Baguio series Pt 5: Baguio street foods

Getting hungry can strike anytime, anywhere. Well, if I am on a holiday and my hunger button got tapped, I'd go and hound the streets for sample of the local streetfoods.

Taking a bite of the streetfood of the place that I visit has become an important part of my holiday plan. This is important for me because it mirrors out a reflection of the place's culture, specially culinary ones.

Here are some of my streetfood experience in the City of Pines.

Below are three of my favorite streetfood that I had in Baguio; the strawberry taho, home-made strawberry ice cream and roasted buttered corn

The strawberry taho is just plain taho but, instead of caramelized arnibal, what the Baguio folks did was put fresh strawberries cooked in sweet syrup into the taho as its sweetener. A fruity and healthy option than the plain sugar sweetener.


Meanwhile, when we visited the vast, sprawling strawberry fields of the La Trinidad valley, I was introduced into this local home-made sorbetes ( I prefer not to call this dirty ice cream since for me, I find the term quite demeaning) made from fresh strawberries harvested right from their backyards, which is, the strawberry fields! :) Fresh, cool and affordable, the ice cream provided a cooling relief from the warm weather of the valley.

Roasted buttered sweet corn was next. I am not a fan of corn on a cob for the reason that my dental jackets might be torn from my teeth, but when I sampled the corn my little brother bought from Mines View, oh I was so enticed to buy myself one. I don't know what did they put on with their butter which they use to coat their corn but it was so yummy. Forget the dental jackets for the mean time, that's all that I can say. :)

Cheers folks!

Baguio series Pt 4: Chocolate de Batirol

Baguio weather is very perfect for a relaxing and slow day savored with a hot cup of beverage. While we were there, my family and I looked for a perfect place to have a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate.

While strolling around Camp John Hay to look for a coffee store, the road brought us into this simple, cozy place known as the Chocolate De Batirol.

Chocolate de Batirol serves home-made hot chocolate drink which is made directly from their heirloom batirol. Batirol is the pitcher-like container that is used in making (or dissolving) hot cocoa tablets which are made from ground cacao beans.

I tried their cold drinks instead of their hot chocolates. The cold drinks are mostly cold versions of their hot beverages. I had the Baguio Classic which is the chocolate shake version of their famed, specialty hot chocolate drink, the Traditional Blend. The Baguio Classic (above) is a simple chocolate drink made from their home-made grounded cacao beans and topped with whipped cream and choco chips. I had this because the time I went to the place is right after a paintball game. I was dead-tired that time and I needed something to cool myself after a tiring game. The drink is perfect. I love its cold, bittersweet taste that came gushing down my palate.

Choosing the Cinnamon Swirl is also a good choice for those folks who choose to have their drinks to be spiced. This is the Baguio Classic but served with a hint of cinnamon for a kick. I tried this too and it is also a great and refreshing drink.

And before I forget, they also sell bottled chocolate paste which you can dilute with hot water so you won't miss their specialty beverages when you're away from Baguio already. Very nice!

Cheers!


Chocolate De Batirol
Igorot Garden, Gate 2
Camp John Hay,
Baguio City, Benguet

Baguio series Pt 3: Star Cafe

Like Cavite City’s iconic restaurant Chefoo, Baguio City also have their own version, the Star Café.
This place in Session Road serves Chinese cuisine to Baguio patrons and tourists (like us) as well for many generations. I think this is an institution in Baguio already since they are still open 70+ years already after they first opened in 1940. They also have their own bakery inside were patrons can have a warm cup of coffee with warm pandesal for their merienda.

I hardly recall that we ate here eons ago but my mom and dad always builds this place up to us. She said that we frequented this place whenever we visited Baguio when we were still kids, circa 1986 which is our last visit to Baguio.

We had a taste of their Pata Tim, Sweet Sour Pork, Chopsuey, Shrimp Foo Yung, Shanghai Fried Rice, Wintermelon soup and the seaweed/century egg platter when we ate here 23 years after we last ate here.

I love their Pata Tim, Sweet Sour Pork and the Chopsuey and the Shrimp Foo Yung.
They tasted really well. Among all of them, I love Chopsuey the most. A perfect blend of stir-fried and not overdone veggies and savory sauce, the chopsuey partnered well with my cup of Shanghai Rice.

Pictures below are the following: Wintermelon soup, Seaweed Century Egg, Shrimp Fooyung, Shanghai Rice, Chopsuey, Pata Tim and Sweet Sour Pork.

Though, I somehow find the seaweed a little bland. I think they can still spice it up a little bit with some chili oil to give it a kick.

Another thing is their wintermelon soup. When we ordered this one, I was expecting that I would be sipping a hot and thick egg-y soup but instead, what we got is just a hot clear soup with diced wintermelon and some meat. I don’t know if that is their version but I still prefer the thick soup typical of the Chinese restaurants.

That’s it! Enjoy guys! Happy chow!

Cheers!

Star Café
Session Road, Baguio City

Baguio series Pt 2: Cafe by the Ruins

One Friday lunch in Baguio, after a glimpse and souvenir hunting in Mines View Park, we went straight to have lunch in Café by the Ruins.

Mom saw an article about this place and promised that once we were in Baguio, she’ll make it a point to have a lunch/dinner here for us to check out the place.

Well, I can say that this place is really fantastic. It is set in old ruins of the residence of the first governor of Benguet, Phelps Whitmarsh Jr. It was destroyed during the last great war by the American forces in hot pursuit of retreating Japanese forces that holed themselves in the mountains of Benguet.

After the war, the place was bought by Teodoro Arvisu who is also one of the founding father of the city.

Postwar generations saw the opening of the cafe as a haven for artists by Cristine, the great grand daughter of Teodoro.

The place is cozy, and adorned with artwork as how it was intended to be opened. It is not airconditioned and for some reason, I felt that it has an art museum ambiance.

I had a serving of their Tita Susie’s Crispy Tapa. This is uber good, I love it! Their TapSi rendition came with a generous portion of deep-fried beef tapa shreds and with a side dish of unhusked organic mountain rice and a slaw of chopped tomatoes and onions over a bed of lettuce. The tapa is crispy and went well with a spoonful of rice, slaw and vinegar. Though no egg was served, their TapSi still satisfied my hunger.

For dessert, we had a sharing of the Pain au Chocolat. This treat is a pastry which is made of multiple layers of bread hugging a chocolate fudge in the center. The fudge is killer, very sinful but also delicious.

For the whole meal, I was also sipping a mug of their Chocolate de Agua which is a hot chocolate drink with a hint of cinnamon. It’s a perfect beverage for a hearty filling meal that I had in Café by the Ruins.

Their Pinikpikan is also good. It has a little gingery taste which is the taste that my tastebuds prefer.

I had a perfect and filling meal at this place and promised myself that I will revisit this when I set foot on Baguio again.

Kudos for the great food, warm service and very informative menu! :)

Cheers!

Cafe by the Ruins

25 Chuntug Street,

Baguio City

074 442-4010 / 074 446-4010

cafebytheruins@gmail.com

Baguio series Pt 1: Forest House Baguio

A cool and comfy place for intimate moments with your special someone or a nostalgic get together with your friends, Forest House offers the ambience adequate for these special occasions. Set on a hillside, adorned with homey decors and infused with a homey atmosphere, the place is so warm and cozy. It gave me an image of a warm log cabin.

Try to reserve slot if you are going here for a meal. They’ll book you since the place gets full easily because a lot of patrons dine here.
Going here on a dinner, I asked the attendant about their specialty and he pointed out the Salpicao dishes. Heeding his advice, I then asked for their specialty dish, the Beef Salpicao. The dish comes in two kinds, one is made from the local beef cuts and the other is from the Australian Grain-fed beef. Of course, the latter came with a higher price tag. I got the grain fed since it is only seldom that I am in Baguio and I'll settle for the best. The salpicao cutlets that I had were sautéed in garlic over olive oil. It’s soft and tender to the bite. The garlic rice that came with it is also great. It reminded me of the sinangag cooked at our home. Very filling meal. You’ll get what you paid for.

I also had a bite of my brother Paeng’s Lamb Riviera. This is a lamb chop dish that, for me, tasted like steak! It has no after taste so characteristic of lamb dishes. Perfect! I promised myself that I would order this when we go back here in Baguio his Christmas. I still drool at the memory of the taste of this dish. Ohh yum yum!
Of course, I would not let this meal pass without trying one of their soups. I am a soup person and I love having soup together with my meal. The weather is also perfect for a warm bowl of soup. I had their Bouillabaise soup. The soup is fine and it’s served on a carved bread bowl. About the soup, I think they should just add some ‘meat’ on it like some seafood or any other substitutes to give the soup some texture.

I really had a great and wonderful experience dining here in Forest House.

Forest House
16 Loakan Rd.,
Baguio City
074 447 0459 and 074 304 4553
http://www.foresthousebaguio.com/

Shawarma after dark: Jacob's Shawarma

Hungry after the long day? I remember myself hounding the street on my way home after the shift to check on any place that I can have my midnight chow. Well, you might want to consider heading to Ortigas CBD to try this fantastic Turkish Doner Kebab from Jacob's Shawarma. As recommended by my friend Cha, we, our office buddies wheeled straight here after our shift ended one weekday night. The place is just simple. It is easy to find and vividly decorated with Turkish mementos (i.e. Turkish food and a gigantic wall map of Turkey).

We all had a serving of their specialty, the Doner Kebab which is also called the Shawarma. The meat inside is made of chicken instead of the usual lamb or beef. What surprises me about their shawarma is that I was able to eat it without the garlic sauce. This is unique since we are all fond of shawarma with garlic sauce which is usually made of yoghurt or mayonnaise which are then spiced-up with crushed garlic. Here in Jacob's, the shawarma is flavored already by itself and it comes with an accompanying lemon slices which you can choose to squeeze on your sandwich to give it a twist. Another thing which surprised me is the size of the sandwich. The sandwich is almost 12 inches long good enough for 2 people to share and just priced for 120Php. The pita bread that they use is also good since the dough itself is already infused with yoghurt giving it a soft, and chewy bite. When you choose to go this place, I suggest that you shouldn't ask easily for your sandwich to be spicy because if you ask for it, its gonna be way way spicy. Try to ask for a mild sandwich and just kick it up with their chilli red pepper sauce. This way, you can easily control the level of the sandwich's hotness.

Anyone a fan of yoghurt? You can also try their homemade Turkish drink to quench the thirst of your meal. The Turkish drink is just a plain yoghurt which you can choose to flavor with either sugar, to make it sweet or salt to make it salty. Great thing is, they have their yoghurt freshly made in their store.

Last is their dessert, the Baklava. Baklava is a Mediterranean dessert which consists of phyllo pastry flavored with a sweet syrup, nuts usually pistacchios and almonds and spiced with cinnamon, cloves and garlic.

Though a bit pricey since one piece is 50Php, the dessert is still worth trying if you want to have a try of Turkish cuisine.

Jacob's Shawarma is located at 115 Unit AIC Grande Tower, Sapphire Road, Ortigas center or you can also call 7065699 for inquiries.

Oh and before I forget, good thing is they are open 24 hours! So hop-in to your camels and ride your way to this hidden Mediterranean place.

Enjoy!

Indian By Nature

While most of us here are crazy over the 'Jai Ho' fever that has gripped Manila after the sucessful release of the Slumdog Millionaire and also due to the Pussycat Doll's single, I was crazy over this newly opened Indian restaurant, Indian by Nature.

Indian By Nature serves authentic Indian dishes. They opened along Jupiter Ave., Makati. The place is cozy and dim and staffed by friendly and warm people. This place transforms into a bar after 11pm more of like how the Temple Bar functions in Greenbelt. I have tasted their dishes and I find it delicious and authentic.

I have tried their Chicken Tikka, Roghan Josh, basket of Chapatti and Naan and a glass of cool and refreshing Mango Lassi.

Their Chicken Tikka are one of my favorites. The chicken skewers are so tender that they actually break/melt in your mouth. The spice and hotness are just right. The dish comes with a slaw of sliced onions and cabbage and a 'yin/yang' saucer of tamarind and cilantro chutney.

The Roghan Josh is also good. Though, it has a bit stronger flavor than what I had in Swagat and New Bombay.

The bread basket is perfectly served. The bread are warm and soft. Perfect to be eaten with the Indian dishes that I had.

Indian By Nature Restaurant and Bar
136-138 2F Jupiter Place,
Jupiter St.,
Bel Air, Makati City
02 484 9628

Shawarma Snack Center

*reposted from my old Multply blog dated August '07.

Alladin???Not!!!

Well, our magic carpet took us into this hidden joint in the heart of Ermita. If you are not familiar with this or haven’t heard about this place, I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t easily notice this place.

Last weekend, we dropped a visit to this hidden shawarma joint in Ermita which serves delicious but cheap mid-east food. Actually, this is the third time that my girlfriend and I went here to have a good mideast chow.

Let’s take a look at the resto.

First of all, the place is simply called SSC or in its lengthened form, Shawarma Snack Center. As you go inside this one, you will notice a cozy place complete with glass tables and sofa sets enough for you to relax and unwind will having your chow. The place is owned by a Jordanian couple. I learned that the husband is the Jordanian while his wife is the Filipina. I noticed this when I asked the waiter about the owner since the place has a portrait of the late King Hussein of Jordan and the current His Majesty King Abdullah II.There is also a huge Jordanian flag draping in the staircase of the resto. The original resto is situated just across the street. It is quite smaller but they serve the same food. We chose to visit the annex since it's more spacious and well airconditioned.The menu of the resto is so diverse. They offer a wide array of different mid-east dishes from kebab to shawarma to lahem and baqlawa desserts. When we went here, we always order their specialty which are the kebab and of course, the shawarma.

First of all, the shawarma is a pita sandwich roll stuffed with chopped tomatoes, onions plus a choice of beef, chicken or lamb. No pork option since muslims consider it as non-halal food hehe! This food is endemic from the region of Persia(modern-day Iran) up to North Africa and coming back to Turkey and Greece. Greeks call their shawarma, GYROS. Their shawarma was served very good! It passed my expectations since the balance between the onions and tomatoes versus the meat is right. Their chef didn’t use the tomatoes and onions as extenders so that they can minimize their meat serving. The meat portion is so generous you can feel the meat chunk in every bite. Their meat is roasted to perfection. It has the right balance of spices and the meat is not dry but juicy and sumptuous. The pita bread toasted right also since it is not burnt. You may opt to eat the shawarma by itself since it is so tasty and delicious but for those people who are searching for a spicy twist, you may add the garlic mayo sauce or the blended red chili sauce. Their garlic sauce also tastes good. It is perfect for garnishing any mid east dishes that the resto offers. To have a more spicy twist, you can opt to spread some red chili paste to your sandwich. However, I would suggest that you might want to try to have a combination of these two sauces since it really damn tastes good! Filipinos would say ‘….may sipa…’.

Next stop, the kebab. Like the shawarma, the kebab is served and eaten from Persia up to Greece and Turkey. A kebab is a meat dish that is seasoned with spices, skewered then roasted in an open grill. This may come in a ground meat or a beef chunk serving. Here in SSC, the kebab is served in three sticks but they serve it un-skewered already. The kebab dish comes with the usual roasted whole tomatoes and red onion. It also comes with a condiment of chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumber and lettuce seasoned with pepper. The dish is delicious since they have it roasted to perfection. In all the three times that we paid visit to this place, I haven’t seen a burnt kebab or a portion of it that is burnt. The meat is not dry but juicy. The spice blend is also good. It is not bland nor too much spicy. As a patron, you may opt to choose varieties of the kebab. You can choose from the ground beef kebab, to Shish kebab to chicken tikka kebab(spiced chicken breast) to prawn and seafood kebab.If you want to try a sampler, I suggest that you order the mix platter kebab. This consists of a ground beef kebab, beef tenderloin chunk kebab and chicken tikka kebab.You may eat the kebab with its complimentary Pita bread or you can order a rice if you’re a rice person. You can also eat the kebab by itself since it is so tasty but you can always try it with my personal favorite of mixed garlic mayo and red chili.

For beverages, we ordered our favorite of watermelon shake. The watermelon shake is generously served with a good amount of blended watermelon. The drink is not like an ‘ice-with-a-hint-o-watermelon’ but like a ‘watermelon-with-a-hint-of-ice’. This is the perfect topper to my mid-east dinner.

Shisha or water pipe is also available here. The joint offers a shisha section where you can order a shisha. I haven’t tried the shisha so I cannot provide a feedback about it.The joint also offers a carpeted area with pillows where you can unwind and relax while eating your Arabic mezze or dinner or simply puffing your shisha while chatting with your folks. When we went there, there were a few Arabs who were lounging in the carpet and eating their baqlawa(mid-east cream puff).

Overall, the dinner costs us less than 500 Php. Pretty cheap but damn sure that the food is very delicious. This is also an authentic place since most of its patrons are mid-eastern folks. If you’re lucky, you can have a free taste of their delicatessen. During one of our visits, we were fortunate to have a free sample of their pickled olives. The pickled olives taste like ‘KIMCHIed olive’. I think it is marinated in olive oil with red chili. They might come as a good condiment to eat with your meal or you can have it like a ‘pika-pika’ or an appetizer. Next time, I pray that we can have a free sample of the Baqlawa so I can compare it with the other restaurants that serve it. I plan to come back to this place more often to try their other different dishes.

So what are you waiting for, hop-in to your camel and have a ride towards this oasis of good mid-eastern chow.

Shawarma Snack Center is located at R. Salas Street, Ermita, Manila

Assad Cafe

*reposted from my old post in the Multply dated September '07.

Namaste!

Venturing into the "Little India" of Manila opens door to a very wide array of food selections.

If you are craving for an authentic Indian food around the Metro, well you should drop this place a visit.

There is a small South Asian cafeteria named Assad which is just in front of Unilever Philippines. The joint is also just beside the Khalsa Diwan, the Sikh Temple of Manila. We ate at Assad Cafe twice already and we always come out smiling and satisfied. It is just a simple cafe, more of like a school canteen with vinyl coated tables and cushioned chairs. the ambience is good, you wouldn't think that they serve authentic south asian food. The cafe is owned by a Pakistani national who also owns the Assad Mini-Mart.

Now let's get started with the 'meat and potatoes' of this blog, the food.

The food here is so diverse and they offer a wide array of choices. They have meat dishes as well as vegetarian meal. You'll also be surprised that they have the typical filipino cafeteria food, the lumpia and the pancits (surprisingly, they also sell it by the bilao). They have 2 sets of menu, one is the Indian choices, which we took and the other is the normal cafeteria food. The Indian selection even have a separate sections for vegetarian meals.After setting our eyes at the Indian menu, we finally had our choices; Chicken Vindaloo, Beef Korma and Paneer Matar. First entree, the Chicken Vindaloo.

Vindaloo is a Goan way of cooking meat. It is originally a pork dish. It was introduced by the Portuguese merchants/settlers in Goa in the 15th century, if I am not mistaken. It is a way of cooking in heavy red wine and garlic, thus 'Vinha d'Alho' (from "vinha" wine and "alho" garlic in Portuguese). It was modified by the South Asians by seasoning it with heavy spices. Assad serves its Chicken Vindaloo in a platter, It is a 2-piece chicken meal which comes with a choice of rice of or a chapatti. The meal comes in a heavy, sauce-based viand. The spice is just right, tickling to the taste buds. We asked the waiter to zest up our vindaloo and make it spicy since we already tried the medium variant before. Believe me, you should try it out. Anyone up for a spicy chicken dish should try this out. It is quite similar with the Filipinized Chicken Curry only this is more leaning towards the Indian tastebuds rather than the pinoy's palate. This meal comes with a single piece of chapatti but it can be shared by two people since, 'sauce pa lang, ulam na!!!' ('the sauce is already a meal!).

Next is the Beef Korma. Beef Korma is a Mughlai dish which originated from the Mogul Empire's kitchen. This is usually a beef, chicken or a mutton dish since pork is forbidden for muslims. The Korma is a yoghurt-based viand flavored with spices and sometimes, nuts.Assad's version is based from yoghurt, coco milk and a blend of 'secret spices' ( the waiter didn't disclose the spice composition, too bad hehe!) Assad offers their beef korma with a choice of rice or chapatti. We chose the chapatti in lieu of the rice to make our meal more authentic. The meal looks like a meat stew, more of like a mechado in a Filipino Kitchen though it is way spicy. Assad's Beef Korma has a very distinct taste due to the presence of Star Anise, a very strong spice. The taste of the spice sets itself distinct from the other Indian meals that we have tried, like the vindaloo and the different curries. This meal comes with a single piece of chapatti but it can be shared by two people since this is also, 'sauce pa lang, ulam na!!!' ('the sauce is already a meal!).

Last is the Paneer Matar. This is one of my favorites. Paneer Matar is a vegetarian dish made from curry gravy, green peas and the Paneer. Paneer is the most common Indian form of cheese. It is an unaged, acid-set, non-melting farmer cheese that is similar to acid-set fresh mozzarella and queso blanco, except that it does not have salt added, much like hoop cheese. Its texture is like tofu since it is white, and like feta cheese among its cheese brethrens.The Assad's version is one that belongs to the Mughlai way of preparing Paneer, which is cutting it into cubes and letting it simmer in curries together with the peas and other vegetbles. Since it is a vegetarian meal,the Paneer Matar is a very healthy, protein-rich food. We had our meal extra spicy so we can get that 'kick' in the palate. The chef made our meal with the right amount of spices. I kept on telling my girlfriend that if we had chosen rice instead of the chapatti, I could have two to three cups of it to eat it with the Paneer Matar. See how tasty it is? Assad offers their Paneer Matar in generous portions. It is good for two persons but they don't come with a choice of rice or chapatti so we had to order an additional serving of Nan bread. They also serve samosas but we are so full by this time that we will just try it some other visit.

All of these three meals for just around 400 Php for two people?Not a bad bargain for a filling and uber delicious and authentic Indian food. So saddle-on to your elephant and explore the Indian subcontinent just around UN Avenue. We plan to go back here and try their chicken tandoori and the biryani meals. I would recommend that you should try this cafe out. I know Indian food requires a very adsjusting palate due to its rich and diverse spices but believe me, adventures opens door for you and sometimes gives you a very good and unique experience.

Happy chow!

Assad Cafe is located in Midtown Executive Homes, U.N. Ave., Paco, Manila. tel. no. 2-526-1349 and 2-526-5034.

Chariya: A hole-in-a-wall Thai karinderya

Driving along Reposo St. in Makati brought us to this hole-in-a-wall Thai place named Chariya.
A few nights ago, my friend Venice and I were driving our way to his flat when we happen to see this Thai restaurant.

I stopped, lowered my windows and took a mental picture of the place and promised that I will try this restaurant. Well, last night my girlfriend and I were able to try it. We haven't had Thai food in a while after Sala Thai closed down a few months back so our excitement to have Thai dinner is a bit high.

Chariya has been serving Thai dishes for almost 8 months now.
I was surprised to know that the owners of Chariya are related to the owners of Som's Noodle house.

I haven't tried to eat at Som's yet but after I ate at Chariya, I already have an idea of what Som's has to offer.

We were able to try their Tom Yum Shrimp, Crispy Catfish Salad, Chicken Red Curry and the Cha Yen or the Thai iced tea.

The Tom Yum Shrimp is fine. They have 3 pieces of big, meaty shrimps. Though it has a little improvement to make. I find it too sour. They also should try to add a little coconut milk to the soup to make it not too watery.

Same goes for the Catfish Salad. It has a more soury taste and still lacks the sweet spicy taste that I think it should have. They can also try to add peanuts in the salad garnish.

About the their Red Curry, it's the best dish that we ordered together with the refreshing Thai Iced Tea. I find it delicious and perfect. Just the right hotness of the dried red chillies mixed with the curry. Perfect to be eaten with a cup of steamed rice.

Thai iced tea

Chariya Thai Kitchen is at 1776 N. Garcia (Reposo) St., Makati City

An Abe Fiesta

*reposted from my old Multiply blog dated July '08.

An Abe Fiesta

Some say that Filipinos do not have a ‘royal cuisine’ unlike our Asian cousins like the Thais, Koreans, Indians, and the Chinese, but for me, I would say that an authentic Filipino cuisine is the one found up north, in the distant plains of Pampanga, which I’ve dubbed the ‘Kitchen of the Philippines’.
Time has revealed that when you see a Filipino restaurant, chances are you would find that some of the menu does have a hint of Pampanga. Cabalen, Kamayan, Mangan all do have some of their dishes trace their roots to a Kapampangan kitchen.

Well, I am glad on the new addition to the line of Pinoy restaurants that serves delicious Filipino food.

Let me introduce you to Abe.

Abe is a Kapampangan word which means ‘friend’.
Abe, who is owned by Larry Cruz, caters Filipino cuisine, specifically from a Kapampangan kitchen.
He named Abe after his dad, E. Aguilar Cruz.
Abe belongs to the famed LJC Restaurant Group, a well-renowned restaurant group who also owns CafeAdriatico, Café Havana, Bollywood and Fely Js Kitchen which he named after his mom.
Since, it belongs to the LJC group, you will find other best-selling entrée items which came from Abe’s sister restaurants.

Having a meal in Abe is very relaxing and gastronomically-satisfying for me.
I love the ambiance and usage of soft lights. There are window blinds that can be lowered whenever you get blinded by the daytime glare outside. Attentive servers always stand ready to serve you. There are also displays of family pictures of Larry Cruz’ clan along the perimeter wall of the place. Even though the atmosphere can go upbeat due to many diners, the atmosphere is still very cool and cozy. Definitely, it’s a good place to have a good Pinoy meal.

The menu is very descriptive. It’s quite difficult to choose from all of the entrees since all of them look mouth-watering.

For our lunch we ordered, Sinuteng na Baby Squid, Crispy Tadyang, Pastel de Lengua and Tamarind Shake plus bowls and bowls and bowls of steamed rice. Believe me, we ate like it’s a fiesta!

Sinuteng na Baby Squid came in as our appetizer. Sinuteng, a Pinoy ( I think it’s a Capampangan) word that is the corruption of the word ‘sauté’ is a dish made of baby squids sautéed in squid ink, olive oil and garlic plus a hint of red chilli. This is supposed to be an appetizer but a typical Pinoy can survive on this as his viand topped on his rice. The seafood dish tastes well. No fishy aftertaste and not too oily. The squid also are not ‘makunat’ or tough and they are perfect to be eaten as is.

Crispy Tadyang was served next. The Crispy Tadyang is a deep-fried marinated beef ribs. This is cooked in a way a crispy pata is cooked. The meat is very flavorful, crispy and not tough. This dish comes with a cup of vinegar-based dipping sauce plus a side dish of their homemade atchara (julienne papaya marinated in a concoction of vinegar, sugar, peppers and ginger). For me, it is perfect if eaten with their atchara and of course a bowl of rice. A perfect ‘pampabata’! The dish can also serve as a good pulutan. The serving is quite big that is why it can be shared by 2-3 people. You can also share it so as to distribute the guilt of eating a pampabata dish, just kidding!

Pastel De Lengua was the choice of my girlfriend. I am no fan of lengua but when I tasted Abe’s version, I love it! I love it because it tasted in between the usual Lengua that my lolo cooks and the Callos. The meat chunks are served generously. Plus there are also slices of chorizo bilbao and vegetables that accompany the meat chunks. One comment though, the pastry is missing but nevertheless the meal itself is good. The sauce can already serve as a viand if you top it on rice since it is very flavorful.

Unlimited bowl of steamed rice which is constantly refilled by the attendants is offered here. During our visit their, I consumed around 3 servings of rice for the reason that the food is superb.
Tamarind Shake was ordered as our refreshment. You might be wondering, or some might frown at the idea of a tamarind shake but let me share to you how it tastes like. Tamarind shake taste like a tamarind candy that was put into a blender then served chilled with crushed ice. Now this is good! I like it since its sweet-tangy flavor neutralizes the oily after taste of the Crispy Tadyang. It also provided me with a good cooling effect from the blistering tropical heat during our visit.

Other specialties that they offer includes, Paco Fern and Tomato Salad, Spicy Sisig Pampanga, Kare-Kare, Bamboo Rice, Binukadkad na Tilapia and many more. They also have Chinoy dishes a la Ongpin-style like White Chicken.

Abe’s service is very good and fast. Our attendant, Eds, was very helpful in assisting us and providing us a vivid description of their dishes. This helped us to have an idea on what to order. The fare is quite an upbeat but they will definitely make you feel your money’s worth. Abe is really an ‘Abe’ to keep.

One suggestion is that they need to restructure their comfort room since it is a bit tight and a person who is more than 5’7” will have his head bumped against the ceiling.
I suggest that if you want to go there, try to make it at least 1130AM for lunch or 530PM for dinner if you want to have a good seat since it gets full on meal times or better yet, drop them a call for a reservation if you’re into a date or other important celebrations.

Overall, I am recommending this place to everyone. Abe is a great place to dine in. We will definitely come back to this place to try their Kare-Kare (our neighboring table ordered it and it looks delicious), Sisig and their Bamboo Rice.

See you there, Abe!


Abe Restaurant
Ground Level
Serendra Piazza
Mc Kinley Parkway, Fort Bonifacio
Bonifacio Global City
Taguig, Metro Manila
Phone Number: 856-0526

FIVE STARS for Manos Greek Taverna

*reposted from my old Multiply blog dated June '08.

Well, it has been awhile since I last wrote about my food trips. Here's an update...

Greek culture and heritage permeates to us since millennia ago, but what drives me nuts about them is (no! not Democracy! hehe!) the colorful and vivid Hellenic cuisine.
Tucked between the sprawling slopes of the Tagaytay highlands is a place which is a home to a very authentic Greek food. If you want to turn Greek, drive upland and experience Greek food a la Manos' way.

Welcome to Manos' Greek Taverna.

Manos' Greek Taverna is owned by Manos Sapountzakis, a Greek national who is currently married to a Filipina wife and residing here in the Philippines. The Taverna's facade is sure enough to catch your attention when you’re driving around the City of Tagaytay. It's blue and white-painted facade with huge window panes adorned with wine bottles and with draping curtains sure reminds you of the wonderful Hellenic culture. Oh, and I forgot, the interior are festooned with Greek deco, like bottles of wines and Greek spirits, Ouzo, Raki and Metaxa, plus pictures of Greek beaches along the Aegean and Ionian Sea and other tourist spots. Orthodox Church's iconography is also exhibited in the resto. The grill can also be viewed by the customers since it is just located outside the restaurant, believe me, the aroma of grilled meats is enough to make your mouth water. During our visit, there were several pork chops and lamb chops that are being grilled there. The aroma is very strong and it prompted me to watch our orders being cooked. Greek Music is also in the air unlike in Cyma where pop music is being aired. In spite of the ambience's Greek-infused atmosphere, Manos did not forget to show gratitude to his wife's home country. He opted to display a Greek Flag side by side a Philippine flag inside the Taverna. Overall, I would say that a place really looks like a Greek house. The place is a hit since it's jam-packed when we dropped it a visit. Next time I go for a visit there, I'll place a call for a reservation.
What surprises me is that, all the while we were there, Manos does everything in his resto. From being a cook, waiter, attendant, busboy up into being a parking boy (yes, you're right, he helps in arranging the parked cars in front of his resto) he really exhibits the trait of being a very warm restaurant owner. His warm reception would really make you feel that you are a guest at his abode.

Now, let's go to where the meat and potatoes are, the food.

Greek Cuisine boasts a multitude of flavors. From vegetables to meat, you can choose from wide selections of gastronomic treats that the cuisine offer. Greek cooking revels on Olive oil. Olive oil is very essential in Greek cooking. Sometimes Greeks use it as a base or marinades for their grilled items, they also use it as a dipping for breads.
But, what surprised me is that, Cretans sometimes drink olive oil straight-up! (yes, like shooters!)

As a starter, we ordered for a serving of Dolmades, Greek bread, Tzatziki, Saganaki and Gyros.
Dolmades is a Greek dish that is made of stuffed grapevine leaves. The stuffing in Manos' is done with rice pilaf and spice mixture.
Dolmades is eaten with a yoghurt dipping sauce but it is also good if eaten as is. The serving is very tasty and light-tasting since it is not a meat-based dish.

Our Greek Bread then came in with a cup of Tzatziki dipping sauce. Manos' bake their bread fresh everyday that is why it is very fresh, soft and warm. To give you an idea, the taste and texture of Mano's Greek Bread is similar to Italliani's Tuscan Bread.
We ate the bread with a dipping of Tzatziki, a yoghurt-based dipping sauce with cucumbers and lime juice plus seasoned with peppers, garlic and olive oil. It is typically a Greek Meze or appetizer but it can also be utilized as a sauce for Gyros or other grilled items such as Souvlaki. The tzatziki tastes good, neither to garlicy nor bland. What I like on Manos' version is the balance between spiciness and tanginess.

Shrimp Saganaki is the next meze that we ordered. Saganaki is a cheese-based dish usually eaten with bread.
Manos' serves their saganaki with pieces of shrimps which are immeresed in a cheese-tomato based sauce. The taste is very delicious, more of like a pasta sauce. For me, it is not just a meze, but already a meal if eaten with a serving of Greek, Pita bread or a plate of pasta. I was just wondering why the presentation in Cyma is quite different from the Saganaki that we had. Perhaps it is because Cyma’s version is just plain, flaming cheese with the absence of shrimps unlike in Manos’. Nevertheless, Shrimp Saganaki tastes good! A pinoy can already have it as a viand.

Gyros was served as the next meze (yes, you're right, gyros are listed under the appetizer section and not under the meals section).
Gyros (which means 'to rotate') are a type of Greek sandwiches which is a close cousin of the Mid-Eastern/Turkish Shawarma. It is made up of slices of roasted meat. Roasted meat can come in beef, chicken or lamb which is grilled in a vertical rotisserie. When the meat is already roasted, it is then carved and chopped. After carving the grilled portions, it is placed on pita bread then garnished with tomatoes and onions, sometimes chopped cucumbers are added. Finally, the stuffing is seasoned with tzatziki and then rolled-up to be eaten.
We just ordered one Gyros and it ended up on my dad's hands. Manos' gyros is a real treat since the meat slices are very generous and tasty and the sandwich is not mostly made up of onions and tomatoes. The same Tzatziki is used as the sauce for the gyros. We all loved the gyros especially my dad who ate most of it. I will definitely go back to Manos' for a serving of this dish.

Moussaka was ordered by my mom. Moussaka is an eggplant-based dish, stuffed with minced meat and smothered in tomato sauce and cheese. What we had was a serving not too heavy on the sauce, hence no feeling of eating a heavy and rich meal. The dish is very good since you can taste the mixture of spices, cheese, tomatoes, eggplants and meat that were used. They all blended well and created a gastronomic orchestra. I am no fan of eggplant, but I loved the moussaka that we had due to its very good taste.

What I ordered is the Beftekia. Beftekia is a beef-patty dish. It is served with rice, vegetables and fried potatoes.
In Manos', the Beftekia burger is a mixture of minced meat, milk, eggs, French bread and spices. It is then grilled over charcoal and then served right off the grill. Before eating, one can opt to squeeze calamansi in lieu of lime/lemon. It is best eaten immediately so one can still savor the meat's flavor and juiciness. The beftekia patties taste good and juicy, though it would have a distinct taste due to the mixture of the meat and spices but nevertheless, the patties taste good.

Grilled Lambshoulder was ordered by my dad. The Lambshoulder came in 3 pieces and he shared it with my brother.
The meat is marinated in olive oil and spices before being grilled to perfection. I had it tasted and the marinade tastes very well. It has a peppery/citrusy flavor which perfectly combined with the meat's taste. The lamb's distinct strong aftertaste is not present in the dish that is why my dad liked it so much.

Grilled Porkchops were served to my brother. The lambshoulder and the porkchops almost have the same marinade so they both taste very similar, spicy with a tanginess of a citrus flavor. The pork is not fatty and the portion is very generous. Two thick chops come in on one order. The meat's texture is not tough which is very good. Both the lambshoulder and the porkchops are served with rice, vegetables and fried potatoes. I will also have this dish when I drop Manos’ a visit sometime soon.

Baklava was then served to top our lunch. Baklava is a sweet, rich pastry made from layers of phyllo dough. It is then stuffed with a mixture of chopped pistachios and other nuts then smothered with rich and sweet syrup. The syrup that was served with us was flavored with cinnamon. I have seen other servings of Baklava but what I like the most in Manos' is its neither heavy nor too sweet taste. The syrup was so good; in fact my brother scraped the plate for him to savor the dessert up to the last bit. An order contains just a single serving, more of like in the shape of a small empanada. It is somehow different from other restaurants that serve baklava, like in Pasha, where it is served in pieces. However, for me, that single serving is enough for at least three people.
Well, that’s it for now, after 2 hours of eating our family lunch then ended with a simultaneous 'BURP!' and a cheer of 'OPAAA!!!'. A testimony for it to be featured in the book 'Manila's Best Kept Restaurants'.

Oh and I almost forgot since I revel mostly on the food, the service is fast and friendly and the fare is not too pricey! One dish is about 200 Php, not bad for an authentic Greek experience isn’t?

Go and grab the experience! :)




Manos’ Greek Taverna is located at Calamba Rd, Olivarez, San Jose, Tagaytay City.
È: 0916 429 8358 / 0916 609 0701
É: 046 413 4591
™: manosclub05@yahoo.gr

Citrocello Lemon Liqueur

*reposted from my old Multiply blog

I love vodka especially now, during the cold nights of the rainy season. I love it plain or mixed into a concoction with other beverages.
Now, let me introduce you to new, spiced-up vodka.

Citrocello Lemon Liqueur is a marriage of vodka and organic lemon peelings together with syrup.
They are carefully mixed together to derive the balanced flavor of the vodka, syrup and the citrus fruit.
The 'marriage' tastes really good, not on the bitter side nor soury.
The drink is so light and cool. You can opt to drink it anytime of the day like lunch, afternoon chill-down in the garden or dinner!
I already dreamt of having a glass of it while having a pasta meal, ooohhh!!! (*wink wink*).

No 'hagod' (burning feeling in the throat), no awful aftertaste, just simply a sweet, lemony taste down your palate.

Truly a gastronomic orchestra!

These are my 2 cents on the liqueur.

Many thanks to Citrocello!

Catch the Citrocello booth at the Legaspi Market every Sunday morning.

Cheers!

For orders, contact:

Nel

Citrocello Lemon Liqueur
Telephone Number: +632 840 0193
Mobile Number: +63 917 846 1135

Gigi La Crepe

*reposted from my old Multiply blog.

Bonjour!

Crepe has been already a big part of the Filipino gastronomic culture.
It is usually eaten as a dessert, sometimes breakfast or as a merienda.
I usually have a serving of crepe at the Cafe Breton.

But nowadays, I do have it by way of Gigi La Crepe.

Gigi La Crepe is a Crepe/Galette stall that serves wide varieties of French Galette and Crepe.
It is through them that I was also introduced to the Galette.
Galette is a distant cousin of the Crepe. Their differences are their flavours and their composition.
Galette is more into the savoury flavour (sausage, meats, anchovies etc.) as opposed to the Crepe which is more of into the sweet and fruity taste spectrum.

As per its composition, the Crepe is made of wheat flour while the Galette is made from buckwheat flour.
I love the way they make their crepe.
It is just simple, simple presentation but still bursting with flavor.
I had a serving of their banana and Nutella crepe and it's uber good!

The crepe has the right texture between soft and chewy which is why I love it. :)
My dad also loved the Sausage Galette (called the Galette Paisan if I am not mistaken?).

Master Gigi, as I prefer to call him (the owner) never fails to serve his tasty Galette or Crepe together with his hilarious showman antics.
He is very warm, amusing and very very entertaining. :)

Merci Merci!

You can catch him and his bright yellow cart during weekends on the Salcedo and Legaspi Markets.


Gigi La Crepe
Landline: +632 729 7783
Mobile: +63 926 879-5980
+63 926 599-8756

Sango Master Burger

*blog reposted from my Multiply site.

Ever tried a 'japanese burger'? Nothing sounds catchy ayt? But once you get a bite of this yummy beef patties, you might have second thoughts about the concept of a 'Japanese Burger'. Well, this burger is from Sango Burger. It is a small burger joint in the Creekside Mall in Amorsolo St., Makati City. This is more of like a typical fastfood where you go to the counter, place your order, pay and then wait.

However, they are different from Brother's Burger-type since they stand unique. For me, I can't compare the two since they have very different presentations. Sango Burgers makes their burger more of like a home-made burger, one that your mom would cook for you for your snack during recess times. :) yummy!



When I went there with my girlfriend, I personally loved their Master Burger. It is just a simple burger but with a twist; they have no ketchup and mustard, instead it is flavored with their very own unique meat sauce. More of like a chili con carne but with hint of a japanese taste. :D This is good! you must try it! The burger also has lots ( I mean lots and lots!) of onions. I am very particular with burgers with onions since they add more flavor to the sandwich. :) The combination of the onions and their signature meat sauce creates a taste which i have never before tasted in a burger.

Partnering your meal is their french fries, believe it or not, their fries are like the NY Fries, thick and fried with their skin on thats why they taste good. They only come with a ketchup unlike in the NY Fries which comes wiht a choice of two kinds of dips.

To quench the thirst, try their shakes. I ordered the melon milkshake and was surprised to see it in green instead of orange like the typical melon shake.

Overall, I can share with you that I would still come back to this joint to try their rice burgers (yes the one that mcdonalds showcased a year ago) and their yakiniku and teriyaki burgers. Uniquely isn't it? hehe! Well, lets just say its the Japanese way of spicing up ordinary foods. :)

Burger prices range from 89 Php up to 145 Php. A complete meal will cost you around 200Php per head (inclusive of drinks, fries and a burger).



Sango! The Burger Master is at the Ground Floor, Creek Side Mall, Amorsolo St. corner Legaspi Village, Makati City (Beside Pharaoh). You can also phone in your orders in advance, or have your food delivered. (Telephone: 830-0391)