October 2019 – Page 3 – Jellybeans in the City

Salud to the weekend at Latino Cocktail Bar, Poblacion

What to do after a hectic week of meetings, reports and presentations?

If you find yourself in the Poblacion area, you might want to check out the newly opened Latino Cocktail Bar along P. Burgos.

Here, you can bid goodbye to the workweek partying the night away enjoying the hot Latin vibes from the music, the drinks and the people (mostly from the local Latino community) who are sure to frequent the place.

Together with my foodie friends from #WeLoveToEatPH, I attendee its Grand Opening, where we enjoyed some of its celebrated cocktails:

Mojito. A traditional Cuban highball of white rhum, lime juice, sugar, mint, ice and soda water which makes for a sweet, herby and citrusy drink.

Amaretto Sour. A drink made with the Italian almond-based liqueur amaretto as well as citrusy juices, simple syrup and orange liqeuer.

Cosmopolitan. Popularized in the TV series Sex and the City as Carrie Bradshaw’s drink of choice, this concoction is made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and sweetened lime juice.

Frozen margarita. A cocktail made with tequila, orange liqueur and lime juice shaken then frozen to create flavored shaved ice served in a salt-rimmed glass.

Together with these cocktails, we also nibbled on some of Latino’s bar chow:

Empanadas. A baked pastry turnover filled with beef, chicken on cheese.

Desitos de Queso. A popular Venezuelan snack made of fried and breaded cheese sticks.

Nuggets and Fries. If you’re wondering what these fun-shaped chicken nuggets and stick fries are doing in a Latin-American style bar, well, I’m wondering about that myself.

So go ahead and add Latino Cocktail Bar among your Poblacion haunts when you want to say salud to the weekend!

Thanks to the owner and crew of Latino Cocktail Bar and to Jonylle Pineda of #WeLoveToEatPH for extending the invite!

Latino Cocktail Bar is located at 5739 P. Burgos corner San Lucas Street, Poblacion Makati (beside Gogi Korean Barbecue and Gangnam Style). For inquiries and reservations, call +63 956 4630866.

Disclosure: Together with fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH, I attended the restaurant’s grand opening wherein the food items mentioned above were served to allow us to sample the fare in exchange for honest reviews.

A taste of Asia at Asian Taste, Seascape Village

Asia is home to many countries with varied geography, climes and cultures, giving rise to richly diverse cuisines.

At Asian Taste Seafood Restaurant, located at the foodie haven Seascape Village in Pasay City, this diversity is showcased and celebrated.

While the dining area at the ground floor is set up like a typical Chinese restaurant – complete with 10-seater round tables, each with a lazy susan so people can eat family style – the second floor VIP rooms add a stunning view of Manila Bay. Despite Seascape Village being a “paluto” area – where diners can buy their fish and other seafood from the wet market within the complex and have them cooked by the restaurant, Asian Taste added some fine dining elements to their diners’ experience with well-appointed surroundings and accommodating wait staff.

As explained by restaurant manager, Ryan Uy, Asian Taste’s menu spans several Asian cuisines, including Chinese (of course!), Japanese, Thai, Malaysian and more (even Filipino!), giving its diners a literal taste of Asia. To this end, the restaurant employs two chefs from Hong Kong who bring their flair and expertise in cooking up tasty Asian dishes.

Together with fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH and #SaanSaPH, I attended a food crawl organized by Seascape Village, the first stop of which was at this restaurant. Here, we tasted some of its signature dishes which included:

3 Cups Chicken. Also called sanbeiji, this Taiwanese braised poultry dish got its name from the traditional use of 1 cup each of soy sauce, sesame oil and rice wine. Basil, ginger, garlic and spring onions are added to flavor the dish. Legend has it that a sympathetic prison warden prepared this dish (using these limited number of ingredients) for the Chinese poet and patriot Wen Tianxiang prior to his execution ordered by Kublai Khan.

Pompano in Tausi. This mildly-flavored fish is fried instead of steamed, giving its skin a slight crispy texture which contrasts well with the black bean sauce.

Salt and Pepper Liempo. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly simple preparation of this dish: juicy pork belly seasoned with salt and pepper then stir-fried to a golden brown and topped with chilis and garlic make for a flavorful viand.

Mango Lapu. This Singaporean dish is made of lightly-battered and fried lapu-lapu, topped with strips of green and yellow mango that added sweet and tart elements as well as contrasts in texture to the dish.

Golden Beans. Crisp French beans lightly coated with salted egg yolk batter, another culinary influence from Singapore.

Prawn Tempura. Large juicy tiger prawns covered in golden crispy batter. These have an extra layer of bubble-like batter for added crunch.

Asian Taste is clearly the place to be for a taste of Asia – different facets of a cuisine rich in stories and traditions, expressed in every dish.

Many thanks to Ryan and the staff of Asian Taste Seafood Restaurant for the warm welcome and the wonderful meal and to Jen and Louie of Seascape Village for inviting us.

Asian Taste Seafood Restaurant is located at Seascape Village, Atang dela Rama, CCP Complex, Pasay City (near Sofitel and Manila Film Center), open daily from 11am to 12 midnight. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 8520877 or +63 917 8557926.

Disclosure: Together with fellow foodies, I attended a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare in exchange for an honest review and were not paid for by the attendees including myself.

Lucky SKY subscriber to win a trip to Bali, Singapore or Taiwan with AXN’s Chillout/Thrillout flyaway promo

AXN treats SKY subscribers this October as it brings back viewers’ favourite action-packed shows that will inspire them to chill-out or thrill-out with the newest seasons of hit U.S. series, “Hawaii Five-O,” “The Blacklist” and “Supernatural” – with an adventure trip promo.

“Hawaii Five-O,” a police procedural drama series, returned to the small screen last September 28 for its tenth season. Steve McGarrett and Danny Williams, played by Alex O’Loughlin and Scott Caan respectively, are on a mission to tackle more crimes, but with serious consequences like terrorism and organized crime. New episodes air every Saturday at 9:45 PM, within 12 hours of its U.S. telecast.

“Blacklist” is still going strong and will debut its seventh season this month. The show picks up from the cliffhanger of season six when Red (James Spader) was stabbed by Katarina (Lotte Verbeek) with a syringe and his unconscious body was thrown into a van. Catch Liz (Megan Boone) as she attempts to save Red from her mother, and discover the other mysteries she needs to solve. “Blacklist” premieres on October 5, and airs every Saturday at 10:40PM, within 12 hours of its U.S. telecast.

“Supernatural” will return with its final season. In their fourteen years on TV, Dean (Jared Padalecki) and Sam (Jensen Ackles) have already defeated countless monsters. But in the 14th season finale, the brothers faced off with the most powerful villain yet: God. In the upcoming season, the show’s executive producer said in the last Comic Con that not only will the brothers be dealing with the end of the world, but they will also be grappling with the very idea of free will. “Supernatural” premieres on October 14, and airs every Monday at 10:40 PM, within the same week of its U.S. Telecast.

With these new episodes come AXN’s ‘Chill Out or Thrill Out’ promo, where a lucky SKY subscriber will get to choose between a chill-out vacation in Bali or Taiwan, or a thrilling one in Singapore. The lucky subscriber will get to bring his or her companion on a 4D/3N trip to one of the three destinations.

Simply visit mysky.com.ph/axnchillout, fill out the form, and answer which of the three shows above do you like the most! AXN’s ‘Chill Out or Thrill Out’ flyaway promo is open to all subscribers of SKY Fiber Unli Broadband + HD Cable, SKYcable and SKYdirect nationwide.

AXN is on SKYcable Ch49 (SD) & Ch247 (HD) in Mega Manila, Ch604 (SD) & Ch737 (HD) in Regional, and SKYdirect Ch34 (HD).

To subscribe to SKYcable, fill up this form.

Show and promo details provided by SKY in a recent press release.

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.

Ilustrado celebrates thirty years

To mark its 30th year anniversary, Ilustrado Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila is offering an 8-course Degustation menu for the whole month of October.

The menu is curated by Chef de Patron Bernice Pimentel, featuring local ingredients and Philippine cuisine on trend. “This years’ theme is from ordinary to extraordinary – ordinary food you would see in a weekly Filipino household menu but in haute fashion,” notes Chef Bernice.

“As the famous adage goes … ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan.” Philippine cuisine has arrived thanks to our multitude of brilliant chefs and champions bringing forward our culinary heritage and roots.” Pimentel continues.

The Ilustrado Anniversary Degustation starts with Kalabasa Pan de Sal – pillows of Filipino soft roll with shaved squash and served with EVOO, balsamic vinegar and a home- made queso de bola dip.

Next comes the amuse bouche of Longga burger – a Boracay staple longganisa patty turned pintxos with kesong puti and tomato jam.

The cold starter is Ensaladang Talong – a mélange of grilled eggplant, onion, tomato, salted quail egg in a spicy pinakurat beurre blanc.

The hot starter, lumpiang bangus comes next which is flaked tinapa in a baked shell with a sweet, tangy mango compote.

The soup is kinamias which is clear sinigang like vegetarian broth.

The first entrée is Adobong Pusit – grilled baby squid in balsamic adobo sauce followed by the main course Bulalo – seared bone marrow and beef risotto with twice-cooked angus beef shortplate and corn salsa sopresa.

The sweet ending is a delightful saba con hielo which brings together evaporated milk panna cotta, banana cue slices topped off with chewy bobba pearls.

Diners have a choice to order the whole 8-course menu or order select dishes, ala carte. Each dish is priced separately and the whole menu is at PhP 1,400.00 plus 10 per cent service charge.

Like and follow Ilustrado on Facebook and Instagram as it celebrates thirty years with exciting giveaways, food promotions and discounts year round.

The restaurant is located at 744 General Luna street, Intramuros, Manila. Call to inquire or reserve at 527-3674, 527-2345, 0939-9206822 or email catering@ilustradorestaurant.com.ph.

Degustation menu details provided in a recent press release

Photo credits: EJ Bunag of ilovetoeatph.wordpress.com

Chocoholics’ delight at Tsokolateria, Tomas Morato

Being a chocoholic, I get all excited whenever I see chocolate bars or chocolate-based desserts.

However, chocolate can be so much more than desserts.

At Tsokolateria, for example, chocolate in the form of tablea (cacao tablets) or variations thereof, infuses almost every dish from salads, soups, kakanin (local rice delicacies), breads and main dishes, as well as, of course, desserts.

The cacao or cocoa plant made its way to the Philippines from Mexico in the 1700s by way of the Galleon Trade. Today, the Philippines cocoa industry is the primary producer of cocoa beans in Southeast Asia and boasts of its own rich chocolate culinary traditions.

Here in my neck of the woods, the foodie-friendly Tomas Morato area, Tsokolateria co-locates within the same premises as Pamana and Hawaiian BBQ. All three restaurants are part of the Happy Concept Group, the company owned and operated by third-generation restaurateur Happy Ongpauco-Tiu.

At Tsokolateria, Ongpauco-Tiu showcases the versatility of native chocolate as it serves as a main ingredient or as an add-on to various dishes – whether sweet or savory – and drinks.

I’ve visited this branch twice this week in my eagerness to sample as much of its offerings as I can. Check out what I’ve been able to try so far:

Oh My Gulay (Php200). Tsokolateria’s Bruschetta Pan de Sal topped by mushrooms, cherry tomatoes,spinach and quezong puti crumbles served with sugared kamote (sweet potato) fries and flavorful bulalo broth which was the soup of the day. For me, this is already a complete – though relatively light – meal!

Tablea Champorado (Php220 for solo | Php395 for double). This is not your normal champorado from a store-bought box. Nope, this is made the old-fashioned way: using mountain rice cooked in native tablea and served simmering-hot with adobo flakes, chicharon and crispy fish chips on the side for interesting contrasts of tastes and textures.

Palitaw at Tablea Syrup (Php130). This flat rice cake made from ground malagkit rice got its name from the way it pops up (“litaw”) to the surface of the boiling water once it’s done cooking. The rich, dark chocolatey tablea syrup adds another dimension of taste to this classic Pinoy merienda dish.

Churros Waffles with Strawberry Overload (Php230, good for two). Waffles made from churros batter accompanied by strawberry halves, native honey and tablea syrup.

Tsokolate ah (Php190, good for two). Hand-made hot chocolate drink made from native tablea, diluted (the “ah” comes from “aguado” which means “watery or thin”) by the addition of water and milk.

Tsokolate eh (Php190, good for two). Rich hot chocolate also made from native tablea which, because it is undiluted, is thick (the “eh” comes from the Spanish word “espeso” which translates to “thick”), has an earthier and pleasantly bitter taste and is generally considered the more authentic iteration of the native hot chocolate when compared with tsokolate ah.

Tsokolateria Signature Mocha (Php150). Native chocolate with milk and a shot of native coffee and served with a Choc Nut candy for added sweetness.

Tsokolateria more than establishes its creativity in crafting a menu permeated with chocolate. I think there’s a lot more to discover here and I look forward to the opportunity to taste more of its dishes.

That said, the resto should work on its queuing: on my second visit, my orders took too long to be served that my lunch break was over by the time they reached me.

Tsokolateria is located along Mother Ignacia Avenue, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 10am to 10pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 3743798.

Another branch is located at The Boutique Bed and Breakfast, 45 Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City, open daily from 9am to 9.30pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 46 4131798 or +63 46 4131885.

Girls gone #WOKE

Janine Teñoso, Bea Lorenzo, and Clara Benin all started on the path to music as very young girls. And though they’ve forged their names as solo artists, from the first time they met, there was an instant rapport that made their Coke Studio collaboration feel free-flowing and natural.

Janine says, “Literally, I was just listening to their songs, and then a few days after, we were meeting together. It felt as if we were sisters right away, we just started sharing our ideas and talking and talking.”

For their Coke Studio Season 3 episode, the girls tackled something the youth feel strongly about: the environment, and how to create even more awareness and action to save it. These days, people are getting more and more #woke and want to do their part to help, and Coke is taking action through their various green initiatives. With this musical collaboration, Coke champions two things they firmly believe in: an active stance on environmental issues and women empowerment.

Knowing that their Coke Studio episode would focus on the single biggest issue of this generation, all three realized that the big environmental issue comes from the smaller task of deciphering one’s priorities. They saw that the root of caring for the environment is self knowledge. From self knowledge comes the realization that we are all connected to each other.

Janine understood that they were taking on a big task. “We knew that the song had to be uplifting spiritually.”

In creating their all-girl anthem, Clara says a little spontaneity went a long way. “You also have to surprise yourself. That’s part of the process. We want to write a song that will encourage people to be themselves.”

At the end of the day, it’s all about being true to your heart. As Bea sums it up: “The essence of being woke is doing what you love. You have to do something that really speaks to you. And for our song, it was about finding that balance without being too preachy.”

Watch how Bea Lorenzo, Clara Benin and Janine Teñoso, collaborate for Coke Studio Season 3. Catch them this coming October 5, at 10:00 a.m. on ABS-CBN or online at www.youtube.com/CokeStudioPH.

Show details and images provided in a recent press release.

SKYcable opens access to various sports channels this October

SKYcable pumps up the adrenaline this October for sports aficionados as it serves up a heady dose of action from basketball, volleyball, football, baseball, to tennis. Until October 15, SKYcable offers an all-access pass to various sports channels at no additional cost to subscribers.

Fans can also enjoy the latest happenings in the Baseball world as the 2019 Major Basketball League starts its playoffs this month in Fox Sports Channel. See which teams makes it one step closer to winning the World Series. Meanwhile, racing fans can check out what is next for the British racing champ, Lewis Hamilton after winning the latest Russian Grand Prix in Formula 1 and who will win in the Japanese Grand Prix 2019 also on FOX Sports Channel this October 13.

In Tennis, World Number 1 Novak Djokovic will try to defend his title in the 2019 ATP Masters 1000 in Shanghai starting this October 6 live on Tap Sports 1. Tennis enthusiasts should look out for former world No. 1 Andy Murray, who recently received a wild card invite to the competition and see if he can steal the title from Djokovic.

Moving to Football action, the La Liga season is starting to heat up! Follow the Spanish football league and see if Real Madrid can retain the top spot or will defending champions, Barcelona make its way back on top before the much anticipated “El Clasico” late October.

Sports fans can also watch the live coverage and updates on the preliminary rounds of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and the semifinal rounds of the Philippine Volleyball League on Liga Channel.

“These are just a sampling of the wealth of sports content that SKYcable carries,” says James Dumlao, SKY’s head of programming. “We strive to have premium shows on various sports coverage so that, whatever your interest is, there is something for you on SKYcable.”

Don’t miss out on your favorite teams and players in the most exciting live games and matches in the various sports channels this October. For more details, visit mysky.com.ph/sportstober.

Channel details provided by SKYcable in a press release.