Frannywanny

Bad Bird is the perfect example of East meets West. We went on a relatively quiet and slow lunch day at Hole in the Wall yet this store was so busy taking orders, cooking and serving platters after platters to its eager and hungry customers. Of course, we just had to join in the fun (a.k.a. nakiki-uso ) too! This stall specializes in umami fried chicken which are perfectly deep-fried and coated in their special flavors. What makes this food concept so interesting is how fried chicken, which is very western, pairs so well with a wide-array of Asian-inspired side dishes -- Kimchi coleslaw, corn covered with Japanese Kewpie mayo and bonito flakes, Waffle with Miso Butter and more! It's definitely the place where Uncle Sam and Mr. Miyagi can happily dine in together. Each fried chicken plate comes with 2 substantial cuts of chicken. Do take that phrase seriously as those cuts are HUGE! While others would just hide the tiny meat within a thick breading, this one seriously was al...

Just about the same time two years ago, Paul and I went to the US for a quick R&R. During the said trip to   California, we were able to try a restaurant called Umami Burger and believe me, they just got to have the best burgers in town (or at least from those that we were able to taste) . The flavor was just so intensely good that it left me in such a happy state days and months after. Just like the word umami  which is Japanese for  perfectly flavorful , Umami's burger was exactly that. It had all the right flavors that would make you want to close your eyes and savor one bite after the other. Here in Manila, there's a new restaurant at The Grove by Rockwell Land that shares a similar name -- Umami Hambaagu House is what it's called. The Grove is the up and coming premier property located right across Tiendesitas. At present, Starbucks Coffee has opened a branch there as well as Sunrise Buckets too. Expect more restaurants to follow suit in the coming mon...

While planning for our trip to the US, Paul and I did not expect that we are about to embark on a journey to Burger Land! Everywhere you go, you'll surely encounter a burger stand or a restaurant serving the meatiest, biggest burger ever seen! From the famous In-n-Out, which I will talk about more in detail in my next entries, to the gourmet ones such as Umami Burger where my dear friend Karla brought us for dinner one chilly evening, we had a great time having a taste of all-pure beef with the freshest veggies and soft burger buns. Back in Manila, I'm not really a big burger fan as I prefer the non-meat choices such as Burger King's BK Big Fish or McDonald's Fillet o Fish sandwich however, since I am in Burger Land I have to try these burgers and see why the locals love them so much. As mentioned above, it was a very chilly evening where the temparature was at 8 degrees celcius. We buttoned up, pulled down our hats and shivered our way towards Umami Burger alon...