Month: July 2018

Loud Dinner at K-Pub BBQ, Trinoma

Now I can say that I’ve seen everything when it comes to Korean BBQ.

As our despedida blow-out for one of our office barkada who will be moving on to greener and less stressful pastures, we decided to have dinner at K-Pub BBQ in Trinoma. We figured that the group will bond over our shared love of Korean food and of chismis.

Well, the Korean food we had plenty. Our group availed of the Beat the Clock Eat & Run meal package wherein we can get unlimited refills for an hour at Php599 per head. The set includes:

  • Chadol Baki (Beef Sukiyaki)
  • Tong Samgeopsal (Whole Pork Belly)
  • Yengnyem Samgeopsal (Marinated Pork Belly in Sweet Spicy Sauce)
  • Dwaeji Galbi (Marinated Pork Chop)
  • Dak Galbi (Marinated Chicken in Sweet Spicy Sauce)
  • Fried Spring Roll
  • Japchae

The set also comes with side dishes such as steamed egg, kimchi pajeon, steamed rice, kimchi fried rice, soup, lettuce and house salad, as well as Melona ice cream bars for dessert.

I am not a fan of these timed Korean BBQ. Instead of leisurely enjoying your food and time with your friends, there’s the sense of trying to stuff your face before the hour for refills run out.

With its hefty price tag, the value proposition of this arrangement is also dependent upon the efficiency of the wait staff for refills. That efficiency is already compromised by the number of diners and the loud background noise.

And oh, that noise! (Yeah, I’m having a #TitasOfManila moment.)

For one thing, being a Korean resto and having K-pop decor, somehow, playing mainstream pop is off-strat. Furthermore, there’s a stage with an an open mic segment during which diners can sing if they so choose. (Well, one among us did choose, hehehe!)

Still, the noise precluded most of the chismis to the point that as soon as we finished the refill hour, we hung out at the cafe next door to recover and chat.

Note to self, and to you, dear readers: this place is not one for languid dining. But a great one for boisterous fun. Unfortunately, not for a tita like me.

Sign up to Amazon Prime to enjoy these Amazon Prime Day Sale deals on July 16

From July 16, 12pm PT/ 3pm ET through July 17 (that’s July 17, 3am through July 18 to us here in the Philippines), online shoppers can hunt for and get the best deals as the largest online retailer Amazon.com holds its yearly Amazon Prime Day Sale.

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Recovery Food at Pi Breakfast & Pies, Ugong

I admit, there are times when I’m in no mood to worry about breakfast, especially when my (gasp!) three-in-one coffee is already waiting for me at the dining table (courtesy of my ever-loyal yaya, of course).

I keep hearing that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day… yada, yada, yada…” but we shouldn’t eat breakfast for its own sake.  Breakfast should be a gastronomic pleasure too.  (That way, more people will take eating breakfast to heart!)

After my first attempt to return to running for fitness (or to be more honest, walking around the track just to burn off some calories), I, together with Hubby who is more serious about running than I am, decided to stop over at Pi Breakfast & Pies at the Rockwell Grove in Ugong.  For our breakfast – slash – recovery food, we ordered:

  • Caramelized Spam (Php265).  The classic spamsilog is given a more premium twist.  The hefty cubes of spam, tossed in the pan until they achieved a nice caramelization, were accented by garlic fried rice, kimchi, pesto, a five-minute egg, scallions and sesame seeds.
  • Queso de Bola Ensaymada (Php55).  And I used to think those big red balls of cheese are only good for the Christmas season!  The sharp saltiness of the cheese has a nice interplay with the sweetness of the bread.  I would prefer it to be a bit puffier and have a smoother texture, though.
  • Hot Chocolate (Php85).  I’m not sure what I expected but I would have thought that the resto could have added a new twist to this drink to make it special, maybe a drop of peppermint or some chocolate shavings?

All these said, I wouldn’t mind returning to Pi Breakfast & Pies to sample their other All-Day Breakfast Options such as the Eggs Benny (Php275) and the Beef Brisket Corned Beef (Php275).

This branch of Pi Breakfast & Pies is located at The Grove By Rockwell, E. Rodriguez Jr. Avenue, Ugong, Pasig City, open from 7am to 10pm everyday (Tel: +63 915 2583314).  Its other branch is located at 39 Malingap Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City, open from 6am to 10pm everyday (Tel: +63 2 9312337 or +63 2 4411773).

Pi Breakfast & Pies Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Want to learn how to give your family’s breakfast a new twist? Check out these books from Amazon.com!

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(By the way, Pi Breakfast & Pies also delivers via Honestbee). 🙂

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Latin Foodgasm at Tittos, Kapitolyo

Another recent addition to the establishments in the foodie-friendly Kapitolyo neighborhood is Tittos Latin BBQ and Brew. The family and I were treated here by the in-laws for SIL’s birthday.

Tittos’ imposing exteriors lead into bright and airy interiors, complete with festive and colorful artwork and decor that give the place a vibrant South American feel.

Latin American cuisine is an amalgamation of food from South American countries wherein common items include maize-based dishes (such as tortillas, tamales and tacos), various salsas and other condiments such as guacamole, chili and chimichurri.  This cuisine is also heavily influenced by other cultures, particularly Native American (from which Latin cuisine got its predilection for corn), African (from which the use of less desired cuts of meat are perfected into distinct dishes), and European (resulting from colonization of several Latin American countries during the Age of Exploration).

Our food orders certainly embodied Tittos’ myriad of influences.

Our starters:

Churrasco Beef Salpicao (Php345).  Grilled beef cubes sauteed in herb butter with mushrooms and onion crisps.

Salted Egg Shrimp Taco (Php145). The crispy shrimp morsels, curry leaves and salted egg sauce give this dish an Asian flavor.

Verduras Taco (Php125).  Another Asian-inspired dish with steamed cauliflower and tofu flavored with sweet and spicy soy glaze, pico de gallo and melted cheese.

Our main dishes:

Arroz Negra Paella (Php495 for Medio, good for 2-3 people). The squid-ink flavored rice served as the backdrop for the chorizos, oysters, prawns and squid rings.

Titto’s Chicharon (Php650). Our favorite crispy pata served with spiced vinegar and chimichurri.

Pollo Asado (Php695 for Todo or Whole Chicken). Roast chicken served with chimichurri, mango relish and side vegetables.

Our desserts:

Dulce de Leche Cheesecake (Php195). The delectable caramel-based cheesecake with a new twist – a chocolate sauce with oodles of caramelized cornflakes.

Frozen Brazo de Mercedes (Php195). The favorite and familiar brazo de mercedes modified intona cheesecake.

Ube Churros (Php225). Sizeable ube churros served with white chocolate frosting, caramel and drizzled with chocolate syrup.

All in all, it was a happy celebration made even more so by Tittos’ festive food offerings.

Tittos Latin BBQ and Brew is located at 16 East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City.  For reservations, call +63 2 5323414 or +63 917 8122243.

Authentic Sichuan Cuisine at Fantaste, Salcedo Village

Sichuan (also called Szechuan) cuisine, which originates from Chinese province of the same name, is known for its bold flavors, resulting from the variety of seasonings and cooking methods used.

Newly opened restaurant Fantaste brings a taste of Sichuan into the heart of Makati City.  Along with a selected group of bloggers and foodies (as well as my daughter, #ExhibitA), I was able to attend its Grand Opening and sample its many food offerings.

The restaurant’s mascot is reminiscent of Dreamworks’ Kung Fu Panda, chosen because, according to the wait staff, the panda symbolizes friendship, unity and world peace.

Fantaste’s claim to fame is its rice bowls.  These dishes are individually cooked in their own clay pot bowl, topped with hearty servings of viands, accompanied by steamed bok choi and half a salted egg, then doused with a secret sauce upon serving.  Its heated clay pot container maintains the rice bowls’ heat during the entire meal, even giving the bottom grains a slightly toasted crunch and flavor.

Given a choice of which among its twelve rice bowl choices to sample, I opted for the Chicken and Mushroom (Php260) while my daughter got intrigued with the mysteriously titled The Best of Fantaste (Php220).  To be honest, I think I had the better choice, my bowl having a better mixture of tastes and textures.

I overheard from my seatmates (and seconded by my daughter who is more well-traveled than I) that the dishes feature the taste of mainland China’s provinces, rather than the taste we normally associate with Hong Kong which is more familiar to the Filipino palette.  We all welcome the variety that these bring to our dining experience, although some would be an acquired taste: the Red Jujube and White Fungus Soup (Php120) for example, had a seemingly bland broth with explosions of sweet and tartness from the date fruit and the meat flavor of its chicken bits.

The restaurant also has a breakfast menu which we were all also able to sample: the Congee (Php120) and Beef and Lettuce Congee (Php140) which, to me, served as a subtle palette for toppings; the Steamed Vermicelli Roll (Php120) which had a nice spicy kick; the carbo-loaded Yangzhuo (or more commonly known as Yang Chow) Fried Rice (Php160); Pork Ribs coated with Glutinous Rice (Php140); the Dry Fried Noodles with Beef (Php180) which had a nice peanut-ty taste; and the Fried Noodles with Three Shreds (Php180).

Those looking to complete their taste of authentic Chinese food can even opt for drinks imported from the mainland such as Chinese versions of our favorite softdrinks, flavored yogurt drinks and flavored teas.

Given the novelty of its food offerings, I would suggest to the restaurant manager to consider having a menu with pictures and descriptions of the dishes.  That way, the really adventurous foodies would know which items are in line with their palates while the less gastronomically conservative patrons can choose those which more closely align with their taste.

I would also suggest a less upbeat background music: the resto’s offerings are somewhat traditional and some can even be considered medicinal (particularly its herbal teas) .  If the resto would like to capitalize on the health benefits of its cuisine, a more languid and traditional background music would be more appropriate.

Just my two cents… 🙂

Foodies who will journey all the way to Makati to visit this resto should also consider where they can park.  Parking spots are severely limited and the nearest pay parking area charges Php80 for just two hours.

Disclosure: Together with other bloggers, I was invited to attend this restaurant’s Grand Opening.  All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

So… can we now talk about “Fight Club?”

In 1999, a movie based on Chuck Palahniuk’s (“Adjustment Day,” “Invisible Monsters,” “Choke,” “Damned,” “Haunted“) 1996 novel became the definitive movie of a generation, almost like a rite of passage, turning boys who used to scoff at Brad Pitt’s leading man roles prior to the movie into avid believers. (I seem to recall someone claiming he “ain’t gonna watch no Brad Pitt movie,” then two years later was raving about this film.)

It’s been almost two decades since Fight Club’s release, and as it will headline Cinemax’s July offerings, I thought I’d talk about the movie, just some random stuff I found interesting. (First and second rule be damned.)

Fight Club tells of an unlikely partnership between a depressed and insomniac office worker dubbed The Narrator (played by Edward Norton) and a charismatic and nihilistic soap salesman named Tyler Durden (played by the scene-stealing Brad Pitt).

Author Chuck Palahniuk got the idea for the novel when he was beaten up during a camping trip and upon his return to the office, his coworkers would not mention or acknowledge his injuries. Instead, he encountered inane pleasantries such as “How was your weekend?” He attributed this bizarre behavior to his coworkers’ reluctance to interact with him in a personal level, not really caring much about him personally. His interest in this “societal blocking” became the foundation for his novel. (Now we know why we should at least show – and feel – some concern for the people we encounter.)

Palahniuk also claimed to have coined a term in the novel the we commonly use today: snowflake, which refers to a generation that is so fragile as to be easily damaged or offended by opposing views. This stems from the line “You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake.” (Well, decades later, snowflakes abound.)

Helena Bonham Carter’s character, Marla Singer, reveals that she frequents support group meetings because they are “cheaper than a movie and there’s free coffee.” (Apparently, someone likes to get her kicks from the suffering of others.)

Actress Rosie O’Donnell saw the movie prior to its release, and, in her TV show, revealed the movie’s plot twist ending and enjoined her viewers to avoid the film. (Guess who broke the first – and second – rule of Fight Club!)

Fight Club will air on Cinemax (ch 36 on SKYcable in the Philippines) on July 6, 10pm and July 16, 12mn.

Cinemax not available in your area?Rent Fight Club on Amazon Prime or watch it for free when you sign-up for your free Amazon Prime 30-day trial.

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Image credit: Fight Club | 20th Century Fox

Movie details were taken from Fight Club’s IMDB page.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Recipe: Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Balls

It is a cliche already but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It fires up your metabolism and gets you going for the rest of the day.

However, in the rush of morning chores and preparations to leave for work or school, family members seldom have the time to prepare and eat breakfast. Fortunately, I came across some recipes for Oatmeal Peanut Butter Breakfast Balls on Pinterest that seem easy to prepare in advance over the weekend and just take out and serve for a quick breakfast before leaving the house.

Another lucky break for me is getting a Super Crunchy Peanut Butter among the sampler jars that Fix & Fogg sent for me to try out.

Fix & Fogg is a maker of small batch peanut butter based in Wellington, New Zealand. Its peanut butter variants have just become available in the Philippines, stocked in retail outlets like All Day Supermarkets, Cartel Deli, Earth Origins Marketplace and Power Plant Market, as well as distributed online via websites such as Beauty MNL, Gerald.PH and the Green Grocer.

I tweaked the original recipe: substituting instant for rolled oats, replacing walnuts with some chopped cashew nuts that I bought from Antipolo, using semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of the regular ones and taking out raisins (because I’m not too wild about them).

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup instant oats
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup Fix & Fogg Super Crunchy Peanut Butter
  • 1/2 cup chopped cashew nuts
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Procedure:

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop up the mixture to form domes. (I had to firmly pat down the mixture into the scoop to get some properly shaped domes. If the mixture is not tightly packed, it will easily crumble once you take it off the scoop.)
  3. Freeze for an hour or until the balls are firm.
  4. Store in airtight resealable bags inside the chiller.
  5. Take out the balls you plan to have for breakfast a few minutes before serving (like while you’re still making your coffee).

Recipe yields 22 breakfast balls. Each ball has approximately 87 calories.

My little boy tried one and he immediately wanted another!

Want to try this recipe today? There’s no need to leave home to shop for ingredients.  With Honestbee, just order your groceries online and you’ll get them delivered right at your doorstep at your preferred time. Use this referral link and get Php500 off for a minimum spend of Php2,500.  You can download the Honestbee app on iTunes or Google Play.

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.

Disclosure: Fix & Fogg provided product samples for me to review.  Reactions and opinions about the product are my own.