LESSONS FROM BARRY WHITE =)

A little over a month ago, Hubby Sweet and I found ourselves agonizing over what we should do with Buster Johnson. He was still the sweet, playful, loveable Buster J but in recent weeks he has grown, well, a little bit more naughty. (That's putting it mildly. Hay...=() We would step out for a while only to find the house ransacked when we returned. Magazines torn and strewn all over the place. And not just one, mind you. Apparently, he'd go through one and tear it up, and half-way through, he'd leave it and go for another one. He'd then repeat the process until he either gets tired or until someone walks into the room to tell him no. The last time it happened, I think he must have torn at least ten magazines. This is sooooooooooo not Buster J. Buster J is a very playful, but very behaved pup. Something was up. He was ignoring Ragdoll. He'd only take token licks of his chewbones before he leaves them strewn all over the living room. He'd play fetch with the tennis balls only so much before he decides he has had enough. Instead, he'd try to climb up on the sofa and beg me to cradle him like a baby. Looking into his puppy-dog eyes one night, I came to startling realization.

"Sweet," I told the Hubby, "I think Buster's bored."

Hubby Sweet's expression said everything that was on his mind. He has been bugging me about getting a second dog ("Tweet, Buster is a dog. He needs a playmate."), but I have--until then--been shooting the idea down. He can play with the kids at the podium deck, I would tell him. (For the record, Buster J is the most popular dog in our condo. Coming home from work, we'd inevitably encounter some Korean kids in the elevator who would all shriek in varying decibels, "Wes Bustah?! Wes Bustah?! WES BUSTAHHH?!" Hahaha. Even the guards who are convinced my name is "Good Morning/Evening, Ma'am" call out "Huy, Buster!" when we pass by. =))

"A dog is different, Tweet. Even here in the unit, he'd have a playmate," Hubby Sweet would always counter.

At that particular eureka moment, I realized that the Hubby was right.

Unlike our choice of a mini-schnauzer (which we researched to death online) before buying Buster, our choice of our second pup was less deliberate. The night before, we were at Bonifacio High Street walking Buster J around. He loves Boni High because he loves harassing all the other dogs, regardless of size. Buster J would playfully paw chihuahuas and shih tzus, even as he went for rowdy games with the labs and retrievers. On that particular night, his playmate of choice was a weird-looking dog that I don't think I've seen before.

"He's a wire-fox terrier," the owner (a kind, 50+ sosy-looking donya =)) said as her yaya struggled with the dog Buster J was harassing, "They're not yet readily available here in Manila. There's only one breeder right now. But you know what," she continued, "he's very mabait. Very maamo. He's kinda expensive but I'm really glad I got him. He's very loyal to me. Unlike my pekingese," she said, referring to her other dog who also had her own yaya," Naku, this little one thinks yata she's the master and I'm her servant." Hahaha! I laughed and heartily agreed, remembering Onchi (Sugar's nickname) and Benjie.

That night, Hubby Sweet fell in love with the idea of owning a wire-fox terrier someday. I told him we'd have to wait because considering they're imported (and rare), each pup would probably cost around P50,000-75,000. The following day, we went to Tiendesitas to have Buster J groomed. We thought that while we were there, we might as well see if he would connect with one of the small-breed pups that were for sale. I was thinking either another mini-schnauzer or a pug; the Hubby was still dreaming of the wire fox terrier.

Quite serendipitously, we found two wire fox terriers in one of the shops. They were brothers, we've been told. Seven months old. Uh-oh. First sign of trouble. They're too old. I was looking out for a pup that was no more than 3 months. The Hubby conversed with the shop owner who told him that the two pups were from the "first batch" to be born here in Manila because the parents were directly imported from Italy. He said that 7-months is actually a good time to get a dog because by that time, all the "defects" as far as stance is concerned would have already shown. He went on and on and on about why we should get a wire fox terrier. Truth be told, I didn't want to get the fox terrier. The old adage "you can't teach old dogs new tricks" kept playing in my head. I thought it was weird that he did not seem to know how to walk. That he seemed to pee anytime he pleased. That--unlike all my other previous dogs including Buster J--he did not automatically approach me when I held out my hand. Instead, he ran away fearfully, his tail between his legs. I told Hubby Sweet my concerns, but I think the deal had been sealed long before we even stepped through the door. The P15K discount that he was willing to give should have tipped us off, but channeling Jerry Maguire, the shopowner actually had Hubby Sweet at hello. And so, if Buster J was my dog, Hubby Sweet was adamant that this was going to be his.

Everyone, meet Barry White. =)

His first few weeks with us were stressful. As in all-caps STRESSFUL in big, bold letters. Buster J readily warmed up to him and he to Buster J so they became fast friends--even brothers. But having spent all of his 7-months worth of life inside a cage with another dog, Barry did not know how to walk nor play. Unlike Buster J who always steered clear of the travel kennel we bought for him, Barry would dash to it and would only reluctantly leave it when we pull him out. It was his comfort zone. The only semblance of the place he has known all his life.

Where Buster J would literally zoom out the door, springing (as opposed to just walking) on a leash, Barry would only stand still and refuse to budge. He had no concept whatsoever of being taken out for a walk. He had not known life outside of a cage until then. He literally did not know what to do. He was at a loss. The look in his eyes said as much.

Whereas Buster J has already been trained to poop and pee once in the morning and once at night--and trained to go to the veranda in case he needed to "go" mid-day--Barry pooped and peed everywhere. It did not help that a quick trip to the vet for a check-up showed that he actually had a mild case of diarrhea--which we're betting he already had when we bought him. And so, we'd walk into a room to find his poop and pee all over the place. To say that the experience was exasperating is an understatement, but we could not fault him. After all, he had been used to pooping and peeing in his cage anytime he felt like it. The shop helpers probably just hosed down his cage every morning in a superficial effort to keep the kennel clean.

Ah, the shop helpers. At one point, it all of a sudden dawned on me why Barry would go running away, his tail between his legs everytime I tried to reach out for him. He was probably used to being shooed away with a sweeping hand motion as the shop helpers cleaned his cage. The thought broke my heart.

"Don't worry, Sweet," I told the Hubby, honestly trying to reassure myself more than him, "he'll learn from Buster J in time." Except that Buster J--instead of being a model for Barry to go to the veranda everytime he needed to go--amusingly regressed and decided that he will poop and pee as well in all the areas that Barry pooed and peed in. ACK! I realized quite belatedly that it was Buster J's way of marking his territory and establishing his position as The Alpha Dog of Unit 2*0*. Suskopo. I wanted to cry.

I suppose niece Patita hit the nail right on the head when one weekend in House Better, armed with doggie treats, she threw one which Buster J readily fetched and then devoured. She then turned and threw one for Barry, but Barry just stood there. (Buster J, of course, took the opportunity to fetch and devour. =)) Patita looked at me quite perplexed.

"Maybe you should try giving it to him first, Patita. He doesn't know how to fetch yet," I suggested. Patita held out the treat, but Barry just stared at it. (I had to hold Buster J to keep him from getting this one as well. Haha!)

"Maybe you should just lay it before him," I suggested again, "maybe he's too shy to get the treat from you." And so she did, carefully placing the doggie treat on the cold marble floor, but Barry just stood there and stared.

"Boy, Nangnang," Patita blurted out as she turned to me, "He's not too smart, is he?" HAHA! I had to laugh at that one. =)

"No, Patita," I reassured her, "He just does not know yet. He'll get it in time." =)

Still, Barry made Buster's life infinitely more interesting, and if only for that, I held on to the idea that we did the right thing. (That's just them playing; they don't really fight. They growl a lot, but they don't fight. Haha! Parang kids in the playground na nagyayabangan lang. =))

"We have to be patient with him, Sweet. We can't give up on him no matter how exasperating he is. We have to remember what he has been through before we got him," I told the Hubby repeatedly, really more for my sake than his, "Pancho (one of the shih tzu pups we once sold then demanded to get back) was a very angry dog when we got him back but we successfully nursed him back to being sweet. It'll take time. He'll 'get it' eventually." I repeated it so often, it practically became our mantra.

And, "get it" he did.......................eventually. =) We still have the occasional "accidents", but we have managed to generally "train" his toilet habits to a morning and evening poop & pee (but unlike Buster J who can "hold it" until we go down to the podium), Barry goes when he needs to go. ACK! =D Still, he's spritely now, even out-running Buster J everytime we set them free either in the tennis courts in House Pioneer or in the garden at House Better. Best of all, he has learned to trust people. While he still shies away from strangers, he now jumps up and down to greet us when we walk through the door and prefers nuzzling next to us when he rests or sleeps. It may be the corniest thing in the world to say it, but really, through the worst of times, sometimes love and commitment will be the only things that can get you through. And once you get to the other side, you will realize with quiet satisfaction, that it was all worth it. =)

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I've always wondered about puppy mills. We've bought dogs from pet shops in the past and have not really encountered any major issues. Maybe it was Barry's age at the time we got him that made all the difference. Still, when I look at him today, I'm thankful that we got him--despite all the initial difficulties (including several trips to the Vet to 'get him right'). I get the feeling that if he had stayed at the shop a little longer, he wouldn't have made it.

Which really sets off a debate in my head: the next time we get a dog (in the VERY DISTANT FUTURE =)), should I get from a breeder or should I save one more puppy from a puppy mill. Hay....=( Maybe I'll just go to P.A.W.S. and adopt. Maybe. We'll cross the bridge na lang when we get there. For now, it would just be the Buster & Barry show. =)

DAYO: FULL CINEMA TRAILER

Ah, what the heck. Who cares if this is a little less clear than the teaser trailer.

Here's the DAYO trailer IN FULL.

Anyone else want to see it? =D

DAYO: OFFICIAL TEASER TRAILER =D

While discussing options for one of the projects we've been working on lately, someone mentioned something about supporting DAYO, THE MOVIE--supposedly the first full-length animated film produced by a team of all-Filipino artists right here in the Philippines. The character's voices were done by some of the pillars of the movie industry (Laurice Guillen, Johnny Delgado, Peque Gallaga to name a few) and by some of the more popular entertainers today (including Michael V and...uh...Pokwang =)). Nash Aguas voices for Bubuy, the lead kid.

Gawang Pinoy. Dito sa Pilipinas. Well, well, well...=)

My curiosity was sufficiently piqued. The materials I found online were more than enough for me to form an opinion.

Long lines be damned, I'm watching this one when it opens in cinemas this December. I can't wait. =)

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For more, visit www.dayomovie.com. And yes, you can browse You Tube for the full cinema trailer. Unfortunately, the uploaded full trailers are not as clear as this official teaser trailer but they will give you a more complete idea of the gift that awaits us this Christmas. There is hope for the MMFF after all. =)

TURNING JAPANESE: NANBANTEI, GREENBELT =D

If Zaifu is our default restaurant in Rockwell, Hubby Sweet automatically gravitates towards Nanbantei everytime we're in Greenbelt! I don't mind since it was also one of our (meaning BFF Apes and me) favorite haunts when we were still single. Then again, I suppose it's not for everyone. I treated my other set of BFFs Marts and Myla there once for my birthday and their official verdict is that I paid too much for "street food". HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I suppose one could think of it that way. =) Still, when I introduced Nanbantei to the Hubby, it was a case of love-at-first-bite that has since turned into a lifelong love affair.

We usually start dinner with the complementary veggie sticks and their version of sate which they import all the way from Tokyo. I know because we went there once and they "ran out" and were serving the veggie sticks with wasabi mayo and it just wasn't the same. =( Side by side with the veggie sticks, we would order a plate of edamame. Hubby Sweet would only eat the "beans" inside and throw the pods away. I, on the other hand, would eat the beans and "skin" the pod as the skin tastes just as good as the beans. Sayang eh. Haha! =D It's a concept that the Hubby does not understand. =)

Nanbantei is all about yakitori. Japanese grilling. Since most, I think, is only seasoned with salt, I get the feeling the yumminess of the food in Nanbantei is intrinsic in the ingredients that they use.

One may choose to order ala carte (2 sticks per order), but we usually don't bother and order the Bestsellers platter instead. It's 21 sticks of the literal best sellers of the house. P770.00 per platter. It's good for 2 people (or even 3 if you order it with rice). I don't. Hubby Sweet does. Which means on a good night, he can finish everything on our plate, but when he's full, we usually take home 3-4 sticks. =D

They don't serve the entire plate in one blow. They usually serve stuff straight from the grill in sticks of three. These usually arrive first. Aspara Maki or asparagus wrapped with pork, and Poteto Maki (yes, poteto =D) which, as you can see, is potato wrapped with bacon. I suppose they cook more quickly than everything else.

Hubby Sweet devours his share immediately as they arrive, I suppose because he wants to eat them hot. I restrain myself and keep eating the edamame first because I usually reserve these first two and use them as "breaks" between the rest of the sticks which are mostly made of meat.

Now, these usually arrive next. Now, this is tricky. I think (=)) this is the Pork Garlic Yaki (really, just pork with garlic flavor) and Shisho Maki, pork with Shisho leaf.

Soon, my personal favorite....uh....Grilled Corn (hahaha) arrives. Now, Hubby Sweet seems to think the corn is not worth his while so--except for a few bites--I usually get to keep all three sticks for myself. YEY! ^_^ Along with the edamame and the veggie sticks, I use them as "breakers". I also sometimes eat them for dessert. How plebian. Haha. *Sheepish grin. =D*

These arrive soon after, but really, by this time, I'm beginning to fill-up. I end up eating it "tokenly" (is that even a real word?! haha). And since the Hubby is not a fan of "wet" chicken dishes, he usually just takes one stick of this as well. Negima. Chicken with long onion. It's good actually. Kinda teriyaki-tasting. Sana lang they serve it earlier than the rest.

Now, while the Hubby practically sniffs his way through the others, this one, he savors. =) We used to fight about who gets the extra stick. We have since learned to just place an extra order or two. Tebasaki. Chicken wings. =)

Yum. Yum. Yakitori heaven. ^_^

Now, I did not all of a sudden grow a talent for remembering foreign-sounding dish names. Haha. I confess. I'm cheating. I took a pick-up/delivery flier the last time we were there. And that's how I know. Haha. =D

Nanbantei is at Greenbelt 3. Near the cinemas. Next to the Ice Bar. Same row as Figaro. Go. =)

TURNING JAPANESE: ZAIFU, ROCKWELL =D

I've blogged about Japanese restaurants before. Sango, Pepper Lunch, Yamazaki. I realize that I have not yet encountered a Japanese restaurant I have not liked. Well, maybe Tokyo Tokyo these days would be an exception. (Then again, they did start out OK way back in the old Park Square Gift Gate in the 80's. =)) Heck, I even like UCC, except that I don't get to go as often anymore since we moved offices.

Anyway! =D

I figured I might as well start and complete my Japanese series.

Further down Pepper Lunch in Rockwell, one would find the original "Rockwell default restaurant" for Hubby Sweet and me. I used to eat there a lot with BFF Apes when we were still both single, staying all night in one of those lowered tables with cushions for seats, yapping about the latest goings-on in our lovelives. Now, I made the mistake of introducing Hubby Sweet to Zaifu. I say it's a mistake because he loved it sooooooo much, he has--since then--refused to eat in any other restaurant everytime we're in Rockwell! Ngek. I'm hoping Pepper Lunch will give us a bit of respite the next time we go. =)

My default order in Zaifu is the very generic, very safe Gyoza. Now, I don't always like Gyoza, but the the one in Zaifu, I do. I also think it provides good value (@ P70 per plate the last time we ate), and is perfect for my eternal low-carb diet. I know it does not look like much in this pic, but that's because by the time I remembered to take it, the Hubby, cousin Dooders and myself have already devoured our share. =)

The Hubby, on the other hand, always goes for the usual Ebi Tempura, but really likes going to Zaifu because of two grilled fish plates. The Shishamo would be first and they are really small, thin fish that seem to have fish roe for innards. You bite into one and almost instantly, little fish eggs burst in your mouth. I admit, this one I also like. =) The servers say the fish are imported as they cannot be found in local waters. I suppose so. The only other shishamo I laid my eyes on here in Manila was the frozen kind in one of the mini-Japanese groceries. =)

The other fish dish Hubby Sweet goes for is the Grilled Mackerel. Nothing fancy here. It's good actually, but I really can't help thinking he can get this anywhere else. Haha! Still, if it's what he wants to eat, so be it. A side order of hot-steaming white rice takes his enjoyment level a notch higher. =)

The last time we were there, Cousin Dooders also ordered the Rainbow Roll. It was OK, but then again, after you eat the Rainbow Roll in that Japanese Restaurant next to The Pen along Makati Ave (my memory is soooooooo bad, I can't remember it's name! Ack! =(), everything just pales in comparison. Then again, the vast difference in price would probably explain it. Come to think of it, this does not even look anything like the Rainbow Roll in the Makati Ave Japanese restaurant. =)

Now, I need you to help me out as I know this will bug me until I remember. What's the name of that Japanese- Restaurant-Next-to-The-Pen-Along-Makati-Ave again? =)

PEPPER LUNCH / NOVEMBER 6,2008

I've been meaning to try Pepper Lunch over the past few months (having read about it repeatedly in several blogs), but had been discouraged by posts about the long lines. Thursday evening last week proved to be perfect. I had time to kill as I had to go to a 9:30 p.m. (yes, p.m.!) soundtrack recording session, and BFF Apes miraculously called to ask if I wanted to have dinner. Since she works in that milk company right next to Rockwell, I demanded that we meet up at Pepper Lunch. Haha. =) No biggie. She's a big fan of anything Japanese (having stayed in Japan in her younger years).

I arrived ahead of Apes and took my place in line. Thankfully, it was not that long. There were no more than 10 people in front of me (and I estimated all of them to make up around 3 groups, tops). I peered into the restaurant to also find a lot of empty tables. Great! This shouldn't be too painful, I thought.

Famous last words....Ngyah. =D

I realize now that if ever I go back to Pepper Lunch (which I intend to do at least with the Hubby in tow), I have to be prepared to have the mealtime chika while waiting in line! Apes arrived a few minutes after I did, but it must have taken us almost 30 minutes of standing in line before we actually got the go-signal to step "over the threshhold" (=)) and line up at the counter to place our orders.

Pepper Lunch is not the place to go to if you're short on time and if you're running on a tight budget. The cheapest main "value meal" on the menu goes for P235.00. Since it was my first time there, I opted to go for the Beef Pepper Rice which was supposed to be the most popular dish in the house. (I guess it's the most popular because it's "only P235.00". Hahaha! 'D)

I had mistakenly thought it would be cut-up steak tips, but it was actually yakiniku beef served on a sizzling plate with a bed of rice. Rookie mistake, I did not "season" my beef with the condiments on the table (brown honey sauce and some soy concoction) as I only noticed them after I polished off everything on the plate! (Bad, bad me. Instead of losing 4 more pounds as I am being required, I must have instead gained all of it that night! Haha. (*Sheepish grin.=)*) Because of my rookie mistake, my beef ended up on the bland side. Never mind. The rice was flavorful enough. Pepper Lunch makes a big deal about the fact that they prepare their pepper fresh everyday. I was actually quite skeptical about it. No. Confused may be the better word. The sarcastic reaction "SO?!" comes to mind. Haha. Apparently, it makes all the difference in the world! Because of the "fresh pepper", the rice came out absolutely delicious! If there's any that I would have liked less of in the dish, it would be the oiliness. Then again, that's probably a given since it was served with yakiniku. =) Also a word of caution. The rice can be hot--really hot!--as I found out when I placed my first spoonful into my mouth. My eyes literally watered. (Translation into the vernacular: Muntik na akong maiyak. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 'D)

Apes ordered a Seaweed Salad for herself. To be shaken, not tossed. =) I tried a bit of it. It was OK. She also ordered....uhhhhmmmm....I forgot what she ordered. In any case, it was a bit on the higher side at P320. Slightly thicker pieces of beef served on a sizzling plate (of course) with veggies and a side order of steamed rice.

We capped off the meal and the chika with a dessert of Chocolate Lava Cake. Cholate dessert heaven. Yum! ^_^ I kept begging Apes to start eating as I was afraid I would actually get to finish all of it by myself! Naku...=)

The best thing about this meal? It was free! Yey! (Thanks, Apes for the belated birthday treat! =))

So there! My first Pepper Lunch experience. I do intend to go back, but next time, I will order myself a proper steak (P500+) and I will not forget to season. Haha! =D

BKK TRIPPING: PART 4 / MAY 21-23,2008 =D

We just had to sneak in one more Thai dinner while waiting for the transfers to the airport. It was a Friday evening and all of us decided we would take the 11:00 p.m. flight back to Manila (even if it means arriving in Manila at the ungodly hour of 4:00 a.m.). I suppose Mom-C, Arch, Rus and I were all one in thinking that we have to be home early enough on Saturday to spend it with our respective families. =)

Coming from the trade visits, we only had enough time to freshen up and pack. For dinner, we decided to cross the street to an old-looking house that has been converted into a restaurant. Bhan Khun Mae. I wonder what it means.

We entered it and it quite charmingly made me think that this must have been how the Thai houses looked like in the olden days. It was dark. Musty even (but not overly so). Dark wood floors. Dark wood walls. Even the framed photographs on the walls were sephia-toned, mostly of old people in soldier uniforms. The utensils were quaint as well. Made me think, if I were Thai, these utensils would be the equivalent of Noni's old glasses and plates. You know, the very thick kind with carvings on them? Come to think of it, it was only on this trip that my appreciation for Thai aesthetics heightened. Maybe it was because I was conscious about looking out for ideas to renovate House Royal when it is finally turned-over (House Royal being in a community that is Thai-themed). =) I had seen a lot of these really nice table settings (and lights and furniture, etc.) in Suan Lum the previous night though so don't know if everything I saw in Bahn Khun Mae were real antiques or if they were just really good knock-offs. Probably the latter. In any case, the beauty quotient was not diminished.

All four of us settled down to dinner, and judging from the amount of food that we have previously polished off in Somboon, we of course had to order more than what we ordered there! Haha! Again, the names escape me so just allow me to reminisce just by looking at the pics. =)

Yes, we had the fish again. Yes, they also served it with the side salad-cum-dip. YUM! ^_^ (But I still liked the Somboon version better. =))

Then, of course, we had to have the Chicken Pandan--if only to figure out if they've been ripping us off in Manila. Hahaha! Loko lang. =)

Already have fish. Already have chicken. Must have pork. Haha! Garlic-Chili Spareribs. *Drool...like some dog participating in a Pavlovian experiment. Haha! =)*

Oh, and yes, we must try the Bagoong Rice. We got an anemic one. Haha! =D It was flavorful, but it lacked the color I have come to expect from Bagoong Rice. Still, I like this version compared to the overly sweet-salty ones (like the ones in Som's). It's just not what I expected. =)

Tom Yum Soup was ordered, again teeming with shrimps and fish. Again, I passed. In addition to the Tom Yum, therefore, we ordered this Chicken-Version-of-the-Tom-Yum-Except-That-It-Had-Coco-Milk. Rus, in particular, likes it and asked that we order it. I myself, am not too much of a fan. It was good. Great actually. Except that my mind can't get past the weirdness of the concept. Imagine a mildly spicy sinigang with gata. Get? =)

We capped off the meal with two of my favorite Thai desserts. Unfortunately, there were only five pieces of Ta Kho left when we ordered so it was literally a one-for-you-one-for-me situation with the last one being the designated jahe piece--at least until I pounced on it. HAHAHA! 'D The coco cream mixed with corn and little sago pearls was an absolute delight. =) (What was most surprising though is that while the entire restaurant screamed "old world", these Ta Khos were served in mini plastic cups as opposed to the traditional banana leaf cups! But, I'm not complaining as I really don't have much use for the banana leaves. Haha! =))

To augment the Ta Khos, we also ordered Tub Tim Grob. Water chestnuts in an iced light coco cream syrup / soup. Perfect. Perfect! =D

We finished the meal just in time to cross the street and go for a last bathroom break before our service arrived. On our way out, we passed some of the musicians playing traditional Thai music using Thai instruments. They smiled and bowed shyly in our direction. I smiled and bowed back. It perfectly summarized the Thai experience for me, and I remember thinking, "Yes, it might be worth it to go back. " =)

BKK TRIPPING: PART 3 / MAY 21-23,2008 =D

Can't leave Bangkok without a sampling of authentic Thai Food. Managed to sneak in a trip to two well-recommended restaurants while I was there.

The first was Somboon Seafood. They apparently have many branches and any decent concierge would be able to point you to one. From the Thaifex, Arch, Mom-C and I trooped to Somboon on our way to Suan Lum (the night market). The branch we went to was practically on a desserted street with the only illumination coming from the big restaurant sign. Outside the restaurant, one can see gigantic aquariums, each teeming with different types of fish, crustaceans and other sea creatures. Everything is alive right before they get scooped up, prepared and cooked. =)

Now, I'm so bad with foreign sounding dish names (*Sheepish Grin*) so I'll just let the pics and descriptions do the trick.

This one is fish (quite obvious, haha), but it was coated with a light, crisp breading that provided a pretty good texture. Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. Parang Chicken Joy. Haha. Loko lang. =D

The other thing that's pretty special about it is that it came with some sort of salad-cum-dip. A sweet-tangy-spicy combination of chilis, onions, peanuts and coriander. There was a hint of fish sauce in the dressing, but years of experience commenting on how a dish tastes (for work mostly, this needs more salt....too much rosemary....not enough cayenne....) has left me ill-equipped to decipher all the other ingredients that they used and how they managed to put all of them together in this deceptively simple dish.


Since Mom-C and I were present for dinner, we just had to order the Chili Crabs! Chili, garlic, butter (?). Enough said. One can never go wrong with Chili Crabs. =D

Because we have not ordered enough (haha), we also decided to go for the oyster cake. Yum! It's a misnomer as the oyster cake arrived in a sizzling plate. Hahaha! Still, being a true-blue oyster monster, I must have eaten more than my fair share of this dish. Haha! I had to make sure though that my tummy was full before I dug in. =)

We also ordered Tom Yum which, I've been told, was worth all the superlatives that Arch and Mom-C spewed out as soon as they took their first sip. I had passed because it was full of fish and shrimps (which I was allergic to, the shrimps I mean).

With all the dishes we ordered laiden with chili, it wasn't any wonder that by the time we finished dinner, Arch was already beet red and sweating profusely, even as Mom-C developed a strange, from-out-of-nowhere runny nose. HAHAHAHAHA!!! 'D I was spared from this hilarious turn of events, quite possibly only because I did not have Tom Yum chili soup running through my veins. =)

Now we ordered enough for four, expecting Rus (one of our other officemates who was coming from a meeting) to catch up. He finished his meeting too late though so he decided to just go straight to the hotel and have his dinner there. It is therefore a testament to the superb food that the only thing left on the serving plates by the time we were through with dinner were tiny bits of chili, garlic and coriander. Ubos. Simot. (Now I will choose to think it's because the food was sooooooooo good, as the alternative would have been out-and-out gluttony. Hahaha! 'D)

Bill came out to about 1,500 Baht (approximately P2,000.00).

Not bad. Not bad at all. =D

BKK TRIPPING: PART 2 / MAY 21-23,2008 =D

We trooped to the Thaifex soon after breakfast on Day 2. Everyone agreed to complete the rounds of the entire expo that day--even if our feet killed us--so that we can reserve the next day for trade and supermarket visits. Business, business, business. Hay... =)

There were a lot of new product ideas around, but this post really is about the one thing that has always fascinated me about Bangkok: their fruits. It doesn't matter if they're sold off the streets or in some fancy gourmet market within the mall, they never fail to pique my curiosity nor have they ever failed to satisfy my expectations. I don't know what they do with the fruit trees in Thailand, but I have visions of one great farmland of Jack-&-the-Beanstalk magnitude. How can they not have gigantic trees when they all seem to yield gigantic fruits?

The Santol. Well, everyone knows about the santols from Bangkok. When we were kids, I remember one of my titas always harping about how the santol tree in our House Better backyard always yielded fruits that were as sweet as the ones from Bangkok, except that they were not as big. Mother would then offer that when she bought the tree, the vendor claimed that it was a Bangkok santol tree. Maybe. Maybe not. But our House Better santol tree did yield fruits that were as sweet as the ones from Bangkok, except that they were not as big. =)

Mangoes. This one sold for 80 Baht per fruit (around Php 115). That's a pretty steep price to pay for one mango. Except that these are actually the size of medium papayas. Yes. The size of medium papayas. And they're quite sweet too (although not as sweet as our own =)).

These are the green version. Bigger than the dragon fruits (who are all bigger than usual too). Almost as big as grapefruits (which are also bigger than our suha, although NOT as sweet) . I asked if I could buy one of the mangoes to take home (as pasalubong you know, haha!). Apparently, not at the Thaifex. And the sellers claimed they're not yet readily available in the fruit stands either (possibly only in the specialty gourmet markets at this point). They say it's a new variety whose quality was only recently "stabilized". They're going to start introducing it to the world market soon. Sadly, a check with Legal when I got home yielded that we don't have a Fruit MOA with Thailand yet so it may take a while before we see these in Manila.

Grapefruits. Big but tart. Perfect only, I think, for the Thai salads. I still prefer the Davao suha even though they're technically less than half the size. =)

But never mind the grapefruit. Check out the Balimbing! My siblings, my cousins and I spent a good part of our childhood shaking Noni's (my fave grandmother) balimbing tree and snacking on the fruits that fell (careful to catch them before they could splatter on the hard concrete). These ones could eat my childhood balimbings alive. Haha! 'D Yes, they're almost as big as the grapefruit. Unfortunately, these ones I did not get to taste as the exhibitors were not offering any samples on the spot.

Never mind the balimbing. Check out the ginger displayed next to some grapefruit! Now, these are scary....hahaha! =D

In addition to these gigantic fruits (and veggie =)), I was also quite impressed with the seeming million-and-one ways the Thais can process coconut. This was my favorite. They had a machine that automatically took the husks out, leaving only the hard shell. They then used a process that can "freeze" the coconut juice to the consistency of sherbet. Sometime during the processing, they would also make an incision on the shell before shrink-wrapping each coconut. The incision would make it convenient for the consumer to open and eat the contents after they buy it from some convenient store. This one, I did get to taste. It's as natural as any sherbet can get. Yum! ^_^ You can also choose to let it melt and drink it as natural coco juice, but where is the fun in that? =)

Anyway! Here they are. Coco fruits on the left, processed, natural, shrink-wrapped sherbet on the right. =)

I was also looking for fresh sweet tamarind, but there seemed to be none at the expo. I only found a stall that sold the sweet-spicy sampaloc balls that I love. They were selling it at the expo for only 100 Baht for 3 cylinders. I had seen the booth early on, decided I did not want to lug a huge plastic bag of sampaloc around the expo, and consequently made a mental note to just drop by at the end of the day. Unfortunately, by the end of the day, my feet have turned into lead, even as my mind turned into mud. I ended up buying these at the airport duty-free, 15 minutes before boarding. What would have only costed me 100 Baht for 3 cylinders at the expo set me back 150 Baht per cylinder at the airport! Talk about regrets. Hay...=(

Anyway! More in the next post. Got to go to work now. Yes, even at this hour. =(

BKK TRIPPING: PART 1 / MAY 21-23,2008 =D

I arrived in Bangkok in May this year to a city transformed.

It has been 14 years since I last visited (for my parent's 25th anniversary). 1995 was spent jumping from one temple to another with a tour group and posing with all sorts of Buddhas (gold, jade, sitting, reclining, etc... =p) in those ridiculous poses that tourists make. I think we may have also squeezed in a trip to the elephant show. The thing I enjoyed most though was the trip to the floating market where Sister Pusjing and I bought these lovely, flowy blouses for only 200 Baht (much, much lower than the price we would have otherwise paid for in Manila), and where Father and I gorged on food being sold off the boats (noodles, desserts, crispy barquillo-type flat pies with coco creams, etc.). It was a virtual tourist trap, I realize, but we didn't care. At night, we'd sneak out with Father--to the humongous consternation of Mother--to sample the streetfood (more than Bangkok's much fabled nightlife). We'd hop from one food vendor to the next, checking out which had the best tasting noodles, the best tasting buns, the best tasting ihaw-ihaw, etc., etc. Mother feared that we would catch something. (We don't eat streetfood in Manila, do we?!) This was way back when we still lived sheltered lives, hahaha! Her warnings fell on deaf ears. I suppose we all stupidly thought that, heck, it's at least more sosy to say, "Man, I caught a bum stomach trying all the streetfood in Bangkok" than it is to say, "Uh...I ate kase isaw and kwek-kwek in the kanto." Hahaha! 'D We would end the nightly food adventure by dropping by the rows of fruit vendors to buy a kilo or two of Mother's favorite sweet tamarind. The fresh kind. Our peace offering. Haha! =D

Still, I do remember thinking as soon as we landed in the Bangkok airport, and while looking out the van during transfers from the airport to the hotel, "Uh...we travelled four hours to see another version of...uh...downtown Manila?" Haha. I mean, their King (whose portrait was at every corner) even looked like then-President Ramos. The ex-rate was PhP1.00 to Baht 1.00. They all even look like Filipinos, except that they spoke a language none of us could understand.
































Last May (yes, my blog backlog is that bad =)), I took a trip back, this time with officemates, to attend the 2008 Thai Food Expo (Thaifex). I had to stay behind in Manila for last minute meetings and therefore arrived in Bangkok alone. The airport was the first signal that things have changed in Bangkok--that quite sadly, the difference between this-former-mirror-image-of-Manila and Manila has gone far beyond the marked difference in the value of our money. Impressively modern, the new Bangkok airport was more than huge. It was beautiful. It was efficient.

We were billeted at Novotel, Siam which is conveniently located near the major malls via rail or cab or tuktuk (but was quite far from the bargain centers). It was a business hotel. Nothing ostentatious, but very comfortable and cozy. Right below the hotel was some sort of tiangge which I suspect to be a place where "budding designers" plow their wares. I saw a few pieces that were great bargains, but sadly decided not to buy. We had, after all, quite recently started paying amortization for House Royal, and have since decided to think twice about buying "wants" and to, as much as possible, buy only the "needs". Interspersed with the clothing shops are small parlors, small convenience stores and small massage parlors, each offering "authentic Thai massages" for a very, very low price. I laughed, quite amused, to find this one right next to Novotel. ;p

Because of airport delays, I had arrived way past 3:00 p.m., too late to go to the Thai Fex which was a good hour and a half away from the hotel. After a quick very late lunch in one of the small noodle shops, I decided to go back up to wait for my officemates to get back. Some from meetings with suppliers; others from the expo. The view from my window further showed just how much Bangkok has changed since I was there last.


More in the next post. I am actually just taking a break. I have to go back to work now. =)