June 27, 2011

The Real Thing Diner- It's the Real Thing

Red, White and Everything Nice.
The little diner on the second floor of Il Terazzo caught my attention while passing by Tomas Morato. Curious and excited, I searched for food blogs that featured the so called The Real Thing Diner. I was not surprised that a lot of foodies raved and blogged about it already. Aside from the fact that Noelle Cassandra, Asia's only harpist, singer and songwriter was one of the founders, the diner was Coca-Cola inspired.

Upon entering, you will be greeted by their friendly staff standing behind a small Cola-Cola podium.


The interior was decorated with Coca-Cola products, they even have a spot on the corner that holds different kinds of Coke bottles and other Coke memorabilia.




June 22, 2011

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant & Market -A Father's Day Treat!

I've been craving for an American Style Barbecue Ribs since last week and lucky enough, I saw Bubba Gump's Father's Day Special- 50% off on their renowned Dixie Style Baby Back Ribs (P825). Promo period was June 17-19 and so we decided to have our Saturday lunch at Greenbelt.


Upon entering, I saw their restaurant banner for the promo details.


"Promo period June 17-19, 2011. Valid for all FATHERS only."

"Uh-oh" I gasped. My mind was already fixated on the fact that we would only pay half the price for the ribs.

I was ready to have that "Oops, i changed my mind, let's find another restaurant." script, when Denby insisted we go inside.

June 17, 2011

Restaurante Pia Y Damaso-Greenbelt 5

"Damaso had taken some raw eggs beaten up with wine, and that morning had said not a word and taken almost nothing for breakfast; he scarcely tasted a glass of milk, a cup of chocolate, and a dozen biscuits, heroically giving up the fried chicken and half a cottage cheese from Laguna which he had every morning..."







A deal we got from Cashcashpinoy was a P300 for P600 worth of food and drinks at Restaurante Pia Y Damaso in Greenbelt 5.


At first, we planned on going for a desserts galore and try out their best-seller cakes. But we ended up ordering for their cooked items and splurged on their desserts. Which caused us to pay more than our voucher's worth.

Lucky to have this GUY.


One Tuesday morning...

[Car parked in front of our house]


And then...
Tada! *surprsie*surprise*

A hearty morning breakfast in car :)

June 8, 2011

The Establishment-A Taste of Europe by Chef Hylton Le Roux


My parents and I were privileged to be among the first to try The Establishment's 12-course European Degustation by Chef Hylton Le Roux. Mr. Dennis Riego, general manager of The Establishment personally invited us over for a dinner degustation to make up for the bad experience my parents had during their lunch at the Crystal Room.

If you could remember my post about our Establishment's Anniversary Degustation experience from Deal Grocer,  you would know how much I really loved the place.. from the ambiance, to the service and quality of food. I really enjoyed everything about it. That's why when Deal Grocer came out with a new deal from The Establishment-A Pan-Asian Buffet good for 2 visits, I purchased 2 vouchers right away. And since it was valid only for lunch on weekdays, I decided to give the vouchers to my parents as a Silver Wedding Anniverary gift.

Good thing the deal was buffet because my father is a heavy eater. I knew that it would be worth it since he'll be able to eat to his heart's content.

To cut the story short, it did not meet their expectations and so I ranted their disappointment on Deal Grocer's discussion page. After a few hours, I received a call from Dennis of the Establishment, inviting us over to sample their new degustation for June and July. (This, of course is C'est cadeau.)

12-course European Degustation Menu:
  1. Goat Cheese and Truffle Mousse with Tomato Jam and Aged Balsamic
  2. Seared Foie Gras with Almond Puree and Poached Cherries
  3. Warm Salad of Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Crispy Pancetta, Oyster Mushrooms, Parmesan and Pesto Oil
  4. Broccoli and Watercress Soup with Poached Egg and Crispy Bacon.
  5. Roast Butternut Soup with Asparagus Spears and Truffle Oil
  6. Seared Tuna Nicoise SaladSeared 
  7. US Angus Beef Tenderloin with French Beans Confit Leeks, Onion Jam, Jus and Brown Onion Puree
  8. Roast Chicken Breast with Wild Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto and Olive Oil
  9. Olive Oil Poached Salmon with Chorizo and Crushed Potato Tarragon, Buerre Blanc and Broccoli Puree
  10. Creme Brulee with Pistachio and Almond Biscotti Dark 
  11. Chocolate Ganache Truffle
  12. Dark Chocolate and Espresso Mousse with Whipped Cream and Toasted Almonds.
Upon arriving at the place, we were led to the Hall where I had their Anniversary Degustation before.
We ordered a peppermint tea for our drinks while my father got himself a can of Sprite.

We learned that Wedenesday night was acoustic night and their guest pop icon was Joey G. of Side A, and the bossa nova queen Sitti. We also spotted designer and socialite Tessa Prieto-Valdez wearing a flamboyant aqua blue dress.





Moving on to our dinner, the usual complimentary bread was served with pate, olive oil and arugula peso dip. A Perfect Combination!


complimentary breads
pate.olive oil.arugula pesto.

Then our starters came.


Goat Cheese and Truffle Mousse with Tomato Jam and Aged Balsamic
I'm not a fan of tomatoes, but I am a fan of this dish. The sweetness of the jam blended well with the acidity of the tomato and aged balsamic.


Seared Foie Gras with Almond Puree and Poached Cherries
I liked their Pan-seared Foie Gras with Miso glaze better. The foie gras had a subtle taste of bitterness which my mom did not like much. I tasted grapes instead of cherries.


Warm Salad of Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Crispy Pancetta, Oyster Mushrooms, Parmesan and Pesto Oil
The crispy pancetta was a perfect touch to the soft sweet potato gnocchi. My father loved the crispiness of the pancetta which he thought was crispy squid flakes at first.

Next was the soup and salad.


Broccoli and Watercress Soup with Poached Egg and Crispy Bacon.
Tasted very healthy. It was bland and thick. I felt like I was drinking a freshly blended broccoli smoothie. The crispy bacon gave it a touch of saltiness.


Roast Butternut Soup with Asparagus Spears and Truffle Oil
Too salty for our taste but was still good. It was rich and creamy with a hint of tartness in it. 


Seared Tuna Nicoise Salad
Loved how all the vegetables were carefully place in an artsy manner with the parsley-garnished tuna being the center of attraction.

For the main course, we had a taste of different kinds of meat: salmon, beef and chicken.


Seared US Angus Beef Tenderloin with French Beans Confit Leeks, Onion Jam, Jus and Brown Onion Puree
The meat was tender and juicy but thought it was a little salty.


Roast Chicken Breast with Wild Mushroom and Parmesan Risotto and Olive Oil
The texture was supple and fluid, with a creamy consistency. It was Al Dente and not too mushy.


Olive Oil Poached Salmon with Chorizo and Crushed Potato Tarragon, Buerre Blanc and Broccoli Puree

The salmon was poached perfectly keeping its shape intact. It was a delicate dish but it managed to retain its softness and moisture without the whole thing falling apart.

Lastly, the desserts.


Creme Brulee with Pistachio and Almond Biscotti
This came in a Chinese spoon paired with the almond biscotti on the side. It has an absolutely perfect amount of burnt taste in the crispy sugary top. The taste was not too sweet yet it was creamy and flavorful.


Dark Chocolate Ganache Truffle
Rich and Sinfully Delicious! A dark chocolate ganache truffle scooped and molded into a shell like form.


Dark Chocolate and Espresso Mousse with Whipped Cream and Toasted Almonds.
Dark. Decadent. Delicious. This was a softer version of the ganache truffle served in a shot glass. I could feel the smoothness of the chocolate as it melts into my mouth. 

Fulfilling.  The word to describe how I felt after that dinner. Food was delicious scrumptious, service was excellent exemplary and the overall experience was great superb! Delicious, excellent and great are totally understatements.  I was overjoyed because I was able to bring my parents there for their anniversary. 

The Establishment also gave a signing privilege- meaning our additional orders were on the house. :) They also gave us a complimentary copy of Quick Delivery Catalog.


I thanked and greeted Dennis on our way out and he was pleased to know the we enjoyed the dinner. 

I can sense that both my parents enjoyed the night. My father seldom shows his appreciation for food but I'm surprised he said that the food were delicious.

My parents still have one more visit for the Pan-Asian lunch at the Crystal Room. Hopefully they won't get disappointed again.


Happy Silver Wedding Anniversary again to my parents! I wish you good health and stronger relationship in the future.



As for me, I'll definitely be back. :)