No Shell, Meatless Taco Recipe

Here's a really simple all vegetable tacos recipe without the taco shells. I used lettuce to replace it. It gives the same crunch and taste, its freshness adds up to the kick of the dish. Being a Baguio resident is a big advantage coz (organic) vegetables here are so affordable and fresh.

It took me roughly an hour to make this. It gets messy so you can't eat it opened, just wrap everything and enjoy!

I don't measure my ingredients (unless it's pastry) so it's up to you to follow your taste buds. Feel free to add your fave veggies and omit the gluten if you wish.

Ingredients

For the "Meat" Filling

Gluten Steak

Oyster Mushrooms

- chop both ingredients.

- heat pan with little oil (like amount for saute), place the gluten first and fry til color darkens a bit. 

- put the mushrooms and season with salt and cumin seed powder (according to taste)

*TIP: gluten steak is already seasoned so make sure not to over salt. 

Gluten Steak

Oyster Mushrooms

 It should look like this:

Chop some tomatoes and white onions for toppings

Tomatoes and white onion

Before anything else, wash the lettuce let it drain so by the time you finished cooking it's already good for consumption.

 Assemble then eat: lettuce, "meat" filling, tomatoes, white onions, grated cheese OR finely ground cashew if you wanna make it vegan. It gets messy so wrap everything before opening wide.

I also made some Nacho Fries: fries, "meat" filling, grated cheese, mustard, mayonnaise, and ketchup.

Happy eating! Cheers :)

Have a recipe to share? Drop me message....

Pampanga Trip: Bubusuk

Bubusuk is a Kapampangan term for "umuusok" according to my friends. Affordable and yummy. This I think is the reason why the place was packed when we dined here, twice during our stay in Pampanga.

The Food

I missed to list the prices and take a photo of the menu.

Sisig

If you're in Pampanga, Sisig is the thing! Every joint has their own version. I'm not a fan of this dish but thinking that I'm in its place of origin, better taste every recipe for comparison.  Bubusuk's Sisig has a bit of crunch and sourness. It is served with garlic rice (with margarine). Thinking of all the fat in the meal is scary, but try to ignore it til you finish the plate. Yum!!!  

Beef Pares

It's also served with garlic rice. Nothing really special, typical pares.  

Dinuguan 

All internals. It's a bit sour for me.

Tokwa't Baboy, Lugaw, and Iced Tea

Here's one of their set meals.This is the reason why I got curious of their menu. Iced tea is really delicious, not the typical one. Pork of Tokwa't Baboy is like breaded tocino, soy sauce has a different touch as well. Yummy!!!

The Place

Too many people to move around. Hope to be back for more snaps!

Store Info

Location

Northwalk 1, San Fernando Pampanga (a few minutes away from SM Pampanga)

My Satisfaction Level

Palate Happiness: 4/5
Tummy Loader: 3/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Budget: Php 90 - 120 per head

Zio's Pizzeria

After how many years, I finally had the chance to take some pics of my dining here! This is one of my favorite pizza places. It's soooo affordable and soooo yummy!!! It's what I usually crave for when I'm experiencing a routine-caused-insanity.

When you want something cheesy, saucy, tasty, and wanna have your money's worth on food, Zio's Pizzeria is so that.

The Food

Quatro Formaggi (left)

This is their 4-cheese pizza, it's literally heaven in the mouth! Basically it's dough and cheese, but it can remove all the world's problems. Yeaah, it's an exaggeration but it's how it is :)

Fisherman's.... Pizza (right)

Name's actually long, I can't remember the words in between. Its base is a whole lot of ground basil moistened with oil topped with squid rings, crab sticks, shrimps, chopped onions, and bell pepper.

I want it half-half coz both have their own wonderful flavors but when fused, it's palate blowing! Put some hot sauce and this is how I eat it: pizza sandwich...

Lasagna

This is my second fave lasagna (first fave is my mom's). Red and white meat sauce. Gosh if you're craving for something saucy and cheesy, this is it!

Dolce Brownie Alamode

Brownies topped with vanilla ice cream beautified with chocolate syrup. For something Php 49, you won't expect it to be this good. Brownie is crunchy in the outside, chewy inside.

The Place

I actually saw the evolution of the dining area, from a convenience store with just some seats for the pizza stuff til it fully transformed to a restaurant with a baked goodies area. 

Store Info

Locations

1. Military Cut Off, Baguio City, Philippines 

2. Along Leonard Wood Road just across Teachers Camp gate

Contact No.

(074) 422 4599

Budget below include drinks. Drinks available are the generic iced tea, soda, and all.

I highly recommend their Calzone, especially the Vegetarian Calzone. Don't get me started describing it lol.

My Satisfaction Level

Palate Happiness: 5/5
Tummy Loader: 5/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Budget:  Php 495.00 (including the chicken and drinks that weren't featured)

Our Mothers' Day Tummy Filler

Motherhood is the craziest phase of a woman's life, of course IMO. Anyway, here's how we celebrated it at home. Nothing beats home cooking especially on occasions when everyone's out waiting for vacant seats just to eat. BTW, I wanna acknowledge all those who took some effort to greet me (you know who you guys are) and to those who prepared this meal - technically all of us.

So we had some home made pizza rolls and mango cream crumble; and to go crispy pata and lechon manok. Yeah we eat a lot. Great cooks, great eaters, great conversations, what else can I ask for? Here's some snaps of the DIY stuff:

Pizza Roll: freshly made soft tortilla, meat sauce, mozzarella cheese, organic arugula and alfalfa. Toss in everything, roll, open wide!

My Mango Cream Crumble (by chance). I just came up with the name while writing this LOL!

Cheers to all Moms out there, specially to my Mother :)   

Here's our happy tummy lunch....

Amare La Cucina: Woodfire Brick Oven Pizza

Yes, you read that right! WOODFIRE BRICK OVEN PIZZA!

Area was kinda warm coz of the oven just by the dining area and lack of ventilation but absolutely tolerable.

Finally my curiosity on what a brick oven baked pizza tastes like has been tamed by this fabulous restaurant.

Hand tossed dough, fresh ingredients, almost everything's from scratch, brick oven, a good location with chill sounds (not the FM thingy that would give you empacho), friendly crew and a BIG smile on my tummy. What else would I ask for? Not to mention it's not your commercialized tasting kind of pizza. Seriously, I can go on and on and on praising their pizza!!!

Bottom line: affordable, more than amazing palate and tummy happiness, all worth it. Pizza toppings has a lot of variety but only served in one size (approx 12 inches). Fast service, therefore fast eating :D

The Food

White Pizza. Plainly mozzarella cheese and some bacon.  No tomato base. FANTASTIC! Gone in no more than 10 minutes.

Sausage Pepperoni Mushroom.  As the name implies, those and mozzarella based with tomato sauce made from scratch, I can so taste the freshness. YUMMY!!!

Marianne's salad. Lettuce, cucumber, carrots, arugula, chopped nuts, and dried tomatoes drizzled with vinaigrette. REFRESHING!

Drinks were home brewed regular iced tea and mint iced tea. Not that impressive but WTH. Everything's so perfect so just savor the moment :)

We asked for hot sauce and they handed olive oil with crushed chilies and who knows what herbs are there. Not that spicy which I think is great coz it wouldn't ruin the taste of the food. Had a really great dining experience. Don't  forget to leave a tip for those who served you ;)

The Place

Here is where the magic is being made, an open kitchen...

Hand Tossed Dough

They let you watch while they prepare :)

The Indoor Oven

Dining Area

And here are more shots, I so love the rawness of its presentation. I include them in my favorite places to eat <3

Store Info

Location

Albergo Hotel, a bit past the ever famous Wright Park, Baguio City, Philippines

Store Hours

Monday to Sunday 11:00 am to 9:00 pm

Contact No.

0916 332 1522

My Satisfaction Level

Palate Happiness: 5/5
Tummy Loader: 5/5
Service: 5/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Budget: for these w/c fed 5 people Php 1,400


To top off this great meal, great conversations with some desserts :) Loved this day. And obviously, my family's not fond of eating ;)

Chil Cheon Gak Korean Restaurant

As far as my Korean dining experience is concerned, Chil Cheon Gak had something typical so I'll just do a run down.

This post is dedicated to my sister's graduation day from her masters so I won't do so much of a review :)

The Food

All time favorite K. food and ever famous Samgyeopsal. Side dishes include kimchi - Chinese cabbage and onion leeks, pickled radish, battered string beans and eggplant, sweetened sweet potato, lettuce, and bean paste. All are refillable.

Put them all together, open wide, and savor the flavors.

Oudong (Wheat Noodles). Seafood packed noodle soup. Broth is really flavorful; with mussels, octopus arms, crab claws, and mushrooms.

Oudong

Doenjang Jjigae (Soybean Paste Stew). Another flavorful soup that fired up my mouth. Really spicy broth with tofu, slices of zucchini and long chili. Perfect for rainy and -ber nights.

Doenjang Jjigae

Jjinbang (Steam Bread). These are bean buns.

Jjinbang

The Place

Here's the dining area. 3 rooms on the left to experience the "squat dining" or whatever you term it.

And here's the happy tummies...

 And the graduate(s). Congratulations Glet, minus stress for you! ;)

Store Info

Location

Second floor of Lindi Hotel (across Kubo Grill) Legarda Road, Baguio City, Philippines

Store Hours

Monday to Sunday 10:00 am to 12:00 am

My Satisfaction Level

Palate Happiness: 3/5
Tummy Loader: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Budget: Php 200/ person