The Asian Store

When we were moving off to New Zealand, one of our primary concerns was food. Will we still have rice on our table, or change our diet to breads and potatoes? How about our bagoong and toyo and suka? Banana ketchup? A Filipino home, no matter where it is, won't be the same without these.


So imagine our delight at knowing that a couple of Asian stores are near us. "Asian Store" is an all-encompassing term for these shops that sell food items that are, um, Asian. For the stores we have here, one is owned by Chinese, and the other from India or thereabouts. The latter store understandably sells an abundance of spices as well. And a couple of racks for Filipino goodies!

Fish n' Chips

There are times here in New Zealand when you either just don't have the time to cook a proper dinner, or don't feel like cooking at all. Times like that isn't a bit of a problem back in the Philippines; our love for food is not only abundantly displayed on nearly every turn of the street, our fast food restaurants even serve at least 4 times more variety than their counterparts elsewhere.

Take for example, my squeal of delight at seeing McDonalds in our second day here at Wellington. I made a beeline for the counter, my order already listed in my mind. 2 pieces McChicken with rice, extra rice, Happy meal for Jo-Lo (he likes spaghetti!), and waiting for my wife's order. But my confidence in fast food law and order was suddenly shattered when I stared at the overhead menu. Burgers, burgers, and more burgers. And fries. No chicken (save for those chicken tenders), no spaghetti, no rice. Aaargh.

So what other option is there for a quick dinner fix? Fish n' chips. There's quite a number of fish n' chips stores in the area. For $2.50, you can have a battered fish fillet good for one, and for $2.30 a load of french fries (a.k.a. chips) for 3.

I'm not yet ready to give up my rice diet, though, so fish n' chips nights will be on a per-need basis.

Pot & Noodle House

Pot & Noodle House is a Chinese Restaurant which my friend BatJay totally loves. And I got the chance to visit this restaurant when BatJay was around for his book signing and invited the Berks for a dinner get-together. This was some months ago... *whew*, how time flies.

The party arrives.

The biggest siopao in town

My friend Roger was in Pasig one time and texted me if I wanted some siopao. Not some regular siopao, but probably the biggest one there is in town. In my head popped "blog material!" so I said sure!

Soon enough, I found myself walking to over office pantry with the mysterious siopao. Officemates dropping by for coffee expressed surprise and delight at how big the siopao was! I invited them for a cuppa and they gamely helped divide the siopao for the group.


The size notwithstanding, the giant siopao tasted like... umm... siopao! It was yummy, and the meaty inside was huge as well. It's good for three to four people for merienda.


Unfortunately, I have forgotten how much it was, and where it was bought from. I'll ask when I get the chance to contact Roger.

Technorati tags: food trip

Sarsiadong Isda

Now, what's the english equivalent for this dish? Fish in tomato sauce?

Sarsiadong isda is one of my favorite ways that fish is cooked. When I was new in Manila and was living with my uncle in the early 90s, I was designated cook for many a day. My skills in the kitchen revolved around frying things, boiling water, sinigang, tinola, sarsiadong isda, and some experiments gone horribly wrong. But sarsiadong isda? I always get it right. :-) Somehow this dish reminds me of the time I was starting a career in Manila and was overcoming the big city culture shock.

This recipe is so easy to make. Dalagang bukid is my fish of choice, but any other fish will do nicely. Our friend Glenn went fishing with his friends last weekend, and he gave us a couple of his catch. I don't know exactly what this fish is, so let's just call it "fresh fish". Am I creative or what?

The procedure here is how my lovely wife Tina makes sarsiadong isda. This is good for 2 to 4 persons.

Halo-halo

What could be more Filipino than halo-halo on a hot summer day? From the word halo meaning "mix", it is a delightful ice cooler that spurns happy memories of waiting at the roadside stand while the neighborhood seller makes a batch. I spent a lot of summers in the province; we would eagerly wait for the arrival of the afternoon as it cools up and we can continue our street games interrupted by the midday sun. And then we would exclaim how great it would be to have a mug of halo-halo to escape the sweltering heat. The grown-ups would most likely acquiesce, with orders for themselves as well!

The magic of halo-halo is in the ingredients themselves which though simple, are very Filipino, and when mixed together, becomes a medley of color and flavor!

Baker's Depot

I admire people who can transform the lowly flour into works of gastronomic art. Cakes and pastries are celebration and relax time staples, and the smell of baking is one of the most wonderful smells ever.

Getting the tools and ingredients for baking can be a daunting task though, especially since a majority of Filipino homes are not equipped with ovens, much less bakers.

Well, here's good news. Baker's Depot is now available to cater to every baker's whim and delight. Utensils, ingredients, decor, you name it. They even have this chocolatey base you can use to make lollipops that are popular during Valentine's. My wife was delighted when she saw this... too bad we're no longer in the area to engage ourselves in a new hobby.