Shopping
There are shopping malls everywhere in Metro Manila and hardly anything you can buy in London or New York that you can't buy here, at least as far as chic designer labels and trinkets are concerned. However, the first stop for tourists looking for indigenous gifts and handicrafts is usually Balikbayan Handicrafts, which has five branches and sells an inspiring range of products, some to be coveted and some plain bizarre. Native jewellery , ethnic carvings and household decor are a bargain. The biggest branch is at 290-298 C Palanca St, Quiapo, with others in Pasay Road, Makati and A Mabini Street, Ermita. There are plenty of other antique and handicraft shops along A Mabini Street, while opposite San Agustin church in Intramuros, is a complex of small art and tribal shops, selling everything from carved rice gods and oil paintings to native basketware and jewellery. For dirt-cheap clothes try fighting your way through the crowds at the immense Divisoria Market in CM Recto Street, Binondo. You can hunt down woodcarvings , capiz-shell items, buri bags and embroidery under Quezon Bridge in Quiapo. In Baclaran, at the southern tip of Roxas Boulevard, is a flea market selling clothes. Haggling is the operative word in these places. For a small but interesting range of Filipino books and environmental videos go to The Filipino Bookstore at G-72, Ground Floor, Glorietta 1, Ayala Center, Makati. On a more prosaic note, CDs are excellent value in the Philippines. In Tower Records in Makati new releases cost less than P500. Shops are generally open from 10am until 8pm.
intramuros...fort santiago & san agustinandrea nicu says "a must appreciate place. just ride a quiapo pier jeep and tell the driver youre heading to fort santiago. an entrance fee of 40 pesos,less than a dollar, you can stroll the historical place. outside fort santiago, you can ride a pedicab (bicycle with side car) up to san agustin church for 40 pesos also. an entarnce fee of 75 pesos ($1.50) is needed to see the old church. its creepy inside. maybe because its so old, i can feel how strange it is. but its nice to be in history. go and see it, especially with your loved ones." manila tigersmastijack says "manila is a place for wonderful night life with music, drinks, food etc..." where to eatsupremebea says "Manila has been influenced by Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and American Culture. You can see it clearly in our food. We can never be accused of bland taste :)
Some suggestions for casual dining places:
Teriyaki Grill - They serve japanese food with filipino taste. I always always order their chizu maki (chicken roll with cheese $3), tofu steak (with wonderful sauce $3) and california maki ($2).
Chef D'Angelo - Pasta, Pizza and Chicken. Best seller is their White Pizza (seafood with lots of cheese $3) pasta paella (a different take on pasta $3) and spicy chicken (kind of like buffalo wings 3 pcs for $4). Their German chocolate cheesecake is also my favorite (and I don't even like cheesecake).
Figaro Coffee Shop - Competitor of Starbucks. I love their little "Oscar" (sansrival $1.5), Bread pudding with warm vanilla sauce ($1) and their Chorizo pasta (pasta with sausage $3). However, their hot chocolate was very disappointing since I caught a server using the regular SwissMiss.
Dencio's - If you want Filipino food, this is the place to be. Try the sizzling bangus belly (milkfish $3), nilaga (boiled beef with vegtables $4) and gambas (shrimp with sauce $3). The bottomless ice tea is the cheapest I had ($1).
UCC Vienna Coffee - It's a Vienna themed coffee restaurant home based in Japan but located in the Philippines! This cafe is pretty expensive. But their salads are pretty good ($4) with wonderful wonderful Asian dressing and my absolute favorite Samba Cake ($3). A brownie like cake with molten chocolate inside so that when you cut into it, the liquid chocolate comes puring out. Can't beat that.
Ref Crab - Value for money, this is the place. Their buffet cost around $10 and it's all you can eat crab. Not only steamed but with different sauces. Other seafood as well. My favorite is the thermidor prawns.
All of the restaurants above are usually situated inside the malls. So, it's pretty safe.
" barrybarry says "HpVuQS skfye73mg08dmadvp937fh5v1"
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