Between Bites

Posts Tagged ‘Lunch’

Omakase

Friday, June 27th, 2008

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.

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I wasn’t really excited to eat since I’ve gained a significant 5 lbs over the past 2 weeks.  I have been eating so much for a month now and I don’t get full at all.  I keep on eating and eating right after eating and eating.  It doesn’t help too that I’d be going to Calaguas Island in 2 weeks time.  But I’ve heard so much about Omakase that when Karen picked Japanese cuisine, I just blurted Omakase.

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It was a pretty busy restaurant at 110pm even right when we left at 2pm. 

On the Table 

Yasai Itame (JC’s order) PHP 95

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.

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Kakiage (still JC’s order) PHP 130

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?

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Dynamite Roll (JC’s order) PHP 260

I’ve placed an order for two vegetable dishes already.  I asked the waiter what their bestseller in sushi is and he said Dynamite Roll without batting an eyelash.  I said ok without batting an eyelash.

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The Dynamite roll had in it, salmon and spicy tuna topped with salmon skin and roe.  It was served with garlic mayo dip in kikoman soy sauce.  Although it had too much going on, I enjoyed the dynamite roll a lot.

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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.

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Omakase Soup (Karen’s)

California Crunch (Kring’s) –I like Red Kimono’s California Crunch better. 

What a refreshing lunch that made me realize Libis is not too far away.  Haha, what am I saying?  I’d go all the way to Makati to eat at Elbert’s! 

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

The Farm at San Benito

Monday, March 24th, 2008

March 31, 2007. My first all Vegan lunch occurred at the famous Farm of San Benito in Batangas. 85% of the food served in their Vegan restaurant is actually raw (read: not cooked). They use several methods of blending, soaking, dehydration and culturing in preparing the veggie dishes in order to keep as much of the enzymes as possible. The lunch felt so enriching because even if I ate 3-4 plateful of salads and different entrées, I felt so light afterwards. For some reason, it was an internal body-cleansing feeling.

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We chose to have our lunch at the open-air veranda amidst the tall trees and pseudo-jungle. Fresh food and fresh air go hand in hand as we completely felt a surge of natural energy while chomping away the greens. We were served four kinds of dishes with buffet trip to their salad bar. I remember the opener as my favorite Segafredo appetizer –Mozzarella, Tomato and Basil drizzled with olive oil. The Farm’s version is less salty and fresh.

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The Farm at San Benito, a 6-year old facility in the city of Lipa, was awarded as the Best Retreat and Best Holistic Healing Program by regional publication of Spa Asia. The Farm deserved that award in it’s entirety because it is a retreat where one can breathe freely, the eyes satisfied with relaxing colors of abundantly green and tasty healthy food that cleanses the body and mind.

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After lunch, we took a stroll around the huge multiple hectare land. We took a dip at their mini-waterfall pool and enjoyed our privacy since there were only the two of us.

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They offer different kinds of rooms that ranges from USD 98.00 ++ to USD 750.00 ++. The Anahaw Terrace is the one that I particularly liked. The room rate is USD 175.00.

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Even if it was a short visit, I felt a surge of new energy as my body restored balance and vitality through a short stay at The Farm at San Benito.

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The Farm at San Benito

Office Address: G/F, Shop 10, The Peninsula Manila Ayala Ave., Makati City

Resort Address: 119 Baranggay Tipakan, Lipa City, Batangas, Philippines.

Tel No: 884.8074

Info@thefarm.com.ph

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Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/189/07_0331-_The_Farm_at_San_Benito