Bored with your fried chicken? Here is an idea you should try out just by using a K-Pop twist to your fried chicken. McCormick just launched their Korean Fried Chicken Recipe Mix!

It is quite simple to use. At a recent event, food bloggers tried their hands at The Cookery Place where we cooked and sampled the fried chicken featuring the four flavors of the McCormick Korean Fried Chicken Recipe Mix. McCormick Korean Fried Chicken Recipe Mix comes complete with batter mix and sauce in four Korean flavors: Soy Garlic, Bulgogi, Kimchi and Spicy.

There are two packs inside: a batter mix and a sauce mix. Every pack can coat up to half a kilo of chicken choice cuts and has no added MSG.

The instructions are right there inside the pack even your children can easily mix the batter. Just mix 1/2 cup or 60 ml water to the batter mix. Coat 1/2 kilo of fried chicken for deep fat frying.

Young children should not do the deep fat frying .

After frying the chicken, we drained the chicken in a colander to get rid of the excess oil.

Then the next step is to put the sauce in a small container by opening Pack 2 and pouring the sauce directly to the chicken.

THe fun part is sealing the lid and shaking all the contents inside. Well, you can also dance the “Gangnam Style” along with the shaking. Fun huh?

Voila! You get tasty Korean fried chicken. My favorite flavors are Bulgogi , Kimchi, Soy Garlic and Spicy in that order.

I cooked all four flavors at home and my family loved these flavorful fried chicken. My daughter thinks it is even tastier than the popular Bonchon fried chicken. You should try it at home and get a new Asian twist to fried chicken.

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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

Put a Korean twist to your Fried Chicken is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

The Maya Kitchen Presents Chef Jessie Sincioco

On January 26, Saturday, 9am-1pm, The Maya Kitchen presents well known chef and restaurateur Chef Jessie Sincioco, as she shares her recipes for light, healthy yet delicious dishes to usher in the New Year.

She is an honest to goodness ‘discovery’ of The Maya Kitchen. Josefina Cruz Sincioco, then a novice baker, won the grand prize in the baking category of the Great Maya Cookfest way back in 1983. She credits this as the start of her career in the kitchen.
Her 3-month training at the Hotel Inter-Continental Manila after the competition turned into a full time job with the property. She was sent to train abroad, joined local and international competitions and in 1990, she became the first Filipina Pastry Chef in the history of the hotel.

The chef who, at first, did not have a liking for the smell of the kitchen found initial fame when she, along with expatriate partners, turned the restaurant Le Souffle into a fine dining mecca.

Chef Jessie is now President and CEO of JCS Gastronomie Inc. that operates fine dining restaurants Chef Jessie Rockwell Club and Top of the Citi by Chef Jessie. She is also a co-author of KULINARYA, a Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine.

Dedicated, hard working, feisty and in the end all talent, this is what Chef Jessie Sincioco is all about.

Other courses for January include:
TINAPAYAN Go Negosyo Workshop, January 12, Saturday, 10am-3pm;
COFFEE 101, January 12 Saturday, 1-6pm;
EXPRESS COOKING, January 19, Saturday, 9am-1pm;
BEST OF MAYA BAKING RECIPES, January 19, Saturday, 1-5pm; and
BAKING SECRET OF COFFEE & TEA CAKES, January 26, Saturday, 9am-2pm.

Certificate courses with hands-on include:
BASIC CULINARY (Weekdays) January 8-11/22-25, Tuesday-Friday; (Weekends) February 2, 9, 16 and 23, Saturday, 9-3PM;
BARISTA: January 12, 19 and 26, Saturday, 1-6 PM, 120 hours with On the Job Training (OJT);
CATERING: January 16-18, Wednesday-Friday, 10am-4pm.
FUNDAMENTALS OF BAKERY PRODUCTION, January 15-18/January 29-Febuary 1, Tuesday-Friday, 10am-3pm;
CAKE DECORATING (Basics & Advanced): January 31-February 2, Thursday-Saturday, 10AM-4pm.

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 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.————————————

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

Cooking Courses for January 2013 at the Maya Kitchen is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

We often find ourselves stressed out during the Yuletide Season looking for the most appropriate Christmas presents for our loved ones. What do you actually give to your big boss who seems to have everything already? Or to your better half who expects something extra-ordinary and nothing like the one you gave a year ago? It’s a good thing there is a unique concept that is starting to be the talk of the town in Metro Manila.

FruiQuet (prounced froo-kei) is short for fruit bouquet. It offers various fruit concoctions that are cut, molded and arranged to resemble eye-catching flower arrangements. The difference is that FruiQuets are very practical since they are edible and are made of the finest and freshest fruits in season such as kiwis, cantaloupes, watermelons, oranges, green or red apples, seedless grapes and American strawberries. Depending on the chosen design, some fruit chunks may be dipped in premium white or milk chocolate.

The fruit bouquets may be picked up at any of FruiQuet’s three (3) branches (Katipunan, Eastwood Mall and Shangri-la Plaza) or delivered fresh and chilled right at the door step of the chosen recipient for a reasonable fee.

FruiQuet is proud to offer its Christmas Collection for 2012. Some of its best-selling fruit bouquets for the holidays include Christmassy Tropics (P650), Christmas Fun (P650), Christmas Wish (P800), Yuletide Bells (P1500), Starry Christmas (P1750) and O’ Christmas Tree (P2100). There are more than 30 other designs to choose from including the traditional Fruits-In-A Basket (large/medium/small) and Choco-Dipped Strawberries Supreme in boxes of 4,6,9 and 12. To add pizzazz to the FruiQuets, customers may also choose to bundle special accessories like holiday-themed foil balloons, personalized cards or sparkling, red or white wine.

FruiQuet may be reached at (0915) 451-9999, 794-5999 or atwww.fruiquet.com————————————

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

Christmas gift idea: FruiQuet Fruit Bouquets is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

Christmas always feels so magical to me. The child inside me is always filled with wonder. As a mom with two adult kids, it  does not stop me from filling giddy inside when I see all the amazing Christmas decors around. Just window shopping can be quite an amazing experience.

This holiday season, Bizu Patisserie gets inspiration from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite as it transforms itself into the magical Land of the Sweets. 

Imagine being mesmerized with each branch as you step in seeing all the  toy soldiers, dolls, candles, flowers and even the Sugarplum Fairy and her Cavalier.

What magical things are in store for you in each branch? Bizu describes each delightful treat as follows:

Rouge is a French gateaux of raspberry mousse cake with a crème brûlée surprise.

Noël Dark Chocolate Fruitcake is a Valrhona  chocolate pecan and dark cherry cake with pate-a-glacier and the Noël Fruit and Carrot Cake is a fruit and walnut cake with browned butter cream cheese.

Gaspard is a Christmas chocolate ornament ball on top of a classic financier cake. Inside, when cracked, is a medley of flavors – hazelnut praline mousse with passion fruit and orange cremeux.

Bizu creates its very own Panettone, the classic sweet Italian Christmas bread with candied orange peels, plump raisins and red cherries. Colomba Petit, is another classic Italian bread with candied orange peels soaked in orange liquer.

There is a snowman shaped Macaron de Paris with a new and intriguing flavor called Speculoos. The macaron is filled with ginger butter creme ganache.

Deck your holiday table with show-stopping centerpieces. Melchor Croquembouche is a white and dark Belgian chocolate-covered cream puff tower while the Macaron de Paris Pyramid is a structural art-piece to hold 40 pieces of your favorite Macaron flavors.

Don’t know what to give someone on short notice? Almost everyone I know appreciates the gift of food. You can never go wrong with delightful treats and even food for the Noche Buena table. Bizu has a  Party Tray Menu as they serve a wide variety of exciting canapés to tasty terrines, fresh organic salads and tempting entrées. They also offer Yuletide Pork Crown Roast with apples, chestnut and sausages stuffing, Melt-in-your-mouth 10-Hour Roast US Beef Belly . Even a plump, golden brown Turkey served with pan gravy, cranberry sauce and chestnut stuffing is available.

There are just a number of delicious ways to bring the warmth and joy of the Christmas spirit to your special friends and loved ones.

Check out Bizu Patisserie’s newest branch in One Rockwell Tower, Rockwell Drive Makati City (478-7755). Other Bizu branches are located in Greenbelt 2 Parkside (757-2498), Greenhills Promenade (724-2498), Alabang Town Center (809-2498) and St. Luke’s BGC (789-7700). You can also email bizumarketing@gmail.com or check outwww.bizupatisserie.com or Facebook Fanpage www.facebook.com/ilovebizu Twitter: @BizuPh

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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

Holiday Food Gift Ideas from Bizu Patisserie’s ‘Nutcracker’ Christmas is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

We all know the feeling of coming home to savor your favorite home cooked meals. Chef Sandy Daza will share his home cooked favorites as the guest chef of The Maya Kitchen on November 24, Saturday, 9am to 1pm.

Chef Sandy will demonstrate Shepherd’s Pie, Crispy Fish with Garlic Sauce, Shrimp Puttanesca, Spam Fried Rice, Coq Au Vin and Bread Pudding.

Chef Sandy graduated from New York’s Cornell University with a degree in hotel and restaurant management. He also attended Ecole Cordon Bleu and the American University both in Paris, France and went to Mandarin Hotel Cooking School on Thai Cuisine in Bangkok, Thailand.

He started on TV way back in 1987 co-hosting Cooking with the Dazas along with his mother, the culinary icon Nora Daza.

He is again hosting a cooking show named Kitchen Confidence with Sandy Daza that airs every Saturday 9am on Cignal TV.

Chef Sandy is also responsible for running a number of popular restaurants that includes Sandy’s Cuisine, both in Manila and Vancouver; Mai Thai Express Fastfood, Mai Thai Restaurant, Au Bon Café, all in Manila; Aux Iles Philippines in Paris, France and Maharlika Restaurant in New York City and then his latest Wooden Spoon which opened early this year at 329 Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

The Maya Kitchen also offers other classes for the month of November. The Lifestyle Courses are: Noche Buena Fair, November 10, Saturday, 9am-1pm; Pre-Holiday Baking, November 17 (Sat.) 9am-1pm; 7-Days Curing Ham, December 1, Saturday, 9am-1pm; Processed Meats and Atcharas, December 1, Saturday, 1-5pm; Pastillas Atbp., December 1, 1-5pm.

Certificate Courses with hands on include: Basic Culinary, November 6-9 and 20-23, Tuesday-Friday, 9am-3pm; Fundamentals of Bakery Production, November 13-16, Tuesday-Friday, 10am-3pm and November 10, 17, 24, Saturday, 9am-4pm, Saturdays, 9am-4pm; Cake Decorating (Basic and Advanced), November 27-29, Tuesday-Thursday, 10am-4pm.

For more information on other course 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 / Mobile No. +63947 835 2290.

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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

Sandy Daza’s Home Cooked Meals at The Maya Kitchen on November 24 is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

A long time ago, when my two girls were still staying at the off-campus school dormitory, I would buy them coffee in a can. It was always the number one request because they needed to stay awake and study late at night.

I got packs of Nescafe Cafe-coffee flavors to try out. There is the Iced Latte, Mocha, and Espresso Roast . The Iced Latte is a cold and delicious coffee treat with its premium and milkier taste of café-cofee quality. When I don’t really need to be awake, I take this for my afternoon snack when I don’t need hot coffee. Ice cold coffee can be refreshing too in this tropical heat.

Now the Espresso Roast gives a cold coffee drink with a more intense flavor which is ideal whenever I need a strong boost during the mornings.

Mocha is a cold and sweet coffee treat with a hint of chocolate which works best when one does not need that extra caffeine fix.

My favorite caffeine fix among the three flavors is the Espresso roast. I just make sure to take it just before noon so I don’t end up being awake late at night. I still treasure my beauty sleep.

Which cafe-coffee flavor do you enjoy?

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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

Re-discovering Nescafe’s cafe-in-a-can coffee experience is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

A surprise dinner awaited bloggers Wednesday night in a secret location. I was aware it was a “Perfect Italiano” event that would make use of cheeses as an ingredient. I often buy mozarella cheese from “Perfect Italiano” but the brand name never left an imprint until I took a closer look. I was more concerned with the kind of cheese and its affordable price compared to other imported brands.

Perfect Italiano , the brand is concerned that most of its target market
seemed to be a bit intimidated by their line-up. In its efforts to reach out
to their target market and to be more approachable they came up with
the most exciting bunch of virtual chefs yet- The Prefettos.

Perfect Italiano aims to be more approachable and friendly to their target market, thus the Prefettos were born! Each Chefs has their own distinct personalities and specialties. Each Chef can also lend a hand on one’s food explorations
.

Meet the virtual chefs:

Primo is the head of the pack and is demanding, exacting, and precise. His Specialty is dishes cooked with Perfect Italiano Romano Cheeses .

Amadore is the youngest and most energetic of the Prefettos. Unsurprisingly, he’s also the most enamored with the young women who frequent their kitchen. His Specialty is dishes cooked with Perfect Italiano Mozarella Cheese.

Ilario is Primo’s sous chef and a constant source of humor and levity for the brothers. His Specialty are dishes cooked with Perfect Italiano Parmessan Cheese.

Graziano is the eternal optimist, looking at each day – and indeed, each meal – as a fresh start. His Specialty are dishes cooked with Perfect Italiano Pizza Plus Cheese. Pizza Plus is composed of Mozzarella, Cheddar and Parmesan cheese.

“Perfect Italiano” collaborated with Pinoy Eats world in coming up with dishes that used their specialty cheeses. It was really exciting to see their creations.

Atillos Chorizo

Chorizo fondutta plus roasted baby potatoes. This is a fondue of a variety of cheeses from Pizza Plus and Parmesan combined and blended with bits of Spanish chistorra. This was actually our appetizer.

Amadore’s Panzanella de Amore

Our salad. Mozarella , cherry tomato , bread and basil salad plus anchovy herb dressing.

Soup Graziano

Imagine this as pizza pie in a soup form. A great soup from Italian sausage, salami, mozarella and Romano. Such a comforting soup to warm the soul, with the special Graziano touch.

Ilario Seaside Special

I love seafood dishes. Prawns and clams were garnished with Parmesan gremolata and overseared Zucchini parm salad.

Primo’s Pride

Kitayama plus chimi, roasted vegetable with a blend of Parmesan and Romano mornay sauce. I normally don’t like beef but the sauce was just so tasty.

Pasta with Romano Cheese

Pinoy Eats World added a bonus dish and we were asked to guess the cheese used. I thought it was Romano but changed my mind to Pizza Plus Cheese when I saw the cheese streaking among the noodles. My first guess was right.

Dolce Prefretto

And the dessert Calamansi Cheesecake with Calamansi turd. The “sweet and sour” flavor was a perfect ending to a rick and savory ensemble.

Kudos to the chefs of Pinoy Eats World for the creativity in using the specialty cheeses. My mantra is cooking “don’t sweat it”. Cooking does not have to be complicated.Even if you can’t cook like Pinoy Eats world, you can get by using good ingredients like “Perfect Italiano” Cheeses . I will share some recipes in my Pinoy Food blog .

You can check out Perfect Italiano’s facebook page for other recipes.

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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

Dishes using Perfect Italiano cheeses as prepared by Pinoy Eats World is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

I always associated Lock & Lock with plastic wares but that all changed at a recent bloggers’ event at Lock & Lock. I got introduced to Lock & Lock Glass Borosilicate Glasswares and Lock & Lock Cookplus. I was quite excited to see their products as I love to adorn my kitchen with quality glasswares and cooking utensils.

Lock & Lock Glass Borosilicate Glasswares

I get kitchen tools that can resist extreme temperatures essential to cooking and storing food safely. Instead of using containers made of ordinary tempered glass, products made of Borosilicate glass, such as the ones from Lock & Lock’s new Boroseal glassware line can fill this requirement. This new line of products was inspired by the need to for glassware that will not only deliver food safely, but last a lifetime.

Borosilicate is the same heat-resistant glass material used to make test tubes, microscopes, and telescopes. They’re designed to survive sudden changes in temperature – that is, you can use it to hold boiling water and then cold water immediately after, and it won’t even break. (Try doing this with ordinary tempered glass and it will break into messy shards all over the floor) This means that you can use Lock & Lock’s Boroseal products on various kitchen appliances, from microwaves to open flames, without the danger of sudden breakage.

Cool right?

In addition to its durability, borosilicate glass is also free from harmful industrial materials that get activated by heat. And since the material also contains heat well, Lock & Lock’s Boroseal products can also protect food from harmful bacteria for longer periods of time.

Lock & Lock’s Boroseal products are available in different sizes and types. Their most popular ones are clear containers with their patented 4-lock system designed to keep it airtight. For cooking, try their borosilicate glass pans, which are perfect for baking chicken or preparing pasta. Boroseal cooking pots are also versatile and can be used to toss salads, braise meats, and deep-fry foods.

Lock & Lock Cookplus

Another must-have is the Lock & Lock Cookplus

When it comes to the kitchen, it pays to invest in quality products that will last a lifetime. While “quality” is often synonymous to “expensive”, the priciest kitchenwares aren’t necessarily the best ones either. Lock & Lock Cookplus kitchenware is a good compromise between price and quality. Their new line of cooking aids is designed to address a variety of kitchen needs and last years of heavy use.

One line of cookware you might be interested in is Cookplus Vitamin and their colourful selection of saucepans, frying pans, casserole dishes, and woks. These products are built upon Lock & Lock’s goal to provide eco-friendly, economical, and easy cooking. Unlike most cooking pans, these products reduce the risk of the dispersion of chemicals like PFOA.

Another line worth considering is Lock & Lock’s ceramic-coated pans. The insides of the pans is coated smoothly and evenly, with bulges on the inside surface to reduce the use of oil in frying. And since ceramic contains no industrial chemicals, there’s no need to worry about health hazardous chemicals.

Lock & Lock also has a line of premium grade, stainless steel cooking pans and pots called Cookplus. Used by culinary experts and professionals in the food industry, Cookplus pans are top-shelf products and will last the heaviest of use. Aside from their durability, these products also have thoughtful design features such as ergonomic handles, pouring rims, and a 3-layer bottom structure for even thermal dispersion.

No matter what your kitchen needs might be, Lock & Lock’s family of cooking pots and pans offer a cost-effective solution. And since they’re built with quality in mind, you don’t need to worry about replacing them for a long time.

For a complete line of CookPlus and Boroseal, you can visit any of their Lock & Lock stores, click here for the complete list.————————————

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

Lock & Lock Glasswares and Cookplus is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

The Holidays Start Early at The Maya Kitchen

It is the BER months and it means the holiday season is in the air. So what is cooking over at my favorite cooking school>

Well for one, you can get an early start on the holidays as The Peninsula Manila Executive Chef Patrick Boucher takes his turn as the guest chef of The Maya Kitchen on September 29, Saturday, 9am-1pm.

Chef Boucher will demonstrate Turkey with Traditional Stuffing, Giblet Gravy, Cranberry Sauce, Orange Cumin Glazed Carrots and Roasted Pumpkin. He will share old fashion holiday food tips and tricks as well as give suggestions on other holiday dishes and ingredients.

This native of Canada made a name for himself worldwide with his passion for creating both classic and ethnically diverse cuisine using the finest seasonal ingredients. He has had stints with The Four Seasons Hotel properties in Miami, Dubai and Bali. At The Peninsula Manila, he oversees Old Manila, Escolta, Spices and The Lobby.

The class is perfect for cooking enthusiasts, housewives, caterers, private chefs, family cooks and others in the food industry.

Next, there are The Lifestyle Courses for September are:

Baking Made Easier (with Maya), September 1, 1-5pm;

Cake in Their Cups, September 15, 10am-3pm;

European Breads, September 15, 10am-3pm;

Bread Making Workshop, September 22, 10am-3pm and

Bartending, September 22, 1-6pm.

As always, you can also attend their Certificate Courses with hands-on that include:

Basic Culinary, September 4-7 and 18-21, 9am-3pm;

Fundamentals of Bakery Production, September 11-14 and 25-28, 10am-3pm and

Cake Decorating (Basics and Advanced) September 20-22, 10am-4pm.

For more information, 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.

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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

Get an early start : Cooking lessons for the holidays at the Maya Kitchen is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine

I never order pork at restaurants and I have a passionate loathing for Megamall, so the last place you’d expect me to be is at the queue for a table at Yabu: House of Katsu in Megamall Atrium. Yet there I was, my stomach grumbling and my mouth watering, dying to sink my teeth into one of Yabu’s delectable katsu sets. My first visit to the restaurant happened upon the insistence of a friend, a fellow non-pork lover who told me it was very similar to a dish she tried in Korea. The pork tenderloin katsudon, she said, is so soft as to be un-porklike, and the rich tonkatsu sauce that comes with it is good enough to eat on its own. When I bit into the crispy goodness of my Hire tonaktsu, I became an instant convert of the cult of Yabu, and have braved the Megamall crowd to dine at the restaurant twice since then.

Yabu: House of Katsu opened their doors in October 2011, right when the katsu craze had Manila foodies craving for the crunch of fried pork cutlets. Unlike other restaurants, however, Yabu doesn’t serve breaded pork chop pretending to be Japanese. Their katsu products are authentic and includes an ultra-soft Kurobata katsu made from the “wagyu beef of pork”. But even the katsu made from local pork is so tender and perfectly fried with Yabu’s homemade panko breading that the quality is said to be comparable to Japan’s best tonkatsu restaurants.

Last week, Yabu successfully converted another non-pork eating diner – my mom. She’s probably the only person in the family who dislikes pork more than I do, not to mention that she doesn’t like eating out for fear of getting fat. I managed to convince her by swearing that this was the best pork I have ever tried, and if she doesn’t feel like eating tonkatsu, there’s always the seafood menu to choose from.

We started our meal with two appetizers – edameme, or lightly salted young soybeads still in the pod, and Hiyayakko tofu, silken tofu sitting in a puddle of tangy ponzu sauce and sprinkled with bonito flakes. The appetizers were barely enough to sate my grumbling stomach, but that was fine. I was reserving some room for the katsu feast that was to come.

A small textured bowl of sesame seeds with a pestle kept us busy while we waited for our meal to arrive. The idea is to grind the sesame seeds until they give off a rich, nutty aroma, then pour tonkatsu sauce into the bowl and use it as a dip for your katsu. Next to eating, grinding the sesame seeds is the most enjoyable part of the Yabu experience. Something about the act of swirling the pestle and watching the seeds turn into crumbs gives me a zen-like feeling of satisfaction.

Yabu’s best-selling menu item is the tonkatsu set, which comes in two variants – Rosu, or pork loin, and Hire, or pork tenderloin. Both sets feature 3/4 inch thick pork cutlets with a cup of miso soup, Japanese rice, unlimited cabbage with sesame dressing, and a bowl of fruit. What differentiates one from the other is the amount of fat they contain. Rosu comes with a thin trimming of fat, which makes it a popular choice, but I find that the lean Hire is just as juicy and tender (plus, there’s no icky risk of accidentally getting a mouthful of fat when you bite into it). The Hire tonkatsu set is what I always get when I go to Yabu, though after trying the seafood items, I think I might try something else when I return.

My mom took a bite of my Hire and loved it, but preferred Yabu’s new seafood selections. The seafood set comes with black tiger prawn, a delicious sliver of of Hiroshima jumbo oyster, Yabu’s new creamy crab, and two thick cuts of salmon. I prefer my oysters fresh, but trying the oyster katsu made me realize that I don’t mind them covered in panko and fried, either. The Hiroshima oysters come in a set of four, and I will likely get this the next time I return. If you’d rather stick to the tonkatsu items but would like a little seafood without having to eat a second meal, everything in this set is available in single servings on the ala carte menu.

During my first visit to Yabu, I wondered what the deal with the bottomless cabbage was. People come here for the meat, not the veggies, so what’s the point? The point, apparently, is the sesame dressing found on the table, which makes the flavorless cabbage ribbons taste heavenly when you let generous amounts rain down on it. Since I don’t eat rice, munching on the cabbage salad is a great way to change up the flavors and calm down my taste buds.

My mom and I were stuffed by the time the last panko crumb was devoured, but the meal wasn’t over. Yabu carries the most sinful little lava cake, topped with a generous helping of ice cream. The lava cakes come in chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry and is no more than three inches in diameter – the perfect size to top off a full meal. Though the lava cakes aren’t on the menu, there is lots of it to go around, and the brand manager tells me they’re developing a more extensive dessert menu that will be out in a few months. I can’t wait!

I never thought there would come a day where I would brave a crowded, oversized mall to get a fixing of fried pork. But the crunch of a Yabu katsu is so satisfying and delicious that all the stress involved in getting to Megamall becomes a distant memory once the steaming tray of food is in front of you. Plus, Yabu: House of Katsu will be opening a second branch at the Robinsons Magnolia Town Center near Gilmore come August, so I don’t even have to deal with the Megamall hassle the next time I need my Yabu fix.

For now, you can find Yabu at the 2/F Mega Atrium, SM Megamall Atrium. I highly recommend that you make reservations by calling 576-3900 because the place fills up fast, especially on weekends. To learn more about Yabu, visit their website at www.yabuhouseofkatsu.com, or like them on Facebook.————————————

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

Learning to Love Tonkatsu at Yabu: House of Katsu is a post from: Pinoy Cuisine