oysters granitaI’m wary of eponymously-named restaurants: unless the person is terribly well-known, I’m left wondering what kind of cuisine is served. Take for instance this restaurant called Jestine’s that opened along Jupiter Street in Makati. It’s been in business a few months and all I know from driving past it several times a week is that it’s open 24 hours a day and they deliver. There’s no indication whatsoever of what kind of food they serve; heck, it could be a vegetarian restaurant for all I know.So you can imagine my consternation when my extended family decides to celebrate my nephew’s first birthday at a place called Myron’s. Who or what is Myron?Taking over the spot that used to be Delifrance, Myron’s has the words “steak, ribs, seafood” under its signage. At least it’s an indication of what to expect. Eating is also an adventure, no? and let it never be said that I’m a coward when it comes to food. As if. oysters RockefellerTurns out Myron is named after the owner Mon Eugenio’s father-in-law. With the million-peso question ...

eenie, meenie, miney mo...I didn’t expect my post on EDSA Shangri-la’s HEAT to trigger several comments and email inquiries about my opinions regarding the different hotel buffets. Although this is my blog and I make my preferences very clear, what I give out is information only for those people who want it. It’s never been my intention to foist what I think on anybody. After all, I respect the readers of this blog as well as their intelligence, especially when it comes to knowing where and what to eat.Having said that, because many people asked, I’ve decided to write my opinions about hotel buffets and offer a few suggestions. Please keep in mind that these are my opinions only, and are not representative of the people I mention in this post.It’s all about interaction This “new” trend of hotel restaurants to convert from the chafing dishes of yore and revert to the theater kitchens/live stations/open kitchens we see now is actually more than 10 years old. Hotels in Manila generally concede that Paseo Uno at the Mandarin was the first to offer this sort of buffet. After talking with ...

just a bit of what you can eat at HEATHEAT, Edsa Shangri-la’s newest restaurant, stands for Healthy Eating, Amazing Tastes. ‘Healthy Eating’ is represented by the restaurant’s antipasto, sushi, salads, sashimi, and tapas. ‘Amazing Tastes’ stands for the extensive variety of food to match each diner’s personal preferences. Diners here are quite literally, spoilt for choice. I’ve already been here three times, one visit for each of the three menu cycles, and I’ve yet to try everything to be offered. soldiers in the forestAt HEAT, there are over 20 (!) live food stations, or theater kitchens, as they’re more commonly known. Gone are the days of chafing dishes with their stain-splattered nametags. Hotel restaurants now cook food a little at a time or to order. With this set-up, it’s also easier to “customize” your dish or ask the chef for suggestions. noodle stationIn asking what they have at HEAT, it’s probably more appropriate to ask what they don’t have. The stars that burn brightly here include: the ...

gifts from HawaiiSitting on a plate beside my computer is a bag of Hawaiian sea salt, a canister of coarse sea salt, and a bottle of organic white honey. They’ve been keeping me company for the past few months every time I sit down to write -- treasured gourmet reminders of the people who’ve sent me these things. I received these two gifts the day after my birthday, and I’m ashamed that I’m only able to post this now. My backlog of articles is immense. On the left, sea salt from France. On the right, Hawaiian alaea sea salt.The orange sea salt shown here is from Winnie, a regular reader from Hawaii. She generously sent me two packs of Alaea sea salt – alaea is baked Hawaiian red clay. The salt is processed in this clay which gives it that characteristically salmon-colored hue. She thought I might like some, after reading about my obsession with salt. one is not like the otherA big “thank ...

a few of my favorite pieces ... see those egg holders?Some girls collect bags and shoes. I collect plates, spoons, cups, ramekins, pie servers … you get the idea. I adore anything that can even remotely be classified as kitchenware. My sisters think that I’m the biggest bore to shop with because Mango and Zara are about as enticing for me as watching cake icing melt. That’s not to say that I don’t like shopping for the latest Havaiana slippers (I own 4 pairs) or my favorite, scouring little stores for more food t-shirts, but I love shopping for kitchenware more. I’m as attracted to vintage dishes as some women I know are attracted to vintage Gucci. geometry revisitedAnd just like anybody else with a passion for collecting, I have my own sources for where I get my stuff. I’d like to think that these sources are known only to me, thus “secret,” but really, how long does a secret remain secret? I’m about to spill the beans on a source that I thought I’d forever ...

I see some of your seeds are missing“The only thing that I don’t like about your blog is that sometimes the pictures are too close,” a friend once told me. I’m giggling inwardly now as I write this because I’m not sure what her reaction will be once she sees these photos.I’ve mentioned before that aside from my camera, the only other accessories I have are a tripod (which I never use) and my super-macro lens . This type of lens makes it possible to photograph the smallest objects or to capture the minutest details. Macro lenses are most often used for nature shots, but naturally, I use mine for food.These are photos of imported long-stem strawberries that I took with my super macro lens. While I’m more than happy with the built-in macro lens of my camera, using this special lens was a new experience for me.This was the very first photo I took with my new lens. As you can see, some adjustments had to be made. The shot looks like I’m looking at the berry ...

torch these and they become crème bruleesThis is the much requested recipe which I used for the coconut pot de crèmes. You can tailor this custard to suit any other flavor you wish. I particularly treasure this recipe because it makes the silkiest custard, owing to the large number of egg yolks used.Freely adapted from Better Homes and Gardens (take a look at the cover of this book in this post ). Serves about 4, but that will depend on your baking dishes1 cup Carnation Coco Evap 1 cup canned coconut cream or coconut milk, if you prefer a lighter custard 5 egg yolks, slightly beaten 1/3 cup sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon saltPreheat oven to 325 degrees F. Get a large roasting pan or a 9x13 Pyrex glass pan, add water about an inch up the sides and place pan inside the oven. The water will heat up as the oven preheats. This will be your water bath.Heat Coco Evap and coconut cream in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat just until bubbly or you can heat up the liquid in a 4-cup glass measuring cup ...

Top 12 Foods To Love Right Now Part 17. Potato chips at Sergio’s Pizza in SM Baguio This restaurant is the result of my hunting for a place to have my last meal in Baguio. It couldn’t be just any place, and Sergio’s looked like just the right thing for a hearty, bye-to-Baguio meal.Though I ate there almost six months ago, it’s the potato chips that I remember up to now. “Psst, we gotta order those,” my Bin whispers excitedly to me. A couple was working on a gargantuan plate of what looked to be homemade potato chips, a far cry from the stuff that’s poured out of a bag.The people at Sergio’s make these chips from scratch. Baguio potatoes are washed, peeled, sliced, and cooked twice in hot oil – once to cook, and another for crunch. They’re served by the plateful with mayonnaise and salt (my preference), or with ketchup if you so please. Hardly greasy and full of gratifying crunch, I wish that Sergio would package these chips and make them more available to us people here in Manila....