First Bite: Bar Pintxos

I've been curious about Bar Pintxos ever since it opened its first store down south. Frequented by discerning locals, I couldn't help think that this place must be really good. I was thrilled when it opened branches in BGC and Makati as it made it more accessible to me. And after a few failed attempts, I finally got to visit its BGC branch a few weeks ago. 

Hello, Bar Pintxos Tapas Y Mas. 

Specializing in Spanish cuisine, Bar Pintxos serves limited but superb dishes perfect for lunch, dinner and after work drinks. 

Northern Chronicles: Barcino

Barcino has been one of our favorite restaurants when dining with business partners. With its scrumptious food offerings and warm ambiance, our guests are sure to have a good lunch. And it being just a few blocks away from our office makes it the perfect option. 

Hello, Barcino. 

I always get excited whenever our lunch plans involve Barcino. Just thinking about feasting on paella and ginormous gambas make me smile from ear to ear. And one time, we had a bit more. 

First Bite: Wobbly Pan

One of the things I love spending time with my family is that I get dibs on where we'll eat. And for last week's feast, we decided to try Wobbly Pan.
 
Hello, Wobbly Pan.

Wobbly Pan is one of the relatively new restaurants at Shangri-La Plaza. Located at the ground floor near the old Dome and Mercury Drug, it would be quite hard to miss this place.

Restaurant Favorite: Barcino

Zomato Gold has been the talk of town ever since it was launched last year. And when it was finally available, it limited its subscription to a small number making it feel exclusive and in high demand. As the weeks pass by, Zomato opens up its subscription on certain days with a perk of hanging out with select local celebrities. And with its enticing give back program to users, each Zomato Gold user serves as the app's ambassador. But even without it, the app's 1+1 deal on food and 2+2 on drinks is enough to encourage anyone to spread the word. And if you're still thinking if it is worth your PHP700, one visit at Barcino will have you subscribing in a second. 

Hello, Barcino.

R's friends decided to have a get together a few weeks back and opted to go with Barcino, a group favorite. This time, they chose to dine at its Greenbelt 2 branch. And I was giddy with their choice as it is part of Zomato Gold.

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. 

Christmas Hacks: Mr. Cochinillo

With Christmas just around the corner, most of us are starting to get busy working on having a stress-free holiday. But with traffic becoming impossible as early as now, we have to plan smarter. And with holiday equating to endless feasts, one of the daunting tasks we have to face is to prepare food which means constant trips to the supermarket. Thankfully, there are a lot of places to get scrumptious ready to eat dishes and one of my top picks this year is Mr. Cochinillo. 

Hello, Mr. Cochinillo. 

Cochinillo is known as a popular delicacy in Spain with its tradition of slow-roasting the suckling pig over wood fire in brick ovens. The result is crisp, succulent and juicy pork that would make any gathering or festivity memorable.

Love at First Bite: Alegria Cozinha Moderna & Sangria Bar

I love sangria! It's one of the drinks I simply could not resist when on a night out with friends. And when I found out that there's a new bar in town that not only offers photogenic dishes but various sangrias as well, I got very excited and giddy to visit! 

Hello, Alegria Cozinha Moderna & Sangria Bar.

Located at the fourth floor of Uniqlo store along 7th Avenue, Alegria offers a lovely and relaxing space perfect for night caps after work or a tiring day doing errands. It also has an al fresco area that gives a nice view of surrounding area. 

First Bite: ¡OYE! Tapas & Grill

Is it just me or there is a crazy number of restaurants opening here and there? I used to be able to keep up with the new store openings within my area but I couldn't keep up anymore with the rate it's going. But I prioritize those I've been itching to try and one of the new restaurants I spotted a few weeks back is this tapas place in Uptown Bonifacio.

Hello, ¡OYE! Tapas & Grill!

My Healthy Fix: llaollao

We live in a world where eating healthy could be challenging. With so many tempting and sinful products in the market, most of us fall in the trap of unhealthy diets. Thankfully, more and more brands are finding ways to help us stay on track by offering healthy dishes and snacks are not only delectable but also pocket friendly. 

Hello, llaollao!

It's amazing how fast this well-loved brand from Spain has grown. Now with 5 branches, it now caters to foodies from the North down to South. 

Love at First Bite: Tiny Teapot Bakery Cafe

Those neighborhood cafes never fail to lure me. I always get curious with what they offer and if it's a gem worth finding. Yesterday, I decided to swing by this new cafe along Pioneer street.

Hello, Tiny Teapot Bakery Cafe.

When in Davao: Tiny Kitchen Creations

I was so scared to visit Davao again after what happened and still happening in Marawi. Knowing that the war zone is just 5 hours away from this smoke-free city doesn't make me feel very comfortable. But after hearing great words about this Spanish restaurant along F. Torres in Davao, I got excited more that worried.

Hello, Tiny Kitchen Creations. 

This beautiful restaurant is known to be one of the gems of the city. It is often packed for lunch and dinner and unfortunately, they do not take reservations. But they do accept pre-order as some of their dishes take an hour to prepare. We got to the restaurant around 6:30 pm and the place was full at 7 pm! It was a good thing Uncle R decided that we leave the hotel early for dinner. 

Love at First Bite: Rico Rico

SM Aura’s food court is known to be a fancier version of your usual food hall. With more premium options to choose from, you’d have to shell out more cash for a meal. I wouldn’t mind spending a few extra hundreds if it means that I'd get a “good meal.” And that is exactly what I got from Food on Four’s new player. 
 
Hello, Rico Rico.

This new paella place caught my interest when it opened a few months ago. Vibrant colors and DIY paella were what caught my attention. And I grew even more curious when I found out that this brand is the brainchild of the group handling Las Flores and Rambla, restaurants known to serve superb Spanish dishes. But my schedule didn’t permit me to try this place sooner.

Restaurant Love: Barcino Wine Resto Bar

Barcino has been around for a few years now yet I still remember its launch years back where I was still new with food blogging. I guess it is hard to forget such a fantastic dining experience and being in the awesome company of top foodies and wine connoisseurs. Hence it was such a treat to have my first 2017 date with R at what I consider one of the best tapas restaurants in town. 

Hello, Barcino!

We were warmly greeted by the front hostess upon entering its Forbes Town branch and were quickly ushered to our table near the bar. 

Love at First Bite: Café Enye

I have heard of Café Enye since last year. It sure captured my interest after reading positive reviews about it in looloo. I was so intrigued that I even begged my family to eat there instead of the ribs place a few blocks away a few months ago. But since it was my uncle’s birthday and he chose Big D’s Smokehouse, I had to give up my intense desire to visit this place. (Yes, I’m that passionate with food.) Then again, food gods love me and I finally got a chance to visit this place last week.

Hello, Café Enye!

I visited the place around 12 noon on a Monday and I was the only diner that time.

The place has a warm ambiance with its predominantly brown interiors. The server who assisted me was very friendly and pleasant too. 

Since I have been stalking this restaurant for quite some time, I already knew what to order. The only problem is, since I was alone that time, I had to trim down my long must-try list. I ended up ordering Chicken Mojo Skewers (PHP330), Chouxros with Dulce de Leche Cream (PHP170) and Calamansi-Cucumber (PHP90).

Service was quite prompt as I was just about to start blogging when my drink arrived. 

It was the perfect thirst-quenching drink. It was refreshing with a bit of zest. I loved it! <3 

My main dish was served next and it was a very pretty dish. I instantly fell in love with the citrus marinated chicken skewers. I may be a bit biased as I love anything tangy. But this dish is a  definite winner. It had a delightful balance of saltiness and tanginess. Also, the chicken cubes were cooked to perfection. Each bite was juicy and packed with flavor. 

Love at First Bite: ArroZeria Manila

I absolutely love that I’m surrounded by people who love to eat. My Instagram feed never fails to make me hungry. It also gives me ideas on where to eat next. And a few weeks back, someone posted a photo of paella. Soon, I found myself researching about the restaurant that serves that paella and after a few minutes, I listed it down on my “must visit” list. And since it’s my birthday next week, I figured that this is the place to go to treat some of my favorite people.

Hello, ArroZeria Manila!

This new Spanish restaurant has been gaining followers since it opened. Located at Century City Mall’s 4^th floor, this place has a homey vibe. 

And ArroZeria is quite artsy too with the ladders on the ceiling and adorable door handle!

We decided to go for the following dishes: Tatin De Tomate (PHP395), Jargo Asado (PHP495), Panceta Y Trigueros Risotto (PHP450) and the Paella of the Day, Del Señorito (PHP275). [One thing you have to be mindful of when ordering Paella, Caldoso, Meloso and Fideua is that there’s a minimum order of two. The prices in the menu are on a per person basis, which we find quite odd.]

Complimentary appetizer!

The first dish to arrive was our salad.

I must say, the presentation was quite different. The lettuce was on top of the baked parmesan and the mozzarella balls and cherry tomatoes on spinach pesto were at the bottom. However, the taste wasn’t as impressive. It was too bland for me and for the price of almost PHP400, it was a bit expensive given its serving size.

Restaurant Discovery: Calderon Spanish Cocina Tapas y Bebidas

Since most of us had to leave by 4 p.m., we opted to have our last Kapitolyo food stop at Calderon. Yes, I have never been to this well-loved paella place. I guess I'm not really much of a foodie (or I am just stuck in Kapitolyo-Ortigas area... which I am changing now). 

Hello, Calderon!

The place looks so homey and the Real Living girl in me went crazy with the warm hues of the interiors. I love it!

Since we were already full from our last three stops (including Kool Kids which I have yet to blog), we decided to go for one paella for sharing. We went with the usual Paella Valenciana (PHP780 for Pequeno). We were supposed to order churros too but they ran out. :(

While waiting, we were given a wait basket of bread which J enjoyed. We didn't mind waiting too as we were busy playing Cards Against Humanity. 

After 20 minutes (which the server mentioned beforehand), our paella was served. It was so photogenic! I had fun taking photos of it. It doesn't have a bad angle at all.

Restaurant Favorite: Boqueria

If I love the food and the service, I'll be back. It's that simple. If one's missing, it'll take me forever to go back. But everything was pleasant with Boqueria when I had lunch there last month so I visited it again with my good friend of 21 years (yes, I'm proud of how long we have been friends). 

Hello again, Boqueria!

I gave A the decision on where to eat as long as it's not X1 or X2 restaurants.(Oooh, blind items!) But she was okay with any as well as long as it's not a Filipino restaurant so I recommended Boqueria. Plus we were too famished to explore further. 

When we got the menu, I noticed that there were price changes. Some of the dishes became more expensive. The staff, however, clarified that the serving got bigger to justify the price changes. (There was an average of PHP200 jump from last month's.

Since we will bowl and drop by Cafe Juanita after lunch, we decided to keep it "light" with the following dishes: Albondigas con Foie Gras (PHP288), Pollo con Salsa Mango (PHP298), Paella Marinera (PHP368), and two glasses of Mint Iced Tea.