Jesus: The 'Reason for the Season'!

Merry Christmas, folks! What breakfast did you wake up to? Christmas Day breakfast, to me, is the best in the whole year because there is the special Christmas ham and queso de bola. Of course, there's the family to share it with. Awesome! 

But before we get on with the rest of Christmas Day, going out to reunions or perhaps to the mall or park, having a feast and exchanging gifts, let's not forget that Jesus is the reason for the season! Let us praise Him and thank Him for coming to live on earth and die on the cross to save us from condemnation for our sins. He left His throne in heaven to suffer for our sake without reason except for His great love for us! 

Let us thank God, our good Father, for loving us so much that He willingly sacrificed His only begotten Son in order to save and give us everlasting life. He is worthy of all praise and thanks! Merry Christmas and God bless us all.

A satisfying lunch at Omakase

Last month, I was searching on line for a good place for Japanese food for me and my friends and was amazed to learn that there was indeed a whole lot of Japanese restaurants out there. I hadn't realized till then how much Filipinos have grown to love sushi and tempura, and okonomiyaki, and yakisoba, and so on and so forth. It was hard to choose a restaurant! Good thing there are customers' reviews for 

guidance, I finally was able to arrive at a choice. 

Omakase, it would be for us!

I read that this restaurant at the Il Terrazzo mall in Tomas Morato is a crowd favorite and could get really packed at lunchtime. It was good that we arrived early, 

we were able to choose a nice spot. Soon afterwards, the place was already full! 

These were our orders:

Miso Soup, P60.
Healthy soup that warms up the tummy and whets the appetite.

Omakase Tropical Salad, P180.
Sweet ripe mango, crunchy veggies, kani (crabmeat) and shredded nori (seaweed) drizzled with Japanese mayo. This was the last served among our orders so it became our dessert. 
Well, it's much healthier than cake or ice cream!

Mixed Nigiri, P320.
Nigiri is sashimi with a ball of rice. The sashimi consists of tuna, salmon, shrimp and squid. Delicious and filling!


Ebi Tempura, P345.
The perfect ulam (viand) in any Japanese restaurant: battered and deep-fried shrimp. 
I'm glad the batter is not too thick in here, only it's not as crunchy 
as I would want my tempura to be.

Seafood Teppan, P395.
We loved this! -- pan-fried squid, salmon, tuna, and shrimp, 
served with vegetables and garlic rice. Delicious!

Inside Omakase

Omakase at the second floor of Il Terrazzo along Tomas Morato in Quezon City


It was a very satisfying lunch that my friends and I had. We agreed that Omakase was the best Japanese restaurant we'd been to so far. The food was really good, with subtle flavors that are more pleasant to the taste buds than strong ones. Everything was fresh and natural. 
Also, service is fast and the prices are reasonable. We would definitely 
be back at Omakase. Try it, folks!
Happy eating!

Whitewall Coffee and Food Co. at Eton Centris Walk

Last August, I began to regularly go again to Sidcor Sunday Market after not visiting since last year. It was then that I discovered this now one-year-old (they marked their first year last September) cafe called Whitewall Coffee and Food Co. at Eton Centris Walk, just across the market and near Family Mart. I realized I hadn't been to Sidcor for a year prior to my visit in August because it was my first time 

to see this chic coffee place. 

I was surprised to see that walls at Whitewall were painted in black! The whole place is in black with just patches of white, making the interiors dark and sober. But who's complaining? Certainly not I. Black is my favorite color next to purple. 

It wasn't only the simple elegance of the place that could strike any newbie to Whitewall, even the food! I've gone there thrice -- once alone and then with different consorts. We all loved the food and drinks. 

What we've had:

Classic Carbonara, P170.

This was really, really good! Except that I don't like a fried egg on top of my carbonara. But the pasta was delicious, with al dente fettuccine and sauce that wasn't 

too creamy to the point of cloying.

Beef Tapa, P130.
This was for lunch on my first visit. The beef tapa was just the way I like it -- not saucy but not dry either, tender and not salty, just rightly seasoned. I was asked how I would like to have my fried egg and I said I wanted it scrambled. So scrambled it was, and fried to perfection -- not 
dry as my helper does at home...sigh.

Pork Tocino, P130.
I hadn't had tocino for quite sometime so I decided "tocilog" to be lunch on another occasion. I loved that the pork was cut up bite-sized and very tender. Some tocino tend to be too saccharine but this wasn't; the flavors -- sweetness and saltiness -- were just right. I had sunny side up egg this time and it was divine, with the orangey yolk (proof of good-quality egg) runny.

Whitewall Signature Clubhouse, P215.
My not-so-little boy loves clubhouse sandwich and I knew he would order it when I tagged him along. He did and was actually happy with it! I ate some of it and loved the thick slices of chicken breast and lots of greens and tomatoes.


Blue Chips with Spinach Artichoke Dip, P155.
This was a nice thing to have with sandwich. The dip was delicious and healthy, 
having spinach and artichoke.

Chocolate Fudge cake, P110.
Moist, chocolatey and not too sweet. Best with black coffee!

Iced Latte, double, P125.
This was pure bliss on a hot mid-day. Caffeine kick that refreshes!

Oreo Chip Cream, P165.
My son, who is an Oreo fan, loved this one. It satisfied his sweet tooth while offering 
a reprieve from the hotness of the day.

Cafe Latte, single, P115.

I love coffee at Whitewall. It's rich, full-bodied and strong, 

even with the added milk.

Cafe Americano, Single, P105.
I had dessert on one occasion (the chocolate fudge cake) and decided to have black coffee to pair it with. Whitewall has good Americano, I didn't need to add milk or cream to it.

Menu

                            In and around Whitewall Coffee and Food Co.

Whitewall Coffee and Food Co. at Eton Centris Walk, Edsa corner Quezon Ave. 
in Diliman, Quezon City

What a gem Whitewall Coffee and Food Co. is, I must say, and "hidden" at that. I'm glad to discover it and make it my Sunday go-to place after buying what I need at the market. It's not just a nice spot for food and coffee, it's also cosy and quiet enough for some reading or studying. It's the perfect "tambay" or hangout place to bring family and friends. 
Visit Whitewall Coffee and Food Co., folks! 
Happy eating!