Sultan Mediterranean Grill: a taste of delectable Turkish cuisine in San Juan

        Shawarma has become a popular dish in the Philippines these days. However, the owners of Sultan Mediterranean Grill in Greenhills, San Juan, have taken the Turkish authenticity further. They serve the dishes with the flair of spices, dressings, and flavors that will surely make one wonder if their chefs are really Turkish. The restaurant first operated in Valero, Makati then started to expand to San Juan. It has been open for less than a year in the latter. Their new place was well decorated with Mediterranean memorabilia and art. Also, the place was well-lit and clean. 

           As for the food, I can say that it gave so much in the flavor department that it left me coming back for more. Since I love lamb dishes due to its smoky and stocky flavor and its tender meat, I felt right at home with the food. We started off with the hummus varieties served with pita bread. These were actually composed of ground lentils made into a paste with a drizzle of olive oil. Some varities tasted spicy while others were a bit salty. At 110 pesos, these came with their freshly baked pita bread. I love this appetizer for its unique smell and salty taste. This was followed with a salad. At 250 pesos, the Vitamin Boost salad consisted of lettuce, cucumber, mangoes, onions, oranges, walnuts and topped with grilled chicken. This healthy concoction was also sufficient to whet my appetite for the things to come.

          The viands were even more amazing. The wide selection of beef, chicken, and lamb dishes were appetizing and meaty, not to mention flavorful. We started of with the Moussaka. At Php 220, this reasonably priced Mediterranean style lasagna was an explosion of cheesy flavors with accompanying ground beef, spices, and the obligatory pita bread. After this came the rice variants. The Keshmishi and Biryani variants made my day. At less than 100 pesos per platter, both were flavorful due to the spices, onions, and meat toppings. Not to mention the curry powder that these dishes were cooked in. The Ox Tongue was our meat starter. At Php 240, this saucy dish was composed of braised ox tongue cooked in spices and their special mushroom sauce with a few vegetables. The fatty texture of the meat was tempered with the sweet, tangy taste of the sauce. Kudos to whoever thought of that mix! We then moved on to the Sizzling Lamb. At 350 pesos, this hot, sizzling plate of grilled goodness was served with their special curry sauce and doused in spices. Perfect for someone like me who wanted to experience meat in all the goodness of chili and pepper. This meat festival didn't end here. We had the kebab platter. At Php 580 pesos, this grilled mass of meat was composed of their beef, chicken and lamb varieties grilled to perfection. I had a lot of thie grilled goodness. It was tender and juicy too. Add to that the fact that the meat was moist and flavorful. The coup de grace was the Braised Lamb Shank. At Php 580, this delectable dish was served with a ton of biryani rice. For those who eat a lot of meat, this one is for them. This huge chunk of lamb leg was grilled to perfection and doused in their special gravy. The meat had lots of tender juicy fat and lean meat as well. It was so soft and tasty that I considered going back for another plate. Lastly, the drinks and dessert were also memorable. Their mixed berry shake contained the right amount of sweetness and milky flavor while their ice cream, flavored with either basil, nuts, or salted caramel made the end of the meal very very satisfying. It wasn't too sweet on the mouth too. These dishes make me consider going back for more!

      For your Mediterranean cravings, you can try Sultan. Sultan is located at 190 Wilson St., Greenhills, San Juan. You can visit their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/sultangrillph.

The story in pictures:

The menu cover

The facade

The entrance

Their free ice cream promo

Their unique ice cream flavors

Their mixed berry yoghurt shake at Php 100

Their hummus varieties. Usually served with Pita bread (Php 110 per plate) 

Vitamin boost at Php 250

Moussaka at Php 220

Keshmishi Rice at Php 100

Sizzling Lamb at Php 350

Ox Tongue at Php 240

Kebab Platter at Php 580

Braised Lamb Shank at Php 550

Beryani Rice at Php 80

The half-finished Kebab Platter

Plain Yoghurt Shake at Php 80

Ice Cream at Php 60

The Kebab Menu

Turkish memorabilia

Their sauce rack

Les Bagels: an extraordinary breakfast bagel restaurant in Ortigas

         Aldous of http://www.aldousatetheworld.com/ invited me to a unique food event at the Podium, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City. This time, we had bagels for breakfast. Lots and lots of bagels at LES Bagels. the restaurant concept is highly unique. The menu is mainly composed of these doughnut type dishes which come in different flavors complete with different sauces and fillings. The origins of the dish came from Europe but this was transplanted to America in the early 20th century by European immigrants who came to seek a new life in the country. The restaurant is owned by the same group that owns the wildly popular Borough in the Podium.

       According to the owners, the restaurant was conceptualized from their travels to New York. There, they learned about bagels as a breakfast dish enjoyed by people living in the city. The dish has become so popular that it has been served in different flavors with different toppings. Since they enjoyed the dish so much, they started to introduce it in Manila as a restaurant brand. Their flagship branch is in Tuscany Hill, BGC while the Podium branch in Ortigas opened just sometime this year.

      The bagels are baked fresh everyday in their BGC branch This is to ensure freshness and tastiness. Another interesting thing about the restaurant is that the menu was conceptualized by a Jewish chef with German origins who settled in the Philippines. He loves bagels so much that he made more than 10 different dips and 10 bagel variants for discerning customers. Take note that the dips are made of a cream cheese base mixed with different flavors such as scallions, truffles, fruits, herbs, smoked salmon, raisin, and caviar even.

         During the taste test, we were made to try out the plain, sesame, chocolate, raisin, whole wheat, garlic, black sesame, "everything", pumpernickel, and blue berry bagel variants. These were toasted to a crisp and served fresh off the oven. The bagels were priced at 40 php save for the whole wheat which is sold for 60 php. The dips were much pricier. Customers can choose whether these are served on a plate or on the bagel itself. Also, the dips on the plates can be served at small, medium, or large variants. The cheapest dips were sold for 160 pesos while the most expensive ones were served for 1150 pesos for a large amount. Since we were lucky, we had almost all of their dips served for our consumption. I'd say I loved the blueberry bagel as my personal favorite. The crisp exterior was filled with a juicy and moist blue berry filling. Also, dipping it with the sweet blueberry dip (160 pesos for small) was truly heavenly for me. As one who loves and swears by the tastiness of blueberry, I can truly say that this awesome combination made my month. 

          My second place favorites include the garlic bagel mixed with scallion or chives dips. I also love this spice overload; and I attest to the explosion of sharp, tangy flavors while eating this combination. For those seafood lovers, the smoked salmon dip caters to the palate. Fruit lovers can try the strawberry dip variant or the apple cinnamon one. Bacon lovers can get a fix through the bacon cheddar dip. In sum, the bagels were simply the pastries where you put the tasty dips while the latter served as a the source of slightly salty and awesome flavors.

      Dessert was also tasty in this place. We had the oatmeal cookies, chocolate cookies, and brownies. While still not officially offered, we were able to savor these new creations. I especially loved the cookies for their outburst of sweetness. I'd definitely go back to savor more of these bagels and desserts.

          LES Bagels is located at 2/F, Podium Mall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City. You can visit their FB page at https://www.facebook.com/lesbagels.

The story in pictures:

Different bagel variants on display. The blueberry bagel rocks.

The different dips. I prefer the blueberry dip on the left and the chives dip on the far right.

Another shot of the bagels

The storefront

The display board

The counter

The table arrangement

The menu

Bagels for display purposes

The counter

The menu.

Freshly baked variants

That creamy blueberry filling inside the bagel

Chopped off bagels

Dessert! I especially loved the cookies.

Lucky Chick UP Town Center: your go-to place for American style fried chicken

          A month ago, the esteemed restaurant blogger named Aldous Calubad invited me to savor the American style offerings of Lucky Chick, located at the second floor of UP Town Center, Diliman, Quezon City, beside Wingman and Casa Verde. The restaurant interiors remind one of a homey and upbeat ambiance that caters to families and kids who want to bond over home-cooked meals. The place has actually been around for less than a month in the area.

        Whats's interesting about the menu is that it gives the diners a taste American home-cooked meals. The food carries a diverse selection that includes sandwiches to salads, as well as its flagship chicken dishes. Let's start with the chicken. As the restaurant's specialty, the impeccable friend chicken comes in its golden brown skin fried to a satisfying crisp. The recipe follows an American southern style blend that has been passed on from generations and has filled homes countless times. This recipe has been a mainstay, then. The authentic taste is a sure hit for people who want an excellent-tasting chicken dish that can easily outclass the local fried chicken offerings. Add to that a wildly variegated selection of side dishes, and one can experience the unique taste that comes into play with every meal. At 138 pesos, a one piece chicken meal with rice and drinks is enough to satisfy a hungry boy. For those who want more, a two-piece chicken with a side dish complete with rice and drinks is priced at 308 pesos. Hungry families can get a meal with 4 pieces of chicken coupled with 4 cups of rice, 4 glasses of iced tea, and 2 sides at 688 pesos.  I'd say its pretty reasonable given the quality of the dishes served.

          As one of the bloggers privileged to attend the foodie event, I was able to taste their one piece chicken meal coupled with a mashed potato side dish. I can attest that the chicken was unlike any local fried dish I have ever tasted before. The chicken is one of the best I have ever tasted. It wasn't too oily and greasy. The tasty deep fried skin can easily be taken away from the meat and eaten alone or with their special gravy which comes in Original, Honey, and Apple Cider variants. Furthermore, the meat was cooked just right. There was no blood or dark meat patches in it. It also tasted fresh and well-cooked. I liked the fact that the meat and skin never tasted salty. 

           The side dishes include garlic rice, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, biscuits, mac and cheese, corn muffins, corn in the cob, fries, green peas, and hashbrown casserole. I took the mashed potato owing to my childhood preferences. The side dish exceeded my expectations. I initially thought that only the chicken would have that premium, exquisite taste. The mashed potatoes were also of high quality and well-prepared as well. It wasn't bland or salty either. It simply had the sweet taste coupled with a spiced up flavor from the gravy. I'd love to come back to this place to taste their delectable array of side dishes.

        For your home-cooked American fried chicken cravings, try Lucky Chick. Its tasty offerings will surely leave you wanting more. It is located at 2F UP Town Center. You can visit their Fb page at https://www.facebook.com/luckychickph

The story in pictures:

The ambient counter

The Menu

The logo

One of the unique interior decors.

The sumptuous one piece chicken meal with mashed potato side dish at 198 Pesos

Another shot of the meal

Chan Lim Family of Artists and Students Exhibit at SM North Edsa (January 24, 2016)

Last January 24, 2016, Mr. Niccolo Cosme invited me to witness the launch of Chan Lim's exhibit at SM North Edsa The Block Atrium. The event marked the start of the Chinese New Year Festivities at the SM Malls. 

For the past 4 decades, Mr. Alex Chan Lim, through his endeavor called the Chan Lim Family of Artists and Students, has been promoting the art of Chinese painting as a hobby and pastime for people from all walks of life. Various professionals, students, and children have spent time learning the art at his studio. This time, however, Mr. Chan Lim has set up a grand exhibit from his former students who have spent their time and effort to come up with amazing artworks. Apart from that, the Chan Lim studio also organized a Chinese painting workshop to selected members of the press who attended the event. 

Before we started, we had a sumptuous buffet courtesy of Lugang Cafe. We had some of their specialties including Xiao Long Bao,  Hot and Sour Soup, Fried fish, Cold cuts, and mixed vegetables, among others. This wonderful meal was then followed by a live demo of Mr. Chan Lim's artistic prowess. In the short span of 15 minutes, he was able to produce two mastercrafted artworks which were: a bamboo grove and a mountainous backdrop. His attention to detail and color were truly manifest when he immediately mixed various colors to produce different hues and tones. I was truly amazed as to his skill, grace, and talent. 

According to Mr. Chan Lim, he started painting when he was 11 years old. At his age, he has already become a master of the art. While he promotes Chinese painting, he claims that he doesn't adhere so much to Feng Shui. However, for the sake of conformity, he still paints certain images and figures as how they are customarily painted. For instance, fish is painted in groups of 9 while birds are painted in fours. He also stated that Chinese painting portrays objects as they are, unlike abstract art. Thus, a viewer can easily know the object that is being painted.

After his live demo, I was able to portray a few images in painting through the skillful help of some of the Chan Lim teachers. I had difficulty portraying the bamboo grove due to my unskilled hands. However, a few tries with the Chinese ink and oil pastel enabled me to create chrysanthemum flowers. Though they don't look like much, I'm still proud of them. 

Chan Lim Family of Artists and Students is located at Pasig City. For more information, you can look at their website at http://www.chanlim.com/

The story in pictures:

The Chan Lim poster

The Lugang Cafe Buffet

Mr. Alex Chan Lim being interviewed by the press

The exhibit made by Mr. Chan Lim's teachers and students

Mr. Chan Lim preparing his work

The finished bamboo grove

Making a mountain backdrop

Mr. Chan Lim proud of his work

My personal work