WHETHER they’re long, white noodles with rich meat sauce or short, orange noodles with slices of hotdogs the size of 25-centavo coins, most people consider spaghetti as comfort food. With the opening of The Old Spaghetti House, spaghetti lovers can discover the many different variations of this all-time favorite.
Located at the upper ground level of SM Cebu, in between a popular bakeshop and a chicken restaurant, The Old Spaghetti House, or Tosh for short, offers a wide selection of spaghetti-based dishes. While they do serve other kinds of pasta, rice dishes (like the delicious salpicao with garlic rice), kiddie meals, combo meals and desserts (like their mud pie and colossal chocolate chip cookie a la mode), it’s the spaghetti that will make you come back for more.
The classic spaghetti Bolognese at Tosh should please most spaghetti lovers, with its flavorful meat sauce seasoned with herbs and spices, while the restaurant’s kiddie spaghetti is the way a lot of kids (and even adults!) like it: slightly sweet and distinctively Pinoy-style. And it’s not all red-sauced spaghetti that’s available at Tosh.
The restaurant’s chicken and mushroom spaghetti is a good introduction to the more sophisticated versions of the dish. The basic sauce is creamy and garlicky at the same time, and its flavor is complemented by the slivers of chicken and mushroom that make up the body of the sauce.
Those who are looking for more than just spaghetti should definitely try the pepper-crusted fish with spaghettini. The white dory fillets are covered with a light, peppery crust and are a delight to eat. The spaghettini, which are slightly smaller than the regular spaghetti noodles, are tossed with a tasty, garlicky basil, tomato and oil-based sauce. Customers won’t go wrong in ordering this particular dish.
Another pasta and chicken dish that’s worthy of mention is the golden-crusted chicken crepe served with angel hair pasta. The chicken crepe greatly resembles a chicken cordon bleu, although instead of just breading, the chicken, ham and cheese are wrapped in a crepe then deep-fried. The angel hair pasta, looking much like sotanghon noodles except they’re a bit bigger in diameter, is slathered with a pretty good pomodoro sauce. Made from tomatoes, olive oil and basil, the pasta pomodoro is a good choice for the health-conscious.
The present economic crisis notwithstanding, most of us still would want to eat out, whether it’s to celebrate a special occasion or just to cheer ourselves up with some comfort food. Still, most of us would want to eat at a place where we can get a lot of bang for our buck. This is the norm at The Old Spaghetti House: good food at reasonable prices.
What a comfort!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Christmas, Cooking and Crispy Pata
“CHRISTMAS in Poland is not much different from Christmas in the Philippines,” explains Cebu City Marriott Hotel’s executive chef Witold Sczcechura, or Witek (pronounced “Vitek”) for short. He adds, “It is also full of family gatherings.”
That said, food and family became a perfect combination for chef Witek. When he was 12, he helped run his family’s restaurant in his native country of Poland. While he acquired most of his basic cooking skills working for his mother, he still attended culinary college in Poland and interned in Switzerland.
His professional culinary duties have led him to spend the last 10 years in Asia, the last two here in Cebu. Ever the culinaryexplorer, he confesses to a liking for crispy pata, which he says reminds him of roasted pork knuckles, a traditional Polish dish. Besides this, he also likes bulalo and is intent on getting a taste of dugo-dugo and chicharong bulaklak.
“The best way to discover the local taste is to try the street food,” chef Witek says. And according to him, “Working in the kitchen gives a person opportunities to learn more about other cultures.” Expressing a love for the culinary arts, he advises aspiring chefs to “love what you do, otherwise you won’t be successful in this profession.”
That said, food and family became a perfect combination for chef Witek. When he was 12, he helped run his family’s restaurant in his native country of Poland. While he acquired most of his basic cooking skills working for his mother, he still attended culinary college in Poland and interned in Switzerland.
His professional culinary duties have led him to spend the last 10 years in Asia, the last two here in Cebu. Ever the culinaryexplorer, he confesses to a liking for crispy pata, which he says reminds him of roasted pork knuckles, a traditional Polish dish. Besides this, he also likes bulalo and is intent on getting a taste of dugo-dugo and chicharong bulaklak.
“The best way to discover the local taste is to try the street food,” chef Witek says. And according to him, “Working in the kitchen gives a person opportunities to learn more about other cultures.” Expressing a love for the culinary arts, he advises aspiring chefs to “love what you do, otherwise you won’t be successful in this profession.”
Discotheque
THE word conjures up images of the 70s when the discotheque, or disco for short, became popular. Roughly meaning “disc library,” the discotheque boasted a wide collection of vinyl records, or discs, hence the name. As technology gave rise to CDs and digital audio files, DJs turned their backs on vinyl, preferring to use the more compact forms of recorded audio.
Still, some like it old school. One new establishment that prefers to do it the old way is AK&7, at The Gallery along Juan Luna Ave. While they do have the standard professional DJ-type CD players, they also maintain a pair of disco-duty turntables, lorded over by a couple of DJs who’ve done their share of spinning both vinyl and digital audio. According to Joshua, Ak&7’s marketing guy, the establishment hopes to be known as one of the places in the city to cater to the house music crowd, referring to the emerging “club” scene in Cebu.
And it’s pretty obvious they’re serious about giving club kids a nice place to hang out in. Interiors are well thought-out: an evidently well-stocked bar greets you as you enter, while plush, comfortable stools and booths beckon you to take a seat.
Big shots need not be concerned too, as AK&7 does have VIP accommodations at the second level. If stuffy, smoke-filled bars and clubs aren’t exactly your style, you don’t have to miss out on the AK&7 experience as they have an al fresco area right out front.
The place serves a wide variety of drinks, from mocktails to margaritas to Moet & Chandon. Bar chow isn’t an issue as well; the menu lists such items as mini-pizzas, gambas, grilled squid and fish nuggets.
People have been saying that the nightlife in Cebu is becoming more and more mature; AK&7’s entry into the scene provesthat yes, Cebuanos do take their partying seriously. While AK&7 has yet to prove that it can party with the best of them, one thing is certain enough: AK&7 is definitely a welcome addition to Cebu’s nightlife.
+++Last time I heard, this establishment was being sold...Does anyone know if this is true?
Still, some like it old school. One new establishment that prefers to do it the old way is AK&7, at The Gallery along Juan Luna Ave. While they do have the standard professional DJ-type CD players, they also maintain a pair of disco-duty turntables, lorded over by a couple of DJs who’ve done their share of spinning both vinyl and digital audio. According to Joshua, Ak&7’s marketing guy, the establishment hopes to be known as one of the places in the city to cater to the house music crowd, referring to the emerging “club” scene in Cebu.
And it’s pretty obvious they’re serious about giving club kids a nice place to hang out in. Interiors are well thought-out: an evidently well-stocked bar greets you as you enter, while plush, comfortable stools and booths beckon you to take a seat.
Big shots need not be concerned too, as AK&7 does have VIP accommodations at the second level. If stuffy, smoke-filled bars and clubs aren’t exactly your style, you don’t have to miss out on the AK&7 experience as they have an al fresco area right out front.
The place serves a wide variety of drinks, from mocktails to margaritas to Moet & Chandon. Bar chow isn’t an issue as well; the menu lists such items as mini-pizzas, gambas, grilled squid and fish nuggets.
People have been saying that the nightlife in Cebu is becoming more and more mature; AK&7’s entry into the scene provesthat yes, Cebuanos do take their partying seriously. While AK&7 has yet to prove that it can party with the best of them, one thing is certain enough: AK&7 is definitely a welcome addition to Cebu’s nightlife.
+++Last time I heard, this establishment was being sold...Does anyone know if this is true?
Asian Coffee Break
SWOOSH, the server raises the shiny metal pot and a stream of boiling hot coffee gushes out and falls into another container. Swish, the server pours the coffee back into the metal pot; he repeats this process several times until the coffee is mixed exactly as he wants it. He then serves, mixed with sugar and milk, to the customer. No, you’re not in the hawker center along Amoy Street in Singapore.
You can see this at Kopitiam Korner, at Paseo’s Phase 2 down in Panagdait, Mabolo. Owner Raul Baron thought of bringing this traditional Asian coffee drink to the Philippines, after seeing this common sight in the streets of our Asian neighbor.
If you’re tired of the noisy Seattle-style coffee shops with the servers shouting out names of the customers, then Kopitiam Korner might be a good choice for you. “I wanted a more “Asian” version of the coffee shop. The stalls that serve traditional pulled coffee in Singapore seemed the best bet.” He explains, “It’s still coffee, but with a distinct Asian feel to it. And besides, Filipinos are more fond of sweetened coffee.”
Besides pulled coffee, Kopitiam Korner also serves the traditional pulled tea found in both Malaysia and Singapore, called tea tahrik or teh tarik. A variety of Singapore-style snacks are also served like kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs. No expensive deli-style sandwiches here, just simple fare for simple people.
Kaya toast is simply a sandwich spread with a Malay-style coconut jam made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar, which is spread on one piece of bread, with butter on the other piece. The taste is very similar to the Filipino coco jam, but the eggs and butter definitely add a lot more flavor to the spread, coming out with an interesting, somewhat creamy taste. The soft-boiled eggs, on the other hand, is served very differently from the way we’re used to. Where most people just break open the egg, sprinkle it with some salt and eat it straight from the shell, Raul suggests opening the egg, dumping the contents into a bowl, then giving it a dash of soy sauce along with some salt and pepper. Using a fork, mash the egg, stir it a few times to mix all the ingredients, and scoop the mixture onto a slice of French toast. Voila! Egg-sandwich, Singapore-style.
French toast is also available with a lot of different spreads to choose from. Filipinos being a snack-eating people, the food is a welcome addition to one’s afternoon coffee break.
While an afternoon at Kopitiam Korner is not a substitute for a visit to Singapore, it is a welcome change from the usual coffee shop: no noisy servers, more food choices and more importantly, a place where you can actually enjoy your coffee.
You can see this at Kopitiam Korner, at Paseo’s Phase 2 down in Panagdait, Mabolo. Owner Raul Baron thought of bringing this traditional Asian coffee drink to the Philippines, after seeing this common sight in the streets of our Asian neighbor.
If you’re tired of the noisy Seattle-style coffee shops with the servers shouting out names of the customers, then Kopitiam Korner might be a good choice for you. “I wanted a more “Asian” version of the coffee shop. The stalls that serve traditional pulled coffee in Singapore seemed the best bet.” He explains, “It’s still coffee, but with a distinct Asian feel to it. And besides, Filipinos are more fond of sweetened coffee.”
Besides pulled coffee, Kopitiam Korner also serves the traditional pulled tea found in both Malaysia and Singapore, called tea tahrik or teh tarik. A variety of Singapore-style snacks are also served like kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs. No expensive deli-style sandwiches here, just simple fare for simple people.
Kaya toast is simply a sandwich spread with a Malay-style coconut jam made from coconut milk, eggs and sugar, which is spread on one piece of bread, with butter on the other piece. The taste is very similar to the Filipino coco jam, but the eggs and butter definitely add a lot more flavor to the spread, coming out with an interesting, somewhat creamy taste. The soft-boiled eggs, on the other hand, is served very differently from the way we’re used to. Where most people just break open the egg, sprinkle it with some salt and eat it straight from the shell, Raul suggests opening the egg, dumping the contents into a bowl, then giving it a dash of soy sauce along with some salt and pepper. Using a fork, mash the egg, stir it a few times to mix all the ingredients, and scoop the mixture onto a slice of French toast. Voila! Egg-sandwich, Singapore-style.
French toast is also available with a lot of different spreads to choose from. Filipinos being a snack-eating people, the food is a welcome addition to one’s afternoon coffee break.
While an afternoon at Kopitiam Korner is not a substitute for a visit to Singapore, it is a welcome change from the usual coffee shop: no noisy servers, more food choices and more importantly, a place where you can actually enjoy your coffee.
Out of Africa
IMAGINE it a safari, but instead of the spectacle of wild animals, it’s the culinary essences of South Africa you savor.
At the invitation of the Ambassador of South Africa Pieter Vermeulen and his wife Chrisma, with the cooperation of TheCebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu and Darras + Bowler, members of society, industry and media were treated to a fine South African meal. It is something most of us have not had the opportunity to experience before.
It’s not roots and grubs and exotic ingredients; rather, the meal we had was as gourmet as can be, with the ingredients imported from South Africa. The extraordinary dishes were prepared by chef Beate and chef Susina, also flown in especially for the occasion.
A cream-based soup started the meal, and it signaled the beginning of our foray into the cuisine of South Africa. The creamy soup base was poured over pieces of blue cheese and air-dried beef jerky known as biltong. I’d read about this a long time ago, being mentioned in Wilbur Smith novels, and I’d always wanted to taste it. I would have to say that my expectations were surpassed; it was better than I ever expected it to be. The soup course was followed by braised snoek, which is a kind of elongated fish found in the Atlantic Ocean.
The carpaccio that night was made from an antelope called a kudu, and it had sort of the same texture as deer meat.It was as tasty as any carpaccio made from beef that I’ve ever eaten. The bobotie was also pretty interesting, made from minced meat and had a very faint citrus taste.
Overall, it tastes like a top-of-the-line sisig, something Pinoy beer drinkers would definitely enjoy. Barbecued lamb was served with the bobotie, and was excellent as well, although my favorite that night would have to be the sausage South Africans call boerewors, probably derived from boer or farmer, and wurst for sausage. Sidings were couscous, pickled mangoes and chackalaka, similar to the local atchara.
South Africa has always conjured up images of adventure, exploration and discovery, and it was indeed a night of adventure, and discovery that night at the South African food and wine festival at the Marco Polo.
At the invitation of the Ambassador of South Africa Pieter Vermeulen and his wife Chrisma, with the cooperation of TheCebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu and Darras + Bowler, members of society, industry and media were treated to a fine South African meal. It is something most of us have not had the opportunity to experience before.
It’s not roots and grubs and exotic ingredients; rather, the meal we had was as gourmet as can be, with the ingredients imported from South Africa. The extraordinary dishes were prepared by chef Beate and chef Susina, also flown in especially for the occasion.
A cream-based soup started the meal, and it signaled the beginning of our foray into the cuisine of South Africa. The creamy soup base was poured over pieces of blue cheese and air-dried beef jerky known as biltong. I’d read about this a long time ago, being mentioned in Wilbur Smith novels, and I’d always wanted to taste it. I would have to say that my expectations were surpassed; it was better than I ever expected it to be. The soup course was followed by braised snoek, which is a kind of elongated fish found in the Atlantic Ocean.
The carpaccio that night was made from an antelope called a kudu, and it had sort of the same texture as deer meat.It was as tasty as any carpaccio made from beef that I’ve ever eaten. The bobotie was also pretty interesting, made from minced meat and had a very faint citrus taste.
Overall, it tastes like a top-of-the-line sisig, something Pinoy beer drinkers would definitely enjoy. Barbecued lamb was served with the bobotie, and was excellent as well, although my favorite that night would have to be the sausage South Africans call boerewors, probably derived from boer or farmer, and wurst for sausage. Sidings were couscous, pickled mangoes and chackalaka, similar to the local atchara.
South Africa has always conjured up images of adventure, exploration and discovery, and it was indeed a night of adventure, and discovery that night at the South African food and wine festival at the Marco Polo.
Maria Clara Cafe
COFFEE shops are places where you can hang out, ergo, it’s not unusual to find people who stay in coffee shops for hours at a time. Of course, man does not live on coffee alone, so occasionally, the need to partake of a good sandwich comes along.
At Maria Clara Café, along Minoza St. in Talamban, just across the corner from the sports complex, coffee and sandwiches mix, and they mix particularly well. Maria Clara Café has brewed coffee, cappuccino, frappucino, and what they call “choco loco” which is coffee with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Besides the coffees, they also offer sikwate, or native hot chocolate. They actually played around with the sikwate, and they have four different kinds. It may sound pretty bizarre, but the sikwate with mango syrup and the sikwate with siling espada taste good. Different, but good.
A visit to the café is not going be complete if you don’t have at least one of their sandwiches. They have a nice variety of sandwiches, served with different kinds of bread. Bagel lovers should try out the pastrami and cream cheese bagel, a favorite among foreigners, while those looking for a more Filipino taste should give the humba pan de sal a taste. Meat eaters have two great-tasting items to choose from, the panini corned beef and roast beef on rye. The café’s salami submarine sandwich is also a great choice, and big enough to share with someone.
Aside from the coffees, native hot chocolate and sandwiches, they also have milkshakes, wines and imported beers like Tsingtao, Oettinger and Guinness Stout. Incidentally, the place also offers different kinds of breads, bagels, donuts and cakes, and an all-day breakfast.
With all the goodies they offer, from the beverages, to the sandwiches and pastries, the café isn’t just another coffee shop. It’s a nice blend of coffee shop, snack bar, diner and watering hole, but without the loud noises and other distractions commonly found in other establishments. There’s also a nice blend of sophistication and quaint, down-home goodness found in the cafe. As cafés go, Maria Clara Café seems to have everything in place, and most importantly, there’s that welcoming quality that you sense the moment you enter the premises.
+++I'm not sure if the original branch is still open, but I think there's a branch in front of USC in Talamban
At Maria Clara Café, along Minoza St. in Talamban, just across the corner from the sports complex, coffee and sandwiches mix, and they mix particularly well. Maria Clara Café has brewed coffee, cappuccino, frappucino, and what they call “choco loco” which is coffee with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Besides the coffees, they also offer sikwate, or native hot chocolate. They actually played around with the sikwate, and they have four different kinds. It may sound pretty bizarre, but the sikwate with mango syrup and the sikwate with siling espada taste good. Different, but good.
A visit to the café is not going be complete if you don’t have at least one of their sandwiches. They have a nice variety of sandwiches, served with different kinds of bread. Bagel lovers should try out the pastrami and cream cheese bagel, a favorite among foreigners, while those looking for a more Filipino taste should give the humba pan de sal a taste. Meat eaters have two great-tasting items to choose from, the panini corned beef and roast beef on rye. The café’s salami submarine sandwich is also a great choice, and big enough to share with someone.
Aside from the coffees, native hot chocolate and sandwiches, they also have milkshakes, wines and imported beers like Tsingtao, Oettinger and Guinness Stout. Incidentally, the place also offers different kinds of breads, bagels, donuts and cakes, and an all-day breakfast.
With all the goodies they offer, from the beverages, to the sandwiches and pastries, the café isn’t just another coffee shop. It’s a nice blend of coffee shop, snack bar, diner and watering hole, but without the loud noises and other distractions commonly found in other establishments. There’s also a nice blend of sophistication and quaint, down-home goodness found in the cafe. As cafés go, Maria Clara Café seems to have everything in place, and most importantly, there’s that welcoming quality that you sense the moment you enter the premises.
+++I'm not sure if the original branch is still open, but I think there's a branch in front of USC in Talamban
Cantina in Cebu
When I was in highschool, My friends and I used to hang out in a popular Mexican restaurant in Makati. We hung out there not to eat, but to meet girls and have more than a few drinks, or have a few drinks then meet girls. I'm much older now, but Mexican restaurants still hold that attraction for me, if only to reminisce about my high school days. Which is why I was more than happy to write about Jose Maria's Bistro, at The Gallery along Juan Luna Avenue.
Not only does it serve almost the same kind of food, it even has a name very similar to my old high school haunt. And whenever my old school chums get together, we usually end up hanging out at Jose Maria's. Maybe it's the food, maybe it's the booze, maybe it's the memories, maybe it's all three that bring us there.
Foodies and business partners Jomai Azanza and Rachel Israel have put together a pretty good cantina, serving good food and drinks at perfectly reasonable prices. The place has two levels, with the second floor able to hold around 40 people at a time. Several tables can be found right in front of the restaurant, perfect for the smoking customers. The friendly staff is always alert, so whether you're on the second floor, outside, or in the cozy first level, ordering is not a problem.
Diners will be very pleased to see that Jose Maria's menu is not composed of purely Mexican dishes. Of course, there are the usual tacos, quesadillas and fajitas, but mixed in are items such as baby back ribs, pizza and herbed pork chops. Diners should definitely try the Chili Relleno. Green chilies stuffed with ground beef, it's a great complement to a bottle of cerveza. Be careful though as the spiciness kind of creeps up on you; the first taste is okay, but then you feel the heat building up then suddenly kicks in. And then you order another bottle of beer. It's pretty addictive, but then so is Jose Maria's fish fillet topped with mango salsa. The fish is very tender, and its subtle flavor is enhanced by the mango bits. Among the items in the menu, I'd say these two are the highlights.
Truth be told, Jose Maria's isn't really for the party nor the chill-out crowd. It's actually more suited to groups who just want to have a nice time hanging out with each other. Trendiness isn't even a requisite trait at this restaurant; call me old, but all you need to hang out at Jose Maria's is an appreciation of satisfying food, cold refreshing beer, and good company.
Not only does it serve almost the same kind of food, it even has a name very similar to my old high school haunt. And whenever my old school chums get together, we usually end up hanging out at Jose Maria's. Maybe it's the food, maybe it's the booze, maybe it's the memories, maybe it's all three that bring us there.
Foodies and business partners Jomai Azanza and Rachel Israel have put together a pretty good cantina, serving good food and drinks at perfectly reasonable prices. The place has two levels, with the second floor able to hold around 40 people at a time. Several tables can be found right in front of the restaurant, perfect for the smoking customers. The friendly staff is always alert, so whether you're on the second floor, outside, or in the cozy first level, ordering is not a problem.
Diners will be very pleased to see that Jose Maria's menu is not composed of purely Mexican dishes. Of course, there are the usual tacos, quesadillas and fajitas, but mixed in are items such as baby back ribs, pizza and herbed pork chops. Diners should definitely try the Chili Relleno. Green chilies stuffed with ground beef, it's a great complement to a bottle of cerveza. Be careful though as the spiciness kind of creeps up on you; the first taste is okay, but then you feel the heat building up then suddenly kicks in. And then you order another bottle of beer. It's pretty addictive, but then so is Jose Maria's fish fillet topped with mango salsa. The fish is very tender, and its subtle flavor is enhanced by the mango bits. Among the items in the menu, I'd say these two are the highlights.
Truth be told, Jose Maria's isn't really for the party nor the chill-out crowd. It's actually more suited to groups who just want to have a nice time hanging out with each other. Trendiness isn't even a requisite trait at this restaurant; call me old, but all you need to hang out at Jose Maria's is an appreciation of satisfying food, cold refreshing beer, and good company.
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