A Simple Engagement Dinner at Choi Garden Sea Food and Shark's Fin Restaurant, Annapolis, Greenhills, San Juan

After so many years of searching, my 40 year old brother-in-law finally found the woman she's going to marry... Everyone in the family, was really excited about this... The happy couple decided for a very simple engagement ceremony and dinner to formally introduce both families to each other and of course, to celebrate... :D

My parents-in-law decided to have the ceremony and dinner at Choi Garden Sea Food and Shark's Fin Restaurant since it's a very reputable Chinese restaurant nowadays and the food is really good here...

Anyway, the ceremony was held inside a private function room with just the immediate family and our Pastor and his wife present... Inside the room, the accent wall was really eye-catching...


After the simple ceremony of exchanging of rings between the couple, the bracelet and necklace giving by the groom-to-be's parents to the future daughter-in-law, and some picture taking, of course, the dinner was served...


Cha Misua... very tasty and really good...

Cold Cuts... slices of Smoked Ham, White Chicken, Lechon Macau, Century Eggs, Jelly Fish and California Maki...

Herbal Chicken Soup... a clear soup that's so simple, but full of flavor... this was very good...

they also served the very tender chicken meat, you can actually put some in your soup...

Baby Lobsters... these were perfectly cooked...


Fish Fillet with Broccoli... the fish and the veggies were very fresh... cooked just right...

Fried Pigeon... this is the specialty of the house, you need to order this 2-3 days before... and yes, the meat was tender and juicy...


Deep Fried Crab Claws Wrapped in Noodles... crab claws with fillings wrapped with noodles and deep fried... very crunchy...

Braised Fish Head Hot Pot... this is my favorite... the slices of fish head were coated with flour and deep fried before they were cooked in a claypot with beancurd skin, pork slices, and lots of garlic...


Steamed Chinese Cake... it was very soft and light...

Sesame Seed Balls or Butchi... a favorite dessert of the groom-to be... deep fried glutinous rice balls filled with yellow bean paste and rolled in sesame seeds... it was crunchy, and the filling was not too sweet...

Sweet Taro Soup with Sago or Tapioca... not too sweet, but so creamy because of the mashed taro...

It was indeed a great meal and a great celebration... and I'm truly happy for them... watch out for the wedding next year... :)

Choi Garden Seafood and Shark's Fin Restaurant

12 Annapolis St. cor. Purdue St., San Juan, Metro Manila

Tel. No. : (02) 727-6042

Tocino with Malunggay Marinara Pasta

I think it was around late last year when I posted Tocino with Malunggay Carbonara Pasta... and I thought, maybe it would be interesting to share the twist that Hubby and Kid1 did for this, may I present to you, Tocino with Malunggay Marinara Pasta...

As I shared before, Malunggay is a kind of herb which you can easily find anywhere here in the Metro, be it in your own backyard, vacant lots, or market... very affordable and nutritious too... most of the time, this herb is use to cook traditional Filipino dishes... but more often, most new moms in this country add Malunggay in their Chicken Soup, or what we call Tinola, to help them produce more breast milk... while Tocino, is a popular Filipino cured meat that is often served during breakfast... Now, let's get started...

Tocino with Malunggay Marinara Pasta

The ingredients...olive oil, garlic, tocino, diced tomatoes, linguine, malunggay, sugar, salt, and pepper...

First, I washed and sorted around 2 handfuls of Malunggay leaves and set it aside... then cook 250 grams LinguineNoodles according to package direction...


Heat Olive Oil and cook the 2 cloves of minced Garlic...

Add the sliced 220 grams Tocino until the meat renders its' fats and caramelized...


Add the Diced Tomatoes...


Season with Sugar, Salt & Pepper...

Add the Cooked Pasta...

the Malunggay Leaves... and mix, fold everything together...


And enjoy... :D


After a long absence, I like to share this pasta dish to this week's Presto Pasta Nights, hosted by Psychgrad of Equal Opportunity Kitchen... this is headed and founded by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast...

Saying Goodbye to President Corazon Aquino

It's so sad that after more than a month of absence here, I have to come back with this post... But I guess, in my own little way, I have to say goodbye to the simple housewife who became the first woman president in Asia, former Philippine President, Corazon C. Aquino... After a year of courageously battling with Colon Cancer, she finally went back to be with the Lord early this morning...

She was not a perfect president, but her honesty, simplicity, and faithfulness made up for it... May her legacy of democracy, peace, and love of God continue to live on...


Goodbye Madame President...