King Bee Chinese Restaurant, Marcos Hiway

Merienda Cena at King Bee again! 2nd time this week.

Happy Chinese New Year!!!

***

Cold Cuts / Php 350

A must in every Chinese meal!

(I only ate the chicken and the century eggs.)

Three kinds of sauces.

***

Pork Siomai / Php 90

Son's favorite dimsum.

Yang Chow Fried Rice / Php 220

This is my favorite dish, as if you didn't know. 

***

Peking Duck served two ways

First - Peking Duck Crepes

(I was wondering why there was an empty space in the middle of the plate.

Aha!  They forgot the hoisin sauce. ... The restaurant was full because it's 

the first day of the Chinese New Year.)

Second Way - Fried with Salt and Pepper and bits of 

hot chopped chili.  The boys loved this. 

 If the boys like it, I like it too. But I won't eat this.

***

Fresh Buko Juice / Php 60

Son's favorite drink. 

Complimentary Tea for me

Hubby's beer / Php 65

... with Son at back, probably hating me for taking this picture.

hee hee hee

********

Had dessert at home.

Conti's Tiramisu for dessert

This cake was given by Dr. Tinali as an early birthday gift.

Thanks Ma'am Tinali. Love this cake soooo much!

********

/ chicsanders 2014

恭禧發財

The Black Pig Charcuterie, Bar & Restaurant, Alabang

The Black Pig Charcuterie, Bar & Restaurant

2/F The Commercenter Alabang, Commerce Ave. corner East Asia Dr., 

Filinvest, Muntinlupa City

***

Several renowned celebrated prominent food bloggers recently wrote highly favorable commendatory reviews about this restaurant.  Since The Black Pig is at the same building where Dr. R's clinic is located, I decided to have my first birthday dinner treat here with  my good old pals from Dentistry.

Complimentary Bread, Olive Oil & Salted Butter

I tried one of those small breads, but when I 

cut the bread with my fingers, it crumbled.

I didn't eat it.  Didn't taste the baguette nor the butter.

Complimentary Crudites & Mustard Dip

Those vegetables were extremely small and were wilted,

probably overcooked.  I just took a photo.

Charcuterie Board / Php 850

I just had to order this  because it was highly recommended by the bloggers that I follow.

 I really had no plans of eating these preserved meat.   

These paper-thin  (actually.."Japanese paper"-thin) slices of ham did not impress.

... and these were not the same ham served to the bloggers.

How can I be sure these ham are really Iberico or Serrano, or from Spain?

They seem to look like the local Chinese Ham that I buy in Binondo.

Majestic or Adelina's  might even taste better.

***

I ordered five appetizers / starters.

Parmesan Tortellini / Php 280

The tortellini was delicious and I liked the Parmesan Crisps.

But those greens were a bit bitter, so I didn't eat them.

Mackerel & Avocado / Php 240

Can you see the mackerel? Horrible plating.

If it isn't nice to look at, it probably isn't good to eat.

Pork Terrine / Php 300

Son asked what this was. I said it's a terrine.

He said, "It's just like embotido."

Dr Tina said, "galantina".  Had no plans of touching this.

The plating is weird.

Pan Seared Tuna / Php 380

At least this had more "greens". Didn't eat this.

Mushroom Risotto / Php280

I love rice.  Their risotto was creamy and quite tasty.

There is this thin line between al dente and under-cooked.

This was definitely under-cooked.

***

The Main Entrees

Slow Cooked Seabass / Php 560

Can you find the seabass?

Open Ravioli with Quail Egg / Php 380

For this price, they could have at least placed two raviolis. 

Pan Fried Chicken / Php 480

Are you sure this was fried? The chicken looks very pale.

It must have been boiled or steamed. 

Pork Belly & Bone Marrow / Php 480

You get a teaspoon of bone marrow, soggy pork skin

and one raw leaf of bokchoy.  

For 480,  they could at least put the whole bokchoy.

***

The Desserts

Coconut Panacotta / Php 180

Lemon Sorbet to cleanse the palate. Chever, Whatever.

Are you sure there was coconut?

Apple Mille-Feuille / Php 280

Nothing spectacular.

Choco Praline Mousse ? Php 290

You could have at least placed two pieces.

Served on a "broken" plate? Bad idea.

***

The Beer Flight / Php 350

I hope Dr. R liked their beer.

***

I ordered a lot so I can get to taste more dishes.

I was curious again!

The serving portions are too small.

This restaurant is overrated and overpriced.

Too much hype and extravagant praise.

I should stop following those bloggers.

Don't even ask .... 

***

********

/ chicsanders 2014

The Black Olive Cerveseria, Capitol Commons, Kapitolyo, Pasig City

 Red Wine 

The group consumed three bottles of red wine.

Ravioli ... definitely a must try. A bit too much olive oil 

but absolutely delicious. We needed more bread to scrape

off the leftover sauce from the bowl.  

(That is what Italians do, Scarpetta.. the practice of scraping

off every bit of pasta sauce from the bowl using bread.)

When we asked for more complimentary bread, the waitress

said that they only give one serving of complimentary bread.

Say that again please!  There were eight of us. you should have given

four servings of your bread.  Whenever I go to Italianni's, 

Outback or even Cheesecake Factory, they will give you their

special bread every time you ask.

As if your bread is exceptionally good!

Take another look at their bread here.

...and that olive oil dip is tasteless.

***

Pasta ... ordinary. Didn't taste it.

Three Cheese Pizza.  Didn't eat this too.

Ham Cheese & Pineapple Pizza

Too spicy. Too many bits of jalapeno peppers.

Is the ham from Barcelona? Jamon Serrano or Iberico?

 I don't think so. Maybe Majestic or Adelina's. 

***

This is their imported beer tap.

I was here a week ago and was quite impressed with this

contraption.  I wanted to bring the Hubby and Dr R here

because they are beer drinkers. That's why I 

brought the group and reserved a table for 8-10 people.

Only to be disappointed and displeased because

their 'famed' beer tap wasn't working!

... and what's worse is they only had two kinds of imported beers.

 Frustrating. Disappointing. Annoying. Infuriating.

***

What kind of cerveseria is this?

Last time I was here, you didn't have bottled Stella Artois.

B&T Mexican Kitchen has lots of imported beer in their freezer.

and they don't even call their establishment a cerveseria.

A cerveseria with a broken beer tap!

***

Don't even ask if we'll ever go back.

********

King Bee Chinese Restaurant, Marcos Hiway

King Bee Chinese Restaurant

Marcos Hiway

Complimentary Hot Tea

Canton & Bihon Pancit Guisado / Php 230

Peking Duck / Php 850

First Way

Second Way

***

Hubby and I came from Marikina to buy an ultrasound machine

for my physical therapy.  Oh yes,  I may not look like I need

physical rehab,  but I do.  At least I don't use my cane anymore.

I'm not that old huh. Just a little bit handicapped. That doesn't stop

 me from going out and eating out (not much eating really). 

I order a lot of food which I don't really eat. heeheehee

Anyway, Hubby and I had our merienda cena at King Bee.

We  usually go to Causeway for our Chinese meals because

it's on the way .. (overused) ... This time, King Bee was nearer.

[I'd probably not go to Causeway for now, for a long while.

It's Daddy General's favorite restaurant and I miss him.]

It's almost Chinese New Year and around this time last year, or 

was it the other year when I was in a quest for the elusive

Peking Duck.  There was bird flu then and no ducks were 

served, not even local ducks.  ... No bird flu now.

***

The Hubby at King Bee

Isn't he King B for me?

If he's King, then I'm Queen. Illusionada!

***

/ chicsanders 2014

Sophie's Mom, Tuscany at McKinley Hill, Taguig City

Sophie's Mom

Breads .. Got the Sourdough

10 pieces for Php 60... reasonably priced!

Mini Spanish Bread / Php 150 ... What? 

That's the most common and cheapest kind of bread 

 you can buy at any corner bakery.

Oh.. this isn't a panaderia, but an upscale bakery

at McKinley.  O well....

Cashew Tuile Cookies / Php 150

These cookies are crisp thin and super delish!

Red Velvet Cake / Php 850

I'll try this next time.

Outdoor Seating

Kouign Amann / Php55

Now this is really a disappointment.

It can never be at par with Brasserie Cicou's Kouign Amann.

Just my two cents unsolicited advice...

don't make this in your bakery anymore. 

Cheesecake Brownie Cupcake / Php 65

Now this cupcake made up for the earlier disappointment.

***

********

/ chicsanders 2014