Viennese Mocha Torte at Conti's

Have you ever experienced being caught off guard by something arrestingly beautiful that you do not want to let it go? That is exactly what I have experienced when I saw Viennese Mocha Torte, a new addition to Conti’s Pastry Shop’s line of satisfyingly delectable cakes.

I was dead set on getting a box of Turtle Pie at Conti's after hearing raves about it. After all, I have truly liked their Infamous Mango Bravo and Mango Cream Cake, so I said, why not try the pie. Then while browsing through the choices of cakes available, this intricately beautiful creation provocatively staring back at me while situated at the corner of the refrigerator loaded with other delectable cakes caught my sight and I was never able to take my eyes off it.



It is delicately beautiful I want to display it in our living room if only it wouldn't melt! It is very enticing to the senses you would feel that it is too beautiful to eat. Indeed it was love at first sight; naturally, I have to buy it too.

This beauty is made up of layers of rich chocolate cake, meringue, mocha butter cream mousse, and thinly chopped almonds.

If you are a mocha lover, then this cake is for you. The mocha butter cream dominates the entire flavor of the cake but the richness of the chocolate cake gives balance to it. The crunchiness of the meringue and almonds adds texture to the cake it would make you realize that it is indeed something different.

If you are a chocolate cake lover like I am, expect that it wouldn't give you the same satisfaction you get from a slice of decadent super moist chocolate cake on your favorite pastry chop, because Viennese Mocha Torte screams mocha! in your face there isn’t a chance that you would ever forget that you are eating a Mocha flavored cake. Well, it wouldn't be called its name for nothing right?

All in all, I can still say that it is worth its price of 450php for the mini and 950php for the mile high one. Oh, did I mention that it is as tall as Mango Bravo? Yes, it is.

So, this delectably beautiful cake that captures my heart at first sight is truly beautiful and delicious on it's own right. But I guess love at first sight is still different from your one true love (read:chocolate cake). I never regretted having a palatable affair with Viennese Mocha Torte, but life is too short so I guess I’ll be on my way to my next quest, Turtle Pie!

You can visit Conti's Pastry Shop website at contis.ph

Bacon and Mushroom Pasta in Tomato and Cream Sauce

It was one of those lazy afternoon when I saw the commercial for KFC's new Creamy Tomato Pasta bowl and I knew right there and then that I have to try it. Fair enough, it is affordable and it does taste good, but you'll know that it could be better. And that inspired me to cook my own version of it.

Pasta in Tomato and Cream Sauce is one of the easiest Pasta Dish that you can cook. This pasta allows you to experiment as to what other ingredients you can add. As for me, I use Mushroom and Bacon. Mushroom for an extra juicy texture and Bacon, because we all know that everything taste good with bacon.

Bacon and Mushroom Pasta in Tomato and Cream Sauce

The ingredients are simple.

Pasta of your choice (spaghetti, linguini, or penne)

Sauce:

2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Cloves of Garlic
1 Medium Size White Onion Chopped
3 cups Tomato sauce
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
Dried Italian Seasoning

Toppings:

2 Tbsp butter
6 strips of bacon cut into 1 inch strips
1 cup sliced mushroom
Dried Italian Seasoning
Grated Cheese


Normally, you can just heat the tomato sauce and the heavy cream in a pan then it's good to go, but for added taste, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil before adding the tomato sauce and cream. Add dried Italian Seasoning.

For the toppings, sauté onion, garlic, mushroom and bacon in a butter. Set aside.

Cook the pasta based on the instruction indicated on the pack, then once cooked, pour the sauce, top it with sauté mushroom and bacon, and then add grated cheese.

You can then serve it with toasted garlic bread and/or a glass of wine.


Foodie Notes:

Since I didn't use stock on the sauce, the consistency is thick and creamy, meaning depending on your desired thickness, you can always adjust it by adding meat broth to the sauce while cooking.

If you do not have fresh herbs and spices for your pasta, a bottled Dried Italian seasoning you can purchase in the grocery store will do wonders on the dish.

Tossing the pasta in the sauce right after cooking it will make a big difference in flavor instead of waiting for it to cool down before mixing the two.

Note that tomato is already high in acidity, so if you are using a tomato based sauce in your pasta, the wine you should choose to pair with it must have enough acidity on it so that it wouldn't clash with the tomato. While Cream-based sauce goes well with full-bodied white wine. Most wine you can purchase indicates at the back label as to which dish it goes well.

"Kiddie-fying" The Dish
Most kids and for some who are kids-at-heart especially for Filipinos like us, they prefer a sweeter version of pasta. That is why there are already available different brands of pasta and tomato sauce in the market which targets the palates of kids, making the sauce sweeter than usual.

To make this recipe more suitable to kids, you can just add sugar to the sauce, not too much though, or you can opt to use the Filipino Style tomato sauce available in the local market. Then, aside from bacon and mushroom, you can also use hotdogs which kids love.

Also, kids love texture on their food. Most of my younger cousins love hotdogs on their pasta, and the next the great thing for them are cheese. Whenever they are served with pasta, they would always ask for more cheese. So, instead of grating the cheese, diced bits and pieces of it also works well.

Dennis The Grill Boy

Spending an afternoon at SM Mall Of Asia, one sure thing that you can expect to experience is a growling stomach. Not just because of the enticing view of different restaurants that you can see, but because as you stroll that gigantic place, there isn't a snowball chance in the desert that you'll not get tired and hungry. If the weight of the latter statement rings true to you, like it did to me most of the time, worry not, because there are some restaurants there which offers good foods at affordable prices so that you can still squeeze in a little bit of extra purchases in your budget. One of them is Dennis The Grill Boy.

Formerly called Pupung & Friends, this restaurant serves Pinoy comfort food such as Liempo, Bangus Belly, Barbecue, Steak, and other all time Pinoy favorites. An order of a meal would cost from 75php to 125php which is really affordable considering they offer unlimited rice.

Their Pinaputok Na Bangus Belly is so far my favorite. A decent size of Bangus Belly with diced tomato and onions covered in Banana Leaf was grilled to perfection. I noticed that prior to grilling; the fish was already marinated that is why it is so tasty and not dry at all.



One of the best sellers in the menu is their Lechon Kawali. Now, I suggest that you do not be deceived by the "hard as a stone" look of it because once you took a bite, it is pure bliss. It definitely kicks a common Lechon Kawali up a notch. Crispy on the outside, but soft, tender, and juicy on the inside. My mother told me that it’s probably cooked in a pressure cooker before deep frying it. The Atchara which comes with the meal only heightens the already flavorful Lechon Kawali so, you would definitely ask for a second helping of rice.

Dennis' Grilled Liempo is yet another flavorful option on their menu. You will know that it has been marinated just right because every single strand of meat is bursting with flavor. Unlike any other Liempo which is normally paired with either a Liver Sauce or Vinegar, this one is served with an ingenious Dennis' white sauce which has a subtle taste of butter, cheese, and mustard. It may look as if it's an odd combination, but this sauce is one of the reasons why I would definitely go back at Dennis.

Their flavorful Boneless Chicken Inasal paired with Java Rice is Dennis' another way to score a satisfied tummies with its big serving.

Oriental Chicken Barbecue marinated in special sauce with Asian herbs and spices is just perfect. This succulent smoky chicken barbecue is definitely a must try.

Another dish that one must try upon visiting Dennis is their Crispy Pork and Mango Salad. Imagine your favorite Ensaladang Hilaw na Mangga and add to that a crispy bits and pieces of Pork, it is a surefire hit as you paired it with grilled food. Although it's just part of their side orders, believe me, it can be a viand in itself.

Located at the entertainment area of SM MOA, Dennis The Grill Boy's Interior resembles that of a well sanitized office pantry, only it is made catchy by the colorful ambiance and comic strips posted on the walls. The food may take some time before it is served but that is understandable because they are grilling it as you placed your order. The food servers are professional in dealing with their customers but I think they could use some perky attitude on the side that can go really well with the lively ambiance of the resto.

If you have a big appetite but would want to stay within the budget, then you can consider trying out this resto for their quality meals. On my next visit, I will definitely try their Tapa Steak because I recently learned that they are known for this particular dish.

Dennis The Grill Boy
SM Mall Of Asia
Unit 1128 G/F, Entertainment Building
Contact No. 556-0779

Chocolate Heaven

Over the weekend, I have been craving for something chocolatey, so, to the nearest candy corner I go. I purchased a handful of their chocolate with caramel balls for 75php and although I enjoyed the chocolate goodness of it, I still crave for something more define and satisfying.

Good thing, my father treated us to a box of Pizza and Red Ribbon's new Chocolate Heaven Cake as his post Valentine's treat to us. So, this morning, while I am writing this post, I am enjoying a slice of it with a cup of tea. I am literally doing a review in between bites, and enjoying every minute of it.

This ingenious creation is made up of four kinds of layers of chocolate goodness such as Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Mousse, Chocolate Icing, and Chocolate Curls.

If you are a chocolate lover like me, you would enjoy this delectable chocolatey treat. Every bite will give you a satisfying sinfully experience so you have to forget the term diet while enjoying it. Since it is oozing with heavenly sweetness, I suggest that you pair it with a cup of unsweetened tea. Also, I would have loved it more if the brownie they use is moist because I find it a bit dry for my taste. Nevertheless, I am still able to satisfy my cravings.




You can enjoy Chocolate Heaven at a very affordable price of 560php for their regular size, and 335php for their junior size.

Also, there is an on-going Red Ribbon Chocolate Heaven Photo Contest and you might want to check that here.





Red Ribbon Delivery contact number is 8-7777

Angus Steakhouse Pizza by Shakey's

If you are craving for a prime Angus Beef and a Pizza, you can have it in one, with the new Angus Steakhouse Pizza made possible by one of our country’s leading Pizza Restaurant, Shakey’s.

Aside from the pieces of Angus Beef, this innovative Pizza is made special with juicy mushroom and onion slices, and it is made crunchy by shoestring potatoes. Since it uses prime Angus Beef, it is more tender and juicy, adding tickles to your palate as the flavor burst in every bite.


Since I am a thin crust pizza lover, I usually order mine in thin. Some of my friends however, say that they prefer it in thick crust because it tends to lean on a salty side if the crust is too thin. But it is not salty on my taste, so I am fine with it. Good thing that it is also available in New York crust, meaning not too thick and not too thin type of crust, if you can’t decide on the two.

Also, some friends are quite disappointed because they are expecting literally a steak on the pizza but found ground beef instead. Nonetheless, it taste good and it is definitely worth your money. I love how they incorporate the shoestring potatoes on it, and the sweet and meaty aftertaste will leave you craving for more.

Visit your nearest Shakey's Restaurant or dial 77-777 for on-time delivery