Your P200 will go a long way

JUST wanted to remind everyone of Pink Kitchen 2008 this weekend at the Rockwell Tent, Power Plant Mall in Rockwell, Makati. Your P200 will go directly to ICanServe projects that raise breast care health awareness and subsidize medical treatment for breast cancer patients.

Here are the chefs, professional cooks, and restaurants who/that are whipping up their specialties so we can eat for a good cause:

COMPANY/BOOTH - cuisine / specialty

Bambina Herbosa - Tapa / Bibingka Galapong
Bettina Legarda - Mediterranean
Boyd's Coffee (Robert Francisco) - coffee & tea
Buddy Trinidad - desserts
Café Juanita (Boy Vasquez) - Asian, Filipino
Chariya Thaikupt - Thai
Chelsea - Deli sandwiches
Chocolat Bakeshop - Mini cream puffs
Cristina Santiago Rivera - desserts / Strawberry Charlotte
Dely Fernandez - Tuscan Provencale
Dimpy Camara - Frozen Brazo de Mercedes
Enderun - Salad & Smoothies Station
Estrel's - Caramel Cake
Everybody's Café (Poch Jorolan) - Kapangpangan
Galileo Enoteca (Vanessa Vitrano) - cold cuts and cheeses
Ipe Cruz & Mariko Jacinto - Italian & Japanese
Jaemark's - Tuna Panga, Belly & Buntot
Jasmin Magallanes - Healthy Cuisine
Judah Liu - Spanish
Kai (Chef Gilbert Pangilinan) - Neo Japanese
Kanin Club (Tony Cancio) - Crispy Dinuguan
Karen Young - Red Velvet Cake
La Tasca & Pazzo Gelato (Marilou Senn) - Spanish & Gelato
Maj Lazatin - Italian
Malu del Rosario - pastries
Mara de la Rama - desserts
Maricel Cunanan - Cunanan Ensaymada
Michele D'Orival - French
Minnie Puno - Wraps
Mona Valdes - Indonesian
Myrna Segismundo
Nana Meng (Margaux Salcedo) - Tsokolate
Offie Benavides - Filipino
Old Swiss Inn (Katrina Limcaoco) - Fresh Corned Beef
Pauline Gorriceta - Banusing Iloilo Specialties
Picole Healthy Pops (Candy Mejia) - Healthy Pops
Quito Jose - Thai
Rob & Sunshine Pengson - French
Roselyn Tiango - Desserts
Sigalit Djemal - Caviar Pie, Salmon Cream Pie
Suman Gogna - Indian
Susie Quiros - Lasagna
The Farm at San Benito - Macrobiotic Cuisine
Tippi Tambunting - Continental
Vargas Kitchen - Comfort Food
Wendy Ozamis - Singapore Hawker Style
WynnWynn Ong - Burmese
Happy Living Wines - wines
Premium Wine Exchange - wines

Clap for them, guys!

To help you navigate the maze of concessionaires, here's a map c/o the I Can Serve Foundation (click to enlarge). Btw there are shows every every evening starting at 8 pm so diners can hum along while having their dinner.



Here's a shout-out to my colleagues in media, shuck your free entrance and fork over the P200. It's for a good cause naman, noh?

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AT the same time, it's also Power Plant's pre-Christmas sale, so a visit to Rockwell this weekend is surely worth it.



Kain and shopping na!

X'mas shopping at the Rockwell Tent

From the mail....



Rockwell Power Plant mall is spreading holiday cheer early this year with a fabulous shopping event that’s both rewarding and hassle-free this September 12, 13 & 14 at the Rockwell Tent, the first in a four part holiday bazaar series.

Rockwell’s Urban Bazaar Holiday Series offers nothing but the best and latest gift trends – With over 80 booths, each filled with unique fashion finds, accessories, knick-knacks and more, you’ll surely never run out of gift ideas!

Discover unique and classy handmade pieces made of crystals and semi-precious stones with meticulous craftsmanship, ranging from bracelets and necklaces to bag accessories and special home décor by Chroma Disegno.

Celebrate the DIY spirit with POPJUNKLOVE’s handmade tee-embellishments and shirt-pins; handmade guitar straps from scrap, crochet dolls and coffee cozies from CherryPopShop.

Compartmentalize, categorize and organize with The Organizer’s & VM Storage Experts’ one-of-a-kind travel kits, organizers, shoe bags – one of the most practical and widely appreciated gift item.

Snag a treat for that special someone or satisfy yourselves with fabulously fierce high-heeled footwear from Solano Collection or catchy colored summer flats from Sole Shoes.

Come across Repartee, a 100% distinctively Filipino brand that carries a line of tee shirts for both men and women with special sense of humor, outstanding quality of design, fabric and print.

Rockwell’s Urban Bazaar will showcase not only exceptional and unique items as perfect presents but yummy goodies and treats too! Savor an exciting and delectable treat of fresh frozen fruits blended with frozen yogurt with Yoh-gurt Froz or grab quick bites of authentic Japanese seafood balls at Nashojiro – Takoyaki.

The event boasts of more fun and surprises for the whole family. Prepare to be entertained with a special performance by The Assumption Dance Company (TADC). Hourly raffle draws with exciting prizes from the participants themselves await!

Rush to the Rockwell Tent and do your early Christmas shopping to avoid the usual Christmas rush! The Urban Bazaar Holiday Series is scheduled on September 12-14, October 24-25, November 28-30 & December 12-14.

For more information, please call 8981702 or log on to powerplantmall.multiply.com.

Finally, Pepper Lunch! (and a word about the Dark Knight)

(Waiting in line at Pepper Lunch.)

AFTER months of waiting, I finally ate at Pepper Lunch at the Rockwell Power Plant Mall in Makati. I had hesitated going earlier because of the long lines of eager diners, and also because it had just opened. As a part-time food reviewer, I usually give a restaurant three to six months before eating there, just to give it time to settle down, its cooking perfected, and its customer service polished.

I went last Friday and Ms. RP and I were soooo famished! Buti nalang the line wasn't so long anymore as it was past 8 pm by the time we got there. Ms. RP ordered the Beef Pepper Steak while I had the Cut Steak and Hamburger Burger Combo. We also shared a Spicy Tuna Salad between us.

(This is how you cook your steak, neh.)

Ms. RP liked her dish, which was evident in the way she quickly finished it. But she said it was kinda difficult to eat the spicy tuna salad which was in a tall plastic cup that wasn't too sturdy, and wherein in you had to dig down deep to get to the soba noodles. It was kinda hard nga naman to mix the salad. But I liked the taste which was a curious mix of salt and spice. It was a good pampaalis-suya especially if you are eating all that beef (which I actually try to stay away from to keep healthy. But once in awhile, I do get a hankering for it, especially if the steak is really tender and juicy.)

As for me, I loooved my dish, especially the burger! So tasty and soft, not super crusty like how burgers usually become after being on the grill. Wouldja believe I finished my rice? Hay, carbo loading! Ang comment ko lang is that they should snip off the ends of the bean sprouts, you know the soiled ends that usually causes tummy aches? I ate everything 'cos I was so hungry na, I didn't have the patience to cut 'em off anymore, so there, I had a tummy ache after nga. I aso wonder if I they can serve kernel corn instead of bean sprouts if a customer requests it? Parang it will also be a delicious combo because of the butter.

(Pero, magbayad muna kayo.)

I like the cheerful and chic ambiance of the restaurant, and the waitstaff are well-trained. They were ever so helpful, especially when the couple at the table beside us spilled their soda. (Actually si ghel was really the clumsy one who knocked over her drink, much to the consternation of bhoyfren...josh! I just noticed how embarrassed he was 'cos of what happened, that he didn't speak at all, even as Ms. RP tried to make light of the matter. Last date na nila 'yan ahm chure!)

The waitstaff (or busboy) came up with the mop and the trapo to wipe the floor and table clean. After, he gave the ghel another serving of softdrink, for free. Hwaw! swerte naman ni ghel.

(Spicy Tuna Salad)

I like the price points of the restaurant as well. Ms. RP's dish cost P235 with a soda already, while mine was P360 (you can tell them to give you bottled water instead of a soda). The spicy tuna was P99. So in total, we spent less than P700. Of course, we were so busog, we had no space to eat dessert anymore, kainis. I wanted to try pa naman that Kuromitsu ice cream. Mmmm...

I am raring to go back and try the other dishes in the menu (the Shimofuri Pepper Steak and Teriyaki Pepper Salmon look interesting). Some of the items are kinda expensive like the Shimofuri and the Yawaraka Loin Steak, pero kung masarap naman, why not chocnut? I've always felt okay shelling out more money for good quality food. After working to death, why deny yourself that luxury? Let's burp to that.

(Cut Steak and Hamburger Combo...yumminess!)

(Pepper Lunch is at the Food Court of the Rockwell Power Plant in Makati.)

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I didn't like the Dark Knight. Then again, I've never been a fan of the Batman movies. (I liked the old TV series though starring Adam West as the Caped Crusader, because its was so camp! Funny!)

Of course, Heath Ledger was excellent in this movie; he really werked the role of the Joker. I'm sure he will be nominated and will win a posthumous Oscar award. But Christian Bale? Nah, not impressive. So payat pa.

The plot was too predictable. Obviously Batman would try to save Harvey Dent because he believed that the DA was going to be the hero of Gotham City. Bruce Wayne said so himself. I only liked the fact that Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine were in it. Even with their small roles as Lucius Fox and Alfred the butler, magaling sila talaga in their understated acting. Oh, and Batman's motorcycle was hot! The Batmobile, not so.

But great scott Batman! bakit ang panget ni Maggie Gylenhall?!?!