How to Make Fried Pork Crispy - Crispy Fried Pork Recipe

I have not been able to write for a long time already. I haven't even finished the Davao City posts. I've been ery busy lately I don't have the energy to write. But for today, I'm going to post a very simple recipe. This is how you make very crispy fried pork. Then I'll include three choices of dressing.

Ingredients:

1/2 kilo of pork liempo (bacon-thin liempo)
2 cups of flour
1/2 cup milk powder
2 - 3 small sachets of seasoning mix
oil

1. Cut the bacon-thin pork liempo into 2 - 3 slices. By the way, you have to have it cut bacon-thin at the market because they have machines to do this. You cannot do this unless you also have your own meat slicer.
2. Dip the pork slices in the flour, milk and seasoning mixture.
3. Put the pork slices in the refrigerator for an hour or two. This is to make sure that the flour mixture will stick on the pork and not on the pan.    
4. Deep fry.

Dressing 1
Cream Dip
Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose cream
1 chicken cube
2 pieces calamansi

1. Pulverize the chicken cube.
2. Mix the powder into the all purpose cream.
3. Squeeze calamansi into the mixture.

Dressing 2
Soy Sauce - Oregano Dip
Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
5 pieces calamansi
5 pieces of fresh oregano leaves

1. Squeeze calamansi into the soy sauce
2. Pound fresh oregano leaves and extract the juice.
3. Add oregano extract to the mixture.

Dressing 3
Sweet Vinegar Dip
Ingredients
1/2 cup cane vinegar
4 tablespoons of buko (young coconut) juice
1 small red onion

1. Mix cane vinegar and buko juice.
2. Chop onion into small pieces.
3. Add the onions into the mixture.

Grand Men Seng Hotel - Davao City, Philippines

Remembersome weeks ago I listed down several restaurants in Davao City that I'd love to visit. There were I think 14 of them. Unfortunately I was able to visit only 2. But don't worry  because I was able to visit others. I'll start with Grand Men Seng. It is actually a hotel in Davao City. We didn't eat in their restaurant but  we attended an event in one of their function rooms. Naturally food was served. I'm not really sure how each dish is called but I know there's pancit, chicken cooked chinese styke, then I think there's beef, and sweet and sour fish. There's vegetable salad and fruit salad plus an assortment of pastries. I love the pancit and the chicken. I also liked the fish fillet. The beef was good also but I didn't get to eat much. Oh and the soup was great. Crab and corn. Here are some pictures.

DAVAO CITY - Here I Come? (part 2)

When I wrote DAVAO CITY - Here I come? (Part 1) last week, I was really very excited. If you'll notice I wrote a lot of restaurants, coffee shops and eat all you can venues to visit. It's going to be my first time in Davao so I got excited. I know there will be a lot of things I could feature in this blog from Davao. But yesterday I realized I am going to Davao for business and not for pleasure. I am going there (tomorrow) to attend a convention and not to go around and look for food to write about. Besides, I am going there courtesy of the company I work for. Yes I am not spending for the plane ride, hotel and registration fee. It's not my money I am using so I better focus on the things I was asked to do lest I put the company's money to waste. 

So what does this mean? Well I think I'll just have to squeeze in my food/restaurant hunting into my schedule. I think I could find time in the evening to do this. However, since time is limited (and budget as well since for this I will be spending my own haha), I would have to trim down the list. Maybe I'll stick with just three or four. 

I think one of the places I shouldfn't miss is Jack's Ridge. They food is great but the ambiance is even better. When you are there you'll get a good view of the whole of Davao City. I just wonder I could get even a glimpse of Samal Island.

Then I'll also have to try Crepelato. It's a local crepe shop so I shouldn't miss it. And of course I need to try the local coffee shop called Caffee Firenzo. 

Davao City! See you tomorrow.  

DAVAO CITY - Here I Come?

I will be in Davao for 5 days next week. Naturally, my goal is to try as many  restaurants, coffee shops, dessert bars, etc. as I can. Unfortunately, I will be there for a seminar so I'm sure I could only try a few. But anyway, I asked a few friends about places they would recommend for me to visit. Here are some of them.

Restos

1. Jack's Ridge. This is what many of my friends recommended. I don't know why but it seems famous in Davao City. It's supposed to be on a high location with a great view of the city.
2. Coco's grill. This one was recommended for the lechon.
3. Spirale. A friend said she had a great time here. I asked what they offer but she can't remember. She just knows she had fun there.
4. Pablo's Steaks and Crabs. You could what the restaurant is known for, right? I was told the food is price-y.
5. Yellow Fin Seafood Restaurant. They must have great tuna dishes.
6. Tiny Kitchen. Same story with Spirale but from a different friend. (What's wrong with my friends? haha)
7. Tadakuma. Being a lover of Japanese food, I had to ask for a Japanese resto in Davao. This is what was recommended.
8. Leafy Green Things. One of my companions is always on a diet. She likes salads so i asked if there's a salad bar in Davao City. Honestly, I was not expecting there is one. But there is one.
9. Crepelato. My friend who is always on a diet also loves dessert. (Shhhh.....she wouldn't admit!) I asked for a local dessert place and I was told about this one.
10. Caffe Firenzo. Would I forget to ask for a coffee shop? Of course not! So here's a local coffee shop for us to try.

Since this blog is named eat all you can, I also asked for restaurants with eat all you can or buffet offerings. Here are 4 of them.

1. Cafe Marco. This is of course at the Marco Polo Hotel.
2. Entree. This is at the Apo View Hotel.
3. Tita D's. This is in downtown Davao. I asked for a cheap buffet because I know those in hotels are very expensive. I was told there are a lot of these cheap ones.
4. CTres. Not as cheap as Tita D's but not as expensive as Cafe Marco and Entree.

I  listed down 14 places to visit in Davao City. I wish I could visit at least half of them. Haisst. Little time and small budget. Haha. Wish me luck guys. I'll post my reviews the soonest.

CHA A - Vegetarian Restaurant

I was at Robinson's Place Manila a few days ago and I passed by this vegetarian restaurant that I know I've tried before. It think it had another name before but I am not too sure. It underwent renovation, that I am positive about. Anyway, I was on a rather tight budget and seeing that they offer something as low as P 89 for 2 viands I, without second thoughts, got in.

For that small amount you get a cup of rice and two dishes from among a wide selection they have. I chose adobo with mushroom and asado. Again, they serve only vegetarian food so the meat for the adobo and asado are just make believe meat.

The asado did taste like asado. It was sweet. I do not like sweet food very much but I must say I enjoyed this one.The adobo didn't taste anything like adobo. But I also liked it. Just forget that it is an adobo imitation and you'll enjoy it too.

adobo with mushroom

asado

I wonder how they make those meat-looking stuff using vegetables. They even have barbecue on their menu.

What I'm thinking about is whether vegetarians are into eating meat looking food or do they prefer vegetables that do not pretend that they are something else? I mean if you are a vegetarian, don't you get disgusted with anything that looks like meat?

Anyway, this vegetarian restaurant is called CHA A. It's at the ground floor near Bread Talk and Razon's. Check it out.

Stoops Ilocos Bagnet and JT Manukan in Makati

Last Monday, my friends and I decided to eat at JT Manukan along Malugay St. in Makati because we wanted to eat something good yet affordable. We've been to this place several times already and we usually order a lot. I usually order 1 quarter chicken inasal and 3 sticks of baticulon (spell check!). My friends usually order the same.

Side story:

[In one of our previous visits I saw Stoops Bagnet restaurant beside JT Manukan. I wanted Ilocos bagnet so I asked the waiter at JT if I could order next door. I figured they would allow me because my friends are ordering from JT anyway. The waiter allowed me. Yehey! He even offered to order for me although I declined.]

Going back to Monday's visit: When we got in I immediately asked the waiter if I could order bagnet at Stoops but i informed him I will also order sticks of baticulon. (I usually ask things like this to be sure that I wont be put in an awkward situation later on.) He said yes then he followed it with "Ay, teka lang, sir! Itatanong ko kung pwede." (Just a moment, sir! I'll  ask if that is allowed.)

Another guy came to our table. He was wearing a different uniform from the rest so he is probably a manager or a supervisor. Anyway, I told him the same things I told the waiter. He said it is not allowed. I asked why. He couldn't answer at once. Then after a while he said they had an experience before when someone brought in bagnet and only ordered rice from them. I asked if they didn't order anything else. He said not. In my mind I knew he was lying. Why would somebody do that? Do they serve very special rice at JT that somebody would do that? He was lying just to  give an excuse for his decision.

My friend got irritated so she suggested we go to Stoops instead.

At Stoops I ordered spicy bagnet meal. The bagnet meal (P 90) consists of spicy bagnet, fried rice and a side dish. I got KKB or Kamatis, Kangkong and Bagoong. I also ordered dinengdeng (P 30).


I love their bagnet (both the regular and the spicy variety). It really tastes like the bagnet from Ilocos. And the dinengdeng is also flavorful. Hmmm.

The store is small. It is air-conditioned. Some of the food already cooked like the dinengdeng, binagoongan, igado. Others are cooked upon ordering like the Ilocos bagnet and daing na bangus (this is yummy as well). The set up is like a clean carenderia.

The restroom is clean. The floor is clean. The tables are small but you can join tables for big groups.

Creamy Macaroni Soup Recipe

Here is a simple recipe for preparing macaroni soup which I learned from my father. It is easy to prepare so I'm sure you'll love to do it for your loved ones. It is also good to serve if you are on a tight budget.


                                          CREAMY MACARONI SOUP

Ingredients:

• 250 g - 300 g elbow macaroni
• 1/2 k chicken OR pork - shredded boiled chicken OR  ground pork
• 3 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 medium sized onion (minced)
• 1 large carrot(cubed)
• 1 medium sized lettuce (shredded)
• 2 cups evaporated milk
• salt
• pepper

Procedure:

1. Saute garlic and onion over medium heat.
2. Add shredded chicken OR ground pork. 
3. Stir until the chicken or pork fat comes out.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Add chicken broth and 5 cups of water. (If you are using pork, pour 8 cups of water.)
6. Add the macaroni and carrots. Let the liquid boil until the pasta is cooked.
7. Pour in the evaporated milk. Stir.
8. Add the lettuce and simmer for about a minute.

There are other ingredients that you can add to make it more special. Some of these ingredients are green bell pepper, corn kernels, liver, boiled egg and celery.