On Roots and Branching Out
11 Sep 2010 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Filipino/ Chinese food, Ma Mon Luk, Noodles, Quezon Avenue
It’s been almost a year since I, together with some group of friends from college, started this blog for a class assignment. Our last entry was done several months ago, primarily because when our CS30 class ended, we stopped blogging as well. I mean it was just a requirement after all, and we had so many things to do before graduation so there, just like the fate of many other blogs, this one went on hiatus…
Anyway a few days ago I went to an art convention with Jei, one of my dearest and longest friends since elementary, and while I was suggesting where we could eat for dinner she suggested that I should probably start a food blog.
Ms. Jei, the inceptor
After pondering on that suggestion, I remembered this blog which I started with a group of friends, and I also remembered how much fun it was to write about my different food trips. So I figured that I might as well just continue with wikiFEEDya (for those who have known me long enough, yes, the title was my idea haha), since it’s already here.
Food has always been a big part of my life, and wherever I go I make it a point to try out different kinds of dishes. It’s because I believe that food not only nourishes one’s body, but also nourishes one’s experience. There’s so much culture and history that’s integrated in a dish, and I love biting into that.
Sure loving food has always given me some setbacks. For starters, I’ll always be one of those girls who are in constant “battle” with their weights, and I will always be a bit insecure come summer and beach time. But what the hell, love’s like that. Something’s gotta give right? I’ll just have to try my best to integrate as much exercise and proper diet into my passion for searching for the miraculously yummy haha.
To kick off the reactivation of this blog, I’d like to share a simple and yet very memorable experience. A few Sundays ago, I had lunch with my parents and my youngest sister Angel in a restaurant called Ma Mon Luk in Quezon Avenue. To be honest, I was a bit excited to go there because I’ve heard a lot about it. In highschool, we even had to recite a piece where it was cited (Ang Kigilagilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Juan Dela Cruz), so I was really looking forward to trying it out.
The restaurant’s name, Ma Mon Luk, is derived from the name of its founder. Ma Mon Luk was a migrant from China who moved to the Philippines in the early 1900s. He used to peddle noodles in Manila, and later on founded the Ma Mon Luk restaurant which was already nationally renowned by the 1950s. So there, that’s pretty much what I learned from googling it to get some history haha.
Moving on, it was a pleasant surprise to enter Ma Mon Luk for the first time. That’s because the whole place really looks like it has not changed for years.
It was like I was entering into an actual page in history. There were faded film pictures of famous actors and actresses, and newspaper clippings of old articles written about Ma Mon Luk hanging on its walls. They didn’t have air-conditioning and only had a handful of menu items to choose from, all of which were written on a chalkboard which was also hanging on the wall.
After all these details struck me, I started appreciating the ambience of Ma Mon Luk. The whole restaurant seemed untouched by modernity.
The Menu
I blend in haha
So we ordered their Original Mami, Asado and Chicken/Salted egg Siopao, Pancit Canton and Siomai. Too bad, the Fried Chicken and the Lumpiang Shanghai were not available. The pricing was reasonable, and the food was okay. Somehow I felt the noodles lacked flavour haha, or maybe I’m just really used to the MSG taste I get from the noodles of fast-food chains haha. My personal favourite among all of the things we ordered in Ma Mon Luk were the Pancit Canton, and the Siopao.
Pancit Canton
Siopao
Original Mami...I just love saying that haha
angel looks satisfied 
so does my dad..
Overall it was a really good experience, definitely worth going back to. Not only for merienda’s sake, but also as a good way to relive times gone by. I believe this is especially true nowadays when the world is rapidly changing, and things are getting more complex, fast, and style-savvy by the minute.
Food for the Soul
29 Sep 2009 Leave a Comment
Aside from donating your food, one can still help out in the relief efforts for Ondoy by donating one’s time. If you have nothing better to do, help out in the nearest relief operation centers near you. Besides, they still give you food. But, the best reward is knowing that you are offering to help out people in need.
Relief Goods
28 Sep 2009 Leave a Comment
This is a food blog, and our aim is to feature some of the most interesting restaurants, and the tastiest foods to eat. However due to the typhoon Ondoy, there are hundreds of Filipinos who are in dire need of basic resources, such as food. So please please donate canned goods, rice, noodles, water etc to the nearest relief good stations in your areas (Ateneo, Red Cross, ABS-CBN etc)
. Every little bit of help counts.
Dining at the President’s ;)
23 Sep 2009 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: china town, chinese food, emeril, manila, ongpin, oriental chicken recipe, yang chow fried rice recipe
Last thursday, my friends and I took an extremely tiring tour of the Philippine museums in Manila. The weather was too hot that it got our appetites screaming for food. Since we were in Manila already, we decided to eat somewhere cheap in China Town.
President’s Tea House is a chinese diner serving authentic chinese food at an affordable price. Be careful though not to mix this up with President’s– a more expensive version of the Tea House.
My friends and I had had a variety of dumplings and paos that were complemented by the unlimited supply of hot tea. For our main dish, we ordered Oriental Chicken– white meat marinated in zesty oranges and lemons and gave a tangy taste that screamed Chinese ’til the last bite. Of course since we’re Asian, we didn’t forget to order Yang Chow Fried Rice– rice fried in butter, mixed with green peas, carrots, baby shrimp and egg.
With the amount and variety of food we ordered, our stomachs were filled with just a little under 200 pesos. Too bad we didn’t get to photograph it anymore since we were too hungry and it was devoured in seconds! Since the prices are affordable, you wouldn’t expect much from the service and the ambiance, but do expect an explosion of flavors in your mouth in every bite. Who wants American food if you could eat Chinese all day? 
Recipe for Oriental Chicken
Here’s an awesome recipe by Emeril Lagasse.. It’s a different version of what we ate at President’s, but it’s sure is a must-try.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, diced into 1-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons minced green onion bottoms
- 10 dried red chiles
- 1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 cup sliced yellow onion
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the soy sauce, dark soy and cornstarch. Whisk to blend well, and add the chicken to the sauce. Toss to evenly coat the chicken and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes.
In a medium bowl, combine the ketchup, stock, chili garlic sauce and sugar. Stir to combine and set aside until ready to use. Place a wok over high heat and add the vegetable oil to the pan. Swirl the wok to be sure to coat well with the oil. Add the ginger, garlic, green onions, dried chilies and jalapenos to the wok. Cook, stirring often until the garlic is fragrant and the chilies begin to brown, about 20 to 30 seconds. Add the chicken, bell peppers and onions to the pan and stir-fry until the chicken is no longer pink, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sauce to the pan and bring to a boil, being sure to toss well in order to coat all the chicken and vegetables evenly, about 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the sesame seeds, sesame oil and cilantro into the pan and toss to combine. Remove from the heat and serve on a platter with steamed white rice.
from: www.foodnetwork.com
Recipe for Yang Chow Rice:
Butter for pan
4 Cups of Cooked Rice
1/4 Cup of Green Peas
1/4 Cup of finely chopped Carrots
1/4 Cup of Boiled Shrimped
2 Large Eggs, scrambled and minced
***In a buttered pan, heat the rice for a 1-2 minutes. Add Carrots, Green Peas, Shrimp, and Egg. Cook for 5-10 minutes, constantly stirring.
Home of the Legendary Portugese-Style Grilled Chicken
20 Sep 2009 1 Comment
When you think of Greenhills, you think of shopping, of tiangges, of cheap buys. But this time around, WikiFEEDya wants you to think of Greenhills in a different way—as a food haven! At the ground floor of the Promenade located at Greenhills, one of the newest casual style restos is none other than Peri Peri Grill House.
Peri Peri what??! You heard it right ladies and gentlemen—it is Peri Peri Grill House, the first and only resto that offers the unique tasting and richly flavorful Portugese style flame-grilled chicken. This one of a kind chicken recipe in the metro comes with its signature hot pepper sauces. These sauces are actually responsible for the restaurant’s funny name because it uses the African bird’s eye chili called Peri-Peri.
When WikiFEEDya trooped to Peri-Peri, the gang was shocked to find out that the resto boasts of a diverse menu offering specialized grilled dishes. Guys and gals, WikiFEEDya recommends the following:
- Starters – Peri Wild Wings will definitely bring out your wildest side once you try at least 1 of the 8 Peri Wings that is ultra hot and served with the oh so yummy special blue cheese dip.
- Seafood – Don’t miss the Grilled Salmon marinated in Lemon Butter Sauce. Absolutely yummy!
- Pork – Try the Peri Pepper Chops that is served with hot java rice and some vegatables. The boneless chops will surely melt in your mouth with its creamy peppercorn sauce!
- Specials – The Fajita Combination composed of ½ chicken and beef fajita plus warm tortilla is a perfect treat for the entire barkada!
- Pasta – Try the Seafood Marinara which is a medley of squid, shrimp and clams!
Don’t miss these delectable dishes at Peri Peri Grill House! It is not everyday that we get to taste spit-fire-grilled chicken! The WikiFEEDya gang had a “peri-peri” fun dining experience at Peri Peri.
Heads up September Celebrants!
17 Sep 2009 Leave a Comment
Check this out: http://onecircleatatime.blogspot.com/2009/09/discount-at-shangri-la-heat.html
Shangri-la Heat is offering a discount equivalent to your age, if you come and dine there on your birthday. Getting older does have its benefits. Promo period is up to September 30, 2009 only. )
P.S. Make sure to come on the day of your birthday, and to call for reservations beforehand.
Bistro Remedios: A Touch of España
17 Sep 2009 Leave a Comment
Amidst the hustles and bustles here in Manila, there is one place right in the middle of Malate that has the magical powers to immediately transport you to old España with its uniquely designed dining rooms that gives you the feeling that you are in one of the traditional colonial homes in Madrid—this is none other than Bistro Remedios. The dining areas are filled with remnants of an old Spanish home accentuated with exceptional paintings of distinguished artists. But do not get deceived by its old Spanish interiors because once you open their menu, you will mostly find regional Filipino dishes, not Spanish dishes.
The brainchild of the late culinary icon Larry Cruz, Bistro Remedios offers the best of the Philippine dishes all over the region with a slightly Spanish twist! Wikifeedya and the gang recommend the following dishes for those who want to revisit some of the Philippines’ most exotic Filipino dishes served in Bistro Remedios:
- Pagi Pampapogi (shredded stingray simmered in coconut milk and malunggay leaves)
- Ipusit Mo Baby (fried baby squid) or Adobong Balut (stewed fermented duck embryo)
- Knockout Knuckles (deep-fried leg of pork in garlic and chilies)
- Binukadkad na Crispy Plapla (butterflied fried tilapia served with balo-balo and fresh mustard leaves)
- Bamboo Rice (mountain rice cooked with chicken, wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots inside a bamboo shell)
- Claude’s Dream (pandan gelatin and young coconut on buffalo milk ice cream)
Since Bistro Remedios showcases the best of the Philippine dishes, it would be best to bring here your foreign visitors or balikbayan friends. To add to this, the servings are big enough to be shared, therefore you will certainly get excellent value for your money. Its cheekily-named dishes and the plethora of meat and seafood dishes served in Bistro Remedios would definitely make an enjoyable and memorable dining experience! Bistro Remedios is located at 1911 M. Adriatico Street Remedios Circle, Malate, Manila.
mmmm, takoyaki :)
11 Sep 2009 1 Comment
I was going to write about a fabulous Korean Restaurant in Makati. But, today I think my tastebuds have a mind of their own. They want to reflect upon the yumminess of Takoyaki Balls. It all started when my friend and I went to Rustans (Katipunan) that has a Japanese food stall right outside its building. This Japanese stall sells Takoyaki Balls, which I happily bought and ate after a long long time. One plate or serving of Takoyaki comes with four pieces, and costs around Php 30.
Takoyaki Balls are round shaped/balled up Japanese pancakes with octopus, cabbage, and other sauces inside. They have toasted shells, gooey fillings, and can be served with a special Takoyaki sauce. They’re not only cute to look at, but also easy to eat, and very tasty. Takoyaki balls are cooked in a special pan with several hollows wherein the balls are placed.
I think everyone has certain foods which bring back happy childhood memories for him/her. Takoyaki Balls are like that for me. I remember that when I was in grade school and high school, I’d always buy Takoyaki Balls from the Samurai stall in our canteen. During the first time I tried it however, I didn’t really like the taste but eventually it became a habit. I’d eat Takoyaki balls after every dismissal, before Tennis practice, and during lunchtime or recess.
Samurai, the Japanese food stall in my old highschool, can also be found near some grocery stores in Metro Manila. Hmm there’s actually one near the SM Megamall Grocery, right? haha
A Pizza Like No Other
25 Aug 2009 Leave a Comment
Overlooking the magnificent Taal Lake in the province of Batangas is the 180 square meter pizzeria managed by Filippi Nouvelle, Inc.—Carlos’s Pizza. Since it opened its Tagaytay Branch last March 2004, Carlos’s Pizza has been gaining a large following because of its very strategic location. The view of Taal Lake, the third largest lake in the Philippines, is simply breathtaking especially when the clouds hover over the blue sky. On less foggy days, the famous Taal Volcano located at the center of the lake is unhampered making the scenery even more picturesque.
But of course, Carlos’s Pizza in Tagaytay is not just all about the view. The many varieties of food served in this pizzeria—from the Soups to Salads to Pastas to Steaks to Pizzas—are just so scrumptious! If you intend to experience the oh-so-delectable dishes served at Carlos’s Pizza, here are some recommendations from WikiFEEDya:
- For Starters, the Chicken Fingers & Fries is a customer favorite for its tender and extra juicy chicken strips alongside its many varieties of dipping sauces. Another yummy addition is the Mozzarella Cheese Sticks which makes appetizers all the more alluring.
- For Salads, try the Greek Salad which is loaded with chopped tomatoes plus a handful of cucumber, olives and special cheese. Dressed in olive oil and coupled with oregano and basil, its refreshing taste is perfect for summer days.
- For Pastas, the Creamy Pesto and Fettuccini Alfredo that come in two sizes—solo and platter—share the limelight. The Creamy Italian Pesto’s rich taste and aroma is attributed to the overflowing basil leaves, garlic cloves and olive oil. Meanwhile, the Fettuccini Alfredo is a modern mix of Italian and American cuisines as it is swamped with parmesan cheese and other ingredients such as parsleys, shrimps and many more.
- For Pizzas, there are two sub-categories—the Pizza Classica and Pizza Speciale. The Pizza Classica comes in three sizes from Regular (9”), Large (12”) to Family (15”). The best seller is the Pizza Capriccioso which is made up of pepperoni, salami, ham, bacon, sausage, mushroom, olives, green peppers and onions. As for the Pizza Speciale, the renowned Quattro Formaggi is on top of WikiFEEDya’s list for its mouthwatering cheeses—parmesan, cheddar, mozzarella and blue cheese. However, the latter only comes in two sizes—Regular (9”) and Large (12”).
Apart from Tagaytay, Carlos’s Pizza is also available in many other locations like in Camp John Hay, SM City Baguio, BF Paranaque, SM Mall of Asia, Moonwalk Village, Metrowalk, Tomas Morato, Capitol Hills and lo and behold, Boracay Island!
Frodo and the Bread of Salt
03 Aug 2009 Leave a Comment
in Uncategorized Tags: Baguio, Cafe by the Ruins
Mysterious Lighting
‘Tis far away, this place called Cafe by the Ruins.
It is all the way in Baguio, but the ambience is fantastic, and it reminds me of those cool rainy days in the city, when you just wanna sit back, relax, sip a cup of coffee, and read your favorite book.
Ruins has such a mysterious feel to it, being built within the remnants of a building that was felled by a huge earthquake some ten or so years back. The place has since been known as a chillaxin’ place where folks can enjoy a mug of hot chocolate with the cafe’s fabled warm pan de sal that you can dip in your creamy drink. ‘Tis a simple fare, yet satisfying and delectable. Makes me imagine scenes in magical places, like those taverns where Frodo might have hung out (garbed in his concealing cloak), drinking ale and listening to the buzz of hushed conversations all about. That is, of course, my imagination going wild.
hushed convo's? 
It isn’t just pan de sal that they offer, though. They have all sorts of pasta like our all-time-favorite, pesto pasta and also red sauce varieties, served with garlic toast on the side. Savor a cup of coffee afterwards, and just linger. Breathe in the cool mountain air, look at the painting hanging on the walls…
a makeshift wall, maybe.
Life is short, but there’s enough time to chill.
Esh
