Crystal Jade's Xiao Long Bao and KungFu Panda ;)

There we were at Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao in Greenhills last Wednesday and instead of feeling ecstatic, I was lifeless. I know I've got my appetite all worked up with the help of my wonderful Korean food blog, but I wasn't still able to eat much. Blame it on my hormones and those some-not-so-good-issues I had to deal with that night. And though we were in a rush (we weren't even able to stroll and buy something.) *super sadface* we still took the opportunity to try their xiao long bao and some noodle. I could have eaten much more, *sayang* but I will just do that next time. 

Noodle with Pork and Peanut in Spicy Sauce (around P300)

 THE great Xiao Long Bao (around P150 for 5pcs)

 Photos taken from Nikki (my NikonD5000)

I wasn't even able to scan the menu because my good mood was snatched away from me by the moment. My bad :( Nevertheless, Crystal Jade didn't disappoint me. The food was great and was enough to make me smile :) It was love at first sip for the noodle soup. It has the right peanut-y taste and was like a chinese kare kare for me, only I wouldn't want to have bagoong for it :p It has the right spicy taste which didn't burn my tongue and for around Php300, it can be shared for 2-3 persons. The Steamed Soup-y Pork Dumpling or the Xiao Long Bao oh my xiao long bao need to do NO effort to make me love it too. I wasn't a xiao long bao fanatic, nor do I crave for it like I do with siomai and pork spareribs but I guess, Crystal Jade has taught me the yumminess of it too. Their xiao long bao was so good that it has made me miss Po (Kung fu Panda) and made me look forward to 2011 for Kung fu Panda 2 :D

Spotted: Claire dela Fuente and Bettina Carlos

A date to be rescheduled ;)

I was so sure from the time I woke up this morning, that I will be going out tonight on a date! With the person I'm most comfortable with --- Me, Myself and I!!! It has been a while since I went out alone so I would have really wanted to try it out tonight since I won't be meeting bf, my girl friends were not available and I am scheduled for my IPL tonight after work. So it was really supposedly a night of Me-time, only to find out after arriving at work early in the morning, that our center has no power supply! And that meant, we nurses have to bring our patients to another center which is in PASIG. I live in Mandaluyong, went all my way to my work in Marikina AND learned that we were going back to Pasig for our dear patients treatments (Toinks for me =p)

And though I (we all did) welcomed the thought happily, I finished the 12 hour shift feeling SO tired (capital S-O. talaga). I found myself still wanting to push through MY date but I know I just don't have the energy for it anymore. I was so tired that I was able to snooze on my way home. (I cancelled my IPL sched nadin) 

For dinner, I knew I needed something to eat but I also wasn't as up for it anymore so I just dropped by the convenience store near my place and decided to buy a cup of yakisoba. Hehe. And I also bought hot & spicy Nagaraya, Nestle chocolate milk drink, was happy to see a box of Curly Tops and bought it as well. 

Dinner for the tired loner Me :p

Photos from my trusted Motorola 1200 :)

I only was able to prepare the Yakisoba and left everything else in the fridge. (After ofcourse, the 'picturepicture'!!) I was glad that though nobody was home, I was able to find some hot water for 'my dinner' ;) Guess I'll just reschedule my ME time some other time. And hopefully I'll be able to do then everything I have planned doing tonight ;p

Wonderful Korean food in Malate :)

As I wait here at home for Bf to pick me up for our Christmas shopping and Xiao Long Bao fix at Greenhills, I delight myself in wondering and dreaming all about our Korean Restaurant experience in Malate. It's just this year that I tried and really enjoyed eating Korean food. Thanks to my foodie buddy. Hehe. My bf/fb (Foodie Buddy nga :P)

Off we went to this Korean Restaurant that my bf would refer to as a hole in the wall kainan. But it's not as hole in the wall as those other hole in the walls we knew. hehe. Whatever, yaya! The place says "Machang Place" - Aww excuse and forgive me for my memory problem. Basta it was something like that :p

Photo taken from my old and trusted Motorola 1200 (and so are the other photos)

It has this Korean vibe mainly because their patrons are 'authentic' Koreans. ;) (As I am doing this blog, I can sense craziness and "hyperness" in me. Or am I just feeling hungry as always?!) 

We were served soups and appetizers as we waited for our order. Bf did the ordering because I didn't know what to have. I just know that I wanted some grilled meat with my lettuce! :D

The waiter recommended their best sellers and we ordered one of their imported beefs and one local pork :)

Appetizers came: Kimchi, turnip (not sure because I didn't taste it :p) onion leeks

 This is not an appetizer but it's a sauce. I really enjoyed eating that I only remembered taking a picture of this salty-yummy sauce after almost consuming it all :p

And this is what we had. Bf had rice to go with the grilled beef and pork while I ate and enjoyed it with MY lettuce.

I totally enjoyed the food - the beef and the pork with the korean sauce plus the onion leeks inside the rolled lettuce then dipped in their salty-peppery-oily sauce! Ah!! It has been 4 days from that night and I am still dreaming about it. Maybe just maybe, I have found my match. Hehe. I'll be back Machang, soon! :P

God is a God who provides

Christmas day is fast approaching, and so are my thoughts. They are beginning to fill me up-- the things I think I need, gifts I have to buy, food and restaurants I have to try, even the places I wanna visit soon.

I know some of those things are unnecessary that's why I told and convinced myself of leaving all those things up to God's hands :) My 13th month pay won't even accomodate for all the gifts I want to buy for my family and friends. If I accept all those thoughts and 'thinkings', I would just allow fear, insecurity and worry to get the best of me. God gives good gifts. He will be the one to supply me with the gifts that I need to give and He will be the one to give me the gifts that I need or want personally. I don't have to fret myself over things that I don't have any control of. Our God is a big God. He knows the things I need even before I ask Him of it. And I believe that in His time, He will grant me the desires of my heart, as I seek Him and ask Him in prayer. But as for this moment, He is still at work for the condition of my heart and I am just as happy with that. :)

I would remember asking God in my personal journals of giving me a willing heart to obey, of opening my heart for His will and granting me willingness to 'WANT' to obey Him. Obedience is not a common and natural thing for me and I know that God knows it as well. He knows me so much but still choses to love me despite of the person that I am. His greatness will be revealed in changing me. In making me the child that He longs me to be. I won't be able to make it alone, I always want to be broken before Him that He may be the one working for me and in me for I am not capable of changing. Only with Him, I am capable. It may take time, I know. But knowing God, He has all the time. and He's willing to take those time to change me. As He have all His time for everyone else :)

So, goodbye to all those things that will just make me worry. and haller to God's affirmation and provision. May Jesus, the Creator and Perfector of our faith, enlighten those who worry and those who loses hope.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God"  

Philippians 4:6

Urameshi-ya @ Little Tokyo

(October 19, 2010) As the typhoon Juan hits the country, Bf and I patiently wait for "6pm" at Urameshi-ya Little Tokyo. We were waiting for the restaurant's Tuesday Yakiniku Buffet :) The typhoon didn't stop our craving for Urameshi-ya's Yakiniku. And as I am typing this blog, I am beginning to think and dream of Urameshiya again! Too bad, today's not a Tuesday! =p

The view from where we're seated :)

 Checking out their meat choices

Urameshi-ya Restaurant inside Little Tokyo offers a Yakiniku grill-all-you-can for 45minutes every Tuesday night 6pm-1am =) Sadly there were no available seafood [prawn , crab and scallop] that night because of the typhoon [the delivery got delayed and all]. But since we've already had our appetite all worked up, we continued on and enjoyed the all meat grilling.

They serve free salad and rice with the grill all you can promo [all for only Php500/person]. And as with every Japanese resto, i've enjoyed their overflowing hot tea =) Their service was good which makes me commend our server Bhem [she was also our server the first time we tried their yakiniku and she was of good help to us]

Bf doing the grilling and Bhem, helping us with the sauce :)

 

And because I was so in the Japanese mood that night, I had Meiji Chocolate Icecream for dessert, bought from the Japanese Grocery store inside Little Tokyo :)

All in all, we found the price affordable and very worth it for they use prime beef and serve good choices of meat. That's why we craved again for it after trying it the first week of the month. (October5) We'll definitely be back again for our third, fourth, fifth, so onth time. Hehe. And we'll ask friends to join us too. They'll surely enjoy the food, all the grilling and all the smoke =p

At Marciano's

Bf and I try to have dinner and movie every Saturday night and as we stroll Greenbelt for our dinner-before-movie restaurant, we spotted Marciano's at Greenbelt. The chic vibes caught me (from the outside, you can see its dark and cozy interiors which i liked). But it's the menu that of course has caught Bf's tummy :) 

I was actually surprised that BF didn't order steak that night. (My guess would be because we haven't heard much about Marciano's steak) But was I more surprised when BF told me that Marvin Agustin - Celebrity Restaurateur co-owns the place. (He actually told me that before seeing a picture of Marvin on the table.  Hehe) The place was Italian-American inspired and some of their dishes were named after a famous figure. 

I ordered Robert de Niro Bacon & Asparagus Creme. (Php 128)

 

 I also had the studio 54 Shrimp and Italian sausage (Php328)

and Lexington Pork Ragout for BF (Php278)

The soup was Ok. The price was just right so I'd skip comparing it to the other asparagus soup I have tasted. It was not dry and it tasted fine but I think there's something in it that's lacking. The pasta was good, enough to fill a 'pastamonster' like me. The pork tasted good as well, it was soft to chew but there's really nothing special to remember. Maybe when we eat again at Marciano's, we'll try their other dishes instead. Maybe just maybe.

KFC's Double Down :)

I'm working in a  Dialysis Unit blessed with 2 televisions so I am always updated with new shows, and even new commercial products/food. One advertisement that didn't fail to get my curiousity was KFC's Double Down burger. It's a burger sans the bun. This burger/sandwich has two thick and juicy boneless chicken fillets with bacon and cheese in the middle! I really liked the concept for I'm not a burger fan just because of the burger buns! :p (I would usually eat my burger minus the bread using forks and knives. Toinks!) And last night was the night. The chance I've been so waiting for. Bf ordered KFC's Double Down before meeting up and surprised me with one. I was actually full from my co-staff and I's food trip at the clinic but was still so excited to have a taste of the magic "burger". And boy, was I delighted! I was just about to praise the burger when my quiet-would-rather-drive-without-talking-BF went on praising it ahead of me. "NICE ONE, KFC!!!" and he finished the whole thing in just a few bites!

I liked the taste of it, though some people finds it 'salty', I didn't. (We didn't. Hehe). Next time maybe, I'll try eating it with rice! and KFC's gravy :) I was also able to finish my Double down (with the help of BF) because I was feeling so full already but promised to buy one again soon :)

KFC's Double Down (Php100 ala carte)

I got so excited to consume it + my trusted Nikki [Nikon D5000] was not with me so I wasn't able to take a shot. This picture is what I found in the net :) c/o www.foodbeast.com

Cantinetta - the tinimbang ngunit kulang experience

Dined in Cantinetta Rockwell for Bf and I's 'Monthsaversary'. Bf was the one good at places and restaurants to try out especially when it's about Steaks :) And so he chose Cantinetta in Rockwell where he told me he've heard a lot about. (also seen pictures and read blogs about their rib eye steak)

We were served their complimentary bread with salsa dip and liver spread while waiting for our food.

My shake of choice: Watermelon Shake

My Tartufo which is pasta cooked in truffle cream sauce and parma ham. (P550)

  

 The pasta was good. I loved its creamy sauce. It's not dry and It has made me love Tartufo pasta more :)

 And the star of the night goes to BF's Bistecca Alla Cantinetta

(500G choice boneless ribeye rubbed with herbs tuscan style P380 per 100g)

Flavor and tastewise - it was good. The beef was tender and we were given the chance to try and have all their 4 sauces for the steak. But what disappointed us was the fact that the menu says it's 500grams, and we actually expected the beef to be 500grams, but at seeing the plate, i guess they've weighed the steak with the plate to come up with 500grams. The beef was supposed to be half a kilo but in seeing and judging from the picture, i guess you'd agree with me that it's not as it was supposed to weigh. And BF told me that he saw from the blogs he've read a picture of a real 500g bistecca alla cantinetta and it was WAY bigger,  even enough to feed 3-4 people! Those pictures were the reason why he was so eager to try Cantinetta out in the first place. 

We weren't that happy about the price not because the steak cost us P380 per 100g (or P1900) but because the steak wasn't the 500g they claimed it to be. We might not dine in cantinetta again unless we won their trip to Italy raffle. LOL. So far, it was still a 'funny' night with bf. Teasing him about 'getting over' the rib eye issue for he kept on ranting (in a funny way) the whole night :))

spotted in cantinetta: Karylle Padilla (with her fresh look and simple style)

Indigested girl at Pancake House

Last night, [Wednesday night] I was such an indigested girl, sooo wanting to taste real food already!!! I've spent my whole Tuesday eating nothing but yogurt. I wasn't able to go to work so I decided to stay home and pray and fast and there came the yogurt diet. I was able to wake up the next day feeling better so I guess the yogurt diet went well for me. So I continued on my yogurt diet at work, feeling so weak already in the afternoon, [weak, light headed and nauseated so to speak] 5pm, I cannot take it anymore, seeing those little pandesal[s] at the nurse's station, I asked my co-staff who owns them for 1 piece of it and eat it with so much joy in my heart :) Then I somehow felt relieved from the light headedness. Finished my 12 hour shift by the grace of God and then met with bf in Cubao. Seeing this always-hungry-never-full young man smiling and laughing at my 12 hour duty story, made me all hungry :P So with his smile and appetite, we drove to Eton Q. Avenue for some light dinner.

So at Pancake House we went!! Ok, i wasn't able to take pictures because I was really hungry! :-s Imagine ME not eating for almost 2 whole days??! ;p I ordered their soup of the day which is a creamy corn soup and I wasn't able to keep myself from ordering Fried Chicken! and so I ordered 'em two pieces! with bread instead of rice! :) and made J order the pasta I wanted to try - Seafood Gambero [something like it] :p I was soooo tempted to have pancakes as well because they're my favoriteeeee but yet I was thinking of the condition of my tummy so the soup and chicken and some bites from J's pasta are more than enough already.

This chicken picture isn't from my cam, it's from the net. [from random pix so wasn't able to link the source too] I think it would just be better to see this blog with even just a picture. Hehe. =p This was what i had last night sans the rice :)

The corn soup was ok, nothing special to the taste. The fried chicken is just ordinary. It's crispy though but our house 'manang' can really cook one like it :) and the Seafood pasta is also just-ok. I don't know if it's just my sick-palate but I think it's not as tasty as it should've been. All in all, Pancake House serves great pancakes but their meals [or the ones that we tried] are just ordinary. I'd still try their other pasta dishes next time though:) The place [in Eton] was clean, ventilation was good and the service staff's friendly. I am just happy to have said my goodbyes to yogurt last night and hello again to REAL food and to the REAL matakaw me!! :)

Fire Chocolate Fire!!!

June 26, 2010. The craving for chocolates started early that morning! I'm used to having these chocolate cravings monthy so it was no surprise for me. Since it was a Saturday and it's Date Night, J and I decided to drop by and try Chocolate Fire's belgian chocolates after our dinner and movie date. And it was paradise! There are a lot of chocolate creations on their display counter to choose from! I just couldn't decide what to have! I never thought it would be that hard! :p And I was on my way of pressing the shutter release button of my camera to take pictures of those yummy chocolates when the staff told me that I just can't take pictures! Ok, my excitement went off a bit but I tried shaking it off and bought pringles dipped in belgian chocolate, a 'love' belgianchocolate cake and a creamy hot belgian chocolate drink instead! and it was Belgianifico! It has satisfied my cravings so much that I spent my weekend at home suffering from tonsilitis! So much for "BELGIAN" ei? :P

The Pringles dipped in chocolate was yummy and i love its salty + sweet taste but I think I can make it at home. My version will just be Pringles dipped in Nutella :)

 Sad lil me taking pictures from a distance :P

The cake was belgiany-delicious! If there's such a word! I love it's very sweet taste but I know of people who wouldn't like it as much as I did because as I've said, it was VERY sweet.

The winner of them all goes to the Hot belgian chocolate milk drink with whipped cream! It was soooo creamy that there came a time after that experience that I've just craved for that chocolate drink and we went all our way to Chocolate Fire to have a sip =)