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Once in a while, I crave for unusual cuisines. Cuisines that I don't usually like. Which is unusual.

Dining at Swagat makes you feel like you're dining at an Indian home.

Not that I've been in one but the environment is a resemblance of what you see in movies, complete with its Indian decorations and Indian television (which hypnotizes me by the way). 

Some paneer I forgot (Php125)

Breading.

Buttered Naan (Php35)

None.

Sangam Biryani (Php200)

Lean and tender pieces of chicken and lamb, cooked with freshly ground herbs and spices in cream mughlai sauce with Indian rice garnished with nuts and raisins.

Lacks meat.

Chicken Tikka Masala (Php225)

Boneless chicken tikka sauteed with herbs, mild spices, tomatoes, butter and cream.

This was the best dish of the night. 3.5 stars out of 5.

Although it was recognized by Esquire as one of the best restaurants, I was quite disappointed. Affordable for its location but not for its quality. 

Swagat Indian Cuisine

119 FCC Building, Rada Street

Christmas lunch with family. The cook aka the mom probably wants a break from all the yuletide hullabaloo.

Kaya Salad (Php230)

Black sesame sauce will always do the trick.

Bibimbap (Php230)

Lacks flavor but tolerable.

Goon Mandoo (Php175)

These fried dumplings were huge and crunchy!

Sam Kyup Sal (Php180)

Didn't taste the pork belly strips. The mere name makes my belleh jiggleh.

Kalbi Jim (Php250)

I liked the beef stew. Only if it had more meat, I'd rate it 5 stars (out of 10 HAHAHA joke)

We also tried one of their new dishes, the Dak Ganjeong which was sweet deep fried chicken but it was too good to even take the time to capture an image. Sweet but with a hint of spice.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Kaya Korean Restaurant

Joining the bandwagon. Goodbye Krispy Kreme!

J. Co Donuts and Coffee started in Indonesia and apparently, the logo is an image of peacock. I thought differently. Like these were bean sprouts. Or an impersonator of Starbucks since it was presenting a cafe good for hangout and coffee. 

The branch in Greenbelt opened last July 2012.

Two months after and look where I stood. I was the 15th customer in line. Grabe! This place is jam packed at any hour of the day. I even asked the front liner what day and when should I go to avoid this kind of line. Try ko daw sa opening pag weekdays. Sarreh. 

The famous Alcapone.

Other goodies.

Must refill em goodies.

It took me an hour to get these. Here the list of what I've ordered (from top left):

Alcapone: topped with Belgian white chocolate and almonds

Green Tease: green tea with creamy filling

Oreology: ground bits of Oreo with white chocolate

Snow White: creamy vanilla filling with confectionery's sugar

Alcapone: topped with Belgian white chocolate and almonds

Green Tease: green tea with creamy filling

Sugar Ice: powdered sugar

Don Mochino: dark Belgium chocolate with cappuccino filling

Alcapone: topped with Belgian white chocolate and almonds

Why Nut: peanut-filled with dark and white chocolate

Caviar Strawberry: topped with strawberry and chocolate bits

Tiramisu: espresso filling topped with cocoa powder

I LOVE TIRAMISU! My new favorite doughnut flavor! Not that I had one. But now I do! Hahaha I love coffee and this is its perfect match.

Reviews tell Alcapone is the best-selling doughnut variant. I beg to differ. Eat almonds with bread and that's the same. Comparable to Bread Talk's Golden Flower. So what's the fuzz?

Green Tease is another bestseller. Ick. Me don't like green tea but a friend suggested that this variant is really good. Ick. Don't order this. HAHAHAHA!

Haven't tried other flavors yet since I'm on a "diet." So maybe tomorrow.

  Thanks J. Co for the hour of togetherness that we shared. Your tiramisu was worth the wait. Tomorrow will definitely be another day of togetherness.

J. Co Donuts and Coffee

September 10, 2012 (which is tomorrow) marks the first anniversary of my Bistro Circle card. And this means I can no longer avail my 20% discount on Bistro Group restaurants. Not till I renew the card which now has 12 restaurants (before it was six but renewal has increased 50% and maybe every year it will increase so food, I will hate you someday). Next year, there will be an additional of three more restaurants (Y).

In memory of the 20% discount, tonight... We dine in hell! Rather at Krazy Garlik.

Amazing Krazy Garlik Salad (Regular: Php275)

Thanks to fried wanton.

Mushroom Matsuri (Php350)

Soon this will be part of our home cooked meals (because I want to).

Chinese-Style Fried Rice (To share: Php365)

This is UMAMI love.

40 Kloves Chicken (To share: Php695)

Two thumbs up for the garlic cream sauce and chicken crunch! But this isn't 40 kloves. More of 27.85 kloves.

Garlic Snowflakes (Php495)

Not as impressive as I thought it would be.

Goodbye for now.

Krazy Garlik

Just had my daily cup o' joe. I then started to feel stomach tingling and mild bubbles. HAHAHA!

Coffee is a stimulant that blocks your drowsy cells. Caffeine also stimulates your colon which lets you do your thing. In fact, doctors have recommended caffeine intake for their constipated patients. Coffee is also a diuretic (drug that lets you discharge urine). Which I believe most of you know since you constantly notice your Sims character crossing his/her legs after drinking brewed coffee.

Kids of this generation aka Generation Z (born early 1990s onwards) are exposed only to technology such as Apple products, mini tablets and game consoles with motion-sensor. During my generation, Generation Y (born 1980s), we had VHS, Sega, Nintendo Game Boy, and Nokia. Back then, Nokia was our Apple. Correct me if I'm wrong but Nokia 7650 was the first cellphone out in the market with built-in camera. That was year 2001. Never had that by the way. Then came Samsung products with higher megapixels and resolutions. I used to update myself with such technology but then I grew old. And had different priorities. My last possession of a real gadget was five years ago. It was a Samsung bar phone with a 5-megapixel camera. The most defined resolution during that time. Then came the digital single-lens reflex cameras or DSLR. Typical DSLRs would have 10-15 megapixels. I thought they have the highest camera resolutions.

This is Nokia 808 PureView. Released last June 2012. It has a built-in 41-megapixel camera. Fourty one. How is this even possible? The latest commercialized DSLR camera that I know of is Nikon D800 (released February 2012) and it has 36 megapixels. The Nokia smartphone has 41. Fourty one.

It weighs 170 grams. Other phones that are normal weigh around 70-120 grams.

The first time I ate at Shi Lin was at the Podium Mall in Mandaluyong. I had a discounted voucher. Then it opened another branch at Bonifacio Global City. Me still with a voucher.

Still with simple interiors and a live show ;)

Xiao Long Bao 6pcs (Php138)

Thicker skin than my first visit. Quite disappointed on that. But the soup is flavorful anyway.

Shrimp and Pork Dumpling (Php148)

Thick wrapper again.

Fried Rice with Chicken Chop and Egg (Php245)

Now this is a winner. Golden crunchy crust and tender meat. I lilililili like its spices.

Red Bean Pancake (Php110)

Better than the winner. The champion. The highlight of my meal. Thin crisp wrapper. Grabe ang sarap! So simple yet I can't believe how good this is. This is like a flat buchi. Minus the jaw muscle exercises.

This is the type of restaurant where I want and can eat on my own. Because it provides simple comfort food. There will definitely be a third visit! Even without a discounted voucher.

Shi Lin

Since it started (barely a year ago), I've been calling this place Saint Alps. Like the mountain range. Silly me.

I've always wanted to try their drinks being the "tea connoisseur" that I am. Feeling. LOL. Their first branch in Katipunan will make me travel roughly 1,850 lightyears so upon knowing that the second branch is in Bonifacio Global City, all my bags are packed I'm ready to go.

Light Black Tea White Moustache (Php110)

They have a White Moustache selection which I was very eager to try because of its good reviews. This doesn't even come close to Chatime's (which I hate by the way). One-millimeter thick salted whipped cream doesn't give the drink any right to be named White Moustache. White non-fat milk I suggest. I've seen some blogs with an inch thick white moustache (so maybe it depends with the branch). But tastewise, bland. It doesn't complement anything with anything.

Why can't they serve something like this?

Still and forever my number ONE.

Anyway, Saint's Alp Teahouse is famous for their Sorbies.

Choco Mint Delight (Php135)

It's surprisingly refreshing and I like it. Removed all my rage and annoyance from that White Moustache. Big serving and the mint is not annoying.

Caramel Milk Tea (Php100)

Ordering milk tea in a milk tea place is one of the basics. And that's what we did. Tough tough tapioca pearls. Big but undercooked. As for the milk tea, nothing special (that is if you've been constantly trying other milk tea stores and hoping that this would be a different one).

Overall, I did not enjoy them. HAHAHA ang sama ko naman. Well, what is freedom of speech right? I will come back. But to try their snacks and rice meals as well. Who knows...

Saint's Alp Teahouse

I hate grass. Family, friends, Romans, countrymen know that I despise anything green and leafy. I use to tell that grass vegetables are for horses. Or cows. And I aint no whores dude. But as I grow older, I then struggle and push myself to learn the art of eating those unedible green healthy stuff. I started with broccoli and then with spinach. Which I both adore by the way. Then came cabbage. My recent dining experience at Yabu: House of Katsu has left me in a devastating state of craving their cabbage salad. Who would've thought that I'd crave for something green? You green minded human, go away. Not just crave but a strong desire for that salad. Like lust. Perhaps gluttony? Greed? I am one sinful woman. 

It's their sauces. The goma (sesame) dressing has the creamy nuttiness of sesame that gives it a rich flavor. The shoyu vinaigrette sauce is salty and sour at the same time. Shoyu means soy-based and we know that vinaigrette is French for vinegar. Toyo-suka combo plus nutty cream equals I'm-so-happy-kill-me-now.

To spare myself from the inconvenience of travelling to some place far far away from my neverland, I've made a vow to find these sauces. And I did.

Image taken from: http://allthingsmanila.blogspot.com/

Choto Stop is a Japanese grocery store located in Little Tokyo in Makati. Sorry for stealing the picture, I gots no guts to take the picture outside since I'm no tourist in this country. Just this one, thank you. 

Japanese seasonings which I don't understand

Japanese biscuits

Japanese flour for that crunchy, flaky awesome goodness

Japanese chips and Japanese tea

They have cheeseburger flavored chips and I will come back for that. Tryna look for 2000 times infinity power million liter wintermelon tea but sad to say, they don't have one.

Japanese instant noodles

Japanese nuts and candies

Japanese bowls and pans

Japanese toothpastes and Japanese comfortable v neck t-shirts

And there it is. My goma dressing and shoyu vinaigrette sauce.

I get the tingles in a silly place.

They also have a 1L bottle for the goma dressing but I wasn't sure if all goma dressings taste the same. I'll come back if they do.

I bought cabbage too. Let the hunger games begin.

Image taken from: http://rightontheverge.blogspot.com/2011/12/yabu-house-of-katsu.html

Stealing again. Acknowledged though. This is just for reference. This is how my cabbage salad should look like. If you've read Hunger Games, you know how the field is filled with weapons. Ditto.

I tried the Microplane ZESTER. Wrong. Why did I even use this? Dad recommend this. Yabang pa nya. Some wisdom shared noh?

Then I tried the potato peeler. Wrong. Mom recommend this. Fat slices.

Then I tried the cheese grater. Wrong. Di na natuto.

Then I tried a knife. FINALLY! Sometimes, we really tend to overthink things.

The result?

Am I good? Or am I really good?

P.S. I am now a vegetarian.

Choto Stop

2227 Chino Roces Ave., Makati City

Barbecue is one of my top flavors. Smoky, tangy, flavorful, meaty. So this barbecue restaurant is definitely on my list.

Cue. Spicy. Grilled. Smoked. Steak. These words will catch your attention as you browse the menu.

The place is jam-packed... With waiters. But srsly, we got there 6pm and all tables are already reserved except ours. This is a first. So I guess this place must be REALLY good.

Peppery popcorn as free appetizer? Another first.

Bone Marrow and Steak Tacos (Php485): With roasted corn salsa, flour tortillas and sweet n' spicy salsa verde

This is a popular cholesterolic appetizer and this can't seriously be worth Php485. We got around ten chunks (most of which are fat) while other blogs had 15 chunks. Tough tortillas, nice salsa though.

Baby Back Ribs (Half Slab- Php645): Slow-baked then BBQ'D/Wet/Home-made bbq glaze

One gets to choose a free side dish or staple. We opted for the roasted broccoli and cauliflower creamed casserole because it's the most expensive in the menu so feeling sulit ito. And let me say that this is already the highlight of my dining experience.

The ribs had soft but less meat and the sauce was more of a tangy, spicy one. Less less meat. This is a slab of bones.

Chicken Chipotle Chorizo Pot Pie (Php325): House-made bourbon cream, carrots, onions, celery

Another famous dish. Flaky crust right there. I approve. But nothing extraordinary. I was trying to figure out why this is special and I couldn't think of any.

The place has great potential. Nice concept is pricey I guess. Hopefully they improve on their dishes and make their servings worth the price.

Cue Modern Barbecue

Katsu is short for katsuretsu, which is "cutlet" in Japanese.

Incidentally, katsu also means "to win" so it has been a tradition for Japanese athletes to eat katsudon before starting a big game. Also, kitto katsu means "will certainly win" so parents buy Kit Kat bars (they pronounce these as kitto katto) for their children before taking their exams or merely as a goodluck gift. This is probably the reason why there are more than 130 types of Kit Kat flavors in Japan.

Anyway, Yabu has different katsu sets that will satisfy your Panko cravings.

Each table is provided with sauces that will give you the desire of your heart.

I swear I make good photos except for this one. I blame the unavailability of good technology.

In making the katsu sauce, you need to grind the black and white sesame seeds. Then you pour the sauce using the smoking pipe/Popeye pipe or whatever you like to call it.

Jumbo Prawn Set (Php475): Japanese Black Tiger Prawns served with unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, UNLIMITED CABBAGE and a bowl of fruit.

Anything with Panko breadcrumbs is either heavenly or ordinary. But never bad. Well this is ordinary. What I did love was the Cabbage Salad. I don't even eat salad. And I LOVE THIS SALAD! I am in awe of the sesame dressing and shoyu vinaigrette sauce. Just like the testimony I saw near the restroom area "I coudn't emphasize how I LOVE the cabbage salad." Ditto. I will make wan naw.

Rosu Katsudon (Php315)

This is one juicy meat. After all, it is pork loin. And of course you can't see since it's all dipped in egg.

Service is also good by the way. Waiters are smiling, opinionated (in a positive way) and attentive. Will definitely come back again.

Yabu Dabba Doo!

Yabu: House of Katsu