Pocky Cookie Crunch

I have nothing but raves with this chocolate snack.

I have been eating their other snack which is chocolate-covered bread sticks with crushed almonds but this version is much much better.  Crunchy cookies stuck in crunchy bread stick through somehow crunchy chocolate.

It's my new ultimate favorite chocolate snack.  I swear by it.  It's a must-try.

I just wish they have a local version because it's quite expensive :(((

They have separate packs for sharing.  

But believe me, I'd understand, you wouldn't want to share a box of this.

People have got to try this.  Suuuuper sarap!

Kakanin

We went to Nasugbu, Batangas last weekend.  Upon walking along the beach front of the resort we were staying, there were a couple of vendors who approached me selling their goods.  Unfortunately, I don't have my wallet with me because I wasn't planning on buying anything at that time.

But one lady showed me her basket of Kakanin.  The colors were so attractive and so I had to ask what they were.  I honestly told her I didn't have any money with me.  She asked me where we were staying and told me that I could get some and pay for them later.  And so, since it was nearing lunch time already, I bought three of them for me and the two nannies (because I know they're also starving like me).

I love the toasted sweet grated coconut bits poured over the Kakanin.  

And of course, it's best with my instant coffee.  

We ate it as a heavy snack

and there were still left for breakfast.

Sisig Hooray

Yesterday, I tried Sisig Hooray for the first time.  When BF asked what I wanted for lunch, I couldn't think of anything so I dragged him down to the food court.  We round up the stalls like we usually do.  I asked him to say stop if he sees something he likes.  But like before, I usually do the honors of stopping him in his tracks.  He doesn't have the chance (to choose) when he's with me.  (Now that I'm aware of it, I'll probably have to let him the next time.)

Sisig Hooray got me at "Sisig".

This man was making a lot of noise.  Well, not exactly noise because he was beating his wood chopping board like he was beating drums.  I'd say he was performing to get noticed and I'd say it worked because there were a bunch of customers that came after us.  

He was chopping pork cheeks to the smallest pieces possible.  

Most of the time, I have to know what's on my plate before I actually eat them.  So I asked the one on the front, what pork parts do they serve and they showed me a pile of cooked-to-golden-brown meat and told me they were pig cheeks.  Deciding that it was safe enough, we ordered two sets of pork sisig.  

They charge reasonably well. 

It cannot get more oily than this.

You can see bits of green chili and they topped it off with generous amount of ground pork rinds or chicharon.  

I loved their sisig.  Even though I know it wasn't good for anyone's health (because it is practically oozing with saturated fat and cholesterol ... and probably trans fat), it is just too good.  I'm not kidding.  

I know I'm going back there.  Maybe once a month of their sisig is not so bad at all.

Hooray for Filipino Sisig!

Rowena's Tarts

After spending another weekend in Tagaytay, we were able to eat some Rowena's treats again.  This time, we bought us some tarts.  They have three kinds: egg tart, apple tart and chocolate mousse tart. They have other fruity tarts but we decided on buying just those three.

For all three, I have to say that filling is good but could not say the same for the bread or the crust.

I have always loved eating egg pie so their egg tarts were really a treat for me.  The filling is not as firm as that of the egg pie's but that is what's good about it.  The crust seems to be holding something delicate as it's caramelized fillings.  Sweetness-wise, it was just right.  It is best served chilled.

Their apple tart is another must try.  I suggest that they are warmed in the microwave first before serving for maximum enjoyment.  Also, it's nice with your favorite (somehow) bitter cup of coffee.

I had two of chocolate mousse tarts last weekend. I loved it straight from the fridge.  With regards to the consistency, I guess they had some gelatin mixture mixed with the cream.  It is a not-so-sweet treat in comparison to that of the chocolate mousse of KFC (if there are still any).

Try enjoying them on your next visit to Tagaytay where you can find Rowena's alongside the road.

Apple Cucumber Juice

It's 31 degrees Celsius outside and I wanted something refreshing.  I rummaged the fridge for something but nothing appealed to me until I opened the fridge drawers and found the green apples and one medium sized cucumber.  And I thought of why not making a juice out of these.  It's a healthy change from my sweet and salty diet for the past couple of days. 

So I asked someone to prepare the juice for me because honestly, I don't know how to operate the juice machine (teehee! I don't know why that made me giggle LOL!)

And the finished product is ice cold refreshing apple cucumber drink.

Cheers!

I secretly hope there's vodka in it.  LOL!

Dinner At Omakase

Everyone was craving for Japanese tonight.

My sister sent me a text message to get ready because we were going out for dinner.  I told them not to choose any restaurant that requires a dress code because I was wearing my pambahay shirt.   So we all headed to the nearest Japanese restaurant which is right across the village gate.  So we took the 10 minute ride.  It took that long to go through the traffic in the main road during rush hours.

I had already something in mind what to order during that 10-minute ride.  Crunchy spicy tuna salad is always my favorite in any Japanese restaurant.

Upon entering the restaurant, I saw two of my high school batchmates in the table near the entrance.  So much for dressing down.  I hope they didn't see me or recognize me.  There's something about meeting people from high school again.  It makes me so uneasy.  But that's another blog post in the making.  

So here's what's on our table:

I ordered the JSC(?) Platter which was good for four to six persons depending on the appetite.  I love the one with smoked dried fish sprinkled with sesame seeds.  It comes with a Japanese mayo dip (which unfortunately, I missed trying out).

Here's the bottomless raspberry iced tea.  I usually don't order iced tea anywhere but the word raspberry made me want to try it out.  I ended up shivering.  I don't think I'm used to ice cold drinks anymore.  Anyway, there was a tinge of raspberry flavor in it.  (Honestly, I haven't tried eating raspberries for real in my entire life yet so I don't really have an idea how raspberry flavored drinks are supposed to taste like.)

For the love of soup, I ordered their Omakase soup.  Since it bears the name of the restaurant then it must be good.  It didn't fail me.  I love sipping through the warm broth of vegetables and seaweeds.

                 Here's my brother's Gyudon that I didn't bother tasting so I cannot say how good it was.

Since they were taking a long time deciding what to order, I ordered us a basket of shrimp tempura.  It tasted like any tempura in any Japanese restaurant around the metro.  It was only special because it is what it is - tempura.

My cousin's tonkatsu and salad on the side.  I didn't try it out because I was immersed in eating sushi that I failed to notice this until I was downloading pictures from my camera.  She took this picture awhile ago without my knowledge.

Spicy crunchy tuna salad.  Bow! 

Super love this!  

Must order this in any Japanese restaurant.

Not in pictures:  Yakisoba.

The Great Miss:

Something bad happened while we were dining in that I almost lost my appetite.  I overheard our waitress tell the cashier out loud, "Ang dami kasing additional orders".  Well, I for one know for a fact that we keep ordering one by one so it was probably tedious for her to get our orders.  But I really stopped eating when I heard her.  I motioned for her but the cashier got off her post and approached me along with the waitress.  Here's what I told them as far as I can remember:

"Miss, bawal bang magbigay ng additional orders?"

"Kasi narinig ko nagrereklamo na yung staff niyo eh."

"If bawal mag additional, hindi na kami mag o-order, sabihin niyo lang"

"Kasi Miss, kahit sinong makarinig sa sinabi mo, ma-o-offend."

What the concerned waitress did was approach me herself and apologize.  She was really trying to ask me to overlook the incident.  And I implied that I'm going to let it pass.  I also told her that if they're to complain about their work, she should do it in the proper place (behind close doors) and time (after closing hours).  

I was an employee myself and I have encountered difficult people before.  I understand that she wanted to air her work woes but she has to do it tactfully next time.

After that, I got my appetite back and raved about their food relentlessly.

Diamond Hotel's Box of Chocolate

It's the season of chocolates and flowers.  I prefer the latter former (teehee!) simply because it is edible. 

For me, Diamond Hotel along Roxas Blvd is one of those hotels that offers an incredible buffet although it's not "flashy" or "classy" as the other hotels are offering.  Still, they offer the best lamb roast I have ever tasted (No kidding!).

Yesterday, someone brought home a box of their chocolates.  They came from a Valentine's day date, I presume.  And it's kind of pathetic that I'm eating leftover chocolates.  But I'm happy to finish all of it.  I'm not complaining.  It is, by the way, chocolates.

I had my fingers in one of these.  Don't sue me for my ignorance but I thought this milk chocolate ball still had a wrapper around it.  I couldn't distinguish that the decoration was white chocolate.  So I was kind of rubbing my fingers on it to remove the "wrapper" until I felt it was already melting in my fingers.

I took a bite of it fast before it crumbles in my hand.  And it oozed with more milk chocolate inside.  I kind of sipped some of it.  My head was kind of spinning with the sweetness (I've been taking a lot of sweets lately and I'm afraid blood sugar is shooting up in my head).  I finished it off licking some of the chocolate goo off my fingers.

As if that wasn't enough, I grabbed another.  This time it was dark chocolate with melted chocolate inside like the previous one.  It tasted like there was rum in it.  It probably does.  But not enough to get someone drunk, I suppose.

Dexter's Fondant Cake

Our family has been a loyal customer of Dexter's Bakeshop especially during special occasions.  Their cakes and pastries are truly a treat to the eyes, taste buds and tummy. 

I recently enjoyed one of their fondant cake. 

Almost everything is edible.

The toys are sugar coated too so anyone who is old enough to know how to distinguish food from nonfood may be able to eat it.  The cubes/blocks are all sugar and is edible all throughout.  Suck but don't bite.  They're really hard candy. 

I wish the pink soccer ball was a toy and not hardened sugar so I can keep it.  It is just so cute.  It is hollow inside and when you drop it, it will break like porcelein.  I really want to know how they make it. 

The cake was made of butter bread that was almost as good as Goldilocks' butter slices.  (Sorry but I still have yet to find something better than Goldilocks' butter slice)  The best thing about it is that there are generous amount of crushed walnuts in it.  They're so abundant in the bread that eating it doesn't get that boring.

Also, it is a bit sweet especially when you eat some of the fondant along with the bread itself.  And it is perfect with a somehow-bitter-tasting coffee.  I tried it with Nescafe Original 3-in-1 mix and it was a perfect combination.

Romulo Cafe's Leche Flan and Turon

If we are to think of Filipino desserts, leche flan and turon would be there on top of the list along with bananas.  So if we are to start a Filipino diner or restaurant, never forget to include these two because people will expect us to have it. 

I love leche flan.  I said it before and I'm saying it again:  It's much better than creme brulee!  If it is prepared well enough, it will never be passed up in a dessert table. 

We had leche flan served in our last visit to Romulo's and noted that it was cranked up a bit with caramel syrup (as if it wasn't sweet enough).  It was so delightful but couldn't finish the whole thing.  One or two teaspoonfuls of it is quite enough to last you up to the next hour or so. 

We also tried their turon.  Like the leche flan, it was drizzled with caramel syrup. 

It was topped with a scoop of sherbet that isn't too sweet.  I tasted the sherbet first and almost finished it entirely before I took a bite off the turon.  The waiter just told me it's turon so I didn't expect the pineapple filling oozing out of it with that one bite.  It was a pleasant surprise.  Like I was eating pineapple pie from Jollibee :)  but a whole lot better. 

I thought I could make it at home only if I could get the recipe of the pineapple filling and then, I'm good to go.

Molten Chocolate Volcano

Visited Chili's once again last night and this time, we tried out the dessert my friend was gushing about before.  It lived up to it's name.  It truly is an explosion of sweetness. 

Warm chocolate cake topped with cold vanilla ice cream and frosted chocolate had one more surprise in store: the oozing warm chocolate syrup inside the cake.  I want to come back for another one of this. 

Chai Tea Blended Cream

Starbucks has been around for so long already that I'm sure everyone has tried a variety of their drinks already if not all of them.  I tried almost all of their coffee, tea and fruit juice preparation (and my savings has suffered a major blow because of it).  And today, I passed by their Shangri-la branch to get me a serving of my all time favorite: Chai Tea Blended Cream. 

I don't usually drink tea drinks.  I even avoid drinking iced tea at home or in restaurants because I've always thought they were just too sweet (except that of Pho Hoa).  But I don't think I'd ever say no to Chai Tea Blended Cream - Starbucks brand or not.

Some people don't like the taste of cinnamon but having it in my drink is something I go crazy about.  It's like Christmas all over again.  LOL! 

Rowena's Spicy Dilis

Whenever we go back to Manila from Tagaytay, we pass by the almost-always crowded Rowena's bakeshop.  Most people go there to buy the pies - particularly, their buko pies which already overshadowed Colette's.  I go there to buy my favorite Spicy Dilis.

I have the propensity for the crunchy stuff.  And their dilis are uber crunchy.  It's quite embarrassing especially when you're in a hushed placed and you start munching on it. 

It's good because of the crunch and the taste.  It is actually sweet and spicy.  It is honey roasted sprinkled with sesame seed.  It's a gouty arthritic's nightmare.

I believe this is best eaten when you're trying to keep awake.  One dilis is enough to make you look for water and sweat and in my case, sniff (that happens to me when I eat spicy food because I start to have the runny nose - oh excuse me).

Luncheon at Chili's

We were still on the road today by 12 noon and decided to get something to eat.  We stopped by at Chili's and had some light lunch.  It has been a long time since my last Chili's meal.  Their restaurant is still as homey as the last time.  And the service is still surprisingly better than their counterparts. 

We ordered Southwestern Vegetable Soup for starters.  The crunchy tortilla strips made it fun to eat.  But the gooey mozzarella cheese made me want for more.  Of course, it had beans in it to make it more Mexican or Southwesternish.  I haven't enjoyed soup as much as this did for a long time now.  Definitely, something to go back for in Chili's. 

We wanted something light so we ordered another appetizer to include in the main course.  No, we are not on a diet.  I forgot what it was called but this had tasty chicken strips on top of a mixture of vegetables.  (Note: I remember an article in Yahoo of meals we should avoid ordering because it was loaded with calories hiding under the facade of a salad.  And I remember looking at a picture of something that resembles the salad below.)

Another appetizer for the main course was Triple Play. (Good thing, I still remember the name of the dish.)  This contained soft chicken strips that I initially mistaken as fish fillet, fried burrito-like cones with corn and beans in it (LOL!  I really don't know what it's called), and buffalo-style chicken.  Along with it are three dipping sauces which include tartar sauce, creamy mushroom sauce and one that probably contained mustard.  And there were also celery sticks that I didn't bother eating.

It was supposed to be a light meal until I had Molten Chocolate Smoothie for my drink.  I'm trying not to think of around a thousand calories that is probably in that smoothie serving.  (Hope I burn it off by carrying my baby day in and out for the rest of the week.)  I requested it to be placed in a to-go cup because I was sure I wouldn't be able to finish the whole thing.  And so they obliged.  I just wondered if I got a lesser quantity because I had it on a cup instead of their big glasses.

All in all, the dining experience were still as good as before.  It's better than most of it's Southwestern or Mexican restaurant counterparts in the country.  There's still a lot to come back for so hopefully, I could visit again.

Blogging About Motherhood

I created another page for my posts regarding my kid and my being (non)married wife.  Hope to share a lot about it.

http://wifemomma.blogspot.com/

McDonald's Crispy Chicken Burger

I remember complaining before that McDonalds don't serve burgers along with their breakfast meals before 10am everyday.  And that is why I was happy to know that they now do in the form of their Crispy Chicken Burger.

I have already ordered this twice before, always in a drive-thru.  And so was the last time.  I never did like ordering the muffin before and therefore, the choices are narrowed to their Big Breakfast and the Crispy Chicken burger.  I wanted something more convenient to eat in a moving vehicle so Crispy Chicken burger was the choice along with hashbrowns and lots of ketchup packets to go. 

I love their Crispy Chicken burger from that very first bite.  It was warm and crunchy on the outside and tender on the inside.  I didn't note any extenders (like flour) if there was any.  I love how simple it was - just the chicken fillet and the bread.  And despite its size, it is quite filling too. 

Big plus is, it's much cheaper than the Chicken McDo that I also love.  So now that I'm in a very tight budget, Crispy Chicken burger can give me the same satisfaction I get from the more expensive version.

Racks' Ribs

The first Racks restaurant I know is in El Pueblo in Ortigas.  That was around 15 years ago.  Until now, it is still standing on the same ground although they made it smaller and rented out the other parts of the building.  It was a hit when it first opened but after a couple of years or so, nobody bothered to eat there anymore.  I thought it was going to close down.  But even at a time when they seem already hanging by a thread, our family still ate there because the food has not changed.  The meat are still tender, seasoned and cooked just right. 

After time, they made an overhaul of their establishment.  The interior is much smaller but cozier and classier than before.  The patrons like us appreciated their comeback.  They even opened a branch in the nearby mall (Megamall) but I still prefer dining in their El Pueblo branch if we're not having them delivered in the office for lunch (which is most of the time).

I ordered savory chicken and baby back ribs for myself.  I wasn't able to finish the whole thing.  Actually, I left the chicken behind. Teehee!  I gobbled the ribs without bothering eating rice with it.

I love their coleslaw.  The veggies are coarsely shredded unlike that of KFC's coleslaw but just as good.  I think they serve a healthier salad since you can identify what's in it (unlike that of KFC's). 

By the way, I used to love ordering their loaf of onion rings.  Unfortunately, I noted that it has become too oily for my taste the last time I ordered it.  Therefore, I don't recommend it for anyone who prioritizes their health.

Dining in Romulo's

Awhile ago, we had our dinner at Romulo's.  We knew reservations were necessary but because everyone was craving for Filipino dishes, we opted to try our luck.  And we were so glad when a table for eight people were available.  We were seated in the non-airconditioned area of the house-turned-into-a-restaurant establishment along Scout Dr.Lazcano in Timog. 

We ordered dishes that we haven't tried before. 

For starters, we ordered Pinoy Nachos.  These were sweet potato aka kamote chips topped with cheddar cheese, goat's cheese, tomatoes and more.  The kamote was sliced thinly and fried to a crisp but not burnt.  The best thing about this dish is that even though the slices were fried, there was almost no trace of oil.  And that is why I was having second thoughts if this was really fried or it was baked instead.
 

Another appetizer was the pomelo salad.  I truly enjoyed this one.  There were pomelo bits everywhere.  The pomelo was ripened just right hence, it blended well with the dressing.  It was topped with slices of salted eggs and poured with strawberry salad dressing. By this time, I was already feeling almost full. 

My friend and I ordered binagoongan rice while the rest ordered pandan rice.
Just a thought: I never got to eat again my favorite spicy Thai binagoongan rice along Pearl drive in Pasig anymore.  I have been settling for different substandard versions of binagoongan rice. 

Laing topped with  adobo flakes.  It's too bad that the taste of adobo flakes gets lost in the laing.  I would have loved it if it was in a separate dish instead.  Laing is always good.  It's a rice magnet, if you ask me.

I ordered beef kaldereta topped with grated queso de bola.  The beef was good although I prefer it more tender.  Again, the cheese got lost in the tomato-based sauce of the beef.

I don't know what this is called.  Someone ordered it and kept calling it galantina.  It would seem you're eating steak but it's not heavy on the tummy as an actual steak.  This one you can eat without rice.  The dipping sauce is also good. 

I ate the crablets last even though it was supposed to be an appetizer.  I'm not a fan of munching on shells.  It's more bothersome when you're swallowing it.  But this was a good dish, nonetheless.

 

All in all, the dining experience in Romulo was satisfactory.  The dishes lacked the wow factor.  I wasn't at all gushing at the food after every bite.  Somehow, the dishes seemed ordinary.  But I have to say differently about the ambiance and the service.  They have somehow lived up to the expectations of a highly rated restaurant. 

The price was more than satisfactory.  It was relatively cheaper than expected from a restaurant of their stature.  Diners will be able to eat to their heart's content without the usual worry on how it was costing the diners.