A Break From My Sedentary Lifestyle

Fine Saturday morning to go out and sweat.

I did a pretty good job at pretending that I also have a long weekend. Why not? My shift ended at two in the afternoon on Novembers 1 and 2 so I had the rest of the day to catch up with the holidays. Instead of going home to my dorm, I went home to Taguig every afternoon. After the “Halloween party” on October 31, we spent the afternoon of November 1 shopping for Christmas decors. And although there was not much action on November 2, I was well-rested for another day full of firsts.

Grilled Ribs and The Long Weekend

These ribs are ready for grilling.

I belong to an industry that is irreverent of holidays. Unless you are among the privileged demigods or just lucky that a holiday falls on your day off, there is really not much of a choice but to work and command your mind to think of better things like double pay (if it is); no bosses (if they are good enough not to show up); and a lighter work load (though not guaranteed). But for someone like me who would rather bask in the sun, play in the shores, be home with my family or be somewhere else with my friends than be stuck inside a claustrophobic’s nightmare, no amount of positive thinking could keep my mind from wandering, wondering what my family or friends have been up to.

One effective way of distracting myself is by creating activities which do not require me from being absent. I know it will never be at par with other people’s trip home or out-of-town/country getaway, but at least I won’t kill myself in bed, thinking of the fun everyone is having except me.

Since November 31st fell on my day off, I decided to stay with the R’s for a “Halloween party.” Don’t get me wrong. We did not have decors or costumes at home. We just had dinner and watched “The Healing”. To that Baby R commented: Is this it? Is this already a Halloween party? [HAHAHA] I couldn't blame the kid. She was already disappointed because she prepared goodie bags but the children who went trick or treating seemed tired to go all the way to the fifth floor. Anyway, at least I didn't have to deal with my wild imagination alone in my dorm and I had the chance to play in the kitchen again.

Savory Discovery from Mann Yann

The days are headed towards the end of 2012 and I have nothing better to do but browse the photos that have accumulated in my hard drive throughout the year. I have not been too keen on documenting everything this year unlike the previous year. I don’t even see much random “artistic” shots unlike last year. Some photos even remain "un-uploaded". No matter how few [note: few here is very subjective (wink) ], I think I have snapshots of memorable occasions and of food that have impressed me.

One album that caught my attention was our dinner in Mann Yann at The Link in Makati. I am pretty sure that it was in Mann Hann and not Mann Yann that I have been to before though the latter is familiar because we used to pass by its branch in Glorietta 1 before it was closed for renovation following the Glorietta 2 explosion in 2007. But I guess these restaurants, plus Mannang, are owned by the same company. Whether I have been there or not, what’s important is that this year’s visit to Mann Yann left me with a fond memory of a new dish.

Sisig Overload

Photo from http://tourism-philippines.com/pampanga/
by http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesterphotogallery/

Sisig has surprisingly made its regular appearance on the dinner table when my parents, sister, aunt, and grandma were here late last month. Except, of course, for that dinner in North Park, which obviously does not serve this dish, and that dinner at home during my parents’ 31st anniversary celebration. I admit I have underestimated the taste buds of the rest of the family and categorized them under “picky” and “unadventurous”. They eat innards. I don’t. They eat any fish dish while I have my own list of “edible” fish. They stuff themselves with more greens than I can tolerate. So, who’s picky?

As you may already know, sisig is made of a pig’s cheeks and is often mixed with liver and what have you. The first time I saw it, it was as if I was seeing in reality my mental sketch of a human brain taken out of a skull, chopped finely, and cooked. I may have gory imaginings sometimes but that sisig still looked weird and scary to bits. But the innovative Pinoys devised a way to make it friendlier to the less adventurous segment of the population.

Sweet Treat From Estrel's

Many of us take comfort in sweet food. Have you ever wondered why? I have read somewhere that people innately gravitate towards sweet or salty food and whichever flavor of comfort food we prefer is influenced by our genes, environment, and experiences.

After reading that article, I came-up with a not so scientific and maybe not so original theory that most people love sweet comfort food because we have always been treated to candies and chocolates as rewards when we were little kids. Of course, there are more scientific reasons like, for instance, chocolates, which according to studies boost the production of serotonin, a chemical that averts depression.

As for me, I find comfort in sweet food because it refreshes my mouth, especially if followed by a glass of water. I may have a sweet tooth, but my tonsils cannot tolerate very sweet desserts. It’s fine with me, though, because very sweet treats leave a bitter aftertaste.

I think the key to comfort sweets is striking the balance. And this is what Estrel’s has perfected over 66 years of baking.

My Parents’ 31st: Family, Food, Fun

Tatay and Mama’s wedding has become a running joke in the family after relatives from my mother’s side got no invites. That’s because they eloped and got wed secretly by Ninong Ben (Msgr. Ben Sabillo) in my father's hometown following the elders’ disapproval of their marriage.

During their 25th wedding anniversary, my father jokingly said in his speech that they decided to have another church wedding for the benefit of the uninvited relatives to witness what they have missed 25 years ago. And six years after their 25th, my parents still obligingly do the cake and wine ceremony done during wedding receptions.

Here’s why we celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary here. J

Konnichiwa! Welcome to Tokyo Cafe!

The moment I flipped through the menu of Tokyo Cafe, I told myself how stupid I was for ignoring this restaurant for years! In its Mall of Asia branch, I always notice its crepes displayed behind the glass windows but something about it intimidated my lowly being. Maybe because it looked high-end or maybe because its name suggests food faithful to the Japanese cuisine. While I love the deep-fried and grilled Japanese dishes, I am reluctant to try the raw ones.

Tokyo Cafe’s menu is a variety of western dishes with a Japanese twist, a fusion. I was curious how pizza and pasta will become JapaNice but I was pretty sure that it will be good. I have tried “Philippinized” western food and I have not had a bad experience with them. Looking at the menu, I knew I was not in Tokyo Cafe for that first bad encounter.

Our 5th at Elias

On our anniversary, Tyrone had a class to catch while I just came from a graveyard shift. The rain incessantly poured, submerging most part of Metro Manila come evening. But for a couple like us who celebrated anniversaries through phone calls and packages in four straight years, nothing can really stop us from squeezing in our planned simple lunch no matter what. (FYI: We had enough time to learn time management.) So, off we went to Elias by Chef Florabel Co-Yatco in Bonifacio High Street. 

Mezza Norte: The North's Mercato

One reason that stops me from inviting my dorm mates to a Midnight Mercato food trip is the long haul from Quezon City to Bonifacio Global City. I have been there on an early Saturday morning with my sister and her hubby but it took me an hour to get up from bed and another 30 plus minutes to commute all the way to Taguig! So when I saw Anton’s teaser photo on Mezza Norte (Mercato of the North), I swore I would not miss it. True enough, my dorm mates and I trooped to Techno Hub on its opening last July 26.

Roboto San Japanese Buffet Grill

Just like a good friend who listens to our woes, food fills in a unique happiness we need. And for an average earner like me who finds joy in eating, my best food trip buddies are group buying sites. So, whenever I feel down, I open all my trusted group buying sites and check out food deals worth my meager but hard-earned money. On good days, I stumble upon restaurant deals that catch my interest, like Roboto San Japanese Buffet Grill (P344), a new buffet grill in Bonifacio Global City.

Papa John's: The Unlimited Pizza Experience

Since Papa John’s opened it’s first store in Manila, my sister, Les, kept bugging me about bringing home to Leyte a box or two of its pizza. When she is in Manila, though, we never get the chance to visit the place. Even I, who is often near a Papa John's branch, have never gone there until its Unlimited Pizza (P199) promo every Tuesday.

Table For Two, Please*

*This post was originally written for The Athena, Cheenee's previous blog.


Back in college, couples often received a glare from me not because I did not have a boyfriend, but because I was envious that they were with each other doing three of my favorites– eating, shopping, and strolling.

If I did not have my dorm mates, college barkada (TSUBA), or the R’s (Tito and Tita R, and Raiza) along with me, my cellphone served as my trusty companion and I bet you know why. It was crazy texting “Ui, I saw nice shoes….” and went on describing down to the tiniest detail but end up frustrated because he had no idea what wedges (or whatever it was I tried to describe) were.

Magnum Mania*

*This post was originally written for The Athena, Cheenee's previous blog.

Magnum's been all over the internet (and trashcans) since it became available in MiniStop, 7-11 chains, and supermarkets. Everyday I'd see a number of posts on and a number of poses with Magnum in my facebook feeds and I bet everyone who reads this can relate.

I am not someone who'd buy a hyped ice cream before reading A LOT of reviews and A LOT of stories from friends on how it tasted like so it took me three more days (from the day it was released) before deciding to buy the Magnum Classic (P55). It looked sophisticated from the wrapper up to the smooth chocolate coating. The chocolate coating was good, especially with its little hint of bitterness that went well with the creamy vanilla. I thought it was not really worth the hype...

Was at Wingman again*

*This post was originally written for The Athena, Cheenee's previous blog.


I went back to Wingman at The Collective last February 29 not really because I was craving for it but because I had to use the Ensogo voucher I bought last September since it expires on March 2. This was a solo food trip. That's what you have to get used to when your off is on a weekday and practically all your friends have work.

The Collective is quite hard to find when you're unfamiliar with the streets of Makati. When we went there last October, we had a car and Tito Rey knew the roads of Makati. This time, however, I had to commute alone from Taguig to Makati. It took me three jeepney rides. One from C5 to Market! Market!. Another from Market! Market! to EDSA-Ayala and another one from EDSA-Ayala to Buendia. I was impoverish last week hailing a cab didn't even cross my mind. I even walked from my drop-off point along Buendia, the corner near Centro Escolar University-Makati, to The Collective despite the heat.

The Collective: Wingman (Part 1)*

*This post was originally written for The Athena, Cheenee's previous blog.

After one of my closest college friends, Danielle, told me stories about good online deals she had, I scoured the group buying sites for my first ever discount voucher. Since it was my first time to actually transact online (that's aside from booking plane tickets online), my side of OC-ness showed. I opted to try something chicken and voila... I saw Wingman on Ensogo.

Pepper Lunch for Dinner*

*This post was originally written for The Athena, Cheenee's previous blog.

Eating is an experience that must be enticing from the visual standpoint and satiating up to the aftertaste. Creativity and uniqueness in the food industry's marketing and gimmicks have already leveled with the creativity and goodness of the food itself. The "fast steak" restaurant, Pepper Lunch (PL), is among the restaurants that have successfully married creativity with good food. It gives you not plain gimmick but a gastronomic experience worth repeating.

In the Philippines, we have Cecile Zamora (of CHUVANESS.com) and husband Chef Jeroen to thank for bringing PL to the Philippines last 2008. I never knew it has been years since the DIY steak house introduced their patented electromagnetic plate that heats up to 260 degrees Celsius within one minute. Cool, right?

Barquillos en Sorbetes? Muy delicioso!

I do not know when exactly this happened during my childhood (or if it happened a lot of times) but this one memory, the one that flashes in my mind when I hear the word barquillos, never fails to remind me how these thin rolled wafers perfectly compliment the sweetness of ice cream. In that flashback, I remember buying an ube flavored ice cream from a drugstore slash grocery at the market after persuading someone to buy a big tub for us. Then I remember filling my barquillos with the ube ice cream.

Keeping it simple with Aglio e Olio*

*This post was originally written for The Athena, Cheenee's previous blog.

Simplicity has perhaps propelled the popularity of pasta all over the world. This is one dish that is not exclusively made heavenly by professional chefs, but a staple suited for home cooking. Italian cuisine is rather big on the quality of ingredients than focusing on techniques elaborate and complicated for the ordinary home cook.

For the rookies in the kitchen, cooking pasta would be a great start to experiment and play with. In every dish, a newbie can try chopping the onions, or garlic, or both. The instructions are practically easy to understand with simple steps like boil this then throw that to the pan then mix this next then tadannnnnn, your very own pasta. It can also unleash the "cook's" creativity with the variety of sauces that can be made or the shapes of pasta that can be used.

Aglio e Olio (spaghetti in oil and garlic)