Picture Feature(d): Cicou

Excerpt from “InFlight Living: Indulge” by Ces Rodriguez for InFlight December-January 2011

“One of my favorites was fish fillet stuffed with prawn mousseline and coated in herbed crumbs, with mashed green peas, terrine of glazed carrots and fresh coriander. The herbed crust broke off delicately; the pompano fillet, delivering the stoutest flavor, was cooked to perfection. The bells and whistles were reserved for the mashed peas and the carrots.”

“The soup was a fireworks display of flavors beginning with the moat of cream of mussels dotted with tiny croutons surrounding a peppery ravioli of mashed watercress. What was extraordinary, however, was a perfect tender bud of oyster with a low whisper of brine at the heart of the ravioli. As the final bite, the oyster was an instantaneously serene counterpoint to the outside din of flavors.”


“A must try. Next time I’d like to try the soft boiled egg with sea urchin, green pea broth, mashed cauliflower, crispy smoked pork belly (P290) and – because it’s not over the top, it’s exquisite – I’d like it with a bit of that duck liver, please.”


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Picture Feature(d): Bukidnon

Excerpt from “Ins & Outs” by Margie F. Francisco for InFlight December-January 2011

“One of the most convenient ways to reach Bukidnon by land is taking the bus from Cagayan de Oro. There are regular flights from Manila to Cagayan de Oro. From Cagayan de Oro, take the Davao-Bukidnon Highway to reach Dahilayan, Bukidnon.”


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Picture Feature(d): Island Life

Excerpt from “Island Life: School Daze” by Ces Rodriguez for InFlight December-January 2011

“Mariglo Laririt plans and solves problems for a living. It goes with her title of president of Ten Knots Development Corporation, the landholding company of those beautiful El Nido Resorts – Miniloc Island Resort and Lagen Island Resort”

“By the time their year came to a close, Laririt had begun training the resort staff in much the same subjects her husband was: the importance of the environment. Today, her early forays into ecological consciousness have borne fruit. El Nido Resorts has been recognized time and again for their “greenness”, from Conde Nast Traveler Magazine to ASEAN’s Green Hotel Standard”


Sidebar: El Nido: My List
“Miniloc Island Resort relaxes me. It’s my favorite breakfast place. While on Miniloc Island, I try as much as I can to go to the Big and Small Lagoons to kayak and renew the spirit of awe. In fact, drop me off at any island in Bacuit Bay and I can relax”


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Picture Feature(d): Mamou’s Kitchen

Excerpt from “Mamou's Kitchen” by Ces Rodriguez for InFlight October-November 2010

“Warm colors dominate, with wooden floorboards, wooden chairs in red leatherette, ever-so-slightly scratched tabletops, backlit smoked glass cupboards behind the serving counter, and butler pendant lights create a laidback vibe.”

“The piece de resistance: an 800g dry aged USDA prime grade porterhouse steak (P3,500 for the twin size, P2,800 for the 600g). It came darkened by the grill, pre-sliced into strips. We tried all four side dishes that came with it: baked mashed potatoes, creamed spinach, corn pudding and white rice sautéed in steak fat.“


“It can get noisy at times at Mamou, but the food is good and the setting, nicely casual, says Ces Rodriguez”


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Picture Feature(d): Short Breaks

Excerpt from “Short Breaks” for InFlight October-November 2010

“I’ve also been to Batanes for work. It’s really like Ireland. We stayed at Shanedel’s. The trip and place was unforgettable” – Guada Reyes, fashion stylist

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Picture Feature(d): Metro Manila Shopping

Excerpt from “Insider’s Guide to Metro Manila Shopping Essentials” by Lei Chavez for InFlight October-November 2010

“Where to eat: On Jupiter St., Café La Carmela has tasty chicken and pork barbeque served with authentic Visayan vinegar sinamak”


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Picture Feature(d): Fear Factor Holidays

Excerpt from “Fear Factor Holidays” sidebar by Chip Childers for InFlight August-September 2010

“Starting at the trailhead, about 20km from the Town Hall, the trek is a leisurely 3km hike that follows the Wahig River through canyons, and agricultural areas. Trekkers get picked up at the mouth of the canyon.”

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Picture Feature(d): Makati’s New Bolt-holes

Excerpt from “Makati’s New Bolt-holes” by Margie Francisco and Monica De Leon for InFlight August-September 2010

“Makati City has seen the opening of trendy boutique hotels the past few years, providing great variety for all types of travelers. Shopping and entertainment centers have also expanded to embrace both international designer brands and exciting, new local designer products.”

“Café La Carmela on Jupiter Street offers chicken and pork barbeque dishes, made more special by its dipping sauce of sinamak or traditional vinegar originating from Cebu.”

“Papertrail at Lao Center, Makati, sells journals, note pads, organizers, quirky tote bags and “smencils” or scented pencils, all imported from abroad.”

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Picture Feature(d): What’s On Your Table?

Excerpt from “What’s On Your Table?” by Ces Rodgriguez for InFlight August-September 2010

“ For Chef Stephanie Zubiri its ostrich, duck’s embryo, frogs, and goat at restaurants Moomba and Bistro Remedios.”

“At Moomba, Zubiri likes the tian of ostrich (P450), marinated ostrich strips with vegetables, mashed potatoes and whole baked garlic cloves. “It looked juicy, was thinly sliced but softer because it was cooked with a sauce. The flavors were strong yet you can taste the ostrich more.””

“Bistro Remedios is known for frogs, goat and balut. It was a few weeks too early for the Pampanga specialty kamaru or rice field crickets, spiced and fried to a crisp, so the order of the day were adobong balut (P120), two unfertilized duck eggs stewed in soy sauce, vinegar, and garlic, and betute or farm frogs.”

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Picture Feature(d): The Peacock Garden Luxury Resort & Spa

Excerpt from “Bohol Bling” by Chip Childers for InFlight August-September 2010

“I thought to myself as I approached the resort, which resembled Tony Montana’s digs in the movie “Scarface”. Well-groomed and expansive fruit orchards give way to Roman holiday type villas and buildings, occupying a knife ridge with a view of the Bohol Sea. There’s an infinity pool reflecting the view, spas, restaurant, wine room and bar.”

“Given the jaw-dropping surroundings and exterior, having a disappointing room at the Peacock Garden will be like finding out Wolfgang Puck doesn’t know how to slice onions or cook up a steak. And the rooms here do not disappoint. The various rooms, of which there are 40 available, range from 270 to 560 square feet, and come with decks and sliding glass windows. All rooms feature standard mod-cons like dvd player, coffeemaker, writing table, WiFi and sitting rooms.”

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Picture Feature(d): InFlight’s August – September Table of Contents

Excerpt from the table of contents of InFlight August-September 2010

“Chef Stephanie Zubiri on ostrich, duck’s embryo, frog, and goat dishes at restaurants Moomba and Bistro Remedios”

"Peacock Garden Resort: Good food, a luxury spa, cigar lounge, and a Wii screen that runs the length of the bar"

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Picture Feature(d): Hacienda San Benito

Excerpt from “Escape to the Country” by Ces Rodriguez for SEAIR InFlight June-July 2010

“Our house for the stay was not the bahay kubo I expected, but a model unit built all by its lonesome on the empty field. But this was a property still in the development stage, so we were happy to bunk in the modern storybook house: the roof thatched in nipa, the structure finished in a happy salmon color. Best of all, wall-to-wall windows and front-and-back second floor balconies made for good ventilation, with fresh breeze coming in from the mountains and across the empty lots.”

Above: This model unit has rainwater tanks for flushing toilets and watering plants and keeps cool with good ventilation

Above: InFlight's June-July Cover story page. Designed and layout by Jocas A. See

“The Terraza overlooked a slope of coffee seedlings to one side and tiers of cultivated vetiver grass on another. With roots snaking to a depth of up to three meters, vetiver resembles the sharp-edged wild talahib or kans grass. The farm intends to use vetiver to pave the walkways in other areas San Benito will open eventually.

Above: Hacienda's vetiver grass that will be used in paving walkways of other areas of the farm, a more eco approach

Above: InFlight's June-July Cover story spread page. Designed and layout by Jocas A. See

“Early the next day, we visited the organic vegetable farm, inexplicably blocked from view by a wraparound tarp. Underneath the nettings, we found romaine lettuce ready to be harvested and Lilliputian strawberries being nursed in pots. Beneath open skies, yellowish cucumbers hid behind leaves and a farmhand pulled out a low shrub where peanuts clung to earth-encrusted roots. I cracked open one and was surprised by a sweetness and crunch that reminded me of singkamas or jicamas.”

Above: InFlight writer Ces showing some of the farm's organically grown veggies she handpicked for her salad

Above: InFlight's June-July Cover story page. Designed and layout by Jocas A. See

“You could request the staff to serve you a salad fresh off the vegetable patch and dress it with the farm’s bottled cider honey…

There are other things you can do on the farm: feed the more docile female ostriches (seven kilos of kangkong or swamp cabbage consumed per bird per day), sample their eggs (P750 for an unfertilized egg scrambles enough for eight people), hop on a calesa for a clop around the hacienda or ride the horses that freely roam the grounds. These can be arranged upon request. Trained farm workers are there to assist anytime.”

Above: Pure honey gathered from the apiary right within the farm's premises

Above: Ostrich feeding

Above: InFlight's June-July Cover story spread page. Designed and layout by Jocas A. See

To read the full story and other travel features, call: +632 840.2802 to subscribe a copy.