TOSH The Old Spaghetti House

TOSH's Dessert Sampler

No dear, we didn't start our meal with dessert.

This just looks so pretty, I placed it first.

Oriental Salad, Part of the Trio

Two kinds of Spaghetti.

The first one is part of the Oriental Trio. 

The next one is the Tinapa White Sauce Spaghetti.

Thin Crust Pizza, also part of the Oriental Trio

Glazed Chicken Breast with Java Rice, my dinner.

Got two of these Blackened Fish Fillet.

One for Batman and the other for Robin. 

The braised spare ribs ... with freshly steamed java rice, 

for the travel buddy who loves to shop and forgets hunger

when at the mall.

Our desserts which the five travel buddies shared.

We only finished the ice cream and brought home the cookie 

and brownie base.  Chocolate heaven!

Their coffee... coffelicious!

The Dessert Sampler again!

How come they are so much bigger when the restaurateur 

travel buddy orders this.

Whenever I get this sampler in their other branch, those cake slices

are half the size. ... Hmmmmm... favoritism?

hehehehe ... just kidding!

Don't you just love Tosh? They always have new dishes in their menu.

********

Shall I return? Of course!  But in their Marikina branch because

The Block at SM North is quite far from where I live.

.. and thanks to our restaurateur friend for this delicious dinner.

Thanks too for footing the bill!

Love love love IT!!!

/ chicsanders 2013

Binulo, Clark, Angeles, Pampanga

Shrimp Okoy

Can never get enough of this crunchy Shrimp Okoy.

Crispy shrimp on a bed of fried sweet potato.

Love this!!!

Corn Soup (good for 4 ladies)... sili leaves.

A delicious rich creamy 'corny' soup from Binulo.

Pako Salad ...  my friends enjoyed these salads.

I don't really like eating salads. 

But if it is good enough for the travel buddies, it is great for me.

Sizzling Sisig .. sisig originated from Pampanga.

A sure winner!!!

Fried Lumpiang Ubod

Fried Itik .. i like this fried quail but the girls didn't :(

Kalderetang Kambing... this is awesome rich,thick 'sosy'... 

saucy goat stew!  i just poured the sauce on my steaming white rice.

I didn't eat the red meat!

Binulo Rice ... process of cooking inside the bamboo is called BINULO.

Crispy Pata

Tibok tibok ... Pampanga's native dessert.

Turon and Ube Ice Cream

You can never go wrong with anything sweet.

Love the turon, plantains wrapped in very thin pastry, 

sweetend with sugar and deep fried to a crispy goodness!

Goodness gracious ... there goes the glucometer sound ,   ... ERR

Yikes!

********

Had lunch at Binulo with the travel buddies twice this month

I just love this restaurant. We will definitely be back again and again and again!

********

/ chicsanders 2013

Outback Steakhouse, Quezon City

Outback Steakhouse

Complimentary Bread & Butter

I am not a steak eater, but I am always here at Outback.

Two reasons, it is five minutes away from where I live; 

and... I love their bread. I guess it is pumpernickel bread. 

Just like one of the complimentary  breads served at Cheesecake Factory.

I hope I am right. Whatever it is, I just love it so much! 

Buffalo Wings with Ranch Dip

Outback Burger

I love the fries more than the burger.

Caesar Salad with Shrimps

A Lunch Special, Pork Chop and Veggies

Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast with Mashed Potatoes

a Mojito

Of course ..... a cheesecake!

The only way, the best way to end or start any meal.

********

/ chicsanders 2013

Cafe Mediterranean, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell

Baklava Php 80

Baklava is a sweet dessert made of layers of phyllo filled with chopped 

nuts, (pistachio or almonds) and sweetened with syrup or honey.

The first time I tasted this delicious pastry was in 1994. 

My mother brought home a huge box of baklava, 

about the size of a family pizza.  

She ordered it from a specialty shop in Chicago.

I never forgot that rich awesome sweet Mediterranean treat

and have always craved for it.  

This baklava isn't as rich as the one my mom brought home,

but it will do, for now.....

Tabouleh  Php 120

... is a Levantine Arab salad traditionally made of bulgur, tomatoes, 

cucumbers, finely chopped parsley, mint, onion and garlic, 

and seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and salt.

I am not sure if I tasted the bulgur in this salad. 

Guess I have to try it again, next time.

Hummus  Php 115

..... is a Middle Eastern and Arabic food dip or spread made from cooked,

 mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and garlic.

Son just loves hummus.  I usually add some of the garlic and yogurt sauce

to add a little more flavor.  

Chicken Gyro Php 100

Lamb Gyro Php 195

The first time I tasted gyro was in 1985, in Riyadh.  

Hubby and I worked as dental assistants at the 

King Saud University, College of Dentistry.

We were new graduates of dentistry then.

These gyros pale in comparison with the real gyros in the Kingdom.

Maybe someday I'll be able to go back to the Middle East and 

just feast on their gyros, lamb kebabs, hummus, falafel, baklava ....

Spicy Pork Php 310

Moroccan Mint Tea  Php 80

.... a perfect beverage to wash down the spicy garlicky taste

from our palates.

********

There are three restaurants that we frequent whenever we are at the Power Plant.

That's Kulinarya, Banana Leaf and Cafe Mediterranean.

We shall be back.   Next time I'll insist on eating only cheesecakes

at Espressamente and Halohalo at Milky Way.

********

/ chicsanders 2013

Elias, Robinson's Magnolia

Queso de Bola Cheesecake

The best way to start a meal is with dessert, Queso de Bola Cheesecake.

The Son, who doesn't really like cakes and pastries, shared this cheesecake

with me.  We almost finished the whole slice and

 had to  restrain ourselves from eating more. 

 The cheesecake was creamy, soft, rich, savory, delectable and 

Queso de Bola "cheesy".  It's base was made from oats, which gave it a different texture, 

a little bite, not soggy, not crunchy.  If we hadn't ordered too much, 

I would have gotten another slice of this awesome goodness.

[Mga sawsawan, patis, suka,  toyo, kalamansi at siling labuyo.]

Condiments, fish sauce, vinegar, soy sauce, local lemon (calamondin) and chili peppers.

Sizzling Tofu ...  was a bit of a disappointment, 

because it wasn't sizzling when it got to the table.

The waiter explained that the sauce would burn if it sizzled.

Hmmmm ...  isn't that  why you sizzle something?

People love the burnt texture at the bottom and would often scrape

these dark golden goodness off the sizzling plate.

Grilled Squid ... Son and Hubby love squid. I don't eat squid 

because it is tough and again, I feel like a savage gnashing on tough meat. 

Crispy Catfish (Hito) with coconut milk sauce. A sure winner!

Love this so much!

Pinakbet.  It had a a few pieces of crispy liempo on top which the Son likes.

This was alright but, Gerry's Pinakbet is tastier and cheaper. 

Our change, my credit card and the receipt were inside the 

belly of this wooden quail. I asked the waiter if they sold these quails 

at the restaurant. He said that most customers ask the same question.

O well.... it was cute though.

********

I love Filipino food, second to Chinese fried rice...

We will be back.

/ chicsanders 2013