ABS-CBN's TV Plus

We purchased a TV Plus box for 1,499 yesterday and so far, it has been great. I have been able to get a lot more clear channels than our TV antenna. I wish I had known about it sooner since we have been subscribing to Sky Cable's channels for more than two years now. At an additional 600 pesos per month, I've effectively paid 14,400 for two years of cable TV. But Sky's 40+ channel line up is crappy and a lot of the channels are merely duplicates of one another, one normal channel and one high-definition (HD) version. With TV Plus, I'm effectively spending 1/10th of the two-year subscription cost. My Sky Cable TV remote broke after about a year, so if the TV plus breaks down, and I have to replace if after two years, I'm still way below the cost of a cable subscription.

With TV Plus, there are no duplicate channels. I have about 30+ channels that I can access, but all I really want to watch are clear-reception local channels. So, TV Plus is what I would consider the most effective "TV antenna" among all the antenna's I've tried to hook up to a digital TV.

The only downside I've seen so far is that there are times when I would lose access to a channel, (it would appear as a black screen but you can still hear the audio) or the channel would stutter (temporarily freeze), but other than that, the reception is really clear.

As far as installation is concerned, the only problem I had was not getting any signal since the AV jack was not properly plugged into the TV Plus box. The TV kept on saying "No Signal" despite being on Video mode and despite the box having power. I made sure that the AV jack was pushed all the way into the TV Plus box, and that no silver / shiny part was visible.

Another challenge was figuring out how to add channels as favorites. Go into MENU > FAVORITES and just remember to press the Box ID button on the remote when trying to add a list of FAVORITE channels. When I did this, a FAV1 list was added. Here, you can put a star (*) on your favorite channels and when you click on the FAVORITES button on your remote, you will have a narrowed down channel list. (Memorizing the channel number is still the fastest way of getting to a channel since it only involves pressing two buttons.)

There is also an Easy TV box that some posts say can access the "encrypted channels" in TV plus. Any inputs from users of this product would be appreciated. That could help in deciding whether or not getting that additional box is worth it.

Falafel Yo!

Falafel Yo! just opened a branch at SM North Edsa Annex. They gave away 1000 falafels worth 159 pesos each to commemorate the occasion. I spent roughly three hours in line since I got a number less than 500. But it was worth the wait. I took the falafel home and my family enjoyed it. Some gave it an 8 out of 10 while others gave it a 9 out of 10 stars. That's pretty good, considering I had to wait for a cab for about an hour and travel for another half-hour before finally tasting the falafel.

It reminds me of a SUBWAY sandwich in terms of some of the flavors. I thought that the falafel contained beef, but my sister told me it was made of chickpeas or fava beans, and not meat. This makes falafels great for vegetarians. Overall, I'm glad it tasted great. I would recommend it over your typical Turks shawarma since it is more filling (but also more expensive).

I hope that the quality of their product does not diminish with time. I've seen the likes of fast food restaurants like Kenny Rogers Roasters, Bon Chon Chicken, and Mang Inasal which initially have very good quality products become average or below average as the years go by. Blame it on cost cutting, and maybe on worker inconsistency (cutting corners in the preparation that ends up lessening the quality). Also, when there is an increase in the number of patrons, you usually see the quality go down because the fast food production line can't keep up with a high demand from customers. Falafel Yo! has a great product and it should try to keep it the same for years to come.

Zarks Burgers

Zarks Burgers has been around for a long time, but yesterday was the first time I was able to try it because most days, the places are swarming with customers. And I finally understood why. Their servings are hefty for their price. There were five of us and we only ended up paying around two hundred pesos per person.

I've tried Jollibee burgers, McDonalds burgers, Burger King burgers, Wham burgers, Army Navy burgers, and Wendy's burgers. And I can say that Zarks is somewhere in between that burger spectrum. Jollibee, McDonalds, Burger King and Wendy's burger patties are too small for their prices. And they skimp on their vegetables. So if you go for these burgers, chances are, you still are not satisfied after having one. Army Navy and Wham give quality burgers - sometimes the meat is so heavy, you can't even finish a single burger. But they can be a bit expensive. A Zarks burger is just in the middle. Not to heavy on the tummy, but just right for a filling meal.

And they have mustard in their restaurants, something I think every burger fastfood should have. Mustard isn't just for hotdogs. Mustard with ketchup is great on a burger.

And one thing I also liked was their onion rings. I have tried Burger King onion rings and I have stayed away from these ever since and stuck with french fries. But Zarks onion rings are really great. I don't get overwhelmed with that annoying onion taste. It's really very subtle.

So if you're feeling a bit adventurous and want to try a new burger chain, then I would recommend Zarks. I don't think they deliver yet, which is too bad, but maybe later on, they'll catch up with Jollibee, McDonalds, and Army Navy, and begin delivering burgers at your door step, too.