food trip

This week has been an awesome food trip. But first, a side-trip. I've not been in the best of health (late nights, back problems from carrying a baby who is growing into the Hulk). I had bad enough back trouble that I couldn't go to work (there was a typhoon going through too, so that was convenient). I still get spasms, but I think I might be able to go to work tomorrow. Or if not tomorrow, then on Tuesday.

I went to my HMO doctor a few months ago, they prescribed a muscle relaxant that makes me nauseous. So I don't take it. It seems there isn't anything seriously wrong with my back that good posture, lumbar support while sitting, and not having to carry timmy would solve. Unfortunately, that last is not negotiable, so I carry timmy anyway, and ache the while, and have trouble getting up the next day because of spasms :-).

They're spasms higher in the back though, not lumbar problems.

Anyway, this has been an incredible week for food. Tonight sol made French onion soup. The onion soup was good (caramelized onion is wonderful by itself, and cheese, like ketchup, improves everything), the french bread looked weird after being soaked in the soup, but it was all wonderful.

On Friday sol and I went to Sugi, at greenbelt. A friend of sol's from a previous life was going to New York, so a few good friends and one tag-along (i.e., me) treated her to Sugi. That is the most wonderful japanese food I have ever had. I'm sure there are better japanese restaurants, but they're not in the Philippines. Sugi is also about 2-3 times more expensive than other japanese restaurants. But the experience is incredible. That's going to be like Neo Spa at the Fort, an experience to be savored, but only once or twice a year :-).

I'm reminded that sol offered to treat me to Neo Spa because of my back problems. Like a fool, I declined. If she offers this coming week, I'm definitely accepting :-).

We also went to Kimono Ken at the Podium. That was wonderful. It's always good to go on quiet dates with sol, but it's always better if the food is great :-). The service at the Podium was first class, and the salmon slices are (by size) almost as good as at Teriyaki Grill on U.N. avenue in Manila. Everything was wonderful though. I may have a new favorite japanese restaurant. Sugi is always good, but I can't afford to go there more than once a month, and I don't want to go there once a month since even then it hurts. Kimono Ken is sufficiently better than Sushi-ya that it's definitely my new favorite, particularly since Sushi-ya has reconfigured its menu and portions so that what seemed to be great deals a year ago are just a bit above average now.

Sushi-ya is still a great and convenient place to go, but it's no longer #1 for bang-for-the-buck.