Xocolat: X Marks the Spot

Okay. Since today is the third day of February, let's talk about third places.

To most people, it's Starbucks, right?
It's not home;
it's not workplace.
It's that special place in between where
we meet to awaken our senses,
to find inspiration, and
to make long lasting connections.
Now, if you don't follow, kindly refer to the third page of your wood/velvet/metal planner.

Third place: it's that place where you go to just, be.
Now if you don't have one, I suggest finding it.

Because mine is Xocolat in Katipunan, and I tell you, it's like free therapy where I can stop by anytime and feel the earth revolve slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future.









If not a perfect representation of the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company at the same time, then I would say that Xocolat is no more than a calorie trap leading to a side place to get (chocolate) drunk, and forget the din of the world.



They have a very wide range of hot and cold chocolate suspensions and scrumptious desserts, you can never get enough for that endorphin firework explosion.

Here are my top 3 favorites:


Xocolat Chai
Because mint + chocolate is always the best :) Just one sip, and you cringe as it burns at the back of your throat, knowing you just had the hottest carpe diem portion. After one cup, it shoots right up into your brain and you feel yourself rise up, suddenly with the ability to soar through the long lanes of flaming stars, up to the gates of eternity.









Xocolat French Toast
Just so to say, I am quite disappointed with the sausage on the side -- the one I had just recently. They used to be really good, now they're just :/
But all previous sins are forgiven, and new ones committed when you taste these chunks of bread soaked in Xocolat butter. They're like bite-sized brownies, but, uhm, how do I put it? Like, if heaven was edible, I'm pretty sure this is what it tastes like :)
A fruit cup, and coffee/hot Xocolat comes with this. (But trust me, go for the hot Xocolat, it is after all, liquid wisdom.)









Xoco Latte
Looks like hot Tiramisu in a tall cup, doesn't it? But here's the real deal.
The waitress gives you a glass of Xocolat espresso pellets, steamed milk, and cocoa powder. You mix them together. You take a first sip and it moistens your lips and throat. Take a second sip and it breaks your loneliness. And a few more sips raises a slight of perspiration -- all the wrongs of life pass out through your pores. Because I tell you, there is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by this nice chocolate espresso.



This is my spot. My comfort zone. Always, my special respite from the ho-hum routine of stinking college days bordering on morbid.


Xocolat
172 B. Gonzales st.,
Loyola Heights, Q.C.
Chocolate Cafe
Estimated Budget: ~200 per person

Aubergine Restaurant Patisserie: The 7 Sections of My December 25 Culinary Orchestra

Happy December 25 F-Territory readers!
Like I said, I grew up in a non-Catholic environment (and wouldn't have it in any other way), hence, this day is no more than, December 25.

But hey, I don't really want to be some Holiday grinch. And you know me, I enjoy food too much. I won't let you have all the immaculate moment as your fork meets the knife and gives that squishy sound as you dissect your oh-so succulent holiday ham. I may not really have something to rave over, such as, the so-called Noche Buena but here's what my December 25 eve looks like :)






Soft wheat bread, twisted pretzel, poppy seed bread and Amuse Brouche






Pan-seared French duck foie gras on celeriac-apple puree, Galantine of Australian quail with white tomato snow accompanied by mesclun greens, tossed in Champagne-walnut vinaigrette






Minted cream of green pea with home-made smoked ostrich ham an sesame seed croutons






Open ravioli of pan-fried Arctic sea scallops on spinach mousseline in crab nage






Elderberry and flower sorbet






Grilled Australian Mulwarra beef tenderloin in black truffle jus and milk fed Dutch veal loin in morel cream sauce served with vegetable tagliolini pasta






Crispy French goose leg confit on creamed Savoy cabbage with apple potato gnocchi and Madeira jus











coffee, blood orange-rhubard orb with vanilla crescent, Gluhwein jelly, hot ginger-chocolate, praline, macaroons, and christmas cookies.




Gaaaah. Aubergine - EVERYTHING FRENCH FOOD SHOULD BE. Grand ambiance, fawning service, food tastes exactly as good as they look -- everything, in one perfect symphony.

December 24 always makes for a very sensual dining experience as the 25th of December unfolds. I hope you too had a rather perfect one :)
Holiday cheers y'all!









Aubergine Restaurant Patisserie
32nd and 5th Building, 5th Avenue corner 32nd Street, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig
French Cuisine
Estimated Budget: ~2000 per person

Happy Lemon: The HK Starbucks of Bubble Teas

There is and always will be, that moment in childhood, where we drank a bottle of Yakult. Then we wanted more. So we drank another one. Only to feel that we still have not enough. And we cursed the shrewed Japanese for not producing bigger sizes of Yakult. From then on, we swore to open a 5-pack Yakult, accumulate them altogether in a drinking glass, and gulp the Go!Large cultured milk.

But ever since Chris Tiu and his Xavier pals brought Happy Lemon to the Philippines, I say, there are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived fully, as the children these days. (Hint: I am talking about Lemon Yakult, yes, they have ice blended Yakult in a tall cup now! x_x)



Happy Lemon is a brightly-lit bubble tea shop from Hong Kong. Its cozy feel and hip vibe, teamed up with creativity-infused drinks expects to reproduce the cheering influence exhilaration of good conversations, over the finest organic suspensions.



They have such a diverse list of teas (lemon series, fresh tea, milk tea, specialty tea, mousse spin) and coffee drinks that it would really take you forever to make your choice.

The cashier would first and foremost suggest you try (the one on the first three photos) Green Tea with Rock Salt and Cheese. I like this one a lot, no wonder it is the signature Happy Lemon drink. It's like some liquid Green Tea Cheesecake. It smells like Sampaguita, and perhaps, it's the only drink I've ever had that's a perfect combination of salty, sweet, and bitter. Very addicting, I must say. Though you should drink it without the straw, so that you could devour the goodness of freshly brewed green tea running through the saltiness of the cheese froth.

I know, it's quite weird to have cheese and salt on your green tea. At first sip, your face might possibly contort various sensations: joy, confusion, unease, pleasure? But no one would understand the truth until they drink of Green Tea with Rock Salt and Cheese's frothy goodness.




And my personal favorite (the one on the rightmost photo) and apparently, the one I have been raving about all-day long, Lemon Yakult. Waaah! A giant ice-blended cup -- shake style -- of tiny bits of ice and lemon zest which I owe my identifiable personality.

No kidding -- this drink falls into your stomach, and straightway there is a general commotion. Ideas begin to move like the battalions of the Grand Army of the battlefield, and the battle takes place. Thoughts arrive at full gallop, ensuing to the wind. The light cavalry of comparisons deliver a magnificent deploying charge, the artillery of logic hurry up with their train and ammunition, the shafts of with start up like sharpshooters.

For the love of Yakult, it's just pure pleasure, I tell you.




So there. A vibrant new place to go after your bargain shopping :)
Would you mind going with me to try out other drinks on my next visit?



Happy Lemon
The Promenade, Greenhills Shopping Center
Lemon Drinks
Estimated Budget: ~80 per drink




BTW, if you're wondering why Yakult is sold in small bottles, I give you three operative words: hygiene, health, and cost.

Bibingka and Puto Bumbong: Special Rice for the Holidays!

There has been a slight change in our weather, don't you think? The daylights getting shorter, the wind gets colder, but more importantly, the aroma of native delicacies fill the air -- aah, holidays are just around the corner (or along the streets among nearby Catholic churches).

Without doubt, Catholic churches across the country are overflowing with the faithfuls as they religiously follow this well-cherished tradition called Simbang Gabi. I think it's a nine-day novena mass in anticipation of the much-coveted December 25 holiday. Although I'm not really sure, I'm not Catholic.

Hence, speak to me of Simbang Gabi, and two things come to my mind: Bibingka and Puto Bumbong.

Both are made from ground rice flour.



Only that, Bibingka, or the local sticky pancakes, is baked on a clay pot, topped with slices of kesong puti and itlog na maalat, then spread with butter and sprinkled with sugar, and later served with niyog.




While Puto Bumbong, on the other hand, is cooked on a special steamer-cooker bamboo tubes, then spread with margarine and later served with muscovado sugar and niyog.


Hmm, random thought: only now have I realized how very Filipino these two local fares are. I mean, I've read from somewhere that in Italy, they never throw out bread -- like bread is some sort of manna from heaven that should never go to waste, hence, they find all kind of ways to use and reuse bread -- and bread flour at that. And so, IDK, it just somehow feels that if bread is to Italy, then rice is to Philippines. Does that even make sense? Haha Whatever, all hail Carbohydrates!

Anyway, even if they are actually available all-year round (in Via Mare/Mangan/Ferino's), I share this sacred tradition with my tummy, that come December holidays, I must get my hands on these yellow and purple treasures.

Hats off to ate-tindera-beside-Claret-parish this morning for a very theatrical chow. Happy holidays :)

Gayuma ni Maria: Heavenly Food for That Orgasmic Sensation

Bewitch (b-wch) tr.v. be·witched, be·witch·ing, be·witch·es - to captivate completely. e.g. There's this restaurant in Sikatuna Village -- sweet, a little naughty and silly on the edges, that totally bewitched me earlier today.



Gayuma ni Maria is a romance-themed restaurant sprinkled with chic and magic. A third reincarnation of Gayuma (Esteban Abada st.) and Cucina Gayuma (Gilmore) that used to be a cult favorite among Ateneans before they closed down.



The restaurant is very warm and cozy indeed. It somehow attempts to project a casual, flirty, and romantic ambiance. Al-fresco-ish dining on the first floor, and comfortable space on the second floor.




Entirely bewitching, this place. It's true! Take it from the dimly-lit dining area to the hand-painted walls filled with love potion recipes, even the old school love songs and dainty decorations -- indeed, this restaurant is quite infused with magic.




But what really enthralled me, is the ordering experience. The printed menu on laminated white paper, A.K.A The Gayuma Love Story, encapsulates the whole Gayuma ni Maria concept: fun and flirty food.

The gastronomic love affair starts with ordering Attraction: teasers to wet the appetite.

We had:


Itsie-Bitsie Fetish
It was good for taro fries. But it was definitely the best with the strawberry yogurt and cheese dip :)



Next comes Attraction: the beginnings of something gastronomically great.

For this, we had:


Tuliro
CPK's Grilled Chicken Salad is irrevocably the best salad I've ever tasted. But when it comes to the next best thing, THIS IS DEFINITELY IT. I loved this nacho-lettuce salad. Their grapes were undeniably sweet and crisp as well. And the sour cream and cheese sauce -- SINFUL.



And now, we move on to Commitment: real deal dishes to devour.

We tried a couple of chicken dishes.



H.H.W.W.P.S.S.P (Holding Hands While Walking, Pa-Sway-Sway Pa)

It was good. Though, there was nothing so special about these Chicken Tenders.





I Love You, Cross My Heart

Yummy :) The cheese, mushrooms, asparagus, and the mystery sauce perfectly complemented the chicken breast. No wonder it was one of the House Specialties.




And finally, we gave in to the Tempatation: to-die-for-mouthwatering-desserts.


Beats Sex Anyday
For the very juvenile and casual me, this dessert definitely screams O-M-G. The cake, oh-so-lusciously chocolatey and moist: not so sweet, just, PERFECT, and the butterscotch cream, words fail to describe its awesomeness.



Twisted Pavlova
And while Beats Sex Anyday caught my attention, Twisted Pavlova makes me think twice about giving my whole heart to the prior. Light, delicate, sweet, and crisp all at the same time. I don't usually like meringue, but love is just surprising, isn't it?



Ooooh and do visit Gayuma ni Maria on a Wednesday, and say: "I would like to do a 69 please!" See, every Wednesday, they have this 69-peso mystery meals. Love is all about taking risks, anyway, right? :P


And before leaving, be sure to check out the Naughty Nook, for a little souvenir :)





Gayuma ni Maria tickled me in delight earlier today :)) Though, if you're too formal or stiff, then this isn't the right place for you. But with such good desserts, perfect to be paired up with coffee? You'll still probably say, "hmmm...", at the very least :)




Gayuma ni Maria
123 V. Luna Extension (Maginhawa st.) Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, Philippines
Flirty Cuisine :P
Estimated Budget: ~150 per meal

Starbucks Coffee 2011 Planner: The Quest Begins Today

The toasty aroma of Starbucks' holiday featured beverages: Praline Mocha, Toffee Nut Latte and Peppermint Mocha fills the air. And this only means one thing: 'tis the season to deck the halls with red and white cups!


Come on, let's face it. At this time of the year, we take comfort in rituals with the remarkable limited edition drinks + treats and that much coveted sticker-collecting adventure.
Sure, we get broke on that 9th frappe. But nothing could ever compare to that immeasurable amount of anticipation and later on fulfillment, when that perky barista slaps that tiny square piece of adhesive treasure on your flappy promo card.

Some people will never understand why it's such a big deal, but I believe that there are people who actually understand where I'm coming from. See, it's not just devoting a part of your time, effort, and money to buy 9 shamelessly overpriced holiday beverages and 8 fancy core beverages. More than that, it entails putting a part of you into something, a little adventure you can identify yourself with -- an awesome quest that somehow identifies that passion and perseverance in you, making sense of who you are.

And come on people, TOFFEE NUT LATTE IS JUST SO DAMN GOOD.
I got my first one today :)


And since today is the first day, they give 1 free core beverage sticker for those who will purchase.


This year's theme is, A Story For Every Cup. I wonder why though.
Maybe it all boils down to the whole sticker-collecting tradition. I mean, basically yea, it's the same featured drinks every year, and almost the same damn planner layout. But people nevertheless, keep culminating it.

Maybe, just maybe, it's because the Starbucks Holiday tradition, is much like a collection of little cup of stories -- a narrative. A narrative more often told than the others because they hold more meaning to us. And isn't it amazing? That no matter how they've been repeated over and over, they never stop being special.

Ma Mon Luk: The Birthplace of the Siomai-Mami Tandem Written in History

People pass along this name of an authentic Filipino-Chinese Restaurant with such seriousness and intensity, that it almost feels like discovering an underground cipher that has been kept over generations: Ma Mon Luk.


Ma Mon Luk proudly acknowledges itself as the House of the Original Mami Inventor.
Well, let's see: Mami comes from the sum of two words, Ma and Mi. Ma, was derived from the name of Mr. Ma Mon Luk, a poor Chinese who went to the Philippines to earn money and save so he can marry the woman he loves. Meanwhile, Mi means noodles in Chinese.
And so I guess Mami after all, means, Ma Mon Luk's recipe!


Ma Mon Luk restaurant is all-famous for The Original Mami, a twist to the original bami being sold in Quiapo and practically reinvented Chinese cooking to suit Filipino palates, and Special Siopao, the steamed bun with the best dough in the whole Siopao world.


Oh, and it's that Fil-Chi restaurant in Banawe, that extremely lacks ambiance, parking space and good service, but nevertheless is packed with Chrysler 300Cs and innumerable WHOA!Cars, sometimes even adjoining the streets.




The Original Mami. A lot of people says that it's one of the best noodles around. Sure, it is! The meat strips oh-so juicy, and tasty.
The egg noodles, it tasted better and better with every mouthful.
And the soup, ah, let me tell you a little secret about it: there's a right way of eating it :)
A lot of people find it bland. Because this, they don't know. Lo and behold, this secret has been passed down to me by my dad, passed down to him by my grandfather, and, well pretty much my great grandfather wasn't alive anymore when it opened in the 1920s :P
The Secret: Ask for extra spring onions, and sprinkle some soy sauce and calamansi ;)

Special Siopao. And by special, I confirm the premise: not all Siopaos are created equal.
This Siopao would make you lose your mind.
Why do they even bother to make Siopao some place else?
Incomparable. Way beyond words to describe.


Why not try it for yourself?
When lost in Quezon City one day, look for this landmark and be transported back to the era when people knew how to peel their Siopaos ;)








Ma Mon Luk
Along Quezon Avenue, near the Banawe Street Intersection
Filipino-Chinese Cuisine
Estimated Budget: ~100 per meal

Bellini's: Home of the Halo-Halo Pizza

Academic battles have waged war against us this week. Not to mention, we have final exams still ahead of us for the remainder of the semester. Of course, the best way to begin: Carbo-loading.



Bellini's have been Cubao's best kept epicurean spot for about 10 years now. It boosts itself as one of the institutions in Marikina Shoe Expo, Cubao (now Cubao eXpo) that opened in 1999.


It offers a somewhat classic Italian ambiance, that I believe aside from relatively affordable Italian food they offer, completes the whole authentic Italian experience.




Cheska and I were looking forward into having Sweet Wine earlier today. And we were so damn disappointed that it was not available. I mean, after all, what is Italian food without wine?


It completely baffled me how the waiters kept serving red concoction-filled shot glasses at nearby tables when they were almost done eating. Only to find out that they serve complimentary Sweet Wine to customers once done eating.
OUTRAGEOUS! They didn't serve us those :(
Yea, probably because we look like minors. (When I ate here with Paula, we never were served such as well. Maybe it's me. Yea, my cuteness interferes with my epicureanicity sometimes. LOL.) Eeeh minus pogi points for you, Mr. Bellini :/



The meal starts with a complimentary serving of bread sticks.




Waiters would recommend this:

Bellini's Special
But please, I beg of you: do not go with this suggestion. They are after all, waiters who never gave us our Sweet Wine fix. Haha. Bitterness aside, it was definitely like Halo-halo Pizza: there was eggplant, cucumber, onion, salame, and other Italian cold cuts laying in the bed of Mozarella cheese and Pomodoro.

I didn't like it.

I don't know, well fine, maybe it was just not the pizza for me. Like love, it was too complicated o_0 Emphasize on like, it wasn't love at all.

I mean, I never got the memo that Italian food isn't about producing the simplest high quality foods cooked out of the freshest ingredients anymore.


Thank God for the pasta dishes!





Fettucini al Funghi
This has been the unanimous favorite among foodies. And surprise, surprise! Foodie in the house yo! Yes, this is definitely my personal favorite: creamy mushroom pasta, so much love ♥






Fettucini Pesto Mare
Tell me to Think Green, and I will think about Pesto.
I have been so in love with Pesto lately, and this creamy white one with lots of seafood definitely intensified such.






Contadina
And while I am already in love with two pastas, I really could not take my mind off this one. It's spaghetti in olive oil, garlic and chili. You'll definitely enjoy the spicy kick in your pasta, if you ask me.

Oh and their Iced Tea tasted like Iced Mango Tea, bearable, but never completely satisfying.




Oh Italia, Italia! This afternoon I consumed you, and there is no doubt about it, you, consumed me.









Bellini's
Cubao eXpo, Gen. Romulo Ave., Cubao, Quezon City
Italian Cuisine
Estimated Budget: ~300 per meal