Food Trip 167 - Chapchae

We were dining at Bonchon restaurant and my cousin was quite excited about this experience because it was her first time.  As always, she took her sweet time ordering something to eat and I gave her that moment.  She always has this appetite and asks so many questions before settling with what she thinks might satisfy her cravings.

We were already starting to eat and she kept glancing at a poster in a glass wall near our table.  She repeatedly stated that the food looked good.  Well, I cannot blame her because she is always adventurous when it comes to food and she loves Asian food.  And after a couple of minutes, she finally ordered the thing.

Chapchae, as they call it, is made from glass noodles.  It was my first time to see a glass noodle that thick because I happened to use only a Chinese vermicelli which is thinner compared with it.  Anyway, we were anticipating that order since we were already about to finish our food.  And right before our last bite, the order came.

I was not surprised at all about the appearance of chapchae because I use to prepare something similar at home.  Aside from the long strands of glass noodles, the other ingredients were somewhat too few and too small.  The very obvious one was the scrambled fried egg which was too small and hardly recognizable.  The other one were bits of chicken meat which were too small, likewise.  The rest of its ingredients are literally unknown to me and I did not ask about those things because they might be company secrets.  But what wowed me about chapchae is its odor.  The odor of the food is really very good.  I was trying to figure out the scent and may be they include an oyster sauce (which happened to be my favorite) in its preparation.  My cousin laughingly scolded me about smelling the food for sometime because I might be sending a wrong signal inside the restaurant.  But I said to her that I just could not help myself appreciating a good smelling food like that one.

And its taste?  I hardly finished a portion of that serving because I easily got satiated because it tastes sweet.  I was actually anticipating that it may taste spicy because it is an Asian food but I was wrong.  It was sweet and I usually don't appreciate a sweet dish like that one.

Quote 334 - Life's Beauty

Quote 333 - Hold On

Food Trip 166 - Tapsilog

A friend introduced me into an eatery where he finds food good and at the same time, cheap.

We were scouting the area for some machines and related peripherals.  After more than an hour of roaming around, we were already through of our task that day.  Since I woke up late that morning, I was not able to eat my breakfast and it was already past lunch and my stomach was already begging for some food.  As we crossed one street after another, the eateries along the way were not that pleasing.  Though I thought my friend as a cowboy, he is also choosy when it comes with food.  He considers the cleanliness of the place and of the food being serve.  For this reason, we hop from one eatery to another until he saw a familiar establishment.

With pride, he told me that the food in that particular eatery is good if not superb.  Once seated, I asked the food server about their best seller and he gladly replied that it is tapsilog.  I guess it is a comfort food for me and without hesitation I ordered a serving of their tapsilog.  My friend opted another dish.

The taplisog serving is modest.  One cup of garlic rice, a sunny side up egg, and tapa.  Almost all eateries offer tapsilog and the quantity of their food servings are almost similar.  But the big difference is its quality and taste.

I actually did not expect a serving of garlic rice since I know that garlic rice is a bit expensive.  I am a bit surprised to find out that their extra rice costs 12 pesos only which is far cheaper compared with 20 pesos plain rice from other eateries.  

And their tapa?  The taste was superb. The beef was very tender and the strand was intact.  Its taste lingers in the mouth and a strand could mean a spoonful of rice.  Even if I was dead hungry that time, I did not manage to order an extra rice since I am trying to cut down my carbo intake.  But I guess I will find time to go back there because their tapsilog is one of the best tasting tapsilog in town. 

Quote 332 - Darkness

Quote 331 - Adorable

Food Trip 165 - Lechon

For a number of times, I passed along that part of Quezon City where mouthwatering lechons line up the street.  I always wanter to have a picture taken along with them.

One time, a friend toured me within the vicinity of the lechon establishments.  I guess that time was not their peak season since minimal lechons were on display.  Most likely by December, the whole place will be busy once again due to the demand and the growing appetite of food lovers especially Christmas party will be held left and right during this month.

Someone told me before that if you are going to order a whole pork lechon, you should not get the one on display along the sidewalk.  First, eventhough they may claim that it is freshly prepared, you will never be sure if it is a left over and simply reheated.  second, it is much better to get something off their cooking area which you see with your own eyes and not the one being displayed along the sidewalk.  The lechons along the sidewalk are not protected against different harmful elements even if it looks mouthwatering.

I promised my friend that one time, when life becomes a little easy for us, we will endulge ourselves with one whole lechon.  Wish...wish...wish.

Quote 330 - Letting Go

Quote 329 - Letting Go

Food Trip 164 - Tamarind

During my childhood days, we would climb a particular tamarind tree near the river because it bears sweet fruit.  The owners of the tree did not mind at all because they had no liking at the fruit much to our delight.   Those were the times when we still got to enjoy some fresh free picks.

One time, someone gave me a pack of processed tamarind fruits.  I forgot to ask about its place of origin but I got curious because it got chili.  I don't know how spicy it could get until I tasted that one.  And whew!  It was like burning hot.

Eventually, I was able to finish the entire pack but I had to take only a couple of pieces because I found it hard to withstand its being spicy. 

Poem 164 - Ibubulong Ko Na Lang Sa Hangin

Buo na naman ang araw ko
Nang makita kita sa kanto
Ang ganda mo ay di nagbabago
Malakas talaga ang tama ko sa iyo.

Halos hindi ako kumukurap
Titig na titig sa taong pinapangarap
Walang mapagsidlan ang aking saya
Makita ka lang ay langit na.

Subalit di ko magawa ang lumapit
Ang kabog ng dibdib ko ay abot-langit
Ang simpleng pagbati ay di ko masambit
Ang dila ko ay anyong nagkapilipit.

Ibubulong ko na lang sa hangin
Ang hiling nitong aking damdamin
Sana'y makarating at iyong dinggin
Dahil ikaw lang ang tanging mamahalin.

Sa tuwing magtama ang ating mga mata
Napapayuko na lang ako dahil sa kaba
Pero ang aking puso ay nagdiriwang
Sobrang saya ko kahit matingnan mo lang.

Nang minsang nagkasalubong tayo
Di ko alam kung anong gagawin ko
Nang ngumiti ka ay natulala ako
Para bang angel na nagkatotoo.

Sana'y magkaroon ako ng pagkakataon
Pati na ang lakas ng loob ay maibaon
Upang itong damdamin ay iyong malaman
Na sa puso ko ay ikaw lang ang nakalaan.

Ibubulong ko na lang sa hangin
Itong lihim kong pagtingin
Umaasang mararamdaman mo rin
Kahit ang dampi nito sa hangin.

Quote 328 - Perfect

Quote 327 - Pray

Food Trip 163 - Kabayan

There are some simple things in life that bring us happiness.

There is a bakery store within our neighborhood that sells 'kabayan' bread.  'Kabayan' bread is similar to a muffin.  Before, I used to shy away from this kind of bread may be because the ones I have tasted before left some unwanted aftertaste.  But the moment I tried eating again this one from the nearby bakeshop, it is like a resurrected gusto once again.

Whenever I order several pieces of this bread, I would always request from the sales lady a toasted one. When I mean toasted, I refer to the dark ones because it really taste good.  The sales lady also commented that there are also some patrons like me that prefer a toasted 'kabayan' bread because of its distinct taste.