There's Something About Napoli

Setting:
Ruy and Olivia's bedroom. Lights were turned off, Andrea's sleeping quietly in her crib. The couple (that would be Ruy and myself) were trying to relax by watching a dvd. It's 8:30 and the household was quiet.

The girl (that's me) suddenly turned to the man and in an extremely annoying whiney voice said "I want Napoli!!". The man smiled and said "Oh you liked it that much huh?". 3 minutes after, the same whiney voice said "I want Napoli!!". The man said "But it's 8:30, it'll close in 30 minutes"...

5 minutes after, they were both in the car and the man was muttering "We had the whole day you had to tell me at 8:30". The woman then replied "Don't you just love me? Imagine being married to a woman who would tell you in the morning that she'd want to go to Napoli's at night. How boring is that? Look at how exciting this is"...

--THE END--

I'm not sure if Ruy actually bought into my exciting life argument but he was kind enough to let me get away with it. =) Truth be told I had been craving for Napoli all day that day, I just tried to push my cravings aside and hoped that the rest of the things I ate would appease my craving. It was afterall an irrational craving, Ruy and I just ate at Napoli's 2 days prior to that day and so eating there again can be called an overkill.

For someone who doesn't like pizza such as myself, craving for Napoli's pizza and pasta can be considered not normal. (Of course some people would argue that the fact that I don't like pizza is the abnormal point here) What is it about Napoli which made me want to go back again and again?

It's definitely not the ambiance. I'm not sure how the other branches measure up (I've only visited the branch in Fairview) but from what I've seen it seems that aesthetics is not their priority.

This is not the place you take your new girlfriend or that woman you're dating and trying to impress. This is a place you take your barkada, your family or that girl you're dating and ready to marry. This is a place you go with people you are most comfortable with.

What they lack for in terms of aesthetics, they more than make up for with other things particularly --flavor and servings.

I would not attempt to give off the impression that I am a Napoli's expert. I have eaten there a grand total of two times and have tasted 3 dishes. 3 measly dishes. 3 dishes which have been a mainstay of my dreams for about a week now. Yes, I am thisclose to bugging Ruy to drive me back to Napoli's tonight. What did we try that made me adore this resto so much?

Garlic and Olive Oil Pasta with Italian Sausages. It's basically just a whole lot of garlic cooked in olive oil. The noodles were then tossed with the oil and the resulting concoction was topped with crisp sausages. It sounds so simple and unimpressive but IT'S AWESOME!!! AWESOME, AWESOME!! I loved it soo much and since we ordered this again the second time, I can assume that Ruy liked it too.




Pizza Marinara. The crust is quite unique. I've never had one quite like it. It's flaky and crisp yet still moist. This particular variety has anchovies, olives and tomato. I can't imagine what I love about it. There's nothing novel, nothing new, not overloaded with cheese yet they managed to make it soooo good.


Anchovy and Garlic Pizza. This particular dish is not as wonderful as the other two but it's still considerably good. I don't think I need to explain what this dish is all about, it's name says it all. =)

The servings were a bit too big for a party of 2. This is saying a lot as we only ordered their smallest servings, they also have family sized servings to cater to bigger groups.

Big Doesn't Cut It

Remember one of our posts from our Tastes We Love series? We featured something Ruy and I love -- Orange Shake.

We're quite particular about this orange shake though. It has to be from Fruitas. Other fruit stands just charge too much whenever they use the orange fruit for their drinks. Fruitas charges around 60 pesos for the Grande Sized Orange Shake and Ruy and I both think that's more than fair.

Just when we think we've reached the pinnacle of Orange Shake satisfaction, Fruitas one-ups itself with this...

Do you see the size of that thing? For 85 pesos you get this giant glass of Orange Shake. So big I swear you wouldn't be able to finish it on your own. Ruy and I shared one and it took us around an hour to finish.

For those of you who are not into orange shakes, they also serve other fruit shakes in this size. Mango shakes for example would cost 10 pesos less.

NOTE: We are in no way associated with Fruitas, we are only writing this for the love of Orange Shake.

Butter Diner and Cubao Memories...

In this post please forgive me, because in recounting this experience, I am inevitably drawn into nostalgia over my memories of Cubao.

A lot of my fondest memories of childhood were Cubao memories with different people depending on who was sent by God to take me out at that time.

Tita Becka:

I used to get "borrowed" by my tita Becka (my mom's sister) back when she was single to go with her everywhere. In Cubao, I remember accompanying her all the time to Rustan's, Ali Mall (where I broke an item in one of the shops once resulting to my aunt's having an epoxy riddled figurine in her room for a centerpiece), COD (ooooh, how I loved the amazing Christmas show!) and the Uniwide Sales Bldg where I remember my tita lining up for "P.O.'s" (if I remember correctly) which I thought allowed her to buy stuff for free using a small piece of cardboard as long as she signed some stuff (which was my craziest notion as a child. Now of course I've realized that, that was the credit system of the pre-Visa era and she did eventually pay for all the stuff I got =p). Getting tired from all the shopping and walking in cramped Uniwide, we'd eat and rest on the 2nd floor food court where a band would be rock and rolling starting at around 12 noon.

Parents:

What parent in the 80's wouldn't take their chubby little baby boy to Fiesta carnival? I cannot count how many figurine soldiers I've shot down in the shooting range nor how many balloons I've hit with a dart but I do remember enjoying every minute of it in between bites of Fiesta Carnival's signature, artistically carved, hotdogs, drenched with catsup. I so loved riding the airplanes that went round and round and up and down which sadly, was near the only thing I wanted to stay away from in that place. The horror ride. Lastly, I remember gawking at the impressive and noisy roller coaster which my parents wouldn't let me ride.

Tita Liza and cousin JV: As a child my parents were very generous of me and pretty much lent me to all my relatives who couldn't resist my fat, chubby cheeks. Before they moved to the States for good, I was very close to my tita Liza's family due to the fact that I was the same age as their son JV who is my first cousin and my childhood buddy.

One day I was sulking alone at home resigned to another afternoon of soaking-in another dose of PPP (Piling, Piling Pelikula) as prescribed by my yaya when an urgent ringing of the doorbell came to save me. Seconds later tita Liza bustled in with JV and asked my yaya to get me dressed immediately. I could only smile. She just told me we were going somewhere and reached out to hand me a die-cast, pull-back airplane figurine. Woohoo! Talk about just getting started! To my continued delight, off to SM Cubao we went where of all wonderful things, I learned that JV and I were buying superhero costumes for a costume party we were going to attend (I bought myself a complete head to foot Batman costume!). It was freakin crazy!

Back to the food story.

One afternoon in present day Cubao, Liv and I thought of having a semi-light dinner at a nice little place along the sidewalks of what used to be Fiesta Carnival (now Shopwise) called Butter Diner.

Having no hanging signage (just a front signage that you really wouldn't notice unless you're right across the street) nor posters, nor flyer peppering activities (unlike most of the retaurants in that side of Cubao), Butter Diner, despite its accessible location, attracts relatively less attention. A fact that for me, adds a sort of charm to it.

Upon entry, a big wall with a huge comic strip featuring the Butter Diner story catches the eye. After the initial interest in the cartoon, I began to take in the other details at hand, and noticed the big wigs the waiters and waitresses are wearing (in the sprit of the period) and the neat vintage toasters decorating each booth. There are also the can't-do-without vintage posters which are a must for all diners.

After selecting a nice corner booth, Liv and I agonized through the menu as we had the toughest time choosing among all the great looking stuff (we wanted everything!) specially the roastbeef sandwich which we loved from a previous visit. Luckily, our sense of adventure won out and we ended up ordering food we've never tried before.

Are we glad we did.

White Cow- For P85? Hell yeah! Liv's milkshake of vanilla ice cream, milk and vanilla flavorings is perfectly thick it puts to shame all the dilluted wannabe milkshake jokes some restos come up with (feel the frustration in me).

Rootbeer Float (P85.00)- I'm so glad they gave me the rest of my rootbeer!=) It totally solves the dilemma of being left with the ice cream after a few gulps and not having enough rootbeer for the thirst. With the same yummy vanilla ice cream as Liv's white cow, it's as good as rootbeer floats can get.

"Everything On It" hotdog -I couldn't get enough of it. It's sooo good. From the sausage to the melted cheese to the delicious meat topping to the potato salad side dish. At P99, it's more than awesome.

Western Burger P160- The only thing I really want to say about this food is that IT'S NOT BIG ENOUGH!!!! Just look at those gratifying slices of bacon topping an honest to goodness burger patty smothered with spicy-sweet barbecued bean sauce that just made me want to spur up and gallop into the sunset.

We loved the Everything On It hotdog's side dish so much that we just had to order a whole serving of potato salad even if it wasn't on the menu. We got a heaping plate of potato salad on a bed of fresh lettuce. They just charged us P30 for it (what the heck?).

I would also like to mention their flavored butter which you can have with their pancakes, waffles or toasted bread in these flavors:

Overall, this is a great place to eat, where being adventurous is rewarded by consistently delightful food at very reasonable prices.

Will Blog for Food

At the rate that Ruy and I are eating out, we'll have to take out some Secured Loans pretty soon. Of course with all the cyber crimes and hacking going on, it's pretty hard determining where to get these loans. I saw this site which offers Secured Loans and it looks pretty interesting.

They actually alow you to compute your cost and offer repayment of up to 30 years. Not bad huh? And if you go to their site and look at the picture of the happy family there...you'd realize that this loan might be something to make you happy.

Half Moon Crazy

HOW TO ENSNARE RICH, OOZING CHOCOLATE IN A BIBINGKA

In a pan, cook golden bibingka batter and wait till it starts to pulsate and beat, until bubbles are awakened and start dancing on its surface.

With lightning fast speed, carve the solidified batter out of the pan and plop it on a chopping board. Grate some cheese into the hollow to form a soft cushion which immediately after, scoops of chocolate pellets shall then depress.

Take a deep breath and admire the resulting mound of sin in progress.

With a final flurry of inspiration, indulge further with a web of sweet condensed milk.

Flip the other half of the bibingka over to complete the Half Moon. Cut into six parts for easy handling.

The result: An ingenious dessert that's quite heavy and amazingly good. The chocolate pellets melt and meld with the the cheese and condensed milk resulting in a flavor that is bitter and sweet with an undertone of saltiness. Sensations that are conveyed to the mouth via the soft and moist bibingka followed by a rich, warm ooze. An Indonesian specialty I believe, called Martabak.

Liv and I usually find ourselves eating this in the car, on the way home after a long, busy but fun day together. A fitting finale to cap another blessed moment in our married life. Another beautiful day spent until it yields itself to an equally beautiful evening under the shining half moon.







The Half Moon stall we frequent is at SM The Block beside the escalators on the 2nd or 3rd floor. Unfortunately, this is the only Half Moon branch I know of. Half Moon/Martabak is also served (where else) in Martabak Indonesian resto at the top floor of The Block. I like them both but for take out dessert, the Half Moon is quicker and more accessible (I'd love to talk about the other authentic Indonesian offerings in Martabak but I'll save that for another post).

Metal Cabinets

A friend of mine decorated her condo in a very industrial style. The floors were bare cement, the beams and pipes on the ceiling were exposed. She also decked her kitchen with metal cabinets for storage. Imagine that? It's actually a very logical choice as metal cabinets are very easy to clean. I can't imagine having those for my home though as it lends a very cold feel to the house. It also doesn't go well with the Zen theme we're trying to achieve.

Blogging Difficulty

The most difficult thing about blogging about food is the wait. We have to wait until Ruy is able to take pictures of the food before I can eat it. This is incredibly tough. If you would look at Ruy's food pictures, you can see that I've already attacked the food before he was able to take a shot. Then Ruy would panic and try to reconstruct how it looked ...this would of course be a very difficult taks considering I already ate parts of it.

Christmas Gifts from Blog Earnings

"Chestnuts, roasting on an open fire. Jackfrost nipping at your nose. Yuletide carole being sang by a choir..." Can you feel the Christmas air about you? Well I can't. It's quite hard feeling the Christmas spirit when you don't have much money to spend on gifts. I know that Christmas is not about the gifts but it sure makes Christmas so much better.

It's not like I can't buy anything for anyone, it's just that I feel like the gift I can give the people I care about is not proportional to the love I have for them. Do any of you feel that?

One gift that is always appreciated is food. I have some ideas on what to give people based on their interests and I'd list them down here:

1. Mom - buffet in Circles, Heat, Market Cafe. This woman LOVES to eat and I'm telling you she can eat twice her weight in kilos.

2. Aunt - Red Crab gift certificate, she loved their Schezuan Crabs.
3. Lola - my lola is easy, she likes a lot of things. Alba's Cochinillo, Special Tamarind Candies, Yummy ensaymada from Valle Verde, etc.
4. QA - yummy food from different sources, Salmon Cheese Ball, Caviar Pie both from Delicioso. Foie Gras from Je Suis Gourmand. Cheese platter from Santi's.

Now, the question is, where do I get the money to pay for all of these? =) I can tell you that these things are not cheap. Luckily I have just joined the pack of hungry wolves (hello Jane and Jen) who are crazy over pay per post. So far Pay Per Post has the most steady stream of ads which makes it lucrative. They also have a wonderful support crew who are very patient in dealing with inquisitive Liv. =)

Ruy and I enjoy blogging and we do it anyway so why not get paid to blog?

Ruy's Itchogoood Nacho

I don't remember how or when this creation of his was born. I have vague memories of him preparing it for me/us when I was still pregnant with Andrea. We were in the grocery and he said he'd buy ground beef so he can prepare nachos.

More than a year later, he's still preparing them and I'm still obsessed with them. Yes, it's another one of those unhealthy things Ruy and I are crazy over. Let me give you an idea of how Itchogoood Nachos are prepared.

Ingredients:
Mexicorn Barbecue Flavored Tortilla Chips
Tomato
Cheez Whiz
Cream
Ground Beef
Cumin
Chili Powder
(other things Ruy refuses to divulge)

1. Layer your container with Chips
2. Chiz Mixture (combination of chiz and cream and other secret spices)
3. Ground Beef (seasoned with cumin, chili powder and magical spices)
4. Tomato
5. OPTIONAL: Olivia likes having another layer of the Chiz mixture at this point
6. Second Layer of chips
7. Chiz Mixture
8. Ground Beef
9. Tomato
10. OPTIONAL: Olivia wants another layer of Chiz mixture here as well... =)

This is best enjoyed with other unhealthy things. You have a variety of drinks to choose from: iced tea, soft drinks (preferably a huge bottle) or our drink of choice last time:

Look at how sweet our straws are!! Ruy and I are extremely amused with Chuckie Choco Burst, the straw with 4 holes makes drinking it an experience...of course it also ensures that you finish one pack in a millisecond. To be safe, buy 2 packs for your man. =)

Pardon Us

We're remodelling our blog so it might be looking a bit strange for the next couple of days. Please bear with us. =)

...BUSINESS AS USUAL