It was great timing for Chihuahua to launch their brunch menu. Not only for Cinco de Mayo but I have been craving for texmex for breakfast recently. I brought along a friend who had never been there and she was the perfect companion since we were craving the same thing.

We started with the Breakfast Burrito stuffed with a sour creamy scrambled egg, queso, Mexican chorizo, refried beans, salsa, pico de gallo, chunky country potatoes and a surprise strip of bacon in the middle! The burrito is good to share between two people but we came ready for this feast. We also tried the Breakfast Tacos. It’s the open-faced version of the burrito, sans the beans. Elian came over to our table and let us try one of the chili sauces he and Ines brought back from their recent trip. Sadly, I forgot its name but it resembles a bottle of Jack Daniels.

Our meal didn’t quite end yet. For our brunch finale we had… the Capirotada; a Mexican version of bread pudding loaded with dried fruits, nuts with hints of Monterey Jack Cheese. It’s topped with a giant scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with the mexican version of dulce de leche, cajeta. This dessert is as huge as a brick! Though that still didn’t stop us from polishing it off.

We happily waddled out of Chihuahua. It was my first time to visit the place in the daytime and the experience and quality they provide is consistent. I would definitely go back to try the interesting brunch cocktails and I still have my eye on the Breakfast Burrito Bowl for next time.

Chihuahua Mexican Grill & Margarita Bar
7838 Makati Ave (across A-Venue),
1209 Makati, Philippines
Tel. (632) 890.3192
Chihuaphone: 09163737308

It’s the final stretch as voting period ends this May 25 for the 2012/2013 Miele Guide. And as we’re hoping for, say, Antonio’s or The Goose Station to make it on the list; it’d be great to get Philippine representation in general in the Top 10 for this upcoming edition. Just to show that eating can also be “#more fun in the Philippines.”

To register and vote click HERE.

Just as a point of discussion, which establishments would you like to see on the list? Who would you vote or have you voted for?

Fridays have always been reserved for family dinner night.  It gives our kids S and N a nice change to start their weekend after a tiring week at school.  It also gives C and I an opportunity to catch up with the kids in a different atmosphere. Our rules are simple: no fast food and no gadgets allowed. We believe that eating in proper restaurants exposes the kids to various types of cuisine, and teaches them proper restaurant behavior as well. The absence of gadgets, on the other hand, encourages table conversation, which is sometimes akin to pulling a tooth in this text/tweet world that we presently live in.

We began this Friday night ritual about three years ago. After a few months, we began to have constant arguments about where we would eat every week. We realized that our individual tastes are very different. S, our fourteen year old, is simple and almost pedestrian in her tastes. She can live on chicken nuggets and spaghetti day in and day out; while N, our nine year old, is more adventurous and has a more refined palate. Due to this, we had to add a third rule:  we all take turns picking a venue for the night and everyone else has to abide, no questions asked. Of course, back room negotiations and, if all else fails, constant pleading have been known to take place, more so if a particular choice for the evening is one of those “anywhere but there” places. There are times though, rare it may seem, when all of us are happy and content.  This always happens when we visit an old favorite, LU.

Such was our mood during a recent Friday night. Our aim was twofold:  to celebrate N’s Spelling Bee victory and to also try out LU’s updated menu.  After a change in ownership, LU’s kitchen is now under the capable direction of Chef Tom Hines.  Of course, when there is a new chef at the helm, a menu that reflects his vision cannot be far in coming.  LU’s present menu is a mish-mash of a few old favorites and many new dishes that showcase the talents of Chef Hines.

N has always had the same thing at LU.  She calls it her three course “cheesy” dinner.  She was quite relieved to note that all her old favorites were still present on the new menu.  She always starts with an order of Chorizo Queso Fundidos (P295), a four-cheese dip sprinkled with Spanish sausage bits and served with some slices of flatbread.  A taste never fails to put a smile of satisfaction on her face as her mouth is enveloped by its warm, creamy tang.  It also evokes those same feelings when her father (that’s me) steals an irresistible, quick bite.  For those who are not fans of chorizo, the Queso Fundidos can also be ordered with either wild mushrooms or with spinach and artichokes.

N’s second course, Mac and Truffled 5-Cheese (P398) followed shortly after, delightfully al dente macaroni that is bathed in a four-cheese truffle sauce, then baked with a Parmesan cheese crust top.  “It’s the best ever!” N exclaims when I ask her about her dish, showing two thumbs up at the same time. I tend to agree with her.  This holdover from the previous menu is quite hard to beat, as it has all the elements of an excellent macaroni and cheese with the addition of some truffle oil at that. N always orders a slice of Lemon Glazed Cheesecake (P250) to complete her trio. However, when Chef Hines heard that she had won the Spelling Bee, he told her that he would  send us dessert on the house. In the meantime, she had to bide her time and see what would arrive.

S opts for her usual Lamb Bolognese (P398), C and I are happy that she orders this at LU as lamb is already an unusual choice for her: More so, since the lamb in this dish is shredded, and not your usual ground meat. Lu serves it with a choice of pastas and she chose Penne.  She thoroughly enjoyed her Bolognese with its lemony undertones, accomplished with the addition of thin strips of lemon rind into the sauce.  She even took home her leftovers to have for her school packed lunch. We have been encouraging her to be more open to trying new things and this was definitely a step into that direction.

C ordered the Classic Beef Wellington (P850), one of the new additions to the menu-tender beef medallions cooked to medium, swathed in a crisp puff pastry layer. Recently, we have been very picky with steak, as many places just seem to not get it right. This was not the case this time.  C was happy with her Wellington. It was packed with flavor, and the use of good quality beef was evident.

I decided that I would have the Alexandria Falafel Salad (P275) and the Club Lulu (P398).  The Alexandria Salad had fresh Mesclun greens with bite-sized falafel rounds that were greatly complemented by the refreshing balsamic yoghurt dressing.  The addition of capers added a welcome tang to this highly recommended salad.

I was excited to try the Club Lulu primarily because it had poached Palawan lobster included with some grilled chicken, avocado, bacon, tomato and egg.  There aren’t very many restaurants that serve a lobster sandwich.  Because of this, I always try to take advantage and order it when an opportunity presents itself. Lu gives focaccia, sourdough, tortilla wrap and bagels as their bread choices for sandwiches. I felt that sourdough was the best choice for a club sandwich and I was right. Crisp toasted, slightly buttered slices held everything in place quite well.  I was a tad disappointed with the fact that the other fillings overwhelmed the lobster.  Chef Hines has to find a way to tweak this sandwich so that lobster shares equal billing with everything else.  Having said that, I still enjoyed it very much.

As promised, Chef Hines sent over a Dessert Sampler (P798) that consists of a slice of Lemon Glazed Cheesecake, a Dark Chocolate Tear and LU’s famous PB&J Tart.  N heaved a sigh of relief when she saw that her beloved cheesecake was part of the sampler and wasted no time attacking it.  S adored the dense Chocolate Tear with its bittersweet flavor while I enjoyed the sweet-salty richness of the PB&J tart with my double espresso.  As the evening wound down, our constant dinner chatter slowly turned to quiet, individual introspection.  I glanced at my family’s looks of contentment and I thought to myself that yes, this is what it is all about.

An edited version of this post was published in Olive Magazine issue #9.

LU Restaurant
GF Joya Building,
Joya Drive, Rockwell Center
Makati
Tel: (632) 4033991

We looked at the various menus on display outside the restaurants.  As we turned to see Cake Club’s menu, there was an item that caught my attention: Foie Gras Macaron (P150).  The thought of foie gras turned into a dessert didn’t put me off completely, it excited me.  I’ve read about Pierre Herme’s macarons before and he created one with foie gras and chocolate.  I must admit I haven’t the chance to try a macaron from Pierre Herme and not much of a macaron fan but I am very open to try something different.

I learned that the macaron is available exclusively at Cake Club’s BHS location every Saturday and Sunday. One fine Saturday, I placed a reservation for 2 macarons.  I bought 2 because I wanted to eat one fresh, and the other for my greedy self to enjoy at home the next day.

The foie gras macaron is decadent.  At first bite, it’s sweet but as you chew the foie gras creeps up into the palate and WOW… words cannot describe this so I had to share it with my friend and let her enjoy the experience as well.  One of the staff, Jhoe, explained that the crisp shell is made with porcini mushrooms.  No wonder it worked so well together.  I asked Jhoe if there was any chance that they were going to make the ice cream version of it, he just laughed at it but I thought it would be a genius creation.

The other macaron I took home was still good up to the next day, just be sure to refrigerate it well.  I shared the other one with my cousin, it felt like this was something people in Manila should try at least once.

Cake Club by Diamond Hotel
Bonifacio High Street Central
Taguig
Tel.(632) 621 3176

**Special orders for the foie gras macaron are welcome, just place the orders 3 days in advance.

Here’s the result of a relatively successful experiment. I’ve always loved bread pudding. With some vanilla ice cream on the side and a dollop of boozed vanilla cream, it’s just downright comfort food for me. But this is a level-up of sorts. A savory version. The inspiration stemming from an episode of Dosanko Cooking on the Asian Food Channel showing a Japanese woman mixing in ham and cheese slices in with some simple custard soaked bread. But I had stuff in the pantry and wanted to build up on that base even further. So with the ham and cheese I also threw-in some pan-fried spinach and mushrooms to make it an even more “complete” one-dish meal.

Ingredients:

2 – 3 large eggs

1.5 – 2 cups of liquid (milk, half and half, whole cream or a mix). I used about a cup of cream and half a cup of milk. I wanted a pretty rich dish.

3 generous tablespoons of brown sugar.  This will counterpoint the saltiness of the ham and cheese.

1.5″ cubes of baguettes. Or whatever leftover bread you may have. You’ll need about 6 to 8 cups worth. Better if it’s a few days old.

1 cup rough chopped ham. I used some farmer style ham left-over in the freezer. Any ham with a sweet-salty profile would work. I would use less if Parma were used.

1 cup grated cheese. Slightly sharper varieties will work better. I had Gouda at the time and it worked great. Aged cheddar is another option. Reserve about a quarter cup to sprinkle on top. Or just use more.

Pan fried spinach. A package worth. They shrink quite a bit and I was left with about a cup or so. Brown some garlic in olive oil, throw in the greens, a little salt to draw out the water then let it wilt. I let most of the liquid evaporate as I didn’t want excess moisture in the final product.

Pan fried FRESH mushrooms. If you only have canned then just omit or use another type of veg such as broccoli or zucchini. I found some inexpensive oyster mushrooms in the grocery and they worked great. You want to follow similar procedure as with the spinach but do not crowd the pan while frying so you’ll achieve some caramelization. Brown one side first then turn over.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease a 9″ x 9″ pan with butter.

Mix the first three ingredients. Really beat in the eggs. You can put in some grated nutmeg and/or vanilla as an option but I left those out.

Pour the mixture over the bread and the rest of the ingredients. Gently fold everything together and let sit for about 10 to 15 minutes.

Pour mixture in the baking pan, pat down and sprinkle with the reserved cheese. Bake for about 45 minutes to an hour. You’ll want a golden brown surface.

The house will be filled with the intoxicating smell of savory, melty cheese. The wait can be a bit unbearable.

But what you’ll get is a multi-textured gem of a dish. A nice, crusty, cheesy top layer and a bottom layer that is just divinely rich and lush. The salty ham and cheese intermingles with the sweetish custard base and the pan-fried vegetables give it that extra depth of earthiness. It is off the charts!

I remember it was scorching hot in Walt Disney World quite a few years back (when I was just a teenager, say, maybe… 3 years ago.) The glaring sun was high up and I had two semi-permanent tan lines going across the tops of my feet, stenciled in care-of my Birkenstocks. I remember thinking it could’ve been more fun going around the Magic Kingdom if it weren’t so darned hot. I think it was when we were stuck in line to get inside the Enchanted Tiki Room (to watch some singing robotic birds) that a sibling of mine walked up carrying what seemed like a pineapple float. I was parched and after taking a sip of his I just had to get one for myself. Then seconds. And thirds. And I think we had quite a few more the remainder of our stay. The soft serve pineapple flavored ice cream swirled on top was called the Dole Whip; and it was of course floating on some Dole pineapple juice.

The Dole Whip is quite popular and available in three places. In Disneyland (Anaheim), Walt Disney World (Florida) and at the Dole Plantation in Hawaii. Chances are slim to find any outside these. Hence the withdrawal after that trip. I’ve never been to Hawaii and have never returned to a Disney property in 15, ehrm, 3 years… so this is what I do to approximate that elusive beverage: I go to Jollibee.

Yes I could probably order a bag of powdered Dole Whip mix and I could probably make it with an ice cream maker at home (which I don’t have). It wouldn’t turn out as creamy anyway. And I don’t really need a 4 pound bag of mix that makes gallons of the stuff. So if I just want one serving, the Bee will do. For one they carry a vanilla flavored soft serve (not exactly Dole Whip but it’ll do). Plus they serve pineapple juice. Both on a regular basis so one can have it on a whim, anytime. For cheap. No airline ticket needed.

So what you have to do is go up to the counter and ask if you can have a regular Vanilla Twirl in a cup and a pineapple juice WITHOUT ice in another glass. You may be thinking why I don’t just order a pineapple float. But I have gone through the strange looks and double checking with the managers countless times and they will NOT do it. Something to do with strict corporate product appearance policies. Anyway. Once you get your cups, go ahead and float the soft serve on the pineapple juice. You can leave the twirl afloat or mix it in. But what you’ll get is something sweet and tart and creamy and refreshing all at the same time. Who knew dairy and an acidic fruit juice would go so well together? Well, OK, maybe Orange Julius probably did. And Dole. Nonetheless it’s a great accessible version. Is it the best thing in the world? I admit nostalgia may play a big part in me even trying to find ways to replicate it. But for me, it’s worth the effort.

Growing up, my mom introduced my to having Chicharon with papaya atsara (pickled raw papaya) instead of the usual vinegar dip.  All this time, I thought that this pairing was unique to our family.  Little did I know that this is actually how it’s done in some restaurants and homes in the Pampanga area.

I recently visited Binulo Restaurant in the Clark area to sample their version of Pititian (P195).  A platter of fresh fried pork chicharon (pork rind), with laman of course, served with a side of papaya atsara made in-house. For this dish to work, Aside from having a well-made chicharon, I think the secret lies in the type of papaya atsara one would use.  The atsara has to have a good tart to sweet ratio.  One must not overpower each other.  The Binulo papaya atsara has this down pat. Grated carrot strips and raisins enhance the textural dimensions. Heap some atsara on the chicharon, take a bite and marvel at the explosion of flavors; perfect foils indeed.

Obviously, one does not have to travel all the way to Pampanga to enjoy this. It can easily be enjoyed at home with your favorite chicharon from your usual suki or purveyor and papaya atsara.  Wash this down with an ice-cold bottle of beer and revel.

Binulo Restaurant is also worth visiting for their other Campangpangan dishes.  Try their Kare-Kare, Horno, Fried Hito with Buro and Kuhol sa Gata.  Next time you happen to be in the Clark Area or are driving northward, Binulo is worth the stop.

Binulo Restaurant
Bldg N6410 MA Roxas Highway
Clark Freeport Zone, Philippines
Tel +6345 4992238

Kefseft, an unusual name, is Japanese dairy company that produces fresh non-homogenized milk, fresh soft cheese and yogurt. Their products hail from a farm in Santa Maria, Bulacan. I wanted to consume all three at once, but that would’ve ended badly. I took a swig of the milk, a nibble of the cheese and half of the yogurt since it was really for my breakfast.

The milk (P90) swirled around like a smooth and creamy beverage. It didn’t taste like fat at all, unlike commercial milk. It tasted so clean and the cool temperature of the milk was such a joy to drink in this sweltering heat.

The cheese (P120) is light and creamy as well, I quickly dreamt of it tossed into a summer salad of lettuce, arugula, cherry tomatoes with a hint of a lemon and olive oil dressing.

The yogurt (P50) had a flan texture to it, I expected this to be the creamiest one but it wasn’t. It was still good, not too tart with a few lumps and some whey.

I’m glad my dad found them in the Sunday market. I know where I’ll be getting the next dairy fix.

Kefseft
Tel. 0916 381 3846
Email. Kefseft@gmail.com

Kefseft Facebook Page

I chuckled while browsing through the Team Manila shop in Rockwell yesterday. And though upon research this limited edition t-shirt line was launched late last year, the concept incorporating an unusual and unexpected Pinoy brand remains pretty fresh. Too cool to be left unnoticed; at least to those in the know of Mang Tomas‘ goodness. I remember the sweet-spicy-garlicky liver based sauce being marketed simply as “lechon sauce” in it’s early years. Filipinos usually drown their (Tagalog-style) lechons in sarsa so its pretty typical that it gets wiped out before the pork does. And so comes in the “need” for the Mang Tomas to supplement. And also to make that “paksiw” of the remains the day after the feast so they don’t spoil.

But ever since Filipinos started using it on everything from chicharon, fried fish, lumpiang shanghai, in adobo bases, french fries, poured on top steaming rice and even as a spread for bread, among others, I suppose NutriAsia decided to just label it as an “all-around sarsa”.

And now Mang Tomas’ Warholian mug is now cheekily plastered/immortalized/iconicized on some hip graphic tees and tote bags. For a nation of food lovers, this will definitely tug at a few heart.

Mang Tomas X Team Manila Shirts available at Team Manila Stores in Rockwell, TriNoma & SM Mall of Asia.

Mang Tomas All-Around Sarsa available in groceries everywhere!

*Photo credits go to NutriAsia and Team Manila

The dinner consisted of several courses, all of which are Dedet’s family favorites. Between bites, each course was carefully explained by Dedet to the guests , gives us a story of how she learned to make lechon.

It took her 6 years of waiting before being able to attend a lechon making class using a pugon (hearth oven). A class takes place just once a year; with the classes not usually pushing through because of lack of students. (It just takes 5 students to open a class.) But Dedet was so determined to take the lesson one year that she enrolled her daughter’s yaya (nanny) just to fill the slot and persistence finally got her what she wanted.

The first lechon she created for public consumption was the lechon stuffed with binagoongan rice. Funny how all the guests gasped when we found out that it was not part of the evening. Nobody complained after we learned that we were going to consume 4 lechons for dinner. If that wasn’t rich enough, the courses between the lechons were just as lethal. Like the Pinoy Carbonara; a cream based pasta topped with crushed chicharon!

We had the following for the night: Pinoy Lechon (lechon de leche stuffed with spicy sisig rice). German Lechon (lechon de leche stuffed with roasted garlic and potatoes). Chinese lechon (lechon de leche stuffed with chestnuts and machang style rice). And the French lechon (lechon de leche stuffed with truffle infused rice).

Each lechon had the same crisp skin and tender meat, some guests even recorded the sound of the knife cutting through the skin. The idea of an all in one stuffed lechon is brilliant, but customers may ask to order the lechon just on its own. The lechon can stay crisp up to 6 hours.

This has got to be one of the best dinners put together. It lasted for almost 4 hours; despite the amount of food we had, it was paced well. The guests got along quite well, too. Private dining is increasingly popular these days, and this one is not to be missed. It’s intimate and the perfect setting to gather friends together.

Lechon Degustacion at Pepita’s Kitchen
Magallanes Village, Makati City
Call (02) 4254605 to reserve a table.