Food: Ranking 5 Burger Joints from Worst to Best

Recently I've been craving for good burgers. So much so I've tried several different burger joints in a relatively short span of time. Not all of them are good, some are better, and only one of them is the best. When I try a burger, taste is king. Second most important thing I take into consideration is the size. Third thing that sways my opinion is the overall price of the burger. Without further fluff, let's delve into the five burger joints I've tried on a near-consecutive basis :)

Note: I'm not saying these are the top 5 best burger joints I've ever tried. I'm sure there are some really good burger joints out there that I won't be mentioning, like 8cuts.

5. Zark's Burger

Zark's Classic doesn't taste super delicious (the patty is oily yet dry at the same time...) but it's kinda big for its price. Nevertheless, this burger joint is still in my "bad" category -- I might have offended some fans of this burger joint but that's my two cents! You get what you pay for.

4. Shake Shack

For a burger joint with so much marketing behind it, I have to say I'm somewhat disappointed when I tried their actual product, the Shack Burger. The taste is fine -- nothing like the taste of pure Angus beef patties --  but it's just so incredibly small for its price; no one would argue the price is expensive. I might be hurting some fans of this burger joint but for me, this burger joint falls under the B-A-D bad category!

3. Burger King

Burger King's signature Whopper is juicy and packed with ingredients. My only criticism is that they go overkill on the mayonnaise on their burger. Out of all the burgers I tried, this monstrosity probably packs the most calories. Its price is justifiable by its size so the rest is all good. A decent all-around burger joint.

2. Army Navy

Technically not a full-blown burger joint but burger is one of their specialties. It's a bit on the pricey side but the size is right and the burger is deliciously flavorful with all sorts of ingredients; if you like the taste of onion then you've come to the right place. On a side note, service in Army Navy can take a while because the burger is made-to-order. A great burger joint.

1. Pound

Once again on the pricier side of the spectrum, but still not as expensive as a Shack Burger. The serving size of the Pound Burger is slightly small but what it lacks in size it makes up for in taste. Pound lets you tell the waitress how you want your burger. Delicious meaty juices ooze at the medium-rare levels, and they top it off with crispy caramelized onions. A high-end burger joint that deserves the term "high-end".

Food: Buttery Coffee Recipe

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year this 2020! :) It's the start of a new year. And also the start of a new decade. Everyone has their own experiences regarding 2019. Some people didn't have a great 2019 while others fortunately fared better. For me, it was a year that was full of ups and downs that kind of balances out each other. For this blog post, I'm going to share with you a delicious new drink that I learned about in 2019.

I've always been a huge coffee fan for as long as I can remember. I normally like my coffee with lots of milk, making my favorite cup a flat white. That doesn't mean I'm the kind of person to shy away from trying out unusual concoctions. Inspired by the Keto-friendly Bulletproof Coffee recipe, I've devised my own coffee mixture dubbed Buttery Coffee.

Now, butter coffee isn't new. There are dozens of different recipes online but what makes my recipe different is it's more delicious than the rest because the recipe below contains sugar as a sweetener, which butter coffee traditionally doesn't have. Some say that defeats the purpose of butter coffee, which is meant to be a healthy alternative that avoids carbs and sugar, but I'm creating butter coffee not for health's sake, but more for the taste buds' sake.

Without further ado, here are the things you'll need for a delicious cup of butter coffee:

1 cup of hot brewed coffee
1 spoonful of Ghee or 1 spoonful of Butter
1 spoonful of Coconut oil
2 teaspoons of brown sugar
1 large spill-proof thermos

All you need to do is to combine all the ingredients into the thermos, and then shake violently for a couple of minutes. Once done, pour out the contents of the thermos into a cup and it should look like this:

Notice the small layer of foam on top of the cup. That means the ingredients mixed well together.

I really like making butter coffee because it has such a unique taste and texture to it that hits the spot unlike all other coffee concoctions I've tried thus far. The brown sugar added to the average butter coffee recipe really makes it such a sweet treat, kind of like a liquid cupcake in a, well... cup.

I hope to one day make Butter Coffee for you, dear reader. Sometimes I picture myself owning a lemonade stand, but instead of lemonade, I'm pouring out Butter Coffee for customers.

For those of you that have tried Butter Coffee, what do you think of the drink? Are there other unconventional coffee mixtures you've tried that are just as good? As always please feel free to leave a comment below :) Thank you for reading my blog post and once again, have a Happy New Year!

Food: Cooking and eating a couple of Hot Pockets

My sisters and I ate a couple of hot pockets. We found some boxes of the stuff in S&R while we accompanied our uncle who was shopping for festive hams for gift giving. I'm writing about this because a hot pocket is not what one would consider a typical snack in the Philippines.

A hot pocket is basically an American burrito; a serving of meat and cheese wrapped in thin breading. One big difference between a burrito and a hot pocket is that a hot pocket is designed so it can't be unwrapped. Another difference between the two is that a burrito is considered a meal, while a hot pocket is merely a snack. Hence a hot pocket is clearly smaller than a burrito.

One box of the stuff costs 200Php and there are two hot pockets per box

To prepare the hot pockets for merienda, we had to take them out of the box along with a couple of "crisp sleeves" -- things you slide the hot pockets into so you can hold them -- that had the instructions written down on... them. We thought the instructions on the sleeves weren't clear, but we basically got the gist which is to microwave the hot pockets and let them rest for 2 minutes.

At first we tried to put it in the oven against what the instructions said because we didn't want to turn our hot pockets into lava pockets, which is what microwaves tend to do. But the hot pockets were still pretty cold after we got them out of the oven, so we proceeded with microwaving them afterwards.

Before we ate the hot pockets, we cut them open in the middle to let the heat out so we won't burn our tongues. Fortunately, the hot pockets weren't too hot when they got out of the microwave.

The hot pockets taste so-so. They're alright so long as you aren't expecting anything grandiose from taking your first bite. Otherwise you'd just end up disappointing yourself. Like I did. the thin bread wrapping texture isn't anything special, and the meaty and cheesy ingredients inside aren't all that fresh either. It's immensely mediocre, in my opinion. Jollibee's Peach Mango Pie and Tuna Pie taste much better and they're much cheaper.

That's about it for my hot pocket review. I'm a Filipino trying out this western snack and I give it a 5/10. What are your thoughts on Hot Pockets? Feel free to leave a message below :)

The finished product.

Travel: My stay at a Psyche Ward aka Mental Hospital

Alright so maybe what I'm about to post can't really be considered "Travel" per se, but if you ever find yourself confined in a Psyche Ward then this blog post might be able to shed some light on what exactly it is you're getting into. I just want to make it clear I didn't travel into a Psyche Ward for fun or for study; I don't have that luxury nor privilege. I went in there to get some help as a patient.

Beforehand when I just learned about my need to stay at the ward, I already knew that I was going to write this blog post eventually, but now that I've experienced one week and two days in the Psyche Ward, I'm more than compelled to write about it. I have a couple of drafts about experiences of mine that are currently WIP. They predate my stay at the ward, but I have very strong feelings to share what I went through in the Psyche Ward. So my posts may not be in chronological order after this.

It's a true tragedy I don't have any pictures of the Psyche Ward. They confiscate your phone and other gadgets when you enter the place of healing.

Long story short I was in a bad place about a month and a half ago. My psychiatrist that I've been seeing for three years saw that I've finally reached a new low. She strongly suggested I take some time off at the Medical City Psychiatric Ward to adjust to new meds and avoid hurting myself. It took some serious persuasion from her side but she was able to convince me to take time off as she instructed.

It was during her persuasion when she gave me a picture of what I was getting into:

• As I stated above, phones and gadgets will be confiscated when you enter the ward. 
• The place is in the lower ground floor, so nobody can jump out a building and commit suicide.
• There are no sharp objects in the ward so self-harm can be avoided.
• The rooms are padded, so people that want to bang their heads against the walls (like me) can't have that luxury.
• I get to spend my time at the ward meeting other people who are just like me -- That sounds fun.
• There are Zumba classes to get the blood pumping.
• It isn't as bad as it sounds apparently. Think of it like a Dorm or PBB, she said.

Finally, my psychiatrist told me that I needed to stay there for at least a month. Two weeks if I behave properly. After all has been said, I thought the only thing missing from the mental image she painted into my head was a straitjacket. Was my mental state so badly deteriorated that I really do belong in such a place? I trusted my doctor so in the end I agreed to being confined in the Psyche Ward.

Now that I've been in and out, can I say for sure that it wasn't as bad as it sounded? Yes and no. Below are some of the things that happened in the Psyche Ward that I'd love to share with you.

"Naalala mo ba? Yung mga bading na intsik, 't*ng ina sila. Gugulpihin ko sila. (Do you remember? Those gay Chinese, f*ck them. I'll beat them to a pulp.)" –Delirious man with his arm tied to his bedpost, talking to a wall.

That's literally the first thing I saw and heard the night I was wheeled into the male bedroom of the Psyche Ward. It was at this very moment I knew that I'm really in a place for crazy people. The crazy man kept making noises throughout the whole night so I had to make some huge adjustments to be able to sleep.

There's a fight almost every day.

There was never a dull day when I stayed at the Psych Ward. The crazy people often fight with each other, sometimes they just fight with themselves and cause some self harm. One of the most epic fights I've seen was when the crazy man (the same man tied to a bed post at night -- let's call him "Nicko") lifted a chair up to provoke his watcher. Three nurses tackled him to the ground and grappled him away back to his room to be confined in an actual straitjacket. One time one of the patients caused a scene by banging on a door with his arm so hard that he dislocated his shoulder! He's cool though because I was able to befriend him and he was just scared when he did that.

You'll be served hospital food that... isn't great.

They serve five meals a day in the Psyche Ward: Breakfast, AM Snack, Lunch, PM Snack, and Dinner. The food isn't something to crave for unless you're really hungry. They serve enough food to reach the 2000 calorie average. The meal served for you will consist of rice, some meat, always some sayote on the side, some mildly sweet jelly as "dessert", and some of what we liked to call "water soup" which is basically water served at room temperature seasoned with salt and garlic.

You are expected to eat with two spoons.

This follows the rule mentioned by my psychiatrist that there are no sharp objects allowed in the ward. Heaven knows that a psychotic person can use a fork or a knife to cut themselves or use it as a weapon. I sure as hell didn't think I was criminally insane enough to do that though. While the reason is understandable, two spoons made eating a chore, especially when the hospital food served is pasta.

Showers don't have knobs. They have buttons and you'll never know when the water stops pouring.

I honestly have no idea why the showers are designed this way. There are two buttons you can press: Hot and Cold. It's pretty self-explanatory.

The bathrooms have no locks.

Both the toilet and the shower don't have locks. This is so the really crazy people can't lock themselves in the restrooms. Still, it's because of this that I've had more than my fair share of awkward apologies while I'm still using the bathroom.

There are board games and activities to keep people sane (as they can possibly be).

There are plenty of board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Chess, and there's also UNO to keep people well occupied for the first week of their stay. Your proficiency in card skills and board games will be one of your takeaways once you get out of the ward. Aside from the Zumba classes, there are also arts & crafts, newspaper readings, cooking & baking, that are fun to participate in. It's also important to participate in the activities to show that you can be a well-behaved person they can thrust back into society.

You'll explain your life story over and over again.

This is part of the hospital protocol. This is to ensure that the residing doc knows you well enough, and this is to ensure that your story doesn't contradict itself when you tell it again. It's also because Medical City is a training ground for young upcoming doctors. They'll interview you as if they were your residing doctor so just tell your story. It's good storytelling practice.

You'll meet and make new wonderful friends.

I think this is the most important takeaway of them all. You'll meet people who are more or less your age. You'll all come from different walks of life. You'll all have different mental illnesses and you'll see how the mental illnesses affect these people. You all might have come from different circumstances but the Psyche Ward will connect you. Your connection with each other will make your stay at the ward less boring. You will learn so much about each other, like your love lives and family background. You all may not get along all the time, but because the Psyche Ward is a small place you guys will be friends again soon. You'll form a kind of friendship that you wish would stay intact long after you all have left the Psyche Ward. You will be amazed at how much of an unforgettable impact they will have in your life.

With all of that said, I think it's pretty clear that I don't think the Psyche Ward is a perfect place. But I have absolutely no regrets staying there at all. Thanks for reading :)

Food & Travel: How to have the Perfect Valentine's Date without Breaking your Wallet

Valentine's Day is here again. As usual, everywhere you go on February 14th will remind you that it's a special day. You'll find posters all around malls and establishments promoting all kinds of heart-shaped pastries and dinner-for-two promos. You'll find double the usual number of flower shops in malls and then there are lines full of couples as far as the eye can see. Single people are suddenly self-conscious about their marital status, while couples (especially the men in the relationships) are suddenly conscious about the state of their wallets.

There's nothing wrong with treating your significant other on the special day, but it's also important to have a bit of self-control. You also don't want your partner to think you're cheap, so you're very likely to splurge on something. Those dinner-for-two promos are nice but you aren't exactly treating your girlfriend on a height of sophistication by eating at Chow King. Movies are great but they're also pricey (I recommend watching Alita: Battle Angel if you're planning to go that route.) The really good cinemas with the La-Z-Boys are especially expensive.

What if I told you it's possible to eat at a great place, and watch a good show, without spending over 500Php? You'd be in disbelief but I can assure you that it is very real and possible to do that.

1. Find a place with performers for free

Chances are since it's Valentine's Day, you'd find places setting up attractions to take advantage of the situation to draw even bigger crowds. The Venice Grand Canal Mall is one of these places. Aside from the mimes and statue-people, Venice hosted a grand performance spanning the whole mall on Feb 14, 2017. Before Valentine's Day, the mall had posters all around the area informing everyone passing by -- like me and my girlfriend -- that there was going to be a show. So we were able to set the time for this because we knew about it beforehand.

Valentine's Day 2017 was the first Valentine's me and my girlfriend spent together so it was quite a magical moment for us when we saw this. Unfortunately, there isn't any extravagant performance in Venice this Valentine's Day, but opportunities are abound in this big wide world of ours. Most likely there are free shows somewhere out there, maybe in a mall near you.

2. Use a Promo like Zomato Gold

I'm a huge advocate of Zomato Gold because they give out such incredible deals. There are other deals that give you 30% discounts for select restaurants, like the Bistro Card, but they pale in comparison to Zomato Gold's 1+1 on food and 2+2 on drinks, which essentially means you're getting 100% off on the other item you order.

I got this hearty meal from Banapple for free. How? By using Zomato Gold :)

In the McKinley Hill area, you have three fine establishments that honor your Zomato Gold membership: Banapple, New Bombay, and 121.

Zomato Gold costs a mere 400Php per year. (Update: due to high demand, Zomato Gold is now 900Php a year.) Does that sound a bit steep for you? I didn't write this post to primarily advertise for my own personal gain, but I can sweeten the deal for you when you use my referral code to obtain your Zomato Gold membership.

Referral Code: TIMS7761

By using my referral code, you can get a discount when you sign up for Zomato Gold. What's in it for me? I just get an additional month to my membership. When I got my Zomato Gold membership, I used a friend's referral code too. Just head on over to their website to sign up for Gold!

Would you believe we got both of these for a mere 280Php? It's possible with Zomato Gold!
Great dishes from Bluesmith Cafe at the 30th

Have you seen any great free shows with the love of your life? Have you taken her to a beautiful place to dine at? Feel free to comment below about great places. Me and my girlfriend would love to check it out :)

Food: Dough Creamery puts a delectable twist on a frozen treat

Dough Creamery -- the very same Dough Creamery listed down in Zomato's Bago Bantay -- is a new food kiosk that opened up in SM North Edsa, on December 7, 2018. It can be found on the Second Floor of the North Towers. It's hard to miss with its iconic blue-and-white themed logo, plus it's the first food stand you'll see when you turn the corner.

I'd love to give this store a 5-star rating on Google Maps, but the shop isn't on the map yet (literally...) Nevertheless, I want to write about the shop now, and that's the whole point of having a blog, so my experiences and observances are as below.

The sign is a bit bright, but Dough Creamery is open for business behind me.

They offer three types of frozen treats: The Spindle, Ice Dog, and the Waffle Pop. As the name of the shop and some of the menu items imply, the food they serve are made by combining bread and ice cream one way or another. It's no secret that Filipinos are fond of Sorbetes (dirty ice cream) sandwiched between hamburger buns. Dough Creamery also offers some ice cream-themed beverages, such as soda floats, and Matcha milk tea floats.

Since the shop just opened when I checked it out, the Ice Dog, Waffle Pop  and the drinks weren't available yet, so it was just me and the Spindle. I was able to order and enjoy a plain Spindle at the fair price of 69Php.

The spindle as a whole is big and delicious relative to the price. On one hand, there's just about enough ice cream to go around to satisfy one person, and Dough Creamery's unique, deep-fried bread cone is firm and quite filling. On the other hand, the ice cream isn't very special, and it melts fairly quickly; the bread cone is unique, but it's a bit too smooth for its paper sleeve; so you have to be careful to keep the spindle from slipping out of your grip.

Dough Creamery's Menu (sorry if it's a bit blurry and distant)

If you want to add a bit more flavor to your spindle (or ice dog, or waffle pop) you can avail for either their special or premium toppings (for a small price), which they drizzle all over your ice cream. There are plenty to choose from, like Cheese or Caramel under Special, and Peanut Butter & Blueberry Jelly under Premium.

My first visit to Dough Creamery was quite pleasant. I haven't eaten ice cream in a long while and it was a good reminder on why we should be having this frozen treat as a desert way more often. The employees and the people running the shop were very enjoyable to talk to, and they were also very accommodating. If you're a huge fan of icy treats then you'd surely be coming back to Dough Creamery every now and then to satisfy that craving.