A taste of Singapore in Makati

Tucked inside the new Ayala Triangle Gardens (ATG) in Makati City is a restaurant that serves one of the (if not the) best Hainanese chicken rice dishes in Singapore.

Called Wee Nam Kee, the place is familiar to those who have traveled to the city-state's Novena town. It took me quite some time, however, to remember my last visit there in 2008, back when I didn't take my food too seriously.

The restaurant has won the hearts of both Singapore locals and foreign tourists, particularly Filipinos.

Among its Filipino patrons are no less than former presidents Joseph "Erap" Estrada and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as well as actors and real-life couple John Lloyd Cruz and Shaina Magdayao, according to Linfred Yap, one of the 2 young entrepreneurs behind the first Wee Nam Kee franchise in the country.

Unlike its main branch in Novena which looks more like a hole-in-the-wall joint, Makati's Wee Nam Kee, just like the city, had an urban, upscale feel to it.

But the good news is, the food is exactly the same -- all dishes served in the restaurant are prepared by chefs who flew all the way from Singapore.

Asia Pacific's first Radisson Blu hotel is in Cebu

President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III always enjoys visiting Cebu, one of the country’s most developed provinces.

He called it “a place that brings together essential elements that make Philippine tourism so special” – from its natural attractions to world-class accommodations.

Last month, the country’s chief executive found his way in Cebu once again as he led the formal launch of the province’s newest gem – the first Radisson Blu Hotel in the Asia Pacific region.

The hotel, targeted mainly at luxury tourists and businessmen, is a result of a tie-up between Radisson Blu’s Carlson group and the family of mall magnate Henry Sy.