Saturday, September 29, 2018

Indulgence Redefined with Milkmaid

I am a fan of Chef Miko Aspiras, one of the most brilliant pastry chefs in Manila, and probably in Asia and the world. Known for his refreshing take in sweet treats, you might remember him with the quirky and quite revolutionary ice cream flavor ketchup and mayo. And this time around, Milkmaid, the premium condensed milk that we grew to love and perhaps get addicted to, has challenged the young innovative chef to come up with desserts that would redefine how we describe the word indulgence. 
Indulgence has always been defined as an excess of something and there's a saying that anything in excess is bad. But Chef Miko wanted to use the word to depict treating one's self to something good, or even great. 

Friday, September 28, 2018

Prost! Celebrating Oktoberfest at Brotzeit

Wake me up when September ends... not! With Oktoberfest happening as early as mid September, several European restaurants are joining the celebration and have some interesting menu and events lined up! And when it comes to real German vibes, I could only think of one place... Brotzeit!

Hello, Brotzeit.
I've been to Brotzeit during the month-long festivities back in 2014 and all I could remember were people laughing and pint after pint of beer! Everything else was blurry and I blame the beer for it. Fast forward to this year's Oktoberfest, I made sure to take note of everything and not go crazy with Brotzeit's great selection of beer.

Thursday, September 27, 2018

Steak-ation Weekend with Sterling Silver

One of my favorite things to do these days is to go to the supermarket and look for interesting food finds. Others may call it an errand but I consider it as break from work. And one new find I discovered last week was Sterling Silver steaks.

Hello, Sterling Silver steaks!
Sterling Silver is one of the most trusted brands by restaurants, homemakers and taste makers. And if you pay close attention to your favorite restaurant's menu, chances are, you've seen its logo. 

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Kitchen Hacks: Japanese Curry with House Foods

I am a big fan of Japanese cuisine but there are some dishes that I am not very fond of. I could name a few off the bat... nattō and shirako. I used to add curry in that list but I grew to love Japanese curry a few years back. And I've recently found another way to have it on a regular basis--with House Foods' curries!

Hello, House Foods!
House Foods recently sent some of its bestselling curry packs for me to try and I excitedly read how to prepare each one. 

Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Restaurant Love: Tsumura Sushi Bar & Restaurant

Rainy days call for warm and comforting dishes. I'd often find myself stuck and married to my bed on days the sun is shy but the idea of indulging in good food is always very tempting. And so, I headed to Makati with R and his family for lunch on one gloomy Sunday. 

Hello, Tsumura Sushi Bar & Restaurant.
This underrated Japanese restaurant in Salcedo Village is one of the restaurants R brought me when we were still dating. I was so glad that he brought me here and made me discover salmon aburi. 

Monday, September 24, 2018

Worth it or Not: Happy Lemon's Tiger Milk Tea

Food trends never fail to pique my interest. One of the hyped drinks these days is brown sugar milk tea. Marketed to taste like our well-loved taho, it sure got my 100% attention as soon as the posts got to my feed. First on my list was Happy Lemon's Tiger Milk Tea. 

Hello, Happy Lemon.
It has been months (or probably over a year) since I last visited Happy Lemon. But I suddenly had this burning desire to visit a branch after reading great reviews on its "new" Tiger Milk Tea. 

Friday, September 21, 2018

Toni & Sergio is now in Eastwood

Italian cuisine is not that popular here in Manila except for the Americanized pizza parlors. But there are a handful of pretty good Italian restaurants in town; one of which is Toni & Sergio which first opened in Venice Grand Canal. It recently opened a branch in Eastwood and I took the opportunity to have lunch there with friends when we were around the area. 

Hello, Toni & Sergio

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Save the Date: Midsummer Manila Trunk Show on September 21-22, 2018

I have fully embraced the tita (aunt) in me and nothing excites me more than bazaars that let me score some awesome home finds! Lately, I'm addicted to room sprays, bed linens and plates. And when I found out that a trunk show with everything I love is on its way to BGC, I immediately put it in my calendar! 

Hello, Midsummer Manila Trunk Show!

First Bite: Salamangka

I rarely drink these days as I am fully embracing the fact that I'm now a certified tita who enjoys tea sessions at home with biscuits. But I was feeling a bit down a few weeks back and needed the companion of friends. And since we haven't been to Eastwood as a group, we opted to have our long overdue bonding session there. To our surprise, there are a lot of new establishments around and one that caught my interest was Salamangka. 

Hello, Salamangka.
Salamangka is the newest brainchild of 121 Group. Positioned as a restaurant, cafe and bar in one, expect a good variety of comfort food, specialty coffee and cocktails under one roof. Named after the Filipino word for magic, Salamangka aims to enchant its guests with its offerings that are not usually offered by other establishments in the market. 

Wednesday, September 19, 2018

Adding Brrr this Ber Month: Dairy Queen's Cheesecake Blizzard Flavors

With Christmas just around the corner and the first BER month about to end in two weeks, I was expecting a cooler weather. But instead of sporting sweaters and jackets, I was still in my summer dress as I try to look for shelter, not from the rain, but from the scorching Manila heat. Yes, summer is still far from over and I sure am glad that we have Dairy Queen to save us from having a literal meltdown.

Hello, Dairy Queen
Dairy Queen has been one of my go to places for frozen treats. As the only brand I know that serves its ice cream upside down, it would be hard to forget DQ (as most of us fondly call it). 

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

Christmas Hacks: Barcino's Christmas Party Packages and Party Trays

Christmas is just around the corner and with relatives coming home for the holidays and potluck parties filling our calendars, I couldn't help myself from looking for some shortcuts. It is also the busiest time of the year for me so having a little help is very much appreciated. Thankfully, several establishments I patronize are embracing the holiday spirit and are saving most of us from slaving in the kitchen. And one of the newest addition to my list of saviors is Barcino. 

Hello, Barcino
I got an invite from D a few weeks ago inviting me to a tasting of its newest offerings. I thought that it would just be some new dishes in the menu. But I was surprised that it was actually party packages and party trays fit for any occasion. 

Monday, September 17, 2018

When in Thailand: Krabi Island (Day 4 and 5)

Time sure flies fast when you're on a vacation. It felt like days went by as quick as a blink of an eye. Before we even realized it, we were about to leave Krabi and we were just not ready yet. But we tried to maximize our last full day with another island tour and checking out one of the highly rated restaurants in the island. 

Day 4 and 5 at Krabi Island

We decided to spend our last full day at Krabi checking out 4 Islands which is the tour recommended for those who prefer snorkeling over relaxing by the shore. 

Thursday, September 13, 2018

Get a Taste of New York with Yellow Cab's Newest Flavors

My relationship with pizza is never smooth sailing. It always start with it luring me with its enticing aroma, demanding unwavering attention to admire its glorious toppings. Each bite would give me this burst of happiness, like a kid seeing her crush at the park. But alas, all things come to an end. And in this case, when I get to the crust and it was the last slice in the box. But things might be different this time around. 

Hello, Yellow Cab!

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Love at First Bite: Krispy Kreme's Bacon Cheese Doughnut

Krispy Kreme has been known for teasing us with its mouthwatering limited offerings. Remember the adorable Christmas doughnuts or the velvety Chocolate Glazed Doughnut? This time though, it made my heart skip two beats instead of one when I saw its newest offering... Bacon Cheese Doughnuts!

Hello, Krispy Kreme!
I've been rather off social media these past few weeks and I just found out Krispy Kreme's Bacon and Cheese Ring-Filled Doughnut (PHP65/piece) today when I visited its newest branch in Paseo de Magallanes.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

When in Thailand: Krabi Island Day 3

August is one of Krabi's lean months due to unpredictable weather. We'd know as we got to experience it on our second day where we thought we were about to get stranded in a different island. Thankfully, Mother Nature cooperated with us on our third day and it was bright and sunny perfect for an island tour!

Day 3 at Krabi Island
R and I decided to book a Hong Island Tour from Aonang Andaman Resort & Tours. For 900 Baht (PHP1,440), we get to ride a speed boat to the island saving us more than an hour compared to taking the long tail boat. Also included in the tour fee are hotel transfer, lunch, beverages, use of snorkeling mask, insurance, and National Park Fee. Be extra careful when confirming with your travel agent if the package you are getting is all-inclusive as some would also offer the tour at the same rate but you still have to pay 300 Baht (PHP480) for National Park Fee. 

Monday, September 10, 2018

Steak-ation Weekend with Snake River Farms and Omi Wagyu

One of the dishes I always look forward to is steak. It used to be a treat whenever we have an occasion or achievement to celebrate. But now, it has become more of a casual treat to cap the week or simply to satisfy my cravings. And with my insatiable craving for good steak, I'm always on the look out for places to get some. Lately though, I discovered that you could also have good steak at home. 

Hello, Snake River Farms
I find it fascinating how restaurants brim with pride whenever they claim that their steaks are from Snake River Farms (SRF). 

Friday, September 7, 2018

When in Thailand: Krabi Island (Day 2)

Don't you just love it when you don't have to rush in the morning? We had such start on our second day at Krabi Island. We headed out of our first hotel, Holiday Inn Express past noon and moved to another resort which is just a few steps away. 

Day 2 at Krabi Island
We decided to try Aonang Buri Resort which belongs to a group that also manages Buri Tara Resort and Blue Sotel. 

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

When in Thailand: Krabi Island (Day 1)

This 2018 has been a busy year for both R and I. Most, if not all, of our trips were work related. Though we get to manage to get a few days as "vacation", it was far from enough to be considered a relaxing trip. But this time around, we decided to extend our Thailand trip for 9 more days for us to visit Krabi. 

Hello, Krabi!
This island is the less popular counterpart of Phuket. A home to beautiful and unique limestone karsts with some ideal for rock climbing, Krabi is the perfect alternative for those who want a relaxing vacation. 

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Soban Launches its Meatiest Set Ever!

The insane number of Korean BBQ places is enough proof to prove that we are not just hooked with KDrama or those catchy K-Pop songs. Most of us are also in love with its mouthwatering dishes, especially Korean BBQ. Though several restaurants offer tempting promotions, only a few stood out in terms of taste. And one of my favorites is Soban K-Town Grill. 

Hello, Soban K-Town Grill.
Soban is one of the few restaurants I fell in love with at first bite. Its delightful Korean BBQ meats were well-curated and each one was fresh, tender and flavorful. Aside from that, Soban also offers great kimchi fries and Dak Ganjeong (Korean Fried Chicken) among others.

Monday, September 3, 2018

Love at First Bite: Sabor Bar de Vinos

Novotel Manila Araneta Center has been known as a hotel of choice by many locals and travelers alike. Situated in the bustling part of Quezon City, this hotel is just a few steps away from malls like Gateway Mall and entertainment centers like Kia Theater and Smart Araneta Coliseum. It also serves as a great place for staycations with its impressive amenities. And just recently, Novotel came up with another reason why it is a hotel worth visiting. 

Hello, Sabor Bar de Vinos.
Sabor is Novotel's newest food concept that will delight any food enthusiast. It is a tapas bar that offers ample selection of small Spanish savory dishes perfect to be enjoyed with a glass or two of your favorite wine.