Feelin' the flavas at Pink Kitchen

(By 6 pm Sunday, most tables were full of patrons eagerly eating the various food offered by concessionaires.)

I AM still semi-consciousness from the panic-eating Miggy and I did last weekend at the Pink Kitchen. Damn, the Rockwell Tent really rocked with all the yummies prepared by popular chefs and fancy restaurants. (Too bad we missed Le Souffle which prepared goodies for Sunday lunch. Miggy tried to wake me up by messaging me every which way, but I was still snoring away 'til Sunday noon. I only woke up to attend a 1 pm yoga class so I could sweat away the previous day's calories.)

(A butterfly waits to be released from captivity. Part of the table setting.)

My favorites from the Pink Kitchen (and sorry, I hardly took photos bec. I was relishing every morsel I put into my mouth) were Chefs Rob and Sunshine Pengson's foie gras and apple tartin (wonderful weird combination of earthiness and sweetness, totally to die for I had to order 2 more to bring home...ouch my heart!), the chicken and almonds dish of Maj Lazatin (super moist and tender!), the huuuge! salmon sandwich of Chelsea (with ripe mangoes and capers...yum!), the lemon meringue pie of Chocolat (just the right sweetness of the meringue to balance out the tartness of the lemon filling), and the great standards like Swiss Inn's fresh corned beef (although it was served mejo cold, but really, there was really no place to heat the food), and the quezo de bola sprinkled ensaimadas of the Cunanans.

(Cured meats and deli cheeses from Galileo Enoteca)

I wanted to try the Burmese station whose food had disappeared by the time we arrived past noon on Saturday so we patiently waited for it for Sunday dinner. I had mistakenly thought there were other foods to be served other than the noodle soup. There were a lot of diners who lined up for bowls of the spicy thing on Sunday, but I wasn't in the mood for noodle soup so I let it go. (It was masarap daw according to the two ladies who were also seated at our table. Much like the Malaysian or Indonesian Laksa.) Anyhoo, I went to the Indian food station instead but was not too happy w/ my lamb curry (too much turmeric! so overpowering), so I was glad I had Miggy shared her corned beef. Iba talaga pag comfort food. Pero wait, where was Chef Buddy Trinidad's stall? I didn't see it all. Either we arrived too late to catch his desserts or left too early before he set up. Sayang.

(Dimpy's frozen brazos is a favorite of Sis and Pangs. Much too sweet for me though.)

The Rockwell Tent was absolutely packed on both days and I saw a lot of old friends from media and from De La Salle, politicians and businessmen (some former sources for my scoops), as well as the usual beautiful people from the alta de sociedad (and those fallen from their roster, like the woman we like to call Black Widow.)

(Sis and her yummy salmon sandwich from Chelsea.)

From the media were Lali Alegria of BusinessWorld (w/ sister Teli), Dana Batnag of Jiji Press, Marianne Go of Phil. Star, Francine Medina Marquez of ABS-CBN Publishing, Ellen Tordesillas of Malaya, Tita Ethel Timbol (formerly of Mla Bulletin) and her daughter Bebeth; businessman Buboy Virata and his family, former Makati Business Club executive director Bill Luz, banker Mike de Jesus with the still lovely Ms. Universe Gloria Diaz; as well as politicians like Sen. Serge Osmeña with his wife Bettina, also a cancer survivor, and Sen. Chiz Escudero and his wife Christine and their 10-years-in-the-making twins. Also there was my fave Boracay cook Binggoy Remedios of Dos Mestizos with our pangs Teddy Montelibano hilong-talilong from all the food as usual.

(Comfort food...Cunanan ensaimadas)

I was only too glad to help out in this worthwhile fund-raising event for the ICanServe Foundation's breast health awareness projects...even if this meant busting my waistline. The food was generally good and the choices varied, but I just wish more chefs and restaurants had joined the effort. Miggy said the limited space and the unavailable spots for cooking and reheating food may have put off the more popular chefs and restaurants from joining the event. After all, most chefs are generally perfectionists and want their dishes served a certain way in a less chaotic setting. Sabagay.

(Our friend and breast cancer survivor Carla Paras Sison of Benpres, left, working hard at the ICanServe booth.)

I enjoyed myself last weekend and am surely looking forward to the next Pink Kitchen. Maybe the event can be held at a bigger and much cooler venue? Congratulations to the organizers, sponsors, chefs, cooks, restaurants, caterers, and dining patrons for supporting this event. See you next year.