To all my readers, thank you for a great 2011. Looking forward to more gastronomy experiences for years to come. Since I'm spending New Years in a warm country, here's a halo-halo for you.
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I just want to say Merry Christmas in Dutch from the bottom of my heart...
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| heart shaped white and brown rice |
Anthony Burdain declared it as the best lechon (roasted pig) in the world and thus started my quest for letting my out of town guests try it.
When Anthony tried Zubuchon's lechon, it was actually in their commissary (where you can order to go for events). The Zubuchon restaurants later popped up all around the Cebu Metro after Anthony's show was aired worldwide. So don't expect the lechon in the restaurant, which is already chopped up (half kilo had no ribs in it) to be as good as what Burdain ate. Anyhow, my guests loved the Zubuchon lechon at the One Mange branch, while I feasted on their bangus.
One thing that perplexed me though was that they ran out of a lot of things from calamansi for my juice to even bottled water even though the grocery was close by. Geez, they need to hire another purchaser and take a closer look at their inventory.
When Anthony tried Zubuchon's lechon, it was actually in their commissary (where you can order to go for events). The Zubuchon restaurants later popped up all around the Cebu Metro after Anthony's show was aired worldwide. So don't expect the lechon in the restaurant, which is already chopped up (half kilo had no ribs in it) to be as good as what Burdain ate. Anyhow, my guests loved the Zubuchon lechon at the One Mange branch, while I feasted on their bangus.
One thing that perplexed me though was that they ran out of a lot of things from calamansi for my juice to even bottled water even though the grocery was close by. Geez, they need to hire another purchaser and take a closer look at their inventory.
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| salted egg, lapulapu and tomatoes appetizer |
Took my outa town guest to Chestnut St thinking We could easily get in at Tacolicious at 3pm. But alas I was wrong o we ended up next door at Pacific Catch. I was also sad to know that there 50% off deal on Scoutmob ended the day before so we had to pay full price. The menu is typical to Cal fusion with hints of Asian style dishes (Japanese to be specific). Not a bad late afternoon meal.
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| Fish and chips |
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| ahi tuna in brown rice bowl |
The infamous kido, Gabe, you see running around DeLise just turned 2 years old! Pardon him if he is a little bit too loud at times breaking the soothing atmosphere of the cafe. Terrible 2, indeed.
Gabe offered his guests macaroni salad, gluten/butter/dairy-free pumpkin soup, pizza from next door neighbor Ayadi, chips, crackers and of course vanilla birthday cake made by his pastry chef parents.
Gabe offered his guests macaroni salad, gluten/butter/dairy-free pumpkin soup, pizza from next door neighbor Ayadi, chips, crackers and of course vanilla birthday cake made by his pastry chef parents.
I have plenty of leftover garlic bulbs which will be hanging out for a few weeks in my kitchen while I'm away so I decided to make something out of it- roasted garlic! woohoo. Pungent, anti-oxidant and good for the cold weather to fight away the flu (I didn't get my flu shot this year). You can simply eat it as is, make it into soup, roasted garlic sauce or really whatever you fancy. This bulb ended up into roasted garlic soup.
It is the weekend thus time to drink and be merry. Two weekends before my favorite holiday of the year!!
If Peru has the Pisco Sour (and of course the addictive coca tea), Brazil has the Caipirinha, the national cocktail, made up mostly of cachaca (or you can also choose to use vodka). Reminds me of a very strong mojito.
The best lime Caipirinha I had was actually in one of the kilo restaurants/buffet in the quiet town of Iguassu- goes to show that living in the slower-paced province has its perks. Meticulously squeezed and grounded fresh lime is the trick of the trade.
To get educated on the different types of Cachaca, head over to Rio's Academia da Cachaca (pronounced as ka-sha-sa), which also lands on one of the Top 10 places to drink in Rio. Warning: don't be fooled by the small shot glass - it is deadly!
If Peru has the Pisco Sour (and of course the addictive coca tea), Brazil has the Caipirinha, the national cocktail, made up mostly of cachaca (or you can also choose to use vodka). Reminds me of a very strong mojito.
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| Pisco Sour of Peru |
The best lime Caipirinha I had was actually in one of the kilo restaurants/buffet in the quiet town of Iguassu- goes to show that living in the slower-paced province has its perks. Meticulously squeezed and grounded fresh lime is the trick of the trade.
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| Caipirinha |
To get educated on the different types of Cachaca, head over to Rio's Academia da Cachaca (pronounced as ka-sha-sa), which also lands on one of the Top 10 places to drink in Rio. Warning: don't be fooled by the small shot glass - it is deadly!
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| Getting educated on Cachaca |
I took the shortcut to North Beach up and down the hill of the
Coit Tower and found myself hungry and sweaty by the end of my hike. It
dawned upon me that Nico's Tacos was having a 50% deal on scoutmob so
off I go. After a few extra blocks, I finally got my hands on a baja
fish brown rice bowl with a side of chips and salsa. Total damage
=$5.87. Thanks scoutmob for the awesome deal!
Another Leblon spot spotted by yours truly after a few clicks on the net. Of course, there are many juice bars- Bibi I heard is one of the best and most popular but we didn't get to go. First on my recommendation as best lunch spot in Rio is Juice Co. Yes, they specialize in different juices and also offer delightful lunch meals. For me, I ordered a delicious tuna burger with foie gras and cassava chips. One can't go wrong with foie gras! Good thing seafood is abundant in Rio.
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| my tuna burger |
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| nice kettle pot for olive oil/aciete |
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| my friend's fish and risotto |
We finally got lucky with our impromptu restaurants picks and ended up
walking in to dine in the top 1 restaurant of Rio de Janeiro. Zuka
actually reminds me of the numerous Californian fusion restos in San Francisco from its high ceiling, dark wood ambiance to its seafood selections.
Good thing the owner/manager was there that night to translate for us,
especially since ordering the infamous agua quente (hot water in Portugese) was a major major challenge.
Dessert comes first.
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| Entrada: squid with risotto for my friend |
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| fish with mushroom rice for my other friend |
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| Seared tuna for me |
I didn't realized that the hostel we booked was actually on the same street, Rua dias Ferreira, of many popular restaurants and bars so we had no problems trying to hunt down for food. Thus watch out for Best of Rio series for bars, lunch spots and juice bars.
Get to know what the provinces of Peru can offer before you go on a protein bar diet (the diet of those hard core trekkers) or get on the bathroom rampage (like I always do ugh).
Chifa- the Peruvians version of Chinese food consist of your common stir fry and fried rice. Expect potatoes in all of meals since it is a staple food and then you can drown yourself with Inca Cola.
If ever you find yourself challenged in looking for good food while at Aguas Calientes on or before your maiden voyage to Machu Picchu, go to the Mercado Central for cheap home cooked meals for 5-7 soles only and some fruit juice.
Coca tea- Yes, it has an alkaloid of cocaine. If you're an athlete, please don't take it before a game because you'll test positive for drugs. No kidding! It is offered everywhere- from the hostel to the Peru Rail- and as candy!
Alpaca meat- From the same family of the Llamas, the Alpacas are also well known as good material for clothing, scarves and the like. The alpaca meat below with tomato based sauce tasted like the kambing ('goat') kaldereta of the Philippines. Ick.
Now you're all set for a protein, carbo rich Peruvian meal on high altitude.
Chifa- the Peruvians version of Chinese food consist of your common stir fry and fried rice. Expect potatoes in all of meals since it is a staple food and then you can drown yourself with Inca Cola.
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| fried rice with chicken |
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| stir fry beef with inca cola |
Coca tea- Yes, it has an alkaloid of cocaine. If you're an athlete, please don't take it before a game because you'll test positive for drugs. No kidding! It is offered everywhere- from the hostel to the Peru Rail- and as candy!
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| Coca leaves |
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| Alpaca meat |
A few blocks from Plaza de Armas, we stumbled upon a cute bodega tapas bar, Cicciolina. I chowed down on pasta with squid ink, ginger and shrimps and chugged fresh limonada with a hint of mint. Yum yum yum.
Watch out for more food feasts straight from Peru and Brazil.
Sent from my iPhone/Instagram
18-course! Burp! I'll let the pictures speak for itself. Who knew that a 35mm attached to a D40 can actually get amazing food photos under low lighting.
P.S. Watch out for the market analysis of Barcelona's food scene.
P.S. Watch out for the market analysis of Barcelona's food scene.
Yes, Scoutmob has done it again! 100% off Ike's Place Sandwich started today until November 13th to celebrate their 4th birthday. It was too good to pass up so today I headed over to get my free sandwich, which ended up to be my early dinner. Ike's, voted as one of the best sandwiches in the city by many sources, closes early at 7 pm. All customers who didn't come in with a smartphone or tablet were uncool since they obviously didn't get their free sandwich.
I decided to get the free Elvis Keith (regularly costs $8.98). I was a bit disappointed with the small 5 inch dutch crunch but (my motto is) though shall not complain when food is free! It came with an apple caramel lollipop, too.
I decided to get the free Elvis Keith (regularly costs $8.98). I was a bit disappointed with the small 5 inch dutch crunch but (my motto is) though shall not complain when food is free! It came with an apple caramel lollipop, too.
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| chicken, teriyaki, wasabi mayo and swiss |
Another feature came out today from Eater SF with the freshly baked peking duck scones. Happy Chinese Food Week!
The Economist reported on October 27th that El Bulli restaurant made losses of a whopping half a million euros a year (full report here). For blue chip companies, this might not sound like a huge loss. However obviously for a restaurant with El Bulli’s stature- exclusive, Michelin star, former best restaurant of the world year over year - this is very surprising and, of course, frustrating for its chef/owner, Ferran Adria, a culinary genius. Now I understand why the restaurant closed down earlier this year. It boiled down to lackluster financials.
Numbers don’t lie:
2 million requests for 8000 seats per season- Doesn’t take a genius to realize that they can easily achieve a full house per service
250 euros (~$340) for a 30-course meal
Let’s look at some competitors. All of which are rated with Michelin 3 stars and according to their tasting menu online it costs:
Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London- $180
The Fat Duck, London- $290
French Laundry, Yountville - $270
Per Se, New York - $295
Meadowood, St. Helena - $295
All the competitors serve less than 15 courses. If we assume that everyone gets the standard small size tasting plates, we can easily see that El Bulli’s price seems a bit low. A great deal for diners but unfortunately not good business for the restaurant. Their target market (higher income, older age group, appreciates good food and a once in a lifetime experience) can and will definitely pay more than $340. Not to mention other expenses that come with running a restaurant- COGS, labor, equipment, etc. I wonder if Ferran adopted Steve Job’s strategy of paying himself $1 per annum. Does anyone know? It would be interesting to analyze El Bulli's financial statements in a form of a case study for Finance or Strategy class.
Onward we go with El Bulli Foundation and the case competition Ferran launched last month. I really wonder what those 5 lucky MBA students will win. Perhaps, the “last supper” at El Bulli?
More about meeting Ferran here and here.
Numbers don’t lie:
2 million requests for 8000 seats per season- Doesn’t take a genius to realize that they can easily achieve a full house per service
250 euros (~$340) for a 30-course meal
Let’s look at some competitors. All of which are rated with Michelin 3 stars and according to their tasting menu online it costs:
Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, London- $180
The Fat Duck, London- $290
French Laundry, Yountville - $270
Per Se, New York - $295
Meadowood, St. Helena - $295
All the competitors serve less than 15 courses. If we assume that everyone gets the standard small size tasting plates, we can easily see that El Bulli’s price seems a bit low. A great deal for diners but unfortunately not good business for the restaurant. Their target market (higher income, older age group, appreciates good food and a once in a lifetime experience) can and will definitely pay more than $340. Not to mention other expenses that come with running a restaurant- COGS, labor, equipment, etc. I wonder if Ferran adopted Steve Job’s strategy of paying himself $1 per annum. Does anyone know? It would be interesting to analyze El Bulli's financial statements in a form of a case study for Finance or Strategy class.
Onward we go with El Bulli Foundation and the case competition Ferran launched last month. I really wonder what those 5 lucky MBA students will win. Perhaps, the “last supper” at El Bulli?
More about meeting Ferran here and here.
It's not too late for a post-Halloween treat! Pumpkin cupcake, bloody lemon bar and pumpkin ice cream.
P.S. I was not paid to advertise any of the above mentioned businesses and have not yet claimed my free pho. I've never been to Turtle Tower before.
No, not Zara the retail store! There is a Cuban restaurant called Zara tucked in the northern part of Gran Via, Madrid. I first read about this in the in flight magazine while on the plane on my way to Madrid and decided it to be my first lunch spot.
I arrived at 1 pm- obviously an "early" lunch time for the Spaniards since I was their first customer of the day. I was greeted with red checkered tablecloth and an over eager waiter who tried his best explaining to me in English what they had in their la carta. Happy to leave Zara 15 euros poorer.
I arrived at 1 pm- obviously an "early" lunch time for the Spaniards since I was their first customer of the day. I was greeted with red checkered tablecloth and an over eager waiter who tried his best explaining to me in English what they had in their la carta. Happy to leave Zara 15 euros poorer.
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| yes white rice for my Asian diet and fried chicken |
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| fish soup with an unexpected salted fish |
Whoever knew that Boston has a burgeoning wine industry. Sure enough, the wineries are not as big as those in Napa- we even saw an operation right inside a basement of a house! If Napa is full of grapes, Boston is full of apple vineyards! That's why you can find more sweet wines and iced wines in the suburbs. Most of them only have limited distribution channels in the U.S.
Some examples:
Some examples:
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| Still River Winery- produced in a basement of a house |
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| Nashoba- great sweet wines with blueberries |
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| Westport Rivers- has an old jeep in the front yard |
Inspiration to many
If Steve Jobs is to consumers technology while Lee Kuan Yew is to politics, Ferran Adria is to the food industry. I just listed three people who I admire the most and want to meet. Ok, fine- I'll be meeting Steve on the other side, and I'm still working on meeting Lee.
No wonder he even has Steve's way of presenting. No text, just pictures- no death by powerpoint. Through a simple yet provoking slideshow, Ferran explained how they create molecular gastronomy from emulsification to threading. These include making foie gras noodles, "paper" wrapped in fish bones and fruit puree shaped in actual fruits. Whew! Sounds intriguing, right? Can you match them below?
It was no surprise that during Ferran's Q&A with the publisher of the new El Bulli book, The Family Meal, (sorry didn't catch her name) he was asked that with the death of Steve what would Ferran like to have in his obituary. Two words I took away from his answer are creativity and passion.
The brother I've seen
All throughout the presentation, Ferran mentioned his brother, Albert, who also runs a few tapas restaurants in Barcelona. I'm fortunate to have been able to dine at Albert's Inopia before it became Taperia Lolita. There was a long line outside for the tapas!
Ferran also showed a slideshow of Albert's Natura style of desserts. Amazing art pieces! This is what I aspire to be as a food stylist.
Tidbit: Never knew that Ferran is a comedian. He kept on cracking jokes the whole night :)
Go to Part 1 here.
If Steve Jobs is to consumers technology while Lee Kuan Yew is to politics, Ferran Adria is to the food industry. I just listed three people who I admire the most and want to meet. Ok, fine- I'll be meeting Steve on the other side, and I'm still working on meeting Lee.
No wonder he even has Steve's way of presenting. No text, just pictures- no death by powerpoint. Through a simple yet provoking slideshow, Ferran explained how they create molecular gastronomy from emulsification to threading. These include making foie gras noodles, "paper" wrapped in fish bones and fruit puree shaped in actual fruits. Whew! Sounds intriguing, right? Can you match them below?
It was no surprise that during Ferran's Q&A with the publisher of the new El Bulli book, The Family Meal, (sorry didn't catch her name) he was asked that with the death of Steve what would Ferran like to have in his obituary. Two words I took away from his answer are creativity and passion.
The brother I've seen
All throughout the presentation, Ferran mentioned his brother, Albert, who also runs a few tapas restaurants in Barcelona. I'm fortunate to have been able to dine at Albert's Inopia before it became Taperia Lolita. There was a long line outside for the tapas!
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| Inopia circa 2010- Russian Salad |
Tidbit: Never knew that Ferran is a comedian. He kept on cracking jokes the whole night :)
Go to Part 1 here.
