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Only a few delicacies in Southeast Asia could rival the balut’s (also called balot) reputation for being a gastronomical rite of passage.   It is very common to see night vendors selling this delicious egg in street corners and there are even some who walk all night to search for potential buyers. A quick internet search would reveal that people in Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand also consider balut as a nice treat. The term balut is the one that stuck because it was the one used in popular culture the most. The reality show series Fear Factor has routinely used the mysterious egg as one of the hurdles contestants must face to win the 50 000 USD cash prize.

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I’ve been going out to play trivia for over a year now and it continues to be a very good night out activity for me instead of simply eating out in a restaurant or drinking in a bar. I like learning new stuff and competing against people who also want to win so going to quiz night is certainly an exhilarating experience at times – at least during the times when my team has a chance to win.

Here are the quiz night venues that I usually go to:

121 Grille and Restaurant

TUESDAY

Alegro Center, Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati City

(02) 8560529

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Finland is probably one of the best countries in the world. Aside from having a big non-religious sector of the population (currently at around 20%), Finland is also home to the most interesting music artists I’ve heard. I do try to scour through the metal madness that Europe has to offer so I’m very familiar with some Finnish bands. Try looking for videos of Apocalyptica, Nightwish, Sonata Arctica and Lordi and you’ll see how rich their metal culture is.

Over a regular Couchsurfing gathering, I met a Finnish guy who was working on finishing his post-graduate studies here in the Philippines.  What was interesting was that we listened to the same bands – Tool, Slipknot, Mudvayne, Disturbed, Incubus, Lordi and even Korn.

Me: Hey dude, have you heard of Disasterpiece by Slipknot? The song that goes like “I want to slit your throat…”

Finn: *interrupts* “and fuck the wound!”

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Chocolate is one of the few things in life that most people can agree on. It has innate properties that makes it a feel-good food for anyone with a sweet tooth. I rarely blog about food events but when I read about this chocolate fondue buffet, I just knew that it would tickle the fancy of so many people.

On November 14 2008 (Friday), Elation Buffet will be launching its novel business concept at the Grand Terrace in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. Aside from loads and loads of the finest chocolate fondue, Elation would also be serving all the shot drinks that you can drink. The party starts at 8:30 PM and it would only cost you P250 to get in! Given the prices of fondue and shots elsewhere, it really looks like that this is definitely a steal! Continue Reading »

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I’m a big fan of reality TV and this year, the show that has kept me entertained the most has been BravoTV’s Top Chef. The show is currently on its fourth season and the initial crop of 16 cheftestants have been reduced to nine. The current season was filmed in Chicago and the who’s who of the culinary world has appeared on the show to judge – Anthony Bourdain, Ming Tsai to name a few. Top Chef is not available on local TV so depend on torrents to keep up with the series. Since I love to cook myself, it’s great to see the contestants whip out greatly plated dishes despite an unrealistic time frame. I know it sucks that we can’t really taste the food as we’re watching the show and we have to rely on the judges’ comments, but seeing good food and the drama behind the preparation still strikes me as something interesting – even more interesting than seeing who gets the ax next. Continue Reading »

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Thanks to Jayvee, I am not party to this big secret. Delifrance launched a new line of spiked coffee drinks in addition to their already renowned roster of hot and cold beverages. From March 3 to March 7, you may get a free drink if you could tell the barista the correct password. Password after the jump Continue Reading »

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