THE HALL PASS

Donna and I were asked to prepare for last night's dinner. Just like any other task, this was a.s.ap. coz' my dad was supposed to be home early and my mom won't be able to cook. So, we hopped on to SM Hypermarket and bought us Roast Chicken in Lemongrass and Pata Hamon (that's ham-cured pork leg, btw) at the rotisserie and got us veggies for our sides. Anyways, I wanted to share this quick, simple recipe for Boiled Vegetables which our labandera , Aling Estring taught us. I think it's a recipe similar to the Ilocano Dinengdeng or Inabraw , without the bagoong . Simple fare, really, but it goes well with any fried, dried food, fish, beef, pork or poultry. The veg-flavored broth makes for a nutricious starter and the boiled veggies a terrific side dish. It's perfect for pouring over a plate of hot rice. Bebert and Donna's Va-Va Veggie Ingredients: Any Pinakbet set from the grocery, just set aside the ampalaya for another dish. Or... Eggplant, 1 piece, sliced ...

Whew... Okay, it's been some time again since my last post. Pardon me folks 'coz I've had quite a ride the past few weeks. Balik-Greenhills I've recently taken a renovation project in a townhouse near my old office in Greenhills. Working there after almost 2 years felt surreal, parang nasa Questor ulit. I'd sometimes have my meals at one of our old haunts, Jollibee. I miss Sou Zhou Restaurant and it's Steamed Garlic Beef. It's a piece of brisket that's thinly-sliced and sprinkled generously with fresh garlic and dipped in a hoisin-style sauce. Best eaten with Sou Zhou's Yang Chow Fried Rice. Great, it's 12:20 in the morning and now I'm craving for Chinese food. Another one of our more frequently-eaten restaurants in the area is the Pescadore Grill at A. Mabini St. I recall that it was, more or less, the place to go to after hitting the gym along Luna Mencias St. Our favorite food, or to be more precise, the food that fits our burgeoning bud...