Korean Village

Korean Village Restaurant used to be located along Adriatico St., in Malate, and Lolo Alejandro would take the whole clan there for special occasions in the mid-eighties.  Continuing with that tradition, Vicky decided to celebrate her birthday at the restaurant's new location along Nakpil St., just around the corner from the old spot.  We got in at 6:30 pm, and the parking areas were already full; diners kept on coming and going till we left at 9 pm, the restaurant is quite popular.  We started off with the customary appetizers, some dumplings, a plate of sushi, and had three different varieties of hot soup--mixed with miso, tofu and fish cake.

The BBQ chicken is really the top seller of the restaurant (the marinade must be a closely guarded secret).  Monique and the Callars swear that this was one of the best they have tasted, pre-flavored with a slightly sweet sauce.  The pork strips, however, were not salted and would take the taste of the sauce you dipped them in.  These liempo strips were perfect as filling for the lettuce wraps.

 Of course we had pa-chon, which is like an omelet, some beef stew (Andi finished a whole bowl by herself), chap chae and bibimbop.  I, however, didn't dare put some bibimbop sauce on top of the rice dish, as Bryan had informed me that this was super spicy.

The food was really good for the P400/person that we spent (and that included the obligatory Melona ice cream bars for dessert).  The interiors of the restaurant, however, clearly showed that some renovation work would give the place better scores.  Lighting seemed lacking, and the dark brown walls accentuated the dim and cramped feeling.  Exhaust vents were evident, but still, much can be done to improve air circulation.

Celebrations

I think a lot of American chocolates cater to those with a sweet tooth.  Vicky got a tub of Celebrations, which contains the chocolates made by Mars, Inc.--Snickers, Dove, Twix, Maltesers, Milky Way, Bounty and Mars.  interestingly, Mars, Inc., a world leader in the chocolate business (around US$30 billion sales annually), is one of the world's largest privately held company (ranked at the top 10).  The company is now managed by 4th or 5th generation family members (imagine that, working together in harmony).  The candies contain nougat, caramel, coconut, syrup, and most are available in stores everywhere.  My complaint?  Too sweet for my taste.  I prefer their other brands--simple M&M's and Skittles!

Tito Jesse

Last March 7, I remembered that it was the birthday of Tito Jesse, Gwammy's eldest brother who passed away from a stroke in the early eighties.  The picture above was taken in the late fifties, and a lot of my relatives say that I look a lot like him.  He was around 5"10" in height and was a holder of a black belt in judo, having competed in the Asian Games after the war.  During our childhood, I remember him to be the ice cream man--when it was time to distribute ice cream, he would gladly scoop for us, and we'd fall in line to get our cones from him.  Whenever we'd have out of town beach excursions (those wonderful summers in Hundred Islands) in the early seventies, he'd take charge of the whole clan.  He taught me self-defense judo, basic kendo and even some no-nonsense street fighting moves.  During the war, he was a messenger for the guerilla forces, and he was also part of the Ateneo teen-age contingent that helped out at the Philippine General Hospital.  My mom recalls that Tito Jesse was lining up for water at a pozo along Padre Faura when a bomb exploded and flying shrapnel felled the three gentlemen in front of the line.  Since the family was so desperate for drinking water, Tito Jesse had to push the bodies aside in order to get some water.  Since everyone was frantic and looking for cover, he was only able to get half a pail of fresh water that time, but it was enough to keep the family alive.  In the early eighties, he was a ranking officer at the Civil Aeronautics Authority, and his job kept him busy giving technical assistance to airports abroad (Lagos, Nigeria).  Just before his passing, he headed the management team at the Lahug airport in Cebu. I miss him a lot.

Wyler

I was browsing some of my favorite watch forums, and I'm pretty sad to learn that Wyler filed for bankruptcy in 2009.  I have a manual Wyler that was given to me by my godmother sometime in the early seventies.  I cracked and replaced the glass casing thereof in the mid-eighties, and broke the spring soon after.  It no longer functions, but I keep it as a memento of childhood.  Now the company that made the watch is no longer, and in a sense, a part of me feels missing.  Wyler was famous for the sturdy Incaflex mechanism that protected their watches from shock.  For marketing purposes, the company dropped its watches from atop the Eiffel Tower in the late sixties and despite the fall, the watches would continue to function.  In the decade before the company folded up, they launched bold watch designs (as you can see above), but I would think that sales have been limited.  After all, the mechanical watch business is very marketing oriented, and technological triumphs are really few and far between; outside circles of watch enthusiasts, the brand is not known at all.  Well, such is life...

Li Garden

For Monique's birthday, we decided to have an impromptu dinner at Li Garden restaurant along Macapagal Avenue in the Bay area.  I've never heard of this restaurant before, until we drove past it at 2pm (Monique's driving practice), and by 8pm, the family took a table for 12 to try their cuisine.

The English Teachers

I recently learned that they had set up awards in memory of two of my English teachers, Fr. Cornelius Pineau (junior high school) and Fr. Daniel Clifford (senior year).  When I heard the news, memories of youth came like a bolt of lightning, flooding me with mixed emotions.  Happy (those were great times), sad (I miss the both of them), lucky and privileged (they don't make teachers like they used to).  I distinctly remember the experience of being under these two lovable priests, a welcome honor.  "Tip of tongue to tip of teeth," Fr. Pineau would remind us when we'd pronounce "th" as "d," and we'd spend hours analyzing sentence structure with the use of diagrams (I don't think English teachers do this anymore).  This kind Canadian would often catch me sleeping in class, but he never got mad.  Instead, he would look at me like a grandfather would, and would merely send me to the lavatory to wash my face for a second wind.  Fr. Clifford. the American, was a tad stricter, and I remember him telling us that staying in the Philippines for so long had gotten his accent off, such that every time he'd return to the States, his relatives would complain, "Gee Dan, you talk funny!"  Both lovable teachers, devoted priests, and kind gentlemen.  Awards for outstanding faculty, named after two of the best of the best!

Hawthorn Berries

Monique and I picked up a pack of Hawthorn Berry candies at a deli along Wilson St., and this version is a slight twist from the Haw Flakes (titina) of yore.  It's much thicker than the old-style paper-thin titina and has a rougher texture to it.  Also, there's an unmistakable saltiness when you take your first bite. I prefer the regular titina, which was our regular kiddie fare.  Before come in hostia size (1990s), the titina in the 70s came in rectangular blocks (around 3" x 4"), and we'd enjoy this during the regular meetings of the Raider's Club.

Brookside

I first learned of Brookside chocolates last December when Becca was gifted with a package for Christmas.  I thought that the inside portion was fruit, and I couldn't understand why it had a gooey feel to it.  Upon reading its website, I found out that this confectionery started in Canada and they make a unique chocolate coated jelly (usually berry flavored), and that explained why the inside didn't chew like a fruit would.  Then I heard in January from Monique that her classmate just recently tasted the chocolate, and liked it.  When cousin Cliff came over in February, we received another pack as a gift, and it seems that this choco-covered fruit jelly is really getting popular.  I understand that a Philippine distribution office has also been set up; talk about the wonders of global distribution!  I find it too sweet for my taste though, and a couple of pieces is enough for my after dinner postre.  The kids, however, think that it's just fantastic!

Cardinal Santos Medical Center

I must say I was pretty impressed with the Cardinal Santos Medical Center.  I was confined there for the past week due to a bad case of cellulitis.  I had a scratch on my nose, right where the eyeglass nose pad rests, and somehow, bacteria was able to get in.  I probably rubbed the scratch with my dirty hands, and as a result, my face got swollen (such that I couldn't open my eyes), and my fever shot up to 40 degrees celsius.  Not a good sign, and since oral antibiotics would take too long, the doctors insisted that the antibiotics would be administered via intravenous injection.  I had to agree to confinement, as the infection could progress to meningitis or encephalitis, which would be very dangerous and difficult to cure.  From the emergency room, the x-ray department to the in-room nursing team, I was pampered and treated with dignity and respect.

Who says hospital food has to be horrible?  I had five meals a day for a whole week--brekky, morning snack, lunch, afternoon merienda, and dinner, without repeating anything.  Wide variety, better tasting than that of your average office canteen.  Meals were deliver hot and on time.  A nutritionist came to see me on my second day, and I even requested that sauces be plated separately from the main course, and my request was strictly observed throughout my stay.

The physical plant has been improved much.  If I recall right, a visit to the hospital around 15 years ago left me with the impression that a lot of renovation work was sorely needed.  Since the group of MVP took over the management a few years back, the rooms are prettier, parking is available, corridors are brighter, a lot of doctors have continued their practice there and the hospital looks much better now.  I would think that some modern equipment has also been introduced (I remember that Pipay had undergone some specialized MRI scans there some years ago).

Zuni

To welcome Caren and Pete to Manila, we called for a clan lunch at Zuni in the Greenbelt Mall the first Sunday that they were in town.  This is the sister restaurant of Duo in Serendra at the Fort, and I've always liked the simple but elegant interiors of Zuni.  We knew that Caren has some allergies to gluten, and since Zuni has some good steaks, we knew that we wouldn't go wrong.

Since we had everyone make to-each-his-own orders, I started off my meal with shrimp bisque, and continued with some prosciutto-topped salad.  I liked the bisque, tasty but not too salty.  For my main course, I had fish--sole with asparagus spears.

This dessert plate isn't mine--actually belonged to Pipsey.  She finished the ice cream and chocolate cake in around 5 minutes flat!  The kids were especially happy since Caren went around to distribute special pasalubong (this time they had mugs and stuffed Swiss cows, and they reminisced about the Swiss knives which were given by Caren's mom, Auntie Doris, the last time the family came over to Manila sometime a decade ago).  It is really nice to bond with much-loved relatives that you rarely see, and despite the passage of time and the distance, family bonds are still family bonds.

Prepare around P1,000 per head if you want to have a full-course meal at Zuni.  If you will have some wine to go with the food, your spending will depend on the quality of the wine.  The restaurant faces the Greenbelt garden, and al fresco dining can be arranged; this is especially a good idea for those of you who smoke.

Nail Spa (Gamboa)

In between appointments in the Legaspi Village area, we found the perfect place to take Caren and Pete for some relaxation and couple bonding.  Nail Spa, located along Gamboa Street, is one of the pioneers of the art of hand and toe nail detailing in Metro Manila.  I understand that their first store opened in 2001 at the Shangrila Plaza, and including the Gamboa outlet, the spa now has three branches, the third one located at the Block in SM North EDSA.

My cousin and her hubby enjoyed the privacy of their little nook, and they stayed for around an hour just relaxing, and having their nails done in the process.  The place is quiet, service is top-notch, and the ladies know exactly what to do.  Me?  I had to make some phone calls, and I spent my time on the phone while walking about the Washington Sycip Park which was right across from the store.

I truly have no idea of what kinds of nail polish are the "in" thing at the moment, but I understand from my lady friends that the Nail Spa has an extensive array of polishes to choose from.  Depending on the services requested, the price range varies (as low as P200 for express routines to somewhere around P1,000 for lazy day indulgences).  My Swiss guests came out of the spa pretty relaxed, and my cousin Caren was especially happy with her polished nails.  Definitely two thumbs up for this wonderful oasis in the middle of corporate Makati!

Soi

The family was at Robinson's Manila and we decided to celebrate some of Vicky's recent professional achievements at Soi, a Thai restaurant on the ground floor of the mall.  I understand that this restaurant is part of the Cabalen group (also has a branch right beside Soi).  For starters, we had a trio of fried lumpia, fresh lumpia and flavored tofu.

The fried lumpia was okay, but I found the fresh spring roll to be quite bland.  Luckily, the beef noodle soup was very tasty.

We ordered two kinds of rice, one with salted fish and another with crab meat.  For our viands, we had sauteed chicken and curried pork.  We asked the kitchen to be very stingy with the chili, and the spice level came out just as we wanted--a hint of spice, but pleasant, without the fire-breathing sensation.

The pad-thai noodles were the smash hit, and Monique and Vicky were so happy that we ordered a second plate!  To keep our palates cool, we had some iced pandan tea (bottomless).  Prepare some P400 to P500 per head for this restaurant, especially if you have appetites as big as ours!