Desserts for Breakfast: CMYK Dessert House

Chocolate Makes You Kiss...(depends on who you get it from, if you ask me). But CMYK also means "Cyan Magenta Yellow Key (Black)" - the very colors used for color printing and as you can see, the same hues on the cafe. One of the owners, Lea, is not only a fellow blogger but has also knack for photography and is very talented at it too. 

Today, I decided I'm having desserts for breakfast at CMYK Dessert House.

There's plenty of looove going on here. I stumbled upon this cafe in one of the blogs online. It was really the cleverly created desserts that brought me here though, particularly that flaming brownie topped with meringue. 

Unfortunately, they didn't have it that day.

So I ordered the next best thing to that, Sizzling CMYK Brownie With Chocolate Sauce and Vanilla Ice Cream on a hot plate. Hot AND cold at the same time.

Sounds exciting huh?  Just listen to that chocolate sauce making that delicious sizzling sound as it steams up. Oooh la la.

Let me show you just how TINY this piece of brownie is. I couldn't quite believe the size when it was served in front of me. I guess I was hoping it would be somehow bigger. It was about the same length as the head of this small teaspoon (it's not even a tablespoon). It's THAT small and at PHP100.00 per serving, it's pretty pricey. 

The idea of this dessert sounds fun and unique but it was sort of a let down to be honest. The brownie was a little dry. I was only glad there was that small scoop of vanilla ice cream with the chocolate sauce to save it.

Moving on to the eggs.... These eggs got me all excited too. I've seen CAKES AND BROWNIES baked INSIDE eggshells before. Seriously. Isn't that the coolest thing ever?! 

CMYK's eggs however, don't have brownies hiding inside these shells. The ironic thing is that you won't find any eggs inside them nor in any of the ingredients. These eggshells were carefully filled with EGG-LESS (perhaps gelatin-based) custard that is chilled until set, then topped with caramelized brown sugar like a creme brulee. 

CMYK's eggs for PHP 55.00 per piece.

A sort of a creme brulee inside an eggshell. (See the caramelized brown sugar at the bottom?) I LOVE this idea! It's so fun and creative. 

Unfortunately, this dessert failed to deliver on the taste and texture. It was "gummy" instead of the soft, melt-in-your-mouth custard I was hoping. I would have liked it better if they had filled it with a real egg-based custard instead of an eggless custard that tasted like a firm jelly.  If you are allergic to eggs, then this is for you.

I like this small cafe. CMYK Dessert House has a lot of potential with plenty of interesting desserts to offer on the menu.

Plus they also serve hot meals. I can't say for the other stuff that I haven't tried but the Sizzling brownie plate and custard eggshells can still be improved.

CMYK Dessert House is located at Archibishop Reyes Avenue, Waterfront Drive, Lahug, Cebu City. Look for Mikura Mart right across the school next to the Bureau of Internal Revenue building just below the flyover. Follow that small alley next to Mikura. The cafe is just a few meters from the main road.

Mexican Love for Cinco de Mayo: PUEBLO Mexicano

Two days ago I had a bad craving for Phad Thai noodles and on the way to Little Saigon, Big Bangkok at Banilad Town Center, a Mexican restaurant that recently opened (occupying the space that used to be Postrio) caught my eye. Perfect timing since making Mexican food has been on my mind these days. 

My dad is fond of buying items on sale at the supermarket in Ayala, usually items where you get another one free. Then he splits the loot with me. The truth is, I have a long list of recipes to do that I haven't even started yet and that bag of tortilla chips (that I'm planning to turn into an awesome cheesy Chicken Enchilada Nachos Bake) including 2 packets of TimTams and a bag of pretzels are still waiting for me in the cupboard. I really should get on that list soon.

Team BLUE

PUEBLO Mexicano is not such a stranger to Postrio after all. One of the waiting staff told me that the owners of this new cool restaurant are related to the owners of the cafe. 

Team RED

No plastic booths and funky yellow walls to be seen. This new restaurant is classy with a lot of Mexican attitude and some interesting decor.

 
For starters, Tortilla Chip N' Dip with fresh Pico de Gallo (PHP 120.00)

The tortilla chips were lightly salted and crisp but looked as if it came from a bag, not homemade and tasted generic. See how the 3 edges of the chips are uniformly rounded instead of the sharp pointy edges you should get if you make your own tortilla chips by cutting a whole corn tortilla into wedges?

On the other hand, the Pico de Gallo was lovely. Very fresh with the right amount of onions and zest although it lacked heat. There was also way more chips with the amount of fresh salsa served.

Tortilla Chips with Pico de Gallo

It took only 12-13 chips to use up all that Pico de Gallo in the small bowl. There was plenty of chips left with no more salsa (sob). Please add more.

I have been itching to make Pozole for the longest time but the only place I know selling hominy is the supermarket in Ayala and they only come in big cans weighing at 2-3 kgs or so. How am I going to finish all of that? I'm going to be eating hominy for the rest of my life more likely for a month if I buy it - ha! no way.

Spotted! I was really excited to see Pozole on the menu!  Of course I wasn't going to miss it. This is my chance! I've seen a lot of Pozole recipes online so I was expecting something similar to this. Pozole is a rich Mexican stew that is either red or green depending on the chilies used, with pork or chicken, hominy and other add-ins like shredded cabbage, onions  or radish. 

And this is what I got. I was sadly disappointed.

I thought that Pozole was supposed to have lots of hominy. But when I dug my spoon into that soup, all I found were small bits of pork fat swimming in a mildly spicy broth with a few slivers of tortilla and hardly any hominy so I asked the waitress about it since it clearly said on the menu that it contains hominy. Luckily, she was kind enough to take the dish back and gave me another one with less pork fat and more hominy.

POZOLE ROJO 

This was the 2nd bowl of soup. Well, still not a lot of hominy but better than the first bowl. 

See those lovely kernels on the spoon?  Hominy is made from corn kernels soaked in an alkali solution that makes them puffy, chewy and pale white in color with a unique taste.

Enchilada Vegetal y Queso 

This is one enchilada that I liked. Roasted eggplant, zucchini and red bell pepper made a perfect filling for this delicious cheesy enchilada. It was a hearty dish with a good flavor.

The tortilla was nice, soft and chewy at the top and bottom. 

Enchilada Vegetal y Queso 

Just the right amount of cheese! It almost looks like a Mexican lasagna, don't you think?

Enchilada Vegetal y Queso 

One thing though, I didn't like the black charred bits of skin from the roasted vegetables. It would have been better if they had scraped it off before stuffing the tortilla with the veggies. It was troublesome to have to pick them out from the enchilada. Yeah, call me fussy but I'm scared with the health risks involved with eating anything too charred or burnt.

What's fun and unique with PUEBLO is that you can also mix and match your dish, filling and salsa with other add-ins like rice, black beans or cheese, California Mission Style. 

Burrito Bowl with Barbacoa de Res and Spicy Fire Roasted Salsa

Take all the ingredients that you fancy in a burrito and mix them all up in a bowl minus the tortilla - cilantro lime rice, black beans topped with shreds of beef braised in ancho chile adobo sauce, a spicy roasted salsa and too much sour cream (I'm not sure but I think it's sour cream). Just a dollop would have been more than enough.

Burrito Bowl with Barbacoa de Res and Fire Roasted Salsa

The beef was tasty and tender, which was about the only thing I liked about this dish. The supposedly spicy roasted salsa lacked the heat it promised and the rice could use a little more flavor from the cilantro. I wasn't impressed with it. 

For me, Mexico is all about festive vibrant colors. Fresh vibrant colors that this dish lacked and needed. More red and a bit of green and yellow, it would have been HEAPS better with the cilantro corn salsa with an extra order of pico de gallo, lettuce, cheese and chopped avocado. 

You can always ask for this to add more heat.

Jamaica Agua Fresca (with Red Hisbiscus)

Jamaica Agua Fresca is water flavored with dried Hisbiscus flowers, like an iced tea. It looks similar to cranberry juice and quite honestly, tastes like it too. It was tart and refreshing. The best thing about it? It's loaded with Vitamin C.

Jamaica Agua Fresca (Red Hisbiscus)  (PHP 60.00)

Overall, I was satisfied enough with the food. The staff was nice, friendly and helpful. I'm also curious to try the other interesting stuff on the menu. I can't wait to get my hands on that tamale and fish taco on my next visit! 

Lemon Grass: A Taste of Vietnam

A Taste of Vietnam

Take your taste buds on a Vietnamese tour at Lemon Grass Restaurant without all the trouble and expenses of flying all the way to Vietnam ( unless you've got the time and the moolah ). Check out Mustachio Ventures for travel tips to Vietnam.

 

I have read such good reviews about this restaurant on Trip Advisor that my expectations were above average and I wasn't disappointed. 

Lemon Grass is located on the ground floor at The Terraces, Ayala Mall, Cebu City. While most of the restaurant is rather neutral, the bold green hues of the furniture and place mats really pop. The decor looks sleek and refreshing.

Check out this list of 40 MUST-EAT Vietnamese dishes from CNN Travel to guide you.

 

Gỏi Cuốn, Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls (PHP 185.00)

Bánh Mì, Vietnamese Baguette (PHP 185.00)
 

 Phở Ga, Herb Chicken Noodle Soup (PHP 235.00)

 Cà Phê Dá, Vietnamese Coffee (PHP 75.00)

Bánh Mì, Vietnamese Baguette (PHP 185.00)
WOW. Where have you been my whole life?! This was by far the best sandwich I've ever had. No wonder the Banh Mi is so popular. I was skeptical with this dish at first because I wasn't really in the mood for a French Vietnamese-style sandwich for brunch but this baguette has proven me wrong.

Very simple ingredients but chopped full of flavor and harmony - crusty french baguette spread with chicken liver pate on the base, cilantro mayo spread on the top bread and filled with thinly sliced beef, fresh chopped cilantro leaves, thin shavings of sweet pickled radish, lettuce and carrot, drizzled with sweet chili sauce. I love it so much I'm seriously considering going back there today just for this baguette.

It was a perfect fusion of French and Vietnamese ingredients. Highly recommended!

 

Gỏi Cuốn, Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls (PHP 185.00)

I also loved these healthy and delicious Vietnamese fresh salad rolls. Goi Cuon is a tightly wrapped rice paper filled with greens, carrots, herbs, a small slither of pork meat, vermicelli noodles and shrimp that's served with a spicy peanut Hoisin dipping sauce. Sooo much better than the vegetarian fresh spring rolls at Royal Krua Thai because it has more filling plus it has shrimp but then again the price is also PHP 85.00 more.

KILLER peanut dipping sauce! I could eat it by the spoon. It was SO good!

 Phở Ga, Herb Chicken Noodle Soup (PHP 235.00)

I once bought instant Pho Bo noodles (imported from Vietnam) at a supermarket and boy, the broth in that packet was very strong and savory from the herbs, especially from the cinnamon. So I try to stay away from Pho Bo since then. But I'm sure the restaurant version is heaps better so maybe I will try it one of these days.

I thought I'd try the lighter chicken version but still not without some apprehension. Luckily, the broth of the Phở Ga was clear and milder than that instant noodle but still well flavored. It was quite delicious. You can smell and taste the spices and herbs but not overpowering. It was not too greasy and the pieces of chicken meat came minus the skin which was great as I hate soft chicken skin. The amount of rice noodles was just right right. It was a good filling portion but the price is above average (still cheaper compared to Little Saigon and Big Bangkok's Pho at PHP 250).

The chicken noodle soup is served with brean sprouts, basil leaves, sliced chilies, a spicy red chili sauce (not sure if it's Sriracha) and that brownish sauce on the far right tasted like fermented Korean bean paste. It was one happy big ol bowl of good-for-you soup!

I decided to just add a little bit of everything to the soup. Spicy is always good.

Cà Phê Dá, Vietnamese Coffee (PHP 75.00)

Vietnamese Coffee is simply put - coffee mixed with sweetened condensed milk. Finely ground roasted coffee is brewed and filtered using a single metal cup called a "phin" into a glass that contains a small amount of sweetened condensed milk. Usually served cold with ice cubes but in this case, I was in the mood for a hot coffee.

See the "phin" sitting on top of the glass and the sweet condensed milk at the bottom?

Add the ground coffee to the base of the "phin" then press. First you pour just a small amount of hot water into the phin to brew the ground Vietnamese coffee for a minute before adding more hot water .

Wait for it to drip into the glass VERY SLOWLY. 

drip. drip. drip.

Once it's finished, stir the coffee and condensed milk together. 

I don't really want to say anything bad about this restaurant because I LOVED the food there! The ingredients were fresh and the food was very good. Everything went well except for one major problem. A FLY inside the restaurant. It landed on one of the chopsticks (that I didn't use) while I was busy taking pictures of the coffee and it hung on for dear life it might as well have been glued to it. I couldn't shake it off. It was really gross. I try to put the idea that it might have landed on my sandwich without me noticing out of my head. Almost 24 hours have passed but my stomach feels fine so maybe that fly just liked the chopsticks. But other than that, the food was delicious. The service was quick enough but I cannot say the same if it was during busy lunch or dinner hours.