Love At First Bite: Mesclun Bistro

It has been a while since my last entry as I have been trying to lead a more active lifestyle and I'm dead tired by the time I get home. I'm happy to share though that finally, I have a bit of arm muscles! Woohoo! Those hours of planking, low push ups and whatnot poses finally paid off! However, practicing yoga and going to the gym surrounded by amazing restaurants is a huge temptation. I usually end up having two breakfasts or a heavy lunch (plus dessert at times).

I met up with N one rainy Saturday afternoon after a (kind of) relaxing yoga. The weather was crazy as it was the time typhoon Maring was making its grand entrance felt. N and I were planning to check the Fort Strip for new restaurants but since we only have one umbrella to share, we ended up stuck in Serendra. Luckily, N remembered Mesclun, a restaurant a lot of people raved about. I recall seeing a lot of posts about it and I was curious myself.

So, Mesclun it is. 

It took us quite a while to decide on what to order as everything seems so tempting. There were different pizza, salad, pasta, and mains to choose from. At first we ordered Grilled Salmon Steak (PHP645) and eventually decided to cancel it for a Four Cheese Sourdough Pizza (PHP345). We also ordered Goat Cheese Salad (PHP455) and Sisig Spaghetti (PHP245). I also ordered a Power Shake (PHP195) to give me well, uh, power!

While waiting, we were given complimentary bread and butter with herbs. It was such a great start as the bread alone was tasty!

The Power Shake, a combination of apple, cucumber, and lettuce was very refreshing as well. I just hope that they pulsed it a bit more as there are some chunks that get stuck in the straw that made sipping a bit challenging.

Restaurant Discovery: Madeca

I admit, as much as I want to be lean and strong, I would choose a food trip over a free workout anytime. However, the case was different a few weeks back. I felt really heavy and when I do, I just have to give in to exercise and tried Plana Forma. It was PAIN. But there’s something I look forward to after every workout… reward. And by reward I mean food.

After an hour of squatting, T and I went to Podium with the plan of eating at Wildflour. It was our second attempt to do so but when we arrived, the place was packed with hungry brunch people. So we decided to look for another place to have brunch. Then I remembered Madeca. I saw it before in Yummy magazine and fell in love with the cute mason glasses. 

Luckily, the 4^th floor of Podium isn’t packed. (Normally, the busiest floor is the ground floor where Wildflour is located.) There was only one diner when we arrived. 

We noticed that Madeca isn’t an authentic Mexican restaurant. It is a fusion between Mexican and Filipino. I got intrigued with Lechon Kawali Burrito (PHP245) so I ordered one along with Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla (PHP125) and Guava Mojito (PHP135). T on the other hand ordered  Sisig Burrito (PHP225).

The Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla was on the bland side but topping it with sour cream and salsa solves that. I love that it was served warm. The chips were delightful too as it added texture to the dish.

Love at First Bite: Bono Artisanal Gelato

Dessert. It’s something I look forward to in every meal. I love to order a complete course whenever I eat out. I must have an appetizer, a main course, and dessert. No wonder I’m feeling heavy again. 

After a hearty Mexican lunch, my friend T and I decided to walk around Podium and burn some calories before heading to Wildflour for some cronuts. But something else caught our eye… Bono Artisanal Gelato. 

 

The cute kiosk at the ground floor is quite eye catching. The clean design and that clear glass encasing the “lab” are so adorable. The names of the flavors were pretty witty too. I had a hard time choosing which one to buy as I was torn between Speculoos and Taho. Eventually, I decided to go for Speculoos as it was tastier.

Food Find: Chatime's Kronuts

The Cronut mania is still very alive as I still see long lines in Wildflour, empty racks in Chatime and posts on social media. I got to try the ones from Dunkin Donut (which you have to eat warm if you want to enjoy it), the cute version of Le Coeur (cute because it was the smallest so far), and Chatime’s Kronuts (which at first was sold out 30 minutes after opening). There’s still a lot more to try but my pants are suffering!

My mom called me one night and said that she was buying a few stuff from Pioneer Center and the first thing that came to my head was Chatime’s Kronuts. (They spell it like that since they can’t use the word Cronut as it was trademarked.) My mom asked which flavors and I tried to think for a moment but then decided to say, “ALL!” So much for trying to live healthier. >.<

When I got home, I was greeted by 6 Kronuts and all looked so yummy and saying, “Eat me! No me first! MEEE!” Okay, that was weird but you get my point.

The first one I tried was the sugar raised Kronut and I was surprised that it has hazelnut filling! I really enjoyed this one!

Chocoholic News Alert: Ovomaltine is coming soon to Manila!

Oh oh Ovalteenies, oh oh Ovalteenies. You just can't get enough, you just can't get enough oh~~ Please tell me I'm not the only one who remembers this jingle. 

Image from: adyingstar.blogspot.com

I grew up drinking chocolate drinks as my after school treat. One month with Milo, another with Ovaltine, another with Enervon HP then repeat. (Yeah, I wasn't offered Swiss Miss when I was a kid.)

Just drinking a cup of hot chocolate brings so much comfort, especially on a gloomy day as today. It makes me want to stay in bed, watch some movies and drink my cup of happiness.

Image from: www.ovomaltine.ch

But just when I thought these powdered chocolate can't be better, Ovaltine came up with Ovomaltine, a crunchy chocolate spread that you can use to whip up amazing baked goods or simply as spread (if baking is such a chore or if you can't bake to save your life).