Manos Greek Taverna

Unplanned trips, don’t you just love them?  I love receiving a phone call from some friends at an unlikely time of the day telling me to be ready as they will be at my doorsteps in ten minutes because everyone is up for a long drive somewhere.  The adrenalin rush beats the crap out of drinking a gallon of energy drink.  Yes, I am a sucker for spontaneity.

Having been stressed by work and some personal matters, it was one of those days when I couldn’t even think of a single thing to help me lighten up.  Then my phone rang, it was my cousin Anjo inviting me to go out for a coffee.  Hours after, I found myself taking photos of sunset while my cousin was manning the wheels.  The back seat was already full of different kinds of food we purchased from some random restaurants and stores we happen to passed by, so we just thought of having coffee in Tagaytay.  When we passed by Manos Greek Taverna, it’s a different story. “Light dinner?” we both agreed.

As my fork sinks into the dense layer of eggplant, potatoes, meats, and béchamel sauce, in a split second, my palate was blissfully covered by the meaty creaminess of Mousaka.  Although eggplant is the main ingredient for this wonderful dish, its taste was very subtle.  The serving was very generous; I could only finish half of it.

Mousaka

Souvlaki was also a filling meal which comprise of tatziki (greek sauce made of yogurt, cucumber, garlic, salt, and mint), cabbage salad, potato fries, and 2 sticks of pork.  Manos made their own yogurt which makes their tatziki fits to my liking as it doesn’t taste commercialized.  My cousin clearly had a great time feasting on this dish because of tatziki which perfectly goes well with the pork.

Souvlaki

The subtle crunchy sound of the phyllo pastry was music to my ear, as I was greeted with the beautiful shade of green brought about by the spinach.  The almost melting state of the feta cheese was not just a beautiful sight but a lovely creamy treat to the palate.  I was a little apprehensive about ordering Spanakopita thinking that my cousin wouldn’t like it, but he finished the dish in no time, raving how delicious it was.  You couldn’t go wrong with spinach and feta cheese after all. 

Spanakopita

I was about to order for their baklava but then I realized that we have tons of food waiting for us in the car so I just decided to skip it.  It was a light, and simple, yet lovely dinner.  The ambiance of the restaurant was downright simple but very clean.  The food attendants were very friendly and approachable, service was fast and accurate.

Manos Greek Taverna Interior

I’ve been planning to dine at Manos Greek Taverna for a while now, to no avail.  But this unplanned trip to Tagaytay brought me one of the loveliest dinners at that simply lovely restaurant.  Not to mention that I was in a company of my cousin who’s always been a brother I never had. 

My cousin Anjo, enjoying his share of Mousaka

After that we head straight to a coffee shop where the rest of the night was spent with thousand untold stories and catching up. 

Manos Greek Taverna

Calamba Road

Brgy. San Jose (Olevares)

Tagaytay City

Tel. No. (mobile) 0916 429 8358

Fax (046) 860 2559

Kashi Maki by My Pink Wasabi

They say it’s cute, for me that adjective is an understatement.  The intricate details that were carefully crafted by Chef Anna Marin Chua echoes a labor of love; therefore, it’s not just cute in my opinion.  Pink Wasabi’s Kashi Maki creations are aesthetically pleasing to the eyes and palates, yes, they are beautiful.

Kashi Maki are sweet hand rolled dessert cakes formed to resemble sushi.  This unique creation that Pink Wasabi is proud of was slowly but surely creating patrons who would constantly rave how unique and delectably satisfying these bite size heavens are.  First time I tasted it, I was smitten.

I was able to try four flavors; Midnight Mint, Choco Locco, White Matcha, and Cookie Kiss.  While the other flavors I have yet to try are Lemony P, Coconut Dream,  Momo Crunch, and Oolong Berry.  Although I enjoyed all the four variants, my palate favors the Midnight Mint.

Midnight Mint

Midnight Mint

The chocolate goodness of this tiny hand rolled cake dusted with cocoa powder was very comforting, almost homey. While the dark mint truffle inside only intensifies the luxurious taste of the chocolate as the gelatin on top tickled my palate.

White Matcha

White Matcha

The taste of infused green tea in creamy white Belgian chocolate was very apparent, giving the cake an invigorating kick. The white chocolate tablet on top was an added treat.

Cookie Kiss

Cookie Kiss

This dark chocolate cake with cherries Chantilly crème and rolled in crushed cookies reminds me of sweet memories during my childhood.  It was good and unforgettable.

Choco Locco

Choco Locco

Hand rolled cakes covered with nuts was just an outside appearance, wait until you get to the center.  The homemade cashew nut paste mixed with pure Belgian milk chocolate inside complete this little bite of awesome delight.

My Pink Wasabi at Mercato Centrale

One thing that you have to take note though is that these Kashi Maki are not as sweet as your usual desserts but it doesn’t mean that it’s not delicious.  Some of these hand rolled cakes were infused with tea so it can be a healthy alternative desserts.

Chef Anna Marin Chua of My Pink Wasabi

Available in Sampler (4pcs.), Bento Box (12pcs. and 16pcs.), and Sampler Tray (25pcs. and 50pcs.) these Kashi Maki can be purchased at Mercato Centrale Weekend Market and they also do delivery and pick up. My Pink Wasabi Kashi Maki are perfect as a gift, give aways, and party food.  This unique creation will surely be loved not just by people who loves sushi but by everyone who appreciates good food. 

Also, they are currently having a contest, “Kashi Maki Photo Contest” wherein participants can send in their most creative and wackiest photo while enjoying Kashi Maki with a caption indicating why they love Kashi Maki.  This contest will run until July 19, 2011, so hurry and visit their facebook page for more details.

My Pink Wasabi   

Website: http://www.mypinkwasabi.com/

Mobile No. 09062102966

Email:  mypinkwasabi@gmail.com       

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/mypinkwasabi

Facebook:  http://facebook.com/mypinkwasabi.pastries

SHARE EAT, An On-the-spot Photography Contest and Interactive Cooking Demo by Clara Olé

Calling all food and photography enthusiasts!  Clara Olé would like to invite you to

SHARE EAT, An On-the-spot Photography Contest and Interactive Cooking Demo

click image to enlarge

The event will be held on Sunday, July 10 2011 at Mercato Centrale, registration starts at 9AM.  The contest will have two categories: for food bloggers and other guests (non-bloggers and Mercato goers). 

Join Chef Eugene Raymundo and Appetite Magazine Editor-in-Chief, Nina Daza-Puyat as they share ways to enjoy simple meals through interactive cooking demo.

Snap and share your event’s photos depicting “Joy of Eating” and get a chance to win up to 10,000php. 

Mark your calendars and be ready to showcase your talent and appetite while enjoying everything that is good at Mercato Centrale with Clara Olé.

Omakase

I have this friend whom I consider the most frugal of foodies. He introduced me to most restaurants which serve delicious food at a very low price. So far, his recommendations do not disappoint. Although he’s one of my friends who earns well, he’s very particular in getting his money’s worth when dining out. So whenever I succeeded in introducing him to some restaurants which serve good food at a reasonable price, it’s like getting a seal of approval from the most discriminating of palates.

My favorite restaurant Omakase is one of those restaurants I recommend which my friend appreciates. I have a lot of favorites on their menu, but it’s going to be a long post so let me just share with you first what my friend and I devoured during that first time he met my beloved Omakase.

Sushi Sampler

This sampler consists of salmon sashimi, tuna sashimi, salmon, tuna, and ebi sushi. Although I my palate favor salmon, everything on this sampler was good. The freshness of taste reminds of the peaceful sea in an afternoon of a beautiful vacation.

(salmon and tuna sashimi, salmon, tuna, ebi sushi)

Mt Fuji Roll

This roll, what you see is what you get, but the play of flavors in the palate is impeccable. The rich flavor of unagi and the creaminess of cream cheese blend perfectly, while the tuna add a kick of freshness to the roll.

( tuna inside, unagi and cream cheese on top)

Seafood Dumpling

I cannot count how many favorite dish I have at Omakase, but Sea Food Dumpling stood out from the rest because upon contemplation, I know in my heart that it’ll be one of the many food that I would be thinking on my death bed. It’s a combination of different sea food wrapped in nori, deep fried then smothered with Omakase’s special mayonnaise and soy sauce.

(variety 0f seafood wrapped in nori)

American Dream Roll

This is the first roll I have fallen in love with the first time I ate in Omakase way back. Combination of salmon, kani, and cream cheese in a roll, then deep fried in tempura batter. Every bite with its crunchy sound is a beautiful music to my ears, and a glorifying treat to my palate.

(salmon, kani, cream cheese wrapped in tempura batter)

Baked Oyster

Baked oyster maybe a common fare but what makes Omakase’s Baked Oyster stand out is that the oyster were really big and the cheese smothered on it were generous. I also love how fresh tasting the oyster were it screams for beer as accompaniment, well, in my opinion.

(big baked fresh oysters topped with melted cheese)

These are just five of the many dishes I really adore at Omakase. There are several more and I will be dishing that out with you in the coming days.



When I asked my friend if he’s happy with what we have feasted on, he flashed a big grin on his face, and I knew then that clearly he was pleased. There are other good Japanese Restaurants out there, some I have already tried, while the others I have yet to explore. But Omakase will always remain close to my heart. It is one of the restaurants which made me feel that indeed, I always get my money’s worth.



Omakase
Greenhills Shopping Center
Connecticut Arcade, Greenhills Shopping Center
San Juan City, Metro Manila
Philippines
(02) 470-9807



Photo credits to my good friend and foodie buddy, Ern Raymundo

The Fruit Garden Homemade Luxury Jams

The warm rays of sun were already apparent but the cool breeze of the morning greeted my cheeks and embraced my body with its comforting serenity, an aftermath of the calm night that was. The smell of freshly baked bread and brewed coffee wafted through the air cradling my nasal faculty.

A small chunk of butter slowly melted into gorgeous shade of translucent yellow liquid spreading through the warm bread. When every morsel was penetrated by the melted butter, I slowly spread a dollop of Pineapple Coco Rhum from The Fruit Garden’s Homemade Luxury Jams on top of it. Its luxurious taste teased my palate, making the morning even more exciting and beautiful.


I’ve had my first taste of The Fruit Gardens Homemade Luxury Jams when I attended Yummy Eats at the NBC Tent. As a bread lover myself, I know that their fruit jam collections would add zest to my coffee and bread rituals. I grabbed myself a box which contains 6 different flavors of miniature (120g jar) fruit jams. Each flavor has its own characteristics which makes it uniquely delicious.

Pineapple Coco Rhum

What I love about The Fruit Garden is that they use local fruits and use French recipes to create these delectable jams. According to Pierre, owner of The Fruit Garden, they try to enhance the fruity flavor of their jam by minimizing the sugar content and infused variety of all natural flavors and spices instead. No preservatives and artificial flavor added.

Mango Chocolate

Their Jam collections composed of Strawberry, Mango, Pineapple, Orange, Seasonal Fruits, and Chutney. Aside from that, they also offer Pure Philippine Honey from Abra. Although I love all the flavors I have tasted, my personal favorite is their Pineapple Coco Rum Jam. It reminds me of our local Coco Jam, only it is less sweet and has a finer taste. Also, the tiny shreds of pineapple add texture to it, making it more pleasing to the tongue.

Orange Marmalade

Another favorite was Mango Chocolate. Trace of chocolate was not that apparent as it looked just like any other mango jam in its appearance, but once you tasted it, you would know that it is there to surprise your palate. Their Orange Marmalade was also delicious. The blending of sweetness and citrusy flavor compliments each other unlike some orange jams I have tasted before which is either too sweet or too sour.

Strawberry

The Strawberry Jam reminds me of the delicious strawberry jams we usually purchased in Baguio. The Strawberry Banana Jam had an interesting taste to it. It reminds me of milky fruit shake, so I tried adding it to plain yogurt, and it was really yummy. Mango Lavander also had an interesting flavor. Since it is infused with lavender, you’ll fall in love with its smell first before you’ll be smitten by its flavor.

Strawberry Banana

These jams are not just good accompaniment to our bread, but just like what I did with the Strawberry Banana Jam, you can also add it to your yogurt, cakes, vanilla ice cream, and anything you can think of which call for added flavor.

Mango Lavander

Next time I will definitely buy their Chutney Collections. They have Mango, Orange, and Tomato Chutney Flavors. I have tasted the Tomato Chutney and I know it’ll be lovely to add it to some pasta and savory dish I love to cook.


The Fruit Garden Homemade Luxury Jams are available at Legazpi Sunday Market and Alexandre. For more details, you can contact Pierre Marmonier at 0920 9453565 or email him at pierre@thefruitgarden.net. You can also visit their website here.