Munchtown in Promenade, Greenhills: Elevating Your Cinema Snacking Experience

Friends told me that snacking inside the movie house while watching new flick will never be the same again once you tried the food at Munchtown located at the new Promenade in Greenhills. Having one of the geniuses in Manila restaurant scene. chef Robby Gocco under its helm, I could not argue. I, myself is a fan. Turning the usual movie snack into a gourmet delight is something only a passionate chef could muster to do with impeccable swag. Chef Gocco, did just that.

Munchtown menu consist primarily of food that is perfect to be eaten on the go, making it convenient for people to eat the goodies inside the movie house. Yet, whether you opt to feast on their offerings while watching movie or not, their location can accommodate good numbers of diners.

Munchtown boasts of offerings such as burgers, fries, pizza, chicken wings, nachos, and hotdog sandwich.  I cannot remember how many times have I declined invites to visit Munchtown and try their food due to my schedule. Good thing that one time I was free, my friend Richard tagged me along for some Hotdog Sandwich Feast at Munchtown. Our group feasted on different variants of gourmet hotdog sandwich that I lost count of how many variants were there. Trust me, there were too many that I was not able to try all of them, so I've only written those which I've tasted.

Hello 5 Vietnamese Premium Coffee from Bennett and Palmer The Global Gourmet Online Store

Bennett and Palmer The Global Gourmet is an online shopping company which aims to bring the world to the Philippines and vice versa by selling variety of gourmet products from and to different countries. They are the exclusive distributor of brands such as Hello 5 Vietnamese Premium Coffee, La Petite Epicerie Saigon (Fruit Jams and Preserves), Marous Faiseurs De Chocolat, Koala Tea Australia, and Phoenix All Natural. I have tried some of the fruit jams, coffee, and chocolate available at Bennett and Palmer but my favorite by far is Hello 5 Vietnamese Premium Coffee.

I love Vietnamese coffee. There is a coffee house in Manila that specializes in Vietnamese coffee which I frequent to but during those days when I am swamped with deadlines and getting out of the house is just impossible, I find comfort that I can make a good cup of Viet coffee on my own.

I have several favorite Vietnamese coffee brands but it was my first time to try  Hello 5 Vietnamese Premium Coffee. Hello 5 carries different craft blends of Vietnamese coffee namely original, organic, mondo, deluxe, and regular. Each blends features a quality of its own variant and what I have tried was the organic one.

Kulinarya Kitchen at Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Makati

Truth be told, I think one of the most underrated restaurants that we have here in Manila is Kulinarya Kitchen. Their first branch located at the Power Plant Mall in Rockwell, Makati have been in the business for almost a decade now serving high quality fusion of European and Asian dishes. I deem that it is not the kind of restaurant that creates noise to be noticed. Rightly so, since any restaurant that can create impressive dishes like theirs could have the confidence to have the staying power even without much fuss. After all, they wouldn't be in the business that long for nothing.

I had been to Kulinarya Kitchen several times already since I was first introduced to it. I should have published my first blog post about Kulinarya way way back but it was only recently that I discovered that the post had been sitting on my draft folder for what seemed like forever, much to my dismay. Usual blog auto-post fail, but I digress. I already updated the information here, allow me catch up.

Dim Sum Buffet at Crystal Jade Greenhills

Couple of months ago, Crystal Jade Dining IN at BGC, The Fort launched its Weekend Dim Sum Buffet which proved to be an exciting feat for those who love to indulge in an eat-all-you-can dim sum feast. This time, it's Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight at Greenhills in San Juan that is currently carrying out a Dim Sum Buffet promo. For those who adore Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight's famous Xiao Long Bao may now take advantage of this promo to have an unlimited serving of this favorite along side other dim sum that Crystal Jade Greenhills offers.

Compared to Crystal Jade Dining IN's Dim Sum Buffet promo which is available every weekend, Crystal Jade Greenhill's Dim Sum Buffet is available every weekdays, from 6pm to 9:30pm. It started last August 4, 2014 and will last only until August 31, 2014. This promo is Crystal Jade's way of partaking of the Singapore Day's celebration. 

Although it will last only for a month, diners can expect wonderful treats of high quality dim sum that Crystal Jade is known for. The dim sum buffet being set during dinner time can be a perfect way to indulge in sumptuous "little morsels of love" after a days work or after a long day of shopping around Greenhills area. 

Make Life Sweeter with Villa del Conte Chocolates

So, I’ve got an exciting news from Villa del Conte Chocolates specifically for chocolate lovers out there who are about to tie the knot. I have written about Villa del Conte Cioccolato Subime of Padova Italy here on my blog before and I must say their chocolates are really impressive. That is why I am excited to share this good news with you.

Villa del Conte in partnership with A-Weddings is currently having a contest wherein participants can get a chance to win artisanal chocolate tokens for their wedding. It is a perfect way to welcome your married life with something sweet and downright delicious.

The contest runs from July 18, 2014 to August 18, 2014, and joining is fairly easy. Read on for the mechanics of the contest.  

Livestock Restaurant and Bar, Quezon City: Crispy Pata, Crackling Pork Belly, and More!

Livestock Restaurant and Bar is this foodie place located at Sgt. Esguerra in Quezon City that specializes in no non-sense pork dishes that any pork-lover could go crazy about. Their best sellers are the Melts-In-Your-Mouth Crispy Pata (tagged as one of the Best Crispy Pata in Manila by some foodies) which has a mid-blowing crisp tenderness it can be cut with a popsicle stick, and the Crackling Pork Belly with succulence that could slap you in the face and get away with it.

The owner of Livestock Restaurant and Bar is a family which other business concerns raising hogs. Hence, venturing into restaurant scene with pork as the specialty is expected. Since they breed their own livestock and even grow some of the herbs and vegetables from their farm, the dishes they offer at Livestock are guaranteed to be fresh and of high quality.

Pork offerings at Livestock can be easily seen as sinful, an indulging treat not for the faint of heart. Yet, these dishes are not something you would have on a daily basis ~ that is if you love your life, otherwise, it's your call.  So, occasional visit to Livestock Restaurant and Bar to feast your hearts out is forgivable, encourage even, especially if you are celebrating the bountiful blessings of porcini bliss given to mankind.

Circles Buffet at Makati Shangri-La: Treasures of Turkey, a Feast of Turkish Cuisine

A feast of Turkish cuisine is what awaits buffet aficionados and eat-all-you-can lovers at Circles Events Cafe of Makati Shangri-La Hotel from August 1 to 10, 2014. This Turkish food festival at Circles features Treasures of Turkey in gastronomical form prepared by guest chefs from Shangri-La Hotel in Bosphorus, Istanbul, Chef Harun Imre and Chef Ramazan Edrem. These two talented chefs carried with them Turkish ingredients from Istanbul to make Treasures of Turkey Food Festival at Makati Shangri-La breaths authenticity.

Treasures of Turkey will last only for 10 days. Yet, it holds the promise that within that span of time, colorful spices and exquisite flavors of Turkish cuisine will surely transport guests to the Republic of Turkey. International dishes at the buffet spread of Circles Events Cafe will still be available for guests to feast on during the festival, but the spotlight belongs to the Treasures of Turkey this time.

Turkish Feast at Cirles, Makati Shangri-La

During the media preview, we sampled some of the traditional dishes from Turkey which will be included in the festival. Chefs Imre and Edrem graced the luncheon to welcome us and give some insight about the cuisine they re most proud of. There aren't many Turkish restaurants here in Manila, hence, this chance is perfect for those who wants to savor the goodness of Turkey's rich cuisine.

Coco Natura Coco Sugar and Coco Jam: Nature's Finest Sweetener, a Healthy Alternative to Sugar

Do you have a sweet tooth? I do. And honestly, while consuming sugary treats can induce guilt that is not easy do deal with, sugar is something I cannot completely eliminate in my diet. Sure I have tried artificial sweeteners and other sugar substitutes widely available in the market. Yet, the problem with these things is that I never liked the taste. For some reason, it always left an after-taste in my mouth that made me feel like I ate chemicals/synthetic. It’s always been a dilemma. So when I was asked to sample Coco Natura’s Coco Sugar, I agreed in the hope that I might finally find a healthy alternative to sugar which taste I would like.

Coco Natura’s Coco Sugar, is a healthy alternative to refined sugar and artificial sweeteners which is made from 100% organic coconut sap. It is said to be produced with minimal processing to assure that majority of the vitamins, minerals, and amino acid in the coconut sap will remain intact, making it way healthier to consume than the usual sugar and other sweeteners. It is also said that Coco Natura’s Coco Sugar, is free from additives, artificial flavorings, and anti-fermenting agents.  This can be the best bet for people who has diabetes or those who want to eliminate the harmful effects of sugar in their bodies.

Now, there are other coconut sugars available in the market, but not all brands are the same. Coco Natura boasts of the fact that they do not blend their coconut sugar with additives or flavorings.  They stand by the fact that theirs are made from freshly harvested and organically grown coconut sap which hails from the Southern part of the Philippines.  The quality of their product gained them various certifications, proof that they are doing a great job in producing nature’s finest sweetener.

Vikings Luxury Buffet Pays Homage to Southeast Asian Street Food #JalanMakananVikings

Vikings Luxury Buffet, tagged as the biggest buffet in the country and for some, one of the best buffets in Manila is welcoming the month of August by paying homage to Southeast Asian Street Food. This month long feast, which are set to happen every weekends of August holds the promise of additional dishes on the already impressive choices of Vikings Buffet that focus on the well loved street food. 

Note however that this is not just street food that we could get in every corner street there is. Think Malaysian, Singaporean, and Indonesian street food varieties. Staying true to the word "Luxury" tagged to its name, Vikings Buffet will entice its diners with beautifully prepared street food meant not just to please the palate but the eyes as well.

Vikings Luxury Buffet is undoubtedly one of the most famous buffets in the country but when it comes to serving quality good food to its patrons, they do not just settle for being one of the known options around. From time to time, Vikings Buffet make it a point to launch "Themed Buffets" that add spice and exciting feat for their customers.

Tex-Mex Fiesta Grande Buffet at Oakroom Restaurant of Oakwood Manila + Buffet GIVEAWAY!

Days after I have tried the Tex-Mex Fiesta Grande Buffet at Oakroom Restaurant of Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila I was still raving about the goodness of their Americanized Mexican offerings. Truth be told, theirs are the best Tex-Mex dishes I have had. The fact that this buffet includes unlimited servings of Margarita and non-alcoholic drink Shirley Temple only took my experience up a notch.

Although the buffet focuses mainly on specific cuisine, I wouldn’t mind saying that it was one of the best buffets in Manila that I have tried recently. Oakwood’s Executive Chef Jerome Catailler and his team really did a great job in creating feast of Tex-Mex dishes at Oakroom. Needless to say, they made a fan out of me.

Oakroom Restaurant is known to dish out themed buffets every quarter that makes them a good candidate for best hotel buffets you would come across with. Unlike other hotel buffets, Oakwood Manila’s wouldn’t overwhelm you with exaggerated choices that are too impossible for you to try in one go anyway.  Yet, it does not mean that you would be limited in terms of variants to choose from. As a matter of fact, their buffet spread is decent enough to get your money’s worth. Add to that, the fact that they focus more on the quality of their dishes assuring every diner that each and every food that they will get to enjoy is worth the calories.