Table Suggestions: Jonesen for Mr. Jones

My Kryptonite: The Superman Burger

Remember the diner craze of the early 90s?

For those of you not old enough to remember, there was a point in time when would-be Manila restaurateurs were all taken in by the idea of the 1950s diner. It almost seemed like everyone’s mother’s uncle owned one of these faux art deco eateries of chrome and linoleum paying homage to an American era long past. At these local diners, American fast food was king and a cheeseburger with fries and vanilla milkshake were always the meal du jour. Sadly, most of these Manila diners never really got their food quite right. The word bland comes to mind.

In the end, like many other food crazes (pearl milk tea, shawarma, lechon manok come to mind), the diner concept was all but doomed to extinction…

Tater Tots to the Max

Fast forward to 2009. The diner may have been given a new lease on life. The Raintree Group, the same people responsible for Chelsea, Momo and M Café, just opened a restaurant called Mr. Jones. Gone are the gleaming white linoleum, overused deco design and the 50s Americana. In its place, Mr. Jones with its high ceilings, golden fabric-covered walls, sea foam green diner chairs and hot rod red booths is bring a modernized 60s hipster vibe to the old idea of a diner, making it new, more upscale and possibly even cool again.

The Overload

We started with quick, playful appetizer called Tater Tots to the Max 3000(P220). Thumb-sized, cylindrical mashed potatoes snacks are stuffed with a variety of fillings from broccoli to Jamon Serrano and Gorgonzola to walnuts. Deep-fried and dipped in a choice of Cheddar or sour cream and chives, these little 'tots' add a delectable crunch to the start of our meal.

Wanting something more Pinoy, we just had to try Mr. Jones' take on a breakfast classic, the Beef Tapa and Garlic Overload (P295). This dish is not so much a meal as it is more like a small mountain of marinated, pan-fried strips of beef topping an equally generous amount of garlic-infused rice. If that is not enough garlic flavor, chips of thinly sliced garlic garnish this seemingly boundless dish. Did we forget to mention it comes with eggs as well? In fact, there was so much food on the plate that halfway through the meal, A. had to relent--no mas.

I love my pork more than most. So for me to order the Grilled Maple Glazed Pork Chops with Applesauce (P420) was a no-brainer. Maybe it was the maple glaze, the apple and apricot sauce or the bed of spiced pumpkin puree but every bite just felt like a bombardment of sweetness. It was so sweet that I wondered if this meat dish would have been off being placed dessert menu. Where is my porky goodness, Mr. Jones?

What is a diner meal without a deliciously, heart-attack inducing cheeseburger and french fries.?On this diner staple, Mr. Jones delivers in spades with The Superman Burger(P420). A fire-grilled beef patty, topped with melted American Cheddar and crispy smoked bacon and served in between a toasty warm, sesame seed bun, this sandwich is a hamburger lover's decadent wet dream.

Seating around Mr. Jones

Yes, it is relatively expensive. But every dish is a deliciously more than substantial meal. Sharing is more than encouraged. It's a necessity. I may not have cared much for 90s diner food craze but Mr. Jones just might have changed my opinion that good eats are possible at your local diner. Give it a try. It just might surprise you.

Much thanks to Michael Wisniewski for the photographs

Mr. Jones
Ground Level
Greenbelt 5, Makati City
Tel: (02) 501-3682, (02) 501-3683
Email: eat@mrjonesrestaurant.com

Table Conversation: Chef David Chang of Momofuku

I admire Chef David Chang.

Honored with accolades (which include the James Beard Award for Rising Star Chef in 2007 and Two Michelin Stars for his restaurant, Momofuku Ko in 2008) and critical praise by breaking away from the stifling system of fine dining, Chef Chang returned the focus on the food. His cuisine, a mix of reinvented East Asian favorites, has found a devout following in the restaurant-crazed city of New York. With his many appearances in mainstream media and the release of his cookbook-cum-biographical-tome, Momofuku, he has solidified his status as a gastronomic benchmark in the American food scene.

Personally speaking, what I find so endearing about Chef Chang is his self-deprecating, somewhat soft-spoken, food-obsessed nature. His pursuit in life is simple — to create the best food possible with most seasonal ingredients.

His truly inspiring story is for anyone following a dream — culinary or otherwise.

Table Conversation: Yummy On and Off Line

The December Issue

Warning: Harmless, self-serving self-promotion ahead.

The Three are rarely interviewed, partly because we are such wall flowers (yeah, right). But mostly because we have such a difficult time getting our schedules to coordinate. Luckily for us, we got our act together long enough for our interview (as part of a feature on the best food blogs of the year 2009) on Yummy.ph. To check out some of the best in the local food blogsphere, please click here.

Speaking of Yummy (this time the magazine), I wrote a short essay about learning how to bake my mother's famous cheesecake for the holidays. If you have ever had a slightly overbearing parent teach you anything, this piece is for you. To date, this was the single most difficult (because I was perpetually questioning if I should write about such a personal moment) and the easiest piece (the words flowed right out of me; my first draft was done in less than hour) for me to write. Please pick up a copy of Yummy's December issue, have a read and tell me what you think.

Table Conversation: Becoming a Regular

Fried Flatbread with Black Bean Hummus

I want to be a regular.

You know that breed of restaurant customer that makes a restaurant a second home. Part personal kitchen. Part clubhouse. Being a regular means understanding the ins and outs of your chosen eatery and the restaurant staff knowing you beyond your name and credit card number.

Salmon Kinilaw

The restaurant need not be fancy or pretentious (unless that’s what you are looking for). It should be the kind of place that speaks to you, feeds your soul as much as it feeds your stomach. It should be a place where you can retreat from the world.

Lately, business meetings and doing lunch with friends has meant spending an unusual amount of time in Quezon City. And for some unknown reason, the restaurant of choice has always been Restaurant Uno.

Bak Kut Teh

I love Uno. This Tomas Morato staple has been at the same location for so many years that it is practically an area institution. Over the years, the restaurant has seen some improvements: a second floor and a bit of color on the walls and a menu that continues to change and evolve.

But at the core of all these changes is its philosophy of simplicity, focusing a customer's attention on the food and the joys of the meal.

Cheesecake with an Espresso

In the past month, I have been to Restaurant Uno at least five times. From full-course meals to a scrumptious snack of cheesecake with a cup of espresso, every meal has been delightfully comforting. Admittedly, this is not a sophisticated place that provides ‘wow’ moments with every bite and the service staff may need a bit of warming up. But I always return because this restaurant is slowly becoming my home away from home. And when my meal ends, I always leave rejuvenated, with a smile on my face.

Restaurant Uno
195-C Tomas Morato cor.
Scout Funtabella Street
Quezon City
Telphone: (02) 374-0774

Taste Contradictions: Sugar and Spice

Little Packages of Spicy Sweet

When I was a kid, I would spend summers watching Eat Bulaga (and, I'll admit, Annaluna) day after day. (Please don't judge me. This was pre-cable!) While I sat in front of the TV, I munched on a bag of individually wrapped sampaloc (tamarind candy). My aunt used to send us bags and bags of these sweet-sour-salty treats, each wrapped in clear cellophane, and I would go through them like chips. So addicted was I.

It's been years and years, and my tita no longer sends me these little flavor explosions. Those store-bought ones that come in yellow cellophane just don't come close to the perfectly balanced flavor I used to get.

Fast forward nearly two decades. On our way home from a trip to Bangkok, B and I were rushing to get pasalubong for relatives and friends. We were at the airport grabbing boxes of chocolate when we thought we should at least get something remotely Thai. So we decided to get sampaloc, individually wrapped and placed in cylindrical plastic containers. Because of conditioning, I had come to view yellow-cellophane-wrapped sampaloc as inferior to the sampaloc I used to have as a kid. But we were in a rush, we didn't have a lot of cash to spare, and the sampaloc seemed like an acceptable pasalubong.

Back home, I decided to keep one container for myself. As I tore open what was to be the first of many, many wrappers, I wasn't really expecting much. As I put the sugar-coated candy in my mouth, I felt the familiar tingle on my tongue. The sourness pleasantly mingled with the sweetness, and I was happy to discover that there was no seed in the center. And then, a surprise: Just as the soft, chewy candy melted on my tongue and coated my teeth, I got a jolt of spiciness. This was candy from Thailand, after all! The sweetness and the sourness dissipated, leaving behind a hot, hot, hot after-taste. Oh, how I loved it so! So much so that whenever a good friend flies in from Bangkok, my bilin is airport sampaloc. He gets me enough containers to last me a pretty long time.

Or at least a few days.

Taste Contradictions: Pigs in a Sugar Blanket

Combining the sweet and salty has been around longer than you probably reckon. If you think about it, people have been eating figs and cheese for ages. There’s teriyaki sauce (which is basically soy sauce and sugar), sukiyaki, honey glazed ham, kettle (pop)corn, melons and prosciutto, chocolate covered pretzels, barbeque sauces and meats, saltwater taffy, kecap manis (or sweet soy sauce), Thai spicy salt and sugar fruit dips, as well as crispy salted beans atop kao niew mamuang (sticky rice and mangoes). There’s the Snicker’s bar and, of course, champorado with tuyo. And these are just from top of my head. The list definitely goes on and encompasses more cultures and cuisines.

The sweet and salty combination is not as contrasting as say, the sweet and sour pairing. The salt is just there as an accent. Only the tiniest amount is needed to create a whole different spectrum of taste. Bakers and confectioners have always added a tiny pinch of salt in ice cream, chocolates and other baked goods for that rounder flavor. You don’t necessarily taste the salt; in fact, the salt enhances the sweetness. It’s more complementary than contrast, really; in the proper amounts. For an easy experiment try adding a pinch of salt to your favorite fruit juice (even frozen margaritas) and taste the difference.

As an ode to this flavor combination, I take on a candy/savory project. I basically get some chopped roasted almonds, oven crisped bacon, caramelized sugar, a pinch of salt and togarashi to come up with a bacon-almond brittle.

For the first batch, I mixed in a scant amount of baking powder to the caramel mix to incorporate some air into the candy. The theory behind was to give the brittle a more crumbly texture; a friendlier crunch. Which made the final product a bit on the opaque side with the magic ingredients poking out. You never really know what you’re eating till you bite into it.

For the second batch, I decide to give a rougher chop to the nuts and bacon and omitted the baking soda. The result was a thinner, harder and translucent candy that was more picture-pretty. It shattered like glass, of course in a good way. And you could see more of the almonds and bacon bits set in the sugar.

Both batches were good but I liked the non-aerated version better. You get more of the toasty flavor of the roasted nuts mingling with the smoky meat bits amidst the background of the crispy caramelized sugar. There’s this wonderfully porky nose (yes, a porky nose) that surprisingly isn’t so in-your-face. And the togarashi just gives this nice little heat at back of the throat at the very end. The flavor sensation covers the entire palate; a veritable party in the mouth.

Definitely can’t be too good for you, but in a word, its addicting.

Bacon Nut Brittle

• 2/3 cup raw almonds (or any type of nut), toasted/roasted till aromatic then rough-chopped.
• 250 grams bacon. Preferably a leaner kind. You’ll be throwing away most of the drippings anyway. Oven baked or pan fried to a crisp, drained on paper towels then crumbled.
• 1 Tbsp.of reserved bacon drippings
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon rock salt, sea salt or kosher. Adjust according to saltiness of the bacon used.
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda (optional)
• Sprinkling of togarashi or dried pepper flakes (optional)

Grease a cookie sheet with the reserved bacon drippings. Sprinkle and mix togarashi with crumbled bacon, if desired.Put the sugar and water in a saucepan over high heat and stir till combined. Once homogenous, give the pan a swirl once in a while but do not stir. You can wait for the mixture to reach about 350°F on a candy thermometer but generally you can eyeball it till the sugar turns a caramel color. Remove from heat.

Working quickly, add the nuts, bacon and salt (and baking soda, if desired) to the caramel and stir. Immediately pour over greased sheet and spread out. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes. (At this point you can also opt to sprinkle some salt on the still pliable mixture so the salt grains stick)

After cooling, break the candy into shards. Heed the call of the glistening treat and pig out.

Taste Contradictions : Happy Bacon

Eating always brings delight to everyone -- male and female, young and old... no matter where we are, we always enjoy tickling our taste buds with flavors that match our senses.

Some may have a liking towards salty dishes while others would always prefer to add some chili to make their food spicy. Children and the young-at-heart always look forward to sweet treats and a handful can withstand and actually do enjoy food with a little sour note.

However, for the adventurous foodies out there, we have these special food items that combines the wildest flavor possible. The Thais have been pretty creative in mixing two contrasting flavors in one. From the Spicy Tamarind to a bowl of Tom Yum, a trip to Thailand is definitely a gastronomic must-do to try these wonderful creations. The Japanese are quickly catching up too. Last year, I tried a box of Royce Chocolate Potato Chips that coats each salty potato chips with Royce's signature sweet milk chocolate. There's also the famous Wasabi Ice Cream that has a mix of spicy wasabi powder and sweet vanilla ice cream. The list goes on and on for the ever-creative Japanese food experts.

Of course, the Philippines also has something to be proud of. Just two week ago, I chanced upon Erica Paredes and her recently-launched business called Happy Bacon which has two specialties as of the moment.

First is the Piggy Stardust which are chocolate covered bacon bits. Each bite will give you a good sweet-salty combination. While I am not a huge fan of bacon, I enjoyed Erica's Piggy Stardust because the bacon has a smokey taste that gives a more intense flavor for you to enjoy. Meanwhile, kids will definitely love the Pig Pops which are handy Chocolate lollipops with bacon bits. Each chocolate lollipop has a generous mix of bacon that blends in perfectly as the chocolate slowly melts in your mouth.

The name is perfect as enjoying Erica's creation will definitely put you in a happy mood. It's your perfect lazy day indulgence. Gone are the days that bacon is just part of your breakfast spread or is neatly tucked into your sandwich. This time, it is beautifully coated with rich chocolate allowing you to enjoy the perfect marriage of sweet and salty flavors all combined in one.

Franco's Note: Much thanks to Frannywanny of Flipflopping My Way Around Town.

Happy Bacon
Erica Paredes
happy_bacon143@yahoo.com

Food in Fashion? by our Table Guests, Little Miss Dress Up

Who says food and fashion don't mix?

Well, Hanna and Rosanna of Little Miss Dress Up, are set to prove this wrong.
From two different countries comes two different meals, the Little Misses invited two food and fashion loving ladies out to grab a bite to eat!

Jet Set to Edinburgh, Scotland with Hanna!

Meet Lynne McCrossan - a certified fashionista and a lover of all things vintage and beautiful. She’s an ex-radio presenter turned fashion columnist cum book writer. Her current project? A girl’s guide to vintage shopping in the UK. It’s hitting your bookstores next May. It will be fabulous. And it will be my best friend.

........
OUR FRI-DATE

LOCATION: The Wash Bar at the Mound, Edinburgh






WHAT LYNNE HAD: A bowl of chicken nachos


No laxatives and detox teas here!

Next Stop: Back home in Manila with Rosanna!

Meet Amina Aranaz-Alunan also known as my sister and my favorite shopping buddy! She's an accessories designer and School of Fashion and The Arts founder.

What better way to cap off a day in the mall than with a nice dinner???


LOCATION: Crisostomo at the Eastwood Mall

WHAT AMINA (and I) HAD: Crispy tapa and a salad with danggit!

Which she paired with tempura stuffed with laing and tinapa fried rice.


Since both of us have such a sweet tooth, we had to satisfy that craving by having dessert! Next stop: La Creperie

Oh Crepe!

We both agree that fashionistas should never skip on dessert!
It's the next best thing to a new pair of shoes!

Well it's pretty obvious that we, The Little Misses, aren't afraid to eat!

Hanna during a trip to Chicago with a great big bowl of pasta!

Rosanna in New York ready to devour some cheesecake from Junior's!

FINAL VERDICT:
1) Yes, fashionistas eat.
2) Loving fashion and food are not mutually exclusive.
(In fact most of the fashionistas we know are big foodies as well.)
3) Who says you have to skinny to be stylish??? Just be confident in your own skin because if you feel good about yourself, it will definitely show :)
4) But given the ultimate sophie’s choice of a great meal or a fabulous handbag?
We're afraid the latter wins.

Franco Note: Thank you so much to Rosanna and Hanna of Little Miss Dress Up

Table Suggestions: Sala Bistro

Italian Seafood and Fish Stew

First impressions never tell the whole story.

I first dined at Sala Bistro a few months after its opening. It was a memorable meal for all the wrong reasons. An unsure service staff and food that was bland to point of being boring made dining at Sala Bistro an almost forgettable experience. Every mouthful was a constant reminder as to why diners should try newly-opened restaurants with a grain of sea salt. No matter how ready a restaurant seems for opening, there will always be ‘issues’.

Fast forward to last weekend. For whatever reason, A. and I decide to give Sala Bistro another try. I began my dinner with a hearty bowl of Tomato, Basil and Bread Soup (P280), immediately followed by a flavorful dish of Italian Seafood and Fish Stew (P780) and topped it all off with a decadent Ice Cream Sampler (P260) made up of scoops of Rum Raisin, Honeycomb, Banana Caramel. Rarely has a single meal been so scrumptious that it actually profoundly changed my opinion about a restaurant. Coupled with service that was courteous, informed, attentive and yet casual in their approach, this dinner was memorable for all the right reasons.

Rum Raisin, Honeycomb and Banana Caramel

Most establishments require time to find their footing, improve their service and blossom to restaurants they have the potential of being. You should never write anything off because of a less-than-stellar first impression.

In my opinion, Sala Bistro is now one of best restaurants in Metro Manila.

Sala Bistro
Ground Floor - Garden Side
Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center
Makati City, Metro Manila
Tel: (02) 729 4888/ (02) 729 7500
Fax: (02) 719 4993
Email: info@salabistro.com
Web: www.salabistro.com

Table Conversation: The Definition of Sadness

The November 2009 issue of Gourmet is the last.

Gourmet Magazine is no more. There are no words that can define my grief.

This link is for all of those who loved Gourmet Magazine and wish it was not true. Click here.

Much thanks to Kevin Demaria, former associate art director of Gourmet for sharing these poignantly haunting photographs

The Travelling Table: Oodles of HongKong Noodles

There's simple food and there's simplified food. However I don't believe in simplifying simple food, if you get what I mean. Take for instance a "simple" bowl of shrimp wanton noodles. Conventional wisdom tells us base ingredients for this should include some egg noodles, some shrimp wanton and broth. But putting all these together doesn't automatically make a great bowl of soup. Oftentimes the samples I’d get come with overcooked dumplings or the noodles all clumped up in a gluey mass or the broth tastes of salt or various combinations thereof.

Enter now this noodle house I often go to when in Hong Kong. I never really figured out the name since I can't really read Cantonese but whenever I get a hankering for some good shrimp wanton, I come to this place along Hanoi Road. This diner type establishment doesn't really have a menu because all it serves is either wanton, fish ball or beef noodle soup. A side vegetable or two and some soda but nonetheless the spartan kitchen in front only contains vats of steaming broth and big bowls of dumplings ready to be served out. This visit, I come in at a relatively odd hour of 3pm for a very late lunch but I knew the place would still be filled with people. I was correct. I ordered some shrimp wanton noodles and a side order of veg by pointing at the signs out front. Two minutes later the old waitress plonks the broccoli in front of me. It was noticeably fresh, steamed or blanched but still had that substantial crunch. The oyster sauce itself had a different smoky, meaty taste. Another two minutes passed when the old waitress then plonked the soup on the table. I’ve tried the beef and fishball noodles in this place and not to say that they're not good, but they just don't compare to the shrimp wanton for me.

A typical serving consists of four golf ball sized dumplings mounted on some egg noodles. The dumplings are cooked to perfection; with large pieces of plump, sweet prawn that snap when bitten into. The egg noodles are literally only blanched for a few seconds in hot broth leaving it with this nice springy texture. And there's pretty good separation which makes slurping enjoyable. The clear soup was rich but did not overpower the delicate flavor of the wantons. With some chili sauce, this proved to be some seriously good eats. I naturally tend to gravitate towards these specialized restaurants in that they do only a handful of dishes or even just a specific type of food therefore giving them more time to do them well.

I suppose anybody could make these wanton noodles if they wanted to but experience, knowledge (probably passed down from generations) and skill of doing it everyday would probably not be on their side. This wanton noodle joint, or more accurately, noodle joints in general that don't cut corners such as this wanton noodle joint has ruined me. Forever. In that I can't go back to eating clumped up egg noodle soup ever again.

Eating Indian: Indian by Nature

Chicken Butter Masala

It's kind of funny how I ended up going to Indian by Nature because those exact words are probably what some people would use to describe me. This is mainly because my best friend M is Indian, and her family has practically adopted me. I am fascinated by Indian culture, and was thrilled that my bridal shower (organized by my best friend) was Indian-inspired. I even have a built-in bindi (sort of Harry Potter-esque), and an Indian visitor once joked that if I ever visited India, I would be propped up on an elephant and paraded around like a princess.

But for all my semi-Indian-ness, there wasn't much I knew about Indian food. I pretty much just ate what my "foster mother" cooked, no questions asked. I'd be told what it was, but I would soon forget and just chow down.

The prospect of trying out an Indian resto thus both excited me and intimidated me. I liked all the stuff I had tried over the years (even the stuff that M and her sister passed on, and that their dad happily sent my way) but I realized I had no idea what authentic Indian food was supposed to taste like. So what was I to do but drag M along on this assignment?

On our little Indian by Nature dinner date, I learned three things about Indian food.

1. Indian food comes in four main colors.

Beside each dish on the menu was a parentheses, indicating its color. A dish could be one of four colors: red, green, yellow, or brown. Unfortunately, I ignored these helpful little notes and ended up with a very red tabletop. The only things that were non-red were the complimentary bowls of chutney served alongside free papadum. Not exactly a well-rounded meal. Should've asked R, a hard-core veggie Indian friend, to tag along.

Chicken Kathi Roll

M and I started off with the Chicken Kathi Roll—toasted pita bread with fresh veggies and chicken, "cooked in Indian spices and herbs." M's verdict? It was good, but had a little too much ginger for her taste. I asked her where she's had the best chicken kathi roll ever. I was fully expecting her to say somewhere in Mumbai. But instead, she replied, "New York. You know those little carts on the street?" Hmmm.

Next up in our Parade of Red: the Paneer Tikka. Described as "pieces of cottage cheese, capsicum, onion, and tomato cooked in famous Indian Tandoori flavor," they were essentially big cubes of slightly crumbly cheese covered in a thin, subtly crispy shell of spices (all red). It's been a while so my memory could be playing tricks on me, but right now I'm salivating just thinking about it!

While we were deciding on our main dish, the Indian chef came out to greet us. I'm not sure if he does this all the time, or if the waiters just told him that there was an Indian guest. (In fact, the waiters seemed to love the fact that M was there, telling her about their mostly Indian clientele, and about the Bollywood star who was in town recently.) Chef could see that we hadn't made up our minds, so he suggested the Chicken Tikka Masala. M reasoned that the chef would know best, so we took his word for it and ordered his recommendation. The boneless chicken cubes were swimming in a sea of masala sauce, made of secret Indian spices of course. I think I would have really liked this dish if only I hadn't had similar flavors earlier on.

2. Indian food is all about the spices.

This I already knew--walking through Little India (possibly my favorite place in Singapore) is enough to tell you that spices, glorious spices, are an indelible part of Indian cuisine. M's first comment when she walked into India by Nature? "I could really smell the spices." As soon as you walk through the door, you catch a whiff—nay, a blast of the powders and seeds and secret sauces in the kitchen. It's sort of like entering Jollibee where you immediately detect that Yum Burger smell, only here, the aroma is stronger and seems more...natural.

Paneer Tikka

3. Not everyone agrees what "authentic" Indian food is supposed to taste like.

Our other Indian friend, T, called over dinner. "What are you doing there? I really don't like it there!" she told me. "What exactly about it don't you like?" I asked her, curious—why doesn't this Indian like Indian by Nature? She replied, "It's too...spice-y."

As we hung up the phone, I asked M about what real Indian food is supposed to be. Is it not supposed to be that flavorful? She thought for a minute. "Even in India, my massis (aunts) ask the cooks to lessen the spices. But I guess it's really like this," she remarked.

So I figured that it really is just a matter of preference. Just as there are a hundred different ways to cook adobo, there's not a single way that, say, masala "should" be done. And in the end, if the meal tickles your palate, and leaves you satisfied and rubbing your belly, authentic or not, it's pretty much done its job.

Indian by Nature
2nd Level
Jupiter Place
Jupiter St.
Makati, Metro Manila
Tel: (02) 484 9629

Eating Indian: Swagat

I had expected to see Ms. Khanchandani as we entered Swagat. Not that I know her personally. And not that she would even know who the dickens I was. But I’ve actually been to this place several times when it opened a few years back and noticed her around even back then. She’d personally greet diners and often asked Indian food first timers if they needed any help maneuvering the quite extensive menu. She’d then disappear out back where I assume she’d cook the orders. This place was a tight ship. A one-woman-show.

So maybe a year or two has passed and found ourselves again faced with Mrs. K. This time, though, I asked her if she could order for us. Initially letting us know of the “best-sellers” (a term that turns me off in restaurants), I told her we didn’t care for them and would like to sample some food she would order herself if she were in our position. A bit taken aback she leafed through the menu and recommended the following: Onion Bhajia, Chicken Tikka Masala, Shrimps Masala, Buttered Naan and Palak Paneer.

Ok, so this wasn’t quite the lineup I was expecting. Given the exhaustive list of vegetarian and non-vegetarian items on the menu, I would’ve assumed to have gotten a less “common” selection of dishes. And something a little more "kosher" than Chicken Tikka Masala (because last time I checked this dish in fact has roots in Glasgow, which is not anywhere near the Ganges). But, oh well, we decided to go along with it. Maybe there was a reason why she picked them out.

In all fairness, the Onion Bhajia (P100) were excellent; a fine example of properly fried fritters. Not at all greasy and was fluffy on the insides. The Chicken Tikka (P225) and Shrimps Masala (P180) were good in that you could tell the ingredients were fresh and the meats were fork-tender. The spices were spot on, although I did think it needed a bit more heat after stating we wanted the dishes “medium spicy”. I hardly broke a sweat. The Palak Paneer (P125) was undoubtedly home made; the cheese soft as opposed to being rubbery. My only gripe would probably be food quantity. Four dishes, not including the Butter Naan (P70), between two moderate eaters and we were still hungry. Could it have been the hunger fueled by drinking a whole 650ml bottle of 7.2% alc ,Kingfisher (P225) by myself on an empty stomach? I doubt it, as my petite companion, who normally eats like a bird, was asking the same question. There was a lot of gravy but, really, where was the beef?

So I order dessert, which I don’t normally do, hoping to top things off. And as seemingly unappealing as the Kulfi (P90) may have looked, like shaved shingles in a tiny cup, I found it quite perfect to end a heavily spiced meal with. Rich, dense, milky, nutty and sweet; spiced as well but just cut across the heavier tasting past dishes.

No question, I found the appetizer and dessert quite satisfactory. The in betweens left a bit of a question mark. Not to say it was a regrettable meal. I just had unfairly higher expectations of this place this visit. But now I do remember what Swagat is all about. It’s definitely not about extravagant ghee drenched Indian food (which was sort of what I wanted at that time...and still do). It’s about providing authentic, home-cooked Indian food for those who miss it, who need a fix; with the no frills atmosphere. And if that’s the type of Indian food you’re looking for then this place definitely delivers. However, I do suggest you delve into the loads of more interesting items on the menu.

Swagat Indian Cuisine
119 FCC Building, Rada Street
Legaspi Village, Makati City
Tel: (02) 501-5079 or (02) 752-5669
Fax: (02) 888-2560
Email: kkhanchandani2000@yahoo.com

Eating Indian: Queens of Earthly Delights

I don’t know much about Indian food.

Foodie friends knowledgeable in all things Indian believe that you cannot have an authentic meal in Metro Manila. Only an invitation to an Indian household would come anywhere near a true Indian meal. Sadly, those are few and far between. So I am left with only one other option, dining out.

You would think that with Indian food being a world cuisine and with an ever-growing community in Manila, an Indian restaurant should be in every area of the city. Sadly, you would be wrong. There are a few, mostly concentrated within the central business district of Makati.

After a little bit of discussion, my friends (the same ones who said you couldn’t get a decent meal) relent and provide me with a short list of restaurants to choose from. With my friend M in tow, we decide to have lunch at the oddly named restaurant called Queens Crystal Garden.

With its Chinese-sounding name, muted golden interiors and floor to ceiling windows, one cannot be faulted for thinking that it is a Cantonese restaurant. But it isn’t. While most perceive Queens to be an Indian restaurant, its menu says otherwise. The first part of the menu is a hodge-podge of Southeast Asia cuisine: Malayan, Indonesian and even (if memory serves) at bit of Chinese thrown into the mix. The other part of menu is all-Indian. Queens calls it Asian Fusion. I call it hedging their bets (a manifestation of buffet mentality, perhaps).

When it comes to the ways of Indian cuisine, M and I are relatively ignorant. So we do what any customer faced with a menu of unusual names and unfamiliar dishes would do, we ask the waiting staff. But faced with congenially sincere and yet uninformative responses (such as “Sir/Ma’am, everything is good”), we are left to rely on little crowns (this is Queens after all) marking restaurant recommendations on the menu as guides.

Having tried our fair share of Indian breads, M and I decide to try something unusual, the Naan Pudima (P110). Naan, a flat bread baked in the heated sides of a tandoor oven, is fairly common in most Indian menus. But what makes our order unique is a thin layer of finely minced mint leaves baked into crust. Crisp on the outside and yet pillowy soft on the inside, the Naan Pudima with its minty aftertaste was the perfect foil (and utensil) to the spicy dishes that were to follow.

The rest of our dishes arrive at the same time. The Paneer Makhaniwala (P300) is a dish of firm cubes of white cheese cooked in a fragrant stew of tomatoes, cream, clarified butter and chilies. A regional specialty of Kashmir, Rogan Josh (P420) is mutton slow stewed in a deeply flavorful masala sauce with saffron and yoghurt. Lastly, the Reshmi Kebab (P350) are cuts of chicken breasts marinated in a ‘homemade’ spice rub and quickly grilled on a skewer in a tandoor oven.

We absolutely enjoyed the rich, intricate layers of flavors of the Paneer Makhaniwala and the Rojan Josh. But what truly was as delectable surprise was the Reshmi Kabab. The generous cubes of chicken breast (a difficult cut to cook) were perfectly grilled. Tender juicy and yet thoroughly cooked through, the chicken had just enough piquant kick to keep things interesting. My only issue with the meal (which was no fault of the restaurant) was that we should have not been such wimps and opted for dumbed-down spiciness. Asking for “Medium hot, please.” was a mistake.

I don’t know much about Indian food. I do know what enjoy eating and I love the delights of Queens Crystal Garden. But next time, I’m going to ask them to bring on the heat.

Queens Crystal Garden Restaurant
146 Jupiter Street
Barangay Bel-Air
Makati City
Tel: (02) 895 1316 or (02) 895 1816

Table Conversation: The Other Bicolano Gold

Daet Pineapples

It seemed like a lifetime ago when a buddy of mine and I spent countless weekends roughing it in faraway towns pursuing a certain water sport. I'd probably need a totally different blog just to detail all the mishaps and adventures we experienced. But one such province we frequented was Daet, Camarines Norte. After some long, tiring sessions in the Pacific Ocean we'd most often have dinner at this Bagasbas beach restaurant called Kusina ni Tita Angel (which served excellent food) and always ordered the sweetest, most refreshing pineapple shakes. Best ever. They were inexpensive at about P10 to P15 a glass. And upon countless inferences came to a conclusion that the mixture didn't indeed contain any dairy or any other funky ingredients. It was simply made of ice and some Daet pineapples whizzed together in a blender; with just a touch of sugar added, if at all. So we made it a point to bring home some of these pineapples during one trip. And it was like P20 for four pieces. Unbelievable, I know. We brought home a trunk-load.

Some nearly ten years down the road, let's say yesterday, I was walking along the street, going to the office, when I saw a vendor with a cartload of pineapples. They were small (just slightly bigger than a fist) and smelled so intense you could probably get a whiff of it a block away. While the vendor was peeling some I could see the juices just flowing from the yellow flesh. These were unmistakably from Daet. I bought four pieces for P20. Unbelievably the same price in Manila regardless of transportation costs.

I hurriedly peeled them as I got home and the musky aroma just filled the kitchen. Slicing the fruit was quite a task because of all the slippery nectar but my goodness, the taste just brought back memories. These are probably the sweetest pineapples you can find anywhere. A little bit fibrous, though not as much as its bigger relatives but definitely only the tiniest hint of acidity....if at all. There is indeed more than only one type of gold abundant in Bicol.

A Short Note of Thanks

The 2009 Best Food and Beverage Blog

The mother of all surprises.

None of us expected to win this year. Truth be told, I was already preparing my 'Susan Lucci of the Philippine Blog World' shtick. I guess I won't be needing that overused cliché.

Last October 9, the Philippine Blog Awards' panel of judges voted Table for Three, Please as the Best Food and Beverage Blog for 2009.

We are humbled by the honor.

'It takes a village...' is another overused term. And yet for Table for Three, Please, it is a very apt one. There are so many people, known and unknown, who have made this blog what it is today.

To all contributors (past and present), photographers, guest bloggers, editors, chefs, bakers and (last but not the least) readers of Table for Three, Please—a warm and most heartfelt thank you. We couldn't have done this without all of you.

To find out who else one won at 2009 Philippine Blog Awards, click here.

On The Table: Roshan Samtani of Homemade by Roshan

For someone who claims not be a dessert person, Roshan Samtani has us all completely fooled. Baking in her surprisingly small home kitchen, she creates some of the most delectable desserts that have become family favorites around Metro Manila. And while she may not consider herself a 'dessert person' to her loyal customers, she is the font of everything that is scrumptiously sweet.

Who has influenced your baking/cooking the most?

I have not studied formally. So I don’t have the one mentor who was most influential. I think it's the people who eat the desserts who influence me the most, what I feel they would like or what they would be looking for next. That is how I come up with most of what I do, especially the most popular ones.

I try not be very structured in the way I bake. I try not be very modern. I'm more the homemade, old-style, small-batch way of baking.

What books have influenced you the most?

The books I like are not necessary the books I bake from. I like the books of David Lebovitz because he is fun. I think baking should be fun and not so difficult. Some people make baking look so hard to do. But it's not rocket science. And you don't need the best equipment to bake well. Most people would be surprised [to see where I bake], nothing high-tech. It's home stuff, nothing a normal household would not have.

I also like to read Maida Heatter because I like the way she always puts a little story. You can see the history behind the recipe and I also like how she explains things. Even if you don't use the recipe, you learn something from reading it that you can apply somewhere else.

What made you decide to start Homemade by Roshan?

There was no real start. When I was doing my college thesis...we [Roshan and her thesis mates] had to put up a business for a year. We set up a company called Chocoholics Incorporated. We made chocolate truffles and brownies. It became very successful in the few months we were running it. I was always into baking. Even as a child, I liked to make small cookies and such. So when we had a [thesis] group, I told them I could teach them to make the stuff and food is always easy to sell, especially chocolate.

After [the thesis] was done, I continued to bake at home. I would make [desserts] for parties at home. Someone would always ask me to make something for them. And I used to give it away until, my dad said," You will go broke!" because the ingredients were all starting to add up. People began to say, "No, don't give it to me. I'll order it." So it started from that.

Of the desserts you make, what is your favorite?

I'm most proud of my cookies. It's a little bit surprising for people because cookies are something that seems to be simple and that anyone can do at home. But to get my cookies right required the most work for all of my desserts. My cookies required the most science. What brings me happiness is when someone bites into the cookie. It may just look like a cookie but when you eat it, something lights up.

What are your favorite (local or foreign) restaurants?

An old favorite is Chef Jessie Sincioco's Le Souffle. I have had many great meals there over the years. I particularly love her Roasted Rack of Lamb Provencale, which never fails to satisfy.

Another favorite is Chef Tonyboy Escalante's Antonio's in Tagaytay. The combination of his superb food (I love the steak!) and that out-of-town air makes it well worth the drive.

What was your most memorable meal?

I've had so many memorable meals, far too many to recount. But all of them had the following elements: good food (many times home-cooked), great people to share the meal with, good conversation and lots of laughter.

What is your favorite junk food?

I like the regular Cheetos. After trying everything--the puffs, the jalapeno- flavored which were good in the beginning--I went back to the regular [Cheetos]. I like nuts, which isn't junk actually.

Is there food you hate?

Lots. I'm not into the 'reality show' kind of food, all these strange and exotic stuff. I don't like cooked vegetables. I prefer them raw or if they are cooked, they should be cooked a little. I can't eat the mushy stuff.

Just between us, what are the future plans of Roshan Samtani and Homemade by Roshan?

Everyone asks me if I want to open something in a mall. I'm not saying never but it's not a plan. It's not something my heart desires. I like doing this [baking and working in her home]. Because when I do this, I can actually bake. When you go bigger, you are not baking anymore. You're running a business. There is just no time [to bake].

Homemade by Roshan
Telephone: (02) 631 7786
Cellular Phone: (0917) 833 6286
Website: http://homemadebyroshan.com

Table Conversation: Buying Peace of Mind

Donations or Panic Buying?

I intended to buy just a few things at the supermarket last Friday (October 2) --pancake mix, maple syrup, a few canned goods (guilty! Because, really, who has time to whip up a fancy breakfast when you're rushing to get ready for work?). As I walked in, I realized that it was no ordinary trip to the grocery. Long queues were formed, snaking towards the many cashiers; practically each person in line had a shopping cart brimming with provisions, and a look of worry on his or her face.

If there is a calm before the storm, there is also the frenzy before the calm before the storm.

Viewing what a friend called the abundance of "weather porn," the masses had their fill of doomsday predictions, an early 2012 brought about by the coming Typhoon Pepeng. I made my way to the canned fish aisle and found the tuna shelf ransacked. I had to make do with some flavors we'd never tried before as B's old standbys were out of stock.

As I walked past a couple of yuppies, I heard them tsk-tsking as they witnessed what they deemed to be mass hysteria, the panic-buying that was occurring at that very supermarket and in supermarkets across the metro. But I thought, panic or no panic, it always, always pays to be prepared. I thought about my best friend who was stuck on the second floor of her house for days, and who had to clamber up onto their roof, waving at passing helicopters for food. (She was ignored.) I recalled the story of another friend, whose young children were among two dozen people (their neighbors included) trapped in a tiny room on their second floor; he and his wife were prevented from making their way back into their house by the raging flood. With barely any food, 24 people had to content themselves with a shared can of Spam at some point.

Those yuppies could tsk-tsk all they want, but we really can't judge people when they go into panic mode. It's the survival instinct kicking in--we don't know what they've been through. A shopping cart full of canned goods isn't an over reaction when it can bring something truly priceless: peace of mind.

And should the storm pass rather uneventfully (as it did over Manila), then those canned goods can still be put to good use--they could be given to those who are still reeling from the effects of the last epic flood.

Much thanks to Jo Manalastas of Spot.PH

The Travelling Table: A Pedestrian Breakfast

The idealized Saturday morning breakfast is always a nice picture: eggs, bacon, pancakes with all the trimmings. In real life, my breakfast consists of a mix of dry, whole-grain cereals and flax seed mixed with a probiotic drink or with yoghurt on other days. It doesn’t taste half as bad as you might think. It’s quick and gets me through to lunch with my blood levels pretty much stable (meaning I don’t get into a hypoglycemic bout and do a Serena Williams). While this entry is starting to read like a geriatric’s hospital chart, I would like to say that I do occasionally break away from my normal morning fare.

During a recent trip to Hong Kong, I ditched the hotel breakfast buffets and the McDonald’s coupons and walked around early in the morning on surprisingly empty streets. (I’m accustomed to being bumped while walking so much so that it feels strange to have the sidewalks to myself). I saw a few take-out counters/diners open. On this particular day, I decided to sit in this one. After inspecting the menu (printed in mostly Chinese with blurbs of English), I chose to have some congee and a side order of you tiao (a.k.a. Chinese crullers, bicho-bicho or oily devils) wrapped in steamed rice sheets.

The congee came boiling and had a loose, more fluid consistency than that of lugaw. Mixed in were morsels of century egg, pork strips, fried skin-on peanuts (which gave that smoky-crunchy contrast) and sesame oil. It soothed my growling stomach after the first spoonful.

The side order of you tiao seemed simple, bordering on boring. But after the first bite, you realize its complexity. The you tiao and the rice sheets are made of the same thing: flour and water. But the former is fried and the other steamed. Wrapped together and doused with a sweet soy-based sauce, the combination was brilliant. Dipped in the congee and quickly popped into my mouth, made the you tiao even more interesting.

My kryptonite is definitely fried food. Scanning menus, my eyes would naturally gravitate towards the fried food section. At a buffet, I would automatically pick up something deep-fried. Which explains why I love you tiao. I love it so much that after my mess of a breakfast, I decide to order some to go and ate it on the way home. (If you have to ask, I did not particularly function well that morning.) Known in the Philippines as bicho-bicho, you tiao is locally served dredged in sugar, like a doughnut. Honestly I like it better than regular doughnuts. But what I like best is the original greasy devil. Leavened with baking soda, stretched out in strips and boiled in oil, these fried crullers gives a clean, hard crunch yet remain airy and chewy on the inside. They go perfectly well not only with congee but chopped up in stir-fries - absorbing sauces while giving that texture contrast.

I noticed that a Hong Kong breakfast comprises mostly of carbohydrates. Noodles, congee, zongzi (a.k.a. machang) or you tiao are served hot (or with something hot and liquidy) to soothe an empty stomach. Flavors are relatively mild so as not to shock the system. With the exception of some warm soy milk, hardly any drinks are taken. Not even tea. The whole meal is consumed fast, in typical Hong Kong fashion. I like the experience in general but I noticed I ran out of gas well before lunch. Oh well, it's back to eating cardboard…

Table Suggestions: Revisiting Sala

The Salad of Crispy Lobster Tail

Being a food blogger has its benefits.

One of them is the continuing motivation to discover the new and undocumented culinary experiences the world has to offer. The downside? The seemingly never-ending need to discover the new and undocumented culinary experience the world has to offer. Simply put, it’s a double-edged sword.

I love my Eggs Benedict from Mamou. I crave for my double beef patty burger from Charlie’s. I adore my Peking Duck from Shang Palace. As much as I would like to keep talking about these experiences, I cannot. It would probably bore you (and me) to death.

Which brings us to topic of Sala Restaurant. Many of you who are of my age bracket will remember that Sala was a fixture of the defunct Remedios dining scene of the 90’s. At the time, Sala was an oasis of tranquil sophistication in Malate’s sea of boisterous bars and oh-so-trendy restaurants. I had dined at the old location more than a few times before their move to their current abode. But sadly, I always felt a little poorer (literally and figuratively) for the experience. I am not saying that Chef Colin Mckay’s food was not delicious or that his restaurant was not understatedly stunning. But Sala always left me wanting more. In the end, I became cool to the idea of eating at Sala ever again.

from top left, clockwise
Goat Cheese Crostini, Vodka with a Lime Twist,
Poached Beef Tenderloin with Celeriac Gratin, Sala's Table Setting

Things have changed.

Now, nestled in the heart of Manila’s corporate district and with a new executive chef (Chef Carlo Miguel of retired Mezzaluna) running the kitchen, Sala has moved on to become a favorite of the corporate expense account and the ladies who lunch crowd. Sala is not a scream but a whisper. Its somewhat out-of-the-way location (away from the malls) and cool, minimalist interiors speak of the soul of this restaurant. One does not think about going to Sala. One decides to go. It is a ‘destination’ restaurant that highlights the sublime and simple elegance of dining out.

Tonight, we are treating ourselves to Sala’s Tasting Menu (P1800 without wine tasting)–a five-course meal showcasing the best of Sala’s menu. After a quick amuse bouche, a Crostini topped with Goat Cheese and Orange Salt, we are served our first two courses in quick succession, a Salad of Crispy Lobster Tail accompanied by a Corn Puree and Roasted Pepper Salsa and a Lavender Smoked Duck Breast with Shaved Foie Gras, Pear and Truffled Dressing. These starting courses are an odd yet delectable duo. While the ‘Salad’ of Crispy Lobster Tail does not comfortably fit into the definition of a salad (lacking the expected greens), the Smoked Ducked Breast seemed to be more of a salad course with the smoked duck thinly sliced over a bed of peppery arugula. But beyond their descriptions, each dish deliciously spoke to the importance of contrasting textures and well-balanced flavors. Next, we have two main courses: a fish course of Olive Oil Poached Swordfish and meat course of Red Wine Poached Angus Beef Tenderloin. Each dish is visually simplistic and yet each bite reveals new depths of tastes within each dishes.We end our meal with dessert, a Raspberry and Passion Fruit Baked Alaska. It could have been a letdown to end the meal with such cliché of a dessert. But after savoring it, there is something comforting finishing with ice cream encased in a soft, slight browned meringue balanced by the tangy sweetness of both the raspberry coulis and passion fruit sauce.

Raspberry and Passion Fruit Baked Alaska

Expensive? Relatively. Pretentious? Maybe a little. But this bright gastronomical light in the center of Manila’s stodgy corporate center is a dining experience that can easily match any in the world and it is a meal that should not be missed.

Franco Note: I am in mourning. Gourmet Magazine is dead. Another victim of the global recession. To find out more, click here.

Sala Restaurant
Podium Level
LV Locsin Building
6752 Ayala Ave cor. Makati Ave
Makati City, Metro Manila
Telephone: (02) 750 5159
Fax: (02) 751 9424
Email: info@salarestaurant.com
Website: www.salarestaurant.com

Our Humble Plea

We foodies can be a bit self-indulgent.

However, there are moments when talking about food just doesn't seem right. So at this time of great need, we humbly request that you share your time, effort or money with a friend, a relative, a neighbor or even a total stranger who is struggling through this difficult time.

Here are some websites you can visit to find out how you can help:

The Philippine Red Cross
The ABS-CBN Foundation
The GMA Kapuso Foundation
The Ateneo De Manila University
The De La Salle University Manila

We are sure that anything you can give will be greatly appreciated.

All our hopes and prayers go out to the survivors of this nightmare and relief workers laboring around the clock to bring them a measure of comfort.

Much thanks to Gino Perez for the video and Erik Lacson for the photographs

On The Table: Aun Koh of Chubby Hubby

To say we are fans of Aun Koh would be a gross understatement. Besides documenting his culinary adventures on his popular food blog, Chubby Hubby, Aun and his wife, Tan Su-Lyn busy themselves consulting for luxury restaurant and hotels and creating the annual Miele Guide. His rich gastronomic tales and mouthwatering photos have established Aun’s reputation as a true food blogger’s blogger.

What made you decide to create Chubby Hubby?

Chubby Hubby came about through chance. I was in charge of organizing the Singapore Writers Festival back in 2005. The Chairman that I had appointed had suggested we incorporate blogging into the Festival program—using blogs as a way of marketing the Festival as well as inviting famous bloggers to sit on panels. I had no idea back then what a blog was. But when I started investigating them, and especially when I came across the then-new world of food blogs, I was hooked. As an ex-writer, photographer and magazine editor, I thought a blog would be the perfect hobby. I still missed writing and taking photos so it was a great creative outlet. And as a passionate foodie, naturally, I decided to tailor my blog around my gustatory cravings.

You are one of the creators of the Miele Guide. Why did you decide to take on this challenging endeavour? And how is the guide created?

Both my wife and I have long wished that there was a standard in Asia, equal in stature to how Zagat is respected in America and how Michelin is in Europe. For the most part of our professional careers in the media in Asia, there was no such standards. In fact, most of the restaurant guides that did exist were highly unprofessional in that they had no integrity—they asked restaurants to give reviewers free meals and charged for the amount of editorial space they would eventually receive. Su-Lyn and I have also been part of the jury for Restaurant Magazine's World's 50 Best Restaurants for many years. And while I highly respect this survey, in its early years, it was heavily biased against restaurants in Asia, i.e. the way the voting was set up meant that no Asia-based restaurant could ever rise to the top. This only motivated us even more to set up a credible Asia-regional restaurant guide, with evaluations and rankings, that, while debatable (as they all are), would be respected by the industry. Most importantly, a chef from Asia could go to the West and be able to say with pride that he had some form of recognition from his region, the same way European chefs often tout their Michelin stars during overseas promotions. We were simply very lucky that the folks at Miele understood and shared our passion for the F&B sector in Asia and recognized just how important a guide like The Miele Guide could eventually become.

Your 'day job' requires a lot of travel, can you tell more about it? And are there any travel destinations that you would recommend?

I run two small companies. One is a small publishing firm. We publish The Miele Guide annually plus we take on a lot of cool custom publishing jobs. The other firm is a lifestyle consultancy. We have three teams specializing in three areas: F&B development; public relations; and marketing. Most of our work is related to the F&B industry, hospitality and travel industry, and the luxury lifestyle market. I travel quite a bit because of our F&B projects. Last year, we developed a bar-restaurant concept for a client in Dubai; most recently, we helped create and open all the F&B outlets for a hotel in China. We're currently working on a fast food company in Indonesia. I also travel because of some of our PR (and other) clients. We handle the Asia PR for Mr & Mrs Smith, the world's sexiest boutique hotel collection, and the global PR for Alila Hotels & Resorts. They've just opened some stunning new properties in Bali and the Maldives. I am planning some visits currently. Both my wife and I love Japan. We love eating and shopping there. In fact, we just came back from Kyoto recently. I would urge any and every serious foodie to make not one but several trips to explore this amazing and very unique country.

Say we looking for fine dining experience in Singapore, what would be your three restaurants recommendations?

In order, I would recommend Jaan par Andre, Iggy's, and My Humble House. But let me specify, I would only recommend the last option if you book ahead, book the private chef's table and get Group Executive Chef Sam Leong to whip up a Modern Chinese meal for you. Jaan par Andre is helmed by Andre Chiang, hands-down the best French chef working in Singapore today. And Iggy's is an amazing culinary experience; it is contemporary fusion at its best.

What have been your three most memorable meals ever?

There are just so many. It's really hard to choose. But if pressed, I'd say a simple burger and beer meal at Corner Bistro in NYC with my wife a few years ago; dinner at El Bulli in 2008; and dinner at Alain Ducasse in Paris during my honeymoon, many, many years back. Each, of course, is memorable for very different reasons. With Corner Bistro, especially, it was about sharing a place that I had loved in my youth with the love of my life. Yes, the burgers are great, but it was about finally taking my wife to a place I had raved to her about for years.

What is your favorite food blog, cookbook, food-related TV show and food magazine?

That's really difficult. I think I am going to do the wimpy politically correct thing and not name a specific blog nor cookbook. For TV shows, I am hopelessly addicted to Top Chef. And for magazines, while S is a huge Donna Hay fan, I prefer Gourmet Traveller and Vogue Entertaining and Travel, both also Aussie mags.

What three tips can you give to would be food bloggers?

Decide why you are starting your blog. Are you trying to land a book deal or a movie deal? Are you trying to make money from the blog? Or is it really just something fun for friends to read? The answer to these questions will determine what kind of blog you do, the tone you take, and what you write about.

Posting negative restaurant reviews if you are an amateur (food writer) is the quickest way to earn disdain and lose respect from industry professionals. Sure, it's fun to write negative reviews. But not everyone is AA Gill. When most people write bad reviews, they also read rather poorly. Just don't. My parents always said if you nothing nice to say, say nothing. I think that's damn good advice.

Invest in a nice camera and learn to use it. Rule 3(a) would be to exercise manners when taking photos in someone's restaurant. Always ask the manager if you are allowed to shoot your food. And never act like a spoiled child if they say no.

What junk food do you love?

Spam and ice cream come to mind. But never together of course.

Is there a food you just can’t enjoy?

My wife and my dogs love durian. You'd have to hog-tie me and clamp my mouth open before getting any of it past my lips. I really can't stand the stuff.

Just between you, what are the future plans for Aun Koh and Chubby Hubby?

Well, my wife and I are really happy with the popularity of the blog. It constantly amazes us how many readers there are. Right now, we're focusing on building up our companies. Ate Consulting is really growing very quickly and we need to ensure we continue to service our clients properly while also identifying new talent to bring into our little corporate family.