Happy Foodies

Showing posts with label Gut Feel. Show all posts

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-Hq8duJfZWZWbT6Hbm8TbGCDbtSBggkibRselIYjoOL2GeV_mCt4xaaDtCRNrsMaHURO-qcQsZzdqiInbjzUjLSgq53s6IgIWpvjp8nlaYJ-WC99St_bWK0h8bWWvL3LUs1juDU6NwFvBcB3Laua6GOicZD-ndWVjE-sLjY_u_QfOkNkgF6uIXYlsu0/s600/cocoon-boutique-hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-Hq8duJfZWZWbT6Hbm8TbGCDbtSBggkibRselIYjoOL2GeV_mCt4xaaDtCRNrsMaHURO-qcQsZzdqiInbjzUjLSgq53s6IgIWpvjp8nlaYJ-WC99St_bWK0h8bWWvL3LUs1juDU6NwFvBcB3Laua6GOicZD-ndWVjE-sLjY_u_QfOkNkgF6uIXYlsu0/s16000/cocoon-boutique-hotel.jpg"></a></div> It's not every day that you can dine surrounded by the very herb plants that season your food. But at Cocoon Boutique Hotel's rooftop restaurant, that's what you experience exactly with every meal. Call it an organic experience but for those old enough to remember, this is what our parents and grandparents used to do way way back when most houses still have backyard gardens and seasoning as well as whole ingredients are plucked from just outside the kitchen, not the nearest supermarket.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ05IY0r_b1CjQHE3qD33O4lHXOv3bENSIWJhaH7szY9iKk5icZhAd0bynUctW3l56KgY0iDAD_ZvaxeiJgcun80FpnOk6OPgfKrpMTTIafdMS8u-FJK8axc6KGbZSyy_23TknazRH83Ug8OQlOwC8p9e5l0WwdlnMDzTiN1EOi3u9S6W-Se85I8L9slg/s1280/poco-deli.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ05IY0r_b1CjQHE3qD33O4lHXOv3bENSIWJhaH7szY9iKk5icZhAd0bynUctW3l56KgY0iDAD_ZvaxeiJgcun80FpnOk6OPgfKrpMTTIafdMS8u-FJK8axc6KGbZSyy_23TknazRH83Ug8OQlOwC8p9e5l0WwdlnMDzTiN1EOi3u9S6W-Se85I8L9slg/s16000/poco-deli.jpg"></a></div> I will never look at bacon the same way again. While I love my thin, crisp and crunchy bacon, the savory thick slabs of cooked bacon at Poco Deli changed my cholesterol-charged preference. The Bacon Slab (Php 320), coupled with bacon rice (bits of bacon on rice) and sunny side-up egg on top have a really intense flavor that I was at a loss for words to describe it. It's just pure enjoyment with every bite. I tell you, Poco Deli is a haven for bacon lovers and it is found on this artisan sausage deli in Kapitolyo, Pasig. But the fun doesn't stop there as we tried their other offerings begging to steal your attention.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-oPokcAvpEKjlenufsumRjOPtPM279HaLWfOys5aJfWI5VP_1XeEC33Cc8414b-mioMGpeXViJRd2s0ZBZeF58xs-qNSIwpIHVxwxyTqtXYjn3LY5NZwcvSxM1t4MIhcDfXn8W4cbEy7ZWBmPD96BwY9S73G4DTaSTWL3u5TWVbflj2muYah7Af1A3g/s800/bawais.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="531" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ-oPokcAvpEKjlenufsumRjOPtPM279HaLWfOys5aJfWI5VP_1XeEC33Cc8414b-mioMGpeXViJRd2s0ZBZeF58xs-qNSIwpIHVxwxyTqtXYjn3LY5NZwcvSxM1t4MIhcDfXn8W4cbEy7ZWBmPD96BwY9S73G4DTaSTWL3u5TWVbflj2muYah7Af1A3g/s16000/bawais.jpg"></a></div> It's way off the main road and open only for lunch and dinner three days of a week. But the gathering buzz on Bawai's is proof that good news do travel fast. To paraphrase Kevin Costner in "Field of Dreams", if you cook good food, they will come. And visitors do hie off all the way here to dine. We visited one hot Sunday afternoon as part of a small contingent of Summit Ridge's Tagaytay weekend getaway. The location is actually in Silang, Cavite. To get there from the ridge, we head back to the rotonda and make a turn near the Aguinaldo highway and head through a smaller road, passing through hilly terrain planted to pineapple. We take another turn on a smaller road and stopped at a non-descript, two-storey house that looked nothing like a restaurant. Coming in, we espy a garden at the back where an alfresco dining area beckoned under the shade of trees and a profusion of plants. We were ushered to the upstairs dining area instead, greeted by the pleasant aroma of something delicious simmering. The place feels more like a home than a restaurant, The dining area isn't much bigger than those found in other ancestral houses, with several tables that can accommodate no more than a dozen diners at any one time. Well, the diners ahead of us seemed to be in a jovial mood -- always a good omen in any eating place.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtW9JlQqllcIElvDfIONPQPWojr2djTIXUYYUSDP1Lfp_RT_JYrMd6U-L-HvWx4bjVvP41U3MZvL5PRvlLcRRW3ewFzFNftY85xox1cEbizwGeFnBc8Gq1MmxV4hUCimrtPBWWxTLjiZt-D7I7oo_4HZzCTqvpjc79TYiEYxOYDGoGxvzh-MLCMBIqbQI/s667/masfere.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtW9JlQqllcIElvDfIONPQPWojr2djTIXUYYUSDP1Lfp_RT_JYrMd6U-L-HvWx4bjVvP41U3MZvL5PRvlLcRRW3ewFzFNftY85xox1cEbizwGeFnBc8Gq1MmxV4hUCimrtPBWWxTLjiZt-D7I7oo_4HZzCTqvpjc79TYiEYxOYDGoGxvzh-MLCMBIqbQI/s16000/masfere.jpg"></a></div> Masferre Country Inn and Restaurant has many draws. For the tired of feet, it's just a few steps from the municipio. For the photography- and culturally-inclined, the dining area is literally a feast for the eyes with Eduardo Masferre's works on display. For the hungry diner, the restaurant has been a staple among Sagada repeat visitors because the food is predictable -- in a good way. It's rare that either of your Happyfoodies have ventured to Sagada without at least eating a meal here and this most recent visit is no different. The homey interiors of mostly wood material always makes dining a real pleasure.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_k3V7RhuajN2PizGwEJrX6H_e-Yc0KKNLzskQiB0d_gBYeRfVqv1UvRlngkp4N1G-YqaA7xOubWH_rdC82Zyk1_JBo_UDh_d4axBRfBtxm8_JBO6ew29sHxLjipDK5bZ7qOQ6zmwr120mKupxNVWXfM3rmz-3LfYtXJDVQ4jfq7wBZJD7xpB30nnykk/s667/miisty-lodge-cafe.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip_k3V7RhuajN2PizGwEJrX6H_e-Yc0KKNLzskQiB0d_gBYeRfVqv1UvRlngkp4N1G-YqaA7xOubWH_rdC82Zyk1_JBo_UDh_d4axBRfBtxm8_JBO6ew29sHxLjipDK5bZ7qOQ6zmwr120mKupxNVWXfM3rmz-3LfYtXJDVQ4jfq7wBZJD7xpB30nnykk/s16000/miisty-lodge-cafe.jpg"></a></div> The perpetual nip in the air is simply made for good eating. One of the finer pleasures of Sagada is gustatory in nature. Everything -- the weather, the elevation, the views -- seem to inspire indulgence. Dunno but there's something about hieing off to the boondocks that make even the mundane special, like ordinary coffee or instant noodles become a treat especially after a hike. Perhaps, by stroke of serendipity, Happyfoodies found accommodation in the town outskirts some 1.5 kilometers from the sentro. Meaning yes, we're away from where most of the eating places are but by luck, very, very close to Misty Lodge and Cafe. Our host, Derick, of Yabami Lodge recommended it as we were looking for somewhere closer to eat apart from Rock Inn's Bodega Cafe some 350 meters away. Smoked out from the Panag-apoy rites, we decided to drop by at dinner time as the cafe was on our way home anyway. So, did we like the food? Well, we came back a second and third time during our three days in Sagada. It was that good.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjYjWRlPi5g7fVu8KrWvpkh2gmfA5QHLEYn2QPFAu6-87_FVPs7g6vlBj-5cf49CTndvdYTtTgGevoJqH8_0B1lKiiuBgOanfwmAUVlpKYtaU1jIojlr3aUrBIxCLAoZgDj2E96Pf_SF8x5EOCeTfYusdJZHrCyfREzd28PepLBuHAnzIrJYk4VtxyLo/s667/bale-dutung.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjYjWRlPi5g7fVu8KrWvpkh2gmfA5QHLEYn2QPFAu6-87_FVPs7g6vlBj-5cf49CTndvdYTtTgGevoJqH8_0B1lKiiuBgOanfwmAUVlpKYtaU1jIojlr3aUrBIxCLAoZgDj2E96Pf_SF8x5EOCeTfYusdJZHrCyfREzd28PepLBuHAnzIrJYk4VtxyLo/s16000/bale-dutung.jpg"></a></div> Considering the fact that Anthony Bourdain had to travel thousands of miles to feast at Bale Dutung, Happyfoodies' return trip to the wooden house in Angeles City was comparatively, a small sacrifice. Nay, call it miniscule especially considering the gustatory reward which is, following the Kapampangan stereotype, lavish.

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipx0b2JtO7ugIZYB0tZr3uYRok5mNr3z9PqAhyphenhyphenLoYcwQ2tH80xRKktwy7Frz0CtG_cK62VJKdJo39vLV6QhN9IIicsaUsSF2C-PYrnRHDRPPXXyduDLVBhSMbgAaEeo85n0S3e0siF3AFNyeIuHp-07ZJSWPkNqh6IbmVhvzfZ2m2fMAzBLXVA9hVRF1Y/s667/uncle-keong-delicacies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="667" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipx0b2JtO7ugIZYB0tZr3uYRok5mNr3z9PqAhyphenhyphenLoYcwQ2tH80xRKktwy7Frz0CtG_cK62VJKdJo39vLV6QhN9IIicsaUsSF2C-PYrnRHDRPPXXyduDLVBhSMbgAaEeo85n0S3e0siF3AFNyeIuHp-07ZJSWPkNqh6IbmVhvzfZ2m2fMAzBLXVA9hVRF1Y/s16000/uncle-keong-delicacies.jpg"></a></div> It was a clear and sunny day in Melaka. Walking along the narrow alleys of the historical heritage town at midday, we could feel the sun bearing down on our backs on our way to our first eating stop for the Date with Bloggers event in Melaka. And as few beads of sweat rolled from our foreheads, we were filled with delight seeing the refreshing sight of Uncle Keong's Delicacies.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oggie/7152464713/"><img alt="Yu Fu In's 25 spices Kimchi" src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7063/7152464713_aef3b1e56f_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Yu Fu In's 25 spices Kimchi</figcaption></figure> A Koreantown in Angeles City? We're probably too used to the concept of Chinatown that this idea seemed like a novel concept. Driving along the stretch of Friendship Highway, we passed a strip of establishments sporting signages in Korean with no English translations. Which ones are restaurants, it's hard to tell. But for a taste of kimchi (the best one here for miles, so says our guide-friend, Tin, from the Angeles City tourism office), we bypassed Koreantown and headed to Balibago for Yu Fu In. The restaurant is located in a sizable structure located across the town park. We later learned that it is in fact, the largest freestanding Japanese restaurant in the Philippines with a dining area spread across three stories -- the main dining area on the ground floor, a Yakiniku area complete with the requisite stove and exhaust fan on every table on the second, and an open-air area on the third. It's a strange curiosity to find kimchi in a Japanese restaurant but as we taste the food, we find there's more to like there.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oggie/6295265603/"><img alt="Malaysian Beef Rendang" src="http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6032/6295265603_22327e3f51_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Malaysian Beef Rendang</figcaption></figure> Ahhh, those Malaysia, truly Asia commercials running endlessly on the cable channels. Catching them every so often, you can't help but wonder about the sightseeing, shopping and of course, the eating over there. By a stroke of luck, Happyfoodies got an invite from AirAsia Philippines and Tourism Malaysia for a look-see, look-buy and look-taste in Kuala Lumpur. One of our memorable food stops was Madam Kwan's at the upscale Pavillion Mall which is a good opportunity to see why the place is popular.

<img alt="Luz Kinilaw in Davao" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/6170/6168205848_cf70761ae2_o.jpg"> We concluded our recent Mindanao trip with an overnight in Davao City. With limited time on our hands, the temptation to cram never entered our mind as we took our sweet time shopping for durian candies, malongs and ref magnets at Aldevinco before heading out for dinner to where else but Luz Kinilaw. We came on a midweek evening but the place is still half-filled with eager diners. Funny but the times I've eaten here, I've never ordered their kinilaw (fish or seafood cooked with only vinegar or a similar souring/acidic liquid) as the biggest attraction for me was and is always, the Inihaw na Panga ng Tuna (Grilled Tuna Jaw).

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/5570251136/"><img alt="Bu-os " src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5570251136_48cab86a32_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Bu-os (Ant Eggs)</figcaption></figure> Real good food with the absence of impurities and natural is done by going back to nature. In my recent Tour with Lakbay Norte 2, we visited the isolated forest town of Adams in Ilocos Norte. After our hike to visit Anuplig falls, we had a late lunch where they served us meals which they consider organic. It's those simple dishes with ingredients freshly hand picked from their surroundings which made them good on their own.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oggie/5543648346/in/set-72157626183294517/ "><img alt="Oh My Gulay House Salad" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5136/5543648346_0ce3ed66fe_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Oh My Gulay House Salad (P100)</figcaption></figure> Go up five flights of stairs, past the sporting goods store on the ground floor, the drinking joint with the blaring karaoke on the second, a gym on the third, more offices on the fourth, and enter the world of artist, Kidlat Tahimik. There are artistic curiosities on this high-ceilinged, top-most floor -- large installations here, framed paintings over there. The plants spread all over the place are real, lending it a lush, texture-filled vibe. Up on the second level, the dining area offers a panoramic view of the city center. Welcome to Oh My Gulay along Session Road in Baguio.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/5222769571/in/set-72157625263656779/"><img alt="Baked Bun with BBQ Pork" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5249/5222769571_cb6fd4ff03_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Baked Bun with BBQ Pork (HK$12)</figcaption></figure> It's already past mid-afternoon when we, armed with maps from the HK airport, alighted at the MTR station in the Mongkok district. Nina (of <a href="http://justwandering.org">Just Wandering</a>) whetted our collective appetites with a tale of a much-written about hole-in-the-wall place that serve this really different kind of siopao. Since we we were in the vicinity for a look-see of Mongkok's electronic shops later in the afternoon, we thought why not find the place and taste for ourselves? Turns out the place wasn't really hard to find as we ran into a motley group of hungry diners, both local and foreign, hogging the sidewalk along Kwong Wa Street. We were given a number and told to wait an hour.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/5186859694/in/set-72157625263656779/"><img alt="Roasted Suckling Pig with Steamed Piggy Mask Buns" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5186859694_a5a1b15eb8_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Roasted Suckling Pig with Steamed Piggy Mask Buns</figcaption></figure> Once upon a time, travel bloggers who were also happy foodies, were sent to a not so far away Disneyland perchance to savor the ride but first, to partake of the food offerings... On our first day in <a href="http://synad2.nuffnang.com.sg/nn_gtrack.php?click&gid=10387">Hong Kong Disneyland</a>, the first order of the day wasn't a fancy ride nor a character meet-and-greet. It's lunch. Yep, the Disney magic transcends the senses of sight and touch and spills over onto taste. All that talk while growing up about not playing with your food and here we are, looks like the chefs were the ones who played around with theirs. You could say we were in for an interesting lunch.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/oggie/5184263656/in/set-72157625407637314/"><img alt="Mak's Pork Dumpling and Wonton" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1279/5184263656_c08af729c1_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mak's Pork Dumpling and Wonton</figcaption></figure> We capped our first day in HK watching the sunset and admiring the early dusk view of the Kowloon and Central nightscape at the viewdeck of Victoria Peak. Boy, was it a chilly 19 degrees up there with the wind adding to the cold. We chanced upon Mak's on the way out of the Galleria mall, the warm lighting looked inviting and the thought of having hot soup on a chilly night sounded like a good idea.

<figure><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlwrObEV4hGNkCKeKURDZ5Uu-gha7KSDowF5SHcRqKaz9IucDbX0_0FvYAQ3QQ_FS9ozeF5hOePvSkcAAfriV92N99x7gppC1CvCr9v8W95jn_mxSzMCXDx1APxMb_uzvHwocbFEnnmymgP3eq-XXmFfC4AhyphenhyphenICspXHf143iuReQNowBiuOBmb8zrNBc/s1024/wabi-sabi-2010.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlwrObEV4hGNkCKeKURDZ5Uu-gha7KSDowF5SHcRqKaz9IucDbX0_0FvYAQ3QQ_FS9ozeF5hOePvSkcAAfriV92N99x7gppC1CvCr9v8W95jn_mxSzMCXDx1APxMb_uzvHwocbFEnnmymgP3eq-XXmFfC4AhyphenhyphenICspXHf143iuReQNowBiuOBmb8zrNBc/s16000/wabi-sabi-2010.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Wabi-sabi Noodle House Window</figcaption></figure> Yeah, I know the drill. Eat your veggies. Eat more of 'em. And eat 'em more often. Well, I'm no veggie hater; it's just that pork, chicken and beef are just too commonplace and admittedly, too good to pass up come mealtime. Vegemeat dishes are okay but there aren't a lot of places that serve them, and honestly, the dishes fall short on taste. Call it serendipity or luck but your Happyfoodies are just too happy to have stumbled upon a really nice veggie place -- Wabi-Sabi Noodle House & Vegetarian Grocery at The Collective in Makati. We're just too glad to find somewhere we can seek penance for all those trips to the nearby 8065 Bagnet.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/4814923815/in/set-72157624078717746/"><img alt="Prawn with Cheese Coctail" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4814923815_7cf06015aa_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Prawn with Cheese Cocktail</figcaption></figure> There are Portuguese Restaurants, and there are Portuguese Restaurants with style. And the latter is where I would put this small homey restaurant called Antonio Restaurante at Taipa Island's Old Quarters, owned by Macau celebrity chef, Antonio Coelho. We tagged along with him that morning while he bought the ingredients he will use for the dishes he will serve that evening.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/4814874291/?reuploaded=1"><img alt="Macanese Seafood Rice" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4814874291_7ca51d310d_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Macanese Seafood Rice</figcaption></figure> "This is where we take our special guests" Joao tells us. Of course we felt honored hearing that statement. If one wants to treat guests to try great-tasting Macanese food, Ristorante Litoral would be the best place to go. Chinese influences may have a big part in Macau cuisine being close to the country, but being under Portuguese rule for years, it's inevitable not to fuse the better of two influences into one distinct cuisine – Macanese. It's Portuguese Cuisine using the best of the local ingredients found in Macau.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/4781693430/"><img alt="Lagariero-Style Bacalhau" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4781693430_0123110c01_o.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Lagariero-Style Bacalhau</figcaption></figure> Pirates used to roam around Coloane, the Southern Region of Macau. But for the evening of our visit at Miramar Restaurant, there were no more pirates, only us hungry visitors ready to devour any Portuguese food that would land on our table. A restaurant that started way back 1990's but closed at the turn of the decade, the establishment re-opened two years ago to again serve authentic Portuguese dishes on the quiet hillside of Coloane fronting Hac Sa Bay.

<figure class="wp-block-image alignnone"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ironwulf/4659581935/"><img alt="Smoked Salmon" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1303/4659581935_d3aa52ddaa_b.jpg"></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Horizon's Champagne Glazed Cold Smoked Salmon</figcaption></figure> It was a stark contrast from our <a title="Little Turtle" href="http://www.happyfoodies.com/2010/05/18/macau-little-turtle-with-big-noodles/">last meal in Macau</a>. As soon as we enter the 3rd level of Crown Tower within City of Dreams, we knew we’ll be treated to a luxurious dining experience this time around. We were at Horizons, a restaurant known for its grilled steaks and seafood.