Alabang Country Club Chicken Satay Recipe

Satay is actually originally a Thai dish, I think. The first time I was able to try it was in chinatown in Singapore. Talk about complex fusions and overlapping cultures.

Here's the one that's available in the menu of Alabang Country Club. It's actually pretty good. A friend once commented that it's even better than what she tried in Singapore. One of the chefs is actually a friend of my parents and his Singaporean. I think his name is Joseph and he's from Sta. Elena (they're currently the food concessionaire in the club).

I really love the complex combinations of flavors of satay. It's very unique and not so prevalent in Philippine cuisine. And so right after coming back from Singapore, I wanted to try cooking it right away. Luckily, you can buy these instant mixes of the marinade and the sauce. I found mine in South Supermarket in Alabang.
I'm actually still here in the club, in the library. I just came from the sauna. Such a lovely experience. I feel so healthy and detoxified. Just using the wifi here. But yeah, I'm so sleepy. If you follow me on my twitter you'll know why. So be sure to follow me to get updated on my latest blog posts and other random things happening in my life: @harryinitiative

Mga Kwentong Alinsunod sa Kakulangan sa Pagtulog

Gusto ko sanang kumain sa Jollibee. Alas-dos na ng umaga. Naalala kong 24 hours nga pala sila dito malapit sa bahay ko sa Laguna.

Kaarawan din nga pala ni Rizal noong isang araw at naisip kong ito’y magandang oportinidad na mabawi ang aking pagiging higit pa sa hayop o malansang isda. Dito sa bayan ng Laguna lumaki si Jose Rizal, sa may dulo lang ng SLEX, sa Calamba.

Ang Jollibee ay isang institusyon na sa Pilipinas. Basta pritong manok, makakaasa kang hindi magsasawa ang mga tao (lalo na ang kabataan) sa kanilang chicken joy na talaga namang huling-huli at swak na swak sa panlasang pinoy. Ika nga nila, “laman muna, balat later!” Talaga namang panalo at nakakatakam.

Natakot silang mapatumba ng inihaw na manok ng Bacolod kaya’t binili nila ang Mang Inasal na siya namang hinahamon ngayon ng Chic-Boy. Nakakamangha talaga ang mga benipisyo ng kompetisyon sa merkado (yan ang tunay na apelyido ni Pepe!).

Naging laganap at popular ang konsepto ng unlimted rice. Isang bagay na talaga namang nakakaakit at tinatangkilik ng mamamayang Pilipino. Ang ating bansa ay mayaman sa agrikultura at ang kanin ay talaga namang parte na ng ating araw-araw na buhay.

Konting ulam para sa maraming kanin—isang isyu ng kahirapan o kaya naman ng katakawan? Hindi ko alam. Pero may kilala ako na nakapag 9 na extra rice sa Tokyo Tokyo. Meron din namang may kaya ng apat na siomai ipapagkasya sa apat na kanin, idaan na lang sa toyo at chili oil. Bukod sa panlasa, para sa mga pinoy, mas importante na nakakabusog. Kanin all you can = kanin all the way.

Sa pagtuloy ng aking kwento, hindi na ako kumain sa Jollibee. May bayad pa kasi ang parking doon sa Paseo De Sta. Rosa (aba, extra rice na din ang sampung piso!). Bumili na lang ako ng siopao sa 711 (bumili din kasi ako ng prepaid load).

Kaninang hapon bumili nga din pala ako ng manggang sorbetes, mga instant noodles (si Jose Rizal ay mahilig sa pancit), liempo, at ang matagal ko ng pinagiisipan bilihin na salami milano (ang alam ko ay isa to sa mga naging paborito ni Rizal noong siya ay nasa Europa). Di ko alam kung ano talaga ang patutunguhan ng sinusulat kong ito. Basta tunkol sa pagkain ang blog na ito, diba? Maaga pa ang gising ko bukas at wala akong shower water heater kaya dapat ako’y matulog na (mahirap maligo ng malamig na tubig kapag puyat ngunit hindi pa ako inaantok).

May mga nagsasabi na muntik na daw mag retract si Jose Rizal dahil sa kanyang chicks na si Josephine. Sabi ko nga: kahit si Superman ay meron din namang kryptonite. Parang ikaw, ikaw ang aking kryptonite.

Bukod sa extra rice mahilig tayong mga Pilipino sa libreng sabaw. Beleyted na Happy Birthday, Dr. Jose Rizal.

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Kung nagustuhan mo ang sulating ito baka magustahan mo din ang:

1. HarryLeaks - gusto mo bang umunlad ang ating bayan? halina't bisitahin ang blog na ito at alamin kung paano.

2. Ang Aking Twitter - maging una sa mga makakaalam ng mga bago kong blog post at iba pang nangyayari sa buhay ko.

Why is Omakase so Successful?

The concept of "by word of mouth" has certainly evolved because of social media. And I think Omakase has really penetrated this evolved "by word of mouth" marketing. There's Facebook, Twitter, Foursqaure, blogs, and many others. Without having to promote themselves, their own customers become their marketing agents.

To put this in Twitter terms, Omakase is trending. Most of my friends are staunch believers of Omakase and will stand by their experience of eating there. It is always full and many times you will have to wait before you can get a table. I actually just ate there a while ago for lunch and figured I should write about my thoughts.
Follow me on Twitter: @harryinitiative to get updates on my latest blog posts and other random things happening with my life

In any competitive market, patronage goes to those who are innovative. Suppliers are always kept at their feet and forced to provide better service in fear that their competitors will outsell them. And that's what makes the market economy so democratic: the fact that consumers can voluntarily vote with their money and decide who stays and who goes. Innovators are rewarded with profit and it is this profit incentive that keeps the competition running.
So I guess we can consider Omakase as innovative. Their recipes are certainly very different from competing Japanese restaurants. They've provided something unique and the market responded well.
I'm personally not so fond of it. I mean, deep frying, adding Japanese mayo and other fancy designs and plating—these things won't impress me. I'm more of a purist, I guess. I'm the type who'd prefer the traditional and authentic Japanese cuisine. But then again that's just me and the majority of consumers, as I have said, have voted otherwise. And, of course, I must commend them for their innovations and creativity regardless of my own personal preference.
The internet and social media really gives power to consumers. I was eating there a while ago and now I am writing about them. So restaurants of the world beware—every single customer can share their experience, good or bad, to their own personal networks and to the world (in realtime!).
So I guess I'm writing here again. It's more of observations, I guess. I mean, I'm constantly training myself to see what others can't see, to look beyond what is apparent, you know. The love for eating or my "cooking" may eventually return as well, we never know. Ah, women, they are my Waterloo, yeah? Even superman had his kryptonite. Weaknesses does not define one's super-ness, okay? So leave me alone hahaha.
It seems that in spite of not writing here, it has proven to be the highest contributor in my earnings among my blogspot blogs. Gotta suck it up and blog! On that note I leave you with a beautiful song I've been listening to all day: