First and foremost, Happy New Year dear readers! I can’t believe that its almost 3 years now and my blog is still going strong.

I am always on the look out for not only new places to try but good places to eat at. Although this might not be entirely be a new place it certainly is new to me. Yabu definitely excites me. With promises of deep fried pork or chicken with the Katsu sauce and authentic Japanese rice, I was eager to troop down to Megamall on a Saturday afternoon for this.

To be honest, Megamall usually doesn’t hold too much promise in terms of foodie finds. I mean c’mon the mall is a behemoth more suited towards shopping and designer brands.

But I’ve learned never to judge a location for what it might hold and I’ve surprised myself many times.

Actually, Megamall holds some of my favorite food places around the metro with it having one of the last El Pollo Loco branches that I can think of, and H.K. Choi for my chinese fix.

Here comes Yabu: The House of Katsu.

Boasting of highest quality ingredients, I was excited to try some of their best selling dishes to see what the craze was all about.

The staff was polite and accommodating even though the restaurant was full. Luckily there was a table right away and we didn’t have to wait.

Gisa was kind enough to accompany me on this hot saturday afternoon so as I won’t have to dine alone! Thanks again Gisa!

The table contained all the condiments but none of the traditional ones. We had sesame seed pig, the katsu sauce, japanese mayo and sesame seeds for the salad and vinaigrette.

We quickly ordered our appetizers. One order contains 2. You have to pick which 2 combination you wanted. We settled on the seaweed and tofu. It promptly appeared as we were starting to get into our conversation.

The tofu was high quality japanese tofu. It was supple and tasty. It didn’t taste as if it bland. It was really tasty.

The seaweed was altogether a story on its own. It was simply divine. Throughout the meal, Gisa kept going back to the seaweed. It was a bit sweet with just a subtle hint of tanginess. It really prepares you for the meal to come and luckily I wasn’t disappointed.

I tend to begin my articles about restaurants with items which are not really my favorites. But for this meal I didn’t know where to start. I mean seriously everything was really good. But let me attempt to begin.

I am not a huge fan of curry. In fact, I don’t really particularly like it. I’ve only liked  one curry so far in my travels, Singapore’s Beach Road Scissor Cut Curry rice. (search my blog and you’ll see!) But I have to admit, this came pretty close. (Nav’s Penang Curry also comes close) I enjoyed the Chicken cutlet deep fried and eaten with the soft sticky japanese rice. The curry was just right. I chose to go HOT but in reality it wasn’t spicy at all. It just had a little it of a spice to it but nothing to really scorch the palette.

The meals came in nice huge ceramic plates and I really appreciated eating with ceramic dishware as compared to plastic!

And now for the main course. I ordered the Kurobata or Pork Katsu. For those of you wondering what Katsu means, the word katsu, is an abbreviation of the word katsuretsu which means cutlet.

But before I indulge you with photos, one must prepare the Katsu Sauce. The restaurant will give you a bowl full of sesame seeds along with a pestel.

You basically ground the sesame seeds using the pestel until they are almost of powdery consistency.

The waiter mentioned that 2 scoops should be enough, but I like a lot of sauce on my rice and pork so I poured in more than 2 scoops! If you run out of the sesame seeds you can always add more via the PIG container on the table.

You should basically come up with something like this.

Finally my kurobota. This was one of the best Tonkatsu’s I have ever tasted. The pork meat was tender and flavorful. It was perfectly done but not over fried so much so that it lost its juicyness or that it was burnt. The coating was also just right as I didn’t feel that it was over coated so much so that it lost its taste.

Over all it was one of the best Tonkatsu meals I’ve ever tasted. Succulent pork. Authentic Japanese Rice. The sauce was amazing in itself. I really had an enjoyable time. The waiters were attentive and the manager was knowledgable about the items on the menu. If ever you are in megamall, I urge you to give Yabu a try! Definitely a great way to start my blogging year.

Thanks to Isay for the heads up on this resto!

Yabu: The House of Katsu

2nd Floor, The Atrium, SM Megamall

http://www.yabuhouseofkatsu.com/

So Jamba Juice finally opened in Manila and it took awhile considering how Americanized we are. The place was pretty new and in the nice part of Manila. Basically Jamba Juice serves up different kinds of smoothies with different “shots” for energy, immunity, etc. They combine different fruits and the franchise is actually quite famous in the US.

I love how if I’m not happy with my smoothie they will change it. I haven’t tried it though but I will definitely try to do it. I quickly asked the lady at the counter what their best seller was and was give Razmatazz. It was a combination of different berries but basically the predominant flavour was Raspberry. I’m not particularly fond of raspberry but it was ok.

I went for the smallest size which was 16oz.

To be honest, I don’t really know how to feel about my drink. I was a bit confused. I got energy shot to go with my drink. The fruits were fresh. None of the fruits tasted sour as if they weren’t ripe or anything.

It’s exactly like Fruit Magic but with the added branding of Jamba Juice. The 16 oz. cup cost P120

I can’t make any recommendation as of this posting because I don’t know enough about Jamba Juice. I’ll definitely try this again just to see if I really like it.

*on a side note, all photos taken with an iPhone 4 and I’m quite impressed with the results.

Yakitori (焼き鳥/やきとり/ヤキト), or grilled chicken is now open at the fort Burgos Circle. From the same people who brought you Ramen Bar, comes to you one of the most authentic japanese yakiniku restaurants.

When I saw the restaurant from outside, everything was quite simple and yet almost the entire restaurant was full. We were glad to be seated quickly and the service was polite and efficient.

Upon seating, the servers will hand you a piece of paper and you basically tick off which one you want to try and customize your whole dining experience.

I was quite excited and yet overwhelmed with all the choices. I quickly asked for the best-sellers and was quickly prepared.

We were quickly served some soup but since I was talking to much, I didn’t bother trying it.

Nina on the other hand liked her soup.

In order to complete our experience, we also ordered some Asahi Beer. It was their version of draft and I can say that it tasted pretty damn good.

One of the first skewers to come out was the Momo (P100 for 2 skewers) which translates to Chicken Leg Meat. Also, Momo Ninniku (P120 for 2 skewers) has a garlic piece in between and it was better than the original. A definite recommendation.

If you want to add a bit of spice to the skewers, you can ask for the 5 spice sprinkles and it lends to it a different twist and a bit of spicyness.

And now for the highlight of the night. Being Pinoy I had to have rice. The japanese Curry Chahan (P180) was the bomb! This is a definite must have. One order though is good for two. I noticed how everything is good for sharing between 2 people and I appreciated that!

The rice was fragrant, flavorful and for those of you worried that it would be spicy it wasn’t. This has gotta be the closest thing that comes close to my other favorite curry rice from another restaurant. No doubt we finished this.

We also were served non-chicken skewers like the Shitake (P150 for 2 skewers) I am a lover of mushrooms so I really enjoyed this dish. Nina on the other hand, dislikes mushrooms but she says it’s yummy. I think she was being polite.

Jagabei (P140)

Its no secret that I love bacon. No, love doesn’t capture it. I am crazy about bacon. I mean aside from Pancakes (which I wrote an ode to!) I may write an ode to bacon soon! So imagine my delight to see potatoes wrapped in bacon. The potatoes have the taste of bacon and was moist and soft. I enjoyed this dish.

Said to be also the most flavorful part of the chicken and definitely my favorite part of the chicken the next skewers is not for everyone.

Called Bonchili (P150) it is actually the chicken’s butt. I love this part. Full of flavor and just the right amount of fat, the meat was tender and didn’t feel any burnt parts.

For those who just want to drink and chill, the perfect side dish or pulutan would be Yagen (P140) or Chicken Keel Bone. It was a bit chewy but definitely tasty.

We also had some Tebasaki (P120) Boneless Chicken wing meat. Was never really a fan of white meat but still it was pretty good and full of flavor.

Lastly, and is the most sinful of all, we had some Kawa (P80) or Chicken Skin. This was so good and didn’t taste oily at all. I wouldn’t mind having a few of these skewers over and over again.

Over all Yakitori offers really quality food for good prices. A breath of fresh air in the area since a lot of the places are at the higher end of the price scale. If you are craving for some good chicken skewers but don’t really want to burn a hole in your pocket, then definitely try Yakitori! Japanese food is known to be expensive but these guys just got it right!

Yakitori

Burgos Circle, The Fort Global City

Taguig, Philippines

I received a package at the office the other day. It was 3 boxes of donuts! Being that it was the Christmas season it wasn’t a complete surprise that someone sent something to us. It could’ve been one of our clients. But what did surprise me was it was J.CO donuts! I’ve always liked J.CO donuts! Having offices in KL and Singapore I’ve tasted these bad boys before. What I liked about them were the unusual and yet simple flavors they had. I knew I was going to have a blast sharing these with the rest of the office.

I promise to add more detail to this post once I do some more research about them but here are some photos to wet your appetite.

Located the The Strip in Megamall, J.CO Donuts offer a variety of flavors from Choco Caviar (it has those tiny chocolate balls on top) to their signature donut the Al Capone which has white chocolate and a sprinkling of almonds.They also have cheese donuts and the matcha green tea donut all available. Like I said, non-traditional.

I promise to update more!

The verdict? I actually like these donuts better. They were soft and moist and most of all not sweet. Unlike other donuts which make me go crazy because of the sugar, I never felt like I was eating too much. I can actually have more than one just because it doesn’t have that “umay” taste.

I haven’t been to Megamall in a long time, and I’ve got a few more restaurants to try out there. Anybody up for a food trip? I know of at least  4 new place there now!

I’m a huge fan of breakfast. Not only do I think it’s the most important meal of the day, I think it’s also the best tasting. You cannot go wrong with any breakfast meal. From our traditional SILOGs (i.e. Tapsilog, Tocilog, Longsilog, Hotsilog, etc) to the more foreign continental bacon and eggs, pancakes, and waffles, to the more asian like Kaya Toast and Teh Tarik at the local Kopi Tiam, breakfast is really my favorite meal of the day. When I was in Singapore, I would adore the early morning walk to the local Kopi Tiam to get my fix of Kopi or Teh Tarik, Kaya toast, and soft boiled eggs. I ate this non-stop for the 2 weeks I was there. Yes I was indeed happy. When I was in Malaysia, I would wander off to the local Buharry or Mamak and order any kind of Mee they had and or Rojak or Roti and cold Milo and I was also happy. Now, why can’t we have something similar in Manila?

Flapjacks is indeed a breakfast place! Serving breakfast the whole day, along with other regular dishes, I appreciate that they have a branch open in Greenhills. After a quick run around the area, I would settle in to get my fix of Pancakes, Sausages, Bacon, and eggs. The thought alone would get me through my 5km run!

For today, since Flapjacks gave me a credit line to treat my readers, I tweeted over at @carlospalmaaa and @foodiemanila:

I was just wondering if someone would really show or would I really have to finish all the food by myself? Luckily a few readers showed up. *I asked if they wanted a photo on my site, but they were too shy to pose so no photos! but you know who you are!*

So instead, I’ll be posting the food they ate!

I ordered the continental breakfast because it had everything I wanted in a breakfast. Pancakes, Bacon, Eggs (sunny side up!) and Sausages! I ordered Orange Juice to wash down everything as well.

My breakfast was absolutely divine. Fluffy and light pancakes, well cooked eggs and sausage, and crispy bacon to boot! It also had a side of fruit consisting of pineapples and watermelons. This was a really heavy breakfast enough to tide me over for my photowalk that day over at Binondo. (Something I’d have to do again but this time for food!)

A reader ordered the Flapjacks Burger with Hashbrown.

According to the reader, the hashbrown was nicely cooked and not overly soaking in oil. The burger patty was full of beefy flavor. I guess she really enjoyed this meal.

Her friend ordered the chicken longsilog.

She really like the longsilog as well. It wasn’t greasy and wasn’t “malansa” at all. It tasted like the real pork counterpart and she quite enjoyed herself.

It was really nice having breakfast with some readers and talking about Food and Food adventures. I learned of a few restaurants that they apparently visited and was really good. I should really get to blogging again soon.

I hope to meet some of you guys soon!

Thanks to Flapjacks for helping me share this with my readers!

Science and Food has long been intertwined. From the very first man who decided to hold raw meat over an open flame gastronomy was born. Elements Gastrolounge seeks to mold together two things that the greenbelt area is known for, good food and good drinks. Drawing from the inspiration of a basement laboratory, the lounge offers your not-so-common barchow with a unique twist. The personality of the owners really shine through as each dish is signature and quite unique and equally good. But if you think Food is all they offer then you have to sit down and chillout for a few hours. As unique as the food was, the drinks were even more unique. Some of them served in test tubes with a test tube holder, some in beakers, truly sticking with the theme. Elements Gastrolounge is a place where you come for the food, but stay for the drinks.

Located where Bedspace used to be, the current bar transforms that particular nook into a more relaxed area, where one can head on over after a hard day’s work and have some good food, and even better drinks. They also offer the occasional acoustic night where one can actually jam with the band and just generally unwind. Cozy and quaint, the restaurant actually offers ambient lighting as one can dine in peace and serenity with friends and co-workers. With its pseudo-industrial design with open pipes, neon lighting, and wide open spaces, you will never feel cramped or crowded at Elements. The design actually helps in making the place feel more casual more relaxing, more cozy.

We naturally kicked off our lovely dinner with some bar-chow and some drinks.

We started off with some Mozza Croquettes – Deep fried mozzarella, potato and bacon croquettes with a tomato relish /salsa dip. This was quite nice as it wasn’t too mushy or too hard as some potato balls would go.

We also started off with 2 drinks. Red Iced Tea and Lychee Martini. The red iced tea was sublime. Brewed from real tea leaves, it wasn’t too sweet and it didn’t taste like it came out of a box or pouch. It also didn’t leave you with a strong after taste and it was really a great way to wash everything down.

The lychee martini was actually one of the best ones I’ve had. Not using the lychee syrup, the drink was perfectly dry tasting as it went down without a hitch and didn’t taste too sweet. I recommend this for those of you who loves martinis or lychee.

A platter of bar-chow was served next. California Spring Rolls – Crispy nori wrapped kani, mango, cucumber and tamago sans the rice and Sisig Taco – crispy lechon sisig in garlic aioli in soft taco were plated and served. Both were really good. The kani maki with the batter was absolutely awesome and I could imagine devouring a plate full of this.

The sisig taco was also really great. The sisg was decent on top of a soft taco shell it was actually bordering on a sisig quesadilla, and I know cheese goes well with sisig. Actually, anything goes well with sisig! (you guys remember the Sisig pizza?)

They also served us their version of chicken wings which they fondly called “The Bonchon Killer”. It actually tasted pretty close to Bonchon Chicken as it was double fried crispy chicken wings glazed in a thick sesame honey soy garlic sauce. It was basically candied chicken wings as they were a bit sweet and crunchy.

For the drink they served what they call the Breakfast Drink. It was yogurt drink with Banana liquor topped off with an olive and bacon. Like I mentioned, they didn’t do things traditionally. I was kinda iffy about drinks involving bacon, but then again how can you go wrong with bacon? Funny enough though, I ended up drinking this the whole night and it was somewhat a cross between a smoothie and alcohol. The drink was smooth and sweet accentuated with the saltiness of the bacon and olive.

They also served what they called a Two Timer. The flaming red shot for the girl, and the cool blue shot for the guy. I had a feeling we were going to get drunk by the end of the night. Must try when you drop by!

The other dishes they served us were:

Sakura Shrimp Pasta – vodka tomato cream based sauce with sakura shrimps and garlic. What I liked about this dish was the amount of shrimp that went into the pasta. They didn’t scrimp on the shrimp. *wink*

Beef Salpicao Kebab – Garlicky Beef Tenderloin grilled with Onions and Bell Peppers kebab style

The beef was tender and juicy. Each bite was flavorful. I wish they had a peanut satay sauce to go with it.

Teriyaki Burger

Surprise surprise, the burger had onion rings inside it!

Tenderloin Steak with Balsamic Vinegar

I never thought the two would go together but somehow they did. The steak was cooked just right and the meat was nice and tender. The aroma of the vinegar was awesome as it permeates the very smell of the beef.

Chocolate Cake – A chocolate martini

Detox – Cucumber, mango liqueur and gin,served in a beaker

Green Kryptonite – Chocolate mint shot served in a test tube

Over all it was a great place to hang out and relax after a long day. Come for the food, stay for the drinks, good music. Price range is somewhere in between Php 130 onwards, depending on how what you order. A bit lower than average GB prices in my opinion.

Thanks to King and Erika for inviting us over. It was still in its soft opening launch and they are still working out a lot of the kinks. But overall good service.

Also, happy hour is between 6-9PM where cocktails are buy one take one!

Elements Gastrolounge

3rd Floor, Greenbelt 3

Makati City, Philippines

Check out their Facebook Page here!

One of the perks of being a food blogger is when readers send over some of the stuff they make and let me try it. The other day, Lyschelle from Retox Ice Cream emailed me asking if I wanted to try out their concoctions of alcohol infused ice cream, and its ice cream, who would say no to ice cream. I quickly agreed and she had her partner send it over.

After the obligatory photoshoot of the packaging, I called over some officemates to partake of 6 different flavors they sent over. I didn’t know what to expect and was actually quite eager to try them all.

We quickly asked everyone who was “laway conscious” and luckily everyone said no. So we started passing around the pints of the different flavors. We also decided to skip on checking what was what and to trust our palettes to let us know what we were encountering.

I tasted Chocolate, Lychee, Watermelon, Irish Cream, Mocha, and Melon/Strawberry.

Each spoonful was full of flavor. The ice cream was creamy and didn’t taste too milky.

One pint was enough to make someone drunk. Just a few spoonfuls and I could feel my face start to turn red. The alcohol just made things a little bit better. Such a novel idea I thought.

All the flavors were actually quite good. But I loved the Lychee Sorbet. The concoction was light and refreshing. The sweetness of the lychee and you could barely taste the alcohol. (which was not a good thing because you tend to forget that it is indeed alcoholic!)

I think I finished more than half of the lychee sorbet.

My colleagues all enjoyed as well. Each one requesting if they could bring home a pint. This was a really great treat and I’m glad we were able to try it out. If you are looking for a novel gift, or maybe something to indulge and pamper yourself give Retox a try.

Retox Ice Cream

Contact them at retox.icecream@gmail.com

Call them at 212-1212 for delivery.

With the milk tea business growing and booming, a sudden growth of milk tea shops all over the metro has indeed sprouted up. Although some are exceptionally good, there are a bunch of those that make you even wonder why it’s even called milktea. Luckily Teatap at P.Guevarra cor. Wilson at San Juan is one of those places that you could somewhat call a real milktea place.

From the same owners of Kozui (the tea store over at Morato) comes the newest Milktea place. But this isn’t your run of the mill milk tea place, there was something quite distinct about Teatap that got me walking through their doors and ordering myself a tall cup of milktea.

I first heard about Teatap from my blogger friends Richard and Fran, both of which featured the store already on their respective blogs. But I brushed off the idea of “just another tea place”. Since I live near the place, I would pass by the place and my curiosity grew as I peered through their large windows and noticed how spacious it was inside.

There was definitely more to be discovered, I said to myself.

With a “starbucks” like counter that greets you as you enter, and an interior resembling that of White hat or some funky retro design I instantly liked how spacious and cold the interior was. This was the perfect chill out spot I surmised.

With a milieu of choices for tea, since they are from Kozui after all, I decided to try something totally different. Despite the familiar Okinawa and Hokkaido beckoning to be ordered, I settled on Formosa Milk Tea and Paris Rose Milk Tea. I suspended all judgement until after tasting. I didn’t want to become a milktea snob nor a milktea nazi after all.

While waiting for my order to come out, I took the time to let the decor and ambiance sink and in. I found myself thoroughly intoxicated by the simplicity and cleanliness of the lines and design of the place. Simple, clean, curvaceous lines were the motif of the place coupled with the occasional feline motif. The little clay cats that litter the tea place was a nice touch and I saw a couple of kids actually playing with them.

With catchy quotes about tea hanging on the walls, I felt myself slowly sliding into a more relaxed state as I enjoyed the quiet serenity of the relatively empty store.

There was a cute tip box as well. I didn’t mind putting my change into it just to watch the cat grab it!

I may have put in Php 10 worth of coins into this one just to watch the cute cat in the box take the coins one by one.

My name/number was called out and I claimed my drinks.

I quickly noticed the funny quotes on the plastic covering my drink. I asked if it was different for every drink and they said yes.

But onto the drinks.

I first tasted the Formosa Milk Tea and found that it had burnt tea taste and had a hint of bitterness. I really liked this tea and I was happy that I only got 50% sweetness. It went well with the pearls I got it with.

The Paris Rose on the other hand was a different story. I only had one sip of this drink. The milktea was really fragrant and the rose was really evident in each sip. If you are the type of person who likes these kinds of drinks then this one is definitely for you. I wasn’t good, nor was it bad. It might be an acquired taste. One that I haven’t yet to acquire.

Overall, I think the Formosa drink is for me. I really liked the strong tea taste it had. I will be back to try other drinks as they really had a lot of selections and different teas I haven’t seen anywhere else. Plus they sell Long Tsing Tsaa which is one of my favorite teas!

This is an ideal place to relax, chill, and hangout. With the addition of Kozui food like Takoyaki and really fast wifi, and its proximity to my house I might have just found a new place to blog at.

TeaTap Café
Ongpauco Sister’s Building
P. Guevarra cor. Wilson Sts.
(its at the G/F of the former spot of Singing Cooks and Waiters)

I’ve pretty much tried everything around the BHS area just because I work there and am too lazy to bring my own lunches. A few months ago, a new resto opened up over where MAG:NET use to be at. Hello 2nds. The concept of calling a resto 2nds was quite quaint. The interior classy and unique and the ambiance quite subtle, the place offered both classic western dishes and traditional filipino dishes in a more gourmet style in a relatively affordable price. I was left wondering if I would be yearning for 2nds after my initial encounter.

Situated in one of the more upscale part of the Metro, 2nds caters to both the lunch and dinner crowd. The acoustics of the place make it an ideal place to have a working lunch meeting because its not so quiet that it would create awkward silence nor is it to noisy with the hustle and bustle of people for you guys not be able to hear each other over your normal and average speaking voice.

I was courteously led by the maitre’d to our table which was right in the middle of the whole restaurant. The design was simple with art work done by local artists hanging on the walls. I felt as if the place was simple and elegant without being too pretentious.

I peered into the menu and quickly scanned the food. A medley of both traditional filipino dishes mixed in with some continental dishes peppered the menu as I perused the different offerings.

I settled on 2 dishes just because I know I’ve been lacking in posts these past few weeks/months.

While waiting they will serve you some freshly made crispy yam chips sprinkled with some shredded parmesan cheese on top.

3 Cheese Truffle Mac & Cheese. Php 355

The cheese was rich, noodles were al dente, and the truffle taste was strong. A bit too strong in my opinion. The taste is quite rich that I got overwhelmed from the dish. I had to taste something else just because of the pasta dish.

One of their best sellers : Beef Ribs Adobo Php 495

I quickly asked the waiter which dish sold the most and he promptly replied that it was the Beef Ribs Adobo. I paused, and quickly agreed to order the dish.

And I was glad I did!

Definitely, fall of the bone, melt in your mouth, beef ribs coupled with a really flavourful take on a Pinoy classic hit the spot. I will be ordering this again and again and again.

The meat was tender and literally falling off the bone as repeatedly picked at it my fork barely even lifting my knife to separate the beef from the rib. The sauce/soup was really a body of flavor as it showcased the classical pinoy palette of a hint of sweetness to the otherwise salty/sour dish which hinted of just the right amount of roasted garlic.

I would gladly pay Php 495 for something this good.

Red Horse Fish and Chips Php345

A beer battered fish and chips concoction which uses a local brewski was what Trixie ordered. Crunchy and tasty, you could really taste the local beer in the batter with every bite. The fish was cooked tenderly and the chips were quite good as well. Served with vinegar and tartar sauce, one could not go wrong with something as classic as fish and chips.

Richard ordered the Roast Beef Raclette. Php355

Several slices of roast beef resting on a bed of caramelized onions on top of a bagette or slice french bread. The roast beef in my opinion was a little bland and lacked the flavor that I would otherwise get in a place like Chucks’ Deli. The onions were caramelized perfectly though and manage to save the entire dish. Maybe a little au jous would have gone a long way? Maybe I’m just dreaming of Philippe’s in LA? But that’s for another time, another blog entry, another life.

Over all 2nds is a nice place to head out to. Classic dishes served in a gourmet way. They do a mean Beef Ribs Adobo and Kalderetang Lamb. I wasn’t able to take a photo of the lamb just because everyone started digging in. But I was able to try it, and I think if you had to get 2 dishes, Adobo and Kaldereta it should be.

The atmosphere was relaxed, the place quite dark despite the sunny outlook of the day which was just perfect for a private lunch and that’s just the way I like it.

2nd’s

2nd Floor Building 3

Bonifacio High Street, The Fort Global City, Taguig

One of my most favorite meals in Singapore does not come from some high end restaurant. (I’ve had my share trust me!) But rather it was a quick 5-10 mins walk from my hotel at Little India located at the corner of Jalan Besar and Kitchener Road. This institution of a place was barely even noticable. It didn’t have the lighted sign or you would barely miss the restaurant. It was one of the places you HAD TO KNOW where in order to find it. But I tell you the trip was well worth it. Whether after a long tiring day at work, or an all night drinking spree the food here just hit the spot everytime.Let me tell you about my experience.

I was first taken here by my colleagues after a particularly long day in the office. After the first bite I knew I was in love.

Literally a little hole-in-the-wall, it didn’t have fancy chairs, nor did it have a menu. All it had was a queue for a food cart where the choices were all laid out. It’s called scissor cut, precisely because they cut whatever you order into bite sizes using a pair of scissors.

The ordering system was simple enough. Each viand had a price, and you kept piling it on to a plate of rice after which they would scoop curry and some other sauce unto the entire plate and pile.

It wasn’t pretty. But the taste more than made up for its looks. For this trip, I chose, Fish Cakes, Cabbage, Chicken Wing, Egg, Pork Chop baked and Pork Chop Fried. Total Bill? $5 (around Php 150) Taste, priceless.

There was something quite special about it. The Tender meats, on top of the rice swimming in curry. It just had all the different flavors going on both mild and quite strong and they all just melded together in a beautiful curry symphony singing praises to my tastebuds all the way to my tummy. I couldn’t get enough. If I wasn’t so darned full, I would have another plate, and another, and another… Oh I could go on for days. One of the true little secrets of Singapore, you don’t see a lot of foreigners lining up for a plate of this gooey goodness. You had to be a local. I think I have a little bit of Singapore already in me. The little Singaporean in me is happier just a little bit everytime I eat this kind of food.

This has got to be a tradition from now on. I tell you, one of my best meals in Singapore.