IN a few days we will celebrate the birth of our Savior. Because by the miracle of his birth and by our faith, we are all saved and blessed with eternal life. I believe, though, that people actually started calling him ?our Savior? when he was 30. When, at a party, he converted water into wine ? and saved everyone from a really boring party!

Kidding aside, here are some recommendations on where to hold your own dinner party:

1. All Larry Cruz restaurants. The LJC Group has mastered the art of creating the best home away from home setting. From Abe in Serendra to Fely J?s and Lorenzo?s Way in Greenbelt 5, these restaurants all come with a Filipino theme, a tribute to the patriarch or matriarch?s cooking, excellent service, a welcoming atmosphere and really good Filipino food to share.

Lorenzo?s Way. G/F Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati City. (02) 729-0047 / 729-0013. Fely J?s Kitchen. 2/L, Greenbelt 5, Ayala Center, Makati. (02) 728-8878 or 728-8858. Wheelchair accessible via elevator. Abe. Serendra Plaza, Fort Bonifacio. (02) 856-0526. ljcrestaurants.com.ph

2. Kanin Club. Once when I dined here the ladies who lunch of Ayala Alabang were happily chatting away over the restaurant?s famous crispy dinuguan. It was a long table of gorgeous senior citizens who, at the sound of the bell (of the bill), all whisked out their senior citizen cards together, giggling for one great discount! Hee hee hee.

Westgate Mall Commercial Center, Alabang. (02) 771-1400. UP-Ayala Land TechnoHub, Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, Quezon City. Paseo de Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

3. Hai Shin Lou. It?s not a family affair without Chinese food! Our favorite reasonably priced Chinese restaurant is still Hai Shin Lou on Pasay Road. They have great hakaw, pigeon, and my friend The Prince says their Mac Noodles are the best.
810 Arnaiz Ave., San Lorenzo Village, Makati. (02) 892-5148

4. I Am Angus. It?s not Holy Week, give me steak! If all you want is steak, take the family to I Am Angus on Yakal. Steak is their specialty, using certified angus beef. It?s not fatty, butter knife wagyu; there?s Tsukiji and Little Tokyo for that. It?s not Peter Luger style steak; there?s Mamou for that. It?s plain ol? good American steak. But it comes at a price. For those who would like to spread their budget as they spread the love, Myron?s in Greenbelt or Rockwell is a reliable alternative for the carnivores.

Home Sweet Home

The best parties are the ones at home (or at the rich relative?s house). If you wish to order in, here are some items you might want in your menu and the corresponding numbers you would want in your speed dial:

1. Lechon Baka. The best lechon baka is found in Sta. Maria, Bulacan. They will deliver the cow in its entire holiness to your choice destination, lay out a table and chop, chop, chop it for you as your party gets underway. Favorite clients: Former President Joseph Estrada and Senator Jinggoy Estrada.

43 M. de Guzman St., San Gabriel, Sta. Maria, Bulacan. Look for Arlene. Tel. (044) 6410331 / 0916-2356210.

2. Lechon Baboy. Elar?s is one of the more popular lechon providers, but among foodies, the favorite is Aling Loring?s lechon. Chef Pogi says it?s because Aling Loring?s lechon ?tastes clean, has nice skin, and is not too fatty.? It?s a baboy that?s not baboy!

Tel. (02) 7242867 / (02) 7252580. Look for Alex.

3. Relishes. You cannot have a Filipino fiesta without Mang Tomas, achara, bagoong and suka! Nana Meng?s achara is something that I will miss the most from her passing away. Thankfully, my mom has recreated and learned to bottle it so her tradition lives on, no longer just with tsokolate but also with her bagoong and achara ? two relishes that we cannot live without! The papaya in this achara is finer than the grocery store types, does not use raisins (I never appreciated that), and is light. Now Nana Meng never made suka, but thank God we have the Tayags (Claude and Maryann) for that! I will always remember Mary Ann Tayag going from table to table at the lanai of their wonderful Pampanga home that they open upon reservation, asking, ?Are you ready for the suka challenge?? Nothing beats their five-years aged suka!

Nana Meng?s Relishes. 3/L Glorietta 4, Alabang Town Center 2/L, Robinsons Galleria G/F behind the supermarket. 0917-8339539.

4. Chocolate Cake. It?s not Christmas without dessert, and the favorite dessert will always be chocolate cake. Now chocolate cakes may come in all forms ? decadent, dark, moist ? but the overall favorite is still the moist kind. Two bakers of the Rockwell Baker?s Dozen moist it best: Kitchen?s Best by Roselyn and Polly?s. Order ahead, they are bound to be booked for Christmas.

My latest addiction, though, is not chocolate cake but the Triple Chocolate Cheesecake of my sister Goldee, who has just started her own baking line registered as Sweet Sally, after my paternal grandmother. It has an oreo crust, a chocolate cheesecake body with chocolate shavings on top. I wish my Lola Sally lived long enough to taste this. If she doesn?t have this in heaven, salvation?s not worth it, haha!

Kitchen?s Best Home Patisserie. 2316 Pasong Tamo Ext., Magallanes. 0917-8966248.
Sweet Sally Desserts. 0923-8478290. sweetsallydesserts@gmail.com

5. Fruit cake. As the Eraserheads have documented in their opus, it?s not a Filipino Christmas without fruitcake. I hate fruitcake so I had to ask the experts for their recommendations for this one. According to both cake artist Penk Ching and F&B World ed-in-chief Nana Ozaeta, Judy Lao?s at the Baker?s Dozen is the best. Judy Lao 0917-8128812

6. Wine. Can?t do a Jesus? Call the Wine Depot. They have a range of wines from less than P200 per bottle to the expensive ones for connoisseurs.

Wine Depot. Makati Branch Reposo: 217 Nicanor Garcia St., Bel-Air Village, Makati City Tel. 8973220. www.winewarehouse.com.ph
Merry Christmas! ?