Relax and Dine Close to Nature @ Chef Mau

Photo: https://www.facebook.com/ChefmauRE.

     My daughter Trina was about to leave for the US a few days before New Year. She wanted to have lunch at Chef Mau Restaurant and Event Place in Calauan, Laguna, a few minutes away from our house. From here, Trina wanted to go to Los Baños for some last minute shopping. Chef Mau is one of the recent additions to the growing list of restaurants in this part of Laguna. According to accounts, Chef Mau or  Mauro Arjona Jr. started a simple mobile fast food cart in 2004 in San Lorenzo, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Presently, he owns a chain of restaurants in Manila and Laguna. Dining at Chef Mau is a pleasant experience because of the ambiance and the many choices of food at affordable prices.

Photo of nature's view outside Chef Mau restaurant.

     Unlike the small branch in Liliw, Laguna, this Calauan branch occupies a large, open landscaped-space which adds to the country ambiance that is hard to come by in any restaurant.

Photo of the landscape inside the compound of Chef Mau restaurant.

               It has a main restaurant but cottages are built around the property where guests may choose to dine at their own leisurely pace. Tyler loved the views of the mountain and the rice fields surrounding the restaurant.

Tyler and Trina enjoying the view in one of the cottages.

     Menu. Chef Mau offers a host of dishes that has Spanish, American, Chinese, Japanese and Filipino influences, which only show his versatility as a cook.

Menu showing the available dishes in Chef Mau.

     From the salad bar, we ordered Pinoy Caesar’s Salad with Pork Adobo Flakes and Quail Eggs (below) at ₱120. It was also topped with croutons and parmesan cheese. It tasted fresh and just a little hint of adobo flakes which were not overpowering.

Adobo Salad Photo.

     We also ordered their specialty, Chicken Cordon Bleu (₱150). It was tender and creamy inside with just the right amount of breading outside. For me, this is a good version of Chicken Gordon Bleu.

 Chicken Cordon Bleu Photo.

     Next on our menu was Hardinera, steamed mixed meats, like meat loaf. The cost was ₱175. I want my meat tender all the time. But not all meats in this Hardinera were really tender, so this did not get my vote. 

Hardinera Photo.

     Bert, my son-in-law, ordered Lengua Estofado, or ox tongue stewed in tomato sauce. The cost was ₱195. I used to eat this as a child during special occasions. The kids liked this, too.

Lengua Estofado Photo.

     As an Italian fare, we ordered Lasagna with Meat Sauce (₱95). I’m sure the kids enjoyed this, too.

Lasagna with Meat Sauce Photo.

     For dessert, we ordered Cassava Cake with Ice Cream (₱70). I love cassava cake. But when topped with ice cream, I felt like this dessert was robbed of its Filipino flavor which I love. Besides, the cassava was not as tender as I like it to be. So, I still want my cassava cake plain.

Cassava with Ice Cream.

     Trina ordered buko (young coconut) shake for her drink of choice (₱50). Fresh and nutritious, buko is a favorite drink here and abroad.

Coconut (buko) Shake Photo.

     The servings at Chef Mau were good for one or two persons. So if you have a big appetite, do not order just one of each dish if you intend it for sharing. Over all, it was a satisfying food adventure at Chef Mau Restaurant. We enjoyed the views of the mountains, the landscape of the place and the cheap and delicious foods.

Despedida for Trina and Tyler @ Chef Mau Restaurant.

     Chef Mau Restaurant and Event Place is situated at Brgy. Bangyas, National Highway, Calauan, Laguna, Philippines. You may call them for reservations at telephone no. 0917 507 1798. The restaurant is open from 9:00 am - 9:00 pm. You can also find it on https://www.facebook.com/ChefmauRE.

How We Celebrate Christmas in the Philippines

     Christmas is the most awaited season of the predominantly Catholic Philippines because it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. What is unique about Philippine Christmas is that it commences in September until early January the following year. Early signs of the Yuletide Season are the Christmas lights that adorn, not only inside private homes, but also outside where competitions as to the most beautifully decorated homes are held. Of course, commerce is at its peak, when early shopping for gifts are encouraged by concerned entrepreneurs. The best part of spending Christmas season is spending it with family. Since our parents are still alive and kicking, my siblings make it a point to spend Christmas Day in our family home in Laguna. Celebrations in the Philippines are mostly done over food, gift-giving, taking each other’s pictures and updating each other with the latest happenings.

               Food. I read somewhere that in the Philippines, we say Hi, by saying “Kain na tayo.” In English, “Let’s eat.” When I am home, I take charge of preparing the food. Sometimes, we have our food catered, but lately, I noticed that I have been doing the cooking. This is because our food choices remained the same all these years. And I have mastered cooking their favorites (below).

Photo of  our Christmas spread.

 Some of the favorite dishes of the family (below).

Upper L-R: Chicken pastel, Turbo Chicken; Lower L-R: Chicken Lollipop, Coconut heart.

Upper L-R: Sweet and Sour Grouper, Fried Tilapia;
Lower L-R: Grilled Tilapia, Shrimp with coconut milk.

     Kris Kringle. The essence of Christmas is gift giving, sharing what we have to the ones that we love, specially, to the kids. To make sure that even adults receive gifts, we have made it a point to choose our Kris Kringle, our manito/manita, our baby. Sometimes we randomly pick our ‘Kringle’ on the day itself, sometimes, we randomly pick the names of our ‘Kringle’ for next year, but the best so far, is to pick our Kringle a few months before Christmas. This way, there is time to carefully select the best gift at a given budget. 

Photo of our Christmas gift giving.

     Souvenir pictures.  Another mainstay in our Christmas celebration is picture-taking. This is a must to have souvenirs of our family Christmas and to have a record of people that were present and those who were not because attendance changes each year, specially, for some cousins, nephews and nieces.

Photo of some family members last Christmas.

     With everybody satiated with laughter and gifts, it is time to go back to where they came from, their own homes where more Yuletide foods await them and more gifts need to be opened. What is constant is that everybody will come back next Christmas for that once-a-year reunion with family and relatives. See you next Christmas everybody!!!

Incredible New Twists To Old Filipino Dishes @ Calle Arco, Pagsanjan, Laguna

Picture outside Calle Arco Restaurant.

          Our ‘balikbayan’ friend Julieta (a.k.a. Tirit) was about to leave for Mexico where she has been based for more than 20 years. Jo Ann,  wanted to make this day special for Tirit. What better way than to have lunch and later cruise around Laguna. Tirit wanted Filipino cuisine because she couldn’t have this anytime in Mexico. So, Jo Ann suggested that we eat in Calle Arco, an old Spanish house converted into a restaurant in Pagsanjan, Laguna, Philippines, mid-point where Jo Ann and I are based.

Picture of Calle Arco inside.

     Calle Arco is famous because of the TV personalities that featured the restaurant in their programs. Some of these were Kris Aquino (Kris), Aga Mulach (Pinoy Explorer), Betong (Ang Pinaka), Cha-cha (TFC Biyaheng Bulilit), and Martin del Rosario and Bernadette Alyson (Pintada). Other famous celebrities have visited Calle Arco, like Sarah Geronimo and the equally famous actor and governor of Laguna, ER Ejercito and wife, mayor of Pagsanjan, Maita Ejercito, also a former actress.

Some of the famous celebrities that have visited Calle Arco: ER Ejercito (2^nd from left), Kris Aquino (3^rd from L), Maita Ejercito (4^th from left), and Sarah Geronimo (extreme R). Photo courtesy: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Calle-Arco-Restaurant/150933330411

     Aside from the Spanish architecture, Calle Arco tries to preserve the ambiance of the old Philippines with the different antiques the owner’s family has collected.

Picture of a cabinet containing antique coffee sets, bowls and other china.

What we ordered:

     Beef Sinigang with Langka. Sinigang is a sour soup (usually boiled with green tamarind) with your meat of choice that is a mainstay in a Filipino meal. But theirs is the only sinigang recipe that I know of, that has langka (unripe jackfruit) as vegetable. Surprisingly, the langka did not sweeten the soup, maybe because it was unripe. I am used to having green leafy vegetables as ingredients to sinigang but this recipe is unique and as a Filipino gourmand, worth trying in your lifetime.

 Picture of Beef Sinigang with Langka.

      Milkfish Belly with Mango Sauce. Sometimes, we are also careful about our diet, so we ordered this Milkfish Belly with Mango Sauce. I was trying to look for the soy sauce taste, the usual condiment in cooking Pilipino steak (bistik), but I did not find it in this recipe. Of course, the sauce was mango puree. This was lighter in flavor, a little bit sweet and sour, not salty and diet-friendly.  

 Picture of Milkfish Belly with Mango Sauce.

     Eggplant Omelet. Another Filipino favorite is "Tortang Talong" (eggplant omelet). Tirit ordered this because she said that the long eggplants in the Philippines taste better than the round eggplants that they have in Mexico. The Tortang Talong was not ordinary, as other ingredients topped the omelet. It is no wonder that we are friends because this is also one of my favorite Filipino dishes.

 Picture of Eggplant Omelet.

     Sweet Potato. Jo Ann recommended that we have this sweet potato for dessert. I completely missed the name of the recipe, but it was cooked in condensed milk with a sprinkling of cheese. It was not very sweet, and the burnt cheese added the contrasting salty flavor. We were just so full by this time that Jo Ann was able to take home what was left of this dessert.

Picture of Sweet Potato with condensed milk.

     Banana Shake. I ordered banana shake as my drink of choice. It came with chocolate syrup that added character to the drink. It was so rich and full in flavor with the taste of banana that I liked so much. The taste of milk was not overpowering which suited me perfectly.

Picture of Banana Shake with chocolate syrup.

     Each dish was good for sharing for four to five people. We tried to finish all the dishes among the three of us, so no wonder, I felt so full and satiated. What I liked about Calle Arco are the unique recipes, Filipino, yet new to the palate. If you want something new about the familiar, try Calle Arco for a different food adventure. I swear we enjoyed this food experience. 

The three of us enjoying our late lunch at Calle Arco.

     After lunch, we cruised to Caliraya, our favorite jaunt even when we were teens and had a refreshing drink of this coconut juice below. 

Picture of a fresh coconut.

     Calle Arco has this address:  57 Rizal Street, Pagsanjan, Laguna. If you are coming from Sta.Cruz, Laguna, you will pass by their famous old arch. Before reaching the Pagsanjan municipal hall, you will find Calle Arco to your right. 

Where is the Best Family Picnic Area in Santa Barbara, California ?

     A perfect picnic ground in Santa Barbara, California is Gaviota State Park.  US- and-Philippine-based family members were in California and a picnic in Gaviota was deemed a most appropriate way to bond. For one, Lori and Aunt Heidi were residing in Lompoc, 21 miles away from Gaviota. Lan and Kiko were just 27 miles away from LA. Portia amd family (Philippine residents) were visiting with their Mom, Ate Heidi and son, Alex, in Lompoc. I was there, too, to attend my daughter Trina's graduation. Gaviota State Park is the best place for a picnic because it is the only beach near Lompoc, its grounds are ideal for outdoor adventures and the weather is conducive for a great family bonding activity.

Photo of a Sea Gull inside the circle.

     Seagull or "Gaviota". Sea gulls abound in Gaviota State Park, this why the first Spaniards who set foot here named the place Gaviota, Spanish term for seagull. Picture above shows one of the seagulls in Gaviota.

Photo of the pier in Gaviota State Park.

     Pier. Gaviota State Park includes a fishing pier with an electric small boat hoist launching facility. The pier faces south. On the west are rocky bluffs and on the east, a small sandy-beach area where swimmers and surfers could enjoy this favorite location. The Pacific Ocean to the west is a direct route to the Philippines. Picture above shows our visit to the pier (L-R: adventurous-Pinay, Lani, Oliver, and Pria).

Photo of us while fishing in Gaviota. 

     Fishing. Accordingly, the surf area produces good catches of barred surfperch, rays and sharks. “Outside the surf area, where water is free of kelp, halibut is the most frequently found species. In the same area, but especially around the kelp and the pilings, anglers will land small rockfish, bass, seaperch and an occasional sculpin (scorpionfish). The far end yields more pelagics: mackerel, bonito and jacksmelt. The deeper water is also better for the bigger sharks (http://www.pierfishing.com/resources/index.php?id=piers:gaviota_pier). I tried my hand at fishing, but no luck. The teen (on red shirt above) caught one, but we're not sure of what species.

Photo of our family bonding in Gaviota.

     Family bonding. After, fishing, the other members of the family arrived. They came later than us because they had to go to the supermarket to buy food for the picnic. I love this picnic because while the sun was shining to its full splendor, the temperature was cool enough to allow long-sleeved jackets and shirts for protection from the harmful UV rays. You cannot do this in the Philippines or else suffer from heat stroke.

Photo of our barbecue while grilling.

     Barbecue. The best food to eat on a picnic is barbecue. Mostly, it was Satur who lit the fire and grilled, the others just watched. Thanks, Satur, I heard you complained all the time, but did it any way!!!

Photo of our family bonding in Gaviota State Park.

      From the fire to the table. Nothing could be happier to the Filipino family than mixing food and a good banter. So we all munched and talked and joked at the same time (above).

Photo of Oliver's perfect smile while enjoying his grilled hot dog.

     Perfect Smile. The smile on Oliver’s face (above) shows the fun of eating his favorite food, grilled hot dog.

Photo of the kids and their Daddy Ohmar playing frisbee.

     Sports. There were more activities that families may enjoy doing in Gaviota State Park. In fact, the boys found time to play frisbee with their Dad, Ohmar (back to the camera,above).

Photo of the train, part of the Southern Pacific railroad.

     Train.  While in Gaviota State Park we witnessed the train crossing the parking lot where we were (above). This is part of the Southern Pacific railroad trestle that crosses the creek. 

     Mountain View. Another reason to like Gaviota is its view of the mountain . Visitors can explore the upland portions of the park from a trail head in the parking area. Gaviota Peak offers a view of the coast and the Channel Islands (http://www.beachcalifornia.com/gaviota.html). 

     Camping. Gaviota is also a good camping ground. There are 41 developed, first-come, first-served campsites that may accommodate tents and trailers up to 25 feet and RVs up to 27 feet. Between October 1 and March 31, the campground is open Friday through Sunday only (http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/606/files/gaviota.pdf). Other facilities in Gaviota State Park include rest rooms with showers and a store for emergency supplies. If you plan to go on a picnic, the car fee is $10, open from 7 am to sunset. 

4 Things You Must Know About Denmark In The USA: Solvang, Santa Barbara, California

     If you want to see Denmark while you are in the US, go to Solvang in Santa Barbara, California. Solvang is Danish for ‘sunny fields’. Since Solvang was established by Danes in 1911, it is no surprise that the city looks like a typical village in Denmark (below). I visited Solvang because my Aunt Heidi worked there. It was also an opportunity to experience an authentic Danish culture in California, specially, its architecture and food.

Photo of Ate Heidi and Lori in Solvang.

     Architecture. The windmill is, originally, a Denmark brand. You will not miss seeing one in Solvang. Actually, there are four windmills in Solvang. One is on the photo above. The façades of the buildings also have the ‘provincial Denmark’ look, the half-timber style that is popular in Danish rural houses. Even streets are named after popular places in Denmark. Picture below shows me at the corner of Copenhagen Drive and Alisal Road (below).

Photo shows adventurous-Pinay at the corner of Copenhagen Drive and Alisal Road.

     Chocolate. Denmark is also popular for its chocolates. Luckily, my Aunt Heidi worked as store manager at Ingeborg, a chocolate shop in Solvang (Below: Background, Ingeborg; L-R: adventurous-Pinay and Aunt Heidi). According to her, the ingredients of the chocolates are top secret. Only the one who mixes the chocolates and the owner (originally from Denmark), who has a Filipina adopted daughter, know the recipes of the chocolates. Notice that my aunt wears a typical Danish costume to complete the genuine look, making her a US-Filipino-Dane, rolled into one.

Photo of Ingeborg's Danish Chocolates Shop (background) and
 adventurous-Pinay (L) and Aunt Heidi (R).

     Ingeborg is world famous for its hand-made chocolates, with ingredients coming from Denmark. My Aunt Heidi has since returned to the Philippines but it was always a delight to receive the boxes of chocolates that she sent whenever a friend or family went home to the Philippines. In its webpage, Ingeborg had this to say, “A perfect accent for fine wines, champagnes and coffees, our chocolates are made with absolutely the finest fresh ingredients and no preservatives or additives. Our dessert boxes feature an assortment of soft centered truffles and Ingeborg's famous assorted marzipan chocolates(http://ingeborgs.com/collections/boxed-chocolates/products/sweet-indecision-assortment-with-marzipan .”   

Photos of Ingeborg Chocolates.

     Ingeborg is also diabetic-friendly. It produces sugar-free chocolates that my aunt used to send my Mom and Dad who are both diabetic. Happy are they who indulge in these sugar-free treats.

Photo of Sugar-free Ingeborg Chocolates.

     Pastries. When in Solvang it is a must to taste their authentic Danish pastries. My cousin Lori treated us to one of their bake shops specializing in Danish cakes, cookies and an assortment of pastries (Danish Mill Bakery & Coffee photo below). We ordered ‘aebleskiver’, Danish for apple slices (lower picture), only that they didn’t have apples. They are like round pancakes topped with powdered sugar and raspberry jam. “At 'Danish Days'  in Solvang, which is often referred to as 'Aebleskiver Days', it has been a tradition for local people to set up their giant size pans in the streets and serve them to people from all over, who come and help celebrate these days (http://www.solvangrestaurant.com/about-aebleskiver/ ).”

Photo of the Danish Mill Bakery & Coffee (background) me (L) and Aunt Heidi (R).

'Aebleskiver’ Danish for apple slices. https://ph.images.search.yahoo.com/images/view 

Park. While Lori and I were waiting for my Aunt Heidi, we went to Solvang Park, just a few blocks away from Ingeborg.  According to the city of Solvang webpage their mission is geared toward “a park and recreation system which provides important environmental, social, personal and economic benefits central to the City's residents (http://www.cityofsolvang.com/index.php/departments/parks-a-recreation/).” The park was, actually, well-maintained with a Fil-Am caretaker when we went there.

Photo of Solvang Park. https://ph.images.search.yahoo.com/images/view 

It was fun visiting Solvang. I may not have the chance to visit Denmark, but I was really glad that I had the chance to see Solvang, that quaint Danish village with its authentic provincial Denmark look. I was also thankful for tasting aebleskiver, another Denmark original. Of course, the Ingeborg chocolates are also a-must-taste. If you are in the vicinity, find time to swing to this beautifully-maintained-city in Santa Barbara. 

8 Delicious Ways to Celebrate @ a Philippine-Vietnamese Bistro

     Two occasions brought us to Zao Vietnamese Bistro at EDSA Shangri-la Plaza Mall, Philippines, a bienvenida and a birthday. First, my high school classmate and dear friend Julieta (Tirit) Llamas arrived from Mexico, where she has been based for more than 25 years; second, Bong, another good friend from high school was about to celebrate his birthday. Bong had been promising to treat us on his birthday. Finally, our schedules cooperated, typhoon Glenda in tow, and we had double reasons to celebrate. Jo Ann, also our classmate, was assigned by Bong to look for a good restaurant to celebrate. We wanted something different each time we went out, so this time, we agreed on Philippine-Vietnamese cuisine. What we discovered were eight delicious meals to celebrate two important events.

What we ordered:

               Crispy Spring Rolls: As appetizer, we ordered crispy spring rolls (below) with pork, glass noodles and mushrooms served with lettuce wrap. Having been to Vietnam, I found this spring roll stronger in flavor like most foreign restaurants in the Philippines, where recipes are being suited to Filipino tastes. Original Vietnamese spring rolls had more of the fresh and light flavor, while this version had a more pronounced taste. The cost per serving was ₱245.00.             

Photo image of Crispy Spring Roll @Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Pomelo Salad. We also ordered Pomelo Salad (below) with shrimps, chicken and fresh herbs. The pomelo was sweet like our Davao pomelo. The shrimp and chicken bits provided a strange contrast to the freshness of the pomelo. The cost was ₱325.00/serving.

Photo image of Pomelo Salad @Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Zao Satay Platter. Another Zao specialty that we ordered was their Zao Satay (grilled) Platter (below) which included shrimp, pork, chicken, and beef barbecue. The marinade was very sweet like the Filipino marinade. This was worth ₱395.00/serving. I liked their dressing, which was less sour than the Filipino vinegar dressing.

Photo image of Zao Satay Platter @Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Zao Pho. For soup, we ordered their specialty soup, Zao Pho (below) with flank, brisket, meatballs, tendons and rice noodles. I appreciated this soup because it tasted so oriental, specially, because I added an Asian condiment that looked like oyster sauce. Some of the meats were not tender, but others passed muster. The cost was ₱265.00/serving.

Photo image of Zao Pho @ Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Zao BBQ Platter. For the main dish, we ordered their Zao BBQ Platter (below) which included chicken, beef and pork barbecue with dipping sauce. The sauce was very light, just little hints of vinegar, sugar and water.  Again, the marinade was sweet and very ‘Filipino’. Cost was ₱575.00/serving. Next time, we will make sure that we order differently, as the satay that we ordered was also grilled.

Photo image of Zao BBQ Platter @ Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Caramelized Garlic Prawns. For seafood, we had their Caramelized Garlic Prawn (below) cooked in caramelized garlic sauce. The shrimp was fried and topped with garlic cooked in sugar/honey. If you like garlic, this dish is for you. This is good for people with high blood pressure as the garlic will surely lower your blood pressure (BP) level. But this is not good for diabetics like some of the other dishes that we ordered, which tasted sweet. The cost was ₱395.00/serving.

Photo image of Caramelized Garlic Prawn @Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Water Spinach with Tofu.  For our vegetable dish, we had Water Spinach with Tofu. This dish had stir-fried water spinach (kangkong), garlic and scallions. I liked this dish because it was not overpowering and light on the tummy, a healthy option. This was ₱175.00/serving.

Photo image of Water Spinach with Tofu @ Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Saigon Fried Rice. We had Saigon Fried Rice with shrimps, Chinese sausage and peas. The rice tasted so good, it was unlike any other I have tasted in Asian restaurants. I wanted more but I thought of my perpetual diet, so I did not dare eat more carbs. The cost was ₱215.00/serving. 

Photo images of Saigon Fried Rice @ Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Over all, we had a great time at Zao Vietnamese Bistro. Their dishes were good, even if some were on the sweet side. More importantly, we were able to welcome our dear friend, Tirit and, finally celebrate Bong’s birthday this year. I hope to bring my family back some other time so that we can bond and enjoy the Vietnamese dishes that Zao offered.

Friends enjoying lunch @Zao Vietnamese Bistro.

     Zao Vietnamese Bistro may be found at the 5^th floor, Shangri-la Plaza Mall, East Wing, Shaw Blvd, Wack Wack, Mandaluyong with telephone no. (+63) (02) 942-0785.