ALBA (CAPITOL COMMONS)

Once upon a time, before the pandemic....

It's the super pamatay belated birthday of my dear Mareng Gail and as tradition permits, I will be treating her to her restaurant of choice.

DRATS... este... MAGALING! MAGALING! He he he he he!

Her choice for the night was ALBA in CAPITOL COMMONS because she was craving for some good ol' Spanish food. I have eaten with the family in ALBA many times before but I haven't tried out their dinner buffet (P933.00 per pax).

I guess there's always a "tindig-balahibo" first time for everyone and I'm glad that I'm going to do it with a friend.

Wait. No pun intended and suggested AT ALL there. Ewwy. Kadire.

:P

We're in ALBA!!!!!!!!!

KTG SUMMER FUN IN ANTIPOLO (2018)

We're going to Antipolo!!!!!

It's our annual KAIN TULOG GANG summer getogether and we are going to Antipolo for a day that's sure to be jampacked with hungry people and FOOD!!!!

Tayo na.... Sa Antipolo!!!!!!!

LA TIENDA

My eldest brother invited us out for lunch one Sunday to celebrate Father's Day last June!

And the choice for that special lunch was LA TIENDA!!!

The family has eaten in LA TIENDA many times before but THE YAPPY BUNCH was not able to join because we would always be in Quezon Province with Yub's family.

ABA! Sinasadya na ata! He he he he he he! Kidding!

Seriously though, it was just painful coincidence. He he he he he! Good thing that for this Sunday, we were finally at home so that we could taste their specialty that my Kuya Jay just loved...

Refer to picture above.

He he he he he he!

OF CRABS, COCHINILLO, AND CHIKA!!!

On my birthday week last February, I received a touching greeting from the husband of Ms. Eileen that it really made my day! When I texted to thank her for it, she said to ask the TAPE Inc., ladies if they are available for lunch on a weekday because she plans to treat us all for crabs and cochinillo.

Of course we're available! Why wouldn't we be? These are crabs and cochinillo we are talking about! Actually, even if we're not available, we'll scrap whatever those earlier plans are to go there!!!!

Oops. I remembered that this is public. JUST kidding! If we have something important to do at work, we'll DEFINITELY do it.

Whew.

Anyway, my TAPE Inc., office mates are always so busy that when there was finally a lunch day where everyone is free, we wasted no time in letting Ms. Eileen know about it. And I'm glad that we were all able to get together again because not only were we served with a VERY delicious spread but the company and chika were all something to remember.

Of course, there's nothing like sharing these great moments with exceptional ladies!

And that is why we are The Ladies Who Lunch!

It's the LADIES WHO LUNCH!

Before, we used to do it regularly, eating out when it's somebody's birthday. But now, most of us are on a diet and busy with work that lunch-outs like this is something to really treasure!

MY MOM'S 70TH BIRTHDAY DINNER PARTY

My Mom just turned 70 years old and besides having a family breakfast (GLORIA MARIS) and dinner (MAMOU TOO) to celebrate her birthday, we also planned to have an intimate dinner party for such a lovely lady! We only invited our very close relatives and her best friend to share this special evening with us because we want everything to be just for HER. It was great too that the people who joined us were the ones who truly mattered and we really appreciated their presence. They made my Mom so happy that night!

Normally when we have parties, it is my Mom who is chief of the kitchen. This time, we told her to just sit back, relax, and enjoy this dinner -- her children and grandchildren were in charge. And we cannot be more excited about it. :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!

My Kuya Jon is an animator and drew this caricature of my Mom. 

THE ULTIMATE TASTE TEST (2014)

Every year, there is that on event which the Chinese Adonis and I are very excited about that we prepare for it as early as the start of the year: The ULTIMATE TASTE TEST!

I'm sorry.... were you thinking about our Wedding Annivesary? I know I should be too if I could only remember when it is. Tee Hee!

Seriously though, the ULTIMATE TASTE TEST in ROCKWELL TENT has become a tradition for us every year even before I started this silly little foodie blog.  Like it says so in their "battle cry", this is the ULTIMATE event where you become a food critic for a day and try out over 50+ home based food vendors plus participating restaurants from Powerplant Mall all day from 11:00am to 9:00pm!

All this for only P600.00??? You bet!

And THAT is why I would choose this AWESOME foodie celebration over our wedding anniversary anytime!

Oh. I'm. Kidding!

Or am I? Ha ha ha ha!

THE ULTIMATE TASTE TEST!!! 

HAYOP NA DEGUSTACION

There was a time when everyone in my little Team Yap family got so engrossed in TOP CHEF that whatever we do, wherever we go, we would be speaking and breathing TOP CHEF:

Mati, besides wanting to be a Chef, would seriously say things in restaurants such as "This fish was cooked perfectly and goes well with my Coke zero...". It's the cutest thing I swear.

Andrei had sudden hankering to cut up vegetables (garnishes) from his plate and would even try to saw a table. It's such a destructive thing I swear (he he he!).

Yub would always have the TOP CHEF dvd in the player before I even uttered a word. It would have given him plus hubby points if I did not hear him say "Look at what Padma is wearing!" or drool when there was really no food onscreen yet. 

As for me, besides wanting to eat every dish they plate from Season 1 to All Stars and admiring my favorite Chefs from each show, of course I have to admit that I loved Padma! She is like the hottest thing on the planet who won't stop eating but still maintained that voluptuous figure. I wanted to be like her and have that same sophistication when eating a degustation dinner.

So when Yub and I received an invite for HAYOP NA DEGUSTACION (an ultra extraordinary 12 course dinner introducing the newest lechon offerings from Pepita's Kitchen and muchos more), I did not only thank the heavens because I will finally have a taste of the special dinner almost every blogger is raving about but I also programmed myself to relive the elegance of Padma at this momentous event.

And of course, true to EricJaz Foodie form, the HAYOP NA DEGUSTACION just unleashed the primitiveness in both of us at every course! Oh we were so embarassing!

Egad! I think I even remembered teaching the Editor in Chief of Breakfast Magazine how to speak JEJEMON! Ha ha ha!

Oh well... Food really does that to the best of us.

HAYOP! :)

Our HAYOP NA DEGUSTACION menu!

There was really no description as to what each dish is actually like but it certainly made everyone in Ms. Dedet dela Fuente's house, owner of Pepita's Kitchen, to be more beast-like in hunger!

If you're thinking that it is ERICJAZ FOODIES who were pathetically drooling and starving, DING! DING! DING! You're right again!