Isdaan in Calauan: Feast Your Eyes!

This is a long overdue post. It's been a while since I have posted anything here, but I promise to write more in the coming weeks. Hope you guys find this entry useful!

A lot of people are interested with the relatively newly built establishment in Calauan, Laguna (yep, it's within Calauan, not Bay). It has just finished completing construction, although it has been open for quite some time. What am I referring to? None other than Isdaan, of course!

Isdaan in Calauan, Laguna

This establishment, a duplicate of the one in Tarlac, is owned by the Ongpauco Family (read: Heart Evangelista), just like the Barrio Fiesta Singing Cooks and Waiters. The waiters and cooks who'll serve you are always happy to inform their guests of this fact.

Mermaid Statues at Isdaan, Calauan Laguna

Isdaan in Calauan a great place to bring your family too, especially if you have lots of kids (or kids-at-heart). They'll definitely enjoy the sights, which I think is their specialty. It's a great park by day, but it's wonderful at night. It's a dream-come-true for photo-maniacs out there: it's as if you're transported to different places in just a short time.


Feast your eyes on celebrity statues, cute bald monks, Thailand-inspired gods and the towering King Kong.You can have a short boat ride around the place for just P20 (it's the standard tip for the boatman) and enjoy the songs of excellent singing cooks and waiters. Or if you are heart-broken, depressed or just stressed, visit the Tacsyapo spot and throw some plates, mugs or TVs to your heart's content. No swearing though! Just shout "Tacysapo!" with all your might!

The Buddha

I must say, I enjoyed the part where the cooks and  waiters sang a birthday song for my Mom. They even sang a bonus song to boot! They are worth the tip.

Isdaan restaurant charges no entrance fee, but visitors are required to dine. Yes, required. If you visit, they'll automatically hand you a menu while you wait for a free table. I believe it's a way to keep onlookers out and serious diners in.

In my opinion, visiting during the evening is the best. You'll get to see great spots lit dazzlingly. Plus there's always a variety performance at night; you'll surely be entertained.

One drawback of the restaurant is that it boasts of too many concepts at a time. You feel like you're in Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Disneyland all at the same time. It's like the concepts are clashing against each other.

Likewise, the food is not that great. It is a great park to visit, but not a great restaurant to dine in. Their food is so-so. Sometimes too salty, sometimes too bland. The food is very expensive and yet the serving portions are too small. If they say fit for three people, they actually mean two, or maybe one.

Kids of all ages! Isdaan, Calauan Laguna

But let us not belittle the fact that they have invested mostly on the park and its grand design. Hence, despite the taste of food, people are still keen on visiting the place. You'll likely see a crowd when you visit. If you want to get a reservation, here are some contact info:

Landline: 049-566-0880 to 81
Celphone: +63-922-844-4392 to 93

Make sure to bring some cash with you, because the last time we dined there, they don't accept any forms of card. They are open from 10am to 11pm daily.

What about you? Have you ever dined here? Please share your experience!
(Special thanks to Ara Gatcelo and Jet Cruz for the photos. More photos below. Also to Miss Kea of Keamistry for the contact info of Isdaan. Visit her blog at http://keamistry.blogspot.com/)

Various creatures in eggs!

Ooops!

Obama's Mom and Wife (hehe)

Walang kaibi-kaibigan!

Look at this text message...

Baby Dragon!

3 monkies (at the back haha..)

Clydenjosh Restaurant at Sampaloc Lake, San Pablo City

If you visit Sampaloc Lake in San Pablo City, you won't miss the Filipino-inspired resto by the lake. And if you manage to see it during the evening, you'd be enticed with its nice warm glow that you can't help but approach it.

Last December 2011, my friends and I had our Christmas dinner at Clydenjosh Grill and Restaurant. We were supposed to eat at the tree house, which was unfortunately under construction at that time, so we opted for the "upper deck" huts. No one was occupying any of the nipa huts at Clydenjosh's 3rd floor so we chose the one in the middle that had a clear view of the lake (the waiter was kind enough to allow use our choice as he had to fix the place first). The spot would've been nicer if there were bright lights in the lake, but there were none. Maybe the view would be more enjoyable during daytime.

Nevertheless, we enjoyed our stay because of the cool, fresh wind blowing in our location. The huts were kind of comfy and private, so any group can have fun without worrying about onlookers.

Now, one with the show (I mean food)! We ordered a few familiar dishes, a few exotic ones and one house specialty. It took around 30 minutes to cook the food, but that's alright because we weren't that hungry yet. We were excited at the sight of the yummy dishes once they were served.

We had typical dishes such as fried chicken (for the kids), Kare-kare and Ginataang Hipon (Shrimp in Coconut Milk). We also had exotic dishes namely Crispy Palaka (Crispy Frog) and Ginataang Kuhol (Snail in Coconut Milk) and one house specialty - Sinugno. Sinugno is a dish made of Tilapia that's been grilled and then added with coconut milk.

With the food already right in front of us, it was time to dig in!

It was fun tasting the various dishes. But here's my verdict.

I thought the Kare-kare's sauce was great, although there's not much meat in there. I liked Sinugno very much with its smoky flavor, although it could've been better spicier. Ginataang Kuhol and Crispy Palaka were alright, but it's not the best I've tasted and the frog was a bit dry and too salty for my taste. I would also like to share that I was a tad bit disappointed that the gata (coco milk) recipe for the Ginataang Hipon and the Sinugno were the same.

The price was fair enough. Each dish can serve two to three people. The price ranges from P250 to P450 per dish.

Dining at Clydenjosh Restaurant was a nice experience. Customer service was good, food was good and the view was nice. I loved that the air up there was cool and refreshing. It is not a spectacular resto, but it's good enough for me. :)

Ambon-Ambon Falls in Panguil, Laguna: Again!

We haven't exactly had enough when we first visited Ambon-Ambon Falls. I invited several friends and helped them experience the thrill that we have felt the first time we went there. Good thing none of the excitement I felt ever diminished!

Panguil, Laguna

Before we move on, let me first give you important contact details of the Panguil River Eco-Park. This Eco-Park houses the Bollero Dam and Ambon-Ambon Falls. It is being managed by Mr. Raymund Diaz, the Chief of Tourism Operations. The park is located at Natividad Extension, Brgy., Natividad, Pangil, Laguna. Here are some contact information that you might need:

Email:         panguilriverecopark@yahoo.com
Telefax:      (049) 557-0977
Mobile #:    0915-379-5866
                  0948-384-7618
                  0932-372-9861


Now, on with the show!

If you want to know how we got to Panguil River Eco Park, check my first post about Bollero Dam and Ambon-Ambon Falls.


Because we went by car the first time, we didn't have the chance to experience the tricycle ride to the park. This time, we made sure we experience that. What's so different? Well, the tricycles in this town seats an astounding seven people!!! Yep, you heard it right; seven people. And that is apart from the tricycle driver himself!

Panguil, Laguna

You might think that being there for the second or third time, I might no longer find anything new to do. Wrong! Since the municipality of Pangil and the management of the Eco-Park are continuously trying to improve the place, there is always something new for me to do.


For instance, the second time we went there, after trekking towards Ambon-Ambon Falls, drinking sweet spring water, riding bamboo rafts, showering (and getting a massage) in the falls, we went Rubber Tubing. Sounds weird? A picture can speak a thousand words, so, without so many words, here it is:

Panguil, Laguna

Panguil, Laguna

It feels like your own personal Rio Grande ride (an Enchanted Kingdom wet ride)!



Aside from that, you can also get a full-body massage! Talk about relaxation!

Although a couple of inns and resort-hotels have already opened nearby, we still opted to camp. What's good in going to such eco-parks if we don't spend the night there? We wanted to rough it out! And so we did.

Panguil, Laguna

If you happen to visit the place and decided to spend the night at the spur of the moment, you can rent a tent in the Eco Park office. It was priced at PhP300 per tent per night. The tent that they are renting out can accommodate 7 people. But since we brought our own tent, we didn't have to rent one.

Panguil, Laguna

What is a camp without a campfire? We set-up our own campfire to keep us warm and to keep the mosquitoes away. However, campfire is just allowed on certain spots, so make sure you camp near the allowed spots.

Panguil, Laguna

You can bring your own ball and have some fun in the camp grounds, or just splash around the river and lie down on the flat cemented surface right before the dam. Honestly, there are tons of things to do to enjoy your stay. Your imagination is the limit!

Panguil, Laguna

 

Or like me, you can wander around the place, breathing in the beauty and serenity of nature.

But that's just me! Feel free to share your Panguil, Laguna experiences!

Azkals (Philippine National Football Team) Joins the Suzuki Cup's Kick-Off in Los Baños, Laguna

With the Philippine National Football Team or Azkal's win over Bangladesh last March 25, 2011, the whole country has been in an uproar, providing a huge wave of support for the team. The team has been in the news - whether it be news, showbiz or sports. They deserve it, really. There are some who think that Azkal's popularity is getting into their heads and that they don't deserve the financial and moral support, but I beg to differ. Please, give our hardworking athletes a break! Football is a great addition to the line of sports that Filipino people are focusing on (which includes billiards and boxing), and hopefully it won't be the last.

The Azkals' win is in great timing with Suzuki U-23 Cup Kick-Off Launch. The news that the Azkals are coming spread like wildfire. The kick-off ceremony was held at the Grand Stand of UP Los Baños Freedom Park Lower Grounds. Too bad it's the finals week in the university; some students couldn't come even if they wanted to (I can just imagine the look on these students' faces while yearning to leave the classroom to see the famous football team).

The weather was not that bad, although it drizzled for a while. Still, the fans and football enthusiasts remain undaunted. The people, young and old, surrounded the Grand Stand where the program was held.  Some fans seem to be waiting for the Younghusband brothers (which I know won't be able to grace the event), but team-lovers shrieked in delight at the sight of other team players.

Some fans even when to the back of the Grand Stand to get autographs of their favorite players (amidst the rain).

The following Azkals are the ones I recognized (I wasn't able to catch a glimpse of them all):

#3 Jerry Barbaso
#6 Roel Gener
#9 Yanti Bersales
#12 Ángel Guirado
#13 Emelio "Chieffy" Caligdong
#14 Mark Ferrer
#19 Nestorio Margase


The Azkals' bus (being crowded around as if the Younghusbands would suddenly appear).

VIPs, which include Azkal's coach Hans Michael Weis and team manager Dan Palami, joined the Kick-Off Ceremony.

Children dressed in football gear have done their share and willingly slumped on the ground (aren't they adorable?).

Laguna Football Team and Baguio City Football Team are the teams that played at the launch of Suzuki U-23 Cup.

Laguna Football Team

Baguio City Football Team

The Game Officials

A couple of Azkals players, specifically Angel Guirado and Chieffy Caligdong, gave a small exhibition. Just a small trivia: Angel Guirado scored two out of the three goals that the Azkals were able to score against Bangladesh in last week's game.

After the exhibition, the Azkals were ready to depart. They just had to fight through the wave of crowd blocking their path. 

The three biggest networks in the country, namely ASB-CBN, GMA 7 and TV 5, were all present to cover the event.

TV5 news/sports reporter

GMA 7's Chino Trinidad with a fan.

The team players happened to pass me by (without anyone blocking us) but my not-so-trusty camera went on emergency low battery shut down. How frustrating is that?! And right when they were just within reach! Hay, life!

#12 Angel Guirado

Team Manager Dan Palami (right)

I know you lot are waiting for more close-up pictures of the Azkals, but since I wasn't able to catch good ones, I borrowed (with permission) some from Keamistry's blog (visit her at keamistry.blogspot.com). Thanks Miss Kea!

GO AZKALS!