12 Places to Eat for the Holidays...or any day! (Christmas Lists 8 and 9)

With less than 24 hours to Christmas, I have to admit I won't make my goal of 12-lists-of-12's for Christmas. Nonetheless, since the Christmas season does not officially end until the celebration of Three Kings, I will attempt to complete the last few. For today, I'm making a double feature. For lists 8 and 9, here's 12 food places to go to and what to order when there for your Christmas get togethers.

1. Cyma. I discovered this greek tavern first in my favorite island, Boracay. It's tucked away in a little corner of D'mall and from the first go, it has become a favorite of mine. I love the osso bucco pasta and their house blend iced tea is yummy. The vongole or baby clam pasta and the roka salad are also must-try's. Do leave room for dessert, as their skolatina is something else! Other than Bora, Cyma is located in Greenbelt 2, Shangrila, and Trimoma.

2. Secret Recipe. This place is more for dessert and coffee, although they do serve meals. I've only tried their version of Tom yang goong. It was only average but their cheesecakes are fantastic! My personal favorite is the espresso cheesecake. The marble cheesecake is also super yummy. Secret Recipe is located in many leading malls, such as Robinson's Place Manila and Shangrila edsa.

3. Conti's. Conti's started out as a little shop called Dates and Nuts way back when, or at least that's how I know their story. It was located in BF Homes Paranaque. As a little girl, my mom and dad would take me there on special occasions. At that time it was also the only nearby place to get good cakes and pastries. Now Conti's is a big hit, with branches in BF, Trinoma and Serendra. My favorite dishes are the Chicken Cordon Bleu and Beef Salpicao. With desserts, the Mango Mambo, Strawberry Shortcake and Buco Pandan top my list.

4. TGI Fridays. Yes, it may be a wee bit overrated and way overpriced, but it sure is a fun place to be in especially with friends. The food is good too, especially the Shanghai Chicken Salad. The classic Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard sauce is also one of my personal favorites. Fridays is located in just about any mall, but my favorite is still the one in Glorietta.

5. Chocolate Kiss. Chocolate Kiss is a sweet spot inside the enormous UP Campus. A little bit on the high-end (given that it's inside the University which is surrounded by student-friendly priced restos), it is a great date place for students at any time of the week. The downside to this resto though is it's small area, which often gets full no matter what time you go. One of my favorite dishes in Chocolate Kiss is the eggplant parmigiana. The Kahlua cake is also uber yummy.

6. A Veneto. A Veneto seemed to start out as my friends and my "secret place" as nobody seemed to know where it was when I'd talk about it (especially since I live in the South and the first branch we knew about was way back in Visayas Ave, QC). The great thing about A Veneto is its really affordable prices for its really great and yummy food. They truly are poster-children for "who says good food has to be expensive"! Can't choose a personal favorite here...everything I've tried has been yummy!

7. Dairy Queen. Okay, while this is not a resto, it still is one of the best ice cream parlors ever. How can anything top a blizzard? Although it seems the flavors and toppings are not as bountiful as before.

8. Omasake. This is a new one I've tried, just this holiday season. My best friend Cookie and her fiance, Ryanne, took me there for our Christmas get-together. Located in a hidden corner in Casa Susana building beside Alabang Town Center, it's a bit out of the way if you were coming from the mall. As such, you might not really know about it unless you look for it. Surprisingly affordable for a good Japanese restaurant, Omasake is sure to not disappoint. Try the American Dream and the tofu steak. Yum.

9. Gumbo. Very much like Friday's, Gumbo is one of those restos with really big servings bright, shiny, happy servers. The jambalaya is yummy, and so is the fish and chips. I love their little coupons that give you a free dish for a minimum purchase!

10. Volare. According to a friend of mine, the chef in Volare used to be the chef in Amici. Whatever the real story is, the food is super yummy...although to be honest, not all my friends agree. I happen to enjoy it! At least the two times I went there.

11. Starbucks. Any food list of mine will definitely have a cameo of Starbucks :-) Ok, ok...it's overrated coffee, but as my friend Che says, Starbucks adds a social dimension to studying (or whatever it is you're doing)! As such, any get together in Starbucks is sure to be a social experience. It's an excellent first date venue, safe and non-committal :-) Personal favorite, Peppermint Mocha Frap. Unfortunately this is not on the menu this season!

12. Balducci's. This is way, way on the upper end....but way, way worth it!!! Located in Serendra, Balducci's serves great steaks and other Spanish specialties. Bordering on fine dining, this is a fabulous date place, especially if you are celebrating a special occasion.

Where are you eating this season?