Procopio's Creations: Homemade Bread

In our home, we love bread. For us, it's perfect for snack time. So here is a simple recipe in making your homemade bread. Enjoy!



Things needed

• 6 cups of All-Purpose flour
• 8 tbsp. of dry yeast
• 8 tbsp. of sugar
• 3 tbsp. of oil (I used butter, but you may use margarine if you wish.)
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 cup of warm water
• two big bowls
• baking pan
• oven

Procedure

1. Place your flour, dry yeast, sugar, oil, and salt in one bowl. Then slowly pour the warm water into bowl and mix all the ingredients. Keep mixing until it doesn't stick to your hand that much. If it becomes to mushy and soft just add flour. Then form it into ball and place it in a separate bowl for about 10minutes.
2. After 10 minutes, you can start placing it to the baking pan. Just make sure to brush some butter or oil on the pan before placing the dough. Then for about 30minutes bake the bread under 350 degrees Celsius. 
3. After 30minutes, turn off the oven but do not remove the bread for about 2 to 5 minutes. 
4. Then serve, eat, and enjoy.

Read more »

Procopio's Creations: Homemade Mango Ice Cream

This is a simple way of making your own homemade mango ice cream.

Things needed

• 2 Mangoes
• 250mL All Purpose Cream
• 1 cup of Evaporated milk
• Sugar
• Blender
• Mixer
• Bowl

Procedure

1. Peel the mangoes and put it in the blender. Add one cup of milk and blend to create mango puree.
2. Place the All Purpose cream into the bowl. Add sugar and the mango puree. Using your mixer, mix all  the ingredients until it's smooth and fluffy.
3. Place your finished product in a container and freeze it for at least 6 hours.
4. Then serve, eat, and enjoy.

Read more »

Beat the Summer Heat with Ko-Kay's Halo-Halo

Here is another sweet cold treat to beat the summer heat. Ko-Kay's Halo-Halo. It is one of Filipino's favorite dessert. For Php 20, you can already enjoy this sweet cold delicious dessert.

Ingredients

• gelatin
• ube
• brown sugar
• coconut
• leche flan
• milk
• sweet corn
• banana
• mango
• ice

Rating
"*Lazy* Yeah..."
Although the eating experience is good. Ko-Kay's Halo-Halo can still be improved by improving the leche flan. I prefer leche flan that is sweet and very soft, that melts immediately inside your mouth. If they can do that, I think their Halo-Halo will taste better.

Tips

• Ko-Kay restaurant serves Halo-Halo from Mondays  to Sundays, starting 8am to 5pm.
• They also have area where people can play Darts.

Location
You can locate Ko-Kay restaurant at Mangga St., Sta. Cruz, Naga City, Bicol, Philippines. Popular landmark is Gate 2 of Ateneo de Naga University.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Join us at www.facebook.com/tastebudspeaks

Read more »

Palmeras' Knicker Bocker

It's summer time in the Philippines. And you can really feel the heat! And one way to beat the heat, is to treat yourself with a COLD, sweet, and delicious Knicker Bocker.

Knicker Bocker is Palmeras’ special dessert: a glass of jelly and fruits drenched in yummy milk and cream and topped with a scoop of strawberry ice cream. For Php 75, you can have this cold treat.

Rating
"Yes, yes!"
The eating experience was great, especially its cold and some how it ease up the warmness that you are feeling.

Tips

• Palmeras is a good place for family gatherings, meetings, and place for bonding.
• They are open Mondays to Sundays,10AM to 10PM.
• Budget for a happy dining experience, Php 800 - Php 2,000.

Location of Eatery
Palmeras is located at Pasonanca, Zamboanga City.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Join us at www.facebook.com/tastebudspeaks

Read more »

Alfredo's Red Spaghetti

Since I was a child, spaghetti has always been my favorite dish. It is my comfort food.

In one of our food adventures, we've tried Alfredo's Red Spaghetti. It was served with delicious sweet spaghetti sauce, sprinkled with cheese, and served with two delicious garlic bread. This costs around Php 75.

Rating
"Yes, yes!"

The eating experience was great. It reminded me of home, which made me like the spaghetti more because the taste was similar to that of my Mom's Pinoy-style spaghetti. The sauce has sweetness in it adding to the perfectly cooked pasta. For the garlic bread, it was big enough for me and the taste also matches the spaghetti. For me, it was a perfect combination.

Tips

• Alfredo's Deli is open Mondays to Saturdays from 8AM to 6PM.
• They also serve cakes and sandwiches. Their homemade burger is a must-try.

Location

You can find Alfredo's Deli at Estrada St., Tetuan, Zamboanga City. It is right infront of Tetuan Central School.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Join us at www.facebook.com/tastebudspeaks

Read more »

3N Bakery's Toasted Siopao

Steamed Siopao (steamed buns) + Bread = Toasted Siopao...

This toasted siopao is truly one of the best bread/siopao we have ever tasted. Imagine a bread stuffed with ground pork asado. Wow! Simply delicious. For Php 7, you can have this delicious bread.

Rating
"Yes, yes!"

Definitely we recommend this pastry.

Tips

• 3N Bakery is open from 8AM to 7PM.
• They start serving toasted siopao at 8AM.
• This is a good choice for pasalubong and merienda time.

Location of Eatery
Our favorite 3N Bakery is located at Elias Angeles St., Naga City. But they also have several branches in Bicol, Philippines.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Join us at www.facebook.com/tastebudspeaks

Read more »

Robinson's Supermarket Whole Fried Chicken

Fried Chicken has always been our favorite especially the crispy skin. There is this certain joy that we find in every bite we take from it.

Lately, Robinson's Supermarket in Naga added Whole Fried Chicken in their menu at the chicken section. It was quite delicious. The meat was a bit dry, the skin was not crispy anymore probably because it was on the stand for hours already. There was nothing so special about the flavor, but it was still OK. For Php 190, you can have this dish.

Rating
"*Lazy* Yeah..."

The eating experience was just fine. The chicken is quite delicious actually. But personally we think that the whole fried chicken shouldn't be there. Placing the chicken on the stand and wrapped with food wrapper allows the chicken to sweat and lose its crispiness and flavor. We were really looking forward to munching on the crispy skin. Too bad it was not crispy enough. We believe they should have just stick with the roasted chicken, which is really delicious. Acutally, we prefer their roasted chicken than the whole fried chicken.

Tips

• They also sell other viands. Prices starts at Php 35.
• Usually the Roasted Chicken and the Whole Fried Chicken are available at around 11AM daily.

Location of Eatery
Robinson's Supermarket is located at Elias Angeles St., Naga City, Bicol, Philippines.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Join us at www.facebook.com/tastebudspeaks

Read more »

WHITE BEAN's Duo of Fish

For this week's feature of taste bud speaks, we offer you a delicious dish that will satisfy especially those who love to eat fish.

WHITE BEAN's Duo of Fish is a plate of poached fish placed on top of a grilled fish and dressed with lemon butter sauce, which made the two fish meats moist and juicy. The taste was a combination of sweetness from the puree and sourness from the sauce.
The tomato rice was a bit off, but still ok. You can enjoy this dish for only Php 180.

Rating
"*Lazy* Yeah..."
The taste is OK. However, the tomato rice seems to be out of placed. It was a bit undercooked and the tomato flavor was hardly tasted. It felt like it needed some more flavoring. On a personal preference, plain or garlic rice would have been a better partner for this dish.

Personal Tips

• White Bean serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• The service is a bit slow. Better go there when you are not in a hurry.
• Prices of food and drinks range from Php 55 to Php 280 pesos.
• They have cakes.
• It is a good place to relax and have meetings. The atmosphere is really light and conducive.
• They have Wi-Fi.

Location
WHITE BEAN is located at the ground floor of NAGALAND Hotel, Elias Angeles St., Naga City, Bicol, Philippines.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Join us at www.facebook.com/tastebudspeaks

Read more »

Bigg's Chicken and Kebab Meal

Who said you can't have fried chicken and barbeque all in one dish at the same time? Honestly, no idea. (ehehehe). In Bigg's, they combined their famous crispy fried chicken with a delicious kebab.

The crispy fried chicken really lives up to its name. The chicken is so crispy and delicious, especially the chicken skin. Even better, their fried chicken comes in big sizes.

The kebab is also pretty delicious. The meat is kind of juicy and soft, which makes it easy to eat.

This dish is also served with drinks, a cup of plain rice and atsara. You can enjoy this delicious treat for only Php 162 pesos.

Rating
"*Lazy* Yeah..."
Generally the eating experience is good. The chicken was so crispy and delicious, but the chicken meat was a little bit dry and a little too salty. The kebab could have been a little bit more delicious if the sauce was more sweeter and there was more sauce on it. Or probably they could add a dipping sauce that goes well with this dish. This is more of a personal preference.

Personal Tips
- Budget for a happy dining experience at Bigg's should be at least Php 500 pesos.
- If it is your first time to eat at Bigg's, this dish is a good meal for to start with.
- Bigg's is a good place for get-togethers with loved ones and friends.
- They have wi-fi!

Location of Restaurant
Bigg's is a local restaurant located at Magsaysay, Naga City, Bicol, Philippines. It has 7 branches in Camarines Sur, 4 branches in Albay, 3 branches at Calabarzon, and 1 in Sorsogon City.
To know more about Bigg's please visit their website at www.biggsdiner.ph

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Join us at www.facebook.com/tastebudspeaks

Read more »

Lydia Store's Yakiniku

Looking for Japanese dishes? Here's one!

In one of our food adventures, we happened to eat at Lydia store. They serve simple and affordable Japanese food. As a first timer at that eatery, we just tried which looked interesting to us. And voila! That's how we met "Yakiniku". In the Japanese language, Yakiniku means "grilled meat".

The store's version of Yakiniku is quite delicious. They used beef in bite sizes making it easy to eat drenched in soy sauce that adds flavor to it with chilies to add some kick. It was like eating chili adobo. With a pauper's budget of Php 12, you can enjoy this dish!

Ingredients

• Beef
• Cabbage
• Pechay
• Soy Sauce
• Chili 

Rating
"*Lazy* Yeah..."

The eating experience was OK, but I think cabbage and pechay did not blend well for this dish. It was a mismatch in taste. Even without the vegetables the dish is already OK. The dish could have been better if they just grilled the beef and served the meat and the sauce separately, turning the sauce as a dip for the beef. In this way, those who are not fond of spicy food can still enjoy
their delicious Yakiniku.

Tips

• If you have low tolerance for chilies, this dish is not for you.
• Add Php 6 to add a cup of rice to this dish.
• They serve free soup.
• To fight off the chili effect, eat something sweet or drink milk. Drinking water will only prolong the chili effect.

Location of Eatery
Lydia store is located at Mangga St., Sta. Cruz, Naga City, Bicol, Philippines




Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Read more »

3 Sisters' Pork Lumpia

Hey, lumpia fanatics! We've got something sumptuous for you!

On my second food experience at 3 Sisters' Eatery, I tried their pork lumpia, and it was delicious! The filling really blends well together. It has ground pork, sweet potato which brings the sweet after taste, and other spices. Adding to that, the crispiness of the wrapper adds up to satisfactory feeling of every bite that you take.

Aside from being delicious, this dish is very affordable. It only costs Php 5 per piece.

Rating
"Yes, yes!"
Definitely, we recommend this dish because of the taste and the price.

Personal Tips

• Add Php 10 and combine this meal with any vegetable dish available. You can buy Php 5 worth of vegetable meal.
• The eatery is open from 6:30AM to 8:00PM Mondays to Fridays, and 6:30AM to 12noon during Saturdays. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They start serving lumpia at 11am for lunch and 5:30pm for dinner.
• The best time going to 3 Sisters' for lunch is at 11AM. The eatery is super crowded starting 12noon til 1PM.
• Try their delicious achara for only Php 5.  

 

Location
You can locate 3 Sisters Eatery at Mangga St., Sta. Cruz, Naga City, Bicol, Philippines. It is just near Gate 2 of Ateneo de Naga University.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Read more »

Top 5 ZC Diners for the V Day (budget-wise!)

It’s that time of the year again when love is revealed, celebrated, and sealed with a ring. It’s also the time when flowers become gold and places to eat are filled with people in-love and those who just want to spend fun time together. Valentine’s Day is indeed fast approaching... Yes, it’s *wait for it* 10 days away! So, have you ironed out plans for the V day?

To aid you on where to dine on the day of hearts (basically considering the optimum value of budget at hand), Taste Bud Speaks gives you top five eating places in Zamboanga City where we had wonderful dining experience. (The price range is for a couple on a date.)

Tia Nina
Location: Pasonanca, Zamboanga City, Philippines
Budget: Php 250 – 400
Recommended food to order: 

• All-Meat Pizza (ordering solo size is already good for two unless of course you want an all-pizza dinner)
• Tia Nina’s Chicken Wings (2 pcs chicken wings with rice for only Php 65! YUMYUM! And yes, gravy is unli!)
• 1Liter Coke
• Ice Cream

 






Mang Paeng’s Inasal
Location: Sta Maria, Zamboanga City, Philippines
Budget: Php 450 – 600
Recommended food to order:

• Grilled Tuna Belly (served with rice but the tuna is big enough; you can share it with your date)
• Chicken Inasal (with rice)
• Kare-Kare de baka or Bulalo
• Drinks

Hacienda de Palmeras Hotel and Restaurant
Location: Pasonanca, Zamboanga City, Philippines
Budget: Php 500 –  900
Recommended food to order:

• Bilao
• Two cups of rice
• Drinks
• Knicker Bocker (Palmeras’ special dessert: a glass of jelly and fruits drenched in yummy milk and cream and topped with a scoop of strawberry ice cream)
• Tip: They have a Japanese food section where you can enjoy California Maki!

 

Gerry’s Grill
Location: Canelar, Zamboanga City, Philippines (or any branch of Gerry’s Grill)
Budget: Php 500 – 1,000
Recommended food to order:

• Crispy Pla Pla w/garlic (A house specialty: Fried tilapia and creatively-creepily presented)
• Lechon Kawali or Kare-kare
• Two cups of rice
• Four Seasons

Tropics
Location: Sta Maria, Zamboanga City, Philippines
Budget: Php 1,000 – Php 2,000
Recommended food to order:

• Prawns Termidor
• Steak (you may have this prepared the way you want it served)
• Drinks
• Pizza
• Cream of mushroom
• Tip: Ask the waitress about their special dessert beautifully decorated in a wine glass! Surprise!

Make sure you include in your planning time of dining and reservations. Most restaurants are already filled by 6PM on Feb 14. Also, Palmeras does not accept reservations on that day. There are also restaurants and hotels offering smorgasbord with pre-paid tickets. You just have to keep your head up for promos. 

If you have extra budget, don’t forget to pre-order the traditional chocolate cake (Php 250+) at Myrna’s Bake House with three branches in Zamboanga City: Pilar Street (at Southern City Colleges), Climaco branch (near La Vina Hotel) and Pasonanca branch. If budget is tight, you may also purchase the slice-sized chocolate cakes (Php 80+). And yes, grab at least a stem of a red or white rose for your date at any of the flower shops along Zamboanga East Central School. Trust me, chocolate cakes and roses can add an extra kick of sweetness during your date.

Enjoy your Vday, have a happy heart, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Read more »

3 Sisters' Chicken Barbeque

I love barbeques, especially when they have this attention grabbing sweet aroma, that signals your brain that you have to try it. 3 Sisters' Chicken Barbeque is one of those barbeques that really satisfied my craving for grilled meals.

This dish does not only have a delicious smell but also tastes really good. The chicken meat is juicy and moist. With every bite, the sweet barbeque flavor bursts in the mouth. On a personal note, I find the barbeque perfectly grilled, burned areas on the chicken are less. Adding to that, the dish costs only Php 35, inclusive a cup of rice.

Rating
"*Lazy* Yeah..."
Without a doubt, the chicken is really delicious. I highly recommend this especially for people on a tight budget. But, I think this dish would be perfect if the chicken size was a bit bigger; this is more of a personal preference.

Personal Tips

• Add Php 10 pesos and combine this meal with any vegetable dish available.
• You can buy a Php 5 worth of vegetable meal.
• The eatery is open from 6:30AM to 8:00PM Mondays to Fridays, and 6:30AM to 12noon during Saturdays.
• They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Best time going to 3 Sisters for lunch is 11AM.
• The eatery is super crowded starting 12noon til 1PM.

Location
You can locate 3 Sisters eatery at Mangga St., Sta. Cruz, Naga City, Bicol, Philippines. It is just at the back or near Gate 2 of Ateneo de Naga University.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Read more »

Tropics’ Prawns Termidor

I am a big fan of seafood, so whenever we eat at Tropics, I order the same thing: Prawns Termidor! Imagine, three big prawns sliced into bite sizes basking in creamy cheese and butter and sweet onion chunks and baked to oozing goodness. Yep, that’s what it is. Nicely presented, this dish is served with baked vegetables and a choice of steamed rice or mashed potatoes for only Php 285.

Ingredients:

• Prawns
• Onions
• Cheese
• Butter

Rating:
“*Lazy* Yeah...”
The dish is sumptuous indeed, but it may not be very good for those who have high blood pressure, gout and arthritis. Because it’s basically a dish bursting with cheese and butter and cholesterol, better think twice before guzzling over this meal. Other than that, the taste is good! For those who like salty dishes like me, this one’s for you. But I tell you, it's not your average salty meal. *wink*

Tips:

• Think well before you pair this up with a beverage. Remember, your taste buds are in for a cheeeeeesy ride (literally).
• Prepare your maintenance meds (if you have high BP) when about to eat this.
• Well, just enjoy the food.

Tropics is a fine dining restaurant located at Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City, Philippines.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Read more »

Tropics’ Chicken ala Kiev

If you are a chicken meat lover, then this one's for you. This week, we are featuring Tropics' Chicken ala Kiev!

It is a dish served with either pasta aglio, mashed potato, baked potato or rice and an accompaniment of mixed vegetables. At first glance, I thought the dish was boring, but once I tasted it, the chicken seemed to have transformed itself to a very exciting meal. In every bite, the taste combination of the butter, parsley and garlic really blended well with the chicken. It kept the chicken meat moist and juicy to eat.

Yep, I enjoyed eating this dish! For Php. 195 pesos, you can have this nicely presented meal on your table.

Ingredients

• chicken breast
• butter
• parsley
• garlic

Rating
"*Lazy* Yeah..."
The taste is OK. It was actually delicious, but I found it quite difficult to eat. I had to figure out how to slice the chicken properly so I could enjoy it while making sure that the chicken stays on my plate while slicing (I thought it wanted to fly. Haha!). To solve this problem, I have to improve my slicing skills. *kidding*

Personal Tips

• Do not combine this meal with any smoothies. You won't be able to enjoy it.
• Tropics is one of the best restaurants in Zamboanga City for family gathering and a date with your significant other.
• Budget for a happy dining experience at Tropics is Php. 1,000 pesos and above. It's a fine dining restaurant.
• They serve lunch starting 11AM to 2PM and dinner at 5PM to 10PM
• They have Wi-Fi... and the streaming is fast!

Location of Restaurant
Tropics is located at Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City, Philippines.

Enjoy your meal, and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS!

Read more »

Mang Paeng's Kare-kareng Tagalog

Kare-kare is among the most loved dishes by Filipinos. Pinoy restaurants usually have different versions of Kare-kare. Since this is one of my favorite Filipino dishes, I knew we had to try it Mang Paeng-style. What can say? Their version is delicious.

It has a bitter-sweet taste and a certain delicious after-taste of peanut butter. Their bagoong that goes with the Kare-kare has a special taste meant for their distinct mix. My Tito said, "My sipa ng kare-kare ang version nila". This is truly one of the must-try dishes of Mang Paeng. For only Php130.00, you can enjoy this sumptuous Pinoy dish. The following are among the ingredients of this dish.

Ingredients

Meat:

• oxtail
• ox leg
• ox tripe

Vegetables:

• eggplant
• banana heart
• pechay
• string beans

 Other Ingredients :

• peanut butter
• garlic
• onion
• bagoong

Rating
"*Lazy* Yeah..."
We know that based on our experience we really enjoyed the dish. Unfortunately, we found a little problem, which is more like a personal preference. The taste is really good, but really fatty because of the beef fat, which can trigger heart attack for diners with high blood pressure. They could improve it with less fat on the skin and more meat. That way, many can eat their delicious kare-kare.

Personal Tips

• You can enjoy the dish even without the bagoong. It's still really yummy.
• You'll have a better dining experience if the dish is served hot.
• This dish is good for 4 people.
• If you have a high blood condition, don't eat this. It's bad for you. Better safe than sorry. OR just eat the vegetables.

Location of Restaurant
Their restaurant is located at Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City, Philippines. The nearest landmark is be Sta. Maria Parish Church.

Thank you and stay tuned as TASTE BUD SPEAKS.

Read more »

Tia Nina's All-Meat Pizza

 Ingredients

• Tomato sauce
• Pepperoni
• Salami
• Ham
• Pork tenderloin
• Mozzarella cheese

Price

• Solo size: Php. 100 (2.45 US Dollar). 10 inches, 4 slices.
• Regular size: Php. 200 (4.90 US Dollar). 13 inches, 6 slices.
• Family size: Php. 380 (9.30 US Dollar). 17 inches, 8 slices.
• XL size: Php. 670 (16.41 US Dollar). 23 inches, 16 slices.
• XXL size: Php. 1,200 (29.38 US Dollar). 32 inches, 32 slices.

Experience

Eating Tia Nina's All Meat Pizza is really wonderful especially if you love meat. Their pizza crust is thin but very tasty. Adding to that, unlike other pizza's we've tried, their pizza is not oily and greasy which makes it more fun to eat.


Rating
Definitely, we are rating this pizza as Yes, yes! The pizza is delicious and great. Plus! Tia Nina's All Meat Pizza is healthy to eat because of its thin crust and it's not oily and greasy.

Personal tips

• If you're in a group, it is better to order a solo size pizza. This will allow you to order more and taste more pizza flavors.
• For a colder drink, you can request for a bucket of ice.
• They are open from Mondays to Sundays, 10AM to 10PM.

Location of Restaurant

Visit their restaurant at Km. 4 Pasonanca, Zamboanga City, Philippines. They also have branches at Davao, Koronadal, and Toril.

Thank you and stay tuned in taste bud speaks.

Read more »

Tuna Belly by Mang Paeng Restaurant

Happy New Year everybody! We hope you enjoyed your holidays.

Today marks our first blog for the year 2013 and as you can see, we have a new blog template designed by Rumah Dijual. Very big thanks to Rumah, now our blog is nicer and looks more of a food blog indeed.

For our first article this year, ambrosia and I would like to introduce to you the delicious Tuna Belly by Mang Paeng restaurant at Sta. Maria, Zamboanga City, Philippines.

The dish is really delicious. Based on my taste, it was like the tuna belly was marinated with a barbeque sauce and the fish is not dry. Every bite you take, you really can taste the rich flavor of the tuna belly. The dish is served with a cup of rice, bagoong, calamansi, sili, and a portion of diced ripe mangoes, onions, and tomatoes which you can use for your dip sauce.

Ambrosia and I rated the Tuna Belly as "Yes, Yes!". It is a MUST TRY dish at Mang Paeng.

Thank you and stay tuned in taste bud speaks.

Read more »