Refreshing Treats for Century Park Hotel’s New Year Kick-Off

As we all welcome a wonderful 2016, Century Park Hotel embraces the New Year with cool treats.

Here are just some of them...

They have extended their special Christmas room package with a special room rates for the Classic Superior room at P5,000 net / room / night and Deluxe room / Studio / One-Bedroom Park Tower suite / Junior Superior suite at P 6,000 net / room/ night. Packages include complimentary buffet breakfast for two at the Café in the Park plus P500 credit in all hotel-operated food and beverage outlets. Promo is until January 15, 2016.

Burger Brewster Beefed-up the Brew Indeed!

I'm not really a burger junkie, though I know my burgers pretty well, so do my kids who are probably the burger and pizza monsters at home.  In this post, I'm going to segue first from being a busy homey mom and try to be in the shoes of my kids and be a burger meister for a day.  

Not minding the travel to Marikina, I head of at Burger Brewster, located at the neighborhood of Hacienda Heights.  Instead of wallowing from restlessness and anxiety over the tons and ever growing chores I have to finish at home, I pictured myself scarfing down a juicy, savory burger.  

For many, burgers are the ultimate comfort food and I guess it holds true to these three friends who started to storm the kitchen and whipped up their own take on the Jucy Lucy Burger that is famous in Minneapolis.  Actually, the story of how the idea of putting up a burger joint was conceived after they have watched an episode of Man vs. Food and Juicy Lucy, also Jucy Lucy was the highlight.

Tasty Sensations at Flavours by Chef Fham

Visiting NY's hole in the wall cafes, particularly in Brooklyn, is one thing I would certainly add in my long-listed bucket list.  Cozy cafes and restos reflecting the old-school look complete with red brick walls co-mixed with contemporary furnishings and, ahh, with glorious food in the foreground.
Though one thing's for sure, it may cost me a lot to pursue such a foodie/wanderlust's whim.

But will you believe me if I tell you that I have lit upon this venue which can be found in the fringe of Tomas Morato?  A two-year old building called Pos Building is a home for foodie gems yet to be unearthed.  Walls all sheathed with red bricks and flanked with bars, cafes and restaurants that serve a miscellany of cuisines.

One space stood up for me though, from a number of food purveyors in the building-it's Flavours by Chef Fham.  People getting off the third floor hardly notice the cafe bar which stands to be just as you get off the elevator.  I felt really bad for those people not giving them a try, for Chef Fham's creations are like contemporary masterpieces that not everyone gets to indulge with.

Although, one's initial reaction to brick walls may be “cold,” behind those walls are kitchen's made warm by the cooks who passionately meet your needs for good comforting food, like that of Flavours.  Also, don't get intimidated by the rustic Brooklyn (NY) vibe, Flavours is as casual as can be dining place where you can chat with Chef Fham herself after she delivers your food from the menu.

A couple of nights ago was a fare share of palatable blessings with notable food reviewers, Gerry of Dude for Food and the couple Jill and Oliver of The Food Scout.

Let me indulge your screens with the food that we tried.

For our starter, we had a bowl of Tomato Soup.

Tomato Soup (P 150)

I suppose it's up to the eater whether this soup is a close-enough facsimile of the original dish which American homes would consume on cold days, though I can guarantee that you won't regret getting a bowl because it's delicious.  You can really taste the freshness of the tomato as real tomatoes and it sure is better than the commercial ones which contains - you know, some amount of lead.

What sets this one apart from other tomato soups out there is the use of chickpeas (garbanzos) instead of using carrots.  Not only it does the thickening trick to the soup base, it also balances the acidity from the tomatoes. Also, the classic uses sour cream, Chef Fham uses creme fraiche.  Creme fraiche is basically a mixture of heavy cream and buttermilk, so it doesn't make it sour rather a hint of milkiness and creaminess.

Comforting is more than apt for it.

Top It Fries! (P 160)

As the name implies, Flavours did really topped it off.  Hand-cut potatoes fried to a crisp, indulged with with pork strips, pepper gravy, cheese sauce and chilies.  This is their version of the Canadian Poutine.

The pork toppings were actually prepared ala Salpicao. It has the right garlicky flavor and the hint of cheese everytime you take a bite of everything. Like poutine, it's meant to be eaten altogether having a mix of tastes in one bite.  So, I guess we can say that this is a mash of Canadian and Spanish cooking, and quite a brilliant one.

Baked Bangus (P 230)

The idea of a baked bangus belly smothered in melted cheese sounded very intriguing, more so being served with a cup of rice, grilled veggies and pickled mushrooms.  Now, if there is a dish more beguiling than that, please do introduce me to that dish.  But before you do, let me introduce my newest tasty discovery, something I want to cook myself at home and have my family try.  Flavours' Bangus Belly is a huge slice of boneless bangus belly topped with cheese and parsley. The layered fish adorns the oven and as the cheese melts it clings right into the fish' crevices.  

Before I finish describing the whole plate, can I just say how much I love cheese and boneless bangus belly!  These always goes to my grocery list every time. So it's not anymore a question how I can easily love this dish. What's more is that it's made more healthy, with the addition of grilled onions and tomatoes, and wait, this time you're not going to have a serving of atchara with your fish. Would you like to try something uniquely new?  How about pickled mushroom?  I bet that's something you wish you could try.  I love how the vinegar works with the button mushroom, without making it overly done (meant, making it too soft or soggy).  All these tied up so well with plain rice, surprisingly.

Ben's Egg and Longanisa (P 210)

Part of the all-day breakfast offering is a rendition of Eggs Benedict, only it deemed the use of ham or bacon, instead she used her Mom's recipe of Longaniza. This brings me to note that all their meat preserves are made in their own kitchen, from the longaniza, sausages, bacon to the corned beef. Also, I want to stress out, all their dishes are made from scratch, no short cuts and definitely no flavour additives.  So what you get are healthy dishes bursting with natural good taste and richness.

Whether it's a hearty brunch or a filling lunch or dinner, Flavours can sure whip up something for what ever you might be craving for.  

Mom's Mechado (P 250)

Chef Fham have proven to be inventive enough, seeing the menu and trying out some of them. However, what can a skilled chef like her not do?  I guess nothing.  To prove that, she included classic dishes like the Fish and Chips and everyone's fiesta favorite, Mom's Mechado.  

You can really get a hint of how her mom's influence was in her cooking.  Maybe, it's one of her favored comfort dish growing up, or may have been always the star of their celebration table. 

Made by stewing meat in a tangy tomato sauce with potatoes and carrots, their beef mechado serve with plain rice is making diners come back. The slow cooking method makes it irresistibly flavorful and the meat so tender and soft to the bite. 

Kebab Burger (P 210)

We all were so amused of hybrid food creations, which exploded like a bomb last year.  Some of the craziest inventions are croughnuts or cronuts (croissant and doughnuts), brookie (brownie and cookie) and ramen burgers. Though the trend kinda dwindled a little, people are still expectant of what's to come out next.  Thus, here it is - Kebab Burger.  

It's when you use the grilled beef (un-skewered, of course) with garlic mayo sauce, clad it with slices of cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce as a filling for a half-sliced bun. Walah! 

It's one of Chef's husband's fave, though admittingly, he likes everything his wife makes in the kitchen. The aioli makes it taste like an authentic Mediterranean dish.  According to them, they learned the sauce from a friend of Chef's father in Saudi Arabia.  

Sausage Ragu Pasta (P 195)

Another classic-with-a-twist is the linguine with sausage ragu.  This classic Italian meat sauce is dandied up with their home-made sausage.  Though I wasn't too crazy about it, it did catch my fancy for true Italian sauce, loaded with chunky veggies, including tomatoes and with the perfect sauce viscosity that's clingy to the pasta and not runny.  Also, the Parmesan cheese randomly interspersed does not only make it Instagramable, it balances with the tanginess of the sauce.

Mint Nutella Honey Toast (P 150)

Nothing beats a good home-cooked inspired meal. But ending it sweetly can make it dreamy. Flavours have lined up different versions of the Japanese-inspired Honey Toasts.  Unlike their counterpart, theirs are made more buttery and egg-y, though,without the greasy mouth-feel. This is another of their selling point, the brioche, the kind of bread used for this decadence of a dessert. 

The three of us hastily took shots at every angle of the Mint Nutella Honey. Coz' it's that drop-dead gorgeous look of the plate only foodies, food-photographers can comprehend.  We made sure that capturing it would only take each of us a matter of seconds, so we can still get to eat the mint ice cream without sogging-out the brioche.  But it didn't matter to us anymore.  As the ice cream melted into the dark chocolate ganache and Nutella mixture, the bread remained crunchy on the outside and still airy on the inside.  Oh and I can't get over with the act of dipping the fork-bits of the brioche to the chocolate mix, with the added crunch from the nuts, it's just insanely delish.  I can't wait to try other versions such as the Vanilla Almond, Choco Banana, White Peanut Butter, Banoffie and PB & J.  Uhh!  I can't wait to flood my IG with them.

If you happen to be in Tomas Morato, do drop by and be listed amongst those who testify the quality and Flavour-ful goodness of every dishes that were lovingly prepared by Chef Fham Sarmiento. This is actually Antz and Chef Fham's baby, so, I too can attest that you can have a gourmet-type of meal any time of the day without burning a whole in your pocket.

Address:  3rd Fl POS Building, Sct. Madrinan

        cor. Tomas Morato Avenue, Quezon City

Contact Details: 5876486

Eat. Cafe, Comfort Food, Tea, Coffee, and Wine Bar

Simple.

Just like this new cafe, that I had recently visited and tried, I am about to write my simplest blog. not that I don't want to over sell them, which I would want to, but because of the fact that the whole sense of it should not really be complicated.

Well you see, my life also as it is, is simple just that I complicate things a tad bit more, or let's just say to elaborate on stuff like preparing a simple tuna sandwich or baking brownies.  By the way, will posting really soon my recent addition to my brilliant brownie inventions -Oatmeal Brownies.

By now the lights of the cafe are off and the guards would make sure that the doors of the elevator don't open at the Mezzanine floor.  While I'm still tucking heartily into a heap of Spicy Brownies which I took home from Eat. Cafe at this wee hour with a mug of Chamomile tea to combat the sugar and lull me to sleep.  Sure enough the brownies and some of the food I've tried at Eat made it hard for me to doze off easily.

Swoon Over Resorts World Manila's Luck in Love Dining Finds

As a couple, many of our unusual successes in marriage life were shared and shaped out over romantic dinners.  Most of our family get-aways and weekenders were thought of over a conversation with juicy steaks, pasta and of course sweet endings.  

That's why I'm ecstatic to share you Resorts World Manila's special Valentine's offering and might I say the different restaurants can't wait to feed the lovebirds, as each of these avante garde food establishments have created equally romantic menu offerings. 

Be Under the Tuscan Sun and Go on a Foodie Retreat

Whenever my family and I pass by McKinley Hill every Sunday, going home from the church service, it stirs up fleeting nostalgia of my first and only trip to Italy (for the moment).  One particular aspect of that tour was our flight from Qatar to Milan which was agonizingly long but what kept me all pepped up was the movie Under the Tuscan Sun.  The movie was, well also long, the plot was not that captivating and I can't seem to recall any part of it, however what made mark on my mind was the beauty of Tuscany highlighted.

Tuscany evokes appealing images of a centuries-old civilization with a mixture of contemporary rural lifestyle. It's a place where nature itself appears tamed and enhanced by the presence of man.  Visitors travel along country roads that wind through prosperous villages with medieval centers, enticing shops and well-dressed women.  I'd always thought of going to Tuscany as my best dream ever!!!  (Hope my parents can read this!)

Going back to reality, it's been nine years since I saw that movie and here in Manila every corner seems to be changing drastically with the emergence of new villages and places of interests, and of course havens for foodies.  That being said let me give one such beautiful example- Tuscany in McKinley Hill.

And what great news I have for you, dear fellow food lovers!

Megaworld Lifestyle Malls have organized another food-coma inducing event that would really satiate the gourmand in you!  "An Awesome Secret Foodies Tour" is a degustation retreat at the newest dining destination, Tuscany at McKinley Hill.

With such images of Renaissance architecture given the contempo touch, sans terraced hills neatly planted with vines and olive trees, monasteries and villas surrounded by woods and enclosed gardens all come to mind at this side of Taguig, Saturday dining can never be the same again.

The degustation menu is a treasury of 20 sampling dishes from 7 restaurants plus wine pairing at Planet Grapes.  Let me give you a sneak preview of the trip and what the restaurants will be serving.

1. Planet Grapes 

As I have said, they will only be providing wines, "New World wines" that is.  

You have a choice of one red wine and one white wine from a plethora of wines from Merlot, Chardonnay, Shiraz, etc.

Planet Grapes has a wine connoisseur on standby to guide your way through learning about the art of  wine drinking. Adding a great new twist is their "wine meets street food" concept and a wine vending machine that I find fascinating.

Who knew that our humble street foods, like balut, siomai and the likes have found their way being partnered with imported wines.

2. Trattoria Poggio Antico

From my very reliable translator (my brother), Trattoria Poggio Antico in English means  old tavern in Poggio (comune di poggio).  It's a Filipino-owned restaurant inspired from the very street side cafes of rustic Italy.

On the plate:  From Top left clockwise, Prosciutto con Melone, Pomodoro e Mozzarella, Oyster Sur Pate di Fegato

3.  B &T Mexican Kitchen

So, is it turning to be like a food trip across the globe?  After Italy, have a taste now of the exotic flavors of Tex-Mex cuisine.   Let B & T blow you away with this humunguos  platter filled with what else of course, Burritos and Tacos, it's namesake.

On the Plate: Chipotle Chicken Pizza, Mango Glazed Habanero Chicken, Taquitos Especial with Barbacoa and Nacho Chips with Assorted Dips

4. L.E.S. Bagels

L.E.S. is an abbreviation for Lower East Side, the most "New Yorky" part of The City, so they say.  Now, a speck of that experience is in McKinley and we can sample bagels in all its glory just like how it is sold in Manhattan cafes.

It's also written that the best bagels are still found in New York, I don't know about that, all I know is I found my kind of bagel and a plethora of flavored cream cheese to fill it with.

Pastries are also served, so do grab your choice and make sure to try their sinful, kick-a** brownies!

5.  Sauceria

Sauceria believes in the art and science of preparing food, dishes rich in sauces made from scratch with ingredients locally farmed, low in carbon footprint and has minimal pesticide content possible.

And when science and passion in cooking collides an explosion of flavor that sparkle with personality yet all harmonize on the plate.  See how colorful the coca is on the photo?   It's one of dish that you will be sampling on the "secret foodie tour."   Feta Cilantro Tomato Coca is a Spanish-style flat bread pizza.

The Artisanal All-beef Burger is a tiny one yet packed with beefy-goodness with a spread made of tuyo blue cheese in a very soft sesame seed bun.

Then, there's Tuna Tataki, with the Zaru soba complementing the freshly slice raw tuna served with home-made wasabi sour cream dip.

6.   Marciano's

Care for another round of Italian dishes?

One of the famous Italian resto chain has opened a branch in Tuscany and they are very much ready for your modern take on Italian appetite.

It's going to be one long afternoon of binge-eating so let me warn you to take it easy, get a few minutes of rest after every resto.  Let me assure you, the stroll along Tuscany can be beckoning and though 8 restaurants are featured in this secret familiarity tour, there are a couple more that will lure you to eventually pack your stuff and move in this side of town.

Take heart as the serving of another batch of Main dish is set here at Marciano's.

You get a sample of West Side Four Season Pizza, Woody Allen Linguine and Dow Jones.  Dow Jones is the T-bone steak with sausages, roasted vegetables, mashed potato and gravy.

The Panna Cota with berry coulis is just an added treat for us.  Don't worry there are desserts!

7.  Main Street

If you still feel the tour to be meager, what if I tell you that a piece of Canada have found its little spot here in the Italian-vibe community, that is soon to be home to many modern families.  Main Street is the breed based from the marriage of French and Canadian culture.  With old comfort favorites given new twists, which have delighted my blogger friends during our review.

An instant crowd favorite is the Poutine.  Their version of home-cut French fries drenched with dark brown, syrup-looking beef gravy and cheese curds.

Our second burger on the list is non-other than the Kitayama Wagyu Burger served with the usuals but has that tricky house sauce, leaving you wanting to eat more.

Our tour was steadily moving deep into the night and I started to feel being fattened up, heavy on my tummy, my brain cells are starting to tell me that food coma will start to kick in, in about...wait...I overheard Rj Ledesma our host saying you can not miss their home-made ice cream.  I thought I wasn't cognitive anymore, overhearing bacon on the ice cream.
Then, the Organic Maple and Candied Bacon Artisan Ice Cream was served to each of us camped on the dining tables at the ground floor.  The sound of bacon, maple, and artisan lulled me and I said to myself I must have been dreaming already.
Well, you'll know what I meant with these words of mine when you get face to face with the lovely cold dessert from Main Street.

Ahhh, makes me want to go back now!

8. Sophie's Mom

 And the perfect sweet ending...'nuf said...

I hope these photos of Ms. Tonette's pastry creation pay justice to the real deal.
It's every little girls ultimate happy place, check my blog when they had their soft opening at this link:

http://www.gastronomybyjoy.com/2013/07/sophies-mom-my-girls-new-happy-place.html

So, itching to get your very own "Awesome Secret Foodies Tour?"

Buy your tickets for only P1,000 at the Redemption Booth near the Tuscany Grand Villas' Gate. One ticket admits one (1) person and is sold on a first come, first served basis.  Tickets being sold for each Saturday are very limited.

Participating Tenants:
1. Sauceria
2. Planet Grapes
3. L.E.S. Bagels
4. Main Street
5. Sophie's Mom
6. B & T Mexican Kitchen
7. Marciano's
8. Trattoria Poggio Antico

For the full mechanics of An Awesome Secret Foodies Tour, kindly read below:

1. An Awesome Secret Foodies Tour will run on Nov 30, Dec 7, Dec 14 and Dec 21, 2013 from 2PM – 5PM in Tuscany at McKinley Hill.
2. Tickets for the tour are priced at P1, 000. One ticket admits one (1) person.
3. Tickets are sold at the Redemption Booth near the Tuscany Grand Villas Gate on November 26 & 27, 2013, 11AM - 6PM.
4. Participants may choose their preferred date for the tour on a first come first served basis.
5. No rebooking of tours.
6. No ticket reservations will be entertained over the phone.
7. Tickets must be claimed in person on a first come, first served basis.
8. Each participant will be given a tour kit including the tour ticket, tour pin, degustation menu and the McKinley Hill Gourmet Guide.

For ticket inquiries, please call 709-0888, 709-9888, 0917 838-0111