Worth it or Not: Kenny Rogers Now Offers Milk Tea

The modern Filipino anatomy now consists of at least 20% milk tea with all the boba shops out there. With an average of four cups per month splurge on this sweet beverage, it is not surprising that bigger brands are now offering it too. Recently, Kenny Rogers joined the milk tea bandwagon. And I couldn't help myself find out if it is worth it or not.

Hello, Kenny Rogers. 

I was strolling around Trinoma the other day and was on the mission to grab a bowl or two of salad for dinner. But instead of heading back home after buying my meal, I ended up going to Kenny Rogers. That signage of its milk tea by the escalator sure was effective as it made me take a detour! 

Love at First Bite: Blissful Sweets by Eu

I simply cannot resist sweets! It’s the part of the meal that I look forward to the most. Though I love munching on the tried and tested desserts, I find so much joy too whenever I come across awesome home bakers who can whip up amazing products. And last month, I discovered Blissful Sweets by Eu. 

Hello, Blissful Sweets by Eu. 

I got an unexpected email from Eu a couple weeks back asking if I’m open to try her baked treats. And as a sucker for sweets, I said yes without even knowing what she’ll give me. 

Eu personally delivered the goodies to my apartment but I was too busy packing for my trip the next day and doing last minute errands that I was not able to meet her. 

Dumaguete’s famous Sans Rival is now in Manila!

Dumaguete’s famous silvanas is now in Manila and it is expanding at blazing speed! 

Hello, Sans Rival. 

I was mindlessly browsing my feed one night when I suddenly saw a photo of a familiar facade. It was a photo of Sans Rival in Glorietta. I had to read the captions a few times to make sure I was not mistaken. Sans Rival is finally in Manila!

Food Find: Köök Manila

I find it interesting how much I’ve changed over the past few years. Before, I’d make sure that I have plans on weekends and that I get to visit at least five restaurants to serve as my content the following week. As I grow older (with matching aching joints and slower metabolism), I now value staycations and enjoying my alone time in the comfort of my own home. And one staycation got extra special when I got a sweet treat from Köök Manila.

Hello mini vacation with Köök Manila!

I hurriedly went home as soon as the clock hit 6 pm and I placed the vacuum-sealed Greek Chicken in the sink to thaw as I prepare my cookware.

Since I do not have an indoor griller, I decided to pan-fry the chicken sans the oil. Though I do not recommend this as it took me quite some time to cook the chicken, it still gets the job done. Best to puncture or slice the chicken to make sure that all parts get cooked. (Mine took longer than it should have because I wanted my chicken to look pretty when I take photos of it. Priorities.)

A Cheesy Affair: Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory

2016 seems to be the year of Japanese food brands. Many anticipated the opening of Pablo and even lined up for it for hours! Now that Pablo is a thing of the past for some, others are now looking forward to Bake and LeTAO. But before that, there was another Japanese brand that turned foodies into cheese fanatics. Yes, I’m talking about Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory. This brand, despite making the wallet scream, received a warm welcome from the market. 

Hello, Tokyo Milk Cheese Factory!

Restaurant Discovery: Zarzuela

The intense summer heat is getting crazier and crazier to the point that we just hibernated the whole Holy Week. No wonder my sister's getting whiter... uh, paler. Well, you get my point. But come Easter, we decided to go out and our eyes had a hard time adjusting to the brightness of the sun.

We were planning to go to Megamall but since the line to the parking lot was crazy, we opted to go to Shangri-La instead as M wanted to see the new wing too.

When we arrived, I already know where to eat as Frannywanny, P, and I were able to roam around the area a few nights ago.

Hello, Zarzuela. By its name alone, you could easily say that it's a Filipino restaurant.

While checking the menu, I got attracted to the less healthier choices. I ordered Krispy Binagoongan (PHP359), Gising Gising (PHP239), Chicken Fried Adobo (PHP299, all chicken; PHP329, pork and chicken). I got intrigued by the appetizer Fountain of Youth (PHP199) so I ordered that as well.

Restaurant Discovery: The Strip Hollywood Steakhouse

Last Friday, I filed for a half day to work on my student permit as I am now learning how to drive! Horrah! Getting a student permit was really easy and quick. I arrived around 2 p.m. and there were only a few people around. In an hour, I was done! But this is another story. For now, I want to talk about this new wing of Shangri-La mall and the steakhouse I fell in love with.

Hello, The Strip Hollywood Steakhouse!

I wasn’t really planning on visiting this steakhouse as I was targeting the ramen place beside it. However, they are closed from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. to [I guess] prepare for dinner or something.  Anyway, I was really down when I saw the closed sign but smiled in an instant when the server at The Strip Hollywood Steakhouse told me that they’re open and happy to serve!

So, steakhouse it is then.

I was planning to order a big slab of steak until my mom told me that it was Friday. I don’t really practice it (and I even had tapa for breakfast!) but since my mom was hesitant, I finally gave in and decided to order The Pink Meat (PHP500) while my mom opted to order Stuffed Calamari (PHP360). Since I wanted something more, I opted to order the Goat’s Island and Berry Seas (PHP220) as dessert. We also had two glasses of their Signature Iced Tea (PHP108)

While waiting, we were given complimentary bread with butter drizzled with some herbs. My mom enjoyed it as it was crisp outside yet soft and warm inside. My mom though preferred if they served it with cheese while I was pretty content with the melted butter.