Since my recent trip to Singapore with Sephy, I have always been yearning for Chicken Rice. I love how it surprised my tastebuds — it looks really bland, but one spoonful of the tender chicken and the flavorful rice is enough to make you go for another, and another, and another…
So, I couldn’t take it anymore and finally succumbed to the temptation. I asked Sephy to buy me a bowl of Chicken Rice from Hawker 101. Yummy.
Lunch for Two: Hungarian Pigs and Viennese Piglets in Blankets!
Just when I thought that vegetarian sweet and sour dish from Bodhi is tasty, I found myself gorging over these delicious vegan creations from PIPINO. Of course, they don’t taste like they have meat in them, but they sure are tasty for dishes made entirely from plant-based ingredients. I don’t find myself wondering anymore how vegetarians and food-conscious people find it easy to have meatless meals.
Pipino Vegetarian Food by Pino
39 Malingap Street,
Teachers Village,
Quezon City
+63-2-4411773
pipinovegetarian@gmail.com
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?
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.
