Trip or Treats

Seafood Paluto Feast at Pier One Cebu

2011-10-24T17:30:00.001+08:00

Every time I'm in Cebu, I always crave for fresh seafood in the Cebu City area. Somehow, my Cebuano friends draw blanks when I ask for recommendations, so I always end up at Pier One in Park Mall because it's the only branch in the Philippines that has a Paluto section with fresh seafood. Plus, since my brother was with me this time, I knew he would appreciate the food.

This is what we ordered for FOUR people. You think I'm a foodie, wait til you meet Jerico.

Lechon Sisig with Egg

Sizzling pork cheek and ears with the Cebu Lechon flavors. Add an egg and it becomes more decadent. So GOOD.

Bucket of Oysters

Clam Shell Soup

Simple flavors with a bit of a kick from the peppers and the vegetables.

Steamed Diwal

Otherwise known as Angel Wing Clams, these are lightly steamed and taste sweet and plump. A Cebu specialty.

Grilled Squid

My seafood staple.

Lechon Style Liempo

Do you know that the Pier One group also owns Chic-Boy? That's why their liempo is very tasty, herbaceous and succulent. Highly recommended.

Sizzling Pochero Steak

In Cebu, Pochero is otherwise known as our Bulalo Soup. This is basically a bulalo steak, that is tastier and more tender. Cholesterollific.

Garlic Fried Crabs

Deep-fried crabs with garlic. Since the crabs are live in aquariums, this one came out SUPER YUMMY! I love crabs! Not the STD ha.

Green Mango with Bagoong

To cleanse the palate. But we were STUFFED so we didn't even touch this. Nine dishes for four people. So even with three hefty boys, we left plenty on our table. Who wants to eat with Brother & Me?

Here's my old post on Pier One

Goodie Giveaway: Assumption Cookbook!

2011-10-17T16:00:00.001+08:00

The WINNER has been announced on the bottom!

I went to high school in Assumption San Lorenzo, and in December my batch (2001) is celebrating our 10th year reunion! Gosh, how time flies! Even if it was over a decade ago, I can still remember clearly how we would go gaga over Assumption tarts, go guy crazy over the LaSallites or Ateneans who would go to our high school fair, or get behind our girlfriends when someone was trying to bully her. High school memories are the best, and I can't wait to see us all grown up after all these years!

Our batch is doing a fundraising, and you can buy Assumption memorabilia from us to raise funds for our reunion. So I ended up buying some Assumption Cookbooks during The BIG Outlet & Travel Sale. I didn't just buy one, I bought three. So... with an extra copy of The Pearl Edition of the Assumption Cookbook, I'm doing my Goodie Giveaway!

To get the Goodie Giveaway PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY

Only followers of Trip or Treats are eligible to win. Choose "Follow ToT!" in that cute little box over on the right hand side menu of this blog where all the mug shots are. How can you win goodies if you don't know when I'm giving them away?

You must like the TRIP OR TREATS Facebook Page!

Comment on this post with your complete name and email address! (Remember to be a follower!) Then add any or all of the following on your comment. The more you do, the more chances you have of winning:

Copy this link: http://triportreats.blogspot.com/2011/10/goodie-giveaway-assumption-cookbook.html

Copy this link and paste it on your FB page as a link saying: "I want to win the Assumption Cookbook Goodie Giveaway @Trip or Treats" MAKE SURE you tag Trip or Treats (@Trip or treats). Make it public and Post a link on your comment here.
Post this Goodie Giveaway link on your blog (Blogspot, Multiply, personal), Or "Link to this post" at the bottom of this page, and include the link to your site on your comment!
Tweet "I want the Assumption Cookbook #GoodieGiveaway on @triportreats http://triportreats.blogspot.com/2011/10/goodie-giveaway-assumption-cookbook.html " and make sure you follow me on Twitter , then tell me so on your comment!

Comments will be accepted til October 23, 2011, and I will post the winner in the comment form as well as inform the winner via email on the 24th of October. I'll arrange pickup details afterwards. Only residents of the PHILIPPINES are eligible or are willing to ship to a Philippine address.

Ready. Set COMMENT!

CONGRATULATIONS TO CRYSTAL CRUZ!

You've won the Assumption Cookbook Goodie Giveaway! I'll email you for details on pickup :)

Red Cross Ball + Michael Cinco Fashion Show

2011-10-17T15:10:00.000+08:00

Haute Couture

I miss dressing up to the nines. So when schedule and invitations permit, I make the effort to get glammed up. It's even better if you do it for a cause which is what last night's Red Cross Ball was all about.

My friend, life mentor and fellow Assumptionista Tessa Prieto-Valdes co-chairs the annual Red Cross Ball, this year for the benefit of the Taguig chapter of Red Cross plus the Assumption High School Batch '81. Her batch is celebrating their 30th reunion this year, while my batch is having our 10th year reunion, so this sit-down dinner show was definitely for a good cause.

Since we always support Tessa's endeavors, and have supported the Red Cross Balls since Rajo's show, then Dennis Lustico's, I got a couple of tickets and took some fashionista friends with me. Here's Yendy and Yessa, otherwise known as the Y sisters. As for my outfit, I had NOTHING to wear since I can't fit into my clothes lately, so I begged my good friend, designer Berry Tenchavez to make me a gown that was both wow and weight-gain friendly. She made my sequined wrap-gown in 3 days with no fittings and it fit like a GLOVE! Love you Berry! Check out my cuff from Maja by Janina Garcia!

Goodies at our table.

The show ball began with an acrobatic fashion show from Fila. The Rizal Ballroom of the Makati Shangri-La was decked in Black & White fabric to contrast the gowns and the performers outfits.

Tessa co-chairs the annual Red Cross Ball with Kaye Tinga of Taguig. The dynamic duo both wearing different personalities of Michael Cinco's creations. If the name doesn't ring a bell, why not check out Season 15 of America's Next Top Model where there was a photo shoot by the dumpsters with the models wearing his designs made of scrap materials.

Cured seared tuna loin, eggplant quenelle, kalamata olives and a cucumber and tomato salad
The first course reflects the overall Greek theme of the event, with the flavors of olives, eggplant and olive oil combining with the tuna to give a Mediterranean flair to the dish. I could not figure out what the soft, silken tofu-like white blocks were, some sort of yogurt block of sorts.

The second course was a Green Lentil Soup with Greek Yogurt and Chives on a bread bowl, followed by an Green Apple Mint Sorbet to cleanse the palate. I loved the apple chip, as well as the presentation of the sorbet in an ice sculpture of a Greek column. The soup was a little bland for me.

Roasted Lamb rack with oven baked shallots, fine green beans, red wine and feta cheese.

Except for the small portions of the lamb, everything was sublime. Soft lamb sections, sweet backed shallots and that zing from the tartness of the feta brought the main dish into completion.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Milk Jam Ice Cream and Berry Compote

The flourless cake was surprisingly dense, and left it on my plate. The Milk Jam Ice Cream was the ultimate winner though, and ended up wiping it off of Mr. S' plate as well.

Pralines to go with our coffee and tea, which never arrived

The lights were dimmed, and the Michael Cinco fashion presentation began

The show was opened by a very well-physiqued man wearing gold tipped briefs. YES.

The first pieces were stark white which blended to ecru then gold.

The color palette deepened like the flame, with yellows to orange to, my favorite pieces, reds. The detail and the sheer craftsmanship of Michael Cinco's gowns were breathtaking. Each piece was like another cherry to top the previous one!

To cap off the show, runway veteran Marina Benipayo owned the runway with her fierce posing skills. There is a reason why she is always asked to be the finale at most couture runway shows.

The Queen Bee and her boylets. Macho.

Each piece was intricate, elegant, and definitely Oscar-worthy

Beautiful Color Palette

Another Filipino talent I am proud to have experienced!

See the beauty that Michael Cinco creates

Oktoberfest 2011 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza

2011-10-05T01:54:00.004+08:00

So it's already October, and October + Beer + Beer Maiden means it's time for...?

OKTOBERFEST 2011 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza!!

The German Club Manila and Sofitel Philippine Plaza play hosts to the 73rd Oktoberfest Manila on October 20-23, 2011! Bring on the beers, bratwursts and Bavarian spirit at this four day fun and booze-filled extravaganza for those who want to celebrate the traditions, entertainment and Bavarian food and beverage spreads reminiscent of the classic German folk festival.

Sofitel Manila's General Manager, Goran Aleks, is actually a native of Munich, Germany so it is befitting that his hotel houses one of the highlights of German culture in the Philippines.

The president of the Manila chapter of The German Club, Michael Scheile, talks about how Oktoberfest originated in Munich, which is the world's largest fair with about 5 million people attending in Germany. The beerfest morphed from the wedding celebration of Crown Prince Ludwig, who later became King Ludwig I, to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen back in 1810. So, 200 years later, the party has gone worldwide and onto the shores of Manila.

The German embassy's commercial attache to the Philippines, Christof Wegner, talks about how celebrating this traditional Bavarian event brings homesick and longstaying Germans close to their roots, especially with a number of German firms opening up shop in the Philippines. Plus, the move from NBC Tent (the old venue) to Sofitel Manila was necessary because of the growing number of attendees the past years.

If you're not familiar with the people above, this guy (above) should be easy to recognize: He's the new Philippine Azkals' Football team coach, Hans Michael Weiss. Coach Weiss promised to drag Neil Etheridge and the Younghusbands to Oktoberfest. Girls, calm yourself down.

But enough talk, it's time to DRINK!

Aside from food & drink though, there will be raffles during the 4-day fest. Business Class tickets care of Etihad Airways, IPads and other goodies from the sponsors are just some of the items you can win.

What is Oktoberfest without the BEER?

And overflowing beer there is! Since San Miguel Brewery is a major sponsor, you can guzzle all the San Mig Pilsen, Dry, Light, Premium and other variations of our famed local brew. A ticket to Oktoberfest also comes with a keepsake PINT mug (above) for you to lug around the Harbour Garden Tent and refill to your beer belly's delight.

The Harbour Garden Tent of Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila will be decorated in the Bavarian colors of white and blue much like this spread above. Authentic Oktoberfest tables & benches guarantee a festive beer garden fair setting.

For entertainment, Etihad Airways flew in The Bavarian Sound Express, a well-known musical ensemble from previous Oktoberfests in Manila, will keep guests singing and dancing all night long! Ladies in dirndls and gents in lederhosen strutting around the tent-turned-Oktoberfest village will add to the heart-pumping Oktoberfest vibe.

Enough about the seating arrangement, the most important part of Oktoberfest, aside from the beer, is the FOOD! Bavarian delights will make up the colorful culinary spread.

Roasted Pork Knuckles

Grilled Sausages, bratwurst, knockwurst, bockwurst... all the wursts out there

More Sausages with Sauerkraut... I love sauerkraut!

Can I say, more sausages?

Roast Pork & Dumplings are other meaty offerings during the 4 day event. Pretzels are a handy way to drown the ice cold beer that's free-flowing for all to enjoy beginning at 630p from the 20th to the 24th.

If you still can't get enough of the Oktoberfest fever, you can buy merchandise, souvenirs and goodies at the grand lobby of Sofitel Philippine Plaza from September 22 to October 23. If you don't want to get drunk but still want to try the traditional spread, an authentic Bavarian food festival will be celebrated at Spiral on October 10-23, with a menu specially prepared by Sofitel's Executive Chef Marko Rankel, who is also German.

Obviously, if you're going to attend Oktoberfest, you have to fix the driver situation, or stay the night at the Sofitel so you don't risk running yourself over going home. There will be special Oktoberfest rates for those attending the festival and you can sleep soundly after an evening of debauchery and drinks with just an elevator ride to your room.

Check out Sofitel Philippine Plaza's Oktoberfest 2011 on Facebook.

Are you excited? I am!

Ticket rates are as follows:
German Club Member – Php 2,700
Walk- in/Non Member – Php 2,800
1 Table – Php 2,600
3 or more tables – Php 2,500
* 1 Table = 20pax

All prices are net of taxes
There are special room rates for those who are buying tickets.

As of the moment, all ticket inquiries can be directed to the German Club at 817.3552 and 818.3552 or at germanclub@germanclub.ph until Oct. 6. On Oct. 7, Sofitel's Oktoberfest booth in the Lobby will start selling tickets from 10am to 10PM daily until Oct.23rd at 11:30am.

For ticket sales, please call the German Club Manila at (632) 817.3552 and 818.3552 or email at germanclub@germanclub.ph. For room reservations, please call (632) 551.5555 exts. 1991 to 1994 or email at room.reservations@sofitelmanila.com. For Spiral reservations, please call (632) 832.6988 or email at fbreservations@sofitelmanila.com.

Fersal Hotel + Facebook

2011-10-03T14:59:00.001+08:00

Fersal Hotel Philippines now has Facebook!

Click here and LIKE Fersal Hotel for updates on their promos and discounts around the metro. Plus!
Check back soon to see the NEWLY upgraded Fersal Hotels. We're talking about therapeutic mattresses, imported linens and towels, flatscreen LCD televisions, the works!

The BIG Outlet & Travel Sale + Goodie Giveaway Tickets!

2011-09-29T01:03:00.002+08:00

Everyone's favorite sale event since 2008 is back and it's bigger, fresher, and so much better!

(click on image to view in full size)

Welcome to The BIG Outlet & Travel Sale 2011!!!

Now enjoy all the best deals with the biggest brands plus Book & Buy and discounted rates on hotels, resorts and airfare! Buy everything you need for your next big getaway in this 3-day extravaganza!

Where: The Megatent, 30 Meralco Ave., Ortigas Center, Pasig City (bet DepEd and Renaissance)

When: October 14-16, 2011, Friday-Sunday, 10am-9pm

What: Up to 90% off on Select Merchandise + Book & Buy Promos from Resorts & Hotels

Free Entrance to BPI Cardholders (with valid ID)

Additional perks for BPI Express Credit Edge and Petron Mastercard holders!

Hourly Raffle Draws for BPI Edge & Petron Mastercard holders

Chance to win Sun Cellular post-paid line + Mobile Phones!

WHO: BPI Express Credit Edge, BPI Petron Mastercard + Malibu Enterprise

Travel Merchants: AirPhil Express, Microtel Philippines, The Tides Hotel Boracay, Movenpick Resort & Spa Cebu, Las Casas Filipinas, One Tagaytay Place, Hotel Elizabeth, Fersal Hotel, etc...

Brands: PowerMac Center, Ipanema, Levi's, Nike Golf, Dupe', Rudy Project, Crumpler, Cushe, Hush Puppies, Melissa, Adidas, Puma, Devant, Nike, Accel, Rustan Marketing Corp. Cutting Edge, JA Henckels, Manny O Wines, Canopy Homes, Parker, Chocolate Clothing, Dockers, R.A.F., Plains & Prints, Guerlain, Grendha, Giordano Ladies, Pac Sports, Sebago, Targus, Switch, Digital Walker, Audio Technica, Ideal Vision, Speck, Slazenger, Maldita, and many many more!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To make my Goodie Giveaway even sweeter, I'm giving out up to FOUR tickets to the first 100 comments on this blog post to The BIG Outlet & Travel Sale 2011!

PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY

1. You MUST like The BIG Outlet & Travel Sale & TRIP OR TREATS and Malibu Enterprise Facebook Pages! (MUST like both)

2. Comment on this post with your complete name. (Remember to be a follower!)

3. Copy link: http://triportreats.blogspot.com/2011/09/big-outlet-travel-sale-goodie-giveaway.html

4. You can get up to FOUR tickets by including any or all (why not!?) of the following on your comment. One link/tweet/FB/blog is equal to one ticket!

Copy this link and paste it on your FB page as a link saying: "I want to win Tickets to @The BIG Outlet Sale by Malibu Enterprise from @ Trip or Treats" MAKE SURE you tag Trip or Treats (@Trip or treats) & The BIG Outlet Sale by Malibu Enterprise (@he BIG Outlet Sale by Malibu Enterprise). Make your post public and Paste a link on your comment.

Post this Goodie Giveaway link on your blog (Blogspot, Multiply, Wordpress, site, personal), Or "Link to this post" at the bottom of this page, and include the link to your site on your comment!

Tweet "I want tickets to #TheBIGOutlet&TravelSale2011 by @triportreats http://triportreats.blogspot.com/2011/09/big-outlet-travel-sale-goodie-giveaway.html" and make sure you follow me on Twitter , then tell me so on your comment!

After the 100th valid Comment, I'll end the guest list.

TO CLAIM YOUR TICKETS:

On your preferred Sale date, come to the Ticket booth with your VALID ID and look for the Trip or Treats Guestlist.

Ready. Set COMMENT!

That's Haute

2011-09-26T23:09:00.003+08:00

www.pinterest.com

Hauteness.

AirPhil Express and ToT are F.O. No More

2011-09-26T09:02:00.000+08:00

Last week, I was in an airline fiasco that left me F.O. (friendship over) with AirPhil Express. I wrote a formal complaint letter to their customer service peeps and waited for a response.

When I did finally get a response, after a week, the reply was incomplete and not very well thought of. I thought my concerns have gone to the dogs and it'll just be another complaint sweeped under the rug til I get tired of talking about it.

But yesterday, things turned for the better and I was caught off guard in a situation that not very many large companies would find themselves in.

Unbeknownst to many, before the big AirPhil Express incident, I was already in talks with them on a business collaboration. And when I met with them last Tuesday, I completely forgot to mention that something had happened to be last week. I wanted to be transparent and made sure that on the next meeting I would inform them of the situation and my blog post.

So yesterday, I was meeting with AirPhil, to finalize some details on the deal we were working on. I mentioned that I had an "incident" with them last week, and I said it a bit sheepishly so it wouldn't sound like a big deal. But then I got this response: Oh yeah, That's why we're meeting --- to talk about that.

I was floored. I just got ambushed! I thought I was going to be warned or get legal-blabber about my blog, my tweets, my incident. Since I'm familiar with big corporations and their "BIG GUY" way of handling business, I thought I was going to be bullied into deleting their substandard email response on ToT, which actually had a confidentiality clause at the bottom (which I ignored for the sake of my readers' knowledge).

When the surprise ambush happened, the AVP of their Social Media department arrived and I was in for the unexpected. Instead of the hostile, awkward, face-to-face, confrontation I was musting up the courage for, we had a very open-minded, transparent and surprisingly friendly conversation about it. They made no excuses for what I experienced, and they sincerely listened to my side and understood why I had to voice out what had happened. They apologized for what I had to go through, the manner everything was handled, and the feeling of disregard generated by the lack of communication and leadership. But most important of all, they were THERE, in front of me, speaking directly to me and not behind an email address or a hiding supervisor (gentle stab).

How many corporations do you know would go out of their way to "find" someone who had made a complaint? How many big business would ambush a business meeting to apologize for their shortcomings, instead of trying to downplay the situation? How many recipients of complaints would thank the complainant (me) for such a lengthy and detailed letter? I don't know of very many, but now I know one.

I have to disclose, just for transparency, that they gave me a round trip domestic ticket to compensate for the hassle, but I didn't really care about that. My travels are paid by corporate so that wasn't the issue. What mattered to me was that they were there, right in front of me, and they listened. They know that as a young company, they have a lot to learn and improve on, but the very gesture of their stealth meeting made me feel validated and made me hopeful about AirPhil Express again.

They actually thanked me for writing such a detailed complaint, because they can use it to get down to the source of the problem, and it made their investigation more accurate. Come ON. How many of disgruntled customers got a THANK YOU as a response when you would bitch and whine about something?

People are very simple to please. Most of us just yearn to be heard (hence blogging/tweet/social media), understood and made to feel respected. It's so hard to get that when businesses are stuck in the corporate chain of protocol where the rank and file don't normally get aligned with the goals of the executives. AirPhil Express' straight to the source, hands-on approach, albeit surprising, was one of the best WINS they could do for such a catastrophic fail, bad customer service.

So now, I'm actually glad this whole thing is over. And what's better is how the ending happened. They say it's not about how you fall down, but how you get up that matters. AirPhil Express totally got back from that stumble.

And, to be totally honest, it made me feel special that they had to scour the globe (ok, maybe not really the globe, but they hunted me down!) to speak to me in person and touch base with the situation. Sometimes, no matter how good your write, words are not enough. Presence, no matter how minute, speaks volumes.

So kudos to AirPhil Express for such a fresh approach at responding to a complaint letter. I hope many companies make that much effort to turn around a bad experience.

On the flip side, I'm happy we are now friends again, and I can complete my Fly 10 Get 1 promo! I have 6 already! hahahaha.

Discover Cuisine at Alain Ducasse Formation + Enderun

2011-09-24T14:28:00.001+08:00

Pepperdine + NYU Graduation

Looks can be deceiving. A lot of people may balk at the truth that I'm a gigantic dork. I am a stickler for learning and would love to go back to school (for the nth time). There is something about campuses and classrooms that I find intoxicating. I also find food intoxicatingly alluring, but that's a no-brainer.

Enderun at McKinley Hill

I've studied at some pretty awesome campuses in my heyday, but this glass and brick building is the ULTIMATE collaboration of two of my favorite passions: Food + Learning. I just recently realized that Enderun isn't just a culinary school for budding chefs and hoteliers, but they are also offering "Lifelong Education" under the Enderun Extension program.

I was excited to attend the Discover Cuisine event for us to see the campus as well as learn from one of the best chefs from the Alain Ducasse Formation + Enderun collaboration. ALAIN DUCASSE!

Back when I was living in LA, Roomie and I had a chance to eat at one of Alain Ducasse's restaurants, Mix in Las Vegas. It was, at my post-college/pre-NYU days, one of the most extravagant meals I had shelled out for. And it was memorable in every way. I vowed to get connected with Alain Ducasse's culinary artistry one way or another.

Alain Ducasse is one of the most famous French chefs in the culinary world. From Le Louis XV in Monte Carlo, Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée in Paris, and Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester in London, he is one of the rare chefs in the prestigious Michelin Guide's history to have 3-star rating in three different cities.

One way or another is correct. I was finally able to have a mini-culinary class with one of ADF's chef's at Enderun. Alain Ducasse Formation was formed in 1999 to encapsulate the master chef's culinary methods and provide training and consultancy services to the world. In 2007, ADF partnered with Enderun College to bring culinary arts to a new level in the Philippines. The classroom facilities are impeccable, as if watching a cooking show from the set.

The ADF+Enderun Certificate in Culinary Arts is a 15-month course which tackles everything from Nutrition, Confectionery, Regional French Cuisine to Hygiene and Sanitary Systems. It's taught by several internationally trained and experienced chefs from the ADF program as well as the exclusive 5-star hotels in the Philippines.

Since the heart of the ADF+Enderun philosophy is theory, demonstration and practice, the institution meet and exceed international standards and gives a hands-on approach to culinary education. There is only a 2 students/workstation ratio and 8 workstations/lab class. This means you aren't just reading recipes off of a cookbook, you are actually learning by doing.

Interestingly enough, Enderun is not only a college that offers four year courses, they also offer shorter programs such as their 3-month Pastry Arts Certificate for those who want to hone their craft at baking, pastry and confectionery. The thought of ToT making a souffle is making me giddy already.

Apparently, at ADF+Enderun, you learn from the best. Chef Marc Chalopin was handpicked by ADF to become the ADF+Enderun executive chef so that the standards of Alain Ducasse are kept, as well as ensure that his philosophy, principles and techniques are properly transmitted to student. In the beginning he seemed aloof, but quickly found out that he is the opposite, and he began hamming it up for the students and the camera.

He has had an illustrious string of experience for over 25 years, his best years working next to Joel Robuchon as well as Alain Ducasse himself at the 59 Poincare of Le Relais du Parc in France. My favorite CV tidbit: he worked with Alain Reix at the infamous Eiffel Tower restaurant Le Jules Verne. He also taught at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. He moved to Manila in 2008 and joined ADF+Enderun.

Of course, we met him doing what he does best: COOK!

On the menu: Chocolat Liegeois

And Shrimp Tartar Burgers. MMM

He began the demonstration preparing the chocolate ice cream, coffee & rum granite, chantilly cream, chocolate sauce and nougatine, the components for the Liegeouis. I must dig up my old ice-cream maker so I can replicate the recipe.

No detail is left unattended by Chef Marc, who trades culinary banter with the students while teaching recipes and techniques.

It was a decadent dessert with lots of layers, some hot and cold components, and a lot of chocolate!

For the shrimp tartare burgers, Chef Marc taught us how to confit a tomato. It begins with blanching the tomatoes in hot water to easily remove the skin, then slicing it into rounds with olive oil and seasoning then placing it into the oven for 90 degrees Celsius for about 4 hours... that's a lot of time!

In making the shrimp burger, there are several components, from the shrimp patty, tartare sauce, garnish (to make it look like a real burger), and the time-consuming tomato confit.

Chef Marc assembles the pieces and builds his burger.

Once the burgers were about to be presented, there was a flock of 'students-for-the-day' who wanted a closer look... or first dibs on the dishes.

The Final Touches... I doubt 9 slider burgers could satiate my appetite after some anticipation, let alone an entire group of hungry observers.

In true cooking show, and culinary school, form, TA DAH! Out came more buns and burgers ready for prepping.

Photo-op while waiting for Chef Marc to finish his Liegeois.

After he was finished, I just had to have a photo with Chef Marc, who was very approachable, and said he loved, of all Filipino dishes, SISIG. We have something in common. Having had the opportunity to learn 2 dishes from him made me wonder if I can still squeeze into my crazy schedule a short course at Enderun?

The best part about ADF+Enderun, for ToT at least, is that not only do you get to see how good food is made, you also get a chance to taste it after the class. The best part of class! Is this a school, or a restaurant? (The answer: It's both)

This sign made me smile. YES, we need English Only Zones.

Enderun's College of Business & Entrepreneurship + Enderun's Hospitality Center
I'm so tempted to go back to school!

Here's the recipes for the Shrimp Tartare Burger and the Chocolat Liegeois (click to view larger image)

To learn more about Enderun College and Alain Ducasse Formation + Enderun:

Enderun Colleges

1100 Campus Avenue

McKinley Hill, Fort Bonifacio

Taguig City 1634 Philippines

Telephone: (632) 856 5000

Facsimile: (632) 856 4656

www.enderuncolleges.com

American Idol Concert + Manila

2011-09-21T16:02:00.001+08:00

Videos to be added once uploaded.

American Idol Crowd

Yes, I'm one of the lucky ones who got the overpriced patron tickets to the American Idol concert today, all thanks to my brother, who has some major connections in the music industry, and is coincidentally part of Uno Magazines TOP 10 Alpha Males for the year! Thanks Sangko! Hahaha

I loved the start of the Concert... Feel na feel!

The concert began with a little something from all the girls, Naima, Pia, Thia (the Filipina), Haley and Lauren.

Watch them sing Born This Way by Lady Gaga

Pia seemed to captivate everyone with her super sparkly dress and very toned gams. I tweeted that I just turned Lesbo! Finally, someone Mr. S & I both like.

She started the solos off with some Alicia Keys

Then she made a duet with Stefano to Rihanna's California King Bed. The duo actually sounds better than a solo

Then Paul came in and brought some raspy Rod Stewart in the house. I love his voice and his awkward performances. It's one of those goofy sexy things! hahaha

Thia was cute singing her chirpy song...

Who Says You're Not Perfect?

Pia sings her new single

The ladies came back (sans Naima) and sang a sexy number, with equally sexy outfits.

I Absolutely love HALEY!

Then it was Stefano's turn to bring up the heat with Bruno Mar's Grenade

NOT TO BE MISSED!

Stefano channels Usher and has backup dancers/singers with him. Must watch Stefano sometime around 2:30 of the clip. You will SCREAM!

Then the Boys take over the stage with a great rendition of Neon Trees

My favorite guy, Casey Abrams, starts it off with a little bass for Breathe

I LOVE CASEY! And i love his performance of Maroon 5's Harder to Breathe

Then Naima takes center stage with some words from JLo, herself.

The very red getup for the Cee Lo medley. hahaha

Here's season 10's Forget You/Crazy

Love the messages from the judges and Ryan as well!

Happy Happy watchers

Lauren was cute with her outfits, but she had a really thick bikini tan. I wonder where she got that from?

James sings Sweet Child of Mine

James strikes a pose after rocking the crowd

Jacob Lutz, doing her malandi gig. Hahaha sorry, that was mean.

I cannot say it enough. Haley was my vote for #1! Alongside Paul and Casey, they made the show bearable. And I love her sing the top songs of her season.

First runner up Lauren Alaina comes out with her cowboy boots singing Flat On The Floor

The winner Scotty finally comes out.

He's actually quite cute, if you ask me

He had to sing Gone, and he had to have 4 back up singers in sexy LBDs

Though Filipinos aren't big on country, Scotty was cheered on and really turned up the show!

The finale!

The crowd was jovial and pumped up! From 830p to 1130p, that 3 hour show was jam-packed with great singing, vibrant energy, and the promise of a better season ahead

Yay!

AirPhil Express Response to My Complaint

2011-09-21T12:08:00.001+08:00

* HERE'S AN UPDATE AND A HAPPY ENDING TO THE AIRPHIL EXPRESS INCIDENT*

Last week, I had a very harrowing experience with AirPhil Express and voiced out the details alongside my formal complaint in an email to them, as well as a post on ToT.

So far, after one week... this is the response I get. Guys, this is verbatim ha, so the typos and grammatical question marks are not done by me. Don't shoot the messenger.

"Dear Ms. ---,

We refer to the complaint received by our Social Media group for our attention. At the outset, please accept our sincerest regrets for any disappoitnment you may have felt as a result on your experience.

We have since initiated feedback with the concerned offices to provide us with the full circumstances of your reported incident. Once we complete our reports, we will communicate again with you.

Please be assured of our preferential attention.

Sincerely,
--
CUSTOMER CARE
Airphil Express"

I would expect that given one entire week I could have at least an organized thought process and spell checked response.

ToT-ers: What do you think? Is this the best I'm gonna get?

Formal Complaint to AirPhil Express RE 2P 930

2011-09-15T22:54:00.003+08:00

* CLICK HERE FOR THE UPDATE/HAPPY ENDING TO THE AIRPHIL EXPRESS INCIDENT*

I got this at AirPhil Express' Website. This is their Mission, in order of importance. Note #1 and #2

Air Philippines Corporation shall provide:

customers with safe and reliable air transportation with the best service at the least cost;
employees with career development and job satisfaction; and
stockholders with fair return on their investment.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DATE: 16 September 2011
TO: AirPhil Express
FROM: ToT
RE: Formal Complaint Addressed to Supervisor Robert Perez on The Handling of Cancelled Flight # 2P 930

To Whom It May Concern

I would like to launch a formal complaint regarding the handling of AirPhil Express cancelled flight 2P 930 to Cebu from Manila earlier today. I am copy furnishing some of my co-passengers in this e-mail as this incident not only inconvenienced the undersigned, but over 100 passengers of the cancelled flight. As I write this complaint, beginning at 10:34am, I have now been at the airport since 5:00am, first at NAIA3 then to NAIA2. We have not been given food nor water since then, as there are no food kiosks in the check-in area of NAIA2.

I apologize in advance for the lengthy nature of this letter, but since I have been made to wait over 9 hours , I believe your company can afford me a few minutes of your busy corporate time to read through my complaint and weigh if reading such a long letter is more of an inconvenience over waiting at the airport for almost 10 hours with no guarantee of departure.

Let me begin with a detailed incident report on the occurrences that have transpired since 5am:

I arrived at NAIA3 at 515am, 2.5 hours before the slated 735am 2P 930 flight to Cebu. When I arrived, there was a line in front of the AirPhil Express counter but no attendant checking in. I called my companion, who arrived at the airport much earlier. She was the one who told me that our flight was cancelled and was shuttled to NAIA2 by AirPhil Express to take the 9am PR853 flight of Philippine Airlines.

When I asked the passengers ahead of me if they knew it was cancelled, they said that only when they asked attendants did anyone advise them of the cancelled flight, and that our entire flight would be moved to 5 o’clock in the afternoon, 12 hours from that time and about 10 hours from our original flight. It was only when I stated to the AirPhil Express crew that my companion was already at NAIA2, waiting for a 9am flight did the other passengers realize that an earlier flight was possible and demanded that we too get on the 9am PAL flight. Only then did AirPhil Express offer to shuttle us to NAIA2 to take the 9am flight.

At around 530am, before I boarded the shuttle bus, I asked AirPhil Express representative Ellyson Ray Abes if we are confirmed for the 9am flight because, if not, I would have gone home and waited for advise. “Eli” responded “Yes ma’am, confirmed po yung 9am na flight nyo”. This gave me some comfort in knowing I would not have to wait very long as I have some important business to attend to in Cebu during the morning.

We arrived at NAIA2 at around 6am, and Eli proceeded to take our itineraries and e-tickets, and processed us to enter NAIA2. We were asked to wait by the Standby Counter on the right side of the airport. Eli said he would already process our check-in, which gave us the peace of mind that AirPhil Express is proactively fixing the situation, allowing us to relax.

At around 7am, an hour after we last saw Eli or any AirPhil Express representative, I became uneasy and started to ask about the flight status. My companion, who had been shuttled in first, said that her group (who was situated at the other side of the airport) was still awaiting confirmation and they are ‘wait-listed’ on the 9am flight. I asked a Philippine Airline representative for the status of the 9am flight and she informed me that PR853 is already overbooked, and that we have no chance of getting on that flight. This was not the update I, or any of us, expected, as we were GUARANTEED that we are confirmed for the 9am flight.

At around 730am, upon hearing that our group had not been given seats on the 9am flight, we became agitated and began walking around NAIA2 to look for Eli or an AirPhil Express representative who can listen to our concerns as well as provide us with answers regarding our uncertain predicament. We were not given anything to drink, and some passengers with children started acting up due to impatience. We could not find Eli or anyone from your company. I had to resort to asking NAIA2 to page your representative so that someone can accommodate us, as the Philippine Airlines staff were not obligated to assist us.

I began speaking out on my Twitter account (twitter.com@triportreats) and mentioned @AirPhilExpress in some of my messages, to which your twitter account responded in a direct Direct Message, at 7:39am: ‘Can you DM the ff: passenger’s name, reservation code and itinerary. Thanks’. I responded: How do I give the itinerary and code when d Rep took it and hasn’t returned since 6am?

I proceeded to make direct messages on your Twitter account because, in over 2 hours of waiting for what is now evidently an overbooked flight, that was the only response I received from your end. We were kept in the dark and had no idea that the “confirmed” flight we were waiting for was nothing but an undelivered promise from AirPhil Express. My messages:

·     @airphilexpress please ask Rep Eli to go back to NAIA2 n give us an update. Almost 2 hrs na. Per @flyPAL, CEB full but you said confirmed kami (7:44am)

·     I didn’t wake up at 4am to find out 4hrs later that d ‘confirmed’ flight m supposed 2 take in lieu of d CANCELLED 1 is FULL @airphilexpress (7:58am)

·     After 3+ hrs @airphilexpress rep returns to tell us what we already know: Full na ang 9am. So now.. We are waiting for NOTHING.

We waited another 30 minutes, at the wrong airport, without knowing if we were ever going to fly to Cebu. At about 8:15am, Representative Eli returned to NAIA2 to 2 groups of disgruntled, displaced, and dehydrated passengers. This time, he brought with him a third group of passengers who were also informed that their shuttle ride to NAIA2 would deliver them to a confirmed 9am flight and are now last in line for a fully booked 9am flight.

Upon his arrival, Eli was greeted with a barrage of complaints regarding the manner in which our situation is being handled. We know that Eli had no power to make decisions, such as create a new flight to accommodate the displaced passengers, provide us with refreshments to ease our discomfort, or actively listen to our concerns so he could address them properly. We asked for his supervisor or an officer in charge so that we can improve and act on the situation. But no, it was only Eli who shuttled, coordinated, organized and assisted the now growing number of irate passengers who have travelled as far as Los Banos and have been at the airport since 3am to take a flight that is now clearly not happening.

In fairness to Eli, I would like to commend him for his tenacity, because he tried his best to appease the passengers. But we did not want sympathy, we wanted action, answers and a direct flight to Cebu after being promised a 9am flight. The passengers began demanding for the Officer in Charge, or the Supervisor of AirPhil Express to come to NAIA2 so he could assess the situation and see for himself the gravity of the damages that are occurring. After several attempts to contact the supervisor, Robert Perez, he refused to face the crowd and continued to allow a rank and file to single-handedly take in customer dissatisfaction with no authority to decide. We felt disregarded.

At that point, at around 830am, Eli had no choice but to admit that only 5 passengers are cleared to take the 9am flight, and that we would now have to wait for the 1245p PAL flight out to Cebu, but this time in “Business Class”. The upgrade serves us no purpose, as we have already wasted half the day being treated like cattle, shuttled to another airport to avoid confrontations with the supervisor, and left with no food, nor water to appease our discontent.

It is now 1130am as I am continuing this complaint letter, and we are inside the pre-departure area. The promise of food and drink still has not arrived, and many elderly passengers are waiting by food kiosk 1418 because it was announced 30mins ago that we would be served refreshments. I have now waited a total of 6.5 hours, and still have to wait another hour until I can board the plane to Cebu.

The only meal we received during 5am-1245p. Served at 1208pm

To Mr. Perez, I am not somebody who is quick to complain or unable to sympathize when things go wrong. My work is in the hospitality industry, and we are used to customer relations and incidents with our guests. I am familiar with the reality of unforeseen circumstances when the company has no choice but decide on matters which inconvenience the guest or the customer. I also understand that AirPhil Express tried to make a contingency plan by rerouting us via PAL to Cebu, but I would like to tell you that it is not enough. Let me tell you, in my own opinion, why this is inadequate and unacceptable:

·     This complaints stems not from the fact that you cancelled the flight, but that there was no attempt to contact many of the passengers beforehand. Apparently, it was already known since 1am that 2P 930 was cancelled, yet it was only when I reached the airport that I had any notice of the cancellation.

·     The initial option given by AirPhil Express was to move us to the 5pm flight. Only after our group complained and I mentioned that my companion was shuttled to PAL did your representative offer to shuttle us to PAL for the 9am flight. This should have been THE first option, not the last resort when people become irate.

·     It was verbalized several times that our group was CONFIRMED for the 9am flight, even before stepping on the shuttle to NAIA2. Later on, Eli changed his statement and insists he said: CONFIRMED FOR STANDBY. There is no such thing as confirmed for standby.

·     We had to wait til 830am, 3 hours after the cancellation notice, to find out that we are not, as promised, confirmed on the 9am flight, and now we have to wait an additional 4 hours for the 1245p flight, with limited seats available. That is a total of 7.75 hours of wasted time spent at the airport with no guarantee of travel. This is very INCONSIDERATE and wasted all our time when we could have gone out of the airport and returned before noon. Some people have business to attend to, some are on vacation with expenses already paid, and some have traveled far only to be inconvenienced with no water or refreshment. You failed to provide us the basics of time management.

·     When we repeatedly requested for the supervisor, Robert Perez, to come to us and explain, personally, why we are treated like cattle when we are paying passengers, we received NOTHING. No response or a courtesy visit. Matters that escalate to public unrest require a point person who has the authority to answer questions and give us concrete action. You do not leave a rank & file person to fight and become the punching bag for complaints from passengers who did not want to air out their concerns to someone who cannot do anything about it.

·     It was only when passengers began shouting and became unruly did the offer of an upgrade come out. An upgrade to business class will not compensate for the inconvenience, the distress and the lack of customer relations that was evident in this situation.

·     I would like to note, only for the record, that upon boarding the flight, I, alongside several other passengers, were seated in Economy, when it was expressly promised that we would ALL be upgraded to business class. Another false promise from AirPhil Express.*

I am a frequent traveler who flies in and out of Cebu at least twice a month for business and in other cities as well. I am used to budget airlines such as Cebu Pacific and AirPhil Express and am not bothered when flights get cancelled on the spot where I am made to wait for 2 hours. I don’t sweat the small stuff nor do I lash out over the minutest of details. But the incident today demonstrated the lack of Customer Service 101 from AirPhil Express.

It is inconsiderate to make an entire group of displaced passengers wait at the airport, saying we are guaranteed a confirmed seat for a 9am flight when we were not guaranteed anything at all. You cannot make us wait for 3 hours and then turn that into 7 hours without providing us with the basics such as water (delivered only now at 12:08p). You have no right to make us feel disregarded when a supervisor refuses to confront the situation he is being paid to be on top of, and refuses to address the group of passengers directly. You cannot expect us to be satisfied with your service when there is only one representative coordinating our flights, shuttling us from one airport to another, gathering our complaints but making no real action to address it.

I do not want to make it seem like we are a group of ungrateful passengers, but that is what we were made to feel, as if we inconvenienced AirPhil Express to give us a flight to Cebu after you cancel our original flight. I felt like I had to beg for water just so I can ease the dehydration I began feeling. I was made to feel like I was asking for too much when we pleaded that we please get a confirmed flight after waiting since 5am with no concrete schedule given to us. I was made to feel like beggar when I have paid full price for service and a flight.

Being that the hospitality and airline business are both in the service industry, I’m sure you are aware that the nature of both our business stems from exactly that: SERVICE. When you take money from people who do not pay for anything tangible but the service you provide them, they expect a certain level of quality service and CUSTOMER SERVICE to be afforded to them. Courtesy, convenience and basic communication skills are requirements whether it be a budget airline, or a 5-star hotel.

I am sad to conclude this complaint with the feeling that I was shortchanged by this transaction and this situation. I paid for a budget-airline ticket, but I never expected that it meant being deprived of courtesy, decency, and consideration. I arrived at my destination in Cebu at 4pm, 11 hours after I arrived at the airport and 8 hours after my original arrival time. The entire day was wasted on waiting for AirPhil Express to make good on their promise of a flight. Of all things promised, an arrival to Cebu, no matter the inconvenience of circumstance, was the only thing delivered by your company. You failed at every level of professionalism and protocol and showed a clear lack of procedures in handling contingency plans.

The general lack of caring and understanding and just dealing with it nonchalantly (as if to swipe it under the rug), is so unprofessional. I suggest a major overhaul to the customer service training and a review of your protocols and procedures. I know this requires a big investment, but it will pay off - just look at your successful competitors.

I believe I am not alone when I say that feeling disregarded is one of the worst feelings you can have, and if this is the type of service that AirPhil Express admittedly provides, I would gladly move my business to your competitor budget airline who has tried and tested customer service policies that are clear and customer-centric. I will not patronize any service company who makes me feel like addressing my needs is a burden to their operations, nor will my money go towards a company who has no regard for the value of people’s time and patience.

Sincerely, and with regrets,

--
ToT

CC: Other Passengers
(Sent at 10:38pm via email)

ToT-ers: WHAT DO YOU THINK? AM I OA?

Date Night at Chef Bruce's Table

2011-09-14T21:03:00.000+08:00

Even if we are both really busy nowadays, Mr. S still makes time to surprise me with a undiscovered restaurant here and there. Dressing up and wearing my Louboutins is a plus for me.

For our little date night, he takes me to Chef's Table by Chef Bruce Lim

Star of the Asian Food Channel's Corner Table, Chef Bruce infuses modern industrial sleek with traditional Filipino eats. I am in love with the fully exposed kitchen and backlit bar area.

The menu is a familiar blend of Filipino dishes in nouveau-cuisine preparation that adds French cooking techniques to our homemade favorites. There's a bit of deconstruction going on, and some substitutions to oldschool ingredients, much like its stark and loftlike decor.

The bar list looked promising, and we began with a Pomelotini: "a Davao enthused concoction that uses pomelo, lemon & spring onions spirited by lambanog". Lambanog is Filipino moonshine, and the cocktail was a nice refreshing fauxtini that had a nice kick to it. Mr. S ordered Grapes Gaudines: "A grape drink made for a Princess; fresh grapes, cranberry, spring onions & lambanog". Mr. S shouldn't stopped after reading the word Princess. This was more a dessert cocktail and less a manly drink.

Hot Rock Pusit

Crab Cakes

Freshly picked crab meat, seared and baked to perfection served with sampaloc aioli.

Beautiful presentation, a nice crisp on the crab cake while maintaining the flaky texture, and a bright tartness from the tamarind aioli. Two pieces was not enough for myself.

And finally, we reach the main courses.

Braised Liempo

Pork belly slowly braised in a sweet spiced humba sauce served with stirred-fried mustasa.

The portions were generous, the pork tender, and the flavor true-blue Filipino with the sweetness. I wanted more of the stir-fried mustard for some bitterness to balance the fattiness of the pork, and craved more of the atchara garnish. Mr. S seemed to not care about anything else but the pork and inhaled this before I could get a second bite.

Chicken Sat on Salt

I am a sucker for details, and the small sprinkle of seeds atop the chicken rice was cute as a button.

While waiting for dessert, I noticed the table was designed especially with a groove to accommodate a little pencil on the side. And with the brown paper tablemats, what's the next thing that could happen?

DOODLE TIME

I am, admittedly, graphically challenged and cannot draw a stick figure to save my life. I am not surprised that Mr. S' portrait of ToT had a resemblance. I did tell him to make my nose a little narrower though. Lol

Aww...

Biko with Calamansi Cream Sauce

Filipino rice and coconut cream pudding paired with a sweet and tangy calamansi cream sauce.

A fresh twist on our native kakanin dessert. The citrus from the calamansi gave the normally dense dessert some dimension.

MY FAVORITE OF THE NIGHT: Buko Pie Martini

Our take on a classic buko pie twisted in Chef’s Table style.

This buko pie martini hailed many recommendations from friends who have tried it and found out I was eating at Chef's Table. It is indescribable, creamy and light, with several different textures tickling your palate. The bottom had desiccated coconut and the top was bruleed to give it a nice smoky sweetness. I will go back to Chef's Table just for this!

Before we headed out with our little doggy bag, we were given a little digestivo made from rice liquer. Now that's my kind of joint.

Finally, I can admit that I am a celebrity chef follower and can put Bruce Lim's Chef's Table to my list of Notable Eats. But I must come back and try Prawn Aligue (crab fat) Chef's Way: oven-baked luscious fresh prawns on aligue-flavored sotanghon (vermicelli).

Can't wait.

Unit 106 The Infinity Tower 26th Street The Fort Global City Taguig, Philippines

+632 399 1888

Chef's Table on FB

Mexican + Margaritas at Chihuahua

2011-09-13T21:35:00.002+08:00

Burrito brats and Margarita moxies: there's a new Mexican joint in the Metro that has both spice and spunk.

For late night, or midday, snacks, hangover Sunday hangouts and chill out sounds with a splash of spiced up Mexican grub, Chihuahua Mexican Grill & Margarita Bar packs it all into a neat and peppery package.

That combination wouldn't be possible without the dynamic duo of Ines Cabarrus & Elian Habayeb, Metro Manila's own PR machine for the best restaurants, sounds and lounges.

They welcomed our hungry tummies into Chihuahua and proudly dished out Tex-mex recipes, from Elian's childhood in Texas, for us to try.

Aside from Tex-Mex recipes, Elian and Ines also brought in a personal touch by bringing in bottles upon bottles of hot sauce and peppers! The Hot Sauce Bar is stocked up with crazy spicy concoctions which makes all of Chihuahua's plates more explosive... if you like it that hot.

Anyone up for Beyond Death Sauce from the 'Owner's Private Stash'? It says you will FEEL ALIVE... Not after my tongue falls off!

Elian and Ines seem to have a lot of friends, and their mugshots are plastered all over their photo wall and all over the restaurant.

The menu is surprisingly sparse, with a step-by-step instruction manual for diners to pick from. I like simple menus that aren't complicated, as long as everything tastes good.

First you choose your meat (steak, chicken, pork or veggies). Then, figure out if you want a taco (soft), burrito, burrito bowl (for the carb-conscious), or topped on a salad. Almost there, just add some soup or appetizers with your plate and top it off with some iced cold drinks that are imported from the US. Tex-Mex ain't complete without some sugary sodas.

Their beerlist is also quite extensive, from Dutch Amstel Light to crisp Coronas, you have some good libations to choose from.

But the insider dish is that the Chihuarita is the must-try mix. Let me tell you guys something, I love my liquor and I'm known in my circles as somewhat of a heavyweight. But something about Chihuahua's Margaritas aka Chihuaritas snuck up from under me and turned me into a gabbing glutton. I was out after four of these!

Another Chihuahua concoction was the Michelada, basically a crazy alcoholic mix of beer and other spirits. I was not a fan, but the boys seemed to like it.

Another American import: Arrowhead bottled water. Sorry guys, but I was a California college kid that drank nothing but Arrowhead. While completely unnecessary, I liked the consistency of its MexiCali/TexMex roots.

Chihuahua is semi-self service. With a Salsa Bar for you to customize the heat and flavor of your plates. I LOVE this and reminded me of La Salsa and Baja Fresh in California! Yum.

While the burritos are hefty portions, I noticed that the server joined 2 flour tortillas together to make one big burrito. Hope they find extra-large tortillas so I can beat the carb factor, coz I just ended up tearing the extra tortillas away.

This is what the situation looked like:

Steak Burrito

Chicken Soft Tacos

My order and a great choice. It looks unassuming, but it had the perfect combination of grilled chicken, lettuce, salsa and garlic sauce tucked into a little soft taco. Three of these in one plate is great to fill your hungry tummies.

Burrito Bowl with Chicken (YUM!)

Steak on a Salad

A healthy approach to Mexican flavors.

You can add some Mexican Rice if you are a carpintero or Filipino.

A meal at Chihuahua is not complete if you don't douse your food with some CRAZY hot sauce! And here's Elian offering us his secret concoction of chili and peppers. Ask for the CHARLIE SHEEN CRAZY HOT SAUCE. He keeps a stash hidden behind his pocket.

And here's the TRES-J Marias! Jin of Jin Loves To Eat, Jane of Between Bites, and Jean of Trip or Treats! Love it! We need to collaborate soon!

Speedy Gonzales says: Andale! Andale! Arriba Arriba Chihuahua!

You can Check In on Foursquare (like moi) and you can also find Chihuahua on Facebook.

Chihuahua Mexican Grill

7838 Makati Ave across A-Venue

(in Makati's Nightlife District),

1209 Makati, Philippines

+63 916 373 7308

chihuahuamexgrill@gmail.com

http://www.chihuahuamexgrill.com

Post Op on the Ultimate Taste Test 6.0

2011-09-08T21:40:00.000+08:00

How many people can say they get text reminders from Mr. Our Awesome Planet himself? (ME!)

Busy with last week's BEST DEALS On SALE event, I almost forgot to visit the Ultimate Taste Test 6.0 at the Rockwell Tent last Saturday if Anton didn't message me about it. And of course, off running I went to make it to the fantabulous food festival Anton has been organizing for years for home bakers, ingenue caterers, and specialty food goodies waiting to be discovered by foodies.

Here are some of my favorite food finds...

Mang Pedro's Taho

I love taho, or silken tofu/soy bean curd with a sugar syrup and tapioca balls. They had flavors like chocolate, strawberry and pandan, but I stuck with the original

Gawad Kalinga Gourmet Keso Bar!

Did you know Gawad Kalinga now makes their own artisanal cheeses? From chevre to goat cheese with Truffle Oil & Cashews, truffled and herbed cheeses, their stall felt like a delicatessen in my mouth!

The best part: You actually help the Gawad Kalinga communities with sustainable livelihood. For those not familiar with Gawad Kalinga, it's the Filipino version of Habitat for Humanity, and all the ingredients mixed into the cheese are made locally and in their community.

De Original Jamaican Pattie Shop

Since the Ultimate Taste Test 6.0 moved from its previous location (NBC Tent) to the Rockwell Tent, restaurants and food vendors from the Powerplant Mall were there to introduce their fare to the hungry public as well. I LOVE Jamaican patties, as they remind me of my high school days when I would pass by Greenbelt 1 by the Jamaican Pattie stall to get a Pinatubo (Spicy) pattie as an afterschool snack. These are yummy for movie grub, too.

Baked By Anita's Baby Cupcakes

A favorite at Mercato Centrale, Baked by Anita mixes ingenius flavor profiles with chic packaging to come up with some pretty incredible mini-cupcakes. Their new flavor, Roasted Strawberry, left me craving for more!

Merry Moo! Ice Cream

Another Mercato Centrale fave is Merry Moo, interesting ice cream flavors made with TLC. Here's Kelvin of Merry Moo. Must try their salted caramel ice cream flavor!

Chef C's Paella de Andaluz

Chef C's Paella de Andaluz had a long line to their table, and I had to get my hands into some seriously authentic Spanish rice.

Turns out, Koyen's is a neighbor at my village, hence I can just call her up for a Paellera when I need some good Paella de Andaluz. The rice was nicely cooked, al dente with a nice crunch from the bottom of the pan. It had all the makings of a good paella, chorizo, seafood, veggies, chicken and great olive oil. Great for parties and celebrations!

MY FAVORITE UTT6.0 FIND: ARIZONA ICED TEA!

As a California college kid, I would hoard Arizona's Green Tea by the GALLON, followed by the sugarfree version. I drank it like water and wished that my water filter would magically turn water to Arizona Iced Tea. I'm SO HAPPY that the Arizona brand is now available in Manila care of Bugle Boy Distributors Corp! I wonder if they deliver by the boxful to my house? Must try the Arizona Fruit Punch too... mmm.

Cupcake Boutique by Klar Joseph

More mini cupcakes to add to the list of cupcakeries sprouting up in the Metro. Their Green Tea and Red Velvet cupcakes were

Daims Deli Farms

Daims had the meatiest food table for me, and I loved the BBQ Griller's sausage in the middle. Their Vienna sausage was also very filling even as a taste test.

Dek A Authentic Thai

Thai food! They had a papaya salad, springroll and Thai Iced Tea. They ran out of ice, since it was almost closing, and so the iced tea was on the supersweet side.

5 Loaves & 2 Fish

This was an interesting booth selling Lavosh Chips... wha?

Lavosh Chips are baked crunchy veggie chips that go well with homemade dips and spreads.

Though I'm sure she was tired, the Lavosh Lady happily torched some pesto so she could make me try her chips and dips.

Farm & Deli's booth had some bottled tinapa (smoked fish) as well as different kinds of Longaniza (breakfast sausage) from different regions in the Philippines. Tinapa was salty and smoky...

The perks about arriving near closing time: generous vendors who would love for you to hoard their goodies so they can go home! This little lady was caught red (velvet) handed!

Congratulations to Anton D. for another successful Ultimate Taste Test! In less that 30 minutes, Mr. S and I were stuffed silly with bites and spoonfuls of goodies from all the vendors.

Did you visit the Ultimate Taste Test 6.0? Which was your favorite bite?

Ultimate Taste Test 6.0

2011-08-22T02:06:00.000+08:00

It's that time of the year again when foodies unite and bring their bellies on! So when you're not shopping at BEST DEALS On SALE that weekend, must drop by that Saturday to The Ultimate Taste Test!

Rockwell's Ultimate Taste Test Event

What: Rockwell's Ultimate Taste Test -- Be a Food Critic for a Day!
When: September 3, 2011, Saturday, 11.00 am - 9.00 pm.
Where: Rockwell Tent

Ultimate Taste Test Fee: P585/head

Our Awesome Planet, in cooperation with San Miguel Lifestyle Brews, presents Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test, the celebrated food tasting event, on September 3 at the Rockwell Tent from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m..

This much-anticipated annual food trip enables food lovers to be food-critics-for-a-day by sampling mouth-watering food preparations and concoctions from over 50+ home-based food businesses along with Power Plant Mall’s very own restaurants.

Now on his 6th Ultimate Taste Test, food blog pioneer Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet embarks on this first partnership with Rockwell.

Tickets are available at the Power Plant Mall Office (Tel. # 8981702) during mall hours or Creative Juice Office (Tel. # 5707827) during office hours.

To apply as a Food Supplier, fill up the Rockwell UTT Application Form and submit via email to admin@ultimatetastetest.com.

This is the Ultimate Taste Test event you should not miss!

BEST DEALS On SALE + Goodie Giveaway

2011-08-20T18:40:00.005+08:00

Right after the super-long weekend, time to keep your credit cards ready for another exciting Sale event! Malibu Enterprise & BDO Credit Cards bring you...

WHAT: BEST DEALS ON SALE!

WHEN: September 2-4, 2011, 10am-9pm

WHEN: The Megatent, 30 Meralco Ave., Ortigas Ctr. Pasig City

WHO: Free entrance to all BDO Credit Cardholders (w/ valid ID)

First 3 hours of Friday sale exclusive to BDO Credit Cardholders (Friday 10am-1pm)

BDO Cardholders get a chance to win in the hourly raffle draws!

Here's how you can get free tickets to BEST Deals on Sale:

To make my Goodie Giveaway even sweeter, I'm giving out up to FOUR tickets to the first 100 comments on this blog post to BEST DEALS On SALE!

To get the PLEASE READ THIS CAREFULLY

1. You MUST like BEST DEALS ON SALE & TRIP OR TREATS Facebook Pages! (MUST like both)

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Copy this link and paste it on your FB page as a link saying: "I want to win the Tickets to @ BEST DEALS ON SALE by Malibu Enterprise from @ Trip or Treats" MAKE SURE you tag Trip or Treats (@Trip or treats) & Best Deals On Sale by Malibu Enterprise (@Best Deals on Sale by Malibu Enterprise). Make your post public and Post a link on your comment here.

Post this Goodie Giveaway link on your blog (Blogspot, Multiply, personal), Or "Link to this post" at the bottom of this page, and include the link to your site on your comment!

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On your preferred Sale date, come to the Ticket booth with your VALID ID and look for the Trip or Treats Guestlist. Ready. Set COMMENT!

ToT Now Published on unBLOGGED!

2011-08-19T14:20:00.000+08:00

Normally, I've been a flaker whenever invited to blogger events and activities. I'd love to attend and support our local blogsphere scene but sometimes my schedule is really working against me. I was working with Nuffnang on collaboration after collaboration and it never seemed to pan out. Finally, something I can contribute!

Trip or Treats is now published on PhilStar's unBLOGGED section! I'm glad to be part of a group that can speak their minds openly and be viewed by readers of The Philippine Star's online portal. Catch a fresh post every Friday from a handful of bloggers in the Metro.

Thanks Trixie :)

Mommy & Me Munching Around Copenhagen

2011-08-17T18:41:00.006+08:00

Whenever the family travels, we normally take separate flights to just to stay on the safe side, in the event of a catastrophe. Interestingly enough, I usually arrive a day or two before everyone else, and stay longer for a couple of days. You would think that with three older brothers one of them would take the role of the sacrificial lamb, but clearly the family figured out that you can throw ToT anywhere and I would survive... plus some travel memories.

This time, I had the chance to spend some R&R with my mom, otherwise known as ESF. We see each other on a daily basis because we work together, plus I'm still a boarder at their abode. We're not the 'how's your day' type of mother/daughter because of proximity and pressures at work, so it's always a privilege whenever I get to spend some Mommy & Me time, preferably away from Manila and at a place with a ton of shopping.

We stayed at the Copenhagen Plaza Hotel, which is right across the Central Train Station and a stone's throw from all the major sights in the city.

The rooms are traditional European 3-star hotel rooms, with warm blue tones. My only negative comment is the lack of pillows and how sparse the filling was. It was almost like using a duvet as a pillow.

From our balcony, you could see the Central Station, which makes its location very convenient.

The hotel isn't grand or modern, but it does boast of a long brass list of all the celebrities and VIPs that have called the Copenhagen Plaza home.

I have a feeling it is because of the breakfast buffet, which is a substantial offering of (REAL!) danish pastries, charcuterie, eggs, cooked meats, and cheeses.

I liked the Muesli station with several varieties. I did not, however, like the fruit salad bowls and wished it was just actual slices of fruit.

Københavns Rådhus

Traveling with ESF comes with its perks as well as its pressures. Pressure, because it falls on me to make sure I don't pick too modern a hotel (why are the owners nagtitipid), too far from the center (I didn't fly business class so I can take a subway/I don't wanna walk), or too cheap/expensive a room rate (this place is crap/WHAT! We paid $$$ for this?). So I had to make sure that all three points were covered. It was a 5 minute walk from the Copenhagen Town Hall (above), which is the, absolute city center. Designed by Martin Nyrop in 1893, he drew inspiration from the town hall in Sienna, Italy, hence it isn't the typical Nordic design.

Copenhagen Plaza is also right beside the Tivoli Gardens, one of the oldest amusement parks in the world and famed as Walt Disney's lightbulb for Disneyworld. And after Hans Christian Anderson visited the Tivoli, it inspired him to write The Nightingale. More on Tivoli on next post.

Everything is walking distance in Copenhagen, and all roads lead to Stroget. Stroget (pronounced stroyt) is the ultimate shopping center in the city.

It's the largest car-free shopping area in all of Europe, so it's any shoppers dream. You can walk or bike (lightly) around cafes, shoppes, fruit stands and experience the beauty of the city by foot.

Of course the main artery of Stroget is Frederiksberggade, which forks into other smaller streets filled more shops and galleries.

Since Stroget is the ultimate tourist trail, it's no surprise that you'd find street performers with their own oddities that seem to capture the eye of passersby.

The only thing that seemed to capture my mother's eye were the SALE signs plastered on every store. Apparently, I picked the best time to go to Copenhagen! And this is where perks come in.

Whenever we would walk a couple of blocks, we would come across these brightly painted elephant sculptures displayed all around. Was this an art exhibit? Do the Danish love elephants that much?

Turns out, this is a rolling exhibit called Elephant Parade. Each one of the elephants are designed by renowned artists from all over to become the world's largest financial support organization for the Asian elephant, which is on the brink of extinction. Last year, the elephants were in London, and after Copenhagen, they trollop off to Milan. You can even own your own Elephant, if you'd like.

After a bit of shopping, we decided to stop for some little mid-morning refreshment. For those who are not Filipino, it is a normal habit for us to have mid-snacks before and after real meals. People in Copenhagen seem to have the same notion, as we caught them having brunch at about 1pm.

We sat by Europa Cafe and I had my first taste of Somersby, which is like a flavored cider/shandy with a hint of alcohol. This Brambleberry one was refreshing.

My mother is very friendly, when she wants to be, and easily struck up a conversation with this English couple from the UK who were also in Copenhagen for vacation. They are seated at the infamous Stork Fountain, a present for then Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Louise for their silver wedding in 1894. The other photo is a nice idea for a wine-rack. Mr. S, care to make one for me?

For lunch, we decided on a busy cafe with tons of al fresco diners. Even on a cloudy day, the seating preference for the summer is always outdoors.

Cafe Norden

Interestingly enough, when asked by tourists on where are some of the best places to eat around Stroget, the Creperier at Pancake-Bike noted Cafe Norden as one of those place with really good food and a view to die for.

He is definitely right. The open air seating are like patron seats of the Amagertorv, where Kobmagergade and Strøget meets and is the most central square of Copenhagen. This is where families gather for brunch, friends meet up for drinks and drama, and couples step their best foot forward all while people-watching at the stylish Danes.

Though the prices are quite pricey compared to nearby dining spots, it's actually semi-self service. You have to order at the bar, and get your drinks there as well. They deliver your food at the table after some time, but everyone doesn't seem to mind the situation since there were throngs of diners coming and ordering

The ambiance is charming, with aubergine accents on the wall and a winding staircase leading up to more seating.

We were seated right by the vast open windows, semi-al fresco, beside a lady who is a dead-ringer for Vanessa Redgrave.

First on our list: Drinks!

This is where the perks of traveling with a parent comes in, as you can dine in style without worrying about your budget. My mother eats like a bird, but whenever she is with me she somehow feels liberated to ease out of her diet and enjoy a little bit of culinary bliss.

Somersby Apple Cider and Cafe Norden Iced Tea

I vowed to order all the different flavors of Somersby available, as I don't drink beer or anything carbonated but find Somersby refreshing for the summer weather. But it's that Iced Tea that won it for the both of us. Freshly brewed and sun-ripened sweet tea, it becomes special with the additions of peaches, raspberries, grapes, blackberries and other seasonal fruits which tasted remarkable and worth it's DKK55 price tag. That's $10.60 or PHP450 for one. Cognitive dissonance tells me I'm just selling it to myself, but if my mother agrees that it's worth it, then we must believe so. And then came our meals.

Traditional Danish Porkloin Burger

with homemade remoulade and cucumber salad - served with potatoes

First of all, there is no dainty way to eat this massive "burger". Just note the lovely strip of crackling circling the salad greens, seducing you to just "go for it"

Slices of juicy pork loin layered with purple cabbage slaw, cucumber salad, and other leafy greens, which make this dish a feast for the palate as well as the eyes. The dressing tasted like Russian sauce, and the acidity of the cabbage slaw cut through the fattiness of the pork loin. It was so massive, I took it home and ate it for dinner afterwards.

Trio Salad

Each component was a sampling of Cafe Norden's best salads, and this kept us coming back to the restaurant a second time after!

Honey Mustard Marinated Chicken Salad with Mozzarella & Walnuts

Luscious and tangy sweet from the honey, which I could actually taste, the walnuts added some texture upon every bite. The chicken were generous strips, not chopped up chicken. This would have been perfect as a sandwich filler as well.

Pasta Salad with Basil Pesto,

served with Serrano ham, mozzarella, pine nuts and melon

Vibrantly green and herbaceous, this was like a Caprese salad gone pasta, with sun dried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella discs, and Serrano ham. The pasta was just the vehicle for all the flavors to conjoin together.

Baked & Smoked Salmon Salad with semi-dried tomatoes

The description seemed simple enough, but the complexity of flavors in this salad is inexplicable. The baked salmon had a flaky texture, while the smoked version lent the dept of flavor that alternates between smoky and briny. Since salmon is such a robust fish, the cucumber slices added a freshness to every bite.

No wonder the line at the counter never ended, everyone wanted a piece of the action, and probably some salad.

I loved dining at Cafe Norden even if I'm not used to the price-product inflation. In Copenhagen, everything is expensive, but they can ensure that you will enjoy each and every bite. Oh, and I LOVE the server's shirts!

After our heavy late lunch, Mom & I walked through Stoget to do some shopping and absorb the eclectic street culture carried out by street performers. I saw Agent Provocateur on sale, but figured my companion might not be the best person to shop lacy nexttonothings with. Will save AP for another day.

People seem to conclude that all I think about is food, but has anyone ever wondered where I get that itch from? Copenhagen, I must note, has some irresistible pastries and bread selection.

No, we didn't indulge in some bread... we had some pie, and ate it too! When on vacation, the smartest way to keep the happy face is to just act ignorant about the exchange rate. These 2 iced-coffees + a slice of blackberry pie held us back DKK165, or $32. For US and Manila standards, that's a decent meal for 3. Apparently for Copenhagen prices, that's just a cuppa joe and some pie. But, as proven, the coffee was nice and strong and the pie fruity and fresh.

On our way back to the hotel, we passed by this produce stand, still in Stroget, and fawned over how luscious the berries looked and how sweet everything was. Copenhagen's weather is the perfect berry maker and make even the tiny blueberry look massive and plump

My mother and I both love fruit, and could not resist a bagful of these beautiful dark cherries, which were so juicy and sweet that it tasted like you were drinking juice from a little sippy cup.

We settled early back into the hotel, which had a very red lobby reminiscent of my Singapore stay at the Scarlet Hotel.

One thing I noticed, while trying to battle jetlag, is that summer in Copenhagen never ends. Which means, darkness hardly falls at night, and at almost midnight, you can still see the light of day in Denmark. What a beautiful way to end a great day with Mommy & Me.

Live in the center of Copenhagen at Copenhagen Plaza

Want your own Elephant? Buy one at Elephant Parade!

Don't LIKE Cafe Norden on Facebook, LOVE Them

Crepe ala Pandekager (aka Pancake-Bike)

2011-08-11T00:44:00.003+08:00

Crepes are, what I would call, the ultimate mobile munchie; easy as a sandwich, tasty as a slice of pizza, and portable as an ice cream cone.

Introducing the Pancake Bike

The crepe is made even cooler when its made to order, to your fancy, from a 3-wheel tricy-cart. It appeals to me even more because this is probably the only bicycle contraption I would be comfortable pedaling. No 2-wheelers for me. No need to look for a place to grab dessert, let dessert come to you.

Loitering around the busy shopping streets of Stroget in Copenhagen is another example of Copenhagenization at its yummiest: Introducing the Pandekager, otherwise known as the PancakeBike. There are about 4 PancakeBikes around the city, each calling out to your sweet tooth and your pocket change.

For some reason, this bike was very busy with eager... lady customers... I had to figure out if it was the crepe or the creperier... Hmm...

The Crepe Man kept all the hungry ones preoccupied with his lively personality and impeccable Californian accent that made me ask if he was indeed a non-native Dane? Turns out, he's a mutt just like me. He is 100% pure Danish but went to college in Redwood City, NorCal to play some ball, hence his Amer-English, which was a hit with all those teenagers. Of course, being an Angeleno... I felt some SoCal/NorCal rivalry happening, but nothing a crepe couldn't fix.

While he was waxing poetic his experience in the Bay Area, the best places to eat around the city that doesn't cost an arm and a leg, or other places to explore in Copenhagen, he multitasks with ease making 2 crepes at a time.

The crepe wrapper itself is quite unique, more floury than egg, and had a distinct warm tone which can be attributed to the addition of cinnamon in the batter, makes for a spiced-laden crepe combination later on.

The resulting wrapper is like a very thin blini, on the chewy side (which I loved) and had a nice toasted flavor to it.

Accoutrements: Keep it simple with some Nutella hazelnut spread and some bananas if you like the combo

Crepe Man concentrating on his folding skills

The result: sweet simplicity.

Happy PancakeBike fans from the Philippines!

Check out PancakeBike's cute video with an apt soundtrack. So enticing.

Like Pancake Bike on Facebook!

Danish Smorrebrod at Aamann's Deli

2011-08-09T01:09:00.004+08:00

After Copenhagenization, another Copenhagen claim to fame is the impeccably fresh and thoughtful Nordic cuisine. The focus of its dishes is an emphasis of the best local produce, detailed preparation, and a generous use of herbs.

For those who want a little taste-test of Nordic food, it is imperative to have a Smorrebrod lunch.

Aamanns

My friend Macy recommended I try Aamann's for their delicious food, but since the Establishment was closed (we were very late for lunch), we ended up at the Take Away location right beside the restaurant. When I told my Danish friend Thomas about it, he said : GOOD CHOICE. So I must have the right set of friends.

Aamann's came to Copenhagen in 2006 when Adam Aamann opened the Michelin-rated restaurant and takeaway. Since then, he his hard work and headstrong menu has garnered him numerous awards, such as an honorary diploma for the Danish Acadeny of Gastronomy for his efforts to elevate the open faced sandwich to a gastronomic art form. Aamann's was also recognized as "Lunch restaurant of the year" by fine dining guide Gudme Raaschou Spiseguide in 2008.

The Takeaway section is tiny, with sorbet green walls and easy going appeal.

Since this is a deli, a lot of items are by the counter for the taking. The cashier will ring you up and you can take your smorrebrod in a to-go box, or for eating in.

The server was only one, but was so pleasant and seeing that 11 hungry asians infiltrated her very relaxed setting.

She got down to business and took care of our orders instead of having us line up.

The deli section had takeaway portions of sauces, meatballs and other items seen on the restaurant menu, which made me feel better about missing the lunch at the establishment since I could get some of the goodies here anyway.

They had no Diet Coke, or andy mainstream soda, but a lot of bottled sodas which is great to experience since I'm in a new country.

And on display are the numerous rows of smorrebrod, or open-faced sandwich on rye bread. They looked small, and once my family figured out the portions, we knew we would have to order the entire lot.

Having a hard time figuring out the combination on my smorrebrod set.

I ended up with a quad of different open-faced sandwich.. which was surprisingly filling and could only finish two. It was ok, because everyone seemed to enjoy picking at each others food to compare the flavor profiles.

Our side of the table

My Orangina fix was satiated by La Mortuacienne Orange. Yummy.

We took some items from the chiller and one of them seemed like a chicken salad.

I can see the online skepticism, but believe me when I say that this chicken salad had finesse and flavor in all the right levels. It was light on the mayonaise, with chunks of organic chicken and chopped fresh veggies... this was inhaled immediately.

My mom decided to get a tub of pickles, and my first thought was: How the heck can pickles taste better than normal pickles?

Apparently, it is possible. The cucumbers were sliced oh-so thinly, with a tangy sweet brine infused with bay leaf, dill, peppers and apple cider vinegar. It was such a palate cleanser that I was not able to get seconds... since everyone forked their way to the bottom of the tub

I picked up some Lamb Meatballs, which are the same ones served in the Establishment. It was moist, meaty, slightly gamy, and had enough juicy flavor to be able to stand up on its own without any gravy or sauce.

Now for the Smorrebrod

Aamanns constantly changes its menu to keep up with the seasons and reinterprets the Danish open faced sandwiches ones enjoyed by mere shipyard men as their lunch-in-a-box. Nowadays, a culinary resurgence has elevated this working-man's lunch into a Danish lunch staple.

Freerange Chicken Salad with Parsley, Served with celery, chives and crispy ham from Skagen

Best chicken sandwich EVER.

Tartare of Jersey Beef with Egg Creme, Tarragon, Cornichons, Capers, onion and crispy potatoes

I love a good beef tartare and this combination was so succinct with the acidity of the cornichon, the fat from the egg creme and the texture of the crispy potatoes next to the mushiness of the beef.

Smoked Mackerel with pickled green tomatoes, ramson, cabbage crudite and drained yogurt.

This was a messy meal, but the smoked mackerel had a great salty flavor that balanced out the acidity from the cabbage crudite and yogurt. mmm.

Fried Sirloin with homemade crispy onions, "remoulade" of root vegetables and grated horseradish

The crispy onions were AMAZING! and paired well with the tenderness of the fried beef, which was still rare in the middle.

Smoked Halibut, dill pickled cucumber, horseradish, rape seed oil and crispy rye bread crumbs

The herbacous cucumbers was perfect to the clean flavors of the halibut. The rye crumbs I was not a fan of, since the dish was already under a slice of rye.

Freerange Pork from Grambogard, braised with rhubarbs, honey and balsamic vinegar

served with crispy lettuce, rhubarb and walnuts

All I can say about this one is: WINNER. Could I have some more, please?

ToT nibbling on my fave smorrebrod

I was so satisfied with our "light" lunch that people actualy felt full from the open face sandwiches alone. I wanted to take a box home with me... Danish style. The attention to detail, the fresh ingredients, and the impressive use of herbs has earned Aamann's a listing in the Top 500 Restaurants to Eat at, so we've covered one in Coepnhagen already.

Even their business cards are meticulous.

Aamanns is a delicious way to get to know Copenhagen and the infamous open faced sandwich aka Smorrebrod. Don't leave Denmark without it.

Aamann's online

ØSTER FARIMAGSGADE 10

2100 - KØBENHAVN Ø

Copenhagenization: On Bikes & Boats

2011-08-07T23:33:00.004+08:00

There are two great ways to go about exploring the sleek and green city of Copenhagen. One is through its canals via boat, kayak or waterbus; the other method requires only 2 wheels and is featured on its own CNN special segment.

Copenhagenization is innovating the transportation system of this metropolis via urban planning to encourage more Danes to bicycle their way around town instead of drive around in gas guzzlers. over 55% of Danish citizens use their bicycles on a daily basis. And since this is a young city, many parents cart their children around in cargo bikes.

It's such a future-forward approach to city-living that CNN's Business 360 featured it as one of its Future Cities. Interestingly enough, while I was in Copenhagen recently, this episode was playing on the tube, which explained why everyone and their mother's mother was biking around town.

It's a convenient, environmentally sustainable, and healthy way to travel around this small city, and this lady proves that it can be a stylish mode of transportation as well.

Bicycles are such a normal part of the daily commute that, instead of parking lots, there are "bike lots" all over the city. Not only that, if you are a tourist, local company City Bikes will lend you a bike, for almost free. All you need is a DKK20 coin deposit (about PHP170 or $3.85), that you will get back once you return the bike. That's another thing I noticed about the Danes, they are SO trustworthy.

City Bikes has garnered numerous accolades because of this revolutionary idea. No bueno for me, because I don't know how to ride a bicycle (blame it on big brothers + a traumatic pedicab incident as a child). Brother was not pleased that he couldn't show off his mad-triathlon skills because my bike-less ways are dragging him down.

It is such a revolution that Copenhagen doesn't even worry about traffic jams, but bike jams. Instead of yellow cabs, you see more bicy-cabs that can take you around the city. If you are interested to tour Copenhagen while getting a nice cardio workout, there are event guided bike tours that you can sign up for.

Copenhagenization has even extended as far as the food & beverage industry, where you can get coffee on the go, literally.

And for the hungry ones, no need to sit down at a creperie, the Pancake Bike will pedal its way to you so you can get your Nutella & banana crepe fix.

This particular Pancake Bike was flanked by googly-eyed teens who were fawning over the... crepe.

This is one of the few times I saw a cyclist looking the part. Other times everyone was chicly dressed with matching aluminum bicycles to fit their taste.

Even musicians during the Copenhagen Jazz Fest lugged their instruments and gear in bikes and carts on wheels.

Another great way to get around Copenhagen is via boat.

Nyhavn

Nyhavn is a historical harbor since 1671. Translated as "New Harbor", this canal is one of the oldest in Copenhagen. Nyhavn was actually dug up by Swedish prisoners from 1671-73 and has garnered the nickname "The Sunny Side" because of its almost always sun-kissed side of the heritage harbour.

Nowadays, Nyhavn is a picturesque dining strip complete with al fresco restaurants filled with seafood specialties, romantic trysts, and vintage sailing vessels.

This spot exemplifies the old adage that Copenhagen has always had one foot in the sea

If you'd like to take an alternate route to see the sights of Copenhagen, the DFDS Canal Cruisetours is an excellent choice to get upclose to the maritime charm of this city.

Since Copenhagen is known as a design capital, the city infuses modern living with historical appeal where new buildings and residences crop up right by the water.

ToT and the cute Captain.

If you are privy to sea-sickness, and is bicycle-challenged, like myself, then the best alternative is to trek the streets of Copenhagen by foot, prefereably in a stylish manner such as this lady and her cute pooch.

Which would leave me limited to just drive around in this cute Paul Smith-inspired Vespa.

More on the Nordic wonders of Copenhagen after I get my thoughts organized for more posts! But for now, can anyone teach me how to ride a Bike, please?

Get a guided bicycle tour around Copenhagen

Need a bike? Try the CityBike!

Want a crepe? Call Pancake Bike!

Stylish 2BDR Salcedo Village Flat for Rent

2011-08-07T21:30:00.003+08:00

For those looking for a stylish place to rent in the heart of Salcedo Village, Makati, here's one for you.

118sqm fully furnished condo unit with 2 bedrooms/bath, maids quarter (w/bath) and a parking spot.

King-sized master's bed with hotel-quality pillow-top mattress.

Unit come with brand new 32" and 42" flatscreen LCD television, A/C units, Elba range + hood, Samsung fridge, Hafele/Delta fixtures.

Comes with flatware, silverware and glassware. Dining chairs are Ghost Chairs

Kitchen has ample storage space and brand new appliances.

Both master's and powder room are newly re-piped, re-tiled, and fitted with brand new fixtures and rain showers with glass enclosures.

For interested renters for long-term use, you can check more pictures here. For scheduled viewings, email me.

Copenhagen Street Style

2011-07-20T04:49:00.004+08:00

Here are some choice shots of Copenhagen's street style which captures the vibrance of the city during the height of summer. More to follow after I get out of this vacation.

Stroget center

Chef at Nimb Brasserie

Now, that's what I call a Muffin Top

Heat of summer

Maximizing the maxidress

All aboard the train

Green with Envy

Top Hat

Coffee-to-Go

Tourist Trap

Would you call it a Murse or a Satchel?

City on 2 wheels

Elephants all around the city

The scene at Nyhavn

Nyhavn

WTFauxhawk

Should I get a waffle cone?

LOVE

Close up

Superklasse

Jazz by the anchor

Amazing street performer

Copenhagenization = 2 wheels + chic tints

Scandic Front Hotel

Madklubben Steak de Luxe

Beachfront Bar + Artsy Elephant

I miss blogging! Excited to share everywhere I've been, everything I've seen, and every bite I ate!

Bisous,

ToT

Mara's Mille Feuille Crepe Cake

2011-07-06T08:08:00.004+08:00

This cake is soooo good, even Jimmy Choo wants some (check out the side-eye)

As a belated happy birthday present to ToT, my travel soulmate Cheska "didn't know what to get for the girl who has it all. But when (she) tried this cake, she knew this was it!" Love the message, chick!

The box was sweetly pink, with adjectives that evoke the essence of whatever baked wonder is inside it.

Mara's Mille Feuille Crepe Cake

The 'Mara' in question is Mara dela Rama-Poblete, a former native New Yorker and pastry chef of Dean & Deluca, the NY coffee haunt that has the most amazing baked goods. She has since moved back to Manila, whipping up unbelievably appetizing goodies such as the crepe cake. I met her once when I used to live in NY. Interesting trivia: Mara and I used to live in the same apartment on Midtown East in New York City! Not at the same time though.

What is a Mille Feuille Crepe Cake? Basically, Mille Feuille means "a thousand layers", and that's exactly what the above is.

It is a cake made up of...

A thousand layers of crepes!

Well, not just crepes. Crepes and pastry cream, to be precise.

I counted about 18 layers of crepe, and even thicker layers of the pastry cream. What I loved about this version is the lightness of the cream, almost a whipped consistency. From the naked eye, it seemed like a boring, ordinary cake, but looks can be deceiving.

Layer upon layer of delicate crepe pancakes sandwiching a slightly sweet cream. Each bite hinting vanilla and crepe and a Parisian cafe setting. It was so simple, yet irresistible at the same time. The lightness makes you think it is not so calorific, but the amount of cream should be a warning that the more luscious a dessert is, the more miles you will need to jog to burn each bite off.

I thought one slice was all the damage I could do to this large crepe cake.

But when the entire family saw the look of lust on my face after my first bite, everyone wanted a piece. And everyone could not describe the lovely sugar rush they were experiencing.

Even The Choobear!

Mara's Mille Feuille Crepe Cake is, definitely, Dessert du Jour.

Mara de la Rama

+632 806 9511

+63917 811 6272

+63917 803 6272