The Island Explorer

I was in the A. Venue Mall for the past three days because of an event in the Events Hall adjacent to it. So I didn't waste time meeting in the hotel, where we stayed and instead, went to the restaurants that I hadn't been too. First up is Focaccia. When I heard that Focaccia "copied" my favorite C Italian Panizza, I was immediately attracted to the restaurant that became my first stop. So when I entered, I immediately asked for their panizzas, which they called Pizza Rolls, which is good, because it explained to the mass market how it's to be eaten. For those who don't know how to eat the panizza, you basically roll the thin crust pizza after putting toppings of arugula and alfalfa sprouts. Then, you dip it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Eat it in one bite and then roll another one. My colleagues tasted it the first time and they had fun rolling. Now for the critique. Of course, I expected C Italian to be better, and that was what I got. I got the Pancett...

The word is out, it's the newest kid on the block. When someone tipped me about this bright new restaurant on High Street, I simply couldn't resist. The next thing I knew, I ended up in this much talked about resto after a week of opening. The name, appropriate for the times, the Stock Market. As you can see above, the place is indeed charming. I love the brightness, the white and green scheme. It was a refreshing place. Owned by Del Monte and managed by the group who operates TOSH, I was again excited to try good food. We came in late, almost 10PM for dinner. The menu was short and items were quite pricey. To start, we ordered this flatbread pizza with arugula and smoked salmon. It was surprised that it came out tiny, just good for one. the crust was thin, but not that crispy. The smoked salmon was good though, and who could go wrong with the nutty flavor of the arugula. The first entree was the Smothered Pork Chops with Mashed Sweet Potatoes. I was drawn to this dish because ...

A. Venue is definitely the next food spot to conquer. It's just a shame that whenever I go there, the place seems desperate for customers. The restaurants, all new, fight for diners as they enter the Makati Avenue mall. There are a few places I would prioritize to try after seeing their menus. Artina Gallery Cafe is one of them. I knew I had to visit the place. It was an art gallery slash restaurant. Again, the good marketing strategy of making it more than just a restaurant. They even named it so close to art but the gallery concept uplifted the ambience, even though the place was small and not that high end. It was a good place to have a meal with friends, not really a date place. So, after a meeting, we decided to finally try this out for lunch. It had the most customers in A. Venue at that time. Here were the orders: Let's start with pasta. This is the Linguini with Seafood in Spanish Saffron and Cream Sauce (P290). The linguini was aldente to begin with. There were fish ch...

Since I was able to try Gasthof in Boracay around 4 years ago, I couldn't get enough of it. When I'm in Naga, I also couldn't stop for a visit in their branch there. Now, Gasthof is open in Makati, in A.Venue along Makati Ave to be exact. Of course, Gasthof is known for the ribs. I was just disappointed when their servings decreased in size significantly. I remember that for a little over P400, you are served a full slab. Now, it's just half a slab. We also ordered a platter of cheese since we ordered some wine. Gashtof also has some good entrees on their menu other than the ribs. I love their laing (great with ribs) and this pasta dish, just because of the sausage that came with it. Of course, this is a German resto, so their sausages must really be good. The last dish was supposedly the appetizer, but because they seemingly had a hard time preparing and cutting the cold cuts, it came in late. We even forgot we ordered this platter. Anyway, as you can see, it was huge...

When I visited Zamboanga last year, I saw this island that was calling on me form a distance. I wasn't able to go, since it was the time when there was an all out war in Basilan, and there was a boat curfew starting at 3PM. I ended my business in Zamboanga at 3:30PM, and I was to fly to Davao early next morning. So when I was back in Zamboanga last month, I didn't let anything get in my way of going to that island, the Sta. Cruz Island or more popularly known as the Pink Island. So, how do you go there? It's about 15 minutes via a pump boat that you can hire from Lantaka Hotel near the pier. But before doing that, there are some steps you must undergo. First, go to the Department of Tourism office beside Lantaka to secure a permit to travel and a request for tourist police (they call them escorts). After that, you have to go to the Tourist Police office in the building on the other side of Lantaka. It is the last room on the ground floor along the driveway. Once there, pres...

Oh My Khan is another top drawer in the City of Pines, Baguio. It is located near Cafe by the Ruins and the City Hall. I think there's no big sign, because at first, I couldn't find the place. They told me it was a hit among locals, so, off I go to sample their Mongolian fare. The interior is not impressive, though they tried to put a lot of Mongolian elements, like this glass panel. I was wondering if the owner ran out of Mongolian ideas, and decided to put in Chinese stuff instead. Of course, to us in Manila, a Mongolian Buffet is not new. Mongolian Stop in Galleria Food Court is a good choice for first timers, while the one at Sweet Inspirations in Katipunan Ave has already been deemed a classic. It's hard to tell what buffet is good, since most taste the same given the same sauces. I think the difference lies in the quality of ingredients used. The ingredients of the Mongolian Buffet in Oh My Khan are no doubt fresh. Of course! This is Baguio. The vegetables were pumped...

When in Cebu, I try to eat in as many restos as possible. For some reason, this is the restaurant that I always go back to, probably because it's the safest and I'm always in Ayala. Idea Italia is located on the ground floor of Ayala Center Cebu, just near Oh! George, another nice place. They have a simple Italian menu. Their pastas are mostly of the normal stuff. Below is the Arrabiata. I'm not a fan of their pizzas, but it's not bad. I just have tasted a lot of better ones (just tasted one of the best in Davao). But, I am raving about my pasta dish, the pungent Gorgonzola. It was done perfectly, and I mean it. It had a right blend of pungency in the cheese, saltiness and creaminess. And the pasta was aldente. I had the pasta changed to linguini, instead of penne. That may have brought out the flavor more. So, when in Cebu, come to Idea Italia. Have a nice meal with a nice glass of wine in a convenient location.