For Pao...

I missed checking on you at the hospital and at home but my mind didn't forget the pain you've gone through and  I thank God you're back to normal and feeling good if not better and I know in time, you'll be back to this body and this look. Heheh!

Pao feeling sexy during her "teenage" years. Hahah!  (pic taken from her FB account)

Here's your long, overdue FFTG (Food for the Gods) cake!  I hope you'll like it. Thanks  for the "kulit" as I am now in back to baking. Yay!

A birthday treat of a childhood friend @ Siam House

Yesterday, my childhood friend, Riza gave us a birthday treat.  She surprised me and my other childhood friend, Grace by telling us she's in Pampanga and would want to go out with us.

So, we gave in and went to have lunch out at one of my favorite restaurants in Angeles City, Siam House.

Siam House is a Thai restaurant that serves authentic Thai food since the owner/chef is Thai (as I heard).   I have been to this place a couple of times and never have been disappointed.    Though the ambiance is not the typical well-decorated, lit and air-conditioned dining place, this restaurant gives a "homey" feeling for its "kitchenette" look.    Anyway, what's important is we get a clean place, friendly staff and delicious food that we get value for our money.



There are two beverages that I always order from this place.  One is the Thai Iced Tea which is shown on the picture below.  Another one is their Tamarind juice which comes in a can.  You should try both for the experience (since some are not really into this type of drinks, my friend is one who didn't like the taste of the Thai Iced tea).

On the upper right of the collage is the TomYam soup in coconut milk . We chose seafood for this one.    I love how the  milk blends well with all the Thai herbs, vegetables and seafoods.  Very delicious!

For the appetizer the "birthday lady"  recommended the Chicken Salad which is my a first try for me.  I super love it!  I ate it with fresh cabbage.  The salad is a mixture of ground chicken breast, red onions, Thai herbs and a sauce that's spicy and sweet.  YUMMY!



For our main dish, we had the famous "Bagoong Rice" (left picture).  I forgot all the Thai names so I would just be telling them in English.  This is my favorite dish.  You can eat it as it is.  Why?  Just check the toppings on the dish.  It has a flavorful pork, prawns, scrambled egg and sliced green mangoes.  Fulfilling!

On the upper right of the collage is Prawns in Red Curry sauce.  It's tasty and creamy but it's not something I will order again.  Check our local eggplant (circle variety) that were diced and the green circles which resemble green peas.  They are actually called Thai eggplants!   They are somewhat spicy and taste like peppers.  Great combination huh?

The last on our meal is the Seafood in Basil.  I like the simplicity of the sauce and the taste of the basil.  Well, basil is on the herbs that I love.  Be it, the Thai variety or the Italian ones.

The birthday celebrator with me and Grace.

From Siam House, we headed to SM Clark and ended our date at Divas Kaffe.  I ordered Green Tea Frappe to compare it to that of Starbucks.  Not disappointing.  The taste actually comparable but I will still go for Starbucks.  Hehe!  I forgot to ask Riza on how she paid for the drink so I can provide detail on this.



The dishes we had were mostly priced at 180 pesos and I can say not bad as we left the restaurant very full.

Thanks, Riza for the treat and belated happy birthday again!  :D




***Siam House is located  along Fields Avenue in Angeles City.

Despidida @ C' Italian

I work in a BPO industry and we're changing teams/shifts next week.  This calls for different people to work with as others are moving to different teams.

To celebrate the good times we had in the team, my team asked me to join them in a "food trip", a long overdue plan at C' Italian in Friendship Avenue in Angeles City.  I have been in this restaurant a couple of times with different set of friends and family.  I even had a double date in its garden while a band was playing and stars are glowing. Romantic, huh? LOL.

Pictures are essential while dining out nowadays.  Especially for me who wouldn't  want to miss moments and pictures of good food.   So, while ordering and waiting for JB and Jlyn and the food we ordered, I took time to take pictures.  Forgive me for the low resolution of the pictures. I was experimenting on my camera and used the 3200 ISO. LOL.

Our first set of orders -  Panizza Kristina @ P655 on the lower right side and  Panizza Millionario @ P695  on lower left side.   The usual bread and pesto dip was served just like any other Italian restaurants here.  Extra order of Alfafa and Arugula is P99.  You may be wondering what's on the upper right side of this picture. Well, wonder no more, as that is just my panizza strip filled with alfalfa and arugula, rolled and bitten.  LOL

Spaghetti Con Fruitti de Mare (Fruit of the Sea) @ P590 and  Gnocchi Bolognia @ 750.   It was my first time to try gnocchi so I wondered how it tasted.  I loved it! I want anything starchy and soft and "tomatoey".  LOL.  Wikipedia says " Gnocchi (English pronunciation: /ˈnɒki, ˈnjɒki/; Italian: [ˈɲɔkːi]; N'YO-kee; singular gnocco) are various thick, soft dumplings. They may be made from semolina, ordinary wheat flour, potato, bread crumbs, or similar ingredients. The smaller forms are called gnocchetti."

Risotto Kristina @ P720.  If there's one dish that I love to eat in Italian restaurants, it's risotto.  Told ya, I like anything starchy. My mind is whispering and telling me it's actually anything carbo. Hahah!  On the right side of the picture are strips of the two panizzas.

Pictures of us.  This is another wonderful experience at C' Italian. Again, I wasn't disappointed so are the first-timers here.  :D

http://www.c-italian-dining.com/

Kabigting's Halo-halo, another Kapampangan's pride

Talking about Halo-halo, Pampanga has a lot to offer.  There's Razon's of Guagua, Corazon's and Susie's of Angeles City and Kabigting's of Arayat.   I have tried the Razon's halo-halo in its main branch in Guagua years back and I fell in love with it that is why whenever I get a chance and is craving for one, I easily go to their branch at Nepo, Angeles City.  Corazon's and Susie's are also very accessible. I can get an order immediately whenever I want to.

With Kabigting's, it's a different story.  Arayat, Pampanga is far from my town, Porac.  I never get a chance to check theirs in Arayat.  So, when I heard a colleague from work, Jackie being addicted to this halo-halo and frequenting Marquee Mall just for that, I had to pull my friend, Nikki who's a sweet-tooth person like me to sample it.  Boy, I wasn't disappointed! It's addicting!  Just thinking of it and writing it about it now makes me want to grab one!

Nikki San with her new look while waiting for our orders.

Their menu.  This could have been better if not for the handwriting and erasures.  Anyway, it doesn't matter as we're after the taste.

Palabok.  Equally delicious as their halo-halo.

The star! My eyes were drooling over the pastillas settled at the bottom. I was getting anxious to spoon it.  Hahah!

See?  The secret ingredients.  I really don't think they are secret.  The milk is not sweet which I heard is carabao's milk.  The spooned ingredients are pastillas which they also sell, sweet corn and beans.  Just like Razon's, its simplicity is what I love!

What can you say? You be the judge and tell me if we enjoyed it.  :D

Our Korean look by Tony & Jackey

I have been getting bored with my long hair and wanted a different look.  I was considering a haircut and/or a digital perm so, I asked my friend, Nikki which I know can always accompany and support me with such activity and request.  So, last June 2 before I reported to work and which is in time before my niece's birthday (talking about preparation...LOL),  even if it was raining, we pushed through with our plan of meeting up at Marquee Mall and check the Korean salon, Tony & Jackey.  Even before this was put up in Pampanga, I have read reviews from blogs in Manila of the said salon that perked up my curiosity and wanted to try it then.  Time has been the problem.

It's a good thing it's available here now.  Well, we have a lot of Koreans in Angeles City, thus a ready market for them.

Tony & Jackey's spacious entrance.

Me and Nikki before our transformation. Hehe!  Prior to going to the salon, Nikki wasn't hundred percent sure if she really wanted to have her hair done.  After seeing the magazine of beautiful haircuts, she immediately gave in!

I love having my hair shampooed here. The chair is soooo ergonomically friendly! It adjusts automatically to where needed.

Nikki's turn.  You might  notice that I was wearing a robe while Nikki is not.  This is because I had a hair spa done as well which I guess requires to wear a pink robe. LOL

Nikki's looooong hair now ready to be cut.  The hairdresser is so cool and very meticulous.

Heat as being applied to my treatment.  I like the combination of pink and purple.  So girly! I wonder what colors they use for men. Hahah!

Our new looks.  Do you like them?  Feeling Koreans, huh?

I had a funny feeling in this salon because while all salons I've been to , after the haircut and blow dry, hairdressers would straighten the hair.  With this one, the hairdresser used a hair straightener iron not to straighten but curl our hair in less than 5 minutes! So cool! I wish I could do such.

Nikki and I looked like we're going to attend a party. Hahah!  Seeing the outcome of this, might consider digital perming next time.  :)

Tony & Jackey

3rd level of Marquee Mall, Angeles City

http://www.tonyandjackey.net/

Haircut: P500

Haircut + Hair spa: P1000

My IT friend and The Village Chef

I have a number of pending activities and happenings to post but today I'll write about something that's fresh as it just happened a few hours ago.

I had a great time with my high school and college friends and dormmates.  Aileen, my IT friend whose two-week vacation ends today will be flying back to Singapore in a few hours.  I was out-of-town and busy for the past two weeks,  so it's only last night that our date materialized.

Aileen and I met with our other friend, her roommate actually in college, Arceli, the historian turned lawyer turned Village Chef.  Isn't that amazing? Yes, she's the chef of a restaurant in Marisol "village", hence the Village Chef. LOL.  I don't know if that is where the name came from, I just put that up, so don't take it seriously.

It's my first time to visit this restaurant and I must say everything is "eccellente".  It's not that I am biased because the chef is my friend but the dishes that we've tasted are all delicious and the ambiance is really great, a very cozy one.

The main entrance. Photo credit: The Village Chef's Facebook account. Heheh! My friend and I were excited to see the chef so we entered the restaurant immediately.

The Menu's cover.

Homemade Iced Tea, a refreshing one.  P50

Four Cheese Pizza, P320 (12 inches).  A must-try dish. I sooooooo love it!  I am not a fanatic of thin crust as I always get disappointed on thin crusts I have tasted before so when I order pizza it's always the thick one. There's one exception though, I am addicted to "panizza".  And the crust of this pizza is close to that so I am loving VC's thin crust now which  has changed my view of the thin crust.

Arugula! This herb has now been a  common name for those foodies who love Italian food. It's a nice touch to top it to the pizza as it gives a twist to its flavor.

Cannelloni, P170 or P180. For those not familiar with it, here's what Wiki has to say - "Cannelloni (Italian: large reeds) are rectangular pasta sheets that are rolled into a cylindricalshape encompassing a filling. After a pasta sheet has been boiled, it is typically filled with asavory stuffing which may include ricotta cheese, spinach, and various meats. It is then covered with a sauce, typically a classic tomato or béchamel sauce"

I love this too!  For those meat lover, this is for you.  The pasta was fresh and cooked al dente.  Cheese is also generously included in the dish which makes it more delicioso.

Photo credit: The Village Chef's FB account.  Panna Cotta, P80.  I got excited to try their Panna Cotta as this is one of my favorite desserts so I forgot to take a picture of it. LOL.  It was HEAVEN when I tasted it!  Its creaminess melted in my mouth!  The mango and cream topping added more flavor and contrast to the dessert.  I now know where to find the best panna cotta in town.  HEAVENLY!

Okay, after the dessert, we got a tour of the VC's kitchen.  Me and Aileen posing with the VC's chef, Arceli.

Outside the kitchen and into the garden.  The 3 of us.  Darn! I can see the burnt I got from the North and the fats.  Calling more sunblock and diet (ooops not that)  exercise. Heheh!

Aileen, who never grow old, modelling a pot arugula .  She still looks like the baby-face, sweet high school friend that I had back then.

The Village Chef has a beautifully landscaped garden and a green house where different types of herbs grow.  They also sell most of them which includes Arugula, Rosemary, Thyme, Tarragon, Oregano and Mint. Prices range from P60 to P150.   Here in the picture is the Italian Oregano which was added to our pizza.

Arceli also studied in The Blue Elephant in Bangkok, so some plants and herbs that are used in Thai cuisine grow in her garden.  Kaffir Lime is one of them.

After our tour in the kitchen and garden, we were served the Tarragon tea.  This is new to me and I like it so much! I can't wait to grow my tarragon and have this tea every morning.  Very calming!

Thanks, Aileen for the dinner treat. It was nice seeing you again after more than a year.  Thanks Arceli for the free desserts.  I super love your panna cotta. You bet I'll go back to your restaurant and bring my friends and family soon.

The Village Chef

406 Broadway Street, Marisol Subdivision

Angeles City, Philippines, 2009

0923-374-8752

Fri - Sun:

6:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Is summer over?

I've been meaning to post this last week  but I couldn't find the right time as I was busy with baking and preparing for my niece's 7th birthday party.   Added to that is the no internet connection on places I've been to.

It has been raining the past week I left Pampanga and I was lucky to have another close-up pictures taken on my current favorite tree, the Flame Tree.  This tree is just near our office so on one of our breaks, my team and I decided to head to Mini-stop and pass by this beautiful tree to have a glimpse of it and a picture taken. On our way back to the office, raindrops started to pour.  If I remember it correctly, it started raining last May 29.  It rained daily until I left Pampanga  on June 5.  I have no idea if it rained still after that.  I guess, El Nino has ended and we're welcoming La Nina now.  I just hope not too much rain nor typhoon.

Isn't the tree very lovely? With its vibrant red-orange color, who would not be awed by its beauty?

I felt I was in another country when I saw the soil topped with fallen petals.  Actually, I always feel there's autumn season in Clark Field, Pampanga when some trees change their colors and leaves start to fall. Hahah!

Click the picture to see Abbey's smile. Heheh!

Abbey, Me & JB

Abbey, Jlyn & JB

Yours truly.  Have a "flame tree" weekend and enjoy the rest of the summer!

Thanks for the time, Nola!

Last Sunday after work, I met my friend Nola who came back from the US.  I haven't seen her for more than 3 years and with that said, a lot of catching-up of what's going on with our lives happened.

Our three and half hours of sharing stories wasn't enough but we had to separate ways as she only has a day left before her flight back to US and I have an early shift at work the following day. 

I always like it when my friends I haven't seen for years or even months would arrange a meeting with me. I feel very important and loved. Hahah! 

There's one friend who once told me that if you meet up with a friend you haven't seen for years and during your meeting, it seems like it was just yesterday that you separated ways since you still have so much to talk about to, then you two are real friends. I believe in that!

It was like that with Nola.  I guess no matter how many years we will be separated and add to that of no communication at all, the next time we meet, all chatting will still happen for Nola would always be a friend no matter what as she's one of the sweetest, kindest and wonderful person I have met. :)

Nola  and her Teriyaki chicken @ Teriyaki Boy in SM Clark



Me & Nola at the Clark Terminal. At our back is the transportation service where I work and Nola used to work.



Nola's pasalubong. Thanks, Nols! I love the scent.



I am happy of what she has in life now particularly having a great family of her own - a loving husband and a cutie, mestiso Matthew. I hope I'll meet them next time. I'll see you soon, Nols!