Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Yumminess

I'm supposed to post a dessert feature after the Cafe Med blog. Oh well..

How can I ever forget this ice cream? One of the best surprises I got in the world of food. You see, I've always been wary of gelato stalls. The colors seem too bright, I figure there would be too much sugar, coloring or maybe even artificial food flavors.

Located at the Second Floor of the WalterMart building in Pasong Tamo, Amici de Don Bosco has a dessert stall and a gelato freezer. I love Amici's pizza and cream puffs, but their gelato is a real winner. I can really taste freshness in them- fresh cream, fresh fruits... aaaah...yumminess!





We got a Mango Jubilee (P50) for Mark because he loves mango ice cream. The Mango Jubilee has mango gelato as its base flavor and is incorporated with different berries and fruits. Mark can only put his one thumb up, after tasting it because the other hand was holding the cup. Hehe.



As for me, I got a Blueberry (P50) gelato, because I love blueberries. The ice cream base is vanilla infused with blueberries, and then the whole pack is scattered with ripe blueberries. I don't know if the blueberries were cooked, because if they were, it wasn't mushy at all. It seemed like the berries were fresh when they got mixed in with the ice cream.


The best! It's like having fresh berries and cream! My mind is entranced still even after having them. Sigh :) I am in love!

Monday, August 25, 2008

A Taste of China


Because we cannot afford to go to Beijing for the Olympics, we did the next best thing to enjoying a full China sensory experience ... we headed off to Chinatown in Binondo, Manila!

It wasn't easy to look for parking. From Makati, we found the President's Tea House after two hours! The streets were narrow, crowded, and impossible to park in, without getting goosebumps! After parking some blocks away, we hired a pedicab to get us to The President's Tea House.


Salazar Street


We were so hungry, I fear we ordered too much! And because we wanted to have something quick so badly, we got some dumplings before getting to the main dishes. We ordered Hakao Prawns (P75.00) and Spareribs Dimsum (P60). I love their dimsum! The Hakao Prawns were so moist and fresh. And the Spareribs, tender and tasty. Perfect!


Hakao Prawns

Spareribs


The Dimsum Cart

For the main course, we ordered three dishes. First came the Fried Frog's Legs (P260) . I had never eaten frogs' legs before, until this day! I swore I would never eat frogs, but then again... never say never! If I hadn't known they were Frogs' Legs, I would have been the first to stick my fork in them. They were golden crispy and loaded with garlic. After a little hesistation, I bit into one and liked it! It did taste like chicken-with the tinest chicken bones. Had they deboned these, I would never have guessed the difference. Well, I guess there's always a first time.
Fried Frogs' Legs


Next came in my choice-the Steamed Lapu-Lapu with Tausi Sauce (P280). Steamed Lapu-lapu is my personal favorite! And although I am not a big fan of Tausi sauce (black bean sauce), I liked it. I would have liked the fish to be more moist, but it was alright. :)

Steamed Lapu-Lapu with Tausi Sauce

The rice came a little late. I have no idea if this is distinctly Chinese, but we Filipinos want the rice served ahead! So we had to follow up our rice order with the waiter. The Yangchow Fried Rice (P180) was alright. It was a big serving, and would have served four under normal circumstances :) Hehe!


Yangchow Fried Rice

For the main dish, we ordered Peking Duck in Two Ways (P800). They separated the skin from the meat. They served the very crispy duck skin first over deep-fried cracklings, steamed molo wrapper, and vegetable sticks. I guess you have to eat those together. I can only assume, coz we were stunned to see that much food. Next came in the Duck meat - chopped and fried with potatoes and served over crispy vermicelli. It was so good.


Peking Duck 2 Ways





The Vegetable Sticks accompanying the Peking Duck


Peking Duck meat chopped and fried with potatoes
over crispy vermicelli


Duck meat wrapped in crispy Iceberg lettuce


Crispy Duck Skin

Crispy Duck Skin

Molo wrap over duck skin


It was a feast! We'd love to go back again someday. Until then, I have to excercise the duck cholesterol away!

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

One of My Favorites

This is one of my favorite restaurants. I absolutely love their Beef Kebabs. But on this particular day, the cook didn't make my favorite so well.

I was able to try Cafe Mediterranean first at their Powerplant branch. They do the Kebabs so well. But for some reason, the meat was not as flavorful today here at Greenbelt 1.

Cafe Mediterranean serves mainly Middle Eastern food, like the Greek Pastitsio and Persian Hummus. The Beef Kebabs (and other meat dishes), may be served with rice, noodles or couscous. I first tried couscous in this restaurant and I loved it! Couscous is a form of pasta, and looks like grains. When cooked al dente and flavored with a little butter, they are so fluffy and yummy.


Cafe Med's interiors

I love this blue tile in the middle of the table!


The most precious liquid in the world - Water!


The Beef Kebabs with Couscous, Tabbouleh and Grilled Vegetables


Tabbouleh


Beef Kebabs

Spicy Sauce


Couscous

Couscous

Hot Sauce

They're going green, too!



I hope the Kebabs are better the next time around!;)

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

The Fro-Yo

Fro-yos or frozen yoghurts are gaining popularity. What used to be considered a healthy, bland diet food is now a dessert. And a lot of people are loving it. I discovered fro-yos in one of Anton Diaz 's blogs. And since Mark and I are almost always at the Salcedo Market every week, we tried it. I had no idea that the sorbetero cart in the middle of one of the aisles was actually selling frozen yoghurt. The sign on the cart says Pure Frozen Yoghurt, and Anton Diaz also writes that this yoghurt has no refined sugar. Great! Mark and I got a cup ( you may also choose to have it in cones) of Vanilla Fro-yo (P65). There were a a handful of other flavors inside the steel cart, but I always use Vanilla as my standard in good milk-based desserts. Checking it out, it looks like ice cream, right?


And after a spoonful... I think, it does taste like ice cream!! If all yoghurts tasted like this.. everyone's going to switch to yoghurt! But at P65 per single serving, it might take a little more time to go mainstream.

It is so yummy though.. it's practically guilt-free ice cream!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Trying Thai

The Onesimus's Great Barong Sale brought us to SM Megamall, one fine Saturday. When lunch time came, we found Jajutak Thai Restaurant- a small, but brightly lit place at the ground floor just near the Almon Marina.

The interiors were done well- it was brightly lit, with very nice Thai accessories. Feeling adventurous, Mark and I got in right away to try Thai food. It's not very spacious though... around more or less 8 to 10 tables only.


white, violet and bits of green all around

lovely display


For our drinks, we had their specialty Thai Iced Tea (P70) and the then sick-with-a -cold Mark, a Calamansi Juice(P62). The Iced tea was a very strong brew, and was softened only by the crushed ice and the condensed milk. The milk made the drink look orange-y. It was really good though. I liked it. I wonder if the Thai Iced Coffee is just as great...


Thai Ice Tea and Calamansi Juice


Thai Iced Tea

yummy milk

Tom Yum Goong

Tom Yum Goong


For starters, we ordered The Sampler (P198)- a set of three kinds of appetizers. There were crab cakes, fish cakes, and the fried vegetable roll. They were so good with the Tom Yung Goong (P195) soup. The Tom Yum Goong is a sour seafood soup filled with mushrooms, prawns, cashews, cilantro, tomatoes and lime. The sourness is derived from the citrus fruits placed inside.
Sampler

Vegetable Roll, Crab and Fish Cakes

Fish Cakes


The only "sablay" among the orders was the Pad Thai Goong ( P180). Supposedly Thai's national delicacy, the noodles were overcooked, the cashew overload not toasted enough. Simply put, it just didn't go well with everything else.

Pad Thai Goong

But it was an interesting place. Seems like there's a lot more to discover here.

Monday, August 11, 2008

My Kind of Icing

There it is again. That familiar, fluffy, pristine white icing . . . gloriously embracing a lucky cake.Hehe.

We dropped by Becky's Kitchen while we were on our way to Pasay City. Inching our way through yet another classic Becky's crowd, we ordered two pieces of Walnut Fudge Brownies, a slice of a Blueberry Cheesecake for Mark, and the Swiss Chocolate Cake (P45/slice) for me. As you can see, I have taken only one picture of an EATEN piece of the loot. I can't believe we were that impatient. Hmp. This is my punishment for being impatient. We had devoured the cheesecake, a light and fluffy variety, which Mark absolutely loved. I liked it too, but I really prefer dense cheesecakes... just like the ones served at Vienna Kaffeehaus.

But back to the lovely icing...i think it served its purpose well on this cake. The cake had crumbly blocks of toffee in between layers of a mocha chiffon cake, and the icing served to seal and provide the moistness. Yummy. I really think the icing is the main star in this cake.

Swiss Chocolate Cake

Friday, August 8, 2008

Myron's Place


Lovely, lovely place. When Mark and I were looking for a new place to eat at Greenbelt to celebrate payday, I remembered reading Dessert Comes First's blog on Myron's Place. It was a great review. Thus, we headed off to Greenbelt 5 to try it.

Myron's Place is located at the ground floor of Greenbelt 5, and has a great view of the garden. Customers have the option of dining al fresco, although the interiors of the restaurant entices you to eat inside. Modern and elegant, it's plush leather seats are very comfortable. There are big red globe lamps scattered around the orange and brown theme.

We went there for lunch, and we were hungry indeed after church service.



For starters, we ordered the Risotto Balls with Chorizo (P250). A highly recommended dish by Dessert Comes First. True enough, it was very, very, good. The risotto was so soft and highly flavored by the chorizo and parmesan cheese. A must try!

Risotto Balls




The salad came in next- A Mesclun Salad with Sea Scallops in Raspberry Vinaigrette Sauce. Nice name, but it did not complement the highly flavorful Risotto Balls. It was a bad idea to serve it next to the Risotto.

A Mesclun Salad with Sea Scallops
in Raspberry Vinaigrette Sauce


The Scallops. Only 3 pieces of it.


A while after finishing the salad, came in the main dish. We ordered the beef steak at 450 grams which they called Franco's Cut (P1575). We split the steak between the two of us.

Franco's Cut


It was done medium well, but looked more medium rare on the inside. It was very tender too and cooked very well. My only "beef" on the beef was that the fat was not evenly distributed. There were parts where it was all fat. Other than that, it was yummy! Perfect with the mushroom sauce and mashed potatoes it came with. There's a 250 gram cut which was priced less but we had to split it in two, and we were just too hungry!


Mashed Potatoes

My Coca-cola!

The view from inside

Of all the things we missed, was the dessert! I forgot about the dessert here. Next time, next time . . .