Chico, chico, chico starts with C

This fruit is now associated with someone I wished was my OTL but whether the source is romantic or platonic, organic chicos from a long-time friend are always appreciated. For the first time, supply outstripped appetite. Happy chico monster extends thanks to Le Chink! =)

Crisostomo

Photos by Eline Santos. Collage created with PiZap.

After feeding our souls at a retreat, 

my sister treated me out to a sumptuous lunch

at Crisostomo (Alabang Town Center).

Excellent Filipino food. 

And the ambience was lovely. 
Happy Easter, everyone!

Chocolate Fire

Is there anything better than a shop full of chocolate? 

Chocolate Fire in Makati has so many choices, it is

quite overwhelming. The one in the center is dark 

chocolate with mint. Yum!

An order of tea helps to keep the umay at bay. 

Relik

Before visiting our friend whose wife just gave birth, Le Chink and I had dinner at Relik at Bonifacio Global City.

Our salad was the chicken fajita which was presented with its bread arranged in a way that reminded me of a triceratops ;-). This was my favorite dish of the night---particularly refreshing when the spicier dishes would get to me.

Our main course was the gambas and the beef salpicao. The gambas had a touch more heat than the salpicao; it went well with the lemon. The beef salpicao was tender and also very good.

The name of our dessert escapes me but it had lady fingers with a bit of orange peel covered in some yummy cream underneath its toasted crunchy top.

Relik (BGC) also features a quiz night on Tuesdays so trivia buffs can have their fun and eat it too. Enjoy!

Oodles of Noodles

Le Chink treated me out to a noodle place along Jupiter Avenue: Mitsuyado Sei-Men. Men is the Japanese word for noodle so in this place, it's really raining men, sei-men!

Gyoza was gyoza... at par with other Japanese restaurants we've tried.

The black pepper chicken was good too.

We got the jumbo char-siu tsukemen, which was the first time I saw noodles served with a separate dipping sauce. The char-siu was a very tender pork roast--my favorite part of the meal. 

The other distinctive feature for me was the ambiance. The restaurant was decorated to give it a street-feeling... pretend stalls on the "road"; a bike hanging in one corner; pretend store fronts lining up one wall; and other details which lent a touch of whimsy to the place. The staff were attentive. Overall a fun and light dining experience.

Pasalubong Special 2

Dried mangoes are a treat in themselves though you might stumble into some with more fiber than you'd like. But this again is a leveled up version of this wonderful treat. Dried mango covered in dark chocolate. Yummm!!!

Each mango seems to have been selected so there are no fibrous pieces. Mango and chocolate blend in smooth harmony on the tongue. The only complaint I have is the price (P400 for a box of 12). But it is very good. Enjoy!

Pasalubong Special

December brings in a lot of gifts. This is one of a native delicacy which has leveled up in my opinion: JR's Special Arrowroot Cookies. I just know these as uraro.

I am not a fan of uraro cookies but these are truly special. Usually uraro cookies have a powdery texture that crumbles easily but these have a smoother, crisp exterior. And then, when you bite into them, that trademark powdery texture of uraro comes in a melt-in-your-mouth surprise. These are the best uraro cookies I've tasted, not to mention the best-looking to boot. It would make a great gift for any balikbayan friends and relatives.