TIM HORTONS PHILIPPINES: TEAJITOS, BISCUITS PASTRIES AND MORE!

Canada's Number one Coffee House opened its doors in the Philippines in 2017, and since then, it has continued to add more branches at a rapid pace. Not only do they offer high quality selections of coffee and doughnuts, but breakfast entrees and pastries too! Now, they expanded their beverage menu by introducing a trio of tea drinks called "Teajitos"... and I coudln't resist trying them on a hot summer day! 

Please don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube Channel: bit.ly/PickiestEaterYT

SM NORTH EDSA EATS: 3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT IHOP FRESH & GO!

      Three words that always brings a smile to my face... "ALL DAY BREAKFAST". Considering how IHOP exploded on to the scene a few years ago, it's clear that we Pinoys have a fascination with the integral morning meal. IHOP brought in their fast casual style restaurant "IHOP Fresh and Go" to our shores, introducing yet another delectable way to enjoy your breakfast, and was the last stop of our mini food crawl around SM NORTH EDSA!  

A TASTE OF THE BIG EASY AT CAFE CREOLE!

       I rarely find myself at Resorts World. In fact, the last time I visited was months ago, when I went to try Johnny Kahuku's Shrimp House, by Celebrity Chef, Pete Ayson! Which makes it rather fitting that my return to Resorts World Manila was to try the newest concept by the awesome Chef Pete, Cafe Creole.  

       I did a little research on the restaurant and saw some of their amazing dishes, including a stunning brunch menu that left me whispering to myself, "Resorts World Manila".

     Pretty soon, I was on my way to get my fill of some good old fashioned creole food!

BEAUTIFUL MORNINGS AT THE BOUTIQUE BED AND BREAKFAST

      Admit it.. When someone asks where they can go for a nice out of town date, the first place that comes to your mind is Tagaytay. If it's not the first place that pops up into your head, then presumably it's the second. However, it isn't hard to see why. With the cool air, spectacular view of the lake, and the manageable distance from Metro Manila, Tagaytay is a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of the city.

     I've stayed in Taal Vista Hotel quite a few times, and it is undoubtedly among the best hotels in Tagaytay. There's no denying that the place is one of the most- if not the most popular hotels in Tagaytay. Almost too popular, to the point that it's often quite crowded. With its facilities and activities, not to mention that its situated near Sky Ranch, it makes it a great place to stay with your family. 

       However, what if you're just a couple that is looking for a Romantic getaway? You're looking for a little solitude where you can run away from everything together, even just for a weekend. 

     Then my friend, I've got the place for you.  Let me tell you all about Boutique Bed and Breakfast in Tagaytay,

Rain Loves CDO Funtastyk Fatless Young Pork Tocino!

        If you’re a follower of my blog, then most of you already know by now that I am a full blooded carnivore, with an especially soft spot for all things pork. And that aside from loving pork, I also tend to veer towards sweet meats. And as a Pickiest Eater, it is no surprise that my little toddler is also becoming a picky eater as well.

        For breakfast, she needs to have fried egg. That’s her absolute favorite. We try to sneak in some luncheon meat in her egg and rice meal, but when she spots it, she calls us out on it. One time, however, Rina decided to try adding some of CDO’s Funtastyk Pork Tocino to her breakfast, and guess what? She loved it!

   Sweet Pork.. Yup, she’s my daughter all right!

BREAKFAST AT CHRISTINA'S.. BY THE BEACH With Transitions® Signature™ Adaptive Lenses!

        This year, our family got the chance to travel again to Boracay! I know a lot of people may feel that Boracay is already too commercialized. Which may be true, but they still have the best white, powdery sand I’ve ever felt and seen. And it’s because of this that we still enjoy going back.

        This summer, we stayed in the beautiful Henann Lagoon  And it is during this time that we realized how large the Boracay Regency properties are in Boracay. Large and beautiful! This includes Henann Lagoon, Henann Gardens, Boracay Regency, Sea Breeze Cafe, and this small little but lovely restaurant where we had a delicious breakfast... Christina’s.

THE MCGRIDDLES ARE NOW IN THE PHILIPPINES!

          I still remember the morning after I arrived at the United States. I had a whole slew of restaurants that I intended to invade, and I couldn't wait to make my way through that list. A lot of those places were restaurants I found in Man V. Food and other food shows I'm obsessed with but, but for some reason, the first thing I wanted to try was a McGriddle from McDonald's. 

       Thankfully there was a McDonald's 5 minutes away from my Uncle's place where we were staying at Laguna Niguel, in Southern California, so my brother and I made the quick drive, first thing the following morning of our arrival. 

      What makes the McGriddle rather unique is the way the "Griddle Cakes"- which serve as the sandwich buns-, have the maple syrup baked into it, giving the cake a tinge of sweetness that goes well with whatever savory filling you choose. 

      I really enjoyed the McGriddle, and I must have gone back for one at least four or five other times during my 5 weeks in the United States. My mentality was to enjoy it as much as I can, because I highly doubted that the McGriddle would ever be available in the Philippines anytime soon. 

      I was wrong. 

      I'm proud to announce that the McGriddle is now available for breakfast at selected outlets here in the Philippines! 

HATCH 22 AT ROCKWELL

        Among the food that makes me happy, Eggs would definitely be one of them. It's such a simple but sunny and happy breakfast food that never fails to put a smile on my face. Especially when I'm very very hungry. I can eat eggs any time of the day. Scrambled, sunny side up, salted egg, century egg, hard boiled, or soft boiled. Except raw, I'd be more that happy to eat it all! 

        So you can imagine my delight when I saw the all-day breakfast menu of Hatch 22 owned by celebrity siblings and business partners Erwan and Solenn Heussaff. 

BREAKFAST IN BORACAY: THE STAR LOUNGE AT THE DISTRICT

           Whether its a cure to your hangover, or the fuel you need for a day out at the beach, Breakfast in Boracay is definitely something that should be an integral part of your stay in the beautiful island paradise.

      During our short stay at The District Boracay, we were treated to a delightful early morning meal at the hotel's Vigan Grill.. Which is now also known as the Star Lounge!

THE ROYAL TREATMENT AT ARISTOCRAT

        I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but I spent the first few years in my life growing (or not growing) in the good ol' U.S. of A (Which probably contributed to my picky palate). I was six years old when my family and I moved back to the Philippines after a five year stay in America. 

      The day after I had arrived, I still remember the first meal that my grandmother prepared for us. That images of that dish is still ingrained in my memories, to this very day, simply because what I saw scared the living crap out of me. It was a big bowl of black slop, with little bits of animal parts I couldn't make out floating around. I asked my yaya, "What is that?" and she answered, "Dinuguan.". I looked up at her and asked, "What's Dinuguan?". Never one to B.S. me, she got straight to the point and said, "Pigs blood". I made a face and answered, back, "Yucky!". My mom called me to come eat lunch, and I said, "I don't want to eat the blood of a pig!" and run up the stairs and into my room. Seconds later, my brother followed me into the room. I went up in tears, because in my six year old mind, I was afraid that moving to a strange land such as the Philippines meant being forced to eat food made from the blood of an animal and other exotic dishes.  

    Two minutes later, my mom and dad came into our room, saying that I shouldn't have stormed off, and I should apologize to my grandmother for insulting her food. I was in tears and said, "I hate Filipino food!". That moment, my grandmother entered the room with a tray in her hands, and a warm smile. I didn't have the guts to tell her that I didn't want to eat the food she brought, but thankfully, I didn't need to say anything. She walked in the room, and said, "Richie, you don't have to eat the dinuguan if you don't want to. I prepared this for you.". 

     I was half expecting to see an animal's head perched on to a plate, but instead, I found two plates (for me and my brother), with six slices of Spam, a cup of rice, and a bit of ketchup on the side. Needless to say, we tore into the plate like ravenous cheetahs having a field day with the carcass of a gazelle.  

    Later that evening, at around dinner time, my dad walked into with a bag of food. I won't lie to you. Whatever was in that bag, smelled really good. He said, "Hungry?". I was being bullheaded, and I just replied, "I don't like Filipino Food.". He dipped his hand into the bag, and pulls out a sandwich unlike any other I had seen before. "Its a flying saucer". he said of his strange, round, sandwich. He went in for a bite, and I gotta say, it looked really good. My dad continued to pretend that he didn't notice me watching him, and continued to focus on the TV. He then pulled out another sandwich from the bag and said, "All yours.". I hesitated for a minute, but in my mind, decided that sandwiches are considered American food. 

   I was pleasantly surprised with what I found inside after my first bite. It was definitely new territory for me. It was very meaty, but the flavor was something I had never experienced before. It was only after I had finished my last bite that my dad took the empty sandwich wrapper from me, to throw in the trash, and with a smile said, "That was called "Adobo Flying Saucer". It's made with Chicken. A very popular dish in the Philippines.". I was a little annoyed that I had been had, especially since my Filipino food boycott was still in full effect. My dad, with a laugh, said to me, "See? Filipino food isn't so bad, right?".

   The days following, my dad would bring for me take out food at least once a day, introducing my brother and I to basic Filipino food staples, such as their Chicken BBQ, Liempo and Pork BBQ.. All from Aristocrat.     

     More than 30 years later, I found it ironic that my journey into exploring Filipino Food would continue where it all began: At Aristocrat restaurant, whose standards in food and service still stands tall, till this very day.  

IHOP'S NEW GRIDDLE MELTS!

          Though its still rather busy during peak hours, the IHOP craze has seemed to die down. The lines are nowhere near as ridiculous as it was during the first few months of their operation. 

        So what does IHOP do to make sure their brand stays fresh? Introduce new products of course! 

         Starting off with their new Griddle Melts!

SUPER SAVER DISCOVERY: KANTO FREESTYLE BREAKFAST

       It was almost lunch time when I got a text from my wife asking where she and her sister (my sister-in-law) can eat that’s one-of-a-kind but good. Something they haven’t tried yet. (I am actually getting used to being the restaurant guru to my relatives) 

       But then she remembered that she only had a little amount of money left in her wallet. On a normal day I would probably have gotten worried but not this time. Thankfully I knew I had some cash left in my ATM from the rebates that I got from Security Bank. Yes, that’s correct! Security Bank gives rebates in the form of cash which is so much more practical than getting freebies in establishments I’m usually not so into. This way we get to choose how and where to enjoy our rebates.    

Kanto was featured in Manila Standard Newspaper

THE 2013 DAVAO ADVENTURE: CAFE MARCO AT MARCO POLO DAVAO

              If you're like me, then one of the things that excites you most when thinking about checking into a hotel is the food.. Especially a buffet. Call me weird, but the thought of a breakfast buffet is more appealing to me than a lunch or dinner one. I'm probably one of the few people that feel Bacon trumps Roast Beef, any day.

           This case is true for Cafe Marco at Marco Polo Hotel Davao. Their lunch and dinner entrees, are actually quite spectacular. But it can't quite compare to their breakfast food... particularly their Bacon, which I have to say, easily ranks among the best I've ever tried. 

STAYCATION SERIES: F1 HOTEL MANILA AT BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY

          I believe it was in the year 2005 or so when I first discovered the beauty of a "Staycation". Even though I was already working then, I was still living at home, so I didn't have rent or mortgage to think about. Meaning I had money. I purchased a "Club Membership" from an exclusive Hotel in Makati, that offered room vouchers that gave me huge discounts, and just to seal the deal, they even included an overnight stay, absolutely free. 

      At first, I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical. I wondered to myself, "Why pay money for an overnight stay in a hotel that's just around 30 minutes away from my house?". Nonetheless, the membership also gave me a 50% discount at their famous buffet, so that was enough for me. 

      Within minutes of checking in, I saw exactly what the whole point of a staycation was. The point was to get yourself absorbed in all of the relaxation, without the hassle of long airport lines and bumpy plane rides. You drove a few minutes away, yet you're taken to completely new world.. One free of stress, where your every whim is catered to. 

       As a blogger, I was fortunate to have been invited to a staycation late last year, and made some wonderful friends from the blogging world along the way. That experience inspired me to expand my horizons in 2013, and try to write more travel posts, including some amazing places in the metro where you and your family could enjoy a relaxing staycation.

      Early June, I was elated to be able to add another hotel to the list of places I've had a staycation in. Considering it was a Hotel that I pass by every day on my way to work, nothing could further epitomize the concept of "Staycation" than F1 Hotel Manila. 

BREAKFAST, INTERRUPTED AT MALCOM'S DELI

            Even though I don't get a chance to have it on a daily basis, I am always on the lookout for a great place to have breakfast. I know it's considered the most important meal of the day, but when you're expected to be at the office by 10am everyday, it's pretty tough to make time for a morning meal. 

            I've heard of Malcom's Place, because their burgers are supposed to be stuff of legend. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to try it just yet. When I was told that their sister restaurant, Malcom's Deli at the Fort, was serving a Breakfast menu for us to sample, there's no way I was going to say no to that! 

WHAT ABOUT BREAKFAST AT CAFE 1771?

I forgot to take a cover photo, so here's a picture of Rain, taking delight in squishing my face. 

        I'm a big breakfast guy.. I'm fairly certain I've said that more than once on this blog. It's funny because I don't get the chance to eat breakfast on a daily basis. I wake up, get ready for work, and the first meal of the day is whatever i'm having for lunch. But when Rina and I got the opportunity to taste some of the items of Cafe 1771's breakfast menu, there was no way we would pass that chance up! 

A VISIT TO GRANDMOMMA'S KITCHEN - RINAZ

        Remember those days when you come home from school and you rush to your grandma’s bright dainty kitchen and smell freshly baked cookies waiting especially for you? Well, we didn’t really have a dainty kitchen that smelled like baked goodies so I really didn’t get to experience that hehe. But in the hour or so that I was in GrandMomma’s kitchen, that’s exactly how it felt like when I went there for dinner with some blogger friends. 

EARLY BIRD BREAKFAST CLUB GIVEAWAY!

Yes, I am indeed holding a jar of bacon. 

           I could safely say that my love for breakfast food - particularly bacon- has reached legendary status. I get tagged on Facebook or mentioned on Twitter about bacon related subjects on a near-daily basis, by friends and complete strangers. And you know what's funny? I read every single one of those posts like it was a Greek epic. 

       Imagine how I felt when I found out that a restaurant dedicated to serving breakfast food opened up at The Fort Strip. Probably the same way you felt.. I must go there STAT! (Sorry, Rina was just watching Grey's Anatomy last night)

      Upon hearing that The Early Bird Breakfast Club had recently opened its doors, I got the feeling that this restaurant was conceptualized specifically for someone like me. I am the embodiment of an "Early Bird", with waking up early not being a problem for me. I am also notoriously "Antukin".. By around 10pm i'm constantly yawning and dazed, which is precisely why you'd probably never see me at a bar or one of them so called "Super Clubs" (I'm an old Fogey, I know). Whenever Rina and I dine out, it's usually on a Saturday or Sunday morning (Not so traffic and you're guaranteed parking.. makes perfect sense, right?).

       In other words, I truly am the Ultimate "Early Bird" (No double entendre, promise). 

LUNCH AT POCO DELI WITH A NEW FRIEND!

           Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that this blog of ours would reach so many people, in such a short amount of time. Which is why every time someone tells me - whether through Facebook, Twitter, or in person - that they read my blog, I can't help but beam with pride. 

     Tiny is one particular reader that reached out to me through Instagram. It's a funny story how it happened, because nothing like this has ever happened to me before. Instagram alerted me that I got a mention from a user that I was not friends with. When I clicked on it, I wasn't allowed to view it because her profile was set to private. I was actually in the middle of doing something so I thought nothing of it. The next day, when i was fiddling around with Instagram again, I noticed the alert was still in my notifications. I took a good look at the little thumbnail and noticed something. 

      It was a picture of me!

     Of course it got me wondering if I knew this person or not, and what my picture was doing there, which I recognized from an old blog post. I added her as a friend, and I saw that she was a Pinay reader that was based in another country, and was just telling everyone that she enjoyed reading my blog. 

     I'll tell you this right now.. It was a truly wonderful feeling. 

       Since that day, Tiny and I have been corresponding through Instagram and Facebook, and have become friends. We made plans to finally meet when she came back to Manila for her Christmas vacation. 

    When she asked where we could meet up I couldn't but think to myself.. "Where else would you meet up with a girl named "Tiny", but at "Poco Deli"! 

BREAKFAST BUFFET AT HILTON NEW YORK'S MARKETPLACE CAFE!

        If you thought having the Blogger AmbassadOREO title was all fun and games you'd be.. well.. Right. From the start of the trip, Oreo made it clear that apart from documenting the trip of the AmbassOREOS, Jennifer and Jasmin, they wanted us to make sure that Rina and I had fun during the company's scheduled activites. This was clearly a huge event, and Oreo Philippines made sure that we'd be comfortable throughout our trip. Since the action would be happening in the "Hilton New York", along 6th Street or Avenue Of The Americas, it made complete sense for them to book us there. 

       As I mentioned earlier, The Hilton New York is more of a business hotel, so don't expect a poolside deck you can lounge in. Besides, if sunbathing on your vacation is more your thing, then you flew to the wrong state. This is a hotel with a location in the Center of the city, and a short distance from such tourist attractions such as the Rockefeller Center, Times Square, and Central Park. 

     Yet another fantastic perk included in our stay, was the free breakfast buffet every morning at Hilton New York's Marketplace Cafe. 

     God Bless You OREO.