Notice how diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiac and other diseases that spell EXCESS – excess of everything, from sugar to salt to cholesterol and whatever else makes food so palatable are so prevalent they approximate epidemic levels? Who in his right mind, and who is young and so invulnerable to such diseases would prefer bland, unsalted, "unsugared" and boiled food to those tasty treats laden with all the richness of seasonings high in everything that counts to make the dish appetizing?
Actually, I plead guilty to enjoying the good life. My good friend, the country’s "racing living legend", Pocholo Ramirez can pass the week, even pass the month I guess, having healthy meals that I honestly can’t imagine having twice in a row. Since age has overtaken me quite persistently, I have mellowed in my choices and have allowed certain margins for healthy eating. No choice. My good doctor, Dr. Augusto Litonjua, endocrinologist par excellance, would melt me down with an ominous stare and his wry jabs at my bacchanalian sorties.
When good friends Wolf and Angie Lambsdorf told me about their newest baby, it was welcome news. They opened the first branch of Sugar Not, their store which primarily sells delicious cakes and desserts with absolutely no sugar, at Labaire Building, South Superhighway, Makati. Actually, it was Angie’s father, architect Eli Beltran, who was responsible for the whole concept of healthy eating without sacrificing taste. Having been diagnosed with diabetes just a couple of years ago, he refused to accept his fate without putting up a good fight. Hence, the idea of Sugar Not.
I had my first taste of their cakes when Wolf brought some over to our poker games. Their Tira Misu is something else. It’s super moist, spongy, and sweet enough. Knowing that it is absolutely sugar-free is having your cake and eating it, and eating it without guilt. And who would have imagined having Canonigo without real sugar? Pre-Sugar Not, this would have been unimaginable. And since we’re on the subject of sugar-free cakes, there is also their carrot cake, their chocolate bomb which is a chocoholic’s absolute delight, their chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies, and several others I can’t quite recall now.
They have taken Sugar Not a step further. Their menu certainly doesn’t read like a hospital’s nutrition printout. They have imaginative salads, hearty soups and sandwiches, all low-fat and low-calorie. They spent considerable time on research and product development, and their menu is always a work in progress so that eating in their establishment can be a culinary adventure as well. After all, eating healthy need not be a monotonous, run-of-the-mill exercise. Foodies are always on the lookout for something exciting to awaken their senses and palates. If it looks good and smells good, it must be good! And most important, everything on the dessert menu is absolutely safe for diabetics, says Wolf and Angie, as far as sugar is concerned.
They recently opened their second store at Podium on the third floor. Angie’s ad agency was responsible for the total look of the store, from the vibrant, delectable colors to the layout and yes, the store’s logo. The store is cozy, with an intimate corner setting of comfortable settee and lounging chairs inside, and several small tables outside the main store. Sort of like the outdoor Parisian cafes where you can watch the crowd outside yet not have to sit through a sun-soaked day. There, you can enjoy a full meal, soup, salad, main course, dessert and freshly-brewed coffee, all enjoyed in a setting laden with the right ambience for a pleasurable meal with friends or family.
Inside, chiller-counter has an impressive array of cakes and cookies for dine-in or take-out.
This good news I share with all diabetics out there, and everyone else who have reformatted their lifestyle to include healthy eating. It is also for the men and women out there who, like me, are always waging the battle of the bulge. Low-calorie, low-fat, and sugar-free are this century’s mantra.
Bon Appetit!
There is this upscale restaurant in Rockwell quite famous for their skewered barbecued meats, and if I may also mention, for their quick-moving and polite waiters and service crew. You can have your fill of baby back ribs, roasted sirloin, chicken, beef, etc. which, in fairness, are good quality meats. But try asking for purified water, and they tell you wryly - sorry, we only have tap water. Since you can’t possibly risk this, you end up with their bottled water which they pass on at P70 per. It costs just as much as their regular drinks like iced tea or sodas.
When everyone else is serving purified water free of charge (even the small Chinese eateries are doing this now), this upscale restaurant still has not caught the drift. When are they going to follow suit?
Next week, you can catch our interview with Johnny Litton. It is rare to catch Johnny on the other side, and when we turned the tables on him, it was refreshing to find a candid, spontaneous man. Our interviews are really to bring out the persona behind the name, so it would be interesting viewing.
Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.
For comments: (e-mail) businessleisurestar@stv.com.ph