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Of Roadtrips and Lunch Stopovers in Provincial Towns – Patio Elmina in Dagupan
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 -
On The Tummy Spot: PatisTito Garden Cafe in Laguna
A year and 1 day ago to date, this foodie and a few friends went road tripping through Laguna all the way to Lucena to attend a good friends’ wedding. Of course we planned out our foodie stops and PatisTito Garden Cafe was foremost in our mind. Me and fellow foodie and amazing cook friend J, already mapped out the route we were taking a few weeks before the trip so that it would be seamless come road trip time. The first stop was of course this gorgeous garden cafe owned by the iconic couple Patis and Tito Tesoro of Pinoy barong fame.Armed with Waze and big tummies we happily made our way on the road. It took some time but we were able to find it as well as asking for directions from people we chanced by on the road. Indeed it was kind of hard to find but when we got there we were fascinated with old school Filipino decor, wooden tables, and a garden meant to be enjoyed. It was outdoor/garden dining. We actually called ahead to reserve because we wanted one item on their menu that needed 24 hours ordering beforehand.
We started off with some appetizers. They had a lot of them but we got the combination platters because we wanted to try as many items as we could in their menu because we didn’t know when we could ever visit this restaurant again. We had Combo A. It was a delightful fried combo of tasty pork and beef balls, ground pork with yummy cheese, and hearts of palm rolled up spring roll style with a dip of vinegar, chili sauce, and tomato sauce.
We also had their delicious and very refreshing Ensaladang Pako. It was a simple fern salad with slices of red egg, tomatoes, sprinkled with cheese, and slathered with their own dressing and this is one of those that I will always remember. Very local and very refreshing indeed.
In between courses, we happily explored the interesting surroundings filled with Filipino curios. It was like going back in time 50 or so years ago to really old school Filipino houses.
When our piece de resistance finally arrived, we all sat down to enjoy the meal. The menu item we had ordered beforehand was the Chicken Kinulob. This was basically slowly cooked chicken over a charcoal fire for a few hours together with some potatoes, carrots, bacon, tomatoes, and Spanish chorizo. The chicken became so tender and cooking over a charcoal fire inside a native “palayok” (ceramic pot) did wonders for the dish. Collective Ooohhhsss and Aaaaahhhss for this one! Good job PatisTito Garden Cafe.
Of course, we added one other dish to complement our chicken, we had their Kare-Kareng Dagat. This was equally delicious too. Pieces of seafood and vegetables cooked over a slow fire with the customary home made peanut sauce stew and with it came one of our collective favorites – “guinamos” (fish paste). Another winner. The fish paste didn’t taste at all fishy and it was great to pair with the seafood and vegetable pieces of the dish.
A meal wouldn’t be complete without dessert and of course there is always room for that course. We had very traditional dessert this time paired with their mangosteen coffee. We had their Turon con Latik. Banana and nangka slices rolled in spring roll wrapper, fried with brown sugar and served with some nata de coco. Yum! You can’t get more traditional than that.
Overall we had a great and lovely time at this garden cafe. We don’t know when the next visit would be but most assuredly it would be worth the trip.
XoXoEV -
The Maginhawa Chronicles: Artsy Cafe – a delicious revelation!
Who hasn’t heard of the famous street in Quezon City – Maginhawa? Foodies and food neophytes alike flock to this place to experience all the tasty pleasures it offers in just 1 stretch of a long street. It’s like “the destination” for all who are in search of good value eats.For this first peek into the delicious treasures of Maginhawa, we check in to the Artsy Cafe located at 36 Maginhawa Street. The first thing you will notice would be its quaint color scheme. It has pastel blue colors and white lacey trimmings. Very quaint and cozy. I forgot to take a picture of its interiors. I think I have been there for a total of 3 times already but I am in need of more visits to further explore their menu. (wink) (wink)These are some of the dishes I have had that speak to my taste buds so far. Their market salad. You have 2 options with it, you can either have chicken or shrimp in it. When we had it, we picked the one with chicken. Fresh leafy greens, local tomatoes, cucumber and carrot sticks, grilled chicken strips, olives, grapes, and a very generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. This dish alone can serve as 1 meal for any person. Light and refreshing but also filling.
For a healthier sisig option, they offer the Bangus sisig. Their own fishy version of one of our beloved sizzling meat dishes this time with bangus flakes. Really good and much more healthier than its meaty counterpart. This is a heaping sizzling dish as well.
And for one of my more favorite ones in this restaurant – their gigantic T-Bone steak. It’s a huge plateful of a steak grilled to your liking paired with buttered vegetables and your choice of either mashed potato or a cup of rice. I have always opted to have mashed potatoes with it since I want to avoid the carbs. This dish is one of our favorites really. A good deal and delicious too. I haven’t eaten here in Artsy without ordering this every time. Really good value for money!
All dishes mentioned here are below the PHP300 price tag. So it is really good value for your money. Artsy Cafe has a cozy ambiance and although the menu is not that extensive yet they really do offer delicious eats at good value.P.S.They also have an all-day breakfast selection….XoXoEV -
Right On The Tummy Spot: Another Josephine’s Foray in Tagaytay
I have been remiss lately in updating posts on my blog. Honestly, I have been so busy with work that I have not had the time to write. I am trying my best to do a bit of time management since it’s been quite hectic. I have traveled to 2 countries in a span of 3 months – 1 for work and another for pleasure so my schedule has been doubly hectic. My foodie explorations have also been many and as such I will try and catch up so that the blog remains current and also so that I don’t forget what I have eaten and how I felt eating the food.Last April, my aunt and uncle from the US came home because it was their daughter’s (my cousin’s) graduation from college. They decided to spend some time here in the metro and Tagaytay was definitely on the map of places to visit. We headed off early but unfortunately a little road mishap delayed us for an hour in the small winding roads of Tagaytay. We stopped for refreshments in the resident Starbucks and took some pictures and then preceded to our lunch destination which I decided was to be Josephine’s since I think as balikbayans my aunt and uncle miss Filipino food.So far my experiences with Josephine’s have been good so I just decided to bring them there. For our appetizers, we ordered their appetizer sampler which had crispy fried crablets, grilled shells, roasted shrimps and grilled squid. We also had some crispy calamari and everyone was happy. The seafood sampler was cooked just right and it had a clean and fresh taste and the calamari was crispy and the squid inside cooked well and not tough.
Seafood Appetizer Sampler 
Crispy Calamari Aunt Joy also ordered 2 kinds of salads, the garden salad and mango salsa salad. The first was a mixture of greens, tomatoes, red bell peppers, boiled egg, carrots and vinaigrette while the former was mangoes, tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro and vinaigrette. These salads were very refreshing and we especially loved the mango salsa. It was spot on!
Garden Salad 
Mango Salsa We also ordered the classic kare-kare, oxtail and beef swimming in a peanut-based sauce. It was served together with some bagoong alamang and again this dish did not disappoint. It was very Filipino and delicious. We couldn’t get enough of it especially paired with the bagoong. The kare-kare is a bit bland and the bagoong is the perfect pair for it.
Going to Tagaytay would not be complete without the requisite dish – bulalo. Softened beef in bone and this dish was very hearty and filling. The beef around the bone was so tender that it literally fell off the bone and was swimming in the hearty and flavorful broth. We also had some noodles but I wasn’t able to take a picture of it. It wasn’t really their specialty and it was just ok. The other dishes were more to my liking.
Overall, Josephine’s is really a good place to enjoy Filipino food and the view that they have is really very nice. Plus, eating with family makes everything all the more delish! No more room for dessert at this point.XoXoEV -
On The Tummy Spot: Kanin Club @Ayala Triangle Gardens
On the rare occasions that I eat all Filipino outside my home, I really try and pick restaurants that can give me value for money – great taste, good prices and I must say eating at Kanin Club has been good so far. Their innovation on several of their dishes are well received by I think almost everybody that comes inside their doors.The very first time that I tried them out, I ordered it for take-out as we were eating it at a hotel across the Ayala Triangle Garden with my Achi. I really didn’t know much about their specialties but I am always hearing about how the “Aligue Rice” is a must-order. This was the only menu item I was sure about. The rest were all a mystery but I thought it couldn’t be that bad as long as I stick to the tried and true favorites. We enjoyed the first time so much that we ate there again in the same week, this time dining in with everyone.
The food was consistently good but there’s something to be had for their service. The wait staff and the time for the food to be delivered to us need some improvement but overall we had a pleasant time. We first ordered our appetizers, one of their best sellers – Crispy Liempo. Crispy thin fried slices of pork liempo perfectly fried to a crisp. It was so crisp that you could break it in half with a quick snap. It was served together with 3 dipping sauces: their own soy sauce, chili sauce and vinegar. The dish never fails to amaze but you will need to watch your cholesterol levels with this literally heart stopping dish. Everything in moderation!
We then saw fit to order another set of appetizer together with our meal to satiate some womanly craving. We got the “Green Mango and Bagoong”. Perfectly sliced green mangoes with a huge dollop of nicely seasoned bagoong! Yum! Chunky freshly sliced green mangoes together with that sweet and salty bagoong certainly makes for a great accompaniment to any meal.
Our rice order was again “Aligue Rice”. The rice is something really good because we don’t want to order any other kind. Rice fried with luscious and sinful crab meat. It brings with it a unique taste of its own. Again, please be advised to eat in moderation. Hehehehhe!
We ordered 2 main dishes – Kare Kare and another best-seller of theirs, Crispy Dinuguan. Its dinuguan without the innards but only fried pork meat before being covered with pig’s blood. I can’t say I really found it good but it was okay. The kare-kare was really so peanuty and had a lot of tripe, tail and vegetables that we all loved it. It was creamy and just perfect to pair with the rice.
Overall, we had a pleasant taste experience but the wait staff could have been more attentive and the waiting time reduced a bit. If you are looking for traditional yet innovative and creative Filipino dishes which are kind of light on the budget, I think Kanin Club will do great! I promise to do the other rice alternatives on other visits!Prices:Crispy Liempo – Php 142.00Green Mango and Bagoong – Php 112.00Crispy Dinuguan – Php 261.00Kare-kare – Php 358.00Aligue Rice – Php 149.00XoXo -
On The Tummy Spot: C2, Classic Cuisine On View
Love Love Filipino food! I think it is a very unique and versatile cuisine very adept at adapting to other cultural flavors yet somehow still retaining its identity. I mean, we are known to be one of the most adaptable cultures around simply because we strive to survive wherever we are. The same can be said of our cuisine as well. Aside from that we have our own great specialties of which the majority is still a vast culinary adventure for me to undertake. I am at the tip of the iceberg so to speak. There are a lot of Filipino themed restaurants around and I just made a recent discovery with C2 (Classic Cuisine) a few weeks back with friends. They served straight up Filipino food but aside from the familiar what I was most impressed with was the clean execution of the dishes and how original and authentic it really tasted like. I mean, we can all have Filipino food anywhere but C2 gives it a very impressive face.
A Filipino meal would not be complete without rice. We chose their Aligue rice. Those creamy, fatty and luscious aligue mixed with rice and garlic makes for a great rice component. Yes, we chose to forget about our blood pressures that night. It was tasty and actually not as overwhelming as I first thought it would be with all that fat. The garlic probably neutralized it a bit!
Next, we had some Binagoong Lechon Kawali. Who can resist ordering these crispy, fat chunks of liempo deep fried to perfection and slathered with some yummy bagoong with a siding of grilled eggplant which was the perfect accompaniment to the dish. The lechon kawali was not really oily at all so I’m guessing it was deep fried at the right temperature with the correct amount of oil. We were so happy to dig in to this dish.
Since friend D was craving for some Sisig action, we had their Sisig express. Their sisig had all the correct components. Original sisig without any frills. It was great with some soy sauce and a squeeze of calamansi.
Well, we had to have some veggies since we all felt guilty about all that pork! We ordered their Pinakbet at Bagnet. Notice the bagnet. Yes, we are still guilty of being obsessed with pork that night. Crunchy and cooked-just-right steamed vegetables paired with bagoong and bagnet cubes. We just love our vegetables.
A meal has to be finished with some dessert so we ordered their Leche Flan. Since we were feeling so full by this time, we ordered just 1 but we ended up wishing for more. It was literally melting in our mouths. The flan was so creamy and the sweetness was just right. Normally I rarely get to eat a well made leche flan since I think it’s so commercialized these days but the chefs at C2 really got this one right. I believe I will be coming back for more.
C2 is a good find especially if you are craving for some authentic and good Filipino food. I’ll be back that’s for sure.
XoXoP.S. Photos courtesy of my iPhone. Sorry for the not so great resolution! -
On The Tummy Spot: My Cebu Zubuchon Experience
I have been hearing rave reviews about MarketManila’s Zubuchon that I decided to check it out on a Cebu trip I recently had. I asked my friend A to guide me through Zubuchon’s menu items and introduce me properly to what Anthony Bourdain has tagged as one of his greatest food finds. Being a foodie, of course I was looking forward to the experience.Friend A decided to bring me to their Mango Avenue branch. When I got inside the restaurant, it was cozy and comforting and I was looking forward to the lunch ahead of me.
I had not eaten any breakfast and just had coffee because I was so looking forward to this much awaited lechon experience with Zubuchon. I am a fan of CNT although there are times that their lechons tend to be a bit salty but otherwise I am well satisfied with the taste so I wondered what makes Zubuchon different and why does it stand out. Also, being from Cdeo, I have had my share of really tasty and yummy lechons and when I compare it with the lechons I have had here in Metro Manila, nothing comes close. I have been very disappointed so far with the taste and quality of the lechons here in Luzon because they tend to be bland and just not tasty at all.
I was waiting for friend A to arrive so I ordered myself a glass of mango juice. Nothing fantastic, just your regular mango juice but it was made from real mango fruits and was not made out of a concentrate.
A few minutes later, friend A arrived and we proceeded to ordering our lechon lunch. Of course we got ourselves Zubuchon and we had ½ kilo between the both of us. No judgement please! 😉 The lechon had hints of rosemary and the meat was not bland but tasty. It was not also too salty. Just right! The skin was really really deliciously crispy and I think that my lechon cravings were satisfied with this Zubuchon foray but I’d like to try them again to see if they were consistent with their lechon and also because I miss lechon again!
We also ordered the pickled vegetables sampler on the side. 3 varieties of pickled vegetables: pickled raddish, atsara and pickled mangoes all served in little square bowls. These were great and a perfect foil to the Zubuchon. It cut through all the fats!
Of course I also had to have the Lechon dinuguan. Pig’s intestines in pig’s blood topped with some crispy chicharon, a green chili and sprinkles of green onions. A taste I so missed.
Friend A also ordered a Kamias shake and this one was a winner. A bit tangy and sour and sweet! I wish I had ordered it!
I plan to try their other offerings when I get to Cebu again one of these days. Definitely one visit is not enough! Also, if you’re dining on a budget, they offer lechon meals as well.Happy Lechon Craving! Hahahah!XoXo -
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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The Start of My Summer – Swimming Pool Food Fare
Last March 20, the family all trooped to our swimming pool haven as a welcome home celebration for Tito M who just came home from Congo. Tito M rented this wonderful and spacious airconditioned villa for the day which had really nice interiors. 2 beds downstairs, a mini kitchen, bathroom and a second level which had 4 beds for those who wanted to sleep. It was very comfortable for everybody and the pool waters did not even beckon to me that much. In fact, I did not even take a dip that day. I just photographed and ate!Thinking of what suitable items to bring to the pool, we settled and agreed to bring some pork belly and Papa’s “Kinilaw” of which I am very much addicted to. The pork belly we just bought from the nearby SM department store so there was no marinading involved. It was simply seasoned with just rock salt at the poolside and for some reason after we had grilled it, it tastes absolutely delish. The pork was done perfectly and the meat was tender and not tough. The salt-only seasoning seemed to heighten and even make the taste good for the grilled pork belly. Sometimes if we marinate the pork in soy sauce, which is usually what is done, it kind of interferes with the taste of the meat. I do suggest you guys try just seasoning your pork belly with rock salt before grilling and you can taste the difference.
Papa’s “kinilaw” was tuna washed with some vinegar and added with some spices like onions and ginger. He also added some mayonnaise. It was really good. Filipino style sashimi. The fish tasted creamy and milky and there was a certain tangy taste to it. It also had some chili’s which added the needed heat to perfectly complement the fish. The fish was very fresh and that heightened the flavors as well. This is otherwise known as “ceviche”.
The Kooiman family brought their newly invented dish as well as a large bilaoful of Pancit Malabon. They called their new invention the Kooiman family pasta salad. It was a cross between being a Mediterranean, Dutch and Filipino pasta salad and an original creation at that inspired by the mix of cultures present. Achi and Matthijs made use of Fusili as the pasta of choice together with some herbs, Feta cheese, Dutch cheese, pineapples, green olives, pesto, fresh tomatoes, olive oil, green bell pepper, carrots, onions and bacon. It didn’t taste at all heavy but rather was so refreshing to the palate. It was tangy and creamy, salty and sweet. So many contrasting but at the same time complementing flavors in one spoonful. For me, it was the perfect pairing for the grilled pork belly and I think I ate continuously throughout the day! Hahhahaha! Blame it on the good food and wonderful company.
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My First Foodie Event for 2011: An exclusive food tasting event hosted by Lola Maria’s Restaurant @The Legend Villas
Hey 2011!
Welcome the year of the Rabbit and the year with the entrance of the new Zodiac, Ophichius!My first ever foodie event for this year is an exclusive food tasting event hosted by Lola Maria’s Restaurant @ The Legend Villas in Mandaluyong. I got word yesterday from my friend WitchyCrazyMommy that she was invited to this food tasting event but that she wasn’t able to go so she recommended me instead. I got the invite and I am excited for this food tasting event. Lola Maria will be featuring 8 new celebrity dishes for 2011.Watch out for my review and photos. I am surely going to enjoy this!
exploring food forever! among other things…
