I’ve eaten twice in this resto before, and I don’t know what happened along the way. It’s rare that i RANT, but when I do, my Kamote Award for Worst Service and Sanitation by a restaurant chain goes to ….. Tempura Japanese Grill.

How else do you explain being an office worker on a one-hour lunch break, and 35 minutes later, your order still hasn’t arrived? We ate at their United Nations Avenue branch, and I had to beg for a glass of water just to quench my thirst while waiting. In the meantime, I had to use their toilet which was strewn with used tissue toilet paper (!!!) by the entrance door. And upon entering, there was a small container for used tissues which was sitting on top of the toilet bowl where the water receptacle for flushing was. EWWEEE!

The waiter told me it takes 15 minutes for food orders to be delivered, and I reminded him that it was definitely past that already. After 35 minutes, he comes marching in with a plate of gyoza that was submerged in oil. I told him it certainly looks “very oily” and we were leaving, never mind the fact that there was no sign of our other orders arriving.

The (mis)manager, a certain Kim, told moi, there was a “computer error” in the processing of food orders, hence the delay. Computer error kaya, o hindi lang kayo marunong gumamit ng computer? Ano naman ang koneksyon ng kompyuter kung ilang hakbang lang ang layo ng kusina? (what does it matter if the kitchen is just a couple of steps away?)

The husband can only grumble in silence: “Exactly, how does that explain their service? I’m fairly sure my waiter was human, not some hybrid, like Schwarzenegger in ‘Terminator.’ It wasn’t like Rosie from the Jetsons was moonlighting there. Sheesh.”

I told an officemate about my predicament, and she agreed. It took them 30 minutes to give her the final bill the last time she dined there, and it wasn’t even a busy hour.

What pretensions do these people have of running a professional, full-service restaurant?

Some useful reviews from MunchPunch :

Tempura Japanese Grill Alabang Town Center :

“My friends and I decided to have dinner here one Saturday evening and we were completely appalled by the service! Though our orders were taken promptly, our food arrived much much later (we waited for more than forty minutes!!). I have never been so frustrated with the service of a restaurant. ”

“According to my companions, the comfort room was icky.”

Tempura Japanese Grill Tomas Morato :

“Food is nothing special, and the service is atrocious. Best to pass on this one.”

Verdict: Eat at your own risk. Tempura is the sister resto of Holy Cow! and Flavours of China and we now have to remind ourselves not to eat in any of them. Duh.

If the restaurant’s CR is yucky, you can just imagine how the kitchen looks like and what the hell they do with that yummy food yer supposed to be eating. Nuff said.

Hubby and I dined for the first time in Cafe Juanita at the Fort a few days ago, after visiting my doctor in St. Luke’s Global City. It has been my wish to dine in this resto because the original location in Pasig was simply inaccessible for me. Am glad they opened in the bustling foodie strip called Burgos Circle in Forbestown Center since last year. (Prior to our visit, the only eatery we’ve tried in Burgos Circle was the Kebab Factory which unfortunately couldn’t compare with the authentic Middle Eastern restaurants in Ermita )

The first thing that catches the eye about the cafe is its shabby chic interiors. The decor’s sure to make good conversational pieces. The soft lighting casts a romantic glow which makes the resto a great date place.

But am not about to join those who’ve made rave reviews about the place. In fact, I think it’s a bit overrated, food-wise. I would happily go back there again to try the other dishes though, and for a slice of their heavenly sticky toffee pudding served with a single scoop of vanilla ice cream and lip-smackin’ caramel sauce. It was simply delish!

For our main course, we ordered beef kaldereta, one of the house bestsellers. The dish tasted like what I would cook at home myself, and it’s no surprise really because the resto prides itself as a bastion of home cooking.

I didn’t quite know what to expect with their Pinoy Ratatoy (their version of ratatouille). And out came a dish of sliced onions, tomatoes, capers, egg plant and other veggies in olive oil. Hubby liked this, but I must have swallowed on a sliver of pepper which gave me the worst chili attack ever 25 sips of water later and my mouth was still stinging. Never again, Ratatoy!

Their fresh Vietnamese lumpia was quite the disappointment. There were only shrimps, finely chopped lettuce, and none of the usual ingredients. Moral lesson: I should know better than to order Vietnamese food in a non-Vietnamese restaurant. In my opinion, Cafe Juanita can also do better sticking to an all-Filipino menu, rather than attempt to “fusionize” things

Other than these, service was very good. It helped that we were the earliest customers for their evening shift too. This was one resto where we didn’t have to beg for a glass of water, and the waiter even gave me a stool for my bag.

Cafe Juanita at the Fort
Burgos Circle
Forbes Town Center, Bonifacio Global City
Taguig
Tel. No. 403-1952

Also try:

Cafe Juanita- Pasig
21 United St. corner West Capitol Drive
Barrio Kapitolyo, Pasig City
Tel. No. 632-0357

I’ve never hidden the fact that Max’s is one of our favorite Filipino family restaurants. Chicken is my kids’ comfort food, and in our book, nothing beats fried chicken cooked the Max’s way. Well, am sure a lot of Pinoys agree with me – regardless of whether they’re voting for Aquino or Villar

It was a pleasure to be invited by Max’s marketing and test kitchen as they launched new fish dishes just in time for the Lent. Devout Catholics in this part of the world still adhere to a no-meat diet on Fridays during the Lenten Season and the new dishes are ideal. Aside from this, there are simply people like me who prefer eating fish to meat and guess what? Am just glad it’s not another cream dory variation this time!

My vote goes to Max’s Spicy Laing Tilapia because it combines two of my favorite dishes. Two slices of tilapia (P195 per order) are deboned and fried to a golden crisp. Layered between them is a serving of spicy laing (taro leaves) with a topping of coconut cream sauce that is just heavenly and delicious!

I also couldn’t resist their Salmon Belly Skewers, am sure six pieces on a stick is not enough and you’ll order for more. We’re used to sinigang na salmon belly or ones which are simply pan-fried. Max’s style of grilling the salmon belly and glazing it with a teriyaki-style sauce is a welcome addition.

Diners will have a choice of two all-Filipino salads to pair their salmon belly with: the ensaladang mangga, or julienned green mangoes, with bits of tomatoes and turnips in a sweet,salty dressing; and the ensaladang puso ng saging, or finely chopped banana heart with tomatoes and white onion, tossed in ginger-flavored vinaigrette. Both are yummy, but I prefer the latter. It’s a must-taste

Mr. Marc San Juan of Max’s Corporate Marketing told us: “Max’s new fish dishes is a new experience. They signify our commitment to continuously innovate and help create new memories for our customers every time they visit our restaurants.”

Amen to that! The bad news is that the twin fish meals will be offered for a limited time only – from March 4 to May 31, 2010. For fresh updates, log on to the Max’s website or visit Facebook and sign up for Max’s fan page.

I have to blame the office folks for introducing me to the pleasures of KFC… no, not The KFC but Korean fried chicken. It is fried chicken I’ve tasted like no other, mostly because this doesn’t use ketchup or gravy as an accompaniment. Trying it with sweet pickled radish is love.

Another good reason to love this chicken. It’s perfectly cooked, and doesn’t have the oily taste.

So yes, we order our take-out KFC from this stall at the HK Sun Plaza in Macapagal Boulevard. The brand is called BBQ Chicken. Little did I know that this is a franchise of Korea’s ” No. 1 chicken restaurant.”

The only thing with BBQ Chicken: prices appear to be higher than your ordinary fastfood. We prefer their family combo meals at P620 where 1/2 original chicken + 1/2 seasoned chicken comes with 1.5 L of Coke and little packs of pickled radish.

So far, we’ve also tried their seasoned chicken and liked it. The Spicy Chicken (8 pieces at P650) wasn’t too spicy and just had the right hint of honey and SSS (sweet n’ sour sauce) The Rice Syrup Chicken is one of their bestsellers. It’s described as having Korean fermented rice syrup sauce, savory peanut (sauce?) and sweet n’ spicy green pepper.

Can’t wait to try their Teri-Q Wings and Col-Pop Chicken (large glass of Coke with popcorn-style chicken on top.)

BBQ Chicken branches are at Jupiter St. Makati (full restaurant), tel. no. 896-3272; Macapagal Boulevard, Pasay , tel. no. 710-8090 and BF Homes, Paranaque.

Alabang is certainly far enough to go for fine dining if you don’t live there. But eating at The French Corner has been one of my great gastronomic experiences lately that I wouldn’t hesitate to dine here again.

This resto prides itself of its “Creative Continental cuisine” crafted by noted gourmet chef Billy King. It is one of the mainstays in the cozy complex called the Westgate Center. The prices aren’t to be scoffed at, and this is one of the places to go to when you want to impress your date – most especially because of the great service. It certainly looked like the waitstaff was trained on this aspect.

Then of course, there’s the food. Here’s what we ate at The French Corner:

Salad panache with grilled prawn, vegetable, pomelo, grapes in creamy balsamic and sesame dressing. A salad to love, even for someone like me who has to be forced to eat a salad. It’s all in the dressing.

Chilean seabass in light saffron sauce, served with fettucine pomodoro. I have this impression that Chilean seabass is the most desired fish in the metro, and the serving at the resto was done perfectly and of the right texture and consistency. No wonder some people would pay an arm and a leg for this fish, it is simply divine.

US tenderloin in balsamic jus, served with roasted vegetables. Enough of chewy steak horror stories, this interpretation was …. perfect. US tenderloin in The French Corner is priced at P1,355 for 180 g. and yes, I wouldn’t have hesitate to pay this much just to have my meat craving fixed.

For dessert, we had sugar-free cheese cake with fresh strawberry toppings. A pretty sight! but i loved most the strawberries ~ fresh, plump and luscious – just the way I wanted them to be.

Mr. Kevin King, who we heard is Mr. Billy King’s nephew, manages The French Corner Alabang.

We really thought the resto was more of a “date place” but we were surprised by its homey, country feel and the variety of its menu. The French Corner also offers Filipino/Asian dishes, kids’ meals, pastas, risotto and of course the French souffles.

For reservations, call The French Corner
@ telephone no. 771-2346
or email thefrenchcorner@gmail.com

I’ve been working in the City of Manila for the longest time. Even though the place is “decaying” due to the rise of more contemporary restaurant strips in The Fort, Makati and beyond, some good ol’ places still remain. Here are some suggestions on where to take your loved one for a Valentine’s Day date in Manila:

1. Restaurant Le Bellevue on the 27th floor of the Manila Diamond Hotel is a favorite for viewing the bright lights of the bay-enclosed city, while savoring French cuisine

2. Cosa Nostra on Adriatico St. Malate is the cutest little spot in Manila. A small hang-out with five or six tables. Be sure to talk in whispers while you’re munching on your salad and pasta

3. I’d also go to another Malate mainstay, Cafe Adriatico, for a nightcap over coffee and Claude’s Dream, their divine-tasting buko pandan dessert

4. White Moon Bar, a new open air hangout at the Manila Ocean Park looks cozy enough. The perfect spot for enjoying the bay breeze and Manila’s famous sunset while lounging in their comfy sofas

5. Harbor View, another popular open-air restaurant with mainly Filipino cuisine on the menu

6. Harbour Square at the CCP Complex. I think of this place as the new Luneta – albeit a small version – where you can HHWW (hold hands while walking) amid a view of the buildings in Roxas Boulevard and the ships sailing Manila Bay

7. Don’t count out the Walled City of Intramuros too, and having dinner in the legendary Ilustrado Restaurant. I love their pastries!

8. Summer’s safe enough to try a Manila Bay dinner cruise. You can choose to just sail, or sail while partaking of a buffet for the price of P495. Another alternative is cruising in a 70-foot yacht by Realship Corp amid food, wine and piano music. All of the boats dock in the CCP Complex

9. And then there’s Lolo Dad’s.

Hubby and I had dinner here during our wedding anniversary recently. He liked very much the food at Lolo Dad’s Brasserie in 6750 Ayala Avenue, Makati and so I wasted no time in telling him that they also have a restaurant in Manila.

With its long-lived existence, Lolo Dad’s Cafe beats the notion that in business, location is everything. Situated in Quirino Avenue (near the Quirino LRT station), it’s a family house converted into a restaurant that can seat 50 people (including the function room for 20).

What we ordered that night:

An appetizer of seafood pot-au-feu for me, but the strong taste of the prawns and fish dumpling proved to be too much for my pregnant woman’s taste. In turn, I wish I had hubby’s Caesar’s salad with salmon gravlax, crispy pancetta and six-minute boiled egg instead

As a prelude to the main course, they served us a smoking teapot filled with flavorful raspberry sorbet. This was remarkable in itself.

For our entrees, I had Herb de Provence Roasted Rack of Lamb, while hubby had charcoal grilled duck breast with foie gras, butterscotch pudding and poached pear in saffron. These dishes came with a hefty price tag, but I truly savored every bite. As much as possible, I order lamb when out dining (whether in a Middle Eastern joint or in fancy dining) because we don’t cook lamb at home. Lolo Dad’s roasted rack was pure indulgence as I joyfully separated the meat from the bone.

For dessert, we had the Sampler of Chocolates and the Declension of Mango and Mascarpone Cheese. I thought it was sugar overload to have ordered two, instead of sharing just one, but Lolo Dad’s desserts were a feast for the eyes and the senses.

How about you, what is your favorite date place in Manila????

Deco’s is the inventor of the famous La Paz batchoy – an Ilonggo comfort food consisting of noodles in a hot bowl of soup, topped with pork meat, liver and sinful bits of chicharon. I was certainly glad to learn that I don’t have to fly as far as Iloilo to partake of this mouthwatering treat because there’s now a Deco’s branch right outside the Magallanes MRT station in Makati. Here, special batchoy can be had for as little as P67 and can be paired with the so-called pre-war pan de sal for P3.50 or the Manapla puto @ P6.50.

It’s just a pity that other establishments beat Deco’s in establishing the now common batchoy joints in the metro. However, this original brand has partnered with Mang Inasal and we should expect their presence to be felt more strongly soon, with the grant of some franchise locations. In the meantime, they give some tips on how to know if your bowl of batchoy is D’Original:

Overflowing with toppings and served with generous servings of meat that it promises to be a very filling meal by itself.

Unlimited kaldo or broth. There’s a separate counter where a steaming container of broth is available and refilled without fail, along with chopped garlic and onions.

No lard settling on top, even when the broth gets cold.

The crispy pork skin (chicharon) remains crispy even after it is submerged in the broth. It stays that way up to the last bit, making your batchoy a truly gastronomic treat.

Affordable price at P67 for the large (Special) bowl, P75 for the Super bowl and the biggest bowl with added toppings (Extra) is only P77.

Deco’s first branch in Manila is located at the ground floor of Alphaland Southgate Mall at the corner of EDSA and Pasong Tamo Extension, just beside the Magallanes MRT

Alabang has become nearer to us ever since the family moved south of Manila. And in this district, I discovered a charming place which endeared me the first time I went there. It’s called the Westgate Center in in Filinvest Corporate City (FiliCity), an all-in-one complex to shop, dine, play with the kids, indulge in beauty routines or spend on one’s favorite hobbies like bikes and cars.

The Kanin Club was the first restaurant I discovered and where I savored my first taste of crispy dinuguan. I remember how I promised to myself then that we’ll come back to try all the restaurants there and have a date with hubby (who was then abroad). I simply loved how it was away from all the hustle and bustle of Manila, with pretty landscaping, the shelter of trees and of course, the cozy restaurants with their well-planned assortment of cuisines.

My prayers must have been answered because the people behind Westgate (and their publicist) invited me for a media tour of the food establishments in the area. The itinerary appealed to me because it included a tasting in restaurants I haven’t been to before. So yeah, that’s how we all ended up eating in eight restos in eight hours or so, with only a few breaks in between. If there’s such a thing as shop till you drop, this was a case of eat till you burp, and more. What an experience!

First stop: Red Kimono. I’ve seen this resto in The Fort but managed to pass over it each time. I got to learn that their take on modern Japanese cuisine is worth a try, and their prices aren’t bad either. On the menu: a wide selection of sushi, sashimi, maki, and even teppanyaki. I came late, and managed to have a bite of what everyone ordered, like this dessert – the banana katsu roll dipped in chocolate sauce.

Then, off we go to The French Corner, the upscale resto of renowned chef Billie King. This was the establishment which gave us the best welcome and we were greeted by no less than the young general manager Kevin King. A look at the prepared menu told us that the lunch was going to be very French.. and heavy. Especially as we learned that the main course wasn’t going to be a choice between the Chilean sea bass OR beef tenderloin. We were going to have both, plus dessert! So impressed was I with the experience that I’ll write about The French Corner in another post

We were still full (of course) from our Continental meal , but then again, a little more walking led us to the doors of Alba Spanish Restaurant where a sumptuous buffet was awaiting us. Who can resist their specialties like paella, lengua, callos, gambas, chorizo and jamon serrano? I made sure to top off my meal with their freshly-served cochinillo (roast suckling pig) and then a dessert of canonigo, a white-colored meringue dessert of Spanish origin. Alba’s buffet is value for money, at only P595 for lunch and P695 for dinner and I vowed to go back with the family soon.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, here’s how the rest of the tour went:

Gonuts Donuts is known for their donuts, but their ice cream is especially creamy and a must-try at P60 to P80 per scoop. I opted for the bestselling pistachio flavor

The Bohemian Trading Nation inside the Serenity Place is the one to go to if you’re looking to furnish your place with hard-to-find Indian, Moroccan and Tibetan furnitures and accessories. The Indian jewelries are a must-buy too. Inside the Serenity Place compound, you can opt for world-class pampering at the Sujivana Salon and Spa, or savor the tasty muffins (and free wifi!) at Bona Coffee.

Sophia’s Mediterranean Deli is one place to try hard-to-find halal food in Alabang. Their lamb dishes are certified halal. Their menu ranges from Italian to Indian to Turkish and French. The owner, Melvyn Whitfield, is an experienced chef who used to run his own restaurant in London. We got to try their pizza and it was excellent.

The Oyster Boy was a revelation. This resto is a good place for affordable family meals where dishes range from P120 to P200. Their oysters, which are sourced from Iloilo, are cooked in different ways. It was already dinner time when we tried Oyster Boy and on the table were their delectable specialties: mangga talaba salad, the Ilonggo version of binagoongan baboy, the adobong pusit at baboy sa pinya (adobo in pineapple), and mango float for dessert.

Our last stop was Congo Grille where the group engaged in videoke singing while waiting for dinner to be served. Congo is a great place to unwind and their promos of beer plus food is ideal for families and the barkada. I only had a glimpse of the crispy pata, sisig and other specialties before I decided to pass up and head home instead. The food tour was impressive and much too filling (note: proper pacing is key) Eight restaurants in eight hours… whew!

Mainly, what made our trip to Coron, Palawan enjoyable was that I wasn’t prepared for the quality of the food that awaited us here. It was simply superb! Bistro Coron has been popular with tourists and I must say they deserve the positive reviews. Dining at the bistro is one of the reasons why I want to go to Coron a second time. Too bad I didn’t get into the habit of memorizing the menu, being on honeymoon mode, LOL.

But just to give you an idea, here’s what a divine breakfast at Bistro Coron looks like , at P250 or so. Nothing makes a more perfect morning than a serving of freshly-baked bread with an assortment of jams and butter. And the bistro offers a set complete with a tasty sausage, farmer’s ham, fries, salad and your choice of fresh juice or coffee.

The bistro offers mostly Continental-European cuisine prepared personally by the Swiss owner Bruno, who is married to a Filipina. One dinner had me enjoying the coq au vin, the classic French chicken stew simmered in red wine while the hubby had his tender-cooked beef bourguignon with fried potatoes (see photo above). The pizzas seemed most popular with the diners, and the house also had an impressive wine collection to go with each meticulously-prepared dish.

The pains of maintaining a restaurant makes Bruno mention retirement in a year or so to concentrate on his other hobby, sailing. So yes, it really is worth visiting the resto before it closes its doors for other things.

For cheap beers and great-tasting Filipino dishes, I highly recommend a visit to Kawayanan Grill. Like the bistro, it is just in the center of Coron where the town market is. Of course, I would not have known about this place if not for my hotel masseuse. Tasting their uber delectable chicken barbecue on the first night made us go back again to try other food like their sisig, kinunot na pagi and others.

A good thing with Kawayanan Grill and other eateries in Coron, you can shop for fresh fish and seafood and have it cooked by them, for a fee. An experience not to be missed since crabs, shrimps and other seafood is abundant here.

La Sirenetta Bar and Restaurant had the best (seaside) view. The food is not particularly outstanding, but hey who says you can’t have just fruit shakes and/or a beer?

I have been a fan of the local YUMMY Magazine for the longest time. I always make it a point to buy the latest issue from the nearest Ministop or 7-Eleven, and have gotten a kick from trying out some of the recipes as well. I have just one complaint from this magazine: viewing its pages never fail to make me hungry. The pictures seem to leap from the confines of colorful paper and ink, looking ready to be eaten! My friends agree as well

That is why when the invite from Yummy came for their media Christmas dinner (thanks Fran and Ro!), I was excited to attend. The venue was the elegant Tosca Italian restaurant of the Dusit Thani hotel in Makati which had this impressive wine cellar.

The menu for the night: Potato Sour Creme Soup with Lemon-Grilled Shrimps and Tarragon; Chicken Breast Filled with Marinated Apricot, Orange-Cinnamon Couscous and Green Asparagus. For dessert, we had Trilogie of Vanilla and Red Wine Creme with Caramelized Mango. The chosen dishes didn’t really remind me of Italian food (as I know it) but I must agree with the others that the dessert was heavenly.

I also had fun taking pics of YUMMY editors and staff who make the magazine exciting and worth reading issue after issue.

In this table: Angelo Comsti of yummy.ph, Chef Aileen Anastacio and editor in chief Becky Kho.

I was fortunately seated beside food editor Rachelle Santos and yummy.ph staffwriter Dudi Aureus . A running question through my head: being surrounded by tons of recipes and food products to try, why are most of them so thin? LOL

In this corner: managing editor Paulynn Afable, Jonathan, Liezl and associate publisher Fran Haw.

Some important tidbits from the dinner:

If you’re a foodie and avid cook, it’s probably time to ditch the Starbucks planner and get your dainty hands on the YUMMY 2010 planner. It’s replete with recipes, shopping lists and cooking tips and is available for for only P250 at your favorite newsstand.

A gift that will make your foodie friend smile this Christmas: the handy and portable YUMMY cookbooks! I was one of the first to buy YUMMY Meals in Minutes when it first came out, and now am glad they’ve also released YUMMY So-easy Sweets, and soon – YUMMY Weekend Cooking. This glossy compilation of YUMMY recipes should be a welcome addition to your cookbooks and they’re a steal at only 100 pesos!

Finally, grab the December 2009 issue of Yummy for a chance to try luscious baked treats and to find out who in their opinion offers the best lechon in Metro Manila. Thanks to them, I am dying to try this best lechon maker soon