Cycle 5 – Item 90

5 (Sat) April 2014

Claypot Chicken

3.5

at Sta. Elena Golf & Country Estate

-Barrio Malitlit, Santa Rosa, Laguna, Philippines-

with WHO Korean staff, faculty from Yonsei University, YL

Sta. Elena Golf & Country Estate is a country club.  Members only, plus guests.

For whatever reasons, a lot of Korean WHO staff have memberships there.  So far, I’ve resisted peer pressure to start playing – I used to play a bit in college, but I’ve since grown allergic to sunlight, and I detest engaging in physical activity under hot and humid conditions.

The occasion was a welcome gathering for the visitors from Yonsei University, including YL, currently in town to attend the public health law consultation next week.

The clubhouse offers a full service restaurant.  Extensive global menu, offering Filipino and other Asian dishes, such as stir-fries and noodles, and European fare, such as pastas and sandwiches.  Across the board, the food is consistently good.  Supposedly, the guy in charge is an actual chef, from Singapore, so that would explain it.

And the prices are ridiculously cheap, around 200 to 300 pesos per item, cheaper than most places on the outside.  The corporate policy is to generate profits from the memberships and the yearly dues, so that members don’t worry about the cost of incidentals once they’re paid up and on the premises.

The best dish of the evening was the claypot chicken.  Singaporean, so no wonder.  The chicken was exquisitely seasoned and cooked with a touch of char.  The rice was nicely crisp from the hotpot.  The fresh bean sprouts and scallions added a fresh counterbalance in both taste and texture.  Although I hesitate to confer upon it a perfect 4.0 rating, it came very very close – maybe next time.

(See BOOZE)

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN PHILIPPINES)