the hungry lady

MasterChef Asia Premieres on September 3, 2015 on Lifetime

2015-08-29T09:17:00.000+08:00

Something thrilling and big is about to happen on the Lifetime Channel on September 3 at 9PM.

The world's most popular culinary competition finally comes to Asia and the Philippines! 15 amateur cooks from across the region will battle against each other in hopes of becoming the first title holder in Asia for the MasterChef Asia competition.

The premiere marks the first of many weekly episodes where each contestant will be bringing their own culinary talents to the table and judged by multi-awarded genuis Chef Susur Lee, Michelin-starred Chef Bruno Ménard, and former MasterChef Australia finalist Audra Morrice.

Three of the 15 contestants are home grown, namely Jake Aycado, Lica Ibarra, and Rico Amancio. Let us see how far they will go as they also share our culinary traditions while combining them with well-loved dishes that may lead to new discoveries to a Master's palate.

The winner of the competition will receive their very own cookbook, a USD$50,000 cash prize, USD$10,000 worth of leisure experiences in Singapore, USD15,000 worth of Panasonic home appliances, a paid internship at one of Carlton Hotel Singapore's restaurants, and a one week stay at Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

MasterChef Asia is presented by The Singapore Tourism Board and Knorr, in association with Panasonic, Changi Airport Group, Carlton Hotel Singapore and Air Asia.

At the launch of the MasterChef Asia Tour. Three seats for three judges as well as Filipino contestants.

Chef Susur Lee, Audra Morrice, and Chef Bruno Ménard were a playful bunch.

When asked about what Filipino food they had tried and loved; they mentioned sisig, sinigang, pinakbet, biko, amonst a few others.

Chef Susur Lee gave a brief background about how he grew-up in Hong Kong and moved to Toronto. He now has four restaurants in Toronto and one in Singapore.

The scene where everyone took their seats after scrambling to the front to get a photo of the judges.

The three Filipino contestants. Left to right: Rico Amancio, Lica Ibarra and Jake Aycardo.

They also had their question and answer portion.

They are proud to represent the Philippines in this battle and are confident with themselves.

Jake, Lica and Rico had to cook from the ingredients inside the mystery box. Here, the judges are about to reveal them.

Jake contemplates over the ingredients.

The judges went to Jake, Lica and Rico and asked them what they were doing. Pressure!

Chef Susur Lee looks on as Chef Bruno Ménard asks what he was going to do with the radish.

Lica getting ready to whip up a dish.


Rico minces ingredients.

Calm and collected as he inches his way to finish the dish.


Unilever's head of media relations, Dennis Perez and Knorr's Senior Brand Manager, Jessica Inocencio.

For more information, visit the official website at msn.com/masterchefasia

INTERNATIONAL COURSES, BY CHEF FARA.

2015-06-16T22:40:00.001+08:00

Just the other night, I entered the humble home of my friend Mannix- twenty minutes ahead of schedule. I walked my way into the kitchen to take a little peek at the Chef who was comfortably poised around the various ingredients of what was to become a delightful six course dinner.

Mannix had once mentioned hosting a dinner where his friend, Chef Fara would prepare a meal for a few of us. He had commissioned Chef Fara to a graphic design project many years back. So what is he doing here with a knife in the kitchen and not a desktop? Well he began his formal training here in Manila as well as in Dubai where his culinary journey landed him in two posts at Le Petit Maison and most recently at Nobu, City of Dreams. For reasons of his own, he had left Nobu but still manages to find his way back to where his world belongs. Right inside the kitchen.

Soon after that, Mannix brought up the idea of having us taste Chef Fara's cooking. And that's how last night happened.

The food theme was "International" and we all sat around the square dining table, giving the menu a quick run-through as we excitedly anticipated the first course that read "Laksa". After the first bite, there was no need to wonder how the rest of the meal would go.


My spot. Our menu.

Little birds on every glass. Mine was bubble gum pink!

A touch of succulents and roses to light up the scene.

Mannix lights up the remaining candles.

Not quite an eternal flame, but a little candle light to set the scene.

Laksa. The garnishes used here were perfectly matched and I remember hearing everyone comment in awe of how good this was. I also thought this was really tasty and the spice level was so gentle.

The menu. Oops It didn't fit!

Ceviche of Smoked Salmon. The crispy shell was really nice. The flavors were just right.

In between bites and snap shots... Mommy Bloggers, Michelle Aventajado and Christine Dychiao as well as Working Mom's EIC Jane Kingsu- Cheng and Tedrik Yao; get ready for the next course.

Capelacci. Almost like a gigantic tortellini, this pasta dish was actually really good. The sauce was made from scratch and not acidic tasting. The stuffing was delicious and was a flavorful ricotta and smoked mozzarella combination.

Beef Fajitas. The little components put into this dish was quite nice. The cajun-pulled beef was light on the spice which was good for me. The pico de gallo was also very good.

Roasted Pork Ribs. Rubbed with recado rojo on a bed of quinoa, apricot, blackened cherry tomato, cucumber cubes and mint salad. I loved the tenderness of the pork. We each got two pieces. For a hungry guest, you might want to hope that there is extra.

Chef Fara bringing out the last course.

Chelo Morgh. Roasted whole chicken with saffron rice garnished with orange zest, barberry, almond, pistachio and a side of tabouleh. This chicken was really juicy. The rice was really fresh-tasting, thanks to the orange zest! Everything worked really well together!

Tedrick Yao and Chef Fara analyzing the right "filters".

Here is the finale. Dessert where Shorts Gourmet's shortbread cookies are paired with ice cream to tickle the palate in the most delightful way.

The centerpiece.

As the night came to an end.. I just kept on shooting...

Chef Fara is available for booking at your convenience!

EGGS FOR BREAKFAST AT CLASSIFIED

2015-03-09T18:28:00.001+08:00

It was such a treat having a place so close by to where I was staying in Hong Kong- that served my kind of breakfast! Eggs in different forms... really nice, strong coffee in a large cup... a selection of fresh juices... and other healthier selections as well.

Three mornings in a row, I would find myself seated at a table on the mezzanine level to enjoy a hearty egg breakfast while sitting on the only wooden bench available by the time I would arrive.

There is a nice little porch in the front of the entrance... where I never got to sit simply because it was always occupied. The weather was cool and crisp and perfect for outdoor seating. I did get to sit outdoors briefly while waiting for my juice and croissant that I ordered for take away one morning. Sitting outdoors will allow you to dine in the company cute dogs in all sizes and breeds if they happen to be there. There was a brown-haired dog seated there one morning, who looked too large to be a poodle but maybe it was a poodle... I wanted to take a photo with it but the owner of this interestingly groomed kinky-haired dog didn't look to friendly. So I said... forget it. And get this... her hair was kinky too hahaha!

The menu.

My cup of coffee. It's larger than it looks here.

"C" is for cookie, Classified, and... Camille! HAHA!

The sugar packet.

Eggs Royale.

Egg White Scramble with Sausage, Bacon and Mozzarella Cheese.

I inserted a healthy option somewhere there too :)

Classified has numerous locations. The one I went to was at 108 Hollywood Road, Central. http://www.classifiedfood.com/eng/home/

VIETNAMESE FOOD AT BEP

2015-03-09T18:20:00.000+08:00

This time, my steps around Hong Kong travelled a different path since I decided to stay at my friend Pieter's place. And the best part? It happened to be in an area that was geographically appealing to my hungry appetite. There were quite a few establishments that I had listed down in my little notebook for restaurants I wanted to visit in Hong Kong someday and they happened to be IN the neighbourhood! Just next door was Classified, Blue Butcher, and Yardbird; while up the street was Ho Lee Fook, Aberdeen Street Social and a lot more. I was "feeling lucky" haha!

I had mentioned to Pieter that I was planning to have Mexican the next time I'd visit Hong Kong. But for some reason, it never happened and because I wanted to stop by COS on Queens Road on this particular day which was my last full day. So the itinerary changed a bit where we ended up having a late lunch at BEP- a Vietnamese restaurant that he said was really good. I am always ready for Vietnamese food so of course I wanted to give it a try.

Getting off the escalators mid-way led us to Staunton Street where BEP was located. Only one person was in line so our patience didn't have to run out so soon hahaha. The restaurant was busy as I was observing the action through the horizontal windows from the outside. It looked quaint yet lively and I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy lunch!

As we were trying to order, the only thing was... not all the servers spoke English that our waitress had to ask for assistance to communicate with us. Majority of the clientele were foreigners- no wonder the Manager who spoke English was all over the place.

We only ordered four dishes to pick on... and, wondering if this would be enough- the waiter advised us to just wait and see then order more if necessary. It was a predictable suggestion by him so we stuck to the original four dishes. I had bad acid that morning... So I was trying to drink some hot water (not that it's the best solution) just because I've been doing that for years haha. I didn't take any medicine with me this trip.

The food came one by one, and our table being a good size- accommodated all dishes and it was just so good! I was wondering how such simple ingredients can taste give off such deliciousness! It really was yummy can I just say! See what we ate below.

At the end of the meal...I was extremely satisfied and comfortably full! But... it was a bit frustrating to imagine that the next time I would probably get to eat here again would be who knows when. And it's a plane ride away too.

The stack of plates. So cute.

The menu...

That's Pieter. And the waitress.

The restaurant interiors. Inviting and busy.

The Vietnamese version of Beef Carpaccio. The fusion of flavours of the beef, dressing and herbs was so good!

My plate and chopsticks.

Beef Salad. The cucumber alone was so good! I was like... yummy!

Beef and Chicken Combination Saté. The peanut sauce was so well balanced! And the skewers were tasty!

The table with everything on it.

Rice Rolls with Soft Shell Crab.

Half of the facade.

Hello from my self! Full and satisfied!

http://www.bep.hk

A FEAST OF FLAVORS AT THE SHANG

2015-02-12T09:34:00.000+08:00

As delighted as I was to open my inbox to read an invite to attend a Pre-Valentine's "gustatory delight" at the Shangrila Mall; I was even more delighted to sit through a food tasting of some of the mall's famed and also newly opened establishments.

I sat at a quaint rectangular table of food bloggers gathered together (plus my sister Leslie haha) which was set up right outside Duck & Buvette (formerly Cafe Provencale and recently re-branded into an even better venue that attracts a full house almost every night of the week. I had the pleasure of sitting next to Ms. Marlene Dualan, Division Manager of Marketing for Shangrila Plaza Corporation- who I worked with a couple years back, where I contributed to the food section of their annual mall magazine. Just where we last left of, we comfortably exchanged notes about mostly food and about whatever the moment called for as we watched little bits and pieces of steak, lasagna, ramen, and more- being put down at the middle of the table. As my jeans got snug at the waist... for some reason, my appetite grew even more.

The participating restaurants were Duck & Buvette, Teddy's Bigger Burgers, Gyu-Kaku, P.F. Chang, and California Pizza Kitchen and Chops.

Each restaurant had a table set up featuring some of their greatest dishes ever developed by them. We all made our way through each table to get a little bit of everything. I kept sneaking a peek to the table where I saw labels that read 'Mustard Rabbit' and 'Braised Frogs Legs With Herby Breadcrumbs'. I just decided skipped those temporarily as I grabbed some duck, wild sourdough bread and... slowly moved on to the next table.

I hardly get to come to this side of town. I do wish I were here more often though. When I read through the calendar of events happening this month, the Chinese Lion & Dragon Dance with an Acrobatic Show as well as the International Jazz Festival sounds like something worthwhile. And there's more! When I do come back, at least I know that I will not have a problem in finding a place to eat!

Before anything else! A photo! Here's Marlene Dualan, the Division Manager of Marketing for Shangrila Plaza Corporation.

For those of you familiar with Teddy's Burger's sizing... do not get intimidated!

The original burger!

Cheese and Chorizo dip from California Pizza Kitchen. Best when eaten warm!

Grilled Veggie & Goat Cheese Pizza from California Pizza Kitchen.

Delicious Duck Confit from Duck & Buvette. I wanted to get all the little pickles! I love pickles! A hint of grainy mustard went well with this!

Duck & Buvette makes their own bread and it was really good!

My plate of a little duck, salad... and bread from Duck & Buvette. See I only got one pickle. HAHA!

Mustard Rabbit!

The set up of Gyu- Kaku.

Spicy Karubi Ramen from Gyu Kaku. The spice was tolerable so I was able to have try some! It was really tasty!

Monique Buensalido was introducing Chef Jacq of Duck & Buvette towards the end of our meal.

Exchanging notes...

PF Chang's warrior!

Vegetable Quinoa Salad from PF Chang.


Chops' station. The broccoli and smoked bacon went really nicely! I had some steak.. as well as their lasagna... I missed out on the chocolate logs for dessert though! I didn't grab one early enough!

Duck & Buvette's salad.


And to end... I tried this Earl Grey Cheesecake. It was a light floral essence that embodied this tea themed dessert. I was done... and then had a sip of Teddy's Burger's Peanut Butter Milkshake! :o

A "SHORTS" STORY

2014-11-07T10:13:00.003+08:00

Sometime within this month, if we haven't already yet- that Christmas list will emerge with names of everyone we could possibly know within our immediate family and relatives; then friends- where the list narrows down to "girl friends", "male friends", "couples", "kids" (from babyhood to teen age); and so on! At least my list gets like that in my little notebook, with scribbles and numerous drafts!

So here we are with more than a mind, full of speculations and options as to how best to handle our list.

This year, for those who prefer to give a meaningful sweet something and not just another product to tuck-away in your soon to be cluttered home when December comes; take a look at the new products of SHORTS GOURMET MANILA. These are the boxes that you've seen poised on top of shelves in Rustans Fresh outlets around the metro. If you remember my post from last year- you would have seen one box of assorted shortbread cookies with Belgian chocolate filled centers. Not so long after, they developed the "SHORBS" which came out on special occasions. You can read more about it here:

https://the-hungrylady.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=DIGTiUkBAAA.E4UC83eeqqVi4XahrTFDhg.VNjyxjFuW_bTXhVKbu3xcg&postId=3839437585299017428&type=POST#!/2012/12/eat-his-shorts.html

https://the-hungrylady.blogspot.com/b/post-preview?token=OXWUiUkBAAA.E4UC83eeqqVi4XahrTFDhg.hxpVHUCHpeOhRI9AE3GMkg&postId=6585481132785407312&type=POST#!/2014/04/the-orb-has-landed.html

Within a year of a successful rise in demand of these SHORTS, gourmands can now taste the latest cookies and fillings such as the 'Mango Shorts Stacks', 'Biscotti Slims', 'Almond Crunch'; and, the SHORB's reindeer design which will be festively prancing into the hands of those who will receive one this Christmas.

They are all packaged and ready. Take a look at some of the products below and start crossing out that list of yours! ;)

Unopened and ready. A box of Mango Shorts Stacks.

A box has fifteen individually wrapped SHORTS.

The mango filling!

A box of Choco Mist. Chocolate-flavored inside and out.

Red and ribboned.

A glass container of the smallest Almond Crunch. This one has two sizes.

Up close. A taste of almond with the right amount of crunch.

To get in touch with SHORTS GOURMET MANILA you can check out their page https://www.facebook.com/shortsgourmetmanila or call 0917 878-8818 .

SOMEWHERE OVER THE LUCKY RAINBOW

2014-10-31T22:29:00.003+08:00

It's been a while... but I'm still here and as far as I remember, my last post was about dining around my neighborhood.

So back to my neighborhood- hahaha. Establishments are sprouting near and far. I'm pleased to say that very close to us is Lucky Rainbow. I did not know that this restaurant has two other branches in the metro. The history of this restaurant can be found through other sources online, so if you don't mind- I'd like to get straight to the food.

It was a calm Saturday night where I was seated at a table for six. For some reason, we ordered a lot... maybe because it was our first time there. The interesting thing about dining here is that every day the restaurant has a promotion on certain dishes on its corresponding day. We happened to be there on a discounted Peking Duck day so we ordered half of one. Pretty good! They were very generous with the cucumber and leeks so that's definitely a bonus for me. The wrapper was not thick like some other places. We enjoyed eating every bite of it!

I have to say that I also very much liked the Hot & Sour Soup! It was so good with the balance of the sourness and the spice level. One cup was not enough for me. We also tried some dim sum which was not considered excellent but good enough. What I also found good here was the Beef Hofan. Even if it was kinda oily, it was still delicious!

Price-wise, their menu is very reasonable so you don't really need to worry.

By coincidence, you might run into actor Edu Manzano who is said to be a part owner of the Makati branch. My mom and her family saw him and had their photo taken with him hahaha.

Lucky Rainbow is worth the calories, price, and journey! I am quite happy that it's just in my neighborhood! :)

Presenting... my favorite Hot & Sour Soup!

Some of the roasts available.

Leslie and Peds trying to listen to Luigi who was ordering up a storm.

It was only Sacha who wanted to come along.

Xiao Long Bao. Not bad it's worth the try!

Crispy pork belly. This was okay.

Yang Chow Fried Rice. It was shaped like the head of... Micky Mouse or a teddy bear...

Sweet & Sour Pork. This was quite good. The pieces were crisp and the sauce was mild.

Oyster Pancake. This was kinda big! We didn't even get to finish it.

At 30% off since it was Peking Duck promotion day... not bad. We ordered half a duck only.

Next thing we knew... the table was full. And so were we.

Hot Prawn Salad. By the time I got to this... I had about one piece of prawn and two pineapple bits.

For dessert, I tried the Black Gulaman. It had a very strong taste of... herbal something. If it were milder, I would have enjoyed it more. Mango Sago would have been safer for me haha.

Lucky Rainbow is located at the Patriarch Buildling, 2224 Pasong Tamo corner Don Bosco Street, Makati. Tel.: +63 2 478 1385

LOCALLY YOURS

2014-06-16T16:13:00.002+08:00

Recently, I've been feeling a little excited about living in my neighborhood; now that there seems to be a need to get out there to make the most of the culinary scene; even if it could cost me a few pounds more and some pesos less. HAHA!

Reading through some websites online as my inquiring mind normally does so in search of some excitement for a weekend dinner venue (hoping not to end up in my husband's favorite places); something looked interesting. Your Local. It looked like a pretty "hip" place; the kind that could stir-up a comfy meal in the company of friends or whoever you choose to meet. And so, I made a booking for our usual Saturday night dinner.

Separated by a swivel door is Yardstick that offers coffee and desserts. We went over there for dessert.

Pretty clever, don't you think!

The portion of the restaurant where we sat wasn't half full yet. We were able to enjoy the silence before it got really loud when the tables were all occupied! If you are sensitive to noise, you will have a big problem.

I chose a glass of white wine, nice and cold with fruity and floral notes.

Pomelo Salad. I really liked this version. It had some shrimp, peanuts, winged beans, pickled quail eggs , yuzu, and a little coconut ice-cream.

A plate of Parmesan Fries with Chorizo Ketchup. Something to munch on while waiting... Really tasty.

Roasted Potato Soup. This comes with a bleu cheese century egg fritter, cilantro and truffle foam. The fritter was requested to be separate. See the next photo!

Here's the century egg fritter!

Chicken Rice. Yup... healthy! Well. Straight forward and appetizing.

Smoked Salmon Donburi. I loved this and I plan to eat it again soon. I loved how the salmon had this torched flavor and was so good over a bed of shiitake black rice, alongside mentaiko, ebiko, and roast corn.

Here's what the rice looks like!

From the outside...

At Yardstick. Coffee coffee and more coffee! With a few desserts.

Thought these stools were kinda nice!

The swivel door that separates Your Local and Yardstick.

Pecan Pie! Not bad...

The look of artistic froth always makes me take forever to take that first sip!

From above! I love the look of a nice cup of coffee.

Your Local and Yardstick are located side by side at the Ground Floor, Universal LMS Building, 106 Esteban Street, Legaspi Village, Makati.
Telephone: +63 2 823-6206
Mobile: +63 917 810-9002

CASUAL ITALIAN DINING AT MAMA LOU'S

2014-05-10T21:41:00.001+08:00

The BF-Parañaque area isn't within my neighborhood, but I love the adventure of a drive to eat.

I visited my in-laws in Alabang over holy week and most of the family members were not present. Instead of having dinner at their house, we ended up at MAMA LOU'S. I was trying to imagine how we would all fit if we all did dine here. The restaurant capacity is quite large but most of it is outdoors where you will have to sacrifice the heat and sounds of cars driving by.

Inside, our reservation for twelve (but we were fourteen) was held at a rectangular set-up that seemed to fit only ten, comfortably. It was set up with another long table that was reserved for another group and we were in an enclosed area probably used for private functions since it had a television and speakers mounted on one side of the wall. I immediately took a second look, in hopes of a chance at karaoke in between bites! Hahahaha! Ofcourse not.

I just chose to ignore those faulty lines along the course of our meal to be able to savor the flavors that came our way!

The menu looked quite extensive with a lot of variety in each category. I scanned through the Salads first and I was so excited when I read Friulana Salad (lettuce topped with warm egg, bacon and mushroom served with Italian vinaigrette). That was a salad I enjoyed so much, when I used to order it at La Primavera restaurant ages ago. It was such a big serving I was pleasantly surprised!

With Hermes, Sacha and Sabrina with us, and because we were at an Italian restaurant- ordering for them was not quite so difficult. As long as there are pizzas and pastas available, they will manage to put something in their stomachs.

Normally ordering at an Italian restaurant involves Beef Carpaccio and a tomato-cream pasta for me. This time I felt like ordering something sauce-less and more olive oil based. On the menu, there was an enticing photo of their Spaghetti Seafood Olio which looked irresistible because of its simplicity of flavors and perfectly balanced assortment of seafood. But instead, because I have never ordered Vongole at an Italian restaurant ever- while my seat mates have tempted me in the past; I went for the Vongole Olio. It was so good! You can taste the sautéed garlic in there with its gentle juicy fresh tomatoes. The serving was generous too. That's what I found quite worth it.

Their pizzas were good too. Everyone said that it was good.

Let the photos do the talking!

Sacha was across of me.

On my left was Sabrina.

The laminated menu.

Taking the first slice and bite!

My sister-in-law Rosario with her husband, Poch and their daughter Sandrine.

I felt like having French Onion Soup!

Carbonara pasta for the kids. It was wiped-out.

A very generous serving of Friulana Salad.

After a while... there was no more space to put anything on the table. We had to keep shuffling around the plates ourselves so that the waiter could put down more of our orders.

Rollo Di Pollo. Breaded chicken rolls filled with mozzarella cheese with a pesto-pomodoro sauce.

Ravioli Spinaci. Luigi ordered this and said that it was "lousy". He said he tasted too much cream (not the good kind).

Seafood Olio. Yummy!

Vongole Olio.

Sabrina and her cousin Sandrine... and the doll.

This is my "little man" H!

Tiramisu. Not that bad but nothing great either.

Men in shorts. HAHA!

S & H! Full and ready to go home!

Some of the outdoor area.

All of us trying to exit the entrance.

I guess this is a restaurant with some good and some "just okay" dishes. It's worth the try. I would say though that the Olio pastas are worth the trip.

For more information on MAMA LOU'S: https://www.facebook.com/mamalous

THE ORB HAS LANDED

2014-04-23T21:24:00.000+08:00

If it's not a floral bouquet finished with a huge dangling satin ribbon... there must be something else out there to give her love on Mother's Day!

For those who remember the elegantly crafted elephants over the Holidays, made by the creative team behind SHORTS GOURMET https://www.facebook.com/shortsgourmetmanila; here is round two. As exciting as ever, this series presents its latest artistry: "SHORBS" (Shorts Orbs). All twelve pieces of premium handmade shortbread cookies are filled with Belgian chocolate. Pretty to look at and delicious to break!

Give your mom what she truly deserves. Only the best!

Taking its flight of fancy.

You can place your orders through 0917 8788818.

ALLIUM

2014-04-15T16:02:00.002+08:00

On Bolanos Street, Legaspi Village is a fairly new restaurant by the name of ALLIUM.

I knew nothing about this restaurant, except for the fact that it was run by Chef Mark Tan- who had a loyal following down South. It was really geographically convenient for all of us who were craving for something close by that could tickle our palate in a not-so-familiar way. We were able to make a reservation that same afternoon and a few hours later, we walked into a crowd of many faces- pleased to fill the same kind of fancy-full feast!

Seated in front of me, this one fine Saturday evening was a little baby boy. Sebastian at three months, has made his way around the metro quite often... especially now since he has not yet been fully entrusted to be left alone in the hands of his new nanny.

We were a group of six and had a rather comfy nook towards the end of the restaurant, where we were surrounded by a fun striped wall-fabric.

The mood was pleasant. It seemed almost so right that we were going to get out just fine. But there were some bumps along the way with the service which caused us to try to be more forgiving than normal because this restaurant is fairly new.

I had a question about the two kinds of pork dishes and the first server had to call another server. I think there were just three servers in sight all evening. You can guess what kind of atmosphere it turned into as the evening progressed. It wasn't a nightmare but it could have turned into one.

I lost interest at some point in shooting the plates that were laid down on the table because twice, I was served the wrong dish.

On the brighter side of things, the food was quite good. I guess I would come back in high hopes that I would not be troubled with the service.

A little centerpiece in the middle of our table.

From where we sat we had the whole front view of the restaurant.

With a baby in tow, you have to multi-task! HAHA!

Like read the menu and smile while trying to make your baby smile along with you too hahaha! ;)

Kampachi Tartare. I love raw food ;o a little bit too much.

Corn and Clam Chowder.

Market Green Salad.

Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly.

A seafood dish of lapu lapu, prawns and clams...

For dessert... we ordered three for sharing. This was what I nibbled on the most. HAHA!

ALLIUM is at the ground floor of the Grand Midori on Bolanos Street, Legaspi Village, Makati.

Tel. +63 2 519-1088

MEASURING UP TO HER SIZE AT JC's

2014-02-24T16:37:00.001+08:00

Sabrina was due to get measured at JC Buendia's shop for her Ninang Berna's wedding next month. She will be one of the flower girls and I can't wait to see what JC had designed for the little girls.

The plan was to go straight to JC after Sabrina's dismissal. I wasn't sure how much time we would spend on the road going to Cubao. Luckily, there was actually no traffic at all! Good morning, Manila!

I heard the color scheme is along the Sage family. I decided to have JC make me something too haha! He was thinking of either pale pink or a dove grey shade.

I am excited to see my outfit :)

We were ahead of schedule so Sabrina took some interest in the magazines in front of her...

Not quite sure if she wanted to see interiors or fashion...

I always look forward to seeing Miss Piggy!

Eva takes Sabrina's measurements!

Making some observations in front of the mirror...

Arms up!

Okay she was in a rush to leave. Sorry Eva! :o

JC's little shop.

Yes he is a fan... or colors and characters!

A color spectrum.

I am always amused watching JC fine-tune the short hair on his sketches! HAHA!

The draft...

If you're interested to get in touch with JC you can call Eva at 0917 7931378.

ADAM'S SORBET COCKTAILS

2014-02-21T10:24:00.002+08:00

My tooth is not as sweet as most... but I do appreciate a bite here and there, specifically when I crave for a nice warm molten lava cake, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies or nice-looking home made ice cream.

Last Sunday, I found myself seated inside the smoking section of a restaurant that I once frequented many years back. This time, run by new blood- we tasted some really good finger food. But that's not why I was there. Instead, some seriously good ice cream made by Adam was having its taste test for its sorbet cocktail line. I was invited by my friend, Mannix and I gladly trodded along- curious about it all!

Each flavor had a unique name- witty as can be and more importantly, tasty to the T! Very interesting and well balanced I thought!

That's Adam, and yes his ice cream is seriously good.

We were given this ice cream first... 'The Ambassador Buttercream'. Now this was really good... pretty much a rich, buttery cream with pieces of home-made organic almond brittle.

This was the list of 'Sorbet Cocktails' that we were going to try.

I do not drink beer but taste-wise this was good. 'Katie's Brew'. This one is a dark sumatran coffee flavor, spiked with genuine Irish Guinness!

Halfway there...

My seat mate Josephine.

That's Mannix.

'It's Bellini Thyme'. Don't you love its name! A combination of Prosecco, peaches, thyme and wildflower honey.

'Kir Vodrik'. A blend of vodka, kaffir lime and ginger. The flavors were really gently and not too over-powering.

'Campari Sun'. This was one of my favorites because I enjoy a glass of Negroni when I can... and this does have one prominent ingredient found in a Negroni. It was comforting, familiar and refreshing so I really liked this one!

To learn more about ADAM's SERIOUSLY GOOD ICE CREAM, you can email them at info@AdamsIceCream.com or call 0917 5972573. They delivery for free!

THE DON OF ALL CHURROS

2014-02-20T22:37:00.000+08:00

It was not an ordinary afternoon for all of us present... hanging out over really delicious churros.

I've had the privilege of meeting Marc through a common friend of ours, Josephine... and over the past couple of months, we have listened to him verbally map-out his plans while confessing his love for churros- which he spoke so fondly and passionately about. It was something that he wanted to share with us in the Philippines- the real taste of Spanish churros. He shared that his churros are crunchy on the outside; while soft and chewy on the inside without leaving the mouth oily because he uses olive oil. The chocolate dip is also thicker and tastier, as he mentioned- and is really what Spanish chocolate tastes like. At that time, his machine was still en route from Spain and he told us that we would be able to try it out when he gets a hold of it!

I looked forward to that day and it finally arrived, yesterday- where he and his business partner, Jaume set up their station at the front yard of our friend Paolo's place where the friendly neighborhood got even friendlier and curious when they noticed two Catalan boys from Barcelona working hard. HAHA!

It was true. The churros were really good! Just as Marc had described!

Marc and his partner have bigger plans for their churros and you can catch them for now at the Mercato Centrale night market, 34th Street corner 8th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City on Fridays 10pm to 3am and Saturdays 8pm to 3am.

Soon enough you will be able to see them at a more permanent spot!

All done! Light and crispy churros ready to eat!

Setting up the churros machine.

We ran into some electrical problem along the way and had to make adjustments so instead, they used the kitchen for frying the churros.

Where the batter rolls out, straight into the deep fryer. But in this photo, the tray.

Alexis, lady of the house- just gave birth three weeks ago!

Don't speak. Just whisper. HAHAHA!!!

Master of the house.

Discussion over churros!

Jaume preparing the chocolate glaze.

In between bites...

Marc brings out more churros as our appetite gets full to the brim!

Chocolate dipped churros!

The end result after chilling it a bit.

You can like them on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DonChurroManila

A RUSTIC MORNING AT ISABELO

2013-09-10T18:44:00.000+08:00

There was a hint of rain on the tiles that paved its way into a charming-looking home, filled with visual details of an interesting story.

ISABELO GARDEN RESTAURANT is its name, a home that welcomes visitors inside its artsy yet rustic ancestral grounds. It is a picture-perfect dream of what self-taught chef, Portia Dee Baluyut had wanted to continue... the legacy of her grandmother's love for cooking and entertaining. Its history unfolds as you take a look around.

There was so much to see here I just kept taking photos all over the place! I came for breakfast and I definitely want to come back to try their other dishes for lunch and dinner.

The bits and pieces of decor are also what Portia's mother had put together, being an artist herself.

You will see elements such as these.

Outdoor seating. There are quite a few sections outdoors where you can choose to dine in.

A cute nook.

I was told that these tiles were collected by Portia's mother who had pieced them together to create this flooring which you will see throughout the outdoor grounds.

There are bicycles for sale!

The lengthy breakfast menu. There was a lot to offer actually, I was quite impressed!

Here are one of the tables and its setting.

An indoor patio surrounded by artwork. Some old and some new.

Another side...

Heavily tiled. These are one of the table tops.

Because I love green...

Michelle and Bess!

Hash Browns! It tasted clean... You don't really taste the oil.

I went with the Tawilis ! The scrambled eggs were nice and fluffy, the rice was quite good too. And... the tomato salsa was perfect.

Michelle ordered this. Scrambled eggs with mushroom. She really liked it.

The breakfast club of Marikina! HAHAHA!

This was one golden and crisp waffle!

Indoors, there are a couple of tables if you prefer to stay away from the light of day.

This nice wall was filled with these pretty little objects.

Here we are with Portia on the leftmost, who... by the way is Bess' sister! :)

ISABELO GARDEN RESTAURANT is located at #11 Isabelo Mendoza Street, San Roque, Marikina City

Tel.Nos.: (+63 2) 510-6914, (+63 2) 681-2461, (+63 917) 700-5810

http://www.isabelogarden.com/about-isabelo.html

THE RAINBOW CONNECTION

2013-08-26T17:10:00.001+08:00

There's something about the colors of a rainbow... They can instantly cheer you up. It can also light up the gloomiest of skies and in my case, recently... I saw how it stole the brightness of an already well-lit kitchen.

Yesterday, I sat comfortably on one of the stools inside Pria's Kitchen. It was one of those dinners where Pria, myself and our friend Mannix- had dinner at her place. Of course, we had another successfully delicious meal! The pull-apart bread that she made was so good but that would have to be another story altogether!

So this was my first encounter with Pria's rainbow cake. It is one of the newer items on the list of offerings on her menu. I have never really tasted rainbow cake ever in my whole life. But by judging the photos that I have seen so far with those layers of sun-shining colors, laced with white marshmallow icing... it got me curious ever since.

I was excited when Pria mentioned that she was going to prepare rainbow cake for dessert!

This cake was so photogenic so I shot away! My first bite into the cake was like... a glimpse of heaven for little children! Hahaha! I actually felt all giddy for some reason... it was like eating a happy cake. Bite after bite with each "ROYGBV" color was bursting for joy inside my tummy.

In all its colorful attractiveness, here is the rainbow cake!

About to get covered and trimmed.

Covering the sides with the icing!

HAHAHA! Pria says hi!

That's Mannix doing the sprinkles.

Marshmallow icing!

The first slice.

At an angle.

A view from above.

Of course I wanted a souvenir shot with the finished product! :)

PRIA'S KITCHEN accepts orders: Landline telephone numbers: 889-9265 and 817-9271.

KATSU AT GINZA BAIRIN

2013-08-13T15:05:00.001+08:00

It was just recently that I had embarked on the idea of trying out a katsu journey towards what was once the ramen frenzy. I have not visited all of those ramen places that had sprouted all over the Metro, and I am not sure if I will even make my rounds for all that katsu.

I love cabbage. Probably much more than katsu actually. Unless it tastes extremely good, I won't eat it for another few weeks or months. It is just one of those things that I do not really crave for, and I am not such a great fan either... but there is always a first time.

Ginza Bairin, one of the latest residents in the neighborhood looked quite nice from all its features and photos that I saw online. I had to try it for myself. Because of its unlimited cabbage and great flavors that left some great memories from the ones that I've had in Tokyo, I wanted to compare.

One Thursday morning some time around eleven in the morning- my regular lunch date Pria and I decided to meet up to sink our teeth into some juicy katsu!

The menu was quite simple and did not complicate my eyes; so I did not have a difficult time choosing. I went for the Rosu Katsu (moist flavorful loin, as written on their menu). There are set menus from Seafood Sets, Katsu Curry Sets, Mixed Katsu Sets, Ginza Bairin Sets... and a few more! They all come with a bowl of rice, miso soup, cabbage, and some picked cabbage. Pria and I also ordered the Potato Salad and Korokke which was only two small, but yummy pieces.

Our first bite into the katsu was memorable. It was really tender... crisp with no distraction and... quite good. It was rather juicy after all! The following day, I told Luigi and my kids about it since Hermes and Sacha like Ebi Fry. We went there for lunch. I am sad to say that my Rosu Katsu was not as tender as it was the day before. Not bad, just not as tender to the bite.

But, that will not stop me from visiting again.

At eleven in the morning, the restaurant remains empty.

Shortly after, the restaurant begins to fill up and the place gets packed!

Pria. Before studying the menu.

Tradition and grinding your own sesame seeds for the katsu sauce.

These dressings were good. It's a good mix when you drizzle both over your cabbage!

Rosu Katsu Set.

Close-up. The breadcrumbs are done really well!

More cabbage for me!

The cabbage server posing for the shot!

Special Katsudon Set.

GINZA BAIRIN is located at the G/F, Glorietta 2, Palm Drive, Ayala Center, Makati.
Tel. No.: +63 2 5537350.

VASK: Modern Tapas and Gastronomic Cuisine

2013-07-03T18:19:00.003+08:00

When there are just too many of them out there... we end up asking too many questions; resulting in hopefully one solid answer of which restaurant to go to!

It was time to go out with Hedy again (my sister's long-time friend from College who is in town).

After my sister and I exchanged a few text messages while Hedy was on the other line with her- we agreed on a venue... phew! It was after a couple of replies that read "not there"; "Hedy said no"; and... similar rejections to my suggestions, that we finally booked a table at VASK.

The drive to The Fort was a pleasant one, not too long but we took the road less traveled (by me at least) where the International schools are located. I had no idea what building we were going to since it sounded like a new one.

And NEW it really was! The lobby of the building reeked of paint thinner of some kind and had no occupants in the ground floor. It didn't seem like there was much life in the building actually. The escort then led us to the elevator that took us up to the fifth floor.

It was all glass. The kind that you see everything from the outside. Quite modern with a view of an open kitchen and foreign-looking chefs somewhere behind the long marble counter of theirs. There was just one problem. The aircon of course felt faint and weak. I thought it partly had to do with the ceiling design that had circular cut-outs and a wide kitchen area that shared the space of the restaurant. For someone like me who easily feels warm; and with the combination of an alcoholic beverage- I was fanning myself with a paper napkin throughout the duration of my meal. Almost.

We pretty much got appetizers and no mains. Taste-wise... quite good! We didn't stay for dessert though and decided to head somewhere else for that indulgence.

High stools if you prefer them...

The left side where the bar and open kitchen are.

The tall carafe of Kalimotxo. A mixture of red wine, fresh squeezed orange juice and cola. This is the Northern Spanish version of Sangria as it read on the menu.

Into the glass it goes!

We each had these four pintxos to start.

On a slate of grey.

Peds my BIL and Leslie my sister.

Group shot!

And another, just in case!

Crispy shrimp! This was nice... wrapped with "kataifi noodles" and some honey drizzle.

Scallops and black ink risotto.

Blackened utensils.

Little Darth Vader! Quite random but funny so of course... we took advantage of a photo op!

Peace be with Peds!

A short high-five with the master!

The lobby of the building.

VASK is located at the Clipps Center, 5th floor. 11th Avenue corner 39th Street, BGC, Taguig. Tel. no. 0920 9185326.

TAVOLATA CEBU

2013-06-19T16:56:00.001+08:00

It seems like the perfect time of day to open a blank page to start writing a new entry. On my left are slight motions from the tiniest droplets of rain trickling down from leaf to leaf. And on my right, I have a half-eaten carrot cupcake that I just had to grab for myself at the nearest mall... as a result of watching all those episodes of Max's cupcakes on Two Broke Girls! HAHA! I love that show. Oh. And I grabbed a regular-sized cup of Americano from TCBTL on the way out.

With this kind of view outside my window, it's hard to remember that I just came from a place with much sun, water, wind, and a red face just this past weekend!

It was that time of year... my two eldest kids end the school year when most of the country is just about to begin theirs.

We were back in Cebu. My whole family went (two sisters and their families as well). So... the exciting part is that we had one dinner outside of the resort... somewhere a bit far. TAVOLATA was the name of the restaurant and by reviews from my parents- they seemed pleased, especially about their pizza. I browsed several sites with some nice and not-so-nice words about the restaurant but based on the images that I saw, it didn't seem all that bad! I looked forward to this dinner!

Traffic was quite slow, so all of us inside that van exchanged pleasantries amongst children and adults- questioning the distance, revealing their hunger, explaining the importance of being seated throughout the journey... and for me, I had Sabrina trapping my air supply from her heavy body that had just fallen asleep- seated upright with all that dead-weight against me. I had also fallen... stiff.

After about 45 minutes or it could have been more, there it was- at the Design Center in the city of Cebu- a tall glass facade lit with vertical letters on the corner. TAVOLATA. Dim, with a modern wooden deck that you embark on as you reach the last step of three- you reach another tall structure which is the main door of the restaurant. It looked the way I imagined. Just like the nice photos I had seen online. I got comfy, sat at our long table below the mirrored decor and began my journey of a good meal.

The facade.

Nice and welcoming. I love all the wood and concrete.

Outdoor seating.

Clipboard menus on a table by the entrance.

We had this side of the restaurant, against the wall.

The view from the second floor.

Drop lighting.

I just loved their bread!

My parents were seated on my right. The waiters are about to take our menu away along with our orders.

Guess who ordered this. Me? Really! I did! :) Caesar Salad. It was good! The dressing was sharp, lemony and biting. Not too garlicky which I liked!

I had less than half a glass for myself.

Sausage Pizza. This one went around... I took a slice, it was quite good! My parents were right.

Mozarella Pizza. A plain one for the kids. Good too! They enjoyed!

This is what the crust looks like up close. Kinda thick and crunchy.

Carbonara to the rescue, always!

Hermes and Sacha enjoying their pizza and carbonara pasta.

Big P and small p.

Luigi ordered this- I tried it, good but very heavy!

Lamchops "Scottadito". Quite good. And I had a large potato wedge that was really good too!

Herb crusted Chicken Parmesan. This was one huge serving, good for two to three persons and I ordered it. Unfortunately, it did not have that much taste. I prefer the ones that I've had at Boston's North End for sure! The side salad was really tasty though.

Reina and her kids with my kid on the right.

Cappuccino.

Panna Cotta.

Warm flour-less chocolate cake :)

TAVOLATA is located at Design Center of Cebu at PS Fortuna at P. Remedio Street, Cebu.
Tel. +63 32 5056211. You can also visit their website at http://theabacagroup.com/tavolata-cebu/

TIME TO GET SLAPPY!

2013-06-09T22:30:00.002+08:00

My love for pancakes and anything batter-based never blossomed into something hearty and meaningful inside my stomach. Except for Fish & Chips! I do go for that when my craving sets in!

Everytime there's an opportunity to grab breakfast or brunch outside; I go for rice more than pancakes or waffles.

A few days ago, I took my second child Sacha to meet her cousin Therese at the recently opened restaurant in Eastwood called SLAPPY CAKES. Therese's summer break ends when Sacha's just begins. It was the perfect day to accept the invite to make "do-it-yourself" pancakes so Sacha and I made our way through surprisingly minimal traffic towards Libis and made it there, seated at our table in about thirty minutes.

The making of a pancake at SLAPPY CAKES is simple to follow but can be slightly intimidating if you hated Art class haha! The servers are there to help anyway and will show you a sample of how it is done so in no time, everyone can have a chance at their first Warhol masterpiece on the griddle! ;)

That lunch... we ordered one bottle of Buttermilk and one bottle of Peanut Butter batter. Sacha and Therese used Buttermilk most of the time. I used Peanut Butter. I was actually having pancakes for lunch! It filled me up. I was full. Maybe because I had coffee before heading over and a heavy breakfast before that. There were a few other things on the menu, and out of curiosity, we ordered Daing Na Bangus. It was soooo sour! The marinade had too much vinegar. None of us ended up eating more than a spoonful. What a pity.

The girls really had so much fun though cooking their own pancakes! This is quite a great place to bring kids who enjoy pancakes!

On the table top.

Window seating.

Another side of the restaurant.

Instructions for pancake-making!

Therese and Tippi listening to Harold the waiter talk about some recommended combinations.

When you order your batter, it comes in these bottles.

Harold our helpful waiter.

Harold gave us a sample of how to cook the pancake.

A very important step. When you add your toppings, you will need to cover them up with batter before you flip the pancake!

Therese and Tippi about to make their first pancake!

Therese was about to make her Mickey Mouse head while Tippi I think made a heart.

Adding some bacon on her pancake.

Sacha really enjoyed this! She kept on going... and going... and eating!

The pancakes started forming some kind of shape after a while!

All toppings are served on this gravy server.

The sour Daing Na Bangus!

Eventually, the griddle will have bits and pieces of batter and topping. The girls had fun scarping them off before we left!

All done! 'Til we return again... one day.

SLAPPY CAKES is at G/F Eastwood Citywalk, Libis. Tel. No.: +63 2 909-3501.

NOT THAT MAD FOR GARLIC

2013-06-06T17:04:00.000+08:00

Aside from getting lost inside the numerical streets within Bonifacio Global City; I usually get lost with the timing of travel from my place to BGC. It's either I'm early or... I'm really early. Those are the given two when I go out to meet friends. But this particular dinner at Mad For Garlic, ooops... I was ten minutes late.

It might have been two years since Arlu, Anthony, Michelle and I last went out to eat together as a group. Over talks during my last get-together, we planned this dinner and found ourselves not so mad for garlic; but curious enough.

Arlu and Anthony, who happen to be the boys of http://helloballoon.com/

There were wine bottles all over the place.

Looking for something with the Mad For Garlic logo... the first thing I spotted was the napkin.

Caesar Salad... my many-eth and counting! HAHA! Those who have seen how many photos of salad on my previous entries will already be expecting Caesar Salad!!! ;) I was surprised by the portion, structural presentation and taste! This salad was GOOD!

Arlu, Anthony and Michelle's friend Bam Bam whose tattoo was very intriguing!

Here I am with Michelle and Cristina, Arlu's sister .

Arlu ordered the Caprese Salad... He seemed to like it.

Anthony decided to get a bowl of these White Mussels. I had around two pieces. Not bad!

Creamy Taraco Pasta. Now this one tasted as good as it looked. I am not such a great fan of white sauce but... because there was no other pasta that I felt like having on the menu, I ended up with this. The "roe" and "calamari" helped. Kinda rich-tasting... but, very tasty!

Michelle ordered a steak!

Sorry. I need to ask about this! :o

I gave Arlu some copies of our last group lunch. He's holding the photo with the same expression! This time, with a different hairstyle! HAHA!

MAD FOR GARLIC is located at W Global Center, 30th Street corner 9th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.
Telephone Numbers: +63 2 808-9517.

MAKING IT TO MACAU

2013-04-24T22:05:00.002+08:00

All I wanted to do was to get up and fly away.

It was one of those very rare flights that left before its scheduled departure time on PAL (Philippine Airlines). I looked at my watch and it was 8:43am when we had already made it somewhere through the friendly skies. Imagine that!

Thoughts of our first meal in Macau where we had reservations for lunch, became a diversion to Hong Kong...Which was actually where we were going... the next day. For some reason the fog was too low I guess for visibility on Macau airport grounds so we sat inside the plane for about an hour and a half somewhere on the runway of the Hong Kong airport, never making it to Aurora at The Altira Hotel for a nice and comfy Italian lunch.

It took me a few heavy inhales and exhales to avoid any stressful episode to trigger any form of claustrophobia from sitting inside the plane for who knows how long. No one was able to really give us an exact time of how long we would be holding there. Thankfully, it didn't take more than two hours for us to fly out and make it to Macau.

We were back in Macau eating in our favorite spots, staying somewhere new and breathing less second- hand smoke. They no longer allow smoking indoors other than designated areas inside the casinos and limited areas outdoors. Are we in for a cleaner Macau? Maybe.

At ground level... waiting to board.

I was in the mood to take shoe shots as you can see! HAHAHA!

I always find myself seated close to the right wing every time I fly.

At the lobby of The Sheraton Macau, this balloon lady waits for little children to come along to give them sculpted balloons. I didn't have mine around, for her to give any to... :/

There was still a thick cloud that lingered until night fell... Across us was The Venetian.

Our late lunch... this was one of my favorites at Treasure Palace.

Oh yummy... crispy pork belly with mustard!

Freshly baked chocolate cookies to go with our coffee.

The hallway at The Sheraton.

The rooms were quite spacious and well-appointed.

I guess for me, any Riesling will do... chilled to the maximum works best haha. This one was really nice and cold!

And! Happy Hour time so buy-one-take-one haha!

Inside City of Dreams, Beijing Kitchen is one of my favorite restaurants for Chinese food actually. It scores high on all categories if I were to rate it!

I've always loved the atmosphere at this restaurant. Brick... brown and high ceilings!

This is Raul who happened to be our waiter the past three times that we have eaten here!

A very good lamb dish that didn't taste so Asian.

I swear this is my favorite tofu dish. It was so good. With some preserved pickled relish.

Fish fritters of some kind.

Intricately presented on a plate. These are dumplings! :)

The Peking Duck man, getting our slices ready!

Stuffed, tired and sleepy hahaha! This is my look! ;o

This was the complex where we stayed in. Quite new and not bad at all.

No matter how full I may be... there will always be room for a nice Strawberry Daquiri! :) This was at one of the bars at The Venetian.

I looked around and on the tables were these centerpieces. So interesting I love carved elements. At The New Furusato restaurant inside Hotel Lisboa.

Cool stuff.

Another nice centerpiece!

Ready for my departing meal!

YUSHOKEN. A BOWL OF RAMEN ON A HOT DAY

2013-04-01T22:33:00.000+08:00

I was woken up by the sound of a little voice, telling me that the plan for lunch was to go have ramen at Yushoken. It was Easter Sunday.

This little voice was that of Hermes'. I was the last one to wake up that morning since I didn't really sleep right away the night before. Just one look at the right window gave me this sense of perspiration trickling down my face already and I hadn't even moved a muscle. I felt the heat surrounding me and the aircon was still on. Yikes!

We cruised down the skyway and headed towards Alabang on a ramen mission that was about to make its way into our stomachs. Then I remembered... that this was the start of one... hot... summer.

Greetings from the Yushoken door!

Ready to head out! I don't know what made Sacha wear a witch's hat on Easter!

We made our way on this almost-empty skyway towards Alabang.

It was too sunny for words... Someone had her blanky handy!

One side of Yushoken.

Just as we approached the restaurant, Yushoken's staff began their little chant which I guess what their way of getting themselves ready for a brand new day!

The counter area. There were a couple of tables lined along the sides of the restaurant. Not too small at all.

Sacha tried to find something on the menu but we ended up choosing for her. I think she just wanted chahan!

The menu on paper.

Nice bowls!

First was our gyoza order, which was quite good :)

Gyoza!

Hermes and his Shoyu ramen which he said was good. He only had the noodles. He never really takes much soup when he eats ramen!

We ordered three kinds of ramen. Here's the Tantanmen which I didn't have since I don't eat spicy stuff.

This was my bowl of Shoyu ramen. I really enjoyed it. After a while though, my lips started to feel a bit sticky and my tummy started to turn... It was how my body reacted. But I thought it was really tasty. Broth and all!

This was as far as I went with my bowl of ramen :)

Yushoken is located at Molito Lifestyle Center, Madrigal Avenue, Muntinlupa. Tel.:+63 2 8087424.

A LITTLE REUNION AT LAS FLORES

2013-02-26T22:18:00.002+08:00

Running just a bit late, I took my strides in longer and quicker form as I hurriedly pushed the main doors of what looked like the hustle and bustle of an "always packed" reputation of a restaurant.

Las Flores. In its how many months already in operation- I took my time getting myself a table here for the very first visit two weekends ago. The night was fairly young in the company of my kids' pediatrician, Dr. Romeo "Ome" Nuguid- along with my friends, Lia and Cherry. But then it grew old quickly after our one and only round of drinks! HAHAHA!

I had no idea that there were three Spanish natives who wait on tables and diligently hover around to check-up on their customers. I wish I was able to take a photo with them! Couldn't ask since I'm a bit shy haha and we were caught up with an interesting topic of conversation while chewing the night away!

Not bad at all! It's hard to compare though- when you already have a favorite Spanish restaurant that is kept close to your palate.

Here are some food shots!

Octopus... sorry don't have the exact name!

Gambas. Nothing that spectacular.

White Sangria... I remember the best white sangria that I ever tasted was from Otto e Mezzo Bombana in HK... now that was the best for me. This was good though.

Why so serious!? HAHAHAHA!!!

And the white jacket is off!

Chorizo....

Seafood Paella... now their paella is not like other paella since it's kinda not a heaping serving or fluffy looking. This is their version. Taste-wise, it was really so flavorful!

Catalan sausage with caramelized onions, baked potato and shiitake mushrooms.

We're no angels of his! HAHAHA!

Our only dessert. HAHA!

A full house...

LAS FLORES... G/F One McKinley Place, 25th Street, Bonifacio Global City. Tel. + 63 2 552 2815.

BERGAMO'S RESTAURANT IN TAGAYTAY

2013-02-19T20:25:00.002+08:00

I had to prepare myself to take a foggy ride out of Highlands this one evening, on an overnight trip to Tagaytay. The road out of there through that kind of visibility always gets me quite anxious!

We normally have one meal somewhere outside of Highlands if we are a large group visiting my parents. We were not complete so it wasn't that large of a group, but anything larger than my three kids, Luigi, and myself... is large enough! HAHAHA!

I remember how my dad mentioned eating in BERGAMO one lunch on his way back to Manila- a nice little old home that was converted into a small boutique hotel. I had a hard time imagining how a restaurant was named after what I had known to be a made-to-order barong tagalog and suit store, which I always saw outside New World Hotel on my way home.

It was night time so I couldn't really see too much past a driveway, dimly lit with a house on the left and another structure in front. This little boutique hotel is called BERGAMO SUITES. It lies on the main road that leads up to Tagaytay- before you hit the Tagaytay market to be exact.

I was able to take a quick round on the ground level where the restaurant is located. It seemed quiet. Not a creature was stirring... not even a mouse... or hotel guest. It was just us at that time, I think!

The restaurant was charming... its menu selection was not all that extensive but you will find some familiar dishes. Taste-wise, it was fine.

I would like to come back sometime to see the place in the light of day.

The doorway to the restaurant.

This is one way of walking up to the ground floor of the hotel entrance.

Warmly lit and inviting, this is one of the first places you'll see when you go up the stairs to the main entrance of the hotel.

This I believe is the cafe.

Here is my dad. Trying to make a not-so-tough decision with the menu.

The menu. This is the main menu. There was a separate menu for the Chef's Recommendations which were not that much more.

My dad brought his own bottle.

I had just a little bit... wait a minute... Who's little hand is that holding the glass in the photo! I just noticed, that's Hermes' hand haha holding my glass.

I couldn't decide if I wanted soup or salad to start with so I got both. This was the prawn and corn chowder. I was a bit too seafood-y tasting for me.

We had to request for some carbonara or alfredo pasta for Hermes and Sacha.

And of course I ordered a salad. They had their own version of Caesar Salad... Nice tasting.

Their carbonara with the egg on top!

Hermes' hands.

I couldn't decide what to get for my main course. So I went with the 'Braised Lamb Shank'. It tasted like... lamb shank!

Another view...

Details on the walls were like this.

I got this bread pudding. It was actually good. I was too full to finish it.

I had to have a cup.

The restaurant is quite small....

Creme Caramel.

My sister, Leslie.

Leaving the restaurant. Here's Sacha wearing one of my maxi dresses by Sacha & The Little Man® https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sacha-The-Little-Man/134569879921103

Some of the hotel's facade. In the dark, I guess you cannot really appreciate it.

BERGAMO SUITES AND RESTAURANT is located at Sta. Rosa Road, Tagaytay. +63915 9154667603;
+63923 8002273.