La Lola Flies to Singapore!

La Lola has been spoiling us with its freshly made churros and its rich chocolate dip since December 2014. Now with 16 strong stores nationwide and offering a mix of sweet and savory bites and drinks, La Lola is ready to fly and spread happiness outside the Philippines.

La Lola Churreria flies to Singapore!

Yes, the brand that was conceptualize and grew in Manila is now on its way to Clarke Quay, Singapore. 

More Than Just Gelato: Morelli's Gelato Caffé,

Summer may be over but the intense Manila heat is here to stay, rain or shine. And with the scorching heat draining my energy and perhaps even my positive outlook in life, I need a cold treat on a daily basis. One of my favorites is gelato as its creamy texture never fail to make me smile from ear to ear. Hence, when I found out that Morelli's Gelato has something new in store for us, I had to know what's up. 

Hello, Morelli's Gelato Caffé.

Morelli's has been in Manila for about five years now with its first store at Shangri-La Plaza Mall's East Wing. A brand known for gelato, it actually has an interesting story behind each scoop sold and it could be traced all the way back to 1907. 

Southern Chronicles: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory opens in Molito, Alabang

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is no stranger to me. I've had it back in 2011 during one of my travels. Back then I wasn't too adventurous with food and didn't really like the idea of having my chocolate or caramel with a Granny Smith apple. Fast forward to 2017, I got acquainted with the chocolate wonderland again and discovered some treats that made me smile from ear to ear. 

Hello, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.

Truffles the bear finally made it to the South. And it is the first thing you'll notice when you get inside Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Molito, Alabang. 

Sundays Made Better: Mercato at Heat

Don't you feel that the day is not enough to do all the things you want? Sunday seems to be the only day with an acceptable traffic that would make us more productive. But we also want to spend this day with the good ol family which again makes time a bit more scarce for everything else. Edsa Shangri-La got our backs though and thought of something brilliant.

Hello again, Heat!

It was my first time to visit Heat for lunch so I didn't know what to expect. Though I already know that Heat offers a bountiful and impressive spread from breakfast to dinner, I was not prepared to be awed further. 

Second Bite: Brad and Pits Ribshack

It has been a crazy for me since I left the corporate world. I was painting a picture of a very relaxing and carefree life but it turned out that I became busier than ever with meetings, shoots, and events. I’m not regretting my decision to become a full time blogger and freelance marketer though as I finally got to become my own boss. And to reward myself on taking the big jump, I feasted on some succulent ribs (at very pocket friendly price, coz, you know, I’m still kind of jobless). 

Hello, Brad and Pits Ribshack. 

It was my first time to visit Brad and Pits’ Kapitolyo branch and it gives the same vibe as its Marikina branch. However, this one is more spacious and has more parking space for diners. Its private function room is also slightly bigger and it has its own bathroom too. 

First Sip: Deété Organic Café

What happens when two corporate slaves get to visit the concrete jungle of Makati filled with new food finds? They go crazy. And that was what exactly happened to R and I when we visited Century City Mall after a filling Indian feast. We filled every inch of our tummy with food and capped the night at one of the newest coffee shops in the mall.

Hello, Deété Organic Café.

We wanted to enjoy a hot beverage to help us digest all the food we ate and thought that it would be a great idea to stop by this place before heading home. It was already almost 11pm when we got here and we were welcomed by jolly servers. 

Deété has a lot of drinks to offer and it took us quite a while before we finally settled with Green Tea Latte (PHP140, 12 oz) and Black Tea Latte (PHP130, 12 oz). At first, we were unsure if we should get the warm or cold version of these drinks so we asked the barista for recommendation. And he gave the funniest reply. He said that he loves cold drinks and it solidified his fats. It sure made us order warm drinks.

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. 

First Sip: Where's Marcel?

Pearl Drive was my place to be back in college because my alma mater is located there. I’d frequent a few establishments that offer pocket friendly dishes and I would occasionally splurge on a meal or two when I feel like I deserve it after a gruelling long exam. Fast forward to present, I would still find myself being a stingy foodie. But I wouldn’t scrimp on a cup of coffee especially if it receives a lot a good reviews. And that’s how I found myself in front of Where’s Marcel.

Hello, Where’s Marcel?

Why is everyone looking for Marcel? And more importantly, who is Marcel?

Well, for those curious, the coffee shop is named after Marcel Ruggieri, a coffee enthusiast who often wanders off to Costa Rica and Columbia, two popular coffee regions to look for the perfect beans. It takes pride in being a strong supporter of local businesses and engage in direct trading with farmers. The crop-to-cup concept has developed Where’s Marcel as an establishment that is more community-based. And this Melbourne born shop decided to have Manila as its first location offshore.

Aside from its expansive coffee menu, it also offers a bunch of savory dishes such as sandwiches and pasta. But since I planned to have dinner elsewhere, I settled with one Revel Bar (PHP55) and a cup of Marcel’s Dirty Chai (PHP170, 12 oz). 

The place was pretty empty on a Saturday night so it was a perfect place to hangout and catch up with friends. The place also offers WI-FI so this place could also be a nice spot to do those term papers. 

First served was the revel bar and it was delectable.

The oatmeal gave the snack a lovely chewy taste and the melted chocolate chips made the bar sweet yet not overwhelming. For PHP55, it was a pretty good find. 

Love at First Bite: Passion by Gérard Dubois

I have been eying this restaurant beside Green Pastures ever since I pass by it on my way home from St. Luke’s Medical Center. I thought it was an Italian restaurant as I read it as Passioni. (I was not wearing my eye glasses then hence the added letter.) But while waiting for K and J, I decided to pass by the shop and buy a pastry I saw featured on a food blog. 

Hello, Passion by Gérard Dubois!

This brightly lit restaurant was packed when I visited. Luckily, there was still one available table inside. 

I quickly told the server that I want to get a Strawberry Danish (PHP108) as soon as I entered after seeing that there was only one left. 

Since it was self service, I got my order right after paying. 

I took the last available table and started to enjoy my beautiful dessert (or appetizer as I was going to Grind right after for dinner). I took a bite and it was simply delicious. I loved the flakiness of the base and the smooth and creamy custard. 

I also love the fact that Passion didn’t scrimp on the strawberries. They used huge and fresh ones. I immediately fell in love with it!

New Café in Town: Caravan Black Coffee Company

Say hello to the newest coffee shop in BGC!

The Caravan Black Coffee Company is currently on its soft opening and is ready to serve you from 8am to 9pm, Mondays to Fridays and 8am to 5pm on Saturdays. For now, they are closed on Sundays until further notice.

The shop is close to Manam and a Japanese restaurant I failed to take note of. Just look for a hat and you'll find Caravan Black! 

Moving on...

The door was quite heavy and I failed to open it myself. Luckily, one of the owners saw me struggling and helped me. 

I went straight to the counter and was greeted by the friendly cashier. I wasn't in the mood to drink anything hot so I settled with Iced Caravan Choco (PHP130) and had it to go as I wanted to be home before it gets really dark. 

I was given a piece of numbered paper and was asked to wait for my drink. 

While waiting, I admired the nice interiors of the café. I find the hat lights so adorable! There is also a communal long table for solo diners (I think). Communal tables are becoming a trend now in cafés and restaurants. Sadly, only a few are open to mingling with fellow diners. I guess most still strictly follow the "Stranger Danger" rule. 

Love at First Bite: Alley

I think the Year of the Monkey is my foodie year. Just last weekend alone, I managed to visit 5 restaurants in my must visit list. Among the restaurants I have been eying and finally visited is Alley, one of the new players at The Grove.

Hello, Alley!

This adorably designed restaurant serves several light snacks. Or so I thought.

It opened its doors just a few days ago but I am already familiar with its offerings thanks to my stalking skills. (Okay fine, it was because of Chef Angelo Comsti’s mouthwatering photos of Alley’s dishes.)

I went here after finally visiting Asakusa since I wanted some sweets to cap the night. I was a bit disappointed though that they only have two desserts to choose from, Financier (PHP229) and Caramelized Banana Bread (PHP249). I went with the latter because “house-churned cashew ice cream” sounds so delectable. (I was warned by the server that the banana bread is huge. It made me wonder if it’s because I smelled like tempura or if the phrase YOU-MUST-DIET is plastered all over my face.) I also ordered a cup of Cappuccino (PHP139) to balance the sweetness of my dessert.

First served was my cup of cappuccino and it was lovely. I got regular instead of decaf and it was still not that strong making it “night-friendly” if there is such a term. I didn’t get to appreciate the aroma though as I was about to get sick that night. Also, serving size is a tad too small for the price.

My dessert was served right after and the server was right. It was HUGE and definitely good for at least 3 hungry fellows.

First Bite: Hatch 22

As I grow older (and hopefully wiser), I learn to appreciate my alone time. Being alone does not automatically mean lonely. It’s just that you are capable of doing things on your own. The only downside I could think of when eating alone is that I couldn’t order a lot as (1) I could not finish everything and (2) I’ll be too poor if I always do that. A few Sundays ago, I decided to have lunch at Hatch 22, a restaurant many warned me about. But since I was alone, I could eat wherever I want (and order whatever I want).

Hello, Hatch 22!

The place had a few empty tables when I arrived. I noticed that it’s more of a family place; that or simply because it was a Sunday. (And so, I was the only solo diner that time.)

I spotted a few salmon dishes while browsing the menu and so I ordered: Salmon and Lemon Caper Salad (PHP375 for half), Salmon and Rosti (PHP455), Pumpkin Spice soup (PHP185) and a glass of Grilled Lemonade (PHP110).

First served was my Grilled Lemonade.

I was warned that the drink has a bit of spice and true enough, it reminded me of Juju Cleanse. It was refreshing though and the lemon was really grilled!

The soup arrived next and it was a creamy bowl of heaven. The pureed roasted squash was delightful. The slightly sweet taste of squash went well with the salty chorizo bits.

Love at First Sip: Refinery

I just love it when I get to try more than one restaurant in one day. It gives me a lot of happy vibes. So, when my favorite Dragon Lady agreed to try Refinery after Rambla, my grin reached both ears.

Hello, Refinery.

For some reason, I thought that this place is a bar or something. I never thought that this place serves good coffee and dessert.

Since we were quite full, we were more focused on just ordering dessert and coffee. We went with Black Onyx (PHP195, syphon extraction) and a pan of Baked S’mores (seasonal and for limited time only). 

What I loved about Refinery is that we still get the remaining coffee from the syphon. Some coffee shops (e.g. Dolce Latte) only fill the cup and return the remaining coffee back to the kitchen.

Soon, our coffee and s’mores were served.

T likes her coffee black and an auntie once told me that it’s best to enjoy coffee as is—with no sugar or cream. That way, you get to taste and appreciate the beans.

First Bite: Marketplace by Rustan’s Supermarket

I love grocery shopping! It’s one of my happy places for it gives me extreme happiness whenever I see a new products or my favorite snack that I haven’t seen in ages (such as Tronky). My all-time favorite supermarkets are Pioneer Supermarket (with its highly impressive selection of imported goods) and S&R. A few months ago, I noticed Marketplace, the deli area of Rustan’s Supermarket in Rockwell. I used to ignore it but I see more and more diners in the area so I thought that it might be a good place to have a meal. And a few Sundays ago, I finally got to visit the place.

Hello, Marketplace!

The first thing I saw when I got in was the man who was enjoying a tray of salmon. I circled the place thrice but I couldn’t find it. Oh well.

After a few more minutes, I finally decided to get the following: Pasta with Pesto Mozzarella Salad (PHP220), Bacon Cheddar and Tomato Sandwich (PHP199), Mozzarella and Chunky Tomato Sandwich (PHP165) and Quiche Broccoli and Cheddar Cheese (PHP99).

The Pasta with Pesto Mozzarella Salad was more on the bland side. My mom and sister didn’t really like it as it was cold. But it was meant to be cold and it was actually refreshing.

Restaurant Discovery: CO/OP Manila

I just love quaint coffee shops. It never fails to make my heart skip a beat. Well, that and too much coffee.

After a quick and blooper-filled S&R trip, V and I decided to have coffee somewhere. V recommended CO/OP and I recall M mentioned that place when I asked for food stops for my San Juan food trip (which became a White Plains food trip). I quickly agreed and off we go to San Juan.

The place was slightly hidden (or was it because it was dark?) so you need to be somehow familiar how to get there. A big CO/OP sign though will greet you so you’ll know when you’ve reached your destination.

I instantly fell in love with the place. A huge MANILA signage was at the porch which serves as a cute backdrop for a few tables and chairs for the al fresco diners.

The counter is the first thing you’ll see once you open the door. With a simple menu, it wasn’t hard to decide what to order.

Since we were still full from our pizza, chicken and fries, we opted to have the Dessert in a Jar (PHP175), Cappuccino (PHP110) for me and CO/OP Iced Tea (PHP80) for V.

While waiting for our orders, we checked out the cute stuff CO/OP carries.

At first, I had the impression that the items they were selling were NGO products. Apparently, these items are from other countries like US and Australia. Most are priced about PHP900.