What’s for Merienda?

Last Saturday 27 of my classmates had a dance rehearsal for our upcoming homecoming. I was there just to shoot the video and take pictures. No dancing for me!

As usual some kind souls brought merienda or afternoon snack for the tired dancers. There was no plan on who will bring what. So I was very impressed with the food they brought. The white plastic bag on the left is a giant bag of chicharon (pork rind) that Florence brought.

Someone brought these yummy brown puto. I wasn’t able to try it but I heard raves about it.

All the food were store bought or ordered except for this walnut and raisin bread pudding super mom, Janet baked. She must cook and bake with her eyes closed. I don’t know where she finds time since her days aare packed with activities. As usual it was excellent.

walnut and raisin bread pudding

Cherry brought 2 boxes of beef patties from De Original Jamaican Pattie Shop. They’re my favorite.

beef patties

Mimi brought her aunt’s special homemade shark’s fin dumplings and Yvonne brought the siomai. It was very good and two baskets were all wiped out.

shark’s fin dumplings

Deb ordered 2 big bilaos of Red Ribbon’s pancit palabok.

pancit palabok P510

The discovery of the day was the cassava cake Cef brought. They were still warm when we opened and ate all three boxes she brought. It was very sticky and different from any cassava cake I’ve ever eaten. It also had some strips of coconut mixed in it and some grated cheese on top. It also wasn’t very sweet which is always a plus. Everyone loved the cassava cake. Thanks Cef for introducing this to us.


Ten-Four’s cassava cake P170

I was a good girl since I only had 1 dumpling, a bite of the bread pudding, and some cassava cake. It’s not that I didn’t like the food it was because I was still full from having lunch at Asian Twist. Db and I went straight to the rehearsals from lunch. Even though we were full we still had our fill of the yummy cassava cake. Our batch motto is work hard, eat harder.

De Original Jamaican Pattie Shop
Ground Level Greenbelt
Paseo de Roxas cor. Legaspi St.
Ayala Center Makati, Metro Manila
Phone Number: 894-4956
Red Ribbon Delivery
telephone: 8-7777
Ten-Four Cassava Cake
branches:
97 C. Kamuning Road, QC
telephone: 411-9401
278 E. Rodriguez Sr. Ave., QC
telephone: 741-5030
174 N.S. Amoranto Sr. Ave (Retiro)
cor. Isarog St, QC
telephone: 413-0321
221-C N. Domingo St.
cor. Pinaglabanan St.
San Juan, Metro Manila
telephone: 721-7344
Shaw Blvd. cor 29 de Augusto St.
telephone: 407-3345
Kamias Brgy. Pinahan
telephone: 433-3796
Araneta Ave. along Puregold
telephone: 712-1244
Sharksfin Dumplings and other dimsum call:
Mary Jean Tan at 840-0258

Lunch at Asian Twist Fusion Restaurant

Db wanted to treat Rochelle and me for her birthday and she suggested Asian Twist Fusion Restaurant. It was far from us but near her but we were game to try something new.

The huge twist sign really catches your attention. I just went to Chinese General Hospital in the 1st week of September and I passed NS Amoranto (Retiro St.) and I didn’t notice this restaurant. I guess if you’re paying attention you still won’t see it.

The restaurant looks like a house that was converted to a restaurant. I liked the clean and simple decor. It was very youthful.

There’s was a cake display and several kinds of bread and bars at the entrance.

I bought a couple of pork floss to take home. I wasn’t too happy with it. The bread was very firm and I didn’t like the taste of the pork floss or mahu. I prefer Bread Talk’s version a lot more.

pork floss bread P45


ebi pork floss bread P48


twist ensaymada P38


rochelle and db

The place was full when we were there last Saturday for lunch.

They also have a second floor.

It’s shocking but I don’t eat raw fish. But I ate the seared tuna from the red rice salad at the potluck dinner the night before and I liked it. So when Rochelle ordered this sesame rice tuna tataki I took the plunge and ate it. I loved it! The tuna was coated with a spicy dressing and it was the perfect partner for the rice. The addition of toasted sesame added a nice crunch and flavor to the otherwise plain rice.

sesame rice tuna tataki P135

I was on a Korean food streak so I wanted to try their version of the pajon. The difference was this pajon had a coating of panko. It was crisp but very oily. It was good but not as good as Yedang’s.

Jane’s pajion P145

The restaurant’s specialty was bibimbop or rice cooked in a stone pot. Instead of just plain beef and veggie toppings that you can find in Korean restaurants they ‘twisted’ it by offering different toppings. They have bagnet, teriyaki and even a creamy bibimbop. We ordered the teppanyaki fish fillet bibimbop.

teppanyaki fillet bibimbop P175

The server mixed everything in the bowl including the raw egg. It was really, really good. It was even better than the ones I’ve tasted in Minato and Yedang. There was a liberal amount of teriyaki sauce that made the rice so yummy. What I loved best was toasted rice at the bottom of the pot. We had to scrape it well to get every last bit. I want to go back just to eat this dish.


the crunchy bottom

Rochelle ordered the grilled squid. I’d skip this dish. It tasted a bit uncooked and the sauce wasn’t that good. I guess we were expecting a plain grilled squid with the sauce on the side.

The khalbi udon was another disappointing dish. The noodles used weren’t even udon. It was some kind of Chinese flat noodles. It tasted like Korean beef stew with noodles in it. It wasn’t really bad but it just wasn’t what I expected.

khalbi udon P235


bff forever (wow cheezy)

The waiter told us that the Asian Twist cake was their bestseller so we decided to order a slice to share. Layers of dacquoise with mango mousse in the middle, chocolate mousse on top and covered with whipped cream. Sounds inventive and good right? Alas there were several things that went wrong. The dacquoise was crunchy but slightly over baked. We could taste a slight burnt taste. The mango and chocolate layers lacked a little sweetness to make it stand out. The chocolate lacked chocolate flavor. It only tasted good when you take a bit of dacquoise and whipped cream and eat it together.

What I liked about Asian Twist was the very reasonable prices and the satisfying serving size. I would definitely go back again to eat the bibimbop and tuna tataki and try some other dishes. I hope they open a branch in Greenhills soon. Our bill came to just over P1,000. I haven’t seen a bill that low in a long time.

Asian Twist Menu
appetizer & pork, beef & chicken,
seafood, rice toppings & noodles,
salads, sandwiches & sides,
desserts & drinks, set menu
new items 1 & 2

Asian Twist Fusion Resturant
101 N.S. Amoranto cor. (formerly Retiro St.)
Speaker Perez St., Q.C.
telephone: 711-2248; 749-3878

What do you bring to a potluck?

We had another HS homecoming meeting and 17 confirmed to attend. The food for the meeting was potluck and these are what my friends brought.


Deb bought this amazing, fantabulous deli platter from Santi’s. It contained prosciutto, chorizo, gouda, emmenthal and 2 kinds of salami. This platter lasted until after dinner. We picked our way through most of it with some melon, wine and lots of laughter.


Santi’s deli platter

Debbie ordered this lumpiang ubod from her office canteen.


lumpiang ubod

Janet made this chap chae from scratch. It was restaurant quality indeed! She used US sirloin sukiyaki with the Korean noodles. It was soooo good. We are expecting more from Janet in the upcoming meetings.


chap chae

Jennie brought this Red Rice Salad from Dulcelin. On the web site the description for this is “A Korean style paella with seared tuna slices, shrimp and shredded lettuce” It costs P1,600 and is good for 10 to 12 persons. The rice tastes like it had mayonnaise in it. The seared tuna was perfect with the rice and lettuce. The dish was mildly spicy and very creamy. It was a unique dish that I don’t mind eating again and again. Paging Jennie!


red rice salad

Arlene, Kathleen and Denyse brought siomai and KFC. Too bad they came late! I heard the kids loved the siomai. The siomai was from our classmate, Jocelyn’s store in Ash Creek Mall in Ortigas Avenue.

siomai


KFC fried chicken
The best discovery for the night was this barbeque Deb ordered from Heaven’s Barbeque. They delivered the barbeque right to Deb’s gate. This was one of the best pork barbeque I’ve ever eaten. It was very soft, juicy and tasty. There was also breastlet (what an unfortunate name) which was boneless chicken barbeque made with chicken breast. It was equally delicious. It wasn’t dry at all as chicken breast is prone to become dry when grilled.

pork on the left, chicken on the right

It’s not cheap though. A stick of pork barbeque costs P37 each while the breastlet costs P29. These prices are when you order 20 pieces minimum. Otherwise add P1 each for the retail price.

My contribution was the coffee almond jelly salad in the stainless bowl. Everyone said it was good. 🙂 Elisa brought my favorite peachy peachy from Arny and Dadeng.

coffee almond jelly salad
peachy peachy

Birthday girl, Frances brought this classic mango torte as her treat for us. The bottom crust was made with walnuts and egg whites for a crunchy dacquoise. The crust was then topped with mango balls and whipped cream. Yummy!

mango torte
Aida brought this sapin sapin from Dolors, another favorite of mine.

Are these any of the food you would bring to a potluck? My friends really have good taste. Til the next meeting. Start thinking of what you will bring next.

Santi’s Delicatessen
San Antonio Plaza Arcade, Forbes Park
Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines
telephone: 894-1293

The Promenade Bldg., 198 Wilson Street Corner
P. Guevarra, San Juan City
telephone: 381-2926; 381-2934

Dulcelin Gourmet
36 Times St.
West Triangle, Q.C.
Philippines 1104
telephone: 374-2165 ; 374-2167

Heaven’s Barbeque
For Deliveries:

Aguirre St. cor. Elizalde St., BF Homes Paranaque City
telephone: 659-2314; 659-2315

7224 Malugay St. cor Buendia, Bel-Air
telephone: 894-3899; 893-4715

Vito Cruz cor Pasong Tamo
telephone: 897-2575

Petron C-5 cor. Diego Silang
Taguig City
telephone: 986-0143

Madison Square
Madison St., cor. Ortigas Ave.,
Greenhils san Juan
telephone: 726-0250; 727-3206

Madison Square
E.Rodriguez Jr.
Libis, Quezon City
telephone: 396-1198

Lunch at Minato Korean and Japanese Restaurant

The food committee of our HS homecoming was supposed to have a meeting with the caterer in Greenhills. Somehow this meeting evolved to lunch in Minato Korean and Japanese restaurant in Pasig City. It’s funny but my classmates are so easy to invite for lunch. Just one text and they’re there.

Minato was highly recommended by Arlene and Rochelle after they saw my entry on Yedang Korean restaurant. Rochelle tried Yedang with me and said Minato was better. So we tried it today.The signage for the restaurant is tiny and there are two Korean restaurants in 8137 Plaza. Minato is the one on the right.

 
Only tables on the floor had individual exhausts.

hungry classmates
 
They have a different assortment of free appetizers from Yedang. I only liked the potato sticks with ham and the spicy pancake in the middle. You can order as many refills as you want.
 
I definitely liked Yedang’s bibim bap so much more. This one didn’t have any flavor. It was just rice topped with veggies. I don’t even think the rice was cooked in the stone pot.

dol sot bibim bap P250
 
We had all our barbecue dishes cooked in the kitchen instead of cooking it on the table ourselves because they didn’t have individual exhausts above the grill. Rochelle said you will definitely smell of barbecue if you cooked it yourself.The roast beef was not marinated. It was very tender and just right when dipped with the salty sesame oil based sauce.


roast beef P350
 
The marinated short ribs were my favorite. It was very juicy and flavorful. We had 2 orders of this and it still wasn’t enough.

so kal bi P300

 
The grilled marinated pork ribs were also very good but not as fabulous as the beef ribs.


grilled marinated pork ribs P270

The pork belly strips show here is 2 orders on one plate. It was quite lean. It wasn’t marinated so it didn’t make a very big impact on me.

grilled pork belly strips P240

 
The pajeon or seafood pancake in Yedang was filled with more seafood and was heartier. Minato’s pa jun was thin and the filling was very sparse. It was still ok though.

he mul pa jun (seafood pancake) P300
 
The fish was very fresh and the texture was very fine. The fish was only half a fish. The flip side of the fish was bare.

broiled sea bream P350
 
After lunch Deb and Kathy went to the Korean grocery next door and bought an assortment of Korean ice cream. The first one had a waffle like outside layer and a red bean and ice cream filling.

nougat & cream on a stick
 

melona
 

apple flavored popsicle
 
I had the walnut ice cream. It was smooth, mildly flavored and tasted like walnuts. Everyone enjoyed their ice cream.

walnut ice cream
 
Photobomber alert on the next 3 pictures!

check out the background and those below
 

strawberry ice cream
 
 
See? We did get some work done!
 
 

location map of MinatoMinato Menu
noodles & rice, soups & stews, seafood
meat, more meat, shabu shabu, drinks

Minato Korean and Japanese Restaurant
8137 Plaza‎ St. Josemaria Escriva Drive
San Antonio, Pasig, National Capital Region, Philippines
telephone : 633-6960

 

Wishes

I’m a sucker for cute baby animal pictures specially of puppies. I want to share this with you straight from my inbox. Thanks Judie!

May you always make the right moves.

May your cup runneth over with love

May you always find shelter from any storm.

May you remain good looking and looking good!

May you find the perfect diet for your body and your soul.
(If this face doesn’t make you want to stop eating sausages, nothing will..)

May you find perfect balance in the company you keep.
May you have as much fun as you can before someone makes you stop.

May the worst thing that happens to you come in slobberry pink and furry TAN.

May you manage to MAKE time for siesta…

May all the new folks you meet be interesting and kind.
May your accessories always harmonize with your natural beauty!
Should your mouth ever be bigger than your stomach, may you have a chewing good time!

May you always know when to walk and when to run.

And may your friends always bring you joy. Good friends are a gift from God!


Dinner at Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino

First of all forgive me for the awful pictures. I set my camera to iso 3200 to take pictures of the dark menu under minimal lighting. I forgot to lower the iso for the food pictures that’s why the pictures are so noisy and grainy. I feel so bad.

I also want to apologize to Elizabeth for recommending Bistro Filipino. I read several blogs that said the food was fantastic. I saw the pictures and read their beautiful description. And since it was owned by popular chef, Roland Laudico I believed them. Alas, they were wrong.

Bistro Filipino serves fusion Filipino cuisine in a nice and comfortable setting. It’s located in The Fort in Taguig.

We were a group of 9 adults and 4 kids. We ordered several appetizers to share. 4 ordered set meals of soup, pasta and dessert while the rest ordered entrees to be served family style. That’s our table behind the gauzy fabric.
We were off to a good start. The first appetizer kangkong crisps were good but soggy. It wasn’t very warm too. Actually most of the food wasn’t hot by the time it got to our table.

kangkong crisps P228

The stuffed fish balls were made of smoked milk fish and stuffed with mozarella. I didn’t taste the cheese. This was just satisfactory for me.


stuffed fish balls P268

I liked the prito trio. It reminded me of okoy. It’s made with crispy fish, shrimps and squid with a trio of dipping sauces. By this point we were getting full with all the fried appetizers.

prito trio P228

I passed on the ubod spring roll. Too much oil consumed already.

ubod spring roll P248

Seared foie gras, fried foie gras cream and foie gras filo lumpia on mesclun greens with guava vinaigrette. I loved the lumpia most of all. It was very decadent. I also like the salad dressing which was sweet and tangy.


foie gras 3 ways


The food started to go downhill from here. The paella was soft and mushy. The mussels were coated in batter and deep fried. Why? It didn’t do anything good to the mussel but add fat. I would have preferred it naked.


paella stuffed squid P428

I wasn’t able to try the kare kare. I didn’t hear any positive or negative comments on this.

US Angus beef kare kare P488
Or this.

sinampalukang manok P388
Before going to dinner I did some research and read in a blog that the adobo overload was their most popular dish. On paper it really looked like a hit. Adobo sticky rice w/ chicken adobo and seared fresh foie gras, fried adobo flakes and adobong kang kong. The sticky rice tasted like suman. It totally didn’t go with the dish. I took a spoonful and didn’t even finish that. Plain rice would have tasted way better with this dish. Other than the foie gras which was a bit underdone this was just an ordinary dish. I ordered this dish and was glad I had so many people to share it with. It was a major disappointment.

adobo overload P788
Here’s another ‘looks good on paper’ dish. Boneless crispy pork shanks with creamy bagoong sauce. The pork was so not crispy! I ate a piece of the skin and it was so soft and chewy. The sauce wasn’t creamy at all and it lacked bagoong. The turmeric rice under the pork was also so soft and mushy. Another disappointment.

binagoongan crispy pata P488
Christine liked the mashed potato croquette in the middle of the soup. The soup was part of the set menu.


beef nilaga consomme P168

All the pasta were soft. None were al dente. Some of the sauces were good though. I really liked the angus beef kaldereta sauce. It was very tender and flavorful. Perfect with pasta.

beef kadereta pasta P388

It’s either you like this grilled chicken in tamarind coconut curry sauce or not. I loved it! The kids and some adults didn’t like it because of the strange taste they couldn’t identify. I liked the tangy kick from the tamarind combined with the coconut sauce. I would order this dish the next time I eat here again.

coconut chicken curry P368

Christine found the flavors of this pasta too strong. I found it ok. I guess she’s not used to eating smoked milk fish and capers. I basically like their pasta dishes more than their meat dishes. If only the pasta were al dente.

sundried tomato tinapa P368

Things brighten up for us when dessert was served. All the desserts were amazing! This trio of desserts is made up of halo halo shooters, suman cake and Spanish chocolate. Half of us liked the Spanish chocolate half didn’t. You can bet I loved it. It’s slow baked tsokolate-eh in a cup. I loved the flavor of tsokolate-eh. It’s so different from American style chocolate.

This is one of the best molten chocolate cakes I’ve ever eaten. It was gone so fast I didn’t even see the carabao vanilla ice cream in the center. I would go back just to eat this.

molten chocolate P188

5 seconds after the plate touched the table

Elizabeth loved the halo halo shooters so much she ordered a full order of halo halo napoleon. It’s ingenious of them to use fresh carabao cream sorbet instead of crushed ice and milk.

halo halo napoleon P168

Michelle loved the Spanish chocolate even more than me.

Isn’t the bathroom nice? They painted the walls with a light glaze and stenciled the round patterns all the way up to the ceiling.

It wasn’t all that bad. True we were disappointed with the main course but the dessert more than made up for it. I’d definitely go back for appetizers, salad and dessert.

Bistro Filipino Menu
appetizers, soups, salad, pasta
seafood, meats, desserts, set menu

Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino
Ground Level Net 2 Bldg,
3rd Ave. Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
telephone: 856-0541, 856-0634

PETA’s Top 10 Vegetarian Restaurants in the Philippines

Thanks to Chuck who shared this link for me.  I’m not much of a veggie eater but some of these restaurants make me want to try and see if I can eat an entire meal in a vegetarian restaurant. Anyone want to go with me?

The Top 10 Vegetarian Restaurants in the Philippines (according to PETA)

PETA’s hard-to-please vegan staff have chowed down to find the 10 restaurants that are best meeting the demand for meatless meals. It wasn’t an easy decision, but after a bit of good-spirited biting, screaming, and hair-pulling, our “judges” finally reached their conclusions. The results are in!

Azotea Greens
Baguio City
This small, quaint cafe serves extremely reasonably priced vegetarian Filipino dishes that will give you a true taste of Baguio without all the cholesterol and cruelty to animals. Sample adobo, afritada, nilaga, kaldereta, ginataan, and the bestseller, mushroom sisig. The cafe also sells a selection of frozen mock meats, soy milk, cruelty-free body-care products from Human Nature, and dairy- and egg-free cookies from Love Bites.
Azotea Greens’ veggie nuggets taste just like chicken – without the cholesterol and cruelty.

Bliss Cafe
Baguio City
Bliss Cafe always seems to be crowded with friendly people, perhaps because of its peaceful atmosphere and convenient location. The menu boasts something for everyone – from traditional Pinoy fare and merienda to international cuisine that will give you a taste of everywhere from Seoul and Tokyo to Zurich and Mexico City. The best dish is the “energetic embutido,” which can be made vegan by opting for no cheese – even omnivores swear it tastes better than the real thing. It even has an all-day brunch menu, including the vegetarian classic of scrambled tofu with soy sausage.
Bliss’s “no-quack” duck adobo gives our feathered friends something to cheer about.

Bodhi (also known as Evegreen)
SM Cubao, SM North EDSA, SM Megamall, SM South Mall, SM City Manila, SM Makati
If you’re craving traditional Pinoy food, head to your nearest Bodhi stall! Fortunately, they’re easy to find, too, with stalls in many Metro Manila malls. And the best news yet is that the meals can’t get more affordable! Try vegetarian versions of Pinoy dishes like kare kare, menudo, asado, bopis, ginataang langka, broccoli with “beef,” adobo, pochero, and afritada. Pure and simple, Bodhi’s mock meats have it all over the “real thing.”
Bodhi offers inexpensive traditional Pinoy food – all vegetarian!

Corner Tree Cafe
Jupiter, Makati
This small cafe along Jupiter Street has a homey feel as well as comforting but very healthy food. Choose from the extensive menu of filling soups, fresh salads, and wholesome main dishes like stews, burgers, ethnic cuisine, and pastas. The cafe even has a Filipino dish of the month! Start off the meal by sharing the starter plate, a combination of Egyptian dukka and white bean hummus served with chunks of whole wheat bread and vegetable sticks. The tofu walnut burger, which is served with sweet potato fries or an organic green salad, is an absolute must-have.

Daily Veggie N’ Cafe
Quezon City
Tucked away in the streets of Quezon City lies a vegetarian haven called Daily Veggie N’ Cafe. If you love the taste of meat but would rather not get it from a cholesterol-laden animal – or if you’re eating with nonvegetarians and want to introduce them to flavorful and fabulous flesh-free fare – this could be the place for you. Try the curry (on its own or with noodles) and the sweet-and-sour nuggets as well as the sizzling fillet, which is so fish-like that it’s almost scary (the seaweed looks and tastes like fish skin).
Daily Veggie N’ Cafe’s sweet-and-sour nuggets – all the taste without the flesh!



Greens Cafe and Restaurant
Scout Castor, Quezon City
A visit to Greens Cafe and Restaurant, located in the heart of Quezon City, is a truly memorable experience. It’s hard to say if it’s the tempting traditional sisig and embutido dishes or the mouthwatering modern fare like the clubhouse sandwich and the various veggie burgers that makes this restaurant so memorable, but one thing is certain: The vegan chocolate cake is an astounding taste experience that is guaranteed to be the subject of daydreams for weeks to come.
Greens Cafe has both green cuisine and a green and refreshing atmosphere.

Hapilife Healthy Food Corner
West Tapinac, Olongapo City
Tucked away on the quiet streets of Olongapo is a little gem of a restaurant that combines great food and great service, all for very reasonable prices! The range of tempting options includes combo meals with vegetarian versions of steak, tuna, drumsticks, and roast duck; meat- and dairy-free versions of traditional Filipino fare, including adobo, sisig, pancit miki, and misua soup; and detoxifying fresh fruit and vegetable juices. A vegetarian haven on the quiet streets of Olongapo.



Ima’s Gulay Bar
Puerto Princesa City, Palawan
The menu at Ima’s Gulay Bar boasts such a wide variety of dishes that it’s hard to choose! From Mexican burritos, pizza, and jambalaya to fresh salads, filling soups, and a variety of sandwiches and vegetarian burgers, whatever you’re craving, you’ll find it at Ima’s! Just ask for the vegan versions of the spicy bean burger, curried tofu sandwich, or sausage fajitas and you’re in for a treat. If you’re in the mood for something different, try the spicy okra and mango pasta. Finish off the meal by sipping an exotic shake in soy coffee, carob, ginger, or fruit flavors.  If you’re in Puerto Princesa, stop by Ima’s Gulay Bar for a refreshing meal.

Ima's

Mandala Spa
Boracay Island, Malay, Aklan
With a focus on health, rejuvenation, and a relaxing atmosphere, the Mandala Spa in Boracay is the place to go when you really want to get away from it all. To keep with its focus on health, the spa has a completely vegetarian restaurant that serves classic cuisine that’s filling yet nutritionally balanced. Try the pan-fried tofu – which is served stir-fry style with beans, asparagus, pechay, and sprouts and topped with peanut sauce and crushed peanuts – and the pad Thai (without the egg), which is topped with a sweet tamarind-based sauce and spring onions. Finish off the meal with a light dessert of scrumptious apple crumble.
If you want amazing vegetarian cuisine and a relaxing atmosphere, head to the Mandala Spa.

The Farm
San Benito, Batangas
The restaurant at The Farm spa and resort offers extensive raw lunch and dinner buffets (don’t let the “raw” factor scare you – this raw food is delicious). The elegant cuisine – made entirely from fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and seeds cooked at low temperatures to retain their nutritional value – will tempt your eyes and satisfy your palate. Deliciously creamy yet dairy-free pastas, rich soups, tangy stir-fries, and fresh salads blanket the buffet tables.  Don’t let the raw factor scare you – the Farm offers both nutritious and delicious food!

Want to do your part to help animals? Try the tantalizing options at these restaurants and take PETA’s 30-Day Pledge to Go Veg today to pledge to explore a vegetarian diet for one month. We’ll e-mail you our favorite recipes as well as tips on making the switch to a vegetarian diet.

Contact Me Button

I don’t if you’ve all seen that small contact me button above my picture. But somebody did and she sent me a really nice email which I would like to share. It just made my day!

hi!  i just stumbled upon your page today and have been reading your posts non-stop the entire night.  i really enjoy reading these kinds of blogs since i get an idea of restaurants that i myself could try eventually.  imagine my surprise when i saw your entries regarding your store and your packed lunch meals and realized that these were the very same meals that i used to eat when i worked at the 26th floor of jollibee plaza.  hahaha!  so not only did i enjoy your food but i now also enjoy your writings about food.  keep up the good work! 🙂

Thanks for your email C!

Sunday Lunch at Home

After eating lunch in restaurants every Sunday, it was a welcome change to finally eat at home. We were invited to a friend’s house for lunch. Nothing beats home cooking as long as I don’t have to cook.

The host and her sisters and sister in law are great cooks. These are their creations.


chicken wintermelon soup


shrimp salad


roast pork & soy chicken from Choi Garden


sauteed abalone w/ lettuce


paella


fried black cod fillets w/ sauce

The angus steaks were bought thinly sliced from Santi’s then marinated in a combination of soy sauce, olive oil and balsamic vinegar then grilled. It was very good although a tad salty.

angus steak

Wasn’t the menu impressive? Just like that of a restaurant!
The colorful fruit plate was made up of pineapple, dragon fruit, yellow kiwi, pomelo and yellow watermelon. Exotic huh?

fruit plate
What an creative way of serving Dolor’s sapin sapin.

sapin sapin bites


chocolate cake from Sugarhouse


cheese cupcakes

Dessert at Bizu Patisserie

Bizu is one of my favorite restaurants. I’ve eaten there so many times that I already have a discount card. Alas those were all pre-blog days. I finally went back for dessert after our dinner at Freska.

It’s not cheap to eat at Bizu but I can guarantee they have the best cakes, pastries and dessert. They definitely have the best French macaroons in town. At P35 per piece it’s a steal compared to buying it in Hong Kong, Usa and specially Paris. It’s comparable in quality too.

Note: This review was made in 2009 when there weren’t other suppliers of macarons in Manila. I recently tried Bizu’s macarons again and found the flavors to be mild and artificial tasting. The texture was dry and even a bit brittle.  Maybe it’s because I’ve tried much better macarons that I realize the difference between really good quality and mediocre ones. 8/20/11


We shared a plate of assorted flavors of macaroons. We tried the lemon, raspberry, chocolate, espresso, butterscotch, mango and vanilla. My favorite was the chocolate. It was dark and rich and the most intensely flavored among those I tried.

I’ve tried several of their small cakes. My favorite is the Amore. But the best dessert in Bizu is the Valrhona chocolate souffle with vanilla ice cream and a choice of chocolate or vanilla sauce. It’s not the typical light and airy souffle. This was more like a molten chocolate cake which was deep, dark, dense and delicious. A small order can be shared by 6 people. It’s the best fix for any chocoholic.


Valrhona chocolate souffle P285

Poke a hole in the souffle and pour in the chocolate sauce. Dip your spoon and scoop out a spoonful of chocolate heaven. Put it in your mouth, close your eyes and go mmmmmmm. Open your eyes right away and get some ice cream. Eat and go ahhhhhhhh. That’s how you eat the souffle.

Bizu Patisserie
The Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center
telephone: 724-2498 • 726-2496