Posts Tagged ‘Manila’

Orchard Road: Singaporean food at its best


2010
02.27

That very familiar spot along SM Megamall’s bridgeway is now home to a 250-seater hawker center whose often busy open kitchen draws in curious passersby. The thrill of flames and clanking woks of this place called Orchard Road are distinct reminders of Singapore’s hawker centers, along with a variety of authentic regional Asian dishes prepared right before your very eyes. The only difference is that Orchard Road is an improved version of a typical hawker center in Singapore – it’s comfortable and relaxing, clean, well-staffed and air-conditioned. There’s none like it around Metro Manila that makes dining experience unique and a bit more exciting at a price one can easily afford.

Orchard Road’s flavorful food offers are basically of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Western influences that represent the cultural diversity in Singapore. They have Singaporean chefs in the house that work with local cooks in making these dishes fit the Filipino tastebuds without compromising their authenticity. For starters, check out their appetizing deep-fried spring rolls or the White Carrot Cake made of diced and stir-fried radish with an egg mixture. Try their house specialties like the steamed Hainanese Chicken served with rice, chili sauce, dark soy sauce, and ginger paste, or their hot and spicy Laksa with shrimp, egg and chicken in coconut curry gravy. For dessert, order their Thai specialty called Iced Red Ruby. It is usually made by boiling pieces of water–chestnut covered in tapioca flour and red food coloring, served over shaved ice, rose syrup, and evaporated milk. The Kaya Toast (coconut jam-filled grilled toast) is perfectly paired with the classic “Teh Tarik” or “pulled tea”. These tempting offers could certainly make you forget about your calorie count, but let the most effective diet pill in the market take care of your dietary worries, or just simply jog the following day. That should solve your problem. :)

Ordering from their extensive tick-list of 60 plus food items can be quite a daunting task. But they have hosts that can assist you with your choices and take you to a self-serve counter where you place your orders, pay and get your number. While waiting for your food be delivered to your table, enjoy the sight of their classy Southeast Asian-inspired interiors and the fragrant smell of oriental flavors wafting through the air.

Orchard Road is the brainchild of Singaporean TV celebrity Vivien Tan-Vaca and her Filipino husband, Dudo Vaca. Together with local investors, they named this restaurant “Orchard Road” after the famous entertainment, retail and food hub of the country.

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It’s goodbye to SOP


2010
02.26

GMA 7’s SOP (Sobrang Okey, Pare) will have its final episode this Sunday, February 28, after 13 years of live Sunday noontime entertainment. SOP lost the ratings war to ABS-CBN’s ASAP over the past few months.

I used to be an SOP fan, until the program’s format slowly became boring and predictable. The program simply stopped evolving creatively from the stage set to their segments. There seemed to be a dearth of new good artists while pioneers Regine Velasquez, Jaya, Janno Gibbs and Ogie Alcasid started to lose their luster already as the years go by. You see them grow old doing those back-to-back segment and one can’t help but change channels. It sort of evolved into like a German Moreno 80’s show, or any program that carry home TV shopping segments selling diet supplements. Now, who wants a recycled show?

What SOP needs is a major makeover – from their creative team down to their hosts. Getting it off the air was a smart move. But the challenge remains – whatever the management replaces it with should be really really good.

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Best book sale ever


2009
09.20

Books on sale

Books on sale

We didn’t know that inside the entire SM Mall of Asia complex two massive sale events were being held: the 4-day mallwide sale and one of the biggest book fairs at neighboring SMX Convention Center. Everywhere were people in shopping frenzy while soft jolly Christmas songs played in the background…well, to get everyone into shopping for holiday gifts this early. That’s what “Ber” months are about anyway in retail vocabulary.

While waiting for the 8pm AS1 concert at the adjacent event venue, we decided to drop by the Manila International Book Fair at SMX. I was torn between inspirational books, Maxwell’s series on leadership, Christian theology, Jane Austen titles and Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Bronte. But since I have no time to gush over English romance and doctrinal studies on religion require so much brain energy, I opted for a book on marriage. To prepare for it just in case. I can sense it coming my way real soon. By the way, I got the book called “Pillow Talk” for only P75. Not bad for a future investment.

Manila International Book Fair ends tonight. Entrance fee is P20 for adults, plus you’ll get a raffle ticket to win books or something more juicy if you’re that lucky.

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Nieces and pieces


2009
08.12

The two girls from Hogwarts (a.k.a. London) are still in town. We had a fun time together during lunch at CPK more than a week ago. I haven’t seen them for more than two years. My niece, Clara, has already grown her hair long. The last time I saw her she was this adorable one-year-old baby who crawled her way around the house. Now, she knows how to play football.

I had a chance to see them again today in Alabang. I wasn’t expecting the entire family would take their lunch in the resto. Apparently, Kuya seemed to have gone addicted to CPK food. He will sure to miss the food when they go back to London next week, together with my other cousin who will soon attend classes in a medical assistant training school. I will miss the girls, but I am happy in knowing that I was able to spend time with them, no matter how short it was. It was something Bianca would remember. She’d probably tell everyone in her class how she spent her summer going to the beach, shopping in SM Mall of Asia and making her own pizza.

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Spot the difference


2009
07.19

hpbillboard

We were driving along post-flood Imelda Avenue in Cainta early this morning when we saw this “fluke” in Harry Potter cinema billboards of Sta. Lucia Mall. Below the structure are gravel and sand manufacturers and wholesale furniture shops at the far end. I took my camera phone, begged Kleng-Kleng to slow down and took this shot of the week. I still have the Harry Potter hangover since the other night.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opened in the middle of one stormy week. Renz and I had the chance to see it on a rainy Friday night minus the usual elbow fight for a splendid balcony view. Half of the mall crowd that time were in their jammies eating champorado at home…

Hey, Snapes has just killed Dumbledore.

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