Gel Jose

Origin stories in the Marvel Super Heroes Storybook Collection

Yesterday, I arrived at National Bookstore’s #BookBingeBazaar at SM Megatrade Hall 3 even before gates opened, ready to binge on books.

While I didn’t find any of my favorite genres (Regency and Highlander romances or Biblical fiction) as most of the books on display are for teens and kids, I chanced upon some gems such as this Marvel Super Heroes Storybook Collection priced at only Php275.

Being a #MarvelCinematicUniverse geek, I just knew I had to get it, either as a gift for my son (in whom I want to encourage a love of reading) or as the start of my Marvel memorabilia collection.

It’s a hardbound, 300-page tome that contains 20 origin stories of popular Marvel comic book super heroes: individual members of the Avengers and the X-men, as well as of the Fantastic Four and the Silver Surfer.

The stories are presented with colorful illustrations and in large font and language style suitable for preschool age kids. I can see myself holding storytelling sessions with this book.

The storybook is published by Marvel Press under the Disney Book Group. It helps to expand the Marvel experience outside of the comic books and movies and introduce the Marvel characters and their universe to new audiences and future fans.

For kids who are outgrowing fairytales, this is a great book to read. For adults who are also Marvel fans, it’s a great piece to have as a part of your collection: a touchstone to the stories that have shaped much of today’s popular culture and a link to the stories you grew up with.

Today is the last day of National Bookstore’s #BookBingeBazaar which is part of the book chain’s 75th anniversary activities. It features books priced at Php75, Php175 and Php275 each. Held at SM Megatrade Hall 3 at SM Megamall, the bazaar is open from 10am to 10pm.

Missed the book bazaar? Click here to buy The Marvel Superheroes Storybook Collection on Amazon.com.

Carbo-loading at House of Lasagna, SM Megamall

I decided to try a new restaurant reservation app that comes with discounts. After braving the crowds and lugging the books I bought at the National Bookstore #BookBingeBazaar at the Megatrade Hall, I was in the mood for some carbo-loading and chance to rest my feet.

I chose to book a table (all by my lonesome) at House of Lasagna because I love lasagna (it’s among the few popular pasta dishes that my mom has not been able to master so I was deprived of it when I was young), and it offers a 20% bill discount right around lunchtime.

This resto is located at the lower ground floor of SM Megamall Building A, quite near the foodcourt. The place may seem small but it can seat around forty people or so. The mall’s airconditioning is not as strong here so I opted to sit at one of the outer tables, which has a couch that is too low to eat comfortably from the table but this location did afford me some good lighting to take #foodporn pics. (And really, which one is more important, hmm?)

I ordered its best-selling Beef Lasagna (Php295) served piping hot from the oven with some freshly toasted garlic bread on the side, and a plate of Southern Fried Calamari (Php220).

The beef lasagna has a creamy and cheesy bechamel sauce that frames the al dente cooked noodles and savory meat sauce. It does have a strong herby oregano taste which sometimes overpowers the cheese (not always a good thing for a cheese lover like me).

The calamari, on the other hand, is has the right blend of tenderness and firmness that shows it was properly cooked. I liked the blend of spices and the texture of its coating: it’s not too bready and has a peppery taste.

The lasagna is a bit rich and heavy on the stomach so I took half of my order to go.

I had trouble getting the wait staff’s attention for water refill and bill out requests but I don’t mind that too much.

With the discount, my bill came out at Php412, a bit steep for a single person but worth it if the orders were for sharing.

This House of Lasagna branch is located at Basement, Building A SM Mega Mall, EDSA corner Dona Julia Vargas Avenue, Ortigas Center, Mandaluyong City.

Food nostalgia at Classic Savory, SM East Ortigas

Pinoys have an interesting relationship with food, particularly the tastes they have grown up with. A lot of the appeal of classic Pinoy fare has to do with the memories associated with the flavors you encountered during family gatherings and celebrations: the pancit canton that was your lola’s specialty, the turon that you used to munch on with your cousins for merienda and so on.

Such nostalgia came into play when Hubby and I took a break from shopping and errands, and dined at the Classic Savory branch at SM City East Ortigas.

This food chain started as a panciteria by the Ting brothers in post-war Manila, primarily serving lomi to its mostly Chinese clientele, before it introduced fried chicken to its menu, thereby attracting more Pinoys to its offerings.

That blend of Pinoy and Chinese flavors were present in the combo meal (Php485, good for 2 persons) that we ordered. It consist of a half chicken, pancit canton, fried rice, salt and pepper spare ribs, special turon and iced tea. Given its price and the mix of flavors, I think this is already good value for money.

This Classic Savory branch is located at 2nd Floor, SM City East Ortigas, Ortigas Avenue Extension, Barangay Sta. Lucia, Pasig City.

Instant Roast Beef for family celebrations, thanks to Chef Resty!

To me, roast beef is in the same level as lechon . It simply adds something extra to the celebration or family meal. When I hotel or restaurant buffets, I would ignore some of the food items but definitely not roast beef.

There are times when I would crave for it or would like to serve it during a holiday meal but it’s a bit hard to DIY, or at least achieve the taste and texture that I’m looking for.

That’s why I’m ever so thankful that Chef Resty’s Roast Beef Carving Station reopened its stall in SM Hypermart Pasig. With this stall so conveniently located near my place, I can order some roast beef for take out to enjoy at home after a bout of grocery shopping.

What I like about Chef Resty’s roast beef is its right blend of texture and flavor, brought about by several factors: high-grade Angus beef brisket marinated in herbs and spices then slow roasted for hours to achieve a juicy and tender meat. Its rich buttery gravy was also made from its pan drippings, a perfect foil for the roast beef. I usually order a side of

For a family meal, I usually order 700 grams of roast beef (at Php130/100 grams), sides of herbed marble potato and corn and carrots (Php20/serving) and just have rice prepared at home.

This way, the family gets to enjoy a gourmet roast beef meal at less than Php1000.

Katsu Teishoku at Zipang, Tomas Morato

My daughter (aka #ExhibitA) has been hankering for Japanese food since her work immersion in Quezon City started. On our way home from her last day of work immersion, I decided to take her to Zipang.

Located at the corner of 11th Jamboree and Scout Fuentebella in Quezon City, this Japanese restaurant features a cozy seating area with modern Asian aesthetic that gives the place a Zen vibe. It also has an open kitchen where you can see the resto’s Japanese chef in his domain, working on his food creations. The servers are polite and attentive to the diners, as well as deferential to the chef.

Upon entering, we were greeted by the staff in Japanese and ushered into a nearby table. We were given warm oshibori (wet towels) to cleans our hands.

Zipang is an antiquated name for Japan. In a way, it contrasts with the resto’s food concept, as its offerings are stripped down to the basic and the modern.

As we were both quite ravenous by the time we got there, #ExhibitA and I decided to order Teishoku Meal Sets: mine was of Pork Tonkatsu (Php230) while hers was of Chicken Katsu (Php220). The centerpiece of these dishes were the tender and juicy meats covered with flavored batter and panko breading, then deep-fried to a crisp golden brown. They were accompanied by a mashed sweet potato appetizer, a subtly-flavored miso soup, and refillable rice.

With both of us having well-sated appetites at less than Php500, I wouldn’t mind returning with a more adventurous set of orders.

Zipang is located at No 6 11th Jamboree Street corner Scout Fuentabella Street, Quezon 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:

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.

Tap Room is located at the Ground Floor, The Manila Hotel, 1 Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila.

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:

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.

This Buddy’s Pancit Lucban branch is located at Shopwise Arcade, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City.

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.

This Army Navy branch is located at 55 Timog Ave, Diliman, Quezon City.

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.