October 30, 2015

Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta Celebrates World Pasta Month this October

Doña Elena Al Dente Pasta, the only artisan quality Italian pasta in the Philippines, has pioneered the World Pasta Month celebration for the Filipinos last October 9, 2015 at SM Mall of Asia.


Al Dente Pasta Festa was a day filled with great food, fun activities and a lot of prizes. Attendees enjoyed playing and watching pasta parlor games in the morning, while the ribbon cutting ceremony was led by Fly Ace Corporation executives in the afternoon.

October 28, 2015

Lydia's Lechon Restaurant Celebrates 50 Years of Success and Lechon Goodness

Lydia's Lechon, one of the pioneers in the lechon business, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. 50 long years of serving their best-tasting lechon to every Filipino's cherished occasion and special gathering.

What started out as simple food stall selling the cebu-style roasted pig, turned out to be one of the country's most-loved and patronized lechon shop and restauarant. Long before these boneless lechon and stuffed pork belly, there was Lydia's boneless lechon stuffed with seafood paella- a signature recipe that instantly became a hit alongside other classic Filipino dishes.

We accepted an invitation to dine in at Lydia's Lechon Amoranto branch for a quick lunch since the place is just near the office. What we thought to be a simple lunch turned out to be a festive and nostalgic dining experience at Lydia's Lechon Restaurant.


Lechon Sisig (P180)


October 27, 2015

Krispy Kreme Mad for Monsters Halloween Doughnuts and Magic Money

Krispy Kreme gets Mad for Monsters this Halloween season as they release their sweet and wicked doughnuts in eight mouthwatering variants. Krispy Kreme is introducing four new variants on top of the classic Halloween designs from last year. And because Halloween is all about spooky and fun, Krispy Kreme is bringing this special occasion to a whole new level. Instead of just selling their Mad for Monsters collection, they will also be offering an interactive experience that people of all ages will surely enjoy. 

October 26, 2015

Yummy x Kitchenaid Masterclass with Cake Master Penk Ching at Rustan's Cubao

Yummy Magazine, the country's leading food magazine, in partnership with Kitchenaid, held its third and final leg of their cooking workshop series at Rustan's Cubao last October 17. Selected Yummy readers and bloggers were invited to an afternoon masterclass of baking demo with renowned chef and cake master Penk Ching.


Through the "Make Your Own Bar", attendees were able to recreate three Yummy recipes using Kitchenaid premium kitchen appliances.


Matcha Frappé using KitchenAid Hand Blender


Salted Caramel Pastillas using KitchenAid Hand Mixer


 Strawberry Trifle using KitchenAid 3.5 Cup Food Chopper


We were able to make our own matcha frappe using the Kitchenaid Hand Blender in just a matter of seconds! The hand blender was very easy to use, it didn't even require much effort to prepare our thick and creamy matcha slush.

For the main event, Chef Penk Ching shared three of her favorite dessert recipes.


Feathery Cheese Cake



Pear Honey Walnut Pie




Royal Icing

Before ending the program, three bloggers were paired up with three yummy readers for a cookie decorating contest using the royal icing recipe.


Here are the entries and Chef Penk Ching's Royal Icing recipe:


We did not win, but we certainly had a great time decorating our cookies and letting our creative juices flow. Congratulations to team 1 for winning!

Thank you Yummy Magazine and Kitchen Aid for a sweet afternoon of dessert masterclass.

For your daily dose of delicious and yummy recipes, visit www.yummy.ph and follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @yummyph. 

October 22, 2015

Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot by Vikings Highlights in Manhattan Parkview Cubao

Four Seasons Buffet and Hotpot in SM Mall of Asia opens their second branch in Manhattan Parkview Cubao! I've dined at their MOA branch countless times with families and friends before, and it just keeps getting better after every visit. I even celebrated my birthday at Four Seasons and availed of their promo wherein birthday celebrants get to eat for free!


People might say, "Why should I visit their Cubao branch, when the MOA branch is nearer to us?". I'll admit, I thought of the same when I learned about the opening of their second branch in Cubao. We seldom go around Cubao to look for new dining spots, and we'll gladly drive up to MOA instead. But here are some things as to why you should check out Four Seasons' newest branch in Cubao.


Knorr Lutong Nanay Food Fair at Mercato Cetrale- Help Battle Malnutrition

Help battle malnutrition and join Knorr's Lutong Nanay Food Fair happening on October 24, 2015 (Saturday) 4:30pm at the Mercato Centrale in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.  


According to Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the DOST, at least 5 million children in the Philippines are malnourished.

Try Your Luck on Gandiva Bullseye Challenge this Halloween- Gandiva Archery

Channel your inner Katniss and try out for the Gandiva Archery Bullseye Challenge this Oct 15-Nov 6 at the Gandiva Archery Range and Cafe in Pasig. Win prizes and get as much as half of your money back when you hit the bullseye. Check out our Gandiva experience here.

October 15, 2015

Come Full Circle Seafood Weekend Market- Circles Events Cafe Makati Shangri-La

Makati Shangri-La, Manila is giving guests and diners six more reasons to choose Circles Events Cafe, as it introduces its brand-new themed dinner buffet. ‘Come Full Circle: Seven Nights, One Craving at a Time’ promises a 360° dining experience with different dining selections and theme for each night.


Start the week right with healthier food selections during Wholesome Market Mondays wherein each dish is prepared using healthier cooking methods and healthier ingredients.  Never miss the chance to indulge in this theme’s highlight, Prime Rib with Arugula Pesto.

In Butcher’s Market Tuesdays, carnivores will enjoy Circles’ wide selection of premium meats, poultry, pork, sausages and other exotic meats.  This theme highlights the Grill Station, allowing each guest to mix and match their choice of meat and pair it with a variety of freshly made breads and rice options.


October 9, 2015

Ogawa Traditional Japanese Restaurant in Manila- A Taste of Little Tokyo in BGC

Ogawa Traditional Japanese Restaurant, the newest talk of the town, opens at The Fort Entertainment Complex, The Fort Strip in Bonifacio Global City. Ogawa in Manila is brought to us by Mr. George N. Pua of No Limits Food Inc., (the group behind Tony Roma's, K-pub, Yummy Soy, Modern China and Modern Sichuan Restaurant) alongside renowned Japanese Chef Kiyoshi Ogawa (former head chef of Senju, Edsa Shangrila). Experience a taste of traditional Japanese cuisine as Ogawa transports you and your taste buds to one of the best food capitals in the world- Tokyo.


I was invited to a sneak peek of Ogawa a day before its opening, to personally experience the "authentic and traditional" vibe it upholds. Indeed, stepping into the restaurant transports you to Japan with its cultural decors and traditional dining setup. Even the wallpaper by Ushio Sekiguchi creates a natural landscape of pine trees, leaves, branches and sparrows that gives customers a breath of fresh air while dining. Ogawa’s antique main door in the reception area also embodies the heritage that the restaurant is aiming to preserve.


October 8, 2015

Savour Australia at New World Makati Hotel with Executive Chef Robert Davis and Chef Tim Hollands

Chefs at the New World Makati Hotel, in partnership with the Australian Trade Commission and the State Government of Victoria, Australia, shares their expertise on high-quality meats, wines and cheeses through a hotel-wide Australian promotion called Savour Australia from 19 October to 8 November 2015.

October 3, 2015

Grace Park Farm-to-Table Restaurant by Margarita Fores at One Rockwell Makati

Grace Park in One Rockwell Makati is probably one of the firsts that started the farm-to-table concept in the metro. Owned by one of the country's most established chef and restaurateur, Margarita Fores of the Cibo fame, Grace Park promises quality food using only the freshest ingredients straight from the farm. Their menu changes very so often, (depending on what is freshly available from their suppliers) but also consists of mainstay favorites raved by their patrons and guests. 


A staple in most farm-to-table restaurants, Grace Park literally elevates the classic salad with a stack of their 3-page Organic Field Greens Salad (P280) drizzled with honey-dijon dressing. We were not much into the mustard dressing, but enjoyed the extra crunch from the layers of flatbread crisps.


For mains, we had the Lamb Adobo Rice (P620) which is braised lamb served on a bed of garlic brown rice. The lamb adobo was perfectly cooked to tenderness with sweet and savory sauce drippings over the garlicky organic brown rice. Serving size can already be shared by two. 


Another equally stellar dish during our visit was Grace Park's meaty Muscovado Beef Belly (P540). A huge slab of juicy tender beef glazed with sweet muscuvado sugar. It has just the right amount of fat trimmings which means more meaty goodness for us. A must-try! 


Grace Park also has fresh and dry pasta for their pasta selections. We ordered for this dry semolina pasta of Spaghettini Uni, Live Shrimp, Red Wine Tomatoes & Rucola (P550) which I didn't enjoy, mainly because I don't eat uni. 


Instead, I focused my attention on this plate of Fresh Papardelle with Salted Egg and Asparagus in Truffle Cream (P560). I have always been a cream sauce lover for pasta, but this just fell short of my expectations. I couldn't taste much of the salted egg, while the cream sauce was also thin and bland. 


We ended our meal with Grace Park's signature Eton Mess (P275). A deconstructed pavlova of meringue and cream with fresh mangoes and strawberries. This could be too sweet for one, but perfectly right when shared with the group. 


Grace Park Menu:

Although I didn't enjoyed much of our pasta orders, I exceptionally liked our mains of Lamb Adobo Rice and Muscovado Beef Belly. Prices may be on the higher side, but Grace Park guarantees the quality of every dish and the freshness of their ingredients.

Grace Park Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato
Grace Park 
 G/F, One Rockwell, Hidalgo Drive, Makati City
Tel Num: 843-7275 

New Magnum White Chocolate Almond Indugence Mall Caravan this Oct. 4!!

Be one of the first to try Selecta Magnum’s new White Chocolate Indulgence as they launch the all new Magnum White Chocolate Almond.


To celebrate the arrival of the country's first ever white Belgian chocolate ice cream, a White Party attended by some of the Philippines’ top celebrities and influencers was held last September 30 to welcome Selecta Magnum's newest and finest Belgian chocolate creation that’s made of rich vanilla ice cream covered in thick cracking white Belgian chocolate and almond pieces.