Feature Friday: Puesto

Feature Friday highlights businesses, people, fashion, and basically anything under the sun!

Photo Grabbed from Maria Suzanne Saulong

Puesto is the Spanish word for post.  Since we have been under the Spaniards for more than 300 years, we had adopted their words into our language.  So puwesto in Tagalog and Cebuano means post, position, rank, seat, or place.  And Puesto in Ozamiz is the newest place in town which opened last month as a restobar.

Located at the 2nd floor of the de Barras building near the City Hall Grounds of Ozamiz, Puesto offers a beautiful view of the sunset at its left side.  I just found that out yesterday afternoon as I looked up the sky and was surprised by the glorious sight I just witnessed.  Behind the clouds were the radiant rays of the setting sun, making me imagine that God was residing there at the other side.  So no need to go to the roof deck of Temples Bar in Cambodia just to witness a beautiful sunset (might as well tell Atsi Ann this).  It is actually here in our very own city that we can experience one and let me insert, watching nature in awe also depends on a person's state of mind and heart.  Now go out and smell the flowers, all you who are stressed!

Anyway, aside from the wonderful sunset, Puesto had turned the place inviting with its bright lights.  Its newly furbished interior gives it a cozy ambiance.  Rustic in design, I love its laidback style.  It just suits my personality of simplicity and minimalist lifestyle.  In addition, they also have their placemats customized and mason jars for the utensils.  With only these minor details, I can say that Puesto can be at par with posh restos we visit in big cities.

Now with the food!  The food is really good and not commercialized.  It reflects the design of the place which is homey in attitude.  In our language, lutong bahay.  Cashew Waldorf Salad for starter opens up your appetite.  It's a mix of apples, celery, and I could see that they were not using cashew but walnuts instead.  It was such a delish!  So light and low in calories.  Then the Sinigang Tuna followed which Papa loved so much.  It's asim-kilig as a TV ad goes.  For the main course, Crispy Tadyang is the specialty of the house.  It is fried beef ribs that is sarap to the bones.  And though calamares, sisig, and chicken buffalo wings are classified as beer match or pulotan, we had 'em as viands because we are Filipinos and anything will do for viands for us Filipinos.  Hehe.....  Moreover, I loved the chicken wings which tasted almost the same as Chef Lau's.  It's sweet, spicy, and flavorful with a sprinkle of sesame seeds on top.  By the way, the portion of their servings is just right to the price for each entrée.   

So for a relaxing aftie for yourself, a bountiful dinner with your family, or just a quick drink with your friends, head on to Puesto!  My apologies for not getting its exact address but it's just at the right side of Ozamiz City Hall.  The former Gat's Bar and Across actually.  Get the picture?  Now tag along your friends for another food tripping adventure!  #tosomeats

With Kuya Rio de Barras

For questions, invites, and collaborations, direct message me on Facebook.  For updates on my whereabouts and whatabouts, follow me on Twitter and Instagram! :)

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Feature Friday: Wow Panaon!

Feature Friday highlights businesses, people, fashion, and basically anything under the sun!

Panaon, Misamis Occidental is a budding municipality located north of Ozamiz which is only three quarters of an hour ride through private transpo.  However if in public, an additional of 15-20 minutes won't break your neck 'coz there's never traffic jam here in our laidback province.  With that, I'd like to be called as a probinsyana (dreaming of Coco as my probinsyano).  Hehe.....  Anyway highway, enough about him and just allow me to start raving to you a place that surprises me this summer!  

Sideway, I never thought that my first write-up on Panaon's Punta Meriam would be such a hit!  Even after a year and a half, it's still on my popular posts list and I do get a lot of queries every now and then about it.  Some of my readers also asked other resorts they could visit in the area so I thought that I must do a follow-up post on it.

To start with, we checked into La Playa Azul (formerly Regalado's).  It just changed management so renovations are still on going.  Honestly, we found the place unwelcoming to guests because the staff was not accommodating.  Sorry to tell you this but I have to since I don't want to mislead people by "all praises" on this blog.  However, we understood and considered since the owner is not from the municipality and is residing in Cebu.  And when the cat is out, the rats always play, right?  So that's understandable.  But aside from the poor staff administration, the resort doesn't serve food too.  There's no resto so you better bring your own food.  The restrooms are also far from the cottages which is rather inconvenient.  Though the garden is still under reconstruction, the pools are not well-kept.  Hopefully the next time I'm gonna visit the place, renovations are done, personnel is already trained and prepared, and amenities and facilities are complete for the convenience of the guests.  Because with all honesty, we were not happy for the price we paid during our visit ('coz every move = price to pay).

      

In spite of that, we still enjoyed our day 'coz we went on a banana boat ride and island hopping!  Banana boat was P85 per pax and the pump boat ride to an island was P800 round trip.  But we waited for an hour for the captains of the ship to arrive.  The manang still had to call for them 'coz there's nobody on standby.  You can't also make bookings ahead of time as we inquired.  Tsk tsk.....  Actually, I got a little impatient 'coz I was only doing the outing on my 9 AM - 5 PM MWF class break.  Gladly, Rio was a speedy driver so she sent me back to school on time!

On the other hand, we also checked into Dela Paz Beach Resort.  It's a public one and it's just like Rama Beach in Clarin, another municipality in Misamis Occidental which is adjacent to Ozamiz.  The only entrance fee here is P10 for whatever car you're bringing including all passengers inside.  If by foot, you're not gonna pay for anything.  It's open to all so the beach is crowded.  The place is not really clean as expected but there are lots of water activities that are already in waiting.  There are more banana boats and pump boats with the additional kayaks and jetski.  However, they said that the jetski was privately owned and who knows you could talk to the owner to have a ride.  Haha!  Additionally, they also have this ride wherein you cling on to a big salbabida on your stomach and face down then you'll get tugged by a fast-moving motorized banca.  The ride was hilarious and would surely give you adrenaline rush.  My cousin Matoy even stopped the manong for she couldn't move forward clinging on to dear life anymore.  This ride was P100 per pax for an hour and oh, by the way, the pump boat ride to the island was only P20 per head here roundtrip so I guess La Playa also charged us more than the ride actually cost.  I feel like they snipped a big chunk of the P800 we paid.  Poor banca owners....

Now here are quick vids on what to expect of the water activities!  

With prices affordable at Dela Paz, our little cousin and nephew did the island hopping twice-thrice during our outing last Sunday for JP's birthday.  Everybody really enjoyed swimming with the fun water activities that are plenty in the place.  So there's no need to go to Boracay for white sand (though the island here is not as white) and watersports 'coz we already have 'em here in our nearby town, Panaon.  I just hope that one day, they're gonna also add parasailing.

So this is my local summer adventure!  I never thought I could experience summer this year for our school's second semester also covered April and May.  I am just glad that Panaon gave summer to me so hail to the municipal government officials for making the place a tourist destination!  Let's explore Misamis Occidental further, friends!  #tosomfeatures   

P.S.  Follow @exploremisocc on IG here! :)

I Heart Panaon!
(c) Rio

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For questions, invites, and collaborations, direct message me on Facebook.  For updates on my whereabouts and whatabouts, follow me on Twitter and Instagram! :)

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