Monday Foodstagram II

It's time for Monday Foodstagram once again. Here are the food pics I posted on Instagram last week.


Instant Coffee
FatMumSlim's prompt for that day's Photo a Day was "early," and for me, the best way to perk me up early in the morning is a cup of hot coffee. My favorite instant coffee mix as of late has been San Mig White Coffee.

Sinampalukang Manok
When the girls and I went to the market the day before, I saw a stall selling young tamarind leaves and immediately craved for Sinampalukang Manok, which I cooked for lunch. Gloomy weather calls for comfort food, and this one was a sure winner.

Pancakes and Bacon
I truly don't like my sister to skip meals, so to make sure she eats before she leaves the house for work, I cooked pancakes and bacon for us three girls for breakfast. I used the Maya Pancake Mix for this - the one that only needs water (no need for egg and butter), but I used one part milk one part water just to make it tastier. I rarely cook pancakes in the house as it is not my favorite food - unless I pair it with something savory, but true enough this pancake mix was so easy to work with. I also didn't need to grease the pan, I just mixed the batter, heat the pan and cook. Flipping it was easy, too! For that "something savory," I cooked bacon, something I miss eating. I like my bacon still soft, my sister likes it very crispy... so this was a compromise. It wasn't soft, but not crispy yet.


Salad with Grapes
The good thing about having a big marketplace nearby is the surprise at what you will find. For that day, my mom and I saw a sidewalk vendor selling grapes at only 50 pesos per half a kilo, super cheap compared to the ones being sold at the fruit stands. Walking home, I also got to see a vendor selling lolo rosso lettuce for only 10 pesos a bunch, and for lunch I prepared salad to go with the fried tilapia. It was my first time to add grapes in my salad, and it turned out to be good. Hopefully we get to see more fruits at cheap prices so we can eat healthy without creating a hole into the wallet.

Sausage Meal at Kenny Rogers
Yesterday, us girls went to the mall to eat lunch and shop for groceries. Sister decided to eat at Kenny Rogers Roasters and I went for the Sausage Meal because I wasn't in the mood to eat something heavy. The menu didn't indicate (or it totally slipped my eyes) that rice was included, so instead of coleslaw, I went for Mac & Cheese as my side dish. I was pretty dismayed when I saw my plate...carbs overload! Well, I didn't eat the rice anymore... the muffin and the macaroni were enough for me.

Salad with Mango Vinaigrette
While at the supermarket, I got to see a bottle of Clara Ole Mango Mio! vinaigrette and decided to buy it. Since I still had the carbo horror from lunch, I decided to just prepare salad for us girls - no rice, no other viands... just salad. For protein, I cooked ground pork in olive oil seasoned with salt, pepper, and oregano leaves until crispy, and I also added some cashew nuts. The vinaigrette was sweet and tangy, kinda like Frutos or Fruit Tella candies... but I liked it. Using it, I didn't feel the need to buy mangoes for my salad anymore.

Just six food pictures from last week; hopefully this week I can share more pictures. Have a great Monday, everyone!

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Amici Offers New Dishes in Celebration of Their 6th Year Anniversary

Amici is one of the restaurants in my foodie bucket list. For years, my sister and I have hoped of dining there, but we just couldn't find the chance to do so. Last week, I was finally able to fulfill a dining wish - when I was invited to taste the new dishes at their Venice Piazza branch.



Amici started as a humble canteen put up by Fr. Gianluigi Colombo, a Salesian Italian priest in charge of overseeing the operations of the Don Bosco Makati Printing Press. During lunch break, he noticed that employees had to leave the premises, so he put up a canteen serving Italian coffee and gelato, as well as wood-fired baked pizza and homemade pasta. In 2001, Amici di Don Bosco (meaning, "Friends of Don Bosco") was established as a business that also serves the dining needs of the students studying in Don Bosco. Word of mouth about the great tasting, authentic, and affordable Italian food spread, and soon people flock to the Hole-in-the-Wall store in Makati just to taste what Amici di Don Bosco has to offer.

In 2007, Danny Moran planned to open a business and thought about opening a gelato place. A meeting with the priests made him learn about Amici di Don Bosco, and a few meetings after, he took over the business, with the promise of partnering the food business with the Tuloy Foundation.

Today, Amici has eight establishments, one located at the Venice Piazza in McKinley Hill - Bonifacio Global City.



I love the homey ambiance of the restaurant! Decorations look posh, but I personally love the mis-matched chairs. To give the impression that the restaurant is an extension of our own home, the owners included framed pictures - which are their own personal pictures.

Amici is celebrating their sixth anniversary this week by offering ten new dishes - two of which I shared yesterday (please check my other post).


Mediterranean Blue Cheese and Walnut Salad
At first, I was apprehensive in trying this one. With ingredients having different flavors - bitter arugula leaves, tangy sweet grapes, sweet candied walnuts, and the blue cheese - I didn't know how the flavors would blend, but it did taste good! I loved how the flavors fight each other, and the red wine vinaigrette binding the ingredients together just made it such a unique salad.


Asian Chicken Salad
I did like the other salad, but if I have to make a choice between the two salad servings, I would choose this, maybe because I love that slightly tangy flavor in my salad. It was lip-smacking good, and the fried wonton strips provide more crunchy texture.


Prosciutto & Artichoke Cream Cheese Pizza Roll
Unlike the panniza, this one is already rolled and cut too pieces when served. The artichoke cream cuts the strong flavor of the prosciutto, while the reduced balsamic vinegar drizzled at the top provided an interesting kick in the flavors.


Prosciutto Portobello Pizza Roll
I wasn't able to taste this (wasn't served at our table), so I cannot make a comment about it, but this pizza roll contains prosciutto, portobello mushrooms, cream cheese, and arugula... served with roasted garlic dip.


Garlic Chorizo Spaghetti
I love oil based spaghetti, and the aglio olio has got to be my favorite! I was so happy when this was served, but I found it a little salty for my taste.


Penne Rosa & Bacon
A combination of pomodoro and bechamel sauces were enough to make this a winner for me. Adding bacon and mushroom to the mix, it was one of the nicest pasta dishes I have tasted.


Pork Marsala
Such a tasty dish - I loved that the pork was cut thinly and rolled with ham and cheese, making it easy to eat. The reduce marsala wine was a little overpowering, but I liked it.


Chicken Parmigiana
The chicken in the image looked dry, but in reality it was tender and juicy. The contrast between the crunchy breading and the juicy chicken meat combined with mozzarella cheese and tomato sauce made this dish my overall favorite among the dishes I tasted.



Amici offers desserts, but to complete the Italian fare, we were served gelato! We were given three flavors to choose from - Sans Rival, Ferrero, and Pistachio, and we decided to get one of each so we could taste and compare. What I loved about their gelato was that it tasted the same as what the flavor was. Sure it was cold and had the ice cream feel in the mouth, but if you are to eat a Ferrero Rocher chocolate and have a taste of the Ferrero gelato after... you wouldn't taste the difference in the flavor.

Amici is all about celebrating good food and good friendships, as well as good family ties. If you fancy to eat some Italian cuisine, please do visit one of their eight branches - Don Bosco, Tomas Morato, SM Megamall, Greenhills, Alabang Town Center, Ayala Triangle Gardens, Venice Piazza, and UP Ayala Technohub.

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Village Tavern Celebrates 1st Year Anniversary with New Menu Offerings

Since I am from the north, I am really not familiar with the many food places from the south. So, when I received an invitation to celebrate Village Tavern's first year anniversary, I saw it as a way to have new dining experiences.



I loved the ambiance so much! At the middle of the restaurant are tables closely spaced to one another (without really invading the diners' privacy), and surrounding it are tables with couches that feels as if you're dining inside a luxury train.


It was also a great sight to see the chefs prepare each order. I personally love restaurants letting diners have a peek into their kitchen because it ensures that all the food are prepared well.


Complimentary Nachos.
I shared the table with Dencio and Cha (Jonel joined us later in the evening), and because we were one of the few early birds, we were served this while waiting for the others. The chips were typical... but the salsa was amazing!


Crispy Clams with Spicy Lemon Dip.
This was the first appetizer served to us, and I was glad to have tasted a new way of cooking clams. I usually just eat clams cooked in water and ginger, and nibbling on these babies was just a joy to do. Each clam meat was coated with battered and fried to a crisp, and even if the nibblers were good to eat as is, dipping it in the Spicy Lemon Dip gave it more personality. Since it was quite difficult to eat the clams per piece, what I did was get some of the greens, scooped a tablespoon of the clams added a little of the sauce and mixed it together. Instant salad!


Fully Loaded Romaine Heart.
The romaine lettuce is my favorite among the lettuce I have tasted. Presentation of the salad was really good - it was like Kimchi - the whole romaine heart was cut in half (lengthwise) and each of the leaf layers were drizzled with dressing. Topped with tomatoes, red onions, bacon bits and bleu cheese, it has got to be one of the best salads I have tasted. The bleu cheese is an acquired taste, and although at first I didn't like the taste of eating chunks of bleu cheese, I learned how to like it as I eat my salad.


Roasted Bone Marrow.
Yes, the Pinoys have the Bulalo...but have you eaten bone marrow like this? When this was served to us, not only did our eyes go wide, we also exclaimed some oohs and ahhs... and some wow, too! Chef Josh Boutwood - the corporate chef of the Bistro Group personally came to our table to show us how this should be eaten. First, scoop enough amount of marrow from the bone, spread in on the slice of sourdough bread, then drizzle some apple cider vinegar, sprinkle some sea salt and topped it with herbs. This has got to be one of the most interesting dishes I have tried, though I am not sure I am going to try it again because my cholesterol level is quite high.


Cod Fish.
On the plate was pan seared Atlantic cod cooked with Spanish chorizo and garlic, served on a bed of salt roasted potato. This (I think) was the first time I ate cod fish (bakalaw in Filipino), and I found it's meat firmer compared to the other white fish I have tried. The fish was lightly seasoned, and is best eaten along with the other components in the dish.


Tomahawk 35oz.
Before we were served dinner, we already got to see a picture of this in the printed flip cards on the table. We were sharing some chit-chats hoping we get served this steak, and imagine our surprise when we got to see it personally.

I don't like my meat bloody (I don't eat raw / rare meat), but this kind of steak I love. I don't really care if it's still pinkish inside as long as there's no traces of blood oozing out. I prefer steak cooked like this because the outer layer is firm yet the inside part is still tender. The steak itself tasted good. No need for dips and seasonings, but it tasted great when eaten with the side salad greens.


Lamb Rack.
After eating a slightly bland fish and rightly seasoned steak, I found this a bit on the salty side. The lamb was cooked in the same doneness as the steak, and because it was a little salty for my taste, eating it with the creamy mashed potatoes balanced the flavors. It had the typical lamb aftertaste, so I didn't eat a lot of it.


Frozen Lime Souffle.
Ending the wonderful celebration was this dessert. This wasn't love at first taste, but it gets better and better as I ate it. At the bottom of the dish was a layer of frozen lime flavored souffle, which had the slight tang that cleansed the palate. On top of it was the airy lime infused souffle, which was so light that the whole dessert was perfect to eat during summertime. What caught my attention was the candied lime... it didn't have the usual lime zest flavor and it went well with the rest of the dish.



We were given our own choice of drinks. My choice was the V Tea. I just wanted something cold and refreshing, and this was the first one I saw. I didn't bother reading the description on the menu so I was surprised when I tasted alcohol in it. The first sip was a bit strong (but it was refreshingly good), and as I let the ice cubes melt, it became better for my liking.

Cha ordered a bottle of Hoegaarden beer, as per friends' suggestion. I still loved the Cerveza Negra better than this one, but tasting a foreign beer brand was a welcomed experience.

Before we left, we all asked for a cup of tea. They don't prepare the tea, by the way... we were served our own cups and little pot of hot water and a saucer of tea and lemon wedge. I don't like the flower infused tea flavor (we were served jasmine and chamomile among the mix), so I went for the English Breakfast Tea, which tasted really good. It wasn't too strong, but not really mild either.

All of the dishes served (except the drinks and the nachos) were new to Village Tavern's menu. As they welcome a new year, they also incorporated new dishes to satisfy both new and regular diners, although they still retained some of the bestsellers. My favorite dish that night was the Tomahawk 35oz and the Fully Loaded Romaine Heart.

By the way, every Wednesdays, Village Tavern offers 50% off on wines by the glass, cocktails, and liquors, so if you fancy some wine and cocktails as part of your dining experience, do drop by during Wednesdays. Happy anniversary, Village Tavern!

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Village Tavern
2nd level, Bonifacio High Street Central
7th Ave. corner 29th Street - Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
+63 (02) 621-3245

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