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

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! 

MAGNOLIA BAKERY NEW YORK OPENS IN MANILA AS M BAKERY!

      From New York to Manila, Magnolia Bakery has landed on our shores, under the name, "M Bakery", bringing with them their world famous pastries and Banana Pudding! 

THE CORNER MARKET PODIUM: THE RABBIT HOLE

         The sparkling new renovation of Podium Mall opened up opportunities for more shops and restaurants to settle into the bustling Ortigas center. Recently, a sprawling Food Hall opened, named, "The Corner Market". Spanning roughly around 1,200 square meters, The Corner Market is set to house 17 food establishments in its massive halls.  

      Though not all 17 are operational yet, your friendly neighborhood Pickiest Eater made the ultimate sacrifice for his beloved readers, to try the food stalls that have opened their doors at the Corner Market.. Where good food is just around the corner!

           With all the savory options at The Corner Market, those with a sweet tooth would be happy to know that there are actually a couple of dessert purveyors as well! If you're looking for a stall with a wide array of cakes and pastries, look no further than The Rabbit Hole!

            

SORSOGON'S BEST: MANGO GRILL'S BIG CHEESE CASSAVA CAKE

       I have a confession to make. When it comes to desserts, I'm not a fan of Pinoy offerings. Outside of Turon and Leche Flan (which is technically Spanish), I find myself taking a pass if native treats, such as Bibingka and Puto are the choices. 

     Don't get me wrong, I think they're delicious enough to eat, but it's easier to resist than more indulgent desserts, such as chocolate cakes and cream pastries. 

   Well, apparently I was wrong. 

     I recently tried a Cassava Cake that was just so irresistible, I swear I could have finished one whole by myself in one sitting.    

    

      The Big Cheese Cassava Cake from Mango Grill.

2 LAZCANO PLACE: URBANIDAD CAFE

          Another cozy coffee shop within the 2 Lazcano Place complex is Urbanidad. Located at the ground floor of growing food hub, Urbanidad offers a wide array of comfort food and desserts to choose from, as well as coffees and other beverages. And yes, you may cross order from any of the other establishments with 2 Lazcano Place!

SHAKE THOSE BLUES AWAY AT SHAKEAWAY

(Too Hot? Hot Damn! 😂)

          I don't know if I've ever mentioned this before, but I don't drink coffee. So it's safe to say that I havent gotten bitten by the Frappuccino bug that everyone seems to go crazy over (Poor me, no planner every Christmas hehe). However, what I do love, is a good milkshake. So when the largest Milkshake bar in the world arrived in the Philippines, you can bet every cent you've got that I stood up and took notice! 

        Fortunately, the stars aligned for me when Shakeaway opened their second branch at Bonifacio Uptown Mall, and I happened to be around the neighborhood with some foodie buddies of mine! 

Valentines Day Cakes by Pink Wasabi! ~RinaZ

        Looks like Richie's really touched to receive this heart-filled Chocolate Mousse Cake. An early V day treat from me to him! 

Fine... it's from Pink Wasabi ;-)

VILLAGE TAVERN: TEX-MEX MENU & MORE!

         I've been back to Village Tavern quite a few times since that very first Epic Meal I enjoyed there when it first opened a couple of years ago. Since that first meal, Chef Josh Boutwood has continued to innovate his menu, consistently coming up with new dishes that  keeps his customers coming back for more. 

      Chef Josh's newest menu concepts were inspired by the Southwestern fare, and he managed to give it his trademark spin that makes Village Tavern's dishes so memorable!

CHILI'S YOUR WAY: MORE FLAVORS, MORE CHOICES!

         Chili's is one of my go-to restaurants that never fail to satisfy my admittedly Western influenced palate. To this very day, I still have dirty dreams about Chili's Big Mouth Burger Bites (Don't ask). Although I would have no problems ordering those sliders from heaven over and over and over again, I was elated to find out that they recently added more items to their already awesome menu, and I couldn't wait to try them out! 

     Why? Because they had a brand new Steak dish.. covered in Cheese.. and.....

        You guessed it. BACON.   

DULCELIN GOURMET: FROM GOURMET DISHES TO DESSERTS!

             The very first time I heard about Dulcelin's food was during the early days of Mercato Centrale. Every had been raving about their Mango Torte, but me, I was more interested of the slab of Kurobuta Pork that was on display. Since this was only a stall of a food market, I only got to experience this awesomeness only during the weekends.  

          The Dulcelin name continued to grow, but with the Mango Torte at the front and center of it's popularity. Although I must admit, the torte is arguably one of the best desserts in the land, I'm actually more into the savory stuff. Every time someone would rave to me about their cakes, I would be quick to jump in and say, "But you should try theif meals!".

          After years of waiting, Dulcelin Gourmet has finally opened a restaurant at the U.P. Town Center! 

CEBU'S BEST KEPT SECRET REVEALED.. TEAM BROWNIE!

         If there's anything that I promised myself that I will not allow Rain to do, is follow my attitude towards school. I admit, I was never really a good student. I had decent grades in English but I was, and still am, horrible at math. But overall, I was plain and simply, lazy. 

        Which is why I am always impressed when I meet young people who go the extra mile to achieve, not just in school, but in every aspect of their life. I couldn't imagine starting a business when I was in College. It would have gotten in the way with all my video game playing (I still am was addicted to the game X-COM Ufo Defense). 

         Among the many blessings blogging has bestowed upon me, meeting Justinne, aka Babe For Food is one of the ones that I hold dear to my heart. I stumbled on to her site in 2012, while browsing blogs for new places to eat at in Cebu. Among the other sites I had read, I found Babe For Food to be incredibly engaging, and her taste seemed to be along the lines of what I was looking for in a place to eat. I sent her a comment for suggestions to reply.. she gave me a WHOLE LIST.. and from there, the rest is history. 

        Last December, during my trip to Movenpick in Cebu with my fellow Manila based food bloggers, I finally got to meet the lovely Justinne in person. She spent the last two days of our stay with the group, and as a parting gift, gave us a few goodies from her business. 

       Now I want to share with you.. Cebu's best kept secret is about to be revealed.. This is Team Brownie. 

MAD MARK'S: THE MADNESS CONTINUES AT GLORIETTA 5

            My first visit to Mad Mark's was a memorable one. You throw in a Beef and Chicken Sandwich in front of me the size of a battleship, and yes, that will definitely leave a mark in my memory for ages to come. Although the first branch had a cool, hole-in-the-wall vibe to it, the popularity of Mad Mark's food made it impossible for their progress to remain stagnant. Considering its fan base, it was only a matter of time that Mad Mark's would expand, and go to a more mainstream venue. 

   

    

  Sometime in October, the inevitable happened.. Mad Mark's opened their second branch at Glorietta 5 in Makati. I always knew that they would go mainstream, but I didn't think they would go THAT mainstream hehe. 

       Agent Smith said it best:

          

LACHI'S SANS RIVAL ATBP: A TRUE DAVAO LANDMARK

       You ever notice how, when you think of a trip you want to take to a place that you'd like to visit, names of restaurants from that area seem to pop up into your head instantaneously?  

        I've mentioned in the past that I used to live in the beautiful city of Cebu. Mind you, not when it was the modern city that it is today. I'm talking about the time that, when you watch "Lunch Date" on GMA 7 (There was no cable TV yet, so don't judge) you did so on a one week delayed telecast. But during my nearly one decade stay there, I found so many small, local dining gems, that till this very day, my taste buds crave for. 

        In Davao, there is one restaurant that I think anyone from Davao would easily tell you, is one of the city's dining treasures: Lachi's Sansrival, atbp.

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. 

LE COUER DE FRANCE CROUGHNUTS! - RINAZ

         I was delighted to find out that there are now more than one establishment that makes the famous croughnuts. Now, I’m not a pastry expert. Considering it's a new product, I don't have much basis to tell if a croughnut is made correctly. But as long as my tummy gets full and my taste buds craving for sweets have been solved, I’m happy!

       And so far, I quite liked Le Coeur’s version. 

Explore BGC with BGC Eats!

The first time I went to BGC some years ago, I was fascinated with the place most especially Serendra and Bonifacio High Street. When you look around, you feel like you’re in a movie (sort of). You see happy kids so carefree, playing on the grass, playing with pets, teenagers skateboarding, musicians singing without a care, and even photographers practicing their shots on anything and anyone. It made an impression on me that this was a safe place, where people can do what they want in peace. Sit on the grass, under a tree, and not worry that a guard might tell you off. Nothing but good vibes!

Slowly I saw BGC grow to be more than just a family place, but a place too where adults can unwind (The Fort Strip), where kids can learn (The Mind Museum), there’s even a soccer field for sports-minded people. Basically everything you need is in Bonifacio Global City. Hotels (F1 hotel, Seda, etc.), big malls (Market! Market!), and an awesome supermarket where you can purchase imported stuff (SNR), world-class hospital (St. Lukes), and more! In fact, my husband and I were talking about it a few days ago... that if we ever purchased another home (a condo), BGC would be our first location choice. It truly is a perfect location. Oh, and it’s a perfect place too for foodies who want to go restaurant hopping!

THE LUZVIMINDA FOOD FESTIVAL AT THE F1 HOTEL MANILA

    

       You don't have to be a comic geek to know that the success of the movie "The Avengers", which earned a staggering US$1.5 Billion in its worldwide box office, can be attributed to the public's anticipation of seeing Earth's Mightiest Heroes assembled on the big screen for the first time. Even a year after its release, I still sometimes find myself going on to Youtube just to watch the scene where Dr. Banner casually strolls toward the Huge alien transporter/creature that is chasing Iron Man, and nonchalantly tells Captain America, "That's my secret Cap.. I'm always angry", then transforms into the Hulk, and punches the creature square on the nose, causing it to flip over, just in time for Iron Man to blast it to smithereens. 

       To this very day, the scene that followed, where they are all gathered around in a circle, with the camera panning around them still gives me the chills. 

        Though they're aren't superheroes, seeing the collection of talented Filipino Chefs from across the country that F1 Hotel Manila assembled for their groundbreaking "LUZVIMINDA: Filipino Festival of Flavors" stand before me, gave a food lover such as myself tingles down my spine. 

         I knew that this moment, was something very special, and I was excited for what was to come.

DELICIOUS ICE CREAM, IS JUST A COLD STONE AWAY! - RINAZ

          What could be more perfect this summer than an awesome ice cream place opening at the heart of The Fort? Nothing!!!

          Cold Stone Creamery is a premium ice cream brand that serves fresh, smooth, and creamy ice cream with an outstanding and wide variety of flavors you wouldn't believe. Their ice creams have a special formulation of premium milk, cream, and buttermilk fat. (Sounds good already!) It originated in Scottsdale, Arizona and is now here in Manila!

          What's special about Cold Stone is the customer's ability to customize their own ice cream. To give you an idea on how many possible concoctions you can create with Cold Stone Creamery, They have:

22 fresh flavors of ice cream and sorbet made fresh every day.

10 kinds of candy toppings

2 types of Nuts

8 types of fruits

9 other sinfully good toppings

To be more specific, here is a list of their Ice cream Flavors and list of Mix-Ins they currently have:

I can imagine your heads exploding with delight hehehe! The possibilities are really endless!

          You can choose from different cup sizes. I like how they named their sizes.

Waffle Cone

Waffle Bowl

          You can also have it on a waffle. From plain waffle cone / bowl (P35) , to coated waffle cone / bowl (P45).

          The customer chooses their ice cream / sorbet and mix ins. And then the crew mashes them together on a granite stone chilled to 16 degrees Fahrenheit and places it in the cup or waffle. Then presents it to you with a smile!

Two thumbs up!

          So anyway, I fell in line to order and thought of what flavor and mixes I can create. But once I saw the list of their signature creations, I was baffled! It made me want to try it all first before I attempted to create my own. It's like Sophie's Choice! So hard to choose!

          Get what I mean? They serve a variety of Signature Creations. And the ones mentioned in the two photos above is not the complete list. I'll show you later the complete menu.

I got an All Lovin', No Oven!

          I had the All Lovin' No Oven in a Like It size (P180). Forgive my melted photo. It was really a hot day and we were seated outside so it was perfect for me (not for my pictures hehe). It's made of cake batter ice cream, with cookie dough, fudge, and whipped cream. It really screams comfort ice cream! If you have a sweet tooth you will really love this.  But personally the cookie dough chunks were too sweet for me. But that's just me. But the Cake Batter ice cream was perfect!

My friend Gerry's Dark Chocolate with brownies!

          I was also able to try their Dark Chocolate with brownies. Actually it was my friend Gerry who tried it and I just took a bite hehe. I was so full from my All Lovin' No Oven. It was really good! I love dark chocolate and I looove brownies!

And of course where there is ice cream, there are shakes and smoothies!

          And signature ice cream cakes! Oh my! Any birthday with a Cold Stone Cake is a happy Birthday indeed! The launching of the store was jam-packed that I totally forgot to take photos of the interiors. There was a lot going on!

          Video interview of the President of Cold Stone Creamery, Mr. Michael McGill. (Bless you kind sir for bringing your product here in Manila!)

Cold Stone Philippine Crew doing a little cheer outside

          The staff can also do some barista moves where in they throw a scoop of ice cream in the air and another staff catches it with a cup. I had a hard time taking a video of it because every I saw it, it's already in mid air hahaha!

          Unfortunately, me and my friend had to leave for a dinner event. But I would definitely love to go back with Richie and Rain for a refreshing family day at Cold Stone! :-)

COLD STONE Menu, prices, and other amazing flavors!:

Grab a cup today!!! ;-)

Cold Stone Creamery is located at Serendra, Bonifacio Global city, Taguig City, 1634.

Follow them!

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest : coldstoneph
Official Website: www.coldstonephilippines.com
Tel. No. : 846-0460

CUPCAKES BY SONJA AT GLORIETTA!

      "A red velvet cupcake?".

      Those were exactly my thoughts when a friend of mine, Zee, mentioned about this tiny wonderful cupcake shop in Serendra sometime in 2006. Until now, due to my lack of knowledge in anything culinary, I still don't know what flavor / ingredient red velvet really is. Aaaanyway, I'm getting off track. This shop was probably the daintiest shop I have ever seen at that time. It was just so pretty that I felt so ugly in it! And it wasn't just the shop that was pretty. It was their cupcakes too! I know I took photos during my first visit but I can't remember where I put them. I'm sure it's long gone :( Sniff...

This was the first shop I have ever been in that exclusively sold cupcakes, and the Red Velvet Vixen was the first ever Red Velvet treat I devoured. So just like the rest of Manila, I was hooked! Cupcakes by Sonja was amazing! The taste you get from each bite is truly a pleasure in the mouth! (Confession: I thought this whole time it was pronounced "Sonya" hehehehe *blush*) As for the price, at first I found it a bit steep but after tasting the cupcakes, it all started to make sense.