The House Lounge London: A Review of the New Premium Lounge by Etihad Airways and No1 Lounges

The House Lounge, located at London Heathrow Terminal 4, is a new lounge by Etihad Airways on partnership with No1 Lounges. It opened its doors on October 2018 and I was lucky enough to visit just a few months later. Complimentary access is provided to Etihad Airways Business Class and First Class passengers but you can also book at the No1 Lounges website.

The lounge is amazing - no other words could adequately describe how I felt when staying at the lounge. It's an exquisite haven where you can enjoy privacy and a la carte dining while waiting for your flight. The House offers the following amenities: 

• full waiter service
• a la carte dining
• open bar
• showers
• unlimited wifi
• magazines and newspapers
• comfortable seats
• charging stations
• children's area

Please note that the dress code is smart casual. Let's take a look at the lounge...

Shake Shack: Is It Worth the Hype?

Shake Shack Philippines is finally open and I've been hearing so many horror stories of crazy long queues just for people to get their hands on some burgers, fries, and maybe a milkshake. I'm not in Manila while everyone's going crazy about Shake Shack but, after seeing Shake Shack all over my social media and feed all the coverage from local news outlets about the Shake Shack craze over the past few days, I finally gave in.

Luckily for me, Shake Shack opened in London way back in 2013 and currently has multiple stores scattered around the city - which means NO LINES!

While it's not entirely the same thing as the store in Manila, here are my thoughts on Shake Shack...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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!

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.

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...

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...

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... 

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...

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...

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...

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.  

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....

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...

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...

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...