With the COVID pandemic still on-going, it makes us think more about what we treasure most in our lives.  Definitely, one that tops our list is togetherness with the family.  Buenas means luck and blessings in Filipino language and that is exactly what we felt having during our family dinner at Casa Buenas.   Casa Buenas is located in the new "Newport Grand Wing" which was unfamiliar for most of us.  Even if you park at the nearest parking area which was the Newport Grand Wing, you have to take elevator and escalator  to reach this very spacious wing.  

Kuala Lumpur Malaysia's RM460 Burger Viral Drama

Just recently, we were discussing with foreign friends on how to spend money better.  The topic was incidentally brought about by the recent Kuala Lumpur birthday dinner drama over the RM460 burger that became viral over the net.  Based on such discussion, we discovered that some would actually spend more for travel, online games, KTV and bars rather than having a fancy dinner with some close friends and family.  Well, though we admit that we do spend for some of those but we give utmost importance to celebrating birthday family dinners more.

It's kind of interesting to learn about other cultures and customs.  All these years, the question "Who pays for the birthday dinner celebration?" never crossed my mind.  For me, it was always a given whether its with family, friends or even just office mates, whoever invites pay for everything.  This applies to all occasions... birthdays, graduations, winning something or even when someone just feels generous.  So yeah, you can all take this as a disclaimer too... We openly admit that not everything we post here is paid by us okay?  It depends on who "invites".

Well, apparently in the RM460 Burger scenario, the payment arrangement for the birthday dinner was to equally split the tab.  We also do the split tab payment arrangement when we casually meet up with close friends for dinners.  But, we've never encountered that kind of scheme when invited for a birthday dinner.  

One of my friends whose married to an Australian that her husband was surprised when the birthday celebrant had to pay for the dinner.  Friends take you out, they pay for their own meal (in Filipino slang its "KKB" - kanya kanyang bayad) but they pool money in to treat the birthday celebrant.

Well, perhaps its because my friends and family are very busy people (with so much going on with business, work or family) that we treasure time more than anything.  In fact, we're hardly ever complete.  Some would be on a leisure or business trip, have business commitments or other affairs.  Thus, its customary for the birthday celebrant to appreciate simply just the presence of someone being able to accommodate the invitation.  After the meal, we even thank each of our guests for coming before bidding our good byes.

Now that that's all settled, let's continue on with the food. 

 Food

This was actually the last family dinner we celebrated dining in a restaurant before the lock downs (In the Philippines, we term them "ECQ, MCQ, GCQ") so we were fortunate enough to order from its full menu.  As of the time of writing, it is only offering limited menu because of the pandemic.

Complimentary Bread

While we were waiting for our orders, we were given some Complimentary Bread with a variety of flavored butters.  

Soup

Salmon Yazu Dashi

From the Salmon Yazu Dashi, we were already hinted that the dishes served in Casa Buenas is international fusion.  The Salmon Yazu Dashi seemed like a Japanese soup dish with its own twist.

In addition to the warming comfort it brings before the heavy meal ahead, it is quite light and refreshing. 

Sandwiches

Buenas Burger(580 php)

To be honest, we were expecting the  Buenas Burger to be more extravagant.  Yet, it came out rather plain which made its special thick and juicy pork and beef belly patty stand out.  It was actually quite good and filling.  Yes, the price is justified in for this burger!

Mains

♥ Grilled US Angus Beef Tenderloin with Lychee Sauce (2,900 php)

If there's one dish that stood out among our orders, it would be the Grilled US Angus Beef Tenderloin with Lychee Sauce.  Usually, you'd feel overwhelmed from the savoriness of eating too much meat.  But for this dish, the intricate sweet, fragrant and refreshing lychee sauce counters the savoriness and oiliness from the tender roast beef making it quite pleasurable to eat. 

Off the Grill

Grilled Squid (900 php)

The menu offered a lot of grilled dishes but most of them are quite similar.  Guess, there isn't much twist to grilled dishes other than being precisely grilled to tenderness, appropriately seasoned and dipped in a variety of sauces.  The GrilledSquid was good but it just didn't show much creativity or personality that we'd expect from a famous Chef.   

Paella

Paella Seafood (1,000 php/good for 2-3 persons)

Paella is always the most expected order when dining at a Spanish restaurant.  When you order Paella at Casa Buenas, you will be asked if you would prefer the traditional with burnt bottom or not.  We chose the traditional.  Our side of the table ordered the Paella Seafood good for 2-3 person but the other side of the table ordered the Paella Negra good for 4-6 persons.  When our orders came, we realized that the it could cater to around twice as much people as stated.  We ended up having to take home most of this dish since it had bountiful amount of toppings.   Comparing the two, we liked the ♥ Paella Negra more.

 

Pizza

Truffle Pizza (490php)

We loved the Truffle Pizza which involves breaking the poach egg on top before the slicing and all.  The truffle essence for flavor and the chewiness of the dough for texture was just right.

Beverage

Cappuccino (190 php)

The coffee cup set is so pretty.  But, the Cappuccino is just okay.

Complimentary Chocolates

All of us appreciated the Complimentary Chocolates as an extended gesture.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
The grand Hispanic Filipino interior of Casa Buenas defines it as one of the best places in Metro Manila to impress guests with its luxurious dining atmosphere.  The food and service service is hotel standard.  But, not all the dishes would standard out to be impressively memorable. 

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Casa Buenas Menu
Ambiance	★★★★★	N/A
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Casa Buenas
Business Address	Ground Floor, Newport Grand Wing, Portwood Street, Newport City, Pasay City
Business Hours	11am-10pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge
Budget/Person	500-1,000
Free WiFi	Yes
Contact	(02) 7-908-8988
Other

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The COVID Pandemic has made us realize how we can be consciously or subconsciously affected by everything around us.  The months of confinement made us yearn for the psychological comfort of once again being able to go out.  Fortunately, we can now (with safety measures) go out once again and chill at our favorite cafes like Cafe Mary Grace.

Well-known for its Ensaymadas and Cheese Rolls, Mary Grace has become one of the fastest growing local food brands.  Even during the pandemic, it has continued to open more kiosks and cafes. All of its kiosks and cafes have the same interior which we love.  It just charms us to coziness each time.  The yellow lighting, floral and ceramic decors and the homey furniture and fixtures harmoniously makes it one of the most beautiful and cutsie cafe in the Philippines.

Food

The cafe menu covers all types of meals from breakfast to after-dinner snacks. 

Crispy Cassava Chips with Onion Dip (205 php)

Since we wanted to take our time and enjoy our meals slowly, we first ordered the Crispy Cassava Chips with Onion Dip for starters.  This is our first time to try this and it was surprisingly good!  So good that we dare say that the Onion Dip is as addictive as the more famous Spinach Dips or Artichoke Dips.

Hearty Soups

Seafood Chowder (190 php)

The Seafood Chowder has the right blend of creaminess, richness and chunkiness to make it the appropriate warm and comforting soup that prepares the belly for a heavier meal.

Salads

Fresh Kesong Puti & Calamansi Vinaigrette (288 php)

The Fresh Kesong Puti & Calamansi Vinaigrette is a refreshing salad to try as it incorporates local ingredients.  The kesong puti is fried and breaded but not oily at all.  It was so much fun to eat.

Mary Grace Caesar Salad (360 php)

 The Mary Grace Caesar Salad is the classic Caesar Salad done right.

Tomato- Based Pasta

Pasta Amatriciana with Meatballs (320 php)

This is the first time for us to encounter a pasta with Amatriciana sauce.  Based on our research, the Amatriciana sauce is a sauce named after the town of Amatrice and is actually one of the most famous pasta sauces in Italian cuisine today.  While we couldn't verify how near it is to that one you can find in such town, we enjoyed this Pasta Amatriciana with Meatballs as the red sauce was rich in spices with a tinge of savoriness and tanginess.

Cream-Based Pastas

Classic Carbonara (315  php)

The Classic Carbonara is one of Cafe Mary Grace best sellers.  Everyone who has tried this has loved this.  We're sure you would too!  Enough said!

Pizzas

Margherita (498  php)

Cafe Mary Grace pizzas are thin and chewy dough crusted topped with fresh and premium ingredients such as its home-made tomato.  We opted for the classic Margherita which was a great compliment to our other orders.

Freshers

Homemade Iced Tea

Apple, Cinnamon Tea and Honey (95 php)

Peppermint Iced Mocha (185 php)

After our meal, we stayed for coffee.  The Peppermint Iced Mocha was a hit among us.

Cappuccino Regular (120 php)

If you're the plain-type of tito or tita, you can go for the hot Cappuccino.

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict
Cafe Mary Grace is one of the best cafes in terms of ambiance and food quality in the Metro Manila.  We can see this cafe chain as one that would expand with more branches in the future. 

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Cafe Mary Grace Menu
Ambiance	★★★★★	N/A
Taste	★★★★
Service	★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Cafe Mary Grace Rockwell
Business Address	R2 Level Expansion, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Drive, Estrella Street, 1210 Makati City, Metro Manila
Business Hours	10am-9pm (mall hours)
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	500-1,200
Free WiFi	Yes
Contact	(632) 84781850
Other

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Christmas time is undoubtedly the best time of the year!  During the Christmas season, people gift, surprise, donate, charity, and make the most exquisite meals throughout this joyful month to bring in joy and make everyone else’s Christmas jolly too… It is also the time for the entire family to come together, share their stories, and have a hearty laugh.

People coming together also means that you’ll have to cook in plenty and make amazing food for everyone to relish and rave about. Of all that you’ve been cooking years after years, we recommend you treat your loved ones to this fun and fancy looking dish. It will be really nice to have your family members rolling out the dough, topping pizzas, and baking them fresh while discussing events of past and future.

You simply have to arrange the ingredients and tools in advance to make up for the pizza making session. The most important tool to have for this family fun event is a cheese grater. Of course, what good is a pizza without any generous load of cheese? 

To make things easier for you, we have enlisted the best cheese graters available. Check thedaringkitchen.com/cheese-grater to find the latest and choicest selection of cheese graters that will surely impress your guests too.

So, without wasting any more time, you must peep into the recipe to get the ingredients ready for the family cooking event.

Holiday Pizza Wreath Recipe

• Cheese grater
• Vegetable chopper
• Knife
• Peeler
• Spoons
• Bowls
• Rolling pins

Ingredients
2 cups pizza sauce
Pizza dough
Dry flour, for rolling the dough
Mozzarella cheese, grated
Any topping of your choice (I used colorful bell peppers, mushrooms, and chicken shreds)

Procedure

1. Thinly roll out the pizza dough using dry flour into a circular shape and place it over a lined   baking tray.
2. Use a cookie cutter to cut out a hole from the center of the dough so that the dough looks like a doughnut.
3. Now, evenly put pizza sauce on the rolled out dough as the first layer.
4. Preheat the oven to 225 degrees C
5. Top pizza with any topping of your choice and load it well with the grated cheese.
6. Bake the pizza for about 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown on top.
7. Slice and serve hot!
   

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The COVID pandemic has taught us to spend more time in the kitchen than going out of our homes.    These holiday season instead of buying gifts for relatives, we sent out cooked dishes to them instead.  One of the most popular dish we've conjured that gained a lot of praise is our Creamy Truffle Mushroom Vegetable PenneRecipe.

Creamy Truffle Mushroom Vegetable Penne

So we're sharing our tweaked Tsinoy FoodiesCreamy Truffle Mushroom Vegetable PenneRecipe for you and your loved ones to enjoy too.

Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup butter
1 chopped medium onion
6 cloves chopped garlic
2 cups fresh shiitake mushroom
1 can NESTLÉ Cream 300g
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground pepper
2 tbsp Umbria Terra Di Tartufi White Truffle Oil (from goodwill.market)
2 tbsp Umbria Terra Di Tartufi Black Truffle Sauce (from goodwill.market)
500g Vegetable Penne (cooked al dente)

About Umbria Terra Di Tartufi

Umbria Terra Di Tartufi is an Italian artisan brand distributed by Dygen Food Ventures, Inc.  Its artisan products including truffle oils and sauces are made with pure ingredients fromt he luxuriant area of Valnerina Italy.  It does not contain any artificial colors, additives or preservatives and is produced from years of research to retain the unique and authentic flavor of the truffle. 

Umbria Terra Di Tartufi White Truffle Oil

Umbria Terra Di Tartufi White Truffle Oilis a condiment based on olive oil, dehydrated Bianchetto truffle and white truffle aroma.  It is your choice for ready to serve snacks and meals.

 

Umbria Terra Di Tartufi Black Truffle Sauce

Procedure

• Step 1: In a heated pan, add 3 tbsp olive oil and ¼ cup butter.
• Step 2: Sauté onions and garlic until fragrant (but don't let them caramelize).
• Step 3: Add 2 cups fresh shiitake mushroom and let it sit for 3 minutes.
• Step 4: Pour in NESTLÉ Cream and let it sit for 2 minutes in low heat.
  
• Step 5:Season with salt and black pepper.
• Step 6: Toss in Vegetable Penne and mix.
• Step 7: Add 2 tbsp Umbria Terra Di Tartufi Black Truffle Sauce then mix.
• Step 8: Turn off heat then add 2 tbsp Umbria Terra Di Tartufi White Truffle Oil then mix.
• Step 9: Serve immediately. 

This Christmas is unique because it is a Christmas amidst a health crisis.  Yet, the Philippine food industry is quite fortunate as there are a lot of establishment that can thrive like the international brand Subway that are still well-loved and well-supported by the community. 

Subway One Archers Place

During our visit for take-away at Subway One Archers Place'swe can't help but notice that there are a lot of delivery men who come in and out to pick up orders.

12 Subs of Christmas Discount Deal

To show its gratefulness, Subway is offering its 12 Subs of Christmas Deal that aims to lift up the Christmas spirit through a 12-day promo discount deal.

Subway One Archers Place COVID Protocol

40% On Second Sub

GENERAL MECHANIC

1. Buy (1) 6-inch of Christmas + 16-oz drink and get the 2nd 6-inch of Christmas at 40% Off.

The 12 6-inch sub of Christmas are: 

• Ham
• Sliced Chicken
• Roasted Chicken
• Sliced Chicken & Ham
• Smoked Chicken
• Spicy Italian
• Pulled Pork
• Italian B.M.T
• Steak & Cheese
• Meatball Marinara
• Subway Melt
• Subway Club

2. The 2nd sub at 40% off should either be of the same or lower value.

3. Available for TAKE-OUT and DINE-IN only.

4. Promo is available for 12 days starting December 16, 2020, until December 31, 2020.

So here's our orders... It's worthy to mention that despite the pandemic, four (4) breads options are available: Wheat,  Honey Oat, Italian Parmesan and Oregano.

Food

♥ 6-inch Italian B.M.T (126 php)

The Italian B.M.T is a world favorite with sliced Genoa salami, pepperoni and ham and your choice of vegetables.  We like all vegetables including onions please!

♥ Steak & Cheese (160 php)

Our personal favorite is the Steak & Cheese. You can't go wrong with lean and tender steak slices with creamy melted cheese on a sub.

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During the COVID pandemic, the family has been practicing caution in choosing where and when to dine out.  Having our first dine out at Yamazato山里 at Hotel Okura Manila was a wise choice and as you read along our experience, we're sure you'll agree as to why.

According to the official Michelin Guide website, "In 2002, Yamazato became the first traditional Kaiseki restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star outside of Japan, thanks to Chef Masanori Tomikawa’s subtle cuisine that is full of velvet-smooth flavours."

When we dined there, the above-mentioned was the only information that lured us into trying out Yamazato.  But a few days after we posted about it on instagram, its management commented some interesting details therein: (1)  This branch in the Philippines is the 10th location to open worldwide and (2) Yamazato in Bangkok, Macau, and Taipei also have Michelin distinction.   What an amazing track record right?

Brief Info on Kaiseki

It has dawned on us that we've never tried Kaiseki before.  Kaiseki, kanji are written as 会席 or formally as 懐石 literally mean "breast-pocket stone" which Zen monks, who do not have budget for food, give to guests to ward off hunger as a sign of hospitality. These kanji are thought to have been incorporated to indicate the frugal meal served in the austere style of chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony).  Both sets of kanji remain in use today to write the word.  

Kaiseki now represents a set course meal as a counterpart to the Japanese haute cuisine.  

After such an introduction, you'd think we'd go for the Yamazato Mini Kaiseki Set which was available from 6 pm to 9 pm right? Wrong.

Since the family really missed dining out and having special dishes for sharing, we decided to go ala carte style.   

COVID Protocols

As responsible citizens, we're really advocating cautious practice against COVID.  And, we feel that restaurants such as Yamazato with excellent COVID protocols should be commended too.

 

Service

While deciding on what to order from their menu which we viewed through our phones, our personal server wearing her face mask and face shield cautiously served us complimentary hot tea and oshibori or hot towel.

Food

Simmered Dishes  (煮物)

♥ Buta Kakuni 豚角煮(894 php)

 

 

Yasai Takiawase  野菜炊き合わせ (280 php)

 

 Grilled Dishes 焼物

♥ Gindara Saikyo Yaki 銀鱈西京焼き  (880 php)

The Gindara Saikyo Yaki in white miso sauce was so good.  We ordered three of this dish!    

Fried Dishes 揚げ物

Tempura Moriawase  天麩羅盛り合わせ (800 php)

Of course, the Tempura Moriawase is another must order.  Each one has to have their own Prawn Tempura.  With this dish, you can already judge it by the color and texture of the tempura batter. 

 

Chicken Teriyaki  鶏照り焼き (620 php)

 

Noodles

♥ Tempura Soba (Hot) 天麩羅そば(温) (880 php)

The Tempura Soba is another comforting dish for the soul to enjoy.  The buckwheat noodles was smooth and bouncy.  It didn't have the usual rough and brittleness that you'd usually expect for a soba.  The soba and the rest of the toppings meshed well together.  Even the mild natural earthy flavor of the shiitake mushroom brought out by the broth.

Sushi / Sushi Roll 寿司 / 巻物

♥ Futo Maki 太巻寿司 (780 php)

The Futo Maki may look just like any other maki you've encountered but take a bite and the play of textures and the fresh flavors of the ingredients in your mouth will leave you a distinguishing satisfaction.

Secret Menu

♥ Chahan

We're so glad that our server hinted us to order Yamazato's Chahan.  She even checked with the kitchen as to the availability of this dish since it is not in the menu.  We felt like a winner when she announce that it was available.  But, we felt even luckier upon trying this.  This is hands down one of the best, if not the best Chahan we've had.

 

We know that we sound like a broken record as we repeat in our Japanese blog post that we've always believed that ordering the Chahan is one of our measuring gauge of the quality of a Japanese restaurant.  And, thus, our standing ovation of compliments for Yamazato's Chahan says a lot!

Complimentary Tea

Unfortunately, we were able to inquire as to what type of Japanese green tea this was.  But, it was the most refreshingly clean-tasting tea we've ever tried.  It made us wonder if it was the quality of the tea itself or the precision in steeping that made the difference.  

 

Complimentary Birthday Surprise

 

Complimentary Dark Chocolate Cake

 

Upon informing them during our reservation that we're celebrating a birthday there, Yamazato prepared this surprise.  We really appreciate this!

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict

We totally agree with Michelin guide in recognizing the Yamazato山里.  Although we have yet to the Yamazato in other countries, with the quality of the dining experience we experience here in Manila, we believe that its execution in multiple branches is no doubt at par with each other.  If you're looking for a really quality Japanese fine dining experience here in Manila, Yamazato should belong in your top list. 

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Yamazato山里 Menu
Ambiance	★★★★★	Menu
Taste	★★★★★
Service	★★★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Yamazato 山里 Okura Hotel Manila
Business Address	Resorts World Manila, 2 Portwood Street (formerly Palm Drive, Newport Blvd, Pasay, 1309 Metro Manila
Business Hours	Lunch: 11:30am-2pm Dinner: 6pm-10:00pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	1,000-2,000
Free WiFi	No
Contact	(02) 5318-2888
Other	Website

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As we, Millenials, are moving towards healthy living, there's one kitchen equipment that rose to fame for its health benefits and ease of usage.  Yes, you've guess it right - it's an Air Fryer!  It's the perfect solution for those who love frying their food but craving to find a way to make them healthier.

Breville, international premium kitchen label, has perfected the art of producing home partners that makes food preparation easy and healthy.   The brand has continuously stepped up its game over the years to help consumers be masters of their kitchens. So as it concluded its 10th anniversary in the Philippines last 2020, one of its agenda is to present a lot of surprises for the forward-thinking homemakers. One of which is its latest product - the Breville's Smart Oven® Air Fryer.  This product was launched in recognition of the new kind of demand when it comes to home partners as the majority of homemakers started looking into kitchen aids that can match their lifestyle expectations.  This innovation takes utmost consideration of its consumer's home lifestyle and general health as it offers a fun, new, easy and healthy way of cooking their meals.

The Breville's Smart Oven® Air Fryer that it recently launched is already a third generation.  Hence, you could say that this kitchen aid has just #GotSmarter. Among its features it versatility with its oven and air frying function built-in and combined into one smart product.  This smart kitchen aid ensures that the process of frying is healthy as it introduces a new way of making food minus the guilt.

With ten (10) cooking functions and a dual-speed convection feature that reduces cooking time by up to 30 percent (30%) , this convenient and time-saving home partner is really a kitchen must-have.  The Breville's Smart Oven® Air Fryer is even equipped with a smart algorithm that creates an ideal cooking environment that makes food prepration friendly and easy for cooks of all levels - even for young and beginner cooks.

With its “Hey, Home Fryer!” online launch event which will put the spotlight on the brand’s newest kitchen items, it will take on all health-conscious and enthusiastic cooks on a new air frying culinary tour as they explore on the many ways to cook fried food using its air fryer.

The event is open for all.  To join, simply watch its online launch through the Breville’s Facebook Page on April 24, 2021, 3:00 PM.  The event will not only show case the brand's latest kitchen equipments, it will also be participated by Chef Waya Araos-Wijanco (Executive Chef and Owner, Gourmet Gypsy Art Cafe, Mental Health Advocate, co-founder of Open Hand School for Applied Arts), Chef Gem Tee (owner, Salta Ristorante), and other passionate home cooks who will share their heritage and modern recipes using the Breville's Smart Oven® Air Fryer.

Follow Breville’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/brevillephilippines) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breville_phils/) for more details about the event. Want to know more about Breville’s products? Head to their website (https://w    ww.breville.com.ph/) to learn more about them.

We've been hearing about GrabKitchen for quite some time now.  It now has multiple locations all over the Metro. 

Dishes fromGrabKitchen Malate: Omakase,Pepi Cubano, King Chef and So Mot

You can simply type "GrabKitchen" in Grab Food and GrabKitchen Mix and Match and you will see the GrabKitchen locations that are available for your area.  

So we chose the nearest in our area - GrabKitchen Mix and Match (Malate) which carries:

(1) Omakase, (2) Frankie's, (3) Recovery Food, (4) Paper Moon, (5) Yogorino, (6) Pepi Cubano, (7) Dapo at Tisa, (8) King Chef, (9) La Tita, (10) Selecta, (11) So Mot, (12) Blu Kouzina, (13) Coco Fresh Tea and Juice (14)  Merienda by Pan De Manila and (15) Go! Salads

 If you're from the South, you can check outGrabKitchen Mix and Match (Parañaque):

(1) 24 Chicken, (2) Alishan at the Alley, (3) Army Navy, (4) Cara Mia, (5) La Titas MNL, (6) Kyoto Sushi Bake, (6) El Nacho Libre, (7) Sheikh’s Kebab, (8) Breakfast for 2, (9) Black Kimchi!, (10) Pizza Telefono, (11) Selecta, (12) Omakase, and (13) Dapo at Tisa.

Upon selecting from multiple merchants: Omakase,Pepi Cubano, King Chef and So Mot, a single delivery fee of 69 php was charged.  We were curious as to the location but it does not appear.  It's okay though cause we can still see the status of the orders and estimated time of arrival. 

Omakase

Spicy Tuna Salad (355 php)

Spareribs with 8 Spices (480 php) and Salt & Pepper Squid (470 php)

King Chef is not new to us.  In fact, it's an old favorite that we've shared about before already.

So Mot

Mi Xao - Stir Fried Noodles w/ Chicken (195 php), Goi Cuon - Fresh Spring Rolls (188 php) and Banh Mi Ga - Chicken (155 php)

Pepi Cubano

Tito Choripan (187 php)

With GrabKitchen Mix and Match, we were able to have Japanese Spicy Tuna Saladfrom Omakase and Vietnamese Goi Cuon - Fresh Spring Rolls fromSo Mot asappetizers, Chinese Spareribs with 8 Spices and Salt & Pepper Squid from King Chef andVietnameseMi Xao - Stir Fried Noodles w/ Chicken fromSo Mot as main course.  We even had VietnameseBanh Mi Ga - Chicken fromSo Mot and Tito Choripan fromPepi Cubano as afternoon snack.  Not bad for one delivery fee right?

The convenience of GrabKitchen Mix and Match is even greater when it comes to an office or party set up with numerous people with different food mood and preferences. 

A few weeks ago, Tsinoy Foodies was asked if we wanted to try out locally produced duck products.  We said yes for two primary reasons: 1.) We love supporting the local food industry and 2.) We are really interested in exploring more on duck meat.  

Primaduck Breakfast Platter: Pekin Duck Smoked Longganisa, Pekin Duck Tocino, Pekin Duck Skinless Longganisa and Pekin Duck Tapa

Last week, we received a variety of Primaduck’s frozen Pekin duck meat products.  Upon researching more about the products, we discovered that Primaduck is actually a subsidiary of EDL Agritourism Farm Inc.  What an intriguing coincidence because 8 years ago (way back in 2014), we had a fun experience during our visit in EDL Excellence Gamefarmand Estancia de Lorenzo in San Mateo, Rizal.  During that time, its farms and events places were still being conceptualized and developed.  We have already observed and noted then how EDL really cares about proper training, process and investment in technology in breeding its farm animals.

Now, back to Primaduck and its Pekin duck meat.  Duck meat as a poultry dish is not as popular as chicken.  While there are many types of duck, the Pekin (Asian) or Long Island (Western) duck is the most popular for consumption, because of its quality meat, flavor, tenderness and weight (up to 5 kg).   

Trivia: By the way, just found out that the dish is called Peking Duck but the variant of the duck is called Pekin Duck.  

Because ducks are waterfowls (as distinguished from chickens which is a land fowl), it has heavier fat deposit in its skin as protection from the cold then leaner and more protein-filled meat (23% fat content against 40% fat of a store-bought chicken).  Moreover, ducks can fly so it has more blood distribution resulting in darker meat.  The older the duck, the darker the meat.  But to be clear, duck meat is still classified as white meat just as other poultry since it does not contain as much Myoglobin protein as other four-legged mammals.

Primaduck Pekin Duck Tocino (250g) P72.00

Duck consumption is growing.  China remains the largest consumer at 76% (5.5M tonnes last 2018), followed by France and Myanmar.  When it comes to duck dishes, the Philippines is already world-renowned for “Balut” which is classified as an exotic dish by foreigners.  Yet, it's quite interesting that Primaduck has innovated ways to make frozen and marinated Pekin duck meat into easy-to-cook Filipino favorites.  Allow us to share our experience with them.

Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon (250g) P80.00

Among all the variants, we loved the Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon the most!  We just cooked this through an air-fryer and our Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon turned out to be deliciously lean and crispy.

BLT Sandwich with PrimaduckPekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon

BLT Sandwich with duck bacon, lettuce and tomatoes anyone?  With all honestly, we'd opt for this healthier sandwich and skip the pork bacon any time.

Primaduck Sandwich Platter: Pekin Duck White Sausage Sandwich, BLT Sandwich w/ Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon & Pekin Duck Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Check out our sandwich platter with Pekin Duck White Sausage Sandwich, BLT Sandwich with Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon& Pekin Duck Ham & Cheese Sandwich.  Aside from the BLT Sandwich, we also enjoyed the Pekin Duck White Sausage.  The Duck Ham was the sweetened kind which was a bit too sweet for our preference.

Primaduck Silog Platter: Pekin Duck Smoked Longganisa, Pekin Duck Tocino, Pekin Duck Skinless Longganisa and Pekin Duck Tapa

Filipinos love having Silog Meals for Breakfast.  Silog is a Portmanteau word combining sinangag (Filipino fried garlic rice dish) and itlog (Filipino word for "egg").   So we thought of making one using Primaduck's Pekin duck meat products.  

Primaduck Pekin Duck Smoked Longganisa

The best of this platter is the Pekin Duck Smoked Longganisa and Pekin Duck Tocino.  The taste and texture is not far off from the usual pork counterpart.  

With the Pekin Duck Skinless Longganisa, we're actually not sure if we cooked it right.  The packaging just says "fry in a single layer pan until cooked".  Unfortunately, since we are new to this type of meat, we had no idea or even an approximately on the temperature or time for cooking it.  We're also not sure how the inner meat when cooked would look like so we're guessing that we failed in cooking this so it tasted kinda funny.  

Primaduck Pekin Duck Tapa

The Pekin Duck Tapa was dominantly salty with a counterbalancing pepperish taste.  Since we had a better first try of the Duck Tapa during our visit at Estancia de Lorenzo, we just couldn't help but yearn for that.  

Overall, we're so glad to try Primaduck Premium Pekin Duck Meat.  It is an amazing, proudly pinoy product, that shows innovativeness and progression.  Primaduckdelivers within Metro Manila so hope you can all check them out.

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Tsinoy Foodies is approaching its 10th year on October.  How does one indulge in being a foodie and yet keep our bodies healthy?  

The key is to have a healthy lifestyle which mainly depends on a healthy diet.  Believe it or not, I rarely eat white rice because there are a lot of healthier options available.

Chicken Bulgur Soup

Chicken Bulgur Soup (When All Ingredients are Added)

Chicken Bulgur Soup Recipe

Ingredients

•     1 cup Duru coarse bulgur (available online through goodwill.market/)
•     1 lb. skinless shredded chicken breast or thigh
•     2 tbsp olive oil
•     1 large onion, chopped
•     1 tsp minced garlic
•     2 carrots, peeled and diced
•     2 celery stalks, diced
•     1 can diced tomatoes, drained
•     2 tbsp tomato paste
•     1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
•     1 tbsp baharat or garam masala (available in Assad Minimart in Manila 250 php/250 grams)
•     1 tbsp ground coriander
•     1/2 tsp cinnamon
•     4 cups chicken stock
•     3 cups hot water (plus more as desired)
•     Salt, pepper and sugar to taste

Garnish Ingredients

•     2 tbsp fresh cilantro / wansoy, chopped
•     1 lemon, cut into wedges

Equipment and Tools

• Deep Pan with Cover
• Stirrer

Chicken Bulgur Soup Simmered

Procedure

• Step 1: Sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat until softened.
• Step 2: Add the carrots and celery, and sauté for for more 2 minutes.
• Step 3: Add chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato paste, baharat, coriander and cinnamon and stir and sauté for 1 minute
• Step 4: Add shredded chicken and season with salt, pepper and sugar to taste.
• Step 5: Add 1 cup coarse bulgur and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Chicken Bulgur Soup Served Warm With Garnishment

• Step 6: Add chicken stop and 3 cups of water and simmer for 20-25 minutes (depending on the plumpness of bulgur you desire).
• Step 7: Garnish with lemon wedge and sprinkle with cilantro.
• Step 8: Serve warm.

Given a chance to be warped into another world, you would take it right?  Allow us to invite you to Kurimi クリーミー Milk Tea Bar,a fun, cool and quirky 2D Cafe in Tomas Morato, Quezon City.

 Kurimi is actually an onomatopoeia of the word "creamy".  As we've researched, Kurimi is Filipino-owned and it also tapped young Filipino artists in order to conceptualize its cafes.  It has multiple branches and all have their own distinguishing features.