Midsummer Manila Trunk Show Finds

I used to be so addicted to bazaars that I mark each and every one in my calendar. And yes, it definitely drains the budget. I still remember how excited I was whenever the Rockwell or Noel bazaars will announce its dates and I make sure to block at least 2 of the three dates for shopping. But as I grew older, my priorities changed. I started to save more and smarter on where I spend my hard earned cash. Needless to say, I've grown more mature and learned when to splurge and save. But when I got invited to Midsummer Manila's trunk show a few weeks back, the shopaholic in me was back.

Hello, Midsummer Manila. 

Midsummer Manila is a bazaar and trunk show organizer that has been roaming around Manila specifically Makati and BGC with its curated concessionaires offering unique finds. 

I was invited to (I think) its second trunk show which took place in one of Arya Residences' function rooms and I was impressed with the selection. Hardly any can be considered mainstream. Most are beautifully hand crafted and worth every penny. 

Here's a rundown of my favorite finds:

First Visit: Merkanto Street International Street Food

Merkanto Street has been one of the most awaited stops during our Maginhawa food crawl. With J’s new found love for banh mi and R’s interest in Indian food, we had to make sure that we head here as soon as when the clock strikes 4 p.m..

Hello, Merkanto St International Street Food! (Whew, that’s a mouthful.)

The humble car wash and food park in one was empty when we got there around 4:30 p.m. and sadly, there was only one stall open at that time as most open at 5 p.m.. This made choosing easier as we’re stuck with Viet Nom, a stall that sells Vietnamese dishes. 

J went with Bahn Mi Ga (PHP165) while A got Mi Xiao Mem (PHP145) and R1 ordered Mi Xiao Toi Thit Ko Bo (PHP165). 

The Bahn Mi Ga (it was really spelled as Bahn Mi instead of Banh Mi) was sweet and had a bit of crunch thanks to the veggies. But it lacked that defining taste of banh mi that comes from a generous serving of cilantro and liver pate. The bread was wrong as well as they used a soft bun instead of a baguette. At PHP165, this was a bit steep as other banh mi places sell theirs at PHP130 and these establishments use the right bun. 

A Rich Taste of India: Royal Indian Curry House

Indian cuisine is not very popular here in Manila. You’d seldom or barely see an Indian restaurant in the malls or foodie havens. But when you do, more often than not, it would give you a distinct gastronomical experience. And that was what I experienced when I went to Royal Indian Curry House.

Hello, Royal Indian Curry House.

Our foodie godfather, Foodgrammer.ph, invited R and I to join him in an Indian feast last week. As curious foodies, we quickly said yes and crawled (literally because of the traffic) our way to Makati and was greeted by an impressive five-storey restaurant across A.Venue Mall. 

The first and second floor have the same interiors while the third floor is more of a bar or pub with billiards. The fourth floor is dedicated for private functions and the fifth floor is yet another bar with a cute jeepney as the cocktail bar. 

Our generous host suggested most of the dishes we were about to feast on that night. I just chose Sweet Lassi (PHP179) for my drink and went with whatever everyone’s getting.

First served were the Vegetable and Non-Vegetable Samosa (PHP149 and PHP199) and Sharaabi Chana (PHP249). 

At first, we were confused with how the server got to know which samosa is which. She let us in the trick and told us that the puffed pastries with lines on the edge are the ones with chicken meat while the ones without are just with vegetables. I liked the non-vegetable ones more as the chicken meat gave the dish more flavor compared to the ones with just potatoes and peas. 

Everyone loved the Sharaabi Chana but the rough chick pea like texture made my throat itch so I stopped after munching on two balls.