Full-length mirrors are on the khaki wall.  Wooden tables matched with black leather low chairs traditional Japanese with modernity.  The wait staff are all dressed in black ensemble.  The house music makes the vibe young and hip.  Red spotlights outside frames the total look of the restaurant.

On the Table: 

Amuse Bouche:  Hot Raspberry Tea

Bubba liked the service tea that expels an aroma of raspberries. 

It wasn’t pepper crusted, more like garnished with pepper.  I liked this dish because the chicken compliments the garlic pasta.

Ebi Tempura PHP330

Too pricey for its taste and size

Ho-hum.

Katsudon PHP180

This is Bubba’s staple order every time the cuisine is Japanese.  He said it was salty and surprisingly didn’t finish his food.  I would normally finish it since I don’t want to waste food but I wasn’t in my eating rampage mood this week.

Dynamite Roll PHP195

This has got to be the highlight of the whole average dinner.  It had generous serving of salmon on top of the sushi rolls.  It came with a sweet brown sauce, not your usual soy and wasabi dip.  It was named dynamite because it was supposed to be spicy.  A vision of Elmer Fudd red faced and smoke coming out of his ears entered my mind.  Sadly, it didn’t serve its name well.  I didn’t find it spicy at all.

Celebrity spotting:  

Toni Gonzaga and Direk Paul at Cravings

Ariel of Ariel and Maverick Duo at Sumo Sam

Preggers Ina Raymundo with family passing by 

The food was overly priced, as it is only artistically ordinary.  Some dishes are interestingly different.  I am not excited to have a second visit to Sumo Sam but we’ll see.  Bubba gave a passing grade.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/440/08_0515-_Sumo_Sam

I’ve always been a frequent visitor at Red Crab, but since they are all the way at Greenbelt.  ClawDaddy, who is conveniently situated in Shangri-la Plaza Mall, has already clawed its way to my heart.  My last visit at ClasDaddy Crab and American Grill was on April 11 with Bubba, my mom and sisters.  My mom invited us out for dinner at a restaurant of my choice since she was treating me for the Nokia Wireless Adventure event.  Isn’t she just the sweetest?  (My answer to that is –not all the time haha.  But I extremely love her to death!  I’d like to believe that I’m her anchor.)

Since it was a celebration, then it had to be a feast… more so that my sister Joyce is eating with us (she is pudgy pudgy and has one of the biggest appetites I know).  I decided to get two big platters to share among the five of us. 

On the Table:

Amuse Bouche:  Grilled Corns

Caesar Sald PHP250++

ClawDaddy King Sampler PHP895++

Crab and Lobster Boil PHP1183++

Dirty Rice PHP185++

ClawDaddy Crab is located in Shangrila Plaza Mall.  For reservations, please contact 6365679.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/406/08_0411-_ClawDaddy_Crab  

Sunday night in October 2007, before watching the movie Rendition, we had dinner at Green Tomato.  CW used to eat here a lot when he was still with San Miguel, which is just a stone throw away from Shangri-la Plaza.  It was my third time to eat here during the visit with my mom.  The second time was after the Premiere of the third installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean.  CW likes the food here but I find it ordinary.

You can split the pizza into two flavors.  We ordered 4-Cheese Pizza and all meat.  Their 4-cheese pizza includes a pesto sauce instead of a tomato base.  We also ordered a pasta dish that I forget.

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/273/07_1028-_Green_Tomato_Rendition#

This was my first experience to shoot as an apprentice for a PR shoot.  I think the proper photographer term for that is VA or volunteer assistant.   Archimedes (no he is not the one who shouted Eureka! Eureka!), or Archie for short (and no, he is not the cartoon character that has a number sign on his forehead), is my blockmate in DLSU who also is a Political Science graduate.  He invited me to join him as he had to shoot Christian Bautista for a Music Academy Press Release.

Archie and I met at Shangri-la Plaza Mall where Music Academy is.  Music Academy is a small music school/studio where Christian Bautista enrolled once before.  I learned a few from arch’s tutorial, lighting set-up, and being a stylist con director.  It was tiring but I had a lot of fun.  (I learmed a few weeks later that my photos were used in a Magazine! Yay!)

Thanks Archie for hooking me up.  I envy your huge backpack and your equip!  I still have your sentimental paper bag! Tee-hee. 

Album: http://cushee.multiply.com/photos/album/102/Christian_BautistaMusic_Acad_Shoot