Capricciosa

Achie Jen invited me to try out the new Italian restaurant located along Connecticut St., San Juan. It is called Capricciosa. This is their 2nd branch, the first branch is located in Greenbelt 3. The soft opening special of Capricciosa is to give 20% off discount on all food and beverage order during November 15 to 30, 2008. Haley, the wedding dress maker of Ach Jen, informed her so she invited me to try this out. Being an Italian cuisine lover, I immediately said yes... who can say no to good food.

We ordered their special appetizer, it is Smoked Salmon Spring Rolls placed on top of a wonderfully made friend spring roll wrapper. This one is really delicious. Even the fried spring roll wrapper taste exquisitely fabulous. For our entree, Cathy ordered the Shrimp and Spinach Au Gratin. It is served on a hot pan plate. The cheese used was mozerella, whenever you dig into this dish, you can actually smell the aroma of milk and cheese combined. Very delicious indeed. We also ordered the Capricciosa Pizza. Words aren't enough to describe how delicious and fascinating this Italian restaurant is. It is no excuse not to try this out. Budget per person is around Php 500.00

Capricciosa is located along Connecticut St. in San Juan near Contis and Greenbelt 3.

Pepper Lunch

We all know hotpot (shabu-shabu) in a chinese restaurant wherein they will give you all the raw ingredients for your hotpot and you will be the one to cook it in a boiling pan of soup. Another is the korean barberque wherein you will be the one to grill your desired meat or seafood infront of you. And of course there is the ala carte wherein the restaurant will serve you your desired dish, cooked. And let us not forget the Japanese way of serving you raw food. All these style of serving, you incorporate in one and you have the PEPPER LUNCH way of cooking and eating your meal.

This restaurant has taken Manila by storm. Not only do they serve mouth-watering dishes, you will also be thrilled on how you will eat and cook your food at the same time. It will be served to you on a sizzling plate and each selection has its own way of cooking. I give this restaurant a two-thumbs up. Truly, the Japanese are very innovative on everything they do.

If you haven't tried Pepper Lunch yet, you are missing out a lot, trust me! There are a few bad sides with this restaurant though, first is its exhaust. The smell will definitely stick on your clothes so it is better to eat there when you are going straight home afterwards unless you want the lingering scent of your food following you and you want to attract attention. And also, you will notice that there is always a queue and it never ends, don't be discouraged, I suggest you patiently queue, your will definitely have your turn. Taste what Pepper Lunch has to offer. Oh! one last precaution, the price is not cheap. =) Bon Appetit!

Pepper Lunch is located at Powerplant Mall in Rockwell, Makati City.

Ozaki

Hello to all music lovers out there, today marks the formal launch of OZAKI iPod speakers and subwoofers in the Philippine market. It is being distributed by MSI-ECS Phils. Inc. This is new product line of the said company under the consumer division. This is MSI-ECS' answer to the famous Altec Lansing and Edifier.

Ozaki's iPod speaker, better known as its iMini Cute is a 5 in 1 product. It is a docking station for your iPod, it is a speaker, it has a line-in function wherein you can play any other mp3 players, it has a USB function wherein you can transfer files to and fro your iPod without removing it from its dock, it is a clock and an alarm and it is an FM radio as well, it is portable as it is powered through DC and also with 6 AAA's batteries if you want to bring it anywhere. Another of Ozaki's iPod speaker line-up is its iBand Duet, it has all the functions of the iMini Cute except for its portability. The iBand Duet has a max power of 24w and it delivers a crisp and clear treble with a kick of bass. If your find JBL and Bose too expensive, then this is your answer. It gives you the same quality at a lower price.

Ozaki also is the first to launch a 2.2ch Subwoofer Speaker System. Meaning it has 2 sattelite speakers and 2 bass (dual-bass) as well. It is the first in the Philippines. Trust me, the sound quality is superb and the bass boost is awesome. I can't feel the "thump" of bass in an Altec or an Edifier but now I can on an Ozaki. I have been on search for a speaker system that would satisfy the crisp and clarity of the sound as well as the heart thumping beat of the bass at a lower price. To my dismay, only Bose reached my standards but the price is really insanely expensive. Ozaki is the answer to my needs.

Ozaki not only gives you the clarity and the crisp of your favorite music but also gives you the heart-thumping, mind-boggling bass you've always been looking for.

It is being distributed by MSI-ECS Phils. Inc. Please call (02) 688-3732 or email jlim@msi-ecs.com.ph for inquiries.

Visit the following websites for reference:

1.) http://www.msi-ecs.com.ph/

2.) http://www.ozaki.us/

It's the Start of the Yuletide Season

So they sing........

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
We Wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas...
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at you nose...
O Holy night, the stars are brightly shining....
Silent Night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright...
Come they told me, parapapampam, a new born king to see...

It is the start of anticipating the holiday season here in the Philippines. Normally after All Souls Day and All Saints Day which falls on the 1st and 2nd of November respectively, here in the Philippines, we start setting up Christmas trees, parols, lights and whatever festive decorations we can think of. This is the time of the year wherein everybody unites to celebrate the birth of Christ. The Holiday season is always festive in mood but this I can assure you, the Philippines has one of the best if not the best Christmas celebrations and gatherings compared to any other countries. No matter how tightly the budget are, no matter how small the party is and limited the food are, people always gather together, reunions, dinners, enjoyment, gift giving, sharing. We Filipinos love Christmas and money as well as problems will never hinder us from celebrating Christmas. This is what I love about the Philippines, no matter how ugly the write-ups and the politicians are, still, Christmas here is the best in the world.

Merry Merry Christmas everyone!

Gotta go and help mom set-up our wonderful Christmas tree....

Cafe Ysabel

The lone fine-dining restaurant along P. Guevarra st. (near Wilson) has stood the test of time, it underwent several changes in our history and yet it still stands proudly serving long-time customers and new alike. This restaurant has always been a favorite hang-out of my mom and a lot of people who lives in the City of San Juan. It is very cozy, the food is great and the service is wonderful. To top it all off, the head waiter,"Mang Cosme" is very close to mom even in the early years when he was still serving Mario's at that time. Our service is what we called "A Deluxe Service".

I write this blog entry because during my visit here with my mom and my aunt, Mang Cosme told the kitchen to prepare their special dessert. I was going to order Crepes Samurai and request Mang Cosme to prepare but instead he gave me this new and very exciting dessert, itis not included in the menu and it is not served regularly. It is a soft chocolate mousse ice cream with some slices of Sanz Rival. Their Sans Rival isn't quite the usual Sans Rival you can buy out there since it incorporates butter and now with chifon and sponge. Truly, a service deluxe from none other than Mang Cosme himself.

Cafe Ysabel is located at P. Guevarra St. (If you are coming from Ortigas, turn right from Wilson St.)