Kimono Ken

"I'm turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so
Turning Japanese
I think I'm turning Japanese
I really think so" - The Vapors

It was my 5 day leave from work and I was musing on what to do and where to go. I finally pulled my beloved Mom, whom I hardly get the chance to see and talk to, out of bed to go to the Podium away (she loves it there). She mentioned that she wanted to eat at Kimono Ken, since this restaurant was recommended by one of our "pitbull" friends.

I'm pretty good with any kind of food and I do appreciate the flavors of other countries' food, so Japanese food was alright with me. Upon entering, I already loved the feel of the restaurant. I never expected the color combination to be very lovable and comfortable.

I love the green and orange combination (not your usual color combination for a Japanese Restaurant). I also love the little flowers on the wall paper on the upper portion of the restaurant. It reminds me of Japanese artwork like this...

The lighting fit perfectly to enhance the feel of "turning Japanese". I love the way they used Japanese paper. I also love the way the light from the mall enters the restaurant through the wooden divisions that are seen like big chopsticks piled up.

The placemat also gave a brief history on the Kimonos, a traditional Japanese national costume.

For the food, for starting off, we ordered California Maki and Kani Salad.

California Maki
(traditional Maki, which comprises of raw shrimps, Mango,
cucumber wrapped in Seaweed paper, topped with Japanese rice and fish eggs)

KANI SALAD
(Unlike the other Kani Salads that I have tried before, Kimono Ken had been presented
differently with topping the salad with mango and of crabsticks)

CHICKEN AND BEEF TERRIYAKI

For our main dishes, I ordered Chicken Terriyaki and Mom ordered Beef Terriyaki. I must say, i hardly order beef but when i tried their beef terriyaki, it was so delicious. Of course, I also was not disappointed with the Chicken Terriyaki, which i finished up in just a few minutes.

I suggest if you are within the Ortigas Area, go check out this place. They have great servic, a comfy ambiance and good food. Plus, you get your money's worth. The dishes are not too expensive. Go try Kimono Ken!

Kimono Ken
4th Floor (Cinema Level)
The Podium
Ortigas, Pasig City
*also have a branch in Tomas Morato

Pasan Ko Ang Daigdig

Director: Lino Brocka
Genre: Drama
Duration: 130 mins
Released: 1987
MPAA Rating: none (we give it an R for content and language)

Lupe Velez carries the weight of the world in her shoulders. Living in abject poverty, she begs around the busy streets of Manila carrying Metring, her lame mother on her back. Lupe also scrounges for saleable junk in the mountain dump in order to earn a living. Ambitious and determined, Lupe uses her talent and charm to get that one person who can take her out of this miserable situation. Using the basic rags-to-riches plot, the movie successfully presents and discusses a persistent issue that continues to plague the country - poverty in the slums.

Niña

(3 out of a possible 5) One Saturday afternoon found me nursing a migraine after a marathon review of accounting concepts which I have yet to fully understand. I decided to rest by watching something lame and mildly entertaining on TV. Since Spongebob wasn't on, I decided to switch to Pinoy Box Office, a cable channel on Destiny Cable.

Watching old Pinoy movies is a hobby of mine, mainly because I love seeing how people dressed up and how people looked like with their cobra hairdos and plastic earrings. I got what I was looking for when after the Yagit ending the teaser for the next film came and it was...PASAN KO ANG DAIGDIG. I never got to see this movie before and I only knew the premise, it got me excited knowing how Sharon Cuneta movies are always ridiculously fantastic in their plot twists and how her revenges are crafted. I was surprised though that Lino Brocka directed this movie, which to me meant that the movie probably has socio-political undercurrents.

Well, the movie was that, it was sober, even Sharon whipping her evil stepfather for stealing her hard-earned club money didn't have the same punch as Sharon's oft-quoted line in Bituing Walang Ningning. There was one memorable line though but it was uttered toward Sharon's mom who refused to believe that the man she's married is only hustling her for gambling money. Cmon guys you know how it goes..."Harap-harapan na kayong niloloko Inay!! Gutay-gutay na ang katawan nyo, ang kaluluwa nyo gutay-gutay na rin." There was no fantastic costume and make-up on her as well since Sharon dressed the way a club singer would. She was actually pretty convincing in her desire to rise from the abject poverty surrounding her and her mom. In order to hammer her plight home, Sharon also had to be raped by a childhood friend who's obsessed with her and almost marry a rich producer so that she can leave the slums. In a nutshell, my migraine gave way to a sobering realism. It's all Lino Brocka's fault for turning what could have been another Sharon Cuneta rags-to-riches story into something real and believable.

Don Henrico's

Glorietta
Date: March 27, 2005
Time: 1:30 pm

We should've stayed away!

Wanted to see what is new in this formerly often visited pizza & pasta house. Regrets!!

Their Philly Cheese Steak Pizza was bland, full of red & green peppers (check pic on the right). Buffalo wings was too sweet and the dip was obviously diluted. Emperor’s Pasta was not available and there was no diet soda.

One had to call the waiters to get refills on the sodas & iced tea, as they were all next to the counter. Same problem in the now closed Libis outlet.

The only good thing about the meal was the dessert, but it was something we brought in. Heavenly delicious chocolate cake from a stall inside Glorietta. But that is another review.

(this review was written by my Dad, Vic Arboleda!)

Leslie's Terrace

Tagaytay
Date: March 25, 2005
Time: 1:00 pm

...Ho hum...



VIC:
A beautiful view of Taal Lake & Volcano.

Food was OK and were served all at the same time. This was great except that a 2nd order for fried rice took follow ups with 4 different waiters and came very late.

As a stop over, you can do better but on the other hand, there is that great view. Thank God for that!

Total bill – P2,022. 90 for 5 people

EJ:
The view was great. But the service was terrible. The waiters were not friendly and service was very slow.

The bulalo was excellent -- gumuguhit ang sebo. The tawilis was fried just right. But, frankly, you would get the same quality of food elsewhere.

Unless the food is exceptionally exquisite, the service is really the deciding factor for me. If up to me, I probably won't come back.