Happy Foodies

Showing posts with label Gut Feel. Show all posts

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/4614796455/"><img alt="Octopus Noodles" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4614796455_b356bfdc31_o.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Octopus Noodles</figcaption></figure> The noodles came one after the other. It seems overwhelming but after at least a two hour- flight, we were famished and ready to eat just about anything. It’s my first time in Macau and what better way to get started but to sample some good ole local food. “We’re heading to the Little Turtle,” said Joao, our Portuguese with Chinese lineage guide. The name was intriguing enough to make everyone want to check it out.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/4271055199/"><img alt="Ayam Penyet" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4271055199_566e337772_o.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Ayam Penyet (SG$6)</figcaption></figure> Resto Surabaya Lucky Plaza is said to be dominated by the Filipino crowd, but in a hidden corner of this mall one can find a really good Indonesian restaurant called Resto Surabaya. It has simple interiors with earth colors and a comfortable dining area. The Ayam Penyet (Surabya style Fried Chicken) was tasty at every level from skin to meat, especially with a dip in the chili spice.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/4131237538/"><img alt="Maggie's Buttered Squid (SG$6, 8, 12)" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2774/4131237538_168735904d_o.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Maggie's Buttered Squid (SG$8, 12, 16)</figcaption></figure> Hopping from a hole-in-the wall restaurant to al fresco street dining, then to a humble stall in a kopitiam and later, to an unpretentious mall restaurant, food tripping is one activity I cherish when I'm in Singapore. The food offering is so diverse I can eat different cuisines from different parts of the world depending on what my appetite dictates that day. During my week-long stay, I tried the different restaurants my friend recommended which were all good at the particular type of cuisine they serve yet inexpensive.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oggie/4527707215/"><img alt="8065 Bagnet Ginataang Bagnet" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4527707215_289ba63593_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">8065 Bagnet Ginataang Bagnet</figcaption></figure> The menu listed a grand total of 20 food items, six of which are bagnet main dishes and another six as bagnet budget meals. It takes a lot of gumption to offer just about only one thing in your restaurant and build the menu around it. Braver still to name your restaurant after it. But 8065 Bagnet does not disappoint.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2717/4055780002_18b5ee2617_b.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">La Cocina Lamb Shank</figcaption></figure> We’re already 10 years into the new millennium but stepping into the foyer of La Cocina de Tita Moning, I can’t help but feel like I’ve left the 21st century at the doorstep and slipped back to another era. The gleam of the afternoon sun and chandelier reflects off the polished hardwood floor. Old paintings and photos hang all over the walls. The air conditioning was on but I seem to smell (or imagine smelling) a faint musty odor in the air, reminiscent of the redolence of old houses. I pass by the souvenir/pasalubong shop immediately past the sliding doors and save for the air conditioners and big refrigerators, I can easily mistake the decade for the 1930s, not the 2000s.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oggie/4315556320/"><img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4004/4315556320_ecaf60c228_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bale Dutung Brulee</figcaption></figure> When traveling to the north, making a stopover in Pampanga is always a sensible decision. And why not? Kapampangans are really known for their rich food tradition. But eating takes on a deeper, and should I say cultural, meaning when you make a stop at Bale Dutung. Tucked in a residential village, the place looks more like a house than a restaurant which it actually is, being the abode of chef/cook/artist Claude Tayag and his wife, Maryanne. That said, the treatment we got was more akin to dining in a friend’s house.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/4276602196_3d56b35ea8_b.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Big Binondo Food Wok Map</figcaption></figure> Say Chinatown and one of the first things that comes to mind is the chow. It’s almost a sacrilege not to sample the food when one ventures to Binondo. Little wonder that Manila’s foremost streetwalker, Ivan Man Dy, came up with the Binondo Food Wok Map. He was getting too many texts and calls from people asking about the whereabouts of eating places in Manila Chinatown that he felt compelled to come up with something to help people find their way to the divine food offerings that await in the busy streets.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2550/4116959731_731a03014f_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Fireplace's Angus Prime Chilled Ribeye Steak</figcaption></figure> Majority of Filipinos are still meat eaters. We love a good and flavorful steak. And those looking for a more exquisite kind of meat would be glad to know that Manila isn’t short of restaurants serving high grade steaks. We only have to choose the dining experience to match with that sumptuous food. Here we steaked-out three restaurants offering some of the best-tasting steaks in Manila.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Fried Tawilis (P130)" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2570/4116856375_825ecac1b7_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Fried Tawilis (P130)</figcaption></figure> We came to Taal Town in Batangas to revisit this heritage town and bring home some captures. But like in previous out-of-town trips, we had a hidden agenda: to eat something out of the ordinary. We prepared for the shoot but we weren’t able to research well in advance where it’s good to eat. Good thing the kind lady seller we brought some panucha from at the Basilica de San Martin de Tours went out of her way to show us Bistro Taal. It was just 5 or so minutes away from the Basilica and while it’s not really a bistro in the real sense of the word, we thought we had a hearty lunch alright.

<figure class="wp-block-image"><img alt="Sri Lankan Chili Crab" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2523/4130475931_ddacd02378_o.jpg" title="Sri Lankan Chili Crab"></figure> I know foodie friends in Singapore who has have been living there for years. So when I went there recently, they were just too happy to show me their favorite eating places. Say Singapore and you can expect chili crabs and prawns in the mix. We trooped to the back of esplanade and entered a restaurant facing the bay to discover that a really good restaurant really needs No Signboard for patrons to find their way in.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Mamous Lamb Tapa (P 395)" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3482/4052949540_4c43c11b3d_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mamou's Lamb Tapa (P 395)</figcaption></figure> I first met Malou Fores (Mamou as many call her), the sister of Margarita Fores, when I took on an assignment for a magazine that featured one of Malou’s food shop, The Blue Kitchen. It never occurred to me that I’d see her again but don't look now, she has her very own restaurant. I even had to blink my eyes a few times if she was the one I met before. I loved her Blue Kitchen goodies so I was excited to see how she renders her favorites for Mamou, a restaurant at the heart of Serendra.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Penang Food Village Kuay Teow Soup" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2469/3940462125_7ed458a7aa_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Penang Food Village Kuay Teow Soup</figcaption></figure> Penang has always been synonymous with "Food Paradise" when you're in Malaysia. But my recent visit to the country didn't include the region in the itinerary. Good thing popular and established restaurants have branches in Malaysia. While in Genting Highlands, we had lunch at Penang Food Village and when we went back to the city, we had dinner at Nasi Kandar Pelita. Check out my favorites among the Penang food specialties we had.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="A table full of Nyonya Cuisine dishes" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3470/3933561686_cc9e5b4b41_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A table full of Nyonya Cuisine dishes</figcaption></figure> Malaysian food is as rich as its history. In between our exploration of the heritage sites in Malacca, we got a chance to experience Peranakan Cuisine where it originated -- Malacca. Recipes dating as far back as the 15th century still exist, evolving to what is now known as Nyonya Cuisine. In a restaurant tucked beside the hidden side street of Taman Melaka Raya, we found Seroni Nyonya Cuisine Restaurant. The establishment is owned by one of the last descendants of the Baba-Nyonya family, so we’re expecting to taste authentic Nyonya Cuisine.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Crispy Pork Binagoongan (P160)" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3915535468_a2215631b6_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Crispy Pork Binagoongan (P160)</figcaption></figure> One of the perks of eating out of town is the chance to taste unpretentious food. Not to say we’re jaded by city food but there are times when one would just like to sit down to no-frills fare. So when your happyfoodies went to Virac in Catanduanes, we had to ask the locals where they’d prefer to eat out. One place that keeps popping up is Sea Breeze Restaurant. That it’s mentioned in Jens Peters’ Philippine Guide only whetted our appetite to give it a try.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Nam Heongs Chicken Rice" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3501/3915390983_f21df70ac0_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Nam Heong's Chicken Rice</figcaption></figure> When in Malaysia, mention Chicken Rice and locals would definitely say Nam Heong as its equivalent. It's an institution known for cooking Chicken Rice using an age-old recipe which dates back to more than 70 years when the establishment started. Now, it has a number of franchises in Kuala Lumpur. But is the quality still the same? We trooped to one of their branches in Sungai Wang Mall to try out its famous Chicken Rice as well as some of its other offerings.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Sun Fong Bak Kut Teh" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2455/3892932690_98ea2f0481_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sun Fong Bak Kut Teh at Imbi, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia</figcaption></figure> The constant rain and the cool weather these days made me yearn for a serving of hot soup to warm my taste buds. And fresh from my recent trip to Malaysia, one dish which taste still lingers in my head is the Bak Kut Teh (Pork Bone Tea Soup). Originally used as a therapeutic soup introduced by the Chinese, it has become a popular Malaysian dish. I first tasted the Bak Kuh Teh in Kota Kinabalu Malaysia way back. On this recent trip, our guide Marie who's also a self-confessed foodie led us to Sun Fong Restaurant, one of the famous Bak Kut Teh restauarant in Kuala Lumpur bringing in the Klang goodness in the city.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Cha Ca La Vong in Hanoi Vietnam" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2554/3867048913_6fb19c4dde_o.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Cha Ca La Vong in Hanoi Vietnam</figcaption></figure> Imagine a restaurant with only one item in the menu. Hmmm, we even forgot if there was a menu at all. There is such a place – it’s Cha Ca La Vong and it’s in Hanoi. At a time when most eating establishments adopt the “the more, the merrier” approach when it comes to food offerings, this restaurant in the Old Quarters of Hanoi takes simplicity to the other extreme. Who would argue with this formula when it’s over a hundred years old? That this institution is listed among the must-visit places in Vietnam gives us an incentive to try and see what the fuss is all about.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Shen Din Kha Makimi (P85 regular, P100 large)" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3649859213_4cc674cf38.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Shin Din Kha Makimi (P85 regular, P100 large)</figcaption></figure> Sunday is a nice time to go to Manila’s Chinatown. It’s less crowded, there’s not much traffic, and most restaurants have room to spare. Some would argue it doesn't really feel like being there in Binondo if it’s not crowded. But there are times when it would be nice to be able to sit down and grab a bite without wading through the crowds and waiting for a long time even for short order items on the menu. Your happyfoodies chanced upon this panciteria, Shin Din Kha, while on a food trip with friends about two weeks ago. We were full at that time so we had to bypass this small restaurant. But a recent Sunday lunch found us wandering here again, this time with hungry tummies.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="New Po-Heng Fresh Lumpia (P45/order)" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3300/3600279269_a5fe2f5b81_b.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">New Po-Heng Fresh Lumpia (P45/order)</figcaption></figure> So what do we avid traveler-photographers do during the monsoon season? Hmmm, at times, we just brave the weather and go ahead with our trip. But sometimes, we’d wisen up and not push our luck, opting to stay in the city and find something else of interest. That is exactly what we did recently when along with two fellow foodie friends, your happyfoodies braved the Saturday monsoon rains to eat their way through a Saturday. Nevermind the overcast skies and intermittent rains, the muddy streets and damp air, but really, is there something more pleasurable than sniffing out the delicious smell of Chinese food wafting from shops and hole-in-the-walls and succumbing to the temptation?

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><img alt="Dorado served on Kabaya Leaf" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2456/3537652661_f5dc690339_b.jpg"><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Dorado served on Kabaya Leaf</figcaption></figure> “Where do we we eat?” Tired and famished from all the hiking and traveling, it’s a question we ourselves keep asking whenever we’re in Basco. This capital of Batanes, is usually the jump-off point for visitors exploring the Philippines’ northernmost province. Happyfoodies collates some noteworthy eating places to help out first-time or returning visitors.