There is no somnambulist rule-out that can deconstruct Indian Cuisine’s survival quality, like how Queens Crystal Garden Restaurant’s inimitable establishment and service along Jupiter St., Makati City, offering not just superlatively spicy table fares, but more on the notion that the need to offer their fine table pleasures is inevitable.

Generally, Southeast Asian Cuisine is a culinary constituent, bridging the sensibilities of western and oriental flavors. Through time, certain gastronomic ingredients from prime-world countries have traveled far and deep into our eastern cultures, and have subliminally influenced our current cuisines. Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines, from such gastro-anthropological events have been stemming out each their distinct culinary identities—and have maturely cooked different cultural facets. Singapore, on the other hand, is considered as a top gastronomic melting pot, giving highlights to modern Asian and Western zests.

Brandy is one alcoholic drink that took me 25 years (practically my whole life) to appreciate. I use to see my dad and my other uncles drink brandy as a digestif or an after dinner drink. I would always ask for a little shot but I honestly didn’t like it then because I found it too strong for me but I still drank it because I wanted to be part of the Big Boys. It was a drink that was readily available and very accessible in the house of my great grand mother but I was never tempted to snug a shot when nobody was looking because I wouldn’t enjoy it anyway. Now, Am I getting old or is my palate finally mature enough to handle a bold drink such as this….

Sometimes it pays to have friends up there in fine places. Just last Sunday, while having dinner with my family, I was lucky enough to be beside certain members of the International Wine and Food Society, who were having a dinner. (I had begged off from this occasion because I host regular Sunday family dinners.)

Not so far away from the Manila hub is The Bellevue Manila. Small and unassuming, Bellevue caters to clients who prefer the southern fresh air and the relaxing atmosphere. Close but not quite to the business district of Makati and right in the middle of that one of Alabang. Foodwise, what can they offer you?

The competition between pizza giants in the country has just become stiffer as the Pizza Company opens its first store in the Philippines, located at the 2nd level main entrance of Market! Market! Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, with a lot of eyeing and intimidation. An adaptive approach to the development of menus has garnered The Pizza Company the rank of top Thailand pizza brand for four years in a row. And this same approach is now in position to capture the market here.