Welcoming 2021

 If I can't say it enough, I love New Year's Eve and I love fireworks!

Food: Eat More Shrimp!

We were supposed to go to Dreamplay last Friday but since I wasn't able to wake up on time, we missed our chance. Since we only had the chance to go there because of Carol, and we didn't make it, my mom got worried she might feel bad about it so she decided to invite her to watch a movie yesterday.

Since she worked in Pasay, we decided to once again go to Greenbelt, hear mass, have dinner, and watch Cinderella. After hearing mass, we decided to eat at one of my childhood favorites: Bubba Gump. If you have watched the movie Forrest Gump, you would have the idea that the restaurant's specialty is shrimp. I'm allergic to shrimp. But I remember my dad telling me to keep on eating shrimp so my body would get used to it. So I did.

My brother and I ordered Shrimp Rigatoni, but requested for linguini pasta since we're both not crazy about rigatoni. It was good, and the fact that there were like a dozen or more shrimps in the pasta made it even better. I was getting nervous about eating this since I am allergic to shrimp, but I still tried my best to enjoy my food since I could take medicine anytime.

Shrimp Rigatoni

Tender sauteed Shrimp, Rigatoni, and fresh Spinach are tossed in a creamy Sundried Tomato Pesto Cream Sauce, and topped with fresh Parmesan Cheese.

The BBQ Cheeseburger was Rab's order. I had the chance to taste the fries and onion rings and all I can say is that it was really good and worth its price.

BBQ Cheeseburger

Their classic burger with sweet tangy BBQ Sauce, Cheddar Cheese, and Frizzled Onions

My brother also ordered the Shrimp Platter which they call:

Run Across America Sampler

The platter consists of Bubba's Far Out Dip and Chips, Chilly Shrimp, Spicy Chicken Strips, Hush Pups, and Mama Blue's Fried Shrimp.

While we were enjoying shrimp dishes, my mom ordered salad since she's on her lenten routine, fasting and abstinence. She then ordered the Yin Yang Shrimp Salad

Yin Yang Shrimp Salad

Tender shrimp, fresh Greens, tropical Mango, Peanuts, tangy Asian Wasabi Dressing, and crispy Wanton Strips

Kuya Kenneth and Carol both ordered their pork chops.

Simply Grilled Pork Chops

Two pieces of Grilled Pork Chops served over Jasmine Rice and Succotash

    

I'm very sorry for not having photos of the other orders. Nevertheless, I've gathered the description from Bubba Gump Manila's website to give you a better description of what we had yesterday.

Food: Matutina's, Pangasinan

Annual tradition? Well, it's more of an after-Baguio-tradition, but we go to Baguio every year anyways so I guess I'm not exaggerating when I say annual.

I have come to realize that I am really my father's daughter when I prefer fresh fish over the ones you buy in the groceries. We're not really the type to go to wet markets early in the morning so we don't really get the chance to have fresh fish all the time. I love going to Butuan, my dad's hometown because they have access to different freshwater and salt sea fishes and I get to eat them every frickin day. Up here in the North, I anticipate eating at Matutina's all the time.

We go to Matutina's mainly for their famous Malaga fish. I prefer it fried so we always order fried Malaga. My mom likes the Sinigang na Malaga, so we order a separate one. Although on our recent visit, we just ordered fried. The place is very province-ish but it saddens me that the management bought Italian-like statues of "welcome" and "thanks for coming" and the likes. There's nothing wrong with it, I just think it would be better for them to stick to the theme of their restaurant, which is very Filipino.

...and then it makes me wonder. Some places here in the metro try hard to make it look like the province and establishments in the provinces try hard to make it look modern or metro-ish. I don't get that. Oh well, it's none of my business.

It's been eight consecutive years that we've been going to Baguio and eating at Matutina's and this is the first time I wrote about it. I've always wanted to, I guess I just keep on forgetting to take photos of the malaga every time I see it since I just want to devour into it immediately.

Other dishes you should try at Matutina's:

• Grilled Pork
• Pinakbet
• Shrimps
• Pansit Canton

Personal rating for Matutina's (food taste): ★★★★★

Personal rating for Matutina's (service):     ★★★★