Ish Meets World

As a lover of all things beautiful and delicious, I can guarantee that you will be hard pressed to find a more aesthetically pleasing serving of dimsum anywhere in the world. The CANTONESE STEAMED THREE DIMSUM COMBINATION served at Crystal Dragon  is a feast for the eyes as well as the palate. Clockwise from left: Steamed Crystal Prawn Dumpling, Steamed Abalone and Pork Siew Mai, Steamed Crab Meat and Abalone in Squid Ink Dumpling. I know, I know, the gold leaf on the dumpling may seem a bit “fancy-schmancy,” but hey, why the heck not? I don’t mind lining my intestines with edible precious metals because that’s exactly how precious these dumplings are! I’m so glad I pumped myself full of antihistamines to battle my shellfish allergy before coming here! The STEAMED CRYSTAL PRAWN DUMPLING is reminiscent of the familiar “hakaw.” This one is served in a striped wrapper that mirrors the look of shrimp meat. The PORK SIEW MAI is given an exotic upgrade by topping it with abalone, an ingr

Chinese food is popular all over the world. Just like most people, I’m a sucker for lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork or salt and pepper spare ribs with yang chow fried rice. Dimsum is also very popular alongside many variations of noodles, Peking duck and other Chinese staples. Szechuan (Sichuan) Cuisine is just one iteration of Chinese food that is fairly popular but its fiery reputation has many people approaching it with caution. I love spicy food but I hate it when the heat overpowers the flavor. I’m a firm believer of spice enhancing the other flavors of the dish instead of drowning out the taste. I was lucky enough to discover Chuan Xiang Restaurant in A. Venue Mall along Makati Ave. (Philippines). The place serves authentic Szechuan dishes that aren’t trying to be macho or competing to be the hottest dishes in town. Instead, they focus on a balance of rich flavors with a strong kick of Szechuan peppers. Upon walking in, the gracious owner offered a selection of beverages. Apa

Metro Manila is a f—ing inferno this summer! Pardon my French but if you live here, you would be cursing this heat to the high heavens too. Luckily, there are some ways to ease the burning pain. Apart from getting on a plane to move to cooler places, the second best thing is to have an ice cold drink in your hand. A few weeks ago, LOCALLY fruit juice by Nutri-Asia and Zomato Philippines hosted a pub crawl around the Poblacion area in Makati. We were treated to several creative cocktails mixed with tropical fruit flavored juices. Here’s a quick video of the highlights: LOCALLY features flavors based on popular fruits found in the Philippines. Some of the flavors that we tried are Tamarind, Mangosteen, Guyabano, Calamansi, Dalandan and Kamias. With the wide variety of flavors, the bartender in each stop was faced with the challenge of creating alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. 1ST STOP: WICKED DOGS ALCOHOLIC DRINKS: Step On It (Calamansi) Joy Ride (Tamarind) Slippery When Wet (Kamias)

If you live in Metro Manila and your social life has not flat lined in the past year, you have probably heard of Pura Vida. Located in the heart of Poblacion, Makati, the hot new reggae joint was started by Costa Rican expats who have found a new home in the Philippines. Seeing that there’s very limited options for authentic Latin food in the Metro, The owners decided to put up a resto/bar with the intention of giving Filipinos a taste of some classic Costa Rican fare. My friends and I decided to stop by Pura Vida after hearing that this place gets totally jam-packed during weekends. We wanted to know what the fuss was all about! However, we opted to visit on a Monday, to be sure that our group of 15 could be accommodated. Owner Renato Robles graciously welcomed us upon our arrival. He also took some time to explain each of the Costa Rican dishes that he grew up enjoying back home. Foodies learning all about Costa Rican food We started off with a round of appetizers. I was happy to see