Perfect Pairings
December 15, 2018
The best things in life come in pairs: an engaging book on a languorous weekend, a bar of brownie or butterscotch topped with a luscious helping of sundae, a breathtaking view with the people you value the most, or a cup of caffeinated sip and a slice of intricately layered cake. Life’s wonders indeed become extra special when in twos (It takes two to tango, right?). Such good pairings come in handy now, thanks to cake and pastry shops that also serve coffee or tea that greatly complement each spectacle on the table. Sharmaine’s Cakes and Pastries definitely knows how to harness its delectable baked offerings and its cravings-quenching refreshments.
It is certainly a glee to every sweet tooth, like me, to welcome a shop that does not just boast a visually pleasing ambiance, but morsels that are all right dainty as well. As a self-proclaimed sucker for saccharine and coffee finds, I like my desserts well-balanced, that is, each ingredient should work in harmony with the others, rather than an overpowering one which tends to distract the diner or to become sated with the extreme sweetness (In Filipino, we call it “umay”).
Sharmaine’s Cakes and Pastries got the perfect balance of all the ingredients that it tries to put together, may it be from fruits, the frosting, or the base. The cakes that we tried were not too sweet, yet, not to a point of insipidness. Added to that is the freshness of each baked good. These, in turn, work well like a seamless combo, with its variety of coffees, blended drinks, teas, and refreshments. Available on its menu are espresso, cappuccino, caramel macchiato, Spanish latte, Belgian hot chocolate, shakes and smoothies, hot teas, iced teas, lemonades, among others.
Blueberry Cheesecake. A scrumptious symphony of graham cracker crumbs on the base, a dominating layer of cream cheese that is light in the mouth, and a topping of blueberry spread, giving a tangy hint on the treat.
Carrot Cheesecake. Instead of graham cracker crumbs as base, a carrot cake is used to elaborate a subtle approach on a classic confection. Meanwhile, the softly delish cream cheese layer is topped with nuts.
Dark Chocolate Cake. Alternating layers of sumptuous dark chocolate ganache and fluffy and moist chocolate cake. Surely, a hit to every avid customers that frequent the place.
Spanish Latte. Their best-selling combination of strong espresso and textured hot milk.
Hazelnut Mocha Latte. A sweet concoction of a delighting hazelnut, a tad of mocha, and the robust coffee.
Matcha. The bittersweet goodness of matcha tea powder and warm milk blended to perfection.
Perfect pairings bring out happiness in every slice and in every sip. A sweet tooth’s glee is never the same without the impeccable interaction of a treat’s inextricable features. Experience perfect pairings at Sharmaine’s Cakes and Pastries, located at Antonio Luna Street, Cagayan de Oro.
The Fat Chef Inside
December 14, 2018
A unique feature of Filipino food is its penchant towards gathering, fellowship, and interactions. Salu-salo or getting together for food is a conspicuous element we share with our Asian neighbors which may be rooted from traditional mores on filial piety. Indeed, food is best served and enjoyed with the people you mostly treasure. Confabbing about life and experiences while satisfying one's appetites are surely amicable ways of how Filipino food does not just fill one’s stomach but also one’s heart. Last Wednesday, I was able to have sneak peak of the menu of The Fat Chef Restaurant before its soft opening on December 15. It is a concept restaurant that provides comfort meals that are apt to one’s budget and palate.
The concept of the restaurant is imbued from the owners’ family tradition of Sunday ingatherings over food. Thus, the menu reprises a flair of home-away-from-home nostalgia. Most of the dishes they came up with are personal recipes they usually serve in the said get-togethers. Hence, aside from the sumptuous Filipino food choices, an emphasis on wallowing in lofty dining experiences with chums and kin is promoted. It intends to satisfy its customers with cuisines that are right in one’s budget, yet, still lavish in taste.
What I Got for Dinner?
Bulad Bruschetta. The classic Italian antipasto of grilled bread, topped with sautéed tomatoes in olive oil, delivered with a local twist through incorporating flakes of bulad or dried fish.
Talong Kinilaw sa Gata. Refreshing salad comprising of grilled eggplant, onions, and tomatoes filled in creamy and rich coconut milk.
Steak Rice and Egg Rice. Stir-fried rice bowls seasoned with garlic and spring onions. The steak rice is mixed with finely chopped beef steaks while the egg rice is topped with either sunny side-up, over easy, soft scrambled, scrambled, or boiled of your own choice.
Bulalo with Beef Tendon Soup. Perfectly tender beef shank and tendon, while being heartily simmered in a flavorful broth with sweet corn and Chinese cabbage.
Truffle Pasta. Spaghetti noodles cooked al dente and served in white sauce with an earthy and smoky aroma infused from shiitake and truffle oils.
Sizzling Sinigang. A modern twist of the household favorite beef dish served in a sizzling pan. The tender beef is smothered in a tart sinigang gravy sided with string beans, tomatoes, and onions.
Chicken Inasal sa Gata. The succulent grilled two-piece half-chicken bathed in a plush coconut cream and annatto oil. The creaminess of coconut complemented well with the smokiness of the chicken.
Pinakbet sa Gata. The Ilocano cuisine made up of steamed string beans, okra, eggplant, tomato, and onions, and shrimps on a sauce made of rich coconut cream and savory puréed calabaza squash, in lieu of a bagoong or alamang.
Mango Suman Float. A palatable deconstructed offshoot of two Filipino staples, mango float and suman or rice cakes. The glutinous rice is laden with a all-purpose cream and condensed milk filling and garnished with cubed mangoes and grahams crackers.
Pour-over Coffee. Ethiopian or Colombian beans prepared through a V60 manual brewing method, wherein the beans are subject to three phases of wetting, dissolution, and diffusion. The manner of pouring and water temperature are also considered to extract the finest flavors.
Family and barkada gatherings are never complete without victuals to chow down. And, if you are for a relaxing and cozy place while satisfying your appetite with cuisines hat are right in one’s budget, yet, still lavish in taste, then the Fat Chef Restaurant got it all covered for you. They will have their soft opening on December 15, at 5 pm. They are situated at Antonio Luna Street, Cagayan de Oro.
Sailing Through the Gigantes
December 12, 2018
An enchanting retreat on the northern part of Iloilo, the Gigantes Islands is a chain of ten postcard-perfect islands and islets. The islands are known for their captivating rock formations which surround their respective topographies, almost comparable to the scenic features of Coron, Palawan. Reaching the place was an adventure on its own, taking up almost three hours of land travel from Iloilo City to the port of Carles and more than an hour of boat ride to the first island stop. Known to be dwelt upon by mystic creatures, the Gigantes Islands will allure anyone who visits as each island has its own charms to be reckoned with.
Rebels in Black and Gold
December 1, 2018
Blogging has been my creative outlet for the past year. I delight myself in telling stories through inditing compositions and through capturing moments and pieces which titillate the writer and content creator in me. And, if you have been following me since my first entries, I have been dedicated in searching and in producing contents on my own. I do it because of mere passion and fecundity. Ergo, in order to hone my craft, I signed up to become a member of the premiere blogging group in my city, the CDO Bloggers Network (CBN). It has been three months since my first event with them and it is with great pleasure to be part of their 10th year anniversary.
KEx Tour ‘18 Chronicles: Part 2
November 30, 2018
The Kagay-an Experience Tour is an initiative by the CDO Bloggers Network in showcasing the outstanding restaurants and cafés that hail from the city while promoting the plush epicurean cultures and traditions, by-products of sociocultural commerce among different ethnic groups. It is an avenue to foster food tourism to Northern Mindanao in the thick of insurgency and security issues that the entire island faces. Indeed, there is more to other parts of Mindanao than all the stereotypes and biases the media superficially accounts it to be. Its cultural diversity and natural wonders are compelling enough for someone to peregrinate into this so-called Land of Promise.
Cagayan de Oro has, by its looks and by the numbers, blossomed into one of the country’s most pivotal socioeconomic hubs. Along with such momentum in development, the culinary scene has contemporaneously thrived to make its strides in regaling the local and outside markets, alike. To showcase this exemplary elaboration, the CDO Bloggers Network spearheaded a, hopefully, annual Kagay-an Experience Tour wherein homegrown restaurants and cafés were featured. Content creators and bloggers from Iligan City and Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon were also invited to take part in this remarkable food crawl.
Go Local with AirAsia
November 29, 2018
I believe travelling is both an idyllic and a learning experience. We enjoy the novel charms of each scenery and spot while harmoniously assimilating the culture and customs of its society. It blossoms an enriching perspective which in turn cultivates personal growth. Aside from being beguiled by both natural and man-made wonders each place tries to present its visitors, its histories and culture are true testaments of how travelling swerves us into whole new worlds and introduces us into the abundant faculties of each tribe or nation. Recently, I was able to venture on a journey to Iloilo, where most of my relatives came from, courtesy of AirAsia’s inaugural flight from Cagayan de Oro to Iloilo. This was made even more special with company of select members of CDO Bloggers. First activity that primed my itinerary was, no other than, a food crawl!
Double Treat
October 4, 2018
Situated at the heart of downtown Valencia City, Double M Hotel is not your typical dime-a-dozen accommodation customarily seen in this flourishing city. The hotel, with its contrasting intricacies of modern-day flair and rustic expediency primarily resonated through its façade and interiors, complements the needs from temporary journeyers’ demand of unpretentious warmth and from staple residents’ seeking of staycation affability. Its commitment to ergonomics, style, and amenity is jointly observed with the use of natural hues and industrial vibe. Meanwhile, one can also gastronomically feast in four signature eating places which correspond to its constancy with engaging service and epicurean inklings, laudable enough for their matchless offerings.
House of Fries and More
September 2, 2018
Originally started in the United States in 1921, fast food restaurants have been unstoppable in making waves all throughout the world due to the sheer convenience they provide to almost everybody. The casual dining they provide to every customer who looks for great food on the go seems to perfectly assimilate into everyone’s hectic schedules while the typical meat-sweet menu, though very Western, conforms to everyone’s own palate and liking. Hence, they became a total hit to both regulars and first-timers. House of Fries, a homegrown hole-in-the-wall from Iligan known for attracting long lines of food hawkers, found an opportunity from this fad and carried out their own version of American-style diner experience tweaked with a Mindanaoan patina.
Between Boundaries
August 13, 2018
Bukidnon has always been my second home. It has been the most convenient and quickest escape from home when circumstances tend to demand for a tad of a breather or when I, myself, call for a simple shift from difficult instances to a brisk atmosphere. The province does constantly take me aback with the diversity that it unswervingly mesmerizes to every person who visit it. From the ever gratifying dip to its cold springs and the exhilarating climbs along its lush mountain ranges, to the warm accommodation brought by its delish treats and its friendly locals, Bukidnon always presents a different kind of adventure that makes you want to come back over and over again.
Worth the Watch
August 8, 2018
The art form I have always inclined to binge myself with are TV series. Like movies and books do, TV series bring us to whole new worlds, usually impelling their viewers with a side effect of gaining a broader perspective on things at hand. Though television is certainly a medium of entertainment rather downplayed and associated by critics as some sort of brainless engagement and tawdry rhetoric, it has patently influenced the masses in the most critical times of history. One TV series, though usually disclaimed, maybe for a matter an indirect reflection of prevailing contexts of our society today.
Our Next Go-To Store
August 1, 2018
When it comes to our homes, we always want a personal touch on everything. Whether its façade, architectural styles, paint colors, furnishings and fixtures, or even its most subtle fractions, we always prefer a certain degree of personalized details. Some are even so hands-on when building their dream homes or when renovating years-old abodes. After all, our homes are reflective of an intimate space within the realms of our being. Our homes become an appropriately subjective morsel where they transform from mere living spaces to critical extensions our lives. Hence, we only fancy the best finds and deals for our homes.
More Than Just Art
July 15, 2018
I just graduated from college and the twists of fate have quite overwhelmed me, both pleasantly and repulsively. There’s always two sides of the coin, right? When you graduate, you become free from all the academic responsibilities, yet, you become fully exposed to the realities of this damned world, as you were previously sheltered by the four walls of your classroom. Circumstances may be too much engulfing, but the point is, it is you who have a hold over your stability, your fate. So, I go to see cafés as a form of a breather. Recently, The Studio Art Café opened its doors and the social media photos were inviting enough for me to try the place.
Defining Spaces
July 9, 2018
Chingkeetea has been the pioneer in introducing Taiwanese milk tea in the city. It has long been the go-to-shop of the milk tea fad, which it started out at a “small but quirky milk tea shop inside Marfori Compound.” Aside from the perfectly prepared, authentic Taiwanese milk teas, befitting for each and everyone’s mood and penchant, this teahouse is known for its well-refined and intricately thought out interiors, adding to the one of a kind tea time experience. I mean who isn’t basked in with accurately furnished designs while sipping a cup of tea, right?
Interiors, alone, compel myself to visit a café, restaurant, museum, or open house. Honestly, these little things make my heart grow fonder. There’s always a certain degree of treat when I visit such places, a notion that great minds are behind each showcase as their personalities and inclinations become reflective of each space they create.
Chingkeetea, with its roster of branches, each with different styles and themes, never fails to reprise its hallmark of being one of the daintiest and outstanding homegrown hangout spots in the city. It never fall flat through its continuous innovations and ideas. It has been the talk of the town, once again, when it opened the doors of its newest branch at Velez cor. Gaerlan St. As usual, it has redefined spaces according to creativity and sophistication. The interiors have presented a touch of retrospective Korean motifs, more quaint and clean, and less clutter. A visit to their Gazebo branch is one for the books since each corner of the place brings forward different visuals, worthy to be appreciated, both in photos and in the here and now. It doesn’t put each space into a context of simple bluntness or for the sake of being a practical estate. It has redefined space to efficiency and, most remarkably, to a work of art, where everything becomes an experience. Most of the fixtures are antique pieces while the flowers embellished where previously used from the owners’ wedding adornments.
Alongside antiquated and pre-loved memorabilia, the staples, namely milk teas, fruit teas, and specials are must-tries . My personal favorite is the black sugar. The shop prides itself to serve authentic Taiwanese milk tea as the owner, Chingkee Motoomull, trained in Taiwan and most of the ingredients are straight out of Taiwan. Of course, sipping some teas is best paired off with some friends, giving a little spark to each day.
A well-defined space is a conception of a great mind. Beautiful spaces gives a sense of living when blues and grays tend to color one’s days. It sets our moods; it brightens the day. Most of all, when small things such as space become something that count and, we create experiences. And, these experiences are what make life is, the regard of truly living in every single moment. Thus, I’m always thankful for new spots, with the likes of the new Chingkeetea, that give me some sanity, a sense of inspiration to keep on honing my craft and endeavors.
Siargao's Best: Food Crawl
July 5, 2018
As previously wrote, Siargao offers a cosseting sense of having everyone’s interests in place, as is also in catering to one’s palate. Seeing an arrival of tourists, both foreign and local, the island offers a variety of restaurants and cafés, satisfying all your Asian, Western, and Filipino cravings. As it is becoming a cradle of travelers from different origins, it is just right that the demands of topnotch finds and an amalgam of flavors should be realized to all journeyers, since, then again, tourist spots like Siargao come to be the frontiers to our country, creating a lasting impression to anyone holidaying in. It is not just a reflection of our country’s promises from its glossy campaigns, but also key to inviting and maintaining more visitors.
Siargao's Best: Side Excursions
April 3, 2018
From the influx of tourists, both local and foreign, Siargao Island makes one’s tropical fantasies into somewhat luxuriant reality. Ergo, scores of activities, worth getting out of bed, and sundry scenery, unmissable for their pure beauties, are available for each and everyone, at sometimes for free! Going around Siargao helps one to explore that there is more to Siargao than surfing and the night life (Though, these are still to be reckoned with). It offers a cosseting sense that the island has a place for each and everyone’s interests.
Siargao's Best: Island Hopping
April 2, 2018
The tranquil island of Siargao, facing the rushing waters of the western Pacific Ocean, is known as a surfing haven for water aficionados around the world; becoming more well-known through regularly held competitions, and of course, through its natural beauty. Indeed, there is more in Siargao than meets the eye. It has earned its own place on the upper echelon of the must-visit paradises from the 7,107 islands of the country. It has been praised not just as a surfing haven, but also as a cradle of picture-perfect outlying islands. Probably, island hopping would be the most efficient way to tour oneself and to indulge into the beauty Siargao has to offer.
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