Champorado and Cereal

Do you have a comfort food? I think I have lots judging by my weight. But what I really look for most of the time is your good old champorado. The very basic chocolate rice porridge made of glutinous rice and rich cocoa. I like mine swimming with milk.

I haven't eaten it with tuyo (dried fish) yet though I remember my grandfather won't have any champorado unless he has dried fish with it.

There's a classic story going around in our family about my special inclination with champorado. My Aunt asked me what food do I want on my eighth birthday. And without batting an eyelash I said champorado. That's been a running story and joke in our family. That everytime there's a birthday celebration, the champorado should not be missed.

I guess I love champorado because of the memories it hold too. Cooking it, preparing it is so simple but it's been one of my bonding moments with my mother. I love how she does it and how she gives me bowl after bowl whenever I ask of it. Living in the U.S. now, she tells me she still prepares it from time to time and serve it with my sister and brother.

Now I am doing the same with my daughter. Though lately, it's not champorado. She finds delight in this chocolate cereal with milk. She has to have it in the morning along side other breakfast and she has to have it in the afternoon when she gets home from school.

She loves cereals - Oreo's, waffle crisps and fruity pebbles with fresh milk. But this Milo cereal, she loves it with powdered milk diluted with water. Preferences, preferences.

Comfort food within the comforts of home having it with the person you love most. Bliss. :)
********** Mood: Calm
Music: Chasing Cars, Snow Patrol

Conti's

We had our early dinner at Conti's last week after doing a little shopping and groceries in a nearby mall. We scouted for a dining place as we went around. I suggested Conti's to hubs and daughter. I first had a taste of the frozen mango tart from this restaurant during a birthday celebration at the office. It was really good. Needless to say that's one of the desserts we ordered.

The other one is one of their best sellers, choco overload. I would like to try anything chocolate, except for chocolate mint. Here it is, really delectable.

Before the desserts came the main course. No appetizers needed but drinks to quench our thirst from the long walk inside the mall. I had mango, hubby had iced tea and the little girl had her shake.

I tried the baked salmon as it is said to be their specialty. It's good though the cheese topping has a somewhat strong garlic taste.

One of hubby's favorite foods is the chicken ala kiev which he also prepares for our dinner from time to time. He tried this one from Conti's. He found the serving quite small versus his appetite.

My daughter had her chicken and fries with macaroni salad on the side. Nothing fancy about the taste, a standard fix for my daughter whenever we dine out.

The day proved to be full of Conti's as my cousin brought us a her belated birthday gift for my daughter, a chocolate cake from the said restaurant.

My daughter brought half for her classmates the following day and her friends loved it! Anyone's who's a chocolate lover would I suppose. It's delicious. :)

********** Mood : Pleased.
Music: Soft Melody, John Kaizan Neptune