Be a brekkie gourmand at Kanto Freestyle Breakfast

My friend Chie just gave me the adrenaline rush yesterday with the mere mention of an all-day breakfast restaurant in her neighborhood in Pasig City. So even if I wasn't ready to go out of my comfort zone of Manila to venture into the "unknown" in Pasig (I rarely go there!), I said "yes" to my friend's urging. How could I say no to a craving good friend? Haha! Oh well, I love breakfast whether it's for lunch or dinner. (I hope that doesn't confuse you!) And I love my friend too. (aaww. .missed her and our chikahan). Anyway, I was super curious about this  place which, I understood, was unique, aside from the fact that it serves gourmet breakfast at affordable prices. What more could I ask for? I gotta see this, I thought as we talked over the phone. About three hours later, we were there, at Kanto Freestyle Breakfast in Kapitolyo, Pasig City. It's situated in a residential area, a garage converted into a restaurant. How clever! The owner doesn't have to pay rent. We checked out the menu and were even more impressed: gourmet breakfast at less than P100! After much contemplation (on my side), 

we ordered:  

Crispy Pork Belly, P90.

Vigan Longganisa, P90.

French Toast, P50.

Deep-fried Oreos, P50.

Scramble, P35.

This is taken when we arrived. By the time we left, the place was jam-packed.

Kanto Freestyle Breakfast in Kapitolyo, Pasig City

But while we were impressed by the food presentation and all, the same wasn't very true with some of what we ordered. Chie found out that her Crispy Pork Belly wasn't crispy at all and in fact was undercooked, with a piece still having some blood in it. And while I liked my Vigan longganisa, I think it was a bit undercooked, too. My Ilocos sausages would have been a lot more delish had they come close to a crisp. Well, that's just my personal preference, anyway. As for our desserts, my friend's was yummy. I knew, she shared it with me. Hehe.. Does French Toast come in the dessert category, by the way. Well, even if doesn't, that's how it served us. Haha! The triangular slices of bread were sweet and yummy with the butter-cream on top and a douse of syrup. 
My own dessert, the Deep Fried Oreos, failed to make me happy, though. Chie commented that it seemed they used "old" (used and reused) oil in frying the battered Oreos. There was one saving grace, though..my ice scramble! Oh, didn't you just love that pink, cool dessert that you bought in the streets when you were little? Love..love..love! This time, I was having scramble not in a small, plastic cup but in a "sosy" wine glass! It was beautifully served, topped with marshmallows and candy sprinkles and chocolate syrup. Yummy too! I wish they have a bigger serving because it left me wanting for more. 

Oh, well..I so liked this place in spite of some disappointments. The ambiance is cool (no walls!) and the over-all concept is totally unique. Imagine having gourmet, fine dining-style  breakfast at a price you'll love and at a garage! As for their offers, many look so good in pictures like the eggs Benedict and blueberry pancakes. Do check out their Facebook page. I'm sure many of those are really delicious. Proof was the customers coming in droves just before we left - groups of friends and family. 

I promise to return here soon. Kanto Freestyle, BRB!    

Regional Cuisine I: Vigan empanada, bagnet and more at Fariñas Ilocos Empanada

It was around five years ago when I first ate Vigan empanada at a stall in front of the Fariñas bus station near UST and at once, I fell in love with it. I didn't know there was empanada that I could eat after being poured with Sukang Iloco (Ilocos vinegar). You see, I love food that is dipped in or poured with vinegar, especially the hot and spicy kind, like pritong lumpia, okoy and chicharon. Over the years since then, I've been satisfying my Vigan empanada cravings at Sidcor Sunday Market. But last year, I started seeing Farinas Ilocos Empanada eateries sprouting in Quezon City. Was I glad that one store opened near our office on Visayas Ave.! Now I can have Vigan empanada for lunch or merienda, anytime I want! And I just love that they also serve my other favorite Ilocano specialty: bagnet, which is pork fried to a crisp. Once, I tried their bagnet pancit and loved it too.  My friend, on the other hand, ordered Vigan longganisa, another Ilocano food favorite. 
These are what me and my friend had tried on different occasions at 
Fariñas Ilocos Empanada:  

Regular Ilocos empanada, P40.

Special Ilocos Empanada (w/ chorizo), P50.

Pancit Bagnet, P125. One serving is good for two.

Bagnet Meal, P80.

Vigan Longganisa Meal, P65.

Inside Fariñas Ilocos Empanada.

100% organic and cholesterol-free oil. Isn't that nice?

Ilocos vinegar and munchies like cornic sold here too.

Fariñas Ilocos Empanada on Visayas Ave., QC

By the way, at Sidcor Sunday Market, I was able to take a few shots of the making of Vigan empanada. It was interesting and fascinating to watch. Eating is the best thing, though. Hahaha! 

Orange-colored rice flour for the dough and the fillings: grated unripe papaya, chopped longganisa, eggs.

Dough is flattened and the fillings assembled on top. One whole egg is put in every empanada. 

Dough is folded to a half-moon shape. 

Sides are trimmed with the use of a saucer.

Empanada is then deep-fried.

Ready-to-eat Vigan empanadas. Yum!