Brownie Ala Mode in Cofifi Cafe

I’ve been cafe-hopping around in Cebu and most of the Cafe’s, I realized are too, well, uniformed. For example if you go to Starbucks, you can sense it’s the usual Starbucks and then when you go to another you associate with the “usual” word. Few weeks ago I decided to go to something new and out of the usual.

I dropped by Cofifi Cafe and fell in love with the place ever since. This time I was able to try their delicious Brownie ala Mode worth only 65php! Totally worth it if you ask me. I like how their Brownie doesn’t crumble when touched (meaning it’s not too dry). It’s got a nice chewy texture just the way I like it.

The place is nice and the food and drinks are affordable! I personally love ucc coffee but the price does not love me Price is definitely one of the reasons why I keep coming back

If you’d drop by here in Cebu sometime to catch up with some old friends then do drop by in Cofifi Cafe which is located in Treehouse Bldg, Aboitiz St (Beside STC’s back gate) Cebu, Philippines, 6000. You can call them with this number: 2680953.

They’re usually open around 7:30am to 12am and on Fridays and Saturdays they close at 1am

Just a suggestion to Ms. Fifi, can we have other flavors in the ice cream too? I love strawberry with brownie. *just a suggestion*

I wonder if they might try to do Froyo’s like what Coffeecat Cebu branch is doing But froyo or not I love this place anyway

Cofifi Cafe’s Brownie ala Mode is a post from: Patay Gutom

It’s good to know that Figaro is widening its variety of products offered among its loyal consumers. What would you ask for, if a certain coffee shop also offered a complete set of pasta and delightful breakfast meal in A la Carte.

Last week, I was invited by a good friend and got the chance to visit the Figaro Shangri- La Plaza branch just to get a free taste of their newest A la carte menu by Chef Karl Marxist Tan. It’s very convenient for me this time that I can have my favourite hot or iced coffee having my breakfast, lunch or dinner with the newest a la carte meals.

The long wait is over and Figaro finally launched four new exciting and delightful meals at your choice. These include:

Dory Provencal – Php199.00

Pan fried dory fish fillet infused in zesty provencal sauce.

Breaded Dorry Fillet with Tartar Sauce -  Php229.00

Battered pan-fried fish fillets seasoned with selected spice, dredged in bread crumbs for an extraordinary crisp.

Tuscan Chicken – Php199.00

A hearty Italian inspired chicken sauce with selected herbs and spices topped with Provencal sauce.

Chicken a la Kiev- Php229.00

A Russian-inspired chicken dish, stuffed with cheese and bacon cooked to perfection.

The meals was indeed a satisfying taste for me. The uniqueness of its taste, the composition of true chicken, bacon, cheese and pasta ingredients surely gave me the feeling of contentment that I paid for the meal that is worthy and delicious.

And what would you ask for if these meals will be served with 12 ounces of Ice Coffee or Ice Tea and a heavenly taste of Ambrosia and Chocolate Éclair for your desserts.

Ambrosia – Php70.00

Chocolate Eclair – Php65.00

So celebrate life to the fullest and enjoy eating the A la carte meals at Figaro. Treat your friends now! Come and visit Figaro!

Figaro’s A La Carte Meals by Chef Karl Marxist Tan is a post from: Patay Gutom

By tomorrow, the Krispy Kreme Vote 2010 donuts will be introduced. Registered voters have the chance to get free doughnuts! Will post more details later

Have you tried the new Mango treats from Krispy Kreme? What can you say?

Krispy Kreme Mango Kreme Cake and Chiller is a post from: Patay Gutom

See, our city is known as the ‘Bangus Capital of the World’. Bangus (Milkfish) from Bonuan is said to be the most delicious milkfish in the World. I do agree with that claim. It is the main reason why the Bangus Festival exist.

But I won’t be discussing about Bangus or anything related to it anyway.

Pigar-Pigar in Dagupan City

One of the most in-demand food in Dagupan right now is the Pigar-Pigar. People from other towns usually go to Dagupan City just for this. Most pigar-pigar stalls are located at Galvan Street.

I do admit that when I was younger, I had a wrong impression about pigar-pigar. My dad used to eat with some of his friends, but my mom didn’t allow me to eat some. When I was in college, my classmates and co-workers invited me to eat dinner at Galvan once, until it became a once-in-a-month habit.

Pigar-Pigar Pulutan FTW!

Here’s the definition of Pigar-Pigar taken from the Pigar-Pigar Fanpage:

Pigar-pigar is a thinly sliced beef or carabeef dish seasoned plainly with salt and pepper cooked deep-fry. It is garnished with onion rings before it is served. Add-ons, depending on the preference of the customers, are sliced cabbage, cauliflower etc.

Here are some supporting photos to give you an idea about the Pigar-Pigar area in Galvan Street:

Galvan Street - Pigar-Pigar Avenue at Night

More tables for Pigar-Pigar Lovers

Slicing...

Luto Time!

Sari-saring Sangkap

Busog na Busog ang mga Patay Gutom!

I noticed that most Dagupenos chooses Pigar-Pigar as their pulutan at night. Another favorite is the Kaleskesan.

Incidentally, April 19 (Today!) is the Pigar-Pigar Festival 2010 Celebration. It will start at Galvan Street at 4PM onwards. Too bad I won’t be able to witness this event.

Now I am craving for Pigar-Pigar T_T

Read my latest Pigar-Pigar Misadventure here.

Pigar-Pigar in Dagupan City is a post from: Patay Gutom

I had the pleasure of eating with Between Bites and “Bubba” (ok chris I really gotta get used to calling you that since apparently that is your online name!) after a company event. I was a bit shy since “Bubba” (sorry Chris will put this in quotation marks muna!) was there and I’m a shy person really! They decided to go have dinner at ThaiDara, a Thai resto place located at Gilmore. Having limited knowledge about Thai food I didn’t even try to order for myself and left everything to Between Bites to choose.

We had good conversation about food, photography, the event, life and everything. I haven’t shot guerilla style in a long time ever since I got my strobe setup. I was lucky to have decent shots for this blog post. Armed with just my speedlight I set out to capture what would be one of the best meals this year so far!

Interior of ThaiDara

ThaiDara

On the menu was:

Tom Yan Gai

Tom Yan Gai

According to Between Bites, it is the Famous Thai spicy soup with mushroom, lemongrass, galangga, and kaffir leaves. I’ve always wondered what Tom Yan was. I actually liked the soup. A bit less spicy for my taste, but I enjoyed it. You can order it in Chicken or Seafood. We had seafood.

Thai BBQ Chicken

Thai BBQ Chicken

I actually really enjoyed this dish. This was something I’ve tasted before. Aside from Pad Thai, this is another Thai dish that I really enjoyed. The skin was nice and charred but didn’t have the burnt flavor. I didn’t even need to use the dipping sauce which was sweet and sour!

Green Curry

Green Curry

This was something I took only a little of. I am not fond of curry. I don’t think I will develop a taste for it. It was actually pretty good, so I wonder what RED curry would taste like. Maybe its something I can stomach myself through. (Pun intended!)

Yellow Curry Rice

Yellow Curry Rice

Now Thai Rice is something I REALLY LIKE. What with all the pineapples, seafood, nuts, and different flavors. I’ve always ordered one of their variations of Fried Rice at different Thai restos. This with the chicken bbq is a big hit for me.

Milk Tea

Milk Tea

I didn’t get to try the Milk Tea. But based on how “Bubba” slurped it down it must have been REALLY GOOD!

Lemonade w/ Mint Leaves

Lemonade w/ Mint Leaves

Now this is the drink Between Bites ordered for me. I was only supposed to get water since I was super dehydrated from the previous event but she got it nonetheless. Lemonade in itself was refreshing enough throw into the mix Mint leaves and it was just what the doctor ordered on a HOT HOT summer day.

I offered to pay or at least split the bill but Between Bites and Bubba were having none of it. I told I was already hitching but Bubba paid. (Thanks again Chris!) I have to treat this two soon! I hope I get a chance to! Dinner and food is only 1 part of a great dining experience the other part would be great company. I always love eating with fellow foodies. Not only are the stories about food experiences great, but they know how to appreciate great food. It was a simple dinner but a GREAT MEAL. Thanks for the company Between Bites and Bubba! Seriously let’s do it again!

Between Bites and Bubba

My recommendation? Definitely a must try. Its quaint little bistro style was refreshing. I love how small and cozy it was and yet I didn’t feel cramped at any point. The staff was friendly and accommodating. They even had neat little TIN bowls for the bill and a tin pitcher for the water!

Thai Dara Bangkok Street Food

Granada St., Valencia,

Quezon City.

(632) 568 0651

ThaiDara: Bangkok Street Food is a post from: Patay Gutom

Taking a break from the usual restaurant tours, I decided to add something that has somewhat become a tradition for this blog; our traditional meals in our family. Although we trace our lineage from the Kapangpangans or Cabalens and have that inculcated with our daily meals, it is during the special holidays do we really roll out the good stuff. Last New Year I featured, Callos on this blog and how we made it, our own family recipe I presume. And since Holy Week has just dawned upon us here in the Philippines, we have a tradition of having a HUGE SEAFOOD spread on Good Friday. But over the years it has been watered down to 2 basic dishes: Bacalao and Fresh Oysters in onions, ginger, all soaked in vinegar and left to “cook” for awhile. We call it Kilawin.

I won’t go into details about the Kilawin since most, if not all of you know about this dish already but basically just DON’T EAT IT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.

Bacalao or Bacalhau on the other hand is a different story. It is a completely foreign dish which traces its history all the way back to Spain.Bacalao is the Spanish term for dried salt cod. The dried fish is white, delicate, and tender once it’s re-hydrated. Lomo is the best cut; avoid the chewy end pieces.

Pronunciation:

[bah-kah-LAH-oh]

Tomatoes! Tomatoes! and more Tomatoes!

Stripping the Meat by Hand was a chore!

Stewing the Bacalao!

Although it is a staple in Spain, we only have it in our family once a year. (Mostly because it is a very very expensive fish which doesn’t yield too much meat costing about P800/ half a kilo) Our preparation includes, tomatoes (and lots of it), potatoes, garbanzos, red bell pepper, oh and did I mention tomatoes? The most time consuming part of the dish would be the preparation of the fish. It takes 2-3 times to completely wash the fish meat. After which you need to strip off the meat by hand to ensure that no bones go along with the mushed up meat in the stew.

According to Wikipedia:

Salt cod has been produced for at least 500 years, since the time of the European discoveries of the New World. Before refrigeration, there was a need to preserve the codfish; drying and salting are ancient techniques to preserve nutrients and the process makes the codfish tastier.

The Portuguese tried to use this method of drying and salting on several varieties of fish from their waters, but the ideal fish came from much further north. With the “discovery” of Newfoundland in 1497, long after the Basque whalers arrived in Channel-Port aux Basques, they started fishing its cod-rich Grand Banks. Thus, bacalhau became a staple of the Portuguese cuisine, nicknamed Fiel amigo (faithful friend). From the 18th century, the town of Kristiansund in Norway became an important place of producing bacalhau or klippfish.

This dish was popular in Portugal and other Roman Catholic countries, because of the many days (Fridays, Lent, and other festivals) on which the Church forbade the eating of meat.Bacalhau dishes were eaten instead.^[1]

Bacalhau is also popular in Sfax where this dish is eaten in the first day of Eid ul-Fitr with charmoula.

Finally! Stew is OVER!

More Bacalao Please!

I’ve always loved this dish and always will. Drizzle some olive oil on it, toast some bread, and voila, you’ve got a dish fit for royalty! Although it differs with preparation every time since some are better at stripping bones than others, this is something I would choose to continue as a tradition. Not because of its religions implications, but rather because of the tradition that comes with it. The memories, the feeling of belonging to a tradition laden family is something I’ve always aspired too. Along with Lengua, and Callos, Bacalao I’m sure is something my kids will be eating someday.

Photography and Food Styling by: Carlos Palma

Bacalhau, Traditions, and Good Friday is a post from: Patay Gutom

There’s always an excitement towards discovering a hidden gem. This is the kind that would make you go “a-ha!” upon stumbling upon a good thing that’s not quite known to the public yet. Such was the case when we were invited by the Frazzled Cook for dinner one quiet Saturday evening. I have been noticing this quaint, cozy looking restaurant along Luna Mencias street in Mandaluyong.

From the outside, you’ll see a dark iron gate with a garden filled with giant pots. Walking inside the restaurant, you’ll be greeted by 27 Japanese money cats waving as if they’re welcoming you in.

Jude Mancuyas: Head Chef

The Frazzled Cook’s menu consists of a number of comfort dishes. This is to match with its laid back ambiance, I guess. It was a special evening and we were served with dishes that were specially prepared by Chef Jude Mancuyas who’s the head chef and co-owner of this restaurant.

First came the Pizza Caprese which is Frazzled Cook’s homemade pizza topped with kesong puti, tomatoes and basil. It’s your Pinoy-version of everyone’s favorite Pizza Margherita. What made this pizza different is the addition of the garlic oil that one has to put a couple of drops of on their slice of pizza before taking a bite. Every bite was simply bursting with all the flavors coming from the garlic oil, tomatoes and the salty Kesong Puti.

Herbed Chicken Salad

After the pizza came the Herbed Chicken Salad. This was a hit especially with the girls who enjoyed the mix of roasted chicken marinade and rubbed with the freshest herbs and crunchy lettuce and our local mangoes. It was very refreshing and a perfect way to start the meal.

Sizzling Squid

Next was the Sizzling Squid which was very fragrant and I simply loved how tender the squid was. No need to struggle in every bite here.

Paella Negra

Among the entrees served that evening, I really enjoyed digging into the Paella Negra. I love paella and what I love most is the kind that has a thin layer of burnt rice (tutong) underneath. I can’t help but smile as I take in one spoonful after the other. Muy Delicioso!

Seafood Paella

For those who would like another alternative to their Paella, there’s the classic Paella Seafood which is loaded with the freshest catch from the sea.

Tenderloin Nuggets

Another crowd-favorite was the Tenderloin Nuggets with Mashed Potato on Flat Bread. This is perfect for the meat lovers who will enjoy a really tender piece of tenderloin steak topped with button mushrooms in every bite.

Pancake Ala Mode

Dinner was filling and truly satisfying. We were all so happy with the generous serving and interesting dishes served to us that evening, we were surprised that the Frazzled Cook was not yet done. Out came the Pancake ala Mode which was so good that even those who were already full just had to give in for just one more bite. We enjoyed the fluffy buttermilk pancakes with soft vanilla ice cream. What a perfect way to cap our meal!

It was a very relaxing evening as we enjoyed each other’s company. The food was truly comforting, not at all intimidating and the place is definitely one that I will definitely go back to.

Meat Lovers Pizza

Food Bloggers!

Rosemary Chicken

Refreshing Iced Tea

The Frazzled Cook

#916 Luna Mencias Street Barangay Additional Hills, Mandaluyong City

Open from Tuesday-Sunday

The Frazzled Cook is a post from: Patay Gutom

Ok, I admit that I am one of the bloggers who unintentionally stayed overnight in Dumaguete City, but I have no regrets. In fact, the rest of the group took this opportunity to gallivant and explore the city of Dumaguete.

Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries

If Cebu is best known for the dried mangoes and danggit, Dumaguete City is best-known for its sweets like the Sans Rival cake and Silvanna’s. The most in-demand establishment is no other than the Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries.

Sans Rival Cake (Php24 per slice) and Silvanna's (Php 10 per piece)

A lot of bloggers were gushing about how delicious the silvanna is. I have to admit that it was my first time to taste one. For Php10 per piece, we were all satisfied and even ordered some to take home to Manila. The Sansrival cake is also delicious. It reminded me of the Sans Rival of Lachi’s in Davao.

Sans Rival Spagetti (Php 32 for Single)

Chicken Sandwich from Sans Rival

For my merienda, I ordered the Sans Rival Spagetti. Some of us thought that the sauce to be used in the pasta is the Sans rival icing hahaha One of us ordered a Chicken Sandwich. The rest ate slices of Sans Rival and pieces of Silvanna’s.

Inside Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries shop

The place is also quiet and relaxed. It is perfect for those who need quality time while reading a book or working on their laptops. If you are in Dumaguete City, don’t you ever forget to passby this place!

Sans Rival Cakes and Pastries – Dumaguete City is a post from: Patay Gutom

Calamari PhP125.00

Thai Green Chicken Curry PhP155.00

Fish Fillet with Hollandaise sauce PhP135.00

Korean Beef Stew PhP185.00

Pork Cutlet with mushroom gravy PhP135.00

Salad Roll in Kani and Mango dressing PhP155.00

You can read the rest of food description at charliechapsuey.

Chef Robert at Banawe is a post from: Patay Gutom

Pesto

In my pursuit for a nice place with free internet and outlet, I ended up in the Ayala Terraces Seattle’s Best Coffee.

I ordered the meatless Pesto which was about 170php and then seated in an empty table near the outlet. I love the chairs there. They’re so comfortable I went through two hours just sitting down. The problem though was the internet was free for only 1 hour. They will automatically disconnect you after that time.

The Pesto is actually so-so. I love Italian food and I guess I can’t expect too much from a coffee shop. (real Italian food aint fast food) Then again it was still a treat for me and a break from the usual fish and egg meals.

As for the blogging ambiance of the place, I’ll give it an 8.5. I love the area and the place is just comfortable. It’s just the internet limit that sucks. The place is great for business meetings, casual meet ups. Despite the abundance of people it’s not as loud as other establishments. (but then again UCC cafe has a more silent area… with a price.)

Over all I like the place. Maybe I just had a wrong choice that time. I’ll try to order their drinks. I once tried some kind of chocolate frap, it was great. Till next time.

Pesto in Ayala Terraces Seattle’s Best is a post from: Patay Gutom