Weekend at New World Hotel

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Joy

I think the word staycation was especially coined because of people like my husband who hate going out of town for some relaxation and leisure time. A staycation, according to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, is a vacation spent at home or nearby — which means, no long drives or airport hassles involved. With only about a month to go before school opens again, and in celebration of my parents-in-law’s 60th wedding anniversary weekend, my dear husband treated our family to a wonderful staycation at New World Hotel in Makati, a good 20 minutes away from our home. We booked a one-bedroom suite for a 2-night stay at a special discounted rate courtesy of the Hotel’s Director of Communications, the stunningly beautiful Ms. Monique Toda. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Monique nearly 2 years ago when I was invited to a very exclusive bloggers’ lunch at Jasmine, the hotel’s fine Cantonese restaurant, which has always been our family’s favorite. It’s really nice that she remembered me and even graciously offered to arrange for our weekend stay. She made sure that our stay will be unforgettable. Checking in was a breeze at the Club Lounge, exclusively for guests staying in suites.

The Club Lounge on the 4th floor of the hotel

Upon check-in, we were welcomed by the very charming and statuesque hotel executive, Ms. Carla Hontiveros, who personally supervised the delivery of fresh flowers (with a handwritten note from Ms. Monique), a complimentary cheese platter and a bottle of champagne to our suite. Our suite was admittedly smaller compared with the junior suite at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, but we learned that it was the same room (Room 1501) where my parents-in-law stayed in ten years ago for their 50th wedding anniversary so that kind of made it special for us. Besides, we always enjoy staying in New World Hotel because of its proximity to Greenbelt and other commercial establishments in Makati.

our one-bedroom suite

And of course, we love the hotel for its FOOD! In fact, we chose Jasmine as the venue for our anniversary treat for Daddy and Mommy mainly because of Jasmine‘s famed Roasted Suckling Pig. As club guests, our stay was inclusive of breakfast (from 6:00 – 11:00 am), complimentary refreshments throughout the day, and cocktails (from 5:30 – 7:30 pm) at the Club Lounge, where we also had unlimited access to the internet. The food was oh-so-good that even though I hit the gym in the hotel for 2 days I still managed to gain 2 pounds! All worth it, I say.

inclusive breakfast and cocktails from the Club Lounge

I wouldn’t mind working out every single day if it’s at a place as nice as the hotel’s gym. Burning calories on the treadmill while watching TV on the machine itself was no sweat for me. We also had a fun time in the pool, especially my little Bea. To complete our pampering-filled weekend, we even got a free one-hour regular massage at the in-house spa, Marahai, after a tiny miscommunication with the hotel’s staff. It was their way of making up for the small mix-up and I’d have to say the soothing massage really did me good. It seemed to melt away all the stress that comes with motherhood, if only for one solid hour.

gym, spa and pool

As a fitting culmination to our luxurious weekend, we held a very intimate celebration for two of the most beloved persons in our lives — Daddy and Mommy. They are truly our inspiration and role models. How many couples do you know have reached 60 years of being married? I consider myself extremely blessed to be part of this momentous event in our family. There were only our closest relatives in attendance — a party for less than 50 — but it was nonetheless a very joyous event.

Because true love, like a diamond, is forever.

Did I mention that the food was fabulous? Jasmine did it again. We ordered our usual favorites and were stuffed to bursting at the end of the meal! The dishes were really big — both in terms of flavor and serving size. The staff of Jasmine even gifted Daddy and Mommy with an enormous chocolate mousse cake, which we all shared with the rest of the family. It was scrumptious with a just-right sweetness.

excellent food from Jasmine

Big props to the New World Hotel family for making this milestone another special event to cherish.  Heartfelt thanks to Ms. Monique Toda, Ms. Carla Hontiveros, Ms. Bettina Inovero (Guest Services Manager), Chel and Rheiner (of Jasmine) and all the wait staff for the impeccable service. You all made our family staycation priceless! Until next time!

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Ba Noi’s

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Joy

Like I always say, you discover a lot of things when you explore a place and its cuisine. Truth is,  I’ve only set foot in Vietnam for a couple of hours when our cruise ship docked at Ha Long Bay, but I started eating Vietnamese food even before then, when I studied in Germany and had a few Vietnamese classmates. I even learned how to make cha giò from them. Now here’s a quick lesson in Vietnamese: the word “grandmother” has two distinct equivalents. One is bà ngoai (which means “maternal grandmother”) while the other is bà noi (for “paternal grandmother”). With this bit of knowledge, one would expect to find homecooked goodness in restaurants bearing these names. Well, my own “bà ngoai” has zero cooking skills, but my late “bà noi” was an excellent cook. I had the pleasure of hooking up with a small group of hearty eaters who call themselves the Yumyum Monsters, and together we set out to try Bà Noi’s [the fresh flavors of Vietnam] in Makati.

Ba Noi's in Greenbelt Mansions

Bà Noi’s is a small and relatively hidden restaurant on Perea Street, just a few blocks away from the bustling Greenbelt complex. It prides itself in serving authentic Vietnamese cuisine. It even plays Vietnamese music in the background to add to the overall ambiance of the place. Vietnamese food is essentially characterized by very minimal grease, the use of fish sauce, various fresh herbs and with splashes of greens, making it one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. For me, no trip to a Vietnamese restaurant is ever complete without an order of my favorite cha giò, which is also referred to as spring rolls as opposed to the goi cuon, also known as summer rolls. I loved the flavors of the cha giò (P190+) at Bà Noi’s — loaded with seasoned ground pork, shrimp, taro, black fungus and carrots and served with the quintessential nuoc mam sauce for dipping.

cha gio and nuoc mam sauce

Because I’m not a big fan of healthy eating, the goi cuon (P200+) did not please me at all. Even when dipped in its accompanying peanut sauce, I still found it so boring and not appetizing enough.

goi cuon

For the main dish, Bea and I had the ga nuong or grilled boneless chicken in rich lemongrass marinade (P245+) and a bowl of steamed rice (P45+). It’s a simple dish that’s almost like our typical chicken barbecue, only with the slightest hint of lemongrass. I didn’t think it was anything special.

ga nuong

Dessert was a choice between a fresh fruit platter and bahn dan long (P135+) — warm pandan cakes with a mung bean paste layer in the middle and drizzled with coconut cream and sesame seeds. Of course I chose the latter, its taste and texture reminiscent of our native rice cake kuchinta, albeit more firm to the bite.

banh dan long

The flavors of the dishes I had were okay, I just have an issue with the prices of the food. I find the prices too steep for such tiny portions. Oh, well. I guess “authentic” and “healthy” food comes with a high price. That’s certainly not the way grandmothers like it.

Categories: Cravings | 4 Comments

A la Mode

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Joy

Summer sucks. Soaking up the scorching rays of the sun is just not my idea of fun. I’ve actually been feeling so uninspired to write anything — the excruciating heat seems to zap my “creative juices” dry. The only things I love about summer are: (1) I don’t need to wake up early to get my daughter ready for school and (2) I get to enjoy all those summer coolers. Like ice cream!

The French term à la mode means “according to the prevailing style” or literally, “in the fashion.” In the gastronomic sense, however, it has come to refer to food served “with ice cream.” And since it’s officially ice cream season, I’ve compiled a short list of my favorite à la mode treats.

1. Skolatina from Cyma Restaurant (P295+)

This decadent chocolate cake oozing with warm molten chocolate is the perfect hot-and-cold dessert. With scoops of creamy vanilla ice cream and yummy caramel sauce lending layers of flavors to this sweet creation, it’s a marvelous way to end a meal. Can you say ‘foodgasm’?

2. Chocnut Cha-cha from Cello’s Doughnuts (P90)

A pillowy-soft doughnut smothered in everyone’s favorite Chocnut candy topped with vanilla ice cream, drizzled with chocolate syrup and crowned with even more crushed Chocnut is a sure-fire way to beat the summer heat! The whole thing just looks a lot sweeter than it actually tastes, but really, ice cream + doughnut = a match made in dessert heaven!

3. Honeybread Gelato from Caffe Ti-amo (P120)

If you’re looking for something filling but still refreshing, why not try the Honeybread Gelato? Two small scoops of luscious gelato and blueberries sit atop a thick slice of subtly sweet honey-and-butter-soaked toasted bread. Deliciously different!

4. Nutella Chocolate Crepe à la Mode from The French Baker (P125)

Thin and light crepe filled with world-famous Nutella spread served with ice cream and garnished with almond slivers. Simple yet divine.

5. Turon Split from Mang Inasal (P39)

Now here’s a very affordable summer cooler that celebrates Pinoy pride. A new take on banana split, this Turon Split is another hot-and-cold dessert that really satisfies. Three scoops of sorbetes (Pinoy-style ice cream made with coconut milk) and two pieces of turon (banana fritters) make this an irresistible dessert or snack on sweltering days. And for only P39, what’s there to complain about?

I hope you’re all enjoying your summer!

Categories: Cravings | 4 Comments

In My Basket Cookbook Travel Collection and Recollections

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Joy

About a month ago, we were visited at home by esteemed food writer and cookbook author Lydia D. Castillo, whom my husband lovingly calls Ninang Didi. She entered our house with an iPad 2 on one hand, and copies of her new cookbook on the other. So cool. Despite her years, she still looked absolutely fabulous and very slender. I was so thrilled when she handed me a signed copy of her book, which I really intended to buy but I was glad I waited a while. Her first bestselling and award-winning In My Basket Cookbook, which features vintage Laguna recipes, came out more than a decade ago so this second book is long overdue.  The author’s  successful career in the airline industry and extensive travels have led her to compile various recipes from around the globe — some very traditional dishes like the Egyptian Moussaka, Chap Chae, Vietnamese Spring Rolls, as well as original recipes (e.g., Olive-laced Kesong Puti Dip, Mustard-Splashed Tanguigue, etc.). There are exactly 128 recipes in the book, categorized according to the following regions: Hong Kong/Taiwan; Singapore/South Korea/Japan/Other Asian Countries; Australia; Egypt; Europe; Guam and the USA; and also recipes from the author’s The Private Kitchen. I love this book because food and travel are two of my most favorite things in the world. Whenever I go to a particular country or city, I make sure to try that place’s popular grub.  Some of my fondest travel memories consist of eating the tastiest and chunkiest clam chowder in San Francisco, yummy Belgian chocolate waffle in Brussels, and freshly-grilled currywurst in Berlin. I certainly believe that in order to better understand a country’s history and culture, one must taste its traditional food. The travel tales and anecdotes in this book make it a more interesting cookbook indeed.

I’d like to share one of the easiest recipes in the cookbook which I recreated at home. Its taste is very simple yet delicious, says my daughter Bea. The tofu and cilantro give it an undeniable Asian flavor –

Silky Tofu with Ground Meat and Cilantro

by Lydia D. Castillo

Ingredients:

  • Oil for sauteing
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1/4 kg Monterey ground pork
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce (patis)
  • 250 g silken tofu
  • 1 bunch cilantro (kinchay), chopped, reserve some for garnishing
  • few drops of sesame oil

Procedure:

  • Saute garlic and onion in a little oil.
  • Add pork and seasoning. Cover and let simmer.
  • When pork is nearly done, add tofu, cutting into small pieces with cooking spoon.
  • Add cilantro and mix well.
  • After one minute, add sesame oil and cook for another minute.
  • Serve with pickled gherkins.

In My Basket Cookbook Travel Collection and Recollections is available at leading bookstores for only P195.

 

Categories: Bookshelf, In My Kitchen | Leave a comment

Recipe: Binagoongang Baboy

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Joy

(Pork with Shrimp Paste)

Let me be the first to say that I’m not an exceptional cook, and I’m usually very lazy to even whip something up in the kitchen. I’m also not one to cook with measurements — I belong to the school of tantiyahan (approximation).  But after a series of disappointing binagoongang baboy from restaurants and eateries, I decided to take matters into my own hands — and in my own pan. I used supermarket-bought, ready-to-eat bottled bagoong (shrimp paste) and the result was so much more to my liking.

You will need–

  • 1/2 kg liempo (pork belly), cut into cubes
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 small onion, chopped
  • 1 medium tomato, sliced into 8
  • 2 to 3 tbsp bagoong (shrimp paste)
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 eggplant, sliced
  • 1/2 tsp sugar, optional
  • siling haba (green finger chili), optional
  • cooking oil

Procedure–

  • In a sauce pan, boil the pork for 20 to 30 minutes or until tender (add more water when needed). Drain the pork but set aside the stock.
  • In a separate pan, fry the eggplant slices. Set aside.
  • Saute garlic, onion and tomato in a little oil. Add in the pork, stirring occasionally until the pork renders its fat.
  • Mix in the bagoong and pour in the stock. Let simmer for about 10 minutes.
  • Add the vinegar, sugar and siling haba and cook for another 2 minutes. Top with eggplant slices.
  • Serve with rice.

 

Categories: Cravings, In My Kitchen | 2 Comments

My Top 3 Favorite Ensaymadas

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Joy

Everybody has a favorite ensaymada. You can’t call yourself a true-blue Pinoy if you have not eaten this sweet, coiled bread in your lifetime. It’s so much a part of our food culture and heritage — dating back to centuries of Spanish rule. These days, the accolade of  “best ensaymada“ in Manila is still a hotly-contested title. There are staunch supporters of Hizon’s Ensaymada (from an old bakeshop in Ermita), loyal fans of Cunanan Ensaymada (a homebaking business from Valle Verde in Pasig) and, of course, the much talked-about ensaymada from The Diamond Hotel. I’ve tried them all plus a lot more, and I must say each has remarkable qualities that merit the coveted title. But since taste is subjective, I do have my personal favorite ensaymadas and while they don’t usually make it to the “best lists” I love them to bits just the same. I’m no purist, so my favorites are what many people would call “updated” versions of ensaymada. They make my tummy deliriously happy — who cares if they’re not the old-fashioned kind?

Number 1: The Manila Hotel’s Ube Ensaymada (P35/small; P70/big)

I’ve only discovered it in March last year but I’ve already consumed tons of this purple delight! Every time my husband has a business meeting at the hotel, I’d ask, nay, beg him to buy some ube ensaymada for me. The taste is pretty simple but what makes it so special is the ube halaya (purple yam jam) filling that’s really yummy. The small bread/pastry is great for dessert while the big one is ideal for breakfast or merienda. And here’s a tip: buy the ensaymada from 7:00 p.m. onwards at half the regular price.

Number 2: Cafe Mary Grace’s Grilled Ensaymada with Caramel Sauce and Toasted Cashews (P109)

Yes, it’s too costly for an ensaymada, but it’s an indulgence I’m willing shell out money for once in a while. I love anything with caramel and this twist on Mary Grace‘s famous ensaymada works for my sweet tooth. The chopped cashew nuts add more flavor and texture to the soft and fluffy pastry.

Number 3: Tsoko.nut Batirol’s Ensaymada with Quezo de Bola (P56)

Best enjoyed warm, this ensaymada‘s crown of melted butter cream makes me weak in the knees with  excitement (butter is one of my true loves). I don’t really like edam cheese, but here I make an exception. So simple yet so divine. The only problem is that I can’t have just one.

Care to share your favorite ensaymada?

Categories: Cravings | 4 Comments

Angels Without Wings

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Joy

Even though I stopped being Catholic about 15 years ago (I’ve become a renewed Christian ever since), I don’t see anything wrong with a Catholic education for my daughter Bea. After all, I also went to a Catholic grade school. There are, of course, some conflicts in beliefs but Bea is a very smart girl and I’m confident she will figure things out when she’s a little older.

I decided to write about Bea’s First Holy Communion because I felt the need to commend her school — its administrators and faculty — for an excellent job of organizing this milestone for our little girls. It started right on time and ended swiftly. Everything went perfectly, and I believe I speak for all the other parents present during the event that it was truly one memorable day for all of us. It’s very seldom that the girls are very well-behaved and disciplined, but on that special day they all were — just like angels sans wings. I was also very impressed by the way they responded to the priest, their training in enunciation was completely evident. Hats off to the teachers! My Bea delivered the First Reading, and even at home she has taken to enunciating every word she says, with the occasional sprinkling of her saliva on my face.

The voices of “little angels” filled the chapel as the girls sang their hymns and the early morning sunlight bathed them in a radiant glow. There was only a small designated area for the parents and guests who wanted to take photos, so I had a difficult time finding a good angle and capturing nice shots of my little girl. But that also ensured that the proceedings will go on smoothly and with minimum distractions.

On a different note, one of my numerous pet peeves in life is seeing little girls wearing makeup. Obviously, since I don’t wear makeup myself, my Bea had no trace of makeup on her face save for Nivea lip balm — and only because she has dry lips. I just firmly believe that all little girls are naturally beautiful and pure, and no amount of makeup can ever make them look even prettier than they already are. But that’s just me, okay? As they say, different strokes for different folks. I don’t mean to offend anyone, just wanted to air my thoughts. But seriously, shimmering silver eyeshadow and red lipstick on an 8-year-old lass in broad daylight? For her First Holy Communion? Come on, it’s not her prom night! Think about it.  Think really hard. Contemplate.

 

Categories: Mommy Diaries | 2 Comments

The Cake Club by Diamond Hotel

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Joy

If I could write a love letter addressed to cakes, you know I would. If I could sing a love song about cakes, you know I would. If I could trade jewels for cakes, hmm… maybe I would. That’s how much I love cakes. Other women go crazy over shelves of shoes or designer bags, but my heart skips a beat at the sight of pretty cakes on glass display cases. Much like a moth to a flame, I was naturally drawn to the newly-opened The Cake Club by Diamond Hotel at the Bonifacio High Street Central (BHSC).

It’s fascinating how the Diamond Hotel is becoming more and more recognized for its gastronomic gems, starting with its legendary ensaymada. I visited The Cake Club in BHSC yesterday and swooned at the dazzling array of mini-cakes and pastries.

But first, lunch. The Grilled Reuben Sandwich (P310) had me at sauerkraut. Chunky and incredibly tender homemade corned beef, emmental cheese and sauerkraut sandwiched between toasted wheat bread slices and served with a generous amount of fries — it’s one of the most satisfying sandwiches I’ve ever had in my life! Really yummy.

But this is what I traveled all the way to the Fort for –

Named after the Diamond Hotel‘s general manager, Vanessa (P250) is a glorious dessert consisting of pistachio macarons filled with fresh strawberries and cream, and surprise layers of pistachio paste and strawberry paste. I just loved the harmony of the nutty and fruity flavors as well as the textural delights of subtly crisp cookies, delicate cream and paste.

As a special treat, The Cake Club is offering a 20% discount on meals, cakes, and ice cream until April 15th. Simply like the Diamond Hotel Philippines‘ facebook page and print a copy of the promotional voucher to avail yourself of the discount. Ain’t that sweet?

Categories: Cravings | 5 Comments

Super Panalo Sounds!

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Joy

“Don’t read this book, Mommy. There are so many bad words in it,” cautioned my daughter Bea after browsing Super Panalo Sounds! In late January, I happened to be at the University of Santo Tomas campus and seized the opportunity to buy a copy of the book from the UST Publishing House. I got the last one on the shelf and was told that a second printing is already in progress. Let me just say that I am a fan of the award-winning writer. Let me also say that I love Anthony Bourdain so much yet I can’t get past Chapter 1 of his book, A Cook’s Tour. I absolutely adore Amy Tan but, for some reason, it’s taking me forever to finish her last novel, Saving Fish From Drowning. So what is the point I’m making here? My point is that my being a fan of someone does not guarantee that I will blindly rave about his or her work.

Fortunately, in this case, I finished reading the book and thoroughly enjoyed it. Not that it is a feel-good book. On the contrary, it is rather depressing and tragic. Lourd de Veyra‘s first novel tells the individual stories of 5 music geniuses: Milo, Budik, Dax, Vic and Zorro — collectively known as Superpanalo Sounds! This work of fiction chronicles the lives of the members of the most promising band in the country — their struggle to break into the music scene, their minor triumphs, personal demons and intimate pains. It gives readers a glimpse of the rock and roll culture, which inevitably touches on the sensitive topic of drug abuse and all its evil trappings. What I truly appreciated about this book was how well the author painted a picture of each character, no matter how dark it was. And his prose — almost poetic.

What I didn’t like about the book was how its proofreader did such a lousy job. You see, I have this compulsion to reach for a pencil and mark grammatical/typographical errors on the pages of the book I am reading.  This one had far too many I just had to drop it altogether because I was getting way too distracted already. (A few examples:  He didn’t even bothered (sic) to recite the headline out loud. [page 54, 2nd paragraph]; The day’s so hot and your (sic) so frickin’ thirsty you could drank (sic) from the gutter. [page 68]; The mythical album Malayang Diwa is referred to as Malaya ang Diwa more than a couple of times, and then Malayang Diwa again.) I decided to just enjoy reading the book for what it really is. Despite the numerous printing errors, Super Panalo Sounds! the novel is a real winner. I just hope that all the mistakes will be corrected on the second printing of the book.

Categories: Bookshelf | 1 Comment

Hainanese Delights

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Joy

When in Singapore, it’s quite impossible not to get a taste of the ubiquitous Hainanese Chicken Rice. Considered a national dish, it can be found on almost every corner of the small city-state. When I first tried it at a food court on Bencoolen Street, I thought to myself, “That’s it? That’s their must-try dish?” Honestly I didn’t find the taste remarkable or extraordinary. For something that’s touted as a national dish, it was too mild-flavored (or bland, to put it more bluntly) for my tastebuds. But I had it again on a cruise ship, for lack of other better options, and the taste of the Hainanese Chicken Rice kind of grew on me. I realized that the sheer simplicity of the dish has that quality of making you long for it once in a while. Here in Manila, I’ve sampled a few Chicken Rice versions but none of them satisfied me more than Hainanese Delights‘.

This restaurant shares its name with its signature offering, the Hainanese Delights. For a very affordable price of P120, you get a bowl of clear soup, plump and juicy chicken quarter and unlimited servings of the specially-flavored rice! That is a real steal, great value for money indeed!

I also loved its Take the Cake (P85) — a mildly spicy appetizer, which is actually salt & pepper-coated radish cakes in bite size pieces. If you love radish cakes like I do, be sure not to skip this delicious dish.

The deal-breaker for me is the noodle soup dish called Surf & Turf (P95/regular size; P80/merienda size). It has mixed pork and shrimp dumplings, hence the name. Although the broth itself was very soothing and flavorful enough, there was something absolutely wrong with the texture of the noodles and the dumplings. It was too sticky and gummy for my liking. What a letdown.

That notwithstanding, I still highly recommend Hainanese Delights for its amazingly delightful chicken rice meal.

Branches: Robinsons Galleria * Robinsons Place Manila * Forum Robinsons * SM Fairview

Categories: Cravings | 1 Comment