Where in the world is Frannywanny?

I was supposed to be on a vacation today...in fact, if only my flight has pushed through I would have landed at Silay Airport in Bacolod at this very moment. Sadly, due to some airline trouble which includes a huge strike waiting to happen today and downsizing of manpower which has caused a lot of flights to be canceled, here I am in Manila...sulking.

It has been a while since I've been out of town and I was particularly excited for this one as Paul and I were supposed to attend the wedding of my dear friend Jas tomorrow. Not even my McDonald's Longganisa Meal can cheer me up this morning. I guess I'll just head over to the Negros Trade Fair at the Rockwell Tent this weekend where I'll have my Chicken Inasal and sweets.

I love to travel, having been bitten by the travel bug at a young age I really can't last a year without going out of town at the very least. Last year was the best year for me as Paul and I have been out of the country multiple times after our BIG day.

I chanced upon this World Travel Map online and proceeded to check countries that I've been to. Guess what, I've only visited 5% of the world and I still have 95% to go!

Create your own travel map - TravBuddy

I'm 29 and by the time I reach 60 I hope to be able to travel to these countries:
Cambodia . More parts of China (Beijing and Shanghai) . Macau . South Korea . Japan. Vietnam . More parts of the USA . Canada . England . France . Germany . Italy . Greece . Ireland . Spain . Switzerland . Czech Republic . Australia . New Zealand . and a lot lot more!!!!

Will I be able to do it? Let us cross our fingers together! :)

The Secret is OUT! : La Chesca Chicken Pie

Exactly a month ago, I suddenly had this weird midnight craving for my childhood favorite bakery called La Chesca. That prompted a shout out over at Facebook and Twitter asking anyone to give me leads if La Chesca still exists today. This led to friends expressing their love for La Chesca's specialties namely their Sapin Sapin, Maja Ube / Mais, Egg Pies and of course their homemade Chicken Pie.


That truly showed me that I am not alone... I share my love for La Chesca with hundreds of people out there. I never gave up, even asking my Facebook friends to help me find the owners of the bakeshop.

Until one day... my Auntie H told me that she knows the owner of La Chesca and I can possibly text her to ask if she still accepts orders. My heart skipped a beat. This is it. I am THIS CLOSE to being able to enjoy my La Chesca favorites again. I wasted no time and texted the owner as soon as I got her number from Auntie H.

One day has passed and no reply... my heart sank. Either they no longer entertain orders or the owner has left the country for good.


I was ready to give up, I guess it's time for me to find another favorite...it won't be easy though. To this day, nothing can compare to the smooth and delicious kakanins (rice cakes) and savory Chicken Pie of La Chesca.

That was until I got a reply and a good news that yes, I can order my favorite Chicken Pie (Php. 30) and Sapin Sapin (Php. 280) again!!

Snack Time: Bar Dolci's Macarons

My friend T has been raving about this delectable Salted Caramel Macaron that was so good it has made her cheat on her diet as she couldn't resist a piece...or two...or maybe three. T has really good taste in food so I figured that those macarons must really be THAT GOOD.


So one Sunday, my in-laws decided to have lunch at Burgos Circle and right after, I convinced Paul to cross the street and visit Bar Dolci, a dessert place where my friend T got her favorite macarons from. Actually, I just remembered that I wanted to try Bar Dolci and totally forgot about the macarons at first. As we entered the busy store, I was immediately drawn towards the gelato freezer matched with the glass panels filled with names of Bar Dolci's gelato fans. The rule is they will put a point beside your name for every purchase of their gelato and after x number of cups, you get a prize.

I tried a few such as the Salted Caramel, Ferrero (which was yummy, by the way) and the almost sold out Vanilla Pistachio. All were good and I could hardly choose which one to get. Paul wasn't in the mood to have gelato so I will be having the entire scoop to myself, a bit too much since we had a very heavy lunch earlier.


It's a good thing, we headed further into the store and saw the glass casing filled with tiny colorful macarons! That's when I remembered my friend T and her favorite Salted Caramel Macarons.

Snack Time : Homemade Treasures Ensaymada

...and the snacking continues!

The Food Club celebrates Paul's 30th birthday!!!

My husband Paul blew out his 30 birthday candles yesterday! He officially said goodbye to his twenties and gladly welcome the BIG 3-0! Aside from my non-stop teasing; I, together with his family, organized an intimate dinner to celebrate his birthday with our loved ones (his side and mine) and our dear friends a.k.a. The Food Club last Saturday. Despite the short notice, we are really blessed that almost everyone was able to make it. Thanks guys!! ♥

For his birthday, Richard, Irene and Lauren gave Paul a box of Homemade Treasures Ensaymada. It looks really pretty and premium as it's encased in a light brown box and tied with a golden ribbon.


Paul normally skips breakfast as he would rather sleep till lunch especially during the weekends. I was surprised when we woke me up early on Sunday and invited me to have breakfast with him. I really wanted to sleep some more but when I remembered the box of ensaymada patiently waiting for us on the dining table, I immediately pulled myself up as I am feeling a bit hungry too.

We heated up the ensaymada to make the cheese and butter melt, the aroma of this rich pastry quickly filled the air making my stomach growl louder and louder. We had one huge piece of ensaymada each where I had mine with a tall glass of cold milk while Paul paired his with Milo.

Snack Time: San Lo's Famous by Ana

I love to snack. In fact, I always find snacking exciting as the choices are pretty much endless! What I snack on basically depends on my mood. At times, I am happy with a bowl of yogurt with some sliced almonds and crushed graham while on another day I want something heavier say, a bowl of mac and cheese.

It's Snack Time! : A Four-Part Series

I open this week with a four-part series on four different snack items that I highly recommend that you try soon. These were the ones that I snacked on this weekend and I was pretty please with all of them. Now, I know some of you might wonder how can I have four snacks in a two-day weekend...well...that's the Frannywanny power! *sly grin*

Let me start with my newest yummy discovery, after running some errands and before heading to Unimart to do our grocery shopping, I saw a new store that has just opened at the V-Mall Garden (near the chapel) in Greenhills. I quickly pulled Paul to check the store out and as I get closer I felt my heart skip a beat. I immediately recognized the store name and boy am I so glad that they finally decided to open in Greenhills!


I first came to know about San Lo's Famous Empanada years ago when I used to frequent the Rockwell Baker's Dozen. I've tried some of their samples however I wasn't able to actually have one whole empanada to myself to fully appreciate the taste.


Fast forward to the time when Paul and I had dinner at Va Bene with our friends L and T. L texted me if I know about San Lo's Empanada because their shop is right beside the restaurant and I told L to wait for me because I wanted to buy a box too. So she patiently waited for me only for us to find out that it closes at exactly 7 and we were not able to buy any as Paul and I arrived way past their closing time. Oops!

Shanghai Surprise at Jasmine in New World Hotel

Last week, Paul and I were privileged to be invited to an intimate dinner to sample a number of signature dishes which will only be available for a very limited time at the Jasmine Restaurant of the New World Hotel in Makati. From September 19 to October 1, that's a total of 13 days only, Chef Wong Kam Chung from Shanghai will serve his specialties to the patrons of the restaurant. Being the executive chef of the famous YUE 1525 in New World Hotel in Shanghai, Chef Wong is a veteran in preparing a number of Cantonese dishes including his special Double Boiled Whelk Soup with Chinese Herbs and a lot more.


Since the drive from my office to Makati took a while, we arrived quite hungry and ready for our lauriat dinner. We began with two appetizers which were totally different from the usual cold cuts platter that we're all used to.


We had Lotus roots stuffed with Glutinous Rice (Php. 480). A long platter where you get eight bite-sized pieces. It has a very sweet taste which I honestly wasn't expecting as I was looking forward to having a savory start to my meal. Still, it was good and the lotus roots blended well with the sticky glutinous rice.


They also served a plate of Radish and Carrots in Sour Sauce (Php. 300) but I wasn't able to try this as I, unfortunately, am not a fan of radish and carrots. Others commented that it was good and refreshing though.


We moved on to our dimsum fare and here's where I have immensely enjoyed myself. After our appetizers, out came a huge bamboo steamer filled with 8 Steamed Lobster and Vegetable Dumplings (Php. 320). This one was really delicious and I loved how well packed the dumplings were and despite that, the wrapper was sturdy enough that it didn't burst open on my first bite. You'll enjoy the crunchy veggie bits and the tender lobster meat inside. I highly recommend you try this.

Cheap Eats: Three Sisters' Restaurant of Pasig

Here's one interesting story to tell...

Back in 1941, a mother of 5 named Rosa Francisco opened a small panciteria in Pasig. She named it Three Sisters' after (make a wild guess!) a talcum product that she just heard over the radio. On her first day, church-goers flocked to her panciteria and continued to go back from that day on. Sadly, World War II broke out and the family was forced to head to Antipolo to seek for safety and shelter. After the war, Rosa went back and found that her panciteria has been burned down. Still, with much determination, she rebuilt and re-opened her panciteria to the public. Soon, she has regained her loyal patrons and have acquired new ones. People would visit Three Sisters' Refreshment Parlor for their halo-halo and noodle dishes.

Fast forward to 1970, Rosa Francisco decided to relocate her panciteria to its present site in Kapitolyo, Pasig. This time she has renamed it: Three Sisters' Restaurant of Pasig. Given the bigger space, more and more visitors would drive all the way to her restaurant just to enjoy her specialty dishes. It has been a popular lunch destination not only for workers in Pasig but also those from Mandaluyong and even those working as far as Makati.... It has been 70 years since Rosa Francisco first opened her restaurant yet the charm of Three Sisters' continues to shine brightly through these years..

Now the question here is, why on earth did it take me this long to discover Three Sisters' and to finally try her best-selling Pork BBQ and Pancit Bihon? The funny thing is it's actually just a few blocks away from my office and all these time I failed to take notice of this busy eatery along Bo. Kapitolyo. Had it not been for our friends Richard and Irene who told us about this neighborhood discovery, it wouldn't have probably prompted Paul and I to set an impromptu lunch date to try Three Sisters' out.


As we entered Three Sisters' the place was half filled, yet it was pretty easy for me to find a table by the window as I want to make the most of the natural lighting for my photos. The menu was simple, laminated and printed back to back we quickly browsed through the list but in our minds we knew pretty much what to order.


Of course, we had to get some Pork BBQ (Php. 35/piece). Big chunks of tender pork meat brushed with their homemade sauce which was pretty sweet just the way I liked it. It was easy to pull out from the stick without making a mess on my plate. I enjoyed the barbecue immensely even if I have to cut out a few pieces of fat out which was included in the stick.

Dimsum Plus at Shang Palace, Makati Shangri-la Hotel

If today's my last day on earth and I am allowed to feast on only three of my favorite food items it would be: a plate of pasta, sushi/sashimi and dimsum. Who cares about carbs when it's your last day to live right? :) I am definitely indulging myself on these three delicious food items that never fails to brighten up my day.

Shang Palace's Dimsum Plus

Last Saturday, Paul and I joined our friends Jane and Chris, Richard and Irene, Grace and Peter for lunch at Shang Palace of Makati Shangri-la Hotel. They have availed of the Dimsum Plus promo before and have been raving about it since. Unfortunately, as most of our Saturdays were spent manning our booth at Mercato Centrale, Paul and I haven't had the chance to try it till that very day.

From the moment we arrived, we were both handed a menu where it lists all available dimsum specialties, a few choices of soups, 8 types of Main Course (where we can choose one each) and a lot more!

First things first, we ordered our soup and Main Course. I got the Hot Prawn Salad while Paul chose the Sauteed Scallops with Brocolli in X.O. sauce. For our soup, we both got a bowl of Hot and Sour soup each.


It's always a good idea to start the meal with a warm bowl of soup. I particularly enjoyed Shang Palace's Hot and Sour soup. It had just the right mix of spicy and sour notes making each slurp quite enjoyable. I liked the generous serving of mushrooms and pork added into the soup.

It's fun to eat with a big group because we got to try a lot of dimsum specialties. Note though that you order per piece here and not by plate or bamboo basket. I particularly loved the Hakao (Shrimp Dumpling) as I enjoyed biting into the thin yet firm wrapper and into the plump shrimp inside that has a slight crunch -- a good indication of how well the shrimp was cooked.

Lechon Degustacion Dinner at Pepita's Kitchen

Just how much food can you possibly eat in one sitting?

This thought entered my mind in the middle of the meal last Thursday as I joined a couple of bloggers for a special lechon dinner at Pepita's Kitchen. When I got Spanky's invite for this particular dinner, I was just expecting an informal set-up where we will be pigging out on lechon, lechon and more lechon all night long.


However, as we arrived at Pepita Kitchen's very own Dedet Santos' lovely home, we joined a long table where I immediately noticed the pretty ceramic plates in front of me. On top of my plate is our menu for the evening, I counted the dishes and realized that we will be trying a total of *gasp* 15 dishes that evening. Can I handle it? Let's see.

Check out this cute lechon bread sitting cozily in front of me. Hello babe!

Dinner began with two pates and a plate filled with Skyflakes. One was the Pinoy Pate which was the green pate made of balut (one-day-old chick) and wine while another was the Pinoy Caviar, a delicious spread made of sauteed fish roe. I personally loved the Pinoy Pate and my seatmates can attest to this as I just couldn't just stop scooping up more and more pate in every bite. It was so good! How I wish Dedet would consider selling this is jars, I'd be her first customer for sure.

Happy happy Hapadog!!!

I just love the feeling of being happy while eating! Yes, that truly sounded very much like a glutton talking but eating makes me happy and what I love most is when I dine at a restaurant that just gives a very happy vibe all together.

This was how I felt the moment Paul and I discovered Hapadog at the Sky Garden of SM City North EDSA. We rarely reach this part of town but whenever there's a need to drive all the way to the north, we have to ensure we make the most of it. I've been hearing about Hapadog from my friend Richard who has been inviting The Food Club to check it out together. Due to all our conflicting schedules, it has been months since Richard's initial invite and sadly this plan still hasn't pushed through.

Luckily, Paul and I found Hapadog which was strategically located beside Gong Cha and is just a few steps away from Starbucks Coffee. As we entered the very tiny restaurant, the server immediately handed us the menu and the first thing that I noticed were the different hotdog sandwiches that they offer.


Hapadog gives a very Japanese feel and specializes in creative hotdog sandwiches. I love hotdogs thus my excitement rapidly increased as I browsed through their menu. Paul and I chose the basic Hapadog (Php. 155) as we figured that this is their house specialty given that it bares the name of the restaurant. This sandwich is serves with sweet caramelized onions, special Hapasauce, wasabi mayo, nori flakes and spring onions. I actually liked it! The sausage was perfectly grilled making it a better choice vs. the deep-fried ones.

I love the sweet flavor brought by the caramelized onions as it marries with the salty Hapasauce and the spicy wasabi mayo. Indeed, it was a mix of flavor and definitely an amazing treat for my tastebuds.

Aside from the Hapadog, I am curious to try the Californippon since I love California Maki and how can I say no to mangoes, kani and ebiko? Another hotdog sandwich that I'll surely try is the Korroke Dog simply because I love authentic Japanese korroke -- deep-fried potato snack with tonkatsu sauce. Yum!


Aside from the Hapadog, we also tried the Hapa-nese Nachos (Php. 75). Paul, who normally is not a big nachos fan, just kept on munching and nodding all throughout as he loved the crisp nacho chips topped with ground beef, chopped tomatoes, onions, nori flakes and a mix of Japanese and wasabi mayo! I just noticed that some chips were a bit burned thus some were quite bitter otherwise it makes a delicious siding or an accompaniment when drinking perhaps.

Izakaya Nihonbashitei in Makati

My ever dearest Papa turned 66 this year!

To celebrate, we decided to try Izakaya Nihonbashitei in Makati as Papa just lovesss Japanese food. Since his birthday fell on a holiday, I made a quick call to the restaurant to make sure we have a table reserved for us to lessen the waiting time.

It was past lunch time when we arrived and with our tummies growling loudly we began with a couple of sushi choices that my family loves:


California Maki -- I love the plump sweet mangoes and that the sushi roll is well-covered with ebiko however I somehow find the maki roll lacking in filling and flavor. Definitely, Kikofuji or Kimpura wins in this category.


Futo Maki (Php. 250) -- My Kongkong loves Futo Maki and having had a dozen futo makis whenever he would go to Japan on business trips before, it really would take a highly skilled sushi chef to wow him with our local version of his favorite rice roll. I'm glad that he enjoyed Nihonbashitei's futo maki which has passed his taste with flying colors.


Uni Sashimi (Php. 220) -- It has been a while since I've had uni sashimi, the last was the day before I fell ill with amoebiasis. Since then, the trauma and pain has made me avoid raw food for a while. I must admit, Nihonbashitei's uni was creamy and delicious but I think I had a bit too much of it again that my tummy acted up right after having this again. Definitely not for the weak tummies! :-/

Pond's : Ready....SALE....GO!!!!

It's that time of the year where we run to the nearest supermarkets, drugstores and department stores and hoard our hearts out!! :)

Pond's is having a BIG Beauty Sale starting tomorrow, September 16 until October 2, 2011 and I'm giving you a one day advance notice simply because I want to share the loveeeeee ♥.



Here are the products on Buy-One-Take-One! That means you will be getting two for the price of ONE! What a great deal! :)

Age Miracle Day Cream 50g – PHP 599
Age Miracle Day Cream 10g – PHP 120
Flawless White UV prevention cream 30g – PHP 219
Flawless White UV prevention cream 50g – PHP 349
Clear Solutions Facial Scrub 50g – PHP 75
Perfect Matte Facial Foam 50g – PHP 75
White Beauty Spotless Detox 40g – PHP 110
White Beauty Spotless Detox 20g – PHP 70
White Beauty Pinkish White Cream 40g – PHP 100
White Beauty Pinkish White Cream 20g - PHP 65

Happy Shopping!! :)

Face your fear at Everybody's Cafe in Pampanga

Paul has been going back and forth his hometown these past few weeks. During one of his visits, he found himself eating at Everybody's Cafe with his mom and little did he know, this marked the start of his love for.... fried crickets.


Yes, you read that right. While he actually can bravely take in all sorts of exotic dishes such as Turtle Soup, Fried Frog Legs and a lot more, I don't think Paul really imagined the day that he would be having a spoonful of fried crickets with rice and meat. Since then, he has been craving for more thus the reason for our impromptu visit up north for lunch at (where else?!) Everybody's Cafe.

To be honest, I wasn't as excited as him knowing that we are to dine at a restaurant that serves all sorts of local delicacies / exotic dishes. As you may all know, I can be a pretty picky eater and not a big fan of anything beyond the usual pork, beef, seafood and chicken. Still, I went there with an open mind and a growling tummy so I was quite happy that we are finally having lunch after an hour-long drive from Manila.

As you enter the restaurant, you head straight towards the counter where you'll see the dishes available for the day. No menu will be handed to you thus you do this turo-turo style -- simply put, just point out your order to the server behind the counter.


My first pick was the Murcon (Php. 360). I was instantly attracted towards the bright yellow sauce covering the meat and the ground beef-like topping which I later realized doesn't taste like ground beef at all. A traditional Filipino dish normally present during Noche Buena dinners, I noticed that this is not your typical morcon with hard boiled eggs inside, instead the meat mixture has chorizo and quezo de bola which makes it even richer and a bit more saltier than normal. Still, I enjoyed every bite and wouldn't mind going back to Everybody's Cafe for more.

Cake Wonderland at A La Creme in Pampanga

Let me tell you about the day I had the best cake in my LIFE!

It as a Saturday and Paul and I took a spur-of-the-moment trip back to his hometown in Pampanga. Yup, my dear husband is a true blue Cabalen (and he's really really proud of it!). Our plan was simply to go on a fun relaxed ride, have lunch, buy some pasalubong and grab a really good dessert on our way back home.

Lunch was at a restaurant that Paul has been bugging me to try as it's known to serve all sorts of exotic dishes such as stir-fried crickets, stuffed frogs and a lot more. I really do not get why on earth Paul would think I'd be brave enough to go on a an exotic food trip. Well, let me tell you more about that on my next entry.

For now, I'd like to share with you where we had dessert and the cake that truly made traveling all the way to Pampanga truly worth it.


à La crème Cake Shop and Cafe is a local bakeshop that originated in Angeles, Pampanga a decade ago. Today, they have three branches around Pampanga and I'm sure they will continue to grow pretty soon. Paul first brought me there years ago saying how delicious their cakes are. Sadly, I do not have a sweet tooth so it really takes a special cake to wow me. We first tried the Belgian Chocolate Cake which impressed my sister but was a tad too sweet for my taste.

A trip down memory lane at Ha Yuan

Lately, I've been missing a number of my childhood favorites -- there's that delicious kakanin and chicken pie from La Chesca, Baked Mac from Petit Four, salad bar and steak from San Francisco Steak House and to-die-for Korean BBQ dinners at Arirang.

*sigh*

For my family, these are some of the best restaurants/cafes in town and we're extremely sad that they're no longer around anymore. *sniffle* Why oh why?!?!

Luckily, there's one restaurant that we also love that is still around and I believe will continue to live on for more and more decades to go! Hooray!

Ha Yuan is a popular Chinese go-to place when you're craving for a delicious bowl of Maki Mi or perhaps for a piece of Fresh Amoy Lumpia. I remember my Mom would even bring our stainless steel container to the store for them to just put the Maki Mi there and she would just re-heat this for dinner at home.

One Sunday afternoon, Paul and I found ourselves at the Mother Ignacia branch of Ha Yuan together with my Mom and Aunt as we were in the mood for some warm noodle soup for our afternoon snack. Not even the strong rain and wind stopped us from heading over to Ha Yuan. Sure, we were stuck inside the car for about thirty minutes but thankfully the staff of Ha Yuan kindly escorted us out from the car straight to the restaurant with their huge umbrellas.


Without even looking at the menu, I knew exactly what I wanted -- one Fresh Lumpia (Php. 60) please and no, I'm not even sharing. :P I love Ha Yuan's lumpia as it has just the right amount of filling inside. Others has more garlic, wansoy and seaweed than the tofu mixture while others would have it the other way around.

Ha Yuan's lumpia is easy to eat too! You can actually enjoy your lumpia by just holding it like a burrito as it's tightly wrapped wherein the thin lumpia wrapper won't just burst open as you take your first bite. This is one thing a lot of restaurant selling fresh lumpia hasn't mastered well enough yet. A perfect choice for vegetarian and weight-watchers out there! :)


Aside from their Fresh Lumpia, another must-try is their Maki Mi (Php. 140 / 175). Paul and I got one large bowl to share which turned out to be a good decision since the serving was pretty big. One bite and I'm so happy to report that the pork loin was very tender and the noodles still has the right bite. What I noticed though was that the sauce was a bit too thick to my liking. Too much cornstarch, I think? Still, I enjoyed the Maki Mi very much and will definitely be back for more.

Frannywanny.com turns F-O-U-R!!!!

My mom gave me a cake today and would you like to guess what it's for?

No, I didn't get a promotion at work (how I wish I did though *ahem*).

No, I didn't win the lottery...

and No, no baby yet in my tummy! (However, I know every single member of my family is praying for this one to come hehe!)


It's because she knows that Frannywanny.com is turning a year older and my ever-supportive mom just had to make sure we celebrate this milestone thus she came home with not a slice of cake, not even a cheap cake but a huge Tiramisu from Cafe Ysabel!

So after dinner, we cleared out the table and plates and out came the huge box containing this lovely cake.


Of course, a few photo op was in order and Mom stuck 4 cute candles into my cake, lit it up and told me to blow.

Poor Papa, he was so confuse as he knows it wasn't my birthday but he couldn't understand why there was a cake bought for me and why on earth am I blowing four candles out. Obviously, my Dad who doesn't use the computer has never visited this blog. :P

Well dear readers, I can't believe it has been four whole years since I wrote my very first entry. We've gone through hundreds of restaurant visits, miles and miles traveled around the globe and a couple of blog contests here and there. Expect much more fun discoveries and interesting stories on my 4th year! :) Thank you for always visiting and hope to be able to meet all of you someday!

l♥ve l♥ts,
Frannywanny

Abé at the TriNoma Mall in Quezon City

Remember my story about this particular Filipino restaurant that my family would frequent on a weekly basis? Just as much as we love Chinese and Japanese food, my family is a huge fan of good traditional Filipino cuisine too. Since the disappearance of Harana more than a decade ago, it has been a while since we've been loyal to a specific Filipino restaurant simply because there hasn't been any that can match up to the taste and quality of service of our favorite Harana.

While I truly appreciate modern Filipino cuisine where I like trying deconstructed traditional dishes such as the ones tried here, here and here, my parents and grandparents still prefer Filipino dishes cooked the same way as it was centuries ago.

Then we tried Abé, a traditional Capampangan restaurant operated by the LJC Group. We first visited Abé years ago when they opened in Serendra Piazza. Together with my grandparents, we ordered a couple of their house specialties and enjoyed it very much. I remembered trying to order their Pako Salad but it wasn't available then.


Fast forward to a few weeks ago, I invited my family to dine at Abé once again it has been a while since we've been back and I truly miss their Lamb Adobo and Bamboo Rice already. I love the homey feel of their branch at the TriNoma mall where majority of the furniture pieces were made of wood and since our group is pretty big, we were given a round table which I guess should have made sharing the dishes easier compared to being in a long table. The only thing missing is a lazy susan and we'd definitely feel right at home. :P


While waiting for my family to arrive, Paul and I decided to share a bowl of Mungo Bean Soup (Php. 95). We both love mungo beans and truly enjoyed this soup probably because of the generous addition of pork cracklings (chicharon) on top. It was pretty flavorful and rich making us pretty please with our soup choice that evening.


Finally, everyone was done shopping that they all arrived just about the same time. Service was quick and in no time, our food came out one after the other. First came the Binukadkad na Pla-Pla (Php. 365) which was served with a small bowl of fermented rice with shrimp (burong hipon). I love this dish as the fish meat has been fillet and sliced open for easier consumption.

Grocery Pick: Kewpie Deep-Roasted Sesame Dressing

I'm a big salad fan!

It's simply because my parents trained us to appreciate eating vegetables at a very young age that a meal at home is not complete without having veggies. What I love most though is having bowls of fresh lettuce and arugula mixed with my favorite ingredients -- kani sticks, chopped sweet mangoes, nuts, shrimps and mushroom!

Of course, what makes or breaks a bowl of salad is the dressing! Paul and Mommy loves vinaigrette dressings while I still love the creamy ones. So much for wanting to eat healthy by having salad dinners! I love my Caesar, Ranch, Asian...you name it!


Last Friday, while having dinner at my in-laws, I was able to try a new salad dressing that was so fragrant and good that I just ended up having loads of salad and grilled lamb for dinner. It's a Japanese Deep-Roasted Sesame Dressing  and is said to be made of wheat, eggs, soybean and lots of sesame oil! It's from the same company called Kewpie that also makes those delicious Japanese mayonnaise that local restaurants would use for their California Maki and Kani Salads.

I loved it so much that I immediately made a short trip to the newly-opened Jash Mart along Wilson street where I was able to get my very own bottle. Since we were out of fresh lettuce last night, Paul and I opened a bag of potato chips and used the Deep-Roasted Sesame Dressing as dip! Yum! :)

I will try to experiment and see what else can I do with this delicious salad dressing.

How about you? What's your favorite salad dressing? :)

Charlie's Tea House at the heart of Chinatown in Manila

After combing through the narrow alleys of 168 mall and haggling our hearts out till we were able to get a good deal, our group headed to Charlie's Tea House in Ongpin for lunch as this was highly recommended by fellow blogger Abet and his lovely wife Joan.

Luckily, Joan was able to secure a long table for all of us thus we were immediately seated as we entered the tiny eatery. When your hungry and people around you were happily eating, it makes it extra harder to choose what to order simply because everything just looks so good! Irene suggested that we all order family style and share the dishes among the 7 of us. Great idea!


Our first order was one whole HK Fried Pigeon (Php. 320) as Abet got me excited about it when he was describing what was good in Charlie's Tea House. The pigeon was quite small that you get only 4 slices (one quarter each) however complete with the must-have salt and pepper dip. It was delicious and not too oily. I'm definitely going back to Charlie's for this.


Up next was a plate of Pork Asado which Paul and my companions enjoyed very much. I'm not a big fan of asado but after taking a few pieces, I admit it was pretty good. The meat was tender and it had a sweet-salty taste that will make you want more. This would be a perfect choice to go with their rice topping.


We also had one order of Fried Squid with Salt and Pepper (Php. 250) which was my favorite next to the Fried Pigeon. The squid was soft, not overly chewy and the coating was thin and well seasoned with chili, salt and pepper. I just didn't dip it into the vinegar anymore as it just intensifies the spicy level of the squid.

Unilab Ideas Positive 2011: Voting is ON!

I truly admire companies who not only focuses on sales and growth but also gives just as much importance to its people and to the community. That was one reason why I was proud to work for the Green Siren as I had the privilege to be able to engage myself in CSR-related projects concerning the environment, early childhood development and the arts. Being able to help gives us that bigger sense of purpose that we are working hard to serve the community and with that, it makes everything more worthwhile.


Unilab is another company that I look up to. Every year they run a contest called Unilab Ideas Positive, which is in search for the best health-related community project proposed by different college student groups. Last year, I'm proud to share that the grand prize was won by students from my alma mater, the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) wherein they have created a farm-in-the-city concept in Pasig that teaches the community to have their own sustainable source of vegetables. No need to spend so much in the market as the residents of San Joaquin in Pasig City were able to plant their own lettuce and kangkong.

This year, Unilab is having their search once again and they are down to 11 semi-finalists, 3 of which will emerge as the winners of the 2011 Unilab Ideas Positive campaign. The grand prize winner will get P100,000 seed money to start their project, P50,000 cash prize and P10,000 honorarium for the mentor. Of course, the greatest achievement of all is that they will be able to help a community make their health and sanitation better.

The two runners-up will get P75,000 seed money each, P30,000 cash prize and P5,000 honorarium for the mentors.

However, the finalists need our help! Part of the criteria is the number of likes/votes that they will get from their video. So this is where we all come in:

1) Log on to http://www.unilabideaspositive.com
2) Click the "VIDEOS" tab
3) Log on to Facebook and be a fan of the Unilab Ideas Positive page.
4) Vote for your chosen project/team.
5) Voting ends September 7, 2011 (Wednesday)

Note that you may vote for a video once but you may send in multiple votes too.

Let's help them make a difference. Vote NOW!

Nomama Artisanal Ramen by Chef Him Uy de Baron

I first met Chef Him Uy de Baron when I contacted him to cater for my very first event for RL. It was a mall display event that opened with an unveiling ceremony and cocktails for our valued advertisers and media partners. My goal was to be able to serve really good food that is sure to wow my guests. Chef Him was recommended to me by my boss and after a series of smooth negotiations, I knew right there and then that it will be a breeze working with him. He was very professional that he would always abide by our agreed call time and not only were his dishes amazingly good but it never fails to exceed my expectations too.

I love how creative Chef Him can be when it comes to making his dishes very presentable. Meatballs in soup spoons, Nachos and Salsa in shot glasses, to name a few. Needless to say, I have been getting him for every single book launches, mall displays and other events thereafter.

A few weeks ago, I landed at a Facebook page which immediately gave me the impression that it's that of a soon-to-open Japanese restaurant. Browsing further, I then found that that it's owned by Chef Him and true enough, Nomama Artisanal Ramen is set to open this September.

Note though that Nomama Artisanal Ramen is not your usual Japanese restaurant. Don't expect ladies clad in soft Kimono attires complete with socks and wooden slippers, no one will scream "Irasshaimase" as you walk in the door and lastly, no mini fountain or pond inside the restaurant too.


What you'll get is a relaxing vibe where you get to sit on pretty minimalistic wooden chairs or hang out at the bar where you can watch Chef Him hard at work in his open kitchen. Placemats are made of white paper and on top of each table is a wooden box filled with all the utensils that you may need -- chopsticks, spoons, soup spoons and even cute tiny dessert spoons. It exudes a casual vibe that will surely not intimidate even the simplest diner.

For the month of August, Nomama held two sets of weekend dinners where diners got a sneak peek of what to expect from the restaurant as it formally opens on September 8. From the day that I learned about his special dinner, I didn't waste any time and quickly invited my food-loving friends Richard, Irene, Joan and Abet to join us for the last Saturday dinner.

It was raining pretty hard that evening but this didn't stop us from heading to our dinner venue. Paul and I got there at exactly 7PM and we found all the parking slots filled up. Luckily, the staff of Nomama were kind enough to guide Paul as he went to find a parking slot at the side street of the restaurant.


Chef Him was there to welcome us and he even came out to visit our table just as a gracious host would. As soon as our group was complete, out came our first dish -- Beef Tataki with Sweet Potato Chips. I'm a fan of sweet potato chips especially the crunchy, lightly salted ones. Initially when I found out that we're having Beef Tataki, I felt a little hesitation inside as I try my best to avoid raw meat after suffering from amoebiasis last year. However, Paul told me that our Beef Tataki wasn't that raw and it was indeed very good that I just had to dig in to try it out myself.  I tried it with some alfalfa sprouts and a piece of sweet potato chips and I enjoyed how well each contrasting texture blended well together. What I noticed though was that some chips were crunchy while some were quite chewy already. I guess it's because the chips were fried way in advance and kept in a clear plastic container that some have lost its crunchiness over time.


Up next, we had the Soft Shelled Crab Salad with Nomama Dairy Dressing. The dressing was pretty light that I could hardly taste the creaminess normally found in dairy dressings. The highlight here though were not the greens, it was in fact the two pieces of soft-shelled crabs sitting one on top of the other. Each serving is good for two and while Paul was busy shooting away, I was ready to dig in. With my wooden chopsticks on hand, I took a bite of the soft-shelled crabs and agreed with Irene when she commented that it was very flavorful. Yum!