Cristy in the City: eat

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Just before you approach the congested Tabuc Suba bridge in Jaro district, you will see an intriguing building lit up with traditional Chinese lanterns. Painted in come-hither red, the building literally screams, "Come and visit me!" The building has undergone a few reincarnations as a cafe and art gallery. Lately it houses "Dai Pai Dong" 大牌档, a Hong Kong kitchen inspired restaurant. In Hong Kong, a Dai Pai Dong refers to an open-air food stall selling homemade dishes like noodles, dim sum and clay pot rice. One warm Saturday evening, I decided to have dinner in the restaurant after a leisurely walk at the spruced up Graciano Lopez Jaena Park to admire up close the magnificent, newly restored Jaro Belfry. Just beside Dai Pai Dong is Balay Sueno, an all-white, newly restored heritage house that now enjoys a second life as a special events and catering place.

I adore the interiors of the Dai Pai Dong. Decorated in both and chic and kitschy Chinoiserie, it is the perfect place to enjoy a solo dinner or a dinner date. The place was quiet and empty with only a couple of tables occupied. I liked it that way though. It's like having the entire restaurant to myself. Hehehe.

The menu offering is sparse and simple, sorely lacking the signature Hong Kong dishes that define a real Dai Pai Dong. Anyway, I settled for the generic Hainanese Chicken Rice paired with hot black tea. Much to my horror, the tea was served lukewarm in a melamine tumbler. I want tea properly served so I gave the food attendant the unsolicited, spicy advice that decent tea should be served in ceramic cups to retain the heat. If you want more customers, serve tea properly!

The Hainanese Chicken Rice didn't satisfy my unusually large appetite that night so I ordered another dish in the menu. This time, it’s another generic Chinese fare--Wonton Noodles. I also ordered a slice of lemon square which was served from the cafe upstairs.

I'm very forgiving when it comes to reviewing food, but I have to stay the wonton noodle dish was salty enough to elevate my blood pressure by several points. Too salty that I left it virtually untouched. I enjoyed the lemon square (I bake a better version at home though) to wash the salty aftertaste of the Wonton noodles. My verdict? Skip the food at Dai Pai Dong next time and just have coffee and cake in the cafe upstairs. Oh Dai Pai Dong, work on your menu and polish your food preparation techniques to attract more customers. The building is too pretty to be hastily reincarnated into another joint.

It's a different Christmas dinner this year. With the customary Noche Buena fare consisting of cholesterol laden, greasy Filipino foods that leave you uncomfortably stuffed and sick come Christmas Day, this year I treated my folks to an out of the ordinary vegan Christmas dinner prepared by the amazing people behind Buhay Ermitanyo, a vegan gourmet brand that makes the most delectable range of plant-based, dairy-free cheeses, pasta sauces and deli products. I have tasted their vegan cheese a couple of years back and have been impressed by the quality and integrity of their product.

I'm thrilled that Buhay Ermitanyo has ventured into private vegan dining experience for people who crave and are also curious about plant-based foods. Carnivores will be in for a surprise when they taste Buhay Ermitanyo's tastebud titillating dishes that are pure, clean, fresh and so good for the body and soul.

I promptly reserved the 5-course Christmas dinner weeks beforehand as the owners, Juan and Judy can only accommodate one booking per night to maintain the quality of the food and of course, provide exclusive space for the guests. We were informed that a short meditation would precede the meal, so I was doubly thrilled with the idea of being placed in a meditative mood for a truly mindful dining experience.

We were comfortably seated in the rustic garden shed while a soft wafting of heady floral incense mixed with the cool and tempestuous December breeze. In the background, soft instrumental meditation music placed us in a very relaxed mood and we were ready for the gustatory 5-course delights that were to be served by Juan, our meditation guru and food server of the night. Before serving the meal he would introduce the name of the dish and the ingredients that were in it. Buon appetito!

First to be served was a pitcher of refreshing magenta colored Beetroot Cocktail. It was a perfect drink to accompany the hors d’oeurve, a satisying plate of crostini served with vegan ‘Pate de foie gras’, whipped butter and and lively blueberry date compote. My tastebuds at this point were starting to hum a happy Mozart tune! Thin slices of perfectly toasted crusty bread topped with sweet and savory plant-based spreads garnished with microgreens were surprisingly light and satisfying to the tummy. Next course, please!

Next to be served was the appetizer, a visually delightful "Pear Walnut Rocket Ermitanyo Summer Salad with Bleu Cheese Dressing." The sharp, mildly bitter taste of rocket/arugula was a wonderful contrast to the juicy pear slices and sweetly tender grapes. Topped with crunchy walnuts, and colorful edible flowers, this salad at this point was my favorite course. My salad plate was wiped clean. Delicioso!

The next course was the entree, "Coconut Lemongrass Velouté", a velvety savory soup with the rich warm taste of coconut and citrusy lemongrass. A very comforting and heartwarming soup that was perfect with the December weather!

The main course was a beautifully prepared "Seven Seas 'Seafood' Risotto with Garlic Aoili", a rich, full-flavored Italian dish made of Arborio or short-grain rice cooked in vegetable stock, white wine and aromatics. As vegan food does not contain seafood, this dish surprisingly tasted like a Mediterranean seaside summer. I loved the oystery flavor and sauteed mushrooms that were enhanced by the garlicky sauce. This meal left me bursting at the seams! Very satisfying dish that I could have devoured completely if only I skipped lunch. (Note to self: Skip lunch for the next Buhay Ermitanyo dining experience.)

A meal is not complete without dessert! To cap the vegan Christmas meal, Chef Judy prepared an indulgent " Dark Chocolate Aquafaba Ice Cream on Dark Chocolate Mud Pie." She made it extra special by adding a dollop of vegan hazelnut sauce. Wow, a totally stunning sweet treat! In vegan cooking, aquafaba is viscous water from which lentils, legumes and pulses are cooked. When whipped, it turns into some kind of foamy 'egg white,' a perfect replacement for egg-free dishes.

All that chocolate goodness in one-guilt free, plant based dessert! We loved it!

Oh, we also had our fortune cookies drawn! Here's mine:

Thank you Buhay Ermitanyo for blowing our minds and wow-ing our tastebuds with innovative vegan cooking and sheer deliciousness. Till our next Buhay Ermitanyo meal!

Buhay Ermitanyo

R. Mapa St., Mandurriao, Iloilo City

For bookings, contact:

Mobile no: 0956 627 3118

Email: buhayermitanyo@gmail.com

Images from Akamon Ramen and respective owners

Before the pandemic quarantine struck, I never really cared for food delivery services. I’ve had horrible experience with food being delivered two hours late or my order getting lost along the way. Thanks to the advent of food delivery services like Grab and Foodpanda (and others I have failed to mention) having food delivered to your home and office is now lightning quick and GPS-precise. One can also choose from a variety of payment options as well. When the lockdown was imposed in March 2020, I was compelled to choose between stockpiling food, growing my own backyard eats or order lutong bahay foods via home delivery. Of course, I would rather order food delivery instead of dodging the damn coronavirus in the wilderness.

During the first few months of the lockdown, only a few restaurants such as Carlos Bakeshop were on the food delivery platform. On days when it’s impossible (read: lazy) to cook for decent meals, I would order comfort foods like dinuguan (pork blood stew) or callos. Having my favorite meals delivered right at home somewhat saved staved off my pandemic induced anxiety since I realized won’t be dying of hunger in case I can’t go out to buy food.

A few more months after, the Grab and Foodpanda platforms were suddenly awashed with mik tea shops too numerous to induce a sugar coma. Likewise, a lot of restaurants offering diverse cuisines were also sprouting making decision making an arduous task. Nowadays, I order food delivery twice or thrice a week, trying out random food shops. It's a hit or miss, a trial and error or a regrets, regrets kind of thing. Based on my 11 months or so of food delivery experience, I have come up with my definitive list of value for money, value for taste buds online food shops. Here are my top 10:

1. Abraham's Chicken and Toast

Hands down, this is the most value for money food service on delivery apps. Aside from the fact that their Korean sweet chili glazed fried chicken tastes like the ones I tried in Seoul, their portions are also amazingly generous. I have lost count of the number of times I have ordered from this restaurant. It is also on my bucket list to try everything in their extensive menu. Call me a certified Abraham's addict if you will.

2. Kizuna Curry

This is not your regular bright colored yellow (chicken) curry dish. This is Japanese curry that makes generic tonkatsu taste like heaven! The food photos and styling may not be that great (I normally don't like all brown colored food) but believe me, the taste is up to par with CoCo Ichibanya. My picky nephew loves their tonkatsu so I can safely say it makes the grade.

3. Sisig Express

When you are craving for a lusty meal of hot and spicy sisig, this is the food shop of choice. The sisig is good and bold and richly satisfying. The shop is just a few kilometers away from our house so the Foodpanda delivery guy appears at my doorstep faster than I can find my wallet.

4. Akamon Ramen Bar

A good place to get my Japanese food fix at sensible prices. The ramen arrives steaming hot and everything is well packed. Ready to chow goodness while I watch my fave J-drama. It's also a great office lunch choice since Akamon Ramen Bar at SM Strata is just nearby.

5. Buto't Balat

I miss dining Buto't Balat's garden veranda while savoring Ilonggo signature dishes like caldereta, crispy talong and bangus sisig. When the craving hits me, there's the food delivery app to turn to. The food arrives quickly too. Just add apple flavored beer and it's like old times once again!

5. Eduardo's Taqueria

This online shop by Chef Sal has a cult following. The Mexican dishes are authentic in taste and texture and I am always groaning or cursing in delight in after every meal. This shop is the real deal! This shop is not on Foodpanda or Grab and you have to visit their Facebook page to order. The food is quite pricey but worth every freaking centavo. Viva la Eduardo's Taqueria!

6. Mr. Misono

An online fave just like Akamon Ramen. This is no nonsense Japanese food cooked and delivered fast! The bento meals are good for busy work at home days.

8. Teriyaki Boy

When I want to treat myself to a bit of premium Japanese food I order my favorite bento box meal from here. Always a treat for the tastebuds!

9. Carlos Bakeshop

My quarantine lifesaver! When I was craving for their homey Ilonggo fast food dishes like Pancit Molo or Carlos' Spaghetti and chocolate dream cake, all I did was tap away on Grab Food. Instant gratification achieved!

10. Jollibee

After spending 10 minutes on the food delivery app and I still can't decide on anything, there's good o'l Jollibee to the rescue. It's always a good choice for lazy weekends!

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Skip the wonton noodles, stay for the ambiance

Scorching good Mexican food at Eduardo’s Taqueria

Cristy's Fave: Healthy Kitchen Cafe-All Things Green

A very vegan Christmas at Buhay Ermitanyo

My top 10 delivery food finds on Grab and Foodpanda

Blog Archive

Skip the wonton noodles, stay for the ambiance

Scorching good Mexican food at Eduardo’s Taqueria

Cristy's Fave: Healthy Kitchen Cafe-All Things Green

A very vegan Christmas at Buhay Ermitanyo

My top 10 delivery food finds on Grab and Foodpanda

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