Go South for Swiss Food

This low-carb diet really got in the way of me doing the things I love to do. I cannot even remember the last time I stepped into an Italian restaurant! (Actually, I do- it was more than a month ago. Too long.)

One weekend, I just told myself: Screw it. A day of carbohydrate overload could not be that bad. After all, Matt and I have been good- oatmeal for breakfast, smaller portions, and no more midnight phone calls to McDonald’s and Yellow Cab Pizza. So off we went with our favorite foodie crew to Appenzeller- our favorite Swiss restaurant south of Makati.

I was contemplating on putting this entry under the “Brunch-ing Manila” series because my favorite Swiss dishes seem to comfortably fall under that category. I can imagine people having some of these dishes any time of the day- most especially after one of those alcohol-laced nights when you crave hearty, fried food. But then again, Appenzeller’s line-up for Swiss/Central European/Continental dishes are so diverse that it would be misleading to just zero in on the roestis and the schnitzels.


Matt and I heard about this cozy eatery from some friends living in Alabang who love the authentic cooking and laidback vibe which highly-encourage leisurely meals, probably followed by a few drinks. The bar is bedecked with popular spirits and some Central European liqeur, including one from the Swiss region after which the restaurant was named.



Arriving a little after one in the afternoon, our group was famished, and we began our meal with some German wheat beer and appetizers.


Oettinger Weissbier is a refreshing, mildly-fruity beer, a style that I enjoy. This is not my favorite Wiessbier, but since it is the only one Appenzeller carries, it will do. In fact, I had two, a feat that a beer lightweight like me rarely achieves. It was just so good with the food, I tell myself, feeling slightly guilty as I start counting carbs in my head. But just as soon as I began, I conveniently shoved those restrictive thoughts back to the back of my mind and allowed myself to enjoy.



The Buure Schublig- a cured Swiss sausage, reminiscent of Spanish fuet- was a great accompaniment to the beer. It was moderately salty, a bit chewy, and very flavorful.



Being a Swiss meal, we just had to have cheese. And what could be more over-the-top than Deep Fried Camembert? Camembert is an unpasteurized soft cheese from France which is beloved for its mild flavor and gooey texture. In Appenzeller, it is given the schnitzel treatment as it is rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried to golden perfection. I eat it spread over crackers and topped with a little bit of preserved beets. Delicious, although I believe they can find better crackers than Sky Flakes. Nothing wrong with Sky Flakes, in fact I eat it at home. But that’s exactly what I mean- if I wanted to eat cheese and Sky Flakes, than I would have been happy to do so in my pajamas.



The Veal Bratwurst with Potato Salad was also a must try, something very popular in that region. Sanj enjoyed the sausage very much, much more than the Buure Schublig. We asked the server if it was homemade and she confirmed my suspicion that it was sourced from Swiss-owned Santis Delicatessen. Two things I learned from their veal brat is that, 1) caramelized onions and white sausage is the bomb, and 2) a nice sear on a sausage from a scorching-hot pan or grill makes a world of difference.



After a short lull, the main courses arrived all together. Matt, Cutie and Mark V. ordered their own, while Sanj and I ordered several dishes to be shared with all.


A Steak Tartare lover recommended the Appenzeller version, so Sanj decided to order one for the table. Interestingly, the waitress asked us if we wanted it spicy. Funny how this is the first time I was asked this in a restaurant, since I think the spice level is a vital characteristic of this particular dish. True enough, the steak tartare was nicely-seasoned and piquant- exactly how I would have wanted it to taste if I made it myself. It could be less fine though, as I prefer steak tartare a bit chunky. Otherwise, it develops a strange, mousse-y character- something I don’t want associated with raw beef.



The Zuercher Geschnetzeltes- one of my favorite Swiss dishes to order (not only because it’s so good, but also because I like to brag how I can pronounce it with ease)- was, sadly, our least favorite dish. The flavor of butter was overwhelming, which is never a good thing, in any style of cooking. What a waste of good spaetzle (pasta dumplings).



The Berner Roesti, another favorite, is one of those dishes I can easily have for brunch as well. Roesti- crisp on the outside, moist and soft in the inside- is a popular Swiss potato dish, similar to hash browns. You can pretty much toss in whatever you want to make it more exciting. In this case, the Berger is a roesti potato topped with cheese, bacon and egg. I devoured my order of this the first time we ate here, but the second time I found it to be a tad lackluster. More my fault than the kitchen, though- since we ordered so much food, the cheese hardened as the dish got colder. Note to self: Give the Berner Roesti the attention it deserves- no double-booking.



Another repeat performance came from the Beef Stroganoff (served with a side of buttered pasta). Mark V. and I are particularly fond of this dish- the beef strips are sliced generously and cooked a perfect medium, covered in a robust, demi-glace-based sauce. It’s hearty and comforting, a dish you would love to curl up with on a cold or rainy day.

I love brunch-ing at this restaurant with friends, not only because of the food, but because of the easy vibe, something that is also synonymous with the area. And with the Skyway, it is no longer the “road trip” it used to be. After the three-hour meal, we did some shopping at South Supermarket, where I even found a stall selling Alamid coffee (that expensive stuff which is actually poo from some forest creature) and had my first taste. It was a good day with friends, one of those things that I live for.



Appenzeller Bar & Restaurant
Alabang-Zapote Road
Alabang, Muntinlupa

Directions, from Makati- Go south on the Skyway and exit at South Station (Alabang-Zapote Rd.). Just go straight until you hit the Acacia Avenue intersection. Right after you pass that, you will see a row of low buildings on your right. Make a right on the next break on the road and go back. Appenzeller is on that row, next to Tile Depot.

Best Tacos Ever

I don’t like using superlatives, simply because I myself don’t like being told what to do. When somebody says that something is “the best”- According to whom? You? Who died and made you the expert? Anyway, it annoys me, so I try not to do it. I prefer to say things like, “it’s my favorite cava” or “it’s the best pizza I have tried in Manila”. Things like that. But for me to dub something as “the best, period”, I don’t think I would be able to live with myself. I have a very low tolerance for arrogance, even if it is me.

But I will have to break my own rules with this one. This one I loved so much that I was thinking about it constantly for days. Even while I was eating it, I was already wondering how I could possibly deal with the mediocrity that is everything else after that. That is how amazing this dish was.

After a long day at the Kennedy Space Center, we (Me, Matt and Carlos) were famished and ready for a good meal. Carlos- his silver bimmer equipped with its powerful engine and some speeding-ticket-evading gadget- was zooming through the freeway toward, what he claimed, were the best tacos we would ever try. After our arepas experience, I knew that I could trust him on this one. I happily napped as the dimming Florida landscape whizzed by, knowing that when I awaken I would be having some delicious grub.



We arrived 45 minutes later at Tacos Del Rio- the same spot where we had our arepas a couple of weeks before. It was a small joint, seating 15 at the most. We placed our orders at the counter, which Carlos expertly did in rapid Spanish. As usual, I just told him I would have whatever he was having.



We ordered some Mexican beers called Modelo Especial- a premium pilsner made by the same company which produces Corona. Nice and crisp, perfectly-balanced, this beer was just too drinkable. I’m not much of a beer drinker, but this is one pilsner I can literally drink all day. Just give me two coconut trees, a hammock in between, and I’m set.



When our food arrived, we headed towards the gleaming salsa station to top our tacos with whatever condiments we wanted. On the left side were the mild salsas- including some guacamole, refried beans and sour cream- while on the right side were the hot salsas in different shades of green and red. In between were an assortment of fresh vegetables and herbs- diced onions, tomatoes, lettuce, cilantro, the works. After some instructions from Carlos, we dove in.





I had a combination of three tacos topped with various meats- lengua (ox tongue), beef and pastor. All the meats are sliced and marinated the night before, and then quickly cooked on the griddle before being served. All except for the pastor- or spit-roasted porkloin- which is roasted in the morning on a shawarma-like contraption, and then cut into strips upon being ordered. These are put on top of soft corn tortilla, made in-house, everyday. All the salsas are also made fresh, everyday, and you could tell. I topped my tacos with some guacamole, sour cream, cilantro, and some of the spicy salsa verde.

On first bite, all of my preconceived ideas about Mexican food just flew out the window. The flavors and textures were so different from what I have been used to. First of all, there is no dominant spice- there was no pungent cumin or chili powder that jumps out. It was a perfectly-balanced medley of fresh herbs, taut and crisp vegetables, and the smokiness from the meats. The tortilla is a unique character on its own- its texture is something that I have never experience before. The freshly-ground corn imparts a fine graininess that adds bite to what is otherwise deemed merely as a wrapper.

And let’s talk about the heat. Mexican chilies seem to hit you a different way. It does not come at you up front- it attacks later on, almost predatorily, when you least expect it. Matt was an unlucky victim of this, thinking that he was up to the challenge being quite the hot sauce lover. He piled on the spicy salsa with the menacing orange tinge, since his first bite was bearable. Little did he know that the heat slowly creeps up at you, and not in your mouth, where you expect it to hit. You start feeling this searing heat coming from your neck, climbing up all the way to the top of your head. What you get is the uncontrollable urge to dunk your head into a tub of ice.



After Matt got some relief from washing his face in the bathroom with cold water, Carlos recommended that we try their dessert- a tequila-flavored flan. That, too, was delicious- the tequila added a flavor dimension that was not overbearing- just a subtle zing that you get in the end with alcohol. It was so good I ordered it again the second time we ate there, but alas, they were out of it.



I love it when food surprises me. This just goes to show that it pays to have an open mind when it comes to food, and to avoid pigeon-holing foods and flavors. Have I stuck to my profile of Mexican food (heavy on the cumin and cilantro), then I would not have appreciated the fresh and bright flavors of authentic tacos.

As we finish off our beers, I look at Carlos (Matt is still shell-shocked from the salsa and is, therefore, unintelligible) with concern, brows furrowed, and ask,” How do we come back from this?” He lets out a hearty laugh then stops, looks at me sympathetically, and says, “You don’t.”



Tacos Del Rio
9785C Orange Blossom Trail
Orlando, FL
Tel. no. (407)601 1542
http://www.tacosdelrio.com/

Some Darn Good Beer (Or At Least The Ones I Like)

I used to drink a lot of beer in college. But for some reason, the older I got, the harder it was for me to drink it. If back in the day I could down four to six bottles before I got significantly inebriated, these days two would be enough. Not “enough” in the sense that I have that nice, tingling buzz, but more like I-have-a-giant-rock-in-my-stomach kind of feeling.

Recently, though, I have discovered some beers that I enjoy drinking. Hamburg-native Matt introduced me to Warsteiner when we started dating several years ago. We spotted a limited supply of the German pilsner in Rustan’s and we grabbed a few bottles for me to taste. It was ok, kind of like our local San Miguel.

Later on, he made me try another German import: Weissbier or wheat beer. That one I liked. A lot. The cloudy, golden liquid smells great and is light and fruity on the palate. Mickey’s- a german deli along Jupiter Street- brings in an assortment of these wheat beers, although some brands are not always available. When they have my favorites though (like Paulaner or Franziskaner), you can count on me being there munching on Neurnbergers and my nose buried in the thick, white foam on top of a pilsner glass.

Our trips to Hong Kong have also introduced me to a wide variety of beers from all over the world. City Super- our favorite grocery in Harbour City, Kowloon- offers a plethora of choices, and brews are not an exception. I have noticed that their beer selection is more diverse than their assortment of wine, so I usually gravitate towards the former when I am there.

One of my favorites is Fischer Blonde from Alsace, France, a small city (Note: Actually, its a region in France. Thanks, Cosmopolicious, for the correction.) right on the German border. A crisp, high-alcohol pilsner, Fischer has a nice fruity aroma and a light flavor with almost no bitter after-taste. Maybe I unconsciously associate it with Alsatian wines which I favor, so I enjoy it more because it has a “wine-y” character to it. Plus, it does not give me that “heavy” feeling I sometimes get with wheat beer. I wanted to know what regular beer drinkers thought of this wine, so I checked it out on-line. True enough, some beer fans complained of it not being “too hop-y” or “tasting flat”. Uncannily, the same characteristics that got me hooked on Fischer in the first place. Interesting to note, though: I noticed that those who had an intense dislike (to put it more delicately) for this particular type of beer were mostly British.

Another beer that my sister Foxychef discovered on our recent trip was Grimbergen Blonde. An authentic abbey beer from Belgium, this particular brand has been around for 900 years. There is a whole lot of tradition behind this, for sure. Not noticing its 6% alcohol content, I was initially deceived by its diminutive container. The flavor, too, will have you drinking this very (and I mean VERY) fast. The color is bright and golden, with a delicious aroma of apples and caramel. Thinking about it now makes me wish that I brought some home. Or at least drank the rest of my sister’s bottle when she was not looking.