On the way home, we passed by Pancake House so we decided to have our late lunch there. Ordering was quick and food was so-so. Here’s what we had.

Potato Salad

Vanilla Shake (extra thick) Guess whos’ order is this?

T Bone Steak with wedge potatoes

Rib Eye Steak with mashed potatoes and buttered veggies

I did not get to finish my steak but no worries, the husband to the rescue. And even before I finish talking on the phone with my cousin who was asking for help on miami hotels recommendations (as if I’ve been there), he was done!Now, who’s on a diet????

Who can resist yummy steak and pasta marinara? Well, not me! I indulged!!!

Feeling uber full after, I wanted to puke! Ang taba ko na kasi!!!!!

Hay, what to do?? I want to stop eating, pronto!

Jon’s 140z steak.

My baked lobster.

We rode the funicular again too as per the little girl’s request and even rode a golf cart at Midlands Golf Club. Sophia had a blast picking up golf balls while we were roaming around. I say, she’ll pass for a caddy!

The little girl was very relaxed so we were not in a hurry to eat at all as she was having fun looking at the coy pond. We sat right beside the pond thats why.

Here are some photos.

Here’s what we ate, Jon and I had one serving of each plus bread and soup.

For dessert, here’s what we had.

Food was yummy but a bit expensive. We are coming back though to try their other specialty – lechon de leche which needs to be called in first a day before.

But what makes Wagyu Beef special and oh so tender?

According to Wikipedia:

Wagyu refers to several breeds of cattle genetically predisposed to intense marbling and to producing a high percentage of oleaginous unsaturated fat. Also known as Kobe-style beef, the meat from Wagyu cattle is known worldwide for its marbling characteristics, increased eating quality through a naturally enhanced flavor, tenderness and juiciness, and thus a high market value. Grocery stores in the United States will sell cuts of American Wagyu for $40/lb to $150/lb (€26/kg to €100/kg).

(Here in the Philippines, I buy 4 3/4 thick raw slices of Wagyu for P10,000 at Tenderbites inside Makati Supermarket.)

Because of the Wagyu cattle’s genetic predisposition and special diet including beer and sake,^[1] wagyu yields a beef that contains a higher percentage of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids^[2] than typical beef. The increased marbling also improves the ratio of monounsaturated fats to saturated fats.

There are four major breeds of Wagyu (wa means Japanese, and gy? means cattle, or simply “Japanese cow”): Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, and Japanese Shorthorn. Japanese breed names include: Tajima, Tottori, Shimane, Kochi and Kumamoto.

Here’s how a Wagyu Slice looks like.

Was excited to cook food for noche buena I wanted to put my new kitchen appliances to test that’s why. Started the day marinating the steak I bought at Makati Supermarket. Asked my helper to peel the potatoes also and chop the veggies for the buttered vegetable side dish I was going to make. Took out the shrimps from the freezer and asked my helper, Jen, to cut them at the back so they would end up looking like butterflies. I just sprinkled them with salt and pepper after. Thanks to Jhoanne for my recipes btw.

By 7 pm, went to mass and when we got back Jon couldn’t wait to eat na and asked me to cook the food already that was intended for our noche buena. I said, it’s still too early but I cooked na rin anyway since I wanted to eat na also, hehe.

By 9:30pm, Jon and I were eating already. Our guest was yet to arrive ng 12mn so sabi namin we’ll just eat again I’m not much of a cook so no matter how simple the dishes I made, super proud pa rin ako At buti naman almost all the time that I attempt to cook, the result is successful. Here’s what I prepared:

angus beef steak fried in butter with mashed potatoes and buttered veggies

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shrimps sauteed in butter and garlic with lemon butter sauce

~~~ mango royale c/o pinoy cook

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***spaghetti, bbq and majestic ham not included in the pic coz I wasn’t the one who cooked those :p

Joni arrived at little past 12mn and true to our word, Jon and I joined him and ate again

Made kwentuhan and drank some beer after. Called it a night at 3:30am na. We still have a very full packed day on the 25th eh.

If you’re wondering about Sophia, well, she was past asleep already. She has no more gift to open as of Christmas eve coz na-open na lahat her gifts, hehe. Excited mommy kase! Besideds, i ddin’t want to let her stay up late coz we’re leaving early the next morning coz we have three destinations. Those three covering south to north- san pedro, laguna (jon’s lolo and lola-mother side), sta. mesa, manila (jon’s lola-father side) and pampanga (my family).