Grub Review: Razon's

The sweltering heat made me crave for something really cold. So cold that it'd give me brain freeze. After I had my hair cut and walked out of People are People disappointed because the pair of patent shoes that I've been lusting had its leather more wrinkled than that a ninety year old who doesn't use Oil of Olay, I dragged my slightly sweating self to Razon's at the Town Center (one of my favourite malls) and finally try their halo halo that I've heard so much about. I've been meaning to try it for the longest time but either haven't had the drive to drive all the way to Greenbelt 1 from the condo when I'm in Makati on weekdays or forget that there was one at the Town Center when I'm in Alabang on weekends. A lot of old women had the same idea of enjoying their famous halo halo because there was a bunch of them waiting in line. Must be a field trip of Home for the Aged, I thought. When the lady at the start of the line paid and stepped aside after proudly flashing her senior citizen card, everyone else in front of me did. I almost lost it. Obviously, they all became Musketeers and queued up along with the payee. They should have thought of letting Payee do the ordering while they waited in the side. It was one of those count-to-ten moments. Anyway, I ordered mine to-go and added Pancit Luglug PLUS! too. There are two kinds of pancit luglug. One has enough while the other doesn't. When I got home, I hurriedly took the cover off and scooped the ice and milk and other sweet stuff into my mouth - and was rather disappointed. I couldn't taste what the big deal was. Sure, it wasn't very sweet. It wasn't bland either. It was just right. What I loved about it was that it didn't have any of the things I don't eat in halo halo like ube, kaong, and red mung beans. It had strips of macapuno, banana, a hint of langka, and leche flan which was so thick, I almost choked, and finely shaved ice. No chunks of ice at all. And I prefer it that way. The pancit luglug was tasteless. Or maybe my taste buds were just frozen from the halo halo. Razon's has branches in: Greenbelt 1 in front of O SM Megamall Food Court Trinoma Food Choices and in Guagua, Pampanga

Chill

Why is it that when Holy Week is announced, it suddenly becomes sweltering hot? It's like the universe knows everyone will be out of town, enjoying the holiday, swimming in their infinity pools, relaxing by the beach, sporting the summer's latest suits and lounge wear, and sipping margaritas. So what it does to tick everyone off by cranking up the heat to wreck everyone's holiday. This afternoon, I walked like a geriatric (read: very, very slow) to avoid sweating to Chowking where I wanted to try their halo halo. I was never really fond of halo halo. When it's served, I just hog the gulaman, sago, a few langka bits, and pinpig then drown it all in lots of milk and crushed ice. But Chowking's halo halo is different. It isn't overflowing with sweet condiments, milk, or ice but it's still a perfect measurement of chilled goodness enough for one sitting. I thought it was going to be bitin but it was just right. There are three sizes to choose from: Anorexic, Average, and Hog.