YAKINIKU JUMBO

On our last evening in Tokyo, we ventured out to Shirokane in the southern end of Minato for an early dinner at Yakiniku Jumbo.  This yakiniku (grilled meat) restaurant only serves A5 Black Wagyu which is the highest quality of Japanese beef.  The place is simply decorated with wooden booths and tables with a built-in grill in the center.  Reservations are recommended as the place fills up quickly as soon as they open at 5:00 p.m. and tables are allocated every two hours so we were gently ushered out at 6:30 so they could reset for the next batch of diners.

Different cuts are available on the menu from traditional cuts like short-plate kalbi and the loin to higher-priced prime cuts like shoulder and rib-eye plus sirloin which is only served in extra thin sukiyaki slices and served with a raw egg dip.  There's also a large selection of offal: beef tongue, intestine and stomach as well as pork womb (not really sure what that is) along with the more usual pork cheek and pork loin.  Specialties include Korean-style beef tartare and raw beef heart sashimi.  A few salads, kimchi and some vegetables (pumpkin, squash, sweet potato, mushroom, onion, carrot and shishito pepper) to be cooked on the grill is all there is for vegetarians.  Aside from steamed rice in small (individual), to medium or large (family-size) portions, they have two special rice dishes cooked in hot stone bowl: the traditional bibimbap topped with vegetables and a raw egg or the unusual Wagyu garlic rice version which is topped with a mound hand-chopped raw Wagyu beef and raw garlic which is mixed into the hot rice and continues to cook in the super hot stone bowl sort of like an instant extra-delicious premium fried rice.  Desserts are limited to Hokkaido soft-serve milk flavored ice cream or sherbet.

We  ordered both beef and pork, a green salad of lettuce in a sesame soy dressing, assorted vegetables and both the bibimbap and the Wagyu garlic rice.  The meat was melt-in-the-mouth tender with the marbled fat making every mouthful a pleasure.  The kids enjoyed it as well as we did and we ended up ordering more meat as the first plates went by way quicker than we expected.  Our server was a friendly California-raised Japanese surfer dude, making it the only meal we had in Tokyo where we could communicate easily with the person assigned to our table.  After a fantastic meal, we skipped dessert and instead took a short walk along the pedestrian street of the quiet residential area of Shirokane before heading back to the hotel.  Out of all our meals in Japan, yakiniku was the one that appealed to the whole family even if they only served one type of food: meat on the grill.  My Argentine husband got his meat fix and the kids and I all enjoyed the simple dinner of quality grilled meat and rice.  Looks like they have a partner restaurant in Singapore Yakiniku Yazawa which we are now eager to try for our Sunday family dinner out.

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Yakiniku Jumbo

Dai-ichi Azabu Bldg. 1F, 3-1-1 Shirokane, Minato-ku, Tokyo

Tel. 03-5795-4129

Open daily 5:00 p.m. to midnight (Closed 31 December to 2 January)

TOKYO

Tokyo is my second favorite city after Paris and it's because the Japanese are the most similar to the French in their love of gastronomy and beauty, from the beautifully presented food in individual dishes or lacquered bento boxes to the intricately-wrapped packages in the boutiques and food shops.  When I was at Le Cordon Bleu, it was always my Japanese classmates who perfected the pastry pratique as they were naturals at recreating the glazing and decoration on the gateaux et patisserie.  Their attention to detail is present in their day-to-day lives and this is seen everywhere in Japan.

I had been to Tokyo for the first time in 2014 and explored the city on foot with my friend Rumi.  This time around, we chose to spend a week over the easter holidays with the kids to experience Tokyo during Sakura season (cherry blossom time).  Spring in Tokyo is usually rainy but mild and it was a nice change of weather from tropical Singapore.

We walked all over the city from  Ginza for shopping and eating to admiring the architecture and window displays in Omotesando Hills.  We went to Midtown and walked around the beautiful green oasis of Hinokicho park where we saw our first cherry blossoms then headed over to nearby bustling Roppongi.  We also visited the peaceful Shinto shrine  Meiji Jingu located in the middle of a 100,000 tree forest near Harajuku and Omotesando.

We also explored the basement food halls of department stores Matsuya and Mitsukoshi in Ginza which had an amazing selection of both local and imported food for takeaway.  Despite having spent a week in Tokyo, I still felt that we had only scratched the surface on what the city had to offer in gastronomic treats which just means that I'll be gong back sooner rather than later.

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Meiji Jingu
1-1 Yoyogi-Kamizono-cho,
Shibuya-ku,
Tokyo 151-8857

*Open daily from sunrise to sunset (opening and closing times change depending on the season)

Ginza

Harajuku & Omotesando

Roppongi

SARSA

I'm in the middle of a one day juice fast of six juices from The Syndicate Juice Co. and after several hours of just drinking my meals, all I can think about is food, delicious food.  Since I can't eat anything, the second best thing is to write about my favorite Filipino restaurant in Manila - Sarsa Kitchen. 

Sarsa, named after the Filipino word for sauce, is a mainstay in the Filipino table.  Most meals are accompanied by an assortment of sauces: calamansi soy, chili vinegar, fish sauce, liver sauce, bagoong (a local fermented fish or shrimp paste) - the combinations are endless and Sarsa Kitchen is a contemporary take on classic Filipino food with some specialties from the south as the chef JP Anglo is from Negros.

The menu is a melange of classic Filipino dishes and several Negrense specialties.  All are well-executed - the grilled dishes are seared with the meat slightly blackened and crisp on the outside and tender on the inside - from inihaw na liempo (pork belly) to inasal (Southern-style grill) chicken parts (including intestines, tails, gizzard and liver). Bulalo, a Filipino version of pot au feu with beef, bone marrow and vegetables is done traditionally with soup and sizzling Kansi, served on a sizzling plate with gravy.  Vegetable dishes were also very good with the gising gising coconut milk prawn and beans to the roasted squash topped with crispy dilis (tiny fish).  We also enjoyed the pancit molo, a dumpling and noodle soup similar to wanton mee and Batchoy, a southern soup filled with misua, thin noodles and pork liver.  My mouth is watering from the memory of that meal - I can almost taste the starter of crispy dilis in the chili pineapple glaze.  I better stop writing or I'll give up this juice fast right now.

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Sarsa BGC
Forum South Global
7th Ave cor 25th Street, Bonifacio Global City
Tel. +63 2 866 0912 or +63 927 706 0773


A second branch recently opened:
Sarsa MOA
2F South Veranda
Entertainment Mall
Tel +63 915 307 1426

ROPPONGI HILLS

My last Tokyo post is all about a whole day in Roppongi Hills, the so-called city within a city of modern skyscrapers, high-end hotels, luxury shops, green spaces, world-class museums, numerous bars and night clubs and lively back streets.

My friend Rumi lived nearby so we decided to meet at the 45th floor lobby of the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo for a quick view of the city stretched out below.  We started our walking tour outside Tokyo Midtown where we walked around the park, over the bridge and the tiny brook and by the manicured green areas dotted with park benches to the concrete bunker 21_21 Design Sight off to one side.

From there, we walked several blocks away to the bustling area around Roppongi Hills where the Mori Art Museum and the Eiffel tower lookalike Tokyo Tower are located.  On the way there, we stopped for a takoyaki snack - Japan's street food.  Takoyaki are deep-fried flour balls made with octopus, tempura scraps, green onion and pickled ginger and topped with bonito flakes and Japanese mayonnaise.  Traditionally eaten as an after work bite along with a highball, a shot of whiskey topped up with ice cold soda water served in a large mug like a beer, Rumi knew that it wasn't the right time to eat the takoyaki but she and I decided we wouldn't be able to wait till sundown.  We split a highball and six takoyaki which were delicious and hit the spot for more wandering around the shopping mall nearby passing by the Mori and admiring Maman, Louise Bourgeois' humongous bronze spider sculpture.  We stopped afterwards at the beautiful terrace of The French Kitchen in the Grand Hyatt for a cold drink and some sunshine before walking back and trying to find a simple place for lunch nearby.

We finally stumbled on a small ramen place on a side street.  A vending machine greeted us at the entrance and Rumi dropped the appropriate coins for two bowls of hot ramen topped with roast pork and a medium boiled egg.  As soon as we sat at the counter, we surrendered our tickets to one of the ramen cooks and waited for our order and enjoyed the rhythm and blues music blasting in the restaurant.  I noticed that the place was packed with Japanese men again and we were the only ladies there (just like the other evening at the yakitori place)  and I asked Rumi why it was that Japanese women weren't often seen eating in traditional Japanese restaurants.  She explained that the ladies preferred more sophisticated Western food for lunch than casual Japanese fare.

The ramen noodle soup came with self-serve pitchers of iced tea and the usual condiments of chili oil and seaweed flakes.  We dug in and slurped like the locals and started to sweat from the hot soup and it was only then that we also noticed that all the men having ramen were eating cold ramen to stay cool on such a hot day.  We started to laugh because it seemed like we were in the sweltering American south listening to John Lee Hoooker while enjoying our hot soup and keeping our hair away from the broth.  We finished our ramen and on our way out, we laughed even harder as we realized there were paper bibs and elastic hair ties on top of the vending machine at the front to hold one's hair back from getting into the soup and cover one's clothes from the splatter.  Another dining culture experience shared with my foodie partner Rumi.

We walked lunch off and returned to Tokyo Midtown where we escaped the heat from the streets for a wander around the mall, looking into the Umami boutique (a shop selling umami flavored everything from crackers to sauces to nuts), Toraya (the traditional Japanese tea cake place) and for a quick espresso at Dean and Deluca.

After that, it was a short walk through Hinokicho park to Rumi's neighborhood in Akasaka where we put our feet up and relaxed before heading out to a Yakiniku (Japanese table barbecue) dinner nearby - again filled with Japanese businessmen.  I don't know how we managed to eat several platters of beef and offal with a large green salad tossed in a sesame dressing.  We were both so full that Rumi insisted we go to the local pharmacy for a tiny bottle of an herbal concoction that Japanese drink the night of food or alcohol excess to avoid indigestion and a hangover.  We downed them right then and there while the pharmacist watched us in amusement.  It didn't taste bad, jut like a shot of herbal liqueur without the alcohol.   It was a fun-filled, food-centered, non-stop walking day which gave me a chance to explore a part of town on foot and enjoy the city quirks with a Tokyo native.

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Tokyo Midtown

Tokyo Midtown Design Hub

Roppongi Hills

Mori Art Museum

National Art Center Tokyo

Suntory Museum of Art

Tokyo Tower

MI CASA BY JOSE ANDRES

In order to move on, I need to close our Dorado chapter and start our Singapore life so what better way to end than with my final Puerto Rico post on the dinners we had Mi Casa by Jose Andres.   The menu is divided into four parts - Tapas and Antojitos (starters of mostly tapas), To Follow (salads and soups) and Platos Fuertes (main courses) and Simply Prepared (mostly grilled fish or meat).  There is also an option to do Jose's Tapas Experience Menu, an 11-course small plates tasting menu which lets you experience the full flavors of his take on modern Caribbean cuisine.  Some of my favorite Puerto-rican style tapas (moms of which are shown above) were the Bocadillo de lechon (roasted pork belly with chayote mojo and crispy crackling on a soft bun),  ceviche de atun con coco y aguacate (tuna ceviche tossed in coconut milk and topped with fresh avocado and topped with crispy quinoa), cono de queso con lechoza (Canarejal cheese and papaya marmalade stuffed in a crispy mini cone) and the modern take on the Puerto Rican classic - the mallorca, a sweet brioche style powdered sugar coated bread filled usually with ham and cheese and grilled. This version is stuffed with foie gras and mango jam and is a must!  Jose's classic tapas like the croquets de pollo, served in an acrylic shoe as usual, are also present along with the not-to-be-missed jamon Iberico y pan con tomate.  From the main courses, I loved the Rossejat Negra - a Catalan squid ink noodle dish sort of like paella served with Spanish langoustines and the gnocchi de yuca (Yuca gnocchi with hearts of palm and a Puerto Rican style pesto).

Desserts were also a treat from the Tres Leches - a Puerto Rican classic rum and pineapple cake to the arroz con coco - a light Caribbean version of rice pudding flavored with coconut milk and served alongside a tart guava sorbet and finally the tierritas de Puerto Rico - grated chocolate with the texture of soil (tierra is the Spanish word for it) topping homemade cocoa and vanilla ice creams.

In case you though that Mi Casa was a formal fine dining restaurant, they also have a children''s menu filled with kid-friendly dishes (just don't expect nuggets) - there's a peanut butter and guava jelly sandwich on toasted mini-brioche buns,  chicken and béchamel croquettes, mini rib-eye hamburgers with french fries or a simple grilled fish served with yuca puree.  

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Mi Casa by Jose Andres
at the Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve
100 Dorado Beach Drive
Dorado PR 00646
Telephone: +1 787 278 7217
*Open daily for breakfast and dinner.

BREAKFAST AT MI CASA

It's been ages I know and although we moved to Singapore and left Dorado in mid-September, I still need to post about the wonderful breakfast at Mi Casa by Jose Andres at the Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.  Breakfast is one of my favorite ways to enjoy what a restaurant has to offer.  I figure that if they can't get breakfast right, then why would I even go for dinner.  One of the best ways to enjoy the mooring in Dorado is to sit outside on the terrace of Mi Casa, watch the waves crash to shore and have the first meal of the day al fresco.

 

As the restaurant specializes in Spanish influenced Caribbean cuisine, there are modern touches on Caribbean classics like homemade guava jelly, a banana and rum muffin, passion fruit or pineapple flavored yoghurt and even Jose Andres' arroz a la Cubana - fried rice served with crispy pork belly, plantains and a crispy battered poached egg.  You can also have classic croissants and pains au chocolat, the Spanish breakfast classic pan con tomato y jam on Iberico, waffles, pancakes and a frothy concoction that is the specialty Eggs Benedict.  Whatever you do, don't expect something new and done with a twist because that's what breakfast a la Jose Andres is going to be like and as you sip that Puerto Rican coffee and listen to the waves, remember that you are in Puerto Rico.

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Mi Casa by Jose Andres
at the Dorado Beach, a Ritz Carlton Reserve
100 Dorado Beach Drive
Dorado PR 00646
Telephone: +1 787 278 7217
*Open daily for breakfast and dinner. Reservations recommended.

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

LA CEIBA

On our way to dinner a few weeks back we passed by a large well-lit cafe on the bustling avenue Roosevelt which we added to our list of new places to try out.  Last Sunday, after brunch at another new discovery in Condado (more on that later), we headed over to Puerto Nuevo to see what they had to offer.

La Ceiba is a large delicatessen and pastry shop specializing in Spanish treats from jamon and chorizo to churros and turron.  A large chiller counter lines one whole wall and is filled with goodies - cakes, pastries, sweets and bread while a small area off to the side has prepared food - boquerones en vinagre (white anchovies marinated in vinegar), seafood paella, chorizos stewed in red wine and lots of other goodies.  There are also sandwiches made with jamon serrano and other Spanish cold cuts.

The cafe itself is more a self-serve cafeteria with simple formica topped tables and wooden chairs where  one can have breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack as the place is open all day from early in the morning to late in the evening.  It was bustling for a Sunday afternoon with locals lingering over lunch or just having a beer, some ham and watching Spanish football on the large-screen tv's.

We succumbed to a few sweets to go - mallorca, churros, quesitos (a caramelized puff-pasty case stuffed with white cheese) as well as a few salty treats - a togo box of crispy roasted pig crackling and a small portion of seafood paella.  La Ceiba is perfect for a simple Spanish meal or a coffee and a pastry with a bit of local flavor thrown in.

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La Ceiba

1239 Ave. Franklin D. Roosevelt

Puerto Nuevo 00920

Puerto Rico

Telephone: +1 787 782 0419

*Open all-day everyday from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

URBAN MARKET (Mercado Urbano)

On the first Sunday of every month (next one is on December 2), a lively market is held in Condado's Ventana al Mar which is the large plaza on Avenida Ashford right in front of the sea.  Housed in a large tent, there are numerous stalls selling everything from plants (orchid, lavender and fresh herbs) to artisan bread from artepan, from farm fresh fruits and vegetables to straw hats perfect for the blinding Caribbean sun.  There are also several food stalls with lechon asado (roast pig), bacalaitos (fried cod fritters) and even tropical flavored ice cream.  It's a fun day out and a good way to spend a Sunday afternoon wandering through the stalls and stopping by for a snack or a bit of shopping.

Mercado Urbano

First Sunday of every month from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Ventana Al Mar on Avenida Ashford

Condado

Puerto Rico

Day trip: OLD SAN JUAN & CAFETERIA MALLORCA

Mid-week during my sister and aunt's visit to Puerto Rico, we decided to do a walking tour of San Juan with Castillo Tours.  Our driver and guide, Hector, picked us up at home and drove us on the scenic beach road and we arrived in Old San Juan half an hour later.  First stop was the Capitol building.  Constructed from 1925 to 1929, this all-white marble Neo-classical structure houses the Puerto Rican legislature and is the first historical building we see upon driving into old San Juan.  The interior dome is decorated in fine mosaic of historical events in Puerto Rico.  There is a also plaza across the street right by the water with all the escudos (shield/badges), also in mosaic, of all the towns of Puerto Rico.

Next stop was the imposing Castillo San Cristobal where we climbed up then went down into the dark and claustrophobia-inducing dungeons then up again into the main interior square and then towards the view deck where we had a bird's-eye view of old San Juan.  From there, we walked some more and visited the other main fort  Castillo San Felipe del Morro, otherwise known as El Morro where the beautifully-preserved grey lighthouse is and a large area which gave us a fantastic view of the sea.

From there. we walked through the blue-cobble-stoned streets, pavers that were brought over by the Spanish and used to line the tiny streets of Old San Juan.  We stopped and sat under the shade of a plaza where the Museo Pablo Casals was located then continued our walk towards the water and outside the main gate into old San Juan where there is a tree-lined walkway adjacent to the sea.  By then, the heat was unbearable and as we forgot to bring our straw hats (a must when exploring the Caribbean), we stopped one more time in the shade and had a limber, a local frozen treat similar to a Popsicle, usually flavored with coconut, pineapple or lemon and a refreshing treat on a sweltering Puerto Rican day.  We then walked towards the cathedral and had a quick look at the historical Hotel El Convento then explored a bit of Calle Fortaleza, one of old San Juan's main streets with lots of little restaurants and shops with Barrachina, a must-stop for it's shady courtyard and especially to sample a complimentary glass of Piña Colada in the place where it was invented in 1963.  

It was almost 2:00 p.m. when we decided to head back home but before we did, we made one last stop for a takeaway lunch of a Puerto Rican treat, a mallorca con jamon y queso from the famous Cafeteria Mallorca.  Now that both La Mallorquina and La Bombonera have closed down, Cafeteria Mallorca  is the only place in old San Juan to have the classic mallorca, a sweet brioche type bread from Spain, plain with butter or toasted with ham and cheese along with a cup of milky coffee.  If you have time, sit at the retro diner counter, be served by the bow-tied old-timers and watch the locals for a taste of old San Juan.

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El Capitolio de Puerto Rico

208 Calle O'Donell

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

+1 787 724 2281

Castillo San Cristobal and Castillo San Felipe del Morro

*Open daily from 9:00 to 6:00 p.m. except on Thanksgiving day, Christmas day and New Year's day

Barrachina

104 Calle Fortaleza

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Telephone: +1 787 725 7912

*Open daily for lunch, dinner and drinks from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. , On Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Cafeteria Mallorca

300 Calle San Francisco

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

+1 787 724 4607

CHELSEA MARKET

On my last day in New York, I met up with good friend, Brooklyn native and fellow foodie C, who said I couldn't leave the cit without stopping by Chelsea Market - which houses an enclosed food court with specialized food purveyors including a large Anthroplogie boutique, a Posman Books 

and a Bowery Kitchens, restaurant supply store where I finally found a large metal cake stand which I had long-admired in the Dean & DeLuca stores.  Also in the same building are the offices and production facilities of the Food Network which makes for a captive clientele of foodies who often lunch at the market.

We met right after noon and walked around the place scoping out the area and doing a tour of what was available before deciding on lunch from the specialty butcher Dicksons Farmstand  where the daily blackboard menu listed pulled pork, banh-mi, roast chicken and hot dogs.  C had the pulled pork sandwich and treated me to a banh-mi (a Vietnamese sandwich usually made with roasted pork belly) with caramelized ground pork stuffed in a soft baguette and topped with pickled cucumbers and carrots and lots of fresh cilantro along with a fizzy organic lemonade.  We managed to snag one of the few tables where we devoured our sandwiches before heading off in search of dessert.  

We finally ended up at Bar Suzette where we lined up for a takeaway lemon, butter and sugar crepe made with the pedigree ingredients of Ronnybrook Dairy Farm butter, fresh lemon juice and natural granulated sugar.  Wrapped up in a paper cone, we then exited onto to 16th street and climbed up to The High Line where we enjoyed our dessert while taking a stroll in one of the prettiest parks created out of an abandoned railway.  We grabbed a post-lunch coffee at the Blue Bottle stand where I had an espresso while C chose an iced coffee then we walked further on until we found a spot in the shade of The Standard Hotel and listened to a classical quartet while enjoying the summer breeze, the Hudson river views and several years of catching up. 

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Chelsea Market

75 Ninth Avenue (between 15th and 16th streets)

New York NY 10011

Telephone: +1 888 727 7887

*Open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

The High Line

Telephone: +1 212 206 9922

*Open daily from 7 a.m to 10 p.m. 

Access from the following locations:

• Gansevoort Street
• 14th Street (elevator access)
• West 16th Street (elevator access)
• West 18th Street
• West 20th Street
• 23rd Street (elevator access)
• West 26th Street
• West 28th Street
• West 30th Street (elevator access)

FERRY BUILDING MARKETPLACE

San Francisco, one of my favorite cities which I haven't been to since 2003 has changed a lot but still remains the same.  The laid-back vibe is still there along with the love for all things organic, local and  seasonal.  No visit would have been complete without a stop at the Ferry Building Marketplace.  And if you're luck enough to be there on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday, you'll get a chance to experience the Ferry Plaza Farmer's Market and see the local producers in action.

We arrived in San Francisco on a Thursday morning and after checking in to our hotel, we walked the ten or more blocks down Market street towards the Ferry Plaza.  Originally constructed in 1898, it was rebuilt in 1991 and opened as a historical building housing the best produce and specialty food purveyors like Cowgirl Creamery, Frog Hollow Farm, Acme Bread Company, Blue Bottle Coffee to name a few and restaurants like Slanted Door, Gott's Roadside and the Market Bar.

Lunch at the Ferry Building on Market day can be a simple sandwich from Acme, a hunk of cheese from Cowgirl or if you're willing to queue up, a delicious porchetta sandwich from Roli Roti or from one of the many food trucks parked outside three times a week.  As we were with the kids, we decided to sit at one of the outdoor picnic tables at Gott's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Refresher) and order some burgers and garlic fries while we waited for the rest of our lunch from the food trucks.  It was a beautiful sunny autumn day, typical California weather, and perfect for our impromptu al fresco lunch.  After lunch, we queued up some more for a much-needed cappuccino at Blue Bottle Coffee.  The line was so long that by the time I got to the front, I needed not just a cappuccino but also an espresso which I had one after the other.  And yes, it was well worth the wait.

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Ferry Building Marketplace

One Ferry Plaza

San Francisco 94111 CA
Telephone: + 1 415 983 8030
*Open daily from about 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Check for different opening hours on weekends)
*Farmer's Market and food trucks every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or until the food runs out and on Saturdays from 8 a.m to 2 p.m.

Buenos Aires: A few of my favorite things

Artesania Argentina

Arandu - Avenida Ayacucho, 1924, Recoleta (Telephone: +54 11 4800 1575)

Right smack in the tony neighborhood of Recoleta, Arandu has been in business since 1987 producing high quality traditional Argentinean arts and crafts.  From belts to ponchos, alpargatas to boots and all sorts of leather goods, pewter items to silverware, carriages to saddles and even clothes, are all beautifully displayed at their multi-story boutique close to the Alvear Hotel.  They have several branches in the city but it's this particular location that is often visited by celebrities and tourists in search of a souvenir or made-to-order equestrian equipment. 

Best buy: gaucho-inspired belt or alpargatas for less than US$20.

Lecuona de Prat Artesanias - Pacheco de Melo 1967 - 1C, Recoleta (Telphone: +54 11 4803 0253)

In an apartment located in residential Recoleta is this amazing boutique of Maria del Pino Lecuona de Prat (a mouthful of a name) where one-of-a-kind pewter items from Salta are for sale. There are trays and soap dishes, bracelets and picture frames, ice buckets and tumblers, all of them handmade.  Prices are not cheap but this is a real find.  Call first for an appointment.

Best buy: pewter stirrup-shaped teaspoon with a handle covered in braided leather for about US$10.

30 Quarenta - Arroyo 890, Recoleta (Telephone: +54 11 4326 1065)

Although not a shop that specializes in traditional Argentinean artifacts, this colorful store on Recoleta's chi-chi antique furniture and art gallery street Arroyo, is a delight.  Antique posters, old toys reworked as lamps, decorative pieces and furniture.  You'll be sure to find something you like and if friendly owner Miguel is there, have a chat with him to find out a bit more about his whimsical designs.

Helado (a.k.a ice cream)

Argentina competes with Italy for best artesanal gelatos with an excellent quality and innovative flavors.  There is always the original, classic Freddo (several locations, Delivery ) but our favorite is Un'Altra Volta (also several locations, Delivery 0810 88-VOLTA) for their creamy flavors and an incomparable chocolate amargo (bitter chocolate).

Best buy:  Mini cones at both places for US$1.20 for a sweet afternoon treat

Treats to try: 

• fried (not baked) empanadas - the best ones I've tried are at El Mirasol (see below)
• medialunas de grasa (made from lard) and medialunas de manteca (made from butter)
• tostados de jamon y queso at any cafe for breakfast or an afternoon snack
• cortadito - a slightly taller espresso macchiato

Recoleta

A stroll around the neighborhood of Recoleta, mainly on Avenida Alvear and Avenida Posadas where several fantastic examples of Belle-Epoque architecture are evident and where the city's most expensive designer boutiques, both local and imported ones, are located.  Watch out for the dog walkers as well - another interesting Buenos Aires feature.

El Mirasol - El Mirasol de La Recova, Posadas 1032 (Telephone: +54 11 4326 7322)

My two favorites on their menu and probably the best versions in the city.  Empanadas de carne - hot crispy, fried pastries filled with a delicious ground meat and spice mix and Mollejas de corazon (veal sweetbreads) - sliced thinly and grilled to perfection and enjoyed just with a spritz of lemon.

Best buy: A dozen empanadas to go or to delivered to your doorstep in a box.  Empanadas are about US$1.50 each.

Alpataco, vinos y cuero - Avenida Pte. M. Quintana 450, Recoleta (Telephone: +54 11 4806 9637)

Good value and reasonably-priced, wines are good presents for friends or for your own cellar.  There are several wine stores in the city but this is one that we liked because of the friendly service and knowledgeable staff.  They have a well-edited selection of wines accompanied by wine accessories and beautiful leather products making it a one-of-a-kind store. Plus, they pack the wines in styrofoam cases ready to be checked in for a long flight and deliver to your apartment of hotel.

Best buy: a bottle of the typical Argentine white wine Torrontes for around US$15.

Aldo's Vinoteca - Moreno 372, San Telmo (Telephone: +54 11 5291 2380)

In out of the way San Telmo, this wine bar is paving the way to proper enjoyment of wines with it's policy of selling wines with retail shop prices in the restaurant to encourage diners to splash out on a good bottle of wine instead of ordering the usual cheaper wines by the glass. It's an idea that should be copied wordlwide.

Best buy: a plate of cured salmon (US$11) with a bottle of Torrontes (US$15).

EL CIRKULO

Clockwise from top left: lamb ribs, arugula salad with chicharon croutons, chanterelle paella,  sisig.

Before I start posting on the restaurants I've been to recently in Bali, I need to write about one of my favorite restaurants in Manila - El Cirkulo.  On my last trip back home in July, I had lunch there, took photos, then forgot about those photos until I found them recently buried in my Picasa album so here is that much delayed post.

Opened in 1995, El Cirkulo was the first modern Spanish-Filipino restaurant in town.  When I  moved back home to Manila in 1997, I used to eat there all the time and it became a regular hang-out with friends.  Owners Malu and her brother, Chef Jay Gamboa were always present to greet guests and make sure that everyone had a good time.  On the rare occasions I am back home, even if it's only for a few days, I always make it a point to have a meal at El Cirkulo and satisfy my craving for Filipino and Spanish cuisine in one go. 

I met Joey and TC for lunch and we managed to keep our order down to just three dishes from their extensive menu although Malu sent out a salad for us to try as well.  We started with the salad - spinach leaves with diced tomatoes in a sherry vinaigrette topped with chicharon (fried pork cracklings) instead of the usual croutons - healthy with a twist.

Next came, three main courses for us to share.  From the tapas selections, we had the lamb short ribs - slow roasted lamb ribs seasoned with just garlic, salt and pepper which were crispy and tender at the same time and complemented with just a squirt of lemon juice, and the cabeza de cerdo (sisig) which is chopped suckling pig cheeks, fried to a crisp and cooked with chilies - a spicy Filipino delicacy.  We also shared a modern paella special (there are four on the regular menu) - made with asparagus and chanterelle mushrooms.  The food was superb as usual and it was perfect for sharing with friends while catching up on each other's lives.  We were unfortunately too stuffed to order dessert so until my next trip home and another great meal at El Cirkulo.

____________________________

El Cirkulo

Ground floor Milky Way Building

900 Arnaiz Avenue (Pasay Road)
corner Paseo de Roxas,
Makati City 1200, Philippines
Telephone: +63 810-8735 or 810-2763
email: chefjgamboa@elcirkulo.com

JOGJAKARTA Day 2: Birthday Dinner at PAK BILAL'S

Candle-lit birthday dinner at Pak Bilal's home

We spent the rest of the day in our room relaxing after our busy Borobudur morning.  That evening we were going back to Pak Bilal's home for an Indonesian barbecue dinner for the eve of my birthday.  It was drizzling by the time we got there around half past seven and we were awed by the transformation that had taken place.

Candles lit the walkway and a gamelan player sat in one corner playing music for us.  We entered the hut which was also lit with oil lamps and many candles and were led to the same rough-hewn table where we had tea that same morning but this time, the table was covered with a batik tablecloth and set with simple china and cutlery.  There was a charcoal grill set up in the corner where the smell of sizzling meat and seafood beckoned.  On another corner, a small table was set up with an iced bucket of champagne.

Soto Ayam (chicken soup) then from the grill: mixed satay, chicken in coconut milk,
prawns and banana-leaf wrapped snapper

We were guests welcomed into Pak Bilal's home and quietly conversed sipping champagne while we waited for dinner to be served.  Our first course was Soto Ayam - a clear chicken broth with pieces of chicken and diced spring onions - warm and comforting on that rainy evening.  Terancam was next, a bean sprouts and cucumbers mixed with shredded coconut, lime and chili which was a refreshing and spicy salad.  Then came the different grilled items: small skewers of beef, chicken and lamb satay served with peanut sauce and chili kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), river prawns, ikan pepes (spiced snapper fillet wrapped in a banana leaf) and ayam opor panggang (grilled chicken marinated in curry).  There was so much food that we had to go slowly and have a bit of the satay and prawns first before we tried the chicken and the snapper.  Nasi putih (basket-steamed white rice) was served with the main course dishes.  As much as we ate, we hardly made a dent as the portions were quite large.  Thankfully, dessert was just fresh fruit - two mangosteen.

My birthday cake

As we sat and sipped our Javanese tea, listening to the patter of rain on the tin roof, we spoke of other birthday dinners and reminisced about wheres we have both lived in the last ten years - Paris, Moscow and Napa valley for me, Lausanne, Boston and Jakarta for A then together in Manila, Santiago, Dubai, Montreal, Marbella and now Bali.  How lucky we have been to have traveled and lived in so many different countries!  The dinner was ending but before we left, they brought me a chocolate cake and sang Happy Birthday and before I blew the candles out, I made sure to make a wish.