Zamboanga City's Knickerbocker

I had no agenda when my colleagues invited me to Zamboanga City's Paseo del Mar. We were there for the dancing water show. We made a stop first at one of the stall selling "knickerbocker"--it's basically assorted fruits (apples, melon, bananas, papaya, pineapple), condensed milk, and jelly topped by strawberry ice cream. Quite refreshing, and cheap, a sweet way to cap our last night in the city .

Zamboanga City's Alavar Restaurant for Curacha (Spanner Crabs)

one item stricken off the bucket list--yehey!

For the longest time, I have always wanted to try curacha or spanner crabs. The last time I visited Zamboanga, I finally did, courtesy of Alavar's restaurant, a must-visit. They taste like crabs, with firm, white flesh; and unlike what I assumed based on the write-ups online, they were not really difficult to eat. The meat is concentrated in the body, so fans of claw-meat, you'll go away disappointed. The sauce made it more special--aligue (crab-fat) and coconut in the mix. You can buy the sauce separately from Alavar's. The dish is best paired with garlic rice to cut through the heavy taste.

Alavar Seafood Restaurant
173 Don Alfaro Street
Zamboanga City
(+63) 62 992-4533

Manila's Emerald Garden Restaurant for Hot Prawn Salad

fruit salad + prawns

Emerald Garden Restaurant, located along Roxas Boulevard near the US Embassy, is said to be one of the oldest restaurants in Manila, and some say the best, although I'm still not convinced. It's not a fancy restaurant, and it's a favorite of families and politicos. It is known for its humongous siopao (Hookien for steamed buns), one of its signature dishes. My favorite from its offerings, though, is the hot prawn salad. 

On paper it doesn't add up. The nearest I can compare it to is a fruit salad drowning with mayonnaise, with hot prawns included in the mix. But it's so good, and has been consistently so the few times I've been to the restaurant. Highly recommended.

For inquiries, you may call (+63) 02 523-8510. 

Cello's Doughnuts

Blueberry...

...or chocnut? Why choose? I had both

If half-a-dozen is love..

..why not make it two?

It's Sunday, and my thoughts are of home. Growing up with a father who worked far away, his rare home visits means greeting us with a box of donuts. Those were the days untouched by Krispy Kreme. Still, it was always a treat for us kids, opening that little carton bearing an assortment of flavors, and heaven for me was fishing out a sugar-dusted Bavarian cream-filled orb. I still have the occasional doughnut or two, but I find many a tad too sweet. 

Cello's doughnuts I find just right--not too sweet, dough so soft, and quite a selection of flavors.  I had the blueberry variant, my new favorite. I shared my loot with my office-mates, and I tried my best not to go beyond two, taking a mental note to visit the nearest branch in a week or so. 

Cello's has branches at Katipunan right across Ateneo, at the 2nd Floor of the PS Bank and Eastwest Bank Building; and at SM North Edsa near the Skydome at the Sky Garden.

Cyma's Skolatina

not the usual molten lava cake

I was craving for something different, so off I went to the Greek restaurant Cyma. I didn't know what to expect, but as long as it's not the usual Filipino-Italian-Japanese-Chinese, I'm good. I went for the excellent char-grilled octopus ktapodi (I can still vividly remember the taste weeks after) and the well-recommended roka salata (I fell in love with what I thought of as anchovies--they turn out to be sun-dried tomatoes). But what was stellar for me was the skolatina, Cyma's molten lava chocolate cake. Imagine piping-hot chocolate filling, caramel crust and sauce, balanced by creamy vanilla ice cream. I was in sugar-induced heaven. I really   love scooping the ice cream into the molten chocolate. Can't wait to return.

Cyma

2F Robinsons Place Manila

Adriatico St., Ermita

(+63) 02 354 3909

Comfort Food: Leyte's Bulad (Dried Fish)

I love traveling, it's one of the perks of my work. I can't complain, really--not anyone is paid to do what one loves. I used to hate packing, but now that I've learned to devise a system, I'm done in less than 15 minutes.

One of the few things I'm not crazy about is bad hotel food--Continental cuisine done the wrong way. I prefer food fresh and simple. So after eating food drowning in sauces, I look forward to less uncomplicated viands, like bulad. Bulad means dried fish, and the one pictured above is sapsap, aka slipmouth fish or ponyfish. I always look forward to eating the dried fish of Leyte, because they're not as salty as regular ones.

For this particular meal I just had the fish with fried garlic rice--no need for tomatoes or vinegar to temper the saltiness.

Barugo, Leyte's Roscas

They look like ears, right? Roscas are akin to butter cookies, but hardier. They are made of flour, sugar, butter, eggs, anise, and lard, and are perfect with coffee. Barugo is a coastal town 50 km northwest of Tacloban.