Rub Ribs and Bbq

My son, the carnivore, is always on a lookout for good and hearty meat dishes. My sister-in-law told us about the rib place near Charlie's grill that served good ribs at an affordable price and so we decided to give it a try. Thank God that my husband was in a pretty good mood that day because Rub restaurant is so difficult to find. The sign is so small that one wonders how people can even find it. We were told that it was located about 200-300 meters from Charlie's grill so we went up and down looking for it. We saw the Runner's Burger joint and thought that Rub was the shorter name for it. But there were no ribs on their menu. After a couple of calls to my sister-in-law, we were told that Rub was located in a corner white building. Bingo, we finally found it and at 3 pm, the place was still filling up.

Chicken Cajun Pasta at Php 200. My son is still dreaming of everything Cajun from Popeye's and so we had to order this dish. This was not bad. The pasta was served al dente and the cream sauce did not overpower but blended well with the cajun chicken.

Super Duo at Php 370. This was described to us as a whole slab of  baby backed ribs good for 2 persons. We chose the garlic mashed potatoes and coleslaw as our sidings. Yup, we are very traditional with our food choices. We almost always pick mashed potatoes, coleslaw and corn with ribs and chicken because that is the way it has always been served in the U.S. restos. Everything in this plate was excellent. It was not doused with sauce but we were also given some sauce on the side in case we wanted it dripping with sauce. The whole slab looked like half a slab though or maybe it was a preemie instead of a baby pig.

Sprice at Php65. This is the killer rice. We would come back to this resto again and again just for this rice. The cajun seasoning is blended so well that you just have to roll your eyes when you put this rice in your mouth. What I would also love to do is get a take-out order of this and pair it with the Baked Fried Chicken at Stackers. Why not?

Rub Ribs and BBQ
88 East Capitol Drive

Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne
Adapted from: http://www.food.com/recipe/award-winning-chili-105865

Ingredients:
1/2 kg ground beef
3 cloves garlic
2 onions, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
1 can tomatoes with jalapeno
450 g tomato sauce
2 Tbsp cumin
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 tsp sea alt
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp oregano
cocoa powder
1 can kidney beans, drain and rinse
1 can black beans, drain and rinse
1 cup water plus 1 cube Knorr beef bouillion

Toppings
Sour cream
cheddar cheese
green onion

Procedure:
Panfry onions, garlic and green peppers in dutch oven. Add ground beef. Add seasonings, tomatoes and water. Bring to a boil. Add beans, cover and simmer 1-2 hours.

My notes:
At first glance, I thought that this recipe would be quite spicy because of the 2 tbsps of chili powder, 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper and the canned tomatoes with jalapeno. But my husband and I like spicy food and so I just poured in the whole gamut of spices from the original recipe. I didn't have a cocoa bar and so I added a handful of chocolate chips. After it simmered for an hour, I tasted the dish to correct the seasonings and I was amazed that it just had the right amount of kick. The spice was not overpowering and you don't need to drink buckets of water to enjoy this dish. On the contrary, a glass of wine and some crackers are perfect accompaniments to this dish.

Sizzling Bulalo with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Sizzling Bulalo with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Adapted from: http://www.yummy.ph/recipe/sizzling-bulalo-with-creamy-mushroom-sauce

Ingredients

Beef Shank
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into three pieces
2 stalks celery, chopped rough

1 tsp whole peppercorns

For the creamy mushroom sauce
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
2 teaspoons Knorr Demi-Glace Sauce Mix
1 cup beef stock (from the water used to boil the beef shanks)
cooking cream (I use Elle & Vire brand)

Procedure:

1.     Remove marrow from the bone. Set aside. 
In a large stockpot, combine beef shanks, onion, carrot, celery stalk and whole peppercorns. Add water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until beef is very tender. Skim off scum and oil. Let cool. Transfer beef shanks to a strainer. Strain stock and set aside.

3.     Make the mushroom sauce: Pan fry bone marrow on all sides until no longer red. Remove and set aside. Add butter to the sauce pan. Sauté onion. Add garlic. Add mushrooms. Pour in beef stock. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add demi-glace sauce mix. Add cooking cream. Mix well and let sauce thicken. Season to taste. Set aside.

4.     When ready to serve, heat sizzling plate until white smoke appears. Return marrow to the bone. Sear beef shanks.

5.     Pour in mushroom sauce. Serve immediately.

Note:

The original recipe called for deep frying the shanks for a crispy sizzling bulalo. I opted to pan fry it for health reasons.

Knorr Demi-Glace Sauce Mix which was on a half price sale at Unimart. At 188 pesos, I thought that it was a steal. I use it to add flavor and to thicken sauces. 

YenYen Taiwan Street Food

We finally made our way to YenYen after they moved to a brighter and airier location on P. Guevara.The restaurant never appealed to us when they were across from Mien San because it was dark and looked really seedy. Upon entering the new YenYen, my husband exclaimed that he liked the feel of the place and he hoped that the food would be good since it's located in our neighborhood.

As expected, my son said that he will choose the dishes to order. I couldn't believe it when he ordered fried everything since these were the dishes the server recommended.

Fried Wantons at Php 180. This was nothing great. I think that I will order the steamed variety on our next visit.

Taiwan Porkchops at Php 220. This is their house specialty. The chops were really crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. My son loved this dish.

Taiwan Special Fried Rice at Php 195. This rice is really good. It's somewhat like sticky rice and has the texture of machang or kiampong. The serving was sufficient for the three of us.

8 Treasures at Php 120. This is their version of halo-halo with shaved ice. I needed this to remove all the oily taste in my mouth. This dish was quite good.

We thoroughly loved our lunch at YenYen. The service staff was very accommodating. They even gave us free coffee. The location is also great because there are four tea shops a block away. So, naturally my son had to cross over to the Kozui branch for his milk tea fix.  Then, he exclaimed that we have to eat at YenYen again because he wants to try their asado which looked like it was wrapped in something and then fried. Yes, it looked really yummy on their wall poster. We shall return.

YenYen Taiwan Street Food
198 Wilson St., corner P. Guevara

Brasserie Cicou

Since Brasserie Cicou does not have a single negative review, the Jungolf moms and I decided that this would be the next venue for our lunch date.

For starters, it was a toss up between the pate platter and the roasted bone marrow. As you can see, we ended up with the healthier option. There was really nothing special about this dish if eaten as is. My friends said that it tasted like chicken galantina and the pate in the terrine had the consistency of corned beef! However, when we were served individual servings of mustard, the pates suddenly came to life. It was a  perfect fit. This was served with their complimentary mini baguettes which was so, so good. The baguette was served warm with a slab of butter on the side. It was so crunchy on the outside and so moist and soft on the inside. We must have had 3-4 refills until we were told that it was their last piece!!!! The pate platter was Php 310.

Seafood Bouillabaise at Php 490. This dish had mixed reviews. I liked the flavor of the seafood reduction which was the base of this dish. The fish, clams and other pieces of seafood were cooked to perfection. However, my friend was looking for the creamy bouillabaise which is usually served in Filipino homes and restaurants. It was only then that I realized that yes, it would taste even better if served with some type of gremolata. When I got home, I googled the reviews of this dish and true enough, this dish should have been served with some condiments. Oops, the service staff forgot to serve those condiments to us.

Garlic Sausage with lentils at Php 320. This must be the french version of  pork and beans! The homemade sausage was good but I liked the lentils even better.

Onglet de Boeuf at Php 490. This was highly recommended by the server and so we decided to give it a try. This was US beef hanger steak which was cooked medium. I am not a fan of hanger steak and so this dish did not yell out "Eat me, eat me!" However, my friend who is a steak lover said that this was an excellent dish which she could eat all by herself. Honestly, this was the only dish we had which was not a small portion.

Kouign-Amman at Php 310. This flaky pastry was served with Sea Salted Caramel ice cream. This dessert is pure heaven. We had to have another order which took 20 minutes but we happily waited for it. The pastry was so flaky, buttery, moist and just had that touch of sweetness which was perfect. The salted caramel ice cream that was paired with it was a stroke of genius. Oh my, oh my. I am still dreaming of this dessert. It really is the best dessert in town. You really, really, really have to try this dessert and then you can die happy.

Would I go back to this restaurant? You bet I would just to have my fill of the complimentary mini baguettes and the KA. So, so yummy. The service was also excellent; no quibbling when we kept requesting for refills of the bread basket. That's the sign that the service staff was trained well. I've also never eaten in a restaurant which had perfectly seasoned dishes but Brasserie Cicou really had this. Amazing. The only downside is that the servings are quite small but I suppose that this is the norm in French cuisine.

Lunch at Brasserie Cicou with the Jungolf Moms. A photo op at the start of our meal with our first complimentary bread basket.


Brasserie Cicou
57 Annapolis St.(beside OB Montessori)
Greenhills, San Juan

Steak Rub/Beef Roast Rub

Ingredients:
3-4 lb top roast sirloin (this is the next best thing if ribeye is not option)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoon rosemary
4 tsp sea salt
1 Tablespoon black pepper

Procedure:
Rub on roast. Wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

My notes:
I rubbed this on my frozen prime rib steaks and left it in the chiller section of my refrigerator for 2 days. My steaks were still not fully defrosted when I removed it and so I let it defrost at room temperature. Before putting it on the grill, I added some Knorr seasoning. I heated the grill until white wisps of smoke was visible. I cooked my steaks for 2 minutes on both sides. Sometimes, I cook it for a minute and then lower the heat and cook it for another minute or two. Then, flip it over and cook for another two minutes. Whoa, the steaks were super tender and juicy.

This recipe came from a segment I saw on TV. The host explained that salt tenderizes the meats through a process called osmosis. My steaks came out tender and not mushy at all.

The Vegetarian Kitchen

My husband has been begging to try the vegetarian restaurant which I casually mentioned to him in passing. Don't get me wrong. I love vegetables. I would choose a vegetable panini anytime over a meat based panini. I would also be just as happy with a salad for dinner. But I'm not a fan of fake meat after my husband brought home fake bacon from the U.S. and insisted that we replace it with Lean and Mean bacon. That bacon was really nasty. So, I finally agreed to a date night at The Vegetarian Kitchen knowing that Burger King was just around the corner. At the last minute, my son said that he was coming home for dinner. What? Dinner at home with the parents on a Friday night? Great! My son, the carnivore, would never agree to eat in a vegetarian restaurant. But, surprise, surprise. He said that the location was perfect since he had to meet up with his friends a block away after dinner.

The menu noted that the servings were good for sharing and so we decided to order two dishes.

Shredded Korean Spareribs with a side vegetable and buttered rice at Php 190. My son loved this dish but we all noted that it could do with less sugar. He said that it tastes just like meat. The texture of the "meat" is similar to corned beef. We were told that this was made of vegetable protein which is marinated in the sauce for 3 days to absorb its flavor. The rice was just as good. You could really taste the butter in each morsel of rice. My son commented that since the owners were into vegan because of their religious beliefs (Hare Krishna) it does not mean that it needs to be healthy. Thus, the sweetness of the meat and the buttery rice.

Green spinach lasagna with tomato sauce at Php 270. This was so creamy and really tasty. What is so interesting is that eggs, onion and garlic are not allowed because of their religious belief but the dish is still full of flavor. How did they do that? 

The side salad that is served with the Lasagna. It has greens, corn, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes and cucumber.

Oops, I forgot to take a photo of our guava lemon cooler drink. It was excellent at Php 60. 

After the meal, my son announced that we will have to return to try out the other dishes. I am curious to try the pastel. I was told that it will contain morsels of "meat" which is also formed from the vegetable protein, vegetables and gluten. Their meatless dishes, fish and prawns are also made of this protein thingge. Interesting. 

The only downside about this restaurant is that it is closed on Sundays and Mondays and they close early too at 9 pm. Of course they will not shoo you out after 9 pm but you have to come in before 9 pm. Why Mondays, I asked? Our car is color coded on Mondays, Kiko replied. Haha...

The Vegetarian Kitchen

62-B Mother Ignacia Ave. (a few blocks from Crossroads and across St. Mary's College)

Herb Grilled Chicken, Thai Style

Herb Grilled Chicken, Thai Style

Adapted from: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Herb-Grilled-Chicken-Breasts-Thai-Style-5471

Ingredients:

·         1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil

·         1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint

·         1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro

·         3 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

·         4 garlic cloves

·         1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

·         1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce 

·         1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 1/2 tablespoons washed/brown sugar

·         1 teaspoon red curry paste mixed with 1 tablespoon coconut milk

·         Chicken pieces (I used leg and thigh parts)

Procedure:
Combine first 10 ingredients until well blended.

Spoon herb mixture over chicken, covering completely. Cover dish; chill at least 2 hours, turning chicken occasionally. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.)

Cook in turbo oven at 200C for 25 minutes.

If using boneless chicken breasts, grill chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Cut chicken into strips before serving if using boneless chicken breasts.

My Notes:

I don’t know which ingredient in this dish made my chicken so moist and tender. This dish is so flavorful. I’ve never eaten chicken with this texture. It simply melts in your mouth..

The cilantro flavor is very strong and so you should lessen it if you’re not a cilantro fan.

Zong Restaurant

When Groupon offered a 50% off coupon for Zong Restaurant, I didn't think twice about buying the 600 peso coupon for 1,200 pesos worth of food. I've eaten here ages ago and I recall that the food was quite good. Furthermore, I like it that they have a big sign which says that they don't have MSG in all their dishes.

The menu stated that all their dishes were for good for 2-3 persons. We decided to order fried rice plus two main dishes. It's strange that their vegetable dishes cost as much as the meat dishes. Thus, my son suggested that we forego the veggies.

Yang Chow Fried Rice at Php 288. This was cooked to perfection. You could actually separate each grain of rice which is a good sign of excellent rice. The shrimps were also plump and large.

Chicken with Salted Egg Yolk at Php 438, This was a house specialty and so we decided to try it. This was served without any sauce and it works as is. It's full of flavor. Some pieces were boneless while some were not. The texture is strange though.You know that grainy taste of the salted egg yolk? You can taste that in this chicken dish.

Roast Combination Platter at Php 468. Every time we eat in a Chinese Restaurant, my son almost always orders this platter because it has his favorite suckling pig and roast duck. We were happy with this platter. The skin of the suckling pig was super crunchy. The roast duck and the chicken were just as good. We even loved the hoisin sauce that was served with this dish. We didn't like the asado though. It was too dry. Maybe that's why it's not in the menu.

The servings are ample. We had some leftover of all the dishes. So, I suppose that our three dishes are  actually good for four persons. When we got home, I clicked to buy another voucher. Yes, the food was great.

Napa Restaurant & Bar

My nephew reviewed this restaurant recently and suggested we try it out for our Sunday lunch. Why not? My son was in Tagaytay and so we can order what we want instead of what he wants.

Crispy Chicken Salad at Php 180. The serving was more than enough for 2 persons. It was somewhat like a garden salad of iceberg lettuce, hard boiled egg, carrots, tomatoes, corn, olives and red pepper with a creamy mustard dressing. The chicken was a bit overcooked.

Fish and chips at Php 280. It came with 3 fillets of dory fish, fries and a serving of coleslaw. The fish was fried to perfection but the fries were soggy and the coleslaw had a bitter aftertaste.

By 1:30 pm, we had the restaurant to ourselves. The restaurant actually has a nice ambiance with an at home feel to it.

Sunday lunch with my in-laws.

How would I rate this place? The place was great but the food was just okay. My husband, on the other hand, said that it offers value for your money and will definitely return to try out the other dishes. Service was very, very slow despite the fact that we were the only ones in the restaurant. We had to ask the waiter to follow-up our order twice. Since it was taking too long, we asked for some bread and we were charged 60 pesos for 4 slices of garlic bread. When the bill came, we were shortchanged 100 pesos. It was only when I asked for a receipt that they gave me back my 100 pesos. Management should really retrain their service staff. It's such a turn-off when you want your glass refilled but can't catch the eyes of the staff because he is busy texting.

Napa Restaurant & Bar
12 Scout Borromeo
South Triangle, Quezon city
Tel. No. 414-8272; (0922)830-7983

Stir-Fried Shrimps with Peas and Cashews

Stir-Fried Shrimps with Peas and Cashews
Ingredients:
1/3 kilo shrimps, shelled and deveined
1/3 cup fresh or defrosted frozen peas (more or less)
1/4 cup cashew nuts (more or less)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 egg white
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tbsp cooking oil
1 scallion
3 slices peeled fresh ginger, minced

Procedure:
Combine shrimps with cornstarch to lightly coat. Add the egg white, wine and salt, and stir them with the shrimp until they are thoroughly mixed together. Set aside for at least an hour.

Heat the wok for 30 seconds. Add the 3 tbsp oil, swirl, and heat for another 30 seconds. Add scallions and ginger, and stir-fry to flavor the oil. Remove the scallions and ginger. Stir-fry the shrimps until it changes color. Add peas and nuts until heated through, about 1 min. Serve at once.

Note: Depending on your preference, you may discard scallions and ginger or add it back to the dish together with the peas and nuts.

Fried Chicken and Coleslaw Salad

Easier Fried chicken

Via: http://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/detail.php?docid=25863

INGREDIENTS

1 1/4cups buttermilk

 Table salt

 Dash hot sauce

3 teaspoons ground black pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 ½ pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken parts

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 ¾ cups vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

·         1. Whisk 1 cup buttermilk, 1 tablespoon salt, hot sauce, 1 teaspoon black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon paprika, and pinch of cayenne together in large bowl. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

·         2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 2 teaspoons black pepper, ¾ teaspoon garlic powder, ¾ teaspoon paprika, and remaining cayenne together in large bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup buttermilk to flour mixture and mix with fingers until combined and small clumps form. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge chicken pieces in flour mixture, pressing mixture onto pieces to form thick, even coating. Place dredged chicken on large plate, skin side up.

·         3. Heat oil in 11-inch straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Carefully place chicken pieces in pan, skin side down, and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip and continue to cook until golden brown on second side, 2 to 4 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Bake chicken until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees for breasts and 175 for legs and thighs, 15 to 20 minutes. (Smaller pieces may cook faster than larger pieces. Remove pieces from oven as they reach -correct temperature.) Let chicken rest 5 minutes before serving.

My notes:

To make buttermilk, measure one tablespoon of white vinegar and place this in a glass measuring cup. Then top off with milk upto the one cup line.

I added a dash of Shiracha sauce to my marinade mix which was not enough to give the chicken some heat. Next time, I’ll add a full squirt since we like our food spicy.

I cooked my chicken in a turbo broiler instead of cooking it in oil and it still turned out crispy and moist. While cooking the chicken in the broiler, I also wrapped a head of garlic in aluminum foil and added this to my mashed potato.

KFC Coleslaw

Via: http://www.food.com/recipe/kfc-coleslaw-33489#ixzz1qZ8pJofD

Ingredients:

8 cups finely diced cabbage (about 1 head)

1/4 cup diced carrot

2 tablespoons minced onions

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Procedure:

Cabbage and carrots must be finely diced. (I use fine shredder disc on food processor) .

Pour cabbage and carrot mixture into large bowl and stir in minced onions.

Using regular blade on food processor process remaining ingredients until smooth.

Pour over vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly.

Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

My notes:

I used a whole head of cabbage which I shredded in a mandolin. I grated 1 carrot and 1 onion. I used tarragon vinegar instead of white vinegar. I had to make my buttermilk since this is not available in Manila. For my ¼ c buttermilk, I used ¾ teaspoon vinegar and then topped it with milk upto ¼ cup level of the measuring glass. I let this sit for about 10 minutes before I mixed it with the other ingredients. I also added some raisins to this dish.

This really tasted like the KFC Coleslaw.

Phat Wong

I called in for a reservation for three for Saturday, 12:30 pm. I was really looking forward to eating here because it is Chef Manuel's restaurant; he of the Lolo Dad's fame. I also had two discount coupons so what have I got to lose? When we got there, the lady couldn't find my reservation. Not to worry, there were a lot of empty tables and so we were seated immediately.

Deep Fried Shiitake Mushroom Rolls at Php 170. As you can see, the rolls were a bit burnt and so there was a bitter aftertaste.

Asian Caesar Salad with Pork Bagnet and Chili Croutons at Php 230. I loved this dish. Everything was done right. From the perfect dressing which coated each and every salad leaf to the crispy bagnets and the bread slices which had a hint of chili on it. See how even the hard boiled egg was perfectly cooked? Wow, this dish rocked.

Phad Thai Omelet at Php 240. This was served with some chili paste and fish sauce. You really have to add these to appreciate the dish. Otherwise, it lacks flavor. This dish was just ok. It doesn't taste authentic Thai though.

Banh Mi Roll at Php 125. Banh Mi normally comes in a baguette and so this was quite a surprise. This roll contained pork, ham, chicken liver pate with cucumber, tomatoes, cilantro and pickled carrots rolled in a tortilla. This makes a nice, light lunch dish. The tortilla was served crisp and warm. Yes, I could have this everyday.

I just wish that restaurants remember the small details. All our dishes were placed on the center of the table but we were not provided with serving spoons and forks. We constantly had to ask for refills of our water. There were only eleven guests seated in five tables when we ate there but service was so horrendous. What a shame because the food was quite good. So, we decided to move to Chocolatier for dessert.

Phat Wong
LRI Bldg
Nicanor Garcia St.
Belair II

Kiwi Pork with Coconut Cream Sauce

Kiwi Pork with Coconut Cream Sauce

Via: http://www.zespri.com/zespri-recipes/mains/kiwi-pork.html

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Serves: 4

Ingredients

·         ½ teaspoon crushed cardamom seeds

·         1 teaspoon finely chopped lemon grass

·         500 g (1 lb) pork fillet (or 4 pork medallions)

·         1 tablespoon oil

·         1 tablespoon Thai curry paste (red or green)

·         1 small can (165 ml / 5½ oz) coconut cream

·         2 – 3 ZESPRI® GREEN Kiwifruit, peeled and sliced

·         Cooked rice, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Rub the seeds, lemon grass and ginger over pork and leave to marinate, covered, for an hour at room temperature 
2. Heat a large frying pan, add the oil and sear the pork on both sides. Turn the heat drown and continue cooking pork for 10 minutes or until cooked in the centre. Remove from the pan and keep warm 
3. Add the Thai curry paste to the same pan. Sizzle to release fragrant aromas. Stir in the coconut cream adding a splash of water if it seems too thick. Return the pork to the pan and simmer for a few minutes 
4. Place the pork on some hot rice. Add slices of ZESPRI® GREEN Kiwifruit and pour the hot sauce over the top

My notes:

This was a cinch to cook. I used 1 tbsp of red curry paste but it wasn't spicy at all. The Kiwi was a refreshing add-on to the dish.

Focaccia Restaurant

We finally made our way to Focaccia Restaurant to use our discount coupon which I've had for about 2 months. At 2 p.m. on a Sunday, we were the only ones in the restaurant. Thus, service was impeccable. While waiting for our orders, we were given a free basket of warm focaccia bread with a balsamic dip ala Italianni's. We asked for a refill and it was given to us pronto.

For starters, we had the Portobello Friti at Php 230. This is fried portobello mushrooms served with marinara sauce. I liked the crunch and then the tenderness of the mushroom that just melts in your mouth.

Canneloni con Ragu at Php 380. We were told that this dish was good for 1-2 persons but it was more than enough for the three of us. There were five cannelonis stuffed with beef and spinach and baked in bechamel sauce. This dish was just ok. I didn't really care for the texture of the beef. I expected it to melt in my mouth just like the Canneloni at Trio Restaurant at the Fort but it just couldn't compare.

Finally, the reason why I bought the discount coupon. I really wanted to try their pizza roll which is touted to be just as good as the panizza in Pampanga. We ordered the Tartufo al Funghi (familia) at Php399. This also comes in a small order at half the size. The pizza was topped with portobello, button mushroom, shiitake and cheese sauce drizzled with truffle oil. It is served with alfalfa sprouts and arugula which you put on top of the slice before rolling it up.  It is sliced like a ruler.

This is what my pizza looked like after I rolled it up. Since we're not heavy eaters, we had to take home half of the pizza. Lesson learned. Next time, we will order the small serving. Anyway, it was just as good heated up at home when I served it for dinner.

When I asked for the bill, I ended up paying an additional 20 pesos over the cost of the discount coupon of 500 pesos after service charge and taxes were added to the bill.

I wish they will offer their discount coupons again. I would love to try their Spinach and Artichoke dip to see how it compares to the Spinach dip at Cibo's. In the meantime, I still have coupons for Chef Manuel's restaurant, Chatime and Max Brenner. Yum, yum, yum...

Focaccia Restaurant
G/F, A-Venue Mall
Makati Avenue

Chicken in Roasted Coconut and Yellow Ginger Sauce

Chef Myke Tatung’s Chicken in Roasted Coconut and Yellow Ginger Sauce

Via: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/30027/someone%E2%80%99s-in-the-kitchen-with-grandma

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (adobo cut)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 large onions minced

2 cloves garlic minced

3 stalks lemongrass (chopped finely)

2 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp grated fresh luyang dilaw (turmeric)

1 tbsp bagoong (shrimp paste)

4 siling pang-sigang (finger chili) cut diagonally

1 1/2 cup chicken stock

2 cups roasted coconut cream

8 pcs okra cut diagonally

1 tbsp brown sugar (optional)

Patis (fish sauce) and black pepper to taste

Roasted coconut cream:

Prepare 2 grated coconuts and spread evenly over a cookie sheet. Bake in an oven at 380 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes until it develops a golden brown crust.  Allow to cool, add one cup of water and squeeze out cream. Set aside at least 2 cups.

Procedure:

1. Heat up a casserole and sauté garlic, onions, ginger, lemongrass, turmeric and bagoong and mix into a pasty consistency.

2. Add chicken and pour chicken stock and season with patis, sugar and pepper, cook till reduced to half.

3. Add roasted coconut cream, and allow to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes under low fire or until chicken is tender. Add okra and chilies on the last 3 minutes of cooking. Serve with toasted coconut on top.

My Notes:

I only used 1 grated coconut and roasted it in the turbo oven for 12 minutes. I then added a cup of water and was able to squeeze out about 1 1/2 cups of cream which was more than enough. I didn't have frersh turmeric and so I used 1 tsp of powdered turmeric. Sugar in this recipe just adds calories which you can do without. Adding the okra and chilies in the last 3 minutes of cooking was perfect because the okra still had that crunch and the chilies  did not have enough time to give heat to the dish. I liked biting into the crunch of the chili to add spice to the dish.