Tsalap Tsalap

Perhaps next to “sexy-time”, eating is the next most pleasurable experience that anyone can indulge in.Similar to variations of style when it comes to “sexy-time”, you also have to try a variety of dishes to fully appreciate eating.The results of your experimentation with eating is no different from “sexy-time”. Sometimes you would love it, but sometimes you’d simply say “yeuchh” and move on.

I am a Chinese food-lover. Perhaps it’s the lineage in me, or perhaps it’s the addiction to MSG. Whatever it is, I love it deep fried, and comes with tons of flavors. If you’re craving for the taste of high-end Chinese style cooking but scrimping on the budget, then try HapChan’s Restaurant. My standard combo consist of YangChow fried rice, dumplings, steamed lapu-lapu and fried bean curd.  I recommend their branch at the Rockwell Business Center in Pasig. The joint is new, pristine, and has a relaxing ambience because of the landscaped gardens that a customer can see from their glass walls. I have been a fan of the Hapchan outlets. I specially hold dear the old Hapchan Restaurant at the Rotonda Plaza, Tagaytay City. It had an alfresco dining area that over-looked the Taal lake. It’s a fucking shame that this branch was relocated to its new address across the Olivarez Mall in Tagaytay City where the view is nothing but a bus terminal.

If you thought that driving from Ortigas to Makati,during Friday’s, on the lunch hour is crazy,then you haven’t met my friend Mohan. Yep, this guy whose family hails from India, drives like a bat out from hell. He can negotiate traffic in Edsa like he was the MMDA Chairman.  He doesn’t care about abusing the yellow lanes designated for buses. For as long as there is a slot to maneuver, he will take it. Never mind that he drives in a V-6 SUV that will make your stomach feel watery because he constantly hits the brakes and curses at the other drivers. The important thing is that he brings you fast to “Soms Thai Restaurant” near Bel-Air Village in Makati. This Thai restaurant has a Spartan-feel to it because it’s simply an apartment converted to a not-so-fancy dining place. If you like your food hot, then you’ve come to the right place. The menu is pretty much like your average Pinoy restaurant only there’s an abuse on chili, pepper, curry, and coconut milk. I have tried their house specialty - The “Tomi Soup”(like our sinigang na hipon, only it comes with a ton of crushed red-pepper and coconut milk) it doesn’t tickle my fancy.  Their spring-rolls are similar to what we normally eat as “lumpiang shanghai”. I also got to taste their chili-ground pork and it’s just ho-hum. Really nothing spectacular but really spicy.  I believe the winner at this joint is their chicken-curry. Hands down, this one is fantastic.  Their “Thai Rice” is actually only made of sticky-rice with lots of chopped pepper, again nothing spectacular. I tried the Thai Version of “iced-tea” . I honestly didn’t like it. I don’t know if my drinking glass had liquid detergent on it when they poured the iced-tea but that’s how the consistency of the brew felt on my  mouth. I really would prefer not to go back there.

Whenever I’m accompanied by people who prefer to walk going to and from the lunch place, then St Francis Food Court is the place to be. The food-court at the fourth-level of St Francis Square is un-equaled in space, choices and price.  The price of food here is a steal. There are a lot of “deals” where you can gain on rice and the main-course.  There is even a Japanese joint which serves cream-dory fish,mixed vegetables, noodles, and rice for only sixty-bucks!!. I shit you not. Try and walk to St Francis Square, the food is great, the prices are reasonable, the elbow-room is sufficient and there’s no queuing for tables. Then there’s the added treat of visiting your friendly DVD and Cell Phone pirates at the ground floor of the mall before you go back to the office.

If you talk about eating the best  combo of noodles and fried Rice, then Savory’s Chicken is the right prescription for your carbo overload. Yep, the uncanny pair of Savory’s Pancit canton and House Fried Rice is a working-mans meal. I don’t pay attention to the staple chicken that they serve here. It’s honestly quite bland for my taste. Their Lumpiang Shanghai rolls go very well with the carb-combo as it adds protein to balance the meal. Eat here when you’re not dieting. Eat here when it’s “cheat day”.  It’s guaranteed to make you so full, you’d think of skipping dinner.

When you have the time and the mullah, bring your date or your family to Gourmet Cafe. Located along the Aguinaldo Hi-way in Silang, Cavite, this restaurant may cost you an arm and a leg but the dining experience is worth it.There is a salad-buffet if you are health conscious.  There is a wide choice of pasta and pizza if you dig carbo without rice. The fish and chips is a good substitute for meat. Here, there is no queuing. Here the atmosphere is relaxed. Here you can commune with nature and eat while the resident pianist plays lazily on the baby-grand. Gosh, if only KaryPot would visit this place, am sure they would go crazy capturing on digital-images this majestic place. But most importantly, the good food and serene atmosphere of this place wouldprobably trigger KaryPot to re-examine their friendship if it can play out to something more than that. 

I first heard of “Aysee” from my analyst, Raf Durendez, when the Match Factory was still located in Bgy Kuli-Kuli, Makati in Y2002. When the office moved to Ortigas in Y2005, one of the first eating places I “googled” in the internet was this place.  This place is known for their Sizzling Sisig (a dish made from the pork’s cheeks) served on Hot Plates.  Oh my. Thank God for small blessings. Their Sisig would rival those prepared by much known chains such as “Dencio’s” or “Jerry Grill”. Aysee is also known for their hot-soup known as “Papaitan”.  It’s basically a broth of goat’s meat mixed with tamarind and lemon.  It will make your sleepy eyes go bang! I personally enjoy their side dishes like crispy “calamares”, “tokwa’t-baboy”, and mixed “ensalada”. Their main branch is right across the “ULTRA”. One should be careful when he eats here  at the ULTRA location. The vinyl tiles are slippery with the ever presence of oil on the floor.  I have seen people slip on the floor during two sad occasions.  It could also use some renovation.  Unfortunately, I have heard some clients compare the place to a “banyo” because of the cramped and hot condition of the place. Fuck them. The food here is hot,great tasting and served fast. If you’re the discriminating type and it’s a lazy Friday lunch, then go to Aysee’s at Tiendesita’s.  The food has the same great taste but the space is much more  accommodating.  When you leave Aysee, you will have a smile on your face,trust me. After all, they give you a bag of free Chocolates- Flat Tops, after you’ve paid your bill.

All that food talk sure made me hungry. Just like “sexy-time”, a lot of talk can make you horny. So go ahead,indulge, life is too short to hold back. As for me, I think I’ll indulge in some “fake-chow” for now.