I Scream

For ice cream that is (but you already knew that). Ice cream is definitely one of my favorite desserts; smooth and creamy, cold and sweet, what could be better to cool you down (but if you must know, this is a fallacy, as the high sugar content in ice cream would have the opposite effect).

I go local for my ice cream (mainly because I can't afford to buy the imported stuff on a regular basis). Fruits in Ice Cream was started by former employees of Magnolia; the brand used to be available only via home-based distributors but lately, I have seen it in supermarkets. Strawberry, halo-halo, caramelo, vanilla and dulce the leche are quite good; can't stand the green tea, though.

Newly reissued Magnolia is also another current favorite. The texture is not as nice as FIC but still better than the commercial brands. Flavor choices are limited still, but offhand can recommend the chocolate and the strawberry.

Arce is the old standby; quality remains good and the flavor choices are unique; I do find Arce a bit sweet, though. Most flavors are good; the sherbets (sorbets?) are an excellent fat free choice (although quite heavy on the sugar). Heard good reviews about the atis, but strangely, have yet to try some.

Amici (see previous post) has homemade gelato, which are a welcome alternative to the store-bought brands. There are other gelaterias in the city, but I don't think any comes close to the incredible value you can get at Amici (here's a tip, Amici gelato is also available at Waltermart Pasong Tamo, near the supermarket entrance; curiously, pricing here is cheaper than the main outlet, go figure?!).

Moving to the worst of the bunch, I particularly detest Nestle ice cream. Airy, gummy, and flavorless, this is the ice cream for people who prefer Jello (given the amount of carrageenan in the ice cream). One can use Nestle for science experiments (try watching a scoop of Nestle ice cream melt). I also don't care too much for Selecta; I find it too sweet and too airy (manufacturers whip air into commercial ice cream to bulk up the product).

There are some boutique ice cream that has eluded my tastebuds. I remember reading an article about a brand of homemade ice cream, available only via delivery. Unfortunately, I lost the article and cannot recall the name of the ice cream. All I remember is that is costs about as much as the Haagen Dazs's and the Dreyer's.

Big "Bad" Buddha

Am recovering from another pretty bad meal from Big Buddha (Superbowl in a devolved incarnation). My past experiences in that hellhole of a restaurant were never good, so it was with a decided lack of anticipation that I ate at that restaurant again after several years. (I was outvoted).

My premonition proved accurate; the best part of the meal was the free kropek and the bottomless soft drink. One can get a far better meal at any panciteria in downtown Manila (Sincerity Cafe is a favorite; make sure you order the oyster cake and the fried chicken). The meal was also pretty expensive (around P300), considering the quality of the meal.

If you ever have a hankering for a Chinese meal, I strongly suggest that you look elsewhere (even Luk Yuen).

Chocolate Kiss

It was probably nostalgia and fuzzy memories that I (along with hordes of UP alumni) hold Chocolate Kiss (restaurant and bakeshop) in high esteem. So a soon-to-open sign along Roces Ave. was greeted with great anticipation.

I was quick to try out their cake offerings; I would have liked to say that everything (and I tried almost everything) was superb, but I would have been insincere. The truth was Chocolate Kiss was best left a (good/hazy) memory.

The dayap chiffon cake was a study in contrast, a bland cake matched with a bitter dayap filling (due likely to an overzealous zester), topped with an abominable and oversweet boiled white icing (the icing made of whipped egg white and powdered sugar or sugar syrup, more often seen on children's birthday cakes). This icing must be a house specialty as this also tops the Devil's Chocolate Cake (dry, dense and bland). The Kahlua Butter Cake and the carrot cake were forgettable. The Prune Cake was passable, but I do have a soft spot for pruney cakes in general.

All in all, i wouldn't go out of my way to eat cake at Chocolate Kiss Roces. BTW, coffee was swill.

Azzuro

Tucked away in a side street in Makati, is a restaurant made popular by its incredibly reasonable lunch buffet. For only P195, one gets soup, salad, two main dishes, a vegetable, and a dessert. Have been there twice and food is generally good. I only wish there were more dessert choices, maybe some fresh fruits?

It was on my second visit that I had another episode of lactose intolerance (although I didn't know it was lactose intolerance at the time). I felt really bad about an hour or two after that particular meal; at first, I thought I was poisoned (had nausea, stomach ache, bloat, gas and diarrhea). Then I realized that what I was going through was exactly what I had experienced a few weeks back. At that time, it was an over-indulgence of cheesecake (Hyatt, very good baked cheesecake); at Azzuro, it was the seafood shepherd's pie (very good, not withstanding its ill effects on my digestive system) and the creme brulee (small, but packed with all the good bad stuff).

It seems that most Asians are lactose intolerant (which is an inability to fully digest lactose, the sugar in milk). Lactose intolerance also increases in severity as one ages. So overindulgence plus old age, spells pain and discomfort. There is no cure, except for abstinence, moderation or those enzyme drops. However, all is not lost to the lactose intolerant; most afflicted can tolerate a glass of milk a day. Cheeses, yogurt and ice cream remain within the digestive reach.

Havana

Cafe Havana was the narrow choice for an office lunch last week; the fact that it was in Greenbelt (near the office) had a big hand in the decision. Expectations were relatively high since good things had been heard about the place.

Food was good; moreso since this was a buffet lunch (in general one walks away from a buffet full but not sated). Choices were quite varied (literally, as the spread took inspiration from several cuisines; this was surprising since one would have expected food from the caribbean; it could be that the breadth of dishes from this area would not have a buffet made, at least a buffet that would sell). I liked the seafood chowder, the appetizers, and the carving, which a particularly crunchy lechon kawali (yum!).

Dessert was simple; a welcome break from the rich dishes which had preceded it. Fresh fruit (including those small, sweet pineapples, mango sago, and an ube cake which the hostess claimed was homemade (maybe but perhaps by the commissary of Red Ribbon).

At P400+, the tab is not unreasonable. Service is tolerable (my standards have dropped considerably; I am resigned with the lousy service in most restaurants).