lunch Archives ⋆ Leia Khu

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 15: Bon Appetit La Boutique

Posted on November 10, 2013January 22, 2019 by Leia Bartolome

It’s Day Five and we’re back in Davao once again.

In my quest to explore new gustatory territories, I already had my radar on Bon Appetit La Boutique weeks before our trip. They serve authentic French cuisine in a public square located at Plaza del Carmen, Loyola Street.

I never had a legit French meal in my life so I figured it would be a good place to start.

Sophisticated, elegant and charming, the interior of Bon Appetit La Boutique is a beautiful reflection of France. It is a perfect setting for romantic dinner dates, anniversaries and other special occasions.

Displayed on their walls are artworks and some French products for sale.

Sketches

Foie Gras
Fat Duck Liver

Canned French Delicacies

Fragrance Pillows

Fragrant soaps in Pomme (apple), Lavande (lavender) and Cannelle Orange (cinnamon orange) scents.

You know they’re the real deal because the menu is written in French. It’s okay, I can’t read French too. Hehe 🙂

Okay, nuff jabbering. Food. Now.

Baguette et Tapenade
Homemade French Baguette with Tapenade

Made with ingredients imported from France, this baguette can’t get anymore authentic in taste.

I’m very picky and hard to please when it comes to bread. You can ask my boyfriend. So when I say that I actually enjoyed eating this means a whole lot.

The baguette didn’t have that awful starchy aftertaste that breads made in local bakeries here in the Philippines tend to have.

Upon closer inspection, you can tell that the baguette has a light and airy texture with a thin, crispy golden crust.

Tapenade was something I never heard of before. It is a gourmet condiment usually used as spread for bread and is made out of black olives blended with herbs and olive oil until it forms into a thick paste. Its robust and distinct taste adds a unique flavor to the baguette.

The baguette and tapenade were actually on the house. Yey for free bread basket!

Crêpe Sarrasin, Oeuf, Jambon et Gruyère
Buckwheat Crepe with Fried Egg, Ham & Gruyère Cheese

While normal people would have this for breakfast or brunch, we had it as an appetizer simply because we can (fit lotsa food in our bellies). 🙂

Folded inside the crepe is a sunny-side up egg with slices of ham and melted Gruyère cheese.

Gruyère cheese has a rich, creamy texture and tastes sweet and salty at the same time. There is really nothing like it.

This is something I can have everyday! Light, savory and decadent. That’s what it is. It’s one of those things you have to try!

And yes, the salad did go very well with it too.

More free hot bread. They won’t stop serving free bread until you get to the main course or until you say so.

Penne Sauce Roquefort et Noix
Penne Pasta with Roquefort Cheese & Walnut Sauce

Roquefort is a type of blue cheese characterized by its blue veins of (edible) mold. It has a strong characteristic odor and taste that may put a lot of people off. But if you happen to like blue cheese, you will surely enjoy this dish like we did!

Served al dente, the penne was pasta perfection.

Steak de Gindara Grillé Sauce Beurre Blanc
Grilled Butterfish with White Butter Sauce and Potato Gratin

Tender and moist, the grilled butterfish was a delight to eat. The beurre blanc sauce was rich and buttery and it helped elevate this seemingly simple dish.

And the potato gratin was AHMEYZING. I could eat a casserole of that all by myself. It’s rich, creamy and tender. It’s so good that I’d rather have it over pizza any day! And yes, I still can’t believe I actually said that.

Bon Appetit La Boutique is a restaurant one should not pass up. I will not hesitate to recommend this place. Warm service, outstanding meals and fantastic dining experience.

Open Mondays thru Saturdays, 11AM to 11PM. Prices usually range between 300 and 500 pesos.

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 11: Tong Yang Shabu-Shabu & Barbeque Restaurant

Posted on October 15, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

On the fourth day of our vacation, we took a roadtrip to Gensan…

Located at SM Gensan, Tong Yang Shabu-Shabu Barbecue Restaurant is heaven-sent for all the buffet and hotpot lovers out there.

As we came in, my jaw dropped to the floor. We were greeted with long tables filled with a wide array of fresh and delicious food selections all ready to cook and eat.

I’ve been to some eat-all-you-can buffet restaurants before but I’ve never seen anything like this.

You are given the freedom to choose your raw ingredients for cooking which can be a little overwhelming especially if you’re a first-timer like I was. They have vegetables, seafood, meat, noodles, sides, broth, sauces, condiments… You name it, they have it all – from appetizers to desserts!

One of the great things about Tong Yang is you can always come back for more food if you want to. Yes, everything is eat-all-you-can within the given three-hour time frame.

For only 299PHP/person for lunch buffets from Mon-Fri and 399PHP/person for dinner buffets from Mon-Fri and lunch+dinner buffets on holidays & weekends. Where else can you find a great deal as such this??

Too bad we were prohibited from taking close-up food photos though. Boo. Sad panda 🙁

It is also worth mentioning that they have unlimited tap beer (just add 65 PHP for beer-all-you-can), soda and fruit juices.

Please excuse our cluttered hotpot table. The left side of the table is for grilling and the right side is for stewing. I really like how you can make two stews at the same time. Really cool.

We were given sticks of butter for grilling. Don’t be shy to ask for more if needed. The butter complements the food well and makes everything taste richer. Genius.

By the way, a shoutout to our official tour guide and photographer for that day, Jed Reyes. Thanks for the treat Kuya! By the way, he’s an awesome photographer. You can check out some of his amazing shots here.

Kuya Jed observing my boyfriend as he makes sinigang for the first time. Thank God for Tong Yang’s free WiFi. None of us knew how to make sinigang so we just googled for recipes online and made it on the spot.

WADAYAKNOW. It was delicious-o!

We really had an amazing dining experience at Tong Yang. I definitely would love to come back here when I can. I suggest that you come here famished. And do bring friends and family with you because food is always better shared 🙂

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 7: Classic Savory

Posted on August 18, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

Just a real quick post here while I can still sneak in some time to blog before I leave for CDO today.

For Day 3, we had our brunch at Classic Savory – SM Lanang branch.

I’m not a fan of Filipino-Chinese food at all. But after constantly being prodded by some friends to try Classic Savory’s chicken, I raised my hands as a sign of surrender and decided it was finally time to give it a try.

Behind us is a photo collage of Manila during the 1950’s. It proved to be a nice distraction as we waited for our order.

The loose top I wore here made me look 20 pounds heavier, I know. Too lazy to liquify myself on Photoshop. Also, I didn’t care to fix my hair that day. Bah. Haha.

Our order came earlier than expected. Which was a good thing because we were really hungry already.

I got myself a value meal that came with a piece of chicken thigh, slivers of fish fillet and some gravy on the side. My boyfriend had a similar order. Just with a different side dish. I forgot what he had. And I don’t know why we didn’t take a photo of his order. It totally slipped out of our minds.

Anyway, the fish fillet was tender and delicious. I like the sauce that it came with. It was creamy and it complemented the fish fillet really well. I just wish there was more of it though.

The chicken proved to be the star of the meal. Marinated with their special secret sauce, it was delicious to the bones. Although the chicken wasn’t done perfectly (it was dry and a tad overcooked), I still enjoyed it for its timeless taste nonetheless.

Would I go back? Yes, because I would like to give their chicken another try but most likely from another branch. Hopefully, it’ll be juicy and tender as they claim it should be. Also, I need to have a platter of their fish fillet all to myself!

Click here to check out other food items from their menu. Prices usually range between 150 to 250 pesos.

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 5: Nonki Japanese Restaurant

Posted on July 28, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

We started Day Two by munching on a popular Thai snack by Tao Kae Noi.

It’s crispy, fried seaweed that comes in different flavors. My boyfriend and I prefer the wasabi-flavored one above all else. Yup, that was pretty much our breakfast for that day. No complains here at all.

We spent much of our morning just rolling on the bed and watching TV in our hotel room. Getting ready for lunch was actually just an afterthought.

Since we enjoyed our Japanese dinner so much, we decided to have some more Japanese food for lunch because… Why not?

Here’s a little sneaky “outfit of the day” by the way…

I know I could do better… Should I do a better one next time? What do you readers think? Let. Me. Know.

MOVING ON… Nonki Japanese Restaurant serves authentic Japanese cuisine and is located along F. Torres Street, right beside Davao Trade and Convention Center.

Upon entering, we were warmly welcomed and greeted with the phrase “Irasshaimase” by ladies in their matching kimono uniforms.

We came in a little bit too late for lunch… But normally, this place would be full of people (particularly Japanese nationals) and buzzing with activity.

The awesome sushi bar. I’m still haunted as to why we didn’t eat our lunch here.

Or here. More reasons to come back I suppose?

Aside from the fact that the wait staff are very courteous… Service here is very prompt and efficient!

Also, I would like to point out that they gave me a cold mug for my beer! Also, do you see that white tube thing next to my mug? That’s a wet towel for wiping hands. AMAZING! Little things like these make such a huge impact. At least to me that is. All restaurants should follow their example.

Itadakimasu!

Doesn’t it look like some piece of art? But it’s not just some piece of art, it’s edible too! This is a platter of mixed sashimi with shredded radish, sea grapes (locally called “lato”) and sliced cucumber for garnish.

Definitely top quality seafood! So fresh like it was just plucked right out from the ocean! Really, really delicious! It went down very well with my ice-cold beer.

This one is called okonomiyaki. It’s a savory pancake filled with shredded cabbage and green onion and then topped with okonomiyaki sauce, Japanese mayonnaise and katsuobushi (bonito flakes). Just think of it as Japanese pizza.

Their okonomiyaki left a lot to be desired… But it was something that I’ve always wanted to try and I’m glad that I finally did.

Lastly, because we love uni (sea urchin) so much… We ordered a hefty serving of it! The uni was really fresh and creamy… Melts-in-your-mouth kind of creamy. And I love how the cucumber added that sort of “fresh flavor” which I found really refreshing. I miss it so much already it hurts.

I can’t stress enough just how much I enjoyed eating at Nonki. My dining experience there is definitely a memorable one; I felt like I was transported to Japan (even for just a little while)!

Food here is really pricey, I won’t lie. Price range between 300~500 pesos. But I still recommend this restaurant to all sushi and sashimi aficionados because it’s absolutely worth it.

Nonki Japanese Restaurant is open at all days of the week from 11:30AM to 2:00PM and from 5:30PM to 11:00PM.

Davao-Gensan Trip Part 3: Lunch at Chicken BonChon

Posted on July 10, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

After that not-so-good breakfast, we booked ourselves at D’ Counter Pensione (we got our bags back of course), freshened up and took some much needed rest… And before we knew it, it was already 2 o’clock in the afternoon and we should go out to have lunch already.

We didn’t know where to grab our lunch so we thought to just to go to Abreeza and decide when we get there. But one thing’s for sure though, we wanted something fast, convenient, affordable and preferably something we never had before…

And Chicken BonChon just fits the bill.

Chicken BonChon is a fast food chain that originates from South Korea. And as the name suggests, they primarily serve chicken but they do have other food items on their menu as well. Such as salads and rice meals that have nothing to do with chicken at all.

Chicken BonChon has a global cult following on their crispy, less greasy (I won’t say non-greasy) double-fried chicken.

Let’s see if they get us to join the bandwagon…

My pink hair has faded into this ombre color. I digress. Waiting for our chicken thighs and kimchi.

Jalmukesumneda! Learning some Korean table manners won’t hurt anyone.

We got the 3-piece chicken thigh ensemble for 185 pesos (exclusive of the rice and kimchi). It is a tad pricey for a fast food meal… But since my boyfriend and I shared it, I think it’s not bad considering that a 1-piece chicken meal from Jollibee is around 70~80 pesos minimum.

The thighs were paper thin crisp and glazed with their signature soy garlic sauce (we had the spicy version) that everyone seems to go bananas about. And truly, the sauce itself is delicious. But the chicken, hmmm not so. It was bland to the bones. And just to counter the lack of flavor, I was hoping they’d have some gravy or dipping to go with it… But there is none. In all fairness though, the chicken was moist and juicy.

I guess I just had my expectations so high up that I got really disappointed.

But frankly, we came for the chicken and not the sauce. So I don’t think we’d come back here anytime soon. Sorry guys. Not jumping on this bandwagon.

24 & 2 Part 5: Sumo Sam

Posted on June 24, 2013October 7, 2018 by xerox

To cap off this 24 & 2 series, my boyfriend and I had our lunch at Sumo Sam (Centrio).

Sumo Sam is a restaurant chain that specializes in Japanese-American food and is owned by Marvin Agustin. Hence, the life size photo of him standing right outside the door beckoning for you to come in. Hehe.

One of the things I like about Sumo Sam is that they serve complimentary tea. Please excuse my messy hair and sleep deprived face (I left my comb back at the hotel where we stayed and I was really sick that day) by the way.

Food here is a little bit pricey but their servings are pretty ginormous so you can just share a meal with another person.

Someone looks excited to eat!

I’m not sure what this is… My boyfriend ordered this one. I think this is Smoked Salmon Roll. I remember not being too happy with this dish. The salmon was dry and pale. Though the flavors are somehow there but this is not something I would recommend.

I ordered the oh-so-glorious Beef Gyudon with a raw egg on top. Now, I know this sounds very disgusting for others. Believe me… The first time I had this, I had mental debates about whether or not to skip the raw egg (you are actually given the option) but I’m soooo glad I didn’t! This is just heaven in a bowl! Trust me on this! This rice bowl may be already good on its own but the raw egg just adds that extra creamy texture like no other. THIS I recommend!

Anyway, I just got home from my Davao-GenSan trip with my boyfriend. Expect TONS of blog posts about it soon!

Lunch at Hellenic Tavern Hotel

Posted on November 6, 2012October 7, 2018 by xerox

Emmanouel Sapountzakis, owner of Hellenic Tavern Hotel, brings a piece of his birth place to Tagaytay with his Grecian-inspired hotel and restaurant which he manages with his Filipino wife.

Hellenic Tavern Hotel is fairly easy to spot as it is located just along Aquinaldo Highway, opposite of Lourdes Church.

Now, before I carry on, let me just ask you…

How would you feel sitting on a balcony (away from all the hustles and bustles of a metro city) facing a ridiculous breathtaking view of Taal Lake surrounded by pristine mountains and several clusters of mist?

Well, let me answer that question for you…

Awestruck. That’s it. You’d be just completely awestruck and lost for words like I was. Photos don’t do justice to this God-made beauty.

I never thought that I’d fall in love at first sight but there I was… totally captivated by such refreshing scenery.

Who knew having lunch with my boyfriend while overlooking at lush green pastures in broad daylight could be quite romantic?

Speaking of lunch…

We had delicious Elleniki Salata (Greek Salad) as our appetizer. Let me just say, I never had salad that good! Everything was absolutely fresh! Not to mention that most of the ingredients are home-grown! Cucumber, onions, lettuce, tomatoes…

I loved the tomatoes! I never had tomatoes like their tomatoes. If I remember it correctly, they were more sweet than sour. And would you believe me if I say that they actually made their own feta cheese?

Now I’m starting to miss the salad all over again…

We also had Shawarma. A Mediterranean take on a Middle Eastern cuisine. Toppings include lamb shavings, tomatoes, onion, cucumber, potatoes and a dollop of tzatziki. All of that wrapped in home-made pita bread.

For our main course, we couldn’t resist trying out one of their best-sellers, Moussaka. It’s basically an eggplant casserole topped with Bechamel sauce. It’s a tasty mix of eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, minced beef and Parmesan cheese. If only I could have this everyday, I totally would even if it means having to clog my arteries!

And lastly, for our dessert, we had Baklava. Basically, it’s made of filo pastry layers filled with chopped nuts and then bathed in (again, home-made) honey.

Dining at Hellenic Tavern Hotel is definitely one of the best dining experiences I’ve had ever. You can check out more of their food and prices here.

And in case you’re looking for a place to stay there, they also have rooms with scenic views at reasonable rates!

With Mr. Sapountzakis himself. Yup, he’s 100% Greek. LOL at the hover hand!

Anyway, when in Tagaytay, don’t ever miss to drop by at Hellenic Tavern Hotel! Truly a magical piece of Greece in the boondocks!

Double date at BBQ Chicken

Posted on September 13, 2012October 7, 2018 by xerox

Upon arriving in Manila on the 31st of August, my boyfriend and I were able to meet up with two of my friends (a couple) for lunch.

They recommended us this place called BBQ Chicken. Funny how it’s a really straightforward, right-in-your-face and no nonsense name. It’s like they completely ran out of ideas on what to call the restaurant and just settled with something that couldn’t be any more obvious.

BBQ Chicken is a Korean restaurant located at Unit A 2/F Pearl Plaza, Pearl Drive, Ortigas Center, Pasig City.

One of the first things I noticed as I entered the restaurant was the upbeat KPop music playing in the background. Which I love! Really, there’s no use in denying I like listening to KPop because I do.

The ambiance (I like the cutesy chalk art touch) and service is good. By the way, I have to point out that the photos were actually taken way past lunch time. This restaurant has regular customers and is usually full. It’s not empty as it appears to be in the photos.

This is my boyfriend’s lunch, Spicy Chicken Barbeque Set. It’s a dish of grilled spicy chicken served with a lump of rice and mixed vegetables at the side. I like how they managed to not let all the spices outshine the flavor of the tender and moist chicken. It’s pretty good.

And here’s my lunch, Grilled Chicken Salad. I love this salad. The chicken tidbits were very flavorful and I can tell that they used fresh vegetables because it had that crunch to it. It’s also worth noting that the dressing was very good as well.

The prices here average around 200 bucks which is not really bad considering that it’s justified by the good food, good service, good place and the lovely sound of KPop music ringing in your ears. I’d definitely go back here whenever I can.

Tarakumain sa Tadakuma

Posted on August 18, 2012October 7, 2018 by xerox

I KNOW. “Tarakumain sa Tadakuma” has just got to be the lamest pun title I ever came up with. And yeah, I just had to kinda force it. I bet you must have rolled your eyes. MOVING ON…

Tadakuma is a Japanese restaurant that just opened at Don Ramon Chavez Street, Cagayan de Oro City.

My best friend’s boyfriend, Miguel took my boyfriend and I there for lunch. Sadly, my best friend, Ritz was not with us because she is currently living and working in London (we miss you!).

Originally, my boyfriend and I planned to have our lunch at Kogi Bulgogi (a Korean restaurant that just opened at Lim Ket Kai). But sometimes, things just don’t go as planned. But hey, who said I was complaining?

Tadakuma is very cozy and modern. Actually, when we got there, it was REALLY busy. All the tables were full and so we had to wait for a table for a little while. By the way, the photo above was taken after everybody else already left the restaurant with happy tummies.

Nothing but a cute random bowl. If only I could take one home as a souvenir. Just kidding. Or am I really?

Oh, before I proceed to talk about what we had, can I ask you a teeny favor guys?

Umm.. can you please not hate me for forgetting the names of what we had? I was soooo hungry that everything just went completely out of my mind. I am crossing my fingers that the photos will just somehow make up for it. Here goes…

This is a bowl of plain minced raw fish on top of a bed of rice. And those two tiny blobs that you see on top are wasabi paste and pounded ginger. To eat this, you have to properly mix everything in together so to evenly distribute the flavor. It has just the right punch of heat and that zing of flavor coming from the pounded ginger. It’s like a different take on “kinilaw”. If you don’t have problems eating raw fish, you’ll definitely love this!

A bowl of ramen noodles with three thin slices of meat, a slice of fish cake, a slice of boiled egg and a few greens. It looked like it could need a little more stuff though. However, the soup is like no other.

So that’s all we had. Blurred in the background is Miguel’s Tempura Udon. For some reason, I can only remember his order. Shoot me.

Tadakuma is a tad cheaper than Ramen Tei. In average, everything costs around 200~300 PHP per dish. The servings are delicious and quite generous so you do get your money’s worth. To the last peso. Give this place a go and I’m sure you’ll love it too!

Lunch at Bourbon St. Bistro

Posted on July 15, 2012October 7, 2018 by xerox

I know it’s been a long month of eerie silence here on blog. And it’s not because I’ve been lazy or I’ve completely forgotten about my blog and my readers…

It’s just because nothing much and too much has been happening at the same time. I don’t know if I’m making any sense but I’ll try to break it down for you ladies and gentlemen.

First, I honestly haven’t been going out because I’ve been so consumed by the fact that I now earn much less than before. It concerns me to not have savings anymore. I’ve been endlessly hunting for another online job since June. To my dismay, I still haven’t found any. And as much as I wanted to go out and dine, I couldn’t. I was ill and I lost most of my funds to medication. To top that off, my dad was hospitalized and I had to take care of him.

Second, I offered my wardrobe styling skills for free in exchange for an all-expense paid mini-vacation for 3 days. I might get to this soon.

But for now, I better stop my yapping and you guys better brace yourselves for some food porn RIGHT NOW!

BAM! Just like that.

Above were the bad boys my boyfriend and I had for lunch at Bourbon St. Bistro yesterday in celebration of our 14th month of togetherness.

We were lucky enough to still catch them at Rosario Arcade. I heard that they will move to a different location some time this August.

So anyway, what I like about Bourbon St. Bistro is their AMAZING service. I love it when food servers are polite and attentive, know what’s on the menu, know what’s available or not on that day and make good food suggestions. Plus, they serve food really fast too!

This was our appetizer. A plateful of Beef Quesadillas (you can have it in chicken if you wish) with two different dips. I like the green one better. I believe that’s guacamole? I’m sorry. I’ve never had guacamole before, okay? Don’t shoot. My boyfriend liked the red one more. I don’t know what that was but I know it’s not chili sauce. But if it was, then why the hell was it not spicy? Oh, I must tell you that every bite of their quesadilla is a happy burst of cheesy flavor and that the dips go very well with them. Yum!

Cajun Spicy Wings. I just recently discovered that I love anything with cajun. And no, the wings weren’t spicy to me nor to my boyfriend at all. But the wings are really tender and good. I like that the wings came with a salad because I love salads!

A closer view of the dreamy looking wings with the salad right behind it.

Their I-don’t-know-what-you-call-this seafood pasta. Well, don’t blame me. The dish sounded very French to me and I can’t speak nor spell French. And this wasn’t even in their menu. This was a food server’s suggestion. Not bad. I liked it better than the Seafood Gambero from Pancake House. It’s just the parsley that I don’t like about this dish. I can’t explain why I don’t like parsley. I just don’t. But I realllly want to love it. And I am trying.

Here is a more delicious view of the seafood pasta.

And I almost forgot to end this post with concrete evidence of us dining in the restaurant…

A candid shot.

Final verdict? NOMNOM. I highly recommend this restaurant and I want to sample all of their dishes. Bye for now!