#project100restaurants

As a Filipino, we love our kind of food here right? we enjoy our kind of taste and usually if someone coooks for you you knew that the person is “Capampangan”, automatically food is expected to be that good, or more than that.

Flipino Cuisine with a strong Capampangan accent.

Abe (ah-beh) is the restaurant dedicated to Larry Cruz’ father, the late artist-writer, gourmet and bon vivant E. Aguilar “Abe” Cruz. The restaurant serves traditional Filipino food, mostly of Capampangan origin, and gourmet dishes inspired by Abe’s travels around the world. At Abe, food is prepared and served with a great deal of love while its concept and design provide the ideal setting for friends and family who wish to dine comfortably and have a good time. (http://ljcrestaurants.com.ph/abe)

More than 3 years ago, I and my boyfriend discovered this Filipino Restaurant at Serendra, Bonifacio Global City. We had this love at first taste. The servings are good for sharing (just enough for the two of us), very rich in flavour and there’s an “at home” feeling. It’a also a plus that they have UNLIMITED rice!

Talking about its interior, you’ll have a little bit of their history once you come in.

For several visits, we’ve already tried their sinigang, kare-kare, Binukadkad na Crispy Pla-Pla, Squid rice and others. Everything is good, sabi nga nila “walang tapon”.

I’m not sure why I haven’t included this in my Project but probably now is the time. So we tried this dish called Cocido, the waiter explained to us that Cocido made by kapampangans is actually our usual pochero here in Manila. It is like a beef stew mixed with healthy veggies in tomato sauce. Pleasingly, the beef was very tender and its just awesomely delicious. We matched it with our favorite squid rice with (obviously) baby squids and “itlog na maalat”, you can actually eat it as it is.

Few months ago when I saw Paul at SM Aura, it looked appealing and classy from it’s interior design that it actually captured my attention and I was sure about one thing — a must for my Project 100 restaurants.

They were offering breads, pasties, cakes and pastas. I also did some research and found that PAUL Boulangerie and Patisserie has been baking bread and pastries in France since 1889 and finally they have opened a store in Manila this December 2013. So this could be my chance to taste Paris, France. Ahhh my dream destination *sighs*.

They are also opening a branch in BGC and that’s what I was waiting before I plan to visit the store but earlier when I went to SM Aura I passed by PAUL once again, I stared at it, PAUL stared back at me, then there was a spark *beautiful eyes*. Ok enough of my dramatic entrance. I got a seat (going solo at this time) I tried Eclair aux fraises, a traditional choux pastry with strawberries and whipped cream. It looked really nice and it has strawberries in it to console me cheating from my diet.

The strawberries tasted really fresh and the whipped cream as it slipped down my throat didn’t seem thick, it was soft and pure, sweet but not quite. The bread was also at its best texture. Party in my mouth!

Aside from this, yes I was hungry, I also tried their Creme Brulee.

Tasted a full spoon and it reminded me of a Leche Flan with crunchy cooked brown sugar toppings but way way better. Take a look from the photo I took how creamy and full this sort of unimaginable piece of creation made from egg yolk is.