Balkan Express

Since my son had a 5 pm call time to perform at a Chinese New Year Celebration at Gloria Maris, Sunday lunch had to be in our neighborhood. Thus, we finally made our way to Balkan Express which is just a few blocks to where we live. For starters, the restaurant does not really have any ambiance and the prices of the dishes are on the high side.  We had to think twice if we really wanted to try out their food but it was 2 pm and we were hungry and so we decided to stay put.

Chicken Batak at Php 300. This was two pieces of grilled boneless thighs topped with Mozzarella cheese on a bed of buttered rice. The smoky flavor sealed the dish for me. This was really very good.

Stuffed Pljeskavica at Php 350. This is a Serbian version of hamburger patty stuffed with cheese. We had a choice of no heat, mild or spicy cheese. We decided on the mild flavored cheese which was an excellent choice. This is a very filling dish. My son enjoyed this but couldn't finish all of it since he also ordered french fries on the side. Actually, the fries were just as good.

We would definitely return to try the restaurant's other offerings. The dishes were seasoned well and so kids would enjoy eating here.

Balkan Express
87 Jose Abad Santos cor Mons St.
Little Baguio, San Juan City

Chicken Marinated in Garlic Oil

Chicken Marinated in Garlic Oil from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, July 2011 via http://www.takingonmagazines.com/2011/07/chicken-marinated-in-garlic-oil-from.html  1/2 cup Garlic Oil with some cloves 2 lemons, cut into thin rounds 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 whole chicken cut into 8-10 pieces Coarse salt and ground pepper Combine garlic oil and cloves, lemons, and parsley in a large zip top bag. Mix well. Add chicken and seal bag. Toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or refrigerate 8 hours. Preheat oven to 450. Pour bag contents onto a rimmed baking sheet, spreading chicken pieces into a single layer. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Roast until the skin is golden and chicken is cooked, 30-35 minutes.

Garlic Oil from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food Magazine, July 2011 1 head garlic, cloves separated, peeled and lightly smashed 1 cup extra virgin olive oil Add the garlic and a cup of extra virgin olive oil to a saucepan. Heat the oil to a very gentle simmer and let it cook for 10 minutes. Let it cool, then jar it and refrigerate it. My Notes: I added 5 pieces of the cloves from the garlic oil to my marinade. I also rubbed the chicken pieces with Texas Jack No. 2 Seasoning** before marinating. Since I had some fresh thyme and potatoes, I added these to my roast. Some of my lemon slices turned black and so next time I will lay my lemons in the pan and top it with the chicken pieces. I also made some gravy from my drippings. I am a citrus fan and so I liked this dish. My son thought that it had too much lemon and did not really care for it. My husband said that it was just ok. **You can buy Texas Jack No. 2 at Santi's. I rub it on my steaks and lamb chops before grilling.

Sesame Chicken

Ingredients:
1 large chicken, cut up
3 T sesame seeds

Marinade:
5 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 egg

Cracker Mixture:
1 1/2 c crushed crackers
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 c chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated onion
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper

Procedure:
1.  Preheat oven at 350F.
2.  Rinse chicken pieces and pat dry.
3.  Marinate chicken pieces in garlic, Worcestershire sauce and egg.
4. Combine crackers, Parmesan cheese, parsley, onion, salt and pepper.
5. Coat chicken thickly all over with cheese and cracker mixture.
6. Place chicken skin side up in baking pan.
7. Dot with butter and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
8. Bake uncovered at 350F for 1 hr or until tender.

My notes:
I mix Fita and Skyflakes together for the crackers. Sometimes, I use cornflakes. For the sesame seeds, I sprinkle all 3 tbsp on top of the chicken or add 2 tbsp to the cracker mixture and 1 tbsp on top of the chicken. I serve this with Sweet Chili Sauce on the side.

You can halve the recipe for the cracker mixture because it's really a lot. My son loves crunchy food and so he insists that leftover cracker mixture should be spread on top of the chicken.