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"...it was presented in a buko shell because you have to scrape the smooth young coconut meat to mix it with the other ingredients. As of me, I have scraped it totally and that's the twist."

Halo-halo is a very popular dessert in the Philippines and because it is everywhere, different stores are making their own twists and versions to attract the potential market for the halo-halo food. The competition is tight, so restaurants need to create something that is new and different among others to increase the curiosity of the people.

Halo-halo from Brother's Grill in San Fernando City, La Union

The Traveling Gutom landed in the city of San Fernando in La Union and was able to discover an inviting version of halo-halo in a restaurant called Brother's Grill along Gov. Luna St.

So what is new here? Well, aside from the very usual way of presenting the halo-halo in a tall glass or in a wide bowl, the halo-halo of Brother's Grill La Union is placed in a coconut shell.

The coconut or locally termed as buko is not that ordinary buko because the coconut where the halo-halo is placed is young which means, the coconut meat is soft, gentle and more to be like a jelly.

At the table is a hemisphere of the coconut and at the hallow portion at the core is the delicious halo-halo.

When I was in La Union, I said to myself that I will not leave San Fernando city without any food discovery so I walked all throughout the city center and saw brother's grill.

When they gave me the menu list, the halo-halo in a buko really intrigued me that I really had to order to see it for my self besides, this is not a mission failed because this food offering is cheaper than 100 pesos.

Well, I did not regret ordering it because it was more than I have paid for not to mention the free wi-fi and the relaxing ambiance inside the restaurant.

The food is huge that I wasn't able to consume it all.

To tell you the truth, this is in fact an emerging threat to any halo-halo store in La Union like the Chowking Halo-halo. Brother's Grill halo-halo is cheaper than Chowking's halo-halo fiesta at 89 pesos (about 2 dollars) and to note, you have to add an additonal of 15 pesos if you want ice cream toppings so it will cost you more than a hundred pesos or more then 2 dollars.

In Brother's Grill, the whole package is already way cheaper than Chowking's halo-halo fiesta at only 85 pesos (less than 2 dollars).

One thing more, as you can see at the photos above, the coconut strands are missing. Well, that's the twist because it's your job to find it out. That's the reason why it was presented in a buko shell because you have to scrape the smooth young coconut meat to mix it with the other ingredients. As of me, I have scraped it totally and that's the twist.

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Eating Location:

Brother's Grill

San Fernando City, La Union, Philippines

Mission Status:

Mission Accomplished at 85 pesos (about 2 dollars)

FOOD SCORE CRITERIA:

Presentation: 10

Taste: 20

Innovation: 30

Price to Quality Ratio: 40

PALAGUTOM SCORE: 75

< 50: Needs improvement

50-60: Average (It is easy to find everywhere)

60-70: Above Average (Not your ordinary food)

70-80: Very Satisfactory (It is worth the prize)

90-95: More than Perfect (It is more than what you paid for)

95-100: Beyond compare! (Word can't explain the excellence)