My batchmates at the College of the Holy Spirit Manila felt like conspirators when we decided not to eat lunch in school during a recent grand reunion to celebrate its centennial. But only because there was an interesting alternative—La Cocina de Tita Moning.
My biggest problem when dining in any restaurant for the first time is scanning the menu and wanting to try most of the dishes on it. I go over each item, go back to those that could answer my craving for that moment, then ask what the specialties of the place are. This works for me.
It’s difficult to say which is more worthy of opprobrium, pretentiousness and acting more sophisticated than one really is, or pretending to be more naïve than one actually is.
This diner visited two restaurants, each with a different ambiance, but was pleased that both offer food worthy of a second or even third visit. One is in Tagaytay amid old trees and shrubs that evoke a tapestry for an almost “Gone with the Wind” feel, while the other is located in the very busy Greenbelt 5 in Makati, always teeming with apparently hungry men and women, of various ages and calling.
It was on one of those typical Tuesdays, a stressful day with a heavy load of schoolwork and extracurricular activities, when I received a letter from the Office of the President-National Youth Commission saying that I had been chosen to participate in the Kizuna (Bond) Project to be held in Japan Dec. 10-19, 2012.
Presumably to entice more diners, innovative restaurants introduce new come-ons, and the surprised diners always gravitate to the newbies.
Katipunan has become a hub for many dining places. With the main target market being mostly students, it has become an area where many amateur restaurateurs are confident enough to try out what to them are winner dishes from their homes. Out of these risks taken, many have blossomed into chains. Flaming Wings is one.
Stressful days usually call for some heavy chowtime or what my friends and I like to call consuelo de bobo. Instead of settling for the usual greasy fast food after a back-aching, mind-numbing day, a satisfying meal always sounds good; one that doesn’t entail the use of our credit cards sounds even better.
Whenever you visit a province or another city, is there a restaurant or diner you must dine in? Well, I have. I first went to Cebu sometime in the early ’80s for a shooting competition of the Philippine Practical Shooting Association. In those days, the organization had less than 50 members who had a passion for the sport. Free from petty intrigues, we had fun wherever we went.
When it closed for renovations a couple of months ago, Museum Café at the Ayala Museum complex was due for an update. The owners, Raintree Restaurants, had a good thing going there, but they felt it was time to offer something new.
Unfortunately, some of the best things in life aren’t free. A perfect example is the premium tableware at the Cornerstone showroom. It is where I often close my eyes, hold my breath, make a wish and count to three… But when I open them, I still don’t own many of the items I wished for.
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