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Wednesday, September 30, 2015
ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2015: 5 TIPS for the next one.

A couple of weeks back, I was able to attend the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2015. 
For those that aren't aware, this food event is an amazing treat for the foodies of the metro. 

This time around, it was a host to 49 different establishments that served more than 80++ dishes, drinks, and desserts. I can't help but enjoy the whole event. 
You see, you pay 500 Php and you are treated to all the food that vendors have to offer plus freebies and a bottle of premium beer from San Miguel. To me, that sounds like a deal. 
I got a few tips for you foodies so that the next time, you won't be in the dark. 

1) BUDGET YOUR TIME. BE EARLY. The event usually starts at 10 am and ends around 8pm. I would suggest you go there early to scout and prepare yourself. Pace. Don't worry you could go out and shop or watch a movie and return afterwards. 

Here are some of my top picks that I enjoyed. 
Here they serve coffee in a different way. BOOM'S COLD BREW uses time to create coffee. Pretty cool.

Also, 2) BRING A BAG and other paraphernalia that you might need. With all the things that I had, like a camera, plate, spoon and fork, it was pretty difficult for me to move around. I suggest you bring a bag to put them in. A water bottle too since they have water dispenser around the place. Although paper cups were provided, later in the afternoon, they were all gone. 

Another booth I enjoyed was the CHIVY and CO 's Sari Manok. Here they let us try their version of the POLLO WRAP 
and the Haianese Chicken. I enjoyed the flavors as they were spot on and were not dull.

3) JOIN GAMES. You are here to make the most of your experience. One of them is that they have games every so hour for the hundreds of attendance. I suggest you go for it as it helps you get more freebies. It doesn't hurt to enjoy right?

4) GO FOR THE SAVORY first then the SWEETS!  Remember to pace yourself. If it becomes too much have a bite of a sweet dessert then go back to savory. Pacing pacing!

One of the breakthrough flavors in any dessert place is matcha. I was thankful that it was also present in #UTT2015 . GELATO LAB served its MATCHA CHOCO CHIP. It was heavenly. 

Another matcha flavored delight was the MATCHA BEIGNETS. These babies are from KAPENG MAINIT. A small resto from down south. Located in BF, it makes it a must visit during the off peak, no traffic day. 
It is just an amazing discovery to try out these babies. 
MATCHA fillings oozes out perfectly. 
Great job KAPENG MAINIT. 

And of course, KUMORI. Kumori is a Japanese brand brought in by the guys from Wee Nam Kee and Osaka Ohsho. 
They have this cannoli like desserts that have a lot of vanilla insides. The outside is crunchy and it must be eaten in one bite.

5) Of COURSE, ENJOY!  The best things in life are shared with friends and love ones. I'm just lucky enough to have amazing foodie friends that enjoy food the same way I do. Thank you very much ANTON and the OUR AWESOME PLANET team for bringing this amazing yearly event.

For more photos, check out ANTON'S Post on it. Click here.


ULTIMATE TASTE TEST 2015
September 12, 2015

Makati City, Metro Manila




Disclaimer: was invited to experience UTT. Wrote this based on my experience.
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Monday, September 28, 2015
JOHNNY KAHUKU Hawaiian Shrimp House: Island Flavors at Resorts World Manila

Did the head get your attention? It certainly got mine. I didn't know what to expect of Johnny Kahuku in Resorts World Manila. It seemed like a new concept. Rarely do I see Hawaiian food here in the metro. I'm sure it would intrigue a lot of foodies. 

I was thinking that JOHNNY KAHUKU is something sort of a expansion from a foreign brand. I learned that it is actually home grown. Everything was definitely different though and I love it. 
Once I got myself inside, I was intrigued by the dim lights and amazing wall design they had installed. It feels like a shack house on a beach. Fresh seafoods all for the taking. What used to be The Red Crab, Johnny Kahuku now stands for Island Flavors that definitely would titillate your senses. 
Chef Peter Ayson leads the way as he created dishes for foodies of the metro. He made sure to make our tummies enjoy. 
You are welcomed with open arms and greeted with the words, Aloha. Something that I believe translates to Hello.  Everything that you could think off, I guess they anticipated it. From offering delicious cocktails to even having "lei" or those things that you put on your neck just to welcome you as you enter.  
Most of my friends went for the PINA COLADA just to get that island vibe going. You can see Bea, holding one perfectly. They definitely get points for creativity that they actually use a whole fresh pineapple to hold the drink in.

I, on the other hand, went for something more familiar. An AMARETTO SOUR. It might be a ladies' drink to some but, I must say, their version packs a punch. Not too much so but definitely one I would go back for again.  
Since the main theme of the restaurant is ISLAND FLAVORS, JOHNNY KAHUKU has a lot of seafood dishes to offer. 

To start off, you could try the SPECIAL SEAFOOD POKE. Poke is the term used for fish salad. Here they have mixed seared blackened tuna, salmon sashimi, grilled squid, white shrimps, and miso shoyu dressing.
I enjoyed the mix of the different flavors of seafood. Since I am a bit into Japanese food, I must confess that I am partial to this. The addition of the nuts gave it a more crunchy texture breaking the monotonous feel of the different seafood. That, and the dressing just made it perfect. 

For calamares lovers, they increased the bar by offering the ASIAN CRISPY SALAD. Fried baby squid with caramelized tamarind glaze mixed in with crunchy dilis and peanut adobo. 
Please don't judge me. I pretty much enjoyed this dish that I got a lot. The crispiness and the sweet flavor coming from the tamarind glaze just made my day. It all makes sense. 

Another seafood starter would be the ISLAND KILAWIN. Their version of kilawin. It has cured tanigue, ahi tuna, coconut lime dressing along with roasted corn, peppers cucumber, jicama and cilantro. One bite in and it was smooth. I enjoyed the clean and smooth taste that the small seafood cubes give me. Don't worry, it isn't too hot and spicy. 

For salad lovers, they might be willing to try out the TROPICAL TUNA SALAD. I enjoyed the seared ahi tuna so much that I forgot about the greens underneath. Having a sesame miso dressing, made the greens and the fruits go well together. Needless to say, I skipped most of it. 

JOHNNY KAHUKU is not only Hawaiian in nature, but they also serve dishes that is somewhat island in nature. Like this, BEEF KALBI RIBS. US ANGUS BEEF short ribs with kalbi sauce.  The meat was tender and definitely perfect with rice.

Speaking of rice, this is the entire she-bang. The CLASSIC KAHUKU SHRIMP TRUCK. Garlic butter shrimps, Hawaiian rice, macaroni salad, and tuna ahi poke on the side. This is the perfect combination that's good for 2-3 people. I just got to be honest though, I can eat the whole thing. The shrimps were perfectly cooked. Along with the corn and the macaroni, it definitely is a full meal in itself. If I weren't with anyone, I can picture myself eating this with my barehands. Screw it! I did!!!

For something that could give your head the woozy is the CRAB PALABOK.

Fried Crab, shrimp palabok sauce, garlic, rice noodles, boiled eggs, chicharon and smoked fish.
This beauty is perfect for the crab lover. It's two dish in one. Palabok or rice noodles absorbed the fatty crab sauce and made it extremely flavorful. This is one deadly dish that you must share. It's a love hate relationship built on food.

One thing that you must not miss is the COCHINILLO. It is a four week old suckling pig basted in coconut. Different spices used to make it flavorful. Slow cooked in a brick oven that cooked it properly. 
With each knife stroke, I could hear the crackling skin. Crunchy outside while the inside is moist and tender. A four week old pig is used because according to the Chef, it gives a different texture and flavor compared to older pigs. 
Served with pineapple liver sauce and two week aged sili tuba concoction. Please do not miss the sili tuba concoction. It is basically a vinegar based sauce that brings out all the tastes one would love to get from this kind of pig. 
Each bite gave me a rush of emotions. Crunchy skin and a moist, tender and soft meat afterwards. The sauces just made them jell together. If you are going with a few friends, remember to order this one day ahead as they usually just cook a few for the walk-in guests.

To end the heavy meal, one must go for something light like this TROPICAL CHILL. Assorted fruits  with a side of assorted flavored salt just because sweet and salty works together.
If you are into INSTAGRAM Follow me @mr_jeng. 

JOHNNY KAHUKU overwhelmed me. They serve delicious Hawaiian themed food with some dishes inspired from different island flavors. Needless to say, I enjoyed the meal as it was something worthy of a HAWAIIAN LUAU. Johnny kahuku delivers its promise of intriguing food and excellent Hawaiian Cuisine. I would definitely be coming back with my family. 



JOHNNY KAHUKU HAWAIIAN SHRIMP HOUSE
Upper Level, Newport Mall
Resorts World Manila
Pasay, Metro Manila


Disclaimer: Wrote this based on my experience. Was invited to try out the restaurant.
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Wednesday, September 23, 2015
CHELSEA KITCHEN in EASTWOOD: Familiar Food done Perfectly

Let's do this. Eastwood is a place that would forever be in my heart. This is where I used to go to back when I was in high school and even until when I was still working and up to now. I could remember the wasted nights, the lovely dates and even the only place to go to for a post prom night. It has never failed to amazed me. From an empty parking lot to office buildings, condo units and even a huge mall with different establishments to go to and enjoy. It lives up to its name as a township. 

One restaurant that caught my eye is CHELSEA KITCHEN. One of two branches that caters to the foodie audience in the metro. The other branch is located in SM MEGAFASHION HALL in MEGAMALL. In Eastwood, the restaurant that used to be MOMO CAFE transformed into CHELSEA KITCHEN. Rain Tree Restaurants, the group behind amazing food places like Saboten and M Cafe made sure to entice our eyes and tummies with CHELSEA KITCHEN.  
Bright lights lure you in and they got you with their food. 

One thing I noticed is that they have a drink list that a little kid like me would be giddy about. From floats, to mixed juices and cocktail inspired non-alcoholic drinks, you will definitely have something to pick. 
But for me, I preferred the HONEY LIME FIZZ (195Php) as it was sour and sweet at the same time.  

You could also go "healthy" with their best seller, the MUSHROOM CHICHARON (195Php). Deep fried crunchy mushroom served with a vinegar and aioli based sauce. I couldn't stop myself from getting one after another. The mushroom are just like "pork cracklings" but a little healthier. 
One section of the menu that got me interested was their SANDWICHES. I was actually there for snack time and I figured I didn't want heavy. Unfortunately for my tummy, CHELSEA KITCHEN serve generous serving sizes of their meals and snacks. 

The ULTIMATE GRILLED CHEESE (295Php) was perfect for me. It had a side of house made fries and roasted tomato cappuccino. The bread and the three different cheeses used were spot on in terms of dunking them in the soup.
The same actually goes for HOT TAPA FRENCH DIP (350Php). A caramelized onion soup is used as a dipping sauce for the sandwich. The tapa was tender and perfect. Thinking about it makes my mouth drool. 
Thinking that man doesn't live on bread alone, the YELLOW CARBONARA (320Php) was just too good to be true. It was creamy and each bite made me swoon in delight. You won't see me do that unless I was exceptionally happy about something I am eating. I believe it was the hollandaise that made the sauce creamy as much as anything can be. This is delightful and must not be missed.
Dessert is an important aspect of any meal. In Chelsea Kitchen Eastwood, they made sure that every foodie have their fill. 

The House made COOKIE BUTTER PIZZA (250Php) is made basically of melted marshmallow and chocolate chips. It's just wonderful. 
I can't stress it enough that you should also get the DONUT HOLES (195Php). These babies have dulce de leche in their holes that oozes out with each bite.
Having a warm chocolate dip gave it another dimension. It is the icing on top of the cake.

To end the meal, I am glad that RAIN TREE RESTAURANTS serve ILLY Coffee. Aside from that, their trademark Choc Nut is always there.
Thank you very much Mela for the small foodie get together. I enjoyed the chit chat and of course the food.
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Chelsea Kitchen Eastwood is perfect for any one that wants a quick bite or a meeting/gathering of sorts. I could see myself bringing my family and friends and enjoying CHELSEA'S offering. Not only do they serve sharing sizes of dishes, they also make sure that they are simple, familiar and perfect for everyone. Congratulation CHELSEA KITCHEN for opening your second branch in Eastwood. Cheers!


CHELSEA KITCHEN
EASTWOOD MALL
Ground Floor
By the entrance.
Libis, Quezon City, Metro Manila
Open during Mall Hours.


Disclaimer: Was invited to try out Chelsea Kitchen. Wrote this based on my experience and opinion.
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Monday, September 21, 2015
RESTAURANTE PIA DAMASO in Greenbelt

I didn't know what to expect of RESTAURANT PIA DAMASO. 
It's a mix between good or just okay. Things went either way when I visited RESTAURANTE PIA DAMASO. BUT since they have been there for 8 long years, they must be doing something right.

Almost a decade, RESTAURANTE PIA DAMASO has been serving the Makati crowd. It has withstood the hands of time and has continued to serve Filipino-Spanish cuisine. The Chef Owner is actually a baker by trade and has expanded her repertoire to savory dishes. Thus, RESTAURANTE PIA y DAMASO.
The general theme of the restaurant plays with food and having them in lined with old school century dishes. 

To have a fresh start, you could go and try TUBIG NI MARIA (300Php). A mix of cucumber and oranges. 

The DUCK SALAD (350PHP)is topped with duck confit and is dashed with prune vinaigrette. This is a must try and a joy to eat. Even if I'm not a veggie eater I enjoyed it. 

Another not so familiar salad is the NGA NGA (250Php). This here is somewhat different. You put all the different parts of the salad to one of the leaves and make a roll from it. Skipped this one.  
Another salad I skipped would be the BANGUS BELLY SALAD (325Php). This one has dalandan or  citrusy vinaigrette.

They also have a long list of appetizers that one could munch on rather quickly. Albeit pricey, taste is present but quantity not so. 

FILO TARTS (220Php). Basically pork asado with caramelized apples with vinegar.  
ALBONDIGAS (175Php). Sort of like your beef and pork meat balls. 
Croquettes (160Php) are you deep fried treat. 
Roasted Veg tart (300Php). Something vegetarians would love but I would definitely skip.

I suggest you look pass the starters and go straight on the mains with some rice on hand. 

Almost looking the same the CALLOS (300Php) and LENGUA (450PHP) are two different dishes based on their main ingredients. The lengua is basically ox tongue while callos on the other hand, has ox tripe and veal shanks.

FIDEOS(360Php). Their version of fideua. Thin small noodles cooked paella styled. This dish might be a little bit similar to old school Filipino styled spaghetti. A little on the sweet side. The noodles are a bit bigger than the usual ones I am familiar with being served in Arrozeria and CDP. 
CAMARRON COCIDO (380Php). 

The OSTRICH (600Php)was also a dish that you don't see everyday. Given that it may be a bit tough, its taste is somewhat similar to the ones a foodie would enjoy. The sweet sauce definitely carried it. 
ODE TO HEIDELBURG (1500Php) is a German dish. Boiled pork with different sausages in tow. 

Desserts are a plenty in RESTAURANTE PIA DAMASO. I was quite impressed with their selection.
One thing note worthy is the cassava. Covered to perfection with sweet sauce, the sticky rice underneath is just there for the picking.
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Given that the dishes are relatively priced a bit on the high side, I would suggest that you go for the best sellers and the desserts which is what the chef is known for. A bit pricey but you get what you pay for. Quality.

RESTAURANTE PIA DAMASO
Greenbelt
2nd floor
Makati City, Metro Manila



Disclaimer: Was invited to try out the restaurant and wrote this based on my experience.
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