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I have a been a bit busy with an upcoming shoot for one of my clients, Haagen-Dazs, but still no excuse why I haven’t been posting recipes here the past couple of weeks. I still have a few recipes that I’ve been meaning to post, but I’m taking a break from the work kitchen and so here I am to share my latest restaurant discovery!  I enjoy eating out every once in a while just to check out the latest trends in food, what’s good-what’s not, and at the same time find inspiration for my own styling and recipes. Last week I finally got the chance to try out Phat Wong– casual dining and Asian-inspired menu by, none other than, Chef Ariel Manuel of Lolo Dad’s. I have never tried the food at Lolo Dad’s, but being one of the top fine-dining restos in the metro, I was pretty confident that Phat Wong is not that far behind.

Located at the LRI Bldg. at Nicanor Garcia St. in Makati, the place is decorated with several paintings (also for sale) by different artists hanging on the walls and bright intricate lamps adorned the ceilings. They have an open kitchen where you can see the chefs prepare and plate your food, always a plus for me to see what’s going on behind the scenes. The menu is simple and straightforward, around 3 entries per category ranging from appetizers, salads, noodles, oriental sandwiches, house specialties, and desserts. It’s a mix of Filipino, Vietnamese, Chinese with interesting combinations such as “Pinoy Duck Mami” and “The Oriental Burger” (Ground U.S. Sirloin on Pandesal with White Cheese, Mushrooms, Bean Sprouts and Crispy Onions) There were no photos on the menu, but the descriptions already tickled my taste buds I wished I was a bottomless pit that day so I can try them all in one sitting. But I wasn’t, so our menu of choice for the day were:

Deep Fried Shiitake Mushroom Roll (Php 170). These are so crunchy and I really love mushrooms, so I’m already a big fan of this simple appetizer.

Shrimps, Pomelo and Young Coconut, in Coconut Milk and Lime Dressing (P270) Definitely a crowd-pleaser from presentation to that perfect freshness of young coconut meat. It had a very subtle coconut milk and cilantro/lime dressing. The fresh coconut bowl is a first for me but a great twist to a somewhat common dish. I love this salad but I thought they can have more dressing on the side for people who want more tang to their salad.

Grilled Baby Back Ribs Tocino with Garlic and Vinegar Sauce (P325) This is the best Tocino ever! The ribs were perfectly cooked, soft, juicy, and not at all greasy. The flavor was just right, subtly sweet and set-off perfectly by the garlic vinegar sauce. The house specialty was Hainanese Chicken but I have no regrets I picked this for our main course. I never thought something so simple as Tocino can be made into something so delicious and filling.

And Desserts of Baked Meringue on Mango and Bananas with Pandan Cream. This is the perfect dessert for me, creamy and sweet and fresh and cool. Need I say more?

and another Tapioca dessert with Coconut Cream. I’m not a big fan of tapioca, so I give this dessert an okay recommendation. I wish they had something like Creme Brulee with an Asian twist or a flan…Hmm something I can hint to Chef Marge next time I bring my friends to the resto Chef Marge Villena is the sous chef who was very sweet to come and sit with us  after our meal, and share about her long kitchen experience working with Chef Ariel all the way back when she started at Lolo Dad’s.

Servings were big enough to share for two, and by the end of our lunch I was already so full. Prices are very reasonable considering the quality of food they serve. I’m definitely coming back with some foodie friends in tow.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons oil

3 garlic cloves

1/2 medium onion

2 medium tomatoes, cubed

2 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup straw or button mushrooms

1 piece tanglad or lemongrass, crushed

2 pieces kaffir lime leaves

750 ml water

1 chicken cube

1 tablespoon red curry paste

2 tablespoons tom yum paste

1 tablespoon tamarind paste

1 fillet of cod fish, cut to 1 inch fillets

1/4 cup coconut milk

2 tablespoons patis or fish sauce

1 tablespoon salt

1 cup Chinese pechay, cut chiffonade

Fresh Basil leaves, for garnish

Thai flat rice noodles

Procedure:

Over high heat, sauté garlic, onion, and tomatoes. Add your mushrooms and lemongrass. Add lime leaves and water. Bring to a boil then add chicken cube. Lower heat to simmer and add all the pastes. Add the fish fillets and cook for 10 minutes. Add the coconut milk, patis, salt and cook for about 5 more minutes. Adjust saltiness according to taste. Serve this piping hot.

In individual serving bowls, add your pechay and rice noodles. Pour piping hot soup and cover for about 5 minutes or until noodles are cooked and soft. Top with fresh basil leaves.

* You can add bean sprouts, and garnish with some cilantro and lime wedges.

A freshly brewed tea can sometimes do wonders for a dreadful day, or a lazy afternoon. Usually a cleansing starter for a Chinese meal or a welcome conclusion to a hearty dinner- serious tea drinkers know the countless benefits of taking the healthy brew. I should know, my husband drinks this by the pitcher, literally. Experimenting with tea can be a worthwhile effort once you find the right combination of bitterness, tang, and sweetness. I prefer sugar with my tea and even a bit of milk. Brewed milk tea shops are popping up like 7-11s this past year, and though I’ve tried some that are quite good I’d rather have my home brew and control the enormous sugar content usually found in commercial mixtures. Pandan teas can be found in local restaurants but it’s the first time I tried it at home. Still open to a lot more combinations, I just thought I’d post the simplest concoction. Great served hot or with lots of ice.

Ingredients:
1.5 liters of water
5 pieces pandan leaves
4 bags of green tea

Honey
Lime wedges

Pour water and pandan leaves in a kettle or a deep saucepan, bring to a rolling boil and turn off the heat. Add the green tea bags and let steep for 15 minutes or until the water turns to a deep golden yellow. Serve hot or let cool and serve on ice-filled glass, with honey and lime wedges.

And of course no champorado is ever complete without a matching fried tuyo (salted dried fish)- super salty, crunchy, flaky and so indispensible. The ingredients are quite cheap but this chocolate porridge is very filling. There are instant champorado already available in the supermarkets. I have tried the one made my Antonio Pueo, but I thought there wasn’t enough rice in their mix which made the final product too soupy even if you follow their directions to the letter. Better to make it from scratch, cheaper and there’s really nothing much to prepare. You can’t really go wrong with this dish- just add more cocoa or water if you want a more chocolaty taste and less sticky.

Serves 4-5

Ingredients:

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup Hershey’s Powdered Cocoa

1 1/4 cup glutinous rice

5 cups water

Procedure:

Use a deep saucepan and just add all the ingredients. Bring the water to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer and keep on stirring. Cook until rice is soft and chewy. Serve with brown sugar, evaporated milk, and of course fried tuyo.

also, i started doing my own food photography! i’m actually excited about it and plan to shoot more stuff in the days to come. as you have probably noticed, some of my previous photos are artistically challenged since they were snapped before/during/after cooking by moi sans the lighting. the hubby has been busy with work and he hasn’t been around to shoot my kitchen exploits (boo!) anyhow, i started using some lighting and to have them look more appetizing. still freshly cooked for consumption with just a bit of prop styling as promised

If there’s one dish I can eat over and over and over for a week straight, it’s got to be a pasta dish. It all started back in the day when I first tasted Carbonara from our next door neighbor. Then I began cooking my own simplified version using Campbell’s mushroom soup and milk and some other ingredients not even related to the original dish! If there’s one thing I learned from this, it’s this– a pasta dish can be made from anything! Don’t get me wrong, I love discovering recipes from cookbooks and all, but when all you have is what’s in your ref, you need to improvise and feed the hungry hubby. This dish from leftovers, as usual, was a very satisfying lunch and something I’d cook over and over again.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 cup chopped bacon

1/2 cup canned corn

1/4 cup frozen peas

1 cup all purpose cream

a handful of fresh basil leaves (from my basil plant!)

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

salt, to taste

pepper, to taste

* Lawry’s Seasoned Salt does wonders to my pasta dishes by the way

Fettuccine noodles, cooked al dente

Procedure:

Sauté garlic and onion in butter. Add your bacon and let it cook until most of the fat has melted and parts are getting crisp and crunchy. Add corn and peas and cook for 2 more minutes. Pour in all-purpose cream and and mix in herbs. Add and mix in cooked fettuccine noodles. Season with salt and pepper.

Serves  4-5

Ingredients:

1/2 cup bacon, chopped

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 carrot, cubed

1 small red bell pepper, sliced thinly

1/2 cup button mushrooms, sliced

1 small eggplant, cubed

8 pcs string beans, cut to an inch

1/4 cup red wine

1 1/2 cup long grain rice

3 cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/4 teaspoon basil

1/4 teaspoon cajun spice mix

1/4 teaspoon spanish paprika

1 piece laurel leaf

1/2 teaspoon salt

Extra salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Procedure:

Heat pan on low fire and add in bacon pieces. Melt the fat and this will serve as oil for the dish. Cook bacon until slightly crispy and most of the fat has melted. Increase heat to medium fire. Add onions, then garlic. Let it cook until garlic is golden then add carrots, bell peppers, mushrooms, eggplant, and string beans. Deglaze with red wine and cook of the alcohol until the liquid has reduced to half. Mix in rice and make sure that it’s completely coated with the oil from the bacon. Add the chicken broth. Mix in the rest of the ingredients: all herbs and spices. Bring to a boil then simmer covered for around 20 minutes, or until rice is fully cooked. Serve with sliced lemons.

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons butter

1 medium onion, chopped

2 stalks of leeks, chopped

4 1/2 cups frozen peas

1 medium potato, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon

1/2 cup oyster mushrooms, chopped

1/2 cup tofu, chopped to small cubes

1/4 cup milk or cream

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Procedure: Saute onion in butter. Add leeks, frozen peas, and potatoes and sweat for about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil then simmer for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are well cooked. Turn off heat and cool the soup a bit before pouring into a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour back into pot and add tarragon. Stir in mushrooms and tofu and let simmer for 5 more minutes. Add in milk or cream. Season with salt and pepper.