event venue – Jellybeans in the City

New delicious food brands at KG Hall’s Super Secret Supper Club

Do you want to explore fresh ways to enjoy your classic faves? Do you look forward to broadening your food horizons? Do you long to be in on exciting foodie adventures?

Well, along Sgt. Esguerra Street in Quezon City’s Tomas Morato area, there’s a thrilling secret that’s soon to be revealed that will surely enliven the metro’s foodies.

A Super Secret Supper Club!

This secret society will meet at KitchenGarten, a multi-functional space that houses two professional integrated cloud kitchens and a spacious event hall. The area can serve as a venue for various types of personal and commercial events and functions.

Located in a loft overlooking the main kitchen is KG Hall, an open space that can accommodate up to sixty seated guests. It’s ideal for large social gatherings such as parties and seminars.

Sometime soon, once or twice a month, KG Hall will serve as the venue for the Super Secret Supper Club, a gathering for foodies to savor the wondrous creations from KitchenGarten’s talented chefs.

Among these creations are four exciting food brands that will soon find their way into the hearts of the metro’s foodies.

Betwixt

Getting its name from the sandwich’s main characteristic – being between two pieces of bread – Betwixt serves up delightful twists through fresh takes on sandwich filling, all made from scratch, generously portioned into freshly baked, house-made bread served with root-crop chips.

(Note: The sandwiches in the pictures below are bite-sized versions for tasting). The actual sandwiches would be bigger, sized for a solo serving or might be large enough to share.)

Nosh Market

For meat lovers out there, Nosh Market serves up appetizing twists on ribs that will get you reaching for piece after delicious piece. Solo servings include your choice of Nosh’ tasty Side Kick while full portions come with your choice of two Side Kicks. Pair these viands with a the house-made iced tea – Nosh Slosh – or the various craft beers and sparkling seltzers available.

The Bakery and Estheritas

Wondering where Betwixt’s freshly baked breads come from? Not far, apparently.

Within the same kitchen is The Bakery by Nosh Market which supplies breads and loaves such as honey whole wheat, rye, Cubano, banana bread and banana muffin.

Also available are whole cakes such as Nosh Tablea Cake, Mixed Berries Shortcake and Nosh Mini Cakes.

Estheritas MNL, on the other hand, is the prime source for glammed up cakes, pies and pastries such as the La Trinidad Shortcake, Classic Pistachio Sans Rival and Classic Ensaymada.

With such delectable items on offer, KG Hall’s Super Secret Supper Club is certainly something we shouldn’t keep to ourselves, is it?

I don’t mind spreading the word about it, so do check it out!

KG Hall is located at 36 Sgt. Esguerra Street, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City, open Tuesdays to Sundays, 9am to 6pm. For event bookings, delivery orders and other inquiries, call +63 2 87406550, +63 2 77536903 or +63 917 1163693. You may also send an email to kgecorporders@gmail.com.

To stay updated on the latest promos and offers of KG Hall brands, follow them on social media:

Betwixt: Facebook | Instagram
Nosh Market and The Bakery: Facebook | Instagram
Estheritas MNL: Facebook | Instagram

Disclosure: Together with fellow foodies from #WeLoveToEatPH, I attended a food tasting held at this venue. Food and beverage items mentioned here were served at no cost to the attendees.

Refreshing garden dining at Antipolo’s Crescent Moon Cafe

With all the mishaps that have been happening in the metro lately, I’ve been looking for an escape where the fam and I can just relax and enjoy being together.

As luck would have it, a Sunday errand in Tanay afforded Hubby, my son #ExhibitB and myself the opportunity to hie ourselves off to a haven I’ve long been wanting to visit: Crescent Moon Cafe in Antipolo.

Here, my boys and I were able to enjoy a leisurely brunch, with a bit of nature and art appreciation thrown in.

Lush green getaway from the busy metro

After a week of peering into the screens of our laptops and mobile devices for most of the preceding week, I’m glad that we were able to visit a green space housed in this restaurant’s grounds.

We were surrounded by verdant trees, shrubs and plants, accented by eclectic artworks and the sounds of birdsong.

Green spaces have also been shown to improve cognitive ability and social behaviors among children, so parents would be happy to note that an outdoor play area for kids will soon be available inside the premises.

Aside from the soothing sight of greenery, the sound of cascading water into the koi pond is calming to the soul. There, large and colorful carp gracefully glide through the water or break to the surface for a feeding or two. Who would have thought that this relaxing feature was borne from a World War II bomb crater?

Throughout the grounds, there are whimsical touches of nature and art, especially in the outdoor handwashing area and washroom.

Walking around Crescent Moon Cafe’s grounds is sure to bring about a feeling of peace and serenity that my boys and I need to refresh and revitalize ourselves for the week ahead.

A restaurant that houses a pottery shop

Nestled within this garden setting is a screened dining hall furnished with colorful tables and chairs and decorated with regional and ethnic accents.

In keeping with IATF guidelines, the restaurant is operating at a maximum of fifty percent of its usual capacity. All adult guests are required to present vaccination cards and sign in via StaySafe PH for contact tracing. Guests are also required to submit to a temperature check, wear facemasks inside the premises and maintain physical distance from other diners.

Off to one side is a display shop of various houseware pottery crafted by stoneware ceramic artist Lanelle Abueva-Fernando. Here, guests can opt to buy unique handmade items such as serving platters, bowls, mugs, jars and other housewares and decor.

Of course, the main draw of Crescent Moon Cafe is its food. It serves Southeast Asian cuisine made with fresh and local ingredients from the same recipes used by the founder Bey Fernando when he started the restaurant back in 1997.

These include:

Beef Rendang Rice Meal (Php340). The Malay-inspired dish made with tender beef pieces slow-cooked in coconut milk and spices, served with a cup of red rice.

Red Rice (Php50/cup). A healthier steamed rice variant rich in iron and vitamins and which makes for a great companion to various Southeast Asian dishes.

Lemongrass Pork Belly (Php420). Pork belly slow-cooked in soy lemongrass broth and served with picked vegetables.

Fragrant Peanut Chicken (Php390). Boneless chicken pieces braised in peanut sauce with a few mild spices.

Suman at Mangga (Php150). Two pieces of white suman accompanied by a slice of ripe mango, a variant of the Mango Sticky Rice in Southeast Asian cooking.

Drinks. We paired these dishes with two glasses of sweetened lemon iced tea and a glass of sweetened calamansi juice with malunggay extract.

With this introduction to Southeast Asian cuisine, we were able to expand #ExhibitB’s gustatory horizons beyond his usual lutong-bahay and fast-food favorites.

Spaces for al fresco dining, special events or large-scale celebrations

Crescent Moon Cafe has expanded its operations to include a new al fresco dining area called The Sunken Garden, which provides diners with an open-air space with a full view of the koi pond.

Above it is a large hall which can accommodate a large number of people, perfect for events and large parties.

Crescent Moon Cafe also has its own watering hole and creative space called The Glass Bar where guests can get hands-on with various arts and crafts. It can also serve as a venue for seminars, workshops, meetings or private events.

A screened cabana can also serve as a venue for more intimate gatherings.

Planning a sojourn to the east of Manila anytime soon to escape the stress and hassles of city life? Do include a relaxing stopover at Crescent Moon Cafe to enjoy the surroundings and the good food. Be sure to book your table before you go!

Crescent Moon Cafe and Studio Pottery is located along Sapang Buho Rd. Brgy. Dalig, Antipolo City, open Wednesdays to Sundays from 9am to 5pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 82345724.

For more details about its facilities and offers, visit its website or follow it on Facebook or Instagram.

Fifteen years of celebrations at Plaza Ibarra

We Pinoys do a lot of celebrating.

For almost any occasion or milestone achieved, we like to get together with our friends and family over good food and drink.

In Quezon City’s Tomas Morato area is a place brimming with memories of fifteen years’ worth of celebrations.

Plaza Ibarra combines an elegantly designed ballroom (complete with a lighted winding staircase for that dramatic entrance) and a rustic Mediterranean garden. It has a sizeable parking space in front (with a friendly guard that also assists guests when parking) so that guests can bring their cars. Its sprawling party area lends itself well to varied designs and styling.

It recently celebrated its fifteenth anniversary with Quince Anos. During this grand food tasting event, Plaza Ibarra treated its partners and guests to a feast which featured the ouvres of its in-house catering service, which included:

Appetizer. Croquettas con Pollo y Jamon.

Soup. Cream of Pumpkin with Cinnamon and Croutons

Salad Station. Mixed Greens with Thousand Island and Ranch dressing.

Tempura Station. Freshly-made shrimp and vegetable tempura.

Carvery. Beef Tenderloin with Peppercorn and Mushroom Sauce.

Grill Station. Grilled Fish Fillet with Lemon Butter and Creamy Garlic Sauce.

Pasta Station. Choice of freshly made spaghetti, spinach fettuccini and penne noodles with choice of carbonara, pesto or herb tomato sauces.

Main Entrees. Hickory Pork Spare Ribs Barbecue, Chicken Parmigiana ala Milanese, Oven-roasted Mixed Vegetables and Paella Valenciana.

Dessert. Buco Pandan, Assorted Pastries and Fruits in Season.

Such tasty viands surely make celebrations at Plaza Ibarra even more memorable.

So what can you celebrate at Plaza Ibarra?

Toasting to the union of two hearts.

Hold your wedding reception here where family and friends and feast and drink to your future happiness.

Welcoming a new addition into the fold.

Celebrate your baby’s christening with a meal after the baptismal ceremony.

Comemorating a child’s various milestones.

Kiddie parties are a sure way to mark your child’s birthdays or achievements.

Formally introducing a young lady to society.

Celebrate the day your daughter turns 18 with the grand ball of her dreams filled with laughter, music and dancing.

Plaza Ibarra is also suited to corporate events such as holiday parties, assemblies and product launches.

Having reached its fifteenth year milestone, Plaza Ibarra gears itself up to maintain its reputation as the Ultimate Party Venue.

Book your event at Plaza Ibarra. Call +63 2 4130706, +63 2 9226868, +63 2 3748354 or +63 917 1348939 or email bqt_plazaibarra@ibarraspartyvenues.com.ph. Visit its website to view Plaza Ibarra’s event packages.

Plaza Ibarra is located at No. 77 Timog Avenue, Bgy. South Triangle, Quezon City.