CHEF TATUNG'S GARDEN CAFE

Welcome to Chef Tatung's Garden Cafe.

Chef Tatung's is nestled in one of the sleepy neighborhoods of Quezon City. One could hardly suspect that a hidden gem was waiting to be unraveled in this residential area in Sikatuna Village. 

This quaint restaurant was once a humble family abode and is now converted and remodeled into a home, a haven, and a shelter for the food lovers. 

The restaurant's cozy interior is a vivid image of old-fashioned Manila updated with the classic Filipino modern design sensibilities. Melodramatic. Chic. Romantic.

Chef Tatung's is also a quiet sanctuary for the distressed foodies tired of the rapid beat and usual fanfare of city dining. Diners here can enjoy their meals privately alfresco in mini pocket gardens or intimately in well-appointed nooks.

Chef Tatung's menu is a sumptuous spread of the classic, well-loved Filipino dishes reinvented with a modern twist. Here are the few dishes we've tried:

The Palabok Negra was very appetizing to the eye, but not so righteous to the palate. It could have been an astounding dish, but it was too bland for my taste. Plus the stale chicharon topping ruined the taste of this very promising dish.  Oh well... Despite all that, I still think that the recipe is genius giving our humble palabok a global appeal -- a variation from the Spanish Paella Negra and the Itallian  Tagliatelle Al Nero Di Seppia. I will still give it a try the next time I visit hoping for a palatable redemption! Haha.

This dish, however, hit a home run -- a knockout in the food arena! Chef Tatung's Adobong Bisaya was quite a number! The 2-way cooked adobong pork liempo was so tender and succulent -- paired perfectly with 2 or more cups of pandan rice (yeah boy!) and with the refreshing taste of the atsarang ubod on the side. It was so good that I could still vividly remember this food encounter... Yeah, this dish had me at first bite and made my night... complete! 

Over-all, Chef Tatung's Garden Cafe gets my elusive tap on the table (haha... HungryAlex feeling mighty!)... I highly recommend this place for romantic, private, and intimate dinners.

Visit their website: www.CHEFTATUNG.com.

CHEF TATUNG'S GARDEN CAFE

17 Matipid St. Sikatuna Village, Quezon City

Tel nos. (632)3526121 / 09158463234

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CUBAO EXPO REVISITED: FRED'S REVOLUCION

Fred's quirky, relaxed, and unfinished interior just makes you want to linger all-day-long. A hodgepodge of interesting trinkets and novelty items dotted the walls and occupied open shelving in a randomly disorganized yet "cohesive" manner.  This restaurant certainly oozes out a different vibe that will trigger one's creativity mode on. It is definitely a haven for the hip, bohemian, artsy fartsy type urbanites.

Fred's keeps a limited selection of food on their menu.  I was lucky enough to have picked one of their bestsellers.  Most of their dishes are great for "pulutan" and for the more wholesome guys, an ideal pairing with steaming hot rice. 

Fred's also doubles as an art gallery.

Fred's for me is one of the most relaxing watering holes I have been to. Anyone can just come here in their unassuming selves wearing their unique brand of character. It is simply a great hangout for your drinking buddies and fellow foodies.

Always remember to drink in moderation... and don't drink and drive. Let's always be responsible my amigos!

What's New: Max's Creates Barkada Bonding Moments with 4Sharing Meals

Max’s presents another heart-warming and tummy-filling campaign that engages great bonding moments between friends through delectable food.  How else can a dining experience become more meaningful? But, of course, with the company of friends dearest to our hearts sharing lip smacking dishes closest to our tummies.

So, now serving, hot off the kitchen, Max’s newest group meal offerings: “4SHARING MEALS”!

“Max’s 4Sharing Campaign is about understanding and responding to the needs of our customers, whether they are groups of teenagers hanging out together, young professionals meeting up for lunch, or seasoned Max’s customers craving for their favorite comfort dishes. With Max’s new offering, they get the best of everything – delectable dishes that are signature to Max’s at the most budget-friendly price, so they can enjoy and share these meals to their heart’s content,” enthused Edgar Allan Caper, Marketing Director for Max’s Restaurant.

At Php799, Max’s now offers a satisfying meal serving one whole “sarap-to-the-bone” Fried Chicken, a bowl of the classic Pinoy comfort food Sinigang (with an option to choose from these varieties: Sinigang na Baboy, Sinigang na Tyan ng Bangus, Sinigang na Hipon, and Sinigang na Tyan at Ulo ng Salmon), rice and iced tea for a group of four hungry diners.(Promo runs from April 15 until June 10, 2012. Available for delivery and takeout.)

“The sight of young people digging into their favorite Max’s Fried Chicken, the reverberating sound of laughter, the never ending stories about adventures, heartbreaks, dreams and milestones - these are the priceless components of Max’s 4Sharing Meals. We want to nurture these and create more unforgettable memories for our customers by offering the best food, the most welcoming ambience and quality service that comes from the heart,” Caper shared.

SVEND'S PIZZERIA RESTAURANT & SPORTS BAR | PUERTO GALERA

Don’t you just love spontaneity?! One night last November, after feeling so exhausted and almost burnt out from the daily grind of our nine-to-five existence at work, my compañeros and I suddenly felt needy of a well-deserved beach break! So, right after we cashed our paychecks, we hurriedly packed our backpacks to Galera for a much needed weekend retreat!   

And so there she was… mi amor el mar! Welcome to White Beach, Puerto Galera!

Surprisingly, aside from the beach and the booze (as in the infamous Mindoro Sling), I was amazed to discover that Puerto Galera has a lot more to offer.  Who knew that Puerto Galera could also be a culinary haven for us beach-lover foodies! One big sorpresa! While scouting for a decent food joint to fill our tanks up, we stumbled upon a quaint, island-inspired restaurant that serves yummy Italian and Danish food. 

I’ll bet… any foodies would agree that the core of a really good pasta dish is the macaroni—it should be cooked al dente! Well, Svend's Pizzeria Restaurant & Sports Bar certainly did not disappoint.  Off the menu, we ordered Tagliatelli Salmone—smoked salmon in tomato cream sauce over spaghetti (the tagliatelli noodle was out of stock at that time).  It was superb! The balance between the tangy flavor and the creamy taste of the sauce did not overpower the smoked salmon. I would definitely order this again.

 

Then, we had Spaghetti Carbonara. It was simple yet very tasty! One of the best Carbonara sauces I’ve tasted. You could tell that the sauce was made from scratch. The hint of butter, the creaminess of the eggs, the umami taste of the parmesan cheese, and the smoky flavor of the Italian bacon altogether blended well and made the dish a delightful gastronomic experience! Haha… Sobrang sarap lang talga, in short!

Of course, we had pizza. We ordered Beef Roma—thin crust pizza with mozzarella, tomato sauce, ground beef, onion, bell pepper, and mushroom.  Well, for me, it was just okay—quite ordinary for my taste. Haha… I’m sure that there are better pizzas on the menu. We just didn’t pick the best one, I guess.

So there fellow foodies, when you're in Galera and tired of the beach, give your abs a break and give your tummies a treat at Svend's Pizzeria Restaurant & Sports Bar. 

Happy eating! 

*Facilities: Pool Table and Dart Board  

SVEND'S PIZZERIA RESTAURANT &  SPORTS BAR

White Beach, Puerto Galera, Philippines