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

Philippines, Manila: Vikings

HT wife is still raving on Manila food scene!  I just can't stop indulging and trying out the all these new restaurants in Manila for the past 6 years that I was not living there.  Somehow, it makes me feel that it's time to move back (all for the love for food :D).  Of course, if only HT hubbie goes with me. (HT hubbie and food goes together in my dictionary :D).

There's been a craze on this huge eat-all-you-can place, facing the Manila bay.  Reservations should be done in advance especially on weekends or else you end up going there being disappointed.  As a family of food lovers, we booked weeks in advance. :)

I'm not a fan of eat-all-you-can as quality is being sacrificed.  But i've been reading a lot about Vikings and it was considered a luxurious buffet.  There's only one way to figure out...I just have to try it!

A good parking area was provided and as soon as you see this pirate-looking chef with a sneaky smile, you know you're up for the unexpected.

The place was huge!  I just have to spend 10 minutes going around to check out every buffet section without getting lost.  I like the idea that the buffet tables were laid out all over the whole area making sure that everyone doesn't squeeze  and not too much in each other's face.

What amazed me was the huge variety of selections they have.  You name it, they got it.

After going around, i started with this...

sashimi is included! :)  Both the sushi and sashimi were cut and done fresh respectively.  It was an entertainment watching the chefs making it if you wanted to take a break from stuffing yourself.

Cold cuts section was consists of western cold cuts of ham, cheese and other small bites.  I chose to get the chinese cold cuts such as century egg, jellyfish, marinated pork (simply anything you can get on the 1st plate of a lauriat).

We were sitted near the dimsum area and i love those mirror panels on the ceiling as you can see what the section offers you.  Chawan mushi, herbal soup were present as well.  I love that they still considered the presentation of each dish.

Imagine yourself in a market of fresh seafood around you.  Point which one you like and hand it off to the staff for immediate grilling.  And after a few minutes, it will be served to your table.  And for those who's impatient, grilled items are also available. :)

a row of hot dishes showcasing Western, Chinese and of course, Filipino cuisine.

Shabu Shabu Plain and Mala Tang works well for the kids. :)

The dish for the day...peking duck wrap with hoisin sauce.  This changes every week.  The pig's trotter (teer-mah) I got on the side was good.

the all-time favorite seafood was the choice of the night of HT wife's family.  The shrimps were big and the crabs were meaty.

Baked oyster delivered to our table...my brother was an expert.  He knew where these aphrodisiacs were hiding.

 more grilled items...whew...i wonder if i can stuff myself more...

A buffet in the Philippines would never be complete without our famous roasted pig, lechon.

Lamb and tenderloin were also served for non-pork eaters.

Even though, I was so full, I made sure that I can still enjoy the desserts.  I indulged more on Filipino delicacies (upper left).  Oh my, I miss them so much!

Free flow of juices, sodas, fruit shakes, beers, coffee and tea are included in the buffet for 888 pesos (~30 SGD~17 euro) per person.  This September, they have increased their weekend price to 1088 pesos but i heard Angus beef came to the scene.

Overall, the food was ok.  You wouldn't reach to the point that you'll be shouting...you're in heaven but with the price, wide variety and decent serving (they don't scrimp), this is one of the the worthy eat-till-you-drop place in town.

What made this dinner special was celebrating my birthday again (after 6 years of being apart) together with my sister.  It was a month late, but who cares? :)

Vikings

Seaside Blvd, Pasay City

Philippines

*you can even make reservations on their facebook page :D

www.vikings.ph

Philippines, Manila: Chef's Table

Chef Bruce Lim, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate might be familiar to Asians who watches AFC (too bad it's not available in Europe).  He's a Filipino by blood but grew up in the US.  He was more exposed to western cuisine growing up but he never forgot to trace down his roots.

I remembered that he had a private dining which you have to be in a group of 10 or more and reservations only.  3 years ago, the concept of having his own restaurant pushed through, showcasing the best of Filipino cuisine giving it a fine twist which appeals to the palate of everyone.  HT wife have been wanting to try it out and finally, she got the chance...

love this concept of open kitchen that gave the diners the dining experience from the moment they enter the place.  We were at the 2nd floor and they still made sure that everyone can see what's going on in the kitchen with their full glass panel wall overlooking the clean busy area.  Check out the bald chefs...hygienic, isn't it? :)

Aside from food, they made sure you can get their house cocktails with something Filipino in it...

Grape Gaudinez - made of grapes, cranberry, spring onions and lambanog (alcohol made from coconut - local wine).  The drink was very refreshing and light.  The spring onions were not overpowering and complemented the lambanog.  My best friend's choice.

NCR (No one Can Run) -  NCR stands for the national capital region in our country and they used the acronym for this special drink.  From the name itself, I made this as my choice for the night even if I haven't read what was in it as the name made me curious.  It was a mixture of everything, gin, brandy, lambanog, orange and mango juice.  What made it unique was the chili extract which gave the drink an after-sip bite.  Don't worry about the chili decorated on top, the drink was pleasant and it wouldn't burn your tongue.  It was a strong cocktail but delightful to drink for a long evening chatting with your friends.  No worries, I was still able to run after a glass :).  And this goes to the top of my favorite cocktails list.

Now, it's time for food!!!

For appetizer, we decided to get Hot Rock Pusit (squid) - beer-marinated squid grilled between hot rocks.  It was very tasty and the squid was cooked to its perfection as it was very tender and juicy.  It can go well with rice too.  I think a fancier presentation as per the description would make it more enticing.

Calamansi Tuyo Spaghetti - Tuyo, salted dried fish, a favorite of most Filipinos that goes well with rice and can be eaten at any time of the day.  Usually eaten with a vinegar dip, to smoothen out the saltiness.  This version was served with spaghetti and calamansi.  I love this idea as it makes the dish less boring.  It's easy to make this at home as you don't need much ingredients as the tuyo is flavorful itself.  If you're a pasta lover like HT wife, you're gonna love this dish.

Kare Kare - a very Filipino dish, ox tail in peanut sauce.  This version is drier than the normal but the richness of the peanut sauce remains.  The ox tail were soft and delicious.  What made this dish different is the eggplant caviar on the side.  Kare Kare is always eaten with fish paste (bagoong) for salty kick.  I love chef's table's bagoong twist i.e. the eggplant caviar as it's sweet salty taste is not too fishy but still giving the its Filipino authenticity taste.

Chicken Sat on Salt - their version of slow-roasted chicken served with atchara, pickled unripe papaya and a spiced-oil dip.  The chicken was placed on top of a bed of salt when cooked letting the salt absorbed into the chicken meat.  I'm not very fond of this dish as i prefer my white meat very salty just like most Filipinos :D.  I used the eggplant caviar to give my chicken more taste.

Overall, it was a great dining experience.  The waiters were very knowledgeable of what the restaurant offers and were very helpful. Before we left the place, we made sure that we end our dining experience the best way...

a remembrance with the chefs at their table. :) 

Cocktails cost 150-180 pesos~6 SGD~4 euro

Dishes cost 200-600 pesos~20 SGD~12 euro

Chef's Table

The Infinity Tower

26th street

The Fort Global City

Taguig Philippines

Philippines, Manila: Mesa (Filipino Moderne)

I'm just so proud how Filipino restaurants are developing and catching up with the modern style of the food scene in Manila.  Filipino cuisine is considered unpretentious, simple and no frills.  It's more of comfort food that you can enjoy in your home.  But nothing is impossible for Filipinos :) (i'm proud to be one :D)

Check out some of the Filipino dishes with a twist...

Crispchon - Philippines' table is famous for its lechon - roasted pig.  It's usually eaten alone or with rice with liver sauce (right most).  This concept of adapting how peking duck is being eaten was a pretty good idea.

just like peking duck, lechon's skin shouldn't be missed out.  The skin was juicy and crispy, just how a lechon should be.

ta-dah!  The finished product...we're ready to dig in! :)  They provided 3 sauces: Garlic mayo, Hoisin sauce and the original sauce of lechon.  I still prefer the original.

the remaining crispchon was tossed in garlic.  It was pretty oily and salty.  I suggest to enjoy your crispchon and have it chopped as is.

Sisig Pouch - sisig is usually served on a sizzling plate but hey, why not  put it in a pouch like this!  I'm not fond of pork sisig but i'm sure sisig lovers wouldn't mind this twist.  Check out my previous post of how a normal sisig dish is served and read more about it.

Tinapa roll - We usually eat smoked fish just like fried fish.  This one was shredded, wrapped and deep fried.  It was meaty.  It was a good start up.

Adobong baby squid - adobo is our national cooking way (soy sauce, vinegar with a little bit of sugar and bay leaf).  We use it basically with anything even with veggies (adobong kangkong).  This was my dad's choice.  The squid ink seasoned-like adobo was very tasty and the baby squids' tenderness works well for this type of dish.

A Filipino table is not complete without a good serving of rice.  We're rice eaters.  It's our staple for every meal of the day.  We ordered Bagoong rice.  Bagoong is made of fermented fish and made into paste.  We love eating it with green mangoes and of course with rice.  I love this bowl because it combined both which complemented all the ingredients in it.  It was not too salty and the fish paste was not too overpowering so it was great with the dishes we ordered.

The place behind this modernity of Filipino cuisine is...

the restaurant MESA - which is a Spanish/Filipino word for table.  They have several branches across Metro Manila and their branch in Greenbelt 5 is doing pretty good.  For a bigger group, I suggest to  make reservations to avoid not being accommodated.  The staff were all very attentive and friendly. 

And this time, HT wife enjoyed dining here with HT parents. :) Guess from whom i got the genes of eating and enjoying good food? :)

Price Summary

Appetizers starts from 140 pesos ~ 5 SGD ~ 2.5 euro

 Crispchon (1/6 size with 2 ways of cooking i.e. wrapped and tossed garlic) - 999 ~ 30 SGD ~ 15 euro

Main dishes is about 200 and above ~ 6 SGD ~ 3 euro

Bagoong rice ~ 150 pesos ~ 5 SGD ~ 2.5 euro

*All plates are good for sharing ( 2-3 persons)

Mesa (Filipino Moderne)

Ground floor (outside court)

Greenbelt 5

Philippines, Manila - Ramen Bar

I grew up having the knowledge of just eating a piping hot bowl of ramen from instant noodle packs.  So when I moved to Singapore, which is still the best food haven country for me in terms of variety, it was not difficult to appreciate a more authentic ramen bowl.

Manileños nowadays, are so lucky as we are catching up in terms of restaurants offering different cuisines and meals with twist.  I was just away for 6 years, and every time I go back home, I can't help but be amazed and how much new restaurants are sprouting here and there.  I wanted to try them all, maybe when I decide to stay for a year. (though HT hubbie might spank me LOL :D)

Ramen Bar had been in the food scene here in Manila for quite sometime.  They have 2 branches: one in Eastwood and one in Piazza in Mckinley Hill which are both not too accessible from where i live. 

As a ramen addict just like HT hubbie, i just have to try this.

Super Chasyu Ramen - my first impression of the bowl was pretty good.  Though i was expecting a more milky and thicker soup, nevertheless, this was not too watery.  The chasyu pieces were abundant and the tamago (egg) was marinated for 10 hours.  The soup was very tasty.  However, it was not served hot. 

and with the abundance of the fatty part of chasyu, the soup gets oily easily that makes it tiring to eat.  They could do better of less fats in chasyu as other countries do.

Though i prefer a thicker noodles (different version), I really enjoyed this noodles.  It's thin, chewy and creamy.  There were a few strands that got stuck together, but just a few loosening up during the cooking can do the works.

If only I had the time to return the bowl to make it hot, I would be very satisfied.  I will let them know so they can improve. 

A super chasyu ramen costs me 380 pesos~10 SGD~5 euro.  You can get a cheaper bowl for 280 pesos.  It's quite affordable. 

Too bad, my tummy was not cooperating that day, that I have to skip the Tempura Ice Cream. :(  Next time, i guess. :)

check out my previous posts in Singapore and Australia for our love of ramen.

Utrecht: Theehuis Rhijnauwen Pannenkoeken

When the weather cooperates during the weekend, "de Nederlanders" including HT couple would take advantage of the sun's big smile.  We decided to shed off a few calories by cycling into the forest.  And this is one of the things I love in my 3rd home...being close to nature. 

It's been awhile since we've done this so we got lost.  It was like unending path.  We just kept on following the light which was visible at the end...and little did we know that our so-called shedding off a few calories activity will help us gain...

MORE...:D

We didn't let the opportunity passed by, so we immediately parked our bikes and started walking towards this theehuis (teahouse) at Fort Rhijnauwen.

This pannenkoeken (pancakes) place is pretty popular here in Utrecht.  They don't only occupy the house but if you walk further, you can get tables outdoor.  It was a very busy day, but with the wide area, it's quite easy to secure a place.  Over the weekend, it's popular to families with small kids.  Pancakes and kids...what can be the best combination? 

I love these chill-out chairs when you just want to have a drink and small bite overlooking the river and just letting the time passes by.

And after getting our table, it's eating time...guess what we got? :)

Pancakes of course!  Dutch are proud of their pancakes.  They used their creativeness to make a simple dish into something exquisite.  Both sweet and savory pancakes are available.

I went Dutch-Italian and ordered their Pancake Fortissimo.  This plate was pretty healthy as the pancake was not oily at all.  The generous amount of salad, tomatoes, pastrami and goat cheese with honey made this as full meal.  I love the dressing but it ain't a pancake without the pancake syrup so I used quite a good amount of it (besides, the syrup here in the Netherlands has this natural taste...I can't explain it in words, so you have to try it :D)

HT hubbie's choice was Reus van Rhijnauwen.  I knew that this would be his meal as this is what he likes in his pizza...numerous ham and bacon with cheese and lots of onions. :)  They were very generous with their meat.

I got half of each pancakes and they were both lip-smacking.  It was heavy as well in the tummy. 

Both full and lazy,  it was nice seeing animals around and watching them instead of snoozing into our seats.  These donkeys were not scared from people at all. 

Goats and pigs are on the other side.  HT hubbie gave his hand to the goat and he got a very welcoming lick.

And it's time to hit the forest again and get back to our purpose of shedding calories.  I guess, next time we have to take a long detour as this kind of place is difficult to resist. 

Price Summary

Pancakes vary between 9-15 euro.

Gluten free are available upon request :)

Theehuis Rhijnauwen

Rhijnauwenselaan 16

Bunnik

(they're open 7x a week)