Longos

Dear you,

Ran away to Kalayaan.

There’s no traffic there

or rugby boys.

Frenz Fries

Sunshine Beach, Catbalogan

In the end, we only grieve over

the chances we didn’t take,

the love we were afraid to have,

and the decisions we waited too long to make.

Gayuma ni Maria

You’ll fall asleep,

I’ll put a spell on you.

And when I wake you,

I’ll be the first thing you’ll see.

And you’ll realize that you love me.

The naughty nook

Exotic lover

(Hey strange and beautiful)

Please be careful with my heart

(Take my heart too but please don't break it in two)

Beats sex any day

(If you had walnuts, I'll be yours forever)

Twisted pavlova

(You are such an orgasmic sight)

At first, I thought Gayuma ni Maria was an R-18 brothel-themed resto. True, menu sound flirty, love spells and chants were all over the place, and so were kinky stuffs and edible etits-shaped cookies. But I was deceived. Gayuma is fairly for general patronage. It is even a bewitching date place.

First bite of the food will already take you to seventh heaven.

Yeah, I was gayumatized. But I was a willing victim.

Gayuma ni Maria
123 V. Luna Ext. (Maginhawa St.)

Sikatuna Village, Quezon City

Sometimes pain is imaginary but at times very real

I swear I’m gonna cry.

I’m tired pretending

to be tough.

Sunset Shore Villas, Morong, Bataan

A sunset. A shore. And villas.

An attractive 3 in 1 package.

Plus a pool bonus.

You can’t ask for more.

The Perks of Having a Best Friend

1. Having someone who can stand you.

2. A shoulder to lean on.

3. Discounted degustacion lunch at Lolo Dad’s.

Nage of blue crab and scallops jelly with lobster sandwich

caper berry aioli and micro greens

Hot sea bass sardine with Moluga caviar marinated radish and cracker

Sous vide of duck breast and seared foie gras with chocolate ganache

Sorbet

Roast lamb rack and wagyu beef slab smoked bone marrow butter

(Did I just eat bone marrow? Holy cow!)

Gratinated Chev's brie cheese with beets, peaches and light goat cheese mousse

Almond nut sponge with coffee butter cream and vanilla almond ice cream

Lolo Dad’s – Minimalist interior style. Relaxing garden setting. To die for caviar and foie gras. A place of extreme, intense, great gustatory adventure.

Bucket list no. 5. Check.

PS.

Don’t forget to bring lots of cash. Lots and lots of it. For this lunch, Kuri paid 6k+. Just digest and picture out this information with me fainting in the background.

Lolo Dad’s Cafe

899 Pres. Qurino Ave. cor.

Leon Guinto St., Malate, Manila

Tel. No.: 522-2941, 524-2295, 526-7151

The Frazzled Cook

 

I was saddened by the news that my favorite resto, the quaint Fat Michael’s Place recently closed down. Though it has a failing mark in service, their food tastes A+. As in ambrosia. Not that I’ve tasted the real ambrosia. Just take my word for it.

The good news however is the chef of Fat Michael’s is now the resident chef and co-owner of the Frazzled Cook.

Frazzled – physically or emotionally harassed.

The frazzled cook serves excellent dishes (vegetable salad in honey mustard dressing, paella negra, pasta with cream and hazelnuts, and pancake ala mode) but I’m not sure if he gets harassed every time he painstakingly prepare the food. The place is more like home than a regular diner. The decors are whimsical – a combination of antiques, post cards, mementos, cartoon murals, cute maneki-nekos and lots and lots of abubots. And from the bookshelf, you will find Wuthering Heights. I took that as a sign. The Frazzled Cook is more like the reincarnation of Fat Michael’s with a better hospitality service.

Nostalgia – a sentimental yearning for the happiness of a former place or time or maybe food.

Can I just call the place The Nostalgic Cook?

PS.

Kuri’s post-birthday treat or so.

The Frazzled Cook

916 Luna Mencias, Brgy. Additional Hills

Mandaluyong City

Tel. no.: 782-5980, 725-3354

Sta. Quiteria, Caloocan

I don’t know what stands out in Caloocan, but I know a place worthy of human interest that was named after a woman of courage.

Beautiful princess Saint Quiteria which means "the red one", was a 5th century virgin martyr and saint. Her legend states that she was the daughter of a Galician prince. Her father wanted her to marry and renounce Christianity. But Quiteria disobeyed and fled. In the end however, she was captured by her father's men in Gascony, France. For her disobedience, she was beheaded on the spot.

Look, she’s showing her decapitated head to the world as if saying, I died for my religion, I died for love.

I admire her bravery but boy she’s spooky.

Nami Boracay

Perched on a cliff, Nami Resort is the only place in Boracay which has a bamboo elevator, and beautiful villas and a restaurant overlooking Diniwid beach.

Fall in love with Nami, one of the island’s most romantic hideaways.

Syd’s Kitchen

Kianchi carpaccio

Braised beef ribs

Shrimp hakaw

Chili crab meat spaghettini

Hulk pasta

Green tea cheesecake

Dear Syd,

When I told you that your Kitchen is the best dining place in Banawe area, I kinda lied. Mainly because I haven’t tried all the restaurants in Banawe, and quite honestly I wouldn’t make a good and fair judge especially if I’d only been to McDo-Banawe and your resto.

However, if someone happens to ask me where to best dine in Banawe, I’d point them to your kitchen. Or they’d be crazy not to go! Really, I meant it when I said that your Asian fusion dishes are biting, and that your mural kois made me love your place even more.

Frenzfries

PS.

Just been to Shangri-La Boracay. Now I know why you prepare such amazing dishes. I hope one day, you could make your own laing or bicol express spaghetti. And if you do, give me a buzz!

Syd's Kitchen
847 Unit B Banawe St.

cor. Linaw, Quezon City
Tel. No.: 414-0826