Once in a while, I like get together with friends especially during the holidays. Problem is, we’re all a little low on cash because we are not children and we were the ones who had to give money away. It was all fun, nonetheless. So when it was time for us to meet and swap stories, we all decided that though we want to dine big, our wallets had become a whole lot smaller. Dampa sa Riverbanks, Marikina was our best alternative.

Dampa sa Riverbanks is a Mecca for those who are looking for cheap clothes, bric-a-brac and entertainment. Marikina is a fine city known for the discipline of its citizens and the low crime rate. I love coming to the Riverbanks Mall because of its character and strong penchant for all things pleasant and, yes, cheap. Marikenos are a warm and friendly people and despite its proximity to the center of business, Marikina has an old provincial feel. Food is available and is relatively cheaper than other part of the Metro. Dampa is no exception. The food in this place is cheap, tasty and fresh.

Excuse my photos, the light is not very good. I have eaten in the place three times now and I love it! The service, the food and the prices. I can’t help but harp on the prices because the food here is truly something to rave about. When I dined here with my friends, we had fish, squid, chicken, sisig and green mango with bagoong. The last one is free for everyone who eats there.

You begin by choosing from numerous stalls that have the food skewered and marinated on display.

I love the Chicken Barbecue. I always make sure I order that. Only P70 (US$ 1.63) for three pieces on a bamboo skewer.

Then I ordered Sizzling Sisig, which is made of a pig’s ears and face muscles marinated to perfection and cooked on a metal grill. The raw egg makes it even more delicious.

Then we ordered for a slab of Blue Marlin cooked in Sinigang broth. This was a bit more pricey than most of the food, P150 per slab of fish (US$ 12.30). Still it was worth every cent. When you come here, dine at Fortune Grill (the one with the blue table). Their service is wonderfully fast.

They also had this grilled stuffed squid dish but I did not take its picture because they put cheese on top of it. To me, it was not appetizing, but my friends enjoyed it anyway.

So if your budget is low and you want to eat good food, Dampa sa Riverbanks is the place for you. Here you can laugh and enjoy the evening air with friends, family and beer. Parking is a breeze at P15 flat rate. Curious about our bill? Here’s what we spent:

I highly recommend Dampa sa Riverbanks for all ages and religion. Come bring your party to Dampa!

Just when you thought that all the good weekend markets are only found in Makati and Quezon City, here comes Pick Manila. It’s the weekend market nestled in the middle of Celadon Residences, premier townhomes community by Alveo Land.

So it’s beside a mall, you say. Why go there when the mall has air conditioned surroundings? Though the Pick Manila market does have evaporator coolers to ensure comfort for the shoppers, there’s more to this place than just your average shopping experience. First, items are cheaper. Yes, way cheaper. Just look at the goodies I brought home!

Daing na isda (Dried fish).

The takoyaki came in fours per order. One order is only P20.00 (US$.45).

The Gyozas are usually mistaken for Chinese dumplings. Also P20.00 (US$ .45) per order.

They sell various kinds of maki and sushi. Their California Maki shown here, is only P50.00 (US$1.06) per order.

Noodles? They got ‘em too. Only at P30.00 (US$ .67) per bowl.

Dried anchovies (tuyong dilis).

You can still catch Pick Manila this weekend on September 21 and September 28 at the Celadon Residences, immediately beside SM San Lazaro.

This weekend Noreen and I went to the Cubao Expo at the invitation of a friend who owns the Reading Room. I didn’t get to meet my friend, because I didn’t tell her I’d be there. Noreen was planning for it to be a surprise. I guess I was the one getting surprised, hehehe.

What was formerly known as the Marikina Shoe Expo is now known as Cubao Expo. Aptly named, I think. Aside from visiting the Reading Room I also wanted to see some bargains that my officemates often rave about. I hardly go to this part of the Metro, being from Makati, so this Saturday I decided to go and see what the fuss was all about.

Ah Noreen spots a bargain, after being in the place for only 10 minutes! Really good shoes for P100.00 (US$2.40) a pair! So she got two pairs in different colors. Mind you, they don’t look cheap. In an air-conditioned mall, these shoes would probably sell for more than P450.00 (US$10.00).

Walking around some more, I spotted this 1958 VW Beetle, fully restored. I like cars a lot, though I don’t blog about them. The owner, Ron, was nice enough to let me take pictures of his car. When I asked him how much he spent restoring it, he just said that he spent a LOT. Enough said.

Wonderful paint job and incredibly plush interiors.

After all that walking we got hungry and found this quaint Italian restaurant named Bellini’s. Owned by an Italian guy Roberto Bellini, this restaurant is probably one of the best I have dined at, so far. After eating all that Italian fare at the Tasting Room event, I was delightfully surprised that a Cubao Expo restaurant had THE BEST food and THE BEST service, besting even the more famous and expensive Makati restaurants. The prices are so reasonable, considering how Italian food is always expensive, and the service has been the best I have experienced, so far. None of the usual snob appeal. Just ask the waiter in Tagalog and they are on their toes in their best behavior. I’ve seen how some restaurants treat non English-speaking customers like second-class citizens. This restaurant’s crew and staff indeed deserve a standing ovation. Yes, I will come here again and again and again.

The exterior.

The interiors.

That’s Noreen waiting for her pasta dish with bread stick in hand.

The Spaghetti al Cartoccio as it is served. Only P230.00 (US$5.54) per order.

Notice anything? Yes, it’s seafood pasta WITHOUT the cheats! No fish fillet or squid rings here. Just handfuls of fresh mussels and fresh shrimps. The shrimps are fresh, sweet and crunchy, I actually ate the outer shell.

I ordered the Fettuccine Pesto. Only P220.00 (US$5.30) per order. The best pesto I have ever had.

The waiter actually recommended Penne, but the gorilla in me insisted on Fettuccine. What the customer wants, the customer gets. Without argument.

For as little as P120.00 (US$2.89) a slice, I got this big hunk of Tiramisu. So very very good. I’m still thinking about it as I write this.

Another shot.

At the end of our meal, we were treated to small cups of sweet wine. This was a really nice touch!

For only P660.00 (US$15.90) as our total bill, Noreen and I were happy campers!

When you visit Cubao Expo, dine at Bellini’s. You’ll be smiling through the traffic.

Some hard-to-find items may have been worth the visit. However, I still couldn’t get over the P50.00 (US$1.22) entrance fee into the Rockwell tent, where the non-food stalls abound. I really think they would get more foot traffic into the place if they let the concessionaires pay for the venue rentals. Experience tells me that markets with the entrance fees are actually more expensive than those without (like the wildly successful Salcedo Market and the Lung Center market.)

Nevertheless, Noreen liked the flowers. We didn’t buy any though.

So why am I blogging about this place? One food stall had so many people flocking to it and that’s what made my visit worth braving the heat. They called it Dream Ice Kakigori or Japanese shaved ice dessert. I hope I got the name right.

The setup was really simple. They had this machine that shaved ice so fine, finer than the average halo-halo. I was right when I told Noreen that the secret to a good summer dessert was in the ice.

I got the melon flavored kakigori.

After shaving the ice, green melon syrup was poured then condensed milk.

The result?

I don’t know where else you can buy Dream Ice Kakigori. I’m betting it could had at your neighborhood mall. With this heat, a large tub of kakigori will help you keep your cool.

Nothing special about it except that it only opens on Saturdays and that only the best of the best can be bought here at rock-bottom prices. Being in one of the country’s most expensive stretch of real estate, expect that it is also a good place for people-watching. I saw some relatives of the Zobel-Ayala clan, in simple everyday wear and without bodyguards (couldn’t take a picture, though. I don’t want to be sued or anything, hehe). Expatriates and their families frequented the specialty food shops to remind them of home. But my purpose in going there didn’t involve the fresh vegetables or the French quiches. It was the Wagyu burgers.

As I entered the market place, I immediately spied this innocent-looking stall beside the clinic (I wonder why it was beside the clinic) and quickly realized that this was the shop my friend had told me about.

Yup, it had Wagyu screaming from the signs. This was indeed the place.

The owner was nice enough to show me how Wagyu beef looks like raw.

Wagyu is defined as a breed of cattle, the meat of which is characterized by intense marbling. Wagyu beef produces high levels of unsaturated fat, meaning that this is fat that contains lesser calories compared to ordinary beef. This is why Wagyu is very soft, tender and expensive. A kilo, as sold in the groceries, range from P3,000 (US$73.00) to as high as P6,000 (US$146.00) depending on the freshness. It’s something I cannot afford to eat everyday being an ordinary salary man.

So I decided to settle for a quarter-pound Wagyu burger with everything on it (yum). I had mine medium rare, for fear that the meat might become too tough when it’s overcooked.

After five minutes or so, I am served my burger, for which I only paid P250.00 (US$6.00). It was slightly larger that the usual quarter-pounder. Grace, the lady who was doing all the cooking, emphasized that no extenders were added to the Wagyu patties. Their claim that it was pure beef and seasoned only with salt and pepper, was confirmed on the first bite.

I urge all of you to try this. You have to taste Wagyu beef at least once in your lifetime. The first bite left me with a blank stare. At that moment, I ran out of adjectives and expletives to express the emotion. All I can say is that please, do try it. Thank me later.