365 Days of Gift Giving: Marks & Spencer

 Christmas may be over but the gift giving spirit is here to stay. And with our culture having an extended holiday celebration, there are still late Christmas parties and gatherings here and there to attend to. For those who had no time to shop for presents, Marks & Spencer got your back. 

Hello, Marks & Spencer. 

Marks & Spencer has always been a reliable brand for those last minute impressive gifts. From its fragrant body care products, comfy garments and mouthwatering snacks, each and every present I've bought here are well appreciated. 

Budget 101: Valentine's Day

It’s finally February, the month of love… my favorite month! Here’s the thing, I have this weird thing for Valentine’s Day since I was young. Come college (a.k.a. bigger allowance), I managed to convince my friends to have a “Valentine’s Barter Day” where we each buy something such flowers, chocolates, heart shaped balloons and the like and give it to everyone in our group. It was actually fun and we all felt that we all had dates that day. But once you enter the realm of the “real world” or what people usually call as corporate life, sending gifts is a bit more expensive (okay, a lot more!). So here are some tips to avoid spending waaaay to much.

1.)    Buy flowers months in advance.

Prices of flowers go wild on the 14^th and hey, those are still flowers and do not sing like the ones in Plants vs. Zombies. Save extra bucks and call that flower shop now if you plan on giving your special someone flowers. (Plus, I heard on TV that there might be shortage in flowers this year.)

2.)    Why not make some homemade chocolates?

Yes, it might not look like a perfect heart or the “Will you be my Valentine?” lettering will look like a hundred year old man did it. But guess what? This is still way sweeter compared to store bought ones. (Well, maybe a huge box of Ferrero is also a good idea. *slaps glutton self*)

3.)    The no gift gift

Ever heard of serenade? Yes, that still works. Want to make it extra special? Sing an original. Even if you are tone deaf, the effort will surely make her (or him) smile. [Group of friends? Visit the nearest KTV and sing your heart out! And I~~~ will always love you~~~~]

4.)    Cook a meal for your special someone or friends

Instead of the usual dinners outside, why not whip up a dish at home? With a budget of PHP500, you’ll have a decent meal for a group of 4.

5.)    Celebrate the day after

I heard someone say, if you love someone, everyday should be Valentine’s Day. Good point. And nothing’s sweeter than giving flowers or whatnot on a regular day. Talk about surprises. (And flowers will be cheaper again too!)

YUMMY EATS COUNTDOWN: 19 days to go!

In just 19 days, one yummy event is about to happen at The Rockwell Tent. I’m now preparing my tummy for one day of chewing, gulping, and drooling.

I’m excited. After meeting most of the concessionaires for Yummy Eats 2012, I can’t help but dream of riding a time machine and fast forward to MAY 26, 2012.

 

I discovered new food favorites already while chatting with some of them while sampling their products. 

L.A. Food Find Favorite: Porto's Bakery

“I need to buy some potato balls” was what our family friend said. Potato balls? Baby potatoes… those you bake and dip with butter? Apparently not. It was so much better.

After a quick stop at Ross, TJ Maxx, Nordstrom, and Staple, our friend asked us if we could drop by Porto’s on our way back home. Since we were clueless what that is, we said, “Sure!”

We were greeted by brown interiors and furniture (what’s with cafés and the color brown?) and I can’t help but notice that there was also a party store on the second floor.

*Confused* I wasn’t sure if I could check the pastries first before lining up (for people might think that I was cutting in line) or if I should patiently wait for my turn, take my time browse through the different mouthwatering sweets and savory dishes. Anyway, with the help of my dear (how I wish it was longer) neck, I was able to find something I fancy (plus the famous Porto’s Potato Balls). I called out to my mom and pointed out the Triple Chocolate Mousse while my sister stared at her so eagerly and pointed with her mouth the Chocolate Éclair and Tiramisu. Since we heard that the Cheese Rolls were popular too, we ordered 3 of that as well.

 

We hurriedly went back home to try the goodies.

Pantry Surprise: Royce Potato Chip Chocolates

I am starting to love Mondays. 

I have always wanted to try Royce’s Potato Chip Chocolates but every time I visit Royce, I always end up with a chocolate bar instead. Tsk. Resisting “real” chocolates is so hard.

One random (and lucky) Monday, we were approached by one of the associate publishers and gave us a box of Royce Potato Chip Chocolates. She said that it was from the publisher and, without hesitation, we started to munch on the chocolate goodness. 

 Hmm… it tasted like sweet Ruffles. Hey, Ruffles… Truffles… *ahem* moving on.

A Bald Man’s Chocolates

I was pretty excited to pay Max Brenner Chocolate Bar a visit as I was informed that their chocolates are amazing. Plus, I love to be surrounded by bald men serving chocolates. (Hmm… that sounded so weird.)

Still full from one heavy lunch from Max’s neighbor Simply Thai, we walked for a bit around Greenbelt. After 5 to 10 minutes, we went back to the corner of the bald men.

Bald guy spotted!

We checked the menu and noticed that the place serves savory dishes as well. The meals were quite pricey (though I should have expected that since we were at Greenbelt 5). But I was not after sandwiches, meat, rice, or whatnot… I wanted to try their Chocolate Fondue (PHP528). It comes with two types of chocolates (choices are milk, dark, and white) and seasoned fruits, marshmallows, lady fingers, and fudge brownies.

Yahoo! Chocolate Fondue! Chocolate Fondue! Chocolate Fondueeeee!

I was very excited to try the dark chocolate as I LOVE DARK CHOCOLATE. (I was quite apathetic towards milk chocolate; and, just like some of my friends, I also believe that white chocolate is not real chocolate.)

It was quite thick, rich, and velvety… but mostly thick. It was chocolate ooh-la-la~

As for the milk chocolate dip, it was a bit too watery. It seemed more like a chocolate drink than a dip for me. It did not have the rich taste of the dark chocolate. Nonetheless, I think kids would like this one better for its milder and milkier taste.

The plate of fruits, brownies, marshmallows and lady fingers was too small for the price. Well there were a few slices of kiwi, bananas, and apples but it would have been nice if they also added some strawberries. Or is it because it is not in season? But it is never in season here, right? Rather, it is always in season in Baguio (the place with year round strawberry harvest), right? The brownies though were really good. It was moist, soft, and rich in chocolate. It didn’t have to be dipped in chocolate for more for it would seem like a sin already.

As for the interior, it is so cute! After 30 minutes of waiting for the customers to leave, we finally had the place to ourselves. In short, we had a mini photo shoot with everything cute inside the place. There’s the wall, the chocolate machine, the cartoon poster of a girl with her tongue out (it's on the photo with the bald guy) and more of the wall.

 

I’m not really sure if it’s worth it to go to Max Brenner but I definitely enjoyed dining there. It was like I was in a playground.

Just a little trivia before I end:

Did you know that Max Brenner was named after the founders Max Fichtman and Oded Brenner? I’m not sure though if both are bald. But there’s one thing I know… there was only one server in the restaurant that was bald. What happened?

Max Brenner is located at Ground Floor of Greenbelt 5, Makati City.

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Dome... Cheesecake!

Desserts truly have a BIG space in my tummy. No matter how full I am, I have to have desserts.

After watching Fright Night last night, my mom, sister, and I went dessert hunting. I thought that Café Metro also serves desserts since there’s the word café but I was not aware that they only serve savory dishes. Well, they have the “Dessert of the Day” priced at PHP90. That day, they were serving Banana Fritters and Buko Pandan. I just had Banana Fritters for breakfast (yes, I also make sure I get to have desserts as early as 8am) and I was not in the mood for anything coconut-y.

Then we remembered Dome and its delicious blueberry cheesecake.

*Off to Dome*

I still have fragments of childhood memories dining at Dome. Some were good and some were not so good. But whenever I remember blueberry cheesecake, I smile.

When we arrived, there were only a few cakes left. There was one slice of carrot cake, a few personal sized Blueberry Cheesecake, Devil’s Food Cake, and Sugar Free Mango Cheesecake. There was also an almost whole blueberry cheesecake.

We decided to order one personal Sugar Free Mango Cheesecake (PHP240), Devil’s Food Cake (personal: PHP195, slice: PHP155), and Blueberry Cheesecake (personal: PHP210, slice: PHP165).

Sugar Free Mango Cheesecake

My sister had the Sugar Free Mango Cheesecake and it was just fine. It was not outstanding or something that I would crave. I found it a bit thick and heavy—the type that sticks to the palate. My sister thought that the mangoes were also bit too sour (can’t really say the same thing as I love sour food). Anyway, in the end, we were not able to finish it.

Next cake was the Devil’s Food Cake. I love the one from The Chocolate Kiss. The frosting was delightful as it has the melted marshmallow texture and the chocolate cake inside was not too sweet. The Dome version on the other hand was a bit too sweet for me. The frosting was sugar overload. I didn’t like the chocolate cake as well as it was not as moist as I think it should have been. Nonetheless, I think this is still a hit to those who are hardcore sugar lovers.

Devil's Food Cake

Finally, my favorite, Blueberry Cheesecake…

Blueberry Cheesecake

The blueberries were a bit sweet and sour complementing the cheesecake. Also, the cheesecake was light and the texture was smooth. It was one dessert I would love to order after one heavy meal. I just thought that the strawberry syrup on the plate a bit odd though. If only they have spelled Dome or put it more creatively than like a blob or small puddle of blood, it would have been more appetizing.

Dome is located at the Ground Floor of Shangri-La Plaza Mall, Mandaluyong City (in front of Mercury Drugstore).

Gone to the dark side of… chocolates.

I just love dark chocolates for it made me feel less guilty of finishing a box of it in one go.

I often do the grocery shopping whenever I’m not very busy. I’m proud to say that I could shop a month’s worth of supplies in less than 30 minutes. Yes, I have mastered the grocery near our place. However, there are also times when I just look around hoping to see something new or interesting (as long as it is reasonably priced, I will buy it). Thus I was so happy when I saw my favorite chocolates KitKat and Macadamia... DARK and BITTER.

I'm in love!

And I love you too! (Great! I'm a two-timer!)

At first I was afraid that these might just be like the failed attempts of chocolate brands claiming that the chocolate beneath the wrapper with screaming DARK/BITTER/PURE COCOA is indeed dark; but in reality, it was still milk chocolate… only with its sweetness level toned down one tiny bit.

I.was.wrong.

Looks dusty but who knows, that might be the "secret ingredient" :)

Meiji’s Macadamia Bitter truly used dark chocolate. The word bitter was a bit too strong though. The chocolate’s taste was similar to Meiji’s Dark Chocolate bars… one of my cheap thrills. It was dark but not extremely dark to the point that it is no longer enjoyable. (Note: This one though is a bit pricier compared to the chocolate bars because of the macadamia).

Let's play a game! Which one is dark?

As for Nestle’s Dark KitKat… I was impressed. It is longer compared to the normal milk chocolate KitKat and (biased) it is definitely better. I love dark chocolate and Nestle managed to come up with an affordable chocolate that is quite dark (but not too much that will make you go blaaaah!) yet something the little tykes could enjoy.

Both chocolates has something to munch on (macadamia for Meiji and waffle for KitKat) making it delicious snacks that will make you eat it for… hours (well, with some chips, water, and soda—well, that’s what I call the I-will-just-relax-and-watch-a-movie snack).

Then again, the unforgettable truffles of Risa Chocolates and the delectable chocolate goodness of Royce are still my favorites.

Fired up for Chocolates

There are just so many food gatherings and events this August! 

Last weekend, I went to the Corks and Forks: An International Food and Wine Fest held at the Grand Ballroom of Marriott Hotel to check out the best food from New Zealand and Australia.

I was surprised when I saw that Chocolate Fire was one of the exhibitors. I’ve been telling just about anyone how much I wanted to visit this restaurant with a very tempting name. And by anyone, that including strangers (yes, I love sharing my passion for food with everyone).

I got so excited when I saw the Chocolate Fire stall with its chocolate-dipped strawberries and truffles. It was such a pretty sight.

I asked if the chocolates melt easily and the seller told me that it needs to be in a cool place. I decided to roam around first and buy chocolates before leaving.

Well, I just went back and forth to the stall for more than 10 times. I just can’t wait to try it.

After realizing that I just have no patience when it comes to chocolates, I decided to buy a bit earlier. Soon, I found myself paying the seller more than PHP500 for a few chocolates. Yes, Chocolate Fire’s chocolates are a tad expensive but all of my friends who tried its chocolates told me that it was worth it.



Sold at PHP115 each during the event. Regular price is PHP125.



The strawberries were delightful to shoot. The red color was so vibrant. Okay, enough with how pretty the strawberries were and now for the taste…

The strawberries were a bit on the sour side and it worked well with the chocolates (both milk and dark chocolate but I prefer dark chocolates). It was not so special though. I thought it was something that will make me cry… because I reached chocolate heaven. Well, it didn't.



PHP40 each. Definitely worth it!



The truffles though were really really good. I was not really expecting much from the truffles for the strawberries were highlighted more but I just fell in love with the truffles of Chocolate Fire. I bought the dark chocolate variant of hazelnut sprinkled truffles and cocoa powder covered truffles.

It was extremely velvety. This is one good example that proves that not everything extreme is bad. Sometimes it could bring… happiness. Well, it did for me. J

I can’t wait to try the other chocolates Chocolate Fire offers. I HAVE to visit their restaurant soon.