Rediscovering Filipino Cuisine with Kusê

this is the first of two parts to the fabulous belly busting pre-Valentine feast we bloggers were treated to at Old Vine and Kusê located at the Venice Piazza Mall at McKinley Hill, Taguig.

There's really no substitute to honest to goodness Filipino food. Last week, I was among several bloggers treated to an early Valentines feast by owner Larry Cortez and by nights end, I was stuffed beyond belief! I was so full I had to pass on two of the dishes they had served us, the classic Bulalo and inihaw na liempo (grilled pork belly). It smelled so good and I really wanted to eat more but there was no way I could. And that's a lot coming from me!

My favorite dish for the evening was the Fried Pla-pla with burong mustasa, balo-balo, escabeche and tomato salsa. I don't really know what escabeche is but I definitely LOVE balo-balo which is a (if I'm not mistaken) Kapampangan delicacy. It is a concoction made of fermented rice and generally has a very unpleasant smell. The one we had in Kusê, however, was not very stinky. It was perfect with the salsa and the fried fish. At first I though the fish was Tilapia and was surprised at how big it was! This dish costs Php 295.00 and for me, is worth every peso, seriously!

 It also complemented their best-selling Garlic Dulong rice nicely.A bowl of this yummy fried rice costs Php 95.00 and is good for sharing.

An interesting dish I sampled that night was the Paco Salad sa Laguna (Php 165.00), which is served with kesong puti and red eggs. Paco is, as I understand it, a kind of plant that thrives in the cool climate of Laguna.

For dessert, Kusê offers an different but definitely delicious sapin-sapin.

Overall, I would rate my dining experience at Kusê as excellent :-) An added bonus to dining at Kusê is that it is adjoined to Old Vine, so if you are craving for a more international flavor, you can just walk on over and order from that menu too.Watch out for my Old Vine review!

Healthier Options at TGI Fridays: Shanghai Chicken Salad

One of my favorite dining places has always been TGI Fridays. Albeit on the more pricey side for everyday, going to Fridays is always is a pleasurable dining experience. However, since I have been trying to work on having a healthier diet lately, I had to think twice about what I would order from their menu. My standard favorite has always been the Chicken Fingers, which are hand battered chicken tenders, fried to a golden brown and served with a honey mustard dipping sauce. It is served partnered with a plate of fries just the way I like it: thick with the skin on. While the chicken tenders may sound relatively heathy, I think the fried part plus the side dish of fries takes away whatever healthy features it may have. So today I decided to get the Friday's Shanghai Chicken Salad (Php 440.00).

I know ordering salads can often be a trap because not all salads are technically "healthy". While the greens may be good, the add-ons plus the dressing can be heavily laden with calories. Take for example a Ceasar's Salad. Salad, but lots of calories! The Shanghai Chicken Salad, on the other hand, seemed to be better choice given what it has on it.

The Shanghai Chicken Salad is a mix of Romaine lettuce, diced tomatoes, Mandarin Oranges, chilled fire grilled chicken strips tossed lightly with a yummy cilantro lime dressing. The dressing is oil based as compared to other dressings which are creamier or more on the mayo side. I opted to have the dressing on the side so I can cut down on extra calories, which I did by using only half of the dressing served. I love this salad a lot because it has a nice balance between sweet and tangy. It's a refreshing and light salad, with just enough protein to make it filling and satisfying

The only downside is that their lunch size serving is no longer on the menu.While I finished the entire salad (after about three hours!), it's a little on the expensive side for an ordinary lunch date on your own.