Love Life Foodtrips

Leonardo's

2009-01-31T02:17:00.003+08:00

Six different views about Leonardo's

This has got to be one of my number one pet peeves when eating in a restaurant. Being charged for something that I never drank or ate. BUT what if you were charged FIVE times for an item that was NOT even available? GRRRRRRRRRR!

The Diner's Club went out on its regular monthly meet at Leonardo's....a very cozy place in Lahug. The ambiance was pretty nice....the place was really cozy....we were the only ones there too so I really liked the fact that we could bahakhak all we wanted without worrying about other diners.

The menu choices were not impressive....very little entrees to pick from.....and there was just ONE pasta dish available... lasagna...which was 185p per order. Considering that Anton and I already had a bit to eat at 6pm (we got to Leonardo's around 8pm)....the lasagna was enough for the two of us...and thank God it was yummy. Dear gawd! At the price it better be!

Everyone I guess was satisfied with their food. I heard no complaints...and you should hear us complain...but tonight...the okay-okay food was overshadowed by the good company (right, KE?).

What really got me and the other ladies riled up was that when it was time for the bill....it showed that we were due 1900+ total for all the food and drinks of the 8 diners. When Addicted2 started passing out the change...she realized that the money was not enough. And so we had to re-compute. It was found out that we were charged not just for one...not even two... but FIVE four season cans when all the while....THERE WAS NO FOUR SEASONS AVAILABLE!
Ok...so they made a mistake....(if it really was a mistake to charge us for something unavailable) but what got my goat was that the cashier (his name is ERWIN) left us! My gulay! He left us because he figured that his job was done! WHY IN HEAVEN'S NAME WOULD I ASK FOR THE RECEIPTS AGAIN IF THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG?

After discovering what was the problem with the bill....the next problem was...where will we ask for the P247.50 that was DUE us? The waiters were gone...the bone-head cashier was gone...and all that was left was this Wendell dude that was just the katiwala and the security guard.

NAKAKAINIS! NAKAKAPUNDI! What kind of management do you have there in Leonardo's, Mr. Jojo Lapisan ?

KAYA...whoever is reading this..... I will not say DO NOT eat there...eat there...masarap ang lasagna....PERO...bantayan nyo tawn ang bill ninyo....kay basin charge-an kayo nung steak nila na tag-700 kapin tapos di nyo na mamalayan.

As for me...I do not think I will go back there again. - review by d'monyita

Leonardo's Never Again! by Pnoize

It was that time of the month when members of the Diner's Club gathered to appreciate and experience another resto. Did I say "appreciate"? well, we did experience something....something dreadful!

Ok, so wifey and I were the first to arrive to Leonardo's and I immediately noticed how the ambience reminded me of a vacation lodge. Wood on almost everything and dimly lit, almost Baguio-ish, except more remote since NO ONE WAS THERE. A definite change from the usual restaurants the the Diner's Club usually goes to.

The menu mainly consisted of sausages, 2 or 3 choices of steaks, a good number of appetizers, 2 pasta dishes...very limited choices that actually fit in a 2-page menu. We ordered Sauteed Mushrooms and Nachos for Appetizer, Salisbury Steak to fill us and canned pine-orange and an ice tea to quench our thirst.

Soon enough the rest of the gang came and gave their orders to the bored-looking waiters.

When the plate of Nachos was set on the table, I was immediately turned off. A few pieces of Doritos (Cheese flavor) with a chili con carne topping. I hate Doritos Cheese Flavor! And please, for the amount we paid for the Nachos (Php 90.00) I could've bought a bag of Doritos BBQ flavor, sat home and watched my favorite show on the tellie!

What about the sauteed mushrooms you say? It can definitely use more garlic and how hard is it to open a can, sautee the mushrooms in olive oil. And they failed doing so. Enough Said.

The Salisbury steak, placed on a sizzling plate (which did not even sizzle), was bland. The gravy was cold.

To top it off, when the ladies started computing the damages, I noticed that everyone, including the kitchen staff was in the dining area and ready to go. So the bill was paid and when the change came back a brouhaha about 5 orders of 4 seasons (read d'monyita's review) were mistakenly put in our bill. By the time we all realized what had happened, EVERYBODY WAS GONE! we realized that we were alone in the restaurant. No manager, No waiters, no kitchen staff and no cashier!!! WTF?! One of us had to go outside, call security to ask who to talk to we were introduced to this guy wearing sleeveless shirt and shorts who apparently was a "katiwala".

In ALL the restaurants that I've been to, before the kitchen even closes, customers are asked for their "Last Call" orders AND THE STAFF WAS NOT TO LEAVE THE RESTO IF CUSTOMERS ARE STILL AROUND! And here we were left with a bill problem talking to a grumpy and tired looking security guard and the red shirt "katiwala".

Bad Food, Bad Service.

Rating: -10 / 5

Nightmare @ Leonardo's - my own review of the place

I know the title is quite a bit harsh. Honestly...what we went through WAS!!!. Reaching the place needs a private vehicle or a taxi, it is a bit secluded. If you don't know the way, you will surely get lost. Upon reaching the place a sign that says "NO SANDOS, SLIPPERS, SHORTS ALLOWED" greeted us, which made me think -this place must be "SOSY". I was impressed(music, interiors - it seemed like everything was perfect....sad to say it was only up to that point...then the rest fell out of expectation), it was exclusive - we were the only diners for the night. We joined pnoize and addicted2 and asked for the menu. As what is written above, the menu was limited - not a lot to choose from. I got the chili con carne which I heard was good. Beor got the chicken in a basket and the mushrooms. Then the rest of the diner's started arriving and also placed their orders.

Verdict on the food - I found my chili con satisfactory (it is not spicy, i would have wanted it to have more zing). The chicken was bland. The mushroom, I'd go to kahayag anytime and have a more decent mushroom if kahayag was still in business. We wondered why no one asked us if we wanted our bill, we had to ask for it. The bill was dissected and each and every one of us gave our share of the tab. Even though how many times we computed for the total, it just won't add up. Mommy d' asked for the order slips and we compared it with the final tab and the menu, 5 drinks were charged - drinks that were out of stock as what the waiters said - were billed to us. 5 x P45 + 10% is almost P250, way too much of an overcharge as I may say so. They must not have expected us to go over the bill. Unsaon na lang kaha kung daghan ug tao and mao na pirmi ang mahitabo(and diners not reviewing their bill), they must be making a lot of money out of that overcharging. But if the diners happen to check on the bill then good for the diners. 1 more thing that really irked me was that NO ONE came to us and informed us that they will be closing, they all just vanished and left the guard and the caretaker to answer to our complaints and questions. NO MANAGER, NO OWNER to answer up to us. The guard was also a bit arrogant "unsaon ta man na, nanguli na man sila. balik lang mo ugma." is that the right thing to answer to peeved diners?! Paging MR. OWNER please teach the staff courtesy and proper customer service.

This is one place i DON'T want to go back to AGAIN!
food - 2/5
place - a bit secluded 1/5
ambiance - 3/5 cozy but they turned off the air conditioning system while we were still there and not informing us, we just wondered why the temperature suddenly became too warm.
customer service - the waiters were prompt in delivering our orders though and were kind enough to tell us which items are not available. but no one was there to help us out when we were settling our bill. -100/5

total = nightmare!!! horrible experience. would not want to be in that kind of situation ever.

The tale of 5 Four Seasons and Four Seasoned (female) Diners by Beor

As you have read on the previous posts of our dear diners, we obviously didn't have the time of our lives. To spare you from the boredom, I'll make this short and simple (I wish!).

As we arrived at the destined place called "Leonardo's". We were greeted with a sense of class and exclusivity. I said to myself, "I should have worn a better outfit.". At the entrance stands a sign that says "People who can't afford anything decent is not allowed."... well it did not really say that but that's what it meant anyway. So in we went and the first thing that came into my mind was "Wow, this is a neat place!". The music, the ambiance, and the mood was perfect for a romantic dinner with friends and loved ones. Everything was perfect... up to that point at least.

Moving forward and with everything set to be perfect, we decided to place our orders. Glancing through their menu, I spot a few dishes that I could have liked. Unfortunately, these were not available so I went for the tried and tested "Chicken in a Basket". If I can fry, I'm sure these guys can do better (with the amount they were charging, they better be). That being said, I ordered one and added "extra egg - well done".

A few minutes passed and our meals are served. First thing I noticed was my "not so well done" egg... not only that, it was pretty obvious that recycled oil was used! I said, oh well, our mushrooms on a hotplate is here... so I pushed the mushrooms to one side and "finished" cooking my egg on the other. Brilliant! As my egg gets done a little bit more, I started to set my sight on my all time favorite food, chicken.

As I stabbed it through all its tender glory... I imagined myself in a blissful state as I partook it. Lo and behold, the moment it touched my mouth, the world seemed to have ended and disappointment has drowned all the excitement. IT WAS SO BLAND THAT A 20 PESO SLICE AT OUR "SUKI" AT THE NEARBY PUNGKO-PUNGKO WOULD SEEM TO TASTE LIKE A MILLION DOLLAR DISH... at least the mushrooms were almost right. But who can't cook mushrooms?... anyway, "just a bad day" I said to myself.

So after hours of seemingly never ending conversations, a Diner's Club tradition. (We had good company. Too good that we forgot about how the dining experience was.) We decided it's time to call it a night. We asked for our bill, paid for it, and we were set to go. As the men readily stood up, the women got down to business. Upon "very" careful review of our tab, they found out that we paid for something that we did not order... and worse, it was something that was not available... 5 Cans of Four Seasons Juice. So being the seasoned diners that they are, they stayed on and demanded an explanation as well as a refund. Tired of all the bruhaha, I went out for some air followed a few minutes later by Benjie and Ron. We had our laughs as we said amongst ourselves that if it were just us, it would be done and over with the minute we got the bill, case closed! we talked about our experience... a not so pleasing one. The moment we paid our bill, the airconditioner was turned off. Soon after, all the crew went out. Leaving us inside their establishment! There was no "last order" call... nor was the guard courteous enough to at least "notice" us as we asked him a simple question. Deadma, we didn't exist. I think he was pissed off that we stayed for so long.

In the end we weren't able to get to anyone who can make decisions and resolve our issue. Roda will go back there one of these days to claim back the cash we paid for something that wasn't there. As nice as the place was, the service was simply horrid. We couldn't help but ask ourselves "why would they charge us for something that isn't available?". There must be something fishy but that is beyond us. As for me, I wouldn't reccommend the place to anyone. The place is nice, but the experience is simply horrendous.

ok...
my turn...just a quickie review - by Addicted2

place - nice interiors except for the very big REAL "tuko" at the ceiling which i doubt the owner placed it there on purpose as decoration and that really freaked me out thinking that it might jump to one of us and be stuck to our skin. ladies room is fine, ubos na yung liquid soap pero yung container andun pa rin (pati yun di pinalampas noh..hehehe)

food - poor...nothing spectacular in the menu...restos having sausages in the menu never impress me...i can even dare their chef na sabay kme magluto sa kitchen nila to cook what's in their menu and i can prove that i can definitely do better than him (yabang noh pero totoo yun! papakita ko sa kanya kung pano magluto ng itlog ng tama..hehehe)

service - the staff are attentive at first...but still doesn't compensate to what had happened...very poor ohhh very very poor...you've read the story...need i say more? yep...parang they just waited for us to be served kse nga nagpareserve ng table so they we're expecting us already.tapos nagmamadali na silang umuwi...they even closed the lights at the dining area near the windows after we paid the bill

price - overpriced, not worth it

lastly...kahit bayaran ako di na ko babalik dun...now we know why.

oh well...

i can only say...you're such a LOSER yaya...Whatever yaya!

to Bigfoot Oracle: no offense meant sa reviews ha you were there naman when it happened and we're very sure that you didn't know that's how it is there otherwise you would not suggest the place...if you need back up to talk to the owner text me or pm pnoize...hehehe... i need my money back!!!

Leonardo's according to KE-25

Teased people last night of wanting to get a head start on reviewing the place but after hearing all those lovely titles (for review) from fellow diners I just couldnt let works of art go. It felt like Da Vinci and then me hehe.

Couple of titles on Leonardo's and reviews from fellow Diners - proves the mood at last nights dinner hehe

No Season For Four Seasons at Leonardo's - mommy d' monyita

Leonardo's Never again - pnoize

Nightmare @ Leonardo's - Galadriel

The tale of 5 Four Seasons and Four Seasoned (female) Diners - Beor

All deserving of a Pulitzer

Boy !!! I was reading your reviews, seemed like no Take homes, you guys just nailed it, some for me? I'll have to say I agree. Wont take too much text space here since you pretty much covered it.

On to my little thoughts,

I got this from a dictionary this morning: What is the meaning of Day

"The period of light between dawn and nightfall; the interval from sunrise to sunset"

And I must say did it turn to Darkness fassst... What seemed a nice cozy place just turned to blur.

For Restaurants the most important thing is Service and the Food you serve. Ambiance can help but not if you dont have those 2 very important components. I dont care if your eating in a room made of gold, if you cant make your clients Happy with Service and Food, chances are they won't go back. Simple equation to remember. Bad Service and Food, no customers, if no customers, no pay, no pay = no profit no profit = no salary.

Dissapointed with Menu - ordinary , seemed like a fast food chain
Dissapointed with my food - after the benefit of doubt - it failed to even come up with a note
Dissapointed with Service - First time ive been in a restaurant where all the staff leaves customers with a grouchy guard. Why did we talk about Johnnie Blue again?

I leave you with this image: ( darn didnt bring my camera, used the phone )

Benj and gang ( i must say good work going over the reciept ) needle in haystack found
Mr. O wasnt happy at all

The grouchy guard, " Run for your lives people " .... but Beor seemed to be in bliss, enjoying the macro subjects

Rating: Unrated

Till next time , Good company saves the day for this one

Cafe Laguna, Ayala Center Cebu

2008-08-09T08:57:00.002+08:00

Review by - ckice168
I just had merienda at Cafe Laguna Ayala Mall Branch:

Dishes:
1. Fresh Lumpia (bamboo shoots)
2. Pandesal with Keso Puti
3. Fried Lumpia (bean sprouts)

The dishes were pretty good for a merianda, but the Kesong Puti is not worth it. Soo small for 2 cute pieces of bread with a slice of cheese 2mm thick... I would have thought for 85buck(I think or was it 80) the cheese would have been thicker. Well at least enought for me to bite into... The Fresh Lumpia is always a hit. "Secret's in the Sauce". Fried Lumpia was a bit of a let down. Too oily and it seemed a bit overcooked when I got my order.

This is not my first time eating there for merienda and I have to say, the ambiance is a lot better than the previouse location, underneath the escalator but really, food has deteriorated as of late.

Ratings:
Food = 3.5 of 5
Ambiance = 4.5 of 5 (doesn't get any better inside a shopping mall!)
Service = 4 of 5
Price = 3 of 5 (the pandesal was a let down)
Overall = 4 of 5

Would I be back: Yes!
Did I tip? Yes (27php) sukli!

Poolside Resto - Marco Polo Plaza

2008-08-09T08:53:00.001+08:00

Review by - ckice168

here is another one for merienda I recently had at Marco Polo Plaza(Cebu City, Philippines).

If there is anyone from Marco Polo here, please heed!

Poolside Resto, with the brick oven for pizza.

Dishes had:

Bruschetta
Pizza Marco

It was around 4pm. By that time you would expect that oven to be at least warmed up and hot. Anyway. The bruschetta came out first. It was a so-so dish. I noticed that the dough was not properly cooked. But being a bruschetta, it was still edible. Why? Because bruschetta is made with out a topping first and topping added later. So the dough was able to rise, a little and still made the impression of the dish edible. The pizza on the other hand was a sad story. Due to toppings and sauce, it was clear that the pizza was flat and all out horrid. Not to mention it was very bland. Knowing a thing or 2 about baking, I was pretty sure they cooked the pizza in a cold oven. The proper pizza should be cooked and done in less than 5minutes. That means it has to be hot to allow for the bubbles to form on the crust, which also gives its crunchyness.

I told the staff never to allow a customer to order a pizza if the oven wasn't pre-heated to the proper temperature. It just disgusted me to think that a 4star establishment could serve a pizza that way. I remember in Abaca, we ordered the pasta and the staff politely said that the fresh pasta was too thick and the Chef Hyatt refused to serve an imperfect pasta. That's quality control.

Anyway,

Food 1.5 of 5
Ambiance 4 of 5 (would have been a 5 but the pool area can get a bit noisy with kids...)
Service 5 of 5
Price 2 of 5 (it ain't cheap with the +++)
Overall 2.5 of 5 (service is still good and the ambiance still saves the day)

Would I come back: Yes (But never for pizza again!)
Tip, yes: 50php

iSTORYA visits a Children's Home - June 7, 2008

2008-06-03T16:35:00.000+08:00

The Children's Joy Foundation , a non-government, non-profit organization continues to help out children-beneficiaries maintain their stability in all aspects of their lives in the physical, mental, and in the spiritual in facilitating growth and development to help them become responsible citizens of our nation. All these help in developing and nurturing the child's personality in an environment where love and peace abound. Many children are staying with the foundation for temporary shelter, training, and education under the supervision of the foundation staff. They need financial assistance to finish their education and earn a degree so that they can take care of themselves independently. You can be an advocate in this endeavor.

Help us in reaching out to them by bridging the gap. Join us this Saturday.

For more info, follow this discussion in our forums.

Mangrove Planting May 31, 2008 Dumlog, Talisay

2008-05-27T10:06:00.004+08:00

You like seafood? Seafood is a great source of protein and is high in Omega 3 fatty acids which are heart-friendly, reducing the risk of heart disease and taste so very very good.

Do you know that A HECTARE OF HEALTHY MANGROVE TREES can help PRODUCE ABOUT 1.08 TONS OF FISH PER YEAR? And do you know that mangrove trees can LIVE UP TO MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS?

Can you imagine how much seafoods that is?

But the reality is during the last hundred years, the Philippine coastal areas LOST 300,000 HECTARES of mangrove forest. It is estimated that all mangrove forests in the Philippines could be gone in less than 40 years. It can happen in your lifetime! There will be no more seafood for you and your children.

BUT WE CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Join iSTORYA.NET and the Coastal Conservation and Education Foundation in its weekend effort to restore a mangrove forest in Dumlog, Talisay.

For more info, follow this discussion in our forumshere

Sky Angel Cowboy

2008-04-10T23:46:00.004+08:00

I found this video very touching. It has deeply touched me because it tells of God's love.

Just recently I have had a breast mass removed and although the biopsy result said the mass was benign, the biopsy also found out another condition which the doctor said which places me at a higher risk compared to the majority. We are part sad and part happy with the result. We are now dwelling on the positive side.

Everything falls according to His Plan. God does not give us anything we can not handle. I know, He is always there for me. Just as what Logan said "run to him". I am and I have always been. He has been my solace ever since.

Spice Fusion

2008-04-10T22:04:00.004+08:00

Spice Fusion
SM City Cebu
North Wing

This photo is the Spice Fusion BTC Branch, Banilad, Cebu City
Photo from - jamiesamui

My hubby and I ate there with my sister-in-law and her hubby, a late lunch last Friday, April 4, 2008. at first it was ok because we were the only ones served. Our orders arrived promptly (the roti, their version of pochero, and the noodle dish) but when the diners kept on coming the service started to change drastically (requests for extra bowls, utensils and plates had to be repeated - to different servers). Late lunch usually takes us about an hour tops(including the check-out, paying, etc,). But for that late lunch, my golly! it took us two hours! Due to the confusion of the dessert and the inefficiency of the server or the miscommunication between the server and the kitchen. I ordered a coconut pudding, my hubby ordered the almond pudding, my sis-in-law and her hubby ordered the crispy pata sort of dish (pork dish). The server came back and said that both puddings are not available. We changed our orders to mango roll and their version of halo-halo. After a couple of minutes the server came back again and said that our first order of dessert was available, then we said okey We will stick with our first order. Then minutes passed, again he came back and said that the coconut pudding was not available so I said I'm okey with the mango roll. When the orders arrived, the coconut pudding was served and the server said it was the almond pudding. we said no, he insisted, we also insisted and asked for the menu and showed him the picture. Thus our point was proven correct that what he served us was actually the coconut pudding (are they not familiar with what they are serving?). so I said, okey! I will take this pudding and cancel the mango roll. They'd rather cancel my pudding that was already on the table than cancel the mango roll that was still being prepared in the kitchen. Quite confusing isn't it?! Then the pork dish still wasn't served and my sis-in-law had to go to the counter to follow it up. Then, the correct almond pudding arrived. After a couple more minutes the pork dish arrived. It took us around 30 or so minutes just to wait for our dessert and the pork dish to be served. To top it all off, when the bill arrived, we were billed more than we ordered, we ordered for an ice tea and had it canceled and changed with coke. The bill has the coke and the ice tea, no cancellation occurred. We had to point it out to the cashier for our bill to be adjusted and for us to be refunded.

It was one stressful afternoon for us. I also missed my doctor's appointment just because of that lousy mistake.

We were still good to them amidst what has happened. The refund that they gave to us, we gave it back to them as a tip. Hoping that the said gesture will ingrain in their minds to give proper service that is due to dining patrons and touch their conscience that the dining patrons are giving them what is due to them (tips).

Pan Fried Tuna Steak

2008-03-29T12:47:00.011+08:00

Sides: Grilled Tuna steaks are very versatile. Serve them over a salad as a casual meal. For a special occasion, serve them with roasted or grilled potatoes, topped with herb butter.

Serves 4


Ingredients	Directions
Zest and juice of 1 lemon 3 clove garlic minced 2 Tbsp minced ginger root 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce 1/4 cup sesame oil 1/2 cup olive oil 1 tsp chili pepper flakes 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro 4 8oz yellowfin tuna steaks (1 1/2" thick)	Marinade (30 minutes to 2 hours before serving) Mix all ingredients on the left (except tuna) in a non-reactive bowl that is just big enough to hold the steaks in one layer. Add the steaks and turn them to coat. They should be sitting very tightly in the bowl. If you don't have the bowl of appropriate size, just pour the marinade into a large zip loc freezer bag, add the steaks, squeeze all the air out and close the bag. If marinating only for 30 minutes leave the fish at room temperature. If marinating longer than that, keep it in the fridge removing to room temperature 30 minutes before cooking.

	Set a large frying pan on med-high heat. Remove tuna from the marinade and dry on paper towels. When the pan is hot, pour 2 Tbsp of oil from the marinade into the skillet. Add tuna steaks to a pan. Shake the pan couple of times so that steaks don't stick. Sear 2.5 minutes on one side. Flip and sear 1.5 minutes on the other side. This will cook 1/4" of tuna on each side and leave the rest rare. If you like your tuna more cooked through, cover the pan, turn down the heat to medium and cook flipping the steaks half way until desired doneness.

1 tsp chopped rosemary	Sprinkle the steaks with rosemary, pour the pan juices over them, or top with garlic herb butter, and serve.

from - http://www.helenrennie.com/recipes/fish/grilled_tuna.html

I modified this recipe into this:

Juice of 2 Kalamansi
3 clove Garlic minced
2 Tbsp minced Ginger root
1/4 cup teriyaki Sauce
1/4 cup sesame oil
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp crushed peppercorns
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
4 8oz tuna steaks (1 1/2" thick)

Procedure:
I followed everything posted above ^_^ with a bit of revision.
I marinated the steaks for 30 minutes.
I did not wipe the steaks with paper towels, i just let the excess marinade drip and cooked it well done.

Siknoy Noodle House

2008-03-11T23:02:00.000+08:00

Siknoy Noodles
Near Cebu Doctor's University

We arrived late for the dinner. The food was already ordered and all we had to do was wait for it to be served :-) Mommy D' and Mommy Gwyn ordered for all of us. We had Shrimps, Patatim, Pancit, fried rice and Soup (mommy d' and mommy gwyn, help me out here on the names of the dishes...hehehe). The food arrived just on time for our hungry tummies :-) The place does not have any airs or pretensions, it is so simple, like a typical hangout for students out for a very affordable meal. The meal was really SWAK sa budget...hehehe...P300 per head (i think this is because we ordered for a second plate of shrimps). The place is quite cozy and clean, we stayed long and enjoyed the place.

Food and price - 5/5 very affordable and very delicious
Place - 3.5/5 quite out of the way, if you are not familiar with the place you might get lost. we almost did.
service - 5/5 prompt

Don Merto's

2008-02-10T17:37:00.001+08:00

(the inside - where we had dinner, our table was the one near the aircon. the sliding glass doors where closed making the space more confined)

Don Merto's
Casa Escaño
photo: from Flickr.com

I called for a reservation and the one who answered was very accommodating and very polite. The place looked very homey. Courteous staff and very attentive. They had eat all you can on steak for that night (thursday) for P600+. If you want it ala carte the Jimmy's Steak is P800. We did not get the steak. We ordered the Herbed chicked and the canalones instead. The canalones is a dish wherein pieces of chicken are wrapped in pasta or some sort of big noodle and smothered with cheese. The herbed chicken had some peppercorns and a taste of sweetness. The garlic rice that we paired with it was also yummy. We were not able to savor the dessert that the place had the offer, the kitchen closed quite early (IMHO around 10pm) We left the place at around 11pm. the place was not crowded, but it was quite noisy though. due to the small space (we stayed inside) the other table had a very hearty conversation so the result is that the whole place seemed to reverberate.

food - 4 - we were not able to have our dessert.
place - 3.5 - if a lot of people are inside and are having a hearty conversation, you will find it hard to hear each other talking.
service - 5 - very courteous staff
price - 4 - for what we around price range per person is around P300. if you get the eat all you can steak price range will be around P700+.
overall - 4/5 - we plan to come back and stay on the terrace side instead of inside. we will be trying the steak and the dessert.

Tinderbox - A Restaurant Review

2008-01-17T12:05:00.000+08:00

Tinderbox
Archbishop Reyes Avenue cor. Bauhinia Drive
Banilad, Cebu City
Photo from - Tinderbox

My Hubby and I went there on our monthsary for dinner. It was a weekday, so the place was not crowded. There were just around 3 diners including us. The place is simple and it has a delicatessen counter crammed with heaps of cheeses, hams and sausages. The place is very accessible. The ambiance was nice. The attendants are really familiar with their menu and are really courteous. Our food arrived by course and it did not take long for it to arrive on our table. Very good presentation and very yummy =). The attendants are really quick, once we were done they immediately cleared up the dishes that we've cleared up, which is good because it clears the table for the next dish. We did not have to call their attention, they were very attentive. Very good service. Even the security guard was very okay. It was raining when we went out. He immediately opened a big umbrella for us. The price per person depends on the dishes that you order. It would range from 300++ per person.

Place - 5/5 very accessible.
Service - 5/5 very good. attendants are very attentive and very knowledgeable.
Food - 5/5 very yummy. you really get what you pay for.
Price - 4/5 quite expensive if you really are a hearty eater. just like us...hehehe we spent around P500/person

overall experience - very good. we plan to go back there again...still saving up for that next date...hehehe

Alibyo - A Spa Review

2008-01-12T11:08:00.000+08:00

Located at the 2nd level I2, Asiatown IT Park
Photo courtesy of the web

To love life one must enjoy life. So, here is my first post about enjoying life =)Pampering oneself is one way of enjoying life and at the same time giving your body a time to relax and unwind and for an hour or two be free from all of the cares and worries. =)

To quote what I have read from the paper, their piece about the place =)

The Visayan term alibyo, which means relief or alleviate, will take on a bigger meaning in a few days. A new boutique spa will open on Sunday, Nov. 18, at the second floor of the i2 building at the Asiatown IT Park. And you guessed it right—it’s called Alibyo.

Proprietor Johnie Lim and his wife Flor (they own the franchise of Body and Sole) say that the spa specializes in traditional Filipino hilot, which is currently being promoted by the Dept. of Tourism itself. Why not? If Thailand has its Thai massage, why can’t the Philippines have its hilot as a kind of massage?

So what differentiates Alibyo from the other massage spas in the metropolis, including Body and Sole? It is very Filipino. Better still, check it out.
- from Sun.Star -

My Review

Hubby and I went to Holiday for some foot massage last December 12, 2007, because we also wanted to avail of their buy 1 take 1 promo. alas, they already had their last call. So we racked our brains for some ideas and we thought of ALIBYO. this is a newly opened spa located at I2. I think this opened just last November. Off we went to try their services.
We availed of their 2 hour massage. Upon entering the Spa the front desk was all smiles already, Gives a very good first impression. He was also very knowledgeable about the services they offer. He also gave some suggestions on what is good. The spa is also quite different from the other spas, it is well lighted with very old and rustic setting(like you are being transported to the old era). The seats are made out of wood, the table is inlaid with raffia mat. the attendants wear Spanish era type of clothes(filipiniana). air-conditioning is just the right temp, not too hot and not to cold. The attendants are also very accommodating, they are all smiles. I did not see any of them loitering the reception area. When we came out after the massage and they saw us, they immediately vacated the reception area.

Before the massage the First thing they do is they wash your feet with ground coffee and water. Upon entering the common room for the massage area, You can smell the incense burning. On a side note, I like the comfort room, it is clean and nice with a little touch of zen. We were ushered to the couple's room, unlike the other couple's room that we've been to, this room has no divisions. It is a room with two beds and its own air-conditioning unit. The bed is quite firm and when i placed my head inside the hole of the bed, my nostrils were greeted with the scent of potpourri. a very wonderful smell, light and relaxing not intoxicating. Their kind of massage is quite different from what we have been used to. Good massage for the night which gave me a good night's sleep afterwards. (*thumbs-up*) =)

After the massage, we were treated to a glass of drink of our choice and some home-baked cookies (the extra service they give when you avail of their services). I had the Alibyo signature drink, which is iced tea with a hint of pandan leaves. My Hubby got the Salabat with honey, hot ginger drink with a hint of kalamansi and honey, Wonderful concoctions they have. We also availed of their 50% off coupon for the next visit. Well, the front desk gave us a choice: 20% discount for the services we have availed for the night or 50% discount on the next visit and we chose the latter. =) (this is their Christmas special promo, valid until the 31st of the month only).

over all rating 4/5. hubby found his therapist quite slow with his massage but the pressure was consistent though. He had a comparison with the therapist that massaged me. =)

for the 2 hour massage - P600 per person. just reasonable for a 2 hour pampering. =) They do have other packages that you can choose from.

Casa Verde - A Restaurant Review

2008-01-11T11:49:00.000+08:00

Casa Verde
Photos from the Web

It is an ancestral house converted to a restaurant which serves baby back ribs that are tender and to-die-for! Also try their Callos. For dessert, indulge in their death by chocolate. Prices are reasonable.
Address: 69 Ranudo Extension in Ramos
Phone: (+63 32) 253 6472
- from USC -

Went there just last December 28, 2007, Friday, after about a quarter of a year of not having been there. The place was packed and we had to wait for our reserved table.

They have maintained the quality and taste of the ribs but sad to say the beef and mushroom bliss I ordered was not. It smelled of uncooked meat and some pieces of beef were still pinkish. My dish was not cooked well. I lost my appetite after seeing runny pink juices oozing from the beef. I just asked for some of the baby back ribs that my hubby ordered just to finish off my rice. The death by chocolate was better, it was not as hard as a rock, like the one we had the last time we visited the place. The death by chocolate they had is composed of ice cream with a chocolate cookie base and covered with hardened chocolate. Yummy! The baked Alaska failed my expectations. The baked Alaska was composed of 3 flavors of ice cream with spongecake as base and covered with a meringue.The ice cream was not that many, maybe around just 3 scoops of it. 1 for each flavor. What made it look big was the meringue that did not look like one. The ice cream was indeed covered but with a runny hastily beaten egg white that did not even reach its hard peak stage. it was slightly torched and NOT baked. Yuck! Eww! It was disgusting, honestly. We just dug for the ice cream and the cake. I was greatly disappointed with the baked Alaska.

this is how it should have looked, but sad to say it did not :(

the meringue here is firm and cooked. which looks very appealing and yummy.

what we had was something like this but was torched a little bit.

see the difference?!

Food - 3/5 due to my order that was quite unappetizing and the baked Alaska that did not meet my expectation of how a baked Alaska should look and taste like.
Place - 5/5 Accessible and the temperature of the room was just right, not hot and not too cold.
Service - 3.5/5 Our reservation was not listed on the reservation list. I still had to look for the person who I talked to before our reservation was honored. We waited and our friends started arriving and we still did not have our table.
Price - 5/5 very affordable and reasonable.

My overall rating for the night - 3/5

Garlic Champignon Mushrooms

2007-12-06T01:56:00.000+08:00

Garlic Champignon Mushrooms
Photo from the Web

This dish is inspired by the Garlic Mushrooms (a clone recipe I made) I used to have at Kahayag, a resto bar we used to frequent because of the good food and good music. So sad, it had to close down. I sure am missing the place now.

Ingredients:
6-10 cloves of Garlic (or more, adjust according to your preference) crushed and minced
1 can of Champignon Mushrooms
Knorr Liquid Seasoning - season according to taste
Salt and Pepper - season according to taste
Olive oil (or any kind of cooking oil) - about a tablespoon
1 tbsp Butter

Procedure:
1. Saute garlic in butter.
2. add olive oil.
3. add mushrooms including the liquid. let it boil.
4. season with Knorr, according to taste.
5. add salt and pepper according to taste.
6. simmer the mushrooms until the desired firmness of the mushrooms is reached.

serve and enjoy. =)

I am just winging out this recipe, no exact cooking time. I followed my taste buds when I made this. =)

Buttered Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic

2007-12-06T01:55:00.004+08:00

Buttered Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic
6 servings (1/2 cup per serving)
Preparation time: 15 minutes cooking time: 5 minutes
- recipe taken from Eat and Run Cookbook

this makes a good accompaniment to beef steak or pork chop

3 cups oyster mushrooms
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
salt and pepper to taste

- wash and clean mushrooms. slice and soak in water for about 10 minutes. set aside.
- in a shallow pan, melt butter and stir-fry garlic until fragrant.
drain mushrooms and pat dry with paper towels. add mushrooms to pan, stirring until well coated with butter. cover pan and reduce heat.
- cook for 2 - 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Siakoy or Sugar Twist

2007-12-06T01:48:00.000+08:00

One of my indulgences and my favorite snack food when I was growing up. I miss eating this treat. My cousin's nanny that sells this fave of mine has transferred to another location (sigh). Though I can buy sugar twists from the grocery or a nearby bakery, it still does not taste the same. It lacks the homemade touch. Sugar twists from the grocery or the bakery tastes too commercialized for me. I still have to try out this recipe though. Hopefully one of these days I can let the nanny come over and teach me her secret in making this sumptuous sweet. =) So that every time I have a craving I can just whip myself up a batch =D (that would be something to look forward to).

Siakoy (Sugar Twist)

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
2 tsp yeast
1 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp oil

Procedure:
Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water.
Add sugar, salt, oil, and 3 cups flour.
Mix and knead until smooth.
Use remaining flour during kneading.
Form into a ball and let rise in a greased bowl for 1 hour or until double in bulk.
Punch down and divide into 24 portions.
Roll each portion into a 10 inch cylinder and twist into a rope.
Let stand for 30 minutes or until double.
Fry in deep hot oil until golden brown.

Kangkong aka Morning Glory

2007-12-06T01:45:00.000+08:00

Background:
Kang kong (Ipomoea aquatica or reptans) has two main varieties, one with larger leaves and stems and one with narrower leaves and stems…the latter sometimes referred to in local markets as “Chinese Kang kong.” Also known as “water spinach” – why, one wonders as it is not related to “spinach” but rather more closely related to sweet potatoes.

-from the web-

Kangkong is an ubiquituous vegetable in the Philippines. In English, it is known as swamp cabbage or swamp spinach although it is not a cabbage nor spinach. It grows everywhere in the Philippines, in ditches, in ponds, on dry land, or in cultivation. This is a very versatile green - you can use it as an ingredient for soup, stews, noodles etc. but it can also stand on its own and prepared as an adobo (adobong kangkong), with shrimp paste (binagoongang kangkong), or in this case, ginisang kangkong (sauted kangkong).

- from Manong Ken -

one of my favorite ways on how to cook kangkong

Apan-apan

4 tablespoons cooking oil
2 tablespoons garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons onion, sliced
6 cups kangkong stems, cut 3 inches long

½ cup tomatoes, sliced
1 cup vinegar
1½ cups water
6 tablespoons bagoong alamang (paste of salted and fermented shrimp fingerlings)

Mix vinegar and water, and heat in saucepan. As soon as mixture boils, add kangkong stems. Cook until all liquid is absorbed. Transfer kangkong to another container, and set aside.

In the same saucepan, saute garlic, onion, tomatoes, and bagoong alamang. Add the kangkong, and mix thoroughly. Remove from the stove, and serve as relish or appetizer.

Humba aka Braised Pork

2007-12-06T01:44:00.000+08:00

Humba

Main ingredient:
1 kilo Pork (cut into chunk cubes) or 1 medium pig’s leg (pata), cleaned and cut into serving portions
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 1/4 cup white vinegar
1 head garlic (minced)
1 1/4 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 pieces laurel leaves
hard boiled eggs

main dish Serves: 4-6

Brown pork in oil.
In a casserole, put together pork, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, salt & pepper, sugar & laurel for 1- 2 hours.
Cook and simmer until pork is tender adding a little water every once in a while. Add the hard boiled eggs.
Serve hot.

I forgot where I got this recipe. I have been using this for years now. Another variation to this recipe that I did (found this out through experimenting):

- the ratio of vinegar to soy sauce is 2.5 or 2 parts vinegar to 1 part soy sauce. i do this when the sauce has almost evaporated and the pork is still a bit tough but sometimes i go directly to this ratio when i am just cooking a small batch.
- add 1 cup water to the soy and vinegar mixture, same as the above, always keep the water and vinegar to soy sauce ratio balance.
- use 1 small bottle of sprite or seven up instead of adding brown sugar. most importantly sweeten according to taste.

Minced Pork Wraps

2007-12-06T01:42:00.000+08:00

Every time we go to a Chinese Restaurant I would immediately ask the waiter if they have minced pork wraps available, this is one of my favorites . There are times when they don't have this due to the availability of the lettuce (sigh). I got this from Healthy Chinese Recipes. I have tried making this recipe for my sister's birthday and it was quite an experience to prepare. The noodles had to be shocked with the oil to let it fluff and get its crisp, if you are not quick enough the noodles will burn. I used the canned water chestnuts, it was the one readily available. Instead of using the light soy sauce, I used fish sauce as a subsitute, the taste was just right for me =) and so as with everybody. This dish was a HIT =D

MINCED PORK WRAPS
Photo from Healthy Chinese Recipes

A traditional Chinese recipe of minced pork and water chestnut wrapped with lettuce leaf - a perfect combination to serve as an appetizer. - healthychineserecipes.com

Ingredients:
• 250g Minced pork
• 100g Water Chestnuts, minced (Tinned or fresh)
• 1 tsp Minced Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp Dark Soy Sauce
• 1 Tbsp Oyster Sauce
• 1 tsp Sugar
• Dash of Sesame Oil
• Dash of Pepper
• 8-12 Iceberg Lettuce Leaves, cut into 10cm circles (I did not bother in cutting the leaves, I just separated each leaf, cleansed it thoroughly and drained the excess water)

my twist to the recipe
- 1 small pack vermicelli (I added this to the recipe to give it a crunch and this also absorbs the excess oil from the minced pork and chestnut mixture)
- 2 tablespoons of char siu sauce mixed with a little water (mix according to your desired consistency, i like it not a bit runny)

Method:
1. Mix pork, water chestnuts and seasoning ingredients.
2. Lightly coat non-stick frying pan or wok with oil.
3. Stir-fry garlic until fragrant.
4. Add pork mixture and stir-fry until golden brown and cooked through.
5. Serve in individual portions in the lettuce leaf cups.

my version of layering:
- put the desired amount of vermicelli on the lettuce cup and top it with the minced pork mixture and drizzle a bit of char siu sauce and enjoy =)

How do you want your Eggs?

2007-12-06T01:00:00.000+08:00

Photo from allergyadvisor.com

This is a compilation of different ways on how to cook Eggs, tried and tested ways by different people. Try it all and find one that suits you best =D

Version 1 - Perfect Boiled Eggs every time: Set the burner to med-high. Boil some water in the pot-- enough to cover the eggs. Place the eggs in the boiling water. By adding the eggs after the water boils, the shell won't stick to the egg, it will be easier to peel the eggs. heat the water before you put the egg. You add the eggs after it boils. It will be much easier to peel the eggs. Use a spaghetti server or a slotted spoon, then gently place eggs one by one in the boiling water. It works. I was skeptical at first, so I experimented with a few eggs. I took one out after 5 minutes, then 10 .... and so on until I decided I like the egg after 12 minutes. If you like your egg really malasado -- boil it for 5 minutes. I you are using the eggs for garnishing, boil the eggs for 13 minutes, then let it cool before cutting it with the egg cutter.
For really soft boiled egg: boil the eggs for 5 minutes
For hard boiled egg: boil the eggs for 12 minutes

Version 2 - how to cook boiled eggs in a stainless steel set: wash the eggs very well. gently but thoroughly. place eggs in the cold 3-quart sauce pan. add TWO TABLESPOONS of water. cover. let boil with LOW HEAT. let it boil for 8-10 minutes. NEVER open the lid while cooking.

after cooking time... turn off the heat then let it sit for a minute or two. take out eggs... place in cold water to stop cooking process (and avoid the nasty-looking green rings around the yolk). peel and eat! hehehe. sometimes u do not need salt anymore because the natural salt content of the egg was not drawn out.

so that peeling will be easier, gently roll the egg till the whole shell gets cracked. then peel.

Version 3 - hard boiled eggs: i put eggs in a saucepan, fill it with water until eggs are covered and add 1 TBSP vinegar (this helps cracked eggs to coagulate faster and prevent eggs from bursting). I bring the water to a boil. From the moment the water boils, i time 10 mins and its cooked! Yolks are soft but firm and bright yellow-gold. My trick to peeling the eggs is to peel them while they are still hot. So from the pan, i shock them in water and peel them. When the egg gets too hot to handle, i dip it again in the water.

Version 4 - another technique when boiling eggs and peel it easily in probably 2 to 3 seconds is possible . After boiling it ( dont matter if prior to water boiling or the water has boiled upon placing the eggs ) , have your boiled eggs runned with cold water , faucet water is fine for about 3 minutes . used this kind of method if the EGGS are intended for use in SALADS and APPETIZERS which is should have a warm temperature.

this is as what they say different strokes for different folks XD

Abaca

2007-10-12T01:35:00.000+08:00

Photo by: Pidz

After reading a lot of hullabaloo about abaca (nasty comments about the management, the chef, the manager, and the food… though i have also read quite a lot of promising entries that makes Abaca something to try for) my hubby and I decided to try it out for ourselves and see if there is any grain of truth to what we have read.

Upon invitation by our good friends and foodtrip buddies, Benjie Ordoñez and his charming wife Magene, we didn’t let the chance pass by. 7PM we started our long journey towards an adventure that we are used to doing… our favorite pastime…EATING!

So it begins, our adventure at Abaca… It was an experience worth the memories! Right from the gate when we entered all the way until dessert. Upon stepping into the place, one would really see and feel the exclusivity. It is not your usual garden setting of a restaurant. There are a lot of foliage that surround the area, right from the parking area up to the pathway leading to the tables. It makes you closer to nature and how i wish i could see its beauty during the daytime. Just thinking of how near we are to the beach makes me feel the breeze as it caresses my skin.

As we approached the dining area we were greeted by Glen, a very charming person. He showed us to our table. I love the cute shells used for the table napkins. The ambiance was so very relaxing, it has a homey feel to it, dim lights with jazz music, makes you think you were somewhere else special.

For the ambiance: I’d give it a 5/5. I was swept off my feet with how everything looked. It was dreamy. My Hubby gives it a 4/5, He found the music quite loud.

We were met with very courteous attendants, always with a “it’s my pleasure” after every “thank you”.

For the management and staff: My hubby and I both agreed on this aspect, 5/5. Very attentive and very charming.

For the appetizer or tapa’s, we had homemade bread with olive oil, corn chowder, chicken liver paté with vegetables and homemade bread. The homemade bread tasted like a “REAL” homemade bread that lets you feel warm inside. I love the crunchiness of the crust and the softness of the inside part (I don’t know what else to call this particular part of the bread… ^_^) of the bread, a perfect pair for the chowder. It had no “yeasty” taste as what most of the breads have. The corn chowder was creamy but the creaminess did not overpower the other ingredients. The corn was so crunchy. My verdict on the chicken liver, VERY delicious and a must try for those people who are squeamish about liver. I for one am not a liver-eating person. But when I tasted this dish, I was at a loss for words on how to describe the fusion of tastes inside my mouth. I almost missed out on this dish, but I gathered enough courage to just dip one tine of the fork and tasted it. It tasted bitter at first, without the bread and the vegetables. But when I mixed everything and piled it up on the homemade bread, the taste was a sensation! Bread with vegetables that had a hint of vinaigrette, topped of with a little mustard and a little of bignay spread which was capped with the chicken liver. One mouthful led to another and each bite had me adding the paté on the bignay spread. The experience was awesome! My husband was so surprised that I actually ate and relished the dish. He was used to me NOT eating and NOT even touching any kind of food that has a hint of liver.

We had Mesclun salad and cheese pizza after all of the fusion of tastes that I have savored. The mesclun consisted of various greens that were all fresh. It had a hint of balsamic vinegar, not overpowering the other ingredients, just right to make everything taste just right. The Cheese Pizza had fresh basil for toppings and i love the cheese and the crust, oh! so crisp and crunchy.

For the main course, we had whole roasted chicken with mashed fresh potatoes and bouillabaisse. The chicken was another experience for the taste buds. The chicken skin was crisp and had a hint of what was rubbed on it to give it its distinctive taste, salt and pepper with thyme. The meat was cooked just right, tender and moist. The chicken juices complemented well with the mashed potato. The bouillabaisse, a mixture of seafoods, salmon and shellfish. The salmon cooked just right and the soup tasted a bit spicy.

The last and most awaited part of the dinner, DESSERT, the dessert platter has 7 different kinds of sweets: tiramisu, chocolate pudding, lemon cheesecake, apple turn-over, chocolate cookie, oatmeal cookie, créme brulée. The first of seven parts of the dessert, the lemon cheesecake. It had a refreshing taste and a melt-in-your-mouth sensation. Everything on that platter had that effect to the taste buds and the palate. It was so soft and the lemon taste is really there, real lemon taste. 2nd part, the créme brulée, the caramel was flamed so perfectly. I told myself, this is the real deal, a real créme brulée at last. I have tasted a lot of créme brulée’s and nothing comes close to what i have just tasted. So creamy and with just the right sweetness. 3rd part, the tiramisu, soft cake and yummy coffee taste. 4th part, the chocolate pudding, soft with the real chocolate taste. 5th part, the apple turnover, soft puff pastry that highly complemented the apples inside. For the last 2 parts, the cookies: the oatmeal and the chocolate, soft and chewy, not so sweet. There were also 2 sticks of puff pastry on the platter, soft and it melts in your mouth.

Food: If I were to judge the food alone, I’d give it a 5/5, I enjoyed EVERYTHING. The fusion of tastes that complemented each and every ingredient of each dishes was so wonderful that I am at a loss for words. But my hubby’s taste buds has a strong bias towards the “sweet” spot and he thinks that the desserts weren’t sweet enough, he gives it a 4/5.

The Bill: Price range per person for food and drinks, around P800 to P2,000. It all depends on what you order.

We really enjoyed our dinner. Good food with good company makes everything wonderful. =D Makes us want to go back there, one of these days (if our schedule permits ^_^)

Moral lesson of the review: don’t listen or believe anything about a place until you have tried it out for yourself. let yourself be the judge =D

For more info about Abaca, visit their website at http://www.abacaresort.com/

Tom Cruise's Spaghetti Carbonara

2007-01-28T19:29:00.000+08:00

Created by Tom Cruise

From the show Tom Cruise

Makes 4 servings

I got this recipe from the Oprah Show.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 inch of olive oil (for frying pan)

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 chopped onion

8-12 thick slices of Italian bacon

4 eggs

2 packages of spaghetti

2 cups grated parmesan cheese

In a frying pan, combine 1/2 inch of olive oil, 2 cloves of minced garlic, one chopped onion and the Italian bacon cut into small squares. Let simmer for about a half-hour, being careful not to let the oil get to a boiling point.
In a bowl, beat 4 eggs with lots of salt and fresh ground pepper.
Bring a pan of salted water to a boil. Cook both packages of spaghetti until al dente, drain and immediately add egg mixture to pasta. The eggs are actually cooked by the pasta. (Make sure the eggs are thoroughly cooked before proceeding.) Stir the egg mixture until it is well mixed. Pour in the mixture from the frying pan and stir. Finish with the parmesan cheese and serve!

note: i don't know how many grams the 2 packages in the US is. what i did with this recipe is that i just followed the sauce and measured 200 grams of uncooked pasta and everything went well. ^_^

Broccoli w/ Oyster Sauce

2007-01-27T14:13:00.001+08:00

An easy to make and prepare dish. This is what i usually do when I am pressed for time and I am already very hungry and the ingredients are readily available inside the ref.

Cooking time: 5 to 10 minutes

Ingredients:
Broccoli
Oyster sauce
Olive oil or sesame oil

Procedure:
Wash the broccoli thoroughly before steaming.
Steam the broccoli for 5 to 10 minutes depending on how crunchy you want it to be.
Mix a tablespoon or two of the Oyster sauce with an equal amount or less of olive oil or sesame oil.
Drizzle the oyster sauce and oil mixture on top of the Broccoli.

Enjoy!

Italianni's Angel Hair Pasta w/ Bruschetta

2007-01-27T13:43:00.000+08:00

-Photo courtesy of Italianni's (Italianni's Pomodoro Grilled Chicken Pesto Combo)

My sister requested me to make this Pasta dish for her birthday 2 years ago. She had a taste of Italianni's Pomodoro when she was with our cousin during her stay at Manila. I got this recipe from from the now defunct site of howboutmyplace.tv 2 years ago.

The dish was a sure hit. I used hunts canned tomatoes with basil and oregano. instead of just using fresh basil, I combined it with fresh oregano and fresh parsley; to add more flavor and aroma to the sauce. I made bruschetta instead of the usual garlic bread.

Ingredients

2 Tbs. Olive oil
2 Tbs.Garlic, minced
1 can Canned tomatoes, diced and with juices
3 cups Chicken broth
2 Tbs. Fresh Basil, julienned
1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Black Pepper
2 cups Fresh Tomatoes Diced
5 cups Angel Hair Pasta, cooked
As needed Garlic Bread

1. Place saucepan over high heat and add olive oil, then add the garlic and the canned tomatoes and its juices, fresh basil, salt and pepper.

2. Now add the chicken broth and simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.

3. Then add half of the diced tomatoes into the sauce and reserve the other half for garnish over the pasta.

4. Place the pasta in the saucepan and toss the pasta until it is fully coated with the sauce.
Place the pasta in serving platter and top with the rest of the diced tomatoes and garnish with basil leaf.

Serves 4

just in case you would also want to try out the bruschetta. here is the recipe

Ingredients:
1 loaf french bread or baguette
black or green olives with capers
diced fresh tomatoes
olive oil
minced garlic
julienned oregano, parsley and basil

Procedure:

- slice the bread 1/2 inch thick
- mix olive oil and minced garlic and spread evenly on bread slices
- grill or toast the bread
- mix the julienned herbs with the olive oil and garlic mixture
- spread evenly on bread slices the olive oil, garlic and herbs mixture
- spread diced tomatoes and olives on the bread

enjoy. happy eating. =)

Death by Chocolate (Marcel Desaulniers)

2006-07-18T22:49:00.000+08:00

Photo by: Bing Ramos

Hot fudge + Brownie + Cold Vanilla Ice Cream (or Yoghurt) = 1 sinful and luscious dessert that is to die for. To love chocolate ... is to love the creations of Marcel Desaulniers.

Eversince I saw Marcel Desaulniers on Food TV I have been entranced by his recipes. He is one talented creator of decadent desserts. Desserts that would make you want to have your cake and eat it too. He is the author of Death by Chocolate, Desserts to Die For, An Alphabet of Sweets, and Death by Chocolate Cookies. He is the executive chef and co-owner of the Trellis Restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia.

"Death by Chocolate, the luscious book named after the equally luscious dessert he's fashioned out of chocolate and mocha mousses, cocoa meringue, chocolate brownie, chocolate ganache and mocha rum sauce. Not just a little decadent, each heavenly slice contains 1,354 calories. But after all, you only live once". (From Kate's Global Kitchen)

I have combined Marcel's brownie recipe with a hot fudge recipe I got from Bon Appétit to make this treat that will let you enjoy every single bite down to its last morsel.

Death By Chocolate: Simply the Best Chocolate Brownie Layer
Recipe courtesy Trellis Restaurant, Williamsburg, VA

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into 1/2-ounce pieces
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
4 ounces chocolate chunks

Procedure
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare the chocolate brownie layer. Coat a 9 by 1 1/2-inch cake pan with 1 teaspoon of butter. Flour the pan with 1 teaspoon of flour, shaking out the excess.

Sift together 1/4 cup flour, 2 tablespoons cocoa, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt onto waxed paper. Set aside.

Heat 1-inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat. Place 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, 4 tablespoons butter, and 2 ounces semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler tightly cover top with film wrap. Heat for 4 1/2 to 5 minutes, remove from the heat, and stir until smooth.

Place 3 eggs, 1 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a balloon whip. Whisk on high speed until slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and whisk on medium for 30 seconds. Add the sifted ingredients, whisk on low for 10 seconds, then on medium for 10 seconds. Add the sour cream and whisk on medium for 5 seconds.

Remove the bowl from the mixer and use a rubber spatula to thoroughly combine ( also add and combine 4 ounces chocolate chunks ).

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared cake pan, spreading evenly. Bake the brownie for 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan at room temperature for 5 minutes. Turn out onto a cake circle and refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the brownie from the refrigerator and cut in half horizontally. Keep the brownie at room temperature until needed.

Hot Fudge

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
5-ounce can evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
Finely chop chocolate. In a small heavy saucepan heat evaporated milk and sugar over moderate heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved.

Add chocolate, butter, and corn syrup to milk mixture and continue to cook, stirring constantly, just until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, and gently boil 8 minutes.

Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla and salt. Fudge sauce keeps, covered and chilled, 3 weeks. Cool fudge sauce completely before covering (any condensation will make it grainy). Reheat fudge sauce, uncovered, over simmering water in a double boiler.

Modified Hot Fudge Recipe

Whisk together 2/3 cups cocoa powder (Hershey's or Bensdorf) & 3/4 cup sugar . Add a 12 oz (not 5 oz) can of evaporated milk, 2 TBSP butter and 2 TBSP light corn syrup. Boil for 8 minutes as the recipe directs. Continue and add vanilla and salt once removed from heat and let cool uncovered as others suggested. This is creamy, not grainy, and plenty chocolate-y

Serve fudge sauce hot over brownie topped with ice cream.

Makes about 1 cup.
Bon Appétit
Two For The Road
October 1998

Leche Flan (Caramel Custard)

2006-07-17T13:44:00.000+08:00

Photo by: Bing Ramos

NAME: LECHE FLAN
Country: PHILIPPINES
AREA OF ORIGIN: PHILIPPINES
AREA OF PRODUCTION: All over the PHILIPPINES
ORIGIN AND HISTORY: Its exact origin is not known. However, this product is very popular all over the PHILIPPINES. It is a specialty served at parties.

DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERISTICS:
Raw material: Fresh milk
Additives: Condensed milk, egg yolk, vanilla extract, lemon zest and sugar.
Type: LECHE FLAN is a dessert similar to a cream caramel. It is a jelly-like product, homogeneous in texture, which has a sweet taste and that smells like vanilla flavor and lemon rind.
Consistency: Soft

TECHNOLOGY: One cup of brown sugar is dissolved in 1/4 cup of water and is heated over medium heat until the sugar caramelises. A suitable size mould is lined with the caramel evenly and it is set aside. Then, 2 cups of fresh milk are heated to the boiling point and cooled to warm temperature. Eight egg yolks and vanilla extract are added to the boiled milk and well mixed. One tin of condensed milk is added to the mixture which is strained through a coarse cheese cloth and poured into the caramel lined mould. The mould is placed in a big pan half filled with water and is baked until the mixture becomes firm. The product is cooked before removing from moulds. In general this product is marketed in the mould covered with a cellophane.

REMARKS: It is usually stored in refrigerator to improve its firmness and protect it from insects. Its shelf life is 3-5 days at room temperature and 2-3 weeks if it is kept in refrigerator. (From Leche Flan)

Leche flan is known also known as Créme caramel. Créme caramel is a variant of plain custard (créme) where some caramel syrup is poured into the mold before adding the custard base. After the custard has set, it is turned out, leaving a caramel sauce on top. Creme Bruleé is also almost the same, same creaminess but with the sugar burnt on top

One of my favorite desserts. So easy to make and so hard to resist. There are a lot of variations in making this creamy concoction. Others add the egg whites with the egg yolks while others add cream instead of milk. Any which way, whatever suits your preference is the best choice. I love mine with all egg yolks and condensed milk. I use the egg whites for meringue...and that is another story (coming soon).

Halo-Halo (Mix-Mix)

2006-07-15T02:47:00.000+08:00

Professional Edition Halo Halo, originally uploaded by Hocchuan.

Halo-halo (from "halo" = mix) is a favorite Filipino dessert or snack. It is basically a mixture of sweet preserved beans(red beans, chick peas), coconut meat (macapuno), jackfruit (langka), pounded dried rice (pinipig), sweet yam (ube), cream flan (leche flan), shreds of sweetened plantain (saba), filled with crushed ice, milk (or coconut milk) and topped with ice cream. The halo-halo basically is sweet, creamy, and a filling dessert.

This Filipino concoction is quite popular during the hot summer months (March-June) in the country, just as ice cream is. It is usually served in tall, clear glasses that show its colorful contents that tempt one's taste buds. One's thirst is even made worse by the perspiring ice-filled glass, and the melting ice cream on top.

Halo-Halo Recipe
(Tropical Fruit Melange)
Category: Dessert
Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons kaong or...
2 tablespoons nangka (jackfruit)
2 tablespoons macapuno (a variety of coconut meat sold in bottles)
2 tablespoons sweetened kidney beans
2 tablespoons sweetened garbanzos
2 tablespoons sweetened plantains
2 tablespoons ube or yam
2 tablespoons custard or creme caramel (leche flan)
2 tablespoons sweetened corn kernels
crushed ice to fill glass
2/3 evaporated milk
a scoop of ice cream on top
(From Seasite)

Actually there is no exact recipe for halo-halo, the toppings varies according to one's own preference. there are so many possibilities with halo-halo. one can opt for no ice cream topping at all, for a real authentic Filipino halo-halo, like the one's that you can buy from the sidewalk stores. These types of halo-halo though are way much cheaper compared to the ones you can get from fancy places. It consists of gelatin, an assortment of fresh fruits, crushed ice and milk and tastes much better because it is not as commercialized as the ones from the malls.

Cebu Mangoes

2006-07-15T01:13:00.000+08:00

Photo by: Farley Baricuatro

Cebu stakes a claim as having one of the finest mangoes in the world. Yes, other varieties in Asia may compete with sweetness, but Cebu mangoes are decidedly not fibrous like the others- just luscious, with roll-in-the-tongue texture. Otherwise referred commercially as the Philippine mangoes. At the Banilad fruit stand, a kilo is about 60 pesos (~$1.1) while it is only 40 pesos in the other dry markets. But guaranteed to be SWEET (not sour) and ripened naturally (without carburo or what we'd like to say, calcium carbide). The Philippines cannot enter into the US market because there are lobbies against it from other countries traditionally selling to the US. Plus there are high insecticidal standards which the Philippines still have to meet. Trade barriers are a complicated issue and unless they are settled, the Philippine mangoes are handicapped due to tariff hence the expensive price.(From Farl)

Mangoes (Mangifera indica) probably originated in India, have been cultivated for over 4000 years, and are one of the most widely consumed fruits on the planet today. Cebu's mangoes have an incredibly thin and fine skin or peel and feel somewhat like a baby's bum (the top mangoes are individually wrapped as they ripen to prevent bugs and unsightly markings), their flesh is just the right consistency and density (not too watery, fibrous or heavy), and their flavor and sweetness superb. (From Market Manila)

The fruit flesh of a ripe mango contains about 15% sugar, up to 1% protein, and significant amounts of vitamins A, B and C. The taste of the fruit is very sweet, with some cultivars having a slight acidic tang. The texture of the flesh varies markedly between different cultivars; some have quite a soft and pulpy texture similar to an over-ripe plum, while others have a firmer flesh much like that of a cantaloupe or avocado, and in some cultivars the flesh can contain fibrous material. Mangoes are very juicy; the sweet taste and high water content make them refreshing to eat, though somewhat messy. (From Wikipedia)

I just love mangoes. I can make a lot of things out of mangoes, from ice cream to mango float to mango shake to toppings on oatmeal or as an accompaniment to suman. Mango is a very versatile fruit. Nothing can quite compare with the mangoes that we have here in Cebu aside from the Mangoes that the Guimaras Island produces.

Mango Float

(From MY San Grahams)

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 8 Servings

INGREDIENTS

1 pack 200g handypack MY San Grahams Honey

3 tablespoons MY San Grahams Honey, crushed

1 1/2 cups all-purpose cream (1 cup = 250ml brick)

3/4 cup condensed milk

2 cups mangoes sliced

PROCEDURE

1. DO FILLING. In a bowl, combine chilled cream and condensed milk.
2. LAYER. Lay 8 pieces of crackers in an 8 x 13 rectangular pan. Pour cream on top and top with sliced mangoes. Repeat process to make 2 or 3 layers, ending with the cream and sliced mangoes on top.
3. FINISH. Sprinkle crushed grahams on top of cream.
4. CHILL and serve.

Sweet Corn...Lots of It!

2006-07-11T11:21:00.000+08:00

*From World Community Cookbooks

What to do when you are faced with what is left of a box full of corn? 5 corns left that are already starting to dry out. My answer came from the internet. Turning it into cornmeal was one choice that could lead to a lot of possibilities. I patiently scraped the kernels of the cob and dried the corn kernels for 3 days under the sun. After the span of 3 days I had a finely ground cornmeal, I did it with the help of a blender attachment that is used in making peanut butter.

Dried Corn Kernels

I made pancakes with it for the kids snacks when they arrived from school.

Cornmeal Pancake
(from Mr. Breakfast)
Category: Cooking/Frying
Style: Southern American
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 and 1/4 cups flour
1 and 1/4 cups milk
3/4 cup cornmeal
2 eggs - beaten
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Stir in the cornmeal.

In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, vegetable oil and vanilla (if desired).

Add liquid mixture to dry mixture.

Drop by heaping tablespoons on a greased hot skillet or griddle. Cook until edges are brown and bubbles are in the middle. Turn and cook on other side. Serve with butter and maple, sorghum, molasses or other syrup.

This is a pancake with substance. The cornmeal provides a great flavor and a hearty texture.(my kids used honey).

Dining at The Forum

2006-07-10T17:28:00.000+08:00

The Forum

The building, located on Archbishop Reyes St., houses China Trust Bank, Asian Spirit ticketing office, Body and Sole Spa, Ceilo Italian restaurant-bar, an Internet Café, Revoir beauty salon and Kenya Kaffe Lounge, among others.

The Forum, a 1,000-square meter commercial complex is owned and developed by Jo Realty Corp., the owner of Ultra Vistarama and Seven Arts theater.

What I love about this place is the Kenya Kaffe Lounge. The food is very healthy and well-balanced. The ambiance is very nice. Dining out nowadays has become about so much more than the meal but in the end it’s a relief to find a cafe/resturant that gets your food to you in 15 to 20 minutes at the most. Kenya Kaffe Lounge in The Forum is one of our favourite because of the great value for money, main courses range from around PhP150+ to PhP250+ and are served with your choice of soup (backyard greens or chicken soup). They also serve various cakes, bibingka, suman with hot chocolate, and coffee.

The Ngorongoro Chicken Breast comes highly reccomended and so as with the Apple Crabstick Salad…their peppermint iced tea concoction goes well with this meal.

Soy-Garlic Pork & Apple Crabstick Salad

Excellent food, great prices and lovely family atmostphere and friendly service - perfect. Maybe a little expensive but you are paying for the views as well as perfect food and service - excellent venue for a special occasion.