Gobbledygook's Corner: How I Celebrated My Birthday (Last Part)

panizze at Mona Lisa Ristorante

Of course, celebrating this special day with my friends wouldn't just end at eating an outstanding dinner at Kettle. I also wanted to spend some time to chill with them over drinks. The original plan was to knock down some Paulaner beer at Brotzeit but I came across this post by Richard Co of Tales From The Tummy about a cozy hang out place that offers quite an impressive selection of cocktails near Ortigas Home Depot called Detalle. I broach the idea to my friends if they want to check out the place and they agreed instantly.

A Hidden Yet Cozy Watering Hole

Detalle's menu

cocktails

cocktails (close-up)

It was like playing hide and seek finding the exact location of Detalle, if you happen to see the Century Tuna billboard of Anne Curtis in the intersection between Julia Vargas and Meralco Avenue, you're in the right spot. There's a well lit dining area on the first floor, but if you wanted a more laidback ambiance with subdued lighting, you can opt to chill at the second floor. It's an open space area where the sky will serve as your ceiling. We saw a few stars and a big fat moon rising from the east.

Majority of us ordered the specialty cocktails that Detalle has to offer, the names are quite bewitching to pass up. though I wasn't really able to keep tabs of who ordered which drinks. I ordered the Julia Vargas Jaywalker. I find the liquor punch in this drink rather benign. The Meralco Blackout, which is Karen's order, is the cocktail that I favored the most. One small swig and I instantly feel my cheek flustered. It's one mother of a drink.

Jhen and Marlon (who joined our group later that evening right after his work shift) decided to be traditionalist (read "boring" he-he!) that night. Jhen decided to have a Jack Daniels and Coke mix while Marlon just had a regular San Miguel beer.

quatro formaggi

meathouse

gifts

books

We ordered some grubs since Jhen spied the pizza on the menu and didn't hide her yearning for it. Though I must say I'm not really that fond of the pizza served at Detalle. They're too cracker light for me. I find the Quatro Formaggi a little off, the choice of cheeses doesn't really compliment one another, methinks. The Meathouse is a much better choice. Though if they made the crust more thicker, I would love this pizza variant to bits.

The best part of the night is opening my friends' gifts for me. They've asked me to post my wishlist on Facebook so they would know what to buy for me (all of which were books) so I pretty much know what I'm about to receive though I'm not quite sure which among my wishlist they decided to pick as a gift, and that was part of the thrill. I fancy young adult books these days and I'm thankful that with these gifts from my friends, I'm able to complete the Gone series by Michael Grant and the Maximum Ride series by James Patterson. It's now a matter of finding a time to read all these.

88 Meralco Ave cor Julia Vargas

Ortigas, Pasig City

**********************

The Food That Will Give You That Mona Lisa Smile

two variety of flavors in one panizze

I've always wanted to try Mona Lisa Ristorante since I've read a lot of good stuff online about this Italian restaurant, but its location in Muntinlupa stops me cold. I haven't been there as far as I can remember, and the thought of traveling all the way to that part of the South, alone, is enough for me to look away. As if an answer to my prayers, the owner of Mona Lisa decided to set up another branch in SM Aura Premier and opened a week or so before my birthday.

gelatos at Bono

My dinner dates for this very first visit to Mona Lisa were Star and Jem, my friends and colleagues from work. While waiting for Jem, who got stuck in traffic in Quezon City on the way to SM Aura, Star and I decided to quell our grumbling stomachs by nibbling at some gelato at Bono. Star, who adores anything chocolate, ordered the Cioccolato while I had the Vanilla Bean variant with noticeable specks of vanilla. I like how our gelato orders contrast in colors, hers is as dark as midnight while mine is in a pristine white hue.

Chardonnay and mango shake

complimentary panizze

Star and I decided to continue our wait for our friend at the restaurant itself, worried that we might not have any seat left since we all know how the sky park restaurant of SM Aura could get notoriously packed, especially at dinner time. A deluxe meal like this deserve a glass of wine, so I asked for a sweet white wine variant. The all-knowing maitre'd swiftly recommended the Chardonnay, placed on a frosted wine goblet. I asked Star what her liquor of preference but she doesn't like any alcoholic liquid touching her lips so she opted for a very safe glass of Mango Smoothie.

The owner is also in the house that night and he's very hands-on interacting with his guests. He even gave us complimentary slices of panizze. How very thoughtful of him!

Mona Lisa Speciale & Miguelli Calabrese

my unsatisfactory looking rolled up panizze

We just can't get enough of the panizze so we ordered a larger version of the Mona Lisa Speciale. Frankly, how could you not love a pizza strips with buttered shrimp, provolone and mozzarella? We asked for a different flavor for the other half of the panizze which is the Miguelli Calabrese, it's like a carbonara pizza with Italian sausage and mushroom. Also very good, but we like the house specialty panizze more.

It's our first time to try a panizze and we did a "competition" of sorts of who makes a nicer roll up panizze with all the greens. Of course, I always end up with the messier version, but it doesn't matter once I bite into it. Especially after dribbling it with some chili oil. It's sooo good! =)

pollo pizzimente

grilled salsicia rigatoni porcini

salmon & prawn salad

When Jem finally arrives, as if on cue, the servers quickly dispenses our orders to our table. We were forwarned that our pasta orders (Pollo Pizzimente for Star and Grilled Salsicia Rigatoni Porcini for me) incorporate the same porcini mushroom parmesan sauce and truffle oil. But we still go ahead with it. Although both has the same sauce, we could still detect the difference between the two pasta. Star's order is undoubtedly very ladylike with the inclusion of soft and juicy chicken meat and asparagus spears while mine showcase a meaty bravado from the spicy Italian sausage dominating over the sauce.

Jem wanted to eat lightly however cannot decide which among the insalata (salad) that she would try so I chose for her the Salmon & Prawn Salad. The salad though is something that needs a little getting use to on my part. The Norweigan smoked salmon is a tad too salty for me, and the vinaigrette cream dressing with a hint of lime is a dour too sour. And there's just too many mixed green tossed there to find this salad a bit too healthy. Maybe I'm just more like a salad with mayonnaise type of dressing kind of dude.

two desserts we tried at Mona Lisa

Chocolate Zabaglione

cannoli

It's a given that we have to try the desserts here in Mona Lisa before we leave so I shared the Cannoli w/ Vanilla Gelato and the Chocolate Zabaglione Cake with my friends. We all just love the cannoli with it's crackly tube covering the sweet ricotta cream. Also not to remiss is the Zabaglione cake, an ice cream cake that's sweet, cool and comforting.

L/GF , SM Aura Premier

5th Floor, Sky Park

SM Aura Premier

C5 cor. 26th Street

Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

**********************

For The Meat Eater

souvlaki

We were actually eyeing to dine at Zao after a very hectic day at work. But alas! Zao is no longer to be found here in Eastwood Mall and now to be replace by a Japanese restaurant that I think specializes in tonkatsu/yakiniku dishes. So we headed to Cyma Greek Taverna instead since I haven't been back here for quite sometime and one of my companions, Alvin, is a rabid meat eater.

saganaki

I always get the kicks whenever I order the Saganaki here at Cyma. Aside from the fact that the flaming cheese is ridiculously good, I always admire the show the servers put in presenting this appetizer. I can't help but transfix my eyes at them as they light up the dish and when the flame could almost reach the ceiling, they would shout 'OPA!' in unison. Loud and clear for everyone to hear.

hirine brizola

chicken souvlaki

stifado

I think all of us were in tune to our carnivorous side tonight since only meat dishes graced our tables. Three of my companions ordered the Souvlaki (Greek Shish-Kabob) with a choice of chicken, lamb and pork tenderloin. Glenda ordered the Hirine Brizola, grilled pork chops that are super tender, while I had the Short Ribs Stifado, a very tasty braised short ribs that could also go well with heaps and heaps of rice.

chocolate cake from Dulcinea

Glenda also pulled a little surprise for me by giving me a very moist chocolate cake she bought from Dulcinea which we devoured after feasting on our meats.