Filipino culinary talent takes center stage at Madrid Fusión Manila

Ten Filipino chefs are set to display their cooking prowess in this year’s most anticipated gastronomic event -- Madrid Fusión Manila. Organized annually in Madrid, Spain since 2003, the locally dubbed Madrid Fusión Manila is the first in Asia and the biggest culinary gathering yet in the Philippines. It will be held on April 24 to 26 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City.

Modern cuisine will be on center stage as a formidable lineup of the country’s most respected and established chefs present the best the Philippines has to contribute to modern-day gastronomy. These culinary giants are: Fernando Aracama of Aracama; Margarita Forés of Grace Park; J Gamboa of Cirkulo; José Luis Gonzalez of Gallery Vask; Pepe Lopez of Rambla; Rob Pengson of The Goose Station; Bruce Ricketts of Mecha Uma; Myrna Segismundo of Restaurant 9501; Claude Tayag of Bale Dutung; and Juan Carlos de Terry of Terry’s.

Known for their unprecedented culinary experience from different parts of the world, these chefs will fuse with the culinary talents of Michelin-starred Spanish chefs Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz; Elena Arzak of Arzak; Quique Dacosta of Quique Dacosta Restaurante; Ramón Freixa of Ramón Freixa Madrid; Francis Paniego of Echaurren; Paco Roncero of La Terraza del Casino; Mario Sandoval of Coque; and Paco Torreblanca of Torreblanca Bombonerías and Asian culinary giants, chefs André Chiang and Alvin Leung.

"Madrid Fusión Manila will feature on-the-ground conferences, meetings, and exchanges on very specific culinary issues and opportunities -- new inventions, new approaches -- these will in fact revolutionize people’s outlook on culinary arts in the Philippines," Department ofTourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said.

Congress delegates will also experience the best culinary offerings of the Philippines through regional lunches that will feature the varied and exciting flavors of the country’s three main islands--Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Tracing back over 300 years of cultural ties, gourmands and gastronomes from all around the world will witness a convergence of Spanish and Filipino gastronomic contributions through three exciting events: the International Gastronomy Congress where featured Spanish and Filipino chefs will discuss and demonstrate the latest trends and techniques that will transform the future of food;  Trade Exhibition showcasing Spanish and Filipino premium products such as Spanish wines, cheeses, sausages, hams, beers, and sweets, as well as Philippine rice, cacao, coffee, mango, coconut, liqueurs, chocolates, cheeses, nuts and artisanal salts, and various world-class kitchen equipment; and a Flavors of the Philippines Festival, that will run the entire month of April, bringing together different malls, restaurants, bars, hotels, food trucks, exhibition halls to celebrate Philippine gastronomy through simultaneous food-related events in Manila and other parts of the country.

For information on the chefs, the activities and registration, please visit http://madridfusionmanila.com.

About Madrid Fusión Manila:

In April 2015, as part of the “Visit the Philippines Year 2015” festivities, the eyes of the entire world will focus on Manila with the staging of Madrid Fusión Manila. This global event is envisioned to showcase an encounter between Spanish and Filipino chefs to celebrate over 300 years of shared history.

Highlighting the Philippines as a culinary center of excellence in Asia, Madrid Fusión Manila presents a unique opportunity for chefs, food aficionados, and food-and beverage company professionals to come together, learn new things and share their talent, expertise, as well as products to the market.

Filipino Exchange Students in Japan: Crispy Pork Belly

Filipino Exchange Students in Japan: Crispy Pork Belly

By: Tiffy

Both my roommate and I just barely started learning how to cook. So when our Kuya Victor asked us if we wanted to have lunch, we kind of forced him to cook everything by asking him to buy ingredients for us when they were at the grocery.

"Ano gusto niyo pabili?"  ("What do you want me to buy?")

"Kahit ano!" ("Anything!")

So he really did buy "anything" and ended up cooking them! Sneaky!

If you're craving for crispy pork belly, never fear! It's apparently very easy to cook (although I've never tried)! 

Just buy liempo at your local meat shop, boil it until cooked, and sear (fry in super super hot oil) it. The sause is just garlic, soy sauce, sugar, and vinegar (up to how you want it to taste like--I prefer super garlic-y and vinegar-y ones). 

What other Filipino food is easy to cook? Help! 

Tiffy: Kape Chino: The Casa Roces Restaurant

Kape Chino: The Casa Roces Restaurant

by: Tiffy

Their menu

Second floor 

Warm Breaded Goat Cheese Salad | Php 195

Pan-fried goat cheese with rocket and salad mesclun

For the price, the serving is really disappointing.

Pollo À La Pobre | Php 245

Chicken surpeme stewed on creamy mushroom sauce and served with sautéed julienne of vegetables

Fettuccine with Blue Cheese and Roasted Mushrooms | Php 185 

Blue cheese and sliced mushrooms on top of creamy fettuccine

My father loved this so much that he finished it so fast!

Oven-baked Salmon Wellington | Php 420

Salmon fillet stuffed with Boursin cheese in a flakey pastry crust with a spinach lemon cream sauce

Bulalo Steak À La Pobre | Php 355

Pan-seared tender beef shank topped with fried garlic

Pescado En Salsa Verde | Php 345

Baked fish fillet served with salsa verde and mashed potatoes

And of course, we had to order their specialty: 

Malañan Frozen Soufflé | Php 390

Frozen lemon custard soufflé with dark chocolate flakes, pistachio nuts and lemon lavender sauce

We liked the food and most especially the ambiance of the place. Although at one point, I couldn't distinguish the difference between and among the food I ate. Mostly since almost all the food we ordered had a side of mashed potatoes (which was really good).

Kafe Chino @ Casa Roces 
1153 JP Laurel cor Aguado St. San Miguel, Manila
(near Malacañang Palace Gate #4)
Telephone: +632 7355896 | 7084020 
Email: reservations@casaroces.com
Website: http://www.casaroces.com/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casarocesphilsOpen daily 7.00am to 9.00pm

Therese in the Philippines: Mesa Filipino Moderne

Intro: You probably don't know this, but I went home to the Philippines last January. In the span of the 9 days that I was there, I tried 5 new restaurants around the metro, and I even went out of town! Therefore, let me take a short break from my Taiwan posts and in my next few entries, I am going to write about the new places I've been to in and around the metro!

My bloc mates and I were supposed to have a dinner reunion at Yabu in SM Megamall but unfortunately, when we got there, we were put on the waiting list. We didn't want to wait for a long time, so we decided to eat at Mesa Filipino Moderne, which is located almost beside Yabu, instead.

We were seated at this table that had 2 long benches surrounding it. What we didn't like about it was that there wasn't enough space (it was very cramped) so it was hard for us to sit down and move around.

Moving on to the food...

Baby squid in olive oil | 270php

I loved this because the squid was tender and cooked just right (in my opinion). Also, they're very cute!

Pasta kaldereta | 165php

If you're a fan of kaldereta and of tomato sauce, then you're going to love this. The flavors were just right. This could very well be a comfort food.

Salpicao ostrich | 320php

I also liked this because the ostrich meat was tender. I think ostrich meat tastes a bit like chicken/beef but it's not totally the same, and you could actually taste that from eating this. I also like how they were cut into bite-sized portions, because the last time I ate ostrich meat, it was hard and the cuts were huge (maybe that's why it was hard?)

Sisig rice | 170php

We wanted to order the Laing rice but it wasn't available. We settled for this instead, but there was nothing special with this dish. It didn't taste much like sisig.

Tofu sisig | 130php

We also liked this one because of the juiciness (?) of the tofu along with the sisig.

In conclusion, I/we liked their food because it was delicious, and it's not all that expensive. Though it may look like the servings are small, they're actually very filling. We were a group of 7 and we all got full after. Also, each person paid less than 200php for dinner!

Location: SM Megamall
Level 2, Mega Atrium
EDSA corner Julia Vargas Ave., Mandaluyong City

Sa Kanto | Podium

Podium | Sa Kanto

by: Tiffy

Manila Foodistas was lucky enough to be invited to try out Sa Kanto at the Podium. Kanto is the Filipino word for corner, sa kanto meaning just around the corner. 

Saan ka pupunta? Where are you going?

Diyan lang sa kanto. Just there around the corner. 

Sa Kanto serves all kinds of Filipino food--from street food to pulutan (food one usually eats while drinking) to meals. 

It is also by Il Ponticello, who is the group behind Borough which just happens to be situated beside Sa Kanto.

Congo Grill Tomas Morato

Congo Grill Tomas Morato
by Nicole


My folks and I had our late lunch one Sunday in Congo Grill Tomas Morato. It's my second time to eat in this restaurant and their food has never disappointed me.

Congo Grill is a Filipino grille restaurant which offers a wide selection of Filipino dishes. They serve almost 154 items including appetizers, seafood, soups, chicken, pork, beef & steaks, specialty drinks, sodas, wines, desserts, and other native favorites. Their menu is indeed diverse!

So now. . . the food that we ate:

First, we were served with this ampalaya. Oh I really like this! The ampalaya was crisp and it was not too bitter. Also, I liked how there were only few slices of meat in it.

Ampalaya con Carne (Php 145)

It's my second time eating this tofu. It was not super delicious - it was just okay. Maybe because I was thinking how much better the tofu is in Bodhi.

Sizzling Fried Tofu (Php 105)

This sizzling stuffed squid is the bomb! It sizzles deliciously! The squid was perfectly cooked! Stuffed with lots of onions, tomatoes, green long peppers and with special sauce, no wonder this stuffed squid is one of their best-sellers. A MUST TRY.

Sizzling Stuffed Squid (Php 320)

This is my Pop's favorite - the tuna belly. It's really  good too! It has a hint of sweetness and a dab of sourness - I totally liked the combination of flavours (and I'm sure you will too - once you taste it :)).

Tuna Belly 300g (Php 300)

We were all fully satisfied with the food and the fast and friendly service. Before we finished, one of the crew asked us if we would like some dessert. We're not a family who's really into dessert but since I've got two siblings who are still kids, my Pop ordered a  banana split. I tasted it and honestly, there's nothing special about it.

Banana Split (Php 120)

It was my Pop who introduced the family to Congo Grill. My family including me, of course, now like this restaurant because it's affordable (really ideal for big families or any kind of group), the service is two thumbs up and, the food is GOOD! I indeed found a  DELECTABLE  Filipino restaurant!


Address and Telephone Number
Congo Grill Tomas Morato
Tomas Morato, corner Scout Limbaga
332-2194 / 332-2193
http://www.congogrille.com

Danne: Chef Laudico's BFast

Ayala Triangle is one of the few parks in Manila where you can stroll and hide from the city bustle. For all those part of the Makati workforce, I'm sure this place is a familiar lunch or dinner area for you.

One day at Ayala Triangle, we got to eat in a restaurant called Chef Laudico's BFast. It's an all-day breakfast cafe, where they serve one of the most famous kinds of morning meals for Filipinos, the silog (sinangag, which is fried rice + itlog or egg).

Here's their menu, showing specifically the silog meals.

I still had hangover from Christmas so I got Christmas Ham Silog (PhP 148).

They had a unique version of the classic Champorado. This had rice krispies in it. 'Twas really

good.

I like how they made usual Filipino dishes unique.

Try BFast, whether for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

:-)

Good morning?

Danne

Chef Laudico's BFast

Telephone number: (02) 621-6100

Address: Ayala Triangle Gardens, Makati Ave, Bel-Air, Makati City

Restaurant Review: Senya Kitchen

Senya Kitchen

908 Nicanor Reyes St., Sampaloc, Manila

Tel.: 708-5221

Type of Cuisine: Filipino

Average cost per person: PhP 100 to PhP 300 (with the more expensive dishes good for 2-3 persons)

Overall rating: 3/5

I've been meaning to eat at Senya Kitchen ever since that time one of its waiters wouldn't let me pass through without taking a flyer. It was actually that persistent advertising that made me turn to look. The area wasn't exactly where you'd want to be skipping around. Everyone was always on a rush and you tend to just get swept by the flood of people. I've been passing through the area since I moved here in Sampaloc, Manila, in mid-2011. At the same time, Senya Kitchen had just opened.

One of the good things about the restaurant is its home kitchen feel. The decorations of shrubs pouring from the walls and the actual kitchen from behind the counter mimic what one would see in an actual house. There were bamboo plants for added aesthetics. The condiments area and the restrooms maintain the appeal: not too high class and certainly very familiar.

The menu changes every so often, showcasing the specialty of the day, reminiscent of those diners in chick lit movies like 50 First Dates. There is a huge board plastered right next to the counter that displays the entire menu. Once you enter the place, it's about the first thing you'll immediately notice. The food was exactly what you'd find in your own kitchen and that's not really appealing to everyone, especially people like me who find themselves stuck with similar dishes for every week. We all tend to get bored with our own cuisine because we're never eating anything that isn't Filipino. It’s the most accessible food if you’re a student far from mom and dad. However, if you don't get to cook as much as you'd want to, or if you've got a wider range of meals to choose from in your own fridge, which is barely Filipino, Senya Kitchen offers the nostalgic atmosphere you've been missing. It’s just like your mom’s cooking, more or less. The affordability is an added bonus. Ideal for people like me who live far from their hometown.

A bit of a warning, though: lunch time can get hectic with long lines courtesy of hungry students from nearby universities. Senya Kitchen is, after all, within the university belt.

Sweet & Sour Fish Fillet (PhP 225.00)

I’m a big seafood fan, so I was excited to try out their version of sweet and sour fish. I wasn’t exactly sure what the fish was, but my food buddy is persistent about it being salmon. Personally, I thought it was trevally (locally, talakitok). Whatever it was, it was very delicious. The carrot julienne and the chili peppers were great for the sauce. There was nothing creative here but the meal was pretty satisfying. 

Sinigang na Baboy (PhP 65.00)

When you think of home-cooked meals, Sinigang na Baboy immediately comes to mind. I love sinigang that is either spicy or sour, even both, at a level higher than normal. The vegetables were satisfying but the pork was a little too hard to cut for my taste. I did love the ribs floating in my soup. That was probably the highlight of my meal. Sinigang is always a great comfort food, no doubt about that.

Reviewed by:

Jofer Serapio

(guest blogger)

Jollibee Chicken Nugget Crunchers

Jollibee Chicken Nugget Crunchers
Random Thoughts from Tiffy

Just a quick post cause I've been very intrigued by Jollibee's chicken nuggets for the longest time. I was finally able to try it last week! 

It costs Php 99.00 for the meal--drinks and fries included. 

It had carrot bits inside and, as one of my friends pointed out, just because it has carrot bits (that he suggested is fake) doesn't mean it's healthy! 

Personally, I like it. Because really, I rarely dislike any kind of food (except maybe durian but it might be an "acquired taste" kind of thing). And on top of that, it kind of reminds me of the chicken joy taste.

What do you think?

Have you tried it?

Whistlestop 24/7 Redux

Whistlestop, a 24/7 restaurant which started back in 1977, is back after closing last 2005! "We're the only 24 hour restaurant, which offers a wide range of cuisines, and serves nothing but your good old comfort food," Lex Ledesma, the new owner said.


Anton in his blog says, "The memory of Whistlestop is like the memory of Ninoy Aquino -- only those who are 25 years old and above can remember them." That's why I don't really have distinct memories of this restaurant from back when Tina Serna was still the owner. I guess the only thing I can remember is that I have eaten at Whistlestop, maybe back when I was in grade school or high school.



For starters, I would really recommend that you try their Boneless Buffalo Wings (Php. 220). This treat instantly became my favorite because of its kick and taste. The blue cheese dip complemented the dish. But, if you're not into the spicy and saucy chicken, you might want to dig in their Spanakopitas (Php. 180), fried wrap with 3 kinds of cheese. Heaven.



For the main course, I would turn you to their bestseller and the owner's pride, Hainanese Chicken Rice (Php. 195). The chicken meat was tender and juicy. It's really something to be thrilled with.



Another dish that I enjoyed (I enjoyed everything I ate!) is their Arroz Caldo (Php.110). My dad says they used to eat this in the wee hours back in the days. Now that Christmas is fast approaching and the cold nights setting in, I would definitely order this once again.

Make room for dessert! You might want to indulge yourself with their home-made Banoffee Pie (Php. 150) or the Mango Pannacotta (Php. 95), both really yummy and not that sweet (yey!).

What's striking besides their simple yet stellar food offerings is their interior. They've painted the restaurant to depict a train station feel, which, in my opinion, is chic and cozy.

Whistlestop 24/7
28 Jupiter St., Makati City (Between Fiamma and Starbucks)
Telephone number: 8961989.
P.S. They also deliver :)

Review and Photo by Bong
Photo taken using Sony Ericsson W760i

Amano: A Taste of Southern Luzon

Amano Bistro - Bar
Tomas Morato, Quezon City
Type of Cuisine: Filipino - Southern Luzon

Amano Bistro and Bar, located at Tomas Morato, will be the newest Filipino restaurant featuring Southern Luzon dishes for us who would like to take a bite of distinct and spicy flavors from down south.



My dad’s side of the family hails from Sorsogon City. Although a part of me came from the Bicol region, the only time I got to visit Southern Luzon and get to sample their dishes was when I went to the beaches of Caramoan with my friends last October break.

During that trip, I got to taste really delicious southern dishes such as the famous Laing and the Bicol Express, which I fell in love with. This restaurant made me remember of that fun filled trip we had.

Cavite Monggo Soup
Would you believe that this was my first time to eat Monggo Soup? Cavite monggo cooked with vinegar and olive oil, a native way of cooking the dish instantly earned a fan. Now I understand why my mom loves this dish so much.

Torta de Patata
A well designed meal which consists of eggplant with ground pork with egg in a bed of potato garlic coriander. I found this dish interesting, though I suggested to the chef to mix the eggplant with the egg batter to have a whole and more exciting taste to the dish.

Laing ala Pinangat
A Quezon vegetable specialty with dried fish, wrapped with taro leaves that’s long-simmered in coconut cream. It has a strong flavor, which I think goes well with rice.

Palawan Tilapia
Palawan steamed fish in a symphony of bagoong (shrimp paste), calamansi (Philippine lime), ginger and spring onion. I found this dish to be ordinary despite it being well presented. It would be better if there would be a distinct flavor which will move the taste buds.

Calamansi Sorbet with Fruit Caviars
This Philippine lime sorbet, which is interestingly served with mango and melon caviar (locally called sago), is a very refreshing and smooth cleanser to the palette.

Bicol Express
This is one HOT dish. The best among the rest, the Bicol express, which is cooked in coconut milk, with fresh green chilies, is a famous dish from Naga City, Bicol. This dish emerged to be my favorite because of the perfect combination of tastes, which prove to engage you.

Amano Halo-Halo
Halo-halo of twelve sweets (ube, leche flan, nata de coco, langka, red bean, etc) served in frozen Buko (coconut) juice, an unconventional presentation which worked to its advantage.



After two weeks, when it finally opens, expect me to visit this restaurant again, to rekindle the tastes of my Southern Luzon food adventure, and to see for myself how the establishment fully operates.