HedgeZero at Headstock Bar

(I accidentally posted this at a different blog...so I re-posted)

A few days ago,we were invited by Sir Ferdie to play at a place called Headstock Bar. He used to get us for Club Dread before, but I heard he moved on to manage band events for this particular place.

Although its the first time I came to know about this place, I heard they've been around for quite some time.

What I like about this bar is the spaciousness. The stage is spacious. The band can really move around, with enough space for a 7-piece band. The round shaped stage is so placed that the intersection of Araneta Ave. and Quezon Ave. is set as the background. Aside for the billiard table the entrance, there are two spaces for the patrons. There's the main hall, in front of the stage, and a balcony facing the road. Its the same area setup as Mag:net at Global City, but Headstock has greater accessibility to these areas since there are sliding glass partitions to the balcony...which can also convert the setting to an open air event.

I love their sound equipment...amps, monitors and all. Its here that I was able to recreate the bass sound that I really wanted without buying an active bass. Mad props also to Sir Ferdie's mixing. The stage lighting would need a little work though. I was blinded by the LED spotlight the whole gig.

With reasonably priced beer and pica picas, I like hanging around that place even after our slot, its a shame we arrived late because of our work. The first band was nice enough to stay around for our set.

If you get the change to drop by, you got to try the Mojos. Its thinly sliced with a nice salty breading and a hint of spiciness (I ended up buying 2 plates which I consumed by myself). It goes well with the beer that they serve ice cold.

I hope to go there again sometime.

Segregate...diversify...with 'Food is an Adventure'

I was thinking...

Recently, I am spending more time on culinary adventures than my previous stint in bar hopping, gigging, slamming at clubs and shit...

so now I decided to seperate my food articles to my new blog "Food Is An Adventure"

I will also be reposting all my food articles there...

Juse to keep things in order...I do have a lot of intrests that even I can't keep up.

Its still a work in progress, though...

Add What You Like: The Okonomiyaki Adventure

Trapped in the daily grind as a housewife, my honeybunch has only the DVD player as an escape from boredom. As a result, she gets to watch my J-drama dvds over and over again. She just finished Maki Horikita's "Teppan Shoujo Akane" and was instilled with the same drive to search for new flavors using only the 'fry cook' technique. (Much like the culinary technique as SpongeBob the Squarepants, fight OH! fight OH!)

Her latest experiment includes combining the ingredients usually found in coleslaw, mix it up with her own blend of barbeque sauce, her secret mayo blend and wallah!!! The Okonomiyaki fist of fury!!!!

A few days later, I told her about my love for pepperoni... as we went grocery shopping, with my usual supply of that contraband, an idea popped in our heads. Instead of putting bacon on the okonomiyaki...why not add these salty, meaty slices of paradise (I'm taking about the pepperoni, of course).

And out came the "Okonomiyaki Fist of Fury ver.2.0"... my son later made version 2.01 by putting whole pepperoni slices on top.

With all the ingredients we bought for this experimental endeavor, we ate okonomiyaki for the whole weekend.

All for this amazingly low price of P200 ($3.75)...

But wait...there's more!!!!!

No...that's it...

萌えのチョコケーキバー。。。ボックスからの幸せ。

クライアントさんたちから萌えのチョコケーキバーをもらった。。。

この商品のボックスのデザインはとてもかわいい。　見る時には嬉しいになった。

それで。。。たくさんもらったよ。。。社員たちのためにも。。。僕だけじゃないんだ。

うれしい！！！！

まって。。。

ケーキの味は？。。

美味しいよ。。。柔らかいケーキの中にモイストなチョコがある。

（クライアントさんから　”もえ！もえ！”って。。。おもしろかった　：－））

A Different Kind Of Japanese Food: Mangetsu

After weeks of hard work, our boss decided to hold our long overdue 'tsuitachikai' (first day of the month party) at Mangestsu, a fairly new Japanese restaurant located at the Creekside Bldg near Makati Cinema Square.

People may be confused when they first step in, but the setup was a bit familiar to me since it reminded me of the bar we used to go frequently in Tokyo. Every nook and cranny is used both for utility and aesthetics...a typical mark of Japanese space planning. Guests first go through the corridor to the stairs, which resembles a rock garden. And not the kitschy variant, mind you.

 

There are two dining levels; the second level is a cozy, intimate dining space, with a view of the kitchen. The third level is the general dining area. A unique feature of the third floor, besides being where smoking is allowed, is its adaptability. Wooden mats are rolled to create private spaces between tables. As the number of guests per table vary, these blinds can create the space needed to accommodate them.

As if wooden blinds, warm lighting and light colored walls with dark toned furniture as accents were not oriental enough, they have this ominous, full-set Samurai armor sitting just beside the head of the stairs.

(photo by Ryan Valencia)

Now if you're hoping for the usual Japanese dishes, you'll be in for a surprise. Aside from some dishes, most of the food here are a different approach to Japanese cooking, as developed by Mangetsu's owner/master chef. These dishes, I heard, keeps on evolving as ingredients and techniques change.

Cheese Rice...yum yum yum

Some note-worthy dishes are the Cheese Rice and the Sour and Spicy Deep Fried Chicken. The Cheese Rice is mostly fried rice cooked with mozzarella cheese. And the chicken, not too soft, not too crispy...its like spicy garlic chicken but wuth a hint of tang. 

There's also this entrée which we can't seem to figure out if ts potato or sweet potato in what appears to be tempura flakes. It has a light crisp on the outside with a soft, velvety inside. Like an orange colored solid mashed potato. Along with the dip that makes it so mouth watering.

Mangetsu's Garlic Rice (with garlic cloces cut in intresting portions...kanin pa lang, ulam na)

Potato Puffs?

The dreaded OKRA SOUP!!!! (dan dan daaaaan)

And with the night's killer, the Cold Okra Soup which my boss ordered and recommended, as it tastes interesting...so he says. Its like an okra puree, with almost all its fleshy parts mashed to a pulp, served in a bowl on top of another bowl filled with shaved ice. Like my boss said, it tasted interestingly good...it went well with our cold beer served in a chilled earth ware cup. Some warning though, this is not for the queasy, one of our officemates was not strong enough to hold in this thick, slimy concoction.

Mangetsu scored high with its service and food presentation. As most of the garnishing are ordinary kitchen fare applied ingeniously with the dish. And they have a wide variety of beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, in their selection.

Although opened for almost 3 months now, you'll be surprised with the throves of Japanese nationals that patronize this place.

Alcohol Binge Part 2 at Yoohoo! Madison Square

As the night grew deeper, we continued our alcohol binge last Aug.3 at the Madison branch of Yoohoo. The Yoohoo! name is known for being the best place to get grilled delicacies at combo prices. I also heard about the 3 glasses of wine for P99 ($1.83) package included in their menu. I've been there a lot of times but never even noticed it...being a sort of red wine addict myself, I can't let this chance slip away.

A different kind of Yoohoo! than what I was used to...

Fresh from another alcohol binging spree just moments earlier, we braved the cold rainy night, amidst the traffic and the absence of parking space, just to sample the red wine combo.

Since its a 3-glass combo of the same brand, it'll be better if your party is divisible by 3. So that you all could get a chance to sample the different brands available.

Because my bud, Ryan, was there before, he chose the brand for us.

First batch was a set of Villa Sta.Maria red. The taste was a bit lesser than the wines I'm used to. Ryan said maybe because of all the vodka martini and gin I had earlier that night.

Ryan pondering the mysteries of the universe...

Next one is a batch of Chez Samantha. Its a bit more sour than Villa Sta.Maria so its a bit more refreshing. Although red meat is supposed to go well with red wine, the effect was a bit off.

The last batch was a serving of Villa Sta.Maria white. Its not as sweet and fruity as the other white wine I've tasted but I think an order of cheese would have complemented it.

It was a disappointing night. Next time We would go there first as to not to chase off the flavor of the wines we're going to sample.

Lime 88's 2nd Anniversary Party

Last friday, Lime 88 celebrated its 2nd anniversary. The light rain didn't do much to prevent the hordes of patrons from enjoying the food and the free cocktails that went around that night.

Lime 88 is a bar/restaurant located near Boni Avenue in Mandaluyong City, just past a place we usually go to in San Joaquin st., beyond the Mandaluyong City Hall. They specialize in Filipino street cusine with a twist, a feature you have to see first-hand to appreciate. They also recieved a lot of positive reviews from other bloggers who visited the place.

This is also the usual venue for the Aquinian'95 gatherings. First time I went there, I was too engrossed with talking to former schoolmates that I failed notice anything else. I think the place can also do well with a light intrument or acoustic group for special occassions, like the ones in Greenbelt 3. Former schoolmate and Lime 88 partner, Vincent, told me that they once had a band event last Octoberfest but earned them the ire of the neighbors since it was a mix residential area.

The place has a cozy, homely atmosphere to it, which goes well with familiar dishes presented in a somewhat haute cusine fashion. Who knew the humble 'kwek kwek' can be served in a wonderful and enticing way. Actually, its this dish, named 'Quail Egg Tempura', which caught my attention because I liked the way it was presented. It looked like a mix between East Asian and Polynesian cusine with a Filipino appeal to it.

We decided to change our usual grind and ordered some martinis. I ordered the 'Peach Martini' while my bud, Ryan, went with his 'Licensed to Chill'. The Peach Martini seems to have a sugar cane-like aftertaste, and I enjoyed Ryan's drink more than mine. Along with our order, Vincent flooded us with free cocktails like Vodka-7 and Blue Martini, which I ended up drinking most of and got me a bit drunk by 11pm (thanksh dude).

I recommend this place to anyone who looks for something different, those tired of the usual bar and beer garden thing. A cozy place where you can sit back, relax and enjoy the company of your buddies.

The Bar: Its like having a bartender in your drinking session

Its been a long time since my body approves of a certain alcoholic beverage. One such beverage is the flavored gin and vodka of 'The Bar'.

Now I'm not sure if this is the same 'The Bar' that came out during the 80's. If so, then they came back with a new, better look and a modern, more mature twist in their flavor.

I got to sample these drinks in the recent launch of Flippish.com at Fiama and I must say, I loved both flavors that they came up with. There is the Orange Vodka and the Lemon and Lime Gin. They both have an equal hint of flavor to the appropriate portion of alcohol, just enough to give the same flavor as the ones served in a local joint without overpowering the other. The fruit flavors don't stand out that much so don't expect a wine cooler kind of mix.

Despite its hip packaging, its has a very reasonable price of P68 per bottle in SM.

My HongKong style mix

HongKong style noodles (and its other incarnates) has been around for quite some time now. Other franchises and fly-by-night dealers spring out of every crevise in the city. From established name brands to local street peddlers cashing in on the fad. But stir fried noodles , whether be it from the wok or a heated steel plate, are nothing new to our palette.

I tried a lot from various outlets, but nothing beats my favorite place, HongKong Style Noodles at the top level of Robinson's Pioneer in Mandaluyong City. Not 'da original', not 'da first', not even the 'Hoy! we sell HK style noodles here' on the name. Just plain and simple 'HongKong Style Noodles'.

Unlike most places where they just heat up the noodles then pack them up with siomai staight from the pan, this cart fries the noodles. Giving it its crunchy-chewy texture I love in stir fried noodles. Not relying on the 'toge' or spring beans to give that crunch.

There I also found my perfect mix in the sauce. Its a common misconception that you should drown your noodles in the various sauces available to enjoy it. You have to practice moderation. The sauces are there to enhance the flavor of the noodles, not serve as the main dish. My mix involves one scoop of teriyaki sauce, one scoop of oyster sauce, one scoop of toyomansi (a combination of lime and soy sauce), and a pinch of oil from the chili garlic bin just to add that little spice. Although that mix is for the single order sized serving, you don't have to double it for the jumbo size. Just make the toyomansi a scoop and a half.

Next time you decide to go for some HK style noodles, try this mix. You'll love it.

Japanese Food and then Some...

One of my regrets in my training in Japan was, I never got to sample different mixes of the famous 'okonomiyaki', as stated in the J-drama 'Kekkon Dekinai Otoko'. When I get adventurous, there's always a long line to the stall, not enough to make it in the short breaks I had. The worst was in Yokoham, while I was attending a 'fiesta', there was a queue of at least 30 people. Sadly, in my whole stay, I only got to eat a single slice, after asking a friend for a bite.

To make up for the loss, I decided to go on a search to find the nearest flavor to the original okonomiyaki I tasted, which in turn, drove me to look for authentic tasting Japanese cusine in my backyard. In the Philippines, there are a lot of restaurants, fast food chains and snack carts that claim to be authentic Japanese cusine.

I got a lot of sampling from the almost unknown joints in Makati, but I was looking for places that has the nearest taste while staying well within my spending range.

A weekend Japanese food connoseuir on a budget.

Unfortunately, fast food joints are out of the question. I went in a few and sad to say, the taste has been adjusted to suit the Pinoy palette despite their 'authentic Japanese cusine' tagline. But there are a few redeeming points. 

Tokyo-Tokyo's beef misono dip has the same taste as the beef broth-soy sauce dip I had for Kamakura's cold udon. And the chicken karaage has the same taste and texture as the ones I had in Osaka. Don't waste your time on the makis and sushis.

Teriyaki Boy's katsudon and gyuudon are commendable. So is their kani salad, which offers quantity and quality for your buck, unlike the ones in Kitaro. But their sushis and makis has some elements amiss, maybe its the rice or the quaint fish roe used. And the udons are too thin, lacking in the chewiness and texture of the ones in Kamakura.

Bento gets high marks for their katsudon, and the price they offer for a lot of their food. You don't get to see much of the same taste but the quality is still good for its price.

Saisaki is a good place to get you feet...er mouth wet on what Japanese cusine should be. Of all the branches I went to, you get a good taste-to-price ratio at the Glorietta branch. There I got to sample the pork cutlet package for P250 per person. You start off with appetizers composed of makis and a various sushis. By then, you are almost full as the main course arrives. The vegetable maki was heavenly.

For fried gyozas, look no further than Gyoza, a food cart at the fifth level of Market!Market! in Fort Bonifacio. After being steamed, the gyoza is fried on a steel plate (teppan) as you order them. And for a great price of P32 per 4 pieces. Sadly, that branch (are there other branches?) is closed. Woe is me (crying).

Another place to get good kani salad and sushis is Okuya in Glorietta. Although a bit pricey, you get the added bonus of watching the chef prepare your food with the flair of a sculptor carving a masterpiece, or a performance artist creating a visual piece.

But alas, my okonomiyaki quest was getting frustrating as all the cheap stuff was too starchy and has too much batter in them. The sauce also has a lot to desire for.

Now that's enough of the budget stuff. If money is not a problem, then I suggest either Wazen in Pasay road or Sugi in Greenbelt 3.

Wazen has the atmosphere of a typical restaurant in a cramp building space in Tokyo. There are a lot of private space as function halls have movable walls to suit your party's size. While there, you should indulge in their sushi and maki as they, I heard, were prepared by a Japanese cook and their highly trained Filipino staff.

For a complete experience, I highly recommend Sugi. The interior decor is reminiscent of high-class restaurants in Shinjuku. Aside the immersion you get from the ambiance, you can also dine in the traditional tatami rooms available at the second floor. However, to book a tatami room, you have to be sure your party will be able to consume at least P3000 worth of Japanese delicacies. The best bacon brocolli maki can be found here. As well as an authentic tasting okonomiyaki.

There is nothing wrong with the food prepared by other joints as they were localized to suit the taste of the general public. Its just that once you've tasted the original, you'll crave for more of the same.

As my quest for the okonomiyaki draws to a close, I begin anew as my desires were revived by the taste of salmon and tuna onigiri, and that deep fried squid tentacles I got to eat in a train station in Tokyo.

The P172 Date

In these trying times of recession, its still refreshing to, once in a while, pamper yourself without spending much.

I can't seem to remember when was the last time my wife and I went out on a date. Since our son is spending his weekend at his cousin's house, we took this opportunity to go out last Saturday. And since we don't have that much to splurge for ourselves, I hatched a plan while walking around Glorietta.

Thrift DatePlan no. 1: The Park Date.

By early in the evening, Brownies Unlimited in SM Makati starts to sell their day's wares at packaged discount prices. Since a chocolate brownie sells at P14 to P18 each, we got the 6 pack for P62. Combined with 2 large iced coffee, that makes P172 ($3.65).

Then we went to the park in front of Glorietta where we go often during our 'going out' phase.

With the warm evening breeze, we had our date in the park, under clear starry skies. Just talking, enjoying each other's company while partaking in chocolate brownies and iced coffee.

It was getting late so we opted for a salad dinner.

We thought it would be cheaper to buy the individual ingredients than the packaged one but as it turned out we were wrong. We were planning to take white wine along with our salad dinner but our usual brand (the most cost effecient one) was sold out. We ended up with 2 pre-packaged salads, additional dressing, 2 cups of jello, and apple flavored green tea. 

At the end of the day...

Total cost of our 'park date': P172 ($3.65)

Salad Dinner: P192 ($4.08)

The surprise I got when my wife adamantly declares the she wants to 'get some' tonight: priceless.

:-)

Hummus makes good eating....

Walking around with my wife at Robinson's Pioneer last Saturday,  we came across the soft opening of this place called Chili Willy's which serve Mediterrenean cusine. Aside from the dimly lit ambient dining hall and bar inside, there is a take out counter outside which serves the exterior dining area. We just came by to sample the Shawarma they had on the menu, but as I read the menu further, I saw a familiar food I was afraid to try...Hummus...

I always heard this stereotype that if you eat Hummus, it will clean you system right off like a large White Castle burger and Taco Bell combo would. As my wife begged to try it, I bought an order and took it home for good measure. At least I would be safe if any intestinal accident should occur.

As I took a bite of the pita bread dipped in Hummus, I was surprised on how creamy the garbanzo puree was, and the tangy taste provided by the olive oil and lemon. I never felt such a delightful combination since that time I ate spicy spagetti with oilve oil blanched garlic. Having finished the pita bread, I also dipped the shawarma in the hummus. Still not satisfied, I dipped my cousin's left over meatloaf in it. Damn, it still tastes good.

I started to remember scenes from Adam Sandler's "Zohan", where they dip almost everything in hummus. 

Now I'm not sure if there is a variety of hummus out there. I asked if the service crew if hummus was a Jewish food, like if it is indigenous to the areas around and within Israel. They replied that it is a Turkish delicacy, which made me more confused.

Well, doesn't matter. Next time I walk by that same area again, I'll be in line to get me some hummus.

My Cup of Sinigang Tea

Ahhh, the wonderful Pork Sinigang, it's a culinary treat that can lead the world to peace and unity. I love the way how it mixes the saltiness of its pork broth, the spiciness of green chili and pepper, and the sour tang of tamarind. A wonderful cocktail that plays around your taste buds (oh, you wanna play too, come here you little puppy you...heeeeereee puppy puppy puppy).

Sorry, I got a little over poetic there. Thats how much I love that viand we refer to as 'Pork Sinigang'.

I was eating at a small karinderia along Arayat St. in Mandaluyong one day when an epiphany came to me. It came to me like a large metal safe falling down on a helpless coyote in one of those Saturday morning cartoons. It seems to me that, the hospitality food of choice in the Philippines is the humble Pork Sinigang soup.

Now before you send me off to be institutionalized, I would like you to see it from my perspective. While studying in Japan, I learned that the Japanese green tea (referred to as 'ocha') was their hospitality drink. Everytime there is a guest, whether it be social, educational or business, they always serve green tea. Its considered as a refreshing drink in Japan, and its anti-oxidants is like bidding good health to your guests.

Now imagine that, transpose a little, convert welcoming to eating, in a fiesta or a canteen, flush it through the magic-head-trip-trauma-o-meter, fast forward, add ketsup, some spices and vinegar, leave to simmer, then head to your nearest Mini-stop or 7-11 cuz I'm hungry...

Now, where were we? (wow...another meaning for triple 'W') When eating on karinderias, the server will always give you an extra serving of soup (its called soup here but its actually called broth), the most requested is...ding ding ding...Pork Sinigang. That is mostly given to warm our tummies as we wait for our food. 

But sometimes, eventhough they say that the soup they're serving is Sinigang, in reality its really Nilaga...

So does that mean that the Nilaga is the food of deception, atrocity and greed?

Hmmmm.....

Holy Week Treats

As this once a year oath of fasting and abstinence comes to a close, I can't help but take note of some of the things that made it all bearable while staying true to the popular teachings of the Catholic Church.

While on our pilgrimage , we saw this booth just outside the welcome arch of Antipolo city. It was a booth by 'Clarita's BibingkaKo'. Bibingkas are fluffy cakes made with rice flour, cooked with a banana leaf base, topped with either salted eggs or shredded coconut meat. But this one has various fruit jam toppings instead. For a reasonable price of P100, you get 5 pieces with assorted toppings; strawberry jam, ube, macapuno and cheese among others. At first I was apprehensive but as I tasted the treat, I find that the jam really complements the taste of the bibingka. And the bread was cooked to a light, fluffy perfection with a varied crispy texture at the base. And to my surprise, it was this Black foreigner dude who was doing the cooking.

As it was my first time to sample this, it seems they already have branches in most of the SM and Robinson malls. My mom said the place where we bought this was their head branch. On a side note, the Rizal province is not only known for its cement and marble quarries but also for its various 'kakanin' or snacks based from the humble rice grain.

The other treat came from my aunt in Brgy. Prinza in Teresa, Rizal. While visiting there, she whipped up her version of halo halo. Halo halo is like a snow cone but in the place of fruit flavorings, there is milk with sweeteners made from flan, tapioca, sweet beans and macapuno (coconut cooked in sugar). Some versions top it off with either ube (yam) or ice cream. Instead of these, she used watermelon, banana, mango, apple and cantaloupe. Although the fructose in those freshly cut fruits are not enough to give it the sweetness enjoyed by children, not adding processed white sugar makes this concoction more refreshing and cooling. A fine refreshment on this warm summer night.

Dynamites....finger-lickin' good

My wife prepared a special treat for me... a dish my cousin introduced to us as 'Dynamites'. Its a combination of green peppers (or chili), cheese and fried ham packed in dimsum wrappers. When deep fried, it has a salty and spicy taste to it. The spiciness of the peppers are countered by the lactose in the cheese which is known to be an effective deterrant for spicy foods.

Its called 'Dynamite' because the finished product resembles an old dynamite stick with the pepper's stem as the fuse.

Heartburn city...here i go....

A day at the historic Manila Hotel

My whole family was at the Manila Hotel last Saturday at the District Conference ofRotary Club International District 3800. We attend because my father was introduced as the incoming District Governor for RY 2009-2010.

My brother and I walked the infamous hallways of the 8th floor, which was rumored to be haunted. I even brought my video camera along and recorded the whole trek in case it would catch any wandering spirits. The operation was a failure. I did hear a couple quarreling from across the hall.

At the District Conference, there was this energetic speaker. He's a 81 year-old teacher who has been teaching in Ateneo for 54 years. Although I don't give a hoot about those motivational speakers, I found his speech to be very moving. His energy and eloquancy with the spoken word seems to transmit directly to the audience, and he kept me intrested the whole time. Oh, and he's called Dr.(?) Pagsi (did I get that right?).

At lunch time, my brother picked the seafood plate for me.  It was first time to experience haute cusine. I was expecting a large meal since I was going on without food since the night before. It had a chunk of fish meat, 2 rings of squid, 2 shrimps, 3 stalks of broccoli with some sauce on it. It looked beautiful, but I was hungry. CHOMP!! CHOMP!! CHOMP!!

By dessert I was composed enough to appreciate the food. I found the dessert to be cute. It was mango ice cream with a slice of banana, decorated with chocolate, and fruit puree, with ube roll cakes at the side. I hate ube, but the smell of the cakes was so sweet I also ate them.

I was excited to go to manila Hotel for 2 things, the ghost stories and the history of the place. The ghost stories part disappointed me, but the antique furnishings, the smell of wood got me good. I even found an old school thermostat control.

But for me, it was a fun day to spend with my family, my parents, along with all my siblings...just us, like when we were kids. It makes me kind of nostalgic of the times when we were still little.

The San Felipe Biomen (Kuya as Red-1, Jonathan as Green-2, Me as Blue-3, Ditse as Yellow-4 and Ate as Pink-5)