Travelogue around Asia Pacific Part II

Makati - Hankering for good Filipino food we walked across to Greenbelt 5 to Felix restaurant for dinner. Caesar Salad Roasted Pork Ribs I had a good and hearty meal and very satisfied.   With the added calories, I will jog the next morning....

Seoul - Many cultures always have sayings about soup being good for your health and soul.   Koreans are no different and this is a Korean beef soup restaurant.  Actually it is just a few blocks from my hotel. Kimchi The kimchi here is super good and fresh - there are 2 types of Kimchi in this container cabbage and spring onion kimchi.   Both tasted excellent and delicious. steam beef The lean beef meat and tendon (soft bones) are steam - tasted bland but added with Kimchi is palatable to me.   A healthy way to eat red meat I suppose - all the nasty fats have been drained off.  This plate cost W22,000 My beef soup  Lots of shallots and a few dashes of pepper were added to taste for my bowl of beef soup.   This bowl of hearty soup cost W8,000.  Add my bowl rice and had a sumptuous meal.   Feeling happy for the last meal in Seoul for 2015 and also heading back to Singapore in a few hours time.

Seoul - Looking out of the window of the taxi looks like any day in Singapore, a hazy day.   The haze in Seoul is caused by the yellow dust from China.   Hazy day in Seoul After meeting we went to a nearby Asian fusion restaurant and we had individual meal of fried rice or noodles.  I had St Augustin fried rice - some fusion asian mixed with Korean style topped with mayo. St Augustin fried rice Dinner was Sashimi buffet and we ate to our fill for W35,000 each. sashimi plate tuna plate This tuna had been lightly cooked over the edge and served nice with mayo on top. tuna sprinked with gold flakes fried tuna and shishamo It was a good meal with Youngjin and Kiwon....thanks

Seoul - Stayed at another Best Western Hotel that is nearer to my new office in Mapo.   The ride was fast as it was the first stop on this Limo bus route.    Dinner was sashimi and it was good - a private room for us to talk and discuss. green rice I just ate this green rice dish and it tasted bland which should be good for my health.  Next came the raw fish on a wooden boat. shashimi on a boat more fresh and raw fishes There were more raw tuna slices, fermented baby crabs and cooked shell fishes. blow torch the wagu beef This restaurant uses blow torch to cook the wagu beef - maybe the fastest way to cook and still keep the meat tender and fresh. Spicy Fish soup  This is the last dish of the dinner and it's the spicy fish soup.  The cook fish is succulent but the soup was a bit spicy.   Nevertheless, a really good dinner.

Jakarta - I wanted to eat seafood and the hotel concierge introduce us to this seafood restaurant which he likes - aptly called 'Pondok Sedap Malam' - Restaurant delicious at night. chain of seafood restaurants freshly cooked Groupa Very yummy and tender was this steamed Groupa fish meat and one of the best I have tasted in Jakarta. Black pepper crab Long beans stir fried with garlic and chili BBQ station It was a good and delicious meal - the restaurant is quite out of the way but worth the drive there.   The restaurant staff had to take a motorbike to fetch a taxi for us.   Customer service on a bike.

Manila - I was very surprised to find the beautiful improvement done at Singapore Airlines Manila lounge.   I really like the individual cubicle with lots of privacy.  There are ample sockets for your notebook, phone, etc.. There is even a cushion to make a comfortable rest. cubicle 

Manila - I searched for a good restaurant and came across as one of Manila's top restaurant 'Fely J' Kitchen on the 2nd floor of Greenbelt 5.  I had a steak at this restaurant and it was served deliciously. steak and rice

Makati - XO is not the liquor but the name of the famous restaurant within the Salcedo Village.   Pork with winged beans, bitter gourd and stirred fried.   It tasted really good. Fish Sinagang The sour taste of this soup is the key ingredient of tamarind as I like tamarind; it was good for me.  Some might find a bit too sour for their taste. Roast Pork with grilled Eggplant

Makati -  The haze looking out of the window at Changi International airport looks bad. The traffic was good and very quickly reach the Hotel.   The check-in was smooth, the room was big and nice.  I was hankering for some good Filipino cuisine.   I walk through Glorietta 4, and through to Landmark and ended up at Greenbelt 3. I could not find any good restaurant and had to settle for Sentro 1771 @ Greenbelt.  The food is always good. I tried Sentro signature dish 'Rated GG'- Galunggong fish fried with garlic oil and topped with brown garlic.  The meat of the fish is a bit tough but the crunchiness of the brown garlic made the difference in taste. Rated GG Camote Cups Carved out sweet potato filled with stirred fried cabbage, Baguio beans and carrots.   The taste is very good especially with the sauce pour into the sweet potato cups. Chicken and Pork Adobo A traditional Filipino dish but I found the chicken too tough as compar...

Tokyo - Terry brought me to a quaint sushi restaurant a few blocks from their office.   I have been there before and the Chef speaks a little English.   The slices of seafood is so fresh that it literally melts in your mouth.  So much art and food craftsmanship went to the preparation.  The slices are professional cut with each piece of same width and consistency. super good sashimi Squid sushi tuna sushi after eating so many I forgot the names of the sushi... shell fish Abalone sushi sardine sushine Ebi and egg sushi fried head of Ebi Maki-sushi - cucumber and tuna sea eel sushi That was my delicious sushi meal....thank you

Tokyo - I had lunch at Saizeriya which is Japan's successful family-theme casual Italian restaurant.  The price and food are reasonable and one of the key reasons for their success. Sign board outside the restaurant juice vending machine For Yen 198, you have free flow of soft drinks, tea and coffee.  Also fruit juice from this vending machine.  You have tomato and apple, grape juice or apple and lemon. corn soup Potatoes, Ham and Cheese A new dish on their menu and it was delicious for me.  You must be a cheese lover to enjoy this dish. The menu

Japan - After a fine lunch with Terry at Ginza.  It was a full meal with slices of beef steaks, fried rice, vegetables and soup. Nice Bento We then walked to locate a coffee shop but hardly could find one that  is within walking distance. rows of eclairs kept at a right temperature my cappuccino Un eclair cher This eclair cost Y675 each - very expensive for one.  The fillings are filled with rich dark chocolate and the crust was soft and moist.  A perfect eclair kept at correct temperature to produce a perfect Eclair.