Shifting gears

A few years ago a lady named Fannie and I were actively involved in the travel industry. We both made our mark, were happy, but eventually shifted gears and went our individual ways, on to other endeavors.

Fannie has gone healthy, responding to the increasing need of people towards wellness. She established The Healthy Pantry Herb’s Best International, offering various food products which are meant to be alternatives for a healthier lifestyle.

Without knowing it was Fannie’s, we came across this brand at the South Supermarket in Alabang. We were curious and decided to purchase some pasta and powdered drinks. We gathered that in the course of sourcing and production, the company is able to help local farmers maximize their harvest potential.

Herb’s Best has quite a wide array of products that can meet an individual’s health needs. They are packaged in neat-looking and attractive white cartons with colorful accents like fabric prints, cups and saucers containing different drinks, and serving plates with yummy-looking pasta. The drinks include chai mori, pure moringa (malunggay) powdered tea, bold brew of barako coffee, chocacao made of tablea and lite dalandan which was an instant hit with our four-year-old apo.

The pastas are oven-baked – amori moringa and spinach, and carrot plus squash.

There is also ginisa mix which enhances the flavor of food with its natural ingredients, native garlic, onions and spices. Herb’s Best collection is also available at some supermarkets and food stores.

Going natural being the current trend, our recent visit to Dampa in Farmers Market in Cubao, Quezon City, offered us a respite from the usual meat (especially red) and fowl found in most restaurants and food suppliers. The place is a bagsakan (drop-off point) for various catch, mostly coming from Capiz, meaning the seafood sold is really fresh. It is a huge area, where dining tables and chairs are scattered, fronting the many paluto counters. For a big group wanting some privacy, there are air-conditioned function rooms. One of them is The Oyster, on the second floor.

That lunchtime, we had mussels in savory broth, laing done without meat, soup, perfectly fried shrimp tempura, prawns with a sweetish sauce, Chinese black beans, and sautéd oysters, among others. Dining here is like being in a seafood festival, what with an enormous selection of dishes cooked in a variety of flavors. Paluto charges, depending on weight, are between P95 and P180. The popular and familiar Sis Seafood Palutuan is there, also Babc’s, Sister Belen’s Kitchenette that caters to functions, and Amoral’s. The latter offers party packages including seven dishes for P4,500, good for 15 to 20 guests.

A large group of dining places in Alabang Town Center is participating in a campaign tagged “Repeat Treat.” All one needs to do is to eat in any of the restaurants in the list. For a bill of P500, one is entitled to one free parking ticket and one raffle card. That would be easy to accomplish. The campaign runs until Sept. 2. Meanwhile, several monthly draws have been done since July 23 and will continue until the grand raffle draw on Sept. 3.

For those who are fond of driving out of town and spending some precious family bonding moments, there is an offer from the Clearwater Resort and Country Club in the Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga. This is their afternoon weekend package. Motorists from Metro Manila may take the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) and reach the resort at 2:30 p.m. in 90 minutes. Families can enjoy the garden and kids can play with inflatable rafts on the water. Dinner is included in the cost – P650 for adults, P250 for kids and P190 for yayas. For those wanting to stay over, inquire about rates in the country-style lodges and cottages by the lake or within the picnic grounds.

Take a break, enjoy your Sunday.

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