All-natural 'halo-halo' at Mang Inasal

Koronadal City--Eating with barehands is usually associated with messy, poorly lit eateries. Not in Mang Inasal.

The barbecue grill, located at the front side of Fit Mart Mall, is nice and clean. A friend and I had a late lunch there this afternoon. We each had the lowest-priced pair of rice and chicken, at P39, not including drinks.

Mang Inasal is known for its barbecue. I, however, crave more for the resto's halo-halo (a mixture of shaved ice and various boiled beans and fruits) than for its grilled chicken.

The dessert is P45 per bowl. What makes Mang Inasal's halo-halo different and special is that it has all-natural ingredients, including what appears to me as strips of green mango. The grainy texture of the fruit and the sweetness of milk in your tongue is heavenly bliss.

Private videoke at EMR

Koronadal City--My friend Debbie is going back to Cebu, in her work as a call girl, er, call center agent.

In usual Debbie fashion, she bid farewell by inviting us to a hush-hush night-out (and I'm blabbering about it). Six of us had quiet fun in a videoke room at EMR Center.

Inside the Chinese Red room. A giant bagua mirror adorns the ceiling.

Left to right: The Rolly, Ryan C., Debbie, Royal

I’m the official “killjoy.” The microphone never even brushed my fingers.

The price of VIP rooms at EMR starts at a thousand bucks for three hours, inclusive of food and drinks.

EMR has the best french fries I ever tasted. The place and my dorm have the same owner.

Mr. University 2007 belting out “Somewhere down the road”—and countless other songs.

We couldn’t stop him from singing. When our time was up, three waiters had to practically pry the mic from his hands and carry him to the door. (I'm exaggerating, of course.)

Left to right: Royal, Debbie, Ryan A., Mark Anthony

The loo

The best chicharon in Koronadal

Koronadal City--For more than seven years now, I've been into a no-pork diet, except for occasional servings of chicharon at Jeetz, a food stall in front my dorm at Pantua Village.

The price of Regular and Premium chicharon ranges from P21 to P41, while each 100 g of Special (with meat), Bulaklak (intestines) and Tenga (ears) is P48.

The food stall also serves rice and viand and snacks.


With dormmates Sarah, left, and April

New Year in the streets of Koronadal

Playing tun-og, waiting for Mark Aethen

Ms Grace, her daughter, and the New Year crashers

KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO—I never thought being “homeless” could be so cool.

Two friends and I spent New Year ’s Eve loitering along Alunan Avenue, one of the busier streets here.

At about 11 pm, Royal and Mark Aethen suggested we dropped by Matchbox, a fast food stall just several meters away from the roundball. The place was no longer serving food, but Miss Grace, the affable owner, treated us to sumptuous servings of oyster valenciana, burger steak, and shrimp salad.

Before long, we were slowly having rounds of Red Horse (still on the house!) as Bob Marley crooned “No woman, no cry” in the karaoke and splendid fireworks illuminated the night sky.

Greeting the New year couldn’t be this languorously fun.

Royal and Mark forcibly took 2/3 of my three-piece tribal bracelet