Food Delivery: Overdoughs Crinkles

Pregnancy has turned me into a crinkle monster. My appetite for this baked treat seems to be insatiable. I always find myself drooling at the idea of having more. Thankfully, one of my favorite brands, Overdoughs, added it in its list of delectable offerings!

Hello, Overdoughs Crinkles.

Overdoughs is one of my top cookie brands. Aside from selling amazing cookies, its passion toward the deaf-mute community made this food group one of the best in my book. And I was thrilled when I found out that they're now offering crinkles!

Love at First Bite: Sugarbee

"If you're sosyal, you'd know Sugarbee." It was a brief introduction given to us by S when we stepped inside Sugarbee's SM Megamall store. True enough, if you frequent Manila Polo Club, you'd be familiar with this cake haven. 

Hello, Sugarbee. 

Hailed by Spot.ph as one of the best cake brands in the city, Sugarbee has a strong fan base even before its first store opened. Born from Ms. Jenny Silayan's passion for baking, Sugarbee is now available in BGC, Makati and now, Ortigas. 

Revisited: Sebastian's Ice Cream

A meal is never complete without desserts. I'd always look for something sweet to cap my meal and one of my go to desserts is ice cream. And I was giddy to stumble upon Sebastian's after my hearty meal at Kureji. 

Hello, Sebastian's Ice Cream. 

Sebastian's Ice Cream has been around for quite some time now. I still remember how it reinvented classic Pinoy treats such as Sapin-Sapin and Green Mango into ice cream. Not only did it catch attention from foodies around the metro, it also delivered superb and great tasting products. 

Love at First Bite: Blissful Sweets by Eu

I simply cannot resist sweets! It’s the part of the meal that I look forward to the most. Though I love munching on the tried and tested desserts, I find so much joy too whenever I come across awesome home bakers who can whip up amazing products. And last month, I discovered Blissful Sweets by Eu. 

Hello, Blissful Sweets by Eu. 

I got an unexpected email from Eu a couple weeks back asking if I’m open to try her baked treats. And as a sucker for sweets, I said yes without even knowing what she’ll give me. 

Eu personally delivered the goodies to my apartment but I was too busy packing for my trip the next day and doing last minute errands that I was not able to meet her. 

First Bite: Sweet Inspirations

Sweet Inspirations has been around for a long time. I remember always seeing it along Katipunan when I have errands to do within the area. However, I never got the time to drop by. I figured that I could get my slice of cake elsewhere. But I had no idea that this place offers more than sweets. 

Hello, Sweet Inspirations. 

I dropped by its Hemady Square branch one Saturday afternoon and I was surprised to see a Mongolian station. 

Love at First Bite: Zoey's Cakes and Pastries

I love receiving home baked goods. I always feel that it has been prepared with so much love and passion making it extra special. And a bite of Zoey's Cakes and Pastries would make you think the same. 

Hello, Zoey's Cakes and Pastries!

I randomly got a message from Mae, the person behind Zoey's Cakes and Pastries. She asked me if I would be interested to try some of her baked treats. Since I have a sweet tooth, I quickly said yes. 

First Bite: Sugar Factory

I love sweets and I can't resist it when someone offers me some. And when I got an invite to visit Sugar Factory, I replied with a big, fat YES. Indulging in huge milkshakes and childlike creations always sound like a good idea. 

Hello, Sugar Factory.

I was greeted by a well-lit and spacious dining area that seemed to be a combination of a fancy diner, Vegas and candy land. 

Since we were a huge party of foodies, we were moved to the second floor dining area which gave us a nice view of the whole place. On the other hand, the second dining area is a bit cramped and it was hard for us eager (and aspiring) food photographers to move around and take photos of the fun dishes served to us. But if you're there to simply enjoy the food, you'll be fine. 

Instagram Wonderland: Teaspoon Café

One of our Pampanga Food Crawl stops was this adorable café that seemed to have been designed as an Instagrammers’ paradise. Every nook and cranny are screaming cute and with lifestyle bloggers with us during the food crawl, they sure went crazy with the place.

Hello, Teaspoon Café.

“I wish I dressed nicer” was the first thought that came to mind when I entered this charming place. One could score the perfect profile picture here. But aside from its picturesque space, Teaspoon Café offers savory dishes, decadent desserts and nostalgic milkshakes. 

Love at First Bite: Karen's Kitchen

When you get older, Christmas is no longer about getting gifts. It is now all about getting... fat. But if I get to stuff myself with good food, I am a-okay with it! And thanks to the long break, I finally got a chance to visit the restaurant in Kapitolyo that I have been eying for almost a year... Karen's Kitchen!

Hello, Karen's Kitchen!

The place is oozing with charm. Each corner is Instagram-worthy and every piece on display has a story to tell. I have never been to a place as warm and beautiful as this one. It was definitely made with love and a lot of thought. 

Since the place is small, I made sure that we get a table and dropped Karen a message to reserve one for us. She then suggested that we pre-order as some of the dishes take time to prepare. (Some dishes take as much as 45 minutes to cook.) It sounded like a great idea. Less waiting, more eating! 

I ordered Squash Soup with Squash Flower (PHP175), Mushroom Truffle (PHP395) and Karen's recommended Dalandan Chicken (PHP345). We also ordered Strawberry Juice (PHP165), Red Velvet Cupcake (PHP96) and Sticky Toffee Pudding (PHP144). Karen insisted we try Raclette Japanese Cheesecake (PHP205) and gave us one on the house.

First served was the squash soup and it was divine! It was the perfect texture for pumpkin soup. It was thick and creamy, sweet with a bit of spice. The bread stick was perfectly soft and flavored too! We were off on a good start.

Next served was the mushroom truffle pasta and it smelled heavenly. You could undeniably smell the aroma of truffle.

Love at First Bite: Artisan Emporium

I am now a frustrated foodie. Ever since I left Kapitolyo, I hardly explore. And I found out last week that there are around 5-7 new restaurants in Kapitolyo. SEVEN! I really have to explore this weekend! Anywaaaay, a few weeks back, I went to Spice & Cleaver and while waiting for R, I spotted a new bakery named Artisan Emporium and I decided to check it out.

Hello, Artisan Emporium.

The new bakery was just 2 days old when I visited and the first thing that caught my eye was the display chiller on the counter. They have salted caramel, chocolate and red velvet panna cotta (PHP180/jar). I wanted to get chocolate but the staff recommended red velvet. Thinking that R prefers red velvet, I bought that one instead.

And I totally forgot about it till three days later.

Second Bite: K&L Café

Summer is here and the intense heat is driving me crazy. I want to walk around especially during food trips but the sun wants to fry an egg on my head. So when J and I went on a White Plains food trip, we try to escape the heat by having saba con yelo (hielo) at Pan de Amerikana (and brewed coffee and pandesal for a sasaw sa kape afternoon treat). And after a bit of cooling down, we were game to visit our last stop… K&L Café.

Hello again, K&L Café.

It has been quite a while since I last visited the adorable K&L Café.

They were busy setting up for a mini gathering when we arrived so we were requested to dine at the second floor.

The second floor is pretty cute too. The wall ornaments and the frosted window with the logo of the shop made the place homey.

After checking the menu, we went with the following: Longganisa Locale (PHP219), Mozz-Ham-rella Sticks (PHP195), and Ultimate Red Velvet Pancakes (PHP295). We also got Strawberry Calamansi (PHP95) and one of their new drinks that I forgot to take note of.

First served were our drinks. I loved J’s drink as it was sweet yet citrusy. Mine, on the other hand, was a bit too sweet and wasn’t much of a thirst quencher.

The mozzarella (with ham) sticks were served next. Served warm, the stretchy mozzarella with bits of ham was a great appetizer. I’m sure cheese-loving kids would love this dish.

Love at First Bite: Scout’s Honor

I love anything personalized or customized. It shows that effort and thought were put into it and it makes whatever was made more special. Well, I always feel special when I receive one. I also find it fun to make one so it was such a thrill to make my own cookie! Curious where I crafted my own cookie? Scout’s Honor at Hole in the Wall.

Hello, Scout’s Honor!

This cute cookie and milk place is the first thing you’ll see once you enter Hole in the Wall. Scout’s Honor’s display of milk bottles and cookies will instantly make you salivate (if you love milk and cookies).

I was all oohs and aahs while checking the different ready-to-eat cookies, cookie dough, toppings and milk flavors. After much thought, I decided to get Cookie Inception (PHP95), Rocky Road, Peanut Butter and Nutty (PHP180 for 3 pieces—and yes, it has to be three pieces). I also crafted my own cookie (PHP120) and got Bamboo Charcoal Milk (PHP110).

For my very own Gluttonshopper cookie, I opted to go with the chewy chocolate chip cookie dough with almonds and marshmallow. The cookie master told me that the chewy chocolate chip cookie dough is one of their bestsellers and bestseller is a magic word with me. (UPDATE: They now have red velvet cookie dough! Get yours now as it’s a limited offering.)

True enough, I did love my cookie. It’s not that photogenic but the chewy dough and mallows with a slight bite from the almonds was divine! I love munching it warm with my cold milk.

Love at First Bite: K & L Café

I get flattered every time I get an invite from an establishment to try their food. It shows that they trust my blog and that they see me as an influencer. A few weeks ago, I got an email from Karen and Loren, sisters behind Blushing Cupcakes, inviting me to visit their newest venture, a restaurant named  K & L Café along White Plains, a few steps away from Pan de Amerikana. After two weeks, I finally got to visit the quaint café.

Hello, K & L Café!

The place is extremely adorable! It had a rustic and homey feel that I simply love. My eyes had a feast! J, the architect, noticed the super sweet sign Karen and Loren prepared for me. It sure made me feel so special! <3

While chatting with Karen and Loren, I found out that they both studied in St. Paul College, Pasig and University of Asia and the Pacific. They were my school mates in high school and college! Small world!

They recommended the following: Maple Caramel Latte (PHP105, hot | PHP125, cold), Famous Strawberry Calamansi (PHP95), Ultimate Red Velvet Pancake (PHP295), Daddy’s Bourbon American Ribs (PHP295), Ilocos Bagnet with Tomato Salsa (PHP265), and Apple, Brie and Baguio Honey sandwich (PHP227).

First served were our drinks. I didn’t get to try J’s drink as he didn’t offer. (Insert sad music here.) 

Molito Food Stop: Le Petit Cheri

There are so many new restaurants here, there and just about everywhere! I went crazy when I spotted Molito, the new foodie haven in the south. I saw several new establishments I have never seen before and I am so excited to visit those places soon. Earlier, I posted about Ramen Yushoken. The place offer really flavorful ramen. Since we still had had 30 minutes to explore Molito before going home, my sister and I dashed to Le Petit Cheri.

Hello, Le Petit Cheri.

It had an eerie ambiance as we were the only ones there when we visited. And it didn’t seem to be a good sign. But it was recommended by a few friends so I had faith in this establishment.

Since we were not in the mood for anything savory, we went straight to desserts and stared at the display cooler. I got the White Chocolate Cheesecake (PHP148), Baked Polvoron (PHP78) and several macarons: Caramel, Salted Coffee, Purple Yam, Red Velvet, and Strawberry (PHP38 each).

I ordered the baked polvoron since it intrigued me. I love polvoron but I never really had a chance to try a baked version of it. The texture was similar to a rather hard cookie and it wasn’t as sweet as the well-loved Goldilocks polvoron. Actually, it tasted just like a slightly bland cookie. 

I ordered the White Chocolate Cheesecake since it was the most photogenic among the cakes available then. It was very dense and thick and it didn’t have the tart that I like from cheesecakes. It also made me remember why I don’t like white chocolate. In short, I will not order this again… ever. But white chocolate lovers might enjoy this.

The macarons were pretty decent though for its affordable price. My favorite was the salted coffee (which I cleared with the person who assisted us if it’s really coffee and not caramel). It tasted just like coffee but it wasn’t as sweet. The ganache was so thick though.

A First: Countdown to Tuesday

I can’t wait for Tuesday! And I also can’t believe that I’m saying this on a Friday!

I used to hate Tuesday as this is our coding day and most of my PE classes fall on Tuesdays and Fridays. I don’t hate PE itself, in fact I like it as it helps me be fit! But what I don’t like about it is that no matter how hard I try, I just can’t manage to excel in any ! (Competitive kid here.)

Anyway, yesterday, a cool reason arrived in our office and that’s the reason why I just can’t wait for Tuesday. Perhaps now you’re wondering what I’m babbling about. Let me give you a little peek.

Fine, fine. Just teasing. :P 

Cupcake Love: Gigi Coffee & Cupcakes

I just loooove food and receiving edible gifts makes my eyes sparkle.

M surprised the February celebrants (that’s me and F) with a box of Gigi cupcakes each. I’ve tried their custaroons and I was pretty confident that the cupcakes are equally good.

After a whole day of walking while lugging around my box, I was surprised that the cupcakes were still very much intact and photogenic. After taking quick snapshots of the goodies, I began to try each one.

The chocolate cupcake was very dense and moist. It wasn’t the overly sweet type either so eating it will not make you gasp for a beverage. I didn’t like the chocolate ball on top though as it was not as smooth as the cupcake.

The chocolate chip cupcake was fun to eat. It wasn’t as chocolatey as the chocolate cupcake but the chocolate chips added bite making it more enjoyable. I wasn’t very happy with the frosting though as I find it quite grainy or rough.

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I read that red velvet is one of their best sellers so I was excited to taste it. Moist and soft just like the other two but it seemed to be a tad sweeter. I think it’s because of the frosting on top. I ended up removing the frosting so that I could enjoy the red velvet flavor.

The Healthy Slice

After a long walk and a bit of side shopping (as our attempt to digest what we ate from Nolita), A and I finally decided to sit down again and eat… just in time for BGC food stop #2. We decided to stop by Slice, a quaint café owned by Pia Cayetano. 

I’ve been hearing a lot of good reviews about this place. Healthy yet oh so yummy food has been the constant phrase I hear every time people talk about Slice thus I just have to include that in my list of must-try restaurants.

Hello, Slice!

 

The place was quite packed that day and since we were trying to project “demure ladies out for some tea” we chose to get the seats near the window with comfy chairs and coffee table (and eventually realized that it was a bad idea as the table is too low).