March 2019 – Jellybeans in the City

Sisig Society launches Sisig-flavored Lip Balm

Just when I thought that there are no more new ideas when it comes to beauty and self-care, I received a package from Sisig Society containing a sisig-flavored lip balm.

Say whuuut?!?

Yes, a sisig-flavored lip balm.

While conventional wisdom in lip products veer towards combinations of floral or fruity scents and flavors, someone at Sisig Society probably said, “Hey, why not make a lip balm flavor that people actually eat?”

And, well, here you go.

Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it, though.

The product comes in two signature flavors: Classic Pork and Spicy Chicken. Both flavors are specially formulated to meet beauty standards while satisfying sisig cravings.

Each swipe of these lip balms across your kissers contains a taste of either chicken or pork meat, caramelized onions, chicharon and Sisig Society’s very own secret sauce.

And it does a great job of moisturizing lips, too!

Here’s a wild idea: give your Significant Other a kiss while wearing this lip balm and see if the poor creature can figure out how the yummy taste of sisig came to be on your lips. Oh, and props to you if you time this prank near a mealtime so you can both go to Sisig Society to satisfy the sisig craving that’s sure to pop out.

(I see what you did there, Sisig Society…) 😉

Now, where to find a Sisig Society outlet…

East Capitol Drive, Kapitolyo, Pasig City

Food Gallery, Third Floor, Ali Mall, Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City

Third Floor, Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte, Quezon City

Calle Bistro, Ground Floor, Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth Avenue, Old Balara, Quezon City

Unit 12 The Fort Strip, 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig

Ground Floor, One World Square, McKinley Hill, Taguig

Ground Floor, Ayala Malls Marikina, Liwasang Kalayaan, Marikina Heights, Marikina City

Third Floor, Circuit Lane, Ayala Malls Circuit, Olympia, Makati

Ground Floor, Dela Rosa Carpark 2, Legaspi Village, Makati

Ground Floor, Fisher Mall, Navotas-Caloocan Junction, Longos, Malabon City

Hoegaarden BGC Food Crawl: Mimi & Bros

That awesome #ThirstyThursday concluded for me and my fellow foodies with a filling dinner at Mimi & Bros, the fourth and final stop in the Hoegaarden x Zomato Food Crawl (the third for li’l ole latecomer me).

Mimi & Bros is a walk up bar and barbecue joint located in a prime spot along 32nd Street in Bonifacio Global City. Here, you can savor your tasty barbecues and other comfort food while enjoying the summer breezes, thanks to the resto’s outdoor dining area which leads to a bigger dining room inside.

From the outside, the place is bustling with frenetic activity, with servers hurrying to bring the food to customers amidst the resto’s bright lights and chill music playing in the background.

Its menu is centered on comfort food – staples in the young urban professional’s palate – such as chops, ribs and chicken. All of these can be immensely enjoyed with an icy glass of Hoegaarden Rosee, which is also available at the restaurant.

Hoegaarden Rosee is the sweeter and fruitier variant of the Belgian white beer (or witbier) Hoegarden. The Rosee has a light and sparkly raspberry pink color and a softer taste and lower alcohol content than the original brew, making it an ideal beverage for drinking lightweights like me.

In between sips of my Hoegaarden Rosee, I gorged on Mimi & Bros offerings, which include their signature dishes as well as new menu items.

For me, the standouts include:

Mimi’s Fried Chicken (Php685 whole with 3 sides | Php425 half with 2 sides | Php255 quarter with one side). The chicken’s crunchy golden-brown skin gives way to juicy and tender meat, well complemented by a rich gravy.

6-Hour BBQ Beef Short Ribs (Php895). Dry-rubbed beef ribs smoked for six hours to produce flavorful meat that falls off the bone.

Chicken Skin Nachos (Php195). Replace tortilla chips with crispy deep-friend chicken skin and top this with cheese, sour cream, tomatoes, onions and jalapenos. A spicy and sinful dish to munch on for sure!

Dirty Bird Chicken Pizza (Php295). Replace the pizza dough with a chicken chop and top it with xheese, pepperoni and tomatoes. With each bite, you get two classic favorites: friend chicken and pizza.

Smokey Bacon Pork Ribs (Php1,595 full slab solo | Php1,695 full slab with 3 sides | Php895 half slab solo | Php995 half slab with 2 sides). Pork ribs wrapped in bacon before smoking to produce a truly flavorful and fork tender meat.

Mimi’s Fried Chicken Sandwich (Php285). A cutlet of crispy fried chicken placed inside a burger bun together with pickles and served together with fries.

Chili Dog (Php265). Part of the resto’s newly launched chili menu, this consists of a plump hotdog on a bun covered in cheesy chili and served with fries.

All these menu items bear Mimi & Bros’ trademark for fun and tasty food, served with a lot of spice and a happy attitude, perfect for late-night hangouts with friends, made even more fun with Hoegaarden Rosee.

Mimi & Bros is located at Ground Floor, Crossroads Building, 32nd Street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City, open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 12 midnight, Fridays to Saturdays from 11am to 2am and Sundays from 10am to 10pm. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 8267737 or +63 945 7985176.

Disclosure: Together with other foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

Check out my reviews of other bars and watering holes in the Metro:

Romance Novel Review: Loving the Marquess by Suzanna Medeiros

One of my guilty pleasures is reading romance novels, those set in the Regency era in particular.

Regency romances are situated in the period of the British Regency, in which King George III was deem unfit to rule and his son, who would later accede the throne as King George IV, ruled as Prince Regent.

Strict observances of manners and propriety, concerns about social classes, inherited estates and noble titles, and, sometimes, even social commentary serve as the backdrop for passionate love stories between plucky heroines and aloof heroes.

One such story is Loving the Marquess by Suzanna Medeiros, the first novel of her Landing a Lord series.

Burdened by her family’s reduced circumstances, Louisa Evans sought the help of Nicholas, the Marquess of Overlea, the head of the family that ruined hers. Worried that he may be suffering from an inherited illness that put the marquisate’s future in jeopardy, he proposed marriage to Louisa but intends to have another man father children by her to prevent the passing down of the mysterious disease. His plans were complicated by his growing feelings for her and outside threats that endanger their safety.

This book proved to be enjoyable read, with a fast-paced plot and engaging characters, albeit with a few typos and grammatical errors. Actually, I finished it overnight. 🙂

Louisa is a believable and relatable heroine, a practical woman given to taking care of others: her siblings in the wake of their father’s death and their family’s fall to penury, and Overlea after his ailment caused him to collapse near the Evans home. Her change from an impoverished gentry girl to an elegant marchioness is something I as a reader rooted for.

Overlea, on the other hand, is a bit problematic for me. While the readers are told that he grew up as the spare to the heir and never expected to take the marquisate, his transformation from a laid-back young man prior to the deaths of his father and brother, to a responsible and compassionate landlord to his tenants was not given enough substance. Also, his reasons for his hare-brained idea to have another man father his heir, and his planned methods to bring this about were half-baked.

Secondary characters that I would love to read more about in later additions to the series include Louisa’s siblings Catherine and John, and Overlea’s best friend, the Earl of Kerrick.

Loving the Marquess is a good and easy book to read while relaxing on a weekend. The editing could be improved a bit, though.

The Landing a Lord series is preceded by the novella Dancing with the Duke, in which Charlotte Grant sets out to capture the heart of her childhood crush and her best friend’s brother, the Duke of Clarington in her one and only London season. The Marquess of Overlea and the Earl of Kerrick made appearances in this story as Clarington’s friends.

In second book in the series, Beguiling the Earl, Catherine Evans, whom we first met in Loving the Marquess, adjusts to the change in her circumstances after her sister’s marriage to Overlea. She has carried a tendre for the Earl of Kerrick ever since she met him and has harbored a wish to capture his heart during her London season. However, he is duty-bound to give his attentions to another woman.

In the third book in the series, The Unaffected Earl, Rose Hardwicke fell from being the darling of the ton to being a social pariah due to a family scandal. She sought the help of Earl of Brantford to prove her father innocent of treason but she may have trouble breaking through his icy exterior.

For more details or to buy any of these books on Amazon.com, simply click on the titles.

Check out my other blog posts on my favorite books:

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Authentic taste of Japan at Ramen Daisho, Mandaluyong

Ramen Daisho, a quaint Japanese restaurant located in Sunshine Center, Shaw Boulevard, offers delicious dishes with ingredients imported from Japan to give you the most authentic taste and experience possible.

This Lenten season, they’ll be offering specials to satisfy your Japanese cravings.

Seafood Tempuramen (Php399). Firm Ramen noodles in seafood broth, topped with Tempura and a side of Nori. Although I’m not a fan of anything seafood, this dish was a pleasant surprise as the dish offered a fresh taste of the sea.

Other than Ramen, Ramen Daisho also offers bentos in their Lenten Special.

Mixed Tempura Bento (Php305). This Bento includes Ebi Tempura, Kani Tempura, and Mixed Veggie Tempura with a side of potato salad, rice, and almond jelly for dessert.

Seafood Curry Bento (Php305). Seafood curry with mixed veggie salad, rice, and almond jelly. Shrimp, clam, and squid come together with the savory curry sauce in this dish, rich in flavor. The flavors in this bento taste great together and is definitely filling.

Other than the Lenten Special, Ramen Daisho offers more mouthwatering dishes.

I started with appetizers such as Gyoza and California Maki (Php255). Gyoza is a customer favorite as it is soft, juicy, and full of flavor.

Tonkotsu Ramen (Php380 regular | Php670 large). Ramen noodles in rich and creamy Tonkotsu broth, with topped with slices of pork, bamboo shoots, scallions, and a soft boiled egg. Ramen Daisho’s Tonkotsu Ramen is full of flavor and delicious down to the last spoonful of broth.

Miso Ramen (Php380 regular | Php670 large). Ramen noodles in Miso broth, with pork slices, nori, bamboo shoots, and a soft boiled egg. This dish is rich and fragrant, and is Ramen Daisho’s specialty.

Dipping Ramen. Firm Noodles with a semi-poached egg, scallions and Zaru Tare sauce. This light and refreshing ramen is a summer must-try, as this ramen is cold rather than your normal steaming hot ramen. This is something I would order again.

For authentic Japanese food, you can eat at Ramen Daisho, located at Unit 2, Sunshine Square, Shaw Blvd, Pleasant Hills, Mandaluyong City. It is open daily from 10am to 10p. For reservations and inquiries, contact them at (02) 7740036 and (02) 6332280.

Ramen Daisho was founded in the country in 2013 by Mr. Katsuyuki Nakata. Daisho Global, Inc. is the holding company that oversees the franchise of Ukokkei Ramen in terms of cooking methods and supplies from Fukuoka, Japan.

The restaurant prides itself on the authentic taste of its dishes and experience of dining within its walls. Guided by Mr. Yasuhiko Funatsu, the Ramen Master of Ukokkei Ramen, it served authentic ramen with an ukokkei soup base.

Since 2017, it has been under the management of Ureshi Fudo Corporation.

Winter is here with Johnnie Walker’s limited-edition GOT-inspired label

The Game of Thrones fever is in full swing with the last season set to premiere less than a month away.

Johnnie Walker, the world’s No. 1 whiskey, recently pulled out all the stops with its Game of Thrones-inspired Winter is Here event held at White Space Manila. Here, we die-hard GOT fans, togetger with whiskey enthusiasts, influencers and media guests were treated to an experiential journey through the different GOT-themed houses celebrating by Johnnie Walker whiskey labels.

Together with my coworkers from SKY, I was honored to take part in this exciting event as well.

Prior to entering the venue, we were treated to fingerfoods, fruits, cheeses, breads and meats, as well as sparkling pomegranate juice. This medieval-inspired dining experience was catered by Italian restaurant Cibo.

At the SKY booth, guests peered into a magic mirror to discover which denizen of Westeros is their spirit Game of Thrones character. (Apparently, mine was the Night King, brrr!)

At the stroke of eight, we were escorted inside the venue to make our way through the different houses of Johnnie Walker Whiskey labels.

House Red.

Driven by spice and fire, House Red was vibrant with heat and flame, especially the fiery scenery depicting Oldtown’s Citadel, punctuated by the exciting LED fire performances.

Here was celebrated the Johnnie Walker Red Label, the fruity, spicy and smokey blend that introduced the brand to the world. Today, it is one of the world’s best selling Scotch whiskey.

House Black.

Rising from the ashes from its test of fire was House Black. Cosplayer Alodia gracing the path through the Dark Forest of Ravens also set the mood for magic and mystery.

The iconic Johnnie Walker Black Label, with its bold and complex flavors of dark fruits, sweet vanilla and signature smokyness, was embodied by this house.

House Gold.

With the sun-kissed city of Dorne as a backdrop, House Gold was the seat of decadent luxury, where guests can touch the flavors of gold then show off their fabulousness at the glam photo booth hosted by Sam YG.

The luxuriously smooth Johnnie Walker Gold Label, with its delicate sweetness and rich flavor, was the drink given tribute to here.

House Blue.

Calling to mind the throne room in King’s Landing, guests were treated to the royal treatment by Tim Yap in House Blue where they can lord over everyone while seated on the throne.

Marked by the velvety combination of vanilla, honey, orange, hazelnut and dark chocolate, Johnnie Walker Blue Label was royally paid homage to here.

We gathered in front of the wall where warrior-dancers representing the various houses mock-battled culminating to the Breaking of the Wall.

House White.

With the fall of The Wall, we guests entered the Winter’s territory where took our drinks at the Ice Lounge and where we awaited the arrival of the Night King.

Inspired by the frosty and enigmatic inhabitants North of The Wall, the White Walker is Johnnie Walker’s limited edition variant launched late last year. It was served to guests directly from the freezer to bring out its best tastes and features along with other mixed drinks to further liven up the revelry. (And here’s a tip, when you freeze the bottle, the hidden message “Winter is here” appears in frosty lettering.)

The night’s revelries were hosted by Nico Bolzico (who gamely posed with us SKY folks), bolstered by the party music provided by Patty Tiu while scenes from the past and upcoming Game of Thrones seasons were flashed on the screen.

Winter is definitely here. And the fun has just begun.

The eighth and final season of Game of Thrones will premiere on April 15, 9am on HBO (SKYcable ch 54 SD and 168 HD in Metro Manila).

Want to binge-watch the previous seasons? You’ll be happy to know that access to HBO GO is free until April 15. Here, you can watch all past episodes of HBO Original series on-demand as well as watch live telecasts of HBO, HBO Signature, HBO Hits and HBO Family wherever you are using your mobile device! HBO GO is available exclusively to SKYcable subscribers whose subscriptions include HBO. Click here for more details.

Photo Credit for group shots: Jay Redondo of SKY

Game of Thrones: The Last Watch feature documentary premieres May 27 on HBO and HBO GO

For a year, acclaimed British filmmaker Jeanie Finlay was embedded on the set of the hit HBO series GAME OF THRONES, chronicling the creation of the show’s most ambitious and complicated season.

The feature documentary, GAME OF THRONES: THE LAST WATCH will debut in Asia same time as the U.S. on Monday, 27 May, one week after the series finale, at 9am, exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. The documentary delves deep into the mud and blood to reveal the tears and triumphs involved in the challenge of bringing the fantasy world of Westeros to life in the very real studios, fields and car-parks of Northern Ireland. GAME OF THRONES: THE LAST WATCH will also have a same day encore at 10pm.

Made with unprecedented access, GAME OF THRONES: THE LAST WATCH is an up-close and personal report from the trenches of production, following the crew and the cast as they contend with extreme weather, punishing deadlines and an ever-excited fandom hungry for spoilers.

Much more than a “making of” documentary, this is a funny, heart-breaking story, told with wit and intimacy, about the bittersweet pleasures of what it means to create a world – and then have to say goodbye to it.

Jeanie Finlay’s previous credits include the documentaries “Seahorse,” “Orion: The Man Who Would Be King,” “Pantomime,” “The Great Hip Hop Hoax,” “Sound It Out” and “Goth Cruise”. GAME OF THRONES: THE LAST WATCH is her eighth feature film.

GAME OF THRONES: THE LAST WATCH is a Glimmer Films production for HBO; director, Jeanie Finlay; executive producers, David Benioff. D.B. Weiss, Bernadette Caulfield; producers, Jeanie Finlay, Rachel Hooper, Martin Mahon; editor, Alice Powell; filmed by Jeanie Finlay, Mark Bushnell, Louise Liddy, Aaron Black, Richard Jephcote; composer, Hannah Peel.

The eighth and final season of GAME OF THRONES will debut in Asia same time as the U.S. on Monday, 15 April at 9am, with a same day encore at 10pm, exclusively on HBO GO and HBO. New episodes will premiere every Monday at the same time.

Based on the popular book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” by George R.R. Martin, this hit Emmy®-winning fantasy series chronicles an epic struggle for power in a vast and violent kingdom. Members of the ensemble cast for the seventh season included Emmy® and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, Aidan Gillen, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. Season seven credits: executive producers, David Benioff, D.B. Weiss, Carolyn Strauss, Frank Doelger, Bernadette Caulfield; co-executive producers, Bryan Cogman, Guymon Casady, Vince Gerardis, George R.R. Martin.

HBO is available on SKYcable Ch. 54 SD/Ch. 168 HD (For Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, Lipa-Batangas) or on Ch. 402 SD/710 HD (For Bacolod, Baguio, Cebu, Davao, Dumaguete, General Santos, Iloilo). SKYdirect subscribers can watch it on Ch. 22 HD. HBO Original Series as well as live channels are also available for streaming on HBO GO which is exclusively available to SKY subscribers. To subscribe, call 418-0000 or your local SKY office or visit www.mysky.com.ph.

Until April 15, SKYcable subscribers can watch all episodes of Game of Thrones Seasons 1 to 7 on demand via HBO GO for free. Simply download the app and register your SKYcable account. For more details, click here.

Disclosure: I work for SKY and part of my job is promoting its products and services, especially the content it provides to its subscribers. I consider being able to share my love for TV shows and movies and the experience of watching and talking about them with like-minded people some of the biggest perks of my job.

Series details and images provided by HBO in a recent press release.

Check out my posts on HBO shows:

Hoegaarden BGC Food Crawl: i Darts DASH

#ThirstyThursday continued for me and my fellow foodies when we hied ourselves off to i Darts DASH, the third stop of the Hoegaarden x Zomato Food Crawl (the second for li’l ole’ latecomer me).

i Darts DASH is the first electronic darts bar in the country using DARTSLIVE2 machines developed by SEGA Sammy in Japan. It uses soft tip darts thrown at electronic dart boards which automatically tallies scores of players. Not confident with your darts skills? No worries because there are also friendly and helpful darts instructors on standby, ready to help you up your game.

Here, you can challenge your friends to a fun (and safer) game of darts over cool drinks and yummy eats.

And speaking of cool drinks, bottles of Hoegaarden were waiting for us as soon as we entered the bar.

Hoegaarden is a Belgian beer brand. Would you believe it has been around for six centuries? In the mid-1500s, Belgian monks have been brewing witbier (white beer) flavored with orange peel and coriander. These brews are referred to as white beer because, being unfiltered, they appear white or hazy.

Personally, I discovered that I like Hoegaarden for its crisp and refreshing mouthfeel and lack of a bitter aftertaste despite having only a mild sweetness. I found that it goes superbly with a wide variety of bar chow such as:

Corn Tempura (Php180). Corn kernels rolled in cheese seasoning (because everything is better with cheese!)

Vietnamese Rice Roll (Php200). Served with both peanut and hoisin sauce (but I love it with just the peanut sauce!)

Enoki Nest (Php240). Enoki mushrooms dusted with Japanese spice togarashi and lemon zest, served with curry mayo.

Chicken Karaage (Php260). Juicy bite-size chicken tenders served with barbecue sauce, honey mustard sauce and Japanese mayo.

Naked Nachos with add-on Chili Beef (Php255). Crispy corn tortillas served with nacho cheese sauce, pico de gallo with ground beef simmered in tomatoes and spices.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza (Php340). Features strong spicy and zesty flavors from the blue cheese, chicken breasts, mozzarella and buffalo sauce.

Great eats, cool drinks, a rousing game of darts. What more can I ask for in a night out with friends?

i Darts DASH is located at the Fourth Floor, C3 Annex Building, 7th Avenue corner 30th Street, Bonifacio High Street Central, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 8190787 or +63 917 3173926.

Check out my reviews of other bars and watering holes in the Metro:

Hoegaarden BGC Food Crawl: Versus Barcade

It was a #ThirstyThursday Night for me and my fellow foodies as we met up in the second stop of the Zomato x Hoegaarden Food Crawl (the first for li’l old latecomer me): Versus Barcade.

What is a “barcade,” anyway?

As embodied by Versus Barcade, it is the crossover between a bar and an arcade: a place where you can enjoy you favorite drinks while playing old-school video games.

And here, you can also get a glass of Hoegaarden available on tap or draft.

Hoegaarden is named after the Flemish village recognized as the birthplace of the Belgian white beer, or witbier, if you will. This beer is unfiltered and flavored with coriander and orange peel, creating a crisp sweet and sour taste.

Now, I’m not much of a beer drinker, but with a sip of Hoegaarden Rosee, a sweeter and fruitier variant, beer drinkers have got themselves a new convert.

With my new favorite drink and my boisterous group of friends, I munched on the gamely named bar chow that Versus Barcade set out for us which include:

Legend of Nachos (Php345). Nacho chips topped with a combination of cheese sauce, tomato salsa and chili con carne. It’s got quite a spicy kick to it, so better have your beer handy as you take a bite into this.

Isaw the Sign (Php275). Crispy, deep-fried intestines. Another street food that will take you back to your childhood.

Q’Wek Q’Wek (Php300). That guilty pleasure street food: bright orange deep-fried battered quail eggs served with a sweet chili sauce.

Galagambas (Php440). Sauteed prawns in garlic and olive oil. The prawns were fresh and plump.

Winner 2x Chicken Skin Dinner (Php275). Marinated and deep-fried chicken skin best munched on while gaming.

Vega’s Beef Salpicao (Php400). Juicy tenderloin cubes sauteed in garlic and olive oil. This so flavorful; I found a piece of bread and scraped the oil from the bottom of the bowl to savor that garlicky goodness.

Rigatoni ala Luigi (Php320). Rigatoni pasta tossed in a creamy mushroom sauce together with shrimp and Italian sausage.

With my glass of Hoegaarden Rosee on-hand, these bar chows and my lovely foodie friends, my first Hoegaarden Food Crawl stop was a blast!

Versus Barcade is located at Ground Floor, Uptown Parade, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 8390302 or +63 995 5541412.

Check out my reviews of other bars and watering holes in the Metro:

Wine pairing class explores tasty combinations of wine and pizza

In vino, veritas.

In wine, there is truth.

Well, the truth is, I didn’t have much appreciation for wines. Similar to most Filipinos who reached adulthood without any exposure to wine culture, I have decided that wine just isn’t for me. What few sips I’ve had of the stuff were, for some reason, not pleasurable for me.

However, after joining a Food and Wine Pairing class organized by Wine Story Academy, I realized that maybe, similar to many things in life, I just haven’t found the right wine for me. Also, by partnering wine with one of my favorite kinds of food – pizza, supplied by Pasto Cafe and Bar – I was able to explore how the right combination of food and wine brings out the best in each other.

The class was held at the Wine Story outlet in EDSA Shangri-la Mall, an upscale retailer of fine and rare wines. Wine Story Academy’s Wine Education Manager Carla Santos guided our group through a set of five different wines to be tasted together with five different pizza flavors.

Basic Principles in Food and Wine Pairing

The conventional wisdom in food and wine pairing is to pair red wines with red meat and white wines with white meat. However, according to Carla, there are more factors to consider, not the least of which is your own preference.

To find the perfect food and wine pairing, we need to strike a balance among the following characteristics of the food served:

Weight. How heavy (or filling) does the food feel in your mouth? It is a good idea to pair a filling kind of food with a fuller-bodied kind of wine.

Intensity. How strong does are the food’s flavors? You would want to taste both the food and the wine’s flavors so take care that one does not overpower the other.

Flavor. The ingredients and method of cooking, as well as dips and sauces incorporated to the dish also contribute to the flavor of the food which needs to be considered.

In choosing the perfect wine for the dishes, one must consider the following wine profiles:

Sweetness. It is the first sensation – it may not necessarily be a sugary kind of sweetness but more of a fruity kind – as the wine hits the tip of your tongue. All but the very driest of wines will have some sensation of sweetness.

Acidity. This is what makes the wine crisp and refreshing. You will feel it as it makes your mouth water. A wine with too much acidity will be unpleasantly tart while one with too little will feel flabby or flat.

Tannin. This is the mouth-drying substance found in wine. Too much tannin will make the wine taste hard and bitter while too little will make it seem soft and innocuous as fruit juice.

The Tasting

The evening’s featured wines, curated by Wine Story Academy, include:

Tenuta Sant’Anna Goccia Pinot Grigio 2017 (Veneto, Italy; Php1,000). It smells of acacia flowers and exotic fruits. The taste is marked by a total absence of tannin, resulting to a fresh and floral flavor.

Sand Point Chardonnay 2015 (California, USA; Php1,300). Possesses an aroma with peach and pear notes. It is a soft wine with low acidity and fruity flavor.

Urban Riesling 2015 (Mosel, Germany; Php1,350). It has a clean, fresh and flinty bouquet and smells of tangerines. It is off-dry, with a crisp and semi-sweet taste.

The Winery of Good Hope Bush Vine Pinotage 2018 (Stellenbosch, South Africa; Php1,050). Its aroma is one of blackberry and plums accented by hints of oak and mocha. It tastes ripe and juicy.

Cardinalices Rouge Grande Reserve 2015 (Rhone Valley, France; Php1,000). It has a fruity aroma with some spicy notes and marked by a strong and complex flavor.

Pizzas paired with the featured wines were provided by Pasto’s EDSA Shangri-la Mall branch and presented interesting flavors that we mixed and matched with the wine.

Vegetariano. This pizza is marked by the earthy smokey flavor of assorted roasted vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, bell peppers and garlic. I find that the light and fresh Pinot Grigio works well with this pizza.

Napolitana. Sliced button mushrooms and savory achovies make this a strongly flavored pizza. For me, the Pinotage’s acidity stands up well to its saltiness.

Di Carne. This is an all-meat extravaganza with Italian sausage, smoked ham and pepperoni. The Cardinalices’ bold and strong flavors complement the meats in this pizza.

Gamberi Fritti. A crispy battered shrimp tops the artichoke salsa and lemon aioli in this pizza, with spicy chili flakes. The low alcohol and the refreshing acidity of the Riesling manages the heat from this spicy pizza.

Prosciutto Cotto. Caramelized onions added some sweetness to the pizza along with the earthy smoked ham, asparagus and mozzarella. The soft and fruity Chardonnay complements the pizza’s flavors.

Wine tasting tips

This food and wine pairing class is an eye-opener for me. Not only did it show me the versatility and variety of wines but it also helped grow my appreciation for how they can enrich the dining experience. For those who are planning to go to a similar wine tasting affair, here are some things to remember:

No brushing of teeth or smoking right before class. Tobacco and mint will affect your sense of taste.

Avoid wearing heavy scents such as perfume, cologne or scented hair spray. These will affect your sense of smell.

Hold the wine glass by the stem. This keeps fingerprints off the bowl (so you can see and appreciate the liquid in all its splendor) and prevents your hand from heating the wine.

Prior to tasting, take a sniff to get an initial impression of the wine’s aroma, then swirl for a bit to bring out some more of its scent. This will contribute to your fuller appreciation of the wine’s flavor.

Many thanks to Mike Lord Raymundo of the Pasto Group and Bar Craft Concepts for extending the invitation!

For more details about the wines and pizzas featured in this wine class, visit their respective social media sites:

Pasto Cafe and Bar on Facebook and Instagram

Wine Story Academy on Facebook and Instagram

To help develop the Filipino palate for wine, the Wine Story Academy offers the following classes next month:

April 6: Intro to Bordeaux (Php3,000 per person)
April 13: Wine 101 (Php2,000 per person) and Sushi and Wine Pairing (Php2,500 per person)

Say hello to a great summer with Ombu Kusina’s Flavored Ice Halo-Halo

Summers are for great times with great food, and spent with great friends.

Together with my fellow foodies, I experienced what certainly seems to be the start of a great summer.

In a recent Foodie Event hosted by Ombu Kusina, it launched its newest and coolest offerings: three new scrumptious halo-halo flavors!

The halo-halo is a favorite Pinoy dessert made of crushed ice, evaporated milk and other sweet ingredients such as nata de coco, beans and coconut strips, served layered on top of each other, but then mixed together so that each spoonful is a mixture of sweet ingredients and the crushed ice. Ombu does its own take on this classic icy treat, with three flavors, available only during the summer, at only Php160 each. These include:

Milk Tea. The milk tea craze has surely hit the country and how! Now this exotic drink which originated from Taiwan flavors the Pinoy halo-halo through the use of brewed Earl Grey black tea.

Mango. Fresh ripe mango are pureed, mixed with milk then frozen to create mango-flavored crushed ice, served with the usual halo-halo ingredients and toppped with succulent mango cubes.

Tres Leches. As the name implies, the crushed ice is flavored with three kinds of milk and topped with creamy leche flan. This is my favorite among the new halo-halo variants.

Ombu’s Chef Griffin Oraiz explained that what sets Ombu’s halo-halo treats apart from similar offerings from other restaurants is the use of flavored ice: the flavors are infused into the ice, resulting to a more intense taste and creamier mouthfeel.

Ombu also showcased some its signature dishes which are well-suited for the summer, such as:

Suzi Wong Sandwich (Php270). A three-layered sandwich made of ham, cheese and pickles between four slices of butter-toasted crusted bread and served with house-made deep-fried purple camote chips.

Tinapa Croquettes (Php240). Tinapa (smoked milkfish) is combined with a creamy bechamel sauce and sauteed onions, then coated with breadcrumbs, deep-fried to a crisp golden brown and served with a house-blend special garlic mayo dip.

Three-Cheese Pizza (Php420). Mozzarella and cheddar cheeses are combined with the local kesong puti, a home-grown cheese made of carabao’s milk, on top of a crisp oven-baked pizza crust.

Tokwa’t Baboy (Php260). Tokwa (tofu) are cut into cubes, fried and served with hearty pork chunks in a house-blended spicy soy vinegar sauce. This is actually a great complement and a traditional companion to the next dish which is the…

Arroz Caldo (Php130). The traditional Pinoy version of rice porridge with chicken pieces, it is highlighted by the use of cured, soft-boiled “ramen-style” eggs that adds a different dimension of flavor to the Pinoy merienda staple.

These dishes and the seasonal halo-halo flavors all adhere to Ombu Kusina’s modern take on Filipino cuisine: infusing classic Pinoy dishes with new and exciting cooking styles and influences. These help to make Pinoy cuisine fresher and more relevant to a growing number of foodies, who are looking for their next food adventure.

And if that isn’t reason enough for you to hie on over to Ombu for a taste of its innovative and flavorful dishes, how about this: use my code – VIPBeingJellybeans – when you dine in and get 10% off your food bill!

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Say hello to a gastronomically fantastic summer with @ombu_resto’s refreshing halo-halo blends (milk tea, tres leches and mango) and their new merienda menu. Plus!!! Use my code VIPBeingJellybeans when you dine in until May 11 and get 10% off your food bill! Thanks for this summer treat, Ombu! . . . . . #foodieph #foodph #pinoyfoodie #yummyph #foodiegram #foodgasm #whattoeatph #saansaph #welovetoeatph #foodbloggerph #manilaeatup #beingjellybeans

A post shared by Jellybeans in the City (@beingjellybeans) on Mar 16, 2019 at 6:39am PDT

Check it out and let me know what you think!

Ombu Kusina is located at the Ground Floor, Sequioa Hotel, Mother Ignacia corner Timog Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City, open daily from 6.30am to 10.30am. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 441179.

Read my review of a previous visit to Ombu Kusina here.

Check out my reviews of other Filipino restaurants: