CPK S’mores Dessert Pizza!

California Pizza Kitchen @ Greenbelt 5

Tita Nelia and I almost always order the same food in CPK. Like when we had lunch after watching Spiderman (yes, we watched the first screening, opening day at G3!), we had the Thai Salad, Singaporean Roll (sometimes with pizza), bottomless Coke Zero and for dessert, Tiramisu. But not this time. I read from their dessert menu that they have this "new" sweet offering. At hindi ako nagkamali sa pag-order! 

I was really, really liked it. 

Pizza dough thinly pressed and topped with butter, crushed graham crackers, dark Belgian chocolate, marshmallow and walnuts. And baked in their stone oven. Served with vanilla ice ream! Can you imagine how good it is? Only Php170.

Usapang Fried Chicken #9 : Uncle John’s!

One lunch time in the office, I saw our practicumer eating at her cubicle. Sarap na sarap siya.  So, I had to ask her. 

I didn’t know that Mini Stop had been carrying this product for quite a long time now.  At mura pa siya. I had to try it. Masarap nga. It reminded of Jollibee Chicken Joy when it was just starting… bigger-than-usual-chicken-parts, juicy and really crunchy. Ito yung tipo ng pagkain na kakainin mo kahit kaka-sweldo mo palang!

Kid you not! 

 

"My Kitchen by Chef Chris" Overrated?

Good news. Foodies do not need to brave the long trip to Angeles, Pampanga to get to “C” Italian Dining. Chef Chris has opened his newest baby in Oasis Hotel in Paco Park. And Metro Manilans are ecstatic about this version of the Pampanga phenomenon.   

Let me start by saying that “My Kitchen by Chef Chris” is casual dining with fine dining prices.  Meaning, if you dare bring your date in your Sunday best (and with a loaded wallet!), in my experience, be ready to share the restaurant with big, rowdy family reunions who occupy five tables with at least, four high chairs(!). And I'm talking only of one group (in this case, the Filipino family). I haven’t even started on the Chinese Family seated at the other side of the restaurant. Good luck. That’s casual dining for you.

Anyway, Tita Nelia didn’t like the food. The food here at “My Kitchen” is the kind of food that my Tita can easily prepare at her own kitchen (with her patented spread of the finest wares!), even better.  But to be fair about it, personally, “My Kitchen by Chef Chris” serves good food… but let me say, that it’s not the best Italian Dining (I still say that “Bistecca’s” Bistecca is still one of the best).   

US Prime Angus Flank Steak

with Rosemary Garlic Marinade

with oven baked potato slices, pumpkin and Italian broccoli

Php 1800 for 2-5 persons

 

Roasted Lamb Ribs with garlic-rosemary rub

Php 980 for 2-3 persons

Risotto Pollo E Fungi

Chicken fillet and assorted mushroom

parmesan butter with fresh herbs

Php 650 

I LOVE THIS RISOTTO!

Spaghetti Calabrese

Angus ox-tail braised in tomato sauce, capers, chili peppers

Php 640

 

My Kitchen by Chef Chris
The Oasis Paco Park Hotel (beside Paco Church)

Paco, Manila

“Juan for All and All for Juan!”

The competition between noontime shows has been giving viewers better segments and better hosts. Eat Bulaga came out with the trio, Jose, Wally and Paolo (is he OUT already? Good, if he is!). 

 They're the ones assigned to different locations (rain or shine!) from the slightly  depressed to the really, really miserable barangays in (and sometimes, outside) of Metro Manila.  

Sweat dripping... shirts drenched, the three would do the Sugod Bahay na sinwerteng napili from a long list of barangay residents. And that’s where the riot begins. 

Jose goes around the living room (kung merong sala yung bahay!) before settling down. Makikialam sa mga gamit dun. And would make fun of anything found there (an old picture of a group of five ladies in really colorful costumes!) AND anybody na minalas na mahagip ng camera (an old bachelor-brother!).  

At this point, tawang-tawa ka na sa tatlo... guilty or not (for laughing at these people).

Then, there’s Vic Sotto on the split screen comfortably sitting on a black chair in the middle of the stage giving out instructions.  Bossing is god. People thank him (with voices cracking and eyes watery) sa bawa’t regalo na galing sa sponsors (salamat sa pintura, Bossing… salamat sa pancit, Bossing… thank you sa ice cream, Bossing… hulog ka ng langit, Bossing, tamang-tama dahil may sakit ng nanay ko) and they are too eager to laugh at his every joke and yes, at his every insult.

 As of the three, it’s Paolo who’s blessed with a beautiful face. He tempers the crudeness of Jose and Wally with his charm. To think hindi siya nagsimula nang ganyan. Pa-matinee idol ang dating niya dati and it was only in 2010 that he started hanging out with the two and lately ay nakakasabay na siya sa pagiging masang-masa ng dalawa.  

Personally, I think that THAT is the reason why they’re so big with the viewers. Aside from being masang-masa, hindi mo alam kung ano ang susunod nilang gagawin.  Kahit ano, pwedeng mangyari! 

ARENA Grand Opening: “ICONS AT THE MOA ARENA!”

I would like to thank Arnel Gonzales, ARENA’S Events Manager, for inviting us and providing Patron seats to the Grand Opening last June 16, 2012.  It was my first time in ARENA and it’s really quite impressive.  It can seat 20,000 for a concert and for a sports event, 16,000 max. And the important thing of all? Ample and well-guarded parking space!  I guess it’s about time that Araneta Coliseum take that long-overdue renovation. She’s tired and pretty old.

It’s just sad that my camera wasn’t able to capture the show well, sayang but believe me when I tell you that malinis ang show and very entertaining. 

ABS-CBN handled the production and the performers are a mix of Kapamilya and Kapuso stars:  ARNEL PINEDA, BAMBOO, BASIL VALDEZ, CHRISTIAN BAUTISTA, ERIK SANTOS, FREDDIE AGUILAR, JED MADELA, JOSE MANALO, JOSE MARI CHAN, JURIS, MARTIN NIEVERA, OGIE ALCASID, PIOLO PASCUAL, POKWANG, REGINE VELASQUEZ, THE COMPANY, WALLY BAYOLA, LEA SALONGA, GARY VALENCIANO.

 

 Congratulations, ARENA!