Bonus food!

What is "bonus food"? As far as my friend Leslie and I are concerned, it's what we traditionally eat whenever we receive a bonus at work, about twice a year (sometimes more ). We started this "tradition" eight years ago when we became friends upon my entry to the company. And there's only one restaurant we traditionally go to for our ceremonial lunch or afternoon meal (I can't say snacks because we have a heavy, hearty meal each time. ). It's A Veneto Pizzeria Ristorante, which has a branch that is walking distance from our office in Quezon City. All these years, we've had the same things on our plates - pizza and pasta. Not that A Veneto serves only these, no, they also have hot and cold hero sandwiches, chicken, mussels, calzone, salads,  and desserts. If my memory serves me right, we've been having the same pizza and pasta variety, too - Plain Nut-Pesto which we share and a slice of New York-style pizza for me and Vegetarian for my friend. 

I've dined at A Veneto in the company of other friends and also some of my kids and tried other food there but the pesto pasta and New York pizza are my absolute favorites. What I really like about A Veneto is that they don't scrimp on ingredients to give their patrons great-tasting food. This, however, once served as a downside for me. I was with my other co-worker/friend Chie and we shared an order of A Veneto's Oil and Garlic with Shrimps Pasta. One thing that solicited "wow" from me was the abundance of shrimps with which our pasta came. Talk about shrimp galore! Hours after indulging, however, there I was with a headache caused by an elevated blood pressure! I've shied away from
Oil and Garlic with Shrimps Pasta from then on. 
Now let's talk about my favorites - first, the Pesto Pasta. At A Veneto, it's soo delicious you'll forget it's healthy too! Lots of basil - which I love for its flavor and load of Vitamins A and C, calcium, iron and magnesium - and olive oil, which is one of the healthiest oils on earth, so every strand of noodle is moist and savory. As for the New York Pizza, it's got lots of ham, pepperoni, beef, onions and bell pepper. Whew! Describing these makes me crave! Darn!
Anyway, on our latest gastronomic outing at A Veneto earlier this week, my friend and I had dessert, too (why hadn't we for years?) aside from Plain Nut-Pesto and pizza - Blueberry Cheesecake which we shared. We both loved that a serving of it was quite big and could be contently shared by two persons. It was yummy, with the just the right sweetness to end a perfect meal. One thing, though. I didn't like that it was served on a disposable tub. Methinks they should have put in on a shallow ceramic bowl for better presentation. By the way, my perennial favorite drink at A Veneto is lemonade and I had it again this time. On other times, I had a cup of brewed coffee. 
Aside from the food, ambiance and service at A Veneto are good, too. Need I say A Veneto is one of my favorite restaurants? Till the next bonus!

New York Pizza, P100 per slice/P580, 16"; P420, 14"; P260, 10"

Vegetarian Pizza, P100 per slice/P580, 16"; P420, 14"; P260, 10"

Plain Nut-Pesto Pasta, P200, good for sharing.

My plate.

Blueberry Cheesecake, P90. It's big enough for sharing!

My half of the Blueberry Cheesecake.

Lemonade, P65.

Adobo: Unity in diversity

What is the National Dish of the Philippines? If your answer is Adobo, you are right in all probability. Although there is no such official declaration, it is the one dish that unites Filipinos, cooked by us for centuries, even before the Spaniards came. It is served on the table of every Pinoy household whether here or abroad. There is, however, diversity in how Adobo is cooked and in the main ingredients used. One can make Chicken Adobo, Pork Adobo or a mixture of the two. There's Adobong Pusit (squid), Adobong Kangkong (water spinach), Adobong Kamaru (crickets) and even Adobong Palaka (frogs) and Adobong Sawa (snake) . Some provinces around the Philippines have their own version of Adobo. In Laguna and Batangas, for instance, there is Adobong Dilaw, where the spice turmeric is added to give the dish a vibrant yellow hue. In Bicol Region, Quezon Province and in the Muslim-inhabited southern region of the country, Adobo sa Gata is a favorite - chicken or beef cooked adobo-style and mixed with coconut milk. In all these variations, however, the basic marinade is present made of vinegar, soy sauce and garlic. However, there is a somewhat rare version of the dish, known as Adobong Puti, wherein soy sauce is absent. 

The Adobo is indeed an interesting dish, one that is loved by most Filipinos and even foreigners who get to taste it. This is probably the reason (plus the pocket-friendly prices!) for the success of a fairly new fast food chain that built its name around this dish - the Adobo Connection. Truth is told in its slogan - "Adobo connects us all."

According to its website, Adobo Connection was established by two Harvard Business School graduates in 2010, when its first store opened in Makati. Today or two years later, there are more or less 30 branches not only in Metro Manila but also in the nearby province of Laguna and farther north in Baguio City. When the SM City Sta. Mesa branch opened last year, its cute logo and sleek interiors immediately caught my eye. However, I wasn't drawn to dine at once as I thought: "We always have adobo at home. Why must I have it at the mall?"  

But then, my mind's resistance gave way to my tummy's reasoning last week (that there are other things on the menu. hehe.). It was a Sunday. I was at the mall with my husband, buying some things needed at home and groceries to fill the pantry. Naturally, we went hungry after more than an hour of going around, up and down the mall. As we checked out the grocery counter, I made a spur-of-the-moment suggestion to the hubby: "Let's eat at Adobo Connection"  which was not met by any violent reaction. Haha! 

So there, my husband ordered Pork/Mix Adobo sa Gata and Fried Adobo Paos (three pieces per order), while I went for Arroz Caldo (my comfort food! glad they have it here) and shared the hubby's Adobo Paos. I was delighted to see brewed coffee on the menu and instinctively got myself a cup. (Well, where there's coffee, I'm there!) . My cup of joe was not exactly fantastic but good enough to satisfy. I would have loved it more if it was stronger and with a deeper flavor. I loved the Arroz Caldo, though, and wished it was served in a bigger bowl. Haha! I loved that it had chicharon bits, aside from the usual toasted garlic and spring onion on top. Meanwhile, eating the Fried Adobo Paos was like having fried asado siopao. The shredded pork adobo filling filled the toasted bun to the walls and I liked its rightly-seasoned adobo taste. I asked my husband how his Adobo sa Gata was and his answer was that the meat didn't come very tender. As if to justify his comment, he asked the waiter for a knife, which was readily handed to him. I took a bite of his chicken and I thought, with a bit of disappointment: "This isn't the adobo sa gata that I'm used to having in my beloved hometown in Quezon". It's not bad, really, it's just that I so love our version of this dish and anything that diverts from it would have to be really good (hint: we don't put soy sauce). 

Nostalgia then set in. I remember when I was young, my aunt who we call Ate Remedios would often cook adobong native chicken (authentically free range!) for us and I would affirm it was the yummiest chicken dish in my life. Sigh..that was many full moons ago. Now, Ate Remedios is weakened by stroke and alas, can't cook anymore. When we came to visit her last year, she tearfully told us she would cook adobo sa gata for us if she weren't in that situation.

Anyway, here are the pictures of what hubby and I ordered at Adobo Connection that Sunday. If they're not very pleasing, it's because I just used my camera phone.

Pork/Mix Adobo sa Gata, P135. (with drink)

Fried Adobo Paos, P49.

Arroz Caldo, P49.

 

Brewed Coffee, P29.

Oh well, Adobo Connection indeed connected with me, so much so that I was there again after six days with two of my kids.  This time, I purposely brought my DSLR camera so I could take better pictures. 

My daughter cared for some spaghetti so she ordered Adobo Spaghetti for herself while I settled for Chicken Sopas and Fried Adobo Paos (again!). Of course, I had to have my elixir - the quintessential cup of brewed coffee. My little boy initially didn't like anything at Adobo Connection so I asked her Ate to buy him a Happy Meal at McDonald's. Thus, hamburger was what the little rascal had. But within a minute of finishing his sandwich, he declared having more space that had to be filled in his tummy and asked for an adobo meal. So I ordered Lola's Classic Chicken Adobo plus Pandan Jelly for dessert. After his first bite of the chicken, my son said, "Mommy, kain uli tayo dito (Let's eat here again)!". Haha! The little boy was smitten by adobo. But well, I'm not protesting. There are other things I'd love to try at Adobo Connection. Fish and Tofu Adobo and Sizzling Sisig on my mind. Haha!
By the way, service is friendly here, too.  I love that they always readily give what you want with a smile. In my case, it's brown sugar for my coffee.

Adobo Spaghetti, P49.

Have a closer look at adobo flakes.

Fried Adobo Paos.

Chicken Sopas, P19.

Lola's Classic Chicken Adobo, P119.

Brewed Coffee

Pandan Jelly, P39.

A lovely and indigenous way to serve the utensils.

I love this nook, makes me feel at home.

I love the solid wood chairs and tables, too.

The counter. Cute logo, isn't it?

A sister to remember

My Ate Mencie loved snacking on Clover Chips and Coke.

We Filipinos recently observed All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day (November 1 and 2, respectively) and most, as tradition dictates, went to the various cemeteries to visit the tomb of our dearly departed. My eldest sister, her son, one of my kids and I were among those who trooped to the cemetery, bringing flowers to offer at the final resting place of our beloved sister, Mencie (Menchie to her friends). Visiting her tomb and afterwards, the house that she and her husband built in the late '90s in Antipolo, sent me temporarily sinking into the blues as I remember how good a sister Ate Mencie was to me. 

 She was 11 years older than me, the bunso (youngest) of five children, all girls. Growing up, I wasn't close to Ate Mencie or aware of how kind and generous she was because it was our eldest and second siblings who took care of me. Our parents have lived in the province for all my life, coming to Manila to visit us kids only every now and then. I practically was raised by my sisters with the help of two grandmothers who were my mom's aunts.
When my eldest sister decided to join our parents in the province for good because she was having respiratory problems in the big city, and the next sibling left to work and live in the US, it was the turn of Ate Mencie and the sister next to her to take care of me. I was then a teenager attending high school and a rebellious one at that. Ate Mencie and I would sometimes argue because when she berated me over something, I would talk back. I was quite the "bad girl". But my nasty nature didn't deter Ate Mencie from taking good care of me. When I got into college at UST, there was one school day that was particularly rainy. As you may already know, UST is notorious for getting flooded on rainy days. On that day, because I didn't want to be absent and classes were not suspended, Ate Mencie accompanied me to school, as she worried about me wading in the flood. At least, I did not have to wade alone, I had a sister braving the flood with me.

Two years later, I transferred to another school, the College of the Holy Spirit (where I finished Fine Arts) and by this time, I was into rock music. I adored the Pinoy rock band The Dawn and was always present at their mall shows and concerts. When the band's famous guitarist Teddy Diaz died and a concert was held to pay tribute to him, Ate Mencie accompanied me to watch it even though she disliked rock music (she was into the classics), because my friend who was my constant companion to The Dawn shows could not make it that night. During the show, I danced, jumped and sang into each song and naturally, broke into a sweat (the Metropolitan Theater was the venue). Next thing I knew, my Ate Mencie was slipping a hankie on my back under the shirt so that I would not catch a cold from all the perspiration soaking and drying into my skin.
Meanwhile, my birthdays were always special. In those mornings, I would wake up, but not make it obvious, as my Ate Mencie sneaked into my room before she went to work, to leave a present for me. On my first birthday after her passing, I "waited" for her to "do" this. I wished I'd see her tiptoe into my room to again leave a present for me.
When I got married quite early the same year I graduated from college, my hubby and I experienced financial difficulties as we both had not yet had decent and stable jobs. Thankfully, my Ate Mencie and our sibling after her were there to help our young family, especially when kids came one after the other.
Sadly, in year 2000, Ate Mencie was diagnosed with breast cancer and she passed away in 2002. Now, 10 years later, tears would still sometimes well up my eyes whenever I think of my sister. I still miss her. We all do, my mom even more, I'm sure. We are only consoled by the existence of the two rambunctious but intelligent boys (they're as smart as their mom, who ranked No. 10 in the CPA Board exam in the late '70s ) who she left so suddenly when they were still very young. I guess one would not forget a sister as good and giving as my dear Ate Mencie. Not all sisters are as caring, loving and generous and I was fortunate to have her, albeit for a short time.

Happy Halloween!

Yeeyyy! It's Halloween! Next to Christmas, Halloween is my favorite occasion of the year. Around this time, ghost stories on TV and in the Internet give me the goosebumps but I certainly love the thrill! Last year, we in our household celebrated Halloween with a fun-filled party, with all of us in costumes complete with witchy, devilish make-up. Haha! What good laugh we all shared! Sadly, this year, we didn't have much time to prepare so we're not having a Halloween party. Sigh..But looking at our pictures back then make me break into a smile. Here, I'm sharing the food pictures I took during our unforgettable Halloween 2011 party. Meanwhile, hope you all have an eerie, ghoulish and spooky Halloween! 

We made this scary (is it? Haha!) spider out of Choco Mallows, Pretzels and Nips candies.

I dare you to drink this wormy, bloody concoction. :-)

Our party spread in the garden.

Calm after the storm

 Tropical storm Ofel is now out of the country, thank God, and the sun has made its presence palpable, casting a golden glow and spreading its warmth. Just yesterday and especially the other night, incessant rains sent my heart aflutter over the possibility of another flood-inside-the-house incident. But today, to my glee, it's sunny and warm again.. no, hot! And what is there better to eat than ice cream to cool down from the midday heat? And as my "son-in-law" (well, my daughter and her beau are not married yet but seriously together) had just celebrated his birthday, I had no qualms about hauling our asses off to the nearest ice cream store, the... well, Ice Cream Store. :-)  

The Ice Cream Store has several branches around Metro Manila, some of which that I've seen and visited are on Visayas Ave., near Anonas St. and in Fairview, all in Quezon City.  They sell a wide variety of cool treats such as ice drops, ice buko, pinipig crunch, ice cream sandwich and ice cream on tubs. If you want to eat in the store, you can choose from their specialty ice cream desserts. If you're hungry and want something to fill you up before indulging in ice cream, there's pizza, hotdog sandwich and siopao, too. Choices are many, don't you worry. What's astounding, however, are the prices in which they come. Very affordable! Very yummy too!

Oreo Flurry, P65.

Tiramisu, P65.

Halo-Halo, P55.

Cappuccino Blast, P50.

Chocolate Sundae, P30.

Ham and Cheese Pizza, P35.

Turning Japanese

 I used to be at the Sidcor market every Sunday to buy our organic vegetables plus many other food items but since I found a cheaper source of these veggies at the Quezon City Memorial Circle, I now go to Centris only once in a while (once a month, or once in two months). Recently,  I visited Sidcor partly because I craved for kesong puti, salted eggs (the undyed ones) and pork liver barbecue, and partly because I wanted to try out Ramen X. I was with an appropriate companion - my daughter who loved anything Japanese. And so after doing the rounds of the stalls at the busy Sunday market and buying what we needed and liked, we proceeded to Ramen X. After a few minutes of contemplation, we ordered Spicy Chikuwa Ramen (for me) and X Ramen (for my daughter). For drinks, we had their Apple Soda and Yogurt Soda. Our first reaction when our orders were served were surprise at how big the bowls were! We were overwhelmed by their size and I almost felt full even before eating! But I was excited to taste the soup after having read a few blogs about it so dig into my bowl I did at once and finally sipped the written-about broth. Mmmm..I liked the spiciness of it but honestly wanted a bit more kick. The seafood flavor was not heavy - straightforward and devoid of complexities. The seafood rolls, which I suspected were made from squid, were fun to eat. Sorry, I can't think of a better way to describe it. :-) They looked funny to me, that's why, as they smacked of a choker that might as well grace a fashionista's neck. Haha! Well, that said, the Spicy Chikuwa Ramen was to my liking. I sampled my daughter's order too and I was a little taken aback - it tasted so familiar, so Pinoy! I almost thought I was eating Chicken Mami, not Japanese noodles. I liked, however, that it had a strong garlicky taste. Yes, lots of fried garlic bits floated on top of the soup. As for our drinks, I liked the Yogurt Soda better than the Apple Soda as it tasted quite unique while the other was predictable - I knew how it tasted even before actually taking a sip. But even though I liked my order, I was only able to eat barely half of it as I was still full from my tinapa and fried rice breakfast. And frankly, I wanted to eat my barbecued liver already so I asked from the server at the counter for a saucer to put my vinegar in. And then, without any inhibition, I attacked my barbecue while my daughter finished her ramen.  I knew that the servers at Ramen X were not exactly happy to see me eating something I bought outside inside, and I was glad not to receive any chiding. Haha! As I finished, I asked that my left-over ramen be packed for taking out and so I still had spicy ramen to enjoy at home come merienda time.

  

Ramen X at Eton Centris, Edsa corner Quezon Ave. in Quezon City.

Benches as wide as tables.

Very contemporary wall art. Very Japanese too.

The X Ramen (P189.) surprisingly tastes so Pinoy.

Spicy Chikuwa Ramen (149.)

Apple Soda, P49.

Yogurt Soda, P49.