#danielaeats: ooma

Finally got to try another Moment Group and Chef Bruce Ricketts restaurant that's been on my "to visit" list for a while now. Ooma, I finally got to you!

I've been hearing a lot about this place and have seen several photos of the different dishes on my Instagram feed, so when I got there I sort of had an idea of what to order. I went with Anton and we both wanted to try out different dishes so we decided to share everything.

A few things to know:
It's not as expensive as you'd expect (Php 200 - Php 500 dishes)
Unlimited white rice
You brush your kikoman on the maki. They served this sauce in a small cylinder with a brush, unlike other Jap restaurants where you dip your sushi in a small kikoman sauce bowl.

Salmon Skin Aburi Maki Php 265

We were choosing between this and another best seller with tuna, but since we were also getting the Spicy Tuna Maki, our waiter suggested we try the Salmon Skin Aburi.

I'm not usually a fan of complicated maki (I always go for the basic toro, shake or kani), but this one will have to be an exception. This maki contained torched salmon, crispy salmon skin, cheese, asparagus, and some sauce, and altogether it was actually really delicious. It looks a little heavy but the sizing of the maki just makes it right so that you don't get so stuffed from the dish.

Spicy Tuna Maki Php 245

This would have to be closest to the Nihonbashitei Spicy Toro Maki because of the sauce. It's a good thing that they don't make the maki drown in it so you can still taste the rest of the maki without the sauce overpowering it. It didn't really stand out among the dishes we had, but it was still delicious. I just always need my spicy tuna fix in any Jap restaurant so I had to order!

Uni Udon Php 495

This Udon is probably the most photographed dish from Ooma that I see on my feed. I was so curious about it so it was a sure order when we went. Upon getting the bowl, I was surprised to see that it's much bigger than it looks in photos. I wasn't surprised though that it was freakin delicious. No wonder it's a must have when visiting Ooma.

Note: It's also really heavy and rich. If you do decide to order this, it might be too much to have only this for your meal. I suggest you share it with 3-4 people while enjoying other dishes because with this alone, you'll be stuffed and probably tired of the taste before you're halfway.

Hanger Steak Php 495

My favorite! Because it has truffle, of course! The steak was so soft and the serving generous, I was absolutely happy upon seeing it because I thought it would come out small. Luckily it was just enough for Anton and I to share without feeling bitin. The meat's cut into small bite sizes and sightly thin, so it's easy to eat and doesn't make you feel heavy after several bites. A good main to have when visiting the place!

Another must-visit Jap resto, down. I don't live near the area so making the visit to Megamall is a bit of an effort (with the traffic nowadays, extra effort!). But it's a good thing the end of a trip was Ooma. I suggest you try it too when you're in the area.

Until next time #danielaeats!

good eats and health talks

After today's yoga class at the neighbor's, we went to a classmate's house for some healthy eats and a talk by Dr. Escalona.

We were greeted by a generous assortment of greens, toppings and dressings, and a green juice shot of cucumber, pineapple, kale and turmeric.

Green juice shots

Healthy eating isn't always as appealing as full blown buffets, or meals of meat and carbo overload, but with hosts like Joy who are in the food business and know their way around the kitchen, you're surely in for a delicious healthy treat.

Today's talk was conducted by Dr. Escalona who shared with us the importance of overall wellness that most of us nowadays neglect because of the fast pace lifestyle that we keep. Some new things my ignorant self learned during this talk:

1. Milk is good to take when you're young. As you get older, it's something to avoid because our body can't absorb it as well. You can get your calcium from other fruits and vegetables, or take more healthy alternatives like almond milk.
2. What you do everyday is more important than what you do once a week. So 15 minutes of running everyday is healthier and more effective than one 10k run a week.
3. When getting a second round during meals, wait 20 minutes before you do. This helps your body digest all the food you're eating and gives it time to register in your head that you don't need more food, you've had enough.

Something to keep in mind the next time #danielaeats!

#danielaeats: part of japan

Before I share with you some photos of Japanese food I had in Osaka, I have to let you know that this post might come out as a disappointment to some of you who have been to the place. 

1. I didn't get to try their Kobe or Matsusaka
2. Because of the limited time we had, we rushed all our meals so we could get on our feet again and explore places
3. Conveyor belt, Family Mart, conveyor belt, Family Mart
4. Non-Jap meals (shame!)

Nevertheless I am sharing this still for those who would like to get some ideas when visiting Osaka. 

Family Mart. 

Here's what we had on our first night. We got to our place in Namba past 12 midnight and were not familiar with the area, so we went straight to Family Mart just a street away from our building. Though it's a shame we had this several times during our trip, I have to say that Family Mart there is the bomb. If the quality of food in the ones we have here were the same as Japan, I'd have it for all my meals. We got there pretty late but the maki was still so good, the rice soft and still moist inside. Probably even better than what you would get in some restaurants here that serve it to you as you order. The soba was just okay, not so sure if that's how legit Japanese noodles really are or if it had an off taste because it was sitting in the store almost the whole day, but it had this flavour I didn't enjoy so much.

Dotonburi restaurant with the hand holding the sushi. It's hard to miss because you'll see this in the line of restaurants along Dotonburi along with big octopus and crab figures outside other restaurants. This was one of the conveyor belt restos we ate in during the trip. It's about 100 yen (around Php 40) per plate for fresh, delicious sushi (their uni still tasted like the sea!). It's crazy how affordable Japanese food is here! A lot of people think that going to Japan is hella expensive because the quality of their food is so much better than in Manila, but really you get good quality at such low prices. It makes you wonder why it's so expensive in Manila (for some restaurants) when the fish isn't even that superb. 

For every conveyor belt we ate in, I managed to consume eight plates (some salmon, tuna, uni, shrimp and others I tried). That's eight plates with two pieces each of fresh, hearty, delicious sushi. 

Photo inside the restaurant with the big sushi hand. Sorry no name, there was no English translation outside.

Another conveyor belt we ate in in Kyoto is Kaiten Sushi. It had pretty much the same servings as the one above but had some extra noodles with soup (not ramen). According to @bookymanila, Genki Sushi (pioneer of Kaiten Sushi) will be opening at Bonifacio Stopover!

I couldn't help myself. I was starving that day (we had lunch almost 3pm) so I took a bite before taking the photo and forgot to take more photos of my meal because I was too busy stuffing my mouth.

This conveyor belt was cool because each table had a machine to order in case what you're looking for doesn't come out. On top of the revolving belt was another belt also connected to the kitchen. Once you input your extra order in the machine, it will appear on the top belt in five minutes or less. 

Noodles with Soup. It's not ramen, it's noodles with soup. We stumbled upon this "ramen" place (so we thought) that had a long line during the day. When the late night munchies called, we walked to Dotonburi and looked for a place that was open, and this so happened to be the first one we came across. My first taste of it brought me to Pho Hoa. It tasted and had the texture of Vietnamese noodles, different from the ramen that we were expecting. On the side you have the option to add extra garlic and kimchi to add more flavour. After putting in a generous amount in my bowl, I was more satisfied with the flavour and enjoyed my first "noodles with soup" experience in Japan.  

Noodles with soup

Sisen Ramen. My friend recommended that we try out the ramen place across Swisshotel (Namba station) so we made a stop there before heading home one night. It's probably one of the less known ramen places to visit in Osaka, but I highly suggest you try it out. I'm not so fund of Tantanmen (mostly because I get tired of the flavour halfway through my bowl), but when I ate here I devoured the whole thing. Their gyoza was also really good and had the right cook on it - slight crunch at the bottom and a soft top. I really regret not making a second trip. 

Sisen Ramen

Ichiran. One of the more known ramen places to visit (long lines in the two branches we came across) but also worth trying. They only have one flavour of ramen here, but the strength of the flavour, the cook on the noodles and the level of spice is determined by you before giving in your order. Also so delicious!

Ichiran

Food on the street. We spent our nights in eating areas around our place. The restaurants were very small and could seat less than ten people at a time. Even these small restaurants had good food, and we would munch on some sashimi or takoyaki balls along with our Asahi. 

Don't forget to enjoy the Kirin, Asahi, and Sapporo while you're there.

We were expecting to have Family Mart almost the whole trip because we thought we'd be spending a whole lot if we ate in restaurants. It turns out food there isn't as expensive as some restaurants in Manila. You can get good quality food in the smallest and simplest restaurants, and not have to pay a premium for it. If i'm not mistaken I think I spent about Php 1,600 on my first day just for food, drinks and some transpo (we used the train to get around, forget the taxi). It's really so much more affordable than I expected, and if you don't splurge on these things like I did, you might even end up spending less in a day. Crazy! Time to book that trip to Osaka! I'm definitely planning another visit next year.

Until next time #danielaeats!

#danielaeats: #MeatHeads at the red light

Last month I missed out on Bruce Ricketts' La Chinesca pop up at Mecha Uma and I felt bad about it. The feedback was really good (the food, the prices and the turnout as a whole), and even though I'm not a total Mexican food lover, a part of me really wanted to try it out because I was almost sure that it would've changed my thoughts on Mexican food. So when I heard that #MeatHeads was happening at The Red Light, I made sure not to miss it. 

The cook out was a collaboration of Chefs Bruce Ricketts, David Ong, Erwan Heussaff, JP Anglo, Allen Buhay, Mikko Reyes, and BJ Mantuano. The guys got together and did a pop up at The Red Light for charity, and all proceeds of the event are to go to Payatas Mother of Divine Providence Parish. Now, how could you NOT want to go? 

At Php 250 (each) you can get these sandwiches

PHUC NYU

Chicken Thighs, Bagoong, Pig Skin Pickles, Potato Bread

I'm not a fan of bagoong but I enjoyed this sandwich. It was a bit more filling than the others because the bread was big, and I wish it had a tad bit more sauce in it. I also wish the chicken piece was cut up so that I could have a piece of it in every bite. Flavour-wise though, it was delicious.

EL TORRO

Carnitas, Wakamole, Salsa Verde, Ciabatta

Anton and I were a bit clueless about Carnitas, so we were unaware of the fact that it has Wansoy (Cilantro) in it. I didn't mind, since I enjoy some Wansoy in my food, but Anton has this aversion to Wansoy (which according to studies, some people really have because of genetics) so I caught him picking out most of it from the sandwich. I took a bite off the El Torro without the Wansoy and I didn't enjoy it so much, but once I started eating into it and getting the bits of the remaining Wansoy and the rest of the ingredients, it tasted much better. 

GRILLED FACE

Beef Cheek Pares, Spicy Pickles, #meathead cheese whiz, Mustasa Pesto, Sourdough

Our Grilled Face sandwich had a bit too much fat in it but I enjoyed the little meat that I got. The bread was just right, toasted crust and soft inside, and I liked the flavor of the generous amount of sauce it had. 

Until next time #danielaeats!

#danielaeats: meat depot

For our Father's Day dinner last week, my sisters and I bought frozen steak from Meat Depot in BF Homes along Aguirre Avenue. We got rib eye, about nine half inch slices of it for less than Php 700. It was more affordable than expected and the quality of the meat we got for dinner was pretty good, so I was curious to know the experience I would get if I dined in.

I tried out the place last Saturday and ordered Chilled Rib Eye Grassfed for about Php 311 + Php 100 cooking fee, sauce and a side. 

When you enter, the first thing they make you do is pick your meat from the freezer. Once you've chosen your cut, you decide the cook you want, the sauce (for this I chose mushroom), and the side (either potatoes, fries or rice).

We got there around 7:00pm so the place was full, and we had to wait around 30 minutes to be seated. While waiting, we already picked out our meat + cook, sauce and side. We got our dishes at around 8:15pm. It was a pretty long wait (so was getting the bill), but we were all quite contented with the turnout.

The mushroom sauce I had was good, but the spicy pepper one my friend got was much better. I chose medium rare for the cook on my rib eye and they got it pretty good. I just wish I chose a piece with more fat for more flavour instead of prioritizing the size of the cut (gah, what hunger can do). We all got free barbecue for their anniversary treat and extra mash and rice because our waiter was extra nice. All their waiters are! Anton got his pork chop which was much bigger (if i'm not mistaken his piece was Php 210 + Php 100 for the cook, side and sauce), and he really liked it. It already had a barbecue marinade so I didn't mind having it with the mushroom sauce though he still wanted the spicy pepper.

On my way out I was thinking of what I would decide to choose for my next visit since I felt I could've gotten a better piece. Little did I know that I'd be having my next one just the day after.

I went back to the Depot with my family the very next day for Sunday lunch. I arrived a bit late so when I got there, my mom had already ordered the Chilled Rib Eye Grassfed again for me, but this time, a piece with better marbling, mash, and the spicy pepper sauce.



I enjoyed this meal so much more the second time around because the piece had a good amount of fat in it and I enjoyed it with the spicy pepper sauce. My parents, on the other hand, got Angus, which was a bit more expensive and bigger in size, but was so much better. Soft and flavourful without needing much sauce to enjoy it.

The service this time around was faster since we went pretty early and were one of their first lunch customers for the day. I enjoyed my food more during the second visit, and I would recommend you try it out if you're in the area. It's a good place to buy your meat and dine in, just try to get there at a good time so you don't wait so long. They no longer take reservations so you have to go early.

283 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes Paranaque
(02) 501 0845
Restaurant in front of Tides
You may start shopping for meat as early as 8AM

Until next time #danielaeats!

#danielaeats: cafe voila, the second time around

My first time here was last December 12 for the anniversary dinner. The restaurant was just a few weeks (maybe a month) old, so it was pretty empty and the menu, limited in its dishes. If i'm not mistaken it might've still been on its soft opening. Anton and I ordered a Salmon salad for our starter (which we enjoyed a lot), and steak for our main.

This time around we, along with other friends, were invited to dine at Cafe Voila to celebrate the birthday of one of our most wonderful friends (and also the daughter of the owner of the restaurant), Carla.

We wanted to try a bunch of dishes so we agreed on having Carla do the orders for sharing. I'm not so familiar with the menu names of the dishes we were served, but of course every dish that landed on the table was just delicious. Scroll through to get a glimpse!

For starters: basic tomato, cheese and olives in olive oil. 

I got a Margarita for my drink. It was good but had way more alcohol in it than I expected. I thought I'd be needing another one but this drink lasted me the whole meal, and also got me a bit woozy.  

This was the same salad I got last December. It had salmon, mushroom, cheese and that good Japanese sesame dressing we're all crazy about.  

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to try this dish. I was only able to get a few shots of it before it was attacked by everyone in the table. 

This prime rib was delicious! Although I wish it was a tad bit softer, it was still good nonetheless. 

This shrimp came in the same mini griller that chicken up there arrived in. I only got a piece but I enjoyed it very much because it had all sort of flavours in it. If only I got to try the rice it came with. My friends loved it.

Salmon Eggs Benedict. To be honest, I think this is just the second eggs Benedict I've had. Ever. So I'm not quite sure about how awesome eggs Benedict should taste. I had a bite of this in the middle of all the strong flavours from the different dishes, so this didn't stand out for me that much. We also had one with ham in it but I wasn't able to get a piece.

Their Pad Thai, though. Definitely one of the dishes you should order when visiting this place! 

I just realised while looking at this shot that I didn't get to snap and taste the chicken pandan. There was just too much going on that I missed out on some dishes!

The meal ended with some coffee and the most delicious Apple Crumble Cheesecake I've ever tasted! Sorry for not having a photo, but it was just too delicious that I forgot to take a photo of it. Another dessert we were able to try was the Caramel Cheesecake, which was also super good!  

I absolutely love visiting this place not only because of the good food but also because it is so. freakin. beautiful. Carla's mom designed the place herself, and the style is a mix of their house and a bit of Flotsam and Jetsam in La Union (which is owned by Carla's sister). From the interiors and furniture to the small details, like placemats, pillow cases, signs, glasses, mugs. Everything is so well thought of that every inch of that place gets you marvelling and snapping away the whole time you're there. A lot of their pieces in the restaurant are hand picked from Bali, so you can just imagine the colourful prints and intricate patterns. It's also so homey (especially during December when the Christmas decors are up), so it's the perfect place to visit and enjoy the cold Tagaytay weather.

It has now become a must-visit for a lot of people in Tagaytay (the place was packed when we went and could no longer accommodate some customers), so I suggest you reserve ahead of time especially if you're going on the weekend. I promise it won't disappoint!

Until next time #danielaeats!

#danielaeats: bamba bistro

A special dinner for a birthday and a graduation.

We wanted something close by so we could head home right after for drinks. First on the list was Bamba Bistro since it was highly recommended by me, my sister and parents.

The Artichoke Crostini P290 - Artichoke, Basil puree, Ricotta, sweet balsamic, almonds

There's not much I could say about this starter since I had a small bite. I enjoyed the Ricotta but didn't taste so much the Basil, sweet balsamic and almonds.

Mesclun Salad P354 - assorted fruits, Feta, Grilled chicken, Papadom chips, house vinaigrette

A refreshing starter amongst the many filling starters we had. I enjoyed the fruits and greens altogether, and the house vinaigrette was good too.

Sangria. Love the jars and also the Sangria! You should order this when you pay the place a visit. It could sometimes be too icy that you have to wait for it to melt a bit so you can sip more drink out of your straw.

Huevos Flamencos P210 - Chorizo, Ham, Ground Beef, Stewed Tomatoes, Egg

Hands down, my favorite anything from this place. The flavor of the different meat altogether with toasted bread is to die for. It usually just comes with 3-5 slices of bread so you're bound to get an extra order. It's also so good that you munch on it so much as a starter that you end up getting almost halfway full by the time your main course arrives.

Braised Beef P320 - Slow cooked Sirloin simmered in a Sesame Soy Sauce with Crispy Sprouts and Cream Cheese, served with French fries

More Sangria.

No photo:

Porcini Crusted Steak P995 - Grilled Angus Ribeye, Duckfat Corn Kenels, Arugula Salad

I think this dish would've been excellent if our piece was less salty and peppery. One bite from the one we were served had way too much seasoning, it was hard to get a second without alternating it with another dish.

 Duck Ravioli P495 - Duck, Ricotta, Porcini mushroom cream sauce, Truffle

This was good, but very heavy. It's definitely a dish for sharing if you plan on eating other dishes (or even if it's the only dish you plan on getting). Maybe if the bite sizes were a bit smaller and there was a little more flavor in the duck too, it could be excellent. 

Classic Caesar Salad P220 - Romaine lettuce, Bacon, Croutons, Parmesan cheese

A simple dish done well. At first it wasn't being touched in the table, but once I tried it and found that it was pleasantly more delicious than most of the Caesar salads I've tried, more people attacked it.

The Morning After Sandwich P310 - Ham, Cheddar cheese, Fried egg, Mozzarella, Truffle oil, Honey, served with French fries

A recommendation from my sister which I absolutely enjoyed (of course, there's Truffle!). Another Bamba favorite because I enjoyed the levelled up breakfast for dinner meal. It's also pretty heavy so I suggest you share it with someone.

The place is pretty small and gets full right away so I suggest you make a reservation. Despite the full house though I must say they served us pretty quick! Definitely a place to visit when in BF.

surf break

Snapshots from my friend Carla's birthday weekend in La Union.

I've been to La Union several times but it was my fist time to stay at Flotsam and Jetsam. Every time I would plan a trip, the hostel would be full so I'd have to look for another place to stay (The Circle's a good place too). This time I was finally able to get a bed at F&J thanks to my friend Carla, the sister of F&J's creator, Mia Sebastian.

In my first La Union trip (Soul Surf 2013), I was able to visit FlotJet (and was one of their first breakfast customers!). Ever since then I never failed to visit the place every time I'd pay San Juan a visit. The artist hostel is just so homey and beautifully designed, I can't get enough of its motif--from the pillow and bean bag cases, lamps, color, blackboards, Mer Sea Boku kubo, to the bed setups and room decors.

Not only is this place so aesthetically beautiful; it also gathers the most simple, friendly and down to earth group of people.

Here we are at Elunion Coffee, another go-to when visiting La Union. It's a quaint little coffee shop located by the main road in front of Sebay. The place serves delicious coffee and freshly baked (and moist) cookie skillets.



My regular Elunion order: the Dirty White.

Back in Flotsam & Jetsam, having my post surf papak: Hungarian sausage with tomato sauce and onions, and Truffle fries.



Another yummy F&J staple: their brick oven pizzas!



A FlotJet burger my friend had which came with a generous amount of salad and fries. I had the chicken which also came with salad and rice. Both (or all) being delicious meals!

Mer Sea Boku Kubo, one of FlotJet's common areas that holds some of the best memories of relaxation, good conversations and pig out and jamming sessions.



You'll also find the cutest pets and dog lovers at F&J. Everyone loves animals!

For videos from the trip, check out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImP5X-KKlqU - Jamming sessions as Mer Sea Boku Kubo
https://vimeo.com/99028162 - The surf and F&J night

As for the surf, it was awesome. I loved being in the water along with other professional surfers, learning from them and watching them gracefully ride waves. I was also able to surf more than my last trip so I got more practice. There's still much needed improvement, but nothing feels better than a little progress at something you enjoy doing!

Another short but sweet trip. The beach (or vacations in general) never fails to leave me hungover (not from the alcohol) and longing to go back. Can't wait for the next trip!