Tawilis in Oil by Pontefino

Tawilis in oil on the right, bagoong alamang on the left

Pontefino Hotel in Batangas makes some very delicious deli treats.  Vicky was lucky to have been given some of these, and we tried their Tawilis in Oil (much like the regular salt water sardines in oil, but this time using the tawilis fish instead).  This fish is the only freshwater sardine, and exists only in Taal Lake, right at the doorstep of Pontefino Hotel--which is why they have pioneered in the bottling thereof, Spanish style.  Absolutely delightful!  The fish is softer that regular sardines, and the taste is exactly what I look for!  Aside from bottled tawilis, the deli also has bottled bagoong alamang, which is shrimp paste (using teeny weeny shrimplets), usually fermented then cooked in lots of garlic and pork bits.

Windmill Deli

Vicky and Becca went off to shop at the SM Manila grocery, and since we were doing nothing, Monique, Angie and I tagged along.  We came across a counter of the Windmill Deli giving some special offers.  We purchased some Italian sausages and were rewarded with free curry sausages, which I tasted for the first time.  Not bad at all, the meat was quite tender, and had just the right amount of flavoring--not too weak nor overpowering.  I think this brand is just starting out; I've only seen it at SM malls.  Prices are reasonable, at the range of P350 to P450 a kilo.

Rowena's

To complete the trio of Tagaytay shops, we dropped by Rowena's which was also known for buko tarts.  What strikes me about this store is how it has transformed itself into a total pasalubong center that showcases specialty foodstuff from all over the Philippines.  Being a beautiful wonder of nature, Tagaytay attracts both local and international tourists, and it just makes sense for the local stores to showcase the best products from around the Philippines.  We found out that the store sells piyaya from Bacolod, otap from Cebu, broas from Quezon, dried watermelon seeds from Pampanga, turrones from Iloilo, vinegar from the Ilocos region, fresh pasteurized goat's milk from Batangas, and a host of other delicious goodies.  We were at the store around 5:00 pm on a Monday, and the sales were brisk--we had to wait a good 15 minutes to clear the check out counters, so I'd say that there is a good demand for quality regional food stuff.

Earle's Deli

The heading "Deli" in this blog is my generic repository of food shops carrying cooked items--but in this case, Earle's Deli is probably a deli in the old-fashioned sense of the word.  Sausages, processed meats, hams, cheeses and even breads are available for take-home, and sandwiches and salads can be ordered right on the spot.  Pricing it pretty neat, the branch that we went to was in Greenbelt 1, and given the prices of food in the area, our spend of P150-P200 per person was quite reasonable for a good deli sandwich.

The store is very proud of its smoked sausages, and they claim that their sausage casings are top-quality. Looking at the full line of bratwurst, Hungarian, veal, Vienna, Italian sausages made me pause and wonder which one to actually get, because they all looked so appetizing!  My friend got a roast beef sandwich, and he managed to convince me to take the meat trio--I think it was salami, pepperoni & Canadian ham sandwiched with multi-grain bread.  Yes that was quite filling and since I paired that with a cold glass of peach iced tea, the heat of the afternoon sun didn't faze me at all!

Mazapan Sweets

We went of a trip to Tagaytay with the clan (more on that later), and as we came down, we managed to stop by a series of shops for pasalubong (gift) shopping.  Mazapan Sweets is located on the right side of the Tagaytay-Sta. Rosa road, just a couple of kilometers from the Tagaytay Ridge Road.  Mazapan de Pili is usually associated with the Bicol region (pili nut grows abundantly there), but in this instance, the Cavitenos have managed to deliver their own take on this specialty sweet!  Yes, the pili bar tasted just like the original ones from Bicol, with just the right amount of sweetness.  And at P140 for a pack of 3, these were quite reasonably priced.  Just a word of caution though--pili has a reputation for rancidity (maybe a shelf-life of a couple of weeks), so if you want to hoard the stuff (yes, it can get quite addicting), simply put it in the freezer!

Aji Ichiban

Monique has been a fan of Aji Ichiban for as long as I can remember.  This Japanese sounding snack food retailer is actually a HK based organization, and it's international reach (around 90 locations) is pretty wide considering that Chinese candy is pretty generic and has absolutely little name recall.  We dropped by their Makati store and Monique got her fave--choco rocks (mini chocolate candy color-coated to resemble river pebbles)--which was priced at P100 for 100 grams.  We just love it!

Choco rocks are in the middle row--earth colors on the left and bright primary colors on the right!

Aguila Sausages

Popped in the frozen meat section of Unimart and came across the sausages of Aguila deli, which I understand is a newcomer to the processed meat market.  To get a feel of the product, we purchased some basic frankfurters, spicy hungarians and some veal bratwurst (L-R on the picture), and we were happy with the consistency and the taste thereof.  The older delis including Swiss Deli, Euro Delight, Treffpunkt Jederman and Donau Deli--should watch out, there's a new kid on the block!

Milky Way

As we were strolling around the Power Plant Mall, my grumbly tummy requested some affection, and The Milky Way beckoned!  This restaurant was originally located right across from the Malate Church, and in the late seventies, the group opened another branch along Pasay Road.  A few years ago, their Power Plant and Greenhills branches opened, bringing the good old memories to a wider target audience.  Of course this time around we had Vicky's all time favorite--chicken asparagus sandwich!  I looked at the cooked food section and I saw a lot of my favorites--lengua, adobong pusit, and kare-kare! I had to hold my horses, however--we were just around for a snack.  The deli items were also a welcome sight--they have Gwammy's favorite, sweet pickled pajo mangoes (tiny ones, everything in which you can eat).  Eating here is quite price-friendly, and one can fill up a hungry tummy within the P200 price range.  A lot of good memories, and enjoyable food!

The Blue Kitchen

When Vicky has a craving for Pallilos de Milan, we go to the Power Plant Mall at the Rockwell Center in Makati.  This cookie is  mini version of the broas, and is even smaller than the Ladyfinger.  It resembles small matchsticks, quite crunchy to the bite and coated with a sugar-flavored coating, absolutely yummy!  At the end of the restaurant row on basement level 1, a deli called The Blue Kitchen makes some of the most wonderful Pallilos cookies with a twist--it's called Pallilos de Joe instead of Pallilos de Milan--probably the name of the owner or their head baker!  Once I munch, half the jar is gone!  This deli has a lot of sweets (bars, cookies, cakes, loaves and other bakery goodies) and other savory items--longganisa, dilis, even tapang usa!

Bee Cheng Hiang

Bee Cheng Hiang has been a favorite of ours for some time now.  In the early eighties, we had to buy their BBQ pork squares in Hong Kong, and hand carry the precious cargo back to Manila--it was always a challenge to sneak the stuff past customs.  Nowadays, with a few stores in Manila, we've been able to buy the pork squares at will.  However, Vicky says that the BBQ squares in Singapore taste even better than the ones locally produced, and during their last trip to the city-state a few months, bought several kilos which we keep in deep freeze.  It seems that slowly, the stash is fading away--after munching on a few squares today, we are down to 2 BBQ squares left.  Oh no--this gives me withdrawal symptoms already--this is such a addicting snack!

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!

Galileo Enoteca

Had a wonderful dinner with some close friends at the Galileo Enoteca the other night.  Part restaurant, part deli, and mostly an Italian wine shop, the place is off Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong (Calbayog Street to be exact).  It was a Tuesday night but the place was quite full; the place has ample parking, and I liked the nice brick walls that gave a warm cozy atmosphere.  Furthermore, the restaurant layout has a lot of semi-private nooks, simply perfect for young lovers!  The restaurant serve several kinds of pasta, risotto, and meat dishes, and I would say that the variety of wine was quite plentiful, enough to range from a modest P700 to a generous P10,000 per bottle.  We had flavorful porcini risotto, squid ink spaghetti and a parma ham pizza, and together with a bottle of good wine, we spent a reasonable P700 per head.  Being a fan of solid wood tables, I must say that their picnic style tables and benches gave the place a very homey look and feel.  I understand the Italian owners are hands-on managers, and it shows in their attention to detail.  Good place to recommend!