As a foodie, there is always a time for Chinese food. one of my favorite place to go is at Mr. Choi Kitchen. The ambiance caught my attention of a neo-fusion of Japanese and Chinese. What surprised me more is the taste of the food which reminds me of the old restaurant that my father and I use to go at Divisoria when I was young.
Inside Mr. Choi's Kitchen
The ambiance is warm, the staff are attentive. What more can you ask for? The real thing is the taste of the food and how they came up with a line up of delicious dishes. These are my favorite food that I usually order when I am in Mr. Choi’s Kitchen:
Bird's Nest Soup
We always start our food ceremony with the hot soup. My favorite, birds nest. I always leave a small portion that I eat with rice.
Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs
I was introduced to this during one of my luncheon. My Chinese friend ordered for sweet and sour spare ribs and he was right. It was very delicious. When I got the chance to eat again at MR. Choi, I made it sure that it was on the top list of my order.
Heavenly Hakaw
This is one of my favorite dimsum. Hakaw is made of srimp and it goes very well with soy and chili sauce.
Sir Fried Jelly Fish
Shrimp Balls
We ordered this accidentally. My niece is very choosy in eating. We tried to get a viand that will make her eat. Fortunately, she liked the shrimp balls. We were happy to be introduced to this because it was really very tasty.
Fried Chicken
We made sure there is a chicken dish. This is the favorite of my children either we go to a first class restaurant or to a fast food, we always order for fried chicken.
Mr. Choi’s Kitchen can be found at Robinson’s Galleria, Robinson’s Place Pioneer, WalterMart Munoz. For this, we went to Robinson’s Place Pioneer Center.
Peking Duck and Asado
I definitely recommend Mr. Choi’s Kitchen. It was a very good place to eat and have a casual dining experience with dishes that surely can satisfy your Chinese food cravings. I will go back to experience more of their delectable dishes.
Published on June 8th, 2011 in
Bacolod
Pala Pala Fish and Seafood Market at Bacolod
In Bacolod, there is this special place that we went that is similar to Dampa along Roxas Boulevard. In fact, this has been there for a long period of time and I guess even earlier than Dampa. It is called Pala-Pala. Like any other seafood market and restaurant, you will go first to the market to get your fresh pick and bring it to a nearby restaurant and cook it the way you like it.
Fishes at Pala-Pala
That style of cooking has made us more and more attracted to this and it always gives us the feeling of hunger during the waiting time.
Seafoods at Pala-Pala
During our visit to Bacolod, we decided to take the opportunity to eat at Pala-Pala. Pala is a word for shovel. It is because during the earlier days, fish were literally shoveled to containers when they buy. That is how abundant Bacolod is. Now, it is still the same, you just have to buy it per kilo and without the pala.
My Friend Alan and Andy: Fishing around
There you will find the fresh catch of the day. From clams, seaweeds, scallops, fishes, crabs, tiger shrimps, lobsters, name it, you will be surprise that they have it.
Hyksos Tulahan
Inside Hyksos Tulahan
After the buy, we went to this restaurant named “Hyksos Tulahan” and we handed over our purchases from Pala-pala. To be fair with the other restaurant, they are also great but this one was recommended to us. We waited there not quite long and the entourage of our orders came in.
Tiger Prawns in Sweet Chili Sauce
First was the sweet chili tiger prawns. It was a smack down to the mouth. The prawns were cooked perfectly that every bite gave a tick sound. The sauce, sweet and steamingly hot.
Sizzling Adobong Pusit
Next was the sizzling adobong pusit. It as a squid on a sizzling place and cooked with their own style. It was another mouth watering dish. It went very well with the fresh steam rice.
Fish Head soup and Grilled Blue Marlin
Plus the grilled blue marlin and fish head soup. It was indeed a feast that we had. Good food with superb taste and quality.
Where to find
You may find Hyksos tulahan just beside Pala-Pala. You may also call they for reservation. Just another information, there is the old and new Pala-pala. What I am writing now is based on the old Pala-Pala. If you happen to go to Bacolod City, you may ask any of the tricycle drivers and they will bring you there at no time.
the Feast at Pala-Pala
Its another Rapsa experience that I will never forget. It made me realize that Bacolod City has a lot of gastronomical surprises. I also want to thank my good friend Alan Granada for bringing us to this wonderful restaurant. It was something I will go back to when I get back to Bacolod City.
What I craved yesterday were prawns and this way of eating is the way I always wanted it to be. First we started by picking it in their seafood market. By doing so, you have the chance to do your best pick. After which you, can have it weigh and pay it later after your sumptuous meal. The Chili Prawns was very delicious. It is one of the best tasting chili prawns that I tasted. It can be a very good appetizer as well.
Of course, this meal will not be complete with the Yang Chow fried rice and clam soup. This is the best part of eating this prawns, you don’t need condiments to suppliment the flavor. They have mastered the mixture very well.
Fresh seafoods are available at their seafood market. There is a wide variety to choose from. These are the picks that we had prior to the cooking of the chili prawns.
Dampa originated along Roxas Boulevard here in the Metro but the real origin of this kind of Market to restaurant style started in Surigao City. Nevertheless, the experience of buying what you want to be cooked have fascinated many foodies in the Metro. This particular area has been my choice since it is near my house and I don’t have to pass by the long road of C5 going to Baclaran, Roxas Boulevard. There are plenty to choose from that ranges from different kind of fishes and seafoods.
You can buy fresh coconut in the market and have the meat and juice extracted and prepared as your refreshment.
For your dessert, they have a particular place where you can have the native bibingka and other kakanin (rice cake).
Where to Find
dampa sa Libis is located at Address: 107 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. Libis, Q.C. Tel. No.: 637-3301 or 395-5050
Eating at Dampa sa Libis is one experience you should not miss. It is a place for friends, family to get together and eat the freshest catch of the day. Never forget the chili prawns, they know how to do it to satisfy every taste palette.
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This famous dish is famous everwhere you go just like adobo. But there are different okoys in different places. Okoy is a traditional Filipino fritters that has been in our culinary tradition as far as I can recall. As what I read, it originated in Laguna and is now a widespread recipe in every Filipino table. It is famous as merienda (afternoon snack) but the okoy has evolved and is now a part in the main menu. This particular Okoy is something I would like you to experience. It is the Okoy at New Town. The shrimps that they use were very large and fresh. If you order for it, it is more than 13†in diameter and they would cut it into bite size. The taste was very delicious. I guess the technique is to serve the freshest catch of the day to make your okoy very delicious.
Where to Find
The Okoy of Newtown can be found in Carigara, Leyte. Carigara is an old town located at Leyte province where there are abundant carabao’s milk, bara beef, handcrafted blade, and plenty of dried fishes. There humba as well as their Okoy is very famous. I remember than that we would travel to this place just to have lunch and taste their famous Okoy. When you happen to pass by Carigara in your way to Ormoc City or Leyte provinces, don’t forget to take your lunch at Newtown and experience the real Okoy. Okay na Okay ang Okoy!!!
Published on June 21st, 2009 in
Homemade
Today is Fathers Day and my wife cooked one of my old time favorite to which she really made this day truly special. It is Sinigang na Sugpo. I remember my days in Tacloban City, Leyte when my alternative to pork is shrimp. This a luxury that you can have if you are outside Metro Manila. In Tacloban, the price of Sugpo ( tiger shrimp) is almost the same as the price of pork. Now, if you are price conscious and you compare the price of shrimp in Tacloban and Metro, you will have a better picture of it and how inexpensive it can be. Shrimps in Tacloban are always fresh catch. Now going back to reality, since we are in the Metro, regret is no option for me since you cannot bring time back, it is better to recall what you were having during those days, celebrate every moment in your dinning table and be thankful to Him that you have food in your dinning table.
Sinigang na Sugpo ( sour soup prawn) has always been a celebrated menu specially during occasions. My favorite is when it is full of gabi (taro) that makes the soup a little bit thick. It is a wonderful food experience to celebrate father’s day of 2009.
To all of the fathers, I made a simple message for this day.
Sa lahat ng ama, itay, amang, daddy, papa, erpats, maraming salamat po at ipinakita ninyo kung paano kumayod, magpasensya at magmahal para itaguyod ang iyong pamilya. Ngayon at kami na ang mga ama, naway maituro rin naming sa aming mga anak ang mga payo at gabay na pinamana ninyo.
