Pigging Out

Family Lunch at Off the Hook Restaurant in Deira

April 10, 2018

With several Filipino-owned or Filipino-themed food spots opening one after the other in the city, we were not able to keep up at checking each one of them. This weekend however, we decided to restart discovering, which led us to head to Centurion Tower behind Day-to-Day at Deira City Center Metro Station. The building is home to several other Filipino-centered restaurants, allowing more options when visiting. We went there on a Saturday afternoon, so we did not compete for seats, which is otherwise something to consider during peak hours when there are groups waiting for tables to be emptied. As we had the place for ourselves, we were not too conscious of having to rush on our food.

For the day, we decided for Off The Hook restaurant. Along with it's name, the menu is mainly about seafoods. The menu provides a simple set of options thus is easier to decide what to feast on.

Filipinos in Dubai

Friday Brunch @ Asiana Hotel's Lamesa Restaurant

July 06, 2012

Being the under AED 100/ person buffet patrons, we found Filipino fare alternative for our Sumo Sushi Friday buffets -- at Lamesa restaurant at Asiana Hotel along Siddique Road in Deira. (Speaking of buffets, Thai Chi at Wafi is on AED 120 for two adults but on weekday lunches only. Kalel was free of charge. Please phone them to confirm if promotion is still valid.)


Friends frequent Lamesa for Karaoke nights and comedy shows, but I guess my family would settle for their brunches for the time being.

     --  Friday and Saturday Filipino brunches costs AED 69 an adult and AED 34 a child
     --  Above brunch includes unlimited water, iced tea and coffee and tea
     --  Buffet table includes a few sushi and a few Korean dishes
     --  Prior reservation is highly advised. Call +971 4 238 7777
     --  Venue carries a no-slippers policy
     --  Weekend buffets start at 11 a.m.
     --  Asiana Hotel is located between Reef Mall and Muraggabat Police Station
     --  Check other details from the website here

 Many Kabayans hold their weekend celebrations here filling the venue so the need for reservations. Today alone there were four big groups almost occupying all of the restaurant. Someone hosting a baby shower even had a small round table in front with their tokens and cake on it.

I'd stay away from commenting individually on the food except that I'd say (1) diners have more than enough for their value of money; (2) I wish there was Kilawen prepared a'la Barrio Fiesta style; (3) I thought that Dinuguan and other exotic dishes could've added variety in place of  the three Korean dishes, (4) there's a few sushi but no sashimi.

Today's buffet line started with pork sinigang soup and appetizers including cold cuts and steamed veggies.  Then below are some takes on the other offerings:

Spot all you can eat on my plate below: Crispy Pata, Pork Sisig, Chicken Sisig, Beef Tapa, Korean Noodles, Sesame Chicken, Pork Tocino, Kare Kare, Chopsuey, Embotido, Daing na Bangus, Korean beef dish, Chicken Dumplings, Korean Kimchi (I suppose):
A little of every dish on offer for the Friday Buffet
Sushi all you can on three limited types without sashimi on the appetizers area:

Not as 'appetizingly' prepared, but better than nothing

Who said a sleeping Girl in a carrier can stop me from fixing my waffles?


Waffles fresh from the griddle, warm, buttered and sweetened -- hearty indeed :


Pulutan galore -- pork and chicken sisig:


Crispy pata all you want:


Make your own halo-halo:


Completing the dessert offerings:


And from the appetizers where my first plate started:

And the bill:

Yes indeed, more than a Kuya, Kalel is now a paying customer, our wallets would miss those complimentary meals. *Sigh with a smile*

Pigging Out

Sumo Sushi Al Qasba is Preggy Friendly

November 27, 2011


Sushi is generally associated to raw fishes and creates a general notion that it is a no-no during pregnancy. I would not take the risk even when few argue otherwise. But there's still a way around it, sushi minus the raw fish is still sushi for me, at this era when sushi has evolved to cater to other non-Japanese patrons.    

Big Gremlin's typical plate
 My husband and I love sushi and we mostly satisfy our cravings during Sumo Sushi's Friday AED88 buffets either at Al Qasba or their Garhoud branches. I wouldn't let him suffer (naks!) at the expense of my pregnancy knowing that the weekly buffets include non-raw servings of tempura, teriyaki, katsu, yakisoba and fried rice plus miso soup and a little of fresh cucumbers, lettuce and tomato slices.
A ten-stars compliment to Sumo for this voluntary complement for a preggy patron.
 What's more was a pleasant surprise when a staff brought over our table a non-raw-fish maki prepared ala-katsu sushi (don't know its name, sorry :-) ) just because I was over the sushi table asking which ones are preggy-friendly. I did not request yet they made a 'customised' sushi for me :-)

Filipinos in Dubai

Max's Restaurant - Dubai Menu

September 22, 2011

For two straight days last weekend, we had lunch at Max's Restaurant located in Karama (at Spinneys along Bur Juman Mall). Does that mean we love it there? Of course we do.


I had always wished for a Filipino food chain / resto to make it big in the UAE which will also be patronized by even non-Filipinos. It would be an honour, because Filipino cuisine, especially when served with great presentation, do appeal to international taste.  I have a feeling Max's will do another Chowking, and even better. I mean Chowking has a good Filipino following and with branches now sprouting in different locations (albeit not yet in big malls, I wonder?)

We look forward for another Max's branch to open in Deira. If the franchisee indeed plans to close down Wild Ginger ( a favorite too) at Iconic in Deira City Center, I hope they put Max's in place as rumored. (update: Wild Ginger staff recently said it wont happen but the management is scouting for a location around Deira.; was told too that Max's is their group's highest performing foodchain this time)

Anyways, we got busy with our food that I only could share photos of the menu. Time to drool until next visit:

I had atchara.

Pigging Out

Benihana in Dubai - How do you toss a knife?

August 24, 2011

The Benihana issue in Kuwait turned now into an isolated  incident, and if I was not a blogger, I think I would not have known as much. In Dubai, the crowd I saw last night in Benihana, Al Bustan Rotana came for the  different dining experience. It's not a prominent location in the hotel but patrons poured in.

I have taken a video of Chef Oliver showing his knife-tossing skills behind the teppanyaki grill. He spoke   most of the time while cooking and if you listen, he was giving different names to his ingredients, like referring to the prawns as mosquitos. He attended to our table for about an hour.

( If someone objects to my posting this, please flag me =) )

Philippines

Jollibee Chicken Joy and a Pancake Breakfast Joy please?

August 01, 2011

Would you agree that you'd come to your senses to know you've been away too long from home when (1) you cannot recall how much is your favorite fastfood chain meal, and/ or (2) you get too surprised to see how much it now costs?
Jollibee Breakfast Joys. The Pancake meal was about PhP 30 seven years ago

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...