Beef Pares Recipe

1/2 kilo of beef (uncut, brisket part)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

4 cloves garlic (minced)

1 medium onion (minced)

2 tbsp ginger (minced)

2 beef cubes

3 pcs star anise

Salt and pepper

4 cups of water

Boil the meat until tender. (maybe an hour in a cooking pot or 20 mins in a pressure cooker). Once done get the beef out of the stock and cut in cubes.

Saute ginger, onion, and garlic. Put in the beef and stir fry it. Next is the soy sauce and 1 cup of beef stock from earlier procedure. Bring it to boil. Once boiling put in the beef cubes and star anise. Add water as necessary to make the beef more tender. After 10-15 mins, put the sugar, salt and pepper. Let the sauce thicken and serve the pares with hot rice.

VERDICT

WILL: I saw a photo of beef tapa and my mind immediately gave a signal to my salivary gland to moisten my mouth. Drooling, so ai requested Abbey to cook that for me, but he was hesitant so I just asked him to cook a morcon for me. 

      I was so excited to go home yesterday since I know that Morcon and gravy is waiting for me. When I am about to sit, there is a bowl of thick sauced meat, and asked Abbey what was that,  with his poker face told me that it was a beef pares as per request. Hearing that I jumped my way to him, squeeze him tight and murmur how much I love him. :) 

      While eating my beef pares, Abbey aked me to take a look and taste off the morcon, I just told him I will eat those later. Haha. The beef pares really reminds me of tapsilogan along 9th avenue caloocan. Haha. So delicious. After I put down my spoon and fork, there is a feeling within that my tummy will be exploding. Haha. I really miss this food. Love it a lot :) 

Savages

ABBEY: What if you got addicted to "Mary Jane"? What if you had the best pot in the world and have knowledge to nurture it? That means business and trouble also. That's what Ben (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and O (Blake Lively) did. They grow the plant and sell for medicinal use; but the big money comes from black market. Ben and Chon are buddies since college. They share the same house, clothes and girl. Yes they do that. As their business prospers a lot of people is getting envy. The Mexican drug cartel founded by late husband of Elena (Salma Hayek) along with her right hand Lado (Benicio del Toro) kidnapped their shared girlfriend and ask for a cut in their profit along with passing of knowledge for the plant. 

Ben wanted to give all to them and start a good new life but it wasn't easy for Chon. He wants to fight. They asked for help from their protector, a corrupt government agent, but he can't do a thing about it. They find their own way to get O in whichever way possible. The movie is kind of alarming but its happening. People will kill and die for that. But in the end you will only sole responsible for yourself and your actions.

WILL: Well, when the things were meant for you, you will have it no matter what. Haha. 

      Yeah we were the lucky ten of Singapore FHM when they posted their movie ticket giveaway of Savages. 

      After office, I immediately ran to Orchard Shaw Lido and met Abbey and see the movie. That flick is a story of two good friends who shared anything and everything and even the girl they love. How complicated life that the illegal drugs brought them. 

      9/10, quite long movie but I enjoyed it a lot specially the ending. This movie is prohibited for underage children. 

Eatzi Gourmet Restaurant

ABBEY: We got another round of vouchers from our bank. Before heading to our archery session we had out lunch at Eatzi Gourmet in Safra Country Club. Eatzi Gourmet is one of the diner chains of JP Pepperdine. I got their October promo of N.Z. strip loin steak at less than 20sgd. Top it with 5sgd more and you've got soup of the day, dessert and hot drink. 

The steak come with baked potato topped with sour cream, and vegetable side dish. The taste is great. My jaw got tired as I chew the big steak. The dessert os a slice of crumble pie. Small as it is but the flavor will have a big  burst in your mouth. We ended the lunch with coffee and tea. The place is homey and light.

WILL: Weekend and you want to go out and looking somewhere to eat your lunch or dinner without the buzzing business of crowded place? Why not go here at Safra Yishun Country Club, here located is the Eatzi Gourmet.

      From Punggol we just took bus and got there for only 40 mins. As we entered the building, a lovely receptionist smiled us and told Abbey to just let the green footprints lead our way to the restaurant. We followed and gladly reached this relaxing and family oriented place.

      As we sat down, they gave us menu and Abbey went for steak, and for me was Norwegian Salmon Smothered. The baked salmon when hits the sauce is a really clicked tandem. It costs $18.50 and we topped up $4.80 to have a soup, dessert and hot drinks.

      Oh my, I cannot finish the salmon because I really squeezed in my stomach all the mashed potato. I had only two spoons of the lovely crumb pie and the half cup of the tea. Gosh, my tummy is so full.

      Citibank really rocks! We have this opportunity to taste the foods from Eatzi Gourmet because of the points-system of their credit cards.