Amorita Resort, Panglao, Bohol

I recently went to Bohol for a dive vacation with some friends, and we decided to visit our divemaster friend Rommel, who manages the dive shop at a beautiful resort, Amorita. We went there early in the morning, and discovered that they had a breakfast buffet to be had for only P500. On that day, I chose not to have the buffet since most of the choices on the table was meat. I ordered their fish and chips (not exactly traditional breakfast fare, I know), which was filling in itself.

Fish and Chips

However, my friend Isabel made me taste their French toast, which was part of the buffet. It was heavenly, so I decided to have the buffet the next day, if only for the French toast.

Off we trooped to Amorita the next morning. Unfortunately, we discovered that they only served French toast every other day, alternating with pancakes. So, with no French toast in sight, I again had their fish and chips.

On the last day of our trip, we finally got to have the French toast, and that made the breakfast buffet worth it for me. The only other thing I had that morning was cheese and pesto omelette. Only two items, but loaded with many, many calories. I didn't mind. (I vowed to diet once I got back to Manila.)
We also decided to have dinner at Amorita on our last night, so we could sample other items on their menu. I had their French onion soup, and their fish almondine with pesto rice. For dessert, I had brazo de mercedes.

French Onion Soup

I declared the soup the winner of the night. The cheese was chewy and very tasty, and overall the soup was delicious.

Fish Almondine with Pesto Rice

I enjoyed the fish and dessert as well, but I was really blown away by the soup. Maybe the next time I dine at Amorita, I'll just have two servings and blow my calorie requirement on the soup and nothing else.

Brazo de Mercedes

Fish Skin Chicharon from Peanut World

Many people enjoy eating chicharon. The crunch, the salt, the grease on your fingers as you dip the pork rinds into a small container of vinegar... Well, I haven't had chicharon for years and years now, but I do remember (vaguely) how chicharon gives one some serious albeit guilty pleasure.


I discovered a pescetarian alternative to this snack, which is available in stalls in malls and other establishments- Fish Skin Chicharon at Peanut World. My colleague Julie brought some to the office and I was hooked from the first taste. We have this stall in our office food court, which is why I often have it. A few weeks after I discovered it, I was eating it practically every day.

It's supposed to be a healthier alternative to the real chicharon, but I'm pretty sure all the salt in it is not good for me. I don't really mind. In a 100-or-50-gram bag, I once again can have the crunch, the salt, the grease... and none of the pork.

Nasi Lemak Restaurant, Quezon City

I first heard of Nasi Lemak restaurant from my colleague Julie, who wrote a story about it for abs-cbnnews.com. According to her story, the Singaporean/Malaysian restaurant's background was pretty interesting.

Oatmeal-Crusted Prawns

The owner Cory Lelina worked as an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Singapore for 20 years. Apparently, her Finnish employer died of a tumor. After that, her employer's best friend convinced her to set up a restaurant in Manila. Thus, Nasi Lemak was born.

I've eaten there several times, and I always over-order and overeat when I do. My favorite dish in that place is the oatmeal-crusted prawns.

Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice)

I also like their Nasi Goreng or fried rice. Then again, I don't think I've ever met a cup of fried rice I didn't like.

Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet

Their sweet and sour fish fillet tasted pretty much like it does in any decent Chinese restaurant. The kind that is just perfect to eat with fried rice.

There are many more dishes that I intend to try in this restaurant. The items listed on the menu are a hodgepodge of dishes from various Asian countries. For the most part, I've liked what I've tasted so far. Maybe except for a vegetable dish with bangus, the name of which escapes me right now.


Nasi Lemak Authentic Asian Cuisine
Tomas Morato
Quezon City, Philippines

Amici, Tomas Morato, Quezon City

I first heard of Amici several years ago when I was still working for the now-defunct lifestyle TV show “F”. At that time, Amici could only be found in Don Bosco in Makati, and was thus called Amici di Don Bosco. It started out as an Italian canteen which became known for its gelato. We featured it as a reasonably priced Italian restaurant with good food, at an unexpected location.

Linguine Alla Puttanesca

Seafood Pizza

Now the restaurant’s popularity has grown, and it already has a few branches. A couple of years ago, one opened along Tomas Morato. I’ve eaten there several times, usually in a big group. I find that’s the best way to go there, in the company of many friends. (Its canteen-like atmosphere is not exactly the best setting for a romantic one-on-one date.)

Four Cheese Pizza

There’s a lot to eat there for a pescetarian like me, and I especially like their four-cheese pizza. I also like their vongole pasta. I always top off a meal in Amici with some of their gelato, usually the hazelnut flavored one. It's another restaurant where it's difficult NOT to overeat.

Spaghetti Vongole e Gamberetti


Amici
Bellagio Square
243 Tomas Morato cor. Sct. Fuentebella Sts.
Quezon City
Philippines
Phone Number: (632)376-6458

Food Trip in Legazpi, Albay with Tropical Depression Dante

Some friends and I planned to go to Donsol last weekend to snorkel with whale sharks and to dive the Manta Bowl in Ticao. It had been raining in Metro Manila early last week, but the skies cleared up a bit on Friday, which as it turned out only gave us false hope.

Choco Fudge Sans Rival

We'd heard that there was a storm brewing in the vicinity of Albay. But I guess our great desire to see butandings and mantas put us in a state of denial. We thought that because it was getting sunny it Manila, it would follow that the skies would be clear in Sorsogon too. (Despite all evidence to the contrary, of course.)

Well, the low pressure area hovering in the area DID turn into a tropical depression named Dante. The storm caused floods and big waves that foiled all our plans. After a 19-hour bus ride (the delays caused by sitting out floods), we ended up in a hotel in Legazpi, Albay. To comfort ourselves, we decided to go foraging for food. The locals suggested Small Talk Cafe and Restaurant. After an overpriced tricycle ride, we got there a bit wet from the nonstop rain.

Crispy Tilapia

We immediately liked the place. It had a homey ambience, and there were not many people due to the storm. It also had an interesting menu, which tried to infuse local flavor into otherwise staple fare, like Pasta Pinangat/Laing and Bicol Express Pasta. I had their Crispy Tilapia, and some of their Crispy Squidlets. My only complaint would be that the squidlets were not that crunchy. We all had dessert (I had the Mango Crepe with an additional ice cream scoop), so at the end of the meal we were all stuffed.

Mango Crepe with ice cream

The next day, we decided to go for lunch at Chili Peppers, a restaurant that caught our eye during said overpriced tricycle ride the day before. We had a few hours to kill before our 6:00pm bus ride back to Manila so we wanted to hang out in a nice place. It turns out that Chili Peppers was a good choice. The food was good, and they didn't at all threaten to kick us out during our five hour lunch, despite the ruckus we created from playing Pusoy Dos at our table.

Tuna Salpicao

I had their Tuna Salpicao with garlic rice, and their Choco Fudge Sans Rival, which I thought was heavenly. The only thing I didn't like was the green mango shake that my friend Ismael had. It was also the only thing that wasn't demolished among everything that we ordered.

So... we didn't get to see the whale sharks, nor did we get to dive with the mantas. But we did find out that if you are stuck in the middle of a storm and just aching for a good meal, Legazpi City is not a bad place to be.


SMALL TALK CAFE
051 Doña Aurora St.
Legazpi City, Albay, Philippines
(63-52) 480-1393, 820 1477
+63 917-5583275
Email: smoltok_cafe@yahoo.com

CHILI PEPPERS RESTAURANT
Rizal St. cor. Doña Aurora
Old Albay District
(63-52) 481-7142

Wicked Kitchen, Quezon City

Wicked Kitchen popped up several months ago a few meters away from my office. It has an interesting facade, so my friend Chi and I decided to give it a shot. It's a small place, with a few tables on the first and second floors, and a small veranda for the smokers. Since that first visit, we've been there several times, when the weather is nice and we are up for a (very) short walk.

Their menu includes the typical pasta offerings, appetizers, salads, sandwiches, and entrees. There isn't a lot on the menu for a pescetarian like me, since majority of the dishes have meat in it. The last time I went there, I ordered shrimp poppers, which is on their appetizer list. I thought that the batter was a bit too thick, and at P180 for six pieces, the rather small pieces of shrimp end up costing P30 each, a bit costly for the merchandise in my opinion.

Shrimp Poppers

I've also tried their broccoli soup, which I like because it is very creamy. I also like that it's priced just a little below P100. In terms of value for money, this is what I would recommend from their menu.

Broccoli Soup

The dish I usually have when I go there is their fish and chips. It's priced like the shrimp poppers at P180, and I think the fish is better value for money. The batter is also thick, but the slice of fish is a little more substantial than the shrimp, and you get chunky fries on the side too. I like the garlic aioli that comes with it (ditto with the shrimp).

Fish and Chips

One time, Chi and I shared their giant chocolate chip cookie with ice cream which they called "Gluttony", and the name is truly apt. It's huge, and you have to be prepared to consume your calorie requirement for the day in one go when you order it. We were only able to finish it after Javi, Chi's husband met up with us in the restaurant and we made him polish it off (with minimal prodding).

Gluttony- Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie with Ice Cream

Wicked Kitchen has happy hour promos which looked good from the fliers, offering good deals on buckets of beer and appetizers. I have yet to try it out though, and maybe I will when I get particularly stressed out at work.


Wicked Kitchen
Mother Ignacia St.
Quezon City, Philippines

Goodbye, Jollibee Ice Craze Mais con Hielo

For the past three weeks, I've been treating myself to a cheap (and fattening) thrill. For only P39, I've been made very happy by Jollibee Ice Craze Mais Con Hielo. The cornflakes on top and the coco milk give it a flavor distinct from the homemade variety. I am a bit embarrassed to admit it, but I've been having it EVERY single day. Everyday until two days ago, that is.


The day before yesterday, I drove through my usual haunt, but the attendant on duty told me that they were out of stock. Out of stock? I thought to myself, rather petulantly. How can they run out of corn? Or ice, for that matter? These ingredients are easily available from any grocery. If I sound obsessive, that's because I was used to having this treat every day, and I didn't want to go through withdrawal.

Anyway, I went to the same drive through yesterday, and they gave me the same answer. "Out of stock." I refused to give up, so I went to another branch. Again, they didn't have any Mais con Hielo for me. The food attendant then told me that they were phasing out Ice Craze, and that they are launching a new dessert on March 18th.

This was depressing news. I don't know where else I can get the same amount of happiness and pleasure for the paltry amount of P39.