The cold one: Oktubre 2015

Linggo, Oktubre 18, 2015

The Mystery of Minalungao

Describing the Minalungao National Park needs endless synonyms for 'beautiful'. I was surrounded by rich variations of brown and gray rock formation. And the effulgence of sky light made the deep emerald color of the river that flows between a marvelous 16-meters high limestone look sullen yet grand.

It is located in Barangay Minalungao at municipality of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. The river has the quiet that seemed dreamy and eternal, and behind its beauty that emanates is a superstition. They say that an 'engkanto' (fairy), guards the Penaranda river, every year the river has its victim and takes the life of a handsome man.

To see the entire national park, you can choose to trail along the side of the rock formation or opt for an easier and relaxing trail by renting a bamboo raft. I am not the thrill-seeking type of traveler. I'm more like an observer culturati who loves history, food and the people more than physical and extreme adventure. But this time, I chose to get to the end of the park by foot.

My friends wanted to explore the caves and told them I would just wait for them outside. I am afraid of being inside dark caves, paranoid of earthquakes and fear of being trapped inside. But our tourguide said they would exit the other side of the cave which is the shortcut to the end of the park.

Leaving me with no other option, I went with them and entered a cave for the first time in my entire life, an achievement! Shimmering stalactites and stalagmites can be seen inside with the aid of flashlight.

'Twas probably the most tiring and extremely worth it adventure I have ever had.

Bamboo rafting

Going to Minalungao, expect a long rough road that looks like you're in a Wrong Turn movie. The park covered 2018 hectares and recognized as a protected area from mining. After swimming in the cool waters we found an emerald looking stone which my friend kept.

How to get there:

Ride a bus bound for Cabanatuan, (Baliwag Transit, Five Star, and ES Transport) at EDSA Cubao and drop to town proper of Gapan.

From Gapan, there are jeepneys and tricycles that can bring you to Papaya Gen. Tinio, Nueva Ecija.

At Papaya Gen. Tinio Municipal Mall, hire a tricycle going to Minalungao and negotiate for a roundtrip fare.

Linggo, Oktubre 4, 2015

Jab We Met (English: When We Met)

This by far is the most romantic Bollywood film I've ever watched. Makes me wanna board an Indian train and see life as positive as Geet sees it.

A depressed business man (Shahid Kapoor) embarks on a cross-country journey with an attractive but annoying stranger (Kareena Kapoor).

The story started when Geet, a talkative Punjabi who has a funny and carefree attitude excited about her plan to elope with her boyfriend Anshuman bumped into the serious Aditya on an overnight train to Delhi.

Aditya finds Geet very irritating because Geet is continually talking, Aditya gets off the train during a terminal stop and Geet followed to tell him to hurry back as the train would soon leave. The train speeded off and left Geet, now angry that she missed the train holds Aditya responsible for it. Aditya agrees to help Geet by driving a taxi at a stupendously fast speed to the next train station where the train was to stop next. However, Geet misses the train again. After this, Geet and Aditya rented a room but is later raided by the police.

Aditya started to feel good about life again with Geet's lively and cheerful personality. Geet took her home in Bhatinda where her Punjabi family is very thankful to Aditya for bringing her safe back home. Aditya was slowly falling in love with the heroine, but Geet asked Aditya to help her on her plan to elope with her boyfriend and the story of course has the twist...Better watch if what happened next!

I love how Kareena was hyper talkative in this movie. Jab We met (Cub We Met) is interestingly very different from Kareena's other movies. She's actually my favorite and she looked so pretty without make up on specially on the scene where she misses her train. I so hope to see her on my visit to India.

Highlands Vietnamese Coffee in Lucena

Today, is International Coffee Day (I've read on FB). And since I owe all my write-ups to cups of hot envigorating coffee, imma write something about one of the best coffee place in town.

In March 2012, under a partnership with Digital Paradise/Netopia, the first private coffee shop chain in Vietnam which was first opened in Hanoi was brought to Philippines. It is the brainchild of David Thai and chains quickly spread all over Vietnam.

Highlands coffee has the Southeast Asian favorite, called Vietnamese Drip coffee. When I was in Vietnam, I ordered coffee in the hotel I stayed at and the hotel manager asked me, 'What type of Vietnamese coffee do you like? We have two. One is where an aluminum or stainless steel filter is placed atop a glass to compress the coffee grounds into a super-dense layer through which hot water is filtered and dripped onto a condensed milk. And the other is instant coffee placed in a filter and boiling water poured over, then poured over again onto a glass with condensed milk.' With her Vietnamese accent, I only understood a tenth of what she said, perhaps even less since her explanation of the two types sounded the same to me. I courteously responded, 'Whatever is best please choose for me.' And the staff served the drip coffee.

The dripping takes about five minutes, its like watching raindrops leaking from the ceiling,resulting to a thick and rich strong caffeine.

Highlands also serves pastries and a very expensive trying hard banh mhi sandwich. Banh mhi sandwich sold in the streets of Vietnam only costs a dollar or two and tastes deliciously satisfying full of veggies and meat. They should improve their banh mhi lest will stain their good standing. I think my verdict is worth stating

They also have frappes that has the right blend of sweetness and caffeine. If do not want the strong brew of drip coffee you can also opt for their normal cup of coffee.

Highlands coffee is located in SM City Lucena Branch - Ground Level, SM City LucenaDalahican cor. Pagbilao Rd., National RoadLucena, Quezon, Philippines.

Sabado, Oktubre 3, 2015

Shawarma Brothers

We had a really hard time searching for this restaurant. The security guards had no knowledge of its exact location and we still strived to find it. We've been meaning to dine here since the time I saw its advertisement on fb and we failed the first time we went to search for it. The second time was a success and though we got tired walking around in search for shawarma brothers, all hardships were alleviated the time we entered the door and instantly smelled the sweet and strong taste of shawarma and kebabs.

Had the best kebab here though their biryani is not cooked traditionally.

My friend ordered shawarma, a Levantine Arab sandwich with meat filling,this dish is catching up in the rest of the world. It is akin to Turkish doner kebab and Greek gyro.

Once my persian friend mentioned that shawarma is actually a brand name. Just like how we name toothpaste as Colgate and photocopy as Xerox, people started calling this sandwich Shawarma. When I asked my dad to confirm he said the word shawarma has a Turkish origin.

The key to Arab dishes I guess is the garlic paste which I love the most. And this resto offers three choices of sauce that adds flavor to the dishes they serve.

Shawarma bothers is similar to the popular Halal Guys in New York. And though the meals are all in general, part of Arab cuisine, the place is not decorated like a colorful and dim-lighted Arab resto.

Biyernes, Oktubre 2, 2015

Salliano's in Marikina, the Celebrated Restaurant of the East-side

Servers moved to and fro, bringing uncommonly appetizing and worth drooling dish after dish to our table in that open air area cum bar of Salliano. The night is going to be festive,'twas my first thought as I came in at the restaurant seeing the signage Salliano's Restaurant and Bar, with icons of giant spoon and fork that connote an atavistic throwback of every Filipino family dining area with giant wooden spoon and fork wall decor. Thus this restaurant in Marikina is known as the home of the biggest spoon and fork.

Bermuda grass were growing up at the center that separates the bar from the glass walled one-story house, built for intimate dining and can accommodate up to 60 persons. The grass lined a square area with outdoor umbrellas and hip benches perfect for no muss no fuss chill out dining and party. The place with the total area of roughly 600 square meters was said to be once a ranch of Don Agusto. It is located at the back of Bluewave Mall, and is now owned by a group of friends who have known each other since Grade 1. And for the love of food and gatherings they commissioned the idea of putting up a restaurant that is family oriented. With their family-style treasured dishes, dining here would give an air of bringing back euphoria of the past.

As we sip refreshments, Mr. Essex Polintan one of the owners was generous enough to give a short introduction of how they started putting up a restaurant without the aid of architects and designers. Salliano is an artwork of Five (5) friends who believe that you do not need to be a Chef to cook delish dishes and have a restaurant.

Mocha and Caramel Frappuccino - Php 150 The air was warm and soft and this frozen coffee was a perfect thirst quencher for coffee lovers like me.

Country Fried Chicken - Php 390 Half dozen assorted chicken wings and legs in a bucket. Though I'm not a beer person I recommend this be paired with beer drink.

BBQ Pork and Beef Ribs served with Spanish Rice- Php 370 I love the Spanish rice candidly cooked to compliment the sweetened ribs and pork with tomatoes on the side.

Classic Fish and Chips - Php 220 A classic British favorite. It didn't have a fishy stench, meaning the battered fish was cooked to perfection. Crunchy on the outside and savory good on the inside. I want to eat more of this when I come back.

Meatballs ala Salliano served with grilled Pita Bread- Php 380 Pungent smell drifted through the air, I love the smell of cumin, basil and other herbs combined with meat. This meatballs is like a version of my favorite English meatloaf.

Osso Buco with Gremolata Sauce- Php 320 Impressive Italian dish of braised veal shank with the accompaniment of gremolata sauce.There is no stove so powerful as a full stomach, and this dish is a 'power' meal worth every bite.

Paella ala Salliano- Small Php 490 Large Php 720 A Filipino-Spanish dish favorite cooked in a paellera or black steel pan served during important celebrations. This dish has rice as the main dish cooked slowly in a low fire. It is cooked with saffron and olive oil that gives an orange-red color of the rice looking more appealing with the mussels and shrimps juxtaposed on top. This is by no means an ordinary paella, as Salliano's makes sure it stands out from other restaurants with their very own special rice that cannot be just bought in the local market.

Pasta de Mariscos - Php 290 A shellfish/ seafood pasta cooked in olive oil and tomato, a gourmet comfort food.

Three-cheese Artichoke Dip served with toasted baguette - Php 220 A mini appetizer of bubbling cheesy dip that is scrumptious and tastes best while still hot.

Truffle Carbonara - Php 280 Another favorite that truly made my day. This creamy truffle carbonara was Pastarific! This is indeed what writers call, a forkful of luxury.

Callos - Php270 If Valencia has Paella Valenciana, Madrid has Callos ala Madrileña. It contains beef tripe- edible offal from cow stomach, blood sausage, chickpeas and bell peppers. This bowlful of stew proves how diverse our culture is. Spain being our major influencer handed down recipes that were served only to the affluent ones. In the past when we were still a colony of Spain, one way to tell if a dish is special is when the broth is tomato based, clear soup or stew were only served to peasants and people of low status.

Pugon Fired Salliano's Pork Crackling - Php 420 All the foods that were served were worth photo-sharing, but this dish seemed to suck up all the light in the room. I'm a big fan of roasted pork and Lechon, and my eyes went even wider the very instant I saw this. One seeing is worth one hundred tellings, the meat and the fat of the pork was deliciously juicy, that kind of fat juiciness that won't give one a nauseating feeling.

Castarones de Salliano - Php 130 I dug into this unfamiliar dessert with relish, and it stroke an emotional chord that lingers. Reminded me of leche flan and macaroons that were my childhood favorite, with melt in the mouth smooth creamy taste it was the perfect sweet of the day.