Frannywanny

For almost two years, my brother in law E has been telling me about this restaurant that he discovered that has according him, "the best and most tender crispy pata ever" Since Papa and Paul also love Crispy Pata, Livestock has then long been part of my growing list of restaurants to try. Finally, we got the chance to travel all the way to Quezon City to try it out. I'm so happy as even Kongkong and A-I were able to join us too. Livestock is located behind ABS-CBN. It's part of this small complex that houses a couple of other restaurants such as one that serves a variety of seafood dishes, a ramen stop and more. We got there quite early and were lucky to score a long table for 9 at the ground floor. The menu of course had a lot of different pork dishes but of course they also have a lot more typical Filipino options to choose from. For some reason, all of us where not THAT hungry for dinner that night so we actually just had four viands to share. First was the...

I still remembered the day when I first met Chef Myke Tatung . It was to have a joint birthday celebration for my former boss D and a couple of our other colleagues. Working for a food magazine meant being in the company of food-loving people who have that special talent of searching for these hidden gems regardless of where it may be in the world. We had a delicious 4-course dinner in his cozy home in Quezon City. A few weeks after that, I went back with Paul and we enjoyed yet another delicious meal. Since then, I've been in touch with Chef Tatung as he would contribute to the magazine every now and then and we eventually became friends. A few years following that, Chef Tatung told us that he opened a new restaurant in Taguig which specialized in Filipino cuisine . Of course, our team went full force to support him. We have returned a lot more after that and his restaurant has been one of my favorite go-to place up until Paul and I moved to the Lion City. A few months ago,...

We only had three whole days in Cebu and with all the meetings, trade checks and a grand cooking demo lined up, the only thing that kept all of us in high spirits was the thought of being able to eat good food for all three days. Of course, I made sure that my team won't go home disappointed so I did my research and had my list all ready. Given our short visit, I wanted to give them a little bit of Cebu's best -- gastronomical-wise. We were able to try two of the best lechon brands in the city, had an amazing night cap while enjoying the best warm brownie cup in La Marea and of course, our celebration dinner just had to be in one of the best local Cebuano restaurants as recommended by fellow bloggers and the Lonely Planet .  This is none other than Golden Cowrie Native Restaurant . Golden Cowrie has been around since 1982 (we're of the same age!) . They're known to offer really good local dishes which we luckily were able to try that evening. The ambiance exu...

When I predicted that 2012 will be a busy year, I wasn't expecting for it to be THIS busy. I've been buzzing around like a busy bee ever since I returned back to work on the 2nd day of the year. Meetings conducted one after the other, reports growing by the number and a lot more! Don't get me wrong, I entered the year with an optimistic heart and I'm just so happy doing what I'm doing right now. In other words -- I. Love. My. Job. Still, after a hectic work week, what makes my heart flutter is the thought that the weekend is here! This is the only time when I can stay in bed longer, catch up on my favorite TV shows and go out and eat, eat, eat to my hearts content! Aside from Chinese and Japanese cuisines, I love Filipino food. How can I ever say no to that mouthwatering Lechon or that heart-stopping, oil-dripping Garlic Pork Adobo that goes perfectly well with steamed white rice? Oh the thought of it always puts a smile on my face. There are a lot of Filipi...

Remember my story about this particular Filipino restaurant that my family would frequent on a weekly basis? Just as much as we love Chinese and Japanese food, my family is a huge fan of good traditional Filipino cuisine too. Since the disappearance of Harana more than a decade ago, it has been a while since we've been loyal to a specific Filipino restaurant simply because there hasn't been any that can match up to the taste and quality of service of our favorite Harana . While I truly appreciate modern Filipino cuisine where I like trying deconstructed traditional dishes such as the ones tried here , here and here , my parents and grandparents still prefer Filipino dishes cooked the same way as it was centuries ago. Then we tried Abé , a traditional Capampangan restaurant operated by the LJC Group . We first visited Abé years ago when they opened in Serendra Piazza . Together with my grandparents, we ordered a couple of their house specialties and enjoyed it very much...

It has been almost 10 months since Krazy Garlik opened its doors to the public. Since then, it has teased the palates of hundreds of garlic lovers in this side of town. Who would have thought that they can add garlic in practically any dish ... yes, even in sweet desserts. My first visit was pretty memorable. I enjoyed the Hara-Kiri , the Snowflakes Pizza and the Garlicky Crispy Pata . Most of all, I will never forget the special Crema Catalana that had candied garlic cloves on top. It was THE BEST. Due to its location, I rarely get to visit Krazy Garlik even if it has been on my list to dine in again. I'm glad that I had that chance to go back with fellow bloggers one weeknight and Paul was also able to join me on my return. Hooray! I love the happy, crazy vibe of Krazy Garlik . As you enter the restaurant, you'll see a bright colorful mural of Alice in GARLICland . Walk towards the washroom and let the characters of the story direct you to the right cubicle. We...

So we continued with our Sooo Pinoy Food Tour where we left Quiapo with a mind filled with new found knowledge and a satisfied stomach after tasting samples from Excellente Ham and Master Hopia Factory. We boarded our Wi-Fi bus that took us to our final stop of the day -- Cafe Adriatico in Malate. Paul , upon learning that Cafe Adriatico was part of the itinerary, became so excited as he reminisced about the fun times he had dining there with his family when he was a little boy. He told me how rich and delicious the Chocolate Eh was and he remembered having the Beef Fondue on every visit. Sadly, the restaurant had to do slight changes through time and I can't seem to find his Beef Fondue in the menu anymore. However, the Chocolate Eh was still being served together with their sandwiches or pastries which makes a delicious Afternoon snack. Our dinner began with a bowl of Sinigang na Bangus Belly sa Bayabas (Php. 220). Sure, we have been eating all day but I love Sinig...

I guess I can say that I am very lucky to be blessed with a handful of great friends. They are the kind of friends whom I can definitely trust and count on in good times and bad. These friends are those whom I've grown up with and have spent countless memories of fun school years together. It's funny though that I find myself part of a number of trios, which clearly shows that Three is NOT a Crowd . Here's one trio that has been together for more than five years -- it all began in our university, UA&P , where we were all active members of the student council. E was the finance officer that school year where I was part of her office that launched the first ever UA&P discount card . C was the one who took over this big project and brought it to new heights the following year. I really couldn't remember the nitty-gritty details of how our trio was born but I can probably say that it was simply because we all got along really well and the rest was history. Ther...

In the numerous times that we travel to Tagaytay for a short weekend getaway, some things remain constant . How we would always make it a point to visit the Pink Sister's Chapel, how we would always buy Buko Pie, Tawilis and Ube Jam and lastly how we would always devote one meal at Josephine's . In fact, back when driving up to Tagaytay was a breeze and we would find ourselves craving for ice cold Halo-Halo on a hot summer day, my family would just round up the clan and head to Josephine's for an afternoon break while enjoying the cool wind and the marvelous view of the Taal. In our recent Tagaytay vacation, we had our Sunday lunch at Josephine's. As usual, there was waiting line but the turnover and service was quick that we immediately had a table ready for us in no time. Mom left the ordering to my sister and I. We immediately chose our family's favorite and added a couple of new items in our list. It was starting to drizzle and with the cold wind that...

I can't imagine a world without garlic. No Aglio Olio, no garlic bread, no 40 cloves garlic chicken and a lot more. Perhaps half of the the world's gastronomical masterpiece will become bland without the use of this powerful herb. Enter Krazy Garlik , the newest go-to place for garlic lovers in the Metro. It's brought to us by the Bistro Group , the same company who owns Italiamnis , Flapjacks and Fish and Co . Barely a month old, you'd be surprise to see the restaurant filled with happy customers even on a weekday. I guess this is a good sign for a new business that is actually just a local concept. We arrived a little past 12 and there were just two tables available. As the server led us in, I marveled at the cute Alice in Garlic-land mural on the wall. Very whimsical and clever. To start off our meal, we had Creamy Garlic Fondue (Php. 255) which had a couple of garlic bread slices and a bowl of cheezy, creamy garlic dip. It's light and definitely a p...

We're so blessed to have a number of couple friends whom we regularly go out on double/triple/quadruple/quintuple (!!!) dates with. Paul and I truly enjoy chatting with them and sharing stories knowing that we can all relate with one another. Such is the case with one of our favorite couples S and J who just got married not so long ago and are now busy opening their very own hardware shop (for readers living in Quezon City please drop by their shop called N.S. Amoranto along..you guess it right! N.S. Amoranto street!) . I always look forward to dinner dates with S and J simply because they are really fun to be with! We can all just chat and chat all night and end the evening feeling happier and stress-free. One evening, we got a message from J inviting us out to dinner. Since we were just around the vicinity, we agreed to meet up near their hardware shop as Paul and I are looking for something new. J suggested Asian Twist . Following S' instructions, we were able to find ...

It somehow felt nostalgic, the moment we stepped into the newest branch of Whistlestop along Jupiter street in Makati . Our last Whistlestop visit happened four years ago and this was when Paul and I met up with a couple of fellow online sellers for an afternoon of chit-chats and good food. After that, Whistlestop bid us goodbye as the original owners migrated to the US. For something this good, we were hoping and praying that Whistlestop will come back. Our prayers were answered because early this year, Whistlestop finally opened its doors again under the management of young entrepreneurs Lex Ledesma and Dennis Gan . Over lunch last Sunday, we were invited by the owners to sample some of their well-loved dishes. We entered the cozy looking restaurant located beside Starbucks Coffee Jupiter which was just a stone's throw away from my previous office. Oh how I wish Whistlestop was already there when I was still working in Makati. As we exchange stories with fellow bloggers and t...