A Chinese inside the Red Palace

There is a Chinese inside the Red Palace. Yes, there is Chinese food inside the Red Palace Restaurant. Food in this restaurant is pretty good. I like to say good for health for those seafoods and vegetables. 

While waiting for your order, they serve you with tea. 

They serve in plain white cups and plates. The simpler the better.

Here comes our order. and more to come...

I cannot say anything more because I would like to taste the food now.

They also deliver fast; I tried it several times already. Red Palace Seafood Restaurant is just a stone's throw away from Sulu Hotel located at Malakas Street, Diliman, Quezon City.

Tudlo-Luto, Paluto Out-of-Town

Remember how much it costs for your freshly bought fish from Farmer's Market to be cooked in Dampa? Roving the countryside gives me a lot of experience that cannot be bought by money. One of which is the appreciation and recognition of everything unique in a certain locality. That includes food of course.

How many pieces can you consume?

I am well-fed when I go out of town. I mean when I go out of the office to visit other regions. Not only because firefighters in the Philippines are most hospitable ever wherever part of the country I may go - that's a fact. Moreover, I find the food which are "dollarly" priced in Metro Manila to be cheaper in other parts of the Philippines.

Paluto in San Francisco

Take for instance the restaurant we visited about two nights ago in San Francisco, Agusan del Sur. Seafoods? They have it at a cheaper price. Crabs walking and lobsters alive before being cooked. You choose your own and they'll cook it while you wait.

Don't bother sharing because you have your own.

In Tudlo-Luto Mana-ay Seafood House, I had to consume what must not be left. Thanks to my younger colleagues who shared with me the fun. I was thinking of a lot of people affected by typhoon waiting for relief items to feed their hunger but in my table there was plenty of crabs, shrimps, squid and the like. For the common tilapia in the metropolis, that's just an ordinary soup.

Don't leave this precious food unconsumed.

I can't recall its name.

Tilapia soup

The restaurant is located in the National Highway, Barobo-bound, walking distance from Paseo de San Francisco Hotel Suites.

For Long Life

Fresh noodles

Sexbomb dancers say so: "spaghetti pababa, spaghetti pataas!" The pancit family of foods is said to bless us with long life because of its being physically long.

Egg Noodles

Pancit for long life. In Bicol, we have the famous pansit bato. It's named not because a bato (rock) is used to make it but because the town of Bato in Camarines Sur is the official headquarters of pancit-making industry in the region.

Ramen

Instant noodles. I buy instant noodles occasionally only to teach my daughter of chopsticks 101.

Sotanghon

How about 'tanghon?' At home, we raise native chicken in the backyard. We cook sotanghon with our native chicken and then it's so yummy!

Bihon

Bihon. In Metro Manila, I'm confused the way people call bihon as pancit. At home in the province, bihon is bihon while pancit is different.

Generally speaking, I refers these foods to belong to the pancit family. In Metro Manila, one can go to an eat-all-you-can restaurant and he can see  all of them in one table. You can try visiting Tongyang, I'm pretty sure pancit family is there.

Saranggani Bay

Two weeks ago, a friend gave us this sardines in a bottle, Saranggani Bay. I like Spanish sardines and I liked its taste. It is from Alabel, Saranggani Province, a place where I have already been. So far, Saranggani is the farthest place I have reached in Mindanao. I have reached as far as Alabel and Glan where white sand is so enticing. Never did I swim in Glan, Saranggani for personal reasons. However, what I can assure you of is IT'S PARADISE!

I like the taste of Saranggani Bay sardines and as always, its spicy flavoring. I like spanish sardines because it comes usually in natural flavors. There are no artificial flavors and no other added chemicals. There are more reasons for me to go into organic products especially nowadays. Maybe you can have a taste of one. 

Still In Love

Tell me if you do not love chocolates. Then you can just give them all to me.

M&S Swiss Extra Fine Chocolate

M&S Swiss Chocolate Bubbly Milk Mountain Bar
and White Mountain Bar

They will tell you that someone is in love with you if you receive chocolates all of a sudden in the office. Those days are gone.

M&S Belgian Milk Chocolate Coated with California Raisin

M&S Belgian Milk Chocolate Coated with Peanuts

I may or may not be in love but I could say that I still love chocolates. I can give myself a present from time to time by buying for myself a chocolate. I only cannot crack the nuts for now but I do still love to eat chocolates.

M&S Dark Chocolate All Butter Biscuits

M&S Milk Chocolate

There are more items in the chocolates stand than I could ever eat. I may not be able to afford them all but I am still in love with them. Just in case you are throwing away your chocolates you may give them all to me. As of now I could say that I am still in love.

East Meets West with Bagoong

Vegetable curry and bagoong rice

Whenever I hear of European products, I thought of pasta and sauces. I am not a lover of those Italian foods either as carbonara and the like. When I watched Chef Luigi Muhlach demonstrated Marks and Spencer products last Sunday, I was delighted that the east has to meet the west with bagoong.

Chef Luigi Muhlach cooked vegetable curry and bagoong rice. This is how he did it:

Ingredients

Marks and Spencer Vegetable Curry
1 cup plain rice
2 tsp cooked bagoong
onions
garlic
green mangoes (sliced)
1 egg (scrambled)

Procedure

1. In a hot pan drizzle oil, add onions, garlic, bagoong and rice.
2. Saute and top with green mangoes and scrambled eggs.

And that's it!

Then pair it with Marks and Spencer wines. Thanks to Miss Chie Gatchalian for the insights.

Photo courtesy of Marks & Spencer Philippines

Drink to your heart's content! Wines promote a good heart condition.

Percy the Famous Pig

Isn't it animals are famous? Birds are (Angry). Chickens are (Invaders). Then Percy is the famous pig.

Percy Pig and Penny Pig

Percy Pig is exclusive to Marks and Spencer, developed 15 years ago. Percy is also popular that he even has his own fan club on Facebook with over 50, 000 members.

Percy Pigs (center and bottom) and Colin the Caterpillar (top, left and right)

Children will of course like to eat candies that look like pigs, pig tails, noses and the like. Here are some of them, all from Marks and Spencer.

Pig tails and noses from Marks and Spencer

with piglets 

with pals

Marks and Spencer is one of UK’s leading retailers, selling stylish, high quality, great value clothing and home products, as well as outstanding quality food, responsibly sourced from around 2,000 suppliers globally.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Alabang Town Center | Eastwood Mall | Gateway Mall | Glorietta 4 | Greenbelt 5 | Robinson's Galleria

Robinsons Place Manila | Rockwell Power Plant Mall | Shangri-la Plaza Mall | SM Mall of Asia | SM Megamall

SM City North Edsa | Trinoma | Abreeza Mall, Davao | Ayala Center Cebu | Lim Ket Kai Center, Cagayan De Oro

Marquee Mall | SM Pampanga | Paseo de Sta. Rosa Outlet Store | Subic Harbor Point Outlet Store | SM Lanang Premier

Coffee Time with Marks and Spencer

Expertly roasted to produce a well-balanced aromatic coffee.

Marks and Spencer is one of UK’s leading retailers, selling stylish, high quality, great value clothing and home products, as well as outstanding quality food, responsibly sourced from around 2,000 suppliers globally.

Alabang Town Center | Eastwood Mall | Gateway Mall | Glorietta 4 | Greenbelt 5 | Robinson's Galleria

Robinsons Place Manila | Rockwell Power Plant Mall | Shangri-la Plaza Mall | SM Mall of Asia | SM Megamall

SM City North Edsa | Trinoma | Abreeza Mall, Davao | Ayala Center Cebu | Lim Ket Kai Center, Cagayan De Oro

Marquee Mall | SM Pampanga | Paseo de Sta. Rosa Outlet Store | Subic Harbor Point Outlet Store | SM Lanang Premier

Special thanks to Marks and Spencer Philippines for the photograph and caption.  

Can’t Live Without?

We Bicolanos are said to be lovers of chili. We love to eat spicy foods. We sprinkle sili to ginataang gulay – some green and some red. We call the small super hot red sili as sambalas. At home, we plant chili in the back yard. We use the leaves in tinolang manok and the green sili too.

Fried sili (O'Raileys)

Homemade condiment in a Carlo Rossi jar

We use sili in atchara and all other menus at home. In Metro Manila, the price of sili is such as spicy too. Despite that we still manage to have sili in our food. I am glad that in Metro Manila, while they may not have the world’s famous sili eating contest, they cook and fry sili like turon. Aside from that, we make our homemade condiments like sukang sawsawan with sili and bawang to like how they do with pinakurat in Mindanao.

Last week, I met a lawyer who told me that because of his love for sili, he lost his golden voice fit for singing with the band. He is a Bicolano too. Nevertheless, he still loves sili – something that I really cannot live without. 

Corals and Little Quiapo

In Metro Manila while in a restaurant, I seldom order sea shells like scallops if not for a special occasion or a celebration. Simply because those are expensive while special occasions are once in a blue moon for me. 

Empty shell decor inside Little Quiapo Restaurant in Quezon City.

I am already contented with what I see inside a restaurant that decorates its walls, corners or façade with sea shells. I like the interior design of Little Quiapo restaurant in Quezon City. Inside the restaurant is homey atmosphere. The restaurant is not so huge but a lot of people go there for lunch because of affordable food. 

It is said that Little Quiapo has established its name since 1949.

Little Quiapo Restaurant, since 1949.

When I visited Lapu Lapu City, I was stunned by the sea foods there. The sea foods that I almost feared to eat in Metro Manila for being afraid of escalating bills are abundant in Lapu Lapu City. The empty sea shell which I pictured as decoration in Little Quiapo can be eaten and is called “saang” by locals. I told myself, “this is it!” And it was not just true but more than true to be full.

Local name, "saang"

Abundant sea weeds in Lapu Lapu City

Little Quiapo restaurant is located at 90 Malakas Street, Pinyahan Quezon City. 

Phone (02) 922-4131.

Eating All You Can

Shabu-Shabu and Grill. Yes, the term is shabu-shabu. First time I heard of the word, I thought of what? Methamphetamine hydrochloride. Sounds weird but that's what I thought of really. 

Three years ago, I ate in an all-you-can restaurant and spa in Pasay City, the one with shabu-shabu. I did not enjoy the food because first and foremost, I was alone. And then, I did not know how to cook with the shabu-shabu. I just watched the buthane gas in front of me then. Instead, I just took some foods that I knew and familiar with me. While other enjoyed cooking, I just enjoyed watching them.  

I was among the not so many Filipinos who were in that spa and restaurant during that time. The rest were mostly Koreans. I thought I was the one going there alone, I saw few Koreans and Japanese too, alone. The point is, while I enjoyed the spa, I did not enjoy the food. Eating is really not so fun while being alone.

Last week, I visited another shabu-shabu and grill - now, in Quezon City. I was glad to go there not by myself but with a company of several people. I was not alone, hence I enjoyed the foods. I ate a lot, and learned what they did with the shabu-shabu. 

Tong Yang in Eton Centris, Quezon City.

Thanks to the accommodating waiters of Tong-Yang in Eton Centris. I enjoyed so much the kimchi. I ate kimchi in Malaysia before and in Japan when I went there. And last year, I ate kim-chi in Makati. Sounds funny? Yes. The minimum gap is a year before my next kimchi tasting.

Kimchi

I thought of what will I do with those raw and uncooked foods. Shall I take the cooked yang chow together with crabs without efforts of cooking? Or shall I sample with those fish bellly? Now I know what to do. Now I know how to do it. Indeed funny for an introvert like me. Maybe not introvert but frugal mom like me. (Explaining...)

What do you want to cook?

This is the difference between the Philippines and other European countries. Food is affordable anywhere. Fine dining is fun. Eat-all-you-can restaurants are cheaper. You don't have to book for a month before you can get seated for a fine dining. Just have money and you can go to a restaurant of your choice. It is indeed more fun dining in the Philippines. 

For other eat-all-you-can restaurants, you can also try Dad's with one free buffet for every group of ten and Kamay Kainan with authentic Filipino dishes.  

Peanuts and Tea

What could be a good merienda than this? Peanuts and tea.

For now, I can only drink tea. I cannot yet eat some peanuts and all those nuts as cashew and the like.

It will still take perhaps another six months before my braces get removed to enable me to chew those lovely foods again.

I missed the nuts really.

Tea and nuts.

Juice for You

Water, our body needs it. Essential fluids, our body need them. Juices, our system need them. 

There are various juices available in stores for us. In restaurants, choose your juice.

I like juices of course. I worry however the amount of sugar mixed in the juice.

Look at these variety of flavors. Do you have any idea on the amount of sugar put it?

Choose your flavor. Choose your color.

In the Philippines, the most abundant juice perhaps is famously referred to as "buko" juice. It is coconut juice abundant everywhere. Coconuts grow throughout the country making the juice freshly available all the time. 

In Quezon City Memorial Circle, it is nice to drink some buko juice after a morning or night jogging. Or after a free time strolling, you can buy it at a very affordable price as low as five pesos.

Buko juice available in Quezon City Memorial Circle.

Kape po...

Which coffee is yours?

As if I don’t want to drink while my eyes enjoyed seeing the design.
I missed the place already.

At O’Raileys Dine and Coffee. 

O'Raileys Dine and Coffee is located at One Joroma Place Building, Congressional Avenue corner San Beda Street, Quezon City. @oraileyscoffee