Trying Betty's Best

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AMAZING CRAB DISHES FROM LEY'S KITCHEN

 

Ley's Kitchen has been around since 2015, but they've kicked it up a notch during the past year with new dazzling Crab dishes as well as mouthwatering home cooked dishes!

ADIE'S DELIGHT: A DELIGHTFUL DISCOVERY!

 

I truly love these food discoveries that I have uncovered during this time of Quarantine... And Adie's Delight happens to be one of my favorites! Check out my haul from Adie's Delights Menu!

MASARAP NGA AT NOVOTEL MANILA ARANETA CENTER

Internet Superstar "Masarap Ba?" is currently holding (as of April 1) a "Meet and Eat" food Festival at Novotel Manila Araneta Center, featuring dishes created by products endorsed on the wildly popular Instagram account!

The Buffet, held at Food Exchange, is an amazing collaboration by Masarap Ba, and Novotel, and allows previously unknown online purveyors to gain a wider audience for their products, that in some cases, are even better than their Mainstream contemporaries. 

I couldn't wait to give the buffet a try, and all I could say afterwards was indeed... MASARAP NGA!!!

Here are some IG links to the purveyors that took part in the Masarap Nga Event: 

Mad Meats: https://www.instagram.com/madmeats/
Daddy Mikks: https://www.instagram.com/daddymikks/
Mishees: https://www.instagram.com/mishees/
Papa Bear: https://www.instagram.com/papabearfoodph/
Che Che's Gourmet: https://www.instagram.com/chechesgourmetofficial/
Beth's Chicken Galantina: https://www.instagram.com/bethschickengalantina/
Benedicto Kitchen: https://www.instagram.com/benedictokitchenph/
Buenlago Kitchen: https://www.instagram.com/buenlagokitchen/
Le Sucre Lab: https://www.instagram.com/lesucrelabph/
Half Saints: https://www.instagram.com/halfsaints/
Mango Grill Manila: https://www.instagram.com/mangogrillmanila/

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The PICKIEST EATER TRIES EPISODE 2: PATE DE FRANCE

          Due to the crowded food scene in the Philippines, home based food business have been finding ways to become more and more creative whether their products in order to stand out. The cakes and pastries market actually seems to be quite competitive nowadays, with online bakeshops quite popular in social media. 

     One online business took it upon themselves to bring to their customers a rather unique take on the Pinoy Ube Cake. I was immediately intrigued when I chanced upon La Pate De France on Instagram, and when I actually tried their product, I was totally blown away!    

      Perfect for the second episode of The Pickiest Eater Tries! 

LECHON LOVE VLOG SERIES: CHUBATCHOY CEBU LECHON HOUSE

        As I mentioned in my previous blog posts, I've been trying to look for more home based businesses I could help promote on my blog. One such purveyor came under my radar, because their product is definitely right up my alley... Meet Chewbatchuy, Cebuano Lechon House! 

HOMEBASED DISCOVERIES: POPS ORGINAL LUMPIANIZA

            I've always been a huge fan of fan of Lumpia Shanghai, and it seems like my daughter took after me as well! Which is why when I heard about a home based purveyor with a brilliant idea of taking the traditional Lumpia to another level, I was immediately interested. 

           His creations, the Lumpianiza, is not only easy to cook, making it a convenient meal for your family, but they're incredibly delicious as well! With a variety of flavors to choose from, you're definitely going to find a flavor that fits your palate! 

HOMEBASED DISCOVERIES: MILKBOXPH HOKKAIDO CAKES AND MORE!

      There are a whole bunch of local online purveyors that you can find on social media.. So this begs the question, how do you know which ones are good from the ones that are not. I plan to do a series of online vendors that I find on the net and give my two cents on whether they're worth it or not, and I thought it would be best to start with one such online business that totally blew me away with its delicious concoctions.. MilkboxPH.  

WHO IS MR. COCHINILLO?

        I have a thing for pork. I think I've made that clear in my four plus years as a blogger. Regardless of it's shape or form, Pork is something that simply works for me and my taste buds. 

       So imagine how I felt when I was invited to sample a couple of slow cooked roasted suckling pigs fresh out of the oven, at the home of a man that is taking the classic Cuchinillo to the next level.. Then not being able to go.

          After missing the first event that left me no choice but to stare helplessly (not to mention enviously) at my friend's instagram pictures, I was determined to not let the next opportunity slip away.

      

        A couple of days later, Nina, the event organizer, sent a message me, Spanky and Yedy.. The three bloggers that were absent that evening, inviting us to set a new schedule.

      "Come hungry.",  her E-vite reminded, to which I replied, "Have no fear, "Hungry" is my default setting". 

         By day, he is Tinee De Guzman, the mild mannered food photographer.

         But by night, he takes up the mantle of "Mr. Cochinillo", the newest name in delicious slow roasted, suckling pigs. 

GIVE BACK THIS CHRISTMAS: GOURMET GOODIES GIFT BASKETS

       As I was sorting through the possible gift baskets that I could give some of my friends and clients, I found myself utterly bored. I mean, let's face it.. Putting a red ribbon on a basket full of canned pineapple and fruit cocktail doesn't really say "Christmas", does it?

     Don't get me wrong.. I'm not a "Down with the establishment" kind of guy. I have no problem whatsoever with big businesses. But as I began to frequent food markets this past two years, I noticed something that was lacking in their assembly line of products that graced the grocery shelves.. Something that the small businesses seemed to have in abundance.. 

      Heart. 

      After making the rounds in the Food Market circuit, Chef Dino Ferrari, the winner of AFC's "Next Celebrity Chef", recognized the potential that these products had, made by determined Filipino-based entrepreneurs. 

       However, For Chef Dino and his business partner, championing the local enterprise was not enough. They felt it was imperative to not only promote Filipino small business, but to give to the less fortunate as well in the process.  

      And with that, Gourmet Goodies was born.

QUICK PICK: INDULGENCE BY IRENE

       Although i'm sure it's clear as day, judging from the history of my blog entries, I'll be the first to admit that I'm more of a "Main Course" kind of guy. It has come to the point that the dessert section of the menu is often neglected. I take a glance at it, and pick out something I want. But in the end, I often use that stomach space (and budget) for another entree. 

      But one dessert item that I do have a soft spot for, is Cheesecake. 

      Awhile back, I got the opportunity of tasting one of the best cheesecakes I've ever had in my entire life. I have tasted a lot of cheesecakes in my life, but this intrigued me because I had never tried a Quezo De Bola Cheesecake before.

       And so begins my love affair with "Indulgence by Irene", The best Cheese cake you've never heard of.. By I have a feeling that's all going to change, very soon. 

MAD MEATS: A BACON ODYSSEY

               My legendary love affair with bacon began at a very early age. It is something that I could easily eat not just for breakfast, but for lunch and dinner too. People think I'm joking when I say I would prefer a plate of bacon over a USDA Grade Tenderloin Steak, but it's true. Crunchy, soft, thick, thin, it matters not. Growing up in a family thats into the hotel business, I've been fortunate enough to have experienced a lot of breakfast buffets in my lifetime, and the first thing I always seem to look for, no matter what other amazing dishes were laid out, was the bacon.


          So when my wife told me about her friend's home-based business that specializes in different types of homemade bacon, I was immediately intrigued. I know some home-based Tapa, and even sausage vendors, as well as a wide array of pastry sellers, but surprisingly, no bacon. Rina didn't really need to twist my arm to get me to order a batch to try, saying it would be a nice change to blog about another home based business instead of a restaurant for a change. I told her that if I didn't like it I wouldn't blog about it.

           So ladies and gentlemen, you're about to thank me for introducing you to the best bacon you've never heard of... Mad Meats.

OZ CAKES AND PASTRIES: PART 1

Gotta have the cream.

         A few years ago, my sisters, Raquel and Rosemarie went into a venture to start a restaurant in the grounds of U.P. It was a cafe at the back of Bahay ng Alumni, that shared a space with an art gallery. Oz With its artistic ambiance, and their delicious pastas and pita wraps, Oz Cafe garnered a cult following among the students of UP for quite a number of years. My personal favorites were the Japanese Fried Rice, the Pesto Pasta, and the Cheese Kranier. Three items I dream of till this very day.

        The undeniable star of Oz Cafe, however, was the Chocolate Molten Lava cake. This was a concoction that my brother made, after trying something similar at another cafe. He liked the whole concept of it, and felt that the version he was easting was good, but firmly believed with a few more tweaking, it could become great. 

        And you know what? He was right. 

        I'm not saying this out of love for my brother - I'm saying this out of love for food. The Chocolate Molten Lava cake that my brother makes is the best you will ever try. The Lava cakes sold like.. well.. Hot cakes.. and became the flagship product of Oz Cafe. There were other desserts that were also quite phenomenal, but nothing that could even remotely compete with the popularity of the Lava Cake.

         Unfortunately, The whole economics of running a fully functioning restaurant on a University campus eventually caught up with us. The building administration escalated the rent to an unreasonable amount, making the whole operation unfeasible.

            So just like that, the Cafe closed shop, leaving legions of heart-broken students behind, hungry for the magical goodies from the world of Oz.

               It's 2010, and years have passed since the doors of Oz has closed, but the legend of the Chocolate Molten Lava Cakes, still live on.