Nomama pop-up at Atelier 317

I have been terrible at posting. My whole computer is a backlog of notes and photos it's just ridiculous. I have been extremely busy but I really should start posting soon.
Anyway last night I joined my girlfriends for a night out. We always like to try new places to eat and it was the last week-end of this pop-up restaurant I had been hearing about.
The restaurant, Nomama, actually exists in Quezon City but I find it such a hassle to go there because it's so far and the traffic can be a pain.
I had been hearing about Nomama for a long time and I had contemplated checking it out. Chef Him Uy de Baron is apparently French trained and he applies this to his creations. Nomama is known for serving artisanal ramen and this was long before the ramen craze hit these shores.
Anyway I was super excited when I found out there was going to be a pop-up here in Makati so I made reservations for what was their last week-end.

It was a Friday night and I was rushing to my 8PM reservations after having some cocktails with another bunch of friends. (I'm normally twiddling my thumbs on a Friday night but for some reason this night was packed with activity). I arrived at 8:15 to a lovely private room with *gasp* a communal table. And other diners were already there.
I'm no stranger to communal dining. In fact if you read in one of my old posts, my lunch at Nomiya in Paris was one of my most memorable dining experiences because I got to meet many interesting people. But let's face it, people here rarely converse with strangers and all parties pretty much kept to themselves so for awhile I felt like the girl who got stood up. Thankfully (because Manila is so small) I saw another friend while waiting for my two eternally late girlfriends.
I sat watching and listening to my stomach while everyone else was eating. I liked the setting because it was intimate, the music was cool, and the kitchen was right there and I could see the chef in action. At around 8:45 my friends arrived and we decided to just order a bunch of stuff and share.

The lighting was not ideal for food photos but I didn't want to irritate everyone so I just took one quick shot of everything we had

We started with the Mushroom gyoza. I loved it because I don't particularly like the porky taste of gyoza so I thought this was perfect.

Then we had the Tuna and Avocado in Ponzu and Arugula. This was amazing. There was a surprising contrast of flavors that I didn't expect. I wanted to lick the plate.

We also had the fresh tuna spring roll in spicy ponzu. This had subtle, fresh flavors that were a great change from the previous dish.

We actually also ordered a soft shell crab salad but it never came. Which is just as well because I remembered that there was some sort of cruelty involved in farming soft-shell crabs.

Our main course had to be the tan-tan men with organic roasted pork shoulder. When I took my first bite I thought, hmmm, good, but where's the punch? Having been assaulted straight on by tan-tan men in the past, but as I continued to eat, the depth of the flavor started to come out. And by the time I was at the end of my bowl, I wanted more. I don't know if that was intentional or what but I loved it. I didn't have that feeling of wanting to get rid of the taste as I normally do when I eat the spicy, flavorful tan-tan men. I just wanted more. Absolutely delicious.

We ordered two desserts to share. Both mind-blowingly yummy. The Flourless chocolate cake with miso caramel was dense yet addicting. We actually asked for more of that caramel sauce.

The fruit teppanyaki with kaffr syrup, sesame brittle and yuzu gelato was tart, sweet, and lovely.

We had a bottle of Sauvignon blanc that was on the sweet side but complemented the food perfectly.

You know it was a great night when someone photo bombs the table shot =)

It was a fun night, I loved the ambience and the food. So much so that it compelled me to post something! And I think a trip to Quezon City is due.

Nomama is located at the FSS Building II, Sct. Tuason cor Sct. Castor Sts., Quezon City

Tel. 9214913

Kalamunda, Tagaytay City

I'm always on the look-out for somewhere new to try, especially here at home. I had been hearing about Sylvia Miguel's Kalamunda farm from fellow food lovers and I was obsessing about going there for quite some time.

I was already a big fan of Sylvia's extraordinary paté so I had no doubt the food was superb. I was particularly interested to try her famous milk-fed lechon which was repeatedly touted as the cleanest tasting lechon in town.

With my sister and her husband visiting from San Francisco for the holidays, I found the perfect excuse. I hosted a lunch for some friends and family (there is a 20 person minimum for the lechon lunch) and after countless texts and trying to coordinate everyone's schedules, I finally got to Kalamunda yesterday.

Tucked in the sloping hills of Tagaytay, Kalamunda is actually the home of Sylvia and Carlos Miguel. The couple's sons are both chefs (one in Australia) and one quite famous on his own right here in Manila.

Anyway, the photos will speak for themselves. We brought our own cooler of wine (I grabbed all the bottles left from New Year's festivities), relaxed, enjoyed the breeze, ate the most sumptuous home-made food, and shared stories all afternoon. The wonderful couple made us feel right at home and they were a joy to meet and talk to.

This was a really special lunch and I'm so glad I did it. I almost don't want to share but it would be a crime not to tell everyone about this hidden gem.

We started with the famous paté and melba toast than proceeded to the main event.

This is Mixed greens with Gorgonzola Cheese, Pears, and a Mustard seed dressing.

It was supposed to be Seafood Paella but Sylvia said the seafood in the market that morning left much to be desired so she decided on a meat paella. I love that lunch is market driven!

This was Chicken with wild mushrooms.

And superb Baked Fish.

And the ultimate, Milk-fed lechon. Delicious, crispy, succulent, pure heaven.

 The dessert is another specialty which is Sylvia's Pavlova with Fresh fruits. It was so delicious we went back for 2nds and 3rds!

 I didn't get to take many photos of the farm because I was having so much fun drinking and talking to everyone so here's a token photo. Can you imagine an amazing lunch with a view like that?

https://www.facebook.com/kalamunda.farm?fref=ts

Hotel Keppler, Paris

I feel like I'm cheating on my darling Le Placide Hotel, but our stay at Hotel Keppler last June was simply divine. The only thing I didn't like was the location, which is actually near the Champs Elysees. (I really prefer the left bank).
It was gorgeous, it felt very intimate and the service was excellent and personal. I was almost sad to leave.

Beautifully designed lobby/living room

Our bedroom was separated from a living area with double doors

I absolutely love French water closets

We had a little desk

Our living room had a sofa which could be converted into a sofa bed

The room had a great balcony

With a view

Our concierge would crack open a bottle of bubbly and insist on a nightcap before bed

One of the many sitting areas

Another sitting area

The door has a bell that you ring to enter, very private

Nothing beats the view at dusk

http://www.keppler.fr

Maxan, Paris

On our last trip to Paris we stayed at the 8th arrondissement. We usually stay at the 6th so this was an area we were not too familiar with. We usually eat near the hotel when we arrive and in the left bank we know where to go. This time we asked our hotel concierge to recommend something nearby as we had just come from a 6 hour train ride from Spain and my sister had just arrived from a 10 hour plane ride from San Francisco.

The wonderful concierge at Hotel Keppler (I'll write more about the hotel next time) recommended Restaurant Maxan which was two blocks away.

The interiors were a soothing dove-gray and the restaurant was very pleasant. The food was beautifully prepared and very good. It really is hard to get a bad meal in Paris. This may not be one of the superlative must-go to restaurants of the city but if you're in the area it is a great place for a nice dinner.

For starters a little fried risotto ball

Some foie gras of course

And a delicious egg on pea puree

I honestly don't remember what this tower was. Duck perhaps?

I know I had the rack of lamb

Someone had this, maybe pork?

 I know my sister had the salmon with caviar and beurre blanc

And for dessert their version of Ile Flottante. This one had a mango base instead of the usual creme anglais.

Strawberry merangue

Raspberry tarte

And petit fours at the end

http://www.rest-maxan.com

Ad Hoc rehearsal dinner

As an addendum to the Wedding entry I want to share the stellar food prepared for us by Ad Hoc for the "rehearsal dinner". It wasn't really a rehearsal dinner, just our dinner the night before the wedding. We didn't want anything stuffy but delicious food was a must so we chose Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc.

I've blogged about Ad Hoc before, it simply is one of the best restaurants in Napa. Many even like it more than the French Laundry because it is so casual and affordable and the food is just as good.
Everything was served family style and this is what we had.

Their salad was spectacular, if you can say that about a salad. It had bits of their famous fried chicken, I could have eaten this all night.

 Then they plopped down giant platters of the most succulent steak ever. (I know we had steak for the wedding too so I really was all steaked out this trip)

 The gratin of veggies on the side was equally flavorful.

 And for dessert we had local artisanal cheese

And good old apple pie. This whole dinner came with wine pairings which were excellent but I was too busy enjoying the food and the company to take notes.

http://www.adhocrestaurant.com

A wedding at Brix, Napa Valley

Last October my sister got married. Months before the date, I helped her sift through countless venues for the wedding. She knew she wanted it in Napa Valley because she lives in San Francisco and Napa was a perfect "destination" place. Not only does it have beautiful scenery, it is also a short drive from the city. On top of that, it is home to some of the best food in the country.

Of course food was a priority, and because my nephew Otis is a dog, we needed a pet-friendly place. She also wanted to have the ceremony outdoors so a beautiful location was also mandatory.

After numerous emails back and forth we found the perfect place. Brix is a well-known Napa Valley restaurant that showcases a farm to table menu that changes regularly.

Everything was perfect from start to finish. The staff was so professional and all our requests were granted and taken care of.

It was cloudy that day but thankfully it didn't rain. How lovely is the cocktail area?

They had a fabulous selection of wines (which we had chosen prior to the event)

And other refreshments...

 During cocktails, waiters went around passing plates of fresh oysters, rare seared ahi tuna with espelette pepper aioli, fried shrimp with soy ginger sauce, wild mushroom and fontina risotto arancini, and sourdough crostini with chevre and seasonal vegetables. I was maid of honor and very busy so, sorry no photos of these lovely hors d'oeuvres! They were delightful though.

The ceremony was simple and sweet, it was held in the vineyard.

Dinner was served in this lovely room.

This was the menu.

I found the lighting fixtures so cute.

The food was absolutely delicious. I didn't get to try the salmon, but the steak was perfectly cooked and super tasty!

After dinner they set up another cocktail area outside near the dancing.

http://www.brix.com