Mochiko = My Mochi

Whoever invented Mochiko named it perfectly. That fist-sized ice cream-filled mochi is great for a one-time snack, unfit for sharing and definitely meant to be finished single-handedly. Mochiko roughly translates to "my mochi" in Filipino. My Mochi, not ours, certainly not yours -  just mine.

Let us not lie to ourselves with that delusional thinking that we are selfless and giving. With the sight of this ball of mochi goodness, all those hopes of world peace and brotherhood are sure to dissipate, to be replaced by that inevitable gluttony that we've been harboring all this time.

Best to give in though, as it's rather cheap at about P70 per serving. With an assortment of flavors (chocolate, vanilla, red bean, cookie dough, etc.) you can have a different flavor each day, or until your blood sugar spikes - then you might have to take a break from these sinful balls. Mindless choice for me was, of course, green tea - an unfounded hope for a lower calorie serving.

Surrounded by a thin layer of mildly sweet mochi, the label strongly advises us to let the ball thaw for a few minutes before we get those incisors working. Ever devious, I forced a bite, failed and ended up leaving teeth marks on that still-hardened ball. At least I can't say I didn't try.

Upon reaching the desired thawed state, another attempt was made on this unyielding green fellow and finally, success! I was getting impatient from walking around Eastwood Mall with this plastic ball in my hand, and it didn't help that it was in this horrid shade of apple green.

The thin mochi layer uncovered the creamy goodness of still a perfect ball of green tea if cream. Each bite was a mixture of smooth ice cream with that slight tinge of sweetness and chewy bits from the mochi.

Best way to end any meal is by this ball of indulgence. Best way to burn the calories is to just walk it off as I did.

While I'm no follower of Mochiko, just in case someone asks, I've encountered these little balls of toothy mishap in Mercato Centrale, the Eastwood Weekend Market (at the Eastwood Mall) and Parvati (Trinoma, by the bulk).

Brunch at Mercato Centrale

Last time we visited Mercato Centrale at Bonifacio Global City, it was Aubergine or nothing. The aubergine-tomato dip spiced with turmeric was simply amazing and even for a minute, I considered making eggplant my new favorite vegetable. Cheesy potatoes and Hungarian sausages filled up the meat eaters and the sugar-free Carrot Cake was a no-brainer for dessert - that was one Mercato feast that made it in my mental gastronomic moments.

The recurrence of the Mercato craving got us to brave Saturday EDSA traffic (on a November) in pursuit of our other favorites: ravioli, truffle fries, fish and chips and of course, the aubergine-tomato dip. Unfortunately all seemed to be in hibernation on that scorching day.

We ended up with lesser delights: Spinach and mushroom lasagna (P115), Beef tacos and tuna on malunggay taco shells (P100 per tray), Schueblig/Hungarian sausages (p150 for 2), and Med chef desserts (3 for P100).

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

"Vegetarian lasagna!" was what the vendor screamed when I inquired about meat content of the Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna. True to her words of foodie wisdom, the dish contained no meat but was filled with loads of cream. No one wanted to taste my lasagna and I was left to finish all the mushy portions on my plate, which left me "creamed" right after.

Buy 1 Take 1 Sausages

 The sausages were nothing extraordinary, but are a steal for buy-on-take-one at P150. Available in 4 variants, including cheese, sausage-lovers would find this deal quite enticing. Now if only there were nachos around.

Tuna on Malunggay Taco Shells

The malunggay tacos were wasabi green and had an odd mayo sauce that would've tasted better without it. But without it, there would've been nothing left because the tuna was merely a dollop which I barely tasted. For P100 I suppose we're better off with real tacos or nachos that would at least warrant an authentic burp!

The Med Chef brownies (photos in my next entry) were dry and crumbly and left oil marks on the paper bag, probably on account of the heat wave. I just wonder how long they've been baking in the heat or if all those desserts ever get purchased in a day. The revel bar tasted better though, eaten 8 hours later - but that must've been the sun's work. For 3 pieces at P100, my advice is bring them home, pop in the toaster and enjoy with tea!

As a person who normally eats slow, this was one brunch that ended in haste, in my opinion. The heat did nothing but make the dining experience more uncomfortable, and there was one recourse to this: Jamba Juice.

Should I be obliged to return to Mercato in the future, I've decided to plan my meals and purchases. It may not be the healthiest option, but I'll live: Green Tea Mochiko, Cupcakes by Anita and that sugar-free Carrot Cake by Low Cal. Sugar high, here we come!

Oh, and don't forget, H2O!