Taste Evolves:The Food Circuit at The Block Brings 27 Dining Spots in SM North Edsa

Goods news to foodies from the north! SM City North Edsa brings together twenty seven (27) of The Block's delicious dining selections in one exciting destination! 

SM North Edsa introduces The Food Circuit, a mecca of gastronomic finds, from lights snacks and savory meals, to indulgent sweets and mouthwatering desserts.

The Food Circuit at The Block offers mall shoppers a vast selection of international cuisines and gustatory delights from some of the mall's most promising restaurants.

Jumong Korean Restaurant- Korean BBQ Place in Makati Open For 24 Hours

There is this Korean neighborhood in Makati where locals and tourists frequent to for some late night bbq. A few distance away from the busy Makati Ave./Kalayaan Ave. is the little Korea of Poblacion, Makati. It is a small neighborhood of Korean groceries, salons, spa and restaurants. We found ourselves in Jumong Korean Bbq Restaurant after D's high school friend suggested the place for a late night catch up dinner. Since the establishment is open 24 hours, it was still packed with diners even past 9pm.

It was a simple dinner of our favorite Korean dishes.

But before that, we enjoyed these unlimited servings of some Korean appetizers. Jumong offers a variety of basic banchans- kimchi, fish cakes, beansprouts, spinach, sweet potato and tofu.

Our friend highly recommended this Galbi Chim (P380). A hot stone bowl of beef shortribs stew best paired with a steaming cup of rice. A must-try at Jumong!

Discover the Best of The West in Banawe- Chef Robert and Love Desserts Buffet

While I am no Makati/Ortigas girl who works around the bustling central business districts, and having tons of new restaurants to choose from, there are also some perks of working around the Banawe area in Quezon City. Aside from saving a lot of travel time from the dreadful rush hour, dining out is relatively cheaper here in the suburbs. You'll be happy to discover new places that are simple and low profile, yet offer promising food and dishes. 

That's how I discovered the best of the west zone through the Best of the West Campaign. 

First stop was Chef Robert- an unassuming place in Banawe that serves affordable Asian comfort food.

Chef Robert can easily be overlooked with all the big restaurants lined up along Banawe. It occupies a small space in between a famous egg tart bakery and a local ice cream house. 

The place was on full-house service during our visit, which was a Saturday afternoon. We were led upstairs since tables were mostly occupied on the first floor. 

We had Chef Robert's Lucky 8 Set Menu for just P888. 

You may choose two kinds of soup, one appetizer or salad, two main entrees, 2 cups of rice, a cake of your choice, and two bottomless iced tea.

Mushroom Soup (P75)

Skin 101 Dermatology and Skin Care- Ultherapy Non-Invasive Skin Rejuvenation

Skin 101 Dermatology, a household name in the category of skin care, brings the only non-invasive and FDA-approved procedure, to lift skin on the brow, neck, and under the chin- Ultherapy. 

Ultherapy uses the authentic Ultera System, which is a non-surgical procedure that uses micro-focused ultrasound to stimulate the body's own natural healing process. The ultrasound procedure stimulates the production of new collagen and elastin deep within the skin.  It lifts and tightens the deepest layers of the skin without surgical treatments and downtime. 

I recently received a gift from Skin 101 which includes their basic skin care products and coupons to try their services. I personally haven't visited one of their 10 branches yet, but I am looking forward to trying their Diamond Peel, Revlite and RF treatment soon.

Visit Skin 101 Facebook Page for updates and more information on their latest treatments and services. 

Choi Garden Chinese Restaurant- A Feast For the Senses at JinJiang Inn Makati

I never knew a Choi Garden exists in the south until we visited the newly opened JinJiang Inn in Makati. JinJiang Inn is a franchise brand from JinJiang International, a leading hotel group in China, with over 3,090 hotels in 61 countries worldwide.

JinJiang Inn currently has 2 branches here in the country- Makati and Ortigas. Both hotels opened late last year offering clean, comfortable and spacious rooms for business travelers and executives.

Aside from being conveniently located near the business districts and shopping malls, JinJiang Inn Makati is also a gastronomic destination among tourists and locals.

You will be delighted to know that JinJiang Inn Makati houses the famous Choi Garden restaurant in Greenhills. The restaurant may be smaller, and menu offerings may be less compared to the original branch, but quality of food is definitely at par.

We had an intimate lunch with friends last week and enjoyed Choi Garden's sumptuous specialties.

Hokkaido Takoyaki- Tasty Japanese Takoyaki, Okonomiyaki, and Yakisoba in Banawe

Recently, we found ourselves frequenting Banawe especially after work hours. While scouting the area for a late night grub, we spotted Hokkaido Takoyaki along N.S. Amoranto (Retiro).

We settled in this beautiful Japanese-inspired table setting with matching cherry blossoms. 

Kuya J Restaurant Filipino Favorites and Halo-Halo Espesyal with Jericho Rosales

By this time, I'm pretty sure everyone has heard of Kuya J. Yes, the Filipino restaurant being endorsed by celebrity Jericho Rosales. Kuya J Restaurant has become one of the fast-growing Filipino restaurant chains in the country, with over 35 branches nationwide. Through its recent marketing campaigns, Kuya J Restaurant has been seen and felt everywhere. From billboards, newspapers, posters and banners, to led screens, mobile phones and tv commercials, everyone was introduced and acquainted with Kuya J.

So what is so special about Kuya J? 

Aside from Kuya J's fresh take on our local cuisine favorites, which I will share more about later, it is their Halo-Halo Espesyal (P99) that continues to capture the hearts of the Filipinos.

Kuya J Halo-Halo Espesyal is the newest best-tasting summer treat of Kuya J, taking pride on its incomparable smooth and creamy texture. It is the classic Pinoy dessert cooler upgraded to the nth level. 

Salad Stop! Opens Its Newest Branch in Burgos Circle, BGC #EatWideAwake

Salad Stop!, the favorite go-to salad bar in the country, opened its newest branch in Burgos Circle last April. Salad Stop! has been serving healthy alternative meals in Singapore, before the SSI Group finally brought the concept here in the Philippines.

Last week, I was invited to a an electrifying spinning class at Electric Studio, where participants experiences a 45-minute intense body workout. It was an afternoon of fun and fitness, followed by a gratifying post-work out meal at Salad Stop! Burgos Circle branch.

Everyone was treated to a spread of Salad Stop!'s bestselling salads and wraps.