Greenwich — usual pizza fast food hang out of most people. You may ask why I’m blogging about it since it’s so common like Jollibee or McDonald’s. Well, read on…

Greenwich

April 17, 2009, Isetann Recto Branch

I love pizza and pasta so for a snack, we went to the nearest pizza place from the LRT Recto Station. Greenwich! They have new pizza flavors, the overloaded pizza — grilled beef shawarma, hickory bbq chicken, overload special, meat & cheese overload, cheese & sausage overload, many more.

We ordered cheese & sausage overload and lasagna supreme, my favorites. Perfect thin crust, melt in your mouth mozarella cheese, lip-smacking sausages, all in one pizza. Creamy white sauce, tasty meat filling, piping hot melted cheese, al dente pasta — that’s the lasagna supreme.

While enjoying all of these, we encountered one problem… a cockroach problem. I’m glad I’m not the sensitive type. I didn’t puke or go green… LOL!

I sent a text message to the number posted on the receipt, telling them about the cockroach seen. I got a reply saying that they already requested an additional treatment. I would follow up on this so please stay tuned… LOL!

P.S. Calling Acer Cervantes of Raidex, maybe they can be your next client?

UPDATE: Fogging and misting for the next pest control will be on the first week of May.

Sunday, March 22, 2009, SM San Lazaro.

Dining out with my mom, Sidney and Keith, one hot Sunday. Airconditioned malls luring us from the scorching heat of the streets. At the mall, it was nice and cool. I got hungry while we were looking for shoes and after I’ve tried about a dozen pairs. I suggested that we eat somewhere we haven’t tried before. Walking along, we found Avento in a very unlikely place. It’s beside a clothes/shoe store and Max’s Restaurant. After looking at the menu, we decided to give it a try since Sidney wanted pasta and Keith wanted pizza.

Aveneto Pizzeria Ristorante is yellow. LOL! Upon entering the place, their lighting is a warm burst of yellow. They have a sitting capacity of approximately 60 pax. Their chairs are not quite comfy but the tables are wide enough to be able to have private conversations without having other people eavesdropping. Their walls have pretty frames and pictures.
For starters, we had cheddar munchers. It is deep fried potato with cheese inside, like hash brown but creamier. I like the crunchiness and I think this would go better with mayo than ketchup.

We also had pasta, oil with garlic and seafood cream sauce pasta. I didn’t enjoy this although I like the taste of the cream sauce. This looks like it has been stored for days and was just reheated in the microwave. As for the seafood, it has squid, shrimp and mussels. The squid was tough, the shrimp was so-so, and the mussels were squishy and mushy.

For pizza, we had New York Style Pizza. Some of the crust was burnt but i like the thickness of the crust. The toppings were enough to cover the whole pizza which was great.

I was disappointed with the dining experience here. I think they can do better than that.

I accompanied my dad to the market this morning. We bought a lot of stuff and one of them is a dozen balut eggs. Since I’m getting tired of steamed balut, I searched the net for variations on cooking balut.

Dinner for tonight is Adobong Balut on Garlic Rice. I got this recipe from Ms. Connie’s site: www.pinoycook.net/adobong-balut

Ingredients:
balut egg
finely minced garlic
soy sauce
vinegar
oyster sauce
freshly ground black pepper

- Saute garlic in oil until golden brown.
- Add soy sauce, oyster sauce and the sabaw of the balut into the pan over low fire. Mix well.
- Add the balut but make sure the pan is big enough that the balut will be in a single layer.
- Try to scoop the sauce and drizzle them over the balut. Simmer for 3 minutes.

- Add vinegar. Try not to move the pan or mix the sauce to lessen the sourness of the vinegar. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Turn off heat and mix the sauce.
- Serve over garlic rice. Enjoy!

I’d like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Randell. Without him, I won’t be getting the award I truly deserve. (ok na ba yan?)

Here are the rules:

When accepting this auspicious award, you must write a post bragging about it, including the name of the misguided soul who thinks you deserve such acclaim, and link back to said person so everyone knows he or she is real.

Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design. Or improvise by including bloggers who have no idea who you are because you don’t have 7 friends. Show the 7 random victims’ names and links and leave a harassing comment informing them that they were prized with “Honest Weblog.” Well, there’s no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon. List at least ten honest things about yourself. Then, pass it on!

Ten honest things about myself:

1. I start my day with Chico and Delamar. Without them, I feel like my day won’t go right. It will seem like something would go wrong and it’s all because I didn’t listen to The Morning Rush.
2. If some people are narcistic, I’m the opposite. I hate everything about myself — the way I look,  the way I speak, the way I talk to people, the way I walk, the way my life is going, the way I think, the person I’ve become. Even though I hate myself, I’m grateful that Mr. T loves me as me.
3. I’m a foodie. I love food and everything about it hence this blog. I love eating and I’m gaining weight fast. Controlling my diet is out of the question and I’m too lazy to exercise.
4. I sleep with my red bear since Feb. 14, 2005.
5. I’ve been re-reading Nicholas Spark’s “The Wedding” and “The Notebook” just because I want to shed my tears and I want to feel “kilig”. Those two books are so romantic.
6. I always put a” wall” around me especially if a person is being too close for comfort. I start moving away. That’s why I rarely have long term meaningful relationships with friends.
7. Currently, I’m enjoying the telenovela “Tayong Dalawa” on ABS-CBN. Kim Chiu, Gerald Anderson and Jake Cuenca starred in the series. Kim’s character kinda reminds me of me that’s why I’m hooked, I wanna know how it will end.
8. I’m addicted to ice cream. Currently in search for the best gelato in town.
9. Mahiyain ako. Sa sobrang pagkamahiyain ko nung bata, I peed on my skirt kasi ayaw ko magpaalam sa teacher na I need to go to the toilet. Sabi pa ng isang high school classmate ko na mas tahimik pa raw ako sa blackboard. Nagtataka sya pano ako naging student council treasurer nung college dahil dun.
10. Have I mentioned that I love ice cream??? (halatang wala na maisulat =P )
11. I have a mole on my butt.

The seven people I’d be tagging:

• RHIX – http://rhixyray.wordpress.com/
• JHUN – http://jun1013.wordpress.com/
• LIAD – http://eliad08.wordpress.com/
• LIZA – http://argueliz.multiply.com/journal
• PAMI – http://pammy1017.multiply.com/journal
• KIKO – http://dmessenjah.wordpress.com/
• NINA – http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=6017332&v=app_2347471856&viewas=1552609259

SPUDS!!!! An alternative to Pringles. I like this better cuz it’s way cheaper and cheesier.

See the cheese powder on the chips? It tickles your taste buds once you take a bite. It satisfies my cravings for salty food or snack. The crunchiness of the chips eases my tensed jawline after eating a few of these.

SPONGE – a choco soaked snack. This satisfies my cravings for chocolate.

I couldn’t capture the chocolate-y goodness with my camera. But I assure you that once you take a bite into it, you’d feel like chocolate is flowing out of the sponge (just like the real sponge). Oishi did great on the concept of this snack. I wonder if they’d make more flavors out of it.

Rushers invade Amazing Cones along Hemady Avenue.

Amazing Cones is “Pizza in a Cone” in which the dough is specially formulated to be malleable enough to form a cone without cracking and without a hole at the bottom, thus making it drip free at all times. its various fillings are a mixture of the classic (e.g. pepperoni, hawaiian, etc) and the novel (e.g. fajitas, longganiza mushroom, etc.). crispy and savory, these cones are baked in a patented design oven and may be reheated in a microwave oven without losing the crispness. pizza lovers will enjoy the convenience of holding on to the pizza cone, whether they are at work, at the movies, driving a car, or even while shopping! they taste delicious from start to finish.

This is the counter and the menu board is on the side. They have a wide variety of pizza flavors.

The rushers waiting for their orders while writing on JDV’s birthday card.

 Most of their pizza cones look alike… you’d see the difference once you’ve taken a bite into it. This one is “Everything But the Sink”. It has pepperoni, italian sausage, beef, mushrooms, pineapple, bell pepper, onions, tomato sauce, mozzarella.

I wish they had put more mozzarella IN the pizza, not only on top. I like the taste of the pizza cone but as you go nearer the tip, the fillings are only extenders.

They have a huge LCD screen at the back of the store. It showcases their products and their recent food exhibit in China.

Not only do they serve pizzas, they also serve ice cream!!! (which is typically on a cone)

source: http://www.amazingcones.com

It’s Friday night and as for our gimik, Ritchie and Janice decided to try the food stalls at Recto LRT Station. We’ve tried siomai at Yurito’s stall. I like their siomai because it tastes more like pork than extenders. They have garlic chili sauce which makes it tastier. Then we tried takuyaki at Kuya Chito’s stall. Jerry arrived and he asked if we wanted to have dinner… so…

One of the most recent food trips we had… As suggested by Jerry, we went to Mang Inasal. Located at one of the scariest and busiest street in the Metro… Recto. But that didn’t stop us from trying out their food.

Inasal is a type of Filipino dish, more specifically a Bacolod dish. The chicken is marinated with spices then grilled using charcoals.

At the counter of Mang Inasal, there’s a TV on the menu board. A video that teaches you how to eat using your bare hands is playing. They have a simple menu… most of them includes chicken inasal or pork inasal (barbeque) and rice wrapped in banana leaves. You just choose what part of chicken you want.

While waiting for our orders, Janice and Ritchie posed for the camera. LOL!

Our orders arrived. We had pork barbeque and chicken (leg & thigh part) inasal. The meat was tender, just the way I like it! According to the TV guide, this is how you should eat inasal. Open the banana leaves wrapping the rice then break them apart. Pour “chicken oil” then mix the rice using your hands. I’d like it better if there was toasted garlic with the chicken oil. This is best eaten with bare hands.

Mang Inasal has three condiments on the table. (See the bottles below?) The first is vinegar, second is chicken oil then soy sauce. Most people like to make their own sawsawan (dipping sauce) for the inasal. The most common sawsawan is soy sauce and kalamansi. Adding vinegar would make it a bit more sour and hot.

The best part of chicken inasal is that they give unlimited servings of rice. I give two thumbs up for this one. Price-wise, it’s worth it. Taste-wise, it’s delicios-o! (Well, except of the chicken oil, not having garlic) I’d recommend to have another night out at Mang Inasal.

Banapple Pies & Cheesecakes is located along Katipunan Ave., Quezon City. A quaint little store full of sweets and goodies! The place has a homey and comfy feel to it.  This is also a very nice place to have your first date especially for dessert-loving couples. *wink* Their menu board is written in chalk and only the beverages are listed.

They have a wide variety of cakes on their display. You can order a slice of cake and share it with someone or order a whole and give it as a gift. They have huge servings of the cakes. Definitely for sharing with a group of friends who are watching their weight or with someone special who you want to pamper.

Seating capacity is approximately about 20 persons. You might be rubbing elbows with your neighbor if the place is packed. Spammie invited Slizzie and me to try out the cakes. (Thanks Spammie!!!) Their menu is quite extensive, from sandwiches and pastas and pies to desserts.

This is the Banoffee Pie. I like it! Although the banana they used is too ripe for my liking. I love the crust. It’s not too sweet, not crumbly and it balances out the sweetness of the banana.

This is the Fudgy Mudgy Mud Pie. For chocolate lovers out there, this one is for you! The chocolate is too rich that it almost gave me a (as Spammie would say) soar throat. I would love to have this on days when I’m craving for sweets.

This is the Very Berry Custard Cake. Yummy strawberry! I like how light and airy this one is…. a nice alternative to the rich chocolatey goodness of the Fudgy Mudgy.

Last but not the least, the classic Blueberry Cheesecake. The crust is they same with the Banoffee Pie. The cheesecake in the middle is more like custard in taste. I like their version of Blueberry Cheesecake.

I’d definitely go back there again to try out the other stuff on the menu.

Chicken Lollipops

Ingredients:   chicken wings / soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, pepper (for marinade) / egg, flour or bread crumbs (for frying)

• Cut the chicken wings, separating the lollipop part and the V part. Make a small slice on the end of the lollipop part to push the meat to the top to make it look like a lollipop Then marinate is for about an hour.

• Dip the wings in egg before putting flour. I think this makes it crunchier.

• Deep fry at least 5 pieces at a time until golden brown. Drain excess oil to retain the crunchiness.

• Serve on a platter. It goes well with garlic rice and a side of tomatoes w/ onions.

Yummy!!! This is very messy to make but it’s worth it

Kimbap is Korean style sushi rolls. The main difference is that Japanese sushi rolls are rather minimalistic (you have just a tuna roll or just a salmon roll) whereas Korean kimbap contain all kinds of ingredients, look very colourful and somehow resemble a hearty sandwich. (source: http://jens.ohlig.info/archives/000056.html)

I made my own kimbap. The ingredients are: cooked rice seasoned with salt and sesame oil, crabstick, chicken spread, nori (seaweed ‘paper’), mayo, egg (optional). You’d be needing a bamboo mat to roll the kimbap.

Put the nori on the bamboo mat and spread rice on it. Put enough rice, not so much because you might have difficulty in rolling. Place the crabstick and chicken spread and mayo in the middle of the rice. Rolling is the hardest part, it might be messy but with practice, this will be easy. Roll it tightly and compress so it won’t fall off later when you cut.

I tried to reverse the layers by putting rice first then the nori. This has been more difficult to roll because the rice is too sticky. A tip is to make sure that the mat is wet before placing the rice to prevent it from sticking to the mat. Use a very sharp knife when cutting these into slices. I’ve tried using a perforated knife and it was messy!