It’s Not A Hotdog! It’s Hungarian Sausage!

No, what’s in the photo is not an ordinary hotdog that you can buy from the supermarket and fry in your pan. It’s Vienna Kaffeehaus’ Hungarian Sausage! As usual I went to my favorite place not for coffee but for their super cold beer but before I gulped down San Miguel Strong Ice I had to eat something first.

I went with Liz to Vienna Kaffeehaus along Velez St. and since they offer a variety of dishes on their menu, we were dazed and confused on what to choose for lunch. Since I wanted something spicy yet not too much on the tummy (and on the pocket hehe!), I ordered one of their popular treats, Hungarian Sausage served with coleslaw and rice. I chose rice over mashed potatoes since I had plans of taking beer with my meal; I wanted something heavier than potatoes.

The sausage was ok, cooked in the way sausages are supposed to be cooked yet its distinctive flavor made it more exciting. It was made spicy with pepper and spices but it was mild and tolerable especially for spicy hot chili lovers like me. I’m not going to say the Hungarian sausage was super amazing but it was just ok. Liz had a cheese sausage served with the same stuff but I can’t really say if she was that amazed with her lunch too.

The highlight of that rendezvous was the beer drinking. I told her nothing beats Vienna’s beer because they serve them super cold and they have super chilled mugs to go with the beer. I guess she agrees with me on the beer part…nothing beats the smooth yet strong taste of Strong Ice with a smokin’ mug…each of us drank a couple of bottles and then we went back to where we were supposed to be at that time. Haha!

Vienna Kaffeehaus serves meals, pastries, desserts, and super yummy cakes but I keep going back for the beer. I think the usual waitress gets pissed every time she sees me walking through their doors. Oh no, it’s that beer girl again! I must admit that for the several times I have been there, I have never ordered anything from their coffee list yet. Next time I promise I’ll try their coffee with their cute cakes and tell you all about it!

Meatless Spaghetti

Images: No good photos... Ugly phone cam... :-(
Food: YUMMY!!! :-D

I love spaghetti (I can't say though that everybody does). Yesterday I came across some gourmet spaghetti sauces in the supermarket and my mother told me too cook spag. I only said yes if it's ok with her that I wouldn't put meat in the sauce and she agreed. I was supposed to take some of this meatless spaghetti to Odessa's because we were supposed to meet and do some brainstorming BUT the weather didn't cooperate and we were both not feeling very well.

Anyway, here's the recipe. Try it out! ;-)

Meatless Spaghetti

Ingredients:

• spaghetti, cooked al dente
• oil
  
• 1 head garlic, minced
  
• 1 medium white onion, chopped
  
• 1 can sliced button mushrooms
  
• salt
  
• pepper
• ground oregano
• parsley, finely chopped
  
• Del Monte's Gourmet Beef and Mushroom Sauce (hey this is free advertising! hahaha!)
• cheese

Directions:

• Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Cook it al dente...don't ruin the pasta...drain.
• Sauté garlic, onion, and mushrooms in oil. Add parsley and spaghetti sauce.
• Season with salt, pepper, and oregano.
• Add cheese.
• Simmer for a while.
• In a plate serve pasta with sauce and cheese.
• Eat!!! Buon appetito!

*Strict vegetarians may find this recipe non-vegetarian since the sauce is beef flavored. Well I didn't say that this is supposed to be a vegetarian recipe BUT it has no meat in it.

Calamares: Crispy Squid Rings

Vienna Kaffeehaus Squid Rings

My squid rings

Squid rings a.k.a. Calamares in this part of the world is one of my favorite dishes. I love it especially when the rings are coated with crispy breadcrumbs and dipped in garlic mayo or thousand island dressing. I love eating calamares but I don't like preparing it because it takes a lot of time and patience. However, since I enjoy eating and cooking, I'll be sharing with you how I prepare my calamares. ;-)


Crispy Squid Rings

Ingredients:
squid
flour
egg, beaten
Japanese bread crumbs
lemon or lime
salt
pepper
oil for deep frying

Dip:
minced garlic and mayonnaise

1. Clean squid by removing its head and membrane. Rinse, then cut into rings.
2. Marinate rings in salt, pepper, and lemon for at a maximum of 10 minutes.
3. Coat rings in flour, then dip it in the egg mixture. Coat with the breadcrumbs. (You can add a bit of salt and pepper to the breadcrumbs for more flavor.)
4. Deep fry coated rings in very hot oil. Once they turn into golden remove them from the oil and drain with paper towels.
5. In a bowl mix minced garlic and mayo for the dip.
6. Serve and eat your crispy squid rings!

Enjoy!

Pistachio Ice Cream

It is no secret that I love ice cream... I have had several posts which show my favorite dessert presented in various ways.

This bowl of yummy green is Selecta Creations' Pistachio and Cashew ice cream. I love pistachio and cashew nuts and I was so amazed when I saw the ad on television that the two nuts are combined together in this heavenly delight!

I had sore throat when I bought a tub of this ice cream...the aftermath wasn't that desirable but it surely was worth it1 You have to try it and have a share of heaven!

Ribs Baby!

I am a big fan of baby back ribs and this plate of yummy ribs is from Sentro 1850, a local resto here in CDO that serves a delectable range of food. Cutely called Bric a Brac, these ribs have tender meat and are served together with vegetables, corn and rice.

I love eating these babies... Just looking at the pic right now makes me want to go back there and have more...

The Magick of Lugaw

Lugaw or rice porridge is one of the many kinds of food I love.  It's like a soup or chowder (what category does this food really belong????)  I love eating it whenever I don't feel well or whenever my stomach is upset.  Rice is boiled until it is very soft and then it is seasoned with different spices and add-ons.  Add-ons sound too techie eh?  (See the keyboard on the background?)

Anyway, I took this lugaw pic yesterday.  It was what I had for lunch because I wasn't feeling very well.  This lugaw had hard boiled eggs, siomai (dumplings), spring onions and toasted garlic for toppings.  I gave away the siomai to my co-worker when I found out it had shrimps in it.  I am allergic to crustaceans! 

Meals for Less Than a Dollar

Shanghai Rolls

Burger Steak

Jollibee which is the leading fastfood chain in the country offers meals for less than one dollar! For PhP 39.00 (current exchange rate 1 USD = 48 PhP) you can avail any of these meals and have your fill! If you are on a tight budget yet would want to eat somethign tasty just go to the nearest Jollibee and order any of the 39ers!



The 39ers are so popular they even have a Facebook game app!