20 May 2012

My Kitchen


My Kitchen is the latest project of Chef Chris Locher. He became famous by the creation of the panizza, which was originally served at C Italian Dining in Pampanga. Foodies from Manila and all over would drive all the way to Pampanga just to have a taste of this unique pizza. 

For those still unfamiliar, it's an uber thin crust pizza that you make into a roll with alfalfa sprouts and arugula leaves tucked in. The concept was picked up by Yellow Cab pizza to make the hit Dear Darla pizza. 

Chef Chris is no longer with C but now with the Oasis Park Hotel just off Paco Park. It's still not as good as C as those who patronized C knew it but at least we won't have to bust P2000 in gas money anymore just for a slice of panizza! 

MY KITCHEN. 
Oasis Park Hotel 1032-34 Belen Street, Paco, Manila. 
521-2371
Open daily. 
Major credit cards accepted. 
Wheelchair accessible. 
Parking on the street, limited. 
No reservations required.
Casual. 

PS. I mentioned how the panizza was created by Chris Locher in a 2009 article I wrote for Sunday Inquirer Magazine, below:

11 May 2012

Applause for Jamie Oliver

My mom doesn't like watching his cooking shows because she thinks he looks dirty. No offense to Mr. Oliver. The rugged look and casual demeanor just doesn't fly with her John Robert Powers training. 

But my generation loves him. I think it's because we can relate - to his easy demeanor, his easy-to-remember recipes and of course the very contagious passion for healthy eating and using the freshest ingredients in cooking. So he was on my "to do" list in London - no pun intended.

"He's more of an advocate now though," my UK-based Danish cousin observed. "Oh. The whole bringing healthy food to public school students movement?" I asked. Whatever. I still wanted to go to a Jamie Oliver restaurant. So in spite of being challenged in directions on the commute, I made my way to distant Westland Place (not Westfield, which is apparently nearer the city) to Fifteen London, Oliver's first restaurant. 

margauxsalcedo@gmail.com has shared: Chef Rene Redzepi–how he runs Noma, the world’s No. 1 restaurant

MENU for Inquirer Lifestyle Thursdays
Chef Rene Redzepi–how he runs Noma, the world's No. 1 restaurant

Source: lifestyle.inquirer.net

I was the lone Filipino at the World's Best Restaurant Awards in London, England, just last Monday, April 30. Except for a few Asians that I had met at the Miele Guide Awards in the past years, it was very unfamiliar territory—pero in true Inquirer spirit, fight lang!

 

margauxsalcedo@gmail.com sent this using ShareThis.

09 May 2012

Travel made easy

Traveling alone is not so bad after all. Unable to convince my travel buddy the Virgin Mare nor my Ladies Who Lafang buds nor my idol/Food Magazine Editor in Chief Nana Ozaeta nor fave foodie Malu Gamboa nor my sister Goldee to come with me to London to attend the 50 Worlds Best, I ventured out on my own. 

Usually the buying of the tickets and reservations for the hotels is taken care of by either a travel bud or my sister. This time I had to do it by myself. Sus, madali naman pala. 

I booked via agoda.com. 

01 May 2012

NOMA again World's Best Restaurant


Finally in London for the World's Best Restaurant Awards which was held at Guild Hall last night, April 30.  The World's Best Restaurant Awards is an annual ranking of restaurants around the world by Restaurant Magazine. It has a jury called "The Academy" that is made up of food critics, chefs, restaurateurs and "highly regarded ‘gastronomes’" each of whom has seven votes. Of the seven votes, at least three must be used to recognize restaurants outside your region.  

The World's Best: Thomas Keller (in pink tie), Elena Arzak, Juan Mari Arzak (in glasses to the left of Rene), Rene Redzepi (arms crossed), Massimo Bottura (polk dotted shirt), Yoshihiro Narisawa (rightmost)
This year's Top Ten are: 
  1. Noma, Denmark
  2. El Celler de Can Roca, Spain
  3. Mugaritz, Spain
  4. D.O.M., Brazil
  5. Osteria Francescana, Italy
  6. Per Se, New York
  7. Alinea, Chicago
  8. Arzak, Spain
  9. Dinner, London
  10. Eleven Madison Park, New York

04 March 2012

Singapore Encore

Since I featured Karla Mendoza who works in Singapore and you might just visit to check her out, I also included some other restos worth visiting! Here's the list as featured in SIM and I added details.

* * *
Art on a plate at Jaan
The Singapore Scene

If you can’t get a reservation at Pizzeria Mozza to taste the cooking of chef Karla Mendoza (and have already made your rounds for Hainanese chicken and chili crab), there are a ton of other places to check out. Singapore has been building itself, very aggressively and quite successfully, as the culinary epicenter of Asia. A few favorites:

Karla Mendoza: On Top of the Culinary World



Chef Karla Mendoza with Azuthai's Malu Gamboa
Loving today's Sunday Inquirer Magazine. I do hope you were able to get a copy. It features personalities who are at the top of their game, with Susan Rocas on the cover (still acting after 60 years in the business!). It also features guitarist Edgar Avenir, guitarist; boxer Nonito Donaire Jr; and writer Ed Marcelo. I featured Karla Mendoza, executive chef of Mario Batali's Pizzeria Mozza in Singapore.

23 February 2012

Hong Kong 2012: Caprice



 

Caprice spells F-I-N-E. Ensconced in the grandiose Four Seasons Hotel at Central, if you are the type that shrinks in the presence of extravagance, you will drown in these surroundings. 

16 February 2012

Doreen Fernandez Food Writing Contest 2012

The lady who started it all: DOREEN FERNANDEZ
 I get asked this question a lot: how did you get into food writing? The answer is the Doreen Fernandez Essay Writing Contest. I had started a small (puny!) business of making traditional tsokolate (from bean to froth from the batidor) and I really just wanted my Nana Meng's name (our grand aunt from whom we learned all foods Bulacan) in this most prestigious book. I saw the ad in the papers, had nothing better to do, was just high from hot chocolate tripping in Manhattan, so I submitted an entry.


05 February 2012

YABU


TONKATSU is the fried chicken of pork. It is pork that is sliced, breaded and then deep fried.

Just as there are "Filipinized" versions of Spanish creations, the Japanese have what we might call "Japped" versions of European dishes as well. Tempura, for example, while being one of the most popular Japanese dishes today, was reportedly introduced to the Japs by the Portugese; tonkatsu, meanwhile, is said to have been influenced by the French.

27 January 2012

Restaurant Notes: MANGETSU

Agedashi tofu.
Restaurant Notes.


Where to Eat this Weekend: Mangetsu
Friday, January 24, 2012

05 January 2012

Menu for Inquirer Lifestyle: FOOD FORECAST 2012

The signature Foie Gras buger at L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon (Resorts World Sentosa).

Hello 2012! Let me peer into my crystal ball and see what delights you have in store for us this leap year ...

As the world welcomes the Year of the Dragon on January 23, I predict lots of fiery Szechuan cooking to increase fire chi and balance out the incredible hydro-forces of the Water Dragon. I hear Mandarin Oriental will serve an 8-course lauriat dinner for the countdown to be led by feng shui master Joseph Chau while Jasmine at New World Hotel will serve an 11-course lauriat which will include dried oysters with sea moss, among other treats.

31 December 2011

The Rabbit Rocked

Singing at the Manila Hotel's Tap Room (photos by Shaira Luna)

2011 was a great year for me. Very diverse endeavors but all very fulfilling. Some highlights (and, sadly, a couple of goodbyes) and sincere thank you's:

Column in Inquirer Lifestyle
I was quite down by the announcement that Sunday Inquirer Magazine went from being a weekly magazine to a monthly magazine so I was elated (that is an understatement) when Inquirer Lifestyle (Thursdays) adopted my column Menu. Thank you so much first of all to the Magsanocs for always being so supportive, esp. to Dr. Marti Magsanoc who is always pushing me to write better. Thank you to my new bosses (hehe!) PDI EIC Letty Jimenez Magsanoc and Thelma Sioson San Juan for the opportunity to have a column in Inquirer Lifestyle. To me this was the most delightful highlight of 2011.

29 December 2011

MENU for Lifestyle: Highlights of 2011

Casa Roces patio
Happy with my new column in Inquirer Lifestyle. Many thanks to Letty Jimenez Magsanoc and Thelma Sioson San Juan for the opportunity! Joining the Inquirer Lifestyle team was definitely a top highlight of 2011 for me.

For resto highlights of 2011 please see Menu for Inquirer Lifestyle story here.

15 December 2011

MENU for Thursdays: Give them love and (French) lechon

Give them Love and (French) Lechon

It’s that time of year again when one faces a happy problem—what to give the people you love. Go ahead, feed them with love and lechon. Pamper them with praises and paella.
More fab finds for foodies of all ages:


29 November 2011

Tripping on Bacalao



Bacalao is not a universally adored dish. The first impression on it is usually that is too salty. I had a funny conversation about Bacalao with Bistro Filipino owner/chef Rolando Laudico. He catered for a dinner hosted by Ambassador Manolo Lopez where former President Joseph Estrada was a guest. President Erap, the ever-gracious guest, brought bacalao, one of the dishes he is known to make very well. Upon serving the bacalao, Mrs. Lopez supposedly went into the kitchen and demanded to know why Chef Laudico served such salty fish. Meanwhile Chef Laudico's all, "It wasn't me!"

I relayed the story to President Erap, who argued, "If it it's not salty, it's not bacalao!"

28 November 2011

Jumpstart your Christmas list!

FOOD Magazine's Presents Perfect Bazaar at Rockwell

Last weekend, Food Magazine held a bazaar. It was aptly entitled Presents Perfect as the product selections were truly worth giving away as presents for Christmas!

There were the old favorites like my family's own Nana Meng Tsokolate, Joyce's dulong and queso de bola spread (sooo addictive!) and Polly's famous chocolate cake.

Nana Meng Tsokolate. For orders 0920 902 3216 or 0917 833 9539. See Facebook "Nana Meng Tsokolate". (Photo from F&B World)
Polly's Chocolate Cakes. Available also at Magallanes Shell Select and at Robinsons Galleria.