Midnight Mercato, Revisited

 The beauty of dessert!  Kashi Makis of My Pink Wasabi, now on Mercato.

 My Pink Wasabi's Chocolate Fudge Cake, to die for!

 Chef Anna Marin Chua, owner and dessert creator extraordinaire

 Another of my favorite at Mercato, Mochiko which was nearby, but we never had some that night, for Bhogs' eyes were on Mio Gelati, Italian ice cream, in new and exquisite flavors.

It's 11 pm, by the time we were there, but still the place was jampacked, even kids were still out of bed and enjoying late night snacks with parents.  

 One fabulous and uber-yummy find at MIO GELATI, I got Tiramisu and Bhogs had cookies and cream.

Some of the previous stall owners who we had pleasures of eating with are still there.  
A certain stall got our interest, it was the first time we saw satays at Mercato.   Chicken Satays' of Chef Rashid Rosete.    Bringing Southeast Asian side-walk food, a level-up.

Chef Rashid, a Muslim who studied in the United States, gladly talked to us about the "gourmet street food" known in Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, now making its way in Manila.   I first encountered these belittled barbecue at Makan Makan.    Satay , Chicken, mutton and beef,  are grilled meat (Halal meats that is) smothered with sweet ans spicy peanut sauce.  

In Arabic, the word halal means permitted or lawful. Halal foods are foods that are allowed under Islamic dietary guidelines. According to these guidelines gathered from the Qu'ran, Muslim followers cannot consume the following: 

·         pork or pork by products

·         animals that were dead prior to slaughtering

·         animals not slaughtered properly or not slaughtered in the name of Allah

·         blood and blood by products

·         alcohol

·         carnivorous animals

·         birds of prey

·         land animals without external ears

 These prohibited foods and ingredients are called haram, meaning forbidden in Arabic.
I don't know if you notice, Halal Certifications at certain foods labels, especially those that were produced and sold from countries were there are lots of Muslims.   I hope this gives you a bit of understanding what Halal means, thanks to Chef Rashid for enlightening me on this.   
Let me tell you there are more than a hundred reason why should take at least one night out at the Mercato and once you do, you'll be wanting to go back for more!
Hoping I could post the pictures I took from my first visit there, you'll be astonished of what foods you can find there and more!