Author: ajay

I will be on blog leave as the world switches off today their lights for Earth Hour, happening in the Philippines from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. local time.

With global warming, unabated pollution and other environmental ills upon us, just one hour will make a difference for sure.

Fo this initiative, Vote Earth is the battlecry. This is the time when people from all over the world will take control of the future of the planet and do something to effect change.

And oh, if for one hour - from 8:30-9:30- you plan to be in the world’s most famous landmarks like the Sydney Opera House, Golden Gate Bridge, Colosseum in Rome or Petronas Towers in Malaysia….

do not!

because those places will be in total darkness!

Donations are hard to come by, in these times of recession. Companies are cutting back on all fronts, including charitable contributions which used to be an appropriate venue for tax breaks and aiding underprivileged sectors of society.

That is why we were quite elated when we heard the news that fastfood giant Jollibee turned over P18 million to eight recipient-foundations who will implement programs to benefit Filipino children around the country.

The eight beneficiaries of the Jollibee grants are Cottolengo Filipino (Rizal), ERDA Tech (Manila), Families and Children for Empowerment and Development Foundation (Manila), House with No Steps (Quezon City), Marcellin Project (General Santos City), Shontoug Foundation (Baguio City), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (Quezon City) and the Busog, Lusog, Talino In-School Feeding Program of the Jollibee Foundation (Leyte).

At the turnover rites in Manila Ocean Park, we were able to take a snapshot of Fr. Julio Cuesto Ortega, the president and executive director of Cottolengo Filipino which provides residential care and rehabilitation for abandoned children and persons with disability.

“With Jollibee’s help, we will be able to build a Multisensory Room to provide the necessary mental and sensual stimulation, as well as relaxation for the autistic kids under our care. At the same time, it will help a total of 82 orphans and students with special needs,” said Fr. Ortega.

Nice. Sometimes I am guilty of eating too much fastfood and imagine all that fat in the Chickenjoy. But I don’t mind doing all of that now, again and again, if all the calorific content I am afraid of is benefitting other people.

Tit for tat. Besides…. who can resist french fries?

Mabuhay Jollibee!

Bistro Filipino shatters the myth that in the food industry”location is everything.” I certainly wouldn’t be able to easily find this place, if not for the fact that The Fort, Global City is small, with manageable traffic. Yet, this cozy resto - nestled in an inconspicuous building in the area - has gained a following since it opened two years ago. After all, people will travel the the whole world over in search of good food.

Their recently introduced weekend brunch buffet (at P788 ++) is a great way to be acquainted with the resto’s Filipino fusion cuisine. Unlike the more popular brunch places in town, their items aren’t served in chafing dishes. You choose from over 50 of their most popular items on the menu and they serve it a la carte. I prefer this. It makes me think am eating a decent five-course meal, instead of piling up a hodge-podge of edibles on my plate.

My choice for the appetizer: sisig basket. It was either this one, or the tuna kilawin roll. My affection for pork fat won in the end. Chopped slices of sisig on a bed of crispy rice wafer with garlic aioli topping and marinated quail eggs at the bottom. A signal of good things to come!

Up next: pakbet puree. A mildly flavored soup of native squash and cream. The best part was the okra tempura. Crunch in every bite….. I never thought the slimy veggie can be that good!

Salad: Three Kinds of Mangoes. One of the popular dishes in the house. Mesclun salad with dried, ripe and green mangoes in a sweet, tangy dressing. The best part is the fried cheese on top!

Entree: Salmon Escabeche. I was quite hesitant to order this one as I couldn’t imagine my favorite salmon being heaped with sweet and sour sauce. This one was a revelation, the sauce wasn’t overpowering at all. The fish was laid on a bed of mashed sweet potatoes (read: kamote) which made the dish more filling, but definitely tasty! I would give this my thumbs up!

Truth is, I was so full already but couldn’t resist being curious with their fusion pastas. I ordered penne with beef kaldereta which became my least liked part of the meal. It wasn’t as flavorful as I thought. Oh well, there’s always a next time. And the pasta selections are interesting, I must say. Chorizo and kasuy spaghetti, anyone?

Heavenly desserts to cap off our meal: Suman Cake, Maja Blanca Cheesecake and Banana Cue Tart. I felt high with every bite that I promise to come back to Bistro Filipino for this.

Okay, don’t forget the complimentary hot pan de sal which was served before we began our uber-heavy brunch. My twins had fun munching this.

And of course, a hot cup of brewed coffee to cleanse my palate and end the meal.

Sidenote: Servings were ample, and we got excellent service from their waiter named Tito, even though I didn’t wear a t-shirt with the word “blogger” in it. I wouldn’t hesitate to dine again, if only because there are other interesting dishes I must simply try.

The resto should also be highly recommended if you’re touring foreign guests and balikbayan relatives soon. Bistro Filipino gives an insight to the evolution of our cuisine…with a twist.

Bravo.

Chef Laudico’ Bistro Filipino
G/F Net2 Bldg. (Ericsson)
3rd Avenue, Fort Bonifacio
Global City, Taguig
Telephone Numbers 856-0634, 856-0541

Am so happy I found a new breakfast hang-out this week. It started when I started bringing my son to school at 7 a.m., two hours ahead of my scheduled work in the office. My sleepy, thirsty- for-coffee self was unknowingly led to Emerald Garden, one of the oldie but goodie restaurants on Roxas Boulevard, just across the US Embassy.

Emerald Garden is A PAIR of restaurants that’s a few steps away from each other. The first one offers dimsum, the other one does not. I’ve eaten here countless times before, because if you’re based in Manila and don’t know about it, you’re probably hanging out too much in Binondo, hehe. Prices on the menu are reasonable for Chinese food, it’s delivered fast, and they give you Nagaraya nuts while waiting.

As I found out, the best deal about Emerald Garden is its breakfast. Because you can have a decent, filling meal here for less than a hundred pesos. A definite thumbs up in these times of recession!

The Emerald Siopao (P85) should be adjudged one of the best in Manila. It’s big and filling enough to last you till lunch. They definitely didn’t scrimp on the ingredients for this one - egg, Chinese sausage, roast pork, minced meat and others. Highly-recommended for first-time visitors to the place, but be sure to buy this before noon as they run out of stock early.

Their wanton noodle soup, at P75, easily beats out Chow King, if only because I counted six pieces of wanton (wonton?) in here. You can make do without the siopao, at the risk of ovestuffing yourself, huh.

The counter beside the cashier also has all sorts of Chinese delicacies, priced from P5 to P25 each. These include the honey roll, egg tart, chicken curry pie, taro puff, buchi and “ham suy kok,” a roll made of glutinous rice flour with minced pork filling.

Other items on the breakfast menu include all kinds of hofan, dry noodles, congee, and assorted dimsum. Fresh fruit shakes are also available, and of course brewed coffee

Emerald Garden Restaurant
1170 Roxas Blvd. Manila
Telephone No. 5238510, 5238515

Am glad there are one-of-kind, wholesome shows in Manila which we can proudly tell our visiting friends to see, apart from the usual walk to Intramuros and the Manila Bay sunset.

This is what happened when I brought my balikbayan mom to see Wanders at the PAGCOR Grand Theater in Paranaque last year. Heard nothing but “ooh’s and aah’s” from her and the whole brood; same with my American mother-in-law who was duly impressed and said it’s one of the best shows she’s seen.

You see, a “tourist attraction” need not only be a place, it can also be a spectacle, a musical experience or an entertainment treat. I liked Wanders because it’s global in scope (read: it did not limit itself to local talents.) Having an international flavor is the reason why places like Las Vegas, New York and Paris are a hit with people from all over the world.

Now, PAGCOR and the same geniuses behind Wanders have come up with FLOW, another musical extravaganza to behold. We watched it a few weeks ago and couldn’t have enough of the sequences, acrobatics , dances and music performed by the international cast of Chinese, Cubans and Filipinos.

The brilliant young acrobats from Henan, China are at it again! I was floored by the part where one girl operates the bike and 11 other girls ride with her. How did that happen? hehe.

A pair of trapeze artists wow the crowd, and perform new styles that simply take your breath away.

You don’t see it in this picture, but I like the part where this same Chinese girl pushes the basketball through multi-storey hoops while lying down, and shoots it every time. It’s a hit with Filipinos because we definitely love basketball!

Some people say they liked Wanders better, but I loved Flow too. Better backdrops, more colorful costumes, more emphasis on singing…and dance!!

If you’re still not decided, Wanders and Flow are alternating every week at the PAGCOR Theater. Discover why it’s a must see!!!

For tickets and inquiries, please call 7072206 or (0917) 3261014. Group and institutional bookings are accepted.

* Pictures courtesy of PAGCOR’s Corporate Communications Services Department

Related post:

PAGCOR’s Show of ‘Wanders’