Bountiful Repast

It’s that time of year when the weather gets colder, the mood gets festive, and parties come one after the other. The Christmas season has always been a joyful occasion, and Christmas Day, probably the most important day in Christendom. Food has always been an essential part of Christmas celebrations, and it has been the tradition of Filipino families to celebrate the eve of Christmas with a meal called the noche buena, a Spanish phrase roughly meaning “bountiful night”.

The Christmas Eve get-together acts as a prelude to the Christmas Day festivities. Families usually gather at the ancestral home, bringing special dishes to share with their loved ones. As much as possible, the more affluent families try to prepare a lechon, or roast piglet seasoned with salt and several kinds of herbs, since in the Philippines, a feast is not considered complete without one. Crisp golden brown skin on the outside, with tender juicy pork on the inside, many consider the lechon as the highlight of the noche buena meal.

The humble Lechon manok, a chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and herbs, has also found its way to the Christmas table. For the less prosperous, it acts as a substitute for the lechon itself, while for others, the lechon manok is a complement to the roast piglet. Other families, especially those with more Western tastes, serve turkey on Christmas Eve. Usually stuffed with wild red rice, onions, potatoes, carrots and herbs, baked for several hours and served with gravy, cranberry sauce or applesauce, the Christmas turkey provides an American touch to the otherwise traditional Filipino noche buena.

The Philippines’ strong Chinese influences also play a major part in the selection of food for the Christmas Eve meal. Lumpia, a spring roll containing vegetables, heart of palm, or ground pork, is often served, either fresh or deep-fried. Sometimes, both kinds are served during noche buena. Pancit, usually served during birthdays to signify long life, are also a popular choice for most people. Whether it’s Canton, bihon, palabok, Malabon or any one of its many versions, you can more often than not find it on many a Christmas Eve table. Spaghetti, which some say is the Italian version of pancit, is also another popular dish served during this meal.

The noche buena, a Filipino tradition, might be considered as being actually international cuisine. Aside from Filipino, American, Chinese and Italian dishes, some of the food served during noche buena can trace their roots to other countries. The ever-present queso de bola, while having a Spanish-sounding name, is basically Dutch Edam cheese. The different kinds of Christmas hams, though most of them are produced locally, are more or less European in origin. Apples and chestnuts, also very popular during the Christmas season, are obviously brought in from somewhere else, with the bulk of the imports probably coming from China. There is really no hard-and-fast rule in what foods to serve during noche buena though; any kind of food can be served. What’s important is those who will partake will enjoy whatever is on the table.

But probably even more important than the food is the spirit of Christmas itself. Christmas has always been the season for giving, and what could be more in keeping with the Christmas spirit than sharing our blessings with others? Think of those who won’t have as much, or none at all, on their tables this Christmas Eve, and spend a little less this time around. Buy a smaller lechon, or just buy three instead of four lechon manoks, or buy lechon manok instead of turkey. A smaller ham would probably do just as well as a big one, or a smaller bilao of pancit Malabon in place of the large one that’s not going to be eaten completely anyway.

Use the extra money to prepare several gift packages. A couple of packs of noodles, a few kilos of rice, a can or two of sardines (or corned beef if you’re really feeling generous), some sugar, salt, milk, coffee or juice, a few sweets (such as candies or cupcakes) for the kids in each package. Share them with the less privileged, the less fortunate this Christmas, and let the good feelings season and flavor the Christmas Eve banquet you’re planning to have. Believe me, your noche buena will taste much, much better.

Seafood to Savor

Anybody who’s ever seen “Ratatouille” will definitely do a double take when they see Maribago Bluewater’s new executive chef. Portly, with a knack for coming up with fantastic tasting dishes, Chef Jose Miguel Lontoc is a dead ringer for the movie’s fictional yet celebrated Chef Gusteau. Exuding a charm and grace typical of an old-world gentleman, Chef JoeMike exhibits a culinary skill the cartoon chef and his creators can only dream of.

Chef JoeMike moved to Cebu from Manila about half a year ago, to take charge of culinary as well as administrative duties in Maribago Bluewater. Educated in Australia and having done consultancy work for several hotels both abroad and in the Philippines, the move to Maribago was a perfect one, both professionally and on a personal aspect. He says the laid-back lifestyle in Cebu is a welcome change from the hectic pace and pressure he was accustomed to.

The Cove is a seafood restaurant, and Chef JoeMike’s rule of thumb when it comes to seafood: fresh is always best. At the Cove, the seafood isn’t just fresh, it’s live! Crabs, prawns, lobsters, fish and mollusks are kept in aquariums, taken out only when they are ready to be prepared and cooked.

Dinner at The Cove was a multiple celebration: my wife Chacha’s 33rd birthday, my third year of writing for Sun.Star, and a reunion between Chef JoeMike and me. We had been classmates in grade school in LSGH and it’s been 23 years since we last saw each other. Incidentally, it’s also Sun.Star Cebu’s 25th Anniversary on November 25, so please allow me this opportunity to greet the Sun.Star family a very happy Silver Anniversary.

So back to the food: my wife and I started out with a simple clam chowder. Unlike most cream-based soups that tend to be heavy on the stomach, The Cove’s clam chowder was very light, yet still creamy. With diced potatoes, small pieces of clam as well as a whole white clam in the center, for both aesthetic and gastronomic purposes, it was a great way to begin a meal.

Raw oysters came next, with three different kinds of toppings. Sushi lovers will like the oysters with uni and tobiko roe, with the orange fish eggs and a sweet and sour taste. Those with more European tastes might prefer the horseradish and caviar topping, with the horseradish giving the bite and the black caviar a bit of a crunch. The topping I found most to my liking was the cocktail sauce. Most Cebuanos would find the taste very familiar, spicy and vinegary, perfectly complementing the taste of the oyster.

Abalone with jellyfish followed, tasting somewhat like mushrooms in oyster sauce, with a light undertone of pepper. It’s a great-tasting dish that’s not really part of the menu, although I’m sure Chef JoeMike will gladly prepare it for you as long as you ask nicely.

Diners will probably find the gambas al ajillo at The Cove a bit different from what they’re used to, although they’ll definitely be satisfied with what arrives at the table. Using huge prawns instead of the usual small shrimps, prawn lovers will be able to savor the flavor of the prawn meat itself, not just the sauce. When ordering, be sure to specify whether you like it mild or spicy, and Chef JoeMike will adjust the taste accordingly.

Another round of oysters was served, this time baked, with different toppings: creamed arugula and cheese, blue cheese and garlic, and lemon-butter sauce. The creamed arugula with cheese was interesting: while cheese is usually a mainstay when baking oysters and mussels, the cream and arugula provided a counterpoint to the saltiness of the cheese, not to mention a dash of color. The blue cheese and garlic topping was also different, yet comforting: images of grilled tahong with cheddar cheese and garlic at our back yard came to mind. Of course, you can never go wrong with a good lemon-butter sauce on seafood, and Chef JoeMike proves this with his own version of the ever-popular sauce.

The main courses were lobster cooked two different ways, and an incredible steamed lapu-lapu. The Chinese-style lapu-lapu, which practically melts in your mouth, has actually been part of the menu at Maribago Bluewater even before Chef JoeMike arrived. According to him, it’s the only item whose recipe he didn’t touch, save for making a few adjustments for consistency. He explains, “I don’t fix things when they aren’t broken, so there was no reason for me to alter the recipe of the lapu-lapu.”

Both the Lobster Thermidor and the Asian-style Lobster were delicious, giving my wife and me a chance to compare which way of cooking suited lobster better, European or Asian. The cheese perfectly accented the flavor of the meat in the Thermidor, and the lobster being fresh, it was no surprise that the meat was tender as can be. Traditionalists will definitely enjoy the lobster cooked this way, while those with more adventurous palates should try the Asian-style lobster. Cooked with coconut milk, lemongrass and chili, it gives diners a whole new perspective when they look at lobster. The lobster meat still tender and succulent, the coconut milk and chili gave a Southeast Asian twist to the already delectable lobster. If made to choose between the two though, I would pick the lobster, Asian-style.

The Cove sets a pretty good table, with Chef JoeMike, Food and Beverage Manager Douglas Berido, Daisy, Bert, Christian and the very efficient staff, cooks and all, working together to give guests a great culinary experience. As a matter of fact, a lot of people, me included, can honestly say that the food at The Cove Seafood Restaurant rank among the best in Cebu.

Food writers really have a tough job, weeding out the good from the bad, the bland from the flavorful, and writing about it. Chef JoeMike and his staff has made my job in this instance very easy, serving me and my wife a fantastic meal, and making our visit to The Cove a memorable one. I may not be an Anton Ego, the critic in “Ratatouille”, but I find myself paraphrasing him: “I will be returning to The Cove soon, hungry for more!”

Pinoy Pleasers

Walk into a restaurant that offers Filipino food and more often than not, you’ll find crispy pata on their menu. Having that, there’s also a big possibility that the crispy pata’s younger brother, the lechon kawali, will also be included in the menu.

The crispy pata has long been a popular food in the country. Simply put, it’s just the pata, or thigh, of a young pig, seasoned with salt, pepper and marinated in vinegar, or is it the other way around? It’s then dumped in a pot of boiling oil and deep-fried for as long as it takes to cook. The lechon kawali is practically the same thing: a portion of pork belly prepared the same way, and cooked the same way.

But just what is it about these two dishes that they always have to be served in a place that offer Filipino dishes? Perhaps it’s the contrasting textures one gets when biting into a slice: the crispy pork skin, the tender meat, and the fatty region in between. Or maybe it’s the taste of the tender meat and skin dipped in a mixture of vinegar, soy sauce, Philippine lemon, red peppers, garlic cloves and onion bits: meaty, yet sour, sweet and spicy all at the same time. Or is it because these two dishes are typical of the way Pinoys love food, simple yet satisfying? Or maybe, just maybe, it’s all of the above.

SerJos, at the ground floor of Mango Park Hotel along Mango Avenue, is not exactly a purely Filipino restaurant. As a matter of fact, about half of their menu feature international dishes, but among the Filipino dishes they do serve, the crispy pata and lechon kawali certainly stand out.

SerJos’ crispy pata is definitely a no-brainer for lovers of Pinoy food. Unlike the oily and not-so-crispy examples found at other establishments, the crispy pata at this restaurant is cooked and served the way it should be. It’s dry on the outside, with almost no trace of oil, and very juicy on the inside. The skin is crispy, yet not cooked too long that it becomes as crunchy and tough as chicharon. The meat itself has a slight crust from being deep-fried, but it serves to keep the juices in. Expect the same thing when you order the lechon kawali. Crisp, yet tender and juicy when you bite through the thin crust that is the result of deep-frying. On their own, these dishes already taste good, but a drop or two of the vinegar-soy sauce mixture can make things more interesting, especially when you throw in a lot of red chili peppers into the mix. As viands, both the crispy pata and lechon kawali are perfect with rice for a great meal. As bar food, however, these two can serve as fantastic pulutan for beer or hard liquor.

While these two dishes are definite palate-pleasers, the other items on the menu are also worth a taste. Baked mussels, grilled stuffed squid and other well-liked international dishes such as ebi tempura and steak are offered as well. Still, for most Pinoy food lovers, a wide variety of international dishes wouldn’t really matter at all, if there’s something as wonderfully satisfying as crispy pata and lechon kawali on the table. And at SerJos, you absolutely won’t go wrong ordering these two.

Magnifico!

“Ask a thousand Italians to cook lasagna and you’ll end up with a thousand different versions,” says Rico Matta, a transplanted Italian and proprietor of Rico’s la Trattoria, an Italian restaurant located in the Century Plaza complex along Juana Osmena St. He goes on to clarify that though Italian food has its basic recipes, most Italians have their own ideas of how each dish or sauce should taste like. That being so, there is actually no right or wrong recipe when it comes to authentic Italian cooking.

Like most Italian men, he puts his mother on a pedestal; he relates that he learned a lot about cooking from his mother, and most of the food he serves at the trattoria are versions of the dishes his mother used to cook. And like most Italians, he prefers to make his own pizza dough and pasta. Of course, his sauces are also made from scratch; homemade is the key word in Rico’s kitchen.

Pizza is essentially a choose-your-own-topping affair: starting with a basic cheese pizza with real mozzarella cheese, customers can choose from different toppings like pepperoni, ham, bacon, mushrooms, onions and peppers, among others. Diners can also specify if they want their pizza crispy or not.

Homemade pasta is the norm at Rico’s, by way of a pasta machine, and is always cooked al dente. Raviolotti, a slightly larger version of ravioli, is also available at Rico’s. Stuffed with spinach and ground beef, and swimming in a rich meat sauce, this dish would be a great introduction to Italian food for people whose experience with pasta is limited only to spaghetti Bolognese and the occasional fettucini ala carbonara.

The pesto and Bolognese at this restaurant are both, to quote an old popular TV commercial, “magnifico!” The pesto is made fresh, from basil, olive oil and pine nuts. It tastes the way it should: just the right blend of sweet and salty, just a little nutty, and definitely not so oily as to be uneatable, even though pesto sauce is composed mostly of olive oil. The Bolognese is made from tomato paste, not tomato sauce, and given the nationality of the cook, the code of Omerta automatically kicks in. Rico’s secret way of cooking the sauce remains exactly that: a secret. Nevertheless, the richness of the tomatoes and the flavor of the meat blend together perfectly, and give diners an idea of how la dolce vita is supposed to taste like.

Rico’s marinated pork in brown sauce is a sure winner for diners looking for meat dishes, while the gnocchi in cream sauce is also worth a taste. Aside from the food, the restaurant also offers live music on most nights, and has an outdoor dining area for those who prefer it al fresco. Given the Cebuanos’ propensity for good food and leisure activities, Rico’s la Trattoria is undeniably a welcome addition to the city’s dining and entertainment scene.

Foodies

Was it Mrs. Gump, or was it Forrest, who said, “Life is like a box of chocolates”? In my case, it’s not a box of chocolates but an endless series of restaurants, cafés, bars, hangouts, food tastings and anything and everything that has to do with food.

As one of the feature writers of Sun.Star Cebu, the leading community newspaper in the Philippines, I’ve gone to a lot of restaurants here in Cebu, both in the city and its outskirts. I’ve tasted a lot of food, from cheap street cuisine to the more expensive items you would only find at specialty restaurants.

Before writing for Sun.Star’s lifestyle section, Live!, I had already been exposed to good food and fine dining by my grandfather and namesake, Dr. Lino Arquiza, Sr. When he was alive, it was very often for me, breakfast at the Manila Mandarin in Makati, lunch at Manila Midtown Ramada along Herran, and dinner at the Century Park Sheraton on Vito Cruz. Living in Malate, we were in close proximity to the best hotels and restaurants in the city. Lolo was sort of a gourmand, fond of good food, so we were always eating out. If we weren’t eating at hotels, we would be at Kimpura or Miyako for Japanese food, Gloria Maris for Chinese, and Josephine’s for Filipino dishes.

My Dad Vicmar is also a bit of a foodie. A steak lover, he would often take me to SGS Steakhouse in Greenhills after picking me up from class at La Salle Greenhills. He was responsible for getting me addicted to rare, bloody steaks, although he prefers his on the medium-well side. If not steak, then Dad and I, together with my Ninong Jose, would be chowing down on chicken mami and siopao at Ling Nam Noodle House, still in Greenhills, or camaron rebosado, lomi and fried rice at Luyong Restaurant in Pasig. Midnights at home would be spent eating all kinds of sandwiches, omelets, noodles, chips and whatnot, and drinking lots and lots of Coca-Cola while watching TV.

My Mom Glenda, on the other hand, would initiate wiener roasts at night in the front yard, with marshmallows to match. A great cook, her special adobo and tapa is always a sure winner at family gatherings, while her pasta with pesto would sometimes be ignored by our guests, though I’m sure she only cooks it because her children like it.

My Lola Ising cooks great bistik and pommes frites.. What’s so great about her French fries is that they’re actually more like shoestring potatoes, cut so finely that they end up being really crispy. There’s also her pan de sal slathered with Star margarine, sprinkled with a little sugar then heated on her frying pan. I don’t know what to call it, fried bread maybe, but heck, it tastes good!

Lola Bebe, Dad’s mother, was also a bit of a cook, always whipping something up in the kitchen. Her sukiyaki would definitely give any Japanese restaurant a run for the money, while her banana cake would have given any commercial baker stiff competition.

I’m very fond of eating, and my wife, Chacha, fortunately, shares the same passion. She insists that I cook better than she does, but I beg to differ. Her sinigang is definitely out of this world, and her spaghetti with meat sauce and nilagang baboy can rival anybody’s best. Chacha also has this knack of putting together leftovers and coming up with something wonderful to eat.

As for myself, I can do a mean pasta with grilled chicken and white sauce, somewhat resembling pasta Alfredo, except with grilled chicken, seafood pasta, which has whatever seafood’s on hand, lasagna, deli sandwiches, and a bunch of different things like steak, chicken fried steak, stuffed chicken, salpicao, veal chops, home fries, baked potato wedges and popcorn.

I realize that these things don’t make me an expert on food, but hey, This ain’t rocket science, people. Who the heck needs a degree, or a membership in a gastronomic society for that matter, to appreciate good food?

New Brew

As their marketing slogan goes, “Something’s brewing up north”. Good news then for coffee lovers in Mandaue and all points north looking for a place to hang out in.

Café Volere, at the ground floor of the North Road Plaza along the National Highway, offers customers not just the regular cup of java everyone’s used to, but a whole lot of other brews. Besides being just another coffee shop, Café Volere also caters to both food and dessert lovers. Kingsley Ko, the proprietor, explains, “My family is also into the baking and pastry business, so we thought it would be a practical move to combine it with a coffee shop. At Café Volere, we have pastries, cakes, and of course, coffee.”

Following the trend in most popular coffee shops, Café Volere serves a selection of hot coffees like ordinary brewed coffee, cappuccino and moccacino; however, they also have iced coffees for those who prefer their caffeine fix cold, although this is where the similarity ends. Café Volere’s iced mocha, while very flavorful, stops short of being too chocolaty that it becomes too much like a chocolate drink. On the other hand, their iced hazelnut coffee refrains from being too subtle that the drinker feels shortchanged, not being able to taste anything. Instead, it just bursts with the flavor of hazelnut, giving the customer exactly what he or she wants in a cold cup of flavored coffee. Those not into a caffeine buzz won’t feel left out, as blended drinks such as Café Volere’s strawberry or cookies and cream smoothies are available. For those who love to eat, pizza, lasagna and baked macaroni are available, as well as a variety of desserts like triamisu and chocolate mousse.

Unlike most popular coffee shops though, Café Volere isn’t a place to see and be seen in. It’s actually a little off the beaten path, away from the malls and commercial centers, but that is where it’s main attraction lies. Its calm and tranquil atmosphere is perfect for coffee lovers who just want to enjoy their coffee without any distractions. It’s also a great place for dessert lovers to just hang out in and pig out on a slice of choco-strawberry cake or two. Intellectuals may find the place conducive to a quiet discussion of art and music, sports, politics or the latest movies. For lovebirds, the place can be an ideal rendezvous for a few moments together.

So whether you’re a coffee lover, a certified foodie, an intellectual, a lovebird, or whatever, take a short trip up north, and find out what’s brewing.

Bulalo, and a cow's unmentionables...

People usually think “Cebu City” when talking about restaurants. While it’s true that most of the better restaurants are found in the city, Cebu does not have a monopoly on great eating-places, especially those offering great value for money, and fresh country air to boot.

Those heading north may want to drop by for a bite to eat at Orosia Food Park. Located along the National Highway, Orosia Food Park in Consolacion is a popular venue for those who want to partake of traditional Filipino and Cebuano food. According to proprietor Elton Tio, the restaurant is also in much demand as a setting for wedding receptions, debuts and the like. Boasting of two levels, with each floor capable of seating around a hundred people, it’s not hard to understand why people hold their parties at Orosia. Not only that, the restaurant also has a substantial garden area that can also be used for festive celebrations. Those bringing kids will also appreciate the playground to the side of the main structure. Parking is definitely not a problem as the front can accommodate a very large number of vehicles.

Food at Orosia is basic Pinoy and Cebuano fare: grilled, cooked as the soup known as tinowa, or kilawin or kinilaw, made from raw ingredients such as fish soaked in vinegar and mixed with onions, garlic and other native flavorings and spices. Aside from the usual grilled food such as pork belly and barbecue, grilled tuna panga and boneless bangus are also available, with the bangus very well-flavored, not even needing to be dipped in soy sauce or vinegar, unlike the typical bland items found in other eating places. Orosia’s kangkong and grilled eggplant are also worth a try, and paired with the salted fish fried rice. For the more adventurous, lansiao, a stew made from a cow’s unmentionables, is available. Of course, one shouldn’t leave Orosia Food Park without tasting their pochero, or beef shank soup. Cholesterol overload aside, if there’s one dish Orosia is famous for, this is it.

Aside from the food, Orosia Food Park offers as an added attraction Elton’s pets. Though the animals are not actually on display, customers can request the staff to give them a look at Elton’s menagerie; the more daring can even handle them.

Though its location may seem a deterrent to those living in Cebu City, the good food, the fresh country air and the proprietor’s pets should be reason enough for those tired of the city’s dining scene. For the ones living up north, Orosia is a welcome treat for them, as it allows them to avail of good food without having to go all the way to Cebu City. All in all, whether you’re from the big city or from the towns and cities up north, Orosia Food Park is a win-win proposition.

New Mooon in Guadalupe

There’s an old Duran Duran song that goes “I light my torch and wave it for the new moon on Monday” that comes into mind. In this case though, it’s not a new moon that’s worth waving the torch for; It’s the “new”, revitalized Mooon Café, yep, spelled with three O’s. It’s still found in the same place, somewhere along the side streets of Guadalupe, the Mooon Café that everybody knows, only bigger and much better this time. Now under the management of Pages Holdings, Mooon Café has been given new life, a new beginning, and at the risk of sounding incongruous, a new dawn.

According to Charlie Pages, businessman, all-around good guy and proprietor of Mooon Café, though Mooon Café serves mostly Mexican specialties, he hesitates to label it a “Mexican restaurant”. Rather, “Mexican-inspired” is how he likes to describe this eating-place much loved by Cebuano foodies. “We don’t serve purely Mexican food here,” Charlie says, “Our menu is typically international cuisine, but with more focus on Mexican fare, and our interiors are reminiscent of a Mexican cantina.” If the interiors aren’t enough to let you know that you’re eating at a Mexican-themed restaurant, the names of the dining rooms should give you an idea where Charlie’s coming from: Tijuana, Vera Cruz, Acapulco, Guadalupe and Guadalajara. If that ain’t Mexican, homes, then what is?

With the restaurant’s two floors divided into several dining areas, diners have a choice on where to have their meals or drinks: the main dining room, the smoking area, the patio or one of the smaller dining rooms on the second floor. Incidentally, this is also where the bar is, so expect to see more serious drinking going on here.

Obviously, a restaurant isn’t about interiors, it’s about food, and Mooon Café has certainly earned a reputation for serving great food. Diners can start off with the Gambas a la Luna, Mooon Café’s version of the popular Spanish appetizer. Not so mild that you have to mix a few more drops of hot sauce and possibly ruin the flavor, not so spicy as to be uneatable, this dish has just the right amount of spiciness to whet your appetite and leave you looking forward to the next course.

How about lumpia or ngohiong, Mexican-style? Flautas, usually made with a cheese filling, is given a new twist at Mooon Café, with the addition of chicken slivers inside the flour wrapper. Lumpia and cheese sticks lovers will definitely have something to smile about with this dish.

Those looking for something to safe to order can never go wrong with a pizza. In Mooon Café’s case, however, customers should be extra-cautious when ordering the Pizza Diablo. Yes, it’s round like a pizza, it does look like a pizza, but it’s pizza, the Mooon Café way. Loaded with Jalapeno peppers, it’s a sure-fire way to experience heartburn if you’re not used to spicy food, though it’s definitely worth a taste.

For the main course, the ever-popular Mooon Steak is highly recommended. The favorite of countless Mooon Café patrons, the Mooon Steak remains as affordable, as tasty and as satisfying as ever. If there’s something that will keep you coming back to Mooon Café, this has got to be it.

Eating all that spicy food is bound to get anybody thirsty, and what better way than to wash it down with a glass or two, no, wait, make that a whole pitcher of Mooon Café’s fantastic Sun Cooler. A soothing blend of citrus fruits and watermelon, it provides a perfect cap to a Mooon Café meal.

With their good food and ambience, it’s no wonder Mooon Café has found itself being mentioned in an international guidebook. Even without that, the myriad customers who come back again and again for the food, the drinks, the friendly atmosphere is more than enough reason for Mooon Café to be considered an icon of Cebu’s dining scene.

Mandaue Sweets

Mandaue has long been known as an industrial area, being the home of various manufacturing concerns. A major beverage company, a building materials company, a vehicle assembly company, a variety of furniture makers both large and small, all these have helped put Mandaue in the spotlight. Besides these, however, other smaller, less obtrusive things have made Mandaue famous.

Hope Ramos-Oporto, a sweets vendor along A. del Rosario St. relates “Mandaue has long been known for its delicacies. Tourists, both foreign and local, buy a lot of sweets and delicacies from me, to bring home as pasalubong. I have had tourists from Luzon and Mindanao, Japan, Korea, Germany and Canada buy my goods. Among the things I sell, the bestsellers are the majareal or masareal, the tagaktak and the bibingka.”

Made of ground peanuts and sugar, the grayish-white majareal look like thin, narrow wafers, although that is where the resemblance ends. While peanuts ground finely to the texture of baking soda are the main ingredient, there is only a faint aftertaste, if any, of peanuts from this delicacy. Rather, the majareal tastes somewhat like sweet potatoes or yams, although the comparisons may vary from person to person.

The tagaktak, on the other hand, is a totally different thing. Ganador rice is ground or pounded, a little water and sugar is added, then formed into thin, triangular cakes, and then fried to a crisp. For those people used to eating breakfast cereal, the taste of sweetened rice krispies won’t be too far off the mark.

While the bibingka has always been a traditional Filipino food, the Mandaue bibingka deserves special mention. Made from coconut, rice, yeast and some other secret ingredients and then baked in a special clay cooking pot, Mandaue’s bibingka needs nothing else, not a slice of salted egg as a topping, not even a dollop of Star margarine, to stand on its own as a delicacy, unlike the bibingka found in Luzon. Of course, as a complement, old-timers will suggest that a mug of native chocolate, or sikwate, be paired with the bibingka, for an entirely traditional snack.

The majareal, tagaktak and bibingka of Mandaue may not be as glamorous and expensive as Belgian chocolates or French pastries, but it is probably for this reason why many people, foreigners and locals alike, enjoy these delicacies. It is their subtle flavors, their simplicity and inexpensive nature that make them so endearing, and even better, it gives Filipinos something we can truly be proud of.

Pastry Pitstop

Students from UP Cebu no longer need to look for an affordable place to hang out in near their school in the afternoons. With the opening of a pastry shop in the immediate vicinity of both UP’s high school and college campuses, lovers of cakes and pastries among the student population have only to take a few steps to get their fill of Beth Sanoria’s delicious creations.

Of course, Marc & Mattheau’s doesn’t cater to just the UP students. Passersby looking for a quick bite to eat, parents looking for something to take home to the kids, hosts and hostesses trying to find the perfect dessert for their parties; all these and more come to this shop at the corner of Gorordo and Molave Streets. Beth explains “I guess people do find our stuff delicious, because we have customers coming all the way from Mandaue and Guadalupe for our cakes and pastries. Besides, our items are very affordable; we have items like choco cheese bread, mocha twist and ensaimada, which cost only five pesos apiece. Our macaroons are only three pesos each, well within the budget of the students who come in here all the time.”

Beth explains how they got into the business, “It all started around eight years ago, when I started accepting special orders for my supermoist chocolate cake. One particular Christmas season, I received orders amounting to several hundred cakes. When that happened, my husband and I seriously considered opening a catering business and pastry shop.”

Open a pastry shop they did, and it is now fast becoming a favorite hangout for people in the neighborhood. With the addition of a couple of tables and chairs on the sidewalk beside the store, regulars can imagine themselves chilling out in a European-style café, sipping coffee or a cold drink, and taking a bite or two of a sweet roll as strollers and cars go by.

The shop’s bestseller is probably Beth’s supermoist chocolate cake, although her blueberry cheesecake comes at a close second. As chocolate cakes go, Beth’s supermoist, as the name goes, is a step up from most commercial cakes. It’s full of flavor and very sticky and moist, unlike the powdery or crumbly cakes one can find at the mall or supermarket. On the other hand, Beth’s fantastic cheesecake tastes just right, not too sweet, not too bland, and definitely not spongy. Other items are available, like the meringue-based Mango Tango, the Mango Five, with five layers of chiffon, mango and butter cream, and the Apple Walnut brownie containing real apple chunks and walnuts. A variety of hot and cold drinks are also available.

While you can find bakeries at practically every other corner here in Cebu, very few pastry shops seem to make their mark on the Cebuanos. Marc & Mattheau’s doesn’t claim to have the best pastries in Cebu; but what Beth Sanoria says sums it all up: “Cooking and baking is a passion for me, and when I do cook and bake, you can be sure that I’ve done my best!”

Ding Qua Qua, or, where to get great dimsum in Cebu...

Teahouses, and tea, have always been an important part of Chinese culture. It was a place where everyone would gather, engage in conversation, exchange gossip, hang out, and of course, drink tea. After it was discovered that tea aided one’s digestion, teahouse owners started selling small, bite-size pieces of food served in steamer baskets.

Called “dim sum”, roughly translated as “light meal” or “delicate food”, these snacks or small food items soon became all the rage among customers of teahouses. Traditionally served from morning to mid-afternoon, the popularity of dim sum grew until it assimilated itself into Chinese culture.

In Cebu, where there is a large Chinese community, the tradition of teahouses has been preserved through the Kokseng and Uytengsu families with Ding Qua Qua Dimsum House. Meaning “the best of the best”, Ding Qua Qua has established itself in the hearts of Cebuanos as one of the, if not the most, popular restaurants in Cebu serving Hong Kong-style dim sum. In fact, in Cebu, the terms dim sum and Ding Qua Qua has become practically interchangeable.

And just how authentic is their dim sum, you may ask. According to the Kokseng brothers Christopher and Steven, the recipes for most of the food served at Ding Qua Qua have been handed down from generation to generation, and their family can trace their roots all the way to Hong Kong, where dim sum originated. That’s as authentic as you can probably get. Even with a lineage such as theirs, they still fly in consultants from Hong Kong regularly, to evaluate the taste of the food the restaurant serves, and to maintain its authenticity.

Most popular among the food at Ding Qua Qua is certainly their famed Steamed Fried Rice. While it is not exactly dim sum in the real sense, it has been a constant in the lives (and meals!) of a lot of Cebuanos, and representative of the quality of Ding Qua Qua’s food. Consisting of rice topped with a savory pork stew with small pieces of shrimp and green peas, it is served in a small ceramic bowl and is a meal on its own. It goes without saying that Ding Qua Qua’s Steam Fried Rice is absolutely delicious.

Of course, being patterned after a Hong Kong-style teahouse, dim sum should be the main feature of the menu, and at Ding Qua Qua, the siomai or shao mai is definitely at the top of the list. These are steamed pork dumplings in a flour wrapper, topped with shrimp, quail’s eggs or button mushrooms.

Perhaps the best way to enjoy a meal at Ding Qua Qua is to indulge in their dim sum buffet. It’s not purely dim sum though; aside from siomai, steamed fried rice, pata tim and cua pao, and the white fungi soup, which is a typical Chinese-style egg-drop soup, other dishes like fried mixed vegetables consisting of mushrooms, carrots and bamboo shoots in rich brown sauce, shrimp balls, lumpia, char siu or Chinese-style barbecued pork, vegetable balls resembling and tasting surprisingly like meatballs are also included in the buffet. Of course, the ubiquitous chicken feet, fried wanton dumplings and sweet and sour pork is available too. As an added plus every weekend, Oriental short ribs are offered as well. The dessert menu is also full of choices, but diners are encouraged to try Ding Qua Qua’s chocolate mousse and coconut crème, very similar to the maja blanca.

For several generations, Ding Qua Qua has existed in Cebu, serving the traditional dim sum so loved by many. Cebuanos have grown to love the food at this restaurant so much, that going to Ding Qua Qua has become a tradition in itself.

Ding Qua Qua is locared at JY Square Mall in Lahug, Cebu City.

The Flavors of Penang

In his novel “Lost Horizon”, author James Hilton described Shangri-La as an exotic place, brimming with Asian mysticism and absolute tranquility. Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa is no different from the literary Shangri-La, and with their celebrated restaurant, Tides, overflowing with Asian delicacies, the mysticism so apparent in the novel is interpreted and transformed into reality by their experienced chefs. Even more so when the restaurant imports its chefs from another country as exotic and as beautiful as ours: Malaysia.

As part of Shangri-la’s thrust to help promote Malaysia, the resort is presenting its guests with a one-week-only offering appropriately called “The Flavors of Penang”, available at Tides Restaurant until Sept. 25. The food festival showcases the multi-cultural cuisine of our Asian neighbor.

As with most Asian countries, tea drinking is often an integral part of a meal. In this case, the preparation of the traditional teh tarik is as important as its consumption. Roughly translated as “pulled tea”, Malaysian tea master Sharizan Saaban mixed, or rather “pulled” the tea and milk together using graceful movements, first pouring the milk in one pot into the tea in the other, then slowly moving the pot up and away from the other. He repeats this process several times until it results in a highly frothed mixture of tea and milk, then he deems it fit for serving.

Several kinds of salads, such as the kerabu mangga, very similar to our green mango salad, were served as a preview of things to come, although the shrimp salad called Kerabu Udang, with its slightly tangy and somewhat lemony flavor, provided a very welcome change from the usual tossed greens.

Malaysian cuisine seems very similar to Filipino cuisine in that coconut milk is used in a lot of the recipes. Perhaps the main difference lies in the spiciness of the cuisine: Malaysian food is spicy, ours is not. A perfect example of this is the Beef Rendang Mamak, a very tasty concoction made by boiling the beef in coconut milk, mixed with curry powder, chili paste and other kinds of spices: this mixture is kept heated until the coconut milk is boiled down to a mushy paste, much like a reduction, leaving the beef well flavored. Another dish definitely guaranteed to take your breath away would be the Ayan Rendang. Basically, it is the same dish as Rendang Mamak, though made from chicken. People not used to spicy foods may complain that Malay food is too spicy for their taste. Perhaps it is best to remember that it is all relative: Malaysians may find Pinoy food to be too bland for that matter.

Acknowledged as the culinary capital of Malaysia, with its fusion of Malay, Chinese and Indian cuisines, Penang will definitely give serious foodies a thrill. As for yours truly, the opportunity given by Shangri-La’s Mactan Resort and Spa to indulge in the Flavours of Penang was greatly appreciated. And as most Penangites would say, “Chiak Si Hock!”

This article appeared in the Sun.Star Lifestyle section

No Pretensions

NO reservations? No problem. You don’t need to be on any list, guest list, A-list or whatever, to indulge in this kind of food. Membership in a gastronomic society isn’t mandatory either; no unpronounceable French names are used here. While experienced sauciers may recognize the typical street food sauce as a roux, it’s ingredients and preparation may leave them a bit boggled, shocked or both. No fancy vinegar worth almost a hundred grand a liter is involved, only ordinary local coconut or cane vinegar with garlic cloves, onion bits and crushed red peppers. 300-dollar bottles of wine are also noticeably absent, just beer, soda or water.

Anthony Bourdain, host of Travel & Living’s No Reservations, would definitely enjoy this kind of cooking, and Bourdain, being Bourdain, thrives on this kind of thing. This is adventure. This is cheap thrills. This is cheap food at its finest, street cuisine if you will.

Puso – This is a small serving of steamed rice packaged in coconut leaves, very popular in the Visayas and Mindanao regions of the Philippines.

Chicken intestines – Popularly called “IUD” for some bizarre reason, chicken intestines are among the more popular beer matches in the country. Skewered on slender bamboo sticks and grilled, it goes best dipped in spicy vinegar and paired with a very cold bottle of San Miguel beer. In some regions of the Philippines, grilled pork intestines are also popular beer matches.

Pospas – Eaten as it is, or with a slice of chicken or beef, or goto (pork innards), or sometimes with a boiled egg, the pospas can probably be considered the quintessential Pinoy food: simple, inexpensive, easy to prepare yet delightfully tasty and filling to boot. Foreigners can probably recognize it as rice porridge.

Tempura – Not to be mistaken for the Japanese tempura, though also deep-fried, this local favorite can only be described as a white, floury sausage. Made usually out of fishmeal, flour and spices, skewered onto bamboo sticks and dipped in vinegar or a sweet and spicy sauce, it’s a popular snack among people from all walks of life, from students, loafers, and office workers to scions of wealthy families. Almost always sold from pushcarts, together with fish balls and squid balls, they can be found on many a street corner in the city.

Balut – Perhaps the most famous Pinoy street food of them all, the balut is not for the faint of heart. A boiled 16- to 18-day old duck’s egg, it contains a tasty broth, yolk and a half-formed duck embryo (forget about the hard white stuff, you’re not supposed to eat it). There’s also a particular way of eating balut, much like a three-course meal, only messier, and definitely more barbaric, but hey, street food ain’t gonna be called street food if dainty, hoity-toity manners are needed to eat it.

To eat a balut, tap open a hole at the slightly wider end of the egg and sprinkle some sea salt into the opening. Slightly shake the egg to mix the salt with the broth, and then drink from the hole. Once you’ve drunk the “soup” inside, break off the eggshell little by little until the yellow yolk is exposed. Sprinkle either salt or vinegar on the yolk and bite it off. It usually breaks off cleanly from the rest of the contents of the balut. Now for the best part. Again, sprinkle salt or vinegar or both onto the half-formed duckling. Slurp the embryo into your mouth, then, depending on the age of the balut, swallow directly or chew a bit first. It sounds disgusting but it’s definitely worth a taste. Oh, you can try eating the hard white thing but I wouldn’t suggest it.

With the Pinoy’s fondness for eating, it’s no wonder that Pinoys have taken eating to the streets. Quail’s eggs, considered a luxury item in some countries, are actually sold on the streets of Cebu and Manila. Weirder items such as blood chunks, chicken feet and day-old, deep-fried battered ducklings can also be found, as well as the more ordinary lumpia, barbecued pork, chicken tail and sautéed or boiled peanuts. Of course, one should always be careful when eating anything new, not just street food, but then again, what’s life without adventure?

An American Dream

Most newly married couples have dreams. Like most other newlyweds, J. Willard and Alice almost certainly had dreams of their own. For J. Willard, it was perhaps nothing more than being able to provide a good life for his family while Alice most likely just wanted to be a good wife. Opening an A&W root beer stand in Washington, D.C. in the summer of 1927, they probably did not dream of their venture becoming a major player in the hospitality industry.

But become a major player it did. From a little 9-seat restaurant called “Hot Shoppe”, to a chain of “Hot Shoppes” all over the United States, to the Twin Bridges Marriott Motor Hotel in Arlington, Virginia, the company’s first hotel, J. Willard and Alice Marriott’s dreams did not just come true, it grew into a company with over 2,800 hotels worldwide, with their name becoming a byword in the hotel business.

Paying tribute to its humble origins, Marriott Cebu City now offers Cebuano diners classic food and beverages from its colorful history. With Chef Witold Sczcechura executing the updated recipes, diners at Marriott Cebu City can now have a taste of the dishes that made “Hot Shoppes” a favorite among American families.

From Classic to Cool

What could be more American than a hamburger? As with most things American, this burger is B-I-G! Those with big appetites can order the Mighty Mo, a massive double deck cheeseburger seasoned with Hot Shoppe’s secret Mighty Mo sauce. The tangy American cheddar sets off the flavor of the beef patties, while the secret sauce gives the whole sandwich a somewhat smoky, spicy and sweet flavor. Customers can probably arrange to have their burger patties cooked a little on the rare side, to bring out the juices of the beef. Naturally, every serving of the Mighty Mo burger comes with a side order of french fried potatoes as well as a small saucer of slaw. A smaller version of the burger, christened the Mini Mo, is also available. With four small burgers, cole slaw and a tub of french fries comprising each order, the Mini Mo is perfect for a group of four kids, or four dainty eaters.

Snackers can opt for the Teen Twist Roll if burgers aren’t their thing. A fresh take on an old favorite, Marriott’s adaptation of the classic ham and cheese sandwich should please even the most discerning sandwich lover. It comes loaded with ham, cheese, and of course, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. Served with french fries and pickles, the Teen Twist Roll is big enough for two to share.

Basically a revision of Alice Marriott’s chili con carne, the recipe of which she learned from the cook at the Mexican Embassy a few blocks away from their first restaurant, the Buffalo Chicken Chili gives new meaning to the word “chili”. Using chicken instead of beef, chili lovers can feast on this without fear of cholesterol overload. Instead of the more common grated cheddar cheese, crumbled blue cheese is used as a topping, providing a nice, sophisticated kick to an already enjoyable dish. Be sure to scoop up the chili with the tortilla chips and top it off with crumbled cheese (Hint: use LOTS of blue cheese, just ask your server for more), it’s much more fun eating it that way.

With its origin an A&W root beer stand, of course, a Classic A&W Root Beer Float should definitely be on the menu, and in this Marriott comes full circle. Faithfully served in a mug, as it should be, the A&W Root Beer Float remains a refreshing favorite among young and old alike.

More than 80 years after J. Willard and Alice Marriott served their first customer, their legacy of hospitality continues to flourish. Not only that, they continue to give us food that’s wholesome and delicious, as well as being truly classic, and totally cool.

buffet diners

Did anybody ever notice how diners eat at a buffet? I don't know about foreigners, but most Filipinos load their plates with so much food and end up eating only about half the food on their plates. Do these people think that the food is gonna run out? Maybe at the lesser establishments, but at places like hotels and high-end restaurants, the food is supposed to be replenished as long as there are diners present.

Or maybe us Filipinos are just too embarassed to go back again and again to the buffet table, lest other people think we're pigs.

sushi with no banshees

It comes in different forms. Sometimes it’s just sticky rice and a slice of raw fish, either salmon or tuna, or cooked, shelled prawns, octopus or cuttlefish pressed together to form a finger-shaped treat. Other times, nori, or pressed algae sheets, is rolled around the rice, with a sliver of raw fish in the middle. Occasionally, it comes in the form of cones, with the filling spilling out from the open end. And it’s not just seafood that is used to make the fillings. Vegetables such as cucumbers, different kinds of meat, eggs, fried bean curd, even fruits like mangoes can be used as ingredients in this popular Japanese delicacy. Some people say that it actually originated from the Chinese, as a way of preserving fish, but it is widely accepted that it was a Japanese vendor who made it extremely popular.

Yohei Hanasa, a street-food stall owner in nineteenth-century Tokyo, then called Edo, started selling hand-formed fingers of vinegared rice and raw fish to workers on a short break, travelers looking for something to eat or just about anyone who happened to be hungry. His products, called nigiri-zushi, roughly translated as “hand-formed rice snack” became so well liked that other vendors followed his lead, and nigiri-zushi stalls started popping up everywhere. Nowadays more commonly called “sushi”, it has become popular not only in Japan but also all around the world.

Carlito's Way: The Steak Revolution

For so long, steak lovers used to patronize a particular steak house named after the owner. It got to the point that steaks became synonymous with the name of the restaurant (or owner, take your pick). I don't know exactly what happened, but Cebuanos seemed to have stopped patronizing this particular steak house. Maybe because their steaks were too expensive, or maybe the steaks weren't as good anymore, I don't really know. Pass by the restaurant and more often than not, there'd be no cars parked in front of the place.

Anyways, with the entry of Carlito's Way, steak lovers now have a place to call home. With their inexpensive steaks, friendly staff and cozy interior, who wouldn't want to have a meal at Carlito's Way?

In less than a year's time, they seemed to have gained a following among Cebuanos. And because of this, not one but two branches are opening. I guess I was right when I said that soon, Cebu will know steaks by another name.

Talk about bang for the buck. How about P395.00 for a 300 gram steak with cole slaw and mashed potatoes? They also got other stuff like gambas (shrimp sauteed in butter with garlic and peppers) and lengua (ox tongue with mushrooms and a creamy sauce).

By the way, this was supposed to have been posted a couple of days ago, I don't know what went wrong, but it never went on the web until now. Oh well, the perils of technology.

a mobster's haven in cebu

DIMLY lighted, wine bottles on the walls, soft music playing in the background, the interiors a cross between a Mediterranean villa and an Italian trattoria, this cozy restaurant located along A.S. Fortuna St. near the Adoration Convent of Divine Mercy exudes an old-world charm not found in most of the new establishments springing up in and around Cebu City. With the ambience reminiscent of a gangster’s favorite eating-place or watering hole, you’d half-expect to see Don Michael Corleone, Tony Montana and Lefty Ruggiero clinking glasses and counting the day’s take while being served by Charlie Brigante as Officer Frank Serpico glances at them furtively from another table.

Cinematic characters notwithstanding, underworld activities are not the norm at Carlito’s Way Steakhouse. Rather, the byword here is “beef.” The brainchild of Raul Baron and Leon Quimpo, two Ateneans with a taste for bovine-based meals, Carlito’s Way represents their love for the ultimate masculine fare, the steak. The duo being both self-confessed Al Pacino fans, the restaurant might very well be a tribute and a shrine to the legendary actor. Testimony to this are the various Al Pacino posters hanging on one wall of the establishment.

Diners at Carlito’s Way can choose to start their meals with Raul’s and Leon’s iteration of the traditional salpicao, a delicious plateful of tender beef cutlets sautéed in oil and served with a sprinkling of herbs. Christened “Salpacino” by the owners, this dish, usually eaten as an appetizer, can also be enjoyed as the main viand in a meal or as something to partake of with a beer or even a glass of wine.

Another wonderful complement to a bottle of beer would be their Bacon Mushrooms. Made from round bacon and mushrooms cooked in oil, it offers beer drinkers an alternative to the more commonplace pica-pica such as chicharon, sisig or pork belly.

First-time patrons should definitely try the Lengua Champignon, ox tongue and mushrooms drenched in a rich creamy sauce, topped with garlic flakes. With the ox tongue so tender it practically melts in one’s mouth, it comes as no surprise that the recipe is a well-kept secret.

Of course, steaks are king in a steakhouse, and the steaks at Carlito’s Way are definitely something to look forward to. Grilled on a rock grill using heated lava rock, the steaks come out cooked nicely, without the usual charred edges and smoky taste that come from charcoal grilling. The steaks are served with soup, buttered vegetables, a choice between rice and mashed potatoes and an excellent creamy gravy.

From their inch-thick flank steak to their rib-eye steak to their massive, 280-gram T-bone, the steaks at this restaurant not only taste really good, they also come at very affordable prices. Those who prefer chicken or fish need not despair, too, as Carlito’s Way also serves chicken and fish dishes as well as sandwiches.

With steak houses in Cebu so few and far between, Carlito’s Way comes as a welcome addition to the dining establishments found in the city. With the kind of reception they’ve received from Cebu’s hard-to-please diners, it’s quite obvious the meticulous Cebuanos have taken to steaks done Carlito’s Way.

And as Raul and Leon hope, soon Cebu will know steaks by another name.

This article was published in SunStar Cebu Lifestyle Section.

HOLY COW!

While most people go to restaurants expecting to be served, dining at Sumibi Yakiniku Tajimaya, at the far end of Crossroads Arcade may hold a surprise for most people, and may serve as a challenge for the culinary skills-impaired. It’s a relatively do-it-yourself affair at this Japanese restaurant. Customers come in, get seated, order their food, and are provided the ingredients for their main course.

Provided? Yes, ingredients are provided, as in, the customer is expected to cook the main courses of grilled beef on their own. A charcoal grill set in the middle of the table is meant for this activity, and while the staff is always at hand to help out, diners are encouraged to perform this particular task to fully enjoy the experience.

Named after the old province of Tajima in Japan, in what is now known as Hyogo Prefecture, Sumibi Yakiniku Tajimaya serves the very excellent Wagyu beef. Defenders of Kobe beef need not cry out, as Wagyu and Kobe beef are actually the same kind, Wagyu being the breed of cattle and Kobe, the capital of present-day Hyogo. With its intense marbling, the extra-special Wagyu beef comes out subtly flavorful, tender and juicy without the graininess that comes with other types of beef. Beef lovers, especially those who love steak, will definitely have a field day at this restaurant.

Most noteworthy among the beef dishes available at Tajimaya are the Wagyu Karubi, or special boneless short ribs, the Jou Gyu Tan, beef tongue lightly seasoned with salt, and the very impressive Wagyu Tokujou Saroin, the Japanese version of an extra special sirloin steak. All these are served raw and ready for cooking, arriving at the customers’ table already thinly sliced and delicately seasoned. A word of advice for the eager cook-to-be: Wagyu beef, because of the fine balance of the fat and meat content, should be cooked as fast as possible to keep the flavor and juices in and to reduce shrinkage. Less than a minute’s worth of searing on each side should be enough to cook the cutlets yet retain its delicate flavoring. Any more than that and the result would be a charred strip of beef not worth eating. “Rare” is the operative word when cooking Wagyu beef. A plateful of Sancyu, or fresh lettuce leaves, is also served as a complement to the grilled beef. Meant to be wrapped around the thin slices of beef and dipped in a soybean-based sauce, it gives an interesting tang to the already savory Wagyu beef.

Even as the restaurant’s menu revolves around the many iterations of Wagyu beef, other dishes are also available such as the Tegutan Kuppa. A spicy miso soup with rice and egg, it demonstrates the expertise of the Japanese in creating great tasting food from otherwise simple ingredients. Customers who prefer to have rice with their meals and yet are still looking for something more exotic than the usual Japanese-style fried rice would do well to order the Ishiyaki Bibinba, sizzling rice with mixed vegetables and topped with egg. Aside from being a great supplement to the main course, it brings an artistic touch to the table. The stone pot the rice is served in adds an interesting, Zen-like aspect to an already interesting dish.

A lot of people see even the more common types of Japanese food as an acquired taste: raw fish, seafood and tofu. At Sumibi Yakiniku Tajimaya, diners get something both familiar and different all at once. Familiar in the sense that Cebuanos love grilled food, and different, not only because of the kind of beef used, but also because of the experience of cooking and eating at the same time. By introducing Wagyu beef and the yakiniku style of cooking into the market, Sumibi Yakiniku Tajimaya gives Cebuano diners a whole new look at Japanese cuisine.

This article was published in SunStar Cebu Lifestyle section

...definitely not chicken soup, but still good for the soul...

When you think of it, the popular batchoy is kind of a puzzle. Is it just a snack or a meal on its own? The answer may be irrelevant, as food is not exactly meant to be questioned, only enjoyed.

Originally an Ilonggo specialty, the humble batchoy has reached practically every major populated area in the Philippines, and has even migrated to far-flung Filipino communities in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The simplicity of this dish belies its popularity; who would have thought that it would become a favorite not only in its native La Paz, but also in the major metropolitan centers of the Philippines? Restaurants serving Filipino dishes usually feature batchoy in their menus, unquestionable proof that it is an authentic Pinoy favorite.

Composed of a savory broth, noodles, leeks for additional tang and some color, beef, innards and liver strips with bits of crunchy chicharon on top, sometimes mixed with a raw egg, the batchoy can be eaten any time of day: breakfast, lunch, supper or merienda. It’s also perfect for those night owls who have had too much to drink and wish to sober up, or those just looking for something to eat during the wee hours of the morning.

Enter Carlo’s Batchoy, located right smack along Sotero Cabahug St, possibly the busiest street in Mandaue City. Operating since 1983, Carlo’s Batchoy has become undoubtedly the most popular batchoy house in Mandaue. Its popularity led to the opening of several other outlets, not just in the outlying municipalities, but also in the hustling and bustling city of Cebu. Besides that, Carlo’s Batchoy prides itself on being the first all day-all night eatery in Mandaue, and one of the first in the province to offer 24-hour service.

Juliet R. Veloso, Carlo’s Batchoy’s operations manager explains the restaurant’s beginnings, “Caiser Casumpang, the owner, is Ilonggo, and he wanted to share this Ilonggo specialty with the Mandauehanons. Together with his wife, Zenia, they opened the first store and named it after their son.” She goes on to explain that the restaurant started out by serving just batchoy and pan de sal, “Although during the latter part of the nineties, Carlo’s Batchoy began to offer siopao and grilled food such as pork belly and pork and chicken barbecue. At present, we offer other Pinoy dishes such as sisig and dinuguan, as well as calamares, pansit molo and other favorites.”

The food at Carlo’s are all very good, possibly even better than the food at some of the pricier establishments in both Mandaue and Cebu Cities, and more importantly, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Their batchoy, however, remain the perennial favorite, the best seller. Pop into any Carlo’s Batchoy branch, especially at the main store in Mandaue, and you’ll most likely see a bowl of batchoy in front of every customer. Or if you want, ask a Mandauehanon, any true-blue Mandauehanon, where to get the best batchoy in town. Stock answer: “Basta batchoy, Carlo’s!”

This article was published in SunStar Cebu Lifestyle Section

...thanks for the memories...

I remember when I was a seventh-grader at La Salle Greenhills. It was Schoolyear 1983-1984, Fridays were half-days then, and when school ended for the week, my classmates and I would usually troop to the Greenhills Commercial Center to hang out.

Our first stop would always be for lunch, at a quaint but cozy, little-known pizza restaurant. Its pizza and lasagna was quite popular among Greenhills habitués, but otherwise unknown to people who did not frequent the area. It was almost always full of La Sallistas, and if memory serves me correctly, was called Greenwich Pizza and Pasta.

Fast forward to the year 2007, I’m now a feature writer for Sun.Star Cebu, and I suddenly find myself somehow reliving the experiences from twenty-three years before. I’m at a Greenwich restaurant, albeit in Cebu City, and I’m with some members of the media, to take part in a shortened version of their popular “Pizza-Making Camp”.

I’m an amateur cook, and I have made my own pizzas in the past, but my process involves nothing more than just putting the ingredients on top of the pie then baking it, with no system whatsoever. It’s a totally different thing at Greenwich. To paraphrase Michelle Flaherty, the band geek in American Pie, “At pizza camp, we were taught to make pizza the Greenwich way.”

First off, it was stressed that cleanliness was very important, hence the presence of the “double hand-wash” dictum. Crewmembers were required to wash their hands twice, ever so often, as they would be preparing food for other people to eat. As “trainees”, we were also expected to follow this guideline, as Greenwich officials were observing our “training period”, and we were not supposed to be given any special treatment.

As soon as we were taught how to construct a pizza, from the basic single cheese pizza to the more complicated Greenwich Special, we were set loose in their kitchen. First to go on was the secret pizza sauce, then the special cheese. The meat bits went on next, followed by small pieces of pineapple. Pepperoni slices are then placed on top in a sort of ‘x’ pattern, with bacon and mushroom slices last.

Once constructed, we placed our pizzas in a conveyor belt, where it enters an oven. Around three minutes later, almost like magic, our cooked pizzas emerge on the other side, as professionally done as can be.

According to Boggs Racaza, Area Manager for Operations, the Greenwich Pizza-Making Camp is a year-round activity held by the company, not only for children but for anyone who’s never made a pizza on their own and is interested in making one. She relates, “We even have HRM students coming in to register, for some actual experience in a professional environment.”

Though the small and cozy Greenwich I knew no longer exists, replaced by spacious, brightly-lit, well-equipped restaurants with full crews in every part of the Philippines, the smells are still there, whatever branch you may be at; more importantly, the tastes that many La Sallistas grew to love are preserved, if not made even more delicious. And when I took that bite of Greenwich pizza that I made with my own hands, all the memories of playing hooky, and chasing after Assumptionistas, came rushing back. And that famous pizza in Greenhills? It was as if we never said goodbye.

eating in the streets

I've been warned time and again against eating street food. I'm not talking about those Sabrett hotdogs being sold on the sidewalks, rather, I'm referring to the somehow exotic street food found in the streets of Philippine cities. People say they're dirty, or they're unhealthy for numerous reasons, or that nobody knows where the ingredients came from, whatever, bottom line, street food is allegedly not good for you. But yes, I do love eating street food.

My favorite is the famous (or is it infamous?) balut. It's a duck egg, with a half-formed embryo, ideally between 16 and 18 days old. You tap the wide end to make a crack, then slowly form a small hole. When the hole is wide enough, you can sprinke some sea salt or a few drops of spicy vinegar into the hole and sip the tasty liquid (can it be called broth?) found inside. When you've drunk the broth (?) inside, crack the egg open and start eating the contents. Again, sprinkle some salt, this time on the yellow yolk, and start eating. Do the same with the duck embryo. The squeamish can close their eyes if they wish, this being very forgivable especially for first timers. Personally, i don't like eating the white stuff, i don't know what it's called, but it's very hard and doesn't taste at all like anything, so not eating it isn't really that big a deal. I recently saw an episode of Fear Factor, they actually gave some firemen a thousand US dollars each for eating balut. Imagine that.

Besides balut, i also love barbecued chicken skin, chicken intestines, what Pinoys call isaw, and pork intestines, called tiripilya by people in my hometown of Teresa, Rizal.

There's also this thing called tempura that I like. No, it's not the Japanese kind, the tempura I'm talking about look like white sausages skewered on a bamboo stick. Actually, they're like elongated fishballs, I think they're made from the same stuff. Or maybe it's just the sauce I like? Each vendor has his or her own version of the sauce, maybe that's the thing. The sauces almost invariably taste good, whatever vendor I buy from. The funny thing is, these things are available at the supermarket, although they don't really taste as good when i cook it at home. Maybe it's the sauce, maybe the ambience, what do you think?

And kwek-kwek! These are quail eggs covered in orange batter and deep fried. They taste like, I don't know, quail eggs wrapped in batter? Again, maybe it's the sauce that makes it really good. Now that I'm living in Cebu, I don't really get to eat kwek-kwek anymore. I don't know why, but I can't seem to find anyone who sells these things.

...with everything on it...

Most people say the sandwich was invented in the middle of a card game. The Earl of Sandwich, stomach already growling but not wanting to leave the card table, ordered someone, perhaps his valet, or maybe his chef, to “put a slice of roast beef in between two loaves of bread.” Thus the sandwich as we know it was born.

Other people believe that the Israelites came up with the first sandwich when they put slices of lamb in between two pieces of matzo bread. Whatever school of thought one belongs to, one can be certain about one thing: sandwiches can be considered one of the best foods in the world.

Some people argue that a sandwich is a sandwich is a sandwich, that there’s no difference between a ham sandwich made at home by your wife or your mom and a ham sandwich from the local deli. Other people, however, do not subscribe to this notion. With the countless kinds of sandwiches one can find, a food enthusiast can spend the rest of his life just feasting on sandwiches.

Another argument arises from the structure and components of a sandwich. Most purists believe that sandwiches should have at least two pieces of bread with some sort of filling in between. Other people feel that pastries with fillings are also sandwiches; this includes bread and dough products like siopao and meat rolls. Still others insist that open-face sandwiches are not sandwiches at all, but are just a simplified form of pizza. Following this line of reasoning, proponents argue that a pizza is actually a form of sandwich.

It’s gotten to the point that the definition of sandwich has actually reached the courts, with a United States judge ruling that “a sandwich must have two slices of bread and not one tortilla,” stemming from a lawsuit that a sandwich restaurant filed against a shopping mall for allowing a Mexican restaurant to operate inside it’s premises. The main issue? The sandwich restaurant claimed that the burrito is actually a sandwich; therefore, the Mexican restaurant should not be able to operate inside the mall, as it serves the same kind of food that they do.

Taking all these arguments aside, it is a fact that most people do enjoy sandwiches. From the simple pan de sal with a slice of homemade goat cheese in between, or the most complicated submarine, Clubhouse or Monte Cristo sandwich you can find, there’s probably not one person in the world that can say something bad about sandwiches. Even comicbook and literary characters have been found to love sandwiches. Wimpy, Popeye’s friend, has an unnatural affinity for the hamburger sandwich. Author Lawrence Sanders’ Captain Edward X. Delaney, the main character in the Deadly Sin series, is not only a food lover but an affirmed sandwich addict, going so far to classify sandwiches into two kinds: the wet sandwich, with greasy fillings, to be eaten leaning over the sink, and the dry sandwich, with a dry filling, eaten at the table, with a newspaper to catch the crumbs.

Open-faced, single-decked, double-decked or even triple-decked, many people love sandwiches for different reasons. Some people love it for its ease in preparation. Other people, especially those under time constraints, prefer eating sandwiches because it’s so easy to eat, and one can usually finish a sandwich in ten minutes or less. Others choose sandwiches because it’s practically a full meal on its own: meat or fish, veggies and bread. Its relative inexpensiveness also makes it attractive to most people. The popularity of hamburger restaurants also attests to the love people have for sandwiches, and you can probably find at least one restaurant that serves some sort of sandwich, wherever you go. Some cities even have restaurants with menus devoted mostly to sandwiches.

Whatever its origins, whatever its ingredients, whatever its structure and components, is all but academic. For as long as there is a slice of bread, or two, three even, for as long as there is a baguette, a hotdog bun, or, purists notwithstanding, a tortilla, and there is something you can use for a filling, be it cured meats, poultry, fish, butter, cheese or most anything with flavor, it is a foregone conclusion that sandwiches will remain a perennial favorite, that sandwiches are here to stay. And yes, both my wife and my mom make spectacular sandwiches.

of beef jerky, garlic fried rice and a sunny side up egg...

The 1950’s was an era that saw the emergence of many things American: huge, fin-tailed automobiles, the soda fountain, drive-in movies, the jukebox, rock and roll, prairie skirts, bobbie socks and leather jackets. It was also a time when, in the Philippines, reconstruction was going on. Filipinos, hand-in-hand with their American cousins, worked towards the rebuilding of bombed-out Manila.

Unknown to many, the 1950’s also saw the introduction of one of the most popular meals in the country today. Bringing with them their taste for beef jerky, Americans began sharing this food with the Filipinos. Then it was somehow discovered that the salty, jerked beef went very well with the local version of garlic fried rice, called sinangag. Add to the mix both the Filipinos’ and Americans’ liking for the fried egg and an honest-to-goodness satisfying meal was invented. Whether it was the Americans who actually discovered this combination, or the enterprising Filipino carenderia owners who did, still remains to be determined, although some people agree that a small eatery in Paranaque was one of the first establishments to serve this dish.

What is definite, however, is that the tapsilog, as this meal came to be called, grew to be so popular that quite a number of eateries quickly came up with their own versions of it. In fact, it grew so much in popularity that a lot of people mistakenly believed that it was purely a Filipino creation, completely disregarding the Americans’ contribution of the beef jerky so important to the concept. Manila in the early 1980’s experienced a tapsilog explosion, with restaurants popping up here and there; variations of the meal were then discovered, such as the tosilog, with tocino replacing the tapa, and longsilog, with longganisa. Cebu soon followed in the early nineties, with a handful of tapsilog outlets mushrooming around the city.

What's also interesting to note is the use of the word tapa. Obviously this was taken from the Spanish "tapas", or appetizer, although common usage in the Philippines led it to mean a seasoned beef dish. Another thing, there are so many recipes for beef tapa that no one can can really claim that they use the original recipe in making it: at best, it's always made "the way lola made it."

calling a spade a spade

It’s around 9:00 pm, Election Day, May 14, 2007 and my wife and I are at a “Cuban-inspired” restaurant near (or is it part of?) the Ayala Entertainment Center. Perusing the menu, I came across entries described as “Spanish this”, “Valenciana that”, and some other food that are not customarily associated with Cuba, such as hummus, chicharon and a “something-Orientale”, chicken, I think. I ask Charleen, my wife, “Hey, I thought this was a Cuban restaurant?” We look at each other in wonder, and start nitpicking, haha.

First off, the sisig: I didn’t know they had sisig in Cuba. And why exactly is a “something-Orientale” being served in a “Cuban” restaurant? Most glaring on their menu was PASTA and PIZZA. What the fuck? In a “Cuban” fucking restaurant? No matter that the restaurant is supposed to be owned by a group that runs some of the best restaurants in the Philippines, when I want pizza or pasta, I’d go to an Italian restaurant, definitely not a “Cuban” restaurant. At the very least, for pizza, I’d go to Shakey’s, Greenwich, Pizza Hut, Yellow Cab, Da Vinci’s, Domino’s or whatever pizza restaurant is nearest. Heck I’d eat those generic pizzas being sold on the streets if there’s no other alternative and I’m absolutely dying for a slice. For pasta, I’d probably just cook it at home, if I’m too lazy to go out, or if my budget is pretty tight. But pizza and pasta in a “Cuban” restaurant? Who gives a fuck that the ingredients supposedly come from Cuba, or the dish is “Cuban-inspired”? Pizza is pizza, pasta is pasta, and they’re both Italian in nature, as Italian as la dolce vita, as Italian as the red Ferrari 550 Maranello I always dream of but know I will never own.

Then I realized how much I dislike restaurants that label themselves as this or that, or follow a particular “theme”, such as this now-defunct restaurant near the Iglesia ni Cristo Church along Mango Avenue. It was named after someplace in Morocco, the same place where Pepe le Pew hangs out, anyways, they had, ta-da, porkchops! Yup. And sisig. No kidding. Sure, they had hash pipes, “shisha” they called it, but still, porkchops and sisig? Isn’t Morocco a Muslim country? That fact alone should have warned the owner to lay off on the pork dishes. Besides the pork dishes, they had tapsilog, gambas and a whole bunch of other food that ideally shouldn’t be served in a “Moroccan” restaurant. And I don’t think I ever saw couscous on the menu.

On the same note, a restaurant in Crossroads Arcade started out by serving “Spanish” food. A couple of weeks later, they began serving ‘diner’ food, maybe because they saw the diner a couple of doors down getting a lot of customers. And what about this coffee shop in Skyrise Building? For a short time, they started serving of all things, NACHOS. Nice combination, nachos and coffee. Wow. Obviously they were trying to steal some business from the Mexican place beside them, but come on, nachos and coffee? Gimme a break.

I mean, if you’re going to open a restaurant, do it right. If you’re going with a theme, stick to it. If you’re going with food that’s identified with one country, stick to it. Don’t freaking confuse the customer by including food from another country. If you’re going to serve a whole shitload of dishes from different countries, don’t bother labeling your restaurant as “Spanish” or “Moroccan” or “Cuban” or whatever. Like, what’s the point of calling your establishment a Japanese restaurant if you’re also going to serve pochero?