Along with your purchase, your Dad, Papa, Dada, Tatay, gets a FREE regular healthy and delectable Lulubelle Frozen Yogurt. How cool is that?

Go ahead, make your Dad feel special. After all, it’s his day.

This offer is valid at Powerplant and Serendra branches only.

Regular price of Lunch Buffet is at P1250 net, Dinner Buffet at P1399 net.

For June 1 to 20, the highlight of Dusit Thani’s Buffet was Pinoy Street Delights. The theme was in lieu of celebrating the 113 years of Philippine Independence. It showcases, along with other delectable cuisines, everyone’s favorite local street food, delicacies and regional cuisines prepared by Dusit Thani Manila’s own “Mamang Kusineros”.

The set-up is just overflowing with too much food selection. It’s a feast to one’s eyes.

In their Salad Station, there are a lot of fresh ingredients and dressings to choose from.

The greens are really fresh. You can’t find bruises in it. Also, I like how plump and fresh the cherry tomatoes are.

I, however, chose not to take some from this station as I’d like to reserve my stomach to some other selections.

For starters, I had these on my plate instead. Top of the list would be the Insalata Caprese (Mozzarella with Tomatoes and Basil). Simple yet delicious.

Among all these samplers, I didn’t like the scallops at all. It tasted like frozen-but-not-thawed-properly scallops.

Add to that, I had a bowl of their cream of spinach soup. It was just okay. Stomach-warming, tough.

The Seafood Station has shrimps, green shells and oysters. Having grown up in Iloilo, I am fond of eating oysters and green shells (I am not a shrimp eater though. Sounds weird, but true), thus, I know a good kind of oyster and green shell when I see and taste one. Yes, they are really good — fat and fresh!

I had a plate of delish Rockfeller Oysters paired with a glass of chardonnay. Just take a look at those lovely oysters! I was so tempted to ask for more but there are still a lot of food to taste.

I really need to learn how to make Rockefeller Oysters. This is a dish best eaten with a group of friends.

There are a number of interesting main dishes, representing different provinces in the Philippines, in the buffet spread as well. There were Chicken Bicol Express from Naga, Fried Alimango from Iloilo, Pata with Kadios from Cebu, etc.

However, it is the Roast Beef station where the queue is piling up. The roast beef is perfectly cooked according to my liking – tender, moist and succulent. If you want it well-done though, you can request and they’d gladly prepare it.

The Tandoor Section has several protein options to choose from. They have fish, chicken, beef, squid and shrimps. They have the right level of spiciness and packed with so much flavor.

I tried their chicken tandoori and it was just heaven-sent. If only my stomach can still accommodate, I would have eaten it with an ice-cold beer.

They also prepare Naan Bread in the station. The naan bread was the first to go among guests who are patiently waiting for their protein.

The Sinigang sa Miso and Seafood Noodles have ample selection of add-on ingredients to make your own bowl of soup even more tasty. I just wished they’d always follow on fixing the bowl of ingredients so that it wouldn’t look messy.

Their serving of Lumpiang Sariwa is very generous. They should look into serving smaller pieces instead. With the enormous buffet set-up, some would rather take bite pieces from each station.

Of course, a Pinoy Street Food themed meal wouldn’t be complete without the famous Kikiam, Squid Balls, Quek-quek, etc. They also have steaming Balut in the cart.

Aside from those, there’s the barbecue we are familiar with, pork, isaw, gizzard, etc. It would have been better if they really made it authentic by having a charcoal-grilled set-up in the station. I don’t know if that’s possible but that would have enhanced the dining experience better.

Now, here goes a stretch of Sweets. The selection has steamed Puto and Cuchinta, which tasted okay. Nothing too fancy about it.

They also have Bananacue and Camotecue, along with their cart for Crepes. Here you can choose different fruits and sweet fillings to prepare your own serving of crepe.

I got a small bowl of their fresh fruit slices, in this station, to “somehow” clean my palate.

There’s a wide array of Assorted French Pastries. I’m so thankful I took a picture right before I started eating. By the time I went back for dessert, more than half of the pastries were gone!

The pastries were delicately prepared and adorned. They are just too pretty to eat. More than that, they were yummy!  

The Halo-halo station has more than a dozen of ingredients to choose from. They also have Sorbetes to top your creation. Mind you, I sampled with strawberry and mango sorbetes and they were one of the best that I ever tasted. Even my friend agreed as to how delish they were.

There are still a lot of appetizing desserts in the buffet. Remember the adage that “there is always room for desserts”. Yes, there “is”. I need two stomachs to accommodate everything.

Yes, the best that I had was their Puto Bumbong topped with a heap of grated coconut, muscovado and cheese. Just imagine how scrumptious this is. Just even looking at the picture makes me crave to have this again. I even ordered a cup of coffee to better enjoy this sweet ending to my amazing meal.

Overall, it was a good dining experience. The abundant, delightful banquet is a feast to one’s senses. I gorged more plates of food than I expected my tummy can accommodate. Just imagine all the calories! I don’t even want to begin counting. Good thing I scheduled to attend a Zumba class after.

If there’s one thing they need to really improve on, that would be the uniforms of their waitresses. They should invest on their uniforms to improve the guests’ dining experience. I credit them though for the waitresses’ attentiveness and efficiency.

Dusit Thani Manila is at A.S. Arnaiz Avenue, Corner Edsa Ayala Center Makati City. For inquiries / reservations, call (02) 867-3333

Clearance Sale is on June 17 (10:00 to 5:30pm) to 18 (9:00am to 530pm) at Jasra Building, corner St. Paul and Estrella Street, Makati City. The key is to be early to get the best deals.

Yes, summer is over! Yet, we all know that buying items during its off season is the best way to save on cash

Lucky for me, I have scheduled beach trips soon and still doesn’t have ample stuff to bring. Yohoooo!!! Feels great to save!

Reto Klauser, Area Manager and General Manager headed the launch of the hotel’s bold new banquet cuisine, which actually took nine months to complete. With that, I was expecting nothing but the best in their menu offering.

The opening programme was creatively done. An AVP was prepared highlighting Makati Shangri-La’s transition to the new cuisines.

The event was highly attended. Guests from different backgrounds crowded the Rizal Ballroom.

The event managers were introduced to the crowd. They’re responsible in assisting the event requirements of the guests in the hotel. We love their neat hair bun!

The new Executive Chef, Franco Brodini, took the guests to a sampling of the gustatory tour de force, which actually  features 13 different, exciting, mouthwatering stations. To fully maximize this experience, my friend and I went from station-per-station, making sure we get to taste a little from each. Each station gets easily piled up though.

We started where Chef Franco is stationed — RISOTTO STATION. Risotto with Summer Truffle is prepared right before your eyes. As expected, this is where the queue is the longest.

Risotto is one of the most difficult dishes to prepare. Thus, having one for the night is enough to get my foodie side giddy.

Just check where risotto is served. The cheese made the risotto even more delish. There are some condiments in the station as well, but honestly, you won’t be needing them.

The TORCH SUSHI AND SASHIMI station featured a selection of sushi and sashimi of Tuna, Salmon, Hamachi and John Dory. They are just screaming with freshness.

Those are torched then served with Wasabi Sabayon, Mayo Caramel and Champagne Sabayon. Just imagine how each taste complemented one another.

The SMOKEY CURRY LAKSA features Cockles, Pork Blood Terring, Cuttle Fish, Quail Eggs, Char Siew Pork and Pak Choy. I found the laksa to be too spicy for my liking. I ended up not enjoying it that much.

My friend who is fond of anything spicy actually liked it.

There were Bird’s Nest with Saffron Consomme, Truffle Oil with Alcohol Conconction and Angel Hair and Mango Ravioli under the ESPUMA AND CAVIAR STATION.

I wasn’t really keen in having those as it doesn’t look appetizing to me at all. However, one of the Chef’s urged me to try their Truffle Oil with Alcohol Conconction (those which are on the syringe), to which I submitted. You actually consume it by squirting the preparation into your mouth. It’s a bit weird for me. Plus, I hardly tasted the Truffle Oil because of the overpowering combination of alcohol.

The HEALTHY ICE BAR STATION served freshly prepared Avocado, Tomato and Wheatgrass drinks.

I like the simplicity of the taste of those drinks. My personal favorite is the Avocado. I like its raw taste.

The FOIE GRAS STATION is abundant with different takes on preparing foie gras. They have Chocolate Coated Foie Gras with Celery Salt, Foie Gras and Sorbet with Mint Strips, Foie Gras Soup Lolies with Pistachio, Foie Gras Panna Cotta with Floss Candy, Foie Gras Praline and Parmesan Cornet with Foie Gras Custard.

The key to savor this is to take small bite pieces. Foie Gras has a buttery consistency and is really loaded with too much flavor. You must consume them sparingly to avoid taste fatigue.

The PEKING DUCK AND SUCKLING PIG station offers Roast Peking Duck with Pancakes, Cucumber, Spring Onion and Hoi Sin Sauce.

One of the busiest stations but for me, I found nothing too special with it. I’ve tasted far better peking duck and suckling pig than those they served.

There were six sweet stations during the event. It would have been better if more main courses were highlighted instead. After all, a main course is always the prime event when dining.

There was the FOUNTAIN STATION of chocolate and white chocolate. I found it weird though that they had to add orange food coloring on the white chocolate.

Along with that, they have Fresh Strawberries, Strawberry Marshmallows, Cookies and Sponge Cakes, which you can cover with chocolate from the fountain.

They also have the FLAVORED ICE CREAM station where other fancy ingredients can be added to enhance flavor.

The fun here is adding different ingredients to create your own signature ice cream combination.

One of the interesting and creative dessert stations for me is the SORBET IN SKINS. It has a selection of Pineapple, Passion Fruit, Kiwi and Lemon Sorbet served in their skins. Seldom can you find these in other restaurants.

The taste is okay but the presentation is what sells it.

The MACAROON AND FRENCH PASTRIES highlights a selection of Homemade Macaroon and Mini French Pastries. Again nothing too fancy, but you’ll be amazed with their wide offering.

Fresh Berries served with Strawberry Soda and San Miguel Beer Cream were showcased in the SIPHON BERRIES station. I didn’t get to taste those but my friend told me they were okay.

Lastly, the TRUFFLE station. This is where we enjoyed sampling Trufffles with different fillings. You’ll only get to know whether you got whether its UBE, CARAMEL or PASSION FRUIT filling once you popped the Truffle in your mouth. The thrill is in the discovery.

This we found interesting but funny. Using a small apparatus, you will snort chocolate powder and end it by eating a spoonful of ice cream. According to the stationed chef, the combination of cocoa powder with ice cream and eating it through that way is heaven in your taste buds.

Here, the chef is guiding one of the guests how to do it. But after seeing cocoa powder scattered all over one’s nose, we politely declined. It’s too messy for me.

The guests said the ice cream indeed tasted better after snorting cocoa powder.

We ended the banquet cuisine taste tour with a heavy, full stomach and heightened food awareness. Some tasted so delish, while others are just okay. There are some bordering between interesting and eccentric. Overall, it was a memorable gastronomic tour. 

Executive Chef Franco Brodini was tired but happy with the feedback of the guests. He was thankful for a large crowd who attended the event and delighfully sampled his cuisines.

For those who are enticed, due to these new banquet cuisines, to have their events held at Makati Shangri-La, you may contact them through (02) 8138888. 

Apologies for some blurry pictures, Rizal Ballroom is a bit dark thus, those are the best that the camera can capture. Thanks!

Rush once again to the nearest Max’s Restaurant for an unlimited serving of the Filipino’s favorite home-cooked fried chicken for P199 only, which already includes a glass of Pepsi softdrink.

This promo can be availed from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm daily at all Max’s Restaurant Branches nationwide. Promo runs from June 10 to July 10, 2011.

Group Coupon are websites that offer discounted gift certificates that can be redeemed at local or national companies. It operates on a policy that if a certain number of people signs up for the deal, then the deal can be availed by everyone. If not, then no one gets the deal. However, since competition is getting stiff, I’ve observed that most sites are already offering an instant deal upon purchase. There is no need to wait for a minimum of availers.

These offers have been a venue for businesses to encourage consumer trial. Customers are hesitant to spend on something they are not that sure of or items they wouldn’t usually spend on like an unheard-of restaurant or a new travel destination. Given that, Group coupon sites are able to address that business dilemma.

On top of that, these sites make it possible for us to experience a well-lived life given that best deals are offered at a fraction of its price.

I’ve managed to purchase a number of coupons through different group coupon sites. I’m even enrolled to most of them so that I can easily be informed of the latest deals in town. To date, there are over 40 active group coupon sites you can visit.

With that, here’s the list of my favorite ten groupon sites (in no particular order).

1) Cash Cash Pinoy at
http://www.cashcashpinoy.com/

2) Deal Grocer at
https://dealgrocer.com/private-sale

3) Groupon Beeconomic at
http://www.beeconomic.com.ph/

4) Ensogo at
http://www.beeconomic.com.ph/

5) Deal Spot at
http://www.dealspot.ph/

6) Local Roam at
http://www.localroam.ph/

7) Pakyaw at  
http://www.pakyaw.ph/

8) Metro Deal at
http://www.metrodeal.com/

9) Deal Dozen at
http://www.dealdozen.com/

10) Buyanihan at
http://www.buyanihan.com/

These are my fave sites because, compared with others, they offer more attractive deals. Aside from that, they often have daily coupon offers.

Go ahead. Shop through these sites. You don’t need to spend a lot to enjoy the best things in life.

Armed with an empty stomach and healthy appetite, my friends and I headed to Sumo Sam at Powerplant, Makati.

 ”Sumo” pertains to the Japanese and “Sam” for the Americans. Simply put, Sumo Sam serves Westernized, Japanese food.

(Sumo Sam is owned by actor Marvin Agustin. We were kidding and secretly hoping that he’s around and be the one to serve our food.)

The restaurant gets easily packed during lunch time. It is highly suggested to call for reservations or come early in order to secure a table.

I scanned through the crowd and I’ve observed that mostly are families. It’s nice to know that kids now are starting early to be fond of eating Japanese food.

There is nothing special with the Bottomless Red Iced Tea P98. My friend said it’s just like Kalamansi Juice with red food coloring.

Nevertheless, the lemon wedge made the serving even more vibrant.

The good thing about ordering this drink is that you may switch to Green Iced Tea if you wish to.

Sumo Sam’s menu is a delight to choose from. All of the food items have mouth-watering product shots.

I like restaurants who do such because it gives the customers an idea what to expect from the dish. The danger though is you tend to order more what you can consume because you salivate over all their food items. Yes, we did just that.

The different textures of Crunchy Tuna Roll P238 are a delight to eat. The crunchy topping played well with the softness and freshness of the tuna slices.

Aside from that, the rolls are really big. Even the tuna topping is a heap.

The Spicy Tuna Salad P218 is also very delish. It has the right amount of spike which whets your appetite.

What I think they can improve on this is their presentation. It looks a little bit messy. It didn’t give justice to its taste.

The Osuyaki Beef P338 was the star of our table. The delicious mushroom mixture is wrapped with thinly sliced, succulent beef.

The beef slices were cooked perfectly. They were moist and not too heavily seasoned.

The mushroom mixture is highly interesting. It is packed with so much flavor, which balances well with the simplicity of the beef slices.

The Pan Fried Gyoza P228 was beautifully wrapped and cooked. You bite into its crunchy gyoza wrapper to uncover the dainty meat filling. The dipping that goes with it makes it even more savory. 

Another star for that meal was the Bacon-Wrapped Dory P258. As they say, anything with bacon is simply titillating.

There are so much interesting flavors in this dish. The sweet sauce added a different touch to the bacon and dory pair.

Lastly, I have to have my rice. I originally wanted just a Gohan but my friend suggested I take the Japanese Fried Rice P89 instead.

It tasted okay — nothing much to rave about. The serving though is very generous as the mound looks more than a cup serving.

We were so full that we didn’t have room for desserts anymore. Good thing they have house tea to somehow wash out what we’ve consumed. 

Overall, we had a good dining experience. The dishes are palatable and service is excellent. There are certainly a lot more that I want to try in Sumo Sam.

Sumo Sam currently have four branches, namely: Shangri-La Plaza at Mandaluyong City, Powerplant Mall at Makati City, Marquee Mall at Pampangga and TriNoma at Quezon City.

What caught our attention were the claims that it is Bacolod’s Best Tasting Chicken and Voted as the Best Chicken Inasal in 2005. (Hmmm….the latter confused me a bit. Oh well, bottomline is, this is worth trying).

Aida’s Chicken is a simple, no-frills restaurant. The menu offering is affordable and comes in ample servings.

They have product shots of their dishes displayed in their windows to entice customers.

Almost all tables were taken inside. I am surprised that there are a lot of followers in this restaurant. Food must be really good.

Just like everyone else, we ordered, as well, their best selling Chicken Inasal Meal P145. It comes with a large chicken inasal, a cup of rice and eggplant-tomato-onion-salted egg sidings.

This is really value-for-money because most of the restaurants offering chicken inasal platters won’t have a side dish.

Plus, you can choose the chicken part that you want — breast, leg or wings.

The inasal is tender, moist and flavorful. Each bite reminds me that this is really one of best chicken inasal I’ve tasted.

What I liked most with this inasal is that the vinegar flavor is not overpowering. There is a balance of ingredients used.

The chicken oil is glistening with its meat. Deadly but yummy!

Bottles of chicken oil, soy sauce and vinegar are made available on each table. You can make your own sauce with it, starting from the kalamansi and chili they serve along with the chicken inasal.

Honestly, you don’t need those condiments as the chicken itself can already stand on its own.

Next time I dine here, I will still order their chicken inasal and will try their other menu offering. The Grilled Squid from the other table looks really appetizing.

Aida’s Chicken Barbecue Grill is at L-11, LGF Makati Cinema Square, Pasong Tamo, San Lorenzo, Makati City.

Prior to going at Cav, I did some research, through their website
http://www.cavwine.com/
, on what we can possibly order. Unfortunately, when we asked for their Prix Fixe Menu (a selection of 2 to 4 course meal), they don’t offer anymore. We settled then with selecting from their menu.

While waiting for our order, we were given warm bread rolls with butter to munch on.

The waiter also gracefully served our bottle of Beringer Red Wine P2000.

There is no need to be intimidated as the waiters are very much knowledgeable with their wine offering. They are willing and able to assist you through their wine selection.

We were also given complimentary appetizers by their chef.

It is so good we were mumbling if we can possibly get another pair for free.

The three of us ordered different dishes for starters and mains. Yet, we shared small pieces of each dish with one another, so we’d know how each tasted.

For Isshin:

Starter: Young Arugula Salad with Watermelon & Tomato Confit and Parmesan Crisp P220.

The different texture of each ingredient made eating this dish exciting. The edible flower topped the experience.

Main Course: Baked Tiger Prawns with Artichoke Butter, Creamy Lemon Rice and Tarragon Foam P590

Tiger prawns were cooked perfectly. They were moist and juicy.

We were not a fan of the creamy lemon rice though. Rice was undercooked and cream was too runny.

For Rico:

Starter: Duo of Tuna, a serving of tuna prepared two ways, with Carpaccio, Tartar, Caper Emulsion, Melon and Micro Greens.

What sold this dish is the freshness of tuna. The taste is very clean and enhanced by the rest of the ingredients.

Main Course: Rack of Lamb with Roasted Garlic, Bean Puree, Haricots and Thyme P1400.

This is perfect for meat lovers. The big slab of meat would be a delight for them.

We were told that this is one of their bestselling dish.

For me:

Starter: Three Mushroom Soup with Truffle Foam P290.

I am so happy I ordered this. This toppled the starters Isshin and Rico ordered.

The soup is rich and creamy, further enhanced by the truffle foam. The edible petals added texture to the soup.

Main Course: Grilled Tuna Steak with Tapenade and Arugula Mash on Herbal Tomato Fondue P460.

You can see below how perfectly cooked the generous serving of tuna is. The arugula mash and tomato fondue played well with my palate.

Overall, it was a good dining experience. The waiters are engaging and attentive. Dishes are cooked well and creatively plated.

Cav Wine Shop and Cafe is at G/F The Spa Bldg., Lot 5 Quadrant 8, Bonifacio High Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines. For reservations, call (02) 856-1798.

My good friend and I decided to have a good breakfast and we were dragged by our feet to Heaven and Eggs Rockstar at Glorietta 4.

We decided to avail of their buffet breakfast, as it is very affordable for P349+ (during weekends, buffet is at P349+, on weekdays, buffet is at P299+) . Their breakfast platters are more or less of the same price so availing of their buffet breakfast is logical.

Heaven and Eggs’ buffet breakfast is available from 7am to 11am during weekdays and 7am to 1pm during weekends.

When we arrived, there were a number of breakfast goers already. This made us feel even better with our decision to eat here.

Here are the different stations in their buffet breakast.

Salad Station.

There is nothing much in this station. In fact, the salad looks sad with the greens, tomatoes and onions on it only.

Bread Station

They have pandesal, white bread loaf and wheat bread loaf. They also have jams and butter to go with it.

You can heat it with their available toaster,

Cereal Station

They have three options of cereals to show from. They only have the normal milk though. There’s no option for skim or non-fat milk.

Soup Station

For today, they have the Green Lettuce Soup. It’s not really that appetizing.

Pasta Station.

I wish they have more ingredients in the pasta.

Pancakes and Waffles Station.

As we all know, pancakes and waffles are best enjoyed when they are freshly cooked. Thus, my friend and I asked if we can be served newly cooked pancakes. To our delight, they obliged. Yum!!!

Egg Station (Pritata)

I would have preferred sunny side-up eggs. I suggest they should make it available next time.

Heaven and Eggs have different viands available namely, Chicken and Pork Adobo, Daing and Tapa.

The Chicken and Pork Adobo is one of the best I’ve tasted.

I didn’t like the Daing that much as the vinegar is over powering.

Two thumbs-up for the Tapa. It’s packed with flavor and very tender.

Garlic Rice Station

Of course, all these viands are best paired with Garlic Rice.

Sweets Station

I think they should add in more fruits in this station.

The buffet breakfast doesn’t come with beverages. We ordered their Brewed Coffee P130 and it was worth it.

Add to the experience, we were serenaded by an acoustic singer. How cool is that!

H&E Rockstar is at Ground Level Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Makati City.
For reservations or other inquiries, call 818-2792

Imagine my hunger then! In cases like that, good thing there is Quick Delivery to deliver good food right at your doorstep.

Quick Delivery is a multi-restaurant delivery service that delivers from the best restaurants in the metro. You may check them out at
http://quickdelivery.ph/
 for different ways to order and for the complete list of restaurants they cater to. Delivery charge is 10% of your total bill.

To keep me company, I went to my ever reliable neighbor and insisted on having Shiok delivered.

Shiok is a quick service restaurant which offers value-for-money Singaporean and Chinese food.

After placing our order through Quick Delivery at (02) 2121212 and waiting for an hour, Quick Delivery Boy finally arrived!

We liked how engaging and accommodating the delivery boy was. Add to that, he looks presentable even if it was drizzling outside.

The food was delivered to us warm. It was also well-packed and very presentable.

It wasn’t messy at all, unlike how other ordered food would be delivered to us.

Shiok’s Milk Tea is very affordable at P55 only. My friend said it was really good.

It doesn’t contain any ice cubes thus, she was able to have as much in the serving.

Shiok’s Roti Prata P55 is flavorful. You can enjoy it on its own, without even dipping in the curry sauce that comes with it.

The Soy Hainan Chicken P245 looks appetizing, especially with the generous garnish. It looks simply delish and yes it is!

My personal favorite though is Shiok’s Hainan Chicken P245. The taste is very clean and authentic.

No wonder this is their bestselling dish.

The serving is completed with a cup of flavorful rice and a bowl of soup.

Lastly, we also ordered Shiok’s Curry Katsu Rice P195. The large piece of meat rests on top of a bed of rice with egg and vegetables.

What we liked about this dish is that the curry flavor is not overpowering. It suits well our palate.

But of course, this is best enjoyed if it’s eaten in their restaurant. You can better appreciate its crispiness.

Here are the condiments that come with the food items.

Shiok really saved my day. Despite a rough, rainy Satuday, Shiok was heaven-sent for my craving of an honest to goodness, delicious food.

Being part of Yummy Eats was a big treat for me that day — especially after coming from a gruelling mid-terms exam from school. Yummy Eats was exactly what I needed.

I enjoyed eating my way through the different food concessionaires featured during the event. I got so giddy over all the yummy, exciting food items I tasted. My taste buds certainly got spoiled.

Here are my ten best food finds from Yummy Eats (in no particular order).

1) Little Miss OC’s Kitchen

Little Miss OC’s Kitchen’s custom-made cookies, cupcakes and cakes are a delight to one’s palate and sight.

Feast your eyes on their well-made desserts. I find it too beautiful to eat! Mind you, I sampled one of their cupcakes and it is as good as it looks.

I adore her Plants vs Zombies and Angry Birds themed cupcakes. It is so creatively done.

With that, I want to see Little Miss OC’s Kitchen’s version of “Rio” cupcakes.

Little MIss OC’s Kitchen is at 109 Magallanes Avenue, Magallanes Village, Makati City. (02) 8531321, (02) 8526767 loc 102, 09178126833, 09178126844, littlemsoc@yahoo.com

2) Balamban Liempo

Balamban Liempo is said to be “Tastier than Lechon”. Tasty it is! It is packed with so much flavor.

In fact, this is one of the popular favorites of the many who attended the event.

I think this is best paired with a bottle of cold beer.

For orders: 09175840308, (02) 7827479

3) The Low Cal Cafe

The Low Cal Cafe features yummy desserts without the guilt. These are home-baked, delicious, low-calorie desserts with no sugar added.

They use Isomalt, an all-natural sugar replacer made from sugar beets plus only the best low calories, low fat ingredients available.

I sampled their Fudgilicious Chocolate Cake and it is just as moist and sweet like the usual sugar-heavy chocolate cake.

I also got a piece of their Banana Walnut Cake. I didn’t like it that much though. I find it dry.

For orders: (02) 8716508, 09173205463, lowcalcafe@yahoo.com, www.lowcalcafe.multiply.com.

They have outlets at Mercato Centrale, Bonifacio Global City and The Parvati in Trinoma Mall, Quezon City.

4) Pipino Vegetarian

Pipino Vegetarian offers creative plant-based comfort food. They advocate that vegetarian food can be both healthy and delicious.

I sampled both their Low-Fat Cheeseless Lasagna and Vegan Mac ‘n Cheeze and they pretty much taste like the usual thing.

The Low Cal Cafe is at 39 Malingap Street, Teachers Village Quezon City. (02) 4411773, (02) 2121212, www.pipinovegetarian.com

5) Mochiko

Mochiko are ice cream filled mochi balls. They come in a number of different, interesting flavors. 

I think what makes this dessert such a delight to taste is that each bite is just divine.

This is not the first time I’ve tried Mochiko. Yet, I always feel happy whenever I get to have these.

Mochiko is available in various flavors, such as Black Sesame, Green Tea, Azuki (Red Beans), Mango, Coffee, Avocado, Caramel, etc.

This dessert is so good, they always run out of stock in their Mercato Centrale food stall.

I wish they’d eventually have small bite pieces of these. I imagine popping them into my mouth under the basking heat of the sun. Heaven!

Mochiko can be found at Mercato Centrale.

Watch out for Part 2 (to complete the list) of My Yummy Eats’ Top 10 Food Finds.

Garlic and onions are present in most of the dishes we eat and it’s just inevitable to avoid the task. I live alone and that means doing the chore by myself.

Finally, I found a new kitchen tool that will aid me in breezing through that chopping dilemma.

Here’s my new Oxo Good Grips Mini Chopper!

I got this for a discounted price of P632.50 only (regular price is P1,100 at Rustan’s). They also have a bigger version of this.

I first saw this in “Quickfire”, the cooking show of Chef Rosebud, in GMA News TV (formerly QTV-11). I’m just so happy I already have one for myself.

The Oxo Mini Chopper has a non-slip soft grip. It’s also easy to disassemble and reassemble when using.

Just remove the top, white chopper body off of the bottom, clear cup.

Fill clear cup with garlic, herbs, chocolates, nuts or just any other food item you want to chop. After that, simply put the chopper body on to cup.

Now, you’re ready to chop!

The zigzag opening is where the sharp blade cartridge is.

Chopping is now made easy. All I have to do is to press the black knob (on top of the upper chopper’s body) repeatedly until food is chopped.

In the picture below, you’ll see how the blade chops the garlic as I press it on top.

Initially, the knob does not easily return to the up position between chops. But after continuously pressing on the it, the gadget easily chops.

When done, just remove the chopper’s upper body to empty food.

The gadget also comes with a small spoon, which hooks on to either set of drain holes on the chopper’s body, to scoop food from the cup.

However, if you’re not going to use the chopped ingredient yet, you may cover it with the white cup’s cap to store

If you notice, the clear cup has measurement markings. This avoids our common pitfall of “guess-timation” in the kitchen.

I am so loving this new kitchen gizmo of mine!

Now, where are the rest of my ingredients to chop?

The Women Can Do Corner features the product offers of homemakers, who are at the same time budding entrepreneurs.

I read the history of the restaurant, through their website (www.marygracecafe.com), and I come to understand why they have such corner. The owner of Mary Grace was also a homemaker when she started in the food business.

Through the Women Can Do Corner, Mary Grace is able to encourage these homemakers to earn additional income and instil in them a sense of “can-do” attitude.

These are the products that I personally liked.

Decoupage Wine Bottles (P420) is a product of the love by Bridget Montero for arts and crafts. Bridget’s imagination is able to produce unique, pretty and useful items.

You can actually use these bottles as picture holder.

Handmade Hooka-Bag (P105) is by Mars V. Austria. Unlike the usual bag holder that we see in the malls and bazaars, this one is crocheted and adorned with beads and trinkets. Very unique, indeed.

Dennise Recto, a soon-to-be-mom, sells colourful, pretty handcrafted cards and journals, under the brand Nana’s and Wrinkle’s Crafts (prices available upon request).

I love how each product is made neatly. The collection boasts of unique designs.

I also got interested in the Guava Compote (P252) of Roslu Von Kauffman.

Guava Compote is a Brazilian homemade dessert made with guava and sugar.

Lastly, there’s the Bookmarks and Notecards with Pressed Flowers (Pack of 12 cards – P220, Bookmarks –  P20) through the creative ideas of Nhing S. Warren.

I have a nostalgic feeling because this reminds me of the art projects I have to submit in Grade 6.

I think this would be a good gift for friends you’ve come to know when you were young.

It is also nice to know that a certain percentage of the sales of these items are donated to the foundations and charities that Mary Grace supports. Thus, not only are you helping the homemakers behind each product, you are also able to extend help to the least.

This is definitely a good initiative on the part of Mary Grace Café. Two thumbs-up to the team!

For those who are interested in the Mary Grace Women Can-Do Board, you may contact Marian Dimacali at 09178179543 or marian_dimacali@marygracecafe.com

There are a number of tables outside the restaurant, however, it was soooooo hot, we opted to dine inside.

I like the knick knacks and the improvised chandelier. They were tastefully designed.

Inside, all tables are taken and we had to wait for a few minutes before we were seated.

While waiting for our table, I noticed the “Women’s Can Do Corner” and got giddy over the products for sale. (Note: I will post a separate entry regarding that).

They also have the very innovative chandelier inside the restaurant. I am amazed how the simplicity of the materials used transformed into something that looks expensive. Kudos to the creative genius!

Mary Grace has a wide variety of yummy dessert offering to boast.

We ordered a slice of their Mango Bene (P115). It’s a serving of layered meringue with a special cream and mango slices in between. 

I would highly recommend though that they be very careful in slicing their mangoes. In one of my bites, I had a slice of mango which has a few strands of hair of its seed in it.  They might have sliced it very close to its seed.

Aside from the Mango Bene, we also ordered a slice of their Sansrival (P90). Sansrival are layers of meringue, covered with cream and cashew bits.

This one is such a heavenly dessert. I love how each texture of the ingredients used complement each other.

I was a little disappointed though with the slice made. Take a look at the little hole at the bottom of the slice.

To match these desserts, we ordered a cup of Green Tea (P45) and Traditional Tsokolate (P73).

For their Green Tea, they have Stash as their brand. I like its delicate and light taste. It’s not overpowering like other brands.

Their Traditional Tsokolate is full-flavored. I heard that they really made use of the best local ingredient for this.

Mary Grace also serves zesty water. Their pitcher of water contains orange and cucumber slices.

It’s a refreshing break from the usual water we consume.

Our dessert time at Mary Grace would have been more pleasant if the waiters are more attentive. We assumed they were like that because this branch was just opened recently.

My friends and I plan to return after two months to check if the service had improved.

Meanwhile, we will just visit their other branches.

Here’s the complete list of all their outlets :

• Mary Grace Cafe, Rockwell
• Mary Grace Cafe, Serendra
• Mary Grace Cafe, St. Luke’s Taguig
• Mary Grace Cafe, Trinoma Mall
• Mary Grace Cafe,Greenbelt2

It has a wide menu offering and I’ve tried a number of dishes already. So far, there is none that I can say didn’t fulfil my palate’s expectations.

For the nth time, my friends and I visited Conti’s Restaurant to enjoy a good brunch.

As expected, almost all tables were taken when we arrived.

Waiters are very attentive and systematic that our orders were taken and served fast.

For drinks, we ordered Bottomless Lemonade (P75) and Mango Banana Yoghurt Shake (P120).

Lemonade tasted okay. There is nothing unusual about it. But I like that it has the right level of sourness.

The Mango Banana Yoghurt Shake is very smooth. The thickness of the shake is just right.

The Batangas Pork Adobo (P175) is served with garlic rice and generous serving of mashed hardboiled egg with minced tomatoes. The egg-tomato mixture balances the taste of the adobo.

I wish they would have a chicken or a combination of pork and chicken version of this dish.

Garlic Longganisa (P185) is served with garlic rice, fluffy scrambled eggs and pickled vegetables. Don’t be fooled with the size of the longganisa. Though small, it is packed with so much flavour.

The key to enjoy this best is to finish it while it’s still hot. Be delighted with the crispiness of the skin and the softness of the filling.

Lastly, the Fresh Lumpia (P80) is really worth ordering. Each serving has two pieces of lumpia filled with generous amount of the ubod mixture. It is so soft and tasted really fresh.

Visit their website 
http://www.contis.ph/
to see their menu offers and restaurant outlets.

Buying groceries is the errand I enjoy doing the most. Contrary to others, who feel that this chore is such a hassle, I actually find it destressing.

I enjoy new discoveries and sampling food items that can be found in the shelves.

Here are my new and not-so-new food finds.

Del Monte Freshly Squeezed Juice (250ml for P89.95, 500ml for 169.95 and 1L for P299.95) is prepared right before your eyes. They have a machine stationed in the fresh produced area where you can see how orange juice is extracted from the fruit.

I like to chill the bottle first before consuming.

Rustan’s Whole Wheat Pandesal 10s is sold for Buy 1, Take 1 at P50 only. This is such a steal!

I bought this today and I still have four days before it expires.

Time for me to think about different sandwich preparations to share with my friends.

One of the guilt-free snacks I love is this Solara Baked Multigrain Sticks 40g (P9.75). It is made from five healthy whole grains namely, oats, barley, wheat brown rice and corn.

It contains Fiber and Lecithin which, when blended with other essential food elements, supply your body with auto-detoxification and weight control benefits.  Aside from that, Solara boasts of having 0% Transfat.

Brunswick Tuna Salad with Crackers (P86.75) is one of my dinner munchies. I don’t eat that much at night and this one is just right for the occassional hunger pangs.

Brunswick also offers a Fat-Free alternative for the same price.

Oishi’s Strip Fries 60g (P26.50) is a fun snack. It is made from 100% fresh potatoes. What I like about this is that it is not too salty.

This comes in three variants namely, Mesquite Barbecue, Sea Salt and Sour Cream.

My personal favorite is the Sour Cream.

Berri Juice 1L (P79.50) has no preservatives and added sugar. It comes in a number of variants, Orange, Apple, Dark Grape, Tomato, etc.

Rustan’s Mixed Fruit Slices is sold for P179 for 1000 grams. The container contains papaya, melon, apple, kiwi, orange, watermelon, grapes and honeydew.

I am such a fan of this as this purchase makes it possible for me to eat various fruits for a value-for-money price.

Jimini Chicago Style Pizza 3s (P178) comes in four types with such creative variant names.

Hawaiian Hooplah has ham slices and pineapple tidbits as toppings.

Dynamic Duo contains chunks of italian sausage and some pepperoni bits.

Burgie Joe has burger chunks with mushroom bits.

Lastly, Superoni contains, you guessed it, pepperoni slices.

Pick & Squeeze Kalamansi Concentrate (P187.40) makes a refreshing and healthy drink. I checked the list of ingredients and it contains sugar, purified water, freshly squeezed kalamansi and honey. It doesn’t have any scary substances.

When I prepare this for my friends, I include a few slices of lemon for garnish.

Lastly, this SeaKing Milkfish Spring Roll (P77) is an easy-to-prepare viand. I just fry it and I already have a slightly healthy viand.

We ordered four different desserts to share. Sugar overload, indeed.

One of their bestsellers is the Nocciola Gateau (P85). Its a serving of indulgent hazelnut cream cheese and rich dark chocolate in layers of crunchy meringue.

I love how the different texture of each ingredient complements one another.

This is best paired with brewed coffee.

Amici Cara Mia has a number of Gelato Cakes from their menu.

One of which is Mango Symphony (P110), which is a serving of delectable chunks of mango, mixed in their gelato and nestled on a bed of graham crust.

The gelato doesn’t melt easily so you can very well savor the cake at your own eating pace.

Peach Walnut Passion (P110) is also a gelato cake. It’s a harmonious blend of peach flavored gelato, embedded in layers of divine walnut crust. Thumbs-up for this!

We ordered a Waffle Bowl with two scoops of gelato — Pistacchio and Strawberry Supreme (P150).  

This one is really divine. I would definitely come back for their other gelato offering.

Not to mention that the price is very reasonable.

All of these heavenly desserts, as mentioned above, are best paired with brewed coffee. A cup of Brewed Coffee sells for P60 only.

Amici Cara Mia has a wide range of dessert offering. I mentally took note of those that I’d try and blog soon.

Amici currently has seven branches in Metro Manila. As follows:

• Bellagio Square – Tomas Morato (02 3766458)
• SM North Edsa (02 3329813)
• SM Megamall Atrium (02 6361341)
• Alabang Town Center (02 4039373)
• Ayala Triangle Gardens (02 6216128)
• Don Bosco (02 8184444)
• Missouri St., San Juan (02 7244804)

What sets their chicken apart from other restaurants is that it is “twice-fried”. The first fry removes the fat. The second fry includes the special secret sauce.  The process results to a less greasy, crunchier and tastier chicken.

The restaurant is always packed during lunch time, especially on a weekday. The small counter is always faced with a long queue of eager customers.

We ordered their Iced Tea (P45) and it was just okay. It has the right amount of sweetness. It’s really value-for-money given the serving size.

There is nothing to rave about their Ceasar Salad with Chicken (P155 and P125 without chicken strips). I’ll not order it the next time I’m there.

The Bon Chon Chicken comes in two variants — Soy Garlic and Hot & Spicy. I personally prefer the Soy Garlic.

It is so good, we ordered 9 pieces (3 drumstick, 6 chicken wings) of it for P365 only. You may opt to have chicken wings, drumstick or a combination of it.

The chicken parts are all perfectly covered with the soy garlic flavor.

We also ordered 6 pieces of Hot & Spicy chicken wings (P185). I find it too spicy so I’d get a small piece and eat it with a large piece of soy garlic.

My favorite side dish is their Kimchi Coleslaw (P45). It has the right amount of spicyness and suits the Filipino palate.

Bon Chon Chicken currently can be found at Greenbelt 1 and  Ayala Triangle Gardens.

You may click on their facebook site:
http://www.facebook.com/Bonchon.Chicken.Philippines#!/Bonchon.Chicken.Philippines?sk=info

Kitchen offers homey ambiance, creative menu offering, huge utensils and value-for-money servings. It makes your dining experience memorably fun.

The restaurant serves free bottle of water with mint. I like the zesty taste that compliments well with our ordered food.

You can get as many refills as you want.

I ordered their freshly made pomelo shake, Main Squeeze (P75). It is attractively garnished with pomelo bits and mint leaves.

For appetizer, we order their Breadwinner (P140). It’s a serving of satisfying do-it-yourself bruschette made of Crostinni bread, stewed tomato, cheese, pesto and sauteed mushrooms.

I just wish they have more bread slices because it was “bitin”.

We also ordered Green Thumb (P175), which is Thai chicken salad with fried noodles and grilled saba. I think the salad can stand on its own without the grilled saba. I just didn’t see grilled saba’s value in the dish.

Overall, this is really worth trying.

One of the frequently ordered dish in their menu is Too Good It’s So True (P210). The pan fried salmon belly, laced with onions and yummy bistek tagalog sauce is served with a generous amount of rice. Thumbs-up for the salmon slices.

They just need to improve the veggies that goes with it. The veggies tasted like they were frozen and just thawed. The corn kernels were a bit dry.

Sirloin Swirloin (P300) is a serving of mouth-watering grilled sirloin, swirled with sweet-salty demi glaze with a large heaping of rice. The meat is tender and really full of flavor.

Again, the veggies need to be improved.

For dessert, we ordered Soft Spot (P80) which is classic pannacotta with mangoes. This one, I really, really liked.

We also ordered Whip it Up (P55), which is simply creme brulee. I like that it doesn’t taste too sweet.

Kitchen is at the heart of Greenbelt 3. For reservations, you may call at 757-4565 to 66.

Every time I crave for that, my to-go place is Zao Vietnamese Bistro. Not only do they serve remarkable dishes, they also have very good customer service (waiters are attentive and are often smiling).

I ordered their Freshly Squeezed Dalandan Juice (P125) and till now, I am craving for it. This is definitely the best dalandan juice I have so far! It is so refreshing! I enjoyed the dalandan pulps in the concoction.

For salad, we ordered their bestselling Pomelo Salad (P285). The generous serving of pink pomelo chunks is tossed with shrimps, chicken and fresh herbs.

We also ordered their best appetizer, which is Crispy Spring Rolls ( P195). Each serving comes with six perfectly cooked spring rolls which has pork, glass noodles and mushrooms served with lettuce.

When eating, you wrap a spring roll and some veggies in the lettuce then drizzle with their sweet, sour dip. I tell you, the flavors will definitely burst in your mouth.

The Vietnamese Beef Stew (P345) is a slow-cooked aromatic beef stew simmered in star anise and basil. The coriander gives the additional citrus zing.

We also had their Deep-Fried Catfish (P195), served with a spicy ginger fish sauce. Nothing too special about this dish. I just ordered it to balance the flavors of the other entrees we ordered.

One must-try is their Zao Barbecue Platter (P495). It’s a sampler of their barbecue specialities – spareribs, pork chop, chicken. First to go was the spareribs. The spareribs is garlic-spiced and char-grilled.

When coffee-dessert time came, I was a little disappointed that their, specialty of the house, Calamansi Tart was not available. Thus, we settled for their other dessert offering, which were not really “Vietnamese” in nature. (Their dessert menu only offers two authentic Vietnamese dish – Vietnamese Halo-halo and Jasmine Rice Pudding).

The Espresso Gateau de Crepe (P185) is a serving of twenty layers of paper-thin crepes filled with vietnamese coffee-infused cream. This is a light, not-too-sweet dessert.

My favorite is their White Chocolate and Banana Tart (P175). It has a chocolate almond sugar crust, cream chantilly and toasted coconut. I love how each ingredient complements each other.

To date, there are only two branches of Zao Vietnamese Bistro. They can be found in Serendra and Eastwood Citywalk 1.

Make sure to pay a visit.

C2 Classic Cuisine is part of the Cravings Group, which includes the Center for Culinary Arts Manila (CCA) team. It is not surprising then, that they serve innovative Filipino favorites. 

CCA is in the mission of providing the food and hospitality industry with socially responsible culinary leaders and promote Filipino cuisine in the Asian and international markets through its comprehensive and dynamic programs.

The restaurant has an open-kitchen concept. You can very well see how busy the CCA team is in preparing the ordered food. It’s amazing to see how gracefully they manage the kitchen.

As always, we ordered their bestelling, classic Crispy Kare-Kare (P685).

It’s a generous serving of deconstructed Kare-Kare — crispy, boneless pork leg served with sauteed vegetables and rich peanut sauce. Of course, Kare-Kare wouldn’t be complete without the bagoong on the side.

This is one of the best-tasting Kare-Kare I’ve tasted. I highly recommend this be ordered when you dine in one of their branches.

We paired the Crispy Kare-Kare with their Crispy Squid (P255). It’s a plate of golden and tender squid rings drizzled with sweet soy glaze. Two thumbs-up for this!

The Crispy Squid is perfectly cooked that it can already stand on its own. I ate this without the sweet soy glaze anymore.

My friends ordered Pandan Iced Tea Caraffe (P180). This is a very good buy as a glass serving is at P70. The caraffe serves 3 to 4 glasses of this sweet drink. You can request for more ice and kalamansi to adjust the taste to your liking.

As for me, I ordered their Dalandan Juice (P135). It was certainly refreshing but I don’t think it was freshly squeezed. It would have been better if it is. Presentation could be improved by adding a slice of dalandan in the glass.

It was certainly another good dining experience. What made it even better was the 10% discount, we were entitled because I am a student of Ateneo Graduate School of Business. You just have to present your ID to avail of it.

C2 Classic Cuisine currently have eight branches. You may opt to visit any of these: (1) C2 Cravings Center Katipunan: 426.6681 – 87 (2) C2 Shangri-la : 636.1510 (3) C2 Megamall: 470.1149 (4) C2 Rockwell: 897.8113 (5) C2 Midtown: 567.2402 (6) C2 SM North: 332.4708 (7) C2 Greenhills: 723.2347 (8) C2 Summit Ridge Hotel

Balaw-Balaw is located at Dona Aurora St., Angono, Rizal. Going there is a breeze, more or less 20 minutes, if you pass by C-6, coming from Taguig. However, if you take the usual route of passing by C-5 – Pasig – Taytay – Antipolo – Angono, you are most likely to travel by an hour.

Upon entering the restaurant, I was pleasantly surprised by a number of diners. Not to mention that, it is supposed to be a “low weekend”, considering that it is Black Saturday.

This group of diners ordered Minaluto, which is a little of everything such as pork, chicken, seafood, vegetables and a generous heaping of rice, served in a large container lined with banana leaves.

We, however, opted for other dishes from their menu.

While waiting for our order, I noticed this signage saying that Balaw-Balaw restaurant is accreditted by Department of Tourism. I have some suggestions though, how the team behind the restaurant can take advantage of this distinction through improving certain aspects of their service. More of that later.

We ordered Inihaw na Hito (P40/gm) and we love how moist and tasty it is. It is grilled perfectly.

They need to work on their plating though.

The Sinigang na Kanduli sa Miso (P195) was specially requested by my friend’s Dad. The sourness is just right and they have a generous serving of mustasa to go with it.

I did some research and found out that Kanduli is another kind of catfish. That explains why it looks a little like the hito we ordered.

We would have wanted to order Ginataang Alimasag but it was not available. We opted to order Ginataang Hipon (P230) instead. The menu says the dish has prawns, but it certainly looks like shrimps instead. Noticed the size?

Their Lechon Kawali (P205) was not that good. It was not that crispy and warm when it was served.

The most exotic dish we ordered was Crispy Walkman (P125). Crispy Walkman is crispy fried pork ears. I like the chewy texture. However, it is not something to be raved about.

We would have wanted to order their specials drinks, such as Gayuma (Coconut meat with Pandan Juice and Grenadine Balls) and Balaw-Balaw Punch (Mixed fruit juices with Sparking Water and Grenadine Balls) but the only thing they have available are softdrinks.

They don’t have ample supply of ingredients in their kitchen as they were closed for two days (Holy Thursday and Good Friday).

Same goes for their dessert menu. What they have available are Fresh Mango Slices only.

We decided to pair it with the Special Suman we bought outside Antipolo Cathedral.

After eating, we looked around the gallery and saw this collection of newspaper and magazine clippings where the restaurant is featured. 

Below are some of the artworks that can be found in their gallery.

Overall, it was worth the visit especially if you want to taste their exotic menu offerings. I just wish they’d improve their utensils, table cloth and cleanliness of the area.

Mine just happens to be chocolates.

Yes, I am a chocoholic. No exaggeration but whenever I feel agitated, mad or simply sluggish, I easily turn to my “caffeine fix”.

This sweet, gooey goodie can easily turn an ordinary day into bliss. It calms me in times when I want to shout the hell out of my wits.

Every bite brings me to sheer cloud 9.

Yep, chocolate it is…the best mood buddy…never fails.

At Candylicious in Singapore

I have long been wanting to start a blog to document and share my life’s adventures. This is my personal art space. This is my creative outlet. I want to tag you in my gastronomical adventures, travel experiences and other experiential indulgence through my entries.

Let’s go.

Let’s get started.

Let’s have fun!