by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 29, 2023 | Food & Beverage
Cowrie Grill, the esteemed steak house formerly nestled within the historic walls of The Manila Hotel, now conveniently located at Promenade in Greenhills, proudly commemorates its 10th anniversary. A decade of serving exceptional culinary experiences is indeed a momentous occasion, and Cowrie Grill is eager to share this milestone with its patrons.
For the past decade, Cowrie Grill has consistently upheld its reputation as an epitome of fine dining and the go-to destination for discerning connoisseurs of exquisite cuisine. To celebrate this special occasion, Cowrie Grill is delighted to showcase its ten most popular dishes, featuring a selection of culinary masterpieces that have captured the hearts and palates of its valued guests over the years.
Guests are invited to savor these all-time favorites: Caesar Salad prepared in a tableside fashion, French Onion Soup, Fettuccine Al Funghi E Tartufo, Grilled Chilean Sea Bass, Saga Wagyu Beef Rib Eye, Chateaubriand U.S. Angus, Bone-In Tomahawk Ribeye, Iberico Pork Loin, U.S. Angus Beef Tournedos Rossini with Foie Gras, and Baked Alaska flambéed with brandy.
“We are truly grateful for the continuous support and loyalty of our guests since the restaurant’s early days at The Manila Hotel. Our 10th anniversary is a tribute to our commitment to culinary excellence and the cherished relationships we’ve built over the years,” said EJ Yap, F&B Director of Cowrie Grill by The Manila Hotel.
In addition, Cowrie Grill offers an ideal venue for private events and intimate gatherings, with an elegant interior and customizable space. The versatility of the venue, combined with its commitment to exceptional service, makes Cowrie Grill the ideal choice for those seeking a refined setting for their celebrations.
Cowrie Grill is open from Mondays to Sundays from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM. For inquiries and reservations, please call +632 8477 6385, send a Viber message to 0977 641 8815, or email r.***********@************el.com.
About Cowrie Grill
Cowrie Grill, formerly an in-house fine dining restaurant in The Manila Hotel, has been an institution since it opened in 1977. It gave way to the expansion of Café Ilang-Ilang in 2010. In 2013, Cowrie Grill re-launched and opened in Promenade, Greenhills, bringing it closer to its clientele in the northern side of Metro Manila.
It caters best to families and friends looking for a good, intimate fine-dining place to relax and have a good meal after work or shopping. Guests can also book the entire restaurant for an exclusive, intimate function. Cowrie Grill is known for its signature creation of steaks and grilled entrees alongside its prime tableside service.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 26, 2023 | Book Reviews
I’ve been agonizing for two days on whether or not I should say something about this story, Denying the Alpha, by Teaganjayne. I started reading it on Dreame out of curiosity, mostly because it seems to be getting heavily promoted on Facebook and Instagram, and I figured that if they would promote it so much, then it must be good, right?
The blurb of the story, which is meant to attract new readers is interesting. After all, it got me to add the story to my library and start to read it. However, as I started reading it, I couldn’t help grimacing at the numerous grammatical and syntax errors in the story. Is it laziness or ignorance?
For example, “your” and “you’re”. While this is, perhaps, a common mistake. When done repetitively, I can’t help but think that the author just doesn’t know the difference at all. Another one is “defiantly” when what he/she/they mean is “definitely.” Dear native English speakers out there, I’m sure you can agree with me that those two words mean something different entirely. And how about interchanged genders and misspellings such as “rom” instead of from?
How about dragged-out scenes and characters who don’t appear to have common sense and take so long to come to realizations? Sigh. Over time, I have become more tolerant of all that, but this is just too much. I can’t even properly enjoy the story anymore.
To give it a chance, I bought ten chapters and continued reading, optimistic that it would get better. So far, I am on Chapter Twenty-1, and the story has FINALLY moved forward. If a seasoned author had written this story, the point where it is right now would have happened in chapter ONE … chapter TWO at the most.
The story opens with the blurb as part of the first chapter then after a beat, it moves to the story. It is the birthday of Faith Huntress, the youngest daughter of the beta. Her wolf has not yet appeared, but she gets overwhelmed by this amazing scent and she knows it must be her mate. She follows the scent, and it leads her to the room of Declan, the Alpha’s son, who she finds balls deep in her elder sister, Samantha. She gets hurt, makes a sound, and runs away.
That evening, she shifts without the help of her mate or family, which means she was in a lot of pain when it happened, but she survived it. She keeps mum about finding her mate. Later the same day, she feels a stabbing pain in her chest, and when she goes to Declan’s room and sees him and Samantha in another sexual position, she faints from the pain.
They bring her to the hospital, of course, without telling anyone what really happened. Declan knew she was his mate, but some family trauma made him decide he would reject her.
Fast forward to when she is well enough to leave the hospital. Faith confronts Declan and finds out part of the truth, and in the end, she has no choice but to reject him, and he pushes her down the stairs while telling her she WILL be his mate.
Make up your freakin’ mind!!!
I’ve reached the point where her family and the doctor help her escape, and she has renounced the pack and the alpha of Crescent Moon, and all I can think is … FINALLY! I am also asking myself … is there any point in going on? So far, my sentiment is that this book is long-winded and takes too long to get to the point. What has been written in twenty-two chapters could have all been expressed in five chapters, tops.
I’m truly hoping that she does not end up with Declan because that would just be messed up. Give her a second chance mate! Should I even give this book a second chance?
If you want to read Denying the Alpha by teaganjayne to form your own opinion, you can find it on Dreame by clicking HERE.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 22, 2023 | Beauty
The skin around your eyes is one part of your face that can show the earliest signs of premature aging. While eye care is often overlooked in beauty routines, you’d be surprised at just how essential this step actually is!
If you’ve been hesitant about investing in an eye cream, Spotlight Cosmetics shares why a youth-reviving eye cream deserves a spot on your skincare shelves.
It reduces typical aging symptoms
Dull, tired, and slack-looking skin happens for a variety of reasons, but two big culprits are dehydration and environmental stressors. Good thing the Spotlight Second Skin Afterglow Age-Defying Eye Cream helps you keep these woes at bay. This eye cream has age-defying technology that helps improve the delicate skin around your eyes and instantly brightens and illuminates your eye area, keeping your skin youthful and radiant all day.
Say goodbye to puffiness
You’ve likely fallen victim to undereye bags at some point. We’ve all been there. Lack of sleep is no joke and surely not the look you’re going for. Luckily, this age-defying eye cream is also infused with shea butter that not only helps your skin appear smoother and de-puffed but also improves the look of your dark undereye circles. With this powerful ingredient, puffy eyes are no more, even when you’re pulling an all-nighter!
It gives good hydration to the skin
The area around the eyes can be drier than the rest of the face. So, your eye skin may need much greater targeted hydration than eye creams provide. This is the same trick that Spotlight Afterglow Age-Defying Eye Cream can do. Aside from giving your skin a brightening boost, its shea butter ingredient also acts as a moisturizer, salve, and lotion that helps soothe skin problems like dryness, inflammation, and wrinkles. It also reduces fine lines to give your skin a plump effect.
It’s pollution-proof
Your skin acts as a protective barrier between you and various external elements, from pollution to makeup, and eye cream helps ensure that your skin can do its job. As a bonus, this eye cream also provides a touch of color to enhance your complexion while providing ultra-refreshing texture.
Easily preps your skin for makeup
Eye creams do a great job of smoothening and lessening the appearance of dark spots and puffiness. It makes the application more evenly and keeps it from building up expression lines over the day. Thanks to its firming qualities, this age-defying eye cream helps make all the difference in how your makeup lasts throughout the day!
When it comes to skincare, prevention is better than cure! There’s no need to wait until you’ve seen your first wrinkle to start using an eye cream. It’s good to start taking extra care of your skin early to ensure that your undereye area maintains a bright and youthful appearance as you age with grace.
Always give your eye area the extra TLC it needs with the Spotlight Second Skin Afterglow Age-Defying Eye Cream, available for only PHP395.00! Available at Watsons, Watsons Online, ShopSM, and The SM Store Beauty Section. Spotlight products are also available on Spotlight’s official Lazada and Shopee Pages. Follow Spotlight Cosmetics on Social through Facebook and Instagram. #SpotlightCosmetics #SpotlightCosmeticsPH.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 16, 2023 | Bon Appetit
Chicken pastel is not something I would cook every day as it has many ingredients. But as I was going through the ref and my pantry, I realized I had most of the ingredients to make it. I just had to run to the grocery for three ingredients: bell pepper, carrot, and Chorizo de Bilbao.
Before leaving, I brought the chicken out to thaw. As I was driving to the grocery, in my head, I was going “Pastel or Curry” over and over, and I decided that if I could not find the Chorizo de Bilbao, that meant that I would be making curry. I had an idea of where it could be, so I went straight to that section and immediately saw it … hanging below the Chinese Chorizo and Chorizo Macau. Decision made!
What part of the chicken should I use?
When it comes to chicken, I confess that I favor the thigh part because it is meaty and extra juicy. You can, of course, use any part or even one whole chicken. I know I saw some recipes that say to use chicken breasts, but … just between you and me … that part is dry … my least favorite part of the chicken.
Chicken fillet is also an alternative, but I find that many chicken stew-type dishes are more flavorful with the bone-in. That being said, you can most certainly use fillets … just add more flavor in with the chicken stock later.
Is substitution ok with marinades?
I say, sure, why not? Experiment! I do it all the time. I work with what I have in the kitchen. For example, I used light soy when I made this because that is what I had on hand. For the citrus, I usually use kalamansi, but since I still had half a lemon in the ref, I decided to use it rather than let it spoil.
Is there a technique for marinating chicken?
Honestly, it is the simplest thing. Just put the chicken in a large bowl, pour in the soy sauce, squeeze on the lemon juice, then give the chicken a massage. After that, just leave it alone for at least thirty minutes. Easy peasy, right?
Prep to kill time.
Some people leave the kitchen while marinating as it does take time. Me? I use that time to get all the other ingredients together and set them aside so that when I need them, I just need to scoop them into the pot. After all, there is still a lot that needs to be done.
- No chicken stock? No problem. Just dissolve one chicken bouillon cube in one cup of hot water, and voila! Instant chicken stock. 🙂
- wash the veggies, then set aside to dry a bit
- peel and chop the garlic
- peel and chop the onion
- unwrap and slice the chicken franks
- unwrap and slice the Chorizo de Bilbao
- peel and slice the potato
- peel and slice the carrot
- slice the bell peppers, removing the seeds
- pop the can of sliced mushrooms and drain
Slow is good.
There are quite a few recipes that call for high or medium-high heat, and that is usually how I start because I want to get the pan or pot nice and hot when I have to saute first. But once I have the meat in the pan, I usually bring it down from high to medium-high. Later, when the juices come out, I bring it down to medium-low to simmer. Cooking at too high temperatures might cook the food faster, but we miss out on the flavor and tenderness of the dish.
When cooking stews, medium-low and low heat are good once you get a good simmer. Trust me, it takes a little longer, but the results are quite gratifying.
If you don’t enjoy cooking, it may seem like a lot to do. Personally, I find cooking therapeutic and seeing (and hearing) my family enjoying what I prepared makes me happy.
Chicken pastel
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time40 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Filipino, Spanish
Keyword: chicken, entree
Servings: 6
Author: Penny Angeles-Tan
- 1 kg chicken chopped
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 lemon or 1-2 kalamansi
- 2 tbsps. cooking oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 1 piece Chorizo de Bilbao
- 1 cup chicken stock You can substitute with 1 cup hot water plus 1 Knorr chicken cube.
- 4 pieces chicken franks sliced
- 1 large potato cut into wedges
- 1 piece carrot cut into wedges
- 1 cup all-purpose cream You can substitute it with evaporated milk.
- 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 green bell pepper cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms I like to use champignons.
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Wash the chicken cut-ups and place them in a container. Pour over the soy sauce and lemon/kalamansi and mix. Let it sit for 30 minutes to marinate. Set aside.
Peel and chop the other solid ingredients. Set aside.
Cooking
In a pot, saute the garlic and onion in some oil.
When onions are softened, add in the Chorizo de Bilbao.
Add the marinated chicken and lay it out evenly at the bottom of the pan to cook evenly. Scoop the sauteed garlic, onion, and Chorizo de Bilbao on top of the chicken so that they do not overcook or burn. The goal here is to LIGHTLY BROWN the chicken, not fry it. Lower the heat slightly and cover. You will notice that the chicken will not appear fried but will produce a "soup" instead if you do this. Make sure to turn the chicken as you don't want only one side to brown.
If you have more chicken pieces than space, do them in batches. When the first batch is lightly browned on both sides, put in the remaining chicken and place the first batch on top of them. Don't forget to cover. This step should take around 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the sliced chicken franks and chicken stock. Lower the heat and let it simmer covered for 20 minutes.
Add the potato, carrot, and cream. Mix, then simmer covered for another 8 minutes.
Add the bell peppers and mushroom, mix, and cook for another 3 minutes.
Turn off the heat and just let it sit for a few minutes before serving.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Nov 12, 2023 | Business
Ms. Krystal Tecson-Garalde, CEO of Dear Self Aesthetic and Wellness Center, led the team in a solemn mini-event to open the brand’s 10th clinic. The DS’ management team, clinic personnel, and some brand ambassadors attended the ribbon-cutting event on the 3rd floor Armal Plaza Building, C. Raymundo, Pasig, November 7.
Ms. Vivien Tecson-Cadivida, DS’ COO, officially welcomed all the attendees. “We’re so happy to have you here today, and thank you for being part of our story. Today marks the beginning of our Next Chapter,” Tecson-Cadivida cheerfully said. She also added that change can be frightening at times but is considered a natural part of life that we should always embrace.
Mr. Kenneth Tecson, owner, Brand CMO, and Campaign/Project Head, graced the event and delivered his heartfelt message to everyone. “Self-love is at the heart of this latest chapter, and we genuinely believe that each person is unique in their own way. At Dear Self, we aim to give you the confidence to appreciate the amazing person that you are and to embrace your beauty from the inside out,” Mr. Tecson remarked.
On the other hand, the faces of Dear Self Aesthetic and Wellness Center were present at the event. Boomboom Neri, Showtime Grace, and Showtime Amina were all happy to be part of the growing Dear Self Family.
“Sobrang happy ko na part ako ng Dear Self, dahil I had another family to rely on. Sobrang tinutulungan nila ako dito, especially to build my personality, para mas maayos akongm akaharap sa mga tao. The best dito sa Dear Self, they know what they are doing, at seryoso sila sa ginagawa nila, thank you so much and more power!” BoomBoom Neri of It’s Showtime said when asked about her message to the brand.
Furthermore, everyone who joined the small celebration was invited to experience the Dear Self Pasig services firsthand while enjoying the celebratory banquet. A drip and facial party were prepared for everyone, plus the newest massage chair feature of the clinic from Gintell Philippines.
“With Dear Self’s newfound home, we promise to be true to our goal — making each one feel that we all deserve to be loved so we don’t need to feel that we are no one,” Ms. Tecson-Garalde ended the event.
Welcome to the Next Chapter
Dear Self Aesthetic and Wellness Center has proven once again that strong business goals, anchored with the management’s heart toward its people and clients despite all shortcomings and obstacles, can bring continuous success – a silver lining!
We will expect more clinics to open this last quarter of the year. The construction of the Dasmarinas Cavite branch is now in full swing, while the Kapitolyo branch will be furnished soon.
“Looking forward to continuing our service, to deliver and to make the best- better, because we always need to elevate our standard, kahit tingin natin nasa best na tayo, we still need to find where to improve. Hangga’t andito ang Dear Self, we can always expect the best quality of service for everyone,” Mr. Christian Tecson, DS’ CFO, said in his inspiring message.
Visit Dear Self Aesthetic and Wellness Center 10 branches today!
Check out these pages to know more:
- Website: https://dearselfaesthetic.center/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dearselfaestheticandwellness
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearselfaesthetic/
You must be logged in to post a comment.