Love at First Bite: Ya Chou

I love manthou. I often order some when I see it on the menu or grab a plateful at Chinese buffet. Just thin‌king about these freshly steamed buns smothered with butter makes me drool for hours. And I'm so thankful to discover a shop that allows me to have my favorite snack anytime I want. 

Hello, Ya Chou. 

Ya Chou is a small shop in Quezon City that specializes in Taiwanese delicacies like dumplings, peanut balls, radish cake, sausages and machang. Being in the food business for over two decades, Ya Chou has gained loyal patrons who would drop by its store to grab hold of its sweet and savory products. 

Love at First Bite: Hello Goodbites

I could never say no to cookies. I drool every time I get a whiff of freshly baked goodies and I hardly hesitate to click the like button whenever I see it in my feed. Lately, I'm in the hunt for cookies I could proudly give away for Christmas and I noticed a high school batch mate of mine offering her "rejects" for free. By rejects, I do not mean bad batch but more of it just came out the wrong size or cracked. Her strict quality control impressed me and piqued my interest. And a few days ago, I finally decided to comment on her post asking for the price list. 

Hi there, Hello Goodbites!

Hello Goodbites is a passion project by Loren Calo. What makes her cookie business a tough cookie to beat is that she ensures freshness in a different level. Your cookies are delivered as soon as it gets out of the oven! She bakes on weekdays and delivers it on the same day (or hour)! And if traffic cooperates, your order might reach your doorstep still warm. 

Hole in the Wall Find: Green Cheese (Happiest Cheesecake in the World)

While waiting for my pho from Phobobo, I looked around to check the other concessionaires and see if I could try more dishes that night. However, the place was really packed so I was forced to buy from stores with shorter lines (as we were also rushing to visit a coffee shop after dinner).

Hello, Green Cheese, the happiest cheesecake in the world!

This cake stall caught my interest when Jin Perez of Jin Loves to Eat featured it on her blog. From the smiling Japanese cheesecakes to the nice façade (with a swing), Green Cheese sure screams kawaii!

I decided to go for Green Cheese’s plain cheesecake (PHP50 per slice or PHP350 for a box) and custard pudding (PHP120).