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)

Luxor, Egypt: Part 3: How to live like a pharaoh

Luxor houses several important valleys of the VIPs before and during the antiquities.  It's less than an hour flight or several hours via train from Cairo.  This is a must visit in Egypt and recommended if you're inclined to know about pharaonic history.

The Avenue of the Sphinxes which connects Karnak and Luxor Temple.  They're trying to recover this whole stretch but only the side near the Luxor Temple has been recovered...for now.

first stop: Luxor Temple - it's worth visiting this place around 5 pm and stay until the sun goes down.  You can see the transformation of the place under the sun and under the dark sky.  There are no extra fee coming here at night.  And besides, Luxor weather is like hell between 12 pm - 3pm for the month of July.  You would feel how a chicken gets barbecued.

The colonnades in Luxor Temple.  See what i mean?

It's better to do one temple a day as it might be overwhelming and you might not be able to appreciate the succeeding sites.

We stayed in Nefertiti Hotel, a budget place situated in the Al Sahaby Lane.  No frills - clean bed, they changed sheets and towels everyday, very small tv, the shower is not luxurious but hot water worked pretty well and the air conditioning was superb, which had been our best friend during mid-day.  (we got the room for less than 20 euro a day)

the staff was also creative in making the bed.  Be surprised when suddenly there's a scarecrow on your bed wearing your shirt and eyeglasses.

The hotel also offers affordable tour around Luxor.  HT couple did their homework so we again said...La Shukran.

Another factor that convinced us to take this hotel, aside from the location and value (5 mins walk to Luxor Temple), is the overlooking view of Luxor Temple and Valley of the Kings (at the west bank).  Most hotels, including the one we stayed in, are at the east bank.

Valley of the Kings from the rooftop

Luxor Temple taken from the top

The following day, we decided to hit the west bank.  We were at the Valley of the Kings before 8 in the morning.  We don't have any photos of the place as cameras are not allowed.  Once you're inside the building, there is a wooden panel where there is a list of the tombs that are open.  The normal ticket allows you to go to 3 tombs.  So i suggest to plan ahead which of these tombs appeal to you.  There's also a computer available to look online about the details of the opened tombs (during our time, there were 10).  Oh, there's somebody hanging around in the building and was gladly to help you browse the computer.  We grumped at him that we know how to use a computer.  Sorry, but after more than week, we tend to be suspicious and just ignore as much as possible.

King Tutankhamun's tomb is the most famous in pharaonic history.  He was not famous during his time but after discovering his tomb which was intact and full of wealth, it made history.  His tomb is not included in the regular ticket and you have to pay extra to see it (more expensive than the normal ticket of 3 tombs).  Most of the wealth is now in Egyptian Museum in Cairo.  We didn't go in as we followed Lonely Planet's advice that it's not as impressive as its famosity.

Each tombs has its own guard.  But don't look for a security guard uniform.  Be careful as well as these guards, started pointing to you stuffs in the tomb (pretending to be tour guides), gives you a fan or a flashlight...all these are not free.  Kindly say no several times, and they'll leave you to enjoy appreciating the tombs freely.

Also at the west bank, is the Valley of the Queens.  Do take short breaks under the waiting shed for a gulp of water or reading your lonely planet or rough guides before entering the tombs.

The famous Temple of Hatshepsut is a must see.  This is one of the hottest spots in Egypt so be here as early as you can.  There's not much shade as well so you can really have a good tan here.

Hatshepsut is one of the famous female pharaohs.  She built several landmarks including this huge complex. 

Hathor, the goddess of love can be portrayed as a cow or a female.  The head horns is the distinctive symbol.

Am i good enough to be a female pharaoh with my hat?

We also visited the Temple of the Nobles.  This is what you can see in the valley of the kings and queens except this is smaller and the colors were kept intact.  Those carvings and paintings on the wall depicted offering to gods or their celebrated festivals.

the only remains of Colossi of Memnon. (stop by and take a few pics - no entrance fee)

not only tourists stop by to check this out, the birds love to stay at its head.

It also pays to visit Karnak Temple (east bank) as early as 6 am.  It's like having a private tour.  You would spend about 2-3 hours as the place is really huge!

Just on the side, I decided to be in my Indiana Jones outfit in touring the temples.  :)

It's not necessary to be serious all the time when appreciating history.

goofed around to lighten up the mood.  I'm surrounded by 138 humongous colonnades.

this is how HT hubbie wanted his statues to be

love this papyrus colonnade peaking in one of the rooms of the temple.

you should really looked into every details on the wall

and posed like a model in the ancient ruins

Look above you when you're standing under the colonnades.  Look how the colors were maintained after thousands of years ago.  That symbol in the middle is an ankh which symbolizes eternal life.  During the ancient Egypt, the VIPs spent their lives in building tombs, temples for their after life which they believed is much important than their temporary current lives.  There were few cases wherein their tombs were not completely done yet but they have already passed away.

scarab beetle is a protector symbol during the ancient times.

Check out the cartouche, hieroglyphs enclosed by an oval shape.  We don't know how to read hieroglyphs but we know that cartouches are very important to pharaohs to protect them before and after their lives.  Some have the names of the pharaohs (which i can't find) which helped the archaeologists to determine who built this temple or which pharaohs the tomb belonged to.  We made up stories and thought like pharaohs while looking at the cartouches.  HT couple's hieroglyphic way of reading involves donald duck and other cartoon figures. :D

This ends HT couple's adventure in Egypt.  High five for the DIY trip and for surviving Egypt!  (check out the guy with a kid on the left, he approached us as he wanted his kid to have a picture with HT hubbie.  It was deja vu as it happened as well in Jogjakarta.  HT hubbie almost asked baksheesh for that! :D)

Cairo, Egypt: How to conquer the pyramids and the desert: Part 2

Never leave Egypt without these:

from left to right

Conquer the Great Pyramid of Giza of King Cheops - look how small i am in the pic and the shot was only half of the pryamid.  The Great Pyramid of Giza was inspired by the steps in Saqqara (which we didn't include in our trip as 3 pyramids are enough to look at :D).  The architect of the great pyramid slightly miscalculated the angle so you can see the difference after 20 steps, that the angle suddenly changed.  (this was informed to us by the tour guide, i'm not really the archaeologic type :D).  And looking at the pyramids, it's made of big blocks of stones (some in limestone). It's a bit boring if you don't imagine how it was built and how the blocks were carried here.  Do take note that this was 5000 years ago so technology doesn't exist.  Amazing, isn't it? :)  There are 2 more pyramids and what I remember is the 2nd biggest which belonged to King Chephren which made his pyramid shorter than his dad as a sign of respect. 

Have you sat on a camel's back before?  If not, do this in the Pyramids of Giza!  You would have a nice background of one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world with this cute beast.  But you might be disappointed that camels here only have 1 hump :(.  (i thought every camel has 2).  The camel sits when you're ready to board on his back (way too tall).  I was a bit scared so HT hubbie and I shared one.  Once you're ready, the camel stands by balancing you and you by leaning back or else, you'll be falling in no time.  (I felt like I was at the peak of the roller coaster and it's about to swoosh down). 

The ride was pretty smooth and our camel guide took a  lot of pictures for us and he kept on asking if we're having a good time (at some point i want just to put a big YES on my forehead).  When we were quite far from where we started, i suddenly realized those questions of having a good time has meaning in it.  He wanted baksheesh (this word shouldn't have been invented).  We gave him Egyptian pounds but he demanded for Euro (sneaky bastard).  I was irritated and told him that we were informed not to give (but we weren't ) and he got scared that his boss would came to know so he asked us to keep our money.  Ai yoh...anyways...

20 mins of a camel ride is enough.  Make sure to inform your camel guides that you want 20 mins going and coming back.  And be clear with how much you are paying.  Don't just say the amount but make it clear it's in Egyptian pounds (this applies for all money matters in Egypt).  So you won't be shocked that suddenly what he meant was British pounds. 

 Kiss the Sphinx!  If you can't beat them, join them.  Everyone was doing it so I did too!  This sphinx which has the head and image of King Chephren (who asked to build this) with a lion's body.  This signifies the intelligence of a man and the power of a lion.  Nah, I prefer HT hubbie's kiss :D.

Oh, i forgot, watch out for those guys holding shirts and trying to sell postcards.  They welcome you to Egypt (and you might think how nice of them) and after a few exchange of chats, they'll hand off tshirts to you as a sign of the Egyptian hospitality = Baksheesh.  Make sure to say no and don't take anything unless you wanted to return that hospitality in $$$. :D

Beware of taking pics of people on camesl.  They'll lift their arms and ask you to take picture of them.  And you know what's next....Baksheesh (again).  We went local so we also decided to ask for tip, but nobody bothered taking picture of us...hmph!

We can't get enough of the heat...so we decided to continue our trip to:

Black Desert - chunks of volcanic rock and you can imagine how big the eruption was.

White Desert - unique rock formation that nobody can explain why. 

Hot Spring - this is the least i wanted to do when i'm in the desert.  I don't get refreshed but dehydrated.

Crystal Mountain - those rocks are made of crystals!  I excavated and took a few pieces back home.

nice, isn't it? :D

rabbit rock formation in white desert

Make sure to walk like an Egyptian before leaving the country

This 4X4 was our savior driving around, to and from the desert

After a few fix here and there, ta-dah!  Here's our cozy spot for dinner with our ultimate Bedouin guy!  He's a good cook too!

While having dinner, there were small foxes who weren't shy.  In the middle of the sumptuous supper, we were surrounded by 20.

We also had Bedouin entertainment and HT hubbie can't stop shaking his booty that night. 

See what i mean? :D

Then off we snooze...yes, in the desert.

It's even more traditional than the usual camping with tent.  We were just given thin mattresses and blankets...that's it.  It was difficult to sleep as the moon was shining so bright and I imagined being attacked by those small foxes or snakes crawling on us (thanks to the Bedouin guy who mentioned that before we hit the sack).  It can be pretty cold in the middle of the night so blankets are life savers...even in the desert.

this was the most luxurious toilet we had.  You can choose your own rock where you can hide and pee.  You can even have two or more toilets for a night.  We decided to share one. 

It was a great experience.  But, i'll never do it again...HT hubbie agreed.

Ok, i'm taking back what i've said of not going to the hot spring.  On our way back to Cairo, i just have to take a dip as spending a day and night in the desert with no water to wash yourselves with, hot spring was heaven!  We just drank litres of water to replenish our body fluid.

Ah!  Back in Cairo...suddenly our not-so-5-star-hotel gave us the feeling of a 6-star.  Water, water, water for a good shower, air conditioned room, thick bed mattresses...it was a good way to end our desert and Cairo tour. 

My envisioned of Cairo...it's like Manila with older aura.  Traffic is the same and the drivers have the same crazy way on the street.  The Manilenos will be able to adapt easily in this city.

Whether you're at the desert or at the Red Sea, watching how the sun sets will tell you that tomorrow is another day of exploration in the land...where it all begins.

Part 3...Luxor...here we come!