For years, I’ve been a fan of Auntie Anne’s freshly baked pretzels. I find its goodies quite irresistible, from the yummy smell of baking that wafts from its oven to the sweet yet salty bread that seems to melt in my mouth.
Finding myself famished when I arrived for an event at SM Manila with my daughter #ExhibitA, I scouted the area for a quick snack.
And wouldn’t you know it, situated not far from the event area is an Auntie Anne’s kiosk.
My favorite among Auntie Anne’s offerings has always been the Almond Pretzel (Php85), especially when coupled with Caramel Dip (Php25). I love how the crunch of the toasted crushed almonds contrasts with the soft, freshly baked pretzel, and the caramel dip just adds to the decadence of this treat.
#ExhibitA, on the other hand, prefers the Original Pretzel (Php65) with Chocolate Dip (Php25).
We would have been content with our usual orders but for this particular visit, my attention was caught by one of Auntie Anne’s new offerings, the Blueberry Cream Cheese Stix (Php95). The rich tartness of the melted cream cheese and the sweet fruitiness of blueberries also played well with the soft chewy pretzel.
If you want to have a taste of this new creation, better hurry off to your nearest Auntie Anne’s store. It’s available only until January 14, 2019.
On the other hand, if you have no time to drop by the store for your pretzel fix, you’ll be happy to know that Auntie Anne’s delivers via Honestbee.
This Auntie Anne’s store is located at the Upper Ground Floor of SM City Manila in Ermita.
Check out my review of another Auntie Anne’s outlet here.
After lunch at nearby Cafe I’m Here, my friend and I hied ourselves over to the Macao Imperial Tea outlet along Timog Avenue. Occupying a narrow area in the second floor of RTT Building, it is one of eleven outlets in Metro Manila of this new entrant to the milk tea business.
When we arrived as the lunch hour was nearing its end, there was an impressive line to the counter of people waiting to order their drinks, a testament to the popularity of this milk tea brand. Despite the narrow space, there were quite a few seating spaces.
Having been named one of the top ten milk tea places in Metro Manila, Macao Imperial Tea serves an extensive menu that includes coffee, milk tea and cream cheese-based drinks.
For this visit, we each ordered a Black Pearl Milk Tea. At only Php100, each drink comes in a premium-looking reusable plastic cup. The milk tea was creamy and not-too-sweet with pearls serving as nice accents to the drink.
We took our drinks back to the office to enjoy at our leisure.
This Macao Imperial Milk Tea branch is located at RTT Building, Tomas MoratoCorner Timog Avenue, South Triangle, Quezon City. Other branches are located at:
780 Banawe Street, Banawe, Quezon City
Fisher Mall, Quezon Avenue, Del Monte, Quezon City
Ground Floor, Circuit Makati, Olympia, Makati City
308 Aguirre Avenue, BF Homes, Parañaque City
Third Floor, Main Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City
Fourth Floor, SM City Manila, Ermita, Manila
Calle Bistro, Ground Floor, Ever Gotesco Mall, Commonwealth, Old Balara, Quezon City
Second Floor, Lucky Chinatown Mall, Binondo, Manila
Ground Floor, Unimart Supermarket, Oranbo, Pasig City
As can be gleaned from its name, Outback Steakhouse is inspired by the hearty meals of burgers and barbecued meats in Australian cuisine. Being a core component of the Australian diet, meat does take center stage in the restaurant’s menu: with Signature Steaks of various cuts cooked to order, Australian-themed appetizers, burgers, sandwiches and more.
The place is not as full as we expected despite the lunch hour on a Saturday. The ground floor dining area is for smokers but the second floor dining space is more geared towards families and non-smokers. The darkwood floors and furniture give the place a masculine feel (quite appropriate for a steaks and grill place).
Light lunch fare and Outback steakhouse’ offerings do not usually go together but my daughter and I solved this dilemna by splitting an order Bacon Cheeseburger (Php499). This consisted of an Outback Steakhouse’ humungous ground beef burger patty, grilled to medium doneness per our request, topped with bacon, American cheese, pickles, onions, mayo, lettuce and tomato between warm fluffy burger buns, certainly juicy and meaty with every bite. It is served with Aussie Fries, large fried potato wedges which helped make this meal filling enough for two.
Considering availing of the same Metrodeal offer? Here are some friendly reminders:
Note the validity period of the Metrodeal voucher. It may not be valid for use during holidays or special events.
You can only use a maximum of 8 vouchers per table per redemption.
Be sure to reserve your table before you go to the resto.
This Outback Steakhouse branch is located at the Ground Floor, Glorietta 4, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City, open daily from 11am to 1am. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 7298458.
Other branches are located at:
Ground Floor, ATC Corporate Center, Alabang, Muntinlupa (open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 10pm and Fridays to Saturdays 11am to 11pm; Tel: +63 2 7721844)
Blue Bay Walk, Macapagal Avenue Corner EDSA, Libertad, Pasay City (open Sundays to Thursdays from 11am to 10.30pm and Fridays to Saturdays 11am to 12midnight; Tel: +63 2 8931026)
Eastwood Citywalk 1, Libis, Quezon City (open Sundays to Thursdays from 10am to 11pm and Fridays to Saturdays 10am to 12midnight; Tel: +63 2 2773216)
Dining at a roofdeck restaurant affords you a spectacular view to enjoy together with your meal. Aside from the stunning vista of city lights, you also get to enjoy cool, clean and calming breezes far removed from the busy streets below.
Despite my acrophobia, I have a special affinity for roofdecks: I guess the peace and relaxation I experience when situated far above my normal concerns outweigh my chronic fear of heights.
This is why I was excited when Zomato invited me to a foodie meetup at Firefly Roofdeck.
Located at the 32nd Floor of City Garden Grand Hotel in Makati, Firefly Roofdeck provides a chill ambiance in which you can relax and while away the workday’s stresses. The resto’s ceilings, spacious dining area and al fresco setup give you an expansive background for your get-together with friends or solo chill-out drinks while waiting for Makati rush hour traffic jams to abate.
Firefly Roofdeck’s view of the Makati skyline is quite simply breath-taking. Especially during evenings, you will see a wide expanse of blue-black sky awashed with pin-points of colorful lights and skyscrapers jutting upward.
Firefly Roofdeck recently launched its Japanese-Korean buffet, coincidentally, two of my favorite cuisines. It boasts of an extensive menu of new and favorite Japanese and Korean dishes, giving diners a wide selection of viands to choose from.
These include:
Salad Bar (with choice of Wafu, Ponzu, Yangnyeom Jang dressing): Kimchi, Sigeumchi Namul, Oi Muchim, Hobak Bokkeum, Gaji Namul, Gamja Jorim, Mu Saengchae, Pajeori, Eomuk Bokkeum; Chawanmushi (Japanese egg custard dish)
Japanese Bar: assorted maki rolls and takoyaki
Cook-to-Order marinated Chicken and Pork
Assorted bread rolls
Soup: Samgyetang (Ginseng Chicken Soup)
Carving Meat/Centerpiece: Buta no Kakuni (Japanese Braised Pork Belly)
Main Courses: Seafood Cheese Tteokbeokki (Spicy Rice Cake), Chicken Nanban (Deep-Fried Chicken with Tartar Sauce), Gaji Namul (Steamed Eggplants) and Japchae
Rice: Tori Chahan and Steamed Rice
Dessert: Sata Andagi (Okinawan Doughnuts), Fresh Fruits and Chef’s Discretion Desserts
At only Php800+ per person, it is available only for dinner until November 30, 2018.
The sheer variety of food on offer can be quite overwhelming at first, but as I’ve often advised when eating at an eat all-you-can buffet, concentrate on food that are your absolute faves or try out ones you don’t get to eat often. This way, you get to maximize your savings and the experience.
Some menu items could use a few tweaks such as offering mild and spicy ssamjang dipping sauces to go with the grilled pork and chicken, replenishing the ebi tempura more often, offering more dessert choices (hopefully bingsu!) and lessening the sweetness of the teokbokki.
Other than those points for improvement, the upscale ambiance and the superb servicing of Firefly Roofdeck’s wait staff make dining at Firefly Roofdeck truly memorable.
Aside from the Japanese-Korean Buffet, diners can opt for other menu items ala carte such as:
Rooftop Barbecue (includes vegetables and choice among rice, French friends or mashed potatoes):
Grilled Squid (Php650)
Grilled Liempo (Php325)
Beef Tenderloin (Php780/200g | Php1,395/400g)
Lamb Rack (Php728/200g | Php1,195/400g)
Rib Eye (Php840/200g | Php1,395/400g)
Salmon Fillet (Php875)
Tiger Prawn (Php595)
Chicken Breast (Php295)
Hungarian Sausage (Php575)
Veal Bratwurst (Php575)
Bar Chow
Mezclado Nueses & Patatas Fritas (Php195)
Lechon Kawali (Php495)
Tinapa Salted Egg Roll (Php225)
Buffalo Itik (Php625)
Grilled Tuna Panga (Php850)
Grand Chicharon (Php150)
Adobo Potato Wedges (Php225)
Lechon Sisig Overload (Php350)
Crispy Crablets (Php245)
Papas Fritas (Php195)
Chicken Fingers (Php295)
Cerveza Pescaito Frito (Php325)
Nachos A La Queen (Php395)
Camaron Picante (Php425)
Pollo Palomitas en Parilla (Php295)
Firefly Roofdeck is located at the 32nd Floor of the City Garden Grand Hotel, Makati Avenue corner Kalayaan Avenue, Poblacion, Makati City, open daily from 10am to 2am. For reservations and inquiries, call +63 2 5543429.
Disclosure: Together with other Zomato foodies, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Need some tips to maximize your eat-all-you-can experience? Read my buffet survival guide.
San Fernando, Pampanga is only about two hours ride from Manila. It is usually a place my family and I pass by on the way to our hometown of Bataan. While I may have visited the city once or twice over the past years (and usually on business), I have never thought of it as a foodie destination. (I admit now that this notion is a bit odd, considering that Kapampangans are known for their culinary skills.)
Fortunately, I recently took part in the Giant Lantern Festival Bloggers Tour organized by the city’s Tourism Promotion and Caravan Sub-Committee, YALLA Book of Coupons and the Giant Lantern Festival Foundation, Inc. Together with fellow bloggers, I toured San Fernando’s heritage sites and learned about the city’s thriving Christmas lantern industry and annual competition. Plus, our group was treated to an EPIC seven-stop food crawl of the city’s top restaurants.
I can hardly keep myself from talking about all the great foodie finds discovered during the tour, so I wrote a curated list of the “absolute must-trys” that represent the various cuisines available in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Check them out and try to include these restos in your itinerary on your next visit to the area.
Baked Goods: The Original Cheesebread at L.A. Bake Shop
L.A. Bakeshop prides itself on being the “Home of the Original Cheesebread.” And, oh, its artisan cheesebread is really worth boasting about! When served while still warm from the oven, it emits a sweet cheese-y smell that has you salivating. Bite into it and the soft fluffy sweet bread gives in to the explosion of cheese flavor in your mouth. Enjoy it for breakfast together with L.A. Bakeshop’s Spanish Bread and Tsokolateng Batirol for a truly indulgent start to your day.
L.A. Bakeshop is located along MacArthur Hi-way, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, open daily from 7am to 9pm. For inquiries, call +63 045 4360153 or +63 916 2623098.
Italian: Shrimp Bisque Fusili at Parmisano’s
An exciting take on the Pancit Luglog, this dish features al dente fusilli pasta tossed in a creamy shrimp sauce, topped with onion leeks, plump shrimp, soft-boiled egg and bits of savory chicharon. What a fun way to enjoy a local classic!
Price: Php286
Parmisano’s is located at KM 78, San Agustin, City of San Fernando, Pampanga (across Vista Mall), open Tuesdays to Sundays from 12nn to 9pm. For inquiries, call +63 045 4027639.
American: Grilled Beef Steak at Meats and Match
For the true-blue carnevore like me, there is nothing like the taste of freshly grilled steak. Sourced from local farms, cooked to medium doneness and served on a sizzling plate together with mashed potatoes and buttered corn and carrots, the meat is tender, juicy and oozing with flavor. I love it when its accompanying gravy has caramelized a bit below the steak, adding a more intense flavor to every bite.
Price: Php194
Meats and Match is located along McArthur Highway, Dolores, City of San Fernando, Pampanga. For inquiries, call +63 998 9888917.
American: Double Smoky Mushroom & Cheese Burger at Roberto’s
Two juicy flame-grilled meat patties topped with a flavorful mushroom sauce and accompanied by crisp greens inside a warm burger bun. Crispy battered onion rings and tartar dip are served on the side.
Price: Php450
Roberto’s is located in Dolores (beside the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital), City of San Fernando, Pampanga, open daily from 10am to 9pm. For inquiries, call +63 998 9888914.
Seafood: Bag of Fresh Catch at Orange Bucket
Steamed or boiled crabs, shrimps and mussels in a savory-spicy Cajun-style sauce. It’s best eaten by hand and you can expect to be messy so take advantage of the disposable gloves and bib provided by the resto (it’s a lot more fun that way anyway).
Price: minimum order of 300g
Crab: Php540
Shrimp: Php450
Mussel: Php270
Clam: Php60
The Orange Bucket is located at the Erazone Square, Kalahi Business Road, Bgy San Isidro, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For inquiries, call +63 045 4022611, +63 906 2468000 or +63 998 8597750.
Filipino: Sizzling Sisig at 4MD’s Manukan at Ihaw Ihaw
Since Pampanga is the birthplace of the sisig, a Pampanga food crawl would hardly be complete without it. This dish is made in the traditional way: boiled and chopped pig ears and cheeks, seasoned with vinegar, and served on a hot plate with roughly chopped onions. I found this version dryer than other sisig I’ve tasted (which usually incorporate mayonnaise), but it did not detract from the taste.
Price: Php175
4MD’s Manukan at Ihaw Ihaw is located along MacArthur Hi-way, Dolores, City of Pampanga, open daily from 11am to 11pm. For inquries, call +63 045 9633283.
Dessert: Chiffonelle at Cafe Noelle
Made from the recipe crafted by the chef’s family matriarch, this dessert treat is composed of classic chiffon cake with a decadent yema custard filling and butter icing. It’s simple and light on the tastebuds but absolutely wonderful.
Price: Php140/slice; Php 980/whole cake
Cafe Noelle is located at the Greenfields Square along MacArthur Hi-way, Sindalan, City of San Fernando, Pampanga, open daily from 10am to 10pm.
The #PampangaFoodCrawl helped to open my eyes to the many gustatory delights available in the city of San Fernando and I look forward to my future trips up north so I can explore more of the city’s dining possibilities.
Planning a trip up north? Check out these restos and be sure to head out and experience more of what makes the city of San Fernando, Pampanga unique. Check out my previous blog posts on the city:
Disclosure: Together with other bloggers, I participated in a tour and food crawl sponsored by the city government of San Fernando, Pampanga. The experiences provided and food served were not paid for by the attendees including myself.
Lechon is firmly ingrained in Filipino celebrations; serving these delectable roasted pigs in a party adds to the specialness of the occasion.
While there are notable lechon restaurants in Metro Manila, the lechon of the Queen City of the South holds a certain cachet. Known for its crispy golden red skin and tender flavorful meat, Cebu’s lechon is enjoyed without the need for a lechon sauce.
One of the most famous names in Cebu lechon is Rico’s Lechon. For over 20 years, it has set the bar for this specialty in taste and quality, and proudly claims that its lechon is #DaBestGyud!
This is why I’m excited that Rico’s Lechon has crossed over from Cebu to Manila with the opening of branches in Glorietta, Makati, in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig and, on October 26, in Tiendesitas, Pasig City.
The biggest branch of Rico’s Lechon, it can seat 230 people in its sprawling dining area and 7 function rooms named after Cebu locations. It also has a separate takeout section for patrons who want to enjoy their lechon at home. Anticipating the demand for its tasty lechon, its roasting pit can accommodate twenty roasted pigs.
Last weekend, Rico’s Lechon held a pre-opening event for its Tiendesitas branch called Daghan Salamat, Manila, wherein they invited guests who registered online. I, together with a few foodie friends, were among those chosen to attend this exciting event.
Here, we were treated to a generous buffet of various Rico’s Lechon offerings which include: Lechon Sisig Rice, Bam-I, Laing, Inihaw na Liempo, Tokwa’t Baboy, Lechon Shanghai, Ginisang Monggo, Beef Tripe Kare Kare and, for dessert, Maja Kalabasa and Yema Buchi.
Of course the star of the show is the lechon which was served to us in two variants: regular and spicy. It crispy skin had a satisfying crackle when bitten into and the meat had a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. Both variants are saltier that the lechon I’m used to so I recommend pairing these with plain rice instead of the Lechon Sisig Rice that I chose.
Other highlights of the meal include the kare kare which had a thick peanut sauce and tender beef tripe pieces, and the dessert which were novel variations of classic Pinoy favorites.
This Rico’s Lechon outlet is located at the First Level, Building B, Ortigas East, Tiendesitas, Pasig City. For inquries, call +63 917 8950000, +63 2 2349954, or +63 2 2349944.
Currently, other Metro Manila outlets of Rico’s Lechon can be found at:
Roofdeck, Glorietta 1, Glorietta Complex, Ayala Center, Makati
The Fort Strip, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig
Disclaimer: The food mentioned here were served as part of the free buffet pre-opening treat of Rico’s Lechon and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Tin can chocolate cakes, or more commonly called chocolate dream cakes, have definitely gone viral, with more and more suppliers poppin’ up in retail outlets and online.
Chocolate dream cakes are a delectable treat: a dream come true for chocolate lovers because of its several layers of chocolate goodness, from the moist chocolate cake base, the creamy chocolate ganache, the rich chocolate fudge covered by a thin shard of chocolate and sprinkled with cocoa powder.
Being a chocoholic myself, I got intrigued when I first heard about this sweet treat and I’ve been trying it out whenever I can.
I used the Meals.ph app to contact Kitycups owner Kristine Rodriguez. This homebaker’s base of operations is in Las Pinas which is quite a long way from my home in Pasig, but fortunately her products (which also include Nama Chocolates, Premium Beef Tapa and Gourmet Tuyo) can be shipped to anywhere in Metro Manila.
Coincidentally, she was attending a trade fair in SM Megamall at that time so she thought of shipping the item from there.
She accepts payment via BPI so all I had to do was transfer the money using the BPI app and prepare Php100 in cash for the delivery via Lalamove.
In an hour or so, my Dreamcake Chocolatta arrived and it’s every bit as decadent and chocolatey as I imagined!
At only Php350 for a 6-inch x 2-inch cake, it’s already good for three people so it’s quite a bargain.
My kids and I enjoyed it with dollops of vanilla ice cream for a really delectable dessert.
Aside from the Dreamcake Chocolatta, I appreciate Kitycups for being so accommodating, and for trying to find a way to lessen shipping costs for me.
Check out Kitycups’ Kristine Rodriguez’ profile and more intel on Meals.ph and its sellers on this blog post.
To order Kitycups’ products, visit her profile on:
Just when I thought that froyo is already old news, here comes BLK 513 with something that makes it more than the usual. BLK 513’s dark skim frozen yogurt is defined by two key ingredients: Greek yogurt and activated charcoal.
Greek yogurt is known to be thicker and creamier, contain half the carbohydrates but more protein than regular yogurt. It also provides 20% of one’s daily calcium requirement. It has a distinctly tangier and less sweet taste than regular yogurt as well.
Activated charcoal, on the other hand, is world’s oldest and most trusted detoxifying agent. It promotes healthy digestion and cleansing, reduces high cholesterol and contains anti-aging properties.
So basically, when treating yourself to BLK 513’s dark skim froyo, you’re also giving yourself a health boost.
Together with other foodies, I was invited to attend the grand opening of BLK 513’s newest branch in Glorietta 1.
Here, you have the option to have your froyo to-go or to enjoy it at leisure in the store’s seating area. It even has interesting modern decor that can serve as backdrops for your froyo foodie shots. 🙂
During the event, I sampled BLK 513’s Dark Skim Cup (Php189) with butter bars, mangoes and peaches, and its decadent new sauce: Gold Milk. Made from Valrhona Blond Chocolate, it has a rich buttery caramel flavor. It hardened over the frozen yogurt and cracks when bitten into, giving the dessert a nice blend of textures from the hardened sauce, the succulent fruit bits, the fudgy butter bars and the creamy froyo.
I was accompanied by my daughter #Exhibit A who got herself a dark skim froyo in a cup with brownie bits, strawberries and mangoes, and also drizzled with Gold Milk.
Later on, I stepped even more into the dark side by getting BLK 513’s Dark Skim Cone (Php150), this time in a dark chocolate cone, topped with brownie bits and drizzled with a dark chocolate sauce.
It certainly looks like froyo has been revitalized. And decadently dark times are ahead… 🙂
Aside from its frozen yogurt treats, BLK 513 also retails packed items such as:
This BLK 513 branch is located at Second Floor, Glorietta 1, Ayala Center, Glorietta Complex, Makati City, open daily from 9am to 10pm.
Other branches are found at:
Second Floor, Building A, SM Megamall, Ortigas, Mandaluyong City (open daily from 10am to 10pm)
Level 2, S Maison, Conrad Manila, Seaside Boulevard Corner Coral Way, Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City (open daily from 10am to 10pm)
Second Floor, Main Building, SM City North EDSA, Bago Bantay, Quezon City (open daily from 10am to 10pm)
Bonifacio High Street, 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City (open daily from 10.30am to 10.30pm)
Second Floor, Eastwood Mall, Libis, Quezon City (open daily from 11am to 10pm)
Food Street, Upper Ground Floor, SM Southmall, Almanza, Las Piñas City (open daily from 10am to 9pm)
Ground Floor, UP Town Center, Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City (open Mondays to Thursdays from 11am to 9pm and Fridays to Sundays from 10am to 10pm)
Ground Level, Ayala Malls Cloverleaf, A. Bonifacio Avenue, Balintawak, Quezon City (open daily 10am to 10pm)
Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
With our busy schedules and so many responsibilities, preparing something good for a family meal or a gathering can be quite a challenge. Don’t you sometimes wish that you could just have someone to do all the marinating, basting, slow-cooking, grilling and baking for you? This will leave you so much time to do all the other stuff you need to do but still assures you and your near-and-dears a great meal.
Food delivery services recently started becoming popular as it connects us busy working moms to restaurants from which we can order food to be delivered to our homes.
But sometimes, we crave for food that only good artisanal home cooks can give.
Meals.ph is the brainchild of young entrepreneur Macky Sy who envisioned creating a platform that helps people find great home-cooked meals near us as well as help home cooks earn a little extra by selling their meals online.
Through the website, you can navigate the tabs to find vendors for specialty meals (according to cuisine), meal plans (with options for per-day and per-week orders), catering for events (party trays), desserts, ready-to-cook/eat meals, as well as sauces, side dishes and snacks. You can also just use the search bar to find a specific dish you’re looking for.
When you’ve selected your dish, click “Order” to initiate the order process, wait for the vendor to acknowledge, then settle with the vendor regarding the terms for payment and fulfillment of your order.
Note, though, that these terms vary from vendor to vendor, and the availability of dishes varies from area to area.
If you find yourself too loaded with tasks and would like to leave the cooking to someone else, why not check out some of Meals.ph’s vendor partners. Especially with the holidays coming, get yourself to enjoying more time relaxing and having fun with family and friends, and maybe help support some of these budding entrepreneurs as well.
The person behind Kitycups is part-time accountant/financial advisor Kristine Rodriguez. She started by baking simple cookies and eventually grew a business out of her hobby. Her venture specializes in cakes and sweets and she hopes to establish a factory for her food business someday.
On a side note, I recently treated myself and the kids to one of her Dreamcake Chocolattas and we loved it! Watch out for it among my future posts. 🙂
Niki Alfaro, on the other hand, works full-time on her business, Nikita’s Pastries, while taking care of her mom who has a heart condition. This home baker decided to put up a home-based business that will give her the time and flexibility to be available to her parents while providing her with an independent income. She dreams of one day opening her own restaurant or bringing her business with her to the US. Check out her cheesecake cups; those are her specialty.
When Cristina Bustos is not at her job, working as a supervisor in a BPO company, she occupies her time with cooking but she hopes to go full-time on her side business someday. Her FoodAllMighty party trays, particularly the baked lasagna, are a boon to those who are assigned to bring viands for the office potluck or the clan get-together.
Men seem to have a special relationship with grilling and artist, entrepreneur and doggy daddy John Muyargas revels in this. Having worked his way up from waiter to chef in an Italian-American resto in Dallas, Texas, he brings Tex-Mex flavors to his local customers through his Shoreline Barbecue trays. His immediate plans involve steadily growing his business and sharing the love.
Carlos Cabigao pulled himself up from the multiple challenges that his family encountered and set out building a business. He first started with baking until a friend suggested he try making spreads using flavored butter. His White Truffle Butter is a definite must-try.
With so many great cooks ready and willing to prepare gorgeous and delightful food for us, and with a service like Meals.ph that connects us to the best among them, it just make sense to free ourselves from the stress of holiday cooking.
Check them out at Meals.ph!
You’ll be also glad to know that Meals.ph already has a mobile app. Download it from the App Store or Google Play, check it out, and tell Macky what you think. 🙂
Being a certified carnevore, I jumped at the chance to dine at the Chateaubriand Premium Steak Restaurant, braving last night’s rainy weather and the perennial traffic from Quezon City to Pasay.
I’m used to eating steaks and grilled meats in a more casual, even American West-style setting, so setting foot on Chateaubriand’s walkway and stepping into its posh dining area was quite a novelty. Nope, no cowboy hats adorn the walls nor down-home-type bric-a-bracs lie about. Instead, opulent white chairs and tables are artfully arranged on the restaurant’s elegant marble floors.
The focal point of the sprawling dining area may be the tastefully presented buffet spread. This buffet is pretty extensive with over a hundred items, catering to almost any preference as it includes:
a classic salad station
“Create Your Ceasar Salad”
authentic Brazilian dishes
Continental cuisine
imported cheeses
fresh fruits
a chocolate fountain
international breads
various types of pastries and desserts
However, as the restaurant’s PR representative Mikaela Mutuc tells it, the all the inclusions in the buffet actually are intended to serve as sides to grilled meats that the restaurant serves.
Well, true enough, the meats do take center stage and how!
The meats are all premium cuts, most of which are sourced from various countries, grilled and served churrascostyle. By flipping the medallions on your table, you signal the churrasco boys to bring their grilled meats and other grilled items in skewers straight from the churrascaria to your table and cut off a generous and juicy slice for you right before your eyes. These include:
Picanha (signature Brazilian rump cap) – the real star of the show, IMHO!
Alcatra (top sirloin seasoned with a rich soy glaze)
Garlic Steak (sirloin marinated with garlic and fresh herbs)
Linguica (classic pork sausage basted with garlic butter
Frango (chicken quarters marinated with lemon rosemary)
Presunto (tender ham leg with pineapple glaze)
Milho Assado (baby corn roasted with garlic butter)
Abacaxi (pineapple with cinnamon and brown sugar)
Caramelized Banana (bananas with cinnamon and brown sugar)
Roasted Mixed Vegetables
More grilled treats may be added to the dinner menu such as:
Chuleta (rib eye with mesquite crust)
Fraldinha (choice flank steak marinated in Brazilian spices)
Lombo (pork loin with a delicate herb marinade)
Carneira (boneless lamb leg with a minted oil rub) – another winner for me!
Bacon-wrapped chicken breast with peri-peri marinade)
Pescado (grilled marlin or tuna)
To add even more flavor to your meats, you can dip or slather them (up to you, really :-)) with any or all of these three sauces:
Chimichurri
Salsa Rojo
Chateau Steak Sauce
Note: Other sauces and dips are available at the buffet but these are the essential ones.
You can wash down your meal with any or all of the three juices available: Honey Orange, Four Seasons and Strawberry Iced Tea.
The service staff are friendly and knowledgeable about the resto’s offerings. The churrasco boys, in particular, even give diners tips on how to better enjoy their selections and gamely display their grilled meats for food photos. They are also quick to assist requests and queries.
Feasting on churrasco at the pre-Grand Opening rates below is actually a steal:
weekdays dinner: Php2,000 (Php1,600 within October 2018 at 20% discount) + 10% service charge
weekend lunch: Php2,000 (Php999 within October 2018 at 50% discount) +10% service charge
weekend dinner: P2,200 + 10% service charge
If you want some spirits to go with your meats, you can get some by the glass at Php300 per glass or treat yourself to Chateaubriand’s wine buffet at Php599 + 10% service charge. Other alcoholic beverages and cocktails are also available.
Birthday celebrants also get to eat for free on the day of their birthday as long as they are accompanied by a full-paying adult, or on any other day of their birth month as long as they are accompanied by four full-paying adults.
While the churrasco-style dining may have casual roots, Chateaubriand’s opulent surroundings and top-rate service staff make it a fine dining experience.
Chateaubriand is located at Unit 105 Sunset View Towers, 110 William Street corner 2230 Roxas Boulevard, Brgy. 13 Zone 4 District 1, Pasay City. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 821 2031 or +63 905 1403748.
Disclosure: Together with other food bloggers, I was invited to attend a foodie meet-up held in this restaurant. All the food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.
Need some tips to maximize your eat-all-you-can experience? Read my buffet survival guide.
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