Foodie Manila

When we talk about food tripping it usually involves venturing out to a certain province or locale and eating the food there. But when Timothy Tiah took us food tripping it involved going from one restaurant to another. Ordering just enough at each place to keep you satisfied and yet not full. But after this was a series of meals where you just have to have enough space! So the food trip begins!

Shanghai 10

We started out at an MRT station underneath the KLCC Mall. We entered Shanghai 10 at a little past 1:30 PM ( my fault actually for asking a few more minutes to work a little bit more!) Tim quickly ordered in Chinese and the waitress was off. We had our own room. Tim explained that during the lunch rush, the noise level could get a way bit over the top and having an own room is sometimes not even enough.

Durian Pancakes

I was a bit thrown off when the dessert I thought came first. Durian Pancakes. (Yes durian pancakes!) It was basically a crepe made out of the durian meat and cream which was wrapped with the crepe. (They call it a pancake because it was for dessert. I dunno David explained this) It had a strong Durian taste to it which I just couldn’t get over. I guess it wasn’t for my palette.

Egg Tarts

They egg tarts came out next and they nothing really out of the ordinary. I still miss the egg tarts of Ilocos. Now those were awesome!

Fried Rice

Noodles

The noodles and fried rice arrived and I thought it was a bit odd that we were eating so little. Normally for the group that we had there would be 2 orders of each and everyone would eat to till they were full. Tim said we had to save room for the Rotiboy bun! Oh was I glad I did. After eating the noodles and rice, we quickly left and walked over to the KLCC mall where we found Rotiboy. Now if you are in KL, this is a MUST try. I cannot compare it with anything else. The bun was sweet but not too sweet. Soft and airy but when you start munching it turns full and easy to digest. I could have eaten this for awhile. If I was going to miss anything from KL, this would be it. Rotiboy. (Actually I miss Bak Kut Tey alot and regret being too tired and sleepy to actually remember to bring my camera to take pictures!)

Rotiboy Bun

Here's our big boss getting us the buns!

Rotiboy Bakeshop! Must TRY!

The EPIC Coffee Bun

Tim then took us strolling (to digest our food I’m guessing!) just below the Petronas Towers! I actually liked it. I like strolling in nice parks after eating. Something I don’t get to do back here in the Philippines. He toured us to the KL Convention Center and finally walked back to the car. Of course Tim had to get dessert and well, I went to KL and had Auntie Anne’s! LOL! It was one a simple food trip. The food was not particularly unique but the entire experience was great. The park walk was awesome. The KLCC was a great mall. Thanks Tim! Till I return!

KLCC Park

The Petronas Towers

Our Big Boss Tim Getting Auntie Anne's!

KLCC Mall

Our gracious host and leader Mr. Timothy Tiah (one of the founders of Nuffnang) took us all out for dinner at Duck King located at Jaya One just outside Kuala Lumpur. It would be a chinese dinner. And it would be one of the best. First to arrive would be the mapo tofu steak with seaweed or nori on top. The tofu was one of the best I’ve tasted. Nice and firm when you scoop it up but literally turns into liquid when you start munching. It was beautiful example of perfect chinese cooking. And then the main course started flowing in.

We had some deep fried Kang Kong which tasted alot like junk food snacks. That was gone quite quickly. The Peking Duck, Pork Belly, and Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet were all incomparable to anything I’ve tasted here in the Philippines. This was simply a divine meal. I didn’t know when to stop. With the absence of water or any soft drink to fill myself up, I just kept eating. It was beautiful. I am a big fan of duck. This meal was something. It was both unforgettable. We got to see the regular side of Tim Tiah. I admit I am a big fan of him and princess. (Audrey but no one calls her that anymore!) Thank you Tim for the food. It was one of the best I’ve had in a long time.

So Foodie Manila goes international. I was a bit hesitant to try a Hawker center since it was compared to our carinderia in the philippines. But then again this is Singapore. Their hawker center was the highlight of my trip. Can you say P90 for rice, soup, and duck?? Singapore food was awesome! (but KL food was even better!) Here are some shots of the food I ate!

Sesame Seed Chicken Rice

Duck Rice

Ramen ordered by Judd

The Best find in SG! .80 cup of Soy Milk!!!!

BK Sundae!

I was already starting to feel full. Full from the food but also from the stories and memories the food brought. Chef Kring truly kept her word. She has transformed the dishes General Santos had to offer and yet still maintained that which was so uniquely Gen San. It was wonderful combination of simplicity and exquisite flavor, all jiving to create beautiful symphony of taste and aesthetics. Dessert was no different. A fruit shot, which tasted sweet, but more of a fruit sweet and not sugar sweet. As well as the Buko Pandan which had strands of Buko Meat making each bite a pleasant bite. A variety of cakes as well as conventional and continental desserts were available during the buffet. What a wonderful way to end the meal. And just like when I left Gen San, I felt a bit sad leaving. But Gen San left me with a pleasant feeling, a wonderful taste, a delightful after-taste was left lingering. Just like Chef Kring’s cooking.

Buko Pandan; Fruit Sampler

Cheesy Cheesecake

Strawberry Cheesecake

I ended the last post with the journey to my memories of General Santos. The beautiful coastline that is Saranggani Bay reminds me of the LA coastline. (FACT: It was built by the US to mimic indeed the LA coastline) For a place stricken with so much conflict and strife, where war and holy battles be it justified or not is present, General Santos is beautiful place.

Just in time the 4 main courses were served.

Sinigang na Tuna

Sinigang na Tuna or Soured Tuna Fish Soup. This dish was great. It reminded me a lot of Sinigang na Salmon. In contrast to Salmon, the meat of the tuna is firmer. I really liked this dish probably because of my preference of Tuna.

Fish Roulade w/ Garlic

The word Roulade originates from the French word “rouler” meaning “to roll”. Typically , a roulade is a European dish consisting of a slice of meat rolled around a filling, such as cheese, vegetables, or other meats. A roulade, like a braised dish, is often browned then covered with wine or stock and cooked. Such a roulade is commonly secured with a toothpick or metal skewer, piece of string or spinach. The roulade is then sliced into rounds and served.

Pork Binagoongan

Although Pork Binagoongan is not a well known General Santos specialty the way the pork was cooked was just perfect. Tender and juicy while remaining succulent. The binagoong used also was a specialty of Chef Kring.

Tuna Panga

The Tuna Panga was one of the best I’ve ever tasted. Really fresh and the meat was tender and juicy. Chef Kring reveals her secret when I poked and prodded her for the secret to having my tuna taste this way. Ready for the secret?

Never scrimp on the ingredients. If you can get the freshest, albeit the cost being a bit higher do so. In the end the taste will be the ultimate judge.

General Santos City is well known for being the home of the People’s Champ, Manny Pacquiao. But for foodie’s like me, General Santos City means so much more. Bordering the line between Saranggani Province and South Cotabato, here lies a burgeoning city where rural life meets urban life. GenSan as it is more commonly referred to is a sort of melting pot of Luzon and the Visasayas. I was in GenSan only last May and let me tell you I enjoyed the food so much that I wanted to return purely for the food if not for the view. General Santos had indeed the freshest seafood you could want. Straight from Saranggani Bay, the Tuna is absolutely divine to be eaten with fresh fruit shakes. I am getting hungry just writing and recounting my visit. Chef Chriselda “Kring” Macion of Marasa Grill promised to take me back via the food she had prepared for us. I told her she had a tall task indeed!

Chef Kring w/ her Sous Chefs

A little background about our Chef today. Chef Chriselda Macion, Kring as she is fondly called by her friends and peers, is from Marasa Grill right at the heart of GenSan.(Marasa means masarap or delicious in english) She holds a B.S. Hotel and Restaurant Management degree from St.Paul’s College, Quezon City. Right after graduation she wanted to come back to her hometown and be of service to her community. She spent 8 long years working in the hotel industry, and after learning the ropes decided to open her own little restaurant right in her family’s garage. From a small 24-seating restaurant it grew in to a 60-seating restaurant not to mention the airconditioned function room which can hold 50 people in the adjacent area. She then decided to finally continue her studies and studied under TESDA to get the title Chef. She is a definite authority figure when it comes to General Santos cuisine.

Now Unto The Food:

First up appetizers:

Kinilaw na Tuna (Tuna soaked in Strong Vinegar and allowed to “cook”)

Kilawin na Tuna

Not to be biased, but I love this dish. I am a big fan of making dishes in Kilawin and this is definitely on the top of list. The juicy-ness of sashimi as well as the freshness of the fish is complimented with the strong taste of vinegar. How can you say stop after a couple of spoonfulls??

Kinilaw na Dilis sa Gata (Long Jawed Anchovy “cooked” in vinegar and coconut milk)

Kinilaw na Dilis sa Gata

I also am a big fan of this fish. But if you are not a fan of anchovies in the first place better to steer clear of this dish.Last up for the appetizers straight from GenSan is:

Eggplant Salad

Eggplant Salad

I am not a big fan of eggplant. So I did not try this. But based on how it looks, I think its quite good. Reminds me of ensalada. After tasting the appetizers, I knew the journey had begun. Memories from my General Santos trip slowly came back. It seemed like it was such a long time ago. And here I am again eating the same food. This was a good start. Chef Kring certainly is living up to her promise. I was excited as the waiters brought more and more food out. I knew it was going to be a tiring trip down memory lane.

And I was ready.
Cafe Jeepney offers a FREE buffet meal for a fifth person for every group of four buffet-paying adults. Diners get a chance to participate in the hotel’s 40th Anniversary Grand Raffle for every P4000 in a single recipet at the restaurant. Prizes at stake are a Princess Cruise for two to Alaska or the Mexican Riviera or the Caribbean and two round trip tickets from Manila to any European destination c/o KLM airlines.

Aside from the appetizers mentioned above Cafe Jeepney offers some unique concoctions of their own.

Shrimp Shot Pasta

Carbonara Shot

Can I just say that the bacon bits here were cooked to perfection! This is how bacon should taste like. Both crunchy and salty at the same time. Bacon in its perfect form.

3 Cheese and Crackers

You may call Cafe Jeepney at 793-7000 for reservations

I usually don’t venture out and try new drinks especially since they cost alot! But I had to try this Chai Latte. My office mates raved about it all the time. How could I pass that up? So I trooped off to the nearest Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (since apparently they have the best). I ordered my Chai Latte in LARGE so I had no choice but to finish it!

Upon first sip, I immediately found the taste funny. You could definitely taste the tea. But the hint of dairy because of the milk threw me off at first. I remember Chowking serving Chai Tea’s also but never bothered trying those. The more I drank I quickly determined there was Cinnamon in the drink. I took baby sips. Not because I wanted to savor every sip, but rather I was trying to get used to the taste in my mouth.

Chai Latte

Oddly enough, the more I started drinking, the more relaxed I felt. I didn’t feel the sudden on-rush of a sugar rush or caffine craze that comes with the stard espresso/cappucino/latte I usually order, but rather a soothing feeling which probably is because of the tea. It was sweet. Not too sweet though but leaves a Cinnamon taste in your mouth.

Over the experience was new. I slowly enjoyed and patted myself on the back for trying out new things. You grow to like it. I get now why people would like this drink. There is a chance I will be buying this again.

Gotta Love that Chai