Turning Japanese

Besides Filipino and Italian cuisine, Japanese food is one of my comfort foods. So I was really glad to dine at  Mitsuyado Sei-men: The House of Tsukemen. Mitsuyado is located at 22 Jupiter St., Bel-Air, Makati. This restaurant was introduced to me by my mom because this was one of their customers. Upon entering the place, it looked amazing. It was like stepping into the streets of Japan. The tables and chairs were arranged as if it were tables and chairs from street eateries. The walls were decorated with Japanese street signs and other Japanese objects. It looked a bit chaotic, but as we settled down I realized it was a genius way of designing the restaurant.

Mitsuyado Sei-Men

Inside or outside? :)

cooking noodles

          Mitsuyado serves a variety of Japanese food. They have ramen and rice bowls among others. But the thing that makes Mitsuyado unique is that they serve Tsukemen. So what is this Tsukemen, you might ask. Well, it is (according to wikipedia)  "dipping noodles". The noodles and soup are served in separate bowls. The diner dips the noodles in the soup before eating. In other terms it can be described as a deconstructed ramen. J Mitsuyado makes their own noodles so that you are guaranteed of their noodle-goodness.

         

Noodle Making

noodles noodles

          My parents tried the Tsukemen, my brother had a donburi and I had Japanese style curry (because I was craving for rice at that time) :D. I did taste a bit of the tsukemen and it was good! It was like interactive eating because you had to get the noodle then dip then eat.

Tsukemen with gyoza on the side

Chicken Black Pepper Teriyaki Don

Curry Rice

          The Japanese fun did not stop there. After our meal at Mitsuyado, we walked to the store connected to it called Yamato. It was a Japanese bakery/ cafe. It had a different vibe compared to Mitsuyado. The place was bright and modern looking. The pastries were all displayed so wonderfully. At Yamato we tried their Japanese donuts, Ann pan, and croissants. I really liked the Ann pan. It was like a jelly filled doughnut, but instead of jelly it had mung bean paste. Try it for yourself! J

Yamato! 

          Till next blog!

-DOT-

P.S. forgive the low-quality photos I need to replace my camera. J  

Photos are personally owned by writer, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

Singapore Moments: Orchard Road

Singapore Moments: Orchard Road

Touch down Singapore! My family and I arrived in Singapore on December 30, which in the Philippines is a day of celebration for the National Hero (Jose Rizal). Upon arriving, I immediately noticed the changes in Singapore. I saw new buildings, new flats, and the Marina Bay. After settling down in our hotel in Orchard Road, we decided to walk around the area to look at different shops and also to eat lunch.  Well, the last time I went to Singapore (was when I was in elementary) we didn't go to Orchard or maybe we have but I don’t really remember it the way I saw it today.

View from our hotel

That day I saw a hip and vibrant Orchard Road. Literally, there were buildings after buildings of shopping malls. If I were a shopaholic it would be paradise. Left and right you will be able to see well known and loved brands such as Forever 21, Abercrombie and Fitch, H & M, Burberry, and so much more. Orchard is a place where you would be able to find merchandise for all ages. From my observation, there are different classes of malls which I think is a good thing because then you would be able to buy something with a given budget.

Orchard Central

While walking around, I saw a lot of public art. They were lovely and interesting! When walking around Orchard Road, or even in Singapore, take time to appreciate public artworks. Also, take time to look at architectures because Singapore has a lot of interesting buildings.

Nutmeg Grove by Michele Reghetti

We stopped for lunch at 313 Somerset at the Food Republic floor, which was at the 5^th floor or the mall. Food Republic was like a food court wherein different stalls served different types of cuisine. There were Japanese, Chinese, Indian, American, Indonesian, Korean, and more. My brother and I opted for Indian food so we ordered chicken with fried roti, curry sauce, and salad. My parents opted for Indonesian dishes. When dining in Food Republic be sure to try their drinks which are usually sold in the carts. Their drinks are fruit juices and tea… and they’re good and refreshing. I had a lychee drink J.

My food 

Indonesian Food

Cooling Drinks

Youth Park

more street art

Youth Park Chairs

After lunch we walked some more. Finally, we got tires of walking so we went back to the hotel and rested. J

Stick around! More Singapore blogs to come!

-DOT-

Photos are personally owned by writer, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

Yabu…dabado

Yabu…dabado

When you think of Japanese food, you might immediately think of sushi, sashimi, and tempura. Well, Japanese food is more than those things… and that’s a great thing! J Japanese cuisine can also be composed of rice bowls or donburis. One of my favorite rice bowl dish is katsudon and I’m so glad I found a restaurant fully devoted to katsu… and this place is called Yabu!

Katsudons are one of my favorites because it’s one of the Japanese dishes that don’t require soy sauce to be used. (I am allergic to anything soy). In other words, you can alter the dish without sacrificing the taste.

Ok back to Yabu.

My family and I were able to dine at their Robinsons Magnolia outlet. (Visit the new Robinsons Magnolia Mall it’s so pretty and uncongested there J). The place was full! The ambiance was great. It did not look like your traditional Japanese restaurants. As we were seated, I was intrigued by the food being served to the other tables beside ours. The food all looked the same. When I flipped thru the menu, I found the same thing. I was used to lengthier Japanese menus because of all the different types of sushis, appetizers, and others. BUT it was a good thing because it just shows that this is Yabu’s forte. So I ordered chicken katsudon set, my brother ordered the pork katsudon, and my parents ordered pork katsudons which were either Rosu or Hire. Roso and Hire were variations to the pork katsudon. MAN! The food was YUUUUMMMMYYY!!!!  It was the best Katsudon I have tasted to date. It was crispy, and not oily, on the outside and tender in the inside. It tasted best when drizzled with Yabu’s sesame-mayo or sesame-oil dressing. The set that my brother and I ordered had free miso soup, Japanese pickles, fruits, rice, and cabbage salad. Ohhh… did I mention that rice and cabbage in Yabu is UNLIMITED! J

Dad's food

おいしい

<3 <3

UNLIMITED! :)

Yabu was great! I would definitely return to Yabu soon! J  

-DOT-

Photos are personally owned by writer and some were taken from Yabu’s Facebook page, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J For more information check out: http://www.facebook.com/yabuhouseofkatsu

GoodFellas: good food

GoodFellas: good food

                So I’m currently in Tagaytay helping out in a conference about children J. The weather here is perfect! It’s cool, windy, and sunny. The comforting weather made me think of a certain comfort food…burgers! Then I remembered that I haven’t blogged about this great place I recently visited.

                Goodfellas Steaks and Burgers is located at 56 T Gener corner  K-1^st Kamuning, Quezon City. It serves delicious foods, from burgers to pastas to steaks to so much more! I love the place because the ambiance is so inviting and interesting. It takes inspiration from the movie The Godfather so the interiors are a bit dark and masculine. I also like this place because its location is far from the busy street of Morato (But not too far away from it) perfect for enjoying their delicious food.

Leather seats... brick walls.. what's not to love? :)

                The last time I was there, my family and I ordered the following: Goodfellas Burger, seafood pasta (sorry I forgot the name), and Goodfellas House Steak.  2 out of 4 of us ordered the burger since that was Goodfellas specialty. It was yummy! It was 100 grammer charbroiled burger, served on an oatie bun with lettuce and tomato plus fries and ice tea. The meat was juicy and well cooked.  It was so mouth-watering and scrumptious.it is definitely a must try when there! Or try any of their burgers!

 

the Goodfellas Burger

            The seafood pasta was something new on the menu when I was last there. It was fettuccini cooked in a tomato-based sauce topped with clams, shrimps, and other seafood. I am a sucker for anything pasta so I loved this. The sauce wasn’t too oily and the seafood wasn’t too overpowering. Altogether it was delightful!

 

 

My dad was the one who ordered the steak because it seemed “masculine” at that time J. I did have a taste of it however, and let me tell you this… ladies should also try it. It was juicy and aptly seasoned. At Goodfellas, they serve 100% U.S. Certified Angus Beef which are served with mixed vegetables and mashed potato or rice pilaf.

 It was another fun time with the family! Certainly looking forward to another one at Goodfellas! J

-DOT-

For more information check out: Goodfellas Facebook page J

The last photo is from their Facebook page

Some photos are personally owned by writer, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

Yes! mama: nomama

Yes! mama: nomama

      Have you watched the movie “The Ramen Girl”? The star of the movie was Brittany Murphy. I really enjoyed that movie. It was fun and it was about ramen J. But I’m not going to write about the movie [check it for yourself J], what I will be writing is about a relatively new restaurant here in the Tomas Morato Area. The name of the restaurant is Nomama.

      Nomama reminds me of the movie so much because of the restaurants interior the food. Yes! They serve ramen and what’s amazing about it is that they make their own noodles J. They serve really good food… good in a sense that it tastes great and looks great.

      I was able to dine at Nomama last month (think if I’m not mistaken). My family and I had no reservations but thankfully we got a seat and it was perfect. We were seated on the counter table that was facing the kitchen and the chefs. We saw how the food was prepared. It was fascinating because it was like watching Top Chef because of the avant-garde techniques done to the food. At Nomama, we ordered tuna tataki and soba salad, prawn and red curry noodle stir-fry, Japanese steak and fries, and, of course, Nomama ramen [when in a ramen place one must eat ramen J]. The food was delicious and delightful. The flavors and textures were awesome! J Here are some pictures:

*i was not able to get the picture of the ramen because my dad ate it right away :) (it's that good hehehe)

Chef Him Uy de Baron

tuna tataki and soba salad (the tuna was gooood!)

prawn and red curry noodle stir-fry

japanese steak

That’s all for now! ありがとう

-DOT-

For more information on Nomama check out:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Nomama/268437836506070?sk=wall#!/pages/Nomama/268437836506070

Photos are personally owned by writer, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J

The Coconut House

The Coconut House

       Here in the Philippines the coconut tree is also called as a tree of life because most, if not all, of the trees parts are useful. The trunks are used as wood materials for furniture and housing. The leaves are used as roofs in small huts and sometimes in houses. It can also be used in weaving. But the part that has the most use is the fruit. From the husk to the milk, the coconut fruit is very useful.

           

One of the, popular, uses of the fruit is for food and drinks. At the Coconut House, located at the Quezon Circle, they serve different dishes that are made from coconuts. This place is certainly for coconut lovers … and foodies too. J

All dishes served at Coconut House contain coconut (duh! J) from coco-butter to coco-wheat crust. I love how they incorporate coconut in all the dishes and how good it tastes even if some of the dishes sound different or odd.

I am blessed to have visited Coconut House more than once and I enjoy my visit there every time J. Some dishes that must be tried (well, actually you should try all since their so coco-tastic J):

Pancit Buko- pancit is like stir-fried noodles and this dish is like pancit but instead of using egg/flour noodles it uses coconut strips

Laing Pizza- Laing is a spicy native dish from Bicol (a region in the Philippines) made from taro leaves… now this dish is good as viand but at Coconut House it’s also good as a pizza

Dishes from their binalot menu- these dishes already some with rice and viand served in banana leaf

Coco Dessert Combo- No meal is complete without yummy desserts. Although Coconut House serve delightful desserts, I highly recommended this one because this is a combo of 3 desserts: suman latik, coconut ice cream, and buko salad [with choice of panda jelly or fruit mix]. With this dessert you would be able to taste coconut served in three sweet ways J.

Simple Buko drinks- what better drink to accompany your delicious dishes than fresh coconut water J

Binalot meals and Panghimagas(desserts)

Tanghap menu [viands]

Almusal [breakfast], Pampagana [light meals]

Laing BBQ (from the binalot menu)

Pancit Buko

Laing Pizza

Suman Latik from the Coco Dessert Combo

I love coming back to Coconut House because the dishes are new, inviting and refreshing… hope you could try them too. J

-DOT-

For more information on Coconut House check out:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/COCONUT-HOUSE/117524054952383?v=info

Photos are personally owned by writer, if you would like to use it kindly inform or at least cite the source thank you! J