Pepato

Pepato in Greenbelt 2 is one of the places I remember eating at when I was last in Manila two years ago. I was eager to go back and test the consistency of the food. It's just as great as I remember it. It's Italian cuisine with a Filipino background.

Amuse Bouche
Chicharon with whipped parmesan butter and adobo flakes.

Bread Sticks

Bread Bowl

Buffalo Mozzarella
On a Squid Crostone with Yellow Peppers and Anchovies. A great start!

Caesar Salad

Veal Loin Cannelloni
This is the dish that I remember loving two years ago. It's no longer on the menu, but we asked if they could make it. It's still so good! I love the delicate cream sauce and the fresh-tasting pasta.

Spaghetti Pepato
Finished in the Parmesan Wheel. Cool!


Baked Trotters
The winner of the meal. This order was so awesome! It's basically Crispy Pata. Yum!

The Sauces
A soy-vinegar sauce and a less-sweet lechon sauce.

Success!
We enjoyed every bite of the meat and skin down to the bone. Delicious.

Palate Cleanser
A generous scoop of mango sorbet.

Pavlova
The meringue was nicely baked and not too sweet.

Pyramid
Chocolate Cake with Parmesan Ice Cream. The ice cream was not too sweet, and that was a nice balance to the rich chocolate cake.

Another Round at People's Palace

I love restaurants where you can go to again and order something completely different from the first visit. We did just that at People's Palace.
The Pairing
Riesling, Casa Nuestra, Napa Valley, 2008
We brought this wine from our collection and just paid a little corkage fee. Riesling goes so well with Thai food.

Crispy Squid
with Tamarind Relish. Nicely fried calamaris. A great plate to start the meal!

Fishcakes
The warmth of the fishcakes was comforting. Another great starter.

Papaya Salad
A refreshing salad with fresh ingredients. A nice balance after the fried starters.

Kapi Fried Rice
This normally comes deconstructed, but we asked for them to mix it already. The plate was really generous, but it was so good we managed to finish it.

Whole Lapu Lapu
Crispy fried. I love whole fried fish, and this did not disappoint.

Sticky Rice
With ripe mangoes and coconut cream. I found the coconut cream to be a bit too sweet, but the dish was still a nice end to the meal. I love the sweetness of the mangoes.

Baked Goods!

My mom took a three day Professional Baking Course. I loved it when she came home in the afternoons because she brought home baked goods that she made during the day. Everything that she and her classmates made were delicious.
Day One
Eclairs

Yema Pastry
Yema is basically a sweet egg yolk which is used in various dessert recipes.



Day Two
Jelly Roll
Made from Genoise cake.

Pineapple Cake
Made from Chiffon Cake.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Apple Pie

Chiffon Cake


Day Three
Cinnamon Rolls

Brown Sugar Twist

Pan De Sal
Filipino version of a dinner roll.

Wheat Loaf Bread

Meals At Home

Lunch Time
Bittermelon
Cooked in a soffritto and finished with an egg

Bok Choy

Prawns with Kamias
The prawns were another meaty variety. I love the tartness of the kamias.


Dinner Time
Mongo
Comfort soup with mongo (mung)beans and little whole shrimps. Mm!

Saba
We ordered it from Sugi. A nice pairing with soup.

Atsara
Pickled bittermelon. It's a nice contrast to the grilled fish.


Dinner Time Again
Mushroom Risotto
Topped with Black Truffle Bits

Local Fruits

I've been enjoying the local fruits here. Some are similar to the ones I've had in the states, but the flavors are more intense here.
Chico
This is my favorite fruit of the moment.

Plaintains
Cooked in Brown Sugar. The body of the plaintains holds up the cooking better than regular bananas.


Avocados
The green signifies an unripe avocado. When it turns violet (and tender), it's ripe! The transformation can happen in a day.

Fresh Milk
I got used to buying organic milk, so this is the closest alternative. We get it from Santi's Deli (a gourmet grocery in the area).

Mashed Avocado with Milk and Sugar
The taste of the avocado is intense and the texture is creamy. It's a great combination with milk and sugar.

Coffee Break

For a quick lunch, I tried UCC Vienna Cafe in Greenbelt 5. They have a great cup of Sumiyaki coffee. This time I tried their lunch deal - a 3 course meal with a drink for 449 pesos (less that $10). Thinking back on the meal, I think it was kinda pricey for what I got and for what I can get at another restaurant around Greenbelt. If you eat here, you're better off ordering a la carte.
Fresh Brewed Coffee

Iced Tea

Curry Soup
A pretty good cup of soup. The curry was the Japanese curry mix.

Garlic Seafood Pasta
Lots of bits of seafood and mushrooms.

Toblerone Mousse Cake
A very small slice for dessert. There were Toblerone chunks inside. The mousse was a on the gummy side than on the light fluffy side.