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. 

Create Inspiring Memories with Marquis

Everyday is a celebration. Literally. There are countless people celebrating their birthdays, anniversaries and what-have-yous right now while there are numerous brands launching their newest collections or ambassadors. We're not even counting yet all those fancy business and social gatherings just because they have a budget for a fancy venue. And yesterday, I witnessed how an event can become even more memorable, inspiring and worthwhile. 

Hello, Marquis!

Marquis is the newest events place in Bonifacio Global City and it is designed to impress and inspire. 

Love at First Bite: Foggy Mountain Cookhouse

Long weekends usually mean staycation but since R and I miss the cool (and kind of fresh) wind of Baguio, we decided to head to the land of ube jam and strawberries for a short getaway. We usually sleep in whenever we’re at the summer capital of the Philippines; but thanks to R’s love for Pokemon Go, he agreed to the idea of us eating out for dinner. I have a long list of restaurants I want to visit but there is this one place that I was very interested in. And after making the necessary arrangements, we found ourselves in front of the gate of Chef Babes Reyes’ home, owner of Foggy Mountain Cookhouse. 

Hello, Foggy Mountain Cookhouse!

Noted as one of the best local strictly by reservation only restaurants, Foggy Mountain Cookhouse requires at least one day heads up before diners drive all the way up to its homey establishment. 

I sent Chef Babes a message 4 days in advance as I was worried that the place might be packed given the long weekend. After half an hour of panicking, the friendly restauranteur replied confirming my reservation and inform me that I had to pre-order our mains at least a day before our reserved date as some of the dishes had to be marinated overnight. I sent him a message before the ordering deadline and chose Split Pea Soup (PHP175), Norwegian King Salmon (PHP700), Brick Oven Roasted Boneless Lamb Leg (PHP650), Pasta in Egg Sauce with Truffle Oil and Parmesan Cheese (PHP180), and Cookhouse Iced Tea (PHP150, pitcher).

I got a message from Chef Babes a few hours before dinner and was informed that his Norwegian salmon did not arrive and suggested that we get Smoked Salmon Carpaccio (PHP700) instead. Since R and I are both hardcore salmon lovers, we agreed.

With the help of Waze, we didn’t have a hard time finding Foggy Mountain Cookhouse. The location could look intimidating though to big cars or low vehicles as the steep and narrow road sure made us worry. Parking is limited and if unlucky, you’d have to back up when one of the diners leave before you. 

We were warmly greeted by the staff (and the neighbor’s cat) and were ushered to our table. 

After 20 minutes or so, our appetizers—mixed greens in orange vinaigrette and salted flat bread with hummus dip—were served.

Honestly, the appetizers look really sad with its poor plating. Taste-wise though, we enjoyed the flat bread with hummus. The greens were the usual crisp veggies with a slightly tangy dressing. 

Next served was our cinnamon pineapple iced tea which tasted like churros in liquid form. It was sweet and refreshing. I just didn’t like the slight rough texture of the drink because of the undissolved cinnamon. 

R and I both enjoyed the Split Pea Soup which we were told took 2 hours to make. 

The broth was thick and oozing with flavor from the ham hock stock and Italian garlic sausage. The grainy texture of the soup and the soft sausage cuts were simply delightful! I just had to pause from time to time as the soup was too salty for me. 

First Bite: Le Jardin

I love it when I get random messages or invites especially when food is involved.

Two weeks ago, my former colleague M messaged me to ask if I was free the following day for food tasting at Le Jardin. Since Le Jardin is one of the restaurants I wanted to visit, I quickly replied YES! Who am I to turn down free food anyway?

Hello, Le Jardin.

I’ve read about this fancy French restaurant befores. I planned to have brunch here one time with a few friends but it never happened. But thanks to M, I get to try some of its bestsellers.

When I arrived, I was the only guest there. I thought I was too early for dinner. But throughout dinner, only two to three other tables were occupied. (All were couples except for the group of baby boomers near the bar.)

M and I tried the five-course dinner (PHP3,200) which includes amuse bouche, three entrée aux choix (appetizers), plat principal au choix (main course), assortment de fromage maison (homemade cheese) and dessert au choix (assortment of one dessert).

First served were a plate of freshly baked bread and a small serving of amuse bouche (truffled scrambled eggs).

The amuse bouche was delightful with its soft and silky texture. It went well with the warm bread.

It took roughly 30 minutes before the first appetizer arrived.

The Saumon Fumé Maison or house smoked salmon was quite ordinary for me. It was also not as salty as the other smoked salmon I tried before.

The Tartare de Homard au Pamplemousse was served next and it was quite bland. 

The lobster was fresh though and the chilled pomelo was refreshing.

It took almost another half hour before the Lasagne D’ Agneau was served. But it was worth the wait.

Though small, this dish was oozing with flavor. This is one of the tastiest lasagnas I’ve tried. I also loved that the lamb had no after taste. It would have tasted better though if it was served warmer and al dente. But apparently, French pasta is made to be softer or so what the chef told M.

Restaurant Love: CO/OP Manila

Quaint coffee shops never fail to make me giddy. But quaint coffee shops that serve good food make me happier. Shops like Tweedle Book Café, Refinery, Yardstick and UCC are just a few that make me go gaga. Last week, I went to one of the cutest cafés I know… CO/OP Manila.

Hello again, CO/OP Manila!

It has been a while since my last visit. I recall that I only had dessert and coffee when I visited this cute place for the first time. This time around, I went for dinner and I realized that there are only a few savory options. Anyway, I decided to go for the Smoked Salmon (PHP370) while F got the Tartufo (PHP370) and R got the Beef Brisket Sandwich (PHP390). I also got the CO/OP Iced Tea (PHP80) while R got the Strawberry Lemonade (PHP150).

I noticed that the place is practically empty. It’s a perfect place to catch up with friends on a weeknight or the sanctuary of a person cramming.

First served were our drinks.

My iced tea was sweet yet refreshing. R also liked his strawberry lemonade. Though I couldn’t get much from him but a simple, “’k lang.”

Soon, our dishes were served.

Restaurant Love: Balboa (Take 3)

I love Balboa. In fact, I think this is my third entry on the restaurant. I ate there around 6 times already and I still crave for more. I have the Balboa addiction! But I have finally moved on from my crazy fascination over its Roasted Chicken. This time, I tried other dishes.

F sent me a random message about Balboa one Friday night and asked if I want to try the place out. Since I had no plans for lunch that day, we agreed to meet and K joined us as well.

I arrived a bit late (because I had to finish my weekend chores first) and F and K were halfway done with their meals. But given that I love to order a complete meal, I ordered a bowl of Cream of Squash (PHP209), Smoked Salmon (PHP348), and Carrot Pineapple (PHP138). I also ordered an Espresso Cheesecake (PHP228) for sharing.

 

My cream of squash was not as smooth as I wanted it to be but it sure was creamy and thick. It was sweet and slightly salty just the way I prefer it to be. I enjoyed it with my toast.