Last Wednesday was Ash Wednesday which marked the start of the season of Lent. And since meat is not allowed during the season, the next best alternative would be fish.

Fried fish would always be a common dish during Lent, but this tends to be dry and bland, so I'm sharing with you this easy sweet and sour fish recipe that I'm sure you'll enjoy. It's basically deep fried cream dory chunks and deep fried tofu in sweet and sour sauce with pineapples, onions, and bell peppers.

I cooked this for lunch on Ash Wednesday and my family loved it! :D

Sweet and Sour Cream Dory with Tofu

Mark came over at our house last Friday and spent the whole weekend, up until Sunday, with me at home.

The family's all complete, Gia's boyfriend also came over, last Sunday, and so daddy decided to throw a lunch feast for Mark since he'll be celebrating his birthday this Thursday, February 7.

After our Corregidor trip, Mark and I were up early the next morning and hit the road to Tagaytay. Since our hotel reservation is still in the afternoon, we decided to have our breakfast first at Sonya's Garden.

On our way to Tagaytay, while stuck in traffic along SLEX :p

Their staff welcomed us as we entered the restaurant and ushered us to our seats as she handed us the menu.  Sonya's Garden offers a buffet breakfast which is a choice of Filipino or Continental style.  I ordered the Filipino breakfast while Mark chose the latter. Breakfast is served from 8am-9:30am and rate is Php 427.00 per person.

Being a girlfriend of a bodybuilder for more than 8 years now, I have already known and mastered Mark's needs especially when it comes to food. I enjoy cooking and I love to cook especially for my loved ones, and that of course includes Mark. I know how strict his diet is but that didn't stop me from cooking for him. Thank God for off-seasons from competitions, Mark can get to enjoy my home-cooked specialties. :D

Whenever Mark comes over our house for a visit, if my dad's not around, I make sure to prepare something that will surely satisfy his big appetite. I also see to it that I prepare different dishes for him for his every visit.  I already cooked Kare-kare for him before, so that's definitely out of the list.  I knew how Mark loves to eat chicken so I decided to cook Chinese-style Roasted Chicken for him when he paid me a visit at home a few weeks ago. :D

I actually learned this recipe from my dad.  It's basically roasted chicken with soy sauce plus star anise, where the distinct Chinese herb taste comes from. :) I have already perfected this recipe and so whenever there is roasted chicken in the menu in our family feasts, I am always tasked to cook it. Here's one simple yet delectable recipe that I'm sure you'll enjoy just as how my family and Mark did. :)

Chinese-style Roasted Chicken

I celebrated my 27th birthday last January 3 with my loved ones over a simple lunch and dinner at home, since my dad had to go to work and my baby brother had to go to school. I knew that Mark was coming over for lunch and so I asked him what he wanted to have. Without any hesitations, he immediately replied "Kare-kare!". Haha!

Kare-kare is a Philippine stew made from peanut sauce with a variety of vegetables and meat which usually comes from oxtail, beef, and sometimes ox offal or ox tripe. Meat variants may also include goat meat or chicken, but I grew up eating Kare-kare made from beef and pork tenderloins. It is best eaten with shrimp paste (bagoong) over a hot steamed rice.

I first tried to cook Kare-kare back in college (using the recipe that I learned from my dad) when I was the acting chef at home that time since my parents were in the US. And as a first timer, my Kare-kare was a hit!

I already knew that Mark would answer Kare-kare since it's his most favorite dish. It's also my mom's favorite so I decided to cook it for my birthday lunch. :) And on my second time to cook Kare-kare, my family, especially my Mom and Mark, loved it so I decided to share with you guys this simple yet delectable recipe. :D

Kare-kare

Filipino-Style Spaghetti

Okay, my backlogs are still piling up, I know, but here's one which I can finally cross out from the list. :p

A few weeks back, Mark and I decided to have dinner first before going to the wake of our friend. I fetched Mark from work and then we headed to the Ayala Triangle Gardens for dinner.

Mark was already watching his food intake since he's preparing for an upcoming bodybuilding competition, so after rummaging the Ayala Triangle for restaurants and their menus, we both agreed to dine at Wee Nam Kee. Steamed, boiled, or grilled chicken and fish are the usual dishes that Mark eat when he's on a diet so he got one order each of the restaurant's steamed chicken and fish.

Marks first order was the Chicken Rice. You can have it roasted, steamed, cooked with soy sauce, or try a combination. It also comes in personal set, quarter, half, and whole sizes. I am not a fan of steamed food, and it's my first time to try Hainanese chicken, and I must say that this dish is okay. The meat was cooked well and I liked that it didn't have that stench of raw chicken. The chicken chunks were laid in a bed of sauce (which somehow had the taste of soy sauce and a little lemony/citrus taste) with cucumber slices. The sauce had just the right amount of saltiness which is perfect for Mark's diet.

Steamed Chicken Rice (Medium-Half) - Php 488.00

The dish is also served with chicken soup. It's actually a chicken stock seasoned with pepper and spring onions, which I must say was so good. Being the restaurant's signature dish, the Chicken Rice I think was a good choice since Mark enjoyed this dish and finished it all in no time. :p

Happy birthday Daddy!!! May God bless you with more love, happiness, wealth, and good health! We love you!!! ♥♥♥

We had our lunch at Robinsons Magnolia a week after our first time there. But this time, Mark was already on a strict diet which is why he chose to dine at Pancake House. Mark and I have dined at Pancake House a lot of times but it was our first time to try their branch at Robinsons Magnolia.

It was already past lunch time so imagine how hungry Mark and I were when we arrived at the restaurant. We were welcomed with a smile by the waiting staff who also ushered us to our seats. Good thing there weren't a lot of diners that time so we had the liberty to choose our seats. Our orders were also served a little after we placed them.

I got the Warm Bacon Potato Salad, Chicken Fillet with Cheesy Spinach Pesto Linguine, and a glass of grape shake. :D I immediately dug into the salad the moment it was served. The salad was heavenly! I love that the potatoes were cooked just right, not too mushy, yet still melt in your mouth. The crispy bacon and fresh alfalfa sprouts also added texture to the dish. The bacon gave the salad just the right amount of saltiness and that distinct taste from the alfalfa sprouts was a perfect blend. Also a hit from the heavenly bowl was the crunchy leaf lettuce with caesar dressing which gave the dish a sweet and tangy kick.

Warm Bacon Potato Salad

The grape shake was refreshing, though I had a hard time drinking it. I think it was not processed well as some of the grape chunks always gets stuck in my straw.

My dad loves to cook, as all of you already know, and being a true blue Ilocano, Ilocano delicacies of course are one of his specialties. Good thing I have mastered his cooking skills over time. :)

One of the Ilocano delicacies that I can cook perfectly is Dinuyduy. :p It's basically a mashed squash soup. :D It's a perfect appetizer. It may also be paired with any fried dishes like pork, chicken, and fish. It's even perfect for children who are picky eaters especially when it comes to vegetables.

Dinuyduy

Mark and I got hungry after a tiring workout one Friday night a few weeks back. Since we just ate at Racks at The Fort Strip, we decided to checkout the restaurants in Bonifacio High Street instead.

It was already past dinner time but most of the restaurants were still packed, maybe because it's a Friday night, and so we settled at Brothers Burger since it was the first restaurant that we saw with vacant seats.

Mark and I both got the Black Angus Burger meal. The burger may look plain and not that appetizing but the 1/2-lb flame-grilled 100% black Angus beef patty was flavorful. The tender and juicy beef patty's flavor oozes out at each bite. The patty is topped with sliced cheese (I would love it more though if there were 2 cheese slices haha) and is garnished with fresh lettuce and tomato, catsup, and mayonnaise (which were obviously covered by the big beef patty) on a toasted oatmeal bun.

Brothers Black Angus Burger with French Fries - Php 385.00 and Cream Cheese with Garlic Dip - Php 55.00

The meal comes with soda and a choice of french fries or onion rings. Dips (which may also be made as burger toppings) may also be also be availed for an additional charge.

Being someone with a sweet tooth, having to cut down on your sweets intake is really a struggle especially if you have a friend who loves to bake!

I can still remember how my friend Joie would always have me taste the goodies that she baked. I would always fight the urge to give in even though it's very tempting and would just bring the goodies home to my family instead. Joie already knew of this but she would always still thoughtfully give me some goodies whenever she bakes. I only got to give in and try her baked goodies during her merienda treat on her last day at work earlier this year. She brought some brownies and cassava cake which I both fell in love with on my first try! :D

When I knew that one of my office mates was placing an order of Joie's baked goodies, I immediately placed mine. My dad has also been craving for cassava cakes so I ordered 2 boxes from Joie. :D


Be sure to have strong arms because a box of cassava cake is a bit heavy. :p The sweet smell of the cassava and coconut milk is what will welcome you as soon as you open the box. The cassava cake had just the right amount of sweetness and consistency, unlike other cassava cakes which tend to be too watery or too hard to chew. The cassava cake was also big and thick (thus the heavy weight). I also love it's thick, creamy/milky topping. :D My dad got home from work tired and hungry and a slice of Joie's cassava cake perked him up. My mom also loved it that she brought the other box as her potluck share in their get together the next day. :)

I've already posted before that buttered veggies with gravy may be a good complement for pork, beef, and fish dishes; and so I'm sharing with you this simple yet delectable recipe of buttered veggies paired with fried cream dory which I cooked for lunch a few weeks back. :)

Cream Dory Fillet with Buttered Veggies and Gravy

I've heard raves and read good reviews about Racks and how it has become famous over the years for their ribs, but it was just a few months back when I first got to try it out.  I needed to get something from Mark that time at Fitness First, so he invited me over for lunch.  Since we can't decide where to dine, we opted to dine at Rack's which is just a few steps from the gym. :p

It was already past lunch time but the place was still packed, but we were still lucky to get a table for two.  After rummaging through the menu, Mark and I both decided to try their house specialties. Racks house specialties are served with a choice of garlic or corn bread and two regular side dishes.  Their side dishes are served in hearty portions and are a great complement to their ribs.  Mark got Racks Beef Ribs and chose garlic bread and 2 regular macaroni and cheese.

Racks Beef Ribs - Php 365.00 (Quarter Rack)

I can still recall how I drooled over my friend Je's post about Racks broccoli and cheese, so I made sure to get one to go with my Hickory Smoked Chicken.  I love how the broccoli was cooked just right as it still maintained its crunch.  The sweetness of the blanched broccoli was perfect and balanced out the slight saltiness of the creamy cheese as they melt in my mouth.

Sipa - Php 95.00

We stayed up late during our night out and therefore woke up late the next morning. We woke up a little past 9am, freshened up quickly, and then headed to the hotel's restaurant for our breakfast buffet.

After our lunch, we headed to the hotel to freshen up and get ready for our Manila Bay dinner cruise. We were all set, complete with our dinner clothes, just to be notified that the cruise schedules for the day were all cancelled due to the bad weather. The rain has actually stopped but the waters aren't calm and so they had to cancel the cruises. :(

Though a bit disappointed, we still didn't want the cancelled cruise to ruin our long weekend so we thought of an alternative thing to do for the night. We went to Robinsons Place Manila to search for a place for dinner. After a few scouring, we decided to try out Ajisen Ramen.

The staff greeted us in Japanese and ushered us to our seats. After going through the menu, Mark and I both decided to have their house specialty for dinner, no other than ramen! Hehe :p

I was eying for the Ajisen Ramen, but since Mark already chose that, I just went for the Seafood Ramen. We also got one order of the Enoki Maki.

Their ramen all have the same imported Japanese ingredients in their soup and noodles, each one just differs with the main ingredient that come with it. According to the menu, their ramen has Ajisen oil which enhances the taste of their white pork broth, Okinawa natural seasalt, Ajisen powder which gives their ramen its unique flavor, and finally, the ramen noodles which are made out of 100% whole wheat which is cooked to an al-dente texture.

Ajisen Ramen - Php 235.00

The Ajisen Ramen has pork barbecue, leeks, boiled egg, cabbage, and fungus. The Seafood Ramen has assorted seafood (shrimps, crab sticks, fish balls), fungus, and cabbage.

Mark and I first got to try out Pan de Amerikana in Marikina early this year during Mark's birthday. We instantly fell in love with the place and told ourselves that we'll get back there or at least visit their other branches.

When we were planning on our itinerary for the long weekend, Pan de Amerikana in Katipunan was at the top of our list. And so there, it was our first destination during the long weekend.

Pan de Amerikana in Katipunan, Quezon City, just like the Marikina branch, is also a themed restaurant. While the Marikina branch is the first and only chess-themed restaurant in the Philippines, the Katipunan branch is the first and only upside down restaurant not only in the Philippines, but in South East Asia.

Pan de Amerikana Katipunan

It features an upside down full size Land Rover 4x4 defender 90 with working lights, as the site boasts. We went there over lunch so I really didn't get to see the lights. :p Just like my first time at the Marikina branch, I also got excited when we arrived at the Katipunan branch. The facade which was an upside down house was really amazing! The details were perfectly built just like a real house. From the roof to the windows, the trees and the plants, the land rover, the stone pillars...

The first two Sundays of August mean birthday feasts for our family. :D Last August 5, my mom celebrated her 49th birthday. Yup, she doesn't mind having her age published here because she looks way younger! :D

She doesn't look her age, does she?

Since the food that we have during any feasts is always cooked by our dear daddy, we always do a merienda-to-dinner celebration to make time for the preparations.

Arroz Caldo which literally means "rice soup" has always been one my family's favorite comfort foods.

"Arroz caldo is actually a Chinese congee that was adapted to the tastes of the Spanish colonial settlers who patronized Chinese restaurants in the Philippines." ~Wikipedia

It is commonly flavored with chicken, garlic, ginger, and safflower (or our local saffron, which gives the arroz caldo a distinct aroma and a bright yellow tinge). But my dad, being adventurous when it comes to cooking, has his own version of the arroz caldo which my family loves. With a squeeze of calamansi juice plus a dash of black pepper, a hot bowl of arroz caldo is a perfect way to warm our tummies especially on a cold weather.

I actually tried to cook arroz caldo using my dad's recipe one rainy afternoon and it turned out to be a hit! Try it! :D

Arroz Caldo

Went out on a 'Saturdate' with Mark a few weeks back. :p We first went to the Gateway Mall to buy a father's day gift and then headed to SM City North EDSA for lunch.

We went to The Annex to buy a few more stuff for my dad and then went to The Block to have our lunch. It was quite a long walk from the annex to the block and so we both agreed to dine in the first restaurant that we'll see (that we haven't tried yet). We saw Tender Bob's and decided to have our lunch there.

We both had rice for breakfast at home so we decided to do away with it during lunch. Mark wanted something hot for the stomach so he ordered the clam chowder.

I love that the clam chowder was served in a bread bowl. The crumbs melt with the hot soup which made the soup a lot creamier. I think the bread also added that sweet kick to the well seasoned soup. The soup also had a generous amount of clams and potato chunks. The best way to eat it is by scooping the sides of the bread bowl along with the hot creamy soup.

Clam Chowder - Php 175.00

Tender Bob's menu claims that their clam chowder is "The best this side of the globe." And our verdict? It sure is! :D