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I am Ulyssa Elaine - Travel, Food and Lifestyle Blogger


Golden Cowrie Filipino Kitchen, under Cebu Golden Restaurant, Inc, is a premier restaurant from Cebu serving regional authentic Filipino dishes. They had concentrated its expansion to Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao in the past few years. They also opened two new restaurant ventures namely: Hukad and Salinas. ***Hukad's menu is relatively cheaper than of Golden Cowrie.

The menu's highlight is the Cebu's famous lechon. They also offers other local Filipino dishes and true Filipino hospitality.

For 33 years, this restaurant have been part of families' celebrations. So last November 8, we dined on this famous restaurant to celebrate my sister's birthday. We headed on their S'Maison branch beside SM Mall of Asia.




» Ambiance and Decor «

When I first arrived at Golden Cowrie, I was instantly "wow" on the restaurant's interiors. Not only I love the Manila Bay view, but the ambiance was making me "pack up and head over to Cebu". 










» Food and Price «

Based on the banner outside, the famous dishes are Cebu's Lechon Belly, Pocherong Katag, Adobong Talong, Pinaupong Manok and so on.




Our orders were Seafood Kare-kare, Back Ribs (sorry if the photo is not good because we started to eat back ribs before I took the photo of it.), Whole Fried Chicken and Grilled Bangus.

Don't be surprised because we only paid less than Php 2,000 for all of these dishes inclusive of service charge and taxes. How did it happen? I will share it on my next post. So tune up!




» Overall «

When you're looking for an affordable feast, then it should be Golden Cowrie all the way! You'll be rest assured of the quality of every dish and its superb service.

I would like to go back here with my family. :)




» My dining experience with Golden Cowrie Restaurant is not sponsored.

How about you? Have you tried this restaurant? How did your dining experience go? If not, would you like to try them?
Saturday, December 01, 2018 No comments

Yesterday (November 27), I took advantage of BeautyMNL's Crazy Christmas Sale as well as their Unlimited Free Shipping promo. The free shipping is only valid from October 7, 2018 up to December 31, 2018 only.

If you're not familiar with this platform, BeautyMNL is an online shopping platform, where you can shop for (1) beauty products: makeups, skin care products, hair and body products as well as scents and organizers, (2) health and wellness products: food & drink, diets, supplements, home care, eco-friendly products and well-being, (3) fitness products: activewear, accessories, small equipment and sports nutrition, (4) makeover deals: hair, skin, nails, brows, waxing and lashes.

Without further ado, let me share the process and what I shopped during their Crazy Christmas Sale. By the way, I already used this platform when I ordered Lucas Papaw last February. Before, I used their website when I ordered but now, I used their mobile app to order.


I ordered 3 pieces of L'Oreal Paris Matte Powder Foundation w/ SPF34 for only Php 280 instead of Php 400. I tried many powder, BB creams, etc. before but this brand suits on my skin. I didn't experience any breakout + it stays on my skin longer (not sure if 12 hours work 'coz I retouch every 6 hours). This is not a sponsored post though.


I also ordered Innisfree's Auto Eye Brow Pencil for only Php 200. I haven't tried this brand yet so I will just update you if it's okay.

After tapping the Checkout button, you need to put your personal details such as contact number and delivery address. Make sure all the fields are complete to avoid delivery conflicts.


Next, select your desired mode of payment. I chose the Cash on Delivery option because I'm more comfortable with it. Just to remind you that with this option, you are required to give exact amount only. They don't carry a change, ever.


Do check thoroughly the Terms and Conditions for the Cash on Delivery option. Then, tap the Got It button on the alert as well as the Send My Invoice button.

***Sometimes, they give freebies so better check it out and shop early.


Now, you can check your email for your invoice.


You can check the status of your order on the Accounts tab and click Orders on the list. What I love about BeautyMNL is they process orders really fast. Just look on the phone's timestamp. After 2-3 hours, they already processing my order.


The next day (November 28), I received a text message from them that my package was on the way. Their logistics was really fast and efficient, right? 

Note: I only tried the Metro Manila area delivery address. I haven't tried yet the provincial address so the delivery date and time might differ.


I received my order at lunch time around 12 pm. Here's the package looks like:



The three compact powders were well-packaged with bubble wraps except for the eye brow pencil. Good thing that everything was in good condition.

Will I purchase again? Definitely, yes!

How about you? Have you tried their service? If not, will you order from them in the future?
Thursday, November 29, 2018 No comments
Hello! After 2 months of blog hiatus, I'm back. I supposedly post this entry last September but due to hectic schedule, I posted it now.



Without further ado, I want to share my 1st Shopee shopping experience. Last September 2018, there's a Super Gadget Zone Sale hosted by Shopee. I was hesitant to shop at first but I gave it a "go". 

By signing up, there are freebies such as free shipping fee. You can receive at least 3 free shipping vouchers!!! This freebie is still ongoing as of November 2018.


Take note of the expiry date. :)

My mom really wanted to have a bluetooth speaker for her phone. Her birthday was last September so it's a nice birthday present to give. She's not super techie so I looked for a bluetooth speaker that also has a built-in audio cable right next to the speaker. With that, she will just plug-in the device to her mobile phone and play her favorite music. That's it!

I bumped on this brand JBL and I super love it! The original price was Php 3,099 / USD 58.89 and was reduced to 52% off so I purchased it for only Php 1,499 / USD 28.49. It was a great deal that I ever purchased.


By the way, I used the free shipping voucher.



On the Checkout option, you can opt to leave a message to seller. The delivery logistics on this brand is XPost Integrated. They also accepts Cash-on-delivery option.



After that, you can check your order status on the Shopee Dashboard.





After you received the item, you will notice an alert like this on the Shopee Dashboard. I didn't click the Confirm button and just let it be.


Here's the parcel that I received from Shopee:




The product is original and in good condition. There's no scratches, or whatsoever. I just don't like the long waiting time for the delivery. It took me a week before I received my item (compared to other online shopping sites) even if the delivery address is in Metro Manila area.


Nonetheless, it's still a good shopping experience. 

How about you? Have you purchased from Shopee? Share your experience.
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 No comments
Food Panda is an online food delivery service from a curated choice of local restaurants. It was founded in Berlin Germany in March 2012 and now operating in more than 10 countries including Philippines. 

I first heard of Food Panda in a tech event before but just remembered it now when my colleague suggested to try this service. 

Today, September 13, I had my first order from them. I love their website because it's simple, straight-to-the-point and user-friendly. Here are the instructions on how to order:

Download the app in iOS or Android device or go to www.foodpanda.ph site. 



Then, sign-up or log-in your account. 


Enter your current location. Take note that they only accept orders from NCR area only. I tried to check if it's available in my province but it's not. Hopefully soon. :)



Once you entered your location, the site will promptly search and lists down the restaurants nearby.




Choose the restaurants from the list and add the orders to the cart. You can choose the date and time it will be delivered. ***If you have voucher code(s), you can add it only on the payment page and not here.


Once done, review / change your delivery time, add your delivery (specific) address and other important notes, instructions and landmarks.


As of now, they only accept Cash on Delivery payment option. You can add your voucher code here. TRYPANDA code is Php 100.00 off and only available for first time users. Unfortunately, the code didn't work on me but it's okay. 


Once done, they have two factor authentication. What is it? They added an extra layer of security that requires not only username or password. Example: a verification code will be sent to your mobile number. Woah! That's a technical part huh. :)


Finally, you will wait for your order on your specified time. You will also receive an email regarding the summary of your order.



11:30 am have passed but I haven't receive my order yet. I just received it before 12:00 pm but it's okay. As long as my order is complete. :)

Here's my order from Max's Restaurant Muntinlupa:



Note: This is not a sponsored post.

How about you? Have you tried their service? Share your experience.
Thursday, September 13, 2018 No comments
Ramen Nagi is one of the most famous restaurant in Japan, established by Ramen Master Chef Ikuta Satoshi in Shibuya, Tokyo in 2006. They also have branch in Hong Kong and popularly known as Butao, after its popular signature ramen. The Manila franchise was opened last December 2013 and now they opened their Alabang branch last August 2018 (last month).



I love the Japanese-style vibe outside the restaurant but the place inside is a bit small. I preferred to go with the group. 😀




The kitchen is open-space so you can actually see how they prepare the ramen. How cool, right?

Without further ado, I had a taste of their famous original butao ramen. Take note that during the peak hours, the restaurant often gets full so be early. They don't take reservations and only accepts walk-ins. 

A bowl of ramen is a bit pricey but it's worth it. Here are the ramen options:
  • Butao King (Php 390.00) - original
  • Black King (Php 410.00) - garlic and squid ink
  • Red King (Php 410.00) - spicy
  • Green King (Php 410.00) - basil and cheese

What I love about Ramen Nagi is you can customize your ramen by filling out the order slip. If you don't have any idea on what to get, simply check the "Chef Recommendation" box.




Here's what I ordered, Original Butao King:



Condiments

Take Note: They do not allow leftover or takeout so finish your order right there. 

Overall, me and my officemates enjoyed our ramen. Ramen is a great comfort food for a cold weather, right?



How about you? Have you tried their Butao King? Share your experience?
Sunday, September 09, 2018 2 comments
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I'm Ulyssa Elaine, a skinny girl from the Pearl of the Orient Seas, Philippines.

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