A few weeks ago, Tsinoy Foodies was asked if we wanted to try out locally produced duck products.  We said yes for two primary reasons: 1.) We love supporting the local food industry and 2.) We are really interested in exploring more on duck meat.  

Primaduck Breakfast Platter: Pekin Duck Smoked Longganisa, Pekin Duck Tocino, Pekin Duck Skinless Longganisa and Pekin Duck Tapa

Last week, we received a variety of Primaduck’s frozen Pekin duck meat products.  Upon researching more about the products, we discovered that Primaduck is actually a subsidiary of EDL Agritourism Farm Inc.  What an intriguing coincidence because 8 years ago (way back in 2014), we had a fun experience during our visit in EDL Excellence Gamefarm and Estancia de Lorenzo in San Mateo, Rizal.  During that time, its farms and events places were still being conceptualized and developed.  We have already observed and noted then how EDL really cares about proper training, process and investment in technology in breeding its farm animals.

Now, back to Primaduck and its Pekin duck meat.  Duck meat as a poultry dish is not as popular as chicken.  While there are many types of duck, the Pekin (Asian) or Long Island (Western) duck is the most popular for consumption, because of its quality meat, flavor, tenderness and weight (up to 5 kg).   

Trivia: By the way, just found out that the dish is called Peking Duck but the variant of the duck is called Pekin Duck.  

Because ducks are waterfowls (as distinguished from chickens which is a land fowl), it has heavier fat deposit in its skin as protection from the cold then leaner and more protein-filled meat (23% fat content against 40% fat of a store-bought chicken).  Moreover, ducks can fly so it has more blood distribution resulting in darker meat.  The older the duck, the darker the meat.  But to be clear, duck meat is still classified as white meat just as other poultry since it does not contain as much Myoglobin protein as other four-legged mammals.

Primaduck Pekin Duck Tocino (250g) P72.00

Duck consumption is growing.  China remains the largest consumer at 76% (5.5M tonnes last 2018), followed by France and Myanmar.  When it comes to duck dishes, the Philippines is already world-renowned for “Balut” which is classified as an exotic dish by foreigners.  Yet, it's quite interesting that Primaduck has innovated ways to make frozen and marinated Pekin duck meat into easy-to-cook Filipino favorites.  Allow us to share our experience with them.

Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon (250g) P80.00

Among all the variants, we loved the Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon the most!  We just cooked this through an air-fryer and our Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon turned out to be deliciously lean and crispy.

BLT Sandwich with Primaduck Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon

BLT Sandwich with duck bacon, lettuce and tomatoes anyone?  With all honestly, we'd opt for this healthier sandwich and skip the pork bacon any time.

Primaduck Sandwich Platter: Pekin Duck White Sausage Sandwich, BLT Sandwich w/ Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon & Pekin Duck Ham & Cheese Sandwich

Check out our sandwich platter with Pekin Duck White Sausage Sandwich, BLT Sandwich with Pekin Duck Honey Cured Bacon & Pekin Duck Ham & Cheese Sandwich.  Aside from the BLT Sandwich, we also enjoyed the Pekin Duck White Sausage.  The Duck Ham was the sweetened kind which was a bit too sweet for our preference.

Primaduck Silog Platter: Pekin Duck Smoked Longganisa, Pekin Duck Tocino, Pekin Duck Skinless Longganisa and Pekin Duck Tapa

Filipinos love having Silog Meals for Breakfast.  Silog is a Portmanteau word combining sinangag (Filipino fried garlic rice dish) and itlog (Filipino word for "egg").   So we thought of making one using Primaduck's Pekin duck meat products.  

Primaduck Pekin Duck Smoked Longganisa

The best of this platter is the Pekin Duck Smoked Longganisa and Pekin Duck Tocino.  The taste and texture is not far off from the usual pork counterpart.  

With the Pekin Duck Skinless Longganisa, we're actually not sure if we cooked it right.  The packaging just says "fry in a single layer pan until cooked".  Unfortunately, since we are new to this type of meat, we had no idea or even an approximately on the temperature or time for cooking it.  We're also not sure how the inner meat when cooked would look like so we're guessing that we failed in cooking this so it tasted kinda funny.  

Primaduck Pekin Duck Tapa

The Pekin Duck Tapa was dominantly salty with a counterbalancing pepperish taste.  Since we had a better first try of the Duck Tapa during our visit at Estancia de Lorenzo, we just couldn't help but yearn for that.  

Overall, we're so glad to try Primaduck Premium Pekin Duck Meat.  It is an amazing, proudly pinoy product, that shows innovativeness and progression.  Primaduck delivers within Metro Manila so hope you can all check them out.

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We've been hearing about GrabKitchen for quite some time now.  It now has multiple locations all over the Metro. 

Dishes from GrabKitchen Malate: Omakase, Pepi Cubano, King Chef and So Mot

You can simply type "GrabKitchen" in Grab Food and GrabKitchen Mix and Match and you will see the GrabKitchen locations that are available for your area.  

So we chose the nearest in our area - GrabKitchen Mix and Match (Malate) which carries:

(1) Omakase, (2) Frankie's, (3) Recovery Food, (4) Paper Moon, (5) Yogorino, (6) Pepi Cubano, (7) Dapo at Tisa, (8) King Chef, (9) La Tita, (10) Selecta, (11) So Mot, (12) Blu Kouzina, (13) Coco Fresh Tea and Juice (14)  Merienda by Pan De Manila and (15) Go! Salads

 If you're from the South, you can check out GrabKitchen Mix and Match (Parañaque):

(1) 24 Chicken, (2) Alishan at the Alley, (3) Army Navy, (4) Cara Mia, (5) La Titas MNL, (6) Kyoto Sushi Bake, (6) El Nacho Libre, (7) Sheikh’s Kebab, (8) Breakfast for 2, (9) Black Kimchi!, (10) Pizza Telefono, (11) Selecta, (12) Omakase, and (13) Dapo at Tisa.

Upon selecting from multiple merchants: Omakase, Pepi Cubano, King Chef and So Mot, a single delivery fee of 69 php was charged.  We were curious as to the location but it does not appear.  It's okay though cause we can still see the status of the orders and estimated time of arrival. 

Omakase

Spicy Tuna Salad (355 php)

Spareribs with 8 Spices (480 php) and Salt & Pepper Squid (470 php)

King Chef is not new to us.  In fact, it's an old favorite that we've shared about before already.

So Mot

Mi Xao - Stir Fried Noodles w/ Chicken (195 php), Goi Cuon - Fresh Spring Rolls (188 php) and Banh Mi Ga - Chicken (155 php)

Pepi Cubano

Tito Choripan (187 php)

With GrabKitchen Mix and Match, we were able to have Japanese Spicy Tuna Saladfrom Omakase and Vietnamese Goi Cuon - Fresh Spring Rolls from So Mot as appetizers, Chinese Spareribs with 8 Spices and Salt & Pepper Squid from King Chef and Vietnamese Mi Xao - Stir Fried Noodles w/ Chicken from So Mot as main course.  We even had Vietnamese Banh Mi Ga - Chicken from So Mot and Tito Choripan from Pepi Cubano as afternoon snack.  Not bad for one delivery fee right?

The convenience of GrabKitchen Mix and Match is even greater when it comes to an office or party set up with numerous people with different food mood and preferences. 

As we, Millenials, are moving towards healthy living, there's one kitchen equipment that rose to fame for its health benefits and ease of usage.  Yes, you've guess it right - it's an Air Fryer!  It's the perfect solution for those who love frying their food but craving to find a way to make them healthier.

Breville, international premium kitchen label, has perfected the art of producing home partners that makes food preparation easy and healthy.   The brand has continuously stepped up its game over the years to help consumers be masters of their kitchens. So as it concluded its 10th anniversary in the Philippines last 2020, one of its agenda is to present a lot of surprises for the forward-thinking homemakers. One of which is its latest product - the Breville's Smart Oven® Air Fryer.  This product was launched in recognition of the new kind of demand when it comes to home partners as the majority of homemakers started looking into kitchen aids that can match their lifestyle expectations.  This innovation takes utmost consideration of its consumer's home lifestyle and general health as it offers a fun, new, easy and healthy way of cooking their meals.

The Breville's Smart Oven® Air Fryer that it recently launched is already a third generation.  Hence, you could say that this kitchen aid has just #GotSmarter. Among its features it versatility with its oven and air frying function built-in and combined into one smart product.  This smart kitchen aid ensures that the process of frying is healthy as it introduces a new way of making food minus the guilt.

With ten (10) cooking functions and a dual-speed convection feature that reduces cooking time by up to 30 percent (30%) , this convenient and time-saving home partner is really a kitchen must-have.  The Breville's Smart Oven® Air Fryer is even equipped with a smart algorithm that creates an ideal cooking environment that makes food prepration friendly and easy for cooks of all levels - even for young and beginner cooks.

With its “Hey, Home Fryer!” online launch event which will put the spotlight on the brand’s newest kitchen items, it will take on all health-conscious and enthusiastic cooks on a new air frying culinary tour as they explore on the many ways to cook fried food using its air fryer.

The event is open for all.  To join, simply watch its online launch through the Breville’s Facebook Page on April 24, 2021, 3:00 PM.  The event will not only show case the brand's latest kitchen equipments, it will also be participated by Chef Waya Araos-Wijanco (Executive Chef and Owner, Gourmet Gypsy Art Cafe, Mental Health Advocate, co-founder of Open Hand School for Applied Arts), Chef Gem Tee (owner, Salta Ristorante), and other passionate home cooks who will share their heritage and modern recipes using the Breville's Smart Oven® Air Fryer.

Follow Breville’s official Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/brevillephilippines) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/breville_phils/) for more details about the event. Want to know more about Breville’s products? Head to their website (https://w    ww.breville.com.ph/) to learn more about them.

During the COVID pandemic, the family has been practicing caution in choosing where and when to dine out.  Having our first dine out at Yamazato山里 at Hotel Okura Manila was a wise choice and as you read along our experience, we're sure you'll agree as to why.

According to the official Michelin Guide website, "In 2002, Yamazato became the first traditional Kaiseki restaurant to be awarded a Michelin star outside of Japan, thanks to Chef Masanori Tomikawa’s subtle cuisine that is full of velvet-smooth flavours."

When we dined there, the above-mentioned was the only information that lured us into trying out Yamazato.  But a few days after we posted about it on instagram, its management commented some interesting details therein: (1)  This branch in the Philippines is the 10th location to open worldwide and (2) Yamazato in Bangkok, Macau, and Taipei also have Michelin distinction.   What an amazing track record right?

Brief Info on Kaiseki

It has dawned on us that we've never tried Kaiseki before.  Kaiseki, kanji are written as 会席 or formally as 懐石 literally mean "breast-pocket stone" which Zen monks, who do not have budget for food, give to guests to ward off hunger as a sign of hospitality. These kanji are thought to have been incorporated to indicate the frugal meal served in the austere style of chanoyu (Japanese tea ceremony).  Both sets of kanji remain in use today to write the word.  

Kaiseki now represents a set course meal as a counterpart to the Japanese haute cuisine.  

After such an introduction, you'd think we'd go for the Yamazato Mini Kaiseki Set which was available from 6 pm to 9 pm right? Wrong.

Since the family really missed dining out and having special dishes for sharing, we decided to go ala carte style.   

COVID Protocols

As responsible citizens, we're really advocating cautious practice against COVID.  And, we feel that restaurants such as Yamazato with excellent COVID protocols should be commended too.

 

Service

While deciding on what to order from their menu which we viewed through our phones, our personal server wearing her face mask and face shield cautiously served us complimentary hot tea and oshibori or hot towel.

 

Food

Simmered Dishes  (煮物)

♥ Buta Kakuni 豚角煮 (894 php)

 

 

Yasai Takiawase  野菜炊き合わせ (280 php)

 

 Grilled Dishes 焼物

♥ Gindara Saikyo Yaki 銀鱈西京焼き  (880 php)

The Gindara Saikyo Yaki in white miso sauce was so good.  We ordered three of this dish!    

Fried Dishes 揚げ物

Tempura Moriawase  天麩羅盛り合わせ (800 php)

Of course, the Tempura Moriawase is another must order.  Each one has to have their own Prawn Tempura.  With this dish, you can already judge it by the color and texture of the tempura batter. 

 

Chicken Teriyaki  鶏照り焼き (620 php)

 

Noodles

♥ Tempura Soba (Hot) 天麩羅そば(温) (880 php)

The Tempura Soba is another comforting dish for the soul to enjoy.  The buckwheat noodles was smooth and bouncy.  It didn't have the usual rough and brittleness that you'd usually expect for a soba.  The soba and the rest of the toppings meshed well together.  Even the mild natural earthy flavor of the shiitake mushroom brought out by the broth.

 

Sushi / Sushi Roll 寿司 / 巻物

♥ Futo Maki 太巻寿司 (780 php)

The Futo Maki may look just like any other maki you've encountered but take a bite and the play of textures and the fresh flavors of the ingredients in your mouth will leave you a distinguishing satisfaction.

 

Secret Menu

♥ Chahan

We're so glad that our server hinted us to order Yamazato's Chahan.  She even checked with the kitchen as to the availability of this dish since it is not in the menu.  We felt like a winner when she announce that it was available.  But, we felt even luckier upon trying this.  This is hands down one of the best, if not the best Chahan we've had.

 

We know that we sound like a broken record as we repeat in our Japanese blog post that we've always believed that ordering the Chahan is one of our measuring gauge of the quality of a Japanese restaurant.  And, thus, our standing ovation of compliments for Yamazato's Chahan says a lot!

 

Complimentary Tea

Unfortunately, we were able to inquire as to what type of Japanese green tea this was.  But, it was the most refreshingly clean-tasting tea we've ever tried.  It made us wonder if it was the quality of the tea itself or the precision in steeping that made the difference.  

 

Complimentary Birthday Surprise

 

Complimentary Dark Chocolate Cake

 

Upon informing them during our reservation that we're celebrating a birthday there, Yamazato prepared this surprise.  We really appreciate this! 

Tsinoy Foodies Verdict

We totally agree with Michelin guide in recognizing the Yamazato山里.  Although we have yet to the Yamazato in other countries, with the quality of the dining experience we experience here in Manila, we believe that its execution in multiple branches is no doubt at par with each other.  If you're looking for a really quality Japanese fine dining experience here in Manila, Yamazato should belong in your top list. 

Tsinoy Foodies Review Rating		Yamazato山里 Menu
Ambiance	★★★★★	Menu
Taste	★★★★★
Service	★★★★★
Price	★★★
♥=Favorites or Recommended

Yamazato 山里 Okura Hotel Manila
Business Address	Resorts World Manila, 2 Portwood Street (formerly Palm Drive, Newport Blvd, Pasay, 1309 Metro Manila
Business Hours	Lunch: 11:30am-2pm Dinner: 6pm-10:00pm
Payment Options	Cash
Service Charge	10%
Budget/Person	1,000-2,000
Free WiFi	No
Contact	(02) 5318-2888
Other	Website

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