Balaw-Balaw Specialty Restaurant and Folk Art Museum in Angono Rizal

Balaw-Balaw Specialty Restaurant and Folk Art Museum

Words and Photos by Yedy Calaguas

Published in Gala Magazine

September 2012 Issue

Page 92-93

Northpoint Publication

“Here’s Minaluto, one of our specialties.” Says the food server as he place the dish on our table wearing a gleeful pride bordering to pontifical.  I cannot blame him for that.  The sight of Minaluto in its bilao exudes a kaleidoscopic world against immaculate backdrop that is the table cloth.  Combination of prawns, crabs, mussels, pork, water spinach, and salted egg on a bed of specialty rice wrapped in banana leaves served on a native shallow basket called bilao, are all the good things that constitute the colorful Minaluto.  The burst of colors mirrors the rich cultural arts that Balaw-Balaw Restaurant aims to reflect.

Balaw-Balaw which name was taken from a specialty dish called Binurong Hipon made of fermented rice, shrimp paste, and “angkak” which give it a reddish color. Despite its name lifted from a dish, this well known restaurant is more than the good food it serves.

Yummy Magazine Cooking Demo with Lady's Choice

Yuletide season is just around the corner and I am sure that like me, most of you foodies are already busy preparing menu line up for the coming parties ahead.  While buying cooked meals from our favorite restaurants can be a tad less stressful, I still believe that preparing home cooked meals for your loved ones especially this season is way lovelier and thoughtful.

In line with this, the country’s best-selling food magazine, Yummy has prepared a Christmas themed cooking demo in partnership with Lady’s Choice.  This event is a good way to kick-start December by providing a fun-filled afternoon where you can learn easy-to-do recipes and mouthwatering dishes you can serve this holiday season to your friends and family.

What:
Yummy Cooking Demo
When:
December 1, 2012 / 3:00pm to 5:00pm
Where:
Robinsons Supermarket Galleria

My friend and Yummy Magazine’s contributing food stylist Chef Katherine Jao will show us how to whip up delicious and easy-to-do recipes while Chef Dianne dela Cruz of Unilever Food Solutions will demonstrate amazing dishes using Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise.  

Oliva Bistro Cafe in Quezon City: Celebration of Different Cuisines

Dining at Oliva Bistro Cafe located along Visayas Ave. in Quezon City, I was faced with the nugget of wisdom I have learned in my years of writing about food.  "Wrong fusion is confusion", this nugget I learned from renowned international chef Martin Yan when I interviewed him for my article published in Gala Magazine's October Issue.   That same idea also echoes when one of my favorite chefs, Mike Tatung Sarthou told me his belief about serving "Straightforward Filipino dishes".

When presented with restaurant which specializes in diverse cuisines, fusion may be the first thing that comes to mind, well at least for me.  Prior to visiting Oliva Bistro Cafe, that was what I expected.  But meeting chef Kannan, I learned that while Oliva focuses on  Indian, Italian, Singaporean and Filipino cuisines, it does not incorporate each element, but rather, it holds a strong grip on its origins. Clearly there's no fusion at Oliva, only celebration of the beautiful cultures expressed through palatable dishes.

Chef Kannan who is married to a lovely Filipina named Denden was born in India, immersed as a chef with impressive exposure to Italian cuisines, and have worked in Singapore for a time.  This clearly state that diverse cuisines at Oliva wasn't randomly picked on a whim, but it mirrors an interesting history of the man behind Oliva.

Pink Guava Café at Quezon Ave.

Recently, I was introduced to Pink Guava Café located along Quezon Ave. in Quezon City.  While the area isn't really the place I would frequent to, I was glad that I took the long ride. Pink Guava Café is the kind of place where good food, nice service, and inviting ambiance merge together to provide a noteworthy dining experience to its customers.

I have to admit that I am a sucker for beautiful restaurants' interior.  Not to be biased against downright simple hole-in-the-wall spot but I appreciate dining in places wherein food and service aren't the only things that are given importance but the ambiance as well.  At Pink Guava Cafe, they wouldn't just quench your thirst nor just satisfy your tummies, they will also feed you visually.

While it can be passed of as yet another cafe, Pink Guava has a lot more to offer.  This new player in the field boasts of their impressive line of drinks that ranges from, milk teas, espresso, coffees, frappe, ice blended, juices, with pasta, homemade pastries, and rice dishes on the menu to boot.  Aptly named Pink Guava, their specialty drink uses guava fruit as its base. 

Village Tavern at Bonifacio High Street

Despite many restaurants gracing Bonifacio High Street Central in Taguig City, Village Tavern is a welcome addition. All thanks to the Bistro Group, which also brought other remarkable restaurants such as Italianni's, T.G.I.Friday's, Ma Maison, and others for taking Village Tavern under its umbrella.  With the promise of dishing out hearty American comfort food, Village Tavern that hails from North Carolina is the place to go when one is craving for comforting meals in big servings.

While I may have a rather romantic view as to what a tavern looks like (blame the novels I read) Village Tavern's ambiance do not disappoint either as it breathes sophistication but not intimidating.  Service is warm and very welcoming as expected to all the restaurants handled by the Bistro Group.  I could go on and on at how comfortable Village Tavern's ambiance is but the the real winner I would like to talk about is their food.

Red Buffalo Wings & Pizza at Greenhills Town Center

It was only a month ago when I indulged in one of my favorite places offering Buffalo wings here in the metro.  And recently, I found myself indulging again, but this time it was in Red Buffalo Wings & Pizza located at Greenhills Town Center.  While I am not one of those who consider Buffalo Wings as their comfort food, I have my fair share of mean cravings for the awesome wings.

While there are a lot of restaurants specializing in Buffalo wings, one advantage of Red Buffalo Wings & Pizza is its proximity to where I reside. Greenhills Town Center is slowly becoming a foodie spot and I am glad that Red Buffalo is part of this development.

Fuego Mexican Steakhouse y Tequila Lounge

I could still remember how Chef Tom Hines left me in awe with his culinary creativity that blew me away when I first dine at LuLu Restaurant in Rockwell.  Memories are as vivid and as delightful as the succeeding visits where further improvement and menu development was very apparent.  When a dinner invite for Fuego Mexican Steakhouse y Tequila Lounge located at Makati City came months ago, mountains were moved just so I can fit it into my schedule. After all, it’s Chef Tom Hines new restaurant in partnership with businessman Mahesh Mirpuri.  I knew right there and then, it should not be missed.

Situated in the same building as KYSS bar fronting Makati A.Venue Mall parking lot, Fuego is more than just a place to enjoy cocktail drinks and socialize as its ambiance suggest.  Diners can revel in the restaurant’s innate energy as they dance the night away with the Latino music in the background while indulging on delightful contemporary Mexican dishes and steaks.  Fuego melds the charm of steakhouse with the elegance of an upscale Tequila lounge.

With its sleek interior, Fuego Mexican Steakhouse y Tequila Lounge has an atmosphere unrivaled for a Mexican restaurant not to mention a menu to match.  Chef Tom Hine’s culinary talent adds modern flair to the rather usual Mexican dishes that captures the pulse of both adventurous palates to the traditional.

The Linden Suites Opens Mesclun Restaurant and Cafe

One of the best places to stay while you're in Ortigas area, The Linden Suites launched its in-house gastronomical attraction called Mesclun Restaurant & Cafe last October 18, 2012.  Together with their top accounts, media friends and industry partners, the celebration was filled with beautiful music and great food.

The launching hosted by the lovely Kathy Manuel-Salenga, Director of Marketing at The Linden Suites started with welcome remarks from General Manager Lawrence Wee and resident Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara.

“Mesclun means mixture, and the menu we created is a mix of local & international favorites.  Creations inspired by my personal travels and experiences and collaborations with my team of talented chefs.  It is a mix of what makes the old world classic & the new world refreshing.  We are  thrilled to offer the Ortigas business community and its residents, a different level of dining experience now available in the heart of Ortigas.”  Said Chef Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara.

The Lobby Lounge at Diamond Hotel Philippines

There are a lot of times when Diamond Hotel impressed me with the gastronomical fares they offer.  Their Yurakuen's Teppanyaki All-You-Can blew me away, Corniche was equally impressive, while the sublime desserts at The Cake Club Bonifacio High Street rocked my world. Now, with the recent opening of The Lobby Lounge at Diamond Hotel, I could only expect five star dining experience, and undoubtedly, they exceeded it.

Located at the main lobby of Diamond Hotel Philippines in Roxas Boulevard, The Lobby Lounge is not just merely a dining attraction, it's a comfortably luxurious abode for people who craves for satisfying meals and indulgent desserts. 

The place exudes sophistication without overbearingly so.  It does not foster an air of intimidation rather, it invitingly beckons. With its enticing contemporary feat coupled with welcoming and warm service, who wouldn't be teased? 

Wine Depot's Wine Festival 2012

Last October 13, 2012 I attended Wine Depot’s The Festival 2012 held at the main ballroom of New World Hotel in Makati City. This festival is in line with the celebration of Philippine Wine and Food Week that happened from October 8 to 14, 2012.

Wine Depot’s The Festival offers its guests with the best taste of the world through bringing in wine makers and gourmet experts from most celebrated brands in one venue.  On their 8th year, The Festival boasts of wine booths with 200 fine wines from 27 regions.  Gourmet booths that served variety of high quality cheeses, homemade breads, and Iberian cured ham were also present during the festival.

It was my first time to attend Wine Depot’s The Festival and I noticed that it has somehow similar to the usual food festivals that I have been to. Guests are given a paper bag containing a wine glass which will serve as their access to tasting the wines being served, a little booklet they called passport which contains information about the participating brands, an order form for those who would want to purchase wines, and a pencil they can use to fill up their forms. 

Papa John's Pizza and Big Time Treat

Despite several pizza places sprouting all over the metro, there are few favorites which I would usually go to whenever a mean pizza cravings would hit me. One of them is Papa John’s Pizza.  Known for using only better ingredients to produce better pizza, Papa John’s Pizza has been serving Filipinos with its quality pizza through its 13 branches all over Metro Manila.  

Since Papa John’s Pizza opened its first branch in Robinson’s Galleria on 2010, there are several occasions that I found myself not minding dining alone as long as I can have my fair share of good pizza with a serving of pepperoncini and garlic butter dip on the side.  But then again, good food are always best shared with your loved ones that is why Papa John’s Pizza introduces its on-going promo aptly called Papa John’s Big Time Treats.

Ang Mo Kio Singaporean Hawker Cuisine at The Podium

I have always been a fan of Singaporean cuisine, but with numbers of Singaporean restaurants in Metro Manila which I have tried, there are only few that really satisfy me in terms of quality of food and the comfort of ambiance.  That is why I am in constant search for something truly worth the money and time I will be spending.  Recently, I was introduced to Ang Mo Kio Singaporean Restaurant that specializes in hawker cuisine located at The Podium.

Most of the Singaporean restaurants I have been to carry prices that are quite steep.  While I don’t mind spending more than my usual food budget, it has to be something which of high quality.  Some of these restaurants are decent enough in that respect, while the others are just plain blah. 

One of the reasons why I am impressed with Ang Mo Kio is that it introduced me to reasonably priced Singaporean dishes made from the scratch out of fresh ingredients sourced both locally and from nearby countries. I do not claim to be an expert, but based on my preferences, Ang Mo Kio really stood out.

Cravings Celebrates 24th Anniversary with Cake and Coffee Festival

On their 24th year in the business, Cravings Group of Restaurants celebrated their anniversary by giving back to their loyal followers and community through Craving’s Coffee and Cake Festival. This delicious and sweet affair was held at Shangri-La Mall Atrium last October 25, 2012.

What started as a simple bakeshop in Quezon City has now evolved into a celebrated abode of delicious food and delectable sweets that every Filipino loves.  I remember having written about Center for Culinary Arts Manila’s anniversary at The Philippine Daily Inquirer late last year and since Cravings is under in one roof with CCA, I heeded to Craving’s invite.

Aiming to stay true to their goal of giving back, this event is in partnership with Operation Smile, an organization that provides free surgeries to repair cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities for children throughout the world.   Incidentally, Operation Smile is also celebrating its 30th year of providing assistance to the aforementioned children in need.  The festival serve as their gateway to further introduced the program they have launched called “The Journey Home”.  This program aims to help 4,500 Filipino children and young adults in different parts of the country.