Dine In: Mesa Filipino Moderne

Okay. So sooner or later, I'm gonna have to  admit that I'm no good when it comes to blogging about food.  I'd rather eat food than write about it. The biggest problem when it comes to food blogging? Running out of adjectives to describe what I've tasted. The flowery words are never enough.

Let's see. For good food, there's delicious, scrumptious, heavenly, mouthwatering, wonderful, blah, blah, blah. For the not-so-good food, there's bland, stale, yucky, blah, blah, blah. I mean, why bother using all those words when you can just say it's masarap or pangit, right?

Anyway, I'm just ranting. I came across this problem because I'm about to blog about another foodie adventure. And I still don't know how I'm going to write about it. That's the reason why I sometimes opt to just post as many pictures as I can, and let you guys judge for yourself if I enjoyed what I ate. Haha.

My siblings were both born on the month of January. (Nice segue, no? Haha.) They're lucky because they can just throw one big party (or in this case, birthday dinner), and then tell the whole world that they'll split the bill.  May kahati sa libre, hindi mabigat sa bulsa. Haha.

For their birthday dinner this year, they chose Mesa Filipino Moderne. It's a Filipino restaurant with branches in Greenbelt, Boracay, and Cagayan de Oro, to name a few. They put a new spin on Filipino favorites like sisig, scallops, hito, and so on. Wait, are scallops and hito really Filipino favorites? Haha. What I mean is they cook our usual ulam in an entirely different way. Fine. I'll explain further later.

 

This is a photo of the resto's ceiling. I'm not exactly sure what they're made of, but they look like tissue paper rolls. Alam n'yo yun? Yung karton sa gitna ng tissue? Haha.

So here I'm gonna try my very best to describe, or at the very least, give you an idea about what we ate.

Sisig in a Pouch (P180). This would have to be my Mesa favorite. It's cooked sisig wrapped in lumpia wrapper and fried to a crisp. The orange thing-y on the far corner of the plate is their special vinegar. Though eating this would be a little messy, this dish is the perfect appetizer. But it also goes well with rice. Kumbaga, appetizer pa lang, ulam na.

Pork bbq (P120). What's a birthday party without your good ol' barbecue, huh? The menu explicitly says 4 sticks, so you shouldn't expect a bigger serving. Haha. My cousin enjoyed this one so much, he forgot to offer us a stick. I'd say his belly loved it.

Laing 2 Ways (P120). Sorry to say I can't explain what they mean by two ways. I really can't. All I know is one has coconut milk and the other doesn't (I think). I liked the one with coconut milk better. It's the one on the left. Hopefully, you can tell by the picture why I chose it over the other one.

Crispy Boneless Pata (P420). This is what I meant when I said Filipino favorite. It's the friendlier version of Crispy Pata because it's boneless. Hooray! There's tons of garlic on top, so you garlic lovers will like this one for sure. It comes in a huge serving, actually good for three to four people, if I'm not mistaken.

I think you can tell how affordable one meal is at Mesa. Most of the dishes are for sharing, so you wouldn't have to worry about burning a hole in your wallet. And when they say it's for sharing, they don't mean sharing it with just one person. Some of the dishes are good for three to four persons. It's really ideal for people throwing lunches or dinners, perfect for small gatherings, or even for large groups.

Visit one of Mesa Filipino Moderne's many branches at
264 Tomas Morato cor. Scout Fernandez,
Brgy. Sacred Heart, Quezon City

You might wanna place your lunch/dinner reservations, since this place is almost always packed. You may call them at (+632) 441.51.97.

Happy eating!

P.S. Yes! I got away with not using as many adjectives on this food blog ;)

Happy First

Hello there, friends! How's the new year comin' along? 

This is my first post for the year. And I'm happy kasi kahit papano, may kwenta itong first post ko. Haha.

I spent a part of my morning cleaning my bookshelf and arranging my precious novels. I didn't know I've acquired so many paperbacks and hardbound books over the years. Some of the books here I've had since I was ten, I think. It's no surprise I started with Archie and the gang. Haha.

I spend a lot of my money on books, and I don't regret losing a peso over my collection. It's one collection I can pass on to my future grandkids, if ever, right? :)

Here's my collection and my furry friends I've chosen to look after my books :)

Side Trip: Crosswinds Christmas Village

After our lunch at the Pamana Restaurant, we went to Crosswinds Resort Suites for a photo op. Crosswinds  is a property development in Tagaytay inspired by the architecture of Switzerland. It isn't fully developed yet, but I swear, once you set foot there, you'd think you were in another country.

Diba? Think San Francisco. Though I don't know why they keep on saying it's the Switzerland of the Philippines. Haha.

For more information on Crosswinds, click HERE. 

We decided to pay Crosswinds a visit because we read on the Internet that it has its own Christmas village. Here's how the so-called village looks like:

Santa's House. Only kids are allowed to enter :(

The Christmas village wasn't as huge as we expected it to be. In fact, the "houses" were situated far from each other; we had to drive from one place to the next. Doesn't matter though. We had fun taking pictures and pretending we were in a foreign country. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from our family! :)

Dine In: Pamana

The last time I was in Tagaytay was two years ago. This year, my cousins and I decided to go back there after Christmas - just us, no adults allowed. Haha. We were planning to go to Enchanted Kingdom, but the weather refused to cooperate. Plus, we were warned to expect long customer lines there.

So, we agreed to just have lunch in Tagaytay and go sight seeing after. Our feet, and hungry tummies, led us to Pamana, a quaint Filipino restaurant just along the Aguinaldo Highway.

The restaurant is owned by the Ongpaucos or the Barrio Fiesta Restaurant Clan. Notice the photos of family members hanging on the walls. Of course, we were only familiar with actress Heart Evangelista. Haha.

Their interiors give off an old-fashioned feel. I remember my grandmother's old drawers and cabinets just by looking at the restaurant's decor. Everything in the shop - from the wooden chairs to the utensils - looks old. Haha.

I wouldn't end this post with just the photos of the furniture, would I? Here's what we ordered:

Crispy Pata

Bulalo

Pinaputok na Isda

I must say, that was one of the most satisfying Filipino lunches I've ever had. It was a bit expensive for my taste, but I'd consider it my money's worth.


Visit Pamana Restaurant at:
Aguinaldo Highway, Tagaytay City
Beside Boutique Hotel, near the Tagaytay Rotunda

Year-End: Books

So aside from movies, I also promised myself that I'd devote more of my time on reading novels. This year, I was able to read ten. Don't judge ha. I do a lot of reading in school, so ten is already a big number for me.

Here is my 2012 book pile:

1. The Confession by John Grisham
2. The Client by John Grisham
3. Forbidden Fruit by Erica Spindler
4. See Jane Die by Erica Spindler
5. Killer Takes All by Erica Spindler
6. Fortune by Erica Spindler
7. The Third Secret by Steve Berry
8. Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch by Carolyn Keene
9. Deception Point by Dan Brown
10. The Jefferson Key by Steve Berry

 

So... I've read Deception Point for the third time this year. I've also become a fan of John Grisham. And I've finished off all of Erica Spindler's novel. And I discovered another amazing author in the person of Steve Berry. And I've rekindled my love for Nancy Drew. Wow for my book experience this year.

I'm currently reading another Berry novel. Too bad I wasn't able to finish it before the New Year. Oh well, I'll just include it in my 2013 book pile.

All photos grabbed from Google Images.

Year-End: Movies

Before the year 2012 started, I promised myself that I wouldn't scrimp on movie tickets anymore. I'm so kuripot that I'd rather wait for a movie to be released on DVD than watch it on the big screen. I'm happy to say that this is one New Year's Resolution I was able to keep. This year, I was able to watch 12 movies in the cinema, one for each month. Haha.

Okay, I confess. I saw Suddenly It's Magic twice.

Here are the movies I saw these year. I hope I get to see as much next year.

1. Star Wars in 3D
2. Unofficially Yours
3. Mirror Mirror
4. Titanic in 3D
5. The Avengers
6. The Amazing Spider-Man
7. The Dark Knight Rises
8. The Expendables 2
9. Taken 2
10. Suddenly It's Magic
11. Breaking Dawn Part 2
12. The Hobbit

All photos grabbed from Google Images.

Bookworm: The Jefferson Key

The first Steve Berry book I read was The Third Secret. I found that book at a Booksale branch while killing time inside the mall. It was much enjoyable, and I couldn't even put it down. But since I got the copy from a second-hand book shop, I didn't think I'd find another Steve Berry book elsewhere. My favorite author, Erica Spindler, is a Booksale regular, but I can't find her work in our local bookstores. I thought the same goes for Steve Berry.

So I was really ecstatic when I saw two of his recently published novels at the Fully Booked store in BGC. I chose The Jefferson Key over The Columbus Affair because I was more interested in the former's plot. My sister offered to buy me the book as a birthday present.

The Jefferson Key is about one of the adventures of Cotton Malone, a former Justice Department operative in the United States. He saved the President from an assassination attempt plotted by a secret society assembled during the American Revolution. Malone soon discovers why the secret society wanted the President dead, and his discovery leads to an age-old cipher from Thomas Jefferson and a mystery concocted by Andrew Jackson.

For a more detailed synopsis, click HERE.

Photo directly lifted from Google Images.

I like Steve Berry because his books are much like Dan Brown's. They usually cover a lot of ancient history. And they all fall under the suspense/mystery genre, which I think is the best genre there is. 

Though I'm not an American political history expert, I enjoyed reading this novel very much. Steve Berry combines fact and fiction in an amazing way. He knows how to help the readers differentiate between the two. You won't find yourself asking if a certain event or object is for real or not, because by the way he writes, you just know. The Writer's Note/Disclaimer at the end of the novel was very helpful too. 

His characters have a lot of personality. And he shines the light on them equally. His protagonist, Cotton Malone,  was your usual hero - smart, courageous, and has a heart. His love interest, Cassiopeia Vitt, is equally stunning. What differentiates her from other suspense/mystery book female characters is her wit and strength. She's not a pushover or a crybaby. She's very aggressive and is not afraid to go after what she wants.

The most interesting character in the book for me would be Clifford Knox. If you've read the book, you'll know that he's the secret society's quartermaster or go-to guy. I think he has the most conflicted personality which makes him the most interesting. He's the bad guy trying to be good. But sometimes he doesn't have choice but to be bad. I just wished that Steve Berry put more drama into his character, and that his fate was different.

Overall, I'd give this book four stars out of five. History buffs will surely enjoy this novel. But if you're not a history junkie, and you're just a regular suspense/mystery fan, you'll fall in love with the story just the same.

I look forward to reading more Steve Berry novels in the future. I've got my sights set on The Emperor's Tomb, if I can get my hands on 'em. Happy reading!