FInally AMICI!!! =)

For a long time I have heard so much and have been meaning to dine at Amici de Don Bosco. Unfortunate for me...I never found myself ther...for the reason..I don't know. Since I couldn't come to to Amici..it came to me! hahaa Well...just came closer as it has recently opened a branch in Tomas Morato! YES! It is situated where CPK used to be...at the Bellagio Square, near Little Asia and my favorite UNO.

This post is two visits worth...

Here is there kitchen... no secrets here. They show off how the pizzaz are cooked in wood-fired ovens =)

On our first visit..we just had the Pizza with Anchovies, capers and olives.

Yummy! And the price is really cheap! If I remeber it right...around Php 260 or 270 for this baby.

On our next trip here..which was the day following....The Pizza with mushrooms, artichokes and smoked ham...



We liked this better than the first. The crust is the chewy kind...yummy with little wood oven burns that I like =)

The Spinach Canelloni

Yummy! Loaded with spinach and ladened with creamy sauce! Even comes with bread! Nice...and really cheap at aroung Php 160.00!


Gelato!
Php 45.00 for a cup of Gelato...and I had coffee..

Gelato was ok..but ofourse the best is Angelati Italia =)

Well, I will be a regular here definitely!!!

C2 Shang Mall

It's been a while since the last time I have dined at C2 in Shangrila Mall. It's one of my favorite Filipino restos...for the fact that it gives a nice twist to traditional Filipino dishes =)

Dalandan Shake

Very refreshing! I think our native Dalandan is more delicious than lemon =) Like a big bad arse calamansi..with less acitidy and a tinge of sweetness.

Bagoong Fried Rice

C2 really is vry generous with rice servingss! Too much for two...maybe good for 3 -4 people! It's a yummy baggong ladened fied rice..very tasty..and great with a more simple dish like what we had here...

Fried Chicken with Tamarind Ketchup Sauce

Tastes like Max's fried chicken! A classic...with a ketchup twist....yes...its good ol' banana ketchup with a hint of Tamarind. A simple touch but makes for an inetresting sauce no? =) Served with atchara and a heap of shoestring potatoes...like picnic! We like.

You just got to appreciate the simple stuff =)

I am of Proud Mary ;P

I have been eyeing on Proud Mary since the first time I saw it. The place is situated adjacent to Jozu Japanese retaurant.

Promises are promises....and I kept it twice! =) I love the place for the fact that...IT SERVES BOTTOMLESS COFFEE!!!!!! YES!

In addition to that, they serve free Iced Tea with every meal ordered. Sooo nice.

Coffee for me....Iced tea for you...

The brew is quite good! That in itself is reason enough for me to go back.


Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

This is just half a serving...the chicken was very flavorful and the caesar dressing yummmy =) We likey!

Sharing the Club

Triple decked clubhouse sandwich...with ham...eggs..chicken..tomatoes with a serving of fries. The bread was fried like a frech toast to boot....very good..very satiating!

Cheese Sticks

Cheese wrapped in lumpia wrapper..fried to a golden crisp with sweet-chili dipping sauce. How could that be not good? I love that it was indeed very crisp and ooozing with melted cheese with every bite! =)

Fried Calamares

Yummmy rings of deep fried battered squid with a choice of mayo and sweet-chili sauce dip. Good too.

Upon glancing at the dessert display..I could tell in a sec that their cakes was supplied by banaple =)

Starwberry Cheesecake

Well, I do like the cakes of Ms. GJ at banaple...but I guess the stock at Proud Mary was kinda "aged"..if you know what I mean. Sad to say...the cheesecake was already goin dry...more yellowy than usual and the crust...kinda dry and had that "old" taste. Sayang.

Nevertheless...I did enjoy both times I was there...the food..the brew..I just hope they keep close watch over the cakes in the counter...change itif not sold after a few days or so...banaple cakes are very good at banaple...they sell it fresh there daily =)

Great Uber thin Pizza!

Taste of LA is another long standing resto found in the Q.C. area...specifically along Roces street. Other than the uber thin pizza...there are more nice dished to enjoy at this cozy and familiar place =)

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

I love spring rolls! I particular;y enjoy Viet style ones because I like the vermicelli noodles stuffed in them. These were nice...crisp and delicious! We like =)

Ofcourse...what we came here for...uber thin Pizza! This is the HOT prawn pizza that wasn't so hot at all...so I liked it =)

Nice ultra thin pizza! We both enjoy super thins crust pizza for the reason that you taste more of the wonderful toppings. Makes for a lighter pizza treat =)

We were a bit hungry that time so we thought of having one more dish...a protein choice of Grilled Tuna

Cooked just right and very tasty! Served with a light green salad...if you will have this alone...a perfect diet dish ;P hahha

Back at Gran Cassanova

Another place I feel safe and love to frequent is Corinthian Hills. I had dinner ther at Gran Cassanova...a nice Italian resto....with a huge al fresco area which I adore =)

Bread Basket

I never fancied the bread basket here...they serve white bread that are just..well...like grocery bought ones.

Roasted Chicken Breast with Rosemary and Olive Oil

Served with baby potatoes and veggies. Nice =)


This is their Pizza Sampler...Four Kinds of Pizzas in One =)

A nice way to be able to try a variety of flavors even if you are only two people sharing.

Love Italian food =)

More Bizu Treats =)

Yup..Bizu again. It's just such a nice hang out =) I had dinner ther with some friends and check out what we had...

Chicken Cordon Blue

Their rendition is not the traditional roll. They sandwiched the ham and cheese between two breaded and deep-fried chicken breast fillets and served it on some fettuccine pasta =) Very rich...very good =)

Quiche Lorraine

A yummy pie of eggs and bacon with a delicious flaky crust...served with a side salad =)

My Pregnant friend is eating for two...and she wanted a side dish of mashed potatoes with her Chicken Cordon Blue! =)

I had the Shrimp Bisque Soup

Generous with shrimps but I just find the shrimp taste of the soup itself a bit overwhleming.


Creamy Chicken and Apple Penne Pasta

For dessert..we had the Blueberry Cheesecake

The cheesecake was dry and not creamy...sad to say.


Tiramisu

I like their version of this Italian fave.

Orange-Banana Smoothie

My friend like it a lot....the orange was a refreshing comploment to the banana =)

Valentines...Valentines ...Part II=)

Well, as I have said...lucky to have spent my Valentines in more ways than one =) Dinner time was at Serendra....and Valentine's here is really sich a major thing I tell you. Girls with bouquets of flowers...lovers lurking around...beautiful sight =)

An ofcourse there are special treats for couples dining on this day. We had dinner at a nice Spanish resto ...Gaudi. My first time here...the place was very nice.


Nope...no alcohol tonight...these are just sparkling wines...a yummy raspberry apple mix was it? I forgot...but hey it was good =)


Is it just me? or is that bread really heart shaped? ;P hahahah Bread Baslet with Olive Oil and Balsamic . Breads were good and fresh =)

Croquetas Mixtas
I guess the filling was a mish mash of meats...really good croquetas but we wished it was served with some kinda sauce...maybe tomato based or mayo-ey like.

The Seafood Paella

Yummy and gererously clad with prawns, clams, mussels and squid. Deliciously flavored with Saffron. Very good =)


Lapu-Lapu Fillet with Oilive Oil and Garlic

Served sizzling in a ceramic dish. The soft and fresh flesh of the meat..lightly flavored by the garlic and olive oil. Simple and delicious...great with our paella.

What a lovely dining day Valentines day. Yes...love....so grand...it should be well celebrated. It's not over-rated...maybe we are just all hopeless romantics. I know I am....a romantic and hopeless ;P

Lest I forget...love is a gift.... if its meant for you...it's meant for you....comes easy for some..hard for others..oon for some..later for others..or maybe none?

Happy Valentines day to all =)

Valentines...Valentines ...Part I =)

Is Valentines really over rated? I think so. But for some strange reason there is a force deep inside that complels us (single people....well most of us...) to just go out there and ride the love-romace bandwagon...hehehe Well, having to spend this day that celebrates love and romance...which really is a fantastic thing to experience and have....can really be such an exciting thing, especially when spent with someone special =)

Please allow me to linger over the idea of love. There are lots of ways that I can discuss on what love is...but for today, I pertain to the love in the romantic light...not the filial kind...not the "I love my dog" kind...but the love between woman loves man...man loves woman kinda thing. I love love. Who doesn't? Well...let me just speak for myself. I think it's just but magical...for two people to find eachother in this big/small world we live in....see eye to eye and feel with reciprocity....that indescribable mix of affection, concern, trust and yes....attracton. A force that draws two people togther....intertwining their lives....their universe. It can bring so much joy...and so much pain.

Fortunate for me....I was able to spend this day...in a special way/ways ;P

First up at Katre...we passed up the Valentines menu and opted for simple appetizers..which I think are more fun to eat =)

Calamares

Beautifully plated! I just wished it was crispy...buy nevertheless tasty =)


Pita Bread with a Trio of Hummus, Tatzziki and Salsa Dip

Delicious! Love bread and dips =)


Bruschetta Trio

Three delicious slices of french bread topped with an array of chicken, mushrooms and tuna. Good...good =)

Light and yummy way to spend Valentines day morning =)

Desserts at Chelsea's

I've dined at Chelsea's several times, but never had the chance to have dessert there. Well, this time is was just dessets =)

Chocnut Ice Cream

It was nothing great... and I think it would have been better if it was served more frozen.

Now, my mistake was that I didn't check out the cake display. I couldn't decide on what cake to have, so I just asked the waiter what the best seller is...and I was told it was the Toblerone Layer cake

Oh my....to my disappointement...it was light chocolate mousse-like layers, with meringue and caramel. All the things that I don't fancy =( The only thing I liked was the Toblerone chocolate bar on the side hahahaha....and this...we like the most....

FREE CHOCNUT =)

It came with my coffee (coffee was soooo konti I might add, and the brew was weak =( ). We enjoyed the chocnut amongst the desserts we had. Only proves...the simplest of things can bring the most satisfaction ;P hahahaha

FRESKA At Promenade

My first time to dine at Freska ...The Best Ilonggo Seafood as it claims...let's see =)

We had the La Paz Batchoy. It's Egg noodle soup with egg, chicharon bits and innards, if I am not mistaken.

The soup was very tasty, quite alright.

We had the grilled Oysters

It was not as fresh as I think it should be. If you're having oysters clad with cheeses and other toppings, you might be able to get away with so so fresh ones.

Inihaw na Hito

Now this one we both enjoyed a lot. It was inihaw like an inasal, which made id very delicious =). Does that mean they used chicken oil? hahaha It had that yellowish oil that I find in chicken inasal..which made the grilled hito flesh very tasty. It was perfectly grilled...cooked through but still soft and tender...not dry and tough.


Pakbet

This was a nice rendition of this favorite Filipino veggie dish....nice platting I might ahh =) The vegetables still had that fresh crunch to them. It had a mild bagoong flavor which made it pleasantly tasty =)

Missin' Cyma

Ah Cyma! My fave "Greek within your reach" resto! It has been a while since my last visit there....and it was good to back!

Vegan Moussaka

Yummy eggplant-lasagna like dish!

Mixed Gyros

These days they put Tatziki in with the gyro sauce

And my fave..simple..delicious and satiating...mura pa!---Chicken Gyros
I had the dressing and tatziki on the side...as I don't like my gyro overly sauced. They chicken seemed sweetish these days as opposed to the plain grilled chiken like taste that I am used to

Some changes here..but still good. OOOOpa! ;P

The Coffee Bean Brekkie 2

Sal and I are sooo into our brunches at Serendra these days. ..and we are loving the Coffee Bean for great bottomless coffee and breakfast fares.

Today we had the Sausage and Scrambled Eggs

The sausage was't that fantastic and the scramble needed some salt and pepper. Nevertheless still worth it for it came with ....you know it...bottomeless Amerciano =)

The Salmon Scramble

Scrambles eggs with smoked salmon...this was good and tasty. I love Salmon...how can you go wrong with that.

There was this very amusing incident that Sunday morn that I would like to share. We were standing behind this nice man with an adorable kid at the counter. I am just always endeared by cutie kids..so I naturally played with the kid as we were waiting for our turn to place our order. Sal and I seated at out table waiting for our food, the kid comes back to play with me...and then back to his family..then back to me and Sal. On his 3rd return, we brought along the car keys of his dad which had an attached mini-mag light as it's key chain....and he showed it to me. I then rembered the night prior that I was looking for a little flashlight and kinda thought out loud to Sal that..I needed one and put a mental note to buy one later that day. Then the cute kid left..then went back to our table with the mini mag light sans the keys of the car and the dad said to his child..."o give the flash light to her..." They must have over heard what I sadi to Sal! I was sooo embarrassed and told the nice couple "oh no thank you..I was just saying that..." and I really ...REALLY DID NOT MEANT it for them to give it to me! They go..." oh please...take it..we have lot's of that...really" ....now I am really embarassed and go..."Oh noooooooooo but thank you...but no..." But they insisted and that bit went on....so there...I accepted and said thank you..but I was really embarassed but flattered by the sweet gesture of the couple. I told Sal...I wanted to buy the kid cake or a cookie as a token of gratitude..but before I could stand up...they were saying good bye to us. What a nice couple I though...but I was still embarassed.

A few days later, I had lunch with my friend...and when he took out his walltet...I saw a pic of a kid (which I saw before already..I knew it was his nephew) in it and I just asked hime to show it to me again as I like looking at kids pics. When I looked at the pic again...it suddenly ocurred to me....hey this kid looks so familiar..then my eyes opened wide and I asked him..."is your nephew 1 1/2 yrs old named KC?" ....and he goes "yes...why? whow'd you know" Then I told him the mag light story and he did remember her sis inviting her that moring to join them for brekafast at Serendra.....he told me they did like having Sunday brekafasts there too! ahahahaha What an absolutely pleasant surprise! =) Now I can make something for the kid to say thanks...and that is on my next baking agenda!

It's a small world indeed!!!! =)