Luistro, Abunda open Manila Int’l Book Fair 2017 at SMX

On its 38th year, the Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), promises to be bigger and better this year, now with two floors of exhibit space to celebrate the written word and the love for reading.

Slated to open on Wednesday, Sept. 13, and to run until Sept. 17 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City, MIBF 2017 returns with more than a hundred exhibitors to satisfy the Filipino public’s reading fix.

Set to grace the opening ceremony are president of De La Salle Philippines and former Education secretary Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC; and talk show host, media personality, certified bookworm and now author Boy Abunda.

In response to the growing audience for MIBF, which reaches up to 120,000 visitors over the five-day event, MIBF has expanded its exhibit space beyond the main exhibit halls, increasing the exhibit floor from  9,130 to 11,980 square meters

This year, the MIBF will be showcasing books for young readers – from baby books to YA – on the second floor. Hence, the MIBF is oce more poised to showcase the biggest and most varied collection of literature for leisure and academic reading, including bestsellers, children’s books and YA, textbooks and reference materials, comics and graphic novels, religious and inspirational reads, multimedia and teaching aids, and many more.

Readers can also look forward to a lineup of exciting events in store for this year’s crowd, from book launches, book signings, meet and greets, storytelling, cosplay, special contests, seminars and workshops, and other special activities designed for book lovers of all ages and all walks of life.

Also co-located at the MIBF is the National Conference on Technology in Education set on September 12 to 14, driving conversations about modernized trends in the Philippine education sector.

The MIBF is organized by Primetrade Asia, Inc. in partnership with Asian Catholic Communicators, Inc., Book Development Association of the Philippines, Philippine Booksellers Association, Inc., and the Overseas Publishers Representatives’ Association of the Philippines.

For details, call 896-0661 or 896-0682, e-mail bookfair@primetradeasia.com, or follow @ManilaBookFair on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

REDD: The New Foodie Destination at Prism Plaza

A few years ago, before I decided to blog full-time, I used to work at one of the BPOs located at ONE E-Com.  Back then the row of restaurants at the seaside were still  being constructed and the only dining choices we had were the 24 hour convenience stores and a couple of food chains nearby.

The problem is that these fast food restos were often packed with other employees who probably realized that eating siopao, hotdog or noodles wasn’t exactly a good way to live. We were deprived of affordable, delicious food during those times.

Our encounters with real food, and complete meals only existed during paydays and we had to go to the SM Moa or at the stretch of expensive restos at SM Moa By the Bay.

I finally got the chance to revisit the place a few weeks ago when one of our close blogger friends Alex Dizon invited us over for a food review.  He was quite excited to show us this new restaurant  at the Two E-com, (which just a stone's throw away from One E-Com) The name of the place was REDD and it had this cool millennial vibe with its detailed red and white decor, with cute lamps hanging around the ceiling.  REDD is located upstairs Prism Plaza which has a nice view of the bay area, and had the perfect view during those pyromusical events. It has a separate videoke room if you want to chill out with friends for good food and music.

The REDD features Filipino delicious funny sounding names to your usual "pulutan" or "ulam".
Their menu was composed mostly of Filipino dishes, which you can order either in “selfie,” “date,” and “groufie” sizes, depending on your budget, diet or if you are with friends.

Sisig Ala Kanto

We were then served two versions of sisig. Their best selling Sisig ala kanto is an heirloom recipe of one of the owners, Its a street style pork mascara and ears with chicken liver. The best pulutan there is to order with chicharon as toppings. Or if you're watching your diet, you can try out their SEAsig, made of tuna, bangus and dory. Ask for some siling labuyo for that extra kick. 

Seasig

Unlike your ordinary sisig, REDDs version is not topped with egg or mayonnaise so you could enjoy and savor the taste of the individual ingredients. 

Juana Fries

On this particular visit we tried out their Juana Fries- hand cut camote tops fried 3x and topped with cheddar cream cheese, salsa and chili con carne. What makes this particular dish unique is the crispiness of the camote fries and the salsa that tastes out of this world.

Chicken and Pork Adobo

Redd's version of Chicken and Pork Adobo topped with fresh garlic! Best with steamed rice. 

Anybody can cook Chicken and Pork Adobo, but not the way REDD does it. Sandwiched between crunch slices of pork belly bagnet and seasoned chicken leg and thigh inasal mixed in special adobo sauce. The result is a smoky grilled taste with a crunch in every bite! 

Beef Kaldereta 

Beef kaldereta is comprised of potatoes, carrots, chili, pitted olives, bell pepper and of course the key ingredient, the tomato sauce. I love how the potatoes were fried and separated while all the ingredients are cooked first. 

Beef Kaldereta slow cooked braised beef from batangas made special with their kaldereta sauce.

Kansi

Kansi is Ilonggo’s version of the famous Bulalo. The dish is a cross between bulalo and sinigang. This is the first time I have tasted kansi.  If you’re feeling a bit cold, especially now that the rainy season is kicking in you might want to try this soup.

Grilled Tuna Belly

Grilled tuna is my comfort food. I could eat this all day on its own. Redd's version of Grilled Tuna Belly is the best there is because of its sweet and tangy marinade flavor that takes away the "lansa" of the fish, good thing is that the inside meat is cooked just right, soft and juicy. 

Bagoong Rice

The fried rice dish that makes use of bagoong or shrimp paste, topped with stripped green mangoes, best to partner with REDD's mains. Now I try to avoid rice as much as possible but I couldn’t resist the Bagoong Rice and tinapa rice. That perfectly complemented the meals I mentioned above.

Mango Tango 

To cap the meal,  REDD got your favorite signature cocktails like the Mango Tango, Coco Martini, Samalamig, Mojito de Guimaras and many others. You'll be surprised for the alcohol content, but not enough to knock you down. Unless you order for local beers.

With the opening of REDD, those working at the BPO offices in the area can have something to look forward to before or after their shift. It’s a great place to hang out, chill out or even spend some time singing some tunes at the REDD private videoke lounge which can be availed of through reservation at a very friendly price. REDD has prepared very affordable special KTV packages that start at Php199.00 to Php4,999.00 depending on the number of guests. Visitors can likewise request for the Beer Pong station to be set up for a rollicking good time.

REDD is located at Prism Plaza, Two E-Com Building, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. For more details and for updates on promos, visit the REDD Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/REDDeatdrinkchill and Instagram account: @REDDeatdrinkchill