Street Food Korean Style

Since we were watching Nanta, we no longer had time for proper dinner during our first night in Korea. I didn't mind because I was eager to try Korean street food.

The Nanta Theater is located in Myeongdong where a lot of food carts set up shop at night. Scouting the busy streets of Myeongdong, I realized that when it comes to street fare, Koreans are not wanting in options.

I had a sensory overload looking at all the food choices making me wish to try almost everything in sight! I tried my best to do exactly that in our five days in Korea. 

Sausages

I thought it would have a unique taste but it's just like any other hotdog one can find in any street corner around the world.

Hotteok or Filled Korean Pancake

There was a long line in one of the stalls so I got curious.  Hotteok is made from fried dough filled with brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts. Oily and sweet which I loved!!! 

Odeng or Fish Cake

A healthy street food option which is perfect during a cold winter night. Drink the lightly sweetened broth to warm the body. 

Dakkocchi or Chicken Barbeque Skewers

Chicken was tender with a sweet and spicy glaze. Wished the meat could have been warmer though.

Peanuts

No salt no flavor. Pass!

Squid Flakes

It was oily but it was also very crispy. So fresh making it too easy for me to finish the bag. 

Meat Bun

Very similar to what we have in the Chinese delis in Manila. Chewy crust and flavorful meat.

French Fry Wrapped Hotdog

I was sure that I would love this but it was already cold when I had a bite. Make sure to buy a stick fresh from the frying pan.

Was I able to try all that I wanted to try? Not exactly, but I think I was able to cover some of the most popular Korean street food items so I left Korea satisfied.

Chateau Hestia Wonderland

My friends and I celebrated 10 years of friendship in Tagaytay. See what we were up to. This is the last of 3 parts.

Before leaving Tagaytay, my friends and I made sure to have lunch in a Tagaytay restaurant that we’ve all not tried before. We ended up at Chateau Hestia, a European insprired restaurant.

I love the overall look of this garden restaurant.

Entrance to Chateau Hestia



Chateau Hestia is also a bed & breakfast. Here's a model unit.

Dining Area

On to the food...

Complimentary Bread Basket

Loved the variety of bread.

Hestia’s Onion Soup (120php)

Good version though I wish that this was presented more appetizingly.

Forest Mushroom Soup (130php)

Certainly better than the canned variety.



Alt Wiener Erdapfel Suppe or Potato Soup (125php)

 My favorite soup among the three. Rich in potato flavor.

Pasta di Mare or Scallops and Prawns in Pomodoro Sauce (320php)

My favorite dish at Chateau Hestia. Has to be because of the sauce’s strong garlicky taste.

Say Cheese (540php for 12 inches)

My friends loved this cheese pizza but this just tasted ok for me. Probably because I had a cheese overload before going to Tagaytay.

Wiener Schnitzel or Pork Schnitzel Vienna-Style (380php)

This is supposedly a famous Viennese dish of pan-fried and thinly-sliced pork cutlet. This, however, was a disappointment as it just reminded me of liempo. The bread also had the consistency of a fruitcake. Not what I expected from a house specialty.

Osso Buco Milanese (480php)

The beef was at least soft but the flavors of this osso buco was bland. Enjoyed eating the mashed potato more than the osso buco.

Sausage Platter of Debriziner, Austrian Buren,
 and Bockwurst with cheese (430php)

I only liked the Austrian Buren as the other two tasted like commercial sausages that I could easily get from the supermarket. (think of the Purefoods and Swift variety) Needless to say, Santi’s sausages are far superior than Chateau Hestia’s.

Chateau Hestia is known for its Limoncello so we had to order it. It was the perfect way to cap a 10 year anniversary weekend.



Limoncello (750php per bottle)

 While this looks harmless, the Limoncello was certainly no mild drink as some friends (who will not be named) reeled from too much “celebration.” 25% alcohol content if I’m not mistaken. Tastes only a hint of lemon as the strong alcohol flavor dominated every shot.

Though the food didn’t wow us, we have no regrets in choosing Chateau Hestia to cap our Tagaytay weekend as the Limoncello made us forget about any negative thoughts we had with the place. Chateau Hestia is a place where visiting it once is enough. Good to try but I don’t think I’ll ever be back.

Chateau Hestia Garden Restaurant is located at Purok 5, Brgy. Bukal, Silang, Cavite, Philippines 4118. For more information, visit http://www.chateauhestia.com/

Off the Beaten Path: Santis in Silang

During the tail-end of summer, I together with a group of friends went to Batangas for one last hurrah. On the way to Batangas, we made a sidetrip to Santi’s Delicatessen-Cafe in Silang for lunch upon the suggestion of Zho & Nellie.

Stepping inside Santis in Silang, it’s as if one has never left the comforts of the city as this branch is very similar to the Santis found all over the metro. Though in the middle of the nowhere, a decent selection of hard-to-find ingredients and fresh meat can be found here.

The Silang branch is positioned as a deli-cafe offering a wide selection of dishes to satisfy diverse food preferences. One can even order meat from the deli and have it cooked in their kitchen for a reasonable fee.

My friend Curls only had soup as she was full from brunch that day.

French Onion Soup Gratinee (235php)

  

I also wanted something light in anticipation of all the food we will consume during the weekend.

Sashimi of Tuna with Wasabi and Soy Sauce (360php)

The dish was just ok. Not as fresh as I would have wanted it to be but a dip in soy sauce easily fixed this problem.

Here are some of the other dishes the group had for lunch:

After lunch, Zho and Nellie also bought sausages and cheese from Santis which the group enjoyed later that night.

SAUSAGE

CURLS: I never thought that I would actually enjoy pairing sausages with wine. Among all of us, I think I ate the most number of sausages. It was very delicious. The jerky chorizo was delicious as well but my only complaint was it was quite hard for my braces.

GLUTTON: Thank goodness I didn’t have Curls' dilemma as the sausages were indeed divine! Santis sausages were actually even better than some of the sausages I’ve tried in established restaurants. Aside from wine, the sausages were also good when paired with beer.

CHEESE

                                                                                     

Gruyere Cave Aged Cheese

Sheep's Cheese

CURLS: The glass top display of the cheeses in Santis is the same with what I saw in Melbourne last Holy Week. The cheeses were very fresh and creamy. I greatly recommend cheeses, sausages, and the ice cold beer to any outing.

GLUTTON: I loved both cheeses and can’t decide until now which I prefer. The cheeses had distinct flavors which were further enhanced when enjoyed with red wine. I agree with Curls in saying that outings will now never be complete without these treats from Santis.

Santis Deli-Cafe is a welcome break from the crowds and commercialization of most Tagaytay establishments. It’s also a good place to buy last minute produce for those who are on overnight trips. If you have an hour to spare and would love to have an off-the-beaten-path experience, make the sidetrip to Santis Deli-Cafe in Silang. 

SPECIAL THANKS TO ZHO AND NELLIE FOR SOME OF THE PICS!!!

Santi’s Deli-Cafe is located at Km. 52 Lalaan II Aguinaldo Hi-way, Silang, Cavite. (near Ilog Maria). Tel. No:(6346) 414-0209, 414-0613. Do visit http://www.werdenberg.com/santis/index.html for more information.