Saga Wagyu At New World Manila Bay (February 23, 2017)

I used to think I knew what beef is about until I tried authentic high grade wagyu! 

Wagyu, sadly, I think, is a term that is over abused. Almost every single restaurant will advertise having wagyu beef, when a lot of times, the beef probably isn't wagyu. Like the cow could be Japanese but did not grow up with the techniques and diet used on what would count as a wagyu cow. And actually, who are we kidding? Oftentimes we see the meat already cooked, if not mostly cooked, that we never really get to see if the marbling is as nice as we'd hope it'd be. 

I am privileged to have been invited to New World Manila Hotel to see the wonders of Saga Wagyu beef for myself and taste what really is authentic wagyu. I used to think I knew wagyu with my tries before, but I realized that all the other times I've tried this, I was probably fooled because I don't remember my past experiences being as profoundly life changing as this. 

Food News: New World Manila Bay Hotel Brings the World’s Best Beef

Saga- beef cattle are raised using expert breeding techniques in the rich natural environs of Saga Perfecture. The calm climate, beautiful water and clean air form ideal conditions for cattle rearing. Raised through the careful management of local farmers, the processed meat is distinguished by a beautiful, fine-grained marbling known as tsuya-sashi, or glossy marbling. 

For the month of May, New World Manila Bay Hotel brings this glorious centerpiece that will surely define every meat lovers’ dining experience. To start off, plan a lunch buffet on a Saturday at Market Café, where the Japanese buffet section offers an enticing array of appetizers, sushi, and a build-your-own teppanyaki featuring saga beef with stir fry vegetables. For privacy, sophistication, and a deeper appreciation of saga beef, book a Steak and Sake dinner at The Fireplace on 6 May, Saturday. A sit-down dining affair featuring Saga beef is also complemented with sake from boutique producers across Japan led by guest Chef Shimoyama.

Japan is known for its premium meats, but with saga beef’s superior breeding technique that starts with a 9- month old calf, raised in a stress-free farm and fed only with saga- rice straw blended with grain- based feed, you certainly cannot go wrong with its high quality. Since Saga Perfecture is a world famous beef sensation that’s truly hard to find, why not make your move and place a booking today? After all, this is for a limited time only and the most delicious destination that is guaranteed to take you closer to Japan’s most iconic beef.

For reservations, call +63 2526888 or email dining.manilabay@newworldhotels.com About New World Manila Bay Hotel New World Manila Bay Hotel is a deluxe hotel located at the center of Manila business district with easy access to business and shopping areas, including Mall of Asia, the largest shopping mall in Metro Manila.The hotel is nearby historical attractions such as Intramuros and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The hotel features 376 guestrooms and suites, Residence Club executive floors, six dining options, an outdoor pool, a fitness center and a spa.  Meeting and event space includes a ballroom and four meeting rooms.  The hotel is part of a complex that includes a 150,000-square-foot casino.

Char Casual Dining Opens In Manila

Hungry and tired office people, rejoice! The ultimate hunger busting comfort food from Singapore has made its way to Manila. And this is the kind of comfort food that's not just comfort, it's a fancy kind of comfort. This restaurant made it to Singapore's Michelin Guide for this year! And you better dine here quick because who knows, one of these days they might get bestowed their own Michelin star?

The lines at Char Casual Dining are often long in Singapore, and in Manila, I think reception will be just as warm, if not hot (is there even such a term as "hot reception?). And perhaps if their Michelin-star-deserving food does get a star for real, the lines will even be longer. Dine now or fall in long lines in the future! It's also worth saying that this place is all about the right kind of Cantonese food to hit the spot for hungry souls, with dishes that are made for sharing.

Eating Out at Shang Shang Shanghai Cuisine in Hong Kong

The best part about Hong Kong is the food! The last time my parents were there, they were talking about how much they loved a restaurant near the hotel they stayed in. We stayed in that hotel again, so we went to the restaurant. It's called Shang Shang Shanghai Cuisine. 

Mama's Pork Chops and Casserole

If anything, I think I got my penchant for food experimentation from my mom. While she's the one who makes dinner most of the time, there was this one time she got so bored that she wanted to try something new. 

These chops are her usual baked pork chops. 

But this casserole is her experiment. She doesn't like bathing potato casseroles in cream and cheese, which is why she only added in a minimal amount of cheese, and to make the thing still taste creamy, she used starch and coconut milk to make it more creamy. 

Milk and Butter Dumplings

I once dined at the restaurant at the basement of Sogo Hong Kong, and I was amused that this ramen restaurant had a ramen called the Hokkaido 3.6 ramen. It was apparently one of their bestsellers, and to my surprise, it's not something you see everyday. 

Because Hokkaido 3.6 is a brand of milk, and they have a ramen with milk as its soup base. I tried it, and it was amusing because it was creamy, but at the same time the taste was light as it was only salt and butter that were with the milk. It's definitely far from the usual tonkotsu, or the usual lard based broth you see in ramen. 

I was so lazy one night that I decided to have milk based soup for dinner. 

Hogalbi Late Night Dinner

We went to the annual Crocs sale last night expecting that we'd probably just check out the items, and bring home at most one pair for my mom. We were soooo wrong as the items were so cheaply priced that it was impossible to walk out of the sale withut getting anything, especially for someone like me who has really big feet that stores rarely stock up on my size. 

We were so exhausted from the sale that despite having a light dinner, we were super hungry after we paid for our shoes. Initially my mom thought that this place must be a shady bar as it was still open at 9PM, but thankfully, it's actually quite a family friendly place. 

This is formerly Buma restaurant, and I'm not sure if someone else bought the property and made another restaurant or the owners of Buma repackaged their business and turned it into Korean food instead of Japanese seafood, but meh, whatever. I care about the kimchi more. 

Tampay sa Sinagtala, Orani, Bataan

To those who are looking for a bed and breakfast that gives free flowing Starbucks brewed coffee, this is it.

Well, the statement above is true, but at least I got your attention now. My godmother really does provide free flowing Starbucks brand brewed coffee to parties who'll book for 10 or more people in her bed and breakfast. 

Welcome to Tampay sa Sinagtala. This is one of the six bed and breakfast houses in Sinagtala resort in Orani, Bataan. This house in specific can accommodate up to thirty people, has cable TV, and has five bedrooms available for bookings. 

The name Tampay comes from the Tagalog word for serenity. And given how peaceful and quiet it is here, the name is a fitting name. 

Pepper Lunch and Some Adventures (June 16, 2014)

I just love Pepper Lunch. I remember years back when we had this in Singapore. It was about 6 years ago that there still weren't any outlets here in the Philippines. We loved the concept so much that we were really pleased when we found out months later that they were already setting up shop here in the Philippines. 

Whatever I order from them, I always end up happy. 

My Not So Usual Breakfast (June 15, 2014)

It's not unusual for me to have breakfast, but since this isn't oatmeal, it's considered as an unusual breakfast overall. 

Mama's Munggo Stew and Beef Soup

Munggo stew is something that our family has loved for a very very long time, and very recently mama decided to give it a try. All these years we've been eating munggo stews from restaurants and turo-turo stores that it was about time we made it ourselves. 

So this is a hearty bowl of mama's stew, filled with munggo, okra, and love. 

And usually we're also very excited whenever we see this crock pot because it just means that mama is about to prepare her beloved beef soup. She gets a big bag of giniling and puts it into a crock pot with herbs and spices and leaves it to cook for like 6 hours. The end result is a really tasty broth and tender beef bits. 

Aquabest Bloggers' Night (+Review of Grills and Sizzles)

Hi everyone! It's event time! So these are some of the photos I took during Aquabest's bloggers night. Initially, I actually thought that this was super sketchy because I mean it's so unusual for a water company to host a blogger's event. It's normal for restos to do it, or for makeup brands and clothing brands, but not really for water not unless the company is making vitamin water or flavored water. 

It was even sketchier that they were teamed up with a skincare and spa. I was actually quite reluctant to go at first until I found out that it was going to be held at Grills and Sizzles. The place is so near where we live that I was thinking that should this be a sketchy event for real it'd be easy for me to call for help and get picked up. 

Thankfully, when I got here, it was a legit event hahaha. 

And aside from the event being legit, I was fed very well... 

Pork Sinigang sa Strawberry (Trial and Recipe)

I've been craving for some sinigang all week long for no apparent reason. I was browsing Overseas Pinoy Cooking for a good sinigang recipe, and I was unexpectedly shocked after seeing a recipe that had strawberries in it! STRAWBERRIES! At that moment I was just mind blown. How could I have not enocuntered something all my life? The richness of tamarind mix and the fruity tangyness of strawberry in one stew?! GAH. 

Okay so let's get it on with the recipes and the photos. This recipe is adapted from the peach kitchen. This serves about 10-12 people.