Salcedo market - La Cuisine Francaise

On Saturday mornings at Salcedo market, La Cuisine Francaise is one of the must-visit stalls. Their spread of French-cooked dishes is quite varied -- roast chicken with garlic, beef lasagna, lamb moussaka, canard a l’orange (duck orange), quiche, apple tart, etc. Also on offer at the stall is a neatly packed pate (P200) , which Michele , the owner, said, she had learned to make in a cooking school in Lyon.

On a recent visit, I bought a slice of beef lasagna (P200 per slice) and the next Saturday, I went back for lamb moussaka (P275/slice). I must say that their prices are not within reach of the hoi polloi. A few young women wanted to buy lasagna but backed out when they heard the price. Although the prices are somewhat steep for a market stall, their beef lasagna did not disappoint. It turned out to be a hearty blend of ground beef and layers of different types of choose – ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, romano – if I heard it right from the French man.

The slice or slab is quite thick and can be shared by two persons. When I took it home to eat it slowly, the lasagna was so very good. The tartiness of the tomato sauce was just perfect. The taste of the beef lasagna makes you feel that it is the quality that you would aim for if you were to cook it for yourself. But if you live alone or there's just the two of you, cooking a whole pan of beef lasagna might not be a preferred option because you don't want to end up eating it every day for the entire week or you may not have the time, the skill, or the cooking equipment. Indeed, going to the food stalls of Salcedo Market on Saturday mornings to buy bibingka, ensaymada, paksiw na tawilis, sinaing na tulingan, Cebu lechon, Ineng's pork barbecue, lechon baka, Indian food, La Tasca's dishes, blueberry or whole wheat bagels, Vietnamese spring rolls, vegetable quiche, or lamb moussaka can widen your meal choices.

Highlands Coffee - Ho Chi Minh City

On my recent trip to Vietnam, my colleague and I had an hour to kill while waiting for the office car to pick us up for a trip to Long Dinh in Tien Giang province. So we decided to have coffee at the nearby Highlands coffee shop across from Rex Hotel. Highlands coffee shop, which has several branches all over HCMC, is always strategically located. The one we went to occupies the second and third floors of the Satra Tax building at the corner of Dung Du and Le Loi Streets. The interiors are quite modern, with walls painted deep violet on one side and avocado yellow on the other, modern pictures on the walls, upholstered seats, has free wifi, and large bay windows overlooking the rotunda.

We got there at 8 a.m., an hour after it had opened at 7 a.m. We ordered hot traditional Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk. The coffee was so reasonably priced at only VND18,000 or USD 1.12. But on this particular visit, the service was slow as it took 12 minutes for the coffee to be brought to our table. We followed it up but to no avail so we amused ourselves by saying that perhaps the Highlands baristas were still boiling a gallon of water.

The long wait was redeemed by the great espresso-like coffee, full of body and aroma. We had to ask for some more hot water to dilute the strong taste. The coffee came with a small sugar cookie on the side. Not bad at all.

Rex Hotel - Ho Chi Minh City

My favorite hotel in Ho Chi Minh City is Rex so that in the last 15 years of shuffling from Manila to HCMC, I've always stayed there on every visit. Classified as a 4-star hotel, it is operated by Saigon Tourist Company, a state enterprise that also operates Continental Hotel. Rex sits on a great location -- close to the historical Opera House, Satra Tax department store, People's Committee House, and most of all, Ben Thanh market. The two parallel roads to Ben Thanh market -- Le Loi St. and Le Thanh Ton St. -- are lined with numerous shops selling books and office supplies (Fahasa), Vietnamese souvenirs, silk bags and purses, leather shoes and sandals, hats and caps, Asian interiors, gold jewelry, and coffee shops.

Although a superior room can easily set you back by USD100++ per night, it comes with an international buffet breakfast, a tv with international cable access, hair dryer, an electronic safe, free wifi, and free laundry (2 pcs/day). What continues to amaze me is how Rex keeps its bathrooms spotlessly clean and the grout between the tiles are always white and mildew-free. The renovated room, especially in the West Wing, are so spacious, the rug is new, and the furniture is mahogany in color. It is very pleasant and comfortable. Although I prefer to stay in the West Wing rooms (Rm 376, 476, 576) because of their proximity to Ben Thanh market, the best room seems to be the recently renovated Room 304. If you have a chance to book early, ask for this room. It has a wooden floor and dark mahogany wooden furniture and doors. It has done away with the traditional rattan furniture and wall frames that are found in most other rooms. Everything about this room gives it an upscale ambiance, so different from the rest. Perhaps this is Rex interior designers' attempt to showcase the new rooms in the new wing under construction.

Besides, these material elements, what I value most in Rex are the intangibles such as the trust and friendship I have established with the hotel staff -- from the business center supervisor (Nguyen Thi Ngoc Hoan) down to the omelet chef in breakfast place. They are real, warm and ever-ready to help. Once I found myself staying in Palace Hotel because Rex was fully booked. I didn't seem to mind because Palace is on the list of the Lonely Planet's recommended accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City. But it turned out to be quite unpleasant because the band playing until the wee hours of the morning caused the bedroom to vibrate and the carpet had a musty smell. The next morning, I walked over to Rex and related my experience to Ms. Hoan and begged her for a room in Rex. She searched their database and managed to get me a superior room.

I will again have a business trip to HCMC on 30 August 2007 and this reminds me that I need to email Ms. Hoan to book me Rm. 304 or 576 in Rex.

Another market in Saigon

Most tourists and visitors to HCMC often end up in Ben Thanh market in District 1. All under one roof, stalls in Ben Thanh market offer a considerable range of products. On each trip to HCMC, I go to Ben Thanh to buy fabrics, eat che (halo-halo), or buy char sui (xa xiu). But for real serious food shopping like getting 6 kg of pistachio nuts, cashew nuts, dried jackfruit and taro chips, I head to another direction and go to another market behind the Sun Wah bldg, two blocks behind Duxton Hotel. The locals refer to it as the old market but this is more like a street market which starts at the corner of Huynh Thuc Khang and Thot That Dam Sts. Much smaller than Ben Thanh, this market is where the locals go. Unlike Ben Thanh where your success in getting the best price is a function of your bargaining skills, here there is no need to haggle because most prices are fixed. I have a favorite stall which sells pistachio and cashew nuts at VND110,000/kg (US$6.90), depending on the season. It is from my favorite stall where I sometimes ask for an empty box for my goodies. Many shops sell PX grocery items such as imported peanut butter, honey, chocolates, canned ham, cosmetics, etc. Fresh beef, pork, fish, veggies, fruits, rice and even roast duck and char sui are also sold in this market.

Nhu Lan food shop















At the end of the Thot That Dam St., turn left and you will find Nhu Lan food shop about three shops away. Nhu Lan is a Saigon landmark for food. It bakes many kinds of bread -- baguettes and croissants, and offers sandwiches with different fillings -- pate, chicken, hotdog, hamburger, and cheese. Nhu Lan also sells roast chicken, roast suckling pig (lechon de leche), boiled corn on the cob, boiled cassava, cakes and pastries, moon cakes, peanut butter, different kinds of sausages, and the Vietnamese meat rolls like the Philippine embutido.

The sandwich (VND8,000 or P22.50) is a meal by itself as you will find a layers of lettuce, pickled cucumber slices, shredded carrots and radish, a spread of pate, ham and cheese, and even slices of red hot chili. You can ask the seller to use a baguette, a bun or white bread slices and put the filling mix of your choice. For the non-Vietnamese speaker, anything can be had by just pointing with your finger. Inside Nhu Lan is a restaurant section that offers different kinds of pho, rice toppings, spring rolls, fresh fruit juices, soya milk and countless other dishes. It is where many locals go for a quick meal at affordable prices so the place is crowded at peak times.

Breakfast at Apartment 1B

This morning we had a superb breakfast at Apartment 1B (Address: G/F, One Lafayette Square, LP Leviste corner Sedeño Sts, Salcedo Village, Makati; phone: +632 8434075). What we experienced lived up to the raves about this resto which is hidden among condo and office buildings in this side of Makati.

We got there about 7:30 a.m. and the place was quiet. The restaurant has a warm homey feel with an eclectic collection of chairs. Fresh orchids (phalaenopsis and dendrobiums) adorn each table. It also has a collection of glossy magazines and the day's newspaper.









I ordered pancakes (P235), a side order of sausage links (P100) and Vittoria Italian espresso (P75). My son had eggs-benedict with smoked salmon and spinach (P435) and a coke light(P75). Total bill, including service charge came up to P985 which was well worth it coz the servings were large. I got three large thick fluffy pancakes with a small bunch of grapes on the side. The sausage links tasted like Italian sausages, spicy and delicious. The espresso was a Vittoria blend which uses 100% Arabica beans, which, I gathered, are typically lower in caffeine and milder in taste. The eggs-benedict was marvelous - it was a layer of poached eggs blended with hollandaise sauce, spinach, and smoked salmon on wheat bread.

It was a memorable breakfast -- food was great, the place was quiet, and service was excellent. When it comes to food, product or service, my son insists that you get what you pay for. In the case of Apartment 1B, you get more than what you pay for. We shall return perhaps for dinner and try the other dishes in the menu. We wish it would be open on Sundays too so we can relish a late breakfast.

Conti's - Serendra Mall, Fort Bonifacio

Because we could not secure a dinner reservation at Apartment1B earlier tonight, we decided to try Conti's at Serendra (1G-17 Serendra, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, tel. 856-2352). When we got there, it was crowded and other customers occupied the tables outside the restaurant. We were prepared to wait but in a few minutes, a table for two was found inside.

With its contemporary interiors and Zen-like fountain, Conti's can easily draw customers. Its pastry shop has elicited raves from its loyal customers. It has branches in Greenhills and the original one is in Paranaque. Its menu lists a wide range of dishes from appetizers, salads, soups, pasta, vegetables, beef, pork, chicken, seafood and an array of desserts. The prices are extremely reasonable considering its location and ambiance. Consider these: chicken fingers - P80, salmon croquettes - P75, baked New Zealand mussels - P135, roast porkloin - P145, roast beef in mushroom sauce - P195, beef salpicao - P240, herb crusted fillet of fish - P195, tiramisu - P60, coffee kahlua cake - P65.

I ordered chicken barbecue (P140), pineapple macaroni salad (P85) and green mango shake (P60) while my son went for chicken fingers (P80), grilled pork chops (P185), and coke light (P45). The ambiance was cozy, the service was fast, and the waiters were courteous and efficient. The food was served on square large white plates and matching small rectangular pieces for rice and side dishes. It was quite stylish. The food arrived after a reasonable wait. In the menu, the pineapple macaroni salad was described as chunks of pineapple and chicken mixed with macaroni or words to that effect. I have always loved this sinful salad and I had visions of the pineapple macaroni salad I used to whip up in my kitchen. Conti's version, however, was rather unhealthy as the macaroni, pineapple and a few chicken tidbits were drowned in mayonnaise. Next came the grilled pork chops with risotto. What a disappointment. It was so different from the creamy and deeply flavored risotto in Circle's (Makati Shangrila). While I thought the risotto had a funny peculiar taste, my son remarked that it tasted like parrot fish. The chicken barbecue was smothered in some black barbecue sauce and terribly paled in comparison to Aristocrat's chicken barbecue with Java rice.

But tomorrow is Saturday and there's Salcedo market nearby. Tomorrow, I will buy from the French stall, La Cuisine Francaise, a thick slab of lamb moussaka and quiche and sip Japanese cherry tea at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf just across the road. In fact, this is what other Salcedo market customers do - bring their goodies over to this coffee shop and enjoy it over a cup of coffee or tea.

Frequent flyer award tickets

Despite the hype against frequent flyer programs, I have -- or my son has -- immensely benefited from them. On separate occasions, my son has taken holidays in Melbourne, Bangkok, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and next month, London. Using my mileage points, I have even given away a trip to Singapore and Bangkok to my son's architect-friend who designed and supervised his bathroom renovation without charge. Since he's a yuppie, free overseas trips with all the taxes and fees paid, was a tempting offer he could not refuse.

Miles or points can accumulate without notice and before you know it, you can claim a free roundtrip air ticket to somewhere. Yesterday, my son went to the Thai Airways ticket office in Makati and got his bookings arranged and the award tickets, armed with just a printout of my email to the Thai Airways and my Royal Orchid Plus card. For their trust and efficiency, the Thai Airways staff were amazing. Payment for taxes and fees and for purchase of top-up miles was done at one swipe of his credit card. There was no fuss at all on what or what not to charge.

I must say that the Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles is equally great when it comes to redeeming award tickets. On my son's travel to Melbourne last month, he had his return flights moved without any hassle nor rebooking fees charged. He just called up PAL reservations (63-2 855-8888) to inquire if he could move his Mel-Mnl flight since he was holding a non-revenue ticket. The call center agent quickly made the change and sent him his e-ticket by email. That act spared my son a trip to the PAL office on Legaspi St.

While mileage points can easily accumulate, keep in mind that these can also quickly dissipate with your points expiring at particular times. Weigh the cost-benefit of redeeming an air ticket or letting go of your hard-earned points. Or if you don't plan to use the expiring points, claim an award ticket for a friend who might need it more than you do. Alternatively, explore whether your favorite airline will extend their mileage expiration deadline, as in the case of Thai Airways last year.