Undaily Foodgasms

I’d give anything for another plate of chipirones in Barcelona

The Thing About History: Casa Roces

The beauty of a place is only as great as the story behind it. Whenever I visit a place, it’s its history that intrigues me the most because that’s where you see the heart and soul of why it exists in the first place.

One afternoon last week I was lucky enough to chance upon one of those home-is-where-the-heart is restaurants located within Malacañang called Casa Roces. The two-storey house was once home to the Roces clan, which was abandoned for several years. Several months ago the remaining few in the line decided to set up shop and, in partnership with Cravings Group, revived this old home as a café-restaurant-function area-gallery all rolled into one.

The place is sprinkled with little bits of family history, from copies of broadsheets that the family once printed—plastered up on the ceiling of the foyer—down to framed photos on shelves around the house. 

Kape Chino, named after their patriarch Chino Roces, is the casa’s restaurant. Pick a seat by one of the huge glass windows by the coffeehouse or, if you’re a couch person like I am, get the corner couch in the bar area.

One of my best friends joined me for lunch. Hi Kye!

The first entrée served was a cup of Truffle Mushroom Puree (Php190), which was thick and chunky. I’ve been a self-proclaimed mushroom soup connoisseur since age five—Campbell’s mushroom soup with rice was my staple kid meal, see—and much mushroom soup variations have come my way since then. This take had an annoyingly chunky texture that just scraped through my mouth. You know how some blended coffee drinks come out having this smooth consistency but ah nuts, there’s that little layer of chunky foam down there you just have to slurp up. Well it’s kind of like a whole cup of that multi-textured foam. Taste-wise it’s just the way you’d imagine cooked fresh ‘shrooms to taste: magical. They’re mighty generous with the truffle oil, that I found myself scraping the bottom coat of soup despite the foam-chunkiness.

Chilled lemon and olive oil mussel salad with dill and arugula, called Mussels ala Roces (Php355) came next and this won me over. If they served just this in giant clamshells, I’d dig in without thinking twice about it.

Had a sampler of the Oven-Baked Salmon Wellington (Php380) and Lengua in Mushroom Cognac Sauce (Php330) for the main course. I’m usually a meat eater but between the two, it’s the salmon that gets my vote—I’ll blame the spinach and lemon cream sauce for that.

Dessert was the Malacañang Frozen Souffle (Php380), the casa’s homage to their neighbor across the street. It was a crock of cold lemon custard with chocolate flakes, crushed pistachio nuts, and a layer of lemon lavender sauce.  It was good but in my heart a soufflé just isn’t a soufflé if it doesn’t have a stiff layer to cut through, before arriving at a hot and creamy center. The soufflé is good enough for three, or even five, people full from dinner.

After dinner take a peak upstairs to see the function areas which were bedrooms once.  The rooms are gorgeous. The azotea at the far end is the kind of place I’d like to waste my Sunday afternoons on, with a book and a cold glass of lemonade.

This place is filled with history, and the nice thing about history is it never gets old.

Casa Roces is located at 1153 J.P. Laurel corner Aguado St., San Miguel, Manila. Call (+632) 735 5896/ (+632) 708 4020, or email reservations@casaroces.com. 

Endless PossibiliTEAs

Milk tea stands have been quickly gaining fame in this coffee shop-infested city. One of my favorite tea places amongst the heap though, is a teashop called Thousand Teas in the faraway land of Quezon City. (Faraway for me see because I come from this other planet called Malate).

The whole process that tea undergoes has this ceremonial appeal, and each step is savored—from the moment the tea leaves are brewed, to getting a whiff of its aroma, down to taking that first sip. Looking to traditional Japanese tea ceremonies as a source of inspiration, the idea of the place is to create a certain harmony around others. This is opposed to the “to go!” mentality that coffee shops have injected into us.

The place offers classic blends of hot tea in conventional flavors like earl grey, lavender, chamomile, and mint green tea. It was pretty hot yesterday so Anton and I were keen on getting anything cold. Anton got a large order of Thai Tea with nata slivers (Php125), while I opted for an order of Taro slush tea with popping pearls (Php105). They’ll ask you for the sweetness gauge of your drink which ranges from light to very sweet. If you’re unsure of the level of sweetness you want, the regular option is the safest one to choose.

The consistency of the slush is just as thick, or possibly even thicker, than a Starbucks frappucino. I felt nothing but thrill while watching the server attempt to pour everything out from the blender and into my cup. Anton took one sip and completely ignored his Thai tea.

I’ve made a few of my friends try the popping pearl toppings (additional Php20 an order) and it’s received mixed reviews. Some find it unusual since it’s pretty much like a sweet version of those fish eggs they serve at Japanese restaurants—that’s right, like Finding Nemo—though most find the pearls fun to eat!

Since we never really pass through this area, we decided to get a large order of almond slush tea for the road. It tasted like a glass of almond jelly—the ones that usually have a cult following at Chinese restaurants.

With drinks that range from white chocolate milk tea to matcha mango slush tea, I seriously won’t doubt their ability to take their store name literally real soon.

Thousand Teas is located at the ground floor of Mezza Residences, Aurora Boulevard corner Araneta Avenue, Quezon City, and is open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Like Thousand Teas on Facebook. For deliveries call (+632) 708 3919. 

VIEW THE THOUSAND TEAS MENU HERE. 

Under an Almost-Tuscan Sun

If you make your way through Tagaytay, further up the road, and farther away from the brightly-lit strip of establishments, you’ll eventually hit the welcome arch of Alfonso. Take the small dirt road to the right, immediately after passing the arch, and keep driving till you see a wooden door debossed on a mustard wall. This is the home of Marcia and Neil Adams, laid out like a casa plucked straight out of a Mediterranean village. If you look out at the mounds of pineapple patches, it’s almost like looking out a baby version of the little hills in Chianti.

Marcia’s set menu is priced at Php700, and it includes your choice appetizer, main course, and dessert. When Anton and I visited a few months back, he had a serving of Lamb Shish Kebab, while I had a plate of the Ai Funghi pasta.

I’m a sucker for sautéed fresh mushrooms, and this dish hit the right spot. A few basil leaves were thrown in as a garnish but I mashed those right into the pasta, since the bright taste of the basil just melted so well with the coat of olive oil on the mushrooms.

I ate half of Anton’s bed of couscous because it soaked up a good portion of the lamb drippings. Mmmmm, meaty rice.

While there it’s an absolute must to order a bottle of one of the Bundaberg drinks(Php95/bottle). The ginger beer is a heightened version of ginger ale, as the sharp garlic taste stands out more. The Peachee on the other hand is like a mix of peach schnapps and champagne without the alcohol. If I could buy this drink in a 2mL bottle, I would.

My choice dish for dessert is the Grilled Orange with Vanilla Ice Cream. They take half an orange and sear it on a grill until a faint crosshatch is made, then drizzle it with honey. I think they grill the orange on the same grill used on the meat because I could taste a little of the lamb on the orange half—this is a good thing. You bite into an unexpected surprise.

After the meal, do not by any means go home yet. It’s too pretty a place to leave just yet. Go around Marcia’s garden to see her symphony of herbs, flowers, and vegetables, or wait out in the pocket lounge of the restaurant until sunset.

You can find their menu (as of June 19, 2011) HERE

Marcia Adams’ Restaurant is located at J.P. Rizal St., Barangay Sikat, Alfonso.Payment is cash basis only. Reservations may be made by texting(+63917) 807 1456.Like Marcia Adams’ Restaurant on Facebook. 

Butterbeerbelly

The last installment of the Harry Potter series is less then a week away and I’m shaking with excitement just thinking about it! The first time I read through The Sorcerer’s Stone,BUTTERBEER instantly made it on my list of things to taste before I die. I came across this article that’s come close enough to widowing the taste of Butterbeer served at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park! Somewhere in the link, a man that reviewed the park said that ”It tastes like a Werther’s caramel candy but the foam had the consistency of a dairy or latte type of foam. It’s pretty dense; it floats on top.”

SO IT HAS THE SAME GOD-SENT CONSISTENCY AS HAPPY LEMON’S CHEESE AND ROCK SALT FOAM? 

I’m trying to decide whether or not I should test this out before watching. Supposing I do attempt to do this and it turns out well, I know for sure what I’ll be sipping on in the theater. 

In completely related news, the Harry Potter premier in London is streaming live right now. Cry cry :(

Project: Burger

It is without faltering that I say Anton and I are burger whores. Ever since two years ago, burgers have become our staple comfort food. So much so that we are self-proclaimed burger connoisseurs that are constantly in search of good meat.

A couple of months ago, on a boring afternoon in Timog, we decided to drive over to UP village for some grub. Fate led us to a pocket of Maginhawa Street called Burger Project. On one impromptu date, fate called us back there.

The concept of the place is simple: you get to put together your own burger.

Mini clipboards, each with a checklist attached, are at the front counter. Grab one and start fashioning your burger of choice. Start off with the meat: 100% angus, beef, chicken, and tofu patties. Hankering for more than just one patty? Go ahead and clog those arteries with two or three (we won’t judge, cross our hearts). Pick your preferred bread bun, cheese, elaborate choice of toppings and sauces, and your burger’s well on its way. 

Toppings are laid out in plain sight for those right-brained diners that need a visual of their condiments. Pre-designed burgers are at the disposal of those that may be overwhelmed by the choices.

My burger consisted of a single beef patty with caramelized onions, bacon, and gruyere cheese. (This time last year I was in Paris fawning over a Parisian burger at Hippopotamus, so this was my silent tribute to last year’s trip). Normally I’d take this combo with sautéed mushrooms, but their mix of shitake mushrooms and canned button mushroom slivers aren’t to my liking. I would’ve preferred buttered fresh button mushrooms instead. I had mine without condiments, as I usually have it, because I think they just mask the real beefy taste of the meat. 

Anton got a single beef patty with cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. He helped himself to angry dollops of ketchup, mustard, and mayo which were pasted on the burger after each bite. 

The beef patties they serve are like steaks taking baby steps into the food scene. It’s like they rammed a cookie cutter into a cow and put it straight into the bun. Half the time I was eating, I was wiping my mouth to avoid the burger drippings from rolling down my chin. It’s that juicy.

If the beef patty’s something worth literally drooling over, I wonder what the angus slice is like. Curiosity will kill that cow during the next visit.

We got a basket of onion rings as a siding, which ended up as part of both our burgers. They make it from scratch so the crusty O’s gave a nice crunch. Ask for salt to enhance the sweetness of the onions.

Halfway through the burger I was stuffed! I brown-bagged whatever was left, though Anton was trying his best at hinting he could finish it for me instead.

Lolo Dad’s

            Dodo Ayuyao was a lawyer, and quite a big name in the scene of Philippine auto sports. Attorney Ayuyao or Mr. Ayuyao to most, he was Lolo Dad to me. Since my birth, my grandfather was my number one fan. Despite being a very busy person he would always call me after school, ask me what I learned that day, and would proceed to invite me out for a scoop (or three) of ice cream. Most of the times I spent bonding with him were during afternoons like this. Many ice cream afternoons evolved into weekend trips away from the city, and eventually trips out of town. Each trip made memorable because of our chats over a good meal. Evenings in the United States were devoted to clinking cold mugs of rootbeer float or glasses of Shirley Temple and scarfing down steaks, while afternoons in Europe were for salami, cheese, and gelato.

            When he passed away in 1998, my family decided to convert our home at the corner of Leon Guinto St. and President Quirino Avenue into a small eating place; a tribute to the patriarch who had injected this food bug into all of us. At first we thought of making it a take-out counter that served sandwiches, pastas, and coffee on the go. The list of suggested food options grew and soon we had things on the menu like lamb and ossobucco,both favorites of my Lolo. All the ideas were too precious to brush off that, what would have been a stand that could seat five people at most became a 30-seater restaurant: our ode to Lolo Dad and our devotion to well-cooked meals.

Since we opened more than a decade ago, Lolo Dad’s has garnered several local and international awards. Ask me about all the fame that Lolo Dad’s has achieved since then though, and I will tell you that those gold medals and crystal trophies are second-nature to the foundation that the restaurant stands on. We came from very humble beginnings, fueled only by the desire to share good food with other people. Years later it’s that same driving force that makes the restaurant tick—all those awards? Well they’re pretty sweet and unexpected benefits that came our way.

Since it was Father’s Day a few weeks back, we came out with a new set menu with all the amazing dads in our family in mind. This menu will run ‘till the end of August. Here’s my favorite part of the meal: DESSERT.

 Dark chocolate flan with fresh berries and a ball of warm white chocolate praline. Pop the whole orb in your mouth and bite into pure sin. The other half of the dish is a macadamia tart with a scoop of mustard and kaffir lime ice cream. It may sound odd but trust me, it makes sense. 

To try all the good stuff that comes before dessert, visit Lolo Dad’s Cafe at 899 Leon Guinto St. corner President Quirino Avenue. Plain and simple, here’s what to expect:

To the left is a dish of butter-poached langoustine, and to the right are slivers of wagyu beef served with a pastry crust-covered lamb cutlet.

For reservations call (+632) 522 2941 or (+632) 526 7151. 

Thank the stars for friends like Ian Marasigan and Anton Angeles, who happen to be the talented kids behind the photos above. 

Eat Your Heart Out

I love food the way some people have this unending devotion for things like designer clothes the price of half a year’s rent, or the latest tech gadget worth 20 units of college subjects. Growing up in a family whose main sport is paddling a fork and spoon in consistent rhythm from plate to mouth, it was almost too easy to see that I would end up becoming a jock at this eating game. When most of my friends would spend Sundays at the mall with their families, I’d be driving off to some distant province with mine just to eat lunch. We would go to RIDICULOUS places just to eat good grub: Bulacan for the creamiest pastillas, Pampanga for Sinigang na Ulangand kamaro (fried field bugs), and Quezon to eat at a palaisdaanwith floating huts to name a few of those places.

This whole blog was conceived from the curiosity of various people who have picked and poked at my food-filled mind. You know who you are.