Buffet Dining Experience at Zensho

Zensho Teppanyaki Restaurant and Sushi Bar is located along Tomas Morato street  within Barangay South Triangle , Quezon City . The restaurant is near GMA Channel 7 and ABS-CBN channel 2 station. This restaurant specializes on authentic Japanese foods and dishes.

Eat and Drink All You Can Promo 

Sushi station

What makes Zensho different from other all-you-can-eat buffets is that it isn’t a buffet. You order your food ala carte and they serve it to you freshly prepared.

Kani Kuni salad

pork tonkatsu

Pork Tonkatsu is a deep fried pork with batter , special condiment and pickled vegetables.

photo gallery

The restaurant had a wall in which several local celebrities and politicians have dined in the place. Among the local celebrities are Mr. Dennis Trillo , Zoren Legazpi , Mariel Rodriguez , Jojo Alejar , Mr. Alvin Patrimonio , Micheal V , Raymart Santiago, Claudine Barreto , Boy Abunda , Cherry Pie Picache , Jolina Magdangal , Robin Padilla , Kris Aquino and former presidents Corazon C. Aquino and Gloria Macapagal -Arroyo among others.

*Note : A prior reservations must be observed for large groups 

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Address: Zensho Teppanyaki Restaurant and Sushi Bar
168 Tomas Morato Ave. South Triangle, Quezon City
(02) 929-1069

Green Daisy Organic Restaurant and Store

Last May 22, 2010 the Philippine Native Plant Conservation Society Inc. with some selected guests from different NGO groups  went to Ms. Daisy  residence near  (UP) campus, we were given a bignay wine  and a gracious servings of Sung-sung  peanut  courtesy of Mr. Ray Ong and Mr. George Yao .

We were personally greeted by Ms. Daisy Lengenegger an Isabela province native  and organic natural health  advocate . Their 1950’s style of home together with a collection of various contemporary art works and a wealth of  flora and a small petting zoo with some pythons  and turtles  that accompany their  garden.

Her family bought the property in the mid -1990’s  but had no intentions of opening the property to business,  thru the persuasion of friends and relatives who marveled at her unique  organic foods,   rich culinary taste and organic produce  had strongly urged her to open a family -style restaurant in her residence.

The home-style restaurant can accommodate 25 to 35 guests per meal and pre-booking is highly recommended depending on the number of people and budget . She can adjust the meal menu and preference to suit the taste of the clients .  Her unique home furniture and garden settings   were already featured in several magazines , blogs and newspapers.

garden with lush vegetation

The garden  is surrounded by tall bamboos and high cement walls which is  bathed in greenery,  Green Daisy is more like dining in friend’s home instead of restaurant. In fact, it is Daisy’s home. Daisy has not only created a comforting, green oasis for her dining guests but she has also made a small retail space selling produce and products for clients who want to take home a memory of their organic experience.

organic store within  her home

According to her, They also had a stall selling organic rice and produce at the  Salcedo Park Saturday market and Legaspi Village Park Sunday market and is called Chlorophyll booth in reference to the green pigmentation  of the leaves .

Dr. Leonardo Co in his lecture

A short lecture by world re- known Filipino botanist and taxonomist Dr. Leonardo Co of University of the Philippines and native plant and trees advocate Architect Andrew Patrick Gozon . Their presentation  made the small group of horticulture and environment advocates learn the urgent need for conservation of plants and popularization of native plants in Philippine landscape.

Arroz Caldo ( organic rice and chicken )

Our group was treated to an organic buffet which consists of arroz caldo ( organic rice and organically grown chicken ), squash soup ( organically grown) , organic rice ( brown rice) , shrimp, organic chicken, and sumptuous salad.

members and special invited guest enjoyed their lunch buffet

Most dishes in restaurants come with the proverbial sides. Grains, leaf or root vegetables and even fruits are almost expected to accompany every plate. Unless it’s a soup, salad or vegetarian meal, the diner’s focus is always the protein. Some of us ignore these side garnishes. Others consume them without much thought or consideration of their flavor or texture. But at Green Daisy, vegetables, grains and fruits are given equal or even top billing on the plate.

At the end of the hearty conversation , our gracious host invited the group for another round of group discussion at her home.

Since the food here is not about mass production, guests do  expect to pay a premium. It’s about the quality of the food, not the quantity.

Contact Information:

Green Daisy Organic Restaurant and Store
Address: 20 Maginhawa Street , UP Village, Quezon City
Telephone: (02) 922 2409
Cel phone : (0917) 814 8262

Contact Person: Ms. Daisy Lengenegger

Email: greendaisy.organic @yahoo.com

Face book: Green Daisy

Note: For those who wish to come and dine at the restaurant , Please be advice to call or e-mail the proprietor at least  1 to 3 days before the appointed  date .

Prices and the organic foods tend to be higher compared to the regular restaurant.

Ming’s Garden and Restaurant

bromeliads , guzmanias

Ming’s Garden in Tagaytay a couple of weekends ago. The garden restaurant is owned by former first lady Amelita ” Ming” Martinez  Ramos, hence the name.

Mrs. Amelita Ramos is an honorary member of the Philippine Orchid Society, an orchid lover , environmentalists, educator, sports enthusiast , writer etc…

An orchid was named after her by a Hawaiian breeder Miyamoto registered in 1982 in honor her.

Ascocenda Amelita Ramos

The seed parent is Ascocenda Pokai Victory x Vanda sanderiana variety alba ( pollen parent).

The ambiance is so nice that even inside their comfort rooms have a garden in it. orchids, medinillas , mums, bromeliads, euphorbias, yellow vines and angel’s trumpets, suntans and marigolds are just some of the many species you can find there. The resto also serve nice bibingka, halo-halo and a lot of native delicacies. This place is favorite stopover when visiting Tagaytay.

restaurant menu

When we went to the garden, the place is being used as a location shooting for the late afternoon television series ” Bud Brother” of ABS-CBN channel 2.

Cydista aequinoctialis locally known as Ahos-ahos , garlic vine

The garlic vine is one of the most rewarding, flowering vines that you can grow, unless that you are a vampire. Interestingly  it smells like garlic, Hence the common name implies .  However, it doesn’t smell if the plant is left alone, only when the leaves are crushed. Flowering twice a year you will find it quite often covered with flowers. Flowers start off purple and change to a lighter shade of lavender with age. Eventually fading to almost white. You will see 3 different color of flowers at the same time on the plant. It can be grown in containers or trellis  and should be trimmed after the flowers are gone.

According to the caretaker , television network ,  film makers, bloggers and travel magazines had featured their venue.

Jo’s Chicken Inato

Good old-fashioned chicken barbecue that’s really delicious that you can’t help but come back for more.

Jo’s Chicken Inato restaurant  located in 27 Visayas Avenue corner Congressional Avenue in  Quezon City

Why not try it in “Inato” style? Jo’s Chicken Inato has branches scattered all across the country—from far-away Cagayan de Oro to local Quezon City.

house specialty – barbecue chicken inato with atchara

Based on the story – Jo’s Chicken Inato started in mid 1980’s. It is owned by Jesse and Josephine Ng of Negros , where the name of the place was derived. The name originated from a shorten word “atin ito” thus  “inato” meant the way they cooked chicken.  compared to other Visayan  styled grilled barbecue ,this recipe is not salty and has a sweeter taste ( due to ingredients and special way of marinating )

The restuarant is not only famous for their chicken inato but also buko halo-halo , lumpia, pancit macao, bicol express  and special lechon kawali .

Christmas party conservation group of Philippine Orchid Society

The place had several nipa hut ideal for small meetings. The restaurant had an interesting aquariums stock  with kois, pangasius, tilapias  while a  special glass coop had several small bantam chickens . The place is perfect venue to hold medium to large  reception . Orchids and ornamental plants are distributed  all over the place . The high ceilings allows heat to escape during hot morning  with interesting banga ( jars) in place for washing hands.  People are encourage to used their hands when eating at this place ala “kamayan style” .

The Visayas avenue branch accepts delivery , catering and venue place.

Local celebrities like Kapuso Mo- Ms. Jessica Soho , Atty. Anthony Taberna -host Umagang Kay Ganda / Kalye and DZMM ,Ms. Charlene Gonzales- Mulach, Ms. Winnie Cordero, columnist Mr. Zacarias Sarian , GMA channel 7 reporter Mr. Cedric Castillo, former Caloocan City Mayor Rey Malonzo  were  said to be frequent patrons of the place.

native delicacies and pastries

THE original branch, located at Siliman Ave., Dumaguete City. This branch is famous for its charbroiled chicken, making it one of the culinary must-trys in the city. If you want to enjoy dining by the beach, you can visit this resto’s another branch in the city—Jo’s by the Sea. The good thing is, whichever branch you find your place in, you’re sure that you won’t spend much just to have a delightful chicken meal because you’re in Jo’s Chicken Inato.

Jo’s Chicken Inato also had provincial branches in  Cebu, Mandaue, Cagayan de Oro, General Santos, Ormoc, Tagbilaran, Roxas, Bacolod, Iloilo, Dipolog.

The owner had a bakeshop and a resort style garden with a huge blessed mother .

Contact Information:

27 Visayas Avenue Corner Congressional Avenue Quezon City,  Metro Manila
Phone: +63(2)9279224

Earth Keepers Organic Farm & Restaurant

Earth Keepers Garden and Restaurant is located on Kilometer 101, Brgy Talisay in Tiaong , Quezon

Last March 29, 2008, I was very excited to visit the restaurant and organic farm. The jam packed 50 seater tourist bus hired by the Philippine Orchid Society went to this place.   The crowd was eager to see this wonderful place which promotes healthy lifestyles and living. Some parts of the property had small relaxation area which could be instantly be converted into a spa or an informal meeting place.

Pesticides, which is concentrated on the vegetables and foods that we usually buy from the market, had traces or laced  harmful chemicals .

A lot of the people in this world is already facing with serious dilemma.

Ms. Teresa Perez Saniano conducting a short lecture

According to Ms. Teresa Saniano or simply Ms. Tere  the owner of the demo farm said that urea, which is the primary source of fertilizer in farms is already increasing in price, the main component of which is made from petroleum based, the soaring world market of petroleum had caused increase in the prices of these fertilizer which also increases the farm gate prices of these foods.

We all know what is happening all over the world in the quest to have higher yield in food production.

Ms. Tere had warmly welcomed the group and had a short power point presentation in which her advocacy group want to spread not only within the province of Quezon But also all over the country.

native chicken fed with termites

Her demo farm is very productive; She had organically grown vegetables, papaya fruits, organic rice, free-range chickens is fed naturally with organically grown vegetables and termites which is high in protein unlike the usual poultry grown chicken that  had to be fed with feeds .

She even had formulated an organic feeds for the pigs which are grown in the farm, she had also vermicomposing which used African night crawlers and their vermin –waste is transformed vermiculite  into organic fertilizers and organic spray.

Even kitchen waste such as fish gills, fish innards and leftover bones are also transformed into organic fertilizers.

The fish gills and innards is then prepared with a ratio of 1kilo fish gills and innards to 1 kilo of molasses then fermented for 20 days, after which the organic waste is then filtered into  a loin cloth then the fish emulsion is already ready substitute for a high nitrogen based organic foliar fertilizer . The fertilizer is then mixed with 155 grams of ordinary sardine can.

Congressman Prospero Alcala -second district of Quezon

While enjoying the sumptuous  organic buffet lunch  Congressman Prospero Alcala dropped by and joined the group. He  is happy that the group had toured his district and ecstatically  shared some of his insights on  agriculture and organic farming.  he also gladly posed for a souvenir shot with the group .

His involvement in agriculture is deepened and was convinced there is a big market for their crops. However, to be competitive they should get into organic farming.

According to Mr. Alcala ,  If  the farmers, if motivated, could indeed maximize their produce. They were given the seeds and necessary farm inputs—from fertilizers to pesticides, and after their produce were sold in the market, they managed to pay for the inputs provided them. The rest of the profit goes to them.

he recent surge in prices of farm inputs—nearly doubling the cost of fertilizers—deepened their conviction of the need to go organic.

She had also collection of native handicrafts, jars , ornamental plants, native orchids, water lilies  and wood work. Tere also accepts guided tour to her demo farm and restaurant but prior appointment must be made several weeks or even months  before coming to the farm.

For reservations:

Contact Person : Ms. Teresa Perez Saniano

Km. 101, Brgy. Talisay, Tiaong Quezon Province

Tel: (042) 545-7112