Today's Word: 1 Samuel 16:7

Today's people make so much fuss over the way they look. Some even go great lengths and resort to surgical procedures to enhance their physical appearance. Such decisions, they say, give them happiness because better looks give them more confidence as they receive more acceptance from people. For me, this a sad thing. Some people tend to look down on others because of their physical appearance. But we can be glad that to God, our Father in heaven, our outward looks don't matter because it is our hearts that He looks at, and see all of His children as beautiful. How comforting and heartwarming! Here is Someone who we can face each day without having have to worry if we look good enough. Even with uncombed hair, bad skin or crooked teeth or nose, He loves us the same way, wholeheartedly and unfailingly. 

God bless you today.

(Thanks to 700 Club Asia for this picture :) )

Maginhawa Gastronomic Walk #7: Tomato Kick

On the last Saturday of January, food tripping brought me once again to my favorite place for yummy eats in Quezon City...you guessed it..Maginhawa St.! Our exact location on that day, however, was not really on Maginhawa but in its periphery - Malingap St. Oh well, Tomato Kick used to be on Maginhawa and we went there on its former place, only to be told that it had transferred to Malingap. It's either no blogger had written about it or I failed to read about it. Haha! 
Anyway, my daughter and I managed to find this foodie place, which, we learned when we got there, was really a bar and a hangout for alcohol-drinking students. The old me immediately felt out of place seeing those beer-drinking, loud-talking youngsters. Oh well, it was too late to search for another place 'coz we still had to go to church afterwards. Thankfully, the food was well worth the trouble. 
We had:

Pesto Aligue Pasta, P170.

Taco Salad, P130. 

Pita Pizza - White, P120.

Iced tea, P30, for my daughter, plain water for me.

                            We chose the al fresco area 'coz inside, college boys appeared 
                                                      to be ready to go all boozed up

                                                                             Menu

Tomato Kick at #19 Malingap St., Diliman, QC

The Pesto Aligue pasta was uniquely good, with the plus point that the serving was quite hefty. Yummy and filling indeed! Well, my daughter and I both like pesto sauce on any kind of pasta and even bread, as well as crab aligue (fat), which is a sinful but definitely delicious topping on a cup of rice. Together, pesto and aligue make for one brilliant idea as pasta sauce, I thought on my first forkful. The taco salad - oh, we soo love taco in all its forms. Hehehe..and when it comes as a flower-like edible thing, it's still very much welcome. Haha! The marriage of cheese, seasoned beef and crunchy veggies made for one good taco. As for the pita pizza - it was another good idea kind of thing. I've never seen or eaten one like it and hadn't thought pita bread could also serve as pizza crust. Perfect for a light snack if you're not really hungry. The only thing that made me sad was the absence of coffee here. Aaargh! Anyway, Tomato Kick indeed gave us quite a kick that 
otherwise "troublesome" Saturday afternoon.

Maginhawa St. Gastronomic Walk #6: Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace

I'd heard about Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace on Maginhawa St. last year and became curious after seeing their menu and reading: Binanging Saging. It made me wonder if the owner of this cafe was from Quezon Province because there (where I come from), it's how we call grilled saba or cardava banana, which I looove! It took months, however, before I finally hauled off myself to Blacksoup. It was one Saturday last month, with one of my sisters in tow. But then, woe of woes, the Binanging Saging was unavailable, much to my disappointment! Oh well, I scanned the menu again, and ordered the Hot Balut, which aroused my curiosity as well, only to be told it was not available too! Grrr..haha! 
My sister and I settled for these:

Vigan Longganisa Pasta, P170. 

 Spicy Tuyo Pasta, P155.

Porkchop in Ciabatta, P140. 

Mango Turon with Ice Cream, P95.

Brewed kapeng barako, P55.

The Longganisa Pasta was my sister's and she liked it. The Spicy Tuyo Pasta was mine. I liked it, too, but would have loved it had it not been too salty. It was tuyo (dried fish), I know, but they could have toned down the saltiness by not adding salt to the pasta anymore. I liked the kick brought by the chili, though. It was the porkchop sandwich that I liked a lot more, with the meat's smoky flavor blending well with the mayo and soft ciabatta bun. I never knew porkchop could be enjoyed in a way apart from serving as viand to a cup of rice. And then, dessert and coffee - a nice combination of hot and cold. The mango turon was delish with two scoops of vanilla ice cream. A piping hot cup of barako coffee perfectly ended my meal. All in all, it was a nice lunch in a relaxed atmosphere.

Blacksoup's interior was both eclectic and rustic. The moment we entered, I don't know but I had the feeling of being in Mexico (though I'd never been there..hehe). One side where an old piano was placed was quite gloomy, though, 'coz it was a dark corner.

The counter

Old upright piano

Photos in sepia tone under a glass top make this table a point of interest

 

Outside Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace 

My sister and I were happily chatting the time away as we ate when the server approached us to politely tell us that we had to leave because they were closing down temporarily to open again around 5 p.m. It was then 3 p.m. Oh well, much as we wanted to make tambay for a few more moments, we had no choice but to go somewhere else (Trinoma. hehe). This and the absence of Binanging Saging and Hot Balut were the downside of visiting Blacksoup that Saturday. And yes, I asked the server whether the owner is from Quezon Province. Sadly, she wasn't in the know. I really think she ought to. Haha! Still, I hope to be back at Blacksoup and finally meet their Binanging Saging. Haha!
By the way, if you're planning on trying out Blacksoup Cafe + Artspace, you can find it inside a compound at 154 Maginhawa St. in Quezon City. Entrance is beside Galli Village Cafe. 
Happy eating!