Cardinal Santos Medical Center

I have a lingering suspicion that it was the oysters that did me in.  Yes, at the height of typhoon Pedring, I managed to sneak in 4 oysters over lunch, and I now know that was a major mistake. I've been a regular visitor to the loo for the past 2 days, and I'm in pain... As I'm not much of a fan of anti-motility drugs (Imodium or Lormide, which is loperamide), I was trying to get hold of absorbents (Rheaban or Poly-Magma, which is attapulgite), only to be told by the lady in Mercury Drug that these are no longer being sold.  As I Googled the matter, it turns out that the USFDA had rejected the notion that attapulgite can effectively bind toxins and bacteria, thus questioning the efficacy of the drug.  Feeling depressed about the loss of a long-relied-upon drug, and upon Vicky's insistence, I gave in to the fact that my body constituency was steadily powering down.  With Kuya Noel's help, we went to the emergency room of the Cardinal Santos Medical Center (located along Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan, and owned by the Roman Catholic Church) and I'm glad that both my blood work and stool exams turned out negative results.  I was pretty impressed with the staff's efficiency and the quality of patient care.  I was given intravenous hydration, and further prescribed some anti-spasmodic drugs and oral rehydration salts.  We were in at 9 am, and out by 11:30 am.  I understand that the management of this hospital is currently with the Makati Medical Center, and the changes that have been implemented by the new management seem to have made a good impact on the look and feel of the hospital.

Kong's Post War Story

Was riding with Kong and Gwammy on our way to the Ayala Triangle (that was the lunch in Pho 24), when our conversation floated to the Nielsen Tower and the runways of the airport in pre-war Makati.  I knew that he learned how to drive at the airport runway and asked him if he learned to drive around the Nielsen Tower.  "No," he replied.  Apparently, he learned how to drive around the runways in Clark Field, then known as Fort Stotsenberg, right after WWII.  He was assigned as a valet to General Bebee who was camp commander at that time.  During his stint there, he learned how to drive Jeeps, and had his first taste of plane flights from Clark Field to Manila.  When classes started at the University of the Philippines, Kong was part of the group that transferred the university from Padre Faura to the Diliman campus, and in 1949 graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  His first job was to manage a nail-making factory in Imbyernes, Sta. Ana, and thereafter, went to the Visayas to work in Cebu as the manager of the Ford branch there.  He subsequently worked in Mindanao, as the manager of the Chevrolet branch in Davao.  Cars, cars and more cars--the automobile industry defined his work till his retirement in the late nineties.

Rules of Life

Monique, here are the Rules of Life--a variation of the Rules of School, if you look at it closely:


1)   Enjoy!  Life is so short, do not let the small petty troubles faze you. Smile!


2)   Make plenty of true friends.  People make the world interesting.  True friends make the life experience a roller-coaster ride!


3)   Make a difference.  Doesn't have to be a big difference.  As long as  you know deep inside that a difference was made for the betterment of existence--your existence and your friend's existence--that is enough.

Chicharritos

I've been an addict of chicharon (pork-rind cracklings) even though my doctors have told me that this delicacy is off-limits for my diet.  Yes, I've heard the arguments--it's supposed to be cholesterol galore!  However, I don't usually indulge in bulk, and I make it a point to eat only in moderation--which means that I select the tastiest chicharon around in order to savor the experience.  Chicharritos is a product from Cebu-based Combrands, Inc. and they have managed to make bite-sized chicharon in various flavors.  They even have ready-to-fry and microwaveable pellets which come out more voluminous that buying ready-to-eat packages!  I love the taste!  The quality of Chicharritos is pretty consistent due to the aluminum foil packaging, and this ensures that one will have a delightful experience eating the product  (one of my pet peeves is purchasing  unbranded chicharon which turns out to be old stock, has no crunch at all, and even worse, already has a rancid taste).  These snack packs are less than P100, pretty good with juice, soda or beer!

Izakaya Kikufuji

Kong Kong and Gwammy celebrated their 51st wedding anniversary over the weekend, we had a long discussion on where to eat for the affair.  The unanimous pick was Izakaya Kikufuji, a Japanese restaurant along Pasong Tamo in Makati, very near the Makati Cinema Square.  This restaurant is located in the district that is known as Tokyotown, and is well patronized by the expat Japanese in Manila.  The restaurant has an authentic feel to it, and the ambiance is so convincing that I half expected sword-wielding ninjas to burst into combat with samurai warriors every time the sliding door was opened!  We had lunch in the end function room in which everyone took their shoes of, and sat on the floor--well, Kong had initial difficulty in sitting, but he then managed to make the best of the situation.  We were divided into three tables, and each table ordered its own menu--we had various kinds of sashimi (the hotate or scallop sashimi was simply superb), sushi, beef teppanyaki, teriyaki gindara (codfish), grilled saba (mackerel).  The meals were served complete with soup, rice, vegetable side dishes, and a choice of banana or cold coffee for finishers.  Take note that due to the popularity of the restaurant, it is best to make reservations--the lunchtime window is only from 11 am to 1:30 pm which unfortunately isn't much time to lounge around for chit-chat.  In any case, the kids enjoyed very much!  All in all, the average spending price range is quite reasonable at around P600 per head.

Papemelroti

Papemelroti has probably been around since the early eighties, and sometime in the nineties, I can remember marveling to myself about how much their stuff appealed to girls of all ages.  The store is a treasure trove of trinkets and gift items, mostly those with a lot of emotional tug.  The company has several stores in the Metro, and is present in the SM Malls.  As we had lunch at the Chocolate Kiss Cafe, I went into their Roces branch, which was located right beside the Cafe.  The store has a lot of plaques ("World's Greatest Dad" or "My Favorite Teacher"), desk items, wall items, clocks, notepads, notebooks, artwork, craft items... a wide range of gift items for those working their Christmas lists.  I was able to buy a note pad for Monique, and I think I'll get her visit this store on of these days.

Chocolate Kiss Cafe

Went to Mount Carmel church along Broadway St. New Manila last week for the interment of Tita Soly's earthly remains, which arrived via parcel post from the United States.  Anella, Erica & myself accompanied Kong Kong and Gwammy, and we were able to finish the procedure in about an hour.  For lunch, Gwammy treated us to a simple meal at the Chocolate Kiss Cafe along  Roces Avenue, near the Amoranto Stadium.  Timing was just right for the tiny tots, Randy & Toots and Papa Antonio, to join us, and we had a good table right beside the window.  I noticed that the menu was fairly broad and the prices were pretty affordable.  I had callos, while the others ordered dinuguan, baked fish, chicken cordon bleu, and BBQ back back ribs.   I understand from Anella that the original restaurant opened at the Diliman campus of the University of Philippines, and that their specialty cakes was quite yummy.  Thus, for dessert, we chose two of the most mouth-watering cakes that we could see--tiramisu and chocolate cake!  Yes, they were quite good, moist and quite the right sweetness.  Very reasonable, as the bill for 8 of us came to just a tad under P2,000, which makes for about P250 per head.

Motolite Express Hatid

The battery of the Nissan churned out its last spark more than a week ago, and I've been postponing the trip to the TBA store, much to the chagrin of my better half.  The configuration of the Nissan engine is such that the battery is accessed by disassembling the manifold intake nozzle, and I've been pretty lazy to do the job.  It's good that Monique helped me out, made a phone call to the Motolite hotline number, and presto!  We had the battery delivered--with free installation at that!  No problem whatsoever.  They accept credit cards too!  Next time you are in a lo-batt situation, call these guys, they arrive in a jiffy and give an instant solution to the problem at hand!

DEC

Vicky came home yesterday with some fresh lumpia from Diao Eng Chay, a Chinese deli along Wilson St.  The  Chinese version is especially tasty, filled with meats (I think I tasted pork and shrimp) & vegetables and comes with a soft yellow wrapper that was obviously specially made by the deli (not the usual commercialize hard & white version).  The Vietnamese style lumpia, Vicky's favorite, is wrapped in a traditional translucent rice wrapper, and has bean vermicelli and other Vietnamese herbs and condiments.  Fast, flavorful and healthy pasalubong, each around P70 only... A most welcome addition to any family gathering!

Cafe Uno

My recent trip to Cebu was a fast-paced, in & out, ping-pong kinda business trip.  We were lucky to be billeted at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel, and we had a wonderful lunch at the Cafe Uno, located at the right side of the hotel's lobby area.  The buffet spread is pretty extensive, with 3 kinds of soup to start with, cheese and salad spreads, on-the-spot cooking of pastas & mami, several kinds of roasts (beef, pork & chicken), different viands and a well-rounded dessert menu.  We were there on a weekday at around 12:30 pm and the place was around 60% full; I understand that during breakfast time, the restaurant can have as much as 200% turnover!  The staff are dressed in bright green outfits that make them stand out in the heavy crowd, easy to identify and I would say, they are courteous and quite helpful.  To my delight--P650 per head!  That kind of a lunch buffet would have cost at least 50% more in Manila...

Fig Newtons

I'm home early today from a tiring round of real estate tripping and it was a real pleasure to find some Fig Newtons at home.  I assume that Vicky must have thought of me when she plopped it in her shopping cart--I certainly didn't buy it, but I opened it today without permission, as I simply can't resist!  Made by Nabisco's predecessor since the 1890s, the soft cookie is simply fig paste rolled in sweet dough.  Kong Kong truly enjoys this chewy cookie, and Gwammy has been buying this special cookie for ages, that it seems that her in-room foodie stash stands naked without a box of Fig Newtons jutting out at any point in time.  The cookie is sweet and gooey, and the dough is soft and pliable without being crumbly.  Great with a cold drink, hot tea or black coffee!

Werther's Original

We opened another gift courtesy of our AIESEC trainees--a pack of yummy caramel mousse sweets made by the German company August Storck, and sold around the world as Werther's Original.  Yes, the pack was completely consumed in a jiffy!  Everyone loved it--unlike the butterscotch hard candy version, this flavor is soft, mushy, chocolatey and so so delectable... Try it!

Gandiva

It was a very interesting afternoon with Monique and her friends.  The young ladies spent their early afternoon chillin' around the annual fair hosted by Summit Media's Candy Magazine, while Vicky and I toured the Ortigas Home Depot  to search for odorless paint for Kong's study room.  By the time we hooked up at around 3:30 pm, the girls were ready to try something new, neat and really cool!  The Gandiva Archery Range and Cafe was just a stone's throw away, at the 7th floor of the One Corporate Center, and we decided to see if the sport would be interesting for the girls.  Gandiva happens to be the legendary bow of the Indian warrior, Arjuna (their image is painted on the wall of the range, shown above) and the opportunity to have a test run was something that the girls enjoyed.  They each shot 6 arrows courtesy of the friendly range instructors and I think this will be something that will be a regular affair!  We then had one big 18" pizza topped with 4 cheese varieties!  Thin-crust and super yummy!  Doubled with Vita-Soy, I think that was a super treat!  We'll surely be  back for serious lessons, and hopefully, the girls will enjoy the sport!

Maranao Grill

Had a meeting today over at Clark Field in Pampanga, and we had a wonderful lunch at the Maranao Grill at the Oasis Hotel which is located right off the perimeter wall of the airbase along Friendship Avenue, and which I understand is operated by the Nepomuceno family that also ran the famous Nepo-Mart (home of PX goods) in the sixties and the seventies.  I had French onion soup, which was tasty and nicely done, with gooey cheese stringing all over!  Then my Surf & Turf combination kicked in, and I must say the Angus Beef was very soft and tasty.  Judging from the architecture, the hotel was built in the late sixties, and the interiors of the Maranao Grill made me think that I was in Mindanao, and forget that I was in the middle of Pampanga. Good place to talk, quiet and I find it has a homey charm.   Spend is in the order of around P800 per head.

Elegant interiors--I felt transported to Mindanao, but I was in Pampanga!

Taboan Market

Did another ping-pong whirlwind visit to Cebu the other day, and the highlight of this trip was a visit to the Taboan market in city center.  The market is known for dried fish, and well, more dried fish plus other dried seafoods...all sorts in fact, from lengthy spada, meaty bisugo, pungent nokos, and the most popular Cebu speciatly--danggit!  These sell anywhere from P350 per kilo to a high of P800 per kilo during rainy season.  Not only can you find dried fish, other pasalubong treats can also be bought--I was able to purchase a kilo of generic dried mangoes at P340, and a box of baked squid was only P170 (as compared to P280 in Manila).  My guests picked up box-loads of dried fish, and I wondered whether this was pasalubong shopping or already Christmas shopping!  The drawback of visiting this area is that the fishy smell sticks to you clothes--you heard it right, one ends up smelling like the merchandise!  Like good citizens, we rushed back to our hotel to take a shower before heading out to the airport.  It can get really bad, sometime taxis will not take passengers coming out of the stalls!  You wanna experience it for yourself?

Pho 24

Took Kong & Gwammy out to Sunday lunch with Pipay.  I wanted to show them the newly-manicured gardens at the back portion of The Makati Stock Exchange & Tower 1 complex along Ayala Avenue.  this used to be known as the Sebastian Ugarte football field, and over the years, Ayala Land used the place as the nursery for their seedling bank.  The greening of the place and the subsequent commercialization (small restaurants), makes the place ideal for a quick Sunday brunch.  We had 2 kinds of noodles soup, seafood and their beef specialty, fried lumpia, fried chicken and Vietnamese boiled chicken.  The taste of the cuisine is quite interesting, with lots of cilantro, lime and mint, and Gwammy enjoyed the lunch.  Kong though, was not too satisfied as he thought the soup need some more flavor.  All in al, not bad at P200 per head.

Ronza

After dinner, the 4 of us took a look around the Wilson area for a bar for our nightcap.  We found Ronza at the ground floor of the Promenade along the corner of Wilson and P. Guevara.  The bar features a big seawater aquarium, and had a good long list of cocktails and hard drinks.  We settled on mojitos to start the night, and went on to have scotch cocktails (the guys had Black Russian while I had mine laced with Amaretto).  Music was okay, the place seems to be a hang-out for the yuppie crowd, we were lucky though to get in early, as parking spaces were available right in front of the bar.  Cocktails go for roughly P150 per shot, beer maybe half the price.  Cool.

Kong Fook

Had a quick get-together some old friends at Kong Fook Restaurant along Granada St. in New Manila.  Not to be confused with the Hong Kong jewelry shop of the same name, this is a restaurant serving simple home-style Cantonese and Taiwanese dishes.  We had fried shrimps and squid, spicy fish with, tofu vegetables, and boneless fried mackerel which was very tasty, crispy on the outside and juicy inside. All in all, the 4 of us spent P1,800 which brings the tab to about P450 per head.  I think it was a wee bit on the pricey side of things, as the place, while, clean and bright, didn't have much ambience.  Good tasting food though, served hot and fast.  Next I think I will try their duck misua and their pata tim....

Neuhaus

Vicky unleashed her piece de resistance over the weekend and, to the delight of Casa Apacible, authorized the opening of two boxes from her Singapore Chocolate stash--the Neuhaus collection of dark, milk & white chocolates!  This Belgian chocolatier is credited to be the inventor of the Belgian praline, and the family tradition extends all the way back to 1857.  We loved it!  I had initially thought that speculoos was a Belgian biscuit, but apparently, this is also a praline!  Not too sweet, melts in your mouth, and absolutely wonderful to munch on, these candies have been given such exotic names--the Adelson (traditional praline with nuts and sugar), the Criollo (dark chocolate with fresh butter), the Mephisto (almond and hazelnut praline), the Sapho (almond praline), the Horta (almond praline with nougat inclusions), the Passion Amande (Gianduja with caramelized almonds and a pinch of salt), and the one that brought out a lot of giggles and snickers from the kids--the Satan (almond and hazelnut praline with caramelized hazelnut).  I understand that Vicky was able to get a discount by buying in volume, which just means that she's probably got some more of this hidden somewhere.... now if I could just find the treasure map...

Moon Cafe

As we wandered around the Abreeza Mall, we found time to have lunch at Moon Cafe, which served Mexican food.  We had a tasty cheese quesadilla and gambas for starters, and I had a filet mignon, which was thick, cooked medium rare and salted exactly the way I liked it.  My colleague had a juicy burrito and it looked like he was enjoying himself.  Very reasonably priced restaurant, as I spent P500 per head, which already included a pitcher of citrus cooler shared between the both of us.  I don't think that this restaurant is a part of any chain, and I would say that the concept was home-grown.  Nice!

Abreeza

The latest mall to open in Davao is a joint development between Ayala Land and the Floirendo family.  The Abreeza Mall, recently opened along J. P. Laurel Avenue, and has the Robinson's Department Store as its anchor tenant.  We were very pleased to find that the mall has a bright and cheerful feel, and several restaurants and shops made the malling experience a good one.  I understand that Ayala Land will be opening a Marriott hotel onsite, and that aside from the hotel, several residential condominiums will also be built to make the area a vibrant community.  I think that the development is a welcome project that establishes Davao as the center for business and trade in Mindanao, and will be a welcome treat for the city.  Kudos to the people behind this project--a job well done!

Davao Treats

I found several treats at the Davao airport.  Didn't have any time to buy the usual pomelo and mangosteen pasalubong, so I merely shopped at the pre-departure area of the airport.  As you can see, I found a few interesting treats that are made in Davao.  The first snack that caught my eye was Biscone, which somehow looked familiar. As I picked up the pack, I remembered that Vicky had bought this cookie some years back.  The Biscone is a wafer cookie that is the round version of the ice cream sugar cone.  Thin and crunchy, this cookie is sweet, has a buttery taste, and for me is best eaten with milk, hot chocolate or hot coffee. A  pack costs P40.  The Hochas, on the other hand, is much like the Biscone, but slightly less sweet.  Also wafer thin, the Hochas is flat like  a communion host, much larger and without the ridges of the wafer cookie.  I would say that this is the flattened version of the barquillos.  Nice to have with a little butter or jam.  This was available only in big boxes, so I picked up a box (P250) just to try.  Finally, I chose the Trappistine crinkles to complete my grocery cart.  These cookies are made by Trappist sisters and come in different kinds of flavors--chocolate, vanilla and strawberry.  A pack cost me P140, which, by the way, helps in maintaining the abbey.  All these items, proudly made in Davao--something new to try!

Shamcey Supsup

Go go Shamcey!  While at the gym of the Marco Polo Hotel, the gym attendant told me that Shamcey Supsup, the 2011 Philippine representative to the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant managed to place 3rd Runner-Up in the much loved contest.  That"s super! Shamcey is a combination of beauty and brains (she is an architect who graduated Magna cum Laude at the University of the Philippines, and a board top-notcher at that!) and we are very proud of her achievement.  Marvelous job, Shamcey!

Marco Polo Davao

This overnight trip to Davao was pretty hectic and the flight made me dizzy--literally that is, as I don't like flying.  I forgot to take my air-sickness tablets so the touchdowns in both Davao and Manila gave me a ringing buzz in my head.  Arriving in Davao at lunchtime, I was pretty much disoriented, it least I felt much better when we checked in at the Marco Polo Davao Hotel which is one of the best hotels in Davao City (I understand it is a 4-star hotel).  After some business meetings I had to endure, I took off to unwind at the pool, and felt much much better.  We then had dinner at the Lotus Court, their Chinese restaurant which had a very nice view of the city.  I understand that the restaurant features a new promotion--a dimsum buffet every Saturday for only P488, which is very reasonable, given the quality of the food.  We had duck soup, beef and asparagus, stuffed prawns and tofu with vegetables, and I found the pricing to be reasonable given that the restaurant was the best Chinese restaurant in the city--an average spend of P750 per head.  For the next day's breakfast, we had a buffet at the Cafe Marco, which had a wide variety of cold and hot local and international dishes on the menu.  Their poolside bistro, the Polo, is well-situated and has a cozy ambience and feel, and I wished that I had taken Vicky, Monique and Andrea to this restaurant in our last family trip to Davao in 2009.  My friend had time to work out at the gym, and I was quite impressed with the equipment.  Nice place to stay when one is in Davao, corporate rates are around P4,500 per room per night, but the rack rates are something like P8,000 per room per night.

Ya Kun Kaya Toast

Just arrived from an overnight business trip from Davao, and as we were waiting for the Davao flight at the NAIA Terminal 2, my friend took me for breakfast at the Ya Kun Kaya Toast coffee shop.  They serve uniquely Singaporean style coffee which is "pulled" or poured in a long stream onto another pot, in order to bring out the full body and taste of the coffee.  This, I understand has been the practice since the 40s, and along with the coffee, we had toast with kaya (coconut jam) and butter, and 2 soft-boiled eggs (which I love since I don't find this often).  This is probably the only coffee shop in Manila that serves soft-boiled eggs on a regular basis!  Very reasonable, one can have breakfast for P150.

Tapa King

Went with some of my colleagues to Clark Field for some meetings last week, and our usual early morning breakfast ritual is a stop at Tapa King at the Total gas station right after the Candaba aqueduct.  Leaving our meeting place at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao at the early time of 7:30 am can take its toll on my body, and after driving for an hour, I just have to appease my grumbly tummy!  Tapa King was been around since the late eighties, taking flight from the Tapsilog (tapa, sinangag at itlog) craze during that era.  Their "Royale" plate consists of 3-4 slices of good beef tapa, 2 eggs and a cupful of garlic rice, for P165. The classic plate has smaller beef slices, and goes for P135, but has only 1 egg.  After our 30 minute pit stop cum coffee break, we were off to Clark just in time to catch our 9:30 am meeting!

Mary Grace

I have long been a fan of Mary Grace products, their cheese roll and ensaymada are among the best in their class.  I have always bought their fruit cake for giveaways at Christmastime, but until yesterday, I have not tried any of their cakes.  Erika brought two Mary Grace cakes to celebrate Julian's birthday-- chocolate cake with white glazing and tiramisu, and both were absolutely wonders to the palate.  We opened them at Rich St. Deli, and Julian & Vicky enjoyed the chocolate cake while I loved the tiramisu--creamy, not too sweet, bursting with coffee flavor and with just the right bitterness from the cocoa topping.  Absolute pastry delights!  As I have no idea of the pricing, I would probably place the cakes at around P800 each.

Pepeton's

Was invited to lunch for my brother-in-law Julian's birthday celebration today at Pepeton's Grill and Restaurant along Mother Ignacia St. in Quezon City, around the area of Tropical Hut & National Bookstore.  I was told that this restaurant has been around for a few years, but I've been passing this area for sometime now, and until today, I haven't had the foggiest notion of what to expect.  Well, we found out it was good Fillipino food!  We had sinigang na hipon (shrimps) and bulalo (beef soup) for starters, green mango salad topped with crispy hito (catfish), gising-gising (spinach in coconut milk), chicken adobo, liver adobo, fried catfish, and the specialty of the house--Kapalmuks (literally, "thick face" which is the name of crispy fried pig's head, or should I  call if pork face).  Cholesterol galore!  But the fear was only for an instant, as we don't get to eat this on a regular basis anyway...hehehe..  I felt the Mexican-inspired decor lent a warm cozy feeling to the place; the restaurant has function rooms for private parties, and I understand that at night time, the open-air portion at the second floor turns into a drinking place, and this is usually packed, especially on Friday and Saturday, when the office people around the area unwind.  The restaurant also delivers Kapalmuks and other menu items around the QC area.  All in all, the place is a great find.  I'd estimate a budget of around P400 per head for a bloated tummy!

Ritter Sport

It seems that we're having a chocolate festival this weekend.  Our AISEC trainees gave us some wonderful German chocolates, Ritter Sport, which is made by a Stuttgart based company specializing in filled chocolates.  This company makes square chocolates instead of rectangular chocolate bars, on the philosophy that the chocolates should fit in one's jacket without breaking.  We have a wonderful blast, chocolates with, yes, you name it--raisins and hazelnuts, butter biscuit, cornflakes, yogurt filling, praline, chopped hazelnuts, marzipan.  We even have white chocolates with whole hazelnuts!  Fantastic!  Not too sweet, just the right gooey texture, melts in your mouth and stands firm while in your pocket.  Aside from the 16-square handheld size, i understand they also have a 4-square bite size version, that's easy on the pocket and convenient to munch anywhere, anytime.

After Eight

After Eight choco-mints are among the best tasting mints one can take to soothe the palate right after dessert.  I just love it!  When Vicky brought out a box today (came from the stash she hoarded from her last trip to Singapore), I just enjoyed myself.  Of course, in contrast, some people don't enjoy mints--while I decribed it as a wonderful cross between ganache and mint-flovored fondant,  Monique for example has always descrbed it as the child of chocolate and toothpaste.  So much for the elan in my heart... hehehe... Originally introduced by Rowntree, an English company, in the early 60s, I understand that Nestle bought the company in the late 80s.  The candy is enveloped in simple dark brown pouches, and I always get a kick out of pullling a pouch from the box.  This was first introduced to me my my later father-in-law some 25 years ago, I understand that he would have it specially ordered since at that time, the importation of luxury items into the Philippines were severely restricted.  Ever since, I have craved for this wonderful after-dinner chocolate mint!

Lutong Bahay ni Tita Lolit

Had lunch today at the Galleon food court located at the 6th floor of One Corporate Center at the Ortigas Center.  After going around the food court, I settled for the stall with the most appetizing viands, and my instincts were right again!  The food stall of Tita Lolit serves home-cooked food that pretty much can pass for restaurant fare, but at very economical prices.  I had chicken barbeque, a side dish of laing, a cup of rice and a bowl of hot misua soup for only P65.  Can you imagine that?  The food was kept warm in crock-pots, and it looked much yummier than those of other stalls, which simply relied on steel trays.  Operated by a mother and daughter team, the stall normally has 3 viands to choose from, and their meals usually come with hot soup and a cup of rice.  For merienda, they a few specialties like champorado (chocolate porridge) and fried saging saba (a Philippine  banana vairety most suitable for cooking).

Edox

By some unfortunate reason, I must have left the nitrogen release valve of my Edox Class I watch open, leaving the watch prone to moisture.  I love this watch; to me, it looks beautiful and furthermore, is supposed to be watertight to 500 meters.  Casing is cast in titanium and the sapphire glass will resist scratches.  When I bought the watch, it was Monique who gave me heart to make the purchase--despite the fact that her mother was absent, she clearly knew how much I felt about it and she just beamed with that perfect smile of approval.  It was a good thing that the watch is still under warranty, and I was able to retrieve the watch from the service center practically new and in great working order, without having to pay a single centavo.  Edox has been making watches since 1884 and has since concentrated on sports watches.  The company currently sponsors the World Rally Championship and is also active in keeping time at various water sports events.  I like the sporty feel of the brand, and good designs at an affordable price bracket.

Hamton Meats

Now here's a great tasting meat brand that's making the rounds of the Chinese delis in the Metro.  Hamton  Taiwan-style sausages come in packs of five pieces and are so easy to prepare--just pop in a frying pan with some water and the tender sausages would be cooked in a few minutes.  I have also tried this sliced and then pan-fried, as well as grilled (this, however means that you have an electric griller at home, as it is a bit more difficult to set up a charcoal grill).  The texture is quite tender, and the sausage casings are not hard too chew.  I find their sausages quite flavorful, and not too sweet.  I understand that due to the high demand, they have also come out with a chicken version of the sausages. Aside from the sausage line, the company also makes cooked hams, which are usually in demand during the Christmas season.  Available at the Little Store on the Hill in both San Juan and New Manila, at the many branches of Holland Hopia (Nueva, Banawe & N. Domingo), also at the Tin Hok Deli in V-Mall, Greenhills, and at the Crossings Supermarket along Quezon Avenue.  It's not exactly cheap (commercial hotdogs go for P175 per kilo), but I find it reasonably priced for premium meat products (gourmet European sausages can go as high as P600 per kilo).  Nice to have as ulam with hot rice or palaman with hot pandesal!  I'm hungry already.... 

Jyl's Cafe

After a long meeting yesterday at the Export Industry Bank, I found myself wandering around the Buendia-Pasong Tamo area, looking for a place for a fast lunch.  I came across Jyl's Cafe, and stepped in to have a quick look-see.  Located at the ground floor of the Oriental Gardens (this is a residential condominium developed by Federal Land), this eating place lists pastas and several kinds of short orders in their menu.  I had beef calderetta which was tasty enough, acceptable for the P165 price tag.  Of course, given that this was not a gourmet bistro, only the basic ingredients (carrots, potatoes, red pepper, beef & tomato sauce) were encapsulated in the dish.  As I was eating, I mentally imagined that the dish could have been more rich and flavorful with the addition of more garlic, black olives and cheese bits... but that's going overboard!

Thaipan

Along Dr. Lozano Street in the Tomas Morato area of Quezon City lies Thaipan restaurant, which I understand is a sister restaurant of the Romulo Cafe.  As the name suggests, the restaurant serves Thai food that is tasty and not too spicy, just right for my taste.  The restaurant has been fashioned out of a 60s residence, and I liked the good use of mirrors and glass panels to make the place look spacious.  Very modern interiors, which would not even suggest that the specialty would be Thai cuisine.  We had dinner with Anita and the kids, and as we arrived at 8pm on a Friday night, the place was already quite full.  Vicky and Anita ordered several specialties--shrimp cake & lumpia for appetizers, pad thai noodles, chicken curry, cinnamon pork, pandan chicken, bagoong rice, fish with tamarind sauce, roti with prawn sauce, and the much-loved takoh rice & tapioca cake for dessert.  I found the cinnamon pork done much like the New Orleans style, and I couldn't help but wonder about the similarities of the two cuisines.  All in all, we had a great dinner, which came to around P600 per head.  Not bad for our Happy Friday routine!