Category: Food and Beverages

Magnum Ice Cream indulgence is in town!

Posted on by jane

I was about to start this post with a description of the ice cream being launched but last night, as I was typing away, my older son came into the room. He saw the press kit beside me with an M logo on the front and he immediately exclaimed, “Hey, Magnum!” That was when I remembered why this brand of ice cream sounded familiar.

Two years ago. My son and some of his schoolmates had just come home from several weeks in China on a school-sponsored overseas program. Over the next few days, as he continued regaling us with stories of their adventures, one thing stood out. He and his friends had discovered a favorite comfort food during those days away from family and school – Magnum Ice Cream.

Of course, it was natural for me to be excited when the recent event I was invited to turned out to be the launch of this very brand in the Philippines!

The newly launched Magnum Ice Cream is a smooth and creamy ice cream bar coated with a thick layer of Belgian chocolate. It comes in 3 variants – Classic, Almond and Truffle. Belgian chocolate is one of the best worldwide. All other chocolates are usually measured against this gourmet standard. When you hear of a Belgian chocolatier, you know that person adheres to traditional techniques and uses the best quality ingredients. Most expensive and luxurious chocolates in the market use Belgian chocolate.

What is an ice cream launch without a taste test? Of course, everyone got a chance to try out all the Magnum Ice Cream variants. I did not have room in my tummy for them all so I just chose Almond.

Here we go…
Lots of almonds! Yum, yum, yum…

You can tell when an ice cream bar’s chocolate layer is well made. When you bite into it, the chocolate covering does not crumble all over, dripping you with chocolate and vanilla goo all over. Instead, you hear what they call the signature crack. A piece of Belgian chocolate enters your mouth first, followed by a smooth and creamy vanilla ice cream filling. That’s exactly how I describe my first Magnum experience.

Maybe you’re thinking that because it has Belgian chocolate, it is expensive. Surprise, surprise. Each ice cream bar will only cost PhP 50! And it will be distributed in supermarkets and retail stores, including 7-Eleven.

The 3 Magnum variants being introduced

Magnum Ice Cream is a collaborative effort between Unilever (Magnum is its biggest global brand) and RFM, the company behind the Selecta ice cream brand. RFM and Unilever said that they really worked hard to make this brand available to everyone at an affordable price. I found out that it’s very popular in European and Asian countries where it has a presence. Known Hollywood celebrities have endorsed it such as Eva Longoria, Eva Mendes, Ivanka Trump and Rachel Bilson. At the launch, we were introduced to Magnum’s local brand ambassadors that include Liz Uy, Solenn Heusaff (endorser), Rajo Laurel, Tessa Prieto-Valdes, Erwan Heusaff and Raymond Gutierrez.

Some of Magnum’s brand ambassadors

My son and his friends will probably be some of the happiest boys now that their favorite comfort food in China is available locally. And those of you have have tried Magnum during your trips abroad can now have it any time you want without having to go out of the country.

As for me, I am looking forward this weekend to trying the Classic and Truffle variants in my freezer before deciding which one is my favorite flavor.

Seattle’s Best: Love in the Key of Teas and Cookies

Posted on by jane

When you hear the name Seattle’s Best, I bet you immediately think COFFEE, right? Guess what. They are doing something new for the first quarter of 2012. Can you guess?

You guessed it. They have a MILK TEA variant! But for a limited time only!

We got to taste both the hot and cold variants. At first, I thought I preferred the cold variant but the hot variant was also good, actually. Their milk tea is a blend of black and green tea infused with caramel for sweetness. The cold variant comes over-ice with red, chewy tapioca pearls.

The milk tea will only be available till early March 2012 so go and get yourself one already.

Cold variant 

Hot variant

For the season of hearts, Seattle’s Best is also offering 4 different heart cookies. Each one can be taken out in its own box if you are planning to give it as a gift to a special someone. There’s a chocolate flavored butter cookie while the three others are classic butter cookie. Each cookie is covered in fondant and has a different design. These cookies are available only until Feb. 21, 2012.

Catch these goodies at the nearest Seattle’s Best outlet near you.

Dolcelatte: More than the usual cafe

Posted on by jane

Their facade doesn’t tell you the whole story and maybe many, like me, who go there for the first time will think that Dolcelatte is yet another cafe in the metro. Well, it turns out that I was the one pleasantly surprised to find out that it was a lot more than just a cafe.

I cannot blog about what we ate the day a few of us gathered. We were taste testing some new dishes and for now it’s a shhhhhhhh….But do watch out for another post once they’ve finalized their offerings.

But let me tell you now what Dolcelatte is and what more it offers.

Dolcelatte’s facade

The interiors impressed me. They were tasteful, done in vibrant colors with subtle lighting touches. To one side was a tiny fountain area that provided the relaxing sounds of running water.

Their breads and cakes are made by their very own commissary that manages the restaurant’s supply chain and looking out for consistency and quality of their products.

View from the front 
View from the back

Bread and cookies pillar

Running water under the stairs leading to 2nd floor. Nice!

After our meal, we were given a tour of what was on the second floor and that was the surprise we got. Dolcelatte was so much more spacious than we thought! There were enough function rooms and conference rooms up there for people looking for a cheaper alternative to hotels! 

For a small group of about 20 that wants to meet without the ambience of a corporate room or a hotel, they have a room with a crystal chandelier, high-back chairs and wooden shutters to keep out some but not all of the light streaming in from the glass windows.
There are 3 boardrooms, with shiny and expensive looking boardroom tables and executive chairs. The smallest is Erico (minimum of 8 persons). Two other rooms are larger – Eugenio (minimum of 10 persons) and Emilio (minimum of 14 persons).
Lounge area near Eugenio Room
Eugenio Room
Emilio Room

The Candida function room is great for birthdays, debuts, christening and other such events as it is able to seat from 30-200 guests.

Candida function room. There are dividers that open up to 2 more spaces
like this to accommodate more guests.

We discovered a medical library with a huge research area and lots of computers as well as an out-of-the-way 3-level bookstore. Cool!

Medical books beautifully displayed on glass shelves

Research area of library

Top view of bookstore’s 2nd level

Bookstore’s ground level

Bookstore’s lower ground level

Dolcelatte was a surprising discovery in terms of so much more that it had to offer.

If your company is looking for a breath of fresh air and a location for meetings and planning sessions that do not have to take you out of town and is quite reasonable, check out Dolcelatte and ask for their packages.
Dolcelatte
1616 South Triangle
Quezon Avenue, Quezon City
Tel (02) 425-0313 loc. 109
Email: inquiries@dolcelatte.ph
Open Mondays to Saturdays, 8am to 10pm

Sumosam opens in Gilmore

Posted on by jane

(Update: Sumosam’s Gilmore St. branch has closed down already.)

Sumosam’s 10th branch just opened in Gilmore St., Quezon City and I am one of those happy to be invited to its soft opening. Japanese food is just up there on the top of my food choices.

Sumosam is located inside a new food strip, Greenhills Town Center. It’s located away from the hustle and bustle of the Greenhills Shopping Center, just after you cross Santolan from Ortigas Ave. There is a McDonald’s in front of it, Seattle’s Best Coffee beside it, and a few more restaurants inside the center.

I found the interiors very tastefully done in vibrant colors.

Marvin Agustin, President of Sumosam, graced the occasion and patiently went from table to table for photo ops with the bloggers.

The bloggers and guests invited were made to sample Sumosam’s newest offering – their bento boxes.

The bento box served to us during the event was the Samurai’s Choice Bento.

Samurai’s Choice (PhP 488)Chicken teriyaki, beef misono (US beef knuckle),
dory tepan, tuna and salmon sashimi, kani stick, bean sprouts,
yasai itame, gohan, dilis

 

 

 

 

 

Aside from the Samurai’s Choice bento box, there are 4 other variants:

1. Osaka Tempura Bento (PhP 438) – ebi tempura, kisu tempura, dory tempura, vegie kakiage, tuna sashimi, gohan, dilis, bean sprout

2. Tsukiji Tonkatsu and Salmon Bento (PhP 408) – tonkatsu, grilled salmon, tuna and salmon sashimi, gohan, dilis, bean sprout

3. Chicken Teriyaki Bento (PhP 308) – chicken teriyaki, tuna sashimi, gohan, bean sprout, dilis

4. Matsuya Katsu Bento (PhP 298) – katsudon (pork tenderloin), tuna sashimi, gohan, bean sprout, dilis

These bento boxes are now available in the Gilmore branch but only from 11am to 2pm (I really hope they eventually make these available the whole day).

Sumosam Gilmore (www.sumosamfoods.com)
Greenhills Town Center
#2 Granada St., Brgy. Valencia
Quezon City
Tel. (02) 729-6292, 895-7532
Hours: 11am-11pm


A Purefoods Lunch featuring Fiesta Ham Classic + New Variants

Posted on by jane

I can’t imagine Noche Buena (Christmas Eve) or Media Noche (New Year’s Eve) without ham. It’s really a staple of our family dinner.

At a recent event with the Purefoods Fiesta Ham people at Via Mare Cafe and Oyster Bar, I was introduced to the familiar, classic fiesta ham as well as its new variants. One trivia: I didn’t know Purefoods has been around since 1956??? No wonder we all practically grew up with its products!

This year you will find more than just the traditional 1kg Fiesta Ham in supermarkets. The new variants of the Fiesta ham are the 1.5kg thinly-sliced version of the Fiesta Ham for bigger gatherings; the 200g Fiesta Ham slices that are more affordable and conveniently packed; and the 3.5kg Smoked Bone-in Fiesta Ham.

Celebrity Moms showed us table settings that they themselves did to introduce the different Fiesta Ham variants.

Barbie Almalbis-Honasan

Classic Fiesta Ham
Singer-songwriter Barbie Almalbis-Honasan (popularly known as Barbie) and a Mom of two prepared a European table setting, complete with wine and cheese, to go with the Classic Fiesta Ham. Teapots on top of the vases were used to hold flowers, a nice touch, I thought. Barbie told us their family celebrates 3 Christmas dinners – one with the grandparents, another with titos/titas, then finally dinner at their own home.
Suzi Entrata-Abrera

Smoked Bone-in Ham (3.5kg)
TV host Suzi Entrata-Abrera designed a table setting to hold one of the new variants – the Smoked Bone-in Ham. She chose red because that was also the color theme for their own Christmas decor at home done by a friend. She lets her kids help in the decorating because oftentimes they come up with fresh ideas. For their fiesta ham, her family loves putting lots of sugar on top of the ham, frying it, and just putting it in pandesal.
Danica Sotto-Pingris

Classic Fiesta Ham
Danica Sotto-Pingris chose the Filipiniana theme for her table setting. She celebrates Christmas first with her dad, Vic Sotto, then with her mom, Dina Bonnevie. This year she plans to hang tree ornaments that reminds them of the year that passed. As a Mom of two and a culinary expert, she plans to make a Christmas Day breakfast – Fiesta ham on Eggs Benedict.

Chef Glenda Barretto
Our lunch was specially prepared by Chef Glenda Barretto, owner of Via Mare, and of course each food item served had Fiesta Ham incorporated into it in some form. 
Ham Canapes

The appetizers were Ham Canapes with celery, dressed with sour cream and a little mayo on crostini bread. Chef Barretto said you can add other veggies, mix with pineapple, pear.

Fruits and Vegetables Ham Salad
You’d think that a salad should be just either all fruits or all vegetables but the Fruits and Vegetables Ham Salad nicely combines both into one salad. Made of romaine lettuce, carrot strips, honeydew melon balls, beet slices, and sliced ham wrapped around stalks of asparagus make up this salad paired up with a citrus dressing. This was my first time to bite into asparagus stalks wrapped in ham and it actually tasted good!
Green Peas and Ham Broth served
with Knacker Bread
I love pea soup (maybe next to pumpkin soup and cream of mushroom) and this one was served really piping hot. That’s how I like to take my soup. The bits of ham mixed in with the pea soup added texture to the soup’s creaminess and the Knacker bread with sesame seeds went quite well with it too.

The main dish was Glazed Bone-in Leg of Ham with Candied Sweet Potato Gravy. For some reason, I have no photos of this dish. Maybe in my excitement I forgot to take aim and shoot. *sigh* But suffice it to say I loved the glazed ham. It was soft and tender and the sweetness of the potato gravy was a good complement.

To one side of the room, the Via Mare chef was also demonstrating to us the proper way of cutting the smoked bone-in ham.

Here’s a tip from Chef Glenda Barretto for your smoked bone-in ham. You can still simmer it in in beer, pineapple juice, cloves and brown sugar. Beer enhances the flavor of smoked ham. Simmer only for 45mins to 1 hr. Reduce the sauce.

Finally, we were served dessert. I had been wondering from the beginning what dessert would taste like with ham in it. Normally, ham is not a dessert ingredient.

As I was a bit full already, and knowing I was going to another meet-up with friends where there would be food, I did not touch the bibingka, thinking I’d forego it. But after thinking it over I just thought, oh why not just go ahead and take a small bite so at least you can say you tasted it. I ended up finishing the whole bibingka! The Petit Bibingka Galapong with Ham and Queso de Bola was a winner! Via Mare has always been known for its bibingka – buttery and soft – but this time the ham toppings actually added that extra ooomph flavoring to it. No regrets about all those extra calories!

At another event, I was able to get a special sauce recipe for Purefoods Fiesta Ham from Chef Ed Quimson so it’s another opportunity for me to try something different this year.

Because it is so reasonably priced, Purefoods Fiesta Ham is always the most popular item in gift packs, corporate baskets and giveaways to employees during Christmas. And in my own home, there can be no Noche Buena without ham. It’s no wonder then that the Purefoods Fiesta Ham is called The Star of the Noche Buena Table.

San Miguel Great Food Club brings an early Christmas to Mercato Centrale

Posted on by jane

My friend Kitty invited me to her media event recently at Mercato Centrale. Actually, I went for two purposes. One, I have not seen Kitty in over 3 decades. Second, I wanted to check out what the San Miguel Great Food Club was all about. I was not a member (it shows that I’m no culinary person) but I do love good food. And the theme for this event was “The Flavors of Christmas”. How can you resist such a title????

The event revolved around making the celebration of the Yuletide season as easy as possible, stress-free and yet festive enough.

It all began with Danny Dela Cuesta, a food expert and event stylist, who briefed the audience on different ways of decorating the Christmas table, even using recycled Christmas decor. He gave tips on different topics: the menu, the buffet table, the dining table and food presentation. Danny works as the VP for Food Business Marketing of Contagious Consultancy Group and was schooled in culinary education at Le Cordon Bleu Ecole de Cuisine et de Patisserie in London, England under the tutelage of Chef Jean Claude Boucheret.

I could not stay long enough to see the actual demos but I was able to interview the 3 chefs who were part of the program.


Chef Dennis Edillon

Chef Edillon is the Corporate Executive Chef of Urban Chef. He said he was speaking about how to prepare just the right portions for Christmas meals so as to minimize or totally eliminate food wastage or over-preparation. Now this really caught my fancy because I do see that in many Christmas parties, there is either too much or too little food for guests. Here are some tips I picked up from Chef Edillon:
  • When buying meat to prepare a dish, consider that you will be trimming off fat and bones. What remains must be adequate for the dish you want to prepare.
  • People eat 250-300 grams (max of 400-450 grams for bigger appetites) of food per his estimate so this is his general benchmark for estimating portions
  • There are different ways to apportion for appetizers, main dishes and dessert. If you have 3 kinds of viands, portions will be smaller. If you only serve a single main dish, portions should be larger. For cocktails, it depends on time of day or depends if cocktail party takes place of dinner, in which case you serve more for people to feel full. If you serve cocktails before dinner, you can serve smaller portions.
  • When it’s a potluck get-together, ask how many people are bringing food and what they plan to bring so that you don’t end up with too much food or similar food.
  • Stick to your favorites for Noche Buena because you can never go wrong. Kids will always remember the occasion by the food that was served.


Lori Baltazar

Lori is well known in the blogosphere as a very popular food blogger who specializes in desserts. She blogs at Dessert Comes First. She developed 2 desserts for San Miguel: Brownie-in-a-Cookie Cookie (like chocolate chips in a cookie but instead it’s frozen brownie chunks) and Chocnut-Queso de Bola Cheescake in a vanilla wafer biscuit crust.

Chef Ed Quimson

Chef Ed Quimson calls himself a high school dropout who just loves to cook and cook, which is why he says that all his recipes are so easy that a housewife can easily follow them. Chef Ed says he’s not technical at all. For San Miguel, Chef Ed developed his special sauce for the Christmas Ham using Purefoods Fiesta Ham (yay, I have 2 hams here that I can prepare using this recipe!), Roast Jumbo Chicken with Green Grapes and Cranberry Jelly, and Pork Pata with Yellow Lentils (recipes are also in my Yogini Foodie blog).

Guests at the event got to try these goodies as well.

For more delish recipes from San Miguel Great Food Club, register FOR FREE at www.mygreatfood.com

Kenny Rogers Introduces its Honey Roast Chicken + 4 New Side Dishes

Posted on by jane

By November 15, 2011, Kenny Rogers Roasters patrons will be treated to a whole new offering to add to their choices for the Christmas holidays. I was part of a blogger group that got first dibs at trying out these dishes so I am excited to tell you about my gastronomic experience.

First up is a new flavor for Kenny’s chicken offerings – the Honey Roast Chicken.
I usually order the Fiesta chicken flavor when in Kenny Rogers but after trying the Honey Roast Chicken, I am changing my preference! 
Kenny Rogers perfected the preparation of this chicken by marinating the chicken in a mixture of honey and maple. The serving I had was very tasty and juicy. For me, eating it plain with rice was enough. 
You can order the Honey Roast Chicken WHOLE for only PhP 399 when you bring your family or group of friends. Or choose to have it with Kenny’s Solo Plates, Healthy Plates, Combo Meals and Group Meals.
The servings do come with Kenny’s own honey-garlic sauce for those who prefer to enhance the taste of the chicken. The sauce can be overpowering for some since the garlic-ky taste covers most of the initial honey-maple marinade of the chicken so when you order this, you may want to try the chicken as is first. Then dip slices of the chicken into the sauce next to see whether you want to slobber the sauce all over the chicken or eat the entire thing as it is.
Next are the new side dishes – all 4 of them!
Clockwise: Sour Cream and Chives Potatoes, Turnip Salad,
Aglio Olio and Garlic Parmesan Green Beans
Two of these are hot side dishes while the other two are cold side dishes.

Let’s start with the hot side dishes.
The Sour Cream and Chives Potatoes are baked marble potatoes coated in sour cream and chives butter mix. This is a winner if you love sour cream and chives because its tangy flavor really comes out. One tip: Don’t even bother biting into the potatoes. They’re small enough for you to pop into your mouth. That way you really get the flavors of the entire potato.
Aglio Olio is their healthy pasta side dish. I did note that this is prepared with olive oil sauce and sprinkled generously with garlic bits and chopped olives.
Now on to the cold side dishes.
The Garlic Parmesan Green Beans was a delightful surprise. I must confess, when I first saw it on the press release, I was thinking to myself – why, of all side dishes, string beans? After all, not many would really choose string beans as their side dish of choice when there are others to choose from. But before you think that way, you have to try this one because it is prepared with generous diced garlic bits and loaded with parmesan cheese. When I bit into my first bean, the crunchiness combined with the strong garlic and parmesan cheese combo really blended well.
Last but definitely not the least is the Turnip Salad. This is a fairly light salad made with crunchy turnip strips, carrots, cucumber and red cabbage tossed in a sweet and tart mango dressing. 
Want to know my favorite side dish? Actually, it’s a toss-up between the Sour Cream and Chives Potatoes and the Garlic Parmesan Green Beans.
Visit any branch of Kenny Rogers Roasters beginning November 15 and try the Honey Roast Chicken as well as the new side dishes. 
Then let me know which side dish/es were your favorites.

The Sandwich Heroes Project of the World Food Programme and Unilever

Posted on by jane

I was one of several who gathered at the Cilantro Kitchen of Unilever last October 24 for a blogger event for a cause.

The United Nations’ World Food Programme and Unilever people were there to present to us their project that will involve feeding about 40,000 children in Mindanao via the Sandwich Heroes project. This project would also involve several food establishments which would contribute to the project with every sandwich bought at their establishments.

As a mother, I know how important it is for good nutrition for babies (even the unborn). During my pregnancies, I stopped taking coffee, watched what I ate, and regularly took in the vitamin supplements prescribed by my OB-Gyne. I knew that poor development and growth even in the womb would be irreversible.

Malnutrition in children can lead to permanent damage. Some of these are: impaired brain development, skinnier children, stunted growth and weaker immune systems. If you regularly watch episodes on TV Patrol, Bantay Bata 163, and other public service shows, you will notice that the poor people more often have children with medical conditions not seen in those who are wealthier.

World Food Day was just recently celebrated globally (Oct. 16 every year) so it was appropriate that this event was also the launch of a project that addressed food security.

We learned more about hunger, in the Philippines and worldwide during this gathering. Did you know that –

  • Worldwide, it is estimated that 925 million people will suffer chronic hunger in 2011 (according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). About 12 million of these people live in the Philippines.
  • One-third of children who die annually die of malnutrition.
  • One in 7 people worldwide go to bed hungry every night. One out of every 9 children in the Philippines go hungry.
  • About 1 in 4 children under 5 years of age in the developing world is underweight.
  • Hunger kills more people than TB, HIV and malaria PUT TOGETHER!

Two slides shown us prove the devastating effects of malnutrition in children.

Watch this video from the World Bank for more statistics.

The partnership between Unilever and the World Food Programme aims to bring Unilever’s reach beyond the chef’s kitchen and bring hope to hungry children in Mindanao via Unilever’s Sustainable Living Plan.

Every sandwich purchased from participating food outlets serves to make a contribution from you towards the Sandwich Heroes project. The establishments participating in these are:

Biggs’ Diner
Cibo
The Coffee Experience
CoffeeBreak
Figaro
HotShots
JD Bakeshop
KFC
Mushroomburger
The Flying Pig
Holy Cow!
The Sandwich Guy
Wham! Burgers

At the event, Unilever laid out a wide array of sandwich ingredients from different kinds of breads to vegetables, dressings, cheeses, meats, spices, sauces and so much more. As I made my own personal sandwich which I called “Sinfully Healthy” (made of whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, blue cheese dressing, cheese square, chicken strips personally cooked by me), I kept thinking how luck I was to have this option of making my own sandwich tailor-fitted to my preferences. So many children did not even have the option to eat any kind of sandwich.

My “Sinfully Healthy” sandwich

WFP has also launched a Facebook page to keep us updated on their food program efforts. To join, please click HERE.

When Sandwich Heroes launches, please bring your family and friends to any of the establishments above, knowing that while you are eating, you are also helping towards feeding the children of Mindanao. Be a hero. A SANDWICH HERO!

Free Coffee at McDo from Aug. 8-12, 2011

Posted on by jane

Hold your horses!!! You did not read it wrong, my dear readers!

From Aug. 8-12, 2011 you can get a warm, wonderful 8-oz. cup of McCafe Premium Roast Coffee — FOR FREE!

From 4AM to 10:30 AM, you will be treated to freshly-brewed coffee. Coupons will be distributed in selected offices, universities, terminals, colleges, churches and outside McDo stores nationwide starting August 5.

So if you are an insomniac who’s still up at 4AM, a wanna-be-like-J. K. Rowling writer who hangs out in coffeeshops while creating your dream book, or a blogger like me who may be suffering from writer’s block sometimes and needs something to jumpstart my writing day, head on over to McDonald’s on the days mentioned above and get your cup of 100% Arabica coffee.

For more details, head on over to McDo’s Facebook page and see how you can avail of this offer.

Shiok comes to Promenade, Greenhills in San Juan

Posted on by jane

(Update: This food outlet has closed already at Promenade, Greenhills)

The Food Club recently got an invite to visit and try the menu of the latest food place in Promenade, Greenhills – Shiok. In Fookien, shiok means “cheap” or “inexpensive”. I found out later from the chef-owners that it had a different meaning for their restaurant. Since their cuisine is primarily Singaporean, shiok in Singapore means “delicious”. That revelation set my mind up for a yummy dinner ahead.

 

We began with Steamed Kailan, a side dish that is prepared in oyster sauce. Kailan’s thick stems look like those of broccoli but the leaves are broad and flat. While waiting for the parade of main dishes, we were also served Teh C, which is coffee with milk tea, a fairly strong tea brew. Just fair warning to those extra sensitive to caffeine like me – this one can keep you alert for hours. So be careful about drinking it at night.
Steamed Kailan (PhP 80)

 

Teh C

Next came a Malaysian specialty – Nasi Goreng Ikan Bilis, fried rice with anchovies. eggs, shrimps, and vegetables. This one I really loved because when I go to Chinese restaurants, our family normally orders salted fried rice (with salted fish). The added touch was the sambal, a popular condiment found in Malaysia and Singapore, served on a small spoon.

Nasi Goreng Ikan Bilis (PhP 140)
The main dishes that were served to us came one after the other. I was unable to try all of them so I will first describe those I did.
Premium Hainanese Chicken
Premium Soy Chicken
For those who like white meat, try Shiok’s Premium Hainanese Chicken. You may ask what makes their dish different from the usual Hainanese chicken found in other restaurants. Their secret? Their chicken is imported. And the ginger/soy sauce/sesame oil sauce completes the dish. Now, if your preference is simply a soy sauce-marinated chicken, go for the Premium Soy Chicken.
Crispy Pork (PhP 180)
Traditional Cantonese roast

The Crispy Pork reminded me of the Chinese appetizers that usually precede lauriats. Try both dips.

Fried Fish with Eggplant (PhP 180)
Deep fried fish in special Cantonese oyster sauce mix

Fried Fish with Eggplant was one of my favorites. I liked the sauce that wrapped the fish, which turned out to be dory, my ever favorite fish fillet ingredient. While I am not a fan of eggplant as much as some of my kids are, I think it lends its flavor to the overall taste of the dish.

Nasi Bojari (PhP 345)
Malaysian spicy fried chicken, beef rendang, assam prawns and
served with a special fried rice

Nasi Bojari is a dish that allows you to taste a little of everything. You can even have beef rendang without ordering the entire Beef Rendang dish.

Smashed Chicken (Ayam Penyet) (PhP 190)
Spiced fried chicken served with kangkong, fried potatoes,
sambal sauce and a thick soy sauce

Since I am a chicken person, over beef and pork, the various chicken dishes really pleased me. The Smashed Chicken is another one I enjoyed that evening, especially with the touch of seasoned tempura flakes sprinkled over its top.

Spicy Pineapple Fish (PhP 150)
Deep-fried fish topped with Singaporean pineapple chili sauce

I thought the fried fish with eggplant was good but this one topped it. As you bite into the fish, it is a bit crunchy outside but steamed soft inside. The pineapple sauce was a good sweet/sour sauce combination.

The rest of the dishes served to us are below, with their prices:
Baked Beef Brisket Curry (PhP 250)
Beef curry baked over rice. Popular in HK & Singapore
Beef Rendang (PhP 345)
Beef hanging tenders simmered with coconut cream and chili
Fishball Kwey Teow (PhP 185)
Rice noodles w/ Singaporean fishballs, fish cake, bok choy,
ikan bilis, mint leaves, bean sprouts and fish skin
Nonya Laksa (PhP 325)
Noodles, fresh prawns fish cake, tofu in a spicy, coconut prawn gravy
topped with laksa leaves
Lastly, dessert! There was Roti Kaya and Pisang Goreng. I went for Pisang Goreng, a delicacy made of banana fritters topped with gula melaka, ice cream and cocoa powder. Yes, this ice cream lover cannot resist any dessert with ice cream in it.
Pisang Goreng
My girl, who was with me, was not feeling too well that evening so I had to cut short our dinner while the Food Club still lingered and bonded. Oh well, that means I need to come back another time.
Shiok
Ground Level, Promenade
Greenhills Shopping Center