HONOR: Confessions of a Japan Virgin

I was in Tokyo for the first time from February 1 to 4 and I finally understand all the rave about Japan.

Kung Hei Happy New Year at the Mandarin

The Mandarin Oriental's Charisse Chuidian with the Inquirer's Tessa Prieto Valdes

Can you change your luck?

We like to believe so. Some are braver than others and take their destinies into their own hands. They set goals and start walking the path towards their dreams.

Others like myself are a little more silly. Or not. We believe that our destiny lies in the hands of God and swayed by the forces of nature. So we turn to the east or west or whatever better direction the wind blows that year. And pray for the best.

The Peninsula brings The Sailors Club to Manila

Food author, columnist and editor Micky Fenix interviews Chef Greg Doyle (right), creator of The Sailors Club, and Chef Steven Skelly, executive chef of Sailor's Club. The Sailor's Club was Gourmet Traveler's 2008 Restaurant of the Year.

Best Eats 2012: London | The Ledbury

April 2012: London

Ooops

Dear Margauxlicious Subscriber, 

If you received an email of a draft post, just ignore it please. I accidentally pressed enter and voila my scattered thoughts were exposed. That mistake has since been deleted :) 

Happily, I've cleaned up the clutter. Sorry about that. 

Now let's get on with the New Year!!!

:)

Margaux

Best Eats of 2012: London | Fifteen London

April 2012: London 

Best Eats of 2012: Hong Kong

Reminscing on last year's food trips ...

February 2012: Hong Kong


Got to know these amazing foodies last year who travel to eat - not for work, only to appreciate. An awesome bunch. Here's where we ate ...

2012 Highlights: Lexi and Kayla

I love the holidays in spite of the holidaze because it gives us time to catch up with friends and family. This year we were especially blessed to have my very young cousins from the US, Lexi and Kayla, whose Papa Louie, may he rest in peace, was a like a second dad to me and my sister. I
had a blast on the last two days of 2012 with these girls. 

The photo above of Lexi (left) and Kayla reminds me of me and my sister Goldee.

New Year's Eve and happy to be home

We had the best New Year's Eve ever for the first time in our Makati residence. We had always celebrated in Bulacan but for the first time since we moved to this house, we witnessed the Makati New Year's Eve fireworks and it was AMAZING. Why didn't we think of this before?!

Why Hello, Raffles

I could live here: The Writer's Bar at the Raffles Hotel

Chocolate love

Gangnam Style

A friend just asked me about Korean restaurants that made me look up my faves in nearby Koreatown aka Rockwell gillage (gilid ng village).

If You Must Speak Greek ...

Checked out Greeka Kouzina a few times in the past couple of months. Review in Menu @ The Philippine Daily Inquirer.


And below.

If You Must Speak Greek ...


You must not fall into the tourist trap of Greek food, Greece's restaurant critic Albert Arouh advised. He calls moussaka, Greek salad and souvlaki "cliche" dishes for tourists. And warns that hummus isn't even Greek, arguing that ubiquitous tourist traps serve it as the quintessential Greek food only because Cypriots often run Greek restaurants abroad where they serve this Middle Eastern delicacy.

And yet when The Greek Gaydess, a Greco-American friend, visited Cyma three years ago, he loved the food, cliche as it may be. "I can cook better," he joked. "But it's good!" This was a sentiment resonated by Cyma fans who have followed its growth from a Boracay favorite to a recipient of Best Restaurant awards.

If imitation is the best form of flattery, then Robbie Goco, chef and creator of Cyma, must say thank you for the compliment that is Greeka Kouzina, a restaurant reminiscent of most things Cyma. Another gaydess whispered that Mr. Goco was upset that his menu was copied. But this is grapevine juice and unconfirmed - both on the end of Cyma and of Kouzina. Anyways Mr. Goco need not be bothered because if indeed he was copied, it only proves he has blazed a trail. He may take inspiration from the Starbucks Siren, who remains the queen of quick espresso (and the Christmas planner) in spite of Figaro and Bo.

Supremo: A must-see for every Filipino

Supremo is a biographical excerpt zoning in on the heroism of Filipino revolutionary leader Andres Bonifacio.

It is a cleverly structured movie that lays a personal basis for Bonifacio's anger against the Spaniards (he was imprisoned for helping a stranger; while the stranger he helped was mercilessly and without basis publicly executed using a garrote). It also shows how the intellectual Filipino national hero Dr. Jose Rizal inspired Bonifacio, and even recalls Bonifacio's encounters with Rizal. Best of all, it introduces to the viewer the intermingling of the lives of our country's heroes: Melchora Aquino, Macario Sakay, Apolinario Mabini, Emilio Jacinto, and even Emilio Aguinaldo, whose success in the revolt against Spain as head of the Magdalo chapter of the KKK was acknowledged and whose role in the death of Bonifacio was strongly hinted at in the film.

Brasserie Cicou brings in the French!!!

Rushing off to Salcedo Market so this post will change ... but just already want to share the amazing dinner hosted last night by Cyril and Anna Soenen at Brasserie Cicou featuring French chefs Christian Tetedoie, Gilles Troump and Eric Hubert. Suffice it to say it was like one of those P15,000/head type of dinners. A true indulgence.

Chef Christian Tetedoie preparing the evening's indulgence

A Truly Fabulous Food Affair

Town & Country sure knows how to throw a banquet. As a huge thank you to all its supporters, the magazine, now led by Editor-in-Chief Yvette Fernandez, threw a banquet at Aracama last Thursday night. An ode to being the oldest magazine in the United States, a pioneer in - shall we call it - haute writing, the Town & Country Philippines team decided to execute a heritage menu. With spot.ph/Summit's "Eat Out Now! 115 Manila Restaurants We Love" laid out on the tables as guests' souvenirs, the event was called A Fabulous Food Affair.

Around the World in Small Plates

How do you get the country's best chefs under one roof? Call Cyrene dela Rosa. And that is exactly what the Lifestyle Network did.

At the Rockwell Tent last night, the Lifestyle Network hosted Around the World in Small Plates, a benefit dinner for I Can Serve Foundation where the chefs and food celebrities named in the photo above offered tasting portions of their specialties.

Cyril Soenen of Cicou, Claude Tayag of Bale Dutung, Him Uy de Baron of Nomama

Italy 2012: Lunch following the Canonization of Saint Pedro Calungsod

The Philippine Ambassador to the Holy See Mercy Tuason - such a beautiful and elegant lady - hosted a few events before and after the canonization rites of Saint Pedro Calungsod. The biggest event being the lunch immediately following the rites at St Peter's Square. I wrote about it in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, article below and here.

Italy 2012: Attending the Canonization of Saint Pedro Calungsod

(Warning: this is a VERY CATHOLIC and personal post - part of travel, not about food!)

On the evening of our first day in Rome, we went to St. Peter's Square to get a sneak peak at the stage where the canonization was to take place. To see Saint Pedro's image there practically in the center was hair-raising for RepRachel and a proud Pinoy moment for me. 

Italy 2012: Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere, Rome

Basilica of Our Lady in Trastevere