miss lamon's top food trips for 2009

posts were very rare in this blog last year, except for some adventures and misadventures around metro manila and in a couple of provinces. food trips were not posted here for lack of time and brain cells (lol) but thank heavens the whirly-girdy of last year has subsided a bit. there are some restos i still intend to write an individual post on but for now, i present my top food trips and discoveries for 2009. listed in no particular order. :)

- creamy chicken crepe served with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables, new horizon hotel. (29 juin 2009). this one is a winner. flavorful creamy chicken wrapped in a delicate crepe AND topped with more creamy sauce. (just the way uh-huh, uh-huh i like it!) the light flavors of the mashed potatoes and steamed veggies complement the dish. this is one of the full-course chef's specials in new horizon; it comes with the soup of the day, potato lyonnaise salad and dessert. all for P295. yeah! ♥ (thanks beng for suggesting the place!)

l-r: royce, calamansi dacquoise, strawberry chantilly. (patisserie caroline, 17 m. paterno st., san juan). these three are just some examples of patisserie caroline's selection of yummy cakes and pastries. they are not too rich and the sweetness is just right, which is why my cousin b and i keep coming back for more when we crave for sweets. patisserie caroline's mini cakes are good for 2 people and at P85 per cake (or higher depending on the type), it's already a steal. :)

fro-yo!!! (any frozen yogurt from californiaberry, white hat, red mango, etc.). whether eaten plain or with toppings, frozen yogurt never fails to delight my palate with its cool tangy-sweet flavor. this is something i treat myself to on rare occasions that i go to the mall.

the next three fotos are from jack's loft. (any branch around the metro: wilson st. greenhills, robinson's galleria, eastwood, tomas morato). known for its delightfully sinful desserts, jack's loft also offers a selection of sandwiches, pastas, entrees, smoothies, etc. twice i've eaten at jack's loft and twice i wasn't disappointed. large servings at affordable prices rank high on my priority list along with great taste, of course.

vegetarian panini. i am not a fan of veggies, but with this one i'll make an exception.

steak and mushroom gravy sandwich. i was quite apprehensive when i ordered it, as it might not meet my expectations. one boo-boo was enough. anyways, i so love this sandwich coz the steak slices that are slathered with rich mushroom gravy are tender and juicy and absolutely have no litid. the side of potato chips are sliced thinly, adding that crunch which complements the sandwich. each bite is relished up to the last.

next two fotos are from max's restaurant. for the longest time the only items i ate at max's were the chicken (of course), lumpiang shanghai and pansit canton. so these next two items are definitely new for my palate. many thanks to my friend M who introduced me to these.

veggie lumpia bites. light, crispy pillows of veggies with mayo mustard dip. again, no fan of veggies here but this dish sure is a fun way to eat my vegetables.

bangus spread with pita chips (31 mai 2009, dimanche). the pate has a nice smokey flavor that will make you come back for more. goes really well with the light, crisp pita chips. winner. winner. winner.


these next two behemoths were featured in my subic road trip post june of last year. both are served in xtremely xpresso which is located in sbma.

big ben pizza. a 22-inch thin crust pizza loaded with sausages, ham, olives, onions, green bell peppers, mushrooms, and cheese :)

ben's delight burger: one kilo of beef patty in a huge bun served simply with lettuce, tomatoes and bacon. for only P280, this burger is really easy on the pocket.

curry siomai, wai ying (benavidez st. binondo, manila). F introduced me to this intriguing combination of fried siomai semi-drowned in rich curry sauce. hmmm, i want some more.

sit-ka-long (sitaw, kalabasa, longganisa), 1521 restaurant (547 shaw boulevard, brgy. wack-wack, mandaluyong city). this is just one of 1521's delectable filipino dishes which are served with a twist. the longganisa which is fried to a crisp gives a new texture to the ginisang kalabasa at sitaw (sauteed squash and string beans). the sauce is thick and rich, with a touch of bagoong.

cheese steak sandwich from a sandwich vendo machine. no joke! it is such a unique way of getting a sandwich, my friends and i got a big kick out of this. imagine, one can now get a sandwich this way. just put in some money in the slots, press the button for the sandwich of your choice, wait for a few minutes, and voila! you got yourself a nice, hot sandwich. who knows, maybe next time there will be a vendo machine that sells sinigang in cups. hahaha.

yummy cake with strawberry and cream filling and buchi with sweet bean filling and topped with desiccated coconut from gduho bakeshop in manila. gduho is a new chinese bakery located in 1113 narra street, manila. just make sure you can speak chinese or you have a chinese speaking friend with you just in case your curiosity is piqued at the items.

soto ayam (makansutra asian food village at manila ocean park). nice refreshing and mildly spicy soup with thick noodles, bean sprouts, shredded chicken and fried potato. garnished with fried garlic, scallions and cilantro leaves. the soup was hot but it became cold quickly due to the noodles which weren't even warm. the flavors are meshed just right, though, and the bean sprouts give a nice crunch to the dish.

happy new year, people! :)