Cure for Mondays

Starting lunch off with Summer Burrata Salad with prosciutto, burrata, parmigiano reggiano, pine nuts and dalandan dressing.  (PhP440)

I don't like Sundays. If there's a day during the week when I get the blues, it's never on a Monday. Sundays always give me that hypochondriac-ish nausea; an out-of-the-blue blues. I like quiet, but if it's the Sunday kind of quiet, I'm quick to despise it. 

When Mr Young told us he was going to have a meeting in Makati last Sunday, the kids and I decided to tag along and intended to make it a long, nice family day out instead. We lived in Makati for three years and have never lost that special spot for the modern jungle that it is. 

Remembering friends and acknowledging the fact that meals are more important than we think, so sit down and eat.

Panna Sausage. Prosciutto, tomato sauce, kesong puti, arugula and parmesan (PhP 320)

There are times when we think about family and friends and wonder how everyone is doing in this very busy world. It's a near yet distant world in the indefatigable presence of the social media. It's so strange that you know what everyone's doing {or not doing; what they had for dinner and who their current pet peeves are} and not really know how they are in their quiet, out-of-the-limelight existence. How people communicate has changed {ancient news, it is} and it's amazing how fast someone can reply to a message from seas across the world. But that has somehow taken away the sincerity of the how-are-you question. Now people ask for the sake of asking because heck, you can ask someone how he is 50 times a day, and get an answer in lightning speed, can't you? The time and the patience spent waiting for the postman to arrive gives "how are you" the hankering it deserves. 

My friend Fay, who's based in New York, asked me if I finally got the letter from her. No, I haven't, and it has kept me on my toes for many weeks, looking out the window for any signs of the postman.

Besides the snail mail, a table with good food on it is a place to make or maintain strong connections with people. The positive impact of family dinners to children can't be emphasized enough by so many studies. During meals, everyone focuses on everyone present at the table, establishes eye contact and makes meaningful conversations. Of course it always helps when the food is good.

Bacon Sausage. Tagliatelle, bacon, homemade sausage, parmesan and cream (PhP 215)

We have established some carry-over rules from our grandparents when it comes to dinner time. Everyone has to be present when dinner's been called; nothing is more important than our time together at the table; no discussion of gory news {a rule my mother breaks all the time}; table manners have to be observed at all times. 

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza at Salcedo Village in Makati

Pizza is an easy decision to make when we're out looking for a bite, and Gino's Brick Oven Pizza fed our fancy last Sunday. We started out with Summer Burrata Salad which had a generous serving of burrata {Italian cheese made from a mix of mozarella and cream}. The Panna Sausage pizza was flavorful yet very subtle, a welcoming change from the usual pizzas we have that always burst with strong flavors. For pasta we chose Bacon Sausage, which turned out to be a delight! 

Gino's at Bautista St., Salcedo Village, Makati City. Call them at (02) 7798192 or 09179645339

And if you've had your share of disappointments from insipid Americanos like I have, Gino's Americano will win you over, I tell you. 

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