The Good Stuff: Best Finds Going Into 2013

Better late than never, so they say, and these delectables are definitely some of the noteworthy dishes I have tried this year.  So good, in fact, that I could not allow the year to end without sharing them with all of you.

Hai Chix & Steaks’ US Angus Porterhouse

Think Mamou- even Peter Luger- but a fraction of the price you’ll pay for the same cut of meat in fancier steakhouses.  Prepared by Enderun-trained chefs, Hai Chix’s porterhouse is best cooked medium to medium rare, allowing the soft, flavorful meat to take center stage with minimal seasoning.  This is obviously borne from an understanding of and respect for good ingredients, a by-product of the chefs’ travels and training in Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris and the US.

The streamlined décor of the establishment evokes the same quiet confidence as the food coming out of the kitchen.  At P2,400.00 (inclusive of side dishes), this porterhouse is arguably the best you could possibly have in its price-range, if not better than others contained in much plusher surroundings.    

Hai Chix & Steaks

Ortigas Home Depot

Julia Vargas Ave., Pasig City

Tel. no. (632) 6617695

Rodillas Yema Cake

Yes, the local candy made from egg yolk and condensed milk- usually served as a calamansi-sized ball or formed into tiny pyramids- is being produced and served in the small provincial town of Tayabas, Quezon in cake form.  Technically, my mom was the one who discovered this- at a wake, of all places- and swears that no dessert has captured her attention for quite a while now like this one.  With this testimonial coming from the woman who squashed my obsession with everything chocolate at a young age, I knew it was definitely worth a try.

The cakes come in two sizes: half (8” x 6”) and whole (8” x 12”), reasonably priced at just P120 and P240, respectively.  One bite was all it took  to know what all the fuss was about- the yema was impressively gooey yet smooth, sweet yet ethereal with a hint of citrus and slightly-salty cheese; In contrast, the chiffon cake was decidedly light-footed in both density and flavor, allowing the luxurious egg-y yema to get top-billing (although, not necessarily all the attention).  A beautifully- balanced dessert with two simple components that is sure to satisfy, if not win you over completely.

Rodillas Restaurant

39-D Quezon Ave.

Tayabas, Quezon

La Cocina de Maria’s Fideua

                
This lovely Spanish lady from Alabang seems to enjoy stuffing me with food- not that I am complaining.  She is definitely one of my favorite home cooks in Metro Manila, and not only because of her penchant for spoiling me with free food.  Her passion for and knowledge of Spanish cuisine spills over into her dishes- you will know after your first bite that you are getting the real deal. 

The latest from her arsenal of great dishes that I got to try is her Fideua- a Valencian noodle dish typically topped with crustaceans and white fish.  Like paella, the noodles absorb the flavors of paprika and saffron (and Maria Pedrosa uses only the best kind) and these spices also season the shrimps and fish that are cooked with it.  The light vermicelli-like noodles make it all too easy to eat so much of this dish, made even more addicting by Mrs. Pedrosa’s light mayonnaise aioli.  It is a beautiful and elegant party dish which will surely impress. 

La Cocina de Maria

Tel. no. (632) 807 8808/8421367

Ramen Yushoken’s Miso Ramen

Barely a month into their soft opening and this ramen spot in Alabang is already topping everyone’s must-try lists.  Ramen Yushoken is a product of one of the owners’ obsession with bringing the same top-quality ramen experience he got from eating at the best ones in Japan.  After getting some of his equally food-obsessed friends on board, they embarked on years of research, negotiating, and training until they got everything perfect.  Every Yushoken fan has his/her favorite, but the Miso Ramen is truly the stuff of legend.

It is about finding the perfect balance between the pork bone broth and the mixture of seven kinds of miso.  As I write this, I know that the owners and cooks are still in the process of determining the proper blend of savory broth and rich, almost milky, miso- juxtaposed with their fresh, homemade noodles.  But, regardless of what the owners are trying to achieve, what they truly have going for them is the rich tradition of ramen cookery evident in every bowl.  And, even during this soft opening stage, you taste the profound richness of the broth which can only possibly be through technique perfected over centuries. 

Ramen Yushoken
Molito

Madrigal Ave.

Alabang, Muntinlupa

Tel. no. (632) 808 7424

Big Fish in a Small Pond

Vacations in Quezon province has always been some sort of food fest. Passing through the towns on our way to and coming from Mauban entailed countless pitstops picking-up local delicacies and pasalubong. What would be meals at our lola’s house without crisp-fried longganisang Lucban and tortilyang Macao? At the beach house in Cagbalete Island, no afternoon is complete without steaming-hot pancit habhab and my dad’s favorite fried saba. To bring home, nothing satisfies more than a can of broas (lady fingers) from the old Pavinos store in Lucban, a regular request from a dear uncle where it always has a special spot beside his Planter’s peanuts and Poppycock caramel popcorn.

With Quezon quickly becoming a food destination, restaurants offering local dishes are popping-up all over the province. Although there have always been those quaint hole-in-the-walls serving grilled fish and jardinera or the ubiquitous habhab panciterias, recent years have seen the emergence of the ihaw-ihaw (grill) destination restaurants.

Banking on fresh ingredients and serene backdrops, Kamayan sa Palaisdaan is the Parthenon of these native restaurants and grills in Quezon province. Covering close to a hectare of land in the outskirts of Tayabas township, Palaisdaan (as we commonly call it) is best known for its fresh Tilapia raised in the sprawling pond within the restaurant’s property. Floating atop this pond are bamboo huts with tables that seat ten to twelve adults comfortably. Larger groups can be accommodated in their main hall or in various “tree houses” or pavilions spread out all over the restaurant. This establishment has already grown to include a bar, a hotel and a mini-zoo of sorts.




Having made several visits to Palaisdaan over the years (even to its earlier incarnation across the road), my family already has our favorite dishes that we cannot help but order again and again. To start, a pleasant discovery was the sisig, which is mixed tableside on a sizzling plate. The smell is truly captivating, with the pungent aromas of onion, soy sauce, butter and seared pork flesh filling the air. The chopped pieces of pork face are both crispy and gelatinous, with a generous addition of what seems to be shredded pieces of pork meat.

Of course, no meal is complete here without Tilapia. Although grilled fish is always good, we have always favored ours deep-fried. With a dipping sauce of vinegar, soy sauce and red chili, the fried tilapia in Palaisdaan is crisp on the outside while hot and flaky on the inside.

Another favorite is the Grilled Porkchop. Grilled to moist and meaty perfection, dipped in the same sauce as the tilapia, it is pure heaven with steaming white rice.

For the kids and anti-pork Matt, we always order the fried chicken. The pieces of chicken are dipped in batter and deep-fried. It’s actually quite good.

To accompany these dishes, we always order the Ensaladang Mangga and Laing (gabi leaves cooked in coconut milk). There was a time when the laing was very limited and we would always try to come early so we could order it. But now it seems they have a steady supply.

Now, let us talk about service. Let me begin by saying that on normal days the service is quite good. The nature of grilling food makes preparation time a bit longer than usual, so a thirty minute wait has come to be expected. During long weekends and holidays, though, it’s a completely different story. When they are at their maximum capacity, waiting time for your food could reach up to one hour and a half. Their waiters, which are normally pleasant and accommodating, become cranky and unfriendly. If you cannot enjoy your meals under these circumstances, I suggest you avoid coming here during these times.


The food in Palaisdaan is not only outstanding but is great value for money. No wonder people drive in from the city or make an inconvenient detour just to dip their fingers into their succulent tilapias and grilled meats. Despite the problem of being understaffed during peaks season, some still choose to endure their hunger pangs while they wait for their food to arrive. I, on the other hand, will probably schedule my next visit when everyone else is back slaving away on their office desks, far away from my favorite fish pond.

Kamayan sa Palaisdaan
Barangay Dapdap
Tayabas, Quezon
Tel no. +639282845369

I Know Its Summer When...

... My face is so shiny Matt uses it as a rearview mirror.



… My dad gets all excited and starts buying random stuff for the beach house, like volleyball nets and colorful picnic baskets.



… We ignore all warnings of strong amihan (northeast winds) and head out to the beach anyway. We are all so traumatized by the scary boat ride home that we swear to take the weather news from our caretaker more seriously.

… We find random excuses to go to the beach. In this case, our best man Basti was in town and needed a tan. Badly.


… I cannot fight the urge to stock up on Spanish white wine and Homenaje Rosado (the ones that Noel DID NOT buy).



… Foxychef finds new and inventive ways of keeping our tummies bulging over our boardshorts. Like, when we bought a sack of clams from a local fisherman and she decided to cook some of it in tons of butter and cheese. And, yes, it was good.


… Happy hour starts at 9 in the morning.


… Matt gets his annual Zit-on-the-Forehead.



… Everyone is in a good mood and finds humor in everything.


… I’m too lazy to do anything and use shortcuts to perform tasks. Hence, this list.

My Favorite Pancit Habhab... Guess Where!

Before I receive a surge of hate mail from devoted Lucbanins, let me assure them that Lucban remains the true birthplace of the Pancit Habhab. If I got my facts straight, the unique noodles to this day can only be sourced from this Quezon town. Although dried “Lucban Miki” is now readily available in supermarkets everywhere, no other place can reproduce this product as well as the artisanal noodle makers who have been making it for decades.

After Buddy’s has infiltrated the Metro Manila market, Pancit Habhab- as well as the “small but incredible” Lucban Longganiza (small pork sausages heavily flavored with garlic)- has become popular not only with the locals and learned tourists, but also with Manilenos who have tried the Buddy’s version and were easily hooked by its unique taste.

As a pint-sized foodie, I had my first taste of Habhab at the old panciteria in the middle of town, eaten in true Lucban fashion: the braised noodles smoking-hot and placed on a banana leaf, consumed by slurping (daintily, if possible) the pancit straight into my mouth. Later on, the banana leaves were replaced with more modern dinnerware, but the pancit remained the same. We would buy the dried noodles and try to replicate the dish at home, but it was difficult getting the right texture and flavor: The sauce garlicky and peppery, perfectly accented by the accompanying spiced vinegar; the noodles firm (not mushy) and loaded with umami (Tagalog translation: Malinamnam).

Although I also enjoy the more commercialized versions of Habhab, there is that certain flavor that I look for from my early pancit-eating days. Funny that I would find my favorite Pancit Habhab in- of all places- Tayabas, Quezon.

I honestly have no idea how my Dad found this place, but I am thankful that he did. The house, void of signage and any form of marker, is just one in a row or apartments lining the street going into Mauban (the next town, and my Dad’s hometown). During one of his weekend trips to the beach house(with my cousin Kuya Bubut, most probably), he must have had some early-morning “munchies”, and chanced upon the giant wok atop a wooden table. Soon, the rest of the family has been introduced to, in my opinion, the tastiest Pancit Habhab I have had in a really long time.

On a recent trip from Mauban, we passed the usual route going into Tayabas, on the way back to Manila. Having skipped breakfast, we were looking for a quick snack before having a proper lunch elsewhere. We stopped, naturally, in front of the now-familiar house.

The giant wok is covered, protecting the delicious pancit from the elements and keeping it warm. I look inside and spy that the sahog (small slices of meat or vegetables mixed with the noodles) is all-meat. It was a delightful (for me, at least) mix of pork parts, chicken and- surprise, surprise- quail eggs. I wondered how this would affect the flavor, having been used to the more classic formula of pork and sayote. I sprinkled some spiced vinegar and slurped away.

It was, as usual, as good as Pancit Habhab can get. The noodles were cooked perfectly and moist, the garlic, red chili and black pepper-infused vinegar bringing out the tasty meatiness of the dish. The price (P5 for a single serving) has not changed since we started eating there, as well as the quality and portioning. It is not going to fill-up the average man, but for that price, it is a pretty decent meal.

In between habhabs (Tagalog slang for "to slurp"), I learn from the tindera (sales lady) that the pancit is cooked by his brother-in-law, Kuya Boyet (she actually gave me his last name, but I was too busy keeping myself from inhaling the noodles through my nose). I remember telling her a number of times how good the pancit was, as Boyet’s wife (who was busy with household chores behind the selling area, which was actually the garage)looked on and gave a tiny, proud smile. I am a firm believer that people who are excellent at what they do deserve recognition, no matter how small or subtle the praise.

I love it when a home cook finds that one special dish and makes it the best he/she can ever make, every single time. Boyet’s excellent Pancit Habhab is proof that you do not need a diploma from the Culinary Institute of America or pricey, imported ingredients to turn out great-tasting food. All you need is a mastery of your chosen ingredients, a love for food and- in Boyet’s case, at least - a giant wok.

“Kuya Boyet’s” Pancit Habhab
Nadres St.
(the road going to Mauban)
Tayabas, Quezon