What's on my plate

Travel has been scant lately but that’s not to say that I have little on my plate. In fact, my plate has been, quite literally, full.

I had to spend a night at Oakwood Joy Nostalg recently. Since I’m not a big fan of the Oakroom, I walked to nearby Uncle Cheffy for dinner. The restaurant came highly recommended.

Only two tables were occupied that Sunday night but I was assured that the place attracts a decent crowd on weekdays.

I loved the pizza wrap. It had cheese so thick it was threatening to dribble off the thin crust. I asked for extra arugula because its peppery note cuts the umay off the savory ingredients.  

I still prefer the taste and texture of Sonya’s Darling Dolores but for a late dinner/ midnight snack, it hit the right spot. 

 

I finally got to eat at Wee Nam Kee in Ayala Triangle. Although the Hainanese chicken was well-seasoned and moist, I certainly found nothing stellar about it. In fact, I thought the meat was insubstantial. Portion size was wanting. 

I scheduled a trip to Ayala Westgrove one Sunday to look at available lots and included lunch at the nearby Kanin Club in Paseo de Sta. Rosa in the agenda. 

I knew exactly what to order: the crispy dinuguan. Upon a friend’s suggestion, I also ordered aligue rice. For me, when it comes to calories,  you either fold or go all-in. So all-in it was. 

The dinuguan was as described: thick blood sauce spooned onto crispy lechon kawali. Delightful (a word not often applied to dinuguan). I must say, however, that my family’s version of this dish is superior. For crunch, we use very thinly sliced innards fried to a crisp. 

Last Friday, I was exhausted from days of shuttling between Ortigas and Makati for client presentations, so before driving home, I scoured The Podium for a treat and found this: Caramel Coated Dive Bar with Fleur de Sel from Sebastian’s. Yes, I licked every bit. Whoever discovered putting salt in sweet is a genius.