ECQ Homemade Food

Meet the Meatballs

At first i was afraid to eat a Picha pie

Cookies and Cream of the crop Homemade Ice Cream

Roast Pork

COOKING 101 @ STI

Through the initiative of our HR department, we the employees of the STI head office were offered free cooking lessons especially the ones who have no experience in cooking. Me and my wife registered and the first lesson was how to make four different oil based pasta dishes. Our teacher is our very own VP for Academics Madam Aisa Hipolito. Her instructions were quite clear and the class had great results. Me myself I am amazed at my own results. We were shown six recipes but since the tutorial is just one hour the Pesto Pasta, Tuyo with Salted egg Pasta and Vongole were just sampled off. Here are our results.

Mrs. G showing her output on how to do the Hungarian Sausage with Bell Pepper

This is my version of Garlic Longaniza and I am impressed that I was able to do this.

I never thought i will be able to do a Puttanesca! Because of this simple tutorial I am now able to do different kinds of Pasta. Thanks STI! We are really made to be more!

THAI FOOD: JEH O CHULA

Ever since I first visited Bangkok in 2004 I fell in love with Tom Yum. So when I was planning the trip I tried to look for the best restaurants to eat Tom Yum and I am lucky I found one. The restaurant is Jeh O Chula  pronounced "Jay OH." One thing I discovered in this food trip in Bangkok its that its never about the restaurant but its always about the food. Looking a the place you would say that this local restaurant serves just about the average thai food but the long queues will suggest that it is not just your ordinary thai restaurant for this is the home of  Tom Yum Mama Noodles.

Diners here are on plastic stools while there is a long queue outside this very simple and modest restaurant and a lot of people are saying that they come to eat Jey Oh's Tom Yama stir fried clams and crab Soi Charat. A lot of foreigners though have another interest which is the Tom Yum Mama Noodles which is available from 10:00 pm onwards. A little word of advice, If you are to eat here better look for the promo in Klook and you can be given a seat rightaway. That is why I got the meal set for 4-6 people that cost P3,517.00 (THB 2,246.23) although we were seven. Here is the set.

Fried Pork Neck, Fatty but delicious.

Spicy Salmon Sashimi this dish is a must try and most of the people lined up are also eating this. You can add another dish for THB 250/450

Their Crispy Pork is similar to our Crispy Pork Liempo but cooked the Thai way

Another added dish, their Thai Omelette

The star of the evening the Tom Yum Mama Noodles. Besides the Yummy broth this dish has ready to eat crab meat,  some katsu, shrimps, eggs, meaballs and underneath that broth are instant noodles that we did not even finish. For me. having this dish is worth the trip. This restaurant was included in Thailand's Michelin Bib Gourmand. Bib Gourmand's have been awarded to restaurants offering good quality menu for a modest price. 

As mentioned we were seven (six in the pic) and just had water and  enjoyed our meal. The address of the restaurant is seen below. From the condo we rented we just hailed two Grab Taxis going there and back and we did not have any problems. 

JEH O CHULA

113/1 Thanon Charat Mueang,

Rong Mueang, Bangkok 10330

Thailand,

Opening Hours: 5:30 PM – 1:00 AM

 

LuzViMinda a celebration of the Filipino Cuisine

The Executive Chief Eater & The Executive Chef 

Filipino Cuisine has a very rich history and the beauty of it is that is has so many influences and so many variations that has come to the more than 7000 islands in our country.  I myself, am a witness how my favorite Sisig is prepared and done differently in Pampanga, in Cebu and in Gen. San.  There are times when I crave to go to Cebu to get a taste of the famous Cebu Lechon, at the same time I want to go back to Gen San to taste the freshest Tuna Sashimi I’ve ever tasted.

The Gigantic Yellowfin Tuna guards the food 

Fortunately, F1 Hotel Manila started LuzViMinda to promote our rich Filipino Cuisine.  Now on its second year, LuzViMinda – Ikalawang Serye gathers together different Chefs from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to showcase their talents in whipping up the best of the best of what their islands have to offer.  Led by F1 Hotel's Executive Chef Sau del Rosario, I must admit I learned a lot from him and from other Chefs about Filipino cuisine which made my eating much more appreciated. Lets take a look at what they have prepared for our Filipino people.

We all know that the Maki is of Japanese descent. This time around, the Luzon Chefs created the Bagnet Dinuguan Maki a fusion of the Japanese dish with Filipino creativity. Obviously the Dinuguan created the coloring of the Maki which adds curiosity to how it was done. On the other hand the Bagnet , an Ilocano delicacy, is partnered with the mango to give this new concoction a very sumptuous taste.

If the Luzon Chefs created the Bagnet Dinuguan Maki, the Visayan chefs on the other hand came out with their own version with the Tinapa and Salted Egg Maki. This is a personal favorite of mine and I liked the combination of the Tinapa and Salted Egg which made me get more since i enjoyed its heavenly taste.  

Mindanao Chefs on the other hand made use of a famous Gen. San resource as the Seared Tuna and Mangosteen reduction was a thing of beauty. Imagine putting the Tuna at the middle of two watermelons, marvel at the imagination of the Chefs.

As far as I know there is scarcity of seafoods in Luzon but that does not deter Luzon Chefs from creating a masterpiece. Here is the "Kinunot na Pagi" which as a kid I loved eating in the streets. I must admit, Hotel food tastes really better and it leaves a lasting impression on you. As they say there is always a sting when you eat a stingray!

I don't know where i got the idea that the Visayan dish Balbacua is a fish dish. I might have confused it with something else. Chef Editha Singian explained to me that the Balbacua actually comes from the Oxtail. She also added that sometimes a lot of budget conscious Filipinos use boiled pig knuckles as an alternative. 

Another one of the inventive recipes of the Chefs from Mindanao is the Crispy Catfish salad.  When they say crispy it really is and it really makes you want to come back for more.

This was the dish I was dying to taste but for uric acid purposes, my inner self took the best in me and told me not to do so.  Just look at it, the assortment of the way these oysters were done. Luzonians did the "Pako" version while the "Inasal" version which is distinctively Visayan is how our southern brothers made them while the "Pineapple salsa" version is how they do it in Mindanao.

This is another exciting dish and as my friends say, my favorite. Ceviche or "Kinilaw" as we know it is highlighted through three different versions depending on which island you come from. The "Bicolano Kinilaw", the Visayan "Nilagpang Tuna" and the Mindanao's "Dabaw Kinilaw." If you were to ask me what my favorite is, I would say ALL!

Here is another popular dish done in three ways - the Sisig. The first sisig featured here is how the Kapampangans do their popular dish - the Pork Sisig. The picture in the middle is the Visayan's Chicken Inasal Sisig. Lastly, the Gen. Santos City version of Tuna Sisig is the picture  to the right. As I mentioned, one dish three versions.

A lot of desserts were on hand but I started out with one of my all time favorites - the Puto at kutsinta. As you can see there is no more need to partner it with Dinuguan since in itself the puto was so tasty and the violet color makes you wonder if Barny also likes to eat this.

Now this is just showing how Visayans mix and match food.  The result of their experiment is the Ube Otap Tiramisu. Otap,  is the most popular  pasalubong when someone comes home  from Cebu while Tiramisu is a famous Italian dessert. If you mix the two then here is the result - a very yummy dessert.

As Chef Victor Barangan said, the most pictured food is Mindanao's crowning glory - the Durian Panna cotta.  Another ingenious dish which is a masterpiece as the Chef used the young durian as a vessel of the panna cotta. I must admit I am quite amazed by it.

Now if you want to try this buffet and celebrate our Independence with a hearty meal, then go to F1 Hotel Manila at the Fort. The hotel is located at the 32nd St. just in front of S & R and St. Luke's Hospital. The restaurant is at the third floor of the F1 Hotel Manila. LuzViMinda 2  a celebration of Filipino Cuisine will run from June 12 - 26, 2014 so lets go back to trace our Filipino roots by going to the F All day dining restaurant to let your native tongue feast on the best of Filipino cuisine.

Nanay Bebe's in Davao City

This is the third time I went to this restaurant and what really attracted me to go back is the "EAT ALL YOU CAN" catch of the restaurant. The last time I was here they never served eat all you can but had a regular entree instead.  Imagine the sight of eating crabs on an eat all you can basis ! Yummy! Lets see the menu.

Kare kare is not good for me so 

I just take a look and think of it 

the last time I tasted it!

This one is grilled blue marlin 

which is a seafood delicacy 

that is always good to go to my plate!

This is my favorite, the beef beefed up 

my plate and appetite. 

It enabled me to offset the time 

i spent in opening the crabs.

The talk of the town, eat all you can crabs! 

Need I add more to the story!

CDO's Panagatan Restaurant

After a long and tiring day, the NYC Team take a breather by going to one of the best attractions in Cagayan de oRo. The PANAGATAN Restaurant which is located outside the city proper is one of the best places to eat and be merry. Here are some of the food we ate.

The jAw dRopPiNg InIHaW nA pUsIT

The tUmMy fiLLiNg TiYaN nG tUnA

ThE CaRB LoAdInG CrAbZ

ThE KInETiC KiNilAw nA MaLAsUgUe

The SHrimpTillaTinG ShRimPz

ThE KnEe dRaGgiNg NiLagAnG bAKa

The ScInTillAtIng aNd SizZlIng SisIG

Dad's & Mom's restauarant

At the heart of Macapagal Boulevard going to the Mall of Asia is a row of restaurants that cook food gotten from the market just in front of them.


I dont know how this started but I am pretty sure that one of the pioneers of this kind of restaurants is the famous Dampa restaurant in Paranaque where you buy the food and have it cooked from different restaurants. The restaurant we picked that night is the Dad's and Mom's restaurant and we got a pretty good price with the food we got.

Here are highlights of our dinner.

Zerina and Jenny show their different faces on their food.

The Kinilaw na Tangigue

Tiyan ng Tuna

Inihaw na Liempo