the "mann" hybrid

there are two "mann" restos in the metro. the first one is mann hann which is a chinese restaurant and the second one is mannang which is a filipino resto owned by the same family.

these restos are usually separate except for the branch in sm moa which has one dining area with two sets of menu. when we had lunch, we only got yang chow from mann hann and the rest was from the mannang menu. here's what we got.

yang chow (195 PHP) - moist fried rice. not as flavorful as others but quite acceptable considering the serving size.

kaldereta (260 PHP) - tender meat but not flavorful enough. doesn't have that homecooked style which has a thick and flavorful sauce.


sweet and sour fish with mango chutney (240 PHP) - a refreshing way to have your sweet and sour fish. a bit too sweet for me but still good.



tofu sisig (120 PHP) - my favorite. the tofu was perfect, smooth texture with a nice fried skin that gives a contrast in textures. the mild sauce didn't overpower the dish. maybe it's just the tofu lover in me but i loved this dish.

spicy chicken (195 PHP) - spicy fried chicken cooked like salt and pepper squid... stir fried chillis and green onions mixed with fried chicken.

a wide array of dishes to choose from traditional to classic dishes with a twist that will cater to everyone.this place is ideal for families or groups who have varying tastes.

mannhann/mannang

sm moa

tagaytay: antonio's

the original antonio's is under renovation so they redirected their clients to breakfast at antonio's. after 4pm, the menu changes to antonio's so be forewarned in case you plan to go there on a whim.

antonio's offers set meals and you can only avail the other items in the menu when you have already chosen your entree in case you decide to still get side orders. the meal includes the house salad, soup, entree, dessert and coffee/tea.

got the chance to go with a bunch of friends so we got to try several entrees and desserts. here are the stuff we got.

bread with balsamic vinegar - toasted french bread with balsamic vinegar.

i actually don't have anything much to say about it. i didn't finish mine but i guess i was just not in the mood to eat any more carbs that time. my friends enjoyed it though.

house salad - mixed greens with walnuts, cranberries, raisins, blue cheese and a vinaigrette.

i liked the thin garlic bread which served as a crouton. the combination of the ingredients is a no miss but i find the vinaigrette a bit sour for my taste and i really don't like the peppery taste of arugula.

soup - creamy soup with peppers and ham

not sure on what the soup is but it's a creamy soup base with peppers and ham. a typical combination but perfectly works well together.

for entrees we had.

antonio's trio (1600 PHP) - beef fillet on plancha with black pepper sauce, prosciutto wrapped herbed chilean sea bass on creamed saffron and chateau potato, honey glazed lambloin gratinated with goat cheese

i deem that this is a straight forward dish as well. beef medallion with a pepper sauce. tender, as what is expected. the sea bass was good according to my friend, i wasn't able to capture the true flavor of the dish but it has a great texture which is expected of sea bass. i didn't try the lamb because lamb is lamb.

grilled lamb cutlets, goat cheese and blueberry compote on mashed potato with lamb jus (1450 PHP)

no complaints on this straight forward dish. the lamb was properly cooked even though my friend said well done they did not cook it through to ensure the tenderness of the meat and he still enjoyed it even if the meat was still pink. the mashed potato was delish.

duck leg confit on garlic gratin potato and pigeon peas with grand marnier beurre blanc (1300 PHP)

i liked this dish. the duck had a perfect crispy skin but the meat was still tender and not dried up, the beurre blanc complemented it well. however, the gratin was way salty. it seemed like the chef added mounds of salt on the potatoes. as for the peas, it was my least favorite.

kurobuta pork belly braised in milk and sage, gratin potato with marsala jus (1200 PHP).

kurobuta is the wagyu of pork so no doubts it will be good. not for people who don't like fat. the huge shiitake mushrooms were good but the gratin, same as the duck confit was utterly salty.

we got several desserts as well.

mint chocolate parfait - my favorite. mint and chocolate goes well together and it doesn't have that rich chocolate flavor which i like.

mango marscarpone ice cream - second favorite. liked eating this after having a bite of the parfait. the creaminess and coldness cuts through the chocolate flavor that lingers in my palate.

pannacotta - plain pannacotta with poppyseed or was it green tea? i wasn't able to figure out what was in it. not as creamy/smooth as i expected it to be.

fechlin chocolate terrine with double cream and roasted pistacchio - ultra rich chocolate. didn't like this one because i don't like chocolate. my friends said if i made sure i had pistacchio, and double cream in one bite it would just be perfect.

the whole dining experience was great but i wasn't impressed with the food. i have such high expectations of the place but it just didn't give me enough reasons to rave about it. it doesn't matter how unique the dish is but how the taste and feel lingers in your palate that you find yourself dreaming about it. unfortunately this experience did not give me that. the ambiance and the whole dining experience might still worth the try so it's really up to you.

antonio's/breakfast at antonios
tagaytay

very good taste’s omnivore’s 100

got tagged by midge to this meme. the omnivore’s 100 list at the very good taste is 100 food items to taste at least once in a lifetime for a foodie. it's interesting so i did it as well. i am not tagging anyone but feel free to be voluntarily tagged and post one yourself. send me back the link so i could visit. here's mine

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue - yes i haven't tried one poor me
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle - i can't remember if i already tried it
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream - it always tastes like medicine to me
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche - went to argentina which is the land of dulce de leche, we always have this as a morning spread for toasts...love it.
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl - had mine at boudin in sf...a classic meal!
33. Salted lassi - is this the same as plain lassi?
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe - had a shooter with absinthe and i forgot the name
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

have a long way to go, most of them are on my to try list already. how about you?

food finds: rice and oats

i saw this in one of sm department store's food section even before vicki belo's billboard came out. i always look out for healthy alternatives to junk food and this oat and rice crispies just piqued my interest.

it's locally made and claims to be uber healthy. just read on the signs...baked...no msg...fiber enriched...

the asparagus flavor was a bit weird at first, but i got used to it. as long as i could have a healthy savory snack then i'd rather take that than having those unhealthy corn and potato chips.

korea garden in jupiter

craving for something that will tickle my taste buds, b and i decided to eat at korea garden. it was lunch time but good thing it was not packed and the parking is not full.

typical of korean restos, you get some freebie appetizers.

my usual korean food fix will always have samgyupsal (295 PHP). thin slices of pork with lettuce leaves and soybean paste. not shown on the pics are the shredded scallions on top which was tossed with some korean spices (they forgot about it and served it afterwards). the pork is too thin for me which basically got overcooked in the hot plate. the quality of lettuce leaves was also a disappointment. small leaves with a lot of spots...organic? probably.

also got nacchi bogum (chilli octopus) 295 PHP. the menu said octopus but i deemed it was squid. nothing spectacular about it. i cannot help but compare it with koreano's. the taste of koreano's was unforgettable that you'll crave for it unlike this one.

also got chap chae (280 PHP), a bit bland or should i say lightly seasoned. but i'd rather have a lightly seasoned jap chae than an overseasoned one that you can barely eat because of the saltiness so this one is ok.

a regular fare. nothing to rave about. by far, i'd have to say koreano pleases me more in terms of taste and value for money.

korea garden

jupiter st. makati

something sweet from the peninsula

my cheesecake lover boss suddenly came to the office with a nice surprise. cheesecake!!! not my favorite plain cheesecake but a fancy one from manila pen. it’s cheesecake with chocolate on the sides and topped with choco garnishes of various forms as seen in the pic, a small slice would suffice with this uber rich creation. the pastries from manila pen are really good and this one just proves it.

manila peninsula

makati ave cor. ayala ave.