Underrated Drinks: Dakasi's Creme Avocado

With baby Sam's arrival getting nearer and nearer, I find myself wanting to indulge in cold treats every single day. From ice cream to frozen cake, I just want to have them all before I start ge lai. And I'm so happy to be able to try Dakasi before I give birth. 

Hello, Dakasi.

Dakasi has been named as one of the underrated milk tea brands in Manila. As one of the minor players in the milk tea industry, it's easy to forget Dakasi when asked for the top of mind boba brands.

Figaro and Tien Ma's Now Deliver its Crowd Favorites

Being stuck at home for months may not be the ideal vacation of many. But it's not all that bad considering many brands are launching its delivery service and mouthwatering stay-at-home menu. And one new player in the food delivery service is The Figaro Group's Figaro and Tien Ma's. 

Hello, Figaro and Tien Ma's!

Surprised that these two crowd favorites are under the same umbrella? I was.

I used to frequent Figaro a lot back in college as I'd always go to Shangri-La or Megamall after class. I'd get its delectable Four Cheese Pizza or one of its filling sandwiches and pair it with its brewed iced tea. The habit stayed till my Summit Media days as Figaro had a branch conveniently located at our office lobby. 

Truedan: A Fresher Way to Enjoy your Milk Tea

With the average consumption to be 4-5 cups of milk tea per month, it's not surprising for new foreign and local brands to open left and right. And my weak will to go milk tea-free this 2020 was obliterated when I spotted Truedan.

Hello, Truedan. 

Truedan is no newbie in the milk tea business. With a decade of expertise, it has been popular in Taiwan for its use of fresh ingredients. It was even awarded 2-star Anti Additive by the Anti Additive Association.

Tiger Sugar's Boba Milk Ice Cream Bar is Now Available in Manila

Tiger Sugar was a big hit when it opened its first store in Bonifacio High Street back in 2018. Its hour-long lines didn't discourage locals and patiently waited just to get hold of its popular brown sugar milk drinks. And just when we thought its hype was dying down, it released something perfect to beat the Manila heat.

Hello, Tiger Sugar Boba Milk Ice Cream Bar!

Milk tea ice cream is not exactly new. We've seen several brands come up with versions of this crowd favorite flavor but not everyone was successful. 

Good Good: A Healthier Way to Enjoy Your Drinks

It's a new year and a new decade but the milk tea craze is here to stay. And with several brands opening here and there, there's no way for us to escape its sweet charm! But this 2020, I plan to stick to a healthier lifestyle and diet and it was timely that I discovered Good Good. 

Hello, Good Good!

This Taiwanese brand is no stranger to milk tea fanatics as it has been around for over 6 months now. With branches in Scout Tobias, Corinthian Executive Regency Shaw, Caltex Pioneer-Shaw and Sta. Maria Bulacan, many have already tried its adorable and colorful drinks. And this brand is celebrating the year with a bang as it opens its 5th branch along the foodie haven Banawe. 

First Bite: Meet Fresh

My heart always skip a beat whenever I hear the manly "tahoooooo" echo in the morning. I'd hurriedly look for small bills, get out of my PJs and run as fast as I could to the gate and eagerly wait for my favorite morning treat. But more often than not, I miss the manong magtataho or he skips our street. Thankfully, a new store opened that sells something better than taho. 

Hello, Meet Fresh!

Meet Fresh is the newest dessert shop in town and it opened its first store in Podium Mall. 

First Bite: Cold Layers

Rainy days in Manila doesn't necessarily mean sweater weather. With the humid air we have in the city, it's not surprising to see people feast on ice cream, shaved ice or boba. And since a cold treat is always a good idea, I decided to swing by Cold Layers.

Hello, Cold Layers.

Cold Layers is known as a shaved ice shop. But it offers more than just those fluffy snow-like treats. Aside from it joining the boba craze, it also offers savory dishes perfect for breakfast, lunch, merienda and dinner!

Love at First Bite: Ya Chou

I love manthou. I often order some when I see it on the menu or grab a plateful at Chinese buffet. Just thin‌king about these freshly steamed buns smothered with butter makes me drool for hours. And I'm so thankful to discover a shop that allows me to have my favorite snack anytime I want. 

Hello, Ya Chou. 

Ya Chou is a small shop in Quezon City that specializes in Taiwanese delicacies like dumplings, peanut balls, radish cake, sausages and machang. Being in the food business for over two decades, Ya Chou has gained loyal patrons who would drop by its store to grab hold of its sweet and savory products. 

Restaurant Favorite: Serenitea

Serenitea has been one of the pioneer brands in the milk tea category and it has remained strong foothold on the market with its continuous releases of new drinks and its highly anticipated jumbo cups! And it partnering with money saving food app Booky made it even more enticing for milk tea fanatics.

Hello, Serenitea.

It's rare for me to see an empty Serenitea store as most are usually filled by fellow boba fans or Grab Food guys. And I've been visiting Serenitea more often the past few months as I get this extra push from Booky's tempting BOGO deal.

First Bite: Shi Lin

I'm a big fan of Xiao Long Bao. I simply cannot resist these adorable steamed soup dumplings especially when doused with black vinegar. And though Paradise Dynasty and Lugang stole my heart and a part (or whole compartment) of my tummy, I'm always open to trying other places offering my favorite. This time around, I visited Shi Lin. 

Hello, Shi Lin. 

I love how R lets me choose where to eat (except on Mondays when it should be Fish & Co.) for dinner. I'd always pick either our favorite joints or a place I've never been to. Since I've never tried Shi Lin's xiao long bao, I suggested that we have dinner there one night. 

Taiwan in Manila: 50 Lan (50嵐)

Taiwan is the place to be to indulge in milk tea but Manila is becoming a close second. With more and more brands coming in, it gets a bit tough to decide on which one to grab for my daily milk tea run. Sometimes, it boils down on which one doesn't have a queue. And thankfully, one of Taiwan's top boba joints is still yet to make buzz. 

Hello, 50 Lan (50嵐).

I was craving for milk tea while waiting for the screening of Avengers: Endgame and spotted 50 Lan (50嵐) at Rustan's Marketplace. I decided to go for its bestseller Boba Jasmine Milk Tea (PHP80, regular | PHP110 large). Note that the price for large is not published in the menu board so I'm not certain if this is its actual price or I got ripped off. It's still pretty affordable though. 

First Sip: Chachago

I’m so hooked with milk tea these past few months. I always grab one or two whenever I see a boba shop (with manageable line). And two weeks ago, I was hoping to swing by Macao Imperial to finally try Masarap Ba’s recommended drink. But R changed his mind about having his haircut at Capitol Commons and opted to go somewhere in Kapitolyo instead. And it must be my lucky day as the barber shop we went to is right beside another milk tea joint, Chachago. 

Hello, Chachago.

I’ve seen several posts of Chachago’s milk tea when it opened its first branch in Quezon City. As much as I would love to swing by and check it out, it was way too out of the way for me to just grab a drink. But milk tea gods were good to me as the barber shop R chose is right beside Chachago's newest branch. Needless to say, I was right in front of Chachago as soon as R parked his car. 

First Sip: Xing Fu Tang

I spotted a board up of a new milk tea place while taking a stroll around Podium with friends a few months back. I took a mental note to try it when it opens and I finally did last week after dinner at my favorite xiao long bao place. 

Hello, Xing Fu Tang. 

I've read a handful of lukewarm reviews about this new Taiwanese drink brand but it didn't stop me from dropping by and actually queuing for about 20 minutes. 

Love at First Sip: Gong Cha's Milk Brown Sugar

The milk tea craze doesn't seem to be ending anytime soon and everyone's hooked with different joints' brown sugar concoction. I've tried a handful but none really stood out for me yet. And next on my list was Gong Cha's Milk Brown Sugar.
 
Hello, Gong Cha!

It has been a long while since I had Gong Cha. I stopped frequenting Gong Cha after numerous failed attempts in getting the coffee-based drink that I liked.

But seeing its Milk Brown Sugar (PHP130 + PHP16 for pearls) drink intrigued me and it being part of Booky's BOGO deal further convinced me to pay one of its branches a visit.

Restaurant Love: Lugang Cafe

Lugang has been one of my favorite restaurants in Manila. It fired up my love for xiao long bao made me head over heels crazy with other dishes it has perfected. And when R's parents invited us to join them for dinner at Lugang, we couldn't say no.

Hello, Lugang.

You know that a restaurant is doing remarkably well when it is at an inconvenient location yet packed on a weekday night. Dining at Lugang O'Square branch without reservation is near impossible with its many loyal patrons.

Milk Tea Favorite: Yi Fang

The milk tea craze hit Manila hard and it's just about to get even wilder with the influx of foreign and local brands entering the market. Everyone's current obsession now is brown sugar milk tea. And though almost every milk tea joint has their own version, we all have our favorites. And I am loving Yi Fang's Brown Sugar Pearl Tea Latte. 

Hello, Yi Fang.

Yi Fang has been around since 2017 but it wasn't until a year after when it gained popularity. 

First Sip: Milk Tea Taho

The craze for brown sugar milk tea has been around for months and it seems that it is about to get even wilder with new players coming in town. While some are dismissing how great these drinks are given that it's just "arnibal", sweets loving Filipinos are sure to continue to line up and patronize these establishments offering an alternative to our classic taho. But for those who can't decide if they want milk tea or taho, I found the perfect solution for you.

Hello, Soy Yummy!

Soy Yummy has been my go to kiosk for my taho needs when I couldn't get hold of Mr. Taho. I'd always get a large cup of hot taho whenever I spot one except one Friday afternoon when something else caught my attention. 

First Sip: T Bun

I was craving for milk tea for weeks but the crazy line for all the milk tea brands in town made me think otherwise. But when I couldn't take it anymore, I went for T Bun for it has the shortest queue. 

Hello, T Bun. 

This relatively new milk tea place in Bonifacio Global City seems to be the least favorite among all the  奶茶 ( naicha / năichá ) joints. But  it claims to offer the best bun and milk tea in town so it piqued my interest. 

Worth it or Not: Happy Lemon's Tiger Milk Tea

Food trends never fail to pique my interest. One of the hyped drinks these days is brown sugar milk tea. Marketed to taste like our well-loved taho, it sure got my 100% attention as soon as the posts got to my feed. First on my list was Happy Lemon's Tiger Milk Tea. 

Hello, Happy Lemon.

It has been months (or probably over a year) since I last visited Happy Lemon. But I suddenly had this burning desire to visit a branch after reading great reviews on its "new" Tiger Milk Tea. 

Taiwan in Manila: Yi Fang Taiwan Fruit Tea

I am a big fan of milk tea. I always lose the ability to say no whenever someone asks me if I'd like to go for a milk tea run. But lately, due to slower metabolism and fats crawling and hibernating in places such as hips, belly and other parts you wish would never turn lumpy, I try to avoid sinkers and go for healthier alternatives such as fruit teas. And thank goodness for Yi Fang!

Hello, Yi Fang.

Yi Fang is the newest addition to the ever growing brands of milk tea in Manila. But one thing that sets Yi Fang different from other players is its use of real fruits!