Being in the residential and school districts, the long stretch of Katipunan has slowly but surely evolved

into a dining center. Who knew it would turn out that way? There are notably new onesnew to me especially, as weeks after moving away from the area I grew up in, all these eaters and restaurants starting popping out. It was like a bad cosmic food joke. On me. And Im not laughing. Im just getting hungry. So, heres where I want to go and check out and dine in. Shall we make a list?

Katipunan, near Diliman I still remember when it was just Shakeys in front of Ateneo and the first McDonalds opened eventually. And now, there are three Starbucks outlets, McDonalds and Jollibee a few paces apart, Mushroom Burger down from Tagaytay. The posh-looking Regis Center is an easy start. Right across Ateneo Gate 3 (and connected through a foot bridge), it boasts of several dining options in one place. Theres the almost-always-full Bonchon with their famous chicken. Theres MoshiMoshi and their Japanese fare, such as takoyaki, sushi rolls, green tea shakes, and bento lunch boxes. Taiwanese milk and bubble teas at Saints Alp. Peanut Butter Company is for the lovers of all things PBin pasta, sandwiches, drinks, desserts! Desserts are ably covered by pastries at Mom & Tinas Bakery Caf and frozen yogurt at Red Mango. Downstairs are branches of Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Brother Burger. The price range in Regis Center is a little more than the average student can afford at least on a daily basis. It never seems to shy of customers, anyway! Down the road, are more eye-catchers (to me, especially, the erstwhile Katipunan visitor). The celebrated restaurant of the moment is Wooden Spoon, owned by Sandy Daza of the culinary family fame. Exemplary comfort food, Filipino style, best describes this.

Cravings is almost an institution in Katipunan row. Starting as a quaint bakeshop, it has grown into a big dining place serving almost gourmet but moderately-priced meals and spawned "sister" eateries Coffee Beanery and Classic Cuisine of the Philippines. A popular choice among the students is Gravy Fix for, what else, their gravy. Their very reasonable prices help too. Burgers, chops, chicken and gravy variants make the youngins happy.

If you want dessert and Mongolian buffet, odlly enough, it makes sense at Sweet Inspirations. Its not as chic as the newer establishments, but its certainly worth trying out. For those hankering for some Persian flavor, Persepolis is the reliable choice for the traditional skewered kebabs, humus and ox brain, to the more fusion-y pitzas (pita pizzas). Very new is Razas Kabab and Persian Cuisine (which seems to offer Korean and Indian choices as well) and Aezien Persian Food Empire, which positions itself as close to authentic Persian fare as possible. Bacolod Chicken, one of the longest-standing restaurants in Katipunan got some stiff competition when JTs Manukan opened in the FBR Buildingthe same building with Yellow Cab. Theres also a neighborhood secret when it comes to pizza. Its Ginos Brick Oven Pizza that aims to redefine pizza options for the Loyola Heights residents. Its a place you need to know about to find, as signage is hardly seen. What to look for: Cellos Doughnuts, which shares the same space and the same owners. And the same specialty, mom-and-pop flavor. Near La Vista is the Petro station-turned-hub of dining choices. First, theres Kamirori and its Japanese menu, an institution for long-time Katipunan surveyors. Others worth

mentioning from the same block is Inengs Special BBQyes, it lives up to its name and Frutti Froyo, which allows you to assemble your own yogurt treat.

Katipunan, Blue Ridge side If memory serves me right, the Blue Ridge eating scene used to consist of places offering, mostly, beer and pulutan. The less shady ones would be the Dencios, at the corner of Santolan, and Katips on the other side of the road. Seemingly overnight, the scene began to change. I can almost put my finger on Banapples opening that changed itor at least helped push it along. Suddenly, cars were blocking sides of the road to bring home a cake or pie, or patrons were waiting for parking to free up to have their turn inside. Today, they have two branches one on each side of the road!

Today, its an amazing lane of shining signs beckoning commuters to stop for a bite. Bite Club used to be the only specialty burger joint worth checking out. Now, the choices have multiplied: Wham!, Pitlane Grub, and Foodcamp Burgers and Sandwiches have joined the fray. Kopi Rotis Singaporean kopi tiams and kaya toast have its loyal following. Contis offerings of both savory and sweet in the form of delectable entrees and desserts keep them very busy and packed. Opening its second branch, Tomato Kick still serves its popular and creative takes on pasta, entrees and appetizers that has made it very popular in its original Maginhawa branch. If you like your pizza both tasty and huge, go to Calda Pizza. Their super-sized choices are always a hit among hungry carb-loading diners.

If you want your pizza (and pulutan) with a side of live music, theres Route 196. It really is more of a bar that happens to have a good enough menubut go early if its the food that youre really after.

Katipunan, through White Plains The farther side from the universities, this area is mostly populated by families and homeowners. Katipunans foodscape is as extensive as it is long. Most of the time, one really wouldnt bother going from one end to another. Besides traffic, we happen to like to stick those that we are familiar with. But then again, why not try? While Katipunan is home to many heavily-advertised commercial brands, it is also a haven for culinary gems if you bother

to uncover them. Thats what Im telling myself, anyway. Explore, eat, enjoy is the mantra to remember. In the meantime, let me leave you with some foodie footnotes. First, theres Pan de Amerikana. Its misleading name surprises diners with its full range of Pinoy specialties besides its freshly baked pan. It does get a lot of attention for being, literally, designed as an upside down house. Perfect for photo ops. Thai is not common in this part of town, so when Basil opened recently, the buzz grew quite quickly and good reviews started popping up