January 2018 – Jellybeans in the City

Unwinding at Manila Hotel’s Tap Room

Taking advantage of a credit card promo, my mother-in-law treated us to dinner at Manila Hotel’s Tap Room to celebrate my sister-in-law’s birthday.

Manila Hotel is a historic 5-star hotel located along Manila Bay. Built in 1909, it is the oldest premiere hotel in the Philippines.

The Tap Room is Manila Hotel’s English pub-inspired bar. Its dim lighting, dark wood interiors, plush seating and soothing jazz music from live performers make it an appropriate place to unwind in with your favorite drink.

While waiting for our orders, we were served with salted peanuts and green peas to go with our drinks (mine was, of course, a double shot of Bailey’s).

Our food orders included:

Pizza Manila Hotel (Php550). A thin-crust pizza topped with tomato, mozzarella, Laguna cheese and olives.
Slider (Php550). Two cheese-stuffed mini burgers with guacamole and barbecue sauce.
Chicken Shawarma Wrap (Php450). Roasted chicken wrapped in a toasted flour tortilla and served with tahina dip, garlic sauce, pickles and French fries.
Fried Fish and Chips (Php750). Battered fish fried to a crispy golden brown and served with large cut fries.
Deep-fried Calamares (Php450).
Buffalo Chicken Wings (Php450).
Sizzling Pork Sisig (Php450).

Being located in a 5-star hotel, the Tap Room’s service was top-notch. The wait staff was elegantly dressed, very accommodating and helpful. They even brought out a slice of chocolate mousse as a birthday treat for my sister-in-law.

The food was well-presented and well-flavored. However, given the pricing, hanging out at the Tap Room for dining or drinks is not something I can do too often.

Festive Feast ala Lucban, Quezon at Buddy’s, Cubao

Lucban, Quezon is famous for the colors of its Pahiyas Festival, the pancit habhab and longganisang Lucban.

All of these are in full force in the Cubao branch of Buddy’s.

Located at the Shopwise Arcade in the Araneta Center, Buddy’s brings the festiveness and Filipino flavors to Cubao shoppers.

When hubby and I found ourselves stuck in the Cubao area, we decided to have lunch here. The place was quite spacious, with seating in two floors. The decor is very cheery, with colorful leaf-shaped kiping all over the place as well as floor-to-ceiling pictures of Lucban scenery and people.

We ordered the following to share:

Pancit Lucban (Php209)
Longsilog Lucban (Php130)

Apparently, these were too much for just two people and we ended up not finishing our food. We also found the continuous loop of whatever Pinoy novelty song blasting in the background quite bothersome.

Check out my reviews of other Filipino restaurants:

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Katsu Adventure at Katsu Sora, Trinoma

I have long been a fan of the katsu.

There’s quite a gastronomic appeal to a juicy piece of pork, breaded and fried such that the outside is crispy while the inside is tender and flavorful.

So here lies the reason why I found myself, along with some of my coworkers (the usual suspects when it comes to foodie lunch adventures, to be honest), traveling quite some distance from the office to Trinoma Mall to dine at Katsu Sora.

I have frequented this Japanese resto’s branches in Greenhills and Eastwood, but it’s my first time to eat at its Trinoma branch.

I booked a table for four using the Zomato app’s online booking function. Five of us actually arrived but the hostess was able to accommodate all of us. Katsu Sora is in the same section as MochiCream and Hokkaido Ramen Santouka but has a distinct separate space, marked by a spacious and well-lit dining area.

The wait staff are attentive and helpful in assisting our group with our requests and queries about the menu.

My go-to order is the Mille Feuille Set (Php360). The star of the show for this meal is the lean but tender and savory Canadian pork, sliced ultra-thin, layered together, covered with panko then deep-fried to a crispy golden brown, superbly complemented by sweet tonkatsu sauce. It’s cast of supporting flavors consist of unlimited Japanese rice, a salad bar (from which I can eat a combination of egg and potato salad, shredded cabbage and corn kernels doused with creamy wasabi and sesame dressing to my heart’s content) and refillable miso soup.

All these make for a wonderful fusion of flavors that leave me thankful for simple pleasures such as this.

This branch of Katsu Sora is located at Fourth Floor, Trinoma Mall, Bagong Pag-Asa, Quezon City.

Burgers and Burritos at Army Navy, Tomas Morato

A few years ago, I was quite surprised to learn that the company behind Army Navy Burger Burrito, the same one behind Yellow Cab Pizza, is Filipino-owned.

I marveled at how the overall character of the restaurant chain, from the look and feel of the stores to the naming of the items in its American-Mexican menu, were consistent with its military theme.

No wonder the place is a hit among the boys, who prefer the packed and large-sized burgers and burritos, to sate their appetites.

Hubby, in particular, would opt for Double Burgers (Php245), two quarter pounder beef patties sandwiched in toasted sesame seed kaiser buns along with lettuce, tomato, onions, ketchup and mayo, or the Steak Burrito (Php200), beef bits wrapped in flour tortilla along with Spanish rice, frijoles, onions, lettuce and cilantro.

For myself, I would rather get the lighter options such as the Steak Soft Tacos (Php195), three small flour tortillas stuffed with beef, onions and cilantro, or the plain Cheese Quesadilla (Php120).

I’m not much of a Mexican food fan so I usually just eat at Army Navy when Hubby insists (… and the Wife of the Year Award goes to…)

Army Navy’s Tomas Morato branch is a bit cramped and has long queues at the cashiers and slow service, particularly during lunchtime.

Katsu Indulgence at Yabu, Robinsons Place Magnolia

It’s obvious that Yabu: House of Katsu devotes a lot of time and effort to perfecting the katsu experience.

It’s chefs, for instance, benefited from the wealth of knowledge passed on by Chef Kazuya Takeda, the head chef of Tonkatsu Takeshin, a Tokyo-based Michelin Star: Bib Gourmand rated restaurant.

Yabu’s katsu advantage springs from various practices:

The use of panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) made fresh everyday that gives the katsu a coating of light and crispy flakes
The generous half-inch cuts of pork
Cooking the meat at 165-degree C, then allowed to rest prior to serving, ensuring that the katsus retain their juiciness

My go to order is the 120g Rosu (Pork Loin) Katsu Set (Php385), juicy pork cutlets with a trimming of fat. It is served with refillable premium white rice and shredded cabbage, sourced from Organic Manila.

This branch of Yabu: House of Katsu is located at the lower ground floor of Robinsons Place Magnolia, near the foodcourt. The resto has a lot of seating space, and even extended its seating area outside its enclosed space.

Yabu remains among my favorite katsu joints.

All-day Brunch at AM:PM Brunch. Bar. Cafe. in Tomas Morato

A new resto just opened along Sgt. Esguerra Street – AM:PM Brunch Bar. Bar. Cafe.

Brunch, a portmanteau of breakfast and lunch, is a meal usually eaten late in the morning to early afternoon, sometimes with some alcoholic beverages.

AM:PM’s menu includes of All Day Brunch items, main dishes, pizza, sandwiches, as well as coffee- and non-coffee-based beverages. It also offers beers, and liquors by the shot or by the bottle. It recently started offering budget meals ranging from Php120 to Php145.

I went here a couple of times with some coworkers for lunch and I was able to sample some of its offerings:

Homemade Bacon Slab (Php260), served with garlic rice, fried egg and iced tea. While a filling meal, I was a bit disappointed with its portioning. I was expecting a huge slab of bacon but what I got was more like bacon strips. It could also use some more salt.
Crispy Chicken Skin (Php90), not a wise choice after eating bacon, but, you know, #YOLO. 🙂
T-bone Steak (Php400), served with fried egg and mashed potato. The portion was quite sizeable. I split my order into two: I ate one half over lunch and the other half later at dinner and still felt full. I’m not too crazy about the mashed potato’s balsamic dressing, though.

I’m still open to eating here for lunch but I might be opting for the budget meals.

AM:PM Brunch. Bar. Cafe. is located at The Ignacia Place, Sgt. Esguerra St. cor Mother Ignacia Avenue, Quezon City.

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Great flavors at Vitto’s Wine Bar & Restaurant

I’m not much of a drinker. Actually, I’m not a drinker. Period.

You would think a non-tippler would have found little to appreciate in Vitto’s Wine Bar & Restaurant, but there I was with my officemates during lunchtime, marveling at the resto’s Instagrammable minimalist organic-themed aesthetic and its unusual and yet comforting food offerings.

This hole-in-the-wall establishment may seem small but its warmly lit and quite cozy. It’s unique style manifested in the old Latin saying prominently displayed in one of its walls – “In vino veritas; in cervesio felisitas” or “In wine there is truth; in beer there is happiness,” definitely a mantra among its patrons who have high regard for their spirits.

Our group of four were the only ones there. Our lone wait staff – RJ – was attentive, prompt in assisting requests and knowledgeable about the resto’s food choices.

I ordered a Salted Egg Pasta (Php250), spaghetti noodles with a creamy salted egg sauce and topped with bacon bits. It was a hit among our group but I would suggest splitting this order with someone; the sauce is quite rich and strongly flavored, and the dish is heavy on the tummy.

I was also able to try out my companions’ orders:

The Grilled Meat Chop (Php290), one of Vitto’s All Day Brunch meals, consisted of two hefty pork chops, well-seasoned to bring out their smoky taste, and well complemented by garlic rice and sautéed veggies. I will order this on my next visit.
The Potato Croquettes with Blue Cheese Mayo (Php190), on the other hand, had the problem of having a bland-tasting mashed potato base, we needed to further season it with salt.
Lastly, the Citrus Fish Fillet (Php220) consisted of two fillets of baked cream dory marinated in lemon. Its light taste and mild texture were well complemented by its rich butter sauce. It went well with the garlic rice my officemate requested as a replacement to its usual side of mashed potato.

While its wine list wouldn’t really appeal to me, Vitto’s food menu is definitely something I wouldn’t mind exploring.

Vitto’s Wine Bar & Restaurant is located at 114 Scout Lozano Street, Laging Handa, QC.

Check out my reviews of other wine bars:

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Work-related hang-out at UCC Park Cafe, Glorietta Complex

Whenever I’m Ayala Center and I pass by this free standing resto amidst the park greenery, I always thought of it would be a great place to hang out in after a bout of shopping.

So far, I haven’t been able to just chill here as during both instances I’ve been are work-related.

Still, I have been able to try its sandwich offerings:

Grilled Cheese Sandwich (Php280). Three different kinds of cheese (cheddar, gruyere and mozarella) on buttered toast.
Cliffhanger Sandwich (Php250). Chicken, bacon, scrambled eggs, mozarella cheese inside fried custard-coated bread.

I didn’t care much for the side of marinara sauce that came with the sandwiches but I found the sandwiches themselves rich and filling.

The Cafe Americano (Php120) gave me a good pick-me-up. The muscovado sugar gave it a different kind of sweetness.

Thanks to my generous workmates, I was able to sample its other dishes:

Pasta Carbonara (Php260). Spaghetti noodles in a white sauce with sauteed bacon and onions, topped with a poached egg and parmesan cheese. I found this pasta a little too wet for my taste.
Garlic Seafood Pasta (Php450). Spaghetti noodles with shrimp, cuttlefish, mushrooms and scallops sauteed in garlic and olive oil. This seems to be a light and more preferable alternative to heavily sauced pasta dishes.
Crispy Wings (Php320). Fried marinated chicken wings served with garlic dip and fries. A bit forgettable but at least I got some more meat to go with my sandwich at the time.

I wouldn’t mind coming back to try out some of its more unusual food items such as its Cheese and Spinach (Php280) appetizer and Pulled Pork Grilled Cheese (Php320).

This UCC branch is located at Glorietta 3 Park, Ayala Center, Makati.

Two generations of viewpoints on “Friends,” now on Netflix

For many Gen Xers, the TV show Friends defined an era, our era.

The show started airing in September 1994, during my last year in high school.

Netflix all ten seasons just this month, January 2018, coincidentally my teenage daughter’s last year in high school.

To me back then, the show served as a special preview of “the world out there,” i.e., adult life. For my daughter, with whom I watched some episodes, it serves as a point of conparison between the issues she faces today and those I faced during my formative years.

The story kicked off when spoiled “daddy’s girl” Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) runs out of her wedding and (while still in her wedding dress) goes looking for her high school best friend (Monica Geller).

Monica, despite having lost contact with Rachel after high school, good-heatedly welcomed her into her home and into the gang composed of Monica’s brother Ross (David Schwimmer) who was traumatized by his divorce from his wife who turned out to be a lesbian, the boys who live across the hall Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) who was Ross’ roommate in college and struggling actor Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc), and Monica’s cooky ex-roommate Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow).

Throughout the show’s ten-season run, the six friends navigated their way through life in New York City: found and lost jobs, started and ended relationships, and found and reinvented themselves.

While today, my daughter and her peers found the show’s jokes about “Fat Monica,” homosexual relationships and transgender identity problematic, back then, I was amazed these themes were being shown at all.

I was inspired by Monica’s transformation from an obese teen to a slim and confident chef (and I’m still perplexed as to how she was able to maintain her size despite being constantly surounded by food).

I found the decision of Ross’ ex-wife to raise their child with her lesbian partner, and later Rachel’s to be a working unwed mother brave.

I understood Chandler’s resentment of his father Charles’ transition to Helena Handbasket; after all, the announcement of her separation from Chandler’s mom was done after Thanksgiving dinner when Chandler was nine, hardly the epitome of sensitivity to the child’s sensibilities.

Despite the differences in the lenses that we view this iconic show, some themes are constant: the importance of friendship, acceptance of oneself and others, and growing up.

Ramen Choices at Ramen Nagi, Robinsons Galleria

Newsflash: I’m still in my ramen phase and the poor fam has no choice but to bear with me and my food choices.

That said, I don’t think they were too disappointed when we recently had our Saturdate lunch at Ramen Nagi at Robinsons Galleria.

Located at The Veranda, Level 2 of Robinsons Galleria, this ramen shop provides a unique experience to the ramen lover: the ability to customize your ramen experience.

You are given the choice of broth flavors: Butao King (its signature tonkotsu pork broth at Php390), Black King (broth infused with squid ink at Php410), Red King (the spiciest broth at Php 410) and Green King (broth infused with Nagi at P410).

From there, you can specify the following:

Richness of the taste
Inclusion of Ramen Nagi’s special sauce
Garlic taste
Pork Shoulder or Belly
Level of Spiciness, and
Firmness of the noodles

If you’re a ramen newbie like me, go for the chef’s recommendation (because he or she should know what tastes good, right?), but go easy on the spiciness, especially if you’re not much into heat.

I would also recommend adding a Tamago (Php60), a flavored egg that provides more richness to the ramen.

My daughter and I got ourselves bowls of Butao King, while the husband got himself a bowl of Red King. The little boy, on the other hand (being the only one who is not into ramen), had to content himself with an order of Chicken Karaage (Japanese fried chicken at Php250), which, sadly, he didn’t enjoy as much as the rest of us enjoyed our ramen bowls.

We also ordered a side of Gyoza (Php220) and a sheet of Nori (Php60) to nibble on while waiting for our order.

The service staff were attentive and helpful, prompt to answer our queries and assist our requests.

By the way, this year, birthday celebrants get free Butao King Ramen during their birth month. Remember, though, that you can only avail of this promo once (even though the originally announced mechanics indicated otherwise – a friend discovered this the hard, and apparently embarassing, way).

You can also check out my review of Ramen Nagi at SM North EDSA.

Why not try your hand at preparing Japanese cuisine at home? Check out these recipe books from Amazon.com!

If you’re in the US and an Amazon Prime member, sign up for a free trial of Amazon Fresh to get your groceries delivered to you.