Mexicali Love Affair

When I was in college (way back in the '90s), my good friend Sarah and I used to eat a lot of Mexican food.  There was a small kiosk in one of the many villages in Paranaque City that was selling such type of food.  We used to go there because food prices were relatively affordable for students like us.  But at times when we had money, Sarah and I would opt to splurge a little more on Mexican food.  Thus, the start of our love affair with Mexicali.

We used to frequent branches in Alabang Town Center and Glorietta.  I'm not quite sure if the Mexicali management closed down its entire business but when Sarah left me to start a new life in the U.S., it seemed that the Alabang and Makati branches left me as well.  Exaggerated as it may seem, but I was devastated for losing a good friend and a good place to eat almost at the same time.

When Sarah started her life in the U.S., we lost touch for years.  There were times when we would LITERALLY write letters and send them via snail mail but the total number of letters sent probably did not exceed five.  During that time, she was already very knowledgeable of the Internet while I was still having an arduous time dealing with my uber-slow dial-up connection.  Every time I checked my Yahoo! account, there were like a hundred messages from her already, and the best I could do was to reply with one e-mail message.

California Grilled Steak Burrito with Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Until the phenomena of broadband connection reached the Philippines like crazy.  Now, it's like Filipinos from different walks of life all have Facebook accounts.  Of course, the popularity of Facebook and other social networking sites also allowed me to be in constant communication again with Sarah.  Now, we communicate each and every single day.  We talk about everything under the sun which, of course, includes food.

I'm sure it's just coincidence but when I started to keep in touch with Sarah on a regular basis, Mexicali reopened at the Alabang Town Center but in a different location.  With Sarah on my mind, I decided to ask (Read: FORCE) my husband, who dutifully agreed, to eat at Mexicali with me.

Ground Beef Enchilada with Tortilla Chips and Salsa

Everything tastes the same!  From the burritos down to the enchiladas and salsa!  At first, I was scared to try the food we ordered because I might get disappointed, but everything was just perfect!  Well, my husband claimed that the salsa was not as spicy as before.  I never really noticed but he was happy with his order nonetheless.

Of course, as soon as we went home, I uploaded the Mexicali photos for Sarah.  I was right, she was deeply touched by what I did.  Before showing her the photos, I already knew what her reaction would be because the love affair we had with Mexicali was truly one of a kind.



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The author is a blogger working for Valve eCapture.  You may reach her by sending an e-mail at valve.ecapture@gmail.com or valve.ecapture@yahoo.com.  Thank you.

I Heart Cafe Mary Grace

Mary Grace Squares

During my time, students and young adults in the Philippines only had fast food chains to hang out to until coffee shops began sprouting like mushrooms in various parts of the country.  I must admit, I was also victimized by the phenomena of these coffee shops.  If you knew me personally, you must have bumped into me in one of the many coffee shops situated in Luzon.  I may be from the south but I have been to the farthest coffee shops from my place.  However, there were times when I found myself looking for something else, or maybe, I was really looking for something new, until I found Cafe Mary Grace at the Alabang Town Center (ATC) in Muntinlupa City.

The location of Cafe Mary Grace at the ATC is nothing new to me because the shop that used to occupy that same place was ... you guessed that right, a coffee shop.  At first, I thought that Cafe Mary Grace was just any other coffee shops I have visited before, so I decided to try it a few days after its launching.  Well, I was wrong.  It is more than just a coffee shop. In fact, it is actually a cafe and restaurant with a homey ambiance.  I just knew I fell in love with the place, that’s why I keep on coming back again and again... and again.

Well, it is not only the place and ambiance that make me keep on coming back to Cafe Mary Grace.  More than anything else, I keep on coming back for their foods. Every time I go there, I order the mouthwatering Cheddar Cheese with Tomatoes and Capers.  It forms part of their appetizers, which also include Mushroom Pate, Grilled Kesong Puti, and Cream Cheese and Artichoke Heart Dip.  Their soups are also must-tries which include Seafood Chowder, Summer Squash, and Wild Mushroom.

Cheddar Cheese with Tomatoes and Capers

Salad lovers are recommended to visit the place as it has a variety of offerings including Fried Kesong Puti and Calamansi Vinaigrette, Prawn Salad with Mango Papaya Vinaigrette, and Local Greens With Chili Daing Dressing and Crunchy Garclic.  Its Mary Grace Caesar Salad is a must-try.  As the description in the menu states, the caesar salad is consisted of “breaded chicken fillet on top of crisp Romaine lettuce dotted with croutons and bacon bits, tossed in a tasty Caesar dressing.”


Cafe Mary Grace also has a food selection for pasta lovers.  Its menu includes several types of cream-based pastas including Mary Grace Mushroom Cream, Smoked Salmon and Cream, and Leek and Saffron Cream with Fillet of Cream Dory.  It also includes several types of olive-oil based pastas including Chorizo and Green Olive Pasta, Pasta Vongole, and Spicy Lemon Scampi.

For dessert, the Mary Grace Squares are recommended.  The delectable choices include Brownies, Food for the Gods, and Lemon Squares. Indeed, Cafe Mary Grace offers a whole lot of choices for people with the sweet tooth but among the cakes and other types of desserts it offers, no customer should leave the place without trying its luscious ensaymadas and cheese rolls.  Besides, they are the specialties of the cafe.

Peppermint and Fruits

I may be a coffee lover but I must admit that I fell in love with the refreshing homemade iced teas of Cafe Mary Grace.  The choices include Apple and Cinnamon Honey, Peppermint and Fruits, Wild Raspberry, and Sangria.  Customers should not have a hard time choosing which iced tea to order.  They can order any of these four offerings.  All of them are delicious, thirst-quenching, and are guaranteed to be refreshing.

There are a whole lot more in their menu and this is the reason why I love this cafe.  There are absolutely a wide array of food offerings to choose from.  It caters to various types of people, even to the techie ones as it offers free wi-fi too.

While I still love those popular coffee shops, I just know that there is something special between me and Cafe Mary Grace.

Apple and Cinnamon Honey

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The author is a blogger working for Valve eCapture. You may reach her at valve.ecapture@gmail.com or valve.ecapture@yahoo.com.

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