Fresh Food from Refreshers (The Gourmet Diner)

On our way home from Tagaytay a couple of weeks ago, we stopped by Refreshers for lunch. It's a very cozy and welcoming rest stop for that long trek home. They offer a wide variety of soups, hot and cold sandwiches, pasta, pizza, and a whole lot more.

Refreshers Burger (Php275)

Tagaytay Longganiza (Php240)

Low Calorie Cheesecake

The signature lemonade, which they specially marked a must try, is something quite unique. It's ice blended and has a distinct flavor of fresh mint making it a wonderfully refreshing drink.

Signature Lemonade (Php85)

Refreshers is also a great place to buy pasalubong items for friends and family or simply some fresh organic produce for that home cooked gourmet meal you've been planning.

"Refreshers, The Gourmet Diner along Km. 52 Aguinaldo Highway in Silang, Cavite, started out of an idea that fresh produce be made more conveniently accessible to its market as ready-to-eat items. The Refreshers menu offers a sumptuous serving of what grows most abundant in the Gourmet farm - organically grown lettuce transformed into a wide variety of salads freshly prepared in tamper-proof packs, cold & hot sandwiches, pasta & pizza and Refreshers Signature Cooler made from a special blend of herbs and lemonade, a drink everyone must try. Refreshers also has a sundries store where Gourmet products such as coffee, tea, pasta sauces, salad dressings, dips, potted herbs and organic produce abound. Truly, Refreshers is Gourmet's gateway to healthy living - a place where eating healthy is living well." http://www.gourmet.com.ph/refresher-cafe/cafe

Lay Back, Relax, and Kebab

Chicken Kebabs

So you're going on vacation with friends out of town for the weekend. You plan to cook there. Nothing complicated but great tasting food would be nice. Maybe something that goes really well with beer, would fill the room with appetizing aroma and mouthwatering sizzle while it's cooking, and would inspire praises from your friends after the first bite.

My answer? Kebabs!

You can have everything pre-marinated the night before. Stuff the marinated meat in the freezer so that when you leave the next day, it'll be nicely thawed and ready to hit the grill when you get to your destination. Lovely with garlic cream sauce (the recipe I learned from my friend's cousin which I am now sharing with you here) or, if you want to be extra healthy, yogurt garlic sauce (classic!).

Chicken Kebabs
with grilled tomato and onion

Ingredients

1 kilo chicken breast fillets cut in strips (if you prefer, you can also use tenderloin, cut in 1 inch cubes)

1/2 c. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 tbsp. rock salt
4 tsp. lime juice
1 small red bell pepper, minced
1 big red onion, minced
1/2 head of garlic, minced

whole tomatoes
whole onions

Procedure

Prepare the marinade by combining last 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Add in the chicken and make sure to coat well with marinade. Press down plastic wrap on the chicken to make sure even the top is covered with marinade. Keep overnight in the refrigerator.

Grill marinated chicken over a stove top cast iron grill until well done. (If you're using tenderloin, grill to desired doneness.)

Grill tomatoes until tender, and onions until translucent.

Serve with pita bread or rice and garlic cream sauce (recipe below) or yogurt garlic sauce (recipe here).

Serves 8

Garlic Cream Sauce

Garlic Cream Sauce

Ingredients

1 brick all-purpose cream
1/2 head of garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 of a lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Let stand for at least 10 minutes before serving to let the flavor of the garlic infuse well into the cream.

Grilled Seafood at The Reef

The Reef Restaurant and Bar

Upon the prodding of friends, on our last day in Subic last September, we decided to check out the area where Zoobic Zafari, Ocean Adventure, and Camayan Beach Resort is located. It was a long drive but it was worth it. While we did not go to Zoobic Zafari or Ocean Adventure, we did take our time at Camayan Beach Resort where we lunched at The Reef Restaurant and Bar. Located right on Subic's Camayan Beach, The Reef is the resident restaurant and bar of Camayan Beach Resort.

Camayan Beach

At The Reef we ordered grilled squid and shrimps for our main meal and Oyster Tempura for appetizer. Nothing like seafood and a spectacular view of Subic Bay to whet anybody's appetite. Don't expect air-conditioning here but the fresh sea breeze more than makes up for it.

Grilled Squid and Shrimps

Oyster Tempura

Another good reason to visit Subic is its abundant wildlife. When we were about ten minutes away from Camayan Beach, we caught a glimpse of monkeys by the road side. And on the way back to Manila, specifically in the area where FedEx used to be, we were able to see the magnificent giant bats of Subic, Golden Crowned Flying Fox, hanging from the towering trees, resting until it's time to feed again come sunset.

Golden Crowned Flying Fox