Authentic Ilocano Fix at Maria's Ilocos Empanada

Yesterday was one of those really unlucky days.  We ran out of food at home, ran out of cash, and Ku ran out of gas ( his first time ever!).  The only cure to days when Murphy's Law seems to be in full effect, is to laugh.  We were too tired to do anything else anyway.

Ku (my brother-in-law) and I decided to make ourselves feel better by going to his (and now mine too) favorite Ilocos Empanada place.  He and my younger brother-in-law, Lex, were the ones who introduced me to Maria's Ilocos Empanada.  As it happens, Maria's is just a five-minute drive from where we live.  Whenever they'd go out to get their Ilocos empanada fix, they'd bring one home for me too. :-)  So yesterday was my first time to actually go and check out the place.

It's on the first floor of a brand new building along Regalado Street.  They just recently moved to this location but they've been operating for three years now, which is no small feat.

This day wasn't completely inauspicious after all, because by sheer coincidence, it was their 3rd year anniversary yesterday and they were giving away free ice cream!  It was an unexpected treat and a welcome reprieve from the unbearable afternoon heat.

Ube an Cheese Ice Cream Sticks

We went ahead and ordered two empanadas (Double Longganisa with Egg) to-go.

It was my first time seeing their full menu.  It was interesting to find out that they offer rice meals as well (which I'm definitely coming back for!).  They also sell longganisa, bagnet, sukang Iloko, and Chichacorn.  Who would've guessed that a quick and authentic Ilokano fix was just a stone's throw away from our house?  Well... yeah Ku and Lex did.

I always enjoy watching my food being prepared so watching my empanada take form was fun!

They first filled the wrapper with longganisa and their mix of veggies.

Then, they cracked an egg in the middle of the wrapper and then sealed the empanada.  After that it was deep-fried and then placed on a rack for the oil to drip.

We rushed home to enjoy our Ilocos empanada together with the sukang Iloko that came with it.

Double Longganisa with Single Egg Ilocos Empanada Php 60.00

The orange-colored pastry wrapper when fried becomes nice and crispy.  The longganisa stuffing was savory and had hints of garlic, which is characteristic of Ilokano longganisa.  The veggies add a subtle sweetness and crunch to the stuffing.  The longganisa, veggies, and egg make this a complete and satisfying meal.  It doesn't hurt that it's affordable too.  Mmmmmm good stuff. :-)   




Address: 41 Regalado St., Fairview, Quezon City 1100
Hours: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Monday to Sunday
Tel. #: 806-9357

Garlic Infused Thai Tilapia Recipe

This Holy Week we've been trying to stay on a fish diet.  I know Good Friday's over, but we've decided to keep it meat-free at home for as long as we can (stand it).  Easter Sunday's my limit.  Harhar.

Anyway, I was supposed to make Teriyaki Fish for lunch earlier, but after assessing my ingredients on hand, I managed to conjure up something a little bit more interesting instead.  If done right, you could have this dish out in 30, maybe 45 minutes tops.  I know I haven't been posting a lot of my recipes here, so I thought I'd make up for it with this simple and tasty Thai inspired Tilapia recipe. 

Ingredients:

• 500 g Tilapia fillets (approx. 4 fillets)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/2 C flour
• 1 T Italian seasoning
• 1/2 t ground black pepper
• 1/2 C vegetable oil

 Thai-Garlic Glaze:

• 1 T sesame oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 C soy sauce
• 2 T white sugar (adjust according to preference)
• 3 T water
• 3 T rice wine
• 1/2 T flour
• a pinch of ground black pepper
• a pinch of dried chili flakes (adjust according to preference)
• 2 pcs. dried chili, chopped
• 1 sprig of parsley or basil, chopped

Drain and thaw out your Tilapia fillets.  While you're waiting for your fish to thaw out, I recommend getting started on the Thai-Garlic glaze to save time.

To get started on the glaze, in a small sauce pan, sweat out your minced garlic in sesame oil over low heat.  This helps extract the maximum amount of flavor from your garlic.  Just before the garlic browns, add the soy sauce, water, and sugar into the sauce pan.  Stir over low heat.  Just be careful not to burn the sauce.  Once you get a light simmer, add the white pepper, chili flakes, and rice wine to your sauce.  Simmer for about a minute more (to cook out the alcohol) and then add the flour to the sauce while stirring constantly to thicken it.  Turn off the fire and set aside.

For your flour mixture, simply combine the flour , italian seasoning, and white pepper.  Set aside.

Cut fillets into 1 1/2-inch strips.  Rub minced garlic over both sides of the fillets, and then proceed to sprinkle the salt evenly over the fish.  I prefer to keep the salt low since a lot of the flavor will be coming from the Thai-Garlic glaze.  Also, only salt the fish right before you're ready to dredge the them in the flour mixture.  Lastly, make sure your fillets are completely and evenly covered with the flour on all sides.

In a non-stick pan, heat the vegetable oil over high-medium heat.  The vegetable oil should cover at least halfway up the sides of your fish fillets to get that nice sear on it.  It also helps to properly seal in the juices of the Tilipia.  Once your oil is hot enough, gently place the fish fillets in the pan, while making sure you don't over crowd the pan.  Fry fish for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until you get that crisp golden brown color on the edges of the fillets.

Drain your fried Tilapia fillets and then arrange them on a serving platter with the glaze underneath.  Add your finishing touches by garnishing your dish with chopped dried chilis and chopped parsley.  If you have basil, use that instead.  It just complements this dish way better than the parsley does.  Our poor basil plants died in the heat so I had to substitute. :)) 

The Tilapia should be crisp on the outside and tender and flaky on the inside.  The flavor of the glaze may seem too intense on it's own but when eaten with the fish, it should go together perfectly.

Have a happy Easter weekend everyone! :)

Cheap Thrills: Korean K.C. Chicken

So I know I've been terrible at posting lately.  My apologies.  In my defense, laziness had no part in it.  It's just that we've been slammed with catering gigs these past few weeks.  So anyway, let me make it up to you guys with this.  Dae Myung Myeonok's Korean K.C. Chicken.

Yuri and I live in an area we like to call "Korea Town".  We are surrounded by a surprising concentration of Korean restaurants, schools, and churches.  I get the best, freshest, and cheapest kimchi in town from a Korean grocery that's just a 5-minute drive from my house.

I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting Korean places to eat at in our area and this was the latest addition.  My guess is that because of the recent popularity of the Bon Chon Chicken chain, Dae Myeong Myeonok decided to put up a Korean chicken stand in front of their eatery to boost their customer traffic, since their location is kinda hard to get to.

We eventually took the bait.  We had to try it.  Plus, on that particular day, our pantry was completely wiped out.  Yuri went out to buy us a box of K.C. Chicken for lunch and took these pictures for me in the process.

For Php 300.00 you get 10 pieces of crispy fried chicken dipped in their secret Korean sauce.  It's not a bad deal at all.  Well I'm calling it their "secret sauce" because the owner clearly wanted to talk to Yuri about it, but he barely spoke any English and Yuri's knowledge of the Korean language is NIL.  I guess it can't get any more authentic than that.

It's twice-fried FRIED chicken.  Get it?  Twice fried?  LOL.  Oh my I'm cracking Yuri jokes.  Erm sorry about that.  ANYWAYS moving on... what they do is they dunk the fried chicken into their Korean-blend sauce immediately after frying, just like how you'd make buffalo wings.  Without that sauce, it would just be good 'ol fried chicken.

Php 300.00 for 10 pieces of Korean Chicken

Their chicken is crispy and mildy sweet with hints of teriyaki and ginger in it.  Overall, it was surprisingly tasty!  The sauce was a subtle addition.  It's definitely worth trying out especially if your looking for a twist on your usual fried chicken.  I'm thinking the Korean dude made the right move by opening a fried chicken stall in front of his eatery.  Pinoys luuuurve their chicken.  You can never go wrong there. :)

Address:  Cirilo cor. De Leon St., Quezon City

Vanilla Gelato and My Very First Blog Awards!

April has been a month of non-stop parties and celebrations. Coincidentally, three very important men in my life were born in April; my dad, my brother, and Yuri. There's also my lovely mother-in-law who's birthday is also happening at the end of this month (Happy birthday Mom!). What are the chances right? :)

Because of all the parties we've been hosting and prepping for, I've decided to share an easy and tasty recipe that we used recently for my brother's party here.  This blog is all about making life easy, whether it be in the kitchen or when dining out. I've homed in on a simple dessert I picked up from my mom (an amazing chef and my #1 source for all things yummy!) when we cooked for my brother's party last April 9.  This Vanilla Gelato recipe will surely liven up any party especially in this unbearably hot season.  You won't even have to break a sweat I promise.

Vanilla Gelato

• 1 scoop of your favorite vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 T Chivas Regal
• a pinch of a good quality instant coffee
• a sprig of mint
• 1 wafer stick

Find a nice dessert bowl to place your scoop of vanilla ice cream in.   Pour the whisky over it.  I prefer using Chivas for this one, but you can use whatever whisky you have on hand.  Dust it off with coffee and then garnish your bowl with mint leaves and a Champola wafer stick, every Pinoy's wafer stick of choice.  LOL.

Effortless and yummy!  Parties are all about making simple things look and taste spectacular.  With this dessert, I can guarantee that you'll have time to actually enjoy your own party and not get stuck in the kitchen looking and feeling all harassed. 

This April I'm also celebrating a little something.  No wait, scratch that.  A big something.  A week ago, Jan of I Love, Therefore, I Cook surprised me by choosing me to be one of the recipients of her blog awards.  I received not one, but eight awards!  This feels like Christmas. :)

I was floored when I found out about it!  I still am.  April is fast becoming my favorite month!  Thank you so much Jan for this incredible honor.  I met Jan through Pinoy Foodista, a fast-emerging Pinoy foodie community, and I can't wait to meet other talented foodies like her.  I'm humbled to be among one of the people she's picked out for these awards, and there are so many wonderful bloggers out there.  With this, I find it only fitting that I pass on these awards to bloggers who continually inspire me and make my mouth water with their delectable posts and creations!  Give their blogs some love.  *drum roll please* 

Tangled Noodle
I am the Witch
The Daily Palette
Jun Blog
80 Breakfasts

They're amazingly creative writers and cooks who weave a little part of themselves with each story they share.  :) 

So yeah this Vanilla Gelato is for all you wonderful people!  Thanks for making my month!  Cheers.

Yuri's Birthday at Acuatico Beach Resort

Just a couple of hours ago, we were chillin' and taking it easy at a small chunk of paradise in Batangas called Acuatico Beach Resort.

You see, two weeks ago, I was determined to plan something special for Yuri's big 3-O.  Yep I thought that it was only right that we celebrate this milestone in a stress-free and work-free environment.  I knew for a fact that it was just not gonna happen if we spent it in Manila.  We still had to do a bit of work in between naps and swims but hey, that is completely tolerable when you're at a place like this.  My hubby's birthday needed to be celebrated properly, and we needed a vacation really badly!  The resort was DI-VINE.  Here, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

View from the restaurant.

On my  way to the beach.

The view from the bar is spectacular!

Beach front.

I could live here.  Seriously.  Yuri and I fell in love with the place the instant we stepped out to the pool area.  The rooms were up to par too with high thread count linens (yep I'm a linen geek), a flat screen cable TV, and each with an individual porch.  The bathroom could be a tad roomier though, but other than that, all the comforts you could expect from a high-quality resort was there.  It was definitely a lot better than what we expected.  It was a fitting setting to celebrate my hubby's uber special day.

On the first day, we just kind of lazed around and swam for a bit.  That didn't last for very long since the sun was out with a vengeance that day.  We eventually set up camp at the bar instead.  It was too hot to do anything else anyway.  I had a couple of drinks and made friends with the bartender, or bartenders rather since we were there so long they had to change shifts.

Tequila Sunrise.

Come evening, me and Anne (the evening shift bartender) were the best of buddies.  It was a good thing too, because she was in cahoots with a little something I had planned for Yuri.

Somehow I managed to convince Yuri to have dinner at the bar instead of the main restaurant.  I figured it would be easier to plan his surprise at the bar since Anne would be there to help me execute everything.  It didn't hurt that the we ended up having the whole bar to ourselves so it was quite romantic.

The bar at night.

Anne came up with the birthday pancake idea which they gave to Yuri for free.  That was really nice of them.  I told her to do whatever she thought was appropriate since I couldn't talk with her for too long or else Yuri would be suspicious.  After serving us our dinner, she busted out her "Happy Birthday" CD and gathered a few other staff members to sing Yuri a happy birthday.  They came complete with party hats and all!

They came at him from all sides!

Yuri was so shocked that he didn't even notice the Barbie party hat they had put on him.  LOL.

My birthday boy.

We were both really touched and I was relieved that they managed to pull it off so smoothly.  What a fun night!

The service here is impeccable.  The staff is professional and oh so accommodating.  I honestly don't have a single bad thing to say about my stay here.  In fact, we're looking forward to going back.  Hmmm I'm sure I'll come up with an excuse when the need arises.

We had a grand time at Acuatico.  The three-hour drive from Manila to Laiya, Batangas was more than worth it.

Happy birthday Yuri! <3  Here's to a lifetime of adventure and awesome food together! :))

Tel. #: +632 892-7577 to 79
Website: http://www.acuaticoresort.com.ph

Central American Fare at Cocina Juan

Maginhawa street still has a few tricks left up it's sleeve.  I'm a true believer now. This week's discovery, and an amazing one at that, was Cocina Juan.  You could pass by Maginhawa St. a dozen times and not see it.  The signage and facade of this artsy restaurant is concealed behind tons of foliage.  Good thing they had parols and Christmas lights to sort of hint at really curious passersby (and you'd have to be REALLY curious like me) that there's something more behind all those vines and leaves.

Yuri and I met up with my three lovely cousins on this particular foodie escapade.  They're equally as obsessed about food as we are.  We wouldn't be related otherwise.  We'd usually meet up to chat and hang out.  I share an unusually close bond with my cousins.  They're like the sisters I never had.  It used to be, that we'd have a family reunion on my Dad's side of the family every Sunday at my lolo's house.  It was a sprawling house with a huge garden, a pond (that we've all fallen into at one point or another) with a solitary turtle, and a big Kalachuchi tree in the front yard that has suffered 2 generations' worth of abuse (from tree-climbing, hide and seek, and all sorts of weird games we'd come up with).  My dad has 9 other siblings and 7 of them  have kids.  So every Sunday was a riot!  It was a big playground where everyone could do as they pleased.  Our moms were happily distracted with their manicures, pedicures, and their chismis, so we kids basically had free rein to do whatever.  Sadly, these past few years, our reunions have become less frequent, hence the birth of our "cousins-night-out".   We'd set a dinner date once in a while to catch up with each other's lives. 

Last Thursday night was one of those nights.  Yuri and I had a list of other places that we wanted to try out but our plans quickly changed when we accidentally stumbled upon Cocina Juan.  I had Yuri turn the car around at least three times just to get a clear look at the facade of Cocina Juan.

Cocina Juan clearly belongs to a really cool laid-back artist with a flair for good food.  Well I was close.  Apparently this quaint resto also doubles as an art gallery featuring local artists.

The dim lighting, mish mish of paintings (some even unfinished ones on the floor), and the haphazardly-placed accent decor, framed their unique Nicaraguan-Mexican dishes perfectly.  The whole restaurant, for both their indoor and outdoor seating, can only seat a maximum of 32 people at a time.  Luckily, we were able to get a table inside.  They've also got free wifi which Yuri was really happy about.

Yuri started it off with some Nachos (with Chili con Carne and Salsa Cruda) so that we could munch on something while we waited for my cousins.

Nachos with Chili con Carne & Salsa Cruda Php 170.00

When our server brought it over to our table, we were a bit taken aback.  The portion size took us by surprise.  It was more than enough for the four of us and it took us the whole night to eat our way through it.  It was definitely, a good omen of things to come.

Patty and I decided to split a plate of Cerdo Castillo Chimichurri since the Nachos had us a bit wary of the size of their dishes.

Cerdo Castillo Chimichurri "Pork Ribs" Php 249.00

Our server told us that this was their bestseller.  Totally understandable.  Baby back ribs grilled perfectly.  It was expertly charred, tender, and juicy especially when slathered with that wonderful chimichurri sauce.  Yum-my.  The pork ribs were definitely good enough for two, but you might need to order an extra side with it.

Yuri felt like showing off and ordered a Chicken Adobo Burrito all for himself.

Chicken Adobo Burrito Php 159.00

I swear, this burrito was bigger than Ristra's.  Quite a feat I must say.  It was loaded with adobo rice, chicken adobo strips, corn, lettuce, refried beans, sour cream, and cheese.

Churrasco de Nicaragua Php 359.00

Another brave soul was Ate CB.  She went for the Churrasco de Nicaragua.  Holy moly batman!  Her dish came out in a serving platter and not a plate.  It was just a lot to take in at first.

The name of her dish refers to the technique of cooking meat on skewers.  Her plate had chicken, beef, and sausage skewers, gallo de pinto rice, chimichurri sauce, corn, potatoes, and an ensalada.  Boggles the mind.  Haha.  She finished the whole thing though!  A proud moment that's for sure. :)

Ate Isa had the heartiest dish in my opinion.  Their Enchidas were creamy and light.  It just gets tastier and yummier with each bite.

I might've had a bite, or two, or three. Harhar.  It's layers of tortilla with a mixture of chicken or beef, frijoles, cream, and cheese in between served in a baking dish.

Turns out that Ate CB knows the owner of Cocina Juan, Thomas Adviento.  She used to work with him and he popped by our table to say hello.  If I remember correctly, I was told that he lived in Latin America for a while, hence Cocina Juan's uncommon cuisine.  He gave us a complimentary salad which was refreshing and really tasty.

Fresh Greens Salad "Ensalada"

It was mostly shredded lettuce and sliced cucumbers tossed in a light vinaigrette.  Thanks Tom!  It was good way to end our heavy meal. 

Almost all of their dishes are good for sharing, which makes this a good place for meeting friends or dining out with family.  Also, the portion sizes and the quality of their food is unparalleled in the area considering their prices.  It's a steal really!

I now have my go-to Latin American resto.  How 'bout that? :)


Address: 100 Maginhawa St., UP Teacher's Village, Quezon City

Filipino-Spanish Cuisine at Sulyap Gallery Cafe

Last Thursday my mom successfully bribed me and Yuri into going with her to San Pablo, Laguna to take pictures of the farm lot that my dad and her are trying to sell.  The price?  Lunch.  That's always how it has been with me and my mom.  She hates to do her errands on her own (who can blame her) so she'd bribe me with a food stop in between so that I'd go with her.  Truth is, I'd go with her anyway even without the tempting restaurant stops, but it just made getting out of bed early a lot easier and pain-free.  I'm not the cheeriest person in the morning, you see.

The usual bribes were Taco Bell's Crunchy Wrap, Jollibee's Chickenjoy meal, Mcdonald's nuggets and fries, Figaro's Al Tonno Pasta, Cibo's Rigatoni Al'Afonso, and Omakase's or Teriyaki Boy's Shake Sashimi just to name a few.  These were the kinds of dishes that she knew knows I can't resist.  Appetite trumps laziness ALWAYS.

On that fateful Thursday, the bribe was a trip to Sulyap Gallery Cafe.  Sulyap is the Filipino word for "glimpse".  It was literally a glimpse into the past.  A peek into the days of Maria Clara outfits and kalesas.

The cafe is in a traditional Spanish colonial house, which was transported piece by piece from Quezon, and refurbished to it's former glory in San Pablo.  The 2-storey cafe is just a teeny tiny part of a huge compound that houses a massive art gallery building and a quaint B&B that they're still putting together.  My mom loves the place because it reminds her of her grandmother's old house, which she says is a spitting image of the cafe.

It feels like being thrown back to a time when things were less hurried and afternoons were savored with long siestas.  I had never felt so relaxed in a loooong time.  The sound of the breeze rustling through the bamboo leaves surrounding the restaurant just added to the sleepy and relaxed ambience.  During the two hours we spent there, I forgot about my never-ending list of things to do and our hectic schedule back in Metro Manila.

I found out that 3 architects own the place, which explains why every piece of furniture and accent decor in the cafe seemed well thought out.

We were planning on having a light lunch but that quickly changed.  It took 15 minutes for our food to arrive but that didn't matter since we were too busy ooh-ing and aahh-ing over the house.

Calamares & Chips Php 280.00

We started off with an order of their Calamares and Chips.  Deep-fried breaded squid strips with their homemade "fries" and a side of garlic dip.  The calamares was nice and crispy.  I liked that the garlic dip was subtle in flavor.  The chips were a bit soggy and could've used a few more minutes in the fryer, but nonetheless, they were fun to eat.

Kulawong Puso ng Saging Php 310.00

We were advised to order the Kulawong Puso ng Saging since it is a regional dish of San Pablo City and also one of Sulyap's specialties.  I was an instant fan!  You can choose between the puso ng saging (banana heart) or the talong (eggplant).  We went for the puso ng saging (the original recipe).  The strips of puso ng saging were simmered and reduced in smoked coconut milk and a dash of vinegar.  The resulting flavor was intense and rich.  I imagine the eggplant would work out just as well for this recipe.  It's then topped with slices of grilled pork liempo which completes this hearty dish.  It would've tasted just like a regular Ginataang Puso ng Saging, except that the smokiness of the coconut milk comes through distinctly in this dish.  It takes it to another level.  This dish is good for 3 persons and is best enjoyed with steamed white rice.  Mmmmmm.

Crispy Tilapia Php 270.00

We also ordered their butterflied deep-fried Crispy Tilapia.  It's my favorite way of eating a whole tilapia.  Since it's nice and cruchy, I can literally eat the entire fish... even the head.   Haha.  I did my dad proud that day.  No slices of sanitized fillets here.  The tilapia comes with a side of extra gingery oyster sauce.

All in all, the food was pleasant and the servers were courteous and unobtrusive.  Sulyap is a bit pricey but the ambience is well-worth it.  Another must-try is their Kare-kareng Sugpo which we didn't get to sample since we were quite stuffed with the food we had ordered.

The dish that really stood out for us was the Kulawong Puso ng Saging.  This proves that there's more to Filipino food that just lumpia, pansit, and adobo.  Don't get me wrong, lumpia, pansit and adobo are awesome, but there are hundreds of other regional Filipino dishes out there that are waiting to be discovered and reintroduced to the world.  Sulyap is definitely on to something here.  The traditional house and the food commemorate a time that is slowly being forgotten.  I'm glad that Sulyap is trying to preserve and recapture it. :-)



Address: Old Cocoland Compound, Del Remedio (Wawa), San Pablo, Laguna Province
Hours: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM everyday
Contact #: (6349) 562-8059