Local coffee renaissance?

It is nice to see a lot of local coffee brands on supermarket shelves. The many choices now available means that higher quality coffee is now being produced at significant quantities. It helps, too, that the packaging has improved. I took the following photos at one of supermarkets we frequent for our groceries. This one's located in Cainta, Rizal.

Coffee from Amadeo and Silang, Cavite (don't mind the KitKat)

Coffee from the Cordillera region and Lipa, Batangas

More coffee including packs carrying a popular cafe chain brand that competes with Starbucks

We usually get local coffee whenever these are available. The wife is a 'coffeeholic' of sorts so rarely run out of good coffee (in beans or ground) at home. I am more of a chocolate guy but I do sip a cup of coffee once in a while so I know if the coffee is good. Of course, we also try to get good coffee whenever we are abroad especially if the country we are in produces good coffee (e.g., Vietnam, Indonesia).

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Chocolate review: Scharffen Berger Extra Dark 82%

The wife was in the Bay Area for a few weeks last March as she attended a short course at the UC Berkeley. She didn't forget getting a few Scharffen Berger chocolates before coming home.

Add Extra Dark fine artisan dark chocolate

Details on the chocolate including nutrition information

The chocolate bar after unwrapping

This chocolate is pretty sharp in as far as taste is concerned. You immediately feel the 82% cacao with that first bite or nibble. It is still enjoyable though with or without something to temper the taste like some red wine to go with the bitter taste.

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Seiko Laurel vintage watch

A nice addition to my collection was this Seiko Laurel. These are not so rare but aren't so common either; especially in the condition I got it. I have to wonder if the seller had a good idea of what it's worth (or if he bothered to research on its value). Some internet research shows this to be one of those collectibles the value of which can fluctuate but definitely a desirable piece for "Seikoholics".

This watch has a simple dial with no day or date features. The dial design along with the movement suggests this was made from the mid 1950s to the mid 1960s.

Side view showing the crown

The other side view

Case back

The watch on my wrist after I changed the strap into something I thought more appropriate for this vintage piece.

The watch movement - I have yet to get specifics of this movement aside from it running at 18,000 beats per hour and having 17 jewels. Unlike the more recent vintages of Seiko, the movement number is not etched on the mechanism.

My collection of Seikos have been changing for a while now. I have since disposed of my Seiko Crown and gave a Seiko Actus to a close friend (it was his BMBY). This is something for keeps for now along with another recent vintage Seiko Cronos that I also happened to acquire.

Vintage Doxa watch from 1958

There's this very simply designed watch I have in my collection. It was manufactured prior to Doxa being acquired by Synchron in the late 1960s. Doxa is well-known for its diver watches but they also make very good dress or casual watches. I think this is a good example of the latter types.

The cream dial is the result of even aging. Simplicity here is the absence of day or date features.

Side view showing the crown

The other side view

Case back showing the watch to be anti-magnetic and high precision. The serial numbers are also indicated.

The movement inside this watch is an ETA 1147 running at 18,00 beats per hour with a power reserve of 42 hours.

A recent wrist shot

This was a watch that I had put up for sale months ago as it was also not getting much wrist time. I have come to enjoy it once again and have worn it more frequently than others. I like the way this watch has aged (61 years at this time) and it is still very reliable on a full wind. I have to time it again to see if it still lasts the 42 hours in its specs.

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Hot Off the Press, Maginhawa Street

Our regular exploration of Maginhawa Streets for places to eat at continued last month with the discovery of this really nice place. Hot Off the Press is a newly opened restaurant in the Sikatuna Village section of Maginhawa Street. We passed by the area one time and got curious about another house that was converted into a restaurant.

Table for two?

Restaurant interior - a clean and well-lighted place

Cakes and cookies - the chocolate mousse was really good and I took home some crinkles for my daughter

Another look at the restaurant interior

The bar has a sophisticated coffee machine

Their version of pesto pasta

Grilled fish on top of rice with some veggies on the side

Pork ribs

Delicious serving of chocolate mousse

They also have very good coffee as attested to by a very good friend whom I trust with things about coffee.

Hot Off the Press is a nice place to have a meal at. The food is good, the desserts even better and it helps that they have good coffee, too. The staff are attentive and kind. Their prices are also okay and will not punch a proverbial hole in your pocket or wallet. We will definitely be back to have lunch at this hotel.

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Roamer Sea Rock automatic watch

One of my recent acquisitions that has become sort of a favorite and has frequented my rotation is this Roamer Searock. I have a few Roamers but this one's big and the style reminds me of the 1970s. It would have been something my father or uncles would have worn then.

Retro dial with date feature and raised hour markers

Signed crown- I find it nice that Roamer, like Revue, features signed crowns with the letter R - the initials on my name.

The other side view

Case back. The photo also shows the size of the strap.

The movement is a Cal. 522 running at 21,600 beats per hour with a power reserve of up to 54 hours.

Wrist shot. This one shows the light reflecting upon the dial.

The watch turned out to be quite reliable despite my not having it checked and maintained after I got it. It keeps time and the power reserve is quite decent, too. I think I have to use it more often to see how long it lasts on a full charge. Of course the best automatic watch in my collection is my Mido Ocean Star Caliber 80, which logs at 80 hours.

Here's another wrist shot in better lighting:

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Chika-an, KCC Mall de Zamboanga

One of the restaurants we regularly patronize whenever we are in Zamboanga is Chika-an. They have a branch at the KCC Mall that we also frequent for supplies as it is practically a one stop shop for us. Here are some photos of the food we enjoyed eating there.

Their version of grilled squid has black rice as filling and a special barbecue sauce.

Steamed pompano in soy sauce

Their version of pancit canton is good.

Clam soup with malunggay

We try to order different items when were there though there are some items we like that we tend to order again and again. The service is good and the prices are right on the budget for people like us who also try to save our per diems. We'll be back in Zamboanga again soon so that means we might just be back at Chika-an for another meal or more.

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Chocolate review: Gwoon pure chocolate

I almost forgot finishing a short feature on this chocolate. Our chocolate cache included this 50% dark chocolate from Gwoon. I remember picking this up in a convenience store in Enschede, The Netherlands while I was there on official business last year. This was nearing its "best before" date so it had to be consumed ahead of others despite our preference to delay eating it.

Gwoon 50% dark chocolate

Details on the chocolate at the back of the box

Chocolate wrapped in foil beside its box

The chocolate is rich in taste that it seems to have a higher cacao content than the 50% on the label. Though you can eat it by itself, we felt that it was better paired with a drink. More specifically, it went well with wine. This was one of the last of the chocolates I bought from my European trip last year. Only two bars remain now from that trip. Good thing they will last until early 2020 based on the dates on their boxes.

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The Dimsum Place, Sta. Lucia Grand Mall

A restaurant we always see but somehow always bypassed whenever we ate at the Sta. Lucia Grand Mall is The Dimsum Place. It was recommended by a good friend who patronized the place as her mother liked eating there. So one Friday we were out on a date, the wife and I decided to finally try it out.

Their menu includes many familiar items that we usually order at Chinese restaurants

Their shrimp hakao was good

Xiao long bao - their version is good and comparable to Shi Lin's but not yet par with Din Tai Fung's

Egg fried rice - they didn't have many variants

Fish fillet with tofu - this was a surprising

We were not disappointed with the food at this restaurant and the prices are very reasonable, too. The staff were also very attentive even when the restaurant was already full (we came in for an early dinner the time we ate there). We will eat here again sometime soon.

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Crabs at the market in Zamboanga

We were recently in Zamboanga to touch base with officials of selected schools and conduct preliminary surveys to assess road safety for children. Prior to heading back to Manila, we decided to go to a market to purchase crabs and particularly the curacha, which is a popular local variety. Here are some photos I took while my colleagues were shopping for their crabs.

Various crabs at a market in Zamboanga

Lobsters for sale

Selection of crabs being weighed - these were picked out by one of my colleagues

More crabs of all sizes

Even more crabs!

Mud crabs

Blue crabs

Different sizes of curacha - S, M, L, XL

Another look at the lobsters

Vegetable stall beside the crab stalls

Hybrid mango?

You can purchase the crabs and have them packed at the market. The vendors also have Styrofoam boxes for sale for easy transport. However, they use ice to preserve the crabs and airlines might require you to drain the containers if they aren't satisfied with how it is sealed. They don't want the water leaking and possibly damaging other items in the luggage compartment. So make sure the containers are sealed.

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