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!

Starbucks Finds

Sweet Cynicism: Amici Gelato Cakes

Despite having a cold, a road trip to Tomas Morato necessitated a gelato break at Amici. I've decided to forego my favorite Banana Blast in pursuit of something festive and new, and these are what I ended up with.

[caption id="attachment_1112" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Rouge (Amici)"][/caption]

Rouge (P128/slice) Three layers of gelato (blueberry, strawberry and vanilla) lined up this ice cream cake on a graham cracker crust. The flaming red facade roused me into blindly ordering this fruity fiasco. The layers of chiffon cake were doused with extreme sweetness while thin layers of cream were spread everywhere. Neither a fan or chiffon nor cream, this cake doesn't make it to my list - and it won't in grandma's either. Give it to the berry lover or the ultimate sweet tooth because it's berry loaded with sweetness that even makes this cat blush. 

[caption id="attachment_1111" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Peach Walnut Passion"][/caption]

Peach Walnut Passion (P120/slice) Simply put, it's peach gelato, walnut, chiffon and thinly spread cream on all possible angles. The sweetness can be overbearing, as well as the lack of assortment of layers. Peach lovers would go for this treat, but you ought to love chiffon too as it takes secondary lead in the overall portion.

Di Lusso (P125/slice, sorry no photo) Layers of pistachio, chocolate and strawberry gelato make up the core over graham crackers, but what makes this most delightful is the chocolate ganache that envelopes the entire cake. Unlike the Rouge which was covered in this hideously red cake and artificial strawberry syrup, Di Lusso's chocolate ganache inspires sweet revelry in every bite. Beware the floral topping though because it's more butter than chocolate. Among the three, the Di Lusso seems to save the day and never made it in any photo. 

Nothing beats Banana Blast though, when talking about Amici's Gelato Cakes. It's just plain gelato and chocolate flavored crust - no overly sweetened chiffon or annoying cream that sprout out of nowhere and ruin every bite - and that's how an ice cream cake ought to be!

 

 

Easy Dining at Ecila Bistro (Ayala Center, Cebu)

A trip to Cebu ought to be filled with fun and food, but the Queen City of the South decided to treat me otherwise. Hunger and UV rays, and dry hair to boot. Okay, I get it. I’m so not fit to be a travel blogger.

But I can still talk about the food.

The Ayala Center Cebu open area was a bombardment of gastronomic sights, none of which I got to try: Laguna Café, Café Verde, Spaghetti Factory, Dessert Factory, Siam, Sunburst, etc. The celebrated Yakiniku Wakamatsu (not in Ayala Center) was reasonably closed when lunch came at 3:00 pm. The local suggestion was well taken: Ecila Bistro at Ayala Center.

Ecila Bistro was obviously empty, save for a lone lady with a laptop who might as well have been the owner. American fares at reasonable prices might be its theme, but what we needed then was pronto service. Check.

The oreo and choco banana shakes looked incredible and magnanimously sweet.  After all with Hershey’s chocolate syrup, fresh milk and an empty stomach, what wouldn’t look the least bit good?

The gambas tasted like my mom’s cooking – butter, knorr and garlic. Why, it even looked like it! Shoving one shrimp after the other, it was a miracle that Kremil S was not needed after my meal. Maybe it was all that butter that offered my stomach the much needed protection.

The Rockefeller Oysters looked gorgeously edible, even for the non oyster lovers. When I saw the spinach layer, I couldn’t wait to get my hands on a shell, until someone yelled: “Oh I thought it was garlic on top!”

Me: “It’s not? I thought so too. So what is it?”

Oyster eater: “Chorizo bits!”

Me: hands down, sips on shake. “I think I’ll wait for my salmon.”

No way was I eating chorizo. Even when I was eating meat back then, my taste buds denied chorizo’s existence. It was no pepperoni, but the chorizo lovers will consider these oysters a fab new find.

At long last, my grilled salmon came, topped with tomato sauce and what looked like half of a blanched tomato. There were 3 vegetable sticks to be exact: a carrot, a green bean and a potato. Definitely provided for my day’s veggie needs. I couldn’t ask for more. The salmon was fresh and firm, just what you’d expect from a local joint. The sauce was nothing to-die-for and strangely enough, tasted like something my mom would do.

My co-diners had the wagyu beef (with the cute little griller) and baby back ribs (portion-wise, it was more like mommy back ribs). The carnivores seemed satisfied as well.

Credits for Ecila’s fast service and non selfish waitress who listed the wi-fi password on a tissue paper.  With many other entrees in Ayala Center's expansive lay-out though, I can’t say I’ll be back for more.

Pizza Hut Goes Thin with the Tuscani

Filipinos are renowned for their peculiar dreams and outlandish ambitions: from winning a beauty pageant, being hailed as the next Pacman, becoming a Youtube sensation—to the slightly mundane: climbing Mount Everest, winning at Dragonboat racing and becoming the bigwig nurse in Europe or Canada. All these are quite possible really, this Pinoy Dream, as exemplified by our too-many-to-mention successful kababayan. Even I’m no exception to this Pinoy I-can-do-anything mindset—though perhaps I’d have to fall under the “what-is-she-thinking, this strange girl” dream category.

My aspirations are quite simple, really, since someone already beat me to landing on the moon and designing the ipod. And even inventing milk tea, unbelievable! All I want to do are write, shop, dine and enjoy life! Oh, and visit Italy!

So I guess the “visit Italy” part may be on the long-term scale, but hey, I’m still going for it. How can we not resist Italy, the bastion of world history, culture and food? I grew up eating pizza and pasta, knowing the difference between penne and ravioli and upholding the discrimination between al dente and just plain soggy. There is no way I can proceed with life without having eaten an authentic gourmet pizza straight from the ovens of Italy—that’s my gastronomic wish and lifetime quest.

Unknown to me, this wish would be granted rather pronto, without having to leave our tropical country or even pack an overnight bag. Right under this famous hut that is known for pan pizzas, there they served thin crust, gourmet pizza otherwise known as the Tuscani. That’s Tuscani with an “I” not the “Y” because we’re not talking about Italy, but rather Pizza Hut’s line of gourmet pizza right here in the Philippines.

 

Who needs to travel abroad when I can get a slice of gourmet goodness a few minutes from home or from dialing 911-1111? With five grandioso flavors to choose from—Supremo, All Meat, Roast Beef, 2 Cheese Bacon and Spinach and BBQ Chicken—my heart immediately went “Ti amo!” to the pollo (chicken). The Tuscani BBQ Chicken was graciously smothered with barbecue sauce, while the toppings—cheese, onions, green pepper and chunks of chicken—were generously spread. It was certainly deliziossisima (delicious to the highest level), and I never even knew how to speak Italian before this encounter. The barbecue sauce was pleasantly sweet and highly savory on account of the thin crust, and no flavor was left ignored. The swirling images of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the farmlands of Tuscany and freshly picked olives and grapes immediately came to mind, and I knew this was as close to Italy as I could get, as I savored every chewing moment.

For sure, the Tuscani pizza is un dono del cielo (a gift from the Heavens). I may not end up as Ms. Earth or the Marathoner of the Year, but at least I got a taste of the divine. I got what I wanted, my Italian Escapade, all thanks to the Tuscani pizza.

Grazie, Tuscani! 

A Speck of Becks (Azkals vs LA Galaxy)

LA Galaxy vs Azkals, 12.03.11

Dave! Beckham! Beeeecks! I finally got my once-in-a-lifetime right to scream his name over and over, as he was just there, a few meters away.  Hippie headband and beard—yep, that’s Becks all right.

Galaxy warm-up circus. That's Beckham with the ball.

Beckham at the leftmost side with the luckiest kid in Manila

The earlier rain did nothing to dampen the spirit of The Dream Cup 2011 (LA Galaxy vs Azkals) last December 3. Not even hale or December traffic could stop us from seeing ex-Manchester United (among others) player David Beckham. As little kids, soccer equated to this international legend, and not watching the game live was like snubbing the sports deity. While I could only afford to scream from the bleachers, at least Phil Younghusband got to take it to the next level and score in the same game as his childhood hero. Now if we could only snatch that signed jersey as Phil falls asleep.

1st half, Brit Showdown

Thought there was a riot, but no, just shirtless Beckham passing.

The game ended with the score 6-1, in favor of the LA Galaxy. While many term it as a “loss” we really shouldn’t consider as such. While I’m no expert in football lingo, I don’t suppose a friendly match should have that derogatory term “losers”.  A display of competitive diplomacy is expected, and this was achieved quite well. As added bonuses, most of the Philippine Azkals got to play against Beckham, the Philippines is finally in the radar of global football, and Phil, James and Angel got special mention for being top players. I’d say it was bloody good match that gave the Azkals their much-needed lift, support and inspiration—so no losers here, just a starstruck nation and one heck of a sleepless Saturday night.

More Beckham

Despite occasional viewing obstacles, seeing Beckham play was really a fantastic sight, with his effortless, well-targeted kicks and graceful form. The row of boys behind us couldn’t stop yelling “Awesome kick, man!” and “Did you just see how he kicked that ball?!” that I wanted to join them or perhaps hand them commentator mic for the evening. Even boys drool, would you look at that.

Not to be outdone, the Azkals played just as impressively. The Younghusbands, Angel Guirado and Anton del Rosario played boldly and at par with the Galaxy and were inspiring to watch. Chieffy will always be the crowd favorite, and so never ever say anything bad about this guy or you’re sure to get whacked by that blue Pilipinas balloon. I finally got to see Carlie play, though I suppose the spectators never knew his name and simply referred to him as one of the white boys. He’s Spanish, by the way. Entiendes?

Better late than never—Coach Weiss decided to substitute players during the second half. That was the moment that I waited for, and with glee, players I wanted to see on the pitch were gradually called to play: Jason de Jong, Misagh Bahadoran and Lexton Moy. While the sole scorer of the game remained to be Phil, it was just wondrous to see this guys at the pitch: de Jong’s bravado, Bahadoran non-stop energy and vibe and Moy’s excitement translated to field fierceness.

[caption id="attachment_1043" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Misagh Bahadoran Substitution"][/caption]

 

[caption id="attachment_1045" align="aligncenter" width="614" caption="Lexton Moy Substitution"][/caption]

While complaining outdoors happens to be my forte, seeing even a speck of Becks turned my cynicism into a football high. Don’t think this night went seamlessly though: There were bugs flying everywhere, people kept on walking and obstructed my view everyone second of the game, and I nearly died of dehydration. Pacquiao nearly caused a riot, while Vincent Ferrer’s mom wanted the whole world to know she was missing him by her side.

However, I waived all the loathing in my higher pursuit of watching the LA Galaxy play versus the Azkals live.

A Speck of Pacs. Find Pacquiao!

It’s not only the Azkals who had their dream come true. Since high school, we’ve been yapping about Beckham this and that, and last night I finally got to see him play. Now I understand why he’s such a football sensation. It’s not because he’s cute or married to Victoria or that’s he’s popular—he’s the real deal in football, man. It’s his talent and skills combined that makes even boys watch in awe. He’s the inspiration for many kids to pursue football. He’s not just some myth; he’s the reason Jazminda got all football crazy in Bend it like Beckham. He’s David Beckham. That’s just it.

So, who will be gracing our country next? Ryan Giggs? Wayne Rooney! Oh and if there is a next time, better bring in the fish and chips!

Jersey swapping and ladies drooling

Parade time for them, Adios for us

Gelatissimo Choco-load

Imagine my bliss when I entered Gelatissimo and was greeted with rows and rows of Chocolate gelato. From Veronese to Black Forest to Sugar Free - ditching my usual Green Tea was easy - but deciding between Chocolate Almond and Ganache was painstakingly long. 

Never mind. I can go on like this for the rest of the month. So should you. Let's just bring out the weighing scale in 2012, but for now, it's time to celebrate chocolate!

Cheers to chocolate and Christmas! :)