AVENIDA got all my faves!

Talk about getting lucky.. My girlfriend who runs this blog was able to snag two spots in the 8th leg of the Davao Food Trip series organized by Blogie Robillo before registration was closed. The 8th food trip was in AVENIDA, a restaurant in the ground floor of Lispher Inn in Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City. We haven't heard of it yet so we were quite excited to try their food. And I grew more excited when my gf mentioned Avenida will serve their famous Beef Misono. And I must say I LOVE BEEF in all forms!

The presentation of their Beef Misono was simple (just served in a bowl like a rice topping; see photo below) but it was delicious! The beef was very tender and flavorful, and I was able to demolish my share in about 5 minutes. Hehe! There was no hint of a distinct Japanese taste though. Avenida's version must have been "filipinized" for the Pinoy taste buds..

Beef is my #1 favorite food, and bangus belly is a close second. And who would have thought that Avenida will serve that too?? As I said, I got lucky! Hehe! The bangus recipe was just plainly named Bangus Belly. The belly wasn't visible as it was topped with sauteed (??) kangkong leaves. The rest of the dish was composed of cucumber, tomatoes and onions. Given its plain name, I didn't thought it will have an Italian taste. Surprise suprise! I think the (fresh, sundried or marinated?) tomatoes had a lot to do with the Italian taste. Needless to say, I ate lots of belly, and never minded the bangus meat which was boneless (I think).

The last dish Avenida served was Sizzling Squid. And yes, squid is another favorite. Hehe! How lucky can I get?? My first food trip and I'm eating all my faves =) Unfortunately, my gf wasn't able to take a picture of the squid dish on the sizzling plate since steam is coming off it (it's a sizzling dish after all!) and keeps messing up the camera lens. Tsk! Anyway, the squid meat was diced and mixed with the usual trio of vegetables (carrot, peas, corn). The sauce was yellow but there was nothing distinct in its smell or taste (no saffron) so I don't know why it's yellow.. Still, it was yummy and was perfect with the tender diced squid meat. Below is a picture of the Sizzling Squid on the plate of my gf. The reddish-blaskish blob on the background is a piece of Bangus Belly. Looks all yummy to me!

ALL photos in this blog post were taken by Melissa Solito (my gf who runs this food blog) and I used them with permission -- of course! Hehe! ALL are unedited that's why there's no watermark of her name (she's procrastinating in editing, arghh) so if you use it, kindly link back or give her credit. Her "food review" on Avenida will be on this blog: Issa's Dollar Earners. Go check it out!

For those with short-term memory, AVENIDA is located in the ground floor of Lispher Inn in Juna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City. Contact number: (6382) 299-1610. You can also check them out at www.lispher.ph

super yummy sizzling squid in MACKY's!

If you're from Davao City, there's this not-so brand-new small restaurant in front JS Citimall (okay it's GS now but JS is more sosyal, lol!) along Ilustre St. named MACKY's. One lunch time, Labsie and I went in and ordered their super yummy Sizzling Squid (pictured above) and Grilled Porkchop. Our total bill? A measly P128! In other restos, that would just get you 1 squid order. MACKY's is truly light on the pocket and heavy on the tastebuds. Can't wait to come back! =) You can view their full menu HERE. If you'd like to cook your own sizzling squid, you need to have a grill (an electric or gas grill is fine), sizzling plate and super yummy sauce. Here's the recipe:

INGREDIENTS

1 pc. big squid
2 slices ginger, julienned (cut into thin strips)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cloves garlic
1tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. vinegar

STEPS

Combine salt, soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, garlic and sugar in a bowl.
Marinate squid in the mixture for half a day.
Grill to almost done, but not quite, basting regularly with the marinade.
Slice into rings. Transfer to a heated up sizzling plate.
Pour a little marinade over the grilled squid and serve.

YUMMY! =) If you have your own secret grilling sauce, you can use that actually. You can even use the gravy for steaks to make it really sizzle when you pour it on the squid. Remember, when you cook, it's all about experimentation and what works for you. Don't follow recipes to the letter -- improvise, innovate, experiment! =)