Eat Healthy! Be Happy!
It’s off the usual route and takes a bit of traveling to get to but Cioccolo is an interesting place to go to at night. Right in the middle of a dark field, it seems a place of enchantment has sprung up, magically lit up at night. There’s R2-D2 in one area, Elvis in another as well as Roman statues here and there among a host of other curiosities that catch the eye and piques one’s interest no matter how blasĂ© he or she can be. There are even huge banquet halls spread out on the spacious lot that looked like settings for a medieval tale complete with trompe l’oeil ceilings, huge chandeliers, gilded walls and ornate furniture. Cioccolo's truly kitschy as kitschy can be but in a pleasant way, maybe strangely romantic even like a fantasy world. Contrastingly, the coffee shop looks “normal” and “real world”, warmly lit and inviting for a nightcap. The whole place looks every bit interesting but we wonder if the food could be as "kitschy" good as well.
Avocado is one of my favourite fruits and being a sucker for desserts, the combination of the fruit with a cake can be lethal. Strolling along with a fellow foodie friend in the streets of Kapitolyo, Pasig, which is fast becoming a food hub with a lot of new dining options popping up, we discovered Lia’s Cakes in Season. Lia’s is one of the old dining establishments in the area (it's been there since 2004) known for its signature Avocado Cakes.
Before you know it, we're deep into the Christmas holiday. It's the time of the year when part of the tradition is the merry eating, often a cause for indulgence that will visibly manifest itself come January. It's also the time to give and receive (food calories included in the merry swapping of presents) so it was really a pleasant surprise to get boxes of J. Co Donuts at the doorstep. Hmmm, gets us into thinking: is there really room for another donut brand in a sweetly saturated market? J.Co isn't really a new brand, having been around in other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia where it got started since 2005. Well, only with a taste test can tell so we made room for extra calories to give Happyfoodies readers our impressions.
Ah, the halo-halo. This quintessential Pinoy cooler is literally a hodge podge of locally-available ingredients. Just like the ubiquitous adobo, it varies from province to province with iterations that change partly due to what’s available, partly to what tickle the taste buds of the locals.
It was a stark contrast from our last meal in Macau. As soon as we enter the 3rd level of Crown Tower within City of Dreams, we knew we’ll be treated to a luxurious dining experience this time around. We were at Horizons, a restaurant known for its grilled steaks and seafood.
While it was raining in the Metro over the weekend, your happyfoodies were following the hiking and food trail to the northeastern part of Luzon. One of our stops on the way home was Cabanatuan, and at the suggestion of a friend, we made a stopover at Puno’s Ice Cream and Sherbet to cool off the increasingly hot day. Our friend says it’s a must-visit place and we were just happy to oblige.
It’s been quite a while since we last stepped into Amici in Don Bosco in Makati City. Oh, we’ve always considered this restaurant that boasts of affordable, home-cooked Italian-style cuisine as a comforting constant in a constantly changing foodscape. But ever since its takeover by a new management team two years ago, we had our apprehensions. And there’s also the expansion to include a branch in SM Megamall. Did the move to professionalize the operations alter the relaxed eating experience? Or worse, change the great-tasting food we’ve always come to love?
To find out, we dropped by on a Sunday afternoon for a late lunch – something that was not possible when Amici was still run by the Salesians of Don Bosco. Obviously, this is one of the benefits of the new management as Sunday is a very nice time to avoid the big weekday office crowds and take your sweet time to savor each and every bite. The verdict: still as lip-smacking good as ever.
How does one turn something as iconic-American as apple pie into a very Pinoy fare? It’s either a big mistake or a big hit. In the case of El Ideal Bakery, it’s a big, big hit. So much so that all of the locals we met during a trip to Silay, Negros Occidental, recommend its Guapple Pie with near reverence. And it’s really no surprise as the pie has been a consistent bestseller ever since it was introduced by this institution in Silay. Made from the guapple fruit (oversized variety of guava), it is a favorite among the locals and a must-taste for all visitors. No wonder it constantly makes the lists of yummy desserts across the Philippines.
Desserts have always been synonymous with the word "sweets" but it doesn't always have to be that way. A visit to an American country-style bakery cafe named Mom and Tina's proved us wrong. They have a huge selection of baked goodies that are both truly luscious to the eyes and delectable to the taste.
Mom and Tina's is a run by the Torres family (named after their Grandmother Mama Belen and her daughter Tina Torres-Santos) for a few years now. The restaurant shows that the very good home-grown food they prepare is hard not to hide for so long. Starting as a small bake shop in Pasig, their place eventually grew to a large bakery cafe in front of SM Hypermart in Ugong. And about 3 months ago they opened a new spot in Legaspi Village along Dela Rosa, Makati where we were finally able to sample what they have to offer.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Lagal[og] said: I have a sweet tooth but I'm not too fond of overly-sweet desserts. I've spotted Mom & Tina's on quite a few occasions but was never compelled to drop in and sample the sweets until quite recently. I have tasted quite a lot of the cakes and the thing I most liked about them is that they're not stuffed with sugar so I don't get umay (taste buds don't get overwhelmed).
Ironwulf said: The design interiors struck me first as being classy with their American country theme. It's really homey with the warm lighting and wooden furnishings. I thought this place would be very expensive but browsing through the menu and having seen the items served, I found them just right for the price.
I'm a dessert person myself but I'm a bit turned off by desserts which I find too sweet. It's quite a surprise that most of the desserts here at Mom and Tina's emphasizes more on the creamy rich flavor without giving you a dose of sugar overload. Another favorite I noticed among the patrons there are the sugar-free variants for health-conscious people who don't want to scrimp on the taste.
FAVORITES
Lagal[og] said: It's hard to pick a favorite since everything is pretty much good. Because I'm a mango fanatic, I always order the Mango Cream Pie. The Walnut Cream Pie is also fantastic. Rich and creamy in texture but not overwhelmingly sweet. The Baked Oreo Cheesecake is sinfully rich – from the chocolate shavings on top to the chocolatey bottom layer. What especially surprised me is their take on what are otherwise regular/standard baker's fare like the Brazo de Mercedes which has a chewy roll and not-so-sweet middle.
Ironwulf said: Talk about favorites! I'm a chocoholic so I'm raving for the Baked Oreo Cheesecake and their Chocolate Mousse Cake. Most of their cakes are served on a baking pan with an average area of 3x5 inches. Seems a little to look at but it's just enough really. The Baked Oreo Cheesecake is so rich it's best to share with a friend or two. The Chocolate Mousse Cake, both the regular and sugar-free variants are light and creamy. Their Blueberry Cheesecake is good though the syrup is simply too sweet for me. The Sansrival they served us before is also a bit too hard to slice and chew, must have been refrigerated too long.
Lagal[og] said: They also have a nice array of refrigerated cakes, sugar-free versions of some of the treats, cookies and squares. It's pure bliss to wash them down with brewed coffee.Ironwulf said: One bummer though is that hot choco is on the menu but wasn't available during the times we visited. I don't drink coffee often so I prefer the hot choco. If they don't have it, they should remove it from the menu board. But talk about refrigerated cakes. I like their White Toblerone Walnut Torte and Strawberry Trifle Cups. The layers of frosted cream, grahams, walnut and the ingredient are really delightful.
The prices are just right (starting at Php15 for the squares; about Php80 up for the single servings of cakes) so indulgence doesn't have to mean squandering a week's pay for great-tasting desserts.
THE PLACE
Lagal[og] said: The country-inspired interiors and warm lighting make M&T ideal for casual dinners and meetings. Very homey and relaxing, it's like coming home at the end of a long day at the office. Lunchtime is not as relaxing as there's always a long line waiting but evenings and weekends are good times for unwinding.
Ironwulf said: I have visited the Makati Branch 3 times already in less than two months and I know Lagal[og] has been there more than that. Evening crowds are manageable but expect lunch time to be packed since they also serve very good comfort foods. Weekends are ideal for visits. The little furnishing accents of old wooden clocks, figurines and old lamps are big pluses for me, ambience-wise. And their comfort rooms are clean as well.
Mom and Tina's Bakery CafĂ© Perea cor. Dela Rosa Sts., Legaspi Village, Makati City • Open from 9am – 11pm, Mon-Sun632.840.4299
(The main branch is located along C5 infront of SM Hypermart) 106 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave., Barangay Ugong. Pasig City • 632.914.0833 • 632.571.1540-41