Little Place, Big Dreams

Indeed some of the best restaurants are actually the small unnoticeable ones located in quiet neighborhoods or in places one wouldn't expect to find something like it. Over the past few months, one place, also located in the quiet Kapitolyo district of Pasig City, that the fennel bulbs come back to from time to time for great eats is Poco Deli along East Capitol Drive. 

This quaint little place is also an epicerie where one can buy different sorts of sausages, cold cuts, and homemade spreads. The place also sells bottles of wine, the selections of which are moderately comprehensive, enough to include Galician cervezas and Portuguese white wine.

Above is a plate of thin-crusted pizza topped with mozarella cheese and bits of Jamon Iberico (Iberian ham), about 350Php. The pizza dough is cooked well, not being too crunchy or burnt on the edges. Iberian ham resembles prosciutto in taste, but the texture is harder and coarser than its Italian counterpart; overall it is more robust.

Since this is a little deli restaurant and not a full-blown speciality restaurant that focuses on one cuisine, the selections of pizza and pasta are quite limited. But this doesn't mean that what's available doesn't live up to standards. Above is a plate of Spaghetti Aglio Olio (Php 190), which is the fennel bulb's favorite spaghetti. Topped with fresh parsley and grated pecorino cheese, it is as good as it can be. 

Besides pasta and pizza, Poco Deli also has a small selection of entrees, their goodness compensating for the restricted menu. The Irish beef stew (~Php 300) is a hearty dish made with softened chunks of beef (most likely shanks), potatoes, and a rich brown sauce redolent with the flavor of beer. The servings are good enough for two on a reduced appetite, and more than enough for a hungry soul. 

Lastly, a bowl of home made strawberry yoghurt (~Php80) to cleanse the palate. It's natural,

moderately sour, and the hint of sweetness about it is just enough. 

Poco Deli is indeed a small, quiet place (poco is Italian for 'small' or 'bit'). However, what draws one to the place is the kind of homeliness it has about it - the lack of pretension in its interiors and its honest selection of great food. Most importantly, one feels the passion whoever owns the place has for good food and their desire to make their customers happy. 

Tokyo for Happy Palates (part 3)

Shibuya is probably the hippest and most vibrant place in Tokyo. It's here where lots of people, mostly young but yes, some elderly people too, hang out, meet each other, shop, and eat. A very famous landmark where people would usually meet each other is the Hachiko exit where one would find a statue of the dog known for his unwavering loyalty named Hachiko as well as murals of the animal.

Just a stone's throw away from the Hachiko exit is the bustling Shibuya Marks Square. A lot of restaurants can be had here, including the famous Midori Sushi-ya, which unfortunately will not be featured here because of the long queue and the fennel bulbs' unbearable pangs of hunger. 

Failing to eat legendary sushi brought them to Brasserie Ginza Lions, which turns out to be a discovery worth noting. The restaurant serves some Japanese dishes and some continental dishes, with a Japanese take on Western cuisine, known as Yoshoku (洋食). 

Above is a picture of a sizzling plate of sausages, potatoes, bell pepper, and onions (~Y800). Some spring onions are sprinkled on top which is quite a Japanese touch. The dish is just as hearty as it seems to be. 

Next is a slender (but still quite for the hefty appetite) plateful of seasoned rice topped with tender garlic beef (~Y1400). The taste is reminiscent of beef teppanyaki, with the typical seasonings of soy sauce and sesame muted a bit giving the garlic more authority over the flavor of the dish. 

Lastly are oyster croquettes (かきコロッケ, ~Y1000 with rice and soup). Croquettes are quite a simple dish, but the quality of ingredients can turn the otherwise taken-for-granted croquette into an exquisite piece. The oysters are fresh, tender, almost purifying in its flavor. The croquettes are fried perfectly without burning the oysters inside. 

After a day soaking the sounds and bustle of Shibuya, it would be lovely to have a dinner in a bit more upscale place. Still part of the Tokyo metropolitan area, the city of Kawasaki offers a lot to those looking for electronics and is only a short train ride away from the port city of Yokohama. La Zona is a sprawling (and very nice) mall located next to Kawasaki station, and has a lot of culinary delights to offer with its restaurants. 

A place the fennel bulbs would love to recommend to those looking for a very nice (rather chic) place, and to those who are not in a very tight budget, is S teppanyaki, located on the top floor of the mall. This restaurant has dim and understated interiors and would be perfect for those on a date. 

A quaint appetizer that would get one going is a small rice bowl topped with rarely-cooked and seasoned Wagyu beef (Y900). Yes, this is just an appetizer as the servings are indeed, meant just to put something into an empty belly. The beef is perfect and melts in the mouth. The spring onions add a bit of tanginess to the dish. 

The piece de resistance for the evening was King Crab teppan (Y2600). The crab is fresh as it can get, and the meat from the thighs and the claws is just delicious. The seasonings, which seem to be limited to salt and pepper, are minimal, and all there is to taste is pure luscious crab. 

S Teppanyaki also serves dessert, which is by no means of negligible quality. Set on a frosted glass dish is strawberry tiramisu (Y650), which made the fennel bulbs very happy. 

Tokyo for Happy Palates (part 2)

Tokyo is such a varied city that one never fails to find new innovative ideas - from fashion to technology to cuisine. A Tokyo chain of restaurants that has recently caught the eye of lifestyle, culture, and travel magazine Monocle is Soup Stock Tokyo. Soup Stock Tokyo was mentioned by the UK publication as an innovative brand upholding a novel concept worth sharing the world. 

And the fennel bulbs guess here's the reason why: 

A set menu comprising 2 bowls of soup of your own choosing plus sesame seed rice. On this tray is a bowl of lobster bisque and cream of leeks. Both are just amazing, both bursting with flavor. At first the thought of having soup and rice for dinner is a bit weird, but it's just very comforting, especially on a chilly evening. This set costs Y990. Soup Stock has branches all over Tokyo, including this one in Fuchu-shi. 

Another remarkable restaurant chain that's worth sharing is Freshness Burger. Founded in 1992, Freshness Burger sells burgers made from fresh and organic ingredients. Even the menu indicates where the beef and the vegetables come from. Another interesting thing to note about this chain is that its branches have a very homely ambience, resembling a coffee shop more than a burger shop. This was taken in a shop at Inagi-shi, just a few steps away from the Keio line Inadazutsumi station. 

And true it is to its mission, the burgers are just the best the fennel bulbs have ever tasted. The lettuce was all green and spotless and the beef was soft, juicy, and just utterly tasteful. The cheese and the onions were also delightful. It was just blissful. Burgers cost anywhere between Y500 - Y700. 

And care to have some hot cocoa (Y250) after those really delicious burgers?