Love At First Bite: Mesclun Bistro

It has been a while since my last entry as I have been trying to lead a more active lifestyle and I'm dead tired by the time I get home. I'm happy to share though that finally, I have a bit of arm muscles! Woohoo! Those hours of planking, low push ups and whatnot poses finally paid off! However, practicing yoga and going to the gym surrounded by amazing restaurants is a huge temptation. I usually end up having two breakfasts or a heavy lunch (plus dessert at times).

I met up with N one rainy Saturday afternoon after a (kind of) relaxing yoga. The weather was crazy as it was the time typhoon Maring was making its grand entrance felt. N and I were planning to check the Fort Strip for new restaurants but since we only have one umbrella to share, we ended up stuck in Serendra. Luckily, N remembered Mesclun, a restaurant a lot of people raved about. I recall seeing a lot of posts about it and I was curious myself.

So, Mesclun it is. 

It took us quite a while to decide on what to order as everything seems so tempting. There were different pizza, salad, pasta, and mains to choose from. At first we ordered Grilled Salmon Steak (PHP645) and eventually decided to cancel it for a Four Cheese Sourdough Pizza (PHP345). We also ordered Goat Cheese Salad (PHP455) and Sisig Spaghetti (PHP245). I also ordered a Power Shake (PHP195) to give me well, uh, power!

While waiting, we were given complimentary bread and butter with herbs. It was such a great start as the bread alone was tasty!

The Power Shake, a combination of apple, cucumber, and lettuce was very refreshing as well. I just hope that they pulsed it a bit more as there are some chunks that get stuck in the straw that made sipping a bit challenging.

Restaurant Discovery: Madeca

I admit, as much as I want to be lean and strong, I would choose a food trip over a free workout anytime. However, the case was different a few weeks back. I felt really heavy and when I do, I just have to give in to exercise and tried Plana Forma. It was PAIN. But there’s something I look forward to after every workout… reward. And by reward I mean food.

After an hour of squatting, T and I went to Podium with the plan of eating at Wildflour. It was our second attempt to do so but when we arrived, the place was packed with hungry brunch people. So we decided to look for another place to have brunch. Then I remembered Madeca. I saw it before in Yummy magazine and fell in love with the cute mason glasses. 

Luckily, the 4^th floor of Podium isn’t packed. (Normally, the busiest floor is the ground floor where Wildflour is located.) There was only one diner when we arrived. 

We noticed that Madeca isn’t an authentic Mexican restaurant. It is a fusion between Mexican and Filipino. I got intrigued with Lechon Kawali Burrito (PHP245) so I ordered one along with Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla (PHP125) and Guava Mojito (PHP135). T on the other hand ordered  Sisig Burrito (PHP225).

The Spinach and Mushroom Quesadilla was on the bland side but topping it with sour cream and salsa solves that. I love that it was served warm. The chips were delightful too as it added texture to the dish.

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.

Food Find: Chatime's Kronuts

The Cronut mania is still very alive as I still see long lines in Wildflour, empty racks in Chatime and posts on social media. I got to try the ones from Dunkin Donut (which you have to eat warm if you want to enjoy it), the cute version of Le Coeur (cute because it was the smallest so far), and Chatime’s Kronuts (which at first was sold out 30 minutes after opening). There’s still a lot more to try but my pants are suffering!

My mom called me one night and said that she was buying a few stuff from Pioneer Center and the first thing that came to my head was Chatime’s Kronuts. (They spell it like that since they can’t use the word Cronut as it was trademarked.) My mom asked which flavors and I tried to think for a moment but then decided to say, “ALL!” So much for trying to live healthier. >.<

When I got home, I was greeted by 6 Kronuts and all looked so yummy and saying, “Eat me! No me first! MEEE!” Okay, that was weird but you get my point.

The first one I tried was the sugar raised Kronut and I was surprised that it has hazelnut filling! I really enjoyed this one!

Chocoholic News Alert: Ovomaltine is coming soon to Manila!

Oh oh Ovalteenies, oh oh Ovalteenies. You just can't get enough, you just can't get enough oh~~ Please tell me I'm not the only one who remembers this jingle. 

Image from: adyingstar.blogspot.com

I grew up drinking chocolate drinks as my after school treat. One month with Milo, another with Ovaltine, another with Enervon HP then repeat. (Yeah, I wasn't offered Swiss Miss when I was a kid.)

Just drinking a cup of hot chocolate brings so much comfort, especially on a gloomy day as today. It makes me want to stay in bed, watch some movies and drink my cup of happiness.

Image from: www.ovomaltine.ch

But just when I thought these powdered chocolate can't be better, Ovaltine came up with Ovomaltine, a crunchy chocolate spread that you can use to whip up amazing baked goods or simply as spread (if baking is such a chore or if you can't bake to save your life). 

Beer Night: Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant

It has been a while since the last T3 meet up. With busy schedules, our plans normally get cancelled and *sniff sniff* forgotten. But it was different last week. We finally got to have dinner. Yahoo!

We decided to have dinner at Shangri-La as N was around the area and J and I work nearby. We all met around 7 p.m. and we were all very hungry. (Well, I was.)

 

We had a hard time choosing where to eat as they avoid places I have been to already. (Aren’t they the most supportive friends?) But since I’ve been to all the restaurants already (except for that new Korean place at the 6^th floor), we stalled for a bit. Given that they are not in the mood for Korean, and I wasn’t too, we went down again and visited BrotzeitGerman Bier Bar & Restaurant.

Given that it was a weekday and it was raining hard, the place was packed. We ended up sitting between the tables of two couples. Thank goodness only one of the two was in intense PDA mode.

We controlled ourselves with ordering as we tend to go overboard when we are all together. We ended up ordering Würstelplatte (PHP980) and Griebenschmalz (PHP290). I also decided to order Tagessuppe, or a fancy way to say Soup of the Day (PHP220). I was pretty stressed that day so I went for a glass of beer. The server said that the sweetest one is the Original Münchner Drunkel Lager (PHP200 for a Klein after 6 p.m.) so I ordered that one. N got the Banana Beer while J, a beer expert went for something N and I were not interested in.  :P

CRONUT MANIA: Dunkin Donuts

Manila is now officially cronut crazy. You see it everywhere! Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even on the news. It all started with Wildflour Cafe then other players joined the bandwagon. And finally Dunkin' Donuts decided to join the fun.

 

I've always wanted to try a cronut but it's so hard to get hold of one since it's always sold out. They say that it takes time to make a batch and that's the reason behind the very limited quantity. It doesn't even last 30 minutes for some stores. *sigh* But thanks to Instagram, I discovered something... Dunkin' Donuts now sell cronuts! 

Restaurant Discovery: Spätzle Euro Market Café

It has been my goal to visit all the new restaurants I see. Thus, I’m in food heaven every time I get to pass by an area filled with restaurants I have never seen before. True, my wallet will be screaming for help (and perhaps my tummy at some point will too) but I just love the feeling of discovering new food, new tastes, new love. 

 

It has been weeks already when I first saw Spätzle Euro Market Café. I have been planning to dine there for quite a while but the people I’m with always want to try something else. But thankfully, I was able to convince my mom one day to dine there before watching Despicable Me 2 (yes, I’m finally in after a week of not getting the “bottom” joke).

So finally… hello, Spätzle Euro Market Café!

 

We easily got a table but after a few minutes, we noticed that there was a line outside waiting to get seated.

 

Now Serving Tea: TWG Tea Salon and Boutique, Shangri-La Plaza Mall

I am so fascinated with TWG. Call me a frustrated British wannabe but there is something so comforting dining at TWG. I feel so girly and classy.*blinks slowly* All those tea cans, charming golden tea pots, dainty pastries and even rock sugar (is that how you call it?), I feel like I’m back to my kiddie days playing tea party with friends.

TWG Shangri-La branch is now open! Yahoo!

The place was slightly packed when we arrived and it was already past 9 p.m. that time. Well, it was a Friday. But it was not a pay day weekend.

Since we all came from dinner c/o birthday girl L, we opted to just have tea and a few pastries. 

First Bite: Buffalo's Wings N' Things

Chicken has an amazing charm on kids. Most kids just adore chicken, especially if the word fried comes along with it. Buffalo chicken wings are another story though as it is slightly spicier compared to its well-loved fried chicken goodness.

I’ve heard a lot of good things about Buffalo’s Wings N’ Things from a colleague of mine. So when I saw it in SM Megamall, I decided to give it a chance and dragged my family with me.

 

The place was pretty small and the menu’s pretty simple. Burgers, fries, nachos and chicken wings, that’s it. It was nothing fancy so ordering was a breeze. I ordered for everyone and chose the mild flavoured wings namely K-Pop (sweet), Garlic Parmesan, and Honey BBQ for the Triple Sampler (PHP409). I also ordered a basket of fries (PHP99) and two cups of NY Dirty Rice (PHP39). 

Service was quite quick and it was great as we were famished. First served were the fries and it was served piping hot!

 

Next were wings and rice. I noticed that the rice had an odd smell. To some it may smell repulsive. I gave it a shot and it was quite spicy (well, I have a low tolerance for anything spicy). 

Grandma Approved: Mangan Restaurant

Filipino cuisine will forever have a special place in my heart. I am not being biased or what but there’s really something so comforting with eating Filipino food. Could it be the umami?

One Saturday, I had a girls’ lunch out with my mom and grandmother at Robinsons Galleria. Since my grandmother isn’t that adventurous with food, we decided to head to Mangan, a Filipino restaurant.

There wasn’t much people eating and it was lunch time when we arrived. I guess those new restaurants at BGC and Shangri-La’s east wing are eating other malls’ share of hungry tummies.

It didn’t took us long to decide what to order. We ordered my grandma’s favorite Sinigang sa Bayabas Bangus (milkfish) Belly (PHP280) and Gatang Sigarillas (PHP120). After some thought, I also ordered Lechong Babi (PHP240) as it goes well with the veggies I ordered.

While waiting and munching on the complimentary crispy shoestring sweet potatoes (where some were oddly wet), one of the servers approached us. He shared that they are selling PHP300 gift certificates and if we buy now, we get free puto bumbong. (It made me wonder if he saw my excitement when I saw that they sell puto bumbong.) I then asked if the GCs have an expiry date and true enough the GCs are valid until November this year. I told him that this is against DTI rules as gift certificates should be treated like cash as it was bought with cash, at full amount. The server just… smiled then asked if I still want to avail of it. Uhm…