STUFF yourself Part 2: The Pig rules!!!

As you noticed, HT couples' way of having vacation is to EAT, EAT, EAT, ok sometimes we go shopping (which we're both not experts of).

And with everything we've stuff ourselves during our holidays, there will always be the so-called "favorites".

Here's what HT couple loved the most:

Lechon in Cebu, Philippines are the best.  To those who doesn't know lechon - it's pig stuffed with herbs and roasted the old-fashioned way.  A person twists the stick to make sure that the pig is equally roasted on both sides and splashing the skin with oil/herbs/soy from time to time to keep it from drying out.  The best part of lechon is the skin.  The crispy-ness of the skin is the sign on how good the pig was cooked and which makes a lechon shop famous.

see what i mean with roasting lechon? :)

Cebu lechon are known for it's tasty meat.  Manilenos' are used to eating lechon with sauce (Mang Tomas to be exact).  That's a shame for cebuanos' who dedicated their lives making the best lechon.  They'll give you a weird reaction if you ask for one (so better watch out!).

And true to its theory, Zubuchon (about 500 pesos per kilo). has made a name and still continues not to fail people like HT couple who loves lechon!  Anthony Bourdain visited Cebu and had his own share of the crispy skin of zubuchon (while it's being roasted! - I wish we were friends).

Zubuchon's also available at the departure area of Cebu domestic airport.  You can get it frozen and there's an instruction on how to cook it the proper way.  Ok, we were not able to make the skin as crispy as it can be, but it's still better than not having lechon when in Cebu! 

tip: If you're diving in Malapascua or Moalboal, there are no lechons in any of the restaurants around the island.  Make sure as soon as you exit the airport, grab a few kilos at the exit (it's not hard to miss - i think the name is Ayer) before you hop for a 3-4 hours trip!  I got this tip from Singaporean divers who frequent Cebu. 

Next, is our all-time favorite:

shout out loud: RAMEN!!! (about 20 sgd per order)

Since our flight is via Singapore, we had a chance for stopover to grab this favorite. 

And do you believe in love at first sight?  HT couple does!!!

It was our first time in Ramen Santouka - The Central (@Clarke Quay, Singapore) and we just fell in love with it.

The ramen was really good and I enjoyed chewing every strand of it.  The soup was delicious that I slurped as loud as I can. 

But what made it special?

the pork cheeks!!!

And these slices just melted in our mouth.  It was very tasty that HT hubbie and I became greedy and got 3 portions in total.  The fats on the meat were not too big, just enough to make the meat more porky.  (HT wife only eats selective fats...and this is one of them).

In their menu, they boasted on how minimal pork cheeks you can get per pig (200-300 grams), thus, it makes this meat special. 

Too bad, we have to catch our flight so we have to bid goodbye to the pork cheeks and 'till we meet again!

STAY TUNE on our next posts...in the land of bb creams, k-pop, kimchi and asian drama series...

STUFF YOURSELF, more fun in the Philippines!

Nomad - a person who moves from place to place according to season, environment etc.  For Filipinos, it's the so-called NPA (no permanent address).

The past years, I have lived in countries which i've called my home. 

And I find it weird but exciting that I went back to my so-called ex-home as a tourist.

And what does tourists like HT couple do?

Stuff ourselves!!!

Cafe Mary Grace (Greenbelt 3, Trinoma, Manila, Philippines)  - if you ask me what to choose from if you just had a full dinner and has a small space of a piece or 2 of sweets in your tummy?  My answer would be, forget about your limitation and eat all of them no matter how big your tummy would be.

The Cheese Roll - are soft and melt in the mouth.  My best friend had 2 of these in one sitting (considering the full dinner and all the other goodies).

Lemon Squares - I'm not fond of citrus desserts but somehow this one complemented  my palate.  The balance of citrus(ness) and sweetness works for me.

Food for the gods - a few words: just lovely!

Mango Bene and the Black Velvet Cake - are rich in taste and no trace of dryness.

WORTH: the cakes were a little over 100 pesos per slice and the rest were 20-30 pesos per piece.

Tao Yuan Seafood Restaurant (Lucky Chinatown Binondo Manila, Philippines) - yes, this is located in the new upscale mall in the heart of Binondo (chinatown in Manila).  This restaurant serves good chinese food...Hongkong and Singaporean dishes are their specialties. 

I was disappointed with how cereal prawns were made especially they are known for their singaporean chefs.  The rest were just delicious!  Amen!

WORTH: It's not cheap but with the quality of the food it was worth it!  The servings are big and for sharing (lauriat style).

 Buffet 101 International Cuisine ( Seaside Blvd.  - across SM Mall of Asia - Manila, Philippines) - Before decent buffet in the Philippines only applies to few hotels in town but the last years, international buffet restaurants are sprouting everywhere in the city.  It's such a big hit to the Filipinos as with the affordable prices and with wide range and good quality dishes, it's worth every cent. 

From seafood, to US steak, lamb, dimsum, sashimi, paella, filipino, chinese and japanese dishes together with the variety of desserts and unlimited beer, sodas and what i've gorged into...fresh watermelon and mango shakes - arggh, I can stay here all day!

Mangoes in the Philippines are just exquisite and one of a kind.  I made sure that I take the said fruit in any form as much as I can.  All tourists in the Philippines does :).

WORTH: 1000 pesos (dinner on weekdays), 1150 pesos (dinner on weekends)...lunch is 900+ pesos

Don't underestimate the crowd as even during weekdays, it can be busy. Reservations are accepted 3 days in advance. 

P.S. the bayside area is so lively and colorful now.  Kudos to Manila!

Marciano's (Greenbelt 3, Makati Philippines) - we're all the yuppies hang out.  It brought back a lot of memories when I was working and enjoying lunch outs with my colleagues which are now my long-time friends.  (Miss you AC- batchmates!)

I don't know how long this restaurant has been in Greenbelt 3, but my bessy wanted to try out this one for a long time.  So here we are!  It serves international cuisine with American twist!  Some of the dishes were named after Gossip Girl's characters (tv series) such as Nate's seafood paella.

To be honest, i wasn't expecting much about the food.  To my surprise, every dish has its own unique and yummy taste.  The braised pork belly was so tender and tasty which was my favorite that night.  And the grilled salmon on caper sauce was juicy and the caper sauce was light enough not to overpower the fish.  The seafood paella topping was abundant and good enough for sharing.  The baby back ribs were lip-smacking good.

Overall, thumbs up to this place!

WORTH: the dishes vary between 300 pesos to 1000 pesos but is definitely good for sharing.

I am so proud of Manila.  The food scene has really gone into a blast!!! Wuhoo!

Philippines, Manila: Casa Armas

Spanish food is an all-time favorite of HT wife.  So I just wanted to share with you my all-time favorite spanish place in Manila.

Even though a number of Spanish restaurants sprouted in Manila, my love for Casa Armas never fades.

My usual order: gambas al ajillo. The chunky bits of garlic are so tasty and it's not overcooked so no trace of bitterness.  The gambas were cooked just right.  It was juicy and flavorful.  I haven't visited Casa Armas for years and I'm glad that the quality in this dish remains.

Still al ajillo (garlic and oil sauce), their beef salpicao always wins my heart.  The tenderness of the thick beef cubes is what I loved the most.  Each piece of meat absorbed the garlic pretty well but still leaving the meat succulent.

The free bread loaf was fresh and was a good companion for the tapas.

Paella Valenciana -  this is not excellent but one of the good ones around.  More chorizo, more taste on the small chicken pieces, more salt, more aroma of saffron and maybe a few strips of jamon iberico suits best for HT wife. :D (haha, it's just what I like my paella to be). The rice was cooked well and we have to wait for almost an hour for the preparation.  It was worth the wait.

Don't be conscious when these are looking over you and your plates.  They just wanted to make sure that everything is in order.  :) So enjoy yourselves!

I didn't become a HungryTrotter if i didn't come from a family of one.  So introducing...my HT sisters!  They were my partners in crime before and they're still are everytime I go back. :) So HT sisters, be prepared with those tummies when I'm back.  'Till our next indulgence!

Price Summary:

Tapas - range from 250+ - 500 pesos~15 sgd ~7 euro

Paella - 800+ pesos~30 sgd~17 euro (good for 4)

Casa Armas

*with all these years, they didn't expand so fast and they didn't dream of  becoming a common restaurant chain.  That proves the consistent quality they're offering until now.  So keep it up!

Greenbelt 3, Trinoma, Jupiter St. Makati, Podium

Metro Manila, Philippines

*For a finer Spanish cuisine indulgence, check out  my posts when i was in Madrid with HT hubbie. :D

Philippines: Cintai by Corito's Garden

With my 3 weeks stay in Manila, I just can't help but to look for a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of the metro.  Luckily, for Manileños', like HT wife,  it was easy to bring ourselves out of town in just 2 hours drive.

We wanted something new...something different...a place we've never been...

The centerpiece  of Cintai by Corito's Garden parking area in Batangas City.

An entrance to one of the gardens. 

their carefully decorated villas (maximum 9 pax)

the beautifully carved walls separating the villas.

the detailed interior and exterior of our villa.  Every space was made with lovely designs and from natural resources. 

the exterior of their biggest villa...your own bar and your personal jacuzzi...perfect for getaway parties.

The place has 4 swimming pools - just enough to accommodate the bakasyonistas (vacationers).  This is their biggest swimming pool with wonderful fountain facade.

A lounge area beside the pool is also available where you can take your afternoon nap or after-swimming snooze.  Love that big buddha head at the background.  The eyes give a mysterious look. :)

I love every details they put in this 5-hectare garden.  It took 5 years to get this look and is still in progress.

one of the smaller pools which was designed similarly from the others

Open and roofed pavillions are also available.  I think this place would be great for weddings!

They have several huge cages spread around the garden.  And with the size of a mansion, only 1 animal lives in every cage.

Dad enjoyed playing with the fauna.

The concept is bali-inspired.  I've never been to Bali so tell me if it is. :)

the landscaping of the area was perfectly done.  You'll see something interesting wherever you go.

 

and they said if you can't beat them, join them. :)

they provide buffet meals if the guests chose to dine-in.  Guests are ok to go out and get food from outside.  There are a number of restaurants which was not too far from the garden.

no-frills comfort asian food.  They did mix-and-match dishes around Asia such as lumpia, tom yum soup. grilled fish, mapo tofu.  The food tasted good.  But for 450 pesos/pax, i think the quantity and the selection needs some improvement.

I enjoyed this jelly-fied water chesnut dessert.  It was unique and refreshing.

The dishes were prepared and whipped up by some of the owners themselves!

No internet or data signals are available.  So stay away from your laptop, ipad or wifi phones as this place let you experience and enjoy every minute with your loved ones personally.

trivia: this place was built by the love (cintai) within the family.  The garden was named after the mother.  More story in coritosgarden.com

Cintai by Corito's Garden

Batangas City, Philippines

TIME OUT: Where's HT couple?

under the sea...

outerspace?!?

in a barrio...

in a nice resort...

wherever we are....we'll be back SOON...stay tuned!

Manila: What HT couple have been enjoying back home

Our first few meals in PH...

Max's Fried Chicken - look how happy HT wife was, holding her first meal in PH.  Max's Fried Chicken for Filipinos is no-ordinary poultry.  It has taste almost similar to crispy pata (fried pork knuckle) which is very tasty compared to white meat and with its goodness, their slogan is deliciously good up to the bones...and indeed, if you can eat the bones, you would polish your plate like it was newly washed.

Banana ketchup with worcestershire sauce goes well with this chicken.  Banana ketchup, well-known in PH is made of mashed bananas instead of tomatoes.  It give lighter and sweeter taste.  This is also being used for pasta dishes.  If you see a sweet-style spaghetti sauce, that is inspired by this banana ketchup and for sure you'll have a sweet, tangy flavor pasta...a Filipino recipe.

Fried Pork Knuckle aka Crisy Pata -We,  Filipinos love our pork and treats it very well. A dish served on Filipino's table during parties and festivities.  The crunchy skin, dip in the special made soy sauce was worth every crack and even though it's fried, the meat remains tender and tasty.  What I don't like in this dish is the process of scraping out the fats from the skin and from the meat, but otherwise, eating it, is like in heaven. 

A true blue Filipino, HT wife enjoyed her chickenjoy!  All Filipinos know how much this chicken gives joy to Filipinos going home from abroad.  Jollibee, the store that serves this poultry, is our Filipino version of McDonalds.  Its crispy skin, oozing oil and tasty gravy are unhealthy but coming home after 7 months, makes this calories intake worth it.

This might not be exclusive in the Philippines, but Green Tea Frappuccino doesn't exist in the Starbucks' european scene.  My favorite drink if I'm not in the mood for caffeine.  Aside from loving its color, i just love green tea per se.

Biko - is a Filipino delicacy made of sticky rice and coconut.  This sweet rice cake is such a delight.  I took this for granted when we would have it at home when I was young.  I guess, absence really makes the heart grow fonder.   I enjoyed every bite of this chewy and lip smacking good biko.

If HT wife had her cravings, HT hubbie sure has one for himself...

Tempura Tuna Sashimi Tartare - A mixture of tempura skin, tuna sashimi pieces mixed in a special mayo sauce.  Teryaki boy, a Japanese chain in the Philippines has introduced this dish a few years ago and became a hit.  It hit HT hubbie's heart too!  The special sauce was a mixture of zest, spicy and sweet taste which goes well with bland raw tuna pieces and the fried tempura pieces added flavor to it.

HT Hubbie didn't think twice of having his picture taken with his favorite dish...he can't wait to have his first bite!

I noticed, being in Manila, is a very good weight gain program.  It's time to take a break...so off we go to Apo, Tubbataha Reef and Puerto Princesa for our dive expedition and going-around-other-than-in-manila trip...and for sure, food would be a part of this journey.  Ta ta for now!