Healthy Holiday with White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt

Holidays and work has been keeping me busy lately but as a true blooded foodie, I promised myself to squeeze into my busy schedule a review on The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt before the year ends. Not just because I've been going crazy about it for months now, but because it is timely to share to my fellow foodies that we can have a break from the usual calorie-laden dessert we normally feast on during season like this but still enjoy the goodness that good food can offer.

The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt offers a healthy way to enjoy dessert with their 98% fat free frozen yogurt. What makes it special are the wide variety of healthy premium toppings you can choose from. From the usual suspects to some unique but equally delicious selections.


The very first time I tried this awesome fro-gurt store I had their homemade cheesecake for topping. It was heavenly delicious! And although I have tried other toppings, it remains to be my personal favorite from the selection. The regular size frozen yogurt is 85php and there’s an additional 20php for one toppings, 35php for 2 toppings, and 45php for three toppings.

Also, they offer 3+1 Combos of different combinations of toppings. My favorite is the Bakers Hat which is the combination of Homemade Cheesecake, Blueberries or Red Ruby Cherries, and Almond Cluster.

You can click on the photo below to enlarge the picture and see what combos best suit your palate.

So, this season, with White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt, we can celebrate the foodies in us without having to worry about the extra calories we will be consuming with all the sweet desserts available.

My sisters and I have been going crazy about it...

so is my nephew :) Indeed, healthy never tasted this good!

The White Hat Italian Frozen Yogurt Branches in

Robinson's Galleria

Shangri-la Edsa Mall

SM Mall of Asia

Robinson's Place Ermita

SM North Edsa Annex

Rustan's Supermarket Makati

SM Clark Pampanga

You can also visit their website here

Gel Sebastian's Homemade Banana Loaf with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts

Christmas is just around the corner and with all the spirit of gift giving in the air, it is important to know that with the current economic status of our country, it is best to remain practical while practicing generosity.

That is why when my sister brought us a Homemade Banana Loaf with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts by Gel Sebastian, my mother and I knew that it can be a gift to our friends this Yuletide Season.
Gift should always be something special and I know that this one fits that definition.

Gel Sebastians' Homemade Banana Loaf with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts is truly one delectable treat you can share with your loved ones.

The crunchiness of the walnut, the sinfully delicious, generous amount of chocolate chips, the softness of the bread, and the aroma of it will give you a christmasy feeling that you'll surely want to have some more.

Its taste tops that of Banana Loaf you can buy in known Pastry Shops, and you’ll be surprised to know that it costs only 89php per box. A great treat indeed. The loaf is good for 10 days after ordering, so you can order this delicious treat now and it will still last until Christmas.

If you want to experience this delectable and oh-so-yummy loaf, you can contact Gel Sebastian at 0927-9450587 to place your order.

Happy Holidays Foodies!

Mango Cream Cake by Conti's

Although most people I know adore Conti's Mango Bravo, there are still some who thinks that it's too sweet and prefer something less complicated, for that matter. One of them is my own father.

I remember Red Ribbon used to have Mango Cream Pie and everybody seems to love it. But I can no longer find a branch which carries it and that leads me to discovering Conti's Mango Cream Cake.

A layer of soft chiffon cake, delectable mango cream, and fresh mango chunks. The sweety-sour taste of the fruit is not over powering as the cream evens out the flavor as it touches your palates.

It is indeed less complicated than the Bravo, but still it is beaming with pride of decadence that only Conti's can offer.

It is best served chilled but it still tastes good even after sitting on a room temperature for an hour. Available in regular size for only 360php.

Conti's Pastry Shop and Restaurant

53 Connecticut St., Greenhills

San Juan, Metro Manila

(02) 774-4184

Philly Cheese Steak Overload Pizza

Here's one thing about being a foodie, gender doesn't matter. With that I agree especially when I finally had a time to grab a box of Greenwich's Philly Cheese Steak Overload Pizza, an addition to their Overload Xtreme Cheese Pizzas. And this one alongside Monster Cheese & Pepperoni Overload pizza is tagged as Pizza for Men. I don't really care because I know for a fact that women can enjoy it too.

I've always been a fan of Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich, (well, I've always been a fan of anything that has cheese on it for that matter) so when Greenwich introduced this variety, I know I wouldn't be disappointed.

Greenwich's Philly Cheese Steak Overload Pizza is heavyweight pizza which overflows with a half-pound of roast beef and oozes with a double layer of mozzarella and cream cheese. Add to that the crunchy bell pepper, mushroom, and onion plus its herb and spices which adds a kick on it, it is the perfect cheese and meat experience.

Now for the pepperoni lovers out there, you have Monster Cheese & Pepperoni Overload pizza to feast on. This one, according to my friend puts all other pepperoni pizzas to shame as it’s filled to the brim with 100% more pepperoni and 2x more mozzarella cheese. Now, I would have to try that one next time.

Xtreme Cheese Pizzas are available in different sizes. For the Rolled-Edge Thick crust, they have Double for 307php, Family 483php, and 18” Blowout 879php. For the Thin & Crispy Crust which I love the most, they have Double 263php, Family 439php and Party Square 523php.

Experience Xtreme Cheese Pizzas on delivery by calling Greenwich Delivery Hotline at 5-55-55.

Korean Barbecued Salmon Steak

Growing up foodies, my family has this weird habit of having a phase when it comes to food that we love. For instance, a week ago we have this Tuna phase wherein my mother would buy tuna (not in can though) for a whole week of consumption because we love it the first time she cooked Teriyaki Tuna Steaks. From then, we would have to think of different recipes where we can have the Tuna as the main star. My mother would pile up our refrigerator with Tuna until such time that my sister and I would start ignoring it or just skip meal altogether even if there are other viands just because we cannot stand another sight of Tuna. With that, my mother would move on to her next target.

And for this week, it is our Salmon phase. Now this is a different story. Most of the time the food phasing would just last for about a week, but for Salmon, I think I would be okay having it as part of our meal for a month or so. Aside from Dory, Salmon has always been one of my favorite fish. And this recipe that I am sharing with you right now, I learned from my father.

KOREAN BARBECUED SALMON STEAK

1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. melted butter
1/4 lemon or lime juice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper, crushed
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. thyme or tarragon, crushed
1 lg. clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
4 salmon steaks, 6 oz. each

Combine and mix well all ingredients except for the salmon steaks. Brush both sides of each steak. Place on cooking grid and grill over medium-hot charcoal briquettes or pan fry it allowing 5 minutes per side. Brush fish frequently with sauce, turning once halfway through cooking time. Brush steaks thoroughly before removing from cooking grid/frying pan.

Sauce:
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 lg. clove garlic, minced

1/2 carrot cut into strips
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. sake
2 tbsp. honey
1 tsp. sesame oil
1/4 tsp. flour dissolved in water
1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

Onion Scallions for garnishing

Sauté garlic, onions, and carrots, then add soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, honey, and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar and honey are dissolved. Add the flour mixture and mix well until the sauce thickens. Seasoned with pepper. Stir in the sesame seed and wait for 2 minutes before removing the sauce from the heat.

Pour the Korean Barbecue sauce over the salmon steak and garnish with sesame seed and spring onions, then serve.

Pixie's Sinugba

It was one of those weekends when everyone in the house was too busy with their own things to do. All the house helpers were on a day off and neither of my sisters was on the mood to do our usual weekend cook fest for the family. Good thing my mother brought home Pixie's Sinugba Inihaw na Boneless Bangus on her way home after going to the grocery store.

Living in a unit of one of the buildings here in San Juan, we are not allowed to grill food because of the smoke it can produce. Too bad for our family, since growing up in Antipolo, we are used to having a weekly barbecue party during the weekend. Good thing we can always order from a nearby resto whenever we crave for grilled food. And this new discovery is an added joy to our family.


Pixie's Sinugba is home of the most delicious Inihaw na Boneless Bangus na walang kaliskis (Grilled Boneless Milkfish without Scales) and other seafood products with a healthy concept of not having MSG. They started out as takeout outlet at their Mindanao Ave. Tandang Sora Quezon City Branch, and now, aside from their Take-out branches, they also have several Dine-In branches as well.

Their specialty, Inihaw na Boneless Bangus na walang kaliskis is so far the best grilled milkfish I ever tasted. Stuffed with lemongrass, onions, and tomatoes, it is such a delight to eat the fish without the hassle of segregating the fishbone to the meat itself.

The packaging is impressive. The freshly grilled fish is wrapped in a aluminum foil, covered with plastic, and then placed into a long box. It comes with chili, soy sauce, and calamansi for the saw-sawan.

Although it is a superb viand, I think it is also best as a pulutan (appetizer) on a beer drinking session. It is available in three sizes; Large for 158php, Extra Large for 168php, and Jumbo for 178php.

Aside from this specialty for their Take Out branches, they also offer other choices of viands such as Liempo, Sizzling Crabmeat, Paksiw na bangus, and Bangus Lumpia among many others. While on their Dine-In branches which also offers the aforementioned viands, they have added new choices on their menu such as Inihaw na Rellenong Bangus, Kinilaw na Isda, Lumpiang Manok, and Bangus Imbotido.

Having a tagline "Uulit Ka Sa Sarap", I'll probably visit one of their Dine-In branches one of these days to experience again the Inihaw na Boneless Bangus along with their other specialties.

For deliveries, you can call Pixie's Sinugba Delivery Hotline at Tel. #: 9223333

or visit their website, www.pixiessinugba.com

Conti's Mango Bravo

I’ve been wanting to do a food review for Conti’s Pastry Shop and Restaurant for quite sometime now but I promised to my friend Dada, that he’ll be with me when I do the review. So, for now, I’ll settle with the reviews on Conti’s cakes first. Since, they are quite a few; I’ll be breaking them down into a cake per post.

Let me start off with their Mango Bravo. One of the main reason why BF Homes Paranaque has been a dessert mecca in the south before Conti’s branched out to other places such as San Juan City, Taguig City, Quezon City, Makati City, and Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Personally, I may have been a cake lover since I was a kid, but I am not really fond of varieties which include fruits in it. I would love my cake to have chocolates, almonds, mallows, vanilla, cream, mousse, and other stuff but fruits. I mean, it’s a cake, it supposed to be sinful in all aspect, why include something healthy on it? I was just a kid then. But as years go by, I’ve come to appreciate other varieties as well. And this includes Conti’s Mango Bravo.

The first time I tasted it, it has become a personal favorite. It’s a chilled layer of sponge cake, cashew, cream, mango chunks, chocolate mousse, meringue-like-textured cake, smothered with white mango cream which has mango chunks on top drizzled with chocolate drippings. Yes, it’s a layer of those delectable things which made it so tall, one would instantly compare it to a hat. A delicious hat for that matter.

I should say that this is a must try for cake lovers out there. Although the cake looks heavy, the combination of flavors is so good and not overpowering. A slice will cost you 75php, a mini size cake is 450php, while the regular size is 850php.

And since they have a branch in Greenhills Connecticut St. which is so near to where I am living, I’ll be posting more reviews on their cakes and pastries until such time that my friend Dada and some other as well would be able to squeeze in a lunch or dinner date into our busy schedule.

Meanwhile! Happy eating foodies!

Conti's Pastry Shop & Restaurant

#53 Connecticut St. Greenhills, San Juan

Tel# +632 727-6898, +632 744-4184, 744-4208

Harbor Bridge Burger Supreme by Mocha Blends

As a coffee lover, rarely do I encounter coffee shops which do not only focus on the taste of their coffee, but to the food on their menu as well. I may be one of those people who would love to spend the entire afternoon in a coffee shop browsing the net or just simply chatting with friends, but there are also times when looking for a resto to dine in before hitting the coffee shop is just plain tedious, so, I’ll just grab whichever food I spotted on their menu. And sometimes, it's not a good experience.

Most of the coffee shops I have been to serves good coffee but not so good food. And in my opinion, you are just paying big bucks because well, you bought it from a well known coffee shop regardless of the taste.

That is why the experience I had at Mocha Blends is worth doing the food review.

I have always been a Mocha Blends fanatic. I love how the taste of their coffee makes me feel that I am in a coffee shop which does not belong in the mainstream but still gives me my money's worth.

Although they are serving Fredoccino Coffees which is similar to other coffee shop's frap, I took a liking on their Mocha Frost the most. It is a concoction of Espresso Shot, Signature Mocha Chocolate Syrup on a dollop of ice cream, ice and milk, topped with Whipped Cream. Yes, it is that rich and delicious.

And the reason why I am doing this food review is their Harbor Bridge Burger Supreme. Again, I am not a big fan of coffee shop's food, but this burger is simply impressive.

The 100% beef burger patty is as big as a quarter pounder although they said it is not, the bacon is juicy and cooked to perfection, the vegetables are all fresh and crispy, while the melted cheese and their special mayo adds flavor to it. This Supreme Burger is really filling but it still comes with fries (which I enjoy with lots of pepper, weird me.) For 165php, you'll have a deliciously satisfying meal with this.

I've also tasted their Tuna and Crab Melt Sandwich (which picture is too blurry to post here). It is basically tuna, crab sticks, and melted cheese on a panini bread for only 150php. Another one is their Steak Sandwich, their own version of Philly Cheese Steak, for only 170php.

Again, Mocha Blends' Sandwiches which I have tasted so far are impressive as compare to what other coffee shop has been offering. Aside from their wide variety of sandwiches, they also served Pasta, All-Day Filipino Breakfast, and American Breakfast as well. This adds to one of the many reason why I would always go back to Mocha Blends.

Visit Mocha Blends Website at www.mochablends.com

T.G.I.Fridays Alabang Town Center

When dining at T.G.I.Friday’s, it’s usually a drinking session for my friends and me. So normally, we would just settle for their appetizers available such as Sesame Jack Chicken Strips, Fried Calamari, Buffalo Wings, and of course, my personal favorite, Fried Mozzarella.

When we chanced upon T.G.I.Fridays at Alabang Town Center, we decided to have our lunch there before we decide whether we head on a drinking session or not. As expected, we were not disappointed with the food since everything is delicious and very satisfying in terms of serving size. And since we are used to the superb ambiance and the good service of the resto, it has never been an issue.

To have a taste of everything, we ordered for their sandwich, pasta, and grilled entrée. Their Chicken Finger BLT is a hefty sandwich. Basically, it’s a crispy, battered chicken tenders covered with melted Monterey Jack Cheese, served on a buttery grilled Ciabatta bread, with bacon, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise, and it comes with crispy fries. For 295php only, it’s good enough for two people sharing.

Their Tossed Tomato-Basil Chicken Pasta is sliced, char grilled chicken breast served over linguine pasta tossed in a fresh, Roma tomato-basil salsa, garnished with a zest balsamic glaze. I am not a big fan of pasta with chunky tomatoes, but my friends said that it is good. It is only 375php.

Known as an American Resto, when I saw Filipino Pork Liempo on their menu, I ordered it immediately as my curiosity got me if they have given justice to the dish that is our very own. This dish is a three pieces of grille pork belly marinated in garlic and sweet soy sauce, and served with java rice, vegetable salad with their own vinegar and garlic sauce. For 395php, the meal is extremely satisfying.

Of course, I couldn’t let a visit at T.G.I.Friday’s passed without having their Fried Mozzarella cheese which is coated in their special Italian-styled breading then deep fried and served with a rich marinara sauce. For 225php, you’ll have 6 pieces of this superb appetizer.

T.G.I.Friday’s has always been and will always be one of my favorite resto in town. One can complain about the price, but for me, you’ll get your part of the bargain since their food is delectably satisfying, their service is two thumbs up, and the ambiance is a pleasing atmosphere where anyone can relax after a tiring day from work.

T.G.I.Friday’s (Alabang Town Center)
2/L, Alabang Town Center, Alabang Commercial Corp., Alabang-Zapote Road
Muntinlupa City, Metro Manila(02) 842-9372

Roast Chicken Sandwich by Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers' Fresh Sandwiches has been here for a while. Although they look tempting, whenever we frequent to Kenny, Chicken is always my priority. I mean, isn't Kenny Roger's synonymous to their Grilled Chicken?

How can you go wrong with grilled chicken? I mean, it's delicious and healthy. But the thing is, I always want my grilled chicken with steamy white rice, well I guess that negates the healthy part of the deal, eh?

Anyway, way before I started getting hooked with their fresh sandwiches, my father was already a fanatic of their Chunky Cold Tuna Sandwich. He always makes it a point that whenever we go to Kenny, it's always his Tuna Sandwich that is first on his tray. It goes really well with the diet that he is into these days. And when it's my time to let go of my usual Roast Chicken Plate meal, there's never a strand of regret as I settle for their Roast Chicken Sandwich, the best of Kenny’s Fresh Sandwiches, according to the People at Kenny, aside from the other variants they offer.

It's a slow-roasted chicken strips on a bed of crisp lettuce, tomato and cucumber, smothered with mayo on a wheat bread. The generous strip of roasted chicken is marinated to herb and spices and so you can still expect the delectable chicken that Kenny offers, plus the crispiness of the veggies goes well with the tingling taste that their special mayo adds to the sandwich. The wheat bread they use is soft and very tasty as well.

Roast Chicken Sandwich is 95php only for ala cart, and 115php if you want some fries and drinks with it. These sandwiches are indeed a healthy substitute from the usual rice meal so I recommend this to foodies who are guiding their weight.

Aside from Roast Chicken Sandwich, they also offer other variants such as Philly cheese steak (loaded with slivers of choice beef topped with premium cheese and caramelized onions), the BBQ rib sandwich (baby back ribs smothered in honey bourbon sauce), Kenny’s cheeseburger (1/3 pound moist ground beef, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and tomato with mayonnaise), the grilled smoked salmon with cream cheese, the grilled ham & cheese (slices of premium whole-muscle ham and fresh mozzarella cheese), the grilled four-cheese sandwich (with mozzarella, Parmesan, Monterey Jack, and cheddar cheese), the grilled tomato, pesto and mozzarella, the cold chunky tuna sandwich, the tuna melt sandwich, the cold chunky chicken sandwich (chunks of classic roast chicken with special dressing generously on a bed of lettuce), and the jumbo hotdog sandwich (German hotdog with ketchup and mayo).

Kenny Rogers' Delivery Hotline is 533-8888 or visit www.kennys.com.ph.

White Forrest Cake by Red Ribbon

Red Ribbon, one of the leader and innovator of signature cakes here in the country has yet again launched another creation which will surely found its place in the hearts and palates of food enthusiasts. "Let there be White" Red Ribbon says, as they made a complimentary opposite of the famous Black Forrest they called, none other than, Red Ribbon White Forrest Cake.

The Red Ribbon White Forest is made with moist white chiffon cake layered between fusion of cream and cherry bits filling covered white chocolate cream and generously finished white chocolate shavings. On top of it are cream rosettes and luscious long-stemmed, red maraschino cherries.

Sweet and simple, that's how I would describe it. This is pretty much straight forward the opposite of Black Forrest Cake. If you're the type who likes variety of tastes and texture on your cake, then I guess, this cake can be as boring as color white itself. But if simplicity in flavor is your cup of tea, then White Forrest can give your heart's delight a deliciously memorable dessert experience.

Visit any Red Ribbon branch today and get the new White Forest or simply call 8-77-77 and have it delivered right at your doorstep.