The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf launches Genmaicha Iced Tea

We're probably one of the few Asian countries that doesn't drink a lot of tea. Most would go for sugary drinks like soda, juice drinks or boba. I'm happy that despite the limited demand for this healthier option, there are a few establishments that offer wide selection of tea, and great ones at that. I also love how these brands make tea less foreign to many by presenting it as iced tea. And speaking of iced tea, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's Genmaicha Iced Tea is really good!

Hello, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

CBTL's Genmaicha is one of my favorite hot tea variants for years. I love its earthy taste from the roasted popped brown rice. Its nutty note made it so addictive as it beautifully blends with the refreshing flavor of green tea. The perfect marriage of two classic Japanese flavors of this drink is just one of the handful of reasons why I love Genmaicha. Aside from its great taste, it is also packed with health benefits which includes increase function of catecholamine and encourages fat loss!

Late Bites: Coffee Project

There are times when I get bitten by the lazy bug and couldn't drag myself to cook something to eat. Thankfully, there are a bunch of places to grab food within my area. And last weekend, I visited our neighborhood's Coffee Project. 

Hello, Coffee Project.

Coffee Project has been a popular Instagram spot since it opened a few years back. I was actually lured to visit its first store in Quezon City because of its picturesque interiors. However, its food and drinks did not exactly match its wonderful look. 

First Bite: Motto Motto

I just visited Japan a few weeks ago and I'm already itching to go back to bask in its beauty and feast on the freshest sushi and succulent wagyu I could grab from the market. But I know that the soonest I could head back would be some time fall. Thankfully, there are several restaurants that serve good Japanese dishes. And one new favorite of mine is Motto Motto. 

Hello, Motto Motto. 

This new Japanese dining concept by Raintree Restaurant has won the hearts of many in just a few months. Known for its Special Wagyu Gyudon, sushi, fluffy pancakes and Japanese pastries, expect this place to be busy day and night. And to spice things up a bit, it launches new mouthwatering lunch sets this month! 

Chicken Love: Bonchon's Soy Garlic Chicken

I can't get enough of fried chicken. Who can resist its crispy skin and juicy meat anyway? And when I got a bite of the twice-fried chicken glazed with rich sweet soy garlic, there's no way I'd give it up. 

Hello, Bonchon. 

I was so famished after a shoot that I decided to head over to Bonchon for its no fail, famous chicken. 

First Bite: Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen

I've been looking forward to dine at Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen ever since I fell in love with its sister brand, Nonna's in Nuvali. And when my fried decided to have her birthday celebration at its Ayala Malls the 30th branch, I smiled from ear to ear! 

Hello, Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen.

After years of eying this place, I finally got to visit  Mama Lou's with some of my closest friends to celebrate K's birthday. Since we were dining on a Friday night, I decided to make a reservation to make sure that we have seats. 

Almost everyone came on time except for one who got stuck in terrible C-5 traffic. And I was glad that I made that reservation as the place was packed! 

First Bite: Nono's

I've been wanting to visit Nono's ever since it opened mid last year. Knowing that it got a seal of approval from a very particular friend, I was sure that it will tickle my taste buds with glee. But it was hard for me to drop by as I don't frequent U.P. Town Center. Thankfully, it opened another branch at a more convenient location last month-- Podium. 

Hello, Nono's.

It would be hard to miss Nono's at the new wing of Podium mall as it is located near the escalator. But even its eye-catching and dreamy interiors will make any Instagram-loving individual take notice of it. 

Love at First Sip: Up in the Clouds Ice Cream & Milk Bar

With Manila's crazy heat getting worse and worse, it's not surprising to see milkshake shops and ice cream parlors to pop here and there. Though I've had my fair share of horrible experiences with new dessert places, I always keep an open mind and tummy for new ones. And this time, I tried Up in the Clouds Ice Cream & Milk Bar. 

Hello, Up in the Clouds.

I decided to reward myself after a smooth shoot with something sweet. Given that I haven't had lunch yet and it was already past 6 p.m., I figured that ice cream will just cause an upset stomach. I then zeroed in on the shop's iced tea variants. 

First Bite: Plaza Brew

It sucks to be in such a gorgeous city yet not know where to eat. I tried to look online but there are not a lot of sites that offer restaurant suggestions. And since we wanted to maximize our day and not waste it looking for a place to have lunch, R and I settled with the café beside The Plaza.

Hello, Plaza Brew!

This café was still in its soft opening when we visited. Aside from the other table near the counter, we were the only diners during lunch. I’m not sure if locals find the place intimidating given that it is right beside a hotel or if they are not adventurous enough to try a new restaurant. 

R wasn’t really hungry then but I was so I ordered Beef Kebab (with an option of buttered rice or pita bread PHP220, add PHP20 for iced tea or orange juice) and Green Tea Latte (PHP120, over ice).

While waiting, R took advantage of the complementary wi-fi. I, on the other hand, went crazy with some of the nifty displays of the cafe

Service was quick and our drinks were served in less than 10 minutes. My plate of kebab was served a couple of minutes later. 

First Bite: Gringo

Ola amigos and amigas! Those are the words that come in mind when I think of Gringo, a restaurant known for its delectable baked chicken. And when I found out that Gringo opened a branch in BGC, I was beyond ecstatic! I could finally sink my teeth into some of Gringo’s well-loved chicken.

Hello, Gringo.

First Bite: Maisen BGC

I was so excited when I found out that my good friend F accepted a job offer near my office. I finally have someone to drag with me for random cravings or sudden desire to burn some cash. (And by cash, I mean less than PHP500.) After two weeks of planning, we finally decided to have lunch one Friday at the newly opened Maisen branch at Shangri-La, Fort.

Hello, Maisen!

I headed straight to the new Japanese restaurant in town as I was expecting a long queue. (Maisen had an opening promo where they offered their 80g katsu for less than PHP100 for its first two days.) Luckily, there were a few seats by the bar so I managed to skip the queue and got a seat for me and my friend. 

As I waited for F, I read the menu highlighting Maisen’s new offerings and was curious with Cold Udon (PHP175). After a few more minutes, I decided to order it and paired it with a glass of Calamansi with Grenadine Iced Tea (PHP100, refillable).

Soon, F arrived and ordered a katsu set which I wasn’t able to take note of as I was too hungry as I skipped breakfast. 

While waiting for our orders, I took a peek of the main dining area of Maisen and was surprised that it was pretty small. I think a max of 40 diners will fit the air conditioned area. 

Second Bite: Buffalo Wild Wings

R and I have been trying to cut our food expenses by staying in on weekends. When we feel the urge to eat out (simply because I’m lazy to cook), we try to stick to places where we have gift certificates. One of the restaurants where we could eat for free is Buffalo Wild Wings and we decided to head to the wings place one weekend.

Hello, Buffalo Wild Wings.

This place has a bit of sentimental value for us as it is the first restaurant we visited on a weeknight. I still remember how smooth R invited me. I was just at home then waiting for The Walking Dead to air when he messaged me if I want to eat out. “Eat out.” He said the magic words. 

Anyway, to reminisce that night, we sat on the same bar but ordered different dishes. We went with Parmesan Garlic Chicken Flatbread (PHP375) and Juicy Steak Burger (PHP625). We also got Unlimited Iced Tea (PHP105). 

The perk of sitting by the bar is that you’ll never be out of drinks. Our glasses were refilled countless times! 

First served was the burger and it was delightful! The thick burger patty stayed true to its name… juicy. It was also seasoned well and each bite was packed with flavor. 

The thin prime rib cuts added flavor and texture to the dish. I also enjoyed the crisp and gigantic onion rings. The fat fries were also great and went well with the filling burger. The Buffalo Wild Wings sauce added a bit of sweet spicy kick that made it very irresistible.

Gino's Brick Oven Pizza

One thing I dislike with new work is that I have to prepare and accomplish all these pre-employment requirements. I had to have my photo taken, fill out several government and company forms and take a physical exam. The hassle of doing all those motivate me to stay in a company as long as I could (till I see a better opportunity or something like it). But thanks to the hassle of going to a mall to have my photo taken, I got to have dinner with my former officemates, A1 and A2. Since we were near Serendra, we opted to have dinner at Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza.

Hello, Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza! Long time no taste!

We easily got a table with couch seats as the place was just half full at 7:30 p.m..

We ordered Sausage Pizza (PHP330) and Carbonara (PHP220). We also ordered a pitcher of Iced Tea (PHP125).  

Service was quick. Our drinks were served in 5 minutes and our dishes came after 10-15 minutes. 

The serving size of both dishes are good for two to three and it was perfect for our group.

The pasta was al dente and the creamy sauce was not cloying. The serving of bacon bits was a bit stingy but each forkful was still packed with flavor. 

Restaurant Love: Schmidt's Hotdogs

Schmidt’s is one of the well-known hotdog brands in Manila. It serves various well-garnished hotdog sandwiches at relatively steep price but are worth every penny. It has been years since I last had a bite of Schmidt’s hotdogs and when I spotted it last weekend, I made sure that I do not miss my chance sinking my teeth into some juicy meaty treat. 

Hello, Schmidt’s! 

The place is pretty small and seemed to be designed to look like a kiosk with a few tables and benches for dining. Since Podium is hardly packed even during holidays, we easily got a table. 

My mom and sister were still stuffed from lunch so we decided to just go with one sandwich—The Julius (PHP190). I also added PHP60 to get one liter of Iced Tea which is normally priced at PHP90.

Service was quick and we got our meal and drink in less than 5 minutes.

The iced tea wasn’t very sweet making it a great thirst quencher.

I fell in love with the hotdog sandwich’s bread. It was very soft and fluffy. 

First Bite: Shutter Café

It was already past 1 p.m. when C and I decided to head elsewhere for lunch. We initially planned to wait for J to pick us up to escape the harsh rage of the sun but we were itching to find a new spot and so we booked a cab and headed to Tomas Morato area and visited… Shutter Café. 

Hello, Shutter Café. 

The place looks so adorable with its display of vintage cameras. The place is divided into the actual camera store and a nook for eating. As a person who is more than satisfied with just my phone’s camera feature, we headed straight to the eating area. 

It was quiet when we went. Only one table with a small group of women learning how to knit was occupied when we got there. 

C and I decided to share our orders and went with Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich (PHP165) and White Sauce Pasta (PHP165). I also got a glass of Lime Basil Lemonade (PHP100). 

I was surprised when they served my drink. It was more of orange brown than greenish yellow. Apparently, it was iced tea which came with the dishes we ordered. The person manning the counter didn’t even bother to tell me that our orders come with drinks. I could have cancelled my Lime Basil Lemonade. (And it was too late of course so that they could use the classic excuse that it was already put in the system hence they couldn’t cancel my unnecessary order.) At least the iced tea was refreshing. 

The Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich was served next and it was not photogenic at all. C and I had a hard time taking photos of this dish and we even walked around looking for the perfect angle/light and failed. 

Gastro Park Kapitolyo Find #3: Surfries!!

It was a humid day when T and I visited Gastro Park and a drink was a must, especially to help push down our food finds. And then that was when I spotted...Surfries!!

Surfries!!

Were you surprised? Okay, okay, it is a terrible joke. But lame joke aside, I was surprised when the friendly server presented to me the size of the Raspberry Bowl (PHP85) when I asked if it is good for sharing.

The raspberry drink was served in a fishbowl! And for PHP85, it was a steal!!! 

It was not overly sweet and definitely a thirst quencher. This is the perfect drink to be shared with friends who are not "laway-conscious". (We estimated and this is probably 1.5L of raspberry drink.)

When I came back for dinner, I decided to try Kaboom! fries (PHP145). I also order another raspberry bowl to be shared with my friends. We had to wait for 15 minutes or so for the drink though as Surfries!! ran out of fishbowls. (That's how packed Gastro Park is on a Saturday Night!)

The small tray of fries was served in less than 10 minutes. I told the server that I could get the tray from him but he insisted to bring it to our table because... he had to blow torch the cheese. Oooooh. Fanceeeeh!

I liked this dish a lot! Each bite was cheesy and I liked the crunch of the spring onion bits. I didn't get to taste the smoked bacon though. I guess the cheese topping overpowered it. 

I'll definitely try the other fries next time. 

Surfries is located at Gastro Park, 1st Drive, Barangay Kapitolyo, Pasig City

First Bite: Backyard Kitchen+Brew

I still remember the first time I visited Backyard. We only ordered its famous butter beer since we saving space for our Mecha Uma tasting menu dinner. And since there are just too many new restaurants here and there, I didn't get to visit Backyard again till last week. Well, we didn't really plan to visit Backyard but since we failed (once again) to have lunch at Asakusa, we ended up stuck between Backyard and Burger Pub. Thinking that I just recently blogged about the latter, I convinced R that we go for Chef Ed Bugia's restaurant. 

Hello, Backyard Kitchen + Brew! 

This time around, we ordered non-alcoholic drinks Lemonade (PHP65) and Home Brewed Iced Tea (PHP85). For our hot meals, we went for Slow Roasted Pork Belly (PHP275) and Backyard Burger (PHP285).

First served were our drinks and both were very refreshing. The lemonade was delightfully tangy while the iced tea had a nice citrusy flavor with a tinge of honey. Yum!

In less than 10 minutes, the Slow Roasted Pork Belly was served. Now, that's fast service! 

As one of Backyard's specialties or recommended dishes, it did not fail in the taste department. I truly enjoyed the rich flavor of the pork belly. Succulent meat covered in a sweet and mildly spicy sauce. 

In order to offset its overwhelming taste, I ate some of the crunchy and slightly tarty coleslaw and delightfully cheesy mac and cheese after each bite of the pork belly. It was a harmonious dance of flavors! And the good thing about this affordable dish was its generous serving size! 

First Bite: Burger Pub

The Grove by Rockwell has evolved from a mere events area for birthdays or bazaars to a foodie haven. Indeed, it does not offer a lot of choices yet but it has a pretty good variety from Filipino dishes to Japanese, Indian to American staples. I have been eying the tempura place there for quite some time but every time I plan to visit, it gets cancelled. I blame traffic (and lazy bug) for it. And when I finally decided to visit The Grove, the tempura place was closed! *ugly cry* But a new burger joint made me smile. 

Hello, Burger Pub.

The place is quite small and could perhaps sit at most 25 diners.

Positioning itself as a no-frills burger place, its interiors have an industrial, semi-finished look. Even the menu was very simple. (Though not sure if they'll make it more extensive since they seem to be still testing out their menu.)

I ordered the Pub Original (PHP345) while my mom went with the server's recommended off the menu Ragu Bolognese (PHP335). We also ordered iced tea (PHP120) for beverage.

First served was the iced tea and I noticed its very dark color. It somehow reminded me of milk tea. And it... doesn't taste like one. It had a very strong tea taste to the point of it being too bitter for iced tea. It wasn't that refreshing too because of the after taste that stays in your mouth. It was not worth my PHP120. (And we ordered two glasses of it so that makes it PHP240!!!) 

My mom's pasta was served next and serving size was quite generous and good for two. 

It was also delightfully meaty. Each bite was guaranteed to be packed with meat. I also liked the firm pasta complementing the soft and juicy meat sauce. The parmesan added a tinge of tart and further enhanced the dish's taste.