GMANews.TV - Yvette Tan Blog

How to get a promotion in just three steps

Part Three of what I learned in Dr. John Maxwell's "Leadership in Challenging Times" seminar:

Dr. Maxwell gives three foolproof pieces of advice for getting ahead in your career. Warning: Will contain hard work.

1. Do a bit more than the average person

Dr. Maxwell advocates getting to work early, having a 30 minute lunch and staying a bit late.

"I'm amazed at how many people are in love with the average," he says.

Average is what you do not want to be.

Jeffrey Fox, another author, actually has an equation for this.

He says to come in 45 minutes early to do prep work and leave 15 minutes late to finish up.

Not only does this create a good impression, doing prep and cleaning up actually prepares you for a productive work day.

Industriousness, coupled with strategic thinking, makes for an excellent employee, and excellent employees are oftentimes acknowledged.

2. Everyday, do something for your coworkers that is not expected of you

"Instead of trying to compete with others, complete others."

That piece of advice will probably go against every bone in your body, even the funny ones.

After all, isn't everyone supposed to pale in comparison to your glowing record of good conduct?

No. First of all, that's succumbing to the crab mentality.

Second, you're just going to make everyone hate you.

Everyone, except those with the blackest of hearts, wants the good guy to succeed.

Besides, if you get promoted, you want everyone on your side.

They're going to be the, forgive my quote, "wind beneath your wings."

Being nice is not something you can force though.

People can smell "plastic" a mile away and being known as a plastic person is worse than being known as a mean one.

3. Ask for a 10 minute appointment with the owner of the company

This is a tricky one.

I myself don't know if there's wisdom in doing this (lest you be accused of brown-nosing, among others) but Dr. Maxwell claims that the people who've done it have had excellent results.

The meeting should be short, because your boss is busy and you don't want to take up his time.

You introduce yourself, thank him or her for giving you the opportunity to work in the company, give him or her your cellphone number and tell him that if s/he needs anything business-related done, s/he can call you anytime. Then leave.

Your boss may never call you to do anything, but you will certainly have left an impression.

Again, I'm not sure how the third item will work in the Philippine setting, but just doing the first and second ones will help you get ahead in work.

At the very least, it will make you a better person.

Jatujak serves up affordable Thai dishes

I've been craving Pad Thai for weeks now, going around the metro trying whatever Pad Thai I can get my hands on, all of them being failures (The high-end, mid-end, and low-end versions I’ve tried turned out to be all crappy).

I usually head to Soms or Chariya when I want a Thai fix but they're both out of my way, which is why my friends have had to put up with my Pad Thai yearnings on all my social message updates.

To stop me from talking about Pad Thai already, folks have been suggesting places where I can satisfy my craving. The one most mentioned that fits my criteria of conveniently located and affordable was Jatujak.

So when I found myself in Megamall one day, I seized the opportunity to see if I could fulfill my Pad Thai craving.

I don't know why I've never eaten here. Probably because Thai food is something that has to be shared to be enjoyed, and I'm either usually alone or with folks who aren't too keen on the cuisine.

The trip was unplanned, so I don't have photos.

Since I was alone, I only got to order two things: Pad Thai (Php185 for shrimp, Php175 for chicken)and Thai Iced Tea (Php78).

The Thai Iced Tea came in a glass so tall its straw was forever threatening to Fall in. A good problem to have, I think.

The drink was served cold (dapat lang!) and was refreshing, though the milk seemed already blended in instead of poured separately.

The mix might be a bit too milky for some (I could taste a hint of evaporated milk) but since I'm quite fond of milk, I didn't mind it too much.

Then came the Pad Thai. First of all, it was served hot. As in I could still see some steam rising. A good sign.

Also, I could smell it as the waiter put it on my table. A wonderful aroma.

Of all the conveniently located Pad Thai I have tried, this one came the closest to satisfying my craving. Sweet, with a sour undertone, a mix of textures; crunchy, meaty and full.

It wasn't as flavorful as I would have wanted but that was easily solved by the addition of more Pad Thai sauce (I'm probably being a barbarian about it. Oh well.).

The staff, by the way, was extremely helpful and courteous.

I was there during off hours and everyone was on their toes, smiling, attending to the needs of the customers who dropped by, whether they were ordering one dish or five.

I plan to go back, by the way.

I still have the rest of the menu to explore, and the Thai Iced Coffee to try.

The only five things you have to do to get what you want

This is a continuation of the stuff I learned at Dr. John Maxwell's "Leadership in Challenging Times" seminar last year.

According to Dr. Maxwell, you only need to do five things to reach your goal.

What those five things are will be up to you, and will depend on your goal.

This is what he calls "The Rule of Five."

For example, Dr. Maxwell wanted to become an in-demand writer and motivational speaker.

His five things to do were:

1. read

2. file

3. think

4. ask questions

5. write

Now here's the hard part: you have to do those five things EVERY DAY. No excuses.

You want to write a novel? Write every day. You want to be a pop star? Sing every day.

Make sure that every day moves you towards your goal, be it winning a Nobel Prize or world domination (okay, maybe not the last one).

As Dr. Maxwell says that "your success is determined by your daily agenda."

And as you can see, he achieved his dream by doing his five things every day.

Now he has written many books and is a highly sought-after motivational speaker.

He wasn't born rich. He didn't attend a prestigious school or grow up with children of people in power. He got to where he is by doing.

He worked intelligently (everything must lead you to your goal).

Still, Dr. Maxwell cautions that it shouldn't be all about achieving your dream. That would just make you a mercenary, and an unlikable one at that.

He says, "If you pursue your dream, keep your feet on the ground. Be grateful, be humble and understand that this could be taken away at any moment."

Don't neglect the human factor. Don't forget the people around you, don't forget that they have their own sets of dreams.

If you help them achieve theirs, chances are, they'll only be too happy to help you achieve yours.

So. Five things a day, everyday. That's all it takes to fulfill your dream.

Pia y Damaso's subversive Filipino cuisine

Pia y Damaso in Greenbelt 5 may look slightly intimidating, but once inside, you'll find a few dishes that will take you back to the era of Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.

Dementia, a special dessert offered by restaurant Pia y Damaso, is bound to make every diner go gaga over the truffle cake with white chocolate almond pastille.
Photo by Yvette Tan

This is because a lot of the dishes are taken directly from the books – remember the tinola scene? And the Tsokolate Eh? – or inspired by Noli and Fili characters. The dishes are a delicious mix of Filipino with accents from overseas.

The house drink is the Tubig ni Maria Clara (Php300), a pitcher of water flavored with cucumber, ginger, and citrus fruits. The drink is sweet, with a hint of cucumber coolness and the kick of ginger. It's refreshing and slightly peppery.

The Kua Pao Pan de Sal (Php225) is a marriage of the Chinese Kua Pao and the Filipino Pan de Sal.

Two big pieces of roasted pan de sal filled with braised pork belly in sweet sauce, roasted peanuts, sweet mustard confit, and fresh cilantro leaves.

The Pan de Sal is soft, the pork a nice mix of fat and meat.

The sandwich is savory and strangely lumpia-like (the fresh kind, probably because of the wansoy, which keeps flavor from getting redundant), with the peanuts adding punch.

The Black Olive, Cerveza Negra and Tuyo Pasta (Php275) is an oil-based pasta with a subtle but deep flavor that's slightly salty, slightly smokey. The tuyo bits give the dish extra flavor.

The Nga Nga Beef Salad (Php250) was named after the betel nut that was extremely popular with the old timers.

The salad is divided into sections: salty-sweet beef flakes, green mango pickle, red onions, Haw flakes, cilantro and arugula that are to be piled on lettuce leaves rolled like betel nut chew and eaten with one's hands.

The result is a sweet, crunchy starter that for some reason tastes very 80s.

An iconic dish in Noli is the tinolang manok.

Pia y Damaso's version, Tinola Chicken (Php300) has a dark, flavorful broth and a sharp aftertaste, which is a nice surprise for a usually mild soup.

Now for my favorite part of a meal: dessert.

The Diablo (Php150) is a bittersweet chocolate souffle flavored with spices and red chili peppers. I am a big fan of the chocolate and chili pepper combination and this dish did not let me down.

The chocolate tempers the chili's heat while the spices round everything out.

I love, love, love Sisa's Dementia (Php160), which I have been searching for two years, having tasted it when it was still "Dementia."

It is a "truffle cake with white chocolate almond pastille, dark chocolate mousse and ganache," layer upon layer of differently textured chocolate to create a dense, addictive cake.

Notice how I've refrained from making any references to Sisa's mental state. That's restraint, that is.

The De Espadana Quezo de Bola Cheesecake (Php220) is a feat of culinary engineering.

Named after Kapitan Tiago's social climbing wife, what looks like your everyday blueberry cheesecake is actually an edam-based cheesecake with santol, prune and fig compote.

The cake retains the quezo de bola's sharpness, the topping tasting like marmalade. Probably the only time I voluntarily ate prunes.

A ligher dessert would be Salvi's Canonigo (Php100), a meringue-based dessert named after the novels' thinnest priest. The vanilla creme and fresh mangoes it comes with add texture to what would otherwise be continuous clouds of sweetness.

If you're like me, you probably sweated through Rizal class. Pia y Damaso makes Rizal fun to revisit.

Like the books its food is named after, it turns Filipino food inside out, but in a good way.

Reasonably-priced delights at the Mandarin Deli

Hotels have a reputation for being more expensive than necessary.

But sometimes, places like the Mandarin Deli, the Mandarin Oriental's deli and coffee shop, surprise us with tasty treats at reasonable prices.

The Quiche Lorraine (Php80) is eggy, like Chawan Mushi (Japanese steamed egg soup) in tart form. It's got a nice semi-flaky crust and cheese and meaty bits in every bite. One serving is also twice the size of a quiche you'd get at a coffee shop.

The Spinach and Ricotta Tart (Php85) is bursting with cheese and spinach. It tastes like a naked ravioli and served warm, is really good, especially if, like me, you love spinach. One of these, plus coffee or dessert, would make a fairly filling light lunch.

Dessert treats at the Mandarin Oriental’s Mandarin Deli are not only tasty, they are also reasonably priced. Photo by Yvette Tan

The Crispy Praline and Chocolate Cake (Php119) is dense and moist, each spoonful packed with rice-crispy crunch. It may be a small cake, but it packs a powerful punch.

The Tea Flavored Chocolate Mousse (Php119) is a densely-textured cake with a surprisingly light taste. The cake is infused with Earl Grey tea, which explains its fragrant flavor and bergamot undertone. This was a favorite.

A light way to end a meal would be with the Fresh Fruit Tart, fresh fruits piled on top of creamy custard separated from firm crust by a thin layer of chocolate. The fruits come in big pieces and practically overflow from the crust.

As I write this, I plan to go back and have more Spinach and Cheese Tart and Tea Flavored Chocolate Mousse. Pair it with a cup of tea and you have a great way to while away an afternoon.

Ordering from the menu might give you a heart attack, but if you stick to the dishes on display, you won't go over budget.

Dream on

Last year, I was fortunate to attend a talk given by leadership guru Dr. John Maxwell.

He was very engaging and charismatic, basically putting forth ideas found in his many books.

Though the forum topic was called "Leadership in Challenging Times," some of the advice he gave can be applied to anyone trying to achieve a goal, in good times or in bad.

For example, when trying to reach a goal, Dr. Maxwell puts forth the Cost Question, the question that everyone must ask him or herself, and that is:

Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?

All dreams have a cost. The costs aren't always monetary. For example, pursuing a lifelong passion may be free, but it could eat up time you could be spending with your family. Find out how much you dream will cost you is part and figure out if that's what you really want/ can afford.

In the beginning, all dreams are free. In Dr. Maxwell's words, "It doesn't cost anything to have an idea." The payment comes later.

The dream is free but the journey isn't.

A lot of people get discouraged from pursuing their dream because of all the hard work it entails.

All dreams have a price, and "you're going to pay it sooner than you think," and it will be more expensive than what you initially thought it would cost.

Again, the "price" isn't necessarily monetary.

You could be raking in the dough at the cost of something else in your life, and it's really up to you which to value more.

Dr. Maxwell says that "you have to pay the price more than once" and that "you have to pay the price throughout your entire dream journey."

You can't rest until you've fulfilled your goal.

Off the top of my head, an example would be writing a novel.

It doesn't cost anything to write - at least in money. It does cost a lot of time and thinking, a lot of shuffling of schedules and making time in between work, family, and friends.

Then there's the writing. You have to write until the actual novel is finished. You have to write it, no one else will write it for you, in the same way that no one else will walk the dog if you don't schedule your writing time properly. You don't stop until the last word has been typed in.

That's paying the price throughout the entire dream journey.

Lastly, Dr. Maxwell says that “there are no shortcuts for dreams.”

You have to pay the full price for your dream (unless you are very rich, whereupon you can just hire people, but it wouldn't be as fulfilling), and you always have to pay in advance.

How much of your dream you achieve will be based on how much you are willing to pay.

Sounds scary, doesn't it?

There is always a lot of fear in the beginning.

But if you strategize correctly, the end will, more often than not, be worth it.

Say Cheese!

I will forever be grateful to the California Cheese Board for giving me my first assignment as someone who blogs about eating.

Shown are some of the cheeses sampled by GMANews.TV blogger Yvette Tan. Photo courtesy of Yvette Tan

Apparently, they had been following my blog and didn't even know that I write for a food magazine! My guess is that they have a super secret department that sniffs out cheese-lovers and that's how they found me.

This was how I found myself at the wonderful Lolo Dad's Brasserie in 6750 in Makati, sampling the cheese-filled delights conjured from the imagination of Chef Ariel Manuel.

First we were given samples of some cheeses produced in California. Not a proper platter, just enough to discern the different flavors.

The California Pepper Jack tastes like pepper-infused mozzarella and would go great in meat sandwiches.

The Provolone has a mild flavor, as does the Swiss, which was almost bland, but in a good way.

The Sharp Cheddar lived up to its name, being full-flavored and salty, and the Colby Jack was a mix of mild and sharp. I liked the little flags that came with it. I imagined that we were decimating cheese forts.

Then came the food.

The Silver Lake Sharp Cheddar and Romaine Lettuce Soup served with Salmom Bruschetta was creamy, the lettuce tasting more like spinach (yay!), the flavors really coming together when you eat the mild soup with the crisp, salty bruschetta.

The California Select Farms Pepper Jack, Swiss and Provolone Mushrooms and Fresh Spinach Pizza was probably one of the best pizzas I've ever had (right up there with a particularly good batch from Shakey's).

The cheese made the already fresh mushrooms taste fresher. The ingredients were spread thinly on a thin crust, resulting in a light, flavorful pie. It made me too full to eat the next dish.

The Baked Cheswick Colby Jack, Pancetta and Rigatoni Pasta with Vegetable Fritters was basically mac and cheese on steroids.

This is what mac and cheese should taste like, the cheese melty, with a fresh, complex flavor (not just cheese spread) with just the right amount of saltiness and a bit of smokeyness courtesy of the pancetta.

The fritters were an awesome plus, mushroom-flavored mush enclosed in a crunchy crust. The dish made me want to be a kid again.

Of course, a kid wouldn't have been able to enjoy the meal with a glass of Beringer Chardonnay, a nice white wine.

I confess that I know nothing about wines and I'm still learning. All I know is that the Beringer went down smooth, with no harsh aftertaste.

A lovely meal made with lovely cheeses. And I'm not just saying this because they invited me.

To learn more about the best combinations for pairing California Cheese with California Wines, log on to http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/recipes.

California cheeses are available in SNR and leading supermarkets in Metro Manila.
For more ideas on preparing California Cheese dishes for this Christmas, log on to http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/category/courseoccasion/christmas.

Backstage with Placebo

Sometime this year, I got to meet two thirds of Placebo, one of my favorite bands, when they had a concert in Hong Kong to promote their new album, Battle for the Sun.

Their music, which is heavily influenced by glam rock, has greatly influenced the way I think and write (Their music helped carry me through my undergrad thesis, for one thing) and it was a big thrill to not just see them in concert, but go backstage and interview them as well.

Placebo is composed of Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal, and new member Steve Forrest. I got to chat with Brian and Stefan before the concert. Here's some of the stuff they talked about:

Your music in Battle for the Sun seems lighter than your previous albums.

Brian: Probably in theme and what we're trying to get across, which is hope. I think we felt that the last album (Meds) didn't offer the listener a great deal of hope and we wanted to do something that was less somber and more colorful. The actual process of making the record was the least chaotic, the most disciplined and the most stress-free recording process so far. I think a lot f that had to do with our producer's incredible people skills and his understanding of the psychology of a rock band.

Stefan: Compared to the last one, there's a few major differences. One is the lineup. I think when we made Meds, it was kind of the beginning of the end of that lineup, really. Making this record was kind of purging the past and kind of reaffirming the fact that we really want to be in a band. There's still a lot left to fight for. It's kind of finding some of that renewed energy.

There's also been some change to your general sound in this album as well. For example, you use a marching band in some songs, while before, your music tended towards electronica.

Brian: We wanted to make a big sounding record. We wanted to make and anthemic record and an epic record. We also wanted to use instrumentation which we felt was timeless. The problem with electronic music is that technology moves so quickly that the more electronics you use, the quicker your music becomes dated. You have to wait another 20 years until that sound is fashionable again, to become slightly retro. We chose to use the type of instrumentation like piano, string and horns, brass because we've always been trying to make a timeless record and this time around... you now you're always trying to make a record that transcends the genre as well. And we also try to make records that don't have a type of blanket sound, (it should have) a lot of variation.

How is your working relation with Steve?

Brian: Sometimes it's great. Sometimes it's amazing. And sometimes, you just want to put him in a bag and drown him. You know? (laughs) There's a massive age difference between us.

Stefan: There's a massive cultural difference. He's American. Born and bred.

Brian: From California. You know, he's 22. We're in our mid-30s and you know we're from Northern Europe. We're more contemplative and quiet. Steve can be very excited about being in the band as well. But he is an extremely talented musician. And there's a real synergy between us when we play as Placebo. When we play onstage. It kind of feels like being in a band with your little brother and (laughs) little brothers can drive you crazy.

Stefan: If you talk to him for two minutes, then you're his best mate. He's very friendly. He's a good kid.

You call him kid to his face?

Brian: Oh yeah.

Stefan: We call him many things.

Brian: One of his nicknames is the baby. We call him that to his face so he knows.

Stefan: Blondie.

What's it like collaborating with David Bowie?

Brian: It's a lot of fun. He's a legend. Being in the same room with him... you pick up his...

Stefan: His bacteria.

Brian: You learn just by being around him. The good thing about David is that he's a raconteur. It's a lot of fun. He knows everybody. He knew everybody. You get to hear a lot of funny and sad stories about people who are no longer with us and are still with.

What can fans expect from Placebo in the near future?

Brian: We're just touring and touring and touring. We don't plan to stop.

Any plans of coming to Manila, maybe next year?

Brian: Hopefully.

Seventies decor and steak at Myron's Place

Walk into the Greenbelt branch of Myron's place and you are transported into an era that resembles the 70s. The mod decor is a lovely contrast to the elegant comfort food that the restaurant serves.

The Stockbroker's Salad (P1200) with its roasted French duck breast, grilled tiger prawn, seared US sea scallops and pan-seared foie gras served on a bed of greens makes for a mouth-watering starter (allow 15 minutes for this one).

The vegetables are crisp, flavored with a light vinaigrette. The dish is actually four salads in one, the duck served with hoisin sauce and apricots, the foie gras an interesting combination of cold and creamy, without any annoying nodules that remind you that you're eating liver.

The scallops, served with pesto, are big, as are the prawns, which straddle the right side of the soft/burnt dichotomy.

There are many cuts of steak to choose from, the most expensive going as high as P4,300, but we went with Bianca's Cut (P980 for 240g, P1,330 if topped with pan-seared foie gras), the smallest cut.

The steak is US Premium Black Angus; very soft and juicy, something that will warm any beef-lover's heart. Just some fresh ground pepper and Himalayan pink sea salt is enough to bring out its flavor.

The sauces it comes with also add their own dimension to the steak. The mushroom, sauce gives it a classic steak taste, going well with the decor as the one with the most 70s vibe.

The black pepper sauce is the most playful of the sauces, possessing a distinct wine flavor that masks that of the beef.

The Chiraz sauce is rich, deep, and sophisticated adding dimension to the beef, while the Cabernet-shallot sauce makes the steak taste like roast beef.

The steak is served with vegetables: haricot verte, carrot, tomato and garlic - crisp and sweet and a great palate contrast to the beef. I always appreciate a restaurant that takes its side dishes seriously. This is one of them.

One dish that I hope has made it to the menu by now is the Steak Hash.

Basically steak cooked sisig style, the dish is composed of steak cubes, some of them chunks of delicious fat, cooked with cubed roasted potatoes in a secret dressing.

The dish is heart-stoppingly rich, with an undertone of sweetness that's found in really good meat.

Bits of spring onion and fried garlic round out the flavor, helping the beef flavor rise through the dressing. The dish would go well with wine, and perhaps a plate of steaming hot garlic fried rice.

At last, we come to dessert.

Myron's Old Fashioned Bread Pudding (P180) is the best in Manila. This, coming from someone who doesn't care much for bread pudding, old fashioned or otherwise.

The dessert is more like a dense cake than bread pudding, with a creamy texture and a condensed milk taste.

It is served with dark caramel ice cream and rum sauce, the syrup containing a lovely burnt caramel flavor, like well done flan sauce. The ice cream has a slight coffee taste and provides a refreshing caffeine jolt. It's a dessert you can seek out on its own, with a cup of coffee, on a quiet afternoon.

Great steak, great dessert. How can you lose? Just be sure to wear expandable pants beforehand.

G/F Greenbelt 5
11am-11pm M-Sun

Scissors help enhance Malate dining experience

I've been watching a lot of Pucca on the Disney Channel lately. The cartoon about the ten year-old girl with super powers and a big crush on the local ninja is quite charming, and also quite appetizing, since Pucca works in a noodle restaurant.

Hearing about my Pucca fascination, Anson Yu, who conducts Binondo walking tours with Ivan Man Dy, took me to Myung Sung, a tiny Chinese Korean restaurant across the Diamond Hotel in Malate to try what he says, according to his research, are the noodles served in the cartoon.

Ordering was an interesting experience, as the proprietor only speaks Korean. The Filipino staff is helpful though, so telling them what we wanted was no problem.

The noodles turn out to be Jajang Myun (P250) ramen noodles with vegetables in soybean sauce. This is not a broth-based dish. I guess you could say it's like Korean pasta. The noodles were long, the dark, sticky-sweet sauce making them clump together.

Instead of a knife, I was given a pair of kitchen scissors to cut them with. The noodles were more than coated with sauce, which was sweet and salty, reminiscent of hoisin sauce.

The serving was big, good enough for two. I loved it!

The scissors were a bit surreal, but they added to the dish's charm. I don't know if they give scissors to all the patrons who order the dish or if I was just lucky but I will say that there's an element of home-cookedness to the experience.

Anson had the Jjam Pong (P300), a soup-based noodle dish with seafood and vegetables and tastes like Japanese ramen.

Nothing special in terms of taste but is a good dish to be eating on a rainy evening. There's a lot of similarities between the two cultures, and nowhere is this more prominent than in their cuisine.

Another dish to look out for is Gun Man Du (P200), sautéed meat in dumplings. You can choose between steamed or fried. We, of course, picked fried.

These are some of the best dumplings in the city, the meat's juices sealed in its soft skin and crisp brown base. Dip them still warm into the salty sauce provided and you are in heaven.

I suggest you stick to the house tea, as the softdrinks, at 50 pesos, are quite pricey.

My Myung Sung experience was an interesting field trip.

I don't know if tasting the kind of noodles that Pucca serves enhances my viewing experience, but now I understand why the restaurant she works in is so popular, and why people keep coming back. I know I want to.

Latitude at the Heritage Hotel

Standing along Roxas Boulevard near Manila Bay is the Heritage Hotel, which houses the often overlooked Latitude, the hotel's restaurant.

Latitude's menu may be filled with restaurant staples, but they are well-made, and in the case of its steak and a certain soup, quite exceptional.

The Asian Smoked Salmon (P480) is served with horseradish cream and mango salsa. The cream is more mayonnaise than horseradish and the salsa is overpowered by sweetness, the fish nondescript.

A much better way to start the meal is with Pia's Green Salad (P220), a mesclun bouquet with blackened chicken breast fillet served with raspberry dressing served on the side.

The vegetables are crisp, the dressing light, a subtle mix of sweet and tangy.

A pleasant surprise and a must try is the Carrot Ginger with Cilantro soup (P150), a puree of carrot and ginger with a hint of cilantro.

The soup is thick and creamy, its smooth carrot taste enhanced by the heat of the ginger, ending with a kick of cilantro.

The soup is made without milk, but you wouldn't know it, given how creamy it is. Bang for your buck at a hundred and fifty pesos.

We tried two kinds of steaks, the US Ribeye Steak (P1,100 for 250g and P1,400 for 350g) and the US Sirloin Steak (P980 for 250g and P1300 for 350g).

The former is beautifully marbled, while the latter is beefy and juicy, even when cooked well done.

It's important to tell the staff how you want your steak when they take your order, because if you don't, they're automatically going to make it well done.

It comes with your choice of starch, and grilled vegetables. The mashed potato is smooth and spicy, the grilled vegetables firm and sweet. I was almost tempted to order the vegetables on their own.

The steak comes with your choice of sauce: peppercorn, mushroom, pan gravy, or red wine, but it still tastes best on its own.

The cakes (mostly P140) are mediocre, the cheesecake nice and dense, but lacking tanginess, the tiramisu lacking coffee and tasting a tad too much of cream.

Latitude is a nice place to have a casual lunch in. Stick to the soup and the steak, then take a walk by the bay. It'll make your day.

Not just on bread alone: Offerings at the Fireplace Grill

Located in the Hyatt Hotel in Malate, the Fireplace Grill is probably one of the most elegant, secluded places in Metro Manila.

With its quiet surroundings and dim lighting reminiscent of intimate fireplace light (and yes, it does sport an actual fireplace as well, located behind the counter burning local wood like Ipil Ipil and Madre de Cacao that helps flavor the steaks), the restaurant is a perfect place for clandestine meetings or marriage proposals.

Oh yeah, the food is good, too.

Let's start with the bread. Don't even think about passing up the bread.

Get there early enough and it will still be warm, the crusty buns just a few minutes out of the oven, to be broken apart with your fingers, soft insides eaten with butter or used to mop up extra virgin olive oil with fragrant balsalmic vinegar.

Start off with the Oyster Tempura (P577.09++), oysters enveloped by pastry topped with nori strips, fish roe, and cucumber bits to round off the flavor.

The first thing that hits you is the sweetness of wasabe, followed by the realization that it doesn't contain any of its heat.

Drizzling fresh lemon on the tempura gives another dimension to its already complex flavor, taking it from a yummy tiny slighty salty fried thing into a really yummy tiny salty fried thing with zing. Trust me. I know whereof I speak.

What I really love about the Fireplace Grill are its side dishes. This, my friends, is a restaurant that gives food sidekicks equal billing, so much so that you're tempted to forget the main course altogether.

Take for example the complimentary Potato Gratin that comes with the steak.

A huge serving of scalloped potatoes baked with milk and Parmigiano Regiano, soft and creamy and just makes you feel good, like the world is a nice place where bunnies cavort with unicorns. It's that much of a comfort food.

Likewise, the Creamed Spinach (P225), which is creamy, containing the spinach's lovely flavor without the bittet aftertaste.

Vegetarians (heck, even meat eaters) will like the Grilled Portobello Mushrooms (P520), with its big serving (two giant mushrooms), meaty texture, and a taste that hints of seafood: oysters and crab.

The Risotto of Wild Forest Mushrooms (P750), with its bouquet of button, shiitake, abalone, and portobello mushrooms is simply divine.

The rice is firm, yielding to soft creaminess, with the mushrooms taking on a smoky flavor.

The dish may be a biy salty for some, but that's probably because of the parmesan cheese shaved over it. It also comes in a big serving, and is best shared.

The Porterhouse Steak (P3450 for 25 oz) is tender and beefy, with a hint of smokiness that tells of salt, pepper and the grill.

It comes with mushroom, Bernaise and green peppercorn sauce, the latter being the best tasting but as with good beef, is best done without.

The steak is, simply, the bomb.

But don't stuff yourself yet, there's still dessert to look forward to.

The Chocolate Soup with Vanilla Pepper (P350) looks like a flattened souffle and tastes like a melted chocolate cake.

The river of gooey chocolatey goodness is balanced by a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

It's one of those desserts that could probably kill you, but one whose taste would be worth the instant cavities you are bound to get after eating it.

If that's too much chocolate for you, balance it off with the Fruit Salad with Lemon Sorbet (P350). This is not your usual fruit salad, containing blueberries, dragonfruit, red currant, cantalope and kiwi, aside from apples and pineapples in a light syrup made with Grand Marnier, orange juice and honey.

It's got a medicinal quality to it that disappears when mixed with the sorbet, which is sweet, tangy and refreshing. A light dessert that's a great way to end a heavy meal.

Unobtrusive and out of the way, it's easy to forget that the Fireplace Grill exists. Its cuisine, however, must not be overlooked.

Fireplace Grill
6pm - 11pm

Azuthai, Metro Manila's newest Thai restaurant

If there are cuisines that Manila needs more of, it's Vietnamese and Thai.

Thankfully, Chef J Gamboa has added to the Thai roster with Azuthai, an authentic Thai restaurant located beside his and his family's immensely popular El Cirkulo, Tsukiji, and Milky Way.

The interiors may look contemporary, but the cuisine comes straight from the motherland.

When we tried Azuthai, my companion and I made it a point to stay away from the regular things people order like Pad Thai (I could do with some right now, actually) and Pandan Chicken, opting instead for traditional Thai dishes yet to be discovered.

The Azuthai Appetizer Sampler (P375) contains two pieces each of Prawn Spring Rolls, Fish Cake and Fried Spring Rolls.

Nothing like a nice selection of fried food to whet the appetite. Crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. I know I should be describing the tastes one by one but truth be told, I ate my share before I remembered to record individual impressions. My bad.

The Crispy Duck Salad (P325), or Yam Ped Grob is crispy duck jerky served with spring onions, tomatoes, and chili, flavored with tamarind dressing.

The dish is a mix of flavors and textures — sweet and sour and crunchy and chewy and fresh.

I liked the veggies more than the duck but that's a personal preference.

After 10 years of not eating meat, I'm still trying to get used to meat that isn't steak.

Instead of the usual Tom Yum Goong, we ordered Tom Ka Gai (P345), chicken soup with galanggal, kaffir lime leaves and coconut milk.

It's hot and milky and packs a punch, going straight down your throat and up your sinuses.

The mushrooms and tomatoes provide texture while the coconut milk tempers the soup's spiciness.

The soup is great accompaniment to Massaman Gaeh (P395), Massaman Lamb Curry with shallots, potatoes, and peanuts. The lamb is tender, easily pulled apart by fork and spoon.

It has a slight gamey flavor that compliments the curry, which is thick and without much spiciness.

I would have preferred the dish without peanuts, as I feel they get in they way of enjoying the lamb. The curry goes well with Thai sticky rice, which isn't on the menu but can be requested.

Our only concession to "the usual" was when it came to dessert, when we ordered one of my favorite after-meal treats, Tub Tim Krob (P125), sweetened water chestnuts with coconut milk.

Water chestnuts covered in colored, coagulated potato flour (tastes waaay better than it sounds, believe me) swimming in chilled sweetened coconut milk.

I recently learmed how to make this recipe and have to restrain myself from eating it forever.

Azuthai serves authentic Thai food in the middle of contemporary Makati.

The restaurant may be serene and calming, but that's only to enhance the fireworks that go on inside your mouth.

Azuthai is located at 900 A. Arnaiz Ave. (Pasay Road) cor Paseo de Roxas, Makati with phone numbers +632 817 6252 and +632 813 0671.

Antonio's in Tagaytay

Antonio's in Tagaytay is one of the country's most popular restaurants. It is certainly the most prominent having been the only one from the Philippines to get into the top 10 of the newly-launched Miele Guide last year.

Chef Tony Boy Escalante is a jolly fellow who loves nothing more than giving a good party, and this can be felt in every aspect of the restaurant, from the staff's crisp uniforms, the restaurant's festive old house feel, and of course, the food itself.

The Scallop Tasting (P250), giant scallops sealed in puff pastry are soft and fresh, pliable with a fork, like a seafood marshmallow, a savory contrast to the salad that comes with it – fresh Tagaytay greens like lettuce, radish, and arugula, probably picked earlier that day.

Another savory starter is the Baked Brie & Cranberry in a Puff Pastry (P300) with Pan Seared Foie Gras (P550), melt-in-your-mouth brie enveloped in soft puff pastry served with foie gras, the liver light, evenly textured, its caramel-like flavor sliding beautifully of the tongue.

It comes with greens drizzled with a raspberry vinaigrette, some sweetness to cut through the subtle yet intense flavors.

I particularly liked the Steak Taretare (P700).

Served chilled, it was quite a refreshing dish, the grated radish cutting down the beef's saltiness while onions gave the dish crunch and zing.

Despite the vegetables, the dish was still too salty for my taste, so I recommend pairing it with bread.

The Tomato Broth with Coriander Dumpling is served hot.

The broth is light and slightly tart, the dumpling akin to ones found in chicken dumpling noodle soups.

The effect is stomach-warming and palate cleansing. Scooping up the melted cheese at the bottom of the bowl is a treat.

The Grilled Pink Peppered Chilean Sea Bass on Tomato Risotto, Saffron-Kaffir Sauce (P1,600) is lovely, the fish soft, grilled just right on the outside so that it has a crisp exterior while its inside stays moist.

Paired with the tomato risotto, it is a dish you will not want to share with anyone else.

The Beef Fillet on Plancha with Black Pepper Sauce, Pappardelle, Tossed Baby Arugula with Honey and Lemon Truffle Vinaigrette (P1750) was also good, the beef tender, and tendon-free.

If you want to try the sea bass and the beef, plus Honey Glazed Lambloin with Goat Cheese, you should get Antonio's Trio (P1,900).

Even people not fond of lamb will take to the latter, as it doesn't have a gamey flavor.

Eating at Antonio's may not be cheap, but each bite is worth every penny spent.

And if you like food as much as I suspect you do, you know that there is no price too high for good quality and great cooking.

Southern Deli halal restaurant

Hidden behind the building fronting V Mall in the Greenhills shopping center is Southern Deli, a modest cafeteria frequented by the area's Muslim community.

Small and clean, the restaurant specializes in Maranao cuisine.

The restaurant may look humble, but the dishes – all Maranao home cooking – are anything but.

Diners get a free bowl of soup.

Made from carabao (water buffalo) ribs, this translucent broth is warm, its beefy base enhanced by a coconutty taste. It warms the stomach and prepares it for the dishes yet to come.

Dining is no-frills, no-nonsense.

You pick your dishes from a cafeteria lineup, sit at one of the plastic tables and eat. All the dishes, served on a small saucer, cost P50 while rice is P15 per bowl.

The Rendang Beef tastes like a cross between adobo and beef stew. It's pretty tasty, but has a slightly overpowering saltiness that is masked once it is paired with rice.

This saltiness occurs in a lot of the canteen's dishes, and when asked about it, the owners explained that it is actually a hallmark of good Maranao cooking.

My favorite dish was the Fresh Tuna Kinilaw (what they call kilawin in the South), which was very, very spicy.

Since my companion and I had gotten there early, the tuna had not yet “cooked” in its vinegar marinade. What makes this cerviche-like dish stand out is the addition of coconut milk, which lends the dish a sweet edge.

The kinilaw also contains chopped cucumber, onion, chili and ginger. This, I have to say, is one of the best I've had in the city.

We also had Bakas, which, unlike its name implies, is not a beef dish but is actually tuna grilled with tumeric and grated coconut. It was dry and a bit tough but with a mild taste, quite the opposite of the Beef Rendang!

The Chicken Curry was more salty than curry-shy, but also very very spicy. Another dish that has to be eaten with rice.

Another favorite of mine was the Badak, a vegetable dish made from leaves not found in Manila.

The dish also contains langka (Jackfruit) and daing (smoked fish) and tasted like laing with the texture of labong. Could a dish be even more perfect?

I wouldn't mind going back there again, especially if I'm in the mood for kinilaw.

I have to wonder about what the mainly Muslim clientele will think of a non-believer being there though, as we got a few strange looks during out trip there. Still, I'm glad we got to try it.

Southern Deli
Greenhills Shopping Center
Carpark Mosque
San Juan
+63902-5755559
10.30am – 9pm daily except holidays