Fusion is one of the cuisines that never fail to tickle my tastebuds. I always look forward to the explosion of distinct but complementing flavors that spice up dishes I’ve tried over and over. I always find western dishes being fused with ingredients and elements from other cuisines, but I’ve never actually tried them with anything Japanese, until I tried Tokyo Café.
For some reason, I have always been under the impression that the Japanese make great western dishes. I see a lot of western dishes and desserts in their magazines, crafts, artwork, cinema, and television. Tokyo Café did exceptionally well to affirm this impression.
The only thing Japanese about Tokyo Café is its name, so don’t be misled into expecting some sushi, takoyaki, or ramen in this restaurant. Mr. Atsushi Yoshizawa, Tokyo Cafe owner, explains in a ClickTheCity.com feature that in Japan, family restaurants that offer ‘western food with a touch of Japanese culture’ are pretty common. This is what he wanted to share to Filipinos when he opened the first branch in SM Mall of Asia, and eventually a second branch in SM North Edsa. Even the interior of the restaurants are fused–modern minimalist design with neutral colors of brown and white, accentuated by red lantern spheres hanging over the tables. Yes, reminiscent of Japan’s signature colors of white and red.
What will welcome you is an enticing menu of Italian and American dishes with a twist of Japanese ingredients and influence. Is the usual Pasta Marinara boring your tastebuds to death? Try the mother of all fusion pasta dishes, Creamy Ebiko Pasta—made with shrimp, karashi ebiko (spicy shrimp roe sauce), and cream pasta. Do you find Burger Steak with Mushroom Sauce bland and unpalatable? Maybe it’s about time to switch to Italian Hamburg Steak, which makes yummy burger patties even yummier with herbed tomato sauce and cheese topping. Craving for a tasty dessert? Tokyo Café has a delightful roster of mouth-watering crepes. Their Choco Strawberry Crepe is one of the heavenliest crepes I’ve tasted; a perfect sweet treat for every strawberry lover.
With an affordable P200-499 budget and generous serving (dishes are good enough for two people, but it’s easy to find yourself ordering extra when you’re famished), I find Tokyo Café to be one of the few restaurants where I can splurge on divine dishes without actually feeling bad about my wallet. It’s one of my choice restaurants for lunch or dinner with friends, as I’m yet to find someone who doesn’t taste the yummy goodness. They are also constantly coming up with more delectable dishes, so it’s also one of those restaurants that I’ll always find myself checking out!
Looking for more Tokyo Café photos?
While I was digging around for some photos I can use for my film photography portfolio, I found my photo of some delicious strawberries in Baguio. Then, I suddenly had this intense craving for fresh strawberries and some strawberry jam too. Too bad the yummy berries won’t be in season in Baguio until summer!
I tried strawberry yogurt to satisfy the craving, but it didn’t work. :(
So, I am now looking for some strawberry jam recipes. I will really try to make some if I come across some strawberries in the grocery!
Hottttt!!!
Summer Friday evening. No cravings for heaviness or lengthy cooking…
Heating up oven, throw in some walnut and bread - move away
Fresh moules (soaked in salt water for them to spit any sands, washed outside) remove dead ones - cooked with garlic, a bit of onion, in white wine… done within 10 min.
Chopping up endive, apple, celery, cracking roasted walnut, plus gorgonzola, over some green - my favourite salad… done
Opening up chilled pinot grigio… dinner’s ready
Hanging out outside… munching… chilling with my doggie daughter…
If you’re an adventurous diner constantly searching for unique flavors, you may want to take the challenge up a notch by trying out authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. It may not be as strong or spicy as that of Korean or Thai Cuisine, but it has its own share of distinct flavours and dishes that tickle the taste buds.
My friends and I had our first taste of authentic Middle Eastern dishes in Persian Square, an attractive restaurant in Metrowalk, Pasig City that stands out from the rest because of its lavish outdoor and indoor decorations. It exudes a classy ambience, inviting diners to come in through its beautiful double doors embellished with stained glass. Replicas of the iconic Persian horse are also placed outside to welcome visitors.
Immediately after passing through the double doors, Persian soil from the historic city of Shiraz welcomes visitors, promising authenticity and adding a bit of history to the dining experience. Diners will also notice a rendition of the remaining structure of the old Persian Palace (Takht E Jamshid Palace, built over 2,500 years ago), the centrepiece of the restaurant.
Inside, the restaurant is jazzed up with stylish Persian-inspired decorations, with blue, purple, and earth tones dominating its interiors. Of course, the restaurant lives up to its name, as they use square-shaped ornaments, plates, and drinking glasses. The “square” in Persian Square is everywhere—including the restroom, where the sink, toilet, mirror, and potted plants are all in squares!
We got started with Mirza Ghasemi, an appetizer made of grilled eggplant, sautéed onions and garlic with Persian spices, served in homemade tomato sauce; it’s one of the tastiest eggplant dishes I’ve tried. Our waiter recommended that we try it with pita and their delicious yogurt dressing, which tastes like a better version of shawarma sauce. It was heavenly!
Being the solid salad fans that we are, we always try out available salads whenever we eat out together. We had Persian Square Salad, with olives, cucumbers, carrots, green pepper, tomatoes, lettuce, and yogurt dressing. We’re not fans of the dressing and the “lettuce” they used, but we acknowledge the fact that this salad can serve up to four persons.
A Persian dining experience will never be complete without trying out the most popular Middle Eastern dish—kebabs! Persian Square’s delicious Kebab Platter, a sampler of beef, chicken, lamb, and grilled tomatoes and chillies, is well worth its price since the serving is good enough for four persons. We all loved how the lamb was cooked well, yet still juicy and tender.
Our Persian Square experience was pleasant overall. We all agreed that it’s one of our favorite restaurants, and we’d definitely go back to try other interesting items on their menu. Also, it holds the record for being the most photogenic restaurant we’ve been to!
Looking for explosive flavors? Try Thai!
One of my missions in life is to be a gustatory traveler and try as many cuisines as I can. Thai is among the best cuisines I’ve tried so far, and I’m sure people all over the world adore it as much as I do. I love how the intense and aromatic flavors of Thai Cuisine blend together and complement each other in dishes like the hot-sour Tom Yum soups and the sweet-sour-salty combo of Yam Pla Duk Foo (Crispy Catfish with Green Mango Salad).
A restaurant called Jatujak (yes, named after the largest weekend market in Thailand) in a mall I frequent serves authentic Thai Cuisine without making wallets bleed. I have been to more expensive Thai restaurants before, but Jatujak is the best I’ve tried so far. Their Tom Yum with Mixed Seafood is a lot better than the ones I tried before, and I was delighted at its explosive goodness on my tastebuds. My first encounter with Yam Pla Duk Foo was also with Jatujak, and I loved it to the last strand of the flossy catfish flesh.
I love seafood, so I never miss out on shrimp/prawn and squid dishes. Goong Pad Nam Prig Thai (Prawns with Basil and Roasted Chili Sauce) is heavenly; I never thought prawns would taste that great with basil and chili! Pla Mug Kratiem Prig Thai (Squid with garlic, cilantro and pepper) is also tasty, and it would be perfect if they increase the serving size (I’m complaining only because I can’t get enough!). Pair these seafood dishes with Kao Kluk Gapi (Bagoong Rice) and you’ve got a hearty Thai meal.
Chicken is never missing on the menu whenever we have family celebrations or special occasions. Last year, my mom tried to experiment on a new chicken dish instead of the usual Chicken Hamonado. She stuffed the chicken with ground beef and pork, onions, and raisins, added marble potatoes and carrots around the chicken, then buttered everything. The result, which she called “Roast Stuffed Chicken,” was super delicious; even if it’s based on a foreign recipe, it still goes well with rice!
I rarely eat without cravings; when I’m hungry, I’m hungry for something. Very rarely, I don’t know what I would have. Tempura is such a versatile cooking method on that sort of day. I would just fry any seasonal products to put it together - and it can also help me clean up my refrige…
My Version of Poqui-Poqui Balls
During my birthday trip to Vigan, one of the things on my to-do checklist was to try local fare. Bagnet (not for the faint-hearted!), Vigan longganisa, Vigan empanadas, chichacorn, and on top of the list was Poqui-Poqui Balls. I admit that I got intrigued into trying it while doing my research for the trip because the name sounds a bit funny (and I bet it’s even funnier to you if you’re a Filipino).
I got to try the dish in Grandpa’s Inn’s Kusina Felicitas, one of the hotel’s popular trio of restaurants. This dish of grilled eggplant encased in bread crumbs was served to us with a spicy sauce, like a tomato-based gravy, if I remember correctly. At first bite, I found it familiar to me, and realized that we’ve been making a similar dish here at home! We never had a fancy name for it, just inihaw na talong na niluto sa itlog, kamatis, sibuyas (roughly translates to grilled eggplant cooked in egg, tomatoes, and onions). The recipe came from my dad, whose hometown is highly influenced by the Ilocos region.
I craved for this dish so badly when I returned to Manila, so boyfriend and I decided to make our own version. It’s crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, just the way I love it.
