I never did like whole wheat bread served in supermarkets, felt I was eating in the category of tofu chips or faux meat. White bread always ruled any of our household’s bread basket. I love soft white bread, warm, slathered with rich whipped butter.

Though I couldn’t really ramble adamantly against whole wheat or bread for that (culturally rice was our pre-dominant comfort food) matter, as I didn’t really understand it nor its processes.

In the passionate talk of Peter Reinhart about break making, I saw bread (especially whole wheat) in a whole new light.

Visit the TED talk here: Peter Reinhart’s talk

Tortilla Soup

After my weekend shopping trip, I decided to try a new restaurant in Shangri-la Plaza and I think it would be unfair for me to attack this restaurant head-on, as this was my first time to eat here. Thus, any discussions about this post would simply be based on assuming first impressions.

So, disclaimers aside, I tried the Mexican restaurant, Agave Mexican Cantina in Shangri-la Plaza Mall (at the outdoor food strip). Manila has delicious Spanish-fare, but going Mexican, you get creations from Mexicali, Tia Marias or El Polo Loco, which are not entirely up to par with judging palates. But I marched in and a 2-piece Persian-like outfit for the door manager welcomed me in. I was actually late for lunch (around 3pm), thus there was no one in sight, except for the staff.

The decor is a simple dark wooden interior with a clear glass window (to see or be seen) and a small bar at the side. Beyond that was the service stairs. The seats were quite comfortable and the waitress handed me the menu. Seeing the menu, it had combo meals (combination of tacos, enchiladas and chile rellenos), large plates for family serving, and traditional Mexican dishes. I would vouch for the combos or the large plates as I feel these are the dishes that normally get served. The great thing about this establishment is the choices of salsas in terms of acidity and heat component from the spiciest roasted tomatoes to salsa verdes.

The first dish I ordered was a Tortilla Soup with grated cheese, chicken chunks and garnished with a cube of avocado (photo above). Though nothing different, say from, Italian Minestrone, the deep red tomato soup didn’t go overboard to taste like tomato sauce. It’s white cubed chicken breast pieces were still moist and the avocado and cheese lended a sweet and creamy comforting introduction to the dish. But I wish they introduced more avocados. Also, the crunchy chips of tortilla provided a nice textural counterpoint to the clean-tasting soup. Yet, the dish lacked depth and spiciness that I was looking for.

Cheese Enchilada with Shrimp Chile Relleno

The entree I ordered was a combination of Cheese Enchilada with Shrimp Chile Relleno, served with a Roasted Tomato salsa, mexican rice and refried black beans. The Cheese Enchilada had a delicious combination of tartness (from the tomatoes), sweetness (from the onions) and salty-creaminess from the cream and cheese. The jalapeno on top was just a garnish. The roasted tomato salsa was indeed spicy, but had an earthy and warm tones, complementary more to the crunchy and deliciously surprising Shrimp Chile Rellenos. The rice was sticky and vastly needs improvement, while the refried beans was served cold, but lacked depth of flavor. But the rellenos – I could eat constantly! They had a warm creamy and cheesy center with crunchy cubes of shrimp.

Mango Mojito

Lastly, the meal was rewarded with a Mango Mojito. Though the acidity from the lime, mint and alcohol overpowered the mangoes, the coolness of the mint and the acidity of the limes cuts through the fat of the entree easily and provides a refreshing close.

In entiriety, Agave Mexican Cantina is one the best Mexican restaurants in Manila I had eaten for quite some time. Apart from its simple ambience, its dishes are different from the normal enchiladas or tacos. Though Agave serves these dishes, they provide richer and delicious flavors to its Mexican counterparts.

Photos are properties of Foodie Business

Agave Mexican Cantina

1st floor, Shangri-la Plaza Mall

Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City

I’ve been a fan on viewing videos created in TED, which is an invite only convention of 1,000 remarkable people in the field of technology, entertainment and design.

Above: Mark Bittman talks on TED

Though I agree with Mark that indeed man can live on vegetables alone. There are some people, like me, who is totally programmed to drool and crave for pork cracklings and melt-in-your-mouth steak.

Alas, the age-old adage of the real pursuit of food happiness is to eat everything in moderation indeed is true. Americans eat thrice or more than what Asians eat and are consistently happy. Remember the documentary Supersize Me?

Another key is to use and treat ingredients with respect. Respect their seasons, their habitat, their limitations and their flavors. I have always cringed at artificially concocted products and I think – forever will.

Lastly, be picky and enjoy the food. Stuffing oneself with whatever food that comes their way gets to be a bad habit. This definetely includes fast food. Though it is somewhat elitist to be choosy, I think it trains your palate to choose flavors that suits you and increases your standards for better fare (Have you noticed why organic veggies taste better than commercially pesticide ridden ones and why a home-made burger patty tastes better than the ones at McDonalds?)

Enjoy quality fare. Respect the ingredients. Moderation. We and the cows would all live happier.

Had to cook for 25 hungry people during our visit to Baguio and seeing the weather wasn’t cooperating with us, we all agreed to dine in our quaint cottage near the Club. I prepared a couple of side dishes that were perfect accompaniments to the prepared roasted products procured from a nearby grill chain.

Yup, that’s actually Andok’s Lechon Manok.

As far as I know and can taste, there isn’t nothing wrong with Andok’s Rotisserie Chicken and is a far cry in terms of flavor and health concerns compared to regular fast food chain chicken. Baguio had the perfect atmosphere for roast foodstuff and I couldn’t let 25 hungry folks wait for their dinner, now would I? The chicken above was served with oven-roasted Parmesan and Paprika Potato Wedges and drizzled with the liver sauce that accompanies the chicken.

Above: Pork BBQ skewers with Buttered Asparagus and Carrots

Entertaining at home is easy. Procure some delicious foodstuffs some could be your main course or even your side dishes, serve in a nice platter, then plate with your own food creation and garnish. Garnishes can range from a sprig of rosemary, ribbons of parsley, or even lemon wedges. Above is Andok’s BBQ skewers which was paired with my Buttered Asparagus (which was in season with the Baguio weather), Carrots and onions that were sauteed in bacon fat and butter that ended up rich and crisp lending a sweetness to the entire dish.

Lastly, entertaining isn’t complete with drinks and a plus is liquor. Have a list of generic cocktails you could prepare in a flash. We prepared Rum with Cola, Mojitos, and Orange-Vodka cocktails. You could also do virgin versions (no alcohol) to your favorite cocktail creations for people who want to stay sane during the party.

Grab a couple of friends and have a party at home and enjoy!

Photos courtesy of Ms. Anna Dimerin

P.S. Andok’s didn’t sponsor this post, but was awfully lucky to be along the Baguio road we were driving.

Baguio, the nippy, tourist-friendly, mountain attraction of the Philippines, where strawberry-themed everything is all a flutter accompanied by whipping pine trees and hilly golf courses. To cut things short (not exactly Anthony Bourdain here), was excitedly invited to visit during the weekend and ended sampling the local produce of what this city in the skies had to offer. We started our lunch in the famed 100-year old Baguio Country Club. The place had a fantastic scenic view of the golf course, but in terms of the food – simple no-fuss Filipino comfort food. Below is a duo of astonishing dishes that I would gladly go back for.

I had been craving for a good Lechon Kawali (literally means pork in a pan) and Baguio Country Club offered a perfect fried pork-stuff that literally made me want more. The very crispy crackling of its skin, the almost ethereal and almost liquid gelatin of its fat underneath and the crispy, but tender pork meat was a perfect combination with a soy-lime dipping sauce (or even without it). After getting my fair share, I was placed in a state of inner peace.

The meal was served with Sinigang na Baboy (Pork with vegetables simmered in a sour tamarind broth) that had a good sour-note and crisp vegetables, Fried Chicken which was a downer as it was crisp but very dry, Bulalo (Beef Shank with vegetables simmered in broth) had a comforting but very light approach to its broth, Chopsuey (Stir-fried assorted local vegetables) which were crisp and deliciously showcased how this mountain region’s climate provided the best snap peas and broccoli in the country, but again – pork reigns supreme!

The meal ended with a Meringue cake with Buttercream and Almonds, served with a fresh strawberry, whipped cream and a mango coulis garnished with a chocolate butterfly. The cake was the main attraction and the wisps of the temporary pleasure coming from the melt-in-your-mouth goodness of the meringue provided a good sweet counterpoint to the somewhat sour note from the mango sauce.

Overall, the meal was fairly comforting given the nippy weather. The vegetables evoked a certain freshness where only at Baguio you could get and the pork made me deliriously happy. Baguio Country Club gets 3 stars out of 5.

The Verandah at the Baguio Country Club

http://www.baguiocountryclub.com.ph/

Daily 6:00 AM to 11:00PM.

Photo courtesy of Ms. Anna Dimerin

I completely forgot to take photos of this wonderful meatball dish that I made yesterday evening out of ground beef that was lying in our freezer. I was skeptical that it would taste great (remember the tough hockey meat pucks with sweet tomato sauce?), but it had a nice crust, a delicious tomato-Parmesan sauce, and a nice juicy and fork-tender interior. The two secrets are (a) remember not to overmix the beef and (b) undercook the meatballs since it has to undergo a slow simmer for 20 minutes. This I think was the best meatball I have ever tasted…as of yet.

Here’s the recipe:

Slow Cooked Meatballs In Herbed Tomato Sauce

What you need:

For the meatballs, you would need (a) 1 kilo of ground beef, (b) 1 Egg, (c) 1 Large onion, diced (d) Parmesan cheese, grated, and the following seasonings to your taste: Herb de provence, Thyme, Salt, and Pepper, Sage and a dash of Balsamic vinegar.

For the tomato sauce, you would need (a) A can of whole tomatoes, (b) 1/2 cup of olive oil, (c) 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese, (d) Bunch of Basil and season with salt and pepper.

How to Prepare:

1. Mix the beef with the egg, onion and seasonings. DO NOT OVERMIX. Overmixing causes the beef to become too tough. Form into balls and coat each ball with Parmesan cheese to get that brown outer crust.

2. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil in medium heat and saute the meatballs until you form a crust. Undercook the meatballs for a couple of minutes (around medium rare). During the saute-ing process, add some rosemary springs into the pan.

3. Remove meatballs from the pan and set aside. In the same pan, add the tomatoes and the juice that comes with it. Make sure to scrape any brown bits from the pan, as it contains tons of flavor and provides depth to your dish. Add 1/2 cup of water and stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes until sauce thickens.

4. Add the cooked meatballs in the pan with the omato sauce. Reduce the heat to ensure that only a few bubbles are seen from the top. Simmer for 20 minutes.

5. Before serving, remove the meatballs from the pan. For the sauce, add some chopped basil and drizzle with olive oil, similar to creating an emulsion. Drizzle sauce over meatballs and finish with more Parmesan cheese.

I know I deftly skinned at Wine Depot’s SMS system during my first blog entries, but I have always been a fan of their direct marketing campaign. They make it a point to send me a text message every other week plus send me a couple of newsletters. I get regular updates with promos, events and a story on the wine industry. Though nothing original, they are the only wine vendor in Manila that is practices CRM (from online marketing until snail mail) and for that I applaud them. On their side, they would be able to match my demographics with my purchases and hopefully, later on, personalize how we do business from the newsletters I get and to the discounts that are tailor-fitted to what matters most to me. After all, we are going from an age of universality to the age of variability.

Above: June 2008 newsletter

But I was surprised when during the weekend I got a letter from my snail mail saying that I am now a Wine Club member PLUS card holder.

Well, technically I was already a Wine Club member, but having a card and flashing it around can entail me to get some incredible discounts. Which made me think – why did they send me the card just now when I enrolled almost a year ago? Oh well…no harm done. Love the layout of the newsletter, the early announcements and will enjoy using my Wine Club card. Thanks WineDepot!

Just visited a restaurant at Blue Wave, Macapagal avenue at Pasay City to grab a quick dinner after our meeting and found a few points that I want to share that restaurants have to consider. Some of these details I have observed between the top and dying establishments within Manila.

a. A Streamlined Menu – A good restaurant ensures that their menu is easy to read with enough spaces in between per choice to see what each offering.

An example:

DO: Crispy Pata – P300

Sinigang – P 150

DON’T: Crispy pata – P300 Sinigang – P150

Having too much or a crowded menu shows your diner that you don’t have enough time to make consistently GREAT dishes and in reality, you really don’t. If you have 4 cooks, serving 20 Main course choices, 10 appetizers, 10 desserts, 10 soups, etc. with a changing cuisine. Who are we kidding? Even having 7 won’t manage it. Sure they can do it. But is it the freshest? The Best? Consistent?

Another bad that restaurateurs practice is spreading their cooks too thin by accommodating too many culinary genres. Such as Chinese dimsum in a coffee shop that serves American/Filipino food. Make up your mind on at MOST 2 cuisines and stick to it. I actually prefer just ONE. Be careful with cuisine fusions though. This not only solves the quality of food that you serve, but it also reduces the logistical and skill limitations you might be imposing on your chef. But still interested in serving Chinese food? Don’t do it in your American diner establishment. Make a separate restaurant. Trust me. Your chef and diners would love you for it.

ARGUMENT: What if diners tell you they want “this” in your establishment?

ANSWER: Think and assess. Does it match the food you currently serve with the cuisine you chose? If yes, assess if your chefs and your ingredients can be at par with excellence in serving the dish. If not, then choose an existing choice and remove and replace with the new one OR just scrap the suggestion. I don’t think diners will mind getting their superbly done steak compared to having a fish fillet that they suggested done poorly.

b. An Evolving Menu – Great restaurants stick to a theme with the food they serve, focused and consistent, but develops a menu that is always evolving. Don’t remove the best-selling Shrimp Cocktail, but if it’s not Mango season anymore – don’t serve the Mango Crepe. Master the seasons and ingredient cultivation. Know your ingredients. Focus on your theme. Evolve. Don’t stick your menu in a rut.

c. Tailor your Restaurant’s Identity – What is your restaurant being to your consumers? What is your waiters being that contributes to your restaurant’s identity? What are you being that contributes to the business? Normally I prefer chefs that tailor the decor and name of their restaurant with the theme of their cuisine. But you could also do it, vice versa, but be careful as decor themed-restaurants can become gimmicky, especially if you don’t serve good food.

If you are doing decor theme first before the food theme, make sure to incorporate the personality of your theme with the food by making it different and delectable. An example would be if you are a Halloween-themed coffee shop, why not have coffee shakes that actually bubble or orange? I haven’t had orange coffee before. Or a coffee blend with exotic spices? If a Halloween-themed restaurant serves regular beverage – heck, I’ll just go walk a bit longer to get a Frap.

d. Don’t play Chinese sing-along music in a coffee shop. – Enough said. Except if you’re a Chinese tea salon. But still no sing-along music.

e. Focus – If you are a coffee shop – serve the best damn coffee. If you are an American diner – serve the best damn pancakes. If you are a Filipino restaurant – serve the best damn Crispy Pata. Don’t serve beer (in buckets!) if you are a coffee shop, even if you are near bars. I see a Max’s or Starbucks nearby and they don’t serve beer in buckets! Why should you?

f. Consistency – Consistency is crucial in any restaurant. It is more crucial if your diner’s first experience was lovely in your establishment. Consumers loving that first experience or knows that when s/he orders Beef Sinigang, s/he would get the same sourness, same beef tenderness, etc. etc. Though they (diners) are willing to try new things, there is always a sense of comfort knowing that the dish you choose in your establishment would be the same – always.

g. Service – Great service a must. A service post in detail in the future. Remember, tailor your service to the identity the restaurant has.

I’m into this new craze that I have to try and my friends and office colleagues all know what it is (me as a nuisance of course). For the next couple of weeks, I would be show-casing (if I do get my camera this month), a couple of recipes that I created that would fall into this theme.

The Thesis: Deconstruction

According to foodnetwork.com, “Deconstruction,” a term coined by the French philosopher Jacques Derrida, refers to a style of literary analysis where text is analyzed closely and dismantled into independent parts that, though they work in the context of, say, a paragraph, may contradict each other in and of themselves. Essentially, it’s a way at looking at the individual parts of a commonly-accepted whole, and how they interact with each other outside that whole.

Deconstruction can also fall into food, by dissecting the sum of parts of a particular recipe, whether it is roast beef, a martini, or even gaspacho. This technique is a booming development in the chef world and I can’t say I blame them. Deconstruction emphasizes each ingredient making sure they are at their best and ripest and ensuring a symphony of all components when the diner feast on their creation.

Wish me luck! Any ideas would be much appreciated.

The “mom and their baby” market has vastly boomed for the last couple of years and is continually growing. Nivea has launched their own range of baby lotions, Splash has introduced their Baby Spa VCO liquid that turns into powder, and Baby diapers isn’t just Pampers anymore. Not to mention the growing range of toddler milk. Oh, there are even other products that promote getting baby soft skin – but that’s beside the point.

Where am I going with this?

Was invited to emcee a press conference to introduce Lea Salonga, world-renowned theater/movie actress and singer,  as the new brand ambassador for Cycles, the Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent for Babies. The event was held at Tropezz (Greenbelt 3), from 10am-2pm on June 27, 2008.

Each guest was given a press kit (in USB form), giftpacks with assorted products from Naturale, and five winners got to bring home kiddie stuff such as motorized mini-cars, playpens and see-saws.

FAQ: What makes Cycles a show-stopper?
One – it has a targeted and willing market – moms.

Two – scent and packaging is pushed as being delicate, soft and baby-ish

Three – It looks imported – but the concept is Filipino and currently being exported to SEA countries.

Four – It’s hypoallergenic and machine usable. Moms who use Cycles minimize or have zero soap residue left in the clothes they wash with the detergent. No residue means its good for a baby’s sensitive skin. Anyway, have you ever tried using Perla in a washing machine? Cycles taps the side of the mom market that the leading detergents in Asia don’t even bother looking at.

Five – Branded and designed as premium (compared to other leading detergents’ prices). Moms don’t scrimp on their babies. But it’s sure value-friendly compared to the expensive U.S based baby friendly detergents.

(From Left to Right) Ligaya Salonga, Lea Salonga, Emily Balajadia, and Dennis Balajadia

Team Naturale Labs, Inc. and Eveolution, Inc., makers of Cycles

Cycles Hypoallergenic Laundry Detergent for Babies is available in 250ml and 1.5L (Liquid form) and 100g and 1kg (Powder Form)

Evolution, Inc.

376-2283

www.cyclesbaby.com

customercare@cyclesbaby.com

P.S. One crucial aspect of making your guests happy is by serving them good food and I was skeptical with what Tropezz would serve – seeing limited public responses about this establishment. But, they had great service, attentive floor managers, and tasty food. Though I wouldn’t want to serve all courses in one plate, for practical and time reasons, it was a good call.