Author: Rochelle Sy Chua

Sala Bistro

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On July 9, 2010

I attended a very enlightening event by Intel & guess what? It’s not just learnings that I couldn’t forget but also the awesome food that we had eaten that day. It was my 1st time at Sala Bistro & I must say, the service, the restaurant, the food were all top-notch!

It seems to me that Sala Bistro caters mostly to private events. I was too engrossed with the event & the food that I forgot to ask the people there if they are exclusive to private parties/events. I did however enter at the wrong restaurant at first, though the signage has Sala Bistro in it. The servers told me that I entered People Restaurant. Apparently, the owner of People Restaurant & Sala Bistro is the same. Maybe People Restaurant is their restaurant while Sala Bistro is for private functions. Well, I’m not sure but that’s how I see it.

I loved the menu (Php 1,480++) that Intel has chosen for us. It was a set menu with appetizer, main dish & dessert. Details as follow:

Home Cured Salmon & Crisp Potato Cakes w/ Horseradish Sour Cream

This home cured salmon dish was really actually pretty nicely done. Although I opted to not eat the salmon itself, and quite odd because it is the main focus of the dish, I did enjoy the rest of the components of the dish. I usually like my salmon seared and cooked and not really cured, so I didn’t eat it. Although, I can tell just by the taste of the rest of the dish, that it would have gone really great with salmon. The horseradish sauce was really excellent, and the crispy potato cakes on the bed of greens offered great texture and a bit of richness and heaviness of being fried potato. Actually, horseradish like wasabi really does add a great deal of flavor to seafood. What a great concept of a dish! Kudos to the chef on this excellent starter item.

Angus Beef Bistro Fillet w/ Cauliflower Gratin & Grain Mustard Jus OR

I did not try the Angus beef, but from the looks of it, the presentation and the pinkness of the meat, I think those who chose this dish did not regret their choice. The cooking of Angus beef really has to be done right, not overcooked or it becomes tough, and loses its flavor. Nor should it be seasoned too much, because you lose the great natural taste of what Angus beef should be. Again, gourmet at such a great place, great price, I can’t stop raving about it, even if I haven’t tried the dish. As with most anything when it comes to high end restaurants, the presentation is key. One really does feast with the eyes first, and feast I truly did.

Roast Lapu Lapu Fillet w/ Leek & Pancetta Risotto

As I mentioned, almost everyone decided to go with the Angus Beef dish, but I decided to go the healthy route and went for the fish instead. I was trying to be healthy and that day, I made a conscious effort of choosing the less popular menu item. I honestly think I made the better choice, since I really do like risotto. That bed of risotto was just fantastic. Again, the creaminess of it, and the taste was a bit different than the risotto that I’ve tried before. I think what really made the risotto stand out had to be the added pancetta which just added so much flavor.

And there’s nothing more than great seafood to go with risotto, and the tenderness, moistness, and the great flavor of the fish was just outstanding. The ingredients were all blended harmoniously, I loved it!

Flourless Chocolate Cake w/ Honeycomb Ice Cream

I’m not really a great fan of chocolate, but honestly this dish was just a bit more than chocolate. The layers of flavor, and once again presentation was just great. The cake itself was rich, and I love the cracked texture of the exterior was just another part of a very unique dish. Cake and ice cream really isn’t new, but when the ice cream is honeycomb ice cream, the combination is different, and may I say, DELICIOUS! It’s definitely a rich dish, best to be savored.

Twinings Tea

We were also given a choice between Vittoria coffee or Twinings tea. I’ve decided to cut down on coffee so I asked for the tea. 🙂 What a great way to end such a fantastic and delicious meal!

When it comes to fine dining, I also usually try to savor the initial bread or rolls that start off the meals. With Sala Bistro, it’s as if they read my mind! Gee, presentation was just great! We had good choices of breads & if you’re not picky, you can try each of every one of them! :p

There were also a good selection of drinks in Sala Bistro. They have specialty smoothies (Php 150) & also fruit shakes (Php 120-160). I ordered the Red Grape Shake (Php 160) while Rowena who was seated beside me ordered Yogurt Honey Passion (Php 150).

The other thing that really stood out is their service. It seems to me that their servers & personnel were trained well. Each & everyone was accommodating, helpful & most of all, we actually felt their focus on the customer. I was too impressed. When I got seated, they helped me with my bag then kindly asked if I wanted to drink something. Offered water without me asking & we didn’t need to exert any effort in calling them when we needed assistance. I just wish all restaurants’ service are like that. It would be such a joy eating out.

Overall, this is definitely a good recommended place to dine out if you want fine dining, great ambiance, delicious food, and amazing service.

Interested? If you wanna book Sala Bistro for your private events, here are information that you will find useful:

restaurant can accommodate 80 guests for a sit down dinner & 150 guests for a cocktail party
their garden dining can accommodate 40 guests for a sit down dinner & 80 guests for a cocktail party
Private lunch events (11am to 3pm) – monday to friday (Php 55,000 minimum spend), saturday & sunday (Php 65,000 minimum spend)
Private dinner events (6pm to 12mn) – monday to friday (Php 110,000 minimum spend), saturday & sunday (Php 130,000 minimum spend)
Private garden events (5pm to 12mn) – monday to friday (Php 35,000 minimum spend), saturday & sunday (Php 45,000 minimum spend)

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Sala Bistro
G/F Garden Side, Greenbelt 3, Greenbelt Malls, Ayala Center, Makati City 1200 Philippines
(02) 729-7500

The All New 2010 Intel Core Processor Family

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On July 7, 2010

I was lucky enough to be part of a workshop provided by Intel showcasing their new Intel core processor products. It was not just a simple presentation of products because I learned so much more!!! For the longest time, I’ve always thought of myself as a techie, but geez, I’m so not there yet. I enjoyed the workshop as it helped me understand just a bit better the PC that we all use.

In this post, I’ll share with you what I’ve learned during the workshop, since I think it’s really crucial for all of us to know these things and make a more informed decision in our purchase of our laptops and PCs. I’ve come to know that it is truly important to choose the right processor for our computers and how it can affect our productivity too.

First, the basics. Let me try to present it in a way that will make the information easier to understand. Honestly, it was information overload but every bit of it is very important.

Processor/CPU
– the most important part of any computer – the brain of your computer
– controls everything your computer does
* buy the best Intel processor you can afford. It’s difficult to upgrade later on (more expensive too!)

Gigahertz/Clock Speed
– rate at w/c a processor executes a task (in short, processor speed)

RAM/System Memory
– your computer’s short-term memory
– the computer uses RAM to process what you are doing as you do it
* 2GB of RAM is ideal for everyday use.

Hard Drive
– storage for your digital data
* a hard drive with 160GB is a good starting point for a user

Graphics
– a component to view images in your computer screen
* it is absolutely crucial to get the right balance between the computer’s processor, its graphics requirements & your own needs

Next, the most important part of the workshop was where they shared with us the new 2o10 Intel Core Processors. With the way technology is advancing, we really need to keep up. So if you’re stuck with your old PC, maybe it’s time to upgrade 🙂

The new family of 2010 Intel Core Processors has the ff. strengths:

Intel Turbo Boost Technology – automatically speeds up your processor when your PC needs extra performance.
Multi-Tasking Monster – enables 4-way multitask processing allows each core of your processor to work on two tasks at the same time.
Intel Core Processors w/ Intel HD Graphics – provides superb visual performance for sharper images, richer color, and life-like video and audio.

The speakers showed us the new Intel Core processors by explaining which one fits for each personality.

The Dabbler – Uses technology to support lifestyle. Intel Core i3 Processor lets them watch videos, listen to music & play games at highest possible quality.
The Gadgeteer – into gadgets, they got the gear and they’re not afraid to use it. The Intel Core i5 Processor gives them the capacity to multi-task at top speed, by allowing them to run multiple application with no fear of freezing.
The Tech Whisperer – they know their stuff. Their skills demand the power of Intel Core i7 Processor. It automatically speeds up when they need extra performance so that they’re free to be creative or solve problems with their PC.

Which one are you? As for me, I’m a Gadgeteer. With that, I’m glad that I’m using Macbook Pro 15″ as my laptop since it has Intel Core i5 as the processor, perfect for me! Yay!

How about you? Which one fits your personality and your needs?

Knight and Day Movie Review

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On July 5, 2010

I can’t remember the last time I watched a Tom Cruise movie, but hopefully Knight & Day won’t be the last one for another long while until the next Tom Cruise movie that I watch. Actually, I’ve been noticing that most of the movies these days showcase younger actors and actresses. It really is refreshing to see a Tom Cruise-Cameron Diaz tandem.

It’s sad that the movie is not doing well in the box office, because I feel that it’s really actually a very entertaining action comedy movie. The plot was not realistic but definitely, it was entertaining & nice eye-candy with 2 gorgeous stars in it!

Not to give away too much, here’s a brief overview of the movie. It’s about Roy Miller (Knight, which is his real last name) and it’s also about June Havens played by Cameron Diaz. It follows the sequence of events of a chance encounter between these two characters at the airport where they actually run into each other twice. Now, Knight is actually a secret agent. And is about to be killed on the flight that he’s going to be on by a group of agents. Another agent by the name of Fitzgerald who is heading the attempt to kill Miller/Knight, because of the chance encounter earlier at the airport, thinks that Havens is working with Miller, so he has Havens go on the same flight with Miller.

Havens is very much attracted to Miller, and during the flight goes to the washroom to freshen up. And while in the bathroom, the agents all try to kill Miller, but are unsuccessful and are all killed in the process. Havens comes out of the washroom and Miller tells her that everyone is dead. Havens only believes it after seeing the pilots dead, and the bodies start falling to their sides.

Anyway, they eventually end up crashing the plane in a field. The movie is basically a fast paced chase, where we learn that Miller’s real last name is Knight, where his parents think he’s dead, and where Miller and Haven’s end up falling for each other.

The chase itself is basically about a perpetual energy battery called the Zephyr which is invented by Miller’s genius friend and inventor Simon Feck.

The plot and the sequence of events are not perfect, but it is fast and entertaining. It’s not as serious as Mission Impossible because it’s meant to be a romantic action comedy. I think Tom Cruise is underrated in this movie, and his performance is believable and definitely perfect for the role. Diaz and Cruise were in that Vanilla Sky Movie like 8-9 years ago, so their chemistry was probably already there even before the shooting started.

Again, I hate how sometimes reviewers get too over themselves in criticizing movies like these as if all movies should be Oscar nominated to be taken seriously and to be enjoyed. They forget the goal of what movies should be to viewers, and that is the entertainment value. With Knight & Day, you get a feel-good movie that I think we need once in a while, plus a little of that action and romance that is perfect for most viewers.

It’s still showing and if you want to relax and enjoy then Knight & Day is for you.

My Rating for Knight and Day: 4 out of 5 stars

The No Nonsense Seminar on Finance Part 3

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On July 4, 2010

I shared with you before my experience when I attended the No Nonsense Seminar on Finance last year. I did mention that I missed the 1st hour and would wish to join the next round.

Finally, it’s here! There’ll be a session this coming saturday, July 10, 2010. I have a schedule conflict but I’ll see if I can move my schedule so I can attend the very enlightening seminar.

For those who aren’t aware, The No Nonsense Seminar on Finance is a way for us to learn about investments, investment planning, investment risks in a practical, simple way. The seminar is being headed by Randell Tiongson.

I can definitely vouch for Randell, I’ve been to his seminars and he’s truly a great speaker. You’ll totally learn from him and it’s not nosebleed. You will be able to reflect afterwards and start working your way towards smart investing.

There were also several people who shared their testimonial like Donita Rose, Dennis Sy & Cito Beltran. Why not attend the seminar yourself?

The Php 1,300 investment is just so small with all the lessons that you’ll learn from Randell.

Questions like the ff. will be answered:

How certain investments work?
What are the differences between investment products?
How does one start with investment planning?

The seminar will be held at Victory Center inside the Promenade, Greenhills. It runs from 1:30-530PM. Don’t miss the chance! Go & contact Jenny Ignacio-Magalong at jcignacio.magalong@gmail.com or SMS/call at +639391177856 to register 🙂

Towelite

Posted by Rochelle Sy Chua On June 27, 2010

Sometimes you come across a product that is just so useful and different from the rest that you want to share to those you know. And this week, I discovered such a product! I’m actually quite excited to let you know about a brand of high performance towel that is made from ultrafine microfiber. It’s called Towelite!

Towelite has 3 distinct qualities:

compact

You can fold Towelite a couple of times and would just look like a hand towel. It’s handy in a way that you won’t feel the weight of it as it’s just 1/3 the size of a normal cotton towel. One of the biggest hassles and problems that I always seem to encounter is that normal towels are just too thick and inconvenient to carry around especially when you have limited space in your bag or luggage. With Towelite, I think this problem is solved. How cool is that!

absorbent

Towelite is also very absorbent, and considering that it is thinner and lighter than normal towels out there, it’s really amazing to see how much liquid and moisture it can really absorb and hold. It’s like a vacuum that it practically absorbs water up to 5 times its weight! Wow! You might be wondering that it might just absorb about anything including bacteria. Don’t fret as the product has antibacterial properties that inhibit bacterial growth. Pretty cool, I must say.

quick dry

Towelite also dries very fast. You just wring the towel and 90% of the water can be removed from it. Just like magic huh? hahaha! I can actually imagine that the owner should make a pretty good demo in department stores. Remember the demo counters in the mall? I think Towelite is a perfect product for those! A lot of people will be convinced, I’m sure.

Towelite comes in 2 sizes:

24x48in/60x120cm (Php 550) – perfect for everyday bath use.
18x36in/45x90cm (Php 295) – for health buffs who exercise often or go to the gym then this is for you.

I got myself the sports Towelite. I love it!!! It felt weird at first because I was so used to the traditional towels. But really, this is just different considering that it’s not bulky thus very handy, easy to bring along. Plus, when wet, we just need to wring it and 90% of the water will be removed. No need for overnight drying anymore! wohoo!

I love the packaging too! Very nice thinking by the owner to have Towelite put in a useful container. A very unique way to differentiate it from competitors plus Towelite is much cheaper.

A product that has antibacterial properties, can absorb 5 times its weight, light, easy to dry, and can be used over and over again. Just think of the many uses for this product, not just for the health buffs out there, not just for the everyday use to dry yourself off, as well as for bathroom and kitchen use too. A useful product, with innovative materials. Towelite — I wish I had known about this product sooner!

Interested? Contact the seller at the ff. contact details:

mobile – +639173266662
email – towelite.ph@gmail.com