Some GREAT Things will Happen on This PAGE soon!!!

Hi All,

 

We know that you really wants to know more about our Adventure! Our Team is quite caught up with many things and projects at the moment. Rest assured we will update you SOON!

 

Watch OUT!!!!

 

I Know What You Did Last Halloween!

Front Door of Aurora Lounge, Hues Hotel, Dubai

In the spirit of Halloween, the Foodie Adventurers and Prexy went to try a ‘Wine and Cheese Tasting’ we bought in a deal website.   We were always hesitant to buy some deals in the discount websites as we had some bad experience about it.  But since it was a super-deal, we bought this deal from Hues Hotel Deira as it seems to be interesting.

The Ladies ready to Hit the Bar!

Most Filipinos are not really wine lovers, but we love our San Miguel Beer and Tanduay Rhum plus the Ginebra Gin. I never heard of a winery in the Philippines, the most possible reason why we aren’t into wines and we don’t know much about cheeses (except Eden Cheese of course!).

Where is the 6th Bottle!

Cheese and Crackers!

Our Server Pouring some BLOOD!

We arrived at the hotel and got impressed with the architecture of the property. The lobby looks so posh and classy, one you cannot expect from that place of Dubai. Aurora outlet is on the 5^th floor overlooking Deira Corniche. It was dark, so we cannot really see much outside but the outlet was super lounge-y and comfy.

Girls with their Wines!

We sat by our Waitress, Dahlia and explained to us how the process goes. She told us that we will ‘taste’ 3 whites and 3 reds, and then we have to choose which bottle we will take. First white was South Africa, it was super dry, no one like it.  Then there was red & white Australian, France and California. We finally settled with a Carbenet from Italy – she gave us the full bottle and 2 cheese platters!

Who’s That Man Behind You?

Halloween Themed Photo!

All in all, it was an experience for us. We really do not care much on the wine, alcohol is alcohol! A bottle shared with friends will always be the best!

This is MY Bottle!

This is what we did last Halloween, how about you?

Company Website:  http://www.hueshotel.com/index.php

5th Stop: Sabah Lebnan – Lebanese Restuarant, Oud Metha, Dubai, UAE

Thursday Night, another place to visit, another get together with friends and a visitor with us (too much pressure!). This time it will be special as we are celebrating Hyden’s Birthday and we have a special visitor just arrived from his vacay in Egypt (thank you Ibrahim for the papyrus prints – loving it!).

A Game Room? A Hunter’s Place!

We were craving for kababs and some khuboz. We tried to search in the internet for the best kababs and we saw Barbecue Delights near Lamcy Plaza. We thought that the place would be very interesting and we really never been around Oud Metha area. Arriving at the place, the waiter led us to the banquet – we really didn’t like it (we are not a banquet peeps – hello!!!). We moved on!

We Miss You Hyden! Where are YOU?

We walked around and found a Lebanese place called, Sabah Lebnan. Looks interesting with some hunter style – game interiors and an inviting place (the guy that looks like a Manager seated us and he was very friendly).  He recommended a Kabab Mix – where everything will be there, chicken, mutton, beef and some grilled veggies. It looks sufficient with 4 of us plus all the side dishes including khuboz and hummous, fresh veggies, pickled veggies and olives, tabbouleh (chopped salad greens) and some drinks!

Tabbouleh – Minced Green Salad (I always love this but this is way too sour!)

Plate of Fresh Veggies (Spinach, Pepper. Tomato, Carrots, Cucumber – Where is the knife?)

Crispy Khuboz in a Basket (I like it baked fresh, not store bought!)

Pickled Peppers, Eggplant, Beetroot & Olives (Salty Pickled Condiments – I love this!)

Houmous – Chickpeas and Olive Oil (Loving this, all time favourite!)

Mix Kababs – Chicken, Mutton, Beef & Grilled Mix Veggies (A bit dry, I think not made to order – not so good!)

My Plate (I Love Kababs!)

In memory of our Resident Pirate, Hyden (as if she is dead!), we are celebrating your life and your birthday! All we eat is for you and you alone! We will fill our tummy with your food!

Thumbs up for Hyden with Ibrahim, our visitor from Egypt

Hyden, this Houmus is for YOU!

We have enjoyed the meal. Sabah Lebnan comparing with the Egyptian restaurant (Al Ammour) we had previously, I think Egyptian cuisines have more flavour than this Lebanese outlet. Personality wise, this outlet is more friendly and accommodating, the Manager and our Waitress know what they were doing. We might be coming back soon, but not sooner!

Dizizitizit!!!

We enjoyed celebrating Hyden’s birthday! Happy Birthday Hyden!
Yallah! Chibugan na!

 

4th Stop: Betawi Indonesian Restaurant, Karama, Dubai, UAE

All of us have traveled to different parts of Asia, and we have all tasted the authentic Nasi Goreng in one way or the other. This is one of my favorite food wherever I go in Asia, very economical (you already have rice and meat in one dish) and super yummy! I always love the spicy version of it.

Betawi Restaurant Sign

In search of the authentic Nasi Goreng in Dubai, we stumbled upon Betawi Restaurant in Karama that serves authentic Indonesian cuisines. As we are aware of, Nasi Goreng is the ‘national dish’ of Indonesia, just like Adobo for Philippines. We have seen reviews and we thought of visiting it and see what’s the difference between ‘authentic’ Nasi Goreng to the faux rice-fast food-with-condiments been offered by one of the Asian restaurants here in Dubai (famous for Filipinos!).

What’s in Here?

As usual, our Resident Pirate, Hyden, knows the location and the place (is there any place in Dubai that Hyden does not know?). It is located behind the Ministry of Health in Karama, just a right turn after West Zone Supermarket (former Bai Tong Thai Restaurant – my favorite!). I know you are confused with the direction, so am I!  But with the help of our hi-hello-do-you-know-this-place with a smile, we easily find the place.

Parang Carenderia Lang (Like a Small Restaurant)

Since Indonesia and the Philippines are countries next to each other, we compared what we had to our famous Filipino dishes (minus the spice of course!).

Tahu Isi with Peanut Sauce

Tahu Isi (Fried Tofu) is like a sweeter version Fried Tofu Okoy with peanut sauce

Batagur with Cucumber

Batagur (Fish Cake) is like the bigger version of sliced Kikiam with cucumber, sweet peanut sauce and fried lumpia wrapper

Sup Buntot

Sup Buntut (Oxtail Soup) is like Bulalo that taste like Ilonggo Batchoy (we love this!)

Nasi Goreng

Nasi Goreng (Fried Rice) is like Spicy Meat Sinangag topped with fried egg, served with kropek and achara

Sate Ayam

Sate Ayam (Chicken Sate) is like Chicken Barbecue with peanut sauce, slice cucumber, kropek and more achara

(A little sweet because of the peanut sauce – we didn’t like it much!)

Extra Spicy Condiments

Condiments on the table. Do not ever try the extra spicy chili sauce if you are not tolerant with Chili. It is SUPER CHILI!

Food is Served!

It is like eating in a Filipino Carenderia, everything is served together with your drink and desert at the same time.

We’re Over Budget!

All in all, it is like eating in a traditional Filipino Carenderia (small spaces, cooks shouting at the waiter, owner as the cashier, food is served together, etc.). The cuisines are almost related to some Filipino dishes with extra spice and flavor. We all love this restaurant as we will definitely be back here in the future, highly recommended for an authentic Nasi Goreng.

All Smiles After the MEAL!

Final words, let us try to learn some Indonesian phrases.

Terimah Kasih!!!

Yallah! Chibugan na!

Intermission: Carina’s Major-Major Birthday Fiesta!

Happy Birthday Carina!

The Blooming Birthday Girl!

Am posting this part as a tribute to one of my dearest friend, Carina Maleon (Millioness)! Today is her 18^th Birthday (… never-ask-a-girl of her REAL age – mom’s advice!).  I am privilege to be part of her life’s amazing journey. We were roomies before and I know how she behaves and in-behaves with regards to her ‘diet’. Yes indeed, she is a Denial Foodie!

She celebrated her birthday in an amazing delicious lunch. It was simple Filipino Lunch Fiesta! (Yes I know, I am not supposed to write about Filipino food).   Here’s some photo – tribute to the people who prepared and cooked for her, I used to do this for her.

Handaan Image

Pancit – for Looooong Life!

Filipino Style Shrimps!

Beef with Broccoli and Eggs

Pininyahang Manok

Sweet and Sour Hammour

Dinuguan with Chili

Crispy Pata

Lumpiang Shanghai

Dessert

Fresh Rock Melon

Sweet Yummy Bananas

Creamy Frozen Cake

Pineapple Flavoured Geletin

I definitely enjoyed it and I wish to have more spaces in my big tummy! Thank you very much for inviting me once again to be with you on your special day and I wish you the best! I definitely enjoyed being with you once again and your FIESTA!!!

Yallah! Chibugan na!

3rd Stop: Yuashuan Restaurant, Rolex Twin Towers, Dubai Creek, Dubai, UAE

One Thursday night, the Adventurers met up for coffee after work – obviously to plan for our next stop.  We had talked a lot that we realized it was already late – and it was dinner time! Since we were in Deira and we really do not have plans that evening, we end up looking for parking at the Rolex Towers, opposite Dubai Creek in Deira, Dubai. We love Yuashuan Chinese Restaurant as it has an outside seating, overlooking the dhow that passes through Dubai Creek.

Shabu-Shabu Boiling!

The Ingredients – All of It!

We ordered a Hot Pot – Shabu Shabu (this is the reason why people come to this place!) It is a cook-it-yourself type of cuisine where they set up a kalan and a pot in front of you. They will give you the ingredients and leave! Will give you rice and leave! Oh wait – we need the plates, spoons and forks please (utensils given – leave!). Water and glass please (drinks given – leave!).  Obviously, you should not expect an attentive Wait Staff here – they love to run around!

We also ordered 2 cups of plain rice (Sizzling Mama & Purple Margarita shared – The Pirate has to eat 1 cup!), steamed bun (I always love this here!), sizzling seafood (with free fried rice!) and water (obviously no dessert!).

We cooked, ate, filled our tummies, pay the bill and left! Just like that!  It was not really so ‘adventurous’  experience as all of us were already here before and we know the specialty of the house. We know it was Chinese and we only just love to eat Shabu- Shabu. All in all we paid 72 AED plus 5 AED tip (for the Waiter who runs around too much!).
Sometimes we do conventional things just to satisfy our adventures. We tend to continue doing things we used to do just to feel the satisfaction and the fulfillment. Filipino Cuisines are greatly influenced by our Chinese ancestors. They bring along with them food that conditioned our palates.

Yallah! Chibugan na!

2nd Stop: Bu Qtair Cafeteria, Umm Suqeim, Jumeirah, Dubai , UAE

I had come across Anthony Bourdain’s:  No Reservations features on Dubai and I got interested when they featured a 25-year old restaurant in Dubai. Bourdain was eating on a fish restaurant and he seemed enjoying it. I got intrigued and discussed with our lovely Pirate, not surprisingly, she knows the place!

Hungry Adventurers with Burj Al Arab as Background!

We have invited (or they have invited themselves!) from our FILHR Friends – Janina and Prexy to join us to try this restaurant. As usual, they were always late but it was okay as the Bu Qtair opens at 6:45pm only!  We were so early and we were so excited!

We Want This Fish!

Bu Qtair is not the usual restaurant you use to know. It looks more of a Carenderia that sells fried fish,  fresh coconut curry and some food items – more of an Indian cuisine stall. We have ordered 2pcs of large fish and half a kilo of shrimps (all fried with some spice), 4 rice (super large servings!), 4 pcs fried chapatis (for me!), soft drinks and water. We got free – fried onion balls, green salad and fresh curry sauce (so yummy!).

The Food is Here!

Surely, this place is one of the most authentic and yummy-est place I have ever been. The food was just so great and beyond my expectations. Most Filipinos do not like ‘after taste’ smell of the spices of some cuisines but this one converted us greatly! Maybe we are inclined to eat more something like this – maybe more curry next time! Janina and Prexy lost their being ‘sosyal’ eating all these by hands!

Free Fried Onion Balls – Yummy!!!

Fried Shrimps – Yummy Yummy!!!

Fresh Fried Fish and Shrimps – Yummier!!!

Fish with Friends – The Best!!!

After the sumptuous meal, we were so stuffed! We decided to take a walk towards one of Sizzling Mama’s favourite place – McDonalds! We had ice cream for dessert. I chose the  1 AED ice cream thing-y as there is no more space in my big tummy! We spent close to 200 AED for the food and dessert we had – not bad for a 6-person meal!

Yallah! Chibugan na!

This is the Video that inspired this Adventure!

1st Stop: Al Ammour Egyptian Restaurant, Karama, Dubai, UAE

Our resident Flavour Pirate and Sizzling Mama has been trying to invite us to try to taste one of their favourite Egyptian Restaurants in Karama called Al Amour.  The place is located towards the end of Karama – facing the Zaabeel Park. It was rather interesting stretch of restaurants from different parts of the world, worthy to be explored.

Hummous and Khuboz – YUMMY!!!

The Green Falafel with Fried Chilli – So Nice!

Kushari with Meat – The Best!!!

We ordered their famous Kushari, it is a combination of rice, noodles, pasta, herbs, and some minced meat. It looks odd – it is like the chef does not know what to serve and he just put all the carbs together to create a rather interesting dish. But when we started tasting it (with fried onion and some chili sauce) it was rather heavenly! It was so yummy that we finish the whole bowl of it! It is indescribable tummy filling carbs – so nice!

The Ladies Waiting for Their Food!

We also ordered the Fateera, another odd-looking dish that looks like stuffed thin crust pizza. When you bite it, you can taste the cream cheese, olives (which I love!), some herbs, pickles, onion and some meat baked in the traditional stone oven. It was a little salty for my taste (maybe because of the cream cheese and olives combo stuffing) but it was still so good. The pita wrapping was so thin and that it won’t make you feel bloated.

Nom! Nom! Nom!

We also ordered the greenish Falafel and we got a free Houmous and Khouboz (this is what I love in Arabic restaurants, the overflowing Pita bread freshly baked in perfection!). I think I have consumed a lot of carbs that night that I had no space for more, even a drink!

The Foodies After a BIG Carb Meal!

All in all the experience was worth trying. Staffs were so friendly, though they only have one  Waiter that can talk to us in English. We even so happy when we received the check – total bill is 54 AED for 4 people! Is it not a BARGAIN!

Yallah! Chibugan na!

Flavoured Companion!

In my food adventure, I will be with these lovely ladies:

Hyden

Flavor Buccaneer

Hyden is the most adventurous foodies among us. She has varied tastes when it comes to food: from the spiciest Sri Lankan cuisines, to French fine dining options, to the traditional Arabic dishes. She always loves home-cooked by her Arabic colleagues.

Caught in the Act!

Flavor Buccaneer, as Hyden she calls herself, grew up in Manila but has been exposed to a lot of cuisines all over the world. Picky yet spontaneous, uninterested yet observant, no-nonsense yet humor-filled–quite an interesting personality package, eh? That’s our Hyden, the easy-going gal who has this ‘quest for something excellent’ always in her mind. She is the most adventurous person among the group and our primary motivator; as a matter of fact, she knows where the next stop would be—which she could be planning right this very minute.

Gertie

Sizzling Mama

With all our three palates combined, Gertie’s cooking is a standout, hands-down winner. She has a very cultivated taste (might have come with the age, I’m just not so sure!) and a very fun-loving, nurturing personality. She has excellent cooking skills and we always invade aka visit her home just to taste her notorious Sinigang, Caldereta and Frozen Cake which, without exaggeration, is considered ‘to die for!’. And while filling our tummies with her exemplary menu, she entertains us with her very exciting life stories and Tom-Sawyer-like life adventures.

Hot Mommy Yummy!

I guess it comes with being a mommy; sizzling Mama always looks for the most affordable, value-for-money restaurants where we can enjoy the food without sacrificing the tastes (I don’t know if that has something to do with her addiction to McDonald’s Chicken Nuggets). And oh, did I mention she loves Arabic cuisines? When it comes to the best Arabic resto’s in town, she’s our own home-grown Arabic pro.

Mei

Purple Martini

Mei is the youngest among us. She is our ‘baby’ and she considers her taste as ‘Tabula Rasa – The Blank Slate’. She’s thrilled to feast on anything and dine anywhere—a real care-free, bring-it-on foodies! She’s a go-getter and we can literally drag her anywhere! She always has this smile and the agreeing look on her face – which we all love the most!

I love Chicken!

We have never tried her cooking skills yet but Baby Foodie brags about her culinary talent (although we almost only see her with the sponge and dishwasher!). Hailing from the South of Luzon and coming from a family with exquisite taste buds, this foodie is just as ecstatic to fulfill her palate fantasies.

Yallah! Chibugan na!

Who’s the HOTTEST Adventurer!

Welcome to My Food Blog

Not many Filipinos are known to be adventurous with food. Most of us stick to the traditional, complicated and ordinary way of eating. Our culture has been influenced by different countries including the Malays, the Chinese, the Spanish, the Americans, etc. Though balut (fertilized duck egg) is considered to be one of the most adventurous exotic food in the world, we are more well-known to be rice and adobo eater.

Rice and Adobo!

Filipino food as described by one of my friend who is a chef is simply bland and extremes. Our cuisines according to him are very dependent with salt, msg. and we seldom use the pepper! He also pointed out that we are so afraid of spices – not many Filipinos know how to use cardamom or even saffron. Every lunch break, he would peep on my baun (packed lunch) and check if I am eating rice again! At one point, he challenged me to be adventurous with my food choices as I am now in Dubai.

Balut Vendor

Dubai is a cultural hub, a place where people from all over the world commune and share their culture. I even heard from one of the famous hotels here that they have 139 cultures in one roof! No wonder, there are restaurants, food outlets, shops that sells different food varieties from different part of the globe.

Your Adventurer in Gold Market!

Yallah! is a common Arabic word meaning: Let’s Go! On the other hand, Chibug/ Chibugan is a Filipino slang for Food/ Eating! Yallah! Chibugan! na means – Come on! Let’s eat! A combination of an Arabic and Filipino slang calling people to come and eat. We are in Dubai, so most, if not all, the restaurants we will be in Dubai where we are at the moment.

Couple of Friends!!!

With couple of my friends, join us as we explore different culinary art from all over the globe in the City of Gold – Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Oh, by the way, I am not a Food Critic – I am just a Food Lover!

Yallah! Chibugan na!