my fresh crumbs

YUMMY Eats II

2012-05-25T00:15:00.000-07:00

YUMMY Eats now on its second year

YUMMY Eats, YUMMY magazine’s most anticipated eating and cooking fair is back! Already on its second year, it’s got more delicious food finds from partners specially chosen by YUMMY magazine! Slated to happen at The Rockwell Tent on May 26, Saturday, from 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Join the fun and watch cooking demos, discover new food favorites, and meet fellow foodies and chefs!

With over 50 concessionaires, YUMMY Eats 2012 has bigger surprises in store this year. “We will have a wide array of food brands offering sweets, savory, and gourmet treats for everyone. All concessionaires will sample a couple of their bestsellers and also have products for sale, says Frances Ang, Associate Publisher of YUMMYmagazine about what participants can look forward to in this year’s biggest food gathering.

Ang adds, “Participants can also partake in various booth activities brought by our sponsors and watch a series of cooking demos too. This is just a one-day affair of non-stop eating, cooking, and learning.”

Learn new recipes from cooking demos conducted by Chef Nino Logarte for Hunts, Chef Bruce Lim for the Asian Food Channel and a lot more. There will also be a Mother and Child Cook-Off brought to you by Hunts.

Satisfy your palate and get ready for a day filled with gastronomical delights as YUMMY Eats 2012 brings you the most talked about food finds in the metro! It’s one day you shouldn’t miss!

Admission fee is only P150. Participants who bring a copy of the May issue of YUMMY are entitled to a discounted entrance fee of P100.

YUMMY Eats is co-presented by Hunt’s with major sponsors McCormick and Century Bangus and minor sponsor King Sue. Special thanks to our media partners Yummy.ph, Asian Food Channel, 2^nd Avenue, Star World, Magic 89.9, 99.5 RT, Wave 89.1, Mellow 94.7, Manila Bulletin, The Philippine Star, and Summit Media.

Lunch Celebration at Senju

2012-05-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

Boo and I have been together for quite awhile now. And since I haven’t tried Senju yet, he wanted to bring me there. We started with the Sashimi Moriawase (Php1480). Hotate (scallop) sashimi is still the best!

Sashimi Moriawase

Tried the classic Dynamite Roll (Php330).

Dynamite Roll

The ultimate dish for me was the Kaisen Mentaiko Charcoal Soba (Php1,530). Although at first, this was a bit bland. I asked the waiter to bring it back to the kitchen and add more fish roe. When it came back, it was perfect. I loved the springy texture of the charcoal noodles. Next time I order this, I will request for more Unagi cos it went well with the whole dish -- would skip the salmon.

Kaisen Mentaiko Charcoal Soba

We always have Gindara Teriyaki (Php670) this is a classic stape order whenever we dine in Japanese restaurants.

Gindara Teriyaki

Boo’s favorite is the Kaki Isobe Age (Php600) -- Oysters Tempura. And because I also loved this dish, we ended up ordering again towards the end of our meal.

Kaki Isobe Age (Oyster Tempura)

The Wafu Steak (Php940) went well with the Yakimeshi (Php180). Although I still prefer Umu’s Wafu steak.

Wafu Steak

Yakimeshi

Overall, our lunch went very well. Food was great, perfect of our anniversary celebreation. Also, would definitely go back Senju for the charcoal soba.

Senju, Edsa Shang-rila Hotel

Contact: 632 6338888

1 Garden Way Ortigas Center

Mandaluyong City

Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss

2012-05-06T07:00:00.000-07:00

Decided to have lunch at Moshi Koshi with some workmates (yes I do have a job! haha)

We started with the Yakisoba (Php140), it was very colorful.

Yakisoba

We tried the three basic ramen. Shoyu Ramen (Php185) was the first to arrive.

Shoyu Ramen

Then the Miso Ramen (Php220) came.

Miso Ramen

Also tried the Shio Butter Corn Ramen (Php195).

Shio Butter Corn Ramen

Every ramen meal needs Gyoza (Php80) on the side.

Gyoza

We also tried the Tori Karaage (Php45/pc).

Tori Karaage

We were hungry, so we also tried the Tonkatsu Teishoku (Php185).

Tonkatsu Teishoku

Moshi Koshi

Contact: +632 7266744

431 Shaw Blvd. cor. Ideal St.

Brgy. Addition Hills, Mandaluyong City

Double Date at Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant

2012-04-11T03:28:00.000-07:00

A perfect out of town dinner with Boo and our good friends, Bianca and Lok. We’ve been wanting to eat at Vieux Chalet for awhile now and after so long, Boo made it possible.

This was the view from our table.

Upon arriving, we were served with homemade breadsticks to munch on.

While waiting for our food, we were served Lemongrass Iced Tea in goblets -- I hope I can bring home the goblets! Anyways, everyone loved this but I personally found the lemongrass scent too strong.

Lemongrass Iced Tea

We started with the best ever appetizer of Roast Pepper and Beef Crostini with Aubergine Salsa. We were too happy about this dish that we couldn’t find the right words to describe this.

Roasted Pepper and Beef Crostini with Aubergine Salsa

For fiber, we had Summer Vegetable Salad with Yogurt Pesto Dressing.

Summer Vegetable Salad with Yogurt Pesto Dressing

Our soup was perfect for the weather, Cappuccino of Lentils, Prawn and Tarragon.

Cappuccino of Lentils, Prawn & Tarragon

“Melon and Mint Sorbet”, to cleanse our palate.

Melon & Mint Sorbet

We decided to order different main courses, sampling from each other.

“Beef Tenderloin in Organic Oyster Mushroom Sauce”

“Italian Pork Ribs a la Flo”, a dish of pork ribs marinated for 24 hours then slowly braised and gratinated.

“Poached Salmon in Sauce Café de Paris”

We ended our meal with a Trio of Dessert and give a choice of Coffee or Tea.

Coffee or Tea

We also tried a Yogurt drink before we left.

Looking forward to visit Vieux Chalet again. Planning to try their fondues and sausages.

Home-y ambiance

Vieux Chalet Swiss Restaurant

Contact: 632 6970396

Taktak Road, Antipolo City

Perfect Date at Basil

2012-03-21T09:14:00.000-07:00

We had to be home early one Friday night so I can catch the Teleserye I’m watching. So Boo suggested that we eat at this new Thai restaurant Basil, just outside Corinthian Gardens. I am so glad we had dinner here. Upon entering, I was already surprised to see such an elegant yet warm and cozy interior. I never imagined having this kind of restaurant within the busy streets of White Plains and Edsa.

We started with Pomelo Salad – Pomelo in Tamarind Sauce (Php325). The dressing was tasty, and the pomelos were a refreshing taste from the orders to come. So I had to reserve some of this for later.

Pomelo Salad

Boo and I both raved about their Pad Thai (Php325). Though it lacked the sweet kick we are accustomed to the Thai restaurants in Manila, the flavors were still complete. This is a sure order every time were in Basil!

Pad Thai

The Lemongrass Steak – grilled wagyu sirloin beef with creamy steak dressing (Php495) was to die for! Boo had the first bite and when I saw and heard his reaction to it (“OH MY!”), I hurriedly sliced a piece for myself. Yes, it was heaven to our taste buds! The wagyu sirloin was cooked perfectly. It may not be the most tender meat but it had the right bite and more importantly the right flavors.

Lemongrass Steak

The only miss during the night was their Creamy Pork Curry (Php325) uses sweet & spicy Panang Curry. It just lacked depth for us.

Creamy Pork Curry

The spicyness of the curry prompted me to order the Thai Iced Tea (Php), since Boo forogot to order this and accidentally ordered Dalandan for himself. We both love Thai Iced Tea and this passed our taste buds.

Thai Iced Tea - Day & Night

Will be visiting Basil soon, to try out some more dishes they offer. Hopefully in a week or two!

And then…

Mom & Dad

Even before I have posted this, I was able to visit Basil with my parents during lunch. The restaurant looked a lot more casual during the day. I was even surprised that they had an outdoor dining place -- I was caught up with their interiors when I was there for dinner!

So I ordered the usual Lemongrass Steak and Thai Iced Tea -- which Mom and Dad enjoyed. For starter, we tried the Thai Crispy Fish with Green Mango Salad (Php325). It was good but a bit too sour for us -- both the mango and dressing.

Crispy Fish with Green Mango Salad

So, since Mom is a fan of Thai Bagoong Rice (Php295), I made sure to order this.

Thai Bagoong Rice

We also tried their Crispy Fish with Three-Flavored Sauce -- tamarind, garlic & chili (php750). This was a hit on our table. The batter was crispy and sauce had the right sweetness to it. We even munched on the head-fins-tail until just the bones were left.

Crispy Fish with Three-Flavored Sauce

I wanted to try their Duck Curry but heard they phased it out already so we opted for the Thai Red Curry Beef (Php425) which I really liked. I can imagine it would have been so much better if it was duck.

Thai Red Curry Beef

I must admit that it is a bit heavy on the pocket considering the serving size they have. But then again, we are always willing to spend a little more extra for a well rounded experience -- good food, good ambiance.

PS. Thank you to Auntie Vangie for the restaurant recommendation.

Basil

Contact: +632 9114158

Katipunan cor. White Plains Avenue

Hong Kong, Jean-Paul Hévin Macarons & Chocolates

2012-03-01T23:16:00.000-08:00

While walking around IFC Mall, I decided to buy some macarons from Jean-Paul Hévin.

The flavors I chose were: Fig, Caramel, Pistachio, Passion Fruit and Crème Brulee.

Jean-Paul Hévin

IFC Mall, Central, Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Guang Dong Barbecue

2012-03-01T11:59:00.003-08:00

While waiting for Achie to arrive since she took a separate flight, we bought takeaway dinner for her from Guang Dong Barbecue Restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsuy.

Bought Roast Goose Rice Topping, Suckling Pig & Lechon Macau Rice Topping.

Anywhere yo order Roastings in Hong Kong, it never fails.

Guang Dong Barbecue Restaurant

Contact: +852 2735 5151

G/L Hankow Road

Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Best Peking Duck Skin at Sha Tin 18

2012-02-15T21:30:00.000-08:00

The first time my brothers ate at Sha Tin 18, they didn’t know it was located inside Hyatt Hotel. Upon hearing the name of the restaurant, they immediately concluded that it was in Sha Tin district. They had to walk and ride a taxi from Sha Tin to University, where Hyatt was located. So during our HK trip, they wanted us to try Sha Tin 18’s super crispy Peking duck skin!

We started with some hot soup, Hot & Sour Seafood Soup (HK$78/bowl) and Double-Boiled Pork Soup with Pear and Dendrobium Orchid (HK$98/bowl). We enjoyed both soups but I personally prefer the latter one because of the hint of sweetness it had.

Hot & Sour Seafood Soup

Double-Boiled Pork Soup
with Pear & Dendrobium Orchid

We enjoyed our soups while waiting for the Traditional Peking Duck First Course (HK$448).

You have 3 ways in eating a carved Peking Duck. First is the Skin, which is dipped in sugar. Yes you heard me right, Duck Skin + Sugar! It’s the best I’ve ever tasted in my life. The duck skin is so crisp and light, and when combined with the sugar, it literally melted in my mouth. Dihia is right, the sugar helped balance the oilyness of the skin because it didn’t feel oily on my mouth.

Next is the Breast Meat, then the Leg Meat with Skin. I know that having the crispiest duck skin with minimal fat means sacrificing the meat of the duck. I will admit that the duck meat was a bit on the dry side and was just okay to me. But this didn’t bother us because the perfect duck skin is enough to be part of the top 5 meals of 2011.

Peking Duck Second Course (HK$118) was just the plain bones choppep up into pieces. We didn’t want any other way for this.

We also had some appetizers like the Pan Fried Pork Belly, Shrimps & Chinese Mushroom Dumpling (HK$95/5pcs) for me, and Pan-Fried Duck & Mushroom Bean Curd Roll (HK$45) for Mom.

Pan-Fried Dumplings

Pan-Fried Duck & Mushroom Bean Curd Roll

Since Dad is a fan of fried pigeon, we also ordered Crispy Baby Pigeon (HK$95/pc). It was also good, but I prefer the pigeon to be fatter.

Crispy Baby Pigeon

They wanted to try some of the dimsums offered. We had Steamed Pork Dumpling (HK$50) and Steamed Chicken Feet in XO Sauce (HK$45). Both were also good, typical good quality HK Yam Cha.

Steamed Pork Dumpling

Steamed Chicken Feet in XO Sauce

And of course, we needed our dose of greens so I chose Stir Fried Green Beans with Minced Pork & Olive Paste (HK$115) which I happily ate with Steamed Rice (HK$18).

Stir Fried Green Beans with Minced Pork & Olive Paste

Peking Duck Menu

Sha Tin 18 – Hyatt Regency HK

Contact: +852 3723 1234

18 Chak Cheung St., Sha Tin

New Territories, Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Food Finds At Wellcome

2012-02-15T06:24:00.000-08:00

Everytime I’m in another country, I always make it a point to visit a local supermarket. In Hong Kong’s case, it was often Wellcome -- their 24 hour grocery. First reason is to check their fruit selection for my daily breakfast. Yes, I do make it a point to eat fruits first before anything else everyday. So we bought assorted fruit platters and cups.

Assorted fruits

One of our breakfast days, we had Ham & Pineapple Pizza (HK$34), Chicken & Bacon Pizza (HK$34), Twisted Puff Pastry with Sugar (HK$15) and Peeled Pomelo (HK$28).

Breakfast Set

And on another breakfast, we had Salmon Sashimi (HK$80-100)/pk) because Mom really wanted to try it. The sashimi was very fresh and plump, quality is at par with what you’ll find in a typical Japanese restaurant in Manila.

Salmon Sashimi

Dihia’s favorite Twisted Donuts.

Twisted Doughnuts

Here are the oh-so-many sushi and sashimi choices!

Next time, would love to try their other dishes like roastings and viands.

Countless dumplings with assorted fillings.

Hong Kong, Breakfast From Wellcome Part II

2012-02-12T22:22:00.000-08:00

On another breakfast day, we had some breads and a tub of Hofan noodles.

As usual, I started with fruits, Cherries (HK$55/kg) this time.

The sandwiches offered were very tempting but I had no room for it. Probably next time!

Some snacks paired with our daily dose of Yakult and VLT Iced Lemon Tea.

Hong Kong, Hui Lau Shan

2012-02-11T00:09:00.000-08:00

Another must is for dessert in Hong Kong is Hui Lau Shan. A store which offers specialty drinks and desserts. There’s a lot of mango concoctions on their menu, which makes it a must for me.

*They have branches all over Hong Kong.

Hong Kong, Crumbs Yummy Frozen Yogurt & Scones

2012-01-16T17:23:00.000-08:00

Each day we didn’t know what dessert to have, we’d always drop by Crumbs to satisfy our sweet cravings. My family would always get the large Frozen Yogurt cup topped with House Crumbs, which we all love! And the usual fresh mangoes, mochi and green tea mochi. Since this is Dihia’s favorite dessert in HK, he knew that during Saturdays, there’s a free serving of the House Crumbs. Woohooo!!

Plain Crumbs

Green Tea Mochi and Fresh Mango topping

Plain Mochi topping

Endless toppings to choose from.

Also, best way to eat this is to mix everything together like a McFlurry!

They also sell perfect scones, flaky, crusty and buttery.

Crumbs

Contact: +852 2793 9393

G/F Shop 1C #8 Cannon St.

Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Delicious Kitchen

2012-01-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

Everyone’s been raving about HK’s famous Delicious Kitchen so I made sure to bring home photos of our meal there. They served us the usual starter, a pickled looking appetizer.

Dad, Dihia and I started with Iced Lemon Tea (HK$14). They all liked it but I didn’t because of the bitter taste of the tea.

Iced Lemon Tea

I on the other hand ordered Milk Tea (HK$14). And Mom had the her usual dose of Coke.

Milk Tea

We ordered the famous Double Pork Rib (HK$50). It tasted like tocino minus the pinkish color, but with the addition of starch breading then deep fried. I’d prefer it to be less sweet but the texture of the pork and the breading surrounding it was really really good -- sort of gelatinous in a way.

Double Pork Rib

What I really liked is the vegetable rice served underneath the pork chops. It had an earthy aroma that came from the leafy greens it was cooked with (guessing it's Chinese mustard leaves). The rice grain used was of good quality and it had the right touch of oil that makes the texture so good.

The Sliced Eel (HK$50) was not worth ordering because it didn’t have character and it was mostly bean sprouts. I’d always choose Sweet Dynasty’s version of Sliced Eel.

Sliced Eel

We all liked the Three Kinds of Mushroom with Japanese Bean Curd (HK$60). The bean curd looked house made because of the yellowish color, shape and different texture.

Three Kinds of Mushroom with Japanese Bean Curd

We also wanted Mom to try the Yellow Fish with Pine Nuts (HK$88) which was fried nice and crisp. The sauce was a bit sour for me but they all found it good.

Yellow Fish with Pine Nuts

And of course, Fried Wonton (HK$55).

Fried Wonton

Good food and value for money is what Delicious Kitchen offers.

Delicious Kitchen

Contact: +852 2577 7720

G/F Shop B 9-11 Cleveland St.

Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

HK 2011, Sergeant Hainanese Chicken Rice

2012-01-11T06:33:00.000-08:00

Achie and I were still busy shopping at Esprit and the other outlets in Citygate when the parentals were already exhausted. So Dad and Mom waited for us at the food court of Citygate.

Since they were tired and thirsty, they wanted something fresh and cold. So they had an order of Ice Kachang (HK$26) from one of the stalls at the Food Republic.

When we came to the table, we decided to have snacks since dinner was scheduled late that night. Mom and I roamed the food court and decided to eat at Sergeant Hainanese Chicken Rice.

Of course, we ordered Hainanese Chicken (HK$100/half). And we had an extra order of Hainanese Rice (HK$10) to be paired with the chicken.

Mom wanted to try the Roast Chicken Meal (HK$40), she liked it, period.

Sergeant Hainanese Chicken Rice

2/F Food Republic, Citygate Outlets

Tat Tung Road, Tung Chung, Lantau

Hong Kong, East Lake

2011-12-12T02:47:00.000-08:00

As everyone who frequents Hong Kong, it is a known fact that stores and restaurants open later than what we are accustomed to. Other than the usual Yam Cha places, the only stores open in the morning is Wellcome Supermarket and other coffee shops. We were already hungry one morning and Delicious Kitchen was still closed so we decided to have Yam Cha at East Lake. This is our go to place when original plans in the morning doesn’t push through.

So we entered, again the very busy East Lake restaurant. On the way to our table, there were already foods to choose from.

We were too hungry so we ordered some congee and Pork Pastry first.

Then Dihia ordered his favorite, Steamed Rice Rolls with minced Hebi and Spring Onions.

The rest of the small dishes followed. We had Asado Siopao, Taro Puff, Beancurd Spring Rolls and Xiao Long Bao.

We also had the usual Hakaw – Shrimp Dumplings, Siomai and Beef Ball.

And then some more familiar Yam Cha: Chicken Feet, Radish Cake, Taosi Spareribs and Scallion Pancake.

Also had Asado & Shrimp Cheong Fan and some more spring rolls.

Everything we ordered above totaled to only HK$300. Nothing really beats Hong Kong Dimsum but Binondo’s version is good enough.

Click here to view more about our other East Lake meals.

East Lake Seafood Restaurant

Contact: +852 2504 3311

4/F Pearl City 22-36 Patterson St.

Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Gong Cha

2011-12-10T01:08:00.000-08:00

A must in HK is Milk Tea. Dihia and I each had our own drink. Pearl Milk Tea with Pudding (HK$17). Earl Grey Milk Tea with Pearl (HK$16).

Hong Kong, The Sweet Dynasty

2011-12-07T08:51:00.000-08:00

Dinner was supposed to be at Yung Kee on the first night but at 8:00pm we were still in Tsim Sha Tsuy’s Avenue of the Stars, looking at the beautiful Hong Kong Skyline. So we just switched our dinner to Sweet Dynasty along Canton Road.

We first had some refreshments while ordering. A glass of Fresh Lemon & Citrus Honey Drink (HK$18) is perfect while waiting for the food.

I ordered the Steamed Eel Slices in Black Bean Sauce Rice Topping (HK$38) for Dad and Mom. It was really good. Good thing we got the rice topping, It was so good with the steaming white rice underneath.

Steamed Eel Slices in Black Bean Sauce

Dihia made me try the Steamed Crispy Twisted Doughnut Noodle Rolls (HK$32).

Steamed Crispy Doughnut Noodle Rolls

Even if the Fried Noodles with Soy Sauce (HK$65) was lacking in meat/seafood, it was still very good. Mom liked this so much that during our other dinners in HK, she kept looking for this kind of dish. Despite being flavored with just soy sauce and tossed with some vegetables, the dish had depth to it.

Fried Noodles with Soy Sauce

Dihia’s must order in Chinese restaurants is the classic Sweet & Sour Pork with Pineapples (HK$75). As usual, he liked it and I didn’t. I’m not really a fan of anything sweet & sour because of the sour part. But Dad and Mom also said it was good because of the right balance of sweetness and tartness.

Sweet & Sour Pork with Pineapples

What I enjoyed was the simple tasting Fried Bean Curd Skin Rolls Filled with Assorted Mushrooms (HK$23).

Fried Bean Curd Skin Rolls Filled with Assorted Mushrooms

Upon exiting Sweet Dynasty, I noticed the many orders of dessert bowl but decided to continue to go out because we were all too full. But we did try the desserts one evening after dinner at Chinese Kitchen -- both of which will be posted soon.

The Sweet Dynasty

Contact: +852 2199 7799

G/F 100 Canton Road

Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon

Hong Kong, Din Tai Fung - Truffle Xiao Long Bao!

2011-12-06T08:51:00.000-08:00

First time I was able to try Din Tai Fing was during a trip to Taiwan. They specialize in Xiao Long Baos, also known as Soup Dumplings. It was good. So when we got to Hong Kong around noon, we decided to eat there so that Dad can sample their XLB’s. Upon entering the restaurant, you will see how they form the dumplings at the open kitchen.

So how do we really enjoy these Soup Dumplings?

Step 1: Bite the middle top part to expose what’s inside.

Step 2: Either slurp the soup straight or pour the soup into the Chinese spoon for later consumption.

Step 3: Dip in black vinegar with julienned ginger and enjoy!

We were all hungry so while Dihia was checking in at Parklane, Dad, Mom and I went straight to Din Tai Fung a couple of blocks away. We started with their Special Steamed Pork Dumplings (HK$48).

Special Steamed Pork Dumplings

Dihia got to the restaurant the same time the Steamed Crab Roe & Pork Dumplings (HK$68) was laid on our table. This included crab roe from the Shanghai specialty hairy-fisted crab.

Steamed Crab Roe & Pork Dumpling

I so wanted to try the Steamed Black Truffle Pork Dumplings (HK$138), I’m glad we did! When I bit the top part of the skin, I already had the hint of truffles. Then, I made sure to eat the first piece without vinegar. Oh wow! The truffle flavor exploded in my mouth together with the meaty and juicy taste of the XLB filling. This is a must try for truffle fans.

Steamed Black Truffle Pork Dumpling

Steamed Shrimp & Pork Dumplings (HK$58).

Steamed Shrimp & Pork Dumplings

We also had the classic Steamed Shrimp & Pork Shao Mai (HK$68), which I ordered for Dihia.

Steamed Shrimp & Pork Shao Mai

Their Steamed Pork Bun (HK$15/pc) was good. It was very moist inside, almost having some soup in it too like the XLB.

Steamed Pork Bun

The Vegetable & Pork Wonton Tossed in Special Sauce (HK$38) was a hit on our table because of the sweetish-soy taste it had. I even used the same sauce for the other dumplings! Also, I ordered Dihia the Spicy Shrimp & Pork Wonton (HK$45). Looks really spicy but it was good, and wasn’t too spicy.

Vegetable Wonton. Spicy Wonton

Mom wanted to try the Deep Fried Chicken & Shrimp Spring Roll (HK$32). She liked it.

Chicken & Shrimp Spring Roll

Quite good for our first meal/merienda in Hong Kong.

Din Tai Fung

Contact: +852 3160 8998

G/F 68 Yee Wo St.

Causeway Bay, Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific Snack Pastries

2011-12-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

On our way to Hong Kong, we were served Barbecued Pork Buns. I didn’t really eat it, just had a glass of orange juice.

And on our way home it was Chicken Turnover. Again, I didn’t touch it because I was too full from HK. I just enjoyed some white wine on the ride home. Dad Mom and Ach were lucky to have rode Dragon Air because they were served rice meals. (But I think the reason is because our flight schedule was in between meals.

Waiting at PAGSS Lounge

2011-12-06T08:35:00.000-08:00

Thanks to sihia Obet, whom Dihia contacted, I was able to do some more work at the PAGSS Lounge before leaving for Hong Kong.

So while waiting and doing some work on my computer, we had some food from the snack bar.

Premium Beef at Ganso Shabuway, Japanese Style Hot Pot

2011-12-05T08:15:00.000-08:00

It was during another get together with the DLSU group since Mar is home for a couple of days. We all planned to meet in Greenbelt, so I suggested we have dinner at Ganso Shabuway.

A person has a choice between two kinds of broths: Traditional Seaweed or Spicy Miso. You can also opt for Half and Half, which we chose to be able to try both.

We all agreed to ordered the extra Kobe Beef (Php1,075) to share. We all enjoyed it but I personally feel that this was too much for shabu-shabu. I would prefer eating Kobe Beef as a steak to be able to appreciate it’s melt in the mouth meat.

Kobe Beef

We then proceded in choosing our beef set. Take note that sharing is not allowed. Others ordered the regular Meyer Natural Angus with Veggie Plate A (Php599/set).

Meyer Natural Angus

Veggie Plate A

While some of us prefered regular Meyer Natural Angus with Veggie Plate B (Php679/set).

Meyer Natural Angus

Veggie Plate B

All sets come with two kinds of dipping sauce, I personally prefer the Sesame dip. Then, you have a choice of either plain rice or noodles. As usual, Mar and I chose rice over the noodles

Sesame Dip

We had additional Shimeji Balls (Php80/4pcs) on the side. It’s the typical shabu-shabu fish ball but this time filled with chopped mushrooms.

Shimeji Balls

Btw, they have new promos which you might find interesting.

Dinner was very timely because it was raining that time. We ended our night with some cakes from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. See you this December Mar!

Ganso Shabuway

Contact: +63 2 9036763

2/L Greenbelt 5 Legaspi St.

Legaspi Village, Makati City

New Starbucks Sandwich Offerings

2011-12-05T06:24:00.000-08:00

A couple of months ago, Starbucks Philippines launched some of the best sandwiches they’ve ever created. Here are the samples I’ve already tried.

On the day of our play, Sher and I had lunch at Starbucks and tried the Ultimate Grilled Cheese with Hungarian Sausage (Php140) and The Clubhouse (Php140). Both were good.

Ultimate Grilled Cheese

Clubhouse

Boo’s favorite is the Roasted Chicken Pesto & Shitake Mushrooms on Flat Bread (Php140).

Roasted Chicken Pesto & Shitake Mushrooms on Flat Bread

And during a PPP meeting, we were able to try their Beef Brisket on Chewy Crusty Bread (Php140). Love the chewy crusty bread! They were sampling it to us with the Mint Java Chip and Java Chip Frappuccino.

Beef Brisket

I was also able to try the Turkey & Chicken Ham, Egg White and Emmenthal (Php110), on Whole Wheat Cornmeal Bread. To me, this sandwich is a bit bland.

Turkey & Chicken Ham, Egg White & Emmenthal

I’ve been trying a lot of their sandwiches and am very excited of the upcoming flavors. I have also been sampling their Christmas season menu and I’m really enjoying it.

Here’s the first post I wrote about Starbucks Sandwiches.

Saying YUM at Yumemiya Japanese Café

2011-11-30T09:08:00.000-08:00

It was another get together with my high school group and they let me chose the location. So I thought of trying out this new Japanese café in greenhills area. I was surprised that Yumemiya is actually a franchise from abroad. I learned that even their cakes and other desserts are directly flown from Hong Kong.

We started our meal with an appetizer of Clams Cooked with White Wine & Cream (Php178). I loved how simple this dish was, clams cooked in just plain cream and wine. Most people would find this dish bland but I was able to go past the salt taste and find the natural sweetness of the clams and cream.

Clams Cooked with White Wine & Cream

We aso tried the Sauté Mushrooms with Garlic & Red Pepper (Php148).

Saute Mushrooms with Garlic & Red Pepper

Inna enjoyed the Spaghetti with Cod’s Roe and Japanese Pickles in Cream Sauce (Php278). This was actually my top pick during dinner. It was simple and light but at the same time filling. Despite not having any meat or seafood in it, it was very tasty, because of the salty sea taste from the cod roe and pickles.

Spaghetti with Cod's Roe & Japanese Pickles

I also enjoyed the Udon Noodle with Curry Beef in Soup (Php288). The curry flavor was just right, it didn’t overpower any ingredient in this dish.

Udon Noodle with Curry Beef in Soup

The Diced Sirloin Steak with Fried Potato and Vegetable on Hot Plate (Php398) was also yummy. It is like the Japanese version of Salpicao, they even served it with garlic rice. Beef used was also of good quality, you will notice this on your first bite.

Diced Sirloin Steak w/ Potato and Vegetables on Hot Plate

Garlic Rice

Oh and then another good dish was the Smoked Salmon and Egg Pizza with Wasabi Sauce (Php318). I love the soft boiled egg on top which I poked and scattered all over the pizza slices.

Smoked Salmon & Egg Pizza with Wasabi Sauce

Kar and I shared a glass of Iced Green Tea Maccha Float with Rice-Flour Dumplings (Php199) because it looked so good on the menu. When it came to us, I was a bit disappointed because the color was totally off the menu, it was moss green in color. Taste was okay, you can adjust it to your taste since they serve it with the syrup on the side.

Iced Green Tea Maccha Float w/ Rice Flour Dumplings

Of course being dessert loves, Jo and I wanted to try some sweets. We ordered their famous Kanten-Jelly with Red Bean, Chestnut, Dumplings and Vanilla Ice Cream (Php249). It tasted like the typical Japanese dessert with rice balls, chestnutes, jelly and sweetened red beans.

Kanten Jelly

The Kanten-Jelly goes well with hot Green Tea, it is included in the dessert order.

We also had a slice of the Cheesecake (Php).

Cheesecake

The star of the night for me was the Milk Pudding (Php150). The best pudding I’ve ever tried by far. Its taste is a cross between a pudding, crème brulee and panna cota – YES! The best way to end any meal. I will surely be back soon because of the Milk Pudding.

Yumemiya Japanese Cafe

Contact: +63 2 7224838

47 Connecticut St. North East Square Bldg.

Greenhills, San Juan, Metro Manila

Diwal aka Angel Wing Clams from Aklan

2011-11-30T08:29:00.000-08:00

One sunny morning, our house help carried in a box full of what he calls Diwal. I didn’t know what it was yet. My phone rang and it was Ahia telling me he had Diwal flown from Aklan to Manila for me to experiment on. And so he explained to me what it was and I then tried to research about it.

Diwal, also known as Angel Wing Clams is named as such because its shell resembles that of angel’s wings.

size for comparison

Since the Diwal was fresh and mostly huge, I decided to just make it into a soup to be able to taste it’s natural sweet juices.

Thanks Ahia!

Very Affordable Hainanese Delight

2011-11-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

We went to Robinson’s Place one day to try the Hainanese Chicken place which opened months ago. So when we got there, we asked where it was. We weren’t sure of the name so we thought we were directed to the right place. We ate at Hainanese Delights. And then a few days later, I found out that it wasn’t the place I was looking for. We should’ve ate at The Chicken Rice Shop, maybe next time.

So anyways, moving on to the dishes we tried. Dad and Aunt G ordered the classic Hainanese Delight (Php120).

Hainanese Delight

Then we all shared the Surf and Turf Bits (Php110) - fried shrimp and pork dumplings; and Classic Dumpling (Php80) - standard pork dumpling in flavorful and delcious tasty soup.

Surf and Turf Bits

Classic Dumplings

Mome also wanted to try Take the Cake (Php75) which was cubed and fried radish cake.

Take the Cake

Aunt B wanted to try the Chicken Heaven (Php120) coated with rich barbecue sauce. It taste like the typical Pinoy Barbecue.

Chicken Heaven

Mom, a fried pork lover, ordered Pork Passionate (Php120). Perfectly flavored crispy strips of pork, their version of Tonkatsu.

Pork Passionate

Achie wanted to try something else, so she ordered the Bring in the Beef (Php120), tender and tasty beef brisket.

Bring in the Beef

I on the other hand wanted some noodle soup so I had the Tender Beef Tendons (Php120). It was defined on the menu as tasty specialty beef tendons cooked with heady soup, enjoyed with noodles. I did enjoy the flavorful soup.

Tender Beef Tendons

Lunch at Hainanese Delights wasn’t a failure despite planning to eat somewhere else. You will be surprised that at these prices, all rice meals go with unlimited rice (although it didn’t taste like Hainanese rice). They even give free soup for all. Food was okay, but becomes good because of its affordability.

After lunch, we went straight to S&R for some groceries. We also had S&R Ice Cream for dessert. Dad ordered Strawberry Cheesecake, I got Cookies & Cream, and Bunny Tracks (like double dutch without marshmallows) for Ach.

Hainanese Delights

Pedro Gil Wing, Robinson’s Place Manila

Pedro Gil St., Malate, Manila