Samba's Bartender Series: Tiki Maestro Daniele Dalla Pola

Samba is one of my favorite places to hang out and unwind whenever I’m in Manila. Its chill ambiance and superb food makes it a great place for a night cap. And just when I thought it was already perfect, I was proven otherwise.

Hello again, Samba.

I usually visit Samba during night time as I visit the place with R who has to beat EDSA traffic. So it was refreshing for me to drop by in the afternoon where I could fully enjoy the beauty of Shangri-La at the Fort’s pool. And I was in for a treat when I was spoiled by Tiki Maestro, Daniele Dalla Pola. 

Love at First Bite: Don Andres Peruvian Kitchen

I usually visit Pioneer Center to do my grocery shopping.  The place is a gold mine for cheap finds and hard to find imported goods. But recently, I discovered another reason for me to frequent the place. You could say that it was love at first bite.  

Hello, Don Andres.

This Peruvian restaurant may not sound very new to some who hangs out in Quezon City. It has been in Sergeant Esguerra for quite some time before it decided to move to a new location. So for those who were heartbroken with its disappearance, it's back!

First Bite: Samba

Shangri-La chain of hotels has been known to offer superior services. These past years though, the spotlight has been on its dining establishments. From the well loved Heat, Senju and Summer Palace of Edsa Shangri-La to Inagiku of Shangri-La Makati, tastemakers have grown to be fascinated with the new additions Canton Road and Raging Bull of Shangri-La at the Fort.  And late last year, a new restaurant was added to the list and it is designed, just like the others, to give us a gastronomic experience worth remembering.

Hello, Samba.

This Peruvian restaurant on the 8th floor of Shangri-La at the Fort, may seem to be a bit misplaced at first given that Canton Road and Raging Bull are both on the 3rd floor.  However, one would understand why this restaurant is placed there upon stepping in its al fresco dining area.

First Bite: Cubanos Fil-Cuban Cantina

I have been using Zomato for a bit over a month and I was surprised that I was already invited to attend one of the anticipated Zomato foodie eat ups. The host for this eat up was a Fil-Cuban restaurant in City Golf. I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant to attend as it’s a bit far from me but I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to meet some new foodie friends. And so, after an event in Uptown Mall, I rushed to Pasig.

Hello, Cubanos Fil-Cuban Cantina!

The restaurant is located along the same strip as Frankie’s and other drinking places. I’m just not exactly sure if this space used to be the spot of Locale, a former City Golf favorite. 

I was greeted by Louie of Zomato and after a brief hello, I sat down and indulged on a piece of Peri-Peri Inasal (PHP195). An order comes with a Peruvian inspired charcoal grilled chicken with shredded barbecue elote and two dips, barbecue and aji. 

The chicken had a nice subtle tangy taste which I liked. The meat though it was a bit dry. The buttered corn didn’t help much and the strong taste of inasal made the elote bland by comparison. 

Next served was Fil-Cuban Ribs (PHP220, half rack | PHP315, full rack) which is Cubanos’ bestselling dish.