June 27, 2008.  Friday evening, I was raring to go to the gym but Bubba had other plans.  I haven’t been to the gym for weeks and I have gained 5 lbs over the past 3 weeks!!!  But I was glad that Bubba had another plan.  He said we were having dinner and asked me not to ask Qs.  On the way, I filled him in on my day.  Destination seemed to be QC.  My mind started to wander on QC restaurants, but I didn’t want to spoil it so I stopped wondering.

It was a sweet surprise after a long week at work.  Simple dinner but I really appreciate that Bubba made dinner plans.  The ambience and food really relaxed my mind.

On the Table

Sopa Zarsuela de Mariscos PHP 80

Paella ala Ima PHP 495

Chateu Verde very own Spanish rice dish, with seafood, chicken, pork, chorizo, peppers and olive oil

Cannelloni Romana PHP 150

Rolled pasta with white cheese, meat and chicken filling, topped with mozzarella cheese

Salpicados ala Miguel PHP 205

Beef tenderloin cubes sautéed in garlic and olive oil

Blueberry Cheesecake PHP 70

Chateu Verde is located at 63 Apacible Place, UP Diliman Campus, Quezon City.  Restaurant is open from 10am-1030pm from Monday to Saturday.  Make your reservations at 9288180.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/490/08_0627-_Chateu_Verde

Since I have recently dined at Abbondanza, I remembered Nuccio’s.  Nuccio is an Italian restaurant located along Jupiter street near Fiamma Bar. 

I dug up my old files and found the album. 

 November 28, 2007.  The Nuccio experience in a photo-tell

 Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/292/07_1128-_Nuccios  

It was a long long looong day Tuesday starting with a lunch meeting at Kaya, a Nat Geo presentation and Fox Crime meeting afterwards.  By 7pm, I still haven’t had the time to check all of my emails at work but I had to be off to Abbondanza for a much-anticipated dinner with fellow foodies and bloggers.

It was a woman pow-wow as Bubba was the thorn among the roses.  We first arrived at the venue followed by Didi.  Didi, Bubba and I hit it off with a URCC conversation and how much we are all excited to catch URCC XII Supremacy.  It was fun to see another female as hyped up as I am about watching these Mixed Martial Arts athletes toughen it out on the mats.  Soon after, Fran and Sabs almost arrived at the same time. 

My mind was really flying most of the time but good food saved most of my conversational skills.  Chomping is my perennial escape for not having to open my mouth to talk.  Even if I had left the office at 7, my mind was still at the office sitting on my desk thinking.  I’m glad this night Bubba took over the chat aspect of dinner for both of us and I was happy to take the role of an audience.

Abbondanza can easily be compared to Amici as the owner’s cooking roots can be traced back to the latter.  I like the atmosphere in Abbondanza better because it has a more cozy and warm vibe.  The staff has a cheerful aura too, readily assisted us when we needed someone to take a group photo.  I find the prices here more affordable too.

Didi chose the flavor for pizza.  Napoli is also one of the flavors on my list whenever at a Pizzeria.  Tomato based pizza with oregano, capers and anchovies.  Like Didi, I’m a fan of capers.  I also liked the thinness of the pizza and how it remained crispy throughout the dinner.  I drizzled spiced olive oil over the pizza to complete the taste.  I had to fight the urge to get a third slice.

This happened to be Sab’s choice, which is pasta spaghetti generously charged with shelled shrimp, mussels and clams in white cream sauce.  Aside from the pizza, this was the next popular dish on the table.

I didn’t get to touch this at all.  When it was cut open, the spinach inside looked a bit dry.  Check Fran’s site (http://frannywanny.blogspot.com/) for her take on the Cannelloni.

It is basically a mushroom risotto.  The risotto was a bit overcooked as the rice grain looked bigger than usual and it dried out fast.  Taste wise, it was flavorful and mushroom is really highlighted in this dish.

Read BIAS.  Since all the girls were busy with the Abbondanza dishes, Bubba and I enjoyed the familiar taste of my pasta dish.  Abbondanza was sweet enough to heat the food I brought for the group.

I learned from Sophia Lee of Abbondanza that she is also a foodie and that their entire family lives for food, which prompted them to put up their very own restaurant.  Their love for food is now known as Abbondanza, which is turning one this coming Monday, July 7, 2008.  Blog about your Abbondanza experience and get a free dessert!

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/496/08_0701-_Abbondanza

At the advent of the 12^th installment of URCC, Supremacy, a pre-event was held at Warehouse 135 June 28, 2008.  What a long day it has been starting at 7am with a Sky Cable event at Mall of Asia.  11pm, I was right in front of a very intense fight at Warehouse, which CW was refereeing.

Standing there watching the match up close is really something else.  You can feel the intensity from the barely clad bodies on the mats.  I cannot wait to watch the upcoming URCC event.

After collecting a win over Frank The Crank Camacho, Caloy Baduria will be back in the ring waging his middleweight belt against Lakay Wushu’s Edward Folayang.  It’s going to be an exciting match this coming Saturday since these two fighters’ previous matches are correlated to each other.  Caloy has defeated all his opponents by technical knockouts but former URCC champion Allan Co handed his solitary loss.  On the other corner, Edward wreaked Allan’s clean record and gave him his first ever defeat.

The night of July 5 promises some really exciting match-ups.  URCC is your source of the best Pinoy MMA fights in the country where top players from different disciplines battle it out inside the ring.

Ticket price for the event is at PHP 395, PHP 791, and PHP 1,130.  Tickets are available at selected National Book Store and Robinson’s Department stores branches, Ayala malls, Ticketworld (891-9999) or call the URCC hotline 0906-4616968 or 8137809 or log on to www.urccmma.com for details.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/493/08_0628-_URCC_XII_Bar_Tour  

What a hectic weekend it was starting with a full packed Saturday schedule.  Morning was greeted with a Sky Cable Fun Club event at Science and Discovery Center in Mall of Asia.  Kring spearheaded the event and kudos to her that all aspects of the event are covered.  

04:00 PM – 07:30 PM:         C-Hunting @ QC0

8:30 PM – 09:45 PM:         Eric Lopez Birthday @ Oyster Boy

10:10 PM – 12:00 MN:        URCC Bar Tour @ Warehouse 135

Spoiling me I guess, Eric said I could start ordering, risking the fact that I might order too much.  So the four of us started ordering our dishes.  PJ still full from dinner at home ordered his first beer.  I didn’t want to eat and run but we really had to be at the URCC XII pre-event by 10pm because CW was going to ref a match.  Thank God that at 920pm, Eric finally arrives.

I was so happy to spend time with them.  I feel like an adopted child of their Engineering block because they always tag me along to their gatherings.  I was so excited to see May, Tin, Mike, Arkay again but we really had to go by 945pm.  I think they arrived a little past 10pm and suddenly it was me who was missing all the action.  Even if it was brief, I was glad that I was at Eric’s birthday dinner.  I miss college.

Karen, Kring and I suddenly had the impulse to go to Libis and eat lunch at Omakase today.  With her dependable car, Karen zipped our way to Libis with ease and I wondered where the Friday traffic is?  Her car’s name by the way is Herc, short for Hercules.  How cute.  When you see her car, you’d know why.

Yasai means vegetable in Japanese.  It is your regular stir-fried vegetables.  Presentation wasn’t appetizing but I finished it.  I like vegetables anyway.  It was a mixture of bean sprouts, onions, cabbage, string beans and green bell pepper.

Trying hard to be healthy, I ordered another vegetable dish.  You have to take note that trying to be healthy, I disregard the fact that one is stir fried while the other is deep fried with flour.  Healthy?  Who am I trying to fool?

Cold Soba Noodles and Soup (Karen’s) –I remember eating cold soba noodles in Japan… ooh yum!!!  I had to finish all of my food that I didn’t get to try Omakase’s version.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/489  

Much I have raved about my first visit at Sanctuario Tagaytay (http://www.janedchua.com/2008/05/20/sanctuario-tagaytay-metrowalk/), the second visit was as pleasant.  That Pasta Bulalo has pretty much made a good first impression.  Let us see if first impression lasts.

First impression definitely lasts with Sanctuario’s Pasta Bulalo.  The meat still almost melts in your mouth, full of robust flavor.

This was the newbie among our orders.  Bubba and I have been craving for lamb chops for some weeks now.  There was no better time to try it but that night.  A little dismayed though because the meat was tough and a little dried out.  It took some time to cut through the meat and chew it.

Other than the lamb chops, the experience at Sanctuario Tagaytay is still a dining pleasure.  Carol joined us towards the end of the meal and we totally enjoyed exchanging stories with her.  She was telling us proudly about her daughter’s first few weeks at work.  Her daughter graduated from Ateneo as a Magna Cum Laude.  She came from Laguna that day yet it was all enthusiasm and no sign of exhaustion.  I feel the same way about the dishes in her restaurant. 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/442/08_0516-_Sanctuario_Tagaytay#7

Everything Lyrics 

Michael Buble

You’re a falling star, You’re the get away car.
You’re the line in the sand when I go too far.
You’re the swimming pool, on an August day.
And you’re the perfect thing to say.

The first visit didn’t enthrall Bubba at all.  It didn’t move mountains for me but I liked it.  For the price, I couldn’t complain at all.  Besides, there’s something about the place that attracts me to it.  The fact that it is located in the same lot as a gas station bewilders me.  Not to mention frightens me.

It was a month of wait since I first started craving to eat at Elbert’s Steak Room.  I’d always have to take a rain check since my schedule has been pretty tight these past few months.  Last Thursday I wanted to treat Bubba to a lunch there.  I sent an SMS asking if they were fully booked that day.  They weren’t but I had a meeting at 2pm.  I figured that I could not go to Makati at 12nn and be back in Ortigas by 2pm, not even if I rid us of parking issues and take a cab.  I wanted to risk it (salivating over the thought of cheese steak) but the look at Bubba’s face said I shouldn’t. 

Warm bread shaped like a bloomed flower and a ramekin of butter are presented by the server who are professional and knowledgeable.  Butter as if on queue melts as it touches the bread.  Interestingly shaped like a flower, pick the petal piece by piece as one wants more of the warm slices.  House water has lemon fritz and Bubba didn’t like that there is a bitter aftertaste of the water so he asked for one without.

Sautéed slices of USDA Prime Grade ribeye on a soft baguette smothered with sautéed onions served on a white plate.  You can choose to get Provolone, Cheddar or Cheese Whiz.  It was served with Pommes Frittes that are slim cut fries.  I love nibbling on the crunchy and soft fries.

Sautéed and braised tenderloin tips with a brown sauce, mushrooms and sour cream.  It was served with an olio pasta