Just To Share...=)
I'd like to share 3 more pics of my sister's wedding..just 3 from the thousands of pics by Ariel Javelosa =)
My Family with the Newly Weds
The Entourage....girls
(L-R) My shobe Nikki, Mary Ann (friend of my sis), My cousin Patty, Moi and My Atchi
My New Brothers =)
(L-R) Jerry, Jeff (my sis hubby) & Jules
Love....how wonderful it is! It has a magic to change people's lives....bring great joy and the power of bringing two families together =)
Food Soothe....
Have you ever had a day where the world seems againts you?? Well, yesterday was that kinda day for me. I broke my 2nd espresso machine and my office desktop was acting up like crazy! Hay-ya-yay! Two of the most important things that makes my day-to- day living possible. Caffeine and internet. I cannot function without my daily dose of espresso....and I can't finish a day in the office without blogging..checking our my favorite blogsposts (you know who you are ;p! )and checking my mail. So you could just inagine how I was feeling yesterday....down and out!
Good thing friends are there to lift you up when you are in a slump...and boy do my friends know how to make me feel better....
...howelse? But with Good company and good-mood food! hahaha ;P (baboy ba? hehehe) Well, I am a simple person with simple joys...and so my friends and I went out for good ol', feel good food...at Cibo =)
Our all time fave Spinach Dip
I dunno how many times I have blogged about this...but it's just soo good. Crispy-crunchy melba toasts to scoop that gooey-cheesy and piping hot green dip! A smile crept on my face with just one bite ;P hehehe
Something old...now something new...Pumpkin flowers and Anchovy Pizza!
Squach flowers are sooo nice...can be made into unique appetizers...can be a great pizza topping like so. I don't think it has any taste at all but with the flavorful Anchovies and cheese..on a delicious cripsy crust...a winner!
Now something light for our pasta...
Penne with Olive Oil, Roasted veggies with Olives and Sun Dried Toamtoes...
simply wonderful. I love that pasta is consistently al dente at Cibo!
That's just that. Good Italian food you can count on...like my dear friends =) I definitely ended my day with better spirits. Thanks guys..you're the best and thank you Gaita Forres!! ;P
Feeling Chirstmas Already =)
Yes! A bit early actually...but I started to FEEL Christmas already =) Well, actually the feeling crept in last sunday. I promised by dear friends Gwen and Lyn that I would visit their Angelati Italia booth at the Noel bazzar at World Trade Center...then ran for a week (if I am bot mistaken). FYI: Angelati Italia is, by far..the best GELATO IN TOWN! =D
I started my sunday shopping day early. My favorite shopping buddy Mike picked me up from the house around lunch time...so naturally...we both haven't had lunch...goodie because there is reason to go visit Mickey's deli once more! =) I sooo love that place.
Checking out Mickey's at lunch time....still packe with patrons.....still has that waft of delicious freshly baked artisan bread aroma upton entering....ahhh...I love the smell of bread baking...that is one of the reasons I soo love to make bread as well.
Here is something new on the little blackboard of daily specials....
Eggplant Parmegiana
Sooo good and cheesy!!! It was great with the bread basket we had. You mop it clean with sourdough bread...delicious! ;P
How about some pasta...this is just simple Olive Oile pasta with garlic and chili...I forgot the name though...
The pasta..aldente..very good olive oil flavored with garlic with a light hit of heat! Simple. Perfect. Delightful...again with bread =)
Well, carbohydrate overload..but hey...good carbs
naman right?;P I want to go back and try the rib eye steak...which looked huge and delish ....and I also saw the neighboring table order meatloaf...HUGE and as I over heard the guy say..
ang sarap! ;P Pardon my eavesdropping on other people on other tables ...pero only about there order lang nama =) hehehe
After our yummy lunch..we went to Power Plant Mall to do a little shopping...and headed on to....
...the Noel Christmas Bazaar! It feels a lot like Christmas there! They piped in Chirstmas carols in the halls...booths and booths of clothes, gift items and FOOD!!!! How can you not feel the spirit of the Yuletide season with that? =)
This is the Angelati Italia Booth
Check out the yummy gelato they offered!
I had the Chocolate & Cereals---I LOVED IT! You can tell it's really great as people never stop liningup!
Great food..great gelato and great shooping day (promise! winner shopping day talaga! ;P) Thanks Mikey!
It's really beginning to look a lot like Christmas indeed =)
Jozu Japanese Grill & Sushi Bar
There is this new Japanese resto along Tomas Morato...it's situated infront of Hot Shots Burger, where Super Bowl of China used to stand. Well, it is my duty to patronize new business in the vicinity, to help our economy right? ---Right! ;p hahaha The name is Jozu. As I learned, it is owned by the son of Mr. Villavicencio (hope I spelled it right), who also runs Saikono. The place was empty when we entered...and we were greeted by the nice staff. There was a Japanese chef there, who, as I was told, was the Japanese chef of the original Saisaki. The place is quite big..2-storey...modern interiors and the tables with grills were at the 2nd floor.
They offer a lot of interesting jap dishes, apart from the conventional offerings.
Here is the Kamameshi Rice
I love Kamameshi rice! That is why, Kamameshi House was one of my favorite jap restos =) I used to frequent the branch at Libis....I don't know why it closed down =(
Let me open the nice kamameshi wooden vessel...to give you a beeter view of what we had...
It's steamed rice, that turned brownish from the sauce (I guess) with which it was cooked with and mixed with beef, chicken, shrimps and vegetables. It was good...but I still favor the good ol' Kamameshi house rendition. This one was generous with the mixin's and very filling. Can be a meal on it's own =)
The Jozu Sashimi Tokujo (Mixed Sashimi Platter)
Beautifully plated! It consists of Salmon, Tuna, Eel, Octopus, Seabream, Sea Urchin, Tiger Prawn, Squid with shromp roe, Crab-stick roll and egg omelet. A good mish-mash of sashimi faves...all fresh! We are good here. Not bad for Php 470.00!
Tori Chiisu Maki Teriyaki
Perhaps chiisu means "cheese"??- ;P hehehe Well, its Grilled chicken rollled with ..you got it...chees-u =D
And lastly...the Agedashi Tofu...
I think this was too heavily breaded. A bit too floury =)
A good Japanese resto...good service and the price just right! We fun dining at Jozu! Thanks Elpo! =D
Here is my shobe and I...happy after our dinner
The Wilkie Way ;P
Friday night and we are all set for a night out of town! The plan was initially set to Alabang, I wanted to bring my friends to Amoroma's...but...our plan took a slight turn...a bit over Alabang...and on to Tagaytay! But before we forge through the south
...we needed a bit of a tuk-tuk-sluuuuurp moment....;P
Yes, a quick pitstop at our now favorite balutan at Scout Chuatoco! This time some
penoy-higop!!!TADA!!!!!
As I was informed, it is called penoy higop because of its soft-boiled state.....
Yummmmm!!!!! I liked it a lot! I think this will be my alternative to the balut. No chick part here...so I am all cleared. It has a creamier texture than a soft boiled egg...and has that balut taste that I like =) Sooo good!
On our way...it seemed like that 1 penoy per person snack didn't hold up or growling stomachs for long. We had a long way to go still and fortunately for us Wilkie was sweet enough to bring us snacks ...nagaraya, bread pan, toblerone and bottled water!!!!----HOW NICE talaga!!! =D There was a treat to please everyone in the car. Thank you Doc Wilks!
The snacks were enough to keep our stomachs tamed as we reached our destination......
buon giorno!!!!
Oh yes!!!! The place was great! I love the ambiance..overlooking the taal volcano. The weather was crisp and cool...bordering to cold even! We loved it!
The bread basket
Nice bread with good olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip!
Fritto Misto De Mare
Fish sticks and Calamares....deep fried to golden crisps...served with tartar sauce! We loved every morsel of this appetizer! Gimme more!!!!! ;P
Croquettes with Mozarella
Beautiful golden balls of rice with a cheese center surprise! It was served with marinara sauce. Delicious...but it is very filling! Well, it's made of rice so you can just imagine it thump down in your stomach, so eat moderately. A unique dish!
Now for some fun....we had
MARE PESTO PIZZA
A light and thin crusted pizza with mixed seafood toppings, pesto sauce a mozarella cheese!!!
How can you not like that? =)
Quattro Formaggi Pizza
Mozarella, Fontina, Parmesan and Gorgonzola!!!! YUMMEH!!!!
As I have said...it was a cold evening...we were seated al fresco...this being our 2nd pizza...the cool breeze got to the cheese....so it didn't stretch our much in this shot!
The pizzas were very good! The crust was crispy and thin and the toppings very generous! A beautiful and delicious Italian evening.
We had a super great time at boun giorno...now how do we cap this perfect dinner?
How about a trip to Figaro at East 19?! Upon goin up to tagaytay, I kinda mentioned that I have never really been to that East 19 place...where there is a Grappa's resto, Dencio's, Figaro and a Ballroom club (I think). I was just so happy to be able to see the place....and it was nice indeed!
This is the view looking down from the outside of Figaro.
We enjoyed our coffee there. It wasn't nearly as cold there as it was up in Tagaytay..but I think its a nice hang out as well.
As if our evening was not capped yet...indeed, it wasn't...we just have to end it....
..... THE WILKIE WAY!
What a perfectly extra-ordinary night out it had been. Thank you guys...we shall do this again!!!! =D
Fish Relleno Pic
Just to share...here is the fish relleno picture from Greens...We loved it! =)
Vegan Treats & Uno Sweets =)
It's makes me feel good tryning to eat healthy. I dragged my friends again, but this time...we went vegan. One of my favorite, and perhaps the only, vegetarian resto I frequent...Greens =) As Rachel Ray always say...eat healthy if you want to eat a LOT! hehehe
For something crispy... an alternative to pork chicharon...
Vegetarian Chicharon
Made from wheat...yes, these are carbs...but they are mighty good. They do taste like good ol' pork chicharon! If I get old and become forbidden to have fat on fat pork rinds..I would be having these =) They serve it with spicy vinegar. Crispy and delicious!
Now, for more cripsy stuff...leaning on protein this time...
Crunchy Tofu Skins ...
Tofu skins with sesame seeds...served with tomato ketchup. These are really yummy! It will kill your crispy-crunchy cravingwhile feeling good since it is tofu based =)
Well, both are fried but then I guess less evil in a way, don't you think? We think so =)
This is the Soy Chicken Embutido
Ground chicken meat made into an embutido...with a soy based casing. The skin of this embutido is redolent of hotdog casing. It tastes delicious...like real embutido! Yummm
I accidentally deleted the picture of our favorite dish..the Fish Relleno. It was really good! Fish meat mixed with the usual relleno ingredients...wrapped in nori, breaded and deep fried! Soooo GOOD! We all loved the nori twist which gave it a unique flavor! I'll Try to find the pics and upload again..or better yet..go back there...order and order it again ;P
We had brown rice with the above mentioned dishes...and that felt nice...feeling well satiated while feeling good anout what we ate =) hehehe
I think there are so much more yummy dishes to try at Greens. The many times I've dined there, I always have the faux bbq....so I am really glad to have had the chance to try new and interesting vegan treats.
Feeling good with our dinner...we rewarded ourselves with fantantic desserts. We went to our favorite UNO restaurant for some sweet sensations!
I've said it before and I'll say it again I LOVE UNO! hehehe one of the nicest restos found in the morato area...nice place..consistenlty good food and service =)
Cheesecake
A very light verion of baked cheesecake. It's not like the usual dense baked varieties you'd find. Light as it is...it IS very creamy still. Delicious and not sweet. We loved it!
I found this at the dessert trolley...something new for the day...
brownies =)
Crusty on the outside and fudgy inside with chopped walnuts! Yummy!!! Chocolatey but not sweet. It was just perfect! Super cheap at Php 40.00!
An all time fave...the
lemon tart
It's not too sour and not sweet! Pefect as well. The moist lemony filling is well complimented by the shortbread-like crust.
These babies were great with the nice brew they also serve here. I love everything about this resto. The breads...the food...the desserts. So nice. If I were to have my own resto I would want something like this...small..initimate with great quality. The chef owner is always there..he was there last night..over-seeing everything..and this personal touch makes UNO delightful over time =)
Single People: Drag King & Queens ;P
Back to my single life....and what do single people do on a lazy weeknight?---call for PIZZA night! Yehey! Yeah...Elaine and I do love having pizza...fun and no frills hang out treat. We planned to go to Pizzeria Toscana, because its near ...but when we got there..it was still closed! We asked if we could just sit there and wait untill they open...but they didn't let us! Nakakainis noh? But well...they were still fixing up so we just left and thought of having taho at the big little store. On our way there...I remembered Amazing Cones. I haven't tried dining in and Elaine hasn't tried them yet....it was pizza night din naman...so we gave it a go =)
The place has a fun feel...they serve ice cream and shakes. Kids and kids at heart will enjoy hanging at this place.
Well, since we were to have pizza for dinner, we just shared a cone to taste and tease our appetites =)
This is the screaming garlic.
Yummy! The crust is crispy and sweetish...kids will love this. It has tomato-garlic filling topped with cheese.
After enjoying our Amazing Pizza cone, we headed off to Pizzeria Toscana. It's located at Castillas St., near Gilmore area.
This is a siamese cod-fish pizza and tomato artichoke.
It was good...but not so great. As I recall from the last time I ate there, the crust is kinda bland...still is...but ok for Php 270.oo Our favorite is still the Cibo pizza ovale...next time girl...we stick to that ;P
Before finishing up our dinner, I invited my friend to meet up with us for coffee...and ofcourse he said yes! He escaped his duty and St. Luke's for some crepes and coffee =) This is why I entitled this post...
drag king and queens...meaning: we single peopla are soo KALADKARIN ;P bwahahaha...by that I mean easy to drag into foodie trysts! hahaha =) But. this is exactly what makes singlehood fun =) hehehe Well, we enjoyed our crepes and chit chats ...rants and raves about our daily what-have-yous. Then we delve into the talk of food again...and we got into talking about street food...and ended up thinking of balut...
Balut...then my friend goes.."hey, I know this balut place na super ok.." Elaine and I go..."let's go!" hahaaha drag queens talaga noh? hehehe
My friend took us to Scout Chuatoco St. and there stands this....
...a balut stand. Php 10.00 a piece. We each got one balut...one lang to be kind to our hearts naman. Hey, they sell very nice balut ah...small lang yun chick part...which I DON'T EAT. Yes my friends...I DO NOT EAT the sisiw part as it SCARES the daylights out of me =( Thinking of it gives me the creeps! eeeeepsssssssssss!!! I like the yellow part though...very much...that is all I eat from the balut and the sabaw, ofcourse ;P hehehe Yummy! I bought 9 pieces more...5 to give to my family...4 for my newly wed shobe and hubby to share =).
What a trip that night turned out! Thanks guys! =)
My Shobe's Wedding
Like a grand finale for my wedding season.....my last wedding for the year (I think) is for my very own sis! My younger sis tied the knot and my hwole family are full of emotions. It's the first wedding in our family. We are all daddy's girls...and you can just imagine how he felt..how we felt when my sis walked down the aisle.
It was a beautiful chinese wedding. The ceremony was held at the San Agustin church and the reception at the Sheraton Hotel Grand Ballroom.
My sister was so beautiful. Her gown...her face...she was indeed a wonderful woman. I am very happy for her...a bit sad that I know things will not be the same after the wedding as she moved in to their new home. My baby sis asks..."why does everybody have to go?..." Part of life...are inevitable changes that one must go through. I have been waking up with my sister at the other bed...all my life now....and after her wedding...I wake up to an empty bed beside mine.
I remember how a dear friend told me...sister's relationships get better when they each get married. I can feel it is right...it's js been a day and I realize how much I love my sister.
My dad is the only man in the family...it's harder I think for him...especially that my mom is gone already. It's heartbreaking for us girls not to have a mom at a moment like this...but must be tougher for my dad, I am sure. Letting go to enable one to move on the next chapter of life is but a fact to accept.
Best wishes to my beloved sis Che and congratulations to her husband Jeff....please, please take care of her and love her with all your heart.
This is my family
A momentous day in our lives =)
Loving Dinner... Ala Diane!
I must say it again...food and dining bring about memories...lots of memories. As I found myself back at Ala Diane's....I was filled with Nostalgia...of college days and good friends. Ala Diane is a small cafe, along Sto. Domingo street almost bordering Retiro. Once again there...a flashback of college days came in a rush. This used to be situated at Panay, Quezon avenue. Back when the National Bookstore building there was not yet a building...no Crossings department store and supermrket yet...just the bookstore..powerflex gym and
Ala Diane at the forefront along Panay side. I used to go there with my very good college gal pals Ros, Lotte and Shawie ...my girls...my beloved friends =) We would have
meryenda there...having our favorites...chicken tocino, beef stroganoff, apple pie and banana caramel fudge.
It was just so delightful to be back and taste the good old stuff. Let me just share them .....
This is the Chicken Tocino...
Sweetish and oh so tender chicken breast pieces. So simple...so good! So good that it made us order another plate of it sans the rice =)
Beef Stroganoff Fetuccine
Creamy beef stroganoff..on al dente pasta with cheese and a side of buttered toast. No parmesan here...nothing fancy-schmanzy gourmet...just good old delicious homey comfort food. It stil tastes as good as when I had first tried it =)
Apple Pie with warm Butterscotch sauce
It's my favorite apple pie rendition...its a double pastry crust kind of pie...tender apple filling and the buttery rich sauce is great with it. What makes it so delicious, for me, is having beautiful memories that I relish with every fork-full of this pie =)
This is my friend Ros' favorite....I remeber...Banana-Caramel Fudge
It's like a Banofee pie..but for me way better! The crust is like a fudge brwonie with a layer of caramel and banana slices topped with cream and chocolate-chip morsels. Well, I worked my way around as not to get the cream...but this tasted divine! I love it. I remeber I never ordered this before..as I have a disliking of cream..but I don't know...it was great having it that night =)
Simple things can bring so much satisfaction. They also offer other homemade goodies and cakes at very affordable prices.
I enjoyed the chicken tocino so much...I asked the wiatress if they sold it uncooked. They did! Php 105.00 half kilo! NOt bad at all!!!! I took some home to share with my sisters =)
Very happy that things hasn't changed here...only thing to note...they do close up quite early...around 8 or 830pm is closing time. Please try it and bring home some pie, banana-caramel and tocino! =)
Sweet Sensations
I asked if you have crispy crunchy cravings....now how about craving for something sweet...decadent....chocolately ?? Well, most girls have these sugary desires..I am sure. Though I am not really fond of very sweet, sweets... I do adore desserts =)
Let me just share two sweet endings that I have had with dear ones the past week.
This is the Snicker Cheesecake from Banaple
I don't like snickers as a chocolate bar...but this cheesecake with snicker bits...was good =) The crust is like a choco-chip cookie crust...and the cheesecake body nicely baked. It is topped with chocolate ganache. Sweet..so best to have someone to share it with. Oh....lovely with strong black coffee to bring down that sweetness.
Now this is a winner.... Bailey's-Oreo Cheesecake at Jack's Loft.
I sooo love creamy liqueurs like
Amarula, Tequila Rose and
Bailey's....alcohol drinks that I can take well (I think ;P). This is great! Creamy baked cheesecake, lightly flavored with Bailey's with speckles of oreo cookie bits on an oreo cookie crust! Knock-off that whipped cream on top....and this one is divine for me =) Best shared with friends too ;P
Munchies at Peri-Peri
Do you ever have moments when you're craving for some crunchy munchie food? Well, I most certianly do. Good thing my friends were also into this when we had dinner at Peri-Peri Chicken, at Promenade Greenhills. No chicken on this post though...
Fish and Chips
I only got to try the fries..so I don't know if the fish part was good =) Ven was able to finish the whole thing, so I presume it was good.
Fried Mozarella
This is a fave of mine here. Good ol' breaded mozzarella with a marinara like sauce...but it's not marinara...it's spicier..more like chili tasting than marina. It's a good cheese fix!
Fried Calamares
Crispy and generous serving of calamares fritos. This one came with a more marinara like sauce =)
I forgot what it is actually called...like
taquitos?
Anyways, these are like a big open taco. Love the crispy taco shell wedges and the taco filling is delish.
Well, crunchy-munchy craving killed! Dead on the spot! ;P
For the Love of Food: Amoromas!!!
Finally!!! Another resto I've been hearing and reading a lot about which caused a great curiosity and want, to try out ...I have had the chance to dine in...
YES!!! Amoroma's! There was a branch in Makati, as I was told...but it closed up without me even catching a shadow of it. Great thing the Alabang-Zapote branch still stands. My very good friend Jeff was kind enough to take me there for another foodie adventure!
Oh I really prepped well for this! To work up my appetite...I spent my afternoon shopping and event did NOT have lunch!!! hahaha Well, I made a pit stop for coffee...but just coffee.
Traffic was terrible in Paranaque..but we were amused by lots of interesting restos we pass by...hehehe
And we arrive....
TADA!!!!! The entrance!
It's situated at the lower level of a building that I didn't catch the name of. A quaint looking place. Inside, the place is dimly lit...by candle lights. Nice!
They have this counter of fresh pastas, fruits and cheeses...
...and they offer a selection of wine.
Now for the main event.....
To start our meal, we had the Bomboloni con Vegetali Sott' Olio
These are hollow bread served with home made pickeled vegetables. My first time to encounter this.
You cut the cute pillow of bread open...and stuff the cavity with the pickled veggies...like so...
Yummy!!!!!! I love the pickled veggies....like eating mini vegetarian paninis hehehe. I like the lightness of the bread with the flavorful stuffing...a great way to prep and tease the palate!
This is the 5-Cheese Pizza
Yup, not 4 but five cheeses here baby! Comprising of Mozarella, Parmesan, Pecorino, Fontina (Jeff's fave) and Gorgonzola (my fave). Delicioso!!!! I love cheese...so is there a question if I like this pizza? The crust was thin but it was not the crispy kind..more of the chewy. It was a good chewy crust but I like crispy and airy pizza crusts more...like the pizza crusts in Cafe Caruso.
This is the Raviolli Ricotta e Spinachi
Raviolli pasta stuffed with Ricotta cheese,spinach and walnuts. You have a choice to have it with
Bolognese Burro e Parmigiano; or
Pomodoro e Basilico sauce. I chose the latter. It was good...I like the earthy tone the walnuts gave the filling...not too much Ricotta in the filling though and the pasta a bit too aldente.
Salsarosa Pasta
This is no longer on the menu...but I think this is one of the house favorites =) It's creamy tomato sauce with shrimps and chopped basil (was it?) Maybe it was becasue of this dish that I the ravioli dish was set back a bit. The sauce was really good! Delicious to the last smear! ;P hahahaha Pasta cooked aldente...it's actually a simple dish but perfectly flavored. The texture of the pasta and the sauce just gives a beautiful mouth-feel and rish tasting enough but not over-powering.
Let me just put a little light on the subject.....
...the place was really dim....so here is an over-exposed picture of the Salsarosa pasta =) ( I normally don't use flash kase)
We were looking and waiting for the free bread basket ....so we asked our nice waitress for it but she informed us that they do NOT give free bread anymore =(....our bomboloni was to be our bread for the evening na pala. Awwww..but..but..we must have looked really saddened with this as the told us to wait...and came back with this.....
...a generous bread basket! YEHEY! =) Well...
did we really need more bread? ...we did have pizza and stuffed bread right?hehe It's just nice to get free bread and useful to
clean plates with =) hehehehe It had piadina wedges and toasted focaccia-like breads. Nothing great...but hey...it was free =) thank you Ms. Waitress!
Lighting up our table once again......
...there you go....for a better view of the food =)
Carbo-loaded and happy...shall we have dolci??? Hmmm... I just opted for espresso and Jeff picked the gelato....
Espresso & Gelato
Looking at it....a light bulb lit up----shall we pour the espresso over the Gelato?---Yes!!!
Hence, An Affogato
Nice ei? Well, the espresso was good but the Gelato was..err...bad! hehehe Sorry, he only not nice thing we had. The Gelato had ice crystals not nice but with the espresso...consumable =)
A very wonderful food experience...definitely worth the trip!!! Thank you Jeff!!!
Kahit hindi pa tayo nag Mickey's...Amoroma naman d ba?
Trading Beyonce for A Secret
Yup...I was there! Beyonce's first concert in Manila....and I was lucky enough to get in for free. Thanks to my dear Elainey...who scored the tickets for us =)
It was held at the Fort Bonifacio Open Field....my first open field concert...my second concert anything! hehehehe Well, I am no Beyonce fan but I do like her songs. As expected...Fort was traffic...but we didn't have a problem goin in. Hmm... after the opening act and I think two song number we were getting kinda ...tired and not so into the thing anymore. The songs were rendered in a mixed verion...so you don't hear the song as it is. After that...we decided to leave Ms. B and just look for dessert =) hehehehe
We passed Secret Recipes, upon going to the concert, so we went back there to share the secret! hehehe....
Well, the menu indicated a lot of award winning stuff...award winning marbles cheese cake...best lamb curry was it..and so on and so forth...great...let's give it a try then.
We stared at the cake display...read and re-read the menu and asked the waiter for recommendation on what cake to have. We were not in the mood for cheesecake so we opted for the CHOCO MUD CAKE....
hmmmm....what can we say about this cake???
...=( sowee but we weren't happy with it. For me it was not chocolatey enough...I definitely didn't like the mousse.
We aslo tried the
Pot Pie...
Now this I liked. I love the puff pastry on top...very flaky and crisp..nice =) Underneath is chicken, corn and mushroom filling with a bechamel like sauce. I like the puff pstry more than the filling =) The filling tastes close to a canned Campbell Mushroom soup...but I like Cambell soup
naman..so it was alright with me ;P hehehe
Well, there goes the secret.....=)
Simple Pleasures
After our NP dinner, how about something
pinoy for dessert? We opted for Razon's ...
Guagua Halo-halo
Good and refreshing..although the ones they serve up in Pampanga has more
laman =)
This is a first here...silvanas.
It was good...the butter filling is not real butter though..just ok.
Simple things ..yet satisfying =)
Funky North Park
There is this modern looking North Park branch at...where is that..P. Guevarra St. is it? I'll have to check on that..anyhoos, I was feeling under the weather but I wanted to hang out with Elainey...so we chose to eat at NP! It's a rarity that I have chinese food....for hang out..but the place looks funky from the outside..very inviting! hehehe
Fried Shrimp Dumplings (Ha Kaw)
The generously filled with fresh shrimps and fried to golden crisps...we loved it! I like it better dipped in the siopao sauce, more than the orange sauce that came with it =)
Taipao
This is the NP special siopao...made of bola-bola filling, salted egg, chicken and chorizo. We shared this piece. It was good and very filling...but I think Masuki Taipao is better. A lot of people tells me Emerald Garden Taipao is the best..but I've never tried it because everytime I am there...we have the lauriat...no chance for siopao. Maybe someday I get a chance to try it =)
It was a good dinner for us..happy chinese girls...happy with chinese food =)
A 45 Bulllet Through Our Roof !!!
Sunday morning and my sis calls out to us to show us something awful she had found at the foot of her bed....
YES! That is a bullet from a 45 gun! My goodness!!! THERE ARE INDEED IRRESPONSIBLE GUN OWNERS OUT THERE!!!!
My sis told me that she had heard a thud while she was sleeping, but she thought it was just some appliace that went short...so she dismissed the sound and continued sleeping. I actually went in her room late that eveing when I got home to check on her...and I even turned off her TV.
It was only in the morning when she saw this on the ceiling.....
....my GOODNESS!!! It just missed my sis by a few feet...it could have hit me had I gone in her room earlier!
Well, we thank God for sparing us from harm...but I just can't help but wonder...who should be responsible for this?
I felt that..even if you're in your own house...in your own bed...sometimes....you really can never be safe!
Road House, Serendra
Is there always room for dessert??? I think so! hehehe
On to Serendra for some dessert...what are we in the mood for? I always appreciate the hot and cold dessert thing...some people opt for the cool and refreshing king...like ice cream or halo-halo....some go for cakes and pastries.
Tonight we wanted massive desserts! And by massive, I mean voluminous! hahahaha And where do we get this??? Let's head off to American restos!!! Yup..haven't you noticed that...Chili's, Fridays, Burgoo serve up huge portions sized of desserts...that's why it's hard to have desserts there if your only 1 person or 2 =)
In Serendra, at High Street, there is this resto called Road House. Well, it looks like your average American resto....it was packed...with lots of people enjoying buckets of beers!!! A drinking place...but we are not here to have beer..we are already through with that....we come for some desserts!!!
The Mighty Oreo Mud PIE
hmmm...havne't younoticed almost all American restos have a version of a MUD PIE! hahaha This is not event the slightest redolent od MUD. It's made of chocolate and coffee ice cream with snicer bits in side on an oreo crust, drizzled with chocolate sauce! hahaha A very sinful pie---maybe that's why its a MUD PIE----it's MUD DIRTY sinful! hahahaha It was good. Deeply frozen. The ice cream was not that great..it was sweet...and err..just ok =)
The Cowboy Chocolate Cake
Chocolate cake with a huge scoop of chocolate coated vanilla ice cream..drizzled with chocolate sauce. It was ok...the cake was moist...but I think they used substandard ice cream...hmmmm it wasn't that good.
The desserts were happy desserts naman and they were BIG. Sugar fix achieved! For me though...I would rather have a very minute serving of exquisite dessert made with premium ingredients as opossed to having a moundful of a dessert that is just...well...sweet and filling =)
But then...desserts like these are great when shared ---and sharing is indeed fun =)
Say Hey Mickey, Again =)
I really, adored my first visit to Mickye's deli...and I vowed to try their Ciabatta pizza. A promise is a promise and I was back to try more of thier stuff!!! hehehe
THE CIABATTA PIZZA MARGHERITA!!!!
Soooooooooooo GOOD! PERFECT CIABATTA!---yun palang--ok na eh! ;P hehehehe Topped with tomato sauce and mozarella. Simple and simply delicioso!!!! I LOVE IT! I even put a bit of Tabasco!!! I know...I DON'T LIKE hot and spicy stuff but I just thought it was fitting to do so because, we had pur pizza with some.......BEER!!!=)
Nope. I AM NO BEER DRINKER. DEFINITELY! But, as they always say...there are exceptions to the rule....minsan or always ;P As I have mentioned in my prior post, they offer a selection of international beers. Our good waiter, Macoy...recommended we try the Franciskanner and Murphy Beers...their best seller.
Well, let's give it a shot then....the Franciskaner tasted really good! I was very surprised to like the taste of this beer! It tasted malty and had none of that bitter taste most beers (like SMB) have.
Next up, the Murphy...a stout beer which came out of a can. Our waiter tells us that it should be poured in a glass in a certain way to ensure perfect flavor distribution.
Here is our good waiter serving up our stout. As you can see below, he is right...layers formed as he poured the beer in the glass and then it turned uniform black...like a Cervesa Negra.
The stout beer had a more bitter flavor to it. Like Rootbeer...but less sweet. I like the first beer better, but both were good. I was really surprised I was able to DRINK BEER!!! A real first for me =) It was great with our pizza...that's the reason I put a little Tabasco in my pizza. I felt really manly that evening! hahahaha ;P
This is the bread basket
Not free though. Ciabatta, Sourdough and baguette slices served with herbed butter and pate. VWE HAVE EXCELLENT BREAD HERE!!! Yes we do!!! LOVE IT!
Apart from the bread and pizza....I return for the cheese!!!!
They do offer prepared cheese boards ans antipasti platter on the menu..but we opted to select our cheese faves over the deli counter. They served it up quite beautifully noh? We had Asiago, Grana Padano (a favorite of mine, which I encountered first at Galileo Enoteca) and the funky, flowrly like cheese you see is the Tete de Moine....now that is something new. It's a wheel of cheesse, where the serving blade is rotated on top of it to create that flower like effect. Initially, I found it bland tasting..but after the flavors set in your palate....wow...it's really great..try for yourself =)
We picked strong flavored cheeses ( well, the Asiago was the mildest flavored one we had) to accompany our beers. If cheeses work well with wines...why not beers right? Well, it worked out fine and we indeed had very happy palates after! They put in a new dessert on the menu...chocolate cake...ala mode was it? ..but no room for dessert...maybe later:p hahah
I think Mickey's is one of my latest favorite restos now. Their food if simple but very good quality...well, at least for what I've tried. My new beer, cheese and pizza place! Maybe on my next visit, some sausages and antipasti or wine! The place hs a very nice and comfortable ambiance...you can tell they have the good stuff here...the place is packed! =)
A Cool Tea Bar: Kozui
I'm really not much of a TEA LATTE fan. I do take tea, but if I do so..
never with milk, honey or sugar. This changed when I tried the
ROASTED MATCHA LATTE at Kozui. Kozui is situated beside Baang Coffee, at Tomas Morato. It's a pretty lime green and white painted tea bar that serves iced and hot teas and interesting Japanese snacks and meals.
Roasted Matcha Lattes, Grande and Tall
Well, there grande is a REAL GRANDE in size ah! It's great. I love the nutty, rice green tea taste and it's creamy but not milky tasting, that's why I like it =)
Takoyaki
These are yummy!Balls with crabstick or chopped shrimps inside squid ball like ---balls. It is covered with nice sweetish, terriyaki sauce and some bonito flakes =)
Animitsu
It's Japanese
halo-halo, so they say. It is made of sweet red beans, taro, tapioca,
bilo-bilo like balls (that I didn't like) and a choice of fruit (mango or strawberry). They are covered with shaved ice and topped with soft serve Green Tea Ice cream....no milk here! It's nice and refreshing =)
A nice hang out with a variety of japanese meals and snack options =) My alternative to hanging at cafes!
Amazing Cones!!!
War brought an amazing cone last night upon fetching me...Din and I got to taste some of this pizza cone. I've ben passing this store, located near first street New Manila...and I wana try it too because the place is always packed since it opend. The cone is made of crunchy pizza crust and stuffed with the pizza toppings...the top most past is where the cheese is...interesting and good ah. War tells me it costs 70 bucks a pop...kinda expensive for the size, but it's an ideal snack while driving....very handy pizza so to say...and the take out package is cool. The pizza cone is mounted on this cardboard-squareish stand. Neat ei? Worth trying =)
Izakaya Kikufuji
Another resto that I have been wanting to try for quite some time now...
IZAKAYA KIKUFUJI! YEHEY! Finally, last night ...after convincing...
Sergio (a.k.a. Ven)...the gang and I went for a food trip to Japan! I just love Japanese restos run and patronized by Japanese! Makes me feel sure I'm getting the real-deal =) It's located at my dreaded area...
Pasong Tamo Extension. Good thing they all knew how to get there so we didn't have any navigation problems.
The place fits the typical Japanese Izakaya stereo-type. They have seats along the sushi bar where you can watch the sushi chef prep your food! Lots of sake bottles on the walls...which looked like they are owned by We got a nice room, where you sit on the floor...and there is a depresseion underneath the table to you have leg space =) cool....but I don't really mind siting indian style =)
Tuna Sashimi
I think this one is tooo bloody red! hehhehe ;P Frech enough..but I think the pieces are kinda too big =)
Good Ol' California Maki
a typical dish...hmmmm..the pieces were not cut evenly....but it tasted fine.
Uni Sashimi
scarry looking...but delicius! The serving size is quiet generous.
Mixed Tempura
hmmmm..it was ok..but the fishy taste got to the eggplants and other veggies in the mix....
Oyakudon
Well, as you can see from this picture....it needed more sauce. the delish part about donburi's is having the rice drenched in sauce! hahah at least Sergio thought so...he poured 2 small bowls os extra sauce on this! hahaha It was good
naman (I tasted it ;P).
Katsudon
Cold Soba Noodles
Ebi Tempura
It was not as crunchy as we wanted them to be.
Chicken Katsu
This I really like...simple and fried to a perfect crisp! =)
US GYU STEAK
Forgot it's actual name...but its US steak...priced just a bit lower than the wagyu. It was very tender and good.
FREE DRAFT BEER !!!
Yup, after getting the bill, they ave us a coupon for free darft beer...one per guest...not bad....for the boys! hehehe
All in all, I think we kinda expected too much ffrom the Izakaya. The food was good but we were anticipating GRRREAAAAAAAAAT! hehhe The price is ok...our bill was around 4,500....not bad we ordered a lot. Please don't get me wrong our food was delicious and we wiped them out. Perhaps we should order more unconventional dished next time...perhaps get sake ;P hehehe
Eating at a new resto is always a good and fun experience!!! Thank you
SERGIO!!!!!!!!!!!! =)
(L-R) My shobe Nikki, Mary Ann (friend of my sis), My cousin Patty, Moi and My Atchi
