Yabu, House of Katsu: Take Advantage Of Authentic Japanese Dishes In The Philippines

Outside Yabu Restaurant.

     My sister had been badgering us to go to Megamall before my brother and sister-in-law left for New Zealand where they have been based. Besides, a very special occasion needed to be celebrated: it’s my birth month. Finally, we agreed to go to Megamall to have lunch because it was the most accessible for us, coming from Laguna. This time we went Japanese. The restaurant of choice was Yabu: House of Katsu. From what I gathered, katsu is short for ‘katsureku’, Japanese for breaded and fried pork cutlet.

Image: Pounding the 'gomashio'.

                Before we were served our orders, a staff briefed us about the menu. Other service crews were very attentive to our needs, as well. To authenticate the Japanese experience of eating, we were made to follow certain steps. I remember that we dutifully pounded the ‘Gomashio’ (sesame seeds with sea salt), as suggested (above), maybe, to bring out the aroma of the toasted sesame seeds. They also added crunch to food.

Image: Adding the tonkatsu sauce.

                Then, we added this ‘tonkatsu’ sauce to the sesame seeds (above).

Bottles of dressings and spices to add flavor to the food (lower L).

     Dressings and spices were available to add flavor to the food (above). I love their spices and dressings, specially, sesame oil for fried foods.

Image: Black Tiger Prawn Set.

     We ordered the Black Tiger Prawn Set (above). This had four pieces of Japanese Black Tiger prawns covered in panko (Japanese bread crumbs) and fried to perfection while retaining its translucent and soft texture. Yabu recommended that we dip it into Yabu's special tonkatsu sauce or sweet tempura sauce for complete satisfaction. This set was served with unlimited Japanese rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, unlimited cabbage with sesame dressing, a bowl of watermelon fruit and their house blend iced tea. The cost per set was ₱495.00. When this was still called Ebi Tempura in other restaurants, it was easily one of my favorite Japanese dishes. Today, this panko-covered-prawns are on top of my list.

Image: Chicken Katsu Set.

     We also ordered the Chicken Katsu Set with ¾ inch thick deep fried and panko-covered chicken breast fillet served with unlimited Japanese white rice, miso soup, Japanese pickles, organic cabbage, a bowl of watermelon fruit and their house blend iced tea. The cost was ₱385/180g or ₱350/120 g per set. The chicken was tender and the freshly made panko added crunch to the dish. Mixed with the other side dishes, I definitely would come back for this perfectly prepared Katsu set.

                      Image: Family bonding. 

     Yabu: House of Katsu specializes in breaded deep fried foods. It emphasizes the practice of pounding toasted sesame seeds, using sesame dressing with the fresh cabbage and, of course, serving the meal with miso soup. The menu was authentic Japanese. They hired a Japanese chef to make the dishes taste Japanese. Moreover, the chopsticks and the hot/cold towel made this a real Japanese experience. Aside from these, the best part was being able to bond with family through food. I hope to bring my husband with me next time.

     Yabu: House of Katsu is located  at the 2^nd floor, SM Megamall, Julia Vargas Ave, Wack Wack, Mandaluyong with telephone no. (02) 631-1192.

Aurora Ice Museum, Chena, Alaska: The Best Ice Museum Ever!

    

Photo: http://jonlin-alaska2013.blogspot.com/2013/08/

alaska-day-74-chena-hot-springs-to.html

     Excitement is a very tame word to describe what was going on inside me when I visited the Aurora Ice Museum in Chena Hot Springs Resort, Fairbanks, Alaska. We were in Fairbanks for Trina’s graduation rites at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Since we were in the area, we decided to visit Chena, famous for its ice museum, healing outdoor mineral hot spring, indoor swimming pool and many more adventures. About 95 km from downtown Fairbanks, the trip took us about 1-½ hours by car. The drive to Chena was one of the most scenic drives in Alaska. An added bonus was a moose or deer that darted across our path below.

Photo: http://s177.photobucket.com/user/cjg004/media/MooseinRoad.jpg.html

     The Aurora Ice Museum is the world’s largest year-round ice museum that maintains a temperature of about -7 °C. 

Photo: Outside the Aurora Ice Museum.

     Inside the ice museum, I was captivated by the ever-changing colored ice crystal chandeliers. The colors tried to replicate the Aurora Borealis, also called ‘Northern Lights’, most often seen in polar Alaska. These ‘dancing lights’ emit colors in the sky like green, pink, red, yellow, green, blue, and violet.

 Photo: Inside the Aurora Ice Museum.

     The impressive ice sculptures, made of Alaska Diamond or Alaska Marble ice were created by the husband and wife team, Steve and Heather Brice. Steve is a 16-time world champion ice carver and Heather is a 7-time world champion. 

Photo: Life size jousters on horseback.

     The Aurora Ice Museum was created from over 1,000 tons of ice and snow all harvested at the resort. An ice sculpture of a nude woman is found at the left of the entrance. 

Photo: Ice sculpture of a nude woman (R).

     Photo below shows the two-story observation tower with circular stairs. Also, inside is a figure of a lighted pumpkin. 

Photo: Lighted pumpkin inside the tower.

     To keep the museum icy cold in the heat of summer is the patented absorption chiller, the first of its kind in the world used for this purpose. The creativity of the artists is shown through the ice sculptures below:

Photo: Christmas tree.

 Photo: Pulpit featuring the different figures and lights formed inside the balls.

 Photo: Polar bear. 

Photo: Bedroom made of ice.

     An igloo  and a xylophone are also found inside the ice museum (below). 

Photo: Igloo.

Photo: Xylophone.

     There were other ice sculptures found inside the museum, like the bar wherein guests may order their favorite drink or the sea horse that is also fascinating. 

Photo: Bar.

Photo: Sea horse.

     Outside are other points of interest like the souvenir shop and the massage room,  both made of logs.

Photo: Souvenir Shop (Background).

Photo: Massage room (background).

     The Aurora Ice Museum is a long way from home (Philippines). Having gone this far is, indeed, a welcome adventure and one that I will treasure the rest of my days because I may never be able to go this way again

Seward Highway, Alaska: Things You Must Know About Driving Through The Third Most Amazing Highway

Photo of Seward Highway, Alaska, USA

     Long driving could be a bore. But not when you’re driving along the Seward Highway from Anchorage to Seward, Alaska. It is one of the most scenic and dramatic highways on earth. About 201 km long of well-paved roads, it luxuriates in nature’s gifts like clouds of all formations, waterways, snowy mountains, and lush forests. My daughter Trina and I were about to go to Seward City in Kenai Peninsula to see the famous glaciers of Alaska. We wanted to visit before the glaciers melted due to climate change. An Alaskan adventure would not be complete without having seen the million-year-old glaciers. Add to that is driving along the third most amazing highway, Seward Highway, next to Italy's Amalfi Drive and the number one highway, the Rhine south of Coblenz.

Photo of snow-clad Anchorage Mountain as viewed from the plane.

        Our trip started by plane from Kodiak, Alaska, where Trina was based. The view of the Anchorage Mountain above seems surreal to a native Pinay like me, as snow is alien to my very existence.

Free tomato juice in the plane.

     I love the free drinks on the plane, specially, this tomato juice (above). The stewardess asked me repeatedly, so I ordered tomato juice whenever she asked. The smile on my face (above) shows how happy I am drinking to my heart’s delight.

Photo outside Wal Mart with the snow-capped
Anchorage Mountain, Alaska, USA as background.

     After touch down in Anchorage, we stopped by Wal-Mart Supercenter in the Old Seward Highway to take lunch at a fast food restaurant and buy some snacks. At the parking area, I couldn't help but be amazed by the snowy mountain (above, background).

Photo of Alaska Route (AK-1).

     We proceeded to take Alaska Route 1 (AK-1) passing by Kenai Mountains, Turnagain Arm waterway, Chugach National Forest before ending up in AK-9 in Seward, Kenai Peninsula with a rented Toyota 4Runner, a mid-size semi-luxury SUV with off-road capabilities . We were so happy with this SUV, as it came along with major features like, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, remote keyless entry, single zone automatic climate control, power driver's lumbar support, power rear tailgate window, etc. 

Trina is shown above as the designated driver (L) with our rented 4Runner (R).

    On Seward Highway, the Turnagain Arm waterway can be seen to our right (below).

Parallel to the Seward Highway, the Alaska railroad system that services Anchorage to Seward is also visible (right). That railroad trip takes around 4 hours and 20 minutes. We made several stops along the way to better drink in the view

Photo of Turnagain Arm Waterway and the Alaska railroad track on the right.

     Seward Highway attracts migrating birds and waterfowl in the spring, summer and fall, and ice skaters in the winter. A long boardwalk at the north end of the marsh allows birdwatchers to get closer to see the birds (http://www.alaskascenes.com/turnagain.html).  There's a good chance of seeing dall sheep and a somewhat lesser chance of seeing some of Cook Inlet's 350 beluga whales and an eagle or two.

Birds and waterfowl may be seen in this part of the highway.

     Along the way, I requested Trina to stop so that I could touch the snow on the embankment. I might not have this chance to feel the freezing snow in my part of the world (Philippines) in the summer month of May. The temperature, about 4 °- 7°C, is bone chilling for my tropical-born-and-

bred body.

I had to get close to the snow.

     When we started this tour, the clouds were dark and heavy. But further along, the cloud formation changed. This cloud like a ball of cotton falling from the blue sky (below) is so rare and I have only seen this type in Seward highway.

Photo of a cloud formation like a falling cotton ball, Seward Highway, Alaska.

     We finally reached Seward City (below) after that long wonderful drive that, ordinarily takes 2 ½ hours, took us about four hours with stops along the way. The adventure-filled drive from Anchorage to Seward must be included in your bucket list because of the amazing views of the mountains, the waterways and the lush forests along the way. The beautifully maintained highway makes for a very relaxing and interesting drive from Anchorage to Seward vice versa.

Photo upon entering Seward City, Alaska, USA.

Why Everyone Loves Ted’s By Monday Chefs: Celebrating A Wedding Anniversary

Photo of Ted’s by MonDay Chefs in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

       Wedding anniversaries are celebrated world-wide, usually with a bouquet of flowers for the wife and, later, candle light dinner for two. Ours is not an unusual marriage, but we celebrated, not with dinner but lunch for two (except that the flowers were missing) at nearby Ted’s by MonDay Chefs in Sta.Cruz, Laguna. Locals have been going to this restaurant, so we tried to find out why everyone loves Ted’s by Monday Chefs.

Elmer and Tisa enjoying their food.

     This was not my first time at Ted’s. I went with my daughter Tisa and her husband, Elmer, a few months ago to check out the place. I liked the cozy, American ambiance and the food. So, this time I brought my husband to celebrate our special occasion.

Leo and me.

      According to their website, MonDay Chefs “is a group of culinarians and consultants who love to teach what they know. They provide creative solutions and management consulting to both new and established restaurant operators (http://mondaychefs.com/welcome/).” The branch in Sta.Cruz is one of their “babies”.  Ted’s was not ‘humble’ about their restaurant. Upon entry, you will be greeted with this:

Sign above reads "Welcome to the best restaurant in the world."

     Ted’s tried to provide a 50’s ‘American country’ ambiance. Inside were wood tables and chairs,

knick-knacks, a play area for kids, and a pretty window view of the ‘Philippine countryside’. 

However, their menu was a combination of American, Italian, and Filipino.

Top: L-counter; R-dining area; Bottom: L-play area; R- window view.

     We did not wait long for our order to arrive. First, were the drinks. One of their attempts at being 

an American restaurant was serving their drinks in mason jars (below). One friend did not like it 

because the rim of the jar hampered her drinking from the jar. The drinks were freshly blended with 

real fruits inside. The price was cheap considering that they did not ‘cheat’ on the ingredients.

L: Apple Basil Smoothie (₱70); R: Peach Mango Smoothie (₱70).

     A very popular entry in their menu was the Buffalo Wings (₱165). Inspite of the sauce, it 

retained the crispiness of the skin. The sauce was a combination of salty, sour, sweet and not very 

‘hot’, which surprised me because other buffalo wings that I have tasted were hotter; maybe because 

we ordered the ‘original’ and not the ‘suicidal’ flavor. The inside is bland, so if you want a strong 

flavor, make sure that your wings are smothered with the sauce. Their special dip balanced the flavor.

Buffalo Wings.

     The Meat Balls Pasta (₱165) was served next. It came with the garlic stick and topped with basil and parmesan cheese. The pasta was al dente, not soggy and it veered on the sweet side, just how Filipinos love their pasta sauce.

Meat Balls Pasta.

     We also ordered the Pesto Pork Chop (₱195). This was my second time to order this dish because I liked it the first time, thinking that the pesto was the life-saver for this dish. The magic was the condiment, the smoky and savory seasoning that we ordinarily use in the Philippines. We also used some imported chili sauce that made the taste perfect. 

 Pesto Pork Chop.

     On this trip, though, I did not find the seasoning among their condiments. I just used the ordinary soy sauce. So I was not happy with my pork chop. Besides, the meat was not cooked well, it was soft and pinkish inside.

       For dessert, we had the Blue Berry Cheesecake (₱90). I had to ‘find’ the cheese flavor in the cake, unlike other American cheese cakes that have oodles of cheese inside. With the price, I think this is the best amount of cheese that they could come up with.

Blueberry Cheesecake.

      The bill amounted to more than ₱700. This is quite expensive for a restaurant in the province. But for this special occasion, the husband didn’t complain. We had not gone back because we are exploring other restaurants in the area. If you’re curious about what the fuss is all about, try Ted’s and bring more cash than you would ordinarily spend in your favorite fast food. Overall, this restaurant is unique in the area,  trying to bring the cosmopolitan quality of foods to a quaint town like Sta.Cruz. Because of its effort to provide out-of-the- ordinary fares, Ted’s by Monday Chefs deserve a visit.

Cakes and pastries are also available. 

     Ted’s by MonDay Chefs may be found at the National Highway, Brgy. Duhat, Sta.Cruz, Laguna, with telephone nos. (049) 501 6858.  Their facebook account is: https://www.facebook.com/teds.santacruzlaguna

Don’t Waste Time! Visit the Million-Year Old Glaciers and Wildlife In Kenai Fjord, Alaska

     

     Trina and I embarked on an amazing adventure to go sailing and see glaciers and wildlife in Kenai Fjord, near Seward, Alaska. Glaciers or dense ice that are centuries old, form only on land and are distinct from the much thinner sea ice and lake ice that form on the surface of bodies of water. Glaciers are the biggest sources of fresh water that plants, animals and humans use when other sources may be scant (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier). Visit the glacier in Aialik, Kenai Fjord, Alaska and see them melt before your very eyes. The wildlife, specifically, the land and sea animals are also a must-see.

 adventurous-Pinay in front of the ticket office posing with a ‘whale’. 

     We had reservations at the Major Marine Tours (above). Their office was a few steps from our hotel, the Holiday Inn Express. Trina chose the five-hour ‘Kenai Fjord Wild Life Tour’ that began in Seward Harbor. The company brochure describes the tour as follows: “Our half-day cruise travels through the pristine waters of Resurrection Bay for up close encounters with wildlife. The cruise will be guided alongside large bird rookeries and sea lion colonies, making plenty of stops for pictures and to view passing whales and sea otters. You will see several types of glaciers, including the enormous Bear Glacier which is the largest glacier in the Kenai Fjords National Park.” 

Trina waiting at the harbor park.

     The five-hour Kenai Fjord National Park Cruise was scheduled to depart from Seward Boat Harbor at 11:30 am. The ticket price was $134 per person including harbor fee. Photo above shows Trina and other tourists enjoying the vista of the snow-capped mountain and the abundant greenery around the harbor park. 

Trina and I about to board our boat. 

     A few minutes later, we were informed that we could go inside the harbor for boarding. Before embarking on this adventure, we were advised to dress in layers. I did, including sunglasses, cap, and gloves (above R). Trina was used to the Alaskan winter, which could go below 0°C so she did not dress-up as much (above L). The temperature in Seward was about 4° – 10°C.

 MV Glacier Express (background).

     Our boat, the MV Glacier Express (above), travels at approximately 120 miles round-trip through Resurrection Bay into the Kenai Fjords National Park at cruising speed of 26 knots / 29 mph. So, on we went to our Kenai Fjord Cruise. Photo below shows me on the upper exterior deck for a clearer view of Resurrection Bay and the snow-capped mountains of Seward.

Photo During a Cruise of Resurrection Bay, Alaska, USA.

     Wild life. As promised, we were greeted early in our tour by wild life, a sea otter, swimming on its back (below).

Photo of a sea otter.

     Photo below is supposed to be the tail of a humpback whale. But we were not lucky to see it in full splendor during the cruise.

Photo of the tail of  a humpback whale.

     I’m not a bird expert but I think those on the picture below are marbled murrelets or thick-billed murres. 

Photo of marbled murrelets or thick-billed murres.

      Further along are these majestic cliffs and rocks (below). 

     Upon closer view, we found that this rock formation was home to the cutest animals in this adventure, the harbor seals. Photo below shows them relaxing in their chosen spot, usually, rocky areas with a foraging area. The white spots on the rocks are bird droppings.

Photo of harbor seals.

     Simply fascinating is the mountain goat that is able to survive on steep mountains like this (below).

      Glaciers. The Kenai Fjord National Park is home to 38 glaciers fed by the massive Harding Ice field, a giant reservoir of ice perched high atop the Kenai Mountains. A glacier is created when more snow falls than melts (http://www.kenaifjordsglacierlodge.com/glaciers) A dramatic scene unfolded before our very eyes when we witnessed parts of glaciers melting and falling (below).

Photo of melting glaciers.

      As the glacier grows more massive, it becomes increasingly affected by the forces of gravity, which pull the glacier downwards; this slow movement has earned glaciers the nickname "rivers of ice." Like a river, the glacier's flow can carve and reshape the landscape, such as the steep fjords within Kenai Fjords National Park, below (http://www.kenaifjordsglacierlodge.com/glaciers).  

Photo of a "River of Ice".

      Glaciers preserve bits of atmosphere from thousands of years ago in tiny air bubbles, or, deeper within the core, trapped within the ice itself. Past eras can be reconstructed, showing how and why climate changed, and how it might change in the future (http://nsidc.org/cryosphere/glaciers/questions/climate.html).

A staff of our boat scooped up a glacier (L)
for guests to see and touch this centuries-old ice block (R).

     Another plus factor to this Kenai Fjord Cruise is their famous Alaska salmon and prime rib meal served buffet style. We were warned to take a motion-sickness pill 30 minutes before sailing because the waves would be strong when we reach the Gulf of Alaska. I did not take the pill thinking I could bear the rocking movements of the ship. I felt sea sick as warned and was not able to partake much of their delicious meal, for fear of just throwing it all up. But what little I tasted was enough to make me long for that melt-in-the-mouth prime rib meal. Photos below show Trina (R) and me (L) with the US and Alaskan flags hoisted on the exterior deck of the MV Glacier Express.

      This Kenai Fjords Wild Life Tour is a unique and an unforgettable adventure. This must be added to your travel bucket list because the glaciers are amazing resources that are fast melting away. The wild life, the birds, the land-based and sea animals are also a sight to behold. I am so thankful for this cruise because this nature adventure made me appreciate these priceless gifts even more. 

  

How we got there: From Anchorage airport, we drove through the Seward Highway to Seward City where we stayed overnight.