Have a Healthier Heart with Quaker Smart Heart Challenge

Filipinos love to eat. It's something everyone knows and quite proud of. Remember the saying we eat six times a day counting morning, afternoon and midnight snacks? We even consider eating as a national passion. Though eating itself is not bad, we tend to overindulge in rich food. And this is where Quaker comes to the rescue.

A study facilitated by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute found out that an alarming one out of two adult Filipinos has borderline high cholesterol. It wasn't even surprising as that ratio applies to my family. But this is obviously no laughing matter. In fact, it is a scary fact as it means being prone to heart-related illnesses.

First Bite: Café Eight Churrasco-Style Buffet

I can't live without meat. I tried being a vegetarian for six months and it has been absolutely challenging for me especially since I'm part of a beef and pork loving family. I have to admit, eating greens all day long made me feel extra healthy but there's something with feasting on succulent meat that makes me... happier. And when I was invited to a churrasco lunch at Café Eight of Crimson Hotel Festival City, I had to say yes.

Hello, Café Eight. 

Located at the 8th floor of Crimson Hotel, one would quickly understand why this place is named so. 

Steak-ation Weekend with Sterling Silver

One of my favorite things to do these days is to go to the supermarket and look for interesting food finds. Others may call it an errand but I consider it as break from work. And one new find I discovered last week was Sterling Silver steaks.

Hello, Sterling Silver steaks!

Sterling Silver is one of the most trusted brands by restaurants, homemakers and taste makers. And if you pay close attention to your favorite restaurant's menu, chances are, you've seen its logo. 

First Bite: Cable Car

If you have been partying for the past two decades then Cable Car won't be a stranger to you. Considered as one of the pioneers in the restaurant and bar industry, Cable Car has been around since 1992 satisfying late cravings of night owls and party goers. And to celebrate its 25th year, it prepared a handful of surprises that will delight even the morning foodies and non-drinkers.

Hello, Cable Car.

I always see Cable Car whenever I pass by Fort Strip but for some reason, I found it to be a place for pre-game and post-game drinks and meals. Since I don't really go out late at night to party, I didn't find the place appealing. I had no idea though that Cable Car is more than just beer and small bites. In fact, it is known for its sisig rice. 

First Bite: Banh Mi Kitchen

The Vietnamese sandwich banh mi has been around for years. However, it was just recent when foodies took notice of this. We have the likes of Bon Banhmi, Banh Nam and a few others but none created more buzz than what was known as #CrunchTest. And it continues to be talked about by foodies with its innovative take on the classic Asian sandwich. 

Hello, Banh Mi Kitchen.

Now with seven branches under its belt, there's no stopping Banh Mi Kitchen from turning Manila food enthusiasts into banh mi lovers. It has established itself as a go to place for crunchy and filling sandwiches. And last week, it released a new mouthwatering variant. 

Toby's Estate Launches New Dishes

I blame Toby's Estate for my Chai Chocolate addiction. It was love at first sip. And just when I thought I couldn't love Toby's Estate even more, this popular coffee shop launched its seasonal savory dishes. 

Hello again, Toby's Estate. 

First Bite: Cicada Tapas & Bar

It is always fun to visit Cebu as it is turning into a foodie destination with new concepts opening here and there. But there are a few classics that I missed out from my previous trips and I made sure that I’d drop by a few of them during my last Cebu visit. And for R’s late birthday celebration, we opted to have lunch at Circa 1900. 

Hello, Circa 1900!

We were greeted by beautiful two ancestral homes (turned dining halls) as soon as we entered the restaurant's huge compound. 

Unfortunately, Circa 1900 was closed when we visited and will be closed throughout our stay in Cebu. On the bright side, its tapas restaurant, Cicada was open and we could dine there instead. 

Brunch for Three: Wildflour

I think most of us are guilty for ordering the more photogenic dish over the tastier one. More often than not, I find myself asking the server if the dish I’d like to order is pretty or Instagram-worthy and hesitate when I get no for an answer. But there’s a restaurant with a menu packed with tasty AND photogenic dishes. Yes, I’m talking about Wildflour. 

Hello, Wildflour. 

I’ve never seen Wildflour empty and it proves that this restaurant is not just a craze or have lost its charm after the market became less interested in Cronuts. 

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.

Restaurant Love: CO/OP Manila

Quaint coffee shops never fail to make me giddy. But quaint coffee shops that serve good food make me happier. Shops like Tweedle Book Café, Refinery, Yardstick and UCC are just a few that make me go gaga. Last week, I went to one of the cutest cafés I know… CO/OP Manila.

Hello again, CO/OP Manila!

It has been a while since my last visit. I recall that I only had dessert and coffee when I visited this cute place for the first time. This time around, I went for dinner and I realized that there are only a few savory options. Anyway, I decided to go for the Smoked Salmon (PHP370) while F got the Tartufo (PHP370) and R got the Beef Brisket Sandwich (PHP390). I also got the CO/OP Iced Tea (PHP80) while R got the Strawberry Lemonade (PHP150).

I noticed that the place is practically empty. It’s a perfect place to catch up with friends on a weeknight or the sanctuary of a person cramming.

First served were our drinks.

My iced tea was sweet yet refreshing. R also liked his strawberry lemonade. Though I couldn’t get much from him but a simple, “’k lang.”

Soon, our dishes were served.

Power Meal: Chatime Bento

I promised myself that I’m going to be a better and stronger person this year and I have been working hard to be fit. (But I still pig out on some days as I could not resist good food.) I go to yoga every day and soon, I will try a new sport or exercise. *Pats self on the back* But what I really look forward to after every workout is the “grace period” where you could eat whatever you want as experts say that the body still burns calories after workout. (Well, even if it’s not true, I will still eat as I don’t eat before working out.)

Tired and hungry, I decided to stop by Chatime to buy Chocolate Mousse and perhaps a sandwich but something else caught my attention… Chatime Bento (PHP169)!

I wanted to have it to go but the server said that it’s only available for dine in so I decided to have dinner there instead. Luckily, there was a table available upstairs. (And I was the only solo diner that (Friday) night! Huhuhu.)

Ten minutes later, my bento was served.

The bento consists of Chatime Chicken Chops, annatto rice, cuttlefish ball, shredded cabbage and soup.

The soup was a bit salty but the warmth was very soothing. I also enjoyed the shredded cabbage which was very much like Yabu’s and Saboten’s. The chicken chops were fried to perfection. Crispy yet still juicy and it went so well with the annatto rice. The cuttlefish ball, on the other hand, reminded me of squid balls.

Overall, it was a very filling dinner. And for PHP169, it was value for money.

I will definitely buy again soon.

Chatime savory dishes are available in selected stores only. Chatime Bento is available at Chatime Pioneer, Pioneer Supermarket, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City.

Lunch Date at Figaro

You know that you’re a glutton if one of your greatest fears is to go hungry. How can you tell if you’re suffering from it? Check your bag and if you find something edible inside your bag or pocket every single day, then chances are, you are “hunger-no-likey” positive. But there’s one thing’s scarier, rather frustrating,  when the food you packed was not enough to tame the angry tummy and despite being so hungry you simply could not decide where to eat.

I accompanied my sister to the clinic last Sunday for her to accomplish her required annual check-up for school. We arrived past 11:30 a.m. but luckily, the clinic wasn’t so busy and so my sister was able to “almost finish” in less than 2 hours (almost because she had to go back for her dental check up at 4PM). With grumbling tummies and woozy mindset since we stepped out past lunch time, we even had a mini foodie argument on where to eat and when we got tired and really dizzy due to hunger, we finally agreed and decided to go to Figaro.

Figaro, good yet affordable dishes.

I settled for one of their newest dishes, Chicken Thyme (PHP215) which comes with a glass of iced tea while my sister ordered Carbonara (PHP180). My sister also ordered an order of Chocolate Éclair (PHP75) which interestingly never caught my eye before.

 

First served was the chocolate éclair and it was divine. It is your typical éclair but more chocolatey as the filling was chocolate unlike the usual cream. Lovely! There were also a bit of nuts sprinkled on top and hardened chocolate drips on the sides. Such sight made my tummy smile with joy! My only concern was that I had to keep on pressing the top (uhm) bun against the chocolate filling as when we cut a piece, the bun goes up.