The Cheese Steak Shop Arrives in MNL

Read this blog on the NEW ToT: 

http://www.triportreats.com/2011/10/16/the-cheese-steak-shop-arrives-in-mnl/

Red Cross Ball + Michael Cinco Fashion Show

Haute Couture

 I miss dressing up to the nines. So when schedule and invitations permit, I make the effort to get glammed up. It's even better if you do it for a cause which is what last night's Red Cross Ball was all about.

My friend, life mentor and fellow Assumptionista Tessa Prieto-Valdes co-chairs the annual Red Cross Ball, this year for the benefit of the Taguig chapter of Red Cross plus the Assumption High School Batch '81. Her batch is celebrating their 30th reunion this year, while my batch is having our 10th year reunion, so this sit-down dinner show was definitely for a good cause.

Mexican + Margaritas at Chihuahua

Burrito brats and Margarita moxies: there's a new Mexican joint in the Metro that has both spice and spunk.

For late night, or midday, snacks, hangover Sunday hangouts and chill out sounds with a splash of spiced up Mexican grub, Chihuahua Mexican Grill & Margarita Bar packs it all into a neat and peppery package.

That combination wouldn't be possible without the dynamic duo of Ines Cabarrus & Elian Habayeb, Metro Manila's own PR machine for the best restaurants, sounds and lounges. 

Post Op on the Ultimate Taste Test 6.0

How many people can say they get text reminders from Mr. Our Awesome Planet himself? (ME!)

Busy with last week's BEST DEALS On SALE event, I almost forgot to visit the Ultimate Taste Test 6.0 at the Rockwell Tent last Saturday if Anton didn't message me about it. And of course, off running I went to make it to the fantabulous food festival Anton has been organizing for years for home bakers, ingenue caterers, and specialty food goodies waiting to be discovered by foodies.

Here are some of my favorite food finds...

Stylish 2BDR Salcedo Village Flat for Rent

For those looking for a stylish place to rent in the heart of Salcedo Village, Makati, here's one for you.

 

118sqm fully furnished condo unit with 2 bedrooms/bath, maids quarter (w/bath) and a parking spot.

 King-sized master's bed with hotel-quality pillow-top mattress.

Wee Nam Kee's Hainanese Happy Meal

As you are reading this, I am probably in Singapore at the same time this is published, so I find it apt to roll this post out so when I arrive, I'd have some comparison to the wildly popular Hainanese Chicken Rice meal from Singapore import Wee Nam Kee. Turns out, I actually know the proprietor of the Manila franchise, so I promised I would try it out for ToT.

When news surfaced a couple of months ago of Wee Nam Kee's grand opening in Ayala Triangle Park, there was much anticipation from the hungry set because they say that this is THE best Hainanese Chicken Rice. I held off from the opening stampede because I just don't like running with the pack, and preferred to come when all the hoopla had died down. I like the birdcage chandeliers hanging from the ceilings, and the roofed awning by the booths. It reminded me of Kung Fu Panda's Noodle Shop look.

Right on the table is a condiment set of Kecap Manis (sweet soy sauce), Sesame Ginger Scallion paste, and Sambal chili. Although I like the availability of these items without needing to request from the server, I kinda wished the ginger paste was served fresh to keep up with the aroma and the texture.

Spend your Valentine's ala ToT-style

V-Day at Hotel Elizabeth Baguio

Since the V-day is coming up around the corner, and I have been reviewing quite a lot of restaurants in the metro, there are several establishments that come to mind when I think of a romantic, intimate setting for dining during the day of lovers. Here are my picks from my personal experience, and throughout the coming days I'll be injecting other places onto ToT which I think are definitely date-worthy too.

MEN: Read up, Take down the contact numbers, Buy flowers, Take all the credit. Love ToT

Aubergine, Bonifacio Global City 

From the decor and the mood lighting, to the lamb and the dessert menu, plus the Patisserie section, Aubergine will score big points for those googly-eyed ladies who want to be wowed and impressed with your culinary prowess. Their 7-course Degustation menu is worth the $$$, complete with liquid nitrogen for smoky effect. Order a vintage bottle from their impressive wine list to get giddy a uninhibited.

The 'Qi' to Wellness in the City

Since I'm on a 3 day juice fast (TBB), I refuse to write about any of my recent food finds for fear that I might devour the entire refrigerator. So, in the spirit of wellness, I'll write about a different type of Treat that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside and out, and doesn't require ingestion of comfort food.

After an eventful weekend of Mercato Centrale, dining, and a string of Goodie Giveaways, I needed a break from the hustle of the city. Mr. S & I went to Makati to get some short-term bliss since we didn't want to leave Manila to go to a spa, but still wanted to get away from it all. No, we did not check in to Picasso Boutique Hotel.

 But if you're familiar with Picasso in Salcedo Village in Makati, on the left hand side of the impeccable white facade is Qi Wellness Massage + Reflexology Centre. Their sign very nondescript, which also resonates with the property's exteriors.

Pad Thai & People Watching at People's Palace

Last week I was craving for some really strong Thai flavors after a recent not-so-satisfying Thai meal at MyThai. Since there are only a handful of Thai restos in Manila that I'm aware of, I headed to the one that always pops up in my head. Which also happens to be one of the hottest spots to be in and be seen, which I'm all for even if it means traveling to Greece just to eat by ZE sunset.

People Palace at Greenbelt 3

Home of the Floor to Ceiling windows perfect for people watching.

Stevie's Hainanese Chicken for Pick-Up Please

This is the usual Sunday Lunch situation.

Though everyone thinks I am THAT eager to cook and show off my cooking chops, ToT is not a morning person and prefer to sleep through breakfast and head straight to lunch. So if you think I'd slave away on the open flame every Sunday morning to prepare a noontime spread, don't be fooled.

If I can't wake up, I PICK UP!

Tipsy Toeing to Purple Feet

Hidden inside Wine Depot is another "hole in the wall" to complement my previous posts on nondescript, hard to find, good food. But this one isn't on the same price range as Ukokkei Ramen Ron & Xiang Chuan Hunan resto

Purple Feet by Chef Marco Legasto

The name stands for the stained color your feet gets when you make wine by stepping on some grapes. Cute!

Hush Hush Hunan Haunt

On my past 3 trips to China, I've been fed a lot of Hunan food lately. Yes, if you noticed, that's a whole lot of Chili peppers in the dishes, because Hunan cuisine's main characteristic is the level of heat in the dishes that leave you hot and sweaty, and not in that way.

The very next day, my suppliers made me eat Hunan food for lunch again, sweat dripping from my brow with every bite because of the spiciness and the humid July weather. Hunan food is notoriously spicy because the Hunan province, in southeast China, gets wicked winters. Adding chili and heat in the food makes you sweat (duh), and cleanses the body from toxins that usually just sit and linger inside.

Really Good Ramen at Ukokkei Ramen Ron

Since the rainy season has snuck its way into town, I've been craving for all the hot soupy comfort food dishes that warm the heart and the tummy. A friend posted a question as to the best ramen place in Makati, and boy, were the answers unanimous.

Welcome to Ukokkei Ramen Ron

Located in the Pasay Road strip of restaurants, it's easy to ignore unless the scent of hot broth lures you closer to their steps.

Foie Gras Fantasies at Lusso

That, right there, is the look of love. Or lust. 

Trip or Treats is officially in love/lust with Lusso.

Love, Lamb and Lull at LU

This is ZE classic case of a much needed Hail Mary pass.

For those not into the whole Football lingo, a Hail Mary pass is one you attempt when the clock is about to run out, when you know that all hope is down the drain, and whatever pass/kick/maneuver you do is nothing more than some movement doused with prayer in hopes to score/win/accomplish the impossible. This was a major Hail Mary pass moment.

After a long hiatus, the girlfriends met up for some drinks and dishes at LU. Much lauded by the media, from ANC to Rogue magazine, Our Awesome Planet, to other media and lifestyle reads, LU is the brainchild of Luis de Terry, Terry's Selection's son. Terry's is one of my fave Spanish haunts.  Noted as a Moroccan resto, LU serves up dishes from around the world, leaning towards the spice laden, exotic cuisine of Eastern Europe. I was excited. I really wanted some Moroccan.

The interiors are sleek and sharp, lending a modern canvas to the very colorful and varied menu. I arrived early, and started my night early with cocktail #1:

Major Cupcake Competition

Since my post on my DIY Red Velvet cupcakes from Sprinkles, I've gotten a lot of queries (can I have some?), responses (why didn't I get one?), and challenges (my cupcake is better than yours!) regarding the frosted mini-cake. So much so that the competition ran too close to home.

I got home the other night at 1am, and get a possibly alcohol affected IM from my bro, almost force feeding me this so called superior cupcake:

Actual IM conversation:
Bro: go down. i sent driver cupcake from ny for u. red velvet cupcake. Killer
ToT: ha? where?
Bro: better than urs
ToT: i am fullll... whatever!
Bro: he should be there
ToT: like... NOW? or kanina (earlier)
Bro: call his cell he dropped me 10 mins ago. TOLD HIM TO PUT IN FRIDGE
ToT: can i eat tom? di ko na kaya (I can't take it anymore)
Bro: Mejo masarap sha (It's kinda pretty good)
ToT: TOMORROW for BFAST
Bro: just call him and ask him about it .
Bro: red velvet with creeam and white chocolate. one piece lang sha (It's just one piece)
ToT: magnolias?
Bro: better. call him nga (Can you call him?!)
ToT: Buttercup? eto kakauwi lang (here, he just got in). i said fridge. tomorrow. bfast
Bro: t&$(#na masarap ( expletive it's good!)
ToT: from?
Bro: ava's kitchen
ToT: ok ok ok

I'm not gonna lie, I was curious. Especially because he was so adamant I try it, and because he challenged my baking skills. The nerve!

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

Red Cross Gala Dinner

Lately I've had this very unproductive habit of buying things before I find the need for it. It's my fault, ever since coming up with the wise thought that there is no need until you know something exists, I've found myself needing everything I happen to chance upon.... especially on the internet.

ToT with Ish

But it truly is better to have something and not need it, than need something and not have it. In a matter of days, I found myself as a guest for this year's Red Cross Gala with a very special exhibition of designer Dennis Lustico's deliciously gorgeous garbs. Good thing I had this lovely Badgley Mischka gown I bought off the web (ala rack) which had been festering some cabinet mites.

Dennis Lustico has been on the radar for some time due to his very well executed and crafted dresses and trousers. I've been following his work for some time, and was excited to finally be a part of his first solo exhibit. But come on, I'll be honest, aside from the opportunity to dress up, I was really there for the foooooood! And food there was!

Ziggurat's Oxymoron of an Experience

The craziness of the typhoon drive, packing rice, distributing goods and staying dry from the rains has subsided, I can now resume the habit of my gluttony, aka Trip or Treating. I've been eating out lately and the posts need to catch up with the blog so bear with me...

Lately my tastebuds have been craving for stinky, sweat inducing food, and after my Indian craving I headed off to Ziggurat for some Persian grub. Islamic food actually, because the menu ranged from Ethiopian, Persian, Iranian and other exotic cuisines.Noted for its authentic dishes, the menu is like a newsletter of different food elements used in the  menu, such as curry, yogurt, and the usage of spices. I was hungry so I completely zoned out on that part.

Ziggurat is located in the heart of Makati's red light district by P. Burgos and Makati Ave.The space is a super visual bubblegum, literally in pink and all the bright colors that resemble Morrocan and vibrant food.

Bollywood is Westwood for Indian

Nothing tickles my tastebuds like a plate full of spices and sauce. And no one does both better than Indian food.

Since living with my roommate C in Santa Monica, Indian food has been a staple cuisine in our tummies. Lunch runs to Ambala Dhaba on Westwood always ended up with C ordering her Chicken Tikka Masala (white meat, nonetheless), and my Lamb Saag, while sharing Samosas, Garlic Naan and Mango Lassis. It definitely helps to have an asian roommate who can not only rival my height (NOT asian size, that's for sure), but can also fight alongside my appetite.

In Manila, I've had some good Indian, and some bad Indian (shudderrrrr), but I always seem to go back to Bollywood. Kashmir in Pasay Road is also very very good, but sometimes it gets a bit tough on the wallet. Bollywood is the total package.

Bollywood is the ultimate Bombay trip. The space is brightly decorated with Indian movie posters, paintings and sarongs and beads. The festiveness of the decor almost makes you think this restaurant is a joke, but the food is authentic.