Don't miss out : OTKB's (Olive Tree Kitchen and Bar) ANNIVERSARY MENU

In this grand life of ours, most of it is nothing but temporary. I think that it is sad that my generation celebrate/created monthsaries all because we rarely get to celebrate anniversaries. Sad really. It applies to so many things like relationships, restaurants, friendships, fad, hobby, work, etc..

But let us put the side things aside and talk about the good stuff!

When one gets to celebrate an "anniversary", it is really something, a milestone perhaps. It takes guts and a strong sense of will to do something this long. Although not all would agree that a year is LONG, but trust me. In the 21st century, IT IS.

And I am nothing but proud of OLIVE TREE KITCHEN AND BAR!

Why??!!

Coz!

In a few days, OTKB will be turning 1!

Congratulations and Happy Anniversary!

Let us count why I love thee :

• They are the very first even I have ever EVER attended. Very grateful to everyone who made that possible. Especially to MY MASTER!
• They have the best salmon I've ever tasted. 
• They have hot and hunky chefs!!
• They are perfect for whatever occasion. Dinner date, Family date, Girl's night out, Boy's night out, Birth-dates (is that a thing? I'll make it a thing), Birthdays, or for just because's.
• They have killer desserts! Very hard to resist.
• Friendly and attentive staffs!
• & each time I go, I discover something new about them to LOVE!

So here's a preview :

Let us start of with the appetizers : I don't think this is part of the anniversary menu but I had to include it, I am like so in love with Shine's umami fries, that this fries did actually remind me of that but it was a little different. It had almost the similar dip but no nori, there was a side of fresh roasted garlic and it was a bomb! It was crazy good even after it had gone cold.

Just sharing :) But feel free to add this when you get there..

So the first thing we got to try out was their wait for it!!

These tine tiny things, never under estimate the size. It was a totally packed with crab cake. It was dressed with bufala mozzarella panna (and it was good, I have no idea why I only like mozzarella cheeses) with tomato carpaccio, purple basil flowers (totally edible btw) and calabrese hash and oil. It was sweet and very delightful to the palette.

Oh these little blobs are called PANNA COTTA.

PANNA COTTA

As some would know, I really can't drink. Not that I am not allowed to or anything. I just don't like the taste. I am more of a hot choco, cranberry juice or coke kind of girl. But I gave the fella a chance, but too strong for my liking.

It is made of house made limoncello liquer (which sounds very Italian for me! Which was its inspiration), pink peppercorn berries and pecorino romano shavings! And if you love to add a little twist to this very strong ladies drink, you can squeeze the lemon and eat the CHEESE!

CACIO E PEPE

 Next dish is the UOVO which means egg in Italian. Hey I have loved eating half cooked eggs all my life and I never knew that there is a "sossy" side to the egg. I am excited and scared, all at the same time.

It was a dish inspired from The Goose Station, which is also one of their's.

REALLY NOW!! Only OTKB can turn such an everyday ordinary thing into one hell of a big deal!

I kind of struggled to break this UOVO. It was too pretty for me. With all the colors and the things on the plate like the parmesan polenta, morel spuma (which is the foam on top), pan roasted wild mushrooms and pistachio citrus around it. It was a master piece!

I had to take a glorious photo of it. Had to spin it around a couple of times and little did I know! There was a heart hiding behind it. I wonder who placed that there! But seriously, it was a sweet surprise.

FOOD ART!

I do not know if it is just me or what, but when something is too pretty, it gives me a vibe that "it might not be that good". But what scares me even more is when my vibes are right.

So I looked left and right, everybody liked it!! and they all finished it, but how come I didn't?! Is there something wrong with me? No. I love a runny egg. I don't eat eggs that are fully cooked. So I must love this egg. But I think there was a little too much going on.

But 9 out of 10 liked it, so who am I to say what is what.

UOVO

This next dish scared me. OCTOPUS tentacles. I like it's relative Mr. Squid, but when the thing is too big (I mean both squid and octopus) it scares me (a lot!).

I think it is because of the ton of clips I saw on youtube where people eat this sort of dead/alive octopus on a stick, SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME. I mean I am still confused if I am an adventurous food lover, but when something is moving all I can say is : 

"don't freaking eat it!!!"

I was actually expecting that I would not like this dish at all! Although the ravioli did intrigue me. I was scared that the chorizo and potato mousseline, with whipped butter and red cabbage broth! Well the broth really was too good!

I do know know how these hunk of a chef's comes up with these things but all together they are great! If you do go to their Anniversary date/s. You should not eat the ravioli alone. Portion it and with each part put in a part of that octopus! OMGE, it was totally heaven and the sauce was the icing on top! Real good stuff.

AGNOLOTTI

Now let us proceed to the main course! 

Now I would like you to think of the best PIG you've had and remember it dearly and now.. Put it aside!!

I am not easily swayed. Seriously, there are a lot of good food for me. I might say that this and that is good. But this MAIALINO ALLO SPIEDO was the GOD of all pigs. I mean these are the things you don't recreate yourself. This pig was so lucky to fall into the dazzling hands of OTKB's chef. There are things that are left to the professionals and this is one of them.

I would like to say that pig's should bathe in milk more!! I know this sounds very cruel to vegetarians and vegans, but you are so missing out! Omg. I can't imagine me being a full on vegetarian. I mean it was just heaven, these things you never forget.

But the portion was so "damot", I wish I had more, like ye' big as the plate more.

THIS IS THE PLATE YOU WOULD NOT WANNA MISS OUT ON

The sucking pig alone was heaven. But if you like to add a little something more to it, the spiced baby carrots, bitter greens gnudi, raspberry vinaigrette and the very succulent pig's head au jus helps. The pig's head au jus was a little sweet which I loved, the raspberry vinaigrette was a little sour kind of yogurt-y good.

The preparation alone was a loud bang. Even before the event, I saw a photo of it in their facebook page. It got me totally hyped up. I was thinking of it the whole trip to the Fort.

The highlight of the night I'ld say.

MAIALINO ALLO SPIEDO

The last main course before dessert was the BISTECCA. 

It is made of Mulwarra tenderloin with Foie Gras shavings, sweet bread caponata, mosto cotto and some zucchini frites. 

It always have my tenderloins medium rare, but even if it was just rare, I loved it! It was really amazing. Man, I mean steak's don't always steal my fancy but OTKB is my weakness. It will always be.

BISTECCA

And for once I am totes happy that I get to stay for dessert. I have a sweet tooth. I crave for it like an addict craved for it's junk. Wish the slab it came with was white or any color but black for you to like drool over it, but it really doesn't matter. Because once you have your fork in. You'll wish you had a bigger portion and forget that the slab was black.

For all cake loves, sweet tooth, or dessert junkies. I do not know if you have tried a cake that is made with OLIVE OIL SPONGE, but it was so good. I mean if it was just me, I would never order such a thing, but I am glad that I was invited and it really widens my food preference. Thank you very much and I have never been happier. It also contains lemon liqueur ganache (which I love to say), pineapple mousse, compressed orange and fennel.

Dude for food and I had a little more than what we were served. It was THAT good folks!

OLIO D' OLIVA

So this ANNIVERSARY MENU is only good for 

SEPTEMBER 26, 27 and 28, 2014

which is P1,499/ person

It is seriously not that pricey for all for these.

Think of it this way : quality over quantity at any time of the day. 

Each dish is really prepared especially for you.

Coz' you need to call at least a day in advance.

Perfection is not made in a blink of an eye. We all know that!

Give them a holler at :

• Facebook : OTKB.bhs
• Telephone number : (02) 823 03 66
• G/F B3, 9th Ave. Bonifacio High Street, Fort Bonifacio

Wagyu Burger Madness at Village Tavern

I have been to Village Tavern once before this, but it seemed like I ordered all the wrong things. To be honest, my first visit there wasn't that good of an experience and I told myself I wasn't going back.

Although, I love how the place looked like. I am actually a frustrated interior designer. Me and my dreams. Leaving that aside. The place is really classy and it is upscale.

I love the place looked modern yet it had a cottage-y feeling to it. You know with animal antlers and all that. I was actually hoping that there would be a cozy fire place somewhere I could sit next to and roast marshmallows in (Is it weird? Haha). It's totally got that Red Riding Hood and the big bad wolf feeling for me.

It would be totally cool to visit the other branches in the States where they got a real fire place burning! :)

But even if I didn't have a good first time there, I am glad that I did come back or else I would have missed out on a lot.

Village Tavern, well you wouldn't actually see the place immediately or clearly from a far (if you weren't looking for it). It is located at the edge of Bonifacio High Street right across where Jamba Juice, Slice, Cotton On is and even if it is located there, I think it is the perfect spot for it. You'll get what I mean when you see it. 

For starters, if I had this COWBOY CHIPS (P450) when I first tried this place out. I would not stop coming back. Even if it is just for this alone.

I would love to have this with me each and EVERY TIME I get to watch a movie. Seriously it is just that good! I cant' believe how crazy I am about this. The potato chips from Taters didn't even stand a chance!

The Monterey Jack cheese, Cheddar cheese together with the bacon bits were oscillating in perfect harmony with the deep fried crispy potato slices!

Food Ecstasy is what it is. A piece of heaven in every bite! It means that it is just so good because I forgot the fact that I hate cheese and ate away!

But we weren't here for the appetizers. 

TEQUILA BURGER
P650

We were here for their burgers! By burgers, I don't mean just any burger, you shouldn't be expecting a P200 burger or a buy 1 take 1 burger for P30! These One Direction boys are way way better!

Even if I have a big appetite when in the mood. Simply staring at the burgers made me feel full. Can you imagine 4 big WAGYU patties with its tight buns staring at you and saying "EAT ME!"?

It is hard. It was a fatal attraction from beginning to end.

But out of all the four. Their TEQUILA BURGER (P650) was my favorite. Not sure if I tasted any tequila (have no idea what it tastes like), but it was a good sign that I was still walking straight after the burger. Kidding! It was just tequila mayonnaise after all, DUH!

The taste was really good and my favorite kicker was the jalapenos! I love a spicy meal even if it opens up my sweat glands and makes me feel like I am baking in the oven. It was surprisingly not that crazy spicy (for me) and even if it was infused with habanero and cheddar cheese, I still loved it!

Great burger!

The next super star is..

REUBEN BURGER
P595

The REUBEN BURGER (P595), this is the Pickiest Eater's favorite. I seriously cannot say the same. I love a good corned beef and fried egg for breakfast.

But not so crazy about corned beef with fried egg, Gruyere cheese and a giant Wagyu patty. I felt a little queasy after eating it. Actually I felt queasy even before I ate it. It was a trap I cannot escape.

But! We all have our own likes and dislikes. Heard it was the BEST SELLER! So, I might actually have bad taste. Haha

I feel full already, don't you?

A little behind the scene for THE PICKIEST EATER

I love burgers but I don't stand a chance eating it simultaneously. So.. here is a little something else you need to try from Village Tavern..

Their CHICKEN SKEWER (P245) was a total hit for me. These were made from chicken breasts, but the texture was so far from it. It was so juicy and soft unlike most chicken breast parts (Hey, this is a rated G post! Wipe that smirk off your face).

So it comes with a little mixed greens with Miso dressing which Rina totally loved!

The photo doesn't do justice to the Cowboy chips and I am so sorry for that. But I swear it is really good. I am totally in love with it. YOU HAVE TO TRY IT and tell me what you think!

But be careful of the plate because it is hot and fresh from the oven.

Now that we had a burger breather.. Back to business.

The TRUFFLE BURGER (P625)! Even as I write, I can still feel the burgers wandering around in my tummy (and it just feels weird I tell you).

Their Truffle burger is made of premium WAGYU beef paired with a rich truffle mayonnaise, topped with asiago cheese and sauteed shitake mushrooms. As you can see, they didn't skimp out on the ingredients. Nothing but the finest for you and me!

TRUFFLE BURGER
P625

Now here is the last but not least!

The FOIE GRAS BURGER (P890). Sounds fancy right? Fancy is its middle name and P890 is its last name! But we all know that we get what we pay for. It is made of premium WAGYU beef topped with Gruyere cheese, red wine, braised onions and seared foie gras. Nothing could be better than that. It was probably my 2nd favorite!

FOIE GRAS BURGER
P890

If you think that the price a little hefty.. It is a good idea to get yourself a BISTRO PREMIERE CARD and have a 20% off your bill. A little price to pay, but totally worth it!

• Website : Village Tavern
• Facebook page : Village Tavern Philippines
• Twitter : @VillageTavernPh
• Instagram : @villagetavernph

Branches :

• Bonifacio High Street, 2nd floor

NOW BREWING : TULLY'S Iced Green Tea Latte

I am a crazy Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf lady and somehow I have slightly outgrown the Starbucks freak in me (but I am still hooked in just enough to still collect their cute tumblers. I swear, no person in their right mind can stay away from their collector boggling stuffs and freebies!).

If you ask me what is their best drink is, I would say "Green Tea Frappe" without a doubt. It is the best for me! (Well aside from my precious Red Velvet drink from CBTL of course!) It is the only choice when I am at Starbucks. Especially when I was still in college. That is my go to drink, be it in the early morning or late at night.

I am crazy about everything green tea! Be it a frapped, iced, chocolate, cookies, ice cream, cupcake? (is there any? If you know of a place that has green tea cupcakes, please tell me!), etc..

Come to think of it, I have no idea how this madness started. Hmmm..

So we tried out Archery last week and I was really exhausted after all the crappy shooting I did. I was super dehydrated from stress because I couldn't seem to hit the bullseye! I am really starting to wonder if there is something wrong with my eye, or I just really don't have the talent. Anyway.

I wanted to have a cold drink to take the stress away. It was a good thing there was a TULLY'S COFFEE right around the corner from where we were.

I haven't been to Tully's, I wasn't even sure how to pronounce it.

Experience something extra ordinary at the OLIVE TREE KITCHEN & BAR (OTKB)

I love watching movies, but I try to stay away from romantic movies. Why? Isn't it every girl's dream to be swept off her feet? Yes, of course! It is not everyday that I get swept off my feet. Except when my yaya is in a bad mood, and she sweeps OVER my feet. Haha! Who doesn't like to be treated like a queen? The woman he can't live without. The woman he wants to wake up next to everyday. Watching those movies, keeps raising the bar until it is unreachable. 

It’s no doubt that Valentines Day is just around the corner. I bet all the guys are panicing by now. Well for the one's who are still not prepared for the big day. But to me it seems like the weather is just getting colder and colder. Too bad!

I am a newbie when it comes to this blogging thing. Like a kid riding the bike with training wheels. I know I will eventually learn how, but it is best that you have someone who can guide you through it. I love eating, exploring food I dare not eat and sharing my experiences. I needed a guru and who better to have than The Pickiest Eater?!?!

I was most flattered when I got invited to my very first blogging gig. Haha Is that even what it’s called? No clue, but let us just leave it at that.You know the crazy feeling one gets when a cute boy asks her out. I had that feeling but it was towards the food (Not that you are not adorable Richie). It got me insanely nervous. Nervous that I would get eaten alive (by all the famous people) and be left in a ditch somewhere cold and lonely.

I withdrew all my courage from the Courage Bank and had my chips all in. I am not good in socializing. My friends all know that (I have no idea how we even became friends in the first place). I live in a world of my own that I sometimes don’t even understand me. Since it was my Food Guru who called me in. I knew I would be in good hands.

Serendra, is a place that has its charm built in, plus the fact that most of the “It” places to go and eat at are there. It is the perfect place to be 24/7. Taguig isn’t just a back flip away, it’s really far from where I live. So I made sure I left early just in case the traffic would be heavy. Richie told me we were eating at “OTKB”. My first thought was “Is it a bar-bar?”. Lol No it’s not, well they do host a lot of events related to wine and cocktails. OTKB is actually short for OLIVE TREE KITCHEN AND BAR by TRL “The Roaring Lions”. They are located at B4 of Bonifacio High Street, just beside TGI Fridays.

I had 1 huge butterfly running around my stomach the whole time! I would be sweating if not for the extra cool weather that day.

The moment I stepped through the door, I know the people I would be meeting are all big times. They are the top food and lifestyle bloggers in the Philippines, and I was just the little kid that writes about food. But when Richie introduced me to everyone they were all very friendly and nice. At first they look like normal people (who by the way are famous) who were there, eating on a normal Friday night.

Richie asked me where I wanted to sit. I wanted to sit at the end of the table because I was really scared and it was a good place to avoid and hide the awkward feeling I am having inside. But Richie was hugging the chair on the edge of the table. I sat on the chair next to “THE TUMMY TRAVELER” a.k.a Yen by her friends. I was like "HI!" I lost my words because I was “STAR STRUCKED” by her because she is really beautiful! Gah. The epitome of a hot lady. I looked like a lost dog sitting beside her.

Aside from the gorgeous woman sitting next to me, I noticed the place. I love their ambiance. I immediately thought that it would be a great place for DATE NIGHTS. But the place is really lovely and sort of home-y in a sense that it could also be a great place for hanging out with the dudes. Well done OTKB! You killed all the birds with one stone.

It was not long and we were all finally complete. The food started rolling in. Everyone took out their gadgets  and once the appetizer was placed on the table, I was like “OH GOD PLEASE SAVE ME! RIGHT NOW!!”. It was my first time. So I was shy to do my thing or anything! Since I barely know anyone and I have no idea how it should be done.

I am saying sorry in advance that the photos of the food are nowhere near how I wanted them to look. The other's posts would have a more mouth watering appeal. Promise!

Here we go! Let's get down to business..

FOOD IMPRESSIONS

ANTIPASTI

The first food that came in was the “ANTIPASTI”. If you do not have a Culinary background or if you are not a food connoisseur. The word is Italian. Where “Anti” means before and “Pasto” means food. Which to me is appetizer for short. It comes pre-arranged and the food combination depends on the chef who makes/prepares them.

It is not your teen grub kind of appetizer. Like fries and onion rings. It appetizer was the grown up kind.

(Top) Foie Gras Popsicle – (Middle) Caponata Macaroon – (Bottom) Eel and Apple Galette