Don't you just feel like Buzz Lightyear sometimes? ... Let me tell you about the Buckies.

It's half past two.

I'm fully awake

and

I totally agree with Buzz!

Might as well blog about something to while away the time

lest I become one of them

***

Guess what this is....

Is it a brownie?

A cookie?

Or a chocolate cake?

None of the above.

It's called BUCKIES.

I was at Connie's Kitchen in New Manila

and I saw these rectangular dark chocolate buckies

being sold for forty five pesos each.

It has a slightly crunchy outer layer and a chewy fudgy center.

It tastes like a dark chocolate brownie, but it's not a brownie...

and it's not bitter,  not sweet either, with a teeny weeny taste of salt.

Hey ...The 'curious cat' didn't get killed this time.

Gotta get some shut eye!

... 

Good morning Manila!!!

Merienda Cena on a Sunday at Panciteria Lido

House of Pugon Roasted Asado since 1936

Panciteria Lido

***

Merienda Cena at Panciteria Lido.

Actually, it's our early dinner. I was  used to eating before 630 pm, right after 

praying the Angelus during my younger years. My Nanay would feed us

as soon as we got home from school,  shortly after sunset,

so we can do HW and sleep early.  But when Nanay got older and I 

took over the kitchen, I'd have to set the table and serve dinner exactly at 6

 or even a bit earlier, so Nanay can take her diabetes  medications.

I remember my Dad complaining, saying ... "Maaga pa!" Hahaha

***

One lazy Sunday afternoon, we had merienda cena at Panciteria Lido.

We usually eat lunch here after a weekend in  Fontana.

Gulaman at Sago, perfect for a humid Sunday afternoon.

For starters,  Lumpiang Shanghai ...  I like spring rolls,

who doesn't? 

Kikiam ... okay naman.

Beef Broccoli with Tausi

Tofu Hotpot

Panciteria Lido's Famous Pugon Roasted Asado

Son loves this dish!

Long life - fat noodles ... lomi, which the Hubby likes.

There should be rice ...Yang Chow Fried Rice.

... and who belongs to this ??? Meeeee ... hee hee hee

***

This pagoda-topped box of the delivery motorcycle is really CUTE!

***

Phoenix Court, The Bellevue Hotel, Alabang

Phoenix Court at The Bellevue

Alabang

***

Dimsum All You Can

Php 650 ++

Just some of the dimsum served ...

***

These are the ones I ate ...

Chicken Congee with Century Egg

I requested for the century egg.

Siopao Asado, ang sarap nito

I don't remember the name of this one,

I had a piece and it was quite delicious, 

but I removed the garlic on top.

***

Roasted Crispy Liempo

According to Dr. Bubut, this is the specialty of Phoenix Court.

It isn't part of the buffet but we got probably 3 or 4 plates of this

Roasted Crispy Liempo.  It was lean,  (there was hardly any fat, perfectly

fried and very crispy! They served it with  mustard.

I love mustard more than ketchup but for this dish, hoisin sauce would

be the better and preferred dipping sauce.

***

I wasn't able to take a photo of the hakaw.

Every time the waiter brings hakaw,

they would just disappear from the table

and I never got the chance to take a photo.

But the hakaw at Phoenix Court is the best that I've had.

Stuffed with probably 3 -4 shrimps inside each hakaw.

Dr. Bubut said it's loaded with "shrimps on steroids".

Our desserts and butchi ( no picture)

Sayang, the butchi was also superbly delicious.

Not too sweet. Filled with a lot of purple yams.

Very thin outer layer.  Fried in fresh oil, no rancid taste.

A perfect sweet ending.

***

Dentistry People

Good to see old school mates.

Welcome back Dr Angge! It's always great to see you.

What started as a get together of some '83 friends

with Ma'am Tinali and Tita Angel 

turned out to be a reunion of Class '81.

Belated Happy Birthday Ma'am Tinali

and Advance Happy Birthday Tita Angel !!!

***

Lobby of The Bellevue

Shrimp & Squid Karekare

Shrimp & Squid Karekare

***

Ingredients:

White Shrimps  500 g.

Squid 500 g.

Pechay 500 g.

Stringbeans 250 g.

Garlic (minced) 1 tsp.

White Onion (chopped) 1 piece

Cooking Oil  2 Tbsp.

Peanut Butter 1 cup

Salt Sugar Pepper 

MSG (optional)

***

Procedure:

Saute the garlic and the onion in oil.  

Add the squid, then the shrimps. Remove from the pan and set aside.

In the same pan, cook the string beans first. Set aside.

Then cook the pechay.

Arrange the first four ingredients neatly on a serving dish.

Add a cup of water in the pan.

Once it boils, add the peanut butter.

Season with salt, sugar and pepper. 

Pour the karekare sauce over the shrimps, squid and veggies.

Serve with bagoong and rice.

***

***

I miss cooking and baking. Didn't do a lot of cooking during the summer

because it was extremely hot in our kitchen.   Thanks to my crock pots

(Btw, I have four slow cookers in different sizes.)

and the Son who did most of the cooking.  I've taught him how to cook his 

favorite dishes ... sinigang na baboy, nilagang baka, spicy pork chops and chicken.

When I asked the Son what he wanted for lunch, he said, "Karekare... Seafood."

"Okay...  Sige ... maggrocery  ka!"  

I guess I have to try cooking Seafood Karekare using the crock pot.

Para siya na rin ang magluto!

Hee hee hee !!!

***

That was lunch. Only the Son had lunch.
But I set the table for three.
Why not?

Three Sisters, Capitolyo Drive, Pasig

Three Sisters,  Capitolyo Drive, Pasig City

***

Pork Barbecue Meal

Grilled Liempo Meal

Chicken Barbecue Meal

***

A late morning meal that is eaten instead of breakfast or lunch 

is called brunch. Then, what is a late afternoon meal that is eaten

instead of lunch or dinner? We call it 'merienda cena'.

 I searched the web for the English translation of merienda cena

and it's high tea. 

What is high tea?

I drink tea with Chinese meals and rarely

take it with sandwiches and pastries, but

I did enjoy taking tea at  Raffles Hotel once 

 and at TWG.

What we usually eat during our merienda cenas

are heavy meals, main entrees, served with rice, pancit or pasta.

For Filipinos, that English translation "high tea" for merienda cena

is nowhere near what we often serve and eat on

our midafternoon snacks, or late lunches and early dinners.

I was craving for chicken barbecue one weekend and 

Three Sisters serves all sorts of barbecue.

so we had our merienda cena here, 

that's early dinner or late lunch. 

I just wish I brought the barbecue sauce from Aristocrat with me.

 That chicken barbecue would have been perfect.

There will be a next time! 

Seoul Garden, All You Can Eat Korean Buffet

***

Grill and Hot Pot

***

Starters

***

Sweet Endings

***

The waiter stopped me from taking photos.

The following are just some of the photos taken by my nephew.

***

I like going to buffets.  

My reasons:

It spares me the task of reading through the extensive choices

on the menu and ordering for everybody.

Guests are given the freedom to choose from a wide variety 

of foods, from starters, entrees to desserts.

I know exactly how much I need to pay at the end of the meal.

We get to eat what we want and as much we want.