Meidoll's Cafe at Cainta

I've heard a lot of things about this place so I decided to see for myself what the fuss was about.  It was quite a long drive from my place (since I live near the north), although luckily I did not get lost.  It was a small place on the 2nd floor of Saunterfield Bldg. in Cainta.

The pics here are some of what my best friend and I ordered.  Here was what we ate:

Bread Rolls
My friend and I enjoyed this.  It was just simple, and you could not call the flavor outstanding, but it was the simplicity of it that made it quite good.  The dressing on top was mayo and mustard, and the bread roll was stuffed with hotdog.

Korokke
It was just your regular hash brown, Japanese style.  It was very crispy on the outside and quite soft in the inside, since the potatoes were mashed.  Quite bland, but I guess that's to be expected if someone really wanted to bring out the potato taste.  

Fried Sushi Rolls
Okay, I have to admit I didn't enjoy this dish very much.  It tasted a bit like fried suman (native rice cake) with crab sticks inside.  The yellow sauce seen in the pic is mayo + mustard, I think.  Why I didn't enjoy it?  I guess it was just all wrong for me.  It's an interesting dish, but I guess when you deep fry the whole thing, the oil just seeps into everything and in essence, it tasted like oil.

Meidoll Gyudon
I was kind of expecting something else when I bought this, since the presentation was different in the picture.  I can't compare it to other Gyudon, since I don't actually order it in other Japanese restaurants.  The taste?  It was just like beef stew.  I have no complaints though, it tasted okay.  The question is, is that really how gyudon tastes like?

Tempura Fried Ice Cream

This was my order so that we could all taste dessert.  The concept I think was fried ice cream, but they kind of made it into something like the bread roll.  It was satisfactory, although I wouldn't say the slices were really meant to be bite size since I had to half it before I could eat it.

I guess it's the novelty of the place which really draws patrons here.  The "Maids" here call you master, and they cook and serve you the food.  You can get them to sing a tune or dance for you, but of course, that all comes with a fee.  As for the meals, they could be improved, but that's not really the reason why you came there, right?

Mini Cakes at Gourmet Tart Co.

A late review.  Am already at the Philippines and yet I haven't posted quite a number of my tastings in Ireland.  I've been busy on other things as well, but I will try to post as much as I can before I forget about them.

We were in Galway City Centre when I saw these cute mini cakes.  Here's the pic:

Why did I pic four cakes?  It was only because my mom and I couldn't agree on the flavors :D 

I can't remember the exact names of the ones in the upper right and bottom left, but all I can say is that they were the fruity ones.  The mini cake with the strawberry was berry flavored, and the full flavor was quite intense.  It was a mix of tangy berry flavors and just a hint of sweetness.  As for the rectangular cake, it was also fruity, but as far as I can remember it had a milder taste than the berry cake.  It also was not that sweet, which accentuates the taste of fruit more.

Side note:  I checked the website, and I think the rectangular cake might have been Passion Fruit and Cassis Mousse and the  Strawberry cake might have been the Red Berry Mouss.  I'm not that certain though.

The one on the upper left is the Triple Chocolate mousse.  Everyone's verdict: utterly divine.  It was just the right amount for anyone wanting a bit of that decadent chocolate cake.  It was also quite soft that it melted in your mouth.  The amount of each layer was just fine, it blended well into that creamy chocolate taste in your mouth.  Phew!

The last cake is the Black forest.  Quite a surprise, isn't it?  I was also intrigued by this cake since it was all white, and not a hint of chocolate in it.  When I tasted it, viola!  It was the black forest taste I have always known.  The secret?  It was the bottom layer that housed all the nuances of the black forest cake.  It was a different take on the cake I thought I already knew.

Gourmet Tart Co., Co. Galway
http://www.gourmettartco.com/index.php

Brambles: Another Cake Affair

A week or so ago, I took home 2 pieces of cake from Brambles, a cafe (or so I think) in the ground floor of the Jervis shopping center in Dublin.  They had a lot of cakes to choose from, but these were my choices:

The cake with the strawberry is the Victoria Cake and the other is Fruit of the Season Cheesecake.  I hope I'm right about their names xD

For the Victoria Cake, it was a 3 layered sponge cake with cream and strawberries between each layer as well as on top.  Chocolate bits cover the side of the cake.  I think it's a fresh cream cake, but I'm not sure.  In any case, it was very good.  It was just the right amount of sweetness, and I know I could eat more than a slice of it.  The cream did not overpower the strawberry but they mixed with every bite.  The chocolate on the side was just an extra, you could hardly taste it except if you're just taking the side part.

The other cake was a cheesecake topped with a gelatine layer of a berry mix.  I found the top too sweet to eat with or without the cream.  The flavor totally overpowers the entire cake.  It was still good, you can taste a bit of strawberry and blueberries, and a hint of raspberry, perfect for someone who would like to try a berry cheesecake.

Recommended to Dubliners if you haven't tried it yet :3

Brambles @ Jervis Shopping Center
Dublin, Ireland

Edit: The Victoria Cake is a Strawberry Gateaux.  Here's a better pic of it:

Drinks for Everyone

We went to a debs party in one of my mom's friend's house and we had some drinks.  Here are some drinks we tried:

I just tasted Bacardi Breezer Orange and it tasted just like orange juice.  I finished it for my sister who was unable to finish it since she didn't like the taste very much.  Since the cocktail tasted sweet I think I would have no trouble drinking a few bottles of it.

Now this was a cocktail I really wanted to taste since the last time.  I really liked this, and I would have wanted another bottle if I wasn't so determined to taste a lot of different drinks.  It tasted sweet, and I can honestly say it can't compare to any of the cocktails I've had before (except maybe Smirnoff Ice) :3

 

My last drink was supposedly apple cider, but it tasted a lot like San Mig Lights.  Nothing more I can say about it.

Since I'd probably be going to another party tomorrow, I'm having more drinks.  Tough luck I missed the free drinks on Arthur's Day.  Tsk!

A Fast Lunch

Before my siblings and I went on our Trim Castle and Keep tour (trivia: It's where they shot the movie Brave Heart), we had a quick lunch at one of the nearby places.  I can't remember the name, but we had Beef Taco Chips and Lasagne with Salad.   

The Lasagne with Salad was what my sister ordered.  I tasted both the pasta and the salad and they both tasted divine.  The serving was just right for me, but when I think of it, it was kinda expensive for its 8 euro price, since the serving was not as big as it usually was.

The beef taco chips were what I ordered.  Honestly speaking, I really should have thought that since it said "chips", they meant potato wedges, but I thought they were just potato chips in the literal sense.  So, I ended up having to eat a lot of potatoes topped with salsa, beef and cheese.  It was good, although I wish there were some lettuce like in a real taco.  I found it quite hard to finish my meal since it quite very heavy and the chips were a lot.  In any case, for a person with a big hearty appetite, it is a good deal.

In all, we were stuffed when we went running back to Trim Castle to catch up with the tour.

Lunch at Carrickdale Hotel in Newry

On the way to Banbridge, near Belfast, we had to stop for lunch since it was already past 12.  We stopped at the nearest hotel, which happened to be the Carrickdale Hotel.  Lunch was as follows:

This was my order: Roast Irish Sirloin Beef.  I know, it's just roast beef with a fancier name, but the side dishes were different.  There was stuffing, roast potatoes, broccoli and carrots, and of course, the mashed potatoes.  How was it different from the meal I had yesterday?  Aside from the sides, the vegetables were not very well done, which was a good thing.  The broccoli and the carrots were both crunchy.  It was the first time that I had tasted stuffing, and I have to say it was delicious.  The stuffing was made of bread crumbs and herbs, although I'm not sure what herbs it were.  

Both my brother and sister had roast lamb.  I tasted the meat, and I could say the it was quite tasty, although I know I would not be able to distinguish beef from lamb anytime soon.  I guess I would only be able to distinguish the two by texture and aftertaste.  The lamb was softer, even without gravy, and it had a very distinct aftertaste which the beef didn't have.  I should taste veal sometime for future comparisons.

Dessert!  The banoffee we shared was very good!  Unlike the ones I usually taste, the toffee was not very sweet, so you could really finish the entire slice.  The strawberry syrup was a pleasant addition.  It was not too sweet, and it mixed well with the banoffee.  The amount of cream was just enough for me, although others might find it too much.  The chocolate sprinkles on top were also of good amount.

In all, it was a hearty lunch :3

Guinness! Guinness!

I drank Irish beer!  It was the first time I've tried it, and I have to say it was different from what I expected.  First, it was quite heavy, and after finishing the tall can I know I can't drink another.  Unlike beer from the Philippines it wasn't that bitter, but it wasn't tasteless.  It's quite hard to describe since I really haven't tasted anything like it.  I also drank a bunch of ciders (see the picture at the end of this post), but I preferred the beer's taste.  I now believe it when they say Irish beer is different :D  Cheers! I can't wait for Arthur's Day :D