Meat Feast at Outback Steakhouse Philippines

Way back when I wasn't food blogging yet, Outback Steakhouse was my comfort place when ill bouts of cravings for manly slab of steak and decent rounds of Long Island iced tea hit me. Their Libis branch was the place I usually frequent to because of its proximity to where I used to work and reside. Fast forward to food blogging days, Outback Steakhouse is still an all-time favorite. Although this time, their recently renovated branch in Glorietta 4 Makati is the usual suspect for a chosen spot.

There are a lot of restaurants in Manila that serve good steaks, I am aware of that. But Outback Steakhouse has a special spot in my heart because first, they serve good steak so sexy it will put Adam Levine to shame, and second, their Long Island iced tea is my soulmate. True story.

Each visit at Outback Steakhouse calls for a meat feast coupled with cocktail drinks that further elevates the dining experience. Each visit yields an exceptional experience in terms of food quality and service, something I have always expected from a restaurant that is an all-time favorite.

Jollibee Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ and Thor Mjolnir 1GB USB Promo

Last October 16, Jollibee launched its newest extraordinary treat for every one; The Jollibee Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ. Aptly housed in a special edition Thor packaging, this new addition to the line of burgers that the well-loved fast food chain in the Philippines now offers comes with a special limited edition Thor Hammer Mjolnir 1GB USB promo.

This partnership is in line with the much awaited upcoming movie, Thor 2: The Dark World which will be showing come the 30th of October 2013.

I may not a big fan of Thor, but I am surely a big fan of Jollibee Champ Burger and having an extra 1GB flashdrive for my file's safekeeping isn't bad either, so I dig this promo. And whether you are a fan of Thor or not, the Jollibee Cheesy Bacon Mushroom Champ is well worth every peso.

Karada Philippines at Serendra The Fort BGC

So, this is a break from the usual blog post about restaurants in Manila. While this may not be the typical gustatory delights I am sharing with you now, I believe that my experience at the newly opened branch of KARADA at Serendra, The Fort BGC is well worth sharing. So let's give this a go.

Typical notion about Karada is that it is a spa, when in fact it is not. KARADA is a Japanese Seitai Salon that focuses on bone/body therapy through massage that can affect overall wellness. It aims to provide its clients an invigorating way to achieve body balance. So clearly, KARADA is not a spa, but a therapy salon. I dig that.

For a while now, my cousin The Hefty Foodie and my dear friend Blogalag were bugging me to try KARADA. Judging from the way they demonstrate all the possible maneuver that may transpire once I try it myself, I deemed that I don't really need it. Okay, I chickened out. So I was really adamant to try it from the get go. Little did I know, I badly needed a visit.

Chubby Chicken at Katipunan, Quezon City

Truth be told, rarely do I find myself, perusing the list of restaurants in Katipunan area to visit. I realized I have to work on that. Being introduced to Chubby Chicken in Katipunan, Quezon City recently was a good way to kick start this somewhat new food blogging responsibility goal. It was a good start yes. Not only Chubby Chicken offers good grubs, they are affordable as well.

Aptly located near universities in Katipunan, Chubby Chicken mainly caters to students with their hefty servings and affordable prices. But no one says that yuppies and those who are kid at heart aren't welcome. This little, albeit impressive spot for good chicken which started in some food bazaars aims to serve people from all walks of life. While Chubby Chicken's soy-glazed chicken has the spotlight, other items on their menu are also well worth your moolah, not to mention, your calorie count.

The location isn't really hard to find, having Mc.Donalds Katipunan as its landmark. Chubby Chicken is just right behind it. It isn't as spacious as I had hoped but it does possessed the charm of the usual students' hang out joint. I went there on a Sunday and it was surprising to see impressive numbers of customers. Even without school, Chubby Chicken is thriving on a what supposedly a not so busy days in its operation. It is a good sign, if I do say so myself.

Burby's Bistro Grill and Restaurant at Libis, Quezon City

Burby's Bistro Grill Restaurant along Libis in Quezon City has been in the business for quite sometime now. This restaurant located just in front of Eastwood City has been known as a place where young professionals spend their after work hours over bottles of beer and finger food that goes with it. I myself have heard of Burby's Grill during the time while I was working in Eastwood City area. With the basic knowledge that they only caters to guests who wants to drink alcoholic beverages, I never really had a chance to visit.

Little did I know, Burby's Bistro Grill Restaurant offers comfort food and other delightful meals that are meant to satisfy palates and appease even the most stubborn of cravings. While it is known to serve cocktail drinks and other alcoholic beverages in a cozy environment, Burby's Bistro Grill Restaurant is also at par with other restaurants serving comfort food in terms of quality and affordability.

With branches at Libis, Taguig, Commonwealth, San Fernando, and NLEX, Burby's Bistro Grill Restaurant boasts of serving wide variety of dishes including all-day breakfasts meal. Having visited them weeks ago, I could attest that I was deeply impressed at how extensive their menu is. In terms of flavor, well, I could say that they did not disappoint.

Top Picks at the 3rd Rockwell Ultimate Taste Test 2013

One Saturday of September, 1000 foodies gathered to partake in the festive event that was the 3rd Rockwell Ultimate Taste Test. It was the 11th servings of Manila's most anticipated food event, The Ultimate Taste Test headed by one of the famous food bloggers in Manila, Our Awesome Planet in cooperation with San Miguel Lifestyle Brews.

Ultimate Taste Test food event aims to showcase up and coming food businesses in Manila by sampling their products to a thousand of foodies playing as food critics for the day. 

Just like the previous UTT events, the 3rd Rockwell Ultimate Taste Test follows the same drill. Food critics were given a passport where they could write down their score and feedback for the food businesses participating the event. I was able to drop by at the Rockwell Tent to wear my food critic hat, and although it was a quick visit, I was able to enjoy remarkable food and was able to collate my top picks as well.

Bounty Fresh Chicken Top Torikatsu

With the numbers of restaurants in Manila claiming to offer allegedly the best katsu in town, we cannot help but to fall in love with this dish of Japanese origin. While it is ideal to visit these restaurants to haunt the best katsu when bouts of cravings set in, sometimes, it is comforting to know that we can just whip up a great tasting katsu at the comfort of our own home in no time. That is why Bounty Fresh recently introduced its new product, Chicken Top Torikatsu.

This may come out of left field but I advocate cooking from scratch. Yet, when situation calls for it, I wouldn't mind the convenience of settling for instant food. As one of the leading chicken supplier in the Philippine market, Bounty Fresh came up with the great idea of marketing an instant chicken katsu especially made for people on the go.

Bounty Fresh Top Torikatsu is currently available in two flavors; Classic and Cheese & Chives. Each katsu is made of 100% chicken breast meat smothered with mayonnaise (classic) and cheese & chives, coated with breading. I do not usually like the word frozen on my meat but having tried Top Torikatsu recently, I realized that "freshly frozen" isn't bad at all.

Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss at Robinsons Galleria

On my previous post about Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss, I have mentioned that if Moshi Koshi is the Noodle Boss, I am willing to be a noodle slave. That still holds true up to this day. In my book, Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss serves one of the best ramen in Manila, and more. After all, you could never go wrong with freshly made noodles. And Moshi Koshi is an expert when it comes to that.

From the time that it opened early last year, Moshi Koshi Noodle Boss now boasts of three branches located at Robinsons Galleria, SM North Edsa, and Market Market. It only goes to show that for the short period of time, this Japanese dine-in restaurant remained on top of its game and still soaring higher.

Their flagship store that used to be located along Shaw Blvd. in Mandaluyong can now be found at Robinsons Galleria.  I deem it was a good move because parking at their first location can be a bit of a challenge. Also, their current spot at Galleria is way better since it is inside a mall.

Naci Comfort Food and Dessert Bar at Bonifacio Global City

For a quite a while now I have been hearing a lot of good things from food bloggers in Manila about Naci Comfort Food and Dessert Bar especially about the delectable dishes they are serving. So imagine how elated I was when I finally had the time to visit this addition to the restaurants at The Fort, Bonifacio Global City. Naci opened their first branch at Greenhills area and then later on transferred at The Fort.

The name is indeed a dead giveaway as to what kinds of food Naci serves. And while there are a lot of restaurants that serves the same fares, what sets Naci apart is that theirs are rooted and developed by the great late Chef Ed Quimson. 

In my book, to say that Naci serves comfort food and desserts would be an understatement. Since after having tasted some of the dishes that they offer, I would have to say that Naci serves well executed and downright delicious comfort food and decadent dessert.

Gloria Maris Banquet Hall in Gateway Mall, Araneta Center

I was notified of the opening of the new Gloria Maris Banquet Hall located at Gateway Mall, Araneta Center in Cubao but it was only recently that I had a chance to visit them. There are a lot of Chinese restaurants in Manila and only few are considered as an institution in the league. Gloria Maris is definitely one of them.

My visit happened while they were celebrating the first day of their 2 weekends celebration of the Mooncake Festival 2013. This festivity features a special buffet spread and dice game for only Php1,088 per person. The first wave of this feast started last September 21 and 22 and another wave will happen this weekend, September 28 and 29. If you are up for some Chinese feast, be sure to catch this promo.

For you to have an idea on what goodies you might enjoy should you avail of the buffet, I have included some snapshots of the dishes alongside the account of my experience at Gloria Maris Banquet Hall in Gateway Mall.