Bleeding Love for Cabbages and Condoms

When we landed in Thailand,we just had a power nap and off we went to have a good Thai lunch. We went to Cabbages and Condoms, a restaurant we were excited to visit not only because it was featured in TLC but because of its fun and quirky concept. 

Cabbages and Condoms is conveniently located at Sukhumvit Soi 12. 

Walking down the streets of Bangkok in my comfy Mango Top, Dorothy Perkins Shorts and trusty Longchamp.

Look who welcomed us, Tiger Woods. So yes, Tiger,did you use them?

Before we reach the dining area, we passed by the souvenir shops along the entrance and they had this reminder. This restaurant's HIV prevention advocacy is really admirable, the reminders are all over the place.

Upon entering the restaurant, this is how their reception wall looks like. You will, not for a second, forget the name of the restaurant you're in what with all the reminders posted everywhere. 

The restaurant was named after two objects that fit their advocacy- food and HIV prevention. Thus, Cabbages and Condoms.

Here's me and my best friend, intrigued and always laughing as we pass by each interesting statue and billboards.

Finally, time to order! I loved their menu, they had photos for each dish they offer. Plus, they had a few pages dedicated to educating guests about certain herbs and spices that are commonly used in Thai cooking. 

As I always say, Learning doesn't stop. So let the learning begin!

One thing that I appreciated about dining at Cabbages and Condom, not only did I enjoy the food and was intrigued by the whole concept,but I was able to learn something new. As a culinary enthusiast that I am, it made me feel fulfilled to learn as I travel.

We just ordered and we are so ready to enjoy authentic Thai food!

First order: Pad Thai

Wouldn't miss this for the world! When in Thailand, one thing you must never forget is the Pad Thai. This is just heaven in a plate,or ahm,nirvana on plate? lol

This is Pad Thai already mixed and ready to be devoured in 3...2...1..go na!

Boy am I glad to have eaten authentic Pad Thai. Another one off my bucket list. Having tasted this, it will be hard for me to appreciate Pad Thai served here in the Philippines again. I mean, Cafe Laguna, Siam and Blue Elephant has a good Pad Thai recipe but Krua Thai, Dessert Factory and some other just don't hit the mark. #justsaying

Second Order: Yellow Curry Chicken

We were faced with a difficulty before we decided on our second order. We had to choose between Red Curry, Green Curry and Yellow Curry. We read the description of each and we tried to calibrate our lunch menu, thus we chose the yellow curry. Now, I have learned something new again. I learned the differences between the 3 curries and this yellow curry is the sweet one. We already had something with acid,something spicy and so we ordered this curry,something sweet to balance our menu.

Third Lunch Menu: Spicy Shrimp Paste Rice. 

This is just so good, it's a complete meal by itself. The rice, fried with spicy shrimp paste, had me in deep appreciation and respect to the dish. Because unlike the usual Binagoongan Rice that I order here in Cebu City and Manila, this one is does not have that awful smell nor that nasty look and after taste. It was also beautifully plated with proteins and vegetables. 

One tip, when a food is presented like this,with different components, it is an imperative that you must taste everything altogether at the same time, that's is how you will know if the dish is good. If their flavors all go together.

What we had most of our trip, Water. 

Good thing my brother gave me mints before I left the country! hahaha

What such a great dining and learning experience that was. I should say, it was Baht well spent. 

The best friends head to Bangkok, Thailand

Summer last year, me and my best friend talked about traveling to a foreign land together with nothing but cameras and maps in our hands. We wanted to travel without the pressure and time constraints from the money-sucking tour guides. Amazing how we were able to actually make that plan happen. Oh I'm glad that my best friend is a doer and not just a planner.

Amidst the severe flooding in Thailand late last year, we did not stop planning. We bought tickets when 2012 opened and booked our hotels a month earlier. We were just excited. 

Here's what we did at Mactan International Airport while waiting for our flight to Manila..

We studied our route.

I would like to express my gratitude to Frommers and Lonely Planet for making us wiser and

We pretty much did this most of the time during the whole trip.

What I wore: Sweatshirt from Topshop| Jeggings from Zara| Bag from Louis Vuitton

We have finally arrived in NAIA at 12mn.

We still have a couple of hours to spare before our BKK trip, so we head to Resorts World for some very early breakfast at 1am! haha 

Passports?Check!

Pink Passport Case? Check!

As we waited for our flight, we took advantage of the wifi and Instagramed our wait away!

And here's my gorgeous best friend who doubles as my travel buddy. 

Did I mention that my best friend is a closet photographer? She's a natural and I realized that during our trip, one of the many discoveries. :)

Welcome to Suvharnabhumi International Airport!

I was sleepless but the words written in Thai just ignited me like I just drank ten espresso shots. Oa comparison noh?haha

At the time this photo was taken, all we wanted to do was get into the hotel,change and explore Bangkok. We were that excited.

Gliding down the walkalator at Suvharnabhumi towards the City Link. Yes, we took public transportation when we arrived. We didn't have fancy hotel service to pick us up, we opted to experience Thailand just like how locals do it. It involved a lot of luggage-carrying up and down the stairs from one station to the next as we had 2 connecting train rides. We had to carry our luggage from the station to our hotel, it was so fun to search for our street--makes you feel like a real tourist!

Welcome to Ramada Encore Hotel at Sukhumvit Soi 11. A very sleek and modern hotel with the warmest hotel employees. 

When we got to the hotel, we didn't plan to sleep the afternoon away, we just had a power nap then we took a shower and off we go! 

On to my next blog for the beginning of our adventure!

Bleeding Love for something Sweet, Spicy and Grilled!

One day in our International Cuisine class, we made this lovely dish..

A composed dish of 

Grilled Chicken with Plum Chili Sauce, Southwestern Potato Salad and Tomato Provençal.

Grilling is probably one of the simplest cooking method. So the critical part should be making the sauce that would best complement your grilled food.  Here's a look at the plum sauce as it is slowly cooked. The name doesn't sound complicated but my my my, the ingredients are quite a lot; and it doesn't sound nor look Asian, but palate embraced its flavors with much familiarity.

Here are the two main ingredients for the sauce:

Plum.

Here in Cebu,we rarely find fresh plum and I guess we got lucky because ate Iba, our purchaser, was able to buy some. So,yey! We always use dried plums as substitute, it being dried sometimes tastes too sweet and sometimes almost tasting like prunes. I'm just glad Rustan's had plum that time. 

I recall my weekends at Power Plant in Rockwell. My eyes wouldn't blink as I pass by and be amazed by the produce they sell. They'd have plums,cherries, blueberries, grapefruits, passion fruits, strawberries and blood orange all fresh and looking gorgeous. As I move from one stall to another, I die of envy and wishful-thinking -I wish Rustan's would have those fresh fruits too. I wish I can carry all those fruits from Manila to Cebu without it spoiling nor bruising. Oh well, gotta use and make good food out of local ingredients-as what my mentor always say. So this rant has got to stop now. On to the next!

Thai Chili.

This second main component of the sauce, is a great compliment to its overall sweetness and tartness. Some call this the Bird's Eye Chili and locally, this is called Siling Labuyo. As a chili-lover that I am, I added more to my pleasure.

Tomato Provençal 

This one is a French Classic and I always make this whenever I am uninspired in making a side dish. Why? Because I can make a good one anytime. 

The tomatoes right out of the oven.

 The scrumptious side dish plated.

Southwestern Potato Salad

One of the easiest potato salad that you can make, and this one I got from Bobby Flay. This is one of the few good recipes that he has on his book. I wouldn't recommend Bobby Flays books, if you ever plan on purchasing one. 

Grilled Chicken with Plum Chili Sauce

The star of the plate. Tanen! Oooh,look at that love dripping out of the chicken. Yummeh! I love this dish, probably one of the most unforgettable food I made in school because not only is it very simple to make but it is also very good. 

One thing I have learned in the culinary world is, it's not about the food being simple or complicated or molecular. What matters is the taste, if it is good or not. However, I also know that learning doesn't stop. So if you find a way to refine and apply some modern technique to that already good food, that would be better. 

Well, well.. This blog has got to end my night in a very inspired mood. I am in for some new lessons tomorrow. Good night! 

Bleeding Love for Family Visits

Last April 22 my family visited me here in Cebu. Yay! Well, actually they came here to enroll my brother in college. He will be taking up Civil Engineering, so proud of him! My mujer, as I would fondly call my mom, checked us in at Marriott Hotel because my studio room can't handle all of us comfortably. Oh nights at the pool with my brother are just priceless, he still jumps and dives at me like how we played when we were younger.

It was a day, as how I felt, of convergence. My sister arrived from Manila earlier that day whilst my mujer and brother arrived later in the afternoon  from Ormoc. Oh yes, my older sister, my Ate Gikah was already in Cebu chilling the entire weekend with her high school classmates. 

I was too happy that Ganna decided to fly earlier so we had time to shop!

This is me and my soul sister/ sister best friend being all too sweet as we always are.

Before mujer arrives and before we get too busy, we decided to shop.

Look how happy she is, like a kid in a candy store!

Looking for pretty things in Rustan's.

After shopping, we met with our cousin Antone Codilla to lend him a book.

We had a good conversation filled with laughter over dimsum. Then we head off to Waterfront to meet up with Ganna's accessory supplier, Sugar Kissed. 

Oh oh oh, perfect timing, we had the comfort room all to ourselves!

Red Dress from Topshop| Belt from Promod| Bag from Louis Vuitton

This dress deserves a little back shot and this bag deserves a spotlight. 

I just love the shape of the bag and the length of the sling!

Right after our vanity shots, mujer and Khryss were already on their way to the hotel and so we head off as fast as we could because it always pisses our mujer when we are late! (I got that being time-consciuos from her, although I'm a worse version because I'm a time-freak!)

Here's my kind and nice brother acting all cool like he's some bad boy. Haha

And my sister being so sweet to Mujer. 

I think she'll be asking for some shopping credits again!haha

And here's me trying to look matured. Pwede na?

After they changed and freshened up, we went to Ayala for dinner. We went to Ganna's favorite, Cyma. We treated Khryss's friends too, so ahmm, I dined with varsity-boys! Kids.haha

Cyma's Lemonade

For our appetizer, Pita Bread and Hummus. Oh I love hummus, but this one just lacks seasoning. 

This one tasted better than the prior. This is Pita and Tatziki. Really refreshing!

As usual, me and my sister's favorite-- Plank Grilled Salmon.

For the boys!

This had some fancy Greek name which I forgot, however this is just Grilled Porkchops.

And for SOME of the boys, Half Slab of Ribs!