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.

Maxine's by the Sea (Hundred Islands - Alaminos, Pangasinan)

When we made the decision to travel to Hundred Islands, we listed Maxine's by the Sea as one of the choices for us to stay at because my sister wanted to stay near the beach (or the water) so we could also enjoy the view. However, off-peak season meant low prices on some accommodations, and in the end we decided to choose a transient home instead. Still, we told ourselves we would eat our lunch at Maxine's by the Sea before we travel back to Manila, and that was what we did.


Maxine's by the Sea has two dining area - this, on the ground floor and another bigger one upstairs. When we got there, it was still early (around 11:30am), so we were escorted to the ground floor dining area. Though smaller than the other area, we just loved the refreshing wind that helped eased the high noon heat.

They offer a lot of choices, but because we have been eating a lot of fish the past few days, we decided to go for these dishes instead:

Celebrate Valentine's Day at Max's Restaurant

For many people, Valentine's Day is such a special day. I know, we should express our love every day and not just on Valentine's Day, but... it is like an anniversary - a special day celebrating love. Have you made plans for that day? If you want to provide a sumptuous lunch or dinner with your loveydoves and still save some precious money for other things, I suggest you go to Max's Restaurant, because they are currently offering Meal for Two, where you get to pair --


Max's Fried Chicken (half serving) with Kangkong Stuffed Tofu OR


with Sizzing Tofu...

as well as 2 servings of rice, Iced Tea, and Buko Pandan. Not too heavy, but sure to fill your tummies! Personally, I loved the Sizzling Tofu because I loved the blend of cream and celery, but the Kangkong Stuffed Tofu tasted great, too! This meal is priced for only P525 only, allowing you to save as much as P191.

Now, if you're the type who celebrates Valentine's Day on the actual day, it's just fine. This meal is on offer until the end of February 2015, so even when Valentine's Day has passed and you still crave for the perfect combination Max's Fried Chicken and Tofu bring, you can always come back and have some more.

Hashtag "Forever Alone" on VDay? Why not celebrate with your barkada or with your family? Groups who dine at Max's Restaurant between February 13 and 15, with a minimum bill of 1,500 pesos will get a box of chocolate and caramel bites for free!

Meanwhile, Max's Corner Bakery offers awesome sweet treats for your sweets -


Choco Peanut Butter Cake
a rich and moist chocolate cake, filled with premium peanut butter icing and coated with delicious chocolate frosting.

Peanut Butter isn't one of my favorite flavors, but this cake had a great balance of chocolate and peanut butter, and the chocolate cake was dense yet very moist, just like how I want my chocolate cake to be. It is great to eat this chilled, but I kinda liked my cake on room temperature, with the peanut butter frosting already softened.


White Chocolate Butter Cake
a delectably light and fluffy butter cake garnished with milky white chocolate shavings and topped with rich whipped cream and cherry.

I wasn't able to cut the cake because I didn't want to ruin the heart shape, but inside of this cake is a light cherry frosting - not at all sweet, the sweetness coming mostly from the white chocolate shavings.

These cakes may be small, but just enough to satisfy the sweet tooth, and it's not overwhelming to carry and give - it is actually cute!


If fancy cakes aren't your type, and you just want the simple cake rolls, Max's Corner Bakery now offers a new kind of cake rolls. Before, these rolls just come in single flavors (my favorite is the mango), but because Valentine's Day is usually for couples - they also married two different flavors to create one awesome cake roll pairing! It comes in four flavors - Ube Strawberry, Jelly Pandan, Choco Peanut Butter, and Choco Mocha.

Whether you're single or not, there's something for you at Max's Restaurant this Valentine's Day. These offerings are available on all branches nationwide. For more information, head on to the Max's Restaurant website - http://www.maxschicken.com or check their Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/maxsrestaurant. They are also on Instagram (@maxschicken)



*** Jenn ***

Leann's Tea House (Quezon City)

One thing I have learned about food blogging is that there is pleasure in trying new cuisines. I may have not tasted a whole lot of food from other nations, but those I love, I try to eat every now and then. When it comes to Korean food, I have tasted and cooked a few dishes, so when I learned that there is a new Korean restaurant that is not that far from our place, I knew I just have to try it out.



Leann's Tea House is a newly opened Korean restaurant run by a family of food connoisseurs. This food place opened last April 2014 and is born out of love for Korean food when the Chua family visited Korea. One of the Chua daughters - Jaclyn - married a Korean, and their first born child is named Leann, to whom the restaurant is named after.

The restaurant has a rather small floor area, but they have three floors to accommodate guests. For this food trip, we were at the second floor, which really had a homey feel.


Korean Side Dishes
Clockwise from top left - Kimchi, Lettuce Salad, Bean Sprouts, and Potato Salad. I tried all four, and it was the Lettuce Salad I loved the most!

{More dishes after the jump}

Krazy Garlik Kraaazy Grubs

I am one of those people who just love garlic, not minding its strong flavor and smell. At home, garlic is an ingredient that we buy in regularly as I just love adding it in many dishes and dips. Among the many restaurants in The Bistro Group, Krazy Garlik was probably the one that caught my attention and have longed wanted to try out their dishes, but its location seem to always hinder me from eating here.

Two days before Christmas, my sister had to do a lot of errands in preparation for our upcoming Cagayan de Oro trip, so for our late lunch / snacks, we decided to try out Krazy Garlik's offering.


It was nearly 3pm when we got there (after a salon appointment at Browhaus), so there were only a few diners, allowing me to take a mandatory interior restaurant picture. Checking their menu, my sister and I were surprised at how much garlic infused dishes they offer. At that time, my sister wanted to try their pizza, but for sure we won't be able to eat it, so we just went for something we could handle.

Newest offering at the Krazy Garlik is the Kraaazy Grubs, a selection of Mexican inspired dishes. We had:

Weekend Eating at Manang's Chicken SM Fairview

My sister and I anticipated the opening of Manang's Chicken at SM Fairview, but it was just last Sunday that we finally got to go out and enjoy our favorite double deep fried chicken with soy garlic sauce.


Chicken and Spaghetti Meal
It was very early to eat dinner, so I just went for the chicken and spaghetti meal. I chose the mild spicy sauce and it was a little spicier than what I remembered, and it surely went well with the slightly sweet sauce of the spaghetti. If there was one thing I was sad about, it would be the amount of serving of the spaghetti - either it was little, or I liked it so much that I ate it quite fast. I had lemonade as my drink :)


Two-Piece Fried Chicken Meal
My sister got home early that morning and went to bed right after and it was already mid-afternoon when she woke up, totally not able to eat breakfast and lunch. I guess she was so hungry that she went for the two-piece chicken, also with the mild spicy sauce.

As soon as the meal was served, my sister thought the rice had a small serving. Recalling a food trip we had at Manang's Chicken late last year, the restaurant introduced a bigger rice serving and she was sad that it went back to the small rice serving. The thing was, the rice serving might be small, but they now offer unlimited rice, so the initial rice serving doesn't matter anymore... as one could have as much rice as they want.

Also, we found out that on two-piece (or more) chicken meals / packages, the customer has the privilege to choose different sauces - one opt to have a mix of the original or mild spicy or the extra spicy sauce.


Large Potato Chips
This is a staple whenever we eat at Manang's Chicken, and was served as soon as we placed our orders, so this became our appetizer, if I can call it that. As usual, we went for the Mayo Garlic and Cheesy Cheese dips because we just love combining these two dips for our potato chips.


Red Velvet Sundae
Another one of my sister's usual order. She just love the contrast between the warm cake and cold sundae and the texture and the feel of the cake in the mouth.


Free Sundae Cone
For a limited time, Manang's Chicken SM Fairview is offering free sundae cone for rice meal orders amounting more than 100 pesos, and because my sister ordered the Red Velvet Sundae, I ate the free sundae cone. Sweet!


Ultimate Crispy Chicken Sandwich
Something sister took home. Like I said, it was early to eat dinner that time, so she decided to take home this sandwich or her to eat for late dinner. She ate this around 9pm and loved it a lot because the sauce soaked up the chicken good, the way she liked her Manang's Chicken to be.

The overall dining experience was great. As with every Manang's Chicken outlet we visited, we were treated with respect and bubbly friendliness, which made us love this restaurant more and more.

Manang's Chicken at SM Fairview is located at the lower ground floor, near Dulcinea and Office Warehouse.

Food Trip Flashback | Tokyo Tokyo

There was a moment when Tokyo Tokyo at SM Fairview was closed for renovations. My sister and I happened to be at the mall when it re-opened, and because it was near lunch time already, we decided to eat there.

There was a very big change - for one, the counter was directly across the entrance of the restaurant and the dining area became spacious with ample amount of lighting.


Chicken Karaage
As usual, my sister went with her favorite Tokyo Tokyo meal - the Chicken Karaage. The place may have changed, but the food remained the same... it was still as delicious as we once tasted it.


Chicken Oyakudon Donburi
My favorite Tokyo Tokyo meal is the Beef Misono, but because Tokyo Tokyo just released new dishes, I decided to try it out. Japanese food is something I am teaching myself to appreciate and love, and this didn't fail me. Serving was more than enough to fill the tummy, the sauce was just right, and it gave me a new reason to come back at Tokyo Tokyo.

I am liking Tokyo Tokyo more and more. They provide good Japanese food at affordable prices, and whenever cravings for Japanese food arise, we know eating there would satisfy that.

New Baits at Fish & Co.

I love fish and chips, and for me, Fish & Co. serves the best! Of course, it is not the only dish Fish & Co. is known for... and just recently, they unveiled new dishes, made by Chef Boutwood, the corporate chef of the Bistro Group. I, of course, was there to try it out.


Shrimp Popcorn
Tender chunks of shrimp coated in our signature spices and deep fried to perfection. Served with chipotle mayo dip.

What a great way to start a feast! It might be simple, but it was just so good! My companions for this food trip loved it, too, that we couldn't get over it even after we tasted the other dishes.


Fish Crab Cakes
Premium crab and fish flakes blended with spices and herbs then topped with cilantro salsa.

I loved that the patties were pure crabmeat and fish flakes without extenders inside, but I am not a big fan of crabmeat so this one was just an okay dish for me.


Smoked Fish and Crab Dip
Smoked Fish and premium crab blended with cream cheese.

Smoked fish and cream cheese just went well together! I loved it with the pita bread (or was it tortilla?), although I wish there would be more bread because the dip was so flavorful that one didn't need to put a lot onto the bread.


Steamed Mussels in Pico de Gallo

I wasn't able to get the details of this dish, but one thing to know is that this tasted so good! I loved how big the mussels were inside, and the ingredients just helped give the shellfish more oomph!


Salmon Canelloni 
Salmon filled pasta sheets topped with cheesy bechamel sauce.

Salmon is one of my favorite fish, but it has a flavor that can be a little overwhelming. This dish had big chunks of salmon (and not the flake kind), but I didn't get the "umay" factor because of the bechamel and the pasta sheet. Eating this reminds me of the Salmon Rillet I got to taste last Christmas.


Fresh Tuna Picatta
Fresh tuna seared to perfection and topped with lemon caper sauce. Served with aglio olio pasta and seasoned vegetable.

My favorite dish of the day! I don't eat raw meat, but even if the inside part of the meat was still pinkish and soft, I ate it with gusto because the outside part was cooked enough to provide the contrast in flavor and texture. Super fresh tuna meat was used - I got to taste its natural sweetness and the lemon caper sauce helped to take out the fishy flavor fish normally have. It was a perfect match for the aglio olio pasta... but even if this dish is good enough for sharing, I would probably finish this serving all by myself.


Soft Shell Crab Pasta
Perfectly cooked spaghetti blended with crab fat and topped with soft shell crab.

Oh my goodness, what a rich, rich plate of pasta! It was another great tasting dish, but because I am having problems with my blood pressure, I only had a forkful of it, plus a taste of the soft shell crab. Now, with the crab... I just wish all crabs would be like this - it was amazing to eat the claws without having to worry about the shells. This would be something my mom would fall in love with.

Two more dishes were part of this new set of baits - the Fish & Co. Paella, which I didn't get to taste that much so I won't have a thing to say about it and the Calamari Tacos, which I didn't get to taste at all. I am not so crazy about Paella in general, so when I come back to dine at Fish & Co., I would try the tacos, because I have tasted beef, chicken, and fish tacos... I wanna know how calamari taco taste like.


Banana Caramel Pie
We ended the meal with a sweet note. It was difficult to chew on the frozen bananas (because I have sensitive teeth), but I loved it a lot! The crust was thick that balanced the amount of cream, and the caramel just bound all together.

These dishes are now available in all Fish & Co. branches, but if there would be a good time to visit the store, I suggest you go there during lunch time because they currently have the Happy Lunching Promo that gives you a full meal - with soup and drink from 295 pesos. This promo is available Mondays through Fridays, but is not valid with other promos and discounts including TBC and Premier cards.

Happy fishing!