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Bistro Luneta

Ukoy It's as much about the presentation as the taste of the dishes we selected at Bistro Luneta in San Mateo. For starters we ordered the shrimp ukoy which I thought was well prepared. It was served crisp and brown and not a minute longer in the pan.   Tortang Talong The tortang talong or grilled eggplant omelette was perhaps the most visually appealing dish and as delicious as it looks above. The eggplant (the restaurant served Japanese eggplants) is topped off with sautéed ground pork like an open face sandwich. It's important that the eggplant is grilled long enough else it's too chewy which is why it may take longer to prepare it. We also had fish escabeche with teriyaki sauce. This is more appetizing to the American palate. I prefer the Pilipino version with some vinegar and soy sauce. On the whole, we enjoyed our dinner at Bistro Luneta amidst a simple zen background and convenient parking at the back of the restaurant. Recipe for ukoy:  http://putopinoy.blogs

Let's Shop Around the World!

On Takeshita Street in Tokyo From Tokyo's trendy Takeshita Street to Amsterdam's Flower Market and across Europe and the Americas then back to Southeast Asia, shopping is a journey of discovery, retail therapy for some and bittersweet parting with hard earned "dinero" for most of us. Here are some irresistible finds and incredibly beautiful shopping meccas. Flower Market In the tulip capital of the world, you can find a variety of bulbs in Amsterdam's Flower Market on the Singel. Galeries Lafayette I like to stand in the center underneath the glass dome for the best view of these balconies at the Galeries Lafayette on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris. Then I go upstairs to get a birds eye view of the ground floor with its perfume and cosmetic counters. O la la. Ponte Vecchio At the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, fine jewelry glitter from shop windows lining the bridge. It's a feast for the eyes and a treat just to see the beautiful pieces on display and imagin

Limerick, Galway, Ennis, and Doolin

King John's Castle in Limerick City History plays amidst spectacular surroundings and small towns enchant. Fáilte (Welcome) to Western Ireland. The River Shannon runs along the side of this 13th century fortification, King John's Castle. There's a tremendous view from the top of the cylindrical towers following the river to the green hills beyond. During the Great Seige of 1642, Cromwell's army dug mines beneath the castle walls to undermine this once mighty fortress. Invincible? Hardly. Two Writers - Galway In this imaginary scenario, two famous writers, Oscar Wilde and Eduard Wilde (from Estonia) are deep in conversation. It's anybody's guess what their talk is about. They had never met in real life. May I dare say they're exploring their "roots" since they bear the same last name? Healing Hands by Shane Gilmore Pro Cathedral of St. Peters and Paul, Ennis There are various interpretations of these limestone hands modeled from the hands of

Sur la Table: Pub Grub and Asian Fusion Cuisine

Sea bass on a bed of vegetables with curry sauce and steamed rice One late Sunday evening in Ennis, a small town about 30 minutes from Shannon Airport, I was looking for a place to eat and happened to read the menu on the window of a "take away" place. I was famished after an exploratory walk all over town and on my way back to the hotel. After much indecision, I settled for the prawns with sweet and sour sauce and steamed rice. All for 10 euros. While waiting I noticed a steady stream of people coming in to order their dinner. When my order was ready, I received it in a plastic box. No worries about spilling. I counted at least four Asian restaurants in the center of Ennis which I thought was surprising in such a small community. But further explorations in other cities revealed the proliferation of Asian fusion restaurants. This says a lot about the culinary preferences of the locals. Here are some restaurants and a pub where I had a pleasurable dining experience. Tama

Adare, Ireland's Prettiest Village

Thatched-roof cottages Twenty minutes south of Limerick City on the River Maigue is Ireland's prettiest village, Adare. It's a small town, pleasantly quiet even in mid July, at the height of the tourist season. There was a celebrity classic golf tournament going on at the exclusive Adare Manor Golf Course during my visit. But thankfully, this did not bring in the crowds. Augustinian Priory It's an easy stroll from the Augustinian Priory to Bill Chawke's Lounge Bar on the opposite end of town.  Centuries old thatched roof cottages, medieval monasteries, vine covered townhouses, the Adare Town Park and the quintessential Irish pubs line Main Street. There's no need to rush. All these places invite visitors to linger and savor the moment. At Bill Chawke's the kegs are full and ready to be served. But before saying your first "sláinte!" (to your health), consider walking the extra mile or so to the ruins of Desmond Castle, north of Adare Manor. It date

New UNESCO World Heritage Sites for Ireland

Poulnabrone dolmen in The Burren Gadling reports that Ireland has recently proposed seven sites to be included in the Tentative List for UNESCO World Heritage nomination. Among these are The Burren and Western Stone Forts which I just visited last week (an article appears below). The other five sites are the Historic Center of Dublin, the Céide Fields and North West Mayo Boglands, The Monastic City of Clonmacnoise and its Cultural Landscape, Early Medieval Monastic Sites, and the Royal Sites of Ireland including Cashel and Tara Complex. I'm happy to read this report as Ireland is one beautiful country with supernatural scenery and rich history.  The inclusion of its seven sites in the Tentative List would be well deserved. For more on this story follow this link: http://tinyurl.com/348cacb * * * Image by Charie