Love at First Bite: Ninak

I used to always pass by Ninak whenever I explore Kapitolyo. However, I never had a chance to drop by because of the restaurant's lack of ample parking space for customers. I've actually heard and read good reviews about the place but I always end up dining somewhere where we could park. Thankfully, this Asian restaurant joint transferred to the lower ground of the newly opened Ayala Malls the 30th and I now do not have any reason of not visiting it. 

Hello, Ninak!

I was invited by everyone's "beshie" (bestfriend) Yourfoodtographer to have lunch here one Saturday. Despite being sick and still recovering from my first Canton Fair, I decided to go as I've been eying this place for years! Following the only direction I got, I looked for "Bon Chon" and easily spotted Ninak near it. 

First Bite: Fat Fook

I've always been so curious about Fat Fook ever since I saw several posts of its famous chicken chops online. It made me wonder if it would be a lot better than the other brands that claim to offer the number 1 Taiwanese chicken chops. However, its location wasn't exactly a "couple of blocks away" from where I live so it took me several months before I got to visit it. And I finally did last December when I was out panicking on what gifts to buy. 

First Bite: Tori Ichi

I once passed by this new yakitori restaurant on my home one time and took a mental note to visit it soon. But food gods had other plans and made my visit sooner. And sweeter too as it was a sponsored eat up by Epicurean Partners Exchange, Inc. and looloo. We were told to skip lunch as it was bound to be a very festive night for the tummy and it sure was!

Hello, Tori Ichi!

It would be easy to miss this two-story Japanese restaurant located at the corner of 4th Avenue across Kuppa as a huge metal sculpture blocks its facade. But no art can go in between me and my love for Japanese food.

First Bite: Bánh Nǎm

I love how Manila is turning into a melting pot of various cuisines. The city that used to be dominated by American fast food joints and Filipino eateries is now a thing of the past. Fast forward to present, we have all kinds of dishes from different countries with some we still could not even pronounce correctly. One of my favorites lately is this delightful sandwich popular in Vietnam. Yes, I’m talking about banh mi. And recently, I discovered this shop that sells really good ones. 

Hello, Bánh Nǎm.

This Vietnamese shop offers two of the yummiest things Vietnam has to offer and it is serious in providing the best kind.  

First Bite: Respite

Tomas Morato has turned from a drinking spot to a food haven these past years. And now, with more variety and restaurants, I sometimes get confused on where to eat. Thankfully, a Tomas Morato food crawl introduced me to this slightly off the grid coffee shop that offers delectable green tea cake! I wouldn’t have discovered this if it weren’t for that superb foodie event organized by Zomato.

Go Wagyu Crazy at Edsa Shangri-La's Mad for Wagyu at Heat

I always consider indulging in wagyu a treat. Aside from its unbelievably tender texture, it’s the sort of meat you can’t enjoy on a daily basis because of its not so affordable price tag. This is why my heart pounds so fast whenever I hear (or read) the three sweet words “unlimited wagyu promo.” And it definitely skipped a beat or two when I found out that Edsa Shangri-La’s well-loved buffet HEAT is celebrating foodies’ love for wagyu with Mad for Wagyu.

Hello, Heat!

 

It’d be hard to miss the Mad for Wagyu sign when you enter Heat as the first thing you’ll see is this roulette that diners could spin for a minimum single receipt worth PHP5,000. But let’s save the spinning story for later and focus more on the scrumptious spread.

First Bite: Pista Food Hall

As much as I love exploring Manila, I never had the chance to visit Baclaran. I know that’s where the famous Baclaran Church is located but I also know that the place is chaotic, crowded and not really a good place to be roaming around without a reason. But I finally got a reason to visit the area a few months ago.

Hello, Pista Food Hall.

Located on the 5th floor of Victory Food Mall across the busy Baclaran Church, Pista Food Hall’s ambiance is a refuge from the chaos of the streets below it. In fact, it may seem like it’s a bit out of place considering its location. But not quite. Especially when you hear what Chef JV Mangibin has to say about his vision for Pista.

First Bite: Sobremesa

Sobremesa has been one of the most talked about restaurants when it opened. And how can it not make it to the social media world when it tries to address the society’s extreme addiction to gadgets. I’m sure that you remember this restaurant that had the witty idea of putting adorable small bird cages on every dining table where diners are encouraged to put their phones in. Yes, the idea behind it is to have a gadget-free meal and for people to actually talk to each other, in person. And to whoever cannot resist to check his or her phone, that person has to pay the bill of the whole group. Though I’m not exactly sure if diners actually locked their phones in, especially now with the need to document everything, it was and still is a great idea. I’ve been meaning to visit that restaurant for months now but traffic always gets in the way and I couldn’t drag anyone to go with me. But it was a different story a couple months back.

Hello, Sobremesa!

I was invited by The Menu Group to its blogger meet up a few months ago and I figured that this is finally my chance to visit the place as I have other foodies going with me.

First Bite: Hai Kang Seafood Restaurant

I usually get stressed out when eating in Chinese restaurants. Everything seems to be so fast-paced. Plate after plate after plate of food gets served within a few minutes and we have to eat fast to make room for the next set of dishes. And the same case is true when we visited one of the popular Chinese restaurants along Wilson.
 
Hello, Hai Kang Seafood Restaurant.

I’ve never heard of this restaurant before but I was told that this has been around for years (or even decades) and it is quite popular especially to the Chinese community.

I was greeted by a huge dining area with high ceiling and several pocket rooms that could be enclosed by movable partition walls. The place was packed with diners on a Saturday night and one could get lost with and drown in the chaotic dining scene. Thankfully, R’s family was near the entrance and we didn’t have to squeeze our way in to the other side of the restaurant.

Beat the Heat: Wendy's Frosty Tops

I know I've abused this line but... it's so freaking hot this year! And adulting makes me feel torn with the idea of having my A/C in full blast the whole day. This is why I now look forward to going to malls and any other place that guarantees cool air. I was looking forward to "chilling" at the airport while I wait for my flight but the summer heat wanted to chill there as well. Thank goodness though for this sweet cold treat from one of my favorite fast food chains... Wendy's. 

Hello, Wendy's! 

I hardly visit Wendy's as this joint by the well-known freckled redhead doesn't have as many branches as the more famous clown and the even more popular happy bee. But when I do, I always get the same thing... Bacon Mushroom Melt combo (PHP156) and Frosty. This time around though, R convinced me that we try Frosty Tops with Oreo (PHP87). And it was the best decision we've had that night! 

Snack Time: Taters

Glorietta never fails to feel like a jungle to me. With its different interconnected buildings and numerous stores, I always end up feeling confused and overwhelmed. But there is one thing that I'm sure of, Taters chips make me happy. And that's why I opted to have lunch there one afternoon. 
 
Hello, Taters!

It has been a while since I last had my Taters fix. Sadly, there are no Taters branches in malls I frequent. But when I pass by one, I simply could not resist getting a bag of chips even when I have no plans of watching a movie. Yes, this store with a baseball inspired logo is irresistible.

Love at First Bite: Rico Rico

SM Aura’s food court is known to be a fancier version of your usual food hall. With more premium options to choose from, you’d have to shell out more cash for a meal. I wouldn’t mind spending a few extra hundreds if it means that I'd get a “good meal.” And that is exactly what I got from Food on Four’s new player. 
 
Hello, Rico Rico.

This new paella place caught my interest when it opened a few months ago. Vibrant colors and DIY paella were what caught my attention. And I grew even more curious when I found out that this brand is the brainchild of the group handling Las Flores and Rambla, restaurants known to serve superb Spanish dishes. But my schedule didn’t permit me to try this place sooner.

When in Boracay: Spice Bird

It has been a long while since I’ve visited Boracay and my last one was a mere 22 hour trip. Yes, it wasn’t even a whole day. Anyway, this time around, I decided to stay a bit longer, not to bask under the sun but to feast. After all, aside from the fine white sand, Boracay is known for its wide variety of restaurants and good food. And as soon as we checked in, first stop was... Spice Bird.

Hello, Spice Bird!

It would be easy to miss out Spice Bird if you don’t look for it. Located behind the ferris wheel of the famous D’Mall Plaza, Spice Bird’s location is not exactly a great one but its strong following still makes this restaurant a hot spot for foodies. 

Beat the Heat: Elait

This year has redefined the meaning of summer heat. It's just too hot to go out lately. Actually, it's too hot to even step out of the cold shower. But there's one word that makes me wake up in the morning with a big grin plastered on my face. Ice cream. And The Foodie Station sure knows how to make me happy when they tagged me along to sample this new rolled ice cream treat in Century City Mall. 

Hello, Elait! 

Named after the words elate and au lait (or happy milk when put together), Elait aims to provide its customers a delightful dessert experience. After all, aren't desserts meant to make us happy? But Elait is one notch higher by making us feel good in a different level. 

Beat the Heat:Shakeaway

This year’s summer is insane! The scorching heat is just too much and it makes me crave for cold treats every hour (or two). Thankfully, one of the cold dessert shops I’ve been eying for months finally opened its doors in Uptown Mall making it a lot more accessible to me than its first branch in U.P. Town Center. Yes, those two are different locations and are quite far from each other. And yes, I am talking about Shakeaway.

Hello, Shakeaway!

I was welcomed by a bright and predominantly white store. The first thing I noticed was the bunch of white containers by the counter which reminds me of a pharmacy. Apparently, that’s where Shakeaway puts its sweet treats. If I were to count the number of containers on display, I’m sure it’d be over 100 as there are 180 flavors and toppings to choose from!

First Bite: Bistro United

I miss living close to Kapitolyo, one of the best food havens in the metro. Though it’s technically just 20 minutes away from where I live now, the traffic makes it seem a far away land. But good food conquers all and I found myself in front of this new restaurant in Kapitolyo one Tuesday afternoon. 

Hello, Bistro United.

This new restaurant by Chef Mia of The Round Table is one of the handful delectable additions in Kapitolyo. 

First Bite: AM:PM Brunch Bar and Cafe

I hardly frequent San Juan as traffic there gets too insane at times. I still remember the times when I get stuck in standstill, no thanks to a certain school. But thanks to Waze, I discover new routes in order to get around its small streets filled with good food finds. And a few weeks back, I discovered this new restaurant that offers everything from breakfast to bar chow that is worth braving the traffic for.

Hello, AM:PM Brunch Bar and Cafe.

First Bite: Main Street

I always see Main Street whenever I pass by Tuscany. I also noticed it while making my rounds in Kapitolyo when I hunt for new restaurants. But for some reason, I was never lured to pay this restaurant a visit. It may be because I was in the mood for something else whenever I see it or perhaps because of the several lukewarm reviews about its food I've read online. But food gods paved the way for me to find out myself if I'm missing out or not at all. 

Hello, Main Street! 

I was greeted by a well lit black and white signage and a dining area with warm yellow lights. The brown tables, lovely natural stone tiles and tan couches added warmth to the space making it quite homey and quite fitting in Kapitolyo. 

We were in for a treat as we were served a lot of dishes!