Fish & Co.

Article Source:

                   http://yedylicious.blogspot.com/2009/08/fish-co.html

One thing I like about Fish & Co. is the way they prepare and served their food in a simple and straight-forward manner.

Order Fish and Chips and you will be served a generous portion of both fish and fries in a hot pan on a fish-shaped wood, then you can feast your hearts out. Though simple, one should not be deceived, as the freshness of the fish served accompanied by the equally tasty and crispy fries is definitely to-die-for.

And since they have introduced their new varieties of fish and chips the first quarter of this year, there is no reason for us to pass on having to experience the new choices.

The varieties of flavor available are India, Japan, Malaysia and US-Philadelphia. And since I'm a cheese lover, I ordered for the US-Philadelphia variety.

It may look like the usual fish on a pan that they served but once you take a bit on it, you would be happy to know that it is oozing with right amount cream cheese that des not over power the taste of the fish. It was such a Fish-tacular experience.



Also, we tried their Seafood Pizza and we were not disappointed as well. There is generous seafood topping which are very tasty and the crust of the pizza is made of pastry-like dough, meaning it is not thick, so you'll get to enjoy the taste of the toppings rather than just the dough itself (i'm not a fan of thick crust pizza).

The Fish and Fries will cost you 200+php, but it can be for sharing because the serving is big.

We also must not discount the fact that their food servers are very accommodating while the ambiance is very homey and comfortable (air conditioned smoking area, and yes, there is a wi-fi) It is really worth the price you are paying.

FOOD 4 THOUGHT: ITALIANNI’S ZITI

Article Source:
           http://www.fab4online.com/food4thought.php


"Eating is a family art in Italy. Surrounded by food and wines of the country, births are announced, weddings are performed, and anniversaries are celebrated. At Itallanis restaurants we bring this passion to each and every item in our menu, authentically prepared with finest and freshest ingredients. "

Don't you just love paydays? Everyone does but more so us Makati Brunch Clubbers. It's a day when we can splurge and eat to our stomachs' content at any restaurant in Makati.
This payday, we went Italianni's at Greenbelt 2. (Actually, we were craving for the Japanese food at Yaku at the Somerset, but due to ongoing renovations, that review would have to wait until August.)

Smoked Salmon Pizza
Before anything else, forgive us for the pictures of the half eaten food we ordered at this Italian restaurant in Makati. The only excuse we can give is that we were so hungry we totally forgot to take photos. Anyway, because of the sashimi cravings, we decided on the Smoked Salmon Pizza and it was good. Not great mind you, I found the crust too chewy for my taste. I tend to like my pizzas with a little crunch in them. (If you guys are looking for an Italian restaurant in Cebu, try La Tegola Ristorante! The Parma Ham is yummy!) .

The smoked salmon was satisfying, with the many flavors ‐ cheese and dill, among them blending very well with the fish.
Baked Ziti
The baked ziti of this Italian restaurant in Makati was fantastic. Italianni's baked ziti was very good; the meat and sauce was delicious. It wasn't flavored for the Filipino preference of sweet tomato pastas. A little dash with Tabasco sauce and it's perfect. The Italianni bread looked yummy as well but I'd have to get Lean's take on that since she was the only one who had a taste. Italianni's serving size is perfect for two. Maybe three if you're not too hungry. With the pizza, one serving was enough for three girls.

Fridays

Article Source:
         http://www.metrorestoreview.com/reviews/2009/07/13/fridays/

Another great place to have a good western meal is TGI Fridays.  One thing I really appreciate when I visit TGI Fridays are the antique memorabilia hanged on the walls, it makes you feel like your in another place and another time. The restaurant is kid friendly as they provide color and coloring pages to keep the kids busy. Lamps are used to light each table, and the aircon is cold enough to keep the restaurant cool. There are TV screens on different sections of the restaurant to keep you entertained while having your meal.

For pasta lovers, the Cajun shrimp and chicken pasta is a must try dish at TGI fridays.  Fettuccine pasta is used in thick creamy spicy alfredo sauce, with red bell pepper in cajun butter and parmesan cheese. The pasta noodle is cooked al dente with lots of chicken and shrimp pieces in it. The dish is very tasty, serving size is just about average for the price. Price at P535.00.  However, eating this pasta dish on your own will bloat you easily, this is just perfect for sharing. I give this dish a 5/5.

baby back ribs with barbeque sauce

Another best seller from  TGI Fridays is the Baby back ribs.  Served with barbeque sauce and french fries. The meat is very tender and you do not need much effort to separate the meat from the bone.   Indeed, one of the best ribs i’ve tasted. The fries has too much salt though but its not much on an issue.  Taste for this dish is very good but it is a bit pricey for its category. Price if half slab P595.00, full slab P990.00.

apple shake

For the drink, we had Apple shake price at P150.00. Rich apple shake served really cold, perfect for kids, its healthy and refreshing.

strawberry iced tea

We also ordered Strawberry iced tea price atP125.00, you should try this iced tea. Best if served with lots and lots of ice. Its like strawberry candy in liquid form. And the taste is not too sweet at all.
Overall I give TGI fridays a 5/5.  Price is a bit high but good food is what you get.

Eating Indian: Queens of Earthly Delights

Article Source:
           http://www.tableforthreeplease.com/2009/10/eating-indian-queens-of-earthly.html

I don’t know much about Indian food.

Foodie friends knowledgeable in all things Indian believe that you cannot have an authentic meal in Metro Manila. Only an invitation to an Indian household would come anywhere near a true Indian meal. Sadly, those are few and far between. So I am left with only one other option, dining out.

You would think that with Indian food being a world cuisine and with an ever-growing community in Manila, an Indian restaurant should be in every area of the city. Sadly, you would be wrong. There are a few, mostly concentrated within the central business district of Makati.

After a little bit of discussion, my friends (the same ones who said you couldn’t get a decent meal) relent and provide me with a short list of restaurants to choose from. With my friend M in tow, we decide to have lunch at the oddly named restaurant called Queens Crystal Garden.

With its Chinese-sounding name, muted golden interiors and floor to ceiling windows, one cannot be faulted for thinking that it is a Cantonese restaurant. But it isn’t. While most perceive Queens to be an Indian restaurant, its menu says otherwise. The first part of the menu is a hodge-podge of Southeast Asia cuisine: Malayan, Indonesian and even (if memory serves) at bit of Chinese thrown into the mix. The other part of menu is all-Indian. Queens calls it Asian Fusion. I call it hedging their bets (a manifestation of buffet mentality, perhaps).

When it comes to the ways of Indian cuisine, M and I are relatively ignorant. So we do what any customer faced with a menu of unusual names and unfamiliar dishes would do, we ask the waiting staff. But faced with congenially sincere and yet uninformative responses (such as “Sir/Ma’am, everything is good”), we are left to rely on little crowns (this is Queens after all) marking restaurant recommendations on the menu as guides.

Having tried our fair share of Indian breads, M and I decide to try something unusual, the Naan Pudima (P110). Naan, a flat bread baked in the heated sides of a tandoor oven, is fairly common in most Indian menus. But what makes our order unique is a thin layer of finely minced mint leaves baked into crust. Crisp on the outside and yet pillowy soft on the inside, the Naan Pudima with its minty aftertaste was the perfect foil (and utensil) to the spicy dishes that were to follow.

The rest of our dishes arrive at the same time. The Paneer Makhaniwala (P300) is a dish of firm cubes of white cheese cooked in a fragrant stew of tomatoes, cream, clarified butter and chilies. A regional specialty of Kashmir, Rogan Josh (P420) is mutton slow stewed in a deeply flavorful masala sauce with saffron and yoghurt. Lastly, the Reshmi Kebab (P350) are cuts of chicken breasts marinated in a ‘homemade’ spice rub and quickly grilled on a skewer in a tandoor oven.

We absolutely enjoyed the rich, intricate layers of flavors of the Paneer Makhaniwala and the Rojan Josh. But what truly was as delectable surprise was the Reshmi Kabab. The generous cubes of chicken breast (a difficult cut to cook) were perfectly grilled. Tender juicy and yet thoroughly cooked through, the chicken had just enough piquant kick to keep things interesting. My only issue with the meal (which was no fault of the restaurant) was that we should have not been such wimps and opted for dumbed-down spiciness. Asking for “Medium hot, please.” was a mistake.

I don’t know much about Indian food. I do know what enjoy eating and I love the delights of Queens Crystal Garden. But next time, I’m going to ask them to bring on the heat.

Bollywood

I had a lunch buffet at Bollywood, Greenbelt 3 in August 2006.  Found the photos in my archives.  I’m craving for Bollywood right now…

It was around PHP545++ that time.  Even if the Indian food had a commercial taste than authentic, I loved it!!!  I stuffed my mouth with loads of samosas, tikka, curry, kofta and thier soft naan…

New York Fries and Dip

Article Source:
            http://www.btads.co.uk/new-york-fries-and-dip/

(To the reader: Do know that as I am typing this, I have just swallowed my last piece of fries with the cheese dip I bought from NYFD. Yummy.)

New York Fries and Dip (NYFD, or simply New York Fries) is perhaps my favorite choice among places where you can get fries because of their extensive choice of dips available. I’m pretty biased as well because they have my favorite dressing of all – the honey-mustard dip. Their fries are cut thickly, and their dip isn’t too salty and is really tasty (although I’d like a bigger serving of the dip – it’s way too tiny for me), plus they use canola oil for frying their fries – not the healthiest oil option (EVOO, anyone?) but the best-tasting option for deep-frying those thickly-julienned potatoes (try frying with EVOO – I love EVOO, but I don’t like its strong taste for my fries) – which places these fries in my list of perfect snacks.

It’s amazing to know that it was a young entrepreneur who started the NYFD business in the Philippines. Before NYFD entered the picture, there were two types of places you can get fries: the cheap fries you can buy from the sidewalk vendors, with little servings and powder coatings (artificial flavors!) to flavor the fries, and of course, the fast-food chains, like Jollibee, McDonald’s, and KFC. Of course, having grown up in Canada, he must’ve been used to having more than just the regular fast food choices, so he brought his idea here and now NYFD has grown tremendously as a chain. Hopefully they add more to their sandwiches and fries, and to their choice of dips as well, in the near future.

Whistlestop is Back! Open 24/7 since 1977

Article Source:
                 http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/awesome/2009/02/whistlestop-is-back.html



After closing shop in 2005, Whistlestop is back to reclaim its 24 by 7 Comfort Food dominance and proclaim its culinary heritage since 1977.

For Gen X-ers like me, Whistlestop was like a second home, especially if you found yourself hungry at 1 in the morning. A lot of people cried when Tina Serna decided to migrate to the US and eventually shut down all the operations of Whistlestop in Manila. For 4 years, we were left at the mercy of 24x7 restos like Northpark chains (which I stopped going to) and more recently, 24x7 Jollibee and McDonalds chains (which cater to the call center crowds).

The memory of Whistlestop is like the memory of Ninoy Aquino -- only those who are 25 years oldand above can remember them. Both of their stories invoke nostalgia and we need to tell those stories for the new generation to experience them.

Armed
with the promise to bring back Whistlestop to its glory days, Lex Ledesma (of Nami Boracay fame) and Dennis Gan (of Oyster Boy Fame) reopened the first branch of Whistlestop along Jupiter Street last Chinese New Year. They recruited back 3 of the original chefs of Whistlestop -- one with 24 years, one with 14 years, and the last one with 11 years of experience cooking for Whistlestop. They are now the head chefs, with each one leading an 8-hour shift in Whistlestop.

They opened with a one-page menu list versus the original 8-page menu. On each table, there is a survey sheet, where you can request for your favorite dish if it is not included in the opening menu. If they get 5 independent requests for a dish, they will include it in the new menu. The most requested ones are the steamboat soup and the pork/chicken sates.

I was used to the "cowboy ambiance" of the former Whistlestop. This new branch is intended to be a train station stop in London (where the restaurant got its name), with an old world and nostalgic feel. Old bottles of softdrinks and milk are used as table centerpieces and accents in the PX store.

Monggo Soup with Chicharon (P195 + 10%SC).
My mom remarked that this monggo soup is just like the soup we cooked at home. Most of the food at Whistlestop are familiar and bring up nostalgic images of your childhood. Usually, they are on the oily side and border on the unhealthy end of the spectrum.

Goto Arroz Caldo (P110 + 10%SC).
We love this Arroz Caldo stall in SM Makati called Jose Goto. We would not be surprised if they just ordered take-out from that stall and served it in Whistlestop. This is what I like about Whistlestop -- the food is familiar and yummy, without any pretensions.

Morning Heavyweight Corned Beef (P160 + 10%SC).
This should be called Morning Heavyweight Hashbrown because I can't even taste the corned beef. I can't remember what we used to order for breakfast in Whistlestop...

Chinese Broccoli with Oyster (P135 + 10%SC).
Even with this healthy attempt to serve vegetables, you can see the broccoli swimming in oil. But it is yummy, I'm not complaining...
After a drinking session, you would need the oil in your stomach to prevent a hangover in the morning. (This is a good justification to tell yourself...)

Hainanese Chicken Rice (P195 + 10%SC).
Absolutely yummy! I like the rice with the moist taste of the chicken broth, together with the chicken and a dash of soy sauce, ginger sauce and super hot sauce. In fact, we ordered two of these.
The serving size in Whistlestop is good for one person. It would feel bitin if you tried to enjoy the dishes in a family-sharing style.

Nasi Goreng (P165 + 10%SC).
This is more like the Bagoong Rice that we are familiar with. I'm not sure why it is called Nasi Goreng.

The Whistlestop PX Store was the first 24-hour convenience store in the Philippines in the '70s. There is a mini-PX store inside the present restaurant to commemorate this heritage.

The dessert line of Whistlestop is boring (and not part of the original menu), so Aidan and I just feasted on the Curly Tops, Chocnut and gelatin available in the mini-PX store for free.

Whistlestop 24x7 Since 1977
28 Jupiter St. (Between Fiamma and Starbucks) 
Telephone number: 8961989.
Note: It is easy to miss it because the signage is a bit hidden and the lighting is a bit dim. Just keep your eyes peeled for its easier-to-spot neighbors.


Live an Awesome Life,  

 

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2009. 

blog: www.OurAwesomePlanet.com

prof. blog: AntonDiaz.com

mobile: +63917-LOVEOAP (5683627) 

email: anton@diaz.ph

P.S. What's your favorite Whistlestop dish?

Wines and Spirits 101, according to Ralph's

Article Source: http://www.businessmirror.com.ph/home/life/19575-wines-and-spirits-101-according-to-ralphs.html Life

Written by Tet Andolong

Thursday, 10 December 2009 16:20

THERE are no better people who can talk about wine than the Josephs of Ralph’s Wines and Spirits. They are the leaders of the local wine industry. Everybody in the business knows the Joseph brothers: Ralph, the second of four siblings; Bobby, who is the eldest; Ronnie; and Raymond, who is the youngest. The Philippine Wine Merchants (PWM), which is the Josephs’ 34-year-old wine import and distribution company, remains one of the country’s biggest players in the wine industry. Ralph’s wine stores now count 18 branches nationwide. The first Ralph wine shop was established on Tramo Street, Pasay City, in 1975, within a compound where Ralph’s office is also located until now. The other nine branches are around Metro Manila, with the other eight branches strategically located in Boracay, Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Davao, Subic and Clark. Aside from their wine shops, Ralph’s also holds the concession rights to over 100 stores that include WalterMart and Robinson Supermarket, among others. All these networks make PWM influential in the industry. According to Ralph, “A bottle of wine is about 86-percent water. A vine does not usually produce grapes for winemaking until the third year. Making wine is a very long process that begins from picking, sorting, pressing, fermenting, filtering, aging to bottling. The three types of wine are still, which is table wine; sparkling, wine with bubbles; and fortified, wine with added grape alcohol.” There are ways to wine appreciation, according to the Josephs, including appearance (the color or shade of a wine may tell its age, grape variety and the intensity of its flavor); nose (nosing a wine may give an idea about its character; certain aromas may reveal a wine’s taste and its flavors); and, of course, taste (when its true character, body and balance of flavors are revealed). The popular grape varieties are the whites such as the Sauvignon Blanc and the Chardonnay. The Sauvignon Blanc’s appearance is pale yellow with shades of green; its nose is grassy, herbaceous, with citrusy aromas, and its taste is light- to medium-bodied, with a refreshing acidity. The Chardonnay’s appearance is light golden yellow; its nose is apple, pineapple and toast, and its taste is medium- to full-bodied, with hints of apple, pineapple, butter, toast, oak and acidity. The other grape varieties are the reds like Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. The Merlot’s appearance would be medium red; its nose is replete with ripened fruit aromas with hints of oak, and the taste has a smooth texture with soft tannins, red berry, raisins and plums. The Cabernet Sauvignon’s appearance is dark garnet red; its nose has the aromas of cassis, plum and blackberry; its taste full-bodied, tannic, with hints of cassis, chocolate and tobacco. The Shiraz’s appearance is dark garnet and purple; its nose is raspberry, plum, blackberry, pepper and spice; its taste is full-bodied with raspberry, blackberry, pepper, herbs and high tannins. There are three types of wine-bottle shapes and they are the Riesling, Burgundy and Bordeaux. The popular Old World wine-producing countries are Austria, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Romania and Spain. The popular New World wine-producing countries are Argentina, Australia, Chile, New Zealand, the US and South Africa. “It takes an average of 100 days between a vine’s flowering and the harvest. Besides tannins, red wine contains resveratrol, which in medical studies has been associated with anticancer properties. A bottle of wine is made from between 600 and 800 grapes [24 lb]. One grapevine produces five bottles of wine yearly, and there are around 240 bottles of wine in a barrel,” Ralph said. The Josephs promised to teach us how to read wine labels, what glass to use with which wine, and the different champagnes next time we bump into each other, which is something to look forward to. Or maybe we’ll just visit one of their stores for wine shopping this Christmas and get some more winetasting down.

Sentro 1771: Contemporary Filipino Cuisines Reviewed

Article Source:
• http://www.letsgosago.net/2009/04/sentro-1771-filipino-cuisines-review/

Sentro's Corned Beef Sinigang

Dining at Sentro will remind you of your favorite Filipino dishes that nanay (mom) or lola (granny) used to cook for the family dinner table. And being Pinoy at heart, Sago was excited to check out what’s cookin’ at Sentro 1771.

Sago @ Sentro

So together with four foodie friends I moniker the BAND (Brian, Az, Noemi, and Dine), Sentro 1771 in Greenbelt, Makati City underwent palatable analysis.
We mostly ordered their signature dishes to verify the classification. It included Rated GG, Catfish Sentro style, Corned Beef Sinigang, and the new Crispy Drunken Shrimps.

Honey Garlic Pork Spareribs

Honey Garlic Pork Spareribs P350
 The menu said: “Really tender grilled pork spareribs.” Really take it word per word, especially the first two. Or the knife was just really sharp; but I think it’s the former.

Rated GG (Galunggong)

Rated GG P230
 GG is short for Galunggong fish (Makarel/Big-Bellied Round Scad). Although the galunggong recipe is common in Filipino homes, Sentro’s Rated GG is a five-piece galunggong fillets fried in garlic, oil & topped with browned garlic. It is one of their signature dishes but I find it just ok. And since it’s fillet, it’s easier to eat in comparison to the usual home-style.

Catfish Sentro Style

Catfish Sentro Style P350
 The catfish fillet is glazed with Japanese ponzu sauce (sweet-sour-soy). I’m not really sure what a Japanese ponzu sauce is, but this catfish, or ‘hito’ in local terms, was a sure surprise for me. I didn’t know catfish can taste that good. It certainly tastes much better than how it looks like.

Sentro's Corned Beef Sinigang

You can actually have your catfish cooked in another style other than “Sentro style,” you could have it as “Adobo flakes” (P350) where your catfish is cooked like adobo in vinegar, native garlic and turmeric (luyang dilaw). It is then fried with the garlic until crisp. I have to try this next time.

Corned Beef Sinigang P420
The Filipino cuisine is never complete without the tamarind broth. Sentro’s Corned Beef Sinigang is one of those to be sought with in their menu. It’s a mix of corned beef short ribs (the real corned beef) and boneless shanks with native vegetables. A Sentro original and the best one of the night.

Sentro’s Bagoong Rice (P280)
We had the Bagoong Rice for our staple. The menu says “A meal in itself,” and I would have to agree! Rice fried with garlic and bagoong (shrimp paste). The serving size is good for sharing with a friend or two. It comes with a generous serving of grilled Macau chorizo slices, beef tapa and some omelet strips.

Sentro Bagoong Rice

I am not much fund of anything with bagoong, but I didn’t mind this one since it was mild. Moreover, I would just have to say that the sliced grilled Macau chorizo is very good. They could make a totally new dish out of it! Again, let me repeat that, the sliced grilled Macau chorizo is very good!

Sentro's Bagoong Rice with Sago :)

Lastly, this article would not be over without mentioning the bottomless Sago’t Gulaman drink (a Filipino concoction) just for Sago. I missed to take note of the price though.

Sentro's Sago't Gulaman w/ Sago :)

In summary, Sentro is known for innovating and reinventing home grown Filipino dishes, and interestingly taking “lutong pinoy” a notch higher. We (Sago & I) highly recommend and give our thumbs up for Corned Beef Sinigang, Catfish Sentro Style, and definitely the Bagoong Rice.
Surely, we’re coming back because there’s a lot more in their menu to try and discover. We’re already eying the Sizzling Tofu, Fish Mimosa, Sentro Roast Chicken, Tomato Kesong Puti Salad that looks too good in the photo of Sentro’s website, Kare-Kare, and the Catfish Adobo Flakes.

Sentro Interiors

One of the BAND members even noted that we missed the Australian Lamb Caldereta (P450) in the menu, having seen it too late.

Sentro 1771 in Greenbelt, Makati

Sentro is the modern Filipino cuisine arm of the Chateau group of restaurants. It is located at the 2nd level of Greenbelt 3 in Ayala Center, Makati City. Tel 7573940. Mobile number: 09178660449.
Await next month’s review on two of their new offerings: the Stuffed Squash Blossoms and the Crispy Drunken Shrimps.

See more details about Sentro and the Chateau 1771 Group of Companies here. Also watch out for Sentro 1771’s second branch cooking soon in Serendra,  Bonifacio Global City early May.

___________

And now you can enjoy their delicious food at the comfort of your own home!

Sentro 1771 is now offering Quick Delivery, call 757-5555