Considering our strong knowledge on Philippine food, we still look for something familiar in a dish or a Pinoy restaurant, so as to feel reaffirmed and "at home," comfortable, and some seek the extraordinary—those without daring distortions of delectable realism that, by stunning culinary feats, hurtle us to fantastic gastronomic latitudes. Nothing beats lutong bahay.

Wow! Ang Sarap!, by Reynaldo G. Alejandro and Vicente Roman Santos, doesn’t just dynamically feature the country’s most popular personalities of the current food scene, but also the exotic culinary wonders of our regional cultures—modern, native, and local fusion cuisines—in effervescent colors, thus, insightful on "the best of Philippine fares."

Every now and then, a craving for a juicy succulent steak knocks on the palate. Thank God for all these high protein-low carbohydrate diets; one now has the license to indulge. However, budget constraints usually prevent us from doing so. A good steak meal is anywhere from P 300-500, and we’re not even talking about Angus or prime rib yet.

My secret has to be exposed. She has been my dessert supplier for a long time, and now, I introduce her to you.

Lttle did we know that we would have a Thursday night discovery last week. Making our usual Greenbelt rounds, we came upon a Buffet Dinner signage claiming that P695 is enough for a complete Italian dinner!

In Pasig, society has a curious way of living together. When walking its streets, you can find yourself breathing the wealthy air of Shang-ri La Plaza’s high-priced Italian restos and French delicatessens. Then all of a sudden, walk on grime, and smell charcoal smoke from an isaw vendor’s grill. There’s a thin line called Edsa that separates the two. Shang-ri La’s wealth looms over the masses on one side. And across the overpass are commuter stations for the working class or those several inches above the poverty line. These commuters use Shang-ri La as a shortcut to get to their jeepney or rail, and to chow down on mouthfuls of cheap tokneneng or peanuts fried in old overused oil. It’s amusing to think how these two places, separated only by a couple of steps, can differ so greatly, and so rapidly.