my tablescapes

Going bananas over Elvis

2012-10-31T13:54:00.000+08:00

Breakfast these days consists of oatmeal with bananas, Nestle Fitnesse cereal with soy milk. I haven’t cooked an omelet since my surgery, not because I eliminated eggs on my list of things to eat. It’s more because oatmeal and cereals are no brainer, no fuss way to eat breakfast. I surely miss having an omelet for breakfast. It’s one of my favorite breakfast fares…aside from bacon. But alas, I have omitted any pork, beef from my diet. I could still eat my omelets, but with less egg yolks (one egg yolk /3 egg whites ratio for a 3 egg omelet). I have yet to try an alternative, a tofu scramble using an Indian black salt that gives that eggy taste.

But if I wanted something more substantial to last me until lunch time, I would have a sandwich. And one of my favorite sandwiches is the Elvis sandwich, so-called because this was Elvis Presley’s favorite sandwich. The original recipe has bananas, peanut butter, butter, bacon & honey. But since I am on a low fat diet, I tweaked the recipe to cater to my taste and nutritional requirement. Gone are the bacon & butter. I use whole wheat bread with raisins, which I love so much. And since this is already sweet enough for me, I omitted the honey too. Just plain bananas and reduce fat peanut butter. Grill on a Teflon pan or in my case, in a cheapipay panini grill to get that toasty texture & pretty grill marks (though most days, I don’t bother with grilling)

Spread peanut butter on one side of a whole wheat raisin bread. I used reduce fat creamy peanut butter. The crunchy variant would give more texture.

Arrange banana slices on top.

How hard can that be?

This is good with a glass of cold soy milk :)

Healthy Cooking: Pan Grilled Herbed Chicken Breasts

2012-10-22T13:05:00.000+08:00

It’s been two weeks since my surgery. I can now go up and down the stairs. And that means… I am able to fix & cook my own food. There were days when I just want to lie in bed, watch cooking shows (this helps in motivating me to cook again) and eat oatmeal or cereal. There were days when I crave for something sweet. But overall, things are getting better. I can’t go to work yet so I have to enjoy my laid back life as I recover. Next month would be hectic.

Last Saturday, I ventured out and went to work, though not as shooter, but to assist G in our photo booth venture. G & I decided to make healthy eating a part of life. We agreed that we bring our own food during shoots.

Most days, I’m online searching for low fat recipes. It’s been over a month since I had pork or beef. My protein sources now are chicken (white meat without skin), fish, soy milk, nuts. Though one medical test showed I have high levels of uric acid, my choices became more limited. Gosh…. Old age is catching up fast on me.

Aside from fat, I had to reduce my sodium intake. So that means, less salt. Less salt = bland, no flavor = boring…. But of course it doesn’t have to! Herbs can enhance and give flavor to food.

For my first healthy recipe entry, I will feature the chicken dish I cooked for our baon last Saturday, which G liked so much…

For those who know me, I don’t measure when I cook. Most people find this chicken breast part bland. And seasonings can’t easily penetrate the thick part. One way is to pound the thick part to flatten a bit and even the meat out before seasoning. Rubs are also a great way to season meat. Even with less salt, herb rubs can enhance or give flavor to meat. Thyme is one of my favorite herbs to use for meats. I buy them fresh and let them dry out in their containers for future use.

PAN GRILLED HERBED CHICKEN BREASTS

2 pcs chicken breasts without skin

Apple cider vinegar (a few tablespoons)

Juice of ½ a lemon (or 2 calamansi)

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Herb rub - crushed rosemary leaves, Spanish paprika, thyme, oregano, finely minced garlic

Freshly milled pepper

Salt (optional or you can use a salt substitute*)

Mix the herb rub in a bowl including the salt (if using) & pepper.

Pat dry the chicken breasts. Rub the chicken breast with the herb rub.

Add the apple cider vinegar, olive oil & lemon juice

Marinate inside the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Heat a Teflon pan. Make sure pan is very hot. Sear the chicken breasts, three minutes each side.

In this photo, I made a dish of mashed sweet potato, added a few dash of cinnamon & simple salad to go with the chicken.

Changes

2012-10-14T18:50:00.000+08:00

Paradigm Shift...

Coined by T.S. Kuhn, a US philosopher of science which means a radical change in underlying beliefs or theory.

A paradigm shift means to have a sudden change in perception, a sudden change in point of view, of how you see things. Hopefully this change will be in the right direction

~ source, deeptruths.com

Now, you'd be wondering why I am writing about this in my food blog?

A lot of things happened in my personal life lately which caused me to have a different perspective about my health, my lifestyle, the way I look at things. And a much deeper personal reason (a life-altering one) looming ahead would in a way have an effect on the way I see my life from now on.

For one, this blog will soon see a lot of changes.

A few months back, I quit going to the gym. In lieu of that, I enrolled in Milo Apex Running School without any goading from anyone, much to my friend, Mae's surprise. I thought I'd resume what I started last year - running...hoping to transcend beyond brisk walking/jogging to being able to run in races. I was intent on losing weight by eating healthy too. In my mind, losing weight would equate to being a fast runner.

Then the inevitable came. On a recent trip to the ER, I was diagnosed with

Cholecystitis, an inflammation of the gall bladder caused by a gallstone. I thought I could be cured by just eating a low fat diet or by flushing with apple juice and lemon/olive oil. I would eventually undergo an open cholecystectomy which meant changes in my diet. I won't elaborate anymore on this topic. It's enough to say there will be major changes in my eating habits, my lifestyle and this blog.

As I write this, it's been 6 days since my surgery and on the road to recovery, waiting for my body to adjust to my new diet. Some say I can still go back to normal eating. But I dare not to. I am not getting younger. I want to be fit and healthy. As they say.... Mahal magkasakit.

Like what I wrote in my FB shout out, this is just a minor setback, I will be back to running soon. This food blog will have a revamp. There will be less dining out and food reviews and more healthy recipes, hoping that in my own little way, as one close friend said, could help others have a healthier lifestyle.

P.S.

Let me have this chance to show my appreciation & gratitude to those who have been with me through this ordeal. You all know who you are. I am deeply thankful. :)

Travel: Eating our way in Singapore

2012-08-17T23:35:00.000+08:00

My friend Len & I spent four glorious days in Singapore. It was a business & pleasure trip. It was my second time to visit Singapore. The first time was seven years ago when my youngest brother worked and lived there. During those 10 days in 2005, all we ever did was eat. Too bad I wasn’t into blogging & photography yet. We feasted on Hainanese chicken, rojak, roti prata with curry, murtabak, tandoori, horfan noodles, oyster cakes, laksa in Chinatown, iced kachang, beef rendang, and the most memorable was the chili crabs we had at No Sign Board restaurant in Geylang.

This is what we ate during our 4 day Singapore trip…in pictures.

This was what we had for our late lunch/early dinner on the day we arrived. A noodle soup with wanton & char siu pork. It was in one of the hawker center along Balestier road near our hotel. Dinner for me was a whole durian fruit.

Hainanese Chiken & chili crabs at Wee Nam Kee in Marina Square.

Durian crispy pancake paired with grape juice at Bugis Market.

A wide variety of fruit juices to chose from for S$1.00 at Bugis Market.

Durian ice cream inbetween 2 thin wafers

In Chinatwon, we found this German stall selling sausages, pretzels & other bread.

Len & I shared this grilled bratwurst.

Laksa dinner at Marina Bay Sands food court

And the peri peri chicken wiht spicy rice & grilled vegetables at Nando’s

Travel: Nando's of Singapore

2012-08-16T16:33:00.000+08:00

Eversince I saw a restaurant named Peri Peri in Greenhills, my curiosity was stoked. I haven’t had the chance to try it though. On our last day, a Sunday, of our 4 day Singapore trip, I was able to get to know what peri peri is all about. It was on a bus going to Marina Bay area on our second day that we saw Nando’s along Victoria Street in Bugis. Len said we should try it.

Pili pili is the Swahili word for 'pepper pepper'. African Birds Eye Chili is also called peri peri, pili pili, or piri piri. Piri piri is the spelling of the name as used in the Portuguese language.

Piri-piri sauce (used as a seasoning or marinade) is Portuguese in origin and "especially prevalent in Angola, Namibia, Mozambique and South Africa". It is made from crushed chillies, citrus peel, onion, garlic, pepper, salt, lemon juice, bay leaves, paprika, pimiento, basil, oregano, and tarragon.

~ source, en.wikipedia.org

We woke up very late that Sunday. And was out of the house around 3PM to tour the city on our own. We haven’t had our lunch yet. Breakfast that morning was at the nearby hawker center with Len having a roti prata with curry, while I feasted on nasi goreng. By the time we rode the bus going to Bugis, Len & I were both very hungry.

I was excited to find out what Nando’s has to offer. Michelle, my niece described it as “sort of Mang Inasal chicken”. Imagine my surprise when I found it out it was peri peri chicken!

Written in their menu’s side of flame grilled chicken… “in life there are moments when it’s hard to make a choice. This is one of them” It was funny yet so true. I didn’t know what to order.

Len & I ordered & shared classic meal of half chicken with 2 sidelines (S$22.90). And since we’re both not quite adventurous when it comes to the amount of heat in our food, we got the mildest lemon & herb sauce. For the side dishes, we opted for the spicy rice and grilled veggies.

We ordered another side dish of sweet potato mash (no photo as we were busy eating already), a coarsely mashed boiled sweet potatoes flavored with cinnamon, which I immensely enjoyed. Len said, “parang dessert na rin!”

The chicken meat was indeed flavorful, complemented by the mild spicy sauce. The skin was perfectly charred with no bitter taste.

Though not part of Singaporean cuisine (it’s Portuguese), Nando’s was the perfect meal to cap our Singapore trip. I wish someone would bring Nando’s franchise here in the Philippines.

Nando’s

Bugis Junction

200 Victoria Street

Singapore 188021

Tel No. 63386555

http://www.nandos.com.sg

Lia's avocado cake, a newfound love!

2012-05-30T02:02:00.000+08:00

I saw Lia’s cake shop two doors down from Poco Deli. I got curious and was surprised and delighted to see their big tarp sign.

Home of the avocado cake… a treasured family recipe.

I must try this…today!, I mused.

I love avocados. But it’s seasonal though. There were times I would hanker for one, whether as smoothies (they have one at Big Chill) or just plain scooped out of their shells and sprinkled with sugar. If avocados are not in season, I would go for the next best thing –FIC in avocado flavor. Recently, I am addicted to the Dole brand variety (which my friend Lenz told me about), the small rounded ones with crinkly skins. They are sweet & creamier.

So when I saw this cake shop specializing in avocado cakes, I thought I shouldn’t pass on this one. After that hearty meal in Poco Deli, Pipay & I went over to Lia’s Cake shop.

Inside the glass cake case sit the following cakes:

Avocado Cake – Chiffon based avocado flavored cake with avocado buttercream icing and pistachio topping.

Calamansi Tea Cake – will try on my next visit.

Avocado Cheesecake – looks so yummy too!

Other cakes on their menu includes Mango Sansrival, Avocado Sansrival (oh no…another one to try!).

I bought a slice to take home (P85). Pipay already wanted to go home and play Club Penguin. I like the fact that they use cardboard boxes instead of plastic or styro containers.

As soon as we arrived home, I did the requisite blog photo, got a fork and took a bite. The moment that soft, delicate cake and buttery icing touched my tongue, the flavor of avocado burst out. I closed my eyes and I was transported to avocado heaven….it was pure bliss!

Expect me to consume one whole cake in one sitting. :P

Lia's Cakes in Season

East Capitol Drive, Brgy. Kapitolyo

Pasig City, Metro Manila

Philippines

(02) 377-4808

Poco Deli's Artisanal sausages

2012-05-30T01:02:00.000+08:00

I once tried to make my own homemade sausages. It was one of our favorite food items to buy. I reckoned, why not make my own. I bought a meat grinder and a sausage stuffer attachments for my KitchenAid mixer. I first tried making the English bangers. I gave some samples to my cousin and she loved it and bugged me endlessly to make a large batch and sell it. Mom-in-law even sent me those casings she used for her longanisa. That was my first foray into artisanal sausage making.

Fast forward to 2009, when I first heard about Mickey’s deli along Jupiter Street. Sadly, it closed down even before I had the chance to try it.

Then last year, I heard about Poco Deli thru my friend Len. She bought these Poco Deli vouchers and asked me to go with her. The vouchers expired and we weren’t able to use them. Next my sister-in-law invited me to have lunch, but our respective schedules didn’t match.

Finally, today, I was able to go to Poco Deli. It was a mom-daughter date with Pipay. After a tiring errand at Gateway Mall, (and resisting the urge to have a pre-Poco Deli snack at Taco Bell) off we went to Barangay Kapitolyo.

Poco Deli is a small shop with an intimate, homey vibe where one can enjoy a bottle of wine with sausages and cheese. One wall has a floor to ceiling shelf of various wines. I didn’t pay much attention to their wine selection though.

Except for some bottles of Merlot behind my seat.

A glass chiller display contains homemade sausages and cheeses. Their sausages were made using techniques and skills learned when the owner was still working for Mickey’s deli. This I can relate to, remembering the nights spent grinding, mixing, stuffing the meat into casings. But mine was more on the experimental stage.

Their cheese selection.

A closer look at the sausages.

They have bottled homemade sauerkraut.

And different kinds of imported drinks.

But I had their house iced tea.

Pipay told me, “I am so hungry I could die!” (my little drama princess). All the walking we did looking for a food photography book made her so hungry. Predictably, she asked me to order the cheese pizza. But later changed her mind and opted for the US sliced steak on NY bagel sandwich. It has melted mozzarella cheese that’s why. I was afraid she wouldn’t like the heavy, dense texture of the bagel. But she liked it.

I had the German sausage platter. I was asked to pick three kinds of sausages (one large and two small varieties) from the glass chiller. I chose the Florentina, Nuernbufger, and a small sausage whose name I can’t remember. It was a disappointment the wait staff didn’t know much about the difference among the varieties of sausages. The sausage platter came with their homemade sauerkraut, black olives and NY bagel chips. The sauerkraut was very good. I just had to bring home a bottle (Medium size, P250). And so was the Nuernbufger (bought a pack too!) and the other sausage. The Florentina, I find a bit dry. I like my sausages with mustard, it was lacking. Maybe I should have asked for one.

Sausage 101: How to cook sausage should you opt to take them home frozen.

My date... :)

What I like Pipay to tell me when she grows up and remember the times I would drag her for food trips with me (with bribes of course) ^___^

I would like to come back and order their famous, must try Bacon Slabs with Eggs and Bacon Rice. It’s time to have that sister bonding moment with my SIL or maybe I can persuade M to go with me. Since it’s near our home (nearer than Santi’s deli along Amber Ave) I’ll definitely be back to buy their frozen meats for my pasta, breakfasts and evening snacking.

Or maybe one day, I could have spare time and try my hand at sausage making again.

An Aria celebration

2012-04-18T23:06:00.000+08:00

Time flies so quickly. I still remember cradling him in my arms rocking him to sleep at 2AM, Phil Collin’s You’ll be in my heart” softly lulling him to sleep. Gabby is now 12 and about to start high school. No longer a child, thought not yet a man. One more year and he’ll be a teenager. He is still in that awkward stage where his voice would sometimes croak. The “ma, please don’t tag me in your picture” phase. Becoming conscious of his physical appearance, “ma, do you think I have dandruff?” or “pa, I like a formal hair this time?”. He is physically changing. But some things never change, he is still the very gentle and sweet boy.

After Gabby’s grade school graduation rites last March, we went to celebrate in Boni High Street Central.

I let Gabby decide where to eat. My kids (as you all know by now) loves Italian cuisine – pizza and pasta. As predicted, he chose Aria.

Aria Cucina Italia was brought here to Manila from Boracay, thus the airy and homey feel of its light beige colored interior.

A large wooden web-like screen in the center is the focal point and functions as divider, giving diners an open yet intimate dining experience. Aria serves authentic Italian dishes. A bit pricey though.

There were a lot of diners when we arrived. We were led to a table at the back near the kitchen. My kids were starving and restless.

As soon as Gabby saw the giant rectangular pizza on the menu, he immediately said, “I want the Pizza Al Metro!” (P1300) a sampler of 3 pizza flavors – Quattro formaggi (pecorino, feta, Parmesan and mozzarella), Salsiccia (Italian sausage, tomato sauce and mozzarella), and Capricciosa (Fresh cherry tomatoes, artichokes, farmers ham, mushroom, kalamata olives and mozzarella). We ordered this for take out for the kids’ evening snack.

Notice the burnt marks on the crust? Their pizzas were baked in wood fired ovens which imparts a smokey flavor.

Pipay, as always, predictably ordered the Pasta Carbonara (P360), creamy and yummy.

Gabby, whose palate is slowly getting adventurous, chose the Al Fume (P420), spaghetti noodles with creamy tomato sauce with bacon, brandy & emmenthal cheese.

M, had the Tagliatelle con Tartufo Asparagi e Prosciutto di Parma (P460), homemade pasta with white truffle, asparagus and parma ham, pretty presentation, but I didn’t had the chance to taste.

As I peruse the menu, I simply can’t make up my mind on what to eat. I wanted to try the gnocchi but I was craving for risotto. Eventually, I settled for the familiar (I know, I wasn’t that adventurous that night), the Risotto allo Scoglio (seafood risotto, P650). The rice, creamy with just the right bite, had shrimps, mussels, clams, scallops, cooked in a seafood broth comforted my hungry tummy and satiated my craving. Next time, I’ll try the gnocchi.

Jelo’s choice, which I got to taste and I think is a hands down winner for me, is Ravioli di Branzino, handmade dough stuffed with seafood, covered in a light sauce of braised tomatoes and dill.

For dessert, the kids had the Mousse ai Due Ciococolati (Chocolate mousse, P190) and Tiramisu.

While I had the Crema Catalana (their version of crème brulee)

It was raining by the time we finished dinner. As we were walking towards Serendra on Boni High Street, I thought I forgot my eyeglasses. Gabby volunteered to walk back with me to Aria. We didn’t have an umbrella. He used his polo shirt to cover our heads while we walked in the rain. I have the sweetest boy a mom could ever want, don’t you think so?

Oh, by the way, my eyeglasses were inside a pouch in my big bag. Talk about senior moments! LOL!

recipe: Mixed Berry & Banana Smoothie

2012-03-29T22:31:00.001+08:00

I’ve been sick for the past few days. Getting wet in the rain during work made things worst. As much as I could, I stay away from taking medications.

A few days ago, I bought 4 1-liter packs of fruit juices. I really love Tipco’s 100% guava juice.

The other day, we were in Shangrila Mall and went to Healthy Options to buy pistachios, a staple snack item at home. I bought a pack of frozen organic mixed berries which I planned to make into a smoothie.

Berries and bananas are good sources of vitamin C. They help boost one’s immune system.

I am sharing with you my recipe for mixed berry and banana smoothie. I still can’t get enough of Jamba Juice Banana Berry smoothie, so I am making one at home. This is a no brainer actually.

Mixed Berry & Banana smoothie

1 cup of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries)

2 medium sized bananas

½ cup mixed berry juice

½ cup orange juice (I used Tipco’s 100% blood orange juice)

Crushed ice

Slice bananas in small pieces. Place in a blender. Add the other ingredients and blend well. Take note I didn’t put sugar. The berries are a bit sour, so add sugar if you prefer your smoothie sweet.

enjoy!

Friday Night at Nolita

2012-03-21T01:19:00.001+08:00

Last Friday night, I went with my friend G to watch the Azkal’s game at the Azkal Sports Bar at the Fort Strip. Though not yet officially a fan of the Azkals, I could feel the sadness brought about by the team’s lost, hence, they did not qualify for the finals. That’s another story though. This entry isn’t about football.

After watching the game, we went to try the pizza at Nolita, one of the newly opened food places at the nearby Boni High Street Central. Nolita, short for “North of Little Italy” serves authentic New York Style pizza. As we entered the restaurant, many tables were still vacant, which I think was quite unusual on a Friday night. We chose a table for four near the door.

Up above the counter, the restaurant’s menu was written on blackboards.

This is no fancy fine dining restaurant. Nolita has a modern loft style décor, a relaxed and easy vibe. You queue, choose from the menu, order and pay at the counter. Service was prompt.

On one side of a black wall, black lamps were mounted in a pattern… a quirky décor I must say but it surely caught one’s attention.

G, a photographer like me, wanted something picture pretty for the camera. I told him, let’s just order what looks yummy. We eyed the big slices of assorted pizza lined up at the front counter.

G chose the broccoli and cheese pizza. He really wanted colors and textures on my food photos. :)

While I opted for the wild mushroom walnut ricotta cheese, not picture pretty but oh so yummy. Just look at the globs of ricotta cheese!

For drinks, it was rootbeer float for G (no picture as the foam collapsed before i was able to get a shot) and a virgin strawberry mojito for me (virgin, because I still plan to do some work at home).

We also got and shared the Nolita Burger, a 6 oz Angus beef patty on a homemade brioche bun, with bacon, caramelized onion, blue cheese topped with a sunny side up egg. I am not a fan of blue cheese but it somehow goes well with the meat and sweetness of the caramelized onion. As for the beef patty, I love that it’s pinkish inside and seared on the outside, but I wish it was a bit juicier.

They also serve imported beers.

a picture for posterity. :)

Would I go back to try the other items on the menu? A mom-daughter date is in the works. Pipay, a mac & cheese monster, can’t wait to try their version. G & I couldn’t even finish the burger, there was no more room for dessert....and that’s what I’m coming back for. :)

Btw, halfway through our meal, more people kept coming and lining in to have a taste of Little Italy. ;)

Nolita

2nd floor

Bonifacio High Street Central

The Fort, Taguig City

Jambafied with Jamba Juice

2012-03-21T00:37:00.001+08:00

I first had a taste of Jamba Juice in Rockford, Illinois wayback in 1998. I was on a month long US vacation. And Jamba juice was one of the memorable things that highlighted that trip.

A few months back, while lurking at food blogs, I found out Jamba Juice finally opened its doors here in Manila.

I have been here three times already. The first one was when I met up with my friend and back up shooter R. I had my workout session at the nearby Fitness First. I had the Carribean Passion (passionfruit-mango juice, strawberries, peaches and orange sherbet) and steel cut oatmeal in blueberry & blackberry with brown sugar topping. Slow cooked with soymilk, one serving contains 2 g of soluble fiber from whole oats. R chose the orange juice. I can barely remember (blame it on my so called “senior moments”) how the passion fruit smoothie tasted like, all I remember , it was slightly sour. But I love the steel cut oatmeal. It was filling. The fruit puree is sweet enough and the brown sugar made it all the more sweet (there’s no need to add sugar).

The second time, was on a Mom-daughter date with pipay. Pipay, a mango juice/shake fanatic . ordered, as usual, the mango smoothie. Thinking that it would be too sour for her, the kind wait staff suggested the mango agogo.

It’s a combination of mangoes, orange juice, pineapple juice and non-fat frozen yogurt. Pipay doesn’t like yogurt and they offered to substitute orange sherbet instead. And this I found out, they don’t use our local mango. They use the Mexican variety. I silently hoped that Pipay wouldn’t find it too sour. On the contrary, she loved it! Mango fanatic talaga.

I am not in the mood for sour drinks, and Banana Berry smoothie was recommended to me. It’s a combination of bananas, blueberries, apple-strawberry juice, raspberry sherbet, and frozen yogurt which I asked to be substituted again with orange sherbet (like Pipay, I’m not a fan of yogurt).

Also on the menu are the pizza like California Flat Bread, breakfast wraps, pretzels and other breads. We got the parmesan pretzel which Pipay gobbled up in seconds (and had another one to bring home for Gabby).

Recently, I find myself again in Jamba Juice with my friend G after watching the Azkal’s game. We both had the steel cut oatmeal – blueberry & blackberry for me (this time without the sugar) and fresh bananas for G.

I know I would keep on coming back for more to try the other offerings on their menu. It is conveniently located near Fitness First. A healthy dose of fruit after a workout.

Jamba Juice

7th Avenue cor. 29th Street

Bonifacio High Street Central (across R.O.X.)

Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City

Travel: Ho Chi Minh: Banh Mi

2012-03-05T12:24:00.000+08:00

The French’s colonization of Vietnam left a mark evidently seen in the country’s architecture and food.

One French influence in Vietnamese cuisine is the baguette.

I don’t know how they do it, but the baguette in Vietnam has a different character from those I tried here back home. I told Lenz, “parang may drugs yata, I can’t stop myself from eating this”. From the slices of baguette they served in the hotel during breakfast, to the slices of baguette that accompanied the Saigon beef stew we had for dinner over at Highlands Coffee…and not to forget the baguette sandwich peddled at every street corner in Saigon, called Banh Mi. Saigon’s baguette is crusty and crackly on the outside and soft on the inside (it must be from the combination of wheat and rice flour). The way I like my French bread to be. I could imagine myself eating this bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and I would be in nirvana.

Like the famous pho, it is a crime to leave Vietnam without savoring this fusion of French & Asian sandwich. It is made with baguette filled with various meat fillings – from sliced meats, liver pate, pork floss, cilantro, cucumber slices, tomatoes, pickled carrots and daikon, mayonnaise and smothered with a dark sauce. You can also request to include fried egg as additional filling.

We had this twice, one as a snack and another during our second day as an early dinner meal before we left for the airport. And much like our own adobo, it varies from vendor to vendor. One serving of Banh Mi costs around 15,000 dong or less than 50 pesos.

Travel: Ho Chi Minh: Vietnamese Coffee on a rainy morning

2012-03-03T11:44:00.004+08:00

Day 2 of my Saigon adventure. It was raining when we woke up very early the next day. We plan to hit Ben Tanh market for some pho and spring rolls and do a bit of shopping. I also planned to walk along Pasteur street for more street food, but we can’t do that because of the rain.

When we went down to the lobby, hotel breakfast wasn’t ready yet. I wanted coffee from the nearby “Starbucks” – manned by a kindly Manang Vietnamese. The store in front was still close and Saigon was still waking up from its slumber.

Manang Vi (that’s what I call her) had set up some small monoblock chairs, stools and tables in front of the store (which she would later dismantle when the clothing/bags store opens). I ordered coffee with milk for me and black coffee for Lenz. Lenz decided to wait inside the hotel. While I, wanted to savor the cool rain, watching as people go about their morning rituals. Taking photos from where I sat on a stool as Manang Vi prepared our cups of coffee.

My Vietnamese coffee with milk. Take note of the condensed milk at the bottom of the glass.

Later, two local men sat beside me and ordered coffee. For the next several minutes, we all just sat there enjoying our coffee and the rain. It was all so laid back. So relaxing. So far away from the stress of work, the pressure to earn a living and deadlines.

image taken with my iphone.

I won’t forget this one particular Saigon morning…. raining (oh how I love rainy days)… sipping a cup of sweet, milky Vietnamese coffee. I wish I could do this everyday.

I wanted to bring a piece of Saigon with me back home. Later, at Ben Tanh Market, I bought 2 kilos of weasel coffee… to share with my Mom and Sir B and my friend R.

Here’s a funny exchange with my friend R after telling him that the coffee beans are gathered from the poops of weasels. Weasels are fed coffee beans and the undigested beans are excreted, then gathered for processing.

R: Sigurado ka hinugasan nila yung beans?

Me: HINDI! Hahaha…. Kaya pakuluan mo yung tubig mo ng mabuti…

Of course, we were just joking.

This morning, I got a message from R…. “masarap yung coffee.”

Travel: Ho Chi Minh How to eat Cha Tom

2012-03-01T22:13:00.000+08:00

When we used to frequent Vietnam Foodhouse in Megamall more than ten years ago, Cha Tom is one of the dishes we always order. I love this because it’s light and refreshing and because you get to eat a lot of vegetables with it. As I have written in my earlier entry, Cha Tom is an appetizer of shrimp patty wrapped around a sugarcane stick and grilled. Why on a sugarcane stick, most probably, to impart a sweet flavor from the sugarcane juice.

So a trip to Quan An Ngon is not complete without my favorite Vietnamese dish.

The shrimp in sugarcane stick came with a plate of vegetables like lettuce, basil, mint, vermicelli topped with peanuts and chives, cucumber, pickled jicama and carrots, rice paper and the ever present dipping sauce Nuoc Nam Pla. It didn’t come with a bowl of water to wet the rice paper, I had to ask the waitress for one. For those who will be going to HCMC and going to try this dish for the first time, let me warn you that, if you let your server do the wrapping for you, in Vietnam they do it with bare hands.

These series of photos will show you how to enjoy this lovely appetizer.

Remove the shrimp meat from the sugarcane sticks. Cut into small pieces.

Wet the rice paper with water to slightly soften it and make it pliable and easy to work with. Place a piece of lettuce leaf and basil leaves on top of the rice paper.

Place a piece of softened vermicelli noodles on top of the lettuce/rice paper.

Add a piece of shrimp patty and layer with more herbs, cucumber, pickled jicama and carrots.

Roll

Dip in nuoc nam pla and enjoy!

Travel: Ho Chi Minh Lunch at Quan An Ngon

2012-03-01T20:06:00.004+08:00

While doing research on places to eat in Saigon, Quan An Ngon kept popping up on google. It was highly recommended on Lonely Planet guide. This was our choice for place to eat our lunch. From the Notre Dame Cathedral and Post Office visit, we walked following our map, stopping occasionally to ask locals for directions and taking photos. It was a long walk. The weather was hot.

After what seemed like an eternity and uncertain if we were walking on the right direction, and endless asking for directions, we found 138 Quan An Ngon Restaurant.

Ngon means delicious. And from what I read, this is a must visit place in Saigon.

I asked to be seated outside the main dining area not only because it’s cooler, but more because of the bright, airy ambiance and available light for my photos.

We ordered first on my list Cha Tom (105,000 dong), a shrimp meat patty wrapped around sugarcane sticks and grilled. It comes with vermicelli noodles, rice paper and an assortment of veggies and herbs. It’s dipped in nuoc nam pla, a dipping sauce of fish sauce, vinegar, lime, sugar, and chilies.

Cha Gio (45,000 dong), fried spring rolls eaten by wrapping lettuce and betel nut leaves and dipped in nuoc nam pla. Similar to our lumpia, this one is not strange to me as I usually make this at home using ground pork, minced carrots, vermicelli and black ear fungus.

Snails Steamed in Lemongrass. I love snails, cooked our own way – spicy with gata and kangkong leaves. But this is my first time to try snails steamed with lemongrass to remove the “lansa”, no gata or any other ingredients to mask the taste of snail’s meat. It’s bland though, I was kind of looking out for a bit of ‘maputik’ aftertaste, but there’s none of that, just a hint of lemongrass. You have to dip it, again in nuoc nam pla to enjoy it.

Ban Xeo (46,000 dong), ia a Vietnamese rice pancake with pork (which looks like bacon), shrimps and bean sprouts. Again, this is served with veggies (lettuce, basil, mint) and dipped in nuoc nam pla.

To wash all these down, I had guava juice. I was expecting the pink-guava-in-tetra-or-bottled-juice kind. When it was served to me, it was green, slightly watery with some separation of pulp from liquid. It came with a stirrer though. But when I had my first taste, I was transported to guava heaven. Memories of my childhood days picking and munching on guavas every summer, of my Mom-in-law giving me guapples as pasalubong from Cebu, all came rushing in. It was so refreshing after hours of walking in hot weather. I had two glasses.

Total bill for this food trip was 367,000 dong (17.50 US dollars or 750 pesos)

If you only have a day or two in Saigon, this is a must-go-to place. And try everything on the menu. I didn't order the Cha Ca La Vong, vegetable and tumeric infused grilled fish dish, because I wanted to have that for dinner at Cha Ca La Vong, the restaurant.

Quan An Ngon

138 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia
District One
Ho chi Minh City
Telephone: (848) 825 7179

Travel: Ho Chi Minh on a Cyclo

2012-03-01T02:34:00.000+08:00

After a breakfast of French baguette, sunny side up eggs and bacon and a cup of strong Vietnamese brew (I wanted to eat my first street pho for breakfast, but Lenz wanted to eat breakfast at the hotel), we’re set to explore the city.

The hotel gave us a map with famous tourist sites. But I had my eyes (and tummy) set on Vietnamese food. I did my homework. Three pages of list of restaurants, places to eat, food to try, wishing we could get to try everything in one day. We didn’t have a guide, there’s that language barrier to think about. I just hope we could find English speaking kind souls to direct us to where we wish to go.

As we rounded the corner from our hotel, a man on cyclo waved and offered to drive us around. I told him we wanted to go to Notre Dame Cathedral. After a few minutes of haggling, we decided, “sige, try na nga natin.” The cyclo ride costs 40,000 dong (roughly 80 pesos) per person.

Cyclos (pronounced as “see-clo”) are cycle rickshaws much like our local pedicabs. The difference is the rider is in front. A good way to see the city amidst the crazy morning traffic of motorbikes.

I’m gonna let these photos tell you the story.

Travel: Ho Chi Minh day 1

2012-03-01T00:43:00.003+08:00

Feb 20, 2012

I arrived at NAIA Terminal 3 several hours early than check in time. I was tired as I waited for Lenz to arrive, yet, excited for this trip. The last trip abroad I had was in 2005 when I visited my brother Marc in Singapore. I wasn’t into photography then, but I was already dabbling in writing my food experiences in friendster.

The trip took 2 hours. There was a time difference of one hour between Vietnam and Philippines that’s why we gained an hour when we arrived.

Tan So Nhat International Airport in Ho Chi Minh City is the largest airport in Vietnam.

We went out to see the rep from Beautiful Saigon Hotel bearing a sign with my name on it. We waited for a while for our transport to arrive,making small talk with the rep inspite of being lost in translation. I was feeling more tired and sleepy. It was already 2AM Manila time.

Our hotel is small, but clean. It’s located in an area somewhat like Ermita. But it was safe.

With clean bathroom, clean towels, hot & cold water, TV, a strong wifi connection. Too bad there was no FB, as it was banned in Vietnam. I just tweeted teasers of my HCMC experience every now and then.

This was what greeted me when we woke up a few hours later. We may not have a breathtaking view, but hey, the place is safe and alive and bustling with activity as we would discover later on. It's a walking distance to Ben Tanh market and other tourist spots.

Beautiful Saigon Hotel

62 Bui Vien St., Dist 1

Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam

www.beautifulsaigonhotel.com

Vietnam: on a culinary & gastronomic adventure.

2012-02-15T21:49:00.001+08:00

It’s been a long while since my last entry. I know I have been negligent in keeping this food blog updated and active. I have a lot of materials, stories and food reviews to write, but my work kept me from writing. This year, I vowed to write at least one entry a week (keeping my fingers crossed).

Next week, I will be off from work for five days for a much needed R & R and break from the hectic schedules that started November till January, and before the onslaught of another killer month of March.

I will be going on a trip that revolves around my two passions – photography & food.

My love affair with Vietnamese cuisine dates back to the early 90’s when M & I would feast on dishes of a Vietnamese restaurant in Megamall. A cookbook on Vietnamese cooking was a constant presence in my little kitchen. And going to Vietnam is a dream come true. And I’m excited.

Lunch at Florabel's Podium

2011-10-31T22:43:00.000+08:00

For our regular weekly lunch date, I met up again with Lenz at the Podium. We chose to have lunch at Florabel's. She has been here with her siblings and she wanted me to try their food.

Florabel's is owned by chef Florabel Co Yatco. The casual dining restaurant is located at the side of the Podium. Being a Monday, there weren't much people dining in. When I arrived, Lenz was already there. The wait staff were courteous and accomodating when I asked if it's okay if I can take photos.

The ambience is cozy and has that bright,clean, sophisticated look with high ceiling, floor to ceiling glass windows in front, black furniture and minimal table decors.

The menu is a listing of Asian Continental and Filipino dishes . I had a heavy snack mid morning and wasn't craving for anything special. I preferred something light, less carbo. For those on a diet and into healthy eating, would be glad to know that Florabel’s has South Beach dishes to chose from.

Complimentary bread comes with a dipping sauce made of olive oil, peppers, garlic and herbs.

For starters, we had soups. Lenz chose the Vegetable Barley Soup with Fresh Herbs (P160), which Lenz seemed to enjoy.

While I got the Tomato Soup topped with Ricotta Cheese and Baby Arugula (P200). I find my soup a bit on the salty side and the baby arugula (what I was looking forward to) is missing. I would have loved it so much had they toned down on the salt. the ricotta cheese gave a creamy taste to complement the acidity of tomatoes.

For the main course, we settled for the JT Wagyu burger (P475), listed on their ultimate burgers selection. Wagyu beef patty on sesame bun with mushrooms and bacon. We requested to cut it in half. The burger came in two separate plates. The staff was so generous to give each plate a bowl of salad greens with parmesan cheese shavings, and potato chips, making it almost two servings instead of one. We requested the burger to be cooked medium well. We should have asked for medium rare. Wagyu meat when cooked well done, tends to go dry and our Wagyu burgers were a bit dry and bland.

Lenz ordered a glass of red wine to go with our meal. It was too early for me to have wine and opted for the cantaloupe juice, which is sweet and refreshing.

We didn’t try their desserts. A sweet excuse to come back and try their Pinoy fare and bring home the Yema filled Chocolate Cake, the signature dessert of Chef Florabel.

Next on my list would be a visit to Felix in Greenbelt 5, another one of Chef Florabel’s numerous restaurants, soon.

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao

2011-10-30T20:27:00.000+08:00

While doing errands in Greenhills with my daughter Pipay, we happened to pass by Crystal Jade. I have been wanting to try Xiao Long Bao for the longest time. But Pipay isn’t fond of Chinese cuisine and she wanted Jollibee. I told her, "Pipay, Mama is so hungry, I can eat a monkey, anything you like, except for Jollibee and Mcdo." Indeed, I was starving, having forgotten to eat lunch and it's already 3PM. As a compromise, I let her pick where to eat (except Jollibee or Mcdo). We had pasta and pizza at Pasto instead.

On the way home, I couldn’t keep my mind off the Xiao Long Bao. As we passed by Crystal Jade again, I told her, I’m going to buy one order to take home. So I went inside the restaurant and placed my order. I asked for any tips how to reheat. I was told to steam it. I thought that would be a major effort to steam 5 small dumplings. I was thinking of reheating it via microwave which could burst the delicate dumplings. So I decided to dine in instead.

One order of Xiao Long Bao has 5 dumplings (P158). It came with a dark dipping sauce, black vinegar and ginger. The dumpling skin is thin enough to hold the flavorful soup inside.

The way to eat them is to carefully pick one with a chopstick, place it on a spoon for support, bite into the top skin and sip the soup then eat the minced meat like you would a siomai. Or if one can handle an entire dumpling, you can take it in one bite and feel the soup burst its flavor inside the mouth (just be careful of the hot soup though).

I really enjoyed Crystal Jade’s Xiao Long Bao, I will definitely be coming back for more. Based on other food blogs I read, Crystal Jade has the best Xiao Long Bao in town. I guess this will be my benchmark in rating the other restaurant's Xiao Long Bao.

Can’t wait to try Café Lugang’s and Choi Palace’s versions.

It's all in the details

2011-10-28T00:28:00.001+08:00

Like what I said in my very first post, tablescapes isn’t just about food. It is also about table set ups, brought about by or connected with my work as wedding/party planner/photographer .

My work as events photographer opened new avenues and new opportunities to meet and work with fellow event suppliers. People close to me knew that still life, shooting wedding/event details, food, basically anything that doesn’t move or requires posing directions are my turf.

So, for this entry, let me share with you the work of a colleague in the wedding industry.

I first met Ernest Pascual, wedding planner/coordinator of Events! Events! in one of my kiddie party shoots. That was in April this year. He was the party planner for the event. Prior to this, I’ve been hearing and reading stories of how into details he is. I was in awe at how he turned a simple party in Shakey’s into a fabulous, fun, outer space themed kiddie party. As they say, it’s all in the details.

Last week, I got the chance to work with him again, this time for a baptismal party. I got a peek at what would surprise me at the reception later when the baby’s parents handed me the baptismal candles.

Powder blue tapered candles tied with white flimsy organza ribbon, adorned with blue crystal encrusted mini brooch. It was the most elegant baptismal candle I ever saw. Whenever I have details like that, I go shutter crazy.

When we arrived at the reception, I was blown away. The decor was simple, ala Martha Stewart. And you know that a lot of hardwork & creativity was put out to come up with such merry and pretty decors. Colors are in subdued pastel tones of yellow, blue and green.

I’m gonna let these photos show you what I mean.

The cake table, the focal point of the room. Organza ribbons cascade down the backdrop. Several small cakes with matching letters to spell out the celebrant's name, flanked by three glass jars filled with sweets.

Pastel blue eyelet design paper lanterns hovering over the cake table.

Buffet Table Centerpieces - A cluster of small floral arrangements in pastel colored claypots

A closer view of the small floral arrangements.

A ceramic cross bearing the celebrant's name

Buffet table swag details, paper pom pom balls with touches of feather and a paper cut out swag.

The guest table centerpiece. A low, square arrangement of green button mums, white roses, yellow mums, blue hyrangeas, with a small paper lantern and a stem of white orchids.

A small vase of letter shaped sugar cookies spelling out the celebrant's name.

A bow shaped cookie placed on guests' tables.

Small triangle paper banner in pastel color and various prints festooned at the back of the guests' chairs.

The custom made invitation.

Message card echoes the invitation's design.

Now you know why I had fun shooting. :)

Event Planning & Styling by Ernest Pascual
Flowers by: Badang Rueda

Venue: Microtel MOA

Sweets at Bar Dolci

2011-10-26T22:52:00.000+08:00

Ever since my first visit to Forbestown in Burgos Circle, I have been meaning to visit and try the desserts in Bar Dolci. Pipay, who is now into playing with her scooter, keeps asking me when am I going to run again. Coincidentally, M has an on-going project in the area.

Yesterday, Pipay and I spent the afternoon in Burgos circle. She brought along her scooter. We went inside Bar Dolci not knowing what kind of desserts they serve. But their tag line, life is sweet, gives a glimpse of what's in store for us.

There was a chiller/freezer of gelato.

Another chiller for pastries - beignets (a french rectangle shaped donuts) with chocolate espresso dip P130, Gruyere Puffs with marinara dip P150, and a selection of scones (basil olive, bacon & cheddar, caramelized onions) P65/pc

And on the other side, French macarons!

Of course, Pipay went for the Bubble Gum flavored gelato. While me, I can’t make up my mind. I was torn between the gruyere puffs and the basil olive scones.

Being so hungry, I chose the latter. I asked for Mochaccino to go with it, plus two French macarons in salted caramel and raspberry flavors.

The scone came with a small bowl of cream, which Pipay gobbled up in no time. The scone's exterior was crunchy but soft inside. The flavors of basil and olive jived so well.

The macarons, what can I say? I love the raspberry flavor. But the salted caramel, I find that tinge of saltiness lacking, but nevertheless I like it for the caramel.

From our vantage point on the second floor, I could see Serenitea and other dining establishments, Uncle Cheffy for one.

I could have stayed longer but there was no wifi. And Pipay was getting antsy after finishing her gelato, dying to go play with her scooter. After finishing my mochaccino, we crossed over to Serenitea for a wintermelon fix, while my little girl whizzed back and forth with her scooter.

I was a bit bitin with the macarons. Two was not enough. And Pipay liked the salted caramel macaron. Today, I asked M to pick up some more.

He came home bearing a Bar Dolci bag.

Inside was a box of 10 macarons in pistachio, salted caramel, walnut chocolate and vanilla flavors. He told me, those were too expensive! At P50 apiece, it was indeed pricy. But if you buy 4 pieces, you’ll get one free.

Life is sweet! :)

Bar Dolci

F133 Forbeswood Heights cor Burgos Circle

www.bardolci.com

Lunch at Chelsea Podium

2011-10-26T12:36:00.000+08:00

For our regular lunch meet ups, Lenz and I decided to have lunch at Chelsea's in Podium. This time we were joined by another good friend Ruben, who works nearby.

The lunch crowd was well under way when I arrived. We wanted to have salad but the waitress said they ran out of fresh greens.

So we opted for the usual combination of pasta and pizza. For the pasta, we went for the Truffled Three Mushroom Cream Fettuccini, a cream based pasta with smoked bacon lardons, mushrooms, basil and parmesan cheese.

And for the pizza, we chose the Roasted Prawns & Prosciutto pizza. After we placed our order, the waitress came back and told us that they already have salad greens. And I thought…hmmmm… they must have sent someone to the nearby SM grocery to buy the greens. We politely declined though.

While waiting for our orders, we were served foccaccia bread and roasted whole garlic on a wooden board. The roasted garlic was so creamy, sans the pungent flavor of raw or slightly cooked garlic. I remembered my cooking days when I would include several whole garlic bulbs in the pan when roasting beef or chicken. Squeeze out and smear the soft, almost paste like garlic meat over toasted crusty bread would bring you up to food heaven.

For drinks, I had the strawberry iced tea.

Lenz, the lemon iced tea shake, and Ruben’s choice I forgot the name but it was a lemon and lime drink.

I haven't seen Ruben for a long time (almost 3 years) so you could just imagine the chatter we had that I wasn't focused on what we were eating.

But from what I can remember, I like the thinness of the pizza crust, snappingly crunchy as I took a bite. Just the way I like my pizza crust to be. (I'm not really a fan of those thick crust or deep dish pizzas.)

The pasta, I can't say much as I wasn't really focused on my food. I should take down notes... Really. (which prompted me to splurge on something impulsively)

Chelsea is a bit pricy though. But at the time we had our lunch, they have an ongoing promo for four course meal for P750. Not bad. But we were not keen on having a heavy lunch. I enjoyed more the company of my friends that I forgot about the food. Ruben lingered a little bit more before going back to work.

Teatap Cafe

2011-10-26T10:56:00.000+08:00

If you are a cat lover like my kids, you will surely enjoy hanging out at Teatap Cafe in Greenhills. Teatap cafe is located in P Guevarra St. in San Juan, the café occupies a portion of what used to be Barrio Fiesta Restaurant.

A cat figurine welcomes customers near the door. Pipay love this so much.

It is a spacious japanese design cafe, filled with cat and japanese anime inspired knick knacks and minimalist furnishings.

My daughter was totally enamored by the the tip bin. You place a coin on top of the fish bone design and wait for the cat's paw sneakily take the coin.

I brought all three kids with me. I ordered lemon yakult tea for jelo, wintermelon milk tea for gabby, mango flavored green tea for pipay and the hokkaido milk tea for me.

The top covers have witty ways to drink your milk tea.

They also serve two kinds of pasta dish. As usual, Pipay asked for the pasta carbonara (P180). They also serve Buffalo wings and Takoyaki balls. Out of curiosity, I tried the takoyaki balls (P100). Grilled Balls filled with octopus, spring onions, red ginger, cabbage, topped with mayonnaise, a dark sauce and bonito flakes. It’s good, but not the kind I would hanker for.

From among the four milk tea flavors, Gabby's wintermelon milk tea tops my list. I'm not fond of yakult so I passed up tasting Jelo's drink. The mango fruit tea is essentially a green tea with mango fruit juice. The pearls are of the right texture, just the way I like them - chewy. And just like the other milk tea drinks sprouting all over the metro, you can adjust the level of sweetness upon order. Aside from pearls, there are other sinkers to choose from – egg pudding, grass jelly, red beans, nata de coco and perilla. Prices range from P70-105

Teatap Cafe is located at

P Guevarra St., corner Wilson St.,

San Juan City

6617331

Everything Peanut Butter in Peanut Butter Co.

2011-10-25T23:57:00.000+08:00

Mall of Asia (MOA) is such a remote place for me. I hardly go there unless the reason to go there is really important. For meet ups with clients, I would rarely set an appointment there. But recently, I had to meet a supplier who set the venue at MOA. It so happened M was on his way the airport, and I had the chance to use the car, I decided to have my gym session at FF MOA. It's really nice to have the FF passport membership.

I joined a spinning class which made me so ravenously hungry. My supplier friend was still in another meeting before me. I looked around for restaurants that would pique my interest. Passing by a window whose sign says Peanut Butter Company, I was lured in.

PB & co churns out anything with peanut butter. I am not really a fan of peanut butter but I don’t mind eating a PBJ if that is the only thing available. And I could think of a few savory dishes that has peanut or peanut butter as the ingredient, topping the list is our own Kare Kare. And there's the Thai Satay too.

I went to the counter and perused their menu. It was past lunch hour, 2 PM to be exact. I wanted to have rice. But the rice meals were not available anymore so I ordered the cold soba noodles and buffalo wings.

As the girl manning the cashier asked me for my preferred drinks, she pointed the cooler for their selection of drinks. What I saw made me giddy. Cherry coke! My favorite. The last time I had one was in February when we had an event shoot at Tivoli Garden’s penthouse restaurant. My first sip took my breath away. I forgot all about the pain in my legs which went jelly-like from the spinning class. An elixir of some sort. It was refreshing and has that unique flavor which some people describe as "lasang gamot", no pun intended.

For the buffalo wings. The wings have a sweet mildly spicy sauce coating, drizzled with peanut sauce. The spiciness has just the right amount of kick. I picked them with my fingers and found myself licking the sauce off my fingers. I don’t know if I am just hungry. I’d like to think it’s the sauce. The peanut sauce gave it a unique flavor from the usual buffalo wings.

The cold soba noodles has steamed veggies on top, sprinkled with black sesame seeds. The sesame peanut butter sauce is creamy but has a slight bitter aftertaste, though in a nice way. My taste buds were expecting something warm or at least room temperature, instead, my palate was met with a pleasantly cold sensation, which compliments the spiciness of the chicken wings.

Would I go back there again? Maybe. I didn't try their desserts and I like to try their sandwiches, especially the Elvis Special, bananas and peanut butter on bread. But this is something I wouldn’t go all the way to MOA for. I could easily make one at home.