We were hopping from one restaurant to another until we say this place. It is along a dark alley in Ubay St cornering the busy Banawe Street; it is also the only well-lit place too. I thought the location was weird until I got to the place. It was packed with people as well. They have a parking lot, but is very difficult to maneuver around it. They claim to serve Chinese and Filipino fusion cuisine, but when you peek into their menu, they offer Chinese food and Filipino food, and not fusion at all. Fusion is connecting two or more cuisine, thereby Chinese food using Filipino flavors and vice versa. Nevertheless, food was good and inexpensive. We ordered: Sizzling Salmon Belly - this dish is ok but different. First of all, it is breaded then fried then served with a special sauce. I personally would prefer if it is not breaded so that I can see how big the belly is being served, and be able to taste the flavor of the belly. Grilled Pork Liempo - by far, the best dish, probably in the restaurant. Flavor is great, meat is tender! Spicy Clams - cooked perfectly. Every clam is opened. Spicy flavors. Grilled squid - another good dish. Big serving. Squid cooked just right and not rubbery. Sea Cucumber in Pot - I am not a fan of sea cucumbers, but I love the sauce it floats on. It is creamy and filled with mushrooms and vegetables. Overall, it is normal food but cooked well. Nothing stood out but it is edible and affordable.

I just arrived home from work when my mom and dad happily greeted me with wide smiles on their faces. You know something is up when you see them like that. And my guess was right, a new restaurant discovery made by the parentals themselves. Way to go ma and pa! This time, the restaurant is no longer located in the Tomas Morato area but all the way in Banawe. This is actually considered far for my dad. Well, anything that's more than 5 minutes away from our house is far. So I was especially excited to hear about their new foodie adventure from Banawe. Happy Lulu was suggested my more than three of my uncles who frequent this place. I know there are a lot of Chinese restaurants in the Banawe area so I wasn't quite sure how this one would be different. Out of curiosity, I asked my parents to take me to the place just a day after they ate there. And yes, they still agreed. Happy Lulu was a small place but with the cutest interiors. The place reminded me a lot about Old Shanghai decorations and Singapore hawker restaurants. Just like how my parents described it, food was awesome. I especially liked their specialties called Happy Lulu Rice which is a rice topping meal and their Sizzling Oysters. Can't wait to go back and try their other dishes.