CITY OF PINES 2022: HATCH COFFEE

This self-billed 'not-so-secret coffeeshop in Baguio' is indeed on the radar of many local food bloggers i follow, hence my interest was piqued. 

On my last day before heading back to the metro (boo!), S. and i had lunch at Hatch, which is located inside a quiet subdivision, yet quite accessible from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

 

 

The place, with its airy lawn and plants, was quite relaxing; and S. mentioned that yoga classes were, in fact, being held here during mornings.  

 

 

 

The menu was not very extensive: S. quipped that most of it were food that one can do oneself at home, which amused me greatly ;-D 

 

 

 S. ordered the Hatch burger (basically a typical cheeseburger), while i was dead set on the ube grilled cheese sandwich (blame Instagram and the fact that i'm a huge ube jam fan hehe).  Here it was:

 

 

 

 

It proved to be as yummy as it looked!! Yesss!! Perfect for a light lunch or rather filling mid-afternoon snack. S. shared a portion of her burger, and it was moist and tasty. Recommended as well. 

 

For drinks, S. had the latte horchata milk (below left) while i chose the intriguing Orange Coffee (right). Hmmm, i'm still ambivalent about it -- it was refreshing, but the taste was rather odd.

Overall, Hatch Coffee proved to be a nice hangout place with good food and a relaxed atmosphere.

(Hatch Coffee is located at 135 Easter Road corner Road 1, Manzanillo, Baguio City. Check their Facebook page and Instagram account hatchcoffeeph for updates on menu, schedule, etc.)

CITY OF PINES 2022: 113 Wagner Cafe

Hello, hello! Finally, after more than 2 years, yours truly left the confines of the metro and ventured forth to one of my fave destinations, Baguio City (I've been here probably at least 10 times, in total). 

First order of business was to have dinner with good friend S., merely one of the richest persons in this neck of the woods. Upon her suggestion, we agreed on the fairly new 113 Wagner Cafe (so named because it was located on...well, 113 Wagner St. Hehe!). 

Things did not start out promisingly. Waze guided us to this dark, quiet unpaved street, which looked rather dodgy. 

Fortunately, it seemed we were on the right track, due to the sign. True enough, a short walk led to this gate. 

 And when one enters, suddenly it's a whole different world!

 

 

Being a Friday night, the place was full. Apparently, this place was the private residence of the resto owner as well.

On to the food: S. had reserved and chosen the Farm Fresh Food menu, knowing my huge appetite hahaha!

The roasted tomato cream soup was a winner. Great texture, with a strong spicy kick. Perfect for a chilly night.

 The linguini pasta was cooked very well, and didn't scrimp on the ingredients. 

 

The main course, Certified Angus beef striploin steak, could have been a teeny bit more done, in my opinion. Nonetheless,  it was delicious and we (party of 3 adults and 1 small child) very nearly finished it -- syempre nagkahiyaan and left one last piece on the plate hahahaha style bulok amp. :-D

 

 

 

There was a surprise midway through our dinner. The staff starting singing the birthday song, and brought out a slice of chocolate cake.  Then i realized that it was MY birthday that was being celebrated! Wrong month! 

 

But the chocolate cake was flat out superb! It reminded me of the Red Ribbon chocolate cake back in the 1990s, which was so flavourful and moist; before Jollibee acquired Red Ribbon and the chocolate cake became dry and virtually unedible. 

 

 

 

Lastly, the panna cotta came out, and i finished my portion quickly. Can't go wrong with PC! 

 

I'll leave more pics of this lovely cafe, definitely recommended to visit. 

 

 

 

113 Wagner Cafe is strictly by reservation only. Check their Facebook and Instagram accounts for updated information on menus, schedules, etc. 

(Thanks to S. for the food pics!)

 

TAIPEI: Chinese knife massage experience

While browsing online on possible things to do for our recent trip to Taipei, one thing piqued my interest greatly: The ancient practice of dao liao, or known in English as butcher knife massage.

For my fellow uninitiated folks, here's a video by Insider which gives a brief backgrounder on this practice:  Knife Massage Dao Liao

Interesting, huh? I shared this with my friends; and guess what, absolutely NO ONE else wanted to go! (LOL) So, it was that on a humid afternoon, I would myself taking the Metro to underground Taipei City Mall, where the Taipei Ancient Art of Knife Therapy Education Centre was located.


Getting there was easy peasy. Simply get off at Taipei Main Station and follow the signs to Taipei City Mall (see that big ''Y"?). First, look for the Civic Blvd Exit: 

Keep walking when you see it ("M2/M1").

Then eventually, you will see it! The "Y", diba? :D

The knife massage centre is located near Exit Y13 of Taipei City Mall, so just keep walking as it is arranged in sections by number. Contrary to what i have read online, the mall itself was clean, brightly lit and air-conditioned. Of course, it is not posh by any means. Sort of like a decent, above-average bargain center for clothes, souvenirs and the like.

Ah, here it is. Please note there is no English signage. Some sites say it is 'near' or 'beside' a blind massage place, which is true. (Funny anecdote: One of my friends misheard me, and thought that it was going to be a blind person doing the butcher knife massage! No wonder he blanched at the idea and fled. Haha!)

Price list in Chinese. I think they do have an English one for Western tourists. I took the 45 minute massage for NT880.

Here's a photo of the massage beds where one lies down (in full view of onlookers and shoppers, so prepare to be gawked at, and possibly be the unwitting star in someone's video). They do wrap you in blankets for privacy, and to protect against the knives. 

 Regarding the massage itself, there are a lot of extravagant claims being made (i guess this applies to all "ancient" practices) -- i.e. it helps fat loss, enhances metabolism, etc. etc. One should really take this with a spoonful of Sodium Chloride and just lie back and relax and let the butcher.....errrr, rather, the massage master do their stuff.

The knives are dull, so there is no possibility to be chopped and sliced like a pork chop (or Wagyu A5, if you think highly of yourself :D).  For me, it was very relaxing (in fact, I almost fell asleep). The part when they do it on the soles of your feet was rather ticklish.

So how did i feel after? Good, actually. I felt temporary relief from some muscle pains. But no, it did not make me feel i could leap tall buildings in a single bound. :D

Is it safe? Yes! Is it worth a try? Yes! Was it worth the money? Yes!

Here's a superb article by Taipei Expat as well, for people who want to know more (and hopefully try) this unique massage. 

Taipei City Mall Exit Y13

Chinese Name: 台北地下街出口Y13

Hours: Taipei City Mall: 9:30am – 10pm Massage Shops: 11am - 9pm

Phone: 02 2559 4566

English Address: Taipei City Mall Exit Y13, Zhengzhou Road, Datong District, Taipei City, 103

Chinese Address: 103台北市大同區鄭州路20號 (台北地下街出口Y13)