First Bite: DaTang

Venice Grand Canal Mall has been a destination of choice for new establishments. When it first opened, the strip near the picturesque attraction is filled with never heard of before restaurants offering European fare. But it is now slowly adding more establishments offering other cuisines. And one of the newest additions has a familiar name. 

Hello, DaTang.

DaTang is Datang Jardin's newest sister. Though the two share the same name and concept, everything else is different. 

Beat the Heat: Seol Bang

Summer is here and so is the detestable unbearable heat it comes with. But summer is also the perfect excuse for me to indulge in cold treats every day. And it was timely that I spotted a new favorite bingsu place. 

Hello, Seol Bang!

It’s not hard to miss this new dessert shop if your goal is to just have your photo taken by the picturesque “Venice Grand Canal”. This place is located a couple of meters away from on the selfie stick zone of the mall and that instantly warrants +10 points from me as I do not have to dodge phones and sticks on my way here.

First Bite: Chiara's

I have seen a handful of posts and reviews about this gelato place in Venice Grand Canal Mall. I got very curious when I found out that one cup of three scoops only cost PHP120. Three scoops of gelato for less than two hundred bucks? I was sold! But it took me a while to visit this place as the famous and green Grand Canal could be very crowded with… selfie sticks. But after having lunch at Nihonkai Tsukiji, we decided to hunt for more Pokemon and ended up in the newest tourist destination in Manila. Since we were already there, I figured that I should swing by and try Chiara’s.

Hello, Chiara’s.

The place was packed when I visited on a Sunday afternoon. The gelato store’s area is quite small and gets too crowded once five or six customers are inside. They do have al fresco area though in front of the store. I really wouldn’t mind dining outside if only it wasn’t so humid that day. 

Love at First Bite: Toni & Sergio

McKinley is turning into a foodie destination with its new restaurants and beautiful yet still under construction Venice Grand Canal Mall. I decided to reserve a table at Toni &Sergio, a new Italian-Spanish restaurant in the new mall for Mother’s Day after reading about a positive review about the place.

Hello, Toni & Sergio.

We got to the place half an hour earlier than my reservation but we were graciously accommodated by the staff and directed us to the corner table with a couch. Since the place was a bit dark, we moved to the one near the window for some natural light. 

With grumbling tummies, we quickly ordered the following: Truffle Cream Soup (PHP150), Creamy Baked Spinach (PHP200), Paella dela Casa (PHP490) and Lasagna 6 Cheese (PHP520).

While waiting for our food, I admired the restaurant's nice interiors and beautiful tiles. 

The bowl of truffle cream soup was served first and it was not as creamy as I thought. It was quite light in texture but it was definitely flavorful. However, I think it would have been better with some croutons as the soup was a tad too salty to be enjoyed in one sitting. I had to split the bowl with my mom.

The Creamy Baked Spinach was served next and it was delightful. It was just like the one from Cyma. Creamy, cheesy and spinach-y if there is such a term. It was a wonderful dip or topping for the toasted bread. We loved it so much that we asked for more bread which they gave for free.