First Bite: BLK513

I'm quite hooked to Looloo these past days and I can't help but notice the numerous reviews on BLK513, the newest yogurt place in Manila. Okay, you might think that it's nothing special because it's just another yogurt shop which brands such as Red Mango, Pinkberry and White Hat made popular. Buuuut... this yogurt is black. BLK= black. And since new food or restaurants are very appealing to me, I just have to try it myself! 

Hello, BLK513!!!

It has been several weeks since I first saw a post on this "activated charcoal" infused yogurt. Charcoal on yogurt??? Well, it is definitely not your lump of coal on top of smooth and delectably tangy yogurt. Activated charcoal is actually used in hospitals and even at home. Some of the benefits you get from it are (1) reduces high cholesterol (2) anti-aging (3) digestive cleanse (4) toxin removal; and (5) prevents hangover.

Okay, sold!

R's family scheduled a katsu lunch at Maisen a few days back and I thought that it was perfect since I hardly visit Megamall these past months. (Holiday rush, traffic and SM Megamall is an equation for headache!)

After lunch, R and I went to BLK513 for dessert and I opted for cup (PHP185; PHP175 for cone) so that I could get more toppings/layers. I went with caramelized cookies (which tasted like Speculoos or Biscoff) for crunch, kiwi and strawberries for fruits and Nutella for syrup.

And tadaaaaa...

My first spoonful didn't give much of an impression. It tasted like your usual tangy yogurt which you get from Red Mango, only darker. But the second spoonful with the layers made it more delectable.

Trader Joe's Favorite: Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl

Just when I thought the cookie butter craze is fading a bit, a new one appeared and made an even stronger impact!

Hello, Speculoos Cookie and Cocoa Swirl!

I was a bit iffy about trying it as I want to be a foodie hipster here! (If there's such a thing.) 

But Trader Joe's is like a temptation island. You just want to try everything you see. A lot of their products are covered in chocolate. I love chocolate. Am I in heaven? Okay, I'm getting off topic here.

The Cookie and Cocoa Swirl seems to be in demand as we need to go to the customer service counter to get a jar or two. Yes, distribution is limited too. 

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.