Friday…thank God it’s friiii-day!
Pardon my reference to an 80′s disco song that pretty much summed up the night life at the time. Nowadays, Friday is roast beef day at Q’s.
Tucked discreetly at the side of Malayan Plaza in front of the Podium along ADB Avenue is a cute resto that serves some pretty mean roast beef. Q Bistro has been serving loyal customers and the building’s hotel clients since 2007.
Slowroasted for about 4-5 hours, it’s meant to be the star in the buffet. So tender, you won’t need a steak knife. Have it plain or with their house sauce which is sweet-ish. I bet it would also be great with red wine sauce or peppercorn gravy.
The other sidings on the buffet table, do hold their own allowing the diner other textures and flavors. For instance, the shrimp aglio olio which may be seem simple, but the right garlic punch and perfectly al dente pasta makes you want to eat more. ’Can’t consider the fish fingers second fiddle either as they were properly cooked, not heavy on the batter yet crunchy. There are a host of other dishes, complete with soup and a salad bar, all for a steal at P425.00++ every Friday for lunch (11:30-2:00) and dinner (6-9:30).
If you’re not into buffets but would prefer ala carte instead, Chef Mia has a roster of dishes to choose from. She even changes some entrees every 6 months to surprise her customers and to keep her approach fresh and exciting. After all, food should never be boring.
New Year’s Eve… of traditions… hopes… new beginnings… and second chances
I’m glad I live in the Philippines, where the Christmas celebration is the longest in the world. Plans are arduously made for parties, reunions and what food to cook and serve. Friends and relatives come from different parts of the globe in order to partake of the festivities that make for epic, EPIC gatherings.
As one who loves to cook, I get excited over the idea of putting a theme. I’ve done Pinoy fusion… Mediterranean grill…Spanish tapas … But what will never ever leave our table is our trio of Hamon, ensaymada con tsokolate. Every now and then, the queso de bola will make its appearance.
Our preference is the Chinese-style ham which is sweet with a punch of saltiness. I am happy with the wonderful version from Josefina’s: I scored the fat, put in cloves at the corners and spread my home-made guava jelly for a more fruity nuance and slow-baked it in my rickety toaster oven.
The ensaymada can be the bakery-corner type slathered with star-margarine and sprinkled with sugar, or the rich, luxe kind all decked with butter cream and topped with grated cheddar or edam cheese. Tsokolate as always must be thick, dark and rich using native cocoa tablets from Batangas or from Davao which has a more velvety mouth feel. We have it during the eve, and have it again for breakfast the next day.
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After Christmas day, our family makes a quick vacation getaway to where ever our adventure takes us. But my husband’s tradition dictates that we must be home by December 31, to properly welcome the New Year. It’s like inviting a very important guest to grace our table and enjoy with us the abundance of the year. The next morning with foggy eyes and morning breath, we thank the Lord for the graces that are yet to come.
New Year is such a big deal because it heralds hope especially when the past year wasn’t so kind. It just brings out the optimism in everyone, yearning for new breaks, new opportunities, new loves, new beginnings. For others, it’s a time to mend broken relationships and allow healing to happen. After all, everyone deserves another chance.
It’s well into the third day of the year and I am grinning from ear to ear with big dreams dancing in my head and joy residing in my heart.
A Blessed New Year Everyone!
Josefina’s Ham: 09178448160
Biggest Burger? Epic!
A burger of epic proportions—that’s what it is!
When I saw it being offered at my favorite group deal site—I didn’t totally believe that the burger is so big, it can feed 8 people. You know how it is when restos and fast food put together a barkada deal or a family deal good for 4 and you end up order extra because it just wasn’t enough?
I took the deal anyway because I figured—for my brood of 4, this would’ve been just right. I was wrong.
For my firstborn’s 19th birthday-we headed to Holiday Inn Galleria in Ortigas, at Bar One. It was a quiet Sunday night and there were only a few hotel guests nursing their drinks. Of legal age, my sons ordered their beers while my husband and I settled for sugar-free sodas. (You obviously know who are aging!)
About 30 minutes later, our relaxed state turned into a state of disbelief at the sight of the gargantuan burger. Big Buns as they called it: 2 pounds of 100% pure beef, lots of veggies like onions, tomatoes, lettuce and pickles, slices of bacon, fried egg and melted, stringy cheese. It’s all inside a 10-inch custom-made bun, sliced into 8.
My birthday boy was so excited and was really feeling annoyed that I had to take pictures.
