Full Moon

For bi-anniv this year, H surprised me by taking me to Bulan, a converted Filipino-colonial mansion, tucked away in Little Baguio. The resto was relatively empty when we were there, save for a table with owner Marlene Aguilar and friends. As such, the servers were incredibly attentive, something H and I really appreciate whenever we dine out.

Bulan (which means "moon" in...another Pinoy dialect, not quite sure which, sorry) serves European/continental cuisine amid a setting of ornate wood furniture and impressive art. We decided on a set meal (P1,145): Mushroom Soup, Roma, and homemade gelato for dessert. We also ordered a pasta dish called Crystal's Flambe (P450).

The waiter asked if we would like to split the soup--very considerate of him, I thought. And I was delighted when they served our soup bowls:

Both of us got this little bowl with this pretty, puffed-up pastry. So charming! The soup had five different mushrooms blended in cream. Because of this, the waiter asked if we would like to change our pasta dish; the chef was concerned that we would have mushroom overload, but I stood by my choice.

The Roma was grilled orange-flavored filet mignon in marsala sauce, and served with zucchini and tomatoes in olive oil. While it was satisfactory, I wouldn't go so far as to agreeing that it was indeed the Best Steak out there (as proclaimed by a sign outside the resto). Good, but not the best I've ever had (Gulliver's comes to mind).

The pasta dish was linguini with three kinds of mushrooms blended with blue cheese, sprinkled with herbs, and with sour cream. Ordinarily, I am a big fan of the white sauce, but the chef was right--there can be too much of a good thing. Which is not to say that I didn't enjoy this dish. I just feel that I would have appreciated it even more had I not had the mushroom soup beforehand.

H decided to let me have the dessert. We couldn't quite figure out if the waiter was saying "Caribbean Mocha" or "Arabian Mocha," but it's one of those.

It's mocha ice cream with a heavy dose of cinnamon. Interesting and quite tasty, something worth trying if you're feeling a tad adventurous.

Want to impress your honey? Bulan may be a good place to take her--it's a little hard to find, so you'll give off that vibe that you're in the know when it comes to restos. Its hidden location alone can be enough to make your date a bit more intimate.


Bulan is located at #3 Gen. de Jesus St. (near J. Abad Santos St.), Little Baguio, San Juan; tel. (02) 725-8496

Jake's Steaks: For Hardcore Carnivores

Quick (but filling) post: I don't know if you could tell from the photo, but this steak was huge! It's the T-Bone Mega at Jake's Steaks. My friend and I split it, sobrang sulit for just P175! The regular one is P130. Another friend had the grilled marlin, and it tasted great with all the calamansi.

On the same row of restos is a tapa place that sells tapsilog, longsilog, tocilog for just P39. There's also a Di Marks in the area, so I'd say this row is a good place for food tripping!

Jake's Steaks is located at 589 Wack-Wack Road, Mandaluyong City.

I Know It Was a Steak Place...

...but I can't help raving about Steak MD's banana split pie! Yum!

It's got a crushed-Oreo crust, a layer of frozen bananas, a mound of strawberry ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, and a cherry for good measure. I don't eat cherries (haha. Behave!), but I sure enjoyed everything else! Plus, it's only P75! (Hmmm, this is actually pretty easy to make at home...) The dude at the next table committed two of the seven deadly sins in one go--gluttony and envy! After polishing off two (yes, two) orders of steak, he asked the waitress for what I was having. Haha.

Now that that's out of the way, let's get to the meat of the matter! Steak MD's this small, super casual place (as in no aircon, so I prefer going in the evening when the air's a bit cooler) along Tomas Morato. For steak lovers out there, you don't have to shell out a grand to get your meaty fix--Steak MD offers T-Bone and Porterhouse steaks from P150 to less than P300 a pop! After choosing a cut of meat, you get to dictate which rub you want--you can choose from:

• Rub Ko 'To - the "house blend," a secret mix of herbs and spices
• Build Me Up Butter Rub - need I say more?
• Ang Cha-Rub - a sweet and spicy blend
• Atomic Rub - a hot, hot, hot rub
• Heart Rub - a garlicky rub

And it comes with a small bowl of bulalo-ish soup to start you off. (And Queen of Clumsy that I am, I spilled it all over my jeans! Bah.) A note though: I got the Rub Ko 'To over the small T-Bone, and the gravy was already poured all over the steak. Would've preferred to have it on the side--best to mention this to your server if you prefer the same. Still, the steak was satisfactory, and H's Porterhouse was especially tender. It's what you'd call bang for your buck!

Aside from steaks, the place also offers chicken and sisig. But where's the fun in that?

Steak MD is located at Creekside Square, Tomas Morato, Quezon City; tel. 448-7114.