THAI DARA

Everytime yub and I would eat at SLICE N DICE or JT's, we often pass by this restaurant which boasts of authentic bangkok street food. Now I am SUCH a fan of hole in a wall restos and "bangketa" grubs so this naturally piqued my curious little tummy!!!

When we got in, the service was very accomodating that you would think you were eating at TGIFridays or other themed restaurants that would charge you an arm or leg for service charge.!!! THAI DARA had this cozy ambience that would be a far cry from a measly street kiosk that I became suspicious if it will be at par with the most popular cheap Thai restow in the Metrow.

But... lucky for my me, the food was friggin good!!! It was definitely better than SOME other cheap thai restos that I know.

Yub ate a lot as well... and in between bites, he was already choosing what we could try next in ADDITION to what we are already having...

By the way, Thai Dara... reminds me of Sandara... ha ha ha ha stupid comparison I know! Ha ha ha ha

THAI DARA!

The Chinese stalker getting out of his comfort zone and checking out the menu at THAI DARA!

THAI DARA has a lot of delicious looking food to choose from and I had such a hard time selecting what to eat that night.

I had SUCH a hard time that I was not able to put on lipstick! GRRR!

THAI DARA meynuh... reasonable prices right?

Even if it was just me and the hub at THAI DARA, we had the many famous Korean faces in front of us to keep us company!

THAI DARA interiors is just smart casual where in it is clean and carefree. You could just let yourself go here without being too sloppy!

Hello there THAI DARA metal box!

And it opens up to your eating utensils! Neat huh?

Hungry!

THAI DARA condiments are within hand's reach if you need something more for your food!

Food is here!!!

I should REALLY put on more lipstick!

Before I was able to take a pic, my husband hurriedly digged in to THAI DARA's Bagoong Rice (P179.00). He knows that just to spite him, I would mix everything knowing that he hates vegetables on anything. So there he went and took spoonfuls of the rice with pork!

We also ordered THAI DARA's Pad Thai (P179.00) which seemed simple yet appetizing!!!

THAI DARA's pad thai was loaded with toppings and definitely not your usual plate of noodles!

The big boy has to have his chicken so we also had THAI DARA's Chicken Pandan (P209.00)!

My plate! My wonderful plate!!!

I was fully satisfied with THAI DARA's bagoong rice because even if it was flavored with exotic spices, it was not too overpowering to be enjoyed with the pad thai and chicken pandan!

Un-dressed chicken! HA!

... AND in no time.... 

Thai Dara 

56 Granada St. Gilmore Valencia, Quezon City

411-1156

WORLD CHICKEN

Usually, when my Yub and I go to Glorietta 4 for our date nights, we would eat in Mongolian Quick Stop (see our meal there HERE !!!) or Sizzling Seafoods.

On one particular Saturday, while my husband was lining up for HIS movie of choice ("Here Comes The Bride"), I saw a long queue of diners for the WORLD CHICKEN stall. I remember that my first experience there was not a particularly good one so I was not really expecting to have a sequel there. However when Yub saw the lines, he said we just HAVE to try it again. I had no choice but to say yes because I already chose the movie...

Oh come to think of it, HE chose the movie and I just... just...

Never mind. He he he!

WORLD CHICKEN

I wonder why they decided to name their food stall WORLD CHICKEN? Is it because they foresaw the extinction of humans caused by the giant mutation of chickens due to the chemicals they inject the birds for KFC?

Possibly... There might be a hidden conspiracy going on that the government should know about....

Riiiiight....

That's a pretty great deal right? If you are on a diet, you could even share one plate of WORLD CHICKEN goodness.... 

My husband was in a dilemma of choosing which sides to go for his chicken. For a person who was very picky with his food you would THINK it would be so simple by just choosing the ones with vegetables and the ones without. But NOOOH.... He considers how the ingredients would taste in his food (e.g. the ham or peas in his fried rice) that it usually takes a long time for him to order!

He finally ended up with WORLD CHICKEN's fillet with mushroom gravy, bacon fried rice, and a muffin!

Yub chose WORLD CHICKEN's muffin since he did not like the pasta sauces available and feared (yes feared) that it might taste sour. I guess the array of side orders reminded him of Mang Kenny and decided to see how their muffin would fare up.

As for me, I may eat slowly, but I carry a biiiiig stick! Oh I meant, I may eat slow but I am very fast in deciding what to order. I just ask the server, "What's your bestseller?" and if it passes my standards, I get it!

So for that WORLD CHICKEN dinner, I got the fillet with mushroom gravy, bacon fried rice, and spicy chinese pasta!

Oh wow! I cannot wit to dig in to my WORLD CHICKEN plate! It was saucy and greasy plus jampacked with carbs... MY FAVORITE!

While my husband smiles sweetly to the camera...

I immediately took a semi-forkful of my WORLD CHICKEN food!

Loved everything about it!

Of course being priced at only P155.00 with a food court as venue, don't expect WORLD CHICKEN to be at par as the other popular restaurants out there. For me however, I was more than satisfied... The chicken was tender, the gravy was creamy, the fried rice had that meat salty party going on, and the pasta was a different take on a "pancit" favorite!

Check out how oily the WORLD CHICKEN Chinese pasta was... Just the way I like it!! He he he!

At least I won't need some lip gloss afterwards!

My Yub washed down his food with rootbeer...

I just noticed he has a perfect nose...It's beautiful don't you think?

That's why I married him.

He had a VERY... BIG... nose! :)

Let's EAT!

Almost done with my WORLD CHICKEN order...

... and I am done!

========== 

On May 29, 2010, another Saturday night date night, my Yub and I decided to eat at WORLD CHICKEN again...

Wanting to try something else, I got the WORLD CHICKEN with bacon fried rice and pesto linguine!

Yub was tempted to go for the usual muffin route again but I requested (VERY nicely) if he could get the Spicy Chinese pasta so that just in case I did not like my pesto, I have a fall back.

I'm a woman with a plan you know...

The WORLD CHICKEN pesto was creamy and tasty. It is not the usual pesto sauce available in Italian restaurants but I liked this simple version.

I liked it! It was a great WORLD CHICKEN order!

Check out how I dressed up to have dinner in a Glorietta foodcourt! I don't care! I was with my hub so I should always dress up nicely for him! It was date night anyway!

I guess my yub was happy with his WORLD CHICKEN order as well. Check out that Mark Anthony smile... Tee hee!

I loved the WORLD CHICKEN mushroom gravy! Sometimes I ask another serving of it to pour over my rice. 

Oh yeah I am gross like that.

========== 

For another date night, we ate once more at WORLD CHICKEN. Everything was still fabulously the same...

The chicken was still tender with delicious gravy and a heaping ton of tasty carbs!

As for me...

Why.. oh why can't I be this thin again???

(Actually that was the reason I included this picture... ha ha ha)

Yub now likes the Chinese Spicy pasta of WORLD CHICKEN...

While I enjoyed my WORLD CHICKEN pesto and sneak in a fork or two from Yub's plate!

Ready to dig in!

I wonder if we are the only race in the world who would eat pasta with rice? Tee hee!

But if a pasta is as creamy and flavorful like this, I don't care what I pair it with!

Yub was almost done!

As for me, I left a little bit of something in my WORLD CHICKEN plate since I was on a diet... But I seem to remember taking home these leftovers.

So THAT was why I was sorta thin back then. 

I was just starting to appreciate the beauty of jampacking my plate with chicken and heavenly carbs...

Thanks WORLD CHICKEN for that priceless contribution to my, according to medicard, being overweight.

As they say... the start of something big...

LET'S EAT!

By the way, don't you just LOVE it when your forehead has a shadow? Tsk tsk tsk... 

World Chicken

Glorietta 4

Glorietta 4, Food Choice , East Drive

Ayala Center, Makati

(02) 729-6543

================

What EricJaz saw...

Coming home from Glorietta, we were behind this "motorist" while waiting for the stop light....

I wonder if this is legal? Still, I heaved a big sigh of relief when he was able to cross and get to his hotel.

:) 

JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE

My tip for those people who are thinking of places to take their balikbayan relatives or friends is to forget about the high-end Italian, Chinese, American restaurants out there. The obvious answer to this is because... DUH, they have that in the States or wherever they come from. If you want to give them a one of a kind "back-to-home" experience, take them to comfort foods that they had when they were still staying in our country... like Ma Mon Luk, restos in Binondo, Aristocrat, Jollibee.... 

I'm sure you get the picture :)

Another is to take them to hole in a wall restaurants that would give them a one of a kind Pinoy experience.

And a good example of that is JT's CHICKEN INASAL!!!

I have got to say... their Chicken Inasal is the BEST. Though the place and ambience are not exactly at par (not by a long shot) with restaurants you could find at Serenda, Greenbelt, Eastwood, etc., your balikbayan loved ones will be wide eyed with the simple but ultra delicious Filipino food. May I also point out that the legendary JOEL TORRE owns the joint? Hence the name JT.

I don't know about you but I think Joel Torre is the Filipino Russel Crowe! Hi hi hi!

Oh well... you don't really have to have a balikbayan with you to enjoy the place... You may just hire one as an excuse to eat and savor the taste of JT'S INASAL. Ha ha ha ha!!!!

Come to think of it, just eat there and don't bring anybody. At least you will be able to eat everything on the table without sharing! He he he!

By the way, DON'T forget the extra chicken oil on your rice!!!!

JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE!

Let their logo serve as a warning to live chickens NOT to get too close to their grill. Otherwise their feathery butts will catch fire.

Poor little chicken being burned alive....

Don't say you were not warned. :)

The meynuh!

In JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE, there is a diverse range of diners who eat and enjoy in their restaurant... You have the yuppies... the donyas.... the lovers on a budget... the artsy fartsys...

... the sneaky Chinese guy....

... and a hungry alien. Tee he!

Once seated in JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE, do not forget to prepare the condiments which you will dip your grilled chicken in.

My husband has mastered this to a T (Wohoo Top Chef???) by pouring some soy sauce on a small saucer then squeeze in 2 or 3 calamansi's for the juice.

Then, if you like all things spicy, crush 1 or 2 small chlies in your dipping sauce.

Actually you do not really need to be a Top Chef to master this. Ha ha ha ha! Just have the hunger and the adventurous (not to mention, strong) tongue and you  are in for a tasty treat in JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE!

Believe me when I say that this dipping sauce will make you shovel in tablespoons of hot steamed rice in your mouth. It is such an appetizer boozer!!!

Not that we need one.

When you eat in JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE be prepared to enjoy your grub with the fresh air that vehicular traffic may bring -- yes, the restaurant is just by the streets. But you have to admit that it adds a certain je nais se quoi to the whole experience. 

It is nice to be a like "cowboy" every now and then.

Forgive us for the blurry picture. It is not our fault the waiters were shaking at our gloriousness...

Ha ha ha! Kidding! For years I have been asking for a high quality camera from Santa. I guess last year, he has still counted me in the SUPER NAUGHTY list.

Like I said up above, do not forget to order   JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE's chicken oil. I know it may cause a few doses of cholesterol in your system (a few????!!) but just try it at least once when you have a meal in  JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE. 

My husband ordered JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE's Pa- a (Grilled Chicken Drumstick and Thigh P85.00). It was very hot as it was fresh off the cooking station.

I loved that when we pierced the tender meat, some steam rushed out and gave us that wonderful "grill-y" aroma.

Aaaah! Life is GO-OD!

And we haven't eaten yet!

I would love to lick this the next time we eat here. 

Lick it like a lollipop since it has a stick and all.

Garlic bits on top of rice and DRENCHED in chicken oil.

My husband's very oily rice!

Another teaspoon of chicken oil should do the trick!

Open wide!

My heaping spoonful of chicken, oily rice, and chili plus toyo with calamansi!

YUM! Heavenly!

Then wash it down with an ice cold chug of Coke Zero!

My plate!

As always my husband is light years ahead of me. I doubt if he chews his food at all!

I'm not really trying to kiss you here (you wish!). I'm just trying to show you how oily my lips are from all the chicken goodness!!!

BUT..

If you are HENRY CAVILL or CHRIS HEMSWORTH, disregard that statement above. Yes that photo is FOR YOU.

And it tastes like chicken...

EW!

Oh yeah! We love sucking chickens dry! 

The dogs will be angry with this picture... Sorry no leftovers for you doggies!

My husband wanted to show his oily lips as well...

Yes Zorayda Sanchez or Chewbacca ... that's for you.

Kidding! Ha ha ha ha!

Again, I am left behind eating.

Maybe I am not really a slow eater... Maybe I just love cherishing, relishing, enjoying (that's Thesaurus for you) the lip-smacking chicken that is from JT'S MANUKAN GRILLE!

And that is my honest excuse.

I am sure your balikbayan relatives/friends will do the same thing. They might miss their flight though. :P

Let's EAT!

JT’s Manukan Grille
Valencia corner Granada Streets, San Juan
721-9025