Va Va Bene!

Situated on the second floor of a Petron gas station (EDSA cor. Pasay Road), Va Bene Italian Deli is far from the usual diesel delight that truck drivers fancy. If any, it’s all that fancy which makes it the pitstop for anyone who enjoys authentic Italian fares. Harboring an atmosphere that closely resembles an Italian joint—with oranges in plain sight, ciao Italia—Va Bene might as well serve dishes straight from the kitchens of Italy, with its handmade tagliatelle and gnocchi to freshly concocted pasta sauces.

Fresh pasta is indeed for sale, like the pappardelle, olive fettucine and cappellacci, among others—a glorious catch for those who dabble in kitchen wizardry but as for yours truly, the menu holds the greater value.

The menu selection is not that vast, but contains enough to create indecision as the order of the day: a toss among Ricotta Eggplant Tortellini, Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cheese Sauce, Arugula; Wild Nuts and Organic Eggs Tagliolini with Portobello mushrooms, white wine cream sauce and truffle oil. The last item won, on account of the mushrooms and yes, partly because of the truffle oil.

Complimentary bruschetta with olive-tomato salsa was served—another feast for the hungry. Crisp and light, it was a great opener for a grandioso Italian lunch.

 

The Organic Eggs Tagliolini came with a gorgeous whiff of that truffle oil-mushroom combination that could compete with the aroma of espresso anytime. The truffle studded presentation came to a close when hunger finally struck us to reality. Forking through the tagliolini was quite the experience— the chewy and freshly made noodles provided a filling and comforting sensation that shattered any other craving.

The sauce was exuding with the flavors of mushrooms and truffle oil, an organic eggs high was certainly inescapable. The exuberant flavor coupled with the satiating pasta made for a bellissisima meal, I could not ask for more—except maybe another visit to have a try of that ricotta eggplant tortellini which I heard was va va va bene!

Dessert was not to be missed with this triple threat: Prosecco & Raspberries Parfait with White Chocolate Mousse, Homemade Profiteroles with Caramelized Walnuts, Vanilla Ice Cream, &Chocolate, and Mango Pannacotta. 

 

5 miniature profiteroles decorated the flanks of the plate, delectable and light. A charitable nature may concede to sharing but for the many, elude the generosity, quite understandably.

 

Sweet Mango chunks top the pannacotta which holds a pudding like viscosity that many may enjoy. Fans of its local counterpart the leche flan will love this cooked cream, but others may turn to the more solid desserts for that much anticipated crunch.

 

The Prosecco and Raspberries Parfait promised a white chocolate aspect, but the sweet section was drowned by the tartness of the raspberry layer, not to mention that generous drizzle of the prosecco. Fruit and wine dictated the overall flavor of the dish, coupled with the frozen punch that can relieve any warm day. A berry comfort for the forlorn with a bit of liquor to cap off a fantastic meal.

With this, Va Bene has become my next favorite Italian phrase, next to buon apetito! On warm days when a comforting meal is necessitated, Va Bene certainly pushes through with its gourmet Italian offerings. Tagliatelle, squid ink pasta and cannelloni—they’re all in attendance here. Magnifico!

I will never look at a gas station the same way again.

Ciao!

- J.Anne Gonzales

Green Dinner

With so many green jokes out there, the title does not pay tribute to any one of them.

Instead here comes a tongue twister to best accompany the statement: The Green dinner comes from dining on greens, not beans, at Greenbelt, a place that's rather clean and certainly far from mean. Lucky are those blessed with knack for writing these tongue twisters, for I am not one of those. 

Ah well at least my school was green and I love edamame, so that ought to settle the score. Now back to dinner.

[caption id="attachment_2168" align="aligncenter" width="614"] If I could get seconds on the cheese, why bother for a main dish?[/caption]

First stop was Cafe Mary Grace that seems revere all that's green and natural with its menu doused with herbs, pesto, salad and aglio olio, staring at the menu is a recommended activity for every customer. Failing to decide what to order for the first 10 minutes meant that the menu was just packed with likable fares - a rarity for me!

However sticking with the green theme, the order was Fried Kesong Puti with Calamansi Vinaigrette. The salad came in a jiffy, rather small yet the kesong puti squares were begging to be attacked. The vinaigrette was tinged with garlic, relieving us of that purely sour note. Best was the kesong puti square, lightly breaded, but very much the fancy of any cheese lover. 

[caption id="attachment_2169" align="aligncenter" width="614"] Whoever named this dish must've been stoned during spelling class.[/caption]

Next was Cafe Breton. Trying to avoid a sugar rush so late in the evening, I had to settle for more greens: Chix with Asparagus.

Why "chicken" is spelled as "chix" will be a spelling blunder I will never comprehend. It is neither cute nor proper for a restaurant that serves dishes with capers. However I am glad that the asparagus was not shortened to something hideous like "aspy" or "raguz".

If that were the case, I'd be charged with arson - setting fire to a menu. Now where's that Grand Marnier? Better make a spectacle out of this.

The Chix with Asparagus lives up to its image of impropriety, as it fails to get a proper "oooh" from me. The chicken strips were hard, the cream was bland, the onions were a tad too thin and the asparagus undercooked. The cheese dip turned out to be grated cheese on the top, which reminded me of childhood spaghetti.

All aspects turned to a "cheesy" misadventure, not even the crepe could salvage my distaste.

On the bright side, the menu was gone so you'll be glad to know that no arson took place that evening.

The next time I see "CHIX" spelled anywhere though, hold on to your lighters.

Out for Brunch (@ Manila Polo Club)

Growing up, the term “Sunday brunch” was rarely uttered, our bourgeois household bearing the practice of separately enjoyed meals sans the wine toasting and thematic white garb. Plus, I am normally one hungry beast when I wake up, so brunch comes to near non existence in my voracious vocabulary.

The closest I have come to this posh Sunday Brunch matter, well aside from Chuck Bass and the rest of the Upper East Side, was during our Sunday feast at the Manila Polo Club. Veering away from the sensational seafood-fest that was the Mongolian Grill, we opted for the all-encompassing, multi-course selections from the International Buffet.

Spotting the Sushi, sashimi and Baked Salmon with the Caper-Dill sauce from afar, we had to abandon the call of the Mongolian buffet and opt for proper silverware, plates, soup bowls and hordes of protein.

The salad station wasn’t all that elaborate, should the likes of arugula, feta cheese or even caviar be expescted to make an entrance on the glass throne. However with Italian dressing, Romaine lettuce, the usual vegetable sidings, egg (pardon me, I’ve been fancying boiled egg these past few days) and cheese (just cheddar but that’ll do), it was quite enough to fill my plate to shameful heights that I wanted to hide from the prim old lady by my side. But she didn’t seem to care, since all she wanted was the seafood salad.

As for that seafood salad, do not get me started. Again it was no Poseidon serving, but somehow the light lemon-herb oil that graced the squid-shrimp-fish-olive salad was refreshingly satiating, it called for seconds! And seconds I shamelessly had.

While the dishes were not overwhelmingly abundant in quantity, they were luxuriously presented and named, looking them brought enough stars in my eyes. The Baked Salmon occupied the main spotlight area, which was such a welcome sight compared to the cliché roast beef. Pasta was available in Marinara (with shrimps) and carbonara sauces, and proved to be the “carby” competition for that Seafood Paella. Lavish names like Fish Fillet Veronique and Pork Schnitzel introduced funky new food terms that I can put to good use, if any, to spice up the dreariness of everyday dishes.

Seafood was also made available for grilling, but we never got to that point. Stuck on the salad and seafood already served and aptly named, we found no need to indulge in those smoky treats.

Being the mammoth dessert eater, I nearly gave up on the sweet treats, but alas, I could not yield at the sight of the cakes and fruits. And they had bread pudding with chocolate sauce!

The shot glass serving cakes were all right, a bit exposed to the poolside heat so the fruit selection provided the chilling finale to my meal. With orange and mango slices atop that fabulous headdress inspired display, it was a delightful meal, capped off by a tropical fruit fest.

Very Sunday Brunch, if I may say so.

So this brunch thing isn’t too bad, not all that fancy and no dress code necessary.  This is probably one of those rare moments when I can’t help but end with:

XOXO, Lazy Black Cat

Classic Confections

There's a generic ring to the name Classic Confections, which is why the Greenbelt 5 shop is oftentimes ignored, missed or simply forgotten, especially in a sea of fascinating branding like John and Yoko, Fely J's, Krazy Garlik and even Pepper Steak.

"I want cake," says my dessert hungry friend.

"There's one in Greenbelt 5, a cake place." I answer in glee.

"Really? Like that travel restaurant?"" she asks in uncertainty.

"No. It's a cake place that starts with C, if that helps. Let's just find it!"

Classic Confections is smacked in between the exciting culinary delights that Greenbelt 5 has to offer, and in its immaculately white interiors and child-safe door, it can be rather uninviting to the hungry folk. However, pressed with time and fearing the Starbucks line, it was Classic Confections or gelato.

If planning on a cake-cookie spree, then you've come to the right place. Each mini rounded slice is priced at least P200, except for Meline's Chocolate Cake at P175. Each slice is perfectly presented and screams with sweet surprise. Torn between Chocolate Cake and Cheesecake, I went for the former simply because I could not pass up that rich of a chocolate icing.

Meline's Chocolate Cake

Exemplifying the Chocolate cake cliché, I admit guilt to surrendering to this hoi polloi creation instead of pursuing the stranger kinds such as the Cheesecake Obsession or mousse. The big mound of chocolate was too tempting to give up, and once sliced it was a decision never to regret. Moist and rich but satisfying sweet, the cake was fantastic. If left alone, I could (and would) finish a slice in one sitting, licking my spoon in glee with no hint of regret or calorie counting.

Lemon Torte

While I refused to taste this lemony fellow for fear of getting creamed up right before bedtime (plus, it has cashews), I could see that those who sampled this delicacy were in pure ecstasy. Normally people intersperse gossip with chewing but the Lemon Torte was near extinction even before the real story swapping began. Amazing. But yes, too sweet as drinks were downed rather in haste as well. Now that's one Happy Lemon.

Andale, Baja Mexican Cantina

In preparation for my much awaited escapade at Baja Mexican Cantina (Greenbelt 3), not only did I brush up on my rusty Spanish, I also summoned my faux Latin roots (having once believed we were related to Speedy Gonzalez) and managed to perfect pronouncing quesadilla with the ethnic twang, "It's que-sa-di-ya, entiendes?"

Just this night, I was the Perezosa Negra Gata (Lazy Black Cat in Spanish) who was and still, mucha hambre!

The excitement died down, even before I could bring out my bolero, as the place became a Baja Siesta Fest.

Service was rather slow, as if exemplifying the siesta time. This lazy pace at 7 in the evening though made me consider blaming the time zone difference but then realized that perhaps their "Tia Maria" cook was still tossing the dough for the burritos. If I could only scream, "Andale, andale!" like my ancestor Speedy, then maybe things would've gone better. But since this is Manila, I wouldn't want spit on my salsa.

The food came in long and irregular gaps, which in turn gave my companions their gossip break, and as for me, space out time.

Frozen Iced Tea

Cheese Quesadilla

Cheese Quesadilla

Slap in the right amount of cheese in between flour tortillas, grill and voila! Nothing could go wrong with this Mexican appetizer. Baja's sauce on the side provided the much-needed flavor and spice. However we found the wrapper a tad too thick, thus engulfing most of the cheese. There's a reason it's called Cheese Quesadilla and not Quesadilla con Queso.

Nachos Supremo

Nachos Supremo

With gigantic balls of whipped cream, salsa and cheese, this one's the appetizer champ. The toppings are finely placed and additional orders of salsa, cheese or guacamole are available at less than P50 per topping. The only fare that has been met with appreciative nods and lip-smacking praise, I believe should I return to Baja, it will be solely for this nacho fiesta.

California Burrito

California Burrito

A beef-filled entree, I watched as slivers of French Fries erupted from the sliced Americanized burrito. The ground beef was everywhere, too tedious for me to pick, and so I left this fare to the meat-eaters. They ate in the Mexican fashion, slow-paced but not engaged in the meal. It seems that the Hamburger-cum-Burrito was not welcomed by their discriminating taste, or perhaps the hybrid attempt simply did not satisfy either genre.

Fish Fillet Vera Cruz

Fish Fillet Vera Cruz

This fish went from "fresh catch" to "gone in 60 seconds". The fish was fresh and if it helps, so white, I just couldn't stop shoving pieces in my mouth. The batter was also mildly Mexican, not overwhelming or irritatingly greasy. Whoever  Vera Cruz is, well here's our message to you: Muchas Gracias, Senora! Unless it's Tio?

Wet Burrito (with Chicken)

Wet Burrito (with Chicken)

The rice was placed on the side (as requested) and inside, it was 90% beans and 10% chicken (and chicken skin). The chicken was literally bathed in purple, and for a minute I thought I was eating dinuguan and ube (both of which I do NOT eat) in one mighty wrap, devoid of vegetables. If I could rename it, it would be the Fat-Wrap Bean Burrito. In grade school science class, we learned about the 3 Gs of Nutrition: Go (carbs), Grow (protein) and Glow (vegetables). Simply put, this burrito's so wet, it's lost all its glow.

With other more enticing and conveniently located Mexican joints in Manila, it's "Adios!" to Baja Mexican Cantina in the meantime. Should you decide to have a fish taco-nacho buffet in the future though, count me in!

Aum Sweet Aum at New Bombay

Because I hate waiting in lines when I'm hungry, I've found the quick fix for this: Indian food (New Bombay, Glorietta). Filipinos have a knack for displaying patience especially when queueing for buffets and oily food joints, thus leaving exotic restaurants bare and welcoming to the impatient wanderer such as myself! Aside from 2 other guests, New Bombay was ours to enjoy with ample space to stretch our legs and even request for warm water. Thank Shiva!

Of course space isn't the only draw for New Bombay. While the restaurant raised prices (and reduced serving size) since my last visit, the menu is filled with amazing Indian delicacies and entrees fit for vegetarians and those I'm-trying-not-to-eat-meat-this-Christmas-season dieters. Don't expect waitresses to force their beef specialties or Chef's-pork-dish-of-the-day on you - nope, just healthy eating at its curriest.

[caption id="attachment_1133" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Palak Paneer"][/caption]

Palak Paneer (P225)

Our staple order may not be the prettiest sight, but the homemade cottage cheese in spicy spinach sauce was so good and comforting, it warranted seconds. The spicy creamy spinach sauce was really flavorsome, and if I could just cook this at home, I sure am eating this everyday. Oh wait, did I just say cook? Oh well, at least New Bombay has branches at The Columns and Podium. That should address the cooking deficiency.

[caption id="attachment_1132" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Chicken Tikka Masala"][/caption]

Chicken Tikka Masala (P225)

Chicken in tomato-masala sauce makes the best partner to palak paneer, not to mention that they unintentionally scream Merry Christmas on our table. Together though, they do make this unbeatable spicy duo when spread on naan. Better than just plain curry or tandoori, the chicken tikka masala is bathed in this amazing red sauce that makes other saucy dishes blush in bland shame.

[caption id="attachment_1136" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Cottage Cheese Pakora"][/caption]

Cottage Cheese Pakora (P165)

These cottage cheese cubes fried in this yellow batter are filling and tasty, but a bit of a letdown for their price. It was a redundant order as well, having selected the palak paneer as a main dish. For those who like fried cheese though, this should make the cut. Next time though, I might consider the samosas or vegetable cutlets.

[caption id="attachment_1134" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="(L) Naan, (R) Masala Kulcha"][/caption]

Garlic Naan (P75) and Masala Kulcha (P145)

Perfectly baked naan can either make or break the meal. Good thing New Bombay is already an expert at this and managed to serve them chewy and right. The Masala Kulcha is like the high-end cousin of the naan, more grand and stuffed with mashed potatoes and onions. For almost twice the price of the naan though, I'd rather go for economy, since all that masala flavor dissipated once the palak paneer's spinach sauce splashed all over the kulcha.

[caption id="attachment_1135" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Lunch is served!"][/caption]

With my plate containing a hodge podge of colors and spice levels, it was impossible not to enjoy this commotion. A mega masala meal can really knock off all that holiday stress and bring us closer to a mundane sense of nirvana - which ultimately disappeared once we faced the Makati traffic.

Doesn't matter, at least even for a few minutes, we got a sense of "Aum" even away from home.

Namaste!

Thai Will Be Done (@Oody's)

Thai food is best described as vibrant, diversely flavored and patron-choosy—which is why I’ve never been too fond of it, being one of the patrons forced to face its spite. The spicy part, I can endure, but the liberal flavor of fish sauce and peanuts has not been too friendly to my salt-averse sense of taste. The Legaspi Market’s Pad Thai though, drastically improved my assessment on this dish and presented an opportunity of, possibly, craving Thai food in the future.

And crave I did.

 Oody’s Greenbelt was a mindless choice, logistically advantageous and appealing to the Makati walkers. That, and for some odd reason, my peers did not consider Banana Leaf an option. Pity—and so Oody’s it was!

 

My quest for Pad Thai was thwarted though, by the flaunting photo of the Pad Siew. Less pallid, fortified with greens and devoid of peanuts—it seemed to reach out to me, and so I ditched the Pad Thai fancy. It was a choice not to regret. Pad Siew literally means “fried with soy sauce” and its rice noodles were chewy yet tender, just the way I imagined them for weeks. The chunks of chicken and scrambled egg were generously incorporated in the dish and not placed as a measly siding. While a bit on the oily side—what can you expect from stir fried noodles?—I suspect a cup of tea would assuage the risk of a shortened lifespan. Nonetheless, the tea never emerged, but rather, a hefty crepe with ice cream. I suppose there’s always room for dessert.

The Pad Thai and Noodle Soup with Chicken were not mine to begin with, but let me provide snippets of the comments from my equally hungry and opinionated mates:

Soup:

“I suppose it’s okay.”

“I’m only eating soup because I have gastro-something. I sure hope it’s not spicy!”

“I’m paying this much for this soup? Hmmm.”

When asked for comparisons, “Of course Pho Hoa serves much better soup. This doesn’t even come close.”

Pad Thai:

“Wow, that’s a lot! But your Pad Siew looks way better!”

“You can have some of my Pad Thai, you know.” To which I nearly screamed, “No, thank you!”

I rest my case.

 ON THE SIDE

House appetizers – The spicy peanuts and fried wanton made lovely centerpieces and to our delight, were rather tasty. “Refillable” was another key to securing our economical enjoyment. As for hygiene, well that’s another story.

Service – Undertaking the challenge to serve us water in small, decorative glasses, Oody’s waiters nearly regret their insensible decision. While tall glasses graced other tables (I wonder why), they opted to serve us, human camels and giant gulpers, the beakers amongst their dishes. Concession was made by leaving a pitcher instead, but that was after about 3 rounds of “Water, please. Your free peanuts are choking us!”

Going, Going, Gong Cha!

Perhaps by its musically inspired name—in which I find no appeal being lyrically incapacitated—Gong Cha has never tempted me with its lavishly named tea drinks. That was until I saw the gleaming queue at Glorietta (milk tea at an Ayala Mall, a rare find!) did I realize that well, maybe there’s hope despite its taunting name.

The milk tea listing can be quite exhausting—the long line something to be grateful for having given us ample time to think,brainstorm and analyze the potential taste of every green tea combination.

The “premium” milk teas start with the signature name Gong Cha, and I initially considered it an endeavor to create brand impact. The guess was a tad too academic, as explained by the cheery cashier. Gong Cha milk tea = with cream on top. Oh my, did you say cream? Good thing there was a second option.

Going for the Large Milk Green Tea (30% sugar) with pudding (P105 total) was perhaps the wisest decision. Not really a fan of pearls, which seemed to create a choking feeling after every sip, the pudding provided a smooth sweet treat that didn’t interfere with the drink or clog the straw. The green tea was identifiable but rather overpowered by the supposed tinge of Jasmine. If I were to rename the drink, it would be more like Milky Jasmine with Green Tea (in the proper order of flavors). The 30% sweetness was tolerable yet compared with the 30% of other brands (Serenitea and Cha Time) this was one big, SWEET 30%. I cringe at the thought of 100% sweetness—a surefire nightmare for my dentist and weighing scale!

Why many people would opt for Gong Cha can be no question with its massive list of exuberant flavors, tea selections, shakes, and price. Even tea cynics will find interest in their menu with their shakes (coffee, chocolate or milk flavor), creative mixes (like Yakult Green Tea) and ice cream specials. 

Still pondering over the origin of the name Gong Cha, I was looking forward to seeing a real gong be used to call out the orders, or a gong being used to lull the workers to their tea making rhythm. Wrong again. At least they didn’t have to sing out my name when they called out my order or it would’ve been Gone Cha for me.