My #LutongNanay Chicken Menudo Hack

The holidays are fast approaching and for sure, there are already several party planning in the works. One of the most important element is the food, siyempre, and it's the best time to serve special lutong nanay recipes and festive-looking dishes like this menudo. It looks and feels like Christnas, no? =) But I have to confess, this is my first time to cook this dish coz the family is not fond of dishes mixed with liver, so I made my own version here.

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Favorite Pinoy Sweet Style Spaghetti

We all love pasta dishes. Spaghetti bolognese is a staple dish and I prepare it with or without an occasion coz it's safe to serve in minutes and everybody eats it. There are so many variations to the bolognese sauce and the Filipino style is on the sweet side. Personally, mas gusto ko yung Italian style in chunky tomato-herb sauce and without the sweet flavor. J prefers the sweet-style kaya minsan compromise with the sauce. 

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All-time Favorite Sinigang na Liempo sa Sampaloc with Gabi

Fact: My family loves sinigang. Sinigang na baboy, sinigang na hipon, sinigang na maya-maya, sinigang na bangus, sinigang na corned beef. These are the different ways I cook sinigang. For me, the best part about serving this classic Filipino comfort dish is when my two picky eaters actually devour most of the vegetables mixed in the soup, which makes this an instant favorite in our home.

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Knorr Lutong Nanay Recipe: Sinigang With Pakwan

I love food in general. I'm quite adventurous in trying new dishes and cuisines mainly because I grew up in a home of hearty eaters and good cooks. My mother is a great cook and I learned so much from watching her whip up a variety of dishes on a daily basis. Iba talaga ang sarap when it's lutong nanay. You know what's in your food, you know it's healthier, and meal times at home bring families closer.

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Foodie Friday: Easy Oven-Roasted Lechon Kawali

This is just the third time I made lechon kawali and I can't believe how simple yet consistently succulent it is every time. Now, I'm already confident to share this super easy recipe -- easy talaga, no exaggeration, so you can also make this at home and serve to your families. I'll keep this very short and simple and let the pictures do the talking.

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Foodie Friday: Binagoongang Baboy (Pork-Bagoong Stew)

First Friday of the month:  Mom-Cook / Recipe

Ahhh... bagoong. A popular Filipino condiment that's salty and has a pungent smell. Love it or hate it? I LOVE it. There's no middle ground here.  Bagoong is fermented krill (alamang) in salt, and turns to paste form.  We use it either as dipping sauce or mixed with meats and seafood, like this super easy ulam that's mainly flavored by bagoong.  For me, the default dish using pork belly (liempo) is adobo. This binagoongang baboy is my alternative to adobo. Both simple, but packs a lot of flavor. Very Pinoy!

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Foodie Friday: Boneless Chicken / Pork Adobo

First Friday of the month:  Mom-Cook / Recipe

Adobo.  The unofficial national dish of the Philippines needs no further introduction. It's probably the most cooked, most popular comfort food and "ulam" in the country. It's a meat stew, sometimes for seafood or veggie too, cooked in garlic, vinegar, and soy sauce. I've made a few versions of pork and chicken adobo since I got married, including the Chinese-style hong-ma with a more sweet-salty thick sauce.  But this version is a personal favorite.

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Toki Q Japanese-style Rotating Barbecue

The country's first rotating barbecue fast food restaurant -- that's Toki Q!

TOKI Q Rotating BBQ (photo from Toki Q)

Toki Q is conveniently located within my neighborhood, so when Jane extended the invite to me, off I went to the intimate blogger mixer held last month, organized by Zodio (more about Zodio before I end this post).  I'm glad I attended since I really enjoyed everything that they served us.

See that rotating contraption above?  It's the rotating griller/broiler that the resto owners imported from Japan. That's were all the yakitori (skewered chicken) and pork belly get their ride around the "barbecue carousel" and get grilled to perfection.

Check out their menu of savory and very affordable Japanese-style BBQ dishes basted in their very own sweet and salty "Toki sauce".  Toki Q offers Combo meals, a'la carte dishes, and even group platters.

COMBO MEALS COME IN SLEEK PAPER-LINED TIN TRAYS

I was able to try their Combo 3 (from top to bottom):

• Chicken Wings - 2 pcs.
• Chicken Fillet - tender boneless fillets
• Tontoro Pork -  thinly sliced pork belly
• Chicken Ball - 3 pcs.

Although my Tontoro was more charred than the other sticks, I still enjoyed it more than the balls. Everything was very tasty and flavorful.  I really liked the taste and doneness of the meats, plus, they offer unlimited rice with the combos, so you'll definitely have a full and satisfying meal!

MENU from Toki Q

For the food quality and price, Toki Q is a far better, and healthier, alternative to your typical fast food fare.

Aside from my hearty Combo 3 meal, I also got to try their extras:

• Toki BBQ Corn - Spicy flavored powder on grilled corn, which I still crave from time to time
• Kara-age - bite-sized glazed crispy fried chicken, a popular Japanese appetizer, which became my favorite at the end of the night

KARA-AGE

I made sure I left room for dessert 'coz they also offered a favorite of mine - mochi! The only available flavor then was the Black Sesame, which was a winner for me with its chewy bits of caramelized sesame seeds with ice cream.  I had one happy tummy that night! =)

The place is very small though, and can accommodate around 12-14 people only.  Parking is available in front of the resto and at the building's basement.  But I've observed during the event that several customers just order to-go.

So, what's the connection between Toki Q and Zodio?
Zodio is the Philippine’s first social location-based search and reviews platform: 

• Users can “Find, Review, and Share” favorite places, from restaurants like Toki Q, to hotels, malls, spas, and other food and service establishments - share on Facebook, email, or even SMS
• Can pinpoint locations like gas stations, ATMs, other public places
• Has a gaming feature
• Rewards for checking – in, reviewing a place, uploading a photo and the like
• Allows business accounts additional capabilities such as giving discounts to people who view their page

ZODIO community manager Mark; chef Angelo Comsti (right, in blue)

TOKI Q co-owner Wendi, with Nina of Zodio

Download the Zodio application for free at www.zodio.com/app.  Get the app on your smartphones for free! :)  For more info, visit and register with Zodio @ www.zodio.com.

Go try the barbecue at Toki Q then post your photos and reviews on your Zodio account! :)

You can view more of our photos during the fun gathering on my Facebook page.

Here's my girl enjoying her share of my Toki BBQ Corn one afternoon, during the ride from school.

TOKI Q
P. Guevara corner Wilson St., San Juan City
Tel.: (632) 425 9867

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Foodie Friday: Samgyupsal (Grilled Pork Belly)

First Friday of the month:  Food / Recipe

Finally, it's time for some Korean dish! 
I've been eating this dish in Korean restaurants every time I get a chance. Shame on me, I never got to remember what it's called.  All I know is there's a slice of meat, dipping sauce, and it's wrapped in lettuce.

When I attended the Lock & Lock bloggers' event over a month ago, there was a cooking demo, and that's when I realized it's such a simple dish that I can do at home.  Finally, I got the name right = Samgyupsal!  

Sam gyup sal (or samgyeopsal / samkyupsal) literally means 3 layer flesh/fat - which is made of pork, the belly or bacon part to be exact.

I was able to recreate this dish after the event.  But since I've had a few food posts sitting in drafts for the longest time, I can't decide what I should share first.  A poll on my Facebook page did the trick, thus, the choco-mallow cookie recipe was published here instead.

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