Shoot First Eat Later

Dinner at Myron’s Steaks Ribs & Seafood

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When Jin and Franny, two of Manila’s popular food bloggers suggested we meet I immediately agreed and the ideas on where to eat was our biggest dilemma.

I suggested Myron’s since I have never eaten there and they can accomodate my diet requirements. Yes, a food blogger on a diet. This was actually the first time to eat out since I started my diet.

So after a few weeks of correspondence on Facebook we finally met on Wednesday night at Rockwell’s Power Plant Mall.

The snow white girl is Jin of Jin Loves to Eat. If you’ve seen her blog and her pictures I can vouch she is really, really white and her skin is flawless. I hate her! 😀

The girl with the big smile is Franny of Franny Wanny. Yes she is as friendly as she looks. We both graduated from the same high school although a decade or more apart. I can’t believe I admitted that! She’s the more senior blogger among us with 4 years under her belt while Jin and my blog’s are a mere 2 years old.

Jin and Fran shared the soup, steak and sidings. I was so happy they didn’t order paella or burgers, that would have made me weep with envy.

prawn bisque P160

Fran and Jin weren’t sure they could finish this entire steak but they did.

The President P2,010

I couldn’t resist taking a teeny weeny bite of the charred steak. Oh my, it was so flavorful and very juicy.

Jin wanted her steak medium rare while Franny preferred it medium well. The chef did a good job of splitting the steak lengthwise and cooking it accordingly. Jin commented that she wished it was a little more rare but I didn’t see her complaining as she demolished her share. Well they both did.

It was amusing to see my dinner companions taking pictures too. Usually I’m the only one taking pictures with everyone else glaring impatiently at me waiting for their chance to eat.

Even though these ladies were younger than me we never ran out of things to talk about. From the moment they sat down it was non-stop chatting for 3 hours. I really had a good time sharing stories about food blogging and listening with envy when Fran told us about all the freebies she has received. Hmm why haven’t Jin and I gotten anything?

Jin and Fran

I was surprised that they didn’t finish one bowl of ‘famous’ Myron’s rice with bits of beef. They told me it was hard and dry.

Myron’s rice

Fran said the creamed spinach was yummy.

creamed spinach P120

I asked the waiter to tell the chef the weight of my steak and veggies and to prepare it simply and without any sauce. They gave me a lean rib eye steak which was a tad over done but still very good. I didn’t feel deprived. I was very, very full by the time I finished. It was a bit costly but I was just happy to eat out again. But if I weren’t on a diet I would have ordered the Deadly Rib Eye Sisig with Bone Marrow and Rice.

my diet steak dinner – rib eye steak w/ bok choy & fresh shitake mushrooms P800

I did envy Jin’s cafe mocha since I can’t drink coffee after 2:00 pm or else I’d stay awake the whole night.

mocha java

Until our next meal ladies!

Myron’s menu
starters/oysters/salad, soup & steak, ribs & platter, burgers & sandwiches
seafood/paella/house specialties, pasta, desserts/coffee/tea, wine

Myron’s Steaks Ribs & Seafood
Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center
Lopez Drive, Barangay Poblacion
Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines
telephone: (63 2) 728-5555, (63 2) 728-9898

Fran’s blog on our dinner.

Dessert at La Crêperie

This is what we ate for dessert after lunch at Uncle Cheffy. Yes it’s as good as it looks.

I’ve never eaten at La Crêperie before and since I love crepes it was an easy decision for our dessert place.

The waiter enthusiastically encouraged me to order the double chocolate fudge brownie crêpe. And so I did!

Yup that’s a slice of brownie in the middle of a chocolate crêpe.

Just a brownie inside. No cream, sauce or anything else.

The presentation was lovely. The crêpe was topped with La Creperie’s homemade chocolate sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

The crêpe was very rich but surprisingly not too sweet. The brownie was chewy on the outside and soft and fudgy on the inside. It tasted more like a chocolate lava cake wrapped with a crêpe. It was simple, decadent and oh so delicious.

double chocolate fudge brownie crêpe P225

They carried TWG tea which came from Singapore. The waiter recommended the Silver Moon tea and brought the huge tin of loose leaf tea for us to smell. It smelled really fruity.

TWG’s website describes the tea as “A TWG blend of green teas is accented with a grand berry and vanilla bouquet, suave, with just a hint of spice. A tea for that special moment.”

Even though the tea was made with a green tea base I found it very light. I’m used to a stronger brew of green tea like those served in Japanese restaurants. But it was good together with the sinfully rich crêpe.

Silver Moon tea, small pot P145

I wish we ate lunch here instead. There were several savory crêpes that caught my eye.

Based on how good the dessert crêpe was I can’t wait to go back to try their savory crêpes as well as other sweet crepes specifically the salted caramel crepe

La Creperie
2/L Eastwood Mall Veranda
E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave.
Bagumbayan, Libis
Quezon City, Metro Manila
telephone: 709-2446

Lunch at Uncle Cheffy

My balikbayan aunt decided that our day of shopping and eating be at Eastwood Mall. Since I haven’t shopped there in several years I was excited to go.

Before hitting the stores we decided to fortify ourselves with lunch. After looking at several restaurants’ menus we chose to have a simple and light panizza at Uncle Cheffy.

The first time I tried panizza was at C’ Italian Dining in Pampanga and I loved it. We ordered the seafood lovers panizza with salmon, shrimp, clams, squid, herbs, onion and 3 cheese. Included was a small quantity of microgreens, salsa and alfalfa sprouts which we had to ration carefully.

seafood lovers panizza P425

There was salmon? Hmm I didn’t taste or see any. It must have missed my slice. There was lots of very tender squid though. The panizza wasn’t very crisp even though it was very thin. It was quite bland so we asked for some anchovies which greatly improved the taste. I haven’t tried Yellow Cab’s panizza but my aunt said it was much better than this.

This is how you eat panizza. Take a long slice of pizza and top it with lettuce, salsa and alfalfa sprouts and roll it up. It’s like pizza and a tortilla wrap in one.

Our tummies were full but we felt something was missing. You should see what we had for dessert. Check for that post in a couple of days!!

Uncle Cheffy’s menu
panizza, appetizers & salad, specialties, platters, grill, desserts

Eastwood Mall Veranda
Eastwood Ave. & Orchard Road, Bagumbayan
Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines
telephone: (632) 383-7215

California Crunch Cassava Chips

I received an email if I wanted to try a new product in the Philippine market, California Crunch cassava chips. I immediately said yes! I love chips and if I could find a healthier option to potato chips than the dreaded baked potato chips then bring them on.

I’ve tried Arico cassava chips, a brand from the USA, and I liked it. I’ve also tried other brands which I didn’t like. California Crunch, just like Arico (now named Crisproot) is made in Indonesia and is available in two flavors, barbecue and sour cream and onion.

It’s not exactly low calorie since I can finish the whole 120 gram bag in one sitting but at least it is 30% lower in fat and has twice the fiber. Even after eating a whole bag there isn’t a single trace of oil on my fingers.

Of the two flavors my favorite is the barbecue.

Even if the color is a bright orange I’m simply addicted to the taste. At first bite you taste a sweet flavor which turns into a slow heat that tingles the tongue. It’s really amazing how they achieved this complex flavor. I would choose this over regular potato chips any day since there is no potato chip I’ve tried with a similar taste.

The sour cream variant is good too but not as exciting as the barbecue. If you can’t stand a little heat then this one is for you.

The taste and texture of cassava chips will never beat potato chips for the most basic reason that it contains less starch. That’s what make potato chips so delicious. But for a healthier alternative that will make you forget potato chips for a while California Crunch cassava chips is definitely the one to try.

California Crunch cassava chips is currently available at SM Supermarkets and Hypermart for P44.50 each. Hopefully it will be available in other supermarkets soon.

California Crunch Facebook

Lunch at Cerchio

It was only fitting that I eat at Cerchio with Jane and Mila since I was with them too when I ate at Romulo Cafe, the sister restaurant of Cerchio.

While Romulo Cafe served Filipino food Cerchio was a mish mash of Filipino, Asian and Mediterranean cuisine.

Ivy Almario did a wonderful job converting this house into a chic and modern restaurant.

The use of pvc pipes dipped in paint and stamped on charcoal colored walls was creative and fun.

More ‘pipe stamping’ on the exterior walls.

The 2nd floor looked like a cool lounge.

I loved the lighting behind fabric covered sliding doors. I bet this looked fabulous at night.

This must be a popular place for drinks at night.

patio dining

function room

Back on the ground floor is the infamous common bathroom. I didn’t encounter any guys when I used it. 😀

common bathroom

A wall made of pvc pipes was behind our table.

pvc pipes wall

This simple wrap made with cold chicken, vegetables, mandarin orange and hoisin sauce was very refreshing. Perfect meal during a warm summer day.

Peking style chicken tortilla wrap P225

I really liked the clear flavorful soup made with grilled chicken, squash, chorizo sausage and plantain bananas. The basil really amped up the flavor of the soup.

grilled chicken w/ chorizo & saba soup P90

The baked crispy pata (pork leg) was surprisingly crisp although not as crispy at the fried version. But for a sinful dish with less guilt and cholesterol it was good enough for me not to miss the fried version. Yes the 3 of us finished this entire chunk of pork love.

baked crispy pata w/ 3 sauces P650

I didn’t like any of the 3 sauces that came with the crispy pata. One was too sweet, the other too spicy and the last too salty.

honey cilantro, oyster chili & crispy pata sauce

With so many fish dishes on the menu we took a chance with the crispy hito or catfish. It was a good decision. The fish fingers were so good they tasted like chicken. The signature sauce was yummy too. We actually used that sauce for our crispy pata too.

crispy catfish w/ burong dalag & Cerchio’s signature sauce P280

My friend Rochelle texted me that I should order the grilled squid. She was right! The squid was perfectly cooked and tender. The rice was a bit dry but tasty.

grilled stuffed squid w/ squid ink rice P350

I don’t even remember what this cake was called. Obviously it didn’t leave an impact.

We finished all the food save for two chicken wraps. I’ve read other opinions on other blogs, some negative some positive. I guess it depends on what you order. We were lucky that everything we ordered was good.

me, Jane and Mila

Cerchio’s menu
appetizers, soup/salads/veggies/meat, seafood/pasta, new items, drinks

Cerchio
76 Scout Limbaga, Quezon City
telephone: 355-0998/351-5279

Lunch at Gotti’s

I’m very easy to invite to eat out. Just send me a text and I’ll be there. That’s what my high school friends did. They were kind enough to treat me for their birthday. Who am I to say no?

There are so many restaurants in SM Megamall’s atrium that I haven’t tried so I was happy that we ate at one of them.

Both soups were surprisingly good with a strong presence of herbs that intensified the flavor.

cream of mushroom soup P90

cream of pumpkin soup P90

We all liked the spicy, succulent shrimp. We had to ask for extra foccacia to sop up all the yummy sauce.

gambino gamberi – spicy shrimp P220

The pastas weren’t as al dente as I liked. The sauces were just satisfactory. They lacked oomph.

pasta a la vodka P150

garlic shrimp pasta P198

I really liked the thin, crispy crust. The sausages didn’t fare as well. It had a funky, porky smell that turned me off. They were quite generous with the toppings though.

triple sausage pizza P320

The seafood pizza with white sauce was quite bland. It was a good concept but poorly executed.

seafood bianca pizza P360

The food wasn’t too bad but for much better pasta and pizza I prefer Amici one level below. That’s where we went for coffee and dessert after.

Thanks for the treat Marilou and Mila!

Gotti’s menu

Gotti’s
4th level Mega Atrium, SM Megamall
telephone: 634-0348

Buffet at Marriott Cafe

Another hotel another buffet. I’m not a big fan of buffets but I was eager to see Resort World and Marriott Hotel.

As far as I know this is the only buffet in Manila that had free iced tea and 4 kinds too. There was the St. Patrick’s iced tea which was green and too sweet, strawberry mango, regular and the cranberry mint iced tea which I drank. It was the least sweet yet I needed to add a glass of ice to it. I liked the flavor though.

4 kinds of iced tea

I loved their salad bar.

There was also several kinds of prepared salads.

Cashew, pecans, almonds and pine nuts

smoked salmon, salami, pork loin

assorted cheese & dried fruits

pizza

cold seafood

lechon

roast beef

Pomeroy mustard, horseradish, mint jelly, I understand. But what is atchara doing next to the roast meats?

porkloin & US topblade

Entrees were simply labeled as vegetable, chicken, pork and fish.

entrees

Mongolian bbq

garlic pesto bread

sushi, shrimp, fish and vegetable tempura

Chinese roasted meats

dim sum, soup, noodle soup

grilled food

dessert

There were lots and lots of dessert.

gelato, fresh juice bar, halo halo, fruits

These are my plates. Some dim sum, pizza, bread, cheese and nuts.

Large romaine lettuce with pecans, figs, corn and marinated mushrooms. Fish, sweet potato and shrimp tempura.

More fish tempura and some Mongolian bbq which was too salty because I had the rice reduced at the last minute.

Most of the sweets I tried were pretty good. The best was the small glass on the left which was a light and yummy coconut pana cotta.

I tried some gelato – coconut, Maracaibo chocolate and Palawan honey and nuts.

The Maracaibo chocolate gelato blew me away. The flavor was unique and intense. It tasted like potent chocolate liqueur. The best chocolate gelato ever!

maracaibo chocolate gelato

Finally a really nice and modern hotel bathroom. The design was very similar to the one in Elements mall in Hong Kong.

The buffet was pretty good. They didn’t have as many choices as in other hotels but for me that was a plus. I believe in less choices but better quality. My only gripe was the lousy coffee.

Marriott Cafe
Lunch
Monday to Saturday – P1,550.00 net
Sunday – P1,750.00 net

Dinner
Sunday – Thursday P1,550.00 net
Saturday – Ocean Surf buffet P1,750.00 net

Kids 5 and below eat for free
6-12 years old pay half price

Marriott Cafe
Manila Marriott Hotel
No. 10 Newport Boulevard,Newport City Complex, Pasay City · Manila, 1309 Philippines
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
telephone: +632-988-9990

Lunch at Jasmine, New World Hotel

I had always wanted to try Jasmine the new Chinese restaurant at the New World Hotel in Makati. When I got the invitation from my friend to eat lunch at Jasmine on a holiday Monday last October I enthusiastically said yes.

There were 6 adults for lunch and we ordered mostly dim sum, soup, 1 entree and fried rice. I loved everything we ate. The others didn’t love it as much as I did. Either I was very hungry or I was just easy to please since dim sum is comfort food for me.

vegetable dumplings w/ bamboo pith and celery P200

The xiao long bao was very good although a bit too salty and definitely more expensive than other local restaurants.

xiao long bao P 225

Do you see any oil glistening on the fried bean curd sheet? There was none! That was very unusual and I applaud them for that.

crispy bean curd sheet roll w/ assorted vegetables P300

They really do a great job with fried food. In other restaurants I have to blot fried dim sum of excess oil. The ham sui kok was so crisp it almost seemed delicate even for a dense and sticky rice dumpling.

fried glutinous dumplings or ham sui kok P180 (3 pcs.)

The cold chicken appetizer was one of my favorites. The sauce was very peanutty with slight sweet and spicy. The execution was even better than the ones I’ve eaten in Hong Kong.

chilled shredded chicken w/ sesame & peanut sauce P280

BBQ pork puffs are my most favorite thing to order in dim sum. I though the ones at Lili at the Hyatt Hotel were good but these were even better. The crust was super light and flaky and the filling was moist and sweet.

My friend complained that the one she ate tasted a bit soapy. I tried it and it did taste a bit soapy but I’ve tasted soapier ones in Hong Kong. I wonder why this dish had the tendency to taste like soap even in the swankiest restaurants. Maybe of an ingredient they used? Soapy or not I still loved it. Told you I was easy to please.

baked barbecued pork puffs w/ sesame seeds P200 (3 pcs)

The jelly fish had too much sesame oil. Too bad since it was tasty.

century egg w/ sour ginger P200

The soup was what drove our bill up at P340 per bowl but it was worth every peso. The flavor was intense yet sublime and highlighted with dried scallops. It tasted like chicken liqueur instead of soup. Delish!

double boiled chicken soup w/ wintermelon & conpoy P340/bowl

This was one of the best beef dishes I’ve ever eaten. Tender cubes of beef that were salty at first bite then a mild heat explodes in your mouth only to be tamed with a piece of sweet, crunchy walnut.

beef tenderloin w/ sweet walnuts in x.o. sauce P760 (small)

Look at the picture. Again no shimmering oil. Despite the lack of oil the fried rice was fabulous. Tender grains of white rice filled with abundant fresh seafood bound together with healthy egg white and topped with fragrant conpoy or dried scallops and pine nuts. Next to Century Seafood’s fried rice this is tops in my list.

fried rice w/ seafood, egg white, crispy conpoy & pine nuts P720 (small)

Sorry but I don’t rave over veggies. Well except for this.

taiwan pechay in fish broth P420

chilled mango cream w/ pomelo P300/bowl

I didn’t even want to try this but they forced me to. It was surprisingly good. Think muscovado flavored gelatin.

chilled sugar cane cake w/ water chesnuts & osmanthus P130

The mochi filled with chocolate was just ok for me.

glutinous dumpling stuffed w/ chocolate & tossed w/ fine peanuts P160

I really, really liked the food in Jasmine except it was a bit too expensive. Our bill amounted to over P1,000 per head and we didn’t even order any seafood or fancy dishes. It was pretty expensive and we haven’t gone back again. But if anyone wants to invite me to eat there I will never, ever say no.

Jasmine Menu

Jasmine

New World Makati City, Manila Hotel
Esperanza Street corner Makati Avenue, Ayala Center,
Makati City 1228, Philippines
telephone: +63 2 811 6888

Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt

The only good thing about my birthday dinner at Cantinetta last September was dessert after at Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt.

Before I even tried Golden Spoon I already heard from some friends that it didn’t taste like yogurt, it wasn’t tart, etc. When I tried it I loved it! For me it was like eating really good, creamy guilt-free soft ice cream rather than frozen yogurt. I really can’t believe it’s fat free.

Every time I go to Golden Spoon I try several flavors but there’s only one flavor for me. It’s Belgian chocolate. I love the real chocolate flavor which satisfies my desire for something sweet, cold, chocolate and not fattening. The last time I was on a diet a kiddie cup of Belgian chocolate was my guilty pleasure.

They have a lot of regular and guilt free toppings but I always eat my Belgian chocolate froyo plain. That buttered pecan topping looks so sinful and decadent.

I always buy a kiddie size which costs P85. But for the best deal, I buy a quart for P499 and keep it in my freezer. The great thing about it is the texture and consistency remains the same as the day I bought it. And a quart yields so much more than two large cups that you get at the store. This way I can get my Golden Spoon fix any time I want.

Golden Spoon Frozen Yogurt
Ground Level, The Podium
18 ADB Ave., Ortigas Center
Mandaluyong, Metro Manila, Philippines
telephone: 910-5093

Golden Spoon Philippines Facebook

Dinner at Cantinetta

Cantinetta has been around for quite a while in Makati. I only got the chance to try it last September when we went to their Podium branch to celebrate my birthday.

There were very few people that night.

We were off to a good start. The complimentary bread was warm and crisp and the liver pate was yummy.

The asparagus soup was light yet creamy and had a very strong flavor.

asparagus soup P270

The picture doesn’t do justice to the dish. It was the best dish we had that night. The mushroom ravioli was al dente and there was a generous amount of mushrooms. The touch of truffle oil finished the pasta with a wonderful aroma. It was expensive but definitely worth it.

ravioli al funghi porcini P480

The vongole or pasta with clam sauce was very bland and disappointing. There wasn’t much clams nor sauce. I couldn’t help compare it with Amici’s version which I loved and was cheaper too.

vongole pasta P380

I wanted a simple pasta so I ordered one of my favorites, pasta with garlic, oil and red pepper flakes. The waiter offered to add sausages for free so why not? Not even the sausages could save this flat dish. Again I compare it to Amici’s aglio olio which I always order when I eat there. In Amici the pasta is robust, spicy and delicious.

aglio olio e pepperoncino P320

The fish was a bit firm but the flavors were pretty good. The fish baked in foil at Bellini’s is much more superior.

lapu-lapu al cartoccio P800

I’m sorry to say the pizza wasn’t to my liking. The crust was too thick and not crunchy at all.

It didn’t turn out to be a very happy birthday celebration. If you want good affordable Italian food you’re better off at Amici. For a more expensive and even better Italian fare go to La Nuova Pasteleria in Makati.

Cantinetta
Ground Floor, The Podium, ADB Avenue Pasig City
telephone: 477-2522