These ribs are smokin' good!

Takeouts are served in these boxes

What to do on a lazy Saturday night?  Since we were feeling lazy and didn’t want to cook, we decided to just eat out.  The question was, where?  We’ve tried almost all of the places in San Pablo. We then remembered that we saw somewhere that the place where we used to order smoked flavored ribs for delivery has now opened a restaurant – Perissos Smoked Flavored Ribs.  After the decision was made, we immediately hopped in the van and started to head for the place.  

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Since what we were used to was the delivery, we did not know where Perissos exactly is.  The address said Purok 6, Brgy. San Roque.  Imagine, Driver slowing down each time she saw a purok marker.  After seeing Purok 4, we turned left going to the road leading to Brgy. Sta. Monica.  A few meters after, we saw Perissos’ sign board.

We were actually a bit hesitant when we reached the place because it looked residential and very quiet.    Add to that we were not sure whether they accept walk-in diners.  But there was a sign that said open so pressed the buzzer and voila, somebody opened the wooden gate for us.

There were no other customers when we arrived but we were graciously welcomed by the owner’s son who lead us to the garden where tables and chairs were set up under a tent.   The music playing can be best described as classic chill – chill out and feel good songs from artists like The Beatles.   And because there were no other customers (except for one who picked up his order), we have the place all to ourselves, to Senyorito Lakwatsero’s delight.  He turned Perissos into his playground.

When we were asked for our orders, we only had one thing in mind, the Perissos’s specialty – Smoked Flavored Ribs.  Their combo meal of one whole slab of ribs, 4 orders each of rice and iced tea costs only Php530!  We also ordered Sisig and an extra order of Mashed Potato.  Since roasting the ribs takes some time, we had to wait for around 30 minutes which was no issue with us because as we told them, we had all the time in the world.  So, if you plan to dine at Perissos and do not have the time or patience to wait, we suggest that you make a reservation and order ahead of time.

Finally, the moment we’ve been waiting for has arrived.  It was really a big slab of ribs and it was fall of the bones tender.  We have nothing but praises for the ribs. We kept on saying, “this is a bargain for Php530” and wouldn’t stop comparing it to the one served in an American franchise restaurant and to the ribs at a local restaurant.  At the American franchise, a half slab meal will cost you at least Php1,000 while at the local restaurant, two rib cuts will cost you at least Php200.  We felt like we hit the jackpot.  We also learned from our host that the ribs are sourced from local suppliers.  We consider this a big plus for them.  We admire businesses that also support local suppliers.  Another good thing about sourcing the ribs locally, they get them fresh.

Want to know how good the ribs are?  Senyorito Lakwatsero had a cup and a half of rice and he was barely speaking to us because he was busy eating! The serving was huge.  We only had half of the slab but we were already full so we had the other half for takeout. When we asked them if they serve desserts, we were told that desserts are not part of their menu.  But we were surprised when Senyorito Lakwatsero (who was chatting with the owners at bar after he finished his dinner) came back with a slice of yema cake courtesy of the owners.  That’s what you call going the extra mile.  The owners even entertained Senyorito Lakwatsero inside their home.   As we always say, it is not just the food that matters; it’s the whole dining experience.  And, Perissos is worth the experience!

Perissos is more of a chill out place than a family restaurant, we were just lucky that we had the place to ourselves.  It is ideal for nights out with friends/barkada.  Aside from their oh-so-good ribs, they also offer alcoholic beverages, cocktails and the like.  So if you and your friends are looking for a place to hang out at night, try Perissos.  They are open Tuesdays – Sunday, 4pm-12mn and located at Purok 6, Brgy. San Roque. If you are coming from  Maharlika Hi-Way towards Alaminos, turn left to the road before the Welcome Brgy San Rafael welcome arch, just across the Sony Service Center.  You can also order to go and you can contact them at the following numbers – 0918 433 6170 or 0917 951 2962.

So, if we are to describe Perisso’s Ribs – they’re smokin’ good!

Lutong Macau!

Ruins of St. Paul

If Driver was bent on having Xiao Long Bao in Hong Kong, Mayordoma, after watching Anthony Bourdain, wanted to have Macau’s pork chop bun.  But, alas, two weeks before the trip, Mayordoma was hospitalized and was ordered by the doctor to observe a particular diet which excludes as much as possible, oily food and pork!  Therefore, pork chop bun was scratched-off the list.  Good thing, Macau still has much more to offer.

Poolside of Wynn Hotel Macau

When in HK and one has enough time in his/her hands, a side trip to Macau is ideal.  So, on our fourth day, we took the 45-minute ferry ride from HK to Macau.  We arrived at 10 am and after clearing immigration, we set out of the ferry terminal.  The proliferation of hotels and casinos in Macau is an advantage to tourists because these establishments offer free bus rides from the port or some pick up points within Macau to take you to their respective places, and vice-versa.  El Kapitan Tagie’s cousin Kuya Anthony (oh, Anthony! As if Anthony Bourdain was reminding Mayordoma of pork chop buns) works at Wynn Macau, so that was our first destination.  We took their bus at the port and were there in a few minutes.  Hotels in Macau are attractions on their own.  Each of the bigger hotel chains offer some sort of a show to their visitors.  At Wynn Macau, they have the Tree of Prosperity and the Dragon of Fortune which have a 30-minute interval.  Wynn Macau also boasts of a Dancing Water Fountain which is best seen at night.  Since we were early, we just saw the morning view.  Kuya Anthony gave us a quick tour of the hotel’s pool side but because he was still on the job, we agreed to meet later at the Ruins of St. Paul.

Senado Square

From Wynn, we walked our way to Senado Square to have lunch.  And because it was a Sunday, the place was brimming with tourists.  The kids(including the big ones) were getting hungry so we had to choose a place where we can have food fast.  Thus, our first meal at Macau was taken at McDonalds!!!  Well, Uncle Ronald’s house was full-packed.  ‘Guess people really tend to go for the familiar.  McDo in Macau offers Shogun Burger (mushroom).  'Wish they will serve the same in the Philippines.

 

Our priority street sign

After lunch, it was time to head to the Ruins of St. Paul.  Because Macau was a colony of Portugal for a long time but inhabited by Chinese, street signs are in Portuguese and Chinese. The streets that lead to the ruins are lined with shops selling Macanese delicacies like beef jerky, ginger candies, almond cookies and, as if taunting Mayordoma, pork chop buns.  Restaurant staff were actually holding placards advertising their pork chop bun meals.

Find us!

Here’s the thing about these shops lining the streets, they offer free taste of their products.  They have members of their staff outside their stores offering passersby with a small bites of their products.  So if one is hungry at the start of the street, he/she will be full before reaching the ruins and that is, without shelling out any money!

 

Cookies galore!

 The beef jerky is just like our dried tapa but in large sheets.  For free taste purposes, they cut it into bite sizes using scissors.  One of the most famous snacks in Macau is the almond cookies/cakes – think puto seko with a twist of polvoron then add to it almond bits.  The best place to have these cookies is at Pastileria Koi Kei.  Egg tarts are also a must when in Macau but since we were always receiving them as pasalubong and we’ve had enough at KFC HK, we did not try them anymore.  The best way to wash down these treats is by drinking flavoured milk tea.  Sorry, they are not for free!

Take your pick

Because of the crowd and the tempting stores, one can easily get lost.  Though she is the world’s worst navigator, Mayordoma has a knack for knowing directions in a foreign land.  So this time, she was the one who had to wait for Driver and Yaya at the ruins.  After the customary touristy stuff (Picture! Picture!), we were met by Kuya Anthony who took us to one of the back alleys of Senado Square where we found less crowded stores offering milk tea, squid balls, sausages, meat balls, seafood balls, etc.

Cheese balls and Sausage

Driver and Yaya’s favourite were the cheeseballs – think, squid ball with oozing cheese inside, and mini sausages – think of English sausage for breakfast.  These were served with their special kind of sauce which was on the spicy side.

Our food trip won't be complete without ice cream!

Our best discovery, however, was LemonCello Gelato.  We did not expect to see a restaurant specializing in gelato or ice cream.  They serve all kinds of flavours including Yakult!  It was the sweet ending to all the savoury stuff we had – of course, still no pork chop bun!

The sky looks so real

After visiting St. Anthony's Church (yeah, Anthony again!), we took Galaxy Macau’s bus to bring us to Taipa where their hotel is located.  Galaxy is one of the newest hotels and they are the ones that offer the Diamond Water Show.  Of course, a trip to Macau won’t be complete without going to the Venetian, a hotel/casino housing their own version of Venice inside their hotel complete with gondola rides and their own Venetian sky.  We then passed through Hard Rock Hotel to get to the City of Dreams.  We took their bus to get back to the Macau Ferry Terminal where we then boarded the ferry that brought us back to HK.

Madame Mamita and Senyorito Lakwatsero

At the end of the day, we realized that one can enjoy Macau w/o much budget – use the hotels/casinos busses to get around the country (walk if you have to) and enjoy the free food offered by the stores.  Just make sure to bring money for drinks!

Xiao Long Bao: Ang Siomai na May Sabaw!

Symphony of Lights

When Driver booked the gang and their respective families for a trip to Hong Kong and Macau, she has set her mind on three things:  have Senyorito Lakwatsero and Tiyo Theo experience Halloween at Disneyland, try the theme park’s newest ride, the Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars, and have a bite of authentic Xiao Long Bao! 

Uhm, sweetie, that's not the menu.

The gang took the 7:20 am Air Asia flight from Clark to HK.  Since there really wasn’t much place to eat at DMIA and airplane food was really not that appetizing, breakfast had to wait. After the two-hour flight and queuing at immigration, it was already around 1030 in the morning when we were able to get out of the airport.  Add to it another hour and a half to reach our apartment (travel time + traffic + waiting time to get in the apartment and get settled in). In short, breakfast = lunch. It was a good thing that the apartment we rented was near all sorts of restaurants. Here’s the catch, we were in a country known for its cuisine, but guess where we had our first meal?  KFC!

Yey, egg tart!

But, the meals at KFC HK are different from those served in the Philippines. For one, there is no plain rice.  They do have rice but it is topped with either chicken ala king sauce or mushroom gravy.  They don’t have fries.  Instead, they serve criss cut fries.  To the kids dismay, they don’t have spaghetti.  Chicken, for which KFC is known, is just the same except for the additional Flava Roast – not sure if it’s really roasted though.  It is like the spicy Chooks to Go!  On a positive note, we love their fixins.  Instead of brownies, they serve egg tarts which are really creamy.  Yum! Yum!  Another interesting thing that caught our attention was the use of plastic gloves.  While we Filipinos use our bare hands (after washing of course), in HK they put on plastic gloves.  Honestly, it is easier to eat finger foods with bare hands provided that one’s hand is thoroughly washed first.  Other than KFC, the other quick and familiar fixes we had were Burger King and McDonalds.   

Of course, we did not live on American fast food. We stayed in Yau Ma Tei so choices for authentic Chinese dishes were endless.  The Yau Ma Tei MTR station is a step away from the lobby of our apartment building.  Right beside the lobby is a bakeshop that sells all these yummy pastries, with egg tarts as their specialty. Walk a little more and you’ll see an HK-style carinderia.  And because of the language barrier, it was indeed a “turu-turo” experience for us.  Actually, most of the time, we had to eat “turu-turo”, meaning, wherever we had to eat, we had to point at our orders!  It was a feast for the eyes just watching people line up in these small eateries where noodles, soup and other Chinese dishes are served.  At night, we usually buy chicken feet, braised pork, dimsum, five spice pork, etc.  from the eateries around our apartment.  Another good thing about staying in an apartment instead of a hotel, we get to cook our meals when we had time.  Our grocery of choice was Wellcome since we just had to cross the street.  Because of this set-up, we were even able to cook pork sinigang and lemon butter prawns for our last day lunch.  Yaya, Driver and capitalista par excellence, El Capitan Tagie did the marketing at Wan Chai.

The mouse we are not afraid of - Mickey!

Our second day was spent at the happiest place on earth (so they say) – Disneyland!  But if you are going to Disneyland, make sure you have enough budget for food.  One rice meal w/o drinks will cost you about HKD70 0r Php350-Php420 depending on the exchange rate (don’t keep on converting, or else you won’t be able to buy anything).  For lunch, each of us had a large bowl of rice topping meal like Three Treasure (Chicken, Sausage and Egg served with steamed bokchoy), Roasted Chicken Leg (quarter size), Roasted Duck Leg, Braised Pork and a large bowl of noodles.  Don’t worry though, because the servings were huge. That was why although going around Disneyland and taking the rides were really tiring, we only got hungry past dinner time.   By the way, the theme park area may change (Tomorrowland, Fantasyland) and so as the names of the restaurants, but they still serve the same menu.

Para sa malaking gutom!

Disneyland would really bring back the child in you, there are quick bites or quick snacks everywhere.  Popcorn can be smelled in the air.  There were ice cream varieties that (we think) are exclusive to Disneyland.  But there was something that caught our attention.  In food carts that sell your typical theme park snacks, there was a turkey leg on stick!  Well, that’s something you don’t get to see everyday! 

Surprise in a little package

We got home at around 1100 pm.  Some may consider this late. But in HK, the night is still young.  Unknown to Senyorito Lakwatsero, Yaya and Driver set out to find the famed Xiao Long Bao which they found aplenty in Temple Street (again, just a few blocks from our apartment).  Xiao Long Bao or small basket dumplings or soup dumplings may look like your regular dimsum but it holds a surprise inside.  When you bite into it, there’s soup inside it. How do they do that?  The soup stock is molded into gelatine cubes before they are encased in the flour dough.  When it gets steamed, it turns into soup.  So for the unsuspecting and unfamiliar, you might just find yourself wet with dumpling soup!  Yaya and Driver were not able to catch the name of the store but according to some research, the best place to have Xioa Long Bao in Temple Street, Yau Ma Tei is at Fu Kee Delicious Food ( no matter how SPG it sounds, we're not kidding with the name).  

Jack Skellington - the Halloween Parade frontliner

Get ready for a ride of a lifetime

So in one day, Driver was able to accomplish her mission – take the kids to Disneyland for Halloween, ride the Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars and find Xiao Long Bao, ang siomai na may sabaw!

Senyorito Lakwatsero now. See him at the same spot two years ago

Our Macau food adventure is next!