Ristras Mexican Grill

Ristras Mexican Grill is the newest restaurant in J. Abad Santos st. I love Mexican food specifically burrito which I only eat at Mexicali and nachos which I used to buy at Taco Bell (i don’t anymore bec. of the calories). So when I read about Ristras opening nearby I was excited to try their food.


tacos

This is Phillip one of the owners of Ristras. He guided me on how to order a burrito.

This sign was posted on the glass to help you order your burrito, taco and salad. Of course no one reads it that’s why Phillip has to be there to explain each step and ingredient.

The pictures of the burrito below isn’t what I ordered. I was busy talking to Phillip that I forgot to take pictures of my burrito. Thankfully someone else ordered a burrito right after me.

Step 1: Choose a tortilla – regular or whole wheat?
Step 2: Choose a burrito – house, fajita or bowl?
Step 3: Choose a rice – cilantro rice or chorizo rice?

chorizo rice on regular tortilla


sauteed peppers and onions
Step 4: Choose a filling – barbacoa, chicken, steak, canitas, or vegetarian. You can combine 2 kinds of fillings.

Barbacoa – shredded beef, slow braised with their own chipotle adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano
Chicken – marinated for hours in their own jalapeno marinade and grilled
Steak – marinated for hours in their own jalapeno marinade and grilled
Carnitas – pork seasoned w/ thyme, bay leaves, orange juice, pepper and braised for four hours
Vegetarian – freshly made guacamole and vegetarian black beans


steak and chicken filling


salsa

Step 5: Choose a chili – red or green?

green chilis

pico de gallo salsa (mild)


tomatillo green chili salsa (medium hot)


roasted chili corn salsa (medium)

sour cream


grated cheese


guacamole
If you don’t specify what sauce you want on your burrito they will put it all in. When I went home I immediately weighed my burrito. It weighed 626 grams or 1.38 lbs! It probably has 1,000+ calories too.

burrito P 290 / 626 grams

I was prepared to be bowled over. The assembly made me drool. The description of the fillings were mouth watering. The burrito weight 626 grams for heaven’s sake. When I took my first bite I was disappointed with the flour tortilla. It tasted pasty and soggy. From my experience it’s supposed to be dry and firm.

After cutting off the top layer of tortilla I took another bite of the filling. The barbacoa was delicious and full flavored although a tad salty. My problem with the whole burrito was it was too wet. There were too much sauces and other fillings that I couldn’t tell the ingredients and flavors apart. Next time I order the burrito I will keep the sauces to a minimum. Unbelievable but they even gave me 3 containers of different sauces with my take home order. It took me 3 meals and 2 days to finish this burrito.

I will definitely give Ristras another try. Now that I know how and what to order hopefully my next burrito will weigh under a pound.


Ristras menu

Ristras Mexican Grill
J. Abad Santos
corner Lopez Jaena,
San Juan


Where to shop for bargains in Hong Kong?

It’s sale season in Hong Kong now. For those going there to shop this video will help you stretch your dollars.

I made this video last year to show some friends how to get to my favorite shopping streets in Hong Kong. Fa Yuen St. in Prince Edward is a mecca for overrun clothes, toys, shoes, cosmetics and fruits. After that go to Sin Tat for cellphones and accessories then to Mongkok computer centre for all your gadget needs. Last stop is Fa Yuen St. in Mongkok also known as Sport Shoes Street (波鞋街) where you will find all the sneakers and sports stuff your heart desires. You start in Fa Yuen St. Prince Edward and end in Mongkok.

Don’t forget to haggle for the best bargain!

Where to eat in Hong Kong after all that shopping? Click here. You’ll find choices from the cheapest but yummy food to the most expensive chi chi dining options.

Note: It’s not normally this crowded. It was a holiday when I took this video. But avoid going to all these places on weekends. All the locals are out in full force. Very few tourists go to these places.

Fa Yuen St. Market
Boundary street and Dundas street
Mong Kok, Hong Kong

Sin Tat Cellphone Building
Argyle Street, Mongkok

Mongkok Computer Centre
8 Nelson Street
Mong Kok, Hong Kong

J. Abad Santos st. , San Juan

J. Abad Santos st. is becoming a vibrant food street in San Juan. It’s home to Alex III, Mann Hann, Little Store and Sandy’s Pizza. Add to that these two strip malls facing each other packed with different restaurants.

On one side is Ristras, which I will feature in a separate post, Tofu store, Mocha Blends and the Nail Loft.

On the other side is House of Lasagna, NY Pizza, BQ, Serenitea and Country Chicken.

I go to Nail Loft every fortnight to have my manicure and pedicure. They’re the cheapest in town and they use only the best brands from the USA like OPI and Essie. They also sterilize all theirs tools for each client. The place is very cozy and the music is so soothing that I always fall asleep. I wake up to clean and polished nails.

They also have the latest issues of local and imported magazines.


The Nail Loft

I went to House of Lasagna to buy an order of meat lasagna to take home for dinner. The waiter assured me it was very good and it was assembled as ordered and not pre-baked. I didn’t like it very much. The taste wasn’t bad at all but there was too much bechamel sauce. It was too rich for me. I’m sure other people will disagree but that’s just me.

House of Lasagna menu

The interiors were sparse and simple but cozy.

I’ve been wanting to try Serenitea for quite a while now. So after my nail session I went to buy an iced milk tea.

As suggested by the staff, I ordered the cold royal milk tea for P80. They ask you what sugar level you want. I chose the 50% level. It was still too sweet for me. I suggest starting at 25% then just add more sugar if you want. The tea wasn’t strong enough for me. The best milk tea is still in Hong Kong’s Cafe de Coral. The staff was nice enough to keep adding strong tea to my drink but it was still a far cry from Cafe de Coral.

Serenitea menu

On another day I went to Country Chicken to buy dinner.

They sell extra sauce for P15 a bag and packs of pork barbecue for P200.

On the counter are some food stuff they also sell.
Their chicken is Chinese style fried chicken just like Classic Savory Chicken. But that’s where the similarity ends. Country’s chicken is soft, juicy and flavorful from the skin to the bone. Even the sauce is very tasty. So if you have a hankering for this kind of fried chicken, skip Savory and head on to Country Chicken. You won’t be disappointed.

Country Chicken P300

Nail Loft
Unit 1, Citiplace Bldg.,
Jose Abad Santos,
San Juan
telephone: 723-9445

Serenitea
Ground Floor GNL Bldg.,
J. Abad Santos St. corner V. Cruz
San Juan

Country Chicken
telephone: 724-4055

When you thought I wasn’t looking…

 
WHEN YOU THOUGHT I WASN’T LOOKING
A message every adult should read 
because children are watching you and 
doing as you do, not as you say.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 

I saw you hang my first painting 
on the refrigerator, 
and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I saw you feed a stray cat, 
and I learned that it was good to be kind
to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I saw you make my favorite cake for me, 
and I learned that the little
things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I heard you say a prayer, 
and I knew that there is a God I could always
talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I saw you make a meal and 
take it to a friend who was sick, 
and I learned that we all have 
to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I saw you take care of our house 
and everyone in it, and I learned we have
to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I saw how you handled your responsibilities, 
even when you didn’t feel good, 
and I learned that I would have to be
responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I saw tears come from your eyes, 
and I learned that sometimes things
hurt, but it’s all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I saw that you cared, 
and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I learned most of life’s lessons 
that I need to know to be a good and
productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn’t looking 
I looked at you and wanted to say,
‘Thanks for all the things I saw when
you thought I wasn’t looking.’

Each of us (parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, friend)
influences the life of a child.

How will you touch the life of someone today? 
Make them at least think about 
their influence on others.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply.
Speak kindly. 
Leave the rest to God.

Dinner at Toast Box

When we were at Food Republic in Wisma Atrium in Singapore we discovered Toast Box. We fell in love with their kopi (coffee) both hot and cold and declared it one of the best coffees we’ve ever tasted. It was strong, smooth and not acidic. I told Chris and Rochelle that there is Toast Box in Trinoma mall. So when we came back to Manila we immediately went to Trinoma to try the local Toast Box to see if the coffee and food are up to par.

The place was really small but cozy. I wonder why there is only one branch in Manila. Maybe the Filipinos aren’t used to this kind of food? Or maybe the prices are too high? We hope they open in the Greenhills or Ortigas area soon.

That yellow pyramid on the counter is a tower of butter. I wonder why it doesn’t melt in our weather. Transfat added? hmmm

As usual I had to order my favorite laksa. I’m eternally searching for good laksa. It wasn’t bad at all. It’s nowhere near the really good ones I’ve tried in Hong Kong and Singapore but for a small restaurant like this it’s passable. Does anyone know where I can find good laksa in Manila?


Nonya Laksa P 199

Rochelle ordered this Mee Siam for P. He didn’t like it. Rochelle said it wasn’t very good. I think she should have ordered the Fried Mee Siam instead of this soupy noodle dish. I saw the people at the next table eating the Fried Mee Siam and it looked much better.


Mee Siam P 145

The most popular thing to order in Toast Box is the traditional toast box set. You have a choice of fillings for the thick toast – kaya (coconut egg jam), butter sugar, honey or peanut. Add two soft boiled eggs served with soy sauce and coffee or tea and you have yourself a traditional Singaporean breakfast. In our case, dinner. 
According to Chris and Rochelle the hot kopi wasn’t as good as in Singapore but it was satisfactory. I had a cold kopi c (c is for condensed milk) and I loved it. It was strong and had hints of chocolate.

traditional kaya toast set P 125

P had this chicken rice set. I guess it was good since he finished it with Chris’ help.

Nasi Lemak P 209
coconut rice and fried chicken with peanuts,
anchovies, fried egg and sambal paste

Toast Box menu


Toast Box
Main Lobby
TriNoma Mall
EDSA cor. North Ave.
Quezon City
telephone: 915-2856

Best Gelato at Cara Mia Gelateria

I attended the blessing of Cara Mia’s branch in Greenhills. Cara Mia is part of Amici restaurant.


I dragged Rochelle and Chris to accompany me. The minute we sat down they brought food from Amici to our table. They served 2 kinds of pasta and pizza. Our hands down favorite was the spaghetti in olive oil and garlic. It was mouth-watering good! The touch of red pepper flakes and anchovies gave the dish just the right amount of kick and flavor. You MUST order this when you go to Amici.

Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Pepperoncino
mildly spiced pasta in garlic
& olive oil w/ anchovies

Lasagna Al Forno
baked pasta layered with meat sauce
& assorted cheeses

Pizza Tutta Carne
Italian sausage, ham & pepperoni

We also loved the sardine pizza. It was unique and healthier than an all meat pizza.

Pizza Sardinella Marinara
tawilis fillets over pickled veggies, olives & capers

Now to the main event. The gelato was really dressed up for this special event. The display looked tantalizing.

Cara Mia has eighteen delectable flavors of gelati -Pistachio, Sans Rival, Strawberry Supreme, Cioccolato, Straciatella, Mint with Chocoalate, Espresso, Choco with Nuts, Blueberry Supreme, Nocciola (Hazelnut), Guianduia (Choco Hazelnut), Vanilla, Mango Classic, Mango Jubilee, Ube, Macapuno, Pineapple, and Banana.


We tried all the flavors! I told the server to give me mini scoops of gelato on the waffle cup. We all had our own favorites. The chocolate and strawberry were very good. The chocolate had a deep, rich chocolate flavor. The sans rival was also good but it was too sweet. If they adjust the sweetness it will surely be a big hit.

Rochelle liked the pistachio while Chris liked the espresso.

A first in Manila are these gelato cakes. They are a perfect alternative to bringing birthday cakes to a party. If you’re not sure which cake to buy you can order a single serving of their gelato cakes to try. They serve it in a big paper cup.

Choco Tartufo
I’ve tried the banana blast which is made up of chocolate, strawberry and banana gelatos. It tasted like a banana split. Very yummy.

Banana Blast

Merry Berries


Mango Sans Rival
Rochelle liked the spumoni because it has pistachio, blueberry and vanilla gelato. (not sure if these are the correct flavors)

Spumoni Surprise


Choco Sans Rival

I’m a happy camper

Cara Mia also has different gelato based desserts like the affogato which is a scoop of gelato on a bed of soaked ladyfingers served with a shot of espresso coffee. They have six affogato varieties—Tiramisu Twist, Black Forest Spell, Berries Delight, Noccioloa Blend, Tropical Mix, and Choco Banana.

If you want to drink your gelato instead go for the gelato shakes—Mud Slide, Pine-Mango, Banana Strawberry, and Coffee Java.

With all these choices there’s no reason not go back to Cara Mia over and over again until you’ve tried all the flavors and gelato concoctions.

New gelato
Cara mia Gelato menu
(click to enlarge)
Cara Mia Gelateria
101 Missouri Square,
Connecticut corner Missouri Streets,
Greenhills, San Juan
telephone: 724-4206

Panasonic G1 Camera Bag

I’ve been looking for the perfect camera bag for my Panasonic G1. The most important thing for me is that it should be light and hopefully it doesn’t look like a typical camera bag. I looked at Crumpler, Lowepro and Kata bags. I really liked Crumpler’s 4 million dollar bag but it was already heavy when empty. Lowepro’s Manila distributor didn’t have any stocks to choose from. And I didn’t like the Kata bags I saw at Infomax.

I finally chose the Tamrac Aero 45 bag which I bought at JT Photoworld for Php 1,590.00. It was very light and the color was not the usual black and it will fit an extra lens and flash if I ever get one.


Tamrac Aero 45 camera bag

I also liked the side pockets where I can put my cellphone and the front pocket for accessories like a lenspen, cleaning cloth and extra sd cards. There’s another pocket at the back of the bag.

JT photo world’s showroom looks yucky from the outside but inside it’s ok. The bags were displayed nicely and the sales people were very knowledgeable.


photo from jt photo world site

They have all sorts of accessories there but you can also check Tay Hua since they carry similar items at a lower price. Tay Hua delivers too.

JT Photo World
1082 Chino Roces Ave. (formerly Pasong Tamo),
Barangay Tejeros, Makati City
telephone: 899-5018

Sunday Lunch at Inagiku

Warning: the following pictures may cause excessive drooling.

We were invited to have lunch at Inagiku at the Makati Shangri-la Hotel. It has been quite a while since I’ve eaten here. I was amazed at the abundance of new sushi selections. If you love sushi and sashimi this buffet is for you. The Japanese buffet is available on Saturday and Sunday lunch for P1,732.00 net or US$36.

This is the most popular sushi in the buffet. As soon as a server puts in down on the table it literally flies off the buffet table. People get so many pieces of it as if they want to hoard it. It’s a piece of prawn with mayonnaise, cheese and seaweed. It was really good but very rich. I think eating 2 pieces is more than enough.

Next up are the cold dishes which include appetizers, salads and noodles. As if all that sushi and sashimi weren’t enough.

Sake Kimisushi
boiled salmon w/ vinegared egg


Ebi Midorisu Ae
vinegared boiled shrimp &
wakame seaweed in green vinegar


Butaniku Saikyou Yaki
grilled marinated porkloin w/ miso


Japanese style potato salad


Yakinasu Goma Ae
grilled eggplant w/ sesame sauce


Asparagus salad w/ miso mayonnaise

Kani Kamaboko Salad
kani, lettuce, cucumber & fish roe salad

Hiya Yakko
cold Japanese bean curd w/ condiments


Soumen
cold Japanese thin noodle w/ condiments


Inagiku Salad

Whew! Main course now. How are you doing? Getting hungry already? More drool-worthy pictures ahead.

Shrimp Teppanyaki


Black Cod


Tamago


Salmon Teppanyaki

Chicken w/ Cashew

Choose what fish or meat you want and the chef will cook it for you. I had the steak. It was gooood.

Teppanyaki Grill


Kinoko Hot Udon
hot udon with assorted mushroom


Yakimeshi
fried rice Inagiku style


Sake Cheese Age
breaded salmon w/ cheese


Ebi Dango Kushiyaki
grilled shrimp ball w/ teriyaki sauce


Yakiyasai
vegetable teppanyaki

Wait! There’s more -sukiyaki. The sukiyaki at Dusit was was so much better. Freshly cooked tempura can also be ordered from the waiter. Individual portions will be served to you. I ordered sweet potato tempura which are my favorite.
This is from one huge fish.

Maguro Kabuto Yaki
grilled tuna head w/ salt

Don’t forget dessert. There should always be room for dessert. Japanese desserts are unique and light so you can indulge. I just ate the orange and coffee jelly which are yummy.


Imo To Kuri
grilled chestnuts wrapped in sweet potato


Zenzai
boiled red bean w/ grilled mochi

Orange Jelly

Coffee Jelly


Raisin Shiratama
boiled mochi powder w/ raisin


fresh fruit cocktail

fresh fruits

I got 4 kinds of fish roe sushi not because I love them but I figured it would look good in the picture. Am I right?

my sushi plate

I loved their salmon teppanyaki. Everything else was a blur.

steak and salmon on my plate

Inagiku
Makati Shangri-la Hotel
Ayala Avenue corner Makati Avenue
Makati City 1200 Philippines
telephone: (63 2) 813 8888
for reservations: 840 0884