It was crazier than normal with folks (myself included) buying last minute items...
You gotta love their version of the tree by placing Filipino foodstuffs as decor...
The reason I was here? To buy desserts for dinner...
Earlier that morning, we climbed Cowles Mountain and went to several different places to eat and drink. Dinner would be at my brother's place and he requested desserts. I didn't have time to bake anything so I went here instead to Filipino Desserts Plus in the Seafood City food court. I got a mixed tray of rice cakes (sapin sapin) for $11.99...
I was tempted to buy the turon but was worried it wouldn't stay crunchy. See the foil wrapped logs? those are embutido, pork meatloaf. I've never seen them sold before. My mom usually makes those for Christmas time. I also bought two special bibingka's (baked in a banana leaf and topped with cream cheese) for $4 each here.
Next stop was Red Ribbon Bakery where I bought a mango sponge cake roll ($13 I think it was)...
Lunch at my parents' the next day was pretty extensive. One of my cousins named after the The Kings was visiting with his family. The last time I saw him was back when I was still in college. This was his wife and three sons' first visit to the US. My mom was so happy to have her nephew (sone of her late eldest brother) and his family here. The three sons ranged in age from 19 to 27 and were all very nice and funny young men. It was really great to hear of their impressions of the US (they had just arrived from NYC and were still planning to tour the West Coast visiting friends and other relatives)...
My dad made beef roast, I brought my mushroom/onion/cheese turnovers, while my mom made chicken curry, embutido (pork meat loaf), pancit bihon and Arroz Valenciana (similar to paella but made with sweet rice)
There was also mashed potatoes, fresh kale salad with slivered almonds and dried cranberries, shrimp cocktail and homemade lumpia (made with minced chicken, carrots, and water chestnuts).
Ham was also represented...
The dessert table had my dad's homemade hopia, an aunt's cassava cake, my mocha mochi, slices cheese (plus the special Edam cheese in the red wax) with crackers, fruits, and assorted Belgian biscuits.
I love my dad's hopia - it's so much more tender and flakier than the store bought version.
The next day, we met up with some old friends. In fact, Thane was in town with his wife and kids. We were excited to meet #2 son (only 8 months old). Dinner was at Manna BBQ, a Korean AYCE place near us in Chula Vista (located in the Ralph's shopping center). Our friends who attended were Scregman, Tatonka, Mr. Saliva, and Mr. Drum Major. It was really great seeing everyone again. Bert especially was happy to get caught up with Mr. DM (they'd been advisory buddies from 7th to 12th grade).
We haven't had Korean AYCE in a while. The set up was nice. Water, salad, and pan chan were already set up at the tables. We three sat with Tatonka at this table for 4 while the rest sat at the larger table. There are three menus. We ordered from the middle selection (we skipped the basic and the deluxe options). Our meats were brisket, bulgogi, pork belly and ribeye. The other table got tongue which we passed on.
Mr. Saliva shared shots of shoju...
We were all given brisket first (it was rolled up), the bulgogi, galbi and pork belly. Doing grill duty at our table was TC, who was coached by her Uncle Tatonka, he of the famed middle finger pix from past posts. Of the meats, I liked the brisket and the pork belly the best.
Tatonka had asked for vinegar and soy sauce on the side and instructed TC on how to marinate the meat before grilling it. I forgot what cut this was but it was pretty good.
Pork belly....yeah!
Tongue...
You also get some free sides such as steamed egg. I passed on that since I don' like the taste or texture.
We all ended up coming back to our house for desserts, coffee and more drinks. A few of the guys bought some beers to bring back. It was also fun watching Thane's older son play with TC's old Mega blocks toys.
Manna BBQ
724 Otay Lakes Road
Chula Vista, CA 91913
(619) 421-3300
It was great gathering with my family - Christmas Eve dinner at my brother with everyone plus my cousin and his family. More food was enjoyed at lunch the next day at my parents with the whole family again along with Bert's brother and mom and our on the fly dinner with old friends and even holding a tiny baby again....
2 comments:
Lots of feasting, yay! I still haven't been to Manna and the one in Mira Mesa is open already. I'll go one of these days... people seem to like it a lot.
Now I have to "work off" that holiday eating, haha.
If you go to Manna, to make it count, it should be your only meal. That's what I should have done that night.
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