Media Noche Memories at The Maya Kitchen

Last Saturday, my mom and I attended November's featured class - Media Noche Memories with Chef Fern Aracama at The Maya Kitchen. I first knew about Chef Fern from the culinary magazines then later on as a celebrity host/judge for the Philippine version of  Master Chef. Aside from being a celebrity chef, Chef Fern is the man behind Aracama Filipino Cuisine and is also the culinary consultant for Philippine Airlines.


This event focuses on dishes one can serve for the upcoming holidays, and were inspired by dishes the chef grew up eating as well as those inspired by his travels.

Dishes prepared:


Malunggay and Cheese Dip
A signature appetizer at Aramaca Filipino Cuisine, this one was the local response to the well known Artichoke and Spinach Dip, using Malunggay or Moringa to replace the artichoke. A very, very easy dish to make and was mom's favorite from all the dish prepared. Will prepare this at home this week and share you the recipe on Friday.


Patatas Riojana
A dish inspired from Chef Fern's Spanish trip. Another simple and easy dish to make, but I found the broth a little too salty for my taste. The chorizo tasted great, by the way.



Grilled Ensaimada - Media Noche Style
The heartiest and the richest dish of the day... Ensaimada cut in half and turned inside out and filled with Chinese Ham, mustard, Quezo de Bola then pressed and grilled in a butter greased pan. The dish prepared for the photo shoot was a little burnt, but the dish served at the end of the event was grilled perfectly. I loved this one as it had a great balance of sweetness and saltiness.


Insalata Uva
To counter the richness of the Grilled Ensaimada, Chef Fern prepared Insalata Uva, a signature salad dish chef's old restaurant called Uva. I do love to eat salad, but I rarely prepare vinaigrette, so this was something I am thankful for. Means I can now include vinaigrette on my salad as well.


Bunuelos with Spiced Chocolate Dip
A dessert that was my favorite dish that day. It was like profiteroles, but this one's lightly crunchy on the outside and very soft and moist inside. At the demo, this was paired with a chocolate dip, but at the buffet, this was served with another dip - Dulce de Leche. The Spiced Chocolate Dip was great, but I personally loved the Dulce de Leche more.

With the Christmas coming around the corner, people are not only stressed with thinking which gifts to wrap, stress from thinking what to serve also wears us down. All these dishes were very easy to make and not only would these make the Christmas table look great, these were also great Christmas gifts to family and friends.

I am not sure if there will be a featured class this December... if there will be one, I will share details here on my blog as soon as possible.

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The Maya Kitchen Features "Breaking Bread With Our Heroes"

The Maya Kitchen gave Filipino cuisine another spotlight as it featured "Breaking Bread With Our Heroes" cooking demo last 26 October 2013.


"Breaking Bread With Our Heroes" was a culinary event Ilustrado Restaurant had in cooperation with the National Museum. It aimed to showcase different dishes in relation to certain Filipino heroes, and a few years after, these dishes are passed on to those who attended the event. Now, it's my turn to pass on this knowledge to you, my dear readers.

For this featured class, four dishes from the said event were demoed, but the people behind Ilustrado Restaurant, headed by its president - Mr. Boni Pimentel, also shared two dishes from the restaurant. Here were the dishes:


Umbuyan
A dish that traces its origin from Tondo, Manila where the hero Andres Bonifacio hailed from. Back then, that part of Manila was still known for its smoked fish, which was the main ingredient for this dish. Flaked smoked fish wrapped in Pechay leaves and drizzled with olive oil was a good appetizer, although I found it a little salty. Maybe it needed to be paired with steamed rice to mellow the saltiness, but it was a very easy dish to do that my mom and I wanted to try it one time at home. We just have to find a not so salty smoked fish or maybe add a little something to tame that sodium level a little.


Bagnet with KBL
A very famous Ilocano dish for the sons of Ilocos, Juan and Antonio Luna. Not for the weak of heart as this was a cholesterol rich food, but even if the process of making this was a little tedious (from boiling to baking to frying), it was still very delicious! In Ilocos, the best partner for this would be the KBL or the Kamatis - Bagoong - Lasona (tomatoes, fish paste, shallots), but it was made better with the addition of minced ginger.


Manok ng Mga Bayani
A dish that was said to be served in one of the events hosted by the former Philippine President, Manuel L. Quezon. A very interesting dish because it tasted like a cross between Kare Kare (because of the toasted peanuts and rice) and Adobo (because of the tangy flavor brought by the Kamias or Bilimbi). So delicious and so tasty!


Halayang Bayabas
A dish inspired by the National Hero, Jose Rizal because of the abundance of guava in his hometown. Tasted a little bit like guava jam, but made creamy because of the milk. A simple way to end a historic dining experience.

Like I said, Mr. Boni Pimentel and his team also shared two dishes from Ilustrado Restaurant:


Paella Ilustrado
I love fried rice, but I admit I am not a fan of flavored rice, Paella included. However, there was something in this dish that made me like it - rice not resembling the texture of the suman. I truly don't like mushy flavored rice, but since this one wasn't mushy, I quite enjoyed eating it.


Sampaguita Ice Cream
As a treat to the people who attended the event, we were all served Sampaguita Ice Cream, one of the most unique ice cream flavors I have tried. The jasmine scent and flavor was prominent, but the ice cream's consistency and feel in the mouth was so awesome that it made me really thankful to have tasted such delight.

A country's history isn't just measured with the words from the books, or the pictures taken... it can also be seen through food. Thank you, The Maya Kitchen for making me a part of this event.

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Siklab Filipino Favorites {Glorietta 3}

I love to eat foreign cuisine, but I always find myself wanting to eat Filipino food. I believe there is just nothing like it, and the comfort it brings doesn't just fill the tummy, it feeds the senses, too.


If you're someone who just love Filipino food, there's another restaurant to try - Siklab Filipino Favorites, located at the third level of Greenbelt 3.

"Siklab," which literally means “to catch fire” or “burst into flames,” serves dishes that are in their best hot-off-the-grill goodness. Guests can also look forward to nothing less than an explosion of flavors even in the most simple of dishes.

“At Siklab, the story doesn’t end with serving all-Filipino dishes but we present these dishes creatively, the Bistro way,” Chef Josh Boutwood says. “Both usual favorites and some unique Filipino dishes will be served with interesting twists. The taste, however, is still traditionally Filipino — but richer and more flavorful,” he further hints.

The restaurant’s interiors are accented with wooden planks and black droplights that lend a laidback, almost rustic vibe to the place. But it’s this homey and inviting ambiance that heightens the dining experience at Siklab, creating just the right kind of setting for a satisfying meal.

Dishes to try at Siklab Filipino Favorites?




Salads that are prepared with fresh ingredients that are truly Filipino: salted eggs, green mangoes, pako, kesong puti and grated coconut. They also serve leafy malunggay and kangkong as well as other vegetables that make up dishes like Pakbet and Monggo Soup.


For appetizer, Kuhol Sa Gata (local escargot drenched in coconut cream and spicy ingredients) is a winner.


Chicken Barbecue
Chicken pieces are smothered in Siklab’s marinade made of coconut soy sauce, citrus and other spices and the meat is grilled to exact temperature and tenderness. The smokey aroma and intense flavor of the chicken plus its juiciness and succulence, bite after bite, will delight even the most discerning palate.


Barbequed Liempo
A slab of perfectly grilled juicy pork belly best eaten with piping hot steamed rice and condiments on the side, is a crowd favorite.


The adventurous eater may order Grilled Pig’s Ears, a not-your-usual grilled fare but equally tasty and enjoyable.


A healthier alternative is the Tuna Belly, a juicy and tender chunk of tuna sprinkled with chilis and garlic.

For desserts you may opt for...


Minatamis na Saging (Caramelized Bananas)


Turon 2.0
Bananas that becomes fancier as it comes adorned with homemade sugar snap cones and topped with banana ice cream with banana compote.


And the classic Filipino native delicacy - the Biko.

These are just the few of the many more dishes to try at Siklab Filipino Favorites. Whether you're the type who loves grilled food or soupy Pinoy dishes, there's something for everyone at this restaurant.

As part of Bistro Group’s portfolio of restaurant concepts, Siklab carries the same brand of customer service, great food and friendly ambiance that the chain is known and loved for. In the local food scene, Siklab distinguishes itself as a blazing new venue where families, friends, expats, urban professionals and balikbayans can enjoy an authentic Pinoy dining experience – proof that Filipino dishes are definitely worth dining for.

For more information and reservations, please call 729-7431 and 32. Also, you may also follow them on Facebook.

Big thanks to the Bistro Group for providing the images and its descriptions.

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Golden Cowrie Restaurant {Boracay}

For dinner, mom wanted prawns or shrimps. Knowing that the seafood capital of the Philippines (Roxas City) is just a few hours away from Boracay, we knew seafood sold here would be just as good. We walked along the shoreline from Station 2 to Station 3, checking every restaurant's menu. When we passed by Golden Cowrie Restaurant, the staff told us they serve prawns and shrimps, but at the moment they only had baby shrimps. We walked further along, contemplated on considering the eat-all-you-can buffet, but computing the costs, we went back to Golden Cowrie Restaurant.


Garlic Shrimps
We were told beforehand that these were super small shrimps, but we were quite surprised to see how small the shrimps really are! What's even more surprising was that it was very, very, good! It was fried, and even if there were a few slices of garlic, each of the shrimps were packed with garlic flavor... as if the shrimps were fried in garlic infused oil. It was quite addicting, but it was a challenge to chew on the head part.


Baked Scallops
Another dish mom chose. Just like the shrimps, this was another oh-so-good dish. Look at how much parmesan cheese they placed on the scallops!


Grilled Squid
Sister's chosen dish. At first she wanted to eat beef, but in the end she went for the squid. Grilling is not my choice of way to cook squid, but my gosh, this was just amazing! I guess this restaurant have served so many grilled squids that they already perfected the way to cook it. The meat had the right texture, the stuffing was tasty, and it was seasoned well that we didn't feel the need to fix our own mix of condiments anymore.

I ordered a bowl of Bulalo Soup to compliment the dry dishes (which I forgot to take a picture of). It was a big bowl of soup with veggies and corn - kinda like ordering Bulalo minus the beef.


Golden Cowrie Restaurant offers rice-all-you-can and we had a feast! There was also a performer singing folk songs, and when he sang "Homeward Bound," everybody in the restaurant (who knew the song, of course) started singing. Somehow the song gave us a bittersweet feeling because the next day, we were set to leave Boracay.

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Golden Cowrie Restaurant
Uptown Hotel, Station 2 - Boracay
+63 (036)288-2543

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