Grocery Find: Cheez Whiz Mild

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day but most of us usually skip this as we rush to the office (or school) to beat the unbelievable Manila traffic. Thankfully, there are a bunch of morning hacks we can use to avoid having to leave our homes with empty growling stomachs. One of which is making a fuss-free sandwich. And cheese is usually my go to spread. 

Hello, Cheez Whiz!

I still remember grabbing a jar of Cheez Whiz every afternoon to snack on when I was young. I'd have it on bread or snack on it as is while watching my favorite television show. I couldn't indulge in more than 2 tablespoon though with its strong flavor. But Cheez Whiz introduced a new variant that might make me finish half a jar in one sitting. 

Love at First Bite: Tiny Teapot Bakery Cafe

Those neighborhood cafes never fail to lure me. I always get curious with what they offer and if it's a gem worth finding. Yesterday, I decided to swing by this new cafe along Pioneer street.

Hello, Tiny Teapot Bakery Cafe.

First Bite: Palm Grill

Tomas Morato has turned from a drinking hotspot to an area filled with restaurants offering affordable and delectable food. New concepts seem to open every month and I often find myself overwhelmed by the growing number of options. But hearing that this new chicken place offers superb "green" poultry made it a bit easier for me to decide.

First Bite: El Corazon

It has been a long while since the last time I dined in Corazon. I remember that it was a family gathering and that we had a scallop fare for lunch. Named as El Corazon in the new Uptown Mall, the homey place still offers Corazon's staple favorites. 

Hello, El Corazon! 

The Hispanic vibe is very evident as soon as you step foot inside the restaurant. Arches, warm hues, adorable wall decors and bricks (washed white for an illusion of bigger space) are the first things you'll notice. 

We arrived around 4 pm for an early dinner and we managed to get a table right away. 

For this meal, we tried Málaga (PHP375), Chorizo Filipino with Egg (PHP345), Gaudi (PHP1,600, whole | PHP850, half | PHP450, quarter) and Paella Valenciana (PHP695). 

First served were the appetizers.

The Chorizo Filipino was served on a small clay pot and came with some warm pandesal. I liked the meatiness of each chorizo slice and how it complemented the potato cubes and fluffy pandesal. 

The egg made the dish thicker and richer.

Málaga was served next and it was my favorite dish from the set. The anchovies were delectably soft and undeniably fresh! I loved the tanginess of the lemon olive oil. It was not overwhelming and was just right to whet the appetite for the mains. (Tip: It is best enjoyed with the toasted crostini for crunch.)

The mains were up next and both were definitely filling! 

The paella was topped with fresh seafood such as prawns, squid and mussels. There were also chunks of chicken, pork and chorizo along with veggies, eggs and lemon wedges. It was served super hot making us very cautious to scoop one or two servings. 

Restaurant Discovery: Pan De Amerikana

Ever since the upside down bakery caught my eye, I have been bugging my mom that she brings me there. But I think I need to work on my charms. Thankfully, N was open to the idea of visiting the place with me. So off we go to the upside down bakery, or popularly known as Pan de Amerikana

It was a hot day when we visited Pan de Amerikana. And the place being an open space wasn’t something that we were looking for that time. Such made us order Halo-Halo (PHP50) with the hopes of helping us cool down.

We had fun taking pictures of the place as it is such a pretty place. They even have a minibridge as a pathway to the dining area. Soon, our orders were served.

Well, I actually forgot to take a photo of the Halo-Halo and I didn’t really mind as it was practically a bowl of ice. There were not much toppings. I didn’t get to taste any langka, saba or leche flan. I was hoping that there would be an ube ice cream but there was none. :(

Drunk with Pandesal: The Bread Bag Pandesal Bar

Pandesal. What could be so special about it anyway? It is just… pandesal. Bread. Pandesal. Round messy-to-eat bread. I hope that you won’t think that I dislike it as I prefer it as my Sunday morning breakfast. It’s just that I was wondering what made it, well, special. One gloomy Thursday afternoon, a small quaint café showed me how special pandesal could be.

 

After “window” shopping for a big project, my colleagues and I stopped by The Bread Bag Pandesal Bar. Who knew that there’s a “bar” for pandesal?

 

We entered the place and practically loved everything we saw—from the scribbles on the glass outside to the chalkboard menu, up to the tape used to seal the cups.