Unlimited Grub Grabs

Random thoughts on Christmas and New Year

2012-01-01T14:11:00.000+08:00

Happy new year!

Here I am in my room in Baguio with my first post of the year. As always, I spent my Christmas and New Year's Eve here with my family. We didn't do anything fancy, we just went to church and had a full feast. That's how we've spent our holidays these past few years, and it's fun.

This year's Christmas and New Year feel different. As the priest said at Mass las night, we ought to think of the people who will welcome the new year in more dire circumstances.

First, we have our brothers and sisters in Cagayan De Oro, Iligan, and all the other provinces devastated by typhoon Sendong. Instead of thinking of the holidays, they're more worried about their survival.

We also ought to remember the families who suffered fires and lost their homes and loved ones these past few days. Perhaps the same could be said of those who lost those dear to them.The same goes to the poor, the homeless and bedridden, and those who had to spend the holidays alone and away from their families and loved ones.

Christmas (and by extension, New Year) not only celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, but also symbolizes the world's hopes for love, peace, and a prosperous year ahead. This holiday season is also a time of giving and sharing, caring for others. That's why we go to Christmas Masses together with our families, share Noche Buena and Media Noche meals, spend as much time as we can with them, and give as much as we can to the less fortunate while we're at it.

I hope 2012 will be a great year for all of us, never mind what the Mayans are saying. This is a great time to start anew and strive for success, whether in our careers, relationships, or other endeavors.

And by "start anew and strive for success," I mean more places to visit, more restaurants and bars to raid, and more delicious and interesting dishes to dine on. I've been so busy I haven't gone out so much, but I'll do better this year. And yeah, I'm still hoping to be chosen as the Sooo Pinoy Ultimate Food Blogger this year.

Again, happy new year! Here's to a great 2012!

Episode 32: A culinary adventure of epic proportions at Bale Dutung

2011-12-19T01:28:00.000+08:00

Some time ago, I re-watched the Philippines’ episode of Anthony Bourdain’s “No Reservations”, just for kicks. The episode was one of the first materials I gleaned on while writing about lechon, so I figured I could find other stuff to work on.

One of the places Tony visited in the episode is Bale Dutung, the culinary sanctuary of artist Claude Tayag in Pampanga. Bale Dutung was Tony’s second stop on his journey to understand Filipino cuisine, and what better way to do so than to venture to Pampanga, the culinary capital of the Philippines.

It was fun watching Tony learn about our cuisine while dining on Kapampangan dishes. In fact, this was the reason dining at Bale Dutung became a culinary adventure of epic epicurean proportions. Hey, if Anthony Bourdain dined there and said the food is excellent, then it surely is, right?

Thing is, having a chance to dine at Bale Dutung is an incredible feat. You have to get a booking months in advance, and you need to be in a group of at least ten. You also have to shell out P1,800/head. I figured that it would take a while before I could try out Claude’s cooking.

That is until one day, I found myself in a busload of tourists on its way to Pampanga, and into the doorstep of Bale Dutung.

Bale Dutung (House of Wood in Kapampangan) is inspired by the Kapampangan camalig (rice storage house). The house, which also has the ambience of an ancestral home, was constructed for seven years from when Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991.

Upon entering, one would be greeted by some of Claude’s sculptures, all standing amidst a wide, forest-like dreamland. The house itself showcases Claude’s wide collection of furnishings, and other artworks.

While Bale Dutung is marvelous on its own, my attention was at the ground floor, the dining area and outdoor kitchen where all the action is – guests chatting and walking around while admiring the place, Claude and his wife Mary Ann preparing lunch, and the kitchen helpers going around to help fix the tables.

P1,800/head is expensive for a full-course meal, but you’re paying for a four-hour, slow-paced, authentic Kapampangan lunch prepared by one of the country’s best culinary experts. Experiencing lunch at Bale Dutung is worth the wait, or best enjoyed nice and slow.

Our lunch started with a glass of dalandan juice with “muscovado ice,” or frozen calamansi juice sweetened with muscovado (unprocessed sugar).

Several appetizers came next. The first was a set of crackers served with toppings of crab fat (aligue) sauce, buro and pesto. Mary Ann suggested that we mix and match the toppings to explore the blend of flavors (the pesto and aligue sauce seemed to be a good combination).

Next is fresh pako (fiddlehead ferns) salad with tomatoes, quail’s egg and a mango vinaigrette dressing. I remember seeing this in the No Reservations episode – Claude said pako was just a lowly weed that could be eaten anytime anywhere, to which Tony said that the “weed” commands a high price in the foreign market.

The third appetizer is fried lumpia ubod. Mary Ann advised us to “give us the first bite,” that is, taste the dish without adding any sauces. I ended up eating the whole lumpia without any sauce.

Next came chicken wing inasal (roasted) served with a small serving of aligue rice.

After finishing off the chicken wing, the servers passed around platters of talangka sushi, nori-wrapped rice topped with crab fat and kamias.

Not far behind is a type of fresh lumpia: buro and slices of fried hito wrapped in a mustasa (mustard) leaf.

Finally came the main course and the star of the show: five-ways lechon, roast pig cooked and served in five different ways, at which point we were told to serve ourselves. For food adventurers and lechon lovers, this is surely heaven on earth.

The First Way: crispy lechon skin (and some of its meat) with liver sauce. Pure, unadulterated heaven, lechon as we've always known and loved.

The Second Way: lechon tortilla – pritson or fried lechon belly wrapped in a soft tortilla with kimchi, tomatoes, basil, and onions. Crispy and fresh, bursting with flavors that enhance the taste of the fried lechon.

The Third Way: lechon sinigang. Hot, sour broth + assorted vegetables + juicy, fatty lechon goodness = a brilliant take on a classic Filipino delicacy.

The Fourth Way: barbecued lechon ribs – roasted lechon ribs with a grilled eggplant boat as a siding. Simple as it may be, seems like nothing goes to waste at the hands of Claude Tayag.

Thie Fifth Way: sisig – Having a taste of Claude’s take on the classic Kapampangan pork dish is exciting, to say the least. Add a few chili flakes, some soy sauce and onions, and you’re good to go.

Of course, this gastronomic adventure won’t end without dessert. First up was Paradiso, a bed of carabao milk served crème brulee-style and topped with a ball of macapuno, yema, and ube. Served along with it is a cup of brewed coffee and carabao milk.

One more dessert came up: tibok-tibok, a sweet and rich maja blanca enriched with carabao milk. At this point, my stomach was already full, not really bloated, but very satisfied nonetheless.

Just so you know, Bale Dutung serves three kinds of menus, which you have to choose from when you book your reservation. These are:

Menu #1: Kapangpangan Menu (P1,800/head)

Ensaladang Pakô
(Fiddle head fern salad)

Piniritong Lumpiang Ubod sa
Claude'9 Oriental Sauce
(Fried all vegetable spring roll with
lemon coriander Thai basil sauce)

Inasal na Manok at
Claude'9 Talangka Rice
(BBQ chicken wings with lemon grass
marinade and crab fat rice)

Adobong Pugo
(Quail – adobo style)

Talangka Sushi
Hito at Balo-Balo Sushi
(Sushi of crab fat and cat fish)

Tortillang Lechon
(Crispy roast pork flakes on a tortilla)

Bulanglang Kapampangan na may Tian ng Bangus,
Ulang at Tadyang ng Baboy
(Milkfish belly, spareribs, crayfish or prawn soup,
flavored with native guava)

Begucan Sisig Babi at Ensaladang Talong
(Pork cooked in shrimp paste with grilled eggplant)

Kare-kareng Laman Dagat
(Sea food cooked in peanut sauce)

PARADISO
(Dessert of yam, and coconut, eggyolk in water buffalo milk)

Sinaunang Kape, Tsaang Pandan
(Coffee and tea)
Menu #2: Lechon Menu (P1,800/head - highly recommended)

Ensaladang Pakô
(Fiddle head fern salad)

Piniritong Lumpiang Ubod sa
Claude'9 Oriental Sauce
(Fried all vegetable spring roll with
lemon coriander Thai basil sauce)

Inasal na Manok at
Claude'9 Talangka Rice
(BBQ chicken wings with lemon grass
marinade and crab fat rice)

Talangka Sushi
Hito at balo-balo Sushi
(Sushi of crab fat and cat fish)

Balat ng Lechon at Liver Sauce
(Crispy roast pork skin)

Lechon Tortilla
(Crispy roast pork flakes on a tortilla)

Inihaw na Tadyang na Lechon
at Ensaladang Talong
(Grilled pork ribs with eggplant salad)

Sinigang na Lechon
(Pork meat in sour soup)

Lechon Sisig
(Pig's cheeks with onion and liver sauce)

PARADISO
(Dessert of yam, coconut, egg yolk in water buffalo milk)

Kapeng Sinaunang Panahon
(coffee/ tea)

Menu #3: Anthony Bourdain Menu (P1,800/head)

Ensaladang Pakô
(Fiddle head fern salad)

BBQ Paldeut at
Claude'9 Talangka Rice
(BBQ chicken tails with lemon grass
marinade and crab fat rice)

Adobong Pugo
(Quail – adobo style)

Hito at Balo-Balo Sushi
(Sushi of crab fat and cat fish)

Lechon Tortilla
(Crispy roast pork flakes on a tortilla)

Bulanglang Kapampangan na may
Tian ng Bangus, Ulang at Tadyang ng Baboy
(Milkfish belly, spareribs, crayfish or prawn soup,
flavored with native guava)

Sisig Babi
(Sizzling pork in onion and liver sauce)

Papaitan Soup
(Goat meat sour soup) or
Bone Collector
(Bone marrow in XO Adobo sauce)

Kare-kareng Buntot
(Oxtail stew in peanut sauce)

Tibok Tibok (dessert)
(pure carabao’s milk maja blanca)

Sinaunang Kape
(Coffee and tea)

The first showcases classic Kapampangan dishes, while the second (the menu we had) features the five-ways lechon. The third menu features the stuff Anthony Bourdain ate during his visit at Bale Dutung.

Kapampangan cuisine is fascinating. Pampanga’s food culture thrives on the province’s earthy abundance, meaning everything you see in your plate is fresh, natural, and taken straight from the farm or garden.

The people of Pampanga are known to be great cooks. The cuisine highlights their creativity and talent, and their ability to make new delicacies from scratch, or existing food trends. It also helps that Kapampangans cook and eat anything that’s edible, thus giving rise to culinary jewels such as sisig, and oddities such as frogs and locusts.

Bale Dutung is worth traveling far and investing time and money for. Not to mention there’s nothing like having a slow, leisurely lunch featuring Claude’s culinary masterpieces that are, by far, the best I’ve tried in Filipino regional cuisine. It’s the greatest culinary adventure I’ve had.

Bale Dutung, House of Wood
Villa Gloria Subdivision, Angeles City, Pampanga
Mobile: +639175359198
Telephone: +632 668-4038, 502-4527
Email: mquioctayag@yahoo.com, yhannguevarra@yahoo.com
Official Website: BaleDutung.com

Episode 31: Feeding the body and soul at Oh My Gulay!

2011-11-29T18:45:00.000+08:00

If there was one restaurant in Baguio that I regret not being able to appreciate early, it’s Oh My Gulay! (OMG!). Sure, I pass by it from time to time to have coffee, but I’ve never dined there. That was because my idea of a pastime other than having coffee was a heavy meal over beer and cigarettes. Hey, I was young.

Oh My Gulay! (OMG!) is a vegetarian restaurant at the fifth floor of the La Azotea Building along Upper Session Road. The place is owned by Baguio artist Kidlat Tahimik, and has been a favorite spot for artists, writers, and coffee lovers looking for a quiet place to hang out.

OMG! commands a great view of the city from the back of La Azotea. The restaurant also shares the floor with an exhibit area and arts center. Upon entering the area, one can marvel at the garden-like ambience, the tropical greenery, the wooden bridges and the pond, the wooden hut, the stage with its sculptures, and the curiosities that occupy every nook and cranny. Come to think of it, Baguio’s art scene is active, which is why such places flourish here.

In our recent visit to Baguio, MC and I decided to eat something light for brunch. The most sensible choice at the moment was Oh My Gulay! (OMG!). We were going to eat light, after all… or so we thought.

First on the table was the Chow-Chow Noodles, egg noodles served with vegetables sautéed with garlic and flavored with spicy soy sauce and hoisin.

Along with it was a plate of Anak ng Putanesca, pasta topped with sautéed garlic, capers and olives, and enriched with pomodoro cheese and spices.

On the side was Talong Parmigiana, deep-fried eggplant set on a crisp baguette and topped with basil oil and special sauce.

Not far behind was the OMG Sandwich, the vegetarian version of the club sandwich with tomates, crisp cucumber, and egg, and served with a green salad.

We finally had crepes for dessert. There were two varieties that we tried – the Super Sosy (peaches and cream) and Mansanas (caramelized apples), both light with a blend of sweet and fruity. It was only then that we began to feel stuffed.

OMG! does justice to Baguio’s reputation as a source of fresh vegetables and fruits. One can be sure the food is hot, freshly-cooked, and made from the freshest ingredients. The best part is that it offers vegetarian cuisine – exactly what health-conscious people need.

It's nice that the whole area houses paintings and other artworks by other local artists. One can walk around and appreciate the artworks, or sit quietly and let the words flow from your head to your notepad or laptop.

Now here’s a thought: Going vegetarian is a difficult feat. Seriously, eating vegetables is great. It cleanses the body, aids in weight loss, keeps us healthy, etc. It’s the stuff we hear from our parents when we’re coaxed into eating vegetables.

The problem is that we’re too used to eating meat. Most of us consume a lot of pork, beef, and/or chicken all our lives, and nothing else. Thus, we fail to realize the importance of eating a balanced meal, and we pay for that when we grow older. I did.

Vegetarian cuisine isn’t as difficult to digest as we thought. Of course we do have vege-meat, tofu, and all those alternatives to meat, but apparently, nothing beats eating vegetables. It's good that there are restaurants that serve vegetarian and other healthy cuisines.

It also helps to know that being healthy is a state of mind. Where you dine and what your senses ingest can influence what you eat. A person surrounded with beautiful things and sounds is assured to have a relaxed, stress-free mind fed with inspiration instead of junk.

And that’s what OMG! is all about - nourishing the body with good, healthy food, and feeding the mind and soul. Bonus points for enjoying all these in Baguio, a city that’s nostalgic and romantic and inspiring… Okay, I‘m trailing off.

Unlimited Grub Grabs, Year 2~

2011-10-23T22:48:00.000+08:00

I am the soul of the gourmand.

Good food fuels my body, and good wine burns my blood.

I have tasted hundreds of dishes

Regardless of cuisine yet mindful of the price.

I seek great-tasting food and drinks.

My heart will only be satisfied by the best.

And so I invite you to my UNLIMITED GRUB GRABS.

Happy second anniversary, yay!

Seriously, much has happened since I started my adventures as a food writer. It's good to be able to eat so much, travel much, and write about them. This year was quite different.

I've visited so many places throughout the year that I couldn't write about all of them so quickly. At the same time, I've continued researching on more places to visit, including those that are already well known, and those interesting finds that more people should know about.

Recently, I've become more confident when it comes to food raids. A long time ago, I was afraid that I'd run out of money while dining, eat a bad dish or something I don't understand. Not so much nowadays. Dining out has become more pleasurable and educational. Being prepared is a good thing.

On the other hand, certain food raids can get difficult. Many of the places I've been to are too expensive. Some were just too far away to come back to, and others I could not visit because of more pressing matters (such as work or family). I have to admit, there was also a point when I felt too lazy to work on my blog. Maybe it's because I got too busy and I couldn't go anywhere. My health condition is another story.

The biggest milestone for me was that I’ve started working out again. Now having a regular exercise routine and eating out may be counterproductive to each other, but I’ve found a way to reconcile those two. All I had to do was eat just what I need, burn more calories, and choose what would nourish me. Bonus points for having a program to follow while working out. Also, less rice and/or potatoes, or more of one than the other. I’ll tackle this in a later post. (By the way, I also started attending yoga classes. You can really work up a sweat with yoga.)

Buddha Power

Just several weeks ago, I joined the Sooo Pinoy Ultimate Blogger contest. The winner will have the chance to go on a food tour around the country for 30 days. More pigging out, and all to promote the Philippines and Filipino cuisine. It's rather farfetched, given by blogging situation, but I hope I win.

I’m looking forward to visiting more food places (and writing more), trying out new dishes, losing more weight, and becoming a healthier, happier food blogger. It’s rather farfetched but I’ll get there.

Here’s to another year of Unlimited Grub Grabs!

"Ramen, anyone?"

Eat your way through the Philippines!

2011-10-19T12:39:00.001+08:00

Cafe by the Ruins (Baguio City)

Ever tried eating “pinuneg”? Pinuneg is Igorot blood sausage, with a funky, raw, bloody taste. This is usually served during cañaos in the Cordilleras, with red rice and pork roasted and boiled in a salty broth. Also, brace yourself for pinikpikan, gingery chicken stew prepared in a manner that will make animal rights activists cry.

Rose-flavored Ice Cream (Baguio City)

Further north is the Ilocos bagnet, deep-fried, crunchy, juicy pork similar to lechon kawali. If you have bagnet for lunch, order with it the soupy eggplant dish called poqui-poqui, scandalous name notwithstanding.

Buffet (Boracay)

Dagupan, Pangasinan is the place to be for boneless bangus. Over at Pampanga is their miracle dish sisig, pork bits fried and served on a sizzling plate. Egg with your sisig? Chili, soy sauce, calamansi, or chilimansi? Your call.

Kainan sa Dalampasigan (Nasugbu, Batangas)

Drop by Batangas for a taste of binakol, chicken simmered inside a bamboo tube with coconut and spices. Bicol Express? Visit the Bicol Region and experience the dish the way the Bicolanos intended it to be.

Zubuchon (Cebu)

Craving for lechon? Choose between Lechon La Loma and Lechon Cebu. Dining on seafood in Boracay is a good idea, though surely nothing beats Davao’s grilled tuna jaw. Eating batchoy in its hometown, La Paz, Iloilo, would be an adventure too.

Sizzling Bulalo (Smoke Resto, Boracay)

For dessert, there’s halo-halo, pastillas, pichi-pichi, or leche flan. Laguna’s buko pie looks promising, but heavy on the belly. Rose-flavored ice cream? There’s a bar in Baguio that serves that. Let’s not forget about that sweet, soft, but smelly fruit durian.

Iskrambol

I started food writing because I love food and the act of dining itself. Most importantly, I love discovering places where there’s great food. This inspired me to visit a lot of provinces in the Philippines, and learn about their specialties and the best places to dine. It’s a great way to know about Filipino cuisine.

Ma Mon Luk Special Mami and Siopao (Ma Mon Luk, Quezon City)

Thing is, why is Filipino cuisine so underrated? It’s partly our fault. We dine on our native dishes all the time that we tend to treat it as normal food and forget to give it the exposure it deserves.

(Also, balut.)

This is why I joined the search for the first Sooo Pinoy Ultimate Food Blogger. I hope to contribute to Sooo Pinoy‘s campaign to promote the Philippines through Filipino cuisine. There’s so much about our food that can be shared to Filipino and foreign tourists alike.

Big Binondo Food Wok with Ivan Man Dy (Binondo, Manila)

Lola Ising's Adobo Rice (Cafe Adriatico, Manila)

The Philippines has a rich food database; so rich that we can turn this country into a culinary capital. I believe that we can learn about a nation through its food. Each province’s delicacy can tell us what its residents eat, their livelihood and lifestyle. Food is a central part of Filipino culture, as shown by the variety of dishes around the country.

Lunch at the Floating Restaurant (Bohol)


Pizza Hanna (Pizza Volante, Baguio City)

Buffet breakfast at Shangri-La Mactan (Cebu)


Lydia's Lechon

I hope I’ll be given the chance to be Sooo Pinoy’s Ultimate Food Blogger. This campaign jives with my search for great food, and the drive to personally tell everyone how great Filipino food is.

At Century Tsukiji (Century Park Hotel, Manila)

Aikyatchi: Mabuhay Germany!

2011-10-04T18:50:00.000+08:00

The German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry presents "Mabuhay Germany," a three-day exhibition celebrating the friendship of the Philippines and Germany. Now on its third year, the event gives visitors the chance to know more about Germany through its people, industry, and culture.

Mabuhay Germany's theme this year is about “Winning Moments,” where exhibitors are invited to show their their so-called finest hour in any endeavor, from sports to business and from politics to technology.

The event features German products, services, and snippets of its culture and lifestyle. There will also be a job fair, culinary demos, movies, live music from Filipino and German musicians, and other activities for the family. And yes, there will be beer and sausages. Should I remind you that Germany is already celebrating Oktoberfest?

Visit the Mabuhay Germany Festival from Oct. 7 to 9 at Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For more information, please visit the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry website or its Facebook page..

Episode 30: Of comfort food, happy hormones, and Angry Birds

2011-09-30T23:24:00.000+08:00

Eating is fun. Dining on different kinds of food is fun, and so is savoring the flavor and scent of each dish. Going to different kinds of restaurants is fun too because that’s part of the experience of dining.

But it’s a different matter if I’m being fed chicken tinola and beef nilaga (stew). I love chicken tinola; that hot, gingery broth warmed my days and nights in Baguio. The beef nilaga’s rich chunks of beef and thick broth invigorate me when I’m sick after drinking lots of beer. Leche flan? Yeah, leche flan is my drug, and so is that sweet, pink salmon, be it grilled or sushi.

Each of us has dishes that we consider our “comfort food.” Be it a home-cooked meal or something from your favorite store, it’s a dish that not only makes you feel good, but also relieves feelings that make you feel physically, mentally, or emotionally bad.

Doctors tell us there’s more to comfort food than making us feel good. Our body produces hormones that affect functions such as muscle growth, healing, mental activity, etc. What we eat affect the production of those hormones. This holds more meaning to people living with mood disorders. Aside from medication and exercise, a patient’s diet is also important in managing his moods.

Travel photographer Jetro Rafael, for example, is bipolar; or someone who feels very happy at one moment and then suddenly becomes depressed. Aside from his photography and other art ventures, he indulges in cooking as part of his therapy. Making his personal meal guide developed into an idea for a restaurant; hence, the birth of “Van Gogh Is Bipolar.”

Van Gogh Is Bipolar is named in honor of Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh, who also suffers from severe mood swings. It’s popular yet elusive - it opens and closes unexpectedly, has a very limited seating capacity (12 diners at most), and reservations are hard to come by.

I was lucky to have dinner at Van Gogh Is Bipolar before Jetro left for vacation. My visit there was timely since for some time now I feel sick, tired, sluggish, and uninspired to think of or do anything.

To show my displeasure, I brought along two Angry Birds plushies, both with their frowning faces and sour mood, but strangely a source of “squees” all around. I looked as angry as they are. Maybe what I needed was a good meal after all.

Upon entering, patrons are urged to remove their shoes, and with it (symbolically), their inhibitions and worries. Inside, the place (Jetro’s home, actually) contains a living art space filled with tea pots, photographs, books, old furniture, and artifacts from Jetro’s travels. There’s also an area where you can carve or write down (and let out) your thoughts.

Self-service is the norm here. You write down your orders, ring the kitchen bell and inform the cook (sometimes Jetro is in the kitchen), pick up your orders, and bring your soiled plates to the kitchen. Also, you settle your bill via the honor system – you pay and get your own change from a box on one corner of the restaurant. (There’s a note on top of the box that says “1 million blessings and 1 million curses.”)

Van Gogh Is Bipolar’s dishes are named in honor of bipolar personalities. The ingredients in Jetro’s food produce “happy hormones” such as serotonin and dopamine that activate neurotransmitters in the brain, which in turn calm you down or lift you up. It helps that Jetro explains all the stuff about “happy hormones,” which dish has what effect and even recommends what to eat.

While waiting for my meal, I helped myself to two pots of “extra calming” guyabano tea. First you choose what teapot to use, after which you make your own tea, let it sit for a few minutes, add a few drops of wild honey, and then start sipping.

The first course is a bowl of thick, warm, wild turkey broth soup.

Along with it is a fruit drink called Courtney Love's Potion of the Day. The concoction is made from fruit pulps and extracts, fresh mint leaves and pure wild honey.

For appetizer, there’s Axl Rose’s Egg Shot, an organic egg submerged in hot water, and with honey mustard or Jetro’s special black sauce. You crack your own egg, carefully pour the yolk and whites inside, and stir the mixture.

The main course is President Lincoln’s Organic Turkey, served with black mountain rice pilaf, cabbage, and garnishings of guava, mango, black olives, and other herbs.

For dessert, there’s a plate of water buffalo milk ice cream – soft to the palate, semi-sweet, creamy, and relaxing.

While each dish is delicious on its own, it helps to know that how these improve one’s mood. For example, wild honey can eliminate anxiety, while the tea leaves have their own functions aside from releasing “happy hormones.” Protein gives one’s body that extra kick. Black mountain rice is rich in vitamin B and folic acid. Turkey meat, which is rich with tryptophan, elevates your mood, inhibits anger and compulsive behavior, regulates appetite, and helps you sleep better. Cabbage activates serotonin in your brain, while mango can lower cortisol.

It just goes to show that comfort food isn't just about tasty food that makes us feel good; the science behind it shows how beneficial such foods can be for our physical and mental health. Add that looking around the whole restaurant, listening to the music, and just lounging on your chair (while waiting for your meal) is food for the senses, enriching, invigorating, and relaxing at the same time.

The idea behind Van Gogh Is Bipolar is to give each diner a wonderful and therapeutic dining experience. It's not enough to say that such is what I experienced as well. People keep coming back to Van Gogh Is Bipolar because of the food, the surroundings, Jetro's hospitality, the positive vibes that comes along with the meal. It's the stuff that makes happy, light, glowing beings out of even the angriest of birds.

Speaking of the Angry Birds, well, they’re still angry, but at least they have new fans; not to mention their owner is leaving the place a sated, happy, and very satisfied being. Thank, Jetro; and thanks to everyone for welcoming us.

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

Van Gogh Is Bipolar

154 Maginhawa,
Quezon City
(02) 394-0188

Episode 29: Ultimate Taste Test 6.0!

2011-09-14T13:06:00.002+08:00

Unlimited Grub Grabs goes to UTT... Again! (Dang, I've always wanted to say something like that.)

Aspiring food critics gathered at the Rockwell Tent in Makati last September 3 for Ultimate Taste Test. This is the sixth installment of one of the biggest food tasting events in Metro Manila hosted by professional food blogger Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet.

UTT 6.0 features fifty-five food businesses, caterers, and restaurants showcasing their products, including those just about to be launched in the market. Restaurants from Rockwell also joined the event to introduce their best-sellers.

Various main dishes, snacks, drinks, and desserts were up for grabs for wannabe food critics to taste. The visitors then graded each establishment on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest. Top raters will be featured on Our Awesome Planet.

Guests at UTT 6.0 were treated to lots of entertainment numbers that filled the event with a festive mood. Side events included trivia contests, live band music, even a cooking demo and some belly dancing.

Wait a minute, what am I doing? I'm supposed to be talking about our raid at UTT 6.0! This isn't a news story, after all, and this is more than just a simple "I went to a food tasting event and ate lots of food" post. Ultimate Taste Test isn't just about people tasting a lot of food and beverages. It's about getting introduced to the world of food and flavors and savoring everthing that fuels one's love of food and dining. So yeah.

UTT 6.0 started early, but MC and I made it to the Rockwell Tent only in the afternoon. Naturally, it was already crowded when we got there. The whole tent was filled with a festive, excited vibe, loud music, and the subtle scents of coffee, bread, and meat. We joined last year's Ultimate Taste Test, so we already know what to do (aside from eating as little lunch as possible), but things are different this time.

Each visitor is given a passport to help them locate each establishment. The passports are signed by the stall keepers to keep track of the places one has visited. (Apparently, this is also to ensure nobody takes seconds. Good job.)

At this point, I'll let our pictures from the event speak on the food and drinks we tasted and liked at UTT 6.0. Needless to say, we ate our way through the whole event and ended up very full and satisfied.

The callos and savoury tarts from Tina's Pie Outlet was one of the first dishes we liked... Also, the callos tasted good with beer.

Big Daddy Jay's pork barbecue is juicy, tender, melts in your mouth, melt-in-your-mouth fatty goodness.

The flavored kefirs from Yoh-gee look good, but nothing beats the plain stuff.

The chevre with garlic and fresh herbs was my favorite among Gourmet Keso's products.

Jamaican patties. 'Nuff said.

Chili chocolate macarons?

Have some stone-cold cookie dough mochikos.

Parmesan chicken sticks from Almost Gourmet.

Vegetable lavosh chips... First time to have one of these.

MC liked the coffee, but the teas were the ones that won me over.

Fruit jams from The Fruit Garden. Now if we have peanut butter...

Again with the dark chocolate and chili. Mmm, dark chocolate and chili...

Non-alcoholic cocktails are good too.

Breads can never get as simple as this.

Merry Moo Ice Cream. That is all.

Kero-chan appears!

Here's a leche flan cheesecake. I know someone who may like this.

The cupcakes from Cupcake Boutique were really sweet. Not that we're complaining.

Finally, a bottle of San Miguel Premium All-Malt Beer to wash everything all down.

As always, MC and I enjoyed being food critics even for a day., and saying we're looking forward to the next food tasting event is an understatement. Until then, we'll be here, seeking out culinary delights wherever we go, 'cause where there's good food, there Unlimited Grub Grabs shall be. (Hey, that sounds like a good tagline.)

Episode 28: How to eat sushi, and then some

2011-08-31T08:49:00.000+08:00

I love sushi, plain and simple. I love the taste of raw salmon, the sweetness of the sushi rice, and the sudden burst of wasabi in every bite. Anyone who's into Japanese cuisine would have sushi among their favorites, along with ramen, tempura, curry rice and yakiniku. It is, after all, the most popular icon of Japanese cuisine.

So when Century Tsukiji (at Century Park Hotel) announced that it's having an all-you-can-eat sushi promo, I thought why not go for it, I can enjoy as much sushi as I want. It's the Japanese food fan's ultimate fantasy! But what I thought was a simple food raid turned into a crash course on the Japanese way of eating sushi.

As soon as MC and I entered Century Tsukiji, we took our seats at the sushi bar, where all the fresh fish are at. If you're having sushi, the bar is said to be the best place to have it; not only is the service faster; you can watch how the sushi is prepared and served.

Chef Yamazaki, Century Tsukiji's sushi chef, was at the bar to take my orders. Right beside his station are thick, chilled slabs of fish and other seafood, including octopus legs. Damn, they look fresh and tasty. Heck, come to think of it, it's the freshness of the fish that makes sushi special.

The server brought us some oshiburi (hot towels). I remember reading that some Japanese restaurants give oshiburi to customers before they dine. It's supposedly the norm. After wiping our hands, the server poured some hot tea and soy sauce of us.

While my sushi is being prepared, the server brought a pot of dobinmushi (clear soup with shrimp, chicken, mushroom, and calamansi on the side), and chawanmushi (steamed egg custard with shiitake, ginko nuts, chicken and seafood). I learned that just in case the sushi chef takes a while to serve me, I can have some of those.

A server set a plate near the bar counter, and Chef Yamazaki placed piece by piece of sushi. He said I’m allowed to dig in at this point and he’ll just fill up my plate as I go.

And fill the plate he did, as he served what turns out to be a total of 21 varieties of sushi for me. There’s the tuna and salmon, crabstick, octopus, cuttlefish, sea urchin, mackerel, shrimp (boiled and raw, salmon roe, eel, egg, maya-maya, flatfish, tawilis, octopus… Ack, I can’t remember the rest!

With the sushi in place, I knew it was time to attack. I quickly took out the chopsticks set beside me…

“No chopsticks! Eat the sushi with your hand!” Chef Yamazaki suddenly said.

While eating sushi with chopsticks is fine for some, more traditional Japanese prefer that you eat them with your hands. Hence, the oshiburi. (Also, it ensures that you don’t drop the sushi in case your hands go numb from holding chopsticks.) Your mileage may vary, though.

At the plate is a small mound of gari (pickled ginger) and wasabi. Eat only a little bit of gari to clear your palate, I was told. No wasabi on your soy sauce; wasabi loses its flavor when mixed in soy sauce. If wasabi is added, apply it on the fish using chopsticks if you wish.

By the way, trust the sushi chef to know how much wasabi would make your sushi taste good. If the wasabi’s flavor crawls to your nose on the first bite, banzai!

You’re not supposed to dip the sushi rice first, because the rice would absorb the soy sauce and fall apart. Dip the fish side instead. Toppings with their own sauce, i.e. eel (unagi) should not be dipped in soy sauce.

A sushi meal is traditionally ended with a bowl of soup, hence, the dobinmushi. I sipped everything and ate the morsels while eating the sushi. Oh well.

After finishing all 21 varieties of sushi, the real fun started. Anyone would be satisfied with eating the whole line-up of Century Tsukiji’s sushi, but no, Barangay Ginebra, I’m here for the all-you-can-eat sushi promo, and eat all I can is what I was about to do.

First up was some California maki, rice roll with crab, mayonnaise, nori, rice, sesame seeds, and tobiko. Some enthusiasts say California maki is for wimps; why eat this when there's good sushi available? Futo maki, (fish powder, egg, gourd, vegetables, rice, and nori) was next, followed by some octopus sushi, raw shrimp, salmon, and whatnot.

While all of this was going on, we took the time to talk with Chef Yamazaki. He helped us identify some of the fish I had, and then went on to proudly say how fast a sushi chef he is; in fact, back when he was younger, he could prepare 120 pieces or so of sushi in one hour. (Wow, that restaurant where was in must have been really busy!)

Accommodating and cordial as he is, the chef looks very dedicated in his craft, and strict when it comes to enjoying sushi the traditional way. In any case, it’s nice to strike a conversation with the sushi chef; it establishes rapport and the chance that you’d be recognized as a valued customer.

Soon, Century Tsukiji was about to close for the afternoon. Any last orders, I was asked. “One more of that first set I had earlier,” I answered.

“What? You’re gonna eat all of that?” MC asked. He should have known better.

MC didn’t avail of the sushi promo since he didn’t want to stuff himself and go fat. Instead, he ordered a bento meal with sashimi, several kinds of appetizers, chawanmushi, salmon teriyaki, assorted vegetables and seafood, stir-fried noodles, shrimp and vegetable tempura, and rice (his most hated part of the meal).

It’s not the only stuff that Century Tsukiji serves; they also have teishoku (set meals), sashimi, noodles, salads, grilled dishes and desserts. They also serve beer and Japanese sake, just what you can expect from a place that takes pride in being as authentic as a Japanese restaurant can be.

Eating norms vary in every country. Filipinos, for example, can eat with or without utensils, though if one want to impress the locals, eating food with bare hands is the way to go. (Phil Younghusband comes to mind.) Woe to you if you end up in countries where you're expected to dine with only your right hand. Table manners in other countries, utensil or not, is another matter.

The same goes with Japanese cuisine. Now that I remember, the Japanese follow lots of dining rules, such as the consumption of noodles and soup, the proper use chopsticks, pouring alcoholic drinks, paying (or not paying) tips, etc. This from a culture that shows high regard for tradition.

In the case of sushi, eating it the way the Japanese traditionally do adds to the enjoyment of the experience. Plus, the sushi looks really pretty sitting in that plate, and you can't help but admire it first before eating it. After all, the Japanese dine not only with their palate, but with all five senses.

Knowing cuisine etiquette is a way to show respect to the country whose cuisine you're eating. Whether it's to have a deep understanding of a foreign culture, to impress your hosts, to act properly in formal situations, or simply to be able to do as the locals do, following the norms at their dinner table is an interesting and enlightening dining experience.

However, keep in mind that some people from different cultures can't eat the way we do. Some would even prefer to eat something the way they want it. Let this go. We have to respect the way we eat, though we must remind them to respect ours as well. Respect and tolerance, along with proper education, is the key.

By the way, I learned recently that one is supposed to eat sushi moderately, and set a pace at it. It's said that eating more than ten kinds of fish and other seafood is too much because your palate numbs. And yet I ate 21 kinds of sush, and quickly at thati. I ended up very full, heavy, and sleepy for the rest of the day. Thank goodness for the gari.

Aikyatchi: Rockwell's Ultimate Taste Test!

2011-08-29T18:23:00.001+08:00

Hear yeah, hear yeah! The Ultimate Taste Test is back, and it's now in Rockwell!

Our Awesome Planet brings back the greatest food tasting event in Metro Manila, where food lovers, critics, and basically everyone who appreciates good food can gather and sample treats from the most promising establishments here and beyond!

In Rockwell’s Ultimate Taste Test, visitors can be critics-for-a-day and sample food products from over 50 home-based food businesses and establishments located at Rockwell's Power Plant Mall.

The concessionaires will give a free taste of their popular, current, and upcoming products. Visitors get to rate the food and the concessionaire that prepared it on a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest.

As per Our Awesome Planet, the participating concessionaires are:

	Yummy Food Vendor	Category	Food/ Drinks Products for Ultimate Taste Test
1	Farm n' Deli	Appetizer	Barang's Tinapa
2	Marla's Original Muncheez	Appetizer	Muncheez
3	Daims Food Inc	Appetizer	Cocktail sausages: Debrecziner, Wasabi, BBQ, Vienna
4	De Original Jamaican Patties	Appetizer	Beef Original, Beef Pinaubo
5	Cafe Mediterranean/ Wild Ginger	Appetizer	Moutable with roasted eggplant rolls, Vegetable samosas/ Spinach & Dhal Chapati
6	Purple Mustard	Appetizer	Sebadas con miela rosmarino (fried ravioli with rosemary honey)
7	5 Loaves & 2 Fish	Appetizer	Baked Crunchy Veggie chips with homemade dips and spreads
8	The Fruit Garden	Breakfast	Jam flavors: Fruit Cocktail, Lychee Berry Rose, Winter Season
9	El Kapitan	Drinks	Spiced Chai, Vanilla Chai
10	Concept Specialist Inc	Drinks	Coffee with different flavors
11	Party Fuel	Drinks	Mojito Mocktail
12	Istituto Culinario	Drinks	Limonada
13	Bugle Boy Distributors Corp.	Drinks	Arizona iced tea
14	Chef C's Paella de Andaluz	Main Dish	Paella de Andaluz
15	Big Daddy Jay's All American BBQ	Main Dish	Smoked Pork Ribs and Bama Chicken
16	Hyphys	Main Dish	Calamansi Tuyo, Spaghetti, Falafel/ Hummus Tapenade Rolls
17	Luigi's Muhlach	Main Dish	Chicken cordon bleu with a choice of aligue mayo, cream cheese or wasabi sauce, Phillychanga
18	HKR Food Express	Main Dish	Asado, Roast Chicken
19	Heart, Meat and Soul Foods	Main Dish	Hearty meaty spaghetti
20	Sushi Mo	Main Dish	California maki roll, Tuna&mayo maki roll
21	Dek A Authentic Thai	Main Dish/ Drinks	Popia, Thai milk tea
22	Pinakbest	Main Dish	Bagnet
23	Eat my GF	Savoury Snack	Original GF with toppings
24	The Flying Chef	Savoury Snack	Ham and Cheese Empanada
25	Muesli Granola Kitchen & Bakeshop	Healthy Snack	Monkey Bar, Chocolate barmuncher with almonds and cashew nuts
26	Almost Gourmet	Savoury Snack	Parmesan chicken sticks
27	Joy's Fuzion Kitchen (JFK)	Main Dish	Fried chicken wings
28	Edible Options	Main Dish	Fish Fillet, Chicken Galantina, Sunflower brittle
29	Casa San Luis Pastries	Savoury Snack	Adobo quiche
30	Spring by Ha Yuan	Savoury Snack	KaPao: Pulled pork, Braised short rib, Lychee and Sesame crusted Teriyaki tofu
31	Chori Chori Burger Joint	Savoury Snack	Boracay original Choriburger
32	Cre-Ate Concepts	Savoury Snack	PIZZA-teriyaki mayo, PIZZA- 4 cheese
33	Gourmet Keso	Savoury Snack	Chevre(goat cheese), Chevre w/ cashews & truffled salt; Chevre w/ garlic & herbs, Kesong Puti Hiyayako
34	Mang Pedro	Savoury Snack	Taho
35	Tina's Pie Outlet	Main Dish/ Savoury Snack	Main Dish: Callos. Tart: Shiitake With Swiss Gruyere, Prawns In Aligue, Chicken With chorizo
36	Chef's Table	Sweet Dessert	Buko pie martini
37	Hansie's Desserts	Sweet Dessert	Chocolate Chunk Cookies
38	Cupcake Boutique by Klar Joseph	Sweet Dessert	Cupcakes (Red Velvet)
39	Merry Moo	Sweet Dessert	Artisan Ice Cream: Brown Bread
40	Empire	Sweet Dessert	French macarons
41	Sweet Life by Ange	Sweet Dessert	Cam Chips
42	Mochiko	Sweet Dessert	Cookie Dough & Cream Mochi
43	My Pink Wasabi	Sweet Dessert	Kashi Maki
44	Symphony of Flavors	Sweet Dessert	Lecheflan cheesecake
45	Pink Candies Kucina	Sweet Dessert	Food for the Gods
46	Elle's Torta	Sweet Dessert	Torta cebuana
47	YOH-GEE	Sweet Dessert	Frozen Kefir
48	Carmen's Best	Sweet Dessert	Ice cream: Salted Caramel & Coffee
49	Riz Rice	Sweet Dessert	Homemade suman
50	Sugarhouse	Sweet Dessert	Yema balls/ Sylvannas
51	Baked by Anita	Sweet Dessert	Bacon n maple mini cupcake
52	Theo&Philo Chocolate	Sweet Dessert	Chocolate bars
53	Kiddie Affairs	Sweet Dessert	Cupcakes
54	Yumy.Aco	Sweet Dessert	Banana loaf with walnuts and choco chips
55	The Ice Cream Bar	Sweet Dessert	Lemon Crumble Yogurt

Slots to this food-tasting event are limited. Get your tickets at the Power Plant Mall Office (Tel. # 8981702), or at the Creative Juice Office (Tel. # 5707827).

Take note of the date:

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

See you there!

Episode 27: Farewell, Cosa Nostra!

2011-08-06T08:03:00.001+08:00

Cosa Nostra (or Cosa Nostra, Casa di Pasta), an old, hole-in-the-wall spaghetti house in Malate, is gone. This was one of my most recent discoveries, yet I would never be able to dine there again. Why? Because it closed down last June 30. How sad.

I found this Italian restaurant by accident during one of my night-outs in Malate. It was standing on a dark corner of Remedios Circle, hidden in plain sight, a simple, plain-looking place that only a few who knew its story would visit.

Everything about Casa Nostra made one feel the place was frozen in time. Lamps, jars and old photographs (presumed to be the relatives or ancestors of the owner) lined up against the walls. Soft, ‘60s or ‘70s music played in the background. It’s cozy, good for dining alone, with a group, or a special someone. At night, the place is dimly lit, making romantic candlelight dinners possible.

The food was homemade, served hot and fresh. You had to wait for 15 minutes or so, but the wait is worth it. The taste, on the other hand, is up for debate; some loved the simple flavors while other found them too salty or bland or stale.

I’ve only tried a few dishes from their menu, namely: a hearty bowl of lentil soup, spaghetti carbonara followed by a cup of café rivello, pesto pizza, and seafood casserole, one of their best-sellers.

Lentil soup, warm, thick and hearty with sausage bits

Cosa Nostra's carbonara, with ham bits, separate serving of parmesan cheese, and a thick heavy cream sauce

Cafe rivello, bittersweet with a cappuccino-like creaminess

Pesto pizza, a salty pizza with lots of cheese and a hint of pesto

Seafood casserole, oily pasta infused with the light, natural flavor of seafood and herbs

Other dishes they have are the lasagna, fried mozzarella, spaghetti with crab roe paste (also known as the heart-breaking “taba ng talangka”), and Black Spaghetti (spaghetti with squid ink sauce).

From what the patrons told me, Casa Nostra opened about 28 years ago. The restaurant was a favorite spot, much like some of the old restaurants around Remedios Circle. It was, as they said, one of the icons of Malate’s so-called bohemian lifestyle.

I was there when Casa Nostra closed for the last time, as the elderly staff served the last orders and the customers bid farewell to everyone, as the decors were taken down one by one. It felt like waking up from a pleasant dream. I never bothered to ask why it was closing down, but I might find the reason outrageous. I’m saddened that just when I have yet to fully appreciate the place, it would become out of business.

Now that I think about it, I've encountered other places that go down in Malate's history but are now overshadowed by modern hang-out establishments, some of which get closed down in the process. Only the old patrons of Malate and those from the present generation would know of these places.

For example, we had Anthology, an institution for music lovers, that closed down a few years ago, and is now nothing more than a bunch of ruins. Cafe Adriatico closed down when fire damaged its second floor (thank goodness it didn't stay that way, and it's still as popular as before. ). And now, we have Cosa Nostra. (Then there's Hobbit House, but I'll save some space for that in my blog soon.)

Someday I'd like to seek out the old places in Malate that are still standing despite the changing times. I've had enough of the karaoke clubs and girlie bars sprouting all over Malate. I'd like to know how people hung out a long time ago, which were the spots that were popular among the youth, artists, businessmen, and so forth. I'd like to know which places were part of Manila's old lifestyle.

Argh, I'm having a hard time explaining this. In any case, it would be nice to relive and preserve what's left of Malate's past, if only through where the past generation hangs out. I'll think about how to go about this until my next discovery.

Side Story: Lechon Cebu, Lutong Sapul Style!

2011-08-05T19:56:00.003+08:00

Just this morning, "Sapul sa Singko", our morning show at TV5, featured lechon Cebu in its "Lutong Sapul" (a cooking portion) segment. It was such a waste that I wasn't able to watch the whole segment, but I found out that it's possible to enjoy the taste of lechon Cebu right at your home!

Lourd De Veyra (of "Word of the Lourd" and "This Is A Crazy Planets" fame) and Chef Raymar of Modern Culinaire shared to us a simple lechon recipe that anyone can follow at home. In this case, they performed the recipe, not on a whole pig, but just on a smaller chunk.

------------------------------------------
Ingredients

Meat
Liempo (pork belly, probably a kilo will do)
Pepper
Onion leaves
Soy sauce
Salt
Garlic

Stuffing
Tanglad (lemongrass)
Saging na saba (Saba banana)
Gabi (taro)

Procedures
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Rub salt and pepper on the liempo. (Three words: season to taste.)
3. Brush soy sauce on the liempo skin. (Brushing soy sauce on skin gives the skin its reddish look.)
4. Lay the liempo over a bed of tanglad, gabi and saging na saba arranged in a baking pan. (The better thing to do is stuff the herbs in the meat for it to better absorb the flavors.)
5. Place the liempo in the pre-heated oven. Dance the macarena (kidding).
6. Wait for the skin to become crispy. (How long is this - 30 minutes? Probably as soon as steam comes out and the skin gets toasted? Your call, actually.)
7. Serve with a vinegar or lechon sauce dip. (Chef Raymar recommends vinegar with peppercorns and onions as the best dip for lechon Cebu.)
------------------------------------------

This recipe looks easy to follow, and maybe one can make a few changes on the recipe along the way. Come to think of it, I guess this is how lechoneros start and develop their business: work on the default recipe, and improve on it. In any case, enjoying lechon Cebu at home is easier now. (Having an oven for this is another story though.)

Anyway, right after "Sapul sa Singko," the crispy, tasty, juicy lechon was distributed to everyone in the studio. Not everyone was able to have a piece of it though, since the pig disappeared like it was devoured by typhoon Ondoy. As for me, I got a big, fatty chunk of the stuff. To hell with what people will say about my lechon consumption habits. Nothing beats a dose of heaven early in the morning.

On the other hand, normally I'd ask for a larger portion for sharing. Not this time, though. I can't demand for one anyway. No lechon for you, sorry.

EDIT: I talked to Chef Raymar this morning, and he said you can throw the pork into a pot of hot cooking oil in case you don't have an oven.

Episode 26: Lechon, The World's Best Roasted Pig (Part 2)

2011-07-03T20:28:00.000+08:00

Lechon is cooked in different ways all over the Philippines. One of the most popular types of lechon, aside from La Loma, is the Cebu-style lechon or simply lechon Cebu.

Nowadays, mention “lechon” and Cebu quickly comes to mind. Lechon Cebu is so sought after, some even have it delivered directly from Cebu, never mind the shipping fees. Eating lechon is also a must-do in Cebu. Which begs the question: How good is lechon Cebu?

The difference between lechon Cebu and other types is that the pig is seasoned with fresh herbs, spices, and flavorings throughout the cooking process. The pig is also roasted over charcoal made from a local wood, giving it the impression of smoked meat. The result is a pig that no longer needs the sauce to give it taste.

And why not? The meat is tender, and bursting with fat and flavor with an herby aftertaste. The skin is sweet and as crispy as chicharon. The whole pig is perfumed with an overload of scents. This is the lechon that made Anthony Bourdain say “I got the best pig ever.”

Lechon Cebu's claim to culinary fame started a long time ago. According to the records of Antonio Pigafetta (the historian who chronicled Ferdinand Magellan's voyage to Cebu in 1521), the locals dined on roasted “black pigs” with rice wrapped in leaves (locally called “puso”), roast fish, vinegar dip and rice wine. So lechon has been enjoyed by foreigners over 400 years ago!

Some lechon enthusiasts would refer you to Talisay City to get your lechon fix. Talisay is best known as the home of the "inasal baboy", and most residents say this is where everything about the lechon industry in Cebu started.

Teresa Mancia Olo or "Nana Ising" owns the credit for starting the first lechon business in 1945. Legend has it that she single-handedly prepares her lechon and supervises the whole process. Mostly Americans and rich locals were fans of her pork. By the time Nang Ising retired in 1975, others in Talisay have opened similar lechon businesses.

Things changed for lechon Cebu’s reputation when Anthony Bourdain visited Cebu as part of an episode of "No Reservations" in the Philippines. Here Tony praised the lechon he tasted in the province, thus proving the claim (in extension) that "the Filipino lechon, a whole roasted piggy, is the best in the world."

Cebu has no particular brand that stands out among the lechon businesses in the province. In fact, there are so many lechon brands in Cebu, one won’t be able to pinpoint which is the best.

One example is CNT Lechon House, probably the most popular among Manilenos. Then there’s Rico's Lechon with their spicy roast pig (a favorite of former president Joseph Estrada and other celebrities), Alejo’s, Ayer’s Lechon Restaurant, and others more that are not well-known but whose pigs are just as good.

And then there’s Zubuchon. Now why the special mention? The lechon sold here is the same that Tony ate during his stay in the Philippines!

Zubuchon is the brainchild of food blogger Marketman, who joined Tony in the Cebu segment of the “No Reservations” episode in the Philippines. Marketman demonstrated to Tony the traditional way of cooking lechon, along with his own improvements to the process.

The Zubuchon pig is cooked naturally without any MSG, artificial mixes, and artificial painting of the skin. The lechon skin is also “acupunctured,” meaning, it is punctured during the cooking process to make it crisp.

“We use only the freshest and often home grown organic lemongrass, green onions, siling labuyo or peppers, local sea salt, and other herbs and spices. We use good olive oil,” Marketman said in his blog.

Needless to say, lechon remains the best dish to top a Filipino feast. Whether it’s Cebu-style, La Loma-style, a whole roasted pig (or even a few kilos of it) is the kind of stuff one will always love to dine on. Everything from the skin to the meat gives a taste of heaven. Nothing can be more exquisite than the lechon.

Episode 26: Lechon, The World's Best Roasted Pig (Part 1)

2011-06-08T14:21:00.001+08:00

Ah, lechon. One of the national dishes of the Philippines. A big, fat, red pork dish filled with mouth-watering, tender, juicy, crispy goodness. The star of Philippine fiestas and every other special occasion. Definitely one you can't miss.

Lechon is not just your average pig on a bamboo stick. One can only marvel at this delicacy that is golden brown and crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It’s expensive, but it can attract the crowds to your side whenever you have a feast. One bite and you can never ask for anything better.

To prepare lechon, all you need to do is get a suckling pig, remove its innards (and cook something else with them), bathe the pig in sauces, stuff it with herbs and spices, and then roast the pig slowly over a fire. The sauces you may want to use can vary, much more with the spices (stuffing can include any combination of lemongrass, tamarind, star anise, garlic, green onions and/or chili leaves). It’s not as simple as it looks like.

Barangay La Loma in Quezon City claims the title of “Lechon Capital of the Philippines”. When we say “La Loma,” we’re talking about a barangay where the best lechoneros (lechon roasters) can be found.

La Loma has a rich history long before lechon was born. A long time ago, the district was synonymous with the La Loma Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Manila, and the La Loma Cockpit, believed to be cockfighting's oldest home in the country.

It's said that one of the hottest places in town in the ‘50s was the house of Mang Tomas Delos Reyes, a meat vendor, which was located in front of the cockpit. After a day's worth of cockfights, the winners would buy pork meat from Mang Tomas to be roasted and served for their merry-making.

Mang Tomas decided he'd rather roast the meat himself and sell the cooked pork. Eventually, he set up shop in 1954, and the first lechon business in the Philippines was born.

As a side note, Mang Tomas created a special liver sauce to complement his lechon. This sweet sauce is what we know today as “Mang Tomas All Purpose Sauce,” “Sarsa ni Mang Tomas,” or simply “Mang Tomas.” Cue the MacGyver theme.

Today, Mang Tomas is not the only lechonero in La Loma. The district gave birth to popular lechon brands such as Lydia’s, Ping-Pings’, Mila’s, and other less-known brands like Monchie’s, Nelia’s and others.

There seems to be a difference with each lechon. Lydia’s, for example, has a thick, crispy, fatty skin to go along with its tender meat. The lechon skin in Mila’s is thinner, and the meat goes best with its creamy, semi-sweet sauce. The lechon meat and sauce combination from Ping-Ping’s gives out a lemony aftertaste. It must be the preparation or the spices stuffed in the pig, I dunno.

The truth is that the lechon’s taste can vary with each person. What seems lemony for me may taste rich and tasty to another. Whether one loves the fat, the skin, or the flesh itself is another matter as well. Still, the praise for lechon is endless, “delicious” would be an understatement.

Of course, lechon is good and all, but one must be reminded that this dish, when taken in excess just like everything else, is unhealthy.

Eating lechon on a regular basis makes for clogged arteries and cholesterol build-up in the body. And like any fatty food, lechon contributes to some of the leading causes of death in the Philippines, like stroke, heart problems, and the occasional stabbing by the drunkard who wanted that pig cheek on your plate… wait.

Time Magazine declared lechon as “The Best Pig” in the 2009 edition of its Best of Asia series. Time writer Lara Day described lechon in her write-up as a discovery waiting to happen, a recipe with the most desirable results imaginable, and a beloved dish of Filipinos. Old news, but worth reflecting on.

“You could call it the Platonic ideal of a pig, but it's doubtful if Plato, or even an entire faculty of philosophers, could have imagined anything so exquisite,” she said.

Lechon represents a lot of things about Filipinos: the importance of bonds (family or otherwise), respect for culture, the pursuit of good things in life, and celebrating everything that is rich, delightful, and exquisite. So come over to La Loma sometime and try their lechon. It’s worth the food trip. Really.

It would be nice to note that lechon owes this distinction to celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, incidentally knnow for his voracious appetite for everything pork. Again, old news, but worth reflecting on too.

During the episode of his show “No Reservations” shot in the Philippines, Tony ate his way around Manila, Pampanga and Cebu Among the dishes he tried was lechon.

The episode showed Tony sampling the skin of a steaming newly-roasted pig and jokingly asking his show's guest/tour-guide, Filipino-American Augusto Elefano, not to let anyone touch the pig's cheeks (or at least one side), intending to have it all to himself.

In his blog, he placed the Philippines at the top of his so-called "Hierarchy of Pork", followed by Bali, Indonesia and Puerto Rico.

Let me quote his entry: “It can now be said that of all the whole roasted pigs I’ve had all over the world, the slow roasted lechon I had on Cebu was the best.”

Wait a minute, Cebu?!

Episode 25: Rediscovering Cafe Adriatico

2011-05-22T18:41:00.018+08:00

Much have been said about cafés and the joys of hanging out in such places. Being a café lover myself, I’ve grown accustomed since my Baguio days to hanging out by myself or with friends in coffee shops. I’m particularly fond of places where one can dine or have a cup of coffee quietly while listening to music, have a conversation or two, and other stuff.

Such a pastime is something I rarely found time to do when I returned to Manila. I’m not sure if it was the crowd, the prices, or the ambience that’s stopping me. Or maybe it’s because I found drinking in bars more pleasurable during such stressful, lonely times.

In any case, it took a long time before I started appreciating cafes again. That started when Café Adriatico closed down for a short time.

Just so you know, Café Adriatico was damaged by fire last December. It was a sad day for the place’s patrons who thought another piece of history is gone. I for one thought I would miss out on dining in a famous spot like this. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case, because it reopened just several weeks ago.

Café Adriatico is an old-style restaurant at the corner of the Remedios Circle in Malate. The café was founded by restaurateur Larry J. Cruz in 1979. This is one of the most well-known, if not legendary, landmarks in Manila.

Lonely Planet had the right words to describe Café Adriatico: “Don’t be fooled by what appears to be a small and informal restaurant; this Malate legend right on Remedios Circle has good Spanish and Italian food to go along with top-notch people-watching.”

In the old days, the café was not only a restaurant; it was a meeting place for artists, writers, lovers, and members of the city’s elite, among others. It also housed an art gallery and antique collection.

Café Adriatico retained its old-world look and ambience despite the damage caused by the fire. The interior’s antique motif is still there, from the furniture to the walls. The paintings and photographs from old colonial times still adorn the walls. Classical music plays in the background, adding charm to the surroundings.

The place boasts of a variety of options such as salads, sandwiches, omelets, main courses, fondues and other desserts. Last time I checked, there were Mediterranean items in the menu too.

First on the chopping block is Squid Tactics, cuttlefish deep-fried with brown garlic, green onions, and coated in a sweet and spicy sauce. This, I hear, is one of Café Adriatico’s best sellers.

Next was a bowl of Garlic Soup Catalan, clear, light garlic soup with a piece of bread (instead of croutons) and raw egg.

The main course is Lola Ising’s Adobo Rice, another of their best-selling dishes. The meat is juicy, tender, and falls off the bone. The adobo rice is light and flavorful, and goes well with the atsara and adobo sauce.

Washing down the meal is their signature Tsokolate Eh, an authentic Spanish hot chocolate beverage made manually with a native batirol or wooden mixer. It’s thick, warm, and comforting to the stomach, a must have when you’re hanging out. That came with a slice of tiramisu.

Perhaps Café Adriatico is to the old Manilenos what Starbucks would be to the present generation, except that Café Adriatico has that charm that spans through generations. The nostalgia exuded by its food and surroundings inspire diners and cafe lovers to remember a bygone era in Manila’s history.

It reminds me that Malate was home to a strip of old restaurants, bars, and other night spots that made the district distinct from other places in Manila. (Most of these I might never be able to discover, sadly.)

Aside from the Malate Church, Malate was known for places like Anthology Bar, Library, and other hang-out spots of the rich, eccentric, and popular. Malate is also known as the center of gay night life, and it’s near Ermita, once known as the city’s red light district, but that’s another story.

Café Adriatico is one of the reminders of Manila’s laid-back, bohemian lifestyle. It was a favorite dining spot and meeting ground then as it is now. More importantly, the cafe reminds me of simpler times, days when spending quiet time for myself after a long day was a way of life, just like the Manilenos do.

Episode 24: Return to Banchetto! Man versus Burger!

2011-04-25T18:54:00.000+08:00

When I last visited Banchetto, I missed the chance to get one of those half-pound burgers, those big, beefy monstrosities served on a giant bun with tomatoes, lettuce, and whatnots.

For so long, those big-pattied burgers were so elusive, so hard to come by, no thanks to the long lines for those wanting a (figurative) piece of it. I remember those vein-blocking beasts staring at me from the grill, their smoky eyes leering at me, teasing my nose and taste buds, taunting me as if I will never be able to press my lips and sink my teeth on their tempting carcasses. (Just so you know, what I had last time was just a 1/3 pound burger.)

One Friday night, I decided I’m going back to Banchetto, find more treats to try out, eat more, and finish my previous commitment here: hunt that damned half-pounder.

For this episode, I joined the tandem of Tsongkibenj and Deah Ricacho (from Aksyon TV Ch. 41’s “Andar ng mga Balita”, and Radyo Singko 92.3 News FM’s Nite Chat and Kasindak-sindak). After their radio program that night, we drove off to Emerald Avenue, and to the target destination.

Banchetto is still that same eye-catching, mouth-watering feast that continues to draw customers from all over Metro Manila. The usual stalls are there: the dessert shops, the barbecue grills, the ones selling rice meals and specialty dishes. The scent of grilled meat and cooked breads still wafts all over the place. As always, Banchetto was crowded with patrons from Ortigas and God knows where else. Wading through the sea of people is still a chore, but a fulfilling one nonetheless.

We eventually settled down at a nearby barbecue chain so Before taking on that half-pound burger, the group had a few stops to make.

First up was a panna cotta, a big cube of semi-sweet, syrupy, gelatinous goodness. Dessert first? Works for me.

My favorite takoyaki stall was there as always. I remember having one of these in my first visit, and this time, I bought not one but all three varieties of these: wasabi, garlic, and peppered mayo. Tsongkibenj said it’s good and all as long as you don’t eat them at rapid succession. Still, I ended up finishing about two boxes of takoyaki. Yum, yum.

There was a stall that sold grilled salmon and buttered vegetables, one that I didn’t notice in my first visit. Tsongkibenj suggested that we get some. The salmon was well-grilled; the salmon skin was a bit salty, but the savory taste of the flesh and vegetables balanced the flavor of the whole package. The two also bought California maki (which disappeared quite quickly) and crème brulee (which I didn’t try).

And then there’s that ddukbokkie, Korean spicy rice cakes. I bought a serving for me to enjoy at home, but I forgot to eat it; so when I took it out of the fridge and reheated it a few days later, I found out that the spicy stuff seeped into the rice cakes and it was all good.

Now what’s Banchetto without lechon? Filipinos love it, the lechoneros of La Loma have perfected it, every feast in the country isn’t complete without it, but me… I’m ordered on the pain of literal death to avoid that crispy, juicy, sinful chunk of meaty goodness. Avoid it I did for some time, but now, in the name of love and all things in this world that are good, I’m gonna enjoy and adore this dish all my life.

I found the damned half-pound burger at the Monster Burger stall, and surprisingly, the line for orders wasn’t that long. I had to wait for an hour before the burger gets cooked, though. Didn’t matter.

You may think the half-pound patty looked really big while uncooked but will shrink into a packed, crumbled mass of meat once served to you, and guess what, you’re right. Don’t be discouraged, though. Also, the burger comes in a big, fluffy bun with a good amount of tomatoes and lettuce. Add-ons? You pay extra for cheese and wasabi mayo.

Finally came the moment of truth: the half-pound burger is ready.

Now then, how should I describe this burger: rich, delicious, thick, beefy, juicy, savory? Cholesterol-ridden, even? The moment my teeth sank on that burger patty, it felt like I was biting through chunk after chunk of heavenly goodness. Eating the burger was messy, but every piece of it was satisfying. The veggies were fresh, the bun was soft to the palate, and the patty itself was melting in my mouth. There was a whole storm of flavors whirling in my mouth. Needless to say, my tongue and belly were satisfied.

The sad thing about the trip to Banchetto that night was that I must have overfed myself. I ate so much of the panna cotta, takoyaki, salmon, maki, and the burger, that I’m so stuffed I couldn’t sleep by the time I got home. So much for watching my food intake.

Seriously though, Banchetto is still the best place so far to get your money’s worth when it comes to food. There are just so many dishes to try out and so many types of cuisine to choose from. Will there be a third time here? I sure hope so. After all, I haven’t tried the kebabs.

Episode 23: Fasting

2011-04-22T15:00:00.004+08:00

Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time.

- Wikipedia

In medical terms, a person is considered fasting when one has not ingested anything three to five hours after a meal (the period when a meal is absorbed by the body), and 8 to 12 hours after that. One may perfrom an absolute fast (no food intake 24 hours or more), an intermittent fast (a period of alternate fasting and non-fasting, or other forms of diet restriction. A person is also required to fast before surgery and certain medical tests, or as part of detoxification.

Roman Catholics are encouraged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. They may instead reduce food intake to one full meal (which may not contain meat during Fridays in Lent) and two small meals in the morning and evening (known liturgically as collations). Eating solid food between meals is not permitted. The Catholic Church also encourages performing a partial fast during the Lenten season, to commemorate the 40-day fast observed by Jesus during his temptation in the desert.

Fasting is also practiced by other religions, such as Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and other Christian and Protestant denominations. Some prescribe more days of fasting, and implement stricter rules.

Researchers say fasting has major health benefits, such as reduced risks of cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and more generally, the slowing of the aging process. Excessive fasting is however dangerous; if not controlled, fasting can lead to starvation, which causes complications in bodily functions.

Fasting also has a religious meaning, especially this Lenten season. Symbolically, fasting means to abstain from fulfilling the needs or wants of the flesh.It means denying oneself of physical needs as a form of sacrifice or self-affliction. It is also a way to re-establish our link with God, and spend time in prayer and meditation.

Today is Good Friday, and for 24 hours from three in the morning, I resolved to avoid eating pork and dining heavily at that. I actually did the same yesterday (Maundy Thursday), but today is a different matter, because for the rest of the period I would like to spend the rest of the time in reflection.

I've always thought that dining is both a physical and spiritual activity. You partake of someone's life, whether animal or vegetable, and you show appreciation to them for committing the ultimate sacrifice. You also show appreciation to the cooks, the waiters, the farmers, the butchers, and the other people that made your meal possible. This is the reason you say grace before meals.

Take note of the traditional Catholic grace recited before and after eating (emphasis mine:)

(before eating) Let us pray. Bless us, O Lord, and these, thy/your gifts, which we are about to receive from thy/your bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen. (Preceded and followed by the Sign of the Cross.)
(after eating) We give thee thanks, Almighty God, for all thy benefits, and for the poor souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, may they rest in peace. Amen. (Preceded and followed by the Sign of the Cross.)

(Also take note that nowadays, we say a shorter version of the grace after meals, it's probably squeamish to think of dead animals while eating.)

The opposite is quite true: not eating anything is just as beneficial to the body and soul. Aside from the medical benefits mentioned earlier, you are able to cleanse your body of physical impurities (cholesterol and toxins from the food you eat) and spiritual ones (you let go of earthly worries, vices, and other matters that ruin your relationship with God and other people).

I've fasted physically, having foregone eating as much food as I can, and I still have 12 hours to do so. I found it easy to stop my cravings and discipline myself from seeking comfort in food.

But spiritually, well... I realized there are a lot of things I have to settle somehow and move off my chest. There are a lot of people I have to forgive and seek forgiveness. I have so much to change within me. Most of all, I have yet to forgive myself and let go. After this, on my way out, I'm gonna have a really long talk with God.

There are better people to tell you about fasting, but let me say this: Whether you're fasting or not, let's make the most of the rest of the Lenten season until Easter Sunday. Let us reflect on the death of Jesus Christ, and how he sacrificed His life for the forgiveness of our sins. At the same time, let us reflect on the sacrifices we ourselves have to do, be it for our own or for others' sake.

As we dine and refrain from dining, may we be reminded of our mortality and our spirituality. And may the blessings of God be with us always.

Episode 22: Return to Cafe Vinny's! Celebrating my birthday, and then some!

2011-04-12T14:32:00.002+08:00

After Cafe Vinny's reopened around December, I visited the restaurant several times to see how things there have become. It's nice to be back in an old hangout, with the old crew, and the old sights and sounds still intact.

Let me brief you on what Café Vinny’s has become right after it reopened. The bar’s still a nice, quiet place to dine and hang out as it was before, but it's still pretty much empty. There were a few changes, though.

First, they installed a karaoke machine. Sure, it’s just a Magic Sing set, but theirs had a good collection. This is why for the past weeks people have been dropping by the restaurant, partly to drink and chill, but most especially to break an Aerosmith or two.

Second, there were additional items that they have but did not include in the menu. Chef Toffee said but their ingredients in stock are enough to make new stuff such as Insalata Caprese, Pizzetes and other pizza varieties, and pasta marinara. Toffee says he had other stuff he can cook but did not have the opportunity to do so at the moment.

Third, the fine dining part of Café Vinny’s has been toned down, but this doesn’t mean visitors can’t enjoy a fine dining experience. Which is what happened that on my birthday. I thought, how about I celebrate my birthday there. I mean, maybe a three or four-course meal, some music, a bottle of red wine or two, and the God knows what else, with my family and a few close friends or guests.

Lyn the bartender (she’s also the manager now), Chef Toffee, and Angel the waitress were outside to greet me that afternoon. The call time was 5:30pm, but I expected my guests to come by dinnertime, which is around seven in the evening. That means we had a lot of time to set the table, see what’s cooking and what’s to be served. I had a few goblets of red wine and finished my book while waiting.

A few hours later, my dad, MC, and Sam (a family friend) arrived at Café Vinny’s. Only the closest in my family came for dinner, which is fine and all (too bad my sister was in Baguio and couldn’t come to Manila).

First up was bruschetta, grilled bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, basil, tomatoes, and onions. The bruschetta was fresh and filling on its own, but just enough to whet our appetite.

Pumpkin soup came up next. The soup was thick, sweet and savory, and warm to the belly. One can think it tastes just like liquefied pumpkin because the vegetable’s taste is there. (Sam, on the other hand, had asparagus soup.) Now that I think about it, Café Vinny’s had a few soups in their menu, but since they have yet to get more customers, that’s fine.

Then came the main course. Mine was a Rogan Josh Lamb, prime diced lamb in Rogan Josh curry sauce, lined with tomato, onion, garlic, and special Indian herbs (or so the menu says). Chef Toffee warned me that the lamb would be spicy, which was all right with me, and he was right. The lamb was soft and juicy, savory, strong and spicy and fragrant.

My dad chose for himself a pesce lemone, fish fillet in lemon sauce...

while MC ordered a pollo alla valdostana, which looked like a chicken roll.

Sam had a chicken madras, an Indian chicken dish. Strangely, it looked like my Rogan Josh.

For dessert, we had tiramisu… Actually, tiramisu was the only dessert they had. The batch we had was freshly made, chocolatey, soft and smooth to the palate. They even placed a candle on top of the whole platter as my birthday cake. How nice.

Weeks after Café Vinny’s reopened, Vince and I talked about his bar’s future. He’s worried that customers still don’t come by, or that sometimes, the bar doesn’t get any customers at all. By now, though, he had acknowledged that he can’t attract a lot of patrons especially that Malate’s crowd consists of drunk, rowdy partygoers. “I want my bar to be a place where everyone can relax, drink quietly, listen to music, and chill out,” he kept telling me.

I simply told him, “Only a few people can appreciate a quiet, laid back bar such as yours. If such an audience comes by frequently, it’s all right.”

Today Café Vinny’s has a small following, most of which are from the adult crowd. Vince’s friends would come by for a meal and drink or two, and then sing. Small groups of youngsters or yuppies try out the menu, and then sing. Some Koreans come by too, probably to enjoy the night away from Malate’s noise… and then they start singing. (Watching those Koreans belt out something from Celine Dion is fun.)

Café Vinny’s became the hang-out place that they hoped to be from the start. Now people won’t feel turned off by its classy interior and quiet façade; they can actually come in, drink, and unwind. (Must be the karaoke.)

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

I’m 29 years old already. Until recently I never worried so much about getting old. All I needed were some changes in my lifestyle, a few check-ups, and then I’m all set for my next birthday, or something like that. Those changes include having to forego long nights at the bar, drinking less beer and eating more lean meat. Also, relaxing.

Thinking about my age left me troubled these past few weeks. Remembering the past, plus the drama I’ve been experiencing in my life lately, must’ve been why I’ve been depressed. It didn’t help that I just finished writing my project on Baguio, and trying to remember all that is heart-wrenching!

This is why I grew fond of visiting coffee shops, hole-in-the-wall restaurants and bars, and other places that are quieter than the usual spots. In such places I spend more time in deep thought and meditation, figuring out things both mundane and otherworldly, and swimming my way out of the chaos in my head. In these places I could think, and set aside time for myself in peace.

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

We all had a great time celebrating my birthday. We spent the rest of the night just drinking, singing, eating leftover tiramisu and gambas, and having a good time. It was definitely a great way to welcome my 29^th birthday.

The next morning, I found myself on my bed, the only memories in my head include falling head first, being dragged somewhere, and throwing up red stuff. To put it in a song from The Police, “Woke up in my clothes again this morning, don’t know exactly where I am, I should heed my doctor’s warning…”

Oh well, happy birthday to me.

Episode 21: Balut is Luv

2011-04-06T14:36:00.000+08:00

My doctor once told me to lay off the balut because of its high cholesterol content. Easier said than done, or so I thought. I actually found it easy to stay away from balut, though when I get really hungry, I storm the nearest balut stand and chomp one. Thankfully, my blood pressure hasn't shot up.

While eating balut is normal in the Philippines, foreigners (except, probably, the ones I dined with in Binondo) still get queasy looking at, much more eating, that developed duck fetus lying on a partly-raw yolk in a half-shell. Still, this hasn't stopped various people from having a taste of this thing.

Anthony Bourdain, for example, didn't eat balut (referred to as fetal duck egg) when he visited the Philippines, but he did so in Vietnam. Hột vịt lộn, as it is called, is served there like a regular breakfast meal or snack. He found the dish to be just fine.

Andrew Zimmern (of "Bizzare Foods" fame) ventured to the Philippines once, and ended up in Pateros, where he learned how balut is made. The balut exceeded his expectations, and even called the egg's juices "funky". (This is Part 1 of the Philippines' episode. Balut-chomping begins at 6:37.)

American Idol champion Kris Allen was challenged to eat balut when he came to the Philippines around last year. Good thing he endured it.

Ten-year old Remy of "Food Oddities" featured balut in one of his episodes. "Food Oddities," by the way, is "Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern" hosted by a kid. (Heck, Zimmern himself liked the kid's show.) He sampled weird food and then tells his fellow Americans how they taste like.

While there are brave souls who enjoyed eating balut, there also are unfortunate ones who are swallowed by fear and succumb to the sick feeling that goes with the damned duck egg... Such as this guy.

For some people, eating balut is a test of manhood, as in the case of these guys, Bau and Zeth, who were challenged by some Filipino bloggers to have one. The two kept playing with the eggs for a while, but they passed the test, eventually.

Seriously, balut, even in its high-protein, high-cholesterol glory, has been a symbol of a Filipino's culinary prowess. It's best eaten on its own, with beer, rice, or with any meal imaginable. It's a "funky" (to borrow Andrew's words), freaky dish that challenges the sensibilities of any food-lover, and rewards those who endure biting on its grotesque, abortion-reminiscent features with a rich, velvety flavor and a filling experience. It gives bonus bragging points too.

As for me, I'm still not allowed to eat balut.

Episode 20: Memories of Baguio - From The Beginning Until Now (Epilogue)

2011-03-31T22:04:00.001+08:00

How long has it been since I last visited Baguio? I was there with my family just last February, watching the street dancing and float parades of the Panagbenga Flower Festival. I went there a few times last New Year, and a few times more before that. Then what?

I learned much about Baguio as a melting pot of cultures in the pots of the sidewalk food stalls, in the cups of brewed coffee, in the bottles of rice wine and peanut brittle, in the baskets of vegetables and strawberries. Not to mention that the city is not only a tourist destination, but also a foodie’s paradise. The native cuisine, mixed with its traditions, and blended with American and lowland influences shaped the way Baguio folk ate, cooked, drank, and appreciated food.

I understood that dining is not only the sharing of food and drinks, but also of lives, knowledge, and feelings. It’s one field of experience reaching out to and blending with another through a common medium. Now there were good things to experience, and there were bad things too. These were all part of the learning process that had to be embraced. Most of what I’ve learned and gained in my travels, I gained with the help of the people that made a mark in my life.

My original plan was to write only about my food-related memories in Baguio. I wanted to revisit all of the places I dined in, remember my first plate of red rice, my first spoonful of viand, my first cup of coffee and my first bottle of beer. I wanted to remember the patrons, the specialties, the ones that dined with me there.

Admittedly, I kept putting off going around, and I had many excuses. I had to spend more time with my siblings, whom I don’t see quite often. Eating out is expensive, even with my cash on hand. I don’t feel hungry. I’m tried or feeling sick. And so on.

When I did get to make time for my quest, everything felt different. To tell you frankly, no matter how hard I draw from my memories, I have to acknowledge that a lot of things changed, and this had an effect on my recall.

In the numerous times I visited the places in my memories, I realized something was missing.

Dining at Jack’s Rice felt different now from when I was still a student, or a reporter. 50’s Diner didn’t evoke so many memories from college life. Going out with Jad was one thing, but hanging out at Ionic Café and Café by the Ruins felt like a distant memory. The old watering holes are gone or have changed. SM Baguio now stands on Luneta Hill. The places I hung out were now closed or replaced with new ones.

Pizza Volante was another matter altogether. It was the only place that barely changed through the years (except that the free coffee were gone), and that brought back vivid memories of my past. My memories of college life, my career, even my last girlfriend whom I hoped to marry, were still alive in that pizzeria.

So why did I go back to Baguio? I wondered if going around Baguio was worth it. Was I looking for something? Was it the experience, the nostalgia brought by these places? Was it the food that I missed? Was it the liquor, the drunken nights, the “lonely table” moments in the city’s booze joints? Was it the feeling that I had unfinished business somewhere? Was there a specific dish, or a flavor, that I wanted to taste again? Or was I looking for someone?

Recently, I came across the book “A Cook’s Tour,” by Anthony Bourdain. In one of the chapters, he went on a food trip with his brother to seek the perfect meal in their hometown in France, only to realize it wasn’t that trip that would satisfy them. In his book, he wrote:

“I hadn’t, I realized, returned to France, to this beach, my old town, for the oysters. It wasn’t the fish soup, or the saucisson, or the pain raisin. It wasn’t to see a house in which strangers now lived, or to climb a dune, or to find a perfect meal. I’d come to find my father. And he wasn’t there.”

I sympathize with Tony, but unlike him, I wasn’t looking for something or someone.

I realized I was looking for myself. Specifically, the me that I was before.

Those places reminded me of more than memories. They reminded me of what I was when I first came to these places - my old feelings, my thoughts, my reactions on the flavors and sights and sounds around me.

Those places held memories of the old me. The me who loved the outdoors. The me who appreciated good company. The me who was adventurous and outgoing. The me who knew how to relate with people. The me who trusted others. The me who openly cared for others. Most importantly, the me who knew how to love.

What happened to me all these years? How much has my psyche been damaged? Was it all that heartbreak, disappointments, betrayals, and heart attacks? Am I beyond saving?

In any case, I won’t say I’ve become jaded with my life. I can’t say so myself, yet. In the meantime I’ll let others, unworthy as they are, to speculate and judge who I am, what I was, and what I could be, after which they could all jump off Manila Bay with millstones hanging on their necks.

At the same time, with this early realization in mind, I’ll have to do something with myself. Where I should start, I’m not quite sure. For now, I’ll enjoy who I am now and see what else I can learn about myself.

Maybe - just maybe – when I go back to Baguio and look around, I might find the pieces of my old self. Maybe I'd learn something and find a new reason to live on. And then maybe that cup of Benguet Blend would be much tastier this time around.

Episode 20: Memories of Baguio (Part 6) - Stitches and Burns

2011-03-25T18:58:00.000+08:00

"Travel changes you. As you move through this life and this world you change things slightly, you leave marks behind, however small. And in return, life - and travel - leaves marks on you. Most of the time, those marks - on your body or on your heart - are beautiful. Often, though, they hurt." — Anthony Bourdain

For most Baguio residents, Luneta Hill was where the Pines Hotel once stood. For some, it was a spooky place, filled with stories of ghosts and muggers. For others, it was a place to hang out. But for me, it meant long walks, wind-burned lips, and egg sandwiches.

My first date was a picnic with a new friend at Luneta Hill. My date was younger by less than a year and just entered college. We met in a protest rally, became friends and soon agreed to meet often.

That day, I brought egg sandwiches good enough to feed a whole squad. It was the first time I ever made sandwiches. I wanted to impress her, but in hindsight, I only made egg sandwiches because I didn't have enough money for ham.

The day was overcast and cold, but picnicking under the trees felt like a good idea. We spent the afternoon talking about our lives, our plans in college, our thoughts about things like religion and politics. It was light banter back then. We had a lot to talk about. We wanted to know so much about each other.

My friend and I agree on a lot of thoughts and ideas. She was kind, understanding, and open-minded. She had a deep relationship with God, and valued her family. I felt comfortable being with her, even found it easy to be myself.

Several weeks later, under the trees of Luneta Hill, she agreed to be my girlfriend.

One afternoon, though, she called me over to her place... and broke up with me. The end.

Now that I think about it, I no longer remember what I did for her that made her fall in love with me in the first place. I was just being my kind, cheerful, poetic self. All I could remember was that I blamed myself over and over again for the break-up.

And then, I started drinking.

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Many of Baguio's street-side bars are noisy, dark places where people play loud music, ate peanuts and cheap fries, drank Red Horse Beer, and got beaten up for giving (perceived) dirty looks. Karaoke machines are aplenty too, and patrons sang their hearts out (those who don't get entertained beat up the singers, sometimes).

There were shadier watering holes in the city, most of which are frequented by students. One spot I remember was in New Lucban, just several meters from the boarding houses and a several more from a school. The beer was cheap, and they closed late in the night. Gangs, couples, teens on group dates, singles... They’re all there.

Then there are certain bars that serve harder liquor, play softer music, and served more sophisticated people like rich folks, expats, celebrities, and couples (shudder). They were high-end spots for a student like me. Still, I found bars like those to my liking.

Some bars were dangerous places to get drunk. People get easily provoked, and woe to you if you provoke a drunken guy who has his crew in tow. On the other hand, these places were lively, and everybody minded their own business as long as you did the same. (Flirting is another matter.) Such an environment is perfect for someone who wanted to nurse his wounds by himself.

(Note: Nowadays, bars in Baguio no longer serve alcohol by 12 midnight. The only places that do are the establishments in Nevada Square, and they’re open until 3am.)

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456 Restaurant became one of the few places that comforted me when I've had enough of beer, when I was ready to throw up but was afraid to expel my gastric juices. A platter of "giniling" (ground pork) and rice was enough to heal my alcohol-filled belly. Not to mention that food there was affordable.

If I wasn’t too buzzed, I’d go to Burnham Park and go to Rica’s, which served what I could call the best arrozcaldo in the city. The lugaw’s hot, the chicken fresh and gingery, the servings heavy.

But if I was too drunk, I’d find myself eating in smaller food stalls. I would dine on budget meals in the company of taxi drivers and other night owls, trying to stay awake until my stomach is filled and I can walk again.

I spent nights drinking and enjoying myself amidst strangers. Nobody bothered me even in my drunkenness. The revelry, the music, and my booze were enough to make me forget or at least numb the pain. Back then, it was the only way I found peace.

I was drunk but sated. I was content. And soon enough, I forgot. Or so I thought.

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I met my last girlfriend, a businesswoman, while she was selling headgear at Session Road. She was older by about a year. She helped out in the family business, selling ready to wear clothes, fabrics, and other clothing materials.

On our first nights on the road we talked about business, news around the city, even a bit about ourselves. She was nice, childish to a fault, shrewd, and open-minded on things that are beyond her… such as my job. Somehow we get along although we weren’t compatible on a lot of things.

Then she suggested we hang out at Pizza Volante.

Soon enough, we spent a lot of time at Pizza Volante dining on personal sized pizzas, waffles, and liters of brewed coffee with free refills. We ate sparingly, talked a lot about so many things, and drank coffee non-stop. We had all the opportunities to know each other better.

Sometimes, we would end up in some other coffee shop, or drinking booze in the dark corners of Burnham Park, but we frequently went back to Pizza Volante.

Let me cut this story about her at this point. We became a couple for about six years, we moved to Manila, she left for another country… and got married.

To tell you frankly, my last girlfriend is part of most of my memories of certain places in Baguio. We dated in so many places around the city, and listing them all would mean I might as well write a book.

Pizza Volante reminded me of good times, days when I thought I have healed my heart and learned to love again. I was really convinced she was the one. I did learn to love, only to lose it again.

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My sob stories in Baguio didn’t always involve matters on love. When I lost my job at my first newspaper, I shied away from my usual hang-out spots and drank like hell. When I finished my contract in one of my other jobs, I went to Yellow Cab and wolfed down a whole pizza by myself. When I felt emotional, I hung out in the strangest places like Maharlika and Legarda Road – and lived to tell the tale. And so on and so forth.

Luneta Hill is now home to SM City Baguio. That bar at New Lucban is now closed down, probably for violating the midnight liquor ban, or after the cops realized they're serving too many students. The ones in Maharlika are still there, but most of Legarda Road's watering holes are gone, replaced by Korean schools. Pizza Volante? They ditched their free coffee refills.

Certain places in Baguio became memorable ones in my life, not because I made good memories there, but also because they marked important times in my life. Those times were difficult to forget. Those times had bittersweet memories. Those times hurt.

In my times of despair, I lived a debaucher’s life fueled by alcohol and unhealthy food. It was a bad way to cope with loss or failure, but escaping into the chaos of the world made me aware that I had bad vibes to release and replace with good ones. After throwing up, after nursing that hangover, after enduring that sick feeling is a new day.

Let it suffice to say that the bad things in my life were difficult to move on from, or even forget. I will have to live through the pain, the guilt, and the empty feelings. On the other hand, is it even right to wallow in sad memories? They are as important as the good ones, after all. The actual answer, though, is a big NO.

Sad moments and memories in our lives remind us of our mortality. They bring wounds in our bodies and hearts that are meant to be healed, mistakes that must be avoided, and lessons learned hard.

I for one am hope I meant something for those whom I had made memories with, food-related or not. I assure you, I have not forgotten them, but I have to move on from the memories of them that tie me down.

I better stop rambling now.

Aikyatchi: CHOCOLAT

2011-03-06T09:38:00.003+08:00

I'm not really good with taking pictures and videos, but I still manage to make good ones every now and then. If I'm going to pursue a career as a food writer, I might as well learn every craft related to it, right?

One of my latest interests is shooting and making music videos (c/o Windows Movie Maker). Most that I've done played background music and instrumentals and were not related to food. My latest video project is an exception.

My computer and standard issue video camera are broken at the moment, but a bit of luck and ingenuity plus the kindness of certain people helped me finish this project. Once my stuff are repaired, maybe I can take more pictures and videos. Or maybe I could do bigger projects, like, say, my own Youtube show? I wish. XD

The song in question is "CHOCOLAT" from the Panty and Stocking with Garterbelt soundtrack, performed by TCY FORCE and Mariya Ise. Enjoy!

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In other news... RPN 9 is back!

RPN Newswatch, the longest running English newscast on Philippine television, is now airing on ETC-9. Cable channel ETC replaced Solar TV starting March 2. It now airs from 5-6pm. News Cap, RPN's late night news program, now airs at midnight.

But wait! There's more!

ETC is now accessible to a wider audience and market. That means along with Newswatch and News Cap, we can now enjoy series such as Glee, Gossip Girl, How I Met Your Mother, reality show America’s Next Top Model, and TMZ on free TV.

I'm relieved to know that RPN 9's employees haven't been abandoned by the government and the management. Those people deserve to be heard and compensated for their efforts to keep the station afloat. Hopefully it stays that way.

Episode 20: Memories of Baguio (Part 5) - When a cub reporter goes hungry

2011-02-28T23:36:00.007+08:00

Some of my better memories of Baguio came from my stint as a newspaper reporter. Right after college, I started work with a local newspaper, the first step towards the realization of my dream to become a journalist, or something close to being one.

Adjusting to the job was difficult (especially for me who doesn't know how to speak in Kankanaey or Ibaloi), and finding our way around and honing the craft proved to be a tedious task. Despite the chaos that characterizes the life of a cub reporter, there are things that keep me alive after coverages and interviews - such as coffee, a heavy meal, and lots of beer...and something exotic along the way.

There's this part of the city called "Slaughterhouse Compound" along Magsaysay Avenue. Never mind the name, or the hygiene-related questions you may have. Eateries here serve many kinds of meat dishes, such as pinapaitan, kilawen, dinuguan, and bulalo. Also, it's just a few minute's walk from my office (before it moved to La Trinidad).

One eatery serves what it called "Flea Market Rice," a plateful of fried chicken, lechon , sunny-side up egg, chopsuey, and a big cup of rice.

I consider "Flea Market Rice" as comfort food, especially when I get out from work or during weekends. Just like Jack's Rice, this is complete, rich, and always served hot. Bonus points for the free soup that goes with it, piping hot meat broth. The sad part is that it's sometimes closed.

Speaking of meat, I did succumb to the temptation of seeking out pinikpikan and dog meat in Baguio. Pinikpikan is a chicken stew prepared by beating a live chicken with a stick. Barbaric as it sounds, as explained here, it's actually an important part of Cordilleran cuisine (and by extension, culture).

The way I see it, pinikpikan is an alcoholic's best friend. It's nice to sup on a bloody, tasty piece of chicken along with your liquor, and its gingery broth to wash down the drunkenness. Take note that the chicken's coagulated blood (the result of beating the chicken) is the reason pinikpikan is tasty.

Dog meat? I found certain eateries at the market that serve those. The dish itself... well, the skin's tough, it's fatty, there's too many bones and not much meat. It mostly tastes like adobo, too. Your mileage may vary (By the way, selling dog meat is banned under the Animal Welfare Act. Eating it is not banned, though, because dogs can be butchered for indigenous practices.)

Luisa’s Café is a favorite watering hole of the Baguio media. This is where most journalists meet for snacks, coffee, or alcohol. Younger reporters would come here and solicit advice from their elders, or finish their reports. The old ones would just be there, drinking and conversing about anything under the sun.

The place serves Chinese dishes (the most famous of which is their siopao), Filipino rice meals and other dishes. And then there's Sam Lok - native or Chinese style stir-fried meat. I regret never grabbing the chance to taste that.

Luisa's is known for its strong, flavorful coffee. Also I mentioned some time ago how important coffee is for most Baguio folk, especially that it help people bond with each other. This is what makes Luisa's a special place for local journalists and those in the know to meet.

Friday nights are spent at the newsroom. Since our newspaper comes out weekly, most of Friday is spent laying out the pages, editing reports and photos, and writing whatever can make it to the deadline. While everyone is busy and neck-deep in paperwork, we do get to unwind a bit over dinner.

It's during mealtime that the staff get to talk about things inside and outside of work, like trivia about themselves, experiences in the field, new things we've noticed, and even stuff that makes us wax poetic or philosophical.

Dinner usually consists of buttered chicken, chopsuey, pancit, pork sinigang, or some other viand plus lots of rice, courtesy of Good Taste Restaurant. Good Taste is a 24-hour establishment frequented by locals and tourists alike. The place serves a fusion of Filipino and Chinese home cooked dishes. The food here is also surprisingly cheap but served hot.

When all work is done for the night (except Fridays), Rumours is the place to unwind. I once heard that Rumours was named such because this is where patrons talk about “rumours” on people and events around Baguio. Anyway, this bar, probably one of the most popular in the city, is a small, mellow place frequented by tourists, expats, and (according to some residents) gays and writers.

Rumours is a great place to spend the night quietly with your thoughts, or loudly with good companions. They play eighties music, their liquor and food are inexpensive, and the staff are nice and accommodating. Also,
they now serve ice cream, most especially rose ice cream (made with rose petals) and chili ice cream (yeah).

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At this point, let me share to you something very quickly: I've been having a hard time writing for this series. Writing about my food-related memories in Baguio has been a strenuous task for me. That's because it seems that things from my past are starting to grow dim. No, I'm not being forgetful, though I might as well say I am. Why?

It's nice to remember things about your past, and realize how much you've learned about yourself and others along the way. But writing about your memories not only means remembering good things from the past. It also involves having to revisit those that lead to sad and painful ones, the ones you try to forget to move on...

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Up next... An old hang-out, and certain memories that go with it.

Aikyatchi: Goodbye, RPN9?

2011-02-18T17:37:00.004+08:00

For quite some time I've been hearing bits of info about RPN 9's privatization, but none of them prepared me for this: it seems RPN 9 is signing off next week.

The employees don't know what's going on. The management hasn't (allegedly) said anything, whether about the network's privatization, or their eventual fate altogether.

If what I've heard about RPN 9 is correct, this means the higher-ups kept mum about their privatization efforts all this time, and then VOILA! Out of the blue, they say RPN 9 is closing, just like that. The worst is that the employees, the first who should know about this, learned about it somewhere else.

RPN 9's employees don't deserve this. Those people did everything they can to build up the station's name, but they are kept in the dark about what's in store for them. It's enough that they're not getting the due they deserve, they remained loyal to you despite it all; but this time the higher-ups have gone too far.

Those employees deserve respect. They must what's gonna happen to them. They deserve to know they should do before RPN 9 closes down, gets privatized, sold, turned into a residential complex for crying out loud even!

So what the (bleep), Solar Entertainment and RPN 9! You owe these people so much, like a (bleep) (bleep) explanation for starters. Don't push it!

The blogs of RPN 9's chief reporter and one of our old pals better express how the people at the station feel right now.

I hope the employees of RPN 9 get what they deserve. So stay strong, people.

"Kung susuko rin lang sa huli, ano pa ang halaga ng pakikipaglaban? Sugod lang ng sugod, mananalo rin tayo! Pag-ibig, pag-ibig at pag-big pa rin!" (If we will surrender in the end, what's the use of fighting? Press on, we will surely win! Love, love, and MORE LOVE!) - Orosman at Zafira

(Rambo rage)

Episode 20: Memories of Baguio (Part 4) - Cordilleran coffee, poetry fuel unleaded

2011-02-09T18:05:00.002+08:00

I recently came across my old files in my laptop. One folder contained poems, random verses and paragraphs, and other forms of ranting that I wrote way back in college.

Two of the poems had words that were arranged to make the shape of coffee cups. One poem resulted in a perfect-looking cup, the other looked like a misshapen mug without a handle.

Admittedly I don’t remember when I wrote that mug poem, but I do know this was the same piece I read in that poetry reading event at Cafe By the Ruins.

My other poems were about the little things I experienced in Baguio, such as my first cigarette, hanging out in clubs, arcade games, even the more profound things that spice up poems like love, angst, confusion, and death.

I no longer write poetry (at least I’m no longer inspired to), but when I was living in Baguio, I wrote a lot. Come to think of it, writing was one of my pastimes in Baguio.

Much of my free time in college was spent hanging out in coffee shops, a pen on one hand and a steaming cup of coffee on the other. Baguio's coffee shops proved to be the best venues to get one's literary creative juices working, or should I say, wax poetic.

One of the coffee shops I frequent is Ionic Café, located above the Solibao Restaurant at Session Road. Ionic Cafe is a small, decent cafe, a good enough place to unwind. You can gaze at Session Road from where you're sitting as you sip hot coffee or drink a beer in peace.

It gets better in the evening, when the place gets smoky and dimly lit, the music and the conversations become hushed... and the words and feelings start flowing.

Coffee shops like Ionic Cafe fuel my film noir fantasies: walking up the dimly lit stairs, sitting at a corner of the cafe with a lit cigarette as jazz music plays in the background, looking at the stars and the city lights from the window...

...Then gangsters enter the café and open fire, and you retaliate with pistols akimbo. And the doves, John Woo… Never forget the doves. Uh, wait…

Cafe San Luis was another place I patronized. I remember that the café (or all three branches of it – Bonifacio Street, Session Road, and Legarda Road) were very popular in the 1990s as one of the many hang-outs of artists, musicians, and coffee lovers.

Before I met my college friends, I would visit the Session Road branch and scribble a few lines while listening to music and sipping coffee or beer. When it moved to Legarda Road (the new place was quieter and even had a mini-library), I still made it a point to hang out there.

I also visited other coffee shops, though most of them are already closed. One such shop, located along Assumption Road, served brewed coffee and pastries, and played jazz and songs by Sting. Here my friends and I hang out and wax poetic about mundane stuff, literature, politics, fantasy, and the changing tides of life. It’s an internet café now.

There was another shop at the La Azotea Building that we always visit. We meet up there in the morning, hang out and have coffee until it’s time for school, and then come back in the afternoon. Sadly, it was closed down to give way to an internet café.

Then there was Luisa’s Café, another place I visit to have brewed coffee, a meal or two, and most of the time, a drink or more with the local journalists. Luisa’s Café is a favorite hang-out place of the Baguio media. But I think I’ll reserve my notes on this place for another article.

Coffee is an important product in the Cordillera Region. The region itself is a potential gold mine. Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao, Abra and Kalinga are known as the top producers of Arabica, Robusta, Excelsea, and even the expensive Kape Motit.

Baguio people definitely love their coffee. Every morning they would boil their Benguet Blend beans, pour the coffee into pots or dispensers, share or sell them to the public, and then gulp the liquid by the cupfuls. By now you should realize how cold Baguio's temperature can get, especially at night, right?

The best way to enjoy coffee was to drink it black, though milk and sugar are welcome additions to the brew. Every meal goes well with coffee.

Drinking coffee is also a social activity. People find time to have coffee at any time of the day, and coffee shops are sometimes filled with patrons just hanging out to enjoy their warm drinks. People from all walks of life tend to meet and exchange ideas, thoughts, and information over coffee.

My love for writing grew up as I learned to appreciate Baguio’s coffee culture. The city’s atmosphere, along with the flavor and warmth of Cordillera’s coffee, nourishes my imagination, whether romantic, angst-ridden, or philosophical.

Baguio brings a refreshing, relaxing mood that invites the feeling of melancholy and nostalgia. It’s being so close to nature, the blue sky, the cool breeze and the trees and mountains that inspires the poet at heart.

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Coffee didn't always involve poetry when I was in Baguio. After college, I spend my days reading news reports, writing my articles for the week, talking with people, or just relaxing after a long day at the provincial beat. All these I do with a cup of coffee ready at hand.

Yeah, after years of delving into poetry, I didn't become a poet, but I became a reporter.

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Up next... The gastronomic adventures of a cub reporter in Baguio.

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Ionic Cafe

Session Road
Baguio City
Phone: (+6374) 4447480