"For life is more than food"

"FOR LIFE IS MORE THAN FOOD"
REMEMBER: THE KEY TO A DELICIOUS AND YUMMY DISH IS "ALWAYS" FRESH INGREDIENTS!

November 13, 2014

May 9, 2014 Al-Shams Restaurant (Cooking Ina’s Kitchen Book 2 – My First 100 Restaurant Review)

I set another goal of having to review 100 restaurant all over the metropolis and targeting to finish it by end of this year. I have left my blog site empty since May 2014 and I am diligently praying that I would finish it before 2014 bids goodbye. Just this May, I was able to visit a restaurant along Aguirre Ave BF Homes Paranaque called Al-Shams. Among other reviews I read, they offer authentic Indian, Pakistan and Middle Eastern Cuisine so my curiosity got me. We visited, along with my cousin to find out if it’s really authentic. By the way, I love Middle Eastern Cuisine so much even though I haven’t been in the place and tasted an authentic one. This restaurant maybe can do justice in convincing me more to love the cuisine.We ordered Chapli Kebab/Lamb which is minced/ground meat blended with spices.Tasting the flavors carefully, I realized the spices used were curry powder, cumin and masala if I am not mistaken. It tasted so good and I honestly enjoyed it. Just don’t mention the serving portion because I just can’t get enough of it. We ordered the flat bread together with humus. I find my own version better, hey this is my blog site and I have my bragging rights in here haha. It’s not bad at all but it can still do better. Mediterranean cuisine requires strong flavors and spices so I guess they failed a little on this part. We added rice in our order but I hasn’t been delighted enough because it is just a plain steamed rice mixed over with butter or margarine. Nothing very interesting about it. On top of these meals are the dips that I, well honestly enjoyed too. The spicy one and the sour cream sauce in which we dipped our grilled meat on, it just tasted perfectly well. But just before serving our meal, they offered us a chips platter which I was amused and delighted because, you see, it was just nuts and chips but the seasoning they poured over it was just as perfect. It tasted like a curry chips and it is just so brilliant idea to start it over with your meal. We concluded the hearty meal with, what drinks do you think will  compliment this type of cuisine? Of course, it is always the cool and refreshing yogurt drink.
With this experience, I would say, this restaurant has influenced me a lot about cooking more of the Mediterranean cuisine. It’s obvious, I just had my last event with this theme, and lucky enough, people enjoyed my food so much.
By the way, the place is clean and homey, and the air is filled with heaven scent of spices :)