OUR KITCHEN - Where East Meets West

A restaurant is a FANTASY - a kind of living fantasy in which diners are the most important members of the cast

-Warner LeRoy

We are regulars here in Benjo and Damien's CAstle- OUR KITCHEN. What makes me, my family and friends love the place it's because we feel important there. Just like in a broadway show their restaurant is the theater and we are the most important of the cast.

The Lead Actors  (My family)

The supporting actors (my friends)

 The LEAD STAR of the show - THE FOOD

SPARE RIBS - my old time favorite

Fresh Salad with tuna and olive

Calamares

BULALO (my new favorite) with special sauce and veggies

white pizza (my childrens and friends favorite)

I am not a pizza person but it tastes good that's why its one of the many best seller in the place

 Baked mussel

I always order this to pair with wine or beer

Ice tea with pearl and beer

 Chili Oil

we always have it in our table

Overall, OUR KITCHEN serves respectable line of dishes and the affordable price is a bonus. The food is fantastic and since I am a regular there was not a single item that I did not enjoy and service was fast. Another COOL BONUS  here is the place, as if I am home. Me and my friend can stay here until closing time not feeling guilty because that's what it is here- HOME, RELAX..........

NOt to compare but since the first time we eat here I miss the  original Meycauayan best restaurant that's no longer around - The GArden in  Calvario, Banga REstaurant and  Olimars Restaurant in Banga. All we can see right now are fastfood restaurant, its everywhere.

 Thanks to OUR KITCHEN - now we have our very own in Meycauayan City, Bulacan.

Our Kitchen
Esperanza Mall
Calvario, Meycauayan, Bulacan

OUr Kitchen
Bocaue Branch



Maraming Salamat Po!!!!!

Healthy FAST-FOOD on a Budget

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."
- La Rochefoucauld 

"Those who think they have no time for healthy eating will sooner or later have to find time for illness."
- modified from : Edward Stanley (1826-1893) from The Conduct of Life 

“Prepared and fast foods have given us the time and freedom to see cooking as an art form - a form of creative expression.”

Jeff Smith 'The Frugal Gourmet Keeps the Feast' (1995)

Friday is a hectic schedule for me. After my kids class -from our place in GH were I am staying 5 days a week I will pick up my youngest daughter in OB in Greenhills, Manila then my only son at LSGH in Mandaluyong, City and then my other daughter at DLSU Taft, Manila,  then going home in Meycauayan, Bulacan is my regular Friday activity. I usually arrived late afternoon, with all the traffic in Manila it was really a taxi driver type of driving which all I can do to survive Manila's traffic.

Back to my kitchen at home is HEAVEN.

We usually eat light during dinner, I just cooked or prepared food whatever I could find inside my refrigerator and serve it quickly.  This time I will prepare a light dinner for the family:

-Creamy squash and sweet potato soup

- Tomato Baguette with Tuna

-Assorted green veggies with Mixed berries mustard dressing

I have few pieces of leftover ingredients(PINAKBET) - sweet potato and squash which I will use for my creamy soup

mashed sweet potato and squash

 

My friendly CAMPBELL canned products is always present in my kitchen pantry and this will be my soup based for my squash/sweet potato soup

Leftover baguette bread from Antonio's

Tomato BAguete with Tuna(Century Tuna)

 

OUR DINNER

Assorted green veggies with Antonio's Mixed berries mustard dressing

 

OUR DINNER

Sweet Potato/Squash Creamy Soup and Tomato Baguette with Tuna

I always got a tremendous pleasure out of my kitchen, for me cooking and preparing food for my family and friends is not hard work. It is where I releases my creativity and imagination just like a painter to his painting.

Magandang Umaga Po!!!

 

Van Gogh is Bipolar - Culinary Theraphy

"You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients." ~ Julia Child 

And that's the experienced we have at cuckoonest of Jetro - Van gogh is Bipolar Cuckoonest

So much said already about this serene, unique place that I truly love and I want to share the following news features and interviews about this place:

 http://greenliving-tv.com/tag/van-gogh-is-bipolar/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17471626
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/04/07/11/van-gogh-bipolar-healthy-food-every-mood
http://www.rappler.com/video/19889-culinary-therapy-in-van-gogh-is-bipolar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPnPydhmi6w

 Courtney's Love Potion

A combination of mint, fruits and honey

                                                                The Happy Feast(Sword fish)

                                                              The Chill Feast (lamb)

 Our Dessert Mel Gibson's Darkest Sin

It is a shot of Russian vodka paired with dark chocolate

 This place is a tea-heaven

 Authentic tea leaves inside the jar, just choose your own mood

 The House Rules

The best house rules for me after taking off my shoes(which is the first rule) is to choose hat  that you have to wear throughout the feast experience. And we truly enjoyed it.

 Enjoying my Picasso's Happy Chill Tea (organic mango tea)

 

Window to the kitchen

 With the chef/artist Jetro

It was truly a great experience, first JETRO himself  who make me feel at home, second the food I love evertyhing he prepared for us and of course the place its heaven. One word that described the place RELAX

VAN GOGH IS BIPOLAR

154 H Maginhawa St. Sikatuna Village, Quezon City, The Philippines, 1103 Quezon City, Philippines 

0922 824 3051

D' PLAZA Crispy Pata - My favorite TO GO FOOD

Friday night, Im too tired after long hour of driving picking up the kids from condo and dorm and most of all its  my birthday. This is the time were cooking is not on my list , since its my birthday I still want it to be special and treat my kids with a simple menu for the night. Restaurant/fastfood chain is out of the question all I wanted is to stay at home, watch TV and relax. Thanks to D'PLAZA which is just a walking distance away to my place and their specialty CRISPY PATA is really a hit in our place here in Meycauayan.

Instead of eating it the regular way, I prepared it differently and serve it as pulled pork feta bread sandwich. To make it a special dinner I prepare a three course menu - iceberg cabbage salad serve with special white sauce,  sugo divino pasta (sauce almost wine)with soffritto and pulled pork crispy pata serve with my home made feta bread. It took me only one hour to prepare my birthday dinner treat with my family

The famous CRISPY PATA of D' Plaza

My preparation of home made feta bread

pulled pork CRISPY PATA and feta bread

Iceberg cabbage salad with my special white sauce

This is the right away to eat my pulle

d pork crispy pata sandwich

TUSCAN TRINITY - SOFFRITTO (carron/red onion and celery0

Magandang Umaga po!!!!!!!!!!!

FINGER FOOD DINNER

Finger Food Dinner

Finger food are all time favorite for kids and adults. For a change I prepare a finger food dinner for my family - mashed potato balls with cheesy centers, five spice chicken wings and nachos with ground beef and tomato salsa. Its a lot of work for the preparation but its worth it. It needs more time for preparation but the cost is less for a well prepared dinner for my family at home

                                               sweet potato, potato and squash

                                                   mashed - potato, sweet potato and  squash

                                                               quickmelt cheese

         

                                        Nachos with ground beef and tomato salsa

Five spice chicken wings

Mashed Potato Balls with Cheesy Centers

(WWW.YUMMY.PH)

Makes 20 to 25 pieces  Prep Time 20 minutes, plus chilling time  
Cooking Time 10 to 15 minutes

500 grams potatoes( i combined sweet potato, potato and squash)
6 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose cream
salt and pepper, to taste 
1/4 cup minced green onions
1 egg yolk
20 to 25 (1-inch) cubes of cheddar 
      or Quickmelt cheese
1 cup Japanese breadcrumbs

For the gravy
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
pinch of dried thyme
3 cups chicken stock or beef stock
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper, to taste

1  Peel and cut potatoes into 1-inch cubes. Boil in salted water until very soft. Drain then mash with a fork.

2  While potatoes are still warm, add butter, cream, salt, and pepper. add minced green onions; mix until well combined. Let cool for a few minutes then add egg yolk. Mix together. refrigerate until firm.

3  Make the gravy: melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and  mix well until a paste forms. Let it brown, then add thyme. Slowly pour in stock, whisking briskly to avoid lumps. add bay leaf and simmer until thick. Season with salt and pepper. remove bay leaf before serving.

4  Make the mashed potato balls: Get a spoonful of mashed potato and place a cube of cheese in the middle. Use your hands to form a ball. repeat with remaining ingredients.

5  Place breadcrumbs on a plate. Roll potato balls in crumbs until well-coated. Freeze for about 1 hour or until exterior is quite firm.

6  Deep-fry in hot oil until golden brown. Insert a skewer in each ball. Serve hot with gravy on the side.