January 2017 Archives - Between Bites - Bites of Food, Travel and Lifestyle

Kam’s Roast Opens in Manila

June 18, 2018 by Janey

Remember before the world wide webs when people ate food and didn’t need to tell everyone about it? If Kam’s Roast makes its way to Philippine shores, the joy just jumps out of you and it is more than necessary to share the joy and tell everyone about it.

Owing to Filipinos’ love and curiosity for food, Manila is rapidly becoming a melting pot of world-renowned and Michelin-star restaurants. Known to passionately offer exciting dining concepts to Filipinos, FOODEE Global Concepts brings another international favorite closer to local foodies by opening the first Kam’s Roast restaurant in Manila. FOODEE Global is known for bringing in Tim Ho Wan, Tsuta Japanese Soba Noodle, FOO’D by David Oldani, Todd English Food Hall, Pound by Todd English, among other successful restaurant concepts.

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Mesa Filipino Food Moderne

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I broke out of my hermit shell, which I’ve been living in for a while and showed up at the Grand Opening of Kam’s Roast at the Mega Fashion Hall last June 15. I first tried Kam’s Roast in Hong Kong in 2015 and left the restaurant delightfully pleased. Coming from the family behind Yung Kee Restaurant, which I absolutely love and made it to my must-eat every Hong Kong trip, it boasts of a culinary heritage that spans 75 years. Third generation Hardy Kam founded the 4-year in a row awarded Kam’s Roast goose in Hong Kong. He was present at the event last Friday, together with Robert Chua, a prominent TV and movie producer in HK with a proven track record in successful food concepts.

Kam’s Roast Hong Kong

Poised to be this country’s go-to roast place, the dining destination is best known for mouth-watering dishes such as Kam’s Roast Duck, Suckling Pig, and Barbecued Pork. Each recipe is made from the freshest premium ingredients, delicately prepared to bring out the flavors and textures the restaurant has become famous for.

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Pilsner Urquell Night at Nikkei Rockwell

March 19, 2018 by Janey

No working during drinking hours! A well-extended Happy Hour was right over at Nikkei Rockwell last Wednesday evening as they introduced Pilsner Urquell Night. How can anyone think about the stresses of work or business when unlimited round of Pilsner Urquell beer is available for less than a bucket.

Last March 14, 2018, corporate crowds and friends huddled their groups at Nikkei restaurant in One Rockwell to experience the world’s first pilsner. Pilsner Urquell is crafted in Pilsen, Czech Republic in 1842 using traditional methods and ingredients: soft Pilsen water, Saaz Hops and barley from Moravia. This is the birthing place of the first golden pilsner and they have never looked back. They continue to make one of the world’s best bottom-fermented beer and now it’s making its rounds in Manila circuits.

Pilsner Urquell’s pilsner is fresh, clear, and refreshing with a hint of caramel sweetness and fragrant, balanced hop bitterness. Unlike most lagers that give away most of their taste profile at the front of the mouth, Pilsner Urquell teases your with hints of flavors but only develops eventually in the middle, with a clean finish and balanced aftertaste. Take the first sip and let it bring you to the subtle malty sweetness with caramel undertones and continue with the earthy fresh bread aroma hinting at hops and honeysuckle then completed by that familiar bitterness of hops.

From 6 to 11 PM, folks experienced the world’s first pilsner for only Php 799++ and to top off enjoying an unlimited round of Pilsner Urquell, it came with a well-crafted plate of 5-pc sushi rolls from Nikkei. Every succeeding order of the 5-pc sushi rolls were only priced at Php 99. What a steal right. If you have gone to Nikkei in their first branch in Rada St. Legaspi Village, or in Rockwell Center, or in their newly opened one in Podium, you know exactly why this was also a happy hour of sushi.

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Charlie’s Pritchon, Memorable Food, Memorable Moments

September 14, 2017 by Janey

17 August 2017, I saw myself driving to Open Space in Makati on a Thursday evening braving the traffic to gather with my friends who love good food as much as I do and of course, whenever there is mention of lechon, how can anyone resist?

Them I love to see

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Take this, not only is the suckling pig, carefully and beautifully roasted, then rested, it is also deep fried with the right heat and equipment for that distinctive flavor and texture. It’s just too clever to resist.

The famous crispy suckling pig from the only original, Charlie’s Pritchon.

That evening, Charlie’s Pritchon and Pedro Brewcrafters held a dinner featuring their original Pritchon served with 5 sauces and their other mouthwatering dishes paired with a selection of Pedro artisan beers.

Just the mere sight of the lechon leaves you weak in the knees, I tell you.

But the way the service crew prepared and served it made the experience truly a crave-inducing memory. Matching the drinks was the star of the show, Charlie’s Pritchon in pita pocket wraps, drizzled with your choice of traditional liver sauce, hoisin, honey mustard sauce, white garlic or the garlic aioli, and the chili Tagalog (soy chili). There were four Pedro craft beers available for the taking (and pairing) namely, Endless Summer Wheat Ale, Procastination Pale Ale, Elementary which is an English Ale and the Wandering Wonderer, India Pale Ale.

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FOO’D by Chef Davide Oldani at ShangriLa Fort

February 24, 2017 by Janey

Chef David Oldani finally opened his first restaurant outside Italy and it is right here in Manila at the Fort. His restaurant in Milan, Italy is a 40-seater dining area that’s awarded with one Michelin star. That restaurant has an 8-month wait list. Getting reservations at FOO’D (pronounced as fu-do) by Chef Davide Oldani here isn’t any easier, making me wish I went to their invite almost a month ago instead, but it’s good to go on your personal time too. A week or so prior reservation is good enough though vs. months of wait… and sometimes the stars align and somebody suddenly scores a last-minute booking (just a day before).

Cucina Pop is a taste of Chef Davide Oldani via a 4-course tasting menu. It’s also his concept of making premium quality food available at an accessible price. There is a 3-course menu priced at Php 800+ but I recommend that you take the 4-course at Php 1200+ and then a few upgrades. That’s what we did.

On the Table

Antipasto

Cipolla Carmellata

Caramelized Onion, 24 Months Aged Granda Padano Gelato, Grana Padano Hot Cream

Caramelized onion wrapped in a caramelized pastry with grana padano gelato and cream. It’s a fire and ice appetizer since it incorporates both hot and cold elements in a dish. The sous chef went to our table and explained the dish. It had to be eaten with everything combined in one bite.

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Primo

Cacio E Pepe

Spaghetti, Horseradish, Lemon, Pecorino Romano, Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

Very light pasta dish that I can only describe as a taste of summer. It was a good primer before my choice of entrée was served. Reminds me of Mamou’s Lorenzo’s Pasta without the truffle essence.

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Samba

February 22, 2017 by Janey

Pick a good wife, and you’ll die a happy man. Pick a bad wife, and you become a philosopher. I don’t think Neo has become a philosopher so am guessing this guy is pretty happy. He messaged me about wanting to surprise Gina, his wife and my college best friend in DLSU, as post-celebration of her birthday. Both are based in Dubai now since Gina works for Emirates Airlines. Last I saw Gina was in December when they were both in Manila to celebrate the holidays. I was so excited since in less than a month I’d be seeing her again. It’s hard to have LDF – you know, long distance friendship. Neo gathered the troop, Arezu and King (we are missing Fay since she lives in Irvine, California) and a date was set.

January 27, 2017 – we initially picked out Foo’d Restaurant by Chef Davide Oldani or 212 to host our dinner but since it’s so hard to get a reservation, we ended up at Samba in Shangri-La Fort instead. Not a bad second pick. In fact, it was such a great dinner I have returned twice since then.

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The two who really pursued law and actually finished it.

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Appreciate this one being really early

and helping me out in dressing up the dining room for Gina <3

They have a private room for bigger groups that want some well, privacy. I do enjoy however their al fresco area situated near the hotel’s pool, especially with the cool Manila breeze these days. The Samba bar and terrace area remains open until 12am from Sunday to Thursday and 1am from Friday to Saturday. Samba is an authentic Peruvian restaurant headed by Peruvian Chef Carlo Huerta Echegaray.

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What is Peruvian fare? It’s the result of more than 500 years of immigration and the integration of Spanish, African, Chinese and Japanese influences with native Peruvian culture. The very origin of what fusion cuisine is all about.

On the Table

Ceviche Limeno Php 525

Shrimps, octopus, scallops, calamari, lapu lapu, red onion, coriander sprouts, tobiko, leche de tigre

They practically let me order all of the dishes. I guess friends do trust each other, especially with things as important as food. We started off with something light, Ceviche Limeno. Leche de Tigre or tiger’s milk is the Peruvian term for the citrus-based marinade that cures the seafood in a ceviche that contains freshly squeezed lime juice, limo pepper, and cilantro. The raw seafood included mainly red snapper fillet, and chunks of shrimp, octopus, scallops and calamari which were cooked by the acidity of the lime juice. Refreshing.

Anticucho de Camaron Php 600

Grilled prawn skewers, honey rocoto chimichurri, aji limo pepper, sautéed potatoes

I actually ordered the Anticucho de Pulpo but I think the wait staff decided the camaron was better and did an override of my order. I’d like to think it was an honest mistake and didn’t raise it up anymore. It was okay but our mouths were looking for the Anticucho de Pulpo.

Pisco Perucho Php 400

Campo de Encanto pisco, Mancino blanco, fresh lime juice, homemade pandan syrup, fresh thyme

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The cocktail culture of Samba is inspired by South American classics which is an exotic mix of concoctions that are mostly fruit-based with tequila or rum. Since it is fruit based, it’s right up my alley since I don’t like strong liquor tasting drinks. Right here, you feel like in a vacation. At Samba, they feature cocktails from different parts of the region – Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, and claro, Peru. All three ladies enjoyed this cocktail.

Brazilian Moqueca de Camarao Php 750

Malagueta chili powder, lapu lapu fillet, seafood, coconut milk, extra virgin olive oil, cilantro, white rice

The flavors have to build up dish after dish and the Brazilian Moqueca de Camarao surely didn’t disappoint. Moqueca is a Brazilian fish stew made with various kinds of seafood, simmered in creamy coconut sauce, tomatoes, onions, garlic, fresh cilantro, palm oil, with coriander garnish and plenty of sunshine spice! This seafood casserole had a fragrant coconut broth that was quite hearty.

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Tomatito, BGC Fort

February 13, 2017 by Janey

Tomatito hails from the Shanghai original, which is a sexy tapas bar from the El Willy Fun F&B Group (by Chef Willy Trullas Moreno) who in partnership with the Las Flores-Rambla-La Lola-group opened a Manila branch located in BGC Corporate Center at the Fort. The inspiration comes from traditional Spanish bars of the 80s fused with contemporary approach to food and design. Walk into Tomatito and feel the upbeat vibe resonate from the dining room to the dishes.

Monday plans were up in the air but traffic was very cooperative to get me home from work in 23 minutes, pick up my trusty camera and head out for dinner in Tomatito. Since dinner was sorta last minute, wasn’t expecting to get a table but BK managed to make reservations and grab at least bar seats for us. I didn’t mind at all since I like the bar area half the time since there’s more action there, you’re sitting up more alert, with a higher vantage point due to the bar stools. Best part, it’s a cinch to order drinks and cocktails. If the bartender already knows you, then a slight nod is enough.

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Tomatito is relaxing and fun, has that funky young vibe but menu is seriously well-thought out. Their cuisine focuses on typical Spanish tapas presented creatively modern while retaining authentic flavors. Tomatito has a wide selection of Spanish wines and classic drinks like Sangria or Tinto de Verano.

On the Table

Salmon TNT Php 595

Explosive balik smoked salmon with honey and truffle… BOOM!!!

Hands down my favorite of all of the items we ordered. The perfect “welcome Janey to Tomatito” dish. The salmon was faintly sweet, naturally delicate, silky then grappling with the crunch of the pastry with cream cheese filling. This tapas dish is that foreplay that can get you peaking in no time and exploding in gastronomical happiness.

Filete Airbag Php 325

Cheese and tenderloin steak air baguettes

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Celebrating Peb’s Birthday at Cru Steakhouse at The Marriott Hotel

January 31, 2017 by Janey

Although Pebbles has relocated to Vietnam, she’s been a frequent fixture in the local cable industry scene flying in and out every two weeks working diligently to get the SCRIPPS channels to where they are today – Asian Food Channel is well-distributed in the cabled homes and a brand trusted by media buyers, Food Network created a mark as its own channel vs. being a blocktime on a lifestyle channel before, and HGTV channel was launched and is now a household favorite among viewers. Even before her 8-year stint with SCRIPPS Network Asia, I knew Pebs since we worked under the same division in SKY but different departments for 2 years. I did work with her more closely when she was overseeing SCRIPPS affairs in Manila and I just couldn’t get her out of my hair haha. She’s always been so thoughtful to everyone, from the simplest of things like making restaurant reservations to bringing home different kinds of Royce’s chocolates from Singapore (when there was no franchise yet in Manila) to sending flower bouquets or cakes to SKY or the team when there’s a milestone to celebrate or giving get well notes with balloons or fruit baskets when someone is sick.

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May 18, 2016 – To celebrate her as a person, planned a two-day celebration for her birthday in Manila. The first night was just us three (while missing Brian who was with us in spirit and via phone patch haha) and the venue I picked was Cru Steakhouse at The Marriott Hotel.

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CRU Steakhouse is known for its hand-cut, perfectly prepared steak, usually best accompanied with crisp fresh salads and decadent desserts. At Cru Steakhouse, they work to capture the flavor of quality grilled beef and offer signature dishes like their crab cakes. They also have set menus if you want a taste of everything.

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Certified Angus and Wagyu Steaks are hand cut, carefully prepared and cooked to perfection. Salads are freshly made and desserts can convert you to having a sweet tooth. The centerpiece of this modern restaurant is the flaming grill, sealing the natural tenderness and succulence of the meat at over 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Oriental Palace Seafood Restaurant

January 27, 2017 by Janey

It’s the Happy Year of the Fried Chicken!!! I mean, the Happy Year of the Fire Rooster. Kinda close right? Leave it up to me to still keep thinking about food even if it’s about Chinese zodiacs, fortune and auspicious predictions. Chinese New Year is upon us and if you hit the ground running this year and got so busy to prepare anything for CNY, keep calm and head over to Oriental Palace Seafood Restaurant and Banquet Hall.

The year was 1978 and the Escolta station of the Love Bus just opened, bringing passengers from the bustling commercial centers to Cubao and Makati. In front of the busy station, Henry Chua, a young cook from Hong Kong established a small noodle and dim sum shop he named Wah Yuen (Chinese Garden). It was Henry’s dream to share delicious Chinese cuisine to families in Manila. This same dream was carried on by Chris Chua, Henry’s son, who inherited his father’s gift and passion for good food and excellent cooking.

Fast forward to 2016, Wah Yuen or Oriental Palace’s menu showcases the Chua’s family artisanship in delivering fresh, delicious and authentic Chinese food to their loyal diners. Everyday, Henry would handpick the freshest catch of the day – red, glistening lapu-lapu, scampering crabs and large jumping prawns. To date, the family lives its legacy of spreading the love for authentic, delicious Chinese food through every satisfied guest of the Oriental Palace.

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If you’re still looking for a place to celebrate and welcome the Chinese New Year with a food bang, Oriental Palace Seafood Restaurant is where you and your family should head over.

I recently paid a visit and check out the sumptuous lunch I had that felt like real fortune in my mouth.

On the Table (Special Menu)

Assorted Fresh Scallop with Thai Sauce

Giant fresh scallops covered in Thai sauce and styled with slivers of ripe mangoes. There were a lot of flavor outside but once my teeth sank in the scallops, it still retained its delicateness and purity. It was easily my favorite app on the table.

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Sautéed Prawns with Candied Walnut

Juicy and plump prawns that had a crunchy exterior and drizzled with walnut cream

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Double Boiled Spareribs with Clam Shell in Clear Soup

After two very tasty starters, the soup came in the opportune time to wash our palates a little bit. Calming and soothing, the clear soup was great on its own, with sparerib meat and clams for the bite. It reminded me of Bah Kuh Teh, the Singaporean rib soup that’s boiled for hours and feels medicinal for the food soul.

To keep things fun and interesting, of course there is a bottle of Hennessy cognac lurking nearby. What’s a celebratory feast without a toast to the good times! But other than that, in line with keeping things fun and interesting even for the food, a few drops of Hennessy on the Double Boiled Spareribs with Clam Clear Soup added a sweet personality to the broth. I might have added more than a few drops. But who’s keeping measure?