Food & Recipes

Endless Pizza Cravings #SundaySeven

December 7, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 9 Comments

I always crave for pizza. Always. I think I can eat pizza every day and not get tired of it. Am I the only one like this???

We had pizza for dinner last night, and I’m a little embarrassed to say that I have pizza on my mind again tonight. This can’t be good, though I know it would taste good. Argh.

I know we won’t be having pizza this evening, so I figured I’d write about it instead. Today’s #SundaySeven features my favorite pizza flavors. Yummers.

1. Chicago White deep dish pizza from Sbarro

For someone who isn’t super fond of white sauce or pineapple, I’m a little surprised at how much I love Sbarro’s Chicago White deep dish pizza. It has mozzarella, pepperoni, ham, ricotta, pineapple, and I order extra tomato sauce on the side for dipping. So, so, so good.

2. #4 Cheese from Yellow Cab

#4Cheese #YellowCab

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Aug 8, 2013 at 9:40pm PDT

Cheese is one of my favorite things in the world, so a pizza with four different cheeses is a win. I like Yellow Cab’s #4 Cheese coz you can taste different cheese tastes with each bite. I especially love that there’s feta in the mix.

3. Combo pizza from S&R

Because it’s buy 1 get 50% off on the 2nd pie AT S&R! #Pizza A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:20pm PST

S&R pizza, more than anything, is really sulit. The pies are really big, with lots of toppings and a yummy chewy crust. I think it might be the most value for money pizza on my list. Flavors are limited though, with just Pepperoni, Cheese, Garlic and Shrimp, and Combo (meat and veggies). There are seasonal flavors, too, like NY Deli (all meat) and Tuna during holy week.

4. Hawaiian thin crust pizza from Mama Lou’s

Earlier today. #Lunch #MamaLous #Pizza

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Oct 10, 2014 at 6:06am PDT

I’m not a fan of crispy thin crust pizza, and I like Mama Lou’s coz theirs is soft. I also love that they serve their pizzas with alfalfa sprouts. Really yummy. I like their Hawaiian pizza best, which is weird coz they have all of these yummy flavors on the menu. I dunno, this just feels like true comfort food to me.

5. Original BBQ Chicken Pizza from CPK

#Pizza for one. #Lunch #CPK #CaliforniaPizzaKitchen A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Sep 9, 2014 at 10:03pm PDT

I love CPK’s Original BBQ Chicken Pizza so much that I ordered it on a lunch date with myself. And I ate the whole thing on my own. It was just a personal sized pizza or course. But to be honest, I think I could probably finish a big one. Probably.

6. #6 from Project Pie

Barbecue chicken PLUS bleu cheese. Hello, happiness! There are no words to describe how happy Project Pie’s #6 pizza makes me. And I didn’t even order it myself the first time I tried it. I hijacked someone else’s order. Lol.

7. Margherita Pot Pie from TUS

Filled with fresh tomatoes, olive oil, basil and cheese

I first tried TUS during a brunch date with my ABC Loves, and I was instantly hooked. While my sister and a vast majority would go back again and again for the half-baked cookie, I choose the Margherita Pot Pie as my reason for returning. I know it isn’t really a pizza, but it has to be on this list because it is just so good. I love the Chicken Ranch Pot Pie, too, but I don’t think I can get away with counting that as a pizza.

Special Mention: Double Pepperoni Pizza from Xtremely Xpresso

Honestly, Xtremely Xpresso’s Double Pepperoni Pizza is #1 on my list. It’s just that I have to go all the way to Clark or Subic to have it, so I try not to think about it so much. But really, you must visit this little cafe in Subic (or SM Clark, or Marquee Mall Angeles, but the Subic branch is the best one) and order pizza. You won’t regret it. I once ate a whole one all by myself. Not all at once, though. But okay, in only 2 days. Burp!

What’s your pizza of choice?

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (Plus Snacks) at F1 Hotel Manila

November 13, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 13 Comments

So, last month the boys and I went on a staycation at F1 Hotel in BGC. During our stay, we were eating about 80% of the time. I’m not kidding! It even started with food. As in, there was food laid out at the Premier Lounge when we arrived.

This boy was the most excited over the cookies and pastries that were laid out!

After a short welcome program, we were sent off to the hotel’s restaurant, F All Day Dining, for lunch. We were treated to a preview of their Christmas menu, and I was excited about having holiday food in October. I love to eat and I love the holidays, so when you put those two together, you make one happy me.

Just a tiny peek at the selection of viands at the F All Day Dining lunch buffet

I started out with the usual suspects: soup, salad and sushi. I remember my friend Jane asking why I was having a salad, and I told her that it was just the beginning. Best to get the vegetables out of the way early on. I also can never skip sushi and sashimi at buffets. Those are must-haves for me, and I really enjoyed the sashimi at F1. I was happy to see they had molo soup, which is also a favorite. It was good, but needed a pinch more of salt and pepper for my taste.

And then came the holiday goodness. There was stuffed turkey, glazed ham with pineapple, cherries and candied fruit, beef morcon, lamb caldereta, chicken galantina, and roasted salmon with orange and rosemary beurre blanc. There were also dishes being served that weren’t part of the holiday menu, but I chose to dive into the Christmas feast and pretty much ignore the rest.

Caldereta, beef morcon, chicken galantina and roasted salmon

The star of the holiday feast, for me, was of course the stuffed turkey. I love, love, love turkey, and this one was pretty good. I also enjoyed the glazed ham . No matter how simple this dish may be, ham gives me this Christmas morning feeling and that’s why I love it.

Round 2: My plate filled with holiday cheer

Yes, I still had room for dessert after all of that. I was eager to try all the small cakes that were laid out, and also the chocolate fondue. I don’t know about you guys, but those things make me feel like a kid! There was also churros and tsokolate, which I love! My friends, Jane and Joei and I played around a bit at the tsokolate station, as you’ll see in the next photo.

Fondue, churros, cheesecake, chocolate cake, black forest cake – Dessert Heaven!

I think I liked the cheesecake best, and also the tsokolate. I wanted to get some fruit but I had absolutely no more space for it. And that was why I went straight for the salad before anything else! Habang may space pa.

I really would have wanted to nap after lunch, but we had to leave to catch a party in my aunt’s house nearby. We tried our best not to eat so much at the party because we knew we had a dinner feast to look forward to at the hotel that night.

Originally, the plan was for us to have an outdoor barbecue at the poolside Canary Lounge but the weather just refused to cooperate. So instead, we had our meal at the restaurant again, but this time we were served yummy grilled meat and seafood at our tables.

Dinner was EXCELLENT. I really loved the grilled squid with the steamed vegetables, and the grilled sausage with the corn salad. There was also a buffet, similar to what was served at lunch, and so I picked up some sushi and sashimi (again!), russian salad, bread, crackers and cheese (my happiness!)

I slept super soundly that night with a happy tummy and a happy heart. The next morning, I woke up earlier than the boys did. I wanted coffee but I was too lazy to make some. Then I remembered that there was an uneaten quezo de bola cheesecake sitting in the living area of our suite! So I happily ate that all by myself, first thing in the morning on a Sunday. What a fun way to wake up!

My idea of happiness is having breakfast that I didn’t have to prepare myself. That, for me, is such a luxury, and one of the best parts of any staycation.

One of the little luxuries that I enjoy as a mom is being able to eat breakfast that I didn’t have to prepare myself. Yay for making my morning, @f1hotelmanila 🙂 #F1HotelManila #breakfastbuffet #bacon #eggs #bread

A photo posted by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan (@mrspcuyugan) on Oct 10, 2014 at 5:47pm PDT

Back at the restaurant, I finally got my coffee. I also had a glass of apple juice. I wasn’t very hungry so I only had a small plate (yes, small na yan for me!) of with waffles, a pandesal, a cinnamon roll, puto, bacon, the yummiest, fluffiest scrambled eggs ever, and vegetable gratin. I wasn’t able to take photos of the breakfast spread because the stations were due for a refill while we were there, so they wouldn’t have made nice photos anyway.

I may have been full, but I wasn’t satisfied. I had been eyeing the champorado all morning, and finally I decided to give in. I’m glad I did because it was the best part of my entire breakfast. I would have regretted not going for it.

You complete me. Or at least my breakfast.

We didn’t try the other hotel facilities because we really just wanted to relax and rest that weekend. F1 does have a nice gym and spa, and 3 swimming pools! After breakfast, Little MrC and I went to check out the pools so I could take photos. There were a lot of people swimming, though, so there was more kiddo than there were pools in my pictures. Oh well!

And just like that, he decided that since I kept taking photos of him, he would start taking photos of ME

We slept well, ate well, enjoyed the company, and had fun in general at F1 Hotel. All in all, it was a great staycation. Those of you who are planning a visit should come during the holidays because there is a lot to look forward to then – special room rates, Christmas and New Year’s Eve mass, Christmas carols, and that Christmas buffet.

Lunch and dinner buffet at F All Day Dining costs PHP 1,399 nett. The special lunch and dinner buffet on December 24, 25, 30, 2014 and January 1, 2015 costs PHP 1,999, and comes with a glass of wine. Special lunch on December 31 is PHP 1,999. Special dinner on December 31 is PHP 2,999, inclusive of one (1) New Year’s Countdown Party Ticket.

Again, THANK YOU so very much, Mr. Tony Co and Pau of F1 Hotel for having us. We enjoyed our stay. Thank you also, Spanky and Jane, for including us in your guest list. We are truly grateful.

F All Day Dining at F1 Hotel Manila
32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City
+632 928.9888 / +632 908.7888
inquiry@f1hotelsandresorts.com
www.f1hotelmanila.com
facebook.com/f1hotelmanila
Instagram @F1Hotelmanila

Royal Caribbean, Jamaican Me Hungry!

October 21, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 24 Comments

I know, my post title is really baduy. Indulge me. This is the first time in 7 days that I’ve actually found the time to blog. That’s the excitement talking.

This guy was excited to be at Royal Carribean

Anyway, in search of suits to wear to an upcoming wedding, the boys and I decided to check out Market Market. I’m not sure what we thought we were gonna find there, but I did know that we were gonna drop by Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties to grab a bite. I’d had an outstanding invitation from them for months to come over, and we finally got to do it. Yay!

We normally visit that other Jamaican place just because they have branches in all of our favorite hangouts. I was looking forward to trying the different flavors of Royal Caribbean for a change. It’s too bad that my stomach was iffy because we’d been eating nonstop that weekend, otherwise I would have tasted more than one pattie. And yes, there were a lot of options to choose from.

Look, healthier chicken, tuna and vegetable patties!

I was surprised to see baked macaroni and cookies on the menu. We thought about ordering these, but changed our minds at the last minute. We ended choosing patties with our favorite fillings, plus drinks. Part of me feels that I should have tried something new, but I just don’t see how you can not eat Jamaican patties at a Jamaican pattie store. Makes sense?

MrC always chooses something spicy, while the little boy picks something with cheese. The husbandry had a Beef Jerky Pattie (PHP45) for his first round (yes, he had more than one), plus a Coke. The kiddo ordered the Cheeze Burst Supreme (PHP58) and a Mango Shake (PHP58). They both wanted more after they gobbled down their patties, but we managed to convince the kiddo to order dessert instead. MrC, on the other hand, went for round two with a Cheese Burst Royale (PHP58).

Of course I took a bite out of everyone’s orders. The Beef Jerky was nice and spicy, and I honestly don’t know how MrC could keep adding hot sauce with every bite. Between the two Cheese Burst flavors, I prefer the Supreme because I like my patties with tomato sauce in them.

I ordered the Beef Supreme (PHP45), which had tomato sauce and wasn’t spicy. This, in my opinion, needed hot sauce to make each bite more exciting. It’s a good thing Royal Caribbean gave us a nice big squeeze bottle full of their tangy, spicy sauce. So yummy, and it all went very well with my Ceylon Tea Slushie (PHP58), which actually helped calm my turbulent tummy.

This sleepy face was the result of a night of fun at 12 Monkeys with the ABC

Since the kiddo really wanted to eat some more, he and MrC crossed the hallway to buy some mini donuts. I love the smell of these little fried treats. They remind me so much of recess time at Zobel! I found these ones too sweet though, but I think it might just be the flavor that the boys chose. I still prefer my mini donuts simply dusted with sugar.

RC Jamaican Patties would make great movie snacks, and I can’t believe I never thought to buy some to bring into the theater before. The shop is conveniently located right where the cinemas are at Market Market, so go and grab some for your next movie date. And don’t forget the Ceylon Tea, coz that’s really good, too.

THANK YOU Royal Caribbean for the treat! The boys and I really enjoyed ourselves!

Royal Caribbean Jamaican Patties
Fifth Floor, Market! Market!
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City
+63943 709 0406
http://www.royalcaribbean.com.ph/

4 Couples, 12 Monkeys

October 14, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 19 Comments

MrC and I used to go out to watch bands a lot. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever written about it here, but my husbandry used to sing in a band called Bobby Parks Movement. I was their manager. And oh my gosh, I just found proof of the band’s existence on the interwebs! O diba? This was before we became parents, of course, when it was okay to come home at the crack of dawn and sleep until way past lunch time.

Bobby Parks Movement on MYX Bandarito, 2005

I find it silly whenever I say, “Those were the days,” in reference to that time in our lives. I feel that it makes me sound older than I actually am. But that’s the truth, those were the days. Nights out have become rare occasions for MrC and me, because we have really grown into homebodies since becoming parents. But because we love Joei and the ABC, we got all dolled up and spent an evening with the group at 12 Monkeys Music Hall & Pub in Century City Mall a few weeks ago.

The moment we walked in I thought, wow I wish this place existed already when we were still very much involved in the band scene, aka in my past life working for events like Fete dela Musique and Red Horse Muziklaban. I would have loved to hold an event at this place! It’s roomy, simple but aptly decorated, and the sound is AMAZEBALLS. Plus, the food is really good, which isn’t something you find at bars very often.

Given the roster of partners who put this place together, though, I’m not surprised at the excellence in detail put into everything from the ambiance, to the equipment, to the menu. Behind the amazing food and ambiance are Raymund Magdaluyo, who owns Red Crab, Sumo Sam and Seafood Island, Neil Arce, an old friend from Zobel, and co-owner of 71 Gramercy and Tipsy Pig, Neil Paras of Big Bad Wolf, Mike Gelacio, who co-owns Publiko and Universe, Prive’s JM Rodriguez, club and bar owner, GP Reyes, and one of 19 East’s partners, Yuri Allado.

Musical programming is taken care of by Parokya Ni Edgar’s frontman, Chito Miranda, and Champ Lui Pio. Marketing and operations is handled by the lone lady in the group, Cesca Rivas. The DJ lineup is carefully put together by DJ Keith Haw. With JB Music’s head, Jerico Fernando involved, you know exactly why the sound system at 12 Monkeys is as good as it is. Completing the lineup of partners are Magic 89.9’s DJ Tony Toni Bueno and Solar Sports TV’s Jinno Rufino. Now that’s an all-star cast, if I’ve ever seen one.

Borrowing Jane’s photo of the opening band the night we were at 12 Monkeys

Our visit came after an intimate dinner at Yumi Japanese Restaurant (blogging about this soon!), which was just next door. That didn’t stop us from sampling the different dishes that we had heard were to die for at 12 Monkeys. First came drinks. No pub experience is complete without a beer, in my opinion, so it was a rather huge mug of Stella Artois for me, and a Cerveza Negra for MrC. The other girls ordered a pretty cocktail each – a yellow cocktail called Sweet Monkeys (PHP250) for Joei, a very pink Very Berries (PHP250) for Jane, and a kiwi-filled green Ivan’s Secret (PHP250) for Mish.

His & Hers beers, and colorful cocktails

Once we were all settled in with our drinks and the band started to play, the food came in, one exciting plate after another. Chef Pete Ayson developed the menu at 12 Monkeys based on the taste and preference of each of the partners.Our spread started off with Killer Chicharones, a basket filled with crispy hog skin, chicken tail poppers and skin served with spiced vinegar and spiced ketchup. A second basket on our table contained Cesca Pop – golden shrimp popcorn, grilled lemon, crispy fries and cocktail sauce.

Killer Chicharones (PHP195), Cesca Pop and His & Hers Iced Tea – Notice that the glasses for guys are different from the glasses for girls

I only tried one piece of chicharon, but the boys ate it happily. I really liked the Cesca Pop, and end up finishing the whole basket, including the fries. So good when you squeeze the grilled lemon over everything! The Spam Fries was something that we all couldn’t get enough of! This was tempura style assorted Spam served with honey mustard, cumin ketchup and kimchi mayo. So good, it was gone in 60 seconds! I would love to take Little MrC to try these. I’m sure he will really enjoy.

I love that the pizza selections are categorized as Picha Pie, obviously after that Parokya ni Edgar Song. We were served Ivan’s Palabok Pizza and The Sisig Tribute. The Palabok Pizza really tasted like palabok! As in, it’s even better with calamansi squeezed over it. I never would have imagined this would make a good pizza, but it works. The Sisig Tribute was yummy too, and nice and spicy. This is perfect for my friends who love sisig but don’t like eating rice.

Thai Beef Salad, The Sisig Tribute (PHP320), Ivan’s Palabok Pizza (PHP350), Chunky Monkey Pie (PHP290) and Sticky Pudding (PHP285)

I didn’t get to try the salads, but I will next time. Apart from the Thai Beef Salad, which had mixed greens, tamarind beef fillet, cucumber, tomatoes, radish, toasted peanuts and chili lime dressing, we were also given a Fried Chicken Caesar Salad. This I am interested in for next time. A bowl of this salad comes with homemade Caesar dressing tossed into romaine lettuce, and topped with saved Parmesan cheese, smoked bacon bits and a country fried chicken fillet. Sounds like my kind of salad!

I had a few spoons of the After Hours Goto Special because I love goto and just couldn’t say no. This bowl was goto perfection! It’s Filipino-style congee served with beef tripe, garlic flkes, century egg, pork floss, homemade candied dilis, scallions, tofu and fried crispy pork belly. If you ever come to 12 Monkeys, you MUST try this!

Borrowing Jane’s photo of the After Hours Goto Special (PHP285)

I knew I had to save room for dessert, so I decided to skip the Laksa Lomi, a red curry lomi noodle soup with squid balls, white shrimps and fried pork belly, and the Barbecue Feast. Note to self: Order the barbecue next time because it looked really good. The platter was loaded with chargrilled baby back ribs, barbacua chicken wings, coleslaw, potato salad and Java rice.

The last main dish served to us before we all threw in the towel because we were too full to function was the 12 Treasures Claypot Rice. This was black rice, soy chicken, Chinese sausage, pork ribs, shiitake mushrooms and bok choi cooked in a claypot bowl. I have to try this next time, coz it really sounds yummy, too. Diba, not your usual bar chow!

12 Treasures Claypot Rice (PHP365) Photo by Jane

Dessert was a slice of Chunky Monkey Pie and Sticky Pudding. Both had banana in them, keeping with the whole monkey thing, I guess. The Chunky Monkey Pie is a cream-filled banana cream pie topped with whipped cream, chunky peanut butter and crushed choc nut. The pudding was made of banana walnut bread in butter toffee sauce, topped with vanilla ice cream. Both were yummy! After a spoonful of each, I literally couldn’t eat another bite.

I just love our ABC group! It’s always fun when these guys are around.

THANK YOU so very much to the management and staff at 12 Monkeys for taking care of us and stuffing us silly. I had such a great time that I’ve already asked MrC to take me back there to see some of my favorite bands play. It’ll be great to hang out and pretend we are young and free, even just for a night. Thank you, also, Joei for putting this fun evening together for the ABC.

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It’s been a while since MrC and I went to a bar hehe. Super enjoyed #GirlsNightOut with my #ABC loves and our husbandries at 12 Monkeys. The food there is amazing! And ang ganda ng sound! Hope to catch one of my favorite bands there soon.

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12 Monkeys Music Hall And Pub
5/F Century City Mall
Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati
For reservations call (0917) 570-3222
For private event inquiries email 12monkeyspub@gmail.com
Follow @12MonkeysPH on Twitter and Instagram, and like 12MonkeysPH on Facebook

Doors open at 5pm
Entrance fees vary based on the performing band
Table reservations go for 6-8k, consumable
The VIP couch close to the stage costs 15k, consumable, and can seat 10-12 persons

Recipe: Bangus Ala Pobre

September 26, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 13 Comments

It’s been a while since I have gone food shopping, simply because I’ve decided to use up whatever’s in the fridge and freezer before I buy anything else. Thing is, my mom keeps buying stuff in small batches (thanks, Ma!) so we never run out of food. Now, because I’m making do with what’s on hand, I’m forced to be creative with what I cook. Luckily, with the addition of a brand-spanking new bottle of Lea and Perrins Worcestershire sauce to our pantry, I had all I needed to make one of our family faves, Bangus Ala Pobre.

Lea and Perrins1 — This dish wouldn’t be complete without you, Lea & Perrins!

This is a perfect early morning quick baon recipe because you don’t need to marinate it for very long, and it cooks real quick too. Everything can be prepared the night before and placed in the refrigerator so that you aren’t scrambling for ingredients before dawn. If your fish is frozen, make sure you move it from the freezer to the fridge before you sleep so that it’s thawed enough when you wake up.

All you need to do is mix 10 cloves of minced garlic, a tiny bit of calamansi or lemon juice, salt and pepper, and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Pour the marinade over 2 boneless bangus bellies and let it soak for 15 minutes or so. During this time, I wash and prepare my rice then turn on the rice cooker.

One belly is enough for the boys and I (for now), so I put the second one in a handy dandy GLAD Freezer bag and pop it in the freezer for another day. Don’t forget to label your food keepers or zipper bags so you know what you have on hand, and when it went into the freezer. Once you’re ready to cook, simply heat up some olive oil in a pan and fry the fish. Be careful coz this pops!

I like to fry this skin side down first, then flip it to get the belly and the garlic bits all nice and toasty. Serve immediately with hot rice, and vegetables or scrambled eggs on the side.

Bangus Ala Pobre

2014-09-26 06:40:51

Serves 4

Made with Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce

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Ingredients

2 pcs Boneless bangus belly, unseasoned
1 Tbsp Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
10 Cloves of garlic, minced
The juice of 1 calamansi
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Tbsp Olive oil for frying

Instructions

Make the marinade by combining the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, calamansi juice, salt and pepper.
Pour the mixture over the bangus bellies. Marinate for at least 15 minutes.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry bangus skin side down until the edges are golden brown. Flip the fish and continue to fry until the garlic bits and fatty portion are toasted.
Serve immediately.

By MrsC

At Home With MrsC https://blissbysam.com/

Mexican #FoodTrip: Sabores de Mexico at Crimson Hotel

September 23, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 25 Comments

My Instagram feed will tell you that the boys and I spent the weekend at our friendly neighborhood hotel, Crimson Hotel at the Entrata Complex in Filinvest Alabang. One of the highlights of our stay was the Sabores de Mexico Mexican food festival that happened to be running while we were there. Oh the joy! We are Mexican food fanatics, and so this was really a special treat to look forward to.

My dinner dates – Kaye, Jane and Mish, and our gracious host, Crimson Hotel’s Karina Leal
(This photo belongs to Michelle Aventajado)

I started with the starters because, well, that’s where you’re supposed to start. And because they were laid out right behind me and I could smell them! I particularly liked the different salads. I thought they all looked the same, but then they each tasted different. They were cold and quite refreshing to the palate.

A Mexican meal is not complete unless you have nachos. At least for me and MrC. He happily crunched away on chips loaded while cheese while I had my plate of assorted salads and cheese. I love the cheese selections at Crimson. There were several different kinds, and no, sliced sandwich cheese was not a part of the list. Thank goodness.

Nacho bar, cold cuts and assorted starters

Cheese is happiness. Cheese and ice cream.

I was excited to get started on the main dishes. The Mexican Embassy flew in Chef Daniela Romero to infuse authentic Mexican dishes into Cafe Eight’s buffet, after all, and I couldn’t wait to try them. The Mexican Rice (of all things!) was my favorite. So good. I can just imagine stuffing this into burritos and all sorts of tortilla wraps, or eating it topped with carne asada and cheese. Yes, even more cheese. I also really enjoyed the beans. They went so well with the rice!

I also picked up a plate of sushi. It isn’t Mexican food, but I just couldn’t resist. I make sure to always try the Japanese selections at every hotel buffet I try just because I love Sushi and Sashimi a whole lot. Little MrC had a big plate of Sushi that night, too! That and a plate of Carbonara plus a bowl of Tortilla Soup.

See my photo-ready friends, Jane and Kaye? 🙂

Did I mention that I had a Mojito too? Soooo goooooood! And it went really well with the Mexican spread. I didn’t notice what MrC was eating because he was up and about, picking things up and wolfing them down. Hehe, sorry Daddy, nilaglag na kita.

Now, of course I remembered to save room for dessert. Unfortunately, by the time I was ready to hit the sweets they were all out of Churros with Chocolate Sauce! Huhuhu. The kids told me that they were really yummy.

It’s a good thing the Rice Pudding was excellent, otherwise I really would have been disappointed about missing out on the Churros. I got some of my usual dessert faves, too – Chocolate Mousse, Red Velvet and Tres Leches.

All in all, I had three plates (plus sushi, plus a mojito)

THANK YOU so very much to our lovely hosts, Twinkle Lacsamana, Karina, and the wonderful staff at Crimson Hotel. I had an amazing time chatting with my girlfriends, while we stuffed ourselves silly. It was such a fun night with our little group and our caboodle of husbands and kids. The boys really enjoyed dinner, and we can’t wait to come back and indulge in more of Cafe Eight’s yummy dishes. Thank you also to my south sister, Jane for arranging this for ABC+K!

Those of you who wanna check out the Sabores de Mexico Buffet, you still have until September 26, Friday, to drop by and enjoy. Lunch buffet costs PHP1,000 and dinner is PHP1,250 per person. For reservations, call Cafe Eight at 863.2222 loc 1612.