Warm Summer Evenings

The warm February evening felt much like summer already. And similarly, it felt much like a warm August evening during the Obon holiday season in Japan; with Valentine's having just ended and a holiday-like atmosphere pervaded the air. The fennel bulbs decided to do an Obon (お盆）theme, and firstly landed in a tonkatsu restaurant (which is aptly called Tonkatsu-Ya, which means the same thing in Japanese, トンカツ屋).

Located in the basement of Palm Towers in San Antonio Village, Makati City, Tonkatsu-ya is more or less a little nook serving Japan's favourite pork cutlet, in various kinds. And the offerings are nonetheless veritable.

The fennel bulbs ordered the regular tonkatsu set (Php200) and the miso hirekatsu set (Php245). "Hire (ひれ)" means fillet, and often pertains to more tender cuts of pork than what may be used for a regular "Rosu (ロス)" tonkatsu, although the difference in price is more or less negligible.

The quality of the pork was good and tender, and the breading was done very well in such a way that it did not peel off when one bites into it. The thickness of the pork was also optimal, and the size of the chunks were convenient enough to be held by a pair of chopsticks. A dollop of yellow wasabi was placed on the side.

A pile of shredded cabbage accompanied the dish, which one could dress liberally with the tonkatsu sauce. A bowl of miso soup and some cold vegetables were had, and the indispensable rice.

A lot of Japanese people frequent the place, even though it is located in a quiet residential area. The price is definitely more than worth it, and the fennel bulbs would gladly recommend this place to someone who would want a delicious pork cutlet meal, without the commotion of going to those popular Japanese joints found in the shopping malls.

Still not fully satiated, the fennel bulbs headed off to Hana (華）in nearby Little Tokyo. The lanterns were all lit and the place was filled with people, the humid air and the noise of people made it really feel quite similar to an Obon evening.

We tried the tako karaage (fried octopus, Php140), which was served with flavoured salt. It was a good accompaniment to a cold mug of draught beer. Afterwards, tuna rolled in seaweed with mayonnaise (Php200) was ordered. The tuna was of permissible quality, and the dollops of mayonnaise were a bit too excessive.

Lastly, ujikintoki (宇治金時、Php160) was ordered. This is a favourite of the fennelbulbs - green tea ice cream with red bean paste, and shaved ice. This encapsulates that feeling of a very humid Obon evening - a bowl of flavoured shaved ice (かき氷, called kakigoori) as a sweet refreshment.

Modern Chinese

An illustrious Chinese restaurant that is most frequented in the Greenhills area and that has been causing a bit of a traffic jam along Connecticut street is the Lugang (鹿港) Cafe. Opened for just less than a year, this restaurant, owned and managed by the Shanghai-based Bellagio group and with scores of branches in mainland China, has been definitely making its mark already on the local dining scene.

 

 

The restaurant is brightly lit and very welcoming, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and a sleek and contemporary interior. The overall theme is metallic, with a touch of some traditional Chinese elements like the wooden door and the stone vase. One should be warned that the restaurant is intimidatingly noisy and bustling, like most Chinese restaurants are. Lugang Cafe more or less focuses on cuisine from the eastern half of China, and one can find dishes from Taiwan, Sichuan, Guangdong, and Beijing.

First on the list are the litte dragon buns (more popularly known as xiao long bao 小龍包, Php188). Seven succulent pieces of the dimsum snack are served on a bamboo container with a dipping sauce made from black vinegar and ginger. Tasteful broth is included inside the wrap and one must bite through it cautiously as it can be quite hot!

Next is the garlic pork roll (Php160). The fennel bulbs were expecting a spring roll, but to their surprise, it happens to be thinly sliced pork stuffed with bean sprouts, chives, amongst other refreshing vegetables. And speaking of refreshing, this dish uses meat to refresh the taste buds! The sauce is richly garlicky, and reminds one of the sauce used for lumpiang sariwa. 

A very tasty vegetable dish is the mixed mushrooms in XO sauce (Php280). It's served as a viand and the hint of garlic and chili goes very well with steamed Jasmine rice. The XO sauce (a mildly spicy sauce made from dried scallops) enhances the flavour of the dish with its blend of spicy and salty. 

Next is the beef with chinese crullers (Php290). The combination of textures and flavours makes this dish a very comforting one indeed! The heartiness of the beef, which is quite tender and dense, is supplemented by the cruller (a Chinese pastry which is deep fried and resembles a doughnut), which is crunchy and airy. The celery is a little contrasting detail but fits very well into the dish. 

 

A perfect way to end the meal and at the same time rinse the palate is green tea ice cream with red beans over shaved ice (Php180). Resembling the Japanese kakigori, this dessert is actually more like an afternoon refreshment than a meal ender, but does the same job very well. The green tea ice cream though tastes more like vanilla than green tea. 

Overall, Lugang Cafe is a great place to go to for delicious and affordable Chinese cuisine, with the milieu in mind, of course. 好之了！