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Sunday, October 29, 2006
Chef Tony's Popcorn-Fest
I love popcorn! Specially the holy kettle corn ones. At some point I was addicted to it. I would usually buy a large pack (P60) from Petron Buendia cor Makati Avenue on my way home. More than usual, I would finish it off and afterwards feeling guilty about not sharing it with my wife.
I first tasted Chef Tony's popcorn when I passed by Pricesmart before it closed down. So when an invitation from Spanx on Penny's Popfest to try out Chef Tony's popcorn flavors, I immediately raised my hand.
We (me and Yuga) went to Penny's place in Kamuning and we were late. The event was supposed to start at 4pm but we arrived at 8pm coming from Antipolo. I underestimated the time it would take coming from Sassy's house-on-a-hill in Antipolo to Kamuning. Also, we had a very interesting conversation with Sassy at Vieux Chalet for the Awesome Blogger series. We'll tell you more about this in a separate post. So, we were not able to meet the other bloggers but I'm glad that there are still some popcorns left for us to taste.
There were 7 flavors to choose from: Original Caramel; (special flavors): Light, Pesto, Cinnamon; (premium flavors): White Chocolate Walnut, Parmesan, Mochachino with Almonds. It was popcorn heaven for us and thanks to Penny, Spanx and Chef Tony for this blogger's popfest. The Original sells for P45 for the small plastic tub and P100 for the big plastic tub. While the Special flavors sells for P60/P120, and Premium flavors for P95/ P180, respectively.
What's the verdict?
1. The popcorn is too sweet for me. The reason I'm addicted to Holy Kettle Corn is that the caramel is unevenly distributed. It is always a thrill every time you get a popcorn with lots of caramel in it. The Chef Tony's popcorns have flavors that are evenly distributed. It is very good at the start but it would only last for a few minutes and it does not have that addicting quality. It may work for you though.
2. The Parmesan is the best! Everybody agrees with this and it was the sure winner. The parmesan cheese is able to address the issue with #1 and differentiate the flavors from sweet to saltiness to sweet. Unfortunately, this goes under the premium flavor, so just to taste this you would have to pay almost P100-- for a popcorn?!
3. I like the way Chef Tony use good tasty ingredients like the almonds and walnuts. The nuts add texture and serve as the neutralizer for the sweetness of the popcorn to prevent "suya" (i just can't think of the english term for this, it is at the tip of my tongue!).
4. The Pesto flavored popcorn taste like Pesto pasta which is the idea. It just tasted weird for me. Of course, they need to sprinkle pine nuts to complete the Pesto Pasta experience.
5. I was disappointed that all flavors that were served for this popfest were old flavors already. Penny just mentioned that the peppermint flavor and macadamia choco swirl popcorns will be its Christmas limited edition but where was it that we are now trying out his variety of popcorn? I was expecting that they would introduce his new Christmas flavors but I don't know what happened. I felt like Chef Tony just wanted to get blog buzz and did not pay attention to this. I'll be more careful next time.
Lastly, I suggested for Chef Tony to come out with a special assorted tub where you can have 3-4 flavors in one big tub. This would be awesome! I'll be the first one to buy them :) Also, we can't wait for the Christmas popcorn edition, hope they make it on time!
October 29, 2006 in 07. Foodie Discoveries | Permalink | Comments (9) | TrackBack
Thursday, October 26, 2006
The Blogging Gospel of Yuga
In my quest to promote the Philippines, I came to realize that I need to push further the envelope of alternative media. Aside from photo-blogging, I'm attempting to learn to develop creative videos that would highlight the beauty of our country. It is a long journey, and it took me a one year and a half to really learn how to blog and how to take good photos. Did you know that I only started to take photos on January 2005? Yes, that is the time when I also started my blog. The catalyst for this was my son Aidan, when he was born on January. Well, you can look at the archives and see the difference in my writing style and photography from the time I started until now.
Finally, I'm starting my video-blogging quest this month. To kick it off, I'm starting an Our Awesome Planet show entitled: "A Blogging Life: Awesome Pinoy Bloggers". The intent is to inspire other Filipinos out there on the power of blogging and to give a glimpse on the blogging life of the blogging idols in the Philippines. I'm starting the series, with Abe Olandres known as "Yuga" in the blogging circle. He runs his personal blog at Yugatech.com. He also runs pinoytechblog.com, pinoytravelblog.com, pinoyblog.com, and pinoytopblog.com sites, among others. Yuga is one of the person I admire because of his rags to riches blogging story. For those of you who are not following his blog, just watch the video to get a glimpse of one of the pioneer pro-bloggers in the Philippines. He revealed some of his blogging secrets and keys to his success :)
Check this out: Clipcast Director's Gallery: The Blogging Gospel of Yuga
If you have a slow connection, just let the video download first before playing the entire 4mins+ show. Please please let me know what you think... Thanks to my brother, Rommel for teaching me the tricks of the trade on video editing! Thanks to clickthecity.com for hosting the video!
October 26, 2006 in zz. Internet Marketing, Cool Sites, Other Interests | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBack
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
My Kaya Addiction
I am officially a member of Kaya-holic anonymous. I'm totally addicted to Kaya!
Super thanks to Anton Lim for bringing me these two bottles of super addicting Kaya! There are two versions, the usual Authentic Ya Kun Kaya brand from the Ya Kun chain in Singapore. The other one is from Toast Box which gained a good following with allegedly long lines in their Wisma Atria outlet. I love them both!
The Ya Kun version comes in green color brought about by pandan. It also has the same consistency as the sweet filling in Brazo de Mercedes and it taste like it too. The this Kaya version boast of all natural ingredients of egg, sugar, coconut milk and pandan. Imagine a leche flan that you can spread in your pandesal and enjoy it for its sweetness. Put it with butter and toast it together, and you will have your own Kaya toast right in your own home! I can even put as many jam as I want unlike when I buy it at the Kopi Roti store. It is perfect if it goes with your own coffee with condensed milk.
The Toast Box version comes in golden brown color because of the honey. This is similar to our Coconut Jam with a honey twist and a smoother light consistency. I was wondering why our own coconut jam, is not elevated to this level of addicting status. If you love the honey taste, then this is perfect for you. I agree with Anton Lim that this is a special kind of Kaya that is worth lining up for. Thanks Thanks so much!
I do hope these Kaya bottles could last me until end-November. But I doubt it though :)
Authentic Ya Kun Kaya's Ingredients:
Eggs, sugar, Coconut milk and pandan
with no preservatives added nor artificial colorings and flavorings.
Toast Box Hainanese Kaya with Honey Ingredients:
Fresh eggs, Fresh coconut extract, refined sugar,
modified starch and approved colours E102, E110, E133...
October 24, 2006 in 07. Foodie Discoveries | Permalink | Comments (18) | TrackBack
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Sa In Yo
Maong: "Where are we going to eat?"
Anton: "sa inyo..." (in your place)
Maong: "sa amin?" (in our place? )
Anton: "no, sa In-yo"
I always love discovering new places and make my wife or friends guess where the new place is. At the rate that I'm discovering new places, it is seldom hard to find a nice resto that we have never eaten before. So when the buzz about the new In-Yo cuisine kept on arriving in my inbox, we decided to check this place out. I have a good feeling going to In-yo, since it's a filipino house converted into a restaurant and a promising Nino Laus as head chef.
This is the official meaning of In-Yō : "In Filipino, inyo means yours. In Japanese, in and yo represent the two opposing forces in the world, much like the yin and yang; and when these elements work together, a fusion and a balance are achieved. In-Yō Restaurant is a casual fine dining restaurant that offers delectable creative cuisine complemented by a one of a kind ambience. In-Yō was brought about by the love of the owners for good food and the fondness for tasteful interiors, scenic landscapes and gardens. "
It is French and Japanese fusion that I've never tasted before. Head chef Nino worked for Parallel 45 and Kai, then decided to create In-Yō along with his partner Cris the manager of the resto. They converted a part of his lola's house along E. Abada (in front of Ateneo), to a unique Filipino zen like ambiance.
There are two floors, and the 2nd floor can be reserve for special occasion for 10 people. This is where we stayed and disarrayed everything for our impromptu photo shoot. The Staff were very friendly and accomodating. Definitely a dating place that we want to keep hush hush for the moment. It is cash basis only as of now, but hopefully credit card services will be available in 2-3 weeks time. Expect to spend P600/head if you plan to eat a 3-course meal.
The verdict? In-Yō delivers on its promise of being a place of delicious food, relaxing ambience, and excellent service --- at a friendly price. This is one of those word-of-mouth secrets that I hate and love to share. Congratulations on In-Yō's first month anniversary last night!! Thanks to Thomas, Bing and Kitch for the tip on In-Yō! Lastly, another friendly tip, stay away from the ice tea and the desserts if you want to save on your bill :)
- The In-Yō Ambiance.
The following quotations below came from an In-Yō email invitation by Charisse Pau (sister of Nino Laus) to friends.
"In the midst of a busy and fast-paced society, we wanted to bring a piece of the province's relaxed and peaceful atmosphere thru the creation of a restaurant with a homely feel paired with a contemporary eclectic Asian design (most of the furnitures that you'll see in the resto are either re-used from the old house or given as gifts from friends and family who travels around asia). "
"The design concept of the restaurant was inspired by the existence of an old house right in the heart of Katipunan. (Yes, it's the same house along e-abada where i spent more than 20 years of my life... that spells my age! my friends would call our house "gubat" or forest due to the abundance of fruit bearing trees). "
"Btw, you will also see on the inside walls of the restaurant original artworks from well known artists in different media such as paintings, photography and sculptures (for the art lovers out there, you may purchase anything you find fit for your home). "
The place is not child-proof so we were afraid that Aidan might once again break something specially with the different works of Arts around the resto. What we love about the interiors is the different old musical instruments like a wooden xylophone, a guitar that resembles a ukelele, and drums. We were fortunate to stay in the second floor (pictured above) such that Aidan can freely wander and play around the room so we can take time with our photo shoot.
In-Yō Fusion Cuisine.
Menu (the menu items and prices may change)
Appetizer, Salad, Soup, Fish and Poultry
Meat, Pasta and Beverage
Set Menu and Dessert
Roasted Fresh Tomato Soup (P120++) served with Cajun spiced shrimp and In Yo Special Iced Tea (P55++).
I don't agree with their special iced tea. My friend even boasted that she makes better iced tea than this one. Sipping the hot soup was such a delight to me, especially to Aidan. It reminded me of liquid pizza made of tomato and cheese.
Shitake Confit Salad (P149++) with honey ponzu dressing sprinkled with crispy julienned tofu.
After eating a bite of this salad, you would wonder what is this magic honey ponzu dressing that turns this ordinary salad into something special. We asked the chef, and he said that it is a Japanese sauce with kiko man and Japanese vinegar. You should try this :)
U.S Hanging Tender Steak (P347++) with red wine sauce served with buttered seasonal vegetables with pumpkin risoni.
I just loved the pumpkin risoni that came with it. The lean steak was cooked medium rare which was fine with us. Could we add more veggies on the side? We have no doubt that this is one of the best seller in the house for carnivores out there. (just a question how is a risoni related to a risotto?)
Smoked Local Halibut (P295++) with watercress relish and saffron mussel emulsion served with agli y olio pesta.
O man, the fish was cooked perfectly -- it is firm, tasty and does not crumble easily once you chew it. The pasta with garlic and saffron sauce was cooked al dente and salted to perfection too. This is maybe one of the reasons that you should not order the degustation set menu so that you can order this best seller. (btw, what is pesta vs. a pasta?)
Broiled Coconut Lime Chicken (P185++) served with ginger garlic rice and buttered seasonal vegetables.
This is by far the most "worth it" dish we had last night. You will definitely get your money's worth and more. The generous serving of meat was full of coconut flavor and tanglad / lemongrass. The presentation of this chicken drumsticks (literally) looks like a lamb serving and this is the kind of presentation that you would hate to eat.
In-Yō Dessert
Chocolate! Chocolate! Cake (P190++). A recommendation but it was too plain for us...I think we've tasted too many valhrona choco cake that would not match with this one.
Trio of Creme Brulee (P109). Didn't meet my expectations on their dessert. Not even a spoonful to let us get the full taste of the three flavors. I think they can do better than this and of course, add more to the serving. Go, go Chef Nino!
The panel of ordinary experts (from left to right): my friend, Maong; my son, Aidan; and my lovely wife, Rachelle.
Sous Chef Gary Reyes and the gang of chef looks on as they prepare our dessert.
Here is my collection of chefs: Head chef, Nino Laus with sous chef, Gary Reyes.
Let me leave you with this....
Aidan caught in the act of eating...
I love to play this poppa.
In-Yō Fusion Cuisine.
66 E. Abada St., Loyola Heights, Quezon City (behind Katipunan Avenue)
Tel# +632 426-0301, +63920 960-7202
Operating Hours
Tuesday-Sunday
11am - 2pm; 6 - 10pm
As you can see, I was excited to write this post. Please let me know your experience with In-Yō.
October 19, 2006 in 02. 100 Awesome Restaurants in the Philippines, 03. Romantic Restaurants For Special Occasions | Permalink | Comments (40) | TrackBack
The FunnelCake Factory
Lately, I'm getting education on different types of cakes that are available here in Manila. The lesson for today is all about funnel cakes. For me, it is the cousin of pancakes and waffle. It taste like Maruya (a local delicacy of fried banana in flour) and it has the same consistency. It is fried and crispy. Usually it can go with any sweet toppings like chocolate, cream and fruits. Some of the existing flavors include, caramel almond, cinnamon, nutty choco loco, peanut butter banana, mango graham and tuna cheese. Funnel cakes are associated with Pennyslvania Dutch region of the US and popular around ball parks, country fairs, and festivals.
The funnel cake factory used to have a stall in the Fort strip and they transfered to the third floor of Festival Mall. Finally, they setup a 45 sq meter dining resto along President's avenue in BF. We were surprised that they were opened on a Fri and Saturday night until 12 mn when most of the shops would already close by that time. For late night desserts, they have a funnel cake fondue composed of three-piece fun-size funnel cake topped with banana and powdered sugar. They use toblerone for their chocolate and this would costs around P150 net. Here is a copy of the menu since they also serve sandwiches and coffee --> Funnel Cakes Factory Menu.
Mango Graham Funnel Cake (P90).
No doubt that this is something different. But it reminds me too much of our local Maruya version. You will feel guilty eating this since its fried, creamy, and lots of chocolate. I would not drive all the way to BF Sucat for this.
Anything sweet is always a hit with this baby. These days Aidan wants to use the spoon and fork on his own. He is turning two soon.
The FunnelCake Factory
President's Ave, BF Paranaque before the Ruins Night Market if you are coming from Sucat Ave.
Operating Hours
Sunday-Thursday 11am - 10pm
Friday-Saturday till 12 midnight
October 19, 2006 | Permalink | Comments (6) | TrackBack
