I think a part of growing older really is hating loud noises. I remember a few yrs back I would scour the bars at night jumping from one to the other looking for the best happy hour deals while dancing my heart away. But now, all I wanted was to drink in my hotel room and be cozy with my blanket, lol. Anyway I brought that up because that's how I discovered this new restaurant I'll be sharing. 

So because food was my main priority when I went to Boracay, I spent most of my time on Trip Advisor looking for new/old restaurants to try. Some of the ones listed were really pricey so I decided to go for a moderately priced place which led me to Nalka. We were checked-in at Station 2 so I didn't see it while I was going around because it's on the far end of Station 1. 

Service was also relatively fast. There was no one in sight of our dining area but for some reason whenever we're ready to order, someone would appear. The waitress would also come to us every now and then to check if we already wanted to order. During our visit, we were the only diners which was quite surprising because the food was great. That's when we were told the promo is relatively new so I'm spreading the word so you guys don't miss out!

I was in Boracay over a month ago and while I have a barrage of complaints over the "new Boracay", I don't think this is the proper avenue. Follow me on twitter instead for the tea, lol. Anyway, for this series I don't think I'll be able to share anything budget-friendly because most of the restaurants we've tried had a pretty steep price tag. So I think, this series will just be all about the best bang for your buck since you'll be spending. While there are cheaper options like Mang Inasal, Andoks, etc. I just feel that we already have enough of those here you probably won't be looking forward to them in Boracay. 

So let's get it on with our first pick--Station X! Discovered this through a friend and we also passed by it. We also kept seeing it in AirBnbs ie location is near Station X and we were wondering if it's a new station added after the rehabilitation lol. Station X is an amazing place for foodies because it is conveniently located at Hue Hotels, which by the way offers a day package so you can make use of their amenities. What caught my eye was Streetmarket because it looked like an extremely posh food court I probably wouldn't walk in if I were in Manila lol. But there weren't a lot of people so I figured I'd give it a try. 

THE PLACE

Station X's Streetmarket offers a wide variety of cuisines from Japanese to Italian to Filipino. The ordering system is also organized because you can just order at the stall of your choice and they'll have it delivered to your table hence not being limited to just one cuisine--very helpful for those who usually have picky eaters as companions. Service was also relatively fast and everything is conveniently delivered to your table. The place is also spacious if you're dining with a big group and they have really decent bathrooms. 

I have loved mukbangs ever since I first discovered there is such a thing through Kinoshita Yuka--a Japanese oogui eater. Back then I was more impressed by the amount of food she consumed being she's a competitive eater, but my fascination later led me to discovering cuisines from other culture. Aside from mukbangs, I'm also deeply immersed in ASMR and we all know a huge chunk of ASMR creators are Koreans which is why most of the food I crave on a daily basis as I watch these videos would be korean food. 

I mean, I've always loved Korean food that's why it doesn't surprise me that korean food + asmr would be my go to sleeping pill. I make my own korean dishes but there's one that I always see in mukbangs that I can't really make myself--soy-marinated raw shrimp. I've seen how it's prepared but I get scared because marinating raw food in soy sauce is something that we don't usually do here in the Philippines. So you can imagine how long I've been looking for a restaurant that can cater to my infinite craving. Unfortunately, I've scoured Manila high and low but have't found one that can. But as luck would have it, I was in Boracay a couple of weeks ago and stumbled upon a restaurant that can address my curiosity. 

THE PLACE

KD Pocha is Korean-Filipino Fusion Pub. It's hidden just below Island Nook, so it may prove difficult to find. But one you get to Island Nook, you're good to go. The place, as the name suggests, looks more like a pub rather than a family-friendly restaurant with all the Soju bottles displayed on top of the counter. They offer authentic korean dishes such as the one I was extremely excited to try. The owner is also Korean and assures that they only offer the best and freshest seafood.

Would I come back? Definitely. Even if I wasn't amused with the new Boracay with all the surge of expensive Chinese restaurants driving prices to insane levels, I'm still glad there are hole in the wall finds like KD Pocha--not insanely overpriced but still gives you a chance into exploring the flavors of their culture. Korean cuisine is something I'll always be fascinated with and KD Pocha has been added to my go-to's should I crave again for another time. I just hope tickets to Caticaln were that cheap, but eitherway if you guys are ever in the area make sure to drop by!

If you’re a hardcore JaDine fan, you’ve probably already heard about Ultherapy. Nadine posted about this treatment on her Instagram stories noting that it helps her achieve the prominent jawline she’s ever so famous for. The treatment also made waves when Alden Richards revealed that it is his secret to a more chiseled face as is evident in his latest appearances. Even before I knew the nitty-gritties of the procedure, I was already game for it. I mean, knowing that THE Nadine Lustre had done it and all. However, knowing how safe the procedure is and how I would be taken care of made me go all-in.

According to Aira Portem, ÉLAn Salon and Spa’s Ultherapy-certified medical allied practitioner, it is a non-invasive face lift which aims to improve the appearances of lines and wrinkles by using ultrasound energy to improve collagen production. It’s also the only US-FDA cleared procedure that helps create a more contoured face and sculpted jawline. Ultherapy uses ultrasound technology to focally tighten the deeper layers of the skin. It can go as deep as 3mm to 4.5mm beneath the skin’s surface. It targets to treat the deep layers of the skin, so that skin tightening and lifting can come from within. Ultherapy can be done annually or every six months, depending on your skin’s laxity.

As I'm typing this, it's raining cats and dogs which just makes this post more apt! It's no secret I love Samgyupsal but I don't think I've mentioned how I'm also in love with hotpot and shabu-shabu! We all know the weather hasn't been that kind to us lately giving us a lot of gloomy mornings and rainy evenings, and while it makes it even more difficult for most to get up and go on with the dailies, I personally enjoy it because then I get to have soup hah! I mean, I know it's a small thing but enjoying soup in a tropical country can really be quite tedious because who would want soup in the sweltering heat, right? Definitely not me. But anyway, I talked about loving the rain extensively because my next discovery was a product of that. 

One rainy day in Malolos, Bulacan of course my typical self was craving for samgyupsal. A quick google search led me to 1970 Korean Grill and Shabu-Shabu and shabu-shabu + samgyup sign me up! Initially I was a bit confused about the difference between hotpot and shabu-shabu and this is what I came up with : Hot pot is cooked in shallow iron pots with sake, mirin, soy, and sugar. The one-dish meal frequently features ingredients dipped in beaten raw eggs prior to cooking. Shabu-shabu features a different cooking style, which is the main difference between the two cuisines. All thinly-sliced ingredients are swished around the pot — the phrase ”shabu-shabu” actually translates to “swish-swish.” (via)