Bring Me Back to the Days

BRING ME BACK TO THE DAYS

I haven’t really thought about food this much; actually I never really felt the need to think about food. It was all, just chomp-chomp, crunch-crunch, mhmmm…., then the cycle repeats. For me, eating is an escape; a pricey one at that, but an escape still. Back in high school, when there was all this mountain of work to do—and all of us (friends) finished hiking over it, we all treat ourselves to the one thing we all could say ‘grand reward’: a trip to those god-blessed recipes at the nearest (or not) restaurants.

CONGRATULATORY FOOD CHECKLIST FOR FINISHING (insert project/paper title here):

Up first is well-known for their icy-yet-warm, frozen treat called ‘Wicked Oreos’. Yes, they’re also known for their Buffalo wings with dips—ever heard of pairing the spicy, pepper-coated wings with honey mustard? No? Well you’ve come to the right place. Flaming Wings has a lot of branches all over the Luzon area (there’s Katipunan, Taft, Paranaque) and I can’t show disdain towards them scattering all over. Once you sink your taste-buds to the spicy-yet-sweet flavors of their Wild wings, you’d raise your hands craving for more—more water, that is. When they say ‘Wild’ they weren’t kidding around, this spicy flavor is for those Spicy Food Lovers out there—a word of advice, keep an extra Php 65 in your pockets to neutralize the flame with the saccharine goodness of Wicked Oreos. This treat involves, of course, the ‘Twist-Lick-Dunk’ treat marrying it with the lip-curling Vanilla Ice cream. It’s a simple treat that offers a whole load of zest and tang to it; you’d end up eating more than you can pay for (a true, embarrassing story—which would take another time to elaborate).

After having your first (of many) meal at Flaming Wings, it’s time to cruise around and set your sights on the much awaited, yet painful-money-clincher which is Starbucks. This is purely optional, since Starbucks would mean emptying your wallet to the depths because of overpriced frappes and coffee. Although, after finishing a Thesis Paper you’d be numb of all money-pinching pain, but that is not the same for everyone. Getting a cup of coffee at THE Starbucks is one thing, but doubling up your ‘dare’ factor and getting a ‘not so usual’ drink gives it the adventure. They have a variety of drinks, from the usual mocha, white mocha to seasonal drinks. Think of it as runway-walking, friends at the back and a classy drink in hand—a picture perfect scene for the upcoming chick flick. I recommend the unusual but sensational Green Tea Frappe for personal preference purposes. I did say, try to get the adventure you’re craving for—and Starbucks would not disappoint you if its tang and taste you’re looking for.

After a full meal at Flaming Wings, a head-turning strut with Starbucks and friends, it’s time for the last treat—I’m sure you all know, and expected this: Frozen Yogurt. But not just any Frozen Dairy Treat, but the Dairy Treat that puts the ‘yo’ in Yogurt, the hip-hop ‘fro’ in frozen which is Fro-Yo. Fro-Yo is one of the many Yogurt vendors that put toppings over the scrumptious icy milk; like Red Mango, White Hat, Golden Spoon, etc. What I like about Fro-Yo is the toppings they put, serving and prices. For a regular cup they charge a measly Php 90 (plain) and an additional 30 for THREE toppings. I myself don’t like toppings, so I just pay a good Php 90 and enjoy it like it’s the best thing there is. But for those that like the toppings, you’re in a good place too—since they offer a wide range of toppings from red bean mochi to blueberry cheesecake. It’s a load of fun to just mix’n’match, finding the best combination to the frozen treat—you’ll also find yourself running low on cash when you finally do, it’s a little warning though.

Desert would always find itself into the cold region of the food pyramid, all for the reason of hot weather—but I fill more fulfilled and ‘desert-ish’ is the food I’m eating is a little bit on the chilled kind. While having a full meal would always mean searching for the one with the ‘Umph!’ feeling—all in all finding the best food is up to the person. These are just suggestions from an old High School student that’s a bit euphoric of her past. There are a lot more of choice out now, like Yakimix and Dezzato Pan at Morato, Chocolate Kiss at UP Diliman, and plenty more I’m sure I would love to discuss, but lack time to.

Food is something you could find comfort in: it will never reject you, or be mean, or find a fault in you, it will always cheer you up and make you smile—find happiness in a small treat, you won’t regret it.

April Santiago