Pizzeria Mozza by Mario Batali

These are, by far, the best chicken wings I have EVER tasted. Of course they should be damn good, the wings came from Mario Batali's kitchen.

I've had my eye on Osteria Mozza ever since arriving Singapore and learning that Mario Batali has a branch of his establishment at Marina Bay Sands. Sadly, since the Osteria is only open for dinner, we decided for the next best thing for our last lunch in Singapore...

Pizzeria Mozza by Mario Batali

Sunday Stovetop: Shrimp Scampi Pasta with Feta & Olives

Shrimp Scampi Pasta w Feta & Olives

Last Sunday I realized how much I had missed whipping up something in my kitchen. My S-i-L called me up and requested I make my Shrimp Scampi for a get together at her place, and I was all excited to be able to flex my cooking muscles. Here's the recipe, it's super easy and I'm sure you guys will love it as much as everyone at the party.

To make the Scampi you need several ingredients available on most supermarkets, nothing fancy over here... but I do have a secret weapon. I'm also not very keen on actual portioning since I usually eyeball things, so it's up to you how much or little you wanna add on some of the herbs.

 

Shrimp

To make Scampi, first you need some... well, scampi, otherwise known as Shrimp. I like to buy the shell-on kind so that the flavors are still intact. You need to peel them but you can use the shells and head as seasoning for another dish. Or for "Ginisa". Buy about half a kilo to a kilo, depends how generous you want to be with the shrimp.

Marcia Adams' Tuscan Retreat in Tagaytay

Let me just begin with this: these are two of the best pork dishes I've had in a long time, and I had to escape tall the way to Tuscany to taste them.

After the holidays, I just wanted to escape. Pass through these gates and be transported to a completely unique realm outside Manila, and outside the country.

This is Tuscany hidden between Tagaytay and Cavite, Marcia Adams' vision of Tuscany, that is.

Spasso's Italian Specials

Did I really finish this entire platter of Lamb Chops? Better yet, where can you get this big serving of lamb for P850 ($19)?

Spasso Italian Tapas & Enoteca

Twice already, I've had the chance to dine at Spasso, an Italian wine & tapas bar that also serves up Italian fare for the hungry ones. It was one of those "where is it?" places, so I relished the thought of finding yet another under-the-radar eatery to try in the Metro.

SaturDate Cooking Spaghetti Bolognese

I'm turning cooking into the coolest weekend gimmick.

In an attempt to limit eating out, ToT decided to make SaturDate a Cooking In Date.

Since Mr. S is undoubtedly a Bolognese snob, I had to consult three different cookbooks to get familiar with cooking the Ragu sauce. One of them is the official Cookbook of Ristorante Za Za in Florence, given to me by a friend who had also studied in Florence.

I was too confused on which recipe to follow, so I decided to wing it and make my own ToT version of the classic Italian dish. Let me share with you how to make a delicious meal of Fettucine Bolognese, Mozzarella Bruschetta and Garlic & Rosemary Roasted Baby Potatoes, as well as how easy it is to make when you have someone else helping you.

Finding Comfort in Cheese and Cibo

I need to put my Hong Kong posting on hold. Just for a bit. After a string of busy days, crazy events, and being pulled here, there and literally almost everywhere, I really needed some comfort. Actually, I needed a lot of it. Something familiar and something that always hits a spot.

I ended up in Greenbelt 5 with a few hours to kill before another meeting. My destination? Cibo.

Cibo, is like the no-fail go-to place if you want some quick and tasty Italiano fare. It's not full-on Italiano like C's Italian , but it has its place in my heart. It's an enoteca (wine place), pasticceria (pastry shop), alimentari (food store) and... another thing, all rolled into one modern Italian resto. Every time I get hungry, but am unable to visualize where I'd like to eat or what exactly, I always find myself propped up on one of Cibo's usually colorful seats ordering "the usuals". Now I know some of you wonder why I would blog about Cibo when it's just a "normal" restaurant. But trust me, nothing beats consistently delicious food and great service, and even in LA or NY, you'll have trouble finding a chain that can rival that of Cibo.

First on my menu:

San Pellegrino Aranciata

Italia-mania at C's

Being a temporary resident of a foreign country exposes you to so many different aspects of their culture: language, lifestyle and cuisine. Obviously, the latter is my favorite of all even though the others are still on my shortlist.

When mi studiare a Firenze, I made sure that no meal was left uneaten, no vino left uncorked, no cappuccino unsipped, no cured meat untouched, and no gelato unenjoyed. And here's proof!

Gelato craze

Pizza from Napoli

Fave meat shop for some Prosciutto

Ristorante Ciak for some Pasta Ciak

Cafe Liberta's signature cappuccino

Trattoria Za Za's mouthwatering Bistecca FiorentinaLimoncello shots at SpleenAcqua Al Due's Trio Di Bistecca Fiorentina: Balsamic, Blueberry and Filetto

The crap part about being exposed to such authenticity is the sheer frustration and withdrawal syndrome that follows suit when, upon returning to the motherland, one finds herself faced with faux-talian food that is reminiscent of 3M pizza or kiddie spaghetti with ketchup as base. I like them and still crave for them when I'm on children's party mode. But still... you can't mess with Italian!