First Bite: The Nautilus Whiskey Bar

It's interesting to see Quezon City bloom into a dynamic food scene. Gone are the days where the area is just a place filled with beer pubs and cheap eats. As more boutique hotels open in the city, we get more options for dates and night out with friends. And one perfect spot to hang out is Nautilus Whiskey Bar. 

Hello, Nautilus Whiskey Bar! 

Located on the roof deck of Prime Hotel along Sgt. Esguerra, Nautilus Whiskey Bar offers a nice vantage point to enjoy Manila's sunset. One must be prepared to take two flights of stairs before enjoying the view though. 

Best of Boracay in Manila: Coco Mama

I always feast on cold treats whenever I'm basking under the sun. With ice cream and fruit shakes as my staples when at the beach, I've received a handful of recommendations to try Coco Mama in Boracay. However, I never saw its store after being there for 4 days. And I wouldn't have thought that I'd be trying it for the first time in... Manila. 

Hello, Coco Mama!

This popular ice cream joint from Boracay is known for its coconut ice cream. It being vegan, non-dairy, lactose-free, gluten-free and having low glycemic index makes this an in demand dessert to most foreign visitors who are more particular with food. 

The Choice 2018: Vote for your Favorites!

Better late than never! Be heard and vote for your favorite food establishments!

The past years have been crazy for the food industry. With restaurants opening here and there on a daily basis, we are drowning with options on where to eat. On top of that, establishments we grew to love continue to offer new dishes making it equally irresistible! Then we all have our all-time no fail favorites and new discoveries. And that is what The Choice is all about.

The Choice IV is the fourth installment of the People's Choice, a survey spearheaded by Our Awesome Planet, the country's number one food blog and part of Top 50 travel blogs in the world; the Blogger and Influencer Collective known as the KTG (Kain Tulog Gang); and the reputable World Food Expo (WOFEX). 

Best of Boracay in Manila: Poketo

Say "Let's have Japanese food for lunch/dinner" and you would have my complete attention. And that was pretty much how Poketo caught my eye when I visited Street Market Boracay. It would be hard to not take notice of Poketo with the aroma of its grilled skewers. And it was a no brainer for me to brave Manila traffic when I found out that Poketo's in Manila.

Hello, Poketo.

Poketo is another concept from Street Market Boracay and is known for its scrumptious grilled yakitori. I've tried its wagyu yakitori last year and though quite expensive for an island meal, it was worth it. 

Best of Boracay in Manila: Fat Rice

I still remember how challenging it was to find Street Market Boracay last year. As the newest (and only) food park in the island back in March 2017, hardly anyone knew Street Market Boracay, Station X or even Hue Hotel. But I was determined to try it out as the people behind the food park are the power couple Nowie and Odette Potenciano. I managed to find Street Market Boracay after almost an hour of asking around and it was worth it! The place was beautiful and filled with interesting tenants. One of the stalls that caught my eye was Fat Rice and I feasted on its divine wings. 

Hello, Fat Rice. 

Fat Rice has been one of my favorites during my last Boracay visit. R and I were actually considering to head to summer destination a few months back to relax and indulge in good food but it was put on hold when the island was forced to close. Thankfully, my favorites found its way to Manila serving its bestselling dishes for a limited time at Hole in the Wall. 

Best of Boracay in Manila: Spicebird

The shutdown of Boracay has made summer a bit darker for most. As the favorite summer destination closed down last April, it was goodbye not just to Laboracay and all those fun festivities but also farewell (at least for half a year) to some of our favorite food establishments in the island. Thankfully, Nowie and Odette Potenciano figured out a way to bring its mouthwatering dishes to Manila. 

Hello Best of Boracay!

Crowd favorites Spicebird, Fat Rice, Poketo and Coco Mama found its way to Manila last June and have been delighting Manila foodies' taste buds since then. Its pop up stalls are located at Hole in the Wall and will be in town until August 15, 2018. 

Staycation Chronicles: Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle

With Manila being enveloped by grey clouds and drowned by the bustling sound of impatient cars stuck in traffic, one cannot deny the fact that summer's over. Just the mere difficulty of getting out of bed is enough proof. But there is one way to get me off my bed... that is to indulge in a staycation. 

Hello, Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle.

If you frequent Malate or study at College of St. Benilde, De La Salle University, St. Scholastica's College or Arellano University School of Law, you must have noticed this tall white building at the corner of Arellano and Estrada streets. Formerly known as a convention center, this building has been renovated, redesigned and renamed as Hotel Benilde Maison De La Salle in 2014. 

Beauty 101: Teeth Whitening with Y10 Brightonix

I am a coffee junkie. I can't seem to function without caffeine and I need a cup or two to jump start my day. However, drinking it on a regular basis has made my pearly whites... well, not white. And it definitely made me more conscious when I smile or talk to people. I've considered availing of teeth whitening services but reading about its adverse effects scared me. Thankfully, with new technology came a solution that made me feel it was the right time to have my teeth whitened. 

Hello, Y10 Brightonix. 

I was invited by SpectruMed to try out Y10 Brightonix, a revolutionary teeth whitening technology that sets a new standard in the oral care industry.

Hawker Chan is finally opening in Manila this July!

Hawker Chan is finally opening in Manila and it is opening sooner than you think. 

It has been a couple of months since the word got out that Hawker Chan is heading towards our shores. With almost ten months of waiting since FOODEE Global Concepts announced the great news, foodies in Manila patiently waited for updates on when they could take a bite of Hawker Chan's famous Soya Chicken. 

Now Open: Cocina Peruvia at Podium Mall

Cocina Peruvia is no new name in the food scene. As one of the pioneers to bring Peruvian cuisine in Manila, it has been a familiar name in the foodie community. I have to admit though, I didn't exactly fall in love with this place. My first two visits left me underwhelmed and I wasn't very excited to try it again the third time around. But the idea of seeing some of my favorite foodies enticed me to brave the morning traffic and head to Podium where Cocina Peruvia opened its third branch.

Hello again, Cocina Peruvia.

When in Bacolod: Pendy's

I grew up in Manila and never had the chance to experience the provincial life. I always thought that it would be nice to live somewhere where everyone knows (and usually related too) each other. The only downside of this is that when something happens to you, the word spreads out faster than light. And when Bacolod's favorite spot, Pendy's, experienced a nasty split with its staff, everyone knew about it. It was a matter of where you'd be loyal to, the original owners or the staff who decided to open Mimi's Cafe which offers an identical list of offerings. Mimi's already made me fall in love with its spectacular service and scrumptious bang for the buck food. So this time around, R and I tried the original Pendy's.

Hello, Pendy's.