Diamond in the Rough
A Tapestry of Food, Travel, and Soulful Experiences
Namba Food Station: Newest Instagrammable Japanese Restaurant in Venice Mall
As one of the corporate people working near Venice Grand Canal in McKinley Hill, we are keen to newly-opened restaurants in the mall. It’s a simple delight to have additional food choices apart from the ones we usually go to, because dining out is always a breather from the office routines. The latest on our radar, Namba Station — is the newest Jap restau that we ticked off from our list.
On a working holiday, we checked out if the place is available to go. We’ve heard that the lines are always long, but it’s not a surprising scene for a new restau in Venice. Thankfully, we got seats quickly as we came early as soon as the mall opened.
About Namba Station and the Ambiance
Namba Station is a name shared by two railway stations in the Namba district of Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan. One is owned by Nankai Electric Railway, while the other is by the Osaka Metro.
That being said, the entrance of the restaurant is designed as a train station with the railway system in Japan being displayed on the walls.
The inside is brightly lit and cozy. As any typical Japanese restaurant, it has wooden tables and chairs. The interiors are made even more visually attractive with the pop of colors from the wall paintings, frames, and hanging signs with Japanese characters. Photo-worthy or Instagrammable, so to speak.
How to Order
The entrance is a food counter that displays some items on the menu. Pay at the cashier, and the food will be delivered to your table afterwards.
Food Review
Few reviews have been written about Namba Station and we were quite taken aback by the negative feedback. I understand that food reviews are still subjective and it depends on the customer’s preference, so we still insisted to try it for ourselves. My colleagues and I ordered Ramen and a rice bowl.
We had the Namba Special (Php 195) and Geki Kara (Php 220) Ramen. The taste is alright for the price, like that of Ramen Kuroda. You cannot compare it to the well-known Ramen joints in Manila, but rather learn to appreciate it as it is. The soup is fatty and rich, the noodles proportion to the serving size. It has the usual toppings of sesame seeds, mushrooms and spring onions. The only qualm I have is the pork — it’s too thin and more dominated by fat. (I don’t eat fat, you know). The mushrooms were a bit hard too.
The spicy Ramen (Geki Ara) is tolerable on the taste buds.
Gem had the Pork Katsudon. Again, there’s nothing unusual about it, but the price is fair compared to other Katsudon in Japanese restaurants. The taste is a bit bland though, that you have to put seasoning to add flavor to it.
Not Bad for a First Experience
Contrary to the other reviews, our experience in Namba was generally okay. The food arrived on time on the table but again, this might be different during peak hours. Waiters are attentive, but they tend to miss out some things, say tissue or utensils. Also note that it’s a self-service restaurant and there’s a small nook dedicated for this. Don’t hassle yourself waiting and reach it for yourself.
Our orders are relatively few to say a lot about the food in general, but for the price, you know what to expect. Appreciate the good, ditch the bad. Don’t forget to enjoy taking photos at the instagram-worthy space.
Namba Station
Ground Floor, Venice Grand Canal Mall, Mc Kinley Hill, Taguig City, McKinley Hill, Taguig City
Phone: +63 9060233692
Opening hours: 11 AM to 11 PM daily
Facebook: Namba Food Station
I Received My First Box of Goodies from Thalera #FREEvoritemoment
When I heard about the free goodies of Thalera being sent to its consumers, I got curious and tried to register. I didn’t expect that was legit because I was thinking only the selected registrants will be chosen to be the recipients or worse, they’d only solicit personal info from online users to be used for later campaigns.
But when I received a notification, I was surprised that it’s indeed true!
About Thalera
Thalera is the first ever FREE online subscription website based in the Philippines for consumers. With just a click of a button, consumers can subscribe to its monthly release of freebies and experience products ranging from food, cookery, household necessities, health and beauty delivered right at your doorsteps absolutely for free.
“Thalera believes that in an age where consumer products have infinite options, consumers are entitled to their own choice for the products they use or consume by trying them first before they purchase them in stores. In the easiest and convenient way to experience free products from top brands delivered by a reliable courier partner, we make unboxing a truly valuable experience while you explore great products that matches your taste and choice.”
How to Register and Receive Goodies for Free
1. Go to https://www.thalera.com/partners
2. You will see a yellow bar below with this label: Receive a box of free products > then click subscribe
3. Under https://thalera.com/subscribe/, fill in your personal details (Consumer information, Consumer account, and Residential address)
4. You will receive an email notification to confirm your Thalera account.
5. A few days before receiving your box of goodies, Thalera will send you an email.
What I Received in my Thalera Box
If you’ll notice, there’s a different package for bloggers with more contents. Mine is not a blogger package but a regular subscriber package. I just tried it.
Inside my box were (1) Gluta-C Soap, (1) 150 ml Gluta-C Body Lotion, and (1) 200 ml Moringa Malunggay Herbal Shampoo.
Gluta-C Soap
The Gluta-C Intense Whitening Face and Body Soap is made of Papaya. It leaves a smooth finish to the skin after taking a bath. I also love the smell of this soap. I also like that the bar doesn’t easily melt. Some Papaya bars diminish easily only after a few days. It nourishes the skin with exfoliating properties. I only used it for a few days and I cannot tell at this point if it is really an effective whitening soap. Perhaps if regularly used, it can lighten your skin.
Gluta-C Body Lotion
Oh! I love this lotion! It’s non-greasy, and it gives my skin a pleasant smell. I’m using this everyday before I go to work and it also serves as my protection for the UV rays of the sun. I guess I’ll buy one for myself after finishing the bottle.
Moringa Malunggay Shampoo
This Thalera product is my least favorite because it does not lather that much compared to the regular shampoo, except if you put more amount than the usual. Perhaps organic shampoos are made that way. When I use it, I have to apply conditioner to my hair because it makes my hair a bit frizzy. But what do I like about this shampoo? The nice, fruity scent! The smell is similar to Palmolive pink. It has Argan oil too. Argan oil is proven to make hair softer, silkier and shinier. It is the ideal hair conditioner, and it can even help to treat split ends and tame frizzy hair. Maybe my hair is that bad that I can’t see this benefit 😦
What to do after receiving your Thalera Box?
Simple — just log in to your account and send your reviews!
Disclaimer
Receiving a Thalera box is DEPENDENT on its Brand Partners’ requirements and comes from a consumer list that is being generated by the system. Hence, receiving a free box of products is not absolute.
For more info, check thalera.com/FAQ
CONTACT
Address: Unit 114 SRF Building 1038 Del Monte Avenue, Quezon City
Phone: +63 945 396 9561
Email: consumer@thalera.com
Ahoy, Anchor Point! A Nautical- Themed Diner in Mandaluyong City
Mandaluyong never fails to surprise me. Random visits led me to discovering a number of themed restaurants and cafes which are notably interesting. Impressive out-of-the-box concepts will leave you marveling, but behind it is always the story of food and customer experience that make you come back for more.
I was able to see both during my recent visit to Anchor Point Diner, in San Rafael Mandaluyong. It has that similarities with a typical fast food chain, but leveled to a higher notch with its very instagrammable interiors and affordable yet good food. Basic American comfort food is their main specialty — chicken, burger, fries, soda, and everything nice.
The Ambiance
By merely entering the restaurant, you’d easily figure out the main theme. From the name itself down to the interior design, it’d speak out for itself as a nautical-themed diner. The design is low-key and simple, but very classy. It sets the bar high for a typical fast food chain. White and black dominate the color palette of the restaurant, with splashes of color here and there from artistic paintings and wall decors.
Without meeting the owner of the place, I could easily tell that he is a seafarer and a Christian. The restaurant is a representation of his personality and faith.
It’s also amusing to notice the anchor-shaped chairs specially customized for the restaurant. The path leading to the comfort room is a 3D painting, but wait until you enter the restroom itself. 
The restroom has another 3D painting of a wooden beam overlooking the sea. Very artistic!
We also had fun posing for photo-ops with the sea-inspired and Christian-quotes background.
They have a corner displaying small knick-knacks and Bible verses, with the large ship model as the centerpiece.
The Food
Kit and I ordered burger, fries and rib-eye steak. The Anchor Point Burger is one of the restaurant’s signature creations. The beef is savory and complemented with fresh vegetables such as tomatoes and lettuce. I can’t say it’s something exceptional, but for the price, it’s good.
They also have the Buy 1 Take 1 Fries for Php 120, if I am not mistaken. Kit ordered the Rib Eye Steak for Php 150. I guess this is a new item on the menu, since it is not yet included in the online menu and website. The steak sauce was really good. The large portion is tempting to have more than one serving of rice. A part of the steak was still tough, though.
Here are the other items in the menu: they have Pasta, Pizza, Combo and Rice Meals and even desserts at very affordable prices. Budget food for family and friends!
VIP Function Room
They also have a separate function room for your private events. The rate is 1k good for 2 hours, but exclusive of food. You may inquire at +639178844321 for their food packages. The room is tiny, but still cute and artsy.
Al Fresco Dining
The outdoor area yet shows another artistic side of Anchor Point. Indeed, there are so many areas in Anchor Point to strike your poses and take some snapshots.
A Pleasant Ahoy Experience
Kit and I enjoyed the place a lot. There’s a lot to look forward to aside from the affordable food and cute interiors. Most importantly, we were satisfied with the customer service. Waiters are attentive and kind, no matter if there are too many customers to attend to. Thanks Anchor Point and see you again!
Anchor Point Diner
San Rafael Corner Buenconsejo Street, Plainview, Mandaluyong City
Phone:+63 9178844321
Opening Hours: 11 AM to 12 midnight daily
Facebook: Anchor Point Diner San Rafael
Instagram: anchorpointdinersr
Danica Airelle Marasigan
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