Around the World with Dad's World Buffets in SM Megamall

Even before Yakimix, Sambokojin, Vikings and Buffet 101, there was Dad's Ultimate Crossover Buffet. When our family would celebrate special occasions and decides to have a buffet dinner, there's no other place but Dads/Saisaki/Kamayan. 

If you think that Dad's three-global cuisine buffet is already the best they could offer to the Filipinos, wait until you try their newest concept that brings together multiple cuisines from Asia, Europe, North and South America- Dad's World Buffet.

It's been a while since my last visit at their Megamall branch and I was more than excited to finally go back for an ultimate culinary feast around the world.

The buffet selections were crazy! There's no way you can try everything on the spread. But here are some highlights of the buffet. 

Carving Station

Satisfy your carnivorous cravings at the Carving Station. 

Marriott Hotel- Season of Gifting, Thanksgiving, and Merrymaking

The “ber” month beckons! Have you written the names of friends and colleagues who are nice and checked it twice? 

This year though, go beyond merely completing your list and trust Marriott Hotel Manila in the art of giving. As early as now, the renowned 5-star hotel has thoughtfully put together its selection of hampers that will definitely make an impact the moment they receive the hamper box, be thrilled to see the stylish, sweet, and savory treats inside it, and even use the sturdy hamper box afterwards.

Where to Eat in UP Town Center- Restaurants and Food Destinations

Restaurants in UP-Ayala Town Center- Katipunan

UP Town Center is the newest food mecca in the Metro featuring a two-storey hub of restaurants and new dining spots. 

We were curious to know the restaurant selections in the area, so we decided to pay a visit and check it out ourselves. 

1. Casa Verde

Welcome to Manila Casa Verde! Cebu's most popular American-style comfort food destination finally lands in Manila! It is probably the most visited restaurant in UP Town Center as diners flock the place for the famous Brian's Ribs. Another must-try is their gigantic Milky Way- Definitely the biggest milkshake in town!

Check review of Casa Verde here.

Air Asia Zest Offers Delicious In-Flight Meals, Snacks and Desserts

AirAsia, the world's best lowcost airline, has recently took over Zest Airways Inc. and rebranded themselves as AirAsia Zest.

AirAsia Philippines used to operate in Clark International Airport, but few months ago, Air Asia's CEO Mr. Tony Fernandes announced that it will be shifting its operations in NAIA Terminal 4, to give more choices and value to their customers. This was great news for some people in Manila who probably wouldn't drive all to the way to Clark just to avail of a cheaper flight. 

Just last week, some food and lifestyle bloggers were invited by Nuffnang Philippines and AirAsia Zest in an exclusive preview of the airline's in-flight meals. 

The dinner was hosted by none other than the Apprentice Asia's grand winner himself, Mr. Jonathan Yabut. 

Games and activities were prepared while everyone was anticipating the food to be served by the airline's in-flight catering provider- Manila Catering Services.

It was a food-filled evening as everyone was able to try the Hot Meals from AirAsia Cafe's in-flight menu. 

Gerry's Grill December Special: Goto (Ox Tripe Porridge)

Christmas is fast approaching and the cold and chilly season is here once again. Aside from hot bowls of noodles or steaming cups of coffee, here's another popular Filipino dish to warm up the tummies.

Goto (Ox Tripe Porridge) from Gerry Grill- Perfect for this month’s chilly weather, the favorite Pinoy merienda is served with a side dish of Tofu and is priced at Php65.

Gerry’s Goto is available in selected branches:  Morato, Greenhills, Alimall, Macapagal, Market Market, Insular Life Building, Alabang, Glorietta 5, Greenbelt 3, Ayala Angeles, SM Pampanga, SM Clark, and Subic until December31, 2013. 

For more information, log on to www.gerrysgrill.com

Yabu's New Dishes- Oroshi Katsu, Chicken Salad, Mochi Ice Cream

Hey Yabu Fanatics! If you were able to check out my post What's New with Yabu, I'm pretty sure you have already enjoyed your limitless miso soup, white/organic brown rice and fruits aside from their unlimited cabbage with goma, shoyu and wasabi dressing.

Also, you may have already tried their new appetizers, the Iidako Salad (our family's favorite) and Cold Spinach Salad w/ Goma Sauce. 

For main dishes, I bet you were all eager to try that new Miso Katsu and at the same time glad to know that your favorite Rosu is now made with certified U.S. Pork. 

If you haven't tried all of these, now is the time to revisit the original House of Katsu and enjoy the new dishes they launched recently. 

Starting off with another addition to their appetizer sets- Chilled Chicken Salad

Yellow Cab Pizza Tango Box Christmas Fleet feat. Galapeno Tango

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merry Christmas!! November of last year, I was introduced to Yellow Cab's Christmas Fleet. This year, the fleet is back, and is made even better! 

As I mentioned before, I have a lot of memories with Yellow Cab Pizza. Each moment is always characterized by happiness and joy. It is about wonderful celebrations with family and friends be it big or small.

Finally, the fleet has arrived once again. This time, featuring Yellow Cab's Blockbuster Duo- Galapeño Tango. 

Yellow Cab's Christmas Fleet is perfect for small group gatherings and reunions. The package is good for six persons and priced at P1,600 only!

It includes any large pizza flavor of your choice. I suggest going for one of the top 3 best-selling flavors from Yellow Cab- New York's Finest, Manhattan Meatlovers, or Four Seasons.

New York's Finest Pizza (P630)-  Italian sausage, ham, pepperoni, bacon, ground beef, black olives, mushrooms, onions, red & green bell peppers

The pizza with a combination of meat and vegetables, this flavor has it all. 

Seattle's Best Coffee Christmas Drinks and 2014 Dream Journal

♫ It's the most wonderful time of the year ♫ 

Hello December!! The month of joy and happiness that brings out the kid in everyone. Yes, it's the season of giving (and receiving) once again. 

And speaking of giving, Seattle Best Coffee gives us more reason to enjoy the holidays with their Christmas Drinks line up.

This year's theme exhibits a playful and fun "Christmas in a toyshop" setting. A reminder that no matter how old we are, we are all kids at heart especially during the Christmas season. 

Seattle's Best Coffee presents their 4 holiday drinks available in hot or cold (Javakula).

Bar B Skew Southeast Asian Street Food DIY Rotating Charcoal Grill

Remember my post about Toki Q- the first ever rotating bbq place in San Juan? Well, there's another place with the same concept conveniently located in CTTM Square at the intersection of Tomas Morato and Timog Avenue (Boy Scout Circle). Only this time, it's better because you get to do it yourself and grill your own barbecue right in front of you.

Introducing Bar B Skew, the first and only automatic rotating bbq grill that let its customers cook their barbecue skewers right at their table!

The RC Cola Nostalgia- "Ang RC Cola ng Bayan"

I'm no avid soda drinker, but I can still remember buying RC Cola during my younger years. In fact, I used to buy RC Cola more than the leading soda beverage in the country. Well, maybe because of its very affordable price for students and people on a budget. 

To be honest, it's been a while since I last drank an RC cola. Well, I have been controlling myself in drinking soft drinks recently, and I think the only time I get to drink it is when we go to our province and stop by either a small sari-sari store or eatery. 

I would say RC Cola is famous in provinces. Anywhere you go, stores and carinderias along the side road use RC Cola signages carrying their store name.

Seven on 7th- Modern Euro-Asian Cuisine at the Forum South Global Bonifacio Global City

Seven on 7th- Why Seven? That's because the restaurant's menu highlight is a unique 7-course wagyu degustation, to be personally prepared by Chef Jay Rollan. 

Don't get intimidated by the restaurant's facade- there's no dress code. Everybody is welcome to dine, whether you're in a formal suit and leather shoes, or in a casual flip-flops and tattered jeans.

Diners may choose to sit on the tables near the open kitchen to see the chefs in action.

Help yourself with some complimentary bread served with herb butter..

Anlene Total w/ Glucosamine+Nano-Calcium to Prevent Osteoporosis

BONE NUTRITION EXPERT INTRODUCES ITS NEWEST FORMULA—ANLENE TOTAL!

I'm no milk drinker back when I was a child. I try to stay away from it as possible just because I don't like its taste and smell. In fact, the closest thing to me drinking milk is having myself a glass of chocolate milk. 

But as I got older, I slowly learned the importance of caring for your bones and drinking one of the highest source of calcium- Milk.

Anlene, the Expert in Bone Nutrition, is the leading bone health milk brand in the Philippines.  Its products are enriched with a scientifically formulated complex of essential bone strengthening nutrients and provide twice as much calcium as regular milk.  A research published in 2009 showed that Anlene is clinically proven to reduce bone breakdown within 4 weeks.  

Through the efforts of Fonterra, maker of Anlene, bone health awareness continues to be significantly relevant and the role of high-calcium milk in Osteoporosis prevention is clearly established.

Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen in SM Aura Premier

I have been feeling a little under the weather for days now, and nothing seems better than a steaming hot bowl of noodles and ramen. So, let me just share my ramen experience at Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen in SM Aura Premier a few weeks ago. 

Ikkoryu Fukuoka Ramen specializes in Tonkotsu ramen originating from the Kysuhu region in Japan. Their tonkotsu base is made by boiling pork bones with seasonings for several hours for that creamy and rich flavor, while their ramen is characterized by thin, straight, and al dente noodles. 

The interior of the place is quite similar to their Shangrila branch where wooden panels with Japanese characters function as dividers. They have an area at the back where guests could have a more private dining setup, or you may also opt to seat at the counters near the kitchen.

Moving on with our orders, we had Ikkoryu's best-selling ramen, the classic Ajitama Tonkotsu (P380) which is topped with a half-boiled egg, fully marinated with a special blended soy sauce base. 

You'll be asked by the waiter on how you want your noodles to be- soft, normal, hard, very hard. We opted for very hard, which I think is just the perfect choice for firm and chewy noodles. 

Top Torikatsu Classic and Cheese & Chives by Bounty Fresh

Have you tried the latest product from Bounty Fresh? Introducing, Top Torikatsu, the newest heat-and-eat offering from the award-winning makers of quality and innovative chicken products in the market.

Top Torikatsu is made out of 100% chicken breast meat coated in breadcrumbs, and comes in 2 flavors- Classic and Cheese & Chives.

Burger King's Battle of the Stacks King- Are You Man Enough?

“Are you man enough?”- this was the question posed by Burger King Philippines to all those men and women out there who are brave enough to take on its newest burger offering, BK Stacks, and vie for the BATTLE OF THE STACKS KING title.

After the successful launch of Burger King's Chicken Crisp Fillet, comes BK Stacks, Burger King’s made-to-order burger where you can choose from single, double, triple and even quadruple flame-grilled beef patties for your burgers! The BK Stacks is made even more satisfying with melted American cheese in between and crispy bacon on top, a generous smothering of the special BK Stacks sauce, and all held together by a toasted sesame bun. Your manhood is tested by how many BK Stacks you can handle.  A Single Stack, and your labeled as a “Dude”.  Have a Double Stack and you’ll be known as the “Boss”.  A Triple Stack promotes you to someone people look up to- the “Chief”!  And last but definitely farthest from the least is the Quad Stack, a burger only fit for the “King”!  

7-Eleven Slurpee Bring Your Own Cup (BYOC) Day- Nov. 7, 2013

Save The Date: November 7, 2013

Have you heard of the exciting news? Slurpee lovers rejoice as 7-Eleven Philippines launches the first Slurpee Bring Your Own Cup Day on November 7, 2013 (Thursday). 

Originally started by 7-Eleven Australia, the one-day event created a phenomenon that made its way to Malaysia, and now, the Philippines. 

So what's so special about this day? Well, this is the day wherein you can have a fill of your favorite frozen beverage brand in any cup you want for only P29!!

Yes, your favorite SLURPEE in any cup you can think of, as long as it will fit through the "MaCUPangyarihang Bilog" standee with a 9" diameter. 

A boot, a trophy, a hat.. anything! Let your imagination and creativity run wild, and who knows, you might be the winner of P5,000 cash! 

Neon Invasion Fun Run 2013- Quezon City Memorial Circle ( Dec. 7 )

Are you ready for the funkiest and most colorful running event of the year? End the year with glowing colors, as Neon Invasion brings us a one-of-a-kind fun run. Run, walk, jog, or dance your way to 5 km of music, 4 eras, 3 Djs, 2 bands and 1 wild and crazy neon party.

Teriyaki Boy Katipunan- New Look. New Logo. New Dishes.

Earlier this month, we were invited to dine at Teriyaki Boy's newly renovated branch in Katipunan. D and I went after office on a rainy Tuesday evening. The first thing we noticed upon our arrival was the restaurant's new logo. It now has an cartoonic icon of a boy with a headband. Teriyaki Boy has grown into a modern man. D was honest enough to say that he prefers the old one. Same sentiments here.. I miss the cute wide-eyed logo from before.

As we step into the restaurant, the interiors were noticeably hip, modern and edgy. It was actually designed by the famous Architect Ed Calma. 

We settled in one of the couches together with Sumi and J who were already waiting for us. Then we started to feast on Teriyaki Boy's new dishes and offerings.

Starting off with the Beef Tataki (P499)- wafu steak, grilled and seared on top of a layer of buttered mixed mushrooms. 

Having served with this beef tataki makes me feel like dining in an upscale Japanese restaurant. The beef slices were perfectly seared, and D just can't get enough of the buttered mushrooms underneath. 

Gyoza (P122)- also known as potstickers. Japanese pork dumplings steamed and seared until crisp served with a tangy soy-based dipping sauce.

The Cosmopolitan and Art City of Madrid, Spain

Photo Source: www.flickr.com/photos/juanedc/8054142166

What to explore in Madrid.

Located in the center of Spain, Madrid is a city known for its culture. The city has a variety of museums and parks.

Hwangso-Ga Unlimited Korean Buffet Grill and BBQ in Malate

We discovered a new Korean restaurant that features unlimited grill and shabu-shabu recently. The place is just beside the famous Mak Chang in Malate, that is always packed with customers. We were supposed to eat in Mak Chang, but due to the long waiting list, we decided to try this instead. (It is actually owned by the same people behind Mak Chang)

Hwangso-Ga

The place was very spacious but there were not much diners on a Sunday night as compared to the full-house Mak Chang. 

Here, you can enjoy unlimited Grill and Shabu-Shabu.

(As per last visit, they dropped the shabu-shabu option)

Buffet rate is at P399/person during dinner, while it is at P349 during lunch. 

The price includes unlimited serving of Beef Belly..

Jollibee Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ Has Arrived!

Something EXTRAORDINARY has arrived at our doorstep.

It's the newest extraordinary treat from Jollibee- The Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ.

It's our favorite Champ made even better!

Gerry's Grill Offers Exclusive Menu In Qatar

Popular Filipino restaurant Gerry's Grill offers customers at Qatar more reasons to visit with exclusive menu items Lamb Chops, Steak, and Mutton prepared the Gerry's way. 

The outlet, its first foray in the Middle East is Gerry's sixth branch overseas, with two branches in the U.S. and three in Singapore. 

In the Philippines, Gerry's recently opened at the 3rd level of Lucky Chinatown Mall in Binondo, SM Southmall in Las Pinas and Veranza Mall in General Santos City. 

Soon to open are branches in The Terraces in Fairview; and Eastwood in Quezon City. For more info, log on to www.gerrysgrill.com

Rockwell's 3rd Ultimate Taste Test Top Picks and Experience

Last month, D and I were able to attend the biggest food tasting event of the year- Rockwell's 3rd Ultimate Taste Test at the Rockwell Tent, Powerplant Mall.

(Check out my first Ultimate Taste Test experience here)

We've always been a fan of these food tasting events, as we get to sample yummy and gastronomic treats to our heart's content. Plus, we get to discover new and interesting dishes and creations from the Metro's upcoming food business owners and entrepreneurs. 

It was truly a degustation of savory and sweet treats enjoyed by foodies of all ages. 

Grandest Northern Food Festival at MarQuee Mall this October

MarQuee Mall, Ayala Mall’s first dining, shopping and entertainment destination north of Manila presents “Big Bite!  The Northern Food Festival” at the MarQuee Park, Angeles City, Pampanga from October 18 to 20, 2013.

Big Bite! is a foodie’s dream come true with its huge outdoor food market featuring everything from cooked Filipino favorites to famous native delicacies and baked goodies, fresh fruits, vegetables and more.  The food festival showcases over 100 food stalls featuring the best food products from across the provinces of Pampanga, Bulacan, Ilocos, Baguio, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Bataan, Pangasinan, Cagayan and La Union.  It’s a culinary showdown of the most mouth-watering heritage cuisines from Northern Luzon. 

Dimsum Battle in Banawe: Causeway Seafood Restaurant, King Chef, Wan Chai Tea House, Mandarin Sky

Hungry? Where do we go? 

BANAWE!!! 

What do we eat?

DIMSUM!!!

Banawe is our go-to place for dimsum especially when the clock strikes 9:00pm. Why? Well, mainly because most dimsum places in the area offers up to 50% discount on their dimsum selections. 

Now the question is, where is the best dimsum place in Banawe? I've compiled 4 of the Chinese restaurants we've tried in Banawe to come up with my answer- Causeway, King Chef, Wan Chai Tea and Mandarin Sky.

Siomai

The classic dimsum. We usually skip the siomai from Causeway (P48) 'cause we find it bland. King Chef (P52) probably has the biggest and meatiest siomai among the 4 restaurants. Wan Chai's (P52) siomai is pretty ok but expect a lot of fats on it. On the bright side though, it's juicy and flavorful. Mandarin Sky has the smallest sized siomai of all though it's still meaty and tasty.

Winner: King Chef- Although I recommend getting their signature X.O. Siomai (P60).. it's way better :)

Hakaw

Honestly, all hakaw tastes good to me. It's just a matter of how many and how fresh and plump the shrimps are inside it. Plus, I also don't like hakaw with very thick wrappers. Causeway's hakaw (P83) is not included in their promo so it's at regular price.  King Chef's (P60) as you can see has the plumpest hakaw among the 4 contenders. Wan Chai's hakaw (P62) is actually my favorite even though it's not as plump as the others. Mandarin Sky's pretty ok, but their wrapper is a bit thick.

Winner: Wan Chai

Shark's Fin Dumpling