Something is cooking at Max’s (and it’s not just chicken)

Maxs Crisp Tinapa Dumplings

Long, long before KFC Original Recipe/Hot & Crispy Chicken and Jollibee Chickenjoy, there was Max’s Fried Chicken. This enduring brand has been part of the Pinoy consciousness for generations, many thanks to the superlative taste of its chicken. So much so that diehard loyalists would say fried chicken is Max’s and Max’s is fried chicken. This is well and good but as with any aging food establishment, it is wise to keep offering something new to appeal to the younger, more fickle diners while providing a welcome surprise to diners like us who’ve grown up eating at Max’s.

The Max’s strategy it seems is to come up with dishes to complement its famous fried chicken. Happyfoodies think it’s a swell idea as Max’s will always be about chicken first, other dishes second. We recently paid a visit to this old favorite and see what’s new on the menu that’s worth trying.

Sumptuous dining at Seryna

Seryna Spicy Tuna Maki (Php 170/ 6pcs)

We venture to Mile Long and Makati Cinema Square every now and then and pass the small road leading to Makati Square. We often see the SERYNA signage flanking the side entrance to the Little Tokyo complex and wonder what’s there inside. Not that the place has received little media publicity but we always wanted to sample what’s been written about and what a steady stream of diners (evidenced by the endless flow of cars parked on the strip) has been dropping by for. Last weekend, we got a chance to do just that when a trip to another restaurant didn’t go as planned.

Finding comfort at PenPen

PenPen Crispy Liempo

The newspaper headlines. Global recession. Inflation. Times like the present calls for some relief. Now more than ever, we ought to get comfort where we can find it. If it’s spa for the body and music for the weary soul, then it’s comfort food for the weary spirit. So when we heard of PenPen, we took a chance on the Saturday traffic and went to Timog for a late lunch for a serving of comfort food. The place has received some media mileage owing to the fact that it is owned by the wife and son of veteran actor, Pen Medina (hence the name, PenPen), but we want to find out if the comfort food lives up to the publicity.

A tale of two sattis

Chicken and Beef Satti at Jimmys

Pardon our take on Dickens’ “Tale of Two Cities” for the title but we beg to ask, a satti is a satti is a satti, right? A visit to Zamboanga City and Bongao, Tawi Tawi became a journey of discovery with regards to the answer to this query.

But first thing first – what is a satti? A popular breakfast fare in the south, satti is grilled beef or chicken on a stick served with tamuh (rice) in a spicy curry sauce. The description reads like a simple dish to prepare so you might be inclined to say how different can sattis be? We had the opportunity to sample the satti at Jimmy’s, the pride of Zamboanga and Sulu, and at the Bongao Coffee Shop to look for answers.

Kamayan in Manay

Kamayan ni Manay in Dapitan Zamboanga del Norte

The weather alternated between overcast and rainy when we ventured to Dapitan City in Zamboanga del Norte. It’s been a long trip, having gone from Tawi-Tawi to Zamboanga City and northwards to Dipolog so instead of letting the rains dampen our spirits, we took it as a sign to slow down on shooting and making the most of the sleepy weather. Having billeted ourselves at one of the pension houses along the city’s Sunset Boulevard, we had the rare luxury of being steps away from eating places. We consider ourselves very lucky indeed to have stumbled upon Kamayan ni Manay just before the heavy rains came again and obscured the nice view of Dapitan Bay.

Bigby’s is for big groups and bigger appetites

Bigbys Rack-a-bye-Ribs

For the foodie with a bigger than average appetite, there is a constant battle waged against small portions. Should I place two orders instead of just one? Should I place an additional order after the first one comes? Such is the perennial dilemma of the hearty eater. Count us happyfoodies in that category.

Happily, there’s no such dilemma at Bigby’s Café and Restaurant. With roots in Cagayan de Oro City, Bigby’s makes its way to Manila, opening its newest branch at the atrium of SM Megamall recently. True to its name, the food we were served came in big, nay, humongous portions. But how does the food taste? Follow us as we navigate our way to the Bigby’s food trip menu.

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