FOOD TRIP: Cantina Sicilianita

There is a good reason why Elizabeth Gilbert "ate" in Italy in her autobiographical narrative, Eat, Pray, Love. We understand why we have to say the name of the country like you eat it. It is a little bit impossible to think Italy without thinking mouthwatering Italian food. They say Italian food is very broad and has to specified so let's call this food trip a Sicilian gastronomical adventure.

Yesterday, I tagged along a willing human to a quick dinner to a Sicilian restaurant. A good friend of her resigned from work and I can imagine how difficult it must be to adjust to the same work environment without someone very dear to you. Food always makes people feel good so I tagged her along.

We went to Cantina Sicilianita in Shaw Blvd. Mandaluyong. This hole-in-the-wall has been around since mid of 2012 but has not been given much attention due to its unlikely location - buried in the busy Shaw Blvd, Mandaluyong City. Its signage used to be overshadowed by Rex Bookstore's, which could be the reason it was not easily noticed. But it has had its share of TV appearances and food bloggers' review.

The trip started with the following plates:

Black Truffle Pasta (P240)
Delicious and succulent mushrooms marinated in black truffle infused virgin olive oil.

Gamberetti Fra Diavolo: Spicy Shrimp Linguine (P210)
Fresh spicy shrimps marinated with the Godfather's secret recipe. Tossed in linguine pasta with red wine.

After all the pasta, it will be nice to treat yourself with a desert, a glass of wine, or coffee or juice.

Cannoli 1pc with Caffe Americano Combo (P140)
Sicilian delicacy is meant to be enjoyed with freshly roasted coffee.

We were also honored to have our food prepared by the owner and chef himself, Marky Buhain, who brought his love for Sicily to Manila for us to experience it in a much less expensive way.

The interior design, the mood, the music, and the overall feeling of the restaurant give you that complete Italian experience that makes you want to play with a few Italian words you know while dining.

Let me share with you an Italian food proverb.

Mangiare per vivere e non vivere per mangiare (Eat to live and not live to eat.)

My Humble Review 

Disclaimer: I am not a cook, a food expert, or a professional food reviewer. I am merely a customer who sees food not just as something my body needs to survive but a travel experience and a reflection of a culture. I am not, in any way, associated with this restaurant or its owner.

5 - Excellent
4 - Above Average
3 - Average
2 - Below Average
1 - Poor

Price: 5
Very affordable, which is unusual for an Italian restaurant. Serving is good for one.

Taste & Quality of Food: 4
We were only able to taste two dishes. Smell alone was already an appetizer.

Parking: 3.5
Ample parking space from Facilities Building. Not sure if there's a parking fee. Little space in front of the restaurant.

Location: 3.5
Location is not very visible right away. Signage was improved compared to how it looked before.

Customer Service: 4
Fast,  Friendly and Accommodating

Atmosphere & Appearance: 4
Clean, Smells Good, Good lighting, temperature and music. Clean utensils. There were about 6-7 tables. For peak hours, you may need to call in for reservation.


Overall: 4

Restaurant Details

Cantina Sicilianita

548 Shaw Boulevard, Facilities Center Building, 1550 Mandaluyong, Philippines

Contact Number: (02) 570 2905

FOOD TRIP: Magnum Manila

Magnum is no longer just the ice cream bar that took Manila by storm and had fans taking selfies while eating it. It has moved an ambitious notch up by opening its first cafe in Manila located at SM Aura Premiere in Taguig. The first Magnum Cafe was opened in Jakarta, Indonesia in 2011.

The Magnun Cafe opened in April 8 and gave its first 500 customers free make-your-own-magnum bars. There's a bar where you can dress up your naked magnum with toppings and flavors of your choice.This option is for take out orders only.

If you wish to stay longer, chat a little bit, and dine, you may choose from their variety of Magnum bar servings and other dishes.

No warm dishes were served when my friend and I visited so we just gave ourselves a sweet treat and what we came there for - the Magnum art. We had the following:

Rainbow Dream

White chocolate covered vanilla Magnum bar covered in dreamy rainbow cake crumble, on a moist slice of cream cheese rainbow cake.

Red Velvet

Moist red velvet cake and cream cheese, on a slate paired with vanilla Magnum and dark chocolate sauce, crushed pistachios and red velvet crumble.

Aside from the ice cream experience, you may also enjoy the overall ambiance of the place including the classy interior design of the restaurant.

This pleasure store will only be around for 500 days, which makes it a must-try.

My Coffee Journey

For more than a month now, I have developed a more intimate love for coffee. I don't just mean drinking a cup. Drinking is just the habit, something I think I got from my father seeing him savor his cup every morning. By intimate, I meant a deeper understanding of what it is and everything that happens before one savors a cup.

I have educated myself a little, in all possible ways I know of at the moment, of its beginnings and all the processes that a coffee goes through - to farming, to picking and harvesting, to processing and drying, to roasting, to grinding and brewing. I have also read a lot about my country's contribution to its market. I found out that we used to be the fourth largest coffee producer in the world in the 1800's. Various factors have caused it to change and we are slowly trying to make it again.

My discoveries have also lead me to take more frequent trips to different coffee shops. I developed a higher sense of respect for those who make it, flourish it, and keep it, especially the hardworking farmers. I also applaud those who support the local industry.

I remember visiting a coffee plantation when I was younger. I may have to schedule another visit again soon. I am hungry for more.

I will write about my discoveries and I will include you in my journey. I will make you love coffee in a more meaningful way (if you are not yet on that stage).

Because it is so much more than just knowing what to say when you order it.

FOOD: A Vietnamese Food in the Philippines

In May of last year, I took a solo travel to Palawan, Philippines. To say that Palawan is beautiful is an understatement. They say that God must have spent so much time creating it. 

Just like any travel, it was my goal to taste their food. On top of my list was their famous Chaolong.  

Chaolong is a Vietnamese noodle dish, which is very popular in Puerto Princesa. History tells us that there were many Vietnamese refugees who fled to Palawan and brought their native cuisine. 

Here's a photo of the place.   

I did not have a private car to tour me to the place. But I was ready to take on the adventure of trying the local public transportation. I rented a tricycle I asked the driver not to bring me to an expensive chaolongan (what they call places who serve chaolong) but to the most common go-to of the public.  I wanted to experience it the way the locals do. He did. 

 

They say chaolong goes well with French bread so I tried both. It was a very fulfilling experience. It almost felt like I traveled to Vietnam, which I dream of doing someday.

TRAVEL SNIPPETS: Kusina ni Atching Lillian Borromeo

Travel Date: January 18
1st Leg of Attraversiamo 2014

I am not a travel expert, but I guess experience establishes your credibility more than your title. A good friend of mine reached out to me in creating a simple, short, not-too-expensive, one-day trip for another friend who has been very busy at work. They have been friends for a long time and true friends look out for each other, so I understood him. I, of course, loved the idea. I also want to kick off my travel journal for the year.

I prepared a very simple itinerary. I did not research too much. I just made sure that we know, at least, the addresses of the places we will visit. The problem about reading too much about a travel destination before going is losing the elements of surprise and adventure. Research just enough and wait to be surprised. Test your travel instincts and learn from it. 

Straight from the evening shift at work, we left the office at 1030AM.

First Stop - Kusina ni Atching Lillian Borromeo 

Lillian Lising Borromeo is known as the Guardian of Kapampangan Kitchen. She is famous for cooking native dishes of Pampanga using the traditional ways she learned from her ancestors. She has guested in a lot of TV programs showcasing her cooking prowess. She has also been awarded for her efforts to keep her culinary genius and the culture of the Kapampangans alive.

Photo from Sugar Canto.

We did not waste time. We feasted on the delectable dishes served before us.

Let me feed your eyes.

Aside from the mouthwatering food, Atching Lillian also offers a baking demo of the San Nicolas cookie (and more) for her guests. She shared stories after stories of how her ancestors prepare food. She injected bits of her sweet sense of humor every now and then, which made her very charming. She also showed us some of the traditional wooden cooking implements such as the very old rolling pin and the huge egg beater.

 

She invited some of her guests to try the cookie molding part and gave free samplings to all.

After the demo, you can look around her little museum where she placed every piece that speaks of her tireless effort to preserve her local color and humbly show her achievements. Another proof of this is the ongoing ABS-CBN program shoot while we were there. See photo below.

ABS-CBN shoot.

Atching Lillian is a very warm person. When I made a reservation, she immediately accommodated us and politely informed me that there are other guests scheduled the same day and made sure we are fine with it. She has been known to attending to her guests personally - talking to them, hugging and kissing them as they enter her home. She has even called me three times to ensure I know where to find her place.

We were asked to write on her Guest Book and we did. We thought it was our only way to appreciate what she does for Pampanga and our country.

Needless to say, food was great! The pandan juice was a first for me. It was refreshing.

More than the food, I liked the experience it gave me - that homey, motherly, and warm ambiance while eating is probably something you will rarely get these days. Her gracious ways and very calm way of communicating remind you of your own mother. When you look around, eat and smell the food, you know you are in the right place. You are home.

Here's a photo of Atching Lillian's home.

Photo from Sugar Canto.

Her house is located in Mexico, Pampanga.

Check out our next stop from this link.

FOOD TRIP: The Flavors and Colors of China in Manila

What started as a commercial partnership through barter, ages ago, became a lasting relationship. From our language, to our daily products, food, fashion and lifestyle, the Chinese culture has blended well with our own. One of the best ways to experience the color, feel, and flavors of China in this country is to visit the Manila Chinatown.

Chinatown Manila was established in 1594, which is said to be the oldest in the world. It is located in Binondo, Manila. Binondo is the home to a very old church founded in 1596. Binondo Church is also known as Minor Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz, named after the first Filipino saint who served as an altar boy in the same church. Lorenzo Ruiz is Filipino-Chinese by descent.

A trip to Chinatown cannot be complete without a dining experience. In fact, when you mention Binondo, food comes to mind first. There's a long strip of eating places to choose from. You will never go hungry in this part of the world. Today, we decided to try Chuan Kee in Yuchengco St. corner Ongpin St. just behind Binondo Church.

The place was full for a morning visit. Looks like every day is a busy day for this place.

With Chinese songs in the background, Chinese-speaking guests coming in and out, and Chinese characters everywhere you look, you will surely be transported to a country, which is miles and miles away.

We asked for their most affordable bestsellers and here are what we were advised to taste:

From the inside of Chuan Kee, you can't help but notice this signage. It's inviting so why not give this a try too?

Cafe Mezzanine was featured in CNN's World's Best Chinatowns as a Must Visit Restaurant. Read more from this link.

A portion of this cafe's income goes to the Binondo Fire Department, whose iconic purple truck is parked beside Binondo church.

The place is cozy and is a nice place to hang out and chat. You will find interesting photos of firemen in action and other related displays.

You may try their signature coffee, Mezza Blend, which is refillable at P70. Not bad at all!

Or if you want a sweeter coffee, you may try their Cafe Latte. They also serve pasta, burgers, pancit, halo-halo and sandwiches.

Like I said, the food here never stops. When you pass by the newly established Lucky Chinatown Mall, you might be lucky to stumble upon any of their fun events such as this one below. We happened to have experienced their Weekend Asian Street Food Market.

We tried the following:

Dynamite (Chilli Cheese Sticks) @ P10 each

Pork and Chicken Isaw @ P20-

They're a little bit expensive compared to its real street prizes but, hey, extra bucks for the comfort.

Weekend Asian Street Food Market goes on Saturdays and Sundays of September.

This isn't my first time in Chinatown. In fact, visiting this place again brings so many childhood memories. I was born in Manila. My parents used to work in Escolta and my regular trips to Sta. Cruz, Quaipo and Binondo are memories I will always treasure.

Chinatown has, indeed, a world of its own. While walking the streets of Binondo on my way home,  I hoped that it gets to preserve its distinct culture and that it will never sell out. When I saw this roadside chapel still there, I was rest assured.