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.