Mini Pizza

Monday is my new Sunday, and with time on my hands, I thought of ways I can bond with Zeus. Earlier we went for a stroll in our garden and we saw things we never paid attention to before. The activity made us hungry, so I whipped up an easy-to-do snack: mini pizzas!

Ingredients:

bread slices of choice (panini, foccacia, regular toast, etc...whatever you want)

pizza sauce (can be bought from the grocery or make your own)

toppings of choice (I used vienna sausage and pineapple chunks, but whatever you want or have will do)

grated quickmelt cheese

Procedure:

1. Pre-heat the oven or oven toaster (300 deg F).

2. Spread pizza sauce on the bread slices, enough to equally cover the surface.

3. Arrange the toppings on the bread slices.

4. Top with grated cheese.

5. Bake for 3-5 minutes until cheese melts and the bread toasts for a bit of crunch.

Nasi Lemak

I miss Singapore and their local favorites. Last Sunday I took my folks to Nasi Lemak to satisfy my craving. Thank goodness that I can still enjoy authentic Singaporean dishes here in the metro.

Poh Piah - 140 Php (2 rolls)

This is the counterpart of the Filipino fresh lumpia. Shredded turnips and carrots are sauteed in garlic with chopped peanuts. Shrimps and lettuce leaves are added then rolled in an egg wrapper similar to crepes. Oyster sauce is drizzled for added flavor and design.

Nasi Goreng - 220 Php (medium)

The Malaysian fried rice or Nasi Goreng looks just like any other fried rice, but what makes it unique is the addition of fried acovies or dilis. The crunchier the anchovies, the better.

Honey Glazed Pork Spareribs - 330 Php

I've heard and read a lot of raves about the Honey Glazed Pork Spareribs. It's said to be one of the house best sellers and even if me and my folks aren't big pork eaters, I decided to give this a try to know for myself if the buzz is true or not. The verdict: right on the dot! The meat is so tender, you can slice it with a fork and with the slightest pressure. As for the flavor, the smokey-sweetness made me think I was eating premium smoked ham.

Penang Char Kway Teow - 148 Php (small)

This hodgepodge platter is one of my favorite Singaporean dishes. I have tried the Char Kway Teow in different establishments here in Manila but the one at Nasi Lemak is the best. Dare I say that it even tastes better than the one I remember eating in Singapore. It has the right mix of sweetness from the dark soy sauce, and just enough spice to add heat. The noodles are firm, and the bean sprouts are not soggy. There are generous slices of chorizo and shrimps, and to my delight, no cockles and fish/squid balls in sight (yey!)

Steamed Fish Fillet with Garlic - 240 Php

Singapore is a melting pot of races, cultures and cuisine so it's no surprise to find usual Chinese fare in the menu. The steamed fish almost melts in your mouth and had the subtle flavor or garlic, ginger and light soy sauce. A nice contrast to the richness of the Malaysian Chicken Curry.

Hailed by the restaurant patrons as the best curry in the metro, the Malaysian Chicken Curry is also another house specialty. I have yet to find out the difference, if any, with the Malaysian curry versus the Indian curry. With what I have tasted, Nasi Lemak's Malaysian curry is spicy but not burn-your-mouth-and-throat-spicy. Tender potato wedges and chicken parts swim in the thick gravy. I assume that the claypot has something to do with the fall-of-the-bones tenderness of the chicken. Even the meat from the chicken breast fell apart with a slight nudge of my fork!

Malaysian Chicken Curry - 270 Php

There were other dishes that I wanted to try such as the Hainanese chicken, chili crab, satay, and laksa. I'll reserve those for my next visit instead.

Nasi Lemak

Thompson Square

Tomas Morato, QC

Kani Salad

Here's one of my favorite salad recipes. Simple but definitely tasty.

Ingredients:

Iceberg lettuce, washed, drained and shredded

Kani sticks, chopped or shredded

ripe mango, cubed

Japanese mayo

Procedure:

1. In a salad bowl, place shredded lettuce. It is better to tear it by hand than chopping with a knife. This is because the lettuce reacts with the metal in the knife.

2. Layer it next with the chopped or shredded kani.

3. Next, put the cubed mangoes on top.

4. Drizzle with Japanese mayo.

5. Chill in the fridge and serve cold.

Buko Pandan

Ingedients:

buko or young coconut meat, shredded into strips

1 pack green unflavored gelatin

1 small can condensed/sweetened milk

1 pack all purpose cream

pandan flavoring

optional sago or tapioca balls

optional nata de coco

Procedure:

1. Prepare the gelatin as indicated on the box instructions. Pour into molds, set aside to cool and harden.

2. When gelatin is firm to the touch, remove from molds and cut into cubes (or whatever shape you want).

3. In a container, mix together gelatin, buko strips, sweetened milk and cream (also optional sago and nata de coco).

4. Add a small drop of pandan flavoring.

5. Chill in the fridge, and serve cold.

Note:

1. If pandan-flavored gelatin is available, omit the drop of pandan flavoring syrup.

2. If pandan leaves are available, cook gelatin with pandan infused water.

Zuni Restaurant and Wine Bar

Cited as one of the Best Restaurants of 2008 by the Philippine Tatler, Zuni deserves every accolade. Great food, good service, reasonable price, elegant but casual ambience in a prime location, what more can you ask for?

Kojiro and I decided to try it a few Saturdays ago. The place exudes sophistication while we were garbed in tees, shorts, and flipflops. We went there for an early dinner and only one table was occupied other than ours. Before we knew it, the place was already packed.

To start of our meal, complimentary bread and butter were served. The rolls were soft and warm, the same kind served in its sister restaurant in Serendra, Duo. We loved the rolls so much, Kojiro asked for a second basket which the staff accommodated. It was a perfect partner to our Chicken and Mushroom Soup.

Soup of The Day (Chicken and Mushroom Soup) - 175 Php/bowl

We were lucky that the Soup of the Day happened to be the Chicken and Mushroom Soup. It was creamy without being overwhleming, and the flavor of the mushroom went well with the tender chicken chunks. La Maison's Wild Mushroom Soup still ranks as the best for me, but Zuni's was good enough to whet my appetite. Bring in the main course!

Grilled Marinated Boneless Chicken Leg - 475 Php

Kojiro, not in the mood to be adventurous with his food that night, ordered chicken. The dish was good but nothing really spectacular other than the meat being tender. It was served with mango-barbecue sauce on the side but the combination did not appeal to Kojiro. Also for a man his size, the serving portion of the rice was a tad small.

I on the other hand ordered fish since the Baked Roulade Sole Fillet seemed intriguing from its menu description. The roulade, bigger than my fist, was stuffed with mushroom, spinach and cheese. It sat prettily on a bed of mashed potato and smothered with nantua sauce. It was light yet filling and I savored ever forkful.

Baked Roulade Sole Fillet - 480 Php

To cap off our meal, we had the Dessert Sampler which comprised of Zuni Obsession, Tiramisu, Cheesecake and Decadence. The presentation was done nicely but the sweets themselves were so-so. The mini cakes at Classic Confections or a cup of Fro-Yo Frozen Yogurt would have been more satisfying.

Dessert Sampler - 385 Php

Over all it was a pleasant experience. Zuni was worth trying and we will definitely dine here again.

Zuni Restaurant and Wine Bar

Ground level, Greenbelt 5

Ayala Center

Makati City