Late Night Dinner at Small but Incredible Shiok

 

 

August 5, 2010 –The Thursday group attended the Worship Night at VCF Fort.  It was one of the most moving evenings I’ve had in quite some time.  I didn’t know most of the songs sang that night but I just sang my heart away anyway without care if I might have been out of tune (okay not maybe, I was totally out of tune)… I know that when I sing song of praises, the one who sits in the front row of my audience is God. 

 

My heart totally goes out to the ladies who I share this wonderful experience with –PL Marge, Doc Maan, Pearly Shells, Maddie-line, and Poet Rasia (soon, maybe Kennykins?).  I’m giving you each a big squish in my mind right now –redeemable also at Big Bang Studio (tee-hee).

 

 

Right after Worship Night, we headed out for dinner since most were famished.  I suggested Shiok since I’ve been meaning to try it out.  FoodieManila.com invited me a few times to visit with him before but it kept getting pushed back.  Perfect timing that we were at the Fort that night and I was able to invite the Thursday group to grab dinner at Shiok.

 

 

Shiok is a small fast-dining restaurant tucked in the Bonifacio Stop Over area (near St. Luke’s Hospital).  Urban Dictionary says Shiok is a word used to convey a feeling of sheer pleasure and happiness or tingling taste bud.  Even at half past nine, the place was crawling with customers.

 

 

On the Table

 

Roti with Ham and Cheese PHP 75

It baffles me that CW ordered this appetizer because we always have our roti plain, ready to be doused in curry dip.  He obviously enjoyed this variation of ham and cheese sandwich but inside the soft roti as he downed the whole plate on his own.

 

 

Murtabak PHP 85

Pearly followed CW’s suit and ordered an appetizer of Murtabak.

 

 

Roti

Maan ordered roti to serve as her “rice” for her entree (I forgot!)

 

 

HK Luncheon Meat Rice PHP 105

Marge’s order –usually a breakfast treat but noteworthy to enjoy also during dinner

 

 

Nasi Lemak PHP 165

Pearl’s order –Nasi Lemak is one of the more popular Malaysian dishes with a lot of versions (slightly resembles Indonesia’s Nasi Campur).  It’s usually a platter of food with small dried anchovies, peanuts, egg, pickled vegetable or cucumber slices, sambal (hot spicy salty sauce) and accompanied with chicken or pork. 

 

 

Crispy Pork PHP 110

Kenny’s order –pork cuts with chewy meat and crispy fat skin.  Kenny gave a thumbs-up!  He took a few pieces from my Sambal Kang Kung to combat the dryness of the pork.

 

 

Hainan Chicken PHP 245

CW’s order (although I was also eyeing this) –Chicken set complete with Hainan rice and soup as well as the trio of condiments regularly associated with any Hainanese chicken.  CW said the chicken was moist and tender.  I didn’t get to try even a bite since I was so immersed with my curry beef brisket with rice and sambal kang kung.

 

 

Curry Beef Brisket with Rice PHP 200 (Baked with Rice PHP 230)

The baked curry beef brisket with rice is the headliner for me on this first trip to Shiok.  Stewed beef brisket with curry powder, garlic, onion and other spices and chunks of potatoes and carrots.  It’s a creamy and savory dish with a liberal layer of melted cheese on top (with parts that are charred –my exact preference).  It’s quite saucy that it will prompt you to finish your rice.

 

 

Sambal Kang Kung PHP 65

If there’s one delicious dish that everyone agreed with, it’s the Sambal Kang Kung I ordered.  It got quite the attention on the table and despite everyone taking tabs at the leafy vegetable, it never seemed to finish.  It was filling and serving was generous.

 

 

Milk Tea PHP 55

The milk tea was another hit on the table and I almost ordered another glass.  Pearly had horlicks for her second glass.  Shiok’s milk tea wasn’t overly sweet and had enough milk component in it without ruining the tea taste.

 

 

I wasn’t able to take note of the others’ orders but almost all the dishes were wiped out.  The Thursday group was happily satisfied with the late dinner at Shiok, affordable price on scrumptious SG dishes. 

 

 

 

Shiok

0105 Fort Forum Bldg.,

31st and 2nd St, Fort Bonifacio Global City

Taguig City, Metro Manila

 

Shiok Album

 

New Year! Hello 2010!

 

Where did you greet the New Year? 😉

 

 

January 1, 2010

00:00 AM

Bonifacio High Street, Fort

 

 

Right after the fireworks, we went straight to Friday’s.

Full rack baby back ribs, draft beer and Two Oceans charddonay.

Waiting for Chai.

 

 

Former Manila DJ Club

Fluxxe New Year’s Party

Jan. 01, 2010

3:30 AM

 

Start Quote   I will see you later.  I’m wearing a simple white dress by Emilio Pucci.  I’ll match it with black stockings and my vintage loboutins.  I’ll use my new Birkin bag from Tony Boy.  Super and almost no make-up because I’m wearing my oxblood color lipstick, which I got from my last trip in New York.  Wag ka masyado magayos at simple lang ako later.   End Quote

 

Let’s say his name didn’t appear on my phone,

I know for a fact which very very good friend of mine sent me an SMS like that.

 

Glittering. 

Sensational.

Love Misunderstood.

I know.

 

Because I understand him.

That must probably come from getting bitten by him once.

No, it ain’t Robert Pattinson. 

 

Photo S-say:

Foursome Awesome 🙂

 

Kennykins looks drunk?  Looks can be deceiving.  He was wasted 😀

 

Yes, he loves me.  The kinster loves me.

 

Copy furnished (CC): Chai and Chris

 

My Polka Purse

 

Chaifer in Purple

 

Jane: NO, thank you Kennykins.

 

With Chaifer and Kinster

 

…And I do too.

 

 

Friday Night at Taverna Verde and Kenny F.

 

 

To many, Kenny Flake is the name.  To me, Kennykins or Kinster.  Kinster gave me a call 2 weeks ago wanting to meet up.  It’s about time since we haven’t seen each other in months!

 

 

Kennykins and I met up Friday night and off we went chilling at Taverna.  The fashionable Kinster was fabulous as ever, wearing a gray vest adorned by a striking black flower over a crisp white tee. 

 

We both reminisced our frequent RCBC lunches some years ago.  He pointed out that we’ve been friends for more than 5 years.  I didn’t realize that it’s already been that long.  How time flies.

 

Kenny’s making me promise to go to CREAM.  I’m trying to get out of it.

Conditions: only if I can get in for free again and if I lose 10 lbs before Oct. 30.

First one is doable.  Second one, questionable.

Besides, I am so “unlike” Kinster who can whip up gaudy, intriguing and glitzy costumes for a Halloween ball. 

 

Taverna was literally packed to the roof that Friday night.  Guess I’m not the only one who loves the ambience.

 

 

My tummy was acting so weird that after some quality time bonding over our Mojitos, we called it a night.

 

 

Just before leaving, sweet Kenny bestowed me the eye-catching black flower pin I kept ogling at that evening. 

 

 

Kennykins + Janey = Fashion x Fluxxe x Strange Love.

 

Love is love.

 

Taverna Album

Chelsea with Kenny

I haven’t seen my friend Kenny Flake (I love his name) in 8 months!!!  Good thing he called me up two weeks ago to schedule a dinner date with me, courtesy of him.  Is Bubba tagging along?  As Kenny said, “of course that’s expected!” 

chels2

It was a late dinner since Bubba and I came from the Star World American Idol event at Eastwood Plaza, Libis.  Adel sent two invites so Bubba and I went to support her event.  We arrived just in time at around 730pm and it had a good sufficient crowd.  I saw Abe and Jason (colleagues of mine) sitting at the judges’ table.  The hosts of the event were Slick Rick, Sam YG and Tony Tony of Magic 89.9.  One woman from the first batch was able to get 2 answers right.  Same story goes for the 2nd batch where one guy answered two questions to proceed to the next round.  The 3rd batch was a different story as one guy got three correct answers and he answered all the questions without a flinch.  He must be quite an American Idol fanatic or he must have that American Idol Trivia game on DVD that you can conveniently buy from Hobbes or Landes.  Anyway, we stayed until they announced the last three finalists at 920pm.  I wanted to catch who won it but I didn’t want to be late for my dinner plans with Kenny.

idol1

Kenny, who I fondly call Kennykins or Kinster, used to be a colleague of mine in PS.  Interestingly, we grew closer when I resigned from that company.  Five years later, who knew we’d be this close.  I remember he used to drag me to Fluxxe nights at MDC (Manila DJ Club) when it was still open at the Fort a couple of years ago.  We used to have a lot of lunches together when the IT company I worked for before was still located in RCBC. 

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He hasn’t shown much of himself since he started his new work at Henkel, which is some big shot international leader in Finance and Consultancy.  He’s been traveling since he came on board going to New York, Arizona, Philadelphia, etc.  The last time I saw him was when he attended the Nokia Soul of Manila Awards Night in Ayala Museum.  After that, it was only some messages and calls in between.  I was really happy that I’m seeing again after 8 long months! We took that road somewhere in Ortigas that leads directly to Fort which only took less than 15 minutes.  We got there before he did since he was strolling around Bonifacio High Street working up an appetite probably.  I got my favorite seats in the house.  5 minutes after, the Kinster is standing in front of us, a statuesque of magnificence, with black kicks that had orange shoelaces. 

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I was so excited to bring him to Chelsea, since it was his first time to eat here.  He wanted to eat some place else but I insisted on Chelsea.  He knew he wasn’t going to win this.  After all, he had to make up for being an absentee in my life.  He obliged.  Unfortunately though, Chelsea was a total let down that night.   I don’t know if we went so late at 945pm that the cook was ready to pack his bags and go home but the food was significantly different from the last time I dined here (Link: https://www.janedchua.com/2008/04/22/chelsea-as-good-as-ny/).  Since we were so hungry and excited to talk, I came up ordering the same dishes I ordered last time.  Not much thinking involved right?  Squash soup with goat cheese, four-cheese pizza with Arugula salad, and whole rosemary lemon chicken.   

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Four-Cheese Pizza with Arugula salad PHP395++

The crust was not as crunchy and there were barely any mushrooms on the pizza.  But this was way better than the chicken letdown.

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Whole Rosemary Lemon Chicken PHP495++

There were lesser vegetables for sure on the plate than last time.  I didn’t taste the rosemary and lemon at all (unless you actually eat the julienne cuts of lemon –but that’s bitter instead of tangy) and the vegetables didn’t integrate its flavor with the chicken.  The veggies were soggy and didn’t have a bite at all.  The worst part was, the chicken looked overcooked because it was dry.

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Squash Soup with Goat Cheese

It never arrived.  We were halfway through our pizza and chicken when I remembered the soup.  I asked one waiter where it was and he said it wasn’t in the order list.  I checked with the waiter I ordered it too and he gave me a sheepish grin.  I said it was okay since we were almost done.

chels6

It was really a disappointment to bring Kenny here and get this kind of service even from the wait staff.  Wait time for the food was longer.  We enjoyed catching up but it would’ve been a total experience if the food were cooperative.  Before saying that Chelsea’s performance is inconsistent, I have to go back and give it a shot again.  Everyone has at least one bad day anyway.  Even the strongest person has their weakest moment –I’d apply the same respect to restaurants.  I hope to prove on my next visit that inconsistency is not consistent in Chelsea  

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Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/423/08_0426-_Chelsea_Dinner_Treat_of_Kenny   

Star World Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/421/08_0426-_Star_World_American_Idol_Contest