Razon's Halo-Halo in Baliwag, Bulacan

Our latest experience on their halo-halo:

Last Sunday afternoon, 01 April 2012, we ordered 6 halo-halo in to-go cups on our way to Manila. I was disappointed to see and taste the observations below:

1. The portion size is smaller now, less ice, banana, and milk on their mix.
2. The shaved ice are bigger and coarser, not the powdery-ice they serve before.

When we asked the girl on the counter about our observations, she blamed the ice shaver, no apologies nor promise to fix the issues on our next visit.

My verdict? They just lost me and my family as a customer. We used to keep coming back to the place because of the quality of their halo-halo. Now their signature item have deteriorated in quality, not much difference with an ordinary halo-halo on roadside stalls. They should have just increased the selling price from Php 65, and I'll be happy to pay more due to inflation, but please don't cut back on quality.

I would only return to the place if I get first hand info that they revert back to the previous portion size and quality of ice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My original (Nov. 2011) post below:

About half of the time whenever we visit my in-laws in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, we usually drop by the famous Halo-Halo of Razon's at their Baliwag branch. Its a small place with very basic furnitures and minimal decor or ambience, but perfect for a brief rest especially when driving in a hot weather.

Halo-halo is a Filipino food mixture of crushed ice, milk, leche flan (custard), ube jam, pinipig, and sweetened fruits (saba banana, jackfruit, beans, kaong, nata de coco, garbanzos, macapuno coconut strings, sweet potato, jelly, tapioca, etc.). Thais also have a similar version with additional herbs, judging from the taste of their halo-halo.

What makes Razon's halo-halo addicting are the fine ice shavings used, fresh milk from carabao (not cow's milk nor canned milk), and their limited choice of sweet ingredients which is not overwhelming. Their sweetened fruit mixture is composed only by saba banana and macapuno strings. The finely-shaved ice is then topped by a slice of leche flan. Sold at Php 65 on their Baliwag branch, it is less expensive yet better-tasting than those offered by their other branches in the malls.

They also recommend their pancit palabok above, priced at Php 65 as well. Its good, but its not something to write home about, unlike their signature halo-halo menu item.

The Razon's branch in Baliwag, Bulacan is at Pinagbarilan along the national highway from Pulilan to San Rafael, the road that leads to Nueva Ecija. Their location is just across a Shell gas station, before crossing the small bridge near SM Baliwag if coming from Manila.