Me, Mec and CG
I consider myself fortunate with the friendships I’ve formed through blogging. Two of the nicest people I’ve met are Mec and CG. Since CG was in Manila, it went unsaid that we just had to meet up and have dinner together.
The three of us clicked right away. Great conversation over great-tasting food always makes for an excellent evening. You know those awkward silences that are normal during first meetings? None in this meeting! We talked like old friends. CG’s wonderful stories of New Zealand make me want to migrate there! We laughed and teased one another as we discovered how small the world really is. We didn’t know we had mutual friends! We were all more closely connected than we thought. And when we talked about our jobs and relationships, we discovered we had quite similar stories to share.
Isn’t it beautiful when you see the promise of a really good friendship forming right before your eyes? That’s what I saw over dinner. To CG and Mec, here’s to our next get-together! Who knows, it could be in NZ. Wishful thinking! 😉
And aaaah, dinner. We had our dinner at Recipes and the food was great. We ordered the dishes in the pics below. I didn’t get to take a pic of the Pork Binagoongan though.
Chicharon Bulaklak. Pork Cracklings. So sinful but so delicious. Since CG was on vacation, she had license to indulge in this! As for Mec and myself, well, let’s just say we helped CG enjoy her vacation! Haha!
Spicy Squid. Deep-fried squid rings drizzled sweet chili sauce and topped with toasted garlic and spring onion. It was quite spicy but not too much that you couldn’t taste the sweetness of the squid anymore. Yum.
Crispy Tadyang. Crispy Beef Ribs. One of my fave meals here. So delicious with a dipping sauce made of soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and chili pepper. It was chewy AND melt-in-your-mouth goooood.
Gising Gising. Chopped baguio beans with ground pork and coconut milk. A very simple vegetable dish but once it hits your tastebuds… yowza!
The night ended too soon. We will see one another again soon! Cheers to good friends and good food!
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Recipes. 2/F Greenbelt 3, Ayala Center. T: 728-0917
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
Christine
October 17, 2005 at 2:33 pm (19 years ago)hi toni — it was really nice meeting you and Mec. I had a good time! Grabe, napaos ako ha! hehe
delish
October 17, 2005 at 2:40 pm (19 years ago)that’s because you were mighty talkative Christine 😛
Toni, i’m waiting for your Mom’s gising-gising recipe ha??? am sure your readers will love to try it too…
and yes, it’s so beautiful to see friendships unfloding before you… here’s to more years of learning from each other!!!
(and i’d see you on the 29th!)
annabanana
October 17, 2005 at 2:51 pm (19 years ago)heya toni!
wow inggit naman ako…nagkita-kita na kayo, may good food pa! can i have the recipe of gising-gising? i love baguio beans! happy monday to you, tones!
eye
October 17, 2005 at 3:39 pm (19 years ago)ang ganda ng ngiti nyong tatlo, obvious na nag-enjoy talaga sa kwentuhan at sa pagkain 😉 uy grabe, naglaway ako sa mga kinain nyo! lalo na yung spicy squid and gising-gising.
BabyPink
October 17, 2005 at 3:55 pm (19 years ago)ang gaganda ‘nyo.:) at mahaba na ang hair mo, toni girl!:)
Yasmin
October 17, 2005 at 6:46 pm (19 years ago)Hey girl, you’re back! Inggit ako sa meeting mo with CG and the food, hay, my mouth always water when I visit your site. And we should meet in December!
mare
October 17, 2005 at 9:16 pm (19 years ago)How cute!!
justice
October 17, 2005 at 9:55 pm (19 years ago)these foods were only for the 3, (as in 3) of you? 😉 yummy!
pinayhekmi
October 17, 2005 at 10:08 pm (19 years ago)I’m so envious! Next time, we have to meet again, hopefully I can get to invite you to my house for dinner or something.
I don’t’mean anything about the envious part. I am thrilled you guys had so much fun.
dexie
October 17, 2005 at 10:32 pm (19 years ago)hey that Gising Gising dish looks good. well all of ’em looks great. I might try making gising gising sometimes. Sounds easy
Glad you all had fun
kala
October 18, 2005 at 1:46 am (19 years ago)Aaaaw, sigh! Lucky you guys met! And ate really good food! The foodie pictures are making me hungry 😉
meeyagirl
October 18, 2005 at 2:37 am (19 years ago)ang saya at ang sarap 😀
kat
October 18, 2005 at 4:38 am (19 years ago)hot damn!! that food is making me drool! chatting over dinner and drinks is always a great way to get to know each other better! glad to know you guys had a great time!
paz
October 18, 2005 at 7:20 am (19 years ago)hi toni, nakaka-miss naman ang authentic filipino food!
btw, glad to see you back!
Toni
October 18, 2005 at 10:52 am (19 years ago)cg: napaos ka? e diba paos ka na bago pa tayo nagdinner? hehehe. ganyan talaga kapag masarap ang kwentuhan!
mec: Di pa ako sure on the 29th!!! Hopefully I make it. Dusit right? And yes, will post my Mom-in-law’s gising gising recipe when I get it from her.
anna banana: Sure! Will try to get the recipe for Gising Gising from my Mom-in-law. Will post it when I get it.
eye: super sarap ng food. gusto ko nga balikan eh!
diane: Salamat! At yes, mahaba na dahil nagpapahaba ako ng hair in time for a friend’s wedding. Miss you!!! Kailan ba tayo magkikita?!?!?!
yasmin: You’re coming to Manila? Yes, let’s meet! Let’s meet!!!
mare: Yes! Yumyumyum!
justice: Takaw ba? Hehe. Kulang pa nga eh.
tintin: I understand! No worries! And yes, I’m looking forward to having dinner with you sometime in this lifetime.
Who knows? The whole Blogkadahan might go over to your house! Can you handle us? Hehehe.
dexie: Yeah! It looks really yummy. My mom-in-law has the recipe for this. I’ll post it sometime!
kala: I wish I could offer you a plate of that chicharon bulaklak virtually! 😛
mia: Yes! Sana makasama ka next time
kat: Kulang ng drinks! We just had iced tea and water. Haha very safe ‘no? But we’re sure there’s gonna be a next time so there definitely will be wine and beer at that time!
Paz: Thanks for the welcome! And yes, iba talaga ang Pinoy food. And since CG was in town, syempre dapat Pinoy restaurant ang puntahan!
jeanny
October 18, 2005 at 11:59 am (19 years ago)uy ang saya nyo naman. Sarap din ng food, yum yum…
ano pla ung gising gising… ngayon ko lang narinig un ah. cge hintayin ko recipe ha ng masubukan 😀
Toni
October 18, 2005 at 12:47 pm (19 years ago)jeanny: I’ll post the recipe sometime. Di ko pa nakukuha from my mom-in-law!
denden
October 18, 2005 at 8:07 pm (19 years ago)hi toni! i’m eating my cheese and pickle sandwich while reading your blog and i suddenly lost my appetite for it. i want the ULAMS in the pic and now i’m craving for a binagoongan.
hope you girls had a great time!
Toni
October 18, 2005 at 8:10 pm (19 years ago)denden: we had a great time and oh, sorry, didn’t mean to make you lose your appetite! close your eyes and imagine nalang that the cheese and pickle sandwich is pinoy ulam! 😀
Pao
October 18, 2005 at 9:28 pm (19 years ago)kaya pala familiar… si mec is a w@wie!
jey
October 19, 2005 at 7:57 am (19 years ago)the food looks really delicious.
and i’m sure the food is even more flavorful when shared with friends, complete with a hearty conversation and lots of laughter.:)
Toni
October 19, 2005 at 11:29 am (19 years ago)pao: yep! so am i! cg too!
jey: you got that right!
tanya
October 20, 2005 at 2:06 am (19 years ago)awwww.. you guys seem to have the best time ever! nice! grabe now i want to try and eat at recipe’s! thanks for the recommendation! hehehe! miss you toni!
Toni
October 21, 2005 at 3:50 pm (19 years ago)tanya: Miss ya too sis!
Vina Manalili
February 23, 2006 at 10:50 am (18 years ago)Hi I’m also interested with your gising gisng recipe… if possible can you also know what province in originate. Kasi someone i know always assumed everything she knows is correct and i end up knowing that is not right with regards to a recipe. One time she catered and one menu she cook was carbonara… you know what she was proud to call me and let me have a taste of it and when i went down… a saw a sopas. I would be very thankful if you can really share the real gising gising recipe and things about it thanks!!!!