Tips of the Trade: Kanin Club As Recommended Filipino Restaurant

For someone who is more into Italian, Japanese and Chinese cuisine, dining in the same Filipino restaurant four times in a month is already a feat.



Kanin Club's first branch is located at Paseo de Sta. Rosa in Laguna and although it was far for most Manila residents, others really went out of their way for a visit as the food here is so good. The owners decided to put up a branch at UP-Ayala Land Technohub - some place more accessible to us who live in the north. And just recently, another branch was opened at Ayala Triangle, which makes this branch most convenient for get together with friends.

If ever you decide to give it a try, you might want to check my top 3 dishes:


1. Sinangag na Sinigang (Php224) - recommended by many is this fried rice that is sinigang-flavored. True enough, you'd find the staple ingredients found in a sinigang and taste that sour flavor, too. A single order can be good enough for 3 persons at the least.


2. Crispy Dinuguan (Php261) - another must-try according to most people is this diniguan (or stewed pork blood). The pork being crispy is what makes this dinuguan unique.


3. Seafood Kare-Kare (Php298) - mussels, squid, and prawns in peanut sauce with bagoong on the side makes it to my list because it makes a non kare-kare fan to be otherwise. ;)

Great food at a very reasonable price, what more can you ask for?

*All images credited to my friend, Joy.

Kanin Club
Locations:Paseo De Sta.Rosa Sta. Rosa City, Laguna
Commercial Ctr., FAI Admin Bldg., Alabang Muntinlupa City
UP Ayalaland TechnoHub, Commonwealth Ave. Brgy. UP Campus Diliman Quezon CityAyala Triangle Gardens, Makati Ave., Bel-Air Makati City
Opening Hours:Daily 11:00 - 22:00

In Focus: Ay Chung Flour-Rice Noodle in Taipei

Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle (阿宗麵線) is a popular noodle house because it really is home to the best Taipei noodle (more so in Rai's opinion). In here, only few chairs are available but no tables, and so most customers enjoy their noodles just by standing (we did, too)!


What this noodle house offers is a silk-like thin noodles, much like misua (麵線) that we know of, stewed with pig's intestines with bonito flakes as a predominant flavor. Chili sauce is made available for those who want their noodles to be (a little) spicy. Bowl sizes can either be a small-sized bowl which costs TWD45 or a bigger-sized bowl (good for sharing) which costs TWD60.

Location:台北市萬華區峨嵋街8-1號 No.8-1, Emei St., Wanhua District, Taipei City
Via MRT:Ximen 西門, Exit 6
Opening Hours:Daily 11:00 - 22:30

In Focus: Contactless Smart Cards

These type of smart cards are normally of credit card size and need only to be tapped to readers for transactions. They are now proving to be convenient to carry and are easy to use.  They are often considered as electronic wallets as they can be loaded with funds which can be spent, usually, for transportation.


In Japan, ICOCA (イコカ, Ikoka) is what me and my sister  mostly used  as payment for mass transit around Osaka while PASMO (パスモ, Pasumo) around Tokyo. (top two cards from image above).

EasyCard (悠遊卡) is for Taiwan, EZ-Link is for Singapore, and Octopus (八達通) is for Hong Kong.

Among the last three cards mentioned, the Octopus card is the most versatile as it can be used not just in public transportation (i.e. buses and trains) but also in convenience stores, supermarkets, and in fast food chains.