A taste of "authentic turkey" @ Jacob's Shawarma

Butterfinger: Ever wondered where did the very delicious Shawarma came from? We see great varieties and a lot of stalls selling this non-native dish, and they sell like pancakes. But did you guys know that Shawarma originated from the Middle East? It also has a lot of names like "Gyros" in Greece, and "Döner kebab" in Turkey, with both roughly meaning "to turn". Yes, there is a lot to learn from this great food. And what more could you ask for than to partake on a truly authentic "Döner kebab" right here in the Philippines.

Enter Jacob's Shawarma, also it was Gummybear's foodie treat!

 Gummybear: I don't have any idea that there's a version of shawarma in Turkey. So, definitely it got me curious when I saw this place in Metro Deal.

Butterfinger: The place is in the heart of Ortigas, just behind Robinson's Galleria. It's a hole-in-the-wall kinda place, but the moment you enter you can see and feel why this place is the real deal. Turkish ensembles welcome you to a place even a native of Turkey can call home. You will be given a sneak peek on the history and culture of Turkey, they even have a wall with a large map of the country. On the other side, you'll notice a dedication wall, and on it writings of famous people that gave their thumbs up to the great food. Mind you though, from my observation the place can only accommodate about 20-25 people, so you may be waiting to be seated on peak hours. Luckily, we got there at a good time when people already had lunch. :) And the owner, Sir Jacob Cortes, the man himself, was there. By the way, he is the face that's on the store's logo.

 

Gummybear: I love the Turkey-ish feeling of the place. It made me feel that I already visited Turkey. I also liked the wall which few celebrities wrote on it. :)  

Butterfinger: Now, the ultimate taste test. Will the food live up to the hype, or will this just be another Shawarma. Let me tell you now, even before taking one bite of the Döner kebab, we already knew this one's special. From the preparation the shawarma looked awesome, with a lot of ingredients going into the pita bread itself. And to think that their shawarma is 12 inches long! Yeah, you heard right, foot long shawarma goodness. :)

Gummybear:  That's right Butterfinger, based on the size, you'll know that it was worth your penny. We're not just talking about the taste yet, and if we include that. It was bona petite!

Butterfinger: It was delicious! Gummybear and I both ordered the beef and lamb combo, and we also had a chicken kebab on the side, which was also prepared the same way but the slices of meat was replaced by chicken kebab.

Butterfinger: Yummy yummy yummy! It did not taste like any other shawarma I've ever had. Their shawarma was really packed with the beef and lamb, no tendons or hard to chew parts like other shawarma's. Plus, the combination of the vegetables inside really compliments the meat. Also, the pita bread had this really nice crunchy outer layer and very soft inner layer. You have the option to chose whether you want it mildly hot, or really hot, depends on your mood. hehe, or your tolerance to spiciness.  They also have this lime juice bottle that brings a bit acidity to the meal, which is really nice. The chicken kebabs was a good twist on the shawarma style, substituting kebab meat to the thin slices of meat, but none the less, also really good! More please!

Butterfinger: They change their choices of stuffing from day to day, this is to diversify their take on shawarma, so that the customers don't get bored of the usual beef and lamb. Tuesdays and Fridays are Beef and Lamb combos, Wednesdays is fish day(Salmon), and on Saturdays through Mondays are chicken days. Don't worry, they are open 24/7 to  cater to shawarma cravings. Price per shawarma goes around 150Php-200Php depending on type of shawarma. They also have the Turkish dessert called Baklava which we'll surely try the next time we go. Not bad huh? For a satisfying, not to mention the best authentic shawarma in town, go to Jacob's Authentic Döner Kebab! 

Many thanks to this nice man, Sir Jacob Cortes for the great service and food. And my Gummybear, for this nice foodie escapade! ÜÜÜ

Gummybear: It's my pleasure Butterfinger! :) *yabang face*

Butterfinger & Gummybear

Celebrating our 1 & 6th Monthsary at Burger Project & Tree Top Adventure

Gummybear: It was our 1 and 6th Monthsary last January 27, 2011 and we were excited for our monthly adventures. We already planned that we're going to have the Tree Top Adventure for this one and aside from that Butterfinger also had a surprise for me. I just love surprises!

Butterfinger: Yes, it is essential to have a plan when going on trips, but a surprise or two makes a good trip awesome. hehe.. And mind you, I always want to put a smile on Gummybear's face.  I stayed up all night just to prepare a map, but then because of sleepiness, I carelessly shut down the computer before saving and printing the darn thing. :( 

Gummybear: Great time also because it was our St. Jude day so we headed to the novena first and then we went to Butterfinger's surprise. I brought my map because of Butterfinger's tragic map making the night before, he was really sad about it of course, Gummybear to the rescue. :)

Gummybear: Along the road he already spilled his surprise, he told me that we're going to the Burger Project in Maginhawa St. Teacher's Village, Quezon City. I was definitely surprised because he remembered that I told him about wanting to visit the place. I was really wowed. He's a real keeper! No words can describe how I felt. 

Butterfinger: Good thing though that I remember all of the points on where to turn, what are the land marks, maybe staying up late wasn't waste of time at all. We may have detoured from the original route a couple of times but who's counting eh? ;) We also saw a lot of food stands along Maginhawa street, the burger project was almost at the end.

Gummybear: I was excited when we arrived at the place. I couldn't wait to make my own burger. The receptionist gave us this checklist and it took me a while to choose from the options whether which was a good ingredient for my burger. After many centuries (haha), I made up my mind for my burger. It includes, 100% beef in a poppyseed bun topped with canadian bacon, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes and onions, oozed with mozarella cheese and with garlic sauce. Yummy! Because I took too long on making my own burger I forgot to name it. I would have definitely named it as Comfort Hug by Butterfinger. Obviously the food had a lot of toppings which resembled my Butterfinger and the warmth of the burger similar to his comfort hug. Yee! I became a child all over again.

Butterfinger: Mine contained the beef patty, caramelized onions, mozarella cheese, jalapeño peppers, and garlic sauce. It was really good! One of the best burgers I've tasted. And the fact that I chose the toppings made it a special burger. I called it Gummybear's hot wrath, oh I mean love. ;) 

Gummybear: Good gracious, I created a masterpiece. :) Definitely loved my burger. We also ordered two sets of onion rings alongside of our masterpiece burgers. We were so stuffed that we could barely stand. Thank you, Butterfinger for the surprise! I enjoyed it a lot.

Gummybear: After the memorable making our  own burgers, we went off to Tree Top. Since, we're already in C.P Garcia, we decided to visit UP's famous fried isaw owned by Mang Larry's. Actually, it was also part of Butterfinger's surprise. I was so thrilled because fried isaw is one of my favorite foods, which he also remembered. This guy is a gem! Sorry girls, got him already. :) Unfortunately, Mang Larry's fried isaw store wasn't open at that time. Operating hours was 4pm - 10pm. Anyway, the thought of bringing me to this famous isaw house is still one the best gift he gave me. :)

Gummybear: We went off now to Ortigas for our first ever Tree Top Zip Line Adventure. It's 200 meters and 100 feet above the ground. We're going to have an exciting and thrilling ride. When we arrive there, we're only the customer so it was like it was reserved for us. The staff were very accommodating and they did give a brief talk about the zip-line. We had a fun time riding their zip-line. Honestly, I was not that satisfied with the speed because it wasn't that consistent. There was a time that it became a little slow after we got released from the other tower. Anyway, I'm looking forward for their new ride which was the Parachute Ride. It will drop just like you're skydiving but with harnesses. Hmm, definitely worth a try!

Butterfinger: Circulo Verde is still being developed, lots of construction going on. And right in the heart of it was the zip-line. I was really skeptical on whether the zip-line was going to hold someone like me. But the friendly staff assured me that people heavier than me already tried and turned out safe. I'm not scared of heights, its just that I am a large man that is concerned with safety. hahaha.. 

Gummybear: I definitely had a great day! Aside from those adventure it's the moment that I share with my Butterfinger which I'm glad the most. I always thank God that I've got the chance to be with him and hopefully throughout my lifetime. :)

Happy 1 & 6th Monthsary! I LOVE YOU!

Butterfinger & Gummybear

Lurking @ Mercato Centrale and Lazer Tagging in LazerXtreme

Gummybear: We've seen Mercato Centrale open to the the public for the past months and we really wanted to visit this awesome market, but because of busy schedules we couldn't  leave a day for it. Finally, by chance, last January 22, 2011, we didn't have classes that day so we decided to visit the place. We got there around 9am and it's already jam packed with people. We visited all the interesting booths and wow! they were all irresistible. Good thing we were offered to free taste. Yum yum! We didn't skipped booths so that we could experience every product they offered. It was an awesome experience!

Butterfinger: It was a really exciting day for us! We were finally at one of the best places to take part of great food, Mercato Centrale! It was like diving head first into a culinary feast of desserts, sandwiches, grilled food, fried food, almost every possible way to cook food were present. The cool thing about MC, was that you don't feel as if your in a mall where your are constantly looked at by the staff, their stares feel like your pressured to buy. You could say it's a comparison to the "European" style of market. You go up close and personal with the actual makers of the product. Simply put, its a place where food lovers  meet.

Gummybear: A lot were wonderful but some booths really impressed us, and these were:

(In Tent 1)

1. Da.u.de - I'm not a tea fan but I really enjoyed the taste of the dried flowers turned into tea. They tasted herbally. After I sipped the tea with some rosemary in it. (I forgot the full name) Holy molly! I felt calm and refreshed.

2. Pamora Farm - Their product was all about chicken and it so organic. I loved most was the different flavored spread. I forgot the name that I craved, it tasted somewhat liver spread.

3. Baked by Anita - Oh those mini cupcakes but big in taste, it was definitely my sweet tooth.

(Tent 2)

1. Little Miss OC Kitchen - Those adorable cupcakes were part of my cravings that day. If I'm going to buy those, it will be hard for me to eat it because of the cutey designs.

Can you resist eating this one?

and this?

2. Empire Macaroons - We didn't got the chance to taste their creations but we're definitely sure that they were great. They were kinda pricey. I think 35 each. :)

3. Tacklings - (50 per tray) They were cute little thing and I love to shove it into my mouth. Hehe! I love the crunchy texture but the taste was somewhat all right. We also remember a family that shared their tray with us, thanks again!

4. Mochiko - I know they tasted great not because I tasted it already but because they appear delicious. And it had an ice cream filling inside, that was heaven.

Looks were not deceiving with this one. :)

5. Simply Pie - Aside from its cool name we love their Mini Quiche Spinach Feta and Sundried Tomato. Mmm!

6. Moroccan - It got our attention because of its unique bread and they all looked delicious. They also offered Moroccan delicacies. A great try!

7. Ha Yuan - When it's time to eat already, we saw that their sandwiches were eaten by most of the people there. So, I bought one and it was good. Great for breakfast just for 60 php.  

8. Pan de Bagnet - Of course, the famous product in Mercato. Butterfinger bought  one for 150 php and it was the best sandwich I've ever tasted that day. I was surprised that I kept eating his sandwich rather than mine. Hehe! 

(Hot and Grilled Area)

There were also a lot of interesting finds outside. It's their grilling area. I really want to try some great booths like:

1. Z' sausages - As we walked by this booth, we smelled the aroma of fried sausage. Mmm, yummy!

2. Bap Chi - Their Korean and Mexican duo was a drool. Definitely, will come back for this one. 

3. Off Beat Company - We were awe-strucked by one of its unique burgers which was the Krispy Kreme Honey Glazed Burger. That was different and I'm so curious with the taste.

4. Jam Foods - The best Angus beef tapa! The lady was so accomodating. We will definitely go back and try this one. 

5. Merry Moo - They have yummy yogurt ice cream to taste aside from its common flavors; strawberry, mocha etc, and we got to taste their new creation, its the bacon flavored yogurt ice cream! It was ooh sooo yummy! We could taste the bacon tidbits. It really tasted sweet and the bacon did contrast to the creamy milk very well. :)

6. Johnny Steaks -  This was also a great try because they have great servings of burgers and they also have a uniquely made burger which was the peanut butter one.

Gummybear: These were out picks for that day. We will definitely come back to Mercato Centrale. Aside from the great finds in it we also happened to pass Mr. Anton Diaz from Our Awesome Planet and had our picture together. I was so happy that we saw him because he's also one of our inspirations in our blog. How lucky!

Gummybear: After that amazing food trip, we went to LazerXtreme. It had been 3 months since we purchased the LazerXtreme deal in Cash Cash Pinoy. We paid 100 php only for one game with free iced tea. It's original price was 190 php. So, we really got a great deal in Cash Cash Pinoy. Right now, they have a lot of good deals you might want to check it out. Thank you Cash Cash Pinoy! 

Butterfinger: Waiting patiently outside, we decided to look around and observe who our enemies would be. And to our amazement, they were mostly children, most of them foreigners. Thinking that this means that it would be an easy fight, thinking that these little children would just run and hide from us.(especially me, 'cause I am "big") haha...

LazerXtreme

Gummybear: For 20 minutes, running, hiding and shooting the enemy. That's a simple task but it wasn't simple as it seemed because our enemies were like pros already. They already had tactics and they were so fast. Since it was our first time and we're still coping with the game which resulted to a defeat. Anyway, we had so much fun! And also I learned in the end that you should check your name first in your lazer gun so after the game you'll have your scores. Too bad I didn't look at my gun so I don't know which character I was and didn't get my score.

Butterfinger: Sweaty and defeated by kids, we still walked with our heads up, proud of blasting little children. hehe.. This was surely a day of great food and great fun!

Gummybear: Thank you Butterfinger for an awesome date! Looking forward for another one. :)

Butterfinger & Gummybear

Our take on the blogging issue..

Butterfinger: Well, honestly, I don't want to take part on this issue other than I hope that bloggers out there stay true to what I think we all have/had when we started to blog, and that is passion for the things we blog about... It's not that I don't want to take sides, or I am not affected by this issue, I truly am affected, but more important to me than blaming anyone is the fact that this kind of practice is present among our culture. 

Never let people corrupt you or your passion for what you do. What I mean by this is that there will always be people who will take advantage of your talents and skills and also resources that you possess in order to make a profit. In my opinion, one's skills and assets are meant to be shared to others in a way that you don't step on your fellow man, making sure that every step you take to satisfy your passion is not on anyone's grief or downfall.

I don't have anyone in mind about who this Big Bad Blogger could be, it could be anyone who has a blog.. This could turn out in more ways than we could investigate each angle. I think that we should focus more on the idea that there are people who are willing to manipulate blogging as a tool for gaining profit from "unbiased" opinions. To be quite frank, its the PR company I'm more worried about.. Lets hope this big blow to bloggers everywhere does not ruin the fun and purity that is blogging.


To all of us bloggers, blogging is both a privilege and a right. A right because this is part of our "freedom of speech", a privilege because we share thoughts that will affect our fellow man, and with that comes responsibility.

Gummybear: As a blogger, I was disturbed and felt bad about the news. Definitely, disheartening. I'm concerned because as reader as well, we will be the one who'll suffer more from this propaganda. The veracity of a blogger will be at stake. Indeed, you're right Butterfinger, the PR company should be the one to be worried about. And we should know the reason why we blog in the first place so whenever a PR company wants to make a deal for you, you already know the answer. 


Let us make blogging a happy clean hobby!

Free 6 arrows in Gandiva Archery @ MOA

Gummybear: Ever since I saw this store, I wanted to try Archery but it was way out of budget for me. I think the rates are 500 for 1 hour. That's expensive right?! When, I saw the ad that they're having FREE 6 arrow rounds. I didn't hesitate to check it out. I grabbed Butterfinger to the store, though he's somewhat hesitant at first but was thrilled when he saw what it really was.

Butterfinger: Never in my wildest dreams that I have ever imagined my self inside an archery shop.(But I've had my fantasies of shooting arrows and being Robin Hood now and again). I thought it was going to be a hassle availing the promo, think paper works before the actual shots, but it proved me otherwise. They simply wanted everyone to try the sport, and maybe catch archery fever.

Gummybear: We bought our own target paper which was 25 bucks. We both felt the adrenaline rush in our body. I'm like Legolas in Lord of the Rings. Hehe! I admit that it's somewhat hard for me because I'm not that macho at all but it didn't hinder me from shooting those arrows even though one or two of them were shot outside the target paper. *sigh* I enjoyed it very much! Definitely worth to try!

Butterfinger: Told ya there was some buying involved, but it was for the better. 25 Pesos for target paper. It was not compulsory though, the staff told us that it would make the experience more rewarding eying a bull's down our sights. So we bought one. Gummybear tried first. I instantly changed my mind about the whole experience the moment she took stance and shot the arrow. I was now determined to hit the center. Nice shooting from Gummybear, and I think she would do great in archery, makes me think twice before getting her angry. Hehe.. 

Gummybear: It's already Butterfinger's turn and even though it's his first time to try he actually shot the middle of the target paper. He's definitely a keeper! I really admired him! +100000 crush points. :)

Butterfinger: Bow up, string pulled, sights set, concentration intense, then boom! right down the middle. Felt really good! I was trying to look calm and cool by the time we all realized I hit the bull's eye, but honestly, inside I was thinking "I'm the king of the forest! Bow before my magnificent skills!", or something like that. :)

We recommend this to anyone who wants to spur out the stresses and anger inside. Shooting the arrow and hitting the target will surely let some steam off, just make sure you choose your targets well.

Butterfinger & Gummybear