a matter of teys.t

In the past few days, I have rediscover my passion for grilling.  I used to grill a lot of our food particularly steaks.   With a quest for family health, I decided to grill more of our food as opposed to eating mostly fried stuff.  My first attempt was with tilapia (aka St. Peter’s fish).  I miscalculated the amount of charcoal so my fish was quite raw in some parts but good enough to be eaten.  The whole time I was cooking, I was thinking about cats or dogs that might take the fish.  A pvc fence installation would be helpful! My second attempt was with a whole chicken sliced in the middle.  Miscalculated the time in this case so I had to partially cook it with the microwave. My last attempt was quite fine and proved to be a delectable meal of tilapia for the family. For my next chicken attempt, I already had the vendor cut it up so I cook  it well.

The kids love the grilled food I cooked these days.  I guess I’m becoming a grill dad all over again.

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Our recent bout with pneumonia, led us to rethink the nutrition strategy we have for our kids.  As it is, we feed the kids mostly fried meat or fish with rice and give them vitamin pills for the micronutrients.  Now we have decided to give them vegetables with every meal.  We also decided to buy our food from the market as opposed to a supermarket.  The benefits are quite a surprise. Market food is fresh and typically cheaper than at the supermarket.  Its really worth putting your dansko clogs.  When was the last time you  grilled tilapia still squirming in the bag? Or had fresh camote tops as a delectable salad for the family?  I guess the old ways are still worth keeping.

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coffee break ver. 1.30

After a long hiatus from Jan’s coffee break, I’m slowly getting back to my blogging groove. I really like this week’s topic because it’s a topic close to our tummies. However, it’s a bit difficult to narrow the foodie choices down to just three so I’ll choose three categories - high end,  middle of the road and  ’pocket’ friendly dining places.

HIGH END 

CIRCLES at the Shangri-la Makati :

If you are a buffet and eat all you can type of foodie then one of the best places to pig out is at the Circles located at the Shangri-la Hotel in Makati. International cuisine is their strength so there are numerous choices to satisfy whatever craving you have. Indian, Japanese, Chinese, a lot of Western dishes and desserts that keep calling your name to fill up your plate over and over again. It was our second time to dine there last week and fortunately the service was much better than the first time. As far as cleanliness is concerned, the proof is in the bathroom and so far I have no issues with them. When it comes to the price however, you better go there really hungry because it will set you back at approximately P1,600 ++ per person. Fortunately for us, somebody footed the bill so all we had to do is relish each mouthful with gusto. But if you’re planning for a really special occasion then, hey, go ahead. You can always hit the treadmill the next day.

The Manila Peninsula 

One of my all time favorite hotels is the Manila Pen. I actually felt so bad when it got wrecked during the Trillanes takeover last year because I really like Manila Pen. We haven’t been able to dine there for years already but my most unforgettable memory about them is their “Baked Alaska” which I tasted more than ten years ago. I don’t know if they still serve it today but I still have to find one as yummy as the one I had years ago. Unforgettable. Really.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD

Kanin Club at Paseo de Sta. Rosa or Westgate Alabang

If you prefer Filipino cuisine with that home-cooked appeal then Kanin Club is a must. Their signature ‘crispy tadyang’ is our favorite aside from their yummy gourmet ‘turon’ and practically everything on the menu is a must-try. The first time we ate there, I felt like a judge on Iron chef tasting and savoring every dish they served. The servings are generous, enough for a family to share and the price is just right.  Don’t forget to try their Thai green mango salad!

SONYA’S GARDEN in Tagaytay

If you like it light and healthy, then Sonya’s Garden is where it’s at. Freshly picked greens from her garden sprinkled with edible flowers is a romantic, yummy treat to try. They usually serve a set menu at approximately P500 to P600 per person. I love their dalandan drink. If you go during the day, you can also snap some shots around her lovely garden.

“POCKET” FRIENDLY

MAX’s Fried Chicken

Now here’s an ever reliable place to dine, affordable and always yummy. Their chicken is true to form “sarap to the bones” talaga plus the price is absolutely pocket-friendly. Sulit sa bulsa.

Chow King

You can’t beat P39 Chao Fan anytime. Busog kaayo!

I have so many more but I’m getting hungry already so I’ll leave you with those choices to drool over. I need to grab a bite, hubby just came in with our village’s Jimanji roasted chicken.

Chao!

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