Settling In

I'm all unpacked and caught up with work, so it's time for another update. Prior to this trip, I usually came to the Philippines around the hotter months. Aside from some rain yesterday, the weather has been pretty awesome. It's like summer all year round!

I'm living in Makati, which is the Financial Capital of the Philippines. Our place is near Greenbelt, an outdoor mall area. The mall has a ton of shops, eateries, movie theaters, and even an outdoor church.

Barcino, Greenbelt 3, Makati
The wine shop is located on the lower level of Greenbelt 5. This is their new tapas restaurant. It's a pretty good place for traditional tapas. Some of the selections were tasty, while some didn't quite impress me.
The Menu

The Pairings
Vallformosa Brut Classic

Estrella Cerveza, 1906 Reserva Especial

Bread with Tomato Sauce
Thin sliced bread with a nice stewed tomato sauce.

Empanadas Sardinas
I was expecting something moister, but it was filled with dry little bits of sardines and chilis. The chilis were a nice touch, though.

Sardinas
Sardines in olive oil. A nice small plate selection.

Russian Potato Salad
Nice and creamy wtih nice chunks of potatoes and tuna.

Canelon de Seafood
Seafood cannelloni. A tasty warm dish and one of my favorites of the night.



People's Palace, Greenbelt 3, Makati
This is one of my favorite restaurants in the Philippines. My parents go here frequently whenever they are in town.

Prawn and Pork Relish with Prawn Crackers
A great start! The sauce has a nice spice to it.

Prawn, Pomelo, and Coconut Salad
A refreshing bowl of salad with generous chunks of pomelo.

Prawn Spring Rolls
Another good appetizer choice. Crispy and thin wrapper with tasty chunks of prawns inside.

Crispy Lapu Lapu Fillets
With Red Curry and Basil. The fillets were nice and crispy, but I found the sauce to be too spicy for my palate.

Yellow Curry with Vegetables
From the Vegetarian Menu.

Thai Thako
Tapioca pudding and cococut cream.





Sugi, Greenhills, Quezon City
There is also a location in Greenbelt 3, but for this meal we drove to Quezon City to have lunch with my grandmother. It's a pretty good Japanese restaurant.

Amuse Bouche
Okra. A nice nibble while waiting for the food to arrive.

Mackerel Sashimi

Radish Salad
Nice, fresh sprouts that had a natural wasabi-like spice to it.

Yaki Udon
A bit on the sweet side, but I guess that's what Filipinos prefer.

Fried Rice

Oden
With Radish, Fish Cake, Cabbage Roll, Noodles, and Tofu

Grilled Saba
The winner of the meal. Nicely grilled and the fish itself was meaty and moist.

Coffee Jello With Ice Cream

Coffee Jello without ice cream
This was my dessert. I try to cut back on sweets and dairy, especially if I had a big meal.