Second Bite: Haru Sushi Bar and Restaurant

I’m so thankful that I could visit Kapitolyo anytime I want. I witness it bloom from a quiet residential area to a busy foodie district. I still can’t say I conquered Kapitolyo as every time I’m just a restaurant or two away, a bunch of restaurants open! (I’m not complaining though.) Last Saturday, I was supposed to go on a food trip with E but my tummy didn’t want to cooperate so we ended up having a quick lunch at Haru.

Hello, Haru!

Haru is one of my favorite restaurants in Kapitolyo. Charming décor and delicious food is always a winning combo!

E’s assorted sushi

Since it was quite warm that day, I opted to get Zaru Soba (PHP180), Seafood Teppanyaki (PHP335), Sake Sashimi (PHP308), and Guyabano Shake (PHP84). E went with a bowl of ramen and a plate of assorted sushi.

My salmon sashimi was served first; and as before, it was love. Thick cuts of fresh salmon… it was heavenly!

Restaurant Discovery: Tweedle Book Café

As I grow older (and hopefully wiser and more mature), I find myself spending more and more time with friends in tea or coffee shops. I go fan girl crazy whenever I discover a quaint café. It gets more squeals if the café has cute décor or adorable names for dishes. (Okay, disregard being more mature.) Tweedle Book Café in Quezon City gets a lot of points for bringing out the geek in me.

Hello, Tweedle Book Café!

Ever since my schoolmate J posted her newest business venture on Facebook, I kept bugging people to accompany me visit the place. (I could do it on my own but the possibility of getting lost is high.) But finally, after several weeks (or was it months?) of pestering with love, I finally got to visit the place!

I wanted to try its savory dishes but I had too much for lunch at Haru. Instead, I tried the Chocolate Lava Cake with Salted Caramel ice cream (PHP220) and a cup of Latte (PHP140).

While waiting for my meal, I checked the décor and noticed that the different clocks show the time of different fictional places like Rivendell from Lord of the Rings Trilogy and Paradiso from the Divine Comedy. There’s even Whoville!

Harry Potter fans will go crazy with the Platform 9 ¾ wall.

The book selection was so amusing as well. I spotted Hunger Games cookbook!

Now for my afternoon snack…

First Bite: Planet Grapes

I’m a fan of Planet of the Apes and that’s probably why I’m so curious with Planet Grapes. I find it to be such a witty name and I’m a sucker for anything witty.

Hello, Planet Grapes!

It has been months since I discovered this place but the Alabang branch was a bit too far for me so I never had a chance to visit. But food gods love me so much that Planet Grapes’ newest branch is just a few blocks away from me—Shangri-La Plaza Mall.

Wine without the drama.

 

Planet Grapes somehow has a classy yet warm ambiance. The dishes too aren’t priced that steep though some dishes are slightly on the expensive side. We got the following: Kitayama Rib eye Steak (PHP1,195), Grilled Trio Prawns (PHP495) and PG Super Sisig (PHP210). For wine, we got Baby Bad Boy 2010 (PHP280 for 125 ml | PHP180 for 75 ml | PHP95 for 38 ml) and Pircas Negras Torrontes (PHP235 for 125 ml | PHP150 for 75 ml | PHP80 for 38 ml).

First served was the sisig. R and I got confused with the tomatoes as we never had sisig with tomatoes before. (I guess it is for the purpose of giving extra crunch?) Admittedly, it’s not the best sisig around but it was good. I just wish that it was crunchier.

Love at First Bite: Ramen Iroha

I love ramen and I’m so happy that more and more ramen establishments are coming to the Philippines. I do mini mental cartwheels every time I see a new ramen shop and I happen to spot one on my way to the Tempur Breeze event.

I spy Ramen Iroha!

This new ramen place opened last December and I have been hearing nothing but good reviews about this place. I told my colleague A that I will have dinner there before heading back home. But since there were a lot of dishes left from the event, we decided to save our money and have a mini buffet instead of having a ramen night. I promised myself though that I will visit this place soon.

Unfortunately, I hardly frequent BGC these days as I was so into getting fit hence I get stuck in Kapitolyo or Rockwell. But the food gods really love me. The principal (from work) I was with last Tuesday night craved for ramen so we ended up having late dinner at… RAMEN IROHA! (Insert deep *oh yeaaah~* here.)

The place was hardly packed by hungry foodies. Only two other tables were occupied when we arrived hence service was quick. And since I was with a principal, I was a bit timid to go all out so I just ordered a small bowl of Toyama Black Soy-Sauce Ramen (PHP250 | PHP395 for regular bowl). This ramen is a winner of the Tokyo Ramen Show for 4 years including 2014 so I had pretty high expectations for this dish.

Mega Food Hall Favorites: Tex-Mex and Sweetea by Da.u.de

I love hanging out with people who love to eat. It means that they are game to pig out and try different restaurants. My college friends are just like that and when we met a few weeks back, we were able to visit three different establishments! (Well, four for K and I.)

After having lunch at Burgers & Brewskies and dessert at Larcy’s Cupcakery Café, we decided to go to Megamall to continue pestering each other (in the most loveable way possible). And since we like to chit chat while munching, we headed to Mega Food Hall for some snacks.

K and I went straight to Sweetea by Da.u.de and she got Starburst (PHP160 for medium | PHP170 for large) while I got Green Passion (PHP120 for medium | PHP130 for large). Since there’s a wait time of 6 to 8 minutes, we checked out Tex-Mex after seeing a couple enjoying a plate of nachos.

Since we were envious (of the food and not the lovey doveyness just so we’re clear), we ordered Nachos MexGrande (PHP159) and Grilled Chicken Quesadilla (PHP169). After paying, we were given this coaster looking number that vibrates when our orders are ready. I hope all food courts have this so that we could roam around while waiting for our orders.

After a short while, we got all of our orders and started to dig in.

My Green Passion had a slight fruity taste from the passion fruit. It was a bit on the bland side but I like it that way. K liked it too, and even more than her Starburst which she felt would take a bit of time to be likable.

PROMO ALERT: IHOP PHILIPPINES’ ALL YOU CAN EAT PANCAKES

I think I am losing my foodie spirit. I was totally unaware of one of the yummiest offerings this month—All You Can Eat Pancakes!

In celebration of the National Pancake Day, IHOP Philippines holds All You Can Eat Pancakes this March 3!

Unlimited buttermilk pancakes for only PHP250? Oh yes, it’s real!

Happening today from 6 a.m. to 12 midnight for Bonifacio Global City branch and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. for UP Town Center, SM Mall of Asia, Century City Mall, Filinvest City and Araneta Center, it’ll be a day full pancakes (in the tummy).

The sweetest part of this deal is that while you fill your tummy with IHOP’s yummy buttermilk pancakes, you also help ill children in need as IHOP partners with Kythe Foundation, an NGO that provides young cancer patients with psychological care.

Not so fond of pancakes? You may also donate through the IHOP donation box or by buying Paper Icons.

See you there! <3

-Gluttonshopper

P.S. You may learn more about Kythe Foundation here.

Power Meal: Chatime Bento

I promised myself that I’m going to be a better and stronger person this year and I have been working hard to be fit. (But I still pig out on some days as I could not resist good food.) I go to yoga every day and soon, I will try a new sport or exercise. *Pats self on the back* But what I really look forward to after every workout is the “grace period” where you could eat whatever you want as experts say that the body still burns calories after workout. (Well, even if it’s not true, I will still eat as I don’t eat before working out.)

Tired and hungry, I decided to stop by Chatime to buy Chocolate Mousse and perhaps a sandwich but something else caught my attention… Chatime Bento (PHP169)!

I wanted to have it to go but the server said that it’s only available for dine in so I decided to have dinner there instead. Luckily, there was a table available upstairs. (And I was the only solo diner that (Friday) night! Huhuhu.)

Ten minutes later, my bento was served.

The bento consists of Chatime Chicken Chops, annatto rice, cuttlefish ball, shredded cabbage and soup.

The soup was a bit salty but the warmth was very soothing. I also enjoyed the shredded cabbage which was very much like Yabu’s and Saboten’s. The chicken chops were fried to perfection. Crispy yet still juicy and it went so well with the annatto rice. The cuttlefish ball, on the other hand, reminded me of squid balls.

Overall, it was a very filling dinner. And for PHP169, it was value for money.

I will definitely buy again soon.

Chatime savory dishes are available in selected stores only. Chatime Bento is available at Chatime Pioneer, Pioneer Supermarket, Pioneer St., Mandaluyong City.

Sweet Find: Larcy’s Cupcakery Café

 I am used to having complete meals every time I eat out. Even when I’m alone, I make sure that I order an appetizer, main course and dessert. I love it when I hang out with people who feel the same way and this is probably why I adore my college friends.

After a happy lunch at Burgers & Brewskies, my friends and I decided to “hunt” for dessert. We were craving for something new or cold; and at first, I was sold with the idea of having dessert at Caramia.

But since funds were running low, I had to look for an ATM and that’s when I saw… Larcy’s.

Hello, Larcy’s Cupcakery Café!

The cute and very pink cupcake place is located at the lower ground of Capitol Common’s new mall, Estancia. Since it falls under “new”, my friends and I decided to settle here.

They have several cupcakes and drinks to choose from. But we went with just cupcakes such as Quezo de Bola (PHP90), Bananutella (PHP75), Chocolate Salted Caramel (PHP85), and Old Fashioned (PHP70). I also ordered a mug of Frozen Hot Choco Velvet (PHP185).

Love at First Bite: Burgers & Brewskies

Burgers are love. I still do not get it why restaurants force us to eat burgers with forks and knives but since I do not want to look like a cavewoman amongst my friends, I comply with the social norms (?). Last Saturday, my college friends and I decided to meet up to celebrate the February celebrants’ birthdays. I love it that F and I share the same birth month. I get to share the bill with someone. *Weee!* Anyway, since we were having a hard time deciding where to eat, we opted to visit the new mall at Capitol Commons instead and try Burgers & Brewskies.

Hello, Burgers & Brewskies!

The place was pretty much empty during lunch. Since it was already past 12 when I got there, M, K, L and F already placed their orders. They got the following: Buffalo Wings (PHP220), Call the Nurse (PHP280), Philly (PHP250), Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (PHP230), and Walk of Shame (PHP340). I ordered Kandi (PHP265) and Bacon Chicharon (PHP210). I also got a glass of Cucumber Lemonade and Sweet Potato Fries when I upgraded my burger to a combo (just add PHP80).

The group saved me a wing to try and it had a slightly peppery taste. It was pretty good and flavorful. I totally forgot to try the bleu cheese dip though.

M’s Walk of Shame burger, which comes with spiced mustard aioli, egg-in-a-whole wheat bun, crispy bacon, crisp potato hay (which is very much like PicNic) and B&B Lemonnaise (mayo with lemon?), was a delicious sight! It was like a breakfast burger as it comes with bacon and sunny side up egg!

F’s Philly was the healthiest burger on our table. Beef patty stuffed with sautéed thinly sliced steak and topped with onions and pepper, it was the perfect dish for F. (Not for me though as it doesn’t have bacon.)

Love at First Bite: Scout’s Honor

I love anything personalized or customized. It shows that effort and thought were put into it and it makes whatever was made more special. Well, I always feel special when I receive one. I also find it fun to make one so it was such a thrill to make my own cookie! Curious where I crafted my own cookie? Scout’s Honor at Hole in the Wall.

Hello, Scout’s Honor!

This cute cookie and milk place is the first thing you’ll see once you enter Hole in the Wall. Scout’s Honor’s display of milk bottles and cookies will instantly make you salivate (if you love milk and cookies).

I was all oohs and aahs while checking the different ready-to-eat cookies, cookie dough, toppings and milk flavors. After much thought, I decided to get Cookie Inception (PHP95), Rocky Road, Peanut Butter and Nutty (PHP180 for 3 pieces—and yes, it has to be three pieces). I also crafted my own cookie (PHP120) and got Bamboo Charcoal Milk (PHP110).

For my very own Gluttonshopper cookie, I opted to go with the chewy chocolate chip cookie dough with almonds and marshmallow. The cookie master told me that the chewy chocolate chip cookie dough is one of their bestsellers and bestseller is a magic word with me. (UPDATE: They now have red velvet cookie dough! Get yours now as it’s a limited offering.)

True enough, I did love my cookie. It’s not that photogenic but the chewy dough and mallows with a slight bite from the almonds was divine! I love munching it warm with my cold milk.

First Bite: Wild Ginger

I feel terrible when I pay for a dish I find “meh” or worse… “blargh”. I had that sentiment last Friday when I had lunch at a ramen place in Rockwell. The broth had a very odd taste and the appetizer we ordered was too salty. It’ll take me a long while before I decide to visit that place again. The only perk I got from the lunch was when my colleague mentioned a list of restaurants I have to try. One of the restaurants she mentioned was Wild Ginger.

Hello, Wild Ginger!

I always pass by this restaurant and it never really made me curious as I only see a few people eat here. But since my colleague mentioned that this quaint restaurant serves good food, I had to give it a try.

R was indecisive that night so I ordered for the both of us: Pad Thai (PHP245), Thai Green Chicken Curry (PHP285), and Asian Tomato Soup (PHP135). I also got a glass of cold Calamansi juice (PHP75).

I was a bit iffy to order the tomato soup as it mentioned “spices from the East Indies” but I assumed that it wouldn’t be spicy. WRONG. It was so spicy that it made me cough and tear up. People who love spicy dishes would like this though.