Figaro and Tien Ma's Now Deliver its Crowd Favorites

Being stuck at home for months may not be the ideal vacation of many. But it's not all that bad considering many brands are launching its delivery service and mouthwatering stay-at-home menu. And one new player in the food delivery service is The Figaro Group's Figaro and Tien Ma's. 

Hello, Figaro and Tien Ma's!

Surprised that these two crowd favorites are under the same umbrella? I was.

I used to frequent Figaro a lot back in college as I'd always go to Shangri-La or Megamall after class. I'd get its delectable Four Cheese Pizza or one of its filling sandwiches and pair it with its brewed iced tea. The habit stayed till my Summit Media days as Figaro had a branch conveniently located at our office lobby. 

When in Bacolod: Felicia's

Bacolod is the home to many pastry shops specializing in amazing sweet treats. One of the popular establishments for cakes is Felicia's. I've tried its baked goods a few times already but I had no idea that its ensaymada was fantastic!

Hello, Felicia's.

Felicia's is one of the top must visit restaurants in Bacolod. With its decadent cakes, mouthwatering savory dishes and good selection of beverages, this serves as a one stop shop for many. But I never took notice of its ensaymada which happens to be one of Felicia's bestselling products.

First Bite: Pastry Armoire x The Wander Space

Ensaymada has been a staple merienda dish in the Filipino food scene. The fluffy bread topped with generous serving of butter and sugar on top can be bought in local bakeries and chains like Goldilocks and Red Ribbon. The growth of the market with discerning taste gave room to premium ensaymada offering more than your usual buttered pastry. We have the famous ensaymada of Pampanga hitting food bazaars like Yummy Eats and Ultimate Taste Test and we also have the like of Pastry Armoire. And I was lucky to be one of the guests of the later to its food tasting at the Instagram heaven, The Wander Space.

Hello, Pastry Armoire x The Wander Space. 

I was carrying several shoot items with me to the event and I gulped with cold sweat dripping down my temples when I saw The Wander Space on the third floor of a building along Maginhawa. With the elevator out of order, I took three flights up to get to the beautiful shop + coffee shop. And I was warmly greeted by Raymond of Pastry Armoire and Kim of The Wander Space. 

Affordable Bites: 7flavors

It was one random day when I got an email from A inviting me to visit 7flavors buffet in San Juan. His name sounded so familiar that I just have to fish. And true enough, A and I have met before back in 2012 when I was still with Summit Media handling Yummy magazine. The foodie community is indeed big yet so small. 

Hello, 7flavors.

This spacious two-storey restaurant is headed by celebrity chef Boy Logro and all the dishes served here are based on his recipes. The first floor is designed for diners who do not fancy buffets and prefer to order a la carte. The second floor tends to be more crowded with its pocket-friendly lunch (PHP399.99 on weekdays and PHP599.99 on weekends including Fridays) and dinner (PHP499.99 on weekdays and PHP599.99 on weekends including Fridays) buffets. 

I read through a handful of reviews before going to this place and most reviews gave it a fair rating and mentioned that it covers the basic dishes and would be considered a value for money place. True enough, the buffet was a simple spread of viands, appetizers and desserts. I spotted DIY taco and halo-halo stations and took a mental note to try it after my first plate. 

My first plate was a combination of crispy kare-kare, steamed fish, oil-based pasta and buttered chicken. All dishes tasted pretty average and something you’d get from the price you pay.