It’s the absolute unfettered state and pristine condition of this frozen desserts store that strikes me – that and the cute pink and white cow that seems to be floating in glee right above the store’s signage.

You might want to have another look at Kape Isla, a coffeeshop that’s a paean to the best of Philippine coffee.

Note: This post is not for the squeamish or for rabid animal protectionist types. Growing up, my mom introduced me to eggs that had been hatched from a monitor lizard.

A box of delicious wonder My sister in law has lived in Japan for the past 14 years, and when she comes to Manila to visit, we always go to Tsumura when she starts feeling a little “homesick.” She tells me that it’s here – more than any other local Japanese restaurant – where the food is most authentic.

Does a guest in a restaurant have to enjoy all the dishes that he/she orders in order to qualify the meal as a good one? I used to think so but my restaurant experiences this year have shown me that while not all restaurant meals are great, there are some dishes worth going back for. Here, a few of my favorites.

If there’s anything that I like better than making a cup of coffee, it’s having someone else make my coffee and relaxing with it in a coffee shop. Here, some of my favorite coffees in the metro, great for drink-in or take away.

In the space that is Rustan’s Department Store, where everything smells like money and the controlled lighting makes all the customers look like a million bucks, shines a little spot called Frostings.

There’s a tsokolate – as opposed to “chocolate” – café in Baguio that’s been around since 2000, and I can’t believe that I didn’t know about it ‘til this year.