Corazon, Philippines

 Continuing on with this foodie-posts streak I've been having the past few days, here's my next stop in this holiday's food trip! I present to you, Corazon, a 'filipino-hispano cuisine' restaurant founded by chef Florabel Co-Yatco. They're located in the East Wing of Shangri-La Plaza Mall (4th floor) in Mandaluyong City. Again, this was recommended by my parents, so who was I to object?

According to its website, the cuisine is reminiscent of traditional grandmother-cooked meals so if you want a taste of good ol' Filipino cooking, this is the place to go. And I don't doubt that one bit.

Cabeza (P325) - fried calamari with romesco sauce and sweet chili sauce. Eat this, and you will not stop. They are so addicting, especially when you dip them in the romesco sauce!!!

My all-time favourite dish from Corazon: the Paella Negra (P495) - squid, squid ink and fish fillet with garlic aioli. I'd never been one to eat paella negra (particularly cause once you put a spoon full of it in your mouth, your teeth and lips go all black cause of the ink), but this trumps all the ones I've tried. It's so creamy and savoury that I could eat this by itself and be content. There could be a little more squid and fish fillet pieces, but I can't really complain. In fact, I may be able to finish half the plate by myself given the chance. Damn, I'm salivating badly as I write this... So, so mouth-watering(ly) good! And I don't even mind having a black-inked mouth after eating this dish sent from heaven. Must-try!

Yum yum yum...

Ciudad Real (P395) - lechon kawali (fried pork) with laing. I mainly ate this for the laing, which is made from dried taro and coconut milk. It's sooo good, and again, paired with the paella negra? Heaven. *drool* And don't worry about the little chili bits, it's not uber spicy, but it does give the dish a bit of a kick (normal for laing, so you know, it's a package deal).

Per my mom's suggestion, I tried out their Quezo de Bola cheesecake. Now, I do love my cheesecakes, but this one didn't sit right with me, mainly because the Quezo de Bola taste (think extreme cheddar) is so strong. I prefer my cheesecakes more light and sweet, and this one just screamed hard-core cheese to me. Not to say that it's not good, but you know, it's not something I'd go for. But hey, gotta try something new now and then right? If strong cheese tastes are your thing, go for this one! My parents love it.

Update: About a week later, we had a get-together with a few friends who also used to live in Vietnam, and of course, off to Corazon we went! This time round I was able to try more of their dishes, but apologies though - I kept forgetting to whip out the camera to take photos of them before we devoured them! Woops...

Ensaladang Manilena (P240) - salad with tomatoes, mangoes, onions and bagoong (shrimp paste). I didn't try this one myself, but I was told that it tasted really good, so if you're a fan of simple salads (and anything with bagoong), try it out.

Bernardo (P495) - beef salpicao (salad) with beef tenderloin sautéed in garlic and olive oil, served with a basket of pan de sal (bread). You don't necessarily need to eat it with the pan de sal, but there's something totally Filipino about pairing the two together (note - we like to eat bread with anything: pasta, ice-cream, dinuguan, etc. You name it, we probably eat it with bread too).

Torres (P350) - fried tilapia with mango sauce. This, paired with paella negra, is ah-mazing! It just brings out that seafood taste even more in the paella and the combination of garlic aioli and mango sauce is pretty tasty too.

We also ordered the Cabeza, Paella Negra (again), Ortega (ox-tail kare kare), Castellano (crispy pata - a must try Filipino dish!) and Ciudad Real (again, LOL!) Could not get enough of the paella negra again so you know, I definitely enjoyed that.

We also ventured off to try new desserts, and I am in love with the Mango Torte! Mango, cream and graham crackers? Mhmmm.... love love love! I recommend this way more than the Quezo de Bola cheesecake if subtle sweetness and creaminess is more of your thing. Fun fact, one of our friends actually suggested we eat the mango torte and quezo de bola cheesecake together (as in, one bite of each at the same time) and damn, it was good. The combination of fruity sweetness and cheesy bitterness is pretty awesome, so do try that out too! My life has never been the same since that discovery...

Check out the rest of their menu here! Even the menu is uber colourful and gorgeous!

Price-wise, definitely worth it, especially since you can't go wrong with the food here. You can get your Filipino cuisine fix here, and heck, you may not want to leave. The ambience and decorations are also pretty top-notch, with the bright colours and little Filipino quirks like the ice-cream by the front of the restaurant. The staff is also pretty great, and they are more than willing to make recommendations that, man, they aren't wrong about. Hospitality, food and ambience? You will definitely not forget you're in the Philippines.

Corazon can get quite busy and because large groups do tend to reserve tables, I'd recommend you drop by just before peak hours so a) you get a table and b) you don't have to wait long for your food to arrive. Not to say that waiting times are uber long, but you know, if you're absolutely starving and can't wait to chow down on some Pinoy classics, well, come early.

Happy discovering!

Ippudo Philippines

As I said in my previous post, there's nothing better than trying out new food and well, who could disagree with that? My parents had seriously planned out when and where I would be stuffing my place, and I could not be happier. Next stop in my foodtrip here in the Philippines is Ipuddo Philippines, a ramen-place originally from Hakata, Japan with over 80 branches worldwide to date.

Ippudo was founded by Shigemi Kawahara a.k.a. the Ramen King in 1985, and man I have no doubts about his title. According to its website, Kawahara's reinvention of the Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen is what earned him and Ippudo global acclaim.

I've never been one to eat ramen, mainly cause the ones I've tried before haven't exactly been the greatest, so I was a bit apprehensive trying this place out. But my parents reassured me that it was the best, and well, they weren't wrong. Ipuddo Philippines has ruined all the other ramen places for me, and I could really use some right now as I write this. If only they had an Ippudo branch here in Ottawa...

Ippudo Pork Bun - a steamed bun with braised pork belly and Ippudo's original sauce. My mom's order so I myself don't know what it's like, but she says that it's pretty good and is a great appetizer while waiting for your bowl of nice ol' ramen. 

Now, the Shiromaru Motoaji - Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth with ultra thin noodles, pork loin, bean sprouts, kikurage (a type of mushroom) and bean sprouts. There's also seaweed and an egg, which tops it off amazingly. The creamy broth smells and tastes so good, I can't even...How do I describe this piece of heaven? You have a choice on how you want your noodles to be like (soft, medium, hard or ultra-hard) and though they recommend you have this with ultra-hard noodles, I opted for medium. Secret - I don't like having to chew much, so the softer, the better. That being said, the pork loins are sooo soft and delicious and I could eat this all day, everyday. My gosh, it is amazing! My mom and I are in love with this one.

*drool*

My dad opted for Akamaru Shinaji - Ippudo's original tonkotsu broth with miso paste and garlic oil, also served with ultra-thin noodles, pork belly, kikurage and spring onions. Now this is tastes a bit spicier and stronger than the shiromaru motoaji, so if you want something that's got more of a kick, then you may want to try this one out.

Oroshi Ponzu Gyoza - pan-fried dumplings topped with grated radish and spring onions served with ponzu sauce. Paired with the shiromaru ramen, this tastes even better! Eat this, slurp the broth and eat the noodles. Yum! Try it out when you can!

Yum yum yum!!!

The crazy thing about Ippudo (well, the branch at SM Megamall anyway, so I'm not sure about other places) is how you have to line up outside the restaurant - it is that popular and busy! Thankfully waiting time isn't long, but it does pay to make sure that everyone else you're dining with (be it your parents or friends) are all present so that you can be seated immediately - they have a policy where if not everyone is there yet, you'll have to wait and let complete parties be seated first (fair enough). That being said, serving time is pretty quick given how busy it can get and the staff are pretty friendly - and they'll willingly give you top-notch recommendations if you can't make up your mind.

I'd definitely suggest you come early (just before peak hours) so the wait won't be long. And oh, make sure everyone's there! Do try Ippudo out if you spot a branch anywhere you are - you won't regret it! Now how do I make it until an Ippudo branch makes it way to Ottawa?

Update: A week later, my parents and I made our way to Ippudo again because we love it that much!!! I'm addicted, and I don't care. 

Happy discovering!

Sentro 1771, Philippines

Now it's no secret that one of the things I love doing while in the Philippines is to eat, and man, were my cravings satisfied during the two weeks I was there! My parents had laid out a plan for a foodtrip after Christmas (there were various teasers sent through Viber for about a month beforehand so to say I was pumped was a bit of an understatemement) and my GOD! I stuffed myself with the justification that I would not be able to eat anything like these for the next few months...
Be prepared to drool. I know I am...

Sentro 1771 is a Filipino restaurant that serves traditional Filipino dishes with a modern twist, influenced by a lot of great Filipino chefs and foodies such as Nora Daza, Doreen Fernandez and of course, grandmothers. The branch we went to is located at the Capitol Commons area in Pasig City (by Meralco Avenue and Shaw Boulevard, you can't miss it), but there two other locations in Manila - one over at Greenbelt 3 in Makati, and the other at Serendra in Taguig.

Just a tad bit obsessed with the light fixtures! I love the whole vibe the place gives off - it's very modern chic yet there are touches of traditional Filipino pieces here and there. Love it!

Carrot-orange juice - if you're not a fan of carrot juice, this might do the trick in changing your mind! So good and refreshing...mhmm...

Sentro Bagoong Rice (P480) - essentially bagoong rice topped with omelette strips, Macau chorizo, beef tapa, chicharon and green mango strips. You could order this alone and be satisfied cause of all the toppings - there's so much of it you can't even see the rice underneath! Nonetheless, it tastes awesome, especially with the chicharon and green mango strips combined (I mean, you've got a bit of everything - sweet, salty, crunchy, savoury, etc.), that I want more of this in my life. Food-gasm right here. No joke.

Fried Squid with Toasted Garlic (P395) - fried squid tossed in salt, sugar, browned garlic, dried mango and chili. Damn, this one was good too, especially with the dried mango (fair warning, eat those with caution as they can get stuck in your teeth cause of their stickiness) and paired with the Bagoong rice, it tasted real nice. Try, try, try if you like calamari!

Catfish Adobo Flakes (P360) - hito cooked adobo-style with native garlic and yellow ginger, fried until crisp. This may be my favourite dish at Sentro 1771 - the crunchiness is spot on and it tastes good with anything. And plus, I'm a sucker for adobo-style anything so this just hit all the marks for me. So if you're like me, you have got to try this out!

Just look at that crunchy goodness!

Sinigang na Corned Beef (P595)- a must-try Sentro specialty that tastes as good as it looks. If you've never heard of this particular sinigang, it's basically corned beef short ribs and boneless shanks in tamarind broth and native vegetables. Man, the concept didn't exactly sit well with me (I mean, corned beef in soup?) but I am a convert! So, so good! Another pretty cool thing is how before they serve it, they'll give you a little cup to taste and see if the soup is to your liking. I swear, it's the little things that get me...

Oh yeah, got to try a bit (and then some) of everything!

Now on to desserts! Eenie meenie miney mo...which to pick...

I went for the Coffee Bean Sans Rival (P205) cause I am a sucker for sans rival. It's basically a cake layered with buttercream (in this case, coffee flavoured buttercream), meringue and chopped cashews. Urmf, this tasted so nice! It wasn't too sweet and the coffee-flavour wasn't uber strong - and the cream that went with it tasted divine! Another warning - this dessert is actually bigger than the photo in the menu showed, so you can definitely share this between two-three people. So you know, if you like sans rival too, definitely check this one out (unless you're not a fan of coffee...)

And last, but certainly not the least, Banana and Camote Un-cue (P110) - caramelized saba bananas and sweet potato strips that will blow your mind when you try them. I've had caramelized bananas and camote before (you can make them yourself at home) but something about these ones at Sentro just trumped them all.

Just look at them. I dare you to not drool...

You can check out everything else Sentro 1771 has to offer here!

Price-wise, Sentro 1771 is super affordable as the serving sizes are pretty big and the food so worth it. The challenge will be in trying to control yourself and not order everything off the menu! Everything looks so good and I can't wait to go back and try out more things - particularly the Macau chorizo and cheese tidbits, Sugar-free Humba and their Keso Flan...hmm...

I'd definitely suggest you go early (i.e. close to opening time - think brunch, really) to avoid crowds and the challenge of getting a table. Often groups make reservations (when we went for brunch at the Capitol Commons branch, there were about three group reservations already set) so it will pay to avoid the peak hours. That being said, the branches have different opening times, so do check those out before visiting.

Happy discovering!