Frannywanny

You probably all know that I used to have really low tolerance for spicy food. I think, the only thing I could take were those yummy Spicy Prawn Rolls or at the very most, a few dots of wasabi for my sushi. I could still remember how my first few lunches here at the Lion City went. I ventured out and around my office neighbourhood to try the local dishes being sold. During one particular lunch, I decided to queue up in this really popular hawker stall selling Curry Rice. I love curry made at home and I thought to myself: "this could probably be something like what Mommy makes." Oh boy, I was wrong! One spoonful was enough to set my mouth on fire! It was so spicy that I immediately consumed my bottled water and that wasn't enough to kill the sting. I ended up buying an ice cream cone after my meal. Needless to say, that spicy experience scarred me for life. However, I'm not really the type who gives up easily. I'm a fighter and I try to overcome any "cha...

It's no secret that I love food and friends can testify how I can just go on and on for hours talking about it. So, it is also not a big surprise whenever acquaintances would ask me what my favorite food is or where do I normally go to when I want a surefire delicious meal. The funny thing is, I would sometimes end up a bit stumped on what the right answer should be. I guess it's because I've dined at more a thousand restaurants all over the region and this encompasses a wide range of cuisines too. One time, I really took a few minutes to think about it and the answer simple. I love pasta. There, I said it. If there's one thing that I love to eat in this world, it would definitely be a plate of pasta preferably cooked in an oil-based sauce with mushrooms, cheese, a simple choice of meat and spices. At the end of the day, I realized, nothing beats going back to basic . Pasta, to me, is the kind of dish that I would have whenever I had a long day at work. It's a p...

After a photo shoot held at an undisclosed location within Bonifacio Highstreet , I headed to Slice to relax and to have a light snack while waiting for my sister as she was still busy at work. I was still doing my Nestle Fitnesse challenge then so it took me a while to choose what I'm getting as I don't want all my efforts to go to waste. Yes, vanity sure has its price. I love the cozy feel of Slice as it surely makes a great place to catch up with your girl friends. My only wish is that they should have free WiFi connection for those who intend to do some work here. They also have a private area at the back portion of the restaurant which would be great for small meetings. Finally, I chose the Aglio Olio (Php. 390) and requested to have this split into two as I'm sure my sister would be hungry by the time I pick her up from work. I'll be honest, I was a taken aback by the 300+ price tag. It's a bit too high for a casual dining place like Slice and to thi...

There's a certain comfort that I truly enjoy when entering a deli. The little pots of bottled spreads, the freezer-case filled with sausages and cold cuts and for some a selection of quality wines and sparkling champagnes, all these complete my deli visit. I love the fact that the deli lacks the chaoticness of a supermarket, it has a very European feel that it truly a pleasant change in ones hectic life. Wanting to spend some quality time with my mom, we chanced upon a cozy looking deli in Barangay Kapitolyo in Pasig City. Poco Deli is just a stone's throw away from my office making it very accessible for us to drop by after work. My mom loves looking at cold cuts and frozen meats, this is her weakness, I guess. She can't help it but buy a pack or two to bring home. I, on the other hand, began scanning through their menu. I was feeling a bit hungry that I decided to order some Aglio Olio Pasta (Php. 145). As we took our seats, our eyes wandered around the store as m...

It was a warm rather lazy Saturday afternoon when Paul and I arrived at The Stock Market in Bonifacio High Street . Even though we arrived on time, the restaurant was already filled with bloggers and friends who were invited to the Century Tuna event that afternoon. An earlier email informed me that I will be part of the Iron Chef -like competition that will be held that day. I sent my confirmation not knowing that they have also included Paul in the list. Hooray! Between the two of us, Paul is really the more talented cook as he can whip up a new original dish within minutes! I was so excited because I know we'll both enjoy this event. The 12 chosen bloggers were divided into two groups and Paul and I were lucky to be placed in the same group. We were part of Team A together with our team leader Melo , and fellow chefs Sire , Alex and Karla . As soon as the mechanics were given, Melo called us in a huddle to discuss the two dishes that we're going to prepare. After survey...

It's no secret how much I LOVEEEE eating Pasta! Browsing through my past entries such as this , this and this , it can be seen how much I love a wide variety of pasta dishes from fusilli pesto to your good old salmon creamy pasta. I guess I got to credit this to my Oriental lineage and background who has instilled the love for noodles at an early age. With that, how can I turn down an invite that simply says "get to know who's the new pasta player in town, try 12 different pasta dishes in one night! " While it initially sounds intimidating, I immediately sent in my RSVP to confirm my attendance. I wasn't really sure what to expect but one thing was for sure, I arrived with an empty stomach to prepare myself for the numerous pasta dishes that we were told that will be served. It's a good thing though that they trimmed the number down to 7 instead of 12. Throughout dinner, our very engaging host made us guess who this new pasta player was. I just gave it a lon...