5.315 Scallops

Cycle 5 – Item 315

16 (Sun) November 2014

Scallops

3.5

at Tao Yuan

-Malate, Manila, Metro Manila, Philippines-

with KKH, LHS

KH & HS Come to Town (Day 2)

SUNSET SNACK

They wanted to go to Angeles, a city located about 75 km northwest of Manila, adjacent to Clark Airbase, infamous for its massive red light district.  I vetoed.  Nothing to do with morality, just didn’t feel like taking a 4-hour round-trip car-ride to see and do things available around my own neighborhood within minutes on foot.

Instead, we spent a quiet day in Manila.  Slept in.  For lunch, My Kitchen.  A horse carriage ride to Intramuros and a glimpse of San Agustin Church.  Drinks at Harbor View.  Dinner at Tao Yuan.  Early to bed for me, more fun for them into the wee hours – don’t what they did, didn’t ask, probably something to compensate for Angeles.

DINNER

TEITY (see Try Every Item at Tao Yuan) (Visit 21) (Items 106-116).  Eating my way through the restaurant’s entire menu: all 222 items.

Tried 11 new items tonight, bringing the total to 116 items tasted thus far, 106 items remaining – just beyond the halfway point! – averaging 5.5 items per visit, on pace to finish at TEITY 41.

Whereas my plan for dinner had been to watch the sun set over Manila Bay from the pier at Harbor View then hang out amidst the sea breezes and sample various local dishes throughout the evening, they didn’t seem that enthusiastic about staying on after nightfall.  I suspect that the lack of air-conditioning was a major factor.  But more than that, I think that they just wanted to eat something familiar.  When they mentioned broth, I thought of hotpot, and when I thought of hotpot, I thought of Tao Yuan.

Assorted Mushroom with Clams Soup (3.0)
Taiwan Pechay (bokchoy) (3.0) + Chinese Mustard (2.5): very similar in flavor, though I preferred the bokchoy in texture.
Lettuce (3.0): while iceberg lettuce tends to be used only in salads in sandwiches in American cooking, I learned from Chinese friends that it also works quite well in soups (e.g., ramen) and stir-fries (e.g., fried rice), holding up against the heat and retaining a bit of crunch, a fresh touch.
Pork Meat Ball (1.0): way porky; thus far, the only item from the hot pot menu that’s been an outright miss.
Beef Kimchi Slice (2.0): paper-thin slices of unmarinated tenderloin on a thin bed of shredded onion/carrot; don’t know what the “kimchi” refers to.
Local Geo Duck Sashimi (2.0): aka “elephant clam” served 2 ways, first as sashimi, a bit fishy.
Local Geo Duck (2.5): much better after a quick dip in the broth.
Beef Tendon (2.0): somewhat disappointing in this form, compared to the braised dish.
Bihon (2.0): the noodles per se were kinda blah.

The best part of the meal was noodle soup in the remaining broth, now super rich in seafood flavor.

A fantastic spread to close out the visit.  Couldn’t have planned it better.  The hot pot here is consistently excellent

(See also BOOZE)

(See also GLOBAL FOOD GLOSSARY)

(See also RESTAURANTS IN PHILIPPINES)

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