Kubiertos

when my wife and i decided to have a food blog and bought kubiertos.com just for this purpose, all we wanted then was to simply document our experiences about food, but it is now slowly turning into something else… something new for us… and so totally unexpected…

before i met my wife, i only ate for the sustenance… i never enjoyed it, nor did i think that food is also an artform… when i met my wife, she introduced me to different kinds of food [and not just my usual like the take-away food from fastfoods] that, slowly but surely, i became some sort of connoisseur [hard word for me...]… the sort that can only eat and really experience it, but not the type who knows all the ingredients that come with it…

and so, kubiertos.com was born…

imagine my surprise when last week, Blooey Singson, a PR excutive and a writer emailed me inviting my wife and i to a food tasting over at The Podium…

and so, today, we went to The Podium to sample food over at Sugarnot!, a low-carb, low-fat, and sugar-free bakeshop, coffeeshop, and deli store all in one where you’ll find pasta, sandwiches, and all kinds of [believe me] sugar-free food… very good for those with diabetes or those who are watching their weight… before we got there, i was told by Blooey that we will be dining with the CEO of the company, and that added to our agitation since we are doing actual review for the 1st time…

i was further surprised when it turned out that the CEO was no other than Wolf Lambsdorff, a fellow badminton addict and long time badminton group mate… and so, we got to talking about how Sugarnot! started [father-in-law was a diabetic], current branches of the store [5-F The Podium • 3-F The Block, SM North • 5-F SM Megamall • Westgate Alabang • Labaire Bldg, Makati], how their products are made [details of which is found in ApplesH's entry below], and their future plans for the store [expanding to most of Asia since they cater to the Asian palate]…

anyway, when the time came to order, as usual, i got pasta but this time, i had Puttanesca, Penne with slices of black and green olives, capers, and anchovies for the sauce… it’s not my usual, but i was there to try on new stuff [the point to this blog, actually], and i was floored by the taste… tangy [pureed and air dried fresh tomatoes], salty [chicken powder], and all around delicious… and the included focaccia bread was an equally welcome surprise…

and so, if you are a diabetic or simply watching your food intake, you can now indulge in your favorite spaghetti, or tuna or turkey ham & cheese sandwich, or that chocolate cake and mango cream cake [yummy] without feeling guilty of the number of calories you are ingesting…

ApplesH says:
Ever since I can remember, I have always had an obsession with weight. I have been on all kinds of diets but the one obstacle that seems to be present in all those efforts was the fact that it is not easy or cheap to effectively diet when youre in the Philippines.

This is so because in our country white rice is staple food. In addition to that, if you do not have extra money to spend, you settle for fastfood places that serve mostly fried varieties - think McDonalds, Jollibee, Greenwich, KFC, Chowking. Even the local canteen that old office buildings have, serve food that is basically salty, oily, and fatty. For those with a sweet tooth, the choices are very limited and very expensive, and ultimately lacking in taste.

I remember trying out sugarfree desserts offered in one of the country’s more popular dessert places (no names hehe). I basically got a chocolate mousse that felt grainy in my mouth, going down my throat with a gulp of iced tea and somehow leaving a “different” aftertaste you wouldnt expect from regular desserts. I came out feeling like I had just been served hospital food (Im sure you know what I mean) and vowing never to try sugarfree again.

I mean no sugar? No taste is what I thought.

Then came Sugarnot!.

I passed by Sugarnot! already several times whenever I was in Podium but I had never had the urge to stop by and eat even if the place looked classy and chic. I guess the words sugar-free, low-carb, and low-fat put me off because of my past experiences.

I was apprehensive to try Sugarnot! actually because I really get my inspiration for blogging from my extraordinary food experiences (be it good or bad). I really wasnt expecting much to come out of this food trip.

I ordered their frankfurter sausage with potato salad as my hubby was already having pasta. The sausage I learned was taken from Santi’s Delicatessen and boiled using chicken stock. Cooking it this way removes the need to use salt for taste. Its something I should learn to do at home because the sausage was very juicy and very tasty. I will post my thoughts on the potato salad as Wolf informed us that they were currently changing the recipe so a new version will be served soon.

My husband’s putanesca was something I enjoyed as well. I never onced thought “sugar-free, low-carb, low-fat” as the sauce made from fresh pureed tomatoes was delightful. It is comparable to many pasta dishes served in other non-Sugarfree establishments.

And I just have to say I loved the bread! I loved it so much I had to ask for one even if my order did not come with it. Yummy.

The dessert-tasting was THE event we were both waiting for.

Four dessert plates were laid down in front of us.

Clockwise from the TOP-LEFT: The chocolate cake named Last Temptation is my husband’s favorite - I guess because its chocolate(?). Truthfully, if we did not know we were in a Sugarfree place, it would not have occurred to us that what we were eating was made of sugar-substitute - isomalt. The chocolate icing was surprisingly smooth to the tongue similar to how belgian chocolates would be. The New York Cheesecake was very creamy and tasty but I am not much of a fan of cheesecake in general unless it was the no-bake kind. The next dessert comes the Canonigo - a Spanish dessert made of meringue and custard sauce. Think brazo de mercedes but lighter, fluffier and without the super sweet taste of sugar that makes you want to brush your teeth after finishing a slice. The Sugarnot!’s Canonigo is definitely my favorite dessert. Its like the brazo de mercedes made especially for me. I could have finished the whole thing in seconds… if not for the other desserts waiting to be tasted. *Sigh* . Im a self-confessed mango cream pie lover… or anything that has mango in it as my husband will confirm. So I received the Mango cream cake with a lot of enthusiasm it deserved. It was delicate like gelatin but so creamy and yummy at the same time.

Sugarnot! also has a selection of soups, salads, sandwiches, cookies, pastries and chocolate truffles. There was even one chocolate candy they had that was spiked with wasabi for that mean kick. Although I suggest you try it because I certainly didnt - I am not the spicy/chili-adventurous type.

Its too bad that their famous Tiramisu was being made over so we werent able to try it but it was something I am definitely going to come back for… in addition to the Pasta Primavera.

Overall, I have been changed. I now have a delicious option to stay fit and healthy and I am taking advantage of it.

More pictures at haravata.COM.