AN AFTERNOON OF DOMINO'S PIZZA DOUBLE DEAL & DISNEY'S ENCANTO!

 

It was a lazy Sunday Afternoon, so Rain and I decided to watch Encanto (AGAIN) while chowing down on delicious pizzas from Domino's via their "Double Deal" (2 pizzas for only P499)!

PIZZA HAPPINESS AT AMARE LA CUCINA KAPITOLYO

 

One of the finest pizza makers in the country can be found at Kapitolyo.. Check out my review of Amare La Cucina!

CHOWCIAO MNL PIZZA & CHICKEN BY CHEF JOSH BOUTWOOD!

The Bistro Group and Chef Josh Boutwood have come up with yet another amazing concept, and I was stoked to be among the first to try it!! Pizza and Chicken are among my favorite things to feast on, and ChowCiao takes those dishes to new heights! Get Your First look at ChowCiao here!

AN ITALIAN FEAST AT MAMMA MIA, UPTOWN PLACE MALL

           I really enjoy Italian food, so I'm always excited to try new Italian restaurants. Being hyper-acidic, I give plus points to establishments that can come up with dishes that doesn't use tomatoes. I don't know what it was about Mamma Mia, but they seemed to know my plight, so we were served some of their best sellers that didn't use tomatoes, and every thing he had were EXCELLENT! 

BIG GUYS PIZZA: WHERE THEY MAKE THEM BIG

         And if you can resist a slice of pizza, you my friend, are a stronger man (or woman) than I. Think about it. Whenever there's someone celebrating their birthday at the office, or watching a big sports event with friends, or even a simple series marathon, Pizza is often the default food of choice.  I recently discovered a pizza that offers one of the best value for your money.. And the great part about it? It tastes quite delicious AND.. It's probably the biggest pizza you'll find in the country today! 

        This is Big Guy's Pizza! 

          

BROOKLYN'S NEW YORK PIZZA: A NEW NAME IN PIZZA!

          When I first moved to Manila after years of living in Cebu, I stayed at my Grandfather's place, located in the Scout Area in Quezon City. Although the Tomas Morato area had a lot of the classic restaurants that are still there today, the choices weren't as eclectic as the current crop of food establishments that have sprouted in the area. 

      One such place that has sprung out of nowhere, is Brooklyn's New York Pizza. Despite the Western name, Brooklyn's is much more than an American inspired Pizza joint. The menu is filled with items from the United States, but it also leaves room for a bit of homegrown favorites and innovations! 

RICE AND DOUGH: THAT SUSHI AND PIZZA THOUGH

      A common problem Rina and I have when dining out is her requirement of there being rice. Sometimes I feel like having a burger, pizza, or even just a sandwich, while she requires something with rice, whether it be in a "Rice Topping" meals or even Sushis and Makis.  

     I recently visited a restaurant that would be the ultimate compromise for me and Rina, allowing us the flexibility to choose from a wide array of mouth watering dishes, without someone feeling lie that got the short end of the stick (Usually me). 

   Rice and Dough is the truly the Carbohydrate heaven that its name implies.        

THE TENTH BITE: SALVATORE CUOMO AND BAR, NOW IN MANILA!

       Even though I've been a food blogger for more than 6 years now, It's still not every day I get  to meete a celebrity chef in the international scene. I was ecstatic when I found out that THE Chef Salvatore Cuomo, the man behind Salvatore Cuomo and Bar was visiting the country to oversee the opening of the latest branch of his Italian restaurant empire that has taken Japan by storm.

    The Pickiest Eater in The World and Muvo Media presents, The Tenth Bite: Salvatore Cuomo and Bar, Now in Manila! 

CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN DREAMING: THE NEW MENU!

          I am a huge fan of Italian food, but because of my hyper-acidity, I have to be careful when eating anything tomato based. Which is precisely why I'm always on the look out for Italian dishes that stray away from the usual use of tomatoes, and instead delves into experimenting with oils and creams as their sauce.

          Case in point was the day that I tried the new dishes California Pizza Kitchen had to offer, which much to my delight, featured a number of items that don't use tomato sauce!

FEELING THE LOVE AT MAMA LOU'S!

        One restaurant that is very close to my heart, is Mama Lou's Italian Kitchen. I was a couple of years into food blogging when I discovered Mama Lou's at Soderno in Molito. I can't tell you what else I ate there on that fateful night without reading my post again, but all I can say is that Mama Lou's Panzarotti's is something I will never forget. 

   On the strength of those deliciously cheesy hot pockets, Rina and I made a rare trip to BF homes in Paranaque for a taste of what other dishes Mama Lou's had to offer. 

    After that we were hooked. Since then, I've had the pleasure of watching this humble little Italian bistro emerge into a Filipino-run restaurant chain to watch. 

     Although the excellent quality of their food is undeniable, the Mama Lou's experience is so much more than that. Past the delicious pasta, mouthwatering risotto and scrumptious pizzas, you will discover that the most precious dish from Mama Lou's kitchen, is Love.

IL PONTICELLO: BRINGING SEXY BACK

      I don't know if you know this, but I used to work in a Post Production House in Makati. I started at around 2007 or so, and our biggest clientele came from advertising. Whenever there was some sort of event or function.. Or if you wanted to take a client out, one of the go-to places to do so was Il Ponticello. 

    Truthfully, I know the place is an institution, but I don't have any fond memories there.. Well. Let me correct that - I have no memories of the place whatsoever. I know they served Italian cuisine classics, but I never tried any of the dishes, because I thought it was more of a bar than a restaurant.. and I don't drink, so all my visits were always very brief.  

    Cut to 2014. Il Ponticello is back, and it's better than ever. With a jazzed up Modern Italian Menu that will definitely captivate your taste buds, It was time for me to make up for lost time and discover what made Il Ponticello the iconic hot spot that it is.

MOTORINO PIZZA: FROM NEW YORK TO MANILA

       I am proud to say that I was able to check off experiencing Authentic New York Style Pizza from my bucket list during my visit to New York in 2012. Since then, we have tried numerous pizza specialist in the metro, all very good in their own right. 

    

       But there was one New York Style Pizza place in particular that opened its doors earlier this year, that I can safely say, was the closest to bringing me back to the Big Apple, and allowed me to relive my short fling with their world famous pizza... Motorino's Pizzeria Neopolitana.

MUNCHTOWN'S LINE UP OF PIZZAS!

        If you ever plan to watch a movie and pig out at the same time, may I suggest you watch at Greenhills Promenade? So you can also order your movie food from Munchtown! The fun thing about Munchtown is their extensive menu. You may have already seen our post about all those Munchtown hotdogs. If you have then you'll already know what I mean.

        And the fact that we're doing another post about Munchtown only means one thing... There's more food we'd like to share with you!  This time, it's all about PIZZA!!!

        Munchtown's Pizza is not your usual commercialized round pizza. It's got a more rustic oval-like shape that's 8 inches with 6 square slices. You can say it looks homemade! We got to try all 6 flavors.

MAGNIFICO! LINGUINI FINI AT SM MEGAMALL

                When I was young, whenever people would ask me what my favorite food was, I was quick to answer, "Italian". Funnily enough, my claim was largely influenced by my favorite cartoon character, "Garfield", and his love for Lasagna. Truth be told, the only three Italian dishes I knew were Spaghetti, Pizza and Lasagna. I had yet to understand the gastronomic wonders of a creamy Risotto. Never had I experienced that immeasurable joy you get in every bite of crispy Porchetta.    

           As I got older and my aversion to tomato based dishes became stronger, I slowly strayed away from my "first love". Lasagna would be something I would have during family dinners, and I pretty much considered Pizza and Spaghetti as American fare than Italian. 

          It took a stroll down to Linguini Fini, the newly opened restaurant at SM Mega Fashion Hall to reawaken my senses to the awesomeness that is Italian cuisine. 

          And you know what they say.. First love never dies.

          

          Especially when it's covered in cheese.

KOKO BURI: PAMPANGA'S BEST KEPT SECRET, NOW IN BGC!

          I'm not ashamed to admit that I jumped on to the Korean Twice Fried Chicken train when it first exploded into the Metro Manila Food scene. Bonchon's crispiness was unlike anything I had ever experienced before, and though I don't eat twice fried chicken as frequently as I used to, I still consider it as one of those "Go-to" meals when I can't seem to point my finger at what exactly I'm craving for. 

        During the height of the twice fried chicken craze, a friend told me, "Bonchon is good, no doubt. But you should try Koko Buri in Pampanga". As much as I loved the chicken, I wasn't too keen on travelling an hour or two away for it. So I simply told my friend, "If they're really that good, i'm sure they're going to open a branch in Manila."

     Just a little more than a year or so later, I found out that Koko Buri opened a branch at Bonifacio Global City. I was right. They really are THAT good.    

DECK THE HALLS WITH YELLOW CAB PIZZA CO'S CHRISTMAS FLEET!

       No joke, when I first saw a Yellow Cab Pizza, I thought it was an American brand. Back then, they didn't serve pizzas this huge. And though pizza (Like all tomato based dishes) tends to give me Hyper Acidity, when it's Yellow Cab Pizza, I suddenly find myself helpless to its powers. 

      Even though they specialize in Pizza, Yellow Cab also has some amazing dishes in their menu.. So how would one get a chance to try them all without breaking bank? 

         By ordering Yellow Cab's Christmas Fleet, of course! 

MOTHER KNOWS BEST: LUCIA RISTORANTE IN HOTEL CELESTE

            *Cue in Jeopardy Music*

      Contestant Number 1: I'll take "Unlucky Food Blogger Problems" for $500, Alex.

       Alex Trebek: The Answers are, Authentic Italian Tomato based Spaghetti, Gooey Lasagna, and Crisp Pizzas.

       Contestant Number 2 *Buzz*: "Food that the Pickiest Eater In The World Can't Eat!".

        Alex: Correct! 

          Yes, it's the sad truth. My hyper acidity makes eating those beloved Italian classics quite difficult for me. But some nights I can't help myself and be a little naughty. And my dinner at Lucia Ristorante at Celeste Hotel in Makati, was one of those nights.

WELCOME BACK, CPK VINTAGE PIZZAS! BY RINAZ

I still remember the first time I ate in California Pizza Kitchen. It was a certain number of years ago when they had their branch at the bridgeway of Shanrgi-La Plaza. Yep! It was that long ago! And the very first pizza of theirs that I tasted was the wonder that is Peking Duck Pizza! And I fell in love!

CPK has been continuously innovating and experimenting one-of-a-kind pizza flavours (which is awesome) but somewhere along the way, our favorite Peking Duck Pizza faded from the menu to make room for the newbies. Awwww! So imagine our surprise and delight when CPK brought back this beloved Peking Duck pizza and 4 more pizzas and are re-introducing them as their Vintage Pizzas! And upon tasting their new old vintage pizzas, I can’t help but add more of their pizzas on my list of favourites! 

Richie couldn't resist trying the pizzas himself, he skipped out from work for during his lunch break, just to drop by CPK in Greenbelt!

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!

TORCH LIGHTS UP THEIR NEW MENU! - RINAZ

A few weeks ago we were supposed to try out a restaurant in Greenhills named Torch with other blogger friends. But unfortunately no one could look after Rain at that time so we had to decline last minute. We heard nothing but raves from our friends who were able to go. And that made us more curious about this Torch place.

        Then the universe worked its magic! A few weeks after we luckily got an invitation to a Media Lunch Menu at Torch! What can I say? It’s destiny! *tear*. So off I went one weekday to Greenhills. According to the map, it was along Connecticut Street. I was driving slowly from the side of Greenhills Shopping Mall, looking for Home Studio Building. I was almost near EDSA but still didn’t see it so I turned back. It was only then that I saw the facade of Torch. It was quite big so I’m not sure how I missed it. Maybe because of the tree branch blocking it.