Love at First Gulp: Backyard Kitchen + Brew's Butterbeer

Harry Potter and beer lovers alike will love the drink concocted by Chef Ed Bugia of Pino, Pipino, The Burger Project and π Breakfast & Pies. His newest restaurant Backyard Kitchen + Brew serves butterbeer using real beer! And since H was craving for it one afternoon, we decided to head to UP Town Center.

Hello, Backyard Kitchen + Brew!

The place wasn’t packed at all when we arrived as it was around 3 p.m. on a Monday.

R and I decided to give butterbeer a try too and ordered one mug each.

The butterbeer smells lovely with its butterscotch scent. It would make beer haters love beer as it is not bitter at all. The whipped butter made it extra sinful which might turn away some health conscious foodies.

I also got a bite of the potato chips drowning in cheese powder and it was L-O-V-E. I can’t wait to visit Backyard Kitchen + Brew again to try its dishes.

Backyard Kitchen + Brew is located at 2^nd Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. Contact them at 0999 3666921 for details and reservation.

Adarna… more than just a magical bird

I finally got the chance to go to Adarna Food and Culture last June 11, 2011. As a Mandaluyong girl, it is VERY HARD to convince me to go to QC unless there’s a very good reason.

Anyhoo, my friend and I were greeted by the script signage of Adarna and 1900s set-up. There was a sunka and jukebox in the lanai area and there was even a sari-sari store with old magazines, boxes, bottles, and even toys.

Inside, I first noticed the three irons. I had to fight the urge to play with it.

The so tempting irons.

*Moving on*

First served was the Seafood Special which has fish fillet and bits of scallops and shrimp. It was a bit crunchy and really savory. It was a tad bit salty for me since I decided to not eat it with rice (blame my no rice diet).

Next served was the Bicol Express (which interestingly did not originate in Bicol). The green peppers were stuffed with meat and covered with batter and coconut milk. It was super (blazingly) hot. I almost finished my can of soda in one go because of it. But since it was so good, I could not help myself get another one. The chewy pepper, creamy cheese, and the ground meat all made the dish really savory.

We also got the chance to try the Adobong Batangas ala Adarna which has a very rich taste. The adobo was a bit crispy and it reminded me of lechong kawali adobo style.

And of course, a meal would not be complete with the dessert which has been a practice of Filipinos as “pang-alis suya”. Chef Giney served Kesong Puti and Langka Fry. It was really good. It was your not so typical turon. The salty taste of the kesong puti and the sweet taste of langka were delightful.

Without a doubt, Adarna Food and Culture is one amazing restaurant. With its chef and owner Giney Villar, a passionate Filipino restauranteur, you’d never go wrong with any of the dishes. Each dish presented to us was truly exquisite.