#issaeats: Where to eat in San Juan!

Hello!
Last Friday, I was assigned to write an article about the best places to eat around San Juan (Wilson/P. Guevarra, specifically). So I set out with a friend and walked around for an hour or so looking for restaurants to try out.

long breaks + lots of good food + a good friend = a very full and happy Issa!

After a lot of walking and sweating, here are the three places I'm definitely going back to again (And actually did, since Friday!):

1.) Pegi Waffles

This is the first place we visited after our class. Thank God our prof dismissed us early, so at around 10:30am (BRUNCH! I skipped breakfast for this!) we had a long break and the time to unwind after our walk under the sun (aka walk from hell).
Pegi Waffles obviously specializes in waffles. They also offer ravioli and other kinds of meals. I didn't look through the menu as I was more fixated on what kind of waffle concoctions they served. That and I was too hungry to look through everything tihi

What I ordered? Cheese and chocolate waffles with a scoop of vanilla ice cream! When the waffles arrived and I awkwardly took my photos, I took a bite. And then I almost literally flipped. Okay, now flipped may be over the top, but I DID look a bit stupid making yummy noises and closing my eyes as if it was the first waffle I've ever tasted. It definitely wasn't my first waffle, but it was one of the best I've had! A bite from a hot waffle then mix it with another bite of vanilla ice cream and my day is made.

I prefer the cheese over chocolate waffle, though both taste equally delicious. My taste buds are just more into cheese than chocolate (This also goes for cake. Cheese over chocolate forever!). I'll definitely order this with whipped cream next time.

Oh, and don't be worried that it won't make you full. One waffle was filling enough for me. But if you're one who loves their waffles, another one won't hurt! ;-)

The great thing about their waffles is that it's only 49 PHP! You can add whipped cream, flavored syrup or ice cream for 20 PHP.

Their staff is VERY nice, our water was always refilled and they smiled whenever I *accidentally* make eye contact (Because I will forever be awkward). My friend and I spent half our morning here, partly because we loved the place and we needed to finish our accounting seat work (She dismissed us early but she won't forget to leave us something to cry on). Hope to make this an every Friday break visit, it's the perfect place to unwind after six full hours of accounting class.

Fun fact: Pegi is the supplier of Starbucks' waffles! Yap, the one they sell for 80 PHP!

And they sell these cute waffle lollies for only 40 PHP each!

A 9.5/10 for Pegi! Love how cute and comfy the place is and how your waffles seem to make my accounting problems seem so far away~ Oh, and did I mention they've got WiFi?!

After going back to campus to submit our worksheets, we set off to Sugarleaf. But after asking a lot of security guards and walking around Wilson Street looking like idiots, we found out that it was under renovation. I felt bad because I was craving for their sandwiches and cookies. Not only that, but it's a real healthy place, too! I visited their branch in Makati with my aunt and mom by chance (I was in the hospital for my leg), and it was so good and healthy at the same time, I swore I'd go back. But I never did wah. Gonna wait until next year, when they finally reopen their doors!

We walked around some more, visited a few more restaurants, and we finally found:

2.) Nathaniel's

Nathaniel's is right across Pegi Waffles, so if you aren't a huge fan of waffles (WHY THOUGH?!), or planning to eat lunch, then Nathaniel's the place.

Nathaniel's is your normal restaurant that serves Filipino food and sells pasalubong like snacks. It's actually nice to have lunch here because it's a pretty quiet place, and their food is affordable. Like what I said, I was assigned an article for "student-friendly" places to eat around San Juan, so this is definitely somewhere I'd go to if I got tired of McDonald's or the canteen in campus.

Their food isn't only affordable, but it's good and filling too! We ate a late lunch ordered the lumpia (55 PHP), rice (25 PHP), and pancit guisado (70 PHP). The pancit's good for two people, actually. So if you're planning to share (Which I usually won't do, but I salute you for doing it) with a friend, I'm pretty sure you'll both be satisfied after. The food's good and well presented, but it isn't something you'd gush on for days like I would with maybe Pegi Waffles.

The staff was VERY nice, too! I'm not sure if it's because there was something on my teeth that made them laugh or because I can't stop awkwardly smiling, but they never fail to refill our water. The waiter even gave me extra sauce when he saw the little sauce bowl empty! Service like that will always make me smile.

Overall, I'd give it an 7.5/10. It doesn't have the oomph factor one looks for in a restaurant, but with affordable prices and big servings of good food, it's still something I'd recommend to my blockmates.

3. Chocolat

Oh, this is the one I've been so excited to talk about! First of all, it's pronounced as shoh-coh-lah (If you tried saying this, don't worry because I did a LOT of times when I went inside, much to the staff's amusement). Second, they have delicious cakes!

While they have a number of branches around Metro Manila, the one in San Juan is a bit hidden. You won't be able to notice it first glance. I know I didn't for the past six months I've been studying in San Juan. This is the thing I actually love about Chocolat; it's a small but well designed and comfy place to stay in, making it the perfect hideout if I'm tired of studying in the library or I feel sad and just want to stuff my face with chocolate cake. Or if I'm happy and want to stuff my face with chocolate cake. Or if I'm hungry and want to eat all the cake I can.

The place is small, but so comfy to be in! I'm the kind of person who likes small spaces (I have no idea why either), and with the different shades of brown surrounding the place, I felt like I was in a small hipster cafe, but instead of coffee, there's just a lot of cake (Though they serve drinks, too!).

You probably noticed that I can't stop talking about the cake. That's because I really can't, and I won't apologize for it. I tried both Banana Walnut and Deep Dark Classic, and let me tell you, it is just. So. Freakin'. Good. I'm not a huge fan of chocolate cake (I love chocolate but hate the taste of chocolate cake), but a slice of Deep Dark Classic is making me think otherwise. And being a huge fan of banana cake, I can say that this is the best out of all the ones I've had since... ever! The only thing I want to point out is that it isn't so moist, since it came almost straight from the refrigerator. But it still made my eyes roll up and make more yummy noises.

The cutest part is when I received the cake, they serve their water in a wine bottle. I kept laughing and pretending I was a professional food critic in Paris drinking wine and eating a bit of cake at a time while making little comments. If you happen to be the unfortunate person eating with me next time, I apologize for my actions in advance.

Their banana walnut cake is only 40 PHP!

Their Deep Dark Classic; only 72 PHP a slice! 

A 9/10 for shoh-coh-lah! If the cakes were a bit more "fresher", I'd definitely give it a 10. The place may be a bit too small for the squad, but it's perfect for study time, alone time, kwento-with-best-friend time, or most important of all, cake time. Congratulations for breaking my diet, Chocolat!

Pegi Waffles: http://pegiwaffles.com/
Address: P. Guevarra St, San Juan, Metro Manila

Nathaniel's: http://www.nathaniels.com.ph/
Address: GF02 Metro Pointe Center, P. Guevarra Street Corner N. Averilla Street, Addition Hills, San Juan City

Chocolat: https://www.facebook.com/ChocolatDeepDarkChocolateCakes
Address: A. Mabini, San Juan, Kalakhang Maynila

There you have it! Three restaurants that passed my test. (Comfortable place? Yap! Good food? Yap! Affordable! Yap, yap, yap, James Yap! [i'm sorry, i couldn't resist])

This is the first time I actually went outside campus and explored, as I'm used to either going to McDo or to Greenhills. And I loved it! Actually, no. I would have loved walking around and making reviews of restaurants if 1. It wasn't so hot and 2. I wasn't wearing my uniform. But in fairness, it was pretty fun to go around, and I hope the walk burned at least 1/4 of the food I consumed that day. I will definitely do this exploring thing more, but maybe next time during the late afternoon or do some research online, so I won't become darker than I already am wah

'Til the next post! ;-)