First Time : The Village Tavern

We finally found time to get together and this time, no absentees. Yay!!!

Presenting : The Wednesday Club that hardly meets on Wednesdays hihihi!!!

I'm always excited to try out a new restaurant and I was impressed!

From top to bottom, left to right: 

Four Cheese Pizza

Snapper Hemingway (that's angel hair pasta underneath)

Grilled Chicken Penne - my personal favorite

Asian Tuna Salad

Thai Chicken Salad

And then here's the gang. 

Yes, we've known one another since high school. Galing no? And today, two from this group have children who've just successfully finished their college education! Props to them! Can you guess who? :))

Always a fun time with them, plus the food was great.

I just wish it wasn't so humid! (pardon my oily face)

The Village Tavern is located at Boni High Central

Lunch at Kanzhu Hand-Pulled Noodles

I officially said goodbye to school year 2012-2013 by going to school yesterday to get Anissa's report card, her certificates for excellence and documenting the PHCT's (parent reps) final activity for the year. We finished at past noon so naturally, my tummy was beginning to complain. But because it was scorching hot outside and it was a Friday, we didn't want to go that far from school to find a decent place to eat.

Anissa's BFF's Mom and I ended up in nearby SM Hypermarket beside Tiendesitas because she suggested this new Chinese place. It turned out to be Kanzhu Hand-Pulled Noodles, which also has a branch along J. Abad Santos St. off Wilson in Greenhills, quite near the house. 

It was my first time to eat here, despite having driven by the San Juan branch a million times. I've read a few blog reviews but I never really found a reason to go. I've been missing out! 

I didn't get a photo of the free appetizer, bummer! It was really good, we finished everything in a matter of maybe 2 minutes? It was super crispy fish skin! I bet it was Salmon, but I forgot to ask --- hunger does that to me hihihi! But yeah, it was good, pretty much like eating Chicken Skin!

Ironically, we didn't get any noodle dish. Instead, these were our choices : 

Black Fungus and Jellyfish, P80 - oh boy, this was a real treat for me! I'm so glad I spotted this on the menu and I decided to try it. Two thumbs up!

Chinese Sausage Fried Rice, P160 - Not a huge fan of Chinese sausage but the ones that came with this  order were slightly crispy and more fun to eat than the usual ones. I also loved that they were so generous with the vegetables. We joked about this plate having more vegetables than rice!

Salt and Pepper Squid (one of their specialties), P180 - To date, this is the best I've had! Not rubbery at all. In fact, it was so tender ... like eating Wagyu or Kobe Beef. Definitely a must-have!

Last but not the least ... a different take on one of my family's favorite Chinese dishes

Yikes, sorry but I can't seem to recall nor find the exact name of this dish online. It's obviously made up of Beans and Minced Pork. The reason I say it's a different take on the usual is, the taste is slightly sweeter but just as good as what I'm used to. The pork is a lot less fried, too, which is what I liked about it. I just know Mama will love this version. Made a mental note to bring her here soon. 

I wish I had room for dessert. There was one item on the menu that I wanted to try. It was the Chilled Green Tea Taho. Sounds interesting, diba? But I was soooooo stuffed, I would've committed gluttony if I had ordered it just to try. Next time, next time I promise! 

All in all, it was an extremely satisfying encounter! The branch in SM Hypermarket Pasig is a lot bigger than the one in San Juan. A lot busier, too. But despite that, we didn't have to wait long for our orders. 

My next visit will definitely be with my foodie family and soon!

(Should I really wonder why I've been gaining weight??? Sigh.)

Dining Discovery : Mad Mark's Kapitolyo

Anissa's been going to this place with her friends and has always raved about the food there. I finally got to go with her and Sabine the other night (after spending 4 hrs in the salon while A had her hair coloured - we were naturally famished!). 

Mad Mark's was a stone's throw away from the salon we went to so it was the perfect choice for our starving tummies.

It's self-serve style at Mad Mark's so this photo was taken while we were waiting for our orders to arrive

We're Iced Tea fans. When I ordered 3 glasses, the girl at the counter told me I could instead get the pitcher, which translates to about a litter, for just Php 110.00. 

While we were ordering, Anissa said I had to try the french fries. This was the only kind they had left. The Herbed Parmesan Fries (served Tuscan style with select herbs and parmesan). They were really good! However, I prefer my potatoes thin and crispy (like Mcdonald's or Army Navy's). These were too thick for my taste. They were flavorful, nonetheless. Anissa was right.

Then our respective orders came ... 

Anissa and I had the Cream Mushroom Steak. Too bad I couldn't touch the salad (I don't have my Onco's go signal to eat raw food). For less than P300, this was not bad at all. In fact, I really liked the creamy mushroom gravy that came with it. We ordered extra gravy at P35 each.

For Sabine who loves fish, this is what I got. Unfortunately, I totally forgot the exact name of this dish. It's fried fish fillet, really soft and tender. It came with a dipping sauce of lemon, butter and anchovies (she didn't like it because of the anchovies but I did). This dish also didn't cost more than P300.

Unfortunately, even if people keep saying that your Mad Mark's dining experience is never complete without trying their homemade ice cream, we didn't have space for it anymore. I made a mental note to drop by the next time I'm in the area, just to try it. 

Oh and since N couldn't join us, I got him one of their best sellers, the Lumberjack. I should drag him to this place next time!

Mad Mark's is on East Kapitolyo Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City  

Cafe Publico

I met up with some friends recently and they treated me at this place in Promenade, Greenhills (2nd floor, beside Gerry's Grill). It was my first time and I didn't know what to expect. Normally, I'd Google about a place before going, but on that day, Anissa went to the LSGH Junior Prom and the stage Nanay was busy busy busy. We were there for dessert and/or coffee. I was told that the gelato is a must-try.

I have to admit ... it took a while for me to decide what to get. The flavors all sounded so intriguing. The Gelato Pies (ice cream on top of small cakes) are really worth it. 

Peach-a-Pie Golly Wow (vanilla gelato, peach slices, raspberry sauce and walnuts)

Grasshopper Pie (dirty mint gelato on Oreo cookie crust)

The Italian Job (Ferrero gelato with nutella fudge)

When In Rome (Sophia Loren gelato w/ pistachio and raspberry sauce)

Oreo Cookie Pie (Brownies 'n cream gelato on Oreo Cookie crust)

The average cost of the Gelato Pie is around Php 200. Can you guess which one I went for? 

This, my dear readers, is The Italian Job. And the job of gobbling it all up took no more than 20 minutes, I think. HAHAHAHA. Ang sarap eh!!! 

They have Sundaes and Gelato Frappes which I would love to try next time. They have full meals, too. Check out there menu HERE

CAFE PUBLICO

2/F Greenhills Shopping Center Promenade, Greenhills

(02) 919 0519

Bistro Mateo in Tiendesitas

The last time I dined in this area, Mario's Kitchen was still here. It's been replaced by Bistro Mateo, which serves typically the same type of food as Mario's. 

After a really long morning in school with co-Junior parents from the PHCT (Parent-Homeroom Collaboration Team), some of us had an early lunch and mini chika session here. 

I initially wanted to try their Lucban Longganisa meal, especially after the server confirmed that their longganisa is made without preservatives. But the Salpicao was a bit of a distraction while going through the menu. Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself!

The drink ... need I say more? This is a no-brainer every time I'm in a Filipino-themed resto. It was just a little too sweet for me, so I added a bit of water to it. Other than that, two thumbs up!

I'm also very much a soup person. If a restaurant serves good soup, you can be sure I'll go back for it. I tried their Clam Chowder but I shared this with my PPIC (Parent Partner In Crime) because I still had my main course to take care of. 

Both the soup and the bread didn't disappoint! When I was done with the soup, I had to stop myself from asking for butter so I could finish the entire bread bowl.

Now going back to the Salpicao ... 

Will you look at all that rice? I got dizzy the minute the server put the dish in front of me. I'm not a big rice eater but I can finish ulam like there's no tomorrow. I ate only the rice that had sauce hihihi. I recommend this dish, too. Beef was tender and rice was cooked to my standards. 

You would think that I said NO when I was offered dessert. Right? Wrong.

Anything Sansrival deserves a YES. This is their Toffee Sansrival. But again, I shared this with someone (just so you won't see pig every time you think of me). One word - HEAVEN.

You'll notice that I didn't share the prices of my orders. That's 'cause this lunch was a treat! (thanks to our wonderful sponsor, you know who you are)

This is one place that serves good comfort food. I would go back if I were in that neck of the woods.

BISTRO MATEO is in Tiendesitas, fronting the SM Hypermarket Pasig side.

Kids Menu at Aria Cucina Italiana

Yes, this is the famous Italian restaurant in Boracay and one of my favorite places to eat on the island. They're in now in Manila, at Boni High Central in The Fort. Plus ... there's an ongoing contest to help introduce and promote their new Kids Menu.

Just follow these really simple steps to join: 

Take a picture of your child/children coloring their new Kid's Placements and send it to them. The best photo will be chosen and a Make Your Own Party for four will be given away as prize! Make sure to share your photo entry on their wall at http://facebok.com/AriaCucinaItaliana to qualify.

As a Mom, I really appreciate it when restaurants go all the way and create a menu specially for kids. You don't have to wonder if a certain dish is kid-friendly (i.e. not spicy, no weird ingredients, etc) and that's a load off everytime you eat out, right?

The Kids Menu is simple and straightforward and has all the stuff a kid would want to eat. 

Kudos to Aria! Now I don't have to fly all the way to Boracay to have some of that authentic pizza.

Sincerity Chicken

It's the chicken that reminds me so much of my childhood. Yes, I tend to reminisce a lot these days ... about my Dad, about the years that have gone by so quickly. Sincerity Chicken is also my favorite chicken in the whole wide world! 

We discovered, thanks to a very close Uncle, that Sincerity is now in the Banawe area in QC, so much nearer and a lot more convenient to go to compared to Binondo! 

No thinking twice, no hesitation. We had lunch there that day we found ourselves in the area because of a delayed and important errand. Mom wanted to go with Dad's relatives who lived around the same vicinity. We hadn't seen them since the wake so it was a good time to catch up. 

Don't be confused because this branch is called Sincere Cafe and Restaurant. I wonder why they had to change the name? Anyway, I'm just so glad that the chicken tasted the same. SARAAAAP! As expected, I ate like there was no tomorrow. Everyone had thrown in the towel, while I waited for my 2nd order of the Chicharo with the shrimps (see pic) because the veggies were so crunchy and fresh! 

The best part? Their prices are still as friendly as ever. There were 10 of us and our total bill was Php 2,200. That was BEFORE my Mom and all my aunts and uncles took out their Senior Citizens Cards. Winner!!! Don't expect super-sized, a la TGIF servings though. Theirs are just right.

So to those of you who've always had to make the long and arduous drive to Chinatown, you no longer need to. Banawe may not be as accessible as other areas but it's definitely easier to go to than busy Binondo. And wait! I thought all this time that the San Juan branch closed down. I was wrong! They were just renovating and have re-opened! More happy news for me because we live around the area. Yay!!! 

The San Juan branch is called Wuxiang (see, a different name again?) and it's at 1230-A V. Ibanez Street, just off J. Abad Santos Street. 

Other really good dishes that Sincerity is known for : Oyster Cake, Duck Soup, Kikiam and Pata Tim.

Please don't tell me you've never tasted Sincerity Chicken! You've missed half your life so far. 

Sunday Family Style : Robinson's Place Magnolia

(Late post)

Finally got to see for ourselves what all the excitement has been about. On Twitter is where I first heard of this place. Originally, I thought that the Robinson's group was developing this property into something purely residential. I was surprised to find out that they had put in a shopping mall as well. People had been discussing on Twitter how spacious it is and how excited they are about upcoming shops. The night we came here (Sunday), was my first time in a mall after my surgery. 

Somewhat surprised to see that we had to struggle to get into their parking basement. It took us a good 15 minutes to get to the ticket booth. Good thing we were lucky enough to find a car that was about to leave. We got to park in no time.

The place is really quite impressive. Kinda uppity, if you ask me. 

Sorry, I didn't really get to take more indoor photos. There were a lot of shops that were still not open, but I assume that by now most of them are ready to serve their target market. 

Sidenote: On my 2nd time there, I passed by Saizen and blogged about it here. 

We walked around some more and surveyed the place - yup for future reference haha. Then we were finally hungry. We decided to eat in Arya Cafe. 

Unfortunately, my big girl couldn't come with us due to sooooooo much homework that she had to attend to. She missed out on one heck of a dinner.

Dip Platter P292

Roti or Pita bread is something we have to have as appetizer whenever we dine in a place like this. My kids love bread and they're adventurous enough to try the different dips.

Fasl Salad (got the Family-sized portion, P363

Brain!!! I can't find this in their online menu and I can't remember how much. I haven't had this in years!

Mourgh Koobideh (skewers of chicken seasoned with spices and onions), P374

Beef Koobideh, P447

Beef Donar Kabab (more popularly known as Beef Shawarma), P283

Mama had Lamb but I forgot to take a photo, also because she was so hungry she had to dive in right away. Everything was good, we had no complaints about the food. But some of our orders, particularly the chicken, took soooooooooo long to arrive. Apparently, they had issues in the kitchen that night, something broke down. The upside to this is that the Manager took the time to explain things to us. This is what customer service is all about --- taking that extra step, going the extra mile. Take that from someone who is so OC about receiving (and giving) good customer service.

I'll post another entry about Thai Bistro, another restaurant in Robinson's Magnolia which I recently went to.

Make That Change - Which is the lesser evil?

This is a really insightful article I found. I was excited while going through it and maybe you'll have fun trying to guess the answers, too. While more and more people are eating healthy, not everyone does. So if you've vowed to be careful about what you eat but get invited to a party where a whole spread of sinful food is served, what do you do? 

Good question!
If faced with these food choices, which do you think is the lesser evil?

I had fun going through these photos and making guesses with N.

A hotdog or a hamburger?
Answer : the hamburger

Even if the hotdog is the fat-free type, the salt content will be a bit too much. Salt will raise the blood pressure and everyone knows that's bad for the heart.

Potato Salad or Coleslaw?

Answer : Coleslaw

Coleslaw is about 80% cabbage. It is a cruciferous vegetable (never heard of that classification before) and can help protect against cancer. Potato Salad has just too much calories, fat and sodium.

Fried Chicken or Steak?

Answer : Steak (N and I both got this right!)

With all the fat on the fried chicken, the red meat still wins this round. It's still a source of protein and iron. When taken in moderation, it can't be so threatening. The fried chicken breast, on the other hand, contains about 728 calories (YIKES!!!) and 37 grams of fat (GULP!!!).

Barbecue Sauce or Ketchup?

Answer : Ketchup

It has fewer calories and less salt

Sweet Tea or Soda?

Answer : Sweet Tea

But the article says, if you have to choose Sweet Tea, it's better if it's homemade. If it's commercial or store-bought tea, you'll be better off ditching both these choices and going for plain old water.

Peanuts or Chips:

Answer : Peanuts

Peanuts are said to be more filling, so you'll eat less of them compared to the chips. Plus, peanuts contain fiber and protein.

Brownie or Chocolate Chip Cookie?

Answer : Chocolate Chip Cookie (Yay!!!)

This one's something I'm hearing for the first time. When it comes to dessert, you're better off choosing the smaller-sized one. In this case, choose the cookie if it's the regular sized kind and not the giant ones.

From among all of the above, I'm probably going to have the most difficult time with the drinks and dessert. Sweet tooth, kawawa ka naman, I'm gonna have to starve you from now on! 

But isn't this article so helpful? 

Source (including photos) : www.ivillage.com