A Bacon Lovers' Heaven: Slater's 50/50

I remember it all started with a question on what cuisine I would love to try and I said, "Anything but Korean or American" as I was tired of Korean BBQ and burgers that time. But alas, we ended up in another burger joint at Old Town Pasadena which I must say looks pretty nice. It reminded me of New York with the stores on the streets and street performers making the night extra special.

Hello, Slater's 50/50!

The place was pretty packed with people so we had to wait for about half an hour to get a table. While waiting, K and I decided to go for a walk while couple T and K wait for our table.

The place is different from the other parts of Los Angeles. I actually find it pretty romantic. There are some quaint restaurants and for some reason, a handful of flower vendors too. I felt like buying one (love thy self) but naaah, I need the money for my other food trips!

After a while, K and I decided to head back as we're getting hungry too. And... we still have to wait for a few more minutes.

Thankfully, service was pretty quick. We ordered Fried Bacon Mac n' Cheese Balls ($5.95), Slater's Vampire Dip ($8.95), B' B' B' Bacon Burger ($10.95), The 50/50 ($9.95) and the Fried Chicken & Pancakes ($10.95) and in less than 10 minutes, our appetizers arrived.

The Fried Bacon Mac n' Cheese is your typical Mac n' Cheese covered in breaded coating with a tinge of bacon. It was pretty good though I hope it was a bit cheesier.

One of our favorites that night was the Slater's Vampire Dip! The dip had a strong garlic taste and it went so well with the cheese and artichoke. We also enjoyed the pita and T can't help but finish the sourdough.

Love At First Bite: The Tuileries Confections

Macarons. This has been one of the biggest food craze last year and it seems like it's here to stay for a bit longer. I must say, I am one of the crazy foodies to shell out money for these small (but yummy) desserts. If you think about it, these are very expensive. But if you crave for something beyond your typical chocolate bar or ice cream, this is a good choice.

I have been a big fan of S's baking and when she flew to Paris to further enhance her skills, I just want her to finish her studies ASAP just so I could have more of her delectable brownies. But I guess I have to wait.
She didn't disappoint us though as a few weeks after she came back, she started her business The Tuileries Confections.

Image from The Tuileries Confection Facebook page

It was her post for Valentine's Day that convinced me to to order a box of macarons. 

First Bite: Green Pastures

Organic. This craze is getting stronger and stronger as time pass by. I guess it's actually a good craze as people are becoming more health conscious. I'm not too fond of organic food though as I think it tastes the same as the usual non-organic kind and because it is way pricier than its "unhealthy" counterpart. Don't get me wrong though as I try organic or healthy food from time to time. Like when I tried Juju Cleanse and Slice. And because of my desire to visit all new restaurants, my friends and I visited Green Pastures.

Hello Green Pastures!

There's a short wait before we could be seated. Oh the charm of new restaurants. This one was featured on T.V. and my aunt told me to give this a try and so I did.

I just came from Kimukatsu so I was still pretty full when I met A and L. (AL?) So I decided to go for the Local Artisanal Cheese (PHP325, single; PHP425, choice of 2; PHP850, full) and MilkEggsHoney (PHP155) for dessert. A went for the Meat On Meat Classic Cheeseburger (PHP595) while L ordered Octopus Bone Marrow (PHP425) and Duck You fries (PHP185). We all ordered Hibiscus Iced Tea (PHP90 per glass, PHP135 refillable) out of curiosity on how different it would be from a typical iced tea.

Service was quite quick as the Duck You which was served with a mini spray bottle of sauce, which happens to be vinegar, arrived in less than 10 minutes. The Duck You fries are your typical fries cooked in duck fat and topped with duck skin and duck confit. This dish is rather unhealthy but something duck lovers would enjoy.

Next served was my cheese order. I got the Neufchatel Cream Cheese with Smoked Salmon. The serving of cheese wasn't that generous but it was definitely enough for the four slices of bread. I wasn't very experimental though and ate the nuts, grapes honeycomb and cheese separately. I enjoyed the cheese though I hardly tasted the salmon.

Restaurant Love: Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar

It has been a while since I have done a food trip thus I tend to eat less now. Yes, I can no longer do four stops. (I bet you think I eat like a person on a diet huh?) 

I have super friends! Even before I landed, I already arranged dates with the people I love. N for one was game for a food trip. So that means more than one stop.

Wee both finally agreed to go to Bonifacio Global City as it has a lot of new restaurants we have yet to try. We planned to visit Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar, Sunshine Kitchen, and Kitchen's Best. We didn't know though that most restaurants close at 4 p.m. on Sundays so we had to change our plans a lot!

Anyway, this entry focuses on our first stop, Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar.

Why hello there OTKB!

Restaurant Discovery: Kimukatsu

People change as time pass by. Priorities shift and some friends come and go. That's how life is. Dwelling in how great things were will just hinder you from appreciating the present. I admit, I used to be guilty with reminiscing about the past, how happy and carefree college was. Okay, perhaps it wasn't as carefree as I recall as I do remember sleepless nights because of those financial models we just could not balance. But I am thankful for one thing... the people who stayed. 

It has been a while since I last saw J and M. The last time I met J was way back in 2010 while it was 2012 for M. I guess we all got busy but interestingly, kept in touch thanks to Facebook. Hey, this could be a movie, eh? Uh, not really.

Anyway, we all decided to meet up at Shangri-La (since I'm the youngest and I get the first pick!) and went to Kimukatsu, a new Japanese restaurant at the East Wing.

For some reason, I had an impression that it is just like its neighbor, Ikkoryu Fukuoka. But when we got there and saw the menu, it is just like Yabu. KimuKATSU... duh! Since we're there and comfy, we decided to go for it. 

I ordered the Black Pepper Katsu (PHP390) while J went for the Tatsuta-Age (PHP180) and another katsu viand I forgot to note. M on the other hand went for the Kimukatsu Plain Sandwich (PHP210) and Agedashi Tofu (PHP180). I also ordered Japanese Panna Cotta for dessert (PHP110).

First served were the complimentary miso soup and cabbage followed by the Tatsuta-Age and Kimukatsu Plain Sandwich. I had to take quick snapshots of the dishes as I was not with people who are used to being around a food blogger who believes in "picture before satisfying the tummy". 

Restaurant Discovery: Kettle

I really have this thing for new restaurants. I get so excited every time I find out that a new restaurant is opening soon near my place. By near I mean Shangri-La, Megamall, Capitol Commons, and Kapitolyo. While I was trying to resist my foodie urges in the States, I was busy doing "research" on the new restaurants. One of the new places that caught my fancy was Kettle at Shangri-La's East Wing.

Hello Kettle! 

I met up with my good friend M for dinner for some intense catching up. I insisted that we have dinner there as I have to try its famous fried chicken.

Ordering was a breeze too as I know what I want. I ordered the Smoked Salmon Salad (PHP250), Buttermilk Fried Chicken (PHP519), and Calamari (PHP329). For dessert, we originally wanted to get the Checkered Cake but they ran out so we went for the Pistachio Cake instead (PHP229).

Service was pretty quick as our salad and calamari were served within 15 minutes. 

The salad was drizzled with black pepper for additional taste. The serving itself was pretty generous and I enjoyed it a lot. I would have enjoyed it more if there were more salmon though. The dill ranch dressing has that tangy taste that would make you eat more!

The calamari though seemed typical for me. It's your usual fried and breaded squid.

An L.A. Must Visit: Castaway

Ever since I heard from Auntie L that Castaway is a great restaurant to visit, I have been hoping to dine there. It's slightly far and I heard that it's pricey too. But reading the reviews and seeing the photos made me want to visit it more. It somehow reminded me of how much I wanted to go to Sonya's Garden and Vigan. Luckily, I managed to have dinner there a few days before my flight back to Manila.

Hello, Castaway!

The place has a relaxed ambiance and doesn't have this snotty feel at all which I get when I visit classy restaurants. It feels more like a guest house with rather tropical decor.

The menu is not as extensive as I thought but all sound so mouthwatering. We ended up ordering Castaway Crab Cakes ($13), Roast Prime Rib of Beef ($32), and Bone-In Rib Eye ($38). As for drinks, we had a glass of Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri and Lemonade.

 

The crab cake was served quickly. It even arrived before the wait basket of fresh bread. It was quite savory and a pleasant appetizer. The texture was smooth and crunchy. The sauce too was a combination of tangy and salty. I truly enjoyed it.

 

The main dishes took a long time to be served though. Apparently, there was a problem with our side dishes... potatoes. They ran out of potatoes. Thus the over half an hour wait.

Japan in California: Yamashiro Japanese Restaurant

I love Japanese food. People close to me (and those who see me wolf down sashimi) know how much I just adore it. And every time I eat out, one of the cuisines I consider is Japanese. I'll either crave for salmon sashimi, ramen, tempura, udon, or whatnot. It must be my anime addiction that caused this. Anyway, on my last night in Los Angeles, my aunt R treated me to this nice restaurant overseeing LA. 

Hello, Yamashiro!

The place is so Japanese! It felt like I was really in Japan though I'll never know because I have never been there. I wanted to capture every corner of the place with pictures. I was like a kid trying to ingrain every bit of detail in my mind as this place is simply... amazing. At least for me. 

 It was rather chilly that day but we didn't care and took pictures like it's nothing!

We ordered though before we went out to capture the beauty of the place. We ordered Wakame Seaweed Salad ($12), Pistachio Salmon ($16), Truffle Hamachi ($16), Spicy Seafood Hot Pot ($10), and Duck Confit Asian Cobb (forgot to take note of the price of this one). For dessert, we had Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich ($12) and Banana Fritters (price was not in the menu as well).

The Wakame Seaweed Salad's serving was pretty stingy. Luckily though they gave us an extra serving for... FREE! The power of the people I'm with. :D The taste though was your typical seaweed salad. You could get a huge serving of it if you buy the ingredients yourself.

The Spicy Seafood Hot Pot wasn't spicy at all. It was served warm and it was a good appetizer. All the ingredients (shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, mussels, and scallop) were fresh. Yum! However, the serving, again, was too small.

Stop in the name of WINGS: Wingstop

Okay, okay, the title was beyond corny. I'm getting rusty here. Anyway, I have been wanting to eat out for a long time while I was in California as I normally eat at home to well, save money. And ever since I saw Wingstop, I have always been curious with it. And when Frannywanny posted it in her Instagram, I got even more curious. So one day, I finally have to try it!

Hello, Wingstop! 

Luckily, there was a branch a few minutes away from where I stayed though it was a pretty small store.

We had to wait for a few minutes before we could get a table while waiting for our order of wings. When we went, there was a promo of $20 for 25 boneless wings and we could choose 3 flavors. If I recall it right, we had Garlic Parmesan, Lemon Pepper, and Hot Original. The meal comes with vegetables sticks and bread. We also ordered fries and a glass of cola. Our bill amounted to less than $25. Not bad for a meal for two.

We managed to get a table before the food arrived. At first I was trying to figure out how we will manage to eat while sitting on a bench but chicken wing gods have been extra nice to us.

I didn't bother trying the Hot Original as it's the second spiciest flavor and I don't really like spicy food. I was told though that it wasn't as spicy and it tasted okay. Not superb but okay. 

The Garlic Parmesan is literally fried crispy wings sprinkled with garlic parmesan. Without the topping, it's as bland as blah.

Las Vegas Stop: Border Grill

Eating out in the US is pretty expensive so I never had the chance to really eat out as I normally do here in Manila. But it's okay. It made me learn how to prepare more dishes and even bake! I manage to try a few restaurants though while I was in the US and I will be sharing them one by one this month. Let me start with Border Grill (after a little story of our Vegas trip).

My good friend J went to California for a short vacation and we decided to visit Las Vegas to make her vacation worthwhile. The catch though was... we'll just stay overnight.

 

I was pretty proud with myself as I was able to learn Las Vegas 101 in less than an hour. Soon, I found myself securing our bus tickets (thank you Greyhound) and hotel (the farthest in the strip but hey, it is still on the strip!).

Soon, J and I found ourselves in a bus ride to Las Vegas and it sure was a long ride. 6 hours to be exact with a scent of Marijuana. Yes, weeds. For some reason, some passengers just can't wait. I found out it that it was the smell of weeds from an elderly. I guess I still have a lot to know about the "real world".

When we arrived, we tried to figure out how to get to the strip as the bus stop is a few blocks away. We had 3 options then, cab, bus or walk. I didn't consider taking a cab as an option as the fare is ridiculously expensive plus with the traffic, we'll run out of money in no time. So we decided to walk until we found a bus terminal. We got a day pass for $8 per person. It's not a bad deal at all. It's valid for 24 hours! Our hotel was about 4 to 6 stops away from the terminal and sadly, while inside the bus, I got squished. Yes, squished by one of the passengers. 

After an hour of stretching and resting, we finally decided to head out and explore Vegas. We first went to the observation deck at Stratosphere for the view then took the bus to go to the farthest hotel, Mandalay Bay.

Life Note: Live. Love. Laugh.

Disclaimer: This post has nothing to do with food but with life. Quite serious tone will be used too (or at the very least, I'll try). 

It has been more than a month since I last posted an entry and there's a reason behind this. I have been through so many things in life that I find so overwhelming. In a span of less than a month, so many things happened that could make one go crazy. But the thing here is, you only become one if you are not strong enough. The state of craziness is seen as a form of incapability to handle things, a form of escape from reality. But we are created strong. We just need a bit of faith in ourselves. Because life is too beautiful for it to be ruined by mishaps. 

Cry. There is nothing wrong with shedding tears. We are human beings and we get hurt. You might ask, what about those who do not cry? Perhaps they have been through worse, they simply do not care, or both. Our family and friends would often say "Don't cry." But here's the thing, let it out. Crying is part of getting over something. Cry until you reach the point of not wanting to cry over it. 

Open yourself to comfort. I used to be the type who do not open up and keep things to myself. I don't let anyone inside as I find it hard to trust people. But when you face difficulties, it's best to get wisdom from people who have been through the same or worse. We should remember that we are never alone. There are so many people around us who love us dearly. Yes, words won't really change a thing, but it's comforting to know that there are people, at times unexpected, who would go out of their way to make you feel better. Treasure them.

Accept reality. There is no use blaming something or someone because sadly, it happened already and no one can reverse time and change it for the better. Yes, this is hard because we always find ourselves asking, "What if this happened instead?" or "What if I didn't do it?" But the thing is, we'll never know until we get there. There's no such thing as certain in life. All we could do is give our best in all the things we venture on so that we will have no regrets in the end. 

Forgive. We all make mistakes. More often than not, we have a hard time getting over the mistake because we blame ourselves. We think of the things we have done that have caused all these to happen. But blaming ourselves won't do anything. What we need is to first, forgive and relearn how to love, especially ourselves. 

Learn. The time will come when the next adventure comes and you are ready for it. In this journey, you should not bring with you any baggage of the past. There should be no resentment, no bitterness or hatred because these will be hurdles for you to give your best, to give your all once again. 

Live in the present. We've heard about it so many times from our family, friends, movies and even cartoons. 

Live. Love. Laugh. These three words have been used in so many quotes and yet many forget about these. 

We choose on what we do with our lives. I choose to be happy. So I will be.