First Sip: Sakura Hanami

One of the things I look forward to when visiting Japan is to bask in the beauty of cherry blossoms. Those beautiful and delicate flowers never fail to be the highlight of my Spring vacation. I was slightly disappointed though that I was too early this year for the sakura festival but I managed to get a glimpse of it before heading back to Manila. But a newly opened tea shop turned Spring into a year-round season with its hanami inspired drinks!

Hello, Sakura Hanami. 

Pink, white and everything floral, Sakura Hanami is the very definition of dainty and sweet. 

Singapore in Manila: Nanyang

I have been a fan of Nanyang's delicious Kaya Toast ever since I got hold of it last December. It has been one of my favorite afternoon spots in BGC. But ever since I started working in Quezon City, I hardly get to visit its High Street branch. Thankfully, it opened a branch at SM Megamall which is closer to work. 

Hello again, Nanyang!

Its SM Megamall branch is quite smaller than its BGC counterparts. But its prime location at the ground floor of building A (beside Breadtalk) makes it hard to miss. 

Skin Care 101: The Body Shop's June Product Highlights

Skin care is one of the things I used to put on the back seat until I saw some dreaded lines on my forehead and eyes whenever I smile. But finding the right brands could be tricky. I usually play it safe and stick with the ones my skin's used to. And one of the brands I often buy from is The Body Shop. 

Hello, The Body Shop.

The Body Shop has been my go to shop back when I was in high school. It was also the first make up brand I bought as it has this tea tree line that saved me from all those nasty blemishes. And fast forward to 2019, I'm still a loyal fan of The Body Shop but now focuses more on its skin care line (and the perfect perfumes especially for Manila's humid weather).

All About Serenitea's Cookie Brûlée Series

I have been drinking too much milk tea these past weeks to the point of planning to do some serious boba detox. But just when I thought I could finally start, Serenitea launched its crème brûlée line.  

Hello, Serenitea. 

Serenitea has been one of my favorite milk tea brands ever since my first sip of its Hokkaido Milk tea back in 2011. And despite the influx of so many boba shops opening in Manila, Serenitea remains to be one of my top 3! 

Quality over Quantity: Sariwon Philippines

Manila has turned into one big Koreatown (한인마을) with several Korean barbecue joints opening left and right. There are a lot offering unlimited meat which I find quite tempting. But if I were to decide based on quality, I have a few places I go to and top of my list is Sariwon. 

Hello, Sariwon. 

Sariwon has been around even before the boom of Korean barbecue in Manila. Located at the prime Bonifacio High Street Central, Sariwon became a favorite by professionals in the area and a family destination on weekends. 

First Sip: One Zo

Milk tea is everywhere and it is so close to turning me into the same shape as tapioca! But it's just too hard to resist especially when new brands keep opening here and there. And just a few weeks back, a boba shop also from Taiwan opened in Promenade Greenhills. But unlike all the other milk tea joints, this one makes its pearls from scratch and cook fresh batches every day. And did I mention that it comes in different flavors?

Hello, One Zo. 

Named after the Mandarin translation for playing with balls of dough, One Zo is known for its freshly made flavored pearls. 

SBS Inkigayo Sandwich is in Manila

KPOP fans would be familiar with the SBS music show Inkigayo which is a similar concept to KBS's Music Bank. But one thing Inkigayo has that Music Bank doesn't is a famous idol sandwich. Inkigayo sandwich became a popular snack thanks to the KPOP stars who seem to be fond of it. And though the coleslaw, egg salad and strawberry jam combination sounds as weird as the English translation to some of our favorite songs, it surprisingly works!

Hello, Inkigayo (인기가요) Sandwich. 

The hottest Korean Idol sandwich Inkigayo is finally here in Manila! 

First Bite: Pepeng Hapon

I'm a purist when it comes to Japanese food and I usually automatically dislike Japanese fusion dishes as soon as I see it or get a whiff of its strong aroma. But all that changed when I got to savor Ooma's crazy good dishes. And when a Filipino-Japanese restaurant reached out to me, I quickly said yes.

Hello, Pepeng Hapon. 

Pepeng Hapon is a Filipino-Japanese restaurant in Malate offering pocket friendly maki, takoyaki, and more. With some of its dishes at under PHP200, it isn't surprising for this place to become a popular spot for students and workers in the area. 

Restaurant Love: Sentro 1771

Filipino food always have a special place in my heart and tummy. I'd often find myself craving for bulalo, sinigang or adobo. And one of the best places I know that offers good sinigang is Sentro 1771. But this Filipino restaurant offers more than just Sinigang na Corned Beef.

Hello, Sentro 1771.

It has been a while since I last visited Sentro 1771 and I was glad that the dishes I love are still available and there are a few new items worth checking out. 

First Bite: Wok with Mom

I feel absolutely bad for not being able to properly celebrate my mom's birthday. I was swamped with work on her birthday that we only got to briefly meet on her special day. To make up for it, I decided to host a small lunch party for her with my sister. And Wok with Mom definitely came in at the most perfect time.

Hello, Wok with Mom.

Wok with Mom is a humble home-based party tray business that was started in 2018 by Oi's 77 year old mom. Specializing in authentic Filipino-Chinese dishes like Eight Treasure Chicken, Citrus Baked Pork Spareribs and Potato Shrimp Chinese Salad, Wok with Mom became a popular choice for celebrations and all kinds of festivities. 

Love at First Sip: Alishan at The Alley

Milk tea has been part of Filipinos diet for a few years now and it seems to be taking a bigger chunk of the food pyramid. We even ranked as one of the top countries in terms of milk tea consumption. And it's getting harder and harder to avoid this addictive drink when you see a shop or two in almost every corner. But I might have to sign up for Milk Tea Anonymous for I found myself braving the traffic one Saturday just to get hold of Alishan at The Alley's talked about milk tea.

Hello, Alishan.

Alishan at The Alley should not be confused with The Alley which first opened in Mall of Asia. The former is managed by Dean & Deluca and has nothing to do with the milk tea shop with reindeer in its logo aside from sharing "The Alley".