First Bite: Overdough's OD Cookies

Elait's sister Overdoughs made us rediscover how fun doughnuts can be especially as snack inside the cinema. And while its beignets, loukoumades and cookie dough continue to tickle us pink, Overdoughs has something fresh out of the oven which will be hard to resist. 

Hello, Overdoughs!

Cookie lovers would go crazy with Overdoughs' new offering... OD Cookies!

Love at First Bite: Hello Goodbites

I could never say no to cookies. I drool every time I get a whiff of freshly baked goodies and I hardly hesitate to click the like button whenever I see it in my feed. Lately, I'm in the hunt for cookies I could proudly give away for Christmas and I noticed a high school batch mate of mine offering her "rejects" for free. By rejects, I do not mean bad batch but more of it just came out the wrong size or cracked. Her strict quality control impressed me and piqued my interest. And a few days ago, I finally decided to comment on her post asking for the price list. 

Hi there, Hello Goodbites!

Hello Goodbites is a passion project by Loren Calo. What makes her cookie business a tough cookie to beat is that she ensures freshness in a different level. Your cookies are delivered as soon as it gets out of the oven! She bakes on weekdays and delivers it on the same day (or hour)! And if traffic cooperates, your order might reach your doorstep still warm. 

First Bite: Nomi Matcha and Açaí

I'm a big fan of matcha. Perhaps it's because of my intense love for anything Japanese. But there is something about matcha that I find very endearing. It's my go-to treat whenever I indulged in something (too) sinful  as a cup or two of this green wonder would make me feel less guilty. But what I love most about matcha is how it evolved from a drink made from a very precised tea ceremonies into a modern and casual treat which ranges from drinks to desserts. I've also tried some savory dishes infused with green tea! Though there are hits and misses here and there, I'm always open to trying out new matcha places. And a few weeks back, a new matcha player opened in BGC so...

Hello, Nomi Matcha and Açaí!

Nomi, or drink in Japanese, is the first food venture of three Japanese friends who thought of giving the well-loved matcha a modern take. 

Situated at the ground floor of W City Center along 5th Avenue, the first thing I noticed was its brightly lit space and its light-colored interiors with touches of green and pink. 

First Bite: Kandle Cafe

I have been hearing a lot of good reviews about Kandle Café. I must admit, I was so curious and dying to visit the adorable café. But two words discourage me from going... Quezon City. As a self proclaimed resident of the South (self proclaimed because my friends refuse to believe that Fort Bonifacio is "south") I hardly visit that part of Quezon City. But a very tempting food crawl invite to Tomas Morato made me brave Manila traffic to join the well planned food trip. And of course, one of the stops was Kandle Café.

Hello, Kandle Café!

This is probably one of the few restaurants with ample parking space. We didn't have a hard time parking at all. 

We were greeted by a homey facade and an adorable porch with Kandle Café on it. 

As we moved closer to the dining area, I noticed the beautiful lush landscape beside the al fresco area. It was very charming and that sight made it clear to me why this place was named one of the best (affordable) date places in Quezon City.

First Bite: Motorino

I’ve heard of Motorino for quite some time now. Known to be one of the best pizza places around, it has been on my list for months. But since I hardly frequent Makati, it wasn’t exactly on top of my must-visit-and-get-fat-there list. Then again, what’s meant to be is meant to be and so…

Hello, Motorino!

I got some free Fast and the Furious 7 tickets from Sub-Zero and Wolf; but the catch was I have to watch it at Greenbelt 3. R and I tried to watch it last Easter Sunday but failed as the place was PACKED! (There was only one seat left for an 11 p.m. show and we were there at 3 p.m.. Crazy!) I was actually scared that there would still be a lot of people on the 9^th given that it was also a holiday but we got seats! Yay!

Anyway, since we went early, we decided to have a quick lunch first and Motorino was perfect place as it is beside the cinema.

While checking the menu, R saw the lunch for two and figured it was a good deal for PHP395. The set comes with a 13” pizza, iced tea and dessert of your choice. We chose the Mushroom and Sausage Pizza, Classic iced tea and Crimson Berry iced tea, and two gelato scoops—dark chocolate and cookie.

Trader Joe's Favorite: Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl

Just when I thought the cookie butter craze is fading a bit, a new one appeared and made an even stronger impact!

Hello, Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl!

I was a bit iffy about trying it as I want to be a foodie hipster here! (If there's such a thing.) 

But Trader Joe's is like a temptation island. You just want to try everything you see. A lot of their products are covered in chocolate. I love chocolate. Am I in heaven? Okay, I'm getting off topic here.

The Cookie and Cocoa Swirl seems to be in demand as we need to go to the customer service counter to get a jar or two. Yes, distribution is limited too.