December 3, 2024

29 thoughts on “Chooks to Go

  1. RJ’s never used to open till 5 pm, but stayed open late like 10-11 pm sometimes midnight, made a great place to get late dinner when everything else in town closed or ran out of food by 7-8

  2. I think I am going to give up red meat when i move to the Phils. Sounds awful and maybe u don’t really know what u are getting

    John. why would u wait till after elections to go somewhere? Is it a pain in the butt to get places now?

    How is the hospital in your area? I have had a stent put in for my heart and I am diabetic so would kinda need to be near some quality medical facility. Haven’t totally decided where I will end up just yet but I think I would like to be down your way (I now have learned Biliran is on the island next to yours)

    1. Well I eat a lot less red meat since I’ve been here. I do eat the ground beef now, but only if I get it from Monterrey Meat Shop. They use to have some little t-bone and porterhouse steaks there, but I don’t see them anymore. They were okay. Maybe when the larger, more modern supermarket gets here things will improve. The first newer one is supposed to be built by the end of this year.
      I wait until after the elections because the Philippines likes to shoot politicians that are running for office. Staying at home until after will help eliminate the chance of getting caught in a crossfire downtown. Of course it has been a pretty quiet time so far around here. The police chief has said that they will be extra aware of such things this election.
      The hospitals are decent enough as far as I can tell. Not the best, but certainly not the worse. If you don’t have the local insurance, they ‘really’ prefer immediate payment at the hospital before you can leave. We have Tricare Standard and we pay upfront and get reimbursed whatever. I have only had to use the hospital once in our 3 years though.
      The best hospitals are in Manila, then probably Cebu and/or Davao. Tacloban probably has a little better hospital than we do also. If you plan to live in Biliran, then you are kind of in between Calbayog, Tacloban and Cebu, closer to Tacloban than the rest.
      Here is a link to the hospital in Biliran if you want to check that out: http://biliranisland.com/blogs/?tag=biliran-provincial-hospital and here is a Biliran Island Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Biliran.ph

      1. thank you for the links, John! Appreciate your help and efforts to make me feel welcome here. Same with Rick and everyone else 🙂

        This thread has gone from food to hospitals. Sorry about that.

        1. No need to be sorry. We like helping people out. Just buy us a beer or whatever, when/if u get here. Maybe a couple of beers. Let’s get kicked by the Red Horse.

          1. we have a date whenever I get your way. I just need someone to lift my head and put a coconut under it when i pass out lol

          2. No problem, I’ll be sure to have coconuts here just as soon as I hear you are on the way. You might need to remind me though. I’ll even get you a young coconut so it will be just a little bit softer and not hairy or itchy.

    2. I’m diabetic, in kidney failure now, had to go to Tacloban to see a nephologists, but dialysis can be done several places here in Calbayog

      1. damn, sorry to hear about that Rick. I just got diagnosed with it in 2011. I refer to it as “the silent crippler”. Shit goes on in your body and u have no idea sometimes it is happening.

      2. Rick sorry to hear about that,I was the one to take my mom to kidney dialysis three days a week,it was no fun for her.she was on a strict diet,can you get the right foods to eat there,hope so.

    1. Yes the grocery store is like that. They do have meat shops that have freezers, and they do have some things in there that you can get. I usually just get Filipino style bacon (mostly bits and pieces) instead of the American style because it’s about 1/2 the price. They have their meats in ice and either in a display case or in coolers.

    2. If you go to the wet market find a butcher handling what you want. If beef make sure ask for bakka, most is beef caribou. Tell him what you want and that you will pick it up the next day early. Same applies to hams. If you want to buy 18-20 kilo ham then prepare it yourself at home. My guess is 90% of Filipino homes have no oven.

  3. Flor and I used to eat a lot of Chooks,P150 or less gave us 2 meals,too bad they don’t serve any side dishes, coleslaw would be good. Don’t expect crispy skin even though the chicken is rotisserie roasted they wrap it in foil soon as it is cooked and that steams the skin soft

    1. so it must be decent tasting since u all used eat it often. Strange no sides. How is the cole slaw in the Phils? Is it a vinegar or creamy claw? Baked beans? Spinach? I am so hungry now lol

      1. If u want cole slaw, you better be making ur own. I don’t think they even know what baked beans are. U better be making ur own of those too. They do have water spinach here, but not the real spinach.

        1. water spinach?? Are u referring to seaweed? ughhhhhhhhhhhhhh

          Can u buy baked beans at the grocery store? How about black beans? I love black beans and rice.

          1. No, not seaweed. My wife calls it water spinach and it’s decent enough to eat.
            I have not seen any baked beans in the market, but we will be getting some newer, bigger markets soon, so I’m hoping for the best.
            Hell, I have not been able to find any pinto beans at all. That’s going to have to change.

      2. I can only think of 2 places in Calbayog to get Cole slaw, Marcial’s Grill and SO Cafe, I usually order 3 sides of it when I ea out it is the creamy style which has a touch of vinegar in it to cut the Mayo sweetness

        1. Rick, that is my kind of cole slaw! Now I need some bbq’d pulled pork and a nice sandwich bun hahahahaha ok, u all sleep now, no more talk of food, I AM STARVING…going to Shorty’s BBQ for lunch today coz of this chat

          1. Once you try the bone in baby back ribs at Marcial’s grill you will never want pulled pork again, unless you pull the pork yourself off a whole hog, Lechon Baboy delivered to your door steaming and juice on a long bamboo pole.

  4. out of curiosity, are there any food safety inspections performed by any government agency?

      1. If you look around at the mom and pop type restaurants in a large serving pan then sits inside a glass display case all day no steamers most the food is not refrigerated too. So like when we go to he wet market for fish or shrimp figure thhat 8 am is already about 4 hours old the wholesalers ice has melted or most of it and the vendors do not replace the ice.

        1. Darn, eating out is so cheap there but i guess it is best to buy the food and cook it yourself at home.

          You know, I was wondering if that seafood was iced down. I thought I saw some ice in the video John shot at the wet market and some of the fish wasn’t iced. Must smell great in there lol

          Maybe one day John can video inside a grocery store and give us a look at the meat dept, deli, produce and diary and don’t forget the candy bars and gum at the registers 🙂

          1. The one big grocery store in town has no meat,deli,dairy sections, meat is maybe frozen ham or bacon in small chest freezer, no deli, meat dept is also all the canned meats you can find ,if it is really meat. Dairy? its in boxes along with what goes for cheese here no refrigerated not required and you will find it on the same aisle as the powdered milk and infant formulas.

          2. Still plenty of little eateries using refrigeration , one not far from UJ called RJ Restrobar. Great shrimp curry, fried pork short ribs, garlic and the Shanghai rice is excellent. Foods good, prices right!

          3. I’ve been by that RJ Restrobar a number of times, but I have yet to see it open. In fact I have only seen one of those places open for business ever since the whole area opened up. Maybe they only opens at night. After all the elections are over, I’m going to head that way and see.

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