Raided The Pantry

By Taste:  The Pantry at The Gallery, Mabolo

I got off from work shortly after 1 pm on a Saturday.  I had nothing specific to do, no plan in mind, except to get me a hearty meal considering I missed breakfast and haven't had lunch.  The sun was finally shining after a few days of scattered rainfall and cloudy skies.  Still, not a lot of people were milling around at 1:30 pm.  I decided to forsake the mall after having been there the day before to do some retail therapy.  Where to?   A.  BTC, B. IT Park, C.  The Gallery....  Well I recently asked a friend to help me out with nice places to eat and The Gallery came up and I have it on good word that I should give The Pantry a try.

Traffic was light en route to The Gallery, again not a lot of people were milling around.  People are probably taking their siesta, or decided to head to the beach to take advantage of the vast amount of sunshine that day.   

 Thank God the place was open.  Most restaurants located outside the malls are closed around 2 pm and will be open again at 6 pm.  Kinda European, having a siesta break or cost cutting.  This place caught my attention since last November but it was closed for inventory.  I chose a seat with a view outside the window and the display as well.  

 Looking at the outside, you get the feeling that the place is a nifty gift shop where you can buy some goodies as presents.  But upon entering, it has a homey feel to it except that you have people awaiting to take your order.  They have an ice cream bar with FIC (Fruits in Ice Cream) Ice Cream and you can choose your own topping to go with whatever flavor you like.  Their menu is written on the chalkboards behind the counter from the different flavors of ice cream, ice cream cake and pies, cupcakes, sandwiches, sausages, hams, and beverages.  Their display area shows the different sausages and hams on hand, which are imported from Europe.

 Just beyond the display case is where they cook your meals and bake the cake.  It gives you a glimpse of the wonderful goodies but just enough to keep secret of their trade.  Now on to the chowdown.

Goulash

I started my 1st meal of the day with Goulash (pronounced as "gulyas" but the "l" is kinda silent).  It's a Hungarian dish, a soup or stew made with beef, onions, vegetables, spices and paprika.  I find that this is to my liking considering that it's spicy.  Other soups available in their menu is the tomato soup and pumpkin soup (I think there were 4 but I can only rattle off 3).

Rice, Sunny Side Up, English Bangers, Atsara

Pedro's Brunch

For the main course, I chose Pedro's Brunch in order to be ah, appropriate since I haven't had breakfast and lunch yet.  You get several choices for your sausages, such as the Filipino breakfast (too bad the waitress couldn't fully explain by what their Filipino breakfast is, probably they served longganiza or whatever), English bangers and I forgot what the other sausage was.  Suffice it to say I was really intrigued and tickled with the English bangers and decided to give it a taste.  I wonder if in the near future, they'll be serving some spotted dick!  The English really have their own way of naming their food.  Makes you have second thoughts on trying it or, you can choke on it while trying to stifle a laugh.

To cap everything off, I ordered one of their ice cream pies, the Butterschotch Espresso.  It tasted good, not too sweet, with a healthy dose of butterscotch drizzle on top.  At this point, everything was really good.

Cost wise, it's fairly reasonable considering that most of their food items are imported and most likely it's the first time that you have come across and sampled such items.  As for the ambiance, it's perfect for spending a lazy afternoon where you can read your favorite book or write a memoir.  

I would definitely recommend this place to all the girls out there.  If you're going to bring your man, he might have misgivings about the ambiance but he can easily be bribed with the wide array of sausages and hams that they have.

Give this place a try, chances are you might bring home some fabulous pastries and cupcakes with you.  Their cupcakes are homemade and they have different themes per day (such as a chocolate day, velvet day, etc).  If you do find yourself at a dilemma as to what to give as a present or housewarming gift, I'm sure that this place has something for everyone. 

Over at Cakewalker's

So in my previous post, I was talking about my test run of the Aerosoles footwear.  I trekked in it en route to Cakewalker's Cafe.  I had to head over there to claim my prize from The Lead Character.  So I had to do some waiting for my prize to arrive.  

It's not my first time at Cakewalker's.  A few weeks back I was there to meet up with my "fairy godmother" at itago natin siya sa ngalang Punky.  I already have several clothes made by Punky, from my workwear to something that I have to wear at a wedding.  To while away the time, I had to order something.  So I decided to go for a macadamia nut latte.

My first taste of their coffee

 As for the taste, it tastes like a decent latte, nothing really special.  I would definitely would have loved to have a few extra shots of the macadamia syrup to enhance the taste.

The bar area

The bar is a decent area.  I have no idea as to what brand their espresso machine is, or what kind of beans they are using.  They have an array of flavored syrup but so far, the Torani brand.

 And these are my views from the table where I sat.

 

Another drink that I tried was their Nutty Raspberry.  The raspberry and "nutty" flavors could be discerned in the iced latte.

They may not serve exceptional coffee but I still have yet to pass muster on their cakes.  After all, it's called Cakewalker's Caffe.

So I finally got my prize...a bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila and the Starbuck's 2011 planner.  Thanks very much to The Lead Character for having wonderful prizes for your fun contests.

Gluttonous (S)Iam

Tasted:  Siam

One day, our family just headed over to Ayala Center Cebu Terraces for a thanksgiving meal care of my aunt in the US.  It was her birthday but since we couldn't be present at her shindig, dinner at Siam was on her.

So taking advantage of this treat, we ordered whatever took our fancy.  For starters, we opted for the Tom Yum soup.  We had to tone down its spiciness for our mom's sake.

Tom Yum

 It's not our first time at Siam but still we usually prefer to order our favorites. So to sample other food fares, we tried the sampler.

Spring rolls, beef, pandan chicken and breaded pork

 Then came the all time favorite, paying no heed to hypertension...the bagoong rice!

From the photo above, you could get a preview of another dish that we ordered, their version of the crispy pata.  I have mixed reviews on this though since I've tasted this thrice.  Twice it came out too moist for my taste.  Pinoy crispy pata tastes much better.

This one has seen better days

 Up next is the phad thai.  This could be the more authentic version that we have in Cebu but I still go for Lemon Grass's version.  This one is too sweet for my taste.

Sweet

 Lastly to put a cap to our appetites, we ordered their version of the halo-halo. The first time I had this one, I was amazed at how fine the ice was and the beans tasted good, considering that this ingredient is the least of my favorites to grace the halo-halo. Also, they have a mystery fruit in it, the pear perhaps.

 

The verdict:  All in all, compliments for not being greasy.  Having a really moist crispy pata is an acquired taste.  Regarding the phad thai, I would go for Lemon Grass's version.  As for the Tom Yum, it deserves all the sweat it can get out of you.  Ambiance wise, it's good and meant for groups, so get your friends to chow with you.

Fudge: I Heard, I Went, and I Tasted

Tasted:  Fudge at AS Fortuna St., Banilad

courtesy of OpenRice.com

I first heard of this cafe-resto from a classmate in med school, April G.  She went out one time with a bunch of friends and posted it on her Facebook account.  So I was quite intrigued, seeing that the place was cozy and they really had a good time.  So I asked her for the location and her feedback, which were both good.

It took quite some time before I decided to give it a try since I live in one of the south districts of the city whereas Banilad is going up north.  Since my boyfriend was in town, he suggested that we eat at somewhere we haven't tried.  Now a few days back, my bestfriend was in town and he said that his younger bro mentioned Fudge.  So our fate was sealed, we were to dine at Fudge on a Saturday night.

Surprisingly, there were already a handful of patrons in the establishment, and I could tell that most of them were not newbies.  About half of the patrons were photo enthusiasts below 21 years of age with their SLR cameras, converging to show their latest shots.  Anyhow, the late 20's patrons were usually couples out for dinner, who also wanted to try Fudge.

CMC (Cucumber, Melon, Calamansi)

 So we started our order with this drink, the CMC.  It stands for cucumber, melon, calamansi.  Well, I might be wrong with what the "M" stands for since I'm about 2 weeks late in posting this one.  I couldn't really taste the melon, but then there's some lemon in this drink and cucumber is the main ingredient in this one.  It tastes herb-y, pulpy, and slushy at the same time but it tastes good nonetheless.  Not too sweet and not too sour, and reminiscent of the citrus and herb drink from The Lemongrass.  The table also comes with complementary garlic bread (sorry no photo, but they do have one in the Fudge Facebook account).  The loaf is similar to the one served in Grand Majestic for the patatim.  The garlic is served on the side, a complete head that is.  It has a buttery consistency so you just spread it on the loaf.  I had some apprehension at first, seeing that it was a complete head of garlic.  But it did taste great and not overpowering or salty at all.

Chicken Cordonbleu

This is what my partner ordered for himself.  It looks like your regular chicken cordonbleu but the surprise comes when you start getting a portion of it on your fork.  It's crispy on the outside but not dry at all.  They have some sort of a secret sauce or marinade that oozes out once you stick your knife in but it tastes real good.  It's the best cordonbleu that I have tasted to date.  Kudos to the chef!

Z something... (my bad)

And this is what I had, it started with a letter Z.  Too hard for me to remember but it was quite long.  It's pork tenderloin in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and hash browns on the side.  The hash browns were really good, the pork really tender and the cream was not overpowering and did not leave any aftertaste.  Their entrees don't usually come with rice so you have to order it as an add-on.  They also serve pasta, they have a wide array of cakes and pastries, and most of all, they have an all-day breakfast.  I didn't have any space for dessert so I decided to skip it and try some the next time I drop by.

Price wise, it's within Bigby's range and less, and anybody can find something for themselves be it chicken, beef, veggies, pork, pasta and sandwiches.  So I definitely recommend this place for your dates, family meals, and a place for your downtime.  They also have free wifi connection for customers.  So tucker in to your heart's content.

What You Don't Know About Leona

Tasted:  Leona Cakes and Pastries

In no way was I referring to bleeding Leona Lewis. I meant this Leona.

Leona has been around for some time and has opened a branch on the second floor of the SM City  Cebu Northwing just between Chika-an sa Cebu and Powerbooks.  Probably their largest outlet in Cebu, they have several tables for you to have your cake and eat it. It serves as a great marketing ploy that they have decided to offer some of their cakes in slices that are just a bit over Php 20.  If you loved a particular morsel, you certainly will consider buying the entire cake.

My bad for the fuzzy photo but this is the centerpiece and display of their cake slices.

Famous for it's yummy cakes like the uber tasty carrot cake and the elusive guava cake, chances are, you don't know that they're serving this unexpected item.

Tada!  The vegetable siopao.

The pao is made up of wheatened flour.  So it's healthy right from the outside.  I took a bite and this is what it's inside looks like.

The filling is made of mushrooms in the traditional sauce with some carrots and peas, i think.  Forgot what that small piece of veggie green was.  I washed it down with a cup of brewed coffee.  (I'm a sucker for coffee so I didn't mind the odd combination).

A cup of coffee

Not the drip-type brewed coffee, it came from the fully automated machine and that's why it has some crema on top.  Thank God they didn't call this one cafe americano or I'd be seizing, lol.

The vegetable siopao is a must try.  It's healthy and tastes good, and priced at Php 26, it's good value for nutrition.

Please Posh the Pizza

Tasted:  Pizza Hut Bistro

This isn't my first time to eat at this resto but it's my first time to say something about it.  The resto is located in SM City Cebu Northwing in between The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Spice Fusion.  

I saw the sign...

They could have changed the font of their signage to a posh one as an upgrade from the regular fastfood version.

So what's the difference between Pizza Hut and Pizza Hut Bistro?  Passing by the resto, you can see that it's more spacious and they have wine bottles on the table.  I guess the Bistro's location in the Northwing is a dead give away that it's Pizza Hut++.  So if you're thinking that it's your regular Pizza Hut fastfood, throw the thought away.  This is Pizza Hut jumping off from the burgoise wagon.

The restaurant's agenda is that aside from giving you their usual suspects for pizza, they also have provided their own upscale milieu such as several salads, appetizers, pasta, entrees and of course the wine selection which are not available in the regular Pizza Hut.  To break the monotony of their menu, it changes from time to time depending on the availability of the ingredients as well as whatever new product that they have come up with.

Exhibit A: Waldorf Salad

Surprisingly the salad is more than ample portioned so you can share with a group.  Unless of course, this serves as your lonely (and sad) meal. 

Exhibit B:  Texas Bake Pasta

The Texas Bake pasta ordered by yours truly was just right.  It had melted cheese on it and the sauce wasn't dry at all.  However, they could have made it a bit spicier to give it a Texan oomph!

Exhibit C-1:  BBQ Pork with Rice (in low light)

Exhibit C-2:  BBQ Pork with Rice (in bright light)

I couldn't decide which picture looked best so I posted both.  BBQ Pork with Rice...wasn't too happy looking at it because their entrees have shrunk indeed!  No price increase but alas!  They have sacrificed the portions, my friends.  I looked over at other tables and the entrees were all about the same portion.  For the pasta dishes though, the portions are also good for sharing and are comparable to Bigby's pasta portions.

The summary:  If you want wine with your pizza, then this is the place to go.  I can't say about the taste and quality of their wine list since I'm not a wine drinker and I haven't tried any of their wines.  Forgot to browse the menu if they serve beer.  Price range is similar to that of Bigby's but there can be differences in portions when it comes to the entrees.  No all you can drink iced teas or softdrinks. I guess this one negates the concept of a Bistro.  They only have one size for bottled water, a 330 ml Viva which is overpriced and is hardly enough to distend your bladder.  Now I had to Google Viva to know the exact volume of the smallest bottle they have (330 ml) only to discover that Viva is a Coca-Cola product.  Wouldn't you think it's odd considering they only have Pepsi products as their main beverage?  Among their food, the salads and appetizers are commendable for their portion and variety.  As for the pasta, it comes in penne, fettuccine and spaghetti, with sauces such as pesto, tomato, alfredo and marinara.  They also have pasta with tuna, meat and sausages, chicken, and seafood.  You won't hear the angel choir burst into song when you eat here, but this is a place where your vegetarian, carnivore, and white meat only friends can all have a meal together.

Yansoy/Wansoy

Tasted:  The Coriander

Asian cuisine is known to favor light meals over heavy ones like those of European cuisine.  There have been lots of fusion cuisine that have sprouted all over town and my now health conscious partner in crime would jump at the opportunity to try it out.  So off we headed to Banilad Town Center after hearing mass.

Thanks to Facebook, I saw this restaurant featured in one of my friend's wall.  She attended the opening and is friends with the chef and proprietor.  I'm a big fan of Vietnamese and Thai food so I didn't need much prodding in wanting to try this place for size.

Now there's some confusion as to what the herb coriander is in the local dialect.  Some say it's kinchay, while others say it's yansoy (Bisaya) or wansoy (Filipino).  I did some research and yansoy is the apt equivalent.  Here's the link to my source:  Filipino Food Glossary

view from my seat

stairway leading to the 2nd floor

My boyfriend was looking for rotti which they don't have.  In its stead, they serve nan with curry.  If you're used to the rotti from Spice Fusion, you might experience a let down.

Nan with Curry

For his main course, my partner ordered fish tandoori.  Unfortunately I couldn't take a decent photo of it since he keeps on sticking his fork in the dish and a big chunk was gone in a few seconds.  So this is the closest thing that I could find online.  (Photo courtesy of Mystygal)

Fish Tandoori

The Coriander's version doesn't come with rice.  But the fish served is meant to be shared.  I'm not an expert on Indian cuisine but the flavor was quite mild than I expected but the fish was flaky but not dry.  So plus points for that.

Hainanese Chicken

This one I've been waiting to try.  I made this once at home, but wasn't sure whether it tasted authentic.  So I picked it right out of the menu to find out for myself.  I didn't get the buzz that I was anticipating since it arrived cold and I was expecting it to be piping hot.  The chicken wasn't overly done and tasted quite bland to me.  You really have to rely on the condiments that come with this dish such as the sweet soya sauce, chili sauce and ginger to amplify the taste.  These three sauces are just right behind the curry in one of the pictures above.

For the drinks, we had this citrus drink made from 3 kinds of lemons.  So it's something similar to the citrus and herb drink from The Lemongrass except it's more concentrated and leans to the sour spectrum.  Sorry, no photos here.  At this point, hunger has taken priority over taking good photos.

In a nutshell, The Coriander caters to fusion cuisine in a sense that Asian food is married to a wide selection of European wines.  They serve the famous Singaporean Chili Crabs and some prawns and Hainanese chicken as well as Malaysian dishes such as the famous satay.  But what you can see in the menu is more of the Indian food staples such as chicken and fish tandoori, chicken masala and chicken curry just to name a few.  Service wise, their staff could improve on their knowledge of the menu.  A group of Indian and Singaporean tourists were dining and asked several questions regarding the menu but their staff had to make several trips to the head waiter to ask questions.  Considering that most of their food is Indian, they should have a steady supply of nan since it is usually eaten while waiting for the main course to be served.  Price range is more or less similar to that of Spice Fusion but there's a big difference when you let your taste buds do the talking.  Would I be willing to give it a second try?  It's a MAYBE....

In This Corner...(of Sto. Nino Village)

Tasted:  Cafe Cul-de-Sac

courtesy of Cecille Anne Corazo via Facebook

 I first got a whiff of this resto on Facebook when an old classmate of mine from St. Benedict's posted a picture of what they ate on her wall.  When I asked her where this place was, she told me that it's a place called Cafe Cul-de-Sac at Maya St. in Sto. Nino Village, Banilad.  Now being a girl who hails from the south, it's not a common route for me to travel in that area.  So I shoved the idea aside until a sister of my classmate during my Science High years featured the same resto on Facebook.

The best way to fuel my interest is by testimonial account that this place is satisfaction guaranteed.  So my next thought was when to give this place a try.  It just so happened that my boyfriend was in town.  His usual question prior to arranging his weekends here would be where to eat.  And preferably some place we haven't tried.  

It's a small but quaint cafe, understated in fact.  Approximately 12-14 persons can be seated inside but you can have the option of dining by the veranda.  

Now on to the food...

Pumpkin Soup (courtesy of Cecille Anne Corazo via Facebook)

My boyfriend ordered the pumpkin soup and the cream dory and spinach rice.  The rice looked liked an Italian risotto and the fish was seasoned to perfection with a healthy squeeze of lemon.

Cream Dory and Spinach Rice (courtesy of Cecille Anne Corazo)

And for myself, I ordered the cream of mushroom soup and the osso buco.  My first sighting of the osso buco was on the Lifestyle Network with Giada de Laurentiis making it.  It's made from beef shanks with the bone marrow which is cooked for a few hours until it's soft and the flavor of the herbs have canceled out the distinctive taste hoofed animals have.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Osso Buco

Drinks on their menu include the typical sodas, Illy coffee, and their flavored iced tea.  I opted for the apple-flavored while my partner tried the strawberry-flavored iced tea.  Other flavors include lemon, peach and raspberry.  The best part of their service is that once you order the main course, it already comes with soup and dessert consisting of a scoop of ice cream.  Other desserts in the menu include cakes which we didn't try anymore since they have more than ample servings.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this place.  The ambiance is intimate which makes it perfect for dates, or you can rent out the entire place for a nice cozy celebration.  The service is fast, the staff is courteous, and you get your money's worth. 

Dark Chocolate It Is!

Tasted:  Tablea Chocolate Cafe

Tucked in the corner near Home Depot and ATM machines in the Northwing of SM City Cebu is a tiny place where you can gorge on chocolate called the Tablea Chocolate Cafe.  It boasts of goodies made from local chocolate whether it be the usual chocolate or white.  

It's actually my second time to try out their sweets but silly me, no photos were taken during the first try.  My accomplices during these two invasions were my mom and her friend.  So far I haven't tried eating more than two of their products at the same time.

So these are the photos of their products.  From left to right: Choco Frio, Fondue, Choco Banana Crepe, Chocolate con Churros, and the Choco Latte.

For the fondue, you can dip mallows, bananas and something similar to a breadstick.  Sorry up close photo of this one but their Facebook page provides ample visual as well as for their other products.  Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tablea-Chocolate-Cafe/142175245799021?filter=2#!/pages/Tablea-Chocolate-Cafe/142175245799021?v=photos

On my first taste, I had the Chocolate con Churros which tasted good.  The chocolate is really thick but the sediments are really fine so it goes down smooth.  Still, don't forget to chug down some water later.

Choco Frio

This is the Choco Frio that I ordered.  My mom lopped off some segment thinking it was ice cream, that's why it looks like this.  This one is served in a tall but thin glass.  I was actually full when I finished this one.

Choco Banana Crepe

This is what my mom had for the second time.  I tried a forkful and it tasted good.  It comes with a dollop of whip cream and a smothering of choco syrup.  Hmmm...I kind of doubt whether the choco syrup came from their tablea though.

Empanada?

Hmmm...not sure what this one was called since it didn't come with a display tag.  My mom's friend just picked it out.  The filling is made of ground meat which was spicy and hot, like that of a chili con carne sans the beans.

Now here's something uncommon that they're selling.  It's the Mexican version of our local batirol.  It's called a molinillo.  This one costs around Php 600.

This joint is well-priced and the food tastes really good, so choco addicts should give this one a try.  They also provide quick service and their staff are quick to suggest which of their treats would suit your tastebuds.