Have a Foodie Holiday!

The holidays in New York City! One of the best activities to do in the city is to walk around, enjoy the city, and admire the window displays.

One of this season's special window displays is at Barney's. If you are a fan of celebrity chefs, you must check this out!!

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The New York Palace

Coming from Manila, I was already dreading the thought of a freezing cold winter in the East Coast. And yet, in this below freezing conditions, I am having one of the best holiday vacations! I love this snow!

Like with all our vacations to New York City for the past 15 years, we stayed at The New York Palace. Unfortunately, it has not changed much in 15 years. Why "unfortunately"? Because it needs a huge update and renovation. It's starting to feel really old and outdated, especially compared to all the new hotels constantly popping up.

In any case, we still had a great stay during the long Christmas weekend. I will always have a love affair with Manhattan.

Here are some pictures of The Palace and of the scene around the hotel during the crazy day after Christmas blizzard.

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Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!! I wish you all a food-filled celebration! I'll be back after the holiday weekend with updates from my current east coast food adventures! Until then, check out my Facebook and Twitter pages with my daily mobile pictures.
Happy Eating to all and to all a Good Night!

Holsteins - Shakes & Buns

A new hotel on the Las Vegas Strip means there are new restaurants to try out! At The Cosmopolitan hotel the first restaurant I tried out was Holsteins - Shakes & Buns.

There were hits and misses throughout the meal, but the main star (the burger) shined. There were missing factors in the restaurant (as it just opened a few days ago), such as some beers on draft and the coffee not being hot enough (it wasn't even steaming). Our two orders of "Tiny Buns" were not completely satisfying - as in, it did not "wow" us. The appetizers are a fun list. That's definitely something I'd like to come back for. As for the burgers, it definitely satisfied our burger craving. I know I can come back here the next time I'm craving for a quality burger.

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The New Restaurants at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas!

On December 15, the newest hotel on the Las Vegas strip, The Cosmopolitan, officially opened its doors. As soon as I came back from San Francisco, I eagerly toured the new restaurants of the hotel. More and more celebrity chefs are coming here to Las Vegas!

Here are some of the restaurants and food related places in The Cosmopolitan. I can't wait to try out a few of these, particularly both of Chef Jose Andres' restaurants!

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Wayfare Tavern - One of the Year's Best New Restaurants!

Even though I've been living in Manila for this past year, I still keep up to date with the latest food/restaurant news in San Francisco - thanks to the San Francisco Chronicle and Twitter.

So when I heard about Tyler Florence's Wayfare Tavern, I knew that this was one of the first restaurants I had to try when I went back to the Bay Area. It lives up to all the hype! I'll proclaim it to be one of the best new restaurants of the year.

I absolutely love the whole "tavern" theme which is present all throughout the details - from the decoration to the table setting. The service is excellent and so friendly - totally reflective of the top. Chef Florence is more than a celebrity chef - he's a true chef/restaurateur/artist.

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Revisiting A New Favorite Restaurant

Before moving to Asia earlier this year, I found a new favorite restaurant here in the Bay Area, and right near my hometown, too! Since it's a new favorite, I had to come here again (twice in two weeks) during my recent visits back to the Bay. Howie's Artisan Pizza competes with some of the best pizza in the San Francisco area - yes, I'd even say those up in the city, like Pizzeria Delfina. From starters, pizzas, to dessert - they are all five star and so reflective of the love Chef Howard puts in all his food.

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Chicken Kara-age... At Home!

I loove chicken kara-age (Japanese style fried chicken)! So when my brother said he'll make it at home for dinner, I was excited! Meals at home keep getting better and better!

He made a complete meal with lots of vegetables. Ever since I traveled to Thailand in February, I'm always looking for more vegetables with my meal. His chicken kara-age was soo good! And I'm not saying that because he's my brother.... Actually, we all love joking each other so I normally wouldn't say that, haha... But really, such a fantastic dinner at home!

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Visiting Home!

I'm off to my next trip... home! I'm visiting my hometown of San Francisco and the Bay Area for a few days this week, and again for all of next week! I'm excited to hit up my favorite restaurants and the new ones that have opened up this year.

I'll have updated posts this weekend before heading back to SF for the following week. While I'm out, I'll be posting up mobile pictures on my Facebook and Twitter pages!

It's the food that you grow up with that are the most comforting and welcoming. I can't wait to reunite with some of my favorite foods!

Thanksgiving in Vegas

Thanksgiving in America! I flew into the states on Thanksgiving day - which meant dinner was my Thanksgiving feast. Because we were in transit for over 24 hours, we obviously had no time for a home-cooked meal. So, being in Las Vegas, we went to the Strip!

Several restaurants were advertising special menus, including Wolfgang Puck's restaurants. So we went to his Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill at the MGM Grand Hotel. I chose his 3 course Thanksgiving menu. It was all so generous! I totally took home what I couldn't finish. The white turkey meat made for some great sandwiches for the next couple of days. The best part of the meal was definitely dessert - the lightest and creamiest pumpkin pie I've ever eaten! I want to go back to his restaurant to enjoy his classic Chinese Chicken Salad and more of Sherry Yard's desserts.

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Linguine alle Vongole at Home

I love when a night's dinner menu is created spontaneously in a grocery because of the freshness of the day's ingredients. Walking through Whole Foods can be so inspiring. At the seafood counter, we saw there were some great looking fresh Manila clams. We had to get it. It was so fresh (as in, if you hit the shell a little, the muscle would move inside) that we had to eat it for dinner that night. So what to make with fresh clams? Linguine alle Vongole!

With a tomato, some garlic, parsley, and delicious white wine, the clams were tossed in and steamed to open. Then we mixed in the cooked linguine. The result: A flavorful pasta with dimensions of flavor from the clam juice and the white wine.

To cap the meal, we enjoyed a cheese course, thanks to the great cheese selection at Whole Foods. And, of course, it was paired with some port which is a fantastic way to balance and heighten the experience of a cheese plate.

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Neighborhood Korean Restaurant

About a month ago I watched a National Geographic special about the customs and traditions of Korean cuisine. There's a balance to the meal - that yin and yang. The food consist of a colorful and bountiful display. And the flavors play with all your taste perceptions - salty, sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy.

I needed to eat some quality Korean food after seeing this show! So for one of our first meals here in Las Vegas, we tried a new Korean restaurant right in our neighborhood. I love it when there's a great restaurant so close to home!

Soyo Korean Barstaurant is such a fun place to get quality and authentic Korean cuisine! Just note, the portions are huge! Even if it's in the "Tapas" section of the menu, it's actually entree sized. The prices are really reasonable, too. I can't wait to go back to try more of their menu selections.

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Ramen Craving - Totally Fulfilled!

When I'm in Asia for a few months at a time, I tend to crave for things I can't get. Earlier in the year it was Mexican food - a carnitas burrito to be exact. This time around, it was for authentic Japanese ramen. Unfortunately in Manila there isn't anything authentic, or even fresh. So I patiently waited..

The wait was soo worth it! I usually get my ramen craving fulfilled in the Bay Area, either at Ryowa or Santa Ramen. Because I went straight to Las Vegas instead of the Bay, I eagerly wanted to taste the ramen of Monta - Raku's new ramen place.

Wow. This is the best tonkotsu ramen I've eaten so far. The broth was so deliciously rich and porky. The noodles were just right and cooked to a great chewy texture. This was the perfect bowl of ramen, and it complete fulfilled my ramen craving!

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Jetlagging

Pardon my absence for the next couple of days. I'm currently in the states and fighting jetlag. I have some great finds to feature, including a Thanksgiving meal on the Las Vegas strip and a new neighborhood Korean restaurant! See you back here in a couple of days!

I Love Hotel Restaurants

My brothers and I definitely have had the privilege of staying at nice, quality hotels thanks to my parents. And at these hotels, the food is always authentic and memorable. In fact, some of my best meals have been in hotel restaurants.

My family also trusts that these hotels have higher standards when it comes to ordering meat products, and the rest of the ingredients are also usually quality, too. Here in Manila that tends to be true. So I have no hesitation ordering meat dishes at the Shangri-La Makati.

I enjoy all the restaurants at the Shangri-La Makati. One of my favorites is Inagiku, their Japanese restaurant. They have fresh, quality sushi and a great selection hot dishes.

I also really wanted to go here because it was one of my last meals in Manila before my next trip - so I was totally craving for uni. Uni is so cheap here that I definitely try to take advantage of it. Uni is something I order before I leave Asia and as soon as I arrive in Asia - it's that good.

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Japanese Cuisine - The Hot Dishes

In this past year of living here in Manila, my parents and I have found about a handful or so of restaurants that are repeatable. And when I say repeatable, I mean we go back to these restaurants once a week (People's Palace) or once every other week or so (every other restaurant we really enjoy). We totally become regulars. The atmosphere, the quality of the food, the presentation, the service, and, of course, the taste of the food are all worthy of us becoming regular customers.

One of these restaurants is Mogu. When we crave a little sushi, or sukiyaki, or even Japanese style pizza this is where we go. So for a night of hot Japanese dishes, we came here for a dinner that guaranteed good food.

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Lunch at Home

When I'm at home and it's lunch time, I just want something fast and simple. So, more often than not, I make a sandwich. It's light, healthy, and satisfying.

I use whatever is in the fridge or pantry. Fortunately, there's usually jamon serrano in the fridge. As for condiments, I love Japanese mayonnaise (it's so much better than regular mayo - there's a touch of tangy, sweetness that's so unique) and some chili sauce for a little kick. Plus, some fresh herbs, like basil, further liven up the sandwich.

Paired with my sandwich is usually a salad or some atsara (pickled vegetables).

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Chef's Table at The Fort

Despite being in Asia for most of this year, I still get really homesick for the Bay Area. I miss my friends, the beers, the bars, the restaurants... So when I find restaurants where it feels like it belongs in San Francisco, all my emotions of being homesick quickly disappear.

At Chef's Table, I felt like I was back in the Bay, and yet the type of food is better here than any I've encountered in the Bay Area. Chef Bruce Lim is a food television personality on the Asian Food Channel. I'll admit - I came into his restaurant with a bias to really like him. I mean, the guy wears San Francisco Giants jerseys on his TV show. (Go Giants!! - Yes, I'll be on a World Series high for awhile.)

His food, the presentation, the atmosphere of the restaurants, and his cocktail menu are all so refreshing and contemporary. It all beautifully shows diners that Filipino food can really successfully be modernized and in a nice restaurant setting. I like his concept of the chef's table. The kitchen is completely open to see the chefs working. I loved seeing the chefs pay attention to our table and when to fire up our next courses.

As for his cocktail menu.. I've totally been missing good quality mixed drinks. I've gone to too many restaurants and bars here where the drinks are painfully watered down or simply tastes like juice. I guess you can argue that I should just order liquor straight up. But there's so much fun ordering cocktails in which the flavors contrast and balance out in each refreshing sip. And finally here at his restaurant, the cocktail menu does just that. There's so much creativity in his menu!

After our complete and satisfying dinner, we're definitely coming back to try out the rest of the menu and his cocktail list. This place can definitely shine in the metropolitan cities states. It's great to know that there are quality and fresh places like this here in Manila.

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At Least the Wine was Great..

Since I started drinking wines with my mom, I always look for food pairings to enhance both the wine and the food. Here in Manila we've gone to a few food and wine pairing events. Our first event, the food was good but the wine wasn't memorable. In our second event, the wine and the food were excellent. In our most recent event, the wine was delicious but, wow, the food was such a fail!

After tasting a Grant Burge port, my parents and I started tasting his other wines. All have been excellent so far. So when we heard that the winemaker himself, Grant Burge, was going to be here in Manila, we excitedly went to his dinner. The food was catered at the Old Manila restaurant in the Peninsula Hotel. A nice restaurant in a nice hotel - should be a good food night, too, right? Not at all. The restaurant was just the setting, while the food was all banquet food using frozen quality food. Plus, the servers and the managers kept defending the food thinking we didn't know what we were talking about. Salmon should not be watery, crumbly, and horrible like it was. I love salmon - when it's fresh and edible.

The night was only great because the wines were all so delicious, and I ended up drinking on a half empty stomach.

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Afternoon Tea Nostalgia

One of my all-time favorite food memories as a child was my monthly visit with my mom up to San Francisco for afternoon tea at the Rotunda in Neiman Marcus in Union Square. Eating by the window to see all of Union Square was such a treat! I loved the whole occasion of dressing up for the day and eating a fancy, girly meal with just my mom. The mini sandwiches and mini desserts were so much fun, too!

So every time I get the opportunity to have an afternoon tea, I always look back at those memories fondly. I also place that as my benchmark of what a good afternoon tea (in terms of atmosphere, setting, and food) should be like.

For a local afternoon tea, my parents and I visited the Makati Shangri-La. The atmosphere and setting of the Lobby Lounge is beautiful. The live orchestra, the tall windows, and the high ceiling makes for a pleasant surrounding. The food is decent, but nothing like my memories from San Francisco.

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Beef (Cheeks) Stew

Whether I'm in a city that is filled with great restaurants or a city that has only a handful of good restaurants, eating at home always produces some of the most memorable meals. On one particular night, we made use of some Wagyu Beef Cheeks and braised and stewed it. Then, we whipped up a couple of potato recipes. I also stirred together our homemade Caesar Salad for some of that vegetable balance. Lastly, paired the meal with a couple (or few) glasses of quality Cab. What a dinner!

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Home-Cooked Italian Pastas

My style of cooking is to challenge myself to not use any recipe and cook with whatever is in the fridge, freezer, and pantry. I guess that's why pastas have become my specialty - because we always have dry pasta, onions, and tomatoes in the kitchen. So to whip up a quick meal, I made a couple of pastas with the ingredients we had in the fridge. Half hour later, Buon Appetito!

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Home-Cooked Spanish Cuisine!

While I love eating and discovering all cuisines from around the world, there are a few cuisines that have remained my favorites through the years. One of these favorites is Spanish food. It is one of the ultimate comfort foods.
With a bottle of Rioja, my mom made her Spanish specialties: Pote Gallego and Paella. If I didn't care about my weight, I totally could eat her paella almost every single day.

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Banana-Que

A classic Filipino street food find! It's a banana coated with brown sugar, and then shallow-fried. They are typically on skewers when sold by street vendors. It's best eaten freshly made because you get that crisp from the hardened sugar coating. This is definitely one of the best ways to eat bananas and plantains!

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Home-Cooked Asian Food

Sometimes when I consume too much meat, or fried foods, or eat out too often, my body craves for a healthy night in. So for a detox night, we cooked some Filipino Pancit Sotanghon Guisado and Thai Green Vegetable Curry. It was a vegetarian night that was satisfying, comforting, delicious, and healthy all at the same time.

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Restaurant Week, Stop #4: Gustavus

For our last stop for Restaurant Week, we tried a new place which is walking distance from home. I love neighborhood restaurants because they are inviting, casual, and all about serving great, comfort foods. Gustavus can easily qualify as a good city neighborhood restaurant. Thanks to Restaurant Week, I'm curious to go back and try out more selections from the menu.

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Restaurant Week, Stop #3: People's Palace

Hands down, my favorite restaurant here in Manila is People's Palace. My parents and I eat there at least once a week. And if we don't eat there in a week, it's because we're out of town. The ingredients are fresh, the flavors are full, the ambiance is pleasant, and the service is excellent. This restaurant makes me less homesick for San Francisco because it feels like a great restaurant in San Francisco. Actually, sometimes there are more Caucasians here than in restaurants in SF. I think People's can rival with the best SF Asian restaurants, like The Slanted Door.

The menu for Restaurant Week was off the menu selections. Everything was so enjoyable! We had a variety of six orders to share. Of all the four places we ate at for week, this place was definitely my favorite because of the wine selection and the execution of the foods.

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Restaurant Week, Stop #2: Sala Bistro

Reviewing the menus for Restaurant Week, we decided to try out Sala Bistro next. We have enjoyed our visits to this restaurant, so we knew the meal would be satisfactory. For the most part, the meal was pretty good, but overall the flavors of the meal lacked basic seasonings. I will go back to this restaurant in the future, though, because they have a fun menu selection with some really tasty offerings.

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Starting Off Restaurant Week with Spices

Many cities around the world these days have "Restaurant Weeks" which typically lower the prices of dining to encourage locals and tourists to dine out. If I'm in a city which hosts Restaurant Week, I always try to take advantage of it and eat out as often as I can in that one week. It's a great way to try new restaurants, too!

Restaurant Week was hosted here in Manila. It was an even better deal than those in the states because it had a Wine and Dine theme thanks to Wine Depot. For 999PHP or less (that's under $23 USD), you can enjoy a three course meal with at least one glass of wine!

We went to four restaurants in the course of the week. The first was Spices at the Peninsula Hotel in Makati. It was a great start to the week. The food was memorable and the three wines were generously poured!

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Taiwanese Fruits

Since moving to Asia one of the things I've enjoyed the most is the wider selection of fruits! I loved growing up in the states, and I'll always consider San Francisco and the Bay Area as my hometown. But, boy, the fruits in the states are so boring! Apples, pears (which are the same texture as apples), berries, bananas, plums, grapes, whatever else - it's always the same scene at groceries and farmers markets. Here in the Asia, I've seen such an incredibly variety which changes each season! Mangosteens, chicos, custard apples, star apples, plantains, pomelos, jackfruits, durian, and on and on.

So whenever I travel to a new foreign city, I love tasting the local fruits. In Taipei we were treated to some of the tastiest Taiwanese fruits. I'm so impressed with Taiwan's agriculture - they are producing some of the best, sweetest, and freshest fruits I've ever tried.

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Taipei's Specialty: Pineapple Cakes

Each country has their signature foods. Adobo in the Philippines, sushi in Japan, pastas in Italy, burgers in the U.S. In Taiwan, one of their known specialties is pineapple cake. Don't think about a typical pineapple cake, like an upsidedown pineapple cake. It's not at all a "cake" but rather like a pastry. The shortbread crust wraps around jellied pineapple. When it's served room temperature, it's soft and crumbly. When it's served straight from the fridge, it's chewy and just as delicious. It is my current obsession. I've increased my exercise time so I can eat a couple of these each day everyday.

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Bellini Pasta Pasta

My parents and I have become frequent patrons of Q Square Mall in Taipei, mainly because the hotel we have stayed at is located right next door. We have thoroughly enjoyed the Shabu Shabu restaurant, so we decided to give another restaurant a chance.

Thanks to a great video in front of the restaurant promoting the menu selections, we quickly decided to try out Bellini Pasta Pasta. Its concept is Tokyo Italian. I love the Japanese influence on Italian cuisine! And this restaurant executed it very well. Everything we ordered came out fresh, hot, and delicious!

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I Can Live at Din Tai Fung

Din Tai Fung has quickly become one of my all time favorite restaurants. The food comes out of the kitchen so fresh. The ingredients, preparation, and presentation are so quality. You can eat the foods over and over again. And, it's a cheap eats place!

I could seriously live here and just eat their entire menu. They really have the best xiao long bao (steamed pork dumplings) I've ever had. Taipei's branches also taste far superior to the other locations around the world, too. The dumplings are amazingly thin and full of quality flavor. How can I have xiao long bao anywhere else now??

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Shin Yeh 101

Whenever I travel to a different city, I always look to try the local cuisine. I feel you can get a better understanding about a culture and its people in doing so. On this trip, we were graciously hosted by Hungry in Taipei and family at Shin Yeh 101, located on the 85th floor of Taipei 101.

What a gorgeous day to dine up there! The view was perfect. The atmosphere of the restaurant, the taste, the presentation, and the quality of the food are all elements for success.

The quality and freshness of ingredients really makes a dish stand out. All of the dishes we ate were superb because we could taste the freshness and purity of all the ingredients.

If not at Taipei 101, I will definitely go back to Shin Yehs other locations to enjoy more of their menu selections.

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Visiting a Market in Taipei

Aside from eating local cuisine on a trip, one of my favorite travel activities is visiting local markets. I find local markets as educational as visiting local museums. You can really learn so much about a culture by exploring their foods. Hungry in Taipei and family generously gave us their time and took us to this fantastic local indoor market in Taipei. What great selections of fresh and prepared foods!

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Birthday Meals in Hong Kong

Most of my family trips have been planned at the very last minute. Luckily my schedule allows me to have such spontaneity in my life. So, to fully celebrate my mom's birthday, my dad and I planned a last minute trip to Hong Kong and Taipei.

For her actual birthday, we planned to be in Hong Kong to eat. Instead of going to a fancy restaurant, we chose to stay casual and enjoy a couple of our favorite Hong Kong establishments. For lunch, we ate at Sen-Ryo - I can eat sushi here for days. Then for dinner, we ate at Hip Katsu. They've been pretty consistent with their quality and crispiness. Finally, to end the night, my best friend introduced us to Sweet Dynasty for dessert. Overall, I think my mom's birthday was a pretty successful day and a great start to the trip.

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Dim Sum at Jasmine

My parents and I have been going around the city trying to find a decent dim sum restaurant. Unfortunately, we just have not found one up to our standards. Our standards are those found in Hong Kong, where you can taste the quality and freshness of the ingredients in the meal.

In our most recent attempt, we tried Jasmine at the New World Hotel. I think the meal would have been pretty good and actually satisfying, but, wow, the flour tasted rotten! I did not expect to ever run into this problem at a hotel restaurant. Because of that rotten flour taste, it affected the taste of almost all our orders, which were made with this flour. How unfortunate. I guess I'll just have to wait until my next trip to Hong Kong to really satisfy my dim sum cravings.

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Last Night's Meal in Taipei

Because we had an early morning flight the next morning, we decided to stay at our hotel and enjoy another meal at Le Palais, their Cantonese restaurant. The meal was satisfying, but our dinner their two nights before was far better. One of the advantages of staying at a nicer hotel is that the hotel cuisine is usually delicious and authentic.

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Museum Break at its Tea House

Halfway through our exploration of the National Palace Museum, our stomachs were calling our attention away from the artifacts. So we took a break at the tea house located on the top level of the museum. I was expecting a museum coffee shop. Wow, what a surprise!

San-Hsi-T'Ang Tea House is a sight on its own. It's a modern tea house with some fun small plates, both savory and sweet. It's such a great place to take a break.

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National Palace Museum in Taipei

To get a better feel of the culture, we visited the infamous National Palace Museum. It houses some of China's oldest art pieces. We were sent back through time as we studied the paintings, calligraphy, pottery, bronzes, gems, and many more art works throughout the museum. Unfortunately, I was unable to take pictures in the museum because of their no photography policy.

The architecture of the buildings and the gardens around its property are so well-kept and beautiful. Here are some pictures of the exterior of the museum:

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Seafood Shabu Shabu

For our second trip to Taipei, we knew we'd have to revisit the Shabu Shabu place we ate at the first time. This was the first place I encountered seafood shabu shabu, and it's presented and executed so well! The selection of seafood and the quality are so delicious and memorable. After eating beef or pork shabu shabu, I feel full yet unoily. After enjoying this seafood version, I felt full, satisfied, and healthier.

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Back in Taipei

My parents and I flew to Taipei for another short stay. We stayed at the same hotel, Palais de Chine, because of its great service and cleanliness. Thanks to the director of rooms, we were welcomed back with open arms.

Since we had to get up early each morning, we decided to have dinner closer to our hotel, if not, in our hotel. So on the first night, we enjoyed their Cantonese restaurant, Le Palais.

We dined on one of the set menus which had eight courses (and unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the fish course - it was excellent, though). This meal was a great opener to the beginning of our trip.

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Next Trip

Please pardon my absence for the rest of this week as I'm out of town on my next trip. I'm currently in Taipei filling up on foods, fruits, and fun treats! I'll be back with updates from my trip this weekend. Until then, keep eating!

Food and Wine Night at Red

There were many times in college and post-college when my friends and I would go out just to celebrate life - an appreciation for just being here. This was one of those nights out, and this time with my parents. We accepted an email invitation to wine and dine again at Red.

The wine pairing came from Wolf Blass, a south Australian winemaker. Honestly, I wasn't too impressed with the selection of wines for the night...They were either flat, tight, or simply just fell short of what good wines should taste like. It lacked those smooth and full bouquet notes. So much so, I completely forgot to take the pictures of the wines after two glasses.

I still enjoyed eating at Red, despite the mediocre tasting wines and that not all the foods were up to par. I definitely want to go back again to try out more of their a la carte menu.

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Comfort Foods at Home

Comfort food at home can help ease the stress from during a long week. For me, comfort foods are any foods that warm you up inside, like a bowl of soup or a mom's cooking.

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Lunch at the Museum Cafe

For a quick weekday lunch, my dad and I walked to Greenbelt 4 for a bite at the Museum Cafe, or M Cafe. It was surprisingly pleasant outside, so we enjoyed their outdoor eating. The food was pretty good and nicely presented. If I do go back, I think I would go back just for a casual drink, though. Although it still isn't to my standard of a good strong drink, it is the least watered down cocktail I've encountered thus far.

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Slow-Cooked Ribs at Home!

My mom can seriously have a whole recipe book of signature dishes. It took me about 19, 20 years to figure out how to lose weight while still enjoying her cooking and baking (it's really about moderation and staying active). Even if she has perfected a recipe, she always looks to improve it.

Her ribs are one of my favorites - they are slowly baked in a kind of sweet soy sauce. After making some Bo Ssam at home and watching a food show about slow cooked pork in a claypot, she tried out a new technique for her ribs recipe. Instead of baking it, she slowly braised it in a pot. It came out even more succulent and tender! Plus, the cut of kurobuta short ribs was really the way to go. The better the quality of meat, the better tasting the end product (well, only if you have good cooks).

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Sunday Cooking

There's something about Sundays that put me in the mood to cook. Perhaps, it's because it's a quiet and relaxing day off. I usually get inspired to cook something simple with whatever is in the fridge or pantry. I'm the kind of home cook that prefers not to use recipes. I love challenging my palate to figure out what flavors will complement each other and how I can put a meal together.

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UMU at the Dusit Hotel

After hearing about Dusit Hotel's new Japanese restaurant, UMU, my parents and I decided to try it out for dinner. It has hotel prices, but the atmosphere, quality, and presentation are all memorable, and even repeatable. Next time, however, I think I'll go back to try their promotions - the buffet lunch or happy hour.

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Red at Shangri-La Makati

To celebration my cousin's birthday, we dined at Red at Shangri-La Makati. I ate there when it first opened, and it was an enjoyable experience. The atmosphere is beautiful (with a red and white color theme) and the landscaped view is gorgeous (and I'm not just saying that because my uncle design it).

When I was still in the states last year, my brother and my sister-in-law had their wedding reception here. Wow, if only every wedding reception could have the food they did...I saw the pictures from the reception, and I was excited to finally taste some of what they had served, like the Braised Beef Cheeks.

After my second visit, which was years after the first one, I was pleased that the consistency of the food and service has remained excellent. I look forward to my next dining experience there!

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Dim Sum Buffet at Shang Palace

After a disappointing Mooncake High Tea at the lounge in Shangri-La Makati, we went back to the hotel to have better dim sum at the main Chinese restaurant, Shang Palace. We have been here a few times before and have enjoyed the food. Plus, their dim sum promotion can be irresistible - I mean, 810PHP (before tax; $18USD) for a dim sum buffet!

Like our previous experience having dim sum here, we left satisfied. The portions are nice and small, which allows you to order a variety of as much as you can handle. About two thirds into the meal, I started slowing down with my picture taking. I got so overwhelmed with how much we ordered that I was so focused on eating what was in front of me to start clearing some of the plates out. It's a great deal for some quality dim sum. But, definitely come hungry.

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Mooncake High Tea

There are two times of the year when I really look forward to Chinese sweets: Chinese New Year and Mid-Autumn Festival. During Chinese New Year, it's time to fry and eat nian gao, or tikoy here in the Philippines. It's that sticky rice cake that you coat with egg and fry. Such a great dessert treat! And, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, it's mooncake time! We've had hit and misses - some are perfect with a thin, moist pastry and delicious lotus paste and egg; while others are bland and dry.

Before flying back to Manila, I bought a tin of mooncake at the Hong Kong airport. It's produced from the Wing Wah bakery. It's probably some of the best mooncake I've eaten so far.

Since my parents and I were craving for more mooncake, we went to the Shangri-La here in Makati because they were having a special Mooncake High Tea in the Lounge. The setting was pleasant with a small orchestra of musicians. The food..unfortunately it disappointed. It took a long time for our afternoon to come out, and when it did arrive it was all cold. It actually tasted like leftovers from the Chinese restaurant.

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Mexican Night In

When you spend significant time, and/or your formative years, in California you develop an enjoyment for Mexican food. For most of 2009, I was on a quest in the Bay Area to find my favorite burrito. So far, that award goes to Sancho's Taqueria, which also has my favorite Fish Tacos.

Since I've been here in Asia, I have had several cravings for quality Mexican food. I have yet to find a place here that creates an authentic taste. So what can I do about? Make it at home! We had some Snake River steaks in the freezer, so I made Fajitas for dinner. Fajitas aren't authentically Mexican; it's actually a Tex-Mex cuisine. But it still hits the spot and fulfills that craving, especially when paired with a strong Margarita, or two or three...

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Home Cooking after a Trip

Whenever I come back from a trip, I always spend majority of that week at home with some comforting home cooked meals. I always crave a lot of vegetables! I guess I consider these meals to be my "post-trip cleanse", even though I try my best to eat healthy during trips.

I really enjoy eating at home because the food that is made, whether by myself, my parents, or my brothers, is as good as in any quality restaurant.

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Hotel Food in Yangshuo

For our last two lunches in Yangshuo, we decided to eat at our hotel for two reasons: 1) Our breakfasts in the past couple mornings have been surprisingly good; and 2) We didn't want to waste time driving into the center of town and wandering for a place to eat. We wanted to maximize our time after lunch.

Just like with breakfast, our lunches were satisfying. All the ingredients tasted like they either came fresh from the market or straight from the farms. The execution of the food was delicious, too. On top of the that, we enjoyed eating in a nice atmosphere with the most beautiful view of the mountains.

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This post concludes my trip to Yangshuo! On to the next adventure!

Local Dessert in Yangshuo

Having about 15 minutes before our ride back to the airport, we decided to eat some more! We stopped by the River View Dessert House for some Hot Osmanthus Syrup with Glutinous Rice Balls. This is one of my favorite Chinese desserts. It's warm, light, and comforting. Osmanthus has such a unique fragrance and fruitful taste. If I ever have the chance during a fall season, I would love to visit a town, like Yangshuo, full of Osmanthus blossoms.

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A Great Find for Dinner at West Street, Yangshuo

On our second night in Yangshuo, we walked all around West Street evaluating the restaurants for a nice, authentic dinner. A lot of the restaurants were Western cuisine or loud bars. Others were places that served both Chinese and Western cuisines. After circling the streets twice, we came across a nice restaurant, called Lung Kee, that had seating outside by the river. And, the menu looked pretty authentic and local. The food was so good, that on our third and last night we came back here again!

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Late Night Dinner in West Street, Yangshuo

After watching Zhang Yimou's Impressions, it was late and we were more than ready for dinner. Our driver dropped us off at West Street because a couple restaurants were still open (it was past 11pm at this point). After walking past a few restaurants, we decided on one that had the most appealing menu (plus, we didn't want to walk any further because we were too hungry).

It was a nice find! The menu had an extensive list, and we made sure to have Yangshuo's signature dish for our first meal: beer fish. We discovered that much of this southern Chinese cuisine is filled with chilies and spice!

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