Le Comptoir du Relais ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

 

I have confirmed bookings for all my dinners in France, except for this one, because Yves
Camdeborde, the owner of one of Paris' hottest tables, does not take reservations. 
(Plus I am really just a nobody, hee hee hee) 

 

 

I don't mind waiting for an hour and a half in the cold especially when I know I'm getting
good food. And I know I'll be getting excellent food at Le Comptoir because my friend,
Mike "The Michelin Guide" Luakian, promised me so. 

 

 

I don't mind waiting, but... 

 

I SPOT AN EMPTY CHAIR!!!
If this were in Hong Kong they would have given me that seat and I would have been friends and 
sharing food with that girl in leather jacket, but no, this is Paris where people enjoy their meals
leisurely without being rushed and disturbed, and without some fat Asian lady trying to pick at
their plates. (I still love Paris.)

 

 

After about 90 minutes of standing I finally earned my right to step into the busy restaurant

 

 

And look, I got front seats, too!
Bordeaux Cotes de Francs 2006 Chateau du Puy to go with my meal.

 

 

Foie gras de canard des Landes de la maison Paris au pruneaux
If you don't know your French, there's Google Translate. Fine, I'll do it this one time for you. 
According to Google, this is "Foie gras from the Landes house in Paris prunes." Hahaha!

 

 

I arranged each element on top of each other so I get full enjoyment of all the 
flavors and textures in every bite. Creamy, salty, sweet, meaty, buttery, yummy!

 

 

Cochon de lait braise et roti, lentilles en ragout
Slow-cooked pork over stewed lentils 

 

 

OMG!!! This is THE BEST EVER pork dish I've had in my 33 years of pork-eating life.
So insanely packed with flavor and ridiculously tender! I finished this without
ever having to pick up my knife. 

 

 

THAT. GOOD.

 

 

For dessert, I had Cremeux au chocolat, crumble cacao, coulis de fruits de la passion

 

 

This super light chocolate-passion fruit combination was so divine

 

 

It was gone in seconds!!

 

 

Double Espresso to cap off the amazing meal

 

 

Thank God I was alone because dinner was so good I was murmuring
expletives all throughout. :D

 

 

If I didn't feel compassion for these people, I would have gone for a second round of dinner!

 

Le Comptoir du Relais: 9 carrefour de l'Odeon, 6e, Saint Germain des Pres, Paris, 75006, France.

Tel: +33 1 44 27 07 50

Cafe Breton ♥ ♥

 

 

 

When I want something fast, easy and reliable, I go to Cafe Breton.

For the savories, I almost always order the Galette Paysanne or the Galette Bretonne, depending if I'm in the mood for meat or seafood.

Most of the time I go for both.

 

 

Galette Paysanne - Hungarian sausage, onions, egg, asparagus with cheese sauce

 

 

Galette Bretonne - spinach, shrimps sautéed with crabmeat, fresh cream, gruyere cheese

 

 

Since I was eating with a friend today, we ordered three and chose the Galette Marrakech for our third dish. 

I didn't like it much.

 

Galette Marrakech - spicy Moroccan beef sausage with egg, onions, tomato provencale 

 

 

Still we finished everything. BURP!!!

  

Cafe Breton: G/F, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City. Tel: +632 556 0279

Bono Artisanal Gelato ♥ ♥ ♥

 

 

 

I didn't even know there's a university for gelato-making.

I'm not kidding you.

It's called Carpigiani Gelato University and it is in Bologna.

And the people behind Bono went to this university. They learned how to make gelato and brought the technology back to Manila. 

 

 

Everything you need to know about Bono is right here on this wall, so I'm not gonna do a lot of
explaining, only eating. Hee hee hee. 

 

 

I was too busy stuffing my face with gelato I forgot to take a photo of the handsome macho man who churned out all this goodness - Cattabriga Effe. (When you run to Bono after reading this post, please give this to him from me: Mwah mwah mwah!!!)

 

What I love about Bono (and what you are going to love about it, too) is that it doesn't scrimp on ingredients.  

 

Oatmeal Cookie - look at all those raisins!

 

 

Cioccolato - made with 70% pure dark chocolate

 

 

Of course, they also have that thing everyone is raving about right now - Speculoos.
(Look at all that spiced cookie butter!) 

  

 

 

My favorites are:

 

Chunky Ube
You all know of my steamy love affair with ube. And here at Bono, they use only the real root crop thing.
It's more grainy than chunky but I couldn't imagine anyone calling their gelato "Grainy Ube." Lol! 
Under my newfound purple heaven is Pistacchio.

 

 

Soooooo gooooooood I went back for another cup in 48 hours. 
See all those nuts? 

 

 

Bono really is the best gelato in Manila.

Now I wonder if there is a tiramisu university...

 

Bono Artisanal Gelato: 2nd Floor, SM Makati (across Cafe France, next to the bridge that connects to Glorietta)

Bono Artisanal Gelato Facebook Page

My Cousin Monica's Bachelorette Party

 

My cousin Monica is getting married really soon (like this Saturday already!), so we threw her a bachelorette party that is jungle-themed.

We played around with a lot of sexy ideas like Mouiln Rouge, French maids, Playboy bunnies, lingerie party, etc. etc. etc. but figured most of us (actually, just me!) are not sexy at all to pull them off. Lol!

So we decided to do jungle and come in not-so-sexy animal prints. 

 

Warning: If you are 30 years old and below, PLEASE EXIT NOW.

 

Our very talented cousin May did all the set up. Look how she transformed this drab of a room.

 

Not bad, eh?
(For the many of you who asked, May is also the one who styled Tyler's Christening) 

 

 

Animal print balloons and curtains

 

 

Table and chairs

 

 

Plastic cups

 

 

May also prepared these headbands for us

 

 

Nail stick-ons for the bride-to-be

 

 

 Rawr!!!!!!

 

 

And that's our Monica, who is usually in big tops and flip flops, all dolled up :)

 

 

The rest of us animals:

 

 

(Auntie Edna, I forgot to take your pic!)

 

 

Our food was also prepared by May

 

 

Salsa (this came with nachos)

 

 

Chicken Lollipop

 

 

DIY Burgers

 

 

I love mine with cheese and salsa

 

 

Chicken Mancini

 

 

Creamy Fruit Salad 

 

 

And then the games. After all, girls just wanna have fun! :P

 

First with clay (but I'd rather not show you what we did with them)

 

 

Then with bananas

 

 

Someone didn't know how to follow rules! Lol!

 

 

"How Well Do You Know Your Groom"
My gosh, Monica had to drink A LOT! Hahaha! 

 

 

Gift-giving time!
The bride-to-be got a few swimwear for her upcoming beach honeymoon,
robe, undies (non-edible and edible!)  ;)

 

 

Fun fun night with aunties and cousins :)

 

 

Related post:

My Cousin Donna's Bridal Shower (XXX)