Can I find these in Manila?

[IGoHomeNow]

I am going to be spending some time in the Manila metro area, probably near MOA.

I am wondering where I can find the following:

1.  Groceries that are similar to those in the US.  In particular, I want to find asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, corn and similar vegetables.  I am also interested in sliced turkey and ham and bacon that doesn't taste odd and meat that is not so damn fatty.  Ideally, I'd like to find a grocery store where I can find most anything I would find in the US, though I can certainly live without some of the processed junk like TV dinners and frozen pizza.

2.  Duplicate bridge that runs regularly.

3.  A casino that has Omaha poker or most any poker besides No-Limit Texas holdem, which is my least favorite form of poker.  I found several casinos with that game, but they did not spread anything else.

4.  A Karaoke place / KTV that is NOT oriented towards selling sex or anything besides offering a place for people who actually want to just sing.  Hopefully one with a good selection of American music and not just all that sappy love song stuff that makes the Pinay's drool and me vomit.

5.  Quality restaurant food.  Sure, I know some US chains that serve decent enough food, but for a pretty high price, but I am talking about places that serve Filipino dishes with pork or beef that are not 50+% fat.   Are there some healthy Filipino foods?  Seafood and chicken are fairly healthy, but it seems like all the pork and beef is served with gravy or rice and I did not see much in the way of good vegetable dishes or even just cooked vegetables as a side dish.  Even a decent salad seems to be hard to find.   Wendy's served salad, but it was sub-par and too small for a meal.

[intrepid]

[BrettGC]

Just now, intrepid said:

Yep.

 

2 minutes ago, intrepid said:

Yep.  But I'll answer anyway 

9 minutes ago, IGoHomeNow said:

I am going to be spending some time in the Manila metro area, probably near MOA.

I am wondering where I can find the following:

1.  Groceries that are similar to those in the US.  In particular, I want to find asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, corn and similar vegetables.  I am also interested in sliced turkey and ham and bacon that doesn't taste odd and meat that is not so damn fatty.  Ideally, I'd like to find a grocery store where I can find most anything I would find in the US, though I can certainly live without some of the processed junk like TV dinners and frozen pizza.

2.  Duplicate bridge that runs regularly.

3.  A casino that has Omaha poker or most any poker besides No-Limit Texas holdem, which is my least favorite form of poker.  I found several casinos with that game, but they did not spread anything else.

4.  A Karaoke place / KTV that is NOT oriented towards selling sex or anything besides offering a place for people who actually want to just sing.  Hopefully one with a good selection of American music and not just all that sappy love song stuff that makes the Pinay's drool and me vomit.

5.  Quality restaurant food.  Sure, I know some US chains that serve decent enough food, but for a pretty high price, but I am talking about places that serve Filipino dishes with pork or beef that are not 50+% fat.   Are there some healthy Filipino foods?  Seafood and chicken are fairly healthy, but it seems like all the pork and beef is served with gravy or rice and I did not see much in the way of good vegetable dishes or even just cooked vegetables as a side dish.  Even a decent salad seems to be hard to find.   Wendy's served salad, but it was sub-par and too small for a meal.

1.  The veges you mention aren't grown in PI so when you can get them, they're expensive as they're imported.  Frozen is the best option here, just as nutritionally fulfilling.  Cold cuts are everywhere, ham is abundant, not so sure about turkey.  Bacon is also everywhere, similar style as when I was living in the US.  As for finding everything you can in the US in PI, yes similar in many cases, but not the same.  You're in PI not the US.

2.  No clue, I play bridge but haven't looked for a group there yet.

3.  No clue.  I don't play poker other than with friends. 

4.  Heaps around that aren't thinly veiled girly bars but again, remember you're in PI, so especially in Manila where disposable income is much higher many are geared towards - surprise, surprise - Filipinos.  Myself and SAO did find one near Gujio Suites in Makati, just down the road.

5.  There's one we went to, great food, Pinoy prices, nice atmosphere.  Bistro Remedios in Malate.  10 minute drive from Makati, close to Robinson's mall. I personally like Pinoy food, I just trim the fat and ask for a side of chili sauce.  

[Jack Peterson]

33 minutes ago, IGoHomeNow said:

I am wondering where I can find the following:
 

 best go home right now as with others you really are expecting too much from these islands, not meant as a Piss take but.........

[BrettGC]

21 minutes ago, Jack Peterson said:

 best go home right now as with others you really are expecting too much from these islands, not meant as a Piss take but.........

Tried not to treat is as the troll I suspect it is.  The OP that is. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

1 hour ago, IGoHomeNow said:

I am going to be spending some time in the Manila metro area, probably near MOA.

I take it since mostly you dont like the food or anything you have been here to the Philippines before ?

 

[JDDavao II]

[Old55]

I think it’s fair to say we all miss some items easily found in our home country.

There are a number of western style grocery stores even gourmet shops in Manila that stock what you asked about except for vegetables that can’t be grown in a tropical environment.

 I don’t gamble but would advise caution to do with Filipino casino’s. 

Seafood is inexpensive and healthy for the most part but much of the Filipino factory chicken is not healthy to eat.

Some members after reading the name you chose and as a new member may suspect your trolling. Sadly we get that here time to time.

[scott h]

11 hours ago, IGoHomeNow said:

In particular, I want to find asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, corn and similar vegetables.  I am also interested in sliced turkey and ham and bacon that doesn't taste odd and meat that is not so damn fatty.  Ideally, I'd like to find a grocery store where I can find most anything I would find in the US, though I can certainly live without some of the processed junk like TV dinners and frozen pizza.

The above can almost all be found at the S R membership store near MOA. Including the processed food lol.

11 hours ago, IGoHomeNow said:

3.  A casino that has Omaha poker or most any poker besides No-Limit Texas holdem, which is my least favorite form of poker.  I found several casinos with that game, but they did not spread anything else.

Try the new Okada casino again near MOA, I am a kraps player myself, if Okada doesn't have it there are two other casinos a 100 peso taxi ride away and a 3rd 500 peso ride away.

11 hours ago, IGoHomeNow said:

Quality restaurant food.  Sure, I know some US chains that serve decent enough food, but for a pretty high price, but I am talking about places that serve Filipino dishes with pork or beef that are not 50+% fat.

Each of the casinos has at least one Filipino style restaurant aimed towards the rich ofw set or wealthy locals, Pretty much the same food you can buy on the street but at 8 times the pries

the rest cant help you with

[IGoHomeNow]

7 hours ago, Old55 said:

I think it’s fair to say we all miss some items easily found in our home country.

There are a number of western style grocery stores even gourmet shops in Manila that stock what you asked about except for vegetables that can’t be grown in a tropical environment.

 I don’t gamble but would advise caution to do with Filipino casino’s. 

Seafood is inexpensive and healthy for the most part but much of the Filipino factory chicken is not healthy to eat.

Some members after reading the name you chose and as a new member may suspect your trolling. Sadly we get that here time to time.

That name is one of two that I use for online usernames.  The other one is only used for things like credit card accounts and such.  Its origins are from a long forgotten joke I read and it is now meaningless, but it is something I got in the habit of using.  I  It did not occur to me that it could be misleading to use it in this particular forum.   I will try to change it, since I really don't want to imply the sort of attitudes that some folks have, understandably, drawn.