Christmas Gifts
After delaying my gifting list until this afternoon, I soon realized that there are considerably more names on my list than the last few years. Marking each one off with a designated gift, I noticed a consistent foodie trend to what I was giving. Cheesecake to sister (because she has Osteoporosis), apple pie to my niece (because she absolutely loves it with vanilla ice cream), and so on. What made me pose for a moment was what foodie item to give a visiting nephew who flew all the way from NYC for the holidays? Soon, I realized that the best gift I could give him is a dinner out with Kevin and I to a really good Filipino restaurant. The kind of Filipino restaurant I would soon choose should excel at pushing Filipino cuisine beyond mundane (been there done that) fare.
Looking at a few places online, I keep going back to Kanin Club. Their crispy dinuguan (blood stew) tops my list. A quick inspection of your Facebook profile, I also noticed an overwhelming vote for the same exact dish I just mentioned. Honestly, I did not even know that it would be that popular. Our visit to this place was totally random. The menu was typical of any menu, except that I did notice the word crispy next to the name of the dish. Immediately, I ordered this to see what it was about. Don't bother asking the waiter. Just go for it. I was totally surprised at the effect of having the flavor I am used to, but the texture of crispness totally elevated the dish.
I've decided that if my nephew where to leave the Philippines after Christmas, and hold a foodie memory, if any. I would want him to know that crispy dinuguan is definitely a favorite now and for years to come.
Second place: Alba's Spanish Cuisine. However, I could not get past Alba's dead-on-arrival paella.
Third place: All-you-can-eat Seafood and more at the Diamond Hotel buffet. Really? Why did I even think that he might like that. Oh, it's because that's the only place where I've seen slipper crabs and rock lobsters.
Honorable mention: Estero in Chinatown. But, NYC's Chinatown is probably just as robust and good.
Oh well, the crispy dinuguan wins.
Looking at a few places online, I keep going back to Kanin Club. Their crispy dinuguan (blood stew) tops my list. A quick inspection of your Facebook profile, I also noticed an overwhelming vote for the same exact dish I just mentioned. Honestly, I did not even know that it would be that popular. Our visit to this place was totally random. The menu was typical of any menu, except that I did notice the word crispy next to the name of the dish. Immediately, I ordered this to see what it was about. Don't bother asking the waiter. Just go for it. I was totally surprised at the effect of having the flavor I am used to, but the texture of crispness totally elevated the dish.
I've decided that if my nephew where to leave the Philippines after Christmas, and hold a foodie memory, if any. I would want him to know that crispy dinuguan is definitely a favorite now and for years to come.
Second place: Alba's Spanish Cuisine. However, I could not get past Alba's dead-on-arrival paella.
Third place: All-you-can-eat Seafood and more at the Diamond Hotel buffet. Really? Why did I even think that he might like that. Oh, it's because that's the only place where I've seen slipper crabs and rock lobsters.
Honorable mention: Estero in Chinatown. But, NYC's Chinatown is probably just as robust and good.
Oh well, the crispy dinuguan wins.