You are here: Home / Archives for nikkasarthou

BUMBLE TEA: The Milk Tea Buzz (OAP)

May 16, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in OurAwesomePlanet.com and Mercato Centrale last April 26, 2013)

The milk tea trend has been around for quite some time now and it looks like it is here to stay, especially with the summer season at its peak. This hot weather calls for refreshing beverages to cool you down and milk tea is a good choice. It is really my preferred drink, as I am more of a tea person rather than coffee.

There are lots of milk tea brands out there but not all are created equal. What I like about Bumble Tea Place in is that it offers a wide range of beverage choices, and it also customizes sugar levels, which I really appreciate because I’m not too fond of overly sweet drinks. Customers may choose if they want 100% sugar content in their drinks, or none at all. Although it takes an extra step before you can get a hold of your drink, it is worth your time so you can alter the tea according to your taste.

The Bumble Tea Place is actually an offshoot of one of Mia Espiritu’s subjects during her grad school days. “I left the corporate world so I can focus on my studies, but I wanted to still have a source of income.” Mia conceptualized different food concepts and tried it out in various bazaars all over the metro, but it was the milk tea that turned out to be the most successful. In 2011, she decided to focus solely on milk tea and pitched the idea to Mercato Centrale. Since March 2011, she has been in the milk tea business, in which she offers around 30 flavors.

Although the milk tea is a Taiwanese concept, Mia tweaked it a bit to make it more appealing to the Filipino palate. The Winter Melon Milk Tea with 100% sugar, for instance, would appeal to the sweet Pinoy taste. Add some pearls to it and it becomes a bestseller. I also like the coffee jelly add-ons, which gives more flavor and texture to the drink. Aside from the milk teas, I also like the juice blends. I sampled the Peppermint Lemon Green Tea that had a floral taste. It was light and it definitely quenched my thirst. Other must-tries are the Sweet Black Milk Tea and Dark Chocolate Rock Salt and Cheese.

Milk teas are made more fun with add-ons like pearls, coffee jelly, and flavored nata, which The Bumble Tea Place offers as well.

I could use some milk tea now, in fact, as the hot summer sun continues to intensify.

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , ,

MACHEESEMO: Cheese Stuffed Burger Goodness! (OAP)

May 13, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in OurAwesomePlanet.com and Mercato Centrale last April 23, 2013)

What product first comes to mind when you hear fast-food joint? For me, it’s the burger. I noticed though that this fast-food favorite has gone gourmet now. I’ve been seeing more creative burger concoctions in high-end establishments that elevate the ordinary meat sandwich—and its price as well.

But I recently discovered an affordable gourmet burger stall in Cucina Andare—Macheesemo Burgers. The name itself sounds like a guy brand but it’s the “cheese” that got to me. Apparently, my favorite dairy product is incorporated in all the variants of Macheesemo Burgers, which specializes in cheese-stuffed burgers that have no extenders and fillers.

Patrick Santos is the brain behind Macheesemo Burgers. It is his love for food that motivated him to venture into his first food business. He has been passionate about food ever since he was in high school. Although he doesn’t have any culinary background, he watches a lot of food shows and reads a lot of related magazines, which are his sources of inspiration. He also has plenty of friends in the culinary industry who encourage him and his passion.

Patrick’s burger business started in Mezza Norte last July 2012, and it has hardly been a year when he expanded to the other Mercato weekend market locations. Macheesemo Burgers offers its homemade pure beef cheese-stuffed burgers in Cucina Andare now, and the Classic variant, which comes with lettuce, tomato and onions, is reasonably priced at P130.

Other variants are the Melt (with bacon, mushroom and additional cheese), Philly (with cheesesteak inspired flavors, grilled onion and bell peppers), Blue (with blue cheese stuffing), and Hell (with jalapeños, habanero sauce and additional cheese). The Hell burger is the most expensive thing on the menu at P195, but it’s still affordable compared to other gourmet burgers. Faith Santos, who helps with the business, says that the Hell burger is, “Spicy. It stings but it doesn’t last.”

The burger brand attracts those with manly appetites—whether guy or girl. I think it’s the secret seasoning—aside from the cheese—that makes these burgers stand out.

As of now, I’m still trying to get the courage to try the Hell burger, but until then, I’m happy with the yummy blue cheese burger.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , , ,

RICE POTS: The Real Fried Rice Stuff! (OAP)

May 11, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in OurAwesomePlanet.com and Mercato Centrale last April 19, 2013)

If there’s one thing that Filipinos can’t live without, it’s rice. It is a staple food in all our meals—be it for breakfast in the morning or as a midnight snack. It comes as no surprise that Peter Garcia and Joy Kim created Rice Pots, which offers Asian-inspired freshly cooked fried rice.

This stall in Mercato Centrale is actually an offshoot of an existing food business, which the two foodies created because of their want for something different. Peter shares, “Filipinos love rice. Why not make different kinds of Asian fried rice?” And Rice Pots was born in 2011.

Its first branch is a full-blown restaurant located in the southern part of the metro, and it was around six months into it when they joined the Mercato group. Rice Pots is the pioneer in real fried rice—not those instant ones that are just flavored with seasonings.

Their Adobo Fried Rice, for instance, involves cooking the actual adobo viand and incorporating it in the rice. It’s like a meal in itself. But since Filipinos love rice toppings, Rice Pots also offers add-ons like small dimsum, hainanese chicken, and lechon macau that is pugon-roasted, woody and smoked (a bestseller).

Peter and Joy were classmates in UP Hotel and Restaurant Administration and have common interests as well. “We love dining out, we love food, and we love to cook.” According to Peter, “Joy is the innovator. She’s a very good cook. She’s more into cooking and more creative.”

The duo dishes up a number of rice variants inspired by the different regions of Asia, and the specialties are the Adobo Fried Rice, BBQ Fried Rice, and Yang Chow Fried Rice. Each serving is good for approximately two to three persons. I especially like the adobo, which had bits and pieces of the pork and lots of garlic. Its garlicky aroma adds more to the appeal as well.

From time to time, the duo comes up with different inventions. “Since everyone is into Korean, we will be having our own take on omu rice (omelet rice) with a twist.” Instead of the egg being incorporated in the fried rice, the rice will be wrapped in the egg.

I’ll definitely look forward to that since I’m a fan of Korean food, too.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , ,

AUNTIE MAY’S: U.S Beef Tapa, Angus Beef Salpicao and Home Cooked Meals (OAP)

May 8, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in OurAwesomePlanet.com and Mercato Centrale last April 16, 2013)

Living a fast-paced lifestyle can burn you out and you need all the help you can get to keep up. Though convenient, eating fast-food would be an easy option but not necessarily a healthy one. A good alternative is to look for other “instant” food that would satisfy your hunger for filling and healthy meals. Mercato Centrale’s Auntie May’s definitely fits the bill.

Its specialty is U.S. Beef Tapa, thinly sliced imported beef in a special marinade. It is served with a cup of garlic rice and sunny side up egg—a classic Filipino dish. The best thing about it is that you can bring home a pack and cook it yourself. Auntie May’s offers pre-packed tapa that comes in a microwavable container with six servings inside it. Since the beef slices are thin, there is no need to thaw before cooking. You can get it from the freezer and put it straight in a hot pan. Tapa couldn’t be more instant than that! Auntie May’s also has a guide on how to cook the tapa to get a good eating experience.

Tapsilog is actually one of my favorite breakfast meals and Auntie May’s version doesn’t disappoint.

I like how the tapa is very flavorful and easy-to-eat. The basic recipe came from her mother-in-law, which she modified a bit to make it more accepted by the general public.

Another bestseller is the Angus Beef Salpicao, certified Angus Beef that is cubed and cooked with lots of minced garlic and their secret seasoning, which is served on top of garlic fried rice. The salpicao was a pleasure to eat as well because the meat was tender and juicy. I was surprised to find out that this was Auntie May’s first foray into the food industry. “To be honest, I cook a lot but this is my very first [business] venture in food. We are kitchen people—my family and siblings. We are very fortunate because my mom really trained us. Sinanay niya kami sa kusina.”

All the raw meat they use are also being sold in their home-based deli where they offer a myriad of marinated meat and other products, including their original specialty, gourmet bagoong. “The name Auntie May’s stemmed about when we started selling bagoong because we had to identify it. We started it because of the demand of our friends.” The husband-and-wife team would make their own bagoong from scratch and give it to their friends as gifts. The business evolved from there— 20 years ago.

It was during the third Ultimate Taste Test when they let the public sample their cooking that they decided to go into the food business. “We do not scrimp on the ingredients just to be able to make it affordable to everyone. We choose the dish first then buy quality ingredients, do food tasting, do our costings and if we feel it will be reasonable and attractive to the consumers, we introduce the product and sell.”

Get a taste of Auntie May’s cooking in Mercato Centrale or head to her little deli and grab some of her specialty products.

 

 

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , , , ,

Portuguese on a plate at O’sonho (GMA News Online)

May 6, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in GMA News Online last April 18, 2013)

I’m happy that my adventurous palate takes me around the world. I recently revisited Portugal via O’sonho (oh-son-nyo), a fusion restobar at the heart of the metro.

Many Filipinos are not familiar with Portuguese cuisine, but know the more common—and similar—Spanish cuisine. What differentiates Portuguese from Spanish cuisine is basically the spices used in cooking. You’d know it once you get a taste of it.

Upon entering the restaurant, I felt at ease with the spacious interiors and comfortable seats. The décor had splashes of gray, yellow, and orange. One wall even had a mural artwork of the map of Portugal and a ship, to boot.

The restaurant’s hanging lights provided dramatic atmosphere and added to the warm ambience. It got me in the mood to eat.

Portugal via peri peri

Along with my husband, who likes trying new things as well, I indulged in a feast of Portuguese flavors. To whet our tastes, we ordered an appetizer called Portuguese Chourico (P260 solo, P440 for sharing), a staple food and a popular sausage in Portugal.

The sausage had a particular blend of spices that gave it a piquant taste. O’sonho makes their sausages from scratch, and it is cooked in olive oil and served with toasted pita bread. We devoured it down to the last morsel—even the bits of sausage left in the crimson colored oil was tasty. We were definitely off to a good start.

 

<Read the rest of the article HERE.>

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , , , , ,

OLVERA’S: Authentic Home Cooked Mexican Cuisine (OAP)

May 3, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in OurAwesomePlanet.com and Mercato Centrale last April 11, 2013)

The thing about food trends is that they come and go, but it’s different when it’s the real deal. There’s nothing more genuine than Olvera’s Authentic Mexican Grill in Mercato Centrale. For one thing, is owned by a native of Mexico City, Sergio Perez, who decided to use the surname of his mother, Olvera.

Sergio came to the Philippines four years ago for a vacation. Upon his arrival, he discovered that there were hardly any restaurants serving food that he grew up with so he decided to do something. It was only around two years ago when he put up his own stall that serves select Mexican specialties.

One of his offerings is the burrito, which is a soft tortilla wrap that is typically filled with your choice of meat and rice. Olvera’s gives its diners meat choices to choose from—pollo (chicken), carne asada (beef) and lengua (ox tongue). It is best eaten when dipped in a spicy salsa, which Olvera’s creates from scratch.

The burrito is jampacked and can be eaten to share—depending on how big is your appetite. I like how the filling and salsa create explosive piquant flavors when you bite into the burrito. And the cilantro herbs give a different taste component. It is definitely not altered for the local palate (Filipinos are known to prefer mild and sweet flavors), so prepare your taste buds for some heat. I discovered the Sergio imports some ingredients—including chilies—so he can get closer to the real flavors of Mexico. “I can give the Mexican touch to the burritos.”

Another specialty of Olvera’s is the street tacos. If the Philippines has its fishballs, Mexico has its street tacos, which you can find in almost every street corner there. This taco version has a soft tortilla, which I actually find easier to eat. The hard one breaks easily while the soft taco is more pliable and chewy. It comes with the same choice of meats, onions, salsa, cilantro and a squeeze of lime. Cilantro is an integral part of Mexican cuisine so diners better be aware of it. It think it is somewhat an acquired taste since it has a very distinct and strong flavor.

For those looking for some crunch, try the classic nachos or the flautas, which are rolled chicken taquitos topped with shreds of lettuce, sour cream and salsa. In fact, all of Olvera’s offerings are served with fresh salsa.

No need to get on a plane and head to Mexico anymore since you can get authentic Mexican cuisine right in heart of the metro.

 

OLVERA’S AUTHENTIC MEXICAN GRILL

Mobile number: (+63 917) 828-9396

Email: pdealba.perez@gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Olveras-Authentic-Mexican-Grill/173998512670600?ref=ts&fref=ts

 

Available at Midnight Mercato

 

MIDNIGHT MERCATO

Address: Corner of 34th & 8th avenue (near MC Home Depot), BGC ,Taguig

Mobile number: (+63 917) 840-1152

Email: admin@mercatocentrale.ph or mercatocentraleph@gmail.com

Operating hours: Every Friday and Saturday, 10pm-3am

 

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

A taste of France in Le Petit Chéri (GMA News Online)

May 1, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in GMA News Online last April 7, 2013)

Paris is almost everyone’s dream destination, but if you can’t fly there to see the famed Eiffel Tower and get a taste of authentic French cuisine, just head to Le Petit Chéri for the next best thing. This new cafe-restaurant makes you feel like you are in a Parisian café without actually leaving the metro.

The spacious interiors of the restaurant are elegantly decorated with artworks and mementos that will remind you of the City of Lights. There are miniature Eiffel Tower souvenirs and other similar novelty items on display. The stylish restaurant servers even wear berets, which complete the effect. Apart from the lovely ambience, what makes this place a must-visit is the food.

Le Petit Chéri is actually the first food business venture of Edna Cureg. She and her husband have a printing business but they were inspired to put up this concept restaurant during their travels abroad. “We visited [Paris] twice and we fell in love with France. It was such a good experience. We thought of bringing home the experience.” According to Cureg, “[It is a] chance to share the experience with customers.”

It’s teatime!

Le Petit Chéri is a nice venue for some afternoon tea as well as coffee meet-ups. Its “Classic Afternoon Tea” offers a selection of gourmet hors d’oeuvres, finger sandwiches and homemade petit fours along with fragrant teas. But for those who prefer a simple cup of tea, try to get a table in the mezzanine, which has a display shelf with an interesting selection of books. Best to grab a nice read to keep you company while you sip tea or a frothy cappuccino. For those who want a caffeine-free drink, there’s always hot chocolate. This sweet beverage is served with some whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa powder, and it comes with a cookie on the side.

 

<Read the rest of the article HERE.>

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , ,

JOHNNY STEAMS: Yankee Steamed Burger with Peanut Butter, Crispy Bacon and Oozing Mozzarella Cheese (OAP)

April 29, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in OurAwesomePlanet.com and Mercato Centrale last April 9, 2013; Photo from Johnny Steams)

A fast-food bestseller, the burger is almost always present in diners and comfort food joints. In fact, the simple hamburger can be found in many street corners in the country. Even if the Philippines is an Asian country, locals have come to love this Western favorite as well. There are different kinds of burgers out there that range from the ordinary to the more gourmet. But have you ever tried a steamed burger?

It is not your average burger as it is cooked in a custom-made steamer that contains small trays, which hold either an individual hamburger or a chunk of cheese to be melted. In this cooking process, the meat is scooped onto a sesame seed bun and then the melted cheese is poured over the meat. Customary toppings are added after that. Steamed burgers are a healthier alternative because of its cooking method.

If there’s one place you should try a steamed burger, it is Johnny Steams in Midnight Mercato.

Proprietor John Mark Ongsiaco started this business because his family has been into the food business for more than 50 years already. “Since I already have the foundation for the industry, I took advantage of creating my own business,” shares John. “Our burgers are steamed, have less fat, less grease, but still juicy without compromising the taste and beefy-ness of the burger.”

Johnny Steams has been around since November 2010 and has been offering variants like JM’s Burger (regular steamed burger) and the Chili Cheese Burger (with homemade chili, jalapenos and mozzarella cheese). The must-try though is the Yankee Burger with add-ons like peanut butter, crispy bacon and oozing mozzarella cheese. Another bestseller is the Bacon Mushroom Melt. I agree, anything tastes better with bacon!

John is happy to share that some of his customers are already steamed-burger converts. “We continue to innovate and expand our menu. We also listen to our customers and feedback to know what they’re looking for. Quality is always our first priority.” This young entrepreneur had a day job before but is now full-time in the business. He does everything himself—from the inventory, to the marketing, quality control, and even manning the stall.

Who knows? Next time you visit the midnight market, you just might catch him behind the grill—er, steamer.

JOHNNY STEAMS
Email: johnnysteams@yahoo.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/johnnysteams
Twitter: @johnnysteams

Available at Midnight Mercato:

MIDNIGHT MERCATO
Address: Corner of 34th & 8th avenue (near MC Home Depot), BGC Taguig
Mobile number: (+63 917) 840-1152
Email: admin@mercatocentrale.ph or mercatocentraleph@gmail.com
Operating hours: Every Friday and Saturday, 10pm-3am

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , , ,

WRAP BATTLE: The Pita Wrap of the Filipinos (OAP)

April 24, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in OurAwesomePlanet.com and Mercato Centrale last April 5, 2013)

Sometimes, inspiration strikes in the most unusual circumstances. For Paul Wenceslao, it happened during one of his coffee breaks. He let the idea of putting up a food business brew until he found the perfect product—pita wraps. There are only a handful of stalls that solely offer wraps so he thought of bringing it to Mercato Centrale. And that was where Wrap Battle was born.

In the midnight market, he entices foodies with his creative concoctions. He currently has seven varieties and one of his bestsellers is the Beef Nacho Wrap. Those who enjoy eating nachos and dip would love this. It’s pita filled with spicy beef, nacho cheese sauce, tomatoes, onions and crushed tortilla chips. It’s crunchy, tasty and it’s a fun way of eating nachos.

Another favorite is the Chicken Pesto, a pita wrap with spiced chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, cheese and homemade pesto sauce. It is comes with either mayonnaise or a sour cream sauce. The mayo gives a fuller flavor to the wrap while the sour cream highlights the flavor of the pesto. The aromatic basil pesto is what makes this wrap my favorite—so far.

It’s a good thing that Paul is a serious coffee drinker since he gets his best ideas with a dose of caffeine. A cup of coffee would actually go well with his other wrap creation, Bacon and Egg, which reminds me of my favorite meal of the day—breakfast. This classic combination is a very comfortable choice and delicious as well. Of course! How can you go wrong with bacon? Add scrambled egg to it, some cheese, greens and mayo, and it is already a complete meal that you can eat while on the go.

It has been over a year now since he launched Wrap Battle and Paul continues with his wrap innovations. “The Greeks have the gyro, Mexicans have the burrito, and the Mediterranean guys have the shawarma. Why not Filipinos?” He is working on a new variant, the Adobo Wrap. It would be exciting to see Wrap Battle’s version of the traditional Filipino dish wrapped in pita. I wonder if it will replace my favorite wrap… I guess I will just have to taste and see.

 

WRAP BATTLE
Email: wrapbattle@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/wrapbattle

Available at Midnight Mercato and Cucina Andare:

MIDNIGHT MERCATO
Address: Corner of 34th & 8th avenue (near MC Home Depot), BGC Taguig
Mobile number: (+63 917) 840-1152
Email: admin@mercatocentrale.ph or mercatocentraleph@gmail.com
Operating hours: Every Friday and Saturday, 10pm-3am

CUCINA ANDARE
Address: Glorietta 3 Park, Makati (in front of Makati Shangri-La)
Mobile number: (+63 917) 840-1152
Email: admin@cucinaandare.com
Operating hours: Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, 4pm-3am

 

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , , ,

MERRY MOO: One of the Best Artisan Ice Creams in Manila (OAP)

April 19, 2013 By nikkasarthou Leave a Comment

(This feature was published in OurAwesomePlanet.com and Mercato Centrale last March 2013)

What if you mix a passion for food and travel? You get some sort of inspiration just like Kelvin Ngo, founder of Merry Moo. For those in the know, Merry Moo is an artisanal ice cream brand that creates fun, fresh and delicious ice cream. It is made with non-Ultra Heat Treated dairy and local ingredients, whenever possible. Aside from the quality of freshness, what makes the brand stand out from all the rest is its unique flavors that would excite any palate.

Kelvin’s ice cream journey began in Singapore when he visited an ice cream parlor that offered a plethora of flavors such as durian, teh tarik, Horlicks, and more. He liked the idea so much that he thought of doing something similar in Manila. It didn’t happen overnight though; in fact, it took him around two years to experiment with ice cream making. At first, it was more like a hobby for him. He bought books and experimented with flavors at home. He would let his family and friends taste his cool creations until he thought of joining the Ultimate Test Taste (UTT) in 2010—his first exposure to the public.

The reception after the UTT was good so he also explored the idea of joining Mercato Centrale after. There he serves interesting flavors such as Earl Grey Tea, Strawberry Basil, and Sea Salt Caramel (bestseller), among others. For his concoctions, he gets inspirations from his travels abroad, books, television, as well as from his friends who are happy to suggest ideas.

Kelvin experiments with different tastes, and recently, he even dared to make a flavor using Chinese pork jerky and hoisin sauce—just in time for the Chinese New Year. “Part of the fun of making ice cream,” according to Kelvin, “is it’s such a versatile product. You can really put a lot of different types of flavors and it can just absorb it easily—just like tofu.” Kelvin is actually more into savory flavors, which is why he infuses it into his homemade ice cream.

If savory refers to flavors like Sea Salt Caramel then I would gladly be a convert. I confess, I have a sweet tooth and would be happy with a simple caramel ice cream, but Merry Moo’s bestselling flavor has the perfect sweet and salty balance that made me crave for more.

Merry Moo is going on three years now and Kelvin plans to continue to grow with the Mercato group and still cater to parties. This self-proclaimed Chief Ice Cream Officer dreams of putting up his own stall someday.

I would gladly fall in line for more fresh ice cream. Hold the hoisin sauce, please.

MERRY MOO

Telephone number: (+632) 634-4487

Mobile number: (+63 917) 528-9590

Email: merrymoo@ymail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/merry.moo1

 

Available at Midnight Mercato

 

MIDNIGHT MERCATO

Address: Corner of 34th & 8th avenue (near MC Home Depot), BGC ,Taguig

Mobile number: (+63 917) 840-1152

Email: admin@mercatocentrale.ph or mercatocentraleph@gmail.com

Operating hours: Every Friday and Saturday, 10pm-3am

 

DISTRITO MAKATI NIGHT MARKET

Address: Makati Medical Center, Ayala Avenue, Makati City

Operating hours: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, 9pm-3am

 

SALCEDO MARKET

Address: Salcedo Park, Salcedo Village, Makati City

Operating hours: Every Saturday, 7am-2pm

 

ECHOstore

Address: G/F Serendra Piazza, McKinley Parkway, BGC, Taguig

Telephone number:  (+632) 901-3485

 

 

Filed Under: Food & Travel Tagged With: , , ,
« Older Posts