Friday, May 18, 2012

Vancouver May 2012

I decided to stop over at Vancouver before my May in Memphis 2012 cooking event for a couple of reasons, one, to get over my jet lag and another, my wife and I miss our daughter Ali, a university student in Canada. Among my children, it is Ali who takes after me when it comes to food. We both like discovering new dishes and we both lack the self-control for going back for seconds and thirds of anything delicious. Having said that, as soon as we met, we went straight to doing what we do best together - eating.

YUKO MAKI - After my first bite, I realized that after being away from Vancouver for a while, I unconsciously got used to the quality of sashimi in Manila and have forgotten all about the superior quality of the fresh fish in Beautiful British Columbia. My wife, daughter and I went to one of our favorite Japanese restaurants. We ordered the usual starters, a combination of thick cuts of Sockeye salmon and BC tuna, these sashimi melt in your mouth! The BC Tuna is like biting into a Toro Sashimi and the salmon sashimi is cut thickly and it's so fresh and succulent it makes you want to jump up and down. Along with a generous portion of wasabi in your Kikkoman soy sauce, it surely made our eyes water, we were teary eyed with pure delight! The Dynamite Dragon roll and the Bento Box 2 with Terriyaki chicken and yam sushi is also a favorite here. I missed having family meals here. All of a sudden I miss the rest of my chldren.









PURDY'S - is a popular Canadian chocolatier that serves a to-die-for Hedgehogs chocolate. These are little hedgehog shaped milk chocolate morsels stuffed with hazelnut cream. But what I absolutely cannot resist at PURDY'S is their ice cream bar of rich sinfully fattening vanilla ice cream dipped in thick Belgian chocolate and then quickly coated in chopped almonds just before the chocolate hardens! I could easily have two of these but my daughter and I decided to be good this time and we both agreed to have one each only. We were both humming our way to meet my wife who was at a health food store undoubtedly looking at some vitamins for me to lose some weight.




Monday, May 14, 2012

Memphis in May 2012

Memphis SALUTE'S THE PHILIPPINES!

I'm really excited about participating in Memphis' May Festival 2012! I'm presenting a menu that will hopefully surprise the Memphians. It's going to be fun! I also can't wait to drop by Graceland. I'll post photos.






Sunday, May 13, 2012

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers everywhere!

“Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise— “that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” 
Ephesians :2-3

Friday, May 11, 2012

Cooking Demo at 55 EVENTS PLACE

I'll be at a cooking demonstration to day at 55 EVENTS PLACE on Scout Rallos Street on Timog, Tomas Morato in Quezon City from 3pm-5pm. Drop by!


Saturday, April 21, 2012

TV: Kitchen Confidence with Sandy Daza

Launching my new TV cooking show: Kitchen Confidence with Sandy Daza. It's first airing is on April 28, Saturday, 9am on Cignal TV. Watch out for it!


Thursday, April 19, 2012

Another Wooden Spoon review!

What can I say? A foodie is a foodie is a foodie! Thank you very much to Pia of Photograpia.tumblr.com! Your review was awesome! We also thank your mother for craving Pinoy food!

Click on this link to read the review by Pia of Photograpia.tumblr.com on Wooden Spoon!

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Wooden Spoon review by Derdo's Weblog

Another review of Wooden Spoon I stumbled on. Just want to share it and say thank you to Derdo's Weblog for a great review.

Click here to view the review of Wooden Spoon by Derdo's Weblog.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Wooden Spoon Review by 'Table For Three, Please'

Thank you to blogger Paul for a wonderful review. We look forward to your return!




Cookbook available again at NBS

For those who are asking about my cookbook Cooking With Sandy Daza, I just called National Book Store and they have it in stock again. It's P185.00.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

New Tab Above - Wooden Spoon Restaurant

Check out the new TAB above - [Wooden Spoon Restaurant]. You can view the menu there.

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Wooden Spoon Now Serving



I've got a new toy! If you are in the Katipunan Avenue area in Quezon City, Wooden Spoon Filipino restaurant is on "Soft Opening" mode. Come check it our! Everything seems to be going smoothly. My new staff is getting used to the routine and the waiters are excited to serve. We're open from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm, we're open everyday except Mondays. Wooden Spoon is located at #329 Katipunan Ave., Quezon City. We're across from Ateneo and Miriam College, in between BO's Coffee and Ilocos Empanada. See you there! Wooden Spoon has a Facebook Page too http://www.facebook.com/WoodenSpoonRestaurant

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Wooden Spoon is my new Filipino restaurant that will open on Katipunan Avenue, Quezon City. It is across from Ateneo de Manila. It is a restaurant that will serve Pinoy dishes that are not common to most. Dishes such as Dinakdakan (Ilocano inihaw na kilawin na... basta masarap), Stuffed Pechay, Crab Pancit, at marami pang ibang masasarap. I am excited about this and I think that you will be too. Happy Eating!


Thursday, February 23, 2012

Korean fried chicken is all the rage

         Mikee and Ria had just arrived from New York City. All they talked about was where and what they ate and what was new and popular in the city. Captivated, I listened as my mind transported itself to the streets of New York imagining these items making waves in the Big Apple. One of the dishes they mentioned was a Fried Chicken that caused a long queue of diners. Bon Chon Chicken is a Korean fried chicken that is deep fried twice then tossed in a sweet and mildly spicy sauce. Mikee believed in this new craze so much, he contemplated on getting a franchise and opening one in Vancouver where he and Ria reside.
       As always, word of this new craze spread like wildfire reaching as far as Manila. And like many products that are a hit abroad, they get duplicated. I recall driving along the main road of BF ParaƱaque on my way to Hanakazu, the best Japanese restaurant outside a hotel. My eye caught sight of a Korean restaurant offering a crispy fried chicken also with a glazed sauce coating. This was way before I had heard of this Korean specialty. I remember the pictures of the place looked so appetizing, I had to buy a few pieces just to taste. It was good, but it wasn’t something I would crave for. It was similar to a crispy chicken dish I once watched chef Henry Chiong of Good Earth Tea room prepare in a cooking demo. Now that dish was good.
       A few years after, many versions of this Korean specialty, like mushrooms have sprouted all over the metropolis, all claiming to be the best version. One opened along Jupiter street in Makati; taste was okay but it looked like a home cooked fried chicken. Then another opened in Banawe street in Quezon City. Charlie’s also has the same concept. Also good but I guess because deep-frying tends to make a dish oily, I can only have a few. Then another opened along Katipunan across Ateneo. I have never tried it but my nephew and upcoming young film director Gio Puyat raves about it.
      One day, I got a call from one of my fellow culinary addicts and buddy JP Paz. Like me, he tries all these places that have been trying to duplicate Bon Chon chicken. Four Fingers is in SM North Edsa. It also has the same characteristics as all the rest but there are two things that draw me to this version. It is a hit in Singapore, and even after having it when it is no longer hot and fresh, the morsels were still crispy. The very next day, I drove all the way to SM. I had just had lunch but I was so intrigued, I just had to try it.
       The place looks like your typical fast food joint, bright and neat. Their specialty? Crispy fried chicken like all the rest, legs and wings. The chicken is served in a tin lunch box container with some rice. It seems that once the chicken is fried until crispy, instead of tossing the chicken in some sauce, they brush the sauce over it. Interesting. Four Fingers has 2 kinds of sauce. I got the more popular soy garlic sauce. A spicy version is also available but I’ll try that some other time. One other thing I noticed, the layer of crispy coating is light and not as thick as their competitors'. In a dish like this, a major factor is the texture. Among all those I've tried, this is the best.
         I enjoyed the Four Fingers chicken so much I brought an 8 piece order and a sandwich home. One cannot imagine how my growing boys eat. I have two of them, Franco and Arturo. I had barely set the food before them when right before my eyes I watched the food turn into bones and the sandwich just disappeared! They took after their dad. 
        This reaction I would say is an amusing gauge for the quality of this dish. There are other items on the menu, calamari and shrimp, Katsu Chicken sandwich and a Kimchi coleslaw were the ones that caught my attention.
        Whenever, I have a craving for this Korean specialty, I know where to find what to me is the best.  
        FOUR FINGERS is in SM North EDSA beside National Book Store.
        If you are around the Pasig area on a weekend, checkout Il Mercanti's Market, 6 am to 2 pm every Saturday and Sunday at the parking lot of Metrowalk.
        HAPPY EATING!

Thursday, February 2, 2012

Ni Hao Ma? Chinese Food anyone?

For those of you craving for good Chinese food, check out my article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer today at the Lifestyle section. You can also read it online through the link in the Word Of Mouth Philippine Daily Inquirer TAB above. Happy Eating!

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Red Velvet Yogurt!

Have you tried Golden Spoon's Red Velvet Frozen Yogurt? You must. It's so yummy and it tastes even better when you're having it with a loved one. I hear each 4 oz cup is about 25 to 29 calories. I didn't care, it was delicious. When my daughter Danielle gave me a spoonful from her cup I had to get one for myself. I made my wife try it and she took my cup, and the rest of the 25 calories.



Friday, January 13, 2012

Bufffalo Flaming Wings

There is a new chicken wings joint on the block. Check it out-- Flaming Wings, New York Buffalo wings is along Katipunan in White Plains. Call 7381263.

When I was a student in Ithaca, New York, I enjoyed my weekends immensely. I could sleep in and wake up and drive to a street lined with a variety of fast-food joints that I loved patronizing.
At one of the regular places I would visit, I would order a double beef burger plus an additional two orders of fried clams sandwich (without the bun), some fries and sauce tartare on the side. At another joint—KFC, or Kentucky Fried Chicken then—I always ordered an eight-piece dark meat combo. It only offered the regular kind, since the crispy kind hadn’t been invented yet. Once, I asked if they had wings; during those days wings were almost always given away, since they were not part of the menu. Here, the wings were being sold at a cheap 10 cents a piece.... (more through the link below)

You can read more on this restaurant through the Word Of Mouth tab above or click on this link: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/a-new-chicken-wings-place-i-love




This is what I consider as value for money- A delicious and satisfying meal. We were a family of 5, all full and still had some to take home. I think I'll go back there soon.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Happy New Year!


Welcoming the new year with food bingeing–and weight loss... 

 

...New Year's eve at Tali beach was mesmerizing. We dined al fresco. Tonichi, my interior designer par excellence brother-in-law had an impressive table setup of fine linen, crystals, silver and more than two dozen candles in front of the pool. The panoramic view of the ocean, the sound of the surf, the waves, and the bright crescent moon shining its light on the sea was absolutely spellbinding. With a cool breeze carrying mellow Christmas tunes and the people you care for most on this earth with you, what else can beat that?




Our menu consisted of pica-pica food, such as olives stuffed with chorizo, olives stuffed with anchovies, Hamon Serrano, caviar pie, a variety of Spanish cold cuts, and bottles of good red and white wine.

For main, we had toasted chorizo from Terry’s and authentic Spanish Fabada, or baked beans, which were simply outstanding with French bread. There was an assortment of cheeses and grapes, apples and oranges.

Dining outdoors allowed us a front-seat view as we watched two homes from the village exchange a spectacular show of dazzling fireworks that lasted until the wee hours of the morning. At the stroke of midnight, a bottle of champagne popped! Welcome 2012!



My daughter Ali summoning the moon and it's phosphorescence to complete the mood.


You may read more on this story at this link: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/welcoming-the-new-year-with-food-bingeing-and-weight-loss Or click on the Word Of Mouth tab above.