Foodie Post!

A bit late but better late than… well, you know that line. We had a chance to eat at the Solenad in Nuvali last summer and this time we chose Pig Out! My in-laws flew over to watch the ballet recital of my kids and whenever they come visit, one of the many things we do when they are here is eat out. So lunch it was at Pig Out.

We Pigged Out on:

(sorry no pics of the food – it was a spur of the moment thing hahaha)

1. Mung Bean Soup – per recommendation of the one who attended to us; Pig Out’s version of a staple in many Pinoy households; love the crispy bits of chicharon that end up in my spoon – adds another layer of texture to this comfort food dish.
2. Grilled Tuna Belly – ample portion good enough for 3?; if you love spicy then you will like this one – it’s spicy with a kick and loaded with chillies on top.
3. Country Style Chicken – for the kids of course; didn’t eat much of this one so it’s not as memorable to me
4. Crispy Pata  – presentation was good but personally I needed more “Crispy” on the Pata; I grew up with memories of the crunchiest crispy pata  bought from the local neighborhood beer joint so all the crispy patas out there have yet to match that crunchy “pulutan” I remember.
5. Beef Ribs Spicy Seoul Style – loved this dish! Beef was tender and the sauce was just the way I like sweet, sour and spicy to be. Glad we had a little bit left over which we ate at home.
6. Drinks – old folks had the usual Coke Zero split in two; dh and I had the cranberry juice while the kids had orange juice and calamansi juice.

What’s not on the plate:

Interiors: for a young family or for the barkada crowd, the picnic style table set up is fine and gives you that informal atmosphere in the middle of a “fine dining” set up so you can Pig Out even in your fashionista get up. Unfortunately, for senior citizens who need chairs with back support, this set up is not too “elderly friendly”. BUT kudos to the staff who were sensitive to our needs as they immediately provided chairs for my in-laws. I did suggest to them if they could somehow work out something for senior citizens in the future and they were very nice  about it and sincerely open to my suggestion. Pig Out points for that! I have kids and when we eat out I always appreciate it when the restaurant provides crayons and those disposable placemats with games to amuse the kids to get their minds off their hunger. LOL Pig Out has that so brownie points for that too. Another thing I noticed was their unique way of getting rid of pesky flies that find their way into the restaurant somehow. The attendant lit two candles on both ends of the table and I was surprised why she did thinking  we really didn’t need that ambiance lighting in broad daylight. Of course I asked her what it was for. She told me they were citronella candles and that they use those candles to shoo the flies away. Hmmm, decorative and functional at the same time. We like that. hahaha

Overall, it was a pleasant dining experience.  So if you happen to be looking for an out of town foodie trip you might want to check them out at the Solenad in Nuvali, Sta. Rosa.

All this talk about food is making me gain weight, I need to make sure I find weight loss pills that work virtually hahaha. Until the next foodie trip post!

During the recent visit of my in-laws, we brought them to nearby Solenad at Nuvali to have lunch. We wanted them to see the place as there were new restaurants added since the last time they came for a visit. The kids also wanted them to see the hundreds of koi fish in the man-made lake at Nuvali. My in-laws are not as mobile as they used to be. I probably need to read more information on rheumatoid arthritis to find out what could help them as it has become increasingly difficult for them to walk far.

Crisostomo is one of the latest additions to Solenad, the commercial area of Nuvali along the Sta. Rosa-Tagaytay road. We weren’t quite sure about it because I haven’t seen or heard of it before but since that was the nearest we could find and that was all that two hungry and grumpy old folks could bear, we went in to have lunch. Entering the restaurant reminded me of Maria Clara and old Manila. It dawned on me that the name Crisostomo was probably taken from Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere of which Crisostomo Ibarra was one of the lead characters. I looked around and surveyed the interiors. It was nicely furnished and I particularly loved the old electric fan that you only see in your great great grandparents’ house. Their menu offered Filipino-Spanish cuisine with a twist. I glanced at the station where they had a computer and I saw the name Florabel. I had seen the chef/owner of Florabel being interviewed once on TV so I assumed it was part of a chain of restaurants. A little while later, I think I actually saw the chef/owner of Florabel gesturing to her staff to make sure our orders were taken care of. THAT is a good sign.

We ordered the monggo soup and a salad with green mangoes in it. Then we ordered the mixed platter that had everything on it – barbeque, pork chop, vegetables, oysters, fish etc. It was quite nice and just the right portion for a party of 7. I don’t remember any particular dish that stood out but for me it was enough to satisfy the old folks so it was fine. The service was good and the staff was attentive to our needs. It was a nice little discovery borne out of necessity. There are more new restaurants popping up here in Nuvali. So for all you foodies out there, I’ll try to post our food escapades as they happen.

Ciao or better yet, Chow!