What's in a (Business) Name? Treinta

I hope the servings are dino-sized, too.

Spotted in SM City Bacolod by Fred of The Exaggerated Zeal. Thank you!

For more amusing business names, please visit Go Random.

Filipino Food Favorites at Kuya J Restaurant

Do you know Kuya J? He used to live somewhere near Capitol. He did so well that he moved to a nicer place near Ayala, acquired two new homes in SM (SM Cebu and SM Consolacion), and will soon be adding another home somewhere in Manila.

Kuya J in SM Cebu

Kuya J's not–so–secret secret? Good food. Affordable prices. We all love that, don't we? I bet one or two or three of these are on your favorite Filipino food list:

Three are on mine: ginataang monggo, crispy pata (crisp skin and tender meat!), and baked scallops. I usually don't care for kare–kare, but Kuya J's very peanuty (I love peanuts) kare–kare earns a spot on my list.

Menu. Click to enlarge.

Not on the menu, but is currently available, is the lumpia presko/fresh lumpia: stuffed in a malunggay infused wrapper (thus, the green color) are bamboo shoots and crab meat. I like to eat this topped with fresh garlic and crushed peanuts and smothered with sweet garlic sauce. My list of Kuya J favorites has now grown one item longer.

And that list will soon become a little longer, with their new dishes, drink, and desserts to be launched this June: tokwa't baboy—deep fried pork belly and tofu with tuba (coconut wine) soy sauce; chorizo dinamitas—jalapeño peppers stuffed with Cebu chorizo and cheddar cheese; chicken tagudtod—deep fried chicken wings with sweet sesame sauce; dalandan (flavored) beer; tablea flan with coffee syrup; banoffee saba; and fried halo–halo ala mode.

I already have a meal plan (one that any doctor would put a big red X mark on) for my next visit: ginataang monggo, crispy pata, baked scallops, kare–kare, lumpia presko, chorizo dinamitas, and three desserts: leche flan, tablea flan with coffee syrup, and banoffee saba!  But I can't finish all these by myself, so who wants to eat these with me? Know that I am a sweet lover (not the driver kind, but a person who likes desserts); I will share everything, except for the desserts.

PS Thank you, Kuya J, for letting me be one of the first few to try your new creations. I want to shake your hand, or maybe your chef's hand, for being bold and coming up with interesting new dishes, desserts, and drink. Kudos!

Kuya J Restaurant
Upper Ground Floor (by the entrance facing Radisson Blu), SM City Cebu
(032) 266 8600
Daily 10AM–10PM

Escario cor. Tojong Sts. Kamputhaw, Cebu City
(032) 260 2991
Lunch 11AM–3PM daily
Dinner 6PM–10PM daily

SM City Consolacion
(032) 266 8188
Daily 10AM–9PM

Gawad Kalinga Bayani Challenge 2014

Dear Gawad Kalinga,

If I were a teacher and you were my student, I'd give you a D. A double D.

D for Delight.

It was a delight to find out you'll be having another Bayani Challenge this year. This time it would run for two months and in different locations in many provinces. The activities would include house building, school refurbishing, mangrove planting, coastal cleanup, health mission, and paraisong pambata.

I eagerly signed up—two months ahead of the schedule I had chosen. In the two months of anticipation, I received very few updates and too few details. I was only informed of where to go two days before the date I was scheduled to jump on the bus. With only that information in mind (go to the Municipal Hall) and no other instructions, I went.

D for Dismay.

I arrived at the municipal hall, spotted a Gawad Kalinga tarpaulin, but not a Gawad Kalinga person in sight. First question in my head: where do I volunteer? Good thing a friend (who went a day ahead) thought of telling another volunteer who was still at the municipal hall to be on the look out for me. I asked her what the activities were for the day and that's how I got myself to the elementary school where people were painting the facade pink.

While painting, I was told that the facade had already been painted the day before—in another color. They (I am not sure who "they" is) decided that that color was too drab and needed to be painted in a brighter color—pink. Hmmm...wasn't that "wrong" (color) decision a waste of time and a waste of gallons of paint?

 Volunteers paint the facade twice

During lunch break, my friend, who volunteered at the beach, told me they really didn't do anything there. And that the day before, there were dozens of volunteers ready for the mangrove planting...which did not happen at the last minute. Again, a waste of people's time.

The morning of my second day, I went back to the same elementary school to paint the interior walls, which we had started painting yellow the day before. Ah, but the paint that was prepared was a shade too light and we were all asked to stop til they got the mixture right. But, lo and behold, there was no tinting color to be found, and somebody had to hunt down the right color at the two hardware stores in town (color not available) and at the hardware stores some distance away from town. While that somebody was busy looking for the right color, more volunteers arrived, armed with paintbrushes, but with nothing to do. A whole morning gone to waste (painting—with the right color—resumed after lunch).

I am not sure if others saw what I saw, but I observed that the school needed more than a fresh coat of paint (by the way, for the exterior walls, only the front was given a fresh coat of paint). The ceiling was sagging. The floorboards were bending underfoot. Would it have been better to repair the school building first?

I am not writing this to discourage people to volunteer, but I am writing this in the hopes that you, Gawad Kalinga, would plan better next time so as not to waste materials and everyone's time. I know your intentions and goals are all good.

Sincerely,

Mustachio