-this last trip in Manila, I made sure I came back to Taipei, FULLY STOCKED on my kind of COMFORT FOODS: 
FLAT TOPS
CHIPPY*PIATTOS*NOVA* BOY BAWANG
Friday, Feb 12th: Little Asia Restaurant to Celebrate my nephew and niece's Feb. Birthdays... Asian Fusion type resto - loved it....
Location: Greenhills...
Loved everything about the place.... yummy food... cool interiors... beautiful mural... service is par excellence... my only complain is the table setting... paper place setting does not suit this place at all.... they could have done better... but that is a minor misstep, as they excel in everything else....
Took my nephew and niece for their BDays.... Just the 3 of Us!!!
Yummy homemade Brazo de Mercedes -- must have eaten it all in two days!!! 
was just wondering tonite why I gained weight and a bit of a tummy this Holiday Season -- though I ate not more than I usually do -- I even did a lot of running around for the wedding this past weekend and did not ge to eat much of the feasts....
I believe I finally figured it out... it is all the sweet treats... home made cakes by David & Ace... cakes from Red Ribbon, Goldilocks & Max's... kakanins from just about everywhere.... and now, SEE's Chocolates all the way from America that my friend sent to me after seeing my XMAS wish list -- boy, how I have missed See's candies (Thanks Keeennnnniiiieeeee!!!! For Making Another Wish Come True!!!)...
For Juliana's second nite (Nov. 23rd) in Manila, I wanted her to experience what I have come to love at Barrio Fiesta... not just the GREAT PINOY food, but the whole presentation.... the Filipiniana Decor, the local costumes, and the fun of seeing the waiters and waitresses get into the act and sing songs while serving or in between servings... a REAL TREAT! ALAS, this was not so on this particular nite...
We opted to go to the Barrio Fiesta in Makati Ave... mainly so I can take Juliana around the newly opened A.Venue as well... which is next block to Barrio Fiesta... We met up with my family around 6:30 and were seated for dinner by 7PM.... Right away I noticed there was no entertainment whatsoever -- so I asked??? Was told that, there's some diners that requested they do not sing till after they are done eating and have left...LOLs?? why bother to go to this place then? Half of the FUN is the whole entertainment Experience....
Well, I spoke too soon... as when the entertainment finally came - it left me sooooo disappointed... two musicians who played for about 15 mins before they were joined by one waiter singing... He was good, I will give him that but where are the others? Why is the entertainment soooo SKIMPY??? I was sooopo frustrated and felt BAD as I ahd already mentioned to Juliana how nice & entertaining this place was... Maybe I should have taken her to the one in PASAY or even the one in MEGAMALL, which we have frequented before and always left us satisfied - both our tummies and our eyes & ears.....
In fairness though, the food was still good -- tasty and very authentic... we ordered Kare Kare, Crispy Pata, Adobo, Pinakbet, Bicol Express... a wide variety and considered staple Pinoy dishes... So at least, on that part -- my hunger for the Barrio Fiesta Experience was SATISFIED!!
For the life of me, I cannot seem to get used to the taste of this Chinese delicacy known as Century Egg. Just as I cannot get used to eating the Philippine's Balut, I pretty much feel the same for this egg... the mere mention of this egg as part of my meal to be makes my stomach do somersaults... I mean I can take the gelatinous part of the egg, but when you get to the center of it, the yolk... ICKY!!! The color alone, charcoal black, is already a turn off when it comes to something you want to put in your tummy... then for some reason, to me, it really tastes like it has been a century in the making - and not not be eaten... But they love it here - so hell, to each his own....
But yes, I do still eat them especially when am a guest at other people's home... it is just the POLITE thing to do... as long as I eat, as little as possible, and the bathroom is close by in case I need to make a run for it...
So when having me over for a meal - PLS HAVE MERCY - no Century Eggs -- bring on the SALTED DUCK EGGS instead!!!
So True, So True what they say about POTATO CHIPS...
I could never get enough of them when I was in school in the US.... then somehow I outgrew them... This was good for my health, not to mention my allowance.... but Man, Oh Man!!! These trips to Manila have changed all that -- go to any supermarkets, corner shops, 7-11 and you will be SHOCKED at the variety of chips offered -- Baked, Fried, etc.... and one will go nuts at the different choices, not just REGULAR, BBQ, or CHEESE flavoured types anymore... now there is Bacon Chips, Spicy BBQ, Steak BBQ, and my personal FAVE Sour Cream" to name a few...
(Samplings of the LOCAL BRANDS of Chips - Piattos --top row- are my FAVE of all the ones available in Manila!!!)
With all these choices, who can ever stop with just one bag???? The craving for these chips have been rekindled... I now find myself stocking up on them each trip, with the excuse that David & I will be sharing them with the other roomies... NOT!!! Instead they are devoured at the movies... at home watching TV or doing work... SELFISH??? Yes, but can you BLAME us??? (^_*)
Pichi-pichi is a Filipino dessert made of coconut and cassava or kamoteng kahoy (Yam), another delicious cake or “puto” enjoyed by many Filipino, especially in parties. This Filipino delicacy was introduced in Quezon province, Philippines.
Thanks to our visit to Sandy's house this past month - we were introduced to the delicious version of made by Arny Dading's (see above photo), already a FAVE dessert of mine - it just became even more so with this version... it is lighter... cheesier... and just the right amount of sweetness.... am pretty sure I ate half of what was there... LOLs!!!
Totally recommended and I cannot wait to get back for more....
One of the things that I could never, ever, give up from my diet has got to be one of the most fattening things there is for me, as well... heck, it is fattening for anyone... but what's a few more km to run, laps to swim, calories to burn when you can enjoy the flavours of cheese... any kind of cheese.....
In my opinion, they are some of the most SAVORY things ever invented to spice up most dishes... from cookies to sandwiches... to cakes to pasta dishes.... I cannot even tell you how many macaroni and cheese lunches I had throughout High School... Okay, even well into my college years.... and then I discovering GRILLED CHEESE sandwiches during one of my late nite, after clubbing food stops with friends... WOW, I was like a PREGNANT WOMAN craving it anytime of the day... and nite!!
Through my travels I have had the pleasure of trying all kinds of cheeses... from exotic ones to unpronounceable named ones -- but the ones I still crave from time to time, and still stock up as much as I can, when I can are the different types of Cheeses made locally by Magnolia, from The Philippines... they are nice and creamy, easy to slice, and made from natural cheeses - so that has to be a good source of Calcium eh... and BEST of all, it brings the familial aspects to me having spent my younger days in The Philippines - where I first discovered, and fell in love with, Cheeses...
Have you ever read a REVIEW about a movie or a restaurant; get excited by it to see or try; then be soooo disappointed??? Sadly, that is just how our LUNCH EXPERIENCE turned out to be with Angel's Kitchen...
The FOOD magazine review talks of fusion and modernizing the Filipino food.... tasty delicious concoctions.... and moderate pricing.... boy it was wrong on all count by our standards....
The ambiance was nice enough... the staff, friendly and accommodating... but the food was not up to par at all... most everything was on the BLAND side --I mean how can Pinakbet Rice not be tasty when you already have sooo many things thrown in there? and this is one of their most famous specialty dish? Mandarin Chicken, was basically friend chicken with some lemon sauce.... and worse, the chicken was cold and dry... only the sauce was HOT!
(Right Photo: Possibly the BEST part of the dining experience for me.)
I really do not mind paying for food but if one has to pay an average of 350.00+ Pesos for each plate on the menu (roughly US$7.50) - the restaurant should really make sure that the food is at least good... even not excellent.... maybe it was an off day for the chef -- who knows? it just made for a very unsatisfying dining experience... and from noticed with the other diners - no one seemed to have a smile on their faces leaving the place... surely, they, like us, did not have a Heavenly Experience!!!
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Angel's Kitchen, San Juan
57 Connecticut St., North East Greenhills
San Juan, Metro Manila
(02) 744-1018
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So this last trip I got to reacquaint myself once again with the HOT PANDESAL -- Filipinos most FAVE breakfast bread - that is just as good at any time of the day!!! It really is a Spanish bread called Pan De Sal (literal translation: Salt Bread).
Growing up, breakfast is never complete without the HOT Pandesal on the table... they can be eaten with slices of cheese, CHEEZ WHIZ (a type of cheese spread), or go even more Native and serve them with Vienna Sausages and some fried fish ( as seen in the photo). As for me, it is just as good by itself and with a strong cup of coffee in the morning or dipped in Hot Chocolate in the afternoon. It's soft, powdery texture is attained by its' core ingredients: flour, eggs, lard, yeast, sugar, and salt.
Pandesal has been around since for many. many years... and from the taste of things - it will be around for much more....
Summertime is upon us once again.... sun shining brightly.... the heat... the humidity - all these adds up to one biiig headache for me..... the heat makes it harder to move, go out, or do anything for the fear of SWEATING..... there is nothing ICKIER than to just finish showering, getting dressed for an appointment, and feeling like you need another shower just from getting ready..... and wait till you step out - within minutes - you will indeed wish to go back in and shower again!!!
But summertime is not all bad... as it also brings out a few of my FAVE things -- delicacies.... Fruit Juices.... Ice Creams.... and most especially Halo Halo (English translation MIX MIX) , a Filipino sweet concoctions of different sweet things (preserved or cooked) mixed in together with crushed ice and milk for a cool, refreshing dessert....
But living in Taiwan I have to scour high and low a bit, most Asian countries I have been to has their own version of Halo Halo.... some comes close to that I crave from the Philippines... and some are not worth having again.... LOLs... here in Taiwan, I have come to love their version of Halo Halo, Ba Bao Bing (8 Treasure Ice)... which is pretty much available all year long but one thinks of it mostly during the summer months... it is pretty similar to the Halo Halo in the Philippines but less sweet... and no milk added - just (not so) sweet syrup.. well for 5NT$ more you can have the milk but it really is not neccessary.... it is quite cheap & filling.... and oh-so-tasty....
3 SIMPLE STEPS FOR TAIWAN's HALO HALO<
Step 1: Choose from the various ingredients - one is given 8 choices to each order.
Step 2: The Laoban (the Seller) adds the crushed ice and syrup.
Step 3: You mix it all up yourself and VOILA - all ready to ENJOY!!!
Some of the things I look forward to when going back to Manila (am sure my family will understand that some things precedes them - hehehehe) are the sweet desserts I remember growing up with.... the KAKANINs (sweets desserts).... I always say - I can forgo the actually meals... just give me cassava cake, bibingka, halo halo, etc.... I can have them every single day am visiting... and will be just fine... well, maybe not the tummy region, as they are all fattening, but I always figure -- I will just BURN all the excess calories later on..... as soon as I get back to my regular life and routine....
Living in Taipei it is a bit harder to find these.... but now and again, when I am able to attend church services at St Christopher's in Chang Chun Rd - I get to treat myself with whatever is available from the local , really small, Filipino community nearby... mostly Ginataan, turon (fried banana) - LOVE IT!, or puto & kutsinta.....
My BEST new FIND or HANG OUT is the mini-bibingka stall at the Shangrila Mall - Edsa.... these sweet piny cakes have always been a favorite of mine... no longer had to wait for XMAS to have them - which is what we did growing up in San Francisco.... but when in Manila, and for only 45pesos - just a tad over US$1, I can have it everyday -- and I DO!!!
am sure all these names are foreign to most of you -- but next time you happen upon a Filipino community, restaurant or grocery store - do check them out... try any of it... you just might find a new favorite dessert.... and believe me - they are all GREAT at all hours of the day!!!
