Our Tikim Diary

Our Tikim Diary Finding our missing piece through every kain + kwento. 🍽️

29/03/2026

A Good Japanese Resto find in Uptown Mall: Saigosan ✨

Late last week, Jom got out of the office around 7 p.m. because of a meeting, so instead of meeting in One Ayala, I headed to Uptown Mall. Since we were both already hungry, we decided to grab a bite first before going home. 🧡

I was really craving something may sabaw, so I initially wanted Pho Hoa, but it was packed. Good thing I remembered this resto I had noticed before because of its cool interior. It kind of feels like you’re inside a train, so we decided to give it a try. 🚇

I ordered the Chasu Tonkotsu Ramen (Php380), while Jom got the Cheese Lava Hamburg (Php380). The ramen had a rich and creamy broth, plus mushrooms and bean sprouts, which I personally liked. It also came with two thick slices of flavorful pork chasu with a strong umami taste. The hamburg was good. It's juicy, cheesy, and well-balanced with the garlic fried rice, onions, and tomatoes on the inside.

We also tried their Saigosan House Blend Iced Tea (Php120), which was this refreshing red iced tea that we both enjoyed. Funny enough, the staff accidentally gave us two drinks instead of one, and instead of taking the extra one back, they just let us have it on the house. Hehe. 🤤

Overall, it was a good japanese resto find, and since they have a lot more on the menu, we’d love to come back and try the others too. 🍜

18/03/2026

Sweet Finds at SM Southmall: Sarah’s Bakehouse ✨

We kept seeing this cheesecake shop in the “What’s your ulam pare?” group, and it got us curious. When we finally spotted Sarah’s Bakehouse at SM Southmall last year after check up, we had to try it, and we instantly loved it. Their classic burnt cheesecake, priced at Php145 per slice, is surprisingly affordable without compromising quality. It’s perfectly balanced, sweet with a hint of savory richness. 🤤

We also gave their egg pie (Php84) a try. Aizz isn’t usually a fan because of the strong “egg” taste (egg pie nga eh 😆), but Sarah’s version changed that. It has a rich, creamy custard filling that isn’t overwhelming, paired with a really good crust. We also tried the Alexandria cheesecake (Php150), which stood out because of its delicious graham crust.

Since then, it’s been one of our favorite dessert stops that something we always look forward to whenever we’re around SM Southmall. Plus, they also have a wide selection of other cheesecake and pastries, so there’s always something new to try. 🥧

(Prices may have changed since our last visit. 😊)

13/03/2026

Susan’s Special Tapa: The OG tapsihan of Pila, Laguna

Whenever we find ourselves back in our hometown of Pila, Laguna, there’s one stop we never skip, Susan’s Special Tapa.

It’s one of those simple places that feels like home, where every plate of tapsi brings comfort and nostalgia. Here, you can enjoy your tapsi the classic way with an egg, or switch it up and have it with a hotdog instead 👍. (Tapsihot all the way since highschool!!)

What we love most is how generous their servings are. Every order of tapsilog or tapsihot comes with a hearty portion of tapa and rice, sometimes even good for two if you’re not that hungry. The tapa has just the right amount of chewiness, not tough and not too salty, making it perfectly balanced for its price.

Their fried rice is light, buhaghag, and not too oily. It is exactly the kind of rice that lets the tapa shine. And if you’re the type who likes to customize your flavors, they have chili garlic, ketchup, and vinegar ready at the table. With free sabaw na masarap!!!

They also serve a variety of other silog meals worth trying. But for us, the tapa will always be the star. 🤤

If you ever find yourself in Pila, Laguna, drop by the National Shrine of St. Anthony de Padua. Just a small eskinita away, you’ll find this humble tapsihan waiting to serve a plate of comfort.

Sometimes the best food isn’t fancy, it’s the one that keeps you coming back home. 🩷

Tianlala Ice Cream - A Php30 Ice Cream That Tastes Like Childhood🍦After finishing our late lunch around 2:30 p.m. last S...
09/03/2026

Tianlala Ice Cream - A Php30 Ice Cream That Tastes Like Childhood🍦

After finishing our late lunch around 2:30 p.m. last Saturday, we decided to grab a quick dessert to cleanse our palate. While walking around, we came across a Tianlala store that offers ice cream and milk tea drinks. We ordered the Tianlala ice cream for only Php30. They had two flavor options: vanilla and yogurt. We initially wanted the yogurt flavor, but only vanilla was available at the time. 💛

It was a swirl of vanilla ice cream served in a sugar cone. The taste reminded us of Haw-Haw candy, it is mildly sweet with a smooth, creamy texture. Surprisingly, we both ended up liking it.

A simple and affordable treat that turned out to be pretty satisfying. 🍦

08/03/2026

Goldilocks Matcha Polvoron 💚

Last week, Goldilocks released their Matcha Flavor Polvoron, and of course Jom immediately sent it to me because he knows I’m a matcha enthusiast. 🤤

Right before heading home from work last Thursday, he insisted on buying it for me. At first, I was hesitant since nagddiet na kami at less sweets na dapat hehe

When we checked inside the shop, there was none on display. But Jom asked one of the staff, who checked their storage, and luckily they still have some. 🌿

Verdict? We liked it. The matcha coating melts quite easily, so it might be better if it’s chilled in the refrigerator first but honestly, I couldn’t wait to taste it. 😋 You can never go wrong with the classic Goldilocks polvoron and with the matcha coating, it reminds me a bit of the matcha KitKat flavor, though this one is noticeably sweeter.

Tikim Diary note: Sometimes it’s the small after-work stops and surprise finds that make the treat even better. A little matcha fix, a little lambing from Jom , and another sweet entry for our kain + kwento moments. 🍵✨

Not your ordinary scrambled eggs 😉 Have you ever heard of bibingkang abnoy, the famous local snack from Sta. Cruz, Lagun...
06/03/2026

Not your ordinary scrambled eggs 😉

Have you ever heard of bibingkang abnoy, the famous local snack from Sta. Cruz, Laguna? As a Lagunense (Aizz), I grew up being familiar with bibingkang abnoy or bugok. It’s made from “abnoy,” meaning duck eggs that are unfertilized and have a distinct smell or slight spoilage. Hehe.

Appearance-wise, it looks like scrambled eggs or a simple omelette, but the flavor and aroma are definitely unique. It’s one of those foods that’s considered an acquired taste because of its strong smell. But dip it in spicy vinegar, sobrang saraaaap. 🤤

Every time we pass by Sta. Cruz, we make sure to eat some. Jom tried it too, kaya naman niya kainin and he actually likes it, but tikim-tikim lang, hindi marami. 😆

It may not be for everyone at first, but who knows? One bite might just make you curious for another. 💛

Paulita’s Dubai Chewy Cookie ✨If you’re from Laguna and curious about trying a Dubai chewy cookie, we recently checked o...
04/03/2026

Paulita’s Dubai Chewy Cookie ✨

If you’re from Laguna and curious about trying a Dubai chewy cookie, we recently checked one out at Paulita’s in Brgy. Mamatid, Cabuyao City.

For Php250, you get two per order. So we placed our order through their page and picked it up at 2:00 p.m., the start of their pickup time. We decided to try it inside the cafe and told ourselves, “If it’s good, we’ll order again.”😋 The cookie had a nice mix of textures. It’s soft and chewy in the inside with a bit of crunch from the kataifi, plus a generous pistachio paste. The marshmallow coating dusted with cocoa gave it a subtle sweetness with a slight bitter note, which kept it from being overly sweet. 🌿 And yes, we ended up ordering another box kasi masarap (buti may stock pa 🤩).

Fun fact: Jom actually found Paulita’s through Threads! He was supposed to buy it for Valentine’s, but ended up picking up a Dubai Chocolate Mochi at But First, Coffee instead... and yes, that one’s really good too. 🤎

Definitely a fun little find for anyone curious about Dubai chewy cookie. Safe to say that it’s a sweet treat worth trying at least once (or twice 😉).

First on our list: Beef Pho 🥢💛This is Aizz’ all-time favorite comfort food. Whenever she’s feeling blue or under the wea...
04/03/2026

First on our list: Beef Pho 🥢💛

This is Aizz’ all-time favorite comfort food. Whenever she’s feeling blue or under the weather, she finds comfort in every sip of the simple, clean broth, loaded with cilantro (her ultimate fave herb), beansprouts, and a hint of basil. Yup, she always asks for extra cilantro. 👀

Jom enjoys his pho a little differently: a side of beansprouts drizzled with sriracha & hoisin sauce, giving him the perfect mix of crunch, spice, savory-sweet, and a touch of tanginess.

We had this delicious bowl at Pho Hoa, and it reminded us why every tikim has a story. And this is ours. ✨ So which pho style is your comfort? 😊

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