Fresh Finds, Tasty Bites, Good Vibes (Part 1)

Monster Burger sells grilled quarter and half pounder burgers. We ordered one half pounder of cheeseburger, medium well. Just like Burger King, you can have it your way - medium well or well done, with fillings or none, with or without cheese.Other toppings with some twist such as Blue Cheese Dressing and Wasabi Mayo. Side dishes such as Chicken nuggets, Potato wedges and fries are also available. The meat wasn't really as overwhelming as the name it implies. Nothing really interesting with the bread and the fillings, but we love the juicy and smoky flavor of the patty. Another great thing is, they sell these patties in packs at an affordable price. 300 pesos ($6) for 9 pieces of quarter pounder, or 5 pieces of half pounder, and 175 pesos ($3-4) for a pack of 5 quarter pounders. Almost the same price when you purchase a pound of plain ground beef in the market. So I guess it's a good buy.

What else but the famous Spanish Paella in different varieties - Three Chorizo Paella, Paella Negra, Seafood Paella, and other Spanish dishes such as Gambas al Ajillo, Lengua Estofado, Spanish Mechado, Fillet Mignon steaks, Chili con carne, and Pescado ala Catalana.

Takoyakia famous Osaka delicacy, which literally means fried octopus. It is a Japanese dumpling made of batter, with diced octopus, tenkasu, pickled ginger. Takoyaki is cooked in a special takoyaki grill or pan with half spherical moulds. The batter is poured over the grill, embedded with diced octupus and other ingredients, then quickly poked with a pick and flipped over and over until you form a perfect ball shape.Tonkatsu sauce, ponzu, or bulldog sauce is poured on top, drizzled with japanese mayo, and garnished with katsuobushi and aonori. It takes a lot of skills to make one. I had my electric takoyaki pan at home, and I had to turn on and off the pan just to prevent the takoyaki from burning its crust. Takoyaki has a crusty texture on the outside, and soft, doughy, moist, almost runny (having a visual assumption that its undercooked, but it isnt), and its still piping hot on the inside. So don't be deceived by letting it cool for a few minutes, because the heat is trapped inside the takoyaki ball. I've learned my lesson well, so I usually split my takoyaki in half before eating it.

I forgot the name of this stall. They sell different kinds of quiche, big and small - their bestseller Ratatouille, Spinach, Onion, Broccoli, Tomato and Goat Cheese, Lorraine, etc.

Owned by Minnie Puno, who became popular and got a spot on Asian Food Channel'sTop 13 Dessert Finds for her "Minnie Mousse" desserts, introduced her "SaWRAP" along. SaWRAP was first commenced at the Rockwell Sunday Souk and then later at the Pink Kitchen. It is presently seen in Salcedo and Legazpi Market.

They sell Thai Chicken Wraps (grilled chicken teriyaki, on a bed of lettuce and other vegies, drizzled with Satay sauce and garnished with crushed peanuts, wrapped in a tortilla), Vietnamese Prawn Rolls (with vegetables, mint leaves, and rice noodles, served with some chili bean sauce), and Pinoy Smoked Fish wraps (with red salted eggs, tomatoes, and served with some vinegar)

Remember my Wagyu Wagoning experience? I got my first taste of wagyu beef at Rafik, but not in Legazpi. I was caught in a long queue and didn't bother to wait. Luckily, I had a chance to taste Rafik Wagyu Shawarma at Salcedo Market. Rafik Shawarma served Wagyu and Lamb Sharwarma, Burgers, and Cheesesteak. A Fushion of Western Mediterranean, and Japanese. They also serve Australian Chicken and Beef Potpies every Saturday at Salcedo Market (my next blog).

Owner Gilbert Raut personally makes his crepe in a "real" French way - with the right proportion of ingredients and manner of preparation and cooking. Crepes are sold for 40-90 pesos, galettes, baguette sandwiches (130-160), and couscous with lamb and chicken (French Mediterranean).

Aside from Wheatgrass, Chlorophyll Manila also sells Himalayan Pink Salts, Organic Nuts, and Lentils. Himalayan Pink Salts has an iron oxide content, which gives it pink color. Himalayan Pink Salts can be used in cooking, as brine, as tonic drink, or for bathing.

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