Flavors

A new business hotel has sprung up in what used to be a somewhat derelict area of Ayala Center, the Holiday Inn & Suites. As in any decent hotel, buffet is being offered in its coffee shop or lobby cafe. The name is Flavors.

Out of curiosity, the fennel bulbs came to check out the new place. First of all, one should comment about the logistics of the place. As it shared its parking space with the adjacent mall, Glorietta, the lack of signage confused one as to which portion of the basement to park. Moreover, the security personnel did not offer any guidance, and had the least bit of helpfulness in their disposition.

One rides the lift, and goes to the 5th floor where the lobby is. There were signs in the lobby as to where the restaurant was, and where the toilets were, but they were unnoticeable. The signs required one to have good eyesight.

One arrives at Flavors after going down a flight of stairs. The interiors are modern, but it's quite queer that one can not really find a photographable spot, especially inside the restaurant. There were too many wooden walls that blocked the view. There was no focal point, and the buffet table was at one end of the restaurant, as if it were unimportantly set aside.

On the buffet spread were sushi and sashimi, and a variety of cold salads and appetizers. On the other end were the entrées, the meats for carving, and pasta. On another table were some other entrées, and a few Filipino dishes like lechon kawali and kare kare.

The fennel bulbs had to note that the salmon sashimi was frozen. Some slices had red blood marks on it, a sad indicator of its freshness, or rather the lack of it. The rice in the sushi was just too sticky, almost like glutinous rice.

The varieties of salad were quite formidable though. There was a cherry tomato salad in a light vinaigrette dressing that was actually good. There was also beet salad and a cucumber salad in a Thai-style dressing. There was also some Japanese-style pickled vegetables, known as tsukemono（漬物).

Next, we tried some of the entrées. First tried was the fried pomfret with remoulade sauce, and a fried chicken breast in a certain sauce dish which resembled chicken cacciatore. The pomfrets, having been deep fried, had serious textural problems: it basically was too tough. The breading was no longer crunchy, it wasn't particularly soggy, but it had dried out so as to become tough, and the fillets itself were also dry. It seems the cooks were particularly uninformed about deep-frying techniques.

There was also some pad thai on the spread. While some good-tasting shrimps were incorporated into the dish, one had to note that pad thai itself, is a difficult dish to serve in a buffet. The rice noodles are naturally soft and are best served right away. Putting them on a silver dish on a buffet for an extended period of time will allow the noodles to absorb some of the grease and they will become too soft for comfort. The sauce was not good either, there was too much of the spicy and the sweet. There was no sour and piquant in it. After all, pad thai is a difficult dish to muster. One has to be psyched to understand the balance among flavors each of its many ingredients can contribute.

On a lighter note, there was some chicken lollipop on the kid's section, which was actually cooked delightfully well. But pun aside, an Indian lamb shank dish tasted wonderful, the meat softened from slow cooking. One can slowly peel it off the bone with ease. It is best eaten with the crunchy pappadum. Garlic and rosemary potatoes tasted wonderful as well.

Another strong point was the meats for grilling. There was some chicken, pork belly, and snapper. All the meats were of good quality, and their sauce which tasted very Filipino - a sweetened soy sauce mixture with a hint of acidity, with chopped onions added - was likable.

Lastly, it was time for the dessert spread. Much of it, however, did not seem to be good enough, and only a few appealed to the fennel bulbs. There was some tiramisu, which was of generic quality, and a banoffee crumble served on little bowls, which was in itself, a dismal effort to create a banoffee crumble. It was as if one wanted to create a banoffee pie, but had no skill as to create one, and ended up doing something layered that is contained within a dish, very much like a trifle, but still couldn't pull it off.

At 1,100PHP per person, we think this buffet is not at all recommendable. It absolutely pales in comparison with the grander and definitely competitive spread offered by Vikings, and it does not match the ambitions of Hyatt's Market Cafe. Furthermore, the buffet price excluded beverages. We could only hope that Flavors improve their offering, considering that so much more competent dining options are available in the area.

Spring

Tucked away in Benavidez Street, Legaspi Village, is a little Hokkien eatery called Spring. This restaurant is owned by the more famous Chinese restaurant in Quezon City called Ha Yuan, known among locals for its delicious Xiamen-style vegetable spring rolls - those hearty rolls of goodness filled with vegetables, tofu, and the occasional strips of meat, often with crushed peanuts and crunchy noodles.

Well, we tried just that in Spring, a variant called the Formosa Lumpia (80Php). The same taste and ingredients as that of Ha Yuan's can be enjoyed. A slightly sweet sauce, in bottles, accompanies the dish, and one can generously douse each bite with the sauce. Most people would prefer eating it with a spoon and fork, but we think it's best done using one's hand, like eating a shawarma.

Amongst other dishes, Maki Mi (140Php) was ordered. Fried fish fillet and a bowl-ful of slightly thick soy-sauce based soup and noodles comprised the dish. On the side, Classic Kapao (70PHp) was ordered - steamed buns with vegetables and pulled pork in between.

Dumplings steamed in soy ginger broth (80Php) was also ordered. Tofu, mushroom, and chives were the filling, although one can also choose to have the a meat filling.

All dishes were quite homely, invoking the heartiness and also the complexities of a Filipino Chinese home kitchen. All dishes in Spring are cooked without MSG, long been the bane of most Chinese restaurants.

As it was on a weekend and being located in a business area, the restaurant was not expecting too many guests and consequently, a lot of the items in the menu were not available. Nevertheless, Spring will undoubtedly delight the throngs of employees who want a good meal at a good price.

Little Tokyo: Ryozen

Japanese food is very popular the world throughout, and Manila is no exception. In major shopping malls, there's almost always a restaurant, a food booth, or a fast food chain that has a Japanese theme to it. However, there's a little nook along Makati's Pasong Tamo that really gives a slice of authentic Japan. The place is called "Little Tokyo" and it is a collection of restaurants all surrounding a quaint little courtyard. The presence of cats along the alleyway leading to the place already reminds one of Japan :-). 

Only one restaurant will be featured by the fennel bulbs for this entry, and it's the first restaurant from the alleyway. It's called Ryozen (りょぜん) and it is quite a yakiniku restaurant, a sushi-ya, and an izakaya all packed into one. The restaurant is quite cozy, but typical of a bustling Oriental eatery, the noise levels are a bit high. One can choose to eat by the counter where one can watch the cooks and the elderly Japanese chef prepare the orders neatly while watching some NHK or some Japanese soap on the TV. 

Above is a plate of hiyayakko (ひややっこ, Php110) or a tofu appetizer. Soft tofu is used and the dressing has the right balance of saltiness (from the shoyu), and a hint of sweetness (which is perhaps from mirin). Bonito flakes, ginger, and spring onion is drizzled on top. A very refreshing and light appetizer, indeed. 

Next is the futomaki (ふとまき, Php300). It's quite a meal in itself already. The fillings are very substantial, and compared to other futomakis served elsewhere, it is very tasty! The filling consists of rolled-up egg (玉子), some cooked onions (which may be the reason why it's so tasty), cucumber, and kani sticks. Each slice is a hefty piece so it's best to use the hands to gobble one slice up, as using chopsticks would just ruin it. 

Next is a plateful of beef curry rice (~Php300). The curry tastes good and reminds one of those S&B ready-made curry formulas, but the chunks of beef used should need some more tenderizing as they are moderately tough! Nevertheless the taste made up for the failure in texture. 

Lastly, but not the least is a basic yakiniku mix (~Php350). Mostly chicken innards (gizzard, liver, intestines) plus the skins and the flesh are skewered onto the barbecue sticks, with the exception of the leeks and the shiitake mushrooms. Some Japanese mustard is served on a little plate as a condiment. The quality of the innards and the manner with which they were cooked are good, and there's no staleness to the taste, which is quite common with innards. 

Service is also very good and the waiters are attentive, which are typical of Japanese-owned establishments. Everyone was friendly and courteous, and one can just have a seat and chat the evening away with the elderly Japanese chef. 

Incredible India right here in Manila

The flavours of India have long allured gastronomers the world over. The quest for spices have considerably shaped European history and Indian holds a bounty of these spices. Indian food has become so pervasive that a variety of cultures have their own version of curry, all inspired by the Indian dish. Britain's national food is absolutely Indian, the Tikka Masala. 


Thankfully, Manila has also a sizable Indian community and a number of authentic Indian restaurants have sprung up around town. One Indian restaurant that the fennel bulbs absolutely love, have always come back to, and would be more than delighted to recommend is Swagat, along Rada Street in Legaspi Village, Makati City. It is a little restaurant on street level. Its interiors are basic and a bit tacky in places. Nonetheless, the food never fails to give the palate a most pleasing experience. 

For starters, pappadom fry (Php50 for 2 pieces) would be a delicious treat. Served together with two dips which you can use as condiments to other dishes - a coriander dip (coloured green) and a sweet and tangy tamarind dip (coloured brown). Pappadom is a paper-thin crunchy bread resembling crackers in consistency. It is light and has a nutty taste. 

Next is the Bhajia (Php110), or onion fritters. This is what would probably pass off as street food in India - and the greatest food finds are actually the ones being sold by hawkers. It is crunchy and spicy, and the flavors of onion blend well with the starches that make it crunchy. We surmise that crushed peas or lentils were most likely blended into this dish. It's meant for sharing, and makes a scrumptious snack. 

The first main entree is the Murgh Mirchi (Php210), chicken in green chillies and other spices. The sauce is most likely yoghurt-based, and the flavors are rich and spicy, without being too satiating. In Swagat, diners actually have the option to choose between mild, moderate, and spicy. Spicy would be too overpowering and leaves the taste buds too dumbfounded to discern flavours. But moderate is just enough to savour the richness of all the spices used. 

Next is the Baigan Bharta (Php110), a dish made from grilled eggplant, tomatoes, and spices. The grilled eggplant is smoky in flavour and blends very well with the sauce made from tomatoes and a host of spices. It is moderately spicy but not too much to overpower the smokiness of the grilled eggplant. It is also a bit mushy in texture since eggplants tend to soften when exposed to heat. 

Last but not the least is Methi Pullow rice (Php170). Pullow is the Indian term for rice cooked with spices and onions. Methi is Indian for fenugreek. Indeed one tastes the flavours of the fenugreek, as well a certain level of nuttiness due to the fenugreek seeds. Basmati rice is used, which due to its low glycemic index is also good for the health. 

Swagat is an absolutely recommendable restaurant. The service is good and the servers are trained well, serve courteously and know their menu. The prices are by all means reasonable and the servings just enough to fill two starving bellies.

Most of all, it offers a hearty sampling of Indian culture through the delicious food that it serves.