Renzie Visits Cav at Bonifacio High Street

another fine food adventure with Renzie Baluyut.

I've always wondered what Cav was all about. I've attended quite a few events over at Mag:net Cafe in Bonifacio High Street, and I've always noticed Cav right across the street, but never had the chance to check it out until recently.

I have to thank guys for Future Trade International for inviting me over for lunch a few days ago to check out some of their wines.

Which is what Cav is really all about. Cav is a fairly new restaurant up in Bonifacio High Street, run by Swiss-born Chef Markus Gfeller (the 'G' is silent), that offers some rather sophisticated food, which I suppose is paired up with their wine recommendations.

The establishment also has a cafe area (where you can just hang out with your friends) and a wine bar (with quite an assortment of fine South African wines, just for the occasion). And then you have this interesting wine dispenser which allows you to sample wines with an easy touch of a button- so you can try out several tasting servings until you find the right wine for yourself.

As it turns out, the affair was a little luncheon get-together for Future Trade distributors, partners and clients, and there were only a few media-folk around, as much as I can tell. Nevertheless, we took the opportunity to check out Cav, and check out the wines freely flowing from the dispenser.

I'm a complete noob when it comes to drinking wines- it's something I just got into recently, so yeah, I might know something from what I've read, but I have no idea how to pair wines with food. Fortunately, the good people of Future Trade were on hand to share some tips and pointers, so half of the afternoon was more of an education in wine appreciation for me.

Also present was winemaker Linley Shultz, who welcomed the group and talked about the Two Oceans, Nederburg and Fleur du Cap wines we've been sipping and sampling all afternoon.

Lunch was served presently, and we started off with a Crab Meat & Avocado Tian on Chive Vichyssoise, this one paired with the Two Oceans Semillon Chardonnay.

For the main course, it was a choice between the Grilled Prawn on smokey Orzo with aged Balsamic Baby Harricots verts, which would be paired with the Nederburg Sauvignon Blanc, or the Coffee roasted Rack of Lamb with Pumpkin Puree and Black Olive Essence paired with some of Fleur Du Cap's Unfiltered Merlot.

Next, we were served some Aged Davao Goat Cheese, which was then paired with the Nederburg Special Late Harvest.

Capping off a pleasant lunch was some Orange Cheese Cake with Chocolate Ice Cream, which was also paired with the Nederburg Special Late Harvest.

Shout out to Mulong Torres for comparing notes with me over lunch. Special thanks to our hosts for the afternoon: Stewart Dovey, Eric Kahn and Sally Co of Future Trade International. Also there with us were Jeremy Cheah and Linley Shultz of Distell, and Chef Markus Gfeller of Cav.

If you'd like to have your own wine-tasting party at home, you can go right ahead and check out the wines from Future Trade International's portfolio. You can go ahead and get yourselves some wines from the Two Oceans, Nederburg and Fleur du Cap labels. FTI has a wide range of wines that can sell as low as P175 per bottle to as much as P17,500 per bottle. You may call them up at (+632) 671.8694 or 671.8434, or you can check out their website for more information.

Cheers, everyone!

Welcome To My Personal Food Blog

Now this is a blog that I should have been writing about from the very beginning- a personal food blog.

After all, I love eating, I love cooking, I love sharing stories about eating out and cooking at home, I love recommending restaurants, I love discovering new out-of-the-way food places- you get the idea.

I suppose it all made sense when I got me a new DSLR- a Canon EOS 400D Digital Rebel XTi. I bought the camera in Los Angeles, during my second visit last June, and pretty much everywhere we went, there I was snapping pictures- and a big part of those pictures were food pics!

I thought it was a great way to immerse yourself in the culture of the place. While I was in Los Angeles- I always wanted to try out all these different not-so-commercial neighborhood food spots- to see what Southern California had to offer. So my sister would take me around to her favorite food places, and tell me a little about the restaurant, and the more popular food items on the menu- it was all fun.

So when I got back from my trip, I realized I had all these great food photos while I was sorting out my stuff. Shortly after doing some editing, uploading and sharing, I thought a food blog would be just the thing to talk about all my various food adventures during my travels, and to share photos as well as stories about the places I've visited, and plan to visit.

I also skimmed through my other, more established blogs, and decided to throw in all my various food-related posts in here as well. The result is pretty much what you have here in front of you- a labor of love, a reminder of how we should appreciate the simple joys of life, a journal I dedicate to all food enthusiasts, professionals, entrepreneurs and artists.

So what's there to see in this blog?

• Restaurant Recommendations. From food establishments of all kinds all over Metro Manila and the Philippines (it's where I'm from!) as well as from other places I've visited- such as in Los Angeles and Singapore- but there will definitely be more as I add more stories from my future travels.
  
• Easy-to-do Recipes. I like cooking from the comfort of my own home, but I ain't no top chef. If it's something a regular schlub like me could cook, then you could do it too.
• Food Preparation Tips and Kitchen Ideas. "Eat better, live better", I always say.
• Food Stories from my Friends. A lot of em do a fair bit of traveling as well, and also appreciate a great food establishment when they see one. It's always interesting what they have to share!
• Lots of Food Photos and Pics of Food Places. Still learning how to take better pictures. I'd love to hear from you guys on tips and all that.

So there you have it. I hope you enjoy reading this blog as much as I put it together. Leave a comment, join in on the discussion, and share whatever food stories you have. I'd sure love to hear from you.

Cheers, everyone!

Renzie Recommends: Banapple

Shortly after arriving from Los Angeles, my friends suggested we all get down for some coffee and cake and swap stories. Banapple had always been a favorite place of ours- since Tish (one of my friends) recommended we try the place out.

At the time I had heard about Banapple, it was already having quite a deal of good word-of-mouth. The cakes, I heard, were excellent, and so was pretty much everything else in there. The hype at the time (around August or September of last year) was such that even if it had a sole branch down Katipunan Avenue (near where all the other drinking spots, nightspots and restos are located), it's definitely worth the effort.

We come back to it everytime, at least whenever we could manage.

Banapple's name comes from their two specialty treats: The Banoffee Pie (pictured above; forget that commercialized crap they make at other bakeshops- this one's the real deal!), and their signature Apple Caramel Crumble.

This quaint little coffee shop/bakery started out in 2000, at first churning out nice little pies and cheesecakes for family and friends, but now it's gained an impressive legion of devotees- loyal patrons- who stop by for a quick take-out or to even stick around for a hearty meal and dessert.

Banapple is a rather small place- which can only accommodate about 20 sit-down customers at a time. But it does have a certain appeal- welcoming, pretty much like home- even when there's a line of people out to get some muffins, slices of pie or sandwiches to-go.

What To Have at Banapple

You know you have to leave some room for those much-raved about pies. Banapple has enough to offer you- whether you're looking for a sandwich, a pasta dish, or a rice meal.

If you feel like having something light, ClickTheCity.com recommends you try Banapple's Terrific Tuna Sandwich, or you can also go for the Awesome Blueberry Pancakes (a stack of three mean-looking flaps which are indeed, awesome!) or have the Creamy Chicken Pie- which comes with a generous side of coleslaw.

Banapple also has a selection of must-try pasta dishes: slightly heavy, but you don't exactly go to a place like this to watch the calories, right? Check out their Fettuccine Jacintha- their own version of creamy carbonara, or you can also try the Pasta Verde- which is a penne dish with their special pesto sauce. Both dishes come served with bread which they made themselves.

For dinner, you may want to try their Salpicao Rafael- essentially rib-eye beef cubes stewed in a special sauce of garlic and mushrooms, and then served with rice. For your next visit, you can try their Chicken Breast Parmigiano- tender chicken breast fillets in a parmesan-crusted breading, then smothered in a chunky tomato sauce and topped with mozzarella.

For your dessert, you can also try some of their Chocolate Chip Walnut Pie, the Cadbury Old Gold Oreo Cheesecake or another customer favorite, Banapple's own Blueberry Cheesecake. Grab a slice, and you're guaranteed to bring home an entire box home- unless some other customer beats you to it. Yes, they run out of pies sometimes- so you know it's real good.

Speaking of take-home, consider raiding their shelves for the Banana-Apple Sweet Bread, my personal favorite. Help yourselves to some of their muffins, meat pies and cookies- which is great if you want to bring some Banapple goodness into the office, take it out-of-town, or just have a ready stash of goodies at home.

In our next post, we'll talk more about the legendary Banoffee Pie.

Banapple Pies and Cheesecakes is located at 225 Katipunan Avenue, in Blue Ridge, Quezon City. They're open Monday to Sunday from 7:30am to 11:30pm. For advance orders and inquiries, give them a call at (+632) 439.2675 .

Some pictures are from ClickTheCity.com. Check out their very own review of Banapple here, and their own gallery of Banapple photos here.

Renzie Recommends is a continuing series of personal reviews on this blog, Renzie on Food, featuring restaurants, food items and other dining experiences I personally think you should try out, given a chance. For me, eating is one of the simpler pleasures we enjoy, wherever we go- and good food is definitely the the way to go.

Cheers, everyone!

The Classic Brews of The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

from the Food and Travel notes of Renzie Baluyut.

The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has always been one of my favorite coffee shops ever since I visited the first one at Greenbelt 3-- and that was at least 4 or 5 years ago.

Though I'm not much of a coffee drinker, I do appreciate their various tea blends, and even the hot teas that come in nice little pots. Plus, they got themselves some pretty interesting breads, cakes and pastries-- sweet treats that go well with your coffee or tea.

Here's something we got from the press kit of Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf.

In a world where the hierarchy of taste is usually determined by what's brand new – nothing provides more satisfaction than classic flavors delivered with a distinct twist.

This is why, nearly 50 years since its inception, the distinct blends, down-home flavors and cozy ambiance continue to remain the main draws for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, who has gone on to indulge the palate of millions across the globe.

As the oldest and largest privately held specialty coffee and tea retailer in the United States, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's commitment to quality is evident with every sip of their finely brewed coffee and tea mixes.

“Our company is probably one of the few establishments whose exceptional drinks can be attributed to our efforts to directly source superior tea leaves and coffee beans from all over the world,” says The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s Marketing Director Paolo Del Rosario “As well as process and brewing these ingredients fresh daily.”

Innovation is of course, a significant part of the company's success. In fact, the perennial favorite ice blended coffee drinks available today were first served by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf as far back as the 80's.

Today, their specially trademarked Ice Blended® is created starting with their secret coffee extract, which refine their specialty coffees to bring out the richest and most concentrated flavors, and mixed with their specially processed ice to produce a smooth and unique drink.

Trimmed with its trademark oak and tea chest paneled walls, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's interiors draw customers in by virtue of its intimate and inviting décor. Complemented by an attentive service team, a chockfull of amenities, gourmet menu selections and delectable dessert choices, it's easy to indulge with your favorite cup of coffee or tea within its relaxing and home-like appeal.

Indeed, it is The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's decades old understanding of their craft that allows them to deliver exceptionally. And for the gastronomic experience like no other, it is truly the place where cult favorites, best-loved infusions and innovative new brews are available in every soothing cup.

Aside from the one down in Greenbelt 3, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is also located at TriNoMa, SM The Block, Gateway, Ortigas Park, Paseo Center, Bonifacio High Street, Mall of Asia, Convergys Ayala Avenue, Salcedo Village, Alabang Town Center, Rockwell, Robinson's Ermita, Greenhills Promenade, Robinson's Galleria, Eastwood, Tomas Morato and 2 more branches in Cebu. You can also visit their website for more information.

Cheers, everyone.