Avida Food Hunt in Taft with Chef JJ Yulo and Thomas Torres

As I mentioned before, D and I have always wanted to go on a foodtrip around Taft area. It seems that after we graduated, a lot of restaurants and cafes started popping out everywhere. We've been quite busy lately, but fortunately, a chance to go on a food hunt around Taft came in. Thanks to Avida Land, we got to discover new and old food destinations within the vicinity of our beloved alma mater.

Meeting place was in Avida Towers Prime Taft showroom where all participants gathered and met with the food tour host- Chef JJ Yulo. It was our third time to join his food tour, first was when we joined Perfect Italiano's Mystery Dinner and second was during the BGC Eats Food Tour.

For this tour, he was joined by DLSU celebrity cager Thomas Torres (brother of PBB housemate Axel Torres) who shared his college dining experiences and tips on how to maximize students' allowance. The food hunt started with a short tour of Avida's showroom.

Finally, the Avida Food Hunt begins!

First Stop- Black and White Cafeteria located just beside Avida Towers Prime Taft.

Their best-seller is the Burger & Bacon Extra Special (P78) - burger, ham, bacon, onions, lettuce, and cheese in a sesame bun. While you're at it, also try their house blend Brewed Iced Tea (P35). It's really good!

Second Stop- Nemoto Japanese Restaurant

The 30-yr old establishment is currently one of the longest-running Japanese restaurants in Buendia.

Special Mix (P450)

Most diners go for this special platter as it has a a little bit of everything for them to try. All Nemoto customers also get to have a complimentary fruit plate at the end of their meal.

The owner seems to have a fascination with Hello Kitty.

Third Stop- Rap Steaks and Cakes along Dagonoy Street.

A restaurant that holds a special place in my heart. Going back to Rap's Steakhouse brings back college memories. I remember dining here with friends during lunch breaks and feasting on their affordable steaks and unlimited butter gravy sauce.

Rap's is known for their steaks, but I used to order their Chicken Lollipop most of the time.

For this tour, we were served with their Porterhouse steak.

The steak was a bit dry probably because it was already served on the table even before the group arrived. Nonetheless, their artery-clogging-but-I-don't-care butter gravy saved the dish.

Fourth Stop- Agno Food Court

The famous Agno is now transformed into a food court where various food stalls can be found. Since it was a Saturday afternoon, most kiosks were closed and choices were limited.

The Agno Food Challenge: 
You have P120 allowance, and you need to buy food, eat and go to class in 20 minutes.

Here's what we bought:

Sharksfin Dumpling (P40) from Cantonese Dimsum House and Lychee Shake (P35) from Fruitas
Mozzarella Potato Balls (P55) from Potato Giant and Powerade (P35)

The damage? P75 for me and P90 for D. Honestly, my kind of snack (during college) would have been melon juice and siomai for less than P40. :) I guess Agno's renovation also comes at premium. Nevertheless, we still managed to stay within our allowance.

For our 5th and last stop- Noriter Cafe

When I learned that we will visit a Korean-inspired cafe, the first thing that came into my mind was Cafe De Seoul. But then again, there seemed to be another Korean cafe around Taft that I did not know of.

Noriter Cafe is actually a favorite hangout spot among students. The place is really nice with cute and artsy interiors.

We sampled their Honey Bread (P140) and iced coffee drink which tasted a bit watered down. An actual serving of their honey bread is really huge and good for sharing.

Cafe Noriter hits the spot when it comes to their ambiance and interiors. I also enjoyed sitting in one of their nooks with a small chabudai table. 

with Ahya Abet of The Food Alphabet

It was really a fun and gastronomic food hunting with Avida and fellow foodies!

For more information on Avida Towers Prime Taft and Avida's condominiums in the Philippines, visit www.avidaland.com or call 848-5200 (within Metro Manila) and 1-800-10-848-5200 (outside Metro Manila).