Very Disappointing Establishment: Chic-Boy

We used to love Chic-Boy since it opened recently. But after dining at the newly opened San Pedro branch, I swear that I would never eat or dine or pig out or whatsoever on this food establishment.

Ang natatanging food establishment na na-witness ko wherein lahat ng customer, nakatunganga na lang at mainit na ang ulo dahil wala na raw sila rice at nagsasaing pa. They should have foreseen that they're running out of rice para naisip nila na "mag-saing na kaya tayo kasi paubos na yung rice oh, ang dami pa namang kumakain!" But hell no! The family seated beside us even ordered rice in a nearby fastfood just to feed their hungry stomach!

Installment ang pag-serve ng order. Meaning, una iseserve ang order ng kasama mo, pag natapos na siya kumain, saka dadating main course mo. Pag naubos na rice mo, mamatay ka sa gutom at wala pang kanin dahil saka pa lang nila narealize na ubos na pala ang rice. Iced tea refill -- pag narefillan na, saka dadating ang appetizer mo. Pag nabwisit ka na sa pagkain ng appetizer mo, saka dadating ang 30 minutes ng nakatungangang dessert mo na dinaan-daanan na ng mga tao dahil hindi pa din sineserve at nasa counter lang. Ang ulam mo, papapakin mo na lang in the end at lalabas ka na sasabog sa init ng ulo dahil lahat ng crew eh tinanong ka na kung ano pa ang kulang sa order mo. Take note, lahat sila tinanong ka -- pero ni isa, wala namang nagdala at nag-serve ng kulang mo na order.

.....at kung saan ang cook eh lumalabas na ng kitchen para sigawan na ang mga crew at naglaglagan na lahat ng mga plato at utensils dahil sa nag-aaway away na sa pag-serve! In the end, siya na din ang nag-serve ng mga pagkain na malamig sa mga customer.

A very disappointed customer here. Hindi ito isang beses lang na nangyari. I gave them a second chance kaya I tried ulit the first time I experienced it. But this time, I think enough na. Puro positive feedback lang ang tinatanggap nila. Paano yung nagreklamong customer dahil may napakalaking caterpillar sa Ginisang Kangkong na order niya? Binibigyan ba nila ng atensyon at aksyon yun? Here's the link so you can guys see the complaint statement of that Chic-Boy incident by Sigrid Andrea P. Bernardo. I am no way related to the complainant, but I think, that should be given immediate attention and action. Calling BFAD!

Tsk tsk tsk. Caterpillar on your almost ubos na Ginisang Kangkong?

Poor caterpillar. Pigang-piga ka na.

Enough said.

 Better close your establishment and undergo training for the entire management and crew.

My Abnormal Cravings

Haaaay... It's Saturday morning and I'm still up! P is currently updating my iPhone so I don't have a choice but to use the computer. Time check: 3:09AM and I am craving... again! (Therefore, blog!)

I am a consummate snacker. I have weird cravings. In short, matakaw ako!

Yesterday, I craved for something sweet. Today, I am craving for something salty. Tomorrow, can you guess? Yes! I would be craving for something sweet nanaman. That's how weird my cravings are. I crave alternately: salty - sweet - salty - sweet. It's a neeeeever ending phase! Kaya P tells me na ang takaw takaw ko!

Well, my cravings come in phase. Sometimes, it would take weeks or even months to satisfy my cravings. But mind you, I crave for the same kind of junkie. Ask P, and I am 100% sure that he knows what to buy next time when I say I am craving for something salty or something sweet.

Something Salty.

My best life-saver if tight ang budget sa junk food!

I can survive a day eating only this!

Mind you, gusto ko malaki talaga yung Pik-nik can.

Survivor days. Hahaha!

To die for!!!

Something Sweet.

Yuuuum!

Always on my "must-buy list" whenever I travel to Singapore.

They sell very affordable haw flakes in Sheng Shong.
Hey, where can I buy Haw Flakes like this nowadays?
I buy kasi sa SM Supermarket a different brand eh.

Ahhhh, P would definitely agree!
When he came back from Italy last month, I consumed a bag of Milky Way!

P buys me Flat Tops all the time. Sweet!

...And hell yeah! I am a spoiled girlfriend.

Roti Prata: The Filipino Way

If you've been to Singapore, I'm pretty sure you are familiar what Roti Prata is. But for the benefit of those who are not familiar, let me give you a brief introduction what Roti Prata is.

Roti Prata is a favorite Indian dish amongst Singaporeans. It is a pancake-like bread made up of egg, flour and water with a texture that's similar to that of a croissant. You can choose from various flavors, depending on your taste buds.

When we were still in Singapore, my brother and I usually bought instant packs of Onion & Chives Flavored Roti Paratha in Fair Price. It's cheaper than buying ready-to-eat Prata. It's easy to prepare, too. Allow me to share to you how I prepare it:

1. Heat a spoon of butter in a non-stick pan, large enough for the Prata.
2. Throw the Prata into the frying pan.
3. When the first side is almost cooked, I make a "cross slice" at the middle and I add egg since I prefer it fluffy.
4. Flip over and let it cook the other side.

If you want your Prata to be a little burnt, like mine, cook it for a few more minutes. I pair it with siomai or sausage. Oh, did I mention I add cheese for a flavorful meal? Yum!

Moving forward, my favorite Roti Prata in Singapore is located in Bugis Street. My brother introduced it to me few years back. When P and I went to Bugis one time, I let him taste it. Hahaha! Of course, he liked it! Whenever we go there, we make sure to drop by the Roti Prata house. It's relatively cheaper in Singapore than the one I saw here in the Philippines. In Singapore, my favorite blackpepper roti prata costs only $1.80, compared here in the Philippines, the price ranges from Php80.00-Php150.00, which when converted to Singapore dollar would cost $2.00-5.00.

Last October 21, 2011, the midnight before my IELTS exam in Pampanga, my family and I went to Midnight Mercato. To my surprise, I found a stall named Papa Roti where they sell Roti Prata.

Papa Roti has a stall in Midnight Mercato/Mercato Centrale.

I ordered their Mushroom & Cheese Roti for Php 110.00.

Overall, it was good. It tastes a bit different with that of Singapore's.

Savory or sweet, Roti Prata is definitely worth a try.

Resto Review: Marché

Marché is a restaurant located in Singapore which offers typical Swiss recipes in an authentic Swiss backdrop.

One thing you have to remember though, photography is not allowed in this restaurant. However, I was still able to capture some patakas shots. Hehe. Upon entering, I was holding my DSLR so one of the crew reminded me that photography is not allowed. They even have posters at the entrance reminding their customers that they cannot take photos.

The place is really lovely and charming I must say. It has a marketplace concept. It gives the feel of alfresco dining even though you’re dining indoor.There are fresh food stalls inside the restaurant and you are given a card upon entering. They practice  “cashless” system, where every diner is given a card that records the purchase for each item ordered. Hand it over to the chef at whichever counter you intend to order food from. Don't ever misplace/lose your card! People who lose the card would incur a $100 fine. That's around Php3,500!

What you will find here is predominantly European. Having a professional chef boyfriend with an "educated tongue" who's into European cuisine, he is so familiar with all the dishes served in Marché. Like this one, which I ordered, Marché’s signature dish - Rosti, a food made from potatoes. P knows how to make one. I even asked him to make one for me! Lucky me! (I know, right?!)

I had the Rosti with beef sausage. Cooked al dente! Sour cream was given in such a generous portion. Starch junkies will be satisfied here.

As you near the end of the queue, there's a handwritten board that shows today's specials.

We have, what else - our absolute favorite! P ordered this one - savory crepes with a mushroom and vegetable filling with a yummy creamy sauce! Nakiagaw ako sa food niya sa sarap!



Not only does Marché boast delicious European food that is prepared on the spot, they also guarantee their vegetables to be fresh and healthily cooked! Since they offer European dishes, expect what? A pizza!



Look at this uber cute Root Beer bottle! It looks like a medicine bottle!

This calamari tastes fine. Nothing special though. My recipe tastes even better. Hahaha! Swear!

I wanna go back and eat more! Let me work harder first!

VivoCity

1 Harbourfront Walk
#03-14 Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 6376 8226

313@Somerset
313 Orchard Road #01-39/46
Singapore 238895
Tel: +65 6834 4041

For the record, I loved this place! Happy eating!

PS. You might be wondering now why the pictures have watermark of a different blog site. No worries! That's my old blog site! :)

Chicharron ni Mang Juan

I admit it, I am a junk food junkie. I used to consume big amount of junk food daily… And I prefer those salty ones.

Let me introduce to you Jack n Jill’s Mang Juan’s Chicharon. It’s like Oishi’s popular vegetarian chicharon, Marty’s Crackling.

There are two variants available in the market, (1) espesyal suka’t sili (special vinegar with chili) and (2)sukang paombong (palm vinegar). Of the two variants, I like the spicy one because of the nice kick from the chili… not too spicy, just right!

In my opinion, Chicharron ni Mang Juan tastes a looooot better than that of Oishi’s. When you go to the supermarket, try to check Jack n Jill’s Mang Juan and I tell you, people are hoarding this chicaron!

Yum! Happy eating!

Easy Peasy Recipe: Bicol Express

I love cooking. Be it a perfect dish or not. So as I continue my adventure here in my blog, lemme share to you my readers my passion for cooking. Umagree na lang kayo! I really cook! I’m gonna share more about it here!

Bicol Express nowadays has so many variations that just about everyone that has cooked this dish had modified it to their own personal preference. Depende kung gaano kaanghang mo gusto! I learned this dish from P when he cooked for my family 2 or 3 years ago. Since then, Bicol Express has been a part of my family’s meal.

My own version of Bicol Express.

My version of Bicol Express does not use too much hot peppers as a main ingredient, mine is a milder version. Now let’s take a look at the recipe!

Whatcha Need:

• 1/4 kilo pork, sliced into 1/2 inch strips
• 1 cup baguio beans
• 5 long chili, pepper, seeded and julliened
• 1 siling labuyo, pepper, seeded and julliened
• 1 large onion, minced
• half clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 2 tablespoons alamang bagoong
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 1 small sachet Magic Sarap seasoning granules (endorser? ahaha!)
• ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a bowl of water with salt, soak chili for 20-30 minutes, rinse and strain well.
2. In a pan with boiling water, put the thinly sliced pork. Bring to a boil. Set aside.
3. In a cooking pan, heat cooking oil and brown the pork for a few minutes. Set aside.
4. On the same pan, saute minced onion and garlic. Add the sauted pork.
5. Then add the coconut milk, bagoong, ground pepper and the seasoning granules, stir well and simmer for 10 minutes on medium-low heat, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching.
6. Add the green chili, siling labuyo and the baguio beans until sauce thickens and gets a little dry. Serve hot.

Simple, diba? Happy eating!