Bakersville Bagels

About the food:

Breads are a staple food in our country. But if you're not fond of soft breads like pandesal or loaf bread anymore, then try the bagels of bakersville.

They have several varieties that you can enjoy together with your favorite spread or jam.

Where to buy and how much:

These hand made bagels cost around  a PHP100 per pack. They are all freshly made and tastes even better when freshly heated. These are available on weekends at Mercato Centrale.

Rating: 7.5/10

Creative Shots at Clara Ole Event

About the food:

Around last month, Clara Ole held a photography contest and an interactive cooking demo. For the contest, I thought of some creative photos using the food and drinks that were being sold at Mercato Centrale on that day.

These sushi are bought from Sushi Mo (PHP75). If you love sushi on a budget, try them out.

For this one, I made a regular almond lychee drink by Ha Yuan look more magical. I used a strobe/flash to make it happen. This is where science meets magic I suppose:)

Where to buy:  Mercato Centrale

Fog City Ice Cream @ Mercato Centrale

About the food:

During hot and humid days or even stressful days, it's comforting to eat something sweet and cold, like ice cream.

This new ice cream brand, sold only in very limited quantities,  is called Fog City Creamery. It is aptly named because the owner came from the City of San Francisco, where the Golden Gate Bridge is partially covered by fog.

I remember trying three flavors (not all at the same time). The one on top (I forgot the flavor) was quite creamy and good.

The other two I tried were the Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate and the bittersweet  chocolate orange. Ghirardelli chocolates, coming from San Francisco, turned into ice cream was quite a treat and is a must try.

The bittersweet  chocolate orange however, I found to be just too sweet for my taste. The sweetness of the oranges overpowered the taste of the dark chocolate. I was hoping that the oranges would be more citrus-ey.


Where to buy and how much:

Fog City will be at Mercato Centrale only until this weekend, August 6-7,2011. For those who want to order pints, the deadline is until today, Thursday. For more details, visit and like their facebook page.

To know more about their ice cream flavors, check out their site.

http://www.fogcitycreamery.com/Flavors.html

Pints are priced between, php240-php300, depending on the flavor (bittersweet chocolate orange and ghirardelli semi-sweet are priced at php300).

Rating=8/10

For creaminess, I give them a very high rating. For health ratings however, some of their flavors could be less sweeter but still have excellent flavor. To conclude, I would give this artisan ice cream another try.

Margarita's Paella at Mercato Centrale

About the food:

Finding the perfect paella is never easy, even if we have a lot of authentic Spanish restaurants in the Metro. What is harder though, is the effort exerted to the creation of the paella. Paella doesn't just require any ordinary rice, it has to be high grade. Paella also uses a lot of broth, and not just one kind. Furthermore, if there is seafood involved, a lot of squid ink and fresh ingredients need to be cooked. Another ingredient to buy is the expensive saffron (the more authentic, the more expensive).

Fortunately, you don't have to cook your own paella all the time. Instead, you can try out Margarita's Paella. They serve Paella Negra and Seafood Paella (Paella Marinara).  


Where to buy and how much:

For PHP280 per serving, you should savor the smell and the flavor of the rice. The seller suggests you should apply the lemon squeeze to the paella to make it taste better (and it does).  If you want a really good paella, visit Mercato Centrale during Saturdays.

Rating:  9/10

Bataan Cashew Nuts at Mercato Centrale

About the food:

For a long time, I've never liked eating any kinds of nuts, because they were both salty and oily. Some barely tasted like real nuts anymore.


Cashew Nuts from Bataan Cashew Farms however, were a different matter. It was roasted and unsalted at the same time. Plus, it really tasted like fresh cashew.
 

uncracked cashew nut shells

Where to buy and how much:

I got the whole cashew nuts (500grams) for PHP440.00. The seller says they use a more advanced machine to prevent the cashew from being split in two, hence the more expensive price.  The 500 grams of split cashew nuts are a bit cheaper. There are smaller packs than 500grams if you prefer to consume less. 

Rating:  8.5/10



Since its unsalted and non-oily, I recommend this cashew nut brand as a healthy snack. Nuts are also one of the foods that are lowest in the glycemic index. In other words, they don't boost your blood sugar like the way Coke does. However, like all foods, you should eat it in moderation. Nuts, among many other foods, can increase your risk for kidney or gall stones.

Ozzy Ostrich Burgers at Mercato Centrale

Ozzy Ostrich Meat Burger

About the food:

During one of my regular foodtrips, I stumbled across a rare delicacy. At first I did not see it for what it was. It took some time for me to notice that the Ozzy burger wasn't just an ordinary beef burger. Instead, it was an ostrich meat burger! 

I had my Ozzy burger cooked medium well done, as suggested by the seller. It really tasted good! It was neither greasy nor fatty (ostrich meat is very lean). The serving size was adequate at a quarter pound. 

poutine (potato wedges with cheese and gravy)

You can also order to add poutine to your meal. The potato wedges were crisp and tasted well with the home-made sweet and peppery gravy.



Where to buy and how much:

Ozzy Ostrich burgers are available during Saturdays at Mercato Centrale in Fort Bonifacio Taguig (beside MC Home Depot). The burger alone costs PHP190 while the poutine costs PHP60). If you buy the value meal (burger plus poutine), it will only cost PHP230. Further, an Ozzy burger steak meal is also available at PHP150 (burger+gravy+ button musthrooms+rice) for those who prefer rice.

Rating:  10/10

Given it is a great and healthier alternative to other meats such as beef, chicken, and even turkey, I'm giving the ostrich meat burger a high rating. I just hope ostrich meat becomes more available and popular in the months to come. For a comparative health chart, see picture above.



Recommended links:

Simply Pie! at Mercato Centrale

About the food:

Are you looking for something that fits in your hand, yummy, satisfying, plus affordable? If yes, then you should try Simply Pie! It is a small quiche (i.e. open faced pie) that is full of flavor and texture and will leave you coming back for more. 

Some of their flavors include: Chicken Dijon; Spinach, Feta, and Sundried Tomato; and many more. Each of them is good and is worth trying.

Where to buy and how much:

One order (one piece) costs PHP38. Buying one box (of 9 pieces), however, costs PHP340. The box is very presentable and can serve as a gift box in itself. 

Rating:  8.0/10

This is a nutritious treat that you can consume anytime of the day. 

So, come on by and have a taste of pie!




Recommended links:

If you're going to Mercato Centrale, do it this week already! You get fabulous deals from several merchants 

Tilapia Skin Chicharon

About the food:

Are you looking for a much healthier alternative to crispy pork chicharon? Then have no worries, for there is now Tilapia Skin Chicharon by Chef Therese Tayag. The skin may look like a snake's, but this is really Tilapia. This one is already cooked and ready-to-eat. It is not salty at all and it is very crispy and crunchy. Even if you placed it inside the refrigerator for two days, it still retains its crispiness. 

Where to buy and how much:


Two small packs costs PHP160 and can be bought at Mercato Centrale, which is now located near MC Home Depot in Fort Bonifacio. They really taste good and you'll end up finishing two packs in no time. Its only available during Saturday morning. I am not sure about Sunday.


Rating:  8.0/10

This has much lower cholesterol as compared to the pork chicharon, hence I'm giving it a good health rating.



Recommended links:

Allies Dry Toasted Wonder Peanuts

About the food:

I recently went back to Mercato Centrale after a long break and was pleased to find new stuff being sold once more, even though they transferred to a location nearer to MC Home Depot.

One of these new food choices is the Allies Dry Toasted Wonder Peanuts. Normally, I'm not fond of eating any kind of nuts especially the greasy and salty ones. This brand however, changed my perception of peanuts forever. The texture of the peanut was excellent and firm. It's also easier to eat because there's no skin attached to the nut. Also, compared to other brands. this contains lots of dry toasted garlic, which also taste good. Best of all, both the peanuts and the garlic are not greasy at all.    


Where to buy and how much:

This is available at Mercato Centrale during Saturdays. I'm not sure if they are there on Sundays. The 450g pack costs PHP160. They have bigger packages being sold, which I am bound to buy soon.


Rating:  10/10

Peanuts are a good snack because they have low glycemic index, meaning your blood sugar won't spike when you eat this. It is also rich in niacin (Vitamin B3) and helps raise good cholesterol.



Recommended links:

to know more about the other health benefits of peanuts: http://healthmad.com/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-peanuts/

Custard Apple at Mercato Centrale

About the food:

The fruit known as custard apple or cherimoya is very rarely seen in the Philippines. Fortunately, last December, very few harvests of this variety were successfully sold in Mercato Centrale.

The fruit is best eaten when it is not that ripe yet. You will know if it is ripe when the top of the fruit begins to show cracks. If you eat the fruit before it becomes ripe, the texture is more firm as opposed to soft when it is  very ripe. In both cases however, the fruit is very sweet. 

Where to buy:

The custard apples used to be sold at Mercato Centrale. It costed around PHP250 a kilo for the medium sized variety (approximately 3 pieces).  However, as of late December, all of the farmer-seller's harvests have been sold out. Unlike the regular fruits that are sold in our supermarkets, custard apple trees are very difficult to nurture  in our climate. It is unknown at this time when they will have such fruits available again. If you go to other countries such as the United States though, you may find custard apples sold there.

Rating:  9/10

Fruits are a healthier alternative to desserts that make use of refined sugar and flour. They are also packed with vitamins and provide numerous benefits.


Recommended links:

to know more about the benefits of the custard apple, check out: http://www.diethealthclub.com/health-food/custard-apple-health-benefits.html

Johnny Steams Burger

 

About the food:

In every fastfood chain and in most fine-dining restaurants, varieties of the classic burger/cheeseburger exist. Most of them however, are deep-fried and filled with cholesterol and cooking oil. Lately, a new burger concept came up, which is Johnny Steams.

Please take note that Johnny Steams is not derived and is not competing head-on with Johnny Rockets, which is also known for its classic american burgers. It just so happened that the owner of the steamed burger is named John, and that he sells steamed burgers.   

 

 Rating:  7.5/10


I have only tried the OPA! burger which has the toppings: greek garlic yoghurt dressing, fresh greens, and melted cheese. On the positive side, since the burger is steamed, there is less cholesterol and fats coming in your body. On the negative, the yoghurt dressing seems to have been absorbed by the bread bun. Hence it lost its contribution to taste. As such, it is best to eat your burger fresh from the store, while it is hot. Reheating the burger takes out its remaining juiciness and is not recommended.

To conclude, Johnny Steams is for those who want to enjoy their burgers and at the same time are concerned about cholesterol levels. On a sidenote, perhaps they could use whole wheat buns to make the burgers even healthier.

Where to buy:

Johnny Steams burgers are available at Mercato Centrale weekend market.


Recommended links:

 http://www.mercatocentrale.ph/

Look for Johnny Steams in Facebook as well.

Polsha Kielbasa Sausages by Hillshire Farm

About the food

This Polsha Kielbasa sausage tastes really good. It is full of flavor and fully cooked. Though it is already ready to eat like Spam, I suggest you cook it again thoroughly after it has been defrosted. This came in a rather large size (package size is 4lbs heavy) and at a correspondingly hefty price (980php), which includes the cost of air-shipping from the US to the Philippines.


Rating: 6.5/10

Although this is one of the best sausages I have tasted so far. I could not give it a high health rating because, like most processed and prepared food, it is quite high in sodium. Having too much sodium in the body can result to high blood pressure. Furthermore, your kidneys would have a harder time trying to remove the excess salt from the body. If you're not exactly concerned with your sodium intake, it would be a great idea to try this sausage at least once.



Where to buy:


I was fortunate to find it being sold in Mercato Centrale in a stall named Mac's Deli. In the event that they are not in Mercato, you can find them in other weekend markets like Salcedo or Legazpi. They also sell other imported sausages imported from the US.



Recommended links:

to know more about Hillshire Farm: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillshire_Farm

My Pink Wasabi desserts

About the food


This dessert is quite unique in its taste as well in presentation. It is also a somewhat healthier alternative compared to the traditional sweets like pastillas de leche. For one, these delectable desserts are tea-infused. (
whole leaf teas and/or teabags). Secondly, five of its flavors are flourless. Thirdly, its not as sweet (probably because of the tea-infusion offsetting the sweetness of the sugar). Finally, they have flavors that are out of the ordinary.   

Rating: 8/10




Very few desserts are flourless. Those that do however, are priced higher than the ones filled with flour.  Hence, this dessert deserves special merit. For a flourless dessert, it is priced affordably (8 pieces for PHP250). The ingredients used are of premium quality as well. If you are looking for a different kind of dessert to complete your meal. You should try this out. 

Where to buy:



These desserts are sold only in a very few places at the moment. You can visit either Octoboy restaurant (takoyaki and pizza combined) in Tomas Morato or find them at the Quezon City Sports Club. Alternatively, you may inquire with them for special orders at: e-mail mypinkwasabi@gmail.com or call  922-2588, (0905)265-4418.


Recommended links:

to know more about the harmful effects of white flour: http://www.helium.com/items/1104616-danger-of-white-flour

Asian Noodle Salad by Kitchen Revolution

About the food

The past two posts were examples of not-so-healthy food, that is, ice cream and pizza. For a change, I will be making a review of a truly vegan creation: the Asian Noodle Salad by Kitchen Revolution. It is made up of home-made tofu, noodles, vegetables, herbs, and some peanut sauce.

The tofu, being home-made, is quite firm in texture, and not soft on the inside. It is also not oily. As for the noodle salad, the herbs and the peanut sauce give it the flavor it needs to make it appetizing.The serving size is adequate but costs PHP175. The meal does not include any beverage.

Rating: 10/10

If you have fear of vegetables, herbs, and tofu, this is not the meal for you. However, if you are health-conscious and interested to live a longer life, then you must at least try this home-made meal. 

Where to buy:

Visit Mercato Centrale every Saturday mornings and look for the stall Kitchen Revolution.

Recommended links:

Kitchen Revolution's website: http://kitchenrevolution.multiply.com/ (not updated- find their facebook page instead)

Mercato Centrale website: http://www.mercatocentrale.ph/