Gege Cruz Sugue

Unit 207 Intrepid Plaza E. Rodriguez Ave.,Libis, Quezon City

Don’t you hate it when you try out a restaurant, like it, come back after a few months and find that the servings are slightly smaller, and then come back after a few more months, and the quality has deteriorated? Such is such a familiar story in the country’s restaurant industry.

That is NOT the story of this entry.

What I love about Omakase is the consistency. It is consistently good even if your visits are months apart. The other great thing is the price. If you come as a group, you get scrumptious Japanese for pretty reasonable prices. It can get expensive if there are only two of you trying several dishes.

With novelty makis like Jurassic (ebi, tempura, kani, ebiko, salmon), Dynamite (unagi, tempura, scallop), American Dream (deep fried sushi, salmon, kani, cream cheese), and Gyu Chisu (cheese wrapped in beef), Omakase might not satisfy the authentic Japanese food purists. But for those easier to please like me, the unique twists are what make this restaurant’s take on Japanese food so interesting and enjoyable. Try their Tofu Steak, which is also different from the usual; instead of mixing chopped beef with cubed tofu, this one wraps the tofu in beef. There is nothing unusual about my favorite — the grilled unagi; I guess when you’re having eel, keeping it familiar lessens the apprehension for the first time eel eater. Don’t worry, it takes like fish; very tasty and tender fish.

The only thing that ruined an otherwise perfect lunch was that their American Express machine was down that day we went, and has been down for 3 days they said.

Parking could be a problem on some weekends. But that Saturday, we were able to find spots in the basement.

The other sweet perk is being able to visit Booktopia while digesting and burping the satisfying meal.

A Japanese restaurant worth going back to. Predictably good every visit.

221-E Katipunan Ave. Q.C. and 668 Beacon Plaza Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City

Remember when Burger Machine was all new way back in the 80s? And it offered a refreshing new take on burger flavors? King’s Kebab pretty much offers the same kind of alternative to today’s shawarma eaters. If you’re looking for that authentic shawarma experience with the middle eastern tickle-your-nose aroma and burn-your-tongue spicy flavors, then go to RA Salas in Ermita. Here at Katipunan, you will, instead, get a Filipinized version with a cold slaw like topping, that’s perfectly refreshing in the summer heat.

And they offer much more than just shawarma, of course. The kebabs – chicken, beef, pork – can be had as part of a meal with basmati rice and condiments,

or as wraps. They also have a sampler platter if you can’t decide which meat to kebab. You will enjoy the pita bread with hummus and moutabal. All of these at close to street food pricing so you can pig out without breaking a sweat.

If you do like sweating it out, you can opt for open air dining at the ground level which offers a free whiff of the grilling and Katipunan air. For those who’d like to stay cool, go to the second floor where it’s air-conditioned, cozy, and the walls and lighting give a warm, rosy cast to your complexion. Huh? Just ring the bell for service.

Katipunan Ave.

Apparently, I’m the only person in the metropolis who has not had any of the banacoffee desserts available in different versions at different dessert restaurants. And since I am not fond of bananas in my dessert, and since I have declared a semi-permanent abstinence from all things with non-fruit sugar, then it will probably remain that way.And here is the rest of it.

It’s a good thing Banapple offers several non-banana dessert options. With the kebabs and shawarmas from nearby King’s Kebab still occupying space in our tummies, we only ordered two desserts to share among the four of us — caramel cheesecake and apple pie. The caramel cheesecake looked deadly, and the caramel topping was just as sweet as I was afraid it was going to be. To counterbalance it is the the cheesecake center, which was divine. It’s just the right consistency, not too airy and not too dense. I could confidently say that this is one of the best cheesecakes in the metro. The apple pie does not look nor taste like the typical apple pie; very intriguingly delicious.

If I weren’t on my sugar fast (insert sad face), I would definitely come back to this place to try the other desserts. But maybe this review will make you want to try it out yourself and I’ll just have their pies vicariously through you.

1 Ba Trieu (pronounced Ba Tiow) Hanoi

Fusion of Chinese, Vietnamese, European cuisine. Tops in ambience. Location’s great; right across Hoan Kiem Lake. And if internationally acclaimed chef Bobby Chinn’s around, he will regale you with amusing anecdotes. I particularly love the ceviches, the lamb, and the dessert sampler, but I don’t think they serve anything bad there at all. After dinner, and you’re still keen on satisfying your sweet tooth, you have 2 options. You can turn left then right at the corner and walk over to Fanny Ice Cream Place to people watch, and have ice cream of course. Or you can turn left towards Trang Tien (Chang Tien) street and go to the kem place (kem is Vietnamese for ice cream) where they serve popsicle type ice cream. The rice ice cream is yummy. I know, you wouldn’t think rice ice cream could be good. If you’ve had enough sweets, you can cross over to the Highlands Coffee place by the lake. If you want to burn calories dancing, you can walk along Trang Thi where you will find Century Disco to your right. A bit too wild and carnal for me, but it’s a place to see Hanoi’s version of the nightlife. Okay, that’s more than 2 options.

14 Cha Ca, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi

The Hanoi experience would be incomplete if you didn’t try this restaurant. It claims to be the oldest restaurant in Vietnam, with a romantic history of how the dish and the restaurant came about. No language issues here, for they serve only one dish. You just sit down, and then they serve various bowls in front of you, plus a charcoal cooker with a pan of fish fried right there on your table. Make sure they serve the nam tom, which is their version of the bagoong. How to eat? Take your cue from the locals, and copy what they do. But in case you need further instructions, follow this:

1. Take some of the dill and various leaves and put them into the pan to be sautéed along with the fish. Do not include the mint and basil (served in a separate bowl); those will be used later. Let the dill cook for about 55 seconds; not overcooked, just enough for it to absorb and flavor the oil and fish.
2. In your bowl, put in the glass noodles first. Then on top of that you add the fish. Forget healthy eating. Slather the turmeric-laden oil onto the noodles.
3. Add the mint and/or basil.
4. Add the nom tam.
5. Top with nuts.
6. Goes great with cold local beer; Halida’s okay.
7. After dinner, cross over to BAGUETTE AU CHOCOLAT (11 Cha Ca), where they serve great pastries. Make sure you request a table at the 2nd floor where the lounge chairs are more comfortable. A window seat gives you a view of the hubbub on the street.

This is a five star experience from me, all based solely on the food. Don’t expect five-star ambience. People just throw stuff on the floor here. And I’ve never dared to try the restroom.

I’m still looking for my Hanoi images. In the meantime, I stole this image from: http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-photos-s2-r1318934-p236192-Cha_Ca.html

26 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hanoi, Vietnam

The place used to be a Buddhist temple; now it’s a restaurant and a silk shop combo. A very pretty restaurant. There’s a 10-dollar buffet that combines French and continental fare. The seafood grill’s great. The roast beef’s good. The Vietnamese dishes are not the best representative of the authentic Vietnamese versions, but they’re not bad at all. Make sure you leave room for dessert; there’s a lot to choose from and they’re really quite good. Their version of our chico fruit tastes so much like ours, but they seem to be bigger.

They have 2 branches in Hanoi, I’ve only been to the one at:5 Hang Tre, Hoan Kiem District (Hang Tre is pronounced Hang Che).

On a cool, rainless evening, request for a place on the rooftop, where you will stay inside comfortable cabanas. Make sure your socks are presentable, as you may have to remove your shoes. Order the corn-flavored water; very refreshing. The plum wine is expectedly sweet, yet even if I do not like sweet alcoholic drinks, I found this one a pleasant surprise. My favorite dishes – the catfish spring roll, the caramelized pork in claypot, and the clams with shrimp crackers – are delightful! I’ve tried the fear factor fried scorpion dish; nothing to call home about. Souvenir t-shirt’s kinda cool. They also serve exotic wines and potions there, but I steered clear. A lot of them are for virility, and I didn’t need that.

Kamagong corner Sampaloc Sts., San Antonio Village, Makati City

I hate giving an all-time favorite such a low score. If it were based on our collective experiences there, they would get 4 stars, and if we had to rate based on value for your money, this would get a whopping 5-stars. But our last visit a couple of weeks ago scared us a little that as this joint gears up for franchising, the hole-in-the-wall appeal and the let’s-just-talk-about-the-food purity will disappear.

We have to take part of the blame, too. We got there late and they were already out of our usual favorites — the oyster butter itame, the ika butter itame, and the breaded tofu. So, we settled for the bento meal. You really can’t complain. For just 123 pesos, you get a sample of ebi tempura, tuna steak, chicken furai, tai kimiyaki, squid balls, pork kushiyaki, rice, and miso soup. Sounds like a lot, huh? Well, it fills the stomachs, but does not give the usual Suzukin satisfaction. Moral lesson: next time come early for the sushis, and the oyster butter.

I hope our next visit will cause us to add more stars to that rating.