B&L’s 2016 leisure adventures

It’s goodbye 2016 and hello 2017, but before that, let’s check out B&L’s (Business & Leisure) wonderful discoveries in the food scene for this year. We had occasion to visit quite a few around the metropolis and I would like to share them with you.

Gourmet Gypsy Art Café on Don A. Roces Avenue, Brgy. Paligsahan in Quezon City is owned and run by Chef/artist Stephanie Salonga, and her art pieces add eye-pleasing value to the café.  Among the standouts in her international menu are the Chicken Souvlaki, a Greek dish of chicken marinated in yoghurt and served with pita bread which they bake right in the café; the Spicy Coco Mango Pasta which is a fusion of Mediterranean and Filipino cuisine that was proudly served at the recent Madrid Fusion held here; and their Saffron Aranzini, an Italian dish of saffron risotto stuffed with chorizo and mozzarella, formed into balls and deep-fried to a golden crisp.

All About Pasta in Maginhawa St., Diliman, Q.C. looks like a cute nursery school with its cool pastel shades. Executive Chef Blake Marquez is proud of his various pasta dishes, foremost among them the Creamy Adobo Pasta with its very Filipino taste; his authentic Italian pasta with real bits of herbs; and his spicy Laing Pasta.  Pizzas are served hot from the oven.

Basil, a Thai Restaurant along Katipunan Avenue, was once a plant store until it was converted into a restaurant with natural flowing water and rich greenery. Among the favorites are the Crispy Fish with tangy tamarind sauce; the Chicken with Crispy Cashew; the Red Thai Shrimps in which the lime cuts into the richness of the coconut milk. All the orders here are good for sharing.

Also in Katipunan in White Plains is Earth Kitchen, a cozy dining place, nestled amongst Chinese bamboo and large potted plants and shrubs. Inside is a selection of good native products for sale, from Kalinga coffee to jams, fresh goat milk and goat cheese. A delicious meal here starts with a fresh salad with vinaigrette dressing, braised bacon with marbled potatoes, shrimp topped with peanuts. The whole meal can be topped with vanilla ice cream served with a dollop of peanut butter.

Diligence Café along Katipunan Avenue in Quezon City is your neighbourhood café that feels like home, because that is how they want it to be. It is designed for students and corporate employees who need a quiet place to study or finish work on a thesis or group project.  This novel café of course is open 24 hours, offers hot showers and comfortable bean bags perfect for relaxing, and even wake-up service. Food here is simple—pastas, rice meals, sandwiches and pastries that go with unlimited drinks.

Calderon & Guevarra Gourmet Carinderia in Bo. Kapitolyo, Pasig City exudes an unmistakable hominess and tranquil coziness with its traditional Filipino windows and even a piano on one side. Their name says it all—it offers carinderia food on the gourmet level: sisig, bopis, tortang talong, all given a contemporary twist while retaining the traditional taste.  A standout dessert is their scramble halo-halo.

Cow & Chicken in United St., Kapitolyo, Pasig is a brunch place serving excellent coffee brewed with professional excellence by barista/owner Junco Flores.  Among their best sellers in the coffee scene are their Popcorn Latte which really boasts of popcorn flavor; White Rose Latte which blends white chocolate and rose extract with the coffee; and the Pinoy Panocha Latte which Junco says you cannot find anywhere else.

No Reservation is in Kapitolyo, Pasig. It has a contemporary design, all glass and steel, and is run by Chef Jay Angeles who hails from a family of good cooks. Jay and his co-owners though are partial to Asian cuisine, leaving the Pinoy food to his family. Among the standouts on his menu are the Nachos with Nori Strips; Baby Back Ribs with sweet glaze that come in a huge serving and a mound of sprouts; Wings and Waffles sprinkled with black sesame seeds. Even their simple grilled corn is served with bonito flakes.

Highlands Premium Steak House in Capitol Commons, still in Pasig City, their second branch after the first one at MOA which continues to be a huge success.  It is a wide, sprawling restaurant with cool interiors, rustic but contemporary. This restaurant is ideal not only for families but also for college buddies out for a night of bonding with wine and beers at the al fresco part of the resto and corporate clients who love the quiet, elegant atmosphere inside. They have extended their operating hours till late at night because everyone else in the area seems to close early.

Their premium item on the menu of course is their certified angus steaks, perfectly marbled beef grilled to perfection and served with sidings of fried rice or mashed/baked potato; veggies and corn on the cob. Chef Ian Calma has quarterly offerings of specialty burgers, all angus of course. Their roasted sea bass, Norwegian salmon, black ink pasta and wild mushroom soup covered with phyllo are outstanding.

V by Ilustrado at the ground floor of the elegant showroom of Volkswagen at The Fort is the newest baby of the distinguished family of restaurateurs Bonnie and daughters Bea and Bernice Pimentel, both accomplished chefs. They offer new takes on some good old Filipino favorites like Kare Kare with bagnet and Kaldereta. They specialize in traditional Spanish favorites like Lengua Estofado, their mildly spicy Callos and very flavorful Spanish sausages, but they are famous for their paellas. They are open for breakfast, lunch, dinner or even just for drinks in this elegant café.

Mandarin Boracay Island Hotel at Beach front Station 2 in Boracay is a favorite boutique hotel that has won Gold Circle Awards for 2013 and 2014, and most recent from Trip Advisor and Traveller’s Choice for 2016. Ms. Lily Po graciously showed us their good selection of luxe rooms and suites with private living room and private bar. Don Vito Ristorante Italiano is their in-house restaurant, and billeting at the Mandarin entitles one to a big buffet breakfast. They have their own private beach front where hotel guests can enjoy cocktails with a front seat view of a spectacular sunset. Sizzling steaks, giant pizzas and huge platters of paellas, among others, can be had while enjoying ice cold beer and nightly live entertainment. 

Actually, we had a few more good discoveries in 2016, but unfortunately these are all that my space permits. Incidentally, starting this week, Business & Leisure the TV show will air every Friday evening at 10 o’clock, still on Solar Sports, Channel 70 on the Sky Cable Network.

Happy New Year everyone. 

Mabuhay!!! Be proud to be a Filipino.

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