Go Fan

Mamu's go to food has and will always be Chinese.  When I suggested we try Go Fan at SM City Fairview, she eagerly agreed.

Go Fan Roasts and Dimsum is a Hong Kong style resto where ordering is somewhat interactive.  In fact, part of their menu is a how to order instructions.  But we didn't get to try this. We ordered set meals instead.

Mamu tried the Fried Dumpling and Yang Chow value meal.  The dimsum is meaty but the sauce, more like  colored cornstarch slurry, is really bland.  Good thing they have different sauces on the table so I opted to use the hoisin.  I like their Yang Chow which has this smoky flavor from the asado bits, but then again you can never go wrong with Yang Chow.  At 70 pesos, I guess we really don't have anything to complain about.

FYI, the Yang Chow is really heavy and siksik.

The Dimsum Sampler is really a good value at 299 pesos.  It contains 3 pieces each of their most popular dumplings.  There's Siopao, Shrimp, Hakaw, Spinach and Hot and Sour.

My favorite is the Spinach Dumpling, the one with the green filling in the middle.  It was herby and garlicky complemented by a DIY dipping sauce of calamansi, soy sauce, vinegar and chili oil.  Winner!

They use real roe in their Shrimp Dumpling

The Dimsum Sampler comes with a free pitcher of ice tea 

We're definitely go back to Go Fan.  I'm dying to find out how to use their interactive menu.

We Got It All For You

It's kind of hard to wrap my head around the idea that SM has it all for you.  But spending the whole day at SM City Fairview, sans shopping and watching a movie, made me realize how their tagline, "we go it all for you" holds true.

Mamu and I brought Papi to a satellite clinic of The Medical City at SM City Fairview for check-ups and tests.

 SM welcoming us.  

Side note: We arrived there at 9:00 a.m., an hour before the mall opened.  This is the first time I enjoyed a practically deserted mall (I'm not really a fan of crowded places).  There's just so much space.

This would've been perfect if the shops were open.

Anyway, to continue, doctors' clinics and laboratory, they got it.

The Medical City at the Lower Ground floor.

Shops, of course!

 Did some window shopping when I got bored waiting for Papi's doctor.

Beauty essentials, they have it.

Purchased something on promo at Watson's

Grocery, check.

I went to grocery while both Papi and Mamu waited for another doctor.

 Food cravings?  Take your pick.

Had a late lunch on the way to another branch of The Medical City 

at the basement for more tests.

Last minute errands?  No problem.

I forgot to buy something at the grocery so I went to the nearby SM Hypermart.

Bigger and better laboratories, meron pa din.

 The Medical City at the basement for Papi's utrasound.

This the first time we brought Papi to a mall and let me just say, SM Fairview is very wheelchair accessible, from the ramps to the elevators to the comfort rooms. Way to go SM.  Ok I'll stop now, this is starting to sound like a press release for SM.

In the words of Arnold Schwarzenegger, "I'll be back."  I always come back.

SM, you truly got it all!


Watson's Photo: http://commons.wikimedia.org

The Chicken that Sent Me Down Memory Lane

One of my most vivid childhood memories is going to Sta. Cruz Church for mass every Sunday, lunch at Savory near the church (I think), then Fort Santiago in the afternoon.

Somewhere along the way, this ritual stopped and it has been more than ten years since my last Savory experience. Truth be told, I forgot how the food tastes like.

While doing our usual grocery at SM City, Mamu saw a Savory in front of SM Hypermart, she told me “Let’s have lunch here.”

As soon as we sat down I saw a black and white photograph of an old Savory hanging in the wall. I think this was their first branch. I stared at it long enough to realize that this is exactly how the Savory where we used to go looked like. I asked Mamu, “Dyan ba tao kumakain dati?” She smiled and said “You still remember?”

After taking our order, the waitress came back and put a glass of hot water with spoons and fork at the side of our table. The nonchalant way she did it was very old school panciteria.

We ordered Savory Chicken, Yang Chow Rice and Crispy Shrimp Puff, their version of Camaron Rebosado.

The rice and chicken arrived first. The chicken, supposedly their specialty looked a little simple, too simple in fact that I wondered why Mamu, who isn't so fond of chicken insisted that we have this.

It was way after lunch and I was famished by this time so I gobbled up a few spoons full of rice first. I took a piece of chicken and as soon as I bite into it I was transported back to my childhood days. It tasted so familiar, from the crispy skin to the tender meat and that particular taste that only Savory Chicken has. Memories of our Sunday lunch came flooding in. I told Mamu between mouthfuls, "I remember this chicken and it still tastes great!"

Then the shrimp arrived. It was a letdown and quite different from what Mamu and I expected. Mamu said there was too much batter that she hardly tasted the shrimp. Dipped in the sweet and sour sauce it tasted better and goes well with the fried rice. I enjoyed it better at home, when the puff isn't as crispy and a little limp (yeah, it was too much food for two people that we had to bring our tira home).

All in all it was a good lunch that sent me spinning down memory lane. I would definitely come back for the chicken. I’m not sure though if they use MSG but both Mamu and I were down with migraine that night.

A So-so Soupy Afternoon

Rainy days are here again! Yeah I know it’s been here since last month. But the torrential downpour of last week made me crave for a bowl of noodle soup. There’s nothing like the feel of an almost scalding hot soup on your tongue with perfectly cooked noodles slithering nicely down your throat until it reaches your tummy where it finally warms you up.

After having this kind of single-minded thought for days I almost dragged Mamu to the most convenient mall near our place (SM City North Edsa). With all the options available I chose Pho Hoa Vietnamese Noodle House because I always enjoyed their Pho Beef Noodle Soup. The soup was beefy, herby, light and refreshing, the glass noodles cooked just right, not gummy at all with generous slices of beef, meatballs and tendon.

Upon approaching the restaurant, Mamu noticed that only one table was occupied. I was quick to assure her that we both have been to Pho Hoa countless times (mostly at Robinson’s Place and SM Manila) and their Pho Beef Noodle Soup is great.

We ordered the Goi Cuon (fresh spring roll), Pho Nam, Chin, Gan, Bo Bien Pho (flank, brisket, tendon and meatballs) and Chay Dau Hu (tofu and assorted mushroom with rice). The waiter informed us that they were out of meatballs so they’ll just replace it with more beef. Being a carnivore at heart I didn’t at all mind but Mamu was kind of disappointed because she likes those Vietnamese meatballs.

I was a bit surprised when the fresh spring rolls arrived, from what I remember it seems to have gotten smaller and there wasn’t a shrimp in sight. I thought to myself maybe the recession was starting to set in. I took a bite and it tasted like a watered down version of the spring rolls I used to enjoy. Apart from the disappearance of the shrimps, there was too much sotanghon (I don’t know what they call this type of noodles in Vietnamese) which I think wasn’t soaked long enough because it tasted a bit raw thus overpowering everything. The only saving grace of this dish was the sauce, which tasted as good as I remember, sweetish (because of the hoisin) and nutty.

I almost clapped my hands when the Pho Noodle Soup was served. It was still huge, the small bowl was more than enough for Mamu and me. Hot and steaming, just the way I like it with beef, tendon, cilantro and scallions swimming all around. I almost closed my eyes as I took a sip of the soup, there’s something wrong, I took another sip this times with eyes open, it just tasted different. The pho always had this light and refreshing quality to it which was lacking in the soup. I tried adding a squeeze of lemon plus the usual condiments (bean sprout, chili pepper and mint) to no avail. There’s just something different with the soup which I can’t put my finger (or taste buds) on.

By this time I’m starting to realize why this particular Pho Hoa outlet was completely empty.

Thank goodness the Tofu and Assorted Mushroom with Rice arrived! I’ve never tried this dish before and neither has Mamu, we only ordered it because she wanted something with rice that was totally healthy because of her doctor’s appointment in a few days. The serving was big, again more than enough for two people, the mushrooms were cooked just right, not watery or dry at all and the tofu was soft and silky. We both enjoyed this dish, tasty and healthy, what more could we ask for?

Mamu and I were quite disappointed with our Pho Hoa experience. Out of the three dishes that we ordered, we only enjoyed the tofu and mushroom. Worth coming back you ask? Maybe…

Too bad because Pho Hoa is my first experience with Vietnamese food and it made quite a good impression on me. I wonder what happened to the quality of food at Pho Hoa, it seems to have deteriorated over the years.

Exploring SM City Annex

We're running low on dogfood and I just can't bear the thought of Rusky and Alpha going hungry so I asked Mamu to go with me to SM City. I usually don't mind grocery shopping alone but I wanted Mamu with me that day.

I wanted to accomplish three things on this errand: one: check out the new 13" Macbook Pro at Power Mac Center; two: the prospect of another longganisa/bagnet-free dinner, although we've had two leftover-free days; and three: another blog entry, this time with Mamu.

Mamu wanted to check out the newly opened stores at SM Annex, though we've been there before I gladly obliged because I wanted this outing to last till dinner.

Our first stop was Samurai at the SM Supermarket foodcourt (near the Annex) for Takoyaki Balls, which I've developed a liking for. Mamu was eyed me skeptically as I finished the whole serving in no time flat. She never liked these octopus stuffed (I highly doubt that Samurai uses real octopus) balls or anything Japanese for that matter.

We stopped by French Baker because we noticed that interior of their Annex branch has a more "Frenchy" feel to it. We also wanted to see the breads that Chef John Lu Koa made when he was featured on Cooking with the Masters.

On the second floor we went inside Bestsellers, a bookstore that specializes in bestsellers, duh! One of the sales ladies told me that this was a sister company of National Bookstore. I noticed that they are well stocked with Young Adult fiction and a whole corner is devoted to this section.

While browsing, I noticed this...

How hard is it the read Harry Potter? I would understand if it was a Faulkner or Joyce novel but Harry Potter?! Honestly!

I didn't get to see the new 13" Macbook Pro because it was sold. Oh well…maybe next time.

Johann (my brother) had been raving about Portuguese Chicken since his first trip to the US last year. When I told him (via Magic Jack) about Peri-Peri Charcoal, a Portuguese chicken place, he told us to try it out. Mamu doesn't like chicken so it took some convincing on my part but in the end she agreed.

Peri-Peri Chicken is available in three variants: Lemon Garlic, Mild and Hot. We both had the Combo C (one-fourth chicken, gravy, rice and one side dish). I chose the Lemon Garlic (which is the bestseller according to the lady on the cash register) and Peri Fries for me and the Mild with Cozido Chorizo for Mamu.

The chicken is tender, juicy and well cooked. Even Mamu enjoyed it. She told me it didn't have the chicken after taste that she doesn’t like. The fries were just okay, nothing to rave about. Mamu said it was "parang french fries sa bahay". The Cozido Chorizo, a stewed sausage of some sort, tasted great, a definite must have. I didn't like the gravy but I'm not much of a gravy person anyway (with exceptions), and it kinda bothered me that it was served beside the rice, it should've been in a separate container.

I loved their Peri-Peri hot sauce which has a fruity, peppery kick to it! I want come back just for the hot sauce. In fact, the fries tasted better dipped in the hot sauce.

All in all, it was a pretty good meal, the place was nice and cozy and it was pretty cheap too, made cheaper by Mamu's senior citizen card.

We couldn't decide on dessert, I wanted Sebastian's Butter Pecan (again) but Mamu wasn't in the mood for ice cream. So we ended up at the newly opened Krispy Kreme. We had Original Glaze, Lemon Cheesecake and New York Cheesecake. Again, Mamu flashed her senior citizen card and we got a 20% discount!

It was nice spending the afternoon with Mamu and the best part about the whole thing is another leftover-free dinner! I’m a happy camper.