Mang Inasal is now open in Dagupan City!

Royce and I were so excited we can barely delay to be at Mang Inasal on opening day. Not because we craved for Mang Inasal’s specialty which is the Chicken Inasal, but we just wanted to check how Dagupeños responded to one of the many food stores that opened recently in the city.

Mang Inasal is truly surprising. Though several Chicken Inasal with Unlimited Rice local stores already emerged in the city, still Mang Inasal caught people’s attention as over hundred of people came to dine. As we arrived, we were welcomed with a Dinagyang Festival Dance of Ilo-ilo where the first store was opened. The store was jam-packed and it took us about 20 minutes to be at the counter and have our orders taken. Crowded as it was, the store managed to cope with the flow of the customers as they placed extra tables and chairs outside the store. Again we waited another 20 minutes to grab a table. An added 15 minutes for our meals to be on our tables. It seemed it was a disastrous experience but it surely was a great and successful opening day for Mang Inasal here in Dagupan City.

So if you are tired of gobbling burgers and fries, why not try eating something healthy like Mang Inasal’s charcoal grilled chicken marinated in local spices and herbs with rice wrapped in banana leaves and served with steaming Sinigang Soup. Mang Inasal also offers Bangus Sinigang, Beef Sinigang, Bangus Sisig, Pork Sisig, Pork Barbecue, Boneless Bangus, Lumpia Sardines, Mais Con Yelo, Saging Melt, Sago’t Gulaman and many more. Mang Inasal in Dagupan City is located at Metro Plaza, AB Fernandez Avenue, just infront of Dagupan City Hall.

SINIGANG NA BUTO-BUTO NG BABOY (Pork Bones in Tamarind Broth) was a great help while my son, Colby, was sick with fever caused by tonsillitis. Royce took in-charge in taking care of Colby during my office hours and my turn during afternoons and evenings that is why I wasn’t able to update my blog. Good thing Colby is well since yesterday and I am back to cook, eat, shoot and write.

I have shared my first version of SINIGANG NA BABOY wherein lean pork is the main ingredient. But this time, pork bones or pork ribs is the star, which for me is the best pork part for a sinigang dish. The slowly simmered pork bones truly blends to the sour soup of Tamarind broth which makes a perfect dish to serve.

SINIGANG NA BUTO-BUTO NG BABOY

1 kilo pork ribs/pork bones
1 liter water
2 large red tomatoes
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
1 pouch Knorr Sinigang Mix (Sour Broth Mix)
pinoy vegetables like okra, string beans, eggplant, radish or kangkong
patis (fish sauce)

Wash pork ribs with running water. Drain. Place in a large pot. Pour in water. Add red tomatoes and onions. Bring to a full simmer. Use a large spoon to skim any foam or scum off the top of the soup. Cook until meat is tender.

Reduce heat to low. Season with Knorr Sinigang Mix and patis. Add vegetables. Cook for another few minutes.

And serve with steaming hot rice.

After attending church, we went to my mom’s house to celebrate Mother’s Day with a simple lunch with a nice and colorful Crema de Fruta which I bought at Jam Sweet Jam, a local bakeshop in our city. Crema de Fruta is a chilled yellow cake, layered with creamy custard filling and topped with fruits in gelatin glaze. I favor Jam Sweet Jam’s Crema de Fruta than Goldilocks. Jam Sweet Jam is mildly sweetened, has more fruits and its cake is softer and heavenly.

Dessert is a sweet course of the meal that is typically served at the end of the meal. Popular desserts are ice cream, cakes, sorbets, fruits, pies gelatins, and tarts. Filipinos love to crown their meal with Pinoy desserts like Leche Flan, Gulaman (gelatin), Ube Halaya, Maja Blanca and many more.

Anyway, here’s a photo of my mom and her very nice house.

To all moms, Happy Mother’s Day!

My husband and I went to Manila last August 5 to get some supplies for his contracts and went to Banawe, the car accessories selling mecca of the country. It was only then that I fully understood why my husband would let me go shopping alone or would leave me at the mall, do my shopping and he would just go find some food or just anywhere he pleased. Car things are not a thing for me so I asked him to drive me to a nearest fastfood place so he dropped me off to McDonald’s just few meters away from the car shops.

I love McDonald’s’ burgers and fries more than any local fastfood offers. What I love most in McDonald’s is their Crispy Chicken Fillet – a spicy crispy chicken wedge with light mayo dressing in a burger bun. Going back, I was about to order Big Mac, my another favorite feast at McDonald’s but then I saw on their menu posters new products which I think is not yet offered in our province. I was hungry then and wanted to treat myself while Royce was having his own treat in those car shops.  So, I ordered Burger Caramba and Saucy Beef with Rice.

Burger Caramba a burger sandwich which I think McDonald’s place the same patty they use with their regular burgers – a 100% pure beef with a blend of mayo and Mexican herb and tomato salsa. Burger Caramba comes with a regular drink and costs P50. I got acquainted with the flavor of Mexican some few years back since my husband asked me to cook enchiladas, quesadillas and tacos. I was in fact searching in my about ten thousand taste buds the Mexican savor in the Burger Caramba but couldn’t find it. Maybe it was too mild for me to sense it. It was satisfying though.

Saucy Beef with Rice is a beef patty – also same patty used in burgers poured with rich tomato sauce. I was excited with this one because I love tomatoes but then as soon as I opened the styrobox I was quite unhappy. Well, I have this passion for burgers and pastas but swamping a burger patty with spaghetti sauce, the same spaghetti sauce they pour in McSpaghetti, was somewhat an alien to me. I was expecting a thick creamy Italian beef sauce on the burger patty in Saucy Beef with Rice but anyway, it was I guess worth for a try since it only cost P50 with a regular coke.

Burger Caramba and Saucy Beef with Rice are both satisfactory if you wanted to get a new taste from the usual burgers and meals they offer. However, if you wanted to experience the comfort of the traditional taste of McDonald’s, you better go for Big Mac and Chicken Meals.

Pedrito’s Restaurant may very well be one of the best restaurants in Dagupan City. Besides its amazingly delectable breads and pastries, the food haven is also known for some really good tasting meals paired with java or plain rice, that are worth the money.I got to eat at Pedrito’s again a few days ago and ordered the local favorite Chicken Sate.

Pedrito’s Chicken Sate is a grilled chicken glazed with a special sauce after being marinated, a procedure the resto has perfected over the years. Several restaurants around the city have tried to imitate it but the Pedrito’s version in my opinion (as I have already tried a few others) stands out by far.

The meal comes with Java Rice and ‘Atchara.’ It is priced at P90.00, a good price if you ask me instead of the usual fast food. The flavor is enhanced by the thick peanut sauce that you have the option to pour onto the meat. Vinegar and pepper also is a good alternative for those who are not fond the unusual condiment.

The restaurant may not be categorized as ‘fancy’ but the ambiance inside is definitely above mainstream restos and eateries. While there, I was able to see Councilor Michael Fernandez and his wife, avid Red Cross supporter and actress Maybelyn Dela Cruz, who were also enjoying a good dinner.

The only thing that turned me off with Pedrito’s restaurant is the location where they place their freshly baked breads. A worker places the pan full of breads on the counter right beside the cashier. When customers pay for purchases they stand beside the counter so close to the uncovered breads that they can easily grab or pinch one. A worker places the breads there to wrap them one by one after they have cooled down. Sometimes she grabs a broom to sweep the crumbs off the floor then wraps the breads afterwards. It is disappointing that something unhygienic be left considered because of a marketing strategy gone wrong.

Overall impression to me is that Pedrito’s Restaurant gives the customers a better than average experience. The wonderfully tasting foods are offered at lower prices compared to restos of its kind, and the atmosphere sets the mood for appetite and laid back conversation. The bread wrapping just bugs me though and I would that they do away with it.

Good news for all Plato Wraps lovers! Again, calling all Plato Wraps’ fans!

In line with their 8th anniversary, Panaderia Antonio will be giving away a FREE Platito Wrap Ham and Cheese every Plato Wrap that you will buy on July 27-29, 2009, from 9am to 5pm only. This promo will be offered to all Plato Wraps kiosks nationwide.

Why Plato Wraps?
1. Just as how they describe Plato Wraps – Great meals in small packages. Plato Wrap is a grilled meal wrapped in a soft and round flat bread. Oh, my love with flat breads…
2. Each Plato Wrap costs only P42 each. Easy on the pocket, heavy in the tummy.
3. Plato Wraps are everywhere – malls, schools and events.
4. Chunky Chicken, Ham & Cheese, Yummy Tuna, Wrap n’ Roll(hotdog), Pizza and Very Veggie – what more can you ask for?
5. A product that was launched 8 years ago in my very own hometown, Dagupan City, and became one of the hottest craze nationwide.

I am excited to post a review of KFC’s new product offering – KFC Cheesy Barbecue Meltz.(Please don’t think this is a paid ad, it’s not.) I guess one good reason I’m excited about this review is the love I have for tortilla breads and everything in it – meat, cheese, onions, mayo, salsa and even – fruit jams!  Tortillas are easy to prepare, quick and fun to eat, always having that surprise as it lands in your mouth. Another reason is that this time I get to feature another fast food restaurant product after my Shakey’s Treat post.

Honestly, I am not really an avid fan of KFC but the Cheesy BBQ Meltz poster caught my attention and has been tempting me for quite some time already. One afternoon, after a very tedious day of work, I was tired and terribly hungry so I remembered that poster and told myself I should try that new product from KFC. So I got to the store at the left end of the ground floor of Nepo Mall along Arellano Street, just a good 5-minute walk away from the workplace. I saw the picture again and my tummy just growled. My hungryness took over. Before I knew it the girl who took my order was handing me my first order of the most awaited Cheezy Melt and drink for 100 pesos.

Cheesy Bbq Meltz is a toasted roti prata, a flat bread like tortilla, folded in half, stuffed with melted cheese, some popcorn chicken, KFC’s rich original dressing, chopped fresh tomatoes and corn chips. Probably not a good idea to combine with the rest of the fillings but yes the product has corn chips. The serving size of the Cheezy Barbecue Meltz is not bad. It is not the usual fastfood stuff that come in smaller servings you wish you could have had extra money to get another order to be satisfied. The taste was something I appreciated. Not so salty or soury like the Go-go sandwich. It is kind of like the Quesadillas from Taco Bell without the Mexican spice taste on it but with a few more ingredients. One thing I wish though the KFC’s Cheesy BBQ Meltz had is the unique Mexican seasoning taste in it. Some chili seasoning and the spice of peppers. But apparently that is not how the Cheesy BBQ Meltz was made to sell in the first place. The poster doesn’t show a Mexican character in it.

Overall, The KFC Cheesy BBQ Meltz is one of the best flat bread sandwich I had so far. It does come a little bit pricey as some people think, but I think the food is ultimately good for the money since you don’t get to buy cheaper soft tortillas anyway or anywhere near if you are craving for one.

So you better grab Cheesy Barbecue Meltz before KFC decides to phase them out.

Royce and I went straight to our usual hang out yesterday for a dinner treat – Shakeys at City Mall. I don’t know why, but we both love Shakeys over Pizza Hut and Greenwich. Maybe because pizzas and other meals are less oily than Pizza Hut and more experience of Italian flavor than Greenwich which has a Filipino blend of sweet and sour. For 5 consecutive birthdays I had, we dined at Shakeys as my birthday celeb with Royce. Hihi, we in fact don’t love Shakeys, coz we realllyyy LLLOOOVVVEEE it!

Going back to our date, Royce ate the Bunch of Lunch Combo meal – a half serving of meaty spaghetti, a slice of Hawaiian pizza, golden fried Chicken, Mojo fries(sliced and perfectly fried potatoes) which I believe the highlight of the combo. Hmm, I think the Mojos has the same batter coating as the fried Chicken coz they almost have the same outer surface spice.

All right, I had my all-time favorite Classic Hot Hero Sandwich with Belgian fries. (Hypnotized: Belgian is such a craze – Belgian cake, Belgian ice cream, Belgian cookie and many other Belgians..=D) Hot hero is an 8-inch submarine sandwich divided into two. It has slices ham, salami, pepperoni, cheddar cheese, mushrooms, black olives which I really love, tomatoes, lettuce, with original hot hero dressing. A sandwich that will wrap up enjoyment of full-flavor combination of bread, cold meats and veggies.. oh and the dressing that gives the twist.

Go and hang out with family and friends at Shakeys… Dig in!