Dog day Monday

No work for me today. I thought I'd spend this day doing some errands like opening checking and credit card accounts, having my old laptop fixed and be able to retrieve my files, running in the gym, and visiting Ateneo.

Well, none of them happened. I literally slept off the day.

It seemed that my body demanded a whole lot of rest. My lower back was aching and a sore throat was slowly materializing.

Yesterday noon, I got back from a 15-hour road trip from Ortigas to Tagaytay to Nasugbu and back. No sleep at all. My company and I let the night end as we played pusoy dos at Mcdonald's in Tagaytay. Then we tried to chase the sunrise at Munting Buhangin in Nasugbu. We weren't able to catch the sunrise by the beach though but we were greeted by spectacular views of Batangas coves.

When I arrived back in Cubao, I immediately caught up on sleep for another birthday dinner. This time, my boss was going to treat me to a Filipino restaurant at the Fort. I thought he was going to take me to Kabisera.

I was mistaken. We had a fine dining experience at Chef Laudico Bistro.

http://www.cheflaudico.com.ph/bistro/index.html

We had the a la carte all you promo for Php788+.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/bistro-filipino-by-chef-laudico/a-la-carte-all-you-can/10150171501423080

I especially liked the pica-picas. They were familiar Filipino dishes but served in a different way and tasted with a twist. Really awesome. The most memorable appetizer for me was the Angus Tapa Wrap. The feeling of it in my tongue was just refreshing.

After we explored most of the pica-picas on the list, we headed to the soups. I tried Pork Sinigang Puree while Bernard had his favorite - Mongo Shrimp Bisque. Both soups are quite rich - the broths are thicker than the usual way of preparing the two. I thought that the chefs have a penchant for thick, rich sauces - even their Pinakurat sauce for the Crispy Pata was thicker than usual.

We also tried the salads - Three kinds of Mango and Sampalok Salmon salads. Both are really good. Bernard though loves the mango salad more.

I would think my highlight for the meal was being able to try, finally, Wagyu beef in Wagyu Estofado. Now, I know why people are crazy over Wagyu. The meat was just so tender, juicy, and kinda sweet. I thought that despite the rich tomato sauce, the taste of the beef just stood out.

We sealed the meal with desserts. I insisted we try Sans Rival Moderne, Banana Q Tart, Maja Blanca Cheesecake, and Molten Chocolate Cake. What stood out were the Sans Rival Moderne and Molten Chocolate Cake.

It was a lovely fine dining experience. Although it was an eat-all-you-can arrangement, I was glad that I didn't have to rush on the food. Eating became a laid-back experience and we were actually there to appreciate what the chefs had to offer. Very nice.

I refuse to make this an everyday experience though. These types of experiences are like an icing on a cake. Once in a while, we celebrate - we go to a posh restaurant. And then on other, ordinary days, we prepare our own food or eat in the cafeteria. To me, living it this way, is closer to what real living is supposed to be. But I won't refuse being invited to posh restaurants every now and then. =)

Next goal, how to prepare a good Spanish tortilla.