Have you tried the Arabic Pizza? It is called Mana-ish and it has some similarities to the Italian pizza such as a thin crusted dough but the toppings are exotic and worth sampling. Where can you find such an exotic treat?

It can easily be found at Mana-ish & More, a new Syrian-Lebanese Restaurant located on Jupiter Street, Makati. They also offer traditional middle eastern fare such as Fatteh, Mousaka and Donner Shawarma wrapped with Saj bread.

Great care has been taken in making the interiors exactly like a Syrian restaurant from the hand crafted copper counter top, ovens, chillers, hot plates, and equipment that have been imported from Damascus to the sun motif that brings a ray of light even during rainy weather. We are convinced of the sincerity of the owner Mr. Philip Mazloum to bring a piece of his country to Manila especially since he also brought over a chef to train the local staff to ensure that the taste will be as authentic as possible.

Mana-ish & More has so many dishes worth trying that is why it took us two visits to get a complete picture of all the amazing food to be served. Most Filipinos know the highly popularized kebabs and shawarmas that are commonplace in the metro so we tried some exciting new dishes to learn the intricacies of Middle Eastern food and wish to share them with our readers.

Cream of Lentil - PHP 110.00+

This fragrant grainy soup hits the spot especially with a slice of lemon. It is extremely nutritious with a lot of fiber and protein, a good way to start off any meal.

Tabouleh – PHP 170.00+

Tabouleh is a parsley salad with crushed wheat, fresh tomatoes, onions, lemon, dried mint, extra virgin olive oil. This was refreshing and did you know that parsley is one of the top alkaline foods? This helps balance all the acidity from meats in a typical diet.

Toasted Mousaka 5 Pcs. - PHP 250.00+

Mousaka is a well known appetizer comprised of eggplant, onion, garlic, and bell pepper cooked in tomato sauce, to make it toasted it is baked with mozzarella and placed on top of a sliced baguette. Mousaka means frozen and it is normally served cold in Syria and the Middle East, it is served hot in Manila to cater to local tastes. This was an excellent dish and made our mouths water for more.

Manaish Trio – PHP 140.00+

We wanted to sample a few of their unique flavors of their mana-ish so we made a special order for the following:

1) Zaatar (ground thyme, oregano, sesame seeds and olive oil) – We liked this best of the three as the 31 herbs and spices made it the most flavorful. The Zaatar also happens to be the most famous Mana-ish in Syria and the spice combination is in high demand. The appreciation for this native dish is similar to how puto is appreciated by Filipinos worldwide.

2) Jebneh (home made white cheese and chopped parsley) – This was our second favorite of the trio.

3) Muhamara with Cheese (minced tomato and chili paste) – Not that chilli and tasted a bit bland.

The crust was soft and complemented the various toppings.

Mana-ish Shawarma Donner - PHP 150.00+

We also tried a non-traditional mana-ish with lamb and mozzarella which was also quite delicious especially with the salted radish.

Fish Harra – PHP 315.00+

Lamb is the main source of protein for Middle Eastern food, but along the coast, this fish dish is one of their specialties. It is a baked sole fish fillet with garlic, chilli, bell pepper and tomato sauce, and served with saffron rice. What makes it taste different from other tomato based sauces is the cumin and walnuts. Originally it would be made with the Sultan Ibrahim fish found in the Mediterranean sea which has red meat like salmon.

Upon cutting open the rice, the steamy fragrance of the saffron wafted out and it provided a nice bed for the fish.

Eggplant Fatteh - PHP 325.00+

This house specialty came highly recommended and it reminded us of huge nacho dip but with a combination of eggplant, chickpeas mixed with toasted pita, garlic, vermicelli rice, tahini sauce, topped with ground beef and cashew nuts. The flavors and textures were lip smackingly good! Instead of a tortilla it was served with their in-house toasted Saj bread and we have been warned about the heaviness of fatteh but it was difficult to hold ourselves back! To accompany this power meal, pickles, salted radish, jalapeño peppers, and onions were served.

Saj Machine

The Saj bread is passionately made at the restaurant as well as the pita and dough for mana-ish. It painstakingly took three months to perfect the original recipes due to the Philippine humidity and atmospheric pressure.

Saj Wrapped Sandwich Shawarma Donner – PHP 150.00+

This is by far the best shawarma that we have tried in Manila thus far. What makes it stand above the rest is the quality and tenderness of the lamb used (without fat), combination of garnishings, garlic yogurt sauce, and the lighter saj bread provides a crisper wrap than pita. As a bonus french fries! Another dish worth coming back for!

Muhalableh - PHP 100.00+

For dessert we had their best seller – Muhalableh with arabic tea and turkish coffee. It is a traditional Lebanese milk flan that is very light and perfect after a heavy meal.

Turkish Coffee - PHP 75.00+

The Turkish coffee was a very rich black, aromatic and had additional flavor due to a hint of cardamom.

Hookah – Shisha PHP 250.00+

They offer quite a few flavors, but the best is their double apple which may be enjoyed at their outdoor patio.

Take note that when in Syria, don’t share your wife, car or shisha! Most foreigners however do share their shisha with their friends and these are a few shisha/hookah etiquette tips:

1) Tap on hand if you wish to borrow the shisha pipe / Do not get shisha pipe from hand of smoker

2) Person with shisha should twist and give

3) To get more charcoal, tap on the charcoal plate

4) Don’t light cigarettes from charcoal – Very bad luck!

They also offer backgammon and free wifi!

How was your Mana-ish experience?

Mana-ish
#20 Jupiter Street
Makati
Tel: 896-6262
Website: www.mana-ish.com

On our next post we have Shabu-Shabu at the Thousand Cranes located at the 2nd Floor of Greenbelt 3, Makati.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

What is the closest one can get to a Michelin Star Restaurant in Manila? Well, there is no restaurant in Manila that is even rated by the Michelin Guide, but there is one restaurant that is partially owned by a two star Michelin Chef that bears the same name as his Vancouver restaurant, La Régalade. Chef Alain Rayé is known for his country style cooking and humble beginnings from Chez Uginet in Albertville, south eastern France, to Alain Rayé along the Champs Elysees in Paris to name a few and then to Vancouver where he now calls home since moving from France in 1999.

La Régalade opened in Manila in August 2008 thanks to the efforts of Mr. Perfecto “Bubot” Quicho who contacted and convinced Chef Alain Rayé to setup a French bistro here in Manila and train local chefs. We were recently introduced to Bubot by our friends Louie Ysmael and Noel Onate and it was no surprise that he used to be the General Manager of the Hyatt Regency Manila for a few decades.

With such ebullient personalities and distinguished backgrounds, high expectations for the resulting establishment would be an understatement. There have been mixed reviews thus far, but this is our humble experience. Upon entering we were captured by the warm dark wood interiors and inviting circular ambient lighting radiating amber hues. The menu was easily digestible – three pages of recognizable french bistro style comfort food. We knew exactly what we wanted to order.

Escargot en Crouton - PHP 470.00+

As an appetizer, we shared the escargot en crouton which are snails baked with butter, garlic, prosciutto, and parsley topped off with a sourdough crouton and are known to be a delicacy even in France as snails are difficult to prepare. This dish was simply exquisite, for those who have never tried snails the texture is similar to a mushroom as it is a little bit chewy and mild. The flavor is primarily derived from the butter and garlic.

Still undecided? It may be interesting to know that the French eat more than forty thousand tons of snails each year. So much that they have to import snails as there is not enough supply in France!

Manila Clams – PHP 805.00+

While the title of this dish was appealing and patriotic enough, and the clams fresh, there was no WOW factor or flavor in the white wine and pepper cream sauce. Maybe the tomato based sauce would have been a better option?

Boeuf Bourguignon - PHP 970.00+

This slow cooked imported beef in red wine sauce with mushrooms, bacon and shallots was extremely tender and the sauce was very rich and worth mopping up with some bread.

Angus Rib-Eye 8 Oz. – 1,920.00+

The pan seared rib-eye with garlic and shallot confit in red wine sauce was perfectly cooked medium rare to our taste with a bit of blood, and the fries were an excellent companion. It’s a classic steak frites with an Angus twist!

Imported Duck Leg Confit - PHP 1,350.00+

The duck confit was the highlight of the evening, that is why it deserves its second shot of glory. We adore duck confit as it is one our favorite traditional french dishes of all time. While its picture may leave its presence unassuming, once you have a bite you will understand its seared and baked crispy perfection. Great care has been taken to cure this duck leg by salting and garlicking up to 30 hours beforehand in the refrigerator before baking it in its own fat. To truly make it comfort food, it is served with potato Lyonnaise which are pan fried sliced potatoes and onions in a butter parsley sauce. Writhing this is making us salivate again! What are your experiences at La Régalade?

Dessert seemed so close yet so far as we were already satiated. We would have to take a rain check, c’est la vie.

Did you know that back in 1987, a meal for two including wine at Chef Alain Rayé’s Paris restaurant that bears his name would cost USD 130.00? That would translate to approximately USD 250.00 at today’s prices.

Tonight is La Régalade’s second year anniversary party that we have been lucky enough to be invited to, so stay posted for our coverage and updates!

Oh we almost forgot to mention, they have VALET service, so come rain or shine, you will not have to worry!

La Régalade
825 Arnaiz Ave.
Close to Makati Cinema Square and Don Bosco Church
Makati City

Tel: 750-2104/05
Website: www.laregalademanila.com

For events please contact:
Alexie Silverio
Account Executive

On our next post we try for the first time the Arabic Pizza at Mana-ish and More located along Jupiter Street, Makati. They offer authentic Syrian-Lebanese food from lentil soup, tabbouleh, moussaka, fatteh and so much more! Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

Boracay…

There are those who have come…

There are those who have gone…

And there are the rest of us who keep coming back for more fun in the sun!


Boracay Station 2

But for those who have never set foot, ignorance may be bliss, as they will never know that undeniable and unmistakably scorching desire to return to the island… Does that mean we are all islanders at heart, meant to soak up the morning sun and breeze on a hammock by the beach or take a refreshing dip in a sea of crystal while waiting for a leisurely breakfast to be prepared?

Boracay Flora  Close to Diniwid Beach

It is truly amazing how Boracay has evolved in the past two decades from a sparsely populated tropical island with vast amounts of powder fine white sand and no electricity to become a premiere beach destination in Asia where desires and fantasies become a reality.

Boracay Rock Formation close to Diniwid Beach

Boracay is now marked BOLDLY on the road map of the civilized world, thanks to visionaries Mr. Nikos Gitsis and Mr. Iren Dornier of Seair whose Dornier planes have provided the necessary access. The modern convenience of daily direct flights to Caticlan are the primary reason for the geometric growth and transformation of this once undeveloped island into the Philippine’s IBIZA. We are fans and only fly by Seair to Caticlan because they have the fastest 35 minute flight!

A Typical Perfect Sunset in Boracay

We would be extremely delighted and honored to be part of the SEAIR / Microtel tour as we do not only love and respect this island but it is our ADVOCACY to share this magical island with the rest of the world. While we have been to Boracay on numerous occasions, we have not yet done a travel itinerary and series of experience posts and have been waiting for this opportune moment.

Another Perfect Sunset in Boracay

Learn more about SEAIR and Microtel:

SEAIR Website – Book your flight to Boracay now!
SEAIR Facebook Fan Page
Microtel Philippines Website – Book you Microtel Room in Boracay now!

On our next post we uncover the secrets of French fine dining at La Régalade located on Arnaiz Avenue, Makati. One of the part owners Chef Alain Rayé has been awarded 2 Michelin Stars by the Michelin Red Guide. A few of our favorite dishes from escargot to their specialty duck confit will be revealed. Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

Do Russians like Filipino Food? Our friends Aleksander Sokolov and Alina Harkach from Russia just arrived in Manila and were virgins to Filipino cuisine. They did not have a clue of what our food was about. As an introduction to our marvelous country and culinary heritage, we brought them to Fely J’s Kitchen in Greenbelt 5 to sample what we believe to represent the best of Filipino Fine Dining.

Fely J’s Kitchen is a Filipino restaurant created in 2008 by the Larry J. Cruz (LJC) Group in honor of his mother and her revered style of cooking.

As a rude awakening, we had the Chicharon Bulaklak as an appetizer and of course we did not tell our unassuming friends what it was as it might influence their perceptions and possibly repulse them from even tasting. They eagerly dipped a crisp morsel into the vinegar spiced with chili labuyo and popped it into their mouths.

They advised us that they were quite hungry as they had a long connecting flight from Dubai via Emirates. While Aleksander and Alina did not know what was entering their system, they liked it completely and chomped it down with gusto. When we advised them that it was a meticulously cleaned pig intestine, they told us that it is similar to a Russian fried pork dish called “shkvarki” but it was their first time to try innards and did not expect it could taste so deliscious. The crunchiness combined with the chewy inside of the deep fried pork intestines fired up their appetite for the next dishes to come. Fely J’s has one of the best chicharon bulaklak we have tried, the only other place that even compares is at the Lobby of the Peninsula Hotel.

Prawn Sinigang – PHP 525.00++

Sinigang is truly one of our favorite soups in the world. It has such a powerfully sour tangy flavor from the tamarind that is uniquely Filipino. Some people can not handle it, some adore it, and some simply can not live without it! At Fely J’s they have the regular sinigang and the guava based sinigang. We have tried their guava version and it is good, but in this case we went for their original with prawns. With a little bit of patis – local fish sauce and calamansi and we were in soup heaven! But alas, Alina and Aleksander had difficulty even having a spoonful of this dish as it was just too strong for their tastebuds.

Kang-Kong – Sa Gata – PHP 220.00++

As our first course we had Filipino spinach in coconut milk. Everybody enjoyed the sweetness of the coconut milk as a contrast to the sinigang beforehand. The kangkong was fresh and had a nice bite to it.

Lamb Kaldereta – PHP 395.00++

Their lamb stew while enjoyable was nothing to rave about and was probably one of the weakest dishes. There just wasn’t anything spectacular about it.

Bistek Tagalog – PHP 850.00++

For our main entrée we had the Bistek Tagalog. This is the Filipino thinly sliced steak marinated in a soy, garlic, calamansi sauce topped with onions. They thoroughly enjoyed this dish as the beef was so tender and succulent.

Fely J’s Dliscious Rice - PHP 195.00++

All these courses could not have been considered a Filipino meal without the Filipino staple – RICE! While most restaurants would serve plain or garlic rice, Fely J’s has their own unique twist which they have called Diliscious rice that has a generous topping of deep fried dried long-jawed anchovy a.k.a. dilis which add a tremendous amount of flavor to the rice. What did you like best at Fely J’s or do you prefer Abe in Serendra instead?

Fely J’s Kitchen
2nd Level Greebelt 5
Ayala Center
Makati
Open Everyday 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Tel: +632-728-8878

On our next post we share some of our ideas about Boracay! Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

We like Amici for their inexpensive and scrumptious wood fired oven pizza and more importantly their gelateria – Caramia offers the best gelato cakes in town. Looking for a sweet indulgence? Then we urgently recommend that you give Caramia a shot but beware as midnight cravings will be the least of your worries as it may eventually become a dependence.

Traditional Neapolitan pizzas are cooked by a wood fired oven. They infuse a smoky flavor and make the crust extra crunchy. Did you know that each branch of Amici on average consumes 20-30 kilograms of wood per day? Normally oak is the preferred bark, but since this is not common in the Philippines, Amici uses substitutes such as palm and mango.

Quattro Stagioni Pizza – PHP 290.00

Also known as the four seasons, this is our favorite pizza at Amici and the pizzaiolo Rodel meticulously rotated our pizza with his trusty pizza peel for equal charring around the edges. The toppings of artichoke hearts, olives, ham and mushrooms provide a nice combination of textures and flavors that complements the crunch of the pizza. Large enough for two people and best enjoyed with a dollop of extra virgin olive oil, chili flakes and Tabasco!

Mango Tango Cake Slice – PHP 65.00

The mango cake was delicate, airy, sweet and creamy and enhanced by the freshness of the mango.

Merry Berries Slice - PHP 95.00

This Gelato Cake is simply awesome!!! Your first few bites will leave you speechless.  No visit to Caramia may be considered a visit without demolishing at least one slice of this creation of absolute indulgence. It is so refreshing with the strawberries and blueberries on top of layers of vanilla, strawberry and blueberry gelato. The graham butter crust and white chocolate provides a chewy grainy texture for each heavenly bite.

What is your favorite pizza and gelato cake?

AMICI | Caramia
Don Bosco
Makati
+632-747-1111

On our next post we treat our Russian friends to Filipino fine dining at Fely J’s Kitchen at Greenbelt 5. Please click here.

If you would like to read more about Amici | Caramia, please check out our other post. Please click here.

If you are into Gelato, here is one of our favorite Gelateria’s – Gelatissimo! Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

Chivas Regal 18 Years Scotch Whisky had a special private tasting and dinner event at Republiq on July 6, 2010 that we have been privileged enough to be invited to. It was our first time for a scotch tasting so it was quite an experience!

We went with our friends Governor Lee and Natasha and were looking forward to the night ahead of us.

Three long tables were elegantly setup on the main dance floor and we were escorted to our pre-arranged seats by the courteous Republiq staff. There were even placards for each of the guests, was pleasantly surprised with their attention to detail!

The Chivas Regal Brand is owned by Pernod Ricard a French alcohol distiller who also owns prestigious brands such as Absolut Vodka of Sweden and Havana Club Rum.

Upon seating we had in front of us the Chivas tasting setup of four scotch glasses each with half a shot of amber colored liquids in varying shades of color.

The event soon began and the host introduced the top executives representing Pernod Ricard. We were given a short presentation on the history of Chivas Regal and how it began at the turn of the 19th century a a family business.

The first glass was a single malt from Islay 18 Years Old in the northern coast of Scotland which was distinctively strong and smoky paired with chocolate from France. The second was quite powerful and that truthfully could be the reason why we completely forgot where it was from and what it is called, paired with yellow raisins and the third was Strathisla 18 Years Old and the foundation which makes up a large percentage of the final product, this was nutty, dry and warm and paired with almonds. The final glass was the finished product of Chivas 18 that was rewardingly smooth with a multi-layered richness paired with another round piece of chocolate goodness to top it off. It was interesting to know that the other three samples were not commercially distributed, so we were lucky to have tasted them at all.

We were then requested to proceed to the cocktails area while the dinner setup was being arranged. The crab wantons were the best of all the h’orderves and was quite a treat with the unlimited Chivas 18. We also sampled their smoked salmon sandwiches and crostinis with peppers.

Shrimp Bisque Vanilla Bean Milk Broth

The shrimp bisque was extremely flavorful with the true essence of shrimp, not too salty or creamy. It was a smooth chaser to all the scotch we just had especially with the masterful strumming of a grand harp in the background.

Republiq Salad

The house salad was refreshing with apples, dried cranberries, romaine lettuce, smoked bacon, gorgonzola cheese, topped off with an apple vinaigrette.

U.S. Angus Beef Belly

The main course was well worth waiting for. The slow roasted Angus Belly was extremely tender and was accompanied by a bordelaise mushroom fricasse sauce and a truffle scented potato puree.

The giveaway was a single shot bottle of Chivas and four mini Guanaja chocolates from Valrhona, a French chocolatier.

REPUBLIQ
2nd Floor Resorts World
New Port City
Opposite NAIA Terminal 3
Philippines

For Corporate Events, please contact:
Mr. Stephen Ku at +63-918-939-9335

On our next post we have wood fired pizza and gelato cakes atAmici. Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

The birth of a new Republiq was on Thursday June 17, 2010, roll out the red carpet!!! It was definitely one of the hottest parties that we have attended of 2010 as everybody who was anybody was there dressed to impress for a private black tie event with an open bar starting from 7:00PM. From the gliteratti to the paparazzi, we managed to squeeze ourselves in the middle. By the time we got there around 11ish, the place was completely packed to capacity including a few local celebrities and international models.

It was our first time at Resorts World and our initial impression was the shopping promenade had a resemblance to Caesar’s Palace in Vegas – marbled and majestic without the picturesque sky mural on the ceiling. While the luxury retail stores are still scheduled to open in the next few months, this place is definitely worth walking through aside from visiting the Casino.

Republiq is located on the 2nd Floor of Resorts World and the entrance hall was quite spacious and a tremendous improvement from the original Embassy’s humble beginnings at the fort. Thanks to Vanessa, we quickly obtained our stamps for entry.

Upon entering the main dance hall, the music was pumping and there was a buzz of activity as it was still an open bar on Absolut vodka! The ambient and comfortable neo-classic interiors with high industrial style ceilings, modern lighting and baroque palacial bas-relief was a refreshing change of scenery and brings Manila ever closer to the New York club scene.

We joined our friends Saf and Tanya at the more relaxed left hand side bar while watching the host for the evening Tim Yap do his thing. A few dirty martinis later and it was time to rip up the dance floor.

With a total capacity of 800 people, convenient and available parking, experienced and friendly staff, the vivacious Embassy clients and no curfew at Resorts World makes Republiq one of the best clubbing venues in Manila. With respect to security, this has also been improved as the first security sweep is done by Resorts World before further pat downs by Republiq security. How was your Republiq experience?

REPUBLIQ
2nd Floor Resorts World
New Port City
Opposite NAIA Terminal 3
Philippines

For VIP table reservations, please contact:
Ms. Vanessa Tomagan at +63-915-846-8761

For Corporate Events, please contact:
Mr. Stephen Ku at +63-918-939-9335

On our next post we attend a Chivas Regal 18 Years tasting event at Republiq. We also had a chance to sample the new food to be offered by the Republiq Cafe. Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

Thank you everybody for making the launch of Kalinka a success. This upcoming Sunday at the Legazpi Market on V.A. Ruffino corner Legazpi Street will be our 6th week and we have managed to provide our clients with an authentic Russian food experience. Read on to find a testimonial about Kalinka.

Sunday, June 6, 2010 at 1:15pm (Note on Facebook)

What comes to my mind when encountering the term Russian Delicacies? Caviar served with chopped hard boiled eggs, chopped white onion, capers on top, and a squeeze of lemon on top followed by a shot of ice cold unflavored Russian Vodka. Well, tell you frankly, I’m just as naive as the other fellow. What I have discovered are home cooked Russian delicacies that would even satisfy Ivan The Terrible in his worst day of his life.

This Sunday, June 6, 2010, intrigued by the facebook posting of Aksana, I decided to visit her stall at the Legaspi Village Sunday Market. Little did I know I would be gorging on two very tasty Russian home cooked meals, Cabbage roll and Goulash with mashed potatoes. The cabbage roll in itself is yummy treat, topped with a special white sauce, which I failed to ask what’s it made of (silly me), inside of which is a little rice some minced meat, rice, and vegetables covered over a leaf of cabbage. The goulash itself is a thick minced meat soup and combined with minced vegetables and served over the top of mashed potatoes.

Nobody told me this was quite filling. I can really say the best P300.00 I’ve ever spent. For every cut from the cabbage roll to the thick tasty goulash served to me was well worth every centavo spent. As I relished the cabbage with the white sauce, I can only relish the taste as the sauce mixes with the contents of the roll. There was a little taste of black pepper that went every spoonful of cabbage. The goulash on the other hand gave me unique taste that went so much with the cabbage roll. The combination of the 2 meals I have ordered gave me that distinct satisfaction and taste you would normally get from a good home cooked meal, Russian style. The goulash itself is very filling, as I told Lord and Aksana, that now I can’t eat dinner.

My advice to Aksana, continue preparing good quality food from your part of the world and not corrupting it with western taste and you’ll have a good following of local and foreign clients very satisfied from the meals you prepare.

My best wishes and congratulations.

Пока мы не встретимся снова мои товарищи, До свидания пока.

Thank you to Mr. Edmundo Jose for allowing us to publish his heart felt testimonial. We look forward to seeing you again this coming Sunday!

On our next post we attend the launch of Republiq . This is the new super club in the metro located at the bustling Resort World Development opposite NAIA terminal 3 and is the next evolution of the Manila Club scene. Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines and Russian Food in Manila!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

Are you hungry yet? The Bully Boy Burger of Army Navy Burger + Burrito was conceived to feed a battalion! Army Navy opened its first branch at Tagaytay on March 2009 and has conveniently now come to Makati in the spanking new Glorietta 5. We sampled a selection of their offerings from quesadillas to burritos and fries and were quite pleased with the outcome. It came as no surprise that this establishment is owned by none other than Yellow Cab who have an amazing Dear Darla Pizza.

What attracted us to this establishment initially was the eye catching colorful logo and branding. It was straight to the point and who in the world does not like burger and burritos? It intrigued us so we tried out what they had to offer.

Like Yellow Cab, the order counter was in front of their kitchen and was designed like an army bunker. Ambiance was modern and functional open design with all the piping, electrical, and lighting fixtures exposed.

Cheese Quesadilla - PHP 85.00 Net

As an appetizer we started off with the cheese quesadillas, the cheese was bland and it seemed like there was not enough cheese. While the tortilla itself was soft and gentle, most of the flavor came from the salsa. We would not order this again.

Chicken Burrito – PHP 135.00 Net

Aksana had the chicken burrito and she enjoyed this as the flavors of the spanish rice, tender chicken, beans, onions and cilantro all came together with the salsa. The slice of lime provided was so small that she only managed to squeeze a whopping three or four drops. They should provide larger slices of lime and a bigger serving salsa to fully enjoy this burrito. Did you know that burrito translated to english means a small donkey? The story is the person who invented this flour based taco sold it on the streets carried around by his donkey. While burritos are an excellent example of Mexican food outside of Mexico, they are only a common dish in northern Mexico.

Freedom Fries – PHP 60.00 Net

The shoe string fries were a crispy and tasty side dish. The paprika and herb seasoning made us gobble up these mini fries like there was no tomorrow. Perfect with mayo, or go thousand island if you like! Interesting though that the name Freedom Fries is also used at Handle Bar Makati where we normally watch the World Cup.

Bully Boy Burger – PHP 235.00 Net

The Bully Boy Burger is simply a triple quarter pounder housed within a toasted sesame seed kaiser bun. A total of 340 grams of ground beef definitely goes a long way to filling your belly. We were able to finish this off without a problem because the patties were juicy, tender and we believe the magic ingredient was Knor seasoning. The pattie itself though seemed to fall apart, possibly a result of less meat extenders such as crackers or bread crumbs which is a healthy sign. Each bite however results in the fatty jus of the meat dripping all over the place. A word of caution is be careful as it could get messy very fast.

How did you like the food at Army Navy? Was Yellow Cab’s pizza expertise translated well into burgers and burritos?

ARMY NAVY BURGER + BURRITO
2nd Floor
Glorietta 5
Tel: +(63)-917-571-2713

On our next post we publish a testimonial on Kalinka Home Cooked Delicacies From Russia With Love. Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.

One of the best Chinese restaurants in Manila that taipans are known to frequent is the Hai Shin Lou Seafood King Restaurant on Arnaiz Ave. (Formerly Pasay Road) in Makati. This restaurant boasts a seating capacity of 270 people with 5 Private Rooms for an intimate party and a selection of dishes fit for a king from their well renowned specialties like Peking duck and steamed crab with garlic to exotics such as mantis shrimp, sharks fin, abalone and the blue dotted fish. This combined with attentive and knowledgeable staff, spacious minimalist interiors, ample parking and valet make it a great place to appreciate Chinese food.

Our family enjoys dining at Hai Shin Lou as it is easily accessible and has no pretensions with respect to dress code. Since it opened in 2002 we have been there on numerous occasions, the proprietor was the manager of the original Jade Garden in Greenbelt 1. This is the second year in a row that Aksana decided to celebrate her birthday with a nine course meal including one of her favorite dishes – Peking Duck!

Assorted Cold Cuts (3 Kinds)

The cold cuts were comprised of vinegared Jellyfish with sesame seeds, roasted pork and soy chicken served with dark soy sauce and gingered oil. These traditional Chinese cold cuts were of excellent quality and tasted as such. The jelly fish even had the extra touch of sesame seeds which added additional crunch factor to the jelly fish.

Winter Melon Soup with Dried Scallops

This is one of our favorite soups at Hai Shin Lou because although served hot it is quite refreshing with black vinegar as it is similar to a cucumber. The bits of dried scallop add the necessary saltiness to complete the dish. This soup is often served at Chinese banquets and did you know that winter melon can be stored up to 12 months?

Steamed Prawns with Garlic

They don’t call Hai Shin Lou the Seafood King Restaurant for nothing, they have numerous salt water tanks where they store their live fish and crustaceans. You can tell that these steamed prawns were jumping by the fact that even a baby could remove the flesh from their shells and there was no denying the bite to it. These were consumed in a flash!

Aromatic Peking Duck

What makes Peking duck so special? First of all, it has been a dish that has been prepared from the days of imperial China but they don’t use any random duck, as these ducks are a special breed that are butchered after 60-65 days. Luckily they may roam free for the first 45 days of their existence and then they are force fed and kept in cages until the day that they are slaughtered. But this is just the beginning of the process as the duck will now have to be air dried for at least 24 hours after the skin has been separated from the fat by blowing air into the neck cavity – this is probably the most difficult part. Then the duck is slow roasted in a convection oven. After this the duck has to be cut into equal slices with the perfect amount of crispy skin and meat. At PHP 1800++ for a whole duck, you definitely get what you pay for! Did you know that the original Nanking ducks used in preparing this dish were black?

Aromatic Peking Duck Pancakes!

Once rolled in a pancake with scallions, cucumber and hoisin sauce they become an unforgettable experience to your taste buds. The crunchiness of the roasted duck skin, rich unmistakable flavor of the tender duck meat combined with the cucumber and scallions and sweetness of the hoisin make this a truly imperial experience! We had some friends that never tried this before and they were ecstatic!

Crispy Fish Fillet in Lemon Sauce

Normally we would order the whole steamed lapu-lapu with a sweet soy sauce and scallions, but Aksana wanted to try something new, so we had the crispy fish fillet in lemon sauce instead. It was a good contrast in flavor to all the other dishes we had.

Steamed Crabs with Garlic

My favorite course in every Chinese Laureate is the super crustacean which may either be the crab or lobster. It is difficult to imagine a Laureate without one as have been to over 50 Chinese weddings in my lifetime and this has never occurred. The steamed crabs at Hai Shin Lou are dangerously delicious. Its difficult to stop eating as they are so fresh and the meat easily detaches from the various chambers. We like the claw the best because the shrunken pincer is just exquisite!

Black Mushroom and Vegetables with Scallops

The black mushrooms (a.k.a. dried shiitake mushrooms) in this dish were just so succulent from the sauce. It is a common belief that black mushrooms relieve high blood pressure but more importantly are a rich source of vitamin D.

Braised Efu Noodles with Seafood (Birthday Noodles)

These crispy birthday noodles may not be the healthiest as it is deep fried, but they sure are tasty especially with cuttlefish!

For dessert we had the usual iced sago with mango. Even after such a feast, everybody still had room for dessert!

The laureates are suited towards any reasonable budget and range from PHP 3,600 up to PHP 25,000 + 10% Service Charge for a table of 10 people. A reasonable budget for a group of four ordering from the a la carte menu would be PHP 500.00 per person.

HAPPY BDAY SHUSKI!

Hai Shin Lou Seafood King Restaurant
810 Arnaiz Ave. (Formerly Pasay Road)
San Lorenzo Village
Makati City
Tel: +(632)-892-5148
Telefax: +(632)-844-1734

On our next post we try Army Navy Burger + Burrito. We saw this restaurant while we were in Tagaytay, but decided to try out their Makati-Glorietta 5 branch instead. Please click here.

Remember life is way too short, don’t let it pass you by. Enjoy Hour Philippines!

Sincerely,

Lord and Aksana
HOURPHILIPPINES.COM
FOOD | TRAVEL | LIFESTYLE
All content is the sole property of HourPhilippines.com, any reproduction in whole or in part shall be subject to prosecution.