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May 24th, 2009 by dadatan Posted in Business | No Comments »
Luneta Asian Bistro ( Bistro Luneta)
615 3rd Ave. San Mateo, CA
(650) 344-0041
One of the first Filipino owned upscale restaurants that opened in 2006 is Luneta Asian Bistro. Most of us know that Luneta is a famous park in Manila. There is a shrine of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. Bistro Luneta serves Asian fusion cuisine. It’s not your typical Filipino restaurant and Filipino food is very limited. The ambiance is contemporary with a touch of antique like wood doors with wrought iron in two areas of the dining room. The high ceiling has interesting antique looking colorful assorted patterns and the floor is made of bamboo.
The open kitchen is filled with Filipino chefs. Emmanuel Santos, Executive chef, worked years ago at the Mandarin Hotel in Makati and was trained in Switzerland. The young and friendly owners of Bistro Luneta are Janet and Jon (Johnathan) Guanzon. Both had graduated from La Salle in the Philippines. Janet used to work for the Mandarin Hotel as one of the Managers. The first year they opened I went to the restaurant almost every month. This was one of the first Filipino fusion restaurants that was classy. The cuisine was excellent! I was so excited to have this restaurant so close to home.
Here are some of the dishes I enjoyed. One of their appetizers - Bangus Maki ($8) which is shredded milkfish with tomato, onion and salted egg maki is unique. The Lamb Kaldereta ($20) is grilled New Zealand chops with tomato pate de foie sauce. It was very flavorful, too. You have to try the Bistek Luneta ($18.50). It is a grilled flat-iron steak with citrus soy sauce and mashed potatoes. It is so tender and juicy. The Crispy Pata ($18) is extra crispy and good. For seafood, I highly recommend the Chilean Sea Bass ($22). It is pan-seared with sauteed spinach and mushrooms. Excellent! Try the different desserts which are very good. The Barako Creme Brulee ($6.50) is made with Barako, a Cappuchino-style Philippine coffee. The Churros Manila ($8.50) is made with hot Manila chocolate and served with seasonal fruits. Another dessert which is light is the Pandan Pana Cota ($7) which is a pandan custard with coconut strings and mango. One more to try is the Banana Crepe ($8) with chopped bananas in Triple-Sec Rum and cinnamon crepe. All desserts are petite sizes.
Last March 24, 2009, Bistro Luneta had a Wine Tasting Event with Master Sommelier Reggie Narito. He is only one of 76 Master Sommeliers in the US and one of 3 Filipino-Americans. He talked for almost two hours teaching us about wines. The wine tasting event was free and included some appetizers. It was about pairing wine with Filipino cuisine. Then we tasted three red wines and three white wines. There is always something new to learn. After the event, my three girlfriends and I stayed and ordered our dinner.
I highly recommend this bistro to all your friends and relatives. There is something for everyone whether you are Filipino or non-Filipino. Their website is: www.lunetabistro.com
Ambiance - 3 stars
Food - 4 stars
Service - 4 stars
Prices - medium to expensive
April 28th, 2009 by Jessy Posted in Business | No Comments »
By Jessy A. Ang, M.D., Faith Philippines Founder and Convenor, Global Filipino Nation
Thirty years ago, I left my beloved Philippines disheartened that our country was still under Martial Law and the voice of democracy silenced by the corrupt Marcos regime. I carried with me the sad memories of the failed struggle to bring genuine democratic reforms and the martyrdom of countless men and women who offered their lives and lost their freedom so that tyranny would not prevail. Never giving up hope, I embark on a journey to achieve the American dream so that when the fruits of hard labor became a reality, I can come back to share the blessings to my fellow Filipino People.
Several decades later, with the blessing of the Divine Providence and the guiding support of my hardworking and dedicated wife, that dream has now been realized. I have reached the peak of my career where I have received the respect of the medical community in the treatment of the mentally ill. We have raised four wonderful children who have done well in their chosen careers. Yet despite these successes, there has been an increasing longing on my part to serve the land of my birth and the reservoir of many happy and sad memories. The calling has been more profound after seeing our country continuing to decline, beset with corruption at all levels of society and the widening gap between the rich and the poor.
I recalled a man who on August 21, 1983 came back home after 10 years of imprisonment and exile with a vision of restoring democracy and social justice. He was a man of great courage who made a journey back home despite the fear that death awaited him. He counseled those fears with the belief the Filipinos are worth dying for. On that day when he set foot on our soil, his dream was cut short, gunned down by the cowardly assassins of the corrupt regime. This Filipino hero was Ninoy Aquino. His brutal and tragic death brought tears to my eyes and profound grief to our nation.
Three years later, the courage and resolve of our people to the repressive hardship and through the intercession of our Blessed Mother, the Marcos dictatorship was overturned and democracy finally restored.
Twenty years after the People’s Revolution, the dream of a just, caring and peaceful society became more out of reach. Corruption has infiltrated all levels of our society that a great majority of our people have become cynical, questioning the value of honesty and fairness. Poverty continues to rise with the poor being exploited by political leaders who offer no sustainable program to pull them out of their misery. The middle class under heavy burden of taxes is gradually eroding.
The expanded economic growth which the current and prior governments see as their crowning achievement is not felt by most of our people. Sadly, the recent rise in our economic growth is the product of the blood, sweat, and tears (hard work) of our fellow Filipinos who go abroad to find jobs that can give food and decent shelter to their suffering families. However, the price of such sacrifice has been too steep.
Families are dislocated with broken homes and broken hearts. Some spouses due to feelings of loneliness and absence of companionship became unfaithful. Some children left behind become defiant, quit school, and resort to alcohol and drug abuse. Countless domestic workers have been abused, mistreated, raped, and even killed.
Tragically, our politicians from both sides continue to offer no comprehensive solutions to out nation’s ills. They continue to present the same failed solutions by placing their hopes in one leader yet that leader has no clear vision and integrity is in question. It is in this spirit that our nation needs to be awakened and that our people need to make a stand. Enough is enough. Change is now and by all. While we need to make great efforts to elect public officials who have integrity, honesty, and competence, we also need to transform ourselves. We need to have a movement that addresses the ills of our society and place the major responsibility in each and everyone of us to find the solutions.
The corruption that is now endemic in our government is a product of unchecked executive power since the birth of our Republic with too much authority in the control of the executive branch of the government. We need to place more authority in our provincial and city governments where there can be better access for transparency and accountability. Such accountability can be further enhanced by creating provincial assemblies so that there will be an adequate representation from small towns and cities.
We need to also examine our legislative and judicial systems. Instead of engaging in blame and finger pointing ,we need to find common ground to make the legislative and judicial branches be more effective and relevant to the needs of our people. We need to lessen the burden of the Supreme Court by allowing the lower courts to have finality on issues that are not national scope in nature. We need to ask all sectors of our society; the business community, the labor unions, the military, the mass media, and the Catholic Church to transform themselves into institutions that speak the truth, seek truth and justice with courage and have their governance be also subjected to the same accountability and transparency that we demand of our government.
We need to ask ourselves whether we are poor or rich, Christian or Muslim, Chinoy or Malay, on how we can build a better society along the principles of compassion and fairness devoid of any prejudice whether it be race, creed, gender or sexual orientation. We need to make a concerted effort to keep human life sacred and the pursuit of any goal must be achieved through non-violence.
We need to dedicate our lives to transform this nation into a nation that cares for one another. We need to uplift poverty from our society through basic education,adequate health care and job creation so we can have genuine economic prosperity. It is for these reasons that we need a movement that calls for renewal of our FAITH. First with our God, by having a living commitment to His 2 great Commandments, but also the belief that we have the capacity and resiliency to solve our nation’s ills.
We need to have an honest reassessment of our social and cultural values that hinder our growth and maturity as a nation. We need to examine and address the ill effects of distorted values such as, “utang na loob”, “hiya”, and “bahala na” that take away virtues of initiative, honesty and righteousness in our lives.. It is a movement that challenges every one of us to seek growth on a higher level whatever position we hold or whatever sector we belong to. The poor has to find ways to free themselves from dependency and apathy. The wealthy should share their blessings through supporting programs that will have significant impact to relieve illiteracy, malnutrition, preventable diseases and poverty in our country. The press needs to be more vigilant in pursuing the truth and to remove from its ranks members that use their leverage of communication to gain personal favors and money.
The Church needs to continue support for the vulnerable and the poor but in doing so, makes concerted efforts to devoid itself from politics, respect the separation of church and state, and initiate transparency and accountability in all sectors starting with its own. The movement is called FAITH Philippines. FAITH stands for faith, accountability, integrity, transformation and hope. It will strive for these goals, as well as advocate for our children, addressing the issues of malnutrition, preventable diseases and illiteracy. It will seek for the protection, respect, and safety of our domestic workers. The guiding principle of this movement is respect for human life and human rights and that resolution of differences are accomplished through dialogue and respect for each other.
I know the task is difficult if not overwhelming. I know the skeptics and cynics will find such goals impossible to achieve. However with the help of our God, the love for our fellowmen, and resiliency of our people, we will overcome the insurmountable obstacles. With a renewed sense of hope and sustained commitment, we will have a just and compassionate society.
Jessy A. Ang, M.D.
Faith Philippines
April 28th, 2009 by Matey Alberto Posted in Lifestyle, People & Society, With Fervor Burning | 10 Comments »
I am an intermittent Filipino.
For months on a stretch I will be deep into my American life and do the laundry, down a dubious energy bar with coffee and call it breakfast, eat lunch at fast food places or at Grade B restaurants with ersatz specialties, pretend to love baseball, wear un-ironed cotton clothing, tune in to 680AM radio’s personally rude but politically erudite duo John and Ken, and consider it all in a day’s work to cover 100 miles of Southern California’s freeways behind the wheel of my trusty SUV. And sometimes while driving, I even sing The Star-Spangled Banner fervently, almost to tears.
That my singing really drives people to tears is beside the point. I sing because, besides keeping myself awake with my own awful off-key, even in these depressing times “I am proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free”, and this land that I call the United Stress of America remains my country of choice.
But about once every 2 years, I reward myself with a visit to my other world where “laid back” and “indulgent” are the sweet operative words right along with the twin menaces of “traffic” and “pollution”.
I am always already in Manila even before take off from LAX, blissfully asleep even as the plane taxis down the runway, enjoying a headstart with dreams of those negotiable hour-long massages that my body will soon be enjoying under the firm and expert hands of a gentle but underpaid masseuse.
And when I land at the NAIA, I am transformed and ready to claim my birthright. With smiling chauffeurs and maids at my service, how could dirty laundry and unpaid bills have a place here? I am once again a Filipino princess. Intermittently indeed, but ever passionately so.
But my visits are in reality more than respites from the humdrum of American life. They are invariably reminders of all the reasons why, in spite of my choices, I will always be proud and enamored of this wonderful, misunderstood, oft-misinformed country that I left many years ago.
My last trip reinforced it all:
The well-endowed beaches – Boracay in particular, with its whiter-than-snow and finer-than-baby-powder sand, remaining staunchly regal and eternally seductive to an enamored, ever-expanding slice of humanity…
The colorful history sadly tweaked by western textbook propagandists and their ilk…
The hodge-podge and dirt of the metropolis found everywhere from canals to traffic navigation to politicians….
The glassy-eyed streetchildren, hawking inconsequentials allegedly under pain of torture from a syndicate of cretin that dare call themselves members of the human race…
The glorious food, all of it lip-smackingly delicious and screaming “cholesterol be damned”….
The popular combination of what I think is purposeful cluelessness, single-minded hardiness, and ready spirituality which together will probably keep us nationally unfazed come hell, high water and global recession.
I am SO thankful for every chance to reaffirm my Pinoy-ness, to look around and within. And still find in me an eagerness, wary at first but fully a-bloom in no time at all, to once again immerse in all the good and bad of what keeps the Philippines eternally beloved in my heart of hearts.
I went to Boracay for a cousin’s wedding. Beyond the experience of a most beautiful ceremony and the chance to gaze once more upon the awesome adults that my Manila-based children have become, I now carry with me memories of
…lazy afternoon massages on the beach
…waves incessantly kissing our private cabana
…carefree hours in the water, baby-sitting and relishing the laughter and boundless energy of my two little nephews
… dining on superb international cuisine right along with unembellished fresh seafood, best eaten as I did in my youth – endlessly, kamayan-style, with a choice of patis and calamansi, vinegar and garlic and sili, hot sauce, sliced tomatoes and bagoong as dips – cholesterol be damned indeed!
… long early-morning walks on the sand with my best friend to recharge our souls, alternating catch-up chatter with quiet reflections while our hearts stoutly embraced the wonders of the precious moment.
Back in the city I took on the pollution, noise and traffic with equal aplomb. I was a curious pedestrian around the Makati Business Center … took the shuttle around the Rockwell Complex…. ventured out into Las Pinas, Roxas Boulevard, and Caloocan on business errands … revisited the Greenhills tiangge on more than one occasion and each time overburdened my arms and my wallet with delightful finds …. had my fill of pedicures and spa treatments …delighted in the booths replete with kakanins and other pasalubongs at the Fort’s Market Market…. caught up with incredulous friends who couldn’t get over my sudden preference for Jollibee as a merienda destination …dreaded that there was no time to see more friends or laze around in my host’s private cove in Batangas.
But the greatest adventure that the city offered me during this visit was a day that started with a very enriching 3 hours at the National Museum, highlighted by an unforgettable lunch sojourn into the turn of the century, and ending with a 40-minute ride from Quiapo to Guadalupe in the impeccably-run Pasig River ferry.
The National Museum tour was precious, if only to permanently reform my incomplete and sadly-mangled education about the land of my birth and the personalities that shaped its story.
I will never again look at Juan Luna’s Spollarium mindlessly, nor laugh off any mention of dog-eating Filipinos without letting the uniformed know that this regrettable impression started long ago in the heart of the United States.
I will remember that the country’s reputation of crime and lawlessness are not an exclusive misfortune and are NOT what define it and its hospitable, eager-to-please yet proud and beautiful people.
And I will make it a point to join Carlos Celdran’s Corregidor tour on my next visit, because I fervently believe that EVERY Filipino should take it.
Today I am home in Los Angeles once again. Here where being Filipino means a number of banal things: subscribing to TFC and keeping the tv on that channel all day …. attending weekend get-togethers where the menu is invariably sinigang, pansit, lumpiang shanghai aka egg roll, pork barbecue on a stick, and saging na turon, all of which are poor versions of what our cook in Manila whips up… taking these home as “balot” even before the party ends …. going to weddings where that tacky fund-raising money dance is sadly de rigueur …
Etcetera ad nauseam, so that soon one notes how quickly her “cosmopolitan” can morph into “parochial”.
And it is at this point of alarm that it starts all over again - invariably when the crisp autumn wind nips the air and softly blows the lyrics of “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit” straight to the homesick heart – that one gets the unshakeable urge to book a ticket, pack a balikbayan box with what my biyahera friends refer to as “third world delights”, and with fervor burning head home to ingest exactly what it means to be - inexorably, irreversibly and rightfully - a FILIPINO.
April 22nd, 2009 by jessyangmd Posted in Law & Goverment | No Comments »
by Dr. Jesse Ang
It will be a year from now that we will elect a new president. But all we hear from them is that they are tired and outraged of the massive graft and corruption of the present administration. All advocate for good governance and a transparent and accountable government. To this end, I ask each and everyone of them to respond to the following questions where their answers will reflect much about the integrity,vision and competence of the candidate.
1. It has been said that to launch a successful presidential campaign,you will have to spend at least 5 billion pesos. Where will you obtain such funds? If you believe in transparency,can you reveal the amount and the name of donors that supported your candidacy when you ran and won for senator or mayor? If businessmen and rich families plan to support you for your presidential bid , how will you remain independent?
2.What is your platform of government? What measures would you take to ensure good governance amd integrity in our government?
3 What is your position about our current debt service which accounts for 30% of our national budget?
4. How do you intend to promote peace and order in our country? We have 130,000 soldiers and 150,000 PNP police officers. Yet it is still not safe to drive late at night, where there is increasing number of unsolved kidnappings and political killings .
5. What are your proposals for our country to transform itself from a Third World nation to a just,prosperous and compassionate society? How do you intend to fund it? What measures would you take for job creation, land reform , basic education and health care?
These are tough questions we need to ask. I beseech our TV and news reporters to be more agressive and in depth with their questioning so as not to be seen as a forum of free advertisements for the presidentialbles.
April 16th, 2009 by Rodel E. Rodis Posted in Law & Goverment | No Comments »
by Rodel E. Rodis
Although the staggering number shocks the conscience, the issue had received little national media attention until the Philippine Commission on Human Rights (CHR) began a three-day public hearing in Davao City on March 30, 2009 on the 814 “extra-judicial killings” that have taken place in this Mindanao city between August 19, 1998 to February 1, 2009.
In his April 10, 2009 column, which appeared in the Manila Times and other international publications, Fr. Shay Cullen wrote: “The courageous chairperson of the commission, Leila De Lima, who led the public enquiry last week, said the majority of victims are very young, mostly youth, terribly poor, semi-illiterate street children. Few if any had been arrested, charged and found guilty of any crime. Their living presence is the embarrassing evidence of gross social inequality and injustice.”
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April 13th, 2009 by dadatan Posted in Restaurant Reviews | No Comments »
Intramuros Restaurant - Music Lounge and Bar
101 Brentwood Dr.
South San Francisco CA
(650) 877-7736
There is so much excitement in the air as the new INTRAMUROS Restaurant and Bar is SIZZLING HOT! Most Filipinos know that Intramuros was a fortress that was built by the Spaniards. It was the oldest district of Manila. Last Christmas 2008 was the soft opening of the newest Filipino restaurant and music lounge in South San Francisco. This is the GRANDEST and one of the most ELEGANT of all Filipino restaurants and bars in the SF bay area! Restaurateur Bary Picazo, great grandson of President Manual Roxas, is one of the owners of Inramuros and also Patio Filipino. His partners in this new venture are Mark de Leon and Dr. Valerie Pozon-de Leon. Dr. Pozon used to sing in a band called The New Minstrels. They did a fantastic job in creating this chic restaurant/club. Cuisine is traditional Filipino and some Spanish. It is not fusion but you will see new creative dishes and desserts which are unique. Jeff Catral (Executive Chef) and Guia Panelo (Pastry Chef) have great ideas in bringing out the flavors of Filipino cuisine.
From the facade, you can not tell that this is a fancy restaurant. It is just plain looking. I was really impressed when I first walked in the restaurant last December 26 for a rehearsal for our concert. When you first enter the double glass doors, you already feel it is going to be a fine establishment. The reception desk has a natural wood top and a beautiful flower arrangement. As you get to the upscale main dining room, it is spectacular! Beautiful large Venetian mirrors and wall lamps are on the walls as decor. A grand piano now with a large flower arrangement sits in the center of the room giving it a touch of class! Then next to it is a much larger room which is the main banquet and ballroom with a capacity of 250 persons. The dance floor is big with fancy glittery black tiles. This is the area for banquets, live bands and concerts. On the side it has an area with dark paneled walls that remind me of a boardroom with chandeliers. They have used this area as an extension of the restaurant or banquet room.
The Retro at the “i” Concert was the first concert held at Intramuros on December 27. There were several local Filipino bands who entertained us with great standards of the oldies but goodies music. I belong to a singing group of 3 ladies, the Spice Divas. At this concert we were backed up by the 60’s/70’s Plus Band. The banquet room was filled to over capacity. So much energy was flowing as people danced the night away!
When I went back last February, the restaurant had a long wait like an hour so it is recommended to make reservations. This was in the middle of the week. While I was waiting, I ran into long time friends of mine so we chatted for a little bit. We all could not decide whether to stay or go to another restaurant. Then we were approached by Valerie Pozon. She and Barry decided to open up the next room which was part of the Music Lounge. It was real nice of them to accomodate us and we waited for about 10 minutes only.
My two girlfriends and I ordered the Inihaw (Grilled Marinated Side Pork thinly sliced, $10). I highly recommend this which is the best I ever had! It was so savory! The Gatang Sitaw at Kalabasa (String beans and squash, shrimp and pork simmered in coconut milk, $13) was good. We also had the Sizzling Bangus Sisig (Milkfish served with shallots and jalapeno pepper, topped with cherry tomatoes, crispy skin and special seasonings, $13) which was flavorful. The Crispy Binagoongan Over Grilled Eggplant (Diced crispy pork lightly glazed with shrimp paste over grilled eggplant, topped with diced mangoes & tomatoes $13) was very tasty.
For dessert, the Buko con Seto ($7) was just delightful! It is like eating halo-halo inside a buko (coconut). It has some beans and clear jello served with ice cream on top. The other dessert I had was quite unique. It is called a Bibingka Souffle ($7) which has similar ingredients with the native bibingka. It is so light and airy with some cream and served with a spoon of chopped salted egg and white cheese can be added to the souffle if you wish. Price range of the dishes are a little bit higher than othe Filipino restaurants. It is just right for the ambiance, food, and service.
Just recently the Intra Lounge Bar in another room has finally opened. It is so beautiful and modern with a curvilinear bar with lamps on top.There are couches and even a fireplace! How cozy is that while listening to live music! The menu is International appetizers. Drinks range from $6- $8 which is average.
In the very back of Intramuros they will also open a veranda with a garden and serve breakfast and late night appetizers. A lot Filipinos love the night life so after their parties or events, they can now go to Intramuros. They plan to stay open as late as 2 AM on Fridays and Saturdays.
More people are now reserving their events, private parties, fundraisers, fashion shows and concerts here. It is time we had a really grand venue to show off our world class Intramuros Restaurant - Music Lounge and Bar!
Ambiance - 4 stars
Food - 3 stars
Service - 3 stars
Prices - medium to expensive
March 13th, 2009 by dadatan Posted in Restaurant Reviews | No Comments »
Patio Filipino
1770 El Camino Real
San Bruno, CA
(650) 872-9888
Website: Patio Filipino
A friend of mine had asked me to recommend a Pinoy restaurant where she can take her out of town guests who are non-Filipinos. I suggested Patio Filipino for the ambiance and good food. I told her my hubby and I just took our long time friends from Australia there last middle of January. Tom and Anne O’Brien had never tried Filipino food. Tom was originally from New York and Anne is Australian. They had lived in Jakarta for over 20 years! That’s where we met. The O’Brien’s always stop by San Francisco for a visit since they have a son who lives there. Every time we go out for dinner we usually have American or Italian food. So, this last time my hubby and I suggested they try Filipino cuisine since they never had it before. I wanted to impress them and not bring them to a turo-turo. I’ll save that for next time. At that time another Filipino restaurant had opened that was classy but they did not have their liquor license yet. Our guests are big on wines and beers when they dine out. So, I chose Patio Filipino. The restaurant has now expanded and has 2 separate dining areas which are attractive. There is a patio by the front entrance which is nice to dine outdoors if the weather is warmer. Business has been good and steady.
When we got to the restaurant, our guests had already ordered San Miguel Beer while waiting for us. They arrived 5 minutes earlier than us. Tom and Anne have tried San Miguel Beer several times in the past. Our table had white linen and big square white china, a more modern look. For starters, we had Lumpianitas (sauteed pork wrapped and fried). We all enjoyed the crunchy rolls. The Chicken Adobo (marinated with soy sauce, vinegar and garlic sauce) was savory but different from other Adobos I am used to eating. The Sizzling Pork Sisig (marinated with onions and jalapeno pepper) and Sinigang na Bangus Belly (Milkfish boiled in tamarind broth) were so flavorful that our guests like these the best. We also had Pinakbet (eggplant, bitter melon, string beans and okra sauteed in pork and shrimp with shrimp paste) which is good. Then we had the Tilapia Crunch ( fried filet of fish and served with tomato salsa). It is simple yet tasty.
Desserts are quite expensive but unique. They have made their typical Filipino desserts into contemporary works of art. You have to try the Buko con Seta with halo-halo inside and topped with ice cream. Absolutely yummy! Turon a la Mode is a crispy banana turon and served with ice cream. Just delicious! The light, creamy and smooth Leche Flan was just heavenly!
Our guests were very happy and satisfied with our Filipino cuisine. At last, they have experienced our popular dishes.
Other good dishes I recommend on your next visit are the following:
Sizzling Bangus Sisig - Milkfish served with onion and jalapeno pepper
Crispy Binagoongan - Pork cooked crisp and served on grilled eggplant and topped with shrimp paste. This is a little bit on the salty side.
Lechon Kawali - Pork side, deep fried and served with liver sauce or vinegar sauce
Bistek Tagalog - Beef sliced and marinated in soy sauce and lemon sauteed with onions
Ginataang Sitaw at Kalabasa - String beans and Squash sauteed in coconut milk
Chicken & Mussel Tinola - chicken & mussel simmered in ginger broth
Paella Valenciana - Chorizo, Mussel, Scallops, Shrimps, Chicken in Aromatic Saffron Rice served in a pan
Lengua Champignon - Beef Tongue stewed with mushroom and cream sauce
Patio Filipino is one of my favorite Filipino restaurants. Not too many Filipino restaurants serve Spanish food. I highly recommend the Paella and the other Spanish dishes like Lengua and Callos. They have one of the best paellas in town!
The restaurant is attractive and beautiful. There are some old and new Filipino cuisine to try here. The owners, Johann Yuson, Tito Gonzales and Barry Picazo know how to bring out the best in dining experience. Each owner has branched out and opened their own restaurants. Long time restauranteur Yuson had his Goldilock’s for many years. Gonzales started Alimango almost a year ago. Now Picazo has opened Intramuros last Christmas and is the talk of the town! My next review will be on Intramuros.
Ambiance - 3 stars
Food - 3 stars
Service - 3 stars
Prices - $$
My ratings - 4 stars (excellent), 3 stars (good), 2 stars (fair) 1 star (poor)
March 6th, 2009 by Rodel E. Rodis Posted in Law & Goverment | No Comments »
by Rodel E. Rodis
Rep. Steve Austria (R-Ohio), the lone Filipino American member of the US Congress, told the vast TV viewing audience of ABS-CBN’s Balitang America that he voted against the stimulus bill even though it would allocate $198-M for Filipino WW II veterans because, he said, the money would not go towards stimulating the weak US economy. Instead, Austria said, he wanted a “stand alone” bill that would allot lump sums to Filipino veterans.
The Filipino veterans (FilVets) know all about "stand alone" bills because they have been down that road many times before. When Austria's party controlled the US Congress, the Republican chair of the House Veterans Committee (Rep. Steve Buyer of Indiana) refused to even hold a hearing of his committee to consider the FilVets claim.
With the Democrats in control of Congress last year, Filipino veterans finally succeeded in getting both Houses of Congress to hold hearings on the FilVets bill and to endorse the bills. The US Senate passed its bill by a 96-1 vote but only after it had been folded in with other veterans issue in an omnibus veterans bill (S. 1315) crafted by Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), chair of the Senate Veterans Committee.
But even that omnibus bill could not be approved by the House until the Filipino veterans provision was excised from it. The only hope in November of 2008 was for the Filipino veterans provision to be included in the Senate-House conference committee compromise. But Sen. Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) killed off any hope of that by rejecting the request of Sen. Akaka for a unanimous vote to cut off debate and vote on its inclusion.
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February 11th, 2009 by Rodel E. Rodis Posted in Law & Goverment | No Comments »
The infamous Rescission Act of 1946 may soon be rescinded if the Filipino veterans equity provision in the stimulus bill that passed the US Senate on February 10, 2009 is retained in the joint Senate-House conference bill that is approved by both Houses of Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama.
There were approximately 430,000 Filipino WW II veterans who were slated to receive US military benefits (health care, G.I. Bill of Rights, pension, vocational rehabilitation etc) when this bill removing those benefits was approved by the US Congress on February 18, 1946. Before signing the bill into law, President Harry Truman declared that “the passage and approval of this legislation does not release the US from its moral obligation to provide for the heroic Philippine veterans who sacrificed so much for the common cause during the war.”
Estimates vary on the value of the benefits that would have been received by the Filipino veterans in 1946 dollars with some placing the value at approximately $3.2-B. Known officially as the “First Supplementary Surplus Appropriation Rescission Act of 1946”, the bill offered $200-M to the army of the Philippine commonwealth government (the Philippines did not become an independent republic until July 4, 1946) in exchange for a quit claim of all other com pensation and benefits of Filipino World War II U.S. veterans.
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January 31st, 2009 by dadatan Posted in Business, Restaurant Reviews | No Comments »
Mana Restaurant - by MaryLou “Dada” Tan
33 West 25th Ave. San Mateo, CA | 650-525-1488
A new Filipino restaurant has just opened over a month ago in San Mateo. Mana is located at the former Clam House Restaurant that was also Filipino-owned. I finally got to try Mana Restaurant the first week they opened. I took my family including my sister and her daughter. I was wondering what Mana actually meant. We thought it may be inheritance, bread or short for manang. But I talked to Giles Bautista, one of the owners and also one of the owners of Kuya’s Restaurant and former owner of Tito Rey’s. According to him, mana is an inheritance of Filipino dishes that were handed down from the elders of their families. The other owner, Wayne Hernandez and his wife, Jingky and another relative, Rita were all very friendly. The restaurant is simple looking with some native baskets and other Philippine items hanging on the walls.
We had Hinurnong Tahong (Baked Mussels with Garlic Sauce and Cheese - $8.95) for appetizers, Sinigang Boneless Bangus Belly (Milkfish Belly - $11.95) , Beef Kaldereta (Spicy Beef Stew with Olives and Bell Pepper in Tomato Sauce - $9.95), Crispy Pata (Deep-fried Pork Leg and Knuckles - $12.95), Pork Sisig (Chopped Pork Marinated in a sour liquid- $8.95) and Pinakbet (Mixed Vegetables cooked in Bagoong). All the portions were big so you really get a good deal! Everything we had was so good and tasty. Service was very good and we did not wait long for the food. The restaurant had over 30 diners and I even ran into my friend and her family. She even went to Mana twice that weekend already! On Saturdays and Sundays they have some specials like Paella and Callos. I wanted to try those but it did not go with the rest of our order. They have quite an extensive menu.
I went back again to Mana to have lunch with my seven friends from the Filipino-American Association of Foster City last week. This time I tried Kare-Kare (oxtail and tripe in peanut stew - $11.95), Bistek Tagalog (marinated beef in soy sauce, lemon and onions - $9.95), Beef Kaldereta (spicy beef stew with olives and bell pepper in tomato sauce - $9.95), Pork Sisig ($8.95) and Pancit Malabon ($8.95). Everything was delicious! We only had five dishes and we were all full. I had to skip dessert because I had to rush back to work. On my way out the door, I saw two groups of my fellow employees from the San Mateo County Human Services Agency in Belmont. I was happy to see them as repeat customers already because I was the one who announced to them of my new discovery.
My third visit was last February 13. I met my two Pinay girlfriends for lunch. While I was there waiting for the food, I talked to Giles and Wayne. They said that business has been really good. I told them that my friends are very happy to have a very good Filipino restaurant. This time we ordered Bangus Sisig ($11.25), Kalabasa (Sitaw sa Gata with yellow squash cooked in coconut milk - $8.95) and Pata Tim. Next table to us was a group of three other kababayans. They were so friendly and let us try a couple of their dishes. Of course, we let them try ours, too. I really liked the Pork Barbeque ($9.25). They were big chunks of pork skewered on a stick. Each entree we had was very tasteful.
I highly recommend Mana to everyone. Finally, we have a very good Filipino traditional cuisine, not fusion, in our area!
Ambiance - 2 1/2 stars
Food - 3 1/2 stars
Service - 3 1/2 stars
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My ratings - 4 stars (excellent), 3 stars (good), 2 stars (fair) 1 star (poor)
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