March 25.

The affair itself was more than well attended, with Baguio's who's who in the hospitality industry,  media, f&b and social media. 

L-R Kiko V. of ABS CBN Baguio's Mag TV, The Mediocre Wanderer family, Ridgewood Operations Manager Russ de Guzman and SM's Eljay Ursua

It was a night of good food, camaraderie and thanksgiving, held at the hotel's restaurant. We'd like to send out a big "thank you" to Ridgewood's Operations Manager, Russel De Guzman.

Baguio's multi talented fashion designer Harvic Dominguez and events coordinator extraordinaire, Chai Ramos

As with the TMW norm these days, I'd like to give you, dear readers, a sneak peek of Ridgewood Hotel's summer menu:

a. Pampagana, Hindi Pampa-High Blood - Chicharon, Mangga't Alamang if these were supposed to be bad for you, then we don't ever want to be good!

b. Soup Ulam - Bulalokaw rich tasting beef broth with greens. Authentic bulalo at it's finest.

c. Salad Muna - Baguio Berde Baguio's famous salad greens, for those who indulged on the first item of this menu :D

d. Pasta Kung Umasta -  Pesto Kasama Kita with tinapa or Pinoy smoked fish on the side as garnish, our MAX had 2 full plates of this dish

rubbing his hands in glee as MAX enjoys his soup and pasta

e. Patok Pag Manok - Cordon Bleu PH Version ham and cheese wrapped in chicken, then breaded and fried then coated with a nice tasty cream sauce. Sobrang cheesy, just the way we like it!

f. BOB (Babi of Baby) - Lechong Kawali Istokwa with Bitter Ocampo love the name, love the huge chunks of lechon cooked in sauce that came with the dish

g. Baka Pag-ibig Na  - Salpicow a saucier version of this classic beef dish

h. Isdabest - fish (and shrimp) menudo I must have more of this!!

We came and left in high spirits, with a full tummy to boot! Too bad we didn't win anything in the raffle, but we had a great time, regardless. 

earlier that evening

blues and yellows to reflect sun and sky at Ridgewood's Let's Eat This Tag Init

 congratulations Ridgewood on your successful event and your 12 solid years in the biz

Thank you Ridgewood Hotel for having us! Congratulation on your 12th year, may you be blessed with 12 hundred more anniversaries!!! 

For those interested in staying at the Ridgewood Hotel for a wonderful getaway or to just simply check out what's cooking, check out their website at this link: RIDGEWOOD HOTEL

From TMW, may all you wanderings be better than ours!