Takeout Picks: Black Scoop

Black Scoop is one of my go-to milk tea shops since 2018. With its delectable fruit teas and addictive milk teas, it's hard not to grab a few drinks whenever I pass by a branch. I know that they have savory meals too, but I only got to try some of its dishes during the community quarantine. And since I now know that they have good chicken poppers, I decided to grab some again after my OB appointment. 

Hello, Black Scoop.

For a milk tea shop, Black Scoop offers a good range of dishes to complement its sweet drinks. Its menu includes rice meals, sandwiches, pasta, and snacks. 

When in Kapitolyo: Epic Cafè

Kapitolyo used to be my neighborhood back when it was the hottest foodie spot in Manila. I'd go around the area on weekends and check out the newest shops. And more often than not, I'd be heading back home with a happy tummy and several new favorites. And one of which was Epic Cafè.

Hello, Epic Cafè. 

Epic Cafè has been around for years now and continue to serve good tasting beverages and comfort dishes. Its warm and inviting space also makes this coffee shop an ideal spot for catching up with friends or work. 

First Sip: Tantea

Phones eat first. What used to be a joke is pretty much a reality now. With aesthetics as one of the factors consumers heavily consider when dining out, most establishments focus on making its offerings as pretty as possible. From pink burgers to heart shaped pizzas and glittery drinks, we've pretty much seen a lot of quirky tweaks just to make dishes more 'Instagrammable'. One relatively new milk tea player, Tantea, has its presentation and packaging on point giving it the much needed edge in this very competitive industry. 

Hello, Tantea. 

Tantea has been around for a few months now with its first branch in Binondo, Manila. I've been curious with its milk tea offerings but my constant trips out of Manila made it hard for me to pay one of its shops a visit. Luckily, Tantea sent me a message asking if I'd like to have some drinks delivered one afternoon. 

First Bite: Sundays by Merry Moo

Summer may have been long over but the intense Manila heat is here to stay. And there's no better way to keep cool than with a scoop or two of ice cream. But why stop there when you can have three and a yummy waffle bowl to eat it with?

Hello, Sundays by Merry Moo.

Merry Moo is one of the homegrown ice cream brands I love. Its fun and innovative flavors keep it relevant especially with today's discerning market.

Is FRNK Milk Bar More Than Just A Pretty Shop?

Instagrammable. That word has been the focus of most food and drink establishments and sadly, fail to deliver what's really important... taste. This is the reason why I often avoid pretty food and colorful drinks. I'm always scared of getting duped by its beautiful appearance and leave my taste buds miserable. But when most of my friends say that this new hipster drink brand offers nothing but goodness, I just have to give in to try FRNK Milk Bar. 

Hello, FRNK Milk Bar. 

FRNK Milk Bar is one of celebrity Isabelle Daza's business ventures. And just like all the other brands she's involved with, FRNK is a beauty in all aspects of marketing. All of FRNK's drinks are worthy to be part of anyone's Instagram with its sleek presentation. 

Love at First Sight: Serenitea x Sesame Street

“Early bird gets the worm. But cookie taste better than worm. So me sleep in," says Cookie Monster. And I think I actually embraced that idea when I feasted on nothing but cookies for weeks. As a fan of this crazy-eyed blue cutiepie, I was so happy when Sesame Street collaborated with one of my favorites--Serenitea.

Hello, Serenitea x Sesame Street!

Serenitea has always been my number one milk tea. And just when I thought I don't have enough room to like this any more, it came up with a collaboration that made me love it even more. 

First Sip: Macao Imperial

Hype. I don't seem to ever learn from my past experiences. I always get excited to try the talked about food and drinks and I even go out of my way at times just to get hold of it. Though there are some worthy to be showered with praises, most are just average and nothing spectacular. One particular brand I've been wanting to visit for a while is Macao Imperial as this has been getting a lot of love from Masarap Ba? and its community. And I finally got to visit it last Friday. 

Hello, Macao Imperial. 

Macao Imperial is one of the many milk tea franchises from abroad and it gained popularity and strong following after Masarap Ba? vouched for its cream cheese drinks. It became so trending that Macao Imperial offered a "kakulto" (name of Masarap Ba's community members) discount in the form of free upgrade. 

All About Serenitea's Cookie Brûlée Series

I have been drinking too much milk tea these past weeks to the point of planning to do some serious boba detox. But just when I thought I could finally start, Serenitea launched its crème brûlée line.  

Hello, Serenitea. 

Serenitea has been one of my favorite milk tea brands ever since my first sip of its Hokkaido Milk tea back in 2011. And despite the influx of so many boba shops opening in Manila, Serenitea remains to be one of my top 3! 

First Sip: One Zo

Milk tea is everywhere and it is so close to turning me into the same shape as tapioca! But it's just too hard to resist especially when new brands keep opening here and there. And just a few weeks back, a boba shop also from Taiwan opened in Promenade Greenhills. But unlike all the other milk tea joints, this one makes its pearls from scratch and cook fresh batches every day. And did I mention that it comes in different flavors?

Hello, One Zo. 

Named after the Mandarin translation for playing with balls of dough, One Zo is known for its freshly made flavored pearls. 

First Bite: Mihimihi

I hardly go out these days as I find Manila's traffic unbearable. But when I do, I see to it that I get to visit at least one new restaurant. And I was so thrilled when I accidentally discovered Mihimihi on my way home.

Hello, Mihimihi.

Mihimihi is a popular bakeshop from Guangzhou, China known for its eclair-shaped French puff pastries that come in different flavors and fillings. I've seen its shop a few times but our jam-packed Canton Fair schedule doesn't really allow me to explore the city that much. Luckily, these raved about baked goodies found its way to Manila. It opened its first store in SM Fairview last March and its second one opened in SM Megamall just a few weekends ago.

Harlan+Holden Coffee now open in BGC

We've all heard the saying "Time is Gold" when we were younger. But it was only a few years back when I got a better understanding of what it truly meant. With the feeling that 24 hours a day not enough to have things done, I tried so many hacks to make myself more efficient. But I still end up rushing doing this and that, especially getting from point A to point B. Thankfully, there are a bunch of online services and apps to help me multitask and I sure am glad that there's a coffee shop that thought of a way to save us coffee lovers precious minutes.

Hello, Harlan+Holden Coffee!

The posh retail shop Harlan+Holden finally opens another branch of its coffee shop concept and this time, it's at One Bonifacio High Street!

Northern Chronicles: Kiss the Tiramisu opens its second branch in Trinoma

I always look forward to December as it means cooler breeze and sweater weather. But I don't think it's happening this year as it's still scorching hot despite being only a few weeks away from Christmas. Thankfully, there are cold treats to keep me sane. And I was thrilled to find out that the famous Korean dessert shop Kiss the Tiramisu finally opened its second branch. This time, in Trinoma!

Hello, Kiss the Tiramisu.

Kiss the Tiramisu is a popular Korean dessert shop that was born from a simple idea of combining two sweet favorites-- ice cream and tiramisu. Served a bit more "extra" by having it on a plastic gold-rimmed goblet which you can bring home, it became an instant hit, not just in Korea but in several countries as well, including Canada and the Philippines!

New Bites at Sunnies Café

Sunnies Café has been known to be one of the best places for Instagram-worthy snapshots. But more than those pastel colored pictures, its bang for the buck dishes will tickle you pink. And same is true for its new dishes.

Hello, Sunnies Café. 

I still remember the first time I visited Sunnies Café. It was during its opening day and the famous gals behind the successful brand Sunnies were there too for a shoot. Fast forward to two years later, Sunnies Café still remains as one of the favorite spots of millennials (and surprisingly titas of Manila as well). 

First Bite: Hops & Brews

Hainanese Fried Chicken? Why, yes it exists. And it could just be a couple of blocks away from you! 

Hello, Hops & Brews. 

Located at the ground floor of the posh I'M Hotel, Hops & Brews has become a favorite hang out place of the hotel's guests and patrons as well as locals who frequent the area. 

Revisited: Genki Sushi

A concept born in 1968, Genki Sushi has grown from a Japanese sushi bar into an international brand. It opened its first store in Manila 3 years ago and it has been expanding ever since. Its success can be attributed to its extensive menu of pocket-friendly sushi and maki and interesting way of having it served. And Genki Sushi beefed up its offerings even more by adding bentos and rice toppings. 

Hello, Genki Sushi. 

It has been a long while since my last visit at this quirky sushi bar. I still recall how much fun I had ordering my favorites and the giddiness I felt whenever my "race car" or "train" arrives with my orders. This time around, I didn't focus much on the novelty of how the food's delivered and focused more on the dishes. And for this visit, I got to try some of Genki Sushi's newest dishes. 

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: Harlan + Holden

Harlan + Holden instantly charmed me when I saw photos of its picturesque cafe in Rockwell. Call me sucker for Instagram-worthy places but I did my research and read great reviews of this place prompting me to ask R and his parents to a trip here one afternoon.

Hello, Harlan + Holden. 

First Sip: Selfie Cafe

We all had our fair share of taking selfies. From that fun trip you had abroad to luckily bumping into your favorite celebrity, we have all mastered the art of taking photos of ourselves. But a cafe took selfies to a whole different level when it made it edible. 

Hello, Selfie Cafe. 

BGC Just Got Darker: BLK 513 is now in Bonifacio High Street

Something dark and black has entered BGC and I love it! In case you haven't heard, BLK 513 is now in Bonifacio High Street!

Hello, BLK 513!

It has been a very long time since I visited BLK 513. If I'm not mistaken, the last time I've been to a BLK 513 branch was two years back. 

First Bite: Doux PH

With Christmas fast approaching, we get busier than ever finding the perfect gifts for our family and friends. I've been through a lot of holiday shopping mayhem to remember and there is only one thing I got from it-- plan ahead or suffer. And after years of practice, I'm proud to say that I managed to cross out my entire list after a short call. How do I do it? By having a trusty supplier to provide me with delectable treats to give out to everyone. But one new baker I discovered is making me think if I should order more (for myself). 

Hello, Doux.PH.

I got an email from Beah of Doux.PH one night asking if I would be open to try some of her cookies. As a person who does not say no to sweet, I gladly said yes. And a week later, she sent me an assorted box of cookies!