Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung

Compared to other cities like Hong Kong, Madrid, Tokyo, and even Manhattan and San Francisco, Manila's food scene hasn't really blown me away. These cities are my top five food cities because of the quality of the food through the freshness of the ingredients and the consistency of the creations. The food here is great, but it isn't as stimulating and trendsetting. There is great potential, though! I knew it existed somewhere. And, boy, did we find it! I fell in love with eating in the Philippines at Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung (Kapampangan for "Wood House"). Claude and Bale Dutung was featured in Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. He took Bourdain around Pampanga and also treated him to see and taste his masterpieces. He's an artist and a chef, and he excels in both crafts. This place and this afternoon food feast are definitely a destination if you love food!

Claude only serves his food for lunch about once a week or so (so call ahead to find out the schedule and to reserve!). Also, the meal itself is paced so you can eat more and more - so prepare for a four hour food marathon. We chose to go on a day when he was serving his "Lechon Five Ways" Menu. Amazing. I cannot wait to go back for more afternoons like this one.

The Introduction to Bale Dutung
These are pictures taken of his property and of his art. Adding to the pleasure of eating his cuisine, the atmosphere which is filled with his art adds a classic native Filipino feel. It's like a getaway food retreat. His wife, Mary Ann, was the perfect hostess, too! She was so friendly to every guest. Claude and Mary Ann make a great team!

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The Table Setting and Condiments

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The Amuse Bouches
We were served pre-Lechon Five Ways courses. In other words, to get our stomachs ready to eat, we ate. Check out the "Notes" for more descriptions and comments on each of the pictures.

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The Lechon Preparations
When we first arrived, we walked around and found the kitchen and prep area. They were already getting the lechon ready! And, after our Amuse Bouches/Appetizers, Claude wheeled out the lechon. We were all totally ready for the main event!

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Lechon: The First Way
Balat ng Lechon at Liver Sauce. The classic lechon skin with lechon sauce. What a great way to start! Thin and crispy with a great tasting sauce. We asked for seconds and thirds.

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Lechon: The Second Way
Fried Lechon Flakes Binalot sa Tortilla. Lechon flakes with a variety of toppings (tomatoes, onions, kimchii, cilantro, and pesto sauce) wrapped in a tortilla. This reminded me of being back in California with the love of Asian inspired tacos. So much fun! Lechon flakes and kimchii - yum!

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Lechon: The Third Way
Sinigang na Lechon. Filipino soup with lechon, the hind, leg, and skin cuts. I've had some great homemade sinigangs, and some mediocre sinigangs outside of the house. This dish was soo good! Definitely the best I've had outside of the house, and even rivals the ones made at home. The rich broth tasted so delicious from the cuts of the lechon and the sour kamias, which cut the fat of the pork. And because he used the roasted pig for the sinigang, there was no pork smell when we were eating our bowls. I could've had a couple more bowls of this!

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Lechon: The Fourth Way
Inihaw na Tadyang na Lechon at Ensalandang Talong. Grilled Lechon Ribs with Eggplant. The eggplant was dressed with a salted egg and some salsa. Such a great smoky, grilled taste! The ribs are so thin that you can eat a few of them. Nice simple plating, too.

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Lechon: The Fifth Way
Inasadong Pata ng Lechon. Braised Leg of Lechon. Tasty, but for the last course it didn't "wow" me. It was a bit too Westernized especially with the garnishes of green beans, carrots, and potatoes, so I was kind of disappointed. It's the kind of dish that you'd find during an American holiday. But the tenderness was definitely nice. I guess I was hoping for that consistency of Filipino and Asian dishes.

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The Dessert
Kapeng Sinaunang Panahon. First Pressed Coffee. I actually found my cup of coffee to be pretty weak and watery for my palate. I like my coffee strong, and I mean, Peet's Major Dickason's strong.
Pastillas de Leche. Candied Carabao's Milk. Topped with Yema, Ube, and Macapuno...Just when I thought I couldn't have any more food in my stomach...I was even thinking, "I'll just have a couple bits." I had a couple servings. Wow, what a way to finish the afternoon! The taste of the sweetened carabao's milk is amazing, and the smooth creamy texture melts your insides. I scraped each serving clean.

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Burger Bar San Francisco is Open!

October 16, 2009 marked the Grand Opening for Burger Bar San Francisco.  On the first two days, the restaurant hosted 2,000+ customers!  What a success!
Thanks to my parents, I was privileged to attend the Grand Opening Party.  Following the party, we dined in the restaurant.  It was exciting to see everyone eager for the Burger Bar experience.  Adding to the excitement, Chef Hubert Keller, and his right-hand man Chef Laurent Pillard were greeting customers and giving samples of Mini Chocolate Burgers and Mini Milkshakes.  How fun!

Guam Foodie and I with Chef Hubert at the Grand Opening Party!

Sliders!
Plates of sliders were being served throughout the night.  Angus, chicken, and salmon.

Mini Milkshakes
Personally served by Chef Hubert!  I couldn’t say no, and I’m glad I didn’t.  So tasty!  Creamy and full of taste!  This particular milkshake was Caramel and Coffee.

Where the Magic Happens
Our party was given a tour of the busy kitchen and the meat kitchen.

The Entrance
The entrance is to the right.  Behind the glass doors is the private dining room, where larger parties and private events will be hosted.

The Bar

The Bar Tables

The Milkshake Bar

Booths
Each booth has their own television.  You can request to have the channels changed.

The Tables

The View from Our Table

The Beer Pairing
The menu holds 24 beers on tap and 80+ bottles to choose from.  Not only that, there’s also an extensive wine list, cocktails, and virgin and adult milkshakes.
This is the Avery Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest.  Delicious!  A deep, malty flavor with tasty hops.

Peppercorn Burger
Country Natural beef topped with Dijon Mustard and whole peppercorns.  Served on a toasted white bread, with skinny fries.  Also served with a creamy peppercorn sauce on the side.  If you love peppercorns, you will absolutely love this burger!  It was cooked perfectly medium.  The taste of the beef is delicious on its own.

I can’t wait to go back to try the rest of the menu!

A Night with Chef Gerald Hirigoyen

Last night I went with Guam Foodie  and my parents to see a cooking demonstration from Chef Gerald Hirigoyen, of Bocadillos and Piperade.

The class was so enjoyable that we were left wanting more.  So we drove from San Mateo to San Francisco to have more food and wine at Bocadillos.  We ended up eating, drinking, and chatting it up all night with Chefs Gerald and Bob and the bar manager.  I can’t wait to go back!

Chef Gerald and his executive chef, Bob
Gerard was our chef and stand-up comic of the night.  He’s so much fun!

Pouring his Gift for the Class
Txakolina!  Pairs so nicely with all the food he made.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad
So delicious and refreshing!  I didn’t want this small plate to finish.  There were bits of avocado and herbs, as well.  The balsamic vinaigrette had a nice sweetness.

Snapper Ceviche
With frisee.  He likes using frisee.  The snapper was nicely coated with the acids and fish sauce.  The addition of Thai peppers provided a subtle spice.

Mussels with Bread Salad
The mussels were juicy and plump!  This was another refreshing small plate.

Monkfish
With olive oil, tomato, basil, olives, and capers.  This made the class smell so good.  The fish was nicely light and tender.  Such a simple, yet delicious dish!

Salt Cod with Piperade
Bacalao (salt cod) is one of my favorites.  I love its delicate bite.

With the chefs of the night!
Gerald is on my right, and Bob is on my left.  (I closed my eyes :(  -- I guess I was way too excited to be in their presence….)

A Night with Chef Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain spoke at DeAnza College in Cupertino. He spoke on various topics such as Alice Waters, why vegetarians are bad for the world, and celebrity chefs. After speaking for about half an hour, the lights lit up and he took questions from the audience for about an hour.

An eager audience member ran up on stage to ask Bourdain to autograph his thigh. On his thigh was a tattooed replica of Bourdain.


After the show, my friend and I went to the Cypress Hotel in Cupertino. An hour later at the bar, Bourdain shows up and orders a Negroni right next to us. I called out his name, "Excuse me, Chef!" and proceeded to acknowledge his trip to the Philippines. Before we left we requested to have our photo taken with him. He's HUGE. And not just tall (6'5'') but he has a massive head. I couldn't help but blurt out, "You're so tall!" So he bent down while I tiptoed for the picture.

Another Celebrity Encounter

The other night was my dad's birthday. We ate at Fleur de Lys. In my opinion, it's the best five star restaurant in San Francisco. Chef Hubert Keller is one of my top five favorite chefs of all time.

I <3 celebrity chefs

Celebrity Encounter

I met Michael Mina at Candlestick Park. I was there to see the SF Niners beat NY Jets. While I was waiting for my friends to pass the security check, I kept staring at this guy who looked like Michael Mine. Oh, wait...he IS Michael Mina! I shook his hand and told him how I'm a fan of him and his restaurants. He is a humble, genuine, and awesome guy.
Unfortunately I did not take a picture with him. I was too giddy and caught up in the moment to think of it. Next time, perhaps.