Toasted Pastillas by MAJ Sweet Shoppe

Of all the sweet native Filipino delicacies there is, I would have to say that Pastillas is definitely my favorite. I always admire it for its simplicity and delicately sweet taste. Pastillas recipe usually calls for sugar and milk, and that's it. While you cannot do much about it, you can have it toasted. Just like what MAJ Sweet Shoppe dishes out for their customers; Toasted Pastillas.

It was weeks back when I was given packs of Toasted Pastillas by MAJ Sweet Shoppe to try. Purist may say that pastillas should be delicately soft with just enough resistance to the bite for its sugar-laden outer covering. But then in Bulacan, one of the places I know that take their pastillas seriously, they do have this pastillas "tostado". This is pretty much the same thing.

Mrs. Graham's Macaron Café at Sct. Rallos in Quezon City

First time I have encountered Mrs. Graham’s Macaron was during the Best Food Forward last year. I could still remember how their Pancake with Maple Buttercream left a pleasant impression on me. Fast forward to 2014, Mrs. Graham's finally opened a café at Sct. Rallos in Quezon City.

There are plenty of restaurants and desserts places around Tomas Morato area, but Mrs. Graham's Macaron Café is definitely a welcome addition as it offers not just your ordinary macarons, but those which you cannot find else where. That is alongside many other delectable sweets and pastries they are offering.

This newest and most innovative macaron place I have encountered by far brings standard and not-so-standard macarons in the metro. It offers a handful of creative spin to the ordinary macaron, some more appealing than others, but all are worth trying out.

Xin Tian Di Restaurant at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria: Celebrate Chinese New Year with Prosperity Toss

Xin Tian Di, signature Chinese restaurant of Crowne Plaza Hotel Manila Galleria is currently offering set menus of auspicious dishes perfect for Chinese New Year celebration this 2014. Impressive Chinese cuisine that are known to bring good luck this Year of the Wooden Horse can be enjoyed at Xin Tian Di starting today, January 30, 2014 to February 13, 2014. 

One of Xin Tian Di’s Chinese New Year auspicious entrees is the Yu Sheng Salad which is more known as the CNY “Prosperity Toss Salad.” This Chinese delicacy when translated to English means “abundance of wealth and long life.” 

I have been participating to Chinese New Year gatherings for quite a while now but it was only this year that I got to try the wonders of Yu Sheng Salad Ceremony. And trust me, it’s fun. “A good excuse to play and have fun with your food” one of my dinner mates noted during the preview of the CNY dinner celebration at Xin Tian Di. The fact that it can bring prosperity is an added bonus.

Black Olive Cerveceria at Capitol Commons, Pasig City

Black Olive Cerveceria is a new restaurant by Chef Carlos Miguel which is located at the Capitol Commons, a new foodie hub along Shaw Blvd. in Pasig City. It offers Mediterranean cuisine coupled with impressive line of beers, wines, and spirits in a relaxing ambiance conducive to having a great time over good food. 

Capitol Commons is slowly but surely becoming the favorite of foodies in Manila, with several food trucks and new restaurants up on its sleeve. Black Olive Cerveceria is one of those which should not be missed when visiting the area.

Some weeks ago, I along with some foodie friends visited Black Olive to meet Chef Carlos Miguel, the genius mind behind Draft Gastropub, Opus, Beso and Publiko and try his offerings served at Black Olive Cerveceria. It was a holiday season and there could not be more apt way to relax amidst the busy season than to feast on good food and great beers.

Oakroom Restaurant's Saturday Night Fever Dinner Buffet at Oakwood Premier Manila

Oakroom Restaurant, the signature restaurant of Oakwood Premier Joy-Nostalg Center Manila in Ortigas is known to dish out themed hotel buffet offerings every quarter. For the first quarter of this year, they give a flavorful touch of delectable goodness to their buffet spread through their Saturday Night Fever Dinner Buffet which started last January 11, 2014.

During the launch of the dinner buffet at Oakroom, we sampled some of the offerings on the spread which comprised of delightful international dishes. While the spread, particularly the quality of the food is enticing enough, this special buffet promo is further elevated with the inclusion of Chef Jerome Cartailler's Cronuts Station.