It’s always a delight to find good restaurants outside of the metro. Mrs Baker’s in Nueva Vizcaya is worthy a stop when traversing the roads to Tuguegarao or Banaue. This two-storey establishment with warm and homey interiors is owned by Chef Jehan Damasco who have competed on internationally pastry competitions. Established in 2010, Chef Jehan had cooked up a sumptuous menu of local favorites and international flavors that not only Nuvo Vizcayanos rave about but those fortunate visitors enough to have stumbled upon this gem of a resto. We went here twice when we were in Nueva Vizcaya and here’s to share some of our favorite dishes.
Nomama: Of Miso Butter Dreams and Hearty Ramen
Much has been written about Nomama‘s artisanal ramen that I’ve expected little else probably worth sampling on a visit to shoot for a magazine. So the Kitayama Flank Steak came as a very pleasant surprise. It took me over an hour to finish my to-shoot-list and I expected the steak to be a bit tough after an hour of sitting on its dish but no, it was very, very tender (made me wonder how much more tender it was hot off the grill). The liberal use of Miso butter lent an irresistible, exquisite taste so much so that even if I just had a bowl of ramen, I managed to finish the steak by myself. The crispy tofu slices are a nice foil to the meat, not that my taste buds quickly grew satiated to the flavor.
Instant home dinners get the gourmet treatment with Almost Gourmet
Honestly, I was half-expecting the instant dinner to be, well, like the usual instant food stuff — tummy fillers that are short on flavor. So it came as a pleasant surprise to find Almost Gourmet tasty, hot off the microwave oven. Not a bad idea for home dinners especially for households that are short on cooking prep and time (what household still enjoy that luxury, anyway).
Lolo Dad’s Thanksgiving Potato-Menu Special
While Thanksgiving is really more an American Tradition, Filipinos value good food and gatherings that every day, we find good reasons to be thankful for an eat. This year, U.S. Potato Board and U.S. Department f Agriculture invited Happyfoodies once again to partake on another all-potato full course meal. We enjoyed last year’s Chef Sau’s creations at M Café, and this time it is Chef Ariel’s turn to whip up some magic at Lolo Dad’s Brasserie.
Luxe Dining at Horizons Macau
It was a stark contrast from our last meal in Macau. 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.