My siblings and I grew up eating Nora Daza’s recipes because our grandmother was a fan and because my mom learned how to cook different dishes from Nora’s cookbooks. She was the Martha Stewart of her time.
Some of my prized possessions:
I was one of the lucky ones who were invited to the special lunch for the culinary icon a few years ago at Dusit Thani Manila. I was able to have my cookbooks signed by Ms. Nora Daza!
Excuse the stained pages of my cookbooks; I use them as references when cooking. I think it adds character to them. I can still smell some of the sauce drippings on the paper! Haha
Cooking with Nora and her kids
My mom used to watch her cooking show ‘Let’s Cook with Nora’. As a teenager, I also watched her children’s, Sandy and Nina Daza’s, cooking show. I have to be honest: I don’t think I’ve tried cooking any of their recipes at that time but I always watched their shows because their voices were soothing and Sandy and Nina seemed to have fun cooking. They also made easy and special meals.
Fast forward to 2011. I met Sandy Daza once because my daughter Aryanna used to be classmates with his daughter. I told the girls about my TV experience with the Daza’s and they thought it was cute. Or maybe weird. Oh well.
I was saddened by the passing of Ms. Nora Daza a few days ago. It felt as if I’d lost a mentor. Sorry to sound dramatic but cooking is personal and Nora Daza’s recipes were part of our family. And to quote the main character in the movie ‘Julia & Julia’, “And it was like she was there, like Julia was there in the room, on our side like some great big good fairy. And everything was going to be all right.” Nora Daza was our food fairy.
The passing of the wooden spoon
The beauty about heirloom recipes is that they transcend time, gender, nationality and generations. I’m very happy that Nora Daza’s son Sandy Daza has opened a new branch of his restaurant Wooden Spoon (the original branch is located at Katipunan Avenue, Loyola Heights, Q.C.) in Powerplant Mall, Rockwell!
Like what I tweeted last weekend, in memory of Ms. Nora Daza, Aryanna and I had lunch at Wooden Spoon.
The interior:
Family style dining
The plato-platuhan:
My lunch date:
Aryanna is always doodling
The vibe:
Pila-pila lang, poh!
Ze menu:
I enjoyed reading Sandy’s descriptions in the menu. I love his food stories and down-to-earth style.
Delicious Daza Classics:
The Wansoy Shrimp Nuggets are the perfect appetizer. They are savory, crunchy, leaving your palette wanting for more!
It comes with two sauces; the green (wansoy sauce) is our favorite! The freshness of the cilantro gives a yummy contrast to the shrimp balls.
Oh gaaad…
The Boneless Crispy Chicken is a must-try! The crust of the chicken is super crispy and no annoying bones will stop you from wolfing down this baby!
Tip: Ask for extra gravy!
Perfection!
Sandy Daza’s Tostadong Pork Adobo is the bomb! It’s game over with this dish!
Aryanna and I wanted to order more but our tummy couldn’t handle any more food. All the dishes we tried were delicious, unpretentious and affordable. Check out our bill for two:
To Wooden Spoon from Aryanna
Congratulations Sandy Daza! Your dishes are as special as your mom’s but with your personal touch. We love your restaurant! Aryanna and I will be back soon together with the boys. Maybe tomorrow. Or later. Gaaad… maybe we should go now! LOL
After tasting some of Sandy’s dishes, I’m going to check out his own cookbooks and hopefully have them signed too.
Visit Wooden Spoon now and bring the fam bam!
Comments 1
I’ve seen this resto but never got the guts to go in and try it. Thanks for the tips and the sneak peak into the menu. Will definitely try the crispy adobo!