Wednesday, September 13, 2017

KitchenAid's Craft Coffee Line: Specialty Coffee for the Modern Home Kitchen


Growing up, I remember how my mom would always use her KitchenAid Stand Mixer to help her make the most decadent chocolate cakes, and I think she still uses the same one up until this very day a few decades later. So imagine my surprise when I found out that KitchenAid, a global leader in premium kitchen appliances known for their precision and durability, recently rolled out the KitchenAid Craft Coffee line

The goal was simple, KitchenAid wants to bring the specialty coffee house experience into the home with six premium coffee appliances that were inspired by careful techniques that are used by baristas to brew a perfect cup. This way, you can consistently enjoy the nuances flavors and aromas of specialty coffee at the comfort of your own home, with just the press of a few buttons. 

"Our product designers spent the past few years extracting lessons from some of the most time-tested and barista-approved brewing methods for craft coffee," says Brandon Mock, a Product Designer on the KitchenAid Craft Coffee team. 

Here are a few reasons why you should have at least one of these six craft coffee appliances at home...

Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Lugang Cafe Is Promising the ULTEAMATE Feast With Unlimited Xiao Long Baos on Weekdays


In an obvious response to Din Tai Fung's Php 399 Afternoon Feasts, Lugang Cafe just gave us Xiao Long Bao lovers The ULTEAMATE Feast, letting us enjoy unlimited Xiao Long Bao during weekdays.

The promo runs for a month from September 13 to October 13 and is available only on weekdays (not including holidays) from 2:30PM to 5:30PM.

Monday, September 11, 2017

Taal Vista Hotel's Intimate Celebrations: A Night of Romance She'll Never Forget


A few weeks back, I was in a very difficult situation. My girlfriend I were about to celebrate our first year as a couple and I wanted to surprise her with a lovely evening together. Truth be told, I had a hard time making up my mind on how we should celebrate this significant milestone. I had a few ideas in mind and a staycation at Taal Vista Hotel, one of Tagaytay's premier hotels, stood out because I have been meaning to take her to Taza Fresh Table so she could try the exceptional dishes there.

When I checked Taal Vista Hotel's Facebook page, I came across a post on the Intimate Celebrations Package and from there I made up my mind, we were definitely going to Tagaytay. I have to admit it was one of the most romantic evenings of my life, and I have absolutely no regrets. If I was given a chance, I'd do it all over again. It was perfect.

Here's a glimpse of our romantic evening, celebrating our first year anniversary with Taal Vista Hotel's Intimate Celebrations...

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Linguini Fini's Pizza and Pasta All You Can Promo Is Incredibly Cheap at Just Php 399


It's amazing how spoiled foodies around Metro Manila have become, with some of the best restaurants in Metro Manila handing out promos left and right. Just last month, I was raving at how Salvatore Cuomo's Anniversary Special Lunch Buffet made Manila's best Italian restaurant so much more affordable for everyone to enjoy.

This time around, Linguini Fini, arguably one of the best places for pasta in Metro Manila, is now offering a Pizza and Pasta all You Can Promo from September 8, 2017 to October 6, 2017. This lets you enjoy nine signature Linguini Fini dishes, including the popular Papardelle "Nose to Tail" Bolognese.

Here are the mechanics as well as the dishes you can feast on...

Joey Pepperoni Pizzeria: An Improved Menu to Satisfy Your Pizza and Pasta Cravings


When the Joey Pepperoni branch in Bonifacio Global City closed down a few years back, my heart sank. It wasn't exactly the best pizza shop in the Metro, but Joey Pepperoni did serve great pizza and at affordable prices - this was way before Gino's Brick Oven Pizza began dominating the local pizza scene. I found out recently that Joey Pepperoni scaled back their stores and only two branches remain, one along Pioneer street, Mandaluyong and another in SM Mall of Asia. 

They recently upgraded their menu and here are some of their delicious pizza and pasta creations that you just shouldn't miss...

Sunday, September 3, 2017

CocoHut: A Brand New CocoHut Experience in Makati City


CocoHut is a casual dining restaurant that serves affordable Filipino food and is popular for their delicious fried chicken. The restaurant has actually been around since 2014, but unfortunately I haven't had the opportunity to try any of their dishes up until now. This year, they're releasing a new and improved menu that centers of Filipino cuisine - all of which are currently available in their branches along Jupiter street, Makati City and Glorietta 2. 

We had the opportunity to try out a number of their new dishes, and here's what we think you should get...

Saturday, September 2, 2017

The Giving Cafe and Bloom Coffee: A Cafe Where You Can Give Back


The Giving Cafe, or just TGC, is a new cafe along Sheridan Street, Mandaluyong (near the more popular Pioneer Street) that seeks to make a difference to the local coffee community. It functions as a social enterprise, where a portion of the proceeds from select dishes supports the Foundation for Sustainable Coffee Excellence geared towards helping the coffee farmers in La Trinidad, Benguet. 

The cafe is being run by Henry and Sons, a total coffee solutions company that has been around for years. With over 50 years of coffee experience that offers unique crop-to-cup coffee solutions, if there's a company that would know how to run a cafe, it's Henry and Sons. 

They also recently rolled out Bloom Coffee, where you can support a specific issue that's troubling La Trinidad coffee farms but let's delve more on that later. 

Here's a look into the new social enterprise...

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Olivia's Cafe: An Affordable Quezon City Staycation With Delicious Comfort Food


Named after the daughter of one of the hotel's owners, Olivia's Cafe is a full-service restaurant located at the ground floor of Verjandel Hotel along Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City. The restaurant is still quite new so we did not have very high expectations when it came to the food. 

The menu, at first glance, seemed to be put together not with any particular cuisine in mind, but rather simply a compilation of dishes the owners loved to eat. I didn't mind, because I also loved most of the dishes that we tried, with a lot of dishes far exceeding my expectations.

Olivia's Cafe might be the only hotel restaurant in the area where you can have a quiet lunch meeting or a cozy, sit-down dinner with officemates before heading home. If you love food and are regularly around the area, you have to try Olivia Cafe's Honey Garlic Spareribs, a plate of their tender and delicious Roast Beef, or a flavorful serving of Garlic Ginger Salmon. I can assure you none of these dishes will disappoint.

Let's run through some of my favorites from Olivia Cafe's menu...

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

Salvatore Cuomo's Anniversary Special Lunch Buffet: Manila's Best Italian Restaurant at Bargain Rates


If you're a regular reader of my blog, you would know that I LOVE Salvatore Cuomo because the restaurant gives us a taste of Naples without flying all the way to Italy. They serve some of the best Italian dishes in the Philippines and is currently my top choice for the best Italian restaurant in the Metro. If you're willing to spend on outstanding Italian dishes, you'll definitely get your money's worth. For more about the restaurant's background, read my review here.

Luckily for us, we don't have to spend a lot of money get a taste of Salvatore Cuomo's signature Italian dishes. They currently have an Anniversary Special Lunch Buffet Treat, which includes appetizers, salad, pizza, and drinks, all for the price of Php 600 (Weekdays) or Php 900 (Weekends and Holidays). The great news is that the special lunch buffet has been doing so well that it was extended indefinitely! 

Taking into account that you would normally spend Php 1500 per person when dining at Salvatore, that's a steal! On top of that, you can choose one main course from a list of options (shown below). Now that's just icing on the cake!

Sunday, August 13, 2017

Johnny Kahuku's Hawaiian Shrimp House: Shrimp Buckets and Hawaiian Treats


If you have been reading my blog for a while, you'd know that I'm crazy about shrimps. I can eat buckets upon buckets of shrimps, crabs, prawns or really any crustacean that can be cooked into something delicious. I recently found out that Johnny Kahuku's Hawaiian Shrimp House started selling shrimp buckets for as low as Php 228 and I'm ecstatic. That's pretty enjoyable considering that affordable shrimps are very hard to come by in Manila, and I only ever enjoy as much of them as I can during buffets.

Here's more on Johnny Kahuku's delicious shrimp buckets and new Hawaiian Trucks.

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Karton.ph: Artisan and Gourmet Food Right at Your Doorstep


It's often difficult to get our hands on artisan or gourmet products made by fellow Filipinos. We would often find these products at either bazaars or weekend markets across the Metro, but it's sometimes it takes a bit of effort to get there. Karton.ph has an entire shop full of Manila's finest artisan products that you can have conveniently delivered straight to your doorstep for a flat delivery fee of Php 99 - a lot cheaper than gas money or an Uber ride. 

Karton.ph is a one-stop shop for anything and everything artisinal, having all of your favorite Filipino gourmet finds. Enjoy artisan beer from Craftpoint Brewing Company or Nipa Brew, Snacks from Spud Buds and Sikat Potato Chips, or even healthy delights from Greenola or Healthy Monsters. You can read more about all their artisan or gourmet sellers here

The best part about Karton.ph is that all their products are 100% Filipino made, and all carefully curated to be part of their exclusive catalog. 

Saturday, July 22, 2017

Shakey's Philippines Cleverly Made the California Maki Into a Delicious New Pizza


Shakey's Philippines has always had the knack of introducing innovative pizza creations for a limited time. Following the success of the delicious Scallop Primo Pizza, Shakey's is now serving a delicious blend of East and West with the new Shakey's Cali Kani Pizza - a lovely marriage of classic California Maki ingredients on pizza!

The pizza is loaded wih kani, peaches, cucumber, fish roe, and nori strips drizzled with a generous amount of Japanese Sesame Dressing. If you love pizza and Japanese cuisine, then the Cali Kani Pizza is a pizza just for you. 

To be honest I had my doubts when I first saw the ads on TV, but after trying out the pizza I found it to be absolutely delicious. Made with fresh ingredients, the combination of kani, cucumber, and Japanese sesame dressing is mouthwatering. Every bite makes you want to crave a for another one - with the full flavor of crab from the loads of kani strips - without the usual 'umay' factor you get when you eat oily pizzas. It's surprisingly good!

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Amici Celebrates 10 Years With a Celebration Meal That's Good for 10


Early this year, we had Shakey's 2017 Meal Deal that quickly became a crowd favorite across the country. This time around, we have a similar treat from Amici Philippines as they celebrate their 10 year anniversary with a Celebration Meal For 10 or 5!

We recently tried Amici's New Special Menu by Chef Paolo Moran and the quality of the food from Amici is undoubtedly more delicious when compared to a fast-food restaurant such as Shakey's. So, with this promo Amici hopes to make their authentic Italian dishes more accessible to a lot more people. It's a bit more expensive when compared to Shakey's 2017 meal deal but the quality of the food makes the deal worth it.

The promotion is valid from July 1, 2017 to August 31, 2017 and you can save as much as Php 1775 with this promotion

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Din Tai Fung Is Offering an Afternoon Feast With a Php 399 Eat All You Can Promo


Din Tai Fung Philippines just announced that the restaurant will be having a Afternoon Feast Promotion starting today that will run for 1 month (until August 18) for just Php 399 subject to 10% service charge. The promotion available every afternoon during weekdays from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. It's a great opportunity to eat as much of their delicious Chinese dishes as you can. While they have a limited set menu of 10 items on offer, I still think it's a bargain!

As with any eat-all-you-can promo, you can't have any leftovers which will be charged regular price and you can't take any of the dishes out.

Monday, June 19, 2017

En Tirage: Unlimited Drinks and Delicious Eats Any Day of The Week


En Tirage is a new restaurant in Mandala Park that offers all-day breakfast and, more importantly, unlimited drinks ranging from beer, wine, and whisky any day of the week. You can say the menu contains predominantly Filipino-Spanish inspired dishes, but I think the more appropriate definition is that they serve food that pairs really well with a variety of alcohol.

They have a selection of cheese, cold cuts, paella, and pasta for those who prefer a fine glass of wine. If beer or whisky is your thing, then they also have a selection of pizza, wings, and steak for you to enjoy. En Tirage has a wide selection of wine, liquor, and beers to satisfy your alcohol of choice.

Indeed, the owners themselves love to pair a good drink with delicious food which is why they decided to put up a place that does just that.

Here's what you can expect from En Tirage...

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Little Owl Cafe: A Lovely Brunch Cafe in New Manila


Little Owl is a nice little cafe in New Manila, Quezon City. It's located in a quiet neighborhood that's not known as a food destination. However, it's been buzzing in social media for quite some time now because of it's instagram-worthy dishes. It's by the same group that brought us Lola Cafe + Bar and Liberty Kitchen + Brew, so I expected that food must be good! 

Here's what you can expect from Little Owl Cafe...

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Amici: Introducing Fresh Italian Favorites by Chef Paolo Moran


Amici recently released a new set of dishes carefully conceptualized by Executive Chef Paolo Moran, who spent a year working in restaurant kitchens in Florence and Sicily to gather inspiration. He is the creative mind behind five new, delicious dishes that aims to give lovers of Italian cuisine a taste of authentic Italy.  

For those of you who are not familiar with the history, Amici started out as a cafeteria in Don Bosco, Makati in 2001 and was the brainchild of a priest, Fr. Colombo, who introduced Italian coffee and gelato, wood-fire baked pizza, and homemade pasta. This turo-turo style Italian dishes became very popular and customers from all over the Metro came to Don Bosco for authentic and homey Italian dishes. From such a humble beginning, Amici now has 10 outlets and counting all around Metro Manila. 

Here's what you can expect from Chef Paolo Moran's new menu... 

Monday, June 12, 2017

Salvatore Cuomo: A Genuine Taste of Naples in Metro Manila


Salvatore Cuomo is a premium Italian casual dining restaurant named after Japan's "Pizza Man" himself. Cuomo was born in Naples, Italy by an Italian mother and Japanese father and spent his early days training under Naples' finest pizza restaurants. He introduced authentic Neapolitan pizza in Japan, blending traditional Italian cooking with Japanese perfection, and was rewarded by queues of hundreds of people craving to get a taste of Italy.

Cuomo is a celebrity chef in Japan making multiple appearances in TV programs with hundreds of namesake restaurants around the world - all serving quality food and premium service. It used to be very difficult to find a premium, authentic Neapolitan cuisine in Metro Manila. Now, we are lucky to have Salvatore Cuomo.

All of Salvatore Cuomo's pizzas are baked in a custom-made oven shipped from Naples, Italy which a combination of local beech wood and imported composite wood that gives a unique taste and texture to the pizzas. How much more authentic can you get?

Salvatore Cuomo recently released a new Lunch Menu with far more affordable prices when compared with when you dine in for dinner. The dishes below introduce some of their lunch menu favorites with lunch prices.

Here's what you can expect from Salvatore Cuomo's Neapolitan lunch menu...

Sunday, June 11, 2017

Empacho Restaurant & Bar: Beautifully Prepared Filipino Favorites That Leave You Craving for More


With all the Filipino restaurants all over Metro Manila, it's extremely difficult to find one you would find yourself frequently drawn to. Manam is definitely one of my favorites, with a variety of unique dishes that offers a welcome twist to Filipino cuisine, along with Serye because of their delicious, more traditional Filipino recipes highlighted by their amazing Kare-Kare. Empacho Restaurant & Bar, a newly opened restaurant in Tomas Morato, just joined this exclusive list of my personal favorite Filipino restaurants. 

True to its name, Empacho compels you to enjoy food until you can't bring yourself to eat anymore. That is what good food does. You get to taste dishes that are very memorable that you find yourself longing to come back. I can't wait to get my hands on a bowl of Spicy Tamarind Wings again or their decadent take on Salted Egg Lava Cake. Let's not forget the magnificent Empacho Lechon Belly in all it's glory or Empacho's VERY CRISPY Pork Sisig

These are all dishes I would find myself coming back for and it's just amazing when a restaurant does that to a customer.

Here's what you can expect from Empacho Restaurant & Bar...

Saturday, June 10, 2017

Shaburi: Japanese Shabu-Shabu Buffet at Uptown Mall


Shaburi offers all-you-can-eat Japanese Shabu-Shabu at Upown Mall, Bonifacio Global City. The franchise started out in Indonesia but opened their first branch in the Philippines to bring the joy of eating delicious, healthy shabu-shabu with a variety of soup options for Filipinos to enjoy. 

Customers can enjoy unlimited, all-you-can-eat Japanese Shabu-Shabu with 5 different soup options and an array of appetizers, side dishes, fresh vegetables, dipping sauces, drinks and desserts from their buffet menu for as low as Php 499. 

Here's what you can expect from Shaburi...

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Toby's Estate: Introducing the New Salcedo Blend


Toby's Estate serves the best Espresso-based beverages in Metro Manila. It's no secret how much I love their Cappuccino or Gibraltar made with their popular Woolloomooloo blend - with rich dark chocolate notes and a bit of spice that's a perfect base for most espresso drinks. It's the reason why a lot of coffee lovers keep coming back.

I understand that some customers might prefer a more mellow version of the Woolloomoolo blend. Rather than richness of dark chocolate, they would much rather have subtle milk chocolate notes that's a tad bit fruity (think Malagos). That's how the Salcedo Blend came about to cater to these types of coffee drinkers, but I'll get to the new blend in a bit.

We were invited to Toby's Estate Whitespace at Chino Roces Avenue Extension for a roasting demonstration and were introduced to the new Salcedo Blend. It was my first time at their roasting facility and it was great to see the level of detail and care that Toby's Estate Philippines puts into making sure that the quality of their coffee is kept at a high standard. 

Here's what you need to know about their Whitespace store and the Salcedo Blend.  

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

Hops and Brews: A New Taste of Comfort in Poblacion


Hops and Brews, located inside the 5 star I'M hotel in Poblacion, doubles as both a cafe during the day and a bar at night stocked with an extensive coffee and cocktail options. The restaurant is fairly new but you can already enjoy dishes from an all day, full restaurant menu as well - more on those later. The restaurant opens from dawn (8am) till dusk (2am) so guests can opt to spend the entire day at Hops and Brews, enjoying a warm cup of Cortado in the morning with a Longganisa Burger and then capping off the night with the finely crafted Copper 47.

It's difficult to categorize the type of cuisine they serve because the only common theme between dishes is flavor - expect quality food but at slightly steep prices. They serve a range of international favorites from Japanese-style Chicken Karaage, Spanish Callos, and even the Filipino-inspired 'Shalang Pares. 

Here's a bit more on our Hops and Brews experience....

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Enjoy 40% off on Chicken N Mojos from Shakey's Monday Madness


It's back! Enjoy 40% from Shakey's Chicken 'N' Mojos from May 15 to June 5 every Monday when you dine-in at any Shakey's branch. All you need to do is present your Shakey's SuperCard to avail of the promo.

For information on how to get a Shakey's supercard, check here

Sunday, May 7, 2017

The Northern Taste Coffee Co's New Website Makes It Easier to Get Fresh Coffee at Home


One of the glaring weaknesses of The Northern Taste Coffee Co during the last time I wrote an article about them was their website. Now, they fixed their website admirably by making it a lot more user-friendly so that it's easier for you to get freshly-roasted coffee beans delivered straight to your doorstep.

For a more detailed review of The Northern Taste Coffee Co, check out The Northern Taste Coffee Company: Affordable, Freshly-Roasted Philippine Coffee.  

Let's go over some of the great aspects of their new website and just how easy it is now to place an order...

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Gringo: Terrific Mexican and Latin American Flavors That's Taking Metro Manila by Storm


Gringo quickly became one of the hottest new restaurants to open in 2016. With now over 7 branches across Metro Manila, this 'Mexican-Latin American' inspired restaurant won the hearts of Manila's discerning foodies with delicious flame-grilled chicken and fall-off-the-bone ribs. Just drop by any of their branches for lunch or dinner and you'll find the place packed full of happy customers.

It's a place where friends, family, and groups who crave delectale dishes and want a really good time can hang out it. With amazing chicken and ribs, what more can you ask for?

"It's always a festival of flavors at Gringo - at the center of it all are our amigo's signature chicken and ribs" According to owner Reagan Tan.

Here's what you can expect from Gringo...

Friday, April 28, 2017

Crazytella : Home to Wafella Jars and Other Sweet Treats at the Yard Underground


As the saying goes, there's always room for dessert! In a food park as packed as The Yard Underground, you just gotta have something sweet to finish off a meal. That's why Crazytella is around with their crazy Nutella concoctions to satisfy your inner Nutella cravings. From their Wafellas to their Bombettes, they have quite a number of sweet treats you can choose from for the sweet finish you're looking for. 

Here are a few of Crazytella's bestsellers...

Monday, April 24, 2017

Lugang Cafe's Feast All You Can 2017 Is Here: Enjoy Unlimited Dimsum And More for Only Php 647!


Lugang Cafe's popular Feast All You Can Promo is finally back for 2017 and you can enjoy the unlimited dimsum and more for almost 3 full months! For only Php 647 (including 10% service charge), you can enjoy unlimited dimsum, appetizers, soup, and rice from Lugang Cafe's special Feast All You Can Menu at a very affordable rate. The promotion also comes with 1 glass of iced tea, 1 house specialties, and 1 dessert.

Please note that the promotion is only available from Mondays to Saturdays and is also not available for holidays. Please see the full mechanics below...

Monday, April 17, 2017

Sassas Chicharronia: Crunchy Chicharon Bulaklak and Other Filipino Favorites at The Yard Underground


Sassas Chicharronia probably lives by the following motto 'everything's better with Chicharon Bulaklak'. Located at the newly opened The Yard Underground, Sassas embraces traditional Filipino dishes such as sisig, longganisa, and lechon and makes your meal even better with a good old serving of chicharon bulaklak. 


If you're looking for something nutritious, turn around and order elsewhere. But if you're craving for delicious Filipino beer grub for a night of drinks then Sassas Chicharronia has got you covered. 


Here's what you can expect from Sassas Chicharronia...

Friday, April 14, 2017

Mrs. Wharton's London Bakes and English Teas: Bites of Delectible English Sweets in Iloilo City


We daydream that someday in the not-so-distant-future we'll find ourselves sitting along the streets of London, enjoying afternoon tea with a plate of freshly baked scones. For many Ilonggos who can't afford a trip to visit the Big Ben, this won't be anything more than a dream. Lucky for us, Mrs Wharton is now serving 'London Bakes and English Teas' to bring a taste of London right in Iloilo City.

A brainchild of Mrs. Anna Marie Wharton, Mrs Wharton is a cozy cafe filled with homemade sweets and English tea. The restaurant itself has a very intimate atmosphere with the first store is located inside the popular Spa Riviera - a nice spot for hushed conversations and afternoon dates. I can't imagine a better day than indulging in a slice of Mrs Wharton's Red Velvet Cake with a cup of PG Tips after a nice, relaxing Gayuma massage. 

Now let's talk about those cakes, shall we? 

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Halal Kabab Express: Affordable, Delicious Persian Cuisine at The Yard Underground


Food parks were sprouting left and right since early last year and they remain to be very popular because of they tend to be very lively with a diversity of food options. One hidden food park gem is Halal Kabab Express, a stall that serves middle-eastern favorites, which started out in The Yard at Xavierville in Quezon City. The also have a hole-in-the-wall, sit-down restaurant at Park 9 Alley near the Regis Center and they recently opened another location at The Yard Underground in Pasig City.

Halal Kabab Express is no doubt a crowd favorite because they serve delicious food, in huge servings, and at bargain prices. They are also pretty quick in bringing food to your table which explains the 'express' in their name. If you're craving for authentic and delicious persian dishes that's not too hard on the wallet, I urge you to try Halal Kabab Express.

Here's how our Halal Kabab Express experience turned out...

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

Enjoy All You With Max's 2017 Chicken All You Can Promo For Only Php 249




Winner, winner, chicken dinner! That's how I felt when I found out that Max's Restaurant is bringing back their Chicken All-You-Can Promo for 2017. For just Php 249, you can chow down as much of Max's delicious Quarter Chicken as you possibly can every Friday (plus one Sunday for Visayas and Mindanao) from 2:00pm to 10:00pm. It's only available for dine-in transactions and comes with 1 glass of Pepsi products.

Here are the complete details Max's Chicken All-You-Can Promo...

Monday, February 20, 2017

Good Life Celebrates Chinese New Year With a Flavors of Fortune Food Fest


Good Life, one of the leading Asian food brands in the Philippines, recently celebrated Chinese New Year with Flavors of Fortune: Food Trip Down Chinatown - a 2 day festival from January 27 to 28, 2017 at Robinsons Place Manila. 

The festival features a few fun-filled activities, including the Good Life Chinoy Dish Showdown where featured Manila hotels showcased a few modern Chinese-Filipino dishes that incorporate Good Life products. The participating hotels include Best Western Hotel, Amelie Hotel, City Garden Hotel, Lotus Garden Hotel, Eurotel, and Bayview Park Hotel and these hotels each had a live cooking exposition to battle it out for the best Chinese dish. 

The festival activities also featured a dragon and lion dance, cooking demos, raffles, Feng Shui talk, and cultural performances. Here are some of the fun activities from the 2017 Flavors of Fortune Celebration...

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Baliwag Grill and Restaurant: More Than Just Delicious Roast Chicken and Mouthwatering Liempo


Baliwag is a staple in Filipino celebrations, whether it's fiestas or birthday parties, mainly because of their affordable and delicious Lechon Liempo and Lechon Manok. While there are hundreds of Baliwag Lechon Manok outlets around the country, a lot of Filipinos don't know they also have a number of sit-down restaurants, Baliwag Grill and Restaurant, in Metro Manila that offers a lot more Filipino favorites. 

Here's what you can expect from Baliwag Grill and Restaurant...

Monday, February 13, 2017

Cafe Dominique: This Hidden Gem Offers Delicious Comfort Food in Examiner Street, West Triangle


Cafe Dominique opened in early 2016 along the quiet Examiner Street in West Triangle, Quezon City. The restaurant is best described by it's tagline: Where Food Meets Happiness. They serves a variety of dishes that's a mix of American and Asian Fusion. Indeed, it's safe to say that they simply want to serve you good food that'll make you beam with joy. 

The restaurant hasn't gained the attention it deserved since it opened last year, but Cafe Dominique has had a few loyal customers that keep on coming back for both the food and the quiet ambiance. If you're looking for a quiet place to dine on a weekend, or have a nice dinner out on weekdays, then consider trying out Cafe Dominique. 

Here's what you can expect from this hidden gem...

Saturday, February 11, 2017

Jollibee vs Mcdo: All the #Hugot Ads for a 'Bida Ang Sawi' Valentine's

Jollibee's recent string of 'Kwentong Jollibee' commercials are recently going viral in social media, and it's not surprising why. The valentines-themed ads taps into Filipino values of love and sacrifice, but at the same time these true-to-life, heart-wrenching stories triggered all the feels from Filipinos around the country by making them remember similar instances where moments like these happened our own lives. 

Before you head over to the nearest Jollibee store to grab a Jollibee Yum or Chickenjoy, let's relive these hugot ads from rival Mcdonald's as well. 

Let's watch all three of Jollibee's #KwentongJollibee commercials again, along with some of the viral Mcdo commercials in the past, and see which fast-food chain does #hugot better. Will you go for Jollibee Chickenjoy or Chicken Mcdo this Valentine's week? 

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Firefly View Deck: An Amazing View and a Mongolian Feast


The Firefly View Deck, located at the rooftop of City Garden Grand Hotel, is popular for its view of the beautiful Makati skyline 32 floors high. It's a place where you can enjoy a few drinks and unwind after a busy day at the office. It's quite a popular place for expats, being so close to Makati Avenue's night scene.

The restaurant offers rooftop barbecue, an all-you-can-eat Mongolian Buffet, bar chow and drinks for fun evening of music and laughs. I wouldn't label the restaurant a foodie haven that serves amazing, must-eat dishes - you come here to have a good time on top of the city. With the exception of the buffet, prices are reasonable and you are sure to have a fun time with live music and a lively night crowd.

Here's what you can expect from Firefly View Deck at City Garden Grand Hotel...

Monday, February 6, 2017

Miguel & Maria: Upscale Western Comfort Food at the Heart of Marikina


Miguel & Maria is a popular foodie spot located along Marikina's Lilac street. The restaurant is known to serve upscale Western comfort food at very affordable prices. The experience is similar to eating at a very upscale restaurant in either Makati or Bonifacio Global City, with food of the same caliber but at half the prices. That's right, you could enjoy quality, beautifully cooked, delicious dishes for less. 

The picturesque dishes definitely helps with the restaurant's appeal, with almost all the dishes (save for the ribs) oozing with cheese. Miguel and Maria serves upscale comfort food that's worth every peso - a phrase that don't go together too often.

Here's what you can expect from Miguel & Maria...

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Pizza Hut's Pizza Heart Deal Let's You Shower Your Love One's With Pizza Hearts This February For Php 499


This February 2017, you can show off your love for that special someone in your life by sending out pizza hearts from Pizza Hut's Pizza Hearts for only Php 499! Yes, that's three pizza hearts for just Php 499. It's only available for delivery from February 1 to February 28, 2017.  

I can't think of a better way to show how much you love someone than sending them out three delicious pizza flavors. 

Monday, January 30, 2017

Grind Bistro: Gourmet, All-American Dishes From the Carls' Kitchen


The Grind Bistro opened its doors last May 2016 as a place where husband-and-wife duo, Steven and Cristina Carl, can showcase their love for food. Working in the food industry for most of their lives, with Steven Carl previously working as the executive chef and F&B Director for Hyatt Hotels while his wife, Cristina Carl, handled operations for Hyatt, the many years of experience under both their belts only goes to show that they know their way around food. It is with this love for food that Grind Bistro was born. 

The concept for Grind Bistro was originally supposed to be gourmet burger joint but the Carls' just wanted to share so much more premium all-American dishes that they found it hard to leave many household favorites out of their menu. It's why Grind Bistro has so much more to offer than burgers, although burgers still consist of a large part of their menu.

 Here's what you can expect when dining at Grind Bistro...

Sunday, January 29, 2017

Have a Taste of Dangerously Cheesy Goodness With Taters' CHEETOFIED Snacks


Taters and Cheetos, two brands that serve awesome American snacks, is partnering up to give snack lovers the cheesiest and crunchiest snacks this year. They kicked off their new #Cheetofied snacks at the Glorietta Activity Center last January 25, 2017 to bring hungry Filipinos FIVE NEW CHEETOFIED SNACKS. You heard right, you can get your hands on FIVE Cheetos-inspired snacks this year! 


Taters has long been known for serving delicious cinema snacks across Philippine cinemas and a partnership with a household name such as Cheetos definitely gives movie-goers a cheesier option to enjoy at the cinemas this year. It's a perfect marriage that those of you who love popcorn and chips, like yours truly, will surely love. 


The partnership only available from January 25, 2017 until May 15, 2017 in all Taters stores nationwide, so hurry and get yourselves some #Cheetofied snacks now! 

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Co Nut Ink Brings Singapore's Famous Premium Coconut Ice Cream to the Philippines


"You can't buy happiness but you can buy ice cream" are words that everyone should live by. Whenever life hits you hard, a scoop of ice cream instantly makes everything better. I eat ice cream all the time, whether I'm happy or sad, so imagine my excitement when I heard that Singapore's Famous Coconut Ice Cream, Co Nut Ink, was coming to the Philippines! 

Co Nut Ink is famous in Singapore for delicious ice cream that's affordable and unique with a focus on sustainability. The ice cream is served on a coconut shell topped with a variety of toppings, but the toppings just compliment the light, refreshing taste of Co Nut Ink's signature coconut ice cream. The stall is outside the mall so it's best for moments where you're craving for a sweet treat you can just 'grab and go.'

Co Nut Ink serves only one kind of ice cream but they do so really well. Here's what you can expect from Co Nut Ink...

Monday, January 23, 2017

Annam Noodle Bar: Authentic Vietnamese Specialties and Manila's Best Pho


Back in 2012, Chef Nam Quoc Nguyen opened Nam Nam Noodle Bar in Singapore to bring iconic Vietnamese street favorites to the bustling city. In just a few years the restaurant is now known to serve some of the best Pho you can find in Singapore - simple, fresh, healthy, and delicious.They opened their first store in the Philippines, Annam Noodle Bar, in 2016 in an effort to bring modern Vietnamese street food to Filipinos at Eastwood City's new fast-rising food strip, Eastwood Avenue.

It's good to note that Annam Noodle Bar has been ranked as the #1 Vietnamese Pho in Metro Manila by Spot.ph. They are also proud to advertise that they don't use msg in any of their dishes!

Here's what you can expect from Annam Noodle Bar at Eastwood Avenue...

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Ippudo Philippines: World-Renowned Hakata Style Ramen Now Serving at Eastwood Avenue


Ippudo, the international ramen phenomenon, is finally spreading smiles and "arigatou" with their delicious bowls of ramen at Eastwood City's fast-rising food strip, Eastwood Avenue. The world-class ramen house's roots began at 1985 Hakata, Japan's ramen capital, when Ramen King Shigemi Kawahara opened his first ramen store. Since then, they've opened over 80 stores around the world, with long lines a common sight in every store. If you're interested to know more about Ippudo's history, check it out here.

From the very first sip, I can confidently place Ippudo as one of my top 3 ramen restaurants in Metro Manila. What they have is perfection in a bowl with a delicate balance between the broth, ingredients, and noodles resulting such a delicious bowl of ramen.

Ippudo's signature Hakata-style tonkotsu (pork-based) broth is what makes every bowl of ramen coming out of Ippudo's kitchen special. It probably took the Ramen King years of hard work, constantly changing and innovating the recipe, before he was able to come up with the perfection.

Here's what you can expect from your first visit at Ippudo, Eastwood Avenue...

Monday, January 16, 2017

Applebee's Grill & Bar: There's Always A Reason To Celebrate


Applebee's, the American Grill & Bar franchise, finally opened their second Philippine branch last July 2016 at Eastwood City - a welcome addition to the amazing selection of restaurants located along Eastwood Avenue. It's sister company, IHOP, is currently still under construction but will soon be available to hordes of pancake lovers that frequent Eastwood. 

The restaurant is all about celebration since Applebee's runs on the belief that 'There's always a reason to celebrate' with delicious comfort food - may it be a good test scores at school or successful projects at the office. Of course, there are also countless birthdays, anniversaries, and promotions to celebrate, but they're really champions of celebrating both the little things and big life events.

Applebee's American comfort food concept consisting of ribs, burgers, tacos, tenders, and mac and cheese really makes eating at Applebee's a celebration in itself - a feast for anyone who loves to eat their heart out. 

One big tip I can give you is that if you book through BigDish, you can get up to 30% off your meal through their very convenient restaurant reservation system. To learn more about Bigdish, check out this link. 

Here's what makes dining at Applebee's a little special, and should be reason enough to take your next celebration to their newly opened Eastwood Avenue store...

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Gourmet Farms Express: A Fresh, Healthy Alternative to Fastfood


Healthy food is difficult to come by in Metro Manila without having to pay an arm and a leg. Restaurants serving organic dishes typically charge anywhere above Php 400 pesos per person for a meal. Gourmet Farms Express brings fresh produce straight from their farm, whipping these up into tasty dishes, to serve to your table at a more affordable price. 

Gourmet Farms Express is the first Metro Manila restaurant of the Gourmet Farms Estate, a 12 hectare organic farm located at Silang, Cavite, and hopefully is one of many delicious, organic restaurants to sprout all over the metro. It's just one of the new restaurants to grace Eastwood City's rising dining strip, Eastwood Avenue

Here are the delicious dishes that you would find at Gourmet Farms Express...

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Pizza Hut Introduces Hut Feasts Meal for 10 and They're Putting 25% More Cheese on Their Pizzas!


Fast food chains around the Philippines have been picking up their promo game to kick off 2017 and Pizza Hut is no different by bringing you this awesome Hut Feasts Meal For 10! That's a feast for 10 people at Php 1,299 or Php 130 per person. If you factor in the 10% service charge, then the real cost is actually Php 1,429 or roughly Php 143 pesos per person

That's way cheaper, on a per person basis, than either the Shakey's 2017 Meal Deal or the Pancake House's Php 370 For Two

They haven't announced a promo deadline yet, but Pizza Hut did say they're putting 25% more CHEESE on your favorite Pan Pizz for FREE! Check out more below...