My New York food trip

I have always been fascinated by New York, the diversity of the people there, the number of sights you can see in a small amount of time and of course, the glimmering lights you can marvel at when the plane is approaching for landing at night. I have been there before 15 years ago, single and was toured around by a cousin. I remember being a little intimidated inside the subway then because the people inside looked so tall and huge I mean compared to us, Filipinos. It was also freezing because we came in January. I was not able to explore much that time and try some of their food like burgers or pizza due to limited time. But last May, I was given another chance again to explore the city but this time with my family and try some of their eating options particularly in the Upper West Side.

We chose to stay on this side of New York because it was near the American Museum of Natural History and one bus away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET). We also chose this medium-sized hotel, Hotel Beacon on this side of the city because it was in front of two groceries, Fairway and Citarella and their rooms had a kitchenette so we were able to cook rice Yey!

Below are some places I had good food while we stayed there:

Café Lalo

My cousin from Canada told me about it because it was featured in the movie “You’ve Got Mail” and though it was several blocks from our hotel, we made the short trek. And I’m glad we made that long walk in the cold breeze because the luscious pastries were a sight to behold. Inside the glass case was a variety of different tarts, cheesecakes and other specialty pastries. I ordered this tart with different fruits on top and I liked it. The fruits were sweet and in season and the crust was soft and flaky. It went well with my Chamomile tea. I also tried one of their Italian pastry, the cannoli which I always see in Cake Boss. It was an elongated pastry that was soft with a vanilla filling that is not so sweet. Looking back, I wish I ordered more from that glass case and could have gone back again but we had no time. Maybe next time 😊

Freddie and Peppers

We tried another pizza place before this but this one made a good impression. It was a hole in the wall restaurant with only several tables inside. I ordered the Chicken Ranch and it didn’t disappoint. The Ranch flavor was infused mildly and but still quite tasty. Unlike the other pizza place we tried, this one had more flavor and the crust was well-made. The chicken chunks on top were substantial like the size of its pizza. My husband loved the Pepperoni and also the Buffalo chicken flavor which had a little spice. If this was the standard for New York pizza then I was glad to have tried it and would want to sample it again one day.

Shake Shack

You could not go to New York without having tried this place. This place was always packed so we often go early as in we were always the first customer. We went to the Shake Shack near the American Museum of National History because it was near our hotel. We tried their Shack burger and now I know the hype was real. The patty was tender and had a nice flavor. Their hamburger bun was also soft and the oozing cheese was not overwhelming. But I liked their Shhrom burger a lot. It had a certain texture to it aside from its good flavor. All of the burgers were well-cooked and worth lining up for. Meanwhile, I also liked their crisscut fries because it was crunchy and not oily and my son loved their version of chicken nuggets too.

Citarella

This grocery had a good selection of food-to-go products and was really a godsend to us while we were staying at Hotel Beacon. I usually order the salmon, sometimes grilled and at times steamed. It was always fresh tasting and what a huge slab. They also had different types of salad and I often order their roasted vegetables which was a filling side dish. The various types of food they offer from refreshing salads to delectable dishes and pastas were incredible. It's like a healthy version of a fastfood.

Overall, my New York food experience was good. Yes, I have tried their food trucks too but I’m not keen on writing about it as one of these guys gave me re-heated, hard and oily fries which I demanded to exchange but was given only a slightly improved version of it instead. Anyway, these four places I mentioned were a stand-out for me while I was there and if I was to return again, I hope I can also try one of their Michelin starred restaurants like the ones I see in the Chef’s Table series in Netflix. That would be quite an experience I’m sure 😊

Meok-ja Golmok Korean Restaurant BF Homes Paranaque- A Korean Food Discovery

There’s this simple Korean restaurant I sometimes go to when I want a taste of authentic Korean cuisine. It is owned by a Korean lady with curly hair who often have her Korean friends over so I’d like to think it is the real deal. They don’t speak English much and can seem a little standoffish but I’m here for the food so I just don’t mind it.  Besides, the owner often says Thank you when I go out the door so that’s fine.

Anyway, the restaurant is below my son’s therapy center, Communicare in BF Homes and here my son likes their Beef Bulgogi. Me, I like their Bibimbab or what they call their bibimbap dish, a rice bowl topped with steamed vegetables and fried egg. There is nothing simple about this dish with its varied colors, textures and flavors. The vegetables are nicely cooked with steamed julienned slices that goes well with a crisp and savory egg. More than that, they also have a red sauce like catsup that you can drizzle and mix in the bowl to give it an added kick. This hint of spice is a surprising but delectable addition to this veggies and egg dish. Combined together, it becomes a refreshing and satisfying meal.

Their side dishes also contribute to this symphony of tastes and textures. A variety of petite sized  vegetables on small plates each with a distinct flavor. It is a mini buffet of side dishes that adds something extra to the meal as if the whole bowl is not a garden variety of colors and flavors already. But it is a happy addition I’d take with a smile. My husband likes these side dishes too so he was  a little sad when this restaurant's to go meals did not come with side dishes. Like me, he is also taken with their Bibimbab and looks forward to me bringing home one after therapy. Meanwhile, my son often assumes I ordered his favorite Bulgogi when we go to therapy but hey, I can’t always order out. Well, okay maybe next time.

Truly, simple food does not always mean simple flavors. Sometimes, it is the opposite. They surprise you and make you realize that flavors does not always have to be over the top to enjoy it. Sometimes, it is how ingredients are cooked and presented like this Bibimbab.

J Co’s Alcapone Donut: A donut to remember

There are various kinds of donut, many have colorful toppings, some have zany shapes and sizes while others  have its thick oozing filling. What is not to love about these delightful creations displayed in rows for your exciting selection. Yes, what is not to love right? But though there is an expansive choice for me, there is only one kind of donut that I’d like to order again and again if I have the chance and that’s the Alcapone donut of J Co.

And because I only write about what I really like unless I was invited to an event so I can’t this pass up. I had to write about it since I just ordered a small box of it, all Alcapone baby J And it’s all mine, haha J My hubby and kid like the glazed kind which is a little boring for me, sorry, so this box is mine.

So what can I say about this fascinating donut. Aside from its notoriously unique name, it is a combination of subtle flavor and textures. The donut itself is soft which I like and topped with a thin spread of white chocolate and crunchy small almond chips. No fanfare here, no fancy colors or outrageous toppings.

As you bite, you can feel the crunch of the finely chopped almonds and taste the mild white chocolate flavor. I like the combination of the texture of the almonds and the softness of the bread. I also like the subtle sweetness chocolate, not saccharine sweet, just right, blending well with the fine almonds.

I don't have a sweet tooth but this right here is my favorite donut. There comes nothing close to it in my book maybe one kind with a certain kind of filling but this one I’d like to order one box of, always. I like it because it seems to have more substance to it not just frills and mind blowing sweetness. But that’s just me.

That said, I feel sad eating my last Alcapone donut in the box.  It’s like seeing someone special off at the airport gates. You know you'll see each other again if you make an effort but for now, it’s alright just to miss each other for awhile. I guess, I’ll have to miss this Alcapone donut until I come across another J. Co outlet again. For now, I’ll have to enjoy the last morsel of its soft bread and last bit of almond chip in my mouth till we see each other again, can’t wait J

Papa John's Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza: One guilty pleasure

In our busy life sometimes we ease our stress by having some kind of guilty pleasure. Some have their massages, their chick flicks, their invigorating liquor, their chocolates or sweets but me aside from a bag of Cheetos with Jalapeno, Pringles in ranch dressing or a bite size piece of Mr. Goodbar chocolate or an occasional mojito, I think I have discovered another one for myself, Papa John’s Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza.

I’m not a big fan of pizza and the only one I quite liked before was the shawarma pizza from another pizza place so it was surprising that I found another one I would also like. Anyway,  I “discovered” this pizza by accident, someone gave me a small box of it for a birthday. At first glance, I didn’t take note of it, just an ordinary pizza with some white sauce drizzled on it. Not the usual red sauce pizza with toppings brimming at the top. Actually, it looked simple.

But I guess, simple appearances can be deceiving . And just one bite, I knew I liked it. The crust was warm and tender, not too thick nor too thin, just enough to hold the white shredded chicken meat and bits of bacon embedded on it. Drizzled on top of it was its coups de grâce, its ranch sauce. It wasn’t too strong, just enough lather to blend well with the fine chicken meat and bacon bits. Maybe its understated layer of pressed fresh garlic, tomatoes and onion also contributed to its amazing flavor.

One tip of advice though when ordering it for delivery, make sure their ranch sauce is drizzled on top otherwise, the pizza loses its tasty appeal. Because it happened to me twice, one of their branches forgot the ranch dressing on top so I had it returned and they gave me back one with the dressing on top. 

So that is that. Another food discovery, another guilty pleasure I can indulge in when I feel stressed out.  A slice of this pizza and a can of ice cold Coke, regular not diet. Because if you have to indulge, indulge in it like you mean it J

Sisig House: Going back for their tofu sisig

There is a food stall I come back to when I go to Shopwise Sucat and this is Sisig House. It offers different kinds of sisig, pork, chicken, tuna and tofu sisig. I have tried all of it but only one has captured my heart, the tofu sisig. Though, I also like their pork sisig but the tofu sisig is what I liked best.

Unlike the usual sisig that is dried Sisig House’s tofu sisig has this thin mayo-like sauce that covers the pieces of small, white cubed tofu. It comes with rice if you want and placed in a small carton that costs P65. But don’t let its simple appearance fool you because what it lacks in shiny packaging more than makes up for its engaging flavor.

Topped with chicharon bits, slivers of green sili, chopped onions, a pinch of dried liver spread I think and slightly drenched in their own sauce, the ordinary tofu becomes part of a sumptuous ensemble. It may not have foie gras or caviar or any fancy ingredient that would herald such a praise but sometimes simple flavors just excite you, sometimes they just make you want to have a second serving and extra rice on the side :)

Maybe what I liked about this sisig was its different take on the usual one, it had its own version. It went out of the box, totally divergent :) Unlike the  usual sisig made up of a pig’s facial parts, yes, facial parts like the ears and some, the tofu sisig is the healthier version yet, it still tastes as sinful.

I think the sauce was what made it special and how it coalesced  with other elements like the crunchy chicharon that gave it texture, the liver bits that added depth into it and the sweet/sharp flavors onions that complemented the zing of the green sili. They all combined to present you with flavors that complemented each other. Added to that is the slight sourness of the slice calamansi that cuts through the slight richness of the sauce :)

This tofu ricebox experience is quite ideal if you have your rice piping hot and delicate. Maybe you can ask the attendant to have it re-heated if you found yours a little cold and if you don't like onions like my husband does I think you may also ask them to hold it instead.

It’s nice to know that  there is a place you can go to if you have some sisig craving. More than that, it's also nice to know that you can order a bigger size if you are craving for more than a ricebox. Sisig House has their barkada box too that is good for two to three people and also a party size placed in a bilao worth P500 and P700. Now, you can share sisig, be it pork, chicken, tuna and my favorite tofu to your friends and family.

Chooks to Go,a sweet roasted chicken alternative

My son doesn’t eat the white meat portion of a fried chicken or roasted chicken, only its outer, more flavorful parts. For the longest time that was the case until he tried Chooks to Go roasted chicken. I have seen Chooks to Go stalls for a while now but haven’t tried it myself.

Then one time while my son was in his ABA therapy session and I was wandering around Puregold and chanced upon the stall of Chooks to Go with its roasted chicken and liempo. I decided to order a roasted chicken to see if my son would like it and when its enticing aroma wafted inside the car and my son couldn't resist smelling it, I knew he would like it.

At first, my son only ate the roasted outer parts of the chicken then the next time I saw him he was already eating the white portion as well. I was glad. I surmised that maybe when all the outer parts were gone he accidentally bit on the white parts of the chicken meat and liked it. Now, he can almost eat the whole roasted chicken by himself, of course I only let him eat portions at a time during the entire day.

Honestly, I’m not into fried chicken or roasted chicken much. But I like Chooks to Go roasted chicken not because my son has adores it.  But I like the way its subtle sweet flavor permeates into its inner white meat. It is also tender and succulent and you can’t seem to content yourself with just one piece. I like eating it without rice sometimes sneaking my way to have another piece because my son has hoarded it for himself.

Often children go for the fried chicken’s crunchy breaded outer part because it is often the tastiest part of the fried or roasted chicken while the inner white portions seldom have any flavor. But this seems to be not the case for Chooks to Go. They have infused their mild sweet blend into their roasted chicken’s white meat, letting you enjoy the whole roasted chicken. And because of this, Chooks to Go has become one of my choices to bring on a potluck party or something I can buy as a treat for my son.

To end, I wrote this post because I’m happy that my son has increased his eating repertoire. It may not be a big deal for others but for me who has a son who has autism, it really is.  Many children with autism have a certain fixation with a particular type of food. Some only eat sinigang or arroz caldo or only meat products like hotdog. I’m just glad that he overcame that. You see before he didn’t eat rice just crackers and bread but now he does and now he is also eating chicken, all portions of a chicken. So thank you, Chooks to Go, thanks for coming up with a juicy way of roasting and blending your chicken, my son quite likes it J

Some New Food Finds

Here are some food discoveries that I had lately:

When I feel a craving for street food, I go to this food stall called Egg Station for its five pieces of orange-hued kwek kwek dipped in chili-laced vinegar. I sometimes ask the vinegar to be separated if the sales clerk is willing because there is the tendency for the outer orange crust of the kwek kwek to become detached when immersed in the sauce for too long.

I like it when the kwek kwek is newly-cooked because the crust has a little crunch to it and once dipped in the vinegar, the richness of the quail egg coalesces well with the tartness and spiciness of the vinegar giving you a burst of flavors. So simple yet so tasty.

But I guess nothing beats the ones sold in the streets where the vinegar sauce is a little stronger and fuller in flavor. Still, this Egg station stall still satiates one’s craving for kwek kwek.

And after the rich and spicy flavors of these fried quail eggs, I would often wander to this other stall in SM Bicutan, the Famous Belgian Waffles for some comfort food. Here, I like to order their Peanut Butter Belgian waffle. A bite from this freshly cooked warm waffle with their own blend of peanut butter feels comforting to me.

Maybe because it brings back memories of childhood when I used to delight in a spoonful of peanut butter and savor it secretly. Maybe peanut butter does that to you bring back memories of carefree times, of pigtails and cartoons, of playing patintero and taguan on the streets (which sadly, kids today may never experience)  and all is lacking is a glass of milk. Anyway, I consider this as one of my comfort foods. :)

Another new food discovery I had was this Bangus sisig of Reyes Barbecue which was a surprising treat. I love sisig and to have an alternative to pork sisig is great. This sisig was topped with raw egg and a drizzle of mayonnaise. It also had slivers of green onion and pieces of bird’s eye chili or siling labuyo to give it some heat.

Though some people may not like fresh egg or mayo on their sisig, me, I embrace it. There is something so indulgent with the mixture of egg and mayo on top of a sizzling plate. It is almost sinful yet it creates a combination of flavor that is sumptuous. It almost tastes  like the real pork sisig minus the guilt. 

That being said, one java rice wasn't enough for me the first time I tasted this dish. Okay and the next time too :) Good thing, it had bangus meat on it not pork because I only had to contend with having eating more carbs than extra fat. Hay, bangus sisig I can’t resist you.

And lastly,there's this plastic jar of cookies that made such an impression on me despite the fact that I‘m not fond of cookies. I don't have a sweet tooth but this one is something unforgettable.

This jar of almondine cookies of Conti's, this unassuming lot of thin off-white colored cookies hid a tasty texture of almonds embedded inside them that is hard to resist. It looks so ordinary yet it tastes good. It leaves you fighting the urge to get one more cookie from that small plastic jar. I know the fight to resist carbs had been futile to me lately. 

There is something about this almondine cookie that resonates to me. Maybe its simplicity, its lack of trimmings, that beyond its smooth surface lay a hidden surprise, one that makes you sit up and say to yourself, "Whoa! this didn't look like much yet this is something different but good".  It’s like your bigger piece of smooth lengua de gato that has short almond slices inside them. Indeed, never judge a cookie by its appearance. You can be surprised :)

It had been awhile since my last post and I hope to make it more consistent. I had been attending some SPED classes lately and my days had been hectic. But I miss writing, I miss posting pictures so I'll try to give it more time. And one thing I'm excited about is posting more food adventures with my son who has autism. I think this would make this blog more meaningful to me.

Thank you for reading and here's to more food adventures and discoveries :) Chow! :)