Eats Taiwan: 13 Food We Tried and Enjoyed

Taiwan is a foodie haven.  Food is affordable and the choices are endless.  Here are some of the gastronomic delights that we tried and enjoyed.

1. Hotpot
All the hotpot we've tasted were good. The best we had was in Taipei Huaxi Night Market, very near Longshan Temple.

2. Japanese Cake
They were huge! It was like a pancake sandwich with a thick filling cooked in an iron griddle. Lines to this local fare is almost always long in the night markets.

3. Candied Fresh Strawberries
Fresh strawberries dipped in syrup then plunged to a bowl of water filled with ice, which turned the syrup into a hard candy covering.

4. Fried Milk 
This looks like curdled milk cut into cubes then fried on hot oil. It has some crunch on the outside and gooey on the inside.

5. Stinky Tofu
I love tofu.  And this smells.  But it's really good.

6. Oyster Pancake
This is your unshelled oysters mixed with egg and shallots, then fried like scrambled egg.

7. Ice Cream Wrap with Shaved Peanuts
Shaved peanut brittle to go with an ice cream wrap.

8. Sausages
I can't say much about the sausages because it's something that I don't eat.  But from the looks of how my daughters and my husband downed all the sausages I'm going to say they're pretty tasty

9. Grilled Mushrooms with Chili Powder
I really, really like them.  It tasted like grilled squid to me.

10. Starch Balls
They serve them hot like ginataan with sweetened coconut milk.  Or iced like halohalo.  I like them both.

11. Beef Noodle Soup
Very flavourful soup with thick noodles.  Perfect for the rainy afternoon in Shifen.

13. Flying Cow Ranch Cheesecake
I must say that this is the best cheesecake our 50 pesos has ever bought in Taiwan.

Taiwan Day 3: Jiufen, Shifen, Taipei 101, Modern Toilet, Ximending Night Market

This is day 3 of our Taiwan adventure.  We travelled to Ruifang Station to visit two old streets.

Jiufen Old Street
It’s known to be Hayao Miyazaki's inspiration for the Academy Award winner Spirited Away. I remember the street lined with red lanterns where Chihiro's parents sat down and ate until they became pigs. Jiufen Street, reminiscent of the movie, is lined with red lanterns and everywhere I look, there were food stalls left and right. We also came into a street with different masks which also reminded me of the animated film's artistic design. It was surreal. 

DIY Pseudo-Italian Lunch: Leftover Pizza and Pasta de Sardine

Shakey's delivery was late last night. To compensate, they gave us a complimentary box of pizza. So we had some leftover for lunch. To go with this, we scoured our pantry for a spaghetti fare.

What we found:
Clara Ole Three Cheese Spaghetti Sauce
Montano Tomato Sardines in Corn Oil
Uncooked Spaghetti Noodles
Onions
Garlic
Basil c/o our garden
Quickmelt cheese

What we did:
1. Boiled the noodles. Drained when al dente.
2. Minced the Garlic.
3. Chopped the onions.
4. Mashed the Sardines.
5. Sauteed the garlic and onions. Then the sardines.
6. Poured the spaghetti sauce. Dropped the basil. Simmered the sauce.
7. Arranged the noodles in a dish. Poured the sauce. Grated the cheese.

Voila! Pseudo-Italian lunch for a family of four.

The Pahiyas Festival 2016: Lucban, Quezon with side trips to San Pablo, Liliw and Los Banos, Laguna

It was a trip that we had our eyes on since we had kids.  We felt that our daughters should be exposed to the happy disposition and colorful culture of the Filipinos if we bring them out to see and experience the festivals in the Philippines. 

Actually this was more of Ramir’s idea than mine.  He just convinced me to go.  I honestly feel that travelling to a place where there’s a scheduled big event doubles the effort since you would need to contend with a lot of considerations like parking, waiting time, long lines, etc.  But I believe him when he said that we should at least try.

The nearest we can think of was the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon. This happens on May 15^th every year to pay homage to Lucban’s patron saint, San Isidro Labrador.  We felt it was something that we can do on a budget since it was near Manila.  This 2016, May 15^th falls on a Sunday.  Since we would just need to file a one-day leave from work to enjoy a 3-day holiday, we went ahead.

The whole experience was fun and memorable, especially to our kids. These are what we can share with you.

Lucban, Quezon is around 3 hours drive from Manila.  But we took longer since we did some side trips.  We went through San Pablo, Laguna to see the Sampaloc Lake.  Then made another stopover in in Liliw, Laguna before we reached Lucban.  I think we made the right decision in going a day ahead and leaving the day after since we had time to relax and not really go with the bulk of the crowd. 

SIDETRIPS to San Pablo and Liliw, Laguna

1. Do a side trip to see the Sampaloc Lake. Try the lomi if you go hungry.

We just thought it would be nice to see a piece of nature while passing by San Pablo, Laguna.  It offered a nice view of the sun, the lake and the mountain.  Since we were starving, we also tried the lomi house overlooking the lake.  It was the right pitstop. 

2. Visit the Liliw Church and buy yourself Liliw-made shoes and slippers

We really went for the shoes and the slippers.  But when we saw the church, we felt that we should pay our homage and visit too.  We love churches in the provinces.  We feel that they exude that old-but-beautiful vibe.  The slippers and the shoes were also very affordable.  And I should say, I love their espadrilles. 

PAHIYAS FESTIVAL: What you can do (we tried all these)

1. Try Kamayan sa Palaisdaan
There’s a floating restaurant in Malabon but this one is different since it was huge.  We went in early Friday night to make sure that we would be seated immediately.  We heard that it would go crazy and jam packed come actual Pahiyas Day.  Their Filipino entrees were good.  And the ambiance added to the festive vibe.  As expected, people were going in and out of the restaurant.  It took us quite a while to be seated but the wait was worth it.  I suggest you come earlier so you’re not super hungry by the time it’s lunch or dinner.

2. Try the different activities at Batis Aramin
Batis Aramin offers resort-type accommodation in Lucban, fronting Kamay ni Hesus.  We had our reservation almost three months ahead to make sure that we’ll have something to stay in.  Since Pahiyas falls on a Sunday, we anticipated that places to stay around the Pahiyas route would be hard to come by as the fiesta draws near.  It was a little farther from all the happenings since but it was very accessible.  We just rode a trike for 5 minutes and where there.  What’s good about Batis Aramin, there were several activities that were available for kids.  They swam and played around the resort after going to the festival.

3. Climb the steps and hear mass at Kamay ni Hesus
It was a feat for me and my daughters.  We climbed and reached the top.  It was a happy sacrifice.  We went to hear mass after our climb.  It was scorching.  We brought bottled water, hat, fan and towels to counter the heat and humidity.

4. Try the pancit habhab, longganisang lucban ang kiping
All of these are sold in the streets.  We ate pancit habhab sans utensils.  We queued and endured long lines to avail of fresh longganisa being prepared right before our eyes. I must say that I don’t have feelings for the longganisa since I don’t eat pork but my husband and daughters liked it.  Fried kiping are also sold on the streets. It tasted like chicharon, only this is doused with sugar.

5. Go on a pasalubong-shopping spree
Apas, longganisang lucban, broas, miki lucban, uraro, puto seko, even native bayong.  We had a field day hoarding products to bring home and give away.

6. Go around the procession route for the wonderful decorated houses
The houses were really a sight to behold.  Two thumbs up for Filipino creativity and ingenuity.  Amazing effort.  And it was really commendable that everyone participated.  It
was a long walk but we didn’t get tired because we’re really sight-seeing.

7. Stay around and watch the afternoon parade
The streets were full.  People lined up the streets and waited for the parade.  Beautiful ladies and gentlemen paraded their garb of native dresses.  There were higantes, decorated carts, drum and bugle, the works. With the long stretch of attractions, I must say that the standing and waiting paid off.

8. Go back at night for the Kutitap where the decorated houses are all lighted up
The houses are lovely during day but they exude a different feel at night.  It seemed like Christmas in May.

SIDETRIP for the Original Buko Pie in Los Banos (going back to Manila)

So as not to go with the pack of people going back to Manila on the same day as the Pahiyas, we decided to go home the day after. I think we made the right decision since it was easy breezy traveling back.  And the happy surprise was, when we pass by the famous Original Buco Pie in Los Banos, Laguna, there’s no line. It was the perfect cap to a short but memorable Pahiyas experience.

Gala sa Galera: Our Family's Puerto Galera Adventure

Ramir and I would always have a mental note to visit Puerto Galera. It's around four hours away from Manila and we feel that our kids would love it there because of the beaches. But we haven't come around into going.

Good thing this year, it pushed through. Puerto Galera is a municipality in the northwesternmost part of Oriental Mindoro. It is also the only Philippine bay to be listed in the club of the Most Beautiful Bays of the World.

A Different Kind of Cool: Puzzle Mansion in Tagaytay City

There's a place in Tagaytay where different kinds of puzzles are displayed in a room. And it holds the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest collection of jigsaw puzzles by an individual. The Filipina record holder is Georgina Gil Lacuna. And she owns this awe-inspiring Puzzle Mansion.

It's through her collections that I came to realize that there are several kinds of puzzles. We saw 3D's, circulars, paper and wooden types. It was a nice treat for the kids.

 

Kamias Shake - Our Successful Experiment

We have a kamias tree just outside our house. And it has bore some fruits. I feel it would go to waste if we don't harvest them. So we did. I remembered seeing a kamias shake recipe on Yummy magazine. It was an experiment which we dared to make. I must say we're a success. It was a sour-sweet mix. Tastes like green mango shake.  My kids enjoyed it. So I'm sharing this with you, in case you've got kamias in your pantry.

Up in the Clouds: Our Family Trip to Sagada

I've never seen a place here in the Philippines where the skies kisses the mountains, until today. Our family ventured into another adventure as we braved the 12-hour trip to Mountain Province so we can experience the famous Sagada cold.

Seoul-Searching (The Food Chronicles) - Banchan or the Korean Side Dishes

We always get a serving, every single time.  There isn't a meal, when we didn't have any (except when we're street food tripping).  Banchan, or side dishes, are an essential part of any Korean meal.  Honestly, for me, it's as important as the main course.  I look forward to them with excitement.  It's just like the box of chocolates of Forrest Gump. When you wait in a Korean restaurant, "You don't know what (banchan) you'll gonna get." So what are our favorites? We'll give you a rundown.

1. Kimchi

It's fermented vegetables, usually of Napa cabbage (our Chinese cabbage), seasoned with chilli peppers and salt. It's a staple.  Every restaurant we've been to even fast food centers, serve kimchi. And if you want more, you can always get a refill.

Seoul-searching (The Food Chronicles) - 16 Must-Try Korean Dishes

I love Korean food.  And my kids love it too.  Our Korean adventure was completed by the different Korean dishes we've sampled and enjoyed.  Here are our top picks.

1. Samgyeopsal
Grilled three layered pork belly wrapped in lettuce/leaves and slathered with chilli paste.  My husband and kids' favorite.  They love the idea of doing their own wrapping.

Seoul-searching (The Food Chronicles) - Top 14 Korean Food Finds

For cheap good food, we always turn to the streets.  Street food hunting is always a favorite activity when we're in another country.  We save a lot of moolah this way and we discover a wealth of palate-pleasing food finds.  Let me share them with you.

1. Deli Manjoo
It's a small, corn shaped cake that is filled with premium custard. We downed two packs of 8 (If my memory serves me right).

Strawberry Cheesecake (Recipe from a Box)

I love cheesecakes. So I made a mental note to try do one with my kids.  I saw a blueberry cheesecake recipe on a box of Magnolia Cream Cheese.  I bought all the ingredients.  But there wasn't a blueberry filling available on the store where I went so I bought strawberry instead, which turned out for the better because it was R's favourite flavour.  I would like to share with you our little dessert experiment.   So here's a slice of what we came up with.  

Easy Nutella Cookie Recipe (Just 4 Ingredients)

There's this huge bottle of Nutella spread sitting on our cupboard.  And it would expire in a couple of days. So to avoid wastage, I ran a Google search for the easiest Nutella cookie recipe.  I saw this one and tried it out with kids. It was a success.  We made some thin, crisp ones and some chewy ones too.  Both were gone in no time.  These are perfect with cold milk.  Below is the recipe which I found at http://kirbiecravings.com.

My Top 7 Food Finds in Davao City

In every place, there's always some food discoveries.  Here's ours in Davao City. 

1. Penong's Grilled Chicken 

Tasty and juicy just the way I like it.
Address: #147 Saint Michael St., Coca-cola Village, Matina, Davao City (Main Office)
Contact number/s: (082) 298 8565 and (082) 298 8363

Bale Dutung - A Unique Kapampangan Feast

When famous chef and world renowned TV personality Anthony Bourdain featured Claude and Mary Ann Tayag's Bale Dutung (wooden house) in Pampanga, it was like putting a Filipino cuisine at the world map of culinary must-try-before-you-die.  This time, the Philippines is not just a pit stop for a fear factor challenge of balut or fried day-old chicken. The Bourdain feature became a window that showcased what we have to offer to global citizens with discriminating plates. I never thought that food can bring out one's sense of nationalism. But really, it made me feel proud, and I'm not even a Kapampangan.

With Chef Claude and Mary Ann Tayag.  Anthony Bourdain figured prominently in one of their walls.

Old Meets Young: Manila Hotel for R's 9th Birthday

On R's 9th birthday, we visited one of Manila's iconic places - Manila Hotel. We chose Manila Hotel for our staycation because it was just walking distance to the US Embassy and we feel it's the hotel where R and S can relate the most. We thought it would be like hitting two birds with one stone. Since R and S would be going for their visa interview early the next day, it's more convenient to just stay nearby.  And we know that the experience we'll gain from staying in this hotel would make R's birthday more memorable.

Father's Day and Homemade Celebration Cupcakes

We made something special for the fathers in our family.  We got this recipe from Yummy magazine.  And we're so happy how things turned out.  We just accentuated our cupcakes with some word cutouts (which we printed on our ever reliable printer) to make it more personalized.  R was very proud with her creations, and Ramir was very happy. This is our creative and cost-efficient way of celebrating Father's Day.

 

Bernadette Sembrano-Aguinaldo's B GOOD STORE at ABS-CBN

There's a newly opened store at ABS-CBN's ELJ Communications Center, which not many people know is partially open to the public. The B Good Store, partly owned by news personality Bernadette Sembrano-Aguinaldo, is a one-stop shop for everything good. Good, in a sense that the products they carry are natural, healthy and gives livelihood to indigent communities.

Seoul-searching - Day 2 (of 12) of our South Korea Adventure - Nami Island

Day 2 is Nami Island day. The kids were suppose to wake up at around 7:30am. But since they got tired from sightseeing and travelling the day before, what can Mama and Papa do but let them sleep some more. 

Seoul-searching - Day 1 (of 12) of our South Korea Adventure - Yoo's Guesthouse, Changdeokgung Palace, Yeuido Park

This is an account of our trip to land of the morning calm - South Korea. It's our first time in this country. And we really had a grand time. This our travel story.

Day 1
Around 8pm of April 8, I went home to prepare for our 2:25am flight to Incheon, South Korea the next day.  We booked a taxi at 10:30pm through GrabATaxi.  When we arrived at Terminal 3, we were informed that our flight would be delayed for four hours due to heavy fog at Incheon airport. So we're resigned to our fate. We didn't have a choice but to wait. We found a spot to charge our gadgets. 

Waiting game