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.

Weekend errands...Food Galore

La Lola Churreria 

I've stuffed my face again with enough food that can actually last me till the next weekend.

I had to be at the office last Saturday because I was skipping work Monday, so to reward myself for working over the weekend, me and Jill decided to brave the long lines of Pablo at Robinson's Place, Ermita.

It took us an hour to give our orders, which was actually one cheese tart per person, and another 45 minutes to actually get our orders.  We may be masters in long queues, but we found it too absurd to just stand there.

Pablo

Both of us were so hungry so Yabu's the perfect choice, with unlimited of everything...From rice to the cabbage to soup to its dessert.  

I ordered the Menchi Katsu Set...It's minced pork and cheese...what could go wrong with that?hehehe...

After filling our tummies with the goodness of Yabu, we went back to take our orders from Pablo.

Good thing i was full because it took me 3 hours to go home to Pampanga on a Saturday night.  Painful! Traffic really sucks the life out of me...

When I arrived home, mom prepared a mini-buffet for her "hard-working" daughter.  There's Kare-kare, Swam Mais (Corn soup), and Daing na Bangus.  Seriously, I'm not even sure how I was able to eat all of it.

Sunday, my sister had to fly to Ilocos in the afternoon so we had an early lunch.  Again, mom outdid herself.  However, it's all healthy food, like fried pork belly and ginisang labanos. (that's vegetables)

On Monday, the parentals decided to tag along to my whole day of running personal errands.  

So, i felt bad for dragging them everywhere, I decided we should have lunch at Ramen Nagi.  We ordered Black King, Butao and gyoza.  However, my uncle and his partner called and invited themselves for lunch.

Black King Ramen

I'm not sure how they seemed to still be hungry.  So we hopped in to the neighboring stall, which was J.Co Doughnuts...

Sorry I wasn't able to take a picture of the doughnuts and assorted coffee we ordered because honestly, I was really surprised how these senior citizens can eat more than I can...

I need some to start my cleansing diet after this weekend's stuffing!!!

Oh well, atleast I got to spend some quality time with my parentals...

Excited for Pablo's arrival

Pablo in Dotonbori (taken during my trip to Osaka)

On September 15, Pablo will open its first store in the Philippines, at Robinson's Place Ermita, Manila...

I am so looking forward to it... I've waited years for Pablo to finally make it to Manila...

I'm a sucker for cheesecake; but Pablo's cheesecake is worth every calorie it brings to the body...

It's soft, melt in your mouth gooey goodness can make you finish the whole thing in one go...

I was in Osaka, Japan when I had my first Pablo... I had to share it with my friends because, seriously, it's that good...

Pablo is named after the famous painter Pablo Picasso as its CEO Masamitsu Sakamoto would like to achieve a work of art when it comes to his cheesecakes...

There are two kinds of cheesecake at Pablo; rare and medium... Rare is when your cheesecake runs all over the place as soon as you slice into it; while the medium one is firmer... I seriously don't mind...I choose rare, I choose medium...

My friend Jill was teasing me that I'll probably line up as early as Thursday for its opening on Friday... I told her, I'm used to long queues...hehehe!!!

Pablo is being brought to us my the Sunyen Corporation... They plan to put up more Pablo branches in the coming months... Good thing they decided to open it first at Robinson's...it's near my work place... Trust me... Pablo is worth the long line and probably the added lbs...

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... :)

chuvaness X nbs

This is NOT about food... But I feel like I need to share this with you guys because I'm pretty sure you'll like the stuff you'll see from this latest National Bookstore collaboration...

I got a message from Ms. Cecile Van Straten, also known in the blogging world as Chuvaness; inviting me to attend the launching of her collaboration with NBS, aptly called #chuvanessXnbs... Ofcourse the asnwer is a YES...in a heartbeat...

Just like Chuvaness, I love to travel... I have this rule, if time and budget permit, I need to travel atleast every six months... Traveling relaxes me...and I travel within the budget...However, I do tend to pack more than what I need... So, I'm always on the lookout for things that can make my traveling life simple and hassle free...not to mention, lightweight too...

Chuvaness' line for National Bookstore is god sent to travelers like me... 15 things that are essential for "travel, gift giving, organizing and personal indulgence."

The launch was held at the Mega Fashion Hall at SM Megamall... #Chuvaapproved, we were welcome by super good-looking male "assistants", ready to take pictures and model for you... There was also a dj playing house music, free-flowing drinks, and yummy food await the guests... (sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the food, was busy drooling over the line, trying very hard to control my urge to buy everything)...

I fell in love with these gift wraps... FYI to my friends and family...My birthday's coming soon, please wrap your gifts to me using these...I prefer the brown one...It's so cute... 

There are two sizes for the Chuvaness X NBS tote bags... small and large...The small is too cute..But, I super love the large one coz, you know me...I have my whole house in my bag... 

Disregard the handsome guy holding that red clutch... They have round clutches too... The pouches are nice... You can turn them into make-up kits, wallet, or gadget organizer...

However, I went gaga over the notebooks and notepad... The notebook is so chicka...like seriously, you can turn it into a travel diary... or just your everyday notebook... As an editor, I like to scribble things when inspiration hits me...I prefer writing it in notebooks/notepads instead of the notepad in my cellphone... Call me old school, but I appreciate the smell of newly opened notebooks, and the silkiness when your pen hits the paper...

A shoe bag... Now I dont have to wrap my shoes in towels or put them in plastic bags...

Chuvaness' vision and personality appear in each of the items in her line.  In her blog, she mentioned that she really wanted to do a collaboration with the country's premiere book, school and office supply store... With the help of her friends, graphic designer Yodel Pe and illustrator Keeshia Felipe, her dream is now a reality...

Of family affairs and good food

Denlim's Kitchen

Denlim's Kitchen is the "IT" restaurant in Pampanga since early 2015.  What's neat about this place is that it's not even a real restaurant, just a part of a house wherein they put up a massive chunk of table with Den Lim (owner) cooks in front of his guests.

Reservations here take a while.  So if you plan on having dinner here in December, I suggest you better make a reservation as early as, last May?! 

My sister set up our reservation, i think 3 months in advance.  Her boyfriend was coming in December, and she wants the family to have a formal meal before we send him off to San Francisco again.  (This is my long-overdue post regarding our dinner)

I already mentioned in my previous blogs that I don't easily get amaze by high-priced food...especially if it's Filipino cuisine... Just coz I know how to cook it, therefore I have high expectations about it.  "mahal" doesn't necessarily equate to good food to me.

Our menu for the night:

Bread and Spread

The bread... I think it was ciabatta and cheese pimiento.  Each guest gets one bread, fair enough.
Because I don't think i'll stop eating them and end up spoiling my appetite for the rest of the meal. The spread, argh!!!i'm a sucker for cheese pimiento...Den told us that it's your typical cheese pimiento dip, I'm like in my head "I dont think so!"...

Mussels in white wine and garlic oil

Some people would shy away from eating mussels at night.  However, my family, especially my sister, loves mussels.  These mussels are plump... They tasted fresh, like fresh out of the ocean.  The white wine reduction combined with the garlic oil, just perfect.

Pasta Aglo Olio

I'm a certified chef, if I haven't mentioned that in my previous blogs, well, i'm saying it now.  Some dishes, the less the ingredients are, the more I'm afraid of cooking them.  Take this Aglo Olio pasta, each chef can tell you that they have their own version of this dish.  It's simple to make, with what, around five ingredients only?!...But I tell you, not all have perfected this dish.  It's a matter of a perfect blend of the olive oil and garlic.  This one, one of the best Aglo Olio i've had in recent years.

Oriental Cashew Salad

This is definitely my favorite!!! It's so refreshing.  The picture do not give justice to it.  As they say, in food, your eyes eat first before your mouth.  You get satisfied aesthetically, with all the vibrant colors from the vegetables; then you bite into it and its like you're eating a garden.  The bell peppers, lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, peanuts and cashew...I can just go on and on...

Classic Chicken Roast

If you want your guests to enjoy their meal, always have chicken.  Chicken is like a staple in every meal we have as a family.  Whether it's fried, roasted, b-b-q, that's how much we love our chicken.  So, my sister decided to order the classic roasted chicken.  It tasted sweet.  I had to make a double, triple bite into it because I thought it was BBQed, but it's roasted. I assumed there's some aged balsamic vinegar involved in marinating this dish.

Shrimp Scampi

This I had to order rice. Hehehe!!!We were all trying to control ordering rice because there's just so much food in the table, we thought, skipping rice will lessen the guilt.  But I just couldn't help it.  This dish deserved rice.  Well-cooked shrimps sauteed in garlic, a little bit of butter and olive oil, and a splash of white wine, reduced to perfection.  #ricepamore!!!

Broiled Salmon and asparagus in dill cream

My least favorite dish of the night.  Maybe because I'm already nearing my limit or just because I like my salmon plain.  I couldn't fault the caramelization, but it was too sweet for my liking.  The dill cream was too overpowering.  I couldn't really taste the dill, the cream was just too much.

Pugon Liempo Wrap

OMG!!!This is the bomb!!! The star of the night! The queen of the dessert!!!It was ssssooo good!During my days at the kitchen, I always look forward whenever we use the "pugon" (oven) because food tastes better. The crackling on that liempo was to die for.

The combination of the liempo, with the bitterness of the ampalaya and the buro (fermented rice) was just too heavenly for words.  The ampalaya and buro cuts down the umay factor from the fat of the liempo.  We were all quiet when this was served.  Bring in the rice cooker please!!!

No dessert at Denlim's Kitchen, so you're allowed to bring your own.  The food is pricey, that I can tell you.  However, if you plan on splurging once in awhile, consider Denlim's Kitchen. Don't think of it as putting a premium on what you eat, but it's the experience of having good company over some good food is worth that dent in your wallet.