Chicken. You can fry, bake, barbecue, or broil it. You can serve it in a soup, with a sauce, or by itself. Every culture or region in the world has their own specialty dish that uses chicken as the main ingredient. From Chicken Kiev to America’s own Southern Fried Chicken, we can agree that you can prepare chicken countless ways.

In the Philippines, several restaurants have made millions of pesos off of severing chicken dishes. Jollibee, Max’s House of Fried Chicken, The Aristocrat, and Classic Savory Chicken are a few restaurants that have followed this path. Let me tell you that my visits back home to the Philippines include a stop at one of these destinations just to get a taste of their chicken dishes. Returning back home to the West leaves me craving for more Filipino food, but luckily there are a few places around me that can do I feel like I’m back home Filipino dishes. It was only the other week that I went to a spot that a co-worker recommended. What I didn’t know was that they would be serving memories on a plate.

Chicken D’Lite holds a special place in my heart for one reason. Eating here reminds me of the Philippines. When you first approach the restaurant and look at the menu, you will notice that they serve two styles of chicken. That’s when it hit me. They served chicken similar to Classic Savory Chicken’s fried chicken and The Aristocrat’s barbecued chicken. It sparked a I get to try two styles of my favorite comfort food that’s supposed to taste like the ones from restaurants in the Philippines, here in Newark, without flying across the Pacific Ocean to the Philippines!? feeling. Sign me up.

The first style of chicken offered is a Classic Savory Chicken style, fried chicken that is served with a gravy sauce on the side. Savory style refers to the mix of spices that season the chicken, which the Classic Savory Chicken restaurant is known for. Juicy and tender meat is tucked beneath the crispy skin. Dipping into gravy adds just a touch of more flavor to the meat. The best part of Chicken D’Lite’s fried chicken is that it isn’t overly oily.

If you aren’t in the mood for fried chicken, you can sample on The Aristocrat style, barbecued chicken. Chicken D’Lite’s marinade used to flavor the chicken is similar to The Aristocrat’s. It has a much sweeter taste than the Savory style fried chicken, and is served with a peanut sauce as opposed to the gravy. The peanut sauce reminded me of a pork asado sauce, which contains some flavors of brown sugar and soy sauce. The Aristocrat style chicken remains as juicy and tender as the Savory style. You can’t go wrong with either.

Chicken D’lite offers an unbelievable value for the price you pay for their combination meals. Along with your choice of chicken, you receive a small cup of a rich macaroni soup (sopas), three pieces of meat egg rolls (lumpia Shanghai) with a sweet and sour dipping sauce, and on top of that, a heaping serving of rice.

It was a very satisfying meal. I left with a smirk on my face knowing that a little bit of the Philippines was this much closer to home.

It’s a spot for dates because…
For days that you have a craving for Filipino style chicken, you can look to Chicken D’Lite to meet your needs. Chicken D’Lite offers you a great value for the quality you receive.

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I’ve always enjoyed discovering a new restaurant unexpectedly. It’s always good when the restaurant that you find ends up becoming a local favorite of yours. That’s how I’ve felt about Simply Thai in Fremont, CA. Simply Thai is located in a shopping plaza hidden as the last spot amongst a row of several other businesses. At first, you wouldn’t expect to find this spot at its little location.

Step inside and you can feel the calm and relaxed atmosphere. The décor remains simple, just like the name of their restaurant. They even have tables for two, which can make for more intimate meals if you’re on a date.

Simply Thai became one of my local favorites because of one thing. The food. Delicious. Flavorful. Beautifully presented. These words describe my experience here. I had a chance to try the Satay Beef, Tom Yum Soup, Beef Rad Na, and my favorite, Panang Curry. The Tom Yum Soup and Panang Curry really stood out. The Tom Yum Soup was mildly spicy with its flavors of lemongrass and seafood just packed into the broth. The Panang Curry was the perfect dish to top off rice. It’s a very addictive combination for me. Just trying the food at Simply Thai has made it one of my favorite places to go for lunch or dinner.

Finding places like this can be really exciting. You never know what spot you’ll come across unexpectly.

It’s a spot for dates because…
The ambience at Simply Thai can make for an intimate meal. You can really feel the calm and relaxed vibe here.

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What can I say? I never thought a spot like this would be classified as a spot for dates, but it sure is. The Farmers Market in Newark, CA has a lot to offer. If you’re looking to buy some fresh produce for that meal you’re cooking up, you’ll find it here. You’ll be supporting local farmers while doing it. You can find an array of vegetables and fruits. Some farmers give you the option to get purchase organic grown food from their stands as well. The best part is that if you’re shopping for fruits, most farmers will give out free samples for you to enjoy. I ended up buying a bulk of delicious white peaches the last time I was there because of trying some samples.

Just take a walk around and see what farmers are offering. Sometimes you’ll find produce that the bigger grocery stores don’t offer. A good thing to keep in mind are the prices too. You won’t be hurting your wallets here. You’ll find most of the food here is priced lower than your local grocery store. I feel that the prices I pay here justify the quality I’m getting in return.

Finally, you will get a chance to see local food vendors here as well. Everything from home made pasta sauces, pastries, and cakes can be found just by taking a walk around. They even had a Filipino food vendor there where I ordered a cup of fresh cantelope juice. It’s one of my favorite Filipino drinks that I enjoy. You will not have an excuse to leave this place hungry.

If you have a Saturday or Sunday morning to spare, come make a stop at the Farmers Market in Newark, CA. You will find it right in the parking lot in front of Macy’s.

It’s a spot for dates because…
You can find great produce to buy here, especially if you’re planning to cook that meal for two together. If you didn’t find anything at the Farmers Market, you could always take a look at what NewPark Mall has.

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Looking for a change from your local coffee house? Try Fantasia. Fantasia offers a range of different coffee and tea drinks. They stand out by offering more exotic flavors like lychee, mango, and taro. There are plenty of different varieties of flavors to try. My favorite is the taro milk tea.

You’ll find their locations to have Asian styled décor. It’s not a bad place to just sit and enjoy a drink with your date. For those looking for a change, you might just have to give them a try. You will find Fantasia locations in select Bay Area cities.

It’s a spot for dates because…
Fantasia offers a great twist from traditional coffee houses. All of the drinks offers more exotic flavors to enjoy.

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