Mad Mark's

In the past months/years the Kapitolyo area has developed into a busy food lovers paradise.  My family who lives just a short drive away has already dined in most of the establishments here.  Rub and Three Sisters are the only restaurants I've tried in the vicinity.  We met up for dinner one Sunday night and were lucky enought to find a parking slot near Mad Mark's which specializes in man sandwiches, steaks and homemade ice cream.

All of their sandwiches come in two sizes, just sandwich and man sandwich except for "THE" Man Sandwich.

"THE" Man Sandwich P290
For meat lovers, grilled chicken, angus beef, fresh mushrooms, melted mozzarella cheese

Goodies from Market Week Philippines

Market Week Philippines was held last September 19-23 at SM Megamall's Megatrade Hall.  The event showcased an assortment of products - clothes, jewelry, furniture, home decor, houseware and of course food! - from the different provinces in the Philippines.

My mom went there to scout for Christmas gifts and brought home bottles of Willy Bee Dalandan and Kalamansi concentrate (she gave us some too, which have long been consumed).  She showed us her purchases and we didn't need that much convincing to check out the event.  Since we were meeting the rest of the family for dinner, we had to prioritize and ended up in the food aisles only.  

Sambo Kojin SM Southmall Now Open for Grilling!

Food lovers from the south can now indulge in their favorite Japanese and Korean specialties at the newly opened Sambo Kojin Yakiniku Smokeless Grill in SM Southmall.  

Recipes

I've passed by Recipes in Shang several times and I wasn't really drawn to it.  We tried the Trinoma branch a couple of months back and were surprised that the dishes were less than P300 except for the Kare-Kare.  

We really liked the Fish Fillet Escabeche (P190).  Sweet, sour and salty all at the same time.  Loved the thinly sliced vegetables too.

Maggi Magic Meals' Bicol Express

Have you seen the commercial where the wife comes home and whips up Bicol Express for dinner without changing out of her pretty dress?  It's been airing a lot lately and that catchy jingle has been stuck in my head as if urging me to just cook it already!  Maggi Magic Meals' Bicol Express Recipe Solutions has been sitting in our pantry for several weeks but it was just recently that we had pork belly (liempo) and baguio beans at the same time.

Random Food Bites - September 2012

Here's another round up of either home cooked meals or random tastings at different places.

Tempura from DADS/Kamayan/Saisaki delivered right at your table.  Other costume clad servers bring around Temaki, Pritson and Seafood, Pork & Beef Barbecue.

Ben's Burjer

Ben's Burjer has been around for several years already but hubby has never ever tried it.  We were hungry, in a hurry and in the area so it was the perfect opportunity to go there.

Sweet September

Here's a roundup of different treats from last month.  First up are these super adorable M&M's luggage tags and luggage straps which I spotted at True Value in Trinoma.  I know they aren't actual food but they were so cute I couldn't resist snapping a couple of photos.

Purple Oven's Chocolate Cake is to die for.  I can't wait for another occasion so I have an excuse to check out their other cakes.  Hubby isn't a dessert person but he helped himself to a second serving of mom's birthday cake.

Legazpi Sunday Market

It's been ages since we've visited any morning weekend markets and hubby was craving for Legazpi markets' dalandan shake so one steady Sunday morning (well it was almost lunchtime already) we munched on different snacks from an assortment of stalls.  

Our usual strategy is to check out all our food options before we decide on what to buy.  I spotted the Thai Chicken Wrap (P95) of ang saWRAP! wraps and rolls and immediately ordered one.  One bite and I realized that I should have read the menu carefully.  I'm not a fan of peanut sauce and I had to pawn off most of this to my hubby.

I was totally drawn to the lovely aroma from Taqueria El Rey Tex-Mex Cuisine.  The owner was very friendly and accomodating.  I remember buying from him before but I don't recall what I had.  I got an order of Soft Tacos (P160) and picked the Carnitas and Fish.  Although both were really yummy, the meat lover in me preferred the Carnitas.       

McCormick's Korean Fried Chicken Kimchi Recipe Mix

Since I can not stand the smell of Kimchi, I rarely eat it.  Sure I'd take a bite or two but that's as far as I would go.  Hubby, on the other hand, loves Kimchi so I snatched up McCormick's Korean Fried Chicken Kimchi Recipe Mix and decided to give it a chance.

Shinjuku

Mom and Lola usually take soup or light meals for dinner.  Hubby suggested Shinjuku since he really enjoyed their ramen during one of his business meetings.  After flipping through several pages of their menu and still being undecided, we asked for their best sellers which were Butakakuni and Manten Men.

The broth of Lola's Butakakuni was delicious beyond words.  It had this really smokey flavor.

Butakakuni P345/regular; P445/large
shoyu (soy sauce) based soup, veg., & tasty tender pork in special thick sauce

8 Bowls Asian Meal Bar

We purchase most of our grocery requirements at Shopwise every first wednesday of the month because of their 10x rewards points promo.  We usually eat dinner before shopping and we were glad to see another food option last month - 8 Bowls Asian Meal Bar.

Just Thai

Hubby wanted to share with us the lovely view at Two E-com Center so we trooped on over one Sunday lunch.  

Masatami Swiss Cheese Flavored Shave Ice

When my sister said she wanted me to try Masatami Shave Ice, I had visions of crushed ice with strawberry or grape syrup reminiscent of the snow cones served at kiddie parties when we were much younger.  I was surprised to get a cup of glorious Swiss Cheese Flavored Shave Ice with an ice cream consistency.  The cheesiness wasn't overpowering at all.

King Crab House

My first visit to King Crab was sometime in November of last year and we filled up one of the round tables.  We just came from Duty Free and we were famished from walking around.  We ordered up a storm and sampled several different dishes.  Although I can no longer remember with absolute certainty the exact names of the dishes and how they faired, I recall immensely enjoying that meal.

What I distinctly remember though is the rich flavor of the sticky King Crab Rice in Pot which is best taken in small amounts since it can be overwhelming.

Another Food Trip at Il Mercanti

Aside from accessibility and free parking, we keep coming back to Metrowalk's Il Mercanti Food Bazaar for the food of course.  I was intrigued by the AlaBang Salpicao of Panggo's Grill which is actually Alaminos Bangus cooked like salpicao.  It was so fragrant and a great substitute for beef.  This is something I would definitely go back for but I would request for a milder version with less peppers.  

French Baker Again

Hubby's mom and grandmother prefer to have light meals for dinner which usually means soup, noodles or bread.  French Baker is their favorite hang out whenever they are in SM Taytay.  They absolutely love the Soup on a Bread Bowl and they even take home the leftover bread and heat it up for breakfast the following day.  Chicken and Corn Soup was served that day and it tasted very similar to their Chicken ala King which I really like.  The inner portions of the bowl that soaked up the soup was really good.

Soup on a Bread Bowl P115
Creamy soup of the day stuffed in French bread bowl.  

Random Food Bites - August 2012

Here's another round up of various food and beverages that touched my lips and settled into my tummy.

My favorite chocolate mint munchies - Pepperidge Farm's Milano Mint Cookies.

Under the Sea 7th B-Day

My college friends and I had a mini reunion to celebrate my goddaughter's 7th birthday.  The venue was spruced up in a sea of blue and green. 

DIY table centerpieces were designed by my very creative friend for this under the sea themed party.  

Vikings

For my husband's birthday, we went on an impromptu dinner trip to Vikings in Mall of Asia.  We wanted to take advantage of their birthday promo.  If you dine there on your actual birthday, you get to eat for free.  You just have to bring along 1 full paying adult and flash an ID showing your birthdate.  We thought we would be able to snag a table since it was not even 6pm yet on a weeknight.  We had to wait a gruelling hour and a half to be seated (While on the road, we kept calling to reserve a table but failed miserably).

I was pretty pleased with the appetizer spread and beelined for the cold cuts and cheese.  I didn't regret sampling the bread appetizers even if they were filling me up quickly.

Cafe Mary Grace

Mary Grace's cheese rolls is one of my favorite treats which is readily available in mall kiosks.  I wasn't sure what to expect though when my husband's family set up a lunch date at Cafe Mary Grace.

Cafeteria Verde

I had a very unpleasant experience with vegetarian food years ago so I make a conscious effort to stay away from them.  It was so bad that I couldn't even force myself to finish my meal.  I was pretty hesitant to try Cafeteria Verde but I gave in to my sister.  She rarely eats vegetables and fruits but she enjoyed the dishes from this restaurant.

My Tomato-Garlic Spaghetti was rich in flavor.  The absence of meat or seafood from the pasta was tolerable.  The dish was aromatic and heightened my appetite.

Tomato-Garlic Spaghetti P99
Al dente spaghetti noodles cooked in olive oil, tomatoes and garlic

Snackaroo

Two lucky individuals were at the right place at the right time.  They were approached on the street by the TV host of Pop Talk which airs on GMA News TV and were invited to review restaurants serving affordable steaks.  A chef and a celebrity guest were also part of the review panel.  I forgot the name of the first restaurant which I have never tried (I wasn't too impressed with what I saw either).  I was pleased to see Everything at Steak and Slice N Dice, two places which we go to every now and then for affordable and yummy steaks.  Watching them dig into their steaks made me hungry and reminisce about my last trip to Snackaroo a few months ago.

SM Megamall Mega Food Sale Again

Are you ready for another round of freebies, discounts and promos?  The SM Megamall Mega Food Sale is happening this weekend from Aug 17 to 19.  

Pizza Hut Bistro

Gone are the days when the only thing you order at a pizza restaurant is pizza.  I remember devouring slices of thick pan pizza whenever we dined at Pizza Hut back in the 80s and even the 90s.  They have extended their menu to include soup, pasta, salad, wings and more so we got a variety of dishes for dinner one night.

I really liked the 3 Cheese Bacon and Spinach Tuscani Pizza which was oozing with flavor.  Tuscani pizza crusts are soft on the inside then slightly crispy on the outside.

3 Cheese Bacon and Spinach Medium-P329; Super Family- 519  (plus tax and service charge)
Another must try flavorful gourmet pizza with spinach, bacon with bechamel sauce, layer with 3 cheeses - parmesan, cheddar and mozzarella

McCormick Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken Recipe Mix

I'm always on the lookout for quick and easy mixes so I instinctively grabbed the McCormick Soy Garlic Korean Fried Chicken Recipe Mix when I spotted it at the grocery.  

Zong

The first and only time I've eaten at Zong was in the Fort branch years ago.  It was around Christmas time and there were "carollers".  Aside from the lovely entertainment, The Malaysian Style String Beans was the only thing I remember from that meal.  So when we had lunch in Sta. Rosa a couple of weeks ago, this was the first thing we decided on.  The vegetables were so crisp and the spices were just heavenly.  We want to recreate this at home but we can't pinpoint the exact spices used. 

Malaysian Style String Beans P328

La Creperie

When anyone mentions crepes, I instantly think of dessert, something sweet and light.  I was pleasantly surprised when we had the Paysanne at La Creperie.  The edges of the crepe had a crunch to them, the bacon was crispy (just the way I like it) and when you combine all the ingredients together, each bite was such a delight.  This is a breakfast lovers dream.

Paysanne P245 + service charge
egg, bacon, sauteed mushrooms

Meat Plus Cafe

From Matutina's in Pangasinan, we were supposed to go to Bataan but it started to rain real hard and it was beginning to get dark already.  We headed to Subic instead and roamed around a bit then capped of the trip with a delectable dinner at Meat Plus Cafe.  My titas wanted a light dinner of sandwiches and salads but we couldn't resist the tempting meat dishes.  We all ended up ordering either the U.S. Beef Salpicao or the Ribeye.

I went with the U.S. Beef Salpicao since I miss salpicao already.  i loved how it tasted together with my garlic rice.  It was very tender and flavorful.

Manaoag and Matutina's

Balikbayan aunts were in Manila and were about to head back to the States so we spent the day in Bulacan eating, swimming and catching up.  A one day affair turned into an impromptu overnighter and an unplanned road trip down north.  Our main goal was to visit the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Manaoag in Pangasinan and then just play it by ear.

Chef Chow's Shabu Shabu Xpress

I've never really enjoyed shabu shabu (maybe I just don't know how to do it right) except for the one hubby's tita makes and the one from Chef Chow's Shabu Shabu Xpress at the Foodcourt of SM Taytay.

Random Food Bites - June and July 2012

I know I have completely neglected this blog for several weeks.  I want to write again... I will write again.  There were a lot of celebrations during the last two months so I have a lot of catching up to do.  I've sorted through my files and organized my photos and I will start posting stuff in the coming days or weeks.  In the meantime, I shall leave you with a random collection of food bites.

First up is the lovely dessert table during my cousins wedding.  Bizu's macarons are to die for.  I was so full from the super yummy dinner that I was barely able to squueze in 2 or 3 chocolate desserts from this spread.  I want to eat at Bizu and get more of the ravioli and the fish dish.  I regret not taking photos of the buffet.  Everything was exceptionally good.    

Beer Butt Roast Chicken

It has been my husband's dream to eat beer chicken ever since he saw beer being used to grill/roast chicken on some cooking show.  One trip to Gourdo's a few months back we spotted this Beer Can Chicken Roaster which naturally came home with us.

New Toho Food Center

We had a mini reunion at the New Toho Food Center in Binondo to celebrate my cousin and my aunt's birthdays and my lola's despedida.  It was really nice meeting up with family and seeing people we haven't seen since we were kids.

Our family feasted on several yummy dishes most of which I wasn't able to catch the names.  My favorite were these shrimps...