PARES-PARES =D

Hubby Sweet introduced me to Pares.

It was early on in our dating years, and as early as then, he figured out that the one thing that makes me really giddy is being able to try something I've never tried before. He had this idea that I was the type of girl who only ate in places where credit cards are allowed. (Not true. They don't accept credit cards in McDonalds, Jollibee and KFC. Haha.) That I only ate in airconditioned spaces. That, if I weren't off to some far-away, out-of-town & country destination, I was the type who'd live my life inside the mall. HAHAHA! OK, fine. There was a semblance of truth there. It ain't a bad life really, but I suppose he was trying to see if I can actually go a level down if I had to.

One evening, driving around without any real destination in mind, we got to talking about how we spent our free time when we were both single and unattached. So I talked about meeting up with Cheffy and Ade and Nikolodeon and Lola, sometimes for something as late as a 10:00 p.m. dinner in Greenbelt on a weeknight because we would all be coming from work. He talked about drinking sessions with Riki and Ehd, about Mayric's, about driving around all over Metro Manila, waiting for sleep to catch him, after which he would find himself in only one place before calling it a night.

"Gusto mo i-try?" he said, a tinge of excitement notable in his voice.

"Syur!" I said (yes, I said syur, haha). I mean, we weren't really going anywhere, and besides, well...this one, at least, is something new.

See, maybe I'm weird. Up until then, I didn't know what pares looked like. I did not even know what it meant. Haha! As in, hello, pares na what? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Hay....=)

We arrived at this open-air roadside eatery along Espana (es-pan-ya, but I don't know where to find the darn en-ye, haha). It was an old place. Slightly run-down, but clean (well, as clean as it could possibly get) and brightly-lit. Considering that it was already late at night, I was surprised to note that the place was packed.

"Dito kumakain yung mga taxi drivers na sa gabi namamasada...yung mga galing sa gimmick...yung mga galing sa trabaho..." he explained, as he directed me to one of the free stools.

"Pares, pare. Dalawa." he signaled to the "waiter" in pambahay shorts and shirt. =)

Service was efficient. A bowl of beef stew was scooped up from this big vat placed on makeshift kalan, a bed of charcoal underneath it. The beef stew (which looked like a version of kalbi jim without the sesame seeds) came with a plate (and a rather generous serving) of fried rice with toasted garlic liberally sprinkled on top . A free mini-bowl of steaming clear soup (I'm thinking just broth) and a ramekin filled with calamansi was served along with it. The waiter scooted over two stools down and moved a plastic basket filled with condiment containers toward us.

"Pares. Kase, magka-pares sila. Ulam at kanin," Hubby Sweet explained, before proceeding to squeeze the calamansi into a small ramekin filled with soy sauce. "Gusto mo ng chili-garlic?" he asked.

"Yes, please." I said, just observing him as he went through the entire process, "but I'll have it on the side. Don't add it to the soy sauce."

He looked at me like I was an alien. "Tweet, bawal mag-English dito." HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Ngyah. =D

He then proceeded to sip the broth, before adding a spoonful to the fried rice. He then scooped beef stew over the now-wet fried rice before topping it with the soy-sauce-calamansi-dip and a dash of chili garlic. The entire spoonful went into his mouth.

I tried.

I LOVED. *Bright eyes, grinning from ear-to-ear*

Yum, yum, yum! ^_^

After devouring everything in sight, I reached for my 8-oz Pepsi bottle (no diet version, no cans). Comfort food at its best. *Sigh ^_^*

I turned to the Hubby, lips glistening with the oil from the stew, "Uh...Sweet...can you ask for table napkin?"

Hubby Sweet almost blew out his drink before guffawing himself silly. He looked at me with amusement, like I had lost my mind, before blurting out the only word that came to his mind. Patay. HAHAHAHAHAHA! =p

Since getting married and establishing our home base in House Pioneer, however, we found it inconvenient to travel all the way to Manila for a serving of pares. Great joy, therefore, that by then, JONA'S (which started out as a turo-turo along Mayon in Manila) has already opened its first ever branch in Robinson's Pioneer! Yey! ^_^

For the record, methinks that the Jona's version is not as good as the pares along Espana, but it's still pretty good pares. And if I were to believe the blurb on the poster/mural prominently displayed inside the restaurant, Jona's actually "invented" pares. Starting as a garage turo-turo to augment the couple's income. Jona's went through a series of reincarnations (from mami and siopao to lechon manok to ulam) before they finally quite serendipitously stumbled on their winning...uh...pair. With people clamoring for a rice meal, they decided to serve the beef brisket stew (that they use to flavor the mami) with fried rice. Soon it became so popular, they had to coin the word pares to speed up the order-taking process. =) Today, the Mayon branch has evolved from a turo-turo sa garahe to a more sosy take on the carinderia. Canteen set-up. Bright interiors. Vinyl tables and swivel chairs. Fully airconditioned.

The one in Robinson's Pioneer stays true to the turo-turo concept, but while the Mayon branch carries their full line (from a range of ulam to merienda to desserts), the Pioneer branch menu is simplified--probably for inventory efficiency. Just the pares, plus the mami, the siopao and the siomai.


Pares has evolved into such a comfort food for me that if I had my way, we'd eat there everytime we find ourselves in Robinsons Pioneer to do our groceries. I think Hubby Sweet is beginning to regret having introduced it to me. Haha! (Sweet revenge for all the Zaifu and Nan Ban Tei trips. Hmp.)


Hubby Sweet usually just goes for the all-beef version, but I prefer going for the Halo Pares. It's beef stew with isaw added. Not exactly the healthiest dish in the world, but really, I don't care. Haha.

The meal includes this big bowl of fried rice (the last time I went, they were sadly out of green onions so only toasted garlic was sprinkled on top). It used to be equivalent to two cups of rice, but I suppose, with the rise in rice prices (tongue-twister there =)), without much room to increase their meal prices, I think the serving size has been slightly reduced. Mga 1-1/2 cups na lang siguro. Haha. =)



Everything, of course, is served with a free cup of clear broth, and is best eaten (no, devoured! =)) with these. Bottomless chili-garlic so it's close to heaven for me. =)

It just dawned on me that on the night before my wedding, I actually hauled Sister Pusjing, Bro-in-law G-Genius and niece Patita to Jona's from our nearby hotel. I was craving for something uncomplicated and pares was the first thing that came to mind. Pares was my last dinner as a single girl. Hmmmnnnn....=)

These days, Cousin Dooders always jokes that when he comes home from L.A. this year, their church wedding will be @ the UST chapel as His Special Girl MJ wants it, followed by a full-buffet reception @ Jona's Mayon. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 'D

Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind. REALLY. Haha! =p

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Jona's is on the 2nd floor of Robinson's Pioneer, next to the department store entrance. In case you want to try it out. =)

KEN LEE: BULGARIAN IDOL (WITH ENGLISH TRANSLATION)

Hubby Sweet couldn't stop himself from guffawing himself silly at 7:30 a.m. earlier today and I just had to see! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! 'D

As the new American Idol season kicks in, here's something to get all of us rolling (on the floor, HAHA!)

ENJOY! =P

GOLDEN =D

If you ever got one of these golden boxes, consider it your lucky, lucky day! =D I first came across them during one of the pre-production meetings we had for a new TVC and I swear, I was "hmmmm-ing" the entire time. Hahaha! 'D

Last Christmas, the Marketing Leadership Team (a.k.a. the "lesser gods"--bosses but not yet quite at the very top of the food chain, hahaha!) decided to have this as our group gift for the our Brand group. I was tasked with ordering, picking up, and actually hauling 200+ pieces back to the office! By the time I got out of the car, I smelled delicious (loose translation: amoy empanada na ako. Haha! =D)

San Lo's Famous Empanada. YUM! ^_^



It comes in five flavor variants: Pollo, Jamon y Queso, Carne Norte, Callos Madrillena and Atun. Naks, sosyal. =D At P65.00 per piece, it's not exactly the cheapest empanada around, but if you're out to impress, trust me, it's worth it. =) One can choose to buy it per piece or go for the 6-pc or 12-pc gift box.

We decided to go for the 6-pc (your choice of variants, but we decided to get one of each + the chicken bestseller as the additional piece).

You realize the difference as soon as you bite into one. The crust is unlike any of the usual empanadas. It's less "bread", more croissant. Flaky. Buttery. YUM! ^_^



On the Pollo - it's not your usual ground chicken with potatoes and raisins. It's more chicken ala king in an empanada. Surprising, utterly delicious twist. =D

On the Jamon y Queso - although the Pollo variant is supposedly the bestseller, a lot of the folks that we gave these too readily volunteer this as their hands-down favorite. Creamy cheese with generous bits of salty ham. I'm pretty sure they did not use Jamon Serrano, but the taste comes pretty close. =)

On the Callos Madrillena - this is my personal favorite, although I suppose it's really because I can't get this one anywhere else. Who would have thought callos would work inside empanada?! YUM! ^_^

On the Atun - some of the folks we gave these too liked the tuna best, but maybe I'm weird. I kept thinking, OK...it's good, but it's no different from a tuna sandwich. Hahaha! =p All told, I'll probably keep this off the box the next time I buy.

On the Carne Norte - SKIP THIS ONE. Yes, in big, bold letters. This was actually the lone disappointment for me. I had actually looked forward to this the most, but after taking a bite, Hubby Sweet's words said exactly what I was thinking, "Tweet, ba't lasang Argentina yung corned beef nila?" HAHA...hay...=(

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San Lo's Famous Empanada is on the Petron Gas Station right outside the Dasmarinas Village gate along Pasay Road. (Augustinians, you would know where this is! =D) Sadly, it is not open on Sundays so I'm still trying to figure out how I can bring this to future family get-togethers (which is always on a Sunday. =))

While several pieces are almost always available for single purchases, it would be good to order in advance if you plan to buy in bulk. Call 8442853 for details.

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. =)