"La Dolce Vita": Ravioli, Gelato and some Superheroes

This is probably just my second time eating ravioli. The first time did not deliver much, so one should understand my hesitation.

Thankfully, this one is years removed from those I tasted before. This, the Italian Sausage Ravioli in Romesco Sauce, by the Ravioli Bistro, is one for the books. Although I find it a little bit pricey compared to other pastas offered around (P199), it still merits a sampling. In fact, contrary to what I have just said, some say that the bistro's ravioli are the cheapest in the market today. I read somewhere that the main thrust of the Ravioli Bistro is to have the ravioli introduced to the masses. And so, to cut costs, they create their pastas the same day they are cooked, which makes for total freshness. Now, kudos to that!

Most Filipinos are not familiar with ravioli as it is perceived as food for the upper class. But it has lately been gaining popularity. Ravioli is a pillow-shaped pasta where meat and vegetables are encased inside and are cooked together. This particular one on my table has, as the name suggests, Italian sausage inside and romesco sauce poured over it. Romesco sauce is "typically made from almonds, pine nuts, and/or hazelnuts, roasted garlic, olive oil and nyora peppers, a smaller, sweet, dried variety of red bell pepper. Other common ingredients include roasted tomatoes, red wine vinegar and onion. Leaves of fennel or mint may be added..." - wikipedia. There's grated parmesan and some melted cheese of some sort, maybe goat, feta or cream cheese, on top. Unfortunately, I don't have the makings of a gourmand to be able to identify ingredients accurately. Whatever it is however, it sure is oozing with cheesy goodness. And if it's cheese we're talking about, it sure is heaven for me. 

As if heaven goodness isn't enough, I was treated with the opportunity to rub elbows with, what some would consider, modern-day gods. One of them was even (or based from) a mythical Norse god himself. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Superman, Spider-man, Thor and Captain America - in their life-size figures, that is.

Plants vs Zombies

There's a cosplay show going on in the activity center and these figures are a common sight as well as the costume-clad participants and models (?) donning all sorts from Japanese anime to even Jigsaw (from the Saw series) and Hannibal Lecter (Silence of the Lambs). It's toys, toys, toys everywhere! And I'm having so much fun. Oh, look! There's even Plants vs. Zombies. Yipee!

chocolate & strawberry gelato

The next day, it was Italian desserts tiramisu affogato and chocolate and strawberry gelato, to beat the summer heat. Affogato looks very much like a frappe at the outset - tiramisu gelato topped with strong espresso, whipped cream and some tiramisu powder. Gelato, together with sorbet, is a predecessor of the modern-day ice cream, and as such has the same basic ingredients as the latter, only it has a lower butterfat content.

Nothing could be better than a nice, cold dessert drink on a hot summer day. This definitely is, as the Italians would say it, "la dolce vita" - the good life.

Binondo: Wan Chai at Benavidez

i ♥ dimsum

A trip to what is reputedly the oldest Chinatown in the world will not be complete without experiencing its gustatory delights. And since no one would know the place better than someone who grew up there, I elicited help from a friend, who's Chinese, in navigating this veritable maze of narrowly winding streets, canals, alleyways, and all-the-commerce-you-can-get in between. The district is abuzz with consumerism - from drugstores specializing in traditional Chinese medicine, to charms stores, to purveyors of Chinese cuisine (either Hokkien or Cantonese and its consequent outgrowth). Luckily, she is not one to back out from an adventure, much less a gastronomic one. So off we went and explored the streets of this vibrant and sometimes intimidating (to an outsider) cultural hodgepodge that is Binondo.

the deliciously tender chicken feet

We decided to eat at one of the restaurants lining Benavidez Street called Wan Chai, which is owned by the family of a friend of hers. We started off with dimsum and tea. This, in my opinion, is the quintessential Chinese way of starting off a meal. But really, whatever floats your boat, right? You can have it whichever way you like.

We ordered Chicken feet and Steamed Spareribs. This, of course, is best paired with a spicy, tangy soy sauce mix - soy sauce mixed with calamansi and chili paste. I love how the chicken feet's meat is soft to the bite, falling off the bone, but still strong enough to hold itself before reaching your mouth.

Wan Chai's specialty - the 2-way rice

One of the restaurant's specialties was the Two-way rice - large servings of white rice topped with two types of thick sauces which you mix together to form one solid mixture. One sauce is bright orange reminiscent of sweet & sour. The other, thick white, similar to a rue or cornstarch thickener you put in chopsuey - another Chinese classic. Both sauces have chicken pieces in it. The orange sauce has carrot strips, red bell pepper, and maybe leeks or onion stalks. The white sauce has green peas and shrimps. The servings are big enough for two, no kidding, so you can actually tag an extra person along if you want to.

We were full to the brim. A nice conversation over good meal certainly makes for a pleasant experience. I sure will explore more of this food haven and will keep on coming back. New adventures lie not far away, I can feel.

Ming Yuen Kitchen

I recently had dinner with a friend at this Chinese restaurant that had just opened in this mall that I usually frequent. We ordered spicy steamed beef w/ soy sauce, minced pork with aubergine and yang chow rice. The food was good, to say the least, especially the yang chow rice. I'm glad that the beef was tender. However, I had to say that the soy sauce mixture really comes as an indispensable part of the entree as it gives that extra flavor to the meat, which was a tad bland on its own. The minced pork with aubergine, I'm not really a big fan of. I find it overly moist and the eggplant overcooked. Good thing it's big on flavor which somehow compensates.

Aside from getting my gastronomic fix, there is one more perk I got to enjoy while dining there - I got inspiration for the design of my future living room. The ceiling treatment they did was magical. I surmise that the effect they are trying to go for is a fusion of Zen, modern, minimalist, for which I hope I'm not giving interior design much discredit making such assumptions. 

But I tell you one thing, I could definitely use some tips and learn a thing or two on how to go about the trade, especially now that the big 'MOVE' (to a new place) is really just around the corner. The thought of moving in to a house that's purely bare drives me nuts and has been a cause of many a sleepless night.

I try not to fret as much as I can and just really get through with it with much fun as possible, hoping that when I look back to this day I would have nothing but happy and wonderful memories to rekindle. Maybe some hard life lessons too, but really more of stories that would elicit big laughs.