Tahiti 80

Cres Yulo March 12, 2015

Being a fan boy and cooking for a French band I really love called #Tahiti80. Interesting for me because some of them are vegetarian, so I'm going into less travelled territory for me as a cook. This is a spicy chick pea stew that I'm putting into tacos with some pickled onion. I rather like it - but I hope they do too. Haha! Welcome to Manila, #Tahiti80

A remix tonight -- my lamb adobo, roasted squash, fried potatoes and pickled onions with sour cream and chimichurri on a taco. I take no prisoners! Hope these French dudes like it! ❤

For the vegetarians: grilled zucchini, roasted mushrooms, grilled corn, fried potatoes, pickled onions. Iz goody! Yay! Por Xavier

Thanks for coming, #Tahiti80 ❤ See ya tomorrow! (GUYS! There's still tickets - Tahiti 80/Up Dharma Down/Yolanda Moon at Green Sun! Lez goooo! — Thanks for coming, #Tahiti80 ❤ See ya tomorrow! (GUYS! There's still tickets - Tahiti 80/Up Dharma Down/Yolanda Moon at Green Sun! Lez goooo!

This is Xavier. Not only is he the lead singer of #Tahiti80 -- he's also quite the nice fellow. Thanks for the music! ❤ — This is Xavier. Not only is he the lead singer of #Tahiti80 -- he's also quite the nice fellow. Thanks for the music! ❤

Mega Fashion Hall Crawl

Cres Yulo February 12, 2015

Showing off some fun stuff and good eats today at Mega Fashion Hall. Plenty to jones for here!

Miss Katrina Hernandez telling us the tale of #TuanTuan

#CrateAndBarrel is here — #CrateAndBarrel is here

The son of the tea master talks about #Sweeteas

How many sons-in-law did it take #NAVModernThai to make these? — How many sons-in-law did it take #NAVModernThai to make these?

Best eaten hot at #Waffos - a #LegaspiMarkethomegrown food biz, now at #MegaFoodHall! — Best eaten hot at #Waffos - a #LegaspiMarkethomegrown food biz, now at #MegaFoodHall!

We could almost fly with all these wings from #FrankiesNewYorkBuffaloWings!

She: "this is our ice cream.. Made with Hokkaido milk.. and it's called #DojoDairy." He: "I like it."

Well ya gotta breathe SOMETIME, right? THANK YOU #MegaFoodHall for a spectacular ending to our #JustJonesingMegaFashionHall crawl. — Well ya gotta breathe SOMETIME, right? THANK YOU #MegaFoodHall for a spectacular ending to our #JustJonesingMegaFashionHall crawl.

Pakis(tani) naman diyan..

JJ Yulo November 12, 2014

Moshi moshi everyone! I'm back from some short trips (Singapore and my very first Just Jonesing Tokyo Tour! More on these on the blog later..) and so far it's been pretty action packed.

So there's this Pakistani joint (pardon the stupid joke up there) located in a space I knew and loved as a Syrian restaurant if I'm not mistaken. It was called Manaish and it was delicious.

I ate there several times and even back then the crickets could be heard chirping - it was so empty.

On the day of my visit, the new incarnation was pretty quiet too - the inventively named Kabob And Curry - and that's promarily why I want to write and share this post. It's some of the most delicious stuff I've eaten in awhile!

Me and my host Rafa started with some of this really good organic okra in a spicy tomato based sauce called Bhindi Masala which we ate with hot naan bread (a must as well!). The okra was cooked perfectly - the okra police can breathe easy as there was no slime - and was sufficiently spicy and seasoned just right.

Daal Chana, or lentils in ginger and garlic and cumin was a revelation -- the lentils didn't break down into mush. You could see every bit of it and it had a little bite then dissolved into creamy deliciousness. To me it was amazing!

To satisfy our manly meat eating cravings, Rafa ordered some juicy grilled Chicken Tikka and a whole rack of marinated and grilled mutton ribs, good for 4, because we were 2. Does that make sense? Well, it rocked, and he did have some to take back to his cave and feed his wife.

And to complete our meal, we had rice. Because of course we should - we're Pinoy, dammit.

Mutton Pulao, a mild biryani type dish, was moist and so flavorful, I'd come back just for this. A lot of these rice dishes I've tried locally are tasty but they often dry out. This one gets it right.

The crickets are chirping...eat here now!

The food is well priced and in big portions, and it's cooked by a Pakistani chef. It's goooood, and there are so many other things I would like to try. But as I said, there was no one there that lunch time. On Sundays they have a 500 something peso buffet -- and it's normally filled with home sick Pakistani nationals. I'd go for ala carte during weekdays and try all this glorious stuff, and give some din to this restaurant to keep the chirping crickets at bay!

KABAB & CURRY - 20 Jupiter St

Nacky Made x Tougher x TALA →

JJ Yulo September 12, 2014

Specs by Nackymade

Tomoko & Naoki Nakagawa

There are three things I love most about the Japanese.

The most obvious would be their food. Duh. #sushiforever

The second is their demeanor. They're so... nice. And that's an understatement.

And the third? They're just really really cool.

During my schooling in New York, I was always the keen observer of everything happening around me: art, cool design, and yes, what people were wearing. The one thing that struck me was that the coolest kids I would come across quite ofter were Japanese. Every Japanese person I met, down to the dude working at the salon sweeping hair off the floor, had style.

They were just so well put together, beautifully clothed in things modern, or vintage, or even "street" -- and it looked like they never broke a sweat or looked disheveled. One can learn a lot from the way the Japanese pull off fashion. If I could dress as confidently and as interestingly simple as they do (it's all in the details!), then I'd consider that an achievement. It's been a dream of mine to do so, but they unfortunately make clothes in Lilliputian size.

And THAT is why I'm happy that I have friends like Mavis Fuentebella of clothing brand TALA.

A friend of mine from back in the day, Mavis pretty much opened the door (or should I say Pandora's Box! hehe) for me as far as looking just that much sharper is concerned - mostly by introducing my to some of her friends whom she also happens to work with.

It started with her inviting me to check out Nackymade. Owner Naoki Nakagawa, or Nacky, and his wife Tomoko, run Nackymade (based out of Kobe, but they travel to many countries doing their thing out of a suitcase!) - a producer of quality quirky eyewear. Nacky leads a pretty colorful life, bouncing around to and fro, and eventually found himself hawking glasses at the tender age of 18. Soon realizing he didn't find any that he himself wanted to wear, he decided to just learn how to make them himself. From scratch. After absorbing for 8 years, Nackmade emerged, featuring eyewear that's comfy, that fits well and that's full of very fun details that make for great conversation starters. (Take it from me, a veteran of going through pairs of glasses - this is quality stuff! As edgy as you want it to be, wearing a pair is definitely a statement.)

Then I met Takashi and Miki Uokawa, the duo behind Tougher, out of Osaka. They make highly detailed clothes that you can look great in AND move in at the same time. The very generous Takashi agreed to make me a few bespoke pieces, sewn by Miki herself, and they are easily some of the best articles of clothing that I have in my closet - stuff I reserve for numerous events when I have to clean up and look a bit pretty, where my usual kicks and tees won't cut it.

TALA brings in Nacky and Takashi to do trunk shows several times a year here in Manila. If you are so inclined, they will actually be here this September 19-21. Do what I do, and consider them as investments in a bit of style.

Trunk Show will be held at Tala Manila Upstairs Showroom. Unit 103 Three Salcedo Place, 121 Tordesillas St. Salcedo Village, Makati City. Sept 19-21 (Friday to Sunday) from 10am to 7pm.

You can visit Nackymade's official website or his Facebook page .

Tougher's website here and Facebook page .

Meatless Monday

Cres Yulo September 8, 2014

After a crazy weekend, it's always good to eat fresh at the start of the week. Tucking into this ceviche of pulpo, prawns, roasted peppers, aji amarillo, and citrusy orange notes - found weekends of October at #PatriciosCevicheria (one of our more unique restaurant offerings, I think!) Check it!

Patricio's Cevicheria

28 Bayani Road, BGC, Taguig +632 998 7274

Rarities

JJ Yulo August 30, 2014

With Chefs Robby Goco, Nicco Santos and JP Anglo

Once in awhile, I am blessed to get lumped with rock star chefs like these.

In this case, I did a shoot for a magazine with these gents: Robby Goco (Cyma, Green Pastures), Nicco Santos (Your Local) & JP Anglo (Sarsa).

Our assignment: cook modern renditions of Pinoy food, incorporating these really killer products from French company Oliviers & Co. - makers of fine olive oils, vinegars, and others - and serve it to this bunch of pretty ladies -- all close friends, and Planaforma instructors. Pressure!

It didn't prove to be too bad, of course - our willing subjects ate well and laughed heartily. To the eyes and ears of cooks, guests who send back empty plates and who sound like they're having fun is pure gold.

I wound up doing a cold soup - I love me some gazpacho - so mine was inspired by "Ensaladang Talong": using the elements of talong, sibuyas, and kamatis -- I made a base of eggplant soup, put in some local mozzarella, heirloom tomatoes tossed in Oliviers & Co. basil olive oil, wing beans, spring onion sprouts and micro tatsoi from Malipayon Farms, and finally a glug of aged Balsamic. Turned out pretty nice if I do say so myself.