Between Bites - Bites of Food, Travel and Lifestyle
An appetite for the good life!
We were shooting to dine at Eat Fresh but it’s unfortunately closed during Sundays. The new Mala Tang signage and well-lit interiors made us decide to give it a try. It’s a simple red and black motif restaurant with a well-used small space and interesting decor. It somewhat reminds me of small eateries in Chinatown with the kitchen welcoming you on the right side by the door.
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My first visit at Your Local was a confusion of sorts. After the 9am CCF Service that Sunday, my sister, the baby popeye and I usually hunt down new restaurants to try. The restaurant “Your Local” is in my short hit list, but I haven’t had the chance to go since it’s located in my favorite “most light traffic” place, Makati. I was unusually game to drive to Makati that day, since it’s Sunday, and Waze my way into finding Your Local. My sister was the one helping me navigate through Waze. We finally hit Esteban street and Shobe pointed that we’ve reached the place upon seeing the signage. I parked the car and we entered the door excitedly.
The restaurant was quite spacious with high ceilings to boot. We picked a corner table and settled. I think it was self-service so I went to the counter to order. Perusing their menu, I couldn’t quite grasp why they only have sandwiches and not main dishes. I asked if that’s all they have in their menu and got confirmation. A few moments later, I realized we were not inside Your Local but Yardstick. Mortified, we gathered our things and walked out quietly, but given away by our loudly grumbling tummies. We finally figured that its entrance was inside the building. We went in and wondered why Your Local’s door was closed even after an eager nudge. The building guard informed us that it’s closed on Sundays. Tug-dug-toinks!
One of the things I enjoy during business meetings are the restaurants that our channel partners bring us to. Well, they are mostly hotel restaurants but from time to time, they are willing to research and venture to restaurants outside hotels. I discovered a few based on their research like Anzani in Cebu, which next chance I got, I booked a personal trip to Cebu with CW just to dine there again. It’s even nicer when they insist that I pick the restaurant.
I’ve been back to Open Kitchen quite a few times and have had friends visit also as I have been recommending it a lot lately. I have to say it’s my favorite restaurant in Kapitolyo these days.
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Between Bites Top Ten NEW Kapitolyo Restaurants
During a business meeting over lunch a couple of weeks ago, I opted for Open Kitchen again.
On the Table
Pumpkin Vanilla P140
Vanilla Ice Cream | Soup
They serve a scoop of vanilla ice cream on your soup bowl and then pour the hot pumpkin soup around it. Don’t raise your eyebrows just yet.
You know how some kitchens force creativity just because they want to and it doesn’t make any sense or connection at all? This one is definitely not that.
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The vanilla ice cream’s creaminess and sweetness engage with the pumpkin puree. It’s a lovely fire and ice dish. It’s actually brilliant.
Back to work early on a Tuesday, I wanted to start it right by not skipping meals. Timmy invited out for lunch and since I vowed to make the coming weeks a more balanced life, I was open to maximize my 1-hour break. He picked Calderon since Tanya gave good comments about it and between the two choices he gave me, Calderon was the optimal choice.
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Calderon Cocina Tapas y Bebidas
Between Bites Top Ten NEW Kapitolyo Restaurants
I’ve visited Calderon in their San Juan branch, along Calderon Street in the Jose Abad Santos / Little Baguio area. The other day was actually my first time to visit the Kapitolyo branch but I already know it’s going to be a good lunch.
Sango is not new to me. I’ve visited their first store in the Creekside compound along Amorsolo Drive in Makati back in 2007. They are known for their classic American hamburgers and cheeseburgers with a Japanese-inspired meat sauce that resembles a Sloppy Joe but has a cleaner and richer taste.
I love the movie “I Am Sam” and the fact that throughout the movie, they used cover versions of Beatles songs. One of the songs I love in their soundtrack is Blackbird, which could actually be a song about the civil rights movement.
“Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise.”
Another Blackbird is grabbing my attention and can get me singing all dining service long. Formerly The Library at Ayala Triangle in Makati, Blackbird is the newest restaurant of Chef Colin Mackay of Sala, Sala Bistro and People Palace fame. But prior to being “formerly The Library,” it was “formerly Manila International Airport” back in the day.
The very spot is the same location as the Neilson Tower that’s why the restaurant draws its inspiration from an aviation concept. Even the menu supposedly is inspired by the aviation tower with international flights, carrying European and Asian-influenced dishes.
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There is a bar and lounge fronting the restaurant and a hallway leads you to the main dining area with a beautiful winding staircase as a focal point leading to a second floor for dining and private functions.
There is also an al fresco area which has a second bar outside.
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The view from top will also show that Blackbird actually looks like a motored bird, an airplane-shaped restaurant with a cockpit, left and right wings. There are two clocks on display, one is Manila time and other set to California time. It reminds me of my clocks at home which are set Manila and Paris.
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Hands down, Blackbird has to be one of the top three most beautiful and interesting dining destinations in Manila. If you’re looking for a date place to impress a date or celebrate with a loved one, your layover should be at Blackbird.
On the Table
Grilled Octopus, Cucumber Pickle, Sesame Soy P580
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Flat Iron Steak, Kimchi, Green Onion and Ginger, Lettuce, Hot Sauce P980
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After a couple of busy Sundays and my sister’s Palawan trip, we were back to regular programming attending the 9am Sunday service at CCF Tiendesitas with the tot and hunting down new restaurants for our Sunday lunch.
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As I’ve been scouring the Metro for organic restaurants this year (I want the baby popeye to eat as much healthy and GMO-free food as possible), I decided to check out the recently opened The Farm Organics restaurant at Forbeswood Heights near Burgos Circle. They are quite known for distributing organic steaks and burgers which they supply in different stores. Their fresh-frozen meat products are available at Echomarket in Serendra and Centris, The Landmark Supermarket in Makati and Trinoma, and Gana Vida at BF Homes Paranaque. The Farm Restaurant is very well-liked at their first branch in Alabang Hills which paved the way to open their second one at BGC.
I used to frequent Bellini’s a lot from 2003-2006 with my birthday-mate Paolo G, who also loves a good food trip. That habit continued 2007 onwards since Bellini’s was one of my favorite Italian restaurants in the Metro, alongside Café Caruso, L’Opera, the old Amici in Don Bosco, and Segafredo.
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Café Caruso
Bellini’s who opened its doors in 1999 is already an institution in the Cubao Expo compound, also known as the Marikina Shoe Expo. They have also branched out and opened another one in Marikina. It’s been a long while since I last dined there.
I occasionally stop over to grab a couple of bottles of their in-house sweet wine but it’s been years since I actually tried their dishes. Over the weekend, I was in the area and decided to revisit the old favorite. At Bellini’s, the meal usually starts with complimentary bread sticks but the wait staff will also offer you their focaccia bread (P100) with a serving of olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping.
On the Table
Fettuccine Tartufo Funghi con Prosciuto P400
Instead of fettucine, I had it changed to Linguini. Request for fresh pasta (additional P40) as it can be a world of difference in texture and taste. I love love love truffle, even if it’s just truffle essence. There’s something about it that really draws me in. My favorite is still Mamou’s Lorenzo Pasta, while Chef Du Partie’s tartufo pasta comes very very close second (and you know why), and Cellar’s, Locale’s, and Amoroma (which actually includes black truffle shavings) a good third.
LuLu, it rolls off the tongue easily making your lips pucker up a bit, the word translates to one that is remarkable or wonderful, say “a lulu of a performance!” Even if I don’t say the word, my mouth starts pursing remembering the cuisine they offer with a contemporary variation. Quality is always paramount at LuLu, from sustainable ingredients to excellent table service.
Chef du Patron Tom Hines takes the helm of LuLu’s kitchen, bringing with him twenty years of international culinary experience in London, Hong Kong and the Philippines. He trained in the Ritz Hotel London with Master Chef David Nichols and held positions as Executive Chef Cebu City Marriott, Sous Chef in JW Marriott Hong Kong. Executive Chef Fridays Boracay, Operations Manager of Haagen Dazs Philippines, Head Chef in Wasabi Bistro and Sake Bar, creator, investor and Chef of Lemon café Boracay and now, Chef Patron of LULU Rockwell.
With Chef Tom managing the kitchen, we can only expect to leave happy and satisfied. Also checked their website and they got one of the most awesome restaurant website. Love the menu with the photos.
On the Table
Seared Scallops
In a carrot and pumpkin puree
This was a beautiful starter, a stunner. Scallop was seared perfectly, giving it tender hush of texture in the mouth. I love the subtle meat collapsing in the mouth against the sweet smooth pumpkin puree.
A lot has been said about famous Italian-American restaurant from Hong Kong, Linguini Fini. They have opened this week on the 3/F of Mega Fashion Hall in SM Megamall, the wing where global restaurants keep launching. Linguini Fini Manila is a partnership between The Moment Group, who has birthed successful concepts like 8 Cuts, Manam, Phat Pho and ‘Cue, and Hong Kong’s Homegrown Foods, founded by Todd Darling.
Not that it hasn’t been done in the past but lately there’s been a boom in advocating “organic produce and sourcing ingredients locally” among new restaurants. Executive Chef Vinny Lauria, who provisionally held camp in Manila for a month, intended the Italian dishes to be authentic, from process to quality assurance, but keeping certain flavors slanted to the local penchant. Linguini Fini remains true to its roots yet gives respect to homegrown local ingredients and culture.
The restaurant interior is extremely vibrant, its dining room very spacious with upholstered booth areas, and easy casual tables and chairs for those who like it more open. Walls are designed with street art by Dee Jae Paeste. Linguini Fini has that refined diner vibe, cool and hip yet sophisticated, with refreshing retro pops of color and an ambience of a cheery disposition.
Their kitchen makes everything in-house, from bread, pasta, pizza, soup among other things. Linguini Fini promotes local sustainability using native farm-sourced ingredients as much as possible but rendering global techniques. Your appetite is about to get satisfied.
On the Table
Ananas Panzanella P255
Bread, sundried tomato, cucumber, grilled pineapple, olives, herbs
We started off with Linguini Fini’s Ananas Panzanella. Others may find it unusual for bread to be part of a salad but this works. The glazed focaccia cubes provide a somewhat crunchy exterior but softer inside hitching with the marinated olives, the sweet citrusy smoky grilled pineapples, cool cucumber slices and zippy sundried tomatoes.
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Straccetti di Manzo P495
Seared rare beef slices, artichokes, gorgonzola, arugula, anchovy aioli
Our second anti-pasti was also a beautiful dish. Ever-lightly seared beef slices, almost similar to a carpaccio, paper thin yet beefy, are lifted by the drizzle of peppery anchovy aioli dressing. The chunks of gorgonzola sharpen some of the bites mitigated by the bitter-mint arugula while the roasted artichokes give an interesting texture.
IPPUDO known as one of the most popular Hakata-style Tonkotsu ramen has finally opened in Manila, Philippines. It literally translates to “One Wind Hall,” Ramen King-awarded Shigemi Kawahara went against the wind in revolutionizing ramen in 1985, offering specially crafted bowls in a comfortable setting. IPPUDO Philippines first restaurant is located at 3/F Mega Fashion Hall. It is very spacious and can sit close to 80 guests.
The dining room is divided into the smaller area and the main dining area for bigger groups. There is also a bar fronting the kitchen for those who’d like to eat and run after the last drop of their ramen.
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With IPPUDO opening, it just reinforces that the ramen craze in Manila isn’t over and in fact, would likely to stay for good as Pinoys have given a space for it in the culinary landscape. Numerous folks were very excited with news that the same group behind the tremendously successful Yabu: House of Katsu, pioneer of the Tonkatsu craze in Manila, is bringing Ippudo to the local scene.
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Lugang Café, Love at First Bite
At IPPUDO, each bowl must have a delicate balance of ingredients, broth and finely-crafted noodles. The ramen chef acts as the consummate story-teller in the kitchen, spawning art in every hot bowl. IPPUDO welcomes its patrons with much enthusiasm, knowing that every move from cooking to serving should be choreographed to perfect timing even down to the moment when the staff bids the customer, “…until we meet again.”
Last Saturday night was a family night out. After taking a road trip to Pinto Art Museum during the day and making another pit stop at 14 Four Café in Marikina, the evening was set to be spent with family. I scheduled a dinner and bowling night for the crazy fam.
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I asked Ma if she had any food preference that evening and she said crabs… and specifically said, not with sotanghon, which was how we usually order crabs (or fried with salt and pepper) in Chinese restaurants. With that said, I’ve scratched out basically all Chinese restaurants we go to in our neighborhood, King Crab, Annapolis Seafood and Hai Kang.
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Nestled amid the high-rise towers that pepper Bonifacio Global City, Mecha Uma is located in a seemingly quieter corner of 25th Street at the Fort. Almost hidden, it is a cut-stone requiring to be uncovered. The dining room is minimalist with elaborate wood frames hanging from the ceiling and the open kitchen as the focal point. The setting is comfortably intimate wherever you sit, even if you perch at the bar.
The interior allows the simplistic beauty of the dishes to really shine, same as Sensei Sushi where the background is thrown to oblivion, except for the food that inspiringly stands out.
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Chef Du Partie (CDP) in Rockwell
On the Table
Tuna P255
Coconut, foie gras mousse, roasted pineapple
Diced tuna, fresh and trumpeting with flavors inside a tuile-sandwich. The thin crisp wafer breaks gently exposing a bit of sticky sweetness, citrus, and a dissolving line of richness. The two nutty bites felt like every sense of taste was there, even a nearly imaginary heat. There was a crunch, then the flesh of tuna, the flavors, and instantaneously, a pleasing memory.
Ippudo hails from the ramen capital in Japan, Hakata (Fukuoka), and opened its doors in October 1985. Its popularity in Japan counting 65 branches all over the country made its founder Shigemi Kawahara the Ramen King of 2005. The restaurant has since then branched out to Hong Kong, Seoul, Singapore, Malaysia, Taiwan, China, Australia and New York. This September, Philippines will be added to that list.
Excitement has been stirred up with news that the same group behind the tremendously successful Yabu: House of Katsu, pioneer of the Tonkatsu craze in Manila, is bringing Ippudo to the local scene. Ippudo will join the early starters Tim Ho Wan, Lugang Café, 8Cuts, Osaka Osho, Boqueria and newly opened Saint Marc’s Café in the SM Mega Fashion Hall.
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FIRST SLURP OF IPPUDO RAMEN MANILA, PHILIPPINES
During a business trip in Hong Kong last year, I picked Ippudo as venue for a lunch meeting. We ordered deep fried oyster with wafu tartar sauce (HKD 38), Ippudo’s salmon cutlet (HKD 82), the Ippudo BBQ Pork Buns (HKD 28), Eel Rice in Stone Pot (HKD 68), Ippudo Karaka Ramen (HKD 78) and another ramen which name escapes me.
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Power Plant Mall is one of my favorite malls to go to and it is such an incentive to hang around there or shop when more and more exciting restaurants line up within the area. CDP or Chef Du Partie soft-opened Friday that weekend and we decided to grab Sunday brunch there.
The CDP logo is quite pretty in blue with caricatures of the chef-restaurateurs Malou Fores of Mamou and Recover Food fame, Kristine de Gallego-Locsin formerly of Lu, and Katrina Alcantara-Kuhn of Mesclun and Chuck’s Deli – the pregnant one on the logo who recently gave birth to a bouncing baby girl (congrats!).
I’m a fan of Mamou’s steaks, lorenzo’s pasta and key lime pie while I love Chef Katrina’s sourdough breads and dishes. The three ladies share a love affair for Paris, New York and Manila, a passion for food, wine and cocktails and fervor for life, family and friends and they aim to translate this into this restaurant partnership. “From wine, what sudden friendship springs!”
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Malou Fores and French manager Anne Berges circulated the elegant dining room chatting with the guests. Malou suggested that we try sitting at the bar to have a different experience. I didn’t mind at all since I’m usually game with anything, especially if it’s anywhere nearer the kitchen. It only means distance between the food and I have become shorter. And who wants any degree of separation from great food? Certainly, not me.
The bar displays fruit-infused liqueur dispensers, which they use as base for their cocktails. A gorgeous cheese cart carries handpicked cheeses by Chef Katrina.
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I look around and there’s a lot of design detail put into the interiors. The ceiling has beautiful intricate wood work while gray concrete walls have different chalk illustrations, of which my favorite is the seemingly 3D illusion of a staircase. It could just be me but it makes the room feel bigger.
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The washroom also had a rustic yet stylish chic modernistic draw to it. There’s also an outdoor patio for dining. Overall, the CDP restaurant exudes a rustic elegance and charm clearly of la bon vivant spirit.
Don’t cry for me Argentina, the truth is Manila got La Cabrera too. All through my wild eating days, my mad existence, I kept my appetite, don’t keep your distance. I’m no Evita Peron addressing the crowd from the balcony of Casa Rosada but my cavernous desire for food sweeps a melody of broad emotional themes of keenness and inclination. My arms can go flailing left and right gripped with so much emotion springing from imminent hunger.
Over brunch last month, friends were telling me about La Cabrera. I proposed to visit with my sister a couple of weeks ago but she wasn’t in the mood for steaks so we hit another place instead. Yes, ‘the young and the beautiful’ trumps the older (and flabby) sister.
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An impromptu lunch last holiday Monday found me at La Cabrera. Rich dark woodwork and red brick stones highlight the restaurant interior while the Wild Wild West vibe runs throughout the dining room.
Framed cowboy and ranch photos, a quirky chandelier with kitchen utensils, an old typewriter, a barrel, vintage cameras, film reels, and mirrors complete the decor. Above the bar counter, signed wooden boards by famous guests are displayed.
La Cabrera is supposedly ranked 17th on the list of Top 50 Restaurants in Latin America and I think 2nd in Argentina. It’s a steak-focused restaurant and you know how I love my steaks. That’s why I never became a vegetarian… it’s a huge missed steak!
Move over BF Homes and Tomas Morato-Timog area! Kapitolyo is aggressively becoming a hotspot for foodies especially with new restaurants sprouting in the area. In the last month or so, we’ve seen at least 6 new eating destinations launched there, and at least 6 others in a 3-4 month period. What does that mean for us hungry hounds? The habit of eating (and eating more) is truly unbreakable.
Between Bites has rounded up all the new ones to target.
Between Bites TOP TEN NEW Kapitolyo Restaurants 2014
10. Tomahawk Chops Grill
Menu is very limited with five options for starters, which are onion rings, nachos, French fries, chicken fingers and squid rings, but they know to name the restaurant their strongest suit.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE:
What to Order:
Tomahawk Chop P295
Grilled or fried chops served with rice and one extra side. “Go dirty” rice option is available for P25. The Tomahawk Chop was fairly sized and at least an inch in thickness.
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A couple of Fridays ago, I visited Red Panda again and dinner was made a little more special with Chef Goulding at the helm of the kitchen. It was a ticketed dinner presenting Red Panda menu from Chef Philip Goulding and paired with Manny O wines.
This dining event hosted by Red Panda aimed to transfer knowledge from expert practitioners in the hospitality industry to young and aspiring practitioners of French cuisine. It was also a fund raising event for the DEYTT (Disciples of Escoffier Young Talent Trophy) 2014 at the Restaurant and Bar Show in Hong Kong which will have Philippine delegates.
Red Panda’s Head Chef Donnah Elizalde assisted Chef Philip John Golding during this dinner.
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Chef Philip’s inspiration came from the concept of Red Panda, which is East Meets West where both sides of the world are being celebrated. He designed the menu with the use of Chinese and local ingredients with the application of French technique of cooking.
As most of us would like to escape the dreary repetition of day-to-day routine, I flee to find great encounters of food as a diversion. After a short trip to Tagaytay for some breath of fresh air, the route back to Manila presented an opportunity to explore what BF Homes restaurants have to offer. I’ve been meaning to visit The Girl + The Bull since it has been making the rounds of foodie conversations in the past few months.
It took several turns and a phone call to finally get a landmark and find the place. If you’re traversing Aguirre Ave. from President’s Ave, keep going straight until you go past a traffic light and see a low-rise white building on your right named Casa Alfonso Bed and Breakfast. There is no restaurant signage but printed on the glass door are the words, “Yep, you’ve found us.” You have reached your destination.
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The dining interior of The Girl and the Bull is a living glam rock space of art mainly in black and white motif with checkered flooring. No humdrum moments here as every corner has a modern or creative installation that attacks the visual… which later on I find continuous and uninterrupted on the plate.
A comfort food it has become, I crave for Persia Grill’s Chelo Kebab Combination (P285), 2 skewers that combine their chicken tikka and chicken morg. You can opt to change one for Kubideh or beef but I find their chicken meat the most flavorful and particularly juicy. The grilled chicken breast fillets are marinated with Persian spices and herb.
The spikes of light heat from the marinade are beautiful and complimentary tamed with their garlic yogurt sauce. It comes with a small serving of grilled eggplant that’s smoky and delicious.
Change your long grain rice to Biryani (P40) with deep fried onions for added height of flavor. I love creaming it all up with the garlic yogurt sauce, too much that Edward McCullen will finally be able to resist my beauty.
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Between Bites is a FOOD, TRAVEL, and LIFESTYLE BLOG that AWAKENS an appetite for the GOOD LIFE.
LIVE a HAPPY, VIBRANT, POSITIVE LIFESTYLE!
GET a BITE of FOOD, TRAVEL, gadgets, ADVENTURE, culture, hip trends, music, movie, sports, poker, reading, FASHION, and EVENTS happening in and out of the Philippines.
Eating is a continuous event but in the spaces in between, my time is spent taking photos, traveling, dancing, hitting my drums, having fun, tinkering with the latest gadgets, conversing, writing, boxing, LOVING the people around me, LEARNING a thing or two, and PEDDLING HAPPY DREAMS.
I am…
Animated.
A glam ghost and the biggest dork
A ghetto queen, a jack of all trades
A revival, a reinvention, a rarity, a simplicity and complexity
I am a lover of JESUS!, food, dance, music, rain...
I have my own concoctions you can’t resist
–Magellan needed to discover
I LOVE the heat of the sun on my skin
And the wind blowing my hair
I LOVE wild laughter.
I LOVE making adventures out of the routine
I LOVE the lowest and highest points of my life
I want to build gardens of sunrise and sunsets
I move to the beat of rhythms and base. RnB.
I move to the beat of LIFE.
I move to the beat of LOVE.
I’m every inch human.
READ the 411 on Jane, the Peddler of Dreams, the Biter of Adventures, the Insatiable Traveler! Click HERE.
POP ME AN EMAIL! EMAIL: betweenbites@gmail.com
Majestic Angkor Wat in Cambodia
ME finding roots at Ta Prohm, Cambodia
SKY JUMP, Macau Tower.
Milan, Italy
Colloseo in Rome
Parasailing in Manukan Island, MALAYSIA
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