Avocadoria: One of the Biggest Food Trends of 2019

From mango float to avocado ice cream, fruity desserts was undeniably one of the biggest food trends last 2019. I had a terrible experience with the mango float craze though that it took me a long while before trying its avocado counterpart. And I'm glad to share that my Avocadoria experience was a lot better. 

Hello, Avocadoria. 

Avocadoria grew to be one of the hottest brands in 2019 when several media outlets and influencers took notice of this dessert kiosk. And it was not long after for the brand to expand to multiple branches with several copycats in tow. 

First Bite: Boa Kitchen + Socials

Breakfast spread never fail to make my eyes sparkle and mouth drool. And when I got word that Boa Kitchen + Socials offers some of my favorites, I made sure to visit this new foodie haven along Scout Rallos. 

Hello, Boa Kitchen + Socials.

Boa is one of the newest establishments in Quezon City's foodie district. Located on the mezzanine floor of ABDC building, make sure to look for a purple signage when you get to the corner of Scout Rallos and Scout Tuazon. 

Love at First Bite: The Oriental Spice Gourmet

Cebu has become a foodie destination with awesome local restaurants and cheap finds. One of the restaurants that seem to be off the social media radar is this Asian restaurant that is known by, surprisingly, expats, as one of Cebu's finest gems.

Hello, The Oriental Spice Gourmet.

It is easy to miss this restaurant located along Maximo V. Patalinghug Jr. Avenue as it's huge signage simply says TOSG, the initials of the restaurant. But thanks to Waze, we didn't miss our stop.

First Bite: Wasabi Warriors

Wasabi Warriors caught my interest when it first opened on the ground floor of the posh The Gramercy Residences. This Japanese sushi place exuded a cool vibe as I’ve seen the local “it” people raving about Wasabi Warriors’ rolls. And when it opened a branch in Serendra, I went to look at its menu and was surprised that its rolls are quite affordable. For a sushi place that started in a classy building, I had the impression that it would be pricey. I’m not complaining though as more affordable prices mean more food! 

Hello, Wasabi Warriors!

This small well-lit Japanese joint was the first stop of our sponsored Good Food Tour and I literally ran towards this place right after work. Luckily, they were still serving miso soup when I got there. 

Love at First Bite: SaladStop!

Despite my lack of interest in blah healthy food, I love munching on crisp greens. I make sure to hoard lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber and the like whenever I visit Baguio as enjoying salad here in Manila can be very expensive. Most restaurants serve salads with outrageous price tags that make you ask if there's gold in it. I tend to veer away from ordering overpriced salad but I gave in last Friday when my colleagues went to...

SaladStop!

I have read a lot of great reviews about this place but the PHP250-PHP350 per bowl price seems to be too steep for lunch especially when I'm used to just spending... practically nothing as I bring packed lunch. But since it was payday Friday, I figured it wouldn’t hurt to treat myself a nice and healthy meal.

I got myself a bowl of Big Bird (PHP350) with Ranch dressing.

Serving size was huge! The bowl was filled to the rim with Romaine lettuce, smoked turkey, avocado, celery, green apples, and red grapes. It was definitely good for sharing or you could split it to two meals. I opted to do the latter.

Instead of mixing the dressing with the salad, I simply dipped the greens in the ranch dressing.

Gastro Park Kapitolyo Find #5: The Seventh Element

Though it's cold at night, the scorching afternoon heat  reminds us that summer is near. It is the signal to prepare the bods for the beach but it is also a sign for... ice cream!

Hello, The Seventh Element!

I've read several good reviews about this nitrogen ice cream and it sure made me curious. I promised myself that I'll try this place out when I visit Gastro Park. And I don't break promises. :D

After a hearty meal, T and I decided to cap our lunch with some sweets. I decided to go for Oreo and Cream Cheese while T went for Avocado. Both flavors are their bestsellers.

One cup costs PHP150 and it seems steep compared to its competitors. But since it's the only ice cream stand in Gastro Park, it doesn't really matter to the food park's patrons. 

It took the staff a couple of minutes before serving our cups of ice cream. And when it was finally served, I was a bit disappointed that our cups were not overflowing with ice cream. 
But a spoonful of ice cream changed my disappointment to delight.