One perfect day

LAST Saturday I woke up to rain pouring in torrents, and bearing down on my neighbor’s newly extended roof like the thump-thump of a tin drum. I slowly got up after doing little cat stretches, even as my left shoulder slightly bewailed the sudden activity after an eight-hour lull.

I slowly turned open the vertical blinds on my window and peered out. The sky was empty of color, as if mirroring the equally bland wet pavement down below. Across my bedroom window, the trees and shrubbery in our subdivision’s mini-park were soaked to their roots; I imagined the soil trying to scream as it drowned helplessly in the downpour.

The swings and the seesaw in the playground stood mute and uncomplaining, even though they longed for the neighborhood kids’ regular playful abuse.

In a past life, I would probably dread days like these, which can be a tad depressing or, at the minimum, dull and boring. As children longing for sunshine and play, the rain presents a formidable enemy to our joyful outdoor engagements.

Now grown up and, ahem, older, the rain has become a calm and tender soundtrack to bedtime diversions with some significant other of the moment, or just a soothing lullaby that makes oh-so-precious sleep more possible.

“Bed weather!” as we like to call days like this. It was nice to lounge in bed a little while longer, with no pressing appointments, nor any story assignments needing attending to that day. Normally, I would switch on some Pat Metheny on my iTunes to provide some jazzy counterpoint to the sound of rain, but this time I turned to Rumer to paint the smile on my face which only then was just a thought forming in my head.

I had been thinking of him more often lately, and while it was an annoying inconvenience at first, I had begun enjoying it. Of course these were probably just foolish thoughts of a graying, middle-aged woman who has always looked for love in the wrong places. Nevertheless, in the realm of possibilities, the thoughts gave me some secret thrill. Did his hand just linger a beat longer than usual? Was that statement not quite so innocent, but really a pick-up line I should have taken advantage of? (When you’re out of practice in the dating game, it can be easy to misread the signals.)

“From dreams I’ve seen you before
You’re so familiar
And everywhere I go
Hear me calling for your love
‘Cause if it’s you
I will disarm you
And if it’s you
Do you know how to calm me down…?”

I didn’t notice I had dozed off again.

It was close to noon when I finally hauled my carcass off the bed. I did a few exercises to give life to my pained shoulder and arm, and to cleanse my lungs and diaphragm of the stale evening air.

Leaving my bedroom finally, I called out to my mother’s caregiver, asking if we had any champorado in the pantry. Delighted with her positive response, I asked her to fry up some dilis, as well. Just the perfect combination to an increasingly perfect day.

As I sat at the dining table, mixing soymilk and coco sugar into the lumpy porridge sprinkled with crispy dilis, Joss Stone this time was picking up the pace, tracking my growing exuberance.

A spoonful of the warm comforting porridge and even my tummy was singing. As I read on my iPad, my usually chatty Mama was plunked lazily on the living room couch across to where I was, peacefully reading her newspaper. The caregiver, meanwhile, was going about her chores unobtrusively in the kitchen. Such calm.

“I was trying to protect you from yourself
‘Cause I respect you
And I feel like you just might
Be someone who I could get into.
But I never seem to catch your eye
And it’s been buggin’ me why I even try
Still you’re someone I’d like to get to know
Is there room for me in your one-man show?”

Perfect days are increasingly hard to come by. In fact, I notice that as I march toward impending senility, they come fewer and far between. The stress of daily living, and the growing weight of domestic burdens quickly sap my energy, unlike, say, two decades ago, when catching my breath was hardly something I worried about.

But when those perfect days do come, I discover it’s just the tiniest of ingredients that combine to make them so. A shy glance from a beloved, the crush of white cool sand underneath my toes, a gurgling water fountain feeding into a pond of colorful koi, or, yes, perhaps just that teeny ball of foie gras playing on my tongue.

You can’t stage them; perfect days usually happen unexpectedly, like an infant’s clumsy first kiss to his mother. It’s always a surprise. I think of them as God’s whispers, reminding us that whatever turmoil we’re experiencing, He is here, not in some far away palace above the clouds. We only have to be still, and listen.

****
SADLY, we can’t realize a perfect day if we don’t have the unpleasant ones in between.

On Tuesday I woke up at an ungodly 5:30 am and, for some strange reason, reached straight for my iPad and opened Facebook. There I saw posted on my wall was a message from Mr. Caps that our friend and media colleague Nixon Kua had already passed away.

It was an incredible shock…many of us had been fervently praying for his speedy recovery, even if we knew that the possibility was remote. But I had experienced a few miracles vicariously, so I had no reason to doubt He could make just one more. It wasn’t to be, however, in Nixon’s case.

As a journalist, I have practically become immune to acts of violence perpetrated on others. I read these stories of crime in the papers, or hear about them on the news, and I am hardly moved. But when it happens to someone you know, it lays heavily on the chest. I couldn’t help but weep, as I fingered the beads on my rosary, praying for the repose of Nixon’s soul.

It was a senseless killing. A sudden cruel punishment for his family and friends. What did this kind and generous man ever do to deserve to die the way he did?

My shoulder started aching more intensely than usual, screaming at the incredulity of it all. It was such an incredibly depressing morning, and one I would probably be hard-pressed to forget in a long time.

My sincerest condolences to the Kua family. We stand with you in your time of grief.

(My column, Something Like Life, is published every Friday in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. This piece was originally published on July 27, 2012. Blogger owns the copyright to these photos.)

My Kitchen by Chef Chris Guarantees Happy Tummies

(Slow-roasted lamb ribs with garlic and rosemary rub are succulent and tender to the bite. The dish is served with braised lentils, olive fried potatoes, and Italian style broccoli.)

THE first time I met the Swiss-born chef Chris Locher and was introduced to his famous panizza—his own version of the pizza—was back in February 2007. He was still chef patron of C’ Italian Dining in Clark, Angeles, Pampanga and back then, it was known among expat bankers as the “best Italian restaurant in the country.”

I remember urging Chef Chris to open a branch in Manila so my foodie friends and I could gorge on his sumptuous dishes more frequently, but he dismissed this by saying that he wasn’t too keen on the city’s traffic jam, noise, and pollution.

Flash forward five years later, Chef Chris has left his old employ, and has continued his culinary career in Manila, setting up My Kitchen by Chef Chris in Paco. (He is also executive chef at The Continental at the exclusive Tower Club in Makati, creating gastronomic delights for its well-heeled members.)

With the chef’s old regulars like myself, and a growing new crop of fans, My Kitchen has become the newest dining hotspot in the metropolis. Many historians-foodies have noted, the restaurant’s presence has given life to Paco itself, whose historical significance became obscured by the district having become a haven of parked trailers and trucks.

What I love about My Kitchen and Chef’s Chris’ creations is that they are always consistently superb, and the portions are always large enough to share with family and friends. So it’s not unusual to see loads of families heading to the restaurant after Sunday Mass at the Paco Park Church. (The rest in InterAksyon.com, June 11, 2012. Copyright to these photos are owned by this blogger.)

(The Kristina panizza is a meat-lover’s favorite made with bacon and ham, plus caramelized onions, sun-dried tomatoes, and mushrooms.)

(Lemon lime cheesecake - A baked cheese cake with almond crust, finely crusted with sugar crust sweet lemon lime sauce, almond and cream. A perfect balance of zest and sweetness.)

Indian food fest at the Century Park Hotel

FEELING adventurous? Need some spice in your life?

Appetizers!
Then head on over to Century Park Hotel's Café in the Park for its ongoing Indian Food Festival! According to CPH Gen. Manager Philippe Bartholomi, the food fest is in conjunction w/ Philippine Airlines' recent launch of its flights to New Delhi. And as such, the hotel managed to bring in chefs from the Taj Hotel in India.

The salads
I was just there on Tue., Sept. 20, and I must say, I didn't really know where to begin! The food was laid out so colorful and pretty, all tempting to be tried. Of course, the chefs did ease up on the spiciness of the dishes, as they know we Pinoys aren't so used to their brand of anghang. So the dishes I took a particular liking to, just packed the right punch, and allowed the other flavors of the dish to ease through.

I particularly loved this prawn dish - Jhinga Hara Masala.

I liked this meatball dish as well - the Kabuli Gosht Kofta.

And the lovely desserts:

Anannas Ka Halwa -pineapple sweet confection

Makai Ki Keer-sweet corn pudding. It tasted like creamy ginataang mais w/o the rice. Yum.

Lunch buffet at the Indian food fest is only P1,215 net (of course there are other non-Indian dishes too if you like). The festival runs until this Saturday, Sept. 24, only. So hurry and get your jai ho fix ASAP.

One rainy evening at the Tower Club (UPDATED)

The brilliant Chef Chris Locher of C' Italian Dining, now on limited engagement at the Tower Club in Makati. (Photo courtesy C' Italian Dining.)

FANS of Chris Locher, Chef Patron of C’ Italian Dining in Angeles, Pampanga, are hereby advised that the irrepressible culinary genius is here in Manila whipping up his magic in the kitchen of Tower Club in Makati. (And shame on you if you still haven’t had a taste of the chef’s famous panizzas and pastas from his restaurant!)

Of course, the catch is, one must be a member of the posh exclusive club to be able to partake of Chef Chris’ sumptuous dishes, or at least, fortunate enough like me, to know a member willing to lend me her dining privilege for a night. (Thank you, oh Great Generous One!)

At the Pinot Room at the Continental Restaurant, the lamon gang and I feasted on a special menu Chef Chris prepared for us one rainy Friday evening.

While waiting for the rest of our dining companions to arrive, Chef Chris served us our favorite panizzas – his trademark rectangular thin crust pizzas – using fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms and basil. As is the usual, these were served with arugula leaves and alfalfa on the side, which one deftly places in each strip of panizza before rolling them up to eat.

Crispy- thin Panizza Margarita for starters.

Although not normally on C’s menu, Chef Chris acceded to our request for some gambas using medium-sized succulent prawns. Unlike the gambas served in other restaurants, Chef Chris’s version was just lightly touched by olive oil and garlic, allowing the freshness and sweetness of the prawns to shine through. He also served us a deli platter with a variety of sliced meats, with sweet and crunchy olives dotting the plate.

For the dinner proper, our simple but hearty meal began with Tuna Ceviche with avocado, red onions, and fresh cucumber on roasted pepper salsa. It was like a bright ray of sunshine amid the gloomy rainy weather. Very light and summery.

We also had a very rustic classic tomato soup served in a demitasse, which kept to the theme of simplicity and lightness. The sweet-sour creamy blend gently warmed our tummies, in preparation for the other dishes to come.

Tuna Ceviche - like a bright ray of sunshine amid the heavy rain.

For our main entrees – I had a mini-crisis of sorts as I carefully pondered our choices – Grilled sirloin steak with herb butter sauce on pumpkin and carrot mash, with golden fried potatoes; Pink-roasted lamb loin with red wine reduction served with golden bramata cake and buttered green asparagus; or Pan-roasted Sea Bass fillet with Pernod butter sauce on a bed of mushroom risotto and greens.

They all sounded so delicious but I finally settled on the fish, primarily because I haven’t had mushroom risotto in a while – in fact, the last time I had it was at C’, and this was many many moons ago! As expected, the fish meat was just luscious and velvety soft as it gently melted in my mouth. And the mushroom risotto was creamy and cooked al dente - it was a nice contrasting earthy tone with a few crispy notes to complement the fish.

For the rustic touch- a creamy classic Tomato soup.

Not missing a beat, I took a slice of sirloin steak from one friend, and a slice of lamb from another, and I was blown through the roof with the tenderness of both. Not having tasted the other dishes in their entirety though, I am constrained to write about them further. But trust Chef Chris to serve the tenderest meats in town – he has not failed me yet. (One of his more sublime creations at C’ is his Slow roasted lamb ribs in aromatic spice rub, served with braised lentils, garlic glazed rapini and olive oil fried potatoes.)

For dessert, we had a very straightforward frothy zabaglione (or sabayon) which was scooped warm over – surprise! ice cold homemade vanilla ice cream. If it sounds very sweet, it wasn’t at all. Chef Chris gave it a nice kick by using some mint leaves and lemon rind. And the white wine incorporated within gave it an extra zing. What a smashing end to a great meal.

My main course - a tender and almost flaky Chilean Sea Bass fillet with Pernod butter sauce over a bed of creamy mushroom risotto and greens.

For the special menu, we were charged P1,850 per head for 10 persons – which I thought was very reasonably priced considering the fancy venue. For movers and shakers who like to hold their meetings or press conferences at the club, a special menu like this would definitely be excellent value.

A lunch buffet is also available at the Continental at P900++, following a daily theme: Monday is Italian, Tuesday-modern Filipino, Wednesday-Carvings (meats), Thursday-Curry Tiffin (Indian), and Friday-Seafood. The themed lunch buffet will last until the end of the year.

Meanwhile, a separate lunch menu featuring Chef Chris' special dishes are also available to diners.

MEMO to members: Chef Chris Locher’s stint as guest chef is only until end-August, so hustle up and treat yourselves (and your families and friends) to the awesome kitchen creations of this brilliant chef. RUSH.

For dessert, a zabaglione scooped warm over home-made vanilla ice cream with mint and lemon.

*For reservations – members only – please call tel. no. 885-7085. Tower Club is at the 33rd and 34th floors of the Philamlife Tower, 8767 Paseo de Roxas, Makati City.

(UPDATE): According to Chef Chris, he has just been appointed as chef consultant to the Tower Club. So expect to see him cooking his excellent dishes for its members for quite some time. Also, other projects are upcoming w/ Chef Chris leading the way in the kitchen of some establishments in Manila and Q.C. I am not yet at liberty to say what these are but yes, Chef Chris/C' fans - totoong-totoo na 'to! So keep reading this blog for future announcements of his projects.

(This blog entry later appeared as a published piece in the BusinessMirror food page, Life section, Aug. 26, 2011.)

A different kind of Valentine story

(Mars Reyes - founder of Joseph & Jaemark's, and his new partners Neneng and Reggie Arceo.)
THIS being the month of hearts, let me share a different kind of Valentine story.

You could say that it was for the love of their five-year-old Matthew that persuaded Reggie and Neneng Arceo to invest in reopening Joseph & Jaemark’s, considered the Holy Grail in grilled-tuna goodness among local foodies.

Neneng narrates that Matthew was just desperate for the “crispy fish” from the restaurant’s Magallanes branch. But the branch closed already, so her husband had to look for the restaurant’s founder, Mars Reyes, to persuade him to partner with the couple and reopen.

“If it’s not Jollibee, it’s Joseph & Jaemark’s that Matthew looks for,” says Reggie. “When I found Mars—matagal na akong fan since the Katipunan [branch] days—I gave him the big ‘What if?’ I’m not a Henry Sy. I had to look for the financing, I had to look for people to put it up, but, you know, after less than a year, nabuo namin ’to, from k’wento to meeting to opening.”

(Steaming bowl of hearty Halaan soup.)

You could also say that it was because of his passion for tuna and his customers that led Mars to allow himself to be drawn into the zealousness of Reggie and Neneng to re-establish the landmark restaurant, now in its new location at Sgt. Esguerra, Quezon City. Of course, there was some amount of faith as well that convinced Mars that the couple and their partners were the right people to do business with.

“Madaming ibang nag-offer na i-reopen ang restaurant. Pero nakita ko naman [sina Reggie] nasa tamang edad, may maturity, ’di tulad ng iba—madaming pera nga, pero sobrang bata. Mahirap ’yung ganun, kasi baka madaling magbago-bago ng pag-iisip. ’Tsaka sina Reggie ang unang kumausap sa akin, at matagal na din silang customer. Alam ko seryoso sila. Inisip ko din meron market agad kasi dahil sa mga kaibigan ni Reggie. Madali s’yang humila ng tao,” Mars says.

The Arceo couple admits that while they did have a broadcasting business before, the food industry was a completely different animal. So they got other partners who could fill in the other skills needed to run a business, and were knowledgeable in financial projections, planning supplies, recording inventories—mostly financial/administrative stuff. “S’werte kami ni Mars at nakahanap kami ng mga business partners na summa cum laude in Business Administration,” according to Reggie.

It seems that despite some minor setbacks, everything just fell into place as well. Finding the Sgt. Esguerra location was quite providential. They were about to close the deal on a 60-sq-m space along Mother Ignacia, but when they returned to give the reservation fee, the building owner told them someone else had already ponied up the fee to rent the space.

(Guinataang Kuhol w/ a hint of curry.)

“So Mars and I, riding on my 600cc motorbike, started cruising the area looking for the other vacant space that Mars had noticed but just couldn’t remember the exact location. Then we found [the Sgt. Esguerra spot]; we inspected the area, saw its huge size, and thought the Filipino interiors even fit with the kind of food we were going to serve,” Reggie says.

Mars says he just had a “good feeling” about the space, and soon after, they spoke to the lessor and managed to get a deal even better than the initial space they had originally eyed. And voila! The restaurant reopened in November 2010, much to the delight of many of its devoted aficionados. (Rumor has it that even Sharon Cuneta—a long-time fan of the restaurant—told her driver to immediately stop the car when she happened to pass by the new location. To her delight, it still served her old favorites and has been a regular customer since.)

Just to backtrack a little, Mars established Joseph & Jaemark’s—named after his two children—back in 1993 to while the time away while he was on vacation from his job on one of those Miami cruise lines. He saw the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City being built, which would then become the home of the PBA games, and he applied for a space. At first, he just offered light snacks like sandwiches and goto at his still-nameless stall, one of the 22 which offered similar fare to customers, mostly to fans of the games.

But a cousin visiting from General Santos encouraged Mars to offer something different that would make the stall stand out from the rest. The cousin suggested jaws (panga) of tuna, which was such a delicacy in GenSan and Davao. So Mars told his cousin to send him some and started grilling them. Needless to say, the dish became an instant hit. (The Astrodome’s capacity is about 11,000 – a veritable captured market for all the small stall owners, Mars points out.)

(Crispy buntot, or tail of the tuna)

While he had no formal culinary training, Mars says he had learned a trick or two from his colleagues from the hotels and cruise ships he worked for. With some experimentation, he came up with his winning basting sauce for the grilled Panga, and soon after he was grilling tuna belly, while the tail (buntot) of the tuna, he deep-fried to a crisp. “Actually 'yung buntot iniihaw ko pa dati. Kaya lang ang dami kong natanggap na reklamo sa buntot na ang tagal maluto; sunog na balat, di pa luto. Pinag-aralan ko kung pano gawin para di masunog at mabilis maluto. Kaya naisip kong i-deep fry ko.” Just think of it as a healthy crispy pata.

After only two months in operation, and with business brisk, Mars completely forgot about returning to his old job in Miami. “Nag-enjoy na ako eh,” he chuckles, especially since he started meeting the players and a number of well-heeled customers, the VIPs, some of whom would motor from their palatial homes to Pasay just to eat his food.

After every game, basketball players like Robert Jaworksi would descend on the little stall to gorge on Mars’ grilled tuna specialties. “Lima [buntot] ang in-order nun,” Mars says of Jaworksi, marveling at the appetite of the star player and that of his colleagues, especially after a grueling game.

And this being the month of hearts, Mars and Neneng also shares that one-time bold actress Cristina Gonzales said in one interview that during their courtship, her then-suitor, now husband Alfred Romualdez, took her out to J&J (“a hole-in-the-wall kainan”) on a date. “The food was good, huh! At mura,” the sexy star told Philippine Star’s Ricky Lo last year. Indeed, the restaurant not only satisfied starving tummies, but hungry hearts as well.

(Thai-style Catfish salad - a crispy-sweet 'uya'-breaker.)

Joseph & Jaemark’s reputation as a haven of "pangantot" (panga and buntot) spread, and soon the restaurant branched out to other areas (Katipunan, Makati, Magallanes and C5).

Aside from the love and passion that rebuilt Joseph & Jaemark’s, there is also the genuine respect for a fellow foodie. Culinary heir Sandy Daza, according to Mars, graciously shared recipes for dishes like the crispy catfish salad to add to the restaurant’s menu. “Sabi [ni Sandy], ‘Pare, kailangan mo nito para ma-break [ang lasa ng mga ihaw].’ Napakabait na mama.” Mars says before he serves a new dish, he asks Sandy to taste it first. “S’ya nagsasabi sa akin kung okay na, or kung meron pinapadagdag s’ya [na ingredient]. Kasi s’ya ang nag-culinary arts so alam nya ’yan.” Sandy has become a reliable friend and a generous spirit to Mars since his Cuneta days.

Then it is my own fondness for simple food cooked really well that has made me into a certified fan of this restaurant, now in its nth reincarnation in Quezon City.

(Stuffed pechay - with pork and tinapa - a surprisingly pleasant combination.)

Aside from the deliriously delectable tuna dishes, I love the hearty Halaan soup, a spicy and smoky stuffed cabbage (with pork and tinapa, what a surprisingly pleasant combination! again, a Sandy Daza creation), and Mars’ own take on the ginataang kuhol, with a hint of curry. All of these no-nonsense dishes reminds one’s palate of my Lola’s home cooking, or evokes memories of a leisurely food trip to the provinces eating at roadstop stalls and tasting the local cuisine. It’s all very rustic and comforting.

The prices of the dishes continue to be friendly on the pocket. The highest-priced dish is the crispy pata (P460)—yes, aside from seafood specialties, there are down-home pork dishes as well.

While Reggie is wont to declare that reopening Joseph & Jaemark’s Family Grill is “in the service of the Filipino palate,” to me it is all about love, passion and faith—just like any great Valentine romance.

(The main headliner at Joseph&Jaemark's - Grilled Panga or Jaws of the Tuna)

(A condensed version of this piece was published in the BusinessMirror, Feb. 4, 2011. My column, Something Like Life, is published every Friday in the paper's Life section. I own the copyright to photos that appear here. Joseph & Jaemark's is at #5 Sgt. Esguerra, South Triangle, Quezon City. For reservations or inquiries, pls. call 410-TUNA. Check out its Facebook page here.)

What's that song from Sesame Street again?

Manila's Best Kept Restaurant Secrets Awards 2010
(For details, click MBKRS 2010)

Generally agree w/ most of the winners, although there were mismatches in some categories. And definitely the term "secret" is used loosely here, as many of the restaurants have actually been around for ages, and quite known to the local and foreign dining public.

Nevertheless, the winners' list appears to be more objectively chosen this time, except that...



...or two or three winners which made me go hmmm...

Suffice to say, in Manila, mountaineering is considered an Olympic sport, and the 'most athletic' will certainly get to the top! (wink!)

More cakes from Carlo

EVERY Christmas, my sister and I obsess on what cake to serve for the family's Media Noche. Fortunately, for the past two years, we've been ordering from Carlo Estagle (aka The Cake Diva), who's luscious Torta Limone I discovered via good friend Georgia.

(Carlo's Torta Limone...so divine!)
Prompted by Georgia's recent writeup of Carlo's new creations, my sister and I decided to go a different way this Christmas and ordered his Buttermint cake.



What can I say except brilliant! This was a splendid inspired treat from Carlo -- supermoist buttery goodness with a mild kick from the mint syrup, plus the bittersweet crunch from semi-sweet chocolate chips. A slice of this and your favorite cup of java makes for a perfectly calm and quiet ending to any meal. It's like eating Andes Peppermint crunches. Terrific mouthfeel, and so evocative of all things Christmas--the cool weather and the warm toasty feelings of family. Mmmm...



While Carlo's cakes may be considered a bit on the mid- to high-end price point, they are worth every centavo. He doesn't scrimp on ingredients and on the passion he puts into each of his creation. So if you're still on the lookout for a great dessert this New Year's eve, call Carlo at 0920-955-CAKE (or 2253) and ask for his sweet list. He makes sugar-free desserts as well, and will deliver if you live around his vicinity.

Enjoy!

Not just pizzas at Pizza Hut

I MUST confess that I really never liked thick-crust pizzas which I think shortchanges customers. You get more of the baked dough instead of the wonderful ingredients that top the pizza; it’s like biting into a huge pandesal with the palaman on top. So this is the primary reason Pizza Hut has never really been my go-to pizza joint.

So imagine my surprise when I ended up in one of its press launches. All along I thought the event was about the Divella Pasta brand, which I’ve bought a few times before for my own “genius” pasta creations (read: taking the leftovers in the ref and making some sauce out of them). It turns out, after much guessing from the media guests on “who’s the new pasta player in town”, the answer was eventually revealed to be Pizza Hut.

“We have taken the bold step to proclaim that we are now as passionate [with pastas] the way we do our pizzas”, says Elaine Guzman, vice president for marketing. And yes, the restaurant does use the Divella pasta brand.

(The Aglio Olio. Photos courtesy of Pizza Hut)
All the while we were being asked the identity of the new pasta player in town, we were asked to taste eight different kinds of pasta dishes. It isn’t as exciting as it sounds, mind you, because by the fourth dish, I was ready to keel over from a seriously overextended tummy. But I managed to pick out few winners from the eight that were served under the restaurant’s Pasta Perfetto line.

The Aglio Olio, for instance, had the pasta perfectly coated in olive oil instead of swimming in it, like other restaurants serve it, with the garlic and pepper flakes giving it a crisp punch. The Puttanesca was also quite flavorful with the olives and capers lending it some delectable sweetness, although the dish could stand more anchovies to give it a salty counterpoint. (Of course, Pizza Hut isn't a fine-dining restaurant so ingredients aren't exactly generous as we want them to be.)

The other pastas under the creamy sauce category were adequate but seemed seriously dehydrated, with the cream forming a kind of lumpy dead crust on top. It’s not as bad as it reads; you just have to remove that top to get to the richness underneath.

(Spaghetti Puttanesca)
The winning factor is of course the pasta line’s price points as these range between P99 and P189. Other pasta creations include: Baked Mac and Cheese, Fettucine ala King, Spaghetti Bolognese with Meatballs, Baked Fettucine Alfredo, Lasagna Classico, Spaghetti Shrimp Garlic and Mushrooms, Pesto Chicken Penne, Three-Cheese Ravioli, and Seafood Supremo.

A couple of weeks after the launch of the Pasta Perfetto line, I finally took the chance and ate at a Pizza Hut restaurant, after years of shunning it. I was quite delighted to find it had pizzas under its Viva Italian line which are neither thin nor thick crust and slathered with sumptuous fresh ingredients. I especially loved Florence which featured fresh tomatoes, mushroom, black olives, anchovies and garlic topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses, and drizzled with olive oil.

The problem is, when I tried to order the same for delivery just a week ago, the operator at the Pizza Hut’s call center said this was no longer available, as well as the other varieties in the Viva Italian line.

Also, the operator said, not all the dishes under the Pasta Perfetto line were available for delivery either. I had wanted to try the three-cheese ravioli, and after being told this couldn’t be delivered, the operator and I went through the list of items that could be delivered. We basically ended with only four of 12 varieties under this new pasta line. Needless to say, this took back the winning points the restaurant scored with me as a customer. Not so Perfetto, ey?

Perhaps this is Pizza Hut’s marketing strategy to get more people into its restaurants, but it seems to me that it is neglecting a growing number of customers who want the convenience of a food delivery service. My hapless experience, however, shouldn’t dissuade you from actually hauling yourselves to the nearest Pizza Hut branch to check out its new pastas which, in these financially-distressing times, admittedly still give some value for your money.

Mailbag: Pink Kitchen II

THIS event is for a good cause. May I call on all my chef friends, cooks (amateurs and professionals), restaurateurs, and fellow foodies to please support this.

PINK KITCHEN II – GOOD FOOD FOR A GOOD CAUSE

Over the weekend of October 18 and 19th, 2008, one of Manila’s most anticipated food festivals–Pink Kitchen II—will again open its doors.

As Beth Romualdez, chairman of Pink Kitchen and an eminent chef in her own right, says, “The yummiest event of the year is back! Pink Kitchen II is a celebration that brings together cuisine from many parts of the world for people from all walks of life.”

Now in its second year running, Pink Kitchen will bring together over 50 chefs who are celebrated for their culinary expertise but most of whom do not have commercial establishments open to the general public. Pink Kitchen II will provide a once-in-a-year opportunity to indulge in these chefs’ elusive delicacies in a relaxed and festive atmosphere, brought together under one roof in the Rockwell Tent.

Pink Kitchen showcases cuisine from all parts of the globe including both traditional and innovative interpretations of favorite Filipino dishes. This year’s international selection takes us around the world and includes French, Italian, Spanish, Middle Eastern, Indian, Burmese, Japanese, Thai, Indonesian and Singaporean specialties. Diners, grazers, foodies and strollers will be spoilt for choice. There will also be a broad selection of cakes, pastries, baked goods and amazing confectionery to satisfy even the most demanding of sweet teeth. Wine enthusiasts will be able to browse through the selections of several of the country’s leading wine merchants. Via Reyes, Pink Kitchen’s head of project management, says, “Pink Kitchen is an event not to miss. Manila’s finest chefs are in the house and they will rock your taste buds!”

Last year, at its premiere outing, Pink Kitchen attracted over 6000 visitors. This year, the organizers are hoping that even more guests will attend. In addition to the central event of food and wine, Pink Kitchen II has organized talks and activities for the entertainment and education of its visitors. These include a Kids Cooking Demo by Mel Francisco; demos on Cake Decorating by Penk Ching and Healthy Cooking by Rob Pengson; a talk on Looking Good, Feeling Better by Adora and on Coffee by Robert Francisco; as well as a Wine Appreciation class conducted by Ines Cabarrus of Enderun Colleges, one of the country’s top hospitality management schools.

“Last year’s Pink Kitchen had something for each and everyone’s taste,” Elizabeth Virata, marketing and sponsorship head for Pink Kitchen says. “ It was exhilarating to see people of all ages, sizes, occupations and even political affiliations enjoying themselves. After all, who doesn’t like good food? And to have all these chefs’ food specialties under one roof to pick and choose from! So many guests came back two or three times and walked out with take-out bags of food. This year’s Pink Kitchen will be even better!”

All ticket sales for Pink Kitchen II will benefit ICanServe’s flagship project, “Ating Dibdibin,” the Philippines’ first community-based breast cancer screening program under the guidance of the American Cancer Society. ICanServe is a non-stock, non-profit foundation and advocacy group founded in 1999 to empower women with breast cancer information, treatment and hope. It also provides access to special services that will help breast cancer survivors recover and heal more effectively.

Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala, founding president of ICanServe, says, “Everyone comes out a winner in Pink Kitchen. We celebrate the Filipino culinary geniuses. The rest of us, not as gifted in the culinary department, delight, devour and drink to life! As we all do what we do best, we support a very worthy cause.” ICanServe treasurer Bettina Osmena adds, “We are here to celebrate life and all its blessings. This is a perfect venue for us to share our good fortune and to pay it forward. Eat, drink and enjoy!”

Tickets for Pink Kitchen II are P200 for adults and P100 for children. They will be available at the entrance of Rockwell Tent on October 18 and 19, and can also be purchased from volunteers by calling the ICanServe hotline, 687 3942.

Pink Kitchen II’s team includes Bettina Osmena, chairman of ICanServe’s fund-raising committee; Beth Romualdez, project chairman, Elizabeth Virata, marketing and sponsorship head; Via Reyes, head of project management; Ina Vergel de Dios, logistics; Ria Romero, entertainment and marketing; Alice Orleans, ICanServe executive director; and Margie Jorillo, volunteer manager. Event styling is by Joseph Claraval.

For inquiries and comments please contact:

Via R. Reyes 0929 848 2918
Email: pinkkitchen08@yahoo.com
Or visit www.icanserve.net

* * * *
A note from my friend Carla Paras-Sison, herself a cancer survivor, on how to get your tickets:

Dear friends,

ICanServe Foundation brings back the culinary event of the year, Pink Kitchen 2. The entrance donation of P200 (or P100 for children below 12 years old) per person directly goes to ICanServe projects that raise breast care awareness and subsidize the medical treatment of breast cancer patients. Food sales (from 49 chefs/cuisines) go directly to the chefs. We are not charging them concessionaire fee or space rental for their booths. Some of them donated a portion of their sales to ICanServe last year but that is really not required.

Please see complete list of chefs/cuisines at: Pink Kitchen 2

For ticket orders, we have pick-up points in Pasig (care of Carla Sison, 0920 903 5053), Quezon City (care of Lian Chua, 0917 828 5426), Makati (care of Margie Jorillo, 0917 830 4562) and Mandaluyong (care of Lanie Eusebio, 0920 922 2827). Delivery may be arranged on a case-to-case basis.

Thanks,

Carla

Carla Paras-Sison
+632 449 2467
+63920 903 5053
http://carla1.multiply.com

See you there.

Study: A little extra weight not deadly

CHICAGO, Illinois (AP) -- Being 25 pounds overweight does not appear to raise your risk of dying from cancer or heart disease, says a new government study that seems to vindicate Grandma's claim that a few extra pounds won't kill you.

Generally speaking, if you're 30 pounds or more over the normal weight for your height, you're considered obese.

Released just a few weeks before the Thanksgiving holiday when Americans typically overeat, the findings might comfort some who cannot seem to lose those last 15 pounds. And they hearten proponents of a theory that it is possible to be "fit and fat."

The news is not all good: Overweight people do have a higher chance of dying from diabetes and kidney disease.

And people who are obese -- generally those more than 30 pounds overweight for their height -- have a higher risk of death from a variety of ills, including some cancers and heart disease.

(Click CNN for the rest.)

* * * *

Yeah, yeah, I was just trying to rationalize my love for food, so sue me! But seriously, I did take a Body Mass Index test which was available recently on the NYT web site. I got a score of 25, which means I'm still pretty fit, o ha!

The boys will just love this!

MY story on the opening of Hooters at The Fort, as published in the BusinessMirror, Nov. 6, 2007.

Dang you boys are lucky! When are we girls going to get any fun restaurants like this? I'm in the mood for some gorgeous half-naked hunky male servers!

EXCLUSIVE:
Coming soon at The Fort: Hooters

HOOTERS, the American restaurant made famous by its buxomy beautiful babes, will be opening its first outlet in the Philippines at The Fort entertainment strip in Taguig City.

This was confirmed by Kaz Endo, managing director and partner of Paradise Wings LLC., a Guam-based company which owns the Hooters franchise for Guam and Asia, including the Philippines.

In an e-mail to BusinessMirror, Endo said construction is ongoing at the restaurant, which will open its doors to the public by February 2008. “The Philippines, in particular Metro Manila, is a multinational city. Quality brands from around the world can be found here. Hooters, an American casual-dining themed restaurant, has many fans around the world, and with its expansion around the globe [e.g. China, Japan, South Korea, Dubai, Tel Aviv, etc.], it was only natural that this solid brand of over 30 years eventually found its way into the Philippines market.”

While he didn’t say how much his group is investing in the first outlet, Endo noted that the Atlanta-based parent firm and franchisor, Hooters of America Inc., requires a minimum of $1 million (roughly P43.7 million) of available funding per store. “The first store opening has taken about two years to plan and put together. We took our time because we wanted to enter the market correctly—not just bulldoze our way in. An aggressive expansion will be determined greatly by the [positive] response of the market. With this said, we intend on opening at a minimum two to three restaurants in and around select major city areas.”

Endo’s other partners in Paradise Wings are Guam-based businessmen Brian Y. Suhr and Michael S. Hahm, president/chief executive officer, and executive vice president, respectively of South Pacific Petroleum Corp.; and a Los Angeles-based lawyer named Charles Isgar. There is also a reported Asian partner, but for the Philippines, Endo did not name the group’s local partner.

The restaurant at The Fort will approximately measure 400 square meters, with a 150-seating capacity. It will also employ about 30 to 40 part-time and full-time staff. “This number exponentially grows as we expand. So in short, with the success of Hooters, so comes more job opportunities for managers, cooks and of course servers!” Endo said.

While the restaurant is most famous for its Hooters Girls, immortalized in a number of American films, TV shows, magazines, and calendars, Endo said their group is not hiring waitstaff based on looks alone. “No doubt, the Hooters Girls are the restaurant’s ambassador of goodwill and service. As pretty as they are, these are hardworking waitresses who make sure that customers of all gender and age are happy with our service. With an average of 70 percent of all sales coming from food sales—Hooters is still a restaurant, not a bar! We are being very selective with choosing who gets to be a Hooters Girl. They have to have a great personality, smarts as well as beauty. . . . all within a ‘girl-next-door’ package.”

He said Hooters at The Fort will look like any Hooters outlet in the U.S. and around the world, with the interiors dressed in pinewood to give a log cabin feel. It will also have on display products of American nostalgia and sports gear, aside from the usual gigantic TV sets strategically placed throughout the restaurant, “making it a perfect place to watch live sports (soccer, basketball, etc). It’s a casual dining atmosphere, so basically it’s a no-nonsense place where everyone is welcome.”

It will also carry the same menu as the U.S. and international including the restaurant’s famous chicken wings. “But for those looking for lighter fare, Hooters offers great appetizers, salads, soups and sandwiches. For something more hearty, [guests can] try our great burgers, chili or pasta dishes. Of course [we also have] Alaskan King crabs, grouper fish sandwich, and fresh oysters which are always great alternatives during the Lenten season or when you crave seafood,” Endo added.

While no particular market is being targeted by his group, Endo said Hooters normally attracts a young crowd, both male and female, followed by families and older adults. “Statistically, men tend to make up 55 percent of our customer base, followed by 35-percent female, and 10-percent family. An average [meal tab] will be approximately P500. A, B and upper C markets can afford our menu, and in particular those who like American concepts, we hope will give us a try.”

According to Endo, Paradise Wings will be opening the other Hooters restaurants itself instead of franchising these out to other interested parties. But the company will probably seek “investment partnerships” when aggressive demand for the restaurants picks up. “Hooters, as simple as the concept appears, is a very controlled environment; therefore, any operator/partner will have to go through extensive service-quality training and will be carefully selected,” he explained.

The company is also considering other locations in Asia such as Thailand, Bali and Vietnam.

The first Hooters opened on October 4, 1983 in Clearwater, Florida. According to its web site, the privately held Hooters of America Inc. operates and is franchisor of 435 Hooters restaurants in 44 states and 23 international locations such as Argentina, Aruba, Austria, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, England, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Venezuela.

Requirements for a Hooters franchisee include the ability to develop three to five restaurants within one’s territory, a restaurant location with at least 100,000-150,000 people within a five mile radius, $2 million in liquid assets, at least five years as a multiunit restaurant owner/operator.

A franchisee has to pay a franchise fee of $75,000 per location and an “option fee” of $15,000 for each additional restaurant option within a territory. Initial investment is between $800,000 and $1.5 million for each restaurant.

(Photo of Hooters Girl from HOA web site.)

YULETIDE THOUGHTS

Something Like Life
Dec. 15, 2006

DESPITE the fact that Christmas carols have been playing in shopping malls since October, it only dawned on me that Christmas 2006 is just right around the corner when recently I saw a big red ball sitting in a bread basket next to the fruit basket in my mom’s dining room.

It was my dad’s quezo de bola, a staple in every Christmas as far back as I can remember. Sorry San Miguel, but no Magnolia cheese balls for my dad; this was a real Edam cheese ball from Holland. He has long given up on Marca Piña or Pato, which have lost their bite. Papa discovered years ago the nutty mature goodness of Dutch Master (try it!). And no Christmas is complete unless there are one or two red balls sitting in our dining room.

No sooner had the quezo de bola been purchased when the parol and the blinking colored lights were already up, the Baby Jesus with Mary and Joseph displayed prominently in the belen, and three Christmas trees in different sizes ensconced in their rightful place. Suddenly the living room throw pillows were all covered in red (my mom’s sofa is a bleah green but somehow the combination comes together this time of the year) and fat Christmas candles were all over the house. On the screen doors hung bountiful and colorful Yuletide wreaths.

Over the weekend I began downloading Christmas wallpapers for my iBook (http://www.wallpaperoriginals.com), trying out which would best fit my personality and mindful of where we live. (Um, nope, no snowy country cottage themes with smoke rising from the chimney for me. Maybe someone should come up with Filipino Christmas wallpapers.) I finally settled on a close-up of a Christmas tree with silver trimmings and red bows. It’s real pretty! I also downloaded MacLampsX (http://arcticmac.home.comcast.net/apps/maclampsx.html), which installs Christmas lights around the border of the computer screen. It’s fun because you can design the lights yourself and decide how to string ’em up on your desktop screen.

And before writing this column, I earnestly searched the Internet for web radio stations (http://www.web-radio.fm/christmas/) so I could add them to my playlist and stream Christmas music all day long. Yeah, I know. It’s over-the-top, cheesy even, but I just couldn’t help it. I’ve been bitten by the holiday bug!

By the way, the most hilarious Yuletide song I’ve heard by far is Elmo ’n’ Patsy’s “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer.” Hahaha! Laugh your holiday hearts out at http://www.grapesoda.com.

* * *

I know many people think the holidays are stressful but I’ve learned to deal with it over the years. First of all, I shop early. All that Yuletide stress is often brought about by that almost desperate last-minute search for the perfect gifts for the special people in your life. And sometimes, for the not-so-special people whom you need to suck up to anyway, which makes the search for gifts even more stressful.

Malls and tiangges are jam-packed already this time of the month, no matter what day or time you go. Jostling, pushing and shoving can’t be avoided. (Be careful of the salisi gangs at the Ayala malls.) Parking is a hassle but if you don’t bring your car, you will be at the mercy of rude cabbies.

So next year, make your Christmas list early. And perhaps trim it a bit. These trying times, I don’t think anyone with an inch of sensitivity on his person really expects humongous presents. One newspaper columnist told me years ago that he didn’t mind receiving only Christmas cards. It was enough that people remembered him during the holidays. And shop slow so you can give each gift more thought. You don’t have to buy everything in one go.

Buy a few gifts every payday beginning October, which I think is a reasonable month to start shopping. It will be a little easier on your wallet as well, as your expenses will be spaced apart, giving you a little breathing space from payday to payday.

Be disciplined about your gift-giving. Set a fixed budget. You cannot go over this amount even if your son threatens to stop going to school unless you buy him the latest PlayStation console. Priority should always be your family and your closest and dearest friends. Do not include the cute guy you just met at the tennis court yesterday. Besides, he should be the one giving you a gift, no?

So you want to suck up to the boss, eh? I am truly ambivalent about this because I think the boss should be the one giving us a gift. Aba, our work makes his job so much easier! But if you truly feel the need to give him a gift, then go ahead. It need not be outrageously expensive, which some of us tend to do in our desire to upstage our colleagues at work. It should be simple, thoughtful and sincere. (Please be more creative naman than the Purpose Driven Life. My poor brother-in-law, for example, received three copies last year!)

But it’s really the little people at the office or at home who deserve our gifts. Take up a collection among your colleagues to buy something extra special for the manong janitor. Persuade your fellow homeowners’ association members to contribute to a common fund for the subdivision guards or gardener. The househelp we depend on to take care of us and the rest of our family members, toiling over heated stoves, handwashing the laundry and cleaning out our toilets daily, will also need an extra dose of, ahem, loving from us this season.

It’s all about sharing, folks!

(My column, Something Like Life, appears every Friday in the Life section of the BusinessMirror. Cartoons from www.reverendfun.com and from another web site I can no longer trace.)