Hillside Ranch: And Here's the Beef...Corned Beef Brisket and Slow Roasted Beef Belly

Corned Beef Brisket and Slow-Roasted Beef Bely, classic comfort food reminiscent of countless Sunday meals with the family from years past. Both dishes took time, and the long prep time meant these dishes were special. Now, Hillside Ranch brings you all the beefy goodness for you to replicate those special Sunday meals...

The Corned Beef Brisket from Hillside Ranch, tender and flavorful, with a delicious briny hint.

Atoy and Chay Tayag, the young couple behind Hillside Ranch, decided the time was right to offer classic prime beef entrees that rival some of the very best restaurants in the convenience of your own home. And both Atoy and Chay know the food business, in fact, they have it in their dna, coming from famous culinary clans of Pampanga. Atoy Tayag is the nephew of Claude Tayag, an influential chef, successful restaurateur, food columnist, and owner of the legendary Bale Dutung in Angeles City. Chay Tayag's mom owns the popular Kapampangan restaurant Binulo in Clark, and her uncle owns the American restaurant Rumpa. And it's no surprise that the next generation would pursue a business closely linked to their family names. 

The Slow-Roasted Beef Belly from Hillside Ranch, tender and moist, prepared the old-fashioned way.

Atoy and Chay perfected their classic recipes for Corned Beef Brisket and Slow Roasted Beef Belly by serving these dishes in the family catering business, and the dishes became a hit almost immediately. Encouraged with the initial success of their dishes, the young couple decided to make their beef dishes available for home consumption, a real challenge for complex dishes like Corned Beef Brisket and Slow Roasted Beef Belly. Without compromising quality, Hillside Ranch offers these quality dishes that are reheatable, even microwaveable, right in you own home. Atoy and Chay Tayag makes everything scratch, from curing to roasting, using the best prime USDA beef for consistent quality. And the results are immediately evident after your first bite. 

We recently sampled Hillside Ranch's signature beef dishes at Trellis, another culinary institution owned by the Tayag clan, starting with freshly prepared sandwiches. The French Dip, with Hillside Ranch's Slow Roasted Beef Belly, caramelized onions and au jus on crisp bread was an excellent introduction to their popular Slow Roasted Beef Belly. Tender, almost butter-like, with a flavorful layer of fat for that melt-in-your-mouth goodness that can only come from beef that's been lovingly slow-roasted for up to eight hours. One bite, and I'm sold. Seriously good. 

Hillside Ranch's signature Corned Beef Brisket is another memorable dish that simply reinforces that winning combination of time and quality ingredients. Hillside Ranch cures the brisket in their chillers for over a week, allowing the brine to completely penetrate the meat before the boiling process. And the result, tender and succulent corned beef that rivals, even surpasses, the offerings from the best restaurants in the metro. Corned beef perfection, and definitely one of the best I've tried.  

We sampled a classic Reuben, with tender Corned Beef Brisket, sauerkraut, Swiss emmenthal and horseradish cream on rye, and I go for seconds. Again, Hillside Ranch's patient and tedious process comes through in every bite, and you can taste the love that goes in preparing the Corned Beef Brisket in every bite. 

And here's the beef...the sandwiches were just a preview of more good things to come, as the Corned Beef Brisket was prepared and sliced. Served with boiled cabbage, string beans, carrots, marble potatoes and horseradish cream, a classic and traditional dish so familiar and comforting, yet timeless. And Hillside Ranch succeeds in preserving the familiar richness of the dish in each and every bite. The beefy richness is preserved, and the subtle briny note enhances the beef. And this is the way I remember it, and for a brief moment, images of childhood family meals are relived. It's simply that good.

Then, the Slow Roasted Beef Belly was sliced, and  it was pretty cool to see the carving knife slice through the beef with ease, like butter. A little au jus,and you have an incredible slice of pure beef belly bliss. Tender, moist and richly flavored, the Slow Roasted Beef Belly is definitely another winner. And I definitely go for seconds...

Corned Beef Brisket and Slow Roasted Beef Belly, both absolute winners from Hillside Ranch. Now you can prepare these classic beef dishes in the convenience of your own home, every day. You no longer have to slave in your kitchen for days, simply grab a pack of Hillside Ranch's Corned Beef Brisket and Slow Roasted Beef Belly and you have a gourmet meal in an instant. Eating in is pretty cool. Very cool.

It's reassuring to know that the new generation is continuing the family's culinary tradition, and Hillside Ranch is definitely on its way to becoming another classic for generations to come. 

The Hillside Ranch Corned Beef Brisket and Slow Roasted Beef Belly are available in 650 g slabs (P 550), 225 g Sliced packs (P 220) and full slabs at P 770 per kilo (advanced notice required).  Special thanks to Dino Tayag and Jom del Rosario, Hillside Ranch Manila distributors; and Chay and Atoy Tayag of Hillside Ranch for an awesome dinner. 

You can visit Hillside Ranch every Saturday at the Salcedo Community Market, Jaime C. Velasquez Park, Makati City or you can send an e-mail to hillsideranch@me.com for inquiries. Check out their cool Facebook Page at http://www.facebook.com/HillsideRanch for more information.

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Cold Stone Creamery: The Ultimate Ice Cream Experience, Now at The Fort

If you've ever had that nagging thought of making the ultimate ice cream blend, now's your chance...

Cold Stone Creamery's famous smooth and creamy ice cream, handcrafted fresh daily in each store, and  an extensive selection of "mix-ins,"  lets ice cream fans in the metro create their very own customized combos for the ultimate ice cream experience.

With over 1,500 locations in 20 countries, Cold Stone Creamery brings it's unique brand of ice cream creations to Manila with its first location at The Fort. And just in time too. With the lingering summer heat, Cold Stone Creamery promises not only a cool break from the heat, you can now make your very own personalized signature ice cream blend. Ice cream your way, now that's cool.

The limitless choices for customization, the idea of making your very own personalized concoction, is a unique feature in all Cold Stone Creamery locations worldwide. Couple this with premium, high quality and freshly made ice cream and a variety of ingredients and toppings, and you have the makings of a real winner. Here's a sneak peek at the infinite ice cream possibilities at Cold Stone Creamery...

Cold Stone Creamery offers 22 ice cream and sorbet flavors, from Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Cotton Candy, Cake Batter to Orange Dreamsicle, which serves as the base for your custom creation. And with 29 "mix-ins" from nuts, fruits and candies including Butterfinger, Kit Kat, M&Ms, Oreo, roasted almonds, pecans, brownies and blueberries that can be blended with any of the base flavors, there is virtually no limit to the number combinations at Cold Stone Creamery. And here's some interesting trivia: A Harvard study calculated the exact number of combinations at any Cold Stone Creamery store to 11.5 million unique creations and flavor combinations. Customized and personalized ice cream like never before, now you can have your very own ice cream creation your way. Pretty mind-blowing, and that's exactly what you get every time you visit Cold Stone Creamery. Cool. 

And here's more. Cold Stone Creamery also offers its very own Signature Creations, with 20 combos featuring a variety of flavors and mix-ins to get you started. Looking for a serious chocolate fix? Go for Cold Stone Creamery's Chocolate Devotion, a cool blend of chocolate ice cream with chocolate chips, brownies and fudge. Coffee? No problem, try the Coffee Lovers Only, with coffee ice cream, roasted almonds, Heath Bar and caramel. Craving for berries? Then Berry Berry Berry Good is the one for you, with Sweet Cream ice cream, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries. Missing Oreos? Find it in Oreo Overload, with Sweet Cream ice cream, chocolate chips, Double Oreo cookies and fudge. Cake and ice cream? Cold Stone Creamery's got that covered too, with That's How I Roll, a rich blend of Cake Batter ice cream with pecans, Yellow Cake and cinnamon; and the Cheesecake Fantasy, with Cheesecake ice cream, Graham Cracker pie crust, blueberries and strawberries.  Apple pie a la mode? Try the Apple Pie a la Cold Stone, with French Vanilla ice cream, apple pie filling, Graham Cracker pie crust, cinnamon and caramel. And if you need some mojo, go for the Mud Pie Mojo to pick you up, with Coffee ice cream, Oreo cookies, peanut butter, roasted almonds, fudge and whipped topping.  And with twelve other signature creations, you'll surely find a personal favorite. Then again, you can make your very own custom creation with over 11.5 million possible combos.

Once you've made up your mind, Cold Stone Creamery's crew will whip it up for you in minutes. Here's a tip in deciding what to order: Don't rush, take your time and just go with the flow. Creating masterpieces takes time, so go through your list of options. And once you make up your mind, stand back and let Cold Stone Creamery's crew bring your ice cream creation to life by mixing your selection on a granite stone chilled to 16 degrees fahrenheit. A flurry of scoops, cool spade work, and a few quick strokes then blends your selection right in front of you, and finally placed in a freshly made waffle cone or bowl. And if you're lucky, the crew will even throw in some scooping acrobatics to keep you entertained.

And just like that, you have your very own Cold Stone Creamery creation... 

It was a late afternoon, and chocolate seemed the way to go. And Cold Stone Creamery's Chocolate Devotion seemed to be calling me that day. Thick and smooth chocolate ice cream with chunks of brownies and fudge, mixed in with with chocolate chips for that extra chocolate kick. Perfect.

Michael McGill, President of International, Kahala, one of the fastest growing franchising companies in the world with its portfolio of 15 quick-service restaurant brands, including Cold Stone Creamery, prepares one of the many signature creations.

And you can taste the quality of the ingredients in each spoonful. Next up, how about Cold Stone Creamery's Dark Chocolate with brownies, fudge and chocoloate chips, my very own personal and customized blend for chocoholics? Why not.

Fresh, handcrafted ice cream, premium ingredients, and limitless combinations. Just can't get any better than that. And if you feel that you finally have that winning ice cream combination, test it at Cold Stone Creamery. And the best part? You'll end up having more combinations to try, 11.5 million possible combinations to be exact, making each visit to Cold Stone Creamery new and different. Everyday.  

Cold Stone Creamery is located at the Ground Floor, Serendra Piazza, between McKinley Parkway and 11th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. Check out their cool Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/coldstoneph.

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A Sweet Treat from Ronna's Sweet Treats

A sweet and crumbly French Apple Streusel Pie with a dollop of creme anglaise on a weekend afternoon. Sometimes, life can be perfect, even for a few moments. Ronna's Sweet Treats make moments like these even more special. 

Introduced to baking at a young age by her paternal grandmother, Ronna Anido fondly remembers childhood summers in Baguio, baking sweet treats for the family in their summer home. During high school, Ronna pursued her love for baking by taking lessons with Sylvia Reynoso. A former banker, Ronna has turned her passion into a small business, with Ronna's Sweet Treats. From cupcakes, cookies to cakes, Ronna's Sweet Treats offers a full line of specialty desserts, including her signature Chocolate Eclairs, Pastillas de leche Cheesecake, Cookie Dough Cheesecake, and decadent Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes.

But the French Apple Streusel with Creme Anglaise remains on the top of my list. Fresh apples lovingly baked in a buttery crust with a crumbly Streusel topping, capped with a generous scoop of creme anglaise, a  rich and thick vanilla custard. Perfect.

The indulgent dessert definitely goes a notch higher with Ronna's secret vanilla custard. The sweet baked apples and the crust provide contrasting flavors and textures, capped by the creamy Creme Anglaise.

Indulgent layers of buttery crust, sweet apples, Streusel topping and Creme Anglaise, and a good cup of coffee...just can't get any better than that...

Following one's passion can take you on a long and arduous road that may even be elusive for some, but Ronna's Sweet Treats puts it all in the proper perspective. Sometimes, a  slice of French Apple Streusel Pie is all you need. And I'm pretty sure Ronna's grandmother would agree.  

To see more of Ronna's Sweet Treats, visit http://ronnassweettreats.blogspot.com/ for more information and contact details.

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Food News: Coco Royal Makes Waves at Namnam

There's a brand new drink in town, and its making waves. A line of healthy, all-natural beverages that's just perfect to beat the summer heat.  

Coco Royal is a line of healthy beverages using all-natural and premium raw ingredients with the latest in assembly line-in processes. Available in six delicious variants, including Pure Coconut Water, Coconut Water with Aloe Vera, and Coconut Water with Water Chestnut for thirst-quenching hydration; and Basil Seed with Honey, Mango Juice and Pineapple Juice round out the flavor line, all refreshing beverages to beat the summer heat.

At the formal launch at Namnam Restaurant in Greenbelt 2, special drinks were prepared using Coco Royal for some refreshing cocktails, guaranteed to give you a cool tropical vibe. Like the Maui On My Mind, a cool blend of Coco Royal Pure Coconut Water, Rhum and Triple Sec, a personal favorite.

Then, there's the Tahitian Bikini, with Coco Royal Basil Seed with Honey, spiked with vodka, triple sec and sweet and sour mix. Other cool cocktails include the Hawaii High-O, with Coco Royal Pineapple, triple sec and sweet and sour mix; and the Waikiki Sunset, a cool blend of Coco Royal Mango, tequila, triple sec and a Margarita mix. After a few shots of these cool cocktails, you'll definitely feel sand on your feet, and I go for a second round.

Appetizers were then served, including this spicy dulong spread with coconut milk, just the right level of heat before dinner. Great with an ice cold Coco Royal Pure Coconut Water.

To better appreciate the different flavors of Coco Royal, NamNam Restaurant prepared a pairing menu for each of the Coco Royal variants, starting with the Corn Okoy with the Coco Royal Coconut Water with Water Chestnut. The crisp and mildly spiced corn okoy is a perfect match with the sweet Coco Royal Pure Coconut Water with Water Chestnuts.

Next, the Coco Royal with Aloe Vera is paired with the Enselada Paco, a refreshing fern salad with red egg and tomatoes. A refreshing salad paired with an equally refreshing drink.

The Coco Royal Pure Coconut Water is then paired with crisp Pinsec Frito with chili sauce, a refreshing pairing with the spice of the chili sauce contrasted by the sweet Coco Royal Pure Coconut Water.

The sweet and refreshing Coco Royale Pineapple Juice is paired with the sharp and savory chorizo and kesong puti spring roll, a delicious blend of flavors and textures perfectly washed down with the sweet pineapple juice.

For the Coco Royal Mango Juice, Namnam pairs this sweet beverage with sauteed baby squid. Complex flavors ashed down with ease with Coco Royal Mango Juice.

And lastly, the Coco Royal Basil Seed with Honey is paired with Batil Patung, a richly flavored noodle dish that goes down nicely with the unique flavor of the Coco Royal Basil Seed with Honey.

And desserts were also given the Coco Royal Treatment, with the unique Banana Cupcake with Coco Royal  Basil Seed and Honey Icing, a tasty Vanilla Cupcake with Coco Royal Pure Coconut Water with Water Chestnut Icing, and a Carrot Cupcake with Coco Royal Mango and Pineapple Icing. Inventive, creative and tasty, and the flavors work quite well.

Six cool flavors, great straight up, or spiked for a cool cocktail, or paired with your favorite food, Coco Royal's refreshing flavors are guaranteed to get you in a tropical mood.

Don't be left out, catch the tropical vibe with Coco Royal. Coming soon in selected supermarkets and retail outlets.  

Coco Royal is exclusively distributed by Conrad & Co., Inc. and will soon be available in selected supermarkets and groceries in Metro Manila.

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Coming Home to Naci

Classic comfort food, always makes coming home a little more special. And that's exactly how one feels when entering Naci Comfort Food. Great food, cool place, it's like coming home.  

From starters to mains, all the way to desserts, Naci serves up familiar favorites with surprising new twists, taking comfort food to a whole new level and making each visit different and special. A quick glance at Naci's menu features a range of traditional, home-style fare that's simple, yet so comforting.

Entering Naci, one immediately feels at home, like dining in an aunt's place. The shelves feature little things from the homes of the young owners, adding to the cozy warmth and casual vibe of the place. Bright, colorful, yet there is a subtle coolness in the place that makes one want to linger. And you'll definitely want to stay awhile for some of Naci's signature desserts.

To help you decide what to order, Naci provides diners with a tablet featuring all of Naci's dishes, just scroll and...drool. A cool touch that adds to one's overall dining experience.

I start with one of Naci's signature fresh fruit shakes, the Black Grape Shake, just perfect to beat the afternoon heat. Tart, and not too sweet, this one's a winner. Naci also offers fresh brewed tea and fruit juices as well as a full line of smoothies like the Bailey's Cooies and Cream, Lemon Yakult Yogurt and Strawberry Kiss.

Then, the first of Naci's starters arrived. The Kani Mango Crunch (P 280), fresh greens topped with kani, sweet mangoes, and cucumber with crispy wonton and vermicelli with a refreshing Wasabi Mayo dressing. Not your usual salad, the crispness of the wontons and noodles add a layer of texture that blends so well with the salad greens, the sweetness of the mangoes and kani, and the subtle wasabi mayo, a cool blend of flavors and textures in one great dish. Light and refreshing, a definite must-try.

Next up, Nat's Appetizer Sampler (P 520), your choice of four signature appetizers in one plate. My sampler had the Beef Taco Spring Rolls (P 280), the Cajun Mozzarella Balls (P 280), the Classic Salpicao (P 380) and the Glazed Chicken Wings (P 350). The kitchen's playful, fun and inventive character is evident in this platter, with the Beef Taco Spring Rolls combining the familiar flavors of tacos in a handy and crisp spring roll, allowing you to enjoy tacos "without the mess."  The Cajun Mozzarella Balls with fresh tomato pimiento salsa is another cool medley of flavors and textures, with the crisp outer layer contrasting with the rich creamy mozzarella in every bite. The Glazed Chicken Wings features Naci's very own "secret" sauce, sweet and smoky, and double fried. Can't get any better than that. The Classic Salpicao was equally excellent, with tender premium beef tenderloin cooked in olive oil and garlic. Seriously good, I had to restrain myself from getting some garlic fried rice to go with it.

Something familiar with a cool new twist, another example of Naci's playful inventiveness, the Beef Caldereta Lasagna (P 450), homemade noodles with rich beef caldereta topped with mozzarella and served with focaccia bread. And the combo works. The richly flavored caldereta sauce pairs well with the pasta and cheese, and the tender shreds of beef round up the flavors. Naci also offers other unique and creative pasta dishes, like Nadine's Adobo Cannelloni, Longganisa and Green Grapes on Linguine, and Arugula and Shiitake Primavera. Very cool.

This. The Cuchifrito Rice Bowl (P 280), with crisp, double-fried broiled pork belly over Tinapa Rice with Red Egg Salsa. A personal favorite, and a classic take on real comfort food taken a notch higher. The crisp pork belly is complemented by the unique tinapa rice, almost like a salted fish fried rice but with more subtle flavors. The red egg salsa completes this dish. Comforting and filing, just the dish to make the day right.

Naci Comfort Food also serves some of the best desserts in the metro, and you'll definitely have to save room for dessert to complete your dining experience at Naci. The Chocolate Ganache Cake (P 165/slice, P 1,200/cake), premium dark Belgian chocolate ganache layered with rich and moist dark chocolate sponge is definitely the one for chocoholics. Rich dark chocolate that's not too sweet, and a perfect way to cap any meal at Naci.

The Red Velvet Cake (P 130/slice, P 850/cake), is another signature dessert from Naci, a classic red velvet covered  in vanilla cream cheese frosting. Other signature cakes include the Pistachio Sansrival and the Caramel Cream Cake (see one of my earliest posts featuring Naci's Caramel Cream Cake here at http://dude4food.blogspot.com/2011/12/getting-your-sugar-fix-at-naci.html), guaranteed to satisfy your sugar fix.

I go for the Chocolate Ganache Cake. Take a bite, then close your eyes...and you're in a happy place. Seriously.

Naci also offers a full line of cupcakes, including mini-versions of their signature cakes. And it's almost impossible to hold back, just go with the flow and give in. Have a cupcake...

With an extensive menu, I'm pretty sure you'll find your personal favorite. And you'll soon discover that dining at Naci Comfort Food is pretty special, it's like coming home. Special thanks to business partners Natasha Villaroman (L) and Nadine Nocom (R) for an awesome and comforting mid-afternoon feast.

Naci Comfort Food is located at Unit 3, Two Parkade, 7th Avenue, Boniacio Global City or call 847-6224 and 0917-523-4315 for inquiries. You can also check out their cool website at www.nacicomfortfood.com  for more details. 

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