First Bite: Ebi 10

Poblacion was starting to wake up from its slumber when we headed to our next stop. With the sun almost down and traffic starting to build up, we scurry our way to Tambai Alley and headed straight to the last store which is Ebi 10. 

Hello, Ebi 10.

You might have seen a bunch of posts of Ebi 10's ginormous tempura on social media. Its name alone is a play of ebi tempura. (Well, I just assumed that so don't take my word for it.) But this Japanese store has a lot more to offer. 

Love at First Bite: Hook by Todd English

I'm so thankful that I live in a country that has access to several kinds of seafood. However, some of my favorites cost me an arm and leg (at times two legs). But that was about to change thanks to this new Todd English concept called Hook. 

Hello, Hook! 

Just like the other Todd English restaurants, Hook has dark interiors and a bit of pub/bar vibe to it but with a touch of class. 

I was first greeted by a beautiful showcase of seafood ranging from humongous fishes in different colors to the freshest oysters I've laid my eyes on. 

Eric welcomed us and ushered us to our table and suggested that we try the Three Tiered Seafood Platter (PHP3,500) and (Not) Paella (PHP750). As clueless diners, we let him surprise us with his choices. 

While waiting for our food, we were given glasses of champagne to pair with our meal. And it was a pretty good way to cap the week. 

First Bite: Xiu Fine Cantonese Dining

Xiu has been making a lot of noise since it opened last week. Socialites and food bloggers have been posting their favorites on Instagram and I could not help but get curious. Luckily, I was not the only one eying this place. R's dad wanted to try it too and asked R to make reservation arrangements given that he knows one of the owners. But the place was fully booked on its first week so we had to wait for the following weekend. And finally, the wait was over! 

Hello, Xiu Fine Cantonese Dining!

R's family was already there when we arrived and they did the ordering and picked Roast Goose (PHP1,980, half | PHP3,800, whole), Tiger Lobster Baked with Cheese and e-fu noodles (market price, ours reached over PHP10,000), Mashed Taro Puff with Scallop and Truffle (PHP1,080), Fried Squid in Chili and Salt (PHP580), Sweet and Sour Pork (PHP480) and Mixed Mushroom with Truffle Paste (PHP680).

While waiting for our food, we were served some crackers and vinegar which we paired with... our Malvasia-Chardonnay. Odd pairing but it was better than being (h)angry. 

First dish served was the Roast Goose. Given its price, we expected it to be good. 

The skin was slightly crispy and the meat was fatty. The darker meat on the other hand was quite chewy and tough. 

Taste-wise, it was flavorful enough to be enjoyed alone or with minimal sauce but its fattiness and toughness made this dish a disappointment. R's mom even said that we should have just ordered from all-time favorite Summer Palace.

The Mixed Mushroom with Truffle Paste was served next and it was delightful! I loved the soft yet subtly crunchy bite of mushrooms and the heavenly taste of truffle. It was so good that I had to get three servings of this! 

While still in mushroom heaven, the Fried Squid in Chili and Salt was next to be devoured.

There was really nothing much to say about this one as I always believe that it would be hard to mess with a deep-fried dish, especially if you claim to be a good restaurant. The squid used was fresh and not tough at all. The breading was not oily and the dish was not overly salty. 

The most anticipated dish of the night, Tiger Lobster with Baked Cheese and e-fu, made quite an entrance. We were so lucky to be able to get the last lobster for the night as a bunch of diners seemed to have placed their orders in advance.

Love at First Bite: Dohtonbori

Thanks to the mouthwatering photos I see here, I had a few sleepless nights and experienced intense FOMO (oh yeah! I feel like a millennial) when looloo held a rendezvoos in this popular okonomiyaki restaurant along Missouri Street. And after months of drooling and waiting and more drooling, I have finally set foot inside... DOHTONBORI!!! 

PON POKO PON NO PON!!! (Did I get it right?) 

We were asked if we would like to dine in the tatami mat area and I immediately said YES. Let's eat Japanese style! Woohoo!!!

Water was served right after we sat down. (Plus points for that as the heat was too much!)

After browsing the menu, we settled with Deluxe Okonomiyaki (PHP360), Kalbi Yakiniku (PHP280) and Grilled Salmon Chanchan (PHP380).

The kale yakiniku was served first and the server prepared it for us due to our fear that we'll mess things up if we do the grilling and flipping. In less than 10 minutes, the kalbi yakiniku was ready to be enjoyed. 

It was good. Tender beef with lovely sweet sauce. However, it was a bit on the bland side. 

The deluxe okonomiyaki and salmon chanchan were prepared next and it took longer than the yakiniku. 

Restaurant Love: Asakusa Home of Tempura

Jumping around is tiring. R and I could not even last five straight minutes jumping on trampolines. Oh how I miss being a kid. After an hour (well, more of 30 to 35 minutes) of playing with trampolines and questionably clean foam cubes, R and I built a huge appetite for heavy dinner. Since R fell in love with Asakusa and that we are just across The Grove, we decided to head there after Jump Yard.

Hello, Asakusa Home of Tempura!

The place was packed on a Saturday night. We had no choice but to eat outside. At least we were beside the fan and mosquito repellant machine.

R wanted us to stick with our usual Salmon Salad (PHP208) and Emperor Tempura Set (PHP578) but since I want to try something new, we also ordered Salmon Maki (PHP318) and Cold Soba (PHP98).

First served was salmon maki. We opted to make it mildly spiced as I have low tolerance for spicy food.

It was... not spicy at all. And the salmon bits were too few for us to get a taste of it. All we got a taste of were the Japanese rice and tempura crumbs. R gave me an I-told-you-so face after he saw my disappointed face. 

The salmon salad was served next. To make things a bit interesting, we got it with spicy sauce. But we played it safe by asking for the spicy sauce or dressing to be put on the side.

Love at First Bite: Asakusa Home of Tempura

I have been dying to visit this tempura place at The Grove for months but it gets cancelled every single time. I blame the lazy weekend bug! There was one time though when we finally braved the Saturday traffic and we were greeted by… a closed sign. I heard my heart break and my tummy whine the moment I saw the glass door signage. But the Year of the Monkey seems to be my year as when R and I visited The Grove during Chinese New Year for dinner, the place I have been eying for months was open. OPEN! *insert creepy mega giant smile here*

Hello, Asakusa! 

The foodie in me found it so surreal that I finally managed to get inside the “home of tempura”. It was a long wait and I hope that it won’t disappoint.

Famished, we ordered Salmon Salad (PHP208), Emperor Tempura Set (PHP578) and Gyudon (PHP288). For beverage, we settled with the complimentary house tea.    

Service was quick as it was not even past the 5 minute mark when the salmon salad was served.

I loved it! The fresh salmon cuts drizzled with what seemed to be teriyaki sauce went really well with the crisp veggies and tempura flakes. The contrast between the soft and crunchy textures was delightful as well. Though flavor was a tad strong as appetizer, it was still a great starter!

Gyudon was served next and we were perplexed with its appearance. It did not look like the gyudon we know. The meat looked a bit too dark. Tastewise, the flavor was overpowering. It was too sweet for gyudon. 

First Bite: Impressions

Unlimited foie gras. Those sweet words made me go "ooooh" longer than holding my breath to win the "happy birthdaaaaaaaay" contest. 

Hello, Impressions!

This classy buffet restaurant in Resorts World Manila is headed by celebrity chef Cyrille Soenen and its layout is meant to impress.

The slightly dim lit restaurant had a minimalist signage in front that also serves as the reception desk. 

As soon as you enter, you are greeted by several numbered tables with the first buffet bar on the right which serves the meats. 

We got table #18 reserved for us which was perfect as it was in front of the buffet table that prepares foie gras, scallops and lobsters. It was also near the sweet corner a.k.a. desserts and sashimi.

My first plate had a lot of salmon sashimi, a few maki and foie gras. 

The foie gras bits were bite size and it was... just okay. It wasn't spectacular but it wasn't bad. It had the usual slightly grainy texture of foie gras and the delectable oiliness per bite. But it lacked richness in flavor.