Hollys: Pecan Tarts, Tiramisu & Sweet Potato Frappes

For a long time now, a friend of mine wanted me to try this new coffee house out which she discovered in one of her random adventures. We never seem to find the time for our schedule to work out until today.

Hollys is one of the coffee shops that line Taft Avenue in Manila. It’s cozy and has a somewhat modern-retro vibe. I think the effect was accentuated by the numerous lamps that looked like orbs quoted in what seemed like frozen glass hanging from the ceiling like stalactites. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to get pictures.

There’s a lot that’s different from this coffee shop than the usual. For one, instead of having your name written on the cup and having it called by the barista once ready, they have these UFO-like discs that are actually buzzers with digital number at the side, indicating how far you are in the queue. It vibrates and makes a sound once your order is ready for pick-up. This is not the first time though that I saw this device used in the food industry. That spot, at least as far as my experiences are concerned, belongs to Chatime, which I first tried while passing by their stall between Landmark and Glorietta.

In the coffee business however, this is probably the first of its kind - among others. 

Aside from offering free wi-fi service, for example, they do have free internet available complete with desks and computer units. It’s an internet café within a café.

Even the menu offers something quite different from what we usually see. For example, there is this Korean specialty – Sweet Potato Hollyccino. 

I wasn’t exactly floored by it but for uniqueness' sake, it's something new to the palate and probably needs a little getting used to.

The Pecan tart however, kind of swept me off my feet. You can never go wrong with nuts. I just love, love, love, I can go nuts without them. Wehehe!

The Tiramisu is ok. It's not bad, neither is it exciting. This despite having reduced it to almost nothing, as the bottom-most photo shows.

All in all I think some offerings require some tweaking. But I see that there’s still a lot on the menu we are yet to experience. 

The place’s cozy, relaxed atmosphere however, is something worth coming back to.

Till next time then :-)

The Mall Rat Came Out to Play

Photo courtesy of the photographyblog.com

I just got back from a not-so-productive (errands-wise) but fun-filled day. A protracted trip to the doctor and a failed errand to the bank due to bad weather had me spending the day at the mall. Good thing I brought my camera with me, my newly bought Canon A2200. I thought what better way to kill time than to use the device for another ‘test drive’ and give myself some creative boost, which I don’t get to do a lot these days. Oh well, the tragedy of working in a corporate environment - you get boxed in. Hell, we can’t even comment on Facebook anymore – not if we have anything nice to say, or that are otherwise disclaimered with: “I’m on break and I’m accessing internet via Ovi” or whatever. Sucks much.

Anyhow, I digress.

So there I was, shooting like crazy every interesting subject I could find. Without a doubt, one of my favorite subjects to shoot is food. They talk to me, you know. 

You see, when my mind gets idle, I get hungry. Nothing really wrong with that, except if your mind is idle all the time. And THAT does not bode well for me, nor is it helping in my addiction. I am yet to figure out a way of making my passions work without them having to be lethal. For someone who has blood sugar issues, an unmonitored glucose level can lead to seizure and coma, sending one to the ER in no time.   

However, as I would always say, life is too short to be worrying about the mundane and the superficial. So, have fun and enjoy the ride. Live and let live. 

And so it was.

First thing I did was to load up on energy - food, in anticipation of a long day ahead. I saw Ya Kun Kaya offering something new on the menu, so I thought I should give it a try. Singapore’s Sa Po Fan or clay pot chicken , was what it was - a topping of marinated chicken pieces, Chinese sausages, black Chinese mushrooms and some garnishing, over steamed rice. 

The gingery aroma had a soothing and calming effect. And the sweet smell of the sauce mixed with the herbs are inviting. It's best eaten while still steaming hot and is just perfect in this rainy weather. It was delicious.

Sa Po Fan

Now, all that carb had to go somewhere. Sitting for hours on end wouldn’t help. So I had to walk around the mall and give time for the food to digest. Not that it’s a very effective exercise method, but this could just be the next best thing.

The scouting around led me to the activity center where a number of DVD’s are on display. One of the DVD’s I’ve been dying to have for a long time was on sale – Planet Earth. Not that it's a big SALE or anything but I felt like I’ve held back long enough and now the patience has grew thin. Well, you guessed it. I just blew 650 bucks, and I sorely hope it’s worth it. I’m about to find out soon and will put my review on a future post, yes? Excites me much, actually.

A few more canvassing and walking around led me to the uppermost floor with a nice view of the atrium - from the wide and spacious activity center on the ground level, up to the whitewashed, airy ceiling, surrounded with what seemed to me as frosted, translucent windows - vertical skylights that flood the whole space with natural light. This is my favorite spot of the mall- picture perfect especially for the miniature landscape feature of my camera. 

Unbeknownst to me however, taking pictures is not allowed. 

No later than a lone experimental shot of the few floors did a security officer come up to me to give me a warning. Of course I obliged, but only when he's looking. The moment he took his eyes off, I was on ninja mode. 

I know this shot doesn't do the place justice, but hey, I tried. 

The day is now drawing to an end and I’m feeling my tummy begging for some nourishment. I don’t feel eating rice, bread or pasta, so I decided to go to Mexicali for some Nachos, instead. 

I realize it could be a healthy option for me, what with its corn chips (in lieu of rice), guacamole, salsa , AND organic sour cream to boot. 

I know, heaps of ground beef topped with cheese isn't your idea of a 'healthy' meal. However, radically changing to a more vegan-like diet requires a little getting-used to. It doesn't happen overnight. Besides, I have no intention of going all out with it.  So there, baby steps.

Although I know I would do well to keep our health buff friends' advice to mind (I ought to), this should do for now. I will be enjoying this food without much of the guilt. 

Good times, indeed J

Banapple: Banoffee, Chicken Pie and Asian Salad

It could’ve been ‘a-long-time-coming’ moment, save for one member of the group who is not present. This is the closest we can get to that, however. Even so, I'm excited much.

My friends and I have been planning to try this place out for quite some time – maybe a little less than a year now. But for some reason, we never get around doing that, what with conflicting schedules and stuff. So when some of us had the chance to be near one of its stores, we didn’t think twice putting it in our itinerary.

As if the universe had a hand in matters, two of us got an invite to attend a birthday party of a friend’s one year old son, the location of which happened to be near the Il Terrazzo, Tomas Morato, Quezon City area - one of the places where Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes have a store in.

I’ve been hearing a lot of good words about how delicious the food is that’s being served here, and quite affordable at that. Being quite the connoisseur that I am, I would, as expected, be itching to get my hands on and my mouth filled with the actual deliciousness I only hear from other people’s stories. I wouldn’t get over the thought of tasting their delicious offerings until I get my fix.

So, after the party, we headed straight to Tomas Morato, which we realized was quite near the place we are at, at the time. I realized, we could’ve actually used the time going there for some brisk walking, to burn away the fried chicken and spaghetti I munched on during the party. I should have followed my friend’s advise not to fill myself too much as Banapple has big servings. How stupid of me not to follow.

We had to wait a few minutes before we could get a table as the place was quite packed with people. I ordered Chicken Pie w/ Potato Salad while my friend ordered Asian Salad. We both ordered Banoffee Pie for dessert, one of Banapples’ signature desserts that made them famous. The chicken pie reminds me of the chicken empanada, only heavier. I’m not really a big fan of it. But the banoffee, oh my, the banoffee is exceptional - a wonder of heavenly proportions.

It’s a perfect combination of huge banana chunks enriched with gooey caramel, ensconced in the middle by double layers of cake and wall of crushed graham on the side, both with hints of coffee, topped w/ rich foam of white frosting. Lastly, shavings of delicious chocolate were sprinkled on top. Drool-worthy, this banoffee is.  

The Asian salad is wonderful in its light and crisp scrumptious-ness, perfect for health-conscious individuals. I like the fact that it's not bitter as is common to other Asian salads I tried before.

The servings are indeed big we actually had to bring some home.

All this food filled us up so well we had to do some ‘mitigating’ of its effects. What would usually work for me is coffee. So, we set out to look for a nice coffee shop afterwards, and since we are new to the place, we thought we could use some time familiarizing ourselves with what this lively and gastronomically rich district had to offer. Indeed, there are a lot, which means a lot of reason to come back as well. Not that I mind.

What’s funny is, in our pursuit of a new, cozy coffee shop, we ended up in this non-descript coffee house that’s been anything but cozy and lovable. We preferred this over the other one, Baang, if only for the seeming peace and quiet it exudes at the outset, as there weren’t too many people inside. What seems to be peace and quiet however, is really more of sadness and drabness when you get to realize it. 

It's a road less traveled, for obvious reasons.

"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.

Love at First Bite

Photo courtesy of hazelillustrisimo.blogspot.com

If I would make a list of my favorite things in the world, one of them would be BreadTalk.

Until a few days ago, I wouldn’t think twice holding off eating at this place despite the super delicious aroma of the unique, eye-catching and mouth-watering creations they produce here.  The practical side of me would nag about spending for something I can buy in a local bakery for much less.  I always thought it would hurt my wallet.

Until one boring day, I decided to go to the mall to do some sightseeing-slash-contemplation. I couldn’t decide where to eat despite the smorgasbord of food one could have in such a place - a veritable food haven. Ever since I was diagnosed with diabetes, I found it harder and harder to look for food that would really suit my diet. At that time I was thinking if I should seriously commit myself to a strict whole grain, low sodium, low fat, and of course, low/no sugar diet. Taking medication would’ve been easier but I wanted to know if one could make it through without the meds. The last time I took the tablets was almost a year ago and I haven’t been better since. Lately though, I feel my blood sugar levels rising again, ergo the contemplation.

But I digress.

There I was standing in front of the BreadTalk store that’s gleaming in what seemed to me as immaculate whiteness, an impression borne out of the general whitewashed motif; all the while exuding heavenly aroma only freshly baked bread could offer.  Breads of different sizes, colors and textures invite you, each one with its unique character, most notable and popular of which is the floss monster (see picture at the top). And since I’m in the mood for some coffee, I thought what better way to enjoy it than with delicious bread? At that time I was thinking of something like in the line of croissants or similar, something flaky, which I could dunk in my coffee.

So there I was looking all excited for ‘that’ bread that would satisfy my cravings. After several rounds of circling the bread counter, at the same time imagining the type of bread (think savory but not heavy) that would complement my coffee, at last I was able to zero in on two: the ‘Beckham & Cheese’ and the ‘Eggstraordinary’. Together with kapeng Barako, the "trifecta", if you will, is now complete. Coupled with the store’s modern/contemporary chic ambiance and cool/relaxing sounds, it doesn't get any better. Truly, love at first bite.

I've actually been to the store for like five times already since the above took place about more than a week ago. Every time I would try a different type of bread, and for each of those times it would not fail to impress, as every creation is good and delicious in its own way.

This could truly be the start of a long-lasting love affair - that is, as long as my blood sugar permits.