Food & Recipes

Oh, Bellevue, How I’ve Missed You!

July 26, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 10 Comments

The Bellevue Manila has always been one of my favorites. I have a lot of fond and fun memories in that hotel. It was the venue of the first ever corporate event that I helped organize, and their kitchen catered my first big social event in Alabang several years ago. Little MrC attended his first Halloween event at the Laguna Room, and MrC and I once celebrated my birthday at Cafe d’Asie. I chose The Bellevue as the official residence (naks) of my wedding party, and because my friends know that I love the sweet treats there so much, they gifted us with a basket from the Pastry Corner during our wedding. Yep, The Bellevue and I go a long way back.

I had just realized that I hadn’t been back there in a long time, when my friend Jane invited MrC and I for a quadruple dinner date. It would be MrC and I, Jeff and Jane (or sugar and spice, as he told me hehe), Nino and Mish , and Kaye and her kiddos. I immediately blocked my schedule off for that evening, and prepared my tummy for the feast that was to come.

This picture belongs to Jane. Super love our group photo!

MrC and I actually arrived a little late, so everyone was already there. I came from a bento workshop that afternoon and I really wanted to shower before dinner. It was good, though, that Jane decided to schedule this dinner on the same day as the workshop, otherwise Kaye might not have been able to join us. Blogging about that Bento #Crafternoon session with The Bento Mommas soon, by the way!

Of course I was already hungry when we arrived, so MrC and I hit the buffet right away. Even though it had been years since my last meal at Cafe d’Asie, everything still looked, smelled and felt the same. It felt like home and I was so very happy to be there.

Like I always do at hotel buffets, I went for the sushi, cold cuts and cheeses first. MrC started with his usual bowl of soup, a plate of sushi, andsome cold cuts.

The plates on top are mine and the ones at the bottom are MrC’s

The highlight of my night was the roast beef (see top left photo in the collage above!), which was nice and pink and pretty bloody when it was sliced. I actually contemplated having it seared a bit on the grill, but I’m glad I decided not to because it was just perfect the way it was already. I chose a peppercorn gravy to drizzle over it, and picked up some potatoes to eat it with. Drool.

Fruits, salad station, Mongolian station and cold cuts

After that first batch of food, MrC had a plate of rice and assorted viands. I thought about maybe having a salad or some fruit, but I could feel myself getting full already. I opted to head over to the dessert station instead. Like I said, I love the sweet treats at The Bellevue oh so very much, so there was no way I was gonna miss out. I also saw something new, something that wasn’t there yet during our last visit – ice cream. Lots and lots of it!

There's always room for dessert at The Bellevue Hotel! — There’s always room for dessert at The Bellevue Hotel!

If I could try every flavor of ice cream in that freezer I would, but I don’t think that my stomach would be able to handle more than one scoop. So, as recommended by Jane, I tried the avocado flavor. It was so yummy and really creamy. I actually had quite a bit of sweets that night. I don’t regret it.

The strawberry mousse is one of my faves from Bellevue. I have it every time I eat there!

After dinner, we went up to The Vue Bar, supposedly to have some drinks. The boys shared a few drinks but none of us girls had any. The others were too full from dinner, while I was too sleepy to function. Lol, me and my 9pm bedtime! We stayed and chatted for a bit, and the other ladies even danced a little. I didn’t coz I’m KJ like that. I only dance when I have alcohol in my system. But I already promised them that I would give it a go the next time we go out. Yes, alcohol or no alcohol, I will dance.

My dinner date, the view from The Vue, and our party of 6

Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jane, for the invite, and thank you to The Bellevue Manila for having us. It was a much-needed, long overdue date night for MrC and I, and we’re both so glad that we got to spend it with our amazeballs friends at one of our favorite date places in the south. Can’t wait to be back, and next time we’ll take the kiddo with us. Come to think of it, the next time we’re at The Bellevue Manila, I think I want it to be for a staycation!

Café d’Asie and The Vue Bar
The Bellevue Manila
North Bridgeway, Filinvest City
Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Phone: (632) 771 8181
Fax: (632) 771 8282
Email: tbmnl@thebellevue.com
Website: http://www.thebellevue.com/
Facebook: #/thebellevuemanila
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellevuemanila

Sweet Treats From Pink Wasabi

July 11, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 14 Comments

One fine day I received an SMS from my wonderful blogger friend Jane, telling me that she was sending some goodies from Pink Wasabi over to my house. I never say no to dessert and sweet snacks. That message and the surprise delivery super duper made my day. Thanks, Jane and Chef Anna!

Something for chocolate lovers like me!

I instantly fell in love with Pink Wasabi’s bite-sized Tableya Brownies (PHP 188.00 per pack, 36 brownies per canister), and so did my dad! I remember that the NBA Finals were on that day, and as soon as I got the package I rushed to my parents’ room to share the goodies with them because sweet treats are meant to be shared. Before the game was done, the brownies were all gone. It’s a good thing that I secretly set some aside for MrC and the kiddo to try!

As if I wasn’t already in chocoholic heaven with the brownies, there were also two containers of cookies included in the bag. Oh my, happy heart and happy tummy talaga! The cookies came in two flavors, Chocolate Chip swirled with Nutella (PHP 160.00 for a canister of 6) and Cashew Nut Butter with Choco Chunks (PHP 150.00 per canister of 6). My boys really, really, really loved these cookies.

I knew that the closest place I could get these delightful desserts from was in Makati, so I really savored every bite. And then, during one of our brainstorm meetings for our Fringe Salon Blogger’s Pampering Day, my friend Michelle said that she was planning to invite Pink Wasabi to cater one of the legs. I’m so happy that Chef Anna said YES! I got to indulge in these yummies again. At the event, they were also joined by Orange Whisk and Simply Pie, who served delicious quiches and other savory snacks.

Super cute, super yummy Reinbo Profiteroles

At the Fringe event, apart from eating my chocolatey favorites, I also got a second taste of Pink Wasabi’s Reinbo Profiteroles. I got a small box of these cute and colorful cream puffs from Jane, too, but for some reason I just enjoyed them more the second time around. Of course, my fave was the Green Tea flavor, and the Orange Coffee one come in as a close second. There were also Strawberry and Caramel Pepper flavored profiteroles in the box.

These profiteroles require refrigeration in order to prolong their shelf life. They are best consumed within 3 days, though, which is expected since these pastries are filled with a creamy custard. In case you plan on ordering, here are the prices:

Box of 4 – PHP 155.00
Box of 6 – PHP 195.00
Box of 12 – PHP 360.00
Box of 15 – PHP 428.00

Unique Kashi Maki cakes

If I thought that the profiteroles were adorbs, I was completely floored when I saw the Kashi Makis. These desserts are works of art! Imagine sweet hand-rolled cakes that look like sushi! Okay wait, no need to imagine. Let me show you.

Diba, so nice? These would make really great gifts! My favorites were the White Matcha, Oolong Berry, and the Midnight Mint flavored ones. Basically, I loved all the tea-infused flavors. My mom and MrC on the other hand liked the liquor-infused ones. My kiddo loved the Chocnut and the Choco Caramel Popcorn flavors. No surprise there. You can check out all the available flavors on the Kashi Maki Flavor List.

Like the profiteroles, these are ordered by the box, and you will need to place your orders at least three days in advance. Here are the prices for the Kashi Maki:

Box of 4, chef’s choice, assorted – PHP 140.00
Box of 9, chef’s choice, assorted – PHP 280.00
Box of 18, chef’s choice, assorted – PHP 540.00

When you order a box of 18, you get a pair of steel chopsticks to go with your Kashi Maki. And, in case you plan on giving these as gifts, here is a list of upgrades and add-ons:

White chocolate plaque (choice of Happy Birthday or Happy Anniversary text – PHP 20.00
Customized white chocolate plaque
- Small, 2 words max – PHP 20.00
- Medium, 4 words max – PHP 25.00
- Large, 6 words max – PHP 30.00
Gift Tag – PHP 25.00
Steel Chopsticks – PHP 25.00

The Reinbo Profiteroles and Kashi Maki come in these beautiful boxes

While chatting with Chef Anna, I found out that they also supply desserts for Lasa Restaurant, which means that they can deliver to Alabang. Yay! She made Michelle and I try the Leche Ka!, a leche flan that sits on top of chocolate cake made from Batangas cacao. Oh my golly, so, so, so sinfully good. I hope that the boys and I can go back to Commercenter soon to have some.

To find out more about Pink Wasabi, you can check them out on Facebook or visit their website, www.mypinkwasabi.com.

Thanks again, Chef Anna, for sharing your yummy treats with us! 🙂

Steak With Cheese Sauce + Baon Plan #3

July 10, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 15 Comments

Confession: This post is dated Thursday, July 10, but I am writing it on Tuesday, July 15.

July has been good for me so far, where my WAHM Life is concerned. That means though that time management has been a challenge. I’ve not been able to find time to write, mostly because my days have been full. When I did have a couple of hours or so to spare over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been either napping or reading because my brain has been too tired to think. Today, though, classes are suspended in the Muntinlupa mountains, and so I basically have no responsibilities – no baon to prepare, no school bus driver duties, and no homework. Yay for me! I just really hope that this typhoon (which has yet to be felt) is not as strong as they say it will be, especially since MrC is off to work today.

I thought I wouldn’t have time to write today, but it seems like the kiddo is more excited about the prospect of catching his weekday cartoons over spending extra time with mommy, so while he’s glued to the tube, I’ve decided to blog. Yay for me, and yay for lazy, pajamas-in-bed kinds of days. I’d make hot chocolate but so far it’s still too hot and humid for a hot drink.

A sneak peek into what’s on this Baon Plan

Among all of the things listed on my queue, which sadly has pending posts from February pa (I know, so irresponsible), I’ve decided to work on my baon plan first. I love that I’m actually able to help out a few moms by posting what I pack each week. I also love that my mom friends and blogger friends recommend my baon plans to other mommies. I must be doing something right, right? 🙂

Okay, moving on.

Last Week’s Test Recipes

I didn’t get to make Parmesan Chicken Fingers because I forgot to buy breadcrumbs. Instead, I made a quick an easy Chicken Popcorn using Del Monte Quick N Easy Breading Mix. I just cut up some filleted chicken thighs into 1″ cubes, dumped them in a plastic bag with the breading mix, shook it up and fried in a bit of oil. The kiddo really loved this.

For the Balsamic-Honey Glazed Pork , we used pork chops instead of pork loin medallions. It was actually my mom who prepared this, and we had it for dinner at home instead of baon. I liked it, but the little boy wasn’t that happy. I guess this appeals to more mature taste buds.

This Week’s Featured Recipes and Baon Plan

This week’s baon is based on what I actually packed for the boys over the last two weeks. You can even see some of them in the first photo in this post, and on my Instagram feed. While I still think that planning ahead helps, especially when it’s grocery shopping time, I also like to prepare food that I feel like making on that particular day. That explains why I sometimes deviate from my own baon plan. Lol.

Featured recipes from this blog are my ever-so-reliable Breaded Pork Chops and my Chicken Menudo . I also have Bangus Belly ala Pobre on the menu. I used store-bought bangus for this, and the brand that I like is Sea King. But I really want to start marinading my own from scratch. I think I will try this recipe from Casa Veneracion because it looks so simple. I also am sharing with you the easiest steak recipe ever with cheese sauce to match. This is one of Little MrC’s favorite dishes. The cheese sauce makes it super kid-friendly.

Lola Terry's Steak With Cheese Sauce

2014-07-14 22:51:20

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Ingredients

Beef tenderloin
Knorr Seasoning
Salt and Pepper
Oil for frying

For the Cheese Sauce

1 cup Fresh milk
1 small bar Quickmelt cheese, grated
Knorr Seasoning
Pepper
Pan drippings from the steak

Instructions

Rub salt, pepper and Knorr seasoning onto each side of the steak. The amount of seasoning you use will depend entirely on your taste. Let the meat sit for a few minutes to marinade.
Heat oil in a skillet and cook the meat to your desired doneness.
Transfer the meat from the pan to a serving plate, and let it rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Lower the heat on your stove and slowly pour in the fresh milk, stirring as you pour to prevent curdling.
Add the grated cheese. Simmer until melted, stirring occasionally.
Adjust seasoning with Knorr and pepper.

By MrsC

Adapted from Lola Terry's Homecooking

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

Click here to download this week’s baon plan. To check out my past lunchbox plans from Grade 2 and Grade 3, click here.

Thanks for stopping by! I’ll have another lunchbox menu ready for you in two weeks.

Penmanship Problems + Baon Plan #2

June 27, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 8 Comments

It’s officially the end of our third week of school. Yay! I wish I could say that I look forward to sleeping in over the weekend, but soccer camp is back on and so Saturdays and Sundays find us on the field bright and early. I do have the luxury of afternoon naps, though, so it’s all good.

Tell me about your kids’ first few weeks of school

Did everything run as smoothly as you thought they would? Here at home, weekday afternoons are super busy, with homework and review time taking up a good chunk of what used to be free time for us. I keep reminding my son that the third grade is now part of the “Upper Grades” in school, which means that things are now pretty serious, academically.

One major challenge I’ve been having to deal with is my son’s note-taking. He’s been showing me a lot of incomplete and misspelled notes in his assignment notebook and in his subject notebooks, too. These are things he copies off the board, and that’s why I have a hard time understanding why there are so many errors. The bad thing is that his excuse is consistent, each and every time. He says he does it in a hurry because he runs out of time to copy his notes. When prodded, he admits that he wasted a lot of time talking before he actually started writing, and that’s why he was unable to copy properly. Every day. Every single day this week. I’m still figuring out how to deal with this.

There’s also been a bit of drama where the lunch box is concerned, because he recently discovered the joys of buying pizza at recess time, and not eating the food that mom prepared for him. No, he doesn’t have an allowance yet, just to be clear. He has some money saved up from random gift-giving sessions with aunts and grandparents, and that’s what he’s been using. Maybe this is a challenge for me to up my game where baon is concerned? Something to think about for sure. In the meantime, here are some photos of lunches from the last two weeks, as posted on Instagram.

Just a few lunch boxes from the last two weeks

Last Week’s Test Recipes

I was able to try two new recipes last week, a beef tapa one from Yummy and Once A Month Meals’ Cheesy Tuna Mac. MrC loved the tapa. It was garlicky and sweet and salty with a hint of sourness. It reminded me a lot of carinderia tapa, covered in a sticky sauce that nicely coated the meat while cooking. I still have one more container in the freezer, ready to be cooked for brunch one of these weekends. The Mac N Cheese was well-received by the little boy. In fact,of all the food I packed for him since school started, this was one of the few that he really finished. As in, no leftovers! I also froze some, and I think I’m gonna snack on one of the containers this weekend while watching the World Cup games.

This Week’s Featured Recipes and Baon Plan

I feel pressured to make sure that everything I prepare is extra yummy this week, because like I said earlier, I’m now competing with cafeteria pizza. Ugh. I have my sure-win Pinoy Spaghetti on there, and my Beef Salpicao, too. I’m also trying out this recipe for Parmesan Chicken Fingers, and this Honey Balsamic Glazed Pork one. Plus, for recess, I’m gonna be baking a batch of cheese cupcakes. If I never get around to baking, I know I can get good pastries from Le Coeur de France. Buy 1 take 1 on weekends and after 7pm on weekdays, yay! I really hope that the kiddo finishes his food from here on out. I’d like to think that the adjustment period is over already.

I’ll let you know how these new recipe experiments turn out. In the meantime, please download (and enjoy) my Baon Plan for June 30 to July 11! And make me kwento about your first few weeks of school, okay?

Oh Wow, Wooden Spoon

June 25, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 8 Comments

I don’t normally like to leave Alabang, but I consent with no complaints if it’s to go to Powerplant Mall. I love it there. It’s clean, it’s relatively quiet, and I get to buy yummier (albeit more expensive) Dunkin Donuts and The Cake Club’s Ube Ensaymada to take home afterwards. The boys and I have been visiting that mall a lot more than usual because we’ve been buying Anvil Oil for my mom-in-law from G Stuff.

We decided to stay for lunch during our latest visit a few weeks ago. I usually insist that we try a restaurant that we don’t have in the south when we go out because I like to make the most out of the opportunity. I had read good things online about Chef Sandy Daza’s Wooden Spoon restaurant, and since it’s hard to go wrong with Filipino food, we ended up there.

I thought that the wooden spoon chandelier was a nice touch

We were all really thirsty since we’d been walking around for a while, so we started by ordering drinks. MrC wanted some coffee but they didn’t have that on the menu yet. Our server was nice enough to offer to get a cup of coffee from the restaurant next door, and he even said that it was his job to provide us with what we wanted. Plus points right away!

Wooden spoon uses large sheets of blank white paper for place mats, and, as you can see, the little boy decided that he would doodle on his. He loves to draw, so he is easily entertained with just a pen and paper. His drawings look like a cross between stick figures and Minecraft characters.

Orange juice for the kiddo, iced tea for me and coffee for MrC

We had lunch pretty late that day, and so didn’t have to deal with the weekend lunch crowd. Our food was also served quickly, which was perfect because we were all pretty hungry. The kiddo really wanted fried chicken, so we ordered the Boneless Crispy Chicken for him. This dish is super kid-friendly!

**Boneless Crispy Chicken (PHP217.00)**
Fried chicken steak served with corn, mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy

MrC asked the waiter for a recommendation on our main course. We were told that one of their best sellers is the Dinakdakan. It’s something that I’d never heard of before, so I was excited to give it a try. This is an Ilocano specialty, and I’m pretty sure my dad-in-law knows how to make it. MrC describes it as having a sort of cooked kinilaw taste. It’s definitely interesting, and I’m curious to try other restaurants’ version of this dish. Meron ba?

**Dinakdakan (PHP229.00)**
Broiled pork in a sour-spicy sauce with peppers and onions.

I was in the mood for veggies, so we ordered a bowl of Sitaw Sa Gata to go with our meaty meal. This was my favorite part of the meal. It had everything I loved – sitaw (string beans), kalabasa (squash) and gata, (coconut milk). Plus, instead of the usual chicharon (fried pork skin) on top for that added crunch, they put crispy dilis (teeny tiny fish). I would go back just for this.

Wooden Spoon 6 — **Sitaw sa Gata (PHP137.00)**
String beans and squash cooked in coconut milk and topped with crispy *dilis*

And finally, there must be rice. I have to say that this Tinapa Fried Rice is the reason why I started making mixed fried rice for breakfast on Fridays. It is just so good. I think that maybe it’s the crispy dilis of Wooden Spoon that’s really a hit for me, because my two favorites from that day have it. I was actually expecting the rice to be topped with flakes of bangus (milked fish), but noooo, it had dilis on top! Happiness!

I thought that he food that we ordered would be more than enough for the three of us, but with two hungry boys, I was wrong. Not saying that I didn’t have my fill of everything, too. Our orders were wiped out and we left stuffed and satisfied. I think that my in-laws would totally love the food here, and I really hope that the restaurant stays open for a long time so that we can get the chance to have them try it out.

Have you eaten at Wooden Spoon? What are your favorite dishes from this restaurant?

Wooden Spoon by Chef Sandy Daza
LG/F Powerplant Mall
Rockwell Center, Makati
Facebook: #/WoodenSpoonRestaurant
Twitter/Instagram: @woodenspoonPH

A Tasty Sunday At Lasa

June 14, 2014 by MrsC | Patricia Cuyugan 28 Comments

MrC’s celebration continued over his birthday weekend, when we went out to lunch with his side of the family. Since the little boy had been feverish that week, we decided to just pick a restaurant that was close to home. Commercenter was actually a great idea for Sunday lunch because the place is pretty quiet and we didn’t need to contend with the usual weekend mall crowd. We decided on Lasa since my sister in law and her husband really love Pinoy food, and the boys and I had been wanting to try the place out also.

I first read about this place in Southern Living, and then I saw it again a few weeks later on Jane’s Blog. I found it really cute and interesting that they served Puto as appetizers. When we got to Lasa, I noticed right away that the restaurant gave off this old Filipino home vibe, complete with heavy wooden furniture, crocheted glass cozies, and wood and capiz ceiling accents. The puto that the server placed on our tables added even more Pinoy homey-ness to the ambiance of the place.

I let my lunch companions take care of the ordering this time, because I wasn’t really craving for anything in particular. One thing I made sure to order thought was a nice cold watermelon shake. It was extremely hot that week, so I really wanted to order something to cool myself down.

This boy loved the puto, and I super enjoyed that drink.

I also made one other request, for my favorite Gising Gising. I can’t remember when and where I first tried this dish, but I remember falling in love with it at first bite. Ever since that first time, I’ve made sure to get this as my vegetable order at every Filipino restaurant we visit. Lasa’s version was a bit different from the others that I’ve tried. I’m not sure why the sauce is orange, but it is nice and spicy and just so good.

**Gising Gising (PHP270)**
Green beans and ground pork in a spicy coconut milk sauce

Lasa serves Filipino favorites with a twist. One very good example of their unique take on our local cuisine is the Kare-Kareng Crispy Tadyang. I’m pretty sure I’ve had crispy kare kare before, but I’m also sure that the vegetables in that dish weren’t breaded, tempura style. I think the presentation really set Lasa’s version apart from the rest. That, and their bagoong, which was super duper good.

**Kare-Kareng Crispy Tadyang (PHP279)**
Crispy beef ribs and vegetable tempura with peanut sauce, plus shrimp paste on the side

We also ordered Ampalaya and Tinapa, upon special request of MrC’s former nanny, who has been with the family for so long that she’s practically an aunt to us and an additional grandma to Little MrC. I must admit that I didn’t try this because I really do not like ampalaya. It got super rave reviews from the others, though, so if it’s something that you would be interested in trying, I say go ahead and order it!

While I always order gising gising, I noticed that my sister in law often requested for Sugpo sa Tabang Talangka. This really wasn’t the first time, and I was happy when she said that she wanted to try this dish because it really sounded so yummy. And nope, it didn’t disappoint!

Sugpo sa Tabang Talangka (PHP629) Tiger prawns cooked in crab fat and coconut cream — **Sugpo sa Tabang Talangka (PHP629)**
Tiger prawns cooked in crab fat and coconut cream

We thought that we had ordered enough, but midway through the meal we realized that we needed one more viand. After a quick menu check, we all decided that it was Crispy Pata that we wanted. Now, I believe that you can’t go wrong with crispy pata. There is no bad crispy pata, just good and super good ones. This one was super good.

And of course, no Filipino meal is complete without yummy, fluffy steamed rice. We had two of these, plus another extra cup. Yes, we were hungry, and the meal was really just so good.

**Plain Rice (PHP150 for sharing, PHP50 per cup)**

For the first time ever, I was too full for dessert. We did go next door for some coffee though, and to hang around and chat for a while longer. Mr C’s sister lives quite far from us, so we really make the most out of our time together whenever we get the chance to meet up.

I’m excited to go back to Lasa to try their other dishes. I know I’ll be spending a lot of time at Commercenter over the next few weeks, so I’m pretty sure I’ll get to eat here again soon. Maybe I’ll actually be adventurous and try the ampalaya.

What are your must-orders at Filipino restaurants?