The Fishing Village’s newest specialty dish, Lechon sa Pugon
WHAT’S your idea of summer fun? Is it frolicking in the waters with the kids or having a relaxing swim? Maybe curling up on the couch with a good book in an air-conditioned room? Or singing your heart out with your friends in a karaoke room? Perhaps fishing at your own leisurely pace and patiently waiting for a tilapia (St. Peter’s Fish) to bite the bait? Or being surrounded by a herd of sheep in a farm-like setting? Maybe even feeding a lion or ostrich? How about testing your physical skills in a game of tennis or challenging your mind in a game of chess or figuring out how to get out of a giant maze?
If your answer is yes to any—or maybe all—of these fun activities, then Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park in Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite, just might be the perfect destination for your summer retreat. Proximity to Manila and easy access to the place via Coastal Road and CAVITEX (Cavite Expressway) makes it an even more ideal haven to hie off to this summer.
Island Cove is not new, yes, because it has been around since the 1970s. Once known as Pulo ni Burunggoy, the 36-hectare island just off Binakayan proper was bought by former Cavite Governor Johnny Remulla in the early 1970s. He built it into a resort and opened it to the public as Covelandia Island Resort in 1976. Because of its deluxe facilities and close proximity to Manila, it instantly became a favorite destination for both foreign and local tourists. But when the Philippine economy suffered a big blow in the 1980s, Covelandia had to close, and it remained closed for 12 years. It was redeveloped and reopened to the public in 1997, brandishing a new name—Island Cove.
Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park is located in Kawit, Binakayan, Cavite
The Island Cove Splash Park stands next to the pool
The resort is not new, yes, but a lot has changed since it first opened. So much development has taken place, and new attractions continue to be added to it. Aside from its swimming pool with four giant slides and giant inflatables and is manned by lifeguards who are certified in standard first aid and basic life support by the Philippine National Red Cross, Island Cove now has a 350-square-meter splash park equipped with splashers and sprayers imported from Australia. The splash park happens to be the biggest in Mega Manila.
Also in the area are a playground for kids to have great outdoor fun as well as an interactive game room for when they want to cool themselves in an air-conditioned room and play computer games instead. The game room has Wii, Playstation 3 and Xbox consoles, so kids will surely have fun.
The King Crawler
The newest addition, the King Crawler, located near the playground, is also meant to keep kids happily occupied. Designed by the Dutch company Carve, which designed the original King Crawler for a schoolyard in Purmerend, The Netherlands, is a vertical play structure that combines several functions for different types of play and climbing opportunities. Complying with the American and Canadian playground safety standards, the King Crawler comes with brightly colored ribbon-like platforms that look as if they are floating between the muted posts and wire mesh walls.
For more adult guests who love active fun, Island Cove also comes equipped with a tennis court, a basketball court, a giant outdoor chess set, a challenging maze course, a paintball arena and an airsoft game site. Guests can also go biking because biking facilities are available.
Island Cove boasts of a fully equipped, state-of-the-art gym for the fitness conscious
Working the treadmills in the gym
The Island Spa offers healing and relaxing massage services
Foot spas can also be done to relax the feet and legs
For guests who like to stay indoors, billiard and table tennis tables are available. Then there’s the full service gym for stress-busting workouts as well as the Island Spa for relaxing massages and other spa services. The spa’s healing Filipino massage therapies hilot and dagdagay come highly recommended.
The Bayside KTV
But if your idea of fun is singing your heart away, Island Cove’s Bayside KTV is there to keep you happily entertained. A colorful structure by the sea made up of containers that have been transformed into nine private air-conditioned KTV rooms that can each accommodate groups of 2 to 30, the state-of-the-art facilities make it possible for guests to choose from among 3,000 songs in English, Filipino, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
Guests can feed the lion at the Wildlife Sanctuary or Animal Island
Yes, picture-taking with the baby crocodile is allowed, so conquer your fear and cuddle the little reptile in your arms
A big favorite among families visiting the resort is the wildlife sanctuary or animal island, which is home to different species of reptiles, mammals, birds and other animals. Here, guests can feed the ostriches, lion, crocodiles, monkeys, even Bengal tigers. You can see Philippine deer grazing around and observe a 15-foot python. And if you want to have pictures taken with the python wrapped around your neck, shoulders and back or a baby crocodile cradled in your arms, you can! A shaded area in the wildlife sanctuary even resembles a meadow, the prairie-like kind you see in old American movies, and, surrounded with sheep, you can go ahead and be Bo Peep or Mary (as in Mary Had a Little Lamb) for an afternoon.
The Fishing Village is a network of dining huts on stilts
Lechon (The Fishing Village)
Lechon Manok (The Fishing Village)
Fresh Oysters (The Fishing Village)
Fresh Mussels (The Fishing Village)
The Fishing Village’s Sungkaan is a combination of 16 appetizers served in a sungkaan
Inihaw na Pusit (The Fishing Village)
Lumpiang Sariwa (The Fishing Village)
Bagoong Rice (The Fishing Village)
Pinakbet with Bagnet (The Fishing Village)
Turon a la Mode (The Fishing Village)
Island Cove managing director Gilbert Remulla at The Fishing Village
Executive Chef Vill Purificacion is in charge of all dining outlets
For foodie guests who enjoy having a good meal while on vacation, Island Cove offers three major options, although Bayside KTV also serves mean pica-picas. Top choice is The Fishing Village, which is the resort’s main dining facility. It’s a Filipino-themed restaurant whose dining areas are composed of 21 bamboo huts on stilts set atop the waters facing Manila Bay. Here, you can simply order what you like or spend a few minutes fishing for your catch and having it cooked afterwards. The Fishing Village’s specialties are seafood, particularly the bountiful mussels and oysters in the whole of Cavite. Just recently, it introduced the Lechon sa Pugon, which is pork belly slow-cooked in a brick oven for up to three hours, so that its skin is golden and crunchy and its meat is tender and juicy. It’s a relatively healthier version, considering how much oil drips off the pork belly as it slow-cooks in the oven.
Sangley Point serves international favorites and American comfort food
Sangley Point’s signature Sangley Burger
Meatlover’s Flatbread Pizza (Sangley Point)
Seafood Alfredo (Sangley Point)
Three-Cheese Flatbread Pizza (Sangley Point)
Chicken Piccata (Sangley Point)
Sangley Point’s Brown Cow is rootbeer with chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup
Grilled Quarter Size Pork Ribs is a 300-gram slab of pork ribs; and guests can choose two side dishes to go with the juicy ribs
Different sauces to go with the Grilled Pork Ribs
Chicken Quesadilla (Sangley Point)
House Blend Iced Tea
The Oceana cocktail is a combination of lemonade and Blue Curacao
Shirley Temple is Sprite with grenadine syrup
Another gastronomic option is Sangley Point, which stands right next to the pool and splash park area. It serves flatbreads (better known to Filipinos as simply pizzas), pasta dishes, salads, burgers, sandwiches, chicken, ribs, steaks and cocktail drinks. The Sangley Burger is a particular favorite of many guests, as it is a 200-gram Wagyu beef burger served with mayo-mustard, complete with all the works, in a bun, with Caesars Salad on the side.
iCafe is located at the lobby of Island Cove Hotel
iCafe’s Cappuccino Mousse
iCafe’s Chocolate Mousse
Then there’s iCafe, which is like any typical café that serves cakes, pastries, sandwiches, coffee, cookies and quick meals. It is a cozy and comfy place to hang out, especially since it is located at the lobby of the hotel.
Two-bedroom villa
Family Deluxe Room
Premier Deluxe Room
Incidentally, the hotel recently underwent renovations and expansion, and it now has 121 rooms divided into several room categories—Family Deluxe Room (with two Double beds or one King size bed, bathtub and private veranda, among others), Premier Deluxe Room (with two Queen size beds or one King size bed, bathtub, private veranda, assorted pastries and complimentary minibar items), Junior Suite (with two bedrooms, private veranda), Single Villa (for two adults and two kids), Half Villa (for four adults and two kids), and Whole Villa (for eight adults and four kids).
So, yes, when you’re at Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park, you can do everything that lets you relax, recharge an enjoy life—eat, drink, sing, fish, bike, feed the animals, swim, play, challenge your physical skills or your mind.
(Island Cove Hotel and Leisure Park is located at Binakayan, Kawit, Cavite, with telephone no. (046) 434-0210. The Makati sales office can be found at Suite 1416, Cityland 10 Tower 1, De La Costa St., Makati City; with telephone no. 810-7878.)
‘Very Summer’ is a creation of Chef Jessie Sincioco using Carmen’s Best Madagascar Vanilla ice cream
GOOD news for ice cream lovers who have discovered the awesomeness of a new local brand called Carmen’s Best: A special ice cream promotion featuring ten of Carmen’s Best Ice Cream’s top-selling flavors is taking place at Chef Jessie Rockwell Club in Makati City this entire month of April.
Celebrity chef Jessie Sincioco, one of the best known Filipino chefs today and who owns and runs Chef Jessie Rockwell Club (she has two other restaurants—Top of the Citi and 100 Revolving Restaurant), has personally chosen Carmen’s Best to be the featured ice cream brand for the special summer ice cream promotion at her restaurant.
Paco Magsaysay, creator of Carmen’s Best Ice Cream, with Chef Jessie Sincioco
“I agree that, in the Philippines, Paco Magsaysay (the creator of Carmen’s Best) has the best ice cream, and I like the name of his ice cream because Carmen is the name of my mom. So when he approached me and talked to me about the possibility of doing an ice cream promotion, I thought it was perfect timing for the summer season,” relates Chef Jessie, who recently presented the ice cream concoctions that she has created using Carmen’s Best Ice Cream and gave members of media a taste of these concoctions.
Chef Jessie has personally chosen ten flavors to work with: Madagascar Vanilla, Pistachio, Salted Caramel, Dark Chocolate, Brazilian Coffee, Malted Milk, Butter Pecan, Rocky Road, Brown Butter Almond Brittle, and He’s Not Worth It. The latter, which is curiously named, is a flavor inspired by Mississippi Mud Pie.
Chef Jessie whipped up special ice cream creations with the first five flavors of Carmen’s Best Ice Cream she has chosen—Very Summer, Go Green, Feel the Breeze, Be Tempted and Get Addicted.
Very Summer
Very Summer is scoops of Carmen’s best Madagascar Vanilla ice cream paired with luscious berries (strawberries and blueberries) and mango cubes, mixed with orange zest and dried vanilla sponge crunch, and drizzled with raspberry coulis in a mason jar.
Go Green is a feast of Carmen’s Best Pistachio ice cream with pandan sponge cake and fresh macapuno on a plate.
Feel the Breeze
Feel the Breeze is Carmen’s Best Salted Caramel ice cream served with light cotton-soft cheesecake with dulce de leche sauce.
Be Tempted
Be Tempted, which is my favorite among the five ice cream concoctions, is Carmen’s Best Dark Chocolate ice cream (made with the finest Swiss chocolate) on top of a generous slice of Black Forest roll swimming in chocolate ganache.
Get Addicted, with fresh cream being poured in
Get Addicted is Carmen’s Best Brazilian Coffee ice cream with a natilla surprise—coffee sponge with coffee mousse, cocoa nibs and tuille—in an iced coffee glass, with fresh cream poured in upon service.
Carmen’s Best Ice Cream flavors, clockwise from top: Butter Pecan, Brown Butter Almond Brittle, Rocky Road, Malted Milk and He’s Not Worth It
The remaining five flavors—Malted Milk (with Horlicks and Maltesers), Butter Pecan (lightly roasted pecans and freshly churned butter), Rocky Road (rich chocolate ice cream loaded with marshmallows and nuts), Brown Butter Almond Brittle (inspired by the Scandinavian dessert called Krokan), and He’s Not Worth It (rich dark chocolate infused with Oreo cookies, pecans, walnuts and swirls of thick caramel fudge)—are to be offered in individual servings.
These ice cream creations and flavors will be available at Chef Jessie Rockwell Club for the entire month of April 2016.
SEVEN. That’s the number of churches that you have to visit within the day, according to Visita Iglesia traditions. That’s exactly what my husband Raff and I did yesterday, Holy Thursday, March 24, 2016.
Believe it or not, it was only the second time that I did complete a Visita Iglesia journey, and it felt so fulfilling. When I was young, it was not a tradition for my family to observe the Visita Iglesia tradition. I grew up in a Catholic home but, being of Chinese descent, it was dotted with nuances of Buddhism such as popi (lighting incense for the dead and offering food and drinks) and visits to the temple. But, owing to my being the youngest, I was the one most detached from fulfilling Buddhist duties. I went to a Catholic school for elementary, and the Protestant school where I finished high school respected the faith of its Catholic students. My college education was in a Catholic school, De La Salle University, so I guess my Catholic faith had always prevailed within me.
I was already married when I embarked on a Visita Iglesia journey for the very first time. It was with Raff, too, and it turned out well. We took the Eastern trail, going around Cainta, Antipolo, Marikina and Pasig, to visit the required seven churches. We played it by ear, allowing prevailing conditions and circumstances to decide which churches to visit. This time around, we more or less planned out our Visita Iglesia trail, and I would say it turned out to be an awesome spiritual journey that not only warmed the heart but strengthened my faith in God and in God’s people.
CHURCH NO. 1: HOLY TRINITY PARISH
Holy Trinity Parish in Cainta, Rizal
First stop yesterday was the Holy Trinity Parish in our neighborhood in Cainta, Rizal. This is where Raff and I hear Mass most of the time during Sundays, and it played an important role in our relationship as a married couple. During the first years after we bought a piece of residential land in the subdivision, when we were not married yet, the community church was just a small one. Visits to the place, especially when we were already having our house built, gave us a clear picture of how the community was growing. Soon after, the church became too small for the growing community of believers, and construction began for a bigger church beside it. Much of the effort came from the then parish priest, Father Noel Rabonza III, who, being young, driven, committed and passionate about the church project, continuously urged every parishioner to contribute his share in the building of the church. It turned out to be a concerted effort, therefore, among the parishioners and sponsors Father Noel managed to convince to take up the cause as well. Construction work took years, as funds trickled in, but finally, on March 24, 2012, Most Reverend Gabriel Reyes, bishop of Antipolo, dedicated the church.
Now, we, parishioners, are able to enjoy the fruits of our and Father Noel and the church sponsors’ labor. Holy Trinity Parish is a beautiful modern church, all white, with blue-tinted glass windows and stained glass accents near the ceiling, and we love it. Even the maya birds that fly by feel comfortable and at home inside the church. It is a beautiful place of worship, with a spacious park outside highlighted by a globe-shaped fountain. When you drive by during late afternoons, you’ll see people just sitting around, looking at the calming globe fountain, smiling, talking and enjoying each other’s company. It’s a beautiful sight to behold.
So timely that Raff and I visited Holy Trinity Parish as the first church on our Visita Iglesia trail yesterday, March 24, 2016, the fourth anniversary of the church’s dedication.
CHURCH NO. 2: OUR LADY OF LIGHT PARISH
Our Lady of Light Parish in Cainta, Rizal
Being residents of Cainta, Rizal, we deemed it only right to visit the Cainta Church in the town proper as the second church on our Visita Iglesia Holy Thursday trail. We had gone here, too, during our very first Visita Iglesia experience.
Our Lady of Light Parish is the proper name of the Cainta Church, and it’s a stone church built from 1707 to 1716. A typical old heritage church with a commanding façade, it was burned during the Filipino-American War in 1899. No less than Fernando Amorsolo painted a replica of the Patron Saint in 1950, and the church was rebuilt in 1966.
Despite being in the midst of a crowded community, Our Lady of Light Parish sits on a spacious property with lots of courtyard space. Just the way heritage churches should continue to be. It also fronts the Cainta Catholic School, so it’s convenient for students to visit the church regularly and strengthen their Christian faith.
CHURCH NO. 3: ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH
St. John the Baptist Parish in Taytay, Rizal
Inside St. John the Baptist Parish
Since we were already in the town proper of Cainta, it was most practical for us to aim for the Taytay Church next. We asked around for directions, and easily saw it from the distance, but because repairs were being undertaken on some roads leading to the church, we had to take a circuitous route to reach it. And when we finally reached it, Taytay Church turned out to be such a pleasant surprise.
St. John the Baptist Parish, better known as simply Taytay Church, is yet another heritage church perched on a hilly ground, so it towered over everything else. It had ample parking space and, as soon as we drove up its driveway and took one of the parking slots, Raff and I already felt comfort and peace, as the place was very welcoming.
It’s a beautiful heritage church with a beautiful architecture that allows it to take full advantage of its elevation. Both sides of the church are lined with tall windows, making it airy and comfortable for devotees to spend time inside the church. Piped-in piano music can be heard by devotees the whole day of Holy Thursday, and it soothes the spirit and warms the soul.
First built by Franciscan missionaries in its original place by Laguna de Bay in 1579, St. John the Baptist Parish transferred to its present location in Barangay San Juan, Taytay, Rizal, in 1591. The first stone church outside Manila, the church was destroyed by the devastating effects of a typhoon in 1632 and was reconstructed in 1768, but it burned down during the Filipino-American War in 1899 before it was rebuilt and made bigger in the 1970s.
This was where we took a quick lunch break in a Mang Inasal store nearby. Walking back to the church after feeding our hungry tummies, we passed the Taytay Municipal Hall and the Gym on the left and the Taytay Municipal Police Station and the Taytay Fire Station on the right. Everything in one area, with the church at the center of it all!
CHURCH NO. 4: OUR LADY OF PEACE AND GOOD VOYAGE
National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage (Antipolo Church)
Crowds gathered inside the National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage on Holy Thursday
Doing the Eastern church trail first, we would certainly not miss going up to Antipolo, Rizal, to visit the Antipolo Church—the National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage—for the fourth stop on our Visita Iglesia journey.
Here, in Antipolo, is where we pay our Property Tax every year, so we regularly go up the mountainous city. Whenever we do, we would park in the government-run parking lot between the church and the Antipolo City Hall and stop by the Antipolo Church to pray after paying. We would, like other visitors, also stop by the stalls selling suman, kalamay and kasuy, and buy some to take back home.
The last time we went up to Antipolo, we parked at the mall in front of the church, which offers free parking to guests. So that’s what we did yesterday when we arrived in Antipolo. A lot of other devotees were doing the same, so the line to the mall was long. I could not help but marvel at how the owner of the mall continued to offer free parking although he (or she) obviously knew that some of those who park there were going to church and not exactly to the mall. But he (or she) was blessed, for the mall is consistently full of people, stopping by for drinks and food and buying stuff sold by its tenants. It’s a wonder, too, how the parking area, despite having limited slots, never ran out of parking slots. The cars just kept coming and going at a well-balanced pace. Perhaps it was the hand of God at work there.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage was full of devotees who just had to come for their Visita Iglesia. This fourth stop was the most crowded, maybe because it’s also one of the most well-known pilgrimage church.
The first missionaries of Antipolo were Franciscans, but it was the Jesuits who administered the church from 1591 to 1768. It was greatly damaged during the Chinese uprising of 1632, followed by the earthquakes of 1645, 1824 and 1863. For three centuries, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage had been the object of religious pilgrimages all over the Philippines. No wonder devotees crowded the church on Holy Thursday.
After visiting the church, we walked back to the mall, where we parked our car, but I just could not resist buying a small lei of everlasting flowers. I had not seen everlasting flowers for a long time, even when I last visited Baguio, and they happened to be part of my childhood memories of summer vacations in Baguio. It was also the very first time I saw them in Antipolo.
CHURCH NO. 5: IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CATHEDRAL
The Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cubao, Quezon City
Celebrity appeal and convenient location make The Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Cubao, Quezon City, a popular Jubilee church to visit
From Antipolo, Raff took Sumulong Highway to go down to Quezon City. It was a route we had not taken for a long time, and, upon a left turn towards the descending terrain of Sumulong Highway, the road opened up wide to reveal the result of a road widening effort. What used to be a narrow path that led down to Marcos Highway is now a wide road that made travel a lot faster and easier. Passing by the new Robinsons Place Antipolo, the Seven Suites community by a picturesque curve in the road where one can view the landscape of Metro Manila, we hit Marcos Highway in no time at all and headed straight for Lantana corner Vancouver in Cubao to visit The Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Cubao, Quezon City, for our fifth Visita Iglesia stop.
Yes, this Jubilee church was where Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera got married. The celebrity wedding was one of the reasons why the church had achieved celebrity status. But closer to home, this was also where Raff’s nephew, Jeff Piñon, and Jacq got married several years ago and Raff served as godfather in a wedding for the very first time.
We came back to The Immaculate Conception Cathedral yesterday to a huge crowd of devotees who came and went and serenely made the rounds of the Stations of the Cross. Traffic was difficult, especially since there was just a small space in front of the church for parking, so we parked on the side street just like a lot of others. After visiting the church, we had drinks in a small eatery in front of the church called Lasap Sarap, where I saw the signage that once made me laugh out loud when we were passing Congressional Ave. in Quezon City on our way to Bulacan to visit Raff’s sister and her family.
The signage, bearing the image of the cartoon character Daffy Duck, says: “Pekeng Duck (Special Fried Itik)—Hot and Crispy on the outside, Tender and Juicy on the inside.”
Yes, the owner of the eatery said, they also owned the place along Congressional Ave. I felt amused because I had, on several occasions, attempted to take a photo of the funny signage along Congressional Ave., but, unfortunately, it had become so faded that it wasn’t going to register well on pictures anymore. So I gave up. Now I find an entirely clear and new version of the signage that amused me no end, and, of course, I took pictures of it.
CHURCH NO. 6: NATIONAL SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL
National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Crowds of devotees gather outside the church for the Stations of the Cross
From Cubao, it was a short drive to the sixth church on our Visita Iglesia itinerary—the National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel along Broadway St. (formerly known as Doña Juana Rodriguez St.) IN Quezon City. Short drive, yes, but long queue. Traffic was bad. It became worse the closer we got to the church because it was full of people. Since construction was going on in one part of the parking area and was cordoned off, the parking area became smaller, and parked vehicles were crowding it. Broadway St. had parked cars on both sides, and so were the side streets. We parked in the first available slot along the side streets and walked over to the church.
The National Shrine of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is one of the churches that’s closest to my heart because at the Crypt found under the church is where the ashes of my late dad and mom lie. So Raff and I are there almost every Sunday to bring them flowers. The staff at the crypt—from the guards to the maintenance personnel—have already become friends through the years.
As for the church itself, Raff and I sometimes hear Mass there before or after visiting my parents’ crypt. We had also, on several occasions, visited the church to make special requests and prayers to God, and He has never failed me. Not once, not ever. My God is a merciful and loving God.
CHURCH NO. 7: SANTUARIO DEL STO. CRISTO
Santuario Del Sto. Cristo (Aquinas Church) in San Juan City
Holy Thursday Mass going on at Santuario Del Sto. Cristo
Dusk was falling when we got to the seventh and final stop of our Visita Iglesia yesterday—Santuario Del Sto. Cristo, better known as Aquinas Church, along F. Blumentritt St. in San Juan. Referred to before as the Church of San Juan Del Monte, the church and convent were built in 1602 to 1604 by the Dominican Province of the Most Holy Rosary on a site donated by Capt. Julian de Cuenca. I also read on the marker that both the church and the convent were burned during the Chinese uprising of 1639. They were reconstructed in 1641 but were once again set on fire in 1763 during the British occupation of Manila. The present church and convent, built in 1774, were used by the insurgent forces of the revolution of 1898, so the historical value of the place is unquestionable.
But Raff and I did not go there yesterday just because of this. We chose to visit the church because it happened to be where we got married so it’s a memorable place for us, as our marriage was sanctified there by Father Jesus Prol.
We caught sight of Father Prol at the church yesterday, but the place was so crowded that it was impossible to get anywhere near the altar. Raff and I squeezed our way in just to dip our hands in Holy Water, but I could not stay too long inside because it was so hot and the air was still because of the crowd that had gathered inside the church. So we made our way out of the church, just beyond the door and, there, heard the 6:00 p.m. Mass that had begun. What a way to end a Visita Iglesia journey!
It was dark by the time we got back to where we had parked the car. Still with a long line of cars inching their way to Aquinas Church, we decided to turn around and take a longer, more circuitous but traffic-free route back home to Cainta.
Raff and I shared bites of Toasted Siopao on our drive back home, feeling happy and fulfilled for being able to successfully complete our Visita Iglesia journey. Quite a few times between churches, Raff had told me that he was sweating all over, but he felt very good despite the heat. We both also enjoyed our trip, a spiritual journey, together. We also marveled at the strong faith that the Filipino people showed by fulfilling a Holy Thursday tradition despite the traffic and the heat. Despite our deficiencies as persons, we Filipinos are very resilient when it comes to our faith. We fulfill it to the best of our abilities and never forget to have fun doing it, as well.
On our drive back home, we chanced upon crowds of people who had set off on an Alay Lakad mission to visit the National Shrine of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in Antipolo, Rizal, and hear early morning Good Friday Mass there as part of the Holy Week tradition. On foot. They were going up to Antipolo on foot. From the Shrine at Robinsons Galleria at the corner of EDSA, the whole stretch of Ortigas Ave. all the way to Cainta Junction was filled with small groups of people, a lot of whom had backpacks on and were obviously on their way to Antipolo. Imagine the distance and the ascending terrain! But the cities and municipalities covered by Ortigas Ave. were ready with support services—ambulance cars, police assistance, etc.—to make the journey more pleasant and, yes, enjoyable, for everyone.
At the ceremonial toast during the formal launch of ‘Epic Dining by Visa,’ from left: event host Bianca Valerio, Chef Hide Yamamoto, and Visa country manager for the Philippines and Guam Stuart Tomlinson
THE widely successful dining program of Visa called Epic Dining by Visa is back due to popular demand. This year’s edition was launched at the Hide Yamamoto Restaurant at posh City of Dreams Manila on March 3, 2016, with the formal launch highlighted by a cooking demonstration by no less than internationally known Japanese chef and restaurateur Hidemasa Yamamoto himself. He prepared two signature dishes, Young Whole Chicken Stuffed with Truffled Rice and U.S. Black Angus Steak with Sesame Sauce, and then fed the audience with the best sushi and sashimi variations, salads, perfectly golden tempura, teppanyaki and robatayaki selections, as well as other mains and a host of breathtakingly beautiful desserts that tasted as good as they looked.
To formally launch Epic Dining by Visa, a ceremonial toast by Visa country manager for the Philippines and Guam Stuart Tomlinson, Chef Hide Yamamoto and event host Bianca Valerio was held. It was done right in front of the restaurant’s open kitchen, right after the much anticipated cooking demonstration by Chef Hide.
In a cooking demo, Chef Hide Yamamoto shows how to prepare U.S. Black Angus Steak. Cut the steak into 1-inch thick slices, season with salt and pepper, grill over charcoal fire for 1-1/2 minutes per side, then rest for 5 minutes in a 50 to 60 degree C environment for 5 minutes before slicing and serving
Plating the steaks now…
This year’s Epic Dining by Visa is bigger and better because the dining program exclusive to Visa card holders has been expanded to include Cebu and includes more exclusive privileges and discounts for Visa card holders at selected restaurants and bars in Metro Manila and Cebu.
This year’s merchant partners in Metro Manila are Revel at The Palace, Valkyrie at The Palace, Pool Club at The Palace, Café Naya, Melo’s, Hooch, Catch, I Am Kim, Splice, Moonshine, Hide Yamamoto, Backyard, Barcino, Blacksheep, Tunnl, Belle and Dragon, Bronzeit, Banzai, Spiral, La Veranda, Le Bar and Chaos, whose offers range from 10 to 30% discount on total bill, entrance fees, food purchases, selected bottles; 3+1 offers on their buffet or tapas; and birthday discount on the Visa card holder’s birth month.
Hide Yamamoto Restaurant’s Mango Cake
Merchant partners in Cebu are Pino, Siam Thai Cuisine, Blue Elephant, Circa 1900, Canvas, F Bar, Shabuway, Siam Krua Thai, Morals and Malice, and Liv Superclub. All of these merchant partners, except for Liv Superclub, are offering a 10% discount on the total bill. Liv Superclub, for its part, offers free entrance up to 11:00 p.m.
Epic Dining by Visa, which has been designed to suit the lifestyle needs of Visa’s mobile and dynamic clients, treats its card holders to the best gastronomic delights through a carefully curated list of restaurants and bars in the two urban centers. Now on its fourth year, the ongoing program stretches for nine months this year, as compared to only four months last year.
Deconstructed Brazo de Marcedes by Chef Jill Sandique
MY husband Raff and I had a truly enjoyable and engaging lunch last Friday, March 18, 2016, in the company of good friends in the local culinary world. It was such a delightful lunch that we did not want to leave—to think that we were in a hospital environment, as the venue was Via Mare at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.
The occasion was the launch of the upcoming Filipino food promotion scheduled at Pico de Loro in Hamilo Coast, Brgy. Papaya, Nasugbu, Batangas, on April 1 to 3, 2016. All four featured celebrity chefs—Glenda Barretto, Myrna Segismundo, Sandy Daza and Jill Sandique—were personally there to present their respective menus.
The four featured chefs, Sandy Daza, Glenda Barretto, Myrna Segismundo and Jill Sandique, with Pico de Loro’s GM Maggie Garcia
Sugpo with Gata and Taba ng Talangka by Glenda Barretto
Eggplant Salad by Glenda Barretto
The doyenne of Filipino cuisine, Glenda Barretto, is the brains behind the successful Via Mare restaurant and catering business. Hailing from Samar, she presents a number of her hometown’s favorite dishes, including Sugpo with Gata and Taba ng Talangka (prawns cooked in coconut milk and crab fat), Humba (pork leg stew cooked with peanuts and black beans), Kinilaw with Lato and Root Crops (ceviche with seaweed and root crops), and Eggplant Salad (with coconut milk and vinegar).
Monggo with Chicharon, Olive Oil and Vinegar by Chef Myrna Segismundo
Batangas Chicken and Pork Adobo with Burong Mangga and Santol by Chef Myrna Segismundo
Kinilaw by Chef Myrna Segismundo
Tinumis by Chef Myrna Segismundo
Chef Myrna Segismundo, whose name was synonymous with the award-winning Sign of the Anvil in the early part of her culinary career and with Restaurant 9501 in the later years, turns to her home province of Batangas for her inspiration. She showcases a lot of comfort dishes which she tweaked to elevate their presentation and taste. From her, I learned that monggo soup tastes even better if you add a little vinegar and olive oil to it just before eating it. Her Monggo with Chicharon, Olive Oil and Vinegar, which she presented during the launch in an assemble-your-own mini buffet, is simply awesome! She also has her version of Batangas Chicken and Pork Adobo with Burong Mangga. She uses Pajo, a type of small mango which is in season now, for her Burong Mangga and accompanies it with Burong Santol, too. For her Kinilaw, she combines fresh raw fish with bagoong Balayan (shrimp paste from the town of Balayan in Batangas), red eggs (salted egg, actually) and a medicinal herb called pansit-pansitan. Tinumis is another local dish shared by Batangas and neighboring Quezon. It’s basically banana heart cooked in vinegar.
“I am featuring ‘lowly’ dishes that you crave for and elevating them in presentation,” says Chef Myrna.
Ox Tail Bistek by Chef Sandy Daza
Pinangat by Chef Sandy Daza
Lumpiang Sotanghon with Tinapa by Chef Sandy Daza
Pancit Langlang by Chef Sandy Daza
Chef Sandy Daza, who inherited his mom Nora Daza’s passion and skill and now hosts a show called Foodprints, focuses his energies on his ‘Familiar Flavors, Unusual Dishes’ thrust in food. His Bistek (beef steak), for instance, makes use of ox tail in place of the usual beef, so he calls it Ox Tail Bistek. His version of Pinangat has fish, shrimps and meat stuffed inside gabi leaves before they are tied and cooked in coconut milk. He also makes a delicious Lumpiang Sotanghon with Tinapa, and his Pancit Langlang is an indulgent stir-fried noodle dish that combines four types of noodles—sotanghon, bihon, canton and miki.
“I like to surprise people who eat food that I prepare,” says Chef Sandy.
Pistachio Sans Rival by Chef Jill Sandique
Classic Chocolate Mousse by Chef Jill Sandique
Providing desserts for the upcoming Filipino food festival is Chef Jill Sandique, who is one of the best pastry chefs in the country today. Her desserts are something I cannot resist, so I tried all three desserts that she served on the buffet table on launch day—her signature Pistachio Sans Rival, a Classic Chocolate Mousse using Malagos’ gourmet local chocolate from Davao, and a Deconstructed Brazo de Mercedes with dollops of dayap curd and small mounds of burnt meringue to go with fresh strawberries, mango and blueberries, and garnished with mint leaves. I gave in to all the temptation!
Aside from the good Filipino comfort dishes with a twist, Raff and I were in good company, as we shared bites, sips, pleasant conversation and laughter with SM Hotels and Conventions’ vice president Neil Rumbaoa and Pico de Loro’s top honchos—general manager Maggie Garcia, VP for food and beverage Leah Magallanes, AVP for social affairs Mai Mislang and Chef Melchor Lopez. I also had a good time plating some dishes for shoot with Chef Claude Tayag, and sharing the meal with my www.interaksyon.com boss Francine Marquez and her husband Peter Marquez, and other media colleagues Roel Manipon of Tribune, Micky Fenix of Inquirer, CJ Juntereal of Manila Bulletin, Maricris Encarnacion of Cebu, and Vladimir Bunoan of ABS-CBN Online.
Now, you know why we did not want to leave long after lunch was over!
So make sure you catch the Filipino food fest at Pico de Loro this April.
