May 2008 – Kain Pinoy

Dinner @ The Aristocrat Restaurant

After spending all day doing chores, my Mom, sister and myself went to the mall. We took my sister’s dress to the altering shop and afterwards we went our separate ways. My Mom and sister both went to do their thing, and I went on to do mine. I paid the bills and bought some things at the hardware section.

After we have finished doing our thing, we met up and had dinner at the Aristocrat Restaurant on the 3rd Level of The Block, SM City North Edsa. We placed our orders after browsing through the menu, running our eyes through pages of delicious pictures of their house specialties. After getting our orders, the waiter informed us that our orders will be served in 15 minutes. And true enough, 15 minutes later, our food was served.

Chicken Barbecue 186.00 pesos

The Aristocrat has been around since 1936 and is best known for its barbecue, especially its Chicken Barbecue. So that’s what I ordered. Three pieces of chicken marinated in their signature barbecue marinade,skewered and grilled, then served with Java rice, a siding of atchara (pickled papaya), and Java dipping sauce. Sarap! (Yummy!)

I love barbecue and this one I really loved! The chicken was tender and very flavorful. Dipped in the Java Sauce, it was pure gastronomic delight. The Java rice gave the perfect complimentary flavor to this grilled dish. And the sweetness and mild tartness of the atchara truly balances everything.

Chicken Barbecue 186.00 pesos

My Mom had the Boneless Chicken Barbecue, which is basically the Chicken Barbecue but sans the skewer and the bones. My sister, on the other hand, had the Pork Barbecue. Both dishes were also served with Java rice, atchara and the Java dip. We also ordered some Fried Calamari, which I wasn’t able to take a photo of. While waiting for our food to arrive, I decided to check out the Toy Kingdom nearby. By the time I got back, there were only 3 pieces left on the platter.

Pork Barbecue 151.00 pesos

The restaurant also serves dishes like pancit (stir fried noodles), kare-kare, lechon kawali, lumpia, adobo and so much more.

I was truly satisfied with my dinner at the Aristocrat. The staff were very friendly and accommodating.The service was fast and the food was good. Everything about it was perfect. What more is there to say?

The Aristocrat Restaurant
3rd Level, The Block
SM City North Edsa
North Avenue cor. EDSA, Quezon City
http://www.aristocrat.com.ph/

A Kanin Club Feast

It was getting fairly late, so after our merienda stop at the T House, we hurriedly hopped back into the bus for the drive down to Laguna, where our last food stop is.

Kanin Club was borne out of a craving — a craving for rice. Tony Cancio and his bike buddies often bike in the area and they always end up at the Cafe Breton, which he co-owns. After a long bike ride, rice was on top of the list of the things they want to eat, but the creperie wasn’t serving any. So the Kanin Club was born. Serving classic Filipino dishes (that just begs to be eaten with mounds of rice), their menu also lists 9 different kinds of rice, including plain white rice, brown rice, and a slew of fried rice variants like Tinapa Rice and Aligue Rice.

Enough talk… on to the feast!

Crispy Liempo – Php 117

The first dish to arrive at our table was this bowl of Crispy Liempo. It looked so appetizing and so tempting, and after the first bite, we were hooked! The liempo (pork belly) was thinly sliced and deep fried to crispy perfection.

Thai Green Mango Salad – Php 142

Green mango lovers will definitely love this salad. The cilantro gives a zing that compliments the sourness of the mango.

Sinigang na Tadyang ng Baka – Php 302

I love sinigang and I loved Kanin Club’s take on my favorite Filipino dish. The soup was sour enough for that distinct sinigang taste, but not too sour to turn you off. The vegestables were cooked just right, and the beef? It’s so tender it’s falling off the bone.

Loaded Fried Rice – Php 148

My favorite among the rice we were served, this fried rice was really loaded: it has Chinese sausage, crab meat, ham, green peas, bits of sauteed pork, scrambled egg and roasted garlic. It’s a meal on its own, actually.

Tinapa Rice – Php 123

I’m a fan of tinapa (smoked fish), so I really enjoyed Kanin Club’s Tinapa Rice. The bits of smoked fish transforms the regular fried rice into something extraordinary.

Aligue Rice – Php 123

The rice that Ryan was looking forward to. Cooked in crab fat, this is certainly not for the faint of heart (or those with high cholesterol).

Spicy Tahong – Php 179

I don’t eat tahong (mussels), so taking this photo was the closest I got to this dish. But from what I’ve heard and read, it was yummy.

Crispy Tenga – Php 148

Deep fried and crispy, this dish is the perfect pulutan (food you eat while drinking beer) or as a snack. Nevermind that it made with pig’s ear — it’s a must try!

Chicken Curry – Php 172

I was getting quite full at this point (we were eating the whole day, it’s hard NOT to be full!), so I gave the chicken meat a miss, but since I love curry, I tasted the sauce. It was a great curry, actually. The sauce had that rich curry taste and was perfect with the rice.

Itsi Bitsi – Php 185

We’ve been having mostly meaty (not to mention deep fried) dishes, so having a veggie dish was certainly welcomed (mainly by me). The name of the dish comes from its ingredients — It‘s sitaw, bitsuelas and sigarilyas.

Seafood Kare-Kare – Php 246

Squid, mussels and prawn replaces the traditional beef/pork and ox tripe in Kanin Club’s version of our favorite kare-kare. But it’s not the seafood that makes this dish a winner — it’s the rich peanut sauce that makes the dish so good on its own. Careful with that bagoong they serve along with it though, it’s a tad too salty.

Crispy Dinuguan – Php 216

This is exactly the kind of Filipino dish that would send foreigners running: pork intestines cooked in pork blood. It doesn’t sound appetizing, but it was a spectacular stroke of genius. It was a heady mix of oil and blood. That sounded so wrong, but it tasted oh, so right.

KC Turon ala Mode – Php 111

After fourteen dishes, all of us were full to the brim. However, Kanin Club’s famed turon was so good that most of us wasn’t able to resist eating just half of our turon. Deviating from the usual turon, the KC Turon was filled with a slice of banana, ube (purple yam jam), coconut strips and monggo beans. As the Kanin Club Menu says, it’s halo-halo on a roll.

Kanin Club is high on the list of must-try restaurants in the Philippines. Its location (Sta. Rosa and the recently opened Alabang branch) is too far for Quezon City residents, but as Anton said, it’s a good way of starting or ending your Tagaytay trip.

Kanin Club
Paseo de Sta. Rosa, Laguna
Phone: (049) 544-0332
West Gate, Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa
Phone: 771-1400
E-mail: kaninclub@gmail.com

A big thanks to Verdana Homes and to Anton for this awesome Tagaytay food tour, and to Kanin Club for the unforgettable feast.

Cocktails @ T House

Before heading down to our final destination, we made a stop at T house for some cocktails. It’s late afternoon, and by now, everyone was hot, sleepy and tired.

Upon entering the property, we were greeted by warm smiles from the staff who had some cool moist face towels for us to wipe our tired faces with. That really perked us up. And as if that was not enough to cool and jolt us awake, they served us with a very refreshing welcome cocktail. The drink is a sweet concoction made from kamias (bilimbi), ice, flavored with sugar syrup and a hint of mint. Fully refreshed and with drinks in hand, we wandered around for a bit and took in the sights.

Canapes

T house is a welcome retreat from the busy and bustling city life we are so used to. With an Asian-inspired modern architecture, the Zen-like atmosphere created by the streamlined interiors and lush green surroundings, paired with the gentle trickling sound of mini-water fountains, and delicious food,T house is definitely the place to go if you want to get away from it all.

After a while, our hosts ushered us into the dining hall. We were greeted by a cozy dining area, with a wet bar on one end, and a big buffet table laden with scrumptious canapes’ and one of the best-tasting puto (rice cake) – Mang Rudy’s – I’ve had on the other. The canapes’ they served were made with fresh pan de sal they baked, topped with toppings of grilled chicken, salmon, cheese, liver pate and fresh greens. We washed it all down with refreshing glasses of lemon grass iced tea.

Mang Rudy’s Puto

After filling ourselves with delicious food, we lounged about some more before heading out to our final stop.

Relaxation. Serenity. Tranquility. That is the T House experience.

Being gastronomically satisfied is just a bonus. 😉

T House
3195 Calamba Road, Tagaytay City
(046) 483.0011, (046) 483.0012
(mobile) 0922-8THouse
E-mail: stay@THouseTagaytay.com
Website: www.THouseTagaytay.com

Location map

Click on the map to see the larger version.

Thank you to T House for the warm reception; and also to Verdana Homes and Anton for inviting us to experience this awesome Tagaytay food tour. It truly was a wonderful experience.

Desserts at Chateau Hestia

After our delicious and hearty Vietnamese lunch, our troop headed down the road for dessert.

Just around the bend from Bawai’s is Chateau Hestia, a restaurant and B&B named after the Greek goddess of the hearth, which specializes in European cuisine. Johannes Zegethofer, one of the owners of Chateau Hestia, offers his favorite European dishes in a restaurant with an elegant country- style design that is surrounded by lush gardens filled with exotic tropicals.

A very interesting trivia I’ve learned about Chateau Hestia is that the frame of the structure is actually made from recycled cargo containers.

Johannes Zegethofer

I am a self-confessed dessert lover. To me, dessert is the best part of any meal!

So when they brought out and served the dessert platter I got so exited I didn’t even bother to take any photos. We were served a trio of equally sinful desserts: Panna Cotta, Mousse Au Chocolat and , Ferrero chocolate ice cream.

Dessert sampler, from left: Panna Cotta, Mousse Au Chocolat topped with Red Wine Poached Pear, and Ferrero Chocolate Ice Cream

The Mousse Au Chocolat is a chocolate ganache made from bittersweet Belgian chocolate, and topped with a slice of poached pear in red wine. It was so good! I love the taste of the bittersweet chocolate with just a hint of sweetness. I am a bit biased though because I love dark chocolate. =D

The 2nd dessert on the plate is the Ferrero Chocolate Ice Cream, a home-made treat made with Ferrero Rocher at Chateau Hestia.

Panna Cotta with Orange Jam

The third dessert, which I really loved is the Panna Cotta. The soft and silky texture of this Italian dessert just melts in your mouth! The subtle tartness and sweetness of the orange jam on top gives a nice contrast and finish to it.

Dalandancello and Vin de Orange

After having dessert, we were served a sampling of two of their signature house liqueurs : dalandancello- a limoncello made from dalandan; and the vin de orange- a wine wine made out of oranges.

For reservations or inquiries please call or text: +63 929 711-3289/ +63-918-930-5372 or visit their website: http://www.chateauhestia.com/.

Location map:

Click on the map to see the larger version.

Thank you to Johannes Zegethofer for being such a graceful host; and also to Verdana Homes and Anton for inviting us to experience this awesome Tagaytay food tour. It truly was a wonderful experience.

Bawai's Vietnamese Kusina

I developed a fondness for Vietnamese food since I tried eating at Pho Hoa just for the heck of it. As a noodle soup lover, I went straight for the Pho, a soup with flavorful broth, tender slices of meat and enchanced with herbs like basil and cilantro. The closest I came to tasting authentic Vietnamese food was in Melbourne, not having traveled to Vietnam yet. The huge Vietnamese community in Melbourne meant having plenty of Vietnamese restaurants, each having Vietnamese cooks and staff. So when Verdana Homes took members of the media to a southern sojourn in Tagaytay, my eyes widened with excitement when I saw Bawai’s Vietnamese Kusina in the itinerary.

Bawai’s

Bawai, which is Vietnamese for grandmother, is a homey restaurant inside one of Tagaytay’s retirement communities. It’s actually the home of Ver & Yong Tatlonghari. Yong, a Vietnamese, settled in the Philippines after marrying her Filipino husband. A great cook, her home was always open to her children and grandchildren, who wanted to share their bawai’s fantastic Vietnamese meals. When strangers started showing up at their doorstep, they took that as a sign to open a portion of their home as a restaurant.

Appetizer plate: Goi Cuon (Php 145; 3 pieces per order), Nam Nuong and fresh veggies (Php 250; 3 pieces per order)

Anton Diaz, considered as an insider in Tagaytay, discovered Bawai’s through the Tagaytay grapevine. Soon after Anton blogged about it, people started calling in and making reservations. It wasn’t long before tv, broadsheets and magazines started featuring Bawai’s. Mr. Ver said after all these publicity, the phones kept on ringing off the hook. And it was with good reason; Bawai’s really is the best Vietnamese restaurant.

Inside the Vietnamese fresh lumpia

We started off with a sampler plate with two pieces of Goi Cuon (Vietnamese fresh lumpia), a sampling of Nam Nuong (grilled Vietnamese sausage) for some and for others Chao Tom (pounded shrimp on sugar cane), served on a bed of fresh greens and dry rice noodles. There were two dips for this set: peanut sauce for the Goi Cuon and the special Vietnamese fish sauce for the Nam Nuong and Chao Tom. One bite into the Goi Cuon and we know it’s freshly made. The shrimp is tender and the veggies crunchy. Both the Nam Nuong and the Chao Tom are cooked with just the right amount of flavor.

Chao Tom (Php 250; 3 pieces per order)

Next comes what I’ve been looking forward to since I learned that we were headed to Bawai’s: Pho Bo. After a several minutes spent taking numerous photos, I finally gave up and started digging into my bowl. It’s really as good, even better than it looks. The broth didn’t really need the kalamansi or the spring onion saw leaves, but they certainly enhances the flavor. The hot soup was perfect for Tagaytay weather; there’s always a fresh, cool breeze even at high noon.

Pho Bo (Php 195)

We were all full — the rice noodles in the salad, in Vietnamese fresh lumpia and in the Pho were very filling, but it seems Bawai still have a little surprise for us. The waitstaff came out of Bawai’s kitchen bearing trays of Banh da Lon, or the Vietnamese equivalent of our sapin-sapin. Made with pandan and monggo beans, the green layer is like kuchinta, while the yellow layer is like a coarse maja blanca. It is topped with coconut cream and a sprinkling of crushed peanuts.

Banh da Lon (Php 20)

To go with everything was a tall glass of refreshing Pandan Iced Tea. This is certainly different from the other ice tea I’ve tasted. Different in a very positive way — the pandan flavor made it taste somewhat like gulaman, my favorite Filipino drink.

Pandan Iced Tea (Php 50)

Writing this post and looking at the photos made me reminisce about that lunch, my mouth watering ever so slightly. I can’t help thinking when I’ll go back to Tagaytay, and hoping it would be soon.

Bawai Yong and Ver Tatlonghari and their children

Because lola Yong herself cooks all the dishes, Bawai’s kitchen is only open on weekends for lunch and dinner. Also, due to Bawai’s limited space, reservation is a must. For reservations, call 0920-9722924.

Bawai’s Vietnamese Kusina
Brgy. Bukal, Silang, Cavite
+63 920 972-2924

Location map:

Click on the map to see the larger version.

A big thanks to Verdana Homes and to Anton for this awesome Tagaytay food tour, and to the Tatlonghari family for welcoming us into their home.

Discover Something Deliciously Different!

Just like I did!

At the start of summer, Greenwich launched the Greenwich Overloaded Pizzas, which boasts of having the most toppings on any local pizza available. This new product line also signaled Greenwich’s expansion into rolled edge thick-crust pizza, with the 2 new flavors serving as it’s maiden offerings. I got to sample these two new variants at the recent press launch held at the Greenwich Mall of Asia branch.

Greenwich Overloaded Pizzas

I sat down with Mr. Luis Velasco, Senior Marketing Manager for Media, PR & New Business, and Mr. Joseph Aruta, Project Manager, to discuss this latest pizza craze to hit the country. Mr. Velasco explains that this new line was the result of a study conducted last year which revealed 84 percent of Filipinos prefer plenty of toppings, and that a big percentage also preferred thick-crust pizzas. (I am one of them.=D) According to Mr. Aruta, nearly four million slices of the Greenwich Overloaded Pizzas have been sold since March.

Greenwich Special Overloaded Pizza

The new Greenwich Special Overload is basically the same as the regular Greenwich Special, but with three times more premium meats, fresh veggies, and 100 percent Mozzarella cheese toppings. The new Greenwich Meat and Cheese Overload on the other hand, has layer upon layer of Italian sausage, ground beef, pepperoni, salami, bacon, Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese. For thin crust lovers, rejoice! Both variants also come in thin-crust versions that are still guaranteed to fill even the biggest of appetites!

Meat and Cheese Overloaded Pizza

Available in double and family size; rolled thick-crust and thin crust, The new Greenwich Overloaded Pizzas are also available in a square thin crust, which can serve 6-8 people. Can’t decide on which variant to order? Why not have both?! With the Half & Half Overload, you get to sample both on one pizza crust.

My verdict? Overall, I liked how both of the flavors tasted. The rolled edge thick-crust is crusty on the outside yet very soft on the inside. And the top is just packed and overflowing with toppings, just the way i like it. It’s seasoned just right, and what I liked the most, which really surprised me, was that the crust wasn’t oily. At all. I am used to seeing a lot of oil under thick crust pizzas from other pizzerias, so it was a pleasant surprise.

The new Greenwich Overloaded Pizzas are available in all Greenwich branches nationwide. Head on over to the nearest Greenwich and sink your teeth into the new Overloaded Pizzas to discover something deliciously different!

For more information, visit their website at http://www.greenwich.com.ph .

Too lazy to go out? Then let your fingers do the walking! Greenwich delivers! Call 5-55-55 to have your Greenwich Overloaded Pizzas delivered to your doorstep.

Sea Kid Crispy Pusit and Crispy Dilis

It was one late afternoon a few months back when we discovered this snack. I was at the SM City North Edsa with my mom and Nina and we were passing through the Snack Exchange area when I noticed these on a display case in the center isle.

I was excited to learn that these are now available in foil packs, so I immediately picked up several packs. These are actually street foods, and are sold just about anywhere, along with fried peanuts, cornik, dried watermelon and squash seeds, and some local dried sweets like white beans and kundol.
There are four variants: Crispy Pusit (Squid); Mixed Crispy Pusit & Dilis; Crispy Dilis (Anchovies); and Spicy Crispy Dilis. All variants come in the same teriyaki flavor.

Php 29.50

We didn’t even wait to get home to have a taste. After paying at the cashier, I immediately opened one pack of the Mixed Crispy Pusit & Dilis, which the 3 of us shared, And boy it was delicious! It was sweet yet savory at the same time, and the pusit and dilis were very crispy.

Php 39.50

Php 19.50

If you want heat, then this one is the one for you. It still has that sweet teriyaki taste with the added kick of hot chili peppers. I like a little heat at times, but this is a bit beyond my tolerance level.

Php 19.50

SeaKid makes for a delicious snack, but also makes for a delicious meal. I enjoyed eating it with rice, dipped in vinegar.

SeaKid is available at the Snack Exchange of SM Malls and SM Hypermart.

Give it a try. I’m sure you’ll love it too.

Extra! Extra!

Eli’s Cheesecakes are now 50% off!!!

Eli’s Cheesecake Tira Mi Su Sampler

I went to the Robinson’s Supermarket on Congressional Avenue yesterday, and saw the sign at the entrance. So from almost Php 600.00, it’s now down to just Php 299.00!

Until supplies last, I think. So hurry!!! =D

Häagen-Dazs' Dark Chocolate Orange, Caramel Apple Crumble and Ice Cream Cakes

In a tropical country like the Philippines, ice cream is always a welcome treat on a hot day. Better still if the ice cream is as good as Häagen-Dazs.

Dark Chocolate Orange Brownie

My friend Rey and I got to try their rich Dark Chocolate Orange Brownie and the luscious Waffle Dream, featuring their new ice cream flavors, Dark Chocolate Orange and Caramel Apple Crumble. Okay, so it was just glorified brownie and waffle ala mode, but it was glorious! In the words of Joey Tribbiani: the waffe? Good. Brownie? Good. Ice cream? Goooooood.

Waffle Dream

Rey and I both loved the Caramel Apple Crumble ice cream. I actually thought it was mocha at first *slaps forehead* The flavor was subtle, making you wonder what exactly was in the ice cream. But at the same time, it was great excuse to keep on tasting this delectable ice cream. The Dark Chocolate Orange scoop, however, overwhelmed us. We loved the dark chocolatey taste of the ice cream, but the orange took us by surprise (specially when we keep on tasting the rind). As Ms. Vera of Häagen-Dazs say, it’s an acquired taste. The dark chocolate sauce that came with the brownie plate had a hint of orange as well, but it had a stronger chocolate taste, which suited me just fine.

Full of Bliss

The two new flavors aren’t the only thing Häagen-Dazs has in store for us this summer. Last week, Häagen-Dazs introduced their ice cream cakes, initially offered at their Mall of Asia branch. Teasing us with Strawberry Passion, a limited edition ice cream cake, Chocolate Royale and Full of Bliss, the sight of these cakes is enough to make one’s mouth water.

Chocolate Royale

Prices of Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Cakes starts at Php 1,600 for a cake good for 8-12 people. You have a choice of ice cream bases for the cake: Macadamia Nut or Belgian Chocolate for Chocolate Royale, or Vanilla or Chocolate Ice cream for Full of Bliss.

Strawberry Passion

To Order a Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Cake:

Call 357-2145 from 9am to 4pm Mondays through Fridays , or visit the Häagen-Dazs shop at the SM Mall of Asia (open daily from 10am – 10pm).
Place your order at least 2 days in advance.
Pay with cash or any major credit card upon ordering at the Häagen-Dazs shop or upon pick-up.

Häagen-Dazs Branches:
SM Mall of Asia
2nd Floor, Main Mall
Mall of Asia, Pasay City
+632 556-1111

Glorietta
Ground Level fronting Landmark
Glorietta 3, Ayala Center, Makati City
+632 752-7299 / +632 892-2873

Greenbelt
Ground Level beside Max Brenner
Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center, Makati City
+632 757-7570

Rockwell
Level 2 near the escalator
Powerplant Mall, Rockwell, Makati City
+632 899-3274

Shangri-La
Level 2 near Activity Area
Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City
+632 634-8101

Alabang
Ground Floor, fronting Lacoste
Alabang Town Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
+632 809-1996

The Dark Chocolate Orange Brownie costs Php 350, while the Waffle Dream costs Php 310.

All photos taken with Rey’s Nokia 6680 because this day was one of those rare moments when I went out the house without my camera.