January 31, 2016

Manila Belly: Sunday Lunch with Foodies


I had a great Sunday lunch with my fellow foodies hosted by Sinfully Sabrina at her house in Las Pinas. I've heard she's really a great cook so I came prepared --- hungry!

The place was so nice. It was like being in the province in the middle of a village. I loved the table setting with the succulents and the flowers. Oh, and there was the Mustang '66 in the background to give the vintage-vibe.





We had the Crispy Lechon Flakes Salad for starters. It was soooo good, I had 2 or 3 servings! Sabrina introduced Manila Belly's new flavor, Truffle Mushroom Belly. It was BELLY-GOOD! Sarap talaga! Existing already are the regular and spicy flavors. Together with the belly, she also served us Roast Chicken. It was cooked just right, very flavorful and juicy. There was also the yummy Crispy Pata. I swear, everything was good even the rice!!! 

Crispy Lechon Flakes Salad



Truffle Mushroom Belly

Roast Chicken



Crispy Pata

For desserts, we had Conti's Black Velvet and Dulcelin's Mango Torte. She also prepared the Banana Chocnut Granola as our takeaways.


Banana Chocnut Granola
It was really a lovely Sunday well-spent with my fellow foodies. 

Post Script: They will be opening their first branch soon! I'm so excited!!!

January 29, 2016

The Coffee Room: Coffee and more through the red door!


I was invited by the owners of The Coffee Room, Steph and Lady Badoy, during their soft opening last month.  Upon entering, I fell in love right away with the place: the red door, white wall and the table-for-two were Instagram-worthy. I loved everything from the shelves, dining wares, home decors to the cute teddy bears!













On their menu are coffee, juices, desserts, salads and sandwiches. 


For starter, I had the Grilled Chicken Salad. I also ordered the Spinack Artichoke Dip and Soldiers, and Iced Caramel Latte coffee! 
Grilled Chicken Salad
Chicken Sandwich
Spanish Sardine and Feta Cheese

Spinach Artichoke Dip & Soldiers and Iced Caramel Latte
Cafe Affogato
S'mores Cup
They also gave us freshly cold-pressed juice as take-aways! Loved it!

I must say that the travel from Alabang to West Ave on a Saturday was worth it! I will definitely go back soon! Oh, and they are giving away FREE CUPS of COFFEE daily for the fist 10 customers from Jan 27 to Feb 6. Just use the code THECOFFEEROOMTREAT upon ordering.

The Coffee Room
3/F Hollywood Square
West Avenue, Quezon City

January 25, 2016

Peperoni Pizzeria: All we KNEAD is love!


The warmth and comfort of wood-fired pizza and traditional pasta over chilled drinks with friends and families became an everyday affair at the first Peperoni in Greenwood Singapore back in 2004. Peperoni has since evolved into a much-loved destination with its "Apettite for Life" philosophy.

Overflowing with love and inspiration, Peperoni opened its doors to Manila, Philippines, where high-spirited individuals and food lovers reside. With its "Appetite for Life" philosophy, Peperoni is set to touch the hearts of Filipinos by offering wonderful comfort food and creating memorable dining moments.

Last week, we visited their first branch in Uptown Mall, BGC. I easily fell in love with the Pinterest-worthy interior of the restaurant. I especially loved the wall with  "All we KNEAD is love" lighted signage.







We order the Calamari Fritti for appetizer. Loved the texture and the flavor!
Calamari Fritti

For pasta, we tried the Carbonara and Aglio Olio.  Both pasta dishes were good! My kids will love their Carbonara.
Carbonara
Aglio Olio e Peperoncino

And for the main event, I mean the Pizza, we ordered the Bacon Miele and 21-inch pizza with 2 flavors (Diavola and Prosciutto Crudo di Parma). Good combination of the flavors of the ingredients and the perfectly-wood fire cooked crust! Sarap!
Bacon Miele




Diavola and Prosciutto Crudo di Parma

I will definitely go back and bring my kids with me soon!

Peperoni Pizzera
3/F Uptown Mall
36th St. corner 9th Avenue
Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
(0939) 7184674

January 22, 2016

Coco Ichibanya: Don't be in a hurry, have some CURRY!


Coco Ichibanya has more than 1000 branches in Japan. It is currently expanding into other countries. I saw some of their branches in KL and Hong Kong last year but didn't get the chance to try. For this food trip, we went to their branch in BGC. The place is huge. I loved the interior and the ambience.









For starters, we had these salads. On your table, you will also see the pickled radish and chilli powder (if you want that extra kick)!

Sausage Salad
Fried Squid Salad

We wanted to try as much food as we can so we sampled some from the different types of dishes. To order, you need to specify the amount of rice you want and the spiciness of the curry sauce.  In the Philippines, max level is still at 5 but you can ask for level 10 if you want to try it out! I actually did and it was manageable. Better to try it with rice! Oh, and you can also order additional toppings if you want. My personal favorites were the Cheese Hamburger Curry and Hashed Beef and Mushrooms.



Pork Cutlet Omelet Curry
Shrimp Curry Rice Gratin
Hashed Beef and Mushrooms
Cheese Hamburger Curry with Ripe Tomato, Lettuce, Onions and Mushrooms
Chicken Cutlet and Vegetables Curry

We had the coffee jelly for dessert. They are also selling the Hojun Sauce for Php240 per bottle.

Coffee Jelly with Vanilla Ice Cream

I enjoyed my food at Coco Ichibanya. They have really good curry sauce! I would love to bring my family here. We all love curry and spicy food. I'm sure my mom would really love to try this!

Coco Ichibanya
Burgos Park, Bonifacio Global City
Taguig City
(02) 7209779