Pinoy Cuisine

SLICE : A Slice of Life in Every Bite from Pia Cayetano @piacayetano

Noemi — Sun, 13 May 2012 16:33:34 +0000

Pia Cayetano is not just Senator to me and my family. We share a lot of common friends . I’ve always known Pia to be entrepreneurial from the stories of my sister in law who was her high school classmate. Visiting SLICE her latest baby, a cafe located at the new section of Bonifacio High Street is like having a new home at the Fort Global City for my family.

I think I have been to SLICE five times and never got to blog about it. I don’t get to blog that often anyway so I have a perfect excuse. I went there with my daughter , Marielle just before she left for Australia last February 15. Another time, it was an event for Kalibrr. Then there was the time, I took a refreshing drink after an event at a nearby restaurant. And during our 27th wedding anniversary celebration , we dropped by for coffee and dessert. Today, I thought spending an afternoon at Slice should cap my Mother’s day celebration.

You will have to excuse my photos. They do not depict the cozy and the great food so just check out the other food blogs of my friends like Anton and Brian.

My daughter Lauren took an Instagram photo of Slice and commented that this is “My new favorite coffee shop: Slice at @ BHS. The Chocnut coffee and Nuts About Bananas muffin is to die for!”

I had once brought some Banana muffins from the Kalibrr event and Lauren wanted to order it again. She loved the moist banana nut muffins with real banana chunks. She paired it with Slice “Pinoy Chocnut” , one of their specialty coffee in their menu. Imagine the combination: Coffee meets Chocolate and Peanut butter and pairing it with Banana muffins? The muffins have lower fat and sugar content than your average muffin but not necessarily in low calories. I like that it contains a lot of fiber and nuts. Pia explained in an interview that while most muffins are packed with flour and sugar, her recipe is rich in natural fiber. “Instead of ingesting starch, which has low nutritional value, half of the consistency would be fruit.

My husband ordered Caramel Yema Cake. It is SLICE signature Yema, between light , fluffy and moist Chiffon cake covered with Caramel buttercream icing. It’s got to be my favorite cake of all time. I ordered the Moringa Miracle , a delightful sweet blend from the miracle vegetable, the Malunggay.

Our afternoon celebration got even more special when Pia joined us briefly for a chat. She wanted us to try their SLICE Champorado and brown Arroz Caldo. We had been eyeing these two from their Breakfast/Light dishes menu.

The taste is exactly how I want my Arroz Caldo to be but this one was prepared differently from my homecooked version. Chicken breast chunks with brown rice infused with ginger and turmeric. We all loved it.

SLICE Champorado is granola served with Banana and Peanut butter with the choice of Milk Chocolate and Belgian Chocolate. Pia demonstrated how to mix our champorado to our taste by combining the milk and chocolate together with the peanut butter and granola.

It will remind you of Pinoy Chocnut. Granola is such a filling dish for breakfast. Since Slice is nearby my Fitness First gym, I can take this for breakfast just before my workout.

It was such an honor to celebrate Mother’s day with Pia even for a brief moment. I know she was inspired to start SLICE partly from her maternal grandmother Alvenia who was a baker. In many ways, SLICE is the product of her imagination, dreams, travels, food cravings and a desire to share her ideas on healthy eating with occasional indulgences.

You should try SLICE.

Slice serves breakfast starting at 9:00 AM. Slice is located at Bonifacio High Street Central; tel. 5651998.

Check some of their Slice offerings. (I was not able to take a shot of their other menu offerings)

and specialty cakes

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You might also want to read my personal blog at Touched by an Angel and my other blogs like Free Filipino Food Recipes, Shopping Finds, and Techie Gadgets. Hope you can drop by! Thanks for visiting…Noemi Lardizabal-Dado

SLICE : A Slice of Life in Every Bite from Pia Cayetano @piacayetano is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

I was out when the Avengers came over with 2 buckets of Jollibee Chicken Joy

Noemi — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 13:46:51 +0000

Of all times, I was out when the Avengers (well at least Hulk and Thor) arrived at my house at 12 noon to deliver a bucket of Chicken Joy. I thought my husband and daughter would be around…but my husband was at the grocery while my daughter took an important conference call from the USA. I was out at the Malacanang Palace for the formal launch and unveiling of the K to 12 Curriculum .

All along I thought Jollibee would just deliver a bucket of Chicken Joy so I told them to leave it with Christine, our household help in case none of my family members were home. How was I to know the Avengers would be there?

I felt bad that none of my family members (who are fans of the Avengers) were home to accept the two buckets of Chicken Joy. But when I heard the kids in the neighborhood were overjoyed , I felt happy. The neighbors had fun having a photo shoot in front of my home.

Apparently, Jollibee has a promo: reusable Avengers Chicken Joy bucket starting April 11- May 15, 2012. Each bucket has 6 pieces for only 335 pesos.

My husband feels safer now that word got around we have connections to the Avengers. Haha, I just had to laugh.

Thanks Jollibee and Stratworks for giving smiles to my household help and the neighborhood kids.————————————

I was out when the Avengers came over with 2 buckets of Jollibee Chicken Joy is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

An Italian Chef Visits The Maya Kitchen & other Cooking class schedules

Noemi — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:06:23 +0000

A young Italian chef cooks traditional Italian fare at The Maya Kitchen on May 5, Saturday, 9am-1pm. Too bad that is our 27th wedding anniversary and will be out of town. But you might be interesting to learn Italian cooking?

Chef Roberto Cimmino, Italian Chef de Cuisine at Edsa Shangri-la Hotel’s Paparazzi, will share his culinary tricks and tips as he prepares a complete course of Zuppa Minestrone, Italian Vegetable Stew with Prosciutto and Parmesan; Insalata Rughetta, Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan, Toasted Pine Nuts and Balsamico Reduction; Fettucine, fresh homemade Pasta with Classical Tomato and Basil Sauce; Risotto alla Parmigiana, a basic recipe; Pan Seared Black Lapu-lapu with Broccoli Mash, Capers, Nuts and a touch of Anchovies and Tiramisu “As Roby Likes It.”

Prior to joining EDSA Shangri-la Hotel in October of 2011, the 25 year old chef was Chef de Cuisine of Italian restaurant Danieli’s at the St. Regis Hotel, Shanghai. Before that, he was the Chef de Cuisine at Italian restaurant Bene at the Suzhou Sheraton Hotel & Towers.

Watch out also for the Summer Culinary Workshops for Kids and Teens as it continues this month of May.

The Junior Culinary Workshop for 6-12 years old is from May 8-11, 8:30am-12:30pm. Kids learn something different each day with the following themes: Breakfast Surprise, Fine Dining in Italy, Modern Mexican and Jazzed-Up Kiddie Food.

For teens 13 years old and up, classes are from May 15-18, 9am-1pm. Daily themes include: Party Fare, Pie Day, Italian Yummies and Decadent Fun Desserts and Food Truck.

International Breads is on May 19, 1:30-6pm.

Certificate Courses with Hands-On include: Cake Decorating (Basic and Advanced), May 2-4,10am-3pm; Fundamentals of Bakery Production, May 2-5, 9am-2pm and May 15-17 and 19, 1:30-6pm; Basic Culinary, May 7-10, 1:30-6pm and May 22-25, 9am-3pm; and Catering May 25-26, 9am-5pm.

For more information, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail
contactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108.
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An Italian Chef Visits The Maya Kitchen & other Cooking class schedules is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

Cafe Juanita: Pinoy dishes at a Sunday lunch buffet

Noemi — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:53:31 +0000

It is not often that my family eats out. Last Sunday was one of those rare days that our daughter and her boyfriend went along with us after we checked out her almost finished condominium unit. Cafe Juanita is quite near our house and we wanted to eat there for the longest time. The outside facade looked interesting. It was only 11:00 AM but it seems the parking was already full.

The entrance is inviting already with its Asian decor.

I had no inkling on Cafe Juanita menu but the entrance decors prepared me for a relaxing lunch affair with my family.

I am entranced.

These East Asian decors greet you as you enter the door.

The first floor was full so the waiters led us to the second floor. The place reminds me of the early sixties architecture.

The waiter told us the buffet cost 539 pesos plus. This was the only time I knew that Cafe Juanita offered Pinoy food.

Sorry for the blurry photos. The visit to Cafe Juanita was an unplanned lunch so I didn’t bring my camera. I used my iphone and Samsung Note to take shots. The photos do not do justice to the beautiful mix of Asian and Filipino decors. We took a moment to scrutinize each section of the second floor before heading off to the first floor where the buffet is located.

This is how it looks as I go down the stairs.

There is a small room at the corner where the buffet tables are laid.

There is a wide array of Pinoy dishes from tortang talong, kare-kare, dinuguan, okoy, Chicken Inasal, embutido, lumpia, bangus, fried tilapia, laing, and lots more. There is Sinigang soup too.

There must have been 12 dishes or more. Pinoy green salad is also available such as talbos na kamote, okra , ampalaya with salted eggs and sidings.

I chose the green mango salad with cilantro.

What struck me is the food plating. Pinoy food is known to be of dull brown colors like adobo or dinuguan . Cafe Juanita uses green pandan leaves or siling haba for a nice touch of color.

Dinuguan does not look drab anymore. I take a little portion just to taste.

I took very little but my husband wanted to get his money worth by filling up his plate.

I tell my husband to pause so I can take a photo of our table. He looks a bit annoyed for destroying his eating mood.

What is Pinoy dining without washing down the food with buko juice?

And to top it all, Pinoy dessert. Guinataan is my all time favorite. The resto has a separate bowl for coconut cream in case you want to add more to your guinataan.

The mintamis na saba is so good too.

Aside from the Pinoy favorite kakanin, there is halo-halo too.

Everything is all here in this Pinoy food lunch buffet. It is definitely worth the 539 pesos. Balikbayans will be in for a treat with Cafe Juanita. Everytime my balikbayan relatives visit, it is always Kamayan.

Now, there are two Pinoy restaurants to visit: Adarna Food Culture and Cafe Juanita.

Cafe Juanita is located beside Shunji Matsuo Japanese Hair Salon.

Contact information:

Cafe Juanita, Pasig
2 United St. cor. West Capitol Drive, Barrio Kapitolyo
Pasig City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 632-0357

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Cafe Juanita: Pinoy dishes at a Sunday lunch buffet is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

Junior Culinary Workshops (JCW) at The Maya Kitchen for April

Noemi — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:13:27 +0000

Little aspiring chefs get their chance to shine this April as The Maya Kitchen rolls out its Junior Culinary Workshops (JCW) on April 10-13 and Young People’s Cook-In (YPC) on April 17-20. Both sessions run from Tuesday to Friday.

In four days, boys and girls, 6-12 years old, can learn how to prepare the following: Quick & Easy Party Dishes, Classic Dishes, Nutritious Home Prepared Meals and Snacks and Desserts.

Teens, 13 years old and up will learn Italian Specialties, East Meets West Menu, Delectable Treats and get the chance to join a real life Chefs’ Competition on the last day.

For a unique bonding experience with your kids, try out the Parent and Child Cooking Tandem on April 28 and May 5, 9am-1pm.

Other Lifestyle Classes for April include: Coffee 101, April 14, 1-6pm; Pastry Shop Sampler, April 21, 9am-2pm; and Frozen Delights, April 28, 2-6pm.

Certificate Courses with Hands-On include: Basic Culinary is on April 10, 11, 12, 14 from 1-6pm and April 24-27, 9am-3pm. Barista starts on April 14, 1-6pm that includes 120 hours of on-the-job training. Fundamentals of Bakery Production is on April 17, 18, 19, 21, 2-6pm. TESDA registered courses for career and professional cooks features Commercial Cooking NCII inclusive of 400 hours of lecture and demo with on-the-job training. Class starts on April 24, 9am-3pm.

For more information on other courses offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mailcontactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.————————————

Junior Culinary Workshops (JCW) at The Maya Kitchen for April is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

Geisha Modern Japanese Cuisine at the Bonifacio High Street Central

Noemi — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 10:38:33 +0000

Rock Shrimp Tempura salad

It was the last night of the Corona Impeachment trial while the senators go on their vacation. Tired and hungry, I knew I shouldn’t pass up the chance to visit the launch of Geisha at the Fort. The name in itself hints of Japanese cuisine.

Skewered Pork

I was not disappointed. Geisha takes modern Japanese cuisine to a new high with amazing culinary creations, stunning presentation and a touch of class. Everything about this restaurant from the food, to the interiors and the service communicates elegance and sophistication. I was fortunate to sit with the designers that night so I got a glimpse of the design concept.

Geisha Carpacccio

Geishas are “performing artists,” universally unparalleled in beauty, poise and talent. The design exudes the Geisha concept. This brand new Japanese restaurant uses high quality ingredients and puts them together with flair and artform – true to the artistic connotation of all that is suggested by the restaurant’s name.

Hamachi Sashimi

Some of the restaurant’s signature items include premium grade Japanese A5 Wagyu, Geisha Carpaccio, Salmon and King Prawn Roll, Kurobuta Gyoza, Miso Glazed Gindara with Edamame Risotto, U.S. Angus Beef Teppanyaki and the Skewered Pork 72, an unbelievably tender pork dish which requires 3 days of preparation.

Unagi Soba

Geisha also offers a selection of heavenly desserts like Tempura Brûlée, Chocolate Truffle Torte with Sesame-Sake Sauce and Green Tea Cheesecake. An extensive selection of vegetarian and vegan dishes for more health conscious diners is also available. A stimulating treat for each of the senses, the artistic food presentation is the exclamation point that brings all the aspects of this concept together.

Seafood Salad

Fortunately for those who love to drink, all the emphasis is not on the food, a lot of attention was also given to the extensive drink list which includes a wide range of sake, sake cocktails, wines, beers and an impressive selection of gourmet tea.

Two Tartars

Geisha is the end result of a collaboration of superb talent – British consultant Chef Tom Hines was brought on board to develop the menu together with his colleague Ramon Antonio. The interiors were designed by Japanese designer Hisako Hirayama of Design HQ and the dining staff’s uniforms were created by Tokyo trained Kim Gan of the Gakuya label. Owner Michael Dargani declares “We wanted to raise the bar with Geisha. Our vision was to set the standard for contemporary Japanese cuisine in the country so we sought out the most passionate, talented and creative individuals to work with and we are thrilled with the results.”

Wakame Salad

Too bad I missed the Kimono themed fashion show by Kim Gan of Gakuya. “These are not your everyday Kimonos,” says Kim regarding the all black 10 piece collection she designed, “Each one is a unique interpretation of the traditional Japanese dress”.

Kurouta Gyoza

Moving dramatically through the restaurant, gorgeous, towering Asian models use interesting props such as Japanese umbrellas, pipes, musical instruments and fans while gliding on 8-inch high platform ‘geta’ sandals. “We were inspired to do something special for our grand launch,” says Nameeta Dargani, Michael’s wife. “We wanted our friends and guests to be entertained and enjoy a memorable experience at Geisha.”

Spicy Tuna Crisps

With its modern, swanky interiors and fine, innovative Japanese fare, Geisha withh Food as an artform will surely be a hit in the dining scene.

For the menu, click the image to enlarge

Contact Information
Upper Level, Bonifacio High Street Central
Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines
Contact: 0917 5692181 or 6213196.
Visit Geisha Modern Japanese Cuisine on Facebook.————————————

Geisha Modern Japanese Cuisine at the Bonifacio High Street Central is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

Asian Culinary tour on March 3 and other March cooking demos at Maya Kitchen

Noemi — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:16:09 +0000

On March 3, Saturday, 1-6pm at The Maya Kitchen, Heritage Hotel Manila Executive Chef Alex Chong brings you on an Asian Culinary Journey as he demonstrates well-loved regional cuisine like Hainanese Chicken Rice and Laksa plus Grilled Prawns with Healthy Coriander Curry Sauce and Carabao Mango Mint Salad along with Nyonya Chicken Soup and Pork Dumpling and popular Malaysian dessert Onde Onde.

The Maya Kitchen also has the following One-Day Lifestyle Courses: Restaurant Best Sellers Lenten Dishes, March 10, Saturday, 9am-1pm; Homemade Sausages, March 17, Saturday, 9am-1pm; Nego Kakanin, March 17, Saturday, 2-6pm; Sugar Free Desserts, March 24, Saturday, 1:30-5:30pm; and International Breads Workshop March 31, Saturday, 9am-3pm.

Certificate courses with hands-on are now offered both on weekdays (Tuesday-Friday) and weekends (Saturday) with the following schedules: Advanced Pastry Class, February 29, March 1 and 2, 9am-3pm; Basic Culinary, weekdays, March 6-9 and March 20-23, 9am-3pm; and weekends, March 3, 10, 17, 24, 8:30am-1:30pm; Fundamentals of Bakery Production, weekdays, March 13-16 and March 27-30, 9am-2pm and weekends, March 3, 10, 17 and 24, 2-6pm; Basic Cake Decorating March 30-31, 9am-4pm.

Enroll now and get early bird discounts for the upcoming Junior Culinary and Teen Workshops scheduled on April 10-13 and May 8-11 and April 17-20 and May15-18.

For more information on other courses offerings, log on to www.themayakitchen.com or e-mail contactus@themayakitchen.com or visit The Maya Kitchen Culinary Center every Tuesday to Saturday at 8F Liberty Building, 835 A. Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road), Makati City or call 8921185 / 892-5011 local 108.
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Asian Culinary tour on March 3 and other March cooking demos at Maya Kitchen is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

Cajun Red Rock by Chef Tony at SM Megamall

Noemi — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:54:02 +0000

I can say this is our belated Valentine celebration even though my husband and I don’t really celebrate it. Besides, it is rare that we eat in restaurants on a Sunday. We thought we’d try something new, the Cajun Red Rock at SM Megamall Atrium. My family enjoy New Orleans cuisine especially since one of my relatives who works in Louisiana brought us some jambalaya mix. We already tried Gumbo restaurant so Cajun Red Rock is our next choice. Cajun Red Rock is more of a family restaurant with its fun American food seasoned with Cajun flavors!

The waitress impressed me. She educated us about each dish we ordered and explained the sauces and side dishes that go along with it. Our order: barbecued burger with bourbon sauce and fries, Jambalaya with grilled seafood ; barbecue pork ribs with the special house sauce with saffron rice and corn-on-the-cob.

They made sure we wouldn’t be hungry by serving pop corn while waiting for our dishes to be served.

Hubby ordered the Tony’s Special Iced Tea, an interesting concoction of vanilla, orange and strawberry flavors while waiting 15 to 20 minutes for our food. It was just too sweet for me so I just took a sip though I admit the concoction is quite unique.

Our Big Tony’s barbecue burger which we shared together.

Baby back ribs grilled with their slow simmered bourbon sauce. This is just so good .

And of course Grilled Seafood Jambalaya skillet , Cajun’s version of this traditional New Orleans rice recipe.

There was still room for dessert but we chose to share it together. We sipped coffee to accompany our Vanilla Caramel pudding. The combination of warm pudding with the ice cream is always a favorite dessert treat for me. It reminds me of Apple pie a la mode.

The dishes are a bit pricier than other eateries but the servings are made to be shared. There are other choices: Seafood Espresso Dumpling, Tower O’ Sesame Rings, Crispy Chicken Tenders, Cajun Stuffed Cheese Logs, Louisiana Buffalo Wings, farmer’s Macaroni Soup, Tony’s Favorite chops, Bourbon Chicken or Chops and Cajun Bourbon Ribs. Thankfully, I didn’t feel like I stuffed myself enough to the point of feeling guilty. The most important thing is enjoying a meal with the love of my life.

Contact details:

Cajun Red Rock, SM Megamall
Megastrip B, SM Megamall, EDSA cor. Julia Vargas Ave., Ortigas Center
Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 638-8387

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Cajun Red Rock by Chef Tony at SM Megamall is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

Ristorante Bigoli breakfast offering at 200 pesos with UNLIMITED pancakes & orange juice

Noemi — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:30:19 +0000

Ristorante Bigoli is an Italian restaurant that brings together two of the most popular dining concepts- the Italian Family Restaurant and Quick Service in a casual setting. Currently, they have branches located at Trinoma and at Eastwood City Walk. I live close to Eastwood City Walk so their latest news is quite exciting.

Today, they launched a breakfast offering for only P200. And guess what? UNLIMITED pancakes and orange juice. The plate also comes with scrambled egg and your choice of bacon or sausage. This breakfast offering is available daily, 8AM-11AM at their Eastwood Citywalk branch only.

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Ristorante Bigoli breakfast offering at 200 pesos with UNLIMITED pancakes & orange juice is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

Valentine’s Day Sweet and Heart-warming Treats from Max’s Corner Bakery

Noemi — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:11:22 +0000

I wasn’t aware that Max Fried Chicken has a bakery until they sent me their press release. What do you know? Max’s Corner Bakery launched its most romantic line of desserts in time for Valentine day celebration.

For couples and family members that celebrate at Max’s Restaurant , these diners will receive a box of sweet and heart-warming pastry bites by Max’s Corner Bakery for a minimum bill of PhP 1,500 from February 10 to 14.

Heart shaped cakes will also be available during this love season. I think they should always have a heart shaped cake throughout the year. Valentine gift suggestions are available at selected Max’s Restaurants nationwide from February 1 – 29. Check out more detailas their Max Corner Bakery facebook page.

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Valentine’s Day Sweet and Heart-warming Treats from Max’s Corner Bakery is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine