OUR AWESOME PLANET

My Miele Votes

" The Miele Guide will be Asia’s first truly independent regional restaurant guide when launched in October 2008, and also its most authoritative—we do not accept free meals or advertising from restaurants. Written by food lovers who know and love Asia, The Miele Guide will rank and profile restaurants across the region’s major cities, categorised by country, city and cuisine, in a slim, indispensable volume. " (www.mieleguide.com)

The Miele Guide is now in their second phase where the public can vote their best restaurants this month May 2008. I don't really believe that Miele Guide is 100% independent because they are sponsored by Visa and Hyatt Hotels. In order for you to vote, you need to key in your Visa card. I'm sure Visa and Hyatt would have a say on the judges, restaurant critics and respected foodies who would vote in the other phases. In any case, I participated in the online voting and I had to make sure that Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung and Chef Chris Locher's C Italian Dining are included in the list.

I'm campaigning for the top 3 finest restaurants in the Philippines. (You are only allowed to vote for 3 restaurants per country)


Antonio's Restaurant in Tagaytay


Claude Tayag's Bale Dutung in Pampanga


C's Italian Dining in Angeles, Pampanga.

Please VOTE for them to be included in the MieleGuide.com !

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Jollibee, Philippines and Our Awesome Planet 30 years from now.

Aidan Congratulates Jollibee on their 30th year Anniversary!

I've always wanted to congratulate Jollibee, Philippines on their 30th Year Celebration! I got reminded about it when I saw their sponsored house during the Pahiyas Festival. This is one Filipino company I truly admire. Given a choice between Jollibee and McDonald's, I would go for Jollibee every time!

I'm just imaging, what would become of Our Awesome Planet 30 years from now. I will be in my senior retirement years. I still continue to blog away about how to eat healthy, lessons learned in 30 years of blogging and the secrets in living for 100 years. Aidan will be 33 years old and this was about the time I started OAP. We would be blogging together in OAP and we would have posts like what happened to the GB5 restaurants or what happened with Chef Florabel, Chef Laudico and others... I do hope OAP wins blogging awards locally and globally like Jollibee. OAP will be a multimedia site with photos, videos, and music about the beautiful things about the Philippines and Asia. In 4 years time, I would have posted my 1,000th blog post so 30 years from now, I do hope to post my 10,000th blog post. Market Manila and Dessert Comes First would still be there and we would reminisce together the early years of blogging in the Philippines. My imagination goes on and on...

What do you think will happen with OAP and the blogosphere 30 years from now? Please post your predictions and let's look back at this blog post 30 years from now, hahaha!

Jollibee, Philippines 30th Year Celebration
1975: The Tan Family opens ice cream parlors in Cubao & Quiapo, the first Jollibee outlets.
1978: Jollibee Foods Corporation is born as a 100% Filipino Company
1980: Chickenjoy is hatched. Jollibee Mascot debuts.
1984: The Champ is Launched1985: Jollibee becomes the #1 fastfood chain in the Philippines
1987: Efforts to establish a foothold abroad gained ground with the opening of an overseas outlet in Brunei
1991: Jollibee opens its 100th store in Bolton, Davao
1993: Jollibee becomes the first food service corporation to list its share in the PSE.
1995: Launch of MaAga ang Pasko sa Jollibee
1996: Jollibee opens its 200th store in Malolos, Bulacan and opens stores in Hongkong and Vietnam
1998: Jollibee opens its 300th store in Balagtas, Bulacan and its first in Daly City, USA.
2001: Jollibee opens its 400th store in historic Muralla, Intramuros.
2001: Jollibee hailed as Best Employer in the Philippines by Asian Wall Street Journal.
2003: For the 6th straight, the Far Eastern Economic Review ranked JFC as the Philippines' Leading Company
2004: Jollibee opens its 500th store in Basilan.
2004: Tony Tan Caktiong receives "World Entreprenuer of the Year" award from Earnst & Young
2006: CNBC Asia awards Ernesto Tanmantiong the "Corporate Citizen of the Year" award in Hong Kong
2007: Jollibee opens its 600th store in Aparri, Cagayan, and Las Vegas becomes the first US Jollibee store outside California

Anyway, Congratulations again to Jollibee! Paglaki ko, gagayahin ko kayo mga idol!

Text and Photos by Anton Diaz. Copyright 2008.

Halo Halo Foodie Secrets in Laguna...

In your next adventure in Laguna, consider to drop by these foodie places.
Panaderia, Pantoja Bakery, Los Banos, Laguna

In the Los Banos intersection with Jollibee and Mercury Drug as landmarks, you should see the Panaderia Pantoja of Laguna.


Buy the Paborita -- the favorite bread in Laguna. This is a perfect partner for the Halo-Halo since 1933 in Pagsanjan.

Aling Taleng's Halo Halo since 1933, Pagsanjan, Laguna

One should never miss this when you go to Pagsanjan. When you drive to Pagsanjan from Los Banos, turn right (going to Lucban) in the T-road section in Pagsanjan. Just right after the bridge, turn right and you should see this Halo-Halo since 1933 on your right side.


Aling Taleng's halo halo has been passed on for 4 generations since 1933. It has 7 ingredients : Kaong, Tubo, Mongo Beans, Leche Flan, Macapuno, Ube and Kondol. This is Pagsanjan's best kept Halo Halo secret since 1933. Have you tried their halo halo?

Don't forget to eat the halo halo with the paborita. It is the best halo halo combination you've ever tasted in your life.

Arabela, Liliw - The Foodie Place to be in Liliw, Laguna

In the land of slippers in Liliw, Laguna, the Arabela restaurant is the foodie place to be in. Usually people visit Arabela before or after they visit the Pahiyas in Lucban. It is about 45 minutes away from Lucban via the Majayjay road. The low-ceiling restaurant is cute and patronized by even foreigners.

Named after their daugthers Ara and Bela, Bobby and Tonet Camello started the restaurant by just selling cakes and brownies. Tonet is the cook while Bobby just loves to eat. These days, they are known for Pasta, Pizza and their Salad inspired by Italianis. Tonet confessed that they don't really have a formal background on cooking but they are just passionate about the food.


Kesong Puti Pizza Large (P220). Mozzarella, onions, mushrooms, black olives, green bell peppers, native white cheese.

Pahiyas, Lucban - 8 Things We Love About Pahiyas

8 Things We Love About Pahiyas

Pahiyas in Lucban, Quezon is celebrated in honor of St. Isidro Labrador every May 15. The date is fixed and this year, it fell on a Thursday. Saint Isidro is the Catholic patron saint of the farmers so it is not only celebrated in Lucban but all around the Laguna area during Harvest season. Coincidentally, Pahiyas celebration is within the rainy season.



1. Lucban Longganisa -- Ever since Tina Decal introduced us to lucban longganisa, we look forward to buying them every time we go to Lucban. It is made of natural ingredients (no preservatives) and lots of oregano. It is salty and not the sweet kind that we are used to. Dip it in vinegar and I bet you'll momentarily forget your diet. If you want to make your own, just inform me, I have the recipe to share with you.



2. Creative Harvest Displays - The families invest time and money to put up a good display that would look good during the day and at night. It is a photographer's haven (except when it rains heavily like last week).

Lucban, Pahiyas, Quezon

Myron, Zuni or Felix? The Battle for the Best Greenbelt 5 Restaurant

Have you ever wondered which is the best among the high-end restaurants in Greenbelt 5? Do you love Myron's Place, Zuni or Felix? If you can only spend on one restaurant, where would it be? Let me know your thoughts on this...

MYRON'S PLACE, GREENBELT 5

Mon Eugenio's Myron's in Rockwell created a blogging controversy in 2006 that generated significant profits to fund the new Myron's Place in Greenbelt. Named after his father-in-law, Myron's place is receiving good karma these days. They enjoy a unique nice location at the ground level of Greenbelt 5 where they have a convenient access to the basement parking and a nice view of the GB5 gardens. We love the dramatic view of the garden vista and we are quite impressed with the Noel Bernardo's interior design. Noel designed the high-end restaurants of Elbert's, Myron's, and CAV (would you know where else?). We love his dramatic, young and unique restaurant designs. You need to see and be impressed with the simple restroom of Myron's.



Myron's Place,
Greenbelt 5, Legaspi Street
Telephone: (+632) 757-8898, (+632) 757-9898

Sandwiches, Burgers, Ribs, Roast Beef, Seafood, House Favorites, Desserts | Small Bites, Spreads, Oysters, Salad, Soup, Pasta | Beverages and Wine


In-Store Theater drama inside Myron's. I love just seating here with a grand view of the garden vista. If you plan to reserve a table, specify that you'd want the spot with the couch area facing the garden.


Gordon Biersch Wheat Beer (P195 + 10% SC). I'm adventurous with food and I'm experimenting these days with food and wine or beer pairing. Myron's have unique grade A beers you can choose from. (Frankly, I'm not familiar with the grading system of beers. Would you know?). I tried the wheat beer and it was very interesting with my meal.

I don't want to rely on restaurant's pairing recommendation, any idea on where can I get training on pairing food with wines or beers?


Moroccan Lamb Shank with Apricots and Almond (P450 + 10% SC).

Rache loves to eat meat these days and this time, she tried Myron's moroccan lamb shank which was quite memorable. She had to use her hands to clean off the lamb shank with a bubble thought saying, "Sarap to the bones...".
Myron's is criticized for using cookbook recipes to serve in his restaurant in Rockwell but I do hope it's not true. Mon is a great cook but he chose to just create the recipes and menu, supervise the kitchen and manage the restaurant. They are coming out with a whole new menu in the next two weeks.



ZUNI, GREENBELT 5

Nand Prasad's Zuni executed their concept really well. They delivered their promise of an elegant dining venue with a relaxed and informal ambiance. They delivered their promise to serve creative continental and mediterranean entrees with meat and seafood cooked to perfection. They have the best restaurant service in Greenbelt 5 that I don't mind paying more than 10% for the service charge. Kudos to Chef Ding Lazona for a job well done in the kitchen. The paintings on the wall and roof, the uniforms of the waiters, and the overall ambiance would remind you of their sister company Duo in Serendra or Chef's Quarters in Malate.



Zuni Restaurant and Wine Bar
Greenbelt 5, Legaspi Street
Telephone: +632 467-3931, 757-0361, 757-0362

Appetizers and Salads | Create Your Own Salad, Soups, From the Grill, Seafoods and Meat | Zuni Specials-Seafoods and Zuni Specials-Meat Pasta, Rice, Desserts, Souffle | Wines Page 1, Wines Page 2



Norwegian Salmon (P485 + 10% SC) with Hollandaise Sauce. I like my salmon to be crispy with no black edges outside, and soft but juicy & flavorful meat. They cooked my dish to perfection in a reasonable amount of time.


Baked Roulade Sole Fillet (P425 + 10% SC) in nantua sauce, stuffed with mushroom, spinach and cheese, served with mashed potato.

Zuni likes to play with the sauces from Nantua Sauce to Ponzo-Wasabi Salsa to Port Wine Jus. Don't be intimidated by their food names. The Nantua sauce, in particular, is the same as the Tomato and Prawn Bisque Soup in their menu. We regretted ordering that soup because we got to taste it in our Baked Sole fillet. Anyway, we enjoyed the play of taste with this sole fillet.

[Pepper Lunch, Rockwell] 8 Trivias About Pepper Lunch in the Philippines

1. The original Pepper Lunch is definitely better than the pinoy copycat version, Sizzling Pepper Steak in Trinoma. The Japanese rice used in Pepper Lunch is consistently yummy. I learned that Pepper Lunch uses a patented Rice Robot to wash and measure the rice and the amount of water (talk about Japanese geek technology) to attain consistency on the rice to be served. Also, their cast iron plate is heated up to a 270 degrees centigrade to cook the meat instantly and retain its heat when it is delivered to your table. I remember that Sizzling Pepper Steak plates are not as hot as the Pepper Lunch ones.



2. Pepper Lunch in Rockwell will open on May 16, Friday! Yeah, the long wait is over! Currently, they are on a tasting preview for immediate family, close friends and Chuvaness' blogger friends within the week. Don't be surprised if you see this boarded Pepper Lunch outlet in Rockwell with some people entering it. You need to know the secret password to enter if you want to try it before Friday.

[West Side Story] After Avenue Q, West Side Story is the Musical Play to Watch in Manila!

I'm super excited to see the Manila production of West Side Story this coming September in Meralco Theater !

The Stages production of West Side Story will be directed by Audie Gamora (who himself starred as Bernardo). Christian Bautista will play Tony, and Joanna Ampil as Maria. I'm excited to see Joanna Ampil in a musical who is very successful in her performances in Miss Saigon, Jesus Christ Superstar and as Fantine in Les Miserables in West End, London.

Watch out for this!

West Side Story is a musical written by Arthur Laurents (book), Leonard Bernstein (music), and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics). The story is based loosely on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, which was, in turn, based on a narrative poem by Arthur Brooke entitled The Tragicall History of Romeus and Juliet (1562), which was in turn inspired by the legend of Tristan and Isolde.

Set on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the musical explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The young protagonist, Anton ("Tony"), who belongs to the white gang, falls in love with Maria, the sister of the leader of the rival Puerto Rican gang. The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theater. Bernstein's score for the musical has become extremely popular; it includes "Something's Coming", "Maria", "America," "Somewhere," "Tonight", "Jet Song", "I Feel Pretty", "One Hand, One Heart", and "Cool".

(Source: Wikipedia on West Side Story)