Balanga, Bataan

If you haven't been to Bataan, then you should! I, myself, regret not being able to spend more than a night in Bataan (details later), but I would definitely go back again if it were possible.

One of the places we went to as a family was Balanga, the capital of Bataan. We only went there as a small stop so we weren't able to see many things, just the Plaza area itself. I was amazed because it was both old in style and in theory: the plaza, not the mall, was the center of town life before. Around the public square (actually a rectangle) where people gathered was the municipal hall, cathedral, shopping center and hotel. It was very lively and full of people.

We stopped to eat at a restaurant, Cafe Kyoto, since it was very well rated at tripadvisor.  Cafe Kyoto is actually located at the 3rd floor of the Plaza Hotel. The food is a bit pricey for the area, at around P500 per head for ramen (even more for sushi), but is comparable to ramen prices in Manila. Among others, we were able to try the Seafood Ramen and the Paikumen. I can recommend both!

The noodles aren't the best but both meat and crab are quit good. The broth is thick, savory but not oily with a good amount of ginger.

The restaurant ambiance and service is good, although they do use karinderya paper napkins which clashes with how posh everything looks...The bathrooms are clean.

We then tried some coffee and pastries at the Plaza Brew, which is also very IG-able. Closeby, there was a popular gelateria, but we decided not to go.

We had to leave soon after, but would definitely go again given the chance.