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On The Tummy Spot: Hole-In-The-Wall at Century City Mall
Just a few months ago, me and my other foodie friend SinfulBombs decided to meet up and explore a food place we had been talking about countless times. It was Hole-In-The-Wall at the Century City Mall in Makati. The concept was that of a cafeteria style common dining hall with several different food stalls offering different kinds of food and beverages. That alone got us excited because it meant we could try out different dishes in 1 sitting. (Yes, we love these kinds of eating places!)
So I went around and checked to see what kinds of food were being offered and finally decides on some of the Bad Bird’s Corn and Coleslaw plate which had 2 pieces of chicken (you can have the spice level adjusted to safe, spicy, or chemical), corn on the cob (slathered with kewpie mayo, bonito flakes, cheese, and togarashi), and coleslaw. And since we were curious about the sweet potato waffles, we ordered them ala carte – 2 pieces of thin sweet potato waffles served with a dollop of luscious miso butter and maple syrup.
We loved the umami fried chicken seasoned just right and really crisp on the outside but tender inside. The coleslaw was a perfect foil to the fried food plus the corn was just really yummy with the bonito flakes! I’ve heard the dirty rice plate is better so more reason to visit again.
Friend SinfulBombs had Mister Delicious’ Classic Corned Beef Reuben, a delightful stack of homemade and chunky corned beef and sauerkrat, with a slab of Emmental cheese and Russian dressing on rye bread. It was humungous,to say the least and heavy. A sandwich meal indeed. We first paired our yummy eats with some refreshing craft ginger ale from Mister Delicious. It was I think around 750ml and because we liked it so much, we bought another bottle again after we emptied out the first one. Really a must-drink when in Hole-In-The-Wall.
Sister K came around after a while with the Mum and Z in toe and we ordered another batch of the Umami Bird’s chicken plate plus another of Mister Delicious’ sandwich, this time the Smoked Pulled Pork Sandwich – chunks and chunks of heavenly smoked pork, fresh coleslaw, and slathered with some tangy and sweet BBQ sauce. Another heavy sandwich masterpiece that the sister paired with ice-cold coke!
Truly the Hole-In-The-Wall experience was a good one that this visit would be the first among many. They also have craft beers available in bottles and on tap in there. A nice place to just sit back and relax. There is a cookie and milk shop too for dessert and healthy options stall for the green lovers.XoXo -
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
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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. -
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. -
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
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Bon Chon Chicken Hits Manila!!! Fried Chicken Lovers, Let’s Go!
For the die-hard foodies, you guys should have heard of this recent development in Manila’s food scene – the recent opening of Bon Chon Chicken at the Ayala Triangle Gardens. For the unfamiliar peeps, here is a little introduction about Bon Chon Chicken.
Bon Chon Chicken is actually a South Korean based fried chicken franchise which is a food favorite of the New Yorkers. Bon Chon Chicken differs from the typical fried chicken dish because it has been marketed as the healthy fried chicken which has been double-fried which gives it a lighter and more crispy skin on the outside and moist chicken meat inside plus the fact that it has ginseng as an ingredient in its secret sauce. They say it is healthier than the usual fried chicken but I’m not sure to believe this marketing hype because of the fact that I know it’s double fried. 🙂 How healthy can you get?! But regardless, this merited a visit from me and friend V.
Already, the diners were piling up when we got there. We were afraid that the seats were all taken up but we grabbed a corner table and finally we got to try this Korean fried chicken wonder. The restaurant gives off the ambiance of a classier fastfood but it is still a fastfood joint.
We ordered their Drumstick platter (3 pcs. of drumstick with their soy garlic sauce) at Php185.00. It was as it claimed to be. The chicken skin was super crispy and it seemed like they didn’t even use flour for the coating. Super thin and super crispy. I liked this aspect of it. I wanted more sauce though on it because for me, the sauce was quite lacking and I wanted more.
We also got their chicken wings platter (3 pcs. of chicken wings with the hot & spicy sauce) at Php 130++ ( I can’t remember the exact price, my apologies). The 3 pieces of chicken wings were quite little so I do suggest that you order the 6 pcs small-sized wings so you won’t feel dejected. Heheheheheh! 🙂
I wasn’t able to try out any of their side dishes as we were in a hurry to catch our movie at nearby Glorietta so I will definitely go back to eat some more Bon Chon Chicken. I wasn’t satisfied with that 1 visit. I need a few more! Hehehehe!
In Bisaya, “pagkanipis sa panit sa ilang manok uy, mura man wala gibutangan ug harina sa pagprito. Mubalik pa jud ko para mutilaw nasad usab” (Their chicken skin was so thin and crispy that it feels like it wasn’t coated with any flour during frying. Will definitely go back to taste some more.)
Happy Christmas meals everyone! ‘Tis the season to eat and be merry! Diet is suspended for the time being! Yey!Bon Chon Chicken is located at Ayala Triangle Gardens beside Banapple!You May Also Like
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