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Subic Roadtrip and Foodtrip One Summer Weekend…
Subic is one of those places that are nearby yet, it has taken me ages to explore it. For one, I am not sure of how to commute and what interesting things to see there and I think it is better for when you have someone show you around. Well, one summer weekend, the work colleagues planned a Subic weekender trip with nothing on the agenda but lots of eating and eat we did.Colleague AM had a caterer for a tita, and as luck would have it, we were fortunate enough to be there when they had several functions so we had so much food already in the house of AM and I had one of the yummiest Lechon outside of Cebu. We explored several places of interest in the once US army base that is Subic Bay. There were lots of duty-free shops as well selling at good prices and clothing stores which were relatively cheap compared to their counterparts in the Metro. Subic is a gem for good deals for a lot of things. But what really stuck out were 2 very good restaurants we ate at.The first restaurant we explored on our first and last night was Xtremely Xpresso Cafe. Apparently it is known as one of Subic’s institutions standing out for its delicious food and reasonable prices.I saw a lengua on the menu so I immediately gravitated toward it. I haven’t had delicious lengua in a long time. This was great. Melt-in-your-mouth ox tongue slathered with delicious gravy paired with white rice and served with steamed corn and carrots.
Colleague AM, being a fan of KPOP like me, ordered Korean beef ribs. This dish is one of those that I really like. It’s sweet and savory at the same time and the beef ribs are oh so soft. She had rice to go with this as well.
AB ordered a chicken and mushroom steak dish with rice too and steamed vegetables at the side.
Colleague L ordered a nut-pesto with seafood pasta which was cooked just right.
We also ordered a platter of ribs which had a side serving of fries. The ribs were finger lickin’ good.
And for our dessert we ordered the Giant Brownie. A brownie and ice cream tower all piled up with chocolate wafer sticks, whipped cream, and a cherry on top. We couldn’t even finish this one and there were 4 of us.
For lunch the next day, we went to another Subic Institution – Meat Plus. They have steak cuts you can choose from and they were really good in quality and the price is one of the best parts about this resto. It won’t burn a hole in your pocket. Aside from steaks, they also have a variety of other dishes you can choose from.All of us got the New York steak though and we had it cooked to our liking because they will ask you at the counter while you are paying for your food how you would like it to be cooked. We got so full here and promised to go back and eat some more. This is one stop you shouldn’t be missing in Subic.
Overall our Subic food adventure was 2 days well spent. We had good meals at great prices and the team bonding was added incentive too. Til next time Subic!XoXo -
On The Buffet Table: Hyatt’s Li-Li Buffet
Buffets are a dime a dozen here in the metro and the variety of food choices in buffets are really overwhelming especially if you are the type that loves all kinds of cuisines like I do. One weekend lunch, I and fellow foodie Sinfulbombs decided to take on one of the hotel buffets here in Manila – Hyatt’s Li-Li’s buffet. They offered the Chinese dim sum buffet at a reasonable price so both of us jumped on the chance to finally check it out after weeks and weeks of talking about it.
Li-Li’s ambiance is really very Chinese. Gold and red are the predominant colors in their interiors and immediately we were welcomed by their Chinese-gown clad receptionists who quickly showed us to a table. We were served with hot tea and some pickled vegetables as well as roasted peanuts together with their menus for us to order.
Unlike usual buffets where food is placed and presented in chafing dishes, Li-Li’s has theirs to order. It is a buffet but you just order then they will be prepared fresh and served to you but you can order as much as you want. I prefer this type of set-up because it means that food is prepared fresh and I think this minimizes waste too.We planned to order in batches as we wanted to try everything that their dim sum buffet had to offer. First up was their Steamed Shrimp Dumpling (Hargaw) but more commonly known as “Hakaw”. The dumpling had juicy shrimps and the skin was not too thick or too thin. This was a great starter and it was very flavorful too.
Steamed Shrimp Dumpling (Hargaw) Next that was served was the Steamed Shrimp and Dried Seaweed Roll with asparagus and fish roe. The rolls had a soupy presentation and they were steamed just right. This dim sum was very tasty although I would not say that it was a star.
Steamed Shrimp and Dried Seaweed Roll with asparagus and fish roe Next up we had a few more dumplings like the Steamed Fresh Scallops Dumpling, Steamed Crabmeat Dumplings with Black Mushrooms and one other dumpling that I forgot the name to but still tasted really good. All the dumplings so far tasted yummy and did not disappoint. Sinfulbombs and I also enjoyed a good time catching up with news.
We also had some Steamed White Fish with Chilies and this was something that we both loved. Very tender and carefully prepared delicate white fish seasoned lightly with bits of chilies giving that light and spicy kick. We also ordered some Steamed chicken and Char Siupork.
Steamed White Fish with Chilies 
Steamed chicken 
Char Siu Coming up on the list is also one of our shared favorites – the Taro Puff. The taro puff was crispy and light on the outside and oozing with creaminess on the inside of the crispy shell. It was just perfect. We also had some Pan Fried Spinach Dumpling with Shrimp and Baked Barbecue Pastry Puff.
Taro Puff 
Baked Barbecue Pastry Puff We finished off with all the desserts that they offered so we can try them all out and we ended up lounging around for a good 30 minutes because we were so full from all the dim sum before our Li-Li experience ended. Indeed it was very great value for money. The ambiance, the taste and everything else was all worth the price tag that it had. I certainly would like another Li-Li dim sum so I can try out the other things we did not get to order during that day!
We love you Li-Li! Til the next time!XoXoYou May Also Like
Subic Roadtrip and Foodtrip One Summer Weekend…
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On the Tummy Spot: Yabu: House of Katsu @ SM Megamall
I have been hearing about raves on this latest Katsu place in Megamall so one afternoon after a work meeting, I decided to bring some colleagues there and try out this praise-worthy katsu everyone has been talking about.
We got there after the lunch hour crowd because our meeting was a bit long but it was worth it because the place did not have a hurried atmosphere at that time and we got great customer service from their very attentive staff. I give “KUDOS” to Yabu for their great wait staff. Those are plus points in my dining-out book. I like how their interiors pulled of a minimalistic look that was comfortable and cozy at the same time. Their anime decorated walls made me smile and think that I was going to be enjoying my meal there with friend A and R. Be prepared to shell out a bit more though because they are not that cheap but for food that good, the price is really worth it. We were given menus and our waiter patiently answered all our questions and they all seemed very knowledgeable about their product which is another good point for Yabu. Their menu is another good point for them. It is filled with information on how best to enjoy your katsu. So far so good!
Friend R ordered their chicken katsu set (120g of chicken), friend A had the salmon katsu set (100g of salmon), and I had their rosu katsu set (90g pork loin). We shared our katsus so we could try the different variations that Yabu offered. We were not disappointed and we were quite happy with what we got. Since we ordered their katsu sets, we got fresh fruits, miso soup, rice, pickled radish & cucumber, and cabbage. What was so great was that the rice and cabbage were unlimited. They have sesame dressing and shoyu vinaigrette sauce for the cabbage and we all agreed that the sesame dressing on the cabbage was really good and in fact I had 3 refills of that yummy cabbage with the dressing.
Before our orders were delivered, each of us were given our sauce bowls complete with white and bIack sesame seeds that you needed to grind up first then you add in 2 scoops of the tonkatsu sauce or more depending on your preference and this was an interesting twist to the whole dining experience.
I tried my rosu katsu and I was so happy with it that I plan to eat there another time. The breading was just right in thickness and well seasoned. The crispy texture really made for a great contrast to the super tender and juicy pork loin meat inside. Eating it together with the cabbage dressed in sesame proved to be the perfect foil for the crispy fried taste of the pork. It cut through the fatty taste and proved to be a wonderful companion to my meal. I promise to try their delectable kurobuta pork next time although it is pricier but they say, it is one of the best kinds of pork ever.
Next, I took a bite of friend R’s chicken katsu and again the texture of the breading went well together with the chicken meat although I have to say that there was nothing really extraordinary in this dish but it was well executed and cooked just right.
Lastly, I took a bite of friend A’s salmon katsu and it was super great. It was literally a melt-in-the-mouth moment for that buttery salmon and the breading on the fish only added to the texture and made it a really good dish. The salmon was really so buttery and when eaten together with a dash of lemon was really good. I cannot describe enough the soft and velvety texture of the salmon. You have to eat it to understand it. This was a winner!Yabu, you are good. I look forward to my next experience and this time with the kurobuta pork set.XoXoEVP.S. Thanks to friend R for the iPad pictures for this entry. The pictures do not do justice to the visual and taste feast we had that afternoon. Good job Yabu! Average meal price is around Php300++.You May Also Like
Subic Roadtrip and Foodtrip One Summer Weekend…
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On The Tummy Spot: Good Eats @ Chilli & Ink
It’s been a while now that I have written any review and forgive me for being remiss about it. A lot of work has just piled up but I will try to really update on a regular basis since I have a lot of material right now which just begs to be blogged about. Last week, I was invited to shoot for an event – Estee Lauder’s Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign by a friend of mine. She asked me to step in for another photographer so I merrily trooped to Rustan’s Makati and joined friend A for the shoot. Together with friend A, we also asked couple friend M and G to accompany us so we can have a little reunion of sorts.
We had a fun time during the afternoon shoot and afterwards we all decided to go to friend A’s new work place which was a tattoo shop/food joint all in one – Chilli & Ink. Friend A has been extending the invitation a few weeks back but full work days always got in the way so we jumped at the chance to do a little bonding time with good food and friends. A has been raving about this little resto cozily tucked in Teachers Village in QC, nearby the foodie Maginhawa street, so we went right in for the kill. I’d say I loved the small but comfortable and casual interiors of Chilli & Ink. The walls were done in a red earthy tone with black table and chairs to complete the black-on-red feel of the place. It could perhaps seat 8 comfortably but I loved it that way. The place was a hole-in-the-wall and if they continue with their good food offerings and the constant innovation on their products I have no doubt they will go a long way. The first thing that was really interesting when we seated ourselves at the table was a bowlful of jelly ace together with some tattoo magazines. So while waiting for our food, we browsed through the magazines and talked about tattoos and everything in general. It helped to while away the time comfortably and we all needed to catch up so we yapped and yapped and updated one another on our lives. The main food offerings are chicken wings and cupcakes. I asked one of the owners why she wanted this kind of pairing and she told me that as a foil for the hot wings, they offer the sweet cupcakes to counter the spiciness of their dish.
We actually ordered 3 kinds of chicken wings and in each order there are 6 pieces of wings. I’d say not bad on the quantity meter there. They specialize in hot wings and they really have a hot meter on their menu as well for the wings that had less heat and so on and so forth. We ordered bagoong chicken wings (for the non-spicy eater), Wasabi chicken wings (which had 1 chili rating), and “Hot ng Ina Mo” chicken wings (with 2 chili ratings). We also got to try out all of their sweet cupcakes and they were yummy: Diablo, Blackforest, Coffee and Pecan, Caramel, and Calamansi.
We all shared in the 3 flavors so we could decide on our own personal favorites. I first took a bite of the bagoong slathered chicken wings since I didn’t want to confuse my taste buds later on if I ate the spicy stuff first. It was a revelation in bringing the taste of fried chicken together with the salty sweetness of the bagoong but it worked. It wasn’t overly salty but it was just right and the sweet tones in the bagoong complemented the fried chicken well. Friend G loved it and declared that it was her favorite.
I then went directly to nose-popping heat haven with the Wasabi chicken wings. For some reason, I found it exhilarating or maybe it was just the wasabi talking. J The fried crispness of the chicken wing together with the slowly rising heat of the wasabi in my throat and nostrils just made my day. Maybe it’s because I happen to like wasabi or I was just happy with how the fried chicken and wasabi tasted together. It was a winner and friend M said so. We loved this one!
After that wasabi experience, I went on to the “hot ng ina mo” chicken wings which were rated just 1 chili finger (moderately hot). It was also good but the taste did not make an impression on me as much as the wasabi wings did. I’m sure this must just be personal preference but for the next visit, I’d like to try the other 2 chicken wings on the menu which got 3 and 4 chili finger ratings and heat myself to death. All in all, I liked how they cooked their friend chicken wings and how they tossed it with the sauces. The chicken wings were fried to a crisp without it being too oily and the amount of sauce on their wings was just right because it did not overpower the fried chicken. I don’t like my wings overly sauced. I feel it ruins the dish somehow.After dinner, we went on to dessert with their sweet and interesting cupcakes. My personal favorites are the Caramel and Calamansi ones. I loved how their cupcakes were not too cakey and it was light to eat. The caramel flavor really did me in and I loved the tartness of the Calamansi cupcake together with its sweet flavor. All of us in the table had their own personal favorites. I was looking forward to the Diablo cupcake because it was laced with a bit of chili but I admit I wasn’t able to get the heat that I wanted from the cupcake. I wanted more, but again it’s a personal preference thing. Chocolate and chili are really great together since they complement one another so I was kind of looking for more heat with the sweet cupcake or maybe because my tongue was just so desensitized with all that wasabi. Hehehehehe!
Overall, I’d say Chilli & Ink is good value for your buck. Their food is good and simple but with interesting twists and you can get yourself tattooed afterwards if you feel like it. I can vouch for their in-house tattoo artist! Writing about food in this cold, rainy weather is actually making me hungry. Waaahh!
XoXoEVP.S. Thanks to my lawyer friend Mark for the great photos I used on this entry. My cam ran out of batt so I couldn’t use it. -
My Binondo Foodie Adventures Part VIII: A 2nd Foray into Tasty Dumplings
Binondo, how I love thee? Let me count the foodie trips! JChinese New Year is something that we really look forward to every year and what’s best is that we get to celebrate it in the Philippines Chinatown capital – Binondo. This year, the streets were packed as usual with tsinoys, foreigners, dragon dancers and visitors trooping straight to Binondo to take part in the New Year festivities happening. It’s red all over the place with lots of firecrackers loud enough to rival New Year’s celebrations.We had fun strolling as I brought along mom, sister and Z. Their feet got tired but they were all happy with what we had experienced. It was getting closer to dinner time and everywhere the restaurants were packed of course. I headed off to Tasty Dumplings. I just love their cool exteriors after the humidity outside and all that firework smoke. It was a welcome refuge.We had some Fried Kuchay Dumplings, these deep fried morsels were yummy together with the dipping sauce we had. It could rival that of Dong Bei’s.
Mama had their sweet and sour chicken rice and I must say I was pretty impressed with it. I don’t normally order sweet and sour anymore because it’s so commonplace but their version definitely was worth its salt. It had tender and moist chicken pieces drenched in just the right amount of the sweet and sour sauce.
Sister had some spareribs rice and it tasted like the patatim I used to have before in Cdeo. It was really delicious. Soy flavored sauce with some spices and the meat was just right. Not tough and quite easy to eat. It’s a different take on spareribs from the ones in WaiYing. They are both very different and each of the spareribs has their own unique signature. For myself, I ordered their signature dish Pork Chop rice with those gigantic Ala schnitzel pork pieces. Huge thin and crispy pork chop pieces designed to satisfy your fried pork craving and more. I had no problems sharing this as it was really a lot and I couldn’t finish it alone.
It’s been a while since I updated this blog and I apologize for the absence. Life has been hectic lately with another venture I have been experimenting with.
XoXo -
Italianni’s With Long Time Friends
Who hasn’t heard of Italianni’s? With its great big servings of Italian inspired dishes that will have you panting after eating, that is in essence Italianni’s. I have eaten in Italianni’s countless times but haven’t really reviewed or written about them until now.Recently I got in touch with really old friends way back in college and we agreed to meet at Italianni’s at Alabang Town Center. The location was chosen as such because it was the crossroads of where we all were located. Friend T was from Las Pinas, Friend X was from Batangas and I came from Cavite so meeting in Alabang was quite okay for everyone. It was a pleasure catching up and meeting with old friends. I had forgotten how much fun it was to chat and just while away the time with them. Before we used to do it often as we shared the same house in college. Now everyone was a professional but it seems like only yesterday. We decided to have lunch at Italianni’s and as usual when we got ourselves seated there, we were given their complimentary ciabatta with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This is always a great combination.
We then proceeded to order. I had the Parmesan Crusted Fish Fillet. It was creamy dory fish with a Parmesan cheese crust and served with a caper cream sauce, mashed potatoes in the side and some buttered vegetables. The fish was crispy and had lots of flavor especially with the cream sauce. Dory is pretty much a bland white meat fish but with the Parmesan crust, it was good. The crust was crispy and the vegetables were cooked just right. Crunchy and slathered with butter.
Friend X had her Grilled Pork Chops. It was huge! J The pork chops were grilled with a pepper crust and served with some black peppercorn sauce. It was served with some crispy spinach leaves that I ate because friend X did not want them and also garlic rice and buttered vegetables. This was really value for money right here. Although it is value for money, I can’t really say that the taste was something remarkable or unforgettable.
Friend T had some Chicken Parmigiana. It was chicken cooked with a Parmesan cheese crust same with my fish then it was topped with some melted, creamy and stringy mozzarella cheese. On the side of the Chicken Parmigiana was some spaghetti with Marinara sauce.
The dishes were good but not really spectacular but they sure are value-for-money with how they are portioned so you know that you got your money’s worth of food as you should because they are not so much inexpensive when it comes to their pricing.
The lunch was good with old friends and lots of food. I’ll be trying out other dishes from Italianni’s soon!XoXoYou May Also Like
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Resto Feature: Top Dish Korean Restaurant, Makati
Being an avid Korean food lover, I am always on the prowl for great and authentic Korean restaurant experiences here in the Metro. I have been to Kaya and especially love their Dolsot Bibimbap and I also blogged about this unnamed Korean restaurant here in my blog. A few weeks back, I finally found the time to eat at this restaurant again and finally got its name – Top Dish. Thank you to my good friend CB for showing me this resto. This is really one of my go-to places for an authentic Korean food experience.The place is quite non-descript with an unassuming entrance and it seems like it’s just an ordinary house outside if not for its white and bright signage in Korean and English. The first time you come here, you’d be amazed because the entrance to the restaurant is also by way of their kitchen. It is kind of weird but works for them fine. It is owned and managed by a Korean couple and they are always very welcoming of their guests. This is also one of those restaurants where I see a lot of Koreans eating inside. Methinks it is a testament of their good food and authenticity in providing and showcasing Korean fare here in the Philippines.As usual, a wide array of banchans was again served to us. Banchans are the side dishes that all Koreans usually eat with. This is given for free in Top Dish and is something that I really appreciate because I think that if you want to offer the unique and original Korean eating experience that this comes hand in hand with it like how they really do it in Korea. We had some spinach sautéed in sesame oil, sweet potatoes, potato omelets, spicy “dilis”, sautéed bean sprouts, kimchi and some other appetizing stuff. The red pepper paste and soybean paste were also staples at the table.
We ordered their roasted gizzard. It was served together with some fish sauce with garlic bits and jalapeno slices. You eat all of it together and the result was outstanding. I never thought I’d get much pleasure in eating gizzard but the way they presented it and how it is eaten Korean-style made me a convert. It was salty, spicy and had a pleasant chewiness that wasn’t rubbery but just right. I definitely enjoyed this dish.
Then we ordered some of their sweet and spicy chicken. This was fried chicken with a generous slathering all over of the sweet and spicy sauce. This is somewhat similar to what BonChon is offering but I have to say that this fried chicken dish trumps what BonChon has to offer and at a great price. It was still crispy even though it was dressed in a thick sweet and spicy sauce which was finger-lickin’ good. The meat inside was tasty and juicy and just so yummy. I keep coming back to get some more.
We also had some Korean noodles – Japchae which is glass noodles cooked the Korean way. It was just okay but nothing really remarkable as the gizzard and chicken.
I still have a lot of things to try out in their menu and I can’t wait to go back again to test out the other items and see how they hold up to my taste buds but definitely Top Dish is one restaurant you would go back to if you are wanting that authentic Korean eating experience. This is where I get my regular fix. The place is quite small and cozy though and would fit about 16 people all in all.
My Rating:Price: 9/10 (value for money, around 300/person) not bad for authentic Korean food.Place/Ambience: 7/10Food: 9/10Eating in groups is great so you can share the cost and try out a lot of other dishes too.Top Dish Restaurant4890 Durban Street, Makati City near P. Burgos.For reservations call 758-1122. -
On The Tummy Spot: Chicken Inasal at JT Manukan Grille
I’ve tried numerous kinds of chicken “inasal” from Cagayan de Oro to Cebu and here in Manila. Some have been good and some not so great – just ordinary so I am usually not that excited about chicken inasal food trips. My friends MRD and GHD on numerous occasions have told me about this little chicken inasal food place located in Malugay St. in Makati. One Sunday during lunch, I finally headed there with the couple in tow and a newfound friend SQ.
The outside is nothing spectacular or eye catching. The place is not where you would like to dawdle over lunch or dinner because it is not that interesting. JT’s Manukan is actually located beside OSMAK (Ospital ng Makati) so that would be one of its landmarks. When you go inside, the one consistent thing are posters of old movies that actor Joel Torre has been in. JT’s Manukan is owned by him and as such his initials on the name of the chicken place.
Of course, I ordered the chicken pecho which is the drumstick plus a big part of the thigh if I’m not mistaken. We also ordered “atay” (chicken liver) and some pork liempo grilled. The basic condiments were offered at the table – soy sauce, vinegar, chilies and chicken oil (which you can slather all over your rice). When the chicken arrived, I eagerly wanted to sink my teeth into it so I can say for myself it is really as good as my friends have painted it out to be. The garlic rice was really good too. All garlicky with little garlic bits. This was really every penny’s worth of our money and it’s not that expensive as well.
The first bite is always the clincher and with this first bite, I wasn’t disappointed. Usually when we do a little bit of chicken inasal at home, I am always concerned that the chicken meat dries up during the cooking process and sometimes our chicken inasal at home does have that dried up feeling to it but this chicken from JT’s was another chicken altogether. The chicken meat was so plump and juicy with just the right amount of doneness to it. It kind of felt like Hainanese chicken which is all plump but this just had a barbecuey feeling to it. I think I had stumbled onto a great chicken place. This is even better than Mang Inasal’s chicken. I could taste a variety of flavors like lemongrass and some others. I wanted to eat and eat. It was that good. Not dried up but just really juicy.
The chicken livers were also good. Just the right size for a diner and really good as well. Not hard and tough but soft and tasty. Almost fluffy if you ask me. Hahahahah!
Their grilled pork liempo was just so so because I guess this wasn’t really their star product. The chicken is. I can’t wait to eat here again when the craving for authentic Bacolod inasal chicken hits me.
JT Manukan GrilleThe Zone, 7224 Malugay Street Corner Gil Puyat Avenue Bel-Air, MakatiTelephone:XoXoYou May Also Like
Subic Roadtrip and Foodtrip One Summer Weekend…
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My Foodie Experiments: Fried Chicken Karaage
I have been meaning to experiment on this food item ever since I tasted Tokyo Tokyo’s Sumo Remix with Fried Chicken Karaage so I finally got the chance to experiment on it. I was having a bit of a problem finding the potato starch and the sake which are key elements in the recipe. Luckily I was able to get the potato starch from the nearby Korean grocery store in our area which also sells some Japanese products although I got the sake from the mall. The potato starch can actually be substituted with cornstarch but I don’t like substitutes if I haven’t had the chance to try out the recipe first. I am OC that way. 🙂
I got this recipe from one of the blogs that I follow constantly, this is from Makiko Itoh at JustHungry.com. Thanks for this recipe Makiko!Prep time: 10 min :: Cook time: 20 min :: Total time: 30 minYield: 10 to 12 piecesServing size: 3-4 pieces as part of a Japanese meal or in a bentoIngredients:· 10 oz (300g) boneless chicken thighs· 1 piece fresh ginger, (about the size of your thumb)· 3 Tbs. soy sauce· 1 Tbs. sake or dry sherry· about 1/2 cup Potato starch (katakuriko) or cornstarch, (enough to coat the chicken. Potato starch is better, but cornstarch will do)· peanut oil or other vegetable oil, (for deep frying)· a few drops sesame oil, (optional; add to the frying oil for extra flavor)Directions:Cut up the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces. You can take off the skin if you like, though it does make the chicken crispier.Peel and grate the piece of ginger. A microplane grater works great for this task.Put the chicken pieces in a bowl. Add the grated ginger, soy sauce and sake, and mix well. Let marinate for a minimum of 10 minutes. Around 30 minutes is ideal. If marinating for more than an hour (say, overnight), use 1 tablespoon soy sauce, then add the other 2 tablespoons just before you’re ready to cook them; this prevents the salt in the soy sauce from drawing out too much moisture from the chicken.Heat the oil; if using a temperature-controlled fryer or a thermometer, aim for 180°C / 355°F. If not, a test with a single piece of chicken or a small piece of skin. Toss enough potato or cornstarch into the marinated chicken (drain off a bit of the marinade if it’s too watery first) so that each piece is completely coated. Fry the chicken pieces a few at a time until a deep golden brown.Drain well – a wire rack is best for this, but paper towels work too.Serve with lemon wedges. Some people like to add a sprinkling of grated yuzu peel and/or sansho pepper.Ingredient notes:Potato starch flour, or katakuriko, is standard for karaage in Japan. It creates a wonderfully light, crispy, greaseless surface. It’s not that easy to get a hold of in many places though (look in a Japanese grocery store), so cornstarch is an acceptable substitute.My Personal Notes:I had actually doubled the quantities so I doubled up on the ingredients here. I think the chicken would have tasted even more delicious with more time to let it marinade and will definitely make this again but this time will try to marinate it overnight and see if that changes anything. The chicken courtesy of the potato starch had a very crispy covering. Thin but crispy layer(which tasted like chicken skin chicharon) unlike when you dredge chicken in flour.This recipe just made me a potato starch convert. Also, letting the chicken hang to drip on a wire rack after it has fried to a golden brown is really advisable because if you don’t there is the tendency that the chicken comes out kind of oily. The ginger taste was dominant and made all the difference in taste while I think the sake also did contribute to the flavor as well as tenderizing the chicken more. It was juicy to eat as I bit into it and the refreshing taste of ginger filled my mouth somehow compensating for the heaviness of a fried dish. The sesame oil I added to the oil before frying also added another dimension to the chicken making it more authentic. These days one of my favorites in the kitchen is my bottle of sesame oil. 🙂P.S. I am making my descriptions more graphic and complete as I got feedback from a reader that she wanted this so. Thanks Tza! 🙂
Happy Cooking!XoXoYou May Also Like
Subic Roadtrip and Foodtrip One Summer Weekend…
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My Foodie Experiments: Baked Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dressing from Kaboose.com
Lately, I have been on a cooking spree mostly experimenting with Korean cuisine of which I have yet to document here in this blog. For today, I am going to be sharing this really easy and delicious chicken recipe which I found online at Kaboose.com.
The recipe is fairly easy to follow and the ingredients are not hard to find and you can’t go wrong with crispy chicken eh. I did enjoy making the honey mustard sauce and I think it is good with some other fried stuff as well.
Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts2 tbsp. (30 mL) vegetable oil1 cup (250 mL) bread crumbs ( I substituted Panko bread crumbs since we had them already)2 tbsp. (15 mL) grated Parmesan cheese1 tsp. (5 mL) crumbled dried oregano1/2 tsp. (2 mL) salt1/4 tsp. (1 mL) black pepperHoney mustard dipping sauce:2 tbsp. (30 mL) honey2 tbsp. (30 mL) Dijon mustard (substituted the McCormick mustard)2 tbsp. (30 mL) vegetable oil
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick vegetable oil spray. Cut each of the chicken breasts into 4 or 5 lengthwise “fingers.” Place in a bowl. Add the vegetable oil and stir to coat everything evenly. In a bowl, stir together the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, oregano, salt and pepper. Transfer to a plastic bag (make sure there are no holes). Add the chicken strips, 3 or 4 at a time, and shake to coat with the crumb mixture. Arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining chicken strips and crumb mixture. Bake for 10 minutes, turn the strips over and continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until nicely browned and cooked through.
Meanwhile, make the dipping sauce. Combine the honey, Dijon mustard and vegetable oil in a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth and creamy. Serve chicken fingers hot or at room temperature with honey mustard dipping sauce. If putting in a lunch bag, pack the sauce separately in a small, tightly sealed plastic container.
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