My Madrid Fusion Manila 2017 experience

To attend Madrid Fusion is a dream that I wasn't sure I could ever achieved... Honestly, I've always thought that it will just remain a dream...Coz, how am I gonna go to Spain? This isn't just an Asiancountry where I can get away without needing a visa... This is freakin' Spain... 

However, the Food Gods must be on my side because this month, Madrid Fusion Manila happened. Yes, it's not the same as the one being staged yearly in Spain, but "beggars can't be choosers", right...Besides, Spanish men peddling wine, Jamon, Cheese and Olive oil...what more can a girl ask for?

This year's theme is "Towards a sustainable gastronomic planet", and features the Philippines as a culinary destination.  And yes! If you have attended one of their regional lunches during the said summit you'll know that the Philippines is abundant with not just great food but talented chefs who can create and deconstruct Filipino cuisine while promoting what is indigenous to us.

Tasting the different food that each region can offer, I realized that the Philippines should be more than just Jollibee's and Adobo's.  The world needs to get to know us... Need to eat our food...and explore the dishes that our regions offer.

Aside from the many seminars and talks featured in the three-day event, I was more interested in exploring what the Philippines and Spain can offer.  I feasted not just on the yummy samples, but the Spanish-speaking men, promoting their products.  My Spanish is rusty, and my cousins always say that i butcher the said language, but still... They understood me and I kinda understood them too... Hey! Food, wine, cheese is universal! 

Aside from the food, I also got to meet well-renowned chefs...and ofcourse, felt proud with our own Filipino chefs who, not just proved that our food is world-class, but people all around the world recognize them as some of the best in their field.

Met up with Chef Gene Gonzales of Center for Asian Culinary Studies, Chef Claude Tayag of Bale Dutung, Chef Margarita Fores of Chibo, Chef Rob Pengson of Global Academy among others.  Trust me! I dont normally get star-struck, but with these chefs... I get tongue-tied all-together.

Also, had the chance to interview Michael Lopez, the first-ever Filipino maestro cortador of Jamon Iberico in Spain.  Cool, right?!

Madrid Fusion Manila 2017 is definitely one for the books... oh and before i forget, I was at the venue when the 5.6 magnitude quake hit Luzon on Saturday.  It was scary, but people were calmed as we made our way to the exits.

Spanglish, what?

Sorry not being able to update in awhile... I've been working non-stop...and yes, not to brag about it but, I was chosen as part of the media who will be covering the Miss Universe coronation night... If I would've known sooner, I wouldn't have dared touch that extra slice of chocolate cake in our fridge during the holidays...

But enough about that.  Let me tell you about my experience at this tex-mex restaurant in Clark, Pampanga.

Spanglish represents the food they offer, a combination of Mexican and American/Texan food... My sister loves it here, so I decided why not.  My only rule was, I dont wanna end up smelling like the food I ate when i leave the place...

The interior of Spanglish is unique.  There were colorful chairs and tables, but not too overpowering in the eyes... Just enough to liven up the mood.

I'm a sucker for cucumber drinks, and since I'm having mexican food, which i consider heavy, I need a light drink.  We ordered Cucumber and Pink lemonade. Dont worry, the mason jar's red, but the drink itself is a lighter shade of red.

The Buffalo wings were not swimming in sauce, which is how we all prefer it.  The sauce at the bottom was just enough to dip your chicken just in case you need that extra kick.  You can have it in mild, sweet, and spicy.  Ofcourse, we went for the mild.  Don't worry, the mild still has the hint of spice in it.

Quesadilla... This is a little bit disappointing coz I expect it to have more "laman."  I know we ordered cheese, but there was no oozing of the cheese when you bite into it.  It's taste reflected on the picture, bland.

Chimichanga plate.  This one I enoyed... Like seriously... It was so good.  The rice is a little bit on the dry side, but the meat wraps made up for it. I like that they were not stingy with the olives.  I love olives...

Come with an empty stomach if you plan on ordering the Beef, Beans and Cheese Burrito.  I'm telling you, when they served this, we were like "Ok, this one will do...for the three of us." That's how intimidating its size was.  The flavors inside though were another thing.  It's melt-in-your-mouth goodness.

There was no room for dessert, even though I would've loved to try their fried ice cream.  Maybe next time.  I'm sure, there will be a next time.

My disappointing experience with Kuya J's

photo credit: ebusinessfoodies.wordpress.com

It was our usual Sunday brunch.  We didn't wanna go anywhere far because of traffic and we're actually too lazy to even dress up, so decided to just pick a restaurant inside SM Pampanga, since we have plans of doing some shopping afterwards anyway.

I picked Kuya J's...I've heard some good reviews about this Filipino restaurant and since it was relatively empty when we got there; we thought, "ok, why not?"

Mom wanted Crispy Pata... Sister said she tried the dynamites here once and she liked them, and dad...well, dad will eat anything...

So, we ordered Crispy Pata, Kare-kareng Bagnet, Pinakbet and Relyenong Talong... The Dynamites I asked them to serve first. (sorry, i forgot to take pictures of them)

We all loved the Chorizo Dinamitas... They're sweet, not too spicy but definitely had some kick into them... The mayo dip wasn't too overpowering...but even without it, you can still enjoy the dinamitas.

Then came our entrees...

Pinakbet

Why would you waste such fresh vegetables?  Seriously, the sauce, which was supposed to be infused with bagoong was way too bland... (walang lasa)... the vegetables were well-cooked, with still a bite into them.  I just dont like how the calabasa (winter squash) were so thinly sliced... are you kidding me?

Relyenong Talong

We were wondering what's inside the talong aside from the meat? Definitely it's not cheese, but it's creamy and it was well-incorporated with the meat.  We suspected it was mayonnaise but we couldn't ask the waiters, coz by the time we started eating, the place is slowly getting full.

Kare-kareng Bagnet

Kare-kare is my all time favorite dish... I can eat it everyday; I like it with pork knuckles, I love it with ox tripes, with oxtail, with seafood, with pork belly, or even with just vegetables....That's how much i love Kare-kare...So when I saw that their Kare-kare has Bagnet, argh!!!order it!!!

Disappointed will be an understatement!First, the good part: The bagnet was well-cooked.  It was crispy, not too oily...But even that couldn't save this argghhh disappointing dish.  The peanut sauce, there's nothing peanut-ty about it.  The moment they served it at our table, when I saw the color of the sauce, I didn't say anything, but I knew then that I wouldn't enjoy it.

My mom didn't even touch it.  She settled in with the other food on the table...

Crispy Pata

This was the saving grace of our meal...aside from the Chorizo Dinamitas.... It was "sarap to the bones" (shoutout to Max's)... The balat was so crispy and yet the meat was tender.  Having two senior citizens, they didn't complain about eating the pata... Actually, they ate most of the Pata...It was well-seasoned.  You dont need the toyo-sibuyas-sili...it's like, "one more rice pa kuya!"

My sister before we ended our meal, ordered the baked scallops... I thought I took a picture of it but apparently, i was too disappointed with the Kare-kare that I just ate in silence...

But the scallops weren't bad.  They were delicious actually. the velvety texture of the melted cheese, hint of garlic and butter, oh cholesterol...

Would I want to eat again at Kuya J's?  I dont know... Maybe just an order of Crispy Pata for take-out.  But who knows, there are other dishes on their menu that I would still want to try.  Let's see...

Not the same Pablo in Osaka

Pablo Cheese tart

Me and my friend braved the lines at the first-ever Pablo cheese tart, to open in Manila at the Robinson's Place, Ermita a few weeks ago.

Ever since finding out that the Suyen Group is bringing in Pablo, we got so excited because we have been craving for it since our trip in Osaka, Japan last year.

Pablo caters to all cheese-lovers out there. Named after the famous painter, Pablo Picasso, Pablo's cheese tarts are always freshly baked and you can have them either rare or medium.  However, in the Philippines, only the medium cheese tarts are available.

Pablo offers the regular cheese tart, chocolate, and matcha green tea.  They also have the premium cheese tart wherein the topping has a sort of texture like creme brulee, with caramelized sugar on top.

Their prices almost match the ones from Japan, including how they look.  Even the smell is intoxicating.  We were like a few stalls away from the Pablo store itself and yet you can already smell the sugary-goodness and the smell of something good being baked inside the oven. I've always loved that kind of aroma.

Finally, after being in line for almost 40mins, we were whisked to the Pablo stall itself.  Part of the Pablo experience is watching the bakers prepare your cheese tarts. It was fun and I started salivating already.

I was in my own world here.  I honestly can stay here and just watch them do this forever.

Look Ma...My own kind of show...

When I brought home the tart, I had to put it in the fridge and chilled it for a few hours.  I like it firm and gooey in the middle.

However, I was disappointed.  It's not the same as the one we ate in Osaka.  There's something missing from it.  The cheese custard is not the same.  I know it's supposed to be airy and light, but the custard we have here is almost like foam... Seriously, even the tart shell was too soft.  I like it flaky and buttery at the same time.

I really wanted to try the Matcha flavor one, but maybe I'll have to wait for the lines to subside.  It's not the same as Osaka, but, I guess it'll do for now.

When old friends meet...great food follows

photo credit: Chili's Facebook

The last time I met my college friends was like 2 years ago...One of them, Joan, was not even pregnant then with her first child, now she's pregnant with her second... When Candice said she wanted to meet us, we all agreed immediately... She's a very mobile girl, so when she says "Let's meet up", you grab that chance...

We all like to eat... So a much-anticipated meet up requires good food...we all decided Chili's is the choice... Greenbelt 5 was not exactly crowded on a Tuesday brunch, so it was easy finding a table...

Me and Candice were famished...so we immediately ordered Texas Cheese Fries and Calamari...

Calamari

Loved 'em Calamari... They're crisp, well-seasoned and that splash of lime, just brightened up its flavor...

Texas Cheese Fries

The cheese was kinda burnt on this one... but the fries were still good... It was definitely loaded with bacon...and yes, Bacon is always good...it's like one of the basic food groups...hehehe...yeah, next to nutella... I'm not sure what's so "texas" about it coz all I saw in our sizzling plate was burnt cheese and fries drowning in bacon...

Santa Fe Chicken Quesadilla

I'm not sure what's off with these quesadillas? I mean I ate at least two...that I'm sure of, but the taste was off... I couldn't figure out if the chicken was grilled coz the pita they used tasted like a thick version of a regular cracker... Like walang lasa...sorry...Im a fan of quesadillas, so this one was a total disappointment...

Cilantro Pesto Pasta-seared shrimp

Oh...this one...worth every calorie...good thing it's cilantro and pesto...hehehe!the cilantro and pesto side of it makes me forget the guilt that it's drowning it cream...but still, the seared shrimps were cooked to perfection...plump...and tasted fresh...not those that came from the freezer...well, I dont exactly expect that they came fresh off the market, but...yeah, you know that i'm trying to say...

Chicken and steak fajitas

Sorry...didn't really use the tortillas that came with it...Oh wait, I think Joan did...but she's pregnant so she had an excuse... We on the other hand, just paired it with whatever was on our plate... I ate mostly the caramelized onions...ssssooo good...and the green peppers, argh!!! just imagine, a piece of the well-cooked steak, with some caramelized onions and green bell peppers, one bite of perfection! oh...that hint of lemon, sealed the deal!

I wasn't able to take a picture of our dessert... Actually, it was Candice who wanted coffee, but Malou declined coz she said she already had a cup during breakfast...and me and Joan couldn't have one...so she decided to get skillet Chocolate cookie with vanilla ice cream... yep! with all that food, we still managed to squeeze in dessert...

That fresh from the over chocolate cookie was the perfect ending to our long-overdue meetup... So soft, moist...just the right amount of chocolate chips...

Eating at Chili's remind me of my time when I was with my extended family in New York... and now, it serves another purpose... Till our next food escapade... :)

Healthy eating for a change

The Wholesome Table

It has been awhile since we ate at The Wholesome Table.  We were invited during its soft opening at Estancia Mall in Pasig City.  This was like ages ago.  Hehehe!I just decided to write a review about it now, since I started food blogging.

One thing that I first noticed about this restaurant is the feel of it.  It was so homey, very chic-country.  It's as if the moment you enter the establishment, everything seemed "healthy."

I have no idea what the restaurant was all about.  All they said was that it caters to healthy eating.

We ordered most of its best-sellers.  We're 4 in the table and we ordered food that could feed atleast 8 persons.

We had crispy calamari, carrot-pumpkin soup, greek-salad, Buddha bowl, Gambaretti arrabiatta, Pork chops, Chicken parmegiana, and for dessert, Tiramisu and creme brulee.

Crispy Calamari

I'm a sucker for crispy calamari.  I don't like it when they're saggy or overly coated with flour.  The one they served us at The Wholesome Table were actually piping hot.  I remember vividly because as soon as we're done squeezing some lemon on those tiny little suckers, I almost burned my tongue as a try munching on them.

But because my tongue has high tolerance of stuff like that, that little burnt did not hamper me from enjoying the rest of the calamari.

Carrot-pumpkin soup

When they served this at our table, I had it returned to the kitchen.  It was not hot at all.  If they specified it in the menu that it will be served room-temp, i would've understood, but since it was not, I had to send it back.  The redeeming factor of the soup, was its creaminess.  It looked heavy, but really, it's not.  It was properly seasoned and the carrot and pumpkin mixed perfectly.

Buddha bowl

This is definitely worth going back to The Wholesome Table.  The thai coconut curry sauce was a welcome approach, as it complement the brown rice underneath of the goodness on top of it.  The pea sprouts, peanut brittle (yep, they're crunchy sweet) balances the sweet, savory of the dish. Make sure to squeeze the lime before you mix everything. It makes a load of difference.

Pork chops

My friend was quiet when her dish was served. We thought she was just admiring the glaze of the balsamic vinegar over her chops, turned out the inside of the chops were not properly cooked.  It was still bleeding. (a NO-NO for pork and chicken dishes)  So again, we had to send it back.  Good thing the servers were nice and accommodating.  I guess because it was their soft opening, most things were still "forgivable."

Greek salad

Who doesn't love Feta Cheese?! With fresh greens, tomatoes, sunflower seeds, cucumbers, and grilled chicken is a meal in itself.

Gambearetti Arrabiatta 

I honestly don't remember the taste of this.  All i know was that it wasn't swimming in sauce, which I prefer since it's tomato based.  The pasta was also aldente, as per my friend's description when I asked how her food was.  It looked appetizing and the bacon, oh well, there's bacon involved...it must be good.

OMG!This was something we didn't expect to taste good but hands down, one of our favorites from the food in our table.  I'm not sure if i can actually give justice to the fries with just mere words; but they're really good.  They were served hot too. (plus points)

The Chicken was perfectly cooked.  And the sauce, there was no rice on our table so I couldn't scoop it up and enjoy it to the fullest.

Tiramisu

Don't be fooled or get yucky when they serve this dish to you.  Looks definitely can be deceiving and this one, with the shavings of chocolate and the hint of coffee on the lady fingers---Am I even in a healthy restaurant? Coz I wouldn't mind eating 2 or 3 servings of their Tiramisu.

Creme Brulee

They could do better with this dish.  I had expectations for this dish coz I really thought that since it's healthy eating, they could have done something else...or put a twist to it.  I haven't been back to The Wholesome Table, so maybe the already tweaked some of their dishes, and hopefully they did something with this one.

I wasn't sure why I dont have a picture of my drink...but i remember ordering Be Pure... hehehe!I know it doesn't fit me, but it was refreshing.  I actually liked it. I'm a little bit wary of detox juices coz my friends have serious issues with them, hehehe... but with the drink i ordered, it didn't taste like i was drinking fruits and vegetables.