Urbanista Manila Living in Style » Dining

Toastbox is in town

Urbanista Manila — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 07:29:36 +0000

I think I have lived under a cave for quite a while. I asked Olivia to buy me Kaya jam from Singapore. I really loved that jam having it tasted in Toastbox while in Lion City.
I met up with Liv and she handed me the sweet treat. After a hours of chitchatting, we parted ways.
When I got home, I got a text from her that if ever I want a jam refill, I just have to swing by Trinoma, because there is a Toastbox branch there. She just discovered it too on her way to the shuttle service stations.
What an idiot!
I am excited for the Kaya toast and the milk iced tea.

Jap and French treats

Urbanista Manila — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:12:45 +0000

After so many months of taking rainchecks, my close friends and I have finally met up.
I dunno if the nature is against this most awaited opportunity for us to catch up on so many things because it rained so hard and it took me and my officemate forever to get a cab from the office to we decided to get a jeepney ride to Delta and from there we hoped to get a cab or if luck was not really on our side, a jeepney to Center Stage on Timog cor. Morato.
Actually, I had to meet them up at 8:00 p.m. because I had to attend our team’s send away party (our team has been dissolved – boohooo!) at Center Stage.
We were there at past 8:00 p.m. already so I had to stay there until past 9:00 p.m. My friend Leo did not buy my drama that I was still on the street haling a cab, all soaked up. He just texted me that he already found a parking space and it is hard to find a spot so he cannot collect me. Oh men!
Dine and dash was my drama that night.
Ava was ~~cursing~~ me because they have been at Kozui (which is just a block away from Center Stage) since 7:00 p.m.
I finally managed to sneak out and meet them up and not surprisingly, they’re done eating.
I was actually full already. Full of grease in my stomach because all I ate were onion rings, french fries and greasy barbecue at Center Stage.
Waiting on the table at Kozui are tempura and some chicken dishes that I did not even touch because I felt nauseated so Ava just got me the Green Tea which is the resto’s claim to fame. I did not like the taste though or maybe because my palate has been polluted already that night that I was not able to feel gastronomic satisfaction.
I like the place. A Japanese resto with a modern and healthy twist. They offer the freshest and organic dishes and treats that is very ideal for a person who needs (which is the operative word) to shove down low fat and low salt diet down her throat.
I swear I will be back there to sample on its dishes.
After less than an hour, we moved to Cafe Breton where we had our ever favorite desserts to satisfy our sweet tooth’s cravings. I have my Cafe Ligieous, Ava had her Vanilla Milk shake and Leo had his Nuttella Crepe.
I bare touched my Cafe Ligieous because I really felt nauseated and I did not even dig into the Nuttella Crepe. A few minutes after, I went to the bathroom and threw up what I have eaten at Center Stage. I felt relieved after but I did not have the appetite to finish my sweet treat. Too bad.
We called the night off before midnight and I really had a blast except for the stomach upset.

The Claw Daddy experience

Urbanista Manila — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:47:12 +0000

I saw an episode of Spoon on Net25 wherein Claw Daddy’s chef (sorry I did not get the name) strut his culinary expertise and whipped some sumptuous seafood treats that are served at his resto.

As a delayed birthday treat to myself, I and my college best bud and her brother agreed to go on Dutch treat at Claw Daddy’s in Shangri-La Mall.

I went for the schezuan style (which according to the waiter is among their best sellers) while my bestie had her king crab in butter and ginger. Charles just had nachos since his allergic to seafood. Too bad I did not know that. He’s just too nice to accompany us to our lunch date.

The crabs are ginormous and fresh. And for small-framed “ladies” like us, you could not imagine how we were able to manage to suck all the crab meat out of their shells. Thanks to the handy cracked and the apron.

For the appetizer, we got these crazy nachos in different colors, chocolate, red and the classic yellow. The serving is good for more than five persons and it was pretty good because it’s is topped with barbecue chicken strips.

We also had the Classic Caesar Salad wh is the best I have tasted so far.

We also ordered the garlic and shrimp pesto which is freshly made and I highly recommend it. The pesto is not too strong and salty. You could tell that the ingredients are fresh.

The service is also good. Maybe because there are only a couple of tables occupied there.

Not so Pinoy

Urbanista Manila — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:12:51 +0000

Have you seen Bobby Chinn’s World Asia Cafe episode last week? He came over to the Philippines to try on some Pinoy food. So much of the street foods that he has tried. What just called my attention is the portion where he cooked Chicken Adobo with Chef Gene Gonzales. I think that the procedure did not give justice to the one of the most loved dishes of my fellow Pinoys. I know for a fact that Adobo is not an original Pinoy recipe but what makes Pinoy Adobo a “pinoy” one is the way we put our sense of being “pinoy” gets? I am not a cook but I know how a good ‘ol pinoy adobo should be made. What they did was, put the chicken in a wok, added some lemon grass (we do not use lemon grass in traditional adobo) put in some spices then added vinegar. Where is the freakin’ soy souce? It is so pale! If they did not have time to hop in some traditional Pinoy houses to see how adobo is being made, the producer should have sought the expertise of true Pinoy restaurateurs in Pinoy restos like the Aristorcat or Cabalen. I like the portion though where they cooked Seafood Sinigang at a farmer’s market. The guide was a chef but he knows the real one. Now that’s the true representation of sinigang.