Gel Jose

Best Asian fusion dishes from Bistro Charlemagne

Ever since I had my first taste of Bistro Charlemagne‘s celebrated dishes during a foodie meetup held at its Ayala Feliz branch two years ago, the restaurant has occupied a special place in my heart.

Then, the flavors my fellow foodies and I tasted were at once familiar and novel to our palates. This is because this high-end restaurant offers to its clientele a fusion of Asian and European cuisines.

I was also able to introduce this resto to Hubby and the kids, and a family favorite came to be. Bistro Charlemagne became our go-to restaurant for family celebrations, including birthdays and get-togethers with visiting relatives.

It was forced to pause its operations during the enhanced community quarantine but re-opened in the second half of the year for delivery. It was just in time for my daughter #ExhibitA’s birthday, who has declared Bistro Charlemagne as her favorite restaurant so I had some her favorite dishes delivered to our home for her birthday lunch.

As community quarantine restrictions have lessened, Bistro Charlemagne has also re-opened for dine-in service but with safety protocols in place.

I’m looking forward to dining in at Bistro Charlemagne soon. However, since my son #ExhibitB is below 18 years old and can’t enter malls, I decided to have our holiday lunch from Bistro Charlemagne delivered to our home for the whole family to enjoy.

Our family feast included:

Pares Rice (Php365). Slow-braised shredded beef shank with anise-sweet soy in fried rice topped with fried beef.

Japanese Beef Fried Rice (Php145). The fam’s favorite fried rice made with Japanese rice, ground beef, vegetables and egg.

Scallop Gratin (Php445). Baked bay scallops with garlic-chorizo cream sauce topped with cheese.

Golden 17 Chicken (Php375). Traditionally prepared soy chicken perfumed with an intricate blend of seventeen herbs and spices and served with yummy ginger sauce. Hubby discovered that its mild flavor is a perfect match with the Pares Rice.

Drunken Lengua in Brown Mushroom Sauce (Php445). Pan-seared ox tongue with mushrooms, asparagus and white wine. I’ve been raving about this dish for years now. It goes so well with the Japanese Fried Rice that these two dishes are my automatic orders.

Lengua in White Sauce (Php445). I decided to also introduce Bistro Charlemagne’s other lengua dish to the fam. Made with braised ox tongue with rich cream sauce and sautéed mushrooms. While this is an exceptional dish, the fam’s loyalty is still with our favorite Drunken Lengua.

The fam’s holiday lunch was so special because we were able to taste our old favorites and discover new ones as well.

Hoping that things normalize soon so we can all dine in at Bistro Charlemagne soon.

This Bistro Charlemagne branch is located at Fifth Floor, Ayala Malls Feliz, Dela Paz, Pasig City, open daily from 10am to 8pm. Orders may also be called in via +63 956 4507704. Digital payments via BDO and GCash are accepted.

Other branches are located at:

Paranaque: Third Floor, Cinema Building, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Aseana Avenue, Entertainment City, Parañaque City
Laguna: Solenad 3, Ayala Malls Solenad, Nuvali, Don Jose, Santa Rosa, Laguna

Bistro Charlemagne also delivers via FoodPanda, GrabFood and Mangan.

New to being a plantita? Keep these tips in mind

Are you a plantita yet?

During quarantine, it seems that people all started cultivating houseplants. This is hardly surprising because plants do contribute to beautifying a space by providing spots of color or unique touches to the area. Since most of us are spending practically all our time at home, we are seized with the urge to improve the visual appeal of our abode with the use of houseplants.

Aside from their aesthetic contributions to our homes, houseplants also help in maintaining our health.

Some houseplants have known medicinal benefits. Aloe vera, for example, has been used to treat burns and skin, while the root of the ginger plant is used to help with digestion and nausea.

Aside from these, houseplants also help in maintaining our mental well-being. They give off a calming vibe that eases our stresses. Plants help to bring the outdoors into the home by reminding us of nature and wide open spaces. Also, since plants give off oxygen while taking in carbon dioxide, they help in improving air quality in our home.

If you’re a newbie plantita (or plant-parent), you might want to keep these tips in mind to make sure you get to enjoy your plant-babies, and their health benefits, for a long time.

1) Have the basics on-hand.

Plants basically need three things to grow and thrive: soil, sunlight and water. The availability of these requirements in your home should determine which plants you will choose and what gardening method you will employ.

If you have a large outdoor space for a garden, for example, you have the leeway to opt for larger plants that need lots of sunlight and soil. If you live in a condo, on the other hand, a smaller potted plant that does not require constant sunlight might be more appropriate.

2. Check your lifestyle.

Some people may have lots of time to devote to gardening and can take on plants with exacting care requirements.

Other may not have time in abundance, plants that are low maintenance may be the order of the day.

Luckily, there are products now available that help make plant care a lot easier such as self-watering systems and misters.

You might also want to consider if you have family members or pets that you may not always be able to control around houseplants. Pets may dig the soil from potted plants or chew on leaves, making themselves sick. Meanwhile, small children might pull off flowers or knock down potted plants.

Bearing in mind how much time and effort you can devote to the care of your houseplants, as well as the other living things that share the space with them, choose the ones that suit your lifestyle best.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

The plantita/plantito community in the country is growing and many of its members are more than happy to share best practices and useful advice to newbie plant owners. Search Facebook for groups on plants and gardening where you can post questions and ask for advice.

Your local plant nurseries are also good sources of information and equipment for plant care. Just ask the gardener about plant care tips.

You can also brush up on your plant care know-how by reading books or browsing plant care websites.

Being a plantita has its own unique rewards. Seeing your plant-baby grow and flourish will surely feel akin to a big accomplishment.

So with these tips in your plantita arsenal, you can face your plant ownership journey head on and enjoy the happiness it brings.

This post contains affiliate links.

Photos of plant nursery taken at D’Flora’s Garden along Katipunan Road, White Plains Subdivision, Quezon City.

What’s on HBO GO this January

Here are some great shows for your New Year streaming playlist! HBO GO opens the year with the hottest premieres from movie blockbusters to fresh installments of award-winning series that you can watch on-demand wherever you are and whenever you want. Check them out:

Tora-San, Wish You Were Here
Premieres Friday, 1 January at 10pm

Fifty years after Kiyoshi Atsumi’s wandering salesman first appeared on the big screen, the beloved long-running Tora-san film series comes to a close in this 50th and final instalment, exploring the lives of the ones he left behind. Hidetaka Yoshioka reprises his role as Tora-san’s nephew, Mitsuo.

1917
Premieres Saturday, 2 January

At the height of the First World War, two young British soldiers, Schofield and Blake, are given a seemingly impossible mission. In a race against time, they must cross enemy territory and deliver a message that will stop a deadly attack on hundreds of soldiers – Blake’s own brother among them. Directed by Oscar winner Sam Mendes, this World War I epic stars Oscar winner Colin Firth, Oscar nominee Benedict Cumberbatch, Golden Globe winner Richard Madden and Golden Globe nominee Andrew Scott.

The Rook
Premieres Monday, 4 January
New episode premieres every subsequent Monday

This series tells the story of Myfanwy Thomas, a woman who wakes up in the rain beside London’s Millennium Bridge with no memory of who she is and no explanation for the circle of dead bodies splayed out around her. When she discovers that she’s a high ranking official in Britain’s last secret service for people with paranormal abilities, she’ll have to navigate the dangerous and complex world of the agency to uncover who wiped her memory – and why. Stars Emma Greenwell, Golden Globe nominee Joely Richardson and Olivia Munn.

Tiger
Premieres Monday, 11 January at 10am
Part two premieres at the same time the following Monday.

An HBO two-part documentary offering a revealing look at the rise, fall, and epic comeback of global icon Tiger Woods. The series paints an intimate picture of the prodigy whose dedication and obsession with the game of golf not only took his fame and success to new heights, but also down a dark, spiraling road that eventually led to a legendary sports comeback, culminated by his victory at the 2019 Masters.

C.B. Strike: Lethal White
Premieres Thursday, 21 January at 10am
New episode premieres every Thursday

Tom Burke and Holliday Grainger return in the brand-new second season of C.B. Strike, based on the best-selling crime novels written by Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith.

Euphoria: F*ck Anyone Who’s Not A Seablob
Premieres Monday, 25 January at 10am

In the second of two special episodes of the Emmy® winning HBO drama series Euphoria, we follow Jules (played by Hunter Schafer) over the Christmas holiday as she reflects on the year. Schafer also serves as co-executive producer on this episode, which she co-wrote with Euphoria creator Sam Levinson.

HBO Original Series as well as live channels are also available for streaming to SKYcable subscribers on HBO GO for as low as Php99/month. To subscribe, call your local SKY office or fill up this form.

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

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.

Recipe: Baked Salmon in Lemon Butter Sauce

Just like that: 2020 is no more and we’re off to welcome a brand new year!

Guess what: I embraced 2021 with a new recipe for baked salmon for the fam’s Media Noche feast.

This past Christmas Eve, as I’ve done for several past Christmas Eves, I whipped up my tried-and-tested Cheesy Baked Salmon for our Noche Buena feast. It’s certainly a family favorite and even my friends have been trying it out for their own holiday feasts.

However, I opted to do something different for the fam’s Media Noche feast. This time around, at Hubby’s suggestion, I decided to go a ease up a bit on the cheese but go heavy on the butter. And the result is awesome.

So here it is: check out my recipe for Baked Salmon in Lemon Butter Sauce.

Ingredients:

1 salmon fillet (600 grams or more)
1/3 cup unsalted butter
5 cloves of garlic, finely minced
4 tablespoons lemon juice
8 thin slices of lemon
1 teaspoon honey
Salt and pepper to taste
French beans and carrot strips, blanched and lightly stir-fried in butter

Procedure:

Thaw salmon and pat dry.

Rub half of the minced garlic over the fillets. Pour three-fourths of the lemon juice over the salmon, then set the fillet aside for ten minutes to allow the salmon to marinate.

Preheat the oven to 190 deg C (375 deg F).

Arrange the lemon slices at the bottom of an aluminum baking pan.

Remove the salmon from the marinade, scraping off excess garlic, and place the fillets skin-side down on a on top of the lemon slices. Set aside.

Place the butter in a microwave-safe bowl and place it in the microwave for one minute to melt the butter.

Whisk in the remaining one-fourth of the lemon juice, the honey and the remaining half of the minced garlic into the melted butter.

Season the fillets with salt (I used Himalayan sea salt from Goodness MNL for its health benefits but ordinary table salt will do) and freshly ground black pepper.

Spoon three-fourths of the butter mixture onto the salmon fillets and reserve the rest of the remaining mixture.

Cover the salmon with a sheet of aluminum foil then seal the fillets by crimping the ends together with the pan to produce an air-tight cover for the fillets.

Place the baking pan in the oven and allow the salmon to bake for 17 minutes.

Take out the baking sheet from the oven and remove the top cover. Spoon the remaining butter mixture over the salmon pieces then allow the salmon to broil for five to ten minutes until the salmon fillets turn golden.

Serve with the buttered French beans and carrot sticks.

I’m glad to note that this dish has my Hubby and kiddos’ seal of approval in terms of taste and texture. Hubby even prefers it to the Cheesy Baked Salmon.

My compromise is to go for the Cheesy Baked Salmon for Noche Buena as its richness will be well-suited for it being the central dish. For Media Noche, wherein it will be one of many dishes atop a traditionally overflowing table, the simpler buttery version will be more appropriate.

Try this recipe and let me know how it goes!

Looking for other easy-to-cook dishes to try out? Check out my other kitchen adventures:

My sparks of hope and joy for 2021

“A spark is a little thing, yet it may kindle the world.” – Martin Farquhar Tupper

2020 may have been characterized by one catastrophe after another, but those of us who made it through are now faced with the promise of better days ahead.

As we leave the disaster of a year that is 2020 behind, we bring with us the lessons thar we learned and the little things that got us through our darkest days to bolster us into the new year.

Here are the sparks of hope and joy that will continue to kindle in me the strength and courage as I continue to forge ahead.

Love of family

The quarantine which arose from the pandemic physically cut us off from almost everyone except our immediate family. Instead of catching up every evening on how each other’s day went at work or in school, we now spend the entire day together at home.

With the increase in time that I spent together with my family, I was able to discover new things about them: how Hubby polished up his cooking skills to be able to serve me the dishes that I’ve been craving for but can’t have because restaurants are closed, how my daughter #ExhibitA took the time to tutor her brother because I was too tired to do so, or how my son #ExhibitB did his best to adjust to learning from home despite his development issues.

I’m looking forward to discovering more to love about my family in the new year.

Constancy of friendship

Before the pandemic, busy work schedules and various responsibilities have already precluded frequent meetups with friends.

During the pandemic, the restrictions on mobility and the need for physical distancing made getting together with friends near impossible.

That doesn’t mean, however, that true pals will let those get in the way of friendship. There were those who were quick to send messages of concern and encouragement when my mother company was shut down, or those who immediately checked up on me and my family during the typhoons because they know I live in a flood-prone area. There were also friends sent tasty dishes and care packages to brighten my day.

These friendships bolster my confidence in facing the days ahead.

Innate goodness of people

With all the travails that 2020 brought, we Pinoys really went out of our way to help each other out. From contributing to #TulongTulongSaTaal and #PantawidNgPagibig, we helped to make vital supplies and essentials available to those who needed them most.

Abundance of blessings

Through all the dark times we’ve faced this year, there are slivers of sunshine that bring us moments of happiness and hope.

While the new work from home setup required quite a lot of adjustments for me and my coworkers, we were still able to function and be productive away from our office. The blended learning setup for my son enabled me to be more involved in his education, something that was very difficult when I worked in the office.

I was also gladdened to learn that many of my friends became entrepreneurs, providing products and services that became important because of the pandemic.

These are small blessings that when added up made life in 2020 bearable, and some moments even enjoyable.

As I leave the past behind, I carry these sparks of hope and joy into 2021.

I hope you keep your own sparks close to your heart and I wish you a better and happier new year.

DIY Black Burger Kit from 390 Degrees

Earlier this year, I had my first taste of the novel black burger when I dined with my fellow bloggers at 390 Degrees.

Black has always been at the top of my list of favorite colors (as is apparent in my wardrobe) but seldom do I see and fancy it on food.

390 Degrees’ black burger is an exception, though. Not only is this creation so beautifully presented, the flavors and textures from the black bun, beef patty, sauces and veggies all meld together into one irresistible burger.

I wish I could have shared this unique burger experience with the fam (who are all burger connoisseurs in their own right), but, alas, the resto is situated on the other far end of the metro and is quite distant from our home.

To make matters worse, the pandemic struck and the resulting quarantine imposed restrictions on inter-city mobility and dining out.

Still, I held out hope that I can get another taste of 390 Degrees’ black burger as well as share the experience with the fam.

And wouldn’t you know it: my prayers were answered and, earlier this month, 390 Degrees launched its DIY Black Burger Kit.

For just Php850, you can have a box containing four quarter pound Wagyu beef patties, 4 black charcoal infused buns, 390 Degrees’ in-house tomato sauce and signature mustard sauce. (Note: if you will not cook the burgers immediately, store the buns and patties in the freezer and the sauces in the chiller.)

Preparing your 390 Degrees black burgers is super easy:

Thaw the buns and patties prior to cooking.
Season each side of the patties with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. (Truth be told: I forgot to season the burger patties before I cooked them and they were already flavorful so I think you can further temper the seasoning or skip this step altogether.
Place the patties in an oiled hot grill or pan and cook for a minute and a half in medium high heat. Flip and do the same on the other side until the patties are medium well done. Set patties aside to allow them to rest.
Slice the buns and place in a preheated grill or pan and toast for one minute in low heat.
To assemble a burger, spread the tomato sauce on the one half of the bun and the mustard sauce on the other half of the bun.
Place any veggies (such as lettuce, tomato or onions) you want to add to your burger on the bottom bun, place the patty on top of the veggies, then add other toppings. Cover with the top bun.

The best thing about 390 Degrees’ DIY Burger Kit is that you can customize your burgers to suit your cravings. So I made four different types of burgers for myself and the fam by adding different toppings:

A cheese slice to make a Black Cheeseburger for Hubby.

Toasted Fiesta Ham for a Black Christmas Burger for my daughter #ExhibitA.

Crispy Bacon for a Black Bacon Burger for my son #ExhibitB.

A sunny-side-up egg for a Black Breakfast Burger for me.

Each burger is definitely a thing of beauty, worthy of immortalizing in my IG feed. Plus, the Wagyu patties are so juicy, tender and flavorful (Yoy should have smelled them as they cook! The aroma was simply mouthwatering!) The black buns are not just pretty but are also fluffy and serve as great frame for the patties.

How about making and posting your own IG-worthy black burger creation using the DIY Burger Kit for a chance to win a Php10,000 gift certificate from 390 Degrees?

Simply purchase a DIY Black Burger Kit and post a pic of your creation on Instagram (tag @390degrees.resto and use the hashtag #390burgerkitchallenge). Be sure to keep your receipt or a pic of DIY black burger kit if you received it as a gift. Deadline for posting is January 31, 2021.

390 Degrees is located at Ground Floor, Sequoia Hotel Manila, Aseana City Business Park, Entertainment City, Parañaque City. It recently re-opened for dine-in from 10am to 10pm daily. It also offers ready-to-cook frozen meals and its DIY Burger Kit for takeout or delivery via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Get a free palabok platter with your Mang Inasal family size chicken order

Stressed over what to have for Noche Buena?

Not to worry, Mang Inasal’s got your back with its Take-out and Delivery Blowout.

If you missed this promo when it was first offered last November, you’ll definitely be happy to know it’s back just in time to save us from our Noche Buena woes.

As a treat for its customers, Mang Inasal is treating customers who order a Family Size Large Paa or Pecho Family Size for takeout or delivery with a complimentary family size platter of Mang Inasal Pancit Palabok. These servings are good for four people, definitely enough to satisfy my hungry fam.

Mang Inasal helped make the Ilonggo dish chicken inasal more accessible and popular in the metro. In this dish, chicken pieces are marinated in calamansi, pepper, vinegar and annato, then grilled over hot coals while being basted with the flavorful marinade until the chicken becomes smokey, juicy and tender. I tend to favor the paa (chicken leg and thigh) over the pecho (chicken breast) as I find this part juicier and more flavorful but other people find the pecho more to their taste. Chicken inasal is best enjoyed with garlic ricr, toyomansi and doused in a lot of chicken oil.

Mang Inasal’s Pancit Palabok, on the other hand, is made of thin rice noodles in a thick golden sauce topped with chopped spring onions, slices of hard-boiled egg, bits of chicharon (pork rind), pork slices and flakes of tinapa (smoked fish).

With my recent order of Mang Inasal Family Size Large Paa, I also received the Pancit Palabok Platter, all for only Php396!

This offer is available until December 28 only so don’t let it pass you by!

To allow more people to enjoy this amazing deal, customers can only avail of three orders of Mang Inasal Family Size Large Chicken Platters per transaction.

For delivery, course your orders via GrabFood, FoodPanda or LalaFood.

For takeout, visit your nearest Mang Inasal branch or send a message via Facebook.

Three reasons to make superfood part of your life

Goodness MNL makes healthy eating more accessible with its carefully curated goodness boxes.

With a new year just around the corner, we usually take this time time to reflect on the year just past. And, boy, is there quite a lot to reflect about this year!

If, like me, you have allowed your inner foodie free rein this year with no exercise to counterbalance the intake of food, then you might be thinking of living a healthier lifestyle from the new year onwards.

Food will undoubtedly comprise a large part of your new lifestyle, and not just what you restrict yourself from gorging on, but, more importantly, what you choose to nourish yourself. It is important to keep in mind that while you shy away from food that do not significantly benefit your well-being, you should ensure that you consume more of those that do such as superfood.

If you haven’t been consciously incorporating superfood in your diet, now is the best time to do so. Here are three reasons why:

1) Superfood are highly nutritious.

Being whole or unprocessed ingredients, superfood are known for having high nutrient density which help in keeping you healthy and in warding off diseases.

Chia seeds, for example, are rich in fiber and energy, have anti-oxidant properties and help in maintaining heart health.

Himalayan salt, on the other hand, is also rich in energy, helps promote brain health and manage the effects of aging.

If you’re looking for food with lots of protein, fiber and omega 3 nutrients, golden flax seeds are among your best bets.

Meanwhile, if you want something to help with your digestion and heart health, you might want to check out sunflower seeds, which are also great sources for Vitamin E and magnesium.

Cacao nibs, on the other hand, can help in improving your mood, have antioxidant properties and are good sources of fiber, iron and magnesium.

2) Superfood can easily be integrated in your favorite dishes.

I used to think that healthy food is bland or tasteless but -surprise! surprise! – superfood happen to be among those things that are not just good for you but tastes good, too!

Himalayan salt can help in flavoring your grilled steaks and other savory dishes.

Chia seeds, golden flax seeds and sunflower seeds, on the other hand, can be blended into your favorite juices, smoothies and mocktails.

Lastly, cacao nibs can be enjoyed on their own – I munch on them as I watch my favorite stand up comedy shows on Netflix – or be added to dessert recipes.

3) Superfood are now more readily available.

Ready to test the waters of going into superfood? Not to worry!

You can try five different types of superfood by getting a box set from Goodness MNL. Choose five from the nine superfood types available – organic chia seeds, organic golden flax seeds, organic sweet basil seeds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, Himalayan fine salt, Himalayan rock salt, organic cocosugar, organic adlai grits and cocosugar cacao nibs – and have them delivered to you in a beautifully curated box.

Already into healthy eating and want to encourage your friends to do the same? Goodness MNL box sets are also great as Christmas gifts or giveaways so your friends can join you on your healthy eating journey.

You can get a box set for Php400, the box contains five 40ml test tube bottles or for Php330 containing five 30ml test tube bottles.

Both variants include your choice of five superfood, a wooden teaspoon, recipe and info sheet, ribbons and Christmas tag

To order, just message Goodness MNL on Facebook or Instagram with instructions on how you want your box set customized. Payments via BDO or GCash are accepted.

Goodness MNL delivers within Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Shipping fee will be shouldered by the buyer.

You can also course your order through Shopee.

So be on your way towards a healthier lifestyle by eating healthy and by getting goodness in a box from Goodness MNL!

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to facilitate this feature article.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Oreo Blizzard Cake from Dairy Queen

When I was a kid, getting an ice cream cake for your birthday was like spotting a unicorn: it just made everything extra special.

Back in the 80s, getting an ice cream cake was already a grand production in itself. Someone had to go get the ice cream cake in the one – one! – store in the whole of the metro where ice cream cakes are available, and bring it to where your party was. To prevent the cake from melting during transit from the ice cream store to your shindig, it is placed in a container lined with dry ice (which we would place in a tub of water to get that smoke effect during the party).

Today, ice cream cake is available in Dairy Queen outlets as Blizzard Cakes – with various flavors available too! – and can be delivered to your home hassle-free.

For my son’s last birthday, his grandma sent him a Dairy Queen Oreo Blizzard Cake. This lovely ice cream cake is made of layers of cream vanilla soft-serve ice cream with a crunch and fudge center and topped with fresh Oreo pieces.

Since Oreos and ice cream are among my son’s favorite food, it’s not surprising that he enjoyed his birthday cake immensely.

Since this confection is made almost entirely out of ice cream, this type of cake is best consumed immediately or kept in the freezer.

Want your own Blizzard Cake for your holiday celebrations? You can order online or via GrabFood and FoodPanda.

Dessert takeout from The French Baker

Back when I was in grade school, a French Baker branch opened in the only nearby shopping mall at the time and introduced me to the amazing pastry called the Danish.

The Danish is viennoiserie baked good which was among the pastries introduced by Austrian bakers hired to replace the bakers of Denmark who went on strike in 1850. After the labor disputes were ironed out and the Danish bakers went back to work, they adapted the Austrian Plundergeback pastry and made it their own by adjusting the amount of egg and fat, coming with what is now known as the Danish pastry.

The French Baker is said to have revitalized the breadmaking industry in the country, bringing to light various ways to enjoy breads and pastries with European origins – such as baguettes, scones, crepes, bagels, sourdough, ciabatta, and, of course, Danishes – which were unfamiliar to the Philippine mass market when the chain opened its first stores more than thirty years ago.

The French Baker’s version of the Danish Pastry consists of the layered and glazed pastry topped with a creamy custard and a fruit filling. My favorites since childhood are the Blueberry Danish (Php88) and the Peach Danish (Php88).

On my way to parking lot after running some errands, I espied a takeout counter at The French Baker branch inside the Sta. Lucia East Grand Mall. I dropped by and picked up a few pieces of my favorite Danish variants as my pasalubong for the kiddos (and a treat for me!) as well as a bag of Crack Pan De Sal (Php102 for 10 pieces).

The pastries were a hit with the kids; we liked the sweet and flaky bread that frames the creamy custard and luscious fruit filling perfectly.

I saved the pan de sal for later when I prepared my midnight snack with Hubby. I heated a couple of pieces and filled them with shredded Purefoods Fiesta Ham. Oh my! Those fluffy pan de sal went so well with the ham and really sated my late night food cravings.

From my childhood to today, I continue to appreciate how The French Baker has expanded my foodie horizons.

Aside from dine-ins and takeouts, you can also enjoy The French Baker baked goods by having them delivered to your home. For inquiries, call +63 917 6353026 or +63 917 5423125. Order online or via GrabFood or FoodPanda.