Malaysia: Hawker food in Penang!

Hawker food in Penang, Malaysia is superb! Whenever I visit Penang, I always make sure to try out the local flavors.

Char Kway Teow, a stir-fried flat rice noodle dish, is a personal favorite. This one sold near our hotel had prawns and deshelled cockles.

Another favorite is Bak Kut Teh which literally translates as meat bone tea. The hot broth is a complex mix of pork ribs plus herbs and spices that includes star anise, cinnamon, cloves, dong quai, fennel seeds and garlic.

Asam Laksa, specifically Penang Laksa, is quite popular and a dish that is distinctly from Penang. A sour tamarind and fish-based soup, it's main ingredients are shredded mackarel, finely sliced vegetables, chili, thick rice noodles and a sweet prawn paste. I had this delicious bowl at the Gurney Drive Hawker Centre.

I enjoyed the Dry Meat or Bakkwa and the Black Pepper Dry Meat they were grilling at the Gurney Drive Hawker Centre. The hawker stalls also sell sweet and spicy sausages and other dried meats.

To end our day, we had Cendol, a shaved ice dessert made with coconut milk, jelly noodles made with rice flour and colored with pandan coloring, red beans, and palm sugar syrup.

We also tried Apom, an Indian coconut pancake filled with coconut meat and bananas. Really good!

Thanks to Doc Gelo for the treat at the Gurney Drive Hawker Center!

Quezon City: Claypot rice meals at Eat Fresh Hong Kong Famous Street Food (QC Chinatown Banawe)

Have you been to Quezon City Chinatown? Banawe Street is slowly highlighting its character as a Tsinoy community, especially with the many Chinese restaurants in the area. I tried out the Beef Brisket Claypot Rice and other dishes at Eat Fresh Hong Kong Famous Street Food at Maria Clara Street (near the corner of Banawe). The Beef Tendon and Spareribs Claypot Rice are also good. They serve a wide range of dishes, really good Chinese food. Why not celebrate the Chinese New Year at Quezon City Chinatown?

Eat Fresh Famous Hong Kong Street Food 
100-A Maria Clara St. Sto. Domingo, QC
Telephone No. (02) 5168022

Quezon City: US Angus Beef Tapa at Tapsilog Centrale Kamuning

Kamuning, Quezon City is a great place to find interesting small restaurants. There's one which serves US Angus Beef Tapa 24 hours a day! Try to find Tapsilog Centrale, a sidewalk restaurant at 11th Jamboree Street corner Kamuning Road. The US Angus Beef Tapa costs Php138 per serving with fried rice and egg. If you want to splurge, they have Wagyu Beef Tapa as well. For dessert, they have delicious cakes. Try The Dome, Belgian dark chocolate cake with Nutella mousse filling.

Tapsilog Centrale
11th Jamboree St. cor Kamuning Road, QC
Telephone No. (02) 2680621

Are you craving for an authentic Mexican taco?

What makes an authentic Mexican taco? Did you know that what many people consider a taco here in the Philippines is actually American or Tex-Mex. This is something I realized during my trip to Mexico where we got to eat at many neighborhood tacquerias. It's as authentic as it gets! A traditional Mexican dish, the basic taco is made with either a soft corn or flour tortilla, stuffed with various kinds of meat, as well as onions and cilantro, and served with lime for added zest.

Condiments are always included in any tacqueria. These include salsa roja or salsa verde (chili sauce), salsa picante (chopped tomatoes, onions, chilis and cilantro) which locals also call salsa mexicana or salsa bandera because the salsa contains the tricolor of the Mexican flag, guacamole (avocado sauce), and more lima (lime), cebolla (chopped onions) and cilantro (coriander).

The differences in the tacos are usually in the meat filling. It can have beef, pork, chicken, fish or shrimps. The meat can be grilled, spit-grilled, griddled, stewed, simmered or fried. Even the way the meat is marinated varies. You'd also often hear the term adobada. We had really great tacos at a popular tacqueria in Queretaro called Tacqueria El Paisa I which serves a wide range of tacos.

Trying out tacos in various cities around Mexico, I've seen so many terms used like pastor (spit-grilled meat, carved to order), suadero (thin cut of beef from brisket), campechanos (combined meat specifically beef or bistec and pork, including longaniza or chicharrón), longaniza (sausage), tripa (tripe), alambre (meat cooked in a skewer then chopped), bistec (seared steak), cecina (salted and dried meat) and carne asada (thin slices of grilled marinated beef steak).

Tacos al Pastor stands actually look like they're selling shawarma. The vertical spit grills were said to be brought to Mexico by Lebanese immigrants. But the flavors are undoubtedly Mexican. We had our first taste of Tacos al Pastor in Mexico City.

Tacos de Cazo is filled with meat simmered in fat and juices usually in a large metal container, that is sliced and heated on a griddle before serving. This stand in Mexico City was so appealing, seeing and smelling all the delicious meats cook in the metal vat of bubbling oil and juices. On another side of the stall, they also had Tacos al Pastor.

Many of the tacos we got to try around Mexico were Tacos de Asador or grilled meat tacos. These delicious tacos with assorted meats are from Palenque.

There are also variations to the taco condiments like this taco served with avocado slices we had at a food stall in front of Teotihuacan. All this writing about authentic Mexican tacos is making me really hungry! I definitely miss Mexico even just for the delicious tacos!

Iloilo: Must try Ilonggo dishes

Visiting Iloilo City can be a culinary adventure. Here are some Ilonggo dishes you might want to try out while in Iloilo City.

La Paz Batchoy must be on top of almost everyone's list. You can get the best batchoy at the La Paz Market. This noodle soup contains pork innards, pork cracklings (chicharon) and beek loin among other ingredients. While there are many batchoy stalls outside the market, hidden inside the market is Netong's Lapaz Batchoy which is highly-recommended by locals. And while we were there, I noticed they added a really deadly ingredient to their batchoy — bone marrow!

Kansi and KBL are two classic Illongo stews that are powerful enough to stimulate emotions and evoke good memories, the Ratatouille moment if I may say, among Ilonggos. My search for the fabled Kansi and KBL took me to Punot Flavors of Modern Iloilo by the Esplanande.

KBL (Kadios, Baboy and Langka) is a classic Ilonggo pork stew with batuan (Garcinia binucao) used as souring agent. Punot serves their own version of Kansi, a beef stew. They have Corned Beef Kansi which is corned beef shank in soured broth, jackfruit, lemongrass and atsuete oil with oven-roasted bone marrow on the side.

Then there's another Ilonggo classic — Pancit Molo. Ironically, it's difficult to find a restaurant in Molo known for Pansit Molo simply because it's usually prepared as home. Lucky for us, we got to enjoy a hot bowl of Pancit Molo plus Tsokolate Batirol at the Camiña Balay nga Bato (Avanceña Heritage House), Villa de Arevalo, Iloilo City.

Pangat is the Iloilo version of Bicol's laing. Panay and Bicol have a noticeable cultural connection because of the abaca trade. We had Pangat at Breakthrough Restaurant.

Liempo may be a common dish. But Liempo at Ramboy's is in a class of its own. We got to try their famed Liempo at the Ramboy's branch by the Esplanade.

Finally, there's Pancit Efuven (egg noodles with pork and vegetables). I got to try Teresa's Special Efuven at Carlitos Restaurant from the owners of the Original Biscocho Haus. Their version, cooked light and delicately herbed, is an heirloom recipe of the Guadarramas of Fajardo Street.

Did I miss any more popular Ilonggo dishes?

Quezon City: Ma Mon Luk's Original Mami

For the longest time, I've always seen Ma Mon Luk Restaurant every time I drive along Quezon Avenue. I've always known it as an old restaurant founded in Manila in 1920, definitely part of our culinary heritage. Parking is usually full so I just drive along. 

A few days ago, I was craving for mami as we neared Ma Mon Luk. So I told myself, if parking was available, I'd stop. And it was!

Of course I had the Original Mami (Large) for Php105 which was quite heavy. There was just a Php10 difference between the small and large order, so might as well get the large one. I also tried the Siopao Special (Asado, Chicken and Salted Eggs) for Php60. Next time, I should try the Taw Sa Pao (Mongo) which they recommend.

Quezon City: Steak at Snackaroo Kamuning & Matalino

Snackaroo has been around for ages! I can't believe I only discovered this recently after all those years studying in U.P. For just Php140, you can have a T-bone Steak or Porterhouse Steak served with their signature gravy. The meat is tender (best cooked medium or medium rare) and the fat melts in your mouth! It was so good, I ate there for five consecutive days!

They have other dishes too but it's the steaks that really standout. I frequent the branch along Judge Jimenez cor. K-2nd Streets in Kamuning, QC. There's another branch at Maginoo cor. Matalino Streets in UP Village. Service can be improved though but what the heck, it's a hole in the wall. The steaks are definitely heaven!

Parañaque: Crispy Chili Garlic Bacon at The Burgery, BF Homes

BF Homes Parañaque is definitely a foodie haven. I was looking for something to eat late last night and went for a drive along Aguirre Avenue. That's one long stretch of restaurants, many of which you'll only find in BF.

We saw this new restaurant called The Burgery. Of course, the main attraction of their menu are the burgers and burger rice meals. But they have other dishes. A large poster actually caught my attention: Crispy Chili Garlic Bacon that was topped on herbed rice. I'll let the photo do the talking. I should explore more of BF during weekends!

Manila: Chinatown food trip & staycation in Binondo

Who would have thought a staycation in Manila was a viable option? We got to experience one during Chinese New Year at Ramada Manila Central in Binondo where we spent the night before the Lunar New Year. It was a very convenient way of enjoying Manila Chinatown cuisine and the festivities the next day within walking distance from where we were staying.

In fact, as soon as we were done checking-in at the hotel, we went straight for dim sum at President Tea House. Restaurants were full that night since it was the bisperas and we had to queue. But it was well worth the wait as we enjoyed some really good Tsinoy food.

To get rid of the obvious weight gain from the sumptuous food, we walked around Binondo's interesting streets (which are very quiet on a normal night) and visited some of its hidden temples. I say hidden because most of them are located on the roof tops of buildings, such as the Te Ah Kong (Teyakong) Temple, a Taoist temple located near the corner of Ongpin and Kipuja Streets. Another interesting temple nearby is the Shi Ong Hu Temple along T. Alonzo Street, a Buddhist temple which occupies at least two floors of the building where it is located.

We were back at Ramada Manila Central before midnight and watched the fireworks from our hotel room window. The next day, we visited the roof deck bar of the hotel to see the view of Binondo from above. Ongpin was alive and crowded with so many visitors enjoying the festivities. Later in the morning, we got to watch the lion dance hired by the hotel before moving around.

Lunch was at Xiao Chun Yuan Restaurant near the corner of Ongpin and S. Padilla (Gandara) Streets. We tried out their Oyster Cake, Mapo Tofu, Polonchay and Pork Mushroom, another hearty Chinatown meal! For the afternoon, since it was a bit hot, we went back to the hotel to take a nap. Anyway, most of the dance troupes were resting as well.

By late afternoon, all the troupes were out again. Aside from the lion dances, we also got to see colorful dragon dance troupes. Unfortunately, the out of place freak shows were making their appearances as well, trying to compete for attention with the genuine lion and dragon dance troupes that are an inherent part of the celebration. These outsiders should be reminded that it isn't Ati-Atihan, nor was it a Pride March, or even Halloween (poor business owners were trying to shoo away people dressed as aswangs dancing in front of their establishments since to them, they are malas or symbols of bad luck). These outsider groups, mostly drag queens, fire eaters and fiesta drummers, were obviously there for the money. So at the very least, they should have matched their acts with the occasion which was Chinese New Year. And visitors should stop giving them money so as not to encourage them to come back again next year. But at least I noticed more lion dance troupes this year which was a good sign.

The main reason we went out was to get some Fried Siopao from Ching Hong Foods along Benavidez Street.  We got there just in time since a new batch was about ready for serving and this sumptuous snack is sold out before you know it.

We actually so enjoyed our stay at the hotel so much because of the convenience that we decided to extend for another night to experience more of Chinatown. Dinner was at the Royale Sharksfin Seafood Restaurant (no we did not have sharks fin and I hope they don't serve it), which according to my tokayo, Mr. Old Manila Walks, is one of the best restaurants in Binondo. We were not disappointed.

Before calling it a night, the two Ivans got a foot massage at the spa located at the first floor of the hotel, a perfect way to end the night, especially for Ivan Man Dy, who had been touring people around Manila Chinatown the whole day. It may not be as festive on other days, but Binondo is worth a staycation any day of the year if only for the food!

Where to stay in Binondo, Manila
Ramada Manila Central, a Wyndham hotel, is conveniently located at the corner of Ongpin and Quintin Paredes Streets, beside Binondo Church. Rooms are cozy and comfortable. And its location makes exploring Binondo even easier.

Telephone: +63 (2) 5886688 / 3544151
Fax: +63 (2) 3544152
E-mail: reservations@ramadamanilacentral.com

Quezon City: Bagoong Club's Noche Buena Menu

You a have a few days left to catch the Noche Buena Menu of Bagoong Club! We got to try this menu last week and definitely enjoyed it. There are seven dishes in the special Christmas menu. Here they are:

I particularly liked the Mula sa Puso which is puso ng saging (banana blossom) sisig. It's a healthy twist to the popular Kapampangan dish.

Puso de Coco is banana blossom wrapped in gabi leaves and cooked in coconut milk.

Tinapambutido is crispy-fried smoked fish patties topped with laing.

Then there's Bagoong Club's Christmas twist to the staple lechon: Liemponillo. It's Filipino style cuchinillo pork liempo with asado sauce and whole scallions.

Krismanok is grilled glazed chicken rolled with ham and cheese, cooked in pineapple sauce.

Balut Adobo is deep-fried balut cooked the adobo way with a generous serving of garlic.

Finally, there's Sisig Paella. That's flavorful paella infused with delectable Pampanga pork sisig.

You have until the end of the month to catch this special menu at Bagoong Club!

Bagoong Club
122 Scout Dr. Lazcano
Sacred Heart, Quezon City
(02) 929-0544