Theo Zaragoza, Alaska's Demo Chef

By Samantha Ramos-Zaragoza

Chef Theo Zaragoza of Resultado Gourmet Designs Co. is on the move! Together with Alaska Corporation, Chef Theo will be whipping up effortless but gourmet meals in various locations all throughout the Metro. This past month, Chef Theo has visited and demonstrated his cooking skills and his brilliant Alaska creations at SM Makati and Bonifacio Highstreet.

Whet your palate with his delectable Alaska Sushi made of luncheon meat and cheese, served with a creamy wasabi siding. Move on to the next course and have a refreshingly filling Shrimp Pasta made with only the best Alaska Crema. And finally, the choice is yours – a tangy yet revitalizing Alaska Fruit Cup or a silky and sultry Alaska Choco Milky Mallows (or both!) for your last bite.

All these and more as Chef Theo visits a mall or trade center near you!

More and more people are truly convinced that Alaska is the perfect cream, evaporated milk, and condensed milk for their homemade mouthwatering creations. Because with Alaska, hindi lang sa presyo panalo – everyday can be a special celebration!

Chef Theo Zaragoza is the food stylist and managing director of Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. Contact Resultado through 842-9480, 492-0210, 0916-740-8319, and theo_zaragoza@yahoo.com. Visit Resultado’s websites www.resultado.com.ph and www.resultadofoodstylingco.blogspot.com.

To view pictures, visit: http://resultadophotos.blogspot.com/2009/05/theo-zaragoza-alaskas-demo-chef.html

FEBRUARY 2009: THE MONTH IN VIEW

Indeed, the month has been very busy and exciting for the Resultado team. Other than the countless food styling projects for different food companies and agencies, Resultado enjoyed dabbling in other services they recently launched.

Catering is the life source of Resultado’s chef and food stylist Theo Zaragoza. For almost 10 years, Chef Theo operated a food events company- the business where he focused his passion for food and cooking. This month, the chef secured an agreement with Alaska Milk Corp. to cater and deliver food orders to their various events every weekend of February.

As much as Chef Theo loves to cook, he also loves to share his ideas and expertise in the field of gastronomy. So, when an offer to teach a food styling class for Maya Kitchen Culinary Arts Center came his way, he grabbed the chance and taught a one-day seminar on food presentation and styling for food service businesses. Other than that, Chef Theo took pleasure in sharing different cooking methods and recipes to the women of Las Pinas City’s Narra Club for Alaska’s cooking demo event.

Creating lasting professional relationships is what Resultado aims for. This is why the team was more than ecstatic to work with Hinge-Inquirer Publications during February for a cookbook to be launched this year.

This March is equally promising as last month, so watch for the next news and updates from Resultado Gourmet Designs Co. For inquiries, call 492-0210 or 0916-7408319. Email Resultado at theo_zaragoza@yahoo.com. Visit their websites: www.resultado.com.ph and resultadofoodstylingco.blogspot.com.

By: Samantha Ramos-Zaragoza

Net 25's SPOON Alaska Segment

by: Samantha Ramos-Zaragoza

One of the most favorite pastimes many simply love doing is watching cooking shows, both locally and internationally. After a stressful day at work or doing chores, it’s great to relax in front of the TV and enjoy a no-brainer, entertaining show of food, food, FOOD! Gone were the days of cooking shows strictly for stay-at-home moms or wife-wannabes, and thank goodness, we can say goodbye to the monotonous, ultra-measured (with matching camera zoom-in of every single ingredient), and ‘pre-prepared final products’ type of cooking episodes. Today, it’s all about making it naturally fun and enjoyable.

SPOON of channel Net 25 is more than your ordinary cooking show. You get your regular dose of gossip, entertainment, and delectable recipes all in one episode. Every Sunday at 6:30 pm is different from the other, featuring celebrity guests who are interviewed and are challenged to cook their version of their favorite dishes. Their Alaska segment with Sexy Terry offers ingenious yet easy recipes which, once you try doing at home, are products of pure bliss.

Theo Zaragoza of Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. is the brain behind these Alaska mouth-watering dishes and the chef and food stylist behind Sexy Terry’s filmed creations. Every single recipe he developed is done in a test kitchen and is verified through proper re-testing and taste evaluation. His creativity is challenged yet unfazed in every concoction, which he assures is refreshingly new and scrumptious. Made with only Alaska, the best in milk products, Chef Theo offers every cooking-enthusiast easy recipes your friends and family will surely love.

Catch SPOON on Net 25, every Sunday, 6:30 pm. For food styling, food photography, recipe development, and consultancy needs, contact Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. at 492-0210, 0916-740-8319, and theo_zaragoza@yahoo.com. Check their website at www.resultado.com.ph.

Resultado Thanks YOU!

2008 has truly been a blessed year for Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. The past twelve months have brought about exciting changes to the company that we honestly didn’t expect to take place. We owe this success to you, our partners, who have trusted our capabilities and have continually supported our services through your loyalty.

It was this year when we have decided to personally connect with our associates through our blogspot site, along with our updated official website. Through letting you experience with us our successes, you have likewise given us the opportunities to work with you in the various projects you have offered us. We have met wonderful people along the way, that today you remain more of our friends than our business-allies. Doors have opened to new and exhilarating opportunities for our company to expand. Recipe development and production design are amongst the latest services of Resultado that have garnered excellent responses from you. Other than that, 2008 also marks the debut of Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. in television shows such as Rated K of ABS-CBN. Our partnership with photographers, graphic designers, and chefs have strengthened the company even more, allowing us to tender more choices and flexibility to the services we know best fit your needs.

As our company faces further growth, we promise you that we will continue to offer you with the same quality in service you have come to know, and even more. With our deepest sincerity, we thank each and every one of you who have made Resultado what it is today.

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Have a blessed Christmas and a joyful New Year.

Warmest Regards,

Theo Domini Zaragoza
Food Stylist & Managing Director

Rated K's Food Styling 101

By: Samantha Ramos-Zaragoza

I’m pretty sure a lot of people had no idea that the food styling industry even existed when they watched ABS-CBN’s Sunday Evening show, Rated K, last September 21. I for one have friends constantly bewildered when I talk about my husband’s work. I get questions like “What? Your husband’s a FOOT stylist?”, or after explaining the nature of his craft, I usually get a “May ganun palang trabaho?!” response. The show, which featured my husband Theo Zaragoza and his work as a food stylist, was indeed enlightening.

So what is food styling? Google this and answers you will find. But Theo’s definition of styling is born from a chef’s perspective. Contrary to what most people perceive it, food styling is not about faking food; or creating phony foodstuff with motor oil, white glue, spray paints, and other ingenious materials. Nope, it’s not that exciting actually. As Theo described it on the show, “Kung ang make-up artist tao ang pinapaganda, ang food stylist, pagkain ang ginagawang bida.” For him, food styling is about preserving the natural beauty that food innately has. As much as possible, he uses the same food ingredients and similar products to enhance and maintain the appearance of food in front of hot camera lights and unpredictable environmental conditions. Of course, there are situations wherein he has to use fake items (i.e. fake ice) due to the fact that there is no way to make those foods stay “fresh” or consistent all through out a shoot. But as much as he could, he uses edible materials to act as substitutes to these products. Sounds easy? Not really. Food styling requires a creative eye, a love for stressful and long-hour shoots, quick-thinking, and of course, passion for cooking and designing.

The show started with the TV crew following Theo at one of his shoots for F&B World Magazine to get a feel of what he does everyday. He was then interviewed on his perspective on food styling, as well as the description of the job. After all of this, it was time to share his trade secrets in front millions of TV viewers.

So here you go guys, this is Theo’s food styling 101, free of charge:

Iced Tea
Preferably, use real iced tea. You can also mix soy-sauce and water in a pitcher until you get the color you desire. Make sure the glass to be used is very clean and free of any marks. Place fake ice in the glass and pour the colored water. To create a “cold” effect, fill a spray bottle with water and spray the glass with this.

Halo-halo
Again, make sure the glass is very clean. Fill the glass with fake crushed ice (crushed tawas is an old alternative no longer being used). Carefully arrange halo-halo ingredients on top of the ice. Fill an injection with milk and slowly incorporate this to the dessert. Keep toppings shiny by spraying this with water. To create a “cold” effect, spray the glass with water from a spray bottle.

Chicken and Meat
Half cook meat or chicken. Finish it off by brushing it with soy sauce and torching the part that will be seen in the camera. If you want your meat grilled, heat metal sticks and burn meat, creating a crisscross effect. Glaze with oil for a shiny appearance.

Fish
Similar to chicken and meat, color and torch the part of the fish that will be seen in the camera. Finish it off by glazing the fish with oil for a shiny effect.

Ice Cream
If a walk-in freezer is unavailable for a shoot, then a fake ice cream concoction must be used. Prepare concoction and color this according to the ice cream flavor you prefer. Press this mixture in a scooper then carefully scoop it out on a glass or serving dish. Using tweezers, tweak any part of the ice cream to make it look realistic. Add a “skirt” to it and use tweezers to create an ice cream look.

To view pictures and videos of the TV shoot, visit http://www.resultadophotos.blogspot.com/.

*Theo Zaragoza is the food stylist and managing partner of Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co., a food styling and food photography firm. To contact the company, call +63916-740-8319, (02)492-0210 or email Theo at theo_zaragoza@yahoo.com. Visit his websites: http://www.resultado.com.ph/ and http://www.resultadofoodstylingco.blogspot.com/.

The Man Behind Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co.

On his chosen career
Food Styling can be described as the art of preserving the natural appeal of food to ensure its innate beauty is kept in front of the camera… at least that’s how Theo Zaragoza, Food Stylist and Managing Director of Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. views his profession. “I see it as an art of bringing food to life, or a means of counteracting the forces which tend to turn food unattractive in front of a camera. It is not about faking it, but wanting to prolong the radiance which food has naturally… sometimes its just bringing out the best of that said beauty and communicating it to the viewer.” – Words from a passionate chef turned food stylist. When asked about his chosen career, he begins with describing his day-to-day work. Descriptions such as fascinating, exhilarating, and challenging are almost always interjected in his stories. Even after five years of working as a food stylist, he continues to experience new highs and thrills with every assignment he accomplishes. “I never stop learning, and I never stop myself from obtaining knowledge with the people I work with, the challenges I am faced with, and even the mistakes I sometimes stumble upon”, he says.

Theo’s early memories were always about his adventures in the kitchen, from eating delicious home cooked meals to learning the basics and the art of cooking simply by observing his mother. As he puts it, “If painters consider their canvas as their work of art, or if writers show their deepest emotions in their narratives, then I express myself through my cooking.”

His love for the arts brought him to De La Salle - College of Saint Benilde where he graduated with a degree in Industrial Design. But his passion still led him to the kitchen; and soon after he had a flourishing catering business, a summer culinary class for kids, and a café named Cucina Maithe.

It wasn’t until later that he concentrated his fervor to food styling. It was when he, together with his friend photographer Anton Feliciano, decided to partner in a food styling and food photography business they named Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. With his knowledge in designing and cooking, he and his partner landed several projects with big-time clients.

But being the perfectionist that Theo is, he wanted to learn and grow more in the field of food styling. After formal short courses in cooking with culinary schools and training with several chefs, he flew to New York to study Professional Food Styling in the Culinary Institute of America under the wing of Dolores Custer.

And as if a spark grew into fire, combining his two love – art and food – felt like his ultimate calling.

Lights, Camera, Action
Today, Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. has an impressive list of partners from restaurants, advertising agencies, food companies, to magazines. With their growing clientele, Resultado decided to expand its services and offer food consultancy, recipe development, and production design to cope with their clients’ growing demands. Resultado has also partnered with several notable photographers and graphic designers, making the company an ultimate one-stop-shop.

When asked about his experiences with work, I found myself scribbling away with his fascinating stories. He mostly shared unforgettable events, both good and bad. “The positive thing about bad experiences is one can always see it as something to strengthen them and make them better. If I lose this perspective, I would have given up early in my career.” Theo points out. He talks about the rise of Resultado, the story not being all about glamour or even sounding close to a fairytale. Theo recalls, “We really came across trying times especially in the early days of the business. Even with a great idea such as a ‘food styling and food photography company’, there are risks involved. There were times when the company will experience a dry spell and our pockets would be empty even before the season ends. But we trudged on, we never gave up, and now I am happy where the company is”.

Being in the business for five years now, I asked him the main ingredients that make a service-oriented company successful. He laughs at this question and humbly mentions “I don’t think were in the position to answer that. I mean, we still have a long way to go to be considered successful. But I can share to you the things I have learned in this business which, as you put it, is service-oriented.” I expected to hear something like ‘keeping connections are very important’ or something common like ‘patience is a virtue’. But then, he simply says with pure honesty, “one has to be ‘ma-PR’. That’s it.” And as if he quickly picked up my puzzled look, he continues to say “that’s just the whole of it. ‘Ma-PR’ can have a negative connotation and seem as if I’m saying you have to be plastic, but for me PR is not just about ‘pang-bobola’. For me, it means presenting yourself with confidence and knowing your client well enough to perceive what makes them happy.” He then explains that in the five years he has been working as a food stylist, he had encountered different kinds of people and he equally learned how to deal with each one of them. “I’d be lying if I actually said I have never worked with tough, even bordering crazy, clients. But the key is not to childishly complain about it, but make the best out of the situation by knowing their ‘kiliti’ and trying to get the good side of them. I learned that it really starts with ways of assuring them that everything is under control,” he narrates. I asked him if he can point out some examples of such and he tells me more about the comparison of how he worked before to how he is now. “Before, I used to hate it when [during the meetings] everything flows so smoothly and plans are so concrete, but when shooting day comes, they completely change the plans or they meddle with my work. But I learned that it’s because I fail to understand that I can’t please everybody the same way. I have to adjust to different kinds of clients, read their expressions, and work with them the best way I can. If I have to redo a whole shoot because they weren’t happy, I would gladly do it. As it is with any service organization, the customer is always right. I just keep this in mind and do my utmost best in every job assignment.” It really sounds so easy but I know that this is coming from a person whose had years of experience.

Before I jumped to my next question, he quickly adds, “But always remember that you can’t be confident with something you don’t have. Wag mayabang kung walang pagyayabang,” he ended with a laugh.

He had worked with big names such as Unilever, Universal Robina Corporation, Jollibee Corporation, Magnolia, and Del Monte to name a few, but when asked about his most memorable project, “definitely the Chef’s Secrets & Favorite Recipes Cook Book project with Hinge-Inquirer,” he enthuses. Chef’s Secrets & Favorite Recipes is a cook book released by Hinge-Inquirer which features young and talented chefs of our country, showcasing their unique and delicious recipes. Theo partnered with Photographer Benjamin Chan with this project. “When I met Ben for a shoot in Tapa King, I really saw a talent that quickly showed passion and hunger for photography. He’s very easy to work with, we both have the need to make each food shot perfect, and he’s really skilled at his craft. I also learned from him that I’m only as good as my last shoot. So now, I make it a point to give my 110% in every click of the camera,” describes Theo. Theo and Ben worked with Hinge-Inquirer for a month long cook book project, which did not only bring new challenges, but also brought about new friends from the publishing company. “From the day of the meeting, we all quickly jelled well. Everyone was very accommodating and helpful. Every shoot day was polished and planned out. But more than the professional relationship we had, every time we were together, we were always laughing and having fun. The shoot may even take the whole day, but it will always end with smiles… not to mention overflowing great food!” Theo had the pleasure to work with Project Editor Ms. Norma Chikiamco, Editor-in-Chief Ms. Nana Ozaeta, Editorial Manager Ms. Annaliza Lopez, Editorial Assistant Ms. Millicent Agoncillo, Recipe Testers Ms. Vicky Ferrer and Ms. Dorothy Ferreria, Staff Photographer Mr. Christian Regis, and Make-up Artist Kusie Ho amongst many more others. “We really worked well as a team and I would love to work with them again,” he exclaims. This project also allowed Theo to face new challenges that has honed his skills as a food stylist. “I was actually anxious at the beginning of the project, because being a Chef myself, I felt that it will be difficult to capture the vision of the Chefs and still keep the theme of the cook book consistent. But surprisingly, they were all very easy to work with. We had an unspeakable respect for each others craft. This really made it very easy for me to work on their recipes. The only thing I had to worry about is the project’s test on my creativity,” he reveals. He showed me the photos of the dishes he food styled and Ben photographed, and I must say that they all looked so beautifully done, I thought I was viewing pictures of an Internationally published cook book. It had drama, it was natural, and it was superbly food styled. As Theo was narrating his story behind every picture, I could really see how truly proud he is with this project. He even says this is the best project he had so far because of the friends he made and the new skills he had learned from it. His excitement is very childlike, showing that it is very important to not let the fame and fortune get into one’s head, and always remember that every project that comes one’s way is a blessing worth to be cherished.

What’s Next for Resultado
“When it’s about the future, I leave it all to God, because I know that His plans are perfect,” Theo says with confidence. “But I do hope that I will finally bag a food commercial, be able to put up my restaurant, and open an office for Resultado a few years from now,” he quickly adds. With the expanding services and growing clientele of Resultado, I don’t see this as far from happening. In fact, he plans to get into charity this coming 2009. “When I realized that everything I have is from God, I feel compelled to give back in anyway I can,” he humbly explains to me. His plan of sending one child to school is actually very simple, but is a great act of kindness as well. With a heart like Theo’s, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d be reaching his dreams faster than he thinks. “Right now, I just want to concentrate on my craft and passion, [food styling], and do my best at it in every project I will get,” he ends with the usual honest smile he has.

By: Samantha Ramos-Zaragoza

The Search for the Perfect Kebab

Spicy, sweet, salty, aromatic, flavorful, saucy, fresh… just talking about it makes me feel like Pavlov’s dog. Oh yes, these are the cuisines I believe have touched the Filipino hearts for their burst of flavor and their mouth-watering fare. They are the Persian and Mediterranean cuisine. The Moroccan, Greek, Turkish, Italian, Spanish and the other surrounding countries of the Mediterranean Sea as well as the identical cuisine of Persia have already been synonymous to street food, fast food, and comfort food in the Philippines. But who wouldn’t love these wonderful cuisines? We all know that a big part of our Filipino culture is our food. We love it saucy, we like it tasty, we want it to pack a punch in every bite… and these are the same characteristics that describe the Persian and Mediterranean cuisine. No wonder we drool at a sight of a Shawarma, Kebab rice, or that luscious garlic sauce… yum!

And so, this food lover and her friends decided to take a trip around town to try different Mediterranean and Persian restaurants. But beware! This is no simple joy ride, for we wish to bring you only the best of the best these cuisines have to offer… our personal views take a different toll as we carefully scrutinize every dish and restaurant. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip in search for the perfect Kebab.

Café Mediterranean
Our first stopover brings us to the closest and most convenient Mediterranean restaurant for us. Just a few minutes from home, Café Mediterranean in Alabang Town Center boasts a warm, cozy ambiance with dishes that are reasonably priced.
It was lunch time and we took our seats while we waited to be served. We all browsed the menu, looking for something different and good. Few minutes after, we looked at each other and noticed that we were still flipping the pages. I particularly had a hard time choosing because of the numerous dishes cramped in one menu. It was filled with specialties such as Mosaka, Couscous, Hummus, Falafel, Gyros, Baba Ghannouj, Pizza, and ofcourse, Kebabs. Finally, after deciding on trying their whole-wheat gyros while my friends picked their own favourites, we ordered and we waited…and waited…and waited. Oh boy! The restaurant’s service, especially that day, was terrible! They kept on giving us the wrong orders and the food servers seemed to be having a hard time managing their customers during peak hours. When the food arrived, I took a bite of my whole wheat gyro and watched my pita bread crumble away. Seemed like it was days old. But I have to give it to their Vegetable soup, their Baba Ghannouj, their pizzas, and their Kebabs. The meats were tender, it didn’t lack taste, and the flavours were there, though I wouldn’t say that it has that authentic taste. But please, don’t order the Baklava! It’s as small as a Fig Newton and it doesn’t have much “oomph”. All in all, we rated Café Mediterranean three out of five stars because of its accessibility, the cleanliness of the place, and the nice ambiance. For those who are fond of the cuisine but still likes the flavours to be close to “home” and wouldn’t want to drive far to eat, this is the perfect place to dine.

Persiana
For an hour and a half drive from Alabang, a restaurant better be good, especially when the drive is for a midnight snack. We all hopped in a car one evening and drove northward to Pioneer. We got in Persiana Restaurant just in time before it closed for the night. Parking was good, and the place was clean. It is a Casual-Mediterranean Restaurant named after a country that is not in the Mediterranean, but they also serve Persian food that is clearly not part of the said cuisine. This is a common mistake because of the sometimes indistinguishable difference between the two. But anyway enough of the lecture and let’s talk about the food! The restaurant had that usual Mediterranean design of yellows and blues, it was air-conditioned, and they had good mood lighting and music. I got all excited when I took a hold of the menu and read on its very first page the history and the pride of the restaurant – their authentic cooking and their famous garlic sauce. I thought we hit the jackpot until we started placing our orders. The dishes were either out-of-stock or would take ages to prepare. The servers seemed annoyed at us for coming in so late and they all looked tired as if they couldn’t wait for us to leave. So we ended up ordering Fried cheese, Keema, Beef Curry, and Anchovy Pizza. The Fried Cheese was great, but then again, what do you expect with frying cheese, you can never go wrong with it! The Keema was okay, and tasted like our version of Arroz ala Cobana. The Curry was really good and spicy, though it only had a piece or two of beef. The Anchovy Pizza was a favourite but it’s something you can make from home. To describe the food in one phrase, I can say that the dishes were already fused with our own comfort flavours in order to impress the Filipino palate. It is also very much like “lutong bahay”. I was disappointed with the “famous” garlic sauce though… the mayonnaise base was too strong, it didn’t taste authentic at all. We gave the restaurant two out of five stars, due to the bad service and the lack of menu items. Maybe next time we should try visiting a bit earlier to really get to see and try them at their best.

Mr. Kebab
I was actually very excited to go to Mr. Kebab in Quezon Avenue because I’ve been there countless times after gimmick nights. My favourite will have to be the Shawarma rice. I decided to be sober enough to try their food and ordered the usual. For a simple place, food preparation was really fast and before you can say “Shawarma!”, your dish is already at your table. I took a spoonful of my rice and chicken and thought that it actually tasted better when I’m dead drunk. It’s more like the “tapsilog” version of Persian food, catering to the late night diners who are fond of the place’s own version of the said cuisine, and who wants to enjoy good food at super cheap prices! One can never go wrong with delicious yet inexpensive food. But then, we are looking for authenticity. Mr. Kebab is very “Pinoy” in taste and style. Ambiance is okay, again, somewhat like a “tapsilog-an” shack, but clean enough that you wouldn’t mistake it for a “carinderia”. For its fast service, cheap menu, and good sized servings, we gave Mr. Kebab a good three out of five stars.

Shawarma Snack Center
I was actually surprised that people were raving about this place, because when we visited the one at BF Paranaque, I wasn’t quite impressed. Parking was very hard especially for those who fear for their lives and for their cars when parking on the side of a main road, and the place looked very much like a glorified “carinderia”. But I know that most great food is almost always hidden in the typical “hole in a wall” type of place. I was hungry as hell so for my dinner I decided to order the special - a choice of 3 barbeques (Kebab, Beef tenderloin, and Chicken), Arabic rice, salad, and pita bread. The order took a good twenty minutes before it was served. Maybe I was expecting too much, but when I tried my Arabic rice, I was searching for some flavour I couldn’t find. I smothered it once more with garlic sauce, salad, and Kebab, and this time it was tastier and better. So I thought, that’s the secret, shove a mouthful of everything in your plate down your throat in one bite. The meats in themselves were tasty and gave off a spicy aroma which I have to say is not so bad at all. But then, the effort of having to recreate the authentic flavour in every bite is quite tiring. We are still looking for a place that gives a person pure nirvana – from entering the place, eating their food, to feeling the ambiance. So for this dinner trip to Shawarma Snack Center, we give it two out of five stars.

Kabab Korner
Kabab Corner is a new Persian place in East Avenue, Matalino Street, near the Heart Center. One of the owners is an Iranian who also owns Kemand’s Kebab in Mendiola. When we entered the restaurant, the distinct aroma of the cuisine pierced my nose and right then and there, I know I finally found what I was looking for. I felt that I was transported to another country because I hardly saw any Filipinos around. They had a big parking lot and a huge place that was painted with warm tones and decorated with classic Persian pieces. We took our seats and comfortably read the menu. It included dishes I have never seen before at other Persian restaurants. The pictures in the menu all looked very scrumptious and added a bit of class to the place. We ordered different Kebabs (Tandoori, Beef Chelo, and Chicken), Grilled Tomato and Onions on the side, Beef Korma, Lobia rice, and Yoghurt drinks. We were surprised that the owners themselves greeted us and even served us some of the food. The cooking had a distinct authentic flavor that is hard to explain other than that it was delicious. I found the “kick” I was looking for. Like with their garlic sauce, it was the kind that pinches your tongue right when it touches it. The meats have a very distinct aroma from a certain spice that gave them a different zest. The Chello was juicy and aromatic. The yoghurt drink was exceptionally refreshing. The curry wasn’t only spicy, it had a spiced essence I can only describe as the sticking taste in your mouth, especially when you burp! It’s oniony, garlicy, spicy, sweet, salty… delicious. The dish servings were astonishly huge for its very inexpensive price and could be shared with a friend. By the end of our lunch, we were all happy and very, very full. Now I know exactly where to go for the perfect Kebab. Because of the superb service, the cozy ambiance, the price of the food, and the authenticity of the flavor, we gave Kabab Korner, you guessed it, a five out of five stars.

The search still continues, and who knows, we might discover yet another restaurant that could outdo the ones in our list. But after the treasure we have discovered at East Avenue, I don’t think anyone can top that anytime soon!

Resultado Gourmet Designs, Co. had the priviledge to food style and photograph the menu of Kabab Korner. For food styling, food photography, and menu makeover services, contact Resultado Gourmet Designs Co. at (+632)842-9480; (+63916)7408319; theo@resultado.com.ph; theo_zaragoza@yahoo.com; and visit the company’s website at www.resultado.com.ph. For the company’s news and articles, visit www.resultadofoodstylingco.blogspot.com.

By: Samantha Ramos- Zaragoza