bisayainmanila – Bisaya in Manila

So it was one of those family get-aways with the kiddos and for this time we decided to go to a Luzon destination – Lingayen. And yes, before I forget to add, I did some early morning run along the gulf of Lingayen and it was exhilarating and I was able to photography some really great subjects early in the morning.

We were on our way back home to the busy-ness of the Metro but had to make a stopover on the road for some lunch grub and while we were busy checking out the restaurants along the road and looking at our phones to find nearby eating places when we happened to chance along Patio Elmina in Dagupan and they were situated along the highway. The exterior of the place was pretty much built of wood and so were the interiors. They had a koi pond as well and more old school designs inside.

Everyone was pretty happy with the food and we got to taste more “Luzon” dishes. Since everyone was already quite hungry we skipped on the appetizers and went right on ahead with the mains and other items. One of those interesting dishes we ordered was the “poqui poqui” and it really has a funny name. It’s an Ilocano eggplant and egg dish and while it wasn’t really aesthetically pleasing, it was one of the family pleasers. Aside from being healthy it really did taste quite good.

We also had some burong kanin. I think it is Kapampangan in nature. It is fermented rice and a famous and interesting dish. I think for some it is an acquired taste but others love it. This was one of our side dishes.

Then of course the tito’s needed to order one of their favorites – Aligue Rice. Rice cooked with crab fat hence the color pale yellow. So sinful this one dish with all that crab fat. Personally I think it lacked some oommppphh and more crab fat. It could have been tastier.

Then we had some “kalderetang kambing” which is basically stewed goat in tomato sauce and spices and they loaded the top with cheese. The goat was surprisingly really soft and flavorful and I liked this one very much. We used to eat a lot of goat when I was little and when we still lived in Cdeo so this was a very familiar taste for me.

We also ordered some bulalo but it was just so-so and a sizzling boneless battered bangus with gravy which everyone loved and then there was the lechon kawali which is kind of a staple.

Overall the taste of the dishes was pretty ok and the prices were really not bad at all. This was a good stopover meal! Hearty and filling and best of all eaten in the company of family!

XoXo

A few years back the Philippine Japanese restaurant market changed for the better with the addition of tonkatsu chains from Japan coming over and opening their branches here. I’d say they were very welcome additions for the foodie demographic.

Some of the big chains are Yabu, Saboten, Maisen, Tonkatsu by Terazawa, and little mom and pop shops with authentic Japanese chefs or Japanese-trained chefs have also opened up their little tonkatsu places all over the PH. Needless to say tonkatsu is one of the many things I get immense pleasure from especially if the quality of the pork is great, the cabbage fresh, and the pickles lovely.

I think Maisen was the latest to open here with THE Ben Chan behind it and their first store opened in the posh Greenbelt location.

One hot summer day when I was running errands and debating where to eat lunch solo, I decided to make myself comfortable at Maisen. I like the coziness of their interiors and the fact that when I was shown to my table, I was immediately offered either hot or cold house tea and a cold towel to refresh myself. I appreciate these little comforts. For me, it speaks about the thoughtfulness of the restaurant.

I was debating whether to get the Kurobuta tenderloin katsu set or just the plain tenderloin katsu set (which is what I normally get in tonkatsu restaurants) when I saw something interesting in the last few pages – one of Maisen’s specials which was a Katsumabushi set. It included tenderloin bite-sized katsus over rice served together with dashi stock, onsen tamago, and a delightful variety of side condiments (sesame seeds, wasabi, and green onions) that I decided to just order it. I usually am quite visual with the food I order so this one caught my eye.

There are also instructions on how you can enjoy the Katsumabushi set so you needn’t worry should you decide to try this out on your next tonkatsu craving. I tried to eat it in all the ways they instructed in the menu so I could figure out how I wanted to eat it. You can just eat it however way you want but the best one for me would be to put the rice and katsu piece in the bowl provided, sprinkle sesame seeds, dab a little of the wasabi, put some green onions, then pour the dashi stock on it. This was how I preferred it. One more thing I loved in this set was the Onsen Tamago!! This foodie just has a penchant for eggs. 😉

I liked what I had here and I loved that the lunch crowd wasn’t in yet so I got to enjoy my katsu in peace. Raring to go back to check out the quality of their other katsu sets to compare with my Yabu, Saboten, and Tonkatsu by Terazawa experience.

XoXo

-EV-

Of Roadtrips and Lunch Stopovers in Provincial Towns – Patio Elmina in Dagupan

On The Tummy Spot: The Maisen Katsumabushi Tastexperience!