ECQ Food Delivery: Bowl'd

While many sharpen their culinary skills during the lockdown, I heavily relied on food deliveries. And I was so happy that the list of restaurants offering food deliveries grow each day. A new addition to my list is Bowl'd. 

Hello, Bowl'd.

Bowl'd has been around since 2018 and was a favorite by budget-conscious foodies. With its rice bowls priced under PHP200, it's hard for anyone to go wrong. 

Singapore's One Michelin Star Putien Now in Manila

Manila's food scene is on fire with the influx of local and foreign brands opening left and right. And with Singapore's One-Michelin Star Putien entering the market, we could definitely say that Christmas came in early this year.

Hello, Putien.

Putien started as a humble coffee shop in Singapore back in 2000. Named after Putian, a suburb of Fujian, China, it was Putien's founder, Mr. Fong Chi Chung's way to pay tribute to his hometown. By serving food made with fresh ingredients and packed with flavors, Putien eventually grew into a full scale restaurant and earned its One-Star Michelin in 2016. Now with several branches worldwide, Putien found a new home in Manila, its 67th worldwide.

First Bite: Meet Fresh

My heart always skip a beat whenever I hear the manly "tahoooooo" echo in the morning. I'd hurriedly look for small bills, get out of my PJs and run as fast as I could to the gate and eagerly wait for my favorite morning treat. But more often than not, I miss the manong magtataho or he skips our street. Thankfully, a new store opened that sells something better than taho. 

Hello, Meet Fresh!

Meet Fresh is the newest dessert shop in town and it opened its first store in Podium Mall. 

Paradise Dynasty Celebrates its 3rd Year Anniversary

Paradise Dynasty is more than just a place where I get my xiao long bao fix. With its superb and mouthwatering dishes, each visit has been a sweet escapade. And just like any fun vacation, I always yearn for more. Fast forward to three years later, I still can't stop smiling from ear to ear every time I get a piece of its bestsellers. 

Hello, Paradise Dynasty. 

Paradise Dynasty's extensive menu gives its guests a glimpse of China's rich cuisine and a taste of its various flavors. From the sweet and salty flavors of the South and mala-filled spices of the North, Paradise Dynasty offers it all. And perfectly too!

First Bite: Catch of the Day by Cold Storage

I could never say no to salmon. I love this seafood a lot that I'm willing to give up steak for it. And when I spotted it one at Catch of the Day, it attracted me like fly to light. 

Hello, Catch of the Day by Cold Storage.

Catch of the Day is Cold Storage's paluto-type stall at The Corner Market.  

First Bite: Ça Va Crêperie & Floral Atelier

A quaint café caught my attention while strolling around Podium. Adorned with flowers and everything dainty, I convinced my friends that we check it out after our heavy afternoon snack. 

Hello, Ça Va Crêperie & Floral Atelier.

It would be hard to miss Ça Va (pronounced sah-vah, French for "how are you doing?") with its prime spot at the Julia Vargas entrance of Podium Mall. Its warm ambiance and feminine vibe was like a strong magnet that lured us into its store.

First Bite: Manam Café

My first Manam experience was love at first bite. From its superb sisig down to creamy leche flan, everything was spectacular and memorable. And when Manam opened a spin off brand Manam Café, I was excited and curious at the same time especially after hearing that it offers different dishes.

Hello, Manam Café.

Manam has been one of my favorite Filipino restaurants in town and just when I thought I couldn't love this brand more, The Moment Group has something in store for its patrons, Manam Café.

New Bites at The Corner Market Food Hall

With several food concepts and brands popping here and there, dining out has never been so complex. I'd often find myself presenting my friends several options whenever we eat out. And when someone isn't into any of the choices, I had to go back to the drawing board. Thankfully, there are food halls that make it easier for friends with different tastes in terms of food. Everyone gets to eat what they want without having someone compromise. And one of the popular food hall picks in the metro is The Corner Market Food Hall. 

Hello, The Corner Market Food Hall. 

This spacious foodie haven houses several concepts that would make you drool for days. Rounding up unique non-competing brands, you get to have more options to choose from. Made even better with its picturesque interiors and well-lit dining hall, this place is must visit for anyone who wants a few more snaps for their social media feed while making their bellies happy. 

Now Open: Cocina Peruvia at Podium Mall

Cocina Peruvia is no new name in the food scene. As one of the pioneers to bring Peruvian cuisine in Manila, it has been a familiar name in the foodie community. I have to admit though, I didn't exactly fall in love with this place. My first two visits left me underwhelmed and I wasn't very excited to try it again the third time around. But the idea of seeing some of my favorite foodies enticed me to brave the morning traffic and head to Podium where Cocina Peruvia opened its third branch.

Hello again, Cocina Peruvia.

Restaurant Love: Paradise Dynasty is now in Podium!

I have been a big fan of Paradise Dynasty ever since they opened in S'Maison. However, the distance has been an issue for me and it was like having a long distance relationship with the xiao long bao that stole my heart from another restaurant known for it. But love moves mountains and Paradise Dynasty finally opened a new branch closer to home. 

Hello, Paradise Dynasty.

Now Open: Bake Cheese Tart is now in Manila

Bake is finally in Manila! After over a year of waiting, the world's best cheese tart is now open in Podium. 

Hello, Bake Cheese Tart.

I haven't heard of Bake till I visited Japan last year. The long queue in front of its store near the subway caught my attention and made me curious. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to convince R to line up with me that time. But the enticing aroma of freshly baked tarts left a strong impression that I made sure to grab some when I visited Seoul, Korea and Taichung, Taiwan.

First Bite: Bánh Nǎm

I love how Manila is turning into a melting pot of various cuisines. The city that used to be dominated by American fast food joints and Filipino eateries is now a thing of the past. Fast forward to present, we have all kinds of dishes from different countries with some we still could not even pronounce correctly. One of my favorites lately is this delightful sandwich popular in Vietnam. Yes, I’m talking about banh mi. And recently, I discovered this shop that sells really good ones. 

Hello, Bánh Nǎm.

This Vietnamese shop offers two of the yummiest things Vietnam has to offer and it is serious in providing the best kind.  

Second Sip: Craft Coffee Revolution

My mom is a big fan of Craft Coffee Revolution ever since she tasted this third wave coffee shop’s cakes. I only had its cappuccino on my first visit and I wasn’t exactly impressed. But since my mom was craving for its sansrival cake, we found ourselves having afternoon snack at my mom’s favorite café.

Hello, Craft Coffee Revolution!

My mom quickly ordered a slice of Macadamia Sansrival (PHP170) while I ordered Flat White (PHP140). My sister didn’t order any as she was not in the mood for cakes and wasn’t fond of coffee from cafés as she find it too strong for her liking. 

My mom’s cake was served first and it was… just okay for me. It wasn’t sweet so I guess that’s why my mom liked it. It had a light taste and it was not overly buttery making me feel less guilty for having a few bites. There was a relatively generous sprinkle of macadamia bits and that is probably the reason why a slice is a bit expensive. 

Restaurant Love: Schmidt's Hotdogs

Schmidt’s is one of the well-known hotdog brands in Manila. It serves various well-garnished hotdog sandwiches at relatively steep price but are worth every penny. It has been years since I last had a bite of Schmidt’s hotdogs and when I spotted it last weekend, I made sure that I do not miss my chance sinking my teeth into some juicy meaty treat. 

Hello, Schmidt’s! 

The place is pretty small and seemed to be designed to look like a kiosk with a few tables and benches for dining. Since Podium is hardly packed even during holidays, we easily got a table. 

My mom and sister were still stuffed from lunch so we decided to just go with one sandwich—The Julius (PHP190). I also added PHP60 to get one liter of Iced Tea which is normally priced at PHP90.

Service was quick and we got our meal and drink in less than 5 minutes.

The iced tea wasn’t very sweet making it a great thirst quencher.

I fell in love with the hotdog sandwich’s bread. It was very soft and fluffy. 

Restaurant Love: Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza

A few weeks back, my college friends and I pushed to meet for dinner on a week night since our schedules are all packed with meet ups and travels in the next weeks to come. And since most of them are working in Ortigas, L and I had to brave the traffic going north. And we survived to have dinner at…

Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza.

It has been quite a while since I last visited Gino’s Brick Oven Pizza. I think it was over 3 years and it was with my favorite Takaw Trio (T3) friends. Anyway, this time around, we tried Mushroom Pizza (PHP375), Prosciutto Pizza (PHP445), Carbonara (PHP220), Pesto Pasta (PHP225), Nutella Soup (PHP195) and Crack Pie (PHP55, slice). 

We also ordered a pitcher of Calamansi juice (PHP150) to help us digest the food we were about to consume. (And it was a bit too sweet.)

M was amused with how the Pesto Pasta was served as it was all bundled up. It reminded us of semi cooked instant noodles. The texture itself was also a bit hard and it had a slight sweet taste which could have been from the cream. 

The pesto itself wasn’t very oily which was great but I wish that it had a stronger pesto flavor over cream.

Love at First Bite: Juju Eats

I have to lose weight. Yes, reality slapped me in the face real hard this time. And I am more dedicated now to get fit. I’m actually surprised myself that I’m stricter this time. I guess the fear of continuing this unhealthy lifestyle might lead to a not so good future made me realize how much I have to be more careful. So, I signed up for anti-gravity yoga and started to eat healthy. I also happen to read somewhere that there’s a thing called alkaline diet which helps detoxify the body. I gave it a try and I’m now eating nothing but fruits and vegetables on weekdays. ONLY FRUITS AND VEGETABLES! But weekends are my cheat days. Then again, I still strive to eat healthy food while pigging out. And it wasn’t that hard when you’re at Juju Eats.

Hello, Juju Eats!

I have been seeing (or should I say reading?) a lot of positive posts about Juju Eats. I am familiar with the Juju Cleanse which I tried once due to curiosity but I never had the chance to try Juju Eats. I was so delighted when I saw a JUJU EATS COMING SOON signage when I visited Podium. And I finally had a chance to try Juju Eats’ salads last Saturday after yoga.

I was famished! I only had a banana for breakfast and it was already past 1 p.m. when I got to Podium. Luckily, I was next in line.

I decided to go with the ones the staff recommended: Greek Salad (PHP250 regular | PHP165 half/wrap) and Korean Kimchi (PHP295 regular | PHP180 half/wrap). I also got a bottle of Green Bomb and Qcumber Quench.

Restaurant Love: House of Wagyu Stone Grill

There was a time when I got so hooked to Groupon sites. I go crazy over the discounts and I end up with coupons or gadgets I want to believe I really need. One of the good deals I recently bought was vouchers for the House of Wagyu Stone Grill.

Hello, House of Wagyu Stone Grill!

We opted to claim our vouchers at the Eastwood branch and the place wasn’t packed at all. There were only about two other tables occupied when we arrived. We got a table near the window which V thought to be a good spot.

As soon as I handed my vouchers, our wait basket and soup were served.

The soup was served warm and it was creamy yet not that heavy as the serving was just right. V though munched on so much bread.

The salad’s serving was pretty small as well but it was just right as the main course was the highlight of the meal.

 

Finally, the main star—a Grade 8 tenderloin steak on a stone grill—arrived. It was lightly seasoned with salt and pepper with mashed potatoes and a few vegetables on the side.

Restaurant Discovery: Madeca

I admit, as much as I want to be lean and strong, I would choose a food trip over a free workout anytime. However, the case was different a few weeks back. I felt really heavy and when I do, I just have to give in to exercise and tried Plana Forma. It was PAIN. But there’s something I look forward to after every workout… reward. And by reward I mean food.

After an hour of squatting, T and I went to Podium with the plan of eating at Wildflour. It was our second attempt to do so but when we arrived, the place was packed with hungry brunch people. So we decided to look for another place to have brunch. Then I remembered Madeca. I saw it before in Yummy magazine and fell in love with the cute mason glasses. 

Luckily, the 4^th floor of Podium isn’t packed. (Normally, the busiest floor is the ground floor where Wildflour is located.) There was only one diner when we arrived. 

We noticed that Madeca isn’t an authentic Mexican restaurant. It is a fusion between Mexican and Filipino. I got intrigued with Lechon Kawali Burrito (PHP245) so I ordered one along with Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla (PHP125) and Guava Mojito (PHP135). T on the other hand ordered  Sisig Burrito (PHP225).

The Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla was on the bland side but topping it with sour cream and salsa solves that. I love that it was served warm. The chips were delightful too as it added texture to the dish.

Love at First Bite: Bono Artisanal Gelato

Dessert. It’s something I look forward to in every meal. I love to order a complete course whenever I eat out. I must have an appetizer, a main course, and dessert. No wonder I’m feeling heavy again. 

After a hearty Mexican lunch, my friend T and I decided to walk around Podium and burn some calories before heading to Wildflour for some cronuts. But something else caught our eye… Bono Artisanal Gelato. 

 

The cute kiosk at the ground floor is quite eye catching. The clean design and that clear glass encasing the “lab” are so adorable. The names of the flavors were pretty witty too. I had a hard time choosing which one to buy as I was torn between Speculoos and Taho. Eventually, I decided to go for Speculoos as it was tastier.

A Meeting To Remember: Borough

For some I-don’t-know-what-happened reason, I lost my appetite. And it was not just for a day or two but 3 weeks! This explains the fewer entries for the past months. But thanks to those green vitamins, the glutton is slowing coming back and craving for a lot of sweets! This entry though was about a lunch out that happened during my tummy’s-on-strike period. Then again, a glutton will always be a glutton.

Hello, Borough. *blush*

 

I have been eying this place since I read about it from several blog sites. One thing stood out, Mom’s Milk and Cookies (PHP170).

 

The food gods must really love me as just when I was in one of the gloomiest weeks of my life, there was a sudden change in plans for a lunch meeting. Instead of dining at Lulu at Rockwell, it was moved to Borough, the place my tummy wanted to visit for months. *lucky!*