(Chicago) – I should feel guilty. I am more excited for July 4 American independence day than the June 12 Philippine Independence. While my nationalistic hunger for anything-Filipino still remains intact, I can deduce that the only reason for this is BBQ. July 4 is the perfect holiday to bring out your grill, invite friends to share some good food and drinks, and watch fireworks together. I have not hosted a 4th of July party before so this year I thought of inviting a few friends and whip up something on the grill. An initial plan of 15 friends in my guest list doubled after an hour from the time the…
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More Mediterranean Flavors at Gourmet Pita
(Chicago) – A friend of a friend is raving about this place. I live in Chicago and this resturant is in Skokie, a northwest suburb of Chicago. But I was intrigued enough to spend one Saturday morning to go drive to this place and taste what it has to offer. I was hoping I won’t regret driving for more than an hour. Gourmet Pita is humbly located in a nondescript strip mall. The place is not fancy at all but I didn’t really care much. I came for the food. My friend and I arrived just a few minutes after opening which can be a bad or good thing. Bad in…
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One More for the Grill: Beef Kabob
(Chicago) – Labor Day has passed and the grilling season is supposed to have ended as well. But as long as the outside temperature permits, we can still fire up the grill and enjoy some meaty barbecue goodness. So I will not put my grill in complete hibernation, yet; perhaps until the first snow drops. Here’s my take on beef kebab. It’s practically a mixture of whatever interesting I found in my pantry and fridge. The usual soy sauce-lemon-olive-oil marinade is boring my palate already so I thought of adding a little flare to the marinade. It sure does amplify the taste of my beef cubes. Ingredients: Marinade: ½ cup…
