May 20, 2013 · 11:04 AM

APARTMENT 1B

 
Apartment 1B became my favorite breakfast place while I was back in Manila.  It was a short walk away from my mom’s place and served a proper breakfast, good coffee and fresh orange juice.  I must have breakfasted there five times in the short week I was visiting.  I had heard about the original Apartment 1B in Salcedo village but never got the chance to try it and luckily, they had just opened a branch in One Rockwell.  The restaurant is a bright modern space furnished with wood tables and a charming collection of mismatched chairs.  Service is friendly yet efficient.  They even have a buzzer on every table to call the waitstaff with 2 buttons – call and bill – which worked quite well. 

Breakfast is served all day (from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.) and the menu has all the classics – Eggs Benedict, with ham or spinach, buttermilk pancakes, French toast, bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon, assorted egg dishes, oatmeal and even a croque madame. (What they don’t have is Filipino breakfasts which is a treat since every other breakfast joint already serves that).  They have Vittoria coffee from Australia, freshly-squeezed fruit juices and lots of breakfast sides.  Their lunch and dinner menu look good too but I didn’t get to try it this time.  If only I lived in Manila, I would be at Apartment 1B every weekend for brunch not just for the good food and great service, but because this is exactly the kind of place that I look for every time we move and rarely find.

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Apartment 1B
Ground Floor, One Rockwell East
Rockwell Center, Makati

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Filed under Breakfast, Brunch, Coffee, Lunch, Manila, Restaurants

April 26, 2013 · 1:08 PM

FILIPINO FOOD FIESTA

In early April I left for the Philippines to visit my ailing 94-year old grandmother (who has since sadly, passed away) and spent several days in Manila with my sisters having a taste of home.  As we were all jet lagged and awake at dawn, we were all dressed and ready to go for breakfast very early in the morning.  Most days we just crossed the street to One Rockwell where we usually ate either at UCC Cafe Terrace, Apartment 1B (more on that later) or our old favorite Pancake House. 
UCC is a Japanese coffee franchise that uses the siphon method to make their specialty coffees.  The place isn’t fancy but the coffee is very good and the Filipino breakfasts are fine.  We tried most of the “si-log” combinations (meaning SInangag, Filipino for garlic fried rice and itLOG, Filipino for egg) with tapa (marinated beef), longanisa (local pork sausage), bangus (milk fish) and tocino (marinated pork).  I liked the longanisang hubad (naked longanisa) best – when they split open the pork sausage skin and take out all the sausage meat, fry it till it’s nice and crisp like corned beef hash, then place it on top of the garlic fried rice and serve it with a sunny side up egg – a Filipino breakfast of champions.

On another evening, after a log day spent at the hospital, we decided to have some Filipino food to go from my friend Malu’s Milky Way Cafe on Pasay Road.  We ordered the usual classics: kare-kare (oxtail stew made with peanut-flavored sauce), inihaw na liempo (char-grilled pork belly), adobong sugpo (prawns cooked adobo-style in crab roe) and a crispy pata lechon de leche (deep-fried suckling pig knuckle) with a home-made vegetable dish of pinakbet (long beans, bitter melon, okra and eggplant cooked in shrimp paste).  The food came with rice, appropriate sauces (spicy vinegar, bagoong – shrimp paste and chili soy sauce) plus banana leaves that we used to line the serving plates.  Fantastic Filipino food that we enjoyed at home.

When my Lola (grandmother) was brought back home for her last days, we all gathered around the table once more for our traditional lunch which we spent at my Lola’s house every weekend when we were growing up.  On this occasion, we had two versions of crab – sauteed in garlic and deep-fried in butter – both of which I hadn’t eaten in a long time and probably last enjoyed at one of my lola’s weekend lunches.

We also had the traditional summer heat quencher – halo-halo (literally meaning mix-mix of sweetened fruit and beans topped with leche flan, and ube ice cream with milk and lots and lots of finely shaved ice).  We did the classic Via Mare version and the superior Milky Way version which was better because it was filled with more goodies and the ice was so finely shaved that it never made our halo-halo watery.

Last but not least was my dinner with J and N who very nicely picked me up at home and drove me to get my Filipino food craving and took me to Greenbelt’s Mesa Filipino Moderne where we had a delicious dinner of deep-fried inside out tilapia where the crispy fish was prepared in bite-sized chunks ready for dipping into the four sauces – spicy, sweet, salty or sour, a prawn and pomelo salad with crispy shredded coconut, grilled pork belly, mixed vegetables in garlic sauce and something I had never tried before: sauteed sigarilyas (wing beans) in coconut milk with chili and shrimp.  For dessert, we shared the leche flan turron (a flan-stuffed spring roll) and the refreshing pandan and coconut jelly.  As you can imagine, it was a Filipino food fiesta.

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UCC Cafe 
Ground Floor, One Rockwell West Tower, Makati
Telephone: +63 2 896 3951

Milky Way Cafe
2nd Floor, 900 A. Arnaiz Avenue (formerly Pasay Road), Makati
Telephone: +63 2 843 4124

Cafe Via Mare
Ground floor, Rockwell Center, Makati
Telephone: +63 2 898 1305

Mesa Filipino Moderne  
Greenbelt 5, Makati
Telephone: +63 2 728 0886

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Filed under Cafes, Coffee, Delicacies, Desserts, Lunch, Manila, Restaurants, Takeaway

March 12, 2013 · 11:36 AM

ZUMA

The last time I ate in Zuma was in London, the first one of many Zumas that have since opened all over the world so when I heard that they had opened a Miami outpost, I had to go back and see if Zuma had changed.

First was trying to get a reservation.  Although Zuma is listed in Open Table, it was impossible to get a booking as all the times I chose for dinner (7:00, 7:30, or 8:00) were showing up as booked already.  In the end, I had to call their dedicated reservations number and after several minutes on hold, I was finally able to book a table for dinner on a Thursday evening.

We arrived in Zuma slightly late for our booking as we missed the entrance to the Epic Hotel and ended up parking further down the road at the Epic Residences then just walking over.  As soon as we got to the entrance, we were told that we would have to vacate our table at 9:00 sharp.  So far, nothing had changed.

The restaurant was packed as usual with loud music and lots of groups squeezed into tables with hardly any room to get through.  Interiors are similar to the one in London but instead of a large open space, it was an oddly-shaped room with a smaller bar near the entrance and tables cramped close together.  (We should have indicated that we’d rather sit at the sushi bar which was empty).

Our server coming forward immediately with the menus and the drink list and asking if we’d like some edamame to start.  While we munched on the edamame, we studied the menu and decided on sharing several dishes along with a glass each of Sancerre and Sauvignon Blanc.  We started on some miso soup then a small sashimi plate of three types of fish: salmon, tuna and hamachi.  This was followed by some spicy tuna roll – crispy, spicy sesame seed studded rice rolls filled with tuna and avocado.

We then had four dishes from the robatayaki (grill): beef skewers with shishito pepper and chili soy, yakitori boneless chicken thighs and leeks, grilled spiced sweet potato and miso-flavored eggplant along with the five-piece tiger prawn tempura.  For dessert, we shared a sorbet selection: three scoops of homemade fruit sorbet: yuzu, mango and lychee.

As in London, dinner was delicious and service was seamless but the feeling of being rushed through the meal is always present along with the surprising add-on 18% service charge.  So far, so typical.  Diner at Zuma is good Japanese food mixed with people watching and a club-like atmosphere.  Next time, it might be better to persevere with booking a table at Naoe where I hear the food is even better and one is never rushed through dinner.
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ZUMA
at the Epic Hotel
270 Biscayne Blvd. Way
Miami FL 33131
Telephone: +1 305 577 0277
*Open daily for dinner.  Lunch Mondays to Saturdays. Brunch on Sundays.

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Filed under Grill, Miami, Restaurants, Sushi

March 7, 2013 · 12:02 PM

KHONG RIVER HOUSE

On our first evening in Miami, I booked the recently open Khong River House which is conveniently located just off the pedestrian street Lincoln avenue and an easy ten-minute walk from the Ritz-Carlton South Beach.  Managed by the same group who own Yardbird Southern Table and Bar showcasing Southern cooking and the soon-to-open Swine Southern Table and Bar which will feature a nose-to-tail menu.  Khong River House focuses on the cuisine of Northern Thailand (not the stuff you in usually see in Thai restaurants) plus nearby Burma and Lao which is seen in the exciting menu.  Running the kitchen is chef Bee with his team – chefs Pai and Danny, also from Northern Thailand, and chef Rene.  Before its’ recent transformation, Khong River House was a restaurant called Miss Yip which was more Asian in looks than food as my lunch there in 2010 proved.  Luckily, the same corner spot has been transformed into a well-designed cozy space with the use exposed brick, reclaimed wood slabs used both in the bar and chairs plus a corrugated tin ceiling just like roadside shacks found all over Asia coupled with dim lighting and loud music.

I booked a table via Open Table and good thing I did as the restaurant was packed when we walked in on an early Thursday evening.  The bar was pumping as they had a Happy Hour promotion on all their signature gin cocktails.  The drinks list is extensive with 34 types of gin, several Asian beers and an interesting well-presented wine list.

We were seated in on one of the banquettes, right in the middle of the action and beside the bar. We had a look at the dinner menu which had several sections: small plates (appetizers), salads, noodles, traditional main courses, rice and a few side dishes labeled to share.  We decided to order one small plate, two traditional dishes and a vegetable side dish, all of them to be served family-style.  A had a glass of the Patient Cottat Sauvigonon Blanc, an organic wine from the Loire valley, and I chose a Kesseler Riesling, another organic wine producer, this time from the Rheingau region.  If only we were beer drinkers, we could have had an ice cold Asian beer from their list of

Our starter of Burmese fresh noodle wraps was served not long after – five parcels filled with roasted dried red chili, lemon juice, palm sugar, cilantro and crushed peanuts wrapped up in a fresh noodle and served cold just like a summer roll.  This vegetarian bite was both sweet and salty and a good omen for what was to come.

The main courses were then brought out one after another with a bowl of steamed jasmine rice – Vietnamese style crispy prawns, the best dish we had that evening, deep fried shell-on prawns tossed in chili, garlic, shallots, spring onions and spices and cheekily served in a bowl lined with Asian newspaper and a banana leaf.  There was also the char-grilled Thai eggplant with stir-fried minced pork, basil leaves and oyster sauce which was surprisingly bland so we returned it and asked them to prepare a new one which came back much better with a hint of spice.  We also shared the stir-fried tofu with garlic chives, bean sprouts and chili – a simple vegetable dish with fresh flavors and such a pleasure to have as we often crave these vegetables in Puerto Rico where bean sprouts and garlic chives are nowhere to be found.

Asians don’t normally have dessert except for fruit as sweets are usually eaten as snacks instead of after a meal but there is a small dessert menu at Khong River House with some Asian-influenced sweets.  We shared the Mango Napoleon – crispy filo layers filled  with mango mousse and served with cubed mangoes – it was a nice tart ending after all the spiciness but not really necessary.  Next time, because there will definitely be a next time, we’ll skip dessert and have another delicious small plate or side dish instead.

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Khong River House
1661 Meridian Avenue
Miami Beach, FL
Telephone: +1 305 763 8147
*Open daily for dinner, lunch from Mondays to Fridays and brunch on weekends.
* Valet parking available.

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Filed under Bang for the Buck, Bars, Miami, Restaurants, South Beach

February 28, 2013 · 11:40 AM

MIAMI MINI BREAK


A & I spent five days in Miami on our own a few weeks ago.  It’s great for a mini-break since it’s only two and a half hours away from San Juan and perfect for a little dose of “city” and to cure island fever.

We slept the first two nights at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach and borrowed S’s luxurious convertible so we could drive around and explore the city.  On the first day, we walked to Lincoln and had a quick lunch at Paul and headed back to our beautiful beach-front suite.  The following day was spent walking the hip and happening Design District which keeps getting better since we first visited it in 2010.  A few more boutiques and restaurants have opened and I’m sure that soon, this area will be filled with interesting stores and fun places to eat.  As usual, we had lunch at our favorite Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink which we never miss when we’re in Miami, then did some retail therapy at the swanky boutiques nearby.  We also had dinner at nearby Khong River House and further out at Zuma, in Brickell’s bustling area.

Our last two nights were at the Ritz Carlton Key Biscayne where all we did was relax and enjoy the sun, sand, beach and pool.  We literally spent two days lying on a sun lounger doing nothing much except eat and read.  We had lunch right on the beach at Dune (grilled shrimp salad and a fish sandwich with crispy sweet potato fries) on the first day then another al fresco lunch on our last day (hummus, baba ghanoush and taboule with warm pita bread, a Spanish-influenced plate of pan con tomate, marinated anchovies, roasted peppers and mussels and octopus then a slider trio: tuna, Angus beef and turkey) right by the pool.  The food was simple yet delicious plus there were perfect poolside treats like frozen grapes, sunscreen, buckets of Fiji and lots of magazines.

Four days were a bit short but it was enough for both of us to enjoy some quiet time and breathe after the busy holiday season.  Next trip will probably be Florida again with the kids then hopefully, further on the west coast to sunny California.

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Filed under Beach, Cafes, Hotels, Key Biscayne, Miami, Restaurants, South Beach

February 20, 2013 · 8:00 AM

WENDY’S NOODLE CAFE

In every trip we’ve made to Las Vegas over the last ten years, we always end up satisfying our cravings for authentic Asian cuisine while we lived in Marbella, Bali and now Puerto Rico.  This trip was no different and we ate several times at the brightly-lit Wendy’s Noodle Cafe.  With it’s not-too-Chinese interiors and modern take on classic Chinese dishes, Wendy’s is often packed and since it’s open all-day everyday, one can walk in at noon on a weekday and get a fresh-cooked Chinese meal quickly.
For dinner, we had some of the Asian tapas ($4.95) – salt and pepper shrimp and grilled chicken wings followed by clams in chili black bean sauce from the daily specials, half roast duck and oyster omelet from the chef’s specials, stir-fried needle noodles with shrimp from the extensive noodle menu and a spicy Tom Yum prawn fried rice.  For an early lunch another day, we had the golden fried oysters and two rice plates – hammered chicken and beef short rib which both came with steamed rice, plus a stir-fried Chinese broccoli.  Both times, the food was fresh, hot and flavorful and the prices are so reasonable that there’s no reason not to come back.
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Wendy’s Noodle Cafe
3401 South Jones Boulevard
Las Vegas 89146
Telephone: +1 702 889 3288
*Open daily all-day from 11:00 to late

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Filed under Bang for the Buck, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Uncategorized

February 18, 2013 · 8:00 AM

BACHI BURGER

Another Vegas discovery from over the Christmas holidays was bachi burger.  Although open for quite some time now, it was only on our last visit that I was able to try the Asian-inspired menu at bachi burger.  We went for dinner on a weekday night and the place was packed with a half hour wait so we sat patiently with everyone else and were seated under 30 minutes.  The menu has Asian-inspired appetizers (bachi pickles, chili fried chicken, crispy onion rings and flavored organic edamame: steamed with sea salt, stir-fried with garlic and chili, sauteed with garlic butter and truffle oil) followed by a couple of Steamed Bao Sandwiches (duck or pork belly), some standard salads and finally, more than a dozen beef burgers plus several non-beef burgers along with lots of sides (flavored french fries – garlic, truffle or Parmesan, shrimp chips and sweet potato fries).
What makes bachi burgers different?  Well, all bachi burgers are 100% all-natural Angus chuck or Wagyu from Morgan Ranch or Washugyu Beef, buns are fresh baked Taiwanese style sweet bread and sauces and aioli are original recipes (aioli, pineapple ketchup, Porcini cream sauce).  They also have an extensive selection of milkshakes and Asian style iced teas and Boba milk teas.
We all shared some crispy onion rings to start along with Jalapeno flavored french fries.  J had the kid’s bachi burger ($9) which came with fruit and fries.  C had the signature Kiki’s Burger ($10) which was an Angus beef patty with several types of mushrooms,  caramelized bacon and sweet onion marmalade, Gruyere and aioli and I had Miyagi-San’s grass fed Wagyu burger ($13) which came with chili mayo, fried egg, furikake, caramelized bacon and crispy onion rings.  R shared with both C and myself as the burgers are quite big.  The burgers lived up to their char grilled reputation (the word bachi comes from hibachi which is the traditional Japanese coal-fried grill which gives the burgers that special smoky flavor) and the sides were hot and crispy.  For dessert, we all shared the Portuguese donuts – deep fried cinnamon sugar coated munchkins which were okay but would have been better with something tart (like a lemon curd) to eat them with instead of the coffee gelato and the service could have been better.  Coffee was a mug of dark Organic free trade Sumatra (available Vietnamese-style hot or iced as well).  A nice end to a tasty dinner.
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bachi burger
9410 W Sahara Ave, Ste 150
Las Vegas, NV 89117
Telephone: +1 702 255 3055
*Open daily from 12 noon to 11:00 p.m. 
*Another branch at 470 E Windmill Lane, #100, Las Vegas – Tel: (702) 242 2244 

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Filed under Las Vegas, Restaurants