Late Night Tapas at Barcino

It was a cool late evening, and it seemed perfect for some tapas. The Dude's nephew was home for the holidays from Australia, and a younger cousin was also here from San Francisco. I remember reading a blog post from the hungry ballerina about some great tapas in the Metro (check out her  interesting post here at http://www.hungryballerina.com/2011/04/tapas-in-manila.html), so I decided to bring them to Barcino for some tapas, a few cold beers and some good times. 

Gambas Al Ajillo (P 425), fresh shrimp sauteed in olive oil, lots of garlic and chilies. The heat goes perfectly well with the cold brews.

Chocolate Overload with Conti's Choco Chip Brownies

A double chocolate overload to start off the New Year? Why not. The Choco Chip Brownies from Conti's fits the bill. Slight crunch on the top portion, moist and chewy inside. And the chocolate chips just adds that extra kick.

The Choco Chip Brownies come in small bite-size pieces, and you'll need some serious self-control to stop at the third brownie. Good luck. Better yet, just go for that fourth brownie...

A Simple New Year's Breakfast, and Big Hopes for the New Year

A few slices of Majestic Ham. Some wedges of Queso de Bola or Edam Cheese Ball. Some leftover chestnuts. Some round fruits to symbolize prosperity in the coming year. And a cup of hot chocolate.  These are the morning flavors of the holiday season since childhood, and a tradition kept alive by family.

A simple breakfast to usher in the first day of the new year, a prelude to more feasts to come. And hopes for an even better year.

Chicharon, a cold bottle of Sparkling Apple Juice, and Dave Matthews Band

Found two bottles of Appletiser Sparkling Apple Juice in the fridge. Cool. (Thanks to my cuz Teresa for the Christmas basket and Appletisers!). And hey, got some chicharon to go with it. Perfect. The dude's other cuz handed over a small pack from his recent trip to Cebu, and it's not just any chicharon, but Zubuchon Chicharon. 

The same Zubuchon whose famous lechon (roast whole pig) was hailed by Anthony Bourdain as "the best roasted pig in the world."  

Spreading Some Cookie Love with SweetLeaf Soft Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies

What's Christmas without cookies? There are cookies, and then there is the cookie. I recently read a post on SweetLeaf Soft Batch Cookies from fellow blogger Yedy at http://yedylicious.blogspot.com/ (see Yedy's post on SweetLeaf Soft Batch cookies at http://yedylicious.blogspot.com/2011/12/sweetleafs-triple-chocolate-chip-mint.html) and I knew right then I had to try it...

I decided to go for the traditional Chocolate chip cookies and placed an order via Facebook, and here they are...pretty cool packaging, nice touch with the Kraft bags, perfect for gift-giving. And the Chocolate Chip Cookies?

A Late Lunch at Romulo Cafe

It was way past 1:30pm, and the place was still packed. Still, it's a good sign that the food must be worth the wait. Romulo Cafe is run and managed by the family of the late statesman and ambassador Carlos P. Romulo,  and traditional Filipino cuisine is its specialty. The cafe is built on a former residence, and the transformation of the space to a modern and contemporary restaurant is pretty cool. Clean lines and dramatic black & white graphics give the place an edgy yet casual feel. And the food?  Definitely worth the wait.

The food is traditional, yet subtle and modern updates are tweaked into some of the dishes. We decided to have a light and healthy lunch, and with the coming holidays and its tempting "unhealthy" temptations, this seemed to be the right move... 

Getting your Sugar Fix at Naci

"Comfort food & dessert bar," seems like the perfect place for a quick sugar fix. After picking up some family photos which I had framed at Fox Square, I noticed a cake display which, on a late afternoon, is pretty hard to resist. Phil, one of Naci's friendly staff, highly recommended a slice of the Caramel Cream Cake, and I agreed. And Phil didn't disappoint.

Rich, creamy, but not too sweet, great with coffee, and a great way to end a busy afternoon.

Going Mongolian in my Aunt's Place

Sundays are always special at my Aunt's place. Once a week, everyone gets together to share fun times and great food. And the Dude's nephew just arrived from Australia to spend the holidays here, enough reason to celebrate and spend some good times and good food. And for this Sunday, the Dude's aunt goes Mongolian. Very cool.

What can be more fun than creating your own bowl, selecting your own ingredients and then cooking it? Mongolian barbecue involves stir-frying meat, seafood and vegetables on a super-heated cast iron griddle or pan, allowing all the ingredients to cook evenly and blend all the flavors.

Chef Dogan's Turkish Grill

It was a rainy Saturday evening, and I noticed something unusual along Katipunan Avenue...a vacant parking slot at Chef Dogan's Turkish Grill and Restaurant. I immediately made a right turn to claim the slot. Tonight is kebab time, thanks to the vacant parking slot.

Chef Dogan's kebab platters.

What's in the Pantry...Iberian Pork Liver Pate

Raided the fridge earlier, and found...nothing. Checked the pantry and yes, something interesting, a yellow tin.  La Charra Pate de higado de cerdo Iberico sin aditivos. Quite a mouthful, but this simply means the very best Iberian pork liver without any additives. I see the making of another perfect weekend afternoon.

Made in the province of Salamanca, Angela Garcia Curto has dedicated the past thirty years in making the best Iberian pork liver pate, and you immediately feel this with just one bite.