Arya Persian Restaurant

At last, it has arrived.

My friends and I have been waiting for the opening of Arya, not because we've tried it out at its flagship branch in Greenhills, but because one of my friends is half-Iranian. :p

One time, she brought homemade kebabs with grilled tomatoes and special rice to work. Twas gone in 60 seconds.

That was the time when i realized that i looooove Persian food.

Arya is a small joint at the 2nd floor of the new Midtown wing at Robinsons Place Manila. Its sunny yellow walls are a contrast to the three small booths on its right side (purple, with lots of texture). Maico, Malen and I (i.e. the current Neurology rotators) sat in one of said booths to curb our hunger.

Everything we got gave us a Ratatouille moment, i.e. fireworks in the background after one bite.

Pumpkin soup (no picture)
It's not a creamy version, but VERY SPICY (as in full of pepper-y flavor). I like, I like. Since it's flavorful, one serving can be split into three. No kidding.

Beef koobideh with basmati rice (Php 330)
Ground beef packed with pungent onions and pepper, plus buttered long-grain rice.



Bareh koobideh with basmati rice (Php 345)
Ground lamb cooked the same way as beef koobideh, only with the distinctive taste of lamb.


Chicken biryani with biryani rice (Php 365)
Quarter chicken with a rich brown sauce (i can't tell which spices are in it!), with long-grain rice with raisins.
Slightly patibong (but only because it's a chicken dish). I bet the lamb would taste better.

Kudos to the staff for volunteering to mash the grilled potatoes and mix them with salt, pepper, and chilli and garlic sauces, for you guys to put it on top of the kebab. Yuuuuuuum.

Five stars!!!!!

Bottom line: I hope they do deliveries.



Arya Persian Restaurant
2nd Floor, Midtown Wing, Robinsons Place Manila

La Maison

Having a reason to go out, my friends and I went to the faraway land of Greenbelt (haha) to eat at Cyma. But no... It was closed for renovation. For as long as our growling stomachs could allow us, we trooped to nearby Greenbelt 5 to check out alternative chow places. Eventually, we decided to stop at La Maison, a ribs/steaks/seafood joint on the 3rd floor.

La Maison isn't as easy to locate as Fely J's or John and Yoko, but the facade is inviting once you see it. Full-glass panels with wooden cupboards (for wine displays) greet you as you go in. The dining area is divided into 2: the main dining hall and a smaller, more intimate enclave. Dozens of large, cone-shaped light fixtures jazz up the ceiling. Cute denim placemats are lined on the tables. All-in-all, i'd give them 4 stars out of 5 for decor.

These were the stuff we got (along with a... relatively disappointing bottle of a 2006 Great Trail Merlot):

Wild Mushroom Soup (Php 170)
Pureed shiitake mushrooms with cream. Great with lots of freshly crushed pepper.

Seafood Cioppino Soup (Php 180)
Ahhh... The highlight of the meal. Flavors of the sea are complemented well by a tomato-based soup, with hints of basil here and there.

Salmon and Mango Salad (Php 325)

Iceberg lettuce with a few slices of salted salmon (not smoked) and mango. Reminiscent of the Tessie Tomas Salad from Chef's Quarter (but not nearly quite as delish).

Pesto pasta (Php 335)

PATIBONG!!
It's kind of... bland. Chef d'Angelo's is better.

Ribeye steak (Php 350 per 100g)

Their steaks range from 200-350 grams. I got the largest one available that night. Haha. Their plating was weird, but the steak was okay.

Bleu cheese steak (Php 625)
Another highlight of the meal... I don't like bleu cheese during normal days, but the way they made it more... palatable to the general public earned them plus points. :)

Seafood bounty (Php 795) - serves 4 to 5 people
Calamari, shrimp, baked mussels, and fish fillet, all cooked in an American/Creole way.

Meat bounty (Php 845) - serves 4 to 5 people
Roast pork and beef, Rosemary chicken, and baby back ribs served with honey glaze on the side.

The bottom line:
1. I'd have chosen Mang Jimmy's (in Balara... not sure if it's still there) or Rito's (in Baguio) if given a chance. But if you just want to try out a different steaks/ribs/seafood place, that's fine. Just don't expect the piso you pay to be justified.

2. Their wine list was... saddening. They'll give you a one-page list of choices, but in the end they'd tell you everything in that list is gone.

3. If ever you do decide to go here, get the Seafood Cioppino, Bleu Cheese Steak, and Lunch specials.

4. You can split the soup servings into 2 so that you won't feel full.

La Maison
3rd Floor, Greenbelt 5, Makati
(02) 729-9079

JP (the neat eater)'s plate.

Terry Selection

I'm on a roll. And desperate to eat, as a matter of fact. Being a quirkyalone (as my friend Claire dubbed us), i tagged along with chow couple Ivan and Thale to another food adventure: our journey into the wonders of Spanish cuisine as exemplified by Terry Selection.

Since it was on our way, we stopped at Galileo Enoteca deli for a while to get some cheeses and 1 kilo of their orgasmic hot chocolate. Then off we went.

Terry Selection is quite hard to find unless you knew its address or unless you got directions beforehand -- you won't be able to see it from the main road, since its building is situated inside a compound. After a long-ish driveway, you'll see a brightly-lit deli on the ground floor (the restaurant is upstairs). Their deli is my dream pantry: it boasts of a great selection of wines, sauces, dressings, spreads, meat, pasta, chocolate, preserves, etc!

Ivan bought some dark chocolate then we went up to the dining area. It was surprising to note that although the resto was secluded, it was FULL. Since the ceilings were high, you could hear bits and pieces of all the conversations inside the hall. On the walls were shelves and shelves of wines, and you could see the kitchen from where you're seated. A piano with four candles served as the focal point of the room.

We wanted to sample as many dishes as our wallets could allow. It took us quite a while, though, to choose: the options are endless. At last, we compromised and got the following, along with a bottle of a 2003 French Shiraz:

Crema de calabaza al azafran - P140
Pumpkin and saffron soup. With a very rich flavor. On the salty side, but nice.

French onion soup - P195
Careful, it's quite hot.

European mixed platter - P685
Cold cuts (Jamon serrano, Chorizo pamplona) and Cheese (Brie de meaux, Manchego, Tomine de Savoie)

Suspiros - P360
PATIBONG!
Tomatoes with white tuna and mayonnaise on top, while soaking on a layer of olive oil.

Arroz con gambas al "Cognac" - P525

Creamy shrimp risotto on a giant kabibe, with white truffles and brandy. Serves 3-4. Don't be deceived by the small portions, though... we think it's meant to be enjoyed/consumed sparingly.

Chipirones en su tinta - P380
Stuffed squid simmered in black ink and sherry. Its relatively muted flavors complement the Arroz very well.

Cordero en chilindron - P465
Ahh. The highlight of the meal.
Stewed lamb (melts in your mouth perfectly!) with Jamon serrano, fresh and sundried vegetables.

We finished off our meal with a refreshing chunk of 70% dark chocolate.

My personal bill was P965, which isn't bad if you convert into dollars, and if you note the wide selection of stuff we got. For me, it's a homey 5-star restaurant. We're definitely coming back (once our wallets get refilled again, haha).


Terry Selection
Spanish

Bldg. B, Karivin Plaza
2316 Pasong Tamo Extension, Makati
Tel. 844-1816

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner
Open daily from 10:00am to 10:00pm (Restaurant), 8:00 pm (Deli)

Chance

Smith Street is THE road in Brooklyn with various cozy restaurants (of different cuisines) and bars. Chance is a quaint, modern-type resto-bar with a low-key atmosphere... imagine the lighting of Nuvo combined with awesome woodwork on the walls, plus intricate bamboo (or was it wicker?) table decor.

Chance boasts of a harmonious blending of Chinese and French cuisine. Being a klutz on anything French, i failed to discern which part was French and which was Chinese. Haha. Nevertheless, the flavor was rich, most with sesame undertones.

These were the stuff we got:

Crabcakes
Deep-fried, with a generous drizzle of hoisin sauce, on a bed of seasoned green vegetables

Asian Mussels (a very unappetizing snapshot, sorry!)
Nice and big shellfish sauteed with a tangy, spicy sauce

Sesame Beef
Tender and succulent stir-fried beef on a bed of crisp Chow Mein noodles

Chance Chicken (and eD)
This is their version of sweet and sour, but has a hoisin sauce-based taste (i think)

Chili Chicken
Tender chicken meat stir-fried in a sweet and spicy sauce, with steamed broccoli

I picked up the tab this time, which wasn't bad at all: around $40 for the three of us. Lovely.

When I return to NY, i'm definitely going back to Chance.

Chance ($$$)
French, Chinese, Dim Sum

223 Smith St, Brooklyn 11231
At Butler St

Phone: 718-242-1515



Upper Photo: a view of the Manhattan skyline from the Brooklyn Heights promenade.
Bottom Photo: the best vantage point of the Brooklyn Bridge (i think)

Je Suis Gourmand

Two of my friends came across this restaurant during one of their hunt-for-an-ATM trips. Little did they know that they'd be going there NOT on a date, but with us. Haha. We've heard of such good reviews about this place -- from a book to this guy Anton's website (i loove what you do, btw) -- so we decided to try it out one slow Sunday evening.

These were the stuff we got:

Onion soup (it doesn't look too appetizing here but it's delish, i heard) - P120ish

Assorted cold cuts and cheese (we're all cheesy people) - P510

Penne with spinach and goat cheese - P390

Bleu cheese linguine with air dried bacon and prawns - P390

Linguine with foie gras et al - P680

Roasted free range spring chicken with potatoes - P450

Roasted pig trotter with salad and potatoes - P410

Lamb shank with black pepper sauce - P480

...and their Wagyu beef (with bread crumbs on top and potatoes) - P1250

Most of the stuff we got was splendid. The servings were generous, too -- everything can be shared. We especially loved the pickled shallots that came with the cold cuts. Twas also the first time that i tried foie gras... something akin to bone marrow that melts in your mouth. Mmm. In small quantities only, please. I don't usually like bleu cheese, but they made it so... edible. The pig trotter and lamb shank were so flavorful and tender! As for the penne pasta with spinach, even kids can eat it. But most of all, the wagyu beef is... undescribable. It soaked up all the flavors. Mmm-hmm.

PATIBONG: the roasted free range spring chicken with potatoes. Or maybe i just don't like the flavor of free range chicken (ie. mejo malansang manok). The good part, though, was that the bacon wrapped around the chicken was nice and crisp.

A funny thing happened... as Thale's order was being served, she noticed a moving thing camouflaged amongst her salad greens! A caterpillar! They changed the whole dish, of course. But, to our surprise, they gave us the Grand Marnier and Dark Chocolate Souffle free of charge :) how sweet. Literally. It was sooooo marvelous, we forgot to take a picture.

All in all, Je Suis Gourmand -- friendly French cuisine -- was worth the trip, the money, and the wait. Not sure if i'm going back in a while, though. But don't mistake me... the food IS good.

A few tips:
1. bring around P1000-1500 per person (to be safe).
2. get a beer or wine with your food, or drink a cup of coffee after you eat. Your senses will be bombarded by so much lovely flavors, it's hard to keep up.
3. check your salad thoroughly for friendly creatures.
4. don't eat too much of their complimentary bread, no matter how warm and soft it is. leave some room for the souffle! :)

Je Suis Gourmand
French

GF Net1 Center Bldg. Fort Bonifacio, beside Neo Spa and BPI
Parking in Mcdonalds in front of Gourmand
Phone: 632 815-8801-02

Madangsui

Turn back the calendar to... November 19, 2007, Monday.

During my "escape" to the US a couple of months ago, i vowed that i'd try different types of cuisine while i was there. After all, NYC has everything. After our trip to MoMA and Top of the Rock (which has a better, uninhibited view of the City than Empire State, by the way), my cousin eD and I saw MadangSui while walking down a street filled with Korean restos -- a brightly-lit establishment with modern furnishings. They seated us on a table with a stove -- which infuriated me at first, since I loathe shabu-shabu. But, much to my pleasant surprise, it was for barbeque. :)

What do i like about Korean food? It's the various mini-bowls of side dishes that come with your entree, and the sharp contrasts with the flavors... One dish has a bland/mild taste to it, the others are tart, and most are red-pepper spicy. Yumm.
I'm used to Korean restos in Manila serving 2-4 small bowls of side dishes. I was overwhelmed at MadangSui.

There were sooo many bowls, i couldn't fit them into my photo! Actually, with this amount of side dishes, you don't need to get an entree! But we did. We got that beef barbeque thing -- the meat was cooked just right, the juices were sizzling on the grill, perfect! I got another dish, something that i usually get here at home -- Soondooboo Chigae (uncurdled bean curd with seafood, a spicy hotpot dish). It wasn't good at all -- you couldn't taste the seafood flavors because of the gazillions of egg that they put in.

I was a wee-bit guilty with what i spent in this place (a whopping $85 for two people)... but the barbeque and side dishes galore saved the day.


Madangsui
Korean, Barbecue

35 W 35th St, New York 10001
Between 5th & 6th Ave
Phone: 212-564-9333

Additional info courtesy of www.menupages.com


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