SARSA Kitchen + Bar (SM Mall of Asia)

The day we stayed at Microtel at Wyndham, we decided to have late lunch at SARSA Kitchen + Bar. Our objective that time was to eat simple, but as we walked around, I thought about this restaurant because I have heard so many raves, and knowing Chef Jayps is one of the popular celebrity chefs in the country, I thought it was just right that we try what the restaurant has to offer.


Entering the restaurant, one would think it was small, but it was more spacious past the bar area...and it had more natural light, too. The overall look of the place was very pleasant to the eyes, and we just loved the paintings and hand-lettered menu on the walls.

It was difficult to think of what dishes to order, but in the end we chose -


Pancit Molo
This is after all, a Negrense restaurant, might as well try one of the well known dishes from the region. The soup was a little salty for our liking, but it was very tasty. Very light way to start the meal.


Chicken Inasal Sisig
It was so unfortunate that I decided to leave the camera in our room, and that this image was of inferior quality, but believe me when I say that it was indeed sizzling (the heat of the plate was able to cook the egg well) and that this tasted really, really, good! Everything I wanted in a chicken inasal was there, and the addition of egg, onions, and garlic added more to the flavor.


Isaw (Chicken Intestines)
The raves given by my friend Gie for this dish was the biggest reason why I wanted to eat here. For someone like me who frequently buy chicken intestines at 5 pesos per stick, it was a big risk ordering this. With a whopping price tag of 185 pesos, I had this thinking that it better be good, or I will be totally disappointed. It was sad that it only had three sticks (a blog post I saw had 5 sticks), but my oh my... the raves were real - it was effing delicious! It was crispy yet chewy, and because the intestines were cut lengthwise and cleaned really well, it didn't have that bitter taste ever present in the isaw sold in sidewalks. For a while we were trying to dissect it and think how it was cooked, but we all said we'd rather buy it here than do all the steps in recreating it. This is quite an exaggeration, but not really - if I could marry a food, I would marry this one. Yep, it was that awesome...at least for my liking.

Every dish was great. It was filled with umami goodness, and we liked that we didn't go wrong in choosing to eat here. However, as common people who don't earn too much, we thought that the price was a little expensive given the amount of food per serving. Personally, the girls and I still highly recommend this place, but please prepare your wallet should you decide to eat here. Worry not, their food will truly satisfy your hungry tummies.

Weekend Eating | Independence Day Lunch

The past months weren't as good for us as far as food choices is concerned. At home, we usually just eat whatever is available - canned goods, or cooking meat as is (fried, adobo, or paksiw). Vegetables weren't a big part of our diet...though we do eat them, it's just that, sometimes we just cook whatever is there. Anyway, we do know the importance of eating vegetables, so last Friday, I just listed some dishes I hope we could prepare and eat.

One of those dishes is Kare-Kare. This is a dish that we don't usually eat because mom used to stay away from anything with nuts, because of her arthritis. Well, during our last visit to the doctor, he said that my mom indeed has arthritis, but she could eat nuts (hers is a different kind of arthritis), so I immediately wrote this on the list. The problem then was the meat, but sister thought of something to present this classic Filipino dish...


... by combining it with another well loved Filipino dish - the Crispy Pata.

Since we don't have a big frying pan and we didn't want to use too much oil for the meat, we decided to buy a small one at the supermarket and have it cut as well as they do use electric saw to cut through bones, making a clean cut compared to the ones in the public markets that uses manual chopping, making the bones crack and shatter.

Cooking the dish, she first tackled the pata. Seasoning the water with salt, pepper and bay leaves, she let the meat boil in it and later pressure cooked it to ensure the meat would be tender. Then, she baked it for a while to take out excess moisture then she fried it 'til it became crispy.

The vegetables she blanched in boiling water 'til it reached the "just cooked" stage and dunk them in ice bath to keep them cooked yet crunchy.

Last thing was the sauce, and the pata was already time consuming as is, so she decided to just use the Mama Sita mix - the creamy one, not the powder. We prefer to use the creamy sauce mix because it had real peanuts.

Plating was better when done this way...but of course, once all pictures were taken, we did mix the vegetables with the sauce. One thing we overlooked - the bagoong. Sister just seasoned the sauce with a little salt, so it wasn't completely bland.


For dessert, I baked Caramel Custard Cake. Actually, I had no intentions of baking. Sister planned to use the cake mix we bought from MAFBEX, but it was tricky to cut the the recipe in half, so she canceled it. Seeing we have enough ingredients, I baked this, as this still fits the Filipino theme, leche flan being a favorite dessert of many Pinoys.

I still cannot share the recipe as this was a trial cake, and it didn't turn out to be 100% good...but still very good. Problem was, the custard just wouldn't set. Baking this in baine-marie method, I baked this for over 1 hour (the recipe says 40 minutes), and it just wouldn't set. I decided to dry bake them and after 10 minutes, the custard finally set. However, the long baking time dried the chiffon cake a little, and oh dear, when I cut the cake, I realized I didn't pour enough custard...it was so thin! Actually, the recipe I followed used a round pan, but we don't own one yet, so I used two loaf pans and cut the batter in half, though the custard, I just couldn't gauge the level in the pan as I poured it.

Despite the problems, it tasted really, really good. I now know how to handle this should I bake this again, and when I do, I can then share the recipe.

For us who is used to eat out during Sundays, it sure felt great to stay in the house and be slaves in the kitchen. I am not sure if we can do this every weekend, but we will try.

Merienda at Cafe Via Mare

Whenever I pass by Landmark Makati, I always get intrigued with Café Via Mare - not only because of its unusual location, but also because of how they managed to keep up with the times. It was a sad truth that despite the interest, I still haven't tried their food yet, but a few years ago, I personally got to attend a food demo by Ms. Glenda Barretto and Via Mare staff, and got to taste their food finally. At first taste, I knew then why Via Mare (the café and their catering service) has been that strong - their food definitely carried them all these years.

Literally meaning "the way of the sea," Via Mare started as a specialty seafood restaurant, and was known for their Oyster Bar. The business went through many changes, but one thing that never changed was their mission to innovate and upgrade the traditional Filipino cuisine. Although the company is very conservative and don't really compete head to head with other restaurants, Via Mare still wanted the younger generations to learn more about them and their food as has recently tied up with Kidzania Manila, a dedicate play and learning space for children.

There might not be a lot of Café Via Branches around Metro Manila, but they are very much well known in the catering business, having to serve six Philippine presidents and other big national events like the 1995 Miss Universe pageant in Manila, the papal visit of then Pope John Paul II, the gala of the Philippine-run West End’s Miss Saigon, and the 2007 ASEAN Summit in Cebu. Currently, they are working on dishes for the APEC Summit.


Last week, I was with my fellow bloggers as we tried the merienda at Café Via Mare at Landmark TriNoma. It was my first time to visit this branch, and even if the café is somewhat hidden and difficult to find, it was really interesting to see the café full of people. Dishes we tried include...

Things You Can Do in Baguio City After Summer (Part 2)

to continue with my Baguio after-summer series, here are more things you can do in the City of Pines during the rainy season.




Eat to your heart's content.

Oh yes, let's start this post with food... because food is that fuel that allows us to enjoy many things. As one chocolate brand says, "you're not you when you're hungry." Anyway, with so many food establishments scattered around Baguio City, one recommended place to eat home-cooked meal is the Balajadia Restaurant, located at the city's Slaughter House. Here, you and your family and friends can feast on different meat dishes. Chilly gloomy weather you say? Enjoy a bowl of Bulalo then. Yumminess to the max!  (More about this restaurant on a separate post, including a very interesting dish called B and B).




Learn more about the Cordillera's culture.

Sure, one can learn more about the rich Cordilleran culture anywhere you go in Baguio and the nearby province of Benguet, but if you want to learn, have fun, and satisfy the tummy, you can head to Tam-Awan Village. The place is best to visit when the sun is up as the eco-trail might be slippery during the rainy season, but you can still roam around - check different traditional Ifugao / Igorot houses, and if the rain is too much to bear, you can just stay near the cafe where you can watch different traditional dances.


In this area is where you can also have your portrait sketched. Prices depends on the artist you choose, but each sketch won't really take too much of your time, a perfect activity to do while waiting for the rain to pass.

If the chilly weather is giving you goosebumps, the cafe serves hot drinks - coffee, chocolate, and tea - as well as pastries and snacks.



Find inspiration.

Not the romantic kind of inspiration, but something that would boost the morale. In this group getaway, we were blessed to have entered the Tartland Baguio Pasarabo factory. Known for their buttery Lenguas de Gato, Tartland's story is very inspirational. They are a testament that good things start from small beginnings, and by staying true to their passion, they were able to make Lenguas de Gato a Baguio City pasalubong staple.

At the moment, I am not sure if they allow tourists to drop by and see how the Lenguas de Gato are made because they are currently doing some expansions, but if you find ways to visit their factory, please do. Their story will definitely inspire you.




Test your strength and courage.

Baguio may be a small city, but it definitely has a very rich and deep history. While some of those are about triumphs, the city also has a very dark history, making the city known for its haunted places. Part of our getaway was to visit these haunted places - starting with the Baguio Cathedral, then to Teacher's Camp, followed by the Laperal White House. I am definitely a scaredy cat, but I still gave it a go, because the Fright Tour is not just for frights, I got to learn so many things as well. Unfortunately, we weren't able to visit two more places in the tour - the site of the Hyatt Hotel and the Loakan Road, but the things I experienced was okay enough to scare the living daylights out of me. I actually went home sleeping with the lights on because I still couldn't get over the tour.


Help sustain the local industry.

There are so many places to buy souvenirs and Baguio-made food products to take home, but if the weather is unfavorable, I suggest you do your shopping at the Baguio City Market. Here you can buy everything you need under one roof! Haggling is welcome, but don't haggle too much, because their goods are definitely lower than those you can buy at the malls and other commercial places.




Be awed by nature.

I do agree, Baguio is very urbanized now, but you have to agree, the city still boasts a very beautiful nature range. Enjoy taking pictures just about anywhere (I once stopped by a residential area to take pictures of wild dandelions), and even if it rains, it sometimes bring the fog that adds more drama to the surroundings. Rain or shine, the nature will surely feed your cameras with different subjects to take pictures of.

My three-day after summer group getaway with fellow bloggers was a success, thanks to Azalea Residences Baguio. I may have traveled to Baguio at least once a year since 2009, but I was still able to experience so many first on this getaway. My heartfelt thanks to the whole Azalea team for making this getaway one for the books.

Regardless of the season, Baguio City is a wonderful destination. Please don't think you can only enjoy the city during summer. Actually, I find it a little better to travel after summer as the roads are less congested and places aren't peppered with tourists. I fell in love with Baguio City more, and as early as now, I'm itching to travel back and enjoy these again and more.

*** Jenn ***

Things You Can Do in Baguio City After Summer (Part 1)

In the many times I have traveled to Baguio City, most of those were during hot summer days - February and March (Panagbenga season and during daddy's death anniversary). It is true, the City of Pines is more popular during summer because of its favorable weather, but when rainy season comes, the hype seems to die down. Maybe because most of well known Baguio City attractions are best visited when the sun is up and the sky is blue... but I was blessed to have traveled to Baguio during the rainy season, and I am happy to say that there are still so many awesome places to check and things to do even if it is raining outside.


Enjoy a cup of hot drink and some pastries.

Casa Vallejo near SM City Baguio houses three interesting places, one of which is the Hill Station, where you can enjoy snacks. They offer sandwiches and different drinks, but people mostly visit this place for their desserts.



Feed your mind.

Right next to Hill Station is Mt. Cloud Book Shop, a local book store that sells mostly Filipiniana books, but there are also very interesting foreign books. The first time I set foot here was last March and I instantly in love with the place! This book store offer so many books that are not usually available in big, popular book stores, which adds more charm to the place. Last March it was here that I got to buy my copy of Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, but the next time I set foot here, I vow to buy these two books in their hardcover format.


Have a one-of-a-kind cinema experience.

As you exit Mt. Cloud Book Shop, this spread of movie posters will pique your interest, and if it is raining outside and you don't feel like roaming around, you may opt to stay in and enjoy a movie. Since this cinema is not located in the mall, this for sure will be a different kind of a movie experience, especially that they show movies that are not really shown in common cinemas.



Taste the flavors of the Cordillera.

Baguio City is a foodie's heaven, with so many restaurants left and right. Surely, you may find food places in the city that offers different kind of ambiance and flavors, but if you want to be very true to the Cordilleran experience, I recommend you check out Café Yagam. Their specialty is the Sagada-roasted coffee, but they also offer pastries and traditional Cordilleran cuisine.

I was able to taste four of these dishes - The Pinuneg, Binungor, Kini-ing and the Pinikpikan. To keep warm from the cold Baguio weather, we also had the Tapuey (rice wine). More about this food trip will be shared in the upcoming posts.





Appreciate art.

Most of the artwork in this 4-storey museum is made by the National Artist for the Visual Arts BenCab (Benedicto Reyes Cabrera), but there are just so many galleries in this museum that would tickle your senses. If you get tired, there is a hut outside for you to rest at, or you might want to try the food at Café Sabel.





Learn about hard work.

The Easter Weaving Room may look like a big souvenir shop where you can buy different kinds of products - from food to jewelry, from poncho to footwear. However, the magic happens downstairs, where they weave the fabric they use. You may think the Cordilleran fabric may be expensive, but when you visit their weaving room and see just how difficult it is to weave these fabrics with intricate designs, you will appreciate the products even more. Biggest lesson I learn - don't sell yourself short.

There are still so many things to do in Baguio after summer, but I will cut this post short for now and hope you can join me again next time when I post the part two of my series of articles dedicated to the City of Pines. My biggest gratitude to the people of Azalea Residences Baguio for making this a one-of-a-kind trip.

*** Jenn ***

Media Noche Memories at The Maya Kitchen

Last Saturday, my mom and I attended November's featured class - Media Noche Memories with Chef Fern Aracama at The Maya Kitchen. I first knew about Chef Fern from the culinary magazines then later on as a celebrity host/judge for the Philippine version of  Master Chef. Aside from being a celebrity chef, Chef Fern is the man behind Aracama Filipino Cuisine and is also the culinary consultant for Philippine Airlines.


This event focuses on dishes one can serve for the upcoming holidays, and were inspired by dishes the chef grew up eating as well as those inspired by his travels.

Dishes prepared:


Malunggay and Cheese Dip
A signature appetizer at Aramaca Filipino Cuisine, this one was the local response to the well known Artichoke and Spinach Dip, using Malunggay or Moringa to replace the artichoke. A very, very easy dish to make and was mom's favorite from all the dish prepared. Will prepare this at home this week and share you the recipe on Friday.


Patatas Riojana
A dish inspired from Chef Fern's Spanish trip. Another simple and easy dish to make, but I found the broth a little too salty for my taste. The chorizo tasted great, by the way.



Grilled Ensaimada - Media Noche Style
The heartiest and the richest dish of the day... Ensaimada cut in half and turned inside out and filled with Chinese Ham, mustard, Quezo de Bola then pressed and grilled in a butter greased pan. The dish prepared for the photo shoot was a little burnt, but the dish served at the end of the event was grilled perfectly. I loved this one as it had a great balance of sweetness and saltiness.


Insalata Uva
To counter the richness of the Grilled Ensaimada, Chef Fern prepared Insalata Uva, a signature salad dish chef's old restaurant called Uva. I do love to eat salad, but I rarely prepare vinaigrette, so this was something I am thankful for. Means I can now include vinaigrette on my salad as well.


Bunuelos with Spiced Chocolate Dip
A dessert that was my favorite dish that day. It was like profiteroles, but this one's lightly crunchy on the outside and very soft and moist inside. At the demo, this was paired with a chocolate dip, but at the buffet, this was served with another dip - Dulce de Leche. The Spiced Chocolate Dip was great, but I personally loved the Dulce de Leche more.

With the Christmas coming around the corner, people are not only stressed with thinking which gifts to wrap, stress from thinking what to serve also wears us down. All these dishes were very easy to make and not only would these make the Christmas table look great, these were also great Christmas gifts to family and friends.

I am not sure if there will be a featured class this December... if there will be one, I will share details here on my blog as soon as possible.