Sikreto ni Maria

I grew up eating at LJC restaurants because a good friend of my mom is affiliated with the group. I've always regarded the chain of restaurants as top class but I don't fuss over it because I've been eating their food for so long I'm used to it already. For some who's not familiar with them, they are the group behind Cafe Havana, Bistro Remedios, Abe, Fely J's, and Lorenzo's Way.

Ironically, I haven't even featured their food in the blog. So for the first time ever, I'm sharing you with a favorite of mine, from all of the LJC restaurants:

Ang Sikreto Ni Maria. I know, it looks just like one big mound of white fluff but behind all these are layers and layers of heaven! So, what's Maria's secret?

It's sticky rice (suman) with mangoes, coconut cream, semi-frozen ice cream and sweetened young coconut (pulot). I cannot describe how heavenly it tastes because I'm sure my adjective list will not suffice.

I love it so much because of all the different flavors and textures. The sticky rice is chewy and perfectly cooked; the mangoes were ripe and firm; the coconut cream was at room temperature and just had a bit of sweetness to it; the semi-frozen ice cream melted beautifully over the sticky rice; and the young coconut strips added crunch and elevated the taste to another level! YUMMY! It's also not too sweet and the combination and layering of flavor is perfectly balanced, you can't just have one bite.

I will always be a fan of LJC restaurants not just because of the affinity with the owners, but more because it's also one of the very few high class restaurants that serve really tasty Filipino dishes. Makes me proud to be Pinoy and gives me a feeling of nationalism everytime I eat their food. Thank you LJC group for showing the world how to cook Filipino dishes well and actually be something to be proud of!

...and oh since we're already on the topic, let me give you a heads up on the newest Abe restaurant that opened a few days ago at Ayala Town Center:

It's still in its soft launch but the place is packed already!-- a testament to just how tasty and well prepared their food is!

Again, congratulations to the LJC group