Dining in the Philippines

        Dream Job?? To be a food critic. Who doesn't want that? To be paid to eat at restaurants, taste several dishes and critique your overall experience, that would be the life! Since I have not acquired that job yet, I thought of putting together a few of my favourite dishes from restaurants around the Philippines, mainly in Makati.

 If you would like to know what other dishes are available at the restaurants, you can view the menus by clicking on the links of the restaurant's title. 

Creamy Truffled Mushroom & Double Smoked Bacon Pasta
Chelsea Market and Cafe

        Truffles, ah Truffles! The Diamonds of the Kitchen. Who doesn't like truffles?? Okay, it may be expensive to buy truffles and cook with them, but it isn't expensive to go to restaurants and eat a truffled dish! That's the beauty of restaurants.

        When I lived in Barcelona, I had one restaurant I would frequently eat at, only because of the Truffled Pasta. When I returned to the Philippines, I wanted to find a restaurant with the best truffled pasta. I found several that had this dish, but many used truffle oil; a big NO NO in the culinary world.

         I was walking through Serendra in Fort Bonifacio when I found my new favourite restaurant, "Chelsea". That is where I found the "Creamy truffled Mushroom & Double Smoked Bacon Pasta". This dish was creamy, earthy, aromatic, smooth and mouth watering. On my cheat days, I usually get this, but thanks to finding this dish, I was able to try Chelsea's many healthy recipes as well; such as the pumpkin soup, or the roasted vegetables with feta and pesto. I am now a happy regular customer there!

Creamy Truffed Mushroom & Double Smoked Bacon

Chelsea Market and Cafe
Php395

Eggs Benedict
Bizu Patisserie

  Feel like having a European style breakfast, a healthy lunch or just swinging by for an afternoon tea? Bizu is the place! I usually go to the one in Greenbelt, Makati, because they have a wonderful outside seating area where I can enjoy coffee and breakfast.

        Breakfast time I find myself ordering the Eggs Benedict; made with forest ham, two free-range poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce on a freshly baked English corn muffin. I was always searching for a good Eggs Benedict. Most places I have tried, the sauce wasn't right, the ham-to-egg-to-bread ratio was off, or, they just didn't use the right type of ingredients. I can proudly say I found the perfect Eggs Benedict! Of course, I'll never stop looking for a better one.

 Eggs Benedict
Bizu 
Php375

Baked Prawns
 Conti's Bakeshop & Restaurant

        A sunny day out and I feel like being by the ocean. When I am in the city, the closest thing I can do to feel like i'm near the sea, is eating seafood! I have always been an ocean lover, so I didn't eat seafood. These past 3 years I have changed and have indulged my new tastes for the sea, as long as I don't eat shark, dolphin or other mammals. 

       Prawns were the first thing I fell in love with. Especially the Baked Prawns in Conti's! Their Baked Prawns are black tiger prawns baked with cheese and their special topping, served with crab salad and japanese fried rice. This dish is cheesy, chewy, sweet, salty, very fulfilling but not heavy, which is perfect on a sunny day! 

Baked Prawns

Conti's Bakeshop & Restaurant

Php320

Red Velvet Cake
Karen's Kitchen

        Who doesn't love the colour red? Seeing the colour Red can stimulate the appetite. So why not dye a chocolate based cake red and smother it with cream cheese! That was an awesome idea! 

        I was driving down Edsa in Makati once when I stopped by this Petron station right next to the exit of Dasmariñas village, across from Pasay Road. I wanted to try something new so I went into this little store called "Karen's Kitchen" and saw this petite Red Velvet Cake, and I had to have it! I brought it home and Dear God, it must have been a sin to taste something so good when clearly it's so bad for me.  Perfect layer of cream cheese icing, not too thin and not too thick. The cake inside was moist, sweet, and made you crave another bite right after. That's when I said, "This one is definitely one for the books" or shall I say "one for the blog". 

Red Velvet Cake

Karen's Kitchen

Potato Bombs
Barcino

        Barcino is a wine & tapas bar located in many areas around Manila. In my opinion, the best location is in Greenbelt. This is a place to dine at night with live music and a great ambiance. A place to have wine with your significant other or friends while enjoying pica pica, sharing amongst each other. 

        When I lived in Barcelona, I would always order "bomba de patata" in a tapas bar. When I came back to the Philippines I missed that "Barcelona" ambiance, therefore Barcino was the only place I could feel that way again. This is where I found my "Potato Bombs"; mashed potato balls stuffed with chorizo picante Jalapeños Salsa Bravas & all i oli. First, you dip it into the sauce, then when biting into these steamy potato bombs, you feel the crunchy layer turn into a smooth texture until arriving to the spicy chorizo, YUM! Heaven in a ball. 

Potato Bomb

Barcino

Php260

Okinawa Milk Tea with Pearls

Serenitea

        I am nominating this drink to be here because this drink deserves to be among my favourites! This is an addictive but very attractive drink. Okinawa milk tea; you can order it with the quantity of sugar you like; 0%, 30%, or like I always get, 50%. I don't recommend more because you don't need it. It tastes good even up to 30. The pearls used are small tapioca balls, and are also used in a Filipino street food called "Taho" which I absolutely love! I'll do a street food blog soon. This drink is a must try! I've gotten a few people addicted to it already. Prices range to about Php80 - Php115, depending on the size you want. 

Okinawa Milk Tea with Pearls

Serenitea

Php80-Php115

Salted Caramel Cheesecake
URBN Bar & Kitchen

        To satisfy my sweet tooth, I wallow in desserts. Recently, I discovered the Salted caramel Cheesecake in URBN located at The Fort Strip (BGC), 26th street, Taguig. Built over my teenaged nostalgia, Pier 1, there is now a single elevator that leads up to the bar/resto. I always knew URBN as a party place where people went during late hours to drink and dance. One day, I walked by at an earlier hour and decided to try the food. Usually you don't eat where you party but who knew it would lead to a great discovery! 

        I was never a Cheesecake fan but once I tasted the Salted Caramel Cheesecake at URBN, things changed. It really takes the perfect mix of ingredients to change a person's opinion about a certain dish. The added salted caramel to the cheesecake was mouth watering. 

         Salted Caramel is the holy trinity of sugar, salt and fat - the class A drug of the confectionary world.  The birth of salted caramel was in the late 70's. Decades later, Pierre Hermé, the French pâtissier known as "The Picasso of Pastry", created the salted caramel macaroon. Ever since, the sticky drip-drop of salted caramel grew. 

       This Salted Caramel Cheesecake was delectable, melt-in-your-mouth, sinful, rich, light, fluffy, tongue-tantalising and leaving an oh so sweet after-taste. 

Salted Caramel Cheesecake
URBN Bar & Kitchen
PHP205.00

Pork Sisig
Aling Milas

        I used to quiver when someone would order this when I was a child because of what was explained to be inside. Sizzling Sisig, a Filipino dish made from parts of the pig's head and liver and usually seasoned with calamansi (pinoy lemon) and chili peppers. I was being a picky little kid and never wanted to try it until one fateful teenaged day where I grew a pair. It was the best decision I have ever made. This zesty, crunchy, flavourful mix of crazy ingredients were perfection! My favourite pork Sisig was always in Dencios Restaurant, a lot closer to home and can be found in Makati. 

        The dish is said to have originated from local residents who bought the unused pig heads from commissaries of Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga,  (2 hours drive from Makati). Pig heads were cheap since they were not used in preparing meals for the U.S. Air Force personnel there. Thank God for that! They got to play around with the pig heads until creating something scrumptious! 

        One day when I was visiting Pampanga, I asked a local to bring me to the best place I can find Sisig. We went to this "Out of the home restaurant" in a small street near McArthur Highway, called "Aling Milas". For some reason, this Sisig was more zesty than ever and perfect in every way. My mouth actually starts to water when I think about it. I begged the family for the recipe but they said it was a family secret. Well, at least I tried! 

 Pork Sisig

Aling Milas

        Thank you for reading some of my favourite dishes! If you do get to try any of these, please reply with a comment and let me know what you thought of the dish. I would love to hear your feedback. Although these were just a few dishes, I will continue to eat in new places and keep discovering!