Gratitude: More Than Just A Restaurant

The topic of food and restaurant has swarmed my recent posts. I hope you guys won’t mind if I’ll post another 😀

Because it was my friend Jamie’s birthday, we decided to check out the new restaurant, Gratitude, at The Fort Global City in Taguig. The resto, is owned and managed by Analei and her husband Kahlil who usually leads the meditation group Jaypee and I attend to. We missed the opening but I guess the old adage, “better late than never” applies.

The restaurant, as its name implies is ‘more than just a restaurant’. It offers meditation sessions and counseling. It promotes an individual’s well being being by choosing a life of inner peace and calm through meditation. If you’re interested in any of their courses, feel free to contact Analei by calling (632)519-1725 or sending an e-mail to info@gratitudephils.com. You may also visit the Gratitude website for more info.

The names of the food on the menu are interesting. They’ve brilliantly came up with a name that represents each meal or drinks. Take a look. More pictures on Facebook.

Photography by Jaypee David.

I had so much ‘fun’! Did I just say fun? I don’t normally eat everything on my plate but this time I did! The food was awesome and I’ll surely be back. 🙂

The restaurant is located at Unit 1G, Sapphire Residences Condominium, 2nd Avenue between 30th and 31st Streets, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila.

Chicken soup. Love it.

Banana and Grape Shake

Jamie, the birthday girl, and Jaypee

Read while you wait.

Kaffe Razzo: Redefining Metro Living

Unless you’re a foreigner with your money multiplying up to the 80th power and can buy a soul for a dollar or euro, the word “Manila” elicits one to conjure up thought of incredibly high prices for regular commodities such as food, transportation, etc. While I lament in full bitterness about the rising cost of living in the metro, the opening of this restaurant in Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City where super cheap are food offered that even a beggar could afford comes like a refreshing aroma of plants and trees with all their dews falling on the ground during a sunrise. The name of the restaurant is Kaffe Razzo.

I feel honored to be part of the restaurant’s soft opening. The owner’s generosity to starving bloggers is inspiring. In seconds, the food cooked that were supposed to serve a hundred visitors were gormandized by 10 bloggers.

Kuya Edsel and I

Kidding aside, Kaffe Razzo is one of the few restaurants in Manila offering good food in a lower price. Nowadays, seldom you would find restaurants like this in Manila’s hungry economy. Imagine ordering a bowl of Mongolian rice filled with sea food and chicken meat for PhP65 (approx USD$1.44) and a cup of super rich mocha-latte coffee for the same price. Now, Starbucks has got to decide on lowering its coffee prices hehe!

Let me share some of the cool pictures taken during the event. I respect copyright. These pictures aren’t mine. They are mostly from Henry Allen Yu, Antonio Magno Carranza, Jr., and Jaypee David.

Sisig

Mongolian Rice

Kuya Edsel and I

Pier 1 Society

Proper posture when drinking coffee

Greek No More: Cyma Greek Estiatorio Greenbelt

Julius Mariano, Jaypee David and Jaimee Susara at Cyma Greek Estiatorio Greenbelt

Greeks are Greek! Well, to experience what it feels like to have a Greek tongue, I tried out a Greek restaurant in Greenbelt, Makati. I had a couple of authentic Greek food mainly soup, salad, and pasta and a little of a traditional somewhat like a Shawarma (they call it Chicken Gyros). We had Saganaki Mozarella which was so good! Kakavia (the soup), Chicken Gyros, and Roka Pasta which I didn’t find attractive.

Talking about the Roka Salata at Cyma Greek Estiatorio Greenbelt was the best I’ve ever tasted! Believe me. I’ll definitely come back! The salad has fresh Romaine (I think Dole has it), arugula, candied walnuts (delicious!), sundried tomatoes (super delicious, too! I thought they’re prunes or raisins), with shaved parmesan. The sour taste is the authentic Greek vinaigrette used in it. Whoa! Super! The world is blessed with good cook and they’re at Cyma!

Let some of the pictures Jaypee and I took while eating.

Cyma Greek Estiatorio Greenbelt

Roka Pasta at Cyma Greek Estiatorio Greenbelt

Kakavia at Cyma Greek Estiatorio Greenbelt

Bread of Saganaki Mozarella

The mozzarella has wine in it I think. The waiters will burn it in front of your face lol and shout OPA!!! I got scared really.

Roka Salata at Cyma Greek Estiatorio Greenbelt

Watermelon Shake and Melon Shake

Chicken Gyros at Cyma Greek Estiatorio Greenbelt

The Best Paella is at Casino Español de Manila

In the past, I shared with you about my plans of going to Spain, hence, my studying in Spanish language, culture, and arts at Instituto Cervantes de Manila. Part of the topics we discuss on a daily basis in class is, of course, Spanish food! Now, when it comes to Spanish food, paella occupies the bulk of the discussion.

My teacher said that among all the restaurants she went to in the Philippines, the best paella she have ever tasted is the one at Casino Español de Manila. Before we ended our Spanish Level 2 Class last Thursday, she promised to bring us there; its just right beside the school and is considered as an international territory or technically territory of Spain.

I think I was in cloud 9 when I was eating paella at the Casino. It was the best I’ve ever tasted! Now I can call someone a cook! ¡Es muy sabrosa! Too bad, the restaurant inside the Casino Español de Manila is not open for everyone since its only for membership basis and for people working and studying at Instituto Cervantes de Manila. Let me share some of the pictures I took!

I don’t mind you using the pictures, but, please, give me some sort of credit when you do. Thanks!

I invite you to visit Casino Español de Manila to play casino games and receive casino bonus and play with the elites.

Spanish Tortilla

'Paella Mixta', Mixed Paella

'Paella Mixta', Mixed Paella

Love Monica’s Paella

I just got home from a dinner date with a friend who used to work at the company I used to work with, too (I hope I have successfully confused you).

You see, she now works on a different company and she never stopped telling me good things about this company in Clarkfield so I thought this would the best alternative to seclusion in the years to come. She asked me to drop by (their house) after learning that I already resigned from my “previous” company and now living a secluded life in my apartment.

I kinda love the kind of lifestyle I’m living – less money, less worries, simple life like the back-to-basic stuff, and all. After 8 years of being a corporate slave, I think that I am ready for a one year sabbatical leave. I am starting to realize just how much time I have literally lost just by working non-stop for the past 8 years. I missed my friends and family; I’m catching up just now.

The local paella Monica, my friend, cooked for me was awesome! I ate half of the 7-serving on platter! It was humiliating but she was just laughing while seeing me gormandize the food. Good food + real friends = heaven.

Krispy Kreme Donut Delight!

I was born with a sweet tooth, so its but normal to see our house full of candies, pastries, donut, cakes, etc. I don’t eat a lot of them knowing that diabetes is the number one killer disease in the Philippines but I eat “just right” to the point of satisfying my palate of my inner craving. I had to pause for a few hours after a hard-core work on the capiz craft I was working on and headed to KK to much some of their premium donuts.

I somewhat enjoy the life I am living right now; I may not have all the money I get from my previous work, but its less stressful and I am beginning to rediscover the “true” friends I failed to meet up and talked to for a very long time. These are the same people who showed up and helped when my family was on a very difficult financial situation. Sadly, there are some people whom you call friends but never really care about you and even compete with you when you don’t even give a damn what they’re competing about with you and still have the guts to call you friends anyway.

Human nature as they say, but leaving the work I used to love has opened up a lot of opportunities for me and rediscovered some of the things I missed for the past seven years. It helped me become more forgiving of the people who wronged me and appreciate them for the lessons they gave me while I was still with them. This Krispy Kreme donut helped me reminisce some sweet memories of my younger years. I am not sure what do these donuts have in them that makes me do just that.

Anyway, I had Caramel Apple Pie and New York Cheesecake at KK. The latter is the best. It tastes like an orange marmalade except that its classy and more creamy; it doesn’t get any better than that! The caramel apple pie is just OK, but I didn’t feel the urge to “want” it again though. Well, its just me. Having eaten other donuts brands before, I think Krispy Kreme really set the bar of donut-making several notch up.

Krispy Kreme's Caramel Apple Pie

Krispy Kreme's New York Cheesecake

Perfect Recipe for Soup in Bread “Bread”

Most of us leave the “bread” behind in a restaurant when we order soup in bread. Well, I don’t! I take it home to create my favorite garlic bread. 🙂

Soup in Bread at French Baker

In times like this when money is tight, we have to be a bit ingenious in food left overs. As long as its still clean, we can modify the food and transform it to another food delight! I know it sounds ewwy. But its OK! Just don’t offer or share it to anyone. When they ask where you bought it, don’t tell them! Hence, they might find out that its where all your saliva went when you’re eating your fave soup in bread LOL!

Here, I simmered butter and added basil leaves and nutmeg. I spread it on the bread scrap. I topped it with chicken spread which I made myself a few hours ago. I put McCormick garlic powder on top and toast them to perfection. Voila! A delicious afternoon snack! =)

Garlic Bread with Chicken Spread on Top

Its Time for Some Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Juice!

When was the last time you ate fruits or vegetables? As for me, I don’t eat it, I drink it! Here’s a processed fresh fruit and vegetable juice I do on a daily basis. Mom has gotten sick so I have to make sure she’s getting all the nutrients she needs while she’s on medication. I believe in the healing power of fruits and vegetables, thus, this fruggies (my own term of fruit and vegetable delight!).

This fruggies contains banana, carrot, a  bit of cucumber, watermelon, grapes, apples, and papaya.

Mixed Fruits and Vegetable Shake

The product : ) Don't worry, it tastes good.