Globe's Fresh Lumpia

One day my office-mate offered me this treat all the way from Quiapo--Globe's  fresh lumpia.

I lost no time wolfing it down. It was garlicky, sweet, and sensuous. I never though lumpia would be this taste this good, and you can have it even without the sauce. Inside the casing are the usual heart of palm with carrots, lettuce, and muscovado sugar.

Note: eat immediately, as it easily spoils. 

Globe Lumpia House
740 Raon St., Quiapo, Manila

What to Eat and Where at Robinsons Place Manila

My Singapore-based friend gave me this advice: if you can do work, shopping, fun, and worship within your immediate environs, then you're all good. This is true here in Metro Manila, where traffic has made going from one city to another a nightmare. My base has been Manila for some time, and my default mall is Robinsons Place Manila. For today I'm posting my favorite Robinsons Place Manila restos.

1. Ramen Nagi 

This is my favorite ramen place du jour--I have eaten all the main variants, and I'm waiting for the seasonal variants to pop up. Pictured below is the seasonal Bonito Ramen.

For the full article, go here

2. UCC

Before Ramen Nagi opened its branch at Robinson, this was my go-to place for ramen, specifically the Tan Tan Mien Pork Bone Soup. I also love their Halo Halo Cake.

For the full article, go here

3. Cyma's

I remember the first time I ate at the Greek resto chain Cyma at their Rockwell branch, and I was smitten. My favorites are the Spinach and Artichoke Fondue (pictured below), Grilled Marinated Octopus, the Skolatina (Molten Lava Choco Cake), Tonno Salata (Tuna Salad), Yemistes (Stuffed Peppers), and the Flaming Mangoes. 

For the articles, go here, here, and here. 

4. TGIF

When dining in groups and you have the cash to spare, this is for you. I'm mad about their pork dishes and meat samplers (pictured below). I always order their potent Mojitos and lovely Caesar Salad.

For the full article, go here

5. Arya

I haven't been to the Middle East, but I have a fair idea of what to eat via Persian Resto Arya. I fell in love with their Lamb Biryana (pictured below) and their Couscous Salad.

For the full articles, go  here and here

6. Banana Leaf

Some of our Southeast Asian neighbors offer heady cuisines, but for the novice balance is achieved through matching dishes that go together well. I usually pair my favorite Malayan Beef Curry (pictured below) with the delicate Japanese Eel Fried Rice. Yum!

For the articles, go here, here, and here. 

7. Cafe Mary Grace

I usually drop by Mary Grace at odd hours--it's hard to get a table during dining primetime. I stand by their Scampi Pasta, Vigan Longganiza Sandwich (pictured below), and Strawberry Shortcake. 

For the full articles, go here and here. 

8. Pepper Lunch 

I'm not a fan of hot plates, but I love Pepper Lunch's Molten Choco Lava Cake (pictured below) and salads.

For the full article, go here. 

9. New Bombay

For those who are partial to sweet-sour desserts, head over to New Bomabay and order the Lassi. My favorite is pictured below, the Almond Lassi

For the full article go here.

10. New Zealand Natural Ice Cream

If there is any reason to break your diet, then the calories must be worth it. I love New Zealand Natural's Hokey Pokey ice cream variant for the lovely taste and texture.

For the full article, go here

Robinsons Place Manila
Pedro Gil St,, Ermita Manila

Kokoro Ramenya's Tan Tan Men

I've been quite scarce, bear with me, since I'm buried under tons of writing projects. I apologize for the glut of ramen entries, but I have to post this. After going over my photo archives, I noticed that I forgot to write about this sooner. Forget Ukokkei. Kokoro Ramenya serves the better Tan Tan Men. (I prefer Ukokkei's Shio Tan Tan Men, though). Both establishments serve complex, milky-creamy, and nutty ramens, but Kokoro's is spicier. There's the usual visible layer of fat, which coats the noodles with the flavorful broth. This is one glorious ramen. 

I was happy to see more diners, Pinoys and Japanes, eating there during this particular visit earlier this year.

For an earlier post on the restaurant, go here. 

For my ramen house rankings in the Pasay and Manila area, go here. 

Kokoro Ramenya

2F S1-S2 1388 Roxas Boulevard cor. Sta. Monica & M Guerrro Sts.
Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02  254-9716

Mabuhay Palace's Choco Buchi (Fried Balls) and Salted Egg Ice Cream

Taste is personal. I went to Manila Hotel's high-end Chinese restaurant, Mabuhay Palace, to try the Salted Egg Ice Cream, which came well-recommended  online. It was good, the novelty factor is there, making it good copy. But I was more smitten with the Chocolate Buchi (fried balls). Buchi is usually filled with custard--cooked mixture of milk or cream or egg yolk, but Mabuhay Palace's buchi is filled with warm, dense, dark chocolate. This buchi is so luxe: crisp outer shell contrasts nicely with the soft buttery filling. 

The Salted Egg ice cream is no slouch--there's the subtle hint of salted egg and even the texture of yolk. It was actually good, not weird at all, operating in the same salty-sweet principle as salted caramel and pineapple slices or even duhat sprinkled with rock salt. 

I plan to return and order the savory items in the menu.

Mabuhay Palace
Manila Hotel
#1 Rizal Park, Roxas Boulevard, Manila
(+63) 02 527-001

Kashmir Restaurant's Rhaan Roast Masala

My first vivid encounter with the South Asian cuisine was in Toronto, courtesy of Pakistani friends I made during a training. They were kind enough to invite us to a restaurant serving excellent South Asian food, and I've always hoped to recreate that experience ever since. A string of disappointing meals at mall-based restaurants and a well-regarded hole-in-the-wall led me to the point where I would pay more just to get my South Asian/Middle Eastern fix. I remember seeing a branch of Kashmir Restaurant near where I work but delayed going there, fearing that the restaurant would be old and musty. Although the familiar scent of incense and the sound of Indian music greeted me at the entrance, I was happy to see that the restaurant's interiors were livened up by splashes of  bright orange, apple green, and purple. 

I ordered the rhaan (also spelled raan) roast masala (roast leg of lamb). Masala is a spice mix. It may refer to a garam (hot) masala, a blend of ground spices common in South Asian cuisine, and this may contain black and white peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, black and white cumin seeds, black, brown, and green cardamon pods. I love the hefty serving and the tender meat. I paired the dish with pillowy, creamy naan--grilled leavened soft bread roasted in tandoor (clay) oven--to soak up the spicy sauce. I love that they did not stint on the heat. In no time at all, my tongue was burning and I was sweating like a pig. Life is good. 

For a related post, click here. 

Kashmir
Merchant's Center Bldg
Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02 524-6851

Hizon's Special Queso de Bola Ensaymada

Ensaymadas have a special place in my heart. They remind me of summers spent with my grandmother, who'd come home from the market with a paper bag of ginormous ensaymadas, top-heavy with butter and sugar. I now lean towards the more subtle variants, of which Hizon's is a prime example. I ordered the large special ensaymada quezo de bola. Imagine ensaymada made of high-quality bread,  not too salty nor sweet: it's your grown-up ensaymada. Just add P15 and you can have your order grilled. This is how it looks like grilled. 

Grilling releases and intensifies the otherwise subtle flavors, crisps the pastry, and the resulting aroma of butter and bread is just intoxicating. You can also approximate this at home by popping the ensaymada inside the microwave for a few seconds. Best when paired with the slightly bitter hot choco. 

Hizon's Bakeshop
1197 J. Bacobo Street cor. Arquiza Street
Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02 524 8790

Becky's Kitchen's Prune Walnut Cake

To keep up with what's happening on the restaurant scene, I bone up on my readings: mostly lifestyle blogs and the occasional travel magazine or the food section of the papers. This is where I get many ideas for my blog. Sometimes, though, I get inspiration from things more random.

Today I'm featuring Becky's Kitchen's prune and walnut cake: chunky and dense, moist, and not overly sweet. The extra calories were worth it, and I can always jog these off (smile). This slice was a gift from a lecturer in one of our events. I should visit Beck's Kitchen more. I live nearby, and I should stop complaining that Taguig and Quezon City are more happening than in my neck of the woods. 

Becky's Kitchen

1061 Pablo Ocampo cor. Bautista Street
Malate, Manila

(+63) 02 525-1648

Kokoro Ramenya's Gekikara and Hakata Karaka Ramen

I first heard about Kokoro last year, and when I read that it offers good ramen, I was intrigued. I made plans for a conquest.

Hakata Karaka: "tonkotsu noodles soup spiked with spices. A perfect blend of
creaminess and spiciness served with...chashu, kikurage, and soft-boiled egg."

During my first visit, I ordered one of the spiciest on offer: the Hakata Karaka. It was clean, light, yet flavorful, like Santouka's Shio Ramen. Spoon in the spices and the flavor profile becomes more complex. I love how fiery it feels in my mouth. My only quibble is that the noodles are not good enough as the rest. I love the accompanying fresh and pickled greens. I'm adding Kokoro to my go-to places for ramen, along with Ukokkei, Santouka, Ajisen, and UCC.

Gekikara Ramen: "extra spicy miso-based noodles soup with chashu and beansprout"

In my third visit, I tried the Gekikara Ramen. It was spicy--the heat was evident at first sip, but nothing I cannot manage. The soup tasted clean and nutty, allowing the smokiness of the pork to shine through. This is my favorite so far. I love how abundant the greens were. Halfway through, the heat wass unrelenting, so fans of spicy ramen, try this. Compared to the ramen I ordered from a much-hyped restaurant I recently went too, the Gekikara broth was not salty or overwhelming.

Try the matcha milk tea or shake as well. Both are divine, and the creaminess tempers the grassy flavor of green tea. 

Kokoro Ramenya
2F S1-S2 1388 Roxas Boulevard cor. Sta. Monica & M Guerrro Sts.
Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02  254-9716

Top Picks from My Last Visit to My Kitchen by Chef Chris

I've been recommending My Kitchen to my friends since my first visit, and I'm glad they also enjoyed their meals there. I've been back a couple of times, and this is my report on the dishes I enjoyed in my last visit. 

The Oasis Salad is described as a blend of artichokes hearts, roasted peppers, capers, caramelized onions, sun dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, aragula, and romaine lettuce with red wine vinaigrette. I love the zesty dressing and well-balanced flavors. This is my first time to sample artichoke and I  appreciate how it is rendered both sweet and sour. I wonder how it tastes like fresh. As usual, the sweetish dried tomatoes were divine.

The Pan Roasted Salmon Fillet with lemon butter sauce. The salmon was creamy and rich, tempered by the blanched tomatoes. The potato cake served as perfect foil for the tasty dish. .

The Slow Roasted Chicken, seasoned with lemon, white wine and olive oil , on a bed of chorizo pilaf with roasted carrots, pumpkin, and spring garlic. This tasted like upscale afritada. The meat was soft and the sausages were a nice addition to the dish.The rich dish was balanced by the slight bitter aragula.


My Kitchen by Chef Chirs
The Oasis Paco Park Hotel
(+63) 02 521-2371 to 75

Cioccolata Cafe for Churros and Pretzels

Churros. My former boss love this fried dough-pastry snack, which usually comes with a chocolate dip. We would order from Dulcinea, which was near our office, and her eyes would lit up. Sadly, that branch of Dulcinea has closed. Fortunately, Bayleaf Hotel has a pastry shop that has this as its banner item.

Ciocolatta Cafe's churros are soft and quite chewy, and quite addicting. If you look closely at the dates stamps on the photo, you'd see that we bought these on separate dates. Between caramel and chocolate, we agreed that the former was the better dip.

We also tried this lovely cinnamon pretzel. Best when hot off the oven. It remained soft, though, even when it has cooled a bit.

Cioccolata Churros Cafe
The Bayleaf Hotel
Muralla cor. Victoria Streets
Intramuros, Manila
(+63) 02 328 3170

Bayleaf Hotel's Pritchon

In my last post, I wrote about  La Mesa Grill's pritchon, chopped fried suckling pig wrapped in pita wedges. Since I have a soft spot for pita, those round, flat wheat breads, as well as shawarma (a liking I developed back in college), I was keen on sampling Bayleaf Hotel's version of the pritchon.

Here's my verdict: I love the presentation--the pita came in its natural color, not sickly green like La Mesa's. The pita was flavorful. The pritchon itself reminded me of shawarma. I was already full, but I made space for this. It was crunchy, and bright. The only quibble I have is I wished the garlic sauce was more garlicky, but over-all, I love Bayleaf Hotel's pritchon and I love it best with the dark, sweet sauce.

Disclosure: Unless otherwise stated, I pay for the meals I review. This was part of the tasting menu of the hotel when we came by for an ocular inspection for an activity related to my day job. Yes, I have a day job. 

Bayleaf Hotel

Muralla corner Victoria Streets

Intramuros, Manila

(+63) 02 318-5000

La Mesa Grill's Baked Scallops and Mesa's Baby Squids in Olive Oil

There appears to be a spate of big-concept restaurants focusing on Filipino cuisine, a number of which do not deserve the high prices they charge. Fortunately there are some who have been consistent with their offerings, and this post is about one of them. 

I've written about La Mesa Grill before here. This is a continuation of that post, since I've realized, after reviewing my photo archives, that there were items I should have also featured. 

Let's begin with the baked scallops. The profusion of minced garlic has a tendency to overwhelm other flavors, but the delicate flavor of the scallop shone through.

La Mesa Gill is known for its pritcthon, or chopped fried suckling pig wrapped in pita wedges. I love the crunch of the cucumber slivers, the crackle of the lechon skin, and the warm umami goodness of the pork fat. Balancing all the richness is the green notes of the herbs. The dips provided a medley of flavors--garlicky, sweet or savory lechon-liver sauce. If you know me, I'm partial to the garlicky sauce.

The brown mess pictured above was the best for me. We asked that the remaining pork ribs be cooked in chili and garlic. The result was out-of-this-world good. The spices cut through the richness of the dish. It was so yummy I wanted to eat with my hands. Imagine the warmth of the fat and the goodness of meat closest to the bone.

A few months later we were at Greenbelt for dinner at Mesa, La Mesa Grill's high-end sister. What blew us away--the baby squids swimming in olive oil and garlic. It was sublime. Imagine heavenly garlicky baby squids and the warm goodness of olive oil. I'm partial to this appetizer, and so far this is the best I tasted.

La Mesa Grill
SM Mall of Asia
(+63) 02 556 0737

Mesa, Filipino Moderne
Greenbelt 5, Makati
(+63) 02 728 0886

Diamond Hotel's Ensaymada, Pretty Pastries, and Homemade Ice Cream

Starting this blog has been such an awesome ride. Although my resources are limited, the opportunities to sample what could be the topic of the next post appear to be endless. What it requires is being open to possibilities, and this could be simple as saying yes more. When an invitation came my way to join a series of planning meetings at Diamond Hotel, I readily accepted.

If there are two things that Diamond Hotel is known for food-wise, these would be the ensayamda and the delightful confections of its Cake Club. Once the first meeting ended, I trooped to the dark and handsome Lobby Lounge and ordered the bestselling Diamond Ensayamada, which you can see below, was drowning in butter and melted cheese. It was pillow soft and melts in your mouth, with just the right sweetness. I wished that the saltiness of the cheese came through more. There was ube but it was muted by the rich butter. I paired my order with green tea, and allowed my mind to wander. 

I've been to the Bonifacio Global City branch of the Cake Club, and I know I'm in for a treat. You can check my post on that visit here. I ordered Danielle, first, because it was pretty, and, two, it was sugar-free, to assuage my saccharine-overload guilt. The cheesecake component was not overly sweet, and there was enough raspberry to tart the pastry up.

"danielle-white chocolate raspberry sugar-free cheesecake"

I also bought pastry Mont Blanc, which reminded me of an upside down beehive. After scarfing down the humungous ensaymada, I decided to bag the two pastries. I ate one the next day, and kept the other one in the ref for almost a week. Did the Mont Blanc hold up? I was doubtful, but it was still good. It was delicate, not too sweet. My very Pinoy palate detected hints of sweet potato and a lovely, sweeter center of tamarind. Read the caption below. Ang layo! :) 

"mont blanc--made of fresh chestnut paste, chantilly cream,
prunes soaked in dark rum on almond tart"

When it comes to buffets, I need no convincing when it comes to home made ice cream. Pictured below, clockwise from top, are scoops of vanilla, salted caramel, and raspberry. Lately I've been leaning towards butterscotch and caramel, and thus I was sold with the salted caramel. I wasn't keen on vanilla at first but it was the best seller, and now I know why. I's not a one note variant--I sense a touch of mint. It went well with the salted caramel ice cream. 

Diamond Hotel
Roxas Blvd. cor. Dr. J Quintos St
Manila
(+63) 02 528 3000

Cyma for Grilled Marinated Octopus, Spinach and Artichoke Fondue, and Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

I'm writing this while the country is braving for the coming of a strong typhoon. It's been raining and the weather is cool, perfect for snuggling in bed after a hearty meal. My thoughts linger on a meal I had at Cyma, one of the more reliable restaurant chains around.

In that particular trip the aircon was not working, but one taste of the smoky grilled octopus lifted my spirit. I've been coming to Cyma several times before (the first visit was way back in the early oughts), and I always order this.

ktapodi xidato (grilled baby octopus, drizzled in extra virgin olive oil, vinegar, and oregano) 

My friends were raving about the spinach and artichoke fondue, and so I ordered it. The warm goodness of what I thought was eggplant was very seductive. It also tasted like creamy laing. The lime and the tomatoes cut through the rich taste. Best with smoky garlic bread, pictured on the left below.

The mint choco chip with almond and honey is a sure-fire way to beat the heat, whether induced by summer or the aircon bogging down. This is one superb dessert, second only to this.

Cyma has quite an extensive menu, and this early I'm plotting my next meal. 'Til then, to my country-based readers, keep safe.

Cyma

2F Robinsons Place Manila

Adriatico St., Ermita

(+63) 02 354 3909

Chef's Quarter's Surprise

If you're a sucker for ambiance, this restaurant is for you. Perfect date venue, right? This is how I imagine a Southern California restaurant would look like (no, I haven't been there, but I have a vivid imagination).

Unfortunately, the main dish I ordered was was underwhelming. Good thing I always order dessert, in this case the aptly named best-selling Surprise, because otherwise I won't be back. There was scant information on the menu or online on the components of this dish, but it had well-balanced layers of cheesecake and choco, two things that always does it for me. There were granules of burnt brown sugar that provided textural interest. Fresh mango slices and strawberry swirl provide the necessary acidity.

This was not my first visit--I still recall how good their Tessie Tomas salad was. I just wish next time I'll have more pleasant surprises.

Chef's Quarter
Robinsons Place Manila
Pedro Gil cor. Adriatico St.
Ermita, Manila
(+63) 02 381 3449