Eats love!

chasingtheworld: Went out with Jarv and Karla this afternoon....

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:08:53 -0400

Went out with Jarv and Karla this afternoon. We all got Cocoa with Roacksalt and Cheese from Happy Lemon. <3

For those who haven’t tried it, you should! It’s really really good. :)

Regular: 90php

Large: 100php

I did! And you bet it’s delish! Gotta drink it right away though.

karlskaleidoscope: arlenehuertas: Yummmm. OMG FEED ME...

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:06:11 -0400

karlskaleidoscope:

arlenehuertas:

Yummmm.

OMG FEED ME THIS.

Pièce de résistance of the day =D

Kids these days. LOL

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:03:37 -0400

Kids these days. LOL

Photo

Fri, 03 Jun 2011 01:02:00 -0400

Office Christmas Party at Sambokojin Yakiniku Smokeless Grill

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 00:01:00 -0500

Guys, how did you celebrate your Christmas Party? We in the office had a simple but enjoyable one. We did the exchange gift-giving and raffle draw at the office where I got a hot pink handbag, rustic gold pendant necklace and silver cuff from my monita (not what I expected, still I’m happy =)) and Biodroga facial products (jackpot!). Afterwards, we went to Sambokojin at Eastwood Citywalk for our dinner.

Sambokojin is a classy eat-all-you-can buffet restaurant that houses a wide selection of Japanese and Korean cuisine, from sushi to dessert. It’s reasonably-priced for Php595 per head since most likely you’ll never leave the place without feeling satisfied, or happy like us.

My plate, Round 1 (notice how the makis are swimming in tonkatsu sauce.Fail, IKR LOL)

My plate, Round 2 (much better)

As for my Japa-nice adventure, I tried different kinds of maki on my plate but I love the one with the Japanese mayo on it. Of course I got a teaspoon of wasabi paste to complement my maki. I also liked that there was a huge yakiniku grill on every table and we grilled different kinds of thinly-sliced marinated meat and seafood. And I must say the beef was delicious. It was sweet, tender and marinated just right. Although I haven’t fully appreciated it that time, I bet I would on my next trip. BTW their crabsticks are divine! Those were the sweetest, freshest, and most delicious crabsticks I’ve ever tasted.

Anna grillin’ like a pro! Teehee!

Sizzling goodness

Aye, corn-frying expert hehe =D

And if that’s not enough, I went to the tempura section to get ebi tempura and chicken tonkatsu (breaded chicken that looked like cordon bleu). They’re not that different from the ones I’ve already tasted but they’re delicious nonetheless. Aside from the food, I also had half a cup of miso soup with fresh seaweed bits and small tofu pieces and iced tea with lots of lime wedges.

Dessert (I only ate 2 of them, the brazo de mercedes and glazed cream puff =( )

Vanilla and strawberry ice cream

So all in all I’ve had 3 rounds of Japanese goodness and I’ve topped it off with a cup of vanilla and strawberry ice cream and honey-glazed vanilla cream puff. Unfortunately, I haven’t eaten the small piece of blueberry cheesecake and strawberry cake since we have to leave already (Sayang! haha!). I was about to tuck them away with a tissue (which I unfolded in case) but too bad I can’t do that because apparently, it’s not allowed hehe.

Sushi catastrophe courtesy of Vlad

So that’s it. I really had a hard time breathing in between all those food and as much as I would like to gorge, I can’t because my mind has adjusted to eating food in moderate portions (effect of my diet I guess) and I felt quite dizzy from our travel to Eastwood Citywalk (only a 30-minute ride from our office but the driver was brake-crazy!). One thing I’ve learned from this experience: don’t hesitate to take different plates for each of the courses. Anyhow, they have plenty! The tonkatsu sauce smothered on half of my plate kinda ruined the taste of the other food I have.

Nice counter!

My officemates having a good time

My verdict: it was awesome! The waiters were very accommodating, the place was roomy, neat and clean, and the restroom is huge, clean and well-maintained. They also have a large receiving room with lounge sofas to accommodate waitlisters. I can’t wait to go back to Sambokojin again. I want to bring my family or some close friends and let them have the good experience I had with this restaurant. Thumbs up! =)

A Thing or Two I Learned about Filipino Cuisine

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 01:49:12 -0500

On my sixteen years of experience as an amateur cook and foodie, I have learned a lot of things about Filipino cuisine which I would like to share with the world. And one thing’s for sure: we have so much more to offer than adobo. This is a no-holds-barred account of my learnings, and some may disagree, but as a free person, I am entitled to my own opinion.

Filipinos are fond of sauteeing (gisa).Most of our main dishes are basically started off by lightly browning onions and garlic on vegetable oil. Sometimes we add tomato (kamatis) to make the flavor richer.

Rice is a staple dish in the Philippines. Steamed rice balances the saltiness of the dish and makes the meal more filling. Many believe that a good rice makes the meal more appetizing. An ideal serving of rice is one cup per meal but some prefer to have an extra cup. Some like their rice sticky and glutinous, while some like theirs firm. Health-conscious people usually opt for brown or red rice while others are perfectly fine with white rice. Among the popular types of rice are dinurado, sinandomeng, jasmine rice, wagwag, and laon.

Our fondness for rice led to the creation of our various rice-based Filipino desserts (kakanin) such as biko, puto, bibingka, suman and palitaw. We also use root crops such as taro and sweet potato to make wonderful feast-worthy desserts.

When it comes to home-cooked meals, Filipinos are not into the fancy-shmancy presentation. They are more particular with the taste. Of course, the dish should still be visually appealing but we are not that fond of putting herbs and what-have-yous on top of our dish.

Filipinos are also versatile when it comes to making dishes. For instance, a little tweak in the ingredients here and there and voila! Pork Menudo becomes Chicken Afritada. I believe it roots from the resourcefulness of Filipinos, making good use of the resources that we have.

Yes, a lot of us eat balut (duck egg with embryo) but it doesn’t necessarily mean we eat all of its contents. Some (like me) would prefer to leave the embryo. Or sometimes, we would rather eat penoy which is basically a boiled duck egg minus the embryo.

The meat we often use on our dishes are mainly pork, chicken, and beef. We are also fond of seafood such as fish, shells, crabs, shrimps, and squid. Lobsters, King Crab and tiger prawns are considered a luxury to us.

If there’s a thing about Filipino dishes that we can truly be proud of, it’s that we use our vegetables in many ways. And that’s what keeps us healthy despite the fastfood hype.

We Filipinos are not fond of wasting every edible part of our ingredient; we use them as streetfood, beer matches, or main dishes. This clearly shows the ingenuity of Filipinos. A good example would be pork face, which we use as barbecue or sisig. Another example would be pork skin which we make as chicharon (deep-fried to a perfect crunch).

Our version of a popular summer cool drink would be sago gulaman which is a vanilla-and-sugar-flavored drink with gelatin cubes and tapioca balls. We also take pride of our halo-halo which is crushed ice loaded with fruit bits, beans, gelatin,milk, sugar, topped with taro, leche flan, and rice puffs.

There may be a lot of restaurants and fastfood joints which offer delicious meals of gastronomical proportions but for us Filipinos, nothing beats a wholeheartedly-prepared home-cooked meal. It makes us look forward to coming home everyday and share the wonderful dish with the whole family.

We believe that a simple porridge (lugaw) served with motherly love is therapeutical.

We Filipinos are morning people and we always have a high regard for preparing breakfast. Pinoys love to make fried rice out of the leftover rice and put meat slices on it such as adobo, ham, hotdog, or tuna. We complement it with beef tapa, or cold cuts, and sunny side up/omelet. We love to combine things for breakfast and serve it with a cup of coffee, milk, or hot chocolate. If rice is not an option, Filipinos opt for the ever dependable pan de sal (bread), warm and freshly baked.

You are missing half of your life if you have not yet tasted the rich, export-quality carabao mangoes from the Philippines. They are big, yellow, sweet, rich, creamy, and not stringy.

Filipinos love to use condiments to complement our dishes. For instance, we love to serve pork sinigang with fish sauce, Philippine lemon (calamansi) and chili because it lends a bit of salty, sour and spicy kick to the dish.

Aged coconuts (niyog) are abundant in our country; hence, we also have cocomilk-based (gata) dishes. We use gata on fish, vegetables, and pork. Gata may also serve as a milk alternative for our dishes.

In Filipino parties, expect to see pancit(stir-fried vermicelli with meat and vegetables), fried chicken and lumpia (spring rolls). For kids, a treat would be Filipino-style spaghetti, hotdog with marshmallows, and fruit salad/ice cream (sorbetes). Roasted pig(lechon) is also served on special occasions such as feasts and weddings.

For presentation, Filipinos use banana leaves to insulate grilled/fried food. It also adds a native touch to the food and it releases a fragrant smell especially when placed under steaming hot food.

In the Philippines, bananas are everywhere and we have a wide variety of them. Hence, Filipinos have concocted banana desserts such as turon, banana cue, saba con yelo, and minatamis na saging.

P.S. If by chance you ever see us eating balut, isaw, betamax, or quail eggs on the street, don’t alienate us. Please respect our culture as we do yours. =)

Ge-ge-gelato!Cara Mia Gelateria!

Tue, 02 Nov 2010 23:25:36 -0400

It was Sunday when our family went to SM Southmall to make the most out of our long weekend. Our plan A was to watch a movie but we didn’t push through with that because we were feeling lazy and we can’t think of any good movies to watch so we decided to go for Plan B just eat out at some restaurant. But before that, we got us our appetizer (or late merienda shall I say) which is Cara Mia Gelateria. Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with gelato, it is simply Italian ice cream, or as Merriam Webster would describe it, “a soft, rich ice cream containing little or no air”.

Gelato are made in small batches so you’re assured that it’s fresh

See the difference between an ice cream and a gelato? =)

So we got us a scoop each of gelato for Php 65.00 plus P10.00 for the ice cream cone. I chose pistachio because I like its distinct, nutty, kinda-weird-but-works-for-me flavor. Meanwhile, Kay opted for the strawberry flavor (fool-proof!safe!boo! hahaha! kidding), Shen first thought of chocolate but finally picked mocha, and mom got herself a mango flavor.

Mama with her Mango gelato

Shen kissing her mocha gelato

Kay obviously happy with her strawberry gelato

You can compare gelato to a premium ice cream, only sweeter and creamier. So you can say it would be good for your “cheat days”, when you haven’t had ice cream for a while and you’re totally craving for it. I’ve read on a blog that gelato is made with more milk and has less fat content than cream. Still, you should not let your guard down. Go easy on it because all the sugar and flavor probably load this thing up with calories. I think a scoop of gelato would be enough for one serving, or if you’re feeling generous, you can share it with your friend.

Moi with my pistachio gelato

Mmmmm….

Ahhhhh….

Another thing about gelato is that it can be chunky because it usually contains bits of real goodness like fruits/chocolate chips/cookie bits, depending on the flavor. Mine’s got no pistachio (boo again!), but at least you can taste the distinct natural flavor of the nut, and it’s got a white chocolate sliver (which kinda compensates for that). As for Kay’s, there are really pieces of sliced strawberries (yummmeeeh!). I haven’t tasted Mom’s and Shen’s but I bet they were delicious as well (you can tell from the look on their faces, yes?).

So there it is. I’m glad to have finally tasted gelato and it’s been a great experience. Someday I’mma have another scoop of that sinfully delicious treat. =)

BTW you can check out their gelato cakes too! I bet they taste as good as they look! =)

Gelato cakes (should be consumed immediately after chilling or they will melt)

They also have equally tempting cakes which are worth a try. =)

BDM…who could ever resist this? A rock perhaps =D

Sans Rival with generous cashew toppings

Tiramisu cake (Tiramoko!)

Pistacioccolato cake (made out of pistachio and guess what…chocolate!)

Chocolate cake with rose decor… isn’t that beautiful?

Caramel Cake with rose decor

Sidenote: Cara Mia Gelateria is a subsidiary of the popular Amici Restaurant

Heavenly Lord Stow's Egg Tarts

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:23:37 -0400

Yesterday, our boss bought another unique merienda treat for us: Lord Stow’s egg tarts. At first, I thought it was not enough since it was small we can only have a piece each but I was wrong. Or maybe I’m just not indulging myself because I am on a diet (hahaha!). So here it goes.

The egg tart had a soft, flaky crust which easily crumbles when you bite into it. As for the filling, it was custard, similar to Beard Papa’s vanilla cream puff, except that it has a more egg-y taste (which is appealing to some). It is not too sweet; it has just the right amount of sweetness which I think weight watchers would approve. And it is slightly burnt on top, but don’t worry it doesn’t add bitterness to the filling. I think one serving of egg tart is enough because it may be small but it can be packed up with calories (think of eggyolks). So I ate the egg tart and it filled me up the whole afternoon.

An interesting trivia for you: Englishman Andrew Stow started out Lord Stow’s Bakery and Cafe in Cologne Island, Macau, where it became famous for its egg tarts. As a baker, Andrew only used the freshest ingredients for his recipes, thus, customers get nothing but the best quality for their money. Soon enough, word about Andrew’s “heavenly” egg tarts quickly spread like fire throughout Macau, attracting a huge following, and almost becoming the country’s trademark. Then the success of the egg tarts soared to greater heights as Lord Stow’s franchise branched out to neighboring countries in Southeast Asia namely Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, and Philippines. Now, we are so lucky to get a taste of Lord Stow’s egg tarts here, isn’t that amazing? =)

Flash Photography and Screams: Raissa Laurel

Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:00:48 -0400

Flash Photography and Screams: Raissa Laurel:

vivatregina:

She’s in the hospital because of a pillbox that exploded too close to her—which shouldn’t have even happened at all, because it was supposed to be a happy day. They’ve amputated both her legs. She can’t talk because of the tubes in her mouth, but she has the courage to write on a sheet of paper…

Ginataang Halo-Halo: Team Effort

Sun, 26 Sep 2010 23:23:10 -0400

Last Saturday, Kuya Karl and Shen thought up of cooking Ginataang Halo-Halo for our merienda. They were going to the market to buy the ingredients and they asked me if I would come along.I would like to help out but I felt weak that day so I decided to take a nap instead. So off they went and when they came back, they asked me to form the glutinous rice flour into balls for the bilu-bilo. I did it and they took care of the rest. Now this is how we made the ginataang halo-halo.

Ginataang Halo-Halo

Ingredients

Sweet Potato (camote), chopped into small pieces

Saba Banana, sliced into quarter inch thick pieces

Grated aged coconut (for gata)

Tapioca balls (sago)

Brown Sugar

Glutinous Rice Flour

Water

Chopped Taro/Ube (optional)

Procedure

1. Boil sago with sugar until it is half-cooked (clear on the outside, but you can see a little white thing on the center). Stir the sago occassionally to avoid clumping. Set aside and drain.

2. Mix rice flour with water until it becomes pasty with a thick dough texture. Form into small, bite-sized balls.

3. Mix grated coconut with warm water and let it cool for a while. Strain gata from coconut with a cheesecloth (katsa) or use a strainer and squeeze the cocomilk using your clean hands.

4. Boil camote with approximately 4-5 cups of water. Add saba and bilo-bilo when camote’s halfway done. You can also add chopped ube to lend an appetizing lavender color to the dish.

5. Incorporate gata and sago into the mixture. Add sugar to taste. Simmer for a few more minutes.

6. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy your ginataang halo-halo!

Because we are all amazing on our own little ways. =)

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 03:46:00 -0400

Because we are all amazing on our own little ways. =)

Sbarro's and fried ice cream treat for my sister's post-birthday celebration

Mon, 20 Sep 2010 01:39:20 -0400

My sister Kay just turned 19 yesterday and mom gave her money to spend on whatever she wanted to. At first, we thought of going to SM Southmall and buy ingredients in making spaghetti or Aye’s special pesto pasta and fruit salad. However, we arrived at the mall later than expected and we were getting lazy to cook at that time. So we thought we should dine in at Sbarro’s instead.

To us, Sbarro’s Italian Restaurant is already considered a luxury given our malnourished wallets. The moment we passed by Sbarro’s we were thinking of the same thing which is, we want to eat there but I guess we just had to muster up the courage to say it to Kay haha. But before we dined in at Sbarro’s, we walked around the mall and we saw Miguelito’s Fried Ice Cream. It looks so appetizing we decided to try it for the first time.

My order: Strawberry fried ice cream with strawberry syrup and white choco hearts

Shen’s order: Bubblegum fried ice cream with strawberry syrup and iced gem biscuits =)

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Kuya Karl’s order: Vanilla fried ice cream with caramel syrup, choco wafer sticks, choco sprinkles, and strawberry hearts

Kay’s order: Strawberry fried ice cream with strawberry syrup, rainbow sprinkles, choco hearts, choco pretzels

Kay and I ordered Strawberry Fried Ice Cream but mine’s with strawberry syrup and white chocolate hearts, while my sister Shen ordered bubblegum, and Kuya Karl ordered vanilla. For the price of Php 35, it was good enough because the presentation is good and the servings are generous. My only problem with it was that it’s too thick and too sweet for my taste. Kuya Karl described it as quite similar to gelato, but the latter’s way more delicious. Also, the white choco hearts are so tough I felt like my front tooth would crack if I forced harder to bite it. And you have to consume it while it’s not melted, or else, you wouldn’t appreciate it much. If I would give the ice cream a rating from 1 to 5 (1’s the lowest and 5’s the highest, it would be a 3.

Our Sbarro’s feast =)

Half umay from the fried ice cream, we went to Sbarro’s and ordered our extra-special merienda. I ordered one whole ziti with meat sauce and Grandma Sbarro’s Pizza while Shen ordered her favorite Chicago Deep Dish Pizza. Kay and Kuya Karl both ordered Chicago White Pizza. For our drinks, us girls ordered raspberry iced tea while Kuya Karl ordered a mug of San Mig Light beer.

Chicago Deep Dish Pizza

Chicago White Pizza

Sbarro’s is an upscale fastfood chain which offers authentic, or at least close-to-authentic Italian cuisine. I think they make their own tomato-based sauces and white sauces. Their tomato sauce is not your usual Filipino-sweet style sauce. It tastes like natural tomatoes crushed and mixed with choice herbs and spices so it’s a bit sour. Meanwhile, I’m guessing their white sauces are made of cream, parmesan, and maybe other kinds of cheese.

One whole zitti with meat sauce

Heavenly =)

Raspberry Iced Tea

As for my dish, the Grandma Sbarro’s Pizza, it was delicious but maybe I was craving for meat that time and unfortunately, it doesn’t have any. So I only ate about 3/4s of the pizza. Maybe I should’ve ordered a Chicago White Pizza too, which is a deep dish pizza filled with cold cuts, pineapple and white sauce. White pizza has always appealed me so I guess this one would do the same, or even better. As for the ziti, the penne pasta was al dente and covered in special cheese (cheddar?) and the meat sauce was delicious. But we might have liked it more with white sauce though. And for the raspberry drink, it has the right amount of sweetness and it goes well with the dishes.

Kuya Karl opted for the beer which was the perfect match for the pizza. Shen said pizza is heavy on the stomach since bread expands when soaked with our digestive liquids during digestion (Sorry, a little icky fact here haha). But beer helps to expand the stomach a bit so it has more room for the food. Notice that drinkers tend to eat more pulutan because of the same concept. Eventually, Kuya Karl ate most of the food, with his technique of sipping less liquid to avoid feeling full and bloated right away.

Kay, our celebrant, having a good time

All smiles for Kuya Karl

Shen’s in a good mood too =)

My zitti pose =)

We left with full stomachs that we didn’t even think of having dinner that night. Kuya Karl told us he would go fasting the day after haha.

My good old-fashioned Chicken Tinola =)

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 23:28:43 -0400

Lately, my posts have always been about fastfood and dining out. Unbeknownst to others, I also appreciate home-cooked meals. I wouldn’t consider myself a foodie if I don’t. And one more thing, I can also cook. I’ve been cooking since I was 6 years old. I started off with steaming rice (sinaing), frying hotdogs and other cold cuts, and cooking instant noodles, in other words, the “basics”. =D

Eventually, I learned the more complicated stuff by watching my mom and my aunties. I observed how they cut the vegetables and meat, how they sautee onions and garlic, what goes first, mixing complementary ingredients, the works. Watching cooking shows like “Cooking with the Dazas”, and Food Network shows on the Lifestyle Network also taught me a lot about the essential things to consider in cooking. Now that I’ve thought about it, reading recipes from Del Monte Kitchenomics and Nestle Homemaker also helped me a lot too. I’ve really done my homework. I guess that’s what happens when you’re passionate about something, you’re just naturally drawn into it.

Anyway, before I tell you the whole story of my cooking life, I want to share with you this good old recipe of tinola. Tinola is a staple dish in the Philippines. It’s a stew basically made out of chicken, onion, ginger, chicken stock, and papaya/sayote. It is a dish best served during those cold, rainy days, or sunny. Even for dinner. It will always be a hit for the Pinoy palette.

Chicken Tinola

1 kilo of chopped chicken, cut into medium-sized pieces

1 piece onion, sliced into half-rings

1 small piece of ginger, julienned

1 piece green papaya/sayote, cut into cubes

1 piece Knorr chicken broth cube/chicken stock

bunched and tied up lemongrass stalk/sili leaves

salt and pepper to taste

4-5 cups of water

siling haba (long green chili) - optional

Preparation:

1. Put water into casserole and boil chicken, ginger, onion, and a little bit of salt over medium heat. (You can sautee’ chicken in onion, garlic and ginger first before boiling but this one’s healthier).

2. When chicken’s halfway done, add the papaya and chicken broth.

3. Check if the chicken and papaya’s already tender. Sprinkle a bit of cracked pepper. Taste a spoonful of the soup. Add a little more salt if needed. Simmer for 10 minutes. (“Smell it, smell it…” - Adam Sandler, Don’t Mess with the Zohan) =D

4. Add lemongrass stalk and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Savor the wonderful aroma of chicken, ginger and lemongrass coming together. If lemongrass stalk is unavailable and you want your dish a little spicier, you can use sili leaves as a subsitute. For an even spicier dish, add siling haba.

Tinola Euphoria… (play sounds of harp here)

5. Serve over a big bowl. Enjoy it as a soup or accompanied with rice. You can also serve it with fish sauce (patis) mixed with calamansi extract and siling labuyo (small red chili).

Tantananan! There you have it! My good old-fashioned tinola! =)

Sisig, Black Gulaman, Sweet Plums and Cream Puff

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 23:11:05 -0400

The gang (me, Aye, Anna and Martti) met up again at SM Megamall last Friday to eat and have a good time. For the nth time, our pockets are running out of moolah so we thought of a budget-friendly meal and we concluded that it’s gonna be sisig. So we went to the Foodcourt and we bought our dinner at Sisig Hooray! According to the Phil. Daily Inquirer, Sisig Hooray! is one of the 10 best restaurants with the best sisig and that made me curious because I’ll be eating it for the first time.

Since we were four, we availed two sisig barkada meals: one’s chicken sisig and the other’s pork sisig. The sisig were prepared in front of us; everything was neatly done and we were assured in terms of quality control and sanitation. We also ordered one extra rice for each of us but we bought our black gulaman drinks at Jelly Juice.

Chicken sisig

When we finally tasted the sisig, it was sweet and the ingredients were not tinipid. However, I would have personally prefered sizzling sisig maybe because I like it hot. For the pork sisig I had issues with its oiliness because I think the pork was fried beforehand. But the chicken sisig was okay. If the sisig was a little less sweeter, less oilier and served in a hot plate, it may have been a winner for me.

Pork Sisig (see the oiliness…hmm…)

As for the Jelly Juice black gulaman, it tastes just like the ordinary gulaman you can buy at other fastfood chains with the price of Php 20.00. Aye and Martti ordered the one with the sago at Php 25.00 and said they should’ve bought the same as ours because there was no difference except for the sago.

After we had dinner, we went to our favorite place called Tutti Frutti but I’ll skip that for now. So after our Tutti Frutti fill, we went to Aji Ichiban because Aye will buy snacks there. Tempted by the store’s offerings, I bought 100 grams of sweet plum which cost Php 101.00. So that was Php 1.00/gram. Quite expensive huh? I almost forgot that IT was from Aji Ichiban. Nevertheless, it was worth it. I can finish the plums in one sitting but it was nice I contained myself to three.

Sweet plums

Before heading home, we went to Beard Papa to buy a vanilla cream puff. It’s quite pricey for Php 50.00 but it was justified because it’s special. The puff pastry is filled with cold vanilla custard (with just the right sweetness to it…di nakakaumay) right after you buy it and it is dusted with powdered sugar. But its at its freshest best when consumed immediately.

Beard Papa’s fresh n’ natural cream puffs

Beard Papa’s vanilla cream puff

So there you have it. You have witnessed our food splurge again. Til next time!

Watching Julie and Julia

Sun, 05 Sep 2010 08:47:34 -0400

I just watched Julie and Julia and it was a wonderful film! I can relate to Julie Powell (Amy Adams’ character) because I own a food blog too. I can even associate myself with Julia Child (played by Meryl Streep) because she is not afraid to take challenges in her life and she is dedicated to mastering her craft.

Watching the film inspired me to work on my passion, which is food. Actually, I don’t feel that it is work at all because I enjoy sharing my love for food with everyone and this is the main reason why I put up this blog. So I hope that you keep on supporting my blog because it means a lot to me. =)

Get Cracking at The Red Crab!

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:38:54 -0400

Mom finally got her first paycheck yesterday and I made her promise that she would treat me and my sister in a fancy restaurant and she agreed to it. So we were walking around our frequented mall, Gateway, and looked for a good restaurant that’s still open. Then we passed by The Red Crab Cafe. I thought we wouldn’t eat there because it’s kind of expensive but heck, tonight’s a special day. Then we stopped for a while and Mom asked if we wanted to have dinner at The Red Crab Cafe. Instinctively, we said yes. And in a few minutes, we found ourselves lounging in the chairs of The Red Crab and reading magazines while waiting for our order.

The Red Crab Cafe Logo (photo credit to Clickthecity.com Food and Dining Page)

As the name suggests, The Red Crab Cafe specializes in crab dishes but they also have other seafood dishes as well. They even have pasta dishes coffee and cakes. It’s like a restaurant and a cafe in one. The atmosphere is really cozy, relaxed and unpretentious with cream-colored interiors, comfortable wooden chairs and tables, and one-seater sofa chairs. We were supposed to eat their specialty dish named Typhoon Shelter Crab but the waiter said it’s served with pasta. We didn’t push through with that since we want rice so we ordered that our 900-gram Gay Queen Crab (pun intended) be ordered in Szechuan style. Szechuan, The Red Crab way, is a sweet and spicy sauce with butter, garlic, onions and spring onions.

The Red Crab Szechuan style

Green Mango Shake and Strawberry Shake

Let’s get cracking!!! =)

The Red Crab Szechuan style is so delicious I can’t think of a better way for us to celebrate mom’s first paycheck. Okay maybe I was exaggerating on that part but it was honestly really good! The sauce was more on the sweet part and its spiciness was tolerable, which I like. The meat was siksik especially on the arms. Though I think it could be bigger for its whopping price which amounted to almost Php 1,500 if I’m not mistaken. Nevertheless, it was good enough to satisfy 3 pax so not bad. And I would have preferred the female crab for its aligue but nonetheless I’m fine with it. And to cap off our dinner, my sister ate half a slice of the Conti’s Mango Bravo cake, a merienda which I took out from the office. She also drank Strawberry Shake. Me on the other hand skipped the cake to spare my body with all the calories of the crab dish and drank Green Mango Shake, which perfectly complimented my dinner.

Our dinner experience was really good in the sense that the waiter is warm, patient and courteous in attending to all of our needs. Mom said that he was the same waiter who serves her everytime she eats there. We also liked how the manager personally talked to us, asking if we were satisfied with the food. He even told us that he would give mom a discount card soon since he notices that mom frequents their restaurant.

So if you want to deviate from the usual pork, beef, and chicken and a little food splurge would not be a problem, I recommend that you treat your family and friends to The Red Crab Cafe. I’m sure you’ll love it! (with conviction) =)

Let's Do Meditteranean!: Rap Beef Beef's Shawarma Rice

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:33:00 -0400

It was Tuesday night when I met up with my mom to have dinner before we go to our new boarding house. We were about to eat at Taco Bell but I told her that I want to try something different since we already ate there just the other day. So we looked for a place where we could eat an affordable yet satisfying meal and mom said we should go to Rustan’s Food Choices at Gateway (near the supermarket). When we were there, mom ordered her siomai with rice meal at Hen Lin (she never gets tired of siomai btw) but I’m sawa na with that so I ordered shawarma rice at Rap Beef Beef instead.

When I was younger, I didn’t like shawarma because I find the meat too tough and it has kind of a weird taste. But when I went into college, it was during my froshie year that I have realized the goodness of shawarma rice at Agno St., a popular cheap hangout spot at my previous Alma Mater. So seeing shawarma rice at Rap Beef Beef made me reminisce a little about my college days and it felt good somehow so I ordered it.

Shawarma Rice (sorry, presentation fail again because I already tasted it before taking a picture haha)

(Oops! the cucumber wedge protruded a bit haha)

Rap Beef Beef’s shawarma rice consists of shredded cabbage, minced shawarma beef, mayonnaise, hot sauce (optional), cucumber wedges, and special java rice. Funny how I didn’t even think that it was java rice until the vendor told me so =D. Well I’ve eaten java rice before in other restaurants but this one’s unique. The vendor told me that it has a secret ingredient which makes it yummier. So okay kuya, I won’t bother you with that anymore hehe. But it was a good meal for me. The meat has the right amount of tenderness and every ingredient complements each other. I even liked how the cucumber adds a refreshing twist to the meal.

Lightly Roasted Shawarma Beef

So if you want to treat your tastebuds for an affordable yet delicious Mediterranean-inspired meal, try Rap Beef Beef’s shawarma rice. They also have the usual shawarma in pita bread and other interesting delicacies which are worth trying out.

pinoytumblr: Get a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to...

Wed, 25 Aug 2010 02:21:25 -0400

pinoytumblr:

Get a chance to win an all-expenses-paid trip to Cebu!

(click on the photo for contest details and mechanics.)

Please reblog for all your foodie/shutterbug friends!

(P.S. Trip to Cebu includes a 3Days / 2 Nights’ stay at Be Resorts Mactan for two, city tour, a dinner at Abaca for two and lunch at Maya for two.)

Henny Penny Cakes

Mon, 23 Aug 2010 02:30:00 -0400

Last Friday afternoon, mom and I were looking for a nice place along Quezon Avenue where we could have our merienda. Then, we saw a quaint restaurant called Henny Penny Cafe and its good ambience was inviting enough for us to go inside. Henny Penny is a cafe (along Sgt. Esguerra St. corner Quezon Avenue) which serves cakes, breads and pastries as well as rice meals and grilled chicken.

Henny Penny Cafe (photo credit to Inferior Poet’s blog)

It looks simple from the outside, but I was amazed when I saw their cakes! They have visually appetizing selections. I ordered Desire Cake while mom chose Carrot Pudding. The Desire Cake looks like a cross between a black forest and a cheesecake, with kiwi, cherries and mango jelly on top, while the carrot pudding is a muffin-shaped bread with tiny orange stick wafers as decoration. I took pictures of them but I’m still finding a way to upload it since they are located in the internal memory of my camera.

Anyway, I only got to taste the Desire Cake. It fares well as a cheesecake because it has the right amount of sweetness and a hint of sourness into it. However, I didn’t enjoy the cake that much because it’s almost at room temperature, which makes it nakakaumay with the icing at all. I believe it’s best served chilled. Another thing is that i’m wondering whether the white square on top of the cake is edible or not because it tastes like a candle (not that I’ve eaten one but I’m just basing it on its feel). It’s like a wax when I took a bite of it, but on my second try, it tastes a bit sweet so I guess it’s edible haha.

As for our drinks, mom and I chose mango shake because it’s a safe bet for a fruit shake and we were not mistaken. The mango shake tastes good, though it could have been even better when added with a few tablespoons of fresh milk or yogurt. For takeout, we ordered their chocolate cake with chocolate slivers (sorry I forgot its name), a piece of their big silvanas, and their pan de sal. While we were paying our orders, I got a chance to have a little talk with the cashier and I found out that Henny Penny has been on the business for 15 years! And I thought it was just a recently opened restaurant. Anyway, I can’t blame myself for being naive on this topic since I’m from the South haha. But it’s really good to explore different places and see their offerings.

Yummy Street Food, Mexican Fastfood and Delish Breads

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 23:07:38 -0400

I went to Gateway once again last night to meet up with my sis and mom. I was about to wait for them so I thought I should grab something cheap and quick to eat. So I looked around at the snack area between Farmer’s Plaza Cubao and MRT Cubao. Everything’s same old, same old, except for one stall which was eagerly lined up with people, patrons and first-timers alike. It was Tusok’s Fried Isaw. I followed my instinct to try their food because I’m a big fan of isaw. I was even willing to go to UP Diliman just to get a taste of their highly-popular isaw. But I was thrilled that I don’t have to go there anymore to satisfy my isaw cravings since Tusok’s came my way.

Tusok’s Fried Isaw stall near MRT Cubao Northbound lane

Tusok’s Fried Isaw ng Manok, which I ordered, is very meaty and delicious for the very affordable price of Php 7.00. It’s even more affordable when you buy 4 pieces of it, for only Php25.00! Their isaws are coated with flour and fried into crisp perfection. And you can choose from two sauces, sweet and spicy, or spiced vinegar. For me, vinegar’s enough for the isaw but you can also add the sauce if you want because it’s delicious too anyway. If you’re not much of an isaw manok fan (which is rare), you can also try out their fried isaw ng baboy.I haven’t tasted it yet but it looks promising as well. Now here are the other photos of my trip at Tusok’s:

My order, Tusok’s Fried Isaw ng Manok with Sweet and Spicy Sauce and Vinegar

Crowd eagerly waiting to get a taste of Tusok’s Fried isaw

After eating isaw, I looked for a cheap but okay drink and I found Master Juicer’s Delight. It is a decent palamig store, not the kind you would see in bangketas. They have a well-maintained stall, the staff wore hairnets, the drinks are properly stored in a closed container, and they don’t use magic sugar on their drinks. That convinced me enough to buy a corn palamig from them worth Php 12.00. As expected, the drink was okay, just enough as a panulak hehe. But at least they don’t compromise the quality of their drinks. My palamig was milky, sweet and clean and that’s all I need.

Master Juicer’s Delight Stall, near Tusok’s Fried Isaw

Palamig (From L-R): Sweet Corn, Sago at Gulaman, Melon

Palamig (From L-R): Halo-Halo, Buko Pandan, Fruit Salad

After the quick snack, I waited at Farmer’s like crazy for about two hours. I thought mom and sis wouldn’t push through going to Gateway. But then they came and we had dinner at Taco Bell. Fortunately, our dinner was good and it helped ease my already bad mood. For dinner, I had a beef and potato burrito with flavored nacho chips, my sis had a cup of diced potatoes and chopped bacon with sour cream and cheese sauces (I think it was just a side dish). On the other hand, my mom ordered a full meal consisting of java rice, ground beef, shredded cabbage and chopped tomatoes, and diced potatoes with cheese dip (I dunno what it’s called).We also ordered two glasses of strawberry margarita slush.

My order, Beef and Potato Burrito and Nachos Sprinkles

Nachos Sprinkles Top View

The anatomy of a beef and potato burrito

Mom’s Order

My sister’s order - Potatoes and Bacon with spring onions, sour cream and cheese sauce, as RA Rivera would say it: Superb!

Taco Bell’s Strawberry Margarita Slush

As for our meals, I loved my sister’s dish because it was simple yet flavorful with the potatoes as the major factor. What we did was we top our nachos with my sister’s dish and we got great results! BTW, I’m so biased with potatoes, I can eat them anytime. On the other hand, my burrito was yummy but not as good as when I first had it. Probably because it lacks the other ingredients I tasted on my first burrito like refried beans and cheese. For mom’s meal, it was okay too, nothing special. The strawberry margarita we didn’t enjoy much because it was too sweet for our taste.

The Wonderful Breads of BreadTalk (clockwise: Rocky Rocky Bread, Hot Chic, Double Chocolate Bread, and Hot Chic again (mind you, they’re served on a Martha Stewart Plate *v*)

After we ate at Taco Bell, we went to Bread Talk to buy our breakfast treats. Of course I chose 2 pieces of Hot Chic (Spicy Pork Floss bread, my fave) for me and my sis, the Rocky Rocky bread, and the triple chocolate bread. The Hot Chic was hands down delicious, need I say more? The Rocky Rocky Bread tastes like the cheese bread you buy from panaderias but an even better version. It’s best eaten warm or at least at room temperature. While the double chocolate bread is a bread coated with milk chocolate and filled with gooey bittersweet chocolate.

Drool over this gooey thing of beauty =)

So those were my food adventures from Monday night to Tuesday morning. I hope you enjoyed reading my post. Ciao for now! =)