Wednesday, April 11, 2007
RAZON'S HALO-HALO
I finally got to taste what everyone was raving about at my previous post, Manila’s Ice Age. And they’re right. This halo-halo from Razon is simply marvelous.
I actually tried to get a taste of it last week at Robinson’s in Malate, but the place was just too jam-packed; there was even a queue for those waiting for a table. So, I left and returned early today. And much to my delight, there were a few empty tables.
Anyway, what sets this halo-halo apart from the rest, foremost, is the texture of its shaved ice. It’s undeniably as soft and as pure as the driven snow; unlike the shaved ice of Chow King’s which is often brittle and tend to coagulate and harden rather quickly. I'd like to attribute the quality of Razon's shaved ice to those imported ice shavers -- similar to the machines used at Jolibee’s for its iced fruit salad and mais con yelo. At any rate, with the Razon's halo-halo, the spoon cuts through the ice and reaches the bottom easily without much of a struggle.
As for the cream, I’m not sure the kind used, but it’s good and not at all heavy. And the ingredients, although the variety isn't as numerous as that of Chow King’s Fiesta halo-halo, Razon’s are definitely softer and tastier.
So, what else can I say? Go and enjoy at least one this summer!
By the way, a serving of Razon’s halo-halo is 65 pesos.
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Labels: halo-halo
posted by Señor Enrique at 8:25 PM
35 Comments:
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Photo Cache said... it is 7 am here as i read your post and i cant help but crave a tall one of this right now....yes before i even have my breakfast yet. enjoy your halo-halo.
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JMom said...
My daughter is still raving about Razon's halo-halo. We had some last Dec. at Mall of Asia. It was the simplest, yet best halo-halo we had yet.
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NOYPETES said...
I introduced my kids to halo-halo and I make em with the bottled halo-halo mix from the pinoy stores here in southern California, shaved ice from the fridge, Selecta ice cream and top it off with hazelnut coffee creamer! They always go for seconds so now I serve it to them in a medium sized soup bowl and they clean it up anyway. Oh yeah, I remember the brain freeze i get from rushing into the ice cold halo-halo after a hot afternoon of playing street BBall on the hot asphalt pavements of the Sampaloc district in Manila. That Razon halo-halo looks gooooood!
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said... i agree. it's so simple yet so much better than the complicated halo-halo varieties from other restos.
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said...
Wowww, sarap talaga ng halo-halo lalo na ngayong tag-init. Nakakapang-laway naman ang picture mo. he he he!:)
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Daisy said...
Yes most of the time you have to wait to be seated at Razon's. Another difference is that it doesn't have as much sago or beans but the taste is superb-- i love the consistency of the shaved ice indeed which really makes the difference.
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Francesca said...
lolo said, the ice shaved of razons must have salt into it to keep it soft and avoid melting easily and stick to other ice. Its the reaction of the ice that makes it. Or if it is freshly shaven then its soft. In cHowking it must have been stocked for days and no salt.
order ako, apat for us lolo, ako marghie and anjo. Paki bill na lang ke senyor, lol-
Señor Enrique said...
I'm telling you, Photo Cache, this Razon's halo-halo is as good as what they claim it to be. Si ply the best I've ever had in my life ... hehehe!
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Señor Enrique said...
And for good reason, JMom! Your daughter surely knows what's delicious.
BTW, it was actually my sister who first told me about Razon's after she had one when she went to the Mall of Asia when it newly opened. Like your daughter, she just went on and on about it ... hehehe-
Señor Enrique said...
Next time you come over to visit, Kyels, try Razon's halo-halo. I'd love to know your reaction or critique -- and compare it to ais kacang, ok?
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Señor Enrique said...
It was my brother James in NYC, who had a complete assortment of these bottled sweets for making halo-halo. And just like you, Noypetes, he would get so much enjoyment out of preparing them for the kids and adults who'd stop by his house during the weekends!
Brain freeze? Hahaha!-
Señor Enrique said...
Right you are, Scott! And most important, you need not work so hard in trying to break through the shaved ice ... hehehe.
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Señor Enrique said...
And believe it or not, LAR, I had to be discreet when I took this halo-halo that I paid for. The security guards at Robinson's are even more zealous in enforcing the no photo rule within the mall.
Too much!-
Señor Enrique said...
I've a feeling, Daisy, that Razon's would be spreading all over Metro Manila, and hopefully, a branch would open somewhere near my neighborood here in QC!
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houseband00 said...
Hi Eric,
I've always try to remind myself to try Razon's but, as it happens, I always forget to.
Halo-halo brings back so many memories from my childhood summers. Images of catching tutubi and salagubang in those hot summer afternoons... patintero at dusk. carefree bike rides with my friends. Ang dami talaga.
Halo-halo was M's soul food. She would always ask me to buy her a Chowking special (no beans) before I go home. I would then jokingly ask her if she was pregnant.
Thanks for the post, Eric. It made my day. =)
hb00-
Señor Enrique said...
Aha! So it's the salt, eh, Francesca. Razon's shaved ice, as I said, makes a lot of difference.
I think Chow King deliver its ice to the brancehes already shaved and then stored in the freezer. And this may be whay they become brittle and hard.
Regards to Lolo and the kids :)-
Señor Enrique said...
My pleasure, hb00! And I'm sure M would have loved Razon's, no doubt!
Personally, my most memorable childhood summer experience with halo-halo was running up my "utang" list at the barrio's sari-sari store in which my father would pay for whenever he came on the weekend. The list would have nothing but mostly halo-halo on it. And of course, it was because I also treated my playmates :)-
said...
Frankly, I don't care it if it is summer or winter. I'd take halo halo anytime even if it's freezing :) I agree that the quality of the ice is important but the halo halo we buy here from pinoy stores I would say the ice is a little rough but hey, as long as it is crushed, I'd take it :) 65 pesos - that's very cheap compared to the $2.50 - $3.50 we pay here :)
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TOW Blog said...
Razon's rocks!! The best, the best, the best! So simple with only 3 fine sahogs, but heavenly as an experience!
Walang ganyan sa States!
Minotte-
said...
uy, mukhang masarap nga yan ah... i've seen them featured in several tv programs... one of the things that i must try before summer ends... :)
btw, got my D40 na, and am so happy with it... thanks for all the help... :)-
Sidney said...
At first glance Razon's halo-halo looks less colorful than Chowking's halo-halo.
But I believe you when you say it taste better. I will try it out one of those days! It is getting very hot here and I need something to cool down my body temperature! ;-)-
Señor Enrique said...
Back in NYC, BW, I used to binge on hot and sour soup during the winter, but definitely not halo-halo. I wasn't too crazy about the snow outside and the last I wanted was to have it on my spoon ... hahaha!
But then again, my brother James, like you, would offer his guests halo-halo at anytime of the year :)
The ice shaver he got is a plastic model which costs about 15 dollars in Chinatown.-
Señor Enrique said...
Hi Minotte! Yes! I completely agree with you! Heavenly it is!
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said...
oh no!
i have an upcoming post about this same topic in my blogger draft for 2 weeks now
i've yet to push the publish button but, as you know, I included the history behind the ice wonder
also something about razon's pancit luglug :)-
Señor Enrique said...
Well, push that button now, Tito, because we certainly would love to read about the ice wonder history and some stuff about the luglug! Serious :)
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Nashei said...
you got to be kidding me?!!!! i first heard/saw the famous razon's halo halo while browsing through channel 99 called living asia...i've been dying to have a taste of it eversince...i just dont know where to go because the original store is in pampanga...they have a place here in manila????? i have to go there.
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Señor Enrique said...
That's right, Nashei!
If you want to know more about its branches within Metro Manila, check out the comments on my previous post, Manila's Ice Age:
http://senorenrique.blogspot.com/2007/01/manilas-ice-age.html
Enjoy!-
sheilamarie said...
hmmm...eric, it looks absolutely yummylicious! will try that next time. baket kaya walang halohalo dito? maybe the locals doesn't appreciate sweets that much. puro spicy foods here :(
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said...
I enjoy Razon's Halo-halo. When I was still working in Buendia, there's a branch just in front of our building. Our boss would usually treat us for halo-halo on hot days.
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Señor Enrique said...
Yummylicious best describes it, indeed, Sheilamarie!
You have got to try it next time you guys come home for a visit :)
BTW, putting up a halo-halo and noodle shop where you are may be a good idea ... hehehe!-
Señor Enrique said...
Lucky you, Ferdz! Meanwhile, I only had it for the first time the other day ... hehehe.
But it's really delicious!!!-
U.T.O.Y said...
i'll try this one sa weekened after the tour of the fireflies. hopefully they are still open? mukhang sobrang sarap!!!
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Señor Enrique said...
Tour of the Fireflies?
Yes, you have got to try it, UTOY!-
abet said...
Eric,
hello ...wow razon;s halo-halo is heavenly. Tambay nga ako dyan sa Robinson's Malate after offcie hehehe ....i love it ! Tara halo-halo tayo minsan eric hehehehe...ingats po.-
Señor Enrique said...
Sure, Basey! That's not too far from where you live, right?
